Warcraft IV: War of Legends
Chapter 1: The Invasion of Theramoore Isle
During the night, few humans stayed awake. After five years of living in relative peace, they were used to the lack of war. Though their people who remained in Azeroth and Lordaeron continued to hate the Orcish Horde, the people of Theramoore Isle were on peaceful terms with the Warchief, Thrall. However, none of these thoughts concerned the lowly peasant who had to watch the docks that evening. It was an uneventful duty, as there were rarely any visitors to the place, and few of those that did come ever came at night.
He was not the only one on duty, however. He had two others to keep him company. He was saddened when one of his friends stood and said, "I think I'll take a bit of a walk." The other silently stood and went out to the edge of one of the docks. He had been acting strangely, likely missing his homeland of Lordaeron. He had been in Stratholme with his family before the Plague had struck, but had the fortune of leaving for a few days just prior to the Culling of Stratholme by the fallen Prince Arthas.
As he sighed in loneliness, he spotted a lone ship in the distance. He gasped as he recognized it as being an Undead Transport ship. He stood frozen in fear until he heard the neighing of a horse. From the deck of the ship leapt a horse, landing unstably on the land some distance away. The horse rode rapidly towards him, and only then did he see a rider in a black cloak holding on for dear life.
The rider left his horse as it came close to the dock, and the beast suddenly calmed. The mere peasant stayed still as the figure approached him. When the man looked in the rider's eyes, he felt a chill. He did not know why, for he saw blue eyes, eyes that showed him a level of… innocence. The rider panted from his obviously hectic ride.
"It's good to see someone who lives. I was a scout for the forces of Lordaeron. My party kept together for only a few months, and then we ended up in small groups. My horse and I are the only ones who remain of that party who are free of the Scourge's control. They plan to lay siege to Theramoore! I must warn Lady Jaina! Where is her Citadel?" The peasant, too shocked to say anything, merely pointed at the humungous rock spire that was the top of Theramoore Citadel.
As the mysterious rider walked away, the peasant noticed that the brooding watchman from Stratholme had returned to where they were to be watching. He looked after the rider with an expression that the peasant thought to be questioning.
"He said that the Undead are coming, but I don't trust him. Something's not quite right…"
A small flicker of darkness crossed the face of the man who evaded the fate of Stratholme. "That's because he's not human. He's Arthas, the man who slew all of Stratholme to keep them from joining the Scourge. He then became the ruler of the Scourge. He's come to destroy Theramoore, and no one can stop him." The peasant had only a few seconds to wonder about what he had heard, for he was then stabbed by the acolyte who had helped bring the Plague to Stratholme, who had hidden amongst the Survivors of Lordaeron as a peasant. The third of the Watch Party slipped into the darkness, hoping to awaken all of Theramoore Isle to the threat. As he ran, he looked out to sea.
What he saw was a second Undead Transport, though escorted by Frost Wyrms and Undead Battleships. On the deck he saw Abominations and Ghouls, often used during small, unimportant Undead invasions. He thought quickly of the one thing that occurred to him: That the Undead expected a sleeping isle. He raced to the nearest Town Hall and reached the bell. As he looked outside, he was horrified to learn that the acolyte was summoning a Necropolis, an Undead structure that made Blight. This was a full-scale invasion! He quickly rang the bell, pulling the ropes as hard as he could. He continued this even after several warriors had awakened. He finally stopped ringing it as a Ghoul reached the top of the spire and grabbed him. The foul undead creature then began to devour the human.
Nevertheless, the humans had been awakened, and the battle was joined. Many humans fought to protect the mighty Theramoore Isle, which they felt was the last stronghold of peaceful humans left in all of Azeroth. And they could very well have been right.
However, as this happened, Arthas made his way through Theramoore Citadel. As he climbed, he found little opposition. All that stood in his way throughout the climb stood later as an undead warrior, sent into the unholy state of undeath by the power of Frostmourne itself. He slowly made his way into Jaina Proudmoore's room, leaving a trail of the newly undead behind him.
As he approached the door to her room, he heard her teleport. He ordered his undead to find her, as she had to remain within the Citadel. His most advanced spellcasters had trapped her within, unless she walked out. And none would let her out.
Silently, he turned as one of the undead found her. It was gone a moment later, but Arthas had found his quarry. He descended towards the Main Hall, near the entrance. As he slowly approached the hall, Frostmourne glowed. As he approached the doors, his cursed Runeblade struck a nearby corpse, years old, which was in a locked room. The power of the blade slowly filled the corpse with thoughts of vengeance and spite, completely unbeknownst to the Lich King. He was so focused upon his task, which the Undead he had raised accidentally grew without his influence, a creature that would serve no command of the lord of the Scourge.
He entered the hall as Jaina prepared a massive spell to destroy the Undead that threatened her people. Arthas and his warriors grabbed her, halting her spell. "Arthas! You betrayed all you held dear once, and now you come to end my life as well. But the people of Theramoore Isle and their allies will defeat you, whether I fall or not!"
"Wrong, Jaina. They will fall, but not this day. And it will be because you fall, but not the way you think. I intend to turn you into an Undead Witch, with powers beyond that of any you held in life." And with that, the Undead took Jaina Proudmoore to an undead transport ship, undiscovered by the humans.
The humans repelled the Scourge, but were disheartened when they found that their lady had been taken. Worse, her father's remains were no where to be found…
AN: I realized my mistake about Arthas' name as I started this chapter… That should be fine from now on, though. And now the catalyst has entered, the war shall soon begin…