Serial Saturday

By Gimmlette

(Several years ago, I started this work of fan fiction involving the members of Spectacular Death. It's languished in the guild forums ever since. Many of the names contained in the story no long play WOW. Weekends can be quiet so here is presented, like the serialized stories of old, our guild story entitled, "If Only...")

Chapter One

There we were, minding our own business; Skipperdo, Superkind, Junas and Gimmlette; taking a stroll through Elwynn Forest. It was a lovely sunny morning and we were on our way to Westfall, as we heard some horde were making life miserable for lowbies just trying to find Goretusks with livers.

Suddenly, a long, low growl came from our left and Superkind was uncatted (He doesn't ride a horse) by a figure covered in tattered clothing and smelling like last week's meatloaf. Being an agile night elf, Superkind was able to tumble nimbly away from his attacker, but we were shocked to see it was...

HOGGER!

This was no ordinary Hogger, at least not the one who terrified us in our level 10 dreams. Sweat glistened off his fur. His muscles rippled with anticipation and excitement. And what muscles these were. It was clear the rumors were true. Hogger was taking performance enhancers, probably courtesy of the alchemists in Undercity.

Junas reined his horse and whirled it around, jumping off in one fluid motion. The ground crackled with the bright light of a spell and Hogger's attention turned immediately to the paladin running toward him. Superkind's raptor appeared instantly by his master's side and roared angrily, charging into combat. Superkind leveled his gun and aimed squarely at the broad backside of the beast. He fired, hitting Hogger with a blast that echoed off the nearby Westfall Brigade Tower.

Gimmlette and Skipperdo stopped their mounts as Junas raced backwards past them. They quickly dismounted and watched as Hogger started to grow in size and turn blood red. Enraged! Oh lord! Who knows what was in that stuff he was rumored to be drinking? This wasn't good.

UrsaMajor, Gimmlette's bear, charged into combat, adding a ferocious stomp to Junas' spell. The usually effective bear stun vanished as quickly as it came. Gimmlette loaded a magicked arrow and sent a tranquilizing shot toward the enraged gnoll. The maddened mob turned his attention on the dwarf. How dare she remove his carefully planned enrage. Ignoring the paladin and his perfectly timed blows, Hogger charged the dwarf. Her eyes grew large in terror and she attempted to feign death, but not before Hogger swung one muscled arm in her direction, sending her flying into the fence opposite her position. That taste...oh dear...that was blood. Lie still. Gather her wits. Think.

Skipperdo sized up the situation. This was not the Hogger we all laughed about in the Pig and Whistle in Stormwind. This was an unholy Hogger; a Hogger sent by Arthas himself to pillage and plunder. Elwynn must be purged of such a fiendish beast. While Hogger was occupied with Junas, Skipperdo began reciting to a very ancient yet reliable spell. When the beast charged Gimmlette and threw her against the fence, a blast of arcane magic shot from Skipperdo's fingers. Hogger howled as the purplish bluish magic engulfed him, singeing his fur. Skipperdo froze the beast in place and followed with a barrage of arcane missiles, shooting from his outstretched hands.

Gimmlette struggled to her feet, half her health gone. Superkind was pumping shot into the monster and it was still standing. Why? It was just Hogger. Junas charged the frozen-in-place gnoll and the ice melted around his feet. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Junas bashed Hogger with his shield, the magic from the shield cracking the air. Hogger roared, grabbed Junas by the shield and shoved him backwards. Junas slid along the ground, carving a small trench in the roadway.

Hogger turned towards the mage. "Um...guys," Skipperdo said shakily, "I don't like the look in his eyes." Hogger let out a massive roar and charged the gnome. Skipperdo, waiting until the last possible second, "blinked", showing up on the other side of the roadway. The smoke from moving so fast swirled around his hat. More arcane missiles leaped at Hogger who crashed through the fence where Skipperdo had been standing.

Suddenly, the missiles stopped. "Uh oh...out of mana," Skipperdo wailed. He took off running down the road toward the tower. "I'll go get help while my mana regenerates."

Gimmlette quickly downed a Super Health Potion and rued not swinging by the bank before leaving Stormwind to make some Runic Health Potions, as she was all out of them. She spoke some words and UrsaMajor grew to twice his size. The bear let loose a deafening roar and swiped at the gnoll. Superkind's raptor raked and clawed and chomped. To everyone's horror, however, Hogger ignored the pets and leaped after the fleeing gnome, landing squarely on top of Skipperdo. There was a groan and then nothing; no twitch, no sound. Skipperdo's hat crumpled across his face.

(To be continued...)