Bringing Down the Mountain.
On the road from the city to Loch Modan, Uther retold the entire tale to his two friends, from the outbreak of the plague to arriving at Ironforge, finishing as they reached the tunnel into Searing Gorge, where they stopped the column.
"Alright Sylvanas I want you to be our eyes, think you can get the high ground" Uther said gesturing up the mountain face that the tunnel cut through, a steely glint flashed across her eyes as she nodded and sprang up the cliff face, using the tunnel entrance to help her ascent, until she vanished over the crest. Uther signalled the column and he and Jaina lead it through the tunnel and into Searing Gorge.
"Uther," Jaina asked cautiously as the head of the column left the tunnel and Uther glimpsed Sylvanas moving on the crest of the mountain next to them, "are you and the elf…" she continued but Uther cut her off.
"Sylvanas, her name is Sylvanas Windrunner" he corrected.
"Right, are you and Sylvanas together?" she asked nervously, Uther looked at her surprised, clearly not expecting such a question; he hesitated for a moment before answering.
"We're not together in that sense. It's not romantic. Least I don't view it as romantic." He said, slowly thinking it through as the entrance to the mountain came into view. "I care for her, but it's more like a father loving a daughter, I feel responsible for her, because I cursed her when it hit her with Frostmourne." Jaina nodded timidly, they stopped at the large iron doors into the mountain, as Sylvanas re-joined them.
"Are we expecting a welcoming committee?" Jaina said sarcastically, as the column stopped behind them, and they stared at the sealed doors, Uther smiled.
"Boys, we got a sealed metal door, got a solution?" he yelled back at the column, as the troops scurried to get closer, the gnomes ran through the crowd, carrying a series of bizarre looking objects.
"We got just the ticket, stand back and watch the magic" the lead engineer giggled as they swarmed over the door, sticking the devices over the areas where the doors met, it took mere moments for the gnomes to complete their work, the devices now resembled two large handles for the doors, the lead gnome laughed and handed a small device to Uther, that was connected to the devices by wires, "Just press the button and shazaam the doors will open." Something in Uther didn't hesitate and he hit the button immediately after the gnome spoke, there was a short crackle and the doors flew open, the two devices pushing against each other with some unseen force, breaking the lock and swinging the doors fully open.
"How the…" Jaina exclaimed, Uther signalled and the troops rushed inside.
"Magnets my dear, one of science's greatest forms of 'magic'." A gnome gloated as the pack animals were pulled inside, once everyone was in, a gnome hit another button on the device and the doors swung shut. "That'll stop any unwanted guests joining the party" the gnome said triumphantly.
"Care to do that on the door on the south side" Uther said cheerfully, a few of the gnomes nodded and hurried off to do their job, carrying another two large magnets with them.
"Last time I was here," Uther began, as the swarm of soldiers and the three leaders moved into the core of the mountain, "up there was the Orc last stand, up there is the spire, I'm guessing the orcs and their black dragon entourage have retaken their stronghold, and the Dark Iron city must be…" as he continued speaking they came to the edge of the central walkway, and looked down at the precipice below them, "down there." He said spotting a small building at the base, above the swirling river of lava.
"Well there is no way those chains will support us marching everyone down to that entrance" Jaina said, as the three examined the scene before them, "everyone keep an eye out for an ambush, set positions to guard this entrance, but you twenty go protect the gnomes, we'll need their expertise if there are any more locked doors" Jaina ordered, the soldiers listened then obeyed with the designated group rushing off to the south, the others moving out and covering every approach to the sealed door they had come through, soldiers in front with the riflemen behind. Uther looked at the suspended rock in the center, something strange yet familiar was in the rock.
"I'll be right back; I'm going to ask for directions from a local." He said as he walked through the defensive line and clambered on to one of the large chains holding the rock up and ran down the chain to the large rock. He reached it with ease, and stopped when he stood atop it.
-There is death here, a strong presence of the dead, which is what you feel, through our bond.-
Uther walked into the door carved in the stone, finding what appeared to be a tomb, and the presence he felt got stronger, when he stood before the tomb itself he froze.
"I call upon the spirit that haunts here" Uther began, "I demand that you help me bring down the Dark Iron nation once and for all." An elderly dark skinned dwarf appeared before him, ghostly white and floating millimetres above the ground, he looked at Uther with a baffled expression before speaking.
"You ask a Dark Iron dwarf's ghost to help bring down his home nation. Are you stupid or crazy?" the ghost said with distain.
"Neither" Uther said unsheathing Frostmourne, which made the dwarf recoil.
"What is that? Why do I fear it?" it asked, backing up against the iron tomb.
"Because it can control the dead, therefore control you, so I say again, I demand you help me bring down the Dark Iron nation" Uther yelled the last line and thrust Frostmourne through the ghost's chest, it screamed and vanished into the sword, only to reappear a moment later, but now glowing a faint gold instead of plain white.
"What do you wish to know milord?" it asked Uther, bowing politely, Uther staggered and dropped Frostmourne. He stood there for a moment looking at his hands, then at the sword and finally at the ghost, he hated what he had just done to the relatively innocent dwarf's spirit.
-He'll serve us well- the voice chuckled in his head.
"Firstly" Uther said picking up Frostmourne and sheathing it on his back, "I would know your name" Uther said politely, the dwarf smiled cheerily and bowed as he spoke.
"I am Franclorn Forgewright my lord, former Chief Architect of the Dark Iron city referred to Blackrock Depths, a perfect guide to navigating it, and who might you be?"
Uther bowed to the ghost, "I am Lord Uther of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, chief paladin of The Order of the Silver Hand, and unfortunate wielder of the sword to which you are now bound, I am sorry." Franclorn looked at him slightly bemused.
"My lord, you have unwittingly done me a great service, I've lingered here so long I've become bored of these dull confines, you have freed my soul from its tomb, I can now explore the city I helped build with you, and much more besides, and I have you to thank, now let's get moving." With that his ghost vanished back into the blade, and Uther hurried to re-join his small army, when he returned, Sylvanas leapt gracefully down from the rock face above their entrance.
"I've got us a guide" Uther said, his hand reaching back and tapping Frostmourne, making Franclorn's ghost appear before them, "meet Franclorn Forgewright, chief architect behind the city's construction, a perfect guide, now what were you doing up there?" Uther asked Sylvanas as Franclorn bowed to Jaina.
"Working out a means to get everyone down, and I've got one" she said smiling, Uther looked over her shoulder and saw her quiver was currently loaded with three arrows which had been put through a stick of dynamite, "with a bit of Gnomish help, I've put more dynamite on specific chains holding that rock upright, if I hit them with these arrows when lit, they'll blow the supports, causing that pillar to fall, giving us a large, secure ramp down to the city." When she finished she looked at Uther, longing for praise for her work.
"Good work my dear" Uther said pulling her close and kissing her forehead, she beamed and loaded her first dynamite arrow, a gnome ran over with a lit torch, on Uther's signal the gnome lit the tip of the arrow and she fired it at the support Uther had used, there was a brief pause before a large explosion destroyed the stone arm holding it, the other chains groaned loudly with the strain. Sylvanas ran to the edge and fired at another chain, then another, causing the pillar to crack at its base and slide to one side, falling as intended, creating an uneven ramp down to the entrance.
"You're good!" Franclorn exclaimed as he watched the stone settle into place, "but you may want to use those chains to hold it in its new position, otherwise the marching may cause it to shift and fall." The gnomes cheered and ran over to one of the carts, unloading more magnets, and several large sheets of metal, after an hour, the gnomes had used the magnets to seal the chains to the metal platform and powered it with solar panels angled at the lava as a constant power source.
"What's beyond that door?" Uther asked his new guide, Franclorn smiled.
"The main mine, that helped build the city and the Dark Iron war effort, it's still in use, and very busy and leads into the detention block." Franclorn looked nervous, one quizzical look from Uther made him tell. "It is watched over by Overmaster Pyron, a fire lord, minion of Ragnaros." With the mention of Ragnaros, Uther's physical stature shrank significantly.
"So… it's true, it did enslave your people that day." Uther said looking at Franclorn, who nodded solemnly.
"Yes, he tried to summon a power to defeat the other nations, little did he know what he did would affect his people so dramatically and so badly" Franclorn said, staring at the swirling lava below, as the troops moved to cross the makeshift bridge. "He summoned the fire god from the elemental plane, and as thanks, it enslaved our people for eternity."
"And I hope we don't meet him." Uther said grimly, "Let's move!" Uther, Sylvanas, Jaina and the ghost of Franclorn moved to the head of the soldiers again, and lead them across the bridge and into the mine.
"Intruders! Alert the…" a miner yelled when he spotted them coming, he was silenced by Sylvanas who shot him through the throat, quickly hurrying forward and taking out the guards that moved to investigate, the riflemen moved up behind and helped her in shooting the remaining guards, the miners fleeing past them in panic. As the soldiers moved into the mine and secured it, Overmaster Pyron appeared.
"Who dares invade the fire lord's domain!" the elemental boomed, his voice echoing through the cavernous mine, Uther quickly charged forward, drawing its attention from the soldiers and on to him. "You have made a grave mistake by coming here mortal!" it yelled as it charged Uther, who sidestepped it and swung his mace through its core, destroying it upon impact, the firelord screamed and exploded into ash.
"That clears the mine" Uther said triumphantly, the soldiers cheered with him, "fan out, kill the stragglers and secure this passage, as we progress forward, we keep a rear guard, but a contingent will hold this position as a base." Uther looked around the mine, spotting a narrow passage that Franclorn was staring at, "move the carts across the mouth of that passage, use them as a wall against any forces coming from above. Put the supplies behind it, between our advance and the rear guard, let's go!" The soldiers obeyed as everyone swarmed into the passage, Uther, Jaina and Sylvanas at the head.
As they walked through the mouth of the detention block, they heard pained cries and screams coming from a heavily defended area.
"What are those screams?" Jaina asked the ghost.
"Prisoners" Franclorn replied, "The Dark Iron guards seal them into the floor, walls and ceiling of the tunnels, as well as placing more important prisoners in cells, most are left to die."
"Perfect, I think I know some people who can help us clear this section, and I'm sure they'll be relieved for the opportunity." Uther said unsheathing Frostmourne and pointing it at the detention block, feeling the souls lingering in the caverns. Care to help me with this. The voice laughed and obliged, as black lightning shot out of Frostmourne and into the tunnel ahead, everyone watched as ghosts appeared from the lining of the cave and swarmed on every Dark Iron dwarf that stood in the tunnel, who had instituted their demise, now suffered a righteous fate at th hands of those they had killed.
"How poetic, they have been instructed to only kill the Dark Iron guards and their fiery overlords, and to leave any surviving prisoners." Uther explained to his troops as they walked into the now empty detention block, filled only with rampaging vengeance seeking ghosts and the corpses of the dark iron who had killed them. Uther turned to face his support, "alright, we are officially in the Dark Iron city, before us lies a vast underground kingdom full of the Dark Iron blighters and their elemental bosses, as well as our target of Moira Bronzebeard, from here we split up, I'll lead a small group straight to the emperor, whilst Sylvanas and Jaina will take the majority of you and focus on wiping out any potential support. Remember to show no mercy, no quarter and keep moving."
"You can't go alone, even with Frostmourne your outnumbered and likely outmatched; someone has to go with you" Sylvanas said clutching his arm, Uther smiled and gently separated her from his arm.
"I have strong support with me" Uther said affectionately as the ghosts returned to his side, "strong, unbeatable support who long for more retribution for their deaths."
"And you have an excellent guide milord." Franclorn said joining the other ghosts; Uther smiled and looked at his support.
"Actually, you two take the troops, these ghosts, plus…" Uther said as the ghosts of the recently slain guards joined the others, albeit rather reluctantly, "growing reinforcements, I'll be fine." Uther moved through the ghosts towards the northernmost tunnel.
"Which way do we go?" Jaina asked, looking around at the six or seven other passages that spread out in numerous directions.
"That way leads to the Dark Iron Highway, where most of the emperor's troops are sent when preparing to move out; it leads into the heart of the city." Franclorn said at the passage next to the one they had come in through. "Might I suggest you meet at the Grim Guzzler pub, it's at the halfway point."
Uther pondered for a moment before nodding, but Jaina was still concerned.
"How do we navigate this place, and then find you once we're done?" she asked in a pleading manner.
"Sylvanas and I are linked through it; she'll be able to find me that way, as for navigation… Franclorn, think you can help both of us?" he said, turning to the architect's ghost who nodded, "then let's go, the longer we dawdle, the more time Thaurissan has to stop us or slow us down more. Don't argue with me just go." Uther quickly turned away from the two women and marched off down his intended path, unsheathing his mace and Frostmourne, hearing the others moving away moments later.
"Emperor Thaurissan…" Uther said in a low growl, a look of fierce determination on his face.
-…we're coming for you.-
To be continued…