Reviews:

Guest 1: Soooo...someone doesn't know about the creation of the Centaur...the species made because the NE God rather than help the Tauren as he set out to do, instead had sex with the massive disguesting monster attacking and slaughtering them. Said monster also unleashed effectively because Elune. And then rather than taking responsibility for his action said "the druids will handle it" and dipped so fast he beat the invention of child support payments. And then warned said druids whose response when the Tauren asked for help or even asylum was "sucks to be you". And last i checked Thrall didn't force the Tauren into the Horde, he saved them from the thing the Wild Gods of the NE created..all when the NE refused to help and it wouldn't have taken the NE more than a month to wipe the Centaur out thus saving their ONLY political allies on the Continent. And I knew that from all the way back in vanilla.

also wouldn't be amazing if the NE DIDN'T create a curse by accident that turns everyone scratched by the infected into a bloodthirsty mindless beast, and then rather than dedicate time and effort into helping the Infected just lock them up with a sign having a vague warning that reads more like "if you open this youttake full responsibility for both what happens and the creation of the Worgen." and then take a 10k long nap forgetting these poor people exist, then when you first see signs of said people being released, just blame the victims of said Worgen...at least they owned up to that one...years after the fact in a setting where news travels faster than the actual event happening happens and characters have knowledge of events moments before they happen on the other side of the world.

Also the High Elves exist...because they ran away from their own allies who were trying to pin the blame for a war, one they helped win, on them rather than the missing Queen who the NE Simped so hard for that even the big famous characters didn't realize that the whole "lets destroy the world plan" was litteral until after Demons were starting to pop up.

And then we have Maiev the examplar of the Species, the perfect "lets ignore my faults, and blame everyone else for the situation they found themselves in as a result of my actions" a trait very, very common among NE.

They didn't change to the way you depict them until midway through Warcraft 3. But hey lets give the magic obsessed mutant trolls a break i guess, it's not like they were created by a mixture of Old God guts and Azeroth's bleeding out lifeblood or anything...oh wait yes they were. unlike the Orcs were were made to prevent a rapidly growing magic tummor from murdering a planet.

But honestly NE barely fuck up and are currently great allies. but like me IRL whenever they do fuck up, it's legendary. and they were isolationists to such a extent they made the High Elves (pre getting slaughtered) look open and inviting, rather than the guys who locked their gates and didn't raise a finger to help Lordaeron for multiple wars against the Horde and of course against the Scourge.

Guest 2: Yeah I'm not a fan of how Blizzard's "advanced" Anduin's storyline. He went from Borderline pacifist to "well maybe i can fight" to "oh wow who would have thought genocidal monsters who want to murder the whole world would kill my dad, maybe fighting to prevent that is important...but i'm totally going to have other people take all the responsibility for the fight. and then BFA finally had him act like a leader rather than a college brat...after you know more Genocides and he's still crying about it...at least he's not Shinji Ikari, if he was as bad as that brat i would have gone out of my way to make sure he spent as much time dead/in respawn as possible...Shinji deserves nothing less than a brutal death.

But Anduin basically is starting with a cruel character development handicap, and forced to babystep forward just to be shoved backwards so he can pontificate that 'war is bad' to a bunch of full grown adult gamers. mofo i was watching the Original Gundam series on VHS, they didn't have to preach to me that war is bad, all i had to do was look at the hole that used to be 1/4th of Australia to know that...not to mention pretty soon dozens of characters will be dying or suffering horrifically in the next few minutes. I don't need some Privileged ass Prince telling my Draenei who lost her whole family to Orcish death camps to tell me that...particularly not after he just paid me Gold to go fight in his war and help him kill a city alongside a mad woman who almost drowned a entire nation because her favorite wizard buddies all died while volunteering to fight in a war.

Anduin should have been questioning himself, or wondering "how to end it quicker" rather than "war is bad". At least in mine guy has some warcrimes he's responsible for to actually make him act the way he does.

Guest 3: Varian only died because welll 1) "wouldn't it be dramatic" and 2) because Blizzard was butchering Horde leaders left and right for far shallower reasons (and still are). Meanwhile the Alliance leaders can be in the center of a nuke and come out alive, or just have their AU version die. Part of why i want to "do away" with the Horde and Alliance and have future WoW focus on more "regional" conflicts like Graymane trying to retake Gilneas, a Forsaken/Lordaeron civil war, Zandalar attempting to bring more trolls into the Horde causeing maybe some wasteland conflict to break out.

Guest 4: Indeed so. But there are a lot of other considerations...

Guest 5: And what motivation would they have? A small group Slaan could probably be sufficient to ward off or destroy the Vindicaar by themselves. But it's not like their world exploded and their all eternal space ghosts flying around eternal magical space realms where life and death have no meaning. So no need for Weapons when the crew ARE the weapons, and no need for the ships when they are exactly where they want to be.

To summerize the first Question Slaan Vs Naaru, that's almost a even match-up except thr Naaru have basically the one ship ATM... watch as the next expansion give them quintillions of ships far stronger then the Vindicaar yet they somehow couldn't fight the legion.

Guest 6: That is sooo Fetch.

Guest 7: He is lucky. I also tried to paint it as the Amry started "smaller" but picked up troops along the path. So it's just Reiksguard Knights, which based off actual knights can be foot knights or mounted really.

Guest 8: And trying to make one that fits broadly I am working with/on. but yeah it honestly suprises me how many people try to treak Skaven as if they are flat out human, yet the species lives off of a 2-3 hour daily sleep cycle, which plays a lot into their species psychie considering that that means they see time radically diffrent from how we do, and their manic hyperactivity would be not just average but even slow in some cases, and thus species like the Dawi and the High Elves would probably seem as slow as JRR Tolkien's Ents seemed to both the readers and to Marry and Pippin. Their entire species is like us on Cocain...before they take their cocain, it's only natural everything they do is slapped together so haphazardly, for their perception of time, a minute is more like 3 to 5 minutes.

Dragon King of the West: I've noticed that Volkmar's preference of actions over words comes more from a lifetime of watching people spew philosophy without the philosophy matching their lifestyle. Man's smart and really the highlight of what any faithful of any faith should be, both smart but determined to make their actions march their faith and personal beliefs.

Hakuryuu: I'm being what the Youngins call an Asshole. But I'm trying to make sure you all know WHO is where, maybe not the numbers execpt in rough estimates, but the who if there's another Grey Seer...that Thanquol didn't kill...you'll know.

But recall, i have made multiple references to the Horned Rat making vision appearance, but Verminlords follow the same rules for Daemons (as that is what they are) and summoning, basically if the Skaven aren't willing to sacrifice a shit ton, or have a immediate food source for them they're not staying more than a few minutes, so we're more likely to see a Verminlord darting for Azeroth or wallowing in the flow of the winds of magic (or munching on skaven and warpstone) than on the front lines actually doing things of worth.

And backstabbing is common for "chaotic" armies, if you think about it a Khorne army technically would be unable to battle after a week of existing, since a single day without killing in Khorne's name is a day wasted by his followers and they become unworthy. So 50% attrition each and every single day... at least by the "strict" interpretation. Chaos has to generally be given leeway both to assume yeah that shits the day in day out for ALL of them but also to know that they can obviously remain a valid threat even after months. (PS I hate that Skaven got rolled up into the bland Chaos umbrella since they were more distinct before AoS. Like there was still hope GW could pull their heads out of their asses and give fans distinct chaos adjacent factions without slapping horns, tits, beaks, hentai tentacles, or bug wings on stuff and dumbing everything down to the same four invalids)

And honestly to invade Azeroth you don't need that big of numbers. Even the Largest on screen fleet in all of WoW from Both Horde Rebels and Alliance, and assuming vessels behind that fleet as well more than doublingnthe fleet's size. Then just knowing basic "what sailing requires and basic cubic feet measuing" contained ships that in total would have carried a army numbering around 100K, and note this was a huge event that was Normandy, the fall of Berlin, and Stalingrad all rolled into one, by the Blizzard hype.

Like I'd give a "world face off" to WoW, but not because the quality of their soldiers and tech. I strongly argue against those, particularly because the displayed brain power of their leaders when it comes to military maneuvers...just enough to maybe dimly light a lightbulb, but not enough to light a room, and that's all of them combined and thats including Gods and beings more than 10k and 25k years old with future vision that can predict entire wars thousands of years ahead of time and spoil the whole event for them.

But their logistical mobility, the power to move weapons and personnel from theater to theater can only be matched by a select few factions in WHFB and most of those are either isolationists who don't give a fuck about the world outside themselves, or happen to operate off of severe magical restrictions (IE Daemonic instability from Tabletop and RPG rules) so they can evacuate vital war assets from theaters of war they are losing in, not counting portals that would only be on their side and are almost a non-factor outisde heroes and champions, and move them to places that would more need them. but it's still a brutal slog either way...because again Azeroth is commanded by absolute morons most of whom are even lore stated to care more about looking good in battle (Sylvanas Windrunner) than anything else when they fight (insert clip of her pointlessly powersliding into her own death)

Karl Franz and Leon are both the "Good Guys" of WHFB and basically all of GWs properties, like Katarina is also a "good guy" but she's got more grey to her than Karl and Leon do, and GW ia trying to force the dragons as good guys so hard we know it is false. But certainly Anduin could find good real mentors to help set him on the path to his vision.

As for Moulder they have their own plans in place both for the acquisition of test subjects, biological materials, and new markets.

a lot of people seem to think that the Skaven are somehow incapable of cooperation. I'd argue with chaos yes because Skaven are clearly superior to the dimwit four and their soyjack virgin follower unlike the Chad Skaven and Dawi-zharr. But Skaven have or have had treaties from Undercity in place with the Dark Elves, the Dawi-Zharr, Nagash, and Cathay, the Naga of Kurresh, and I can't remember if they had anything in place with the Emperor of Nippon. But just like with the Forsaken, cohabitation with the Skaven is a whole seperate and very unlikely issue.

and for the three most High magic marty stu races of Warhammer Fantasy outside the great and all mighty Lizardmen, well i have long term plans there. but two of the races are isolationists, requiring an commandment by God, or mightier yet an act of Teclis to get them to ever give a fuck about other people's stories, and the third well their first instinct is "can i kill it or enslave it?"

Random Anon: Well he's dragged basically random forces who might even then cut off ties after all the BS that just happened. And they and his own spies made him guilty of warcrimes.

jweller12: a lot of fans do...and sadly he was the "safe" choice corporately. Because his story was more or less in a spot to die, where there wasn't fan connection to the High Tinkerer, and the Dwarves leader just became part of God God-world (seriously what is with WoW's absurdly low standards for Godhood?), and they don't have the balls to kill Malfurion or Tyrande, not when the in studio elf simps would castrate whoever even suggests it in their weekly employee torture and rape sessions, and they only just introduced Glenn and most WoW players still can name a actual personality trait for the guy outside "serves as loyal dog to Stormwind's king"...and Velen well Legion was as much his expansion as it was Illidan's and the Draenei don't have any other characters that Blizzard can rightfully elevate to his level...because just replacing a leader with some background NPC that's been given very little screen time and no emotional connection to the spot, nah we'd only do that to the Horde.

OscuroSignore-51: Ironically his sister is my favorite Night Elf, She saw that Illidan was still an ass, and that that half-demon is far more a badass than losers like Tyrande and Malfurion. And then she more or less made a combat style that ACTUALLY WORKS for what Elves are supposed to be...rather than using twiggy arms my bony ass fingers are thicker than to match the strength of Demonic champions in 1v1 duels with sword and board...or thinking Dex stat is necessary for bows, she mastered real dex weapons. and unlike the druids, she actually stuck to her job...rather than taking a 10k year long nap and letting the world turn to crap around her all while sweeping all the problems she made under the rug ignoring them...instead she took the far more unique for a "hero" route of "I'm going to obsess to the point it blinds me".

Seriously what is it with media and having heroes sweep a problem under the rug, act "shocked" that their "if the seal breaks and your anywhere nearby its your fault universe ending evil was released and not mine for being too lazy to solve a problem that at the time would have been simple" seal is broken. And then act like their virtue of being lazy shits, is what is vital for the world? *pointed look at Zordon, Malfurion, and 50% of the main quest line givers in RPGs*.

That will probably have to happen in the next "book" of this series after the Horde and Skaven have a real chance to trade. I'm almost certain Warplocks and Skaven Jezzails will be a hit in Horde markets...depending on the "legality" of their acquisition, because I'm almost certain that if it was a suitable sniper either from SI:7, the Dark Rangers, etc, guys like Malfurion would be hiding away from battle knowing that they could die at any moment from a single pull of a trigger, and not because "oh gun much accurate" but because how Warp Ammo fucks you up when it hits is well beyond most magical BS Azeroth has been hit by (certain attacks and guy yeah Varian got hit by very nasty shit from Gul'dan, but this is both nasty as hell and readily available for any idiot to use, no selling your soul to the Legion required.

As for the Volkmar and Anduin scene that one took quite the bit of work to get to just right to suit the situation and do both character growth and bond building without 'and dey bwest fwends now'.

micelzod: Well they're still only just going through self imposed reality check now...seriously Legion certainly saw more leaders involved in everything than most events, but still a "end of the world" type event saw almost half the leadership sitting with a thumb up their ass just paying adventurers to do the work for them and getting hand wave "nah they were in this region and then the legion launched their broad world wide attack"...well that was 7.3 so where were they 7.0-7.2?

So with what was more investment than ever before but still a half hearted attempt they beat an "unbeatable" enemy. The Legion really from everything I've seen did NOT live up to the hype, still a strong foe, but no where near what the hype claims but again the Hype made the Legion so OP that if they were even mindless animals, rather than mentally proficent demons, they would have easily won. And the guys in Azeroth knew of the Hype so were there going "OMG we beat the most Hype enemy ever we unbeatable, we will live forever no one will ever die in war again"...cue Sylvanas going "oh really?"

Desperate Battles

Shandris Feathermoon once again heaved in breaths of air, relieved as again the Ratmen lines broke and fled from the bridge. The Skaven had come as massed waves, crashing into the Kaldorei and Empire forces, and they would clash savagely and feircely then they would break. Each time more Empire Swordsmen and more Night Elves, out of arrows and forced to fight hand to hand, would be left dead. The Empire's Handgunners Shandris held in reserve their volleys of fire needed for whenever the Skaven's special weapons were beought up in an attempt to burn the defenders on the bridge, or mechanically carve a opening through the defenses.

Luitgard Reichen, the grey wizard, was proving as vital to the bridge's defense as the Sentinel General herself. As lines wavered confusing mists would cause the entire force of enemy rats to stumble and lose focus, or the Wizard and a enterage of soldiers would suddenly emerge from shadows cutting into the enemy. But Shandris knew that Luitgard was reaching the end of her ability, the constant waves of Ratmen pushing her perhaps harder than those fighting on the front.

The push by those who had remained in The Rock also found itself struggling to advance to the bridge even with cannon support. Between the Rock and the Bridge the Skaven must have dedicated nearly a thousand warriors to crushing Shandris' forces within the city. Even with the Empire's Cannon, and Sisters of Sigmar there was only hope for the Bridge defenders and no actual relief for them yet. And Shandris knew, they had until the cannon and the handgunners ran out of gunpowder or shot before they would be overwhelmed by the Skaven. That the ability to defeat them in their numbers alone was enough, that the weapons these rats brought would eventually doom them all.

Heaving in another breath of air Shandris surveyed her forces. At her side dozens of Night Elves and scores of Imperial Swordsmen gasped for air, finally relaxing after the must recent surge. On the other side of the bridge similar women and men fought a still onpouring wave of Skaven. In total the bridge's defenders likely numbered less than two hundred. Two hundred against at least a thousand ratmen.

Everyone here needed to have their spirits raised, or else exhaustion would claim them and they would die by the hands of these rats. Already Shandris could see the shuffling in the ranks of the enemy that suggested a new wave was being prepared. "Sisters! We hold here, we hold now, not only for ourselves, not only for the Alliance or the Kaldorei. On the other side of the portal lays mount Hyjal, and every rat we slay here, for every rat they keep here for each minute is another of their kind that they do not use to taint all of Azeroth with."

In response the Sentinels who could hear Shandris raised their voices in a cheer, though their few numbers and the clear confusion of the humans about them made it sound just as thin and almost empty.

"Männer des Imperiums, hört mich! (Men of the Empire, hear me!)" And then suddenly Luitgard was at Shandris' side. "Erschöpfung schreit dich an, es heißt 'du wirst hier sterben, du wirst versagen'. Es lügt, Sigmar beobachtet dich, und du wirst kämpfen, wie Karl Franz selbst unter dir steht! Für Sigmar! Für Franz! Für das Reikland! (Exhaustion screams at you, it says 'you will die here, you will fail'. It lies, Sigmar watches you, and you will fight like Karl Franz himself stands among you! For Sigmar! For Franz! For the Reikland!)" The human woman smiled grimly to the Night Elf general as a a rolling chant came from the humans of the bridge.

"Für Sigmar! Für Franz! Für das Reikland! (For Sigmar! For Franz! For the Reikland!)" The men shouted their cries drowning out the screaming of the rats and the din of the guns and battle from across the city.

Then the chanting stopped and all sound seemed to dim and two moments began at once. From among her Sentinel sisters a song began to rise. "Nordrassil, Zin-Azshari, Quel'dorei, Nordrassil, Elune adore, Elune adore, Nordrassil, Elune, Zin-Azshari, Zin-Azshari, Adore." Even as the Nightsong spread across the Kaldorei on the Bridge the single horned Skaven and a number of massive brute beasts marched onto the Bridge.

"Surrender-give the Felix-thing and Gotrek-thing to me-me and You all will be allowed to live. Sell you to clan Moulder, where you will be treated with best Skaven medicines." The Horned Skaven demanded as he song spread.

Shandris stepped forward to face the beastial lord, at her side one of the Sentinels who could speak Reikspiel. "Even if I had them, I would never surrender any of our own to you." Shandris replied through her translator.

This clearly enraged the Skaven who shouted, his wave of massive hulking rats charging to be met with the crescendo of handgun fire dropping several of their number. One such Rat rushed past Shandris, the General using her swords to cut open the Rat's stomach and stab his leg cutting his tendons. Before theassive rat could go down, however, it wrapped a hand around the Sentinel at Shandris' side, then threw the Night Elf. The Sentinel's head collided with one of the Bridge's supports, and then she dropped off the bridge and into the river below.

Even as her subordinate plummeted to her likely death Shandris avenged the Elf by carving out the eye and slitting the throat of the brute that had attacked her. But even as Shandris carved apart the Rat green lighting struck the General of the Sentinels throwing her back towards her own lines. As Shandris stood the Horned rat was upon her, the rat rode on what was a necromantic three armed monstrosity which bore a sword in one arm and a cruel flaming weapon barrel in a arm beneath.

The brutish monster with its cackling rider brought the beast's upper arms crashing down on Shandris the Night Elf barely avoiding the blow. As the General prepared to strike back with her swords the Grey Seer aimed his claw at her and a bolt of green energy was sent her way forcing her to again dodge yet another attack. Shandris tossed a knife at the rider fully intent on forcing him from his mount, however before the attack could travel half way to the rat the beast raised its lower arm and gouts green flame melted the knives and forced Shandris back to the defenders barricade.

There the Elf saw to her horror that the Brutish beasts had broken the defenders line, now if the ratmen rushed the openings they would be overwhelmed in moments. The rat atop the beast laughed, rambling something in Reikspiel while leering down at her. Then as if following an unseen command the monster aimed it's thrid arm and fired it weapon at Shandris and unleashed a conflagration of green flames which washed over the entire feild before it.

It was only the barracade that the Night Elf threw herself over that saved her from being outright killed by the green fire. Many others were far from as fortunate as the massive Dire Rats, Empire Soldiers and some Night Elves were caught in the fire reduced to chunks of misshapen and boiling masses of flesh, or left ablaze screaming in pain before dropping dead or leaping from the bridge into the waves below.

Once the flow of fire ended Shandris pulled her last knives and prepared to attempt to hit the Horned Skaven again. But before the Night Elf could rise up and throw her weapons, the necromantic monster and its rider barreled through the barricades sending her tumbling aside. The crazed Skaven atop laughing as wooden wreckage and sandbags went flying about them.

As Shandris rightened herself the rat Sorcerer threw himself to the ground, chanting before his paws struck solid stone. Shandris only had a moment to dodge as suddenly green fire errupted from the ground beneath her feet. As her opponent used his staff to pull himself back up onto his twisted mount he thust his paw forward and with a single squeek sent green lighting again into Shandris. However this time the bolt of Green peirced nothing more than a illusion which faded away seconds after the bolt passed through it. Crouching on the ground under the illusion was Shandris, at her side the Grey Wizard Luitgard swayed in exertion.

Before Shandris could even thank the Wizard she was shoving the half concious Imperial Woman aside saving her from the sword arm of the giant rat. As the beast swept its blade and claw seeking to strike the opponents below the Night Elf herself began to scramble around it only to be stopped by the crude sword of its Horned Rider who had lept from his hiding spot on the beast's back to fight her.

In the first seconds the rat seemed made, she clearly outclassed him and possessed armor when he did not. Yet As the fought the rat seemed to squeek with an intent and suddenly with a crash of green lighting as Shandris was going in for her kill strike the monstrosity guarding the Horned rat moved with lighting speed and a precision it had never displayed before.

Swiftly the Thing forced the Night Elven General back, its exposed skull ablaze with green Fel-fire. Shandris struggled to match the thing's surging sword work, as clumbsy and crude as it was the unnatural speed and strength of the crude monster was overcoming her advantage in skill. Then as the two clashed the beast raised its third arm and green fire overtook Shandris Feathermoon.

The Kaldorei woman was in agony for several seconds, and then the fire was mostly gone, however now parts of her armor were ruined, and some still burned forcing her to disguard whatever portions of her armor she could as the beast and the Horned rat circled around her. Elsewhere on her body unnatural looking scars and burns seemed to twitching and bulge slightly as if the fire had tried to twist her body against itself.

Still Shandris stood resolute ready to face down this monster, one of her blades still was good to use and she held it with both hands ready to sever whatever limbs came within her reach as she eyed the still circling pair as the ratman ranted on and on in Reikspiel not seeming to catch that she couldn't comprehend a word he was saying.

Shandris wouldn't let her opportunity go, instead she lunged at the Rat pair he blade lashing out for the Horned One's head. However the monster blocked her blade and the Horned Skaven simply smirked before muttering a squeek of power unleashing a two pawed paired blast of green lightning which knocked the General from her feet.

Landing on her back Shandris ignored her pain and intended to roll with the blow back onto her feet before lunging again. However when she landed there was a blur of motion to her side, followed by a sickening squelch as the Undead monstity's blade rested far too close Shandris' left side.

The Night Elf tried to roll away but found sudden resistance where he flesh was touching the blade. It was then the shock passed and the agonizing truth set in as Shandris' mind registered the pain. The Night Elf screamed a high pitched scream of agony and horror as the creature above her lifted her armless body from the ground, Shandris just catching sight of her left arm which was being left behind, as the right weakly struggled against the claw clamping down on her.

Even as the beast squeezed the Skaven beneath them both started to gloat at her in Reikspiel. "Ja-ja, du dachtest, du könntest den großen und mächtigen Thanquol besiegen? Jetzt schau - sieh selbst. Du wirst sterben - stirb hier und ich werde gewinnen-gewinnen! (Yes-yes, you thought you could best the great and mighty Thanquol? Now Look-see yourself. You will die-die here and I will win-win!)" Shandris for her part attempted to even focus on the rat, entirely incapable of comprehending a thing that it uttered.

"Irgendwelche letzten Worte für mich, bevor ich deine Erinnerung in Thanquols illustre Ruhmgeschichte verblassen lasse? (Any last words for me to savor before I let your memory fade into Thanquol's illustrius glory-story?)" The Rat stated cruelly while Shandris stared in complete incomprehension.

The rat sat there for several moments glaring at Shandris as she struggled to stay alive in the grasp of it's servant. The rat's eyes narrowed in frustration. "G-Gut-gut! Mach es nach deinem Geschmack. Befreien Sie sich von ihrem Knochentrenner. (F-Fine-fine! Have it your way. Get rid of her Boneripper.)" With the command the brute tossed Shandris aside, the General rolling on the ground until she roughly impacted a still standing portion of the barracade. The General was left staring eith fading vision as the monster leveled the barrel of it's unnatural weapon at her.

And then gunshots and the beast staggered back. A a sudden cry rose from behind Shandris as her opponent seemed to look over the battlefield for the first time since the pair had started fighting. Each of the Massive Dire Rat monsters he had sent into the Empire-Kaldorei lines lay dead, and on the other side of the river banners belonging to Ostermark, Reikland and even Stirland waved in the air as sweat drenched horses pushed Skaven into the River, swords carved into rat flesh, and pistol smoke began to choke the air.

A single horse leapt over where Shandris struggled to stay alive it's two riders, a man in a thick helm and breatplate with a pair of pistols aimed at the beast, and a man with blond hair, blue and white stripped trousers and a red cloak who leapt from the Horse.

Shandris' opponent looked shocked, but then looked over his shoulder towards a tide of ratmen charging up the bridge before smirking back at the blond man. And then with a heavy thud a dwarf landed immediately in front of Shandris' face. This Dwarf had to be the single most muscular Dwarf she had ever seen, his entire body looking to be nothing but skars and muscle, as his shaved orange mohawked head which had the band for a eyepatch crossing the back of his head which was currently locked in the direction of the beast that was about to kill her.

"Aus dem Weg Mann, das gehört mir. Du, Skaven, bist diejenige, die in Karak Angkul vor mir davongelaufen ist, oder? Komm her und lass mich an dir haben. (Out of the way Manlings this one is mine. You, Skaven, you're the one that ran from me at Karak Angkul aren't you? Come 'ere and let me have at you.)" The Dwarf spoke in what even to Shandris sounded like a thicker version of the Imperial Reikspiel. As the Dwarf spoke color seemed to drain from the Horned Rat's face, who in turn began squeaking something rapidly.

The Dwarf seeing this began to rush the Rodent. It's monster placing itself between its master and the Dwarf before unleashing a wave of green flame that the Dwarf simply rolled under. The Rat Monster then tried to crush the Dwarf with it's massive blade but the Dwarf knocked the blade aside then ran his axe up the blade removing the thumb of the rat beast, and continuing the swing still the Axe caught the monstrosity in the kneck forcing it to stager back, exposing the Rat Warlock for all to see. Upon seeing the Dwarf the rat screamed, a high pitched scream that reminded Shandris of a young girl, and then green light envolped the Rat and his pet and both suddenly disappeared.

With their leader gone, the Skaven Horde still continued, but now raced towards the Dwarf and humans. Shandris groaned in effort, trying to will herself to stand and grab a weapon. Instead she was lifted by her arm as a woman with white robes and yellow hems and a Heart embroidery on her chest, who was muttering prayers and already applying bandages to Shandris and even pulling out what looked to be a expensive, even by Azerothean standards, looking potion bottle. With her last moment of consciousness Shandris watched as the Rats fell atop the nude Dwarf, only for him to begin killing scores of them with his axe. She had heard of but never seen a warrior slaying ten foes with a single swing of their weapon, but as the world left her Shandris watched the miracle of twenty dying to a single stroke of a axe.

Günther checked his repeater pistol before stowing the weapon and drawing his sword and shield. He was never a part of the Reiksguard, he had been born of a lesser noble family in debt who had gambled everything on his military success and commission. So far his mother and father had avoided ruin because his hard work, allowing his siblings to start businesses of their own to save the family.

He had never imagined actually standing in the midst of the Reiksguard serving as a near equal to them. He even noted as many stowed their own pistols or even checked a bandolier they wore over their armor. They were told they had to hold the gate against Orks from the Horde as well as Undead. But rather than Volkmar among them the Alliance king Anduin stood in the middle of the men, only a few soldiers away from Günther himself.

Today Günther was helping make a legend among legends. The only otherworldly type stuff he knew about the Empire ever encountering was Chaos, or stuff carried over from Cathay or from the Elves. Now with what more or less was second hand gear from Nuln he was standing by a King of another world ready to fend of savage Orks and the hordes of the dead.

"This is Orgrimmar, this is their home. They won't break, and they won't give up. If we want to live we must hold this line long enough for relief to arrive. Skyships which will carry us away from this city. I am here with you now, the Alliance is in this fight with you and we will not abandon you." Anduin reaffirmed the men as the first signs of the on rushing Horde relief forces came into sight. Elswhere various Allaince Footmen and SI:7 Spies were giving their own affirmations of what Anduin had said, whole most manned the walls with ranged weapon or crewing the siege weapons the Alliance had taken.

First Undead came into view. Most of their number looked like Black Knights, though Günther noted some odd loking Pale Undead at the lead including a pale skinned blue creature surrounded by Ghosts that even the simple Caltain could see. Then just behind that was the rest of the Horde forces, Orcs riding wolves, massive Minotaur like creatures riding large scaled lizard beasts, and blue skinned tusked creatures riding what Günther assumed to be Cold One's based off a book he once read, or rather looked at the scary drawings inside of it, as a child.

Günther joined the Knights about himself in bracing for the coming charge Then the Armored Undead Knights charged, small explosions like grenades went off around them as they charged and soon Günther realized that the cannons and the handgunners above must have been opening fire on the incoming Horde. Most of the Alliance fire was simply shrugged off by the charging Undead, though a few dropped as they came.

"Hey careful." A knight next to Günther stated and looking down Günther realized his foot had slipped over and nearly onto the line in the sand.

"Thankyou." The Captain stated.

"Just focus, we have this."

The Knights charge closed and now gunmen just behind the knights were opening fire as Horde gunmen and archers began dismounting and returning fire. And the Knights continued to close, Günther could see the ethereal glow of many of their eyes as they came.

"Hold." Anduin ordered his own sword held at the ready, even as he spoke a unease had been spreading among the Reiksguard particularly as more ghosts seemed to gather just behind the oncoming Undead Knights.

Now the Knights were a spear throw away. "Hold!"

Then the Knights were seconds away from crashing into the Reiksguard and Günther could see the exact Knight who was going to charge into him. The Knights undesd mount making terrible noises as the Knight leveled his lance, his undead face seemingly leering at Günther.

"Now!" And then ropes pulled up from under the sand and pulled taut just beneath the shields of the Reiksguard. Now infront of the Reiksguard a metal sheet with a spiked edge raised up to chest height with the Undead Horses. Horses that now, unable to stop their momentum, crashed chest first into the spikes many being impaled while a great many more crashed and many riders were thrown forward into the waiting defenders whose blades and maces made quick work of the Undead crushing armor and removing limbs.

But then the Ghosts swarmed over the Reiksguard, their blades were incapable of striking the ethereal spirits as they filtered about hitting men with ghostly hands, or throwing rocks. Only Anduin with his glowing blade and the power of the Light seemed capable of holding off the dead, each swing of his blade dispelling another spirit and after several swings a entire host would scatter, before returning to the lines of the Horde camp.

On the Walls the SI:7 and Footmen defenders fared little better as Horde marksmen fired through long dead spirits to hit the defenders above who were locked into far more fatal struggles for survival as the Ghosts tried to them to plummet to their deaths. While Günther couldn't see them he assumed the Spies and Footmen were dying horribly based off the screams and shouting.

And then golden Light filled the battlefield, the ghosts were sent fleeing and howling away while Günther and those around him suddenly felt encouraged and reinvigorated. But that's when the Wolves and their Orc Riders leapt into the Reiksguard. One of the massive wolves collided with the Knight next to Günther and sent the Empire Captain stumbling away. Seconds of mad fighting, blindly swing at the Wolf and its rider and with a mighty swing Günther heard a yelp and then a whine as the wolf dropped. The Captain nearly cheered but a massive green hand grabbed his shield and then threw Günther from the battle line.

The Orc charged lifting a blade nearly as large as itself over its head to swing down on Günther. Acting swiftly the Captain thust his shield up the edge of the weapon hitting the hilt of the massive blade, fouling the Greenskin's strike which earned a curse from the beast. Feeling Triumphant Günther then slashed up with his blade across the Orc's chest, then brought the blade down on the Orc's shoulder...only to discover his sword was not penetrating the Orc's armor nearly enough to do worthwhile damage to the Orc.

With a glare the Orc brought his arm back, his elbow hitting the Back of Günther's head with enough force to trip the man over the Orc and send him somersaulting into the Reiksguard. Thus with his legd draped over the shield of one of the knights, and the Orc charging to bring his blade down on the Imperial Captain and end him, Günther unholstered his Repeater pistol and started pulling the trigger sending round after round into the Orc. On the fifth shot the Orc's charge stopped and the beast finally dropped dead, earning a sigh of relief from Günther even as the Reiksguard pushed him over and then pulled him to his feet.

A short distance away Anduin found himself assaulted by a pale looking Draenei who barred her fangs at Anduin as bat wings sprouted from behind her. Anduin blocked the duel maces of the Vampire Tarei. For her part the Vampire weaved and dodged Shalamayne as Anduin brought the blade to bare against the corrupted Draenei.

"I am told you are Emis, one who was captured by the Vampires. Please let me help you." Anduin pleaded with the Vampire before him.

However his opponent only stopped fighting for a moment to laugh cruelly at the High King of the Alliance. "My name is not Emis, she died broken, willingly giving herself over to her tormentor in both mind and body. I am Tarei, first of the Shuk'tar, woman in love, and powerful lady of the Night."

Anduin stared for a moment, recognizing yet another soul he had never even known he had failed in his ignorance. Still the King while shedding a tear for the fallen Draenei steeled himself. "No Tarei, you are a prison, and I will free Emis from you." And the King of Stormwind lashed out with his blade. This forced the Vampire back again but not before summoning a spirit wolf to lash out against Anduin who fought off the beast. Even as their duel proceeded the warriors of the Empire and Alliance clashed with the Ghosts of the Vampire and the Horde forces.

As the Light and the powers of Dhar-tainted Shyish Magic clashed, the Reiksguard faced vengeful Orcs, Blood crazed Forsaken, desperate Trolls, and courageous Tauren. And after no more than a hour of dueling as Black Arrows from far behind the Hordes lines wounded, and killed Reiksguard, the Reiksguard were forced to surrender the first gate to the Horde.

And still at the Center Anduin attempted to both support the Rieksguard, keeping them healthy and alive as best he could, while still trying to match the Vampire before him. But even with Rieksguard supporting him Tarei was already more experienced than the King, and her Vampiric nature granted her strength, endurance, magical reserves, and speed beyond the High King.

Still the Vampire feared the Light's touch, and the soul searing agony that came from the slightest touch of Shalamayne. And as the Vampire repeatedly attempted to fall back to attack elsewhere Anduin endured he and his sword were there to meet the Vampire, her frustration and fear becoming more and more evident.

And then Anduin matched the Vampire again, but now the Horde joined her in a push of the Inner Gate. Nathanos Blightcaller and a wave of Orc Grunts and Troll Shamans rushing for Anduin. For Günther the battle was feirce and the Captain expended every shot of his repeater handgun on the charging Horde forces. But as the Vampire assaulted Anduin her bladds, spirits and dark magics restraining the High King, the Horde and Nathanos tore into the Rieksguard, Axes, spells and black arrows hammering into their scarcely supported ranks.

Still they held though for how many more minutes Günther could not tell. Where there hand not been manyof the Reiksguard on Azeroth now Günther could count those that remained with his fingers, while they were evenly matched by the Orcs who beat down on them with their axes.

Anduin himself tired, he was overwhelmed by the pressure of the Horde forces as there were simply too few to hold the Horde's forces now. As Anduin strained her Vampiric opponent jeered at him, fangs barred eager for Kingly blood. "You are going to die Anduin. Die with no grave to call your own." The Vampire mocked.

"The Dead's only place is the Grave Vampire." In shock Tarei looked up just as a sphere of golden Light struck her, knocking her from her feet and away from Anduin. Behind the High King Volkmar emerged from a portal opened by a Void Elf, already more prayers passing his lips as those last Imperial soldiers found an aura of light empowering them.

As this happened gunfire and arrows rained down from a single low flying zeppelin which was already dropping ladders. Swiftly the Reiksguard grabbed the ladders as well as Günther, Anduin and Volkmar. Many Horde warriors also rushed for the ladders but with the raining arrows and gunfire, and the Knights fending them off as well as many spies clearly staying to battle the Horde, the Orcs found it impossible to attack the Zeppelin in a way that would stop the escape of their hated foes.

"No he's mine wretch!" However before Tarei could lung she halted herself. The glow about Volkmar was just as terrible as that which came from Shalamayne, the power behind the bald man terrifying her as visions of a man not unlike King Varian Wrynn seemed to impose themselves over the mortal. Instead Tarei hissed uselessly as the Zeppelin ascended carrying her prey away from her.

Meanwhile Günther sighed in relief, while he didn't know how this ship could fly carrying so much weight, he was most certainly happy it could. The Captain climbed the ladder, until a sharp pain struck him in the back and he felt suddenly weak. The Captain could hear shouting, but while trusting his arms through the ladder hoping to not fall, the human man lost consciousness.

As Anduin climbed into the Zeppelin a cry went out among the crew and they started frantically pulling up one of the ladders. Swiftly the High King went to see what was happening and saw one of the Empire soldiers dangling from the ladder.

"He's going to fall." Anduin muttered, realizing the unconscious man was slipping as the crew were attempting to pull him up and with the Arrow stabbing through him attempts to heal via magic were failing.

Anduin quickly considered everything, and considered what his father would do. "Brace the ladder." The King Ordered, and before the men could question Anduin had lept. Anduin didn't fall far before he caught himself on the ladder, the dropped several more rungs allowing himself to catch the man before he could fall from the ladder. Immediately Anduin began to heal the man as grunts and shouts of pained exhertion could be heard from the men holding the ladder.

The Priest trained King then pulled the Black tipped arrow from the rapidly fading man and began to channel the light. As the life left the man Anduin's power flowed into him, pulling him from the brink and bringing the man to a panic filled consciousness just in time for the ship crew to grab both men.

As once again Anduin was pulled aboard the Zeppelin the King looked back towards a drifting away Orgrimmar. How many men, and SI:7 did Anduin just leave to their deaths? How many died just to get as far as they did? No the question he should ask should be, was it enough?

As Anduin looked over the lip of the vessel watching the Hirde forces race into Orgrimmar, killing any SI:7 they encountered while the Spirit Hosts of Tarei raced up towards the Airfields, Volkmar approached the King. "So what you just did. Your soldiers said your father would be proud. I assume that was following his inspiration?" The Old Priest states taking place next to Anduin.

"No. That was me taking my own path. My father is someone I hope to live up to, be he avenged the fallen, or took the burden of fighting onto himself so others didn't have to. I'm not that strong, and I don't seek to bring each foe to justice." Anduin explained as Orgrimmar disappeared from sight.

"I'm sorry that I failed. This was the only ship I could calture, so I made the call. Though ships that fly, quite the novelty." Volkmar stated.

Even as the Bald man spoke Anduin watched two Horde Gunships and a small flotilla of Zeppelins rise from Ogrimmar and take off towards the west. Each was a vessel that they had failed to destroy or capture and now wad racing to the Horde's service in the war.

Anduin sighed in resignation. "We did everything we could, but we took on a mission too big for us. Trying to take a city with a couple hundred soldiers, and men who never should have been on the front line." Anduin watched the Horde's flotilla as it traveled.

"But we aren't done yet." The King stated, earning a grin from the Grand Theologist.

"And what is the plan now?" The Grand Theologist asked eagerly, a hint of excitement innhis voice.

Anduin rushed to the helm of the Zeppelin. "Prepare to adjust course. Bring me someone who can communicate with Stormwind. We're intercepting Sky Admiral Rogers, we need her ships for what is coming next. We failed to take Orgrimmar, but we'll down the Horde's Flotilla, they plan to use it to transport troops obviously, we're denying them that advantage."

The High King's statement was quickly followed by the cheering of men, and looks of grim determination.

Aboard the Fury of Nature Tarei observed the Horde's flotilla. This was her first time aboard Horde Vessels and actually a novel experience, for the former Draenei. Still the Spirits about her reminded the Vampiric Shuk'tar of her love's will and her mission. There were Draenei still bound to life and slaves to the light, and Aleksandr would need them as his soldiers if he ever wanted to take a place of prominence among the Counts of Sylvania.

"How long until we reach the front?" The Vampire demanded of the Queensguard about her. The Forsaken all cautious of their Ally, a being able to enslave the spirits of the deceased.

"Maybe two hours so long as there isn't significant resistance in Ashenvale or Felwood." The Undead answered which caused Tarei to groan. She had been dodging sunlight and battling for far too long and now she again had to wait, likely stowed away below deck.

"Tell Nathanos that I will be below deck if he needs me." The Shuk'tar stated slipping away, and begrudgingly noting the sense of relief that overcame the Forsaken about her. They were only worthy to be servants or slaves, weak creatures whose existence proved pitiful compared to her own glory.

Once beneath the deck Tarei looked over the ship's map of Kalimdor. First the fleet would swing past Darkshore where they would pick up Aleksandr, from there the ships would rise to heights meant to avoid any attacks from the Kaldorei navy vessels as they would cross the straights and onto the shores of the Azuremyst Isles. From there they would capture every Draenei, particularly capable warriors, that they could and with holds full the Vampires would return to Sylvania at the head of a army which would even allow Tarei and Aleksandr to rival Manfred thus encouraging him to act against the weak Empire and pathetic Alliance.

And all the while Tarei would drink until she was content and bask in the attentions and love of her sire, her master and love Aleksandr. And if any attempted to stand in the way of her glorious future, she would bathe in their blood, and use their entrails as toys. Nothing on Azeroth could match what she had become, and nothing on Mallus had the tools and powers she had at her disposal. Tarei was the peak of power of two entire worlds in one, and without the corruption of the Light hding her back she would bask in her own might, she would revel in her own blood soaked success, as much as she should so choose.