Disclaimer: I don't own Warcraft. Blizzard does. But I can cook...
The night dropped upon the high elves in the forest. The deadly silence was strange to the surroundings. No sound of animals, no sound of flowing water. Nothing.
Jenalla's grip on her bow tightened, her face showing a wary look to the trees before her and the other elves with her prepared weapons and spells.
Then, a blonde high elven priest came from the northern road, his hands holding a letter sealed with the easily recognised Crest of the paladins. The priest's look was the one of someone expecting a death blow as he handled the ranger a letter. "Milady, the paladins send you this." he said.
Jenalla opened the letter's cover and threw it rudely to the floor. Then an old paper was out of the cover:
Leader of the high elven refugees of Quel'Thalas, Jenalla Deemspring:
We're ashamed to say that, despite our efforts, we cannot offer you workers to aid you to build an encampment in the forest. Most of our men are building defences in the villages, making it impossible for us to send you anyone at the moment. We need you to prepare an ambush to the forces that lay in this way. However, we shall send forces to reinforce the ones you already have. Five knights and ten footmen are in the way, alongside with lord Halank the Lifebringer, paladin of our Holy Circle. Brace yourselves against any attack, however. Rumours of strange female ghosts around the place are unnerving enough to us.
May the Light protect you
Dagren the Orcslayer.
The ranger scowled and let out a curse. No encampment? How am I going to feed my troops? Our food is running out!.
Then, she noticed a trembling priest before her. "I'm sorry. It's just that this days are not pleasing to our people."
"Y-Yes, milady. Now, I must go back to the Circle's base. May the Light protect you." And, with trembling feet, he directed towards the Circle's holy grounds.
Jenalla clenched her teeth in anger. Then, she went to the five archers sit near the fire. "How much food do we have?" she demanded.
One of the archers stood up, and answered "We still have slightly more than the half, mistress". Jenalla nodded to her and went to her tent.
In the way, a strange feeling crossed across the ranger. She had the feeling they were being watched. Then, strangely, she felt that something was touching her. A cold wind with the shape of harmless claws in her back. She took an arrow and put it in her bow, turned hastily to behind and aimed. Just to find nothing.
"Milady, something wrong?" asked a swordsman, himself reading his weapon to strike. Jenalla couldn't but let out a sigh.
Why in the name of the light am I so bloody paranoid? There's nothing here, no matter what the paladins say. Then, she caught all the camp going to arms and aiming looks and arrows in every direction. Jenalla cursed herself. "There's nothing going on. False alarm." she yelled to the high elves. They sheathed their weapons, some glaring at the ranger. Jenalla rolled her eyes.
"Sorry, but I must ensure that everyone stays alive. The undead that are around have been murdering the best of the Circle of the Holy Light, so I prefer to be careful with my own troops." She forced a smile to her forces.
"Now everyone, go to your tents. We'll have work tomorrow." Everyone did so, whispering things and scowling a bit.
Jenalla went to her own tent.
The Alliance obviously failed to my people. Why am I helping to this rabid fanatics and risking what is left of my people?Anger was taking over her. Memories of her people dying, her home being desecrated, her kin being extinguished flowed though her head. She felt angered to serve people who didn't help Quel'Thalas when they needed it. She was risking her people to death. Or even undead!
Now, Jenalla, calm down. The Alliance itself is suffering at the hands of the Scourge. And they have defended your people by now. Why should they fail now? She soothed herself with lies. The Alliance failed to defeat the Scourge, and the Circle of the Holy Light was but a mere part of it against the undead.But she had to persevere. Her people needed it.
She prepared to sleep. She didn't change her clothes too much, fearing to risk herself to a night attack, so she just took out her boots. She let a knife near her to be able to fight anything that could come.
Then, the same chill touched her back again. Jenalla couldn't but shiver at it. So cold as the home of the dwarves, perhaps even more. The her skin crawled, then she grabbed her knife and put herself in a fighting position. But then again, nothing was found.
She swore under her breath. Nothing is here. You just need to sleep.
And so she lied inside her tent.
The shade returned to the base of the banshee Sylvanas. It was anxious to share the knowledge of an encampment near them. It reached the base.
Hollow screams were heard. Arrows were shot, bathed in darkness. Then, a group of humans refugees, leaded by the militia and one of their captains started running to the salvation.
Sylvanas's face gained a concentrated expression. A strange ray of green energy between the militia captain and the dark ranger came. Sylvanas seemed stronger that before, while the captain was wincing in pain, sometimes bleeding though his mouth by mysterious knives.
Then, the dark ranger took an arrow, engulfed it in the darkness and shot at the weakened captain. He died instantaneously, an animated skeleton with shield and a rusty sword taking his place.
The two militia forces that stood at the dark ranger's left looked in horror at the skeleton that took the captain's place. The skeleton went directly to the two men. In a swing of the skeleton's blade, one of them erupted blood from his throat, and fell to the infested ground.
The other took his sword and stroke to the frail walking bones, taking conscience of its presence. The skeleton fell with ease, its insane grin never fading from the grotesque skull.
But then, a group of banshees stood around the soldier. Their screams brought insanity to the man. Laments of lost familiars, burned homes, took over the soldier's ears. The man winced in agony, and withered alongside wit his companions in the fight on the putrid land.
The shade came in the exact moment of an attempt of flee.
The gaseous humanoid went towards Sylvanas. He showed himself before her.
"Milady, I have news for you."
B/A/N: Not just a description of the battle.I have already a twist...
