Chapter Seven: The Finding of the Tome

No sooner had they gone beyond sight of the entrance and it seemed as if every light in the whole world had gone out. Darkness surrounded them, and they could not see their hands before their faces. Then a low murmuring echoed around them. Aiden could hear the men looking around as it surrounded them.

Then there was light. Light filled the air around them as the priests raised their hands. Balls of brilliant illumination in their hands. Aiden sighed in relief, the murmurs had been prayers. They had been so distorted by the unnatural nature of the mines that he had not recognized them.

'Keep us illuminated brother.' he said with a slight smile. 'We'll need you.'

'The light does not abandon those who believe.' said the priest.

Thus they pressed on, and though their way was now lit the darkness around them seemed all the deeper. Shadows moved at every corner, yet whenever you looked they were gone. Aiden led his men onwards, the urging of the necklace he wore drawing him towards Lothar. Yet though they traveled for what seemed like days, or even years, they found nothing and no one.

'Where the hell are the ogres?' asked Serena. 'I'm not afraid of battle, but this… waiting is much worse.'

'Steady Serena,' said Aiden, 'I'm sure we'll find some soon enough.'

He took a step forward, and he was standing on a road, surrounded on both sides by fields of wheat. And along the road came riders, led by his Father. Yet it was not as he remembered him, for King Llane was younger, more filled with life. He had no beard and was clean shaven. He was talking and laughing with a companion of his. It was none other than Lord Lothar, yet he too was younger. He had a full head of hair, and his beard was shorter.

Then a maiden walked by the road, carrying basket of apples. The King looked up, awestruck by her beauty, and called the column to a halt. He dismounted and approached her, speaking with her courteously, and she replied. After some walking, she laughed and said something to him. At this, the King's face darkened.

The vision changed, and Aiden watched as King Llane spoke with his wife, a woman he had never loved. Their words were polite, cool, and without affection. Aiden saw the King depart to a balcony, and there behold a knight meeting with the maiden from before. The King's face darkened once again, and his fist clenched in hatred.

The Knight, a man with black hair and no beard stood before the King in armor. They were within the very same office Aiden had seen him in before. The King spoke to him, challenging him to take up a quest. And in turn, the Knight kneeled and agreed, before turning to leave. As he left, King Llane smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, but the sort which one makes when some wicked deed one has planned has gone as hoped.

It was not a Kingly expression, and Aiden stepped back a pace. The women, his Mother, was brought to the King, but she resisted his advances. He forced her down and raped her. The, when he had had his fill, he sent her away and barred the door behind her. This couldn't be it.

'You are a creature born of sin, raised in a lie of benevolence.'

No, this wasn't true. This was a lie, a false vision conjured by the dead mines to sabotage his loyalty to his King. 'ENOUGH!' he roared, swinging his sword.

There was an impact, and it was halted in place. Serena was barring his sword with her shield. 'Sir,' she said 'this place is bewitching us! We must depart!'

Aiden came to his senses and looked to his men. They were murmuring amongst themselves, their eyes panicked and distant. Already some had turned to begin fighting with each other. 'Form up, men of Stormwind!' he cried. 'Form up and rid yourself of these visions! Your King needs you!' The words felt hollow on his lips, but it broke them from their visions. They turned to him, horror in their gazes.

'We must withdraw sir!' said a soldier.

'No!' said Aiden. 'Our King has ordered us to rescue our comrades, and we shall do so! We press on! Lothar is alive! Forward march!'

They marched onwards and soon came to a vast field of mangled bones lying here and there. Skeleton after skeleton lay around them. The men looked at them with fear as they marched onward over them. Then, all of a sudden, the skeletons arose at once and attacked!

Several men were cut down by rusty swords before they could respond. Aiden caught a strike with the flat of his sword, before turning it and beheading the creature before him. Serena blocked an axe with her shield and hewed down a skeleton as the men responded. Chaos engulfed the ranks as the combat waged. More of the foul creatures came rushing down the halls even as they finished the ones they had defeated.

'Form up!' cried Aiden. 'Form up!'

A shield wall was formed and arrows fired over it into the mass of undead coming at them. The whispers of nightmarish horrors filled their ears. They fought against the oncoming tide with all their might. On and on the carnage waged, and even as they pressed through one peril, another soon came.

They wandered those nightmarish halls, led towards Lothar. And as they wandered, hope faded.

Uther came to and found his hands unbound. His head hurt, and he was lying on a dark stone floor. Slowly he rose to his feet, shaking his head and looking around. He was standing in a round chamber with only one way in or out. There was a heavily reinforced door that was ten feet tall with a slot through it. Some ways away was Garona with a terrible bruise on her head. He crawled over to her and set one hand on her shoulder.

Channeling the light through her, he fell back, feeling lightheaded and woozy. After a moment the half-orc arose. 'That son of a-' she began 'Uther, where the hell are we?'

'In prison, I presume.' said Uther wearily. 'We should find some means of escape if we can.'

'There are no windows, and nothing in this place I could use to make tools.' said Garona 'I could probably break out of here if I had ten years, but as it is we'll probably be called up long before then.'

'What makes you so certain?' asked Uther.

'Both of us saw the vision.' said Garona 'Why, of all the soldiers of the Alliance, would we be the only ones to be picked out? It simply doesn't make sense.'

A slot opened in the door and two red eyes stared through. 'They are awake!'

The door was unbolted and a force of ogres stormed through. They grabbed them before dragging them away by the arms. They went through dark tunnels and winding ways. The drip of water could be heard here and there. As they went Uther felt a profound sense of horror at something he could not quite describe. He and Garona were brought into a room, where a figure, cloaked in red was standing with his back to them. He was staring at an archway with a golden shield protecting it.

He turned round to face Uther, as they were thrown down and the ogres kneeled before them. 'Warlock Gul'dan,' said the ogres leader, 'we have brought them as you requested.'

'Excellently done, Tazok.' said Gul'dan. 'Stand away from them, and bring in the other.'

Tazok motioned to several of his men, who made their way out as Gul'dan paced around Uther, saying nothing. Uther said nothing, in turn, analyzing the creature before him. He was very small for an orc, and something about him made Uther think he was eviler than his larger fellows as well. Perhaps it was in his calculating and cold gaze, regarding those around him as little more than tools to be used.

The door opened again and into the chamber was dragged a gray-haired old man. Yet as he fell to the floor before Uther, and the priest kneeled by him, he saw that he was smooth of skin. His age was an unnatural thing. What terrible wrong had been done to make him like this. Uther set one hand to him and channeled the light through him. Their eyes met as he sought to restore what had been done to him.

'What is your name, boy?' asked Uther.

'T-Turylyon…' said the boy.

Uther could repair the afflictions, but his strength was not sufficient to fix this. The light did not restore the old to youth. Uther arose in silent anger and turned to Gul'dan.

'What is the meaning of this, creature?' he asked. 'Why have we been brought here.'

'Beyond that arch lies the Tome of Divinity.' said Gul'dan. 'And you, priest of the holy light, are going to get it for me.'

Despite himself, Uther almost laughed. 'You greatly misjudge me if you think I would ever get the Tome for the likes of you. You may kill me, but I will not seek it for your sake.'

Gul'dan smiled. 'You know something Uther, you're right.'

Then he raised a hand and fired a burst of energy. It tore through Turylyon's torso and sent him sprawling back. Garona and Uther rushed to the boy's side, and Uther set one hand, trying to heal the damage.

'I fear that will be quite ineffective.' said Gul'dan. 'I have put some research into casting spells which cannot be undone by the power of the light. Though not cost effective, you will find he will die long before you can heal him.'

Uther arose and would have rushed him.

'You can't save anyone as a corpse!' snapped Gul'dan. 'The power of the Tome of Divinity is the only power which might have strength enough to overwhelm my magics. It's time to ask yourself what matters to you most, priest of the light.'

Uther looked at the boy, as Garona tore off her sleeve to try and staunch the bleeding. Then he looked to Gul'dan, and finally to the arch before him. Then slowly, steadily, he began to make his way towards the arch. In that moment keeping the Tome out of Gul'dan's hands didn't matter. Nothing mattered but saving that boy's life. From a pragmatic standpoint, it was insanity, yet Uther was not a pragmatic man.

He reached the shield and set one hand against it. For a moment it resisted him, then he passed through it. He walked through the light, he felt every wrong he had ever committed. He felt every misdeed and half truth he had ever done. All of them came ringing back to him in full force, tormenting him as he pressed on.

It was horrific, to see himself with all his flaws as plain as day. Yet at the same time, he also knew he had a mission he must complete. And so he continued.

Then he halted. Before him was a massive lake of dark water stretching down below, and no bridge would carry him across. At the far end, he could see a path leading into a white stone platform where the tome was standing brilliantly. Yet there was no way over.

No way over.

'Uther, hurry up!' cried Garona's voice. 'He won't last much longer!'

The light had not led him this far only to abandon him now. Uther scanned over the darkness far below, observing the nightmarish horrors within. He felt something in his heart urging him to move forward and knew he could afford no further delays. Kicking off his sandals, he dove into the dark water and began to swim.

It seemed to drag on his heart and body, threatening to drag him far below into the waters. He felt despair take hold of his heart, and it was all he could do to press on. No matter how he swam, however, the other side never seemed any closer. His arms ached, sweat drenched his brow, and he found himself sinking beneath the waves.

Then something took hold of his hand, and he was pulled to shore. As he was dragged onto the shore, Uther looked up. Yet he saw no sign of anyone. Pulling himself up, he rushed quickly up to the platform where he saw the Tome.

He read it. And his eyes widened as his heart was opened to sheer brilliance.

Authors Note:

Okay, so this chapter is done. I feel like I've spent way too much time on this mission. But it's given me some of the best establishment for Aiden and Garona. So perhaps it has not altogether been a waste of time.

In a way Gul'dan's words: 'It's time to ask yourself what matters to you most?' Are in some ways the essential theme of the chapters. More on that later.