Chapter 30 – Life or undeath

She went inside the old, rocky temple. It was cold and dark, like nobody had been there for several centuries. Nobody probably had. It smelt like a mixture between ancient mana dust and mould and she thought she could sense the presence of stealthed void walkers. Vigilant, she stepped down the stone steps and scouted the room. It was the beginning of a labyrinth. Three options, three paths, three different fates.

Eenie meenie miney moe…

Her senses told her she was crazy; insane even. However, it was worth it. That's when she thought of her. The light in the dark. The light in her dark. Jaina

"Jaina? Erm… Lady Proudmoore?!" Dafar cleared his throat and raised his voice.

Jaina suddenly jumped as the stag she was riding called her name.

"Pardon me, Dafar, I was miles away". Jaina wiped her forehead instinctively. She was slightly sweaty.

"Thinking about our Warchief again?" Ayawa asked abruptly. After only knowing her for one day, Jaina had already learnt that the young blood elf was not the one to think before she spoke. She frowned at Ayawa.

"It's personal!" Jaina snapped. Ayawa lifted her hands in the air defensively. "Sure, no problem, I was only checking in you know!"

"Hey, you two, quit bickering and take a look". Dafar pointed with his antlers and nodded towards the edge of the cliff.

Despite the surprise from Dafar's tone in telling them off, both Jaina and Ayawa turned to see a fantastic view. They were on the very top of the Highmountain pass, allowing them to see the entirety of Stormheim. It was a breath taking view, despite Stormheim displaying its usual dull and grey atmosphere. They could see deep forests, beautiful waterfalls, and ancient temples and monuments in memory of the Titans.

"I can see the Forsaken Foothold from here, maybe they will know where Sylvanas is". Jaina held her right hand over her eyes as she squinted over the prehistoric landscape. The Legion had almost been eradicated from Stormheim now as the Forsaken had a very strong foothold in this part of the Broken Isles.

Jaina knew it was only one zone, it was a great advantage for the Horde and an important victory in the battle against the Legion. She silently gulped as she realised she was assessing the situation in favour of the Horde. Thinking of what was good for the Horde and their Warchief. Did this make her a deserter? A traitor even? Should she worry that her love for Sylvanas blinded her?

She did not have the time to make up her mind about that right now.

"Hold on tight ladies, this will go fast". Dafar reared and rode swiftly down the mountain side and both Jaina and Ayawa reacted quickly by ducking down grabbing the leashes.

"Hssssssssssssss!" A forsaken deathguard ran up to Jaina with a spear in his hands and hissed in her face when she dismantled Dafar's back. Luckily, Jaina had gotten used to getting hissed at by forsaken people by now.

"Please, sir, we come in peace. I am Jaina Proudmoore, I seek Lady Windrunner". The young mage gestured for the man to calm down.

The man licked what remained of his lips and lowered his spear, yet continued to hiss at her.

"We don't welcome Alliance scum here! Our Queen would never allow it! LEAVE!" He was ready to raise his spear again.

"You fool, our Queen would have your head on that spear if she knew of this behaviour towards her most trusted collaborator. You ought to know by now, Lady Proudmoore is considered an honourable guest in our camps". A female forsaken deathguard in silver plate clothing and a purple hood walked up to the enraged man and pulled his shoulder for him to turn away.

"Thank you miss, I appreciate it". Jaina smiled at the woman. "We truly come in peace, I seek our Queen. I have not seen her since she left Orgrimmar about a week ago. She has not returned to Kalimdor or let anyone know of her presence since".

The woman stiffened and scolded at Jaina.

"Are you trying to tell me our Banshee Queen is missing?!" She gritted her teeth.

Jaina suddenly got an iffy feeling and did not like Sylvanas' name and missing in the same sentence.

"I wouldn't say missing, but she might have gone on an every so little solo mission. I thought she might have been here". Jaina twiddled with her fingers. She knew of the protectiveness and loyalty the Forsaken felt for their Queen. It was not as if she wished to raise any concern among them. That could turn out rather ugly.

The woman clenched her boned fists and took an empty breath like undead do.

"Our Queen was here. But…" She paused and looked over her shoulder as if she was checking that no one heard what she was about to say.

"If she dies on this so-called 'solo-mission', it's on you Lady Proudmoore. We only tolerate you out of loyalty to our Queen. Ever since you came around, our dear Dark Lady has lost her true path. She's filled with rational thoughts… Empathy… Sympathy" The woman muttered and snarled, washing away all the friendliness in her tone.

Jaina instantly felt guilt creep up on her. It was her fault, she knew that. Sylvanas' strong desire to be alive and breathing was because of her. If she got herself killed, it truly would be Jaina's fault.

"You! Away from them, I will deal with this you imbeciles!" The forsaken deathguards hissed as they rushed away. A face she recognized from a few other formal occasions appeared and Jaina let out a sigh in relief. Nathanos Blightcaller.

"What is it that you all want? Has the Dark Lady not returned to Orgrimmar?" Nathanos raised an eyebrow.

Jaina shook her head and stared at the Champion of the Banshee Queen. "No, she has not. But one of the deathguards just told us she was in fact here recently. What is going on?!"

Nathanos sighed. "There was an incident with the worgen here a couple of days back. The Dark Lady was forced to flee as they targeted her. We managed to push them back and evict them from our foothold. She promised she would return to Orgrimmar, but I suppose you are not the only one she had fooled, my lady".

Dafar and Ayawa stepped up on either side of Jaina, offering their support. Dafar sighed.

"My lady, perhaps we should return to the Thunder Totem. Our Warchief clearly has no desire to be found". He put his hand on Jaina's shoulder.

"No! She's out there because of me. It is true what the deathguard said, it would be my fault if she died". Jaina brushed off Dafar's hand. Nathanos' red eyes landed on Jaina after shifting between the three.

"Excuse me, but what exactly have you driven the Dark Lady to do? I was aware that you two have been getting close. I don't suppose that has something to do with this?"

Jaina inhaled and swallowed hard. In order to find Sylvanas, she would without a doubt need Nathanos. The one Sylvanas had trained to think like herself.

"She is on a mission to find a cure, sir. A cure for undeath. She strives to be alive again; alive as in heated skin and a beating heart".

Nathanos' nose flared and Jaina noticed he was shocked.

"I think she believes we will stand a chance together if she was alive. Our love would be accepted. As it stands now, she doesn't think we can be together as the Banshee Queen and the former leader of the Kirin Tor".

The Champion of the Banshee Queen scoffed.

"Well Lady Proudmoore, I think we can both agree that it is farfetched, if not absurd even. The Dark Lady needs an equal partner. She cannot lead the forsaken with a reputable Alliance member. How do you think our people would react? There are two scenarios in which you can be together: either you will rise in undeath and rule by her side as forsaken. Or she will have to be alive, her former self, Ranger-General Sylvanas of Quel'Thalas. The curse would that way be broken and it would set our people free, including Sylvanas. I am assuming, from what you are telling me, she has chosen the latter. I doubt she would want to kill and raise you, it is something nobody should have to go through".

Jaina was lost for words. She could nothing but shake her head and stare to the ground. If Sylvanas did not find a cure for undeath, would it be over between the two of them? For good this time?

"Please, Sir Blightcaller. She has trained you well, please help me find her. I cannot let anything happen to her".

"I am not sure she is ours to save, Lady Proudmoore. No one should interfere with Sylvanas' business. If she has made her choice, then the decision has been made".

"Please! I beg of you sir. The forsaken needs their Queen and the Horde needs their Warchief, now more than ever! Take a look around you, there is nothing but devastation in these lands. We need her, she is our leader".

Jaina guessed it must have been something about the desperation in her tone that made Nathanos change his mind. Because after staring at her, thinking hard for a minute he nodded and replied.

"For the forsaken."