World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm Page 0,49
came from above—Anduin glanced up to see the hundreds of books trembling as they slowly moved out from their shelves.
Three thoughts struck him simultaneously. One, that he suspected all those books, and all the priceless knowledge they contained, were about to topple unceremoniously from tremendous heights to almost certain damage, if not destruction. Two, that the books that were about to topple unceremoniously were about to fall from tremendous heights on top of their heads. And finally, if the tablet pieces were to slide off the shaking table, they would shatter. He lunged forward and grabbed them, pressing the irreplaceable pieces of knowledge close to his heart.
“Look out!” Aerin cried, grabbing the arms of both Anduin and Belgrum and dragging them along to the large archway that separated the library from the main display hall. Anduin misunderstood and thought she meant for them to flee the hall completely, and he kept going until, with a grunt, Aerin flung herself bodily on him. Frantically he twisted and landed hard on his hip, Aerin at his back, the tablet protected still.
“Nay, Anduin! Not out there! Stay in th’ archway!”
The warning came not a second too soon. He had fallen directly under the pteradon skeleton. It was rattling violently, the chain suspending it swinging and making the bony wings flap as if it had suddenly come to unlife. The bindings that positioned it in such a pose had never been meant to hold against anything more demanding than gravity, and even as Anduin watched, the wiring snapped and the skeletal wings crashed down. For a long, slow, horrified moment he simply watched as death toppled toward him.
Then stout, strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and his face was pressed into cold plate as Aerin draped herself atop him. She uttered a pained “oof!” as one of the fossilized bones clanged against her armor and forced the wind out of her lungs.
A heartbeat later, it was all over. Aerin leaned back, her face drawn in pain but otherwise seemingly all right. Anduin sat up and looked around cautiously. The books, as he had expected, were on the floor, as were most of what had adorned the tables.
“The tablet!” cried Belgrum, hurrying to his feet.
“I have it,” Anduin said.
“Good lad!” exclaimed Magellas.
Aerin got to her feet, wincing slightly. Anduin followed, his legs shaking, clutching the tablet pieces to his chest still. He stared at her.
“You saved my life,” he said quietly.
“Och,” she said, waving it aside. “Ye’d have done the same. Besides, I’d be a poor bodyguard if I wasna prepared to save yer life when I needed to, now wouldn’t I?”
He nodded, grateful, and gave her a smile. She winked back playfully.
“Everyone else all right?” Anduin asked, handing the tablet over to Belgrum.
“Looks like … och, the poor books,” Magellas said, real pain in his voice. Anduin nodded solemnly.
“I should see if anyone else needs help,” Aerin said.
“Good idea. Let’s go.”
“I’m nae takin’ ye into danger,” Aerin said.
“Well, you have to stick with me, so you can’t really go off alone, can you?” He had her there, and she gave him a scowl. “Let’s go to the Hall of Mysteries,” Anduin continued. “If anyone’s hurt, they’re going to need healers.”
He left the Hall of Explorers and went quickly to the Hall of Mysteries, Aerin, seemingly completely recovered, trotting along beside him. They slowed as they approached.
Dozens of people were clustered about the hall. Some were walking on their own. Others were being carried, or were borne on the backs of rams. Some were lying on the cold stone floor while their loved ones wept frantically, calling for the priests, who seemed very scarce and were murmuring healing prayers at a rapid rate.
“Oh, dear,” Aerin said. “Looks like we were lucky.”
Anduin nodded. “Rohan’s not here,” he said. “That means there’s a worse situation somewhere else.” He gently grabbed ahold of one priestess as she scurried past. “Excuse me, but where is High Priest Rohan?”
“He’s been called away,” she said.
“Where?”
“Kharanos. It hit harder there. Now please, let me tend tae these people!”
“Come on,” Anduin said to Aerin.
“What?”
“We’re going to Kharanos. I’ve been taught how to help in emergency situations,” Anduin said. “I can tend wounds, set bones, bandage—help until the real healers can get to people.”
“And how many bones have ye actually set?”
“Um … none. But I know how to!” At her uncertain look, he grabbed her arms and shook her. “Aerin, listen! I can help! I can’t just stand around here and watch!”