Chapter One

Icecrown's winds were harsh and forgiving as always, and today certainly was no exception. Snow fell like rain as a small convoy of mounted figures trudged along a snow covered path. Six men surrounded two figures in the middle, one heavily armored with twin swords hanging at his belt, the other an elf in elegant robes. Varian glanced sideways at the elf again for the umpteenth time that afternoon. Something about her was just... intriguing. Her blue eyes revealed her as a High Elf and not a blood elf, so on certain standards the two could be considered allies. But the precarious and silent nature of this elf suggested otherwise.

She turned her head, catching Varian's eye and he slowly looked away, returning his gaze to the front of the convoy. They had been traveling for two hours now, en-route from the Argent Vanguard to a small Alliance camp hidden away in the mountains, where upon arrival the two of them would be whisked away by a gnomish flying machine, no doubt, up to The SkyBreaker where upon from there they'd leave and travel to Dalaran. The Elf, she was an embassy of sort, was supposed to talk to other leaders, including himself, about a weakness within the Lich King's Fortress, Icecrown Citadel in Dalaran... but until then, Varian was merely another body guard to this "precious cargo."

His train of thought was broken as he heard a sound from the right. He shifted his gaze back to the right to find the Elf smoothing out her robes, but from a slit in the side he could see a smooth undertunic of black leather, a second skin basically. It was odd, finding a mage wearing this. He raised an eyebrow, "I did not know mage's wore armor under their robes.." he said. She glanced at him, "These are dangerous times." she answered, hastily adding "King" to her sentence. "Still, I thought you were only a historian?" he asked. She smiled slightly, but Varian knew some venom was hidden in that smile. "Believe what you wish, but every rose has its thorns..." she whispered in return. He sighed to himself and dropped the conversation, turning his gaze back to the front.

He didn't know who not to trust more; elves or Orcs? Then again, Varian didn't trust many, but especially Orcs. Damn beasts of burden with a brain of a peon... he shook his head, exhaling deeply, trying to calm himself from the thoughts. He was trying to be more calm and collected and not so short tempered, after certain events in Dalaran with Garrosh Hellscream... but... his childhood memories plagued him too much and prevented such private mantras.

"How m-"

Varian didn't finish his sentence as suddenly an explosion rocked the mountainside beside them, the blast knocking them from their mounts killing two of the guards initially. Varian glanced around seeing suddenly many figures swarming down on them from the cliff's above. He groaned and his vision dimmed in and out, red dots blotting his eyes.

The Elf suddenly entered his dazed view, two daggers placed in her hand; where they had come from was beyond Varian, but she snapped into action, moving with ease, killing several of the figures as they blindly charged for Varian. She gritted her teeth, recognizing the Horde symbol emblazoned to the tabards of the grunts. It was a Horde ambush, no doubt at the orders of Garrosh, seeking to capture Varian, or kill him even for unknown reasons. She glanced around though, seeing all the Alliance soldiers were dying further up the mountainside and no doubt the Horde ambushers would move up, find her and kill her too.

She quickly dove within her mind breaking a barrier within the confides of her mind, one she swore to never break again... but desperate times called for desperate measures... Varian had to survive. Green magic swirled around her fingertips and the vivid blue disappeared beneath the sickening green of fel magick. She dissipated the magic swirling in her palm and dipped her blade in nearby blood. Horde grunts rushed up to her, "Lok'tar!" she yelled at the Orcs, licking her blade. "Lo'gosh es ogar!" she shouted, kicking Varian's unconscious form viciously.

The Orc's around laughed, "Lok'tar!" they roared back. She bent down, seeming to examine Varian's body but suddenly snapped her palm up, a shock wave of green magick exploding from it, ripping into the huddled Horde grunts. With a flash of light they were launched backwards, slamming into the mountainside dead or falling off the side of the mountain, hurtling to a gruesome death below.

"Damn..." she whispered, feeling the drop in her mana levels, so much in fact it took the breath from her for a moment. She flipped Varian's heavy body over, slapping his face repeatedly. "Wake up!" she growled, glancing around, making sure there was no Horde coming. She had precious little time before another patrol was sent out to make sure the previous ambushers were alright. "Come on.." she whispered desperately, shaking his breastplate with frustration.

But no avail.

She cried out in frustration, and her hands snapped to his armor straps, quickly undoing them. Without the armor and weapons she could probably carry him. So, for both of their survival, she undid each armor piece pushing them over the mountainside down into a frozen lake below which shattered and splashed heavily, each piece sinking to the bottom. She hoped they'd be able to recover them later, but later wasn't now. Once he was fully unarmored, left in only simple underclothes, she wrapped his cloak around his neck and with a grunt tried to pick him up. Her muscles strained and clenched but his heavy, muscled form wouldn't budge.

"Damnit!" she shouted. She dove within her mind again summoning up a spell her limbs instantly flooding anew with inhuman strength, but it slowly ate away at her mana. Soon enough she'd have to release the fel magick spell. She grabbed Varian and hauled him up, the magical strength letting her carry him with ease. She stumbled down the mountain trying to put as much distance between them and the ambush site as possible... she hoped no scouts would spot her.

As she reached the bottom she was nearly dotting upon unconsciousness but from the sheer determination of finding safety, she pressed on. She paused for a moment spotting a opening hidden beneath some rubble leading underground. She rushed for the opening, laying Varian down on some rocks before grabbing the stones blocking the opening and moving them away until finally there was a hole big enough for one person to enter through. She slipped back to Varian's side, picking him up then shoving him through the hole. Thankfully there was an immediate thud, telling her the cave wasn't too deep. She dove inside herself, met with pitch black darkness.

Damn this is not my day.. she thought to herself. She let go of the strength spell, her normal strength returning and leaving her still exhausted but she had a few tasks to complete. She blindly reached around for a rock, her hand striking one rather painfully, but still thankfully. She grabbed a hold of it and placed it in front of her. She dove back into her mind, summoning up control over fire. A small jet of flames sudden ripped from her palm smiting the rock and making it glow cherry red, slowly melting away underneath the heat. She bathed the rock in fire until there was a deep basin the middle and with this reached inside her robes.

She pulled out a small flask full of a concoction called Mana Oil. She poured the slightly shimmering mixture into the basin waiting until it overflowed a bit, before she stoppered her flask and set it to the side. With a final incantation she lit the liquid, the mana infused oil bursting to life with a brilliant flame. It would burn very slowly and give them a bit of light.

She sighed, glancing at Varian, now being able to see him in the light. She slipped over to him and rolled him closer to the fire, placing his fur cloak over him precariously. He didn't seem hurt but she had no knowledge of first aid nor any healing spells, so it would have to suffice until he awoke. She flipped over and placed her head against the ground, feeling so tired. She let go of the Fel Magick in her mind, her eyes still glowing green but they would slowly dissipate to blue again... no doubt she would experience withdraws in awhile soon enough... She shuddered and pushed the thought from her mind, closing her eyes instead and letting sleep overtake her...


Varian slowly awoke, his side, head and practically whole body throbbing in dull pain. His ribs felt as if they were on fire, likely a broken rib but he really couldn't remember what from... He only remembered an ambush, an explosion.. then the Elf... Had she protected him? He blinked his eyes wearily and sat up, finding himself surrounded by pitch black darkness except for a small fire to his right. It seemed to be as if the rock was on fire, but as he looked closer he could see oil burning from a basin in the rock. Clever... he thought to himself. He raised and eyebrow and looked past the fire suddenly realizing who had done all this.

The Elf sat across from him looking more gaunt and drawn in than he remembered her last and she also was shivering slightly, perhaps from the cold but she spoke up, "Welcome back..." she whispered. Varian grunted and tried to sit up but the burning in his ribs prevented him. He clutched his side and groaned in discomfort. "Sorry.." the Elf said in a low tone, "I had to convince them though.." Varian rolled his head over and looked at her, raising an eyebrow, "Who?" he asked, but then shook his head, "Wait, first.. what happened?" he asked. The Elf smiled slightly, "What didn't happen.." she said, scoffing to herself. "The Horde ambushed us, you blacked out, and I saved you... basically." she explained. The fire shifted, and he caught a glimpse of her eye color suddenly noticing they were a wicked green, instead of the precious blue he remembered. She noticed him seeing this, "How do you think I escaped with you?" she said, turning her head away. She sighed shakily, "Light knows I'll pay for it..." she murmured to herself. "Why did you save me?" Varian bluntly asked. She turned her gaze back to him, "This war needs you, I couldn't allow you to die." she simply explained. Varian shook his head, not satisfied with the answer. "You owe no allegiance to me, nor the Alliance.. you High Elves are neutral." he said. To a most extent...he thought though on his comment.

"And yet we tend to cling to the Alliance more.." she said, "I was only doing what anyone else would have don- "Hardly" Varian interrupted. "You placed your life in danger, killed a whole string of beasts, managed to strip me." he said, glancing down at his unarmored body. "over-extended yourself to find safety for us... and you broke your oath." he finally said, feeling his last comment touching home. "And your point?" she asked smartly. "Surely you did this for something, and I can give you an- "I'm not a mercenary, if that's what your suggesting." she interrupted, "King." she added to her comment.

Varian managed to sit up, the burning in his side less painful now. "Fine then but what are we going to do now? We can't last in this cave." he said. She shook her head, "Your right but we can't very well survive long out there." she said, raising a finger to point to the small opening to the outside. "We'd have to have a nice bit of luck to avoid the Horde, the Scourge, and find an Alliance patrol." she said, doubting the second one especially... they were in the epicenter of the Scourge.

"How far are we from the mountain where we were ambushed?" Varian asked. "Technically.. were sitting under it." the Elf answered. Varian nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "We were originally taking a mountain pass across to the other mountain bordering this one.. at the base of the mountain is the Alliance camp." he said. "Well... if we go through the mountain's again, we die by the Horde... if we go through the valley were in right now, we face the chance of dying by Scourge." she said, seeing a sliver of hope in her words. A sliver.

"We avoid the Scourge then, follow the base around and stick to the shadows." Varian suggested. The Elf raised an eyebrow, "And your armor? your weapons? They're at the bottom of the lake nearby... and I wouldn't suggest getting them right now." she said. "Besides.. I'll be in no shape to do anything in an hour or so.." she said, her tone quieting down slightly, fear building up in her emotions at her words.

Varian raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean..." he asked. She held up her palm, showing the visible etchings on her palms where the Fel Magick spell had branded her. "They'll go away in time, as will the taint in my blood from the Magick.. but thats after the withdrawals and pain... I'll be unable to walk, talk, anything... I'll be a waiting corpse until I recover." she explained. "How long does it take to recover?" Varian asked. "From the amount of Magick I used... perhaps two days." she said. Varian shook his head, "We'll freeze or starve by then... Make it as far as you can then I'll carry you." he said. The Elf raised her eyebrow, "And the Scourge?" she asked. "Try to avoid them." he answered.

She laughed slightly, but knew his plan was their best bet. She glanced to the side, looking outside through the small hole, chewing in the bottom of her lip. Varian was right...

He suddenly stood up, brushing himself off. "Come.. the sooner the better." She sighed and hesitated, "Varian, I- "It's our only chance." he cut across her firmly. She shivered slightly, rubbing her arms... then finally stood up. Varian nodded to her and they slipped out of the small cave, instantly blasted by the bone-chilling Icecrown winds.

"Damn.. we need to move quick or we'll freeze.." Varian grunted. The Elf nodded and they rushed off, heading away from the mountain and cave, towards where Varian knew they'd encounter hopefully an Alliance patrol before they reached the camp.. but if not, they'd have to rush for the camp. Thankfully the valley was clear at the moment, even the skies were devoid of any wyrms or Scourge entities swooping around looking for loose prey. It was almost eerie and unsettling, but Varian ignored it, and continued to run.

They reached the edge of where the two mountains met, in a deep groove, which curved around sharply through a smaller valley out into a larger one... Varian couldn't see much into the other valley but he hoped it was devoid just like this one. Of course, there was only one way to find out. They slipped out into the valley, glancing around. There was no immediate threat in sight but the landscape was dotted with rocks, deep crevices and forgotten tents and caravans... all too much another ambush waiting to happen. Varian wouldn't be surprised if a band of Scourge could flank them unnoticed.

He pushed the negative thoughts from his mind and continued to briskly follow the mountain around, using the looming shadow as some partial camouflage.. finally some luck at least today. They slid along the mountainside quietly as possible. From the distance, Varian heard an animal howl mournfully. This truly is the most god forsaken place in Azeroth... Varian thought, which considerably was a big statement from him, considering Durotar had been the most god forsaken place to him.. for obvious, and good reasons. Varian glanced around, making sure no one was following them, and he scanned the rocks behind and beside them... but as his gaze slipped up to ahead of them, his eyes widened. Before he could yell and react, the snap and twangs of bow strings filled the air.

Varian dove for the elf, trying to cover her but not before three arrows slammed into her side causing her to completely collapse in pain and cry out, her blood quickly staining to snow below them. Varian managed to avoid the arrows, albeit a few grazes. Unhindered, he snapped and grabbed the elf, dashing across the snow. The Elf groaned in pain and snapped the arrows in half but leaving the arrow heads still in, regretfully. But pulling them out would only make the wounds larger.

Varian blindly ran through the snow, dodging arrows as they fell around him, quickly kicking past the ledge where their enemies were firing from. But his luck ran out as suddenly his thigh exploded in pain as an arrow buried itself in his flesh. He yelped and dropped to the ground, the Elf tumbling from his arms, she too crying out in pain as she landed on her wounded side, the arrows in turn pressing further into her body. Varian crawled quickly to the Elf, covering her pale body with his own, knowing it would only take one more hit to kill her, then him. Her head lolled to one side as she succumbed to unconsciousness. Varian tried to stand slightly but his legs only collapsed. "Damnit..." he whispered, his body burning with pain and exhaustion. He cried out in pain as two arrows hit him again, blood rushing down his back and arms...

The world was growing dark...

His vision dimmed...

And suddenly.. A bright flare entered his vision, lighting the sky a brilliant blue and gold. Is this my maker... Varian thought to himself, blinking rapidly, still hugging the Elf's lithe form. Another arrow struck his side and he cried out again, his vision clearing up a bit.. just allowing him to see what rushed towards them. Bullet's volleyed back across them, four plate clad figures sliding around them forming a barrier on their sides, the clinking of arrows meeting plates quickly filling the air.

"Protect the King!" Several of them shouted more horsemen rushing by, their lances poised to throw. Gunman dropped to their knees in front of Varian firing a volley of rounds at the ledge, the dwarven made rifles firing loudly into the air, black powder sending the small round ball flying towards the Scourge on the ledge. Several more men slid in around Varian one with a yellow cross on his arm. He glanced over their wounds speaking something to the soldiers around him but Varian's hearing was slowly fading...

The soldier's suddenly grabbed Varian and hauled him up, along with the Elf whom was carried by only one man, considering her weight. They gingerly rushed Varian away the other soldier's falling in behind them, quickly trying to move away from the ledge knowing that the attack was only stalled for a moment before more Scourge would surely arrive. Varian groaned and felt suddenly tired, his exhaustion threatening to overbear him... he felt so sleepy..

Tired...

So weary..

Cold...

Finally.. he succumbed to his weariness, the last thing in his sight, was the relief and sanctity of the Alliance base camp...