Danath and Alleria

Chapter 2

            "Hail Lothar!" The cry rung throughout the Azeroth encampment. The legendary knight had returned from yet another battle. He rode toward his aide, the paladin Turalyon.

            "Greetings," Lothar called to the group of footmen and archers. "I have been forced to retreat by a group of Grunts. Is Colonel Danath present?"

            "He has been missing for two days," the footman Raon told the knight.

            "A group has been dispatched to find him," Turalyon informed his master, "but we have not heard from them."

            Lothar let out a cry of pain.

            "You need healing, Master. Allow me." Turalyon worked his magic upon Lothar, curing the wounds.

            "Thank you, Turalyon." Lothar said. "But your powers are needed for other purposes at the moment. Can you see Danath?"

            "I have tried the Holy Vision and found not a trace of the Colonel."

            "I all but wish the powers of the Ogre-Mages were with us. The Eye of Kilrogg would be most useful." Lothar thought aloud. "Can you find the Orcish camp and tell me what their status is?"

            "I will try." Turalyon rode to his Church, dismounted, and went inside. There he would use the Holy Vision and attempt to locate the Orcs.

**(({{[[--**--]]}}))**

            Lord Khadgar sensed a disturbance. A disturbance within his tower. A disturbance that smelled of Orc. Khadgar replaced his volume of spells on the shelf and drew his staff.

            "Khadgarrrrr…" said a voice. "I have been waiting for this moment for yearrrrrrrrrs… perhaps centuriessssss…"

            "Who are you?" demanded the archmage. "How have you come here?"

            "I am Gorefiennnnnd…  your liffffe… isssss… forfeit…"

            "How have you come here, so deep in Alliance territory?"

            "I tolllld you… I am Gorefiennnnnnd… My waysssss… are not known to the Alliance… and certainly they are not known… to you, Khadgarrrrrrr…"

            "I know of you, Teron Gorefiend. I was not aware, however, that Death Knights such as you had the power of Invisibility."

            Gorefiend laughed. "I havvve noooo such powerrrrr… but your guardssss… are now my soldiers…" Four skeletons walked into Khadgar's library. Gorefiend glided behind them in the manner characteristic of Death Knights.

            "Gorefiend, your moment will come later. I will kill you, but not now. Be gone, instrument of Ner'zhul! Khadgar cast a blizzard over Gorefiend and his skeletons, who fled lest they be destroyed by the pounding mage-hail.

**(({{[[--**--]]}}))**

            "I have received word from Lord Khadgar. We have a more serious quandary than we thought." The voice was that of Uther Lightbringer, to Kurdran the gryphon rider in his aviary.

            "What seems tae be the problem, lad?" Kurdran replied.

            "Teron Gorefiend has returned. Not only that, General Lothar told us that Colonel Danath is missing."

            "Ach! Do Sky'ree and I have noo part o' this?"

            "Fly to Khadgar's tower to reinforce him. If Gorefiend attempts to invade the tower again, the three of you will be more than enough to stop him."

            "Yes sir!"

            "Oh, one more thing. Your next assignment will be to search for Danath. Dead or alive, the Alliance needs to know his fate."

            "I'll do that!"

            Kurdran mounted Sky'ree and took off for Khadgar's tower.

            More soon!