CLICK, CLICK, CLICK
Teeth slide into the small chest.
CACLING
My fingers grip and turn firmly. Slowly and carefully I lift the edges of the casing. Snow breaks from the seal and drifts down. Anxiety pulls to my core. Nervousness draws to my veins. Fear claws at my flesh.
Take a breath, Hope, take a breath.
Open it!
With a mighty heave, I break and lift the heavy lid. A puff of odd, dramatic dust wafts from the chest followed by a bright glow. As the shine fades, a glinting piece of metal calls back to me.
An arched chunk of iron slants at the top and juts down to form the tip of the blade. An orange and white "L" shaped hand-guard connects the blade to the white and orange-stripped handle.
At the very bottom is a large, yellow-cored, circular pommel. As I look back to the blade, I see strange markings etched into the side. Above the markings and on the spine of the blade is a small indentation that holds a floating piece of solid gold.
A palm of a hand is carved delicately into the hovering disc. The gold piece glints as brightly as Tirion's armor. The entire mess, all the portions, is a sword. There is simply a sword in here. You fool, that is not just a sword. He did not just call that a simple sword!
Carling gasps loudly before weakly emitting, "Ashbringer…"
Ashbringer? What is that? You fool, that is the weapon! He is going to get mentally strangled!
"Tirion didn't take it with him…he…" Carlin pauses, "…why didn't he take it?"
It is then I see a strange tan colored portion of the blade, and I instantly know that is out of place. Quickly I reach, grab the object, and draw the card to my face. This side is blank, but I see writing as I flip it.
At first the words enter my mind and scatter to almost functionless blocks in my brain. After a second and a deep breath I glare at the paper and the words begin to flow readily.
"Boy, what does it say?"
Darion speaks, but I continue to stare at the paper. Another pocket of air is drawn; I calm myself and focus. It is then I am able to concentrate long enough to speak…
"When all is lost, this blade will stand firm amongst the greatest of man. It will hear the call of the strong and break the weak. But with its many strengths, it is not infallible; this blade will not sway the masses nor guide the blind. Where I failed, Light Bringer, you must succeed.
My fingers begin shaking, "You must succeed with honor and dignity. With pride and for justice."
I pause briefly, "Succeed, Hope. Bring the faith to the misled warriors of our time. Bring them the faith I found in you. Bring it to the populace. Sway them. Guide them. Unite them. That is the trial that I lifted upon your shoulders, and is the burden for you to bear. Only you can dare carry it, only you can dare fulfill it."
I fight back tears as I read the last line, "To my dear Hope. With love, your loyal follower, Tirion."
The card slips from my hand, wafts in the chilling breeze and slides into the snow. Wind gathers and glides the fine crystals over the top of parchment as a lone salty pool flickers from the edge of my nose. Carefully I watch as it sails upon the icy air, but does not freeze. Carefully I watch as it floats down, but does not turn to ice. Carefully I watch as it hits and fades into the paper.
Snow drifts over the words and fades the wisdom out of existence.
"He didn't take it…" Darion pauses briefly to take a deep breath, "…because he wasn't planning on coming back."
Carlin kneels besides me, letting his hands run the course of the blade as his tears glide the wrinkles of his face. He does not speak as he delicately touches the finely crafted blade. Jessica whimpers, her hands trying to cover her saddened expression -- she fails miserably.
Darion looks down upon the blade as I gaze halfheartedly at the case. What do we do? You do what you always do. He does what he has a dozen times before. What? You stand stall. He stands grand! You rise confused! He will rise focused!
Slowly I stand. Snow has packed hard upon my knees. My armor has grown heavy as the day has worn on. Cries of still clashing heroes break my sanity. Heat gathers at all edges of my helmet and blur my vision.
My arms rise upward. As I continue looking down, my fingers clamp to the sides of the metal. Slowly, gently, I lift the heavy coffin from my head and slip to down. It blocks my sight, and I am forced to look upon it.
For some uncontrollable reason I flip it in my hands until the face that once looked out now gazes back in. Cuts in the front of the plate allow for eyesight while a narrow gap allows for breathing. A perfectly crafted piece of a metal of the standard soldier…
But it is not me.
As I gaze upon the armor, something burns within. A strange warm sensation burns on all edges of my being and fuels my now chilling head. Matted hair sticks firmly to my face. Darkness stares back at me from within the now hollowed helm.
That is not me…
My eyes drift down at my body. Leather clings to my pants and gathers to my waist. Plate draws upwards and turns to a beautiful white and black concoction of colors. The same pattern rings in the shoulder plates. But they do not appear on the helmet.
It is not me…
With a swift flick of the wrist I drag the metal from me, hold it in the air briefly, and let it fly. It shifts only a few feet before descending, bouncing, and landing firmly. Burning energt fuels me again. Lips quiver wildly.
We cannot stand here. You get the idea! He shall embrace the light!
Quickly I turn. The sight of yellow, blue, black and red fills my vision. Heroes fight heroes. Fools battle fools. Leaders lead nothing. Let them have their ignorance. Swiftly I march head long into the fray.
"Boy, where are you going?" Darion yells back to me as I near the border.
Before I reach the fray, I stop, turn, and look back to the death knight.
"To stop an army."
At that I rotate forward and press onward. Arms clank into my armor. Clothing clings to my flesh. Bones hit my side, but I keep moving.
"Worm?"
I ignore the undead man, and let the burning fuel guide me. Ducking and dodging I sway through the frenzy of slashing limbs and battering body parts. Sudden arms lock me in place, but I do not stop.
Bursts of pain surge, but I do stop. Burning deeper now. Faster I move. Bodies shift past, arms try to hinder, but I continue on focused and determined. Heated, raging power rushes through all my pores.
Bursting from the pack, the warmth of the fighting living is chilled by the burning blare of a thousand scourge minions. You must continue. He will use the rage for good!
I detour hard to the right, grab a short banner and rip it from the ground. As I reposition back to the center of the road, I lift the oddly heavy stick over my head and glide it down into my armor. Not comfortable, not perfect, but it will do.
Light reflects from the armor that I wear. White burns brightly for my enemies. Black symbols spell their defeat from my chest. Black symbols mark the scourge's end from my shoulders. Black symbols spell justice as the flag wafts over my head.
Reaching back, I grab my shovel and lift it forward. Focus, Hope, focus. Light burns from the tip of my spade. Humming fills the air. Illuminated tendrils spell death for the enemies.
"Herald, you will not set foot on these lands!"
Flash.
BRURSH
Snow and dirt burst from the ground. A dozen bodies fly in all directions. Weapons clank against rocks. They break so easily. Alas, as the cloud clears, more scourge fill the places of the many lost. Looks like I am going to have to try a little harder. Light, hum…
"Light Bringer, you cannot stand before the might of the Scourge." Jon shouts, "Lay your weapon down; obey the master. Let these fools bicker. Let them die their deserving deaths. Let their ignorance be their end."
I glare firmly. Burning energy courses beneath my flesh. Pumping adrenaline feeds me. A smile sweeps my face and my weapon glows brighter.
" You lost me at 'lay down your weapon.'"
Flash, flash, flash.
BRURSH, BRURSH, BRURSH
The front wall turns to a white powdery mess. Black bits and red chunks mix with the aerial cocktail. In flash all it fades, and strange, speedy monsters emerge. They leap wildly across the field, but they do not intimidate me!
"Come, Scourge, I will take all of you by myself!"
Jon steps forward, turns his shoulder to me and points, "Leapers, crush this insolent fool!"
Hum, flash, hum, flash.
BRURSH, BRURSH
Enemies fall, and speedy monsters collapse, but they are fast. I missed two of the closer ones. Do not miss again, Hope!
Flash
BRURSH
Scurrying limbs continue forward. Two more lay broken, but four more have replaced them. They are nearing fast.
What sickly monsters. A cloth bag is hold together by a broken noose around their heads. A slit reveals beneath a lone, locking eye. It appears as if a hung man lumbers forward, one orb of sight left to search out the vengeance it so desires.
A harsh, disgusting sound rattles the air as they screech. They are too close. I will have to bring them down with my blade…
TWANG, TWANG, TWANG, TWANG
Black missiles glide perfectly and true. Charging, noose-wearing undead collapse one after one. The arrows pierce them deeply, rendering them lifeless in a flash. Two more approach, but are ended fast.
I do not need to turn to know who walks up behind me.
"Looks like we are charging ahead of the pack again, eh, Worm?"
Nathanos comes into sight. A bow lifts to his shoulder and he reaches back. Oddly he flinches and throws a look over his shoulder.
"Blast, I forget to buy arrows." He recoils the bow and calls forth the might of his twisted axes, "Looks like I am getting personal for this one."
Three more bag-headed monsters leap ahead. Snow digs beneath their claws. A shovel rises to meet them. Glow, hum, flash.
BRURSH.
One is torn asunder, but the other two continue charging. Gasping lungs excrete terrible emissions of sound. Watery eyes on each one lock upon their nearing target. Blades pull to the sides of the two heroes waiting for the attack.
Feet at the ready.
Suddenly a figure appears at the left edge of my vision. I do not know how I missed it, but the blue, lifeless giant barrels at me. There is no way I can stop both attacks. From the other side of my sight Nathanos locks firmly as he too faces the same dilemma.
"Worm," Nathanos shifts forward, "Bring the little Leaper down first!"
Without hesitating my feet shuffle forward. The twisted fiend is caught off guard by the sudden advance, and stumbles. Fool. Over my head and back down, my blade collides with the small head.
Clanking and sounds of cracking skulls fills the air. The beast stirs for a moment before it twitches its last twitch. Nathanos swiftly dispatches of his assailant, and I lose sight of him as I spin to the giant.
I prepare for a mighty clash of heavy weaponry. My legs lock for a grand strike. My eyes shift to see a terrible foe to face. But as I turn I am surprised by what I see. The blue figure lays cracked on the ground. Limbs limp and body numb.
Standing over him is a man in white and gray armor. A bald spot gleams on the top of his hairless head. A shield is no longer present on his body. Glowing light radiates from his body as the new extension shines brightly. An extension made of metal and holy power.
Ashbringer…
The old man must have picked up the sword, and now wields it as his own. I am not know the true significance of that weapon, but if Tirion once held it, and now Carlin does, then it is a blade to fear. You are correct. He needs a pop-up history book.
The old man turns and smirks, "Sorry, Hope, I couldn't let this go to waste." He shifts forward, "Would be a shame to let the Scourge forget the power of this blade!"
Leaping forward he moves faster than ever. Swift limbs glide between two advancing foes. Finely maneuvering arms direct the blade elegantly, perfectly, and directly. The enemies do now know what struck them.
I turn back forward and watch ghouls and skeletons begin their attack. Dozens of them advance. I turn to see if Nathanos needs aid. Axe blades crack skulls of giants while a large friend of our own holds back two monsters by himself. With a swift lift of his shield, and a slash of his blade they fall, leaving only Mark behind.
The man stands triumphant before rushing between Nathanos and I. Again he throws me a nod before he furiously faces forwards. His eyes navigate beyond the marching weak warriors. His eyes lock onto a man clad in solid black. His eyes lock…with his brother.
Mine, however, are still focused on the nearing troops. There are definitely a good number of them. We are outnumbered ten to one. You do not need numbers. He needs to think like Nathanos, more is better regardless of side!
Again my blade locks in my hands. Footsteps rumble from the now charging enemies. Cries of foolish skirmishing continue behind us. Screeching undead move in closely. Hold firm, Hope. Hold firm.
Shovel at the ready. Feet locked. Enemies upon us.
My shovel shifts smoothly around. Slashing light collides with attacking enemies. White bones break while black armor crumbles. One, two, three. Enemies fall to my might. Multiple foes mangle to the light of the Ashbringer. Dozens fall to the combined strength of the Nathanos and Mark.
A skeleton attacks from my left. Down and out. Ghouls strike from my right. My arm stops it in…another from my side. He falls. Another. Both arms tangled. A ghoul latches to my right while my left grips a skeleton.
Foul breath radiates from the fleshless bone structure. Blue fumes bathe my arm as the beast snaps at me. A third addition appears in front of me. Its blade at the ready, shield bracing for attack. If only I had three arms…
Closer it draws. I cannot break my arms free. My chest is exposed. Closer. Eyes divert to the left. Then draw to the right. Finally they lock ahead. Only yards away. Hope, think of something. Tug your arms, free them.
Harder I pull, but they are latched.
Come on, Hope!
With a last mighty jerk, I feel the skeleton go limp, and my left arm is free. My hand grabs the blade rising over the frontal skeleton's head. I smirk as the warrior glares at me. With a swift kick I knock his legs completely out from under him and watch as his arms break from his body.
With my hand free I reach over, crush the skull of this worthless ghoul with my bare palm, and wriggle my shovel free. It squirms for only a moment longer before I end its miserable existence.
Spinning to my right, I see a skeleton resting at feet, and a strong soldier at my side.
"What?" Jessica smirks at me, "Did you think I was going to let you and uncle have all the fun?"
I smile at her, and look past her to see more gray and white warriors climbing from the pass and moving to Carlin. The old man battles back four enemies simultaneously. Bodies break at his might.
A thing of splendor, that sword. Warriors that bring significance and symbolism to the blade rush to its glowing call.
"Argent warriors, to the Ashbringer!" Half a dozen of the black symbol bearing individuals scurries to Carlin's side.
I twist and watch as equally as many scramble to the Nathanos' side. Skeletons and ghouls are overwhelmed, maimed, and crushed by the sheer number of ready warriors. Within seconds the wave is stomped out of existence, but the fight is far from finished…
"Abominations. Vrykul," Jon raises his blade forward, "bring these pathetic fools the dark revelation."
Dozens of lumbering, blue and white giants advance within unholy speed. Pink, three armed blobs shift through the masses. Purple, blue and red entrails dangle from the exposed stomach of the massive figures. Malformed legs shake the very ground as they lumber forward.
The ground begins to shake as the numerous large combination of foes advances. Heroes once again prepare for the fight. Warriors lock at the ready. Limbs buckle and break as the creaking undead attack.
"To the death, brothers!" Carlin cries loud as welcomes the inhospitable giant.
Light, hum, flash.
A giant is torn in two, and another is vaporized. Arms swing and trash. Giants fall. Heroes scream. Sounds of war envelope all of us. My legs shift back and forth wildly. Arms dance a dance of death for my foes.
All sight becomes limited as blocking bodies overwhelm me. Limbs break from torsos as my blade crashes. Enemies collapse as Nathanos attacks unyielding. Abominations crumble and collapse to the might of the Ashbringer.
CLING
Shovel stops an attack. Sweeping down, it slices through the large knees. The enemy falls, revealing another behind. Organs slip across the pinkish flesh. Bones jut outwards. Three arms lock and raise overhead. An abomination. You need to move! He needs to defend.
Before I can move, a blur whips overhead. A black figure leaps directly over me and collides with the massive beast. The impact forces the monster back, but the whipping blades finish the transaction. Blood pours from the gaping wounds, revealing deep, deadly strikes. The man leaps from the body and lets it crash backwards.
Powdery dust radiates from his smoothly landing feet. Hurriedly he spins and gazes upon me.
"Boy, your suicidal assault is unbelievable." He turns and crushes two giants, "To single handedly attack a vast army? Crazy, stupid, reckless."
He comes to my side and looks firmly at me, "Doing what is needed to be done. At any cost." Oddly a smile breaks across his face, "I now know what Tirion sees in you."
His face breaks from mine as he lurches backwards.
"Knights of the Ebon Blade, vengeance is at had!" He spins, whips a weapon at the enemy and proclaims, "Bring fear to the Scourge!"
Cries echo from behind. My head twists and I see men of all sorts climb around the foolish skirmishing mass. Large, glowing weapons hang heavily in the hands of the dozens of advancing warriors. All of them are death knights. All of them are joining us in grand battle. All of them ready. All of them bearing a large, blue outline of a blade.
Ebon Knights.
The warriors charge speedily down the slope. Feet lock before leaping. Armor clanks as lunging warriors collide with giants. Soldiers tumble in all directions. Scourge soldiers collapse, break, but more continue the onslaught. Even with the addition of the death knights, their numbers too vast.
I step backwards and take in the sight. The front line curls backwards, buckling at a small area. Scourge warriors open the tear, pouring through sickeningly, and in vast numbers.
The scourge has divided us again, and now marches to the ignorant fools on the hill.
I watch as the lumbering giant, covered completely in solid black armor, leaps through sundering line. Behind him are two speedy leapers. More ghouls climb through the break in the line. Their lunging legs barrel past all the outnumbered warriors. Their gathering strength aimed at unprepared alliance and horde…
Strength fused through an axe aimed for the locked Wrynn and Garrosh.
My legs drive me forward. Feet shift through the snow. Muscles secrete acid as fuel is burned. The two are unprepared. They must be warned. You must do it. He will!
"Wrynn…Garrosh!" Their eyes navigate to me and then to the giant. "Look out!"
Locked weapons shift. Mighty arms turn to stop the assaulting giant. Blades clank against blades. The first strike is stopped, but the giant grips the orc and whips him back into the advancing scourge. The king holds firm, but he too is thrown high and in my direction. Both arch in the sky briefly before descending, slamming, and bouncing in the snow.
Leapers and ghouls scurry to the downed warriors. They are not prepared!
Light, hum, flash.
BRURSH
Ghouls are torn apart.
Flash.
Leapers are scattered from the King.
I spin to the slowly filling hole in the front line. Flash, flash, flash. BRURSH, BRURSH, BRURSH. Enemies are blown back, allowing for knights to quickly feed to the now clear opening.
I spin back and watch Garrosh fight with two leapers simultaneously. He overpowers the weak fools easily. Sadly, he is not aware of the towering giant calmly approaching him from behind.
An axe lifts to the monster's side, rises over his head.
"Orc, let the dark fill your soul! Let it guide you as it has so willingly I." Garrosh spins, but it is too late. "Let it show you true power!"
My blade lifts, glows, hums…
I smirk, "Fool, obviously your have been blind." He looks to me, "Here, let me give you a taste of the might the Light gives you. Catch."
Flash.
He is unable to move; the swirling ball collides directly in the man's chest. Armor breaks from his body as he shoots rearwards. Limbs lock forward as he arches back down. With a dull thud he bounces on the ground before going limp.
I walk to the orc. His eyes are wide and a baffled expression sweeps his face. From the corner of my eyes I see Wrynn climb to his feet and march to Garrosh. The orc rests on one knee.
"Human…" He speaks softly, "Why didn't you let the enemy take his kill? I was weak…blind."
I shrug, "I didn't know he had killed you yet." I scratch my head.
Wrynn chuckles, "Orc, it would seem that a human just saved your miserable hide."
He stands ominously over the orc.
Garrosh looks to him and frowns, "Finish what must be done, human. I have failed. Weakness curses my veins…"
Wrynn stands firmly. Rage burns from his eyes. Anger is buried in his body. He shifts his blades in his hand, and oddly…extends his hand outwards.
Garrosh eyes it and blurts, "Human, what are you doing?"
"Finishing what must be done."
Garrosh looks at me then to the scourge army. An expression of horror sweeps his face as he takes in the battling heroes and vast scourge army. Reluctantly he takes the hand and lets the King pull him to his feet.
"Orc, I do believe I have seen enemies far uglier than you." He too looks at the Scourge, "And they fill me with more hatred than you ever could."
Garrosh grunts, "Fool, my rage dwarves your puny emotion! My horde will crush twice as many scourge as your alliance!"
Wrynn lets go of his hand and frowns, "Twice as many? My alliance will clear this hill before your men can even catch up!"
They both glare angrily at each other, so cannot help but clear my throat, "Well? What are you two waiting for then? There are plenty for both your supposedly amazing armies."
Both look oddly at me. For a moment they stare bemused and lost.
"Come on, chop chop, first to rally is first to kill." Again I speak.
Garrosh grunts at me and spins quickly. "Warriors of the horde!"
"Soldiers of the Alliance!" Wrynn matches to yell after him.
"Gather your strength!" Garrosh speaks.
"Stop the pointless feud with the horde!" Wrynn.
"Turn from the puny alliance!"
"Face the armies of the Scourge!"
In unison the two manage to shout, "Charge! Crush the undead beneath your boots!"
The armies step back from the opposite faction. Humans break from orcs and dwarves break from the knees of trolls. Warriors spin and face the struggling heroes below. They watch ideally as their confusion turns to rage.
"Sons of Durotar, attack!" Thrall yells from near the coliseum.
"Children of the Alliance, fight for great honor!" Jaina shouts.
Following their final calls, chants of battle cries and rumbling feet fills the air. Hundreds of once blind heroes rush down the slanting slope. Hundreds of misled warriors now lead their fury properly. Hundreds of heroes finally bring aid to the few strong.
Suddenly Jon's voice breaks the rising battle cries, "Minions of the Lich King…end them!"
A rising rumble fills the air. The vast sea of black armor shifts forward. Purple banners mingle above the shuffling army. Bones glint in the dark light. Blue smoke billows from all the enemies. A last, desperate maneuver, but all the scourge might is no match for the fury unleashed upon them…
Weapons clash against weapons. The speed and fury of the heroes overwhelms the advancing scourge. Trampling feet crush their frail forms, and mash their decaying organs.
As I watch I hear a loud rumbling coming from the mountains. My vision shifts, and I am startled as two, massive balloons appear from over the ridge. Strong, heavy metal strands extend from the said blimps and connect to an equally as large wooden frame.
At the same time this one appears, another giant, wooden flying machine breaks from the side of the same mountain. Gray propellers line the bottom and sides of this ship, and giant, gold lion heads blare from the sides.
Two ships…one for each faction. Guns line all sides of the ships. In a flash they soar towards the armies. In a hurry they drive within range of sea of the damned. And with a spectacle of flashes and grand explosions, their weaponry rains their full fury upon the enemy.
BRURSH, BRURSH, BRURSH, BRURSH. Brurshbrurshbrursh….
Pillars of snow, dirt, and flame rip into the heart of the Scourge force. Weapons whip into the air. Bodies fly lifelessly in all directions. Armor rips and shreds off of the bones of enemies.
Quickly I spin from the sight and glare at the two leaders closest to me.
"Wait, why didn't you send these to begin with?"
Wrynn winces and scratches his head, "Well, prior orders rendered my vessel disposed…."
Garrosh grunts, "That worthless machine assaulted the Horde's grand design! No weak human ship would destroy the horde's!"
Wrynn spins, but Jaina beats him to the punch, "If you two start again, I am going to freeze you both in place!"
Wrynn looks to the ground and Garrosh spins from the woman. I, however, sigh and look back to the field. Scourge forces begin to break in all directions as the combined ground and aerial might begin crushing the vast army.
"Pinky!" Suddenly a voice calls from overhead, "Pinky!"
My eyes divert upward and I watch the lumbering behemoth that is Skippy's ship glide over the cliff near me and aim for the top of the slope. It rotates around, and I see the tiny green man looking to me.
"Where is Baldy and Bony?"
Before I can say a thing Carlin replies, "Right here, you daft goblin."
I spin and see Carlin and Jessica marching back up the hill. They move rather quickly, but appear oddly disappointed. From the corner of my eye I watch as Mark helps Nathanos. He is only able to aid the decaying man for a short distance before the disgruntled undead breaks from him and rushes to me.
"Trampled by a cow man! Great way to end a battle." He shakes his head as he nears me, "Worm, why did you get them involved? I was enjoying the slaughterfest!"
He looks down to his body.
"I am pretty sure that stupid cow took a bone or two from me with his fat hooves."
Mark shakes his head and looks upward. A smirk forms on his face, but he dares not let Nathanos see.
Carlin grips the Ashbringer before he sighs, "A gnome tripped me, Marris. A gnome…"
Nathanos chuckles and slaps the old man on the back, "Humiliating, Redpath, humiliating."
"Hey, care to pay attention to the goblin on the ship?" Skippy draws my focus back. "We got some real big problems back at Dalaran."
Jaina takes over, "What do you mean?"
Skippy shrugs, "Well, I may have made some stuff mad. I shot at them, and one thing led to another. Yeah, bad stuff is going down."
"What did you do goblin?" Jaina frowns and crosses her arms.
Again Skippy shrugs at the woman, "You are a mage, open up a portal and go see for yourself!"
She grunts loudly before reaching into her pocket. After a second she whips her hand out and throws powder out from her robes. The fine dust floats downwards. As it drifts it sparkles brightly and suddenly burst into blue flames.
In a flash a haze of blue emerges at her side. The edges of the circular glow sparkling and shine white. In the center is an array of buildings that I have not seen before. It is a portal.
Jaina stares at for a moment. As she does Wrynn shouts to her, "Lady Proodmore, go. I shall clean up this mess and gather our troops for an assault at the Citadel!"
Garrosh smacks his chest and bellows, "Warchief, I shall watch this human to make sure he gains a proper foothold at the Fortress."
Sylvanas sighs and instantly steps through the portal as the two shout at them. I didn't even see her standing there. Odd, I never miss sight of her. You didn't see her standing behind the other two. He didn't see her raining arrows into the alliance forces earlier?
As she vanishes, both Thrall and Jaina nod. Jaina steps towards the swirling mess, but she suddenly stops and lets Thrall pass by her. Nathanos rushes towards the portal, but diverts and grips a rope mesh at the side of the Zeppelin. He begins pulling himself up, and Mark follows suit.
Carlin, however, seems baffled by this, "Marris, why aren't you taking the portal? It is faster."
"Faster? Who cares? I hate portals. They make even my briny skin crawl."
I sigh heavily, and rush to the ship. For once, I agree with the undead man. Quickly I climb aboard and help Carlin and Jessica afterward. Once we are all firmly aboard, I turn to and see a strange figure aboard the ship.
Jaina pulls herself over the opposite side and adjusts her dress. I throw her an awkward look and she shrugs at me. I make to speak, but Nathanos blurts loudly.
"Proudmoore, why didn't you take your own portal?"
She shrugs, "I felt compelled to board the ship. Don't ask me why, but I felt it necessary."
Nathanos nods and looks away from her. "Works for me."
As he does, Skippy turns and yells loudly, "What are you all of you doing on my ship?"
Nathanos dusts himself off, "Goblin, you are taking us to Dalaran." Skippy makes to move, but Marris continues, "And if you don't, I am going to eat you. Understand, goblin?"
The tiny green figure blinks a few times than shrugs, "Fair enough."
With a firm jerk the ship shifts to the left and rotates over the battle below. Bodies litter the ground as the mighty heroes crush the Scourge beneath. Once stationed at the middle of the slope, now at the bottom and still advancing. Heavy guns continue rain fury upon the enemy.
Still, as I watch the forces I cannot help but look back to the many lost and scattered across the vast sloping path. Blue banners mingle with red. Yellow clashes with black, and blue rests peacefully near pink.
It is there that all men are equal; it is there where all men are the same. It is there where all men know no boundaries or differences, upon the battlefield, struggling against death itself.
It is there where all are united, for victory or death.
And it was I that united them, Tirion. It will not last forever, but for now. I have completed your task, and by doing so I believe I have done exactly what you wanted and knew I could do. Tirion, you would be proud.
I have completed your trial…
