This is how I was taken from my world and brought into another. Admittedly, things could have gone better.
I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, swearing under my breath. One of the school bullies, Kyle, had nailed me full in the face with a water balloon. I would have killed him right there if we hadn't been in school.
I swore even louder when I saw that it was going to rain. I had worn my leather jacket and dressed up as much as you can without wearing collared shirts and a tie. I sighed. Of course, with my luck I would pick the one day when it rained. At least, from the looks of it, it would just be rain. My family had had quite a few accidents involving lightning. I didn't have a car, so I would have to walk about two miles home. I stuck my hands in my pockets, starting the long walk.
As I turned a corner, still a good quarter-mile from my house, there were blinding flashes of lightning. At the exact same time, I felt a bolt burn against my back while another hit me in the chest. The pain was... enough to make me welcome death. The heat of the bolts rushed through me, boiling my blood while my skin felt like it was blackening, like it was burning from the electricity. I felt like I was being ripped to shreds, or having my veins filled with lava and left to die slowly. I screamed, but there seemed to be no end to the sensation. It seemed the ground disappeared out from underneath me.
I opened my eyes slowly, then was confused. The ceiling I saw wasn't the black of my house, or the white of a hospital room. It was dark stone. I was in a bed, the white blankets soft. I looked at myself, absurdly expecting to have been charred. Where the lightning had struck, my skin had been slightly darkened, and the rest of me was a slight red. I slowly sat up, and pain shot through my body. Someone was at the side of my bed right away, and a hand on my arm.
"Stop. Rest now." a woman said, sounding both kind and commanding at the same time. My vision was so blurry that I couldn't see her. I collapsed back into blackness.
When I opened my eyes again my vision was almost back to normal. I sat up again, and felt only a small pain, like a sunburn being touched. A person was at my side again quickly. I looked up, then assumed my vision had been damaged in the lightning strike. The woman standing at my arm seemed to have a purple tint to her skin, and her eyes looked like they were silver, with no whites.
"Wh- who are you?" I croaked, my voice hoarse. Her features softened even more.
"I am the High-Priestess Tyrande-" she began.
"No! You can't be!" I interrupted. "Sorry to interrupt." I added quickly. I looked around. What I had thought was dark stone was actually smooth wood. This entire room seemed to be carved from a tree. I stared.
"Am I... Is this... Azeroth?" I asked, my voice soft. I had read about it and played games about it, but I had never thought that it could be a real world.
"Of course. Where else would you be?" she asked, looking at me like I was talking crazy. I looked away, not able to think what was real and what wasn't.
"I can't answer." I said. Maybe I was in a coma. Maybe I was insane. Who knew. All that I knew was that I was in a fantasy world full of demons, animals, and other things that made it difficult to go anywhere. I rubbed my aching head, then stood. Tyrande smiled, obviously trying to be a kind hostess.
"I'll have clean clothing sent up immediately." she said. "Until then, try to get some more rest." I sat back down, then slumped over, almost passing out.
A loud creak woke me as the door opened. A shadowy figure entered, set something down, then left, shutting the door as quietly as possible. I swung my legs over the side of the bed again, walking over to whatever had been left. I picked up a blue and gold cloth bundle. The clothes that had been ordered for me, probably. The pants were held up by a simple black leather belt. The tunic was mostly a dark shade of blue, with some gold trim. Some black leather boots had been left beside the clothes. I slid them on, tying the laces quickly. I felt much better out of my singed clothes, but felt like a different person. Here I was in a fantasy world, wearing medieval-style clothes after being struck by lightning twice at the SAME TIME! It seemed so crazy, it seemed impossible, but I believed I was in another world. Maybe because I wouldn't care if I was. My thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the door as Tyrande walked in.
"Good. You're awake." she said. "I hope you find the accommodations of our city to your liking." I stretched, then nodded.
"I probably will." She smiled, as if she could be made happy by such a small compliment. She turned to leave, then at the last second I added "Thank you... You didn't have to take care of me yourself, though. Why?"
"I feel as if you are very important to Azeroth. I sense that you are destined for great things. What they may be, I do not know." She turned and left the room without saying anything else to me.
It sounded to me like typical things that were said to a person in this world. I didn't actually believe it. I mean, how often did a hero just randomly appear? Heroes only become heroes through hard work and selfless acts. I was the laziest and self-centered person I knew. I was startled out of my thoughts by the sounds of shouts and steel clashing against steel outside. I looked out the window and saw a strange scene. The night elves were fighting for their lives against many others. These monsters looked almost undead.
In the back of my mind a voice asked "How did they appear so suddenly?", but I pushed the thought away. Now, I needed to help the people who had saved my life. I ran down spiral stairs, barely even noticing each room I descended through.
"What are you going to accomplish?" that annoying part of me asked. I ignored it again, running through the arched entrance of a colossal tree. In any other situation I would've taken minutes to just stare, but I heard the sound of metal whistling through the air. Instinctively, I ducked. A huge silver-white sword swept over my head, wielded by a skeleton. I rained useless blows on it, at least distracting it and not being decapitated. Finally, one of my punches went directly into the steel plate protecting its chest. There was a loud snap, and a white-hot flare of pain shot up my arm. I screamed in pain, holding my wrist tightly, trying to stop the pain. Suddenly, a blinding white blur flew from somewhere to the left of me, and the skeleton fell, shattered by a strange weapon. I stared without actually seeing, then was shaken by someone.
"Can't you stay alive without my help?" Tyrande asked, grabbing my wrist. I swore loudly, then there was a flash of light, and the pain was gone. I stood, then a blast of what seemed to be green fire shot straight into Tyrande's guards. The elves collapsed, lifeless. Tyrande roared with rage, and a robed figure stepped forward. The black robes covering them were trimmed with bright green. The hooded person whispered a few words, and another flame shot toward Tyrande. She deflected it with her strange weapon, which seemed to be made purely out of light. They traded spells and blows, neither doing any real damage to the other. Tyrande was getting tired, though. It was obvious. Someone had to end this right now. I looked around, picking up a strange bladed weapon.
I watched for only a split second longer. Obviously, this powerful figure considered me harmless, otherwise I would have been dead on the ground like the guards.
It was a big mistake on his part. I may not have been very experienced in fighting, but I was fast. I recklessly sprinted onto the scorched battlefield and drove one of the blades under the mage's hood. He twitched, then collapsed, dead. I picked up the sword he had dropped, casting my scavenged oddly shaped blade to the side. The next part of the battle was a blur. Skeletons and zombies both faced me. I traded blows for a moment, then got a lucky shot. Miraculously, nothing seemed to touch me. Finally, an elf with pale glowing green eyes, stood in front of me. Her blood-red hair was plastered to her face, and she panted tiredly. She lifted two blades, coming at me. I tried to block her first swing, but was too slow, the blade slicing a burning line across my cheek. I deflected the second, getting a shallow cut down my lower arm. Finally, the first sword slid through my shoulder. The pain was worse than the lightning strike. The cold steel was under my skin, buried in the bone. I fell to my knees, screaming, and saw pity in the elf girl's eyes. Thankfully, I slipped into unconsciousness, knowing that, unless Tyrande or someone else saved me, I was dead. - My shoulder was on fire. The pain told me three things. One: I was alive. Two: Someone had saved my life. Three: I had to be the luckiest man alive. I had dodged death three times now.
I opened my eyes slightly to see an elf's glowing blue eyes glaring at me.
"You had to bring this human here, Sylàin?" an angry male voice asked. The voice was smooth and cool, with slight anger behind it.
"I couldn't just leave him to die, Ai'talr!" Sylàin, an elf woman, said.
"You left hundreds to die. Why save this one?" Ai'talr asked, still angry.
"He's so young... Like us... I couldn't just kill him in cold blood. It's just like slaughter. I'm glad Sylàin helped me." another elf, sounding young enough to still be called a girl, said. I opened my eyes slightly, and in an instant Ai'talr began to speak.
"The human wakes. We should have killed him before now."
"Shut up Ali." the elf girl said.
"Kai'lin, when are you going to get some sense? He's dangerous!"
I opened my eyes completely. Four figures sat nearby around a roaring fire. One of them was almost completely covered in thick black plate armor. That one seemed to be an orc, though not like any orc I'd ever seen. Orcs, at least that I was used to, normally didn't favor the complete cover of plate. The elf that had nearly killed me sat next to a slightly taller elf woman with pale blonde hair, so pale it was almost white. She was wearing all leather, and wore a black bow and quiver. She looked completely indifferent as I sat up. Sitting on the other side was the elf man, Ai'talr. His brightly polished red armor shone with light, even in the dark. A two-hand sword about the size of me was strapped to his back. In surprise, I saw that the blade was surrounded by a fire that didn't catch on his clothes or seem to even bother him. He was the one who had been glaring at me. Dangerous, huh? I was weak and exhausted. How could I be a danger to this group of obviously seasoned adventurers when I had no weapons, even?
"Where... Where am I?" I asked.
"So! The mighty warrior speaks our language!" Ai'talr taunted.
"The rumors we heard of the humans' skill in battle were greatly exaggerated, it seems."
I swore loudly at him. "I'll show you exactly how strong I am, you - elf!" I shouted, standing up- without pain. I was unbound, it seemed.
I charged at the smug elf, then was stopped by a black gauntleted arm.
"Don't fight. It's no help to anyone." the orc growled. I glared at him, then sighed. He was right. Even if I could land a hit on Ai'Talr's smug face, I wouldn't be able to fight all of them.
Which led to the question: Why was I still alive? If I was dangerous, why did they keep me alive?
"Are you okay?" the younger elf asked in a whisper after I sat down. At the same time, my shoulder ached.
"Hurts." I said through gritted teeth. "I've had worse." Not exactly true, but she didn't know, did she?
"I wouldn't have done it, but we were commanded to fight anyone who got in our way. I can't disobey my superiors." "So this is some sort of army?" I asked. "Just a scout party. Nothing meant to be in full combat." "Kay, pay attention!" Sylàin snapped. She turned to Ai'talr and listened intently. He held a map down on a log, and was pointing to locations on it. "So far, we've been through the forests, the desert, and the coast. We still need to check the jungle and Northrend." he said.
"Hey, tough guy, not all of us know what we're supposed to be looking for!" I growled.
"The undead. Recently, they've been appearing everywhere. Rumor is the demons brought them here." Of course. It HAD to be undead.
"But they were fighting for you!" I growled. Ai'talr rounded on me.
"Human, they weren't helping us. They were trying to kill us just as much as you!" he said, more patient than I gave him credit for.
"And you need me to help? Well, you've seen about how well I can fight, and-"
"What makes you think we need you, human?" he asked, getting in my face. I resisted the urge to punch him. "If you didn't need me you'd have left me by now." I said. "And I have a name, just so you know, elf."
"And do I care?" he asked.
"Ali, stop it!" Kai'lin growled. She turned to me. "So?" I stared uncomprehendingly. "What's your name?" she specified.
"Nick. Nick Olan." I answered. The forest around us suddenly shook. As I turned, the four drew their weapons. A few moments after that, the horrific undead came lurching out of the forest. Their bones were bloodily covered, and where they were exposed they shone yellow.
"Looks like we found your zombies!" I called, backing up. I was still unarmed. Ai'Talr swept his sword across the clearing, the flames setting fire to any monster it touched. Too late, I warned him. "Behind you!" I called. One of the undead leapt onto his back, throwing him to the ground and knocking his sword out of his hands.
In a second, they swarmed him.
Not a moment too soon, I dove for the still-burning sword, rushing toward him. I may not have liked him, but no one deserved to die like that. The blade in my hands felt like part of me, like it was made for me.
I pulled one of the snarling creatures back, sliding the sword between its ribs and slicing it in half. I slashed at others, knocking them back. Finally, the four of us that were still standing were clustered together, fighting for our lives. Bodies lay all around us, slowing down their fellows, but we were surrounded.
"I'll do what I can to hold them off!" Kai'lin called. "You guys run!" I stood beside her, even as the others picked up Ai'Talr's limp form and backed up, the orc slicing through all enemies that blocked their way.
"You too!" she yelled to me.
"No! That's the worst way I can think of to pay you back for saving me!" I said. She glared, but turned back, slicing through the hordes of undead with a new fever. I had an idea.
"We need to build a wall of fire!" I called to her.
"How are we going to get that? We're in the middle of a forest with no supplies-"
"And a sword of magical fire." I added. I didn't like the idea of torching the forest, but in the event of that or getting killed, I chose to make a lot of night elves angry. Closing my eyes, hoping this would drive them away, we backed up, Kai'lin hacking through the crowd while I touched the flame to every tree that I passed. The monsters stopped at the wall of red-orange flames, their sightless eyes somehow seeming to burn with hatred.
I will never be ashamed to admit that I turned and ran for my life that night. One of the more determined ones ran through the fire, leaping at Kai'lin. I brought the sword up in a flash of steel, slicing it in half in midair.
"Now we're even." I said. She shook her head.
"I owe you for that one. You saved Ali." she said.
"So what? No one, not even an asshole like him, deserves to die like that." I said, rolling my eyes.
"He's my brother." she said softly. I stared.
"Oh... Sorry..."
"Don't worry about it. I've called him an asshole so many times he's gotten good at tuning it out."
"Okay then... So, Ai'talr and Kai'lin...-" "Call me Kay or Kayla." she cut me off. "It gets annoying to hear your full name every time someone talks to you."
"Sorry again. So, how're we supposed to find them?" I asked. Her eyes widened.
"Damn it... I did NOT think about that." "At least one of us did." Sylàin said. She stepped out from behind a tree. "Like I'd leave my little sister with you." She seemed to shudder. "Gods know what ideas you'd come up with. Though the fire was great."
"So where are the others?" I asked, sighing.
"Over this way." she said, mounting a griffon as she talked.
"Uh.." I began.
"You'll have to ride with me." Kayla said, blowing a whistle. I climbed on behind her, and gasped as we took off.
I closed my eyes, swearing quietly as we flew. Kayla shook as we flew, but I didn't hear anything she said over the roar of the wind. Suddenly, we began to drop from the sky rapidly.
It was NOT a great feeling. Something between a rollercoaster drop and skydiving.
Landing wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be. It was just a light touchdown.
"Is it over?" I asked, my eyes squeezed shut. "Oh god, please let it be over..."
"It's over..." Kayla said, sounding strange. I opened my eyes and tried to act dignified as she burst out laughing. "I swear... you'd think... we were killing you! 'Oh god, let me off, please let me off, Jesus, just let me off'" she quoted. I was completely embarrassed, to say the least.
"Yeah? Well... Uh... I don't like heights, okay?" She snorted.
"Yeah. Okay."
"Kay, I wouldn't be talking if I were you." Sylàin admonished. "You were worse on your first ride." Kayla instantly was straight-faced.
"Nice to know you remember, sis..."
"Huma- Nick..." Ai'talr rasped weakly, interrupting the lighthearted conversation and waving me over. I walked over, kneeling down beside him. "Sorry..." he said.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't act like you're dying..." I said. "But it's fine." Remembering something, I held out the sword, the pure white steel shining red in the fire light. He shook his head.
"You deserve it." he said. I opened my mouth to argue. "No, don't say anything. I have other weapons. I'm not one of those one-type fighters." he said, gaining strength in every word. "I'll be able to fight these things off without much trouble. Now you're involved, though, like it or not, and you can't just be running until someone needs saved. You need to fight now, because you've started. Whoever created these undead won't let you escape without a fight."