Chapter 13: Under the Burning Sky

Warning: Legion is done screwing around.

Jaina awoke sore.

It had been years since she had been with anyone in the original timeline, and her younger body had that much experience, especially since she and Arthas had gone their seperate ways during their respective studies. Being overly passionate might have been a bit taxing. Not to mention she was fairly certain there were bruises on her hips. When Arthas loved, it was with everything he had. Her head turned to see her prince softly sleeping next to her, one arm draped over her having pulled her tight to him in the night. She gave a soft, content sigh and nestled into him. If she could stay here like this for the rest of the day, she'd sorely be tempted to do so.

She'd settle for half an hour or so to get her thoughts straight.

She didn't know what she had been thinking, revealing a large chunk of the truth to Arthas. She was still amazed he had not only believed her, but still desired her. Then again, he didn't know how much older than him she actual was now. And what she had revealed to him was only the beginning. He didn't even know about becoming the Lich King yet, or a fraction of the atrocities that happened after the Third War. Nor the sheer amount of casualties the Scourge had afflicted on the world. How many lives had been ruined...

But he would find out.

She was not foolish enough to think otherwise. He would not rest, not stop asking, not stop demanding to know. It filled her with dread. It had been a moment of weakness, despairing over believing she was about to lose so much again, and now the secret was starting to slip out. It wasn't to say she would just spill her guts and tell him everything, she could refuse to answer his questions. But he still knew loosely where she was from, and her prince was cunning, if his time as the Lich King in her own time was any indication. There were many a way he could catch her unguarded and get an answer out of her. Not to mention, he might start reading into anything she said and wondering if it was or was not an allusion to the future.

There was also the danger and/or benefit of leaving him only half or partially informed on certain subjects. Things could go so wrong, or perhaps so right, depending on whether he acted with full knowledge on something that had happened in the future. It was dangerous for Jaina alone to be messing with the past (ignoring Tichondrious). Arthas with only partial understanding? That could be disastrous. She shouldn't have told him, she...

His arms tugged her closer to his chest and murmured into her ear. "You're fidgeting, stop worrying Jaina."

She winced. "Sorry for waking you."

His chin nestled into her hair. "Nothing wrong with waking up next to my queen."

Jaina couldn't help the way her heart skipped a beat at hearing those words again. For a time, she let herself relax and bask in the fact that she had her prince. Finally, he gave a sigh, "I suppose we should make ourselves presentable and get on with the day. Defeating the undead and stopping a demonic invasion wont happen on it's own."

"No, it wont," she agreed.

"To save time," he murmured into her air suggestively, "Perhaps we should bathe together?"

She flushed a little. "If you're thinking what I know you're thinking, I doubt it will save time in the long run."

"You're not saying no."

No, she wasn't.

Not when they climbed out of bed as naked as they had been last night.

Not when his hands roamed her body as the water began to draw.

Not when he pinned her to the bathroom wall, his mouth crashing against hers, his hips against hers, pushing into her, spilling into her.

Not when they actually got around to washing either, she would never hesitate to admire that view.

They did eventually have to put on their clothes, and him his armor. They left the room together and moved through Dalaran towards its heart. At her prince's side, everything felt...

BOOM!

Jaina yelped and staggered as an explosion erupted out of the Violet Citadel. Her eyes went wide with shock as green meteors rained down and embedded into it's walls, the terrifyingly familiar forms of Infernals raging out of the impact zones and attacking anyone nearby. Screams erupted as the demonic constructs smashed into archmagi and defenders. Jaina broke out of her stupor, heart pounding with anger and fear. The Legion was attacking Dalaran directly? Already?

"What are those things?" said Arthas, drawing his warhammer and charging forward.

"Infernals, resistant to magic and normal weaponry, watch their flames!" she warned.

She didn't participate in fighting them, no, her senses were searching...

There were no undead nearby that she could feel.

But there was a powerful demonic presence inside the citadel... somewhat familiar... wait...

"Arthas! Forget the Infernals, it's a distraction!" she cried out, rushing for the Violet Citadel.

The Legion was here for the Book of Medivh. They weren't going to try to break the city, they were infiltrating to take it. She chained one blink after another, teleporting short distances pass the skirmishes and then charging up the steps. The immediate inside of the citadel was chaos. Blocking entrance to the stairs towards the upper levels was a purple fluctuating portal that was spilling out one lesser demon after the other; fel guards, felhounds, sucubi. Antonidas, alongside Uther, King Teranas and the citadel's defenders were slowly pushing against the demons.

Jaina aimed a hand over the heads of the combatants, channeling her energy into a powerful bolt of lightning that exploded out of her fingertips and surged at the portal, hitting and overloading it in a burst of energy that flattened most in the room to the floor. She staggered to her feet and blinked again, teleporting for the stairs and screaming, "MOVE! They're here for the Book!"

She threw safety to the wind, blitzing upwards, channeling arcane power to burn, shock, or freeze any demon she came across. Corpses of many archimagi littered the upper halls. Caught offguard and slaughtered before they could defend themselves. This smelt of a dreadlord's work, and with that presence seeming familiar... she had a hunch which one.

She reached the upper levels, the guarded and enchanted chambers, its arcane vaults, where some of their more powerful artifacts were stored. Doors were broken down, protective enchantments torn apart, and defender mercilessly slaughtered. Guarding the entrance to one was the imposing form of a doomguard. Armor plating covering most of its blue skin, eyes glowing with green infernal power. Batlike wings extended from its back, its cloven feet dug into the floor to hold its ground, a burning demonic sword in its tri-clawed hand. It growled a warning and aimed a hand at her, fel-fire erupting forward. Jaina dove to the side and rolled as the demon burst forward with a bellow, swinging its sword down and embedding it into the floor.

Jaina waved a hand as she rose, a nova of frost erupting from her body and freezing the demon to the floor. She gave a cry of fury and aimed a hand at it, a torrent of lightning erupting and bathing the demon in it's energy, shocks and roils of it rippling over it's body. The demon roared and let go of its sword, shoving towards Jaina and reaching a hand forward to grasp at her. Jaina teleported a short distant away, leaving the demon clutching at nothing. Again she showered the demon with lightning, making it stagger and slam into a wall.

She blasted it with one fireball after the other until she blew it out the side of the citadel and into Dalaran below. "I forgot how tough these bastards are."

She paused briefly. "Or maybe I'm just not strong enough yet."

She shook it off and barreled into the vaults, blood slicking the floors in cloven footsteps. She followed them deeper still, until she found their source in a singular room. The first thing that drew her eyes was a pedestal, on it, stood the familiar form of the Book of Medivh. In front of that however, was the dreadlord Tichondrious, holding up the last defender of the vault by his throat, draining him of life until he was a withered prune and tossed aside.

"Step away from the Book, dreadlord," she hissed.

Tichondrious turned, a sinister smile on his face. "Ah, Proudmoore. How have you enjoyed the contest thus far?"

"Enjoyment is to strong a word," she said thinly.

He grinned. "I dare to say that I am ahead, would you not agree? Lordaeran and Quel'Thalas may have fared better than before. But Stormwind is already on it's last legs, and Ironforge is preparing to seal their great gate to keep out the undead."

He sneered at her. "The Alliance is crippled before it can even form."

Jaina thrust a hand forward, ignoring his taunts, and threw a bolt of lightning at him while teleporting for the Book. She lurched at it and swiped it off it's pedestal as the dreadlord batted her spell away. She made to teleport again, only for demonic claws to grip into her shoulder, nails biting deep into her flesh, and fling her harshly against the nearby wall. Jaina saw stars for a moment before the trembling of the room as cloven footsteps drew near alerted her to the danger. She dove, feeling claws rake through her hair in a narrow miss of a grab, and stumbled away. She wasn't strong enough to fight him yet, and even if she was, getting the book away was more important.

"Give me the book you fool!" snarled Tichondrious, "We both want Archimonde dead, and he will only die upon Hyjal's Summit."

"I'd rather you demons never get the chance to invade!" she shot back, taking off, "I'm not stupid! You get Archimonde killed at Hyjal, Kil'Jaeden at the Sunwell, and while they're busy reforming in the nether you take over and wipe out a Azeroth twice as weakened as before, gaining Sargaras's favor!"

The walls shook as Tichondrious thundered after her. "You knew the risks, little girl, when you accepted the pact! I will have that BOOK!"

A carrion swarm slammed into her from behind, sending her crying out through the air. She clutched the Book tightly to her chest as she landed and rolled along the floor, hissing in pain. She rose to her feet...

And screamed when claws ripped into her back, sending her slamming into a nearby wall, and then slumping down, the Book flying from her hands on impact. Tichondrious didn't spare her a second glance, rushing past her down form for the Book. Jaina ground her teeth and aimed a hand, sending a fireball at the Book, only for the dreadlord to dive, grabbing it with his hands and curling his wings protectively around it, her fireball exploding against him, but not damaging his prize. Jaina screamed in rage and staggered to her feet, fling as many spells as she could as fast as she could at the demon.

"LIGHT! What is that monstrosity?!" came the voice of her prince.

Her head briefly swerved to see him and the others rushing into the hallway. "The demon has the Book!"

Tichondrious rose and fled, rushing back the way he had chased Jaina from. She rushed at him, grabbing for him with cold enchanted hands, trying to freeze him in place, only for him to elbow her aside, his hoarse armor slicing through her robes into her chest and slamming her away. She winced in pain, clutching her bloodying chest, her back aching, the negative energy from his earlier spell still lingering around her, but pushed forward and took off after him, loosing one spell after his fleeing form after another. Lightning danced along the hallways, bursting against walls as he turned or dove. Fireballs exploded, igniting the once pristine walls. Ice bathed the hallway ahead of him through her power, but his own fell energy melted a path easily with a wave of his hands.

She started lagging behind as exhaustion set in, from her heavy overuse of magic, and from the physical damage of being clawed and tossed around. Then the others overtook her and rushed passed without a word. Jaina took a moment to stop and lean against the closest wall, breathing in hoarsely. Arthas was there a split second later, a glowing hand on her shoulder, healing light pouring down the connection, muttering something that suspiciously sounded like 'suicidal foolishness' before he took off.

"Hypocrite," she muttered under her breath, starting to rush after the group, dread pooling in her stomach.

If they couldn't stop Tichondrious from escaping...

She refused to accept that, putting on a burst of energy. She came across them just as Tichondrious dove through a window, Antonidas unleashing a powerful fireburst at him. The wall around the window took the brunt of the spell, exploding outwards. Jaina rushed forward as Antonidas stood at the edge, unleashing spells at the dreadlord as it flexed its wings and took to the sky, mocking laughter escaping it's lips. Jaina joined her master and fired one bolt of lightning after the other... again and again... desperately... even after Tichondrious was a distant speck in the sky...

Until arms gripped her shaking shoulders, her Master's crisp voice ordering, "It's gone Jaina, enough."

She sagged to her knees, ragged breaths escaping her lips. "He has the Book... he has the Book..."

She sat there, numbly, as Arthas knelt down next to her and took a closer look at her, tending to the claw and bruise and cut marks with his light.

Antonidas sighed heavily. "I suppose I will need to gather what leadership I can still find in Dalaran. The Council of Six were gathering to address the topic of the Book of Medivh, I passed four of their corpses in this madness. Only I and Prince Sunstrider remain."

"That damn book should have been destroyed when we had the chance!" snapped Arthas.

"How were we to know that a Demon would infiltrate and attack out of nowhere?" countered Antonidas, "Protocol that we have lived by our entire life was being followed, Prince Arthas. Massive decisions of that nature require proper deliberation."

"Considering the demons now have the means to spark an invasion that may destroy our lands and our people, I don't give a damn about protocol at the moment," he growled out before turning his head, "Jaina? Can we stop this?"

She blinked a few times, swallowing. "The... the incantations for the spell take time to cast, and are not subtle. When they begin, we will feel it."

"How long does it take?" he asked.

"I... I don't know," she admitted.

She hadn't been there, and she had never met any survivors of that battle, if there had been any. "No more than an hour at most I'd imagine, maybe less."

"Then we need to be ready to move instantly," said Arthas, rising to his feet, "Marshal your forces Archmage Antonidas and Lordaeran shall gather what we can as quickly as we can. If need be, depending on where they do it, our forces may need to be teleported in..."

Jaina sat on a crate outside the Violet Citadel idly as twilight fell over the city, the day closing on it's end. Archmages and apprentices were gathered and speaking in low tones. Soldiers of Lordaeran patrolled the streets or drilled to keep themselves sharp. Peasants were working to repair the damage from the earlier incursion. Arthas was a ways away, arguing once more with his father about the preservation of their kingdom in the worse case scenario. He had gone a long way, from being so consumed to destroy the Scourge by any means to save his people; instead being willing to head her words and flee if need be. Now though, it was his stubborn father holding things back. Antonidas was in the middle over interviewing their current elder archimagi for replacements for the fallen Councilmembers...

"Archmage Antonidas! Undead forces have been seen gathering southeast of Dalaran!"

Jaina's head turned sharply. The Scourge couldn't seriously be choosing the same spot, could they? They weren't at the strength they were when Arthas sacked Dalaran in the original timeline, nor was he a death knight to use. Dalaran had lost some of their forces, but Lordaeran more than made up for that loss. They couldn't possibly think to... No, shift her thoughts. This wasn't about simple cold calculations. The Legion had chosen outside Dalaran twice now, regardless of the status of the Scourge. In fact... wasn't the timing the same as well? Minus a few months, but, she could still distinctly remember when she had felt the Book's spellcraft rip open the barriers between the world and the nether. Outside Dalaran at Twilight...

...and wasn't Dalaran built over a massive layline?

Perhaps it had to be here, perhaps...

A chill rolled down her spine as she felt the spellwork begin, cutting off her thoughts. "Arthas! They've started the spell."

"All forces, marshal at the gates now!" roared Arthas.

Dalaran and Lordaeran moved rapidly. Jaina ran alongside Arthas, towards the main gate. Once outside, she noted the hill off in the distance, turned into an alter, undead forces marshaling around it, spirit towers in the process of being summoned in, blight spreading to taint the ground. She narrowed her eyes at the distant sight of Kel'Thuzad upon the alter. Her eyes flickered at the Scourge defense, analyzing it...

"It's to weak," she muttered, "They can't expect to hold it."

"I don't see the demon from earlier," said Uther, moving to stand next to Arthas as the collected forces began to spill out and line up for advancement.

"Watching and waiting for the opportune moment to be a pain in the ass most likely," answered Jaina, scowling.

Arthas shook his head. "We don't have the luxury of caution, this spell must be stopped."

Jaina nodded and steadied herself for the march to begin...

"The sky bleeds green," murmured Uther, curious and uneasy.

Jaina froze, looking upward, at green lightning cackling through darkening cloud. She KNEW that storm anyway. "Light preserve us..."

The clouds parted...

"SPREAD OUT!" Jaina screamed at the top of her lungs, "BRACE YOURSELVES!"

Infernals began raining down from above as three portals opened at the base of the alter Kel'Thuzad was preforming the spell at and began spilling out lesser demons. The Legion had used the Scourge before, but if the Scourge couldn't fulfill their function, the Legion apparently was ready to stand in. The united forces of Dalaran and Lordaeran barely had time to split apart before the burning demonic constructs impacted in droves against Dalaran and in the field between them and the alter.

"All archimagi ignore the demonic constructs, they are heavily resistant to magic, focus on the demons and the undead!" she cried out, took a deep breath, and entered the battle.

They all entered the battle, war cries spilling forth.

"For Dalaran!"

"For Lordaeran!"

"For the King!"

"In the name of the Light!"

Jaina gritted her teeth as the army rushed forward, already spotting issues that many wouldn't figure out for some time yet when fighting demons. To many footmen surrounding the infernals to try to take them down, exposed numerous troops to its scalding flame when a single stronger individual like a paladin or a knight alongside riflemen or other ranged attackers were more suited. Male fighters drew to close to succubi instead of leaving them to woman or their stronger willed fellows, the dark magic used to overwhelm their minds and senses, turning them on their allies. Paladins taking the brunt of the felhounds attacks rather than regular infantry, the demonic dogs draining their mana with every hit. All of them in general underestimating the weapons of the demon forces that carve through armor and protective magics like they were butter.

Fighting demons had become an art-form, a craft, a way of life for some people after the Third War. Here and now, Jaina was probably the only one on this battlefield on the side of the living that had any proper knowledge of how to do so. Jaina found herself a hill to stand on and began arcing lightning overtop of the clashing forces, aiming for necromancers and demonic spellcasters. She couldn't keep an eye on her prince in this madness, but had to trust that he could take care of himself, she had to devote herself to playing her part to stop the coming apocalypse.

She eyed the portals, considering if she could aim a spell accurately at that distance...

Only for lumbering Abominations to suddenly park themselves right infront of the portals, the demons spilling around the blockage without issue. Damn, that was probably Tichondrious's idea, the Abominations would just block anything used to try to disrupt the portals. Bastard, was probably keeping a direct eye on her to counter anything more than fighting the endless tide that she tried to do. Because it would be endless, there were billions, perhaps trillions of demons in the Twisting Nether, though only a small amount could be funneled through three portals at once.

She snarled. "Alright then, dreadlord, lets see how you like this."

She thrust her hands forward, a massive swirl of fire forming infront of her. She formed a Pyroblast spell, but didn't release it, channeling more and more power into it. She sweated under the heat, but didn't fire the spell until the fireball was the size of her own body. But no, she didn't aim it at any of the abomination blocking the portals, or any of the undead or demonic forces on the battlefield...

She lobbed it right over their heads straight for Kel'Thuzad. The massive fireball streaking across the battlefield, the force of the spell causing any underneath it to stagger as it surged for the alter and the Lich...

Only for a second Lich, the obnoxiously familiar form of Ordin Frostbane, to float around his superior and raise his skeletal arms, glowing with frost as he let loose a cackle of laughter and released a torrent of ice magic, hitting the fireball before it could reach the alter and causing it to detonate in a massive explosion.

"I HATE THAT LIGHT DAMN SON OF A BITCH!" she couldn't help but seethe aloud. HOW MANY TIMES was she going to have to fight and kill that damn nobody lich who hadn't even been a footnote the first time around?

Ever practical, she did notice one of of the abominations had been blown away by the fireball's explosion. She aimed a hand and released a bolt of lightning, only for Ordin to float downward and block that spell himself...

But not the one that came from a different angle from another spellcaster, the portal imploding and sending the lich flying. Jaina followed the spells trajectory and noted Antonidas standing parallel to her on another hilltop on the other end of their side of the battlefield. The pair of Archimagi, Master and Apprentice, nodded at one another, and began coordinating their spellcraft. One of them would blow away the abomination, the other would destroy the portal. Within the minute both the portals had been destroyed. Ordin glared daggers at Jaina from across the battlefield as he planted himself protectively infront of Kel'Thuzad, forming a barrier of frost around the Arch-Lich of the Scourge.

The portal's destruction still didn't stop the periodic rain of infernals. She reached out with her senses, but couldn't locate whoever was invoking the storm. It was most likely Tichondrious, combining the chaos of the battlefield, Kel'Thuzad's spell, and his own ability to hide himself, she couldn't do anything about that. A ring of guards formed around both her and Antonidas's hill to protect them, other Archimagi standing at lower elevations of their hill to get clear shots at undead and the remaining demonic forces.

Minute by minute the combined forces slowly pushed back the demons, getting closer and closer to the alter...

Until the fabric of the world ripped at the foot of the alter, and Jaina's heart stopped. No, no no no no! It couldn't be! It had barely been fifteen minutes yet at most! They couldn't have possibly summoned Archimonde so fast!

"The legion's fury scorches the skies!" boomed out Kel'Thuzad's voice, "The barrier between the worlds weaken! We call for your might in our greatest hour, come forth, Lord Mannaroth! Pave the way and shield the path for Lord Archimonde's arrival!"

Jaina's face paled as the monstrous titanic quadruped form of Mannaroth the Destructor burst through the rip in their world in a mighty roar and explosion of fel-flame, the rip expanding it in size as his burning form entered Azeroth. Towering more than double the size of a man, pale-skin covered in demonic plate, the tusked and winged form, wreathed in burning fire, his steps leaving scalding marks on the ground, his massive war-glaive giving off demonc fire as he aimed it forward, laughing menacingly as he charged forward.

Light preserve them...

The Scourge hadn't been gunning for Archimonde, they had been summoning his most powerful servant instead! They knew they wouldn't have been able to hold the alter long enough, not with Naxxramas still in Quel'Thalas. Archimonde would have taken at minimum twice as long to summon, but Mannaroth? That was quicker, and far more likely to succeed in protecting the alter. There wasn't a person here who could take on that demon and win, she still didn't know to this day how Hellscream had managed to take it down, Thrall would never speak of that battle to her.

The fact remained, Mannaroth alone could potentially win this battle for the Legion on his own.

Jaina looked up sharply away from Mannaroth as Kel'Thuzad began to recast the ritual. But it was even worse now, more demons began to pour out of the tear, and not just lesser demons. Doom Guards streamed out in a tide, Eradar Warlocks began to line the alter, slinging spells across the battlefield, a number also moving to support Kel'Thuzad in his casting. They'd finish the spell faster this time, along with the tear already formed, they had at most twenty minutes, most likely less.

"LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER!" roared Mannaroth, his titanic form trampling all demon and undead in his way before smashing into the allied advance, his glaive cleaving through dozens of infantry at once.

Jaina suckered in a breath, used her magic to amplify her voice, and screamed out, "All troops get away from that demon! Paladins! Contain him! Contain him or we're all dead!"

There was a moment of hesitation before Arthas's voice boomed out to back her up. "DO IT! Get clear or it'll kill you all!"

The army split, trying to flee the Pit Lord as ten Paladins glowing with light strode forward, Uther at their head and Arthas at his side, made to approach the demon. Mannaroth chuckled, his toothy maw stretching as his voice boomed out, "Misbegotten maggots, I've slaughtered entire armies with my own sole power, crushed wielders of the accursed light far more powerful than any that stand here. You dare to think you can face me and triumph?"

"The Light will always triumph over evil, demon!" challenged Uther, rushing forward, his paladins moving the surround the Pit Lord.

Jaina's attention was diverted when Antonidas teleported next to her. "Jaina, you know more of these demons than we do, we don't have time to fight through this. What do you suggest?"

"We can't kill Mannaroth," said Jaina firmly, "Not in the time we have left, and especially not with an army around him."

She grew silent for a long moment, her eyes lingering on the brutal melee at the center of the battle field, on her prince wrapped in a shield of light smashing his warhammer against Mannaroth's side. "We have to stop the spell, not only that, we have to get or destroy the book, because even if we interrupt the spell, Kel'Thuzad will just restart it."

"There is an entire army of demons, undead, this 'Mannaroth', a tear in our world churning out more demons, and another Lich between us and Kel'Thuzad," said Antonidas grimly, "I've already considered teleporting to the alter and sacrificing myself to stop it, but the area is shielded."

Jaina swallowed at the notion, the thought of losing her Master again. "We either get the book, or the battle is lost. We have to make the call now Antonidas. Fight, or flee across the sea."

Antonidas looked across the battlefield, and for once, for blessed once, didn't argue against her council. "Which do you suggest?"

"I don't think we can win," she said shakily, "But... at an extreme cost, we might be able to get to and destroy the book. Then, the only other concrete way they have to summon Archimonde is through the Sunwell, and we could send someone to beseech Kael to destroy the corrupted font of power. But..."

"They'll keep trying," she whispered, "Keep looking for other methods..."

Sargaras's tomb could potentially be used again... there might also be other ways she hadn't considered...

Jaina suckered in a breath as a powerful ripple of energy surged around the tear between worlds, and for a moment, she could feel through it...

Feel who was standing directly on the other side of the gateway, funneling his own power in to try quicken the pace of the breech's spread.

Could feel a presence she had never forgotten, that she had once stood feet from in defiance on Mount Hyjal.

Archimonde the Despoiler.

She swallowed thickly, terror coursing down her spine. The couldn't stop this, not anymore, the tear had already been made, Archimonde himself might be capable of widening it enough from his end to step through even without the Book now for all she knew. "We have to run, we have to run now."

Get across the sea, get to Cenarious before the Orcs can bumble into Ashenvale Forest. This was still months earlier than the original timeline, they could reach the Demigod in time...

"I doubt the King will agree," said Antonidas, "But I will find him and try to change his mind. This is..."

He shook his head. "This is worse than I could have imagined."

Antonidas took off down the hill.

Jaina turned her attention to the other archimagi near her. "Spread out through the army! Be ready for a collective Mass Teleport!"

She returned her focus to the main battle, three paladins were already dead from what she could see, another two missing and probably dead, three badly injured, Uther and Arthas the only ones in fighting condition trying to contain the Pit Lord. Mannaroth himself hardly looked winded. His was leaking fel-blood from several wounds, had several light blotched marks against his body, but seemed to be in a state of blood-hazed glee, laughing manically as he tried to strike Uther down, his glaive rending the earth as Uther dove out of the way.

Mannaroth raised his glaive into the air, fel-fire erupting from it as he laughed. The sky split open and a hellstorm of burning meteors rained down from above, impacting near him and across the battlefield, killing living, undead, and demons indiscriminately. Jaina crashed to her knees as the ground shook at the impact. An ear-splitting roar ripped across the battlefield from Mannaroth, he swung his glaive in a wide arc, the remaining paladins barely managing to divine shield themselves in time before they were swatted away. He raised a hand into the air, purple beams of arcane energy erupting in all directions, sending friend and foe alike flying on impact if they weren't burnt to a crisp on impact.

Jaina knelt there, shellshocked. She... she thought Mannaroth had been just a titanic Legion brute, a melee behemoth, why in the world had no one told her he was a powerful spellcaster too?! Why had she never investigated him more thoroughly? Even if he had been dead and gone, brought back up as a roadbump for the Heroes of Azeroth in the alternate Dreanor timeline, she should have looked more into him.

Mannaroth waved his glaive, and fel-fire ripped across the battlefield in a tide burning many and incinerating the closest as he rushed forward, no longer bothering with the Paladins...

"The Light is not beaten yet, demon!"

Mannaroth froze, a powerful aura of light seizing him. Jaina's gaze flickered to the form of Uther, hand outstretched, visibly trembling and struggling as he tried to stop the demon's onslaught. Demons and undead rushed for Uther, but Arthas was there, his warhammer smashing aside any who tried to lay their hands on Uther. Jaina made a split second decision, stood up, and teleported, arriving behind Uther. The pair of paladins were to far away from any other archmage, if she didn't get them out herself, they'd be left behind to die.

She began to sling spells as fast as she could, blasting back or killing any that tried to get passed Arthas.

"Proudmoore," grunted Uther, his voice strained, "You shouldn't be here."

"Just hold him until the Archimagi are in position," said Jaina, "We can't win this, we're getting out of here."

Uther didn't respond, focusing on the demon. She took that as him giving his blessing on the endevour.

Slowly, inch by inch, Mannorath began to turn despite the Light trying to entrap him, his burning glare locking onto Uther with pure and utter hate. "YOU PATHETIC MONGREL!"

Mannaroth broke free with a roar, charging for Uther, twirling his glaive overhead.

Jaina grabbed Uther and teleported out of the way seconds before the weapon could kill the exhausted paladin. Mannaroth withdrew his glaive from the rent earth, a deep growl escaping his maw of a mouth as he turned his molten gaze on her. "You should have stayed as far away from the melee as possible, little mage. I will break you in half when I get my hands on you."

She steeled herself. She had mocked Archimonde to his face before, she would not be cowed. "You'll have to catch me first, brute."

He raised his glaive to strike, she grabbed Uther and began to teleport...

"FOOL!" he roared, his magic intersecting hers...

Jaina yelped as she was ripped out of her spell mid-transit, Mannaroth's spare claw wrapping around her and lifted her inches from him face. "You were saying, little mage?"

She was going to die, the thought brings her despair. She was going to die, and her prince, her people, and the world would pay the price for her failure. So, she did the only thing she could do when trapped in his grip and bound by his magic: get the last word. "Well... you're even uglier up close."

She screamed as his claw slowly began to tighten. "I much prefer your screams to your tongue."

"JAINA!"

A shining warhammer flew past her, slamming into Mannaroth's face, an explosion of light ripped from it on impact. Mannaroth cried out in surprise and pain, dropping Jaina as he staggered a few steps back. Jaina fell towards the ground, only for Arthas to catch her. He muttered a quick prayer to the light, bathing her in its restorative power before rushing for his warhammer as it landed on the ground.

Mannaroth bellowed with laughter, recovering, as Uther moved to join them. "Is this the best resistance you mortals can offer?"

The Pit Lord stretched his wings out behind him, his tail rising and slamming into the ground, causing them to stagger a bit. "Come then! Amuse me with your pitiful struggles."

Uther and Arthas surge two different ways as Jaina lobs a lightning bolt at Mannaroth's face. The Pit Lord brings his wing forward to bat away the spell, swinging his glaive to force Arthas away, and not caring when Uther slams his warhammer into his leg despite the wham of the impact. "Your light weakens, Paladin. This is the end."

Mannaroth turns and sweeps his tail at Arthas, the prince barely managing to block with his warhammer but still getting sent flying by several tons of Pit Lord muscle. He swings his glaive in a brutal force...

Jaina gives a cry and throws her hand forward, throwing every ounce of arcane power she has into ice, trying to freeze his limbs. Mannaroth's swing slows as ice visibly coats him. Uther has enough time to get out of the way before the glaive falls, leaving a burning scar in the ground where he had been. Jaina's legs buckle as Mannaroth throws off her spell, fel-fire rushing over his body to melt the ice, he laughs manically and aims a hand at her, fire erupting at her. She only has a split second to act, and not trusting her teleport, she casts ice block, encasing her body in a protective layer of enchanted ice moments before the flames hit...

...and begin eating through it at a terrifying pace...

...before it abruptly stops.

Jaina is confused, dispelling what remains of her magic before glancing up at Mannaroth, who is no longer looking at any of them, but passed them. He grins in savage delight, a deep bellowing laugh escaping his lips. "The end has come!"

"Come forth, Lord Archimonde! Enter this world and let us bask in your power!" echoed Kel'Thuzad's voice across the battlefield.

The fighting instantly ground to a halt as the sky split open and rained down lightning, an explosion of fire shot up around the tear before erupting outward in green energy as Archimonde the Defiler broke through the barrier between worlds and stepped foot into Azeroth. A towering form of blue muscle, garbed in purple and gold, a cape hanging behind him, pauldrons upon his shoulder connecting to a headress that rose behind him, a mighty belt covering his his midriff and some of his lower half, wrist and leg-guards on his body. His fel-fire eyes washing over the battlefield as his lips peeled back in triumph.

"Tremble mortals, and despair! Doom has come to the world!"

No more time, no more waiting, she steeled herself through the despair and focused. While Mannaroth was distracted by his master's arrival, she stretched out her power for Arthas and Uther, grabbing them, and teleporting away from the front-lines. Without missing a beat she started casting Mass Teleport, a number of other spellcasters around the battlefield mimicking her. In a flash, the army was gone...

...reappearing scattered around with Dalaran.

"Magi!" came Antonidas's voice, "Clear the vaults! Grab everything you can! We have minutes at best to evacuate Dalaran before the demons arrive!"

Jaina partially collapsed against a nearby wall, huffing and puffing. Uther and Arthas were no better, the pair barely standing, bruised and battered and exhausted.

"YOU!"

Jaina yelped as a bloody and battered King Teranas was there, grasping her by the collar of her robes. "Why were we not warned of that monstrosity?!"

"I didn't know!" she shrilled, "I didn't know they were going to summon Mannaroth! I thought they were going for Archimonde!"

Teranas shook her, fear and terror on his face. "That thing, that monster singlehandedly butchered half our army with its spellwork! Struck down some of our most skilled Paladins, Uther and Arthas could barely survive against it! What was that demon?!"

"ENOUGH!" roared Arthas, moving to break his father grasp on her and put himself between them, "Father! Enough! What's done is done! Give the order, send out runners to every village, to the capital city, to Dathrohan and Kael'Thas, to evacuate, . We can't stop this. Lordaeran..."

He faltered, defeat on his face. "Lordaeran is lost..."

Teranas's face shuttered closed for a long moment before spun away and began barking orders.

"I... I-I'm sorry Arthas," whispered Jaina.

Arthas turned and cupped Jaina's chin, looking at her tear stained face. "It's alright Jaina, look at me, we'll survive this. It's not your fault."

"I... I should have gone after the book myself and destroyed it when I had the chance," said Jaina, voice trembling, "Even if the Kirin Tor arrested me for it. I..."

"Any one of us could say that Jaina," said Arthas, "We all heard your warning, but did nothing."

He held her tightly for a long few minute...

CRACK

The city trembled as a tower in Dalaran exploded without warning, a massive swirl of energy starting to form around the city. Archimonde's presence and power hung over the air, and Jaina's eyes went wide.

"EVERYONE OUT!" she screamed, "GET OUT OF DALARAN! TELEPORT OR RUN, JUST GET OUT!"

She grabbed Arthas, pulling him tight, before straining her already exhausted reserves for one last Mass-Teleport for herself and everyone around her as Dalaran began to collapse around them...

Author's Notes:

Whiplash from lovey-dovyness to OMG-DEMONS anyone? :D

Perhaps I'm stretching lore a bit, but, if the Book could be used to summon Archimonde, why couldn't it be used to summon a 'weaker' demon in a shorter timeframe? I think it makes sense. It was either Mannaroth or have the Scourge pull Naxx from Quel'Thalas (with hardly any time to recharge its engines or whatever they use to move it?). Naxx already got used once, it was time for the Legion to shine.

Mannaroth never got the awe he was due in WC3 or WoW, IMO. He is an unstoppable juggernaut, said to have immense spellcasting potential and physical power. I tried to do him a bit of justice here, rather than the Grom-One-Hit-KO he got *twice* and the roflestomp players give him in the few instances/raids he appears in.

Anyway, part one is over.

Part two begins next chapter, the trip to Kalimdor - the Battle for Mount Hyjal.

There's still so much more to go for this story, and I still haven't decided if we're ending this after Hyjal, or continuing into 'WoW' timeperiod. This could easily become a longfic.

Review Responses:

Zantak: Erm, perhaps I'm not as well versed in how olden-speech should be, but this is also the same world that has Gnomes and Goblins with advanced and complex tech and terms as well. Just Saiyen. Glad you enjoy the story though.

Draconic: Actually, since we never had to wait for Arthas to sail/fight through Northrend/be converted/sail back/raze Lordaeran/Raze Quel'Thalas, this is roughly a few months earlier than the original summoning of Archimonde. The danger of the Wretched is actually a topic coming up soon (next chapter :D), and the struggle to save the High Elves until they can reach Kalimdor.

Chronostorm: Well, Lordaeran was screwed. But, unlike Cannon: King Teranas, Uther, and Antonidas are alive. Arthas is still a paladin, Sylvanas still a Ranger-General, along with the majority of the High Elves being alive rather than 90% of their population wiped out. Dalaran got out with more of their people alive than before, as will Lordaeran's population. As for what happens in Kalimdor, wait and see...

Ghost14lebi: It's not everything, she left a huge amount out. Sorry to disappoint, but, that's the path I took, a moment of weakness for Jaina/Arthas chosing the right time to ask.

Ander Arias: Mostly Jaina's PoV. It's almost always going to be unless she's unconscious/sleeping or I for some reason choose to. Spelling, the bane of my existance. And uh... they kinda have to leave ASAP, no more waiting.

Kelmoria: This story occurs before Battle for Azeroth has a chance to happen. It also takes a few lore differences from earlier expansions as well, but mostly everything that happened in WoW happened in this Jaina's past.

Reality Deviant: You will see the Horde, but mostly from Jaina's PoV and interactions.

Eragon95159; Sir, you have a foot-fetish issue.

Thehappyvampire: She's a little busy running from disaster to another. Gilneas didn't have a roll to play in the original third war, nor in WoW until Sylvannas poked the beast.

Novashiro: Eh... the High Elves were in the middle of evacuating, they havn't fully left yet. The Horde comes into play once we reach Kalimdor. Jaina will be setting out with the rest of Kul Tiras/Lordaeran/High Elves. As from Grom, I don't want to spoil to much, but, if he's warned of Mannaroth in advanced, and isn't in an active conflict with the Night Elves, what are the chance of him randomly drinking blood-fountain water if Mannaroth even tries that route?

Prince of Petersburg: Jaina's kind of entered the 'not telling you anything' mode. She gave a lie to try to throw them off, but she's going to outright refuse to answer most things aside from what people can try to pry out of her. The sailing from the Eastern Kingdoms to Kalimdor is a long period of time that Jaina is going to be stuck with those who want answers from her. But yes, eventually, the truth is going to have to come out.