The Eve of Onslaught
Things were changing fast in the Promise. More barracks were appearing daily as the outpost was designated as the main base of action on the eastern front of the approaching war. The settlement received new personnel quickly and by now hosted a full-sized army. Also the silithid hives to the south were being expanded because the smaller insectoids were ordered to increase their numbers. A wall was rising around the Promise to withstand a possible siege. Sirexx and Idh'lash were standing on top of the completed section.
"Seems like things could be beginning to heat up any day now. Barrens are off-limits to us now and Thousand Needles doesn't look much better. I just returned from there and the taurens seem to be gathering their tribes in the western part of the valley. The night elves are still stationed in the Barrens but probably not for long." Idh'lash looked to the north as if there was something to see there.
Sirexx had returned from Ahn'Qiraj two weeks ago and he had done merely some minor individual missions. Major missions were halted for now because all efforts were directed to prepare for the coming attack.
"Interesting that they blame us for war-mongering yet they're the aggressors. Well, they won't succeed on our soil. I just hope the war will be swift." Sirexx's face or voice didn't bear much joy but he didn't regret the begging of the war.
"Remember the times when we were initiates? All we hoped would be a chance to distinguish ourselves and earn praise from the others. We were some of the best new Unseen in years and that knowledge was all we needed at the time." A qiraji smile was completely unrecognizable for any other race but Idh'lash's face and antennae resonated in nostalgia.
"Uklass and Alarash or the others weren't too bright. Always too eager to get to action without a plan. But you're right, we could redeem our younger selves' ambitions in the coming weeks. But more importantly, let's just try to survive."
"Indeed, we don't know the night elves' true strength yet…" Idh'lash's sentence was cut short by a wasp coming to relay a message.
"Another scouting mission to the Thousand Needles. Hopefully Ti'lesh doesn't fuck it up again, I simply can't stand that clown!"
"A recruit like him isn't ready for the kind of missions we two are doing… Well, good luck anyway."
Ke'nir and Ra'jol were doing an easy if tedious task: overseeing construction of a new network of silithid hives in northern Tanaris, near the pass to Simmering Flats. The Unseen usually did missions in groups of four but if they were easy enough, the squads could be split temporarily. A hive in the northern Tanaris would be a highly powerful tool when trying to surround the enemies or at least cut their escape route.
"These morons are so damn civilized, I'm so enjoying my stay here!" Ra'jol murmured while kicking some drones out of his way.
"Don't we all? These hives are filthy and extremely unsophisticated. Well, someone must do these jobs too. At least silithid are fast builders."
Indeed, the hive's interior was almost complete and the tunnels grew immensely every day. The firefly-like silithid had already arrived and the hive was well-lighted because of them. The queens were in their chambers in the deepest parts of the network ready to produce more silithid for the coming war.
"And sadly a useful help in battles. But I won't let my distaste of these animals overshadow the sweetness of these times. I can't wait to meet the elves in battlefield and to crush them in Creator's glory!" Ra'jol' was getting impatient. Ever since their return from Ahn'Qiraj, he had gotten even more fanatic and jingoist than before, probably because his dream of making Ahn'Qiraj Kalimdor's dominating power was getting so close.
"Don't think the coming weeks are going to be easy. It's highly possible that we're both going to die and even though we'll most certainly win, all of our cities could be destroyed! I'm not saying the Creator's awakening isn't worth all the coming sacrifices but we must remember it won't be all easy and happy times." Ke'nir's voice was calm but bore a serious tone. He was growing increasingly concerned about the future due to changes in Ra'jol and the rapid embrace of the war by most of the qiraji.
"Don't tell me you're scared? You've proven you're too clever for that! We'll march victoriously through Kalimdor and the word of the Creator will soon be preached in Vordanaar itself!" Ra'jol's chelae moved vividly as the grey Unseen spoke. Ke'nir knew his comrade was too excited to listen to him. He simply hoped and genuinely believed that the prophets were more sensible.
Danoxx was attending a meeting of the officers of the Prophet's Promise. It was held in the second floor of the house that also hosted Sa'rol's office and headed by General Rajaxx's second-in-command, Bigadier General Pax-lish. He was in charge of the war preparations in Tanaris. Others attending were all the squad leaders and prophets (who were only observers due to them answering directly to Skeram, not Rajaxx) of the Promise.
"We've managed to fortify Tanaris even faster than we could have hoped for. Our enemies have no hope of conquering the area now." Pax'lish seemed very content with himself and the situation.
"But why are we fortifying our own lands? Why aren't we just going to crush the elves and the cows?" One of the squad leaders asked clearly willing to go on the offensive.
"Why would we? They are the aggressors, let them attack us first. But we're not facing them here."
The attendees were puzzled by the Brigadier General's remark. If they weren't attacking, what other place than Tanaris would be preferable to as a battlefield?
"There's no reason to take extra casualties some should make nature do some of the work for us. The elves or taurens don't know about our positions, thanks to you for killing the spies, so we could lure them all the way to Silithus! We know the safe way through Un'goro and the Silithus-Feralas passes but they don't!"
The squad leaders seemed highly taken aback from the proposition. Surely Pax'lish didn't mean it? Danoxx could see the Brigadier General's idea but he still resented the thought of fighting on the heartland of the qiraji.
"That gives us a huge advantage. Their supply lines will be extremely weak, making them vulnerable to attrition. They'll never pass Un'goro without large casualties or take the heat of Silithus for long."
A large yellowish qiraji on Danoxx's left side noted a flaw with the plan.
"Our enemies are not stupid. They know the dangers of our lands so why would they follow us to their deaths? Surely they'll notice something is wrong?"
Pax'lish had expected this question. Rajaxx was not a one to underestimate his enemy so he had thought of this.
"We engage in limited skirmishes with them, and pretend to flee to our home. The skirmishes have to be convincing enough to look like battles, however, so we'll have to suffer some casualties on the way."
"But are we strong enough to crush their entire army completely even in Silithus? There must be tens of thousands of them coming!" One of the attendees asked with certain concern.
"We will be. This must be kept a secret until then but let's just say that the Emperors have personally created a weapon of extreme strength… the elves will stand no chance against it." Pax'lish grinned greatly in anticipation of what was going to happen.
"Hmph, it could be days before we see anything interesting! The elves most likely want to prepare with care and I'm not that fond to stand here for the rest of the week!" A red and short Unseen muttered silently but his companion heard it nonetheless. There were five pairs of qiraji manning some the mesas of the Thousand Needles in case the elves begun to advance.
"Be quiet! The enemy must not attack our main force by surprise and to avoid that we must be vigilant! You've just whined all the day and kicking you down the mountain begins to feel appealing!" The bigger Unseen was noticeably enraged at his companion's lack of backbone.
"Don't tell me you're happy just standing here and doing nothing." The red qiraji's question turned into a resigned comment midair and he turned to look at the vast expanse of desert far below him. There was very little wind and the air was terribly hot. A qiraji could take a lot of heat but not infinitely so there would be a change of personnel twice a day.
The duo's turn was nearing its end as was the day itself. The wind was starting to rise and the setting sun made the temperature drop.
The smaller Unseen looked extremely weary and disappointed to find he was right about the day's yield.
"That was that for today. Let's hope tomorrow's not as useless day." He was already going to the ladders leading down from the mesa. Their substituents were already arriving when his companion noticed something of interest.
"Halt! There's movement down there." The light brown qiraji pointed to a base of a mesa few kilometers away.
"Probably a hyena…" The red qiraji said on first glance but then noticed his mistake. It certainly wasn't a hyena but some sort of cat which was not native to qiraji lands. The other Unseen noticed his companion's realization.
"I don't know anything about the animal but it has a rider, a night elf."
"You're right but… what could one enemy do?"
"Nothing but he could have companions around this whole area, meaning they're securing the way for their army!"
The larger one begun to circle the small mesa trying to find another elf. After a few circles, one appeared to their left.
"There's two of them now. What are they…?"
Two more elves appeared from the horizon, moving to southeast, towards Tanaris, as did the others. They were all riding with their weird mounts but only their presence mattered.
"There's already four. They must be up to something. The army must have begun its movement, or something else as significant. Whatever they're planning, we must report to Promise."
Sirexx dangled his head sleepily. He was never a morning person and thus he heartily disapproved briefings on the morning. Nevertheless, he woke up quickly as the news he was hearing were of utmost importance. Speaking was Commander Et'holash, who was a close subordinate of Pax'lish.
"Nearly every group stationed in the Thousand Needles have reported enemy movement during the night. Their main force hasn't shown itself yet but dozens of their scouts implicate it's imminent."
The audience was silent. Excitement was the defining mood in the room but also an amount of concern and fear could be sensed from the twitching of their antennae. Sirexx himself was one of the first ones to know of the coming conflict so he had accepted it more readily than his comrades. He wasn't exactly calm but he rather thought of ways how to prepare for the coming weeks.
"Which means it's our time to leave for the front. But, unlike you may think, we won't fortify the pass from Shimmering Flats. We're going for a war of attrition, starving them one by one until they're but a shadow of their original strength!" Et'holash's voice was triumphant and signaled extreme trust in the victory.
Sirexx was happy with the idea. An open war with the elves would certainly cost a lot of qiraji lives. Who knows, maybe they could even surrender when the situation got too tough?
"The plan is likely going to change along the way so I won't go into details right now. All that you have to know now, is you're castes' gathering points. Gladiators, report to the border pass's eastern side. Unseen, your place is on a silithid hive south of the pass, and battleguards' to west from it. Your units' prophets will be there waiting for you."
There were twenty simultaneous briefings but it didn't make much sense to Sirexx that his comrades (except Danoxx due to his position) would be on another meeting. Maybe they hadn't returned from their mission yet?"
"In case everything is clear, leave as quickly as you can. The town must be empty in an hour. Make the Creator proud."
Sirexx noted to himself. So this is how everything's going to start. He felt no fear but he hoped everything would go as smoothly as they had before.
Danoxx, Ra'jol, Ke'nir… we can do this! As long as we can trust each other, we won't fall. I know we're ready for everything, if only we only keep our heads calm and cooperation as it has always been.