Genn Greymane's Attempt
We had all been concerned by what Sylvanas had requested, but it could not concern us more than what would likely come of it. She had requested for Genn Greymane, her most enthusiastic and unrelenting rival, to be the second of her visitors. I could feel sweat pouring from my skin and dripping from by hair at the mere thought of what consequences would come of this meeting. I knew in my gut that any and all conversation between these two would end disastrously, and I loathed contemplating whom would lose their patience with the other first.
Genn sat quietly to himself, lost in his thought as he has been since he had learned of the request. I admire that he had been taking this much more seriously than when we had started, as he seemed much more cautious and more aware of the precariousness of our ordeal. I'm glad that what I had said may have finally knocked some sense into him, but I still felt that it may not have been enough.
"Alright" Genn nodded and said allowed before stepping away from the column he had stat against, "I'm going in". As all eyes in the room fell upon him, I could immediately sense that they all wanted to question him and everything that would happen. What had he planned so say, What he was thinking, were his priorities in order, would he control his temper, would he put love in front of his hate. But by the time any of us could work up the courage to say anything, he had already entered the chamber and left us to nervously anticipate his return.
He slowly stalked into the dark chamber and was washed over by a cold and foreboding presence, Sylvanas standing in the centre. From the fervent glance in her eyes, he could tell that she had somewhat anticipated his arrival. But such anticipation felt greatly misplaced considering their circumstances, and Genn was not afraid to state as much in a rather ungracious interlude.
"What is there for the both of us to speak of" Genn questioned cynically, "You don't regret your actions and I don't regret mine". Sylvanas pursed her lips and her eyes remained inscrutable, and Genn could not fathom her reaction to his blunt statement. "You assume much. But you're wrong…" Sylvanas corrected as she exhaled. A think, cold mist surrounded her every breath as she spoke, "I do regret killing your son, and not simply for my sake".
Genn furrowed his eyebrows, "I'm not convinced" he lectured before pausing for a moment. "Not that it makes any difference if I were" he added abruptly, falling silent with a look of expectation on his features. Sylvanas and Genn both felt it was nessicary for her to explain herself, but Sylvanas wanted to make sure that Genn would know what she said was genuine. She cupped her hands together and stared off into the darkness of the small chamber.
"I never knew your son, obviously" she clarified, "But that doesn't mean I was ignorant of… certain things about him". Genn tilted his head as his eyes narrowed, "What does that mean?"
"In the short time I knew him… I could understand lots about him" Sylvanas spoke in a soft tone, and not a single drip of deceit could be sensed from it. "He is one of the most heroic people I had seen in the many years I've been a soldier" She explained with sudden exhales as she spoke, as if the mere thought of such a person excited her. "Working with the forsaken and such has had its shining moments for me" she insisted, "But I never realised how much I had missed the sight of a truly honourable and heroic act on the battlefield".
Genn was surprised at how Sylvanas had suddenly begun to gush and offer affection for his son, but he didn't intend on ending it. "He gave up his life, a life he had only started to live, to save even one life" she exclaimed as her tone became slowly more sombre, "What little power he had to do such a monumental deed of kindness". As much as he refused to credit her in anyway, Genn found comfort that Sylvanas, despite killing her son, would honour his sacrifice as she had. "For what that's worth…" Genn began, but fell silent at the sight of Sylvanas' blood red glare.
"He was also a moron" she sneered, "Genuinely stupid and simpleminded".
What the hell?!
Genn's jaw hung open, "What?"
Sylvanas' previous colour and emotion had all but vanished, as if they had never been there at all.
"He never even considered the consequences of his actions. The effects of sacrificing himself for your sake" she informed the perplexed king. "He never considered a future where he never achieved his legacy" she continued, "His legacy of replacing you as the King of Gilneas". Genn's fists tightened as she spat her venomous criticisms, but Sylvanas seemed to notice his welling rage and was less than deterred.
"He would've been better off letting you die" Sylvanas hissed, "And a true prince would've r4ealised it, and not the naive child he was raised to be". She held her arms behind her back as she leaned into Genn's face, "He never could've imagined what you would do and what would be done following his absence". Genn's form quivered violently as his anger reached its peak, allowing Sylvanas to land the final blow. She whispered through clenched teeth, "His impulsiveness and goodwill doomed your people more than any of my efforts ever could".
"Silence! You will not desecrate my son's memory!" Genn shouted, all but forgetting that his roar would echo throughout the chamber for his allies to hear. Unlike his undoubtedly terrified allies awaiting his return, Sylvanas hadn't even flinched.
Sylvanas sneered, "You don't need any help from me, Greymane".
…
Genn thoughts ground to a halt.
"What?"
"Trust the prideful father to be never consider himself to blame" Sylvanas straightened her poster and posed stalwartly. "Your warmongering, your thirst for vengeance… all claimed to be for your young Prince's sake" she spat as she waved her hand towards Genn in dismissal, "You have done a decent enough job drowning his memory without me". Genn's anger competed with his confusion, unable to see the point that Sylvanas was trying to make and how his services to his dead son could be anything but pure.
Genn held his hands in the air, "I have no idea what torments have driven you to such lunacy". Sylvanas grimaced as her unblinking stare entrapped Genn's own gaze. "Do you genuinely believe I am wrong in seeking justice for my dead son, and the loss of my homeland?" Sylvanas was quiet for a moment, but Genn could tell that she already had her answer.
"Of course not!" Sylvanas exclaimed, as if she herself was offended by being equated to such a proposal. But this was short-lived as she specified, "I believe you are wrong in everything else you've done ever since".
It was Sylvanas' turn to get mad, and all fear of the stakes were abandoned. "You tried to kill me in Stormhiem, without anyone's permission to do so!" she growled, "And then you left your allies behind to do all your dirty work for you and spent all your time chasing me!" Genn stepped back as Sylvanas floated towards him, "You were at war with the legion, Greymane! And you risked letting the world burn just so you could screw me over!"
The air thickened as the two enraged rivals looked upon eachother for a moment.
"You should be thanking me for sparing your son from witnessing what would happen next" Sylvanas demanded, "I would hate to think how you would repulse him with what you've turned into, Greymane!"
"You dare!" Greymane snarled in a low tone, "My son would've lead my people to a glorious future! Everyone knew he would!"
Sylvanas slowly shook her head, an ominous atmosphere falling upon the pair once again.
"Your son died at my hands…" Sylvanas stated as her tone had softened greatly, "And now… thanks to you… that's the only thing anybody will remember of him".
Genn's snarl slowly dropped into a perplexed frown, muttering a simple "What?"
"Nobody would've remembered him for what he did for his people" she shook her head, "…what he would've done for his people". She sneered in disgust as her glowing eyes pierced his remaining armour. "You have taken his tragedy and perverted it into fodder for vengeance and warfare" she added calmly, watching Genn bow his head as his body trembled. She slowly turned away and faced the wall, bowing her head and shutting her eyes in aggravation.
You are a terrible father" she spat, "And I pity any in your care".
"GEERAAARGH!"
Throughout the chamber came a loud, guttural roar as Genn leapt up from the ground, now a Worgen and outraged beyond rational thinking. He had leapt at Sylvanas hysterically and swung his claws at her, lusting for her corpse to hang from them as it once had in the past. Unfortunately, as a moment past for his senses to return, it was already too late to fix the grave mistake he had made.
Sylvanas was unhurt, as expected, and Genn has instead bloodied his hand from striking the wall, scratching himself against the rough surface. Clutching his hand and grunting in pain, Genn watched as Sylvanas turned on her heel and gave him an expectant glare. There was nothing let for him to do, and he knew that he had failed in more ways than one.
There was never even a thought to how Sylvanas could rescue the souls trapped in the void. Never a thought to how his son suffered and how this was the one chance he could spare him such a cruel fate. Genn was prepared to beg forgiveness, even fall to his knees and kiss Sylvanas's boots. But they both knew there was no correcting this act. Genn had shown his true nature in more ways than one, some ways even Sylvanas seemed surprised by.
Without a word, Sylvanas hovered towards the ceiling before vanishing into a cloud of mist, leaving the lonesome king to wallow in his grief and guilt. After a time, Genn rose and prepared to leave and join the rest of his group, unprepared to explain how and why he had possibly doomed the world with what he had once considered pure intentions. As he was leaving, Genn heard the chilling sound of Sylvanas' voice in his ear, and the words she spoke only drove the knife deeper into his heart.
"Something is waiting for you, Greymane… And it's not your son".
