The Previous Day:
"Matthias! Matthias!"
The girl's voice rang like a bell through the cacophony of hissing and clanking in the squat building that housed the blacksmith. In the corner a young man hastily propped his hammer against an anvil and turned to greet her. His tall, lanky frame looked somewhat out of place among the other muscled occupants of the forge, but he felt it his duty to help in any way he could. As he had no trade of his own, that meant apprenticing for the small island town's blacksmith. Fenris Isle was under a grim siege, and they had taken him in even though they barely had enough supplies to feed and clothe their own.
Matthias crossed to the doorway and pulled the girl into his arms, burying his face in her shining raven hair. She pushed him away. He looked down at her, an expression of puzzlement on his face. It soon turned to concern as he noticed for the first time the tears shining in her eyes. She worriedly glanced around his body at the other workers, then pulled Matthias out of the threshold and to the side of the building.
"What's the matter, Olivia?" he asked, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. It pained him to see her so upset. Olivia was the one shining spot of hope in his life since the forsaken had invaded his home of Hillsbrad. She was Gilnean herself, Matthias still wasn't certain how she made it to Fenris Isle still human. She wouldn't speak of it. They met weeks ago, when Matthias and a few other Hillsbrad holdouts fled their overrun village. He had been instantly smitten with the willowy girl. A delicate flower blooming in the dread chaos of Silverpine Forest. Simply her presence gave him hope that they might survive this nightmare.
"Oh Matthias... the Elders..." Olivia began, tears rolling down her cheeks, "They met with that beast, Crowley. They agree with him! We are all to become those... those... monsters!" As she spoke, she became increasingly upset, her last words nearly lost in sobs. Matthias was speechless. He pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around him, her crying muffled by his shirt. He couldn't do anything for her but stroke her hair and mutter small words of comfort. He didn't like the decision any more than she did. But drinking the tainted blood and becoming a worgen was the only safeguard against becoming one of those undead abominations.
Even so, the thought of Olivia with her smooth pale skin covered in coarse black fur; her wispy frame changed into a hulking behemoth; her voice, so light and airy, replaced with a feral snarl, made his stomach turn. He crushed her to his chest, laying his cheek on her soft curls. He wished with every fiber of his being that he could take her pain away, but he was powerless to stop the wheels of the forsaken war machine. And until the undead were wiped off the face of Azeroth, there would be no peace.
"Olivia, I hate the idea as much as you," Matthias whispered, "But you and I both know the undead are going to mount an attack soon. They keep sending scouts and those flying scourge women, picking us off one by one. They're spreading like a plague out of Tirisfal and the only way to live is-"
"NO! I'll never be one of those monsters! They killed my entire family! And so many others... I don't care what the Elders say!" she all but yelled at him. Olivia pushed away from Matthias slightly, resting her hands on his chest. She lowered her voice to a pleading whisper stared straight into his eyes, "There are others who feel the same. They're planning on escaping tonight and heading for the Dalaran magi, or maybe Refuge Pointe. They have a boat ready with supplies, and they'll take us! Come with me Matthias. Don't drink the blood. Don't become one of them!"
"Olivia that's..." he began. He was going to say suicide, but he could tell by the set of her jaw that there was no dissuading her from fleeing the island - with or without him. How could he stay? How could he drink the worgen's blood and secure his immediate survival, and never know if she survived. More importantly, how could he become a worgen and become the object of Olivia's hate? The thought of Olivia gazing at him, her eyes full of rage and hatred, hit him like a physical blow. "Of course I'll come. I'll always protect you, Olivia," he said, running a hand down her cheek and along her chin.
She smiled and threw her arms around his neck. He smiled as well, and kissed her softly on the cheek. "How long until we leave?" he whispered.
"An hour after sunset. At the southern tip of the island," she replied.
And so, an hour after sunset, Matthias found himself sneaking down to the southern shore. At Olivia's insistence he wore his best clothes. "People are more likely to harbor those who are well-off rather than beggars," she had said. Matthias hoped in these dire times humans would assist even the most foul beggar, if it meant the difference between life and undeath, but did as Olivia bid.
As he neared the shore, he saw Olivia. She was holding a lantern and dressed in a splendid ankle-length dress of pale yellow. In the gloom her skin appeared nearly luminous. She was anxious and motioned for him to hurry. He couldn't resist taking a moment to lean in and kiss her softly. He inhaled her faint floral fragrance. Maybe Olivia didn't realize the danger of the trip they were about to embark on, but Matthias certainly did, and he needed a moment to simply revel in life.
Too quickly, Olivia pushed him away and stepped into the boat. A quick count showed ten other people already aboard. Every face was set into a grim scowl, except Olivia. Her eyes were alight with hope. Matthias stepped into the boat and sat next to her. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder and squeezed slightly. She looked up at him, smiled, and leaned her head against his chest. One of the other men doused the lantern and kicked off from the shore.
Four men manned the oars, carefully slipping them in and out of the water. They all knew silence was imperative. Forsaken infested the shores to the west. If they made any noise or lit a lantern, the undead would be instantly alerted. As they coursed through the water, Matthias lost track of time. How long had they been rowing? Fifteen minutes? Thirty? An hour? Where was the damned shore? Were these fools rowing in circles?
Matthias fidgeted in the boat and looked out onto the water. The distorted, white reflection of the moon was quivering on the rippling surface of the lake not far from their boat. Matthias frowned. Why did that seem odd? The reflection moved toward the boat. Matthias tensed. What was going on?
The answer hit Matthias like a bolt of lightning. He jerked his head up, looking into the sky. A brightly glowing, winged being was descending towards the lake. Flying directly for their boat.
"Undead!" Matthias shouted, pointing toward the woman. Shouts of fear rose from the other occupants of the boat. Several men pulled out muskets and aimed for the winged scourge. She swooped low and hovered above their boat, letting out a piercing scream. The scream chilled Matthias to his soul, freezing his muscles with fright. Beside him, Olivia let out her own scream of pure panic.
From the shore, Matthias and the others heard another sound that seemed to seal their fate.
"FIRE!" screamed a harsh voice. A moment later the blast of a cannon and the whistle of a cannonball rent the night air. The wooden boat was violently smashed in two as the cannonball ripped through it. Some inside were slain instantly, the others were violently tossed into the lake. Matthias plunged downward into the freezing water. He was completely disoriented and flailed about uselessly. Eventually his head broke the surface, and he gulped the air greedily.
"Olivia! Olivia!" he screamed, twisting around in the water trying to catch sight of her. He saw the val'kyr flying lazily in circles above him. He didn't have time to try and puzzle out why she wasn't attacking. Around him, other survivors were surfacing. Some coughing and sputtering as Matthias was, others floating limply.
"Matthias!" came a weak call from his left. Matthias turned, and saw Olivia clinging to a plank of wood from the shattered boat several yards away from him. She was soaked and terrified, but appeared unharmed. Matthias started swimming to her, but a dark shaped loomed up between them, blocking his view. He glanced upward, and saw it was a wooden boat full of undead raiders. The leader stood on the prow of the boat. His pale flesh was barely clinging to his bleached bones, and he held a mace studded with hundreds of small shards of jagged metal. He leaned over the side of the boat opposite Matthias. To Matthias' horror, the undead plucked Olivia out of the water by her arm, cackling.
"What a pretty one this is! I think I'll keep her for myself," the others in the boat laughed with him as Olivia dangled in his grasp, tears rolling down her face. Matthias grasped the side of the forsaken boat and hauled himself halfway into it, clutching for the undead that had Olivia. His weight caused the boat to tip wildly, and the leader was forced to drop Olivia into the water to keep his balance.
"Swim away, Olivia! Go, GO!" Matthias screamed as he grappled with the undead, clutching at his arms, preventing him from wielding his weapon. He heard small splashes, and hoped it was Olivia swimming back toward the island. Matthias braced his feet against the side of the boat and gave a mighty heave, pulling the undead into the water with him. In his heart he knew it was a useless battle, but he had to give Olivia as much time as possible to swim to shore. In the water, Matthias clung to the undead like a limpet, refusing to give in. One of the forsaken in the boat raised an oar, and brought it crashing down on the back of Matthias' head.
He went limp, and the undead in the water was able to kick him off. The forsaken leader swam back to the boat, and the others hauled him back in. In the water, Matthias roused himself, he needed to give her more time! He once again swam for the forsaken boat, but this time the leader was ready for him. He swung his studded mace, connecting solidly with the left side of Matthias' jaw. The ragged metal weapon scraped upward along his face, ripping his skin to pieces.
Matthias screamed in pain and let go of the boat. He dropped into the water and began to swim away, opposite the direction Olivia went.
"Oh no you don't," growled the forsaken leader. He grabbed a musket, aimed at Matthias' retreating form, and pulled the trigger.
In the water, fueled by adrenaline, Matthias swam on. He heard the blast, but felt nothing. The undead fool missed! Matthias continued on, listening for another gunshot, but none came. They had given up! He might even make the opposite shore! However, swimming was becoming harder and harder. He couldn't breathe, and his limbs felt like lead weights. He must have too much water in his lungs. He halted to rest. He coughed, and was surprised to see a bright red glob of blood hit the water.
"What...?" his mind sluggishly tried to piece together what the blood meant. In the illumination of the val'kyr, he saw the water in front of him grow redder. He slipped beneath the surface, unable to tread water any longer. He looked upward toward the val'kyr's light, bubbles of air flowing from his nose and mouth.
"At least you escaped, Olivia. I love you, Olivia... Olivia..."