Chapter 1 – Hero of Lordaeron
Bells of the Capital City were ringing loudly, and could be heard a miles away. By now, whole Tirisfal knew about prince's return. I wonder if all of them rejoice, Asher thought. He rode his black stallion slowly. Leaning forward he stroked his head and smiled. He named him Athos, feeling that the name suited his horse perfectly. Asher got it when it was still a foal. Athos was an outcast, just like Asher, being lone black foal while others were silver. Stableman who was providing horses for the royal court of Lordaeron thought it would be a perfect fit for Asher. Whether he meant it as a gift or an insult did not matter. Bastard rider and a bastard horse. It was amusing in a way. For two years, they've been near inseperable. Father told Asher that Arthas had the same kind of relationship with his own steed Invincible, few years ago before it died.
''Let's go for another ride.'' Asher ordered his horse and it neighed in response as if it understood Asher's words. He grinned and trotted his horse in direction of Brill, a small town just few miles away from the Capital City. He rode out of the forest on the road and drove the horse into a gallop, laughing as wind carried his black hair that was nearly grown over his shoulders. Passengers on the road looked at him with confused looks, and cursed at him for having to jump in side to avoid being crushed under the hoofs. Asher was not worried, for he knew they'd jump in side eventually, it wasn't as if he'd run them over.
Bells of Lordaeron stopped ringing when Asher spotted a town in a distance. Brill was unwalled town in the center of Tirisfal Glades and closest one to the Capital City. It was a prosperous town with large population, but its population was thinned by the recent plague. Brill was a first town Arthas came to after he left the Capital City a year ago to fight in the war. He came here to investigate the infestation.
There was a large graveyard just outside Brill which was getting larger every day. It was made to contain bodies of the people that died after plague first broke out in Brill.
But it wasn't the only mark of the Brill. Overall, Brill was a rich town, because it was the closest one to the Capital City. Also, it was on a very fertile soil. Many from the countryside would come here to live. Before infestation, the population was very high. It counted over five thousand. But since the plague, that number was cut in half. Even now, with half of its population left, Brill was still populous. There was a lot of activity in the main street, that went right through the center of the city, twenty paces in width. Dozen of stands were placed on both sides of the street, with people selling fruit, meat, bakery products, clothes, jewelry, and weapons and armor. Townsfolk looked happy, especially now that the plague has been vanquished and Lordaeron was saved. Asher used to spend a lot of time here. His first kiss happened here in Brill. She was a beautiful girl with fair hair two years older. But in truth, her blue eyes were what captured Asher's attention. Her name was Thera, a blacksmith's daughter.
As he rode through the main street of Brill, he encountered many who traveled towards Capital City, in the opposite direction of Asher, and he found himself being the only one in proximity riding in the opposite direction of the Capital.
''Ash!'' someone called out. He recognized the voice which he hadn't heard in a while. And he smiled, turning his horse around.
''I thought you'd be at your brother's reception, what are you doing here?'' Dain exclaimed as he walked closer to Asher with a wide smile on his face. His joke annoyed Asher, who rolled his eyes.
An ordinary town boy, and same age as Asher, Dain was playing with Asher in Tirisfal forest since they were little kids. They've been been best friends ever since. His short ginger hair was what made him different from others. Maybe it was because Dain was only ginger he knew. Asher jumped off his horse and landed on his feet, giving Dain a mean glare as a reply to his tricky joke.
''But he's your favorite brother.'' ginger said laughing causing Asher to punch him in the shoulder ''Shut it.''
Dain lost his father during the plague after which Asher tried to come to Brill as often as possible. After all, Dain was his best friend, although at times Asher wondered how did they develop their relationship considering Dain was a loud guy who was making fun of everything and Asher was quiet and serious. Two of them walked slowly down the main street of Brill, progressing through dense crowd which made Asher wonder how many people actually lived in this town. Asher told his friend about newest history lessons he had last weekend. Dain liked history as well as Asher. Learning history was one of his favorite things to do, and learning about history of Lordaeron made him fall in love with his homeland even more.
''Tell me, Ash. Are you still seeing Thera?'' Dain asked out of blue, surprising Asher who answered ''Not really, I haven't seen her in a while. I told you already we stopped seeing each other.''
''Good, because I saw her with that lordling from Tarren Mill that arrived here a week or two ago.'' ginger explained, surprising Asher even further, who raised an eyebrow. ''Jealous?''
Asher shook his head ''I'm not.'' and he wasn't. Thera meant nothing to him except a fond memory of a first kiss. Dain suddenly started grinning, surprising Asher yet again. ''What?''
''Say.'', Dain uttered quietly as he leaned towards Asher ''Now that you and Thera are over, I know a place where a lot of girls gather. I went there last week with Mark, so I already know some of them. If we're lucky, we might find them. There is this one with red hair that you're going to drool all over.''
Asher smirked ''We can check it out.''
Dain's grin wasn't fading away, and he patted Asher happily on the shoulder and two of them proceeded towards the place. Progressing through the cobble main street of Brill was slow and almost painful process, especially for Asher who was leading his horse by its reins on foot, trying not to bump into people that walked past him. Almost an hour later, they found themselves in the park near the center of the Brill, a small fenced area with dozen of tall trees and a small pond in the middle. Ducks were swimming on the surface while frogs jumped in water at the opposite side of the pond. Asher tied his horse to a fence and was sitting with Dain right next to the water, arguing whether the tabard of kingdom of Stromgarde was red or green.
''For the last time, it's red!'' Asher tried to explain, annoyed by Dain's ignorance ''Green is the color of Kul Tiras!''
Dain shook his head ''You can't convince me, I saw a knight with a green tabard just yesterday. He said he was coming from Stromgarde, I heard him!''
''He was coming from Stromgarde, that doesn't mean he is from Stromgarde! He is from Kul Tiras!''
Dain rolled his eyes, and their behavior was opposite than their usual one. Dain was the calm one while Asher was furious for he did not accept what was true. That or he just didn't want to admit to being wrong. Whatever the case was, Asher decided to stop the argument. ''I give up. Nothing is going through that thick skull of yours.''
Hearing this, Dain smiled widely and proudly, annoying Asher even more than he thought possible. To their misfortune, girls Dain was talking about were nowhere to be seen, even after one more hour of waiting and arguing. Deciding to move on because the wait bore no fruit, two boys left the park and decided to say goodbye to each other. Dain had some chores he had to do at his home as he said, while Asher finally decided to return to the Capital City.
''Do you feel something, Dain?'' Asher asked while they walked through the street to the south, towards Dain's house. Boy shook his head in response and looked at him as if he was waiting for Asher to explain what is wrong. ''Ignore it. It's probably just in my head.''
Ginger shrugged. They were near Dain's house when the townspeople moved to make path for some riders riding through the street in a haste. They were well armed and were wearing plate armor. They had a silver gauntlet on their tabards. Order of the Silver Hand. Their presence in Brill was not surprising. But something was off wih their faces.
Dain recognized them too ''What are knights of the Silver Hand doing here?''
''I wouldn't know. Did you see their faces?''
''Strange. They looked as if they saw a ghost.'' ginger replied, annoying Asher who said ''You really think paladins would be afraid of ghosts?''
''Whatever. Well, since we can't do anything about their faces, I think it's time I go. I'll see you soon?''
Asher nodded his head and Dain left his side, leaving him by himself. Mounting Athos, he kicked the horse with his heels and rode for the Capital, using the opportunity while the middle of street was still clear to trot his horse. He soon found himself out of town, and Brill quickly disappeared behind him. It was getting darker by a second and only now Asher realized it was evening. Day went by faster than he expected, and court was probably celebratin Arthas' return by now. Asher expected to see a large feast with hundreds of people, from servants to lords. In the coming days, the court will probably be busy with receiving nobles and emissaries from neighbouring kingdoms that have come to congratulate the prince on his most recent victory. After all, Lordaeron was most powerful kingdom on the continent. Asher had to admit to himself that he was jealous of Arthas. After all, who couldn't be? He was a heroic prince that everyone loved and admired. He was a knight of Silver Hand and a future king, and he was probably going to marry princess Jaina of Kul Tiras, who was beautiful and a powerful mage. Asher remembered seeing Jaina for the first time many years ago and drooling all over her, only to see her later in the gardens with Arthas, whispering to each other under a tree. No matter how much Asher has hated him, he wanted to be like prince Arthas. Instead, he was a bastard looked down upon by nobility who had no right for the throne.
As he got closer to the Capital, he saw a serpentine black lines rising in the sky above towers that appeared above trees as city slowly began revealing itself. A black smoke. Something is burning, Asher thought and got confused. Could it be that citizens have lighted a large fire for the prince? Highly unlikely, it was most probably a building on fire. Nothing that couldn't be fixed by mages. To Asher's further confusion, smoke was getting thicker and thicker as he got closer and was now rising from several spots inside the Capital City. For some reason, unpleasant thoughts crossed his mind. He sped up and was galloping towards the Capital. Something was wrong, and he had to know what. Light of the fires was getting brighter and brighter with every step he made. What he saw when he arrived at the gates of the Capital almost brought tears to his eyes. The city was burning, although fires couldn't reach its high stone towers, a dozen of buildings were burning and some of them have already turned to ashes. Dozen of people was escaping the city through the gates. Men, women, children, whole families escaped from the city. Asher even saw some soldiers among them which made him angry. Why aren't they doing anything?
As they run past Asher on his horse, he saw something familiar. Their faces, a thought crossed his mind as he looked at them, slowing down his horse. Their faces immediately reminded him of those of knights of Silver Hand he saw at Brill. These people were terrified, and their eyes revealed a true fear.
''What is happening?!'', he shouted at them but to no avail. For a moment he just remained there and looked at them not knowing what to do, but seeing as he was of no use if he just remained there, Asher galloped through the gates and found himself on the other side of the walls. It was worse than it initially looked like. Almost whole eastern part of Capital was on fire. He could hear screams from the people trapped in the buildings on fire, screams of dying men and women and children. There were corpses on the ground, burned and mutilated. Citizens were still running past him, some of them were on horses. It was hard to breathe because of the smoke, and the stench of death was all around him.
''Yah!'' he shouted and rode to the inner parts of the city, slowing down a bit to look at the corpses on the ground that were not burned. If they were not burned, what could've killed them? Deciding to find out, he jumped off his horse and crouched next to the corpse below him which was lying on its chest. He turned it around only to feel sick when he saw its face. Dead man was missing one of his eyes and half of his skin was torn off from his ear all the way down to his jaw. He saw cuts on his body, made by weapons.Asher realized somebody killed this man, and his heart started beating faster. Drop of cold sweat dropped from his forehead. Looking around himself, he realized he was alone in a sea of corpses. And then, in front of him, Asher saw a soldier of Lordaeron with his back turned to him, fighting something. Right the very next moment, he was pierced through chest. Top of the spear could be seen sticking out of his back. Soldier's limp body fell to ground as figure pulled the spear out of the body. It then turned its head to Asher and gave him an eyeless look which sent shivers down Asher's spine, he missed both eyes. It was another soldier of Lordaeron, but his armor was tattered and destroyed. He had only one shoulderpad and was missing chest piece. Asher could see his ribs on the left side and he moved without pain. Death radiated from him and it meant only one thing.
''Undead..'' he whispered to himself, terrified of figure in front of him. Why were undead in the Capital?
Thing that once used to be a soldier of Lordaeron limped slowly towards Asher. Its ominous steps and left him frozen in the saddle. Athos was getting uneasy because of the smell of corpses and blood. Building behind him crumbled and fell, with dozen burning pieces of wood dispersing through the street.
To hell with it, Asher charged on his horse towards skeleton, remembering his wish to be like Arthas, pulling the spear that was sticking out of one of the corpses raising it towards the undead. He held it like a lance, and for a slight moment he felt like a knight. Galloping past the fallen soldier, he pierced with lance through its head, breaking it in half. Turning his horse around, Asher looked as it fell to the ground.
Is it dead? he thought. For a moment he was just looking at the monster lying on the ground, still excited as his heart beat faster than ever. Just don't get up.
It didn't get up, much to Asher's relief. Turning his horse around, he rode off towards royal palace, encountering only a few people on the streets engulfed in black smoke. The sight of more undead terrified him, and he tried his best to avoid them as he made his way through the streets. Corpses weren't missing either, as there were more and more of them with each step he made towards the palace. He could only pray that father and Calia were alright. Even Arthas as well. He was the paladin and the hero, and the only hope Capital had. Several soldiers that Asher crossed path with were trying to fight the undead were surrounded by dozens if not hundreds of the dead. In Asher's head, he could think of no way to win this battle. Most terrifying sight was seeing fallen soldiers get up and kill their own brothers in arms. Asher began to panic in sight of dying soldiers, and his breathing got heavier. Some of the undead started feasting on the slain soldiers' bodies while other spotted Asher and moved towards him with intention to kill and devour. Maneuvering through the sea of the dead, somehow Asher managed to avoid the large horde and enter the street that led straight towards the palace. Less building were on fire, but other than that, scenery was same. Corpses all around, some of them stayed dead while others got back on their feet slowly. A little girl was crying at her mother's corpse at the edge of the street, pleading for her to get up. She didn't realize the undead were coming for her, she cried and screamed. Asher could not ignore it and rode to save her. Offering his hand as he got to her, he shouted ''Get up! but girl ignored him as if she didn't even realize he was there. Jumping of the horse, he tore her apart from her mother's body and placed her on the saddle in front of himself, while she scratched and screamed at him, telling him to save her mother. With heavy heart, Asher ignored her pleads and left her mother's corpse which was surrounded by the dead in the matter of seconds and devoured. The only way the could go was forward, to the palace. Soon, he lost the undead behind him as they could not keep up with Athos' gallop.
''Mother...'', little girl called for her mother silently and weeped in Asher's arms, who tried to say something, but was at shock to say anything. Words weren't coming out of his mouth and he was still distraught at what is happening. He was surprised at how composed he remained during all of this. He saved the little girl and killed a dead man. All that remained was to find his father and siblings.
I hope they're all right. All of them… even Arthas.
He decided to take it a bit slower now, and with more caution. Grip of the blade in his hand made him feel a bit safer, having took it from dead soldier. Darkness and silence was ominous and silhouettes of building and towers made Capital look like a ghost town. He wanted to cry so hard, but resisted the urge because of the little girl in his arms what still weeped silently. It felt like the end of the world. The drawbridge that led to the palace was a few hundred feet in front of him. There were no signs of battle there but the drawbridge was lowered and Asher feared the undead have somehow found the way inside. But if they did, they would've surely left a trail behind them, a corpse or two. Athos stopped and neighed loudly as he rose to his feet, almost dropping Asher and little girl off its saddle.
''Athos!'', Asher shouted angrily at his horse ''What's wrong?
Horse was restless. Asher would understand that considering what was happening, but Athos was calm throughout the whole situation. Why would he be restless now? Looking up, he saw a figure approaching him across the drawbridge of the bell tower, coming from the palace. Asher held his sword at the ready. He was not the best fighter, but he was trained by one of the best, he could hold his ground. As it approached closer, figure revealed itself to be a man. He was tall and wore a plate armor, and Asher thought he might be a knight or a paladin. He did not limp like the dead. He is alive, Asher thought with relief and smiled pulling the reins to move closer, but Athos hesitated. He was confused. His eyes moved back at the figure, and now he recognized something like skulls on the shoulderpads. Black cloak was attached to them.
''Who are you?'' Asher called out to stranger who was closer and closer every second. He felt dread as stranger approached, holding a sword in his hand, painted by blood which had signs engraved on it. His eyes could be tricking him, but Asher could swear those signs were glowing faintly. There was no one behind him and stranger moved with ease, as if the weight of the heavy armor did not tire him at all. He came out of darkness, just a few paces in front of Asher. Suddenly it got colder.
''Asher.'' calm voice called out, and a man revealed his face.
Cold radiated from him and he looked ten years older. His hair that was once golden was now white, but those piercing sea green eyes were still the same. And they still looked at Asher the same way they did all those years before.
Asher shifted in his saddle as he stared at his brother ''Arthas.''