Chapter Five: Off the Rails
Ashenvale Forest was healing well since the Battle of Mount Hyjal.
Jaina Proudmoore had not been back here since the end of the Third War. Since then, many of the blackened trees had been restored to a healthy green. M much of the blight had been driven back. Jaina wished that the news from Lordaeron had been as good. But by all appearances, the Forsaken would rule from now on.
As she came to the roots of the World Tree, Tyrande Whisperwind greeted her. Tyrande was a majestically beautifully, green-haired elven woman. Her violet skin was flawless, and with her was Malfurion Stormrage, the Archdruid.
"Lady Proudmoore, let me welcome you to Ashenvale," said Malfurion. "However, I am surprised at the abruptness of your arrival." The night elves valued their seclusion, after all, and Jaina felt bad about appearing.
"You have my apologies, Archdruid," said Jaina. "However, I am in need of aid from the Night Elves."
"What seems to have been the problem?" asked Tyrande.
"There have been changes in my city," said Jaina. "A mercenary named Tanith Telus has taken control of my city. While I am still nominally the leader, my loyalists have been reassigned to the border forts. At the same time, she has brought in former members of my Father's military.
Ordinarily, I would deal with this myself.
"However, there is a far worse problem. Tanith has convinced many of the Horde's enemies to attack it simultaneously. At the same time, she is planning to launch attacks on Horde sympathetic neutral parties.
"My armies are being mobilized to attack Brackenwall Village in the Duskwallow Marshes."
Tyrande and Malfurion shared a glance, and there seemed to be some kind of disagreement. Tyrande looked back to Jaina. "...So, the Horde's military is occupied fighting off attacks on multiple fronts?"
"Yes," said Jaina, not sure why she thought that was the important part of the story. Granted, the Horde still occupied part of Ashenvale, but they'd put all that behind them.
"And your alliance with them is in tatters?" pressed Tyrande further.
"Technically, it still stands, but..." Jaina sighed. "I don't think I will be able to send any forces to help Thrall, even if he trusts me enough to ask."
"This is dire news indeed," said Malfurion gravely. "We must make plans to aid our allies in the Horde-"
"Hush, Malfurion," said Tyrande, before looking back. "Shandris! Gather our armies! Call the dryads and stone giants and all the sentinels! Let every bow be bent!"
"Yes, Priestess Tyrande!" said Shandris.
Well, that was success, but Jaina didn't want another invasion of her city. "I'm glad for your assistance, but I was hoping to avoid direct bloodshed-"
"We march to war with the Horde!" cried Tyrande, and cheers came from the night elves.
"Wait, what?" said Jaina.
"What?" asked Malfurion. "Tyrande, is this truly befitting of us?"
"Priestess Tyrande, please reconsider!" said Jaina, realizing what she was planning. "The orcs have atoned for their crimes-"
"Surely, you don't think that we have forgiven or forgotten the murder of Cenarius?" asked Tyrande flatly. "Warchief Thrall may have admitted the act was wrong, but he has not asked for forgiveness. Nor has he restored the lands of Ashenvale stolen by Hellscream from us.
"Far from atoning for his misdeeds, they have simply dismissed them as not their fault. Then happily taken the benefits, they gained from them."
"We stand ready to serve you, Tyrande Whisperwind!" cried the night elves, as warriors rushed out.
"But Priestess Tyrande, if we attack now, it will only continue the cycle of hatred!" said Jaina.
"In my experience, a cycle of hatred can't continue if one side is dead," noted Tyrande.
"Tyrande," said Malfurion. "what purpose was served by making peace if we are to break it of our own accord."
"Because it was a war we couldn't win," said Tyrande with a shrug. "When I agreed to a truce with the Alliance and Horde, they were allied with eachother against us. I was hesitant to directly confront both of them. Now, however, the orcs are beset on all sides, and the Alliance cannot help them.
"Now is the perfect time to reclaim the territory that they stole from us."
"There must be a peaceful solution to all of this!" said Jaina.
Tyrande felt both Malfurion and Jaina's gaze on her and finally relented. "I see your point.
"Very well, when we attack Warsong Gulch, I shall offer them the chance to leave before we attack. Then we'll slaughter them to the last child if they don't agree."
"Perhaps some kind of compromise-" began Jaina.
"A compromise is a concession here," said Tyrande. "The Horde is holding territory that my people were thrown off and which is ours by right. They are felling trees and defiling the land, even as they pretend to be one with it.
"But no more.
"We march! Let us drive them from the land!
"There shall be no moonrise for orcs!"
"...You're really not on my side with this, are you?" asked Jaina sadly.
"Are you on your side, Lady Proudmoore?" asked Tyrande flatly.
And so it was that Tyrande Whisperwind led her enthusiastic armies off to start an all-out war. Jaina had the feeling that she'd lost control of her life if she'd ever had it. She looked to Malfurion, who had just been overruled by his wife.
"...I'm going to go evacuate Brackenwall Village as best I can," said Jaina. "You've all been a huge help." Then she teleported away.
As it turned out, Jaina needn't have bothered.
What remained of Brackenwall's population was fleeing for their lives. Ogres were clutching what few belongings they could take with them. Children were running or being carried by their parents. Hundreds of corpses were lying in a town of flaming buildings as the fighting began to wind down. Tanith was there, hacking down an ogre before hurling a dagger to get another in the back.
"How..." said Jaina. "How did they burn it down that quickly! I only just left!"
The servants had warned her Tanith was planning this. But Jaina hadn't seen any real signs of a mobilization. Then she saw a cadre of knights riding after the fleeing refugees. Teleporting between them, she summoned water elementals.
"Stop!" cried Jaina.
"Why are you interfering with the attack?" asked Lieutenant Benedict at the front.
"Leave the refugees, let them go," said Jaina. "I will not allow a genocide."
"You don't-" began Benedict.
The Tanith approached with her men, the flames rising to new heights behind her. She was soaked in blood and smiling wildly. "You forget yourself, Benedict. Do as she says. She is your leader, after all."
"But Lady Telus, the Horde is in full retreat! We should exterminate them now!" said Benedict.
"Did they exterminate you when they had you crushed?" asked Tanith.
"...No," said Benedict.
"Well then, I believe we owe them the same debt, don't we?" asked Tanith, moving up to Jaina. "Right this way, Lady Proudmoore."
Jaina followed in a daze, watching as Tanith washed the blood off her face, still smiling. Jaina looked around at the bodies of the soldiers from the Alliance. Many of them were orcs, while the humans all bore the symbol of the Burning Blade.
"How did you do this so quickly?" asked Jaina. "Where did you get the forces?"
"Simple enough," said Tanith. "The Burning Blade has a pretty extensive network of orcs and humans. All of them working together to undermine the Alliance and Horde truce. I had Yarrog bring them here en masse through open borders. All with the understanding they'd get to burn a village. And that by doing so, I'd be able to start a war.
"I then used the Burning Blade as disposable shock troops. Meanwhile, the Kul'Tiran's remained in reserve."
"Cannon fodder?" asked Jaina.
"They're a doomsday cult who wants to end the world," said Tanith with a shrug. "It's not like they plan on living, while we do. Don't worry; they think I'm some sort of demonlord plotting the downfall of all things.
"So, how did your trip to the night elves go?"
"How did you..." Jaina halted. 'How could you possibly know about that?"
"Lucky guess," admitted Tanith. "Your first instinct to every problem is to run crying to a higher power and obey whatever it says. The orcs aren't talking to you; I'm not listening, that leaves the night elves."
Jaina decided to bluff here. "...They have pledged their full support to retake Theramore.
I am willing to give you a chance to cede power now. I suggest you take it."
"You're a bad liar, you know that," said Tanith with a wry smile. "If I had a bet, they gave you an I-owe-you, promising to help reclaim your city. Then they marched to war with the orcs.
"That's what I would do."
"They are not you!" snapped Jaina.
"Of course not," said Tanith. "But if I were an ancient race of elves who loved nature with a proud history as warriors, that's what I'd do. Putting yourself into the head of the enemy is a useful skill.
"Try it sometime, patricide." She glanced back to where Yarrog was looking at the corpses of his men with a frown. "Yarrog, what do your sources tell us?"
"...We've lost a third of our number in this attack," said Yarrog. "The Burning Blade has been more than decimated. Turus is dead, so are most of our orcish members."
"Well yeah," said Tanith. "No offense, but if I've got to choose between Kul'Tiras and the omnicidal maniac, I'll take the former. Who did you think I was going to use as suicide troops?
"Good work with the imps, by the way. Now answer the question." Wait, so she'd deliberately sent the Burning Blade to die here? This had been a purgeāa purge of Tanith's original forces.
Jaina felt horrified and then remembered they worked for the Burning Legion. That... complicated things
Yarrog shook himself. "Thrall has rallied his defenses against the invaders. He has won several victories. However, he is unable to capitalize on his advantages because of the endless wars. If we press the attack-"
"We are not pressing the attack," said Tanith. "We've gained some serious territory; now we're going to consolidate our hold. Still, there is the matter of Ratchet."
"What of it?" asked Yarrog.
"It's the only major port the Horde has, and it's technically neutral," said Tanith. "They're occupied with the centaurs. If it were to be wiped off the map, we'd the Horde would have to go through us."
"You can't do that!" said Jaina quickly.
"Why not?" asked Tanith flatly. "What's in it for us not to do that?"
"Because if you attack Ratchet we'll be the only major port in Kalimdor," said Jaina. "The Horde would have no choice but to attack us. They are already baying for your blood; what you're doing would force an all-out conflict.
"You've only made it this far by taking advantage of Thrall's good-will and reluctance to break his oath. If you're too aggressive, you'll lose everything."
Tanith nodded. "...You know, that actually makes sense." Then she glanced at Yarrog. "So, where's Zmodler?"
"Zmodler?" asked Yarrog.
"Yes, your demon master," said Tanith. "I got the name out of a fisherman on your personnel lists. What is he going to do next?"
Yarrog shifted. "I...
"That information is not-"
Tanith's swords were out and at Yarrog's throat in a moment. "Do you value loyalty to Zmodler more than your life?"
"Who is Zmodler?" asked Jaina.
"A demon who is running the Burning Blade at the moment," said Tanith. Or was. I want him dead; his existence could cause me... problems.
"So, answer the question, Yarrog. Do you value your loyalty to Zmodler over your life?"
"No," said Yarrog, looking unsteady. "Of course not. His plan is to destroy the forests near the Thunder Plains. Thus provoking a mass rampage and damage the orcish holdings in that region. Thunder Lizards are prone to going berserk when ecological damage hurts them.
"Our original plan was to provoke a war between the Alliance and Horde. Mostly via small skirmishes that provoked them."
"Great," said Tanith, glancing at Jaina. "Jaina, you're a powerful sorceress. Make yourself useful and kill Zmodler, will you? It might earn you some respect."
"By myself?" asked Jaina.
"Yes," said Tanith. "If you succeed at this, then you'll have actually achieved something worthwhile. Other than turning every guy you romance into a Dark Lord, that is."
Jaina went still. "I do not-" She hesitated. Arthas was the Lich King, Kael'thas had started using Fel Magic, but he wasn't a Dark Lord yet. Technically. Granted, he lived in a black fortress, commanded demons, and- "None of that was my fault!"
"Sure it wasn't," said Tanith.
"Where are you going?" snapped Jaina, not even bothering to correct her.
"Obviously, I'm going with you," said Tanith. "I want to kill this Zmodler myself and make sure you don't screw up again."
Jaina clenched a fist and resisted the urge to burn her to a cinder. Rage bubbled and then, suddenly, froze over. "...Fine, I'll play your game.
"But you're coming with me."
Slamming her staff against the ground, she teleported both of them to Northwatch Hold. Within Loreena's office, she found the Captain looking over reports. She stood as she saw Jaina. "Lady Proudmoore, we just-"
"Colonel Loreena, in my absence, you are now in charge of Theramore's military," said Jaina. "You will take command immediately of Theramore. Consult with Kristoff on the subject."
Loreena halted. "...Yes, Lady Proudmoore. What about the Kul'Tirans?"
"Tell them we're focusing on solidifying our defenses," said Jaina, writing out a command. "The damage is already done, so for now, we'll just fortify Northwatch Hold and the other areas."
"Yes, ma'am," said Loreena.
"Let's go," snapped Jaina.
"Whatever you say," said Tanith as Jaina teleported her away.
Jaina felt irritated at this. Didn't Tanith even care that Jaina had just cut her out of command? Without Tanith there, her tentative alliance would collapse in on itself. But Tanith just glanced around at their surroundings.
When they got to the place they'd teleported to, it turned out to be a forest. More specifically, a dead one. Vast numbers of trees had been cut down all around them. Tanith looked around. "...Well, from the looks of things, somebody already clearcut this place. Too late, how awful. Let's head back."
"No, we should investigate this further," said Jaina. In the worst case scenario, she could always abandon Tanith here.
"As you command, milady," said Tanith.
That was it, what was she up to. "You don't seem upset at losing command."
"Why would I be upset?" asked Tanith. "Power means nothing to me. I'm just doing my job."
"If you were doing my job, you wouldn't have seized control of my nation and started a war of conquest!" snapped Jaina.
"A regent is employed by an infant King. But he doesn't ask him for his opinion," said Tanith.
"I am no infant!" snapped Jaina.
"Sure, but that doesn't make you qualified to rule a Kingdom," said Tanith. "You really seem more like the trophy wife sort. The kind who throws fireballs when commanded and isn't involved in decisions."
"I was the only one who would listen to the Prophet!" snapped Jaina.
"Yeah, that should say something about how good an idea it was," said Tanith. "If every single king decided it was a fool's errand, chances are there was something wrong with your plan."
"The King's of the Allianced funded my expedition," shot back Jaina. "I organized the whole thing myself."
"Did they?" asked Tanith. "Would they have been able to fund an expedition for the population of the Eastern Kingdoms?"
Jaina looked down. "...No."
"So you were for just taking a select for and abandoning the rest to die horrible deaths by the undead?" asked Tanith. "That's cold, even to me."
"You weren't there!" said Jaina. "I saw what the undead did to my home!"
"Maybe it was the right call, then," said Tanith. "All I know is that the orcs have done exceedingly well out of it, at everyone else's expense. You ought to find yourself some better gods; these ones don't seem to be acting in your best interest."
"The light loves all creatures and looks out for their benefit," said Jaina.
"Yeah, but your race doesn't consist of 'all creatures.' More importantly, it survives by violent subjugation of weaker races," noted Tanith. "Didn't you wipe out a colony of merlocs when you conquered Theramore? What do you think is good for them?
"What's good for 'all creatures' is often terrible for the individual. And the universe is made up of individuals.
"Let's find a witness who can tell us what is going on here. I see some smoke in the distance."
Jaina hated Tanith.
Unfortunately, her ideology made perfect, brutal sense. Jaina was going to have to find a flaw in it, or she'd the woman would rip the whole world apart.
