Threads of Fate
Against all odds, they prevailed...
The Lionheart gathered in Stormwind’s mage tower for their deployment to the Dragon Isles, where they met with an old ally of Valis - the blue dragon, Xanagos. He informed them of new time anomalies that had been appearing throughout Thaldraszus. They agreed to investigate them, and found out that some were linked to the same apocalyptic future from which the message in a bottle came. The first anomaly brought them into a vault at that time, where only shattered belongings of its survivors remained - and the mention of a Watcher named Penthos.
After a ‘brief’ stint of being trapped in a time bubble at Gelikyr Post, they were freed by the Timewalker Learthas and Sonadormi, who confirmed that some of the anomalies out there had a particular signature - their own. They also met Erakaan of the Tyr’s Guard who called upon their aid at Tyrhold where another, larger anomaly had occurred. During Tyr’s wanderings of the Isles, they could use all the help and they agreed once more to aid.
At Tyrhold, the anomalies they encountered took a different shape. With them meeting Rikart Helmesfall, a former member of the Lionheart, from the alternate future. He’d been scarred by the battle for his dying world and shared that they’d sent Penthos over, though there was no sign of him. Their reunion was brief, however, as they descended down the hold and were ambushed by a Void-scarred Fiend who slew the worgen and escaped afterwards. Once they’d reached the bottom, they met with their Penthos who’d been busy with catching other anomalies that’d manifested as globes of sand. With no sign of the Fiend and many more anomalies around, he asked for their help and offered them refuge at Tyrhold for the time being.
The anomalies manifested in different ways to different people, with some meeting alternate versions of past loved ones, and others having to chase the orbs as they playfully led them across the grounds of Tyrhold. Afterwards, they regrouped and investigated a nearby Vault where one of Penthos’ devices that helped him maintain security was attacked. They found a tattered Argent Crusade tabard and broken fishing pole, before they came under attack by Void-corrupted refti guardians, no doubt victims of the Fiend.
The following day, Penthos had the damaged device repaired and tracking down its attacker just outside Tyrhold. It sensed two anomalies there, with the first ambushing them in a Light-blessed minefield and revealing himself to be Kalrite Roach of the alternate future. He apologised for the hurt he’d caused and together they teamed up against the Fiend who sought to kill him, but failed to do so and was forced to retreat. Upon their return at Tyrhold, ‘Roach’ gave his farewells before passing peacefully in his sleep.
Penthos, urged by the Lionheart to investigate any unauthorised access to titan facilities, informed them a few days later of an intruder in the Vault of the Incarnates. It was likely that the alternate Penthos would be there, so they ventured to its entrance only to find the door locked tight and a battle raging on before it between Tallat, another alternate member of the Lionheart, and the Fiend. Despite a gruesome battle between the Void-scarred hunter and the Lionheart, they came out victorious at the cost of Tallat’s life in a heroic self-sacrifice. The door, however, remained shut and Penthos arrived some time later in order to override its defences.
The final stretch of their journey in the Dragon Isles was within the Vault of the Incarnates itself. The Lionheart had the backing of its allies in Penthos, the Tyr’s Guard, as well as Xanagos and, later on, Learthas and Sonadormi. The emptiness of the Vault was disturbing and the Void’s influence could be felt with every step they took. A barrier of Void, shifting across two timelines, barred their path and the only way to break it was by ridding the Vault of its last few time anomalies.
Learthas, Sonadormi, and Xanagos would take one side of the Vault while the Lionheart took the other. There, they met an injured Learthas, the one responsible for all the anomalies, who guided them towards the last two with a plea to break them so his Sonadormi could break free. The first anomaly was a giant statue of some unknown, twisted creature, reaching up towards a starless sky and protected by former members of the Lionheart who were twisted by the shadow.
The second was Valis himself in the draconic form granted to him by his artefact, though he was kept suspended in the air and reached desperately towards twin purple stars in the sky above. After each anomaly was broken or killed, they found a fatally-injured Sonadormi who was brought back from the brink by the healers throwing everything they had at her. She confessed that she and Learthas were responsible for bringing Penthos over, together with the other Lionheart’s volunteers.
Then, came the final confrontation with the assistance from a surprising corner: Konrad Everby, the last survivor of the alternate Lionheart. The guild had settled on trying to cleanse the corrupted Penthos - known as the Witness of Fate - or kill him, if all efforts to cleanse him failed.
They battled for a long time, bringing their all to bear against the twisted Watcher…and, despite all the odds being stacked against them, succeeded in cleansing him of the Void that had burrowed deep inside of him. It was a bittersweet moment, and both he and Konrad were sent back to their doomed timeline together with the other Learthas and Sonadormi. How the future will shape up for them, is a story only they will ever know…
…But the Lionheart was victorious and now must lick their wounds and deal with the aftermath of the confrontation.
