A/N: Hello everyone! I know it has been way too long, and for that I apologise. However, I needed time to move the story forward, and I feel like it has. So hopefully you will enjoy this long chapter. I really enjoyed writing it over the summer and I am pleased with how it turned out. Let me know!
PS: The underlined text is not written by me, it is what is said in-game. Also any Thalassian that appears in this Fic is obviously not made up by me.
Chapter 35 – The Emerald Nightmare
Sylvanas felt a cold breeze hit her. It slammed her in the face like one of Jaina's frost bolts. The air had suddenly gone cold and they were all gathered around the entrance of the nightmare. The moment they had all been waiting for, for a very long time had come. It reminded her of when she stood at the gates of Ice Crown. Ready to end Arthas. However, this was different. This mission was not based on vengeance. Not for her anyway. Her personal agenda was to bring glory to the Forsaken and it filled her with strength. Did she care if Malfurion Stormrage made it out alive? Hardly. What she cared for was the taste of a good kill and the victorious feeling that came with it. And Jaina… Protecting Jaina. That was crucial. Nothing must happen to her.
"Sylvanas go, NOW!" Jaina nudged her and Sylvanas snapped out of her thoughts.
"Quickly, we have to hurry, we have no more than a minute before the entrance will charge a new wave of corruption!"
Sylvanas shouted in gutterspeak and all of the Banshee Queen's undead minions lifted their weapons and ran into the Nightmare. Jaina grabbed hold of her lover's hand and dragged her through.
Passing through the glowing entrance gave a feeling neither of them had felt before. It was a mixture of nausea, desperation and utter euphoria. Though it only lasted a couple of seconds, it was the strangest thing.
Jaina was the first one to step onto the ground inside the nightmare and she still held a tight grip around Sylvanas' hand.
"Wow, well that's a feeling I will not soon forget. Jaina took a deep breath.
Sylvanas glanced at her but shook the feeling off and ignored her as she felt too strange.
"We made it". The Dark Lady said and gazed around.
The walls were bloody red and diffuse. Upon touching the wall, roots snapped around the body part unfortunate enough to be close. Jaina warned everyone not to touch anything and to beware the walls.
Tyrande stepped up beside them and so did Vereesa. The four women led the raiders down the corridor. Buffed by the other raid members from all the different classes, they almost glowed as they made the lead.
"Be vigilant". Tyrande warned.
Suddenly, a great howl filled the air. Not a wolf howl, some other beast. It was a screech louder than a banshee in pain. They all tightened their grips around their weapons. The walls slightly changed and displayed vague mirror images of landscapes.
Sylvanas stepped closer. She could see familiar landscapes dancing in various colours. Quel'Thalas glowed before her and high elf children played in fields. But Sylvanas frowned and snorted. She knew it was orchestrated by Xavius to display each person saw their deepest desires.
The images disappeared as quickly as they had appeared. They all froze and listened attentively.
From the darkness deep within the nightmare appeared a large, corrupted drake and it blew the female raid leaders and the other raiders away with is magnificent growl as it planted its claws into the floor. They rushed to their feet again as the great, grey drake expanded its wings and showed them its powers.
"Nythendra!" Tyrande shouted and told the raiders to back up.
Sylvanas drew an aim with her bow and Jaina prepared a frost spell.
"Beware of her breath! It has been infested. The room is crawling with insects!" Tyrande shielded the raiders with a spell. Jaina looked at the floor which was creeping with corrupted insects.
"You are the insects. AWAY, infiltrators. The nightmare shall consume you!" Nythendra slammed her tail into the floor, shaking the room with a terrible tremble. Several undead soldiers fell to the ground.
"She once protected the Emerald Dream. Now corrupted by Xavius. Poor Nythendra. Split up raiders. Druids, focus on cleansing people if anyone is hit by her infested breath. GO!" Tyrande instructed.
Jaina and Sylvanas split to each side and the encounter instantly started. Nythendra was strong and an undead rogue who attempted to stab her from behind was simply smothered by her tail. Jaina inhaled sharply as she saw the forsaken rogue's body be demolished before her.
Sylvanas lowered her aim and fired three arrows towards the drake's neck. They hit her directly where they should and the drake broke out in a painful roar. Jaina grabbed the opportunity and cast a frost bolt directly at the drake's face.
Unexpectedly, Nythendra shook the arrows off and avoided frost bolt before casting a breath of infestation directly at Jaina.
She fell to the floor and coughed. Her sight went blurry, and it was difficult to breathe.
"Jaina!" she heard in the distance and suddenly it was as if someone grabbed hold of her chest and removed her lungs. She exhaled sharply and wheezed, almost vomiting.
"You okay?" A night elf druid pulled her to her feet. She quickly realised the cleansing the healer had performed had worked and she could breathe again. Although a bit shaky, Jaina resumed the fight.
Sylvanas did not even notice Jaina had fallen for a moment and was determined to finish of Nythendra. The gigantic drake growled and released more infestation.
Tyrande cast a shield to protect the raiders, yet some fell to the floor coughing and gasping for air. The healers did not manage to cleanse them all in time and Sylvanas noticed that at least two of her forsaken soldiers had perished. Fury boiled inside her. How dare the nightmare claim her minions?
"Bash'a no falor talah!" The Dark Lady screamed as she launched herself at the drake.
"Sylvanas, DON'T!" Jaina, ran towards her, but Vereesa threw herself at her. Jaina hit the floor hard, but realised Vereesa had just saved her from another infectious breath.
Suddenly, Nythendra let out a screech so loud everyone kneeled to the floor and covered their ears instantly.
Jaina clenched her ears shut, yet through the chaos she thought where the hell Sylvanas was.
As sudden as the screech had begun, it ended.
When Jaina opened her eyes again, Nythendra sank to the floor revealing her killer. On the back of the drake stood Sylvanas Windrunner with a smirk and a bloody dagger. Nythendra gasped.
"Windrunner… you…"
She breathed heavily.
"Yes, surrender to the power of the undead, filthy beast!" Sylvanas inhaled, tasting the victory. Several forsaken had already kneeled to the ground, praising their queen.
Nythendra let her last breath out and whispered:
"I dreamed the Dream… and now I wake".
Sylvanas jumped off the drake's back and wiped her blade clean.
"Rise my children, we have more killing to do".
A shiver went through Jaina. She would probably never get used to this part of Sylvanas. The one that hungered for power, chaos and death. So she said nothing, and followed the Banshee Queen further into the Nightmare.
They wandered further into the nightmare. Vereesa was getting worried as they explored each corner with vigilance. Then Tyrande suddenly stopped.
"Shh!"
She bowed down into a protected position and waved for the others to follow carefully.
Turning the next corner, the room broadened out and they knew they had reached a special point.
"What the…" Tyrande started.
"MALFURION DEAR!" Tyrande sprinted towards her husband who laid on the floor stretching a hand out for assistance.
"Thank God, you are ok". The night elf priestess helped Malfurion to his feet as he coughed slightly.
The raiders gathered around him.
"We have defeated Nythendra". Tyrande started.
Malfurion sighed.
"Poor Nythendra was just the beginning. You are currently at the core of the nightmare. There are three pathways from here, each leading to Xavius, but each with a different challenge. Make the wrong choice and well…"
He coughed again and supported himself on Tyrande who held him tight.
"Face an enemy you cannot defeat and we will all be trapped in here forever".
Sylvanas tilted her head. An enemy she could not defeat. How patronising. She scoffed.
Jaina glanced at Sylvanas with a worried look. She knew her lover well. Her pride and hunger for a good battle were clouding her judgement.
"How do we know which way is best?" Jaina interrupted before Sylvanas could suggest otherwise.
"You don't". Malfurion answered quickly.
"Great. Let's get on with it then". The Banshee Queen walked slowly to one of the portals.
"Shall we?" She nodded.
"Wait!" Jaina walked up to her and lowered her voice.
"Can you slow down, just, for one second. God Sylvanas if anything happens to you, I will not be able to survive it".
The young mage looked at her with her deep cobalt blue eyes and Sylvanas could tell that she was not bluffing. Her beautiful Jaina. It made her weak.
She reached out and ran her fingers down her cheek in a loving stroke.
"Nothing will happen to me my dear. I am the Banshee Queen".
Jaina did not feel comforted, but she understood that whatever she said, there was only one way to go about this battle. Sylvanas' way.
Still studying Sylvanas Jaina said loud:
"It is this way then. I will follow where the Banshee Queen leads".
Sylvanas smiled. God how she loved her.
She grabbed Jaina's hand and together they skipped through the portal.
After ten seconds that seemed like hours they stepped on to grass covered ground.
"Where are we? This is different from everything else in the nightmare?" Jaina scouted around.
"It's only an illusion. Wherever Xavius wants us to believe we are, we will be". Malfurion panted as he stepped up behind her. Jaina was surprised he had the strength to carry on.
"There, in front of us. One of our magnificent world trees". Malfurion pointed.
Admiring it for a second, Sylvanas laid her arm around Jaina to keep her safe.
"Dalah' surfal, nothing will happen to you" she said in her usual stiff tone. But Jaina knew she meant it of all her undead heart. She stroked her arm slightly with her left index finger.
"I love you". The young mage whispered so only Sylvanas could hear and by squeezing Jaina's hand twice, she knew Sylvanas were saying it back.
"I think we may be in an illusion of the Un'Goro Crater". Malfurion said as he scoped the landscape around him.
Sylvanas raised her bow and Vereesa stepped up beside her and did the same.
"I think he might be right". Vereesa gulped and took another step forward.
Before they had the opportunity to explore more, a rattling sound went through the ground and a root surfaced and crackled its way through the raid and to an open vale further down a hill.
"Stop". Sylvanas commanded.
The entire raid stopped and listened closely.
Suddenly, Vereesa screamed as she fell to the floor and fared downhill faster than anyone could save her.
"VEREESA!" Sylvanas dived after her and managed to grab a hold of her sister's foot.
Vereesa fought the roots that had tangled around her and screamed. She reached for Sylvanas and shouted.
"Burn them! Jaina, PLEASE!"
Fire spells was not Jaina's specialty, but on odd occasions like this it was possible to channel even the most necessary.
Jaina closed her eyes to focus and felt her palms heat up. It was an unusual difference from her frost spells.
"UH!" Jaina shot back as cast a fire blast on the roots tying Vereesa to the ground. The roots almost snarled and as it burnt, it let go.
Sylvanas pulled her sister to safety and hugged her.
"Don't you fucking go and die on me dear sister".
Vereesa shook and was surprised by her sister's reaction. It was not often Sylvanas would express how she really felt about her. She closed her eyes as it was the most comforting words she had heard in years.
"I'm sorry big sister, I promise to be more careful".
The raid continued down the hill and on to the open field with the great world tree in front of them. They looked around and Malfurion hummed as if he had something to share.
"This is the heart of the nightmare and where the corruption originated" he said hesitantly.
The others did not respond.
"Il'gynoth". Malfurion mouthed silently.
"SHHHH!" Sylvanas hissed and everybody froze.
A deep, loud whisper whistled through the air and gave everybody goosebumbs. Jaina felt her spine stiffen and her heart rose as the voice rung in her ears.
"At the hour of her third death, she ushers in our coming".
"Sylvanas…" Jaina started. "Is that… About you?"
Sylvanas swallowed hard and did not respond. Wind started blowing strong around them and the world tree started trembling, its branches drizzling leaves.
Suddenly, down the middle of tree, the trunk cracked open, and out stormed corruptions. Tentacles, shadows, pools, blobs and blossoms, and they consumed parts of the raid group before they could react.
All the other raiders flinched and ran back whilst fighting off the creatures. Sylvanas pushed Jaina behind her as she saw undead soldiers being absorbed by the corruptions, and vanishing into red smoke.
"SHIELDS UP!" Tyrande shouted and cast a spell. Around the entire raid, a golden shield surrounded them and the corruptions could not pierce it.
"What do we do?!" Vereesa shouted as she drew a new aim.
"Think… Fast!" Jaina could tell Tyrande was using all her strength to keep the shield up.
Sylvanas looked around her. There had to be a way they could eliminate all of these in one go, because fighting them individually would never work.
"Jaina. Your arcane explosion!" Sylvanas turned to the young mage. "Can you do it?"
"I…" Jaina stuttered and looked around her. The wave of corruption was overwhelming and she had never cast a spell that huge before.
"LOOK AT ME!" Sylvanas grabbed her hands and squeezed them tight.
"On the count of three, you will absorb the power I am about to feed you and you will launch a blast so great that it will abolish every single one of these corruptions do you hear me?"
Jaina looked Sylvanas deep in her eyes and she started to feel her hands tingle. She moved her sight to her hands and dark purple smoulder oozed from the grip of their hands. It was a kind of magic she had never felt or seen before. She had no idea Sylvanas was capable of magic at all. But she trusted her love, and she would do whatever she could.
The sorceress nodded quick and readied her spell. Tyrande looked at them both and gave a quick signal to notify them she was in on the plan.
"One". Sylvanas squeezed Jaina's hands harder.
"Two". Jaina clenched her teeth together and felt her chest burn. Her eyes turned black and she trembled.
"THREE!" Tyrande dropped the shield and cast individual shields on all the raiders, protecting them from the arcane explosion.
In that second, Sylvanas let go of her lover and Jaina radiated. The blinding light and noise was glorious. Corruption scattered around them as everything in the area was slayed and annihilated within seconds.
Sylvanas opened one of her eyes slightly and witnessed it all. Jaina stood there with her arms out and let the arcane power pierce everything in her sight.
After about a minute, Jaina sighed and fell on her knees to the ground. She breathed heavily.
"My love, are you okay?" Sylvanas ran to her.
Jaina looked up at her lover and smiled.
"Did I do it? Are they gone?"
"You did great. Help me get her up". Sylvanas nodded to Vereesa who came to help.
A little unsteady, Jaina managed to get up and she held on to Sylvanas who held her tightly.
"We did it. The corruptions are gone. Now, the only problem is…" Malfurion stopped.
The whisper returned.
"So you think that petty arcane explosion can defeat me? Nooo… Come, let me show you what the nightmare really feels like".
"Il'gynoth!" Malfurion said loud this time.
Before he had said it, a red beam streamed from the tree and hit him hard. Malfurion fell back and Tyrande ran to him.
From the crack in the trunk came a large, evil eye and two tentacles rose from the ground on each side.
"So it begins…" Il'gynoth hissed.
"GO!" Sylvanas shouted and the archers fired their arrows. Jaina had little energy but threw a few frost bolts at him. She knew it was not the time, but she could not help but think about the dark magic Sylvanas had fed her. It was almost, like a warlock.
"Jaina!" Vereesa screamed as Jaina turned and a tentacle wrapped around her.
"NO!" Sylvanas jumped and ran towards Jaina.
"HOLD ON!" The Dark Lady picked out her dagger, juggled it and slashed the tentacle. Jaina felt squeezed by its enormous powers. The tentacle dropped her to the floor and she moaned as her body slammed into the hard ground.
Sylvanas eyes widened. Was she okay?
"You! Get her away!" Sylvanas pointed at an undead rogue who immediately obeyed and dragged Jaina to the side.
Sylvanas felt rage boil inside her and she reached out a hand and tapped Vereesa on the shoulder. Her sister looked at her with worried eyes.
"You still know the trick Alleria taught us when we were young yes?"
Vereesa swallowed hard.
"Yes, of course, I will never forget".
"Well I want us to do it now. If we succeed, Il'gynoth will be no more in just a few seconds".
Vereesa thought about it and looked into Sylvanas eyes. They gave her reassurance. She trusted her sister with her life. She did back then and she did now.
Vereesa nodded nervously.
"It's a long time since we have done it Sylvanas, are you sure?"
Sylvanas looked at her sister and smiled.
"Vereesa, trust me. We can do this. Think of it as if Alleria was watching. We are not called the Windrunners without reason!"
Vereesa smirked.
"Okay, line up!"
Sylvanas and Vereesa lined up back to back as they watched the other raiders fight bravely.
"Now!"
Turning side to side facing away from Il'gynoth, the Windrunner sisters did a quick backflip before sprinting towards the eye. The eye's red beam attempted to fixate them both but they moved and jumped, side to side, faster than the wind and Il'gynoth had no chance.
Jaina had never seen anyone move this fast in battle and she stood up, still feeling slightly dizzy, but regaining strength. The Windrunner sisters were remarkable together in combat.
One of the tentacles slammed into the ground right before Vereesa, but it failed to hit her. She leaped up high and shouted.
"To arms!"
Sylvanas knew what to do.
The Dark Lady kneeled down, stretched her arms out wide and drew a sharp aim right at the eye of Il'gynoth.
Elegant as a feather, the youngest Windrunner landed on Sylvanas' shoulders and she kept her balance perfectly. As soon as her feet touched her sister's pauldrons they both fired a rain of arrows towards the monster. Flawless and steady shots.
Several arrows hit Il'gynoth and a whine echoed in the air so loud it made Jaina feel sick. She covered her ears and kneeled back down to the floor.
The slimy skin that covered Il'gynoth withered to the ground and revealed a red pumping heart.
"It's the heart of the corruption, finish it and this will be over!" Malfurion shouted.
Sylvanas glanced at Malfurion as Vereesa jumped down beside her from her shoulders.
"Finish it sister". Vereesa patted Sylvanas on the back and smiled.
Sylvanas smiled back and nodded.
"You shall burn with corruption, for eternity, Wind…runn…er…". Il'gynoth's whisper grunted as Sylvanas stepped up in front of the heart.
She studied the disgusting core that pumped weakly inside the world tree, its vessels swelling.
"And you shall never corrupt this world again, ever! Farwell, you revolting creature".
And with that, Sylvanas sliced Il'gynoth's heart in half with her dagger, causing it to pour out corrupted, oozing blood that quickly streamed down the ground like a river.
Jaina covered her face and nose. The smell burnt her chest as she inhaled.
Tyrande coughed and the druids started cleansing the air.
"Try not to breathe in the corruption!" One night elf said as he channelled cleansing spells.
Jaina walked slowly up behind Sylvanas who still stood where she had finished off Il'gynoth, her body partly covered in the blood. It did not seem to affect her the way it did the mortals. Probably because she was undead.
"You did good. Dalah' surfal".
The young mage folded her arms around the Banshee Queen's waist and rested her head on her shoulder.
"Thank you, my love". Sylvanas stroked Jaina's hand.
Abruptly, the atmosphere changed. The surroundings faded and the landscape of Un'Goro Crater melted around them. A tremble went through the area and Sylvanas quickly turned around and embraced Jaina. She knew she was still weak from performing the arcane explosion and she would not let anything happen to her beautiful woman.
Another voice appeared, but it was not new, this one was familiar.
Jaina shivered and buried her face in Sylvanas' chest.
Xavius…
Sylvanas tightened her grip around Jaina.
Malfurion looked around desperately to locate the satyr, but all they could see was the fading illusion of Un'Goro crater.
Their surroundings had faded and were now entirely black. It was like they had been placed in a dark tight room with a mirror ground.
"Hello, Banshee Queen". Xavius appeared out of nowhere and chills went through Jaina again.
Sylvanas pushed Jaina away from her to protect her as Xavius slashed his claws at them. Sylvanas ducked just in time and rolled to safety before positioning herself at a safe distance. He was huge in reality and his features were even more terrifying than his image had portrayed.
"You will never lay your filthy claws on Jaina ever again! I won't let you!"
Xavius' piercing laughter disturbed them all and worry infiltrated each and every one of the raiders minds.
"I am the Nightmare Lord. I do as I please with the mortals. But perhaps I should start with you, undead Banshee".
Sylvanas' red eyes narrowed and adrenaline rushed through her.
"If that's how it's going to be, let the carnage commence!" the Banshee Queen gritted her teeth in anger.
Xavius grinned. "With pleasure".
The Satyr raised his arms as he chortled repulsively. It was as if the ceiling had opened and a terrorising meteor strike began pouring down on them.
Everyone became confused and ran in panic and desperation to protect themselves.
Tyrande attempted to shield the raiders, but with everyone running in fear, it was impossible to target them all. Some undead had already been crushed by the meteors and a couple of night elf druids had fallen too.
From the grey, mirror floor rose several corruptions and the healers frantically worked to save everyone.
Through the raging chaos Jaina spotted Sylvanas as she turned around to launch a frost bolt. It hit a corrupted essence that was about to impale one of the undead rogues. The battle was fierce.
Sylvanas saw Jaina looking at her, and she smiled, firing an arrow at a beast that nearly mauled her sweet mage from the back. Jaina exhaled in relief as she realised she had been saved and smiled back at Sylvanas.
While they had eye contact it was as if the fight paused for a moment. Jaina looked beautiful as her blonde hair floated elegantly through the air when she spun around to cast her spells. But only for a split moment. Just as Sylvanas was about to fire a new arrow toward a corruption that was ready to gut Vereesa, Jaina's facial expression changed and the sorceress screamed at her:
"SYLVANAS, LOOK OUT!"
Sylvanas turned around, but before she could think, Xavius ceased the opportunity to wrap his tainted claws around her neck. Her eyes widened as she felt his disgusting sharp nails sweep her skin. She screeched loudly in a banshee rage and everyone stopped.
Xavius laughed.
"For the nightmare". His deep and sharp voice pierced everyone's souls.
With a swift scratch and a gulp, followed by dark satyr laughter, the mighty Warchief of the Horde guzzled in Xavius' claws.
Jaina's world stopped. Everything before her moved in slow motion. The other raiders fired their arrows, wielded their swords, and cleared their daggers, attempting to save their queen. But it was too late.
Jaina gasped loudly as Sylvanas' throat was slit open and as Xavius dropped her, she hit the floor face first.
"NOOOOO!" Jaina screamed like a banshee in despair. Tyrande grabbed her in desperation, but failed to keep her by her side. Vereesa stood in utter shock and stared at her undead sister at the floor.
The corrupted creatures around them vanished into red smoke and only Xavius remained. His laughter rung in their ears and pain infiltrated their souls.
The satyr took a couple of steps back as all the weapons in the room were aimed at him after they all realised their Warchief had fallen.
He knew it was over, but he had taken what he believed was owed: the life of a mighty leader.
The forsaken started hissing and growling at the satyr.
Senior Sergeant Grimsford stepped forward and his normally yellow eyes had turned deep red. He put his skeleton hand on Jaina's back. Jaina could not speak, but rage overwhelmed her too and her eyes froze and turned ice blue.
"I told you she would die because of you, sweet mage". Xavius glared at Jaina and grinned.
"You are mine now!" The satyr yelled, scratched his right foot twice on the ground and sprinted towards Jaina, ready to kill her too.
Rage vibrated through Jaina and she burst into flames. Red, blue and purple among each other. She channelled all her spells, fire, frost and arcane magic detonated from her.
"FOR THE FORSAKEN!" She screamed and launched herself toward the satyr. All the undead raid members followed her lead. They gashed the satyr into pieces in seconds and Xavius' mutilated body fell to the floor.
An agonising roar filled the room as Jaina Proudmoore incinerated Xavius with all the power she had in her. For what seemed like ten long seconds the satyr burnt before them until only red, oozing slime was left of him.
Vereesa lost grip of her bow and collapsed on the floor. Tyrande caught her before she hurt herself.
The flames around Jaina slowly died out and she turned to her beloved that laid quietly on the floor.
All she felt was anger. Nothing else. Empty anger.
"HELP HER!" Jaina shouted as they picked up Sylvanas.
They rushed to get out of the nightmare, no time to waste.
"HOLD ON WARCHIEF!" Another screamed.
"We're losing her, stay with us my Queen!" Senior Sergeant Grimsford placed his palm on the Dark Lady as people carried her.
Sylvanas could hear voices around her, but they sounded far away. It felt like she was just underneath the surface of a lake as images of people swam above her.
For a moment, she almost thought she was thirteen again and floating in one of the many waters in Quel'Thalas. Ah beautiful Quel'Thalas. How she wished to be back there…
She fell in and out of consciousness. Was she not dead? If she was, then this was it. She had no Val'kyr.
Damn it.
That she had not told Jaina. Only one other person knew, but it was not Senior Sergeant Grimsford, Tawny nor Apothecary Jezel. Because she knew that they would tell Jaina. They respected the young mage too much to be fully loyal.
It was part of the deal. The deal with Helya. She had surrendered her Val'kyr like pawn. It was not like Helya would simply trust Sylvanas to hand over a vial of the resurrection potion if they succeeded to produce one. "A token of trust" Helya had called it. Sylvanas would get her Val'kyr back, but only if they successfully blended the potion and shared it with her. What had she done...
She attempted to breathe, but it felt like a thousand needles stung her throat. This was probably hell. Again. She had seen it before. Felt it before. It had felt like this. Hell... When she threw herself of the Frozen Throne.
"Hold on Dalah' surfal!" She heard in the distance. Jaina's sweet voice lingered in her ears. Her love. Her precious love. Stronger than anything. Than her. Her everything. Her Jaina...
She felt a nudge as she was put down with her head on a wooden log. She could tell they had exited the nightmare.
"She is gone Lady Proudmoore. Her Val'kyr isn't coming for her this time by the looks of it".
Jaina growled at Malfurion for implying such thing.
"Maybe that's because she isn't truly DEAD!"
She shoved Malfurion aside so he fell and she kneeled by her lover's side. She grabbed Sylvanas' hand and squeezed it hard while tears streamed down her face.
"Sweet darling, please don't leave me. I cannot go on without you. I cannot bare it".
"Elune grant her strength…" Tyrande closed her eyes and folded her hands. Vereesa had still not spoken a word after she came back from fainting and her eyes were stiff. Jaina could tell she was in shock. They all were.
Sylvanas could not move, but she felt Jaina's tears on her dead skin as she slipped away into the darkness. The colours around her started to fade away until everything was black. It was time. Her time to leave. She feared death more than anything in the world, but for some reason, this time, she accepted her fate. She had risked her miserable life and Jaina was safe again.
Goodbye Dalah' surfal... She thought, as she could not fight the darkness and the Banshee Queen gasped in pain once more before she took her last breath.
"NOOO! Don't you fucking die on me!" Jaina cried as she shook the dead body of the mighty Lady Sylvanas Windrunner. She screamed and hammered her fist at Sylvanas' chest. She slammed at it so hard that she cracked her dead lover's ribs.
Tyrande folded her hand over her mouth as she watched her friend desperately trying to resuscitate Sylvanas.
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" She screamed as she threw punches at Sylvanas until she had no strength left in her. Senior Sergeant Grimsford started weeping and so did every forsaken in her presence.
"Wake up! Sylvanas! NO! Don't you fucking dare leave me!" Jaina kept shaking her, expecting the Dark Lady to respond or move. But she did not. Her deep red eyes had lost its glow and they stared into nothingness.
"Vereesa, her Val'kyr! Where are they? Won't they bring her back?!" Jaina looked at her best friend, but Vereesa did not respond and started to sob silently.
"They won't" a female voice said.
Jaina froze. "Wha… What?" She recognised the female, undead elf. Sylvanas' most trusted dark ranger. Velonara.
Dark Ranger Velonara bit her lip and her face twisted as she refused to shed tears.
"They won't bring her back. She brought them as pawn for Helya in exchange for the lantern to control the mightiest Val'kyr. Sadly, the lantern is no more and she surrendered her precious Val'kyr for nothing. She risked it all for her resurrection. For you, a human. She cannot be saved now".
Jaina howled in pain at the realisation of the truth. Her relationship with Sylvanas flashed before her. From the first time their lips met in her chamber in Undercity, to their magical kiss beneath the coloured sky in Orgrimmar, to the last time they made love by the edge of the cliff above the lake in Stormheim.
Gone.
They were merely memories now. Jaina shook and bawled as Sylvanas rested in her arms. She did not even have it in her to close Sylvanas' eyes.
She said nothing as the undead curled up beside the dead body of their Banshee Queen, screaming and mourning like they were her children.
Senior Sergeant Grimsford sobbed as he kneeled down beside her and grunted. Jaina looked at him with red and teary eyes that desperately pleaded for advice of what to do next.
"You do remember what the letter said don't you?"
Jaina's heart jumped and her eyes narrowed in horror. Senior Sergeant Grimsfrom crinkled his nose as he wiped his face.
"You are the future of the Forsaken now. She chose you. You must lead in her place. In undeath".