Morning In Icecrown
So this is what it is like to die? A bright flash of light, then total blackness with the feeling that you are floating? I've faced death so many times, but have always managed to laugh in its face. It seems this time however, death has caught up with me. And this trip had started so well.
My name is Mondego Stormbreaker Son of Hundin, Defender of Ironforge, Stormwind and loyal Soldier of the Alliance and honorary member of the Argent Crusade. I have come a long way from my humble beginnings as a boy growing up in a small, one room home in Ironforge. From the time that I had been just a young hunter just trying to earn a living for his family, I had been drawn to adventure like my late father. Adventure that I was finally able to seek once I had put enough away that my mother and sisters would not have to worry.
I have made many friends along my long and sometime perilous journey; many did not make it as far as I have. Some fell beside me in battle, some during some dangerous quest or another, trying to help out those in need or just to make some extra gold, and some (the lucky ones I sometimes think) just gave up and went home, tired of all the struggles, and ready to settle down into a peaceful life.
The only true companion that has stood beside me all these last few painful years has been Audri, a wolf that has been my friend and shared many of my hardships. Large and powerful, with her black fur and gleaming white teeth, she was an intimidating presence at my side. Ever since the day I found her cowering in that house in Silverpine Forest she has fought and bled with me in battles and on quests, has saved my life more times than I can count, as I have saved hers. After it all, she would return to my side, happy to receive a pat on the head and some fresh meat when we have some. Nights would find her resting at my feet, on guard at all times.
On the day that I died, we found ourselves in a tent, in the frozen wastelands of Icecrown at a place called the Argent Vanguard. I had come, like so many others, because I had heard the news, ringing out across Northrend from every town crier and around every camp fire, Ice Crown Citadel has been breached. After months of fighting, the Argent Crusade along with their allies the Knights of the Ebon Blade, former servants of the Lich King who had regained their freedom, had broken down the gates to the imposing icy fortress and had established a base inside. Though a large scale incursion had yet to take place, the few scouts who had survived brought fantastic tales of large creatures made of bone, of undead monsters of every shape and size, and of monstrosities manufactured by and unholy combination of evil magic and science.
Knowing that to try to fight their way through to the former Prince Arthas would be suicidal, the Argent Crusade put out the word; they were building an army, all able-bodied should join them to rid the world of the Lich King's evil and his dreaded Scourge once and for all.
We had arrived at the camp the evening before after a treacherous trip through the Crystalsong Forest, a few silver secured us a tent and a warm meal. In the waning hours of the day I looked over the small encampment that was used as the staging point for nearly all Crusade business in Icecrown.
The camp was divided into three sections, dictated by the mountain features on which it was constructed. The first and lowest layer consisted of the main defensive wall built in a half circle up against the mountain. The Argent Crusaders manned the walls that tried to make use of the natural features that surrounded it to increase its defensive capability. Paths on each end of the first tier lead to the second layer; this was where the majority of the camp's business was carried out. Tents lined the rocky outcropping where Crusaders and traveling adventurers could stay, meals to be cooked and animals to be stabled. Carts full of boulders and other heavy items were readied to be pushed into place and dropped on the paths in case the lower layer was overrun.
The final, highest layer of this mountain camp, which offered an unobstructed view of the Valley of Echoes, housed the command tents for the Argent leadership. Veteran Crusader Aliocha Segard was the current commander of the Vanguard and seemed to enjoy his task of welcoming new fighters to what he called the "front lines".
As we sat near a warming camp fire, two other adventurers joined us. Gustav Veromir was a Paladin hailing from the town of Goldshire. He was the image of mighty warrior for the Light, he was tall and muscular, his tanned skin and rugged features were topped with a short cropped head of golden hair. His armor, while obviously worn and a veteran of many battles, still shined with holy light as did his weapon, a large glowing hammer nearly as tall as me.
The two of us sat next to the fire, eating our meals and making small talk. Soon, as often happens on cold nights, the liquid fare felt a little more potent. As the ale flowed, we started telling stories of our adventures that had led us to this place. About the battles we had fought, the humorous things that happened to us on the road, and somber toasts to long lost friends.
At some point, Crusader Segard made his rounds of the camp, talking with his soldiers and the new adventurers that had arrived during the day. He stopped by our fire and sat down next to Audri, the wolf looked at him curiously, as if trying to determine if he was a threat. Segard reached out a hand with a piece of dried meat, which Audri took, allowing the Crusader to scratch here behind her ears.
"This is a beautiful animal, Mondego, wasn't it? Where did you find here?"
I took another drink before beginning my story, "Well, I was on my way back from an eventful trip in the Barrens. I had booked passage on a ship from Theramore Isle to Menethil Harbor. Well, the ship got hit by a mighty storm and we were pushed a wee bit off course. Ended up shipwrecked on the coast of Silverpine Forest. Nasty place that is, full o' many things that will be happy to bring an early end to yee life.'
"Now most of the passengers and crew voted to stay on board, try to fix the ship and hope that another may happen by. But there were a group of us that said bollocks to that, we would try to make our way over land to get help."
"So the group of us, about twelve in all set out from the ship, turns out we were the lucky ones, a pack o' worgen ended up finding the wrecked ship and believe me, what we found when we returned still gives me shivers."
"Anyway, our group made our way through the forest. Now I don't know what you may have heard about this place, about there being undead, giant spiders, bears, wolves, murlocs and a bunch of crazy people who like to kill anyone who happens to pass too close to their village, but it's all true. We lost nearly half our party as we took shelter in a small, rundown house along the side of the road, hoping to have found a place to wait out the night."
"I happened to be the first to enter the house and as I swept my lantern to look around, the light fell upon this face peaking up from underneath a table." I stopped to scratch Audri on her chin, "Darn near scared the life out o' me!"
The two men laughed as I continued, "So there I was, face to face with a wolf in this dark little house, I grabbed for my dagger, but something stayed my hand. She didn't growl, snarl or make any move to attack me, it was weird, it was almost like she was waitin' for me."
"I know it sounds strange, but I remembered a story from an old dwarf at the tavern in Kharanos, that those who have what he called "The Way of the Beast", you don't pick your animal companion, it picks you. At the time I thought he had just had too much ale, but now, after the way this lass just took to me like she did, I believe there's something too that."
"Well, to make a long story short, she started following me the next morning when we made our way out of the forest out to the port of Southshore. I fed her a couple times and she's been with me ever since."
Segard smiled and stood, "It seems that you have found a true friend, which is important in the times we live. Well, I'm off, good night all, and thank you again for coming to join our cause."
After he left, we talked for a little longer, but as the night wore on, we all began to feel the effects of the day's travel and the rum we had consumed. We made our good nights and I stumbled somewhat shakily back to my tent. As I was about to enter my home for the evening, the thundering of hooves grabbed my attn. In the darkness I saw the shapes of two new arrivals, one obviously a Tauren, the other impossible to distinguish in the dark. My exhaustion outweighed my curiosity as I collapsed on the mat that was my bed.
The following morning, trumpets blared a wakeup call, annoyingly pulling me out of my slumber. Groggily I sat up, my head feeling several sizes too big. A low growl from Audri's throat informed me of what she thought of the sound. I chuckled softly, "It's alright lass, it's their way." Her tail wagged as she licked my hand, I reached into my pack and pulled out some pieces of dried meat to feed her, thinking that I would need to pick up some more before we set out.
I found that I had had the presence of mind to remove my breastplate and gloves before I fell asleep, so my first task of the morning to was to put it all back on before starting my day, a routine that I had fallen into over the years. I had learned that when you are in a dangerous place, never leave your bed without being ready to fight, it was a practice that had saved my life many a time.
As I put my breastplate back on, my hand touched the necklace, a simple leather strap with the claws of a lion attached. I took hold of it almost absentmindedly, thinking back about that day in the Barrens, the long scars on my chest, and my first real taste of adventure in a foreign land. The nostalgic thought past quickly as I finished applying my armor.
I grabbed for my weapons, checked my short sword for nicks or dull spots and placed it in its sheath on my belt, likewise with the dagger that I kept sheathed at the small of my back. I then picked up the most important weapon that I carried; my rifle. It was a beautiful gnomish weapon, a fine piece of engineering. It could hold 5 bullets and had a bolt action as smooth as a frozen pond. I checked the workings of the rifle, applied a little oil to protect it from the elements, picked up my helmet and stepped out of my tent-
-And slammed right into a mountain in heavy armor. I managed not be knocked over by the Tauren passing by my tent, but my helm clattered to the ground.
"Watch where you are going little Dwarf!" he growled at me in orcish.
"Watch who you are calling little, you big ox!" I responded in the same language.
The large creature seemed to be taken aback at me responding to him in the same tongue, but shock was quickly replaced by something else, I could see recognition in his eyes.
" MONDEGO!", he picked me up in a huge bear hug, almost crushing me. Gustav appeared and the shocked look on his face must have been a match for my own. As he put me down, he removed his helmet and pulled out a necklace that matched my own, and I realized who it was
"Terorix! By the light it has been a long time!" I reached out my hand, only to have it disappear in his giant brown paw. Audri stood behind us, seeming confused at the turn of events, but seeming to realize that this large bull-like creature was not a threat. Terorix reached down and gently pat her on her head, and she tentatively licked his hand.
Suddenly her ears went back and the fur on her neck stood up, her teeth were bared and a growl rumbled in her throat at Terorix's approaching companion. He was tall and thin, his skin a ghostly pale blue, and had been a Blood elf once, Terorix explained that he had been killed by the Lich King back during the destruction of Quel'Thalas and had been forced into his service. He had become a Death Knight. Only after being freed by Hilord Fordring, did his will become his own once again, and he vowed revenge on his former master and all who served him. Even though Terorix vouched for him, he still put me on edge, there was just something unnatural about him, death just seemed to exude from his very being, his eyes glowed an eerie white, and his voice seemed hollow, like it didn't belong to him anymore.
Even though Gustav seemed as uneasy as I was with the former Scourge warrior, he was the picture of a gentleman, and offered Terorix and the Elf, whose name we found out was Veryan a place at our fire to join us for breakfast.
As we all sat around the fire, I could see the questioning looks from Gustav and I realized I had another story to tell.
"A few years ago, I was traveling through the Barrens on my way to Theramore Isle when I came across this Tauren. He was clad in a leather vest and breaches, with a hammer the size of a small tree in his mitts."
"He was trying to sneak up on a sleeping lion when I saw him, what he didn't know that there were about six or seven sleeping lionesses in the tall grass behind the male. I took one look and realized that this could only end in tragedy for some Tauren family, and I really hadn't had any battles with the Horde at that moment, so I decided I couldn't just let the poor thing die."
Terorix snorted as the others chuckled.
"He was about to launch his attack on the male when the females started waking up and then he finally noticed that he was greatly outnumbered. I raced in as fast I could, and just as one of them pounced at our poor lad here, I brought my rifle up and fired. It was a shot that I could never make again if I tried, I caught that flying animal right in the eye."
"Well, we had really kicked up a Silithid's nest of activity. Now all the lions were on the attack. Terorix here was evidently new to this, and he froze at the sight of a half dozen big cats bearing down on him. Now the rifle I had at the time was a slow, muzzle loading type, so reloading was out of the question. I pulled my short sword and charged in, screaming 'swing that bloody hammer you big ox!' in orcish."
The group burst out into laughter, even Veryan seemed to become more at ease, Gustav asked, "How is it that you came to speak orcish?"
"My uncle taught me, he was part of the Explorer's League. He always told me that it was very important to learn as many languages as you can, you never know where your adventures may take you or who you may meet."
"Anyway once this big boy got into the spirit of things, we made short work of those lionesses. Though as I was finishing off one, I turned just in time to see a paw the size of a small house loaded with razor-sharp claws slamming into my chest, cutting through my own leather armor as if it was light linen. I found myself pinned to the ground, a very angry male lion about to tear me apart when I felt the whoosh of that great big hammer sailing past my face, and the lion disappearing."
"At this point I was in bad shape, so he took me to the tent where is parents lived. His father was a great warrior, who didn't seem all that thrilled that he had brought me to their home. I stammered out in orcish that their son had saved me from the lions, and thanked them for his bravery.
By that point I was near the point of passing out as his mother knelt by my side, I must have been delirious because it looked like she had changed in shape and that a tree with eyes was standing over me. I felt warmth filling me, and my strength quickly returned. Turns out his mother was one of those Druids, and a might powerful one as well."
"Well, long story short, I recuperated for a few days, we kept up the story that he had saved me, but I think his mother knew the truth. On the day that Terorix here prepared to take me down the road towards Theramore, she presented us each with these necklaces. They are just simple strips of leather with the claws from the male lion we killed. She said that they would protect us, and that we would be bonded from this day forth."
I turned the Terorix, punching him in the arm, "and that's the last time I saw the big lug, until now."
Shortly after I had finished my story and we were about to dig in to our breakfast, the trumpets blared again, a different tune this time. Soldiers raced past our fire towards their posts.
"TO ARMS! TO ARMS" came the call from the command tent above. "Aerial scouts report a large Scourge uprising all over Icecrown!"
Our little band stared out over the Valley of Echoes and saw… nothing. We raced up to the command tent and crowded in with the soldiers that manned the outpost and any other adventurers that happened to be there.
Messengers brought report after report, and the news seemed to become bleaker with each passing moment. The Argent Tournament had been over-run, most of the Crusaders there either dead or missing. The great airships Skybreaker and Orgrim's Hammer were under attack but were holding their own, barely. The Vrykul have slaughtered the encampments at the base of Ymirheim, Cult of the Damned members have infiltrated Dalaran and were wrecking havoc.
"He's finally done it" Veryan said softly.
"Done what?" I asked, not needed to ask who "he" was.
"Lost his last hold on his humanity, the only thing that prevented him from letting loose the full power of his Scourge army on all the world."
Crusader Segard called out "Alright, listen up. Highlord Fordring is pulling his people from the Pinnacle and bringing them here. We must ready our defenses as there is a large army of undead following behind him."
"For those of you new to us, here is the order of battle. Rifleman and archers will line the wall, you will fire as many volleys as you can until the undead have reached you. Once that happens, the infantry will take your places and you will move to the second tier and resume indirect fire from there. If the wall is breached, we all collapse back to the second level; carts laden with stones will be dropped on the path to block them.
"We have two Magi who will teleport the wounded and begin evacuating all of us to what should be a safe location in Dalaran should the walls be breached. We cannot hold them on this second level for long. Listen for orders and keep your head, and we will make it out of here alive. Now prepare yourselves for battle, it should be upon us soon."
Highlord Fordring arrived with his soldiers a short time later. We could see and hear, and smell the approaching undead as they began to filter through the Breach. Fordring looked over the men and women who stood to defend this outpost and said, "Take heart valiant soldiers of the Crusade, Arthas has made a desperate gamble, which he will lose!" A cheer rang out through the camp as he continued, "I must go to Dalaran to help the Kirin Tor and gather reinforcements. Hold as long as you can, but do not waste your lives. We will need you for the battle that will come after this. Good luck brave soldiers, may the Light be with you!"
With that, Fordring and a band of his followers stepped into a portal and disappeared. I would be lying if I said that I didn't envy him just a little. I looked at Terorix and the others, I being the only one who carried a rifle instead of a sword and shield meant that I would be in battle first. Terorix pulled me to the side, "Be brave my friend, and we will make it through this" I punched the Tauren on the arm and told him to be careful, that we had a great deal of catching up to do.
I turned to Audri, "You stay here lass, I don't want you eating any o' this rotten undead flesh", she seemed to be disappointed as I patted her on the head and ran down the hill to take my place in our defense.
We lined up along the top of the wall, facing into the Valley of Echoes, filling up with the Scourge that flooded through the Breach. The stinking, rotting mass of inhumanity shuffled toward the fort, the cries of tortured souls reaching out before them. Closer they stumbled, and soon they were in range.
"Remember, try to severe or destroy the heads!", Segard yelled, "while it may not always kill them, it's a lot harder for them to find you with no eyes or ears!"
Nervous laughter swept down the line.
"Crusaders at the ready!" Segard called out. Bullets were loaded into chambers, arrows were nocked and crossbow strings ratcheted back. I readied my rifle and stared out at the approaching mob of undead, the stench growing to an almost unbearable level.
"Take aim!" Rifles were leveled, bow strings drawn, straining to be released.
"FIRE!"
Rifle fire rang out and the sky was filled with racing bullets and arrows arcing towards their targets. Many of the first wave of undead fell as their heads were separated or destroyed, or their bodies were too damaged to continue on. But for every Scourge that fell, it seemed a dozen more were taking their place behind them.
"Reload!" came the call. Hands scrambled into ammunition bags and quivers, new rounds chambered and arrows readied.
"Take Aim!"
Once again, I aimed my rifle, trying to steady my shaking hands.
"FIRE!"
Another volley of fire ripped through the approaching mass.
"Fire at will! Take them down!"
And so it began, we fired round after round, arrow after arrow sought and found their targets, but for all our efforts, the undead mass grow ever closer. I was like a well oiled gnomish machine as I fired, worked the bolt, fired again, over and over, when the bolt clicked on an empty chamber, I reached into the bag on my hip and put five more bullets in. So focused I was on the motions of firing my weapon, that I almost missed the order to pull back.
As I made my way back from the wall, I passed Gustav, Veryan and Terorix on their way to their positions. I could see Terorix's eyes glowing beneath his helm; his body seemed to be giving off a strange filmy bluish electric glow. I passed it off as my imagination due to the nerves of battle as I ran to the second tier as fast as my short legs would take me.
From my place on the second level, I had a much clearer view of the valley below. It was full of undead creatures in all shapes and sizes. I realized then that this was not going to be a battle we can win. I tried to put those thoughts from my mind as I fired into the valley, volley after volley along with the others.
Soon the bodies of the undead, either shot down by us on the ledge or hacked apart by those on the fortress wall, piled up, giving their comrades the elevation needed to breach the wall.
"Fall back to the second level!"
The infantry fell back towards us, fighting as they came. Now it was our turn to deal with death as zombies, ghouls, strange skittering undead spider creatures and other monstrosities flooded over the wall and fell upon those still on the first level. Their screams almost lost in the noise of battle, less than half of those on the wall made it to the second level before the carts were dropped on the path, creating a temporary wall between us and the undead.
Crusader Segard began walking through the crowds of weary soldiers, tapping some on the shoulder, "Alright, you go through the portal that the Magi are opening, we will begin our withdrawal. The rest of you, keep fighting, we will all be getting out of here!"
So it went, one by one, soldiers disappeared into a pair of portals at the top of the third tier. Finally there were only a few us left, I realized with a start that I was alone in firing into the undead pushing to the second level. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to come face to face with Segard.
"Go now!" he yelled as he and the few Crusaders with him ran to the third level and into the portal, the exhausted Mage followed him in, closing it off. .
As I looked around the nearly empty second level, I noticed that Gustav, Veryan and Terorix had survived the battle below and were holding off the Scourge threatening to overrun the blockade and block our escape. I could hear Audri barking and howling at the undead mass, but thankfully, staying far away from them.
I ran to join them as the remaining mage called out to us "Come on! I can't hold this portal open forever!"
" Terorix, let's go laddie, we're out of time!" I yelled. The Tauren nodded, picked up his shield and axe, and joined me in my race to the third and final tier of the Vanguard. Gustav and Veryan began pushing together the last two carts that made up the final barricade to block the path to the highest level. After Terorix and I had squeezed through, Audri right on my heels, the two smashed the wheels, causing the heavy carts to crash into the earth.
Seeing that the group of undead was massing on the carts, I reached into my pouch and pulled out another gnomish devise, this one a small stick of dynamite. Using a nearby torch to light the fuse, I flung the explosive as far as I could into the undead horde. Bits of undead flesh flew into the air and the force of the explosion knocked down most of those near the carts, buying us a little more time.
The way was clear as we raced to the safety of the portal to Dalaran, I could see its purple towers faintly in the swirling magical mist that the elvish mage was struggling to keep open. Suddenly Audri stopped running, her ears perking up and the fur on the back of her neck bristling as a low growl began to build in her throat. Terorix ran past her towards the portal, stopping next to the mage to look back at me, "what are you doing? Come on Dwarf!" his deep voice called out to me.
I stopped beside Audri, my eyes and ears searching for the source of the danger, when I began to feel it, a dull rumbling building from within the rocky wall of the mountain. Audri and I backed away from the source of the noise as it became louder, we could feel the earth shaking beneath our feet.
"What is that?" Gustav wondered aloud, hands gripping his hammer, searching as I was for the new threat, he didn't have long to wait.
The side of the mountain exploded in a shower of stone and dust, a rock the size of a wild boar smashed into the mage, killing him and knocking him and my Tauren friend into the portal, closing it behind them. When the dust settled, I came face to face with my death in the form of a giant beetle-like monstrosity, its dead eyes searching, its many legs pushing it forward.
I could hear the skittering of more such creatures following behind in the tunnel created by the beast before me. I grabbed in my pouch for another stick of the gnomish explosive, lit it on the red-hot metal barrel of my rifle and threw as hard as I could into the hole. The earth shuddered again as the explosive sealed the tunnel.
"Die foul creature!" Veryan's hollow unearthly voice rising into a howl as he charged the monster, his rune bladed weapon swinging in for a kill. A quick sweep of the creatures front legs caught the former servant of the Lich King in mid-stride, flinging him off the path to his death at the hands of his former Scourge compatriots below.
From behind me an almost primal yell rang in my ears as Gustav charged the creature, his body aglow in Holy Light, his gleaming hammer raised. Before he could strike, one of the creature's legs shot out, impaling the Paladin, piercing his heavy plate armor as if it was the paper that covered a child's Winter Veil present. Gustav cried out in pain, his body losing its glow as the life drained from him. The beast flung his body towards me, the Holy Warrior's hammer slipping from his lifeless grasp, striking my helm in a glancing blow near my right eye, my helm buckled and my face exploded in pain as I fell to the ground.
.I wrenched the damaged piece of metal off my head and gingerly touched my face near my right eye. The hand came away wet with blood and I couldn't see out of that eye. The cold air stung my wounded face and I wasn't sure how bad the damage was, but didn't have time to think about it. I suddenly found myself standing alone on the path facing the monster that had just killed two powerful warriors as if they were nothing but mere annoyances. This was it, I thought to myself as the creature's many legs pushed itself towards me, the end of my journey has come. My mind raced as I brought my rifle to bear and aimed it at the beast's clouded eyes, I squeezed the trigger.
Click
I froze for a few dangerous seconds, my heart seeming to stop on a copper piece at the sound of the bolt falling on an empty chamber. In the terror of the moment, I had forgotten to reload!
Without time to load another round, I flung my rifle at the beast bearing down on me and reached for the sword on my hip, knowing even then that it would be the last thing I would ever do. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and everything became startlingly clear. I could see the creature's many eyes staring right into me, its drooling mouth open, pincers quivering with anticipation for the meal to come. I raised my sword, determined to die fighting.
A flash of black entered my vision as the monster closed in on me. In all my years, no sound that I have heard on any battlefield will ever compare to the yelp that Audri made as she launched herself between the undead insect and its helpless victim. I could hear the pincers making contact with fur and flesh as the creature bore into my companion. The force of the impact slammed us against the stone side of the mountain, my chest exploded in pain as I could feel my bones breaking.
Desperately, with my last ounces of energy, I reached for the knife sheathed on my belt and plunged it into the cluster of eyes hanging over me. Squealing, it dropped Audri's limp body onto my legs as it skittered around in pain, trying in vain to pull the knife out of its eyes. Suddenly, out of the corner of my darkening vision, I saw the shimmering mist of a portal opening, out of which roared Terorix, his mighty axe raised high, striking at the wounded insect. He battered the monster with blows until it lost its footing, falling off the path into the valley below.
Audri laid across my legs, her weight pinning me to the ground. I could see the blood soaked fur and hear the rattle as she tried to take each painful breath. She looked up at me, no sadness in her eyes, just an understanding of what she had done, and aching to know if she had done well.
"Good gir-", my voice cracked and the vision in my good eye blurred as tears flooded down my cheeks. I pulled off my rough leather glove and scratched her behind her ears and swallowed the lump building in my throat "that's a very good girl Audri. Goodbye old friend, don't worry, I'll be seein' ya soon"
Audri nuzzled my bare hand and licked the tears from my face, then laid her head down in my lap for the final time. Her body shuddered and my truest friend and companion was gone. I leaned my head back against the side of the mountain, realizing that it was finally time to see if the stories were true. If they were, I would soon be sitting next to my ancestors. I only hoped that I would be able to sit proudly at my father's side.
A shadow crossed over me as Terorix gently lifted Audri's body off my legs, "Come my friend, the barricades are breaking down, the scourge will be upon us soon. We must go."
"I'm 'fraid not this time Lad" I rasped, blood punctuating my words, "I fear this is my last battle."
The Tauren stood over me, seemingly powerless as my vision began to fade. I noticed that same strange blue-ish electric light that seemed to pulsate over his body that I had seen earlier but dismissed. Terorix glanced over at the approaching undead army bent on destroying the last two living things in the valley and back down at me.
"So be it" he whispered, almost too softly for me to hear as he removed his heavy steel gauntlet from his massive hand. He placed his bare hand on my aching chest and the electric glow seemed to become brighter and more powerful as my vision faded to black…
…When I reopened my eyes, I was in a strange new place, everything was a kind of eerie grey color, unearthly sounds surrounded me, whispering in my ear, telling me to follow them. Ghostly figures of all races marched past me towards a floating woman bathed in white light. I suddenly realized that this was the realm for spirits that I had heard so much about; I always thought it was just a story. A strange calm fell over me; this didn't seem so bad, so I joined the ranks of the spirits and marched towards the angelic figure who touched each spirit in turn, sending them off to their eternal rest.
I seemed to cover the distance will no effort, my feet barely felt as if they touched the ground. As I approached the angel, she turned to face me, I stood my ground waiting for my release, wondering if there was some sort of ritual or incantation I should have learned. She shook her head and pointed over my shoulder.
Turning back I saw that same strange blue electric hanging in the air behind me. A voice whispered in my ear "It's not your time yet, Son of Ironforge". The light grew brighter and closed in around me, enveloping me, lifting me up and filling me with warmth. Suddenly, my spirit was wracked with intense pain and I was drawn back, back through the spirit world and thrown violently into by body…
… I bolted upright, gasping for air, my good eye searching for the dangers that had been all around me, my hands reaching for my sword, but strong hands grabbed them instead.
"It's all right son, you're safe now" Highlord Fordring stood over me, along with a group of Crusaders.
I struggled to sit up and regain my bearings, I was still on the same path I had been, at the top of the Argent Vanguard, but around me was … nothing. The scourge had disappeared, only piles of ashes where the undead had stood, the entire valley was wiped bare, no tents, the fortress walls, everything gone. Only myself and bodies of the fallen Crusaders remained.
I struggled to my feet and searched for signs of Terorix, I was sure that he was alive somewhere and could explain what had happened, that is when I saw it. Nearby where I had fallen I found his armor in a pile, under which was a small pile of that same strange ashes. I didn't want to believe it, he couldn't be gone. As I kneeled down next to the heap of metal, tears once again flooded out of my good eye. Highlord Fordring placed a hand on my shoulder.
"We saw the explosion of light in Dalaran, he must have had a great deal of Druish energy in his blood, I don't know how you survived."
I couldn't speak as I gently picked up the necklace of lion's claws that matched my own. He had said, all those years ago, that he owed me his life, that it was a debt he would someday repay.
" Goodbye, old friend, may the Earth Mother welcome you with open arms"
Epilogue
In the end, the Scourge uprising was a failure. The Lich King's power was too far gone, he no longer could control new subjects as he had in the beginning. Those who fell in battle against his undead horde no longer joined its ranks.
After weeks of brutal fighting, the last main pockets of Scourge resistance had been eradicated, and the push into the Citadel began again with renewed vigor. Strangely the campaign was abruptly called off only a short time later, with no explanation. Rumor was that Hightlord Fordring had reached Arthas's throne room with a small group of heroes, but that is where the stories diverge. Some say that the band retreated from the might of the Lich King, some that Arthas was defeated; either killed by the Highlord himself or kept alive as the Argent Crusade's prisoner. There are also strange whispers of a another, long thought perished, who took Arthas's place as the new leader of the Scourge, to try to exercise some measure of control over them.
Highlord Fordring continues to keep the secret of what transpired in the icy fortress, and swore he would until his dying day. During one of his rare visits to my home in Dun Morogh, he hinted that we no longer had to fear the might of the Scourge, that peace could once again reign. What is certain is that the Scourge had diminished in strength and aggressiveness, even in their strongholds in Northrend.
No matter what transpired, life here goes on as before. Adventurers were always called for, there was always some battle or task for those who possessed the spirit. Recent expansions by both the Alliance and Horde had created fresh tensions between those who had so valiantly fought side by side to rid the world of Arthas and his Scourge. Also, strange prophesies have surfaced of a cataclysmic event that would tear this world asunder and destroy life as we know it, though no one paid any attention to them.
My last trip before my journey home was to the Barrens. I had gathered up the ashes that were all that was left of Terorix and placed them in an urn. With two Argent Crusaders that Highlord Fordring had tasked to accompany me, I carried that urn along with the rest of Terorix's armor and belongings to the home of his parents.
As I told them the story of their son's final moments, I was amazed by the stoicism shown by the mother and father. It was not until I had finished and presented them with the urn that contained their son's ashes that his father moved or spoke. As he approached me, his aging body still presenting an aura of strength, I have to admit that I was a little frightened. He reached out his hand, covering mine with a surprising gentleness; I could see tears welling in his eyes as he thanked me for my journey and for telling them of their son's bravery. He then left the tent and disappeared into the night.
"He is going to commune with the Earth Mother", Terorix's mother said, "to pray for the spirit of our lost boy." She smiled sadly at me, "Thank you again for making this journey and bringing our son back to us."
When I asked of the strange power that had brought me back from the dead, she explained, "The power of the Druids has always run deep in my family bloodline, Terorix would have been a truly powerful Druid, but he chose to follow the path of his father instead."
She stared out the starry sky, "All these years, the power built up within him, but he never learned to harness or control it. In the end, the explosion of power was too great for his mortal vessel to handle. What little control he did have was used to bring you back to life"
I then tried to give her Terorix's necklace, but she stopped me, "No, young dwarf, you keep it, and keep the spirit of Terorix with you always. Also, take this," she reached behind her and produced an exquisitely hand carved idol in the shape of a Kodo, "this is a symbol of the bond between the Tauren and the Earth Mother, may it keep and protect all your remaining days."
I stammered out my gratitude for such an honorable gift and vowed that it would always be kept in a place of honor. I then made my goodbyes and began the journey back to the place it had started, so many years ago.
When I returned to the Dwarven lands I used the gold that I had saved to buy my own little ranch home carved out of the rock outside of Ironforge. There I live with Ferynia, my young bride, who is with child, our first, a son she keeps telling me, to carry on the family name.
As for me, my adventuring days are over, I never regained the use of my damaged eye, and I had lost too much to be as carefree and daring as I once was. My once brown beard is now long and grey, made so by my trip and return from the spirit world.
I still hunt, now only to keep food on the table, the rest of my time I spend reading and hearing tall tales of the adventures of others. New discoveries are made all the time, ever increasing our understanding of who we are and where we came from. From time to time, young dwarves bearing gifts (usually a skin of Thunder Ale or Rhapsody Malt to loosen my tongue) stop by and ask to hear my story. As I recount my exploits, they are often drawn to the objects on the mantle of my fireplace. I can see the questions in their eyes at the hand carved Kodo, the small patch of black fur tied together with a string, and the two leather necklaces with the claws of lions. As I tell my tale, their gaze returns to those objects, their eyes filled with a new recognition and respect for their importance.
I am happy to share my story, and always try to caution them about the risks and costs of the path of adventure, but I can tell it has no effect. Like I was, they are blinded by the prospect of glory and wealth, and some lessons have to be learned personally. All I can do is hope that they can find true friends to share the dangers ahead of them, and that they will be, like me, one of the lucky ones and survive.