Title taken from Blind Guardian's "And then there was silence".
'It's getting worse...' Khadgar announced, gazing blankly at his plate.
Lothar nodded, his mouth full of sausages. He swallowed audiably and answered: 'I know. If it goes on, the land will die...'
The apprentice peeked at the door. There was no sign of Medivh incoming to join the breakfast. 'Where could he be?'
'He's not asleep.' the knight said. 'I've visited his bedroom.'
Khadgar sent him a worried stare. They both knew what this may mean...' I informed Garona.' he said silently. 'She should be here any day now.'
Lothar nodded. 'Will this help?'
'How do I know...?'
They sighed together, losing their apetite. These mysterious events worried and feared them at the same time. If Sargeras gained control over the Guardian, was there anything they could do to help? None of them said it out loud, but inwardly they feared there might be only one way...
For even demons can't escape death...
Khadgar slightly shook his head, praying to the Light for another way. He opened the door to Medivh's observatory at the top of Karazhan to find no one inside. There was only the map, covered in scrolls of parchment. It was a real mess, as if someone was looking for something in big hurry.
Lothar surveyed the chamber to make sure there's no one besides them and approached the table. He began to search throught the scrolls, while Khadgar took a close look at the map.
All the names have been carefully wiped out. There were marks of some new writings, but the apprentice could not read what it was.
Lothar gently poked him at the arm, his gaze focused on a piece of parchment. As Khadgar straightened to take a look, the warrior pointed at an elvish word carefully marked with red ink... or maybe blood?
The mage surveyed it closely and noticed that it's not exactly an elvish word. It's only written in that language.
Stormrage.
Their eyes met. Whoever or whatever it was, they have never heard of it. They put the parchment down and - finding nothing more - left the chamber.
Khadgar froze in place, fear and shock appearing on his face.
'What is it?' Lothar asked silently, surveying the surroundings.
'The aura of this place...' the apprentice shook his head fircely. 'It's so... wasted, so... dark... as if a demon passed...'
Their eyes met again.
'You got to be kidding me.' Garona snapped.
Khadgar shook his head defeatingly. The woman stared at him in disbelief, her eyes travelling from the apprentice to Lothar. 'I've seen it.' the mage announced silently. 'The visions were as real as before...'
'Maybe it was the future...' the half-orc said with doubt in her own voice.
Once again Khadgar shook his head.
Garona's desperate eyes met Lothar's... he was weak, defeated. 'There seems to be no chance...' he whispered. He tried hard to hide the tears watering his eyes. But unfortuneatly for him, he had major problems when wearing a mask.
To put it frankly, he didn't wear it.
Both Khadgar and Garona knew it very well. The thought of killing Medivh was defineatly a terrifying one, but sooner or later the whole Azeroth shall die. Poor king Llane had no idea what causes this slow doom, and he's never ever suspect the Guardian. In some way, he was right. Medivh didn't intend to kill the land. He didn't let the orcs into this world. He didn't summon demons.
It was their lord, Sargeras.
But the apprentice mage sought in all the books in the library, which he thought would contain something about it. However, after an hour or two he did not find a word about exorcism and killing demons within a human. Nevertheless, he kept looking. At one point he thought about trying to contact the Kal'dorei, but instantly dismissed the thought as impossible. He only knew the word and its meaning, but had no idea wether the Kal'dorei still exist...
There really seemed to be no other way...
'I shall do, what must be done.' Lothar said very weakly.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
'Anduin...' Khadgar whispered.
The knight turned his head away, trying to wipe the silvery drops away, as if ashamed of himelf. Garona and the apprentice remained silent, though noticing the very light shade of pink on his face. Lothar blushed.
Khadgar recalled the words of his master back there, in the abandoned chamber, when he confessed. He felt a stab of pain at the very thought, but held it back and stared blankly at the champion. Lothar avoided his and Garona's gazes, more sobs escaping his throat. He lost control over himself, but none of them actually minded. Killing Medivh was...
Was a crime more to themselves then anyone else...
Khadgar approached Lothar and patted him gently on the shoulder, trying to calm him down at least a bit. The knight only nodded, his head still away. The half-orc waited patiently, her eyes fixed on the mage.
'Anduin...' the apprentice said slowly. 'There's no need for... tears...' his voice faded, as he felt sobs closely endangering. If he watches the champion cry any longer, he'll join. 'Easy...'
'Easy for... you to... say...' Lothar mumbled, his voice a bit muffled.
Khadgar narrowed his eyes. 'It's you, right?'
The Azerothian warrior blinked. 'Me what?'
The other man's voice became a whisper, though in the huge empty chamber anyone could hear them, even Garona. 'It's you who has the place deepest within Medivh's heart.'
The half-orc drew her breath. Lothar only nodded, blushing deeper. Khadgar sighed and reached his head a bit up to be able to whisper straight in the other man's ear, so that the woman next to them does not hear this time. 'I too love him.'
The champion gazed at him in mild surprise. Khadgar went on: 'It pains me no less than you, but still... someone must end this...'
'And it's up to us.' Anduin said aloud.
The trio nodded slowly.
The chamber was dark. Darker than any other Khadgar and Anduin have seen. Only Garona felt comfortable thanks to her orcish ability to see some distance in the dark. In any way, both men carried torches with them while travelling in the narrow corridors of Karazhan basement. None of them ever suspected there may be something like this, but Moroes' body and bloodstains vanishing by the wall explained everything. Medivh ought to be somewhere here...
Poor Moroes and the cook... They did actually nothing to deserve this, but apparently it was Sargeras who did it. Demons never care. Khadgar told himself that when this is over, both of them shall be buried here, at the base of Karazhan...
The air smelled of dirty water, wet walls, dry blood and decay. The trio tried to breathe through their mouths to avoid the awful aroma. They walked slowly, stopping at few forked corridors to follow one by trails of blood. It seemed that killing the cook and butler left stains also on the mage. Or did Medivh - or more like Sargeras - wanted them to follow? If this was all a trap...?
Then Azeroth will soon perish, Khadgar told himself. If we can't end this, we shall die trying.
Forgive me, master...
After a time that seemed hours they reached a huge chamber, nearly as huge as half of the Purple Citadel in Dalaran. Taking a careful step inside, Lothar tried to see anything in the dim torchlight, but it was to little to light the chamber. They couldn't even see the walls at their sides. All there was were long, deep and loud breaths.
Sargeras?
Khadgar drew a symbol in the air, mumbling a few mystical syllabes. He nodded in a gesture of "all's fine", and the trio entered the chamber as silently as they could. From what they saw in the dim light, the room was empty.
At the opposite wall they saw Medivh. He was panting, supproting himself at the stone with one hand. His robes were all red and smelled of fresh blood.
Garona swallowed silently.
'Master...' Khadgar began.
The mage laughed hysterically. 'Yes, master!' he called, causing dust and small stoned to fall of the ceiling. Lothar wished he could observe it in case it could collapse.
'I am your master! Your teacher!' Medivh called again. 'How does it feel, Trust?' he smiled widely, exposing his white teeth. Insanity shined in his emerald eyes, now fixed at the Dalaran mage. 'Being an apprentice of the most powerful of demon lords, creator of the Legion?!'
His voice sounded very proud, but was deeper and darker than ever. The three visitors easily guessed that Sargeras was overcoming what's left of Medivh's soul. If he succeeds, all's over...
Lothar took a step forward. 'Med...'
The mage's smile vanished. 'Leave now, Lothar, and I'll let you live until you get in my way.' he said firmly.
'No one's going anywhere.' Garona announced, not wondering what the others think. 'This is the end, Sargeras!'
Again all they heard was an insane laugh loud enough to collapse the whole ceiling. Fortuneatly, only more dust fell on them, giving their robes a light brown shade.
'What could you do to me?' Medivh bellowed.
They froze. Only Lothar gave his torch to Garona. Now both sources of light where far enough to cover his hands in dark shade. Medivh did not notice him slowly reaching for his sword.
The Guardian... no, the demon raised his human hands and started to chant something only mages undertood. Garona and the warrior shiverred and took a step backwards. Only Khadgar remained motionless and drew a symbol, something like a rune before him.
He won't harm us, he thought.
He turned his head to the other two. 'Don't panick!' he said firmly. 'This is no powerful spell!'
'What...?' the half-orc mumbled.
But the spell, whatever it was, never was cast. Me--Sargeras broke the incantation somewhere in the end and lowered Medivh's hands. Lothar blinked.
'Something inside him won't let him harm us.' said Khadgar. 'Seems that Medivh is still there...'
The Guardian groaned. This was what they needed, a sign that they're right.
Within a second Anduin Lothar drew his sword while rushing towards the demon lord. Only few steps were between them, so he crossed them fast enough not to let Sargeras react. His sword went right through the mage's stomach, pinning him to the wall. Khadgar and Garona gasped in shock, as the tip of the weapon broke on the solid stone.
The pond of blood under Medivh and Lothar grew bigger. A single tear rolled down the champion's cheek, when the weary deep eyes of the Guardian met his. But Medivh said nothing, blood reaching his mouth and spilling out.
Khadgar sobbed.
'Med...' Anduin whispered, bowing to the wounded's man ear. 'I'm so sorry... forgive me, Med...'
He pulled the sword out of the ripped flesh, sheding more tears, and took a careful aim. A second before the final strike, he managed to say out loud, not caring about anything:
'I love you, Med...!'
Medvih's head rolled.
Epilogue
It's been so long... I still remember the pain of someone else controlling my body and letting me see the horrors he does... How I managed to stop him back then, I still don't know. But I did it, letting the three of them live long enough to do what they were to do.
Trust... Khadgar, my poor apprentice that came to me from Dalaran when he was only seventeen. I can clearly recall the youth's nervous face, curiousity and will. A smile runs across my face. If it wasn't for him, who knows what Sargeras could've done? After my death Trust continued his studies away from Karazhan, in Stormwind, afraid of the painful memories. A great archamge he's become... Lord Khadgar, master of the Citadel of Nethergarde. The only one, who was able to close the Dark Portal I once opened... Despite myself, I feel guilty for his loss.
Anduin... The champion of king Llane, once Regent Lord of Azeroth, my best friend and only love... After that faithful day he remained Llane's champion, in charge of the whole Azerothian army. A fine and fair warrior... Achieved many glorious victories in battles with the orcs, freeing fortresses all around Khaz Modan... It was him, who suggested creating the Alliance of seven human nations, soon also elves of Quel'Thalas and the dwarves... Once again, it is I who caused his doom...
I don't feel guilty only for Garona, who escaped Karazhan after my death. Thanks to Lothar and Tr... Khadgar, she was trusted by the council of Azeroth and the king himself. Poor fool Llane had no idea that she herself will cut out his heart... The vision was as true as all the rest. But Garona was still alive, though tormented, scarred and hidden in shadows. It was not my fault... yet I pity her. My friend...
Now I stand upon the graves of Khadgar, Anduin and my two servants. In the whole kingdom of Azeroth, and further in human lands of the Alliance, stood my beloved's monuments and statues, remembering lord Anduin Lothar as a great hero, killed in an ambush at Blackrock Spire. But I, in secrecy, made sure that his grave be as simple and pure and any others, with just the name and a short prayer to the Light.
Lord archmage Khadgar is also very well remembered, but mostly in the magical lands. Dalaran and areas of Nethergarde that is, and New Stormwind. Died in Draenor's explosion, when closing the Dark Portal I opened. My face begins to burn... I place a short epitaph on his gravestone... "Khadgar, my greatest Trust"...
Moroes and the cook received only names and prayers, like Anduin. The flowers I just gathered will soon fade, or be blown away... The wind's getting stronger and colder. Winter's coming...
I stand here, the wind caressing my hair, touching my hot cheeks and plyaing with my cape. Tears roll down my cheeks and fall from my chin. I cry. I really do. I haven't cried ever since Lothar was near death after I awoke from the coma. That was the last time I shed tears... those that threatened me when killing Moroes and the cook where somehow chocked back, even though back then it was Sargeras, not me.
I recall the best memories I had with all of them, not caring about anything. I wish I could spend more time here, praying to the Light for their souls and my own redemption... but no, time is short and I have a task that must be done. King Terenas and the council of the Alliance await... they must be warned!
I turn away, then take a last peek at the grim graves and sob silently.
And then there was silence...
Das Ende...
'It's getting worse...' Khadgar announced, gazing blankly at his plate.
Lothar nodded, his mouth full of sausages. He swallowed audiably and answered: 'I know. If it goes on, the land will die...'
The apprentice peeked at the door. There was no sign of Medivh incoming to join the breakfast. 'Where could he be?'
'He's not asleep.' the knight said. 'I've visited his bedroom.'
Khadgar sent him a worried stare. They both knew what this may mean...' I informed Garona.' he said silently. 'She should be here any day now.'
Lothar nodded. 'Will this help?'
'How do I know...?'
They sighed together, losing their apetite. These mysterious events worried and feared them at the same time. If Sargeras gained control over the Guardian, was there anything they could do to help? None of them said it out loud, but inwardly they feared there might be only one way...
For even demons can't escape death...
Khadgar slightly shook his head, praying to the Light for another way. He opened the door to Medivh's observatory at the top of Karazhan to find no one inside. There was only the map, covered in scrolls of parchment. It was a real mess, as if someone was looking for something in big hurry.
Lothar surveyed the chamber to make sure there's no one besides them and approached the table. He began to search throught the scrolls, while Khadgar took a close look at the map.
All the names have been carefully wiped out. There were marks of some new writings, but the apprentice could not read what it was.
Lothar gently poked him at the arm, his gaze focused on a piece of parchment. As Khadgar straightened to take a look, the warrior pointed at an elvish word carefully marked with red ink... or maybe blood?
The mage surveyed it closely and noticed that it's not exactly an elvish word. It's only written in that language.
Stormrage.
Their eyes met. Whoever or whatever it was, they have never heard of it. They put the parchment down and - finding nothing more - left the chamber.
Khadgar froze in place, fear and shock appearing on his face.
'What is it?' Lothar asked silently, surveying the surroundings.
'The aura of this place...' the apprentice shook his head fircely. 'It's so... wasted, so... dark... as if a demon passed...'
Their eyes met again.
'You got to be kidding me.' Garona snapped.
Khadgar shook his head defeatingly. The woman stared at him in disbelief, her eyes travelling from the apprentice to Lothar. 'I've seen it.' the mage announced silently. 'The visions were as real as before...'
'Maybe it was the future...' the half-orc said with doubt in her own voice.
Once again Khadgar shook his head.
Garona's desperate eyes met Lothar's... he was weak, defeated. 'There seems to be no chance...' he whispered. He tried hard to hide the tears watering his eyes. But unfortuneatly for him, he had major problems when wearing a mask.
To put it frankly, he didn't wear it.
Both Khadgar and Garona knew it very well. The thought of killing Medivh was defineatly a terrifying one, but sooner or later the whole Azeroth shall die. Poor king Llane had no idea what causes this slow doom, and he's never ever suspect the Guardian. In some way, he was right. Medivh didn't intend to kill the land. He didn't let the orcs into this world. He didn't summon demons.
It was their lord, Sargeras.
But the apprentice mage sought in all the books in the library, which he thought would contain something about it. However, after an hour or two he did not find a word about exorcism and killing demons within a human. Nevertheless, he kept looking. At one point he thought about trying to contact the Kal'dorei, but instantly dismissed the thought as impossible. He only knew the word and its meaning, but had no idea wether the Kal'dorei still exist...
There really seemed to be no other way...
'I shall do, what must be done.' Lothar said very weakly.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
'Anduin...' Khadgar whispered.
The knight turned his head away, trying to wipe the silvery drops away, as if ashamed of himelf. Garona and the apprentice remained silent, though noticing the very light shade of pink on his face. Lothar blushed.
Khadgar recalled the words of his master back there, in the abandoned chamber, when he confessed. He felt a stab of pain at the very thought, but held it back and stared blankly at the champion. Lothar avoided his and Garona's gazes, more sobs escaping his throat. He lost control over himself, but none of them actually minded. Killing Medivh was...
Was a crime more to themselves then anyone else...
Khadgar approached Lothar and patted him gently on the shoulder, trying to calm him down at least a bit. The knight only nodded, his head still away. The half-orc waited patiently, her eyes fixed on the mage.
'Anduin...' the apprentice said slowly. 'There's no need for... tears...' his voice faded, as he felt sobs closely endangering. If he watches the champion cry any longer, he'll join. 'Easy...'
'Easy for... you to... say...' Lothar mumbled, his voice a bit muffled.
Khadgar narrowed his eyes. 'It's you, right?'
The Azerothian warrior blinked. 'Me what?'
The other man's voice became a whisper, though in the huge empty chamber anyone could hear them, even Garona. 'It's you who has the place deepest within Medivh's heart.'
The half-orc drew her breath. Lothar only nodded, blushing deeper. Khadgar sighed and reached his head a bit up to be able to whisper straight in the other man's ear, so that the woman next to them does not hear this time. 'I too love him.'
The champion gazed at him in mild surprise. Khadgar went on: 'It pains me no less than you, but still... someone must end this...'
'And it's up to us.' Anduin said aloud.
The trio nodded slowly.
The chamber was dark. Darker than any other Khadgar and Anduin have seen. Only Garona felt comfortable thanks to her orcish ability to see some distance in the dark. In any way, both men carried torches with them while travelling in the narrow corridors of Karazhan basement. None of them ever suspected there may be something like this, but Moroes' body and bloodstains vanishing by the wall explained everything. Medivh ought to be somewhere here...
Poor Moroes and the cook... They did actually nothing to deserve this, but apparently it was Sargeras who did it. Demons never care. Khadgar told himself that when this is over, both of them shall be buried here, at the base of Karazhan...
The air smelled of dirty water, wet walls, dry blood and decay. The trio tried to breathe through their mouths to avoid the awful aroma. They walked slowly, stopping at few forked corridors to follow one by trails of blood. It seemed that killing the cook and butler left stains also on the mage. Or did Medivh - or more like Sargeras - wanted them to follow? If this was all a trap...?
Then Azeroth will soon perish, Khadgar told himself. If we can't end this, we shall die trying.
Forgive me, master...
After a time that seemed hours they reached a huge chamber, nearly as huge as half of the Purple Citadel in Dalaran. Taking a careful step inside, Lothar tried to see anything in the dim torchlight, but it was to little to light the chamber. They couldn't even see the walls at their sides. All there was were long, deep and loud breaths.
Sargeras?
Khadgar drew a symbol in the air, mumbling a few mystical syllabes. He nodded in a gesture of "all's fine", and the trio entered the chamber as silently as they could. From what they saw in the dim light, the room was empty.
At the opposite wall they saw Medivh. He was panting, supproting himself at the stone with one hand. His robes were all red and smelled of fresh blood.
Garona swallowed silently.
'Master...' Khadgar began.
The mage laughed hysterically. 'Yes, master!' he called, causing dust and small stoned to fall of the ceiling. Lothar wished he could observe it in case it could collapse.
'I am your master! Your teacher!' Medivh called again. 'How does it feel, Trust?' he smiled widely, exposing his white teeth. Insanity shined in his emerald eyes, now fixed at the Dalaran mage. 'Being an apprentice of the most powerful of demon lords, creator of the Legion?!'
His voice sounded very proud, but was deeper and darker than ever. The three visitors easily guessed that Sargeras was overcoming what's left of Medivh's soul. If he succeeds, all's over...
Lothar took a step forward. 'Med...'
The mage's smile vanished. 'Leave now, Lothar, and I'll let you live until you get in my way.' he said firmly.
'No one's going anywhere.' Garona announced, not wondering what the others think. 'This is the end, Sargeras!'
Again all they heard was an insane laugh loud enough to collapse the whole ceiling. Fortuneatly, only more dust fell on them, giving their robes a light brown shade.
'What could you do to me?' Medivh bellowed.
They froze. Only Lothar gave his torch to Garona. Now both sources of light where far enough to cover his hands in dark shade. Medivh did not notice him slowly reaching for his sword.
The Guardian... no, the demon raised his human hands and started to chant something only mages undertood. Garona and the warrior shiverred and took a step backwards. Only Khadgar remained motionless and drew a symbol, something like a rune before him.
He won't harm us, he thought.
He turned his head to the other two. 'Don't panick!' he said firmly. 'This is no powerful spell!'
'What...?' the half-orc mumbled.
But the spell, whatever it was, never was cast. Me--Sargeras broke the incantation somewhere in the end and lowered Medivh's hands. Lothar blinked.
'Something inside him won't let him harm us.' said Khadgar. 'Seems that Medivh is still there...'
The Guardian groaned. This was what they needed, a sign that they're right.
Within a second Anduin Lothar drew his sword while rushing towards the demon lord. Only few steps were between them, so he crossed them fast enough not to let Sargeras react. His sword went right through the mage's stomach, pinning him to the wall. Khadgar and Garona gasped in shock, as the tip of the weapon broke on the solid stone.
The pond of blood under Medivh and Lothar grew bigger. A single tear rolled down the champion's cheek, when the weary deep eyes of the Guardian met his. But Medivh said nothing, blood reaching his mouth and spilling out.
Khadgar sobbed.
'Med...' Anduin whispered, bowing to the wounded's man ear. 'I'm so sorry... forgive me, Med...'
He pulled the sword out of the ripped flesh, sheding more tears, and took a careful aim. A second before the final strike, he managed to say out loud, not caring about anything:
'I love you, Med...!'
Medvih's head rolled.
It's been so long... I still remember the pain of someone else controlling my body and letting me see the horrors he does... How I managed to stop him back then, I still don't know. But I did it, letting the three of them live long enough to do what they were to do.
Trust... Khadgar, my poor apprentice that came to me from Dalaran when he was only seventeen. I can clearly recall the youth's nervous face, curiousity and will. A smile runs across my face. If it wasn't for him, who knows what Sargeras could've done? After my death Trust continued his studies away from Karazhan, in Stormwind, afraid of the painful memories. A great archamge he's become... Lord Khadgar, master of the Citadel of Nethergarde. The only one, who was able to close the Dark Portal I once opened... Despite myself, I feel guilty for his loss.
Anduin... The champion of king Llane, once Regent Lord of Azeroth, my best friend and only love... After that faithful day he remained Llane's champion, in charge of the whole Azerothian army. A fine and fair warrior... Achieved many glorious victories in battles with the orcs, freeing fortresses all around Khaz Modan... It was him, who suggested creating the Alliance of seven human nations, soon also elves of Quel'Thalas and the dwarves... Once again, it is I who caused his doom...
I don't feel guilty only for Garona, who escaped Karazhan after my death. Thanks to Lothar and Tr... Khadgar, she was trusted by the council of Azeroth and the king himself. Poor fool Llane had no idea that she herself will cut out his heart... The vision was as true as all the rest. But Garona was still alive, though tormented, scarred and hidden in shadows. It was not my fault... yet I pity her. My friend...
Now I stand upon the graves of Khadgar, Anduin and my two servants. In the whole kingdom of Azeroth, and further in human lands of the Alliance, stood my beloved's monuments and statues, remembering lord Anduin Lothar as a great hero, killed in an ambush at Blackrock Spire. But I, in secrecy, made sure that his grave be as simple and pure and any others, with just the name and a short prayer to the Light.
Lord archmage Khadgar is also very well remembered, but mostly in the magical lands. Dalaran and areas of Nethergarde that is, and New Stormwind. Died in Draenor's explosion, when closing the Dark Portal I opened. My face begins to burn... I place a short epitaph on his gravestone... "Khadgar, my greatest Trust"...
Moroes and the cook received only names and prayers, like Anduin. The flowers I just gathered will soon fade, or be blown away... The wind's getting stronger and colder. Winter's coming...
I stand here, the wind caressing my hair, touching my hot cheeks and plyaing with my cape. Tears roll down my cheeks and fall from my chin. I cry. I really do. I haven't cried ever since Lothar was near death after I awoke from the coma. That was the last time I shed tears... those that threatened me when killing Moroes and the cook where somehow chocked back, even though back then it was Sargeras, not me.
I recall the best memories I had with all of them, not caring about anything. I wish I could spend more time here, praying to the Light for their souls and my own redemption... but no, time is short and I have a task that must be done. King Terenas and the council of the Alliance await... they must be warned!
I turn away, then take a last peek at the grim graves and sob silently.
And then there was silence...
Das Ende...