Scarlet Onslaught

Dragonblight. Resting place for all dragons, no matter the aspect. Green, red, blue, bronze and black, they all lie in this graveyard together, all their differences set aside in death. A massive tower is located near the centre of it all, Wyrmrest Temple is its name, surrounded by five beautiful dragon shrines all belonging to their individual aspects. As of late however, the Scourge has laid siege to these shrines in order to raise the dead dragons that surround them, turning them into deadly minions of the Scourge.

To the east floats a necropolis housing thousands of Scourge, their numbers increasing day by day as new undead are risen from the fallen who are fighting to protect their homes from wave after wave of undead minions pouring out from this floating fortress known as Naxxramas. Wintergarde Keep, an Alliance base set up to fight the undead minions coming from Naxxramas, and Venomspite, A Horde base to do the exact same, are located to the west of Naxxramas.

This is where the ships carrying the Ebon Blade and the Forsaken are heading. Just to the south of Venomspite is a beach head that has a history long forgotten by those who walk it. Presumably why it has been aptly named 'The Forgotten Shore'. The same shore that Arthas had landed on all those years ago to find the runeblade Frostmourne, the same shore he had hired mercenaries to burn the ships that docked there before having his men turn on them, all in the name of mutiny.

This knowledge was not lost on Athrodar, for he knew much about the Lich King. He knew where the Scourge weaknesses were and how to get to them, he knew what generals to take out in order to deal a massive blow to the Lich King. He knew. The information however was lost inside him after his connection to the Lich King was severed by the light. Information that is key to the campaign all of Azeroth is embarking on, information that will need to be found sooner than later.

As the ships began to set anchor on the forgotten shores, several crew members had noticed ghosts wondering around the beach. Yet, they were not paying any attention to the ships that docked, nor the soldiers that began to climb off them, they were wondering about aimlessly, as if they had no purpose being here other than to be a reminder of a dark past.

After getting all the supplies off the ships, the Forsaken forces began to move out towards Venomspite whilst the Knights of the Ebon Blade were moving towards their outposts in Zul'Drak and Icecrown.

"Stay safe Highlord." Shaking hands with him, Athrodar gives the Highlord a nod before departing to Venomspite. "We'll meet again when the time comes to kill the Lich King."

Darion gives him a small smile. "I don't doubt it Captain." he says, nodding in return before pulling him closer and bringing his voice into a whisper. "Be careful around her lad," Darion glanced at Sylvanas, Athrodar following his gaze. "You may have sworn allegiance to her now but that doesn't stop her from becoming him."

Athrodar lowered his voice to an equal volume. "I'll keep an eye on her, don't you worry."

Darion raised his voice again into laughter, catching everyone's attention around them. "Then I shall see you at the foot of Icecrown Citadel, Athrodar."

Athrodar following suit. "So long as you don't get caught up fighting elsewhere." They went their separate ways shortly after, Darion heading off towards Icecrown whilst Athrodar went with the forsaken troops to Venomspite.

As Athrodar caught up to the forsaken troops on their way up to Venomspite, he made his way to the front of the column, walking alongside the leader of it, Sylvanas. She was atop her horse, at least it would have been in life, what she was atop of now was a skeletal horse. Having overheard their conversation, she glanced down at Athrodar before looking back at the road. "He doesn't trust me." She wasn't asking, she was stating.

Athrodar smirked before replying. "No he does not." He shook his head briefly before continuing. "He believes you are driven by revenge and will act without reason or strategy."

That caught her attention. Before he could react, Sylvanas drew her blade and lay it across Athrodar's throat, a flash of anger in her eyes. "And what do you believe?" Her tone matching the expression on her face.

Athrodar stopped in his tracks. The reply was calm, not a trace of hesitation in his voice as he spoke. "It doesn't matter what I believe, my Queen." He looked up at Sylvanas who was narrowing her eyes at him. "Though if you want my opinion, I believe you will do what is necessary to kill the man who did this to us. To our kin."

Sylvanas stared at him for a few seconds before removing her blade from his throat. She looked forward as a small grin rose on her face. "We are near Venomspite." She said. "Once we arrive there, gather as many forsaken as you think is necessary and take them to the Scarlet town to the west." She glanced down at Athrodar. "And take Koltira with you. He's been studying their defences, which will make him valuable for this mission."

Athrodar chuckled lightly, "He's still alive? I thought he would have perished at Light's Hope." He shook his head, and muttered to himself. "He's stronger than I gave him credit for ..."

2 days later...

New Hearthglen. The Scarlet Onlsaught's new base of operations in Northrend. A heavily guarded town to the south-west of Venomspite and a real nuisance for the Forsaken army that has set up there. Athrodar sat atop a skeletal horse alongside fellow Death Knight Koltira Deathweaver, both as confident in each others abilities, though Koltira's paled in comparison to Athrodar's.

They were on a hill looking over the Scarlet Town in front of them, Koltira filling Athrodar in on details he has been collecting weeks in advance. "The town has been put into three layers of defence." He began to point around the town. "Here is the main courtyard, the lower level. We will need to take this area quickly in order to take the rest of the town. They have a barracks set up on this level, so we need to take out this building and everyone inside before reinforcements arrive. They also have a chapel placed nearby. We expect priests to be inside." He shook his head. "Their holy magic will be a problem, so we will need to neutralise them first."

He moved his hand to the next area. "This is the upper level, and their main staging area in which we need to take. This area is mostly civilian, though they have a monastery set up in which we believe house their strongest units, we will need to storm this building with most of our units to take them out. From here, victory will be a certainty as their last line of defence will be the beach, Crusader's Landing they call it, along with Sinner's Folly. This is where they will be bringing reinforcements from and where we will take advantage of it's narrow passageway to the upper level."

Athrodar nodded in understanding. The Scarlet Onlsaught will be funnelling reinforcements to the town from the beach through a narrow pass, something they can set a choke point on, utterly destroying any advancing reinforcements. He looked at Koltira, studying his face as he looked at the town. "How accurate are your sources?" He needed to be certain Koltira knew everything about this place, to know its weaknesses and how to exploit them.

Koltira gave a deathly sounding laugh, scaring away what birds remained in the area. "My sources are accurate, victory will be certain." He placed a hand on Athrodar's shoulder. "Trust me my friend, they will be slaughtered."

Athrodar smiled at the idea of the Scarlet Onlsaught being slaughtered by him... Again. The thought was so amusing that he began to chuckle at the idea, Koltira staring at him in confusion before realising his train of thought. He began to join in on the laughter before Athrodar signalled the forsaken troops to advance forward.

Minutes later the sound of fighting erupted around the lower level of the town. Athrodar sat on his horse, overlooking the fighting below. He had sent Koltira down with the first wave to break through their defences before sending in the second. As he watched over the fighting, a figure made its way from the shadows to stand next to him. He glanced down at the figure that stood next to him, not at all surprised to see it was Sylvanas standing there. "So," She began. "The fighting has started."

Athrodar got down from his horse, not failing to see the small entourage of Dark Rangers that accompanied their Queen. "It has, your majesty." He stood next to her, a couple yards back to give Sylvanas her room, and to show that she was in charge. "If all goes as planned, Koltira will send a runner to tell us he's broken through their defences, allowing us to send in the second wave."

"Good." She replied, not showing any emotion on her face or in her voice as she turned to face him. "Will you be joining the fight?"

"Killing humans who dare stand in our way?" He began to smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

A twitch. That's what played on Sylvanas' lips. A small twitch of a smile at the idea of him seeking amusement in killing the Scarlet Onlsaught in her name. She began to walk back to Venomspite before stopping by his side. "Prove your loyalty to me, Athrodar. Prove it and you shall be rewarded." Before he could respond, Sylvanas and her entourage of Dark Rangers had slipped back into the shadows.

Shortly after Sylvanas had gone a messenger made its way towards Athrodar, informing him that Koltira had made his way past their initial defence and were ready for the next assault. Without hesitation, Athrodar signalled for the second wave to charge in, with him leading the charge. Within minutes the second wave had joined the fray. Their objective was to take the chapel whilst the first wave keeps everyone else at bay. As the second wave had more troops, they were going to take the full force of the priests and priestesses in the chapel.

The holy magic would be devastating to the first wave if they were the ones to attack the chapel, their numbers wouldn't be enough to hold them back. Their task, now that they destroyed the initial defence of the Scarlet Onlsaught, was to hold off the remaining troops on the lower level and stop reinforcements from attacking the second wave of units.

When Athrodar and his wave arrived at the front of the chapel, he quickly noticed all the slaughtered scarlet soldiers littered around the entrance of the town with very few forsaken casualties. This will be an easy victory he thought. Now was the time to secure the lower level of the town.

He unhooked a forsaken horn he picked up in Venomspite and blew one sharp breath into it followed by a longer blow. Within seconds the second wave had formed up outside the chapel whilst the first wave made their way to the barracks opposite. Both forces were going to send a quarter of their troops in to their respective buildings whilst the rest began to hold off the reinforcements that were surely to come aid their trapped brethren.

"Edwards!" Athrodar called for his second. Shortly after being summoned, the Forsaken Captain came running towards him. They became acquainted shortly after Athrodar's arrival in Venomspite, much to Edwards' dislike as Athrodar was a "Newly reformed" member of the Scourge, and a high ranking one at that.

He saluted Athrodar by placing both fists on his chest, arms crossing so either hand met the opposite shoulder. "What is it you require?"

Athrodar gave him a brief nod before telling him his plan. "I need you to send half the force I leave outside to the pathway leading towards Crusader's Landing. Form a shielded pike wall and set the archers and mages on higher ground, they'll be sending in forces from the narrow passageway and I intend to make full use of such a blessing."

Edwards laughed, fully understanding how big of a mistake it would be to send soldiers into such a well fortified wall of pikes and spears. He nodded at Athrodar, "It shall be done." He saluted once more before gathering the troops for this task.

With half the second wave gone, Athrodar gathered up the remaining troops and split their numbers in half as well. He was to leave half of them outside to defend attackers from the upper level whilst taking the other half into the chapel, leading the charge himself.

As they entered the chapel, they were hit by spell after spell of holy magic. It would have been devastating had Athrodar not foreseen the attack and placed down an anti-magic barrier. This was a spell Death Knights learnt to avoid taking the full amount of damage from spells. It was a shell that was big enough for ten people to stand in, the casting Death Knight in the middle. Such a spell would drain any normal Death Knight quickly, but Athrodar was anything but a normal Death Knight. This was child's play to him.

The shell was breaking, something he had expected to happen a lot earlier than it was, causing Athrodar to grin. "Now!" he commanded, unsheathing one of the axes on his back and pointing it forward. Shadow tendrils sprung out from the many points on the axe and began to silence the scarlet priests. Whilst this was all happening, forsaken troops ran around the corner and began to fire arrows and bolts at the scarlet crusaders. Melee troops were leading the charge, shields raised up to block incoming missile fire before slamming into their enemies.

A war cry came from his side. Before the screaming warrior could get to him, Athrodar released the silencing spell on the casters and unsheathed his second axe to block swinging sword coming towards him. He parried away the sword with one of his axes, bringing the second one around in an arc like motion, severing the arm of the warrior, causing him to drop to his knees and hold on to the arm, or lack of, whilst blood began to pour out onto the floor.

The thrill of causing pain and death washed over Athrodar, giving him a quick fix of euphoria he had been craving since he was the Lich King's second. Sheathing both axes on to his back, he gripped the throat of the dying scarlet warrior with one hand and picked up the sword with his second. "I'll make this a quick death, seeing as you were brave enough to face me alone." Before the warrior could reply, Athrodar lunged the sword into his shoulder and down his chest, killing him instantly.

He looked up, noticing a shield wall had formed in the middle of the chapel with archers standing behind it, firing volley after volley into the dwindling scarlet's. Still holding onto the sword, he made his way past the shield wall and into a side office that had caught his attention. The doors were locked.

Knowing it was a trap, Athrodar closed his eyes and began to mumble words under his breath. Once he finished, he opened his eyes and what would normally be light blue eyes, tainted with necromantic magic, were now looking like flames, except they were a dark blue and gave off a deathly cold temperature. He placed a hand on the door and began to freeze the occupants inside. The process would take just under a minute and the results were perfect. Nobody would survive.

After a minute had passed, Athrodar smashed down the frozen door, causing it to shatter into a thousand pieces. Scanning the room, he saw four frozen guards standing in front of a frozen priestess. Clearly someone important he thought, grinning at the sight. Making his way back to the middle of the chapel, he saw the forsaken troops mopping up the last remnants of scarlet activity in the chapel.

Cheers of victory erupted from various locations in the chapel "Power to the Forsaken! For the Dark Lady!" It was a minor victory in a fight that had more stages, but an important one in the long run.

Making his way out the chapel, Athrodar caught up with Koltira who was cleaning off his runeblade. He looked up from his blade and saw Athrodar making his way towards him. "Well, it's about damn time." He chuckled. "I thought you had perished, thank the Dark Lady you didn't."

Athrodar sat down on a box next to him, still holding on to the sword that he had taken from the dead scarlet warrior. Inspecting it, he realised it wasn't a bad looking blade, though it could use a little bit of work from his runeforging skills. He was eyeing the blade intently, not failing to notice Koltira giving him a look of confusion. "It could prove to be a powerful weapon, you know. Just needs a little..." He ran his hand over the bloodied blade, forging runes onto it and causing it to glow blue. "Work."

He knew Koltira envied his ability to forge runes away from a runeforge, even when he tried to hide it, his face gave it away. "Sure, any blade can become a powerful weapon if you do that to it." He nodded over to the upper level of the town. "When do we begin?"

Athrodar looked up to the upper level of the town. "Soon, my friend. Soon."