Arkerya winced as she touched the area around her infected right arm. Two days had passed and they had not been kind to Arkerya. She had been sweating profusely since her first day of captivity and it was getting harder and harder to sleep. When she could sleep, her dreams were riddled with obscene and horrifying dreams of her pillaging a helpless village that bared an eerie similarity to her own. And when she woke up, she always had an intense hunger, though she didn't know what for. "Plague Spreader", they called her in her dream. "Plague Spreader".
The other prisoners, including Grudamere were not much better off. Though they were not infected with the plague, a necromancer would come to the cages every now and then and take one of them out the door and down the hall to perform experiments on them. Grudamere had spoken about this to Arkerya briefly but refused to talk at length.
The necromancer and his undead lab assistant had force fed him poison and then monitored his reaction. He lost the feeling in his legs and arms and then started to choke. It was when he went temporarily blind that the assistant gave him the antidote.
Arkerya convulsed suddenly. A pain unlike anything she had ever experienced grabbed hold of her mid-section and tossed her like a rag doll. She choked on the foam around her mouth and she coughed up a little blood. She thrashed in her cage and hit her head on the bars several times before finally coming to a stop on her back.
Grudamere, in the cage next to her reached out for her hand. He had been doing this since the beginning of their imprisonment. It was the only thing that kept Arkerya fighting. She reached out weakly with her left hand and took Grudamere's. There they stayed for a few minutes, cold, hungry and abused, and held each other's hands.
The necromancer opened the door and strolled in as he usually did. Upon seeing the two of them he swatted their hands apart and then went to a young man's cage on the other side of the room. He opened the cage and dragged the struggling prisoner out of the room and down the hall to the lab, slamming the door behind him.
The necromancer never spoke and never acted like anyone was more than a lab rat to him. Arkerya hated him almost as much as she hated Arthas, but not quite as much.
The thought of Arthas was making Arkerya mad again. If it weren't for her decrepit condition, Arkerya would have been on her feet causing all the havoc that she could.
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Grudamere asked. Arkerya looked over at him. "I hate him Grudamere. I hate him… so much." She replied. "I know lassie. I know you do." He shifted a little before continuing.
"I never saw it coming. He embraced the light so whole heartedly. He did so many great things with the Silver Hand and now it is all for nothing. I can't believe he is responsible for this." Arkerya wanted to cry, but she was so dehydrated that she couldn't. After all, what does a convert need with water?
They remained silent for a while before Arkerya spoke again. "Everything I ever knew and loved is gone now; my family, my home, and now… this." She said weakly. "Something must have happened to him in Northrend. I hope Uther gets to him. I hope Uther makes that traitor beg for a death of his own before throwing him in prison to be tortured as we are. Uther can make short work of him, right? Grudamere?"
Grudamere knew better than Arkerya. Uther the light bringer was an incredibly powerful paladin to be sure, and before he watched Arthas dispel an advanced holy shield spell, he would have said yes. But against Arthas's newfound power, Grudamere knew Uther would fall. Once again, Grudamere was speechless.
"I'm afraid not, Arkerya." Arkerya curled up in a ball. "Then all hope is truly lost. The rest of the world will die like my mother and brother and every soldier will die like my father. Every infant is doomed to be devoured by ghouls. Everyone in all of Azeroth is doomed to the same dark destiny that we are; that I am."
Grudamere's heart sank into his stomach, for he knew that once Uther fell, his order would soon dissipate. Arkerya couldn't have said it better. All hope was lost. Even the mighty armies of Lordaeron and the famous Randall Von Gunhilldur could not stop the onslaught of the Scourge. He wished for a hero, for someone to save the Silver Hand, and lead them against Arthas and his Scourge. Inside his mind he wished for a champion to defeat this ultimate evil. He wished.
But the circumstance that made Grudamere feel the worst, the thing that made it personal, was that he survived to see the suffering of his fellow man and this poor girl who lost everything. In the end, he was unable to protect her. At long last, Grudamere shed his hard outer shell and broke down.
"I'm so sorry Arkerya." He said. Arkerya looked over at Grudamere. "I'm so sorry. I've failed you. I've failed you in the worst way imaginable." Arkerya reached out for his hand again. "It isn't your fault Grudamere." She said. "You fought more bravely than anyone could have hoped for." Arkerya clenched Grudamere's hand tightly as another sharp pain shot up her arm and into her chest. "I'm grateful my friend."
"It is Arthas's fault. All of it is his fault and you fought him to the very end. You are a hero Grudamere. If we were to get out of here, I would follow you to the end of our days and exact retribution on Arthas by your side. You are a hero Grudamere." Grudamere looked up at Arkerya who was actually smiling at him. "The very end" she says.
A screech of pain echoed through the dungeon from down the hall and Arkerya started to convulse again. She thrashed around her cage again and uttered broken sentences that were far out of character for her before curling into the fetal position once more. She lay motionless with her eyes half open and Grudamere felt immeasurable pity for her as he clenched her trembling hand even tighter. "The very end…".
The necromancer returned with the limp body of the man he had dragged off earlier. The necromancer began looking closely at Arkerya who was now muttering to herself. His back was turned to Grudamere. "The very end..." He thought again. The necromancer began unlocking Arkerya's cage to take her out. "Not yet. I'm not out of breath YET. Damn the very end, it's over when I say it's over." With all the strength remaining in him, Grudamere reached out with his left at the necromancer, grabbed him by the neck and pulled him close. The necromancer slammed into Grudamere's cage. With his other hand, he took the necromancer by the chin and moved his left to the back of the necromancer's head and snapped his neck.
The necromancer lay motionless on the floor, the keys on his belt within reach. Grudamere took them and began unlocking his cage. "What are you doing?" Arkerya said with a wheeze. "We're not dead yet. And I don't intend to be. So long as I still draw breath, the very end will never come." Grudamere replied determinedly.
"We'll be caught." Said Arkerya. "Not if you keep your voice down lass." Grudamere unlocked Arkerya's cage and then the others'. There were four of them. Two of the others were brown haired soldiers from Lordaeron, one slightly taller than the other. They stood about six foot four.
The third was an older man with a gruff face, thinning grey hair and hazel eyes. He stood about six feet tall and had an aggressive but calm posture about himself. Grudamere assumed he was a former soldier who had retired.
The fourth was a woman with short black hair, which she wore in a pony tail, and pale skin. Her eyes were a light shade of green and she looked just the opposite of the men. It seemed to Grudamere that this woman had endured a lot of loss in the last few weeks.
"My name is Grudamere Broadbeard. If you all want to leave this place then you will have to do exactly what I say exactly when I say it. Tell me your names." The old man spoke first. "Remus McGrady is my name." The shorter Soldier spoke next. "I am Corporal Samuel Finch and this is Corporal Alco Seeder, at your command sir."
Grudamere then looked to the woman, who looked back at him and said nothing. Grudamere had listened yesterday from his cage as she screamed from down the hall when the necromancer took her. She was covered in cuts and bruises and her skin was unnaturally pale. She had bared the brunt of the abuse.
Grudamere spoke as gently as he could. "Lass… I know you have suffered and I know the pain you are enduring is utter and complete. You have no doubt lost everything you love and worked for in your life and you feel there is no way to regain any of it. I understand your sadness." He paused, waiting for a reaction, but found none.
"I can get us out of here, but I cannot do it alone miss. I need your cooperation." He paused again. "Please…" Finally, the woman spoke. "Vanessa." She softly croaked. Grudamere nodded and put a hand on her shoulder before turning to the soldiers to speak with them again.
"Her name is Arkerya and she cannot move quickly of her own accord." He said, pointing at Arkerya. The two nodded in understanding. "Can you all run?" Grudamere asked. They all nodded. "Very good then. I will take point. We have to be stealthy to get out of here. Everyone, keep quiet and don't go in front the person in front of you. Seeder, help Arkerya and stay right behind me. You will be behind Seeder, Vanessa, and you Remus will stay behind Vanessa. Finch, take the rear and make sure nothing sneaks up on us. Is everyone ready?" The prisoners nodded anxiously. "Then get in line and stay close."
Seeder slung Arkerya's left arm over his shoulder. "The necromancer really did a number on you didn't he?" Arkerya hesitated, realizing the consequences of telling the man who was carrying her that she was infected. "Yes…" she lied.
Arkerya looked at Grudamere apprehensively. "Don't worry Arkerya." He said reassuringly. "I know the way out and I'm pretty good at staying hidden. We will make it out. I promise." Arkerya's expression didn't change, but there was no time for Grudamere to worry about her preoccupations, for he had his own to consider.
Grudamere took the dagger from the dead necromancer's belt and they all lined up at the door. A dagger isn't really my choice of weapon, but it will have to do. Just remember what the elf taught you; stay low and get behind the enemy. The dwarf sighed to calm and collect his nerves.
Grudamere cracked the door open and peeked outside. The lab assistant was walking toward the door. Grudamere waved everyone away from him and he moved to the side of the door to ambush the skeleton. The door opened and it looked at the empty cages. Grudamere leaped out and snapped its neck bone. The body flailed aimlessly, vigorously searching for anyone before the dark magic failed and the bones were motionless.
Grudamere peeked out the door again. This time the coast was clear. Grudamere waived everybody forward and led the way out the door. Arkerya coughed loudly and the entire group froze. Grudamere feverishly looked for trouble, Seeder leered at Arkerya and Vanessa started to panic. Remus and Finch attempted to calm her down.
"You'll get us caught woman! Bite your tongue!" Seeder hissed. "Quiet boy..." Grudamere quickly snapped back. "Or YOU will get us caught." He surveyed the hall again. There were no guards. They were still unnoticed. Grudamere motioned left out the door and moved quickly down the corridor. They neared the corner at the end and then stopped. There were two guards at the door half way to the other end of the cell block, each of them walking corpses armed with short swords. That door was the way up to the surface.
Good. They have flesh. I can stab them. Grudamere mouthed the word 'wait' and then peeked around the corner. They were twenty feet or so away. He would have to cause a distraction. He picked up a small piece of broken brick and threw it over their heads and to the other side of the cell block. The two corpses chased the sound without hesitation and Grudamere glided around the corner to get behind them, making not a sound but the indiscernible 'pitter patter' of his feet.
The guards stopped at the far corner and gazed around looking for the source of the noise. Almost there. Almost there... Finally, Grudamere was close enough. With his dagger he reached around the first corpse's neck and slashed its throat, killing it again. The second spun around and made a slash at Grudamere. He dodged and stabbed the corpse's brain. It too fell to the ground and lay motionless. The way was clear.
Grudamere waved the rest of the group over and opened the door just as Arkerya seized again. She convulsed and spat blood and a strange black substance on to the floor at Seeder's feet. Seeder dropped her and made for the swords the guards had dropped, followed closely by Finch. Remus steadied his feet and took a step away from Arkerya.
Vanessa on the other hand broke down again and sank, trembling, onto the floor. The three armed fighters looked around feverishly, praying that their cover wasn't blown. Arkerya thrashed and spat up more of the black substance. Remus threw himself on top of her to keep her from moving as much as possible.
When she finally stopped, Seeder and Finch looked at the foul black excrement Arkerya had spat up. "You've got the plague!" He exclaimed in horror, a little too loud for Grudamere's patience. Remus scrambled to his feet in shock, but did not back away.
Finch chimed in. "You've got the bloody plague! Why didn't you tell us, dwarf?" "Don't run off boy. You'll only get caught and end up the same as her." Grudamere said. "And if we stay, we will still end up like her. She's not far from turning and when she does, she will not let us live. I say we avoid an unnecessary risk and leave her behind, unless you'd rather fight her later."
Arkerya looked anxious under her haggardness. "Mind your tongue soldier. I promised her I would get her out and to help and that's exactly what I intend to do. If you would also like to leave this place alive, you will help me to do it or I will cut your throat myself."
At this statement, the two soldiers exchanged looks of uneasiness and then turned back to Grudamere. Seeder spoke for them both. "We are moving on. She is too heavy a burden to take out of here and she isn't going to make it anyway. We don't want to die. If you're smart dwarf, you'll leave her here and catch up to us." Without another word, the two ran up the stairs beyond the door and rounded a corner and were out of sight.
Remus kneeled down and put a hand on Arkerya's shoulder and stared at Grudamere. Vanessa didn't move from the corner she had taken refuge in. "And what about you two?" Asked Grudamere. "Do either of you feel like dying?"
"Those two are young and inexperienced and what's more, they deserted a woman in need and one of Gunhilldur's lieutenants. I will have nothing to do with that suicidal duo." Remus exclaimed. Vanessa quietly shook her head.
Grudamere was slightly flattered that Remus knew who he was. "Good. Then let's move forward." Grudamere said as he picked up Arkerya and put her arm around the back of his neck. The remaining three moved through the doorway and up the stairs. At the top, they found themselves in the mess hall. We are near the barracks. Good. That means the armory isn't far.
Grudamere hobbled across the hall with Arkerya on his left shoulder and Remus and Vanessa followed closely behind. Seeder and Finch had left the door wide open. Grudamere motioned for everyone to stop. He put Arkerya down and approached the great doorway. After looking left and right, he determined the coast was clear.
Remus picked up Arkerya and the other two moved over to Grudamere. They all took a right into a short corridor and rounded the corner and arrived at the troop living quarters. Grudamere had been formulating a plan ever since Finch and Seeder had abandoned them.
"Just out that door is the armory. We'll get in there, gear up and then make for the courtyard ramparts. Those narrow walls will decrease their numbers to how ever many can fit on the wall at once and that should give Remus and me the best opportunity to defend the two of you and make it to the portcullis and out of the citadel. Once we arrive at the portcullis, I will need you to cut the ropes that hold it up Remus. The gears are stiff and will lower it slowly enough to allow you the time you and Vanessa need to get down the stairs and out the gate, trapping the Scourge inside and you out. I will stay behind to hold off the Scourge at our back until it is time to make a run for it. Any questions?"
Remus spoke immediately. "What about the Scourge at the front? Won't they be advancing from the bottom of the portcullis too?" "That door is hidden. Only the top military commanders and the king know about it. Even prince Arthas didn't know about it, which is what I'm counting on."
Remus nodded once and Vanessa nodded nervously. With all the group members in understanding, they moved out the door and across the path to the armory. On the way, Grudamere noticed a large gathering of Scourge in the courtyard. His instincts had been correct. The ramparts were their only hope for escape.
Once inside the armory, Grudamere picked up the biggest axe he could find. Remus headed straight for a silver long sword and, to everyone's surprise, Vanessa picked up a dagger and Arkerya chose an Elven short sword on a weapons rack that Remus had put her next to. There would be no non-combatants today.
"Line up behind me." Said Grudamere. Remus hoisted Arkerya up and the group got back into a line and Grudamere led them to the door. "When we exit, we'll take an immediate left and then again at the other end of the armory building. That is where…" But he stopped short. There was commotion outside and Grudamere surely knew what it was.
"Get ready!" He said. Remus looked down at Arkerya who was staring at her sword and smiling melancholically. "That is a fine sword. You don't see many like it in armories. The elves usually keep their weapons with them at all times." Arkerya looked up at Remus. "Right before my father died in the battle at the Scarlet Monastery, he gave this to me. He said, 'Together we stand… together we fall'. And so this sword will fall with me, whenever that may be. I thought I had lost it when the Scourge took it away."
"Stay close to me." Said Grudamere. "Let's go!" Grudamere swung open the reinforced door and moved quickly along the wall to the left, down the alleyway and into the courtyard. The Scourge was moving in full to the other side of the courtyard and, as Grudamere suspected, they were after the other two soldiers. Seeder and Finch had found themselves a battering ram and were attempting to plow directly through the swarm of undead soldiers.
"And they called us crazy!" Remus exclaimed. Grudamere's chivalrous nature was getting the better of him. He thought of cutting away at the other side of the crowd to help clear a path to the portcullis, but surely he wouldn't make it out of that one. He thought of using one of the trebuchets to shoot at the Scourge, but he didn't have enough people to operate the giant siege machine. He thought of charging head first into the crowd without any regard to safety whatsoever, but that make him as foolhardy as Seeder and Finch.
The four had reached the top of the stairs and were moving along the city walls. It was too late for Grudamere to help the soldiers. Across the way, he saw the two come to a stop as they ran out of steam about half way to the portcullis. They fought ferociously with their short swords but quickly succumbed to the outrageous numbers of the Scourge. They were now the enemy.
Their foe vanquished, the group of four no longer had a distraction to mask their escape. This is the moment of truth. Thought Grudamere. If they run to the portcullis, we are finished. The Scourge swarmed toward them and to Grudamere's glee, none ran for the portcullis. The way is clear! We are almost out of here. Nothing can stop us now!
Suddenly, there was violent coughing and wheezing behind Grudamere. When he turned his head to look over his shoulder, he saw a grey, convulsing, dying version of Arkerya. "Hold on Arkerya! Just hold on!" He bellowed over the noise, but it was too late. Arkerya started thrashing and speaking gibberish and finally, she bit Remus.
Remus clawed at her face and tried to push her off. Vanessa came up from behind and stabbed Arkerya in the back. Remus successfully pried her jaws off of his shoulder; he heaved her off of the wall and into the crowd with the rest. Grudamere stopped dead in his tracks.
No…Grudamere thought. After all the suffering and after all the horrors we endured together, you died anyway. You died… I failed you yet again. His adrenaline began to surge. His eyes became blood shot, his heart started to race and his head started to reel. I failed! "Run! Run for all that your worth!" He shouted. The three remaining survivors ran forward and then stopped, for the Scourge had discovered the door behind the portcullis. "Cover the rear. I will plow the road." Said Grudamere like some kind of animal.
And then Grudamere charged. Grudamere was in a bloodlust. If ever there was a time when Grudamere could not be stopped, it was now. With almost super Dwarven strength, he swung his axe in front of him, destroying the animated remains in front of him six at a time. On and on across the wall the furious dwarf rampaged toward the city gate. Remus and Vanessa cut down the fastest Scourge that were able to catch up from behind and, at last, they reached the tower at the city gates.
Without thinking, Grudamere barged through the door and continued to annihilate anything in his path. Remus kept his head and slashed the rope that held the portcullis open. As Grudamere had said, the gears grinded and clanked and the portcullis slowly fell. "Let's go Vanessa!" Remus bellowed. "We have to get out before it closes." Vanessa pulled her dagger out of a walking corpse and followed closely behind Remus down the spiral staircase. Grudamere was still storming through scores of zombies on the inside of the gate. "Grudamere! The gate is closing!" Remus yelled. Grudamere didn't acknowledge him. "Grudamere!" Grudamere stomped his foot and sent Scourge flying in all directions. "Arkerya would have wanted you to escape!" Vanessa screamed out loud.
Grudamere turned his head at the sound of Arkerya's name. "She would have wanted you to escape her fate." Grudamere was crying, though the other two couldn't see it. Arkerya, I'm so sorry. I failed you and because of that, your soul is lost. Grudamere stomped his foot again and then used the time to break for the closing gate. At the very last second, Grudamere slid underneath the gate and scrambled to the other side. Forgive me. The portcullis crashed shut and the Scourge were trapped inside. The three made for the woods to the east of the walls. The way was clear and there were no Scourge on their tail. Once deep in the woods, they stopped to catch their breath in an overgrown patch.
Vanessa embraced Grudamere and whispered a "Thank you" in his ear. "You are one of the most ferocious fighters and best strategists I have ever seen. You are also pretty lucky. Gunhilldur would have been proud." Said Remus.
We wouldn't have made it out of there without you. You saved us." Vanessa said. "Not all of us." Grudamere replied somberly. "You came so far! You did everything that you could. You sweat and bled for that girl and she still didn't make it. You did everything you could. It wasn't your fau…" "Just stop." Grudamere said sharply, interrupting Vanessa. There was a long silence. "We must make for Southshore. From there, we can rest and make ready for the journey to Ironforge." Said Grudamere. "Getting through Silverpine might be dangerous. We don't know if the Scourge has outposts to the south." Remus said matter-of-factly. "I know. But before the sacking of Lordaeron, we got intelligence from one of the monastery scouts about the situation up north about a week ago. Andorhal is completely destroyed and Stratholme is holding out from the inside. The monks and champions there are hardy and will be able to hold out for a long time, but we won't find help for you there and we need to report the defeat of the northern kingdom to our southern allies. Ironforge is the closest city that we can get to safely and there are priests capable of healing you there."
Remus paused for a moment. "I can be cured though, right?" He asked. Grudamere didn't answer right away. He had originally planned to use some forest herbs to slow the spread of infection and allow enough time to get to Southshore. The sting of his failure did not relent. "Aye…" Said Grudamere. "Your bite is fresh so if we hurry and make good time to Southshore, I can use the herbs that grow in Silverpine to buy us enough time to get there where a more skilled herbalist can treat you. After that, we can fly by griffin to Ironforge. A priest will be able to cure you completely once we're there."
Remus breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in understanding. It's a long shot, but I promise I won't leave you behind Remus. "Let's move on. It's a long way south and these woods have changed. Just keep doing what you've been doing and I anticipate an uneventful trip to Southshore. But keep up. Time is short for you Remus." Grudamere turned to the south and began walking with Remus close behind him. Vanessa, however, had something to say. "Grudamere… Thank you." Grudamere stopped and turned around to listen. Vanessa's voice echoed in his ears. She hadn't spoken much since they met and he was taken by surprise when she spoke so gently and sanely.
"Thank you for pulling me out of there. I was almost sure that we had no chance. I was so certain that we were undone that I almost didn't care. Even after you killed the necromancer, I still thought we would never get out alive. You're a hero master Grudamere."
Grudamere was flabbergasted. He had been called short, brute, leg breaker and lieutenant, but never in his all his years had he been called master. Vanessa continued… "It seems the time has come for Azeroth to put her differences aside to fight the evil that is corrupting the land itself. I will join the Stormwind infantry, and tell your story in all its glory."
Vanessa smiled as she praised the dwarf and Grudamere thought of Randall. Perhaps it's time to take his place. And then Grudamere thought of Arkerya. The image of her mangled and diseased body attacking Remus was still fresh in his mind. He thought of the sacking of Lordaeron and all the people rising from the dead to aid their murderers. He thought of Gunhilldur's valiant and brilliant last stand and then of his demise. He thought of how in all of this, despite the danger, the obstacles and all of the hardship and death, he survived. He, Grudamere Broadbeard, the lieutenant, had survived his master's demise. But the most fervent memory of all was Arkerya's cold, sweaty hand, reaching from its cage for his. In a way, she symbolized the unyielding spirit of the living, and the love that the Scourge had destroyed. And now, she was one of them, corrupted by the foulest methods in existence. The thought repulsed him so much; he almost cursed Arthas then and there. It is definitely time to take his place
Vanessa began to say something in the awkward silence but Grudamere spoke first."Aye lassie, there is a story to be told, but it isn't mine. The true hero is Randall Von Gunhilldur, a man of legendary courage and valor. In the face of unthinkable danger and overwhelming odds, he remained steadfast in the defense of his homeland and his people. To his final breath he never stopped fighting and he never gave up. Such brilliance on the battlefield and such graceful swordsmanship has not been seen for a very long time. He is the man who deserves renown and merits and so much more, so I would have you tell his tale in all its glory."
Vanessa gazed at Grudamere with teary eyes and nodded. "For Gunhilldur then." She said. "For a hero." Said a slightly melancholy Remus. "Aye… For Gunhilldur, 'The Invincible'!" Said Grudamere as he held his battle axe to his chest and saluted the heavens. And for Arkerya too.
