Fingers stained with the blood of the fallen Fel Guard in front of him. Eyes widened with the realization of what happened… And a wide smile came over his face. He cast his face upward to the purple swirling vortex of Outland's sky and breathed deep, oh how good this air felt on his ragged body. He could feel the ache deep inside slowly go away. "This place…" He murmured softly. Everything was saturated with mana! It felt like it was when the Sunwell was once in his beloved home of Quel'Thalas. He could hear the others make comments about how they felt just a bit stronger as their bodies began to soak up the free flowing magic like sponges.
"Prince Kael'thas." Hissed the tall Naga-woman who had saved his people not once, but twice from the Alliance. She was a bit taller then he was, snakes for hair, which reminded Kael of an old story about a monster called a Medusa. She wasn't pretty but she wasn't ugly either. She blinked at him, then turned with such grace that Kael himself was caught off guard by it. He shook his head clear from the mana he consumed. "I owe you and your master a thank you again, without your aid we all would of perished."
"My master wishes to speak to you and you alone." Though his compliment was thanked with a sharp toothed smile that made him cringe inwardly. How she says they were related was beyond him. "Please, this way." She slithered slowly so he could keep pace to her. He hadn't taken notice to he landscape. It was dead and tainted, like the Dead Scar that ran through all of Quel'Thalas. It saddened him a bit to see such a sight but that wasn't what got to him the most, it was the temple they were heading to.
He could barley make out it was a temple. It was soaked in dark energy and it made him a little queasy. "What is this place?"
"It is your new home. All will be revealed shortly." Vashj could sense the fear in the prince but all feared her master's home. Lots of memories lingered in each stone, a very bloody and painful past this place had. She led the prince through the maze of Black Temple, making sure to avoid some things that could scare the prince away. They eventually reached an open air terrace at the top of the temple where an imposing figure leaned over the edge. He seemed lost to his own thoughts and unmoving like a gargoyle statue.
Kael was slapped with demonic energy. She led him into the hands of a demon lord! His mouth opened a bit as the figure stood, wings flaring. The figure turned to face Kael. Dark black mis-kept hair around his face, dark purple skin covered his massive muscled body which were adorned with runes of some greater power. And he was blind. "Prince Kael'thas meet my master, Illidan Stormrage master of all Outland." Kael struggled to speak, but couldn't form the proper words for this… Lord.
Illidan stared back at the boy. He had heard of the Sunstrider line. It was a Dath'Remar who helped the Night Elf forces lead an assault against the queen and the forces who tried summoning the Burning Legion into the young Azeroth. "Welcome to my home Prince Sunstrider, and into my service." Kael could only nod. He was still unable to speak and perhaps that was a good thing right now. Vashj moved aside as Illidan began walking up to the elf, hooves echoing like a drumbeat with every step he took, it rocked Kael to the very core of his being and he couldn't help but back up from this imposing creature.
He felt his back hit stone and he gasped a bit. His light blue eyes locked onto swirling green smoke pits upon Illidan's face. Was he scared? Yes. His instincts were telling him this was a bad idea but what little choice did he have? Quel'Thalas was in ruins, the Sunwell was gone and the Alliance saw them as traitors! Illidan grinned and offered his hand. "From now on, you call me master. You help me I help you young Sunstrider. Vashj has told me little about your people but enough to give you a step in the right direction."
Kael stared at the hand and swallowed. And for a brief moment wished his father was alive. But he wasn't and he was now the hope for all his people, people who were dying in numbers. The Sin'dorei needed all the help they could get. He closed his eyes and took the hand of Illidan and they firmly shook, sealing the dead of servitude to his new master, and hopefully, a future for his people.
Illidan smile turned into a grin as he let the young elf's hand go. "Your suffering from Addiction to the Sunwell. It was your people's lifeblood as the Well of Eternity was mine." he stood up, giving space to Kael. "You'll need to find new sources of magic, but I warn you now my young prince… There is no cure." Kael's eyes widened a little. "No cure…?"
"I just said that." he snarled a little. "But… There is something much better then arcane means.. Within this tainted land of mine, my prince, there is much more. So much power that your people will live in comfort for years to come. Your children will speak of it for ages!" He grabbed Kael's hand and placed it on his chest. "You felt it when you first stepped foot here. You felt it from me… Demons, Kael'thas… They are your people's answer."
"Think about it. Using the very thing that destroyed your world to defeat your enemies. " He turned away from the young prince, grinning slightly. "By which to destroy all your enemies. And you will be the first I teach!" Kael closed his eyes, feeling the effects of the lack of mana in this place. It ate at him like a thousand hot bees stinging him everywhere. "Please master… I beg of you… help us… Help me…" Memoeries flashed before his mind. The first thing he saw when he ported home with guards were the charred bodies, dismembered, blood. Undead roamed his city and people cried for help under rubble and injuries.
But under all the pain and suffering his people went through. There was always hope. Hope of a future. And the road had not been easy. Many were lost on the way, and many more died there. But on their bones they would make a new empire for all High Elves and Blood Elves.
"Kael'thas!" Snapped Illidan, growling. "Are you coming?"
He just prayed he was doing the right thing.
AN: my tribute to the once proud king of the elves. Long live Kael'thas!