Braxx stood on a hillock overlooking Mulgore. The wind was blowing slightly through the grassy plains and wild Kodo grazed nearby. The day had started out dreary and rainy but now the sun was shining and it was very beautiful. This fact was lost on Braxx as he had long ago lost his ability to appreciate the beauty of nature. Braxx was a Death Knight. He had once been human but the evil Lich King Arthas had taken his life and reanimated him as a soldier in his Scourge army. Several years had passed since that fateful day but the scars of war had left their mark upon Braxx's spirit. He remembered well the day he slaughtered his little friend Railynn in the Chapel of the Crimson Flame in the Plaguelands. And he recalled in vivid detail murdering thousands of innocent people of the Scarlet Crusade.
He let his mind drift briefly to a happier time before Deathwing, Arthas and the destruction of Quel'Thelas his home, his family and all that he had loved. The empty spot in his breast where his heart used to dwell echoed with forgotten loneliness for the one person in this world that had meant everything to him, his beautiful and radiant Elunaa. She awaited him now back in the Undercity. She didn't often leave that sad place as Lady Sylvannas had made her Matron of their Orphanage, caring for the undead children that had been slain in the sacking of Lordaeron some eight years ago. (1)
Braxx stretched and looked about him; the mission that Garrosh had given him was tedious and mundane. "Go to Mulgore little Human," The Warchief had sneered, "there are going to be supply convoys entering Mulgore from the Barrens and they are to be protected. If one single cart in that convoy is harmed, I will personally rip your little human ears off and chew on your head!"
Braxx loathed Garrosh Hellscream with unbridled hatred. Thrall had earned his respect after the battle of Lordaeron following the fiasco of the Wrathgate in Dragonblight. Braxx was fighting side by side with King Varian Wrynn during that battle and was ordered to attack Thrall and Sylvannas while they were weakened. Braxx refused and the King wanted him dead but Thrall had seen compassion and honor in Braxx and had guaranteed him safe harbor in the Horde, a fact that Garrosh resented. Because of this, Garrosh always sent Braxx on tasks that one; were either too dangerous, hoping him to be killed, two; mundane and boring, hoping that Braxx would desert, or three; intentionally kept him away from his beloved. Braxx wanted nothing more than to replace Nefarian's piked head in Orgrimmar with Garrosh's but out of respect to Thrall's decision to place him as head of the Horde, he stayed his hand.
The convoy finally arrived unmolested. Braxx watched from his elevated position as the precious supplies from Orgrimmar were delivered to Thunderbluff. Braxx was surprised that Bane accepted the aid from Orgrimmar as Garrosh had slain his father, Cairn in a duel following Garrosh's ascension to Warchief. Garrosh had subsequently alienated every other race in the Horde, asserting the dominance of the Orcs as the primary race. Even Orgrimmar, which had stood for many years, perched so very close to the forests of the Night Elves, had been restructured, segregating all of the races into suburbs.
Sighing to himself, Braxx began to make his way down the hill toward his Deathcharger, Shadowfire. Braxx smiled as he watched his horse fighting with one of the ever-present groundhogs of Mulgore. Braxx summoned his dark magic and blasted the furry menace with a jolt of Icy Touch. The horse sputtered his thanks to his Master and lowered his head to be petted. Braxx obliged and mounted Shadowfire. He spurred the horse into a gallop and headed for the lifts to enter Thunderbluff. The Tauren guards instinctively reached for their weapons at Braxx's approach until they saw the red Horde emblem on his Tabard, marking him as an emissary of Orgrimmar. The fact that the tabard had silver trim, signifying Braxx as a member of Thrall's Special Guardian Force (2) was not lost on them. They relaxed their threatening stance and nodded to the Death Knight. Braxx chuckled to himself and boarded the lift and entered Thunderbluff.
With Shadowfire stabled, Braxx made his way to the trade area where bane had set up his command tent. A few of the more bold and curious Tauren children ran up to the strange, foreign Death Knight but were too scared to engage him. A few of the older, wiser Tauren nodded to him with respect but they too kept their distance. Braxx figured that they would naturally distrust any Death Knight which are the antithesis of their love of nature, let alone a HUMAN one. Braxx had long since gotten used to the mistrustful feelings of the races of the Horde, both because of his unique circumstances and because of his humanity. Braxx strolled casually but briskly into the command tent.
"Chief Bloodhoof, your supplies are here and safe," he told the Tauren.
"Ahh, we were expecting more that was brought, are you sure nothing had happened to them?" Bane asked, a solemn expression on his face.
"Chief, I shadowed that convoy since it left Durotar. It made four stops between Orgrimmar and here for rest and food. Since I require neither to live, my eyes never left the convoy. What is here is what was sent." Bane sighed, he too understood what Braxx was implying, and Garrosh sent Thunderbluff only the bare minimum of essentials.
Bane shook his long dark mane and looked to Braxx. "When are you departing for Orgrimmar?" He asked the Death Knight.
"I was going to leave straight away, Chief, unless there was something you needed me to do." Braxx replied, a little more that hopeful. Any delay in returning to Garrosh was a welcome respite.
"No, my friend, you have been more than helpful to the Tauren people. What is Garrosh paying you to babysit the convoy?" Bane asked him.
"Twenty pieces of silver," Braxx replied, trying unsuccessfully not to look disgusted at the miserly nature of the Warchief.
Bane reached into his tunic and withdrew a small sack, tossing it to Braxx. "Here is a little something extra for your diligence in helping the Tauren people. Your aid to us and indeed to all of Azeroth will never be forgotten. My Father, Earth Mother bless him, often spoke very highly of your skills and he was also quite impressed on how you handled The Lich King. Let me walk you back to the stables."
The Death Knight walked beside the young Tauren, heading toward the stables. Braxx always liked these people, whose deep reverence to their Earth Mother always managed to instill calm in him. He still felt terrible that Ogma, his Tauren friend from the Acherus had died during a mission for Thrall following the events at the Undercity. Braxx had carried his friend's body back to Thunderbluff himself, on the back of Shadowfire, wrapped in heavy linen blankets. He had told Ogma's parents that he had fought fiercely and bravely for the Horde and died a Hero.
"Braxx, before you return to Orgrimmar, I have a task for you." Bane told him, laying a hand on his shoulder. Braxx looked in askance to him. "We had a strange visitor the other day, one of the races from beyond the mist, a Pandaren by the name of Chen Stormstout." (3)
"A Pandaren?" Braxx asked.
"Yes, he arrived a few days ago and told us that his race has had begun to explore the rest of Azeroth beyond the veiled Mist and that he had come to Kalimdor seeking new ingredients for his famous brew."
Braxx, not much of a drinker, just nodded his head. "And what does this Chen want of us?" Braxx asked him.
"Apparently, he only wants our hospitality; he paid for his room in the inn by doing some mundane chores for Innkeeper Pala. He is about to leave for the Barrens and has asked for a guide of sorts. None of my scouts are available to be placed with him so I am counting on you to show him Kalimdor.
"The Warchief will not be pleased at this," Braxx said.
"The Warchief is rarely pleased at anything, Braxx. But I personally promised Chen that no harm will come to him while in Horde lands and that is not a promise I intend to break. The ancestor spirits tell me that these Pandaren will be of great significance in the near future and we will need all the allies we can get."
Braxx nodded his assent and entered the inn in the lower rise. Chen was there waiting for him and he had his things ready.
"Ahh, you must be my fearless escort. Greetings to you, I am Brewmaster Chen Stormstout of the Wandering Isle. Who might you be?"
"I am Braxx Merkess of Lordaeron. I am to escort you through the Barrens in into Durotar."
"Great. Let us be under way then," Chen said. He turned to Bane and thanked him for their hospitality. Braxx made his way to the stables with Chen faithfully in tow. Braxx paid the stable master for keeping Shadowfire, or rather for putting up with Shadowfire. He asked Chen if he had something to ride.
"Alas, I came to Kalimdor with only my two good feet and a keg of my famous ale." Chen replied. Braxx asked if Chen wanted to rent a Kodo from the stable master. Chen explained that he had little in the way of "walking around" money. Braxx nodded and tied Chen's things to the back of Shadowfire, much to the horse's disgruntlement, and they both walked to the lift.
"What manner of creature is this?" Chen asked Braxx, indicating Shadowfire.
"This is a Deathcharger," Braxx replied.
"What is a Deathcharger?"
As they walked, Braxx explained to Chen all about the Death Knights, the breaking free of the control of Arthas, defeating the Lich King, and about his service to Thrall and the Horde. During the evenings when Chen stopped to rest, and he often did stop to rest, Chen would tell Braxx of his home on the Wandering Isle, and about the fine art of brewing. Each time they stopped, Chen would attempt to entice Braxx into a mug of his ale but each time Braxx refused. He explained to Chen that as Braxx was not alive in the traditional sense, the alcohol would do little to him and he didn't feel the need for Chen to waste the fine brew on him. Chen was grateful for the thoughtfulness of his stalwart road companion.
For a week, the two companions traveled, they passed over the great chasm between what was now the South and North Barrens. They finally entered Durotar on their eighth day of travel. Chen was busy the entire time gathering herbs and teaching Braxx about the different benefits of brews when he spotted a strange plant in the distance.
"What manner of plant is that?" He asked Braxx.
Braxx having no knowledge of Herbalism could not tell him. Chen was dying to get his hands on that plant, there was one small problem. Or rather, there were twenty big problems. The plant in question was surrounded by vicious wolves. Chen sat on his haunches and stared at the plant off in the distance. Braxx stood beside his new friend and looked at it with him.
"I have got to have that plant." Chen told Braxx. Braxx was studying the wolves and trying to determine how they could best get through their ranks and get his friend that herb when a loud flapping of wings was heard overhead.
Braxx and Chen looked up to see a huge Chimaera descending toward them with a burly Orc at the reins. The rider pulled sharply on the harness and the Chimaera came to rest before the two travelers.
"Braxx Merkess?" The Orc asked.
"I am Braxx," Braxx replied, looking bewildered. He rarely got Orcs coming to visit him in the wilds.
"I am sent by the Warchief to bring you to Orgrimmar immediately." The Orc climbed back atop his steed and stoically stared at Braxx. Braxx blinked in confusion.
"I am escorting this noble Pandaren under the order of Chief Bloodhoof. I cannot abandon him here in the wild."
"The Warchief demands you return to Orgrimmar without question little human."
Braxx turned to Chen with a look of apprehension. He was loath to leave his friend there knowing that Chen would do anything to get that plant, even risk his own neck.
"You must go to your Warchief, friend Braxx," Chen told him.
Braxx nodded sadly and extended his hand to Chen. Chen grabbed Braxx in a bear hug and thanked him for his diligent companionship. Braxx unhooked Chen's belongings from Shadowfire and handed them over.
"Promise me you won't do anything unwise with those wolves," Braxx told Chen. Chen chuckled and promised him he wouldn't. Braxx mounted his Deathcharger and made to follow the Orc.
The messenger turned to Chen. "I saw another traveler about half a mile from here along the road; he looked to have several beasts with him. If you hurry, you may be able to catch up with him and he could probably help you."
"That sounds like a plan," Chen said. "Thank you kind Orc"
The Orc grunted and he and Braxx took off for Orgrimmar at break-neck speed.
"Thank you for that," Braxx said. The Orc did not reply.
A few hours later, the messenger and Braxx entered the large gates of Orgrimmar. Braxx grimaced as he always did upon entering the Horde Capitol. He did not have the time to look around because the messenger wasted no time in rushing to Garrosh's hovel. Braxx apprehensively entered the Warchief's domicile and strode up to him.
"Ahh, little Human, back from your adventure, eh?" Garrosh smirked at Braxx and approached him. He lifted his arm to strike Braxx and the Death Knight didn't so much as blink. Garrosh lowered his arm and grunted. "I ought to hit you in the face you insolent little whelp! You were told to guard the convoy and come straight back here!"
"Warchief, I was coming back but Chief Bloodhoof had a task for me." Braxx told him.
Garrosh roared in fury. "And is it Bane Bloodhoof that commands the Horde?! I gave you an order you pathetic, small, disgusting Human, you were supposed to return straight here! If you ever disobey my order again, I'll hang you in the commons by the tatters of that tabard you don't deserve to wear!"
Braxx rolled his eyes at Garrosh's back. Not a day went by that this odious Orc didn't threaten to hurt or kill him.
"Open your tiny Human mind for me and read what this says." Garrosh handed Braxx an unsealed scroll.
Braxx Merkess, you are hereby requested to return to the Undercity and meet with our Dark Lady in conference in the Royal Quarter. Mage transport has been made available with this letter and Warchief Hellscream has been informed of the Lady's request. Please get here as soon as possible as lives are at stake.
Deathguard Darnell
Braxx looked to Hellscream. "When did this arrive, Warchief?"
"A few days ago, I read it and sent for you, had you been here on time, you would be in Tirisfal by now! Pack your crap and get your useless Human ass to Tirisfal and see what that witch wants. After you speak with her, you return immediately here, I have things for you to do. And if I hear that you were wasting time with the babysitter, I'll beat you senseless!"
Braxx knew that by "babysitter", Garrosh meant Elunaa. Although the Orc detested all races that weren't Orc, he held a particular hatred for the fact that Human was cavorting with a Highborn Elf, even a Forsaken one.
Braxx turned to the shaking skeleton standing next to the door. The mage nodded and started to cast.
Garrosh screamed in rage. "DO NOT OPEN A PORTAL TO THAT STINKING REALM OF YOURS IN MY HOME!" He roared.
The mage almost shook himself to pieces and he and Braxx exited the hovel and ported to the Undercity.
Azaraiah strode into the Royal Quarter while they were waiting for Braxx to arrive. Azaraiah had moved what little he had left after his home was destroyed by the Scourge to Lordaeron Castle. He enjoyed being close to his daughter and served as a sort of emissary between the Undercity and Silvermoon. He had made his quarters in what was once the living area of the daughter of King Teranas Menithil. The lush and opulent quarters suffered little damage in the sacking of Lordaeron by Arthas and little Forsaken made their home in the Castle itself.
"When did this message come in?" Azaraiah asked.
"We caught this Human outside the gates to the City," Sylvannas answered.
The Human in question stood cowering in a cage a few feet away. He spoke not a word of Thalassian which was what Azaraiah and Sylvannas were speaking in. The messenger had simple orders, stand outside Lordaeron and wave a white flag deliver a scroll to Azaraiah and hopefully return. It was a suicide mission he knew, but when King Wrynn orders you to jump, you do not even ask how high, you merely jump and hope it's high enough.
"What does the message say?" Azaraiah asked Sylvannas. She handed it to him.
Most honorable Ambassador Azaraiah of Quel'Thelas, I Highlord Tirian Fordring, greet you in haste. His Royal Majesty King Varian Wrynn requests the presence of the Hero Braxx Merkess of Lordaeron at a briefing in the Stormwind Keep. The King wishes to assuage any qualms or apprehension about his desire for Braxx to be present at this briefing and it comes with my personal assurance to the guaranteed safety of his person and effects while in Stormwind City. Please come immediately as this is a matter of the gravest urgency. Respectfully yours,
Tirian Fordring
Azaraiah could only blink at the neat and concise handwriting of the Highlord. He had great respect for the man and believed his sincerity in asking for Braxx. Varian on the other hand was another matter entirely. He knew that Wrynn hated Braxx for betraying him at the battle of the Undercity and also for requesting that he wed Elunaa in the Chapel of Light in Stormwind with the leaders of both factions sitting together in peace prior to Deathwing's rise. He handed the scroll back to Sylvannas.
"The messenger is a very brave or foolish man for venturing into your domain Lady, he looks hungry, and can we get him something to eat?"
Cromush spoke up. "The Warchief will not accept that for the prisoner. The intruder will be executed for the crime of entering Horde territory."
"And when the Warchief catches an intruder, he is welcome to do as he wishes to him, meanwhile this brave man is under MY protection here and he will be treated with dignity and honor Warlord," Azaraiah snapped to the surly Orc. "With your permission my Lady." He looked in askance to Sylvannas who grunted acceptance.
Azaraiah fed the messenger and spoke kindly to him. "You are either very brave or foolish for coming here. I have guaranteed your safety here and you shall be returned to Stormwind when Braxx arrives." The messenger looked at Azaraiah with gratitude.
A flash of light preceded the arrival of Braxx and the Forsaken mage that brought him there. Azaraiah stood and hugged his son, Braxx smiled to him. Braxx knelt before Sylvannas and she bade him rise.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice Braxx," she said.
"What's the matter?" Braxx asked. "Has something happened. . " He trailed off, his eyes meeting those of the messenger who stood transfixed at the Human Death Knight that was speaking perfect Thelassian.
"No, Braxx it's not Elunaa, here, you better read this." He handed the scroll to Braxx.
Braxx read Tirian's words carefully twice over. He was confused and slightly angry that Varian did not have the courage to write to him himself. He looked to Azaraiah.
"What do you suggest I do Father?" He asked. Braxx had started calling Azaraiah Father after he and Elunaa were wed, Azaraiah was thrilled to have Braxx as his son.
"The words of Tirian ring with truth son, but the decision is yours and yours alone. I do not know what it is Varian Wrynn wants from you, but to get Tirian to write to you means he's desperate for help but worried that you will refuse. I would go and at least hear what he has to say. I would go with you but I'm afraid that cannot happen, my people are no longer welcome in his city or any Alliance city for that matter, despite the betrayal that the Humans wrought on us Highborn."
Braxx nodded. "I will depart at dawn then." He bowed to each of them then left the room. Azaraiah cast a worried look to Sylvannas.
"Will he be alright do you think?"
"Braxx is more than capable of handling himself, Az. But I tell you this:" Sylvannas switched to Common for the benefit of the messenger, "If King Varian Wrynn betrays or harms one hair on Braxx's head, the entire might of the Forsaken will rain down upon Stormwind until nothing lives or breathes within its walls."
Braxx strode rapidly along the halls of the Undercity, the area illuminated by the strange green glow coming from the liquid in every single gutter and drain. Braxx did not know what foul toxic concoctions that combined to form those horrid waters, nor did he want to know, his only thought in his mind was that of his beloved bride. He strode boldly into the small room behind the Rogue Quarter and yelled: "BOO."
Small screams of delight met his ears as twenty Forsaken Children leapt to Braxx and tackled him.
"Uncle Braxx! You Came!" The children pummeled Braxx with questions. From the other room came the Matron. Braxx stood looking at his wife, agape at her intense beauty. Undeath did nothing to diminish her beautiful features. Her skin was a little paler and her lovely blue eyes now glowed red with undead fury but she was still the vision of exquisite heavenly beauty as the day they had first met each other.
Elunaa gestured towards her assistant who rounded up all the children and carted them off to the market area for treats. Braxx knew that the vendors never charged Elunaa or her assistant with anything the children needed. Sylvannas was abundantly clear on that point that the children of the Forsaken be taken care of. The few that disobeyed that order were expunged, harshly.
Braxx embraced his wife for the first time in several months. She hugged him fiercely to herself, her Hero, her mate, her soul. Braxx thought of the purple sphere that their little friend Railynn had created. The Soulstone that Elunaa had never taken off. It was that stone that had allowed Braxx to reclaim his memories and most of his humanity after he was severed from the control of Arthas.
"I have missed you terribly my Beloved," Elunaa told him.
"I know my love, the Warchief keeps me away from you for his sick, twisted amusement." He replied, still holding her in his arms. "He is a motherless bastard and a soulless psychopath who delights in tormenting others."
"The Warchief will be very pleased to learn of your assessment of his leadership while in the company of the Babysitter." Cromush said, barreling into the room. "You may find your position in the Horde on shaky ground if I fail to keep my silence."
"Little Orc, in regards to Thrall, I stay my hand from destroying that foul-smelling, ogre-face buffoon you so blindly serve," Braxx replied. "But you, on the other hand, I have no regard for. Threaten me or mine again and I will shove that war axe so far up your hidey hole that you'll be coughing up steel for a month! Now remove yourself from the orphanage before I remove your head from your neck!" Braxx retorted.
Cromush sputtered, then turned and left the room.
"Moron." Elunaa snorted.
"A moron the Warlord may be, but never mistake the same for the Warchief. He may be a disgusting lump of useless flesh but he is clever and intelligent, I saw that for myself when I was there." Braxx told her.
"I heard about the messenger, that foolish Human caused quite a stir around here, what does he want?" She asked her husband.
Braxx told her of the letter from Highlord Tirian Fordring.
"You're not going to go are you?" She asked him with a huff.
"I have to my Love, The Highlord needs me, and even though I despise Varian for his lack of desire for peace, I respect Tirian enough to at least listen to what the King has to say."
Braxx spent the night with his wife and in the morning, He, Azaraiah, Elunaa, Sylvannas and the messenger assembled in the courtyard of Lordaeron.
"Thank you Lord Azaraiah for your generous hospitality," The Messenger said.
"Do not mistake his hospitality for mine, Human. I held back from killing you because of Azaraiah, but if I ever see you in Tirisfal again, or any of your Alliance people, I will kill them." Sylvannas told him. The messenger gulped.
Everyone said their goodbyes and the messenger surprised them all by opening a Mage Portal right there. With a final look back, Braxx winked and was gone.
Elunaa hugged her Father.
"Will he be okay?" She asked him.
Azaraiah grinned. "What's the worst that could happen?"
A/N
(1) - I got 8 years from this math: It was roughly 5 years between Arthas's sacking of Lordaeron and his return to the Plaguelands with the Acherus and his Death Knights. Figure roughly a few months for the events of Wrath to take place, that leave 2+change years for Cata and the arrival of Pandaren in Azeroth. Just roll with it :p
(2) - Thrall's Special Guardian Force does not exist. I had to explain a way for Braxx to be able to move about Horde territory unscathed and what better way to do that than a tabard that marks him as untouchable. A word on the language barrier: In game it is impossible for members of opposing factions to communicate. I am relaxing this rule in my story under the assumption that languages can be learned freely. (case in point, my 9 years of French class in school xD)
(3) - Chen Stormstout. I LOVE this character. I thoroughly enjoyed the role he played in my questing in the Valley of the Four Winds, and when he mentions walking in Kalimdor it struck me as the perfect link to get Braxx meeting back up with him and Li Li later on in the story. However, I will say this once and once only: I KNOW THAT HE WAS IN KALIMDOR YEARS EARLIER THAN I HAVE HIM. Blizzard added him to Kalimdor to introduce us to Pandaren earlier than the expansion was released. He was there to assist with the fall of Jaina's father. I am aware of this. However, I do not agree that he should have been there that soon. I realize he was a denizen of the Wandering Isle and not stuck on Panderia but for the purpose of this tale, I am making it so that Pandaren even on the Wandering Isle were not very well known on the rest of Azeroth.
(4) - This blip was not in the story so don't look for it, but yes, that is the same Darnell from the Undead quest line :D I loved his character too.
(5) - You can tell by how I wrote this how much a hate Hellscream
(6) - I do not own any of Blizzard's content, places, names or Ideas. Braxx, Elunaa, and Azaraiah are mine.