Prologue

"Here goes... Nothing!" Haldroun said, jumping into the portal. The aperture closed in as the frozen wall of ice behind fell apart. Numerous guards stormed into the storage room only to find a pool of blood and footprints. The guards were dumbstruck. One minute he was here, the next he is gone?

"Where'd he go?! Where is the traitor!" asked one of the guards, throwing his sword to the ground in fury.

"The mage must be invisible! He's hiding somewhere!" said a Knight from behind. They searched everywhere, every block, every hallway, every nook and cranny. No mage. They had lost a prisoner, a warden, tens of guards, and status within Silvermoon. This was an utter failure, and the Knights did not tolerate failure whatsoever.

Meanwhile, Haldroun and Thire had landed in the mountains. The portal had opened a few meters off the ground, which was not intended by the magister. When the duo had reached the other side, they slammed into the rock-laden pathway that circled through the peaks of Eversong. Haldroun was almost knocked unconscious. The sun was almost down, shining its bright rays of warmth and life. As Haldroun looked up, he felt the warming sensation that had eluded him for over two months.

"Thank you, Thire. But why the mountains??" asked Haldroun, getting himself up from the ground. He struggled to lift the knight's body up. He looked up the path to see a large elven manor, immaculately decorated and designed.

"Is this where you want me to go? This is it? A Mansion?" Haldroun asked his morbid friend. The mage struggled up the hill, straining what little strength he had to get to the home. It took him a good twenty minutes or so to reach the house. On the front gate there was a sign that had writen in Thalassian "Blackdawn Manor". He opened the gate and walked towards the large, golden porch. The door itself was covered in cut crimson gemstones, displayed in an extraordinary fashion. The yard was neatly trimmed and displayed a feel of luxury. Haldroun set the dead elf aside and pounded the door. using a small, obsidian sun door knocker. Within a few seconds, a somewhat older elven woman came to the door. She looked very much like Thire, suggesting that she was his mother or possibly sister.

"Can I help you sir? You look injured, should I get care from the manor?" asked the woman, looking at his many injuries across his face.

"No...That...That's not important. I'm not important... Are you... Madame Blackdawn?" Haldroun was out of breath, panting quite a lot in fact.

"Yes, I am. Why are you asking...me..." The woman had looked down at the corpse that was propped up against the house. Her face immediately filled with terror as she started to recognize the elf's features.

"Is that...Is that..?"

"Yes... That is Thire. What was your relation to him?"Haldroun nodded in sadness.

"He was my son... What happened? Was he killed in action? Did he die in battle with the Alliance?" Tears were swelling in Mrs. Blackdawn's eyes as she remarked at her now dead child.

"He was..." Haldroun cleared his throat, "He was killed by a battalion of Knights...at the prison where he kept post... He was murdered by his kinsmen it an attempt to get me out of the complex where I was held."

The woman couldn't handle it any longer. Sparkling tears swept down her cheeks like drops of rain. She let out great sobs of agony and despair. Haldroun soon heard footsteps coming down a large spiral staircase.

"What is it Cera? What is the matter?" A tall, imposing figure stood before Haldroun. He was dressed in a neat tunic and wore large, cobalt colored boots.

"Its...Thire..." Cera pointed at the knight's body, "Aldonus...He's dead"

Aldonus' eyes filled with anguish and anger. He stared at the beaten Haldroun, believing him to be the cause of his favored son's death. He charged towards the mage, grabbing him by the throat and shoving him against a stone pillar

"What the hell did you do to my son!"

"I...I..." Haldroun tried to cough out the words stating he was innocent. The elf's grasp, however, was much too strong to break free of.

"Aldonus, stop this!" His wife pleaded for Haldroun's release.

Aldonus kept his grip tight on the former prisoner, slowing squeezing the life out of the mage.

"Stop this! He is Innocent! Our son is dead because that man was wrongly imprisoned! He tried to help him escape!" Cera shouted with surprising audacity. Her outburst was so effective it relinquished Aldonus' hold. Haldroun fell to the ground, gasping for new air.

"Collect yourself, mage. Come inside and explain yourself afterwards..."

A few hours later...

Haldroun sat in a large, comfortable sofa in a spacious living room. The ceiling was decorated with an expertly painted mural, displaying the creation of Azeroth. Statues of historical figures from the elves' past decorated the room, and a large portrait of Aldonus hung from the wall. Immense windows poured moonlight into the room, giving an eerie illumination to the space around him. Haldroun was sipping a small cup of lemon tea, the first real food he had in a while. Across from him was the Blackdawn Patriarch, who also sipped tea.

"So, this is what really happened then?" asked Aldonus, setting his small ivory cup on a table

"Yes... all of it. I'm sorry your son had to die the way he did."

"He died doing something he believed in. It was an honorable cause, and at least it was fulfilled." Aldonus picked his tea up again, taking in a few sips before addressing Haldroun again. "You look familiar. What did you say your name was?"

"Oh... I'm Haldroun. Haldroun Frostfury."

"I see... A shame what happened to your family. I was a friend of your father's, you know. I attended his burial ceremony." Aldonus poured himself another goblet of tea

"I don't seem to remember you, Sir Blackdawn."

"I can understand. You must've been too overcome by grief. Oh, yes. I can remember your father as if it was only yesterday. He was a great man, and we fought many battles together in the second war."

Haldroun set his drink down before talking to the elf.

"Are you a magister or a blood knight?"

"Neither. I was a hunter in my day, but I have ties within the Order. Following the atrocities committed towards you and my son, however, I will see that those ties are cut."

Haldroun was worried, however. Even though he was safe here at the Blackdawn Manor, there is the possibility that the blood knights have a bounty out for him. He would have to escape to somewhere remote if he was going to continue to be safe...

A few days later...

"I understand how you were indirectly the cause of the death of my son... But I do not blame you. He did a good thing getting you out of that... hellish place. You have my forgiveness, Haldroun."

"Thank you, Aldonus."

"So, where to now? Where are you going to hide next? You know that I cannot shelter you for much longer."

"Heh... Haven't thought it out yet. Perhaps I will exile in Kalimdor. Its remote enough to where the Blood Knights will have a hard time tracking me."

"I might be able to help. You see, I know a good friend of mine who runs a trade route between Stranglethorn Vale and the Barrens. He's a Goblin, and he's thrifty, but I think i'll be able to get you passage."

"Thank you, so very much. You have no idea how much you have helped me."

"Good luck, Haldroun."

With that, Aldonus shook his hand, and sent him towards a future of strife.

A/N: So, its been a while since i've typed up anything. I thought Deadbolt had enough good ratings to warrant a solid sequel. I was writing this under the name 'The Kalimdor Four' for a while. I know this one is a bit short, but most of the chapters after this will be content rich. So, I hope you enjoy Life and Death. Namaste!