Loggerheads

“I love a woman with a really big gun!” Corbec laughed as he and Atton ran forward to meet the numerous workers that had been alerted by the resonating boom from Versia’s huge flintlock Rifle.
“But your terrified of Paladins with little guns” Atton replied with a smirk as the ‘little gun’ in question fired a bolt of purple lightning into a group of Goblins where it richoched of each killing all five in seconds.
“That Death Ray is not a gun and besides, I’m not scared of it I merely have a healthy respect for anything that can disintegrate a plane!” Corbec chuckled
“What happened to your foul humour?” asked Atton with a laugh as he retrieved his hand axe. His Death Ray could only be used safely, though use that term lightly, once every five minutes and as such Atton tended to use it as an opener before switching to more conventional weapons.

“Nothing relieves stress quite like battle” laughed the Warrior in reply as he bludgeoned a Goblins head with his mace while parrying a second with his shield.
“Atton, while this has undoubtedly stopped the logging work I feel I must ask if you have a plan…or do you simply intend to hit them?” asked Versia as she whirled on the spot, her long Elven sword cutting a swathe through a line of enemies.
“To answer the first question yes there’s a plan,” said Atton as his hand axe relieved a man of his throat, “As for the second question…hitting stuff kind of was the plan!” the Paladin replied as Corbec laughed.
“We should try and discover what these invaders did to corrupt the Treants” Called the huntress.
“Then lets go visit the Foreman and ask him” Corbec replied and promptly began cutting his way towards the sites main building.

The party gained ground slowly but it seemed Atton’s comment about it just taking longer to kill them was somewhat prophetic. When they finally reached the site office Atton kicked in the door and led the way to the foreman’s office. A Goblin dressed in a custom made suit crafted from what looked like shadowsilk was sitting behind a large wooden desk. The desk looked to be made of the same wood the loggers had been cutting down and was covered in intricate carvings, underneath the various paperwork and writing tools Atton could just about make out the Venture Co. logo emblazoned across its surface. For some inexplicable reason the Goblin was sitting calmly behind his desk with a smile on his evil little face.
“Oh god, I hate it when the bad guy’s smiling” Atton moaned as they approached the desk.

“What did you do to the Treants?” Versia demanded as in under a second she passed the Paladin, hopped elegantly onto the desk (without disturbing so much as a piece of paper), and pressed her knife against the Goblin’s throat.
“We used a toxin on them but it went wrong” answered the foreman who, Atton was pleased to note, wasn’t smiling as much though still spoke in a strangely smug voice.
“Wrong in what sense?” the Night Elf asked.
‘He’s keeping us talking’ Atton thought as he looked at the smug face, ‘but why?’
“It didn’t kill them as we’d planned it just sent them berserk” said the Goblin. Before Versia could ask another question Atton swore loudly and threw his hand in the air palm pointing at the ceiling. A shield of golden light blossomed around all three of them. Moments later a huge buzz-saw blade sliced through the ceiling and impacted the holy force-field, a second later it was joined by another blade also striving to slice through the shield. The sweat ran down the Paladin’s face as he fought to maintain the only thing between them and a bloody end.
“SHREDDERS!” Corbec yelled as he looked through the newly created hole in the roof.
“Yes Corbec, we’d noticed” replied Versia distractedly as she evaluated the two hulking machines, seeking a weak spot to fire at.

Corbec had always complained about Atton’s modus operandi but, no matter how serious the danger, he’d always had faith that they’d get out of it in the end. As he looked at the strain on his friend’s face, now red with exertion and contorted in pain, that faith had gone. Corbec knew, as did Versia that Atton could hold the shield for about a minute longer at most and the strain would probably kill him anyway.
“TRY…AND…DODGE…THE BLADES…CAN’T HO…LD MUCH LONGER” The Paladin yelled through gritted teeth. Atton was fuelling the shield by looking at the Goblin foreman, the smile on his face giving him the resolve he needed but his power was all but spent.
“DOWN…Now…” Atton called as his strength failed. Corbec and Versia grabbed the Paladin by the arms and dived to the floor pulling Atton with them. With the shield about to fail Atton managed to speak.
“See ya Cor, it’s been fun” he said quietly. Even as he spoke the shield vanished and both Shredder blades came flying down on them…

Atton could feel his strength returning, by some miracle he was being healed! He Versia and Corbec turned over to find a second holy shield was now blocking the viscious blades and when they looked toward the door they discovered the source of their salvation. Zorthorn, a Paladin like Atton (although perhaps saner), was keeping his friends alive with the shield while Greystoke, also a Paladin, healed them. Providing covering fire for the two holy warriors was Verit, Versia’s son and a hunter like his mother. A sudden thought occurred to Atton and he reached into his belt pouch. The Goblin Foreman had stopped smiling. He had quietly slipped from the room when the parties’ friends arrived, on the off chance he did lose he’d be long gone before any punishment was dished out. That at least had been the plan, a strategy that was hindered by the huge tiger that was currently pinning him down on the floor.
“Get off me, do you know how much this suit cost?” spat the indignant little villian.
“If she did she wouldn’t care” laughed Versia as she and the others approached. Before he even got a chance to ask how they escaped the shredders, the Goblin saw the two hulking machines standing next to Atton who was using his Universal Remote to control them.
“Now then,” began Atton with a grin, “I think it’s about time we finished our little chat”…

There was very little left of the site office when the group arrived back. They had left the Shredders disabled outside, a safer course of action considering Atton’s remote had a limited operational time. Verit escorted the captive Goblin to a chair, one of the few in the room still in one piece, and aimed his Boomstick at the creature’s face. While the Elves questioned their captive the others searched the remnants of the office. It was not hard to get the Goblin to talk, now that he’d lost his Shredders he was surprisingly co-operative. It seemed the toxin used on the Treants had been designed to kill them but, as the Goblin had said, it had gone wrong. Before the damage could be repaired in Windshear the Treants would need to be cleansed, the Cenarion Circle would send Druids to attend to this and in the meantime Versia’s mission was complete. There were some things Atton still wanted explained though.
“Not that I’m complaining my friends, but how did you come to arrive in the nick of time?” asked the Paladin smiling.
“We were sent from Auberdine,” said Verit, “we were helping the Cenarion Circle there and were asked to come and assist my mother”
“We had no idea you two would be here” laughed Zorth.
“Either way you have our thanks” said Corbec bowing his head slightly.
“So what happens to our little friend here?” asked Greystoke, indicating the Goblin.
“We will take him to Darnassus to answer for his actions” replied Versia. From his chair the Goblin let out a groan…

A week later Versia and Verit bid farewell to Atton, Corbec, Greystoke and Zorthorn as the four boarded a ship leaving Auberdine for Menethil Harbour, the two Night Elves planned to take a boat from the other pier that would bring them to Teldrassil.
“Until the next time my friends may Elune watch over you” said Versia with a bow.
“And the light be with you” said Atton, courteously returning the bow.
“Will we see you at the Guild dinner this year?” asked Zorthorn.
“If Garjimp has no objections, of course you will” replied Versia with a giggle.
“Until then Versia, Verit, good luck in all your endeavors” said Corbec. As the mighty ship pulled away from the Auberdine dock Atton and Corbec watched their friends fade into the mists of Darkshore.
“You know what?” said Atton as he climbed into his hammock.
“What?” asked Corbec, resting his book on the table and turning in his seat.
“As adventures go, it could’ve been worse” said the Paladin sagely.
“But as holidays go, it could’ve been better!” retorted Corbec with a chuckle.
“Well we’ll be back on active service in two days” laughed the Paladin.
“Good,” said Corbec dryly, “I could use the rest!” If the Warrior had known what their next adventure held in store he may not have made that joke. Far away, in the Eastern Kingdoms a fell order was being given.
“Bring me Atton Lightheart. Dead or alive!”…..