Tanomoan scratched his ear. Annoying, fleshy thing. It was always itching.
They were in the dining room. Tanomoan, Blight, Calia, Arty, and Tryg were eating dinner. Blight was munching on a sandwich while reading a tome about the Holy Light.
Calia and Arty were eating some spicy noodles. Calia picked out all of the vegetables and tossed them onto the floor. Alfie, even though he was dead now, was eating up every single scrap of food. Tryg was wolfing down a bowl full of living cockroaches. Some crawled out of the bowl. Calia and Arty yelped and lifted their plates off the table as the bugs scurried around.
"Why do I have to watch the brats?" Tanomoan groaned.
Blight looked up from his book. "They're our siblings!"
"So? I hate children. Nasty little things."
Arty frowned. "Reptiles are more nasty than people."
Tanomoan stared at the boy. His eye twitched. "Reptile? Reptile! I am not a reptile...I am a dragon!"
Blight sighed, and put his book down. He had been hoping for a nice quiet dinner. But with Tanomoan, there was no such thing as nice and quiet.
"You are a scaly, like a lizard," Arty protested.
"Yes, but I am warm-blooded. I breath fire. And I have wings! What lizard have you seen that has wings?"
Arty scowled. "A dragon...Bats are mammals but they can fly. And penguins are birds, but they can't fly."
Tanomoan hissed. He didn't notice a cockroach walk onto his plate, where his raw steak was left untouched. The cockroach skittered onto the meat. Calia and Blight both stared at it.
Arty folded his arms. "You are a reptile."
"Am not! Holy Light, Humans are so stupid..." The dragon said in exasperation. He looked down at his food. With a squeal, he jerked backwards, which made the chair fall backwards. Blight gasped, and picked up the cockroach.
"Are you all right?" He asked it.
"No..." Tanomoan whimpered.
The doors slammed opened. Arthas came walking in. Terenas followed, looking guilty.
"Tanomoan! I thought I told you to watch all of them," Arthas growled. Tanomoan sat up on the floor, scowling. He rubbed the back of his head, and groaned.
He looked at Arthas angrily. "I am a dragon, not a babysitter. The superior species."
"Uh huh...Well, I need to talk to Blight."
That caught Tanomoan's attention. The twilight dragon reluctantly left the table. "Okay-"
"Whoa, whoa! Why do you need to talk with him?"
Arthas glared at Tanomoan. Blight sighed, and followed the man. The cockroach was still in his hands. Tanomoan looked at his steak, and saw more cockroaches. Tryg grabbed the plate, and started eating the steak and the bugs.
Blight walked down the hall. He held the cockroach in his hands. It crawled over his claws and scales.
"Blight...Do you have a secret you want to tell me?"
The dragon looked up in surprise. Arthas stood in front of him. Blight put the cockroach down, and grabbed his tail nervously.
"Don't know what you talking about," He said, making his voice more childlike.
Arthas raised an eyebrow. "You are the smart one. Aren't you. You are the one that have made everything. Tanomoan hasn't done anything. Has he?"
Blight gasped. "He has so! He...comes up with the ideas. I make them happen..."
"Well, I need you to help me with some ideas."
The dragon stuck his tongue out, and whimpered. "Okay. Is Serenity okay?"
Arthas looked at him. "We still haven't got her back. Or your mother."
The dragon made a worried noise. By the sound of it, he was more worried about Serenity. That was odd. Arthas thought that Serenity liked Tanomoan. She always giggled whenever she saw the handsome black dragon. If Blight liked Serenity, that could go horrible for the sensitive dragon.
"Don't worry. We will get them back. Tell me...What inventions have you made that could be used as weapons."
"Uh...All of them? Except that bread re-cooker."
Arthas stared at him in confusion.
Blight smiled. "We made a thing that can make toast without fire. It's a machine that toasts bread. We call it the bread re-cooker...Though I want to call it a toaster. Everything else is either a weapon, or prone to explosions."
"Except the train hopefully?" Arthas asked nervously.
"Oh, yes...Well. There's always been a 43.853632 percent chance of the train exploding. Would you like to see the stuff we specifically made for exploding?"
"Yes...Though as soon as this is over, you need to fix that damn train!"
Sapphire was shoved to the ground. The pain exploded from the collar. Being years away from the magical restraint from the collar was uncomfortable. Sapphire was so used to her magics now that being unable to use them was shocking.
She looked up, and saw who she had been brought before.
Reluctantly, Arthas had told his daughter about Sylvanas Windrunner. Sapphire had felt a bit of pity for the elven ranger. A bit. The elf was a bitch.
Now, Sapphire was face to face with her. The Banshee Queen might have been beautiful once, but no longer. Her skin was a pale blue, and her eyes were a glowing red.
Sapphire stood up, glaring at the elf. She had her bow, and skull-adorned armor. Sapphire felt like she was prettier, but Lethumo would be drooling right about now.
"You are in dangerous territory. And taking the Lich King's daughters doesn't help...Unless you are suicidal."
Adalger hit Sapphire in the back of the head. "You don't speak to the Dark Lady like that."
Sapphire looked up at the man with disgust.
"This whelp is the butcher's daughter?"
Sapphire smirked. "Are you the bitch that doesn't move on?"
The elf was a dark person indeed, and obviously didn't like jokes.
"Get this creature out of my sight. Do whatever you want with her. I only need one."
Ethan strained against his shackles. Muscles bulged underneath his fur. His claws scraped against the metal floor of the cage. The chains groaned, but did not break. Ethan collapsed. He sniffed the shackles. Tough stuff.
A rustling sound came from the entrance of the tent that Ethan was kept in. He looked over to it and growled. A deathknight came in, dragging the body of a Forsaken. Whoever it was dumped the body, and turned to Ethan. He then strode over to the cage. Ethan saw a key clutched in the deathknight's hand. He unlocked the cage. "Are you all right?"
Ethan growled, baring his teeth. "Who are you?"
"Not important. I am here to help. Queen Glacier is hidden about a mile from here."
The worgen blinked. "What? Glacier?"
"Yes." The deathknight unlocked the shackles on Ethan's paws. Ethan frowned, and rubbed his wrists.
"Wait, Sapphire and Angelica..."
The deathknight shook his head. "I am more concerned about you right now. Arthas can take care of his own children."
Ethan bared his teeth, growling. His fur stood up on end. The deathknight backed away instinctively.
"Sapphire is my wife."
The deathknight stared at him. Ethan could not see underneath the hood very well, but the man seemed familiar. But that did not matter. Sapphire was in trouble, and Ethan would not leave her. He poked his head out of the tent. He could smell Sapphire. She smelled like embalming fluid and roses.
"Ethan, no!"
The worgen put one foot out of the tent. Some undead started walking in front. Ethan recoiled back quickly. The deathknight grabbed Ethan. He snarled. "We need to go."
"No!"
"Please! Your other children need you. I will not let you do this."
"Why the fuck do you care? Let me go!" Ethan snapped.
"Ethan Bernard Wolfgang Calwood, I will not let you risk your life!"
Ethan froze. He narrowed his eyes, and bared his teeth. His claws clenched the dirt ground. He turned around.
"No one calls me by my full name. No. One," He said murderously. His eyes were glowing dangerously. He stood up to his full height, a full three feet taller than the deathknight.
"I-"
Ethan lunged at him, ripping off the deathknight's hood. The deathknight fell back, and Ethan could see his face. He knew it. The accent had been hidden by the deathknight's echoing voice, but Ethan should have realized it.
"You! I killed you! Who the hell brought you back! You deserve to rot in Hell!" Ethan growled.
Randall Calwood looked down in shame.
"Son..."
"No. I am not your son. You are not my father. Arthas is my father."
"He's the one that brought me back!"
That took Ethan by surprise, but he was no less angry than before. Instead of staying, Ethan left the tent, and attacked the first Forsaken he saw. He roared in fury.
Glacier heard the roar, and knew it was Ethan. She liked him in his deadlier form. Too much fur, but his teeth and claws were very impressive for his size. She had watched him take down a shoveltusk bull all by himself.
Serenity fell down into the deep snow. She sniffled, and looked around.
Everything was white. She couldn't see anything. It was a storm, with dark clouds and fierce winds. Serenity was wearing cultist's robes that would be comfortable in Icecrown Citadel. The wind was cutting through the cloth, and Serenity was starting to feel numb. She hated being cold. She also hated the fact that her mother was so indifferent to the cold. Serenity wished she was more like her mother. Always confident, and never once doubting herself.
Dark shapes, weirdly shaped, appeared through the white blur. Serenity walked toward them.
Big chunks of Saronite rose up from the frozen ground. Runes covered the etched surfaces. Serenity frowned, and continued through the ruin. She stepped over a patch of frozen green liquid. Spikes lay cracked in the snow. Lumps in the snow were revealed to be old body parts. Mushrooms grew up in rings, larger than Serenity. And there were giant spiders.
Serenity screamed at the multi-limbed creatures, expecting them to attack her and eat her. But nothing happened. Dead spiders were fine.
The little girl went toward them, and examined the bodies. Definitely dead spiders. She raised her head and looked at the biggest part of the saronite structure. She saw an opening, and decided to use it as shelter from the storm. She climbed in, squirming through the small opening.
It was dark inside, lit only by cracks in the top. Serenity looked around curiously.
There were tables that were all piled up against the slanted floor. Chains above had rotten pieces of flesh. Some of those had broken free, and the bones lay on the floor. They were picked clean, probably from hyenas or other scavengers. A door was closed shut from a table. Serenity went over to it, and pushed the table for several minutes. Finally free, the door could be opened up. Serenity sighed, and opened it. She turned around and closed it shut. She didn't want anything to come in after her.
She sighed, and turned around.
A body lay right in front of her, rotten and covered in a thick, ripped cloak. It's face, sunken in, grinned at her. Serenity screamed. There was a deep gash in the body's chest. Serenity looked at it closer. She looked at the thick cloak.
"Oh..."
She was in the remains of Naxxramas. The body must have been the one that Ner'zhul had used. Serenity scowled, and then showed an emotion she rarely had.
The girl kicked the body, and stuck her tongue out at it. "Mean! I'm glad you are dead."
There was a rustle nearby. Serenity gasped. She expected the body to spring up, and the dead hands to grab her, but the sound was to her left. A cat came out of the shadows, and meowed. It was a thin cat, with its ribs showing. Mangy tan fur covered its body everywhere except for its black face and tattered tail. Dull blue eyes stared at Serenity. It meowed again, more pathetically. Serenity gasped with recognition.
"Mr. Bigglesworth!" The cat brightened slightly up at the sound of its name. Serenity knelt down, and held her hands out. Mr. Bigglesworth came forward cautiously.
"You are alive? Oh, Kel'thuzad will be so happy!"
The cat meowed, and hopped into her arms. Serenity stood up gently. She heard clattering sounds nearby, and hissing. She backed away.
"Come on, Biggles. Let's take you home now."
She ran out of Naxxramas, tripping over pieces of saronite. She looked back. Spiders, very much alive and huge, came skittering from every crevice. Serenity screamed.
There was a sound like a roaring fire, and Serenity turned around. She ducked as a ball of fire headed straight toward her. The girl looked up.
Her grandmother stood there, with several other people in purple robes behind her. They attacked the big spiders. But Jaina rushed forward, just as Serenity got to her feet. The woman grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.
"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Jaina asked. Serenity nodded, sniffling. She then started to cry. Her grandmother kissed her on the cheek.
"You're okay...Shush, now. It's all right."
Zyperias slammed Sapphire against a tree. She cried out in pain.
He had taken her out of the camp, up to a hill covered in trees. Now Sapphire could see more of the camp. It seemed like all of the Forsaken were here. The grass had turned black and brown around them. Based on the size, there was more undead here than the entirety of the Scourge. At least half of the Scourge was cultists and children. Most of their "soldiers" were young men. They had never had to fight for anything. Sapphire knew most of them thought they could do anything. Ethan had told her most boys acted that way. Ethan sure had.
"Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for this?"
Sapphire turned to look at Zyperias. She growled. He had found himself a new body, no doubt having help from Adalger. The bastard was with Zyperias, a knife in his hand.
"Remember what I said...I want her after you," Adalger said.
Zyperias grabbed Sapphire's collar, and pulled her close to him. He laughed darkly.
"Don't worry. I'll leave her sane enough for you to enjoy."
He took Sapphire away. Adalger leaned against a tree. He pulled out a sharpening stone, and started working on his knife.
Sapphire fought against Zyperias, but she was no match against him without her magic. Sapphire had never felt so vulnerable before. She knew what was going to happen. She struggled in Zyperias's grip. She even bit him once. He just chuckled, and dragged her away.
Ethan attacked the Forsaken. He slashed their stomachs, and rotten organs spilled out. He tore off limbs.
Of course, he was also injured quite a lot. He was fighting against armed undead. Swords, axes, and arrows ripped through his fur and skin. Blood matted his black fur. Ethan could barely feel the pain, only snarling when an arrow imbedded itself into his side.
He roared, and heard a roar in answer. Ethan raised his head.
Glacier dove down at the camp, claws extended. She landed on top of several tents, crushing whatever was inside. She roared, flaring up her wings. Her tail snapped back and forth, hitting undead and flinging them away.
"Glacier!" Ethan called.
The Frostwyrm looked toward him. She growled, and pounced at him with giant, razor sharp claws. Ethan jumped back in surprise.
Glacier crushed a couple of undead that would have attacked Ethan. Her bony paws smashed the bodies against the ground. There was crunching and squishing sounds. Glacier roared.
Ethan pounced over to her, and clambered up her bones to the saddle on her back.
"I don't know where Sapphire or Angelica are!" He yelled. Glacier roared, and jumped up. She flew up, and circled the camp. As she did so, Glacier spoke to Ethan.
Should we leave without them? The Master will have come up with a plan by now.
Are you positive? I will not leave them to the mercy of that elf bitch.
Glacier snorted. I have every confidence in the Master. You are bleeding quite profusely. You need assistance, and the arrow looks painful.
Ethan looked at the arrow. Blood shone around the wooden shaft. The arrowhead was burrowed deep inside of him.
"Fine..."
Randall heard and saw the chaos that Ethan caused. He felt ashamed. His son, the youngest of all of his children, hated him. He had never noticed how badly Ethan's feelings were toward him. Randall thought he had been a wonderful father. Gave his children the best education, never let them go hungry. Of course, Arthas had told him what Adalger was like. His pride and joy, Randall's eldest son was a monster.
Ethan had always been a disappointment, but Randall had still loved him. Even though Randall never felt Ethan was sensible. Never once showed an interest in anything but animals. Especially dogs. Adalger had been the warrior of the family, signing up for the army at a young age. Edwin had taken the path of the merchant, following the footsteps of his father with his twin brother Franz. Edmund had been the religious one, taking up priestly robes. Jonas, the second youngest, had been thinking about becoming a paladin.
Ethan spent nights in the stables and explored the darker parts of Stormwind's districts. His friends were of other races and vagabonds. Ethan rarely went to his lessons, and when he did, he failed most of them. History was the only one he excelled in, and what use was history? What money could come of that? No woman would have him either. Ethan had been the scruffiest of Randall's sons. The man's business partners and friends had looked down on the boy, and would not even consider letting their daughters near the boy.
So, Ethan ran away from home. He had joined up a group of adventurers in the Plaguelands. Randall and his wife had received a letter a month later that stated Ethan was dead. Irene had mourned for a month. Of all of her children, Ethan had been her favorite. When Randall spoke badly of him, Irene would defend the boy. When Randall said no woman would ever want Ethan, Irene said that no one in their right mind would have married her. A girl born of a king and a servant, without an inheritance or dowry.
Ethan came back eventually, but he had been killed by the Lich King and raised up as a deathknight. He killed his brothers first, then killed both his parents.
Randall had woken up years later, finding himself in Icecrown Citadel. Arthas had brought him back, and told him about what had occurred after all this time. Ethan was a worgen. He had married Sapphire Menethil, and sired several beautiful children. He was now a king, and richer than Randall had ever been. Arthas had been kinder than Randall had heard, and gave him a choice. Randall might have thought he was a good father, but he had not treated his children equally. He had not shown much love toward them at all. Arthas had said even when he was genocidal, evil monster, he had shown more love to his daughter than Randall had shown. So, either Randall could have a second chance, or he could go back to being dead.
Now, he was running through the camp, hoping to redeem himself. He ran past undead, and looked around in panic. Randall heard crying, and went toward it.
He lunged into a tent. He saw sharp knives, chains, and cages. In one of the cages was Angelica, Arthas's youngest daughter. She was curled up, hugging her knees. Tears dripped down her feet.
"Angelica...Sweetie. I am here to take you to your daddy."
The girl snapped her head up, and screamed. "No! Go away!"
Randall growled. He didn't have time for this. He pulled his sword out, and swung it down onto the lock. It broke it, but Angelica screamed again. She pressed herself against the far corner of the cage. Randall opened the door, and grabbed the girl. She screamed.
"Come here, honey. Your parents are worried sick!"
The girl stopped making noise, and sniffled. "Really?"
"Yeah."
She bit her lip, and then jumped at the man, hugging him tightly. Randall picked her up, and fled out of the camp as quickly and quietly as he could.