Kalimdor, 20 years after the opening of the Dark Portal

A fire softly crackled before four pairs of glowing eyes that hungrily watched as the flesh of several fish impaled upon wooden sticks cooked into readiness. Through the clever use of two dug holes which allowed air to enter the other which had the actual fire blazing, they were able to minimize the smoke which the flames generated for they wished to avoid being seen by the outlanders. Soon enough several hands reached forward towards the cooked fish which was brought to their hungry mouths that eagerly tore into the steaming flesh with delight.

Gathered around the fire with night now upon them were the survivors of a Night Elf port town called Nendis which had once been located along the northern coasts of this land that had been named after the ancient queen, Azshara. Now there was nothing left of their settlement except for ash and ruin for the outlanders had attacked from the sea with great weapons of smoke, thunder and fire. When the invaders attacked, they had done so in the middle of the night when the Kaldorei were most active and were quick to flee for most of their warriors had left to the west many nights earlier when news came of an invasion to Ashenvale from the Barrens to the south by a race of green skinned outlanders.

Travel towards the west, back to Ashenvale was practically suicide for the outlanders controlled much of the pathways heading there while others were populated by dangerous beasts that even fully armed military patrols would be wary to engage. Now they were trapped in these lands that once been their home, the outlanders had established many fortified camps that felled the sacred forests of the Kaldorei who fashioned the ancient timbers into crude, ugly structures, sea vessels and weapons of war. Since the destruction of Nendis, the survivors had been forced to live off of whatever fruit, fungus or nuts they could forage while hunting or fishing had to be done with extreme caution yet for now fortune it seemed had favored them.

'By the Goddess I couldn't stand another night of kimchi' commented an Archer named Saris with pleasure as she bit into chunk of steaming Rockscale Cod.

'Ugh, my bowels certainly would not have stood for it as well' added another female soldier named Cellea who was busily removing the bones from her fish before eating.

'And we all know who thank for, don't we?' then spoke the informal leader of their group, a veteran officer named Kyntaria who turned her gaze towards the sole male of their group, a fisherman by the name of Alarion who sheepishly looked away. It had been a stroke of pure luck that the fisherman had earlier in the day found a spot along the coasts clear of any outlander ships nor had there been any patrols or other local dangers while also having been able to get such a good haul in fish.

'I am just doing my part' softly spoke the male Kaldorei who had his fishing pole nearby.

Dressed merely in simple clothing of linen that looked and smelled as if it desperately needed laundering, the same could be said for many of the Night Elf survivors of Nendis who did not have much time to gather their belongings after fleeing. In these quiet moments it was almost easy to forget their current situation but the smell of the cooked fish was enough to remind them that they were not the only hungry ones that had escaped the doomed town and they began wrapping the rest of the food with leaves. Dirt was then pushed into the fire pit which not only extinguished the flame but had also covered the hole which would help hide any signs of their presence in the area.

As they prepared to leave, a distant sound was then heard towards the south and the Night Elves stopped for a moment to listen to what it was.

'Is that a horn?' asked Cellea who now stood with bow and arrow in hand.

'It is' replied Kyntaria who then had a more serious look as she turned her attention to the fisherman. 'Bring the fish back to the others, we will investigate'

Obeying her words, Alarion watched as the three archers ran off into the woods and he longed to join them but knew that should they run into the outlanders, his presence would be nothing more than a distraction. Turning around and heading back to the camp with his blue leather bag which was filled with freshly cooked food, he made his way back to where the other survivors had settled temporarily settled.

Alarion hoped to Elune that the three soldiers would be safe.

Minutes earlier...

Marching towards the portal with torches lighting their way, the warriors of the Shadowmoon Clan moved cautiously through the forests of Azshara for they made sure to form a protective ring around the caravan which carried the many building materials which they would need to set up fortifications. To the east of their group was another force of Horde troops whose presence could be better detected by smell than by sight for these were Orcs from the Bonechewer Clan. Dressed in the bones and rotting organs of their foes, most likely from the Murlocs which infested the coastlines, their kinsmen would have been a sight to behold on the battlefield for it inspired dread in the enemies of The Horde.

Having already sent a Raider to meet with the Bonechewers, the Shadowmoon Blood Guard, Reshtar had been able to confirm that this group was another scouting party under orders from The Shadow Council that would explore the cold lands beyond the portal. As they took another few steps forward, the wolves of the Raiders suddenly halted, their ears straightened up in alertness as they listened for something in the wild and the next thing they knew a rustling was heard from the brush ahead. Readying their weapons, they saw another orc come into view and Resthar recognized him as of being one of the three Raiders he had assigned to keep watch over the portal.

'We are under attack!' called the Raider who was also missing his wolf mount and the Blood Guard was certain that the beast would have been dead if the rider was traveling on foot. 'From the portal! there came-

Blood suddenly burst forth from the throat of the Raider whose body jerked with motion and Reshtar saw something small and sharp had punctured through the apple of the other orc's throat. The Raider then fell face down into the ground with what looked to be a crossbow bolt sticking out from behind his neck and rage overcame the veteran Grunt who raised his axe high while embracing the bloodrage once more.

'LOK-NARASH MY WARRIORS! LOK'TAR OGAR!' bellowed the Blood Guard and the Orcs around him gleefully roared at the chance to spill blood once more. As he took another step forward, an enchanted arrow struck Reshtar in the belly with the force of a Ballista Bolt and the next thing he knew, the upper half of Reshtar's body was reduced into a bloody shower of meat and bone from stomach to his chest as his head which was sent soaring through the air watched in horror as his legs fell to the ground and two other orcs who had been behind him had suffered a similarly bloody demise.

A fetid stench touched the tongue of Tlahtuaka as he saw what looked to be numerous Greenskins charging towards them while roaring battle cries that was not the characteristic Waaagh! he was used to hearing but in a foreign tongue which the Skink Chief did not understand nor did he care to know its meaning. The scent of these beasts was different than that of the Greenskins which infested the lands of Lustria and beyond for it bore with it a corruption like those found within the bodies of mortal Chaos worshippers. Many charged on foot while others rode upon the backs of wolves which closed the distance with frightening speed, these creatures he determined would be the first that needed to die.

Leading his fellow Skinks into battle, Tlahtuaka had accompanied He That Hunts Unseen through the portal to this unknown, alien world alongside the Elf-Spawn who now raised their weapons alongside the Ghosts of Pahuax. No words were spoken as the Elf-Spawn archers unleashed a volley of arrows and crossbow bolts towards the wolf riders, their accuracy was as ever precise for the bodies of both greenskin and lupine beasts were pierced with many dying instantly from projectiles embedding into eye sockets, necks or opened mouths. Judging by the smells, the sound and the torch lights he saw, Tlahtuaka could see that there were two groups of these Greenskins, each of which numbered in the dozens, a paltry number for while the Elf-Spawn that accompanied them may have also been around in such numbers, the Ghosts of Pahuax had brought an army in the several hundreds with many dozens of them already having crossed through the rift.

Placing both of his clawed hands upon his blowpipe, the Skink Chief has loaded a poisoned dart into the hollow weapon while the Elf-spawn Archers continued their volley. Chittering and hissing orders to his kin, the Skinks spread out with those armed with shields and javelins forming a picket line while archers remained behind them and the Chameleon Skinks advanced further ahead with blowpipes in hand. The Skinks who were armed with bows then fired a volley of poisoned arrows towards the approaching greenskins, their accuracy was not as impressive as those of the Elf-Spawn but they made up for it with sheer numbers for many of the much smaller warband of foes were struck by the envenomed projectiles.

Throwing spears and axes were then hurled from the Greenskins with many landing dangerously close to the Skinks who had the advantage of the darkness and the brush to give them a great degree of cover but none it seemed came close to the Chameleons who were drawing closer to the foe while remaining undetected. A volley of poisoned darts were then launched by the Chameleon Skinks which many of the Greenskins ignored for a moment before their bloodstreams were filled with fire that caused many of them to keel over in absolute agony. The Chameleon Skinks which Oxyotl himself personally led were already retreating from the advancing greenskins while their dexterous hands reloaded their blowpipes as they moved to take up flanking positions.

Raising his own blowpipe to his snout, Tlahtuaka launched a dart which struck the chest of an Orc that had yet to be hit and the brutish creature did not even notice as the needle tip struck the left side of its neck before other darts hit the brute in different parts of the body. The Orc's blood thirsty roar soon became one of pain as its voice joined the chorus of agonized cries while the combined force of Skinks and Elf-Spawn continued to fire. One of the Orcs had then raised a horn to its lips and the beast blew a great peal from the instrument before being silenced in death by an enchanted Elf-Spawn arrow that shredded its body in half.

As soon as the skirmish had begun, it ended. Dozens of Greenskins and their beasts were now either dead or dying with poison burning through their veins or their blood spilling in great torrents for the Elf-Spawn of the the Nagarythe tribe or their corrupted kin were known to make use of arrows designed to maximize the bleed out of a victim. Silence save for the pained animalistic noises of the fallen and the rustling of tree branches could be heard as both forces cautiously moved towards their downed foes, their blades drawn with murderous intent. Having stowed his blowpipe upon his belt and then drawing his macuahuitl along with his sacrificial knife, Tlahtuaka soon came to look upon the Greenskin he had shot.

Tilting his head with curiosity as his tongue flickered out to taste the air near the brute, Tlahtuaka's crest slightly flattened in distaste as he recoiled from the foul scent of the beast that lay before him for truly it was an unclean thing corrupted by dark magics. Raising his macuahuitl high, he brought it down upon the neck of the downed Greenskin which partly severed it before making a second and then a third chop before finally removing its heads from the rest of the body. Looking about, he saw his fellow Skinks as well as some Elf-Spawn finished off the Greenskins with blades and spears while the Druchii killed the brutes in slower and more painful manner.

Sheathing his sacrificial dagger by his belt, Tlahtuaka used his left hand to pick up the severed head of the Greenskin from the spine where he could feel the warm meaty interior which made the Skink Chief feel a bit peckish yet he did not dare to eat this thing's flesh unless he was certain that it was safe. Perhaps its head would also make for a good trophy he thought, once it had been appropriately shrunken. From his belt he took an iron hook which he had looted from the carcass of a Man-Spawn years ago and he rammed the Greenskin's head into it through the right eye socket.

Feeling a presence behind him, Tlahtuaka glanced over his shoulder and briefly saw the Elf-Spawn leader, Alith Anar walk past him and the warmblooded lord went to study the ground where the Greenskins had treaded upon. If there were more of these beasts then it would be wise to know how many were about and where their camp may be. A loud series of chitters and clicks was then heard as the Skink Priest Hex-Xl then began calling to the rest of the Ghosts of Pahuax, its meaning was understood by the Skinks to split up.

A similar order seemed to have been given as well by the Shadow King for the elves had then begun to divide themselves into two groups. Calling out to the nearest Skinks with a series of loud clicks, several of them began to gather around Tlahtuaka where about sixty of his kin had joined come with none of them being of the Chameleonic kin which followed Oxyotl. Not far away from Tlahtuaka a band of Elf-Spawn warriors had gathered around a cloaked and helmeted warrior whose scent was very much like that of the Shadow King for it too was one of a predatory killer.

The other Elf-Spawn leader then looked to Tlahtuaka for a moment before giving slight nod and was then off while accompanied by many other elves. Following after them, the Skinks began their hunt as well.

Striding through the brush with silent steps, Kyntaria led the small group of Night Elf Archers who moved like shadows beneath the eaves of forest as they headed southwards to where the distant horns were heard. The gloom of the night was of no hinderance to the Kaldorei for they saw through the darkness as well as if it were day and they expertly navigated through the terrain with bows in hand before eventually coming to a halt as something felt off in the very air itself.

'Do you all feel that?' questioned the Night Elf officer who came to a halt which caused the others to stop in their tracks.

'Its cold' replied Saris whose eyes looked about with caution.

This was no unnatural cold where sorcery was concerned but an oddly natural sort of chill as if one walked within the valley of Winterspring but such weather conditions should have been impossible in this time of the year.

'And that smell' added Celea who sniffed the air and her face scrunched up in distaste. There was also a noxious scent, something strange and alien which brought to the minds of the Night Elves images of snakes and other reptiles.

'Its coming from over there' announced Kyntaria who looked towards the south east while quickly putting two and two together that the stench and the cold were somehow connected. Leading the way, the veteran Archer once more strode through the forest while accompanied by the other two and it did not take them long to find the source.

Taking cover behind the trees and drawing upon their innate powers, the bodies of the Night Elves became translucent at first before finally becoming truly invisible to the naked eye. In a clearing within the forest, there was a series of standing stones that had not been there before, no doubt it had been placed there by the outlanders but what truly drew the attentions of the Night Elves was the gleaming rift where a frozen breeze seemed to emanate from. From this portal came a stream of bipedal reptilian creatures which were heading in the direction southwards to the coasts where the invading outlanders had set up their camps.

'Do you think these things creatures are in league with the Greenskins?' whispered Celea whose form remained invisible through the use of Shadowmeld.

'Possibly' quietly replied Saris whose eyes then locked onto something which emerged from the rift and the Night Elves saw what looked to be larger reptilian beasts being herded by the smaller ones. Awkwardly walking upon the ground it was a winged reptile which somewhat resembled a creature that supposedly could be found in Un'goro Crater called a Pterrordax and they saw that there were more of them. Shortly after being led through the portal, these winged beasts were mounted by the smaller bipedal reptiles and they took to the air with a great screech.

Well this was not good thought Kyntaria with caution for if these reptiles were in league with the Greenskinned outlanders then their flying beasts would likely be used alongside the wyvern riders to overwhelm their sisters who had taken to the air.

'I think we should leave' then whispered Saris and the other two Archers were in agreement for even without those flying beasts they could see that these reptiles now numbered in the hundreds. Cautiously stepping back, the forms of the Nights Elves then became visible once more and as they turned around, she suddenly came face to face with a reptilian visage.

Possessing bright orange skin and wearing what looked to be the flayed hide of a frog upon its head and decorated with bright red feathers, the reptile which was similar in height and build as a Murloc looked just as surprised as she was as its sharp toothed mouth was agape and its bizarrely shaped eyes which momentarily were separately looking at different directions to its sides came to focus upon her at once. A moment of tense, awkward silence was upon them as Kyntaria knew full well that she did not have time to draw her bow and shoot especially not at this distance. The reptile then slowly raised a clawed hand up towards her with scaled palm facing towards her.

Turning her glowing eyes towards the raised appendage, the Night Elf Archer quickly then looked towards her comrades without moving her head and she saw that there were other creatures like the one in front of her, the bodies of both parties involved were tense as the gleaming eyes of her kin were also directed towards her. Nervously dropping the arrow she held in her right hand, she mirrored the gesture of the reptile which seemed to calm it down. The creature then took a step backwards and began to cautiously circle around her while the other reptiles kept their distance but the eyes of both groups did not leave one another.

The reptile then began to speak in a high pitched series of chittering hisses and it gestured for her in a manner which made it clear that it wanted her to follow it. Looking to her comrades and giving them a slight nod, the Nigh Elves reluctantly obeyed for one could easily see how outnumbered they were. If the reptiles wanted to kill them then they would have attacked already but it seemed that they had other intentions.

Naggaroth IC 2532

The return to Karond Kar held little fanfare for commanders of the Asur who returned to their hosts and began making preparations for war. Messengers were already being sent across the city as equipment or supplies were prepared and word would be sent to their forces in the other parts of Naggaroth. Among the armies of the Asur, it was only those who had come from Yvresse who would be readied to march within the day for Prince Eltharion himself had ordered such a mobilization of force, the weather though was still something to take into consideration.

Within a plaza that had once served as a major slave market were two banners fluttering in the wind where the hosts of the misty Kingdom mustered with many soldiers gathering around enchanted obelisks filled with the heat of Aqshy. The first of these banners bore the insignia of a hawk which was surrounded by the common soldiery of the Asur where from the cities came units of Spearmen, Archers and Silver Helms that formed serried ranks while Eagle Claws crews performed maintenance upon their war machines. From the more rural areas of their homeland came regiments of Warriors bearing an assortment of weapons, most of which were swords and shields or dual wielded a pair of swords with many also bringing bows while Shore Rider light cavalry served as either mounted or as skirmishers armed with javelins.

Beneath the second banner which depicted the tower Athel Tamarha was a gathering of a significantly smaller but far more fearsome host clad in heavy armor with each member carrying a bow and either swords or spear for close quarters combat. Recruited from the ranks of the nobility, these proud sons of Yvresse's highborn were chosen to serve directly under the command of Prince Eltharion as the elites of their kingdom, the Mistwalkers. From the windows of the dark spires that made up the city of Karond Kar, the eyes of surviving Druchii were glad to see them leave while those of the lesser races merely watched with intrigue as the Glittering Host readied themselves with some of the more opportunistic among them heading out to make whatever sales they could, especially to those foreign warriors who been employed by the High Elves as Dogs of War.

Under a third, much less ostentatious banner which depicted the rune of Istryn, a symbol of alliances and common causes was placed several yards behind that of the hawk banner of Yvresse. Beneath this other banner gathered a force composed entirely of human mercenaries or other auxiliary troops from the nations of Kislev and Bretonnia for it had been the Men of those lands who had prospered the most since the last great war. Rowdy warbands of fur clad Kossars hailing from Kislev's Oblasts had become a popular choice for soldiers of fortune as subjects of the Ice Queen were well suited to the Land of Chill's climate. Every Kossar carried a bow and a quiver of arrows while dividing themselves between those who brought spears or axes for close quarters combat, in battle they would be assigned to serve as skirmisher troops who would protect the flanks and strike at those of the enemy.

The auxiliary forces from Bretonnia were composed not of their knightly nobility but from the ranks of their peasantry for in recent years, the so called smallfolk of that backwards land had infested the fields, mines and workshops of all of Ulthuan's territories in great numbers. It rankled at the sensibilities for many of the Asur to rely so much on the labor of the lesser creatures like humans but with a vast majority every able bodied elf having been called to serve in the Citizen Levy, it had become a distasteful necessity for their economy. Like the Kislevite mercenaries, these Bretonnian auxiliaries were composed of skirmishing bowmen who made up for their lack of melee combat prowess with the necessary physical strength to properly wield a Longbow.

Both human forces kept their distances from one another for many of them did not even speak the same language yet both groups understood what their purpose was once the fighting had begun. Among the humans were also many peddlers offering assorted wares, priests providing blessings to the human gods, slaves busily loading supplies and whores offering their company to whichever individual could pay for their services. Having camp followers would slow down the Asur's march and be a drain upon their resources but it had its uses for aside from bolstering the baggage train's capacity, these humans could make for a readily available source of unskilled labor when setting up camp or other earthworks.

Silently watching this gathering of war host was the Archmage Arianwen who still remained upon her throne which was placed upon the back of the Great Eagle Belahir. Perched upon the parapets of a balcony which was connected to the home of a Druchii collaborator, the Dark Elf homeowner had wisely choses not to protest upon the presence of these unexpected visitors and simply gone back inside. Speaking of Druchii distastefully thought Arianwen who saw regiments of those who chose to collaborate with the Asur occupation gather beneath Prince Eltharion's banner, at very least she would not have to suffer having any of the traitorous scum under her command.

A shadow then fell upon Arianwen who looked up to see the forms of several Griffons fly over her and heading towards the Mistwalker army while one instead flew towards her position. Bowing her head in respect, the Archmage awaited her orders from Prince Eltharion.

'I will fly ahead and investigate this matter' spoke The Lord of Athel Tamarha whose eyes met with that of Arianwen. 'Lead our forces to the port of Blacklight Tower and from there we shall regroup'

'By sea my lord?' questioned the Archmage with wariness for the frozen winds howled while the sky remained dark and foreboding. Any travel by sea at this time would still prove perilous

'I have sent a messenger with a request for the followers of Anar to guide you through their shadowy paths' replied Prince Eltharion.

'As you will my Prince' then responded Arianwen and the Grim Warden's cold, joyless expression gave way for one of only slight expression warmth and familiarity for the Archmage had served him well during the last war. Prince Eltharion's griffon, Stormwing then took off into the air and flew towards the west where the distant lights of the Lizardmen's floating ziggurats could barely be seen as the Knights of Tor Gaval accompanied him in along with a small pack of Great Eagles and Phoenixes.

Now having her orders, Arianwen knew that Belahir understood what would come next and the Great Eagle leapt off the balcony and the two soared through the frozen air of Karond Kar and towards the waiting army below.

Kalimdor, 20 years after the opening of the Dark Portal

Panic filled the very being of Etrim as he ran back towards the camp, his legs burned with exertion as his breathing became strained but the knowledge that something truly deadly was not far away is what kept him going for he had heard the horn which had sounded for a retreat. Deep within him, a measure of shame was felt by the orc who at an early age had learned that he would never be a warrior and had resigned himself to the ignominious life of a Peon. He had always dreamed of being a warrior and to one day rise up from his lowly position to one of respect within the Shadowmoon Clan but the deaths he had seen from whatever it was that attacked the warriors of his clan had immediately sent him running back to safety.

He was not alone in his flight for the other Peons who had traveled northwards were also running back to the base camp, the wagons and pack kodos they had brought had been abandoned without a second thought. Etrim did not have the time nor the care in his panicked state to count how many of his fellow Peons were still around or to recognize the faces of who was who for all of them had only the thought of safety in mind. A rapid series of heavy thuds was then heard from behind and Etrim looked over his right shoulder to see what looked to be horses approaching with slender, pale skinned riders upon the backs of the beasts.

A whistling sound was then heard as a peon to his left fell with an arrow through the back of his neck and another took an arrow to the back of the right knee. Losing control of his bowels on the spot, any sense of shame or humiliation he would have felt from it along with the disgust at his own cowardice had been drowned out by the renewed surge of terror which he felt. More of his fellow Peons fell around him as their attackers struck from afar with startling accuracy, a thrown spear struck another in the back, directly upon where the spine would be behind the stomach while another fell with smaller projectiles protruding from the back as well where the lungs would be.

Soon he saw a break in the tree line and a sense of relief was felt by the Peon as he knew he was getting closer to the base camp. If he could just make it he thought...

The sound of hooves upon the earth then grew louder and Etrim's eyes widened in horror as he glanced back to see one of the riders directly approaching him with a throwing spear in hand. Before he knew it, the slender, pale skinned creature which vaguely looked like an elf threw the spear and pain exploded upon his left leg as it skewered him from calf to foot. The sudden pain and surprise which he felt caused him to crash down to the forest floor which caused stars to explode within his vision as he landed upon the ground.

Willing himself to try to get up, the Peon barely registered it as his attacker rode up to him and struck the back of his head with the blunt, bottom end of a throwing spear and immediately knocking him out.

Following the tracks left behind by the corrupted Greenskins, Tlahtuaka and his cohorts of Skinks along with the Elf-Spawn mercilessly hunted for those that had fled from the skirmish. Those among the Elf-Spawn who rode upon the backs of horses were quite thorough in their pursuit for they had left nothing for those on foot to slay as they come upon a break in the tree line. A great field of tree stumps lay before them and in the distance, along what seemed to be the shoreline of a bay with waves glittering under moonlight was settlement where distant torchlights burned.

With no Chameleon Skinks under his command, Tlahtuaka did not have the means to send large numbers of scouts to search the perimeter but he did posses other means. Sheathing his weapons by his belt, the Skink Chief detached a small bronze metal tube with two glass discs on each end. It was a strange device crafted by the Man-Spawn which served him well as he extended the object and placed it up to his right eye and with it he was able to see as the Chameleon kin.

During the war to control the Elf-Spawn's Vortex, the Man-Spawn of the Empire tribe had penetrated further into the jungles of Lustria than any of their kind had before and much to the surprise of the Lizardmen had even laid siege to the Temple City of Itza which later fell to the warmbloods. When news spread that The First City had fallen to human hands, it had galvanized both the Ghosts of Pahaux and the Cult of Sotek to begin focusing their efforts on exterminating the Man-Spawn defilers. Eventually the combined armies of the Lizardmen had succeeded in reclaiming Itza and it was during that period of intense fighting did Tlahtuaka claim this item as a trophy along with the severed head of its previous Man-Spawn owner which had been shrunken down and made into a decorative piece for his domicile back in the City of Ash.

Using the tube of metal and glass, he was able to get a better look at the wooden palisades that protected the crude settlement which formed a semi circular formation that ended upon the shoreline. To a Skink, water was generally no obstacle and already he was certain that if they planned to attack this place, the Ghosts of Pahuax would do sea from the sea. Further studying the settlement, he saw the banners which these Greenskins flew which depicted a crescent moon surrounded by unknown glyphs, the meaning of these glyphs was of course not known to the Skink Chief.

Inside of the Greenskin settlement, he also saw great fires burning where it looked like many of the brutes were feasting and judging by the lively manner which they caroused, it seemed that these creatures were unconcerned by letting what seemed to be much food going to waste which suggested that they maintained many of such supplies. Such a thing could be an opportunity thought Tlahtuaka for with the clever use of poisons there were many ways to strike at a foe even without a weapon. Surveying what else he could see, Tlahtuaka made note of many structures that were around the settlement such as the grim looking building composed of the bones of a giant creature, a trio of structures along the shore by the docks which he assumed were for ship building and at the heart of the camp was a dome shaped structure which looked important and by his guess it was the living space of the settlement's leader.

Once he was satisfied of his survey the Skink Chief put down the metal tube and he looked to the Elf-Spawn had also been observing the settlement. The elf leader then began making hand gestures towards his followers and many of the warmbloods began to head back to the rift with only a handful remaining to keep watch. Believing it would be wise to do the same, Tlahtuaka decided that he would stay as well and hissed for many of the Skinks to return.

Torch fires burned around the circle of standing stones where the lizard creatures established a defensive perimeter to protect the rift, their numbers Kyntaria noted could have rivaled that of entire armies fielded by the Kaldorei. The trio of Night Elves sat upon tree stumps felled by the Greenskins, the smell of blood was in the air for the bodies of three large wolves were being butchered and more grimly they saw that the same was being done upon the carcasses of two of the outlanders. Between them was another creature, one that was not a reptile but a warmblooded being like themselves that was bent down over a fire pit and busily striking stones together, the sparks of which started as a weak ember which it began to stoke into a full blaze.

The sight of this other non reptillian creature unnerved the three Night Elves for despite not knowing what it was, they could see from its appearance the sort of state it was in. It was an ugly, squat, round eared thing with seemingly no neck possessing tanned skin like that of a Centaur from the lands south with a strong build like that of a Greenskin and it was completely hairless. Dressed only in a loose loincloth, the Night Elves had noticed how this being had no male organs between its leg, scars could be found around it forehead which they were certain was somehow connected to its idiotic expression while a heavy collar of wood adorned its neck thus marking it as a slave.

An unnerving thought had already crossed the mind of the veteran Archer and she could tell the same came upon her sisters that the Lizard creatures may have wanted to keep them as slaves as well. Although there were no guards around them, Kyntaria knew that the creatures were keeping an eye on them and she had seen the way which some of them could blend in with the forest much like the Kaldorei ability to Shadowmeld so who knew how many others were around if they tried to leave. Quietly surveying the area, it was hard to tell which of the lizards was whatever was their equivalent for a leader.

'I remember a story' whispered Celea with a tone of nervousness in her voice. 'Something my grandfather used to tell me as a child about a savage race of reptiles that lived in the lands south of the Well of Eternity back when the world was whole.'

'Is this really important?' questioned Saris who kept a hand near a sheathed dagger, her eyes looked about with suspicion.

'Let her continue' quietly interjected Kyntaria who watched as the ugly tan skinned, round eared slave got up and walked away while another two similar and equally repugnant looking slave things came by with the skinned carcass of a wolf spitted upon sharpened stakes. The slaves then placed the butchered lupine over the fire before leaving it for the Night Elves and Kyntaria guessed that it was for them.

'In my grandfather's story' continued Celea. 'The Lizard people were the warrior servants of a race of brutal, slaving warlords whose king was said to command the power of storm and thunder itself'.

'I certainly hope they don't plan to enslave us' commented Kyntaria who voiced the unease she knew all of them felt. After another period of tense of silence as they allowed the wolf meat to cook, they noticed that more of the reptiles were returning but from the south with what looked to be Kodos, wagons and that they were dragging Greenskin corpses with them. There were also other things with them, slender pale skinned beings that were certainly not lizards as well but that they had a strange familiarity to their movements held a certain gracefulness similar to that of a Kaldorei.

Watching these approaching creatures with interest, the sight of even more dead Greenskins made it clear that these strangers were no friends to the invaders at the least. One of the reptiles around them then went up to another of their kind, a lizard creature that was adorned with golden trinkets and wearing a bright feathered headdress to which they began to speak in a series of chittering hisses before their scaled heads were turned towards them. The lizard wearing the brightly feathered headdress then began speaking quietly to a tall and hooded figure who then began to walk towards them.

As the stranger approached, Kyntaria was able to get a better look at this figure who had pulled down its hood to reveal a black haired, pale skinned male creature that looked almost like a Kaldorei but with much smaller ears like that of a Centaur as well as noticeably shorter eyebrows. Wearing a dark blue grey cloak, a shimmering dark grey breastplate adorned with gleaming gems, golden trinkets shaped in crescent moons which was worn over garments of white silk, he carried by his hip a sheathed sword and a magnificent bow made from a pale metal that glittered under the moonlight. They noticed that by the way he carried himself and the silvery diamond crown that sat upon his brow, this stranger must have been a lord of sorts, perhaps even a king.

Standing up to meet this foreign lord, the Kyntaria found a certain handsomeness to him as we bore a similar height to a male of their race, his cold eyes did not glow like theirs as he regarded them with the same curiosity which Night Elves no doubt had towards him as well. Song-like words that were foreign to the ears of the Kaldorei were spoken by the stranger and they looked to another with uncertainty until Kyntaria began to speak as well in their native Darnassian.

'Good fortune to you, stranger' greeted Kyntaria in a respectful tone which seemed to put the stranger at ease by a little. 'I am Kyntaria of the Sentinels and these are my comrades, Celea and Saris'

The stranger quietly took a moment to process her words he began to speak once more, this time in a slower manner which she was certain was a formal greeting as well before placing a gloved left hand upon his chest and spoke what she was certain was his name, Alith Anar. He then gestured to himself once more and then towards other pale skinned beings also dressed in glittering silvery armor and he spoke the word "Asur". He then pointed to the crown upon his brow and then towards the rift between the standing stones and spoke a word which sounded like "Naga-ruth" or something like that.

By Kyntaria's guess this fellow, Alith belonged to a race of beings called the Asur and that he certainly was a lord or a king of whatever this Naga-ruth was which could be found beyond the portal. Judging by the way which he hand interacted with the Lizards, they certainly were not his subjects so perhaps they were an altogether separate force then? As a Night Elf, Kyntaria in past had found reason to occasionally hunt alongside other beings such as the Furbolgs who had long been friends of the Kaldorei and she wondered if a similar relationship existed between these Asur and the lizard people but she had a gut feeling that this was not true for she had noticed how the pale skinned creatures kept their distance from the reptiles. Concluding that the reptillian things were indeed a completely separate force altogether, she would need to find some way to communicate with them.

If these strangers were indeed no friends of the Greenskins she thought that perhaps they could prove useful in helping them get back to Ashenvale. Perhaps if Elune was willing, they would make for useful allies to The Sentinels.

Naggaroth IC 2532

Thousands of booted feet marched across the stone road that led out of the city of Karond Kar where from above did the sentries stationed along the walls watch in dutiful silence. Regimental musicians played a wide assortment of instruments such as drums, trumpets, lutes, flutes and other devices which could easily be carried as the banners of Yvresse were held high. Both light and heavy cavalry units rode along the flanks of the army while at the back was the baggage train where wagons pulled by oxen and driven by slaves carried the Eagle Claws of the Asur along with the assorted series of supplies that was needed to keep an army going.

Numbering almost as many as the elves were the camp followers who brought their own wagons or carts while the human auxiliary troops formed a protective cordon around them. Although drowned out by the howling gale that battered the Tower of Despair, if one were to listen closely they would hear the bawling cries of human infants and other small children for it was no surprise to the Asur that the race of Men would breed like vermin in these distant shores while free from the harsh tyranny of their corrupted kin. As the High Elves did not have the time nor the desire to monitor the rate which Men reproduced as their concern was towards repressing the remaining Druchii, they had allowed those humans who had spawned broods of offspring to bring the youths with the army.

At the front of the army was Archmage Arianwen whose mount, the Great Eagle Belahir now strode upon the frozen earth. The golden Phoenix headpiece atop the mage's staff brightly gleamed with magic from the Wind of Fire where it served as both a beacon to her troops but also to warm her from the cold. It was not the first time, nor would it be the last that Arianwen would privately curse the Druchii for establishing their nation in this cold land and not someplace warmer like in the south closer to Lustria.

The land outside of Karond Kar was bleak and barren save for the places where the Asur had placed white stone obelisks imbued with the power of the Jade Wind to make the surrounding area more green and fertile. Plots of land where crops, mostly assorted roots and vegetables that could grow in the cold weather were tended to by slaves while elvish overseers kept watch for any approaching dangers for these lands were still home to many foul things. Perhaps in a few centuries thought Arianwen with some of hopefulness that the Shadow King's program of transforming Naggaroth into a fertile green realm would truly bear fruit for already its sprouts could be seen outside of the cities or the fortresses of the Druchii.

Paying little heed to the slaves which they passed and giving only brief yet polite acknowledgements to the Asur guards, the hosts of Yvresse continued onwards southwest of the city where along the way they passed by elvish patrols that scoured the lands. During the time which some Asur historians proposed they would in the future call The Vortex War, many Skaven, Beastmen and Chaos barbarians had launched raids or even sent armies into the lands controlled by the Shadow King. Although many were killed in deadly ambushes, more than a few had escaped into the wilderness where they became nothing more than marauding brigands, a nuisance easily dealt with by the High Elf patrols or by prospective foreign mercenaries and adventurers seeking bounties paid for in elf gold.

After about a little more than an hour of traveling along the road, every elf within the Yvressian armies could sense the flow of the Winds once more for another place of magic was nearby. The barren, rocky landscape around Karond Kar was broken up by a dark green forest upon the horizon that was next to the shores of the Sea of Chill where a combination of the Winds of Ghyran, Ghur and especially that of Ulgu could be felt. In an instant, a collective sense of confusion and disorientation hit every being within the two armies and the camp followers with the humans and their pack beasts receiving the worst of it.

With the perfection of the Great Vortex and the ascendancy of Caledor Dragontamer to become one with his great work, the Asur as a whole had learned to take advantage of the way which through it they can control the very Winds itself. Where once the Waystones had served to ensure that Magic across the world did not grow too strong, enough for Daemons to manifest wherever they pleased, it now served the High Elves to wield as they saw fit such as denying enemy armies its use. It was the reason why many of Naggaroth's cities had obelisks filled with the Red Wind to give warmth to its inhabitants, it was the reason why Ghyran could be bound into the land and making it more arable.

To the Asur of Yvresse, the power of the perfected Great Vortex had been used to shroud all of Ulthuan in a protective mist that would prove deadly to any unwanted intrusions. The Grey Wind now befuddled the minds of both elves, humans and beasts by confusing their sense of direction for before dissipating as the ones who wove the enchantments in the first place had allowed them entry. Clarity then returned to their minds and after allowing a moment to collect themselves they resumed their journey.

At the edge of this enchanted forest they saw several cloaked figures, Shadow Warriors emerge from the tree line to meet them. The Yvressians knew full well that had their kin from Nagarythe desired it, they would have remained hidden to watch them from the shadows but such a display would have been nothing more than a pointless show of force that bordered on hostility. Belahir then lowered himself so that Arianwen could dismount and the Archmage gracefully did so as her two feet landed upon the ground and the Great Eagle took off into the air and flew towards the forest where the Aesanar would no doubt have established a location where the old allies of the Asur along with other winged beings could roost.

Walking ahead to meet with the leader of this Nagarthyian warband, the Archmage saw the approach of another Asur, a grey haired, elderly fellow who walked with the proud stride of a highborn lord whose regalia suggested that he was of a high position among the Aesanar known as the Shadow Masters. Dressed in a manner much like that of the common Shadow Warriors but with added ornaments here and there to denote his rank, his eyes were locked onto her own and even from this distance she could tell that like many of the kin of Nagarythe he was a cold hearted killer who has seen death and war far longer than she had even been alive.

'In the name of Anar, I greet you Archmage of the White Tower' spoke the Shadow Master with respectful civility as he offered a bow to Arianwen. 'I am Torendil, the captain of this camp and I have received Prince Eltharion's missive. Know that I will be your guide through the Shadow Paths.'

Kalimdor, 20 years after the opening of the Dark Portal

A dull pain was the first thing which Etrim felt as he awakened back into consciousness followed by an awful noxious stench that he had no idea what it was but there was also something else mixed with it, one that was familiar to him for it was the smell of orcish blood. He then heard a bestial series of grunts followed by the snapping of jaws, the crunch of bones and chittering hisses which uncomfortably brought to his mind memories of working at the Kennels where it was common to feed the wolves live meat such as those of humans, gnolls or other prisoners captured by The Horde. Slowly opening his eyes, the Peon was a long sinuous, scaly appendage leave his sight and he turned his head to the right to behold a horrifying sight.

Several bipedal lizards that resembled raptors were feasting on the corpses of his fellow orcs, one of the beasts bit hard upon the skull of a dead body he immediately recognized as of having belonged to their leader, the Blood Guard Reshtar. The dead officer's skull cracked like an egg as the beast buried its snout into the opening to to feast on the brains of the Blood Guard and a terrifying screech was then heard to his left and instinctively he looked in that direction with eyes wide open in absolute terror. Another pair of the beasts were busily ripping in half the body of another orc with one having the corpse by the right arm in its maw while the other tightly tugged onto the left leg before finally tearing of the limbs while the others looked to have already been consumed.

High Pitched hisses and shouts were then heard and Etrim looked towards his navel where he saw a lizard-like creature with a large fleshy crest over its head pointing towards him. The reptile then began making clicking noises which drew the attentions of the raptors and before he knew they were already upon him with teeth and talons ripping into his flesh.

The Peon had only a few seconds to scream before his throat was torn out and his lungs became just another choice morsel for the beasts that devoured him.

Morbid fascination gripped Kyntaria as she watched the raptor-like creatures which the Asur leader, Alith called Nauglir were gorging upon the flesh of dead Greenskins with one of them being still very much alive but not for long. One of the lizard people which she had learned were called Skinks had loudly begun to make clicking sounds towards the Nauglirs before directing them to the one living orc and they pounced upon it before the Greenskin could even get up. The outlander had only the time to briefly scream before being torn apart in a savage feeding frenzy.

The three Night Elf archers stood at the edge of the encampment where a corral had been established by Skinks which were noticeably larger than the others which carried throwing spears, bows as well as the strange eyed ones that used odd weapons that looked like a flute. Some of the pale skinned strangers gathered around the corral as well and they seemed to regard the feeding as of being an amusing spectacle. These ones rather confusingly looked similar to the Asur but the one named Alith had taken great pains to make sure that the Kaldorei knew that they were different and had called them Drooki.

Many gestures and hand signals were made by Alith and from Kyntaria and her comrades could tell she thinks he was trying to say that they were murderers as he had signs that resembled plunging a knife into a back or a throat cutting one. Perhaps these Drooki were some form of criminals of the Asur and that this Alith fellow was something like a Warden? It was hard to tell for certain but the Night Elves very well saw that these Drooki were just as well armed as the Asur so if they were indeed some form of criminals or outlaws then it would be wise to keep a distance from them.

Warmth filled the bellies of the Kaldorei Archers for the Asur had proven to be hospitable and had offered them some dry leaf wrapped bread to be consumed along with cooked wolf meat which was washed down by a fantastic wine which already made them border on being tipsy. After eating better this night than they had since the destruction of Nendis, the Night Elves knew that they should get back to their own camp. Kyntaria had tried to explain by pointing to herself and her comrades and then pointing out to the forest that there were other Night Elves which it seemed that Alith understood.

As the Night Elves were ready to depart they saw that they would not be alone for Alith was prepared to travel with them but alone. Kyntaria would have expected at least one or two of the pale skinned beings to come with them but supposed he had his reasons. Looking to the Asur leader and giving him a quiet nod, the stranger returned the expression and the four of them were off into the forest.

There was very much to think about from what Kyntaria had seen, things that raised many questions with seemingly no answers in sight. The first of which was how the Skinks had earlier returned with Pack Kodos for she knew that the creatures were much more common in the dry lands south of Ashenvale. She was certain that the Greenskins must have reached the lands of the Barrens and if so how many more were there? What had happened to the Tauren who were known to use such animals as beasts of burden and as mounts. She had also seen how at least some of the Kodo beasts had scars upon their flesh so it was possible that they were broken in by the Greenskins which also raised the question of whether the same had happened to other creatures?

What as well of these other outlanders she wondered, why were they here? was their arrival somehow connected to that of the Greenskins? From the Skinks alone she saw that they were very organized in a manner that was familiar to the veteran Night Elf soldier who had been with the Sentinels for more than five hundred years. Was this some sort of invasion she wondered? Perhaps some sort of military expedition? Could they be some sort of slaving marauders?

The Asur and the Drooki as well were a mystery. Were they allies of the Skinks or some sort of mercenary troops? Why were their appearances similar to that of the Night Elves? She had heard stories about how after the Sundering some of their kind had left to found their own nation but upon meeting the pale skinned strangers and hearing their foreign tongue, they were definitely no distant kin of the Kaldorei.

Striding once more through the forests of Azshara, they kept their senses alert for any dangers out in the woods as they headed back into the camp but so far had found no threats until they came upon the distant glows of torchlight and crude, harsh voices that were familiar to the ears of the Night Elves. Their companion, Alith halted as well for the pale skinned stranger looked about in caution before looking towards them and Kyntaria brought up her left index finger in front of her lips before using the free hand gesture for him to get down.

To Kyntaria's surprise, an unnatural cloud of darkness suddenly engulfed Alith and in the next moment it, along with the Asur were just gone. Wondering if perhaps it was something similar to Shadowmeld, she then heard the snapping a branch which instinctively caused her and the other two Night Elves to become one with the darkness. Not far away, she saw four Satyrs, a hunting party by her guess trudging through the forest, each one carried a sword and a torch.

Having fought the foul creatures in the past, Kyntaria knew that the Satyrs were not as capable as the Night Elves when it came to seeing in the dark so they definitely had the advantage at this time.

'Should we take them?' eagerly whispered the voice of Saris and Kyntaria could imagine that she already had an arrow at the ready.

'We should do it quietly' commented Celea and it was something which they could all agree on.

'Cry Havoc, sisters' ordered Kyntaria who drew an arrow from her quiver and she took aim.

The Satyrs were completely unaware of the presence of the Night Elves, they looked to be on the look out for something and Kyntaria heard something which gave her a momentary pause.

'There may be Night Elves skulking about' growled one of the Satyrs towards his companions as he spoke in a butchered form of Darnassian.

'Go for kill shots, I should take one alive' commanded Kyntaria and as one they fired. Three arrows were simultaneous watched by archers with one hitting a Satyr in the neck, the second embedding into the right eye of its victim while the last which was her own hit the corrupted thing in the gut. A surprised look came over the last Satyr which the Night Elves had been ready to shoot but he violently jerked as a blade burst forth from the chest of the monster who then fell to his knees.

Standing behind the Satyr was Alith whose sword Kyntaria noted was covered in a frozen mist as well as the blood of the Satyr and he looked to them with an expression of grim approval. Lowering their bows and drawing forth daggers, the Night Elves approached the fallen Satyr who Alith had the tip of his sword towards the neck of as he had kicked away the blade of the beast. At a closer look, Kyntaria noted that unlike the rest of the equipment which the Asur wore which had an elegant, curved and shiny appearance, this sword had a much crueler, more nefarious design, something she had similarly seen in the equipment of those Drooki.

Turning her attention back to the fallen Satyr whose clawed hands tightly clutched his bleeding gut, the corrupted creature gave them a brief, spiteful look before turning his attention back to the frozen blade that with one thrust would skewer his neck.

Squatting over the body of the Satyr, Kyntaria reversed the grip on her dagger and spoke to him, her voice dripping with quiet hostility as their eyes met.

'Tell me beast, how did you know we Night Elves were here?' asked the veteran Archer.

'We know about Nendis, Night Elf' growled the Satyr while baring his teeth in a savage snarl. 'Wanted to make sure we can either finish you off or let the Orcs know about you'

'Orcs?' questioned Kyntaria who had never heard this word before and she wondered if that was the name of the Greenskins. 'Are the Orcs the outlanders who attacked Nendis? Are they the ones invading Ashenvale?'

'Yes and they serve the same masters as we do' devilishly grinned the Satyr. 'Our time has come Night Elf. This will finally burn...'

Dark hysterical laughter then began to erupt from the Satyr who kept repeating about how the world will burn and Kyntaria knew that there was nothing else to be gained here. She then silenced the corrupted thing by slitting his throat and watching the blood flow from the fatal wound. A sense of foreboding now filled the Night Elf officer for she knew the stories about the Satyrs and how they had served the Demons of the Burning Legion back during the The War of the Ancients.

If these Orcs were indeed minions of the Demons as well then Goddess help them if the Legion was returning. She could only hope that the rest of The Sentinels were still holding out in Ashenvale and that it would not be too late for them to join the fight. Looking to Alith she hoped that his people and the Skinks would aid them as well for the Night Elves would need every help they could get