Warcraft IV: War of Legends

Chapter 8: The Dark Pact

Sylvanas had finally been prepared to attack Arthas when he had destroyed the Night Elf base. Her plan had been to launch a pincer strike, catching him in between, but that had failed. Her banshee scouts had tried to possess one too many bodies, and had weakened the Night Elf forces. Despite this, she still could not understand how Arthas had razed the base so quickly.

"Greetings, Dark Lady!" said Proudmoore. He had begun to welcome his un-death. His Death Coil ability had the odd side effect of raising the victim as his undead servant. "The Night Elf forces were taken completely by surprise!"

She seethed with rage. "You fool! We needed them to distract the Scourge while we eliminated Arthas!" She then understood that he had slain several Night Elves, and possibly destroyed many of their structures. "I thought that as you had been brought back by Arthas, you would hate him infinitely. However, I cannot tolerate one who does not even think of strategy!"

Proudmoore scoffed. "What do you know of strategy? You and few others had ample chances to slay him before now, but all failed! Of all that stand against him now, I am the only who has not fallen to him!" He paused. "I am now relieving you of your command, Sylvanas. You failed twice, and so you are unworthy of commanding the Forsaken!"

"They will never obey you!"

"Really? My Death Coil can slay any of my foes, including the undead! In fact, several of your forces now obey me!"

Sylvanas was disgusted. Proudmoore, once a proud general and captain of the Kul'Tiras naval fleet, was now no better that Arthas. "I have no time for these games!" She silenced Proudmoore and began to drain his life. He broke away and ran into the woods. "Serves the bastard right! He should never have questioned my authority!"

"Neither should you, Sylvanas. No longer will you be a thorn in my side!" During the conflict, Arthas had come from nowhere. Behind him, the Scourge amassed. His coastal base was now the size of a small village, and all the forces from it were ready to attack the Forsaken base.

Even Sylvanas would not try her luck against such a force. Even if she succeeded in killing Arthas, he would just be revived at his Altar of Darkness. Beyond that, his forces marched before him. She inwardly fumed as she ordered the retreat. Few Forsaken fell, as they were much faster than those of the Scourge. Arthas remained to prepare their ships. Varimathras Doomed several Scourge members, while Sylvanas herself Charmed several Frost Wyrms and Abominations. These held off the rest of the party long enough for the gap to become quite large.

Finally, they found a place where they could rest. The place reeked of magic, and was in fact a clearing made by dark magic. Sylvanas could not recognize it, but Varimathras shuddered. "Lady Sylvanas, there is one hope for us." He spoke the truth, as the Scourge advanced upon them. However, he could not finish, as the ground suddenly erupted in flames. Some of the few Forsaken who had come to Kalimdor with Sylvanas broke towards the trees, only to return to the center of the clearing. More flames had erupted, sealing off all entrances and exits to the clearing.

Without warning, one of the Banshees spoke up. "Lady Sylvanas, this close to the Lich King, several of us may join the Scourge..." Sylvanas wore a questioning look at this. She didn't know that Arthas and the Lich King were one. To illustrate the point, one of the other banshees turned traitor and possessed an Abomination who had escaped the Scourge. Sylvanas quickly Charmed the Abomination back to her side, but it wasn't enough. Two more banshees began to attempt possessing other Forsaken. Varimathras Doomed one and killed the other. The doomed one, unable to cast spells, flew into the flames. It perished, as well as the Doom Guard that spawned from it.

To the great fortune of Sylvanas, most of the Forsaken remained hers. She noticed Varimathras trying to channel the flames. "What are you up to?" she asked.

Varimathras continued while he spoke. "This part of the world has been weakened by the Jaedenar. Perhaps, we could open a portal." He kept up his spellwork. "It is our only route of escape."

Sylvanas hated the prospect of having to flee from the only world she had known, but she hated the idea of being unable to exact revenge against Arthas even more. She quickly added her magic to the 'portal,' not knowing the exact spells required. In fact, she had never even seen a portal before. Not an active one, anyway. She had seen Varimathras use weak portals, she remembered, but such a portal could not allow all of them through...

"O! great lord of the Legion! I call to you, and humbly ask for your salvation!"

Only a small portal appeared before them, but it was apparently was enough. Varimathras had called into it, and Sylvanas shivered slightly at the force he had called. It had come, whatever it was. And it was then that realization hit Sylvanas: the Jaedenar, who had tried to open portals here, worshiped Kil'Jaedan. Kil'Jaedan the Deceiver was the lord of the Burning Legion, after the deaths of Sargeras, Archimonde, Tichondrius, and Mannoroth. Of the five great demons, he was the only that remained. And he would stop at nothing to take the world which had denied him and his masters, time and again...

AN: And this is just the beginning...