The Birth of the Ghostlands

Silvermoon, capital of the High Elves and the city Outrunner Alarion was making her way through, looking to arrive at Sunfury Spire as quick as possible. She was tasked by Dael'Thaelas before he and Aerinan left to find Sylvanas to get to the Royal Family and the Convocation of Silvermoon, the ruling council that resides over Quel'Thalas, and inform them about the dead marching through their lands.

She arrived at the bridge that would take her over the lake underneath the spire, looking at the building that watched over the city and making her way across the bridge the moment she built up her courage to talk to the ruling council.

Upon entering the spire, she came across one of the council talking to High Priest Vandellor and his adopted daughter, High Priestess Liadrin. Looking at the council member and the two great healers of her people, she figured it was Grand Magister Belo'vir, both the Grand Magister and High Priest being close friends. "And how are my two favourite Light wielding elves this evening?"

Vandellor grinned at his old friend, placing a hand on Liadrin's shoulder. "It's been a quiet day. Though she grows worried about the plague ravaging the human kingdom to our south."

Outrunner Alarion, overhearing this, stopped just beside them, interrupting their talks with her heavy breathing. "The plague... It's real... At our... Doorstep..."

"I knew it.." Liadrin muttered, looking up at her father. "The royal family must be informed."

High Priest Vandellor placed a hand on Belo'vir's shoulder. "I'll go inform the king."

Belo'vir nodded at the High Priest, watching his disappear down the corridor before looking back at Alarion. "Tell me everything." The Grand Magister and High Priestess Liadrin stood in front of the Outrunner, listening to what she had to say about the plague, the undead and what was happening in Zul'Aman.

"The Amani choose to start raids on our lands the moment the undead are at our gates!" Cried Liadrin, outraged by their ancient enemy and their timing of the raids. "What is the Ranger-General doing about this?"

"She's falling back the last I heard. Her and her company were pushed away from the gates to the south. She and Lord Sunblade are holding the passage between the Dawnstrider Village and the Thalassian pass."

Grand Magister Belo'vir frowned at the Outrunner. "What of Suntree Village?"

Alarion shook her head. "By my guess, Grand Magister, it's gone."

The shock and disgust on Liadrin's face wasn't gone unnoticed, the High Priestess feeling a little sick at the idea of a whole village being destroyed in a matter of hours. "All those people.."

Belo'vir closed his eyes, sighing. "We don't have for that now. If what you say is true, we need to convince the king to send our magi to aid them." Just as he was about to leave, something crossed his mind. "How fast were they moving? The dead."

"I'm sorry Grand Magister, I don't understand."

"It's a simple question Outrunner, how fast were they moving?"

Alarion looked at Liadrin who returned her gaze evenly, looking back at the Grand Magister. "I'd say pretty quickly, too fast for any living army that's for sure. Why?"

"We may already be too late. Dawnstrider Village is the next location for them, a place that may have already fallen by the time you got here." He glanced over to Liadrin who had a mask of horror on her face. Not only could they have lost another village in a matter of hours, but a Grand Magister and his daughter, her close friend. "Tell me someone went there to warn them."

Alarion nodded. "Yes. Ranger-Captain Tahnir sent his son to evacuate them. Though I don't know if he made it to them in time."

"I pray he did.." Muttered Liadrin, walking away from the two of them and towards where her father walked off to.

Belo'vir looked down at the Outrunner. "When was the last time you ate something?"

"Not for a while, Grand Magister."

He put an arm around her shoulders, walking towards the royal court and dragging her along with him. "Come with me. The King would like to hear it from your mouth." He smiled a little. "And I'm sure you can eat as much as you'd like after."

Tahnir Sunblade sat in the barracks beside a table that had a map of Southern Quel'Thalas on top of it. Opposite him sat Athrodar's second, Maloneera, who rested her head atop her fist, staring at the Ranger-Captain. "He's going to be fine." She began, seeing him lift his eyes to look at her. "Your son. You've trained him well and if there's one thing we Farstriders know, it's that you Sunblades are tough to kill."

The Ranger-Captain laughed a little, picking up and inspecting a ranger statue that was placed on the map. "That may be true." He glanced over to her. "Somewhat." He returned his gaze to the statue. "But I can't help but feel like I should have went with him."

Maloneera sighed, lifting her head up off her fist and leaning back on her chair. "He's the commanding officer of my company. Trust me when I say he will be fine."

Tahnir grinned. "I believe you, Scout-Captain." He placed the statue down seconds before a war horn sounded throughout Tranquillien followed by some shouting. "Now what?" The two of them stood up from where they sat, making their way outside and looking over to the scout who blew on his war horn once more. "Kan'ren, what is it?"

The scout looked down at the Ranger-Captain, saluting him briefly before putting his horn away. "Rangers, Captain. They look to be retreating from the south and are wearing your family sigil."

"South.." Tahnir muttered, rubbing his chin in thought. "Is my son amongst them?"

"No, Captain. But your father and grandfather are with them, along with the Ranger-General."

Both Tahnir and Maloneera looked at each other, neither one of them liking the sound of the Ranger-General retreating along with two other officers. "This isn't good." Tahnir said, making his way to the southern entrance, watching as several rangers made their way passed him. "What happened?"

Aerinan stopped by his son, the pair of them moving out the way of the returning elves. "The Scourge, that's what they call themselves, pushed through our lines quicker than any army I have ever seen. They threw themselves at us before we were even ready to put up a defence, breaking our lines and forcing us to retreat back here."

Tahnir looked past his father, trying to find one elf in a sea of them. "Did you come across Athrodar whilst making your way back here?" He looked back at Aerinan, watching his father close his eyes and shake his head. "Damn it! He's going to die out there!"

Aerinan watched his son closely, holding onto his arm tightly when he saw a look on his face that told him he was about to do something stupid. "Don't go out there, Tahnir. We need you and your company here to hold back the tide of death with us. With Ranger-Captain Brightwing heading towards the moonstones and Ranger Lord Theron not reporting in, this is all the defence we have until the Magi show up."

"But my son -"

"Is an excellent ranger, Tahnir. Just like we both are. The Lord of our house didn't train us so we would become mediocre." Aerinan glanced over to his father, seeing Dael'Thaelas talking to their Ranger-General. "She seems to think so."

Tahnir scoffed. "Which is why I haven't told Athrodar about it." He caught a glimpse of his father who turned his head slightly to look at him. "What? I'm not going to tell my son about her arrangement with Lord Sunblade if there's a possibility he has feelings for that young mage from the Dawnstrider family."

Aerinan raised an eyebrow at him. "He may go by Lord Sunblade, but he's still your grandfather. He's only doing what is right for the family. And what is right for this family is for our youngest to marry into a strong family like the Windrunner's. That family has been Ranger-General more often than anyone else for a reason."

That angered the Ranger-Captain, making his glare at his father. "So he should marry for position? How can you say that when both you and I have married for love?"

"Because we didn't have this opportunity to strengthen our family line. Besides, who's to say he won't love her over time?" He looked over to Dael'Thaelas and Sylvanas once more, seeing the pair of them set up the defences of Tranquillien. "We can discuss this another time. For now we need to prepare for the eventual attack."

Athrodar swam up north for close to half an hour, arriving closer to Silvermoon than he intended. Washing up on the outskirts of Sunsail Anchorage, he pulled himself several feet up the beach before collapsing due to exhaustion, hearing several shouts from nearby guards moments before the darkness took over.

When he came to, he almost banged his head on the priestess watching over him with how quickly he shot up, looking around the room shortly after. "Where am I?"

"Sunsail, Lieutenant. You washed up an hour ago." The priestess looked out the window at towards the sea. "What were you doing in the ocean? With all of your gear on no less."

Suddenly aware of what he had to do, he climbed out of the bed he was in, noticing he was wearing only simple clothes and not his ranger attire. "Where are my things? I have to warn everyone."

The priestess looked at him. Athrodar already noticing she looked to have only been in this world for less than half a century. Too young to even remember the Second War. "Your clothes are being dried by Master Flametongue." She frowned at his second sentence. "Warn everyone about what?"

"The undead are coming north towards Silvermoon. It sounds crazy, I know. Trust me, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it for myself." Athrodar saw fear in the young priestess' eyes, though it also held doubt. Doubt that such an enemy could exist, doubt that anyone could break down their gates. Doubt that they would get this far north."Everyone needs to either leave or prepare for a defence, because I don't think anyone is going to stop them."

"And tell me, Lieutenant-Ranger, how are we going to prepare a defence when we don't even know what we're up against?"

Athrodar looked towards the door to the room and therefore the mage standing by it with his ranger attire in his hands. "You can't. That's why I'm saying you need to leave. This isn't like the Amani Trolls to our east, this enemy is the dead. The living dead."

The mage, Master Flametongue to the priestess, noticed the fear in the Lieutenant's voice, placing his uniform down next to him. "So you propose we all just pack up and leave our homes? What if the Ranger-General can stop them before they get here?"

Athrodar picked up his uniform, quickly putting on his ranger leggings and boots. "Stay if you want, Master Flametongue, but I need to get back to Tranquillien and inform them on what is happening." He looked at the pair of them, seeing the mage was adamant about staying whilst the priestess wanted to leave. "I won't force you to leave, but I do suggest you quickly make up your mind then make it up again. Just to be certain that you want to stay or leave."

The two of them watched as he put on the rest of his attire, the priestess packing her things the moment Athrodar picked up his swords. "I am going to Silvermoon. Their protective wards will keep us safe."

The Lieutenant-Ranger looked at the mage still standing there. "What about you Master Flametongue? Are you going to stay or go?"

He looked around his home, looking at the priestess for a few seconds then at Athrodar. "I think I'm going to stay Lieutenant. This house has been in my family for three generations. I'm not going to be the first to lose it."

Athrodar moved his hand towards him, the mage shaking it. "Then best of luck to you. I hope we can hold back the dead so they don't come this far north."

"Silvermoon thanks you for your service. To help you get to Tranquillien quickly, you can take my horse in the stables round the back. It's the least I can do for someone willing to risk their life to go back there."

"Then it's my turn to thank you, Flametongue. Just remember, you don't have to stay here. Follow her to Silvermoon, you will be safe there."

"I will take your words into consideration."

Half an hour after the retreating elves made it back to Tranquillien, they, along with Tahnir's and his son's remaining forces had set up a defensive perimeter around the town, hoping it was enough to hold back the Scourge.

"It's going to work." Maloneera muttered, getting a few glances her way when she said it louder than intended.

Tahnir was one of them, seeing his son's second shrink away a little. "Let's hope it does. Otherwise they will reach Eversong and then Silvermoon. And if what Halduron believes is happening comes true, we will have nowhere to hide."

Aerinan made his way towards his son, stopping by his side for a couple of minutes for a quick chat. "Dawnstrider Village has fallen." He looked at Tahnir, getting the reaction he thought he would get. Shock and disgust. "Word has it the Dawnstrider family made it to their ships and are sailing to Quel'Danas, along with half of their village."

Tahnir decided to address the elephant in the room. "And the other half of the village? And what about my son and his group?"

Aerinan looked over to his father and their Ranger-General, Tahnir and a few others with them doing the same. "We haven't got any word from him, though our scouts have reported there were no survivors outside those that got on the boats. The General is taking it personally too. Losing half the citizens of Dawnstriders village as well as possibly losing Athrodar and his company. It's been a destructive few minutes."

Tahnir continued to watch the Ranger-General, seeing her yell at Dael'Thaelas who remained calm, the Ranger Lord knowing it was misdirected anger and allowing her to vent it out on him until she began to make her way to her tent. "I should have told him when this whole thing began." He looked towards his father. "Perhaps he could have had a happy few years with her before this all began. Who knows, he might still be here if I did." He sighed, lowering his head a little. "Instead, I sent him off to his death."

Aerinan placed a hand on his son's shoulder, making him look up at him. "You don't know that he is dead. So stop talking like he is. And who's to say he would be happy? What if they weren't right for each other, that they would drive each other insane after the first week?"

"You think my son would drive her insane after the first week?"

"Of course not." Aerinan said through some chuckling, patting his son on the back. "My point is, you can't rewrite the past with what ifs and should haves. Things are the way they are because you're doing what you believe is right for him. Just like I done with you." He smiled at Tahnir when he smiled at him slightly. "How is my daughter in law? I haven't seen her for some time."

"Well, right now she's on her way to Quel'Danas with the Dawnstrider family. But if you're asking how she has been since her parents died, she's been quiet. A lot quieter than usual, sometimes she doesn't speak for a couple of days, just sits there staring out the window." Tahnir's face saddened. "I just want her to be happy again, that's all I -"

There was a blow on a war horn to the north, two quick, sharp breaths signalling returning rangers or reinforcements. "I think the King got our message." Aerinan said, making his way to the northern entrance of Tranquillien. "Kan'ren, is it reinforcements?"

The Scout shook his head at the Aerinan. "No, Captain. It's your grandson. He's retuning from the north on his own."

Aerinan looked back to his son, Tahnir making his way towards him. He also noticed his father and the Ranger-General looking at the north entrance. "Let him through, we need all the help we can get. Even if he might be injured."

Just as Tahnir reached the northern entrance, Athrodar came galloping in on the horse he borrowed from Master Flametongue, climbing down from the horse and embracing his father the moment they stood next to each other. "She's safe." The Lieutenant began. "Mother is safe. She got on the boat with the Grand Magister. He will look after her now."

Tahnir's embrace tightened a little, holding onto his son a little longer than he intended. "I'm glad you're okay. Did anyone else from your company make it out?"

Athrodar shook his head. "No. Viraleth pushed me into the water the moment the dead began to tear everyone apart. She told me to warn everyone I come across." His face softened, then saddened, almost as if he was about to burst into tears. "I couldn't save them all... There was too many of them, I..."

Tahnir pulled him close once more, walking towards the barracks. "Come with me. You look like you need to rest as well as eat and drink. Clear your head if need be, just get inside and away from the preparations, if only for a few minutes."

Athrodar nodded his head, walking with his father towards the barracks. He kept his head low and avoided eye contact with everyone, missing the Ranger-General make a move to talk to him alone, only to be held back by Dael'Thaelas. "Let me talk to him." She said, looking back at the Ranger Lord with a slight glare. "I need to know what we're up against. How many and what their attack pattens are like."

"General, we've got more things to worry about than my great grandson. If the reports we have been getting are correct, the dead will be here soon." Dael'Thaelas looked over to his chief scout, waving him over. "Kagani, a word."

The chief scout ran over to him and the Ranger-General saluting both of them. "You called, Lord Sunblade."

"I need you to go into the forests, try and find the dead and report here as soon as you see them. We need to be prepared to face them. Try to get a rough estimate on how many there are."

Kagani nodded. "Right away, Lord Sunblade."

Dael'Thaelas watched him leave to collect a few of his scouts, a total of seven of them left Tranquillien and headed south for their mission. "General." He began, looking down to Sylvanas. "If the worst happens, we need to abandon Tranquillien and head north into Eversong."

She nodded at his advice. "I know. We'll need to stop them from crossing over however." She looked at a spot on the ground ahead of her, quickly conjuring up a plan in her head. "We will need to destroy the bridges connecting Southern Quel'Thalas to its northern counterpart, give us enough time to evacuate everyone and retreat to Silvermoon's walls."

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."