Chapter 13

Come on Jadearra. Suspicious fathers are looking for their children. We have a war meeting.

I woke up, realizing that Anduin was still wrapped around me, and I thumped his nose to wake him up, relaying what Teir said, and pulling away from him.

I pulled my hair into a ponytail as I walked, wincing when it crunched under my Hands-I'm filthy.

I slipped into the large circle of leaders, nodding to Teir and nudging Father's arm with my head to let him know I was there. Anduin slipped in not too long after me, and he wouldn't meet his father's eyes.

"Do we have any idea what's beyond those doors?" Tyrande Whisperwind asked, the tips of her ears brushing eight foot tall.

"At least fifteen units of orcs alone. Rangers report approximately a hundred siege machines of different kinds-mostly Goblin made." Sylvanas said, and Teir looked at the door, and confirmed.

"My Rangers also report that Siegecrafter Blackfuse is down there finishing off some tech." Vereesa commented, and an image of Gazlowe came up in my mind.

"Are there any passages to bypass the bulk of the forces?" Teir and I spoke at once again, and I shook my head, pressing the heel of my palm to my forehead.

"None. No hollow walls, rafters, or anything of that sort. Halduron and the rangers were scouting all night," Father said, addressing Teir only.

"Do we have any bombs left?" I spoke this on my own, beating Teir to it, "We could try and cut down some of the units before going in,"

Gallywix produced a Party Bomb from his coat pocket, tossing it a little, "Not many, just a few low impact ones."

"Let me see that," Father took the bomb, holding it tightly as his fingers tapped out spells.

Sparks of blue energy entered the thing, and it glowed.

"Did you just create an arcane bomb?" I asked, staring in shock, and he nodded, tossing it back to Gallywix, who looked like Winter Veil had come early.

"Lor'Themar, get wit Jasta now and make more," Vol'jin said, and Gallywix practically ran out of the meeting, Father following at a more civil pace.

"Jadearra, how are you holding up after the juggernaut assault? We saw your landing," Baine said, and I waved him off.

"I'm fine, Baine," Teir's voice accompanied mine again, and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Very well-go rest. I am sure you need it."

I didn't need to be told twice. I turned and left the meeting, going back to my mat and easing myself down onto it, grunting as joints clicked and popped and muscles whined.

I found a comb in the small pack that I had, and I worked it through my hair, wincing as it yanked at my scalp.

"I think it's a lost cause honestly," Anduin said as he sat down beside me, and I stuck my tongue out at him, yelping as I got the comb out from where it had gotten stuck.

"When this is over, I'm bathing for a decade," I whined, and he laughed, handing me his comb from his pocket to help out.

About the time I could finally see some of my actual hair colour begin to show through the grime, it was time to move.

Gallywix was laden with bombs, all brimming with energy, and he passed them out to the archers and rangers, who were at the ready at the front.

"Attach these to your arrows, press the green button before firing, and we should have some booms!" He seemed ready to wet himself.

The front row of archers were equipped with shields as well, as to mimic the dwarven battle strategy after firing their bombs.

I moved through the forming ranks, something in me clicking into place as all races saluted me.

I got to the front, right behind the ranger line, two curved blades drawn and my hair falling into my face.

"Put on the headband, Jade," Anduin whispered into my ear from his place on my left, and I remembered the blue and gold band that was tucked into the pocket of the essentially ruined cloak.

I took it out, discreetly sliding it on and into place, a full line of vision refreshing. I looked over at Anduin to see him smiling weakly, "you still look good in blue."

I blushed slightly, reaching out and squeezing his hand quickly, before readying my blades and preparing for the hellish fight that waited.

"Call it, Jadearra-you're leading this one." Baine said from his place to my right, and I swallowed, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

"Doors on my mark!" I nocked a flare and aimed for the sky, taking a count of ten as soldiers manned the doors, ready to open them.

"Doors!" I fired the flare into the air, and it exploded into a million small sparks as hell's gate was opened.

The archers and rangers fired their bombs immediately, and they dented the forces a bit-at least a unit and a half was taken down, along with a couple of siege machines. But there were infinite more to replace them.

The front line ducked down behind their shields and we charged.

I was screaming as I dug my blades into the Orc's shoulders, sweeping them to remove his head and neck. That was a Teir move.

I felt Teir straining in the back of my mind, and I reached out let loose, I can pull you back in if you get out of control.

I heard a feral screeching noise, and Teir was cutting through Orcs faster than a glaive launcher. She tore them apart recklessly, her eyes flaring a dangerous shade of blue as the screaming in her head intensified. I focused with a growl on my own prey, and protecting Anduin.

The armies were hitting the units hard, but we were losing our own as well. I heard a scream, and saw Kenlora fall.

I yanked Teir back to sanity in a harsh tug Kenlora's down-get her behind the lines!

I saw Teir rip her way past me, sending blood and gore and bones flying as she raced to Kenlora, her mind a mantra of don'tdiedon'tdiedon'tdiedon'tdie.

She was out of the battle, and I focused on keeping mine safe.

"Duck!" Anduin dropped as I swept my blades through four of them, moving between my legs to cripple two more, before I came up onto his shoulders and jumped up, four arrows nocked and shot by the time I came down on top of another.

I put my bow back again, blades out and butchering.

There was no humor in this, no glory. This was bloody and relentless, and they wouldn't stop coming.

Duck, Kids.

I yanked Anduin down as Teir leapt over our heads, screaming like something feral as she landed, twin axes spinning as she cleared a spot, before she bit into someone's neck and ripped out their throat and spitting it out, growling savagely.

"Teir-?" I called, and she shook her head.

"Perfectly sane!"

They hurt her.

I understood-she was furiously sane.

I turned back to our own circle of death as she continued her gory massacre, and Anduin was faltering-an Orc kicked him hard in the knee.

I jumped onto the Orc, twisting his head completely around and snapping his neck, landing in a crouch over Anduin and sweeping my blades back and forth, so he could breathe a moment.

"Thank you."

I pressed a kiss to his gore spattered nose in acknowledgement, jumping up and roundhouse kicking another in the face, breaking their nose before I shoved my blade through their face so hard it came out the back of their head.

It was pure insanity, the amount of blood spilled in that cavern. Before long, Anduin and I were hauling each other up body piles to keep fighting, and there were still more orcs.

The rest of the armies were doing no better. The rangers were out of arrows, and were carving their way through the front lines with blades. Mages desperately kept Orcs at bay while sending severely wounded allies back to the camp, where healers were working furiously to keep them alive.

I suddenly saw Teir, ripping Orcs apart like they were parchment, her mind eerily quiet as she furiously carved into the enemy, and Sylvanas shot down whatever she happened to leave alive.

Still, there were so many.

Teir, I have an idea!

She locked eyes with me, raising an eyebrow, and I pushed the thought through.

She stilled for half a second, before she threw her axes out to her sides and ran straight for me, grinding her teeth in effort as they cut Orcs on either side of her in half, until she was with us.

"Aim fast, Kid!" She kneeled on the body pile beside me, and I steadied myself on the flat of her axe blade, arrow already nocked as she launched me into the air.

I aimed at the gear holding one of the service doors up, which was where all the bloody orcs were swarming in. I shot the arrow, watching as I came down.

It landed perfectly, sending the door crashing down and killing anyone under it, and cutting off the units from each other.

"They're cut off!" I shouted, voice booming as Anduin caught me, and Teir grinned savagely, jumping back into the fray as we carved through our finally dwindling enemy.

It ended surprisingly quickly once that door was down, and soon the armies-or what was still standing up, that is-stood atop their piles of corpses, ally and Orc alike.

"So many dead…" Anduin whispered, and I squeezed his hand.

I saw Teir running, pushing people out of her way, and her heart was pounding. I followed her in a fashion, and soon she was with Kenlora, who had an ugly gash on her shoulder.

"Ken-"

"I'm alright, little one. I will live." Kenlora said, her voice weak, and Teir laughed and sighed and sobbed all at once in relief, pressing her forehead against the night elf's hand, which she was holding in both of hers.

"Never do that to me again." Teir's voice was rough, and more lifelike than I ever heard from her.

"Not planning to," she said, and Teir leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Kenlora's lips, a small gesture that flooded the Death Knight with affection, "Now go back to the lines and kill for me, okay?"

Teir smiled so hard that it caused a couple of cracks to form on her face, before she stood and jogged away, Kenlora behind her.

I came back to myself, and realized Anduin was holding me up, "Go off on a journey, did you?"

I smiled sheepishly, and he rolled his eyes at me, setting me on my own feet at the base of the worryingly large body pile beside us.

"Anyone who can still fight, let's go!" Baine Bloodhoof called out, and I made my way to the front as the lines reformed again-this time quite a bit smaller than before. The fifteen units really injured us.

I moved in front of the marching armies, holding my bow out ahead of me and focusing in on my prey.

Ah, there you are.

The bow began to glow, the glow slowly intensifying as we marched along, until we came to an intersection of three great doors.

"He's cornered like a rat, in one of these corridors," Baine said, and I focused on the bow, holding it out to each doorway in turn, until-

"He's that way," I held the bow out to the left corridor, utter anticipation shaking me to my core.

"We will hold dis junction, clear da otha corridors. Jadearra, take a team. End da bloodshed," Vol'jin said, and I stepped forward, my heart pounding hard in my chest.

I turned to face what was left of our forces-smaller than before, but still a great number-and cleared my throat, "I have a feeling that whoever stands against Garrosh now may not survive. If you wish to give it a try and bring down a tyrant…step forward."

Anduin and Teir stepped up. Teir was supporting Kenlora, who was mostly healed. They were followed by Varian, Sylvanas, Father, and Jaina. Len Bloodhoof and Zengu'jin also stepped forward. All nodded to me in turn.

"Well, let's go."

The left corridor had to be the correct one, the bow was shining brilliantly and practically humming in my hand. It was damp and humid, which meant I could summon the Mist when it was needed.

Good, they'll be needed.

"Thank you for volunteering for this," I spoke out to no one in particular, but Anduin's hand came to rest on my shoulder for a moment.

We rounded a corner, and I felt my heart thud in my ears.

"Thrall," I whispered, the breath stolen from me as I observed what was in front of us.

Thrall stood in front of Garrosh, Doomhammer in hand and standing for a fight.

"It is not to late, Garrosh. Lay down the mantle of Warchief, and we can end this here and now. No more bloodshed," he said, and I bared my teeth in a silent snarl-what is he thinking?

Garrosh laughed coldly tusks shining, "Do you remember nothing of honor? Of glory on the battlefield? You who would parlay with the humans, who allowed warlocks to practice their dark magic under our very feet! You are weak," Garrosh's voice was harsh and grating, and I felt hands grab my biceps as I shook with fury.

You know nothing of honor, Hellscream.

"We are the Orcish Horde. The true Horde! We die, bloody and thrashing on the field of battle, as true orcs should! You are an Orc no longer, and speak for none but yourself. You betrayed your people to forge your fragile alliances, and I will take pleasure in tearing them apart!" Garrosh roared, and that's when I heard it.

Clink…clink. Clink…

I looked up slowly, and Anduin's hand slammed over my mouth as I almost screamed in horror.

There, hanging by chains on the ceiling of the room, was a dark, festering, beating heart.

"The Heart of Y'Shaarj," Anduin whispered almost silently into my ear, and I nodded in recognition.

I've only ever read about that horrific thing.

"Then you have forced my hand. I will correct the mistake I made long ago. Spirits of the earth! The wind! The water! Hear my call! Come to my aid!" Thrall shouted, and a swirling hale storm of purple magic took him to his knees with a sickening crack.

Garrosh was laughing again, and I wanted to kill him-Teir and Anduin both were holding me back now.

"Old fool. My Dark Shaman have twisted and tortured the elements for miles around. Once again, you prove to be weak and powerless to do anything," Garrosh said, standing form his false throne, and if looks could kill he'd be a dark smear on the floor.

Suddenly, with a blinding burst of lightning, Thrall was freed of the hailstorm, standing tall with Doomhammer again.

"Never powerless, Garrosh. And never alone," Thrall said, and Garrosh snapped his teeth, lifting up Gorehowl from it's place beside the throne.

I growled low in my throat, and Garrosh caught the sound, looking up to see our party there, and he grinned.

Sylvanas cursed softly in Thalassian.

"So, you wish to face off against a real Orc Warchief? So be it," He launched himself at Thrall.

They fought viciously, and fast. It seemed almost like their movements were propelled by wind. Clash bang slam duck kick punch throw dodge-

Garrosh suddenly caught Thrall with the flat of his axe, purple magic swirling down from the beating heart and causing his muscles to bulge.

Thrall was thrown back, slamming into the wall below us, and blasts of wind propelled him up and back, until he was behind us.

He fell to his knees, breathing hard, and Kenlora went and knelt beside him, placing a dark hand on his shoulder and whispering quickly, arcs of golden light emanating from her and into him.

"You have many injuries-that spell should hold until we get you to a proper healer," she said, and he nodded, looking me straight in the eye.

"I have enough strength left to bring in enough storm for the Mist-but you have to take him down." Thrall said, hacking and spitting blood.

I looked at the rest of the party, but all eyes were on me.

"Come, little Princess! You've delivered yourself to me. Let's have some fun!" Garrosh shouted, laughing, and I felt Anduin growling low behind me.

I'm not powerful enough-wait.

"How much magic can I get pumped into me without dying?" I asked, and Teir's nostrils flared, eyes widening.

"Are you insane? The power flux you're imagining would kill you," Teir hissed, and I looked Jaina Proudmoore straight in the eye.

"How much?"

"I.." she faltered, her eyes darting around as she did silent calculations, arcane lettering appearing around her as she did the math, "If there was an equal balance of light and dark magic in your system, your blood could be…augmented, to a point. Then, I could flood you with arcane, fire, and frost. How long you could hold without destabilizing is inconclusive." Jaina said, and I nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Do it."

"Jade, No-you could die." Anduin said, and I snapped.

"And if I don't everyone else will," I turned to him, our faces inches apart, and his breath hitched as he registered what I said, eyes widening.

"Len, Zengu'jin, hold him," I said, voice cracking as he struggled.

"Jadearra you can't- "

"Lor'Themar, come here" Sylvanas pulled Father away, and I turned to face Garrosh, bracing myself.

"Teir, Kenlora, do whatever augmenting you have to do-don't worry about if I destabilize unless it affects my family." I said, staring Garrosh in the eyes.

"You are making an honorable sacrifice…Jadearra. Perhaps…perhaps I was wrong in my assumptions," Varian Wrynn spoke, and Anduin cried out.

"Don't you dare Princessling-"

"I love you," I whispered, knowing no one heard me, before sending the silent signal to start.

I hate you for this.

I screamed as power slammed into me, eyes flashing between the hold and a thousand other battles, as whispers filled my ears. They spoke of death, and chaos, and sweet sweet pain-

Burning light slammed into me from the opposite side, talking of holy justice for Thessali and protecting my family, and of love-

"She's augmented and she's-she's absorbing more! My lady!" Teir called out sounding panicked, and I felt a fresh wave of power hit as Sylvanas joined in.

"Anduin-I need you!" Kenlora called, sounding like she was weakening, and then I felt it.

That blast of pure strength and love and pain that was soaked in mint.

I stood, growling hard as my skin burned and my eyes glowed and my hair lifted from my shoulders on its own. Wind ripped through the room and a storm was brewing.

"Do it now Proudmoore!" I roared, a thousand voices echoing me, and then I was frozen and melted all at once through the spine.

"Spirits of the Dead! Your lady commands you!" I screamed, my voice echoing, and Garrosh looked startled from his place below me.

Infinite spirit armies formed up around me, Thessali coming to near colour beside me, looking proud but worried, "Sister, you haven't long for this world-"

I turned my gaze on Garrosh, and raised an accusing finger, "Kill him."

I jumped.

With a roar, a blast of magic came from the heart into Garrosh, and he grew to match me.

My blade slammed into Gorehowl, and I found us evenly matched.

Mist swarmed in, smothering him, but I could see and hear perfectly.

"I, Jadearra Theron, Reagent Princess of Quel 'Thalas, Lady of the Mists, Liberator of Orgrimmar," I roared, moving so quickly that I was slowly beginning to overwhelm the Orc, "hereby hold you accountable for crimes against Azeroth and all her peoples-Alliance, Horde, or otherwise." I pressed close, kicking him back and sending him flying into the wall so hard that it cracked, "You are now and forever more, accused and found guilty. Your sentence: Death!" I was destabilizing, and fast. I have to make this count.

"Don't kill him!"

Thessali.

I turned, power fluctuating and sparking out of my body, and my vision wavered, "He murdered you!"

"Let him stand trial, for all crimes! A real trial! Stand down, Sister!" I was right, Thessali was almost completely solid, and she stood there in her corpse like glory, staring me down in the mist, "Do not feed the monster that they let loose!"

Boom.

I screamed as my body released a sonic boom, banishing the Mist, obliterating the Heart of Y'Shaarj, and bound Garrosh to the wall. I was dying.

"She's destabilizing! If we don't stop it she'll level Durotar!"

"Forget Durotar-she'll destroy half of the continent!"

"No!"

"Anduin-!"

I saw Anduin pushing his way past the wind, and my heart pounded hard in my ears as terror and raw energy flooded me.

"Go! Take your hearthstone! Go back! Get away! You'll die!" I screamed, and he pushed forward anyway.

"I'm not leaving without you!" He pressed closer, and I fell backwards, to the ground, the pain rupturing who knows how many organs in my body.

"Anduin go! I don't want you to be hurt! I…love…" I lost control of my nerves, and I was silently screaming, as he finally got close enough to touch me.

"I love you too…forgive me for this."

Everything froze.

He flooded my system with pure ice, my skin and organs piecing back together and becoming whole again, only to become stone. I stared in horror as he sobbed, furiously repeating the spell as the vortex began to calm around us.

He was containing the power in a statue.

"I love you," he sobbed, and my eyes sealed over.

I was met with silence.