Karabor, 24 hours before the fall of the Black Temple
Malande
Lady Malande dragged her feet out of the council chamber and headed slowly towards her inner sanctum. Her legs felt like led, her head was spinning and buzzing. She felt like she was kicked in the stomach and her heart was ripped out of her chest. The news she just received, what they all received, was devastating. Tempest Keep has fallen. The seat of her beloved prince's power was no more. It fell prey to the treacherous Scryers, their Aldor allies and a band of mercenaries.
'Wretches, all of them!', she sneered. None was left alive in their wake. Hundreds of Sin'dorei Blood Knights, Rangers, Magisters, members of the Clergy, engineers and pioneers. All fell prey to the swords, arrows, and spells of those wretches. Five hundred souls lost to the whim of a self-righteous crystal being of "Light". Panthelyon the Calculator, High Botanist Freywinn, Commander Sarannis, Lady Capernian, Lord Sanguinar, and so many other Sin'dorei patriots died a week ago. But what distressed her the most was that the prince, her beautiful, brilliant and valiant prince was gone, presumed dead.
How could such a thing happen? How was it even possible? How could Archmage Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider, one the most powerful mages of his age, whose skill could only be surpassed by Lord Illidan himself, switch sides and then fall to a bunch of pillaging mercenaries and their Scryer\Aldor masters? Had his magical addiction crippled him so much in the end that it rendered him vulnerable to Kil'Jaeden's whispers and the mercenaries' attack? Could he no longer distinguish between right and wrong?
He didn't look well at all a few months ago when she noticed the changes on his body as he roused from her bed and walked to the window to inspect the amassing of his troops for the long journey to Netherstorm. He had lost a lot of weight; she could count all his ribs under the dim Shadowmoon sunlight. Their coupling was frantic the night before, so desperate, that in their drunken haze of passion she failed to notice the changes in his physique. Now, the unforgiving sun rays revealed the changes. He was pale as a ghost, and when he turned towards her, she noticed that his eyes were brimmed with dark circles. His smile, still the same, "thank the Sunwell', faltered when he saw her frown.
"What's wrong, Malae?", he whispered as he moved towards her, ready for round two.
"You've lost a lot of weight, Kael. It also appears like you've been ill for a very long time. Why didn't you tell me? What is it that you've been doing all these months, what did you discover past the Blade's Edge mountain range that made you decide to return and collect the majority of your army?", she opened her arms and held him as he kissed her.
"It's like I told you last night, my sweet. I fortified Eclipse and Firewing Points, aided Vashj with her little project and checked on Gruul. My scouts reported surges of unlimited arcane power past Blade's Edge, and I'm determined to collect it all for our people. As for my health, you' re correct, I have been unwell these past few months. Not only did I contract the Laughing Skull flu, but I also suffered from three bouts of withdrawal shakes and fever. Care to nurse me back to health, my beautiful Priestess?", he whispered between kisses.
Melande sighed, smiled at her sovereign and laid back allowing him to continue his ministrations. His lips traveled down her jaw to her neck where he nipped and sucked her favorite spot. His clever hands cupped her breasts and rolled her nipples between his fingers and were rewarded with a moan. He grinned and flipped her over. He hovered over her and moved her long blonde hair away from her shoulders and back, reveling at the beautiful curve of her spine as it gave way to the twin peaks of her perky backside. He traced his hand from her shoulder blades, slowly down to the curves of the rear and squeezed them before playfully smacking each cheek a few times, stealing more moans from her. He spread her legs apart with his knee, placed an arm around her waist and lifted her rear up before penetrating her with a growl. Malande's moans turned into cries of passion with every thrust and Kael increased his pace, until she eventually screamed his name as he roared her's when they climaxed. An hour later, he and his army stepped through the portal to Blade's Edge, close to the bridge that connected that continent to Netherstorm.
'I should have pressed the issue, I should have insisted that he should postpone his campaign until he fully recovered, but I was outvoted. Even Lord Illidan, though concerned with Kael's faltering health, decided that the campaign could not wait. Now, not only they've all been branded as possible traitors, but they also died horribly, while we're at the mercy of the Sha'tar, the Azerothian joint forces and their Naaru masters. Light, what will happen to all of us here and our people back home? This temple will not hold for very long no matter what Lord Illidan believes, it will eventually fall, and we will all become prey to those wretches. We're cut off from the rest of the world, all our strongholds have fallen and our allies and forces outside this temple are either dead or prisoners of war. No one can fly out of Karabor without being shot down, and even our magi are no longer able to create portals.', she sighed.
'Only Lord Illidan can still open portals, and even he is conserving all his strength and energy for the big assault against Argus, whenever that may be. Will he even be able to do that on time or are we going to starve to death long before that? He's been so weak since the mission to Auchindoon. He lost all the Fel Orcs he took with him and barely escaped with his own life. Light knows what would have happened to him if I hadn't sensed his distress and run to his chambers only to find him sprawled on the floor unconscious. All my mana was spent that night trying to stabilize him. He finally admitted to me just the other day when I checked up on him that his strength and power, though slowly replenishing is only a fraction of what it once was and it would take weeks, perhaps months before he recovers to full strength. What if our enemies break through before that? What if the mercenaries find a way in? I don't trust Akama and his tribe, I know that he is up to something, he betrayed Lord Illidan before, he will do so again given the chance.', the Priestess let out another sigh.
'Light! Everything is falling apart, so many people I knew and loved are gone, our home is destroyed, we journeyed to another world chasing waterfalls, we lost so many good people in Northrend and here, Kael'thas is gone and now the rest of us will not last the month. Is this it? Is this the true end of the Highborn? The end of the Sunstrider line and Dath'remar's legacy? Quel'thalas has fallen, Silvermoon lies in ruins, the Sunwell is destroyed and now the last Sunstrider is presumed dead. After eight thousand years of growth and prosperity, it has come down to this. The last true defenders of the Sin'dorei will fall to the swords of their kin and their allies. Anar'alah Belore ...', Malande whispered the last two words as she sat at the edge of the fountain in her private garden, a poor replica of her majestic garden back home.
For years she stayed strong for the sake of her people, for years she offered a sympathetic ear and provided comfort to all who needed it. Now though, it was she who required it, and none was left alive or had the time and energy to do so. Her small shoulders sagged and for the first time in a hundred years, she cried. She cried for her destroyed home, she cried for her dead family, friends, and comrades. She cried for her beautiful fallen prince, whom she followed for over a century wherever he went without question.
What distressed her the most now, was the fate of all the residents of the Black Temple. She knew without any doubt that there will be no mercy for them. The Sin'dorei, the Orcs, the Naga, the Broken Draenei, and the demons within Karabor were fiercely loyal to Lord Illidan and will fight to the very bitter end. They were all going to die, far away from home and will be remembered and hated for the things they did in this land in their quest for magic and power. None of the outsiders knew that everything they did was a means to an end in order to destroy an enemy that can never truly be destroyed unless Lord Illidan's mad plan worked. She cried for what seemed like hours in that small garden until she run out of tears. And then, as she recalled the events that brought her to this time and place she began to sing the lament that described her people's tragedies to the letter:
"Anar'alah, Anar'alah Belore..."
Illidan
Illidan sat in silence as he listened to Veras Darkshadow's report on the Tempest Keep massacre. All dead, Kael'thas missing in action. Most of his forces all around Outland were dead or prisoners of war. The "Axis of Stupid", as Nethermancer Zerevor called them, was very efficient in leaving nothing standing in their wake. Lady Vashj, once the "Queen Bitch's" handmaiden, and now the Lord of Outland's fiercely loyal left hand. Kargath Bladefist, ruthless and bloodthirsty, yet determined to blame and punish the Legion for the destruction of his planet and the loss of most of his people. Gruul, inherently stupid, yet extremely powerful and useful along with his numerous offspring. The brave and loyal Orcs of the Dragonmaw, Bonechewer, Laughing Skull and Shadowmoon clans. All dead or prisoners of war! And now his right-hand man. His best friend, one who over the years Illidan had come to think of as a little brother or possibly the son Tyrande and he could have had, had she not chosen Malfurion over him. The son he always wanted, one just as talented and brilliant as him was when he was Kael's age. And now, he's not only gone but was in the service of Kil'Jaeden for Elune knows how long, thus betraying him.
'This cannot be right. Young Kael would never willingly serve the Legion. The Lich King served the Legion, Arthas served the Lich King, and Arthas was responsible for the destruction of Quel'Thalas. Ner'Zhul was Kil'Jaeden's puppet both in life and death, the Deceiver created the Lich King, so why would Kael serve the one who created the destroyer of his home? Has his addiction twisted his mind so much that he thought that it was a good thing to surrender to the Legion?', Illidan wondered.
'Was it really him and his people at Netherstorm doing Elune knows what with the demons, or were they all replaced by impostors? I know for a fact that the Eredar, Nathrezim, Succubae and Doom Lords can shapeshift or use charms to assume the form of mortals and wreak havoc. Could they all be replaced by demons? Kil'Jaeden knew that such an act of betrayal would create a great rift between Kael and me, and believing that the crown prince of Quel'Thalas has joined the Legion would convince the Sin'dorei and the Horde to join forces with the Alliance and the Sha'tar to attack all my forces and allies, thus weakening my hold of Outland.', he reasoned.
'I realize that this is all wishful thinking from my part, but I just cannot accept that Kael would turncoat in a mere matter of months. Why would he order his forces to attack Shattrath in my name, even though I never authorized it? Why would he antagonize the only faction that probably hates the Legion more than I do? It sounds more like something the Deceiver would do and not Kael, even in his maddest days. He would never willingly serve Kil'Jaeden, that must have been an impostor. But I have no evidence to prove my theory and I cannot go and determine that myself now. Not with the entire might of the Horde, and the Sha'tar breathing down my neck. Perhaps after I deal with them I can go and have a good look at their corpses, most demonic shapeshifting, and charms persist beyond death, but my spectral sight will reveal the truth since only a Demon Hunter can see past the disguise.', he decided.
'If only Telarius and Thalia had returned with Veras. He found no trace of them among the dead. And he wasn't even supposed to be there. Thank Elune that he decided to follow the Sha'tar and Alliance army to Tempest Keep after he discovered that they were marching against Kael from his contacts in Shattrath. Telarius' spectral sight would have discovered the impostors, was that the reason why he and my beautiful little priestess disappeared? Were they slaughtered the moment he uncovered them? Did they dispose of their corpses before Veras arrived there? Did I send them to their deaths? I would like to think that Telarius is clever enough to not confront them head-on, but rather take Thalia and return straight to me, or go into hiding until it was safe for them to come and report their findings. But I cannot know for certain about their fates until I finish dealing with the mortals surrounding my citadel', he stood up and paced the chamber, nine steps either side of course. Old habits die hard. Especially ten-thousand-year-old habits.
'Perhaps I should have revealed our involvement during the Horde and Alliance's successful establishment of their very first foothold here in Outland at the Dark Portal. They would have all been slaughtered had we not slain Kruul and his forces. Perhaps I should have made our presence known and explained to their leaders my true intentions concerning the Legion. Perhaps I should have visited Shattrath and talked to A'dal myself about my plans instead of just ignoring them and allowing Vashj to hoard all the water of Outland in the hopes that they would be forced to cooperate with us. Perhaps I should have tried to convince Maiev that my enemy always had and always will be the Legion and not her, our people and the rest of our world or worlds, instead of locking her up in that hole so that she can feel what I felt for ten thousand years. After all, she wasn't the one who sentenced and left me there to rot, Tyrande and my brother did that. She just watched over me. Perhaps I should just go to her cell and release her right now and express my newly discovered feelings for her. Focus, Illidan, she will just laugh at your face, and you have larger fish to fry right now. You will go to her after you have dealt with the enemies at your doorstep. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to Akama's dealings, reinforced my strongholds and supported my subordinates when they truly needed me the most.' Illidan sighed.
'I thought that they were doing fine, that they had things well under control while I trained my Demon Hunters, attacked minor Legion worlds with them, destroyed Nathreza and prepared for our campaign against Argus and the rest of the core Legion worlds. So many mistakes, one would think that a fifteen thousand-year-old individual would be wiser and more careful, but I have always been like that. I became too wrapped up in my goals, that I left everybody else to their fates. Oh well, as the humans say, there's no point crying over spilled milk. I will deal with these ignorant mortals after I send my demon Hunters to Mardum to retrieve the Sargerite keystone. With that in my possession, I will have access to all the Legion worlds, and I will destroy them one by one. But I cannot send my Illidari just yet, the stars will be in perfect alignment tomorrow evening for the portal, and it appears that the mortals at the gates are just throwing themselves at my forces and are dying like the fools they are. Perhaps I should rest as much as I can to conserve and replenish my strength until the time comes to invade Argus or in the unlikely chance, the mortals infiltrate my fortress. My generals have everything under control, they all seemed to be amused by how many soldiers the "Axis of Stupid" is losing to my demons and the Dragonmaw Netheriders. Well if they think that attacking my citadel was a colossal mistake now, wait till I order my Fel Orcs to join in the attack tomorrow. Fools, they should be attacking the Legion strongholds and not me. They're only reinforcing Kil'Jaeden right now.', Illidan smirked and looked at his lieutenants.
Gathios was pacing the chamber as well, shouting curses and oaths against those who slew their people, vowing vengeance upon them, Zerevor had his face in his hands and was shaking his head, while Veras played with his daggers, obviously wishing that he could slit the throats of as many mercenaries' necks as possible. What concerned Illidan the most was Malande's behavior, she hadn't spoken a word since Veras brought them the dreadful news. She just sat there staring into space with a blank look on her beautiful face. The only indication he had that something was wrong with her was how pale she has become suddenly. He was not surprised that the news distressed her, she and Kael were very close, being friends for over a century and occasional lovers for the past six years, ever since Thalia returned to Quel'Thalas after the events at the Dalaran ruins.
It was not an uncommon practice for Elves to bed their closest friends of the opposite sex or sometimes the same if both were inclined that way. Illidan had bedded Tyrande often before she chose Malfurion as her lifemate, banning thus the then young Sorcerer from her bed forever. He did notice that over the years all three male members of the Illidari council had warmed Malande's bed on occasion and Kael'thas did not mind at all. In fact, all four of them visited the Den of Mortal Delights quite often, while Kael's personal chambers were situated right in the middle of it. Illidan, on the other hand, preferred a female sent to his chambers rather than having to go down there and chose one himself while the other visitors watched. And visit they did, quite often, as a matter of fact, to relieve the stress of dealing with the hardships Outland offered, that was the reason why the entertainers of the Den were paid so highly for their services. There were almost as many males there as females, ready and willing to pleasure female Elves. Even humans had joined the ranks of the den's entertainers during the past six months preferring to bed beautiful Elves rather than killing them and be generously compensated for it of course.
'Focus, Illidan. Your concern is lady Malande's distress, not the sexual practices of your subordinates. She really doesn't look well, perhaps I should dismiss them all and let them rest for a while before the real battle ensues if the "Axis of Stupid" manages to break through the gates.', he chastised himself again.
"You're dismissed, get some rest, we will reconvene at the crack of dawn. The demons and the Dragonmaw fliers would have decimated their ranks by then, perhaps the mortals would be more inclined to parley or just leave us be.", he ordered them and watched as lady Malande silently stood up and left the chambers like the walking dead. He almost shuddered at that thought, he remembered all too well the undead Elves at Suramar ten thousand years ago, and the undead Humans at the ruins of Dalaran and Northrend a few years back and how they tore at the flesh of the living.
' I really should talk to her, she looks unwell.', Illidan turned towards the exit, when Gathios called after him.
"Lord Illidan, I have a few ideas about the defensive. May I discuss them with you before I relay them to my lieutenants should they meet your approval?, Illidan nodded and spent the next half hour listening to the Shutterer's suggestions. He approved and dismissed him. Zerevor had already left for his post, while Veras went to his..., where did Veras go when he was in the Temple?
Illidan headed towards the High Priestess' inner sanctum. As he approached her garden he heard a sweet but extremely sad female voice singing a millennia-old and very familiar lament. The language may have slightly changed over the eons, the words may be altered along with the events, but the theme remained the same. It was that of an enemy about to break through the defense lines. The enemy used to be the Legion, then it became the Scourge and now it's the Sin'dorei's own kin along with the rest of the Azerothian forces and the Sha'tar.
'So Malande believes that we are going to fail. I will have to convince her otherwise then.', he stood at his tracks and watched as the blonde Priestess sang sitting by the edge of the fountain one hand on her lap while the other swirled the water beneath her, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Anar'alah,
Anar'alah belore
Sin'dorei
Shindu fallah na
Sin'dorei
Anar'alah
Shindu Sin'dorei
Shindu fallah na
Sin'dorei
Anar'alah belore
Shindu Sin'dorei
Shindu fallah na
Sin'dorei
Anar'alah belore
Belore"
Illidan waited until the Priestess had finished her song before he made his presence known.
"Lady Malande?", the Priestess jumped on her fee and wiped her tears.
"Lord Illidan, is there something I can do for you?", she bowed before her leader.
"I was wondering if I could do something for you, instead, my Lady. You've been taking care of all us nonstop for the past six years, now you are the one in distress and I will do my best to ease your troubled soul. I don't need to ask you the reason for your distress, the news we just received was devastating, many good people died, people, you've known, cared for and loved. I must admit that I feel like I just lost a brother, Kael was a good person and a good friend, and I don't believe for a second that he turned coat. It's not in his character to betray his friends and family like that, and trust me, he considered all of us as family. Your people suffered devastating losses at the hands of the Lich King, the Scourge, and Arthas. And all of them are Kil'Jaeden's creations. Kael knows that he would never knowingly bend the knee to the Legion. My theory is that Kael and the rest of his forces were replaced by Legion agents. I sent two agents of my own to investigate this theory as soon as I heard about the rumors and if they do not return by the time we defeat the intruders, I will go there myself to examine the bodies. My spectral sight will reveal the impostors. Perhaps my agents will know the true fate of your people, and if they don't, I swear to you, that I will not return to the Black Temple until I discover it. But knowing Kael, I bet that he managed to outwit the Legion and escaped them along with your kin. And they will turn up here eventually, hopefully, sooner than later, we could really use them right now.", Illidan placed a reassuring hand on Malande's shoulder.
"You really think so, my Lord?", Malande looked up at his blindfold with a hopeful look on her beautiful face.
"I know so, my dear", he smiled. The priestess felt relief wash over her and hugged the Lord of Outland, overstepping her boundaries. But Illidan didn't mind at all, on the contrary, he welcomed her affection and went a step further by hugging her back and stroking her golden hair. Malande relaxed in his arms and moments later, she lifted her head to thank him.
It was always hard to read Illidan's face because of his blindfold, but his expression told Malande that something has changed. And a heartbeat later, she knew what that was. Illidan lowered his head and kissed her. It was a soft kiss, it barely brushed her lips, as if asking for permission to continue. And Malande granted him permission by kissing him back. Their kiss deepened, Illidan held her tighter and traced his hands along her body over her white silk robes.
"Your chambers, or mine?", he asked her between kisses.
"Mine. They are closer.", she answered, and he chuckled, as she led him to her chambers. 'Finally, after five years of trying, I will finally get to bed the Lord of Outland. I hope I conceive tonight, I'm on my fertile days, any child sired by him is bound to bring glory to the Sin'dorei. I may have been unable to produce an offspring with Kael, he was adamant that he was more than content with the children Thalia gave him and did not desire anymore, but I'm confident that it will happen tonight. I just hope that I will survive the invaders to have and raise my child or children.', any more thoughts were lost in the throes of passion, as Illidan's lips and hands explored every nook and cranny of her body after he lowered her to the bed.
Malande's robes were slowly removed as Illidan's hands and lips traveled down her body. His mouth captured her nipple, while his fingers played with the other one. His other hand helped her get rid of her robes the rest of the way and then proceeded to play with her nether regions over her silk panties. Malande moaned and arched her body, asking for more, and Illidan was quick to oblige. He helped her remove them and got rid of his pants.
Illidan lifted Malande's legs over his shoulders and proceeded to pleasure her with his mouth, enjoying the time where his mind wandered away from Maiev. He managed to forget about the Warden during his frantic coupling with Thalia a month ago, he was hoping that the same will happen with Malande too, if only for a little while.
Malande's cries of passion brought Illidan back to reality, he never thought that he could bring a female to a state of ecstasy, while he thought of another one. 'Focus, Illidan. You are not being fair to Malande. She deserves more than that. You need to concentrate on her and stop thinking about Maiev and whether Thalia is still alive or not. And Telarius for that matter.', Illidan entered Malande slowly, capturing her lips. His pace increased as her cries increased and by the time she wailed his name as she came, his mind had gone blank as he spilled his seed inside her, roaring a name…
"MAIEV…"