Solwein approached the streets and stopped short at the edge of the chapel's grounds. The visage of the dark warrior was intense and almost seemed to burn into Solwein's mind as he stared. But, unlike the lich, this new foe would be stared down by Solwein's famous thousand yard stare, one that was said to chill the bones of any force of evil. But this time the enemy did not cower or flee. This new foe didn't even crack an arrogant grin or a mocking laugh. How very sad.

"As soon as I exit these grounds I will tear you to pieces, traitor," yelled Kaonus through the now almost silent streets. Solwein put a hand up to quiet Kaonus.

"Who are you?" Solwein asked calmly. "Don't patronize me, paladin. I left that name and the way of the all mighty paladin behind. The power I possess now is a colossus when compared to your parlor tricks," Rivendare spat.

Solwein's face twitched ever so slightly at being called a conjurer of cheap tricks, but lashing out at Rivendare wouldn't help them in this fight. In Solwein's mind, the impending battle was one that would decide if the light or the dark was superior. Though not the absolute greatest of champions, his brother Kaonus would be representing the holy light and so would he. For that purpose, Solwein was unwilling to provide Rivendare with any other weapons against them than what he already had. Solwein continued to stare.

"Do you plan on facing me or not? Decide now or I shall leave you for the masses. I have no patience for indecisive folk," Rivendare said. "Or I could lure the Scarlet Crusade to Elders' Square. Not only do they possess enough men to overrun you, they also can tread on holy ground. So why don't I just get them to kill you for me?"

"Tell me who you are, and I will step off of holy ground and face you in your domain. On my honor, I swear it. Simply tell me who you are," Solwein said quietly.

"Your honor eh? Only a paladin is foolish enough to swear on something as grey as honor. Who says what you are doing is so right anyway. Death is a release from mortal tendencies like eating, sleeping and feeling pain. Death is immortality! Why would one not want immortality?"

"It is purgatory! Nothing more and nothing less." Kaonus replied. "If you think for even a moment that you can turn us to your side, think again Rivendare. Solwein may show compassion for the enemy, but I do not. You are no match for us and you will lose this coming strife and that is because you are an instrument of something foul. Only the holy light can grant one immortality, and it has not done so since the age of the titans thousands of years ago. Death is not worldly immortality. It is a change of scenery for the soul and the soul should never be held against its will," Kaonus said powerfully.

Rivendare hesitated, though only for a fraction of a fraction of a second. Solwein picked up on this. This poor man.

"You speak nonsense. You say that only the light can provide immortality and yet here I stand before you, impervious to steel, learned in magic and unaffected by the needs of man. You are blind, holy knight," Rivendare said in a cool, confident manner.

"As a former paladin, you know that honor to a paladin is held to the greatest degree. You know full well that I will do what I say if you tell me what your name is," Solwein growled through clenched teeth.

"If you're wondering if I am your late master, wonder no more for I am not Arkhel. The old man made it impossible to resurrect him so he was given to the ghouls," Rivendare mused maliciously.

"Silence!" Solwein shouted. "I ask you for your name before we kill you for good. One last time, death knight; what is your name?"

Rivendare said nothing. "So be it. You have brought this on yourself," Kaonus said, lunging off of holy ground and then leaping toward Rivendare. He drew his claymore in a flash and sliced vertically at Rivendare, who blocked with his own blade just as quickly. Kaonus you fool.

Solwein had hoped that the fight would have been fought on his terms, but Kaonus's recklessness, as usual, had changed his plans. Instinctively, Solwein moved in on Rivendare's horse, hoping to get one good stroke in to weaken it before the purification. Rivendare heaved Kaonus off and reared his horse, forcing Solwein to back off.

The paladins consecrated the ground at the same time, creating a more fervent flame to burn Rivendare. The horse reared on its own this time and scrambled away from the flames.

Rivendare swung his long sword in front of him, sending a shadow in Solwein's direction. The shadow coiled around Solwein and then bound his arms at his side. Rivendare started at the momentarily incapacitated Solwein.

Kaonus moved between them in an attempt to protect his brother and his blade began to glow gold. He issued Rivendare a powerful strike and this time Rivendare wasn't able to block. Instead, a black veil of dark energy surrounded him, stopping Kaonus in his tracks.

By now Solwein had dissolved the death coil and moved around to flanking position. Whispering a holy chant, Solwein blasted the off guard death knight with holy lightning, creating a shockwave centered around Rivendare. The death knight barely faltered and quickly counter attacked.

Solwein dodged the slash and thrust his sword forward at the dark steed, which Rivendare blocked. The death knight reared his horse again and backed away, swirling his sword in the air and then swiping it at Kaonus. A miniature storm of ice crystals formed around him and plunged into his flesh.

Kaonus immediately started healing. Solwein began to swirl his own blade in the air, creating a storm of holy energy. At last he had connected. Rivendare's flesh seared from the holy storm and he fell from his horse. Solwein moved as fast as he could to pin Rivendare, but was instead kicked by the dread charger into the city wall.

Kaonus ceased his healing spell and sliced at the charger and then spun around for a second assault only to be bitten by the things sharp teeth. Rivendare had risen to his feet and gone after Solwein, who lay dazed against the wall. Kaonus scrambled to get to Rivendare, but was cut off by the horse.

Rivendare walked quickly to where Solwein lay and plunged his fist into his chest, corrupting and decaying Solwein's breast plate. Solwein gasped for air and the veins in his neck turned purple. Rivendare then turned to Kaonus, leaving Solwein to turn.

"You see, Kaonus of Lordaeron, the darkness is all powerful. You barge into my domain, fight and lose against my armies and then presume to be a match for me? Your arrogance will be your undoing, as you can clearly see," Rivendare sneered.

Kaonus stomped the ground and conjured holy fire that licked at the chargers feet. It went left to avoid the flames, so Kaonus went around it to the right and leaped again at Rivendare.

His sword crashed against Rivendare's above his head and then Rivendare countered low at his legs. Kaonus jumped to avoid it and elbowed Rivendare in his metal mask. Kaonus then kicked him in the stomach, sending him backwards to the ground.

The demon horse charged Kaonus who leapt backward and dodged the charge. He heaved his sword high and attempted to cut Rivendare in half, but Rivendare rolled right and dodged it. The horse stopped and snorted before running at Kaonus again. This time Kaonus spun around and successfully connected with the horses neck.

The steed simply reared up, unperturbed at the gaping wound in its jugular. But of course there was no blood, for the animal had long been dead and was bound to undeath by half of Rivendare's soul. Rivendare had gotten to his feet. He whispered something to the runes in his sword, which glowed an eerie green at his words.

Suddenly, Kaonus felt an invisible hand grasp his entire body and yank him toward Rivendare. He stopped abruptly in front of him and almost lost his footing. Rivendare swung his sword at Kaonus's side. Kaonus almost blocked it, but it grazed his side through a gap in his armor.

It was only a glancing blow, but Kaonus felt the burning necromantic magic that was now inside his body. He shuffled back and away from Rivendare and blocked an over head swing. Kaonus conjured holy mana, formed it into a hammer in his right hand and smashed Rivendare's helmet with it.

The death knight staggered back and stood still, glaring angrily at Kaonus with his now exposed face. It wasn't rotten like the rest of the scourge, but still grey and lifeless. White hair hung down to his shoulders. His eyes were cold and black with red pupils in the middle and a fine, black velvet scarf covered his mouth, giving him a roguish, yet aristocratic look.

"Kel'Thuzad gave me that helm, rat," Rivendare growled at Kaonus as he purged himself of his infection. "And now I've taken it away. But my work isn't done, death knight. I'll be walking away with that nice scarf you're wearing when we're done here," Kaonus said antagonistically.

Rivendare roared furiously and let loose a barrage of shadow bolts at Kaonus. The paladin gracefully dodged the balls of magic and scraped his sword on the ground as he charged the death knight. Rivendare answered in kind and the two met with a deafening crash of steel against steel. Kaonus heaved his sword high, as did Rivendare and they each swung for the other, both catching their opponent by the wrist.

The dead lock was dangerous. Kaonus, locked in a struggle already, was very vulnerable to attack in his current position due to the now unopposed death charger. This was usually the point in which the other paladin would defend him, but with Solwein down for the count, Kaonus began to realize just how alone he was in this fight now.

For the first time, the skeletal horse lowered its head and charged with its horns. It's speed had increased, almost as though it had been given a boost somehow. Regardless of why, Kaonus now had a decision to make. Either take a hit from a charger or taste more of the scourges magic. Neither appealed to Kaonus.

Acting instinctively, he chose to avoid the magic, for he remembered all too well Solwein's plague. His brother was sick and now badly injured, and he intended to see him home in one piece. Kaonus shifted his legs, bracing for the impact and attempted to put Rivendare on the business end. He successfully overpowered Rivendare and turned his own charger against him. Both bodies went flying, each thudding just as hard as the other against the rampart wall.

A few of Kaonus's ribs were broken and he was slow to rise. The death knight, seemingly undaunted, beat Kaonus to his feet and put his sword to Kaonus's throat. "You see, paladin? You two are champions of the holy light," Rivendare said condescendingly. "And you fought with all your might, holding nothing back and fighting in true paladin style. But I still beat you. In the end, your efforts were in vein because I still beat you!"

Rivendare smirked madly. "I will admit, what you could do you did without flaw. Yes indeed, you fought tooth and nail, but unfortunately for you, you are only two men." Rivendare pointed to the scourge spectators surrounding them. "You see that?" he yelled. "That is my strength. Behind me is a colossal army of immortal soldiers. They give me strength through magic and tactic. Do you see it now?"

Rivendare moved close to Kaonus's face, never allowing his sword to drift away from the paladins neck. "You are two men with cheap parlor tricks, and I... Am... LEGION!" Rivendare roared. The scourge all around roared just as loud, shuddering the very city ground.

Rivendare took Kaonus by the arm and ripped his bracers from his body. He then threw away his own spiked gauntlet and plunged his fingers into Kaonus's exposed flesh and moved his face even closer to Kaonus's.

"You will now suffer the same fate as your dear brother." Rivendare snorted as he recoiled his fingers, hooking the outer layer of Kaonus's skin. Kaonus didn't make a sound or movement. He simply stared. Rivendare snorted.

"Two there were and now there is one. One is dead and the other is soon to follow. But don't worry, you won't be alone for long, for I welcome you, my final adversary, to my little circle of friends." Rivendare drew his sword back and prepared to strike the killing blow. He set his blade ablaze with magic and singed Kaonus's hair and eyebrows. The sword started forward before coming to a sudden stop.

"You're wrong, you son of a bitch," said an extremely troubled voice. "He is not alone. Your foes..." Solwein stuttered from the sting in his body. "...are two." Solwein moved closer to Rivendare's ear. "Paladins live together, fight together, and when the time comes, they die together." Kaonus smiled at Rivendare's pain. "You may have beaten our master, but your task is not finished. His students have come in his stead, and no filthy, smelly, deranged, depraved piece of dark-hound fodder like you is going to stop us!"

The silver claymore protruding from Rivendare's twisted, making the death knight writhe. We must not fail.

Free again, Kaonus focused in on the charger, who seemed to be in the same pain as Rivendare. "Now is our chance brother!" Solwein called. Kaonus nodded and ran straight for the demon steed, plunging his fist into its midsection. It was much like the blow Solwein delivered to the necromancer for information, only this time, it was not to cause pain, but to end it.

"Benigno numine, beati pacifici, caelitus mihi vires quod meus mucro est vobis. Licentia vestri glacialis carcer quod complexo lux lucis. Ego vadum exsisto vestri rector," chanted the brothers in unison. Upon completion of the first chant, Rivendare and the charger alike began to stretch as though they were being wracked. A tiny crack appeared in their foreheads, revealing the bright light emanating from the paladin's hands.

Again the paladins chanted, increasing the size of the consecration on Rivendare's forehead and his charger's. "You will never win, dogs! The power of the Lich King is absolute and with Arthas as his champion, he will ravage this land of the living and bring Azeroth to ruin," Rivendare blared. The light emanated even brighter, creating a star-like beacon on both Rivendare and his horse. The paladin's chanted a third time, rapidly expanding the consecration down their necks. Then the paladins spoke in the common tongue, revealing the meaning behind the holy rhetoric.

"By the favor of the heavens, blessed are the peace makers, my strength is in heaven and my sword is for you. Leave your icy prison and embrace the light. I shall be your guide."

Rivendare wailed and the charger screeched unnaturally. Both floated out of the paladins hands and into the air where they began to spin slowly at first, then faster and faster. The two disintegrated into small white balls, which coagulated between Solwein and Kaonus. Once the two met and became one, it began its slow journey toward the chapel and their masters hallowed ground.

Remembering their mission, Kaonus looked on the ground to find a hilt with no blade and a heavy tome. He scrambled to get them before the scourge could.

Upon clenching the hilt and book, Kaonus immediately jumped up to meet the scourge that were sure to attack now that they were unbridled by their master, but the horde didn't attack. Instead, the scourge cowered and retreated away from the tranquil soul as it floated closer and closer to the chapel. Kaonus sheathed his weapon, hoisted Solwein up and followed the soul back to holy ground.

Their troops cheered and Aurius beamed. Through the thunderous roar of the scourge and the applause of their men, the paladins made not a sound nor gesture. As they crossed the threshold of the chapels grounds, both fell to their knees.

The legion troops eagerly helped them to complete the walk into the chapel, where the soul stopped at Aurius and then sunk into his chest. "Well done, paladins of the holy light," Aurius said, striding slowly toward them.

Solwein and Kaonus looked at each other and then at Aurius. "You were Rivendare," Solwein croaked. "No, I am Aurius. Always have been, and now thanks to you, I always will be. You see, my soul was not split in two, but in three. Your master fought me in my complete form and successfully separated all that was good from all that was evil within me, but he was only able to purify part of my soul before he succumbed to his wounds.

"Thus, I ceased to be Hadeshorn and the baron came into being and you two came along to finish what Arkhel started. Well done, holy warriors." Aurius continued to beam at the two.

Kaonus looked at the items he collected from Rivendare. The dusty tome was entitled Codex Sanctus Lux. "The code of the holy light," Kaonus said. Solwein leaned closer to see the tome. "I didn't think it existed. I'm almost nervous about opening it," Solwein said.

"Do not fear, for you are good men and the book will accept you." Aurius said. "What exactly do you mean 'accept us'?" Kaonus asked. "This isn't any old holy text, Kaonus of Lordaeron. This is the actual rules and regulations of the holy light, truly one of a kind. The light itself will only allow certain individuals to read it."

Kaonus opened the book to the first page and sure enough, there was nothing but a blank page. "There's nothing there. What do we have to do?" he asked. "Just be patient and see," replied Aurius.

The two brothers looked back at the book and text and pictures slowly began to fade in on the old parchment. "The light is omniscient and omnipotent. The light is in all places and all times. Whosoever is chosen to wield it is rather wielded by it, and shall be called the Light Bringer," Solwein read aloud in common speech.

"Within this book are secrets not written anywhere else and known only to a select few. This tome is going to help you find him or her and, in time, help them to bring the scourge down. With this book, you two and the light bringer will save the world.

Kaonus and Solwein looked at each other again, processing the task laid out before them. They breathed a deep sigh together and rose to their feet. "This is the way, the only way, isn't it?" Solwein asked Aurius. Surprisingly, Kaonus answered him instead.

"Yes brother, I think it is," Kaonus said, pausing for effect. "You and I have fought the minions of darkness for years now. Each one deserved the lights retribution for their crimes against humanity as much as the last, but here today, we have encountered something entirely different. Here we have seen the perversion of life and the enslavement of the soul. Here today we have seen a great giant who, despite his size and pride, was made to fight us against his will in a form that should never have come into being. Here today, we have suffered the flesh plague and now we are constantly fighting against it to not only stay alive, but keep from a fate worse than death. After what I've seen here, I think that the scourge is evil, very evil. In fact I may even go as far to say that it is all that evil is, nay, evil incarnate."

Solwein put a hand on his brother's shoulder and pulled him close. "My dear brother Solwein, I think there only exists one force in the world of man, orc, elf, dwarf, tauren and otherwise that can defeat such an evil, and it is its polar opposite, righteousness incarnate." Kaonus turned to Solwein and put his hand on the back of his head. "Yes, Solwein, this is the only way."

A moment of silence was taken before Aurius spoke. "There is another item of importance that you hold, Kaonus. That hilt there is the weapon of the light bringer, materializing only when the balance is shifted unfairly in evils favor.

Solwein remembered the prophet speaking of a balance as well. "But it has no blade. What good is a sword with no blade?" Solwein asked. "The blade appears only when the light bringer needs it." Aurius replied. "It's true, the holy presence it emits is unlike anything I've felt before," Kaonus added.

"You must get that hilt to the light bringer as soon as possible. The hilt will be your guide," Aurius said finally. "The brothers looked at each other, both thinking of the same thing. "So we've got our items; how do we get out?" Kaonus said bluntly.

"Not to worry, my dear big brother. I brought a trump card too," Kaonus said as he pulled out a small stone with the hearth symbol on it. "I had a mage enhance the magic in the hearth stone. She said it would teleport many at once and then crack, opposed to teleporting one and being reusable. I figured I would keep it for a tight situation. I had almost used it outside, but we were too scattered. It only has a small range," Solwein Rambled.

Kaonus was wide mouthed and dumbstruck. "You had... a hearth stone? Not only a hearth stone, but one that could save us all, and you had it the whole time? Are you kidding me?" Kaonus blared, mouth agape.

The troops scattered away again as if Solwein was consecrating the ground again. "We accomplished the mission didn't we? Not only that, but we also have the light bringers weapon. The 'Light Bringer's' weapon! You would have used it as soon as I was infected and we wouldn't have gotten anything," Solwein rebutted.

"I would have used that thing the moment you were infected. I can't believe you brought something like that along without telling me." Kaonus exclaimed.

This familiar argument went on for almost an hour and the troops began to get comfortable. It soon came down to light blows and the occasional magical outburst. Eventually they became tired and came to a stopping point. The troops started to get back up and ready to move, for the argument was nearing its end exactly the same way as it always did.

"Ok, we agree that you should have informed me at least, correct?" Kaonus said. "Yes and we agree that you would have used it prematurely used it and thus compromised the whole point of bringing it, correct?" Solwein said."Fine." Kaonus said plainly.

Aurius had taken a seat to wait for the childish paladins to finish their rambling and now that they had at last, he had one parting sentiment for them. "Good luck, young paladins. Charge hard, and never lose faith."

"Aurius, what will happen to you?" Kaonus asked. "The city is still under the control of the scourge. My unfinished business in this realm is to liberate the city so I shall remain here doing everything I can against the scourge until the battle is won. I may not stray far from the chapels grounds."

Solwein and Kaonus nodded. "20th legion, circle up and bring it in tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride through the nether," Solwein said loudly.

The troops came as close to the two paladins as they could and Solwein rubbed the hearth symbol with his thumb. As the world around them began to fade, Solwein whispered to Aurius before he was gone. "I will defeat the scourge and set you free. I swear it." And then the 20th faded away into the twisting nether with the light bringers sword in hand, to Stormwind.