Chapter 38
A few days later…
"Sylvanas! Stop!"
The banshee queen ignored the request, pushing through the leather tent flap and out into the night. Countless fires and torches burned through the camp to try and ward off the frigid cold for the mostly living army she was currently forging her way through the middle of. A short distance away, the sounds of battle echoed back to her ears; muted explosions, metal clashing against bone, people and creatures screaming, the sounds of death all around.
More metal rattled behind her as the plate-clad annoyance tried to keep up with her long stride.
"Sylvanas!"
The queen turned abruptly to face the blood knight matriarch. "Two highlords have failed to change my mind. What makes you think you're any different?"
Liadrin blew cold air out through her nostrils having finally caught up. "Maybe because I'm not afraid to knock you on your ass until you see sense!"
"Ha!" Sylvanas sneered. She wanted to hit something, and if Liadrin was going to be dumb enough to get in her way, why not the matriarch?
"By the Light, Sylvanas! Why can't you see that if you go charging into the citadel with the vanguard you are putting everyone at risk? Especially Alyna!" She threw her arms open in frustration. "You are in no fit state to lead the assault! Calmer heads must preva—"
The queen swung her closed fist at the preaching woman, but Liadrin was ready for her. She leant back out of range before raising her own plated fist in an upper cut under the queen's chin, snapping her head back and knocking her slightly off balance. As the queen reset her feet beneath her, Liadrin reached out and grabbed Sylvanas' left hand.
The queen blinked at the move and then suddenly understood. "Don't you fuc—"
Pain ripped through her ring finger, into her hand and up her arm, forcing Sylvanas to gasp and drop to one knee. As the Light burned through her, so did Alyna's love and affection for the woman she once was. Unlike the previous time her ring was activated, they were not in a private setting and the queen fought to maintain control of her own emotions, the end result being a loud, feral snarl.
When Liadrin let go, the queen cradled her smouldering hand close to her chest, quickly rising to her feet to glower at the paladin. "You don't understand," she hissed through clenched teeth as she did her best to ignore the curious glances the pair were receiving.
"Then help me do so," came the calm but determined reply.
Knowing the woman would not leave her alone, the queen spun on her heel and walked towards her own command tent. As she pushed in through the flap, the various Forsaken heads of her military turned to salute her before showing concern at her hand.
She silenced them all quickly with a barked command of "Get out!"
Sylvanas turned and leant against a large table as she waited for the tent to empty. Various maps were strewn across its surface showing what they knew of the internal layout of the citadel. Exploring the citadel had not been a priority for Alyna when she was Scourge, but she had handed over what she knew of the interior early on before they had set foot in Northrend. It had been better than going in blind.
Liadrin stood tall with her arms clasped behind her back, her head tilted to one side slightly. "Well?"
Sylvanas made no attempt to hide her anger. "The last time you were trying to convince me to go after her. Now you want me to stay behind?"
"Utgarde Keep was different, Sylvanas, and you know it." She turned to point outside at the gathered army. "This time, we have options. We have the best soldiers Azeroth has to offer getting ready to assault the citadel, and yes, you would be a formidable addition to the vanguard if your head was on straight. But it's not."
Sylvanas stood up from the table in her fury. "I will not abandon her!"
"I am not telling you to!"
"It's already been days, Liadrin!" She felt her concern start to override her anger. "There's no telling what he has already done to her. What if … what if she's no longer …" She slumped back against the table and the matriarch hesitantly stepped forward to rest a heavy hand on the queen's shoulder.
"He'd be a fool to change her, Sylvanas. Everything we've seen suggests he won't. But she is now back under his control, and the best way to release her is to kill Arthas." Liadrin took a slow, measured breath. "If you go to her now, if you even got that far, you will likely be forced to fight her. Or she will just kill you, as we know she can, and she'll be unable to stop herself." The paladin dropped her hand. "Do you really want her to be freed from the Lich King only to know she has killed you before that could happen?"
Sylvanas sat in silence, the woman's words slowly sinking into her reluctant heart. "I promised her, Liadrin. I promised I would do whatever it takes to get her back this time." She shook her head bitterly at herself. "I can't give up. I did that once … and she spent six years with him as a result."
"Again, everything about this is different," she reiterated. "You are not alone. We have resources. We have people." She gave the queen a weak smile. "As for doing whatever it takes, perhaps, this time, that means letting others help you instead of doing this alone?"
She avoided looking directly at the matriarch, stubbornly not wanting to admit that perhaps she was right.
Knowing she was starting to get through to the queen, Liadrin continued, "We will make sure the vanguard know who Alyna is, and to not engage her if at all possible. Their goal is the Lich King, but if they come across her they will attempt to contain her rather than … otherwise."
Sylvanas closed her eyes for a moment. "I should be there to make sure."
"No, Sylvanas," she stated firmly. "You cannot be objective."
The queen could not argue with that. As much as she wanted Arthas dead, it meant nothing if she did not have Alyna with her after his demise. For years she had felt cursed by what he had done to her and her people. She had found no joy, no happiness. Alyna had changed that. She did not want to go back to such an empty existence.
"What will they have me do instead?" she quietly asked, realising she had left before the full plan had been explained to her. "You cannot expect me to sit idle."
Liadrin chuckled her amusement. "No, I don't think you're capable of that, even without Alyna to complicate matters." She held her hands up apologetically at the glare she received at the casual quip. "As the vanguard forge into the citadel, we have to make sure the path they clear remains open, from the entrance to the Lich King himself. We expect the worst fighting to be outside the entrance as most of his forces will arrive from other places, like Ymirheim. That's where you are needed."
The banshee queen nodded glumly. "I have one condition." The matriarch gave her a pensive look but gestured for her to continue. "I want Kyala in that vanguard. If I cannot go, I must have someone I trust in my stead."
The paladin's reply was hesitant. "I will raise it with the highlords. I cannot see them objecting, but I won't make any promises." She shrugged slightly. "That's the best I can do."
Sylvanas gave the woman a curt nod. Emotionally exhausted and still hurting from the Light, she decided to dismiss the matriarch. "Let me know what they say." She clipped her next words to show her irritation. "And send in a healer on your way out."
The woman had the audacity to flash her a smile as she bowed her head before taking her leave.
Sometime later…
Alyna sat on the stone floor with her eyes closed, legs crossed and her back pressed up against the wall. From somewhere below she could hear the screams of the helpless and damned, but none of it unduly affected her. The only cry that echoed around her mind was her own name shouted in desperation by her lover.
Sylvanas.
She had intended to delay the Lich King by giving herself to him in exchange for the lives of those he was hunting, to give the archmage time to destroy the ice wall. She expected him to kill her and continue his pursuit. To her surprise, he fully accepted the deal. He let Sylvanas go. He kept her as payment. In another unexpected twist, he had not immediately killed her to regain control of her soul. Instead, he confiscated her runeblade and summoned none other than the Blood Queen herself, Lana'thel. He made it clear Alyna was to be contained in her old quarters and left unharmed until they were ready.
She was still waiting, and she had no idea what for.
Time was difficult to track within the Crimson Hall, the home of the San'layn inside Icecrown Citadel, especially when no one was keeping you informed of anything. She figured at least days had passed since she had been locked inside her old rooms. They were just as she had left them. Not even dust had settled due to the basic incantations she had placed on her things to ensure they were preserved for her return from her posting to Acherus. Her spell books were undisturbed, as were her various magical trinkets, apparatus and her wardrobe. The only addition to her rooms had been a large blood crystal that she had immediately drained. Someone had not wanted her to stay too hungry.
There was still no bed. Or chair. The Scourge abhorred idleness. It had helped her realise how accustomed she had become to having the freedom to choose to sit. Or lie down. And do nothing. Especially when that nothing was with someone you were comfortable with. Doing nothing with Sylvanas now felt like everything.
She sacrificed everything for Sylvanas.
As she sat on the floor unmoving for what had been countless hours, she did not regret it. She marvelled quietly at how such a simple wasteful thing as nothing could mean so much. She fought the concern that repeatedly rose when she considered how Sylvanas would respond to her gift of survival. She focused on resolving herself to meet her fate with strength.
Her ears picked up the sound of multiple pairs of footsteps moving towards her door. One pair was light, the others were heavy with armour. Her door opened unceremoniously, and the quieter footsteps entered. She heard them hesitate, and then rearrange once she was spotted.
"You killed my brother."
The undead voice was tinged with disgust, more than hatred.
"He wasn't very nice to me either," she replied offhandedly before opening her eyes to look up at Blood Prince Valanar. He was easy to see in the dark room, the turquoise gems on his blue-grey robes lighting up the room with the power they contained. "I heard you were dead too. Something about the Alliance finally stopping your silly games, was it?"
Valanar's eyes narrowed angrily. "Naxxanar was merely a setback!"
"Something tells me that's not how the Lich King saw it." She smiled cruelly. She had never outright failed the Lich King in a task, but she was very familiar with his displeasure.
By Valanar's slight recoil, so too was he. "I and the other princes on the council have been given another chance." His face hardened once again. "And so have you." He turned abruptly and walked to the door. "Follow me."
He didn't wait for her to rise from the floor and by the time she followed he was already halfway down the long corridor. A pair of darkfallen blood knights flanked her and she smiled at the one on her right coolly. He averted his eyes uncomfortably and she chuckled at him. They were not there to contain her, but to remind her that, for now, she was not trusted. If she wanted them dead, they would be no challenge, and they knew it.
She was escorted down through the numerous levels of the Halls, and with each new staircase her mixed concern and curiosity grew. She knew what lay at the lowest level and she had no desire to go there but she continued to follow. There was no point in resisting while in the heart of the citadel, even just to give herself more time. She knew the Ashen Verdict were outside, and her fate was more in their hands than the Lich King's. If they succeed in their attack, she will either be killed or liberated by them. If they fail, the Lich King will have his way regardless of whether she made things difficult now or not. The only person she would hurt is herself.
When they reached the bottom, she stepped into a large circular chamber that was steeped in strong, dark, magic. The blood knights remained at the door, forbidden to enter the domain of royalty. Curiously, Valanar also did not enter, his face now unreadable as he turned and strode back up the stairs. The sides of the chamber were covered by red banners with gold fringes that hung from the ceiling; a twisted elven symbol displayed prominently on each as the emblem of the San'layn. The ceiling had a dome that bowed inwards that rippled with magic, numerous colours meandering hypnotically across the surface. Below was a large pool of dark red blood.
Alyna briefly closed her eyes at her memories involving the pool. Nearly eight years ago, she had been the first to struggle out of it, and in the years since she had helped to create several of the lesser princes who vied with each other for power. Most had been twisted into their new forms by their queen, who now stood at the far end of the pool, watching her closely.
"Welcome home, Alyna," she purred dangerously.
The ranger planted her feet and held her hands behind her back. "Why bring me here, Lana'thel?"
"For your rebirth." She smiled slowly, and Alyna betrayed her nerves with her frown. "You've been gone for some time, dear Alyna. I've been testing a new birthing process that removes the inconsistencies of the old one." She gestured proudly at the pool. "You will be reborn into perfection, without the doubts and frailties that have held you back."
Fear settled in her stomach as she realised her personality was likely about to undergo a significant change. She tried not to show it as she taunted the queen. "Those 'doubts and frailties' made you queen, Lana'thel. With them gone, am I to replace you?"
Lana'thel faltered. The thought had clearly not occurred to her. "No," she replied stiffly. "But you will serve obediently. Who knows? You may even finally enjoy it as the rest of us do."
The ranger tried to force herself to relax as a thought occurred to her. "Is that what you did to your own daughter? You experimented on her?"
"Yes, Thal'ena finally served a higher purpose." Lana'thel sounded proud of what she had done. "Once the fools attacking us have been dealt with, you and I will personally retrieve her from Dalaran."
Alyna tilted her head. "We're being attacked?"
Lana'thel gestured at the dome above their heads, the colours moving faster at her silent command. Alyna felt a sudden shift in the magic the room was infused with, as if a great engine had been turned on. The sensation was more intense than she remembered. "Yes," the blood queen confirmed, distracted by her manipulation of the mana in the dome. "We had to speed up the ritual preparations to get this done before they arrive at the Halls. Step into the pool."
With the smallest of smirks, Alyna did as she was told.
The sword came down past Sylvanas' shoulder, barely missing her. She did not flinch as it sunk deeply into the skull of a ghoul about to claw her, instead focusing on her moving target. A moment later she released the arrow. She did not need to watch it to know it would hit the flying gargoyle, explode against it and ultimately bring the creature down. She looked to her side at the human paladin now kicking the ghoul off his longsword. He flashed her an easy grin. She gave him a curt nod of gratitude before she spun on her heel and started to stride into the yawning gates of Icecrown Citadel, a dark ranger taking her place in the line. Vorel started to follow her but she waved her bodyguard away before stowing her bow across her back.
The paladin stepped after her, the sound of his sword being sheathed into its large scabbard across his back echoing lightly in the saronite entryway.
She scowled, her back to him as she walked. "I am refilling my quiver. I do not require an escort."
"Of course, Lady Sylvanas," came the gentle reply. His accent carried the very familiar intonation of the former people of Lordaeron, but there was an underlying lilt that told her that was not the whole story. She suspected he hailed from the mysterious isolationist kingdom of Gilneas that bordered Forsaken lands. It was rare to find its citizens outside of the giant wall they had built around their kingdom, but for whatever reason, this paladin was here instead of cowering behind stone like the rest of his people.
He had appeared at her side at the start of the battle to attack the citadel several hours ago. Wherever she had gone, he had followed, irritating Vorel but politely declining to leave the queen's vicinity when the dark ranger had tried to discourage him. They had exchanged almost no words, so she still had no idea who he was, just that he had protected her blindside flank admirably as she had fired arrow after arrow. When he had appeared to tire, as the living did, he pressed his hand on a libram that hung from his belt, murmured something to the Light, and he was renewed.
It was almost impressive.
As they entered the citadel proper, the ceilings almost disappeared such was their height. Everything had been built to massive scales, and the vanguard had supposedly faced several flesh giants not far from where she stood. In the few hours since they had cleared this area the Ashen Verdict had moved in to set up a base of operations that Sylvanas was only now visiting for the first time. Artisans were hard at work creating the instruments of war they continued to need, including several blacksmiths at a makeshift forge. The queen moved gracefully over to where the fletchers were piling up their arrows. Instead of just grabbing a handful, she carefully selected the best. They were below the standard she expected for herself and her dark rangers, but for human arrows they were functional.
He watched her keenly with brown eyes. His weathered face spoke of a life spent outside, but it still appeared young from what she knew of human aging, with the lines around his eyes still faint. His helmet was now clipped to his belt, so she could see his dark brown hair, which was neatly cropped short to match his slightly lighter but neatly trimmed beard.
She thought she knew why he was following her. Once she stowed her last arrow, she started walking further into the citadel instead of back outside to test her theory.
On cue, the paladin broke into a light jog and overtook her, stopping directly in her path. She stepped to the side to go around him, but he pushed his heavy shoulder into hers and raised his gauntleted hand to grab her arm to arrest her movement. The queen spun around to face him, squaring her shoulders angrily. He had the common sense to let go of her arm, though if he was intimidated by her he wasn't showing it. Through it all, his features remained calm and almost friendly.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I cannot let you do that," came the quiet and slightly gruff words.
"And you think you can stop me if I press the matter?" she challenged coldly.
He looked further into the citadel and then back at the queen as he contemplated his answer. "Probably not, but I have sworn an oath to keep you safe, and I will try to do so to the best of my ability. Even if it's from yourself. Ma'am."
Sylvanas narrowed her blazing red eyes at the human. "Liadrin sent you?" She made it sound exactly like the accusation it was.
He shrugged easily. "I take my orders from the highlord. How they come into being is none of my business."
She knew the matriarch was behind this somehow. "What are your orders, exactly?"
He gave her a soft smile that reached his eyes. "To assist and protect you in the battle outside of the citadel, and to ensure you do not go in search of your friend."
"My friend?" the queen repeated neutrally.
The paladin nodded. "Those were my orders, Lady Sylvanas." He raised a hand to scratch at his beard slightly. "For what it's worth, I understand the urge to want to rescue someone you care about. The vanguard will do their job though, and perhaps rescue your friend in the process."
Sylvanas shook her head in mild surprise. "Your faith tell you that, paladin?" she spat mockingly.
He chuckled, the sound deep and not unpleasant to her ears. "No, ma'am. My common sense and knowledge of those who were chosen for the task informs my judgement of their likely success."
She queen tilted her head at his unexpectedly practical answer. "Your name?"
The paladin bowed slightly. "Araphant Blackwood, Knight Templar of the Argent Crusade."
"Well, Sir Blackwood," she started, noting with amusement he appeared to not like the use of the honorific, "I feel a strong urge to kill something coming on. Shall we return to the battle?"
He gestured for her to lead the way, and she strode towards the remains of the great doors that lead outside. As they neared the backline, the queen unslung her bow from her back and started to trot forward.
"Try to keep up," she called.
"Haven't I so far?" he quipped.
She heard his grin through his words. She favoured him with a sound of amusement in return before focusing on re-joining the battle.
Quietly, she hoped his confidence in the vanguard was warranted. He would learn first-hand of her displeasure if he was wrong.
Note: Araphant Blackwood is the RP character of a very dear friend of mine. He has allowed me to play around with his beloved Paladin :) As a reward for this misguided trust, I intend to abuse the poor Gilnean mercilessly as a result. More to come from Sir Blackwood!