Warcraft IV: War of Legends
Chapter 3: Shan'Do Stormrage
Tyrande stroked Malfurion's chin lovingly. For years he had been trapped between the Material Plane and the Emerald Dream. The druid who had taken his place as leader of the Night Elves, Fandral Staghelm, had recklessely begun to slip towards the less noble side of magic. As a kind gift at the end of the War of the Ancients (and to seal away the new Well of Eternity, she thought wryly), the three Dragon Aspects who where not buried in madness had created a tree. They called it Nordrassil, 'Tree of the Heavens.' For more than ten thousand years, Malfurion and his fellow druids had slumbered off and on to maintain the tree, for that was Ysera's gift: The Tree spread through the Material Plane and the Emerald Dream, her realm. Ysera, She of Dreaming, was the Green Dragon Aspect that all Night Elves looked up to.
The other two aspects, much lesser in Night Elf eyes, were Alextrasza, the Red Dragon Aspect. She represented life itself, and was Ysera's sister. She made the Night Elves immune to illness as long as the tree stood. Nozdormu the Bronze, the Timeless One, exsisted at all times. His gift was that of eternal life to the Night Elves as long as it stood. However, these gifts came with a responsibility: It sat upon a re-created Well of Eternity. The first had drawn the insidious Burning Legion, which went from world to world. They would certainly come to the second well. Both Malfurion and Tyrande had known it.
When it happened, they came first in the form of the Undead, a force which grew as its foes fell. They had defiled the ancient forests, and only the power of the Druids could stop them. Malfurion awakened the Druids of the Talon without much difficulty, but when he went to raise the Druids of the Claw, they had passed Illidan's Prison. Illidan, Malfurion's own brother, had created a new Well of Eternity. For this, he was chained beneath the earth for ten thousand years. Hoping that his power could help defeat the demons, she had released him. He had repaid her trust by becoming a demon himself. He had been banished, only to try and rip Northrend asunder. Maiev Shadowsong had pursued him, but called for Malfurion and Tyrande's aid.
She prayed to Elune for strength. Ever since the first coming of the Legion, she had never truly had any time with Malfurion. For ten thousand years, he had slumbered so that the second Well would never be used. When the tree had been destroyed, they had merely examined it before they went to fight Illidan. When they returned to Kalimdor, Malfurion had checked out the Emerald Dream to see the damage, he had been trapped between the worlds.
During the years, Tyrande had gotten several druids to get closer to the green dragons to try and find Malfurion. One of these was Istraz Neverwinter. She hadn't trusted him before the Third War (the second coming of the Legion coming after the first two wars between Orcs and Humans, and was thusly the common Alliance view), but he had led several expeditions against remaining Undead forces in Felwood. Besides, she thought to herself, he was relatively well accepted by the dragons. A voice startled her, breaking her thoughts.
"How goes the caring, Lady Tyrande?" said Istraz. He had this odd way of sneaking up on people without even trying. However, every now and then, he would return to check on Malfurion.
"It goes as well as it can, Istraz," she said cooly. "He has not yet awoken from his slumber. Do you have any idea how to free him from this? Have the dragons found him yet?"
Istraz shook his head. "They have as little idea as you or I. My only possible idea is that a Night Elf and a Green Dragon pass from different ends of reality, one to the Dream and one from it. Other than that, I can think of nothing."
Tyrande sighed. "I should not have freed Illidan all those years ago. We pursued him to the Eastern world. If we had remained here, this would not have happened!"
"A wise friend of mine once said that destiny is written in stone, for it includes your choices. Who knows? Perhaps Illidan is the very reason you live today!"
"Wise indeed, Istraz. Perhaps your wisdom is surpased only by the joy of your latest report from the front?" Fandral Staghelm had entered, unbeknownst to them. He was hoping for the latest report as to how the Scourge was being eliminated.
"Well, another base and a small attack force have been eliminated near the border. Already the Ancients are forming there. However, there is far worse news. A Hippogriff Rider I sent out to scout says that two Undead ships recently landed on Theramoore Isle. Beyond that, it appears that Jaina Proudmoore has been kidnapped. I believe that she is being taken to Northrend, the home of the Scourge!"
Fandral shook his head. "The humans always get in trouble. Take your forces to the eastern coast and try to catch the Undead. If you can sink their ships, you may be able to end the Scourge. Also, make sure that you do your best to free the Sorceress. You leave on your mission right away!" And with that he left the room.
"What I said of Illidan..." began Istraz.
"He could not have anything to do with this. He fled to some forsaken land, where no power of this world could reach!"
"I was going to say that you did the only thing you could have. I watched as he slew a nigh-unstoppable demon. You did the right thing, High Priestess. Though, I must wonder, if perhaps he might be able to help Malfurion, being his twin and all. However," he paused, "It would be unwise and extremely difficult to do so. After all, as you said in lesser words, no aspect of this world can reach him where he is." With that, Istraz left the room.
'No aspect of this world can reach him where he is,' thought Istraz. He called together his forces and got them to mobilize. 'If only the Scourge were gone in such a way!' He then got onto a Hippogriff and prepared to fly to the eastern coast. Wisps loaded into Goblin Zeppelins, Archers on there Hippogriffs, his group took flight. Meanwhile, the Druids of the Talon flew as Storm Corws beside them. The bears and wolves followed their respective Druids, showing that they remained loyal to the group. As they flew over the border between Ashenvale and Felwood, however, a malicious creature with horns wore an evil, knowing grin... The master would soon enter battle...
AN: Well, the Scourge, in all it's evil, will soon enter another battle... And then the fun part will begin!