Chapter XIV - Preparations
Braxx sneered with disgust as the pathetic creature slid from his blade. This was a horrible task. The battle group had arrived in the Borean Tundra only to find that the keep had been overrun by Nerubians. Nerubians were creatures from the underworld of Northrend that had allied themselves with Arthas. The Lich King had made arrangements with Anub'Arak, the deposed Nerubian king and the creatures were tasked with harassing Horde and Alliance forces alike. When the battalion had arrived, Garrosh promptly tasked Braxx, Ogma and Azaraiah with the clearing of his Hold and the surrounding lands.
A spike of branch erupted from the ground, twisted itself around one of the Nerubian bat-like creatures and squeezed, killing it. "That's another one for me!" Ogma said with glee.
"Keep fighting!" Azaraiah shouted to him as he sent a bolt of Frostfire at one of the spider beasts. The creature burst into flame and crashed dead to the ground. Braxx stabbed two more of them as they came charging at him. Braxx heard the sound of a shout and turned to see that one of the beasts had knocked Ogma to the ground as was rapidly weaving a web around him even as he dragged the helpless Tauren away from the fray. Braxx threw his sword straight into it's face as Azaraiah sent a bolt of fire at the web binding Ogma. Ogma grunted in thanks and retrieved his staff.
The battle was over after an hour. The three men gathered the dead and Azaraiah set the corpses to blaze. They grinned to each other. It was good fighting alongside friends. Azaraiah was overjoyed to be reunited with Braxx after so long a time. He couldn't help feeling that if only Elunaa were with them, then their party would be complete.They entered the hold and went to see Garrosh. The commander was his usual gruff self, not even bothering to thank them for the job of clearing the place out. He set them to the task of escorting a convoy of supplies to their encampmentin the province Dragonblight.
Sylvanas, Dark Lady of the Forsaken, shot another of her blackened arrows into the head of another Vrykul warrior as he charged towards them. She had arrived in Vengeance Landing only to find that Grand Apothecary Putress's forces were under attack from these enormous men. She, Elunaa and the rest of the Rangers set themselves to the task of clearing them out. After the last of the giant men were killed, she notched flaming arrows and set their corpses ablaze.
After having overseen their destruction, Sylvanas and Putress worked ever harder manufacturing their new Plague. Elunaa and the rest of the Rangers continuously brought them ingredients from the surrounding countryside and routed out any hostile Vrykul they came across. A few weeks went by as barrel after barrel of The Plague were created. Sylvanas eventually made her way back to The Undercity of The Forsaken and had left Varimathras and Putress in charge of moving The Plague towards Dragonblight.
Elunaa scouted along the path ahead of the convoy as they made their way slowly across the Howling Fjord to Dragonblight in the west. After several day's travel, the convoy entered Dragonblight and established a beachhead there called Venomspite from which they made plans to enter and destroy Naxxramas, a floating Scourge citadel north of them. Elunaa was walking beside the path through the forest when she heard Putress and Varimathras speaking in sharp but hushed whispers. She approached them and they quieted immediately.
"Little huntress," Varimathras spoke to her. Elunaa turned her glowing red eyes from under her dark hood towards the Dreadlord.
"There has been a nest of vermin harassing our troops," He told her. "They are the remnant of the religious group that terrorizes Tirisfal, calling themselves The Scarlet Onslaught. You would do well to take them out before they interfere with our plans."
Elunaa nodded once and then with a gesture of her hand, three of the Rangers melted out of the shadows nearby and followed her to the stables.
"That one will be a problem for us," Putress said to the Dreadlord.
"Not if she is dealt with beforehand." Varimathras told him. "Sargaras has sent word that The Forsaken and the Scourge are to be taken out after The Lich King has been removed. He has a plan to fix this situation so that The Burning Legion may yet gain this world."
Putress nodded. His alliance with the Dreadlord had been a recent thing, serving as Lady Sylvanas's Grand Apothecary had been rewarding but The Burning Legion had promised him so much more.
Elunaa perched on the side of the cliff facing New Hearthglen, watching the movement of soldiers clad in red move about. She sent a subtle hand signal to her compatriots and four arrows, silent as the grave flew through the sky, dropping four soldiers simultaneously. They quickly buried the bodies of the fallen soldiers in the snow then converged outside the gates to the town and began to silently climb the steep walls of the compound. Elunaa felt nothing for these men, religious zealots, in her opinion were very dangerous and tis particular group was particularly troublesome for the Forsaken. The Scarlet Crusade had had a monastery in northern Tirisfal and after the fall of Lordaeron, they had pledged their lives to removing all undead from Azeroth, Scourge and Forsaken alike. She and her Ranger companions had been tasked with wiping out the Monastery which they had done.
Elunaa and the Rangers slipped onto the city walls and moved silently with the shadows, quietly taking out the guards. When the walls were clear, they landed onto the ground with the lightest of thuds and made their way to the Keep itself. The town was quiet, all of the residents were in bed and there they made their final resting place as the Rangers quietly ended their lives. Elunaa scooped up battle plans and troop movement reports from the desk in the Keep's war room and the four of them made their way to the Chapel.
They walked down the main aisle of the chapel and saw a lone female Paladin kneeling in front of the Alter, head bowed in prayer. Bridgette Abbendis slowly rose and turned to the four Rangers as they approached. Bridgette was the daughter of High General Abbendis, one of the original founders of The Scarlet Crusade and once commanded the city of Tyr's Hand. His daughter, although petite even for a human, cast an imposing figure compared to the Rangers. Her golden plate armor, Shield of Lordaeron, and battle axe glowed blood red as if even the very Light itself was keen for vengeance. She wore the tabbard of the Scarlet Onslaught, its gold, white and blood red crest shining out of the darkness. She wore no helm, instead her fiery red hair was tied up into a plait that ran down her back.
"I see the Light has granted me at least one request, I get to at last take out the butcher that slaughtered my people in Tirisfal." Her voice rang out, echoing through the empty chapel. "You are an abomination, you and your Forsaken!" She spat the last word out as though it were a deadly curse. "Die bitch!" With that, she charged at Elunaa, her shield glowed with golden red Light and slammed into the huntress.
Elunaa staggered back from the force of the blow, her feet digging into the carpet of the chapel. One of the Rangers raised her bow but the Paladin clenched her fist and a hammer of light fell from the sky, knocking the Ranger sprawling onto her back. Elunaa, recovering from the bash of the shield, quickly drew an arrow from her quiver and sent it at the Paladin. The arrow hit the Paladin in her pauldron and Abbendis staggered to the side, unhurt. Bridgett let out a curse and raised her axe and a blow landed across the neck of one the Rangers, severing her head. The battle wore on, each arrow sent at the Paladin was bounced harmlessly off her while the Rangers darted and weaved, avoiding the deadly shield and even deadlier axe.
Abbendis let out a shout that seemed to reverberate off the very walls of the chapel and the Rangers clapped their hands to their ears with the pain of it. Abbendis charged again, her axe swinging in an arc which cleaved another of the Rangers in two. Elunaa screamed in rage and backhanded Abbendis with her bow, sending the Paladin to the floor. Elunaa charged ahead, her combat knife in her hand but just as she reached the Paladin, Abbendis threw her shield at Elunaa, causing the Ranger to fly backwards, crashing into her compatriot.
"The Light will never let you win, monster!" She shouted at Elunaa.
Elunaa's teeth bared at the woman and she opened her jaws wide as a screech of fury was unleashed into the room. The walls shook and the glass mosaics shattered at the force of her Banshee's Wail. Abbendis staggered backwards just as Elunaa's partner raised her bow, sending a poisoned, barbed arrow into the throat of the Paladin. Abbendis reached up and ripped the sharp arrowhead off the shaft and reached backwards and pulled the arrow from her throat. She gathered the Light about herself, creating a shield which caused the Ranger's arrows to go flying away from her. She focused the Light into healing her damaged throat and larynx but by then, it was too late. The poison from the arrow was doing its job and the Paladin's shield of Light flickered a few times, then popped.
Elunaa walked slowly to the dying Paladin and looked down at ther helpless victim. Abbendis tried to curse but managed only to expell blood from the ragged hole in her throat. Instead she spat at the Ranger, missing her. Elunaa raised her booted foot and stepped down, ending the life of the noble Paladin. Elunaa and the remaining Ranger made their way back to Venomspite after having seen to their comrades. Elunaa was exhausted from the fight with Abbendis and wanted a chance to rest.
Braxx, Azaraiah and Ogma approached the dais where a group of mages were standing and drawing arcane symbols into the scree. Azaraiah asked the lead mage what was going on and the mage told him that they were attempting a massively complex spell and asked Azaraiah to assist them with it. Braxx and Ogma took up defensive positions near to the mages as they worked hard. Azaraiah chanted the arcane words with the mages and a thrum of power built in the air. The arcane symbols grew in brightness as bolts of energy were exchanged between the mages and the symbols. There was an outburst of explosive energy as the air above them shimmered and an enormous island appeared out of thin air hundreds of feet above the mages. Braxx and Ogma stared in amazement as a floating city emerged and they ran up to Azaraiah and the mages after their spell.
Azaraiah, Braxx and Ogma touched the ornate crystal that the lead mage offered and the three were transported above to the Kirin Tor city of Dalaran. Dalaran had been nearly wiped out by the Scourge and then had been destroyed by Archimond of The Burning Legion. Arch Mage Antonidas had lost his life and the Kirin Tor were hard pressed to reform and rebuild their lost city. Eventually the Kirin Tor regained their former strength and the Council of Six agreed that moving the city to Northrend to end the threat of the Scourge was paramount. Azaraiah went to meet with the Council while Ogma and Braxx secured themselves quarters in the Filthy Animal Inn. While they sat at the bar, drinking, various Horde patrons gave them a wide berth.
Shadowmyst sat at a table in The Filthy animal bar watching her quarry. She had paid the few silver's price to enter the city from the Transport Crystal on the ground and had been watching the trio from the bushes near to one of the sewer entrances for some time. She had watched Azaraiah disappear towards the council chambers and had followed Braxx and his Tauren friend to the Horde quarters. She waved a hand at the barmaid, declining another drink. She was patient, she'd wait until the all went to bed, then she would do her chore for The Dark Lady.
"Lord Azaraiah," Jaina Proudmore began, as she sifted through reports. "We may have only just arrived in Northrend but we have a plan in place that should deal a mighty blow to Arthas." Azaraiah raised a hand and urged her to elucidate. "We plan to send a cadre of troops to Dragonblight and there, either capture or destroy the Scourge war machine there, The Naxxramas. Baron Silver of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, our spy within the Scourge, has reported that the fallen mage, Kel'Thuzad resides there and uses the corpses he harvests from Wintergarde Keep to bolster the Scourge army."
Azaraiah nodded, it was a solid plan; take out the necropolis and it'd deal a significant blow to Arthas's war army. "Is Kel'Thuzad to be taken alive?" Azaraiah asked her.
"We doubt that that would be possible. You are welcome to try to bring him to us to face justice but he is a powerful Lich. Kill him, capture him, so long as he's taken out." She replied.
Azaraiah made his way to The Filthy Animal and entered the bar. He took note of all the patrons in the bar, and took particular notice of a female Quel'Dorei cloaked in the shadows cast by the barrels stacked nearby and saw that was studying Braxx and Ogma a little too closely. He told Ogma and Braxx what Jaina had said about their plan to infiltrate and destroy the Naxxramas. Braxx and Ogma agreed that it was a solid plan and they looked forward to getting started in the morning. Azaraiah had a drink with the men and then they made their way towards their rooms. Shadowmyst stood up and followed the men silently, blending into the shadows. Azaraiah and Ogma went into their rooms and Braxx walked onward towards his. He was rounding a bend in the corridor when a bright light splayed across his vision and be collapsed to the floor in a heap.
Sunlight was streaming in through the open window and consciousness came to Braxx slowly. He opened his eyes and realized that he could not move. He looked down upon himself and discovered that he was naked save for his ragged breaches. He struggled a bit at the ropes that held him tied to the bed. He looked about himself and realized that the bed in his room had been turned upright and he was tied to the finials. "Easy there, Death Knight." A voice said from behind his right ear. Braxx whipped his head to the right and stared into the eye of an imposing female Quel'Dorei wearing an eyepatch. "I am to take you to my Lady Sylvanas." She said to Braxx. If you struggle or raise a fuss, it's your head I will be taking. Either way, you will be going with me to see the Banshee Queen."
Braxx nodded his head in apparent defeat. He knew that if he struggled, she'd most likely inject him with a paralyzing poison or slice his throat. She paced the room, thinking about how she'd get him all the way back down to the Eastern Kingdoms. Her back was turned to him and he concentrated with all his might as his flesh hardened to stony ice. The ropes that bound his hands and feet immediately burst from the cold and he was free. He flexed his now free hand and arctic chains of ice enclosed around the Rogue, binding her in place. "I have no intention of going with you, pathetic Elf." He told Shadowmyst. Braxx raised his voice to a shout, calling for Azaraiah and Ogma.
They burst into the room and Ogma chanted a spell, throwing down a strange totem. The frosty chains of ice were replaced by branches of binding that issued forth from the totem. Azaraiah stared agape at the Rogue. "You have a strange concept of timing, Elara."
"I have told you not to call me that anymore!" She shouted at him. The innkeeper burst into the room and seeing the destruction of the bed and the four of them, he backed slowly away. "I don't want no trouble," he spoke in rapid Orcish, "but you pay more!" Azaraiah handed him a handful of gold coins and showed him out of the room.
"Elara, Shadowmyst if you prefer, you don't have to do this. You could join up with us."
"You don't know my Lady's wrath, Lord Azaraiah. She'll kill me and then raise me as a Forsaken just to torment me."
"I don't think Sylvanas would do that to you. I'll have a talk with her and see to it that she knows what an error it was to send you here."
Shadowmyst nodded, defeated. "Sylvanas may not kill you, but I sure may!" Braxx told the Elf.
"Braxx, calm yourself. It's not your fault that she was able to take you down. She is a very highly accomplished assassin. She's been in training since you were a Paladin of the Light." Braxx narrowed his eyes at Shadowmyst. The Rogue shrugged an apology his way.
"If you can convince Sylvanas to drop this matter, I'll join with you." Shadowmyst told the mage. Azaraiah nodded. Having an accomplished assassin would go a long way to helping with the war effort. He relayed his plans for the Naxxramas to Ogma, Braxx and Shadowmyst. A few hours later, Shadowmyst got up and headed for the door on her way to gather supplies for the journey while Ogma and Braxx geared up and checked their equipment. Azaraiah, meanwhile, had his own small mission to attend to before they could carry on. He strode down the main thoroughfare of Dalaran and headed towards Khadgar's Tower in the center of the city. He entered and made his way through the mysterious depths of Khadgar's abode. Azaraiah attuned his Hearthstone to the resonance frequency of the city and then in a blink, he opened a portal directly into Sylvanas's Throne Room.
Sylvanas was at that moment listening to a report from one of her scouts that Venomspite was successful in its mission to take out the Scarlet Onslaught when a crash of electric lightning burst through nothingness and a portal was opened. Azaraiah strode out from the portal and brushed her Forsaken scout to the side. "What is the meaning-" Sylvanas trailed off as she saw Azaraiah's eyes flash from deep blue to blazing fiery amethyst. He reached up with is hand and a black bolt of lightning interlaced with electric blue fire arced to Sylvanas, pinning her to the ground. The book, ever present and burned into his flesh vibrated in excitement of his use of the forbidden magics. He twisted his hand and the Banshee Queen of the Forsaken was lifted off her throne room floor and hurled back down to it. Just as quickly as the assault began, it was over, the black lightning retreating into Azaraiah's hand and his eyes cooled down from the blazing purple back to their former blue.
"You sent an assassin after Braxx!?" He roared into her ears.
Sylvanas got slowly, painfully to her feet. She glared menacingly at the mage but did not dare raise a hand to him. She knew although she was very skilled with her bow and knife, he could and definitely would be able to best her at magic. "What was I to do, Lord Azaraiah?" She implored him. "The boy is a walking time bomb for your daughter! He may not have his memories of her but she certainly remembers him! If he were to meet up with her, it would destroy her. I care about my Ranger too much to let that happen!"
Azaraiah glared at the woman. "You care about my daughter as a Ranger. I will concede the point that she is more yours now than ever she will be mine again, she's still of my flesh and my blood. Braxx's memory could one day return, if that does, I want them to find something with each other. That can't happen if he's destroyed before he's given the chance!"
She met his gaze with icy indifference. "I should not have sent an assassin that knew your family."
"You should not have sent anyone at all. This is a family matter and you will back off and let me handle this accordingly!"
"And you, Lord Azaraiah, will never again enter my throne room in such a manner. If you raise your hand to me or any of my people again, I will destroy all that you love, do I make myself clear?" She said in a rage.
"I apologize, Sylvanas." Azaraiah said. "I will be a little more temperate in the future. In return for your word that you will send no more assassins after the boy, I'll leave you in peace."
She grunted something under hear breath but nodded her assent. Azaraiah gave her a small bow, almost insultingly small then he gestured with his hand and a portal opened to Dalaran. Sylvanas grabbed his wrist as he was departing. He turned to look at her. "I am going with you." She told him. He nodded and together they departed from the Undercity.