From the Ashes
Chapter 7: Faltering Fate
The sun had finally risen on this forsaken world. Though the clouds were as dark and ominous as ever, the glowing white rays of the sun brightened our hope for the future. With our faith in the Light restored by the rising sun and the clearing of war's pollution, the soldiers of Orgimmar were quick in rebuilding our forces. Strange to say, more fighters from the fallen lands of Khaz Modan and Lordaeron were coming in, ready to fight for the cause. How they could have come not even I knew for sure back then.
As I patrolled the southern wall, I looked upon the battle-scarred fields of Durotar. 'Barren' did not put it to justice. Countless bodies of Drow were heaped in piles, ordered to be burned by law of war. As I saw the Drow bodies burn, I wondered how so many would give their life even though they were not individuals. From how Kael deployed those rams, he did not care for his fellow Drow, only his own thirst for blood and hunger for death. But after I wounded him, it was clear that though he worshiped death, he also feared it like any mortal being.
After the night passed, I was to report to the quarters of the insane-driven night elf of whom I saw hauled away after catching his brother's head. Before I even entered, I noticed that it was oddly quite in his living quarters. Opening the door, I saw no sign of life. It was not until after some looking around that I found him huddled in a beetle position in a dark corner. His eyes were saddened and distant. His once almost pale violet skin was now as pale as the evening stars. The horror of his brother's head still in his arms frightened me. The stench of decay from the head filled my lunges and made me cough before I spoke to him.
"I am fully aware of your situation, sir..." I said, trying to get his name.
"Drin." he said. "My name is Drin Moonblood."
"I know somewhat how you feel. The lose of a fellow warrior can be very tragic and-"
"He was not a fellow warrior! He was my brother damn it!" he exclaimed before drowning himself in tears. "He promised me we would see through this. Why the hell would you do this to me Zhan? Why!"
"Perhaps if I relocated you, you would better get over your lose." I said to him, a move I soon regretted.
His bright eyes looked into my own and it seemed to cut through my soul. This was more than a lose of a loved one. This was a lose of faith and hope that was once kindled within this great warrior's soul. They say some of the strongest men go mad in the sight of true war. This could be a worst case scenario.
"Leave us now!" he shouted.
Respecting his wishes, I left his quarters. Before I closed the door behind me, I looked back and saw a broken man, holding within his arms everything he lived to protect. Such events could tear a man apart. I could not help but feel a tear in my eye as I finally closed that door, leaving his sorrow behind me. Feeling a deep sense of grief in my throat, I walked around giving myself some time to clear my head. It seemed only natural to try and forget everything for a lonely hour or so. But those hours quickly turned to seconds as the war horn was blown and everyone came to the wall to check the surrounding lands.
Coming from the horizon was an army of Naga, fully armed and ready for combat. At the front was an unusually large male Naga. But like the female of their race, he bore four arms instead of two. His muscles were huge and intimidating and he grasped in all hands falchions, swords that curved similarly to a machete. But what frightened us most was what appeared in the middle of his army of serpents.
Guarded on all sides by the Naga forces was what appeared to be a giant metal fortress. It was so enormous it was seen even before we had a clear view of the Naga. For some reason it was dragged by countless snap dragons and dragon turtles. Its shape was rectangular and it had no turrets or Naga guarding it. Slowly it dragged on with the marching Naga, heading straight for Orgimmar.
"Man the guard towers!" I shouted. "There will be hell tonight!"
By the time all were in position and the Naga were close to the city, dusk had fallen upon the landscape. Their snake eyes gleamed in the encroaching moonlight, their scales appearing darker with each passing moment. For minutes we manned our stations, minutes passing like endless hours. Finally the Naga had reached within arrow's distance of us.
"Ready your aim!" I declared.
The Naga then shifted from a creeping march to a slithering charge. They were remarkable fast for being so large with only a tail for legs.
"Fire!"
Many Naga fell by our first wave. Afterwards they returned fire and we lost a good amount of men as well. No matter how many Naga charged us, they continued to keep the moving fortress and its carriers protected from the arrows.
"Fire at those turtles and dragons! Make sure they don't let that fortress near us!"
We focused some of the fire on the carriers of the fortress, but it seemed to do no good. Some Naga even shielded the beasts with their own bodies. For some reason they wanted to keep that fortress in tact and moving. But for what reason I could not say for sure. After much firing, it finally came close to Orgimmar's walls.
"Forget the fortress! Refocus your fire on their warriors! Do not let them in!"
Suddenly many sharp drills erupted from the front side of the fortress. All of the snap dragons and dragon turtles were moved from pulling it to pushing it, so as to not be crushed if the fortress were to make contact with the wall. My curiosity was still unsatisfied. Why would they go through all the trouble of moving an entire fortress and colliding it with the city walls? Soon I was given a gruesome and horror-stricken answer.
As the fortress was pushed against the walls and the drills broke through, from the ground inside the city one could see the entire side of the fortress. The entire portion of the wall was crushed by the drills. But not enough room was left for Naga infantry to enter the city. Looking closer from my position on the walls, I noticed that it did not look at all like a fortress. The entire side that broke through the wall actually appeared to be one big door. All around it I saw slits, possibly to allow air in. But what really shook me was the immense hiss that erupted from its obviously hollowed inside. Then it hit me.
"That is not a fortress..." I muttered to myself. "It is a CAGE!"
