Times were good. Prosperity oozed through Stormwind, and throughout the human kingdom. It's been ages since any harm or foul creatures have roamed the human lands . Elwynn forest was lush and spring was breezing through the fields.
The night was slowly seeping through the forest of Elwynn and it brought a purple glowing twilight. In between great trees and forest leafs, a little gathering was. A squad of foot soldiers was stationed here, they had a weak bonfire going. Around the fire was three silhouettes and as the fire grew larger their faces appeared out of the darkness.
The three was: The dwarven master hunter Gar Aamberhearth, son of Garvill Aamberhearth a famous smither in Ironforge. The double sword master Erekon Frostcloak, son of Ardevon Frostcloak a high ranked officer, and the priest Aaron Hiel, son of Halth Hiel a high priest who was lost in third great war.
"… I tell you this Erekon" the master hunter said with a slight rattling "It's been a long time since I've seen folk like this around here" he stroked his hand through his great white beard and petted his white wolf .
"What do you mean?" Aaron said as he ferociously tried to get a fire going for the fourth time that evening. "Why is literally everything wet" Aaron angrily mumbled to himself.
"Heh, you know what I mean!" Gar hissed. "These folk we've seen from Westfall lately. You haven't seen 'em?" Erekon replied startled by his weak observation skills "No, I haven't and should I? Folks around these lands are good people Gar. The forest and still and the silence is a bliss, and so are it's folk.". Aaron kept blowing into the embers.
"Westfall and Elwynn have been good places for many years now. There has been no need for sending guards to roam these realms, the danger was always from south. Damned be those woods, always giant spiders there. Let me tell you, our King, long live Anduin first of his name, has been neglecting Westfall and Elwynn. And then these folk started just marching into Westfall and occupied Moonbrook. And I shouldn't be surprised if we'll see 'em at our doorstep at Stormwind" Gar passionately said, his wolf barked approvingly. "Some say they wear black ropes and exercise the arts of foul magic."
"Easy there Gar it's not nice to question our king." Erekon said as he gazed upon the fire which was finally going.
"Do you disagree, am I wrong?"Gar pointed angrily towards Erekon.
"As footsoldiers, that's not our duty to question our King, long live Anduin first of his name" Aaron stated. Erekon was relieved.
"Bahh, You always been avoiding conflicts Aaron let the man speak for himself" Gar mumbled and sat down. Erekon sat in silence, ignoring the fact that both of them expected an answer.
The darkness steadily crawled through the trees, engulfed everything in its path. They were a part of squad which was stationed near the Jasperlode Mine, as a part of the king's orders. Scouts of the king have observed strange creatures roaming in the mines below and it was the squad's assignment to kill all and capture one of these creatures. But this was an easy task even for a novice squad.
Dusk became night and the squad settled in.
A crackling of twigs and sudden movement was going through the forest when suddenly Gar jumped out from behind their tents. "Morning to you lads" Gar yelled as he threw 3 dead rabbits on to Erekon and Aaron. "by the King!" Gar said and his white wolf barked along, being proud of the hunt.
Erekon gasped as he glimpsed the dead corpses. He had never been too fond of dead things. Actually he never really liked being in the Alliance or in any military. It was his dad Erekar who forced him to join the forces of the Alliance. He had always despised his father and from the day he joined the forces, he never spoke to him again.
The rabbits were just laying there, looking at him with their dead dry eyes, filling him with disgust.
"Get them off me!" he screamed. Gar looked strangely at him and then remembered Erekon's phobia of dead thing and started laughing and started skinning the rabbits for breakfast.
Aaron looked at Gar "where did the hunt take you this morning?" being precise with his words. "I was hunting north of the Stonefield farm." Gar paused "there was something strange about that place I tell you." He peaked the interest of the two others "As I started going towards the northern part of the farm I expected being greeted by the locals. But I saw no one. All I saw was the livestock, cows, chicks, horses, but not a single person was to be found."
Aaron threw the rabbits on the grill and they started sizzling. "What do you mean: No one?" he asked. "Just like I said Aaron, no one. It's like they all just vanished from the face of the earth. No footprints, no sign of there ever was anyone." Aaron sent a crooked smile at Gar "Why don't you tell it to the captain then." trying to end the conversation. "I've already done that, but all he said was that we should keep focusing on our task at hand."
"I've already done that, but all he said was that we should keep focusing on our task at hand." Gar grew mad and stood "Lads we should do something, we can't ignore this" Gar looked at Erekon and Aaron.
Erekon refused "Gar it's probably nothing, stop being so nervous about everything." Aaron nodded "We have been ordered to investigate the threat smoldering in the mines, so that is what we will do."
"Argh, you lads are always this boring!" Gar said as he ate this last of his breakfast.
Not long after the immediate threat in the Jasperlode Mine was neutralized, and the trio found themselves celebrating at Lion's Pride inn in Goldshire. The mood was high as the squad with quite a pace became drunker than the next guy. Light from the Inn shined out through the small simple framed woodwork.
"Well that was easy" Gar smilingly shouted to Erekon and Aaron, they nodded and took a sip from their beer. Aaron looked up from his glass. "Let's have a toast" he said and prepared to stand on his chair. The Door to the Inn slammed up and a poor ragged farmer stumbled inside. Silence took the whole lot by storm, the squad stood still and awaited the farmer to speak.
"They're here… "
The farmer was so weak that he fell to his knees. Aaron rushed to his aid catching his right arm as the farmer collapsed.
"What is your name sir." Aaron said politely.
"My name is Stonehill, Homer Stonehill. Son of Frall Stonefield. I own the land you know as Stonehill farm south of here. They are all gone… My family… gone." and he fainted.
"Take this man upstairs!" Aaron shouted. Two soldiers took the unconscious farmer upstairs.
Slowly a buzz of intoxicated voices started and evolved into what it was before. Soldiers sang and the mood was high. The three ran upstairs to the poor man and saw him laying on the bed, and has been given some break and some fresh water.
Immediately Aaron stood at his side raising his hands above him and mended his wounds.
"What did you tell ya" Gar whispered.
"Easy now Gar, the Stonefield has had a long rivalry with their neighbors the Maclure family, it can easily be that which has caused the trouble. Let us rest until tomorrow until the farmer is well enough to speak." Aaron silently said.