From the Ashes

Chapter 6: Forsaken of the Light

As I recall, the dread lord of the Drow, Kael, had made a grand appearance before the forces of Azeroth at a grand city we were giving our lives to protect. His tattooed body further applied to his true, dark nature. Never before had I felt such hatred and pity for a madman such as he. My heart was not alone in this grip of hate. Every soldier upon that wall glared menacingly at the fell elf. Oh how I wished the Light would simply strike that bastard down into the Twisting Nether! But I am afraid my prayers were not answered, for the battle continued.

"Anon karo nunhi Drow!" the Drow continued to chant while slamming their weapons against their shields. "Anon karo nunhi Drow!"

The rams drew ever closer to the doors, and their deaths were too few and slow to keep them clear of the gates. Soon the first ram made its way to the gate, and collided. It rumbled furiously as the metal tip of the ram made contact with the wooden frame of the grand gates. Again it hit, and more chaos echoed through the gate. Our archers tried our best to ward off the rams, and our catapults were doing our best taking out the rams while at the same time taking out archers who were depleting our numbers. It was a grim moment in the history of Azeroth.

And that is when we heard it. The gate had finally gave way by the time the third ram came into contact. All fell silent, and all firing of arrows and boulders ceased. We were doomed, and all in this battle knew it. Then Kael turned to his brethren and spoke aloud so all, even his enemies, could hear his voice.

"My children!" boomed the fell prince. "Too long have we been persecuted. Too long have we been massacred, dishonored, and strewn like meaningless dirt! But no more! Forsaken of the Light though we may be, we will show the tyrants of our new Light! Damn the Light! Damn the gods! Damn all who would dare trespass, for it will be us who will commit the trespassing! Death to the enemy of our people! Death to the enemy of the Drow!"

All the Drow roared in a dark anthem, an anthem spoken from vengeance and rage. I may not understand how Kael's feels, but it is not enough to damn all life, mortal or immortal. All I knew was Kael must die, and it must be swift and clean. Fortunate for me though, one other had the same idea.

Though having abandoned his post, the commanding paladin leaped from his position on the great wall and before Kael. Fire burned in his eyes, and a hate within his heart ignited equal to that of Kael's. Kael, seeing this challenge, dismounted his black steed and faced his opponent.

"And whom, may I ask, is this lesser enemy that challenges me?" he asked mockingly.

"I am Lord Lithius, paladin of the Silver Hand of Lordaeron and servant of the Light." said the paladin.

"Very well." said Kael. "I will be sure to dishonor that name, just as you have dishonored mine!"

Kael's eyes literally lit ablaze with green fire. I recalled my late father speaking of such a flame, the flame of demons. This madman, Kael, was truly evil in every way possible. He raised his hands in a convulsion, shaking them with every fiber of his being. He lifted his hands til they somehow lit ablaze themselves, just like his eyes. Taking a great sword from his back, it too ignited with green fire. Lord Lithius gasped as he gazed upon Kael's weapon. All the Drow knelt down in admiration toward the blade, now speaking "Semin arge jeku!"

"What is this they speak of now?" I asked the same night elf beside me.

"It means, 'Hail to the blade of our lord.'" said the night elf.

Then the Drow spoke "Semin arge Sargeras!"

"No!" muttered the night elf. "They said, 'Hail to the arm of Sargeras!'"

"May Sargeras serve us in our day of glory! Glorishim sar kemshi!" shouted Kael as he raised the sword on high.

"Hail to the blade of our lord!" roared all the Drow in common language. "Semin arge jeku! Hail to the arm of Sargeras! Semin egra Sargeras!"

That is when my world was shattered. From the sky I saw the sky turn even darker than it had been before. Though this time it was not of smoke or of storm. This coming of darkness was of a returning shadow, returning once again to plague the lands of Azeroth. From this renewed darkness rained fire. This fire, like Kael's eyes, hands, and blade, glowed green in color. They were coming.
Kael had made a contract with the lowest beings in the universe. The Burning Legion was returning once again!

With rage Lord Lithius charged Kael with all he had, his hammer ready at hand.

"Come with it then!" announced Kael.

The two engaged in combat, and all watched as the sky continued to rain fire. Sparks flew from their weapons as each clashed with one another, creating carnage and destruction that will forever be heralded in the sands of time. Lord against lord, good versus evil, oblivion pitted against salvation. As I thought of Lord Lithius's nobility, I could not help but notice what Kael was thinking in that twisted mind of his. Perhaps, in his mind, he was the light versus the evil and the salvation having been pitted against oblivion. I suppose that is also how the dark army of the Drow felt and thought. Perhaps this war, this massacre, was not a fight of good versus evil, but an evil versus a greater evil. Whether that greater evil was us or them, it was a battle not of destruction or revenge, but of reckoning.

While I pondered these thoughts the two armies watched eagerly at the battle between Lord Lithius and Kael. They never stopped slashing and hacking, bashing and crushing, mauling and mutilating. But this carnage would not last long, for there was soon a victor. Kael great sword of green fire hurled into the air and landed away from Kael's grasp. Hope lit within my soul for this world. If Kael fell, then the Drow would be without a master, and would fall into complete anarchy.

Lord Lithius walked to Kael, whom was knelling down, holding his right hand in pain. Lithius raised his hammer high in the air, ready for the finishing blow. All fell silent at this new turn of event. If I was so intent on seeing the final outcome of the battle, I could have swore that the sky ceased to drop fire upon Azeroth. The fire had seemed to reflect in Lithius's eyes, almost like he had the power of the demons instead of Kael.

"I so I cast thee into the Twisting Nether, never to harm another man or beast for all eternity!" echoed Lord Lithius triumphantly.

Kael laughed at Lord Lithius, his maniacal expression still struck with enjoyment of this war, his head still bowed down in pain. Never had something annoyed me more than a madman near death.

"Really Lithius?" chuckled Kael. "If so, may I kill one more?"

"Wha?" said Lord Lithius.

Before Lord Lithius could finish his question to the dark prince, Kael, had muttered something under his breathe. Green, circular runes appeared beneath Lord Lithius's feet and then... utter annihilation. We could only watch as Lord Lithius was engulfed by torrents of fire erupting from under his feet. His death cry was aching and painful to hear. I saw his skin dissolve before the flame, his bones glistening in what small bit of hope I had left for this world. When the pillars of fire settled, nothing but a bright skeleton lay upon the earth of where he stood, his final stand. The Drow continued their anthem with glory and pride.

"Anon karo nunhi Drow!" roared the dark army. "Hail to the lord of the Drow! Anon karo nunhi Drow! Hail to the lord of the Drow!"

Kael rose from his kneeling as if he was never wounded. Turning away, he picked up his sword and raised it on high. Fire continued to fall from the sky. Doom had befallen us, and oblivion was in site. All our archers fled as Kael shouted, "Lekbi! Charge!"

All Drow swordsmen charged through the gates, slaughtering all in their path. My orc friend and I reloaded the catapult, aiming it at Kael as he stood there watching our city burn. We thought surely he would die to a boulder. But before we fired, Kael had given another command.

"Shenu! Fire!" he commanded.

In one clear swoop hundreds of catapults hurled their boulders (lit on fire) high in the air. Seeing the fiery weapons hailing from above, he hastened our progress of aiming at Kael. But before we fired, a boulder hit us, causing the catapult to explode. I was blown away from the wreckage, but I am afraid I saw my orc ally wither in the explosion. He fell beside me, his arms and legs torn by the explosion. Only his head remained fully in tact.

"No!" I uttered as I crawled to him, holding his head in my hands.

"Are you alright?" were his first words.

"I am just fine. But your body..."

"Good, I hoped my shove would get you out of the way." he coughed.

"No, you didn't have to do that. You could have survived!" I said as my eyes teared.

"Did we get him?" he asked.

"I am afraid not." said I. "But I must get you to a priest!"

"No!" he said as he coughed hysterically. "You would not make it. The Drow are too many and too powerful. You must leave me here."

"At least tell me your name before I leave." I sobbed.

"Gornek Thunderhammer." he said. "And yours?"

"Zardeth Darkbinder." were my final words to him.

As I told him my name, his life slipped away. The honor that all orcs wish to accomplish had filled him before his death, I was sure of it. But after he died, I looked over to Kael. He was laughing menacingly, watching the city burn as his forces continued to flood it with sword and shield. It was at that time something in me snapped.

"Kael must die." was my only thought.

Having lost my equipment to the explosion, I wielded the sword and shield of the late Gronek Thunderhammer. I fled down the barren walls to the streets of the city. Drow were everywhere, and I had little time to reach Kael. Looking over, I saw a tauren fighting for his life as dozens of Drow were surrounding him. He swung his axe majestically, decimating any Drow that met that blade. Looking behind him, I saw a Drow coming from behind, ready to assail him with his sword. In instinct I ran and hacked off the head of the Drow, ceasing his attack and saving the tauren. I had tasted first blood, and somehow found it sweet. The tauren and I fought hand in hand as entire hordes of Drow came at us, our body count growing larger and larger with each kill.

I saw the gate and Kael on the other side. With rage I cut down my last three Drow before I charged toward the dark prince, Kael. With fire in my eyes greater than that of Lord Lithius's, I tore apart all Drow that got in my way. In fact, of the five Drow attempting to stop me, two lost their heads, another two lost one of their arms and another lost his torso. Blood was stained upon both blade and shield, and my body was painted in the blood of my enemies. Finally Kael was only feet from me. Kael noticed my intrusion on his twisted enjoyment, and turned to me. We stared each other down with equal vengeance in our souls.

"You dare trespass me?" he said. "Who dares to trespass Kael, lord of the Drow?"

"That would be I, your reaper, your executioner." said I. "I am the Light in your twisted darkness, I am the hope in your shadowed insanity. I am Zardeth Darkbinder, faithful servant of the Light and humble warrior of New Lordaeron!"

"I will be sure to dishonor that name." he said. "Just as-"

"Just as you have dishonored my people?" I butted in. "We shall see."

A grimace of disgust passed Kael's face. He drew his great sword and I drew the late Gornek's sword. We were at a stand-off, and no one intruded. If anyone were to do such, I would have hacked them down where they stood. Soon I charged. I gave a battle-cry as I ran up to Kael, who must have been expecting as much. As I was only five feet from Kael, the green, circular runes appeared below me. Knowing this, I backed up only an inch from the runes, and the flaming strike erupted before me, not below me. Kael, not seeing me behind the flames, thought he had won. And how wrong was he when from those pillars of flame came Gornek's sword, flying toward him. Gornek's sword made its mark, piercing the center of Kael's chest. In astonishment and agony he knelt on both knees, gasping for air.

"My children! Aid me!" cried Kael.

About five Drow having heard his cry turned to him and ran for his aid. They acted as a shield, surrounding him on all sides so he would not be further hindered. When the flames died down, I stood before the five, my appearance from the flames intimidating them to the point where they had two of them carry Kael off as the other three continued to act as living shields.

"Duken! Retreat!" exclaimed the Drow. "Duken! Retreat!"

All fighting ceased and all surviving Drow ran for their lives to return to their mortally wounded master. Confusion fell before the remaining forces of the city, but all rejoiced either way. Several battling warriors saw my action and carried my now worn body on their shoulders.

"Hail to the hero of Orgimmar!" they cheered as they marched me into the city. "Hail to the hero of Azeroth!"

Rumor spread of my heroism. As reward, I was to be knighted and made a paladin of the Silver Hand of Lordaeron and entitled 'Guardian and Hero of Azeroth'. I accepted these rewards with great nobility and honor. But when they rewarded me with a new sword, I refused. After everyone began repairs on Orgimmar, I scavenged the place where Kael and I fought. I found that after I wounded him, he must have had one of his Drow pull Gornek's sword from his chest. I drew this sword from the ground. I swore then that I would wield this sword and this sword alone. In memory of Gornek Thunderhammer, I would wield his sword with great dignity and honor. If he had not pushed me away from the doomed catapult, I would not remain of this world today.

But all was not well. With Kael mortally wounded, the Drow must be on a warpath. We prepared ourselves for the next battle, ready for another Drow attack. I was made commanding paladin of Orgimmar in place of the brave, late Lord Lithius. I was now Lord Zardeth Darkbinder the Savior, the highest rank in the Lordaeron forces. And I was proud of that name. If Kael would return to the battlefield, I would deal with him myself, for my nation, for my comrades, for Gornek. Sad to say my story is not over, for there is still much I still have to tell you. I have only touched the tip of the iceberg, and there is mountain beneath it.

Hey fans! Pretty cool eh? I hope you like the next chapter. With the Drow coming, do you think it will be just like before, or will another hero get his chance? Be sure to send your reviews, cause lately I have not been getting any and I'm starting to worry. The next chapter will be full of suspense and drama, just you wait and see!