This is a story for World of Warcraft, and I do not own Warcraft. I wish I did, though.

Chapter 1: Invasion

He heard the screaming.

Screams of pain, anguish, terror, all of them came though the small, high, window and echoed throughout his compact cell. Rinnes knew something terribly unreal was in activity, and his body reacted. He gritted his teeth, struggling against the chains that kept him bound to the wall for nearly a decade.

Years ago, the prospect of breaking the chains were just an impossible, unfulfilled fantasy, but with the guidance of time, natural deterioration and rust weakened those links, and escape might actually be possible. The stinging smell of burnt wood and timber fueled his efforts, and with one last heave, the chains snapped. Rinnes fell on his knees, his breathing ragged and unsteady.

Then he felt it.

Rinnes opened his eyes wide in fear. A crushing feeling enveloped him whole, as though all negative feelings were crammed into him suddenly. He felt the most potent among those feelings; Sorrow and Helplessness; overwhelm him and virtually eating him from the inside. His throat was locked; petrified with fear; refusing to draw breath. His muscles went taut, numbness overcame his being.

"What's happening to me?!" Rinnes' eyes darted wildly, his body started to spasm, refusing to stay still, refusing to obey. He then remembered the strange rice given to him. He remembered the guards' gossip about 'weird plagued grains'. He remembered himself foolishly, unconsciously, eating the rice, hunger getting the best of him.

As Rinnes held on to what life he has, his blurred vision was suddenly filled with a horrifying view. A large, armored, winged figure with diabolical horns protruding from his head stood at the entrance of his cell. Wide, heavy hooves served as it's feet, and it's face; a pale figure, it's skin tightly stretched over a grotesque imitation of a human's face; and it's cracked, dry lips formed a crude, triumphant smirk.

"So we meet again, Paladin," its booming voice echoed across the room. Rinnes, memories coming back to him, growled throatily. His heart burned with hatred. He remembered, and will never forgive.

"Mal'Ganis," Rinnes spat out the name as if it was filth, and glared evenly and the dread lord with loathing.

"You shamed me, human, and sent me to suffer," its eyes, two inhuman black orbs, blazed with europhia. "What has been done must be repaid in kind, let there be no peace for you, paladin. It's only just begun."

Mal'Ganis gave a fanged smile at Rinnes, then without warning, its claws buried themselves into Rinnes' chest, penetrating completely. He crumpled against the blood splattered walls, and felt the faintness of death wash over him.

But he did not truly die.