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 26
Dawn arose over the former captial of Lordaeron as the remnants of Tichondrius's useless army was fully absorbed into the Forsaken. Snow blanketed the courtyard as hundreds of rotted feet transversed across the bright white snow. None amongst them had any fresh blood to spill onto the ground anymore. Many were openly joyous at their newfound service, but more importantly, their newfound freedom. They talked loudly in their raspy, hoarse voices, reuniting with old friends and acquaintances within the city.
Wayne's mind continued to pull him back into the past. Though it had truly been a lifetime ago, it felt as though several had passed as he reflected on his youth. He limped through the grimy, decaying castle, Nollis always staying no more than a step behind. He lingered a short while in the old classrooms where he learned and practiced magical theory. Which were now covered in mold with several long dead corpses among the shattered wooden desks. Wayne stared heartily into the darkened stone room.
"Is this place important to you master?" Nollis asked.
"No," Wayne said. "It's not important to me at all."
Turning away quickly and heading down the corridor, the Forsaken recieved a vision from their Queen. The Dark Lady appeared cordial and in better spirits, though you had to have studied her close to be able to tell. Her call was a summons to the bowels of the city, a labyrinth like maze of tunnels and sewers that few knew of. Wayne had heard of such a place in the past, but in those days access was strictly forbidden, especially for students. The two re-emerged in the courtyard and followed the rest into the royal chambers.
Passing along the way the throne of the king, though it was empty, dusty and heavily stained. Narrow passageways made the trek to the Dark Lady's destination especially difficult as a bottleneck ensued that slowed their progress immensely. Many Abominations were simply too big to fit through the small archway and descending tunnels. Nollis kept his hand firmly attached to Wayne's shoulder as they descended further and further down the slippery stone steps.
At last they made it to a large clearing, a man-made vaulted underground cavern. There was much moving and swaying to accommodate the new arrivals that were pouring in from several other passageways. An ever growing circle was being formed around the Banshee Queen as she stood in the center, watching the assembly gather before her. When the giant crowd finally stilled, the Queen of the Forsaken began to speak.
"We have come far. We have defied the odds placed against us. And I never lost confidence in any of you for a moment," said the Dark Lady. "Though not all of us came from the same origins, make no mistake, we are all one now, and we will be one for all eternity!"
The massive assembly erupted in cheers at their Queen's words. 'Glory to the Banshee Queen' reverberated off the walls. Making it seem as if hundreds of thousands were within the cavern, shouting their lungs hoarse with excitement. Lady Sylvanas lifted her hand out after a few moments to quiet the crowd.
"Our true work can now begin. This is where we will consecrate ourselves, here, in the land that we have taken by force! From here we will build. From here we will train. From here we will strike fear into the hearts of all those who dare oppose us!" said the Dark Lady. "Take this day to celebrate our achievements and let no one mistake that this place belongs only to the Forsaken!"
Roaring applause greeted the end of their Queen's speech. All of the longer serving Forsaken, including Wayne were in true disbelief that a remnant of discarded Scourge managed to proclaim the former kingdom of Lordaeron. Utterly defeating and swallowing the armies of three Dreadlords while simultaneously fending off attacks by many others from all sides. Their presence within the capital with such a large and dedicated army only seemed to affirm that destiny had chosen them. They knew then that their goals were divine, perfect, inevitable. Yet in those moments Wayne understood how much tribute was due to Lady Sylvanas. Without her, Wayne knew that he would still perhaps be in that same tomb, listlessly feeling nothing, knowing nothing.
Celebrations kicked off with fervent dancing and shouts. Joyous hours were spent shaking the underground complex as the undead rave continued ceaselessly. Wayne and Nollis made their way through the crowd. His name was shouted several times and many Forsaken greeted him personally, offering sincere praise. They joined in a few small groups having excited discussion about what the future held, though no one seemed to have any real information.
Near the far wall, Wayne came upon Blightcaller and several Forsaken holding down his arms and legs. Taking a closer examination of the situation, Wayne easily understood that he was undergoing dental work. A total of eight Forsaken held Blightcaller down as another mage was bent over him from the opposite direction, magically implanting his new teeth with a wooden wand.
"Must you really do this?" Wayne asked.
"You wouldn't understand DeLovely, you're not a brawler like me," responded Blightcaller in a cocky tone.
He lifted his head up and showed his almost completed set of top teeth. Sharp as razors, brilliantly white to the point of being incapable of staining. Now the only obvious issue was that the teeth were far too big to fit in a normal human sized mouth. Already his gumline and the rotting skin around his mouth was splitting apart. Though Blightcaller was in a bit of pain, pointing out something that he surely knew would do nothing to deter him. Wayne and Nollis walked away, silently pondering what else Blightcaller could possibly do to make himself even more frightening.
End of Chapter 26
