~ The unforeseen ~
~ by Anne Shard (alias Odeena Skywalker) ~
Chapter five: Brothers
Furion Stormrage dropped the long quill, and rubbed his temples with a sigh. He hadn't slept in a while, as there were many things to do that required his presence or assistance. He felt weary and tired. Still, he couldn't afford to rest - not just yet.
The candle before him flickered a little, and then died. Furion motioned to light it again, but before he could do it, the flame returned by itself, brighter than it normally should have been. Turning around, he saw that his brother, Illidan, had entered his hut.
The demon nodded his head curtly. "Pardon for having disturbed you, brother, but there are things you must know which can suffer no delay."
"Of course there are." Furion motioned for his brother to sit down. "But first, I want to thank you for your aid. Had there not been for you, many more lives would have been lost."
Illidan held up his hand. "I did what I had to do. There is no need to thank me."
"Still, you didn't have to rescue their Priestess like you did. You could have left her."
"Another life lost would have unbalanced the scales even more. It was unacceptable." Illidan paused. "Will she be all right?"
"Our druids have healed her body... but her mind will need some time to recover. She asked me to send you her most grateful thanks."
"I... see." The demon gave a small laugh. "Well, tell her that I am the one who should be grateful. In these dark days, it is hard to find someone who does not hate me or fear me." Furion tried to protest, but Illidan continued, regardless of his attempt. "This is not what I came here to discuss, brother. During the battle, I transformed. I saw the corruption that grips these lands in its true light. The demons converge on you. It won't be long before they will attempt a full-force strike. Alone, you and your Sentinels could never hope to defeat such a force, and even with my aid, it will be difficult."
"You tell me what I already know, Illidan.", Furion cut in. "We are no match for these demons. It will take time to defeat them."
"And it is precisely time that you don't have", Illidan stated matter-of-factly. "You are aging, you said it yourself. Whould you die, the other Night Elves stand no chance without your leadership. What you need is allies, Furion. My armies were scattered after the battle at Quel'Thalas, but I can still summon a force powerful enough to--"
"One demon is enough", Furion replied fiercely.
Illidan's shoulders dropped slightly, but he kept his composure. "The armies I command do not consist of demons, brother. You of all people should know that the Naga and Blood Elves were once Night Elves as well."
"That does not absolve them of the guilt for what they have done in the past."
"But it is the future that we--you are trying to save. This alliance is your only chance." Illidan's voice became gentler. "Strange as it may sound, it pains me to see you so, brother. You asked for my aid. Let me offer you all I can."
"Such an alliance, should it be made, it would most likely be broken from the inside, Illidan."
"That will not happen. My fighters obey me; if I order them to fight at your side, they will."
Furion sighed. It was obvious that he struggled to make the right decision. "And... if I refuse?"
"You may still win the war, but the price the Night Elves will pay will be far greater."
"Very well then." Apparently, the druid had made up his mind. "At dusk, I will summon my druids and ask for their advice. Such decisions too important to be taken alone."
"I see." Illidan stood up. "Thank you for your time, brother."
"No, it is I who should be thankful", Furion replied quietly.
Illidan gave a small smile. "You should rest now. I cannot see your physical form, but I can see your soul, and from what I can tell, you are weary."
"A wise advice, brother. But I am afraid I cannot do that just yet, I have some... matters to attend to, first."
Illidan frowned questioningly. "Such as...?"
"I am writing a history of my people. Strange as it may seem, nobody has thought about it in the past. There was no need, since we were immortal. But times have changed; soon, all those who lived in the times of old will be gone, and there will be nobody left to remember them... to remember us..."
"How far did you manage?" Illidan asked.
"I am nearly done now, there are only a few more events to speak of."
"Did you write about my second capture yet?"
Furion shook his head, "No. As a matter of fact, I have come that far, and now I find that I hardly know anything."
"Then maybe you would like me to tell you of it, Furion." Illidan's voice was indifferent, as if he were speaking about something that did not concern him in the slightest.
"I would appreciate it", Furion replied, slightly surprised by this offer.
"Very well then..." Illidan sat back down, and remained silent for a few moments. Then, he began to speak.
"It was shortly after I had conquered Draenor. In my foolish pride, I believed that I now had the power to crush the Scourge and claim my rightful vengeance against the one because of whom I became what I am today. Kael and Lady Vasj advised me against it, but I was so blinded by my victory over Mag'theridon that I did not listen to them. I gathered my armies, and returned to this world once more. I started my absurd crusade in Quel'Thalas, the former home realm of the High Elves. My forces claimed victory after victory, and eventually lowered their guard, assuming the enemy was no longer a threat. It was precisely what the undead were waiting for. It was then that they stroke back.
"Nobody saw it coming. My soldiers were slaughtered before they even had a chance to fight. Against such a force, there were no hopes of victory. I called for retreat. Kael and Vasj managed to open a portal and escape, as did part of my troops. I stood behind, holding back the assault for as long as I could. It may seem like a noble thing to do, but all I had in mind was that the enemy should not be allowed to reach the portal. When the last of my army had gone, I fled also. However, unbeknownst to me, the portal had closed. I ran as far as I could, until I reached a small clearing. I was far enough to open a portal and step through it safely. The battle had weakened me, and I had many wounds. I tried to open a portal, but failed. I decided to go into hiding and wait until my energy would regenerate, then try again.
"But there was something I did not know. The warden, Maiev Shadowsong, had followed my trail thus far, and was stalking me from the shadows even now. She brought me down using some sort of poison, which I was too weak to fight. I never fully understood how it was possible for her to deliver a strike of such force. And when I awoke, I was caged once more."
Illidan took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. His features were grim. "And this is the end of my story. You know the rest."
Furion shook his head. "It must be difficult for you, brother."
"I've gotten over it. Now, there are more important tasks at hand. I want you to win this war, Furion. The sooner it happens... the sooner I'll be free." The demon stood up abruptly. "I will leave you now, Furion. I believe that you and your druids will take the right decision about my aid." With that, he turned and left.
"Yes, brother... I hope we will, too", Furion said in a whisper, although he knew that his brother could no longer hear it.
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Author's Note: Well, *this* must be the longer chapter yet! It clears out the storyline (which, I hope, is plausible enough...) and also opens up new perspectives for future chapters. More to come soon! Thanks for reviewing go to:
Warp da Warp Liger : I hope this chapter clears up things a bit about how the original storyline fits in.
forgottendream: Like I said in my previous Author's Notes, I had to do some improvising about the 'banshee' bit. I hope it wasn't *too* confusing. Anyway, I'm glad you like my story.
darth: Hmm... maybe, and maybe not. I haven't thought about it yet.
Destro1990: First: glad you like the 'banshee possession' part. It was pretty hard to write. Second: hmm... I guess that the answer to your question (which is, by the way, perfectly logical... being without men for ten thousand years... *shudders*) would be - yes. But don't tell anyone I said that! *wink, wink* And third, thanks
TheDemonHuntress: Thanks! ^_^