Chapter 17: End Game
"Where did they go?" The new Warlord named Darlen asked as the main problem they had. Darlen was so much younger than Kor'el that it seemed strange that this young troll had become a Warlord. His hair was wild and reached below his shoulders and was coloured green.
"They could have gone anywhere. They had the time to create a portal anywhere on this world, they may not even be on this continent." Nell said.
Darlen snorted. He wasn't really happy with humans in high places, but to him they had shown that they did knew what they were doing. "then we must return to our inner lands and fortify every town and outpost. We will leave this castle with a few sentries that can warn us if they see any Burning Blade. We will also send scouts to every part of this world. If they are still on this world, we will find them." Darlen looked at everybody in the room to see if anybody had a better idea. Everybody just nodded in agreement. "Great! Now get to work and post the sentries and put the army back together, we retreat through Ferelas."
"Is any of that even his idea?" Warrick asked as they walked back to their own tents.
"Don't disrespect the Warlord, Warrick." Grisha said. Warrick only laughed at that. The two of them walked of to their tents.
Palkor wanted to test his suspicion. "So, Nell, where wore you when we entered the fortress?"
Nell froze in his step and turned to him. Jack halted as well. "What do you mean?" Nell asked.
"That dragon. Where did he come from?" Palkor asked, while around them the camp was be torn down. The tents were taken apart and put on wagons.
"What do you think?"
"I think it is a little bit to coincidental that you disappear and that a dragon of that size appears. And Jack knows what I am talking about."
Nell looked around. "Can we continue this conversation somewhere more private?" They walked out of the camp and topped the two hills before stopping again.
"So it was you?" Palkor asked again. The raptor had been with them and was now looking up at Nell as if she had known all along.
"Yes."
"Why did you reveal yourself now? Why not at Crossroads?"
"Because I wanted to maintain my anonymity. There is a reason that I wear this form and that reason is older than all of you together." He indicated the three of them.
"Than what is that reason?" Palkor asked a bit more gentle.
"After the one you know as Deathwing choose a the new home of the black dragon flight thousands of years ago the flight grew more and more mad for reasons I did not understand. I had never made that mountain my home because I did not feel the obligation to the aspect as the younger ones did. Several times I met blacks and more and more they seemed paranoid and mad, so I went to take a look at the mountain." Jack was now listening carefully as well because he hadn't heard it as well. "I immediately sensed the wrongness about the place. It very slowly corrupted it's residence over the years. I confronted Nelltharion, Deathwing, about it, but he was just as maddened as the rest, possibly even more. His paranoia caused him to attack me and with the powers of an aspect bestowed on him by the creators he defeated me. As I fell from the sky I played dead, to not let Nelltharion suspect that I was still alive." Nell paused for a moment. "After that I took on the forms of mortals like you. I have lived in hiding for many millennia, occasionally I steered the mortals in their decisions, but I never showed myself."
"Than why show yourself here and now?" Jack asked.
"I knew they were planning on using a portal to get out, if they got out of here and corrupt more to be their slaves and all might be lost. I reverted to my natural form to help speed up the defeat of them here. I have failed in stopping them from creating the portal."
"This is news that must be made known to the other aspects!" A soft feminine voice resounded.
"No!" Nell said as he turned to the raptor. "You will do no such thing!"
"You know of me?" The voice again sounded without a source.
"Of course! Do you think I am stupid? I have known who you are all along." Nell told the raptor.
The raptor shuddered and slowly transformed. The long tail shortened until it wasn't there any more. Slowly the rest of the features transformed into those of a human. Before their eyes emerged a human female. She wore red cloaks and all clothing underneath was red as well. "Why not let the aspects know? Deathwing hasn't been seen for years. You wont have to fear him. Deathwing isn't even considered an aspect by the others."
"See! You just don't understand. I like the way I live now. I don't want to be Nelltharious anymore, just simply Nell."
"You may want to reconsider not being mad then. You have worn this for much to long! It is time that flew again, on your own."
"Pah! The aspects wont even remember me. At least two of the four are not entirely sane. They have forgotten about poor Nelltharious long ago, right that moment that I fell from the sky, dropped from Nelltharion's talons."
"Then how do I know of you? I hadn't even hatched from my egg the moment you fell. I was told by my aspect about you, she even gave me the assignment of trying to find you after she thought she knew you were still alive."
"Really?" Nell asked unbelieving.
"Yes, and I found. Now I must complete my assignment and tell of my discovery."
Jack and Palkor had been standing there, listening to what they had to say. Now Jack interfered. "Uhm, cant this wait till after we find and finish of the Burning Blade?"
The unnamed dragon in human form and Nell looked at each other. They nodded and Nell said: "You are absolutely right."
"So what is your name?" Palkor asked of the human female.
"Alixia." And with that she transformed back into a raptor.
When they returned the army was already prepared to move out. Within minutes the remnants of the First and Third Horde Armies, still numbering twenty thousand, moved back through Ferelas and Thousand Needles. On their way back they left more men and woman to reinforce Mojache and rebuild Freewind Post. On their way they saw no sign of Burning Blade except the destruction that was already there when they moved through the first time. They arrived at Crossroads ahead of schedule thanks to Darlen's ruthless ways. Crossroads was still untouched since they had left it. Reports came in that none of the other towns and outposts of the Horde had been attacked. Scouts returned with no news.
In the mean a group was made that was to deliver the full report to Thrall about the march to Ferelas and Desolace. The group consisted of the leaders of the different races that had banded together. Gazlowe represented the goblins, Zalashi the naga, Darlen the Horde, Jack, Warrick, Nell, Grisha, the raptor and Palkor represent those that had brought the different groups together. They flew on dragon back to Orgrimmar and landed in front of Thrall's keep again. Occulus had chosen to stay behind.
"Warlord Darlen!" One of the guards shouted. "Open the gate! Let them through!" The guard escorted them into the keep and presented them to Thrall. "Warlord Darlen has returned, Warchief."
Thrall looked up from his slumber. It was already late afternoon and Thrall had been dozing of in the diminishing light. "Darlen? Where is Kor'el?" He asked disturbed by the fact that it was Darlen and not Kor'el.
"I am afraid that I have to report that he has fallen by the cowardly tactic of animating the dead. He and his fellows were surrounded by an entire see of the monstrosities."
Thrall seemed saddened by the news. Thrall let his eyes pass over the others that had come with Darlen. His eyes opened wide a moment as he looked on Zalashi, but he made no insulting comment. "I now you." He said as he pointed at Jack, his friends and Gazlowe. "But who are you?" He said as his gaze rested on Zalashi.
"Noble Warcccchhhhief, I go by the name of Zalassshi."
Thrall nodded at him and then ordered Darlen to begin his story. Darlen relayed the whole thing from the point that Jack and his friends returned from Ratchet with the goblins and the naga to the point that a huge black dragon of the size that rivals that of Deathwing landed in their enemy's ranks and helped them to victory. Nell managed to keep a straight face while Darlen spoke of him without knowing it. Darlen continued on with how the Thunderaxe fortress had been empty and their way back to Crossroads.
"Seems this isn't over then." Thrall said uselessly. "But in the time we have until we do find them we must have a new high Warlord and a new Warlord for The First Army." Darlen looked expectant and clearly wanted to be the new high Warlord. Thrall it as well and added: "The high Warlord must be a very experienced fighter and tactician." Darlen got the hint and the look vanished from his face. Jack couldn't help but grin at it. "Until we have a new Warlord you are to return to your posts." Darlen had noticed Jack's grin and brushed against Jack unnecessarily hard.
They returned to the army camp and waited while reinforcements arrived. "So, how did it go?" Occulus asked.
"Well enough." Darlen said as he vanished in his tent.
On Occulus face stretched a grin so wide it was hard to imagine possible. "Guess he didn't get to be high Warlord?"
"Nope." Jack said.
Nell made a table and two chairs appear out of thin air and sat down on one chair. He indicated to Jack to take place on the other chair. A map burst into being on the table. The map depicted the whole of Kalimdor in great detail. "So, where did they go?" Nell asked as Jack sat down.
Warrick, Grisha and Palkor played games of chess and poker while Jack and Nell bent themselves over a multitude of maps. One map depicted The Barrens, but it was lain aside fast as they agreed that the Burning Blade wasn't there. Other maps also disappeared of the table, like Thousand Needled and Ferelas. On the main chart they drew red crosses where they agreed were no Burning Blade. Now and then Grisha or Palkor would help give more information, but they couldn't find out where the Burning Blade might be hiding.
"Where did they send the scouts?" Warrick asked the third night.
"What do you mean?" Jack requested he be more specific.
"Did they send them to territory that isn't occupied by the Alliance or the Horde?"
"Yes, the send scouts there as well." Nell answered.
"Did they send them to Alliance towns?"
Jack thought for a moment and then silently answered: "No." He began leafing through the maps until he found the one that depicted the Barrens and durotar, where Orgrimmar was located. He pointed at a oddly shaped island to the south of Durotar, it was connected to the main land by a land bridge. "What is this?"
"Theramore isle." Nell answered. His eyes brightened. "And Theramore would be one of the last places where we would look. It is Alliance and close to Durotar." Jack and Nell jumped from their chairs and they instantly disappeared. The table disappeared as well, the maps along with them.
They barged into Darlen's tent. Darlen looked up with an annoyed face. "Get out! You may have been allowed to do that with Kor'el, but I will not allow it. Now! GET OUT!"
"Would you like to know a likely place where they might be?" Nell asked neutrally.
Darlen's face softened. "In that case, come in and point it out."
Jack pulled a huge map of Kalimdor from a pile of maps. He spread it over the table and pointed at Theramore. "There."
"There?" Darlen laughed with contempt dripping from his voice. "Why there? They would never risk to be that close to us."
"And that is exactly what they want you to think." Jack sneered back.
Darlen's face grew cold and he took a closer look at the map. He estimated the distance between Theramore and Orgrimmar, and only came to the conclusion that it was much to close. "Hmm, you may be right. I will send scouts immediately."
Three days later the scouts returned and reported their findings. "You were right." Came the voice from behind Jack. "Theramore has indeed been taken over. It will be Proudmoore all over again." Jack turned his head in his chair and looked into the concerned face of Darlen. "This time our forces are already weakened, we may not be able to succeed in besieging Theremore a second time."
"How many are there in Theramore?" Jack asked.
"They have taken control of the entire population and the leaders. Thrall has already send word that he wants none of the leaders killed, and as few as possible of the inhabitants."
"That is a problem."
"Yes, and it needs solving. I want a team to go in and extract Jaina Proudmoore and other important leaders. The team needs to be able to speak the common language and not stand out amongst the Burning Blade." Darlen looked at Jack as if waiting for Jack to volunteer.
"So you want me to do it because I speak common and orcish?"
"And others to help you, yes."
"What others?"
"Palkor, for dropping you of at Theramore and others that can help you in neutralizing any spell cast upon the leaders and the inhabitants and additional help in case it goes bad and you need to get out." Darlen explained.
"And I guess I will have to be the one for neutralizing spells." Nell said as he walked out of a nearby tent.
"And us for the extra help." Grisha said as Grisha and Warrick came out of the same tent. The raptor, Alixia, nudged against Jack's leg to indicate she was in as well.
"That is settled then." Darlen said with a relieved face. "You leave now, and arrive when darkness is falling so a black dragon wont be noticed. Palkor will wait of shore and return when the signal is given. I will leave it to you to think of a signal. There will probably be so much chaos if the inhabitants wake up and see the Burning Blade that you wont have much problems getting out."
"Now? Jack asked.
"Now." And he called Palkor.
Palkor landed among them on top of Magmaradon. "If we leave now we can make it before darkness has made it impossible to see where to land."
They quickly gathered their gear and mounted up. Magmaradon quickly carried them to their destination. Below them they saw the army beginning to move south, in the direction of Theramore.
They arrived ahead of schedule and had to wait for the right moment to land at the high walls of Theramore. Theramore was a typical human structure. Every thing was made of stone. High towers stood on top of the high walls that seemed to ride from the sea itself. The towers sported massive cannons on top that served to eliminate any threat that came to close. Under cover of darkness however Magmaradon had no problem flying low over the water and rising along the wall. He clung to the wall and let the passengers get of, then he flew back down and over the water with his rider.
Jack and Warrick readied their guns while Grisha took the axe from her back. Nell organised his spells for quick use. They searched for the nearest stair down the walls. They saw a pair of guards there, but they kept moving. To their surprise the two human guards only looked up for a moment, but still let them pass. "That went well." Warrick whispered. The whole of the normally busy Theramore was silent. Even at night there should be noises of work. Now the only sounds where have plated feat hitting the ground in the distance as a patrol passed by.
An aura surrounded therefore and it was in every single human they met. They rarely saw any other race than humans. A few times they saw an orc walk by, but even those only took note of their presence, nothing more. They walked over the streets in the same way as the they saw those they met do, as to not arouse suspicion. They were headed to the only illuminated building they saw, a grand keep with towers on the corners. That was probably their target.
At the gates they were stopped by guards. "stay out. Nobody enters here." One of the guards said.
They immediately turned around and walked away, into the shadows. "What now? They wont let us pass." Grisha said.
"We need to get in there. Could there be a backdoor?" Jack asked.
"Nah. This is probably the only way in." Nell stated.
"Then we will just have to use a trick." And with that he turned back to the guards and started walking with purpose. The rest followed him quickly. Jack walked up to the first guard and looked down on the heavily armoured human. "One of the guards on the wall said he saw something fly over the sea. We are here to report it to the chief of guard."
"The chief of guard is on the wall." The guard said with rising suspicion.
Jack quickly looked around to see if there were any observers to what he was about to do. He found none and focused back on the guard. "Is that so, I am sorry for that." The guard pulled his sword from his side, this was not the way they talked. Jack grabbed the arm holding the sword with one arm and used his free hand to ram into the guards helmed head. The raptor jumped for the other's throat. To make sure no one heard the sounds made Nell cast a spell of silence. A dent appeared in the helm of the guard Jack had just attacked. The guard cried out but none heard it thanks to the spell. Jack rammed his fist in the guards stomach and the guard doubled forward. The sword fell to the ground and Jack used both hands to grab the head. Twice he rammed the head into his knee, and on the second time he heard the nose crack. He let go of the bleeding head and the limp body dropped to the ground.
In the mean time the other guard had already died from the many teeth that had torn at his throat. Both guards were carried away and put to rest in the shadow. Fortunately for them, the gate was open and they could enter without problems. They passed hallways and chambers, climbed stairs, went down stairs, then up again, and finally found a hallway that proved promising. It was highly decorated, more so than the rest of the keep, and at the end stood four guards. Nell cast another spell of silence so any fight wouldn't be heard. They passed through the hallway and halted before the guards. Jack again stepped forward to negotiate with the guards. "We have orders to enter here."
"No one enters the chamber of Jaina Proudmoore." The guard retorted in a practised fashion.
Jack looked to Nell and Nell nodded, signifying the silence spell was still in place. Jack pulled the gun into view and shot the four guards in rapid succession. All four guards dropped with a single hole in their head. Brain matter and blood was splattered on the wooden door behind the guards. Nell tested the door for any trap spells and found none. He grabbed the handle and opened the door. The heavy door opened and revealed a room that wasn't illuminated. Not even a candle burned in a corner.
They entered and Nell cast a minor spell of illumination. A soft light burst into being in front of him and it cast soft light on the chamber. The chamber was filled with large bookshelves that were completely filled and a working desk in one corner. In the middle of the chamber was large sofa with extra cushions. Nell silently walked to one bookshelf and ran his finger over the books. "Jaina is a real reader. There is literature even I haven't heard of." He said softly.
To the side was an opening to another chamber. Warrick walked into the chamber and gestured to them to come. This was obviously the bedroom. In the middle stood a gigantic bed and on it lay the sleeping form of the young Jaina. "Don't let appearances fool you." Nell whispered. "She may be young, but she is one of the most powerful sorceresses in the world." Nell positioned himself next to the bed and inspected the spells cast on her to hold her under the Burning Blade's corruption.
In the mean time Warrick inspected a small table next to the bed. Piled high on it were books of all genres. He picked one up and read:
The history of the Orcish Horde.
He gave the book to Grisha and translated the title to Orcish. she snorted. "Written by some anti-orc bastard probably."
Warrick leafed through the pages and read out loud in a whisper:
The orcs are of nature a peaceful race only forced into this world and battle with the Alliance because of demons corrupting their will in the past. Now they are freed of that demonic corruption and they seek to return to their shaman roots.
"Maybe not then." Grisha whispered.
"Okay, the spell is lifted." Nell announced. He bend down and gently prodded the form of Jaine. She turned over on her other side. Nell prodded again and a bit harder, this time he was rewarded by a moan that seemed to order them away. Again he prodded and this time whispered to her to wake up. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She closed them again as she seemed to think it was a dream.
Jack bend down and held his mouth just beside her ear. "Waky waky, time to get up and free your people."
Jaina's eyes flashed open and flared with magical light as summoned up a spell to drive the invaders out. She was forced down by a simple wave of Nell's hand and the spell was cancelled out by one of Nell's. "What is going on here?" Jaina asked.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Jack asked.
"What kind of question is that? I went to bed and fell asleep of course."
"What did you do that day?" Jack again asked.
The memories of demons and others in her keep bloomed full in Jaina's mind. "What is going here? demons in my city?"
"Calm down. We are here to get you out and cancel the spell that keeps your city's inhabitants subdued."
"Get me out? On who's command are you doing this?" She asked as she sat up after Nell lifted his spell."
"Thrall's command. And we have to move now if we are to cancel the spell and get out of here before the sun rises above the horizon."
"No! I will not leave my people in this time!"
"What! are you mad? We have to move now!"
"No! I will stay and help my people after the spell is lifted."
"At least we agree about one thing, and that is that the spell needs to be lifted. So lets move." Jack urged.
"Alright, but let me put some clothes on."
Jack was startled by this he look down, below her face and then turned around and left the room. The others followed him and they waited until Jaina came out in long robes that almost reached the floor. "Ready?" Jack asked.
"Yes." They moved back through the hallways. Jaina gave them directions as she knew by who and where the spell was being maintained. They descended into the depths of the keep where the air was thicker and full of moisture. After dealing with another pair of guards a door was opened to a large room. In the middle was a pattern drawn on the floor. Around it stood six sorcerers.
Jack saw Krasgall giving them instructions. This would be the time to end his personal matter with Krasgall. It would be seven trained sorcerers against the six of them. Jack and Warrick reloaded their weapons just to be sure they wouldn't run out of bullets in the middle of the fight. They silently discussed a plan and then burst through the door opening. The trained sorcerers had noticed them come in but could not just leave the spell. Three broke their link while the remaining three strained to keep the spell up.
Shields were cast by the three that had broken of and Krasgall already fired a bolt of fire on Jack. Jack was hit full in the chest, but even now the plating inside the clothing left him with only a few minor burns. Warrick already shot at one of the sorcerers but the shield held, even after a second shot. Nell shot forth a pillar of flame that reduced one of the sorcerers to what looked like burned paper. The raptor, Alixia, bent of and lunged for the sorcerers trying to maintain the spell. As they saw the raptor coming they to left the spell and concentrated on fighting, but the strain of trying to keep the spell up had weakened them. Grisha swung her axe at a sorcerer and hit a shield. Sparks flew in every direction and nearly hit Grisha's eye. Jaina made the air around one of the sorcerers turn so cold that the sorcerer froze where he stood. Finally Jack emptied his gun quickly at Krasgall while he charged at Krasgall.
To Jack's dismay all the bullets were deflected by a quickly cast shield, but he was close enough to grab Krasgall by the collar with one hand. He lifted the much smaller human of the ground and rammed him into a wall. His free hand he rammed into Krasgall's chest, winding Krasgall. He dropped Krasgall and took his time to reload the gun. While Krasgall looked up at him he looked back. They looked in each others eyes and found only hatred for one another. Jack put the gun to Krasgall's temple and waited for him to plea for his life. No such plea came, they just stared at one another.
Jack pulled the trigger.
The bullet exited the barrel and drilled it's way through the skull, into the brain. It drilled into the skull on the other side and exited there. As the bullet re-emerged it took a lot of blood and brain matter with it. As it dug itself into the wall the blood and brains splattered against the cold stone. The body fell over against Jack's legs and spilled blood and brains on the pants.
Jack pushed the body away and turned to the other sorcerers. A magical bolt hit him square in the chest and he was flung backwards, against the wall. He dropped down on top of Krasgall's dead body. He saw the sorcerer approach and he took the gun in his right hand. He aimed and fired again. And again. And again. Three bullets pierced the cloth that was the sorcerers robes and then pierced the skin. Blood exited at the back as the bullets went right through the body of the sorcerer. The sorcerer staggered but did not quite seem finished of. Jack shot again and this time hit the throat. The bullet snapped the spine and the twitching body dropped to the floor.
Elsewhere in the room the other sorcerers had been killed as well. Grisha had managed to weaken the shield so much by hacking at it that it finally gave way to the axe. The body lay bleeding on the floor as the bottom and upper half had been nearly severed. Warrick had done the same thing, only with the shotgun. The sorcerer lay propped up against a wall with many puncture wounds from the buckshot ammo Warrick used. Jaina and Nell had finally blasted their specialty at the last sorcerer, Fire and cold. The sorcerer was heated up and cooled down at the same time. He lay on the ground with burn marks and frostbite on every part of his body.
"Has the spell been lifted?" Jaina asked.
Nell sensed the energies in the room for a moment and answered. "Yes. It has. Your city's inhabitants should return to their normal self within moments."
"Than I must help them in purging the city of the foul demon influence." Jaina said.
"No! we leave now. We can not risk you getting killed in your attempt to help your people." Jack said as he struggled to his feet after being hit twice by a magical bolt.
"I will not leave Theramore!" Jaina shouted.
"Then I will just have to carry you out it seems!"
"No! For the last time! I WILL NOT LEAVE THERAMORE!" Her eyes glowed blue as she spoke.
"Did we come here for nothing then?" Jack asked.
"Of course not! You helped lift this spell." Above them began to resound the sounds of struggle. "You can always help me in taking back the city." She offered.
"Do you se her?" Jack pointed at Grisha. "What do you think will become of her if your people see her?"
"Maybe if she stays near me they wont attack her." Jaina sneered back after looking at Grisha for only a moment.
Jack looked to Grisha and said. "Okay, lets leaf it to her then."
Grisha grew agitated as she felt the gaze of everyone on her. Warrick translated the conversation that had been spoken in common for her to orcish. "Uhm. . . I think. . . Jaina is right."
"You say what!" Jack shouted.
"You heard her." Jaina said with a satisfactory smile on her face. "Now keep to your promise."
"Alright, alright. I will keep myself to it." And he started for the door. Nell followed soon after and gunshots began echoing through the corridor. The rest followed soon after. Grisha stayed close to Jaina as was expected. She received many untrusting looks from inhabitants, but none attacked her.
When they reached ground level again and exited the keep they saw the whole streets were full of fighting men and woman. It seemed that the inhabitants had the upper hand in the fight and already demons and their followers lay dead on the cobbled streets. Blood was filling up the space between the stones as more and more joined the dead. Within one hour the whole of Theramore was again under it's rightful owner's command.
The group moved to the wall and signalled Palkor to come pick them up. Behind them stood a grateful Jaina Proudmoore. "I thank you all for making this possible. Know, that the horde wont have any problems from me in the future. I cant say the same over others however." Jack, Warrick, Nell, Grisha and the raptor bowed before her. In the raptor's case it wasn't really a bow, more a slight dipping of the head. Palkor landed on the wall and the passengers mounted again. He received many awed looks for the dragon. They lifted of and waved at Jaina one last time.