War for the Overworld
Warcraft/Dungeon Keeper crossover
Disclaimer: I do not own either Dungeon Keeper or Warcraft, both belong to their respective people.
Summary: Sometimes to fight an enemy you need an ace up your sleeve.
Pairings: undecided.
Prologue: Old Legends.
"We were the first you know." The voice spoke, echoing all around the chamber, the constant rythmic heart beat pulsing in the background, "we were the first of the guardians to fall to the curse of flesh. My Heart which was once crystal and shined with the light of a sun, now is flesh and blood like everyone elses." The voice continued sounding disappointed at that revelation. "We became those that weren't spoken about. The Guardians ignored us, they were stronger than us and could destroy us if they wished. Many of my brethren fell before we wised up and left them alone. My brethren were idiots." The voice continued distaste at the others clear in the voice. "The Dragons feared us. They were a power unmatched above ground, yet we didn't enter their territory, some tried to stop us, they fell in the darkness alone and seperated from their kin, powerful they were, but on our grounds they were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter… and soon we left each other well enough alone." The voice continued in amusement.
"Time passed by, we were there, watching, waiting for the time to strike, the younger races evolved, fighting among themselves and we watched, they were many, we were few. The Elves proved extremely resilient to the efforts of a few of my brethren, Their Queen proving an insurmountable challenge. Azmodeus and Raksha were killed before we left them alone, content to watch and wait for their inevitable destruction." The voice continued calmly. "Then the Legion arrived." The voice was one of hatred and anger. "The Legion saw us and struck before we were prepared, like the Night Elves, we fell under their onslaught, like us, they could reinforce their own efforts constantly, though with much greater speed than us. We were fighting a losing battle, for every hundred demons we killed they killed us. Our numbers diminished until only a dozen remained. The destruction of the Well of Eternity, the Sundering that followed killed eight more of my brethren, leaving the four of us scattered to separate parts of the world. Azmodai and his brother Azrael, Desdemona and myself were all that was left of what was once a group of one hundred." The voice continued talking to the person who had trespassed. "It was about that time we abandoned our original plans, more and more we were drawn back to what we were originally created for. To protect this world." The voice continued, out hearts were moved, we sealed ourselves away waiting for the time that someone would discover us, to awaken us."
"We spread out, two of us inhabit Kalimdor, one to keep watch over the land you know as Silithus, another to watch the Night Elves, One went to Northrend, though now I am curious as to what has become of them, they should have been awoken long before now, when the trouble arose they should have been woken as well." There was a slight hint of worry and concern in the voice but the unannounced visitor was less than worried. "That leaves myself, I chose my resting place, hidden in the mountains of the land you call Tirisfal, there I slept until the humans stumbled across my underground domain. They acted like all scared people do upon finding my location, they struck out. Repeatedly they attacked and repeatedly I killed them with barely a concern, my minions, my soldiers, my legion were still capable of fighting even after so many years in stasis." The voice continued. "Then he arrived…" The voice was amused and angry at the same time. "A human from the House of Menethil, he struck and I was defeated… death was what awaited me and to prevent that eternal sleep I offered an oath, that when the need arises I and my kind would fight for his kingdom. It was my way to complete the task that had been given upon my creation." There was a hint of wistfullness in the voice and the trespasser continued walking. "And yet I was never called upon. Awakened now I can feel the taint that has seeped into the very essence of this land, the curse of death that lingers in the very nature of this land, causing untold amounts of pain." There was anger in the voice. "And now you arrive… tainted by the same dark energy that causes this land pain. Who are you…" The voice trailed off in curiosity and the Trespasser looked around the room that they stood in, stone pillars with torches hooked up bathed the room in a dim light, for anyone not used to these conditions, they would be at a disadvantage in a fight… but no doubt the creatures here that inhabited the dungeon would be right at home.
"You claim that I have the taint of undeath on me and that would be correct, I was killed by the fiend that did this to Lordaeron." The trespasser spoke, her voice, for it was definitely a woman that spoke had a hollow echo to her voice that was filled with so much anguish as she spoke. "Myself and others are set to take the fight to him, to take the fight to Northrend and bring him to justice." She spoke as she lowered her hood. White hair revealed, burning red eyes watching carefully, looking around for any possible threat. "I had heard tales of your kind, the kingdoms of man, the ones that still remember you label you as monsters, creatures from nightmares, they don't know how many of you exist and that scares them, I learnt of this place and I learnt of your oath." She spoke and walked forwards towards a door at the end of the room, the flames dying behind her as she walked. "I know of your Oath and come to hold you to it." She spoke and the voice laughed in amusement.
"You, who have no connection to the man I gave my oath to, have come to bind me to it?" The voice laughed and the torches in the room flared brightly in response to the amusement, the woman. "Just who do you think you are?" the voice questioned and the door opened on its own showing two lines of black armoured warriors standing on opposite side of the corridor facing each other their hands on their blades.
The woman stopped, assessing this new threat, they were stationary at the moment but she had the gut feeling that the wrong words spoken, or the wrong action taken and they would attack. While confident that she could take out some of them, the niggling doubt at the back of her mind was doing its best to convince her that it was suicide. "I am the Former Ranger General of Quel'Thalas, Former slave of the Lich King and now free Undead, I am the Banshee Queen of the Forsaken and ruler over the plagued lands of Lordaeron. I am Sylvanas Windrunner and you will be held to your Oath!" She spoke calmly, her voice carrying an air of authority.
As one, the soliders heads all turned to face her, the metal shink of armour against armour echoing and then as one, in what was most likely a well trained manoeuvre, they all turned in sync, their heavily armoured footstep sounding in unison like a boom of thunder. Another swift motion, sound of swords being drawn and they stood weapons held up in front of them and Sylvanas felt her hand reflexively go towards the blades that she carried with her but held off, waiting to see what would happen.
"Banshee Queen… such a grand title for a lifeless puppet." The voice taunted and Sylvanas glared at the soldiers. "You stand before me and say I should submit myself to you? By your own admission, there is no kingdom left for my Oath to be held to." The voice taunted, "you have signed your own death warrant with this action." The voice continued.
"The People of Lordaeron still live, it is by their own action that I rule this land." Sylvanas countered.
"A cursed life of undeath, the dead hold no sway over the land other than blighting it, free willed and suffering. What of those that survived the plague… do they agree to your leadership?" the voice asked and Sylvanas hesitated for a moment. "I thought not, how can you claim rulership over a land when its own people are against you?" The voice continued and Sylvanas smiled.
"There is only one persons opinion on that situation that matters, one who is like myself Forsaken but for a completely different reason, she still lives yet is hated because of the actions of her brother, the Traitor Prince, the Lich King: Arthas Menethil." She said coldly, spitting the name like it was a form of venom. "His sister survived and though her father is still revered for the person that he was in life, she was not as lucky. As you are no doubt aware, biterness spreads like the strongest of plagues." Sylvanas explained.
"And this sister has given you the power over her kingdom of her own free will." The voice spoke calmly and curiously. The Keeper knew that if what Sylvanas said was true, then there would be no option but to obey the Oath.
"I had anticipated this, so I brought proof with me." She said and reached into a small pack that she had with her, withdrawing a plain looking envelope she glanced around waiting for someone to come forward.
A green flame erupted in front of her, Sylvanas stood her ground but brought a hand up to cover her eyes at the sudden intensity of the flame that appeared from nowhere. After a few seconds it vanished and she was surprised at what she saw.
The figure that stood before her looked like one of her people, she stood at the same height as Sylvanas and wore a relatively plain Emerald Green robe, the woman had long red hair that was tied off into a ponytail and her green eyes were locked with Sylvanas's blood red eyes. "I assume you are the Keeper that controls this place." Sylvanas spoke slowly and the figure smiled slightly and nodded her head.
"I am Keeper Katryana, at least a construct created by my own magic. The Keepers have no true physical bodies, existing only as the life force of the Dungeon Heart." Katryana spoke and Sylvanas held out the envelope. Katryana took the envelope studying the seal that had been used to close it before breaking the wax and removing the letter, tossing the envelope over her shoulder, the material bursting into green flames, incinerating it, bits of dust scattering onto the stone floor. Katryana read the letter, a frown creasing her brow as she did so, it was an unusual situation that she found herself in, the letter was written like a true diplomat would write a letter and it was clear that there was no force used to coerce the writer. This Calia Menethil was the true ruler of Lordaeron and she had passed the title to Sylvanas for both her own protection and for the stability of the land. "I cannot contest this… signed in blood as it is, I believe what is written." She spoke knowing the potency of Blood Magic even by those not trained in the art, Blood was a very powerful thing. "But I ask you, do you plan to travel to Icecrown for Justice… or for Vengeance?" Katryana questioned and Sylvanas glared.
"I will bring him to Justice and with that, have my vengeance." Sylvanas answered and the Keeper laughed.
"A diplomatic answer from a warrior like yourself, not one that I expected. It will certainly be an interesting time to say the least." She spoke calmly before nodding her head. "Very well…" She spoke softly before dropping down to one knee infront of the former Ranger General. Sylvanas was surprised by this action and even more so when behind her the sound of armour moving and she looked up to see the soldiers that had stood in the corridor were also kneeling. "On my honour as a Keeper, on my honour as a guardian of this land I am now your blade and shield in service to the Forsaken, your enemies are my enemies, your allies are my allies until you hold my oath fulfilled or my heart destroyed." Katryana spoke softly though every word was heard by Sylvanas due to the otherwise silent room and her enhanced elfish hearing. "You are my leader until that time." Katryana spoke with a finality followed by the voice from the soldiers behind her.
"Hail the Banshee Queen!" The voices spoke and Sylvanas could hear others in the distance, a lot of voices. She nodded her head and gestured for Katryana to stand.
"Before my forces march on Northrend I will need to know just what you are capable of." She spoke and Katryana nodded her head stepping back and gesturing for Sylvanas to follow her.
As she walked away Katryana smiled, knowing the Elf was unable to see her grin, things were going to be interesting for the Dungeon Keeper…
TBC
Well I've written nothing more than this for this idea, it's an idea I had after playing copious amounts of Dungeon Keeper and WoW.
I may or may not expand on this in the future, it could be a very interesting idea to work with.
Main reason I decided to upload this now. It's my birthday and I thought I'd give other people a little gift.