1The corridor seemed quiet, but seeing as there was a giant battle ensuing outside the spire walls, that seemed a bit off to Xenaa, "God, please let Noesus make it in time." The door to the room blew open and four fel orcs burst from the smoke, Xenaa shot a blast of ice and one breaking its left arm and leg off causing it to fall, the nest two she caught them in a cone of cold air pushing them back through the wall they just burst through, the last she smiled and simply turned him into a sheep. Xenaa, laughing, gently pat the sheep and tossed it out the balcony window, "They aren't so tough she thought to herself, "I'll simply cast one spell at a time and take them all out myself." Xenaa smirked at her confidence. The room began to shake and the wall began to crumble as a demon with huge bulging muscles came crashing through the walls. "O shi-!" Xenaa began just as the force from one elbow threw her across the room. Xenaa quickly got to her senses and sent twelve bolts of charged arcane energy thru the beasts chest. The beast just stared at her as if wanting to give her a chance to throw everything she had. Xenaa smiled again to herself, "Fine stand there! You wouldn't make it to me anyway!" Xenaa charged up her most powerful spell. Sensing this the beast leaped forward, only to be disintegrated by a gigantic fire blast from the gentle looking hands of the Spire mistress. Her mana was nearly drained but she called forth a reserve that every mage had within them in only dire situations, recharging her mana she started to form armaments of ice. Helmet, armor, shield, sword, and a flowing water cape for effect that she learned from the Archmagistrate a few weeks ago. "This should be scary enough," she thought. A fel swordsman appeared around the corner. "Oh you have to be kidding me," Xenaa sighed. The demon raised his sword in challenge, and rushed the mage. Xenaa stood where she was and blocked with her ice shield, just then as they clashed on one another, she formed giant spikes on the shield thrusting forward killing the demon instantly.
The city was infested with demons, but this didn't bother Tetsaiga, he loved battle, his paladin ways taught him to avoid conflict, but to him, Paladins where the sword of Silvermoon. He rushed past the front lines, and fought his way deep into enemy territory. The line he left behind, polluted with demons and scattered with paladins was failing, the paladins' numbers were too slim to hold off the horde of what seemed like Trillions. "Hold fast Blood Elves!" a noble voice cried out, " The Horde has arrived!" Thrall ran down the ramp closely followed by the undead forsaken and the trolls of the Sen'Jin brotherhood. "To arms brothers push these demons back!" The horde roared as they swept the line of demons from the side, cheers arose from the wounded paladins. "Victory for Sylvannas!" Seeker Harmond shouted as the Forsaken Legion of Undercity ran faster than the rest, "Show them no mercy and leave none alive!"
"Thrall!" the Blood Knight kranmus bowed, "Pleasure to meet you in the honorable battlefield."
"Likewise elf," Thrall saluted mounted on a black war wolf, "You paladins take a break you have fought well today. We will fend them off."
"We are in your debt milord." kranmus bowed.
"No need for formalities Blood Knight," Thrall laughed, "We are allies after all." Kranmus smiled.
"Nice to know we have those we can count on."
"Indeed young warrior." Thrall rode off to head the Horde.
"Help?" Tetsaiga thought, "if they want to help tell them to leave!" He sliced another demon clean in two. Tetsaiga was barely touched as he raged and destroyed battalion after battalion of demons, the siege weapons were demolished by his blade and he has had over one hundred and fifty kills to his name. He clearly was noticed by all, but as a battle hungry bludgeon, not a noble paladin.
Xenaa stood limp, her body weak from mana usage, "Help...Heh...help me..." She said dropping to a knee at randasan's body. "I'm s..sorry paladin, I tried to protect you...I guess we'll die like I dreamed." She collapsed onto his chest.
"Xenaa get up!" the voice of the Archmagistrate rang into her ears.
"Velamus?" She quivered, "Where?"
"Get up! You didn't even touch the target yet!" Xenaa was young, her magic not strong as it was now. She focused once more and shot a tiny bolt of energy at the target cracking it, then fell to her hands and knees from exhaustion. "Listen Xenaa," the Archmagistrate walked over to her, "If you find yourself like this, use what I taught you yesterday. Remember? Evocation?"
Xenaa's eyes lit up, "That's it!" She got to her knees and began to concentrate, "Focus on the mana and energies that flow around us and force them into our bodies for one last attempt. To replenish ourselves and to save the others!" She held her hands high as a dark blue whirlwind enveloped her body, all the energies of the spire flowed into her. "Let's try this again Demons!" She stood up completely refreshed, she looked out the balcony and shot out an arcane explosion around the spire, targeting the demons essence and diminishing them to nothing. "That's all of it." she whispered as she collapsed for the last time.
Archmagistrate Velamus blinked and made it into the spire and saw the paladin untouched, but Xenaa laying unconscious on the floor of the balcony, "Was she?" the Archmagistrate began as she lifted Xenaa to a chair, "She did, she protected the spire as commanded. Now all that's left is for me to keep the Archmagistrate of the Spire alive in order to receive her new title." The demons that followed the Archmagistrate flowed into the spire, hundreds upon thousands, "Let this be my final task Morun, my darling, I pray you and Kranmus are safe." The spire exploded flashing light throughout the city, the smoke of the collapsing spire billowed through the streets eliminating all demons within one hundred miles. The Regent Lord and the blood knights on the battlefield looked in awe as the spire they held so dear was destroyed, "Velamus!" Morun cried, "You bastards took my Velamus away from me!" The Regent Lord flew into battle cutting down all that stood in his way.
"Fear not Silvermoon the Rangers have arrived!" The Ranger master Grimmond announced, "Go rangers protect the homeland!" Hundreds of duel sword wielding rangers flew into the city, they are the fastest of soldiers with little armor and protection they rely on pure skill and pet animals to fight. "Ah Tensaiga." Grimmond saw the honored Ranger appear next to him, "I sense your brother in a desperate fight, find him and slay all who oppose him."
"On your command my liege." Tensaiga obeyed as he disappeared. The battle waged for another three hours with the Demons number falling rapidly. The night was long but the battle was won, and all survivors met at the rubble of the spire.
The scene was dire and the survivors of the spire were slim, the only survivors were the paladin Randasan and the new Archmagistrate of the Spire Xenaa. Tetsaiga and Tensaiga stood arms crossed at the scene. The blood knights and the horde began tending to the survivors. Noesus surveyed the medical teams and kept everything running smoothly. The city would never be the same. "What do you think they were after?" Thrall said to Regent Lord Morun, "Why would such a large force attack a city with no reason?"
"The sunwell young warchief, it's what we High Elves hold so dear to us, the sunwell was located underneath the spire, but seeing as the only way to save the city was to give them what they wanted, Archmagistrate Velamus destroyed the spire crushing the sunwell and killing thousands of demons, forcing a retreat."
"Truly a remarkable and honorable thing the Archmagistrate." Thrall responded. "She was your love was she not?" Morun said nothing in response only hanging his head. "All things happen, young one, for reason. Let not the death of one so noble end your spirits. We will help you," Thrall declared motioning to Zul'Jenish, the new leader of the Darkspear Trolls, Cairne Bloodhoof, the chieftain of the Taruen, and Dark Lady Sylvannas, the banshee queen of the forsaken undead. "That is why we are the Horde, the horde is one, and as one we live. If one of us aches, we all ache."
"Thank you warchief, the blood elves of silvermoon are yours to command, and we follow only you." The Regent lord smiled. "Our rebuilding will be long Thrall. Can you spare some men?" Thrall nodded in response.
The morning came soon and Xenaa woke from what seemed like a nightmare, " Randasan!" She shouted looking left and right, her eyes darting across the room. "Where am I?" she thought. She looked out the window of her room to find she was in the infirmary of Silvermoon, the decorative designs across the side of the building indicated that this building was untouched by the invasion and that it was one of the few safe havens at the moment until all building were repaired and safe to enter once more. She walked out into the halls looking for a priest. "Noe!" Noesus turned to see Xenaa running after her.
"Xen! Your awake! How are you?" she asked examining her.
"I'm fine, where's our little paladin? Archmagistrate Velamus wanted me to keep him safe." Noesus' eyes went down.
"Velamus is dead Xen, she blew up the spire to save you and the paladin." Noesus said as if choking out the words.
"No..." Xenaa started, "This can't be, how am I to go on with no mentor, no friend. What am I to become after this chaos?" Her words shot through her head, "Chaos! What we are to become!" She said blinking to the barracks where Tetsaiga was held in custody once again.
"Ah magi come to spit on me as well?" Tetsaiga said curled on the floor from recent beatings.
"Release this paladin!" Xenaa ordered
"But Archmagistrate..."
"Now!" she forced. The guards released Tetsaiga and set him on a chair in front of Xenaa, "Now little paladin, tell me what are we to become after this chaos?"
"Heh, so you finally opened your slender ear eh?" Tetsaiga chuckled, "This was an invitation, to all warriors powerful enough to face him."
"Who?" Xenaa said curious as to how this paladin knew so much.
"The one who fuels my rage, the one who knows I am right to defeat him, the one he tried to kill by going after the sunwell."
"I don't believe you worm!" Xenaa shouted.
"Believe it." A calm voice shot out from the shadows behind her. Tensaiga came walking into the room and put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I have seen this vision too milady, it was I who told the rangers to come back home."
"You!?" Xenaa said knowing of the rogue's reputation of honor and skill.
"Yes milady, I am tensaiga, son of Rugasaiga, brother of Tetsaiga, holder of the key of silvermoon and weilder of the Night and sun swords of silvermoon." Tensaiga bowed respectfully.
"It's an honor to finally be in your presence rogue." Xenaa bowed low to show respect. "But just who is this, that is so powerful to send armies of Fel demons to our city from the sky?"
"The demon lord Sargeras, who once attacked the Great Life tree of the Night Elves, he has targeted the sunwell as a source of power, the power that your teacher the former Archmagistrate Velamus saved from him by destroying. She was a noble woman, and will be immortal now." Tensaiga smiled.
"So to show our 'guest' our warriors what is it he wants the city to do?" Xenaa said now relying on the brothers for orders.
"Send only ten warriors. And choose wisely for they will decide the fate of the world." tensaiga vanished along with Tetsaiga. Xenaa stood dumbfounded, her first day as the new Archmagistrate of the Spire, "What a responsibility on the first day..." She said.
The infirmary was buzzing as Xenaa returned. "Noe?" Xenaa asked.
"He's awake!" Noe said excited. Xenaa and Noesus rushed to Randasan's room to see the paladin sitting up and stretching.
"Hello ladies." Randasan bowed. "Um, could one of you please tell me where my clothes are?" he smiled, and both girls blushed.
"So what you are saying is that the city was invaded and destroyed, tetsaiga and his brother are after a powerful demon lord and you want me to go with you and six others to defeat him? For his pleasure also?" Randasan laughed.
"Yes." Xenaa said.
"No!" Randasan responded. Xenaa frowned.
"As the Archmagistrate of the Spire you have no choice" Xenaa stood in front of him but at the wrong time, Randasan tripped on her but instinctively turned and he landed on his back and she was in his arms. They landed on the ground and the momentum from the fall forced Xenaa's head to move forward as Randasan's head could not move. Their lips met, Xenaa taking advantage of the accident, held it there for one more second than it should before she pulled away and blinked onto her feet. "I'm sorry, paladin forgive me for tripping you."
"It's, uh, it's no trouble at all milady." Randasan said noticing the long kiss, "So we are to go onto this mission and hope for the best I am guessing?"
"We have a plan little paladin," Xenaa said smiling at him, showing her newfound confidence, "You just have to be there when we get ready and saddle up." She moved her finger from his chest to his nose, "Don't be late." She said flirting.
"Yes ma'am." Randasan stuttered.
The next morning Xenaa awoke and walked outside the spire to begin her preparations for the departure. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a sword clashing on wood, followed by the feint sound of spell casting. She turned the corner to see Randasan, training on the training dummy and casting once again into the arcane gauge. "You train more than you sleep apparently paladin." Xenaa thought, as she floated above the fountain water, finally stopping the "encounters" with the fountain. "Perhaps his determination is also found in other things." The men she called for the day earlier had assembled the hawkstriders and held two in place for Randasan and herself. "He will be with us shortly men, he is honing his skills at the moment, if you need one more thing men and forgot, get them now." A few men dispersed at her word.
"Begging your pardon Archmagistrate." A soldier asked.
"Yes Blood Knight?" Xenaa said watching for Randasan.
"But why are we going to silithus? Don't you think this is a strange request after we have just been invaded? Shouldn't we help rebuild and defend the city incase of a second wave?"
"No soldier, only ten of us are going, you, myself, two paladins, a rogue, Blood Knight Kranmus, and the rest are Blood Knights like yourself. The rest are on watch here. I chose you all because you are the ones who overcame the stresses of the attack and were the best of the best." The soldier blushed.
"Thank you milady." He bowed as he readied his hawkstrider. Randasan began making his way down the street to the gate. He noticed Xenaa and a few soldiers and quickened his pace.
"You are late Randasan." Xenaa said playfully.
"Sorry that training dummy was being a dummy." Randasan joked as he mounted his hawkstrider, "but don't worry he's plenty smart now, he beat me in every game we played." Xenaa giggled. Randasan smiled, for some reason now seeing this clumsy mage has been his only reason to wake up. Being a paladin wasn't a care for him anymore, but seeing this girl laugh and smile was his only true mission in life now. The rest of the warriors appeared with foods and a few bandages. "Move out!" Randasan ordered seeing as he was the only high ranked officer there, Blood Knight Kranmus went after the saigas in attempt to see their allegiances. They made towards the Ghostlands, a plains like area that was ravaged during past wars, now used as a forward command center against the undead that plague the Eastern Plaguelands just to the south of the Blood elf homeland. The hawkstriders kept an easy pace, not trying to tire them out too soon. There was constant chatter among the travelers keeping the silence away. Xenaa was silent however, in a sense grieving the loss of her mentor and Archmagistrate Velamus, Randasan saw this and felt she needed some comfort, he held is hawstrider back a bit and rode next to Xenaa at her pace to hopefully start a conversation to take her mind off the former Archmagistrate's deeds. "So... mage huh?"
"Nice try little pally." Xenaa saw right through his attempts. " Nothing can cleanse my thoughts right now, not for a while."
"Oh, well," Randasan began seeing her head hang and look the other way. "How about this? Where would u wanna go once this chaos is over?"
"Excuse me?" Xenaa attention was grabbed.
"Well when this is all over, don't you agree that some sort of vacation, or holiday is in order?" Randasan said pointing to the wilderness randomly.
"I guess so, but where would I go?" Xenaa confirmed his question, "Stranglethorn, for solitude."
"Eh, very hermity." He said, Xenaa's expression didn't change. This "conversation" went on for an hour or so, each one of the Archmagistrate's answers appeared to be shorter and shorter. "Eh, it's still kinda early from the invasion to ask much of her, she lost a lot from that attack. I'll let rest recharge her spirits." They continued on, undisturbed for miles, they began to approach the border of Eastern Plaguelands and Ghostlands and were stopped by the guards. "Halt!" The guard ordered. No one disobeyed. "On what purpose are you to leave these grounds and enter the lands of the dead?"
"Hold your tongue soldier, I Xenaa, Archmagistrate of the Spire, entrusted these adventurers to escort me to the Tauren capital to issue business with the Chieftain Bloodhoof in his services for our torn city."
"Yes milady, as you wish. Need you some supplies, Fanham has our stock over by the command." He spoke pointing to the small building behind the other guards."
"Thank you, sir. If we have need of them we will stop in." Xenaa motioned for some to go if needed, two soldiers left and restocked on strider feed and water. The rest continued on, shortly after were joined by the two who stopped.
The Plaguelands was an area once roamed by Humans, their land now torn since the scourge lead by the Death Knight Arthas roamed through its core. Most of the inhabitants were now forsaken but left wanting more, leaving them wandering souls. The ground was riddled with rune stones set by the High elves of old, keeping the souls from wandering just too far. The trees, seemed to never have leaves, and the sky was always a dull gray, the road was scattered and broken and the small houses along the road were destroyed down to the foundations on which they stood. The small band of travelers looked on the new area in awe, this place carried the stench of death, nothing here but despair and sin, nothing left but suffering and loss. Xenaa shivered from the very thought of this place during the second wars. Randasan took in a deep breath and relaxed his steed, "This is going to be one hell of a run." He thought, "nights are going to be the worst, seeing as there are no zombies or something like that". "Alright guys, casters center, ahem Milady? And bowmen in back with two paladins, rest in front with me, walk and keep formation! No need to rush this trip, take it nice and slow to avoid any unneeded deaths. Remember! The light is what these monsters are weakest against, so bowmen! Use the lights graces, paladins, well just breathe on them ha!" The group smiled at the joke. "Just stay together, no one goes off without notifying myself or the Archmagistrate here," Randasan put his hand on Xenaa's hand, but no one saw the smile and blushing on Xenaa when she turned her head away. "To make sure none of us are ambushed or left behind. Stay together and I know you guys aren't going to like the name but, use the 'buddy system'" the grop howled with laughter with randasan. "Let's go guys!" Randasan laughed.
Xenaa was amazed at how that paladin was so easily able to capture the hearts of the men and lead them into the pits of hell and they follow his every order. Not even being a full fledged Sunfury Spire Blood Knight of Silvermoon, he had the authority that rivaled the late Regent Lord Lor'Themar Theoren who built the city with his followers. "This pally," She thought to herself, "He just might be the next Regent Lord of Silvermoon, he has already gained the trust of all the soldiers and its been only one day!" The walk down to the plaguelands was eerie, the trees loomed over the travelers, the broken houses seemed to beg them to turn back now lest they see more death. There were skeletons from old battles riddled upon the ground and the old catapults of the Lorderon Empire were littered to make fire for recent but, now most likely dead, travelers. A few soldiers in the back of the line began to laugh and talk, Randasan smiled, "It's good the men talk," he thought to himself, "it will keep the moral normal and not edgy and frightened." He looked behind him to check on the squad and saw Xenaa in the middle of the formation shivering. "Kainel," kainel, the soldier next to Randasan nodded in acknowledgment, "hold here the formation and follow the road, I am staying with the Archmagistrate."
"Yes captain." He saluted. Randasan pulled back once again to ride next to Xenaa to give her company. Randasan was given the rank of Captain by the men only, his true rank was that of a private first class in the ranks of Blood Knight Lorden still, he was never stocked into Kranmus's ranks officially.
"How are you holding up milady?" Randasan asked politely.
"Its cold here paladin. The stench of death is all around us, and fear is the only thing that is spoken." Her shivers relaxed a bit, but the cold was getting to her, and the Archmagistrate robes are hardly fit to dawn in this weather.
"Here take this milady." He took off his cloak made of fur, his father had given him when he fought in Alterac valley, "It will keep you warm down here."
"Thank you paladin." She said smiling a little too much. "Why do we go now though paladin, shouldn't we stop to rest and set up a camp?"
"In these lands milady there are few to no places to set up a camp. Besides I would have thought you would want to be out of here as fast as possible."
"You can read minds now I see paladin, I wonder if you could read them back in Silvermoon City." She said slyly, as if trying to openly tell Randasan "I want you to hold me instead of this cloak" but no words like those ever left her lips.
"No milady but chivalry tells me that we need to keep you safest and most comfortable out of all of us." He said looking at the paths ahead. "And I know that the fur on my cloak is easily replaceable." He said smiling at her. She smiled back, knowing this journey will change them both for the good or bad, it will change them. The ground before them was desolate and cracked from old wars fought years before. "What a land," Randasan heard the mage whisper to herself.
"Milady?" Randasan wondered if the Spire Mistress was disrupted by this land. "What is it?"