Chapter 6: Curse of Undeath
Southshore Lordaeron, Late Autumn 3281 Years of Arathor
Paladin Havin Danarith the Darkslayer looked across the open fields that extended along the Titan River banks. The river itself emptied into Southshore, the southernmost edge of the nation of Lordaeron. The Second Alliance Army, made up mostly of Lordaeron refugee soldiers, Gilneas brigades, and Stromgarde defenders was setting up base camp. The tents and fires stretched for miles along the muddy edges of the Titan River from which beyond was the Altrec Mountain Range.
"Father, how far is it to Hillsbrad?" the Paladin spoke up.
"A good few miles to the east my son" an elderly man spoke. He was Bolon Faol, son of Alonsus Faol of the priests of Northshire who boasted the greatest churches and religious centers of the Light. Faol was the direct leader of all Paladin Orders which were at the moment very spread out.
"My son, I must return to Northshire. The Clerics are angered by my secrecy in this mission. Just remember your part of the mission my son, your objective"
"Yes father" replied Danarith somberly.
"Rumors have reached me of this Sylvanis. They tell of unspeakable horrors in the City of Death. They...They tell of a new plague. One to wipe out humanity for good. We protectors of the Light must never allow this another Plauge to pass. Untold thousands were taken in the first wave, and we cannot afford another"
"But the King of Azeroth would never allow such a thing to happen. He would not sit by idly sire. He could not!" Havin stressed the point.
"Varian Wyrnn is a fool. He will do nothing about it. He cares only for his armies and martial strength. But we, my son, we of the Paladin Order and the Clerics of Northshire can defeat this abomination before it comes to pass. Do your duty to the Light son" and ending with that, Bolon Faol turned away and walked slowly on his stick to the ships.
After Lordaeron fell, its remaining cities began to operate as separate entities, raising their own defenses and market trade. Many of Lordaeron's royalty that had survived had fled to Hillsbrad, and it would be a symbolic victory to retrieve them and bring them back to safety. The 2nd Alliance Army was to link with the 1st and 5th Armies around Ambermill Village which lay west of the Hillsbrad Mounds and focus on retaking Silverpine Forest which was crawling with Forsaken and Scourge minions.
Paladin Danarith continued on his steed towards the camp. In the midst of tents and cots, he identified the regiment leaders and rode over to them.
"Evening gentlemen" he began "We are moving the Army in the morning by the order of Grand Marshal Praeton, new commander of the 2nd joint Alliance Army. Muster your men, and prepare to move out"
Murmers appeared as the mention of Anduin Praeton popped up. The men did not trust Praeton, he was a reckless commander, but was chosen because of his lust of aggressiveness. The man did not like being on the run. Also, he had given huge portions of his army to a rouge Blood Elf that had disappeared of the face of Azeroth.
When all the orders were handed out, and the rest was done, the men reported back to their cots. In the morning long lines of soldiers marched forward, kicking up plumes of dust in the morning sun.
The 2nd encountered little resistance along the way to Hillsbrad, but there was the occasional skeleton warrior or so. It had taken three days of hard marching, but at last Hillsbrad lay just over the next hill. Paladin Havin mounted his steed, and took a small portion of the cavalry with him to scout out the area ahead. It was roughly five o'clock as the scouting party left the main army. A huge pillar of smoke and ash appeared over a large hill that lay a quarter of a mile from their current position. Havin urged his horse to go faster, as daylight was quickly fading away. What he saw across the ridge of the hill, would stay with him forever.
The town Hillsbrad, was in flames. Still he could see those few who were riding on horseback towards him. The few left of the massacre. Havin the Darkslayer looked out across the flatlands and saw Undead. The largest army he had ever seen in his life. Tens of thousands were moving around. Abominations, ghouls, zombies, skeleton warriors and archers. Undead creatures were squirming in the fields, trampling the gardens of Hillsbrad. In the skies, undead dragons, Frost Wyrms circled and gargoyles blackened the already darkening air. Looking at the massive army of the dead, Havin Darkslayer turned back to look at his own army.
Looking upon the remnants of the population fleeing towards him, he knew what to do. Swinging onto his horse, Havin Danarith galloped straight into the fires of hell. The Paladin urged his steed faster and faster, the wind whipping in his face. All of a sudden, the Undead were upon him. His horse neighed in fright at the creatures, but again he urged it on, crushing more than one ghoul under its hoofs.
The small group of survivors were now passing him. He pointed to the cliff he had stood upon, and their supposed leader nodded just as they passed. Havin Danarith threw himself off his horse and in a mad fury, cried the magical words.
"Yherse Tal Uthalmos!" his warhammer glowed a bright white, especially coming out of the runes engraved on it. He threw it to the ground, and a earsplitting explosion and shockwave were emitted, sending hundreds of skeleton warriors and ghouls flying through the air. Almost immediately after the deed was done, there was a quiet lull as the Undead creatures hesitated their attack. The hesitation was what Havin needed. He pulled a long, dusty, scroll from his belt and read the words. Bright light filled around him, and he was teleported back to the cliff he had stood upon minutes before.
He needed a few seconds to recoup from the mindless charge he had just done. Using so much magic for the blast and then the teleport had drained his body of its energy.
"Sire, you are winded. Come, let us return to the camp" a knight next to him advised.
"No, the Light teaches us not to be foolish with the power it gives us. I will be fine, and yes, let us retire to the safety of the base camp. Our army, however, will not be able to hold an Undead force this vast at bay. It must be a Scourge force, for they acted as one, not as individuals like the Forsaken"
"Milord, begging your pardon, but bah! All this foul creatures seem the same to me. Let us end their undeath and feast on their bones!" the young knight replied dragging Havin to his feet.
"No, they are different. You shall learn that the difference, no matter how little, makes the biggest changes on the battlefield. Do not be a headstrong fool like so many others before you"
"Yes milord, let us return to camp" the put-down knight replied mumbling.
Half way on the trip back, they had to pass through a stretch of deadned grassland. The place seemed possessed by evil spirits or something of the sort. Before long, they came upon a ruined windmill with spilled, grey, grain.
"That grain carries the Plague of Undeath" someone remarked.
"This place is not safe. Let us hurry out of here" Havin Danarith said in a quick note. But it was too late. All of a sudden, there was a lone figure standing in front of the ragged group.
"Death Knight..." Havin said under his breath.
"Long has the Lich King foreseen your presence here Havin Danarith, Paladin...Darkslayer"
"How do you know of me?" he spoke in short, bitten words.
"The Lich King sees all Paladin. Ner'zul knows of your heritage. Your position is commander of the Scarlet Hammer, a Paladin Sect. He knows you are high gifted in the eyes of the Clerics of Northshire...He knows you have power...potential. He would offer you eternal life in death, as has been done to many. He could reward your efforts. It was even the Lich King who drove you to the very spot you now stand. He knew you would fall for the bait from Hillsbrad" the Death Knight spoke in turn "I am Lord Deathsythe. I hail from Stratholme, Lordaeron, under the kingship of our lord, Arthas...the Lich King"
"All that you are Death Knight, is a traitor. A portion of blight and bile of this world. The Light cleanses all! Attack!" he screamed to the dozen knights still with him.
He charged as well with the knights. To his surprise, the Death Knight mouthed some words, and the ground cracked and out crawled rotten skeletons. The former frames of men, bowing to this necromancer. He pointed towards the knights and at once they marched toward them some with no weapons other than their fists; others with pitch forks, and blades of various sorts.
The Paladin, sharing a horse with the young knight he had talked to earlier again jumped off. He swung his hammer once, and crushed the skull of one of the skelatal minions. He backlashed and caught another in the ribcage sending hollow bones everywhere. He preformed dizzing attacks and magic spells, but the skeleton warriors kept on advancing. To his sides, the mounted knights continued their fight against the undead warriors. As he looked around for the closest enemy, a sudden pain stabbed into his side. Looking slowly at his wound, he traced the sword that had struck him, still sticking inside, to the Death Knight; his face deadly pale, and eyes black as coals. The Death Knight made a comment. Danarith could not decifer it through the intense pain. It felt as if fire were eating through his insides.
All of a sudden, he noticed he was alone. The knights lay dead on the floor and the skeleton warriors gathered around him; but the Death Knight beckoned them to back away.
"So, here we are eh Paladin? I don't believe I told you before, but, you don't have a choice. The Lich King wants your power...now" the pale Death Knight raised a hand. Green energy danced around in his palm.
"You wouldn't dare!" was all Havin could spit out.
"Death Knight!" a voice bellowed in his head.
"Yes Lich King, milord?" the Death Knight replied.
"Take command of the Scourge in your area. Cleanse it of humanity. Cleanse it of their fallow religion" the immense voice exploded through his head.
"Yes Lich King. By your command" the now pale and cold, former human body replied.
"Perform this task to prove yourself to me Death Knight Havin Lightslayer..."
8