Hey guys :) Sorry for the super late chapter but I have spent so much time and energy into this. I am honestly really proud of this one :) Thank you all so much. I would like to announce that my editor is Kaeldan :) she has helped me so much with getting this chapter ready XD we spent literally almost 24 hours on this sucker. Also, we have named the Kael'thas X Sylvanas pairing KAELVANA! PASS IT ON! :D Thank you all for your comments and love :) I love reading them :)
NOW! ONTO THE STORY
Upon the cold, blood-splattered grass, lay the dying Ranger-General. Blood continued to flow from the stab wound in her abdomen, which she was trying to stop with her hand in a last grasp of her life that was quickly slipping away. The sword that caused this fatal blow was in the tight grip of its master, whom now stood above the elf, a dark smirk controlling his pale lips.
As her very life energy bled from her body in the form of crimson streams, and her lungs began speeding up as it was becoming increasingly difficult to breath, as her blue eyes threatened to close and cast her into eternal darkness.
Emotions raced through her heart, as memories played back before her blue irises; her life playing back for her to view one last time.
The faces of her sisters, smiling and living, were the images that stayed before her tired eyes the most. As the last, struggling breath was raggedly pulled into her trembling chest, she lifted her blood covered hand from her fatal wound, and reached for the mirage of her sisters that stood just mere inches before her.
But sadly, her slowly chilling fingers closed around empty air, and Sylvanas made a pathetic sob of agony as the images of her beloved kin shook their heads in saddened unison, as if to emphasis the uselessness of their sister's gesture. But still, the dying Ranger-General attempted to splutter out the words of her love and apologies, even though her words were drowned out by the blood that filled her mouth, causing her to splutter out the crimson liquid from her pale lips rather then her words.
Suddenly, the elven woman began to sense the world around her was beginning to crumble into perpetual darkness. Her whimpers of fear bubble to the surface of her pool of blood that lay behind her lips, coming out in the form of a pathetic gurgling. But the shades of her kin understood the message that she trying desperately to convey.
She did not wish to die yet.
She did not want to leave the family she had.
Nor the one that was soon to begin.
Within her last moments, the imaginary shadows of her beloved siblings stayed with their passing sister, spending with her, her last moments upon the gruesome battlefield that had become her deathbed.
Sylvanas's lungs begin to constrict, and she began to fight to continue breathing, but alas, this too, would be another battle the brave Ranger-General would lose this night. As the roars of the abominations and the groans of the undead pawns became fainter with each passing feeble beat of her dying heart, Sylvanas kept her fading gaze upon the two faces of which she wanted to keep in her everlasting memory in the after-life.
Sylvanas finally fought past the flood of crimson to whisper out with her last breath.
"I...love...y...uo...both...sorr..y...go..od...by. ..e..."
Her eyes widen as the feelings of deepest agony of both physical and emotional pain shoots through the very being of the woman, whom was once known as Sylvanas Windrunner, the Ranger-General in life, one final time, before her lean body gave one final shudder, as it's last breath passed slowly out her lips, and her blue eyes stared out into the stars, never to move again.
But cruelty of Lady Fate, had other plans for the soul of Sylvanas.
And now, here stood the torn soul of what had been brought back from the after-life, staring with unmask-able shock as her crimson eyes bore into the figure of the elven woman that stood across the banshee's royal chamber, her bow still raised from where she had shot the arrow that had saved the second life of her elder sister and her unmistakable pure snow colored hair falling about her shoulders.
Sylvanas's plum lips were agape in shock as her eyes nearly ate up the scene before her.
Here, before her, stood her very own little sister, Vereesa.
Had it not been for the dread lord holding her down, the banshee would have raced across the room and thrown herself at her sister, and proceed to beg for her forgiveness for failing her promises to the white-haired elf.
But, then again, demons aren't exactly the lightest creatures in the world.
Varimathras roared in agony, as he ripped the arcane arrow from his palm. As black liquid followed promptly after the arrow that he had ungraciously tore from his hand, the dread-lord snapped his gaze to glare into the unflinching ice blue irises of the woman glaring right back at him.
Varimathras smirked darkly at the new arrival, and he rose to his full height and turned toward her.
"Well, it appears I'll taking another precious living kin, of the Banshee Queen, today."
The right side of Vereesa's lips curved ever so slightly upward into a cold smile of her own creation.
"Obviously, you haven't truly beaten a Windrunner yet."
As if in sync with her sister once more, Sylvanas grinned as she quickly understood her que. She quickly but silently gripped both of her dual blades, and regaining her full battle stance, she suddenly shot forward toward the unsuspecting, and unprotected back of the demon. She swung her blade with ease toward the base of his right wing, the sharp sword cutting through the entire base of the wing as though it were nothing more then butter, and the severed wing fell to the cobble stones in a growing pool of black blood. A roar of utter agony filled the royal room, and Sylvanas found herself gazing into the deranged and pained eyes of Varimathras.
The moment he caught her lithe figure in his fel green gaze, he bellowed like an enraged bull and clawed at her. But the ranger was to fast for his blundering movements, as she easily danced away from him.
Varimathras continued his ungraceful dance, trying to catch Sylvanas as she kept just out of his reach, which only caused him more anger. The banshee was a ballerina of pain, as she jumped and dodged around him, slashing and stabbing at every unguarded part of the demon, earning herself a satisfying roar of sheer pain from the dark lord.
But, as Sylvanas was just about to attack his left wing, he snarled and with unexpected agility, he slammed his left wing into her, knocking the ranger off her feet and sending flying across the rise.
But, just as he was making his way over to where Sylvanas was stumbling back onto unsteady feet, a sharp pain exploded right dead center in the base that was once occupied by his wing.
He shrieked, as a fresh wave of agony rippled from that focal point once more. Huffing to keep from crying out like a child in distress again, he whipped back around only to find that Vereesa had climbed up the eastern staircase to shoot her arrows at closer range, thus guaranteeing their deadly accuracy.
He snarled in annoyance, as he lunged himself at the Silver Convent Ranger-General, swearing in tongues far older then any of the mortal races of Azeroth had ever heard.
As he rushed toward her, Vereesa let off a bombardment of arrows of various variety, not making a single battle cry, her movements retaining the icy calm expression that she had worn since the moment her leather boots had made contact with ghostly city.
Ignoring the pain of the arrows piercing deeply into his skin only by the sheer will powered by his rage, he pushed his way forward until he got close enough to begin a melee assault upon the annoying little elf.
Vereesa gasped, as she paused in her storm of arrows to grab her bow in both hands, using it in a staff like manner just in time to block Varimathras's hand that was gliding towards her. He pushed against her, and she against him, blue eyes glaring with hate into green. She spoke in a dark tone to him, every fiber of her words laced with utter malice.
"How dare you bring a child into, demon."
His lips twitched into a bemused sneer.
"But, Lady Vereesa, she is the key component of this scheme. Surely you understand it's because she is the d-"
"ENOUGH!"
Vereesa's face finally broke it's calm façade, as a flash of horror shot across her face, quickly being replaced with material rage that few dare fight against. With a roar of fierce anger, the elf ripped her bow away from the dreadlord's grip, and aimed a blow at his skull with the spiked bow-staff.
But, her blow was unsuccessful, for the moment she broke the hold with the demon, Varmithras reared back his free hand, and quickly clawed the entire upper torso of the white-haired elf, knocking her down to the cold, stone floor in the process.
Vereesa gasped in pain as crimson blood began to spill from the various cuts that now covered her chest. She quickly assessed that none were instantly fatal, though they did weaken her. In her bloodied vision, she whipped her head around, searching for her bow. Her blue eyes locked onto the wooden weapon a few feet away from her, and without even thinking, she immediately began dragging herself towards it.
However, just as she reached out for it with her bloodied hand, a large hoof came down upon her arm, causing a sickening crunch to be made, as the bone was snapped in two.
Vereesa screamed as the agonizing pain shot through her nervous system. She withered around in pain beneath the dreadlord's smirk of disgusting joy. His dark chuckle brought her blue eyes filled with malice, pain and disgust to look upon him.
He shifted his weight upon her arm, which earned him the glorious sound of more bones crunching and backed with the vocals of Vereesa's cries of agony, as he lowered himself to give the pathetic elf a last few useless words.
His voice smelt like a vile potion gone wrong, as he spoke to the elf.
"Any last words, 'Ranger-General'?"
But, all he received, was look of sheer hatred, a disgusting bit of saliva to be shot from her pale pink lips, onto his grey face. He wiped it away slowly, his patience wearing extremely thin at this little action of last rebellion agasint her inevitable death.
He growled with hatred.
"You have sealed your fate, wretched little elf!"
And Vereesa merely smirked up at him with nasty emotion ever though up.
"As you have sealed your's, dreadlord."
Varimathras, having grown tired of this childish game that was only wasting his time, rose to his full height, summoned forth a blade of demonic magic to materialize within his left hand. As he gripped the sword tightly, he began to raise it upward, ready to plunge it into the annoying heart of this elven woman and end another annoyance in his life.
However, just as he was about to make the final blow, he heard a snicker come from the woman trapped beneath him. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance and confusion.
"You laugh in the face of death?"
Vereesa snickered again.
"Yes, if death is brought on by one who is as forgetful as you."
Just as the dreadlord's face shows his confusion, as his mind attempts to understand what the elf is babbling on about, it was then that a voice of eerie familiarity, echoed from behind him.
"One who forgets that the Windrunners can never be beaten. Especially, two Windrunners."
Realization hits Varmiathras like a stampede of kudos, and he instantly whips around only to see his false queen, with her bow out and aimed at him, but no arrow notched in it, but he already knows where the missing arrow was from the feeling in his chest. Slowly, Varmiathras looked down to where his heart lie beneath skin, muscle, and armor. Alas, all three barriers had been broken, by the simple, slick arrow that now stuck out perfectly straight from his chest, as if it were an indicator to tell others this is where his heart lie.
"Oh..."
He began to take small steps away from Vereesa, toward the rise, where the portal for his brethren and master had been conjured. He gazed upon it, until his knees gave out, and the mighty demon collapsed to stony steps. He slowly turned to look over at each of the living that inhabited the room that he now knew would be HIS inevitable deathbed. His fading green eyes flickered over the fighting forms of the orc Warchief, Thrall, as he fought side-by-side with his fellow orc warriors, and a skilled little warlock, all fighting his brethren who's numbers were dwindling down to nothing.
Varimathras dragged his gaze away from them to fall back upon the form of Selaerosona, who's gaze was locked into his, her eyes filled with fear and sorrow as she stayed practically hidden by the rise.
"Sorrow?" The dreadlord mused. "Certainly this child isn't feeling pity for me."
With a sigh, he looked away from the child, and looked to the form of the woman he
had once addressed as his queen. Even in undeath, the Banshee Queen had preserved all of her beauty, though it might be in a different color scheme. As he felt his eyes beginning to close, he chuckled dryly, knowing, and hating the fact he had been beaten.
"It appears that I too, have underestimated the Windrunners."
He finally turned his gaze back to the portal that was linked to his home land. He let out a small sigh, as his vision started fading, he spoke his last words in his tongue; Demonic.
"I feared death once brothers, and I tried to avenge you. But, I too, have failed. Forgive me."
And with that, the glow in the dreadlord's eyes faded away, and his limp body began to fall forward. But just before it hit the stone, his corpse burst into a flock of screeching bats that flew off into the vast darkness of the Undercity, and his armor clattered onto the cobblestones, the sound echoing through the quiet city, the sound fading into nothing more then a memory.
Sylvanas watched as the Demon Portal closed itself, as it's master was now gone.
The banshee muttered darkly in her mind to herself.
'I hope he's cast into the deepest pits in hell that not even a demon can escape.'
She sighed, as the realization of how much work she would have now reorganizing her city crossed her mind.
Damn demons.
Sylvanas shook her head when a sudden realization hit her, as she turned to truly see if what she had seen before was truly there, that it wasn't another trick her mind was playing on her.
As her crimson eyes fell upon the broken, bloodied body of her younger sister, the Banshee Queen felt her breath catch in her throat.
Had she failed again?
No...no not this time.
She quietly ran to her sister's side and kneeled down next to her. Vereesa lay with her eyes close, as if she were asleep.
Her breath caught in her throat once more, as she peered upon her sister.
To a human, an elf could appear not a day older for hundreds of years.
But, aging did not go unnoticed by other elven eyes.
Sylvanas's gaze raked over the even more mature features of her little sister. Features, that, even the ever vigilant ranger had taken for granitite in life. Ever so gently, the corpse used her gloved hand to softly brush the hair from her dear sister's face, as she had done so many times from before, in happier times when her heart was beating.
She slowly took in every detail of the pale face, slightly pink lips, the shoulder length, silky white hair, and the torn talbrad that symbolized the Silver Covent Rangers. A glint of red caught Sylvanas's eyes, causing her to carefully take in the ruby that was the last material memory of their beloved elder sister, Alleria.
Without even thinking, her hand acted on it's own, as it moved to gently grip the sapphire pendant that dangled from a silver chain around her neck. She smiled gently as memories of days spent beneath the trees of Quel'Thalas, along side her sisters passed before her eyes.
However, the moment was interrupted, as a small moan escapes the younger Windrunner's lips, causing the banshee's gaze instantly to snap back to her sibling's face. Sylvanas felt her own entire being tense up with anticipation as her sister's eyelids slowly fluttered open and slowly began to refocus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vereesa gazed about the foggy room around her, feeling as if the world around were a top that had suddenly been jerked to a stop from spinning. As she becomes more aware of her body, she is instantly hit with the pain from her arm, causing her to scowl, and creating the feeling of a painful prickling that was shooting waves of agony into her nervous system. The cuts across her torso were minor in comparison to the state of her arm.
Curious as to how much of her arm was broken, she slowly reached across her chest with her good hand towards her broken limb.
However, just before her fingers could begin their examination upon the limb, a hand shot down from above her and gently, yet firmly grabbed her hand, stopping it from proceeding with it's intended action. Before Vereesa could even register what had stopped her, a voice from such a far off memory that it was almost considered a figment of her imagination, rang from close by.
"If you touch unattended wounds, they'll never heal, Vereesa."
It was if the world had stopped spinning. The breath within Vereesa caught in her lungs, as she froze.
Did she dare turn to she if the voice's master was truly there?
Slowly, she turned her head until her gaze locked into that of the crimson eyes of a person she had for so long mourned for, yearned for, and loved with every fiber in her heart.
She found her voice; cracked and barely audible, as she whispered out to the being above her.
"S-Sylvanas?"
The elf's eyes closed as if in shame of herself and turned her face away from Vereesa.
Her once full, pink lips that were always curved into a smile, were now a dark plum and pressed into a sorrowful and tight line.
Her once full, curly blonde hair that at one time rippled down to her waist, was now limp and pale, with only slight waves giving evidence to their former beauty.
Her skin had at one time been the color of a freshly picked peach, but now, it glowed a pearly, light blue even in the dim lighting of the Undercity.
The banshee opened her eyes once again, but refusing to look back at her living sibling, allowed Vereesa the chance to look at the red eyes.
At one time, Sylvanas had the most alluring blue eyes in all of Quel'Thalas, as they looked like the ocean waters on a clear, sunny day. But now, it was it the joyful water in her sister's eyes had been mixed with blood, staining the water to forever be a crimson haze of malice and revenge.
No longer did happiness flowed from her sister's being.
Gone were the cheerful smiles and contagious laughter.
Gone was her happy sister Sylvanas.
The woman looked back at Vereesa, a forced smile curving her lips barely upward. A mockery of her sister. Vereesa nearly growled in rage as she noticed the blue sapphire dangling from a chain around the animated corpse's neck.
Here stood the Banshee Queen.
The revengeful and hated husk of all the negativity that was left behind when her sister passed.
Here stood the monster who destroyed her sister's hard earned image, and continuously kept ruining it.
Here stood the banshee that Vereesa saw only one sentence for such treason upon her sister's memory.
And, she, Vereesa Windrunner, would pass justice upon this 'Dark Lady'.
As she quietly replaced her free-hand upon her bow, a single thought echoed through her mind.
Anorlah Belore, Sylvanas.
And with that final thought ringing through her mind like a battle cry, she gripped her spiked bow tighter and threw a blow towards the Banshee Queen's head.
Sylvanas was thrown sideways as the blunt of the bow, and luckily the un-spiked edged, bashed into the side of her head with surprising force from a weakened elf.
As she shook her head, trying to clear her head of the knock, though she could still hear someone grunting in effort and fury. Still quite dizzy, Sylvanas turned her gaze
just in time to see a foot fly towards her stomach region and hit it's target. Sylvanas fell onto her back, hitting the cobblestone stairs with a thud, instantly winding her.
She groaned as she opened her crimson eyes to see just what was attacking her.
The sight that met her, made every single nightmare from her life as a banshee, come true.
Above her stood a broken, blood-soaked, and revenge stricken Vereesa.
Even though she knew in her heart why, she felt the need to ask.
Even if it was just to hear her sister's voice one more time.
"Vereesa?"
Vereesa closed her eyes for a heartbeat, and she slightly lowered her bow staff, as if she were reconsidering it.
Sylvanas felt her heart soar with hope.
But, when her sister's eyes reopened, there was no acceptance in their blue depths.
There was only cold malice, frozen in their icy depths.
Sylvanas felt as if she were a hawk shot straight out of the sky.
Vereesa raised the bow once more, cold determination in her eyes as prepared to bashed the second life from the husk of her sister.
Vereesa's yelled, as she started to bring the bow down upon the banshee's head, and the battling Horde forces, finishing off the demons below, the echoing of roars and metal clashing bouncing about the room.
But to the Dark Lady, the world was already quieting down, and the darkness ready it's self at the edges of the room, preparing itself to pounce upon her once the final blow was dealt. Sylvanas sighed as she let the world become quiet.
Sylvanas merely closed her eyes, readying herself for her long awaited slumber.
'Here I come, little one.'
However, the smallest of voices seemed to awaken the ranger from her deathbed.
A voice, that Sylvanas felt, could summon her back from the very grave.
"Auntie Vereesa! Please, don't! Don't hurt her!"
Sylvanas is surprised when a small and slightly warm weight covers her torso. The elven woman opens her eyes in shock, only to met by the back of a slightly dirty head of pale blonde curls. Sylvanas blinked in confusion. And, as she raised her gaze up to her sister's face, she found her expression was mirrored upon her kin.
Vereesa stood rigid, fear in her body gestures and confusion in her face. But, the Ranger General quickly pushes it away and puts up a cold façade.
"Step aside, darling. This must be done."
But, much to Sylvanas's surprise, the child refused to move.
"No, Auntie! You can't hurt her! She's the Ranger-General! The one from the stories!"
Vereesa's patience with the child was obviously wearing thin, as was her resolve, for her cold expression was beginning to fade into a familiar expression of annoyance that struck a core within Sylvanas's memories.
But still, the child held her ground.
"But, it's the Ranger General, Aunti-"
And that appeared to be the end of Vereesa's patience.
"Enough, Selaerosona!"
The world froze at that moment for Sylvanas Windrunner.
What?
She looked straight into her sister's eyes, searching for the answer.
Vereesa turned her gaze to the crimson eyes of the 'husk'.
But this time, she did not see malice, hatred, or revenge in their blood colored depths.
She saw something that she would look for in her sister's eyes weather they be preparing to face orcs in battle, or a scolding from their father.
She saw hope.
As blue eyes stared into crimson, thousands of memories seemed to rush by, that only they could see.
"Sister, what do you want him to look like?"
Stiffening her neck, and blue irises flashing in rage, Sylvanas snapped back,
"She, will not be a boy. And I want her to have hair like soft silk, that slides into curls like water, even more than mine does, and for her to have soft skin that is light. And I want her to have the most lovely blue eyes."
Giggling, the mother-to-be hugged her slightly enlarged belly with sheer happiness.
"Sister, have you thought of a name?"
Happiness raining from the Ranger-General's eyes, she giggled the lovely name she had picked.
"Her name will be, Selaerosona."
Vereesa watched as this memory flew by her eyes, and she held her gaze with her sister's questioning gaze.
Vereesa, seeing no words to describe it, simply nodded, and that was all that was required.
As if knowing, the small child rolled onto her side so that she could face the Ranger she idolized. Her hauntingly familiar blue eyes, and the smile that made even the banshee want to join her in her happiness that her pink little lips perfectly showed.
Within in that one look, Sylvanas knew.
And for the first time in public, the Banshee Queen, leader of the Forsaken, let tears roll down her face as she slowly wrapped her arms around the child, and wept into her shoulder.
"Oh my little one."
And Selaerosona, not fully understanding what was going on, hugged the elven woman back with love and acceptance.
Nothing in Azeroth could break this moment.
Except, for bellowing of horns that echoed into the Royal Quarter.
Sylvanas stiffened.
Alliance horns.
Thrall, who had just came up the western staircase onto the rise, closely followed by the Horde warriors, froze as well.
"Alliance horns..." He muttered, an edge of exhaustion to his deep voice. "Stay on guard."
As soon as the words left the orc's mouth, the king of the human kingdoms, King Varian Wrynn, strode into the Royal Quarter, followed promptly by his elite Royal Guard, and a couple of heroes. He growled out his words loudly, his scar across his face emphasizing his disgusted tone.
"I was away for too long. My absence cost us the lives of some of our greatest heroes. Trash like you and this evil witch were allowed to roam free - unchecked."
His voice made Sylvanas instinctively pull the child in her arms away from the direction of the king, as a scowl crossed her face
. Thrall glared at the king, as the Horde warriors openly growled and readied their weapons.
"The time has come to make things right. To disband your treacherous kingdom of murderers and thieves. Putress was the first strike. Many more will come."
And his gaze fell directly upon the Banshee Queen herself, before switching to over to glare at Thrall.
"I've waited a long time for this, Thrall. For every time I was thrown into one of your damned arenas... for every time I killed a green-skinned aberration like you... I could only think of one thing."
Sylvanas openly began to growl herself as the tension in the air itself, began to crackle, as the king voiced his true desire.
"What our world could be without you and your twisted Horde... It ends now, Warchief."
Every Horde warrior and Alliance soldier braced themselves, ready to spring forward at the call of battle.
The king smirked as he threw back his head and roared, unsheathing his monstrous dual blades as he shot toward the Horde warriors upon the rise.
"ATTACK! FOR STORMWIND! FOR BOLVAR FOR THE ALLIANCE"
DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNN :D
Whatever will happen next? Find out in the next chapter :D Oh and it has been decided that this series WILL HAVE A SEQUEL :D YAYAY
and if you guys aren't excited about that, what if I said...Alleria will be making an appearance? ;) Bet you wanna read it now, right?
:D Well until next time my lovelies :) Remember to leave me a comment on how I did!