In lieu of Friday Frivolity, or in keeping in the spirit of it, I present the final part to of the cliffhanger "The Trial of Nmimo the Murloc". Enjoy.
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Gulp!
Nmimo was taking a mighty risk, he didn’t really know if the true culprits stood among the council or among any other onlookers, but he followed an instinct given to every Murloc in the world. Ready to convey this thoughts, Nmimo stood from the center chair and slowly rotated in a circle careful to catch the eye of everyone in the room.
“Here is my story. On the day in question, the day that ‘someone’ killed my family I had awoken to a perfect sunrise. As I do every day I waded into the river to wash my feet and look at the nature around me. I heard the cries behind me and when I turned to see the cause of the commotion I saw a light, a bright light that I can’t explain flash from somewhere in the sky. Then a flash, of what I’m not sure. Maybe it was another light, but it was darker, almost like a shadow illuminated. All of a sudden I was struck and dazed, I fell to the earth and remembered no more.
It’s clear that the facts of the case are these: 1) An attack was made on the village by some outside force, 2) There was more than one attacker, as the flashes and the lights I saw were at a distance, while the stun and knock out effects were directly behind me, 3) The Argent Crusade, leaders of thousands and millions of warriors who have raided camps of other Murlocs all around the world is suddenly interested in my camp and claiming to have brought justice for an evil act.
Why?
Does it not seem strange to everyone assembled here that an unimportant village of peaceful Murlocs is the heart of discussions at a time of war? Last time I checked the Argent Crusade was not at war with the Murlocs nor have they been commissioned to protect my kind.”
Everyone in the room fell silent. Even Tirion Fordring was found staring at his boots as Nmimo delivered his impassioned speech. Feeling confident in the direction of his arguments Nmimo continued.
“I find it interesting, Tirion, that you have chosen a Preist, Warlock and Warrior to carry out my execution, for these are the very three that murdered my family, friends, and villagers.”
Shock and outrage shone on the faces of the three now accused. They looked at Tirion hoping for the order to strike down the defenseless Murloc, to kill him not thrice, but once and utterly. Tirion, as if tormented by some secret shook his head and denied them their wish. Nmimo continued.
“Has anyone ever witnessed a Priest’s Smite ability. It’s a light that starts somewhere in mid-air. It’s strange, really, it’s not released from the Priest’s hands like a Mage’s Firebolt, but is a bright yellow flash of light that starts above the one being attacked and falls down upon their heads.
The flash I saw was the streaking of the Warlock’s Shadow Bolt as it passed from the Warlock’s hands to the heart and soul of some family member of mine. And the Warrior, ah yes, the Warrior. Knocking me silly your stun caused me to faint.
No doubt the Priest, after all three had completely ravaged my village used her power of Mind Control to bring me here assuring that I would have no memory of my own of what happened, how I got here, nor of who was framing me for the killings of my fellow villagers.
Speak to this, Tirion, speak against these charges, Priest-Warlock-and-Warrior. Do I say wrong of thee or does your silence confirm the truth of my words?”
After a short moment that felt more like weeks or months of agonizing silence Tirion Fordring stood and walked over to place himself in front of Nmimo the Murloc. Lowering himself to one knee and bowing his head he exclaimed:
“Nmimo the Murloc, wise and just Murloc, I, Tirion Fordring, ask in the name of the three accused and of the whole Argent Crusade for your forgiveness in our actions. You must know that what we did we had to do, for both your good and for ours.”
Nmimo was stunned at such a quick and outright admission of wrongdoing. Stammering for the right words to say Nmimo could only get out one squeak, “Why?”
Tirion stood back on his feet and began pacing around the room. After another minute and an anguish-filled glance at Nmimo he began to speak loudly.
“What are we doing anyway? I have helped the Alliance and Horde to join together here in Icecrown to topple the Lich King Arthas once and for all. Now we have done that, and what’s left? Rumors have it that Deathwing is stirring and the Elementals are restless, soon they shall break their bonds and be released into all of Azeroth. But until then, what? I ask my people to sit around and do daily sorties that have no meaning? Nay, I shall not burden them with such tedium.
All we wanted was to have some fun, and Murlocs have been a thorn in our side since each of us were level 7. You girggle and run! I mean, really, you guys run so much faster than is normal for any creature in this world, you shouldn’t have to run so fast, it scares me. What is one Murloc camp in the grand scheme of things? All of this, admittedly, is for show. It’s a game we devised since we really have nothing better to do for the next few months. Surely you can understand, surely you won’t hold this against us.”
Tirion was confident that his own speech would lessen the anger boiling in Nmimo’s limbs. In truth, he never valued Murlocs as highly intelligent beings at all. He half expected Nmimo’s response to his initial accusations to be Mrrgggl rrglllmmmrl rmmmurrllgggle. But the Murloc showed a talent for words and a great insight into the human mind.
Nmimo gathered his emotions and calmly replied, “Tirion, I do not accept your apology, but I will accept your store of weapons, ammunition, books of magic and lore and all the building materials needed to rebuild my village to its greater glory, all while adding improved defenses…all supplied by the Argent Crusade.
You owe me this, Tirion, you see that I am not an imbecile nor a simple minded gurgling creature who ‘runs too fast’. I am as skilled with my tongue and my hands, and given some training by your best class trainers, I too shall create my own line of warriors to fight along side whichever faction moves to treat us Murlocs with the respect that we deserve. You will do this, Tirion, or you will die.”
Tirion turned and furiously gazed at Nmimo the Murloc. “HOW DARE YOU!?”
“How dare I, you say? How dare you!? Never have I nor my people ventured to threaten your existence, but if I desired I may call upon the power that my dying brothers and sisters have bestowed up me to rise up in defiance of you and bring you down to the depths of shame. I shall enslave you and your alliances if I must. What say you?”
Tirion pulled his sword from his sheath, all the spell casters and warriors in the room rose in their righteous fury and hurled all their strength and powers at the young Murloc.
With a wave of Nmimo’s hand everyone in the room froze in place, unable to break unseen bonds that held them rooted. Nmimo slowly walked toward Tirion, who was terrified and would have run away from this Murloc had he not been rooted and frozen himself.
Nmimo grabbed a chair and lifting himself on it to get closer to Tirion’s ear he whispered, “Fool, you do not know who you have been dealing with. Don’t listen to what anyone else says, for I tell you the truth. I…AM…DEATHWING.”
Tirion’s eyes widened, fear rushed from him to everyone in the assembly, although they understood not why they were afraid they mimicked that emotion that their leader displayed.
“I shall have my revenge, Tirion. On you, on all of Azeroth. People seem to think strange things about my past, but they do not realize that I was never imprisoned. I have been living among the Murlocs for generation after generation. Your treatment of the creatures I have grown to love after years of living and learning of them has caused me great pain. But now I shall cause you greater pain.”
Then, crying aloud so that all of Northrend could hear his voice, Deathwing exclaimed, “YOU ALL SHALL FEEL GREAT PAIN! Power I give to the Murlocs such as you have never witnessed. A Cataclysm shall reign upon your lands and I shall rule over all my slaves. Nmimo the Murloc no longer shall I be, I am your DESTROYER!”
The scene described here has been a documented fact. The truth of the motives behind Deathwing’s rise in the upcoming Cataclysm are now revealed. Maybe we should have treated the Murlocs better from the start, eh? I, for one, say ‘bring it on’. Deathwing says, ‘mrrglmrrgl’.
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