A/N: Please note that this is of course Fan Fiction, therefore the events described would be slightly deviated from the orginal telling.

And nope, I in fact do not own Warcraft or anything else I write about.

Chapter 16

Days turned to weeks as the Forsaken bided their time in the withering land of Lordaeron. The plants and animals that still clung to life recongized the advent of fall was underway. Living peoples began their preparations for the long freezing months. The days in all the lands in Azeroth began to grow shorter and darker.

Wayne and many other Forsaken came to re-define the meaning of boredom during this time. Having to fit in and behave as the mindless undead around them, not being able to talk or take action as they pleased was beginning to take its toll on their newfound nerves. Many would have contemplated yet another death were it not for their mission and loyalty to the Dark Lady. Their purpose was clear and they felt that their time to arise was rapidly approaching.

It was during these monotonous times that Wayne would steal away into the deep forest, always followed by Nollis, though at first he would have prefered him to stay. There he would be as close to solitude as he was able to get and do what he did best in his former life, prefect his skills. He quickly found out that his spells were more powerful now than they were previously. Arcane magic was found to conduct more easily through a channeler whose nerves could not feel the burning pain of the raw energy that was passed. The bone wand and books of spell also offered many more secrets that Wayne had yet realized.

Nollis also used the time wisely in training beside his master. The pair found a powerful bow in an old armory that was left abandoned near the capital. It was obviously a special weapon for someone as it was finely carved and enchanted for greater strength and accuracy. The several quivers of arrows that the pair also stole were spent and reused in long sessions of target practice. Between the two of them a great deal of noise was always made, but the slaves to the Scourge mass were far too dull and un-motivated to take any notice.

The noise did attract the attention of other Forsaken however. Their numbers in the long training sessions began to rise each day. It became a sort of makeshift meeting place, weapons training, duels, and long talks of who they were happened for those few hours everyday. A Necromancer would always be at hand should a sparring match become heated enough that a head was lost, and the problem was always easily fixed. Despite the fact that Wayne had started all of this in order to be alone (or alone as he could get), he was not bothered by the following. So many of the Forsaken now looked up to him, having been told the stories passed on by those that fought in the crypt. A bow or salute was commonplace as he would lead the expedition into the deep woods.

Every so often Wayne and Nollis would leave in the dead of night to search for Scarlet Crusaders. Not only because it was entertaining, but also for a flex and test of their skills. Usually they would stumble across a party that was hunting, or the hunters would stumble across them. The humans would attack the pair thinking they were easy targets, just two mindless undead wandering aimlessly and separate from the herd. But each time the pair proved far more formidable then the Crusaders would have ever imagined.

They would not kill them instantly if they could prevent it. The Crusaders would be injured but alive as Nollis would tie them to trees for use as target practice. Often Wayne would attempt his more advanced spells that he was still formulating to observe the effect. Their screams of help became a sweet symphony to the pair during their 'more advanced' practice sessions. The screams also brought along more members of the Scarlet Crusade, who were of course always welcome to the gathering. Eventually those they captured would not scream out for help, either because they knew who came would die, or no help would come for them at all. Their lives were not spent in vain, Wayne always resurrected their bodies, and an oath to the Forsaken and their Queen was always taken by the newly risen dead.

It was not until visions of Sylvanas in her banshee form began to pass before the eyes of all the Forsaken that Wayne and Nollis began to de-escalate their activities. She warned of the increased interference of the Dreadlords from the Burning Legion, and a possible usurpation of power for their interests. Then as the snows began to blanket the land, a vision came to inform them about the swift return of Arthas back to Lordaeron. The time of the Forsaken was approaching its dawn.

End of Chapter 16