RANGER GENERAL - by J CAE

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm back and I feel like I've missed so much, like you people's wonderful stories and my super duper DSL connection O_o. OMG, now I'm all crazy over Kael'thas _. His character is sooo hard to grasp though. Yeah, anyways, I'm sure you wanna read the chapter first, so go on ahead.

CHAPTER FIVE: RESTLESS

"Look, Daddy!" Elma pointed at the brightening sky above them. "It is day."

Night clouds cleared away to reveal bluish first lights. The skies paled and faint sunlight arrived to brighten their way home. It was as if a nightmare had finally been lifted.

Alanen looked, but he felt nothing. Twilight was pretty, but it did not concern him. As long as Elma was with him...he gripped her hand tighter to assure himself that she was really there and not some illusion.

Her young face twisted into a mischievous wince, "Not so tight."

"I..." he staggered. Every inch he walked pained him like a slow scorching fire inside. He could hardly move. But for the sake of his daughter, he would hold on in spite of his grievous wounds.

"Are you all right?" she paused to ask him, her innocence like a dagger in his heart. Could she not see? Could she not feel?

"I am..." he swallowed his own words. How could he ever tell his little daughter that he was...dying? He must get her to safety. And who would guard her if he was dead? He could not leave her to face the horrors and cruelty of this world alone. No.

Blue runes. Guard towers. Firelight. He could almost smell charcoal burning--the women must be preparing stews for breakfast. They were close to the camp.

He heard some shouting.

And he blacked out...

Only to wake again feeling very unlike himself.

"Sir? General?"

He recognized the high elven priest Mondelv, who gently lifted his eyelids to examine his eyes. He tried to tell the healer that they hurt, but he could not speak. He could not feel his mouth. He could not feel anything but pain.

"He is still unconscious," Mondelv turned to speak with someone--Alanen reckoned it was Usven.

But why? He still felt awake--at least he could hear Usven's reply.

"I wonder what happened. Why would he be wounded like this--where had they been?"

"The guards at the tower said they saw Alanen walking away at around one in the morning," Mondelv said sadly. "But no one knew when Elma got out."

Usven's wife sighed. "I've been trying to get the lass to talk. But she doesn't seem to remember a thing."

"Probably she's just too frightened," the healer suggested. "Perhaps she will remember that later. I will go see her. I want to know if she's been hurt."

Hurt? As long as he had breath in him, Alanen would never let any harm come upon his daughter--but he could not even get up now, as if something is stacked on top of him, weighing him down.

Mondelv was the only priest and one of the last elves still living with the humans. Quel'thalas was destroyed, along with his family. All hopes were shattered. But he thought, instead of wallowing in his own grief, he could help the younger races. Even though chances had become rather thin for them, they still kept on fighting. Perhaps, that was why so many followed Alanen--about a hundred men and women of the living. They refused to relinquish their lives--they were fighting for themselves. And these humans gave Mondelv a reason to live. That was one of the reasons he joined Alanen.

And the other reason...he knew of the human's dark powers. He had seen what it could do, and it intrigued him. He had to admit that he was drawn to the evil energies seeping from the flesh and bones--how sad. How could an elf come to this?

"Where's Elma?" A question from Usven to his wife.

"She's sleeping,¡¨ the woman said. "She's very tired. But I can wake her."

"Oh, let her sleep for a while," Mondelv replied. "Perhaps we should go outside and..."

*~*~*~*

Elma laid on her side, staring at the canvas of the tent with her eyes opened.

Meris the banshee sat right next to her, gently stroking the young brunette's hair. She hummed a lullaby, as an elder sister would put her little sister to sleep.

"Sleep...sleep, child. He will watch over you."

Slowly, Elma's eyelids began to drop, blinking to the melody in her voice.

"Remember our little secret," a small smile spread across the banshee's lips. "Don't say a word. Don't tell them anything."

And the child drifted off to sleep.

Elma would not betray--she was too young to know betrayal. Soon enough, thought Meris, vengeance shall be ours.

*~*~*~*

The only way off the frozen continent was by boat. But Sylvanas's scouts reported that the lich king's forces had completely occupied the coastline. For them to make their escape, they would need to distract the guards in order to clear a port so that they could load what provisions they had left. She sent Vashj and Varimathras to watch their supplies and waited for the chance to begin loading up the boats.

Ner'zhul would probably have foreseen her strategy. She just hoped that his lackeys might not.

Kael volunteered to help her create a diversion for a chance to confront her. He knew it would not make much of a difference now--whether or not she served Kil'jaeden, he was bound to follow her. She had become his best chance for survival. And yet, he could not describe the shock and anger he felt when Vashj told him that the Dark Lady was the demonlord's agent. Was she toying with their desperation? What did she really have in mind?

But as he walked silently beside Sylvanas, he observed she was constantly adjusting her cape so that it would cover the dressing over her wound that Frostmourne left. It was still leaking and showed no signs of healing. And despite her efforts to hide her agony, he knew it must be causing her great pain.

"How is your arm?" he asked.

"Still attached to my body," she hissed coldly--a cue for him to shut up.

He realized they hardly talked since their assassination attempt failed--they had hardly talked at all ever since he left Quel'thalas. Now she was always barking at him--and at other times, she just seemed so distant, as if she was in another world. He wondered what she could be thinking? Though he had never tasted the venom of Frostmourne, he knew it must have an effect on her somehow--that was how she fell prey to Arthas's control the first time she was stabbed. That was how Sapphiron the great blue dragon succumbed to his terror.

But he must ask what he came to ask.

He paused. She pretended not to notice and kept on walking until he called her name.

And when she turned, he just closed his mouth. He felt as if he had not the heart to ask the question at all. "Yes, Kael?"

"A-are you working for the demonlord?"

A look of injury crossed her face, "What do you think?"

What did he think? He did not know. That was the reason he was troubled. But her expression seemed to tell him otherwise.

"I think...not. You can't be working for him." And he whispered the last phrase, "You still have a soul." But he was not even half sure of that.

She ignored him, and ran up to greet a Blood Elven scout who returned, bringing ill news, "The lich king's forces are upon us! They are marching this way."

"How many?" Kael cleared his throat and tried to forget the sentiment he was entangled in. This battleground they chose was a dead end for their forces--there would be nowhere to run with mountains around them and a freezing sea behind them.

"About two hundred," the Blood Elf said.

Kael shot Sylvanas a look--she feigned indifference, but deep down she was panicking. Her forces were merely one-third of that of the lich king's. For their side to survive, each warrior would have to slay at least two men.

Chances were slim--it depended on who was leading the Scourge's defences. If it was Anub'arak, he would be easier to handle. But if it was someone else...

And their worst fears came true as a skeletal lich came into view. Ghouls and skeleton warriors charged ahead, followed by a line of Necromancers.

Sylvanas fired a command arrow into the sky, "Destroyers! Crypts!" Her melees marched in front of the formation to meet the Undead army while she and her rangers and spell casters grouped behind to give them backup.

Kel'thuzad unleashed a spell of freezing energy upon the Dark Lady's forces. The effect was most obvious against the Blood Elves who were sensitive to the cold. "You are not going anywhere, Sylvanas. Surrender now, or you will regret later."

She did not even bother replying. She had failed to kill him once--she should not do so again. This time, she would concentrate and try to reduce casualties on her side as best as she could manage. She reached in her quiver and pulled out a poison arrow. She would make sure he die quickly--and that he would not be raised from the dead again.

And she wished their roles could somehow be reversed.

"Kill the lich first!" Kael commanded his Blood Elven warriors. Those who survived frost nova attempted to break through Kel'thuzad's line of melee to get to the lich. Sylvanas's banshees helped possess some of the stronger units in hopes to turn the wheel around. Suddenly, arrows, swords, spells, corpses and claws all struck at Kel'thuzad at once. He held still for a moment, as if he was frozen. Then, he perished.

"His remains! Get his remains!" Sylvanas commanded.

But one of Kel'thuzad's ghouls got the bones first and dragged it across the battlefield.

"Stop him!"

And one of the Blood Elven priests put out a foot and tripped the ghoul. The corpse was dropped, and Sylvanas's units seized it. The Scourge's defences were broken, yet they still advanced madly upon the Dark Lady's forces. Meat wagons catapulted globs of decaying flesh everywhere, hitting both friend and foe. Kael was struck on the shoulder by one of the skeletal archers, but the damage was not fatal so he kept on fighting. It was all mad--it was all wrong.

And dark horrors filled the skies--Ner'zhul had sent Sapphiron and the Frost Wyrms to aid the Scourge army.

Fortunately, Vashj and her Naga Warriors were also ready. They had successfully loaded their supplies and got the ships out to sea. "Fall back to the ships! Kael! Sylvanas!"

Sylvanas acknowledged and commanded the warriors, "Fall back!"

And her minions withdrew, retreating into boats while Naga gave them cover on the sea. To allow her troops to reach the ships safely, Sylvanas and a handful of her loyal warriors remained behind to hold the line.

"Too many of them!" Kael remarked--their enemies still outnumbered them, especially now with the Frost Wyrm's appearance. "Retreat, Sylvanas!"

"I will not lose another of my warrior if I can help it," she snapped, almost on instinct. She shooed another two swordsmen away.

Kael just had to grab her to pull her away, "You can't save everyone."

"But I will!" she freed herself from his grip. "Go, Kael. There's no time."

He did not know why, but her stubbornness somehow struck him--or rather, reminded him of her former self. This was the way she did things. She would rather die than to leave any of the men--or villages to stand alone in battle. That was how she managed to keep Silvermoon's defences together for as long as she did before Arthas took her life.

Yet if she would not retreat, she would surely be defeated.

"Vashj, back me up," he turned to the Sea Witch, who nodded. He cast Flame Strike on the bulk of snow lying in the middle of the mountain. An avalanche washed down the slope. Vashj cast tornado to bring the snow over the battlefield. In the midst of chaos, Kael managed to get everyone, including Sylvanas, onto the boats. With the cover of the twisting snow, the Frost Wyrms were blinded from the swift retreat of the Dark Lady's forces.

The impossible escape...was made.

*~*~*~*

Some of the ships were damaged in the battle, and had to be repaired before they could set out for great distances. But to do so, they would need lumber, which they did not have enough on them.

"A ranger should be familiar with the nature of the arrow--to know how to pierce through someone with it, and how to take it out."

Varimathras sighed and knocked at the door of Sylvanas's cabin. He knew he would be interrupting a conversation of some sort, but she had told him before to report once he returned with the scout boats.

"Come in," the Dark Lady gave him clearance.

He entered and bowed, and when he lifted his head--he was too tall to stand up straight inside the cabin--he found himself glancing at Prince Kael who was sitting on a bench with his shirt removed. Sylvanas was tending to his bleeding wound, wrapping a strip of clean cloth around his shoulder. A bloodied, broken arrow laid on the floor beside her boots.

"I'm listening, Varimathras," she said when the dreadlord did not speak.

Clearing his throat, the Nathrezim gave the report, "My lady, there is an arctic outlying island west from here. The scouts and I have circled around the island, and we believe it has not been corrupted by the lich king. There is usable timber. It is the best place to stop for repairs."

"How...rare," Sylvanas muttered to herself. An island free from the lich king's control? She authorized the landing anyway. There was no other choice. They must fix the ships. "Now get out of my room."

Varimathras bowed and started to descend--when he halted, "Um, my lady?"

"What?"

"What should we do with the lich's ruins?"

"Ground it, and feed it to the fish--or the ghouls if you want," she said, trying to return to Kael's wound. "Just don't let it remain in one piece."

"Yes."

And the dreadlord left to give the order. As he closed the door behind him, he could hear Sylvanas's voice again, soft, but firm--unlike what he used to hear from her. She was saying something like, "True, I'm looking for Kil'jaeden, but that's not the reason I came to you. You are our prince. You have the power to lead the elves--I just wish for you to take everyone into hiding when I make my move."

"What do you mean?"

The same question Varimathras would have asked. She was looking for Kil'jaeden? What madness!

"I'd pledge myself to the demonlord's will in exchange for the Blood Elves' freedom. I'd help him destroy the Lich King."

"Do you even know what you're saying?" Kael raised his voice. "He'd never let me go. That's outra--"

"I'll take care of it," she interrupted him. "Just get out of here and rebuild Quel'thalas once you're free."

"No! I can't let you do this! No more than you can let me remain under Kil'jaeden's control."

"Release me, Kael."

On impulse, the prince might have grabbed her.

And she said something in Elvish that Varimathras could not catch. Realizing that he had lingered too long, the Nathrezim proceeded to pass on the order to land.

If Ner'zhul could break away from even within the demonlord's torture chambers, why couldn't I? Trust me, my prince. Believe that I could come back.

*~*~*~*

"No."

A familiar deep voice sounded in the darkness.

"Kael must never even think of leaving Kil'jaeden's side, or he will suffer a fate worse than death. The Dark Lady is cunning. She wants him to be tortured. You must keep an eye on him, Vashj. You must do this, for me."

"Master..." the Naga Sea Witch woke from her trance.

"Visions again, my lady?" Lady Charib, Vashj's assistant eyed her curiously. Every time when Vashj saw Illidan in her dreams, she would thrash about blindly as if she was trying to shield herself from some great evil. But when her visions cleared, she would not remember herself struggling at all. And she would have come up with a new mission for her warriors.

Clearing her throat, Vashj asked, "Where's Kael?" She was underwater, and of course, the prince was nowhere in view. He had to be on the ships that had, as she could see, docked on the small island.

"With the Dark Lady," Charib raised a brow. She just answered the question before Vashj entered her nightmare.

Her expression of annoyance somehow offended Vashj, "Come then. We must be swift."

"Where to?" the assistant asked as she followed her superior to the surface.

"We will get him back."

"Not only that," Illidan added in Vashj's mind. "Do not forget."

"We will take him back to Lordaeron. And I want you, Lady Charib, to bring two assassins with you and wait in the shadows. You will kill the Dark Lady."

"Kill her? But she..."

"Two assassins," the Sea Witch repeated.

"Yes," Charib nodded, though she was still rather doubtful of the idea. The Dark Lady was an ally, as far as she could tell. But she immediately went to find her assassins.

"Hahahaha," Illidan's laughter. But why? Was it something she just said? "You are more cunning than I thought."

"Humph," Vashj grunted noncommittally.

"Just be careful. Arrows do hurt."

"I know."

"Now go."

*~*~*~*

When Vashj surfaced, Kael, Sylvanas and Varimathras were standing together, discussing something that obviously was not meant to concern her--at least none of them cared if she was not present. The way Kael and that dark ranger were getting along bothered her--they were too close. Of course, she heard, that before the elven prince left and joined the Alliance, they were good friends. She was the daughter of his teacher who taught him the skills of strategy.

"We might as well explode this place a bit to see what other resources we might get," Kael suggested.

Vashj did not like the idea too much, "Kael, why don't you stay here and guard the supplies. I wish to speak with the Dark Lady."

"I could stay behind," Varimathras offered. It came so naturally that the Sea Witch believed he was ignorant of her plight.

"All right, stay here, dreadlord," Sylvanas said. "Kael, Vashj, come with me."

Darn.

They started deeper into the lands. There were not much resources lying around--only few scattered lumber that might help him repair the boats. There were caves somewhere in the hills north of the island, but it would not hardly make sense for them to further venture too deep.

Despite saying that she wanted to speak with the Dark Lady alone, Vashj had not uttered a word until when they were halfway up a small snow dune--where a few hardy trees stood at the top of the ridge--not a common sight.

"We're being watched," was the Sea Witch's comment.

Sylvanas agreed--her sharp senses had long told her that someone was waiting, in hiding, and Vashj only confirmed her worries.

Before anyone could react, a shower of darts came down upon the three heroes.

"Down!"

Sylvanas dragged Kael down to the floor with her. What madness! Who was behind such an attack?
Kael grabbed a dart that fell near him. It was a Naga weapon.

"Naga!" he yelled, getting up to his feet. A flying arrow missed him by only a hair. He summoned a phoenix, its bright fires melted the darts and crossbows away. Soft rustling amid the trees were heard--the assassins were trying to make their escape. Sylvanas got up--she seemed unharmed, and chased after their assassins. He would have gone with her, but when he saw Vashj lying on the floor, bloodied and broken, he turned back. Two darts pierced her chest--but fortunately neither hit her heart. He knelt beside her to examine her. She could only groan painfully.

Betrayal!

"Don't worry. I'll get you to safety, and you'll be just fine," Kael tried to console her--or was it only himself? He did not know if the darts had damaged her lungs or any other organs, but as far as he was concerned, he would save her.

"Drink this," he fed her a vial of life water. "It will help with your pain."

Vashj obeyed. The medicine woman would probably complain, but I will drink it.

She wounded her tail around him weakly, as if begging him not to leave her side. The truth was, he could not, even if some great evil swept down upon them to wipe them from existence. He would never leave her there to die.

"Pathetic beings," sounded a deep booming voice.

Kael turned. In disbelief, he gasped, "Lord Illidan?"

Vashj tried to get up, but she was too weak to do so.

"How...how can this be?"

A terrible demon...dark, scarred and decayed beyond recognition, stood in the snow. He had been dead, yes, but he was brought back again. And no, it was not a dream they were seeing. It was a nightmare.

Sylvanas returned, dragging an injured Lady Charib behind her. The two assassins the Naga had with her were wobbling, charmed by the Dark Lady's spell.

"Are these--?" she asked, only to fall silent at the sight of the terrible demon standing over her comrades.

"Ah, Lady Windrunner," Illidan greeted her and said. "Just whom I was looking for. Kil'jaeden commands an audience with you. I have come to escort you to his lair."

Kael shot her a worried look. Their conversation on the ship--had the demonlord heard all of it?

"But before that, you will be given a task to prove your cordiality--if you are to offer your services to the Demonlord."

"Of course," it appeared that she already had set one foot through the door. Might as well go all the way.

"In the distant shores of Lordaeron, there lies the last camp of resistant living humans. They served not Ner'zhul and the Scourge, but a mortal general. The Demonlord wishes for you to slay their leader. Extract his soul, and he will serve you with his dark powers."

Already a sickening feeling was welling up inside of her. A last camp of living souls, still resistant to the Legion or the Scourge. A last hope. Even though they were not elves, it was still painful to even think of it. Had she really pledged herself to the demonlord's will, what kinds of other horrors would she be forced to perform?

But no, she reminded herself. Humans were weak-willed, ignorant and unlovable. The human Garithos whom Kael once served knew no honour, no shame--nothing. And he was killed just like any other beings. She had ordered his death herself, even though it was not necessary--just an ecstasy to hear him scream in agony when his end arrived.

Illidan smiled as he watched emotions passing her face until at last, she managed to conjure up a mask of apathy.

"Tell the Demonlord that I am on my way."

*~*~*~*

COMING UP NEXT: Sylvanas vs. Alanen. Who would win Kil'jaeden's favour and become the new champion?

*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

!!!FLASHY AD!!!...too bad it wasn't flashy: #1 Look for Tyrande's personal story titled Moon Hunt soon!! She's a *cough* rather dull *cough* character, I know, but...The story will be up as soon as I get chapter one done!! #2 Another Kael's short lil piece To Honour will probably be up as well some time later. OMG I luv that elf, and I'm not even sure why O_o.

A heartfelt thanks to all reviewers. Really appreciate your comments and support.

Forever Jake & Eternity: Read you guys' 'Walker'. It seems really interesting. Keep it up! Thanks for reading my stuff anyway ^_^.

Ira Poon: Thanks. You make me feel so much better. You're definitely right about Blizzard's inconsistencies. They add stuff like the Night Elves. I'm sure there are lots of plot holes if you look hard enough, cuz I'm kinda believe that they didn't have it in mind when they're doing War I.

SaSsy-AnTi-ArThAs-GuRl-TaYlOr: ^_^ hee. I *share* your pain of Illidan's death.

randth13th: Hey thanks. Um...more internal psychological wars coming up.

DemonGod86: Yes, it's him !! And he's back, in another form ^_^.

wingchumonZero: Gee, thanks.