"Madness has brought you here to me. I shall be your undoing!"

Radulf looked over at Tal.

"Don't say it, mon."

"Tal-"

"Don't say it, mon, I know."

"That's an Eredar."

"I know that, mon."

"At what point did any of us sign up to fight an Eredar?"

"I didn't know, mon."

Radulf tightened his hold on the axes.

"Well, it's too late now."

The remaining eight members nodded, before getting ready to attack.

"All realities, all dimensions are open to me!"

Radulf looked up, before diving out of the way with the rest of the group.

A meteor smashed into the top of Karazhan, before unfolding into an infernal. The party rapidly spread out as it unleashed wave after wave of fire.

The party fought against the Eredar, dodging more infernals as they came. Radulf started to grin, a non existent heartbeat rumbling behind him.

"Simple fools! Time is the fire in which you'll burn!"

Then the Eredar raised his hand, and it was gone.

Radulf felt as if his axes weighed a hundred pounds. He was barely able to to dodge out of the way of the next nova. Two of the others didn't, and were incinerated by fire.

There was no way they could win this. He was too strong. There was no way-

It came rushing back, and Radulf shook his head, clearing it of the pessimistic thoughts.

The undead charged, smashing his axe into the side of the Eredar. It did a disproportionately small amount of damage.

The cycle continued, Radulf and the remaining members would freeze in fear, and they would lose at least one.

"How can you hope to withstand such overwhelming power?"

The Eredar reached into a portal, pulling an axe from it.

The shield bearer stepped up, facing down Malchezaar.

He deflected blow after blow, while Tal, Radulf and Mitnus rained damage on the Eredar.

Then, the axe struck shield, and the shield shattered. The mercenary sank to his knees, and was swiftly decapitated.

The Eredar turned to them, speaking.

"Your greed, your foolishness has brought you to this end."

Tal flinched, shock obvious. That wouldn't do.

Radulf stepped forward, throwing one of his axes into the air and catching it like it wasn't made for two hands.

"Go."

"What!?"

"I said," blood pumped, Radulf wasn't afraid, he would die, but the last thing he would feel was being alive, "go."

Radulf heard Mitnus grab onto Tal's leg, teleporting them out of there.

"Surely you do not think you could win?"

"Let us see, shall we?"

Radulf went low, dragging his axes across the ground as he charged at Malchezaar.

An eerie laugh sounded across the void at the top of the rook, axe smashed into axe, and then, silence.

-X Line Break X-

Braun placed down the glass of fine wine, sighing. Pinching his nose, he reached over and hit the speaker for his secretary.

"Mr. Schnee?"

"Clancy Winchester is being laid off."

"Yes, sir. Shall I give him the normal severance package?"

"Board member level."

"Yes, sir."

Braun leaned back. He would be sad to see Clancy go, he had been with Braun since the CEO had seized control of the SDC from his father thirty years before. However, both Braun and Clancy knew the price of failure.

Clancy had assured Braun that his son would beat Jaune Arc, a message to Weiss, alongside tightening the supply of Dust flowing into Vale. That had been a failure, so Clancy needed to be cut loose.

However, with the severance package Braun had afforded him, Clancy would never want for anything again.

Leaning back, Braun lit a cigar, going over the information his men had gathered. Ruby Rose was the Highlord of the Knights of the Ebon Blade. She appeared to be able to sway Ozpin and Ironwood. Not good, but not the worst. As evident by the fight that had taken place, Braun had a good deal of power with the Councils.

Yang Xiao Long was Ruby Rose's sister, she had several D.U.I charges on record and one suspected assault for an incident at a club in late August of last year. Other than that, nothing special.

Then there was Blake Belladonna. Faunus, worked with the White Fang in the past. Suspect in several raids on the SDC in the past.

He could reveal this to the public, but, as James had said, the Knights of the Ebon Blade were heroes at the moment. Everyone who had fought in the raid on Vale were. He wasn't likely to get the charges to stick if he tried.

So that left applying pressure to Weiss to force her to come back.

Braun wasn't too worried, Weiss was incapable of fighting without Dust, he had made sure her trainers taught her from the top down to fight with Dust. She wasn't even capable of summoning yet, like Winter had when she rebelled. Nor did she have the backing of an organization that had access to Dust. It would be a matter of time before she came running back to the family, and Braun would tighten the leash.

He would let her stay in Vale, but tighten her allowance. He would insist on weekly calls, and a guard at all times. There would be no way for Weiss to rebel again.

Turning the screen back on, Braun watched his younger daughter's fight.

Experienced fighter, Braun noted, she carried herself like his father had. Braun's father had been a veteran in the Faunus civil war, somehow, despite that he had empathized with the beasts.

The mongrel from the opposing team from easy going Vacuo acts friendly and waves. Braun felt some disgust that his daughter is associating with such scum.

Shakes hands, grip is just tight enough to establish strength without being painful. This wasn't a Huntress, it was a soldier, born and breed.

Immediately aims for the head, doesn't expect it to hit, but wants it to do maximum damage if it does.

Divides the teams, neither side wants to cross for risk of the other side having traps, Braun filled the information away, calling up a second screen to see both halves.

The CEO watched the fight, keeping an eye on both halves.

Immediately eliminate the strongest member, electricity to stop her from retaliating. Prior knowledge of fighting style, or just luck?

Hesitates before the shot. Death on record caused trauma?

Uses basic Glyphs to slow him. Conserves Dust. Damnnit.

The Faunus can become an animal, how fitting.

Timed that shot perfectly, spacial recognition is top notch. Must have used the sound of electricity to know where he was.

Reuses energy to conserve more Dust. Knows that she's running low.

Uses wind Dust. Agility is key trait. Augments her combat abilities with those skills. Doesn't hesitate this time. Worried about headshots.

Continuous use of basic Glyphs.

Braun buried the butt of his cigar in the ashtray. Watching them step into the room where others were waiting.

Not used to affection. Orphan? Abuse?

Pulls Weiss into a hug. Doesn't care who she's related to. This is her family as far as they care.

Talk of alcohol. Braun agreed with the girl. Whiskey over beer.

Braun would have to find some way to use what he had learned to his advantage.

Lighting another Cigar, Braun pulled some paperwork towards him, he had to find where to ship the surplus Dust that would normally go to Vale.

-X Line Break X-

Radulf worked his jaw. By Odyn's flaming beard, even after two year, it was nice to have that back, and his left arm, and right eye, and-

Ok. So maybe there was a reason he got promoted to High Executor and then sidelined prior to the Cataclysm beyond Sylvanas creating an echo chamber of loyal supporters. It wasn't his fault though, he didn't have the money to waste repairing his body when he could be repairing his armor and weapons! …Yeah, he didn't believe that either.

Picking up the Warswords of the Valarjar, Radulf headed to the mead hall. Passing by some of the Vrykul, he saw Ymiron gesture rudely at a new member who got too close, a string of expletives booming throughout Skyhold.

It had almost become a new hazing ritual, new members of the Valarjar had to provoke the bound king into a response. Nice, because that was really easy to do. Being too close to the Dragonflayer could see him launch into truly epic poetry of what he would do with your bowels after he tore them out of your gut. All with enough cursing to leave the most hardened sailor in awe.

Grabbing a flagon, Radulf started to walk to one of the endless casks. Where did those come from? Were there people working behind the scenes to make sure the drinks and meat never ran out?

Shrugging, the undead grabbed a leg of mutton, nodding at Dvalen.

Radulf leaned against one of the tables, washing down the chewy meat with a swig of mead, watching as one of the Val'kyr flew to Odyn.

The Prime Designate nodded, rising from his throne. The stormforged grew silent, watching their leader.

"Valarjar. Once again, our allies call for us. The sorcerer, Khadgar, has found another world-soul being corrupted by the taint of the Old Gods."

The glowing eye of Odyn roamed the room.

"I know there has been worry about the revelation that the Pantheon is dead. This does not matter. We are not Ra. We will not let this break us. We shall continue to fight, if not for the Pantheon themselves, then for the ideals they held. That every world deserved the right to fight for their chance to live.

Not only are the Knights of the Ebon Blade already there," Radulf saw Donovan perk up, and rolled his eyes, "but forces of the Tirisgarde, Council of the Black Harvest, and Order of the Broken Temple shall be assisting in the first push this combined effort."

Radulf's eyebrows hiked up, Mitnus and her brother were willing to work on something together? He knew they had started to mend bridges, but this must have been big.

"It is paramount that all worlds are ready to stand together in defiance of the Legion and Void. We may not know the people of this world, but I believe that a day may come where you stand beside them, blade in hand, for a new dawn. One free of Sargeras, so that we may turn our blades to the greater threats. The Void Lords, who use him as a puppet on their campaign to destroy all worlds."

Heavy boots tramped across the stone floors, and everyone stared.

Ymiron has broken from his constant vigil over the training pits. Head inclined to look up at the giant leader of the Valajar.

"You said that the Death Knights of Acherus were there."

"Yes."

"Ruby Rose still leads them." These weren't questions.

"Yes."

"Then I will help. Not for you, who bound me to serve. Not for your precious Titans, who abandoned my people. I will help her, because it is what I believe my god would have wanted, to see her safe now that he is gone."

"Better a completely selfish reason, than to refuse all together. Very well. Battlelord Skullweeper, you shall lead the Val'kyr and Valarjar on this march."

"My Lord," Donovan spoke out, "Please, allow me to lead these forces."

Dvalen and Radulf shared a look. What was wrong with Donovan's head that he didn't recognize that Ruby didn't just not reciprocate his feelings, she actively hated him?

"No. Donovan, I need your help to plan the logistics of this."

That, was a bullshit excuse if Radulf had heard of one. They would probably be under Khadgar's control again. A neutral party who didn't care about the remaining racial tensions.

"My Lord, please. The last time Ruby and I spoke, violent threats were exchanged. I want to speak with her before the bridges get too damaged."

Radulf choked on his mead, and Thorim smashed his fist into the berserker's back.

Holy shit, was Donovan really that oblivious? There weren't bridges to be mended, they had never existed in the first place.

From day one, Ruby had been politely distant at best. His constant hounding of Ruby had only replaced that with open hostility. Everyone was aware of this. Khadgar had planned entire raids around keeping Ruby and Donovan as far away from each other as physically possible.

Everyone, except Donovan himself apparently.

Odyn made a gesture above his champion's head, pointing to Radulf, Ymiron and a collection of Valarjar and Val'kyr, before pointing out of the mead hall.

Getting the point, they all slipped out, heading for the leap point.

Best to get going before Donovan realized they were gone.

-X Line Break X-

Khadgar sighed, looking over the map.

Too many places, and not enough time. Hundreds of miles of unexplored territory. Ironically, the same excuse Ruby had used was now biting them in the ass.

The Old Gods could be anywhere, as could the titan facility.

That was the main goal. While the Titan forged must have contracted an equivalent to the Curse of Flesh, there might be a map of where they locked away the Old Gods.

With it, they could gain so much information. How many there were. Where they were. What they held dominance over.

There was so much to decide. Where to build a more permanent base? The one they had on Menagerie couldn't last. It was too isolated, no easy supply lanes, and portals were hard to maintain.

Who to lead the efforts? He would select Ruby, she had the greatest knowledge of Remnant and was skilled in logistics after years acting as the Scourge's vanguard, but he wanted to respect his friend's attempt at a semi retirement for at least a little longer. He was sure something would come to pull her out of it, they always did, but until then, they needed someone to lead.

Khadgar didn't want to be in charge of this one. This wasn't Azeroth, or even Draenor. Khadgar knew the political history of his home planet like the back of his hand. Played a role in shaping it. He didn't have that advantage on Remnant. So who to put in charge until Ruby was ready?

Khadgar sighed, looking back at the map.

Radulf was out. He was the type who could only lead from the front, rallying his soldier from goal to goal.

Mitnus was used to logistical problems, having kept one of the biggest fleets on Azeroth together. Her problems with her brother, however, eliminated them both from the running.

Then there was the Grandmaster. He, or she, might have been a good choice. If they existed.

The Order was lead by committee. If they had changed that at some point, they hadn't bothered to inform him.

Khadgar sighed. Looks like he was playing this one by ear like it was Shattrath. Hopefully he wouldn't accidentally do anything too stupid until whatever the newest threat was got off its ass and got Ruby moving.

-X Line Break X-

Blake watched Ruby. The flames danced on her knuckles, granting the unhealthy pallor a green tint.

It was late, and the other two members of Team RWBY had long since fallen asleep. Blake, ironically, wasn't capable of sleeping at the moment. Worry, and Luperca prowling around the edges of the Heart, had made going into the Dreaming impossible.

Blake had followed Ruby up onto the roof, keeping to the shadows. Listened to the conversation there.

It was… strange, that she had been capable of understanding what the wind chime like form had been saying. Something told her that, despite not doing anything to draw attention to it, the being had known she was there. Had allowed her privy into the discussion that took place.

Questions raced around her head. Turalyon? Legion? Nihilam? Titans? The Twisted Nether and Void?

One of them, Blake recognized from Malfurion's writings. The Rift of Aln touched the Twisted Nether.

But the most worrying part, was the discussion of Ruby's role.

Life-Binder. It was a title Blake recognized from the journal. Cenarius had mentioned someone with that title to Malfurion. Alexstrasza, The queen of dragons.

Lich Queen. Someone, they hadn't said who, thought Ruby might take Arthas's place. To rule the Scourge. The very thought sickened Blake, not helped by the subtle presence of the Guardian.

How long had Ruby known this, but kept it a secret? And why? Did it eat at her? And why didn't Blake confront her about it?

Oh, right, because she was a damn coward.

Blake was broken from her thoughts as Ruby raised her hand.

The tattoos across it glowed dully, dragging a green mist from the fire, causing it to become a more natural red.

Ruby's eyes closed, and when the lids snapped open, they glowed even brighter. Blake saw Weiss roll over, the light irritating her.

The flames in Ruby's hand changes, turning silver. Ruby manipulated the flames, changing their shape. Nothing as complicated as her normal control.

Then she paused.

The light in her eyes slowly darkened, along with the flames.

Ruby's eyes stopped shining silver, slipping into gunmetal grey, and going further. The flames followed suit, growing darker.

Blake felt her stomach drop. She heard Yang whimper in her sleep, begging for a name. Weiss tossed and turned in her bed.

Shadows gathered in the corner of Blake's eyes. A guard, wearing a SDC uniform, a hole gaping through one eye.

Adam. Wilt stained with blood. Everyone she had come to care about spread out in a semi-circle. Only possessions of theirs allowed their bodies to be identified. Myrtenaster stood like a twisted monument from Weiss's chest. StormFlower sat in Ren's eyes.

Adam unfolded Crescent Rose, placing a foot on it, he pushed down.

The grey blade snapped, and Ruby's corpse convulsed. Blake could hear her pulse pounding in horror, and anger.

Caress your fear. Voice your doubts. Embrace your rage. Gorge your hatred.

Blake's hand fumbled out, looking for Gambol Shroud. She would kill him, She Would Kill Him. SHE WOULD KILL HIM!

Then something broke through the haze of hatred.

STOP HER! the Guardian roared in Blake's head, and the world tinted green, Punch her, hug her, I don't care what it takes, STOP HER NOW!

Blake sprang from her bed, hand closing around Ruby's wrist, Blake caught sight of Ruby's eyes for a moment.

They had pupils in them, for once. Pinpricks of white in a sea of pitch black. They gave the impression that Ruby was less looking at Blake, and looking through her, into her soul, laying bear every secret Blake had.

Then Blake pulled the taller girl into a hug.

The flames hung in the air. Black and purple.

Despite Blake touching them, they didn't burn, instead, the hallucinations came back.

Blake could see the guard standing behind Ruby, mouthing something.

It WAS your fault.

Behind her came a sickening noise, like a blade on meat. She wouldn't turn to face it, because she knew what she would find.

Time seemed to freeze for a second. Then Ruby jolted.

The flames disappeared, and the ghosts with them. Blake felt Ruby tense in her arms.

"Blake? What-"

"Never do that again. Promise me."

"What even happened? I don't-"

"It doesn't matter," Blake cut Ruby off, "Just, never do that again. Please. Please."

Blake wasn't ashamed to beg, nor was she ashamed of the hot tears sliding down her face and onto Ruby's shoulder.

What was that? It had been like every negative feeling she had boiled up. Blake heard Yang and Weiss settle down, whatever they had felt had faded.

"Blake, can you let go-"

"No," it was childish, but Blake didn't want to break the hold she had. What if she turned around and Adam was still there, the hallucinations having only pretended to disappear?

Ruby sighed, before enveloping Blake in a hug. Gunsmoke and rot. Two scents that had no right to be comforting, but were, because they were indicative of Ruby.

They stayed like that for a while.

-X Line Break X-

"Jumps nearly done! We need to lose them now!"

"Tell me something I don't know!"

Vandel caught the giant hoop-like blade the now demonic Warden used on the edges of the Aldrachi Warblades. The Demon Hunter sneered. Look at this, one of the Wardens, a holier-than-thou Warden, who locked up his brethren for years, had become a Demon.

She hadn't earned that power. Vandel, Kor'vas, Altruis, they had bleed for their power. Lost almost everything, cast aside what little remained. Torn the Fel corrupted heart out of the chest of a demon and eaten it. Clawed out their eyes in horror of the visions that came with it.

If Vandel had to explain it to the uninitiated, those who only knew Fel as a corruptor, he would explain it like dancing on the edge of a cliff. One wrong move and you went plummeting off the edge.

Cordana hadn't faced that. She had been gifted this power, going right over the edge into demonhood.

Cyana came from behind, swinging for his spine. The scales that had grown during his training blocked the glaive. The Fel infused keratin held strong.

Jace was right. They needed to lose the duo before they left the Nether. If they did, then there would be no way to find them. They could plan, and recruit from the native population.

If they didn't, however, they would be leading the Burning Legion right to this world's door.

Akama dug the kama he used into Cyana's back. As she turned to face the Broken, Vandel followed up.

Delivering a right hook to her skull, Vandel followed it with a swing to the back.

The blade's cut through her flesh easily, and Vandel threw her over the side.

The Slayer cursed, however, as she threw her glaive, glowing with Fel, into one of the engines. Even as she dissolved in the winds of the Twisted Nether, Vandel heard her laugh.

The explosion shook the Fel Hammer, throwing everyone around.

"Jace!?"

"We can make it! Focus on dealing with Cordana!"

The fallen Warden was holding off Belial and Altruis. Nodding to Akama, Vandel charged with the Broken Shaman.

As he went along, Vandel tapped into something deep inside. Spikes grew along his body, his feet because cloven, and claws grew from his fingers.

The Metamorphosed Slayer struck Cordana with the force of a train, smashing her in between his body and the balcony.

The warden cursed, before disappearing in a flash of green.

"They're gone."

"That's good, now I hate to ruin it-"

"Get it over with, Jace."

"The good news is we'll finish the jump. The bad news is the engines will probably give out right after."

"So, we're crashing."

"Yeah."

Vandel sighed, no surprise there.

The Fel Hammer finished its jump, before slowly drifting downwards towards a cement covered field.

"I thought you said the engine-"

Then the ship plummeted from the sky.

"-There we go."

Gripping the balcony, Vandel waited for the crash.

It was one of those days.

-X Line Break X-

Finkmink was curled over a tome, reading the Orcish.

He knew, knew that coming to Outland would have a boon, and look what he had found!

The journal of Teron Gorefiend! The black secrets in the book would help him greatly.

Despite what his sister thought, learning Fel magic didn't involve hanging out with Succubi constantly. A good warlock (and Finkmink did think of himself as such) had to constantly shun the easiest root to power. If you didn't, you were damning yourself to a fate worse than death.

Warlocks like Finkmink understood the importance of balance. Use the Fel too much, and you were asking for a host of side effects, use it too little, and you might as well call yourself a mage, at least then you got the benefits of the Kirin Tor.

Finkmink preferred to use Fel to fudge the numbers, letting him get out spells a bit faster than a mage.

But this, oh baby, this. There was so much Fel knowledge in this tome that Finkmink could feel it radiating from it.

It was one of the reasons Finkmink would insist that Fel was more difficult than arcane. There was no institution in place to teach Fel magic. Every Warlock was trying to figure it out themselves. Tomes on Fel knowledge were rare and hoarded by those who had them.

A group that Finkmink was now comfortably a member of. The gnome flipped pages, eyes glowing red as he took in the black arts.

Oh, was it a good day to be Finkmink Tinkfuse.

-X Line Break X-

Nalores rode on her charger, heading for Uther's tomb. It would be nice to get some rest.

The dwarf would have taken the worst inn in Ironforge right now. She had gotten back from Outland four days ago, and had been riding almost nonstop.

She had hit the eastern Plaguelands yesterday morning. Dodging Scarlet Crusade and Scourge patrols.

There seemed to be more of both since she had gotten back, more than there had been when they attacked Kel'thuzad.

The dead trees blocked the sun from reaching the plague tainted ground.

Turning, Nalores headed to the one place that wasn't blighted. Riding up the hill, Nalores waited for the guards to see her.

None came.

Frowning, the Argent Paladin rode further up.

Her eyes immediately locked onto the pile of bones.

Jumping down, Nalores picked up one.

Blight. The bones were blighted.

Jumping up, Nalores ran towards the tomb.

Bodies sat on the steps, rot already clear. A pack of blight hounds rested, chewing on the meat from one of the corpses.

Nalores unleashed the Light upon the beasts, leaving nothing but ash in her rage.

"No, No, No, No!"

Running further into the tomb, Nalores came to the entrance of the burial chamber.

It was smashed in. Running into the room, Nalores felt her pulse in her throat. Wasn't killing him enough? Subverted his daughter? Had they dragged him back to serve them too?

Nalores grabbed a stool, allowing her to see the top of the sarcophagus. It had been moved.

Bracing herself for the worse, the dwarf moved the lid.

He was still here. Nalores fell back, nervous laughter spilling forth. Thank the Light he was still there! The idea of having to fight a Scourged Lightbringer horrified her. Would have horrified any true blooded Paladin, but it didn't matter because he was still there!

Then she stopped. He was still there. So what was this all about? Did the Scourge really kill the guards, break into the tomb, and open his resting place for nothing?

Breathing in, Nalores moved his Shroud.

His mantle was gone, as was his hammer.

A startled oath, and Nalores moved the shroud and lid into place.

Rushing out of the tomb, Nalores jumped onto her horse and rode. She rode as long and far as the horse would let her, and when it tired, left it.

She had to get to Light's Hope, had to warn Highlord Tyrosus. Items of Light could be corrupted, and there was little more holy than anything Uther used.

Nalores burned anything that got too close with Light.

Finally, after the most frantic twelve hours of Nalores's life, Light's Hope came into view, and even more worry grasped her heart.

Half built fortifications stood around her home, and she could see members of the Scourge get uncomfortably close to it.

Nalores refused to slow down, even as her body cried in protest.

Luckily, someone saw her, and rode out on their horse.

Taking the orc's hand, Nalores rode behind him.

"What has got you so worried?"

"I'll explain later, I need to see Highlord Tyrosus now."

Nodding, the orc hurried his horse along.

Stopping before the chapel itself, Nalores took a brief moment to compose herself before walking in.

"Highlord Tyrosus!"

"Sister Goldfist, what is it?"

"Uther's tomb, the Scourge attacked it, killed the guards, stole his hammer! We need to attack now!"

Tyrosus looked at her, before gesturing for her to follow him.

Stopping outside the chapel, Tyrosus pointed to the sky.

Nalores looked up, only to gasp as she noticed something she had missed before in her rush.

Two Necropoli sat above her, one had the distinct outline of Naxxramas, but the other, was bigger. Undead Gryphons flew around them both.

"What?"

"Acherus, they call it. They've gathered the bodies of our brothers on it and are raising them to wipe us out."

"Then why are we standing here!? We should be attacking them now!"

Tyrosus shook his head, "Arthas is there, we would die."

"Then what do we do?"

"We build up our defenses while they are focused on the Scarlet Crusade. Then we take as many down with us when they come. Come, you need to rest."

Nalores let the fatherly hand of Maxwell Tyrosus lead her to one of the beds, worry eating at her.

-X Line Break X-

Tal sat in one of the burned down houses around Karazhan, staring at the book.

How? He was right there. He should be here.

Mitnus was brewing some coffee with the remains of the beans they had packed, using a copper kettle she had found in one of the other houses.

Tal was the one who wasn't in this picture, she should be missing.

"Tal."

The Troll looked up, and Mitnus pushed a cup into her hands.

"Drink."

Tal brought the coffee up to her mouth. Strong, just the way she liked it.

Of course it was. Her Lil' One always made the best coffee.

Tal continued to look at the picture. Was the artist wrong? Did the prophecy not have anything to do with them? If so, how did they know what Radulf and Mitnus looked like so perfectly?

Mitnus busied herself skinning a rabbit. This wasn't a sponsored raid, so they had to make do with what they had found.

And it had all been for nothing. They didn't find much gold. The books they had grabbed might fetch some money, but only enough to keep them in business for another month.

And Tal had lost a friend.

The Troll had grown up ostracized from her people. Her father would guide humans through the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale in return of food.

Traitor, they had called him. Nobody wanted to be friends with the traitor's daughter.

Tal had grown up alone. She would never be Tal'jin, or, Loa forbid, Zul'Tal. She wouldn't even be Tal'fon, because it wasn't a choice. Even as her peers gained titles, and their names grew, she was just Tal.

Then, one day, Drake Nottley came along.

The pirate was small, old and greying. But he could fight with the best of them. He had killed three of the tribes best.

He had an opening in his crew, and when Tal had begged him, he had allowed her onto his ship.

She missed that ship. The crew had mocked her as a savage. But there, Tal had been allowed to give as good as she got. Insults had been a way of showing affection.

Then Drake died one night in his sleep. It might have been poison, might have been alcohol, or maybe the old sea dog had beaten the odds and actually died of old age.

The crew stayed together long enough to divide up the money and burn Drake with his ship. One member had been kind enough to point her to Plunder Isle.

The Troll had spent years on the isle, acting as a pawn in the grand game of blood that took place on the pirate capital, gathering enough money to buy her first ship.

Through it all, Tal had never had a friend. Didn't want to risk having to put them down if they got too high in one of the other organizations.

Tal had bought her first ship, and sailed off. The troll had beaten the odds. She had gained a title.

Capn'Tal. She was the only one who referred to herself as such, everyone thought she was saying two words, but that didn't matter. She had a title. She wasn't just Tal anymore. Even now it brought a smile to her face.

She had taken on mercenary work, before running into the Darkspears. There, she had been directed to Orgrimmar, where she had signed on as a privateer.

Months had past, and she went to Ahn'Qiraj, where she had met her first two friends.

Mitnus, who Tal was certain wouldn't leave her when the rest of the crew did, and Radulf.

And now one of them was dead, and it was her fault.

Tal threw the cooling cup of coffee at the wall, anger flowing through her.

"Capn. It's not your fault. Radulf knew there would be danger in there, no one could have predicted there would be an Eredar at the top."

"She's right, you know," the voice came out like gravel.

Tal's head snapped to the side.

Radulf was picking his way through the broken wood. Smoke rose from where his left arm had been. A cut in his throat made it clear why his voice sounded different.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

In his other hand was the axe the Eredar had used, and a bag.

"How did you survive?"

"Say what you will about Arthas, but he built us to last."

Radulf dropped the bag on the table, where it made a distinct noise.

Opening it, Tal looked at the gold.

"That should be enough to keep you in business for a while right?"

The troll nodded, dumbstruck.

"Best part? You only need to split it two ways. I'll be taking this," Radulf raised the axe, "as my payment, and everyone else is dead."

Tal chuckled.

And that's how the Violet Eye found an undead, troll, and gnome sitting around a table, waiting for a rabbit to finish cooking.

-X Line Break X-

Darion stopped Iydallus, holding his hand up.

"Why have we stopped?" Orbaz spat out the question.

"We're going to flank them."

"Flank them?"

"Yes, flanking it's when you attack someone-"

"I know what flanking is, boy. What I want to know is why we are flanking them."

"There are more of them than us. If we hit them from behind, we run less of a chance to lose anyone."

"And be remembered as cowards. We should hit them from the front, let them know that the Scourge has come for them."

"Better to live and be thought of as a coward, then die and be remembered as a fool. We'll flank them."

Orbaz sneered at him, before moving his Deathcharger on.

Darion leveled a glare at Orbaz, and Iydallus snorted in anger.

"Ignore him, he's angry that he wasn't placed in charge."

Thassarian rode up next to Darion.

"Does he think it was my choice?"

"I doubt it, but Orbaz has never been allowed to lead a group. He's been relegated to be an eternal follower, and he hates it."

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't play well with others " Koltira took the other side, "he thinks that the easiest way to the goal is the right way, no matter how many casualties. Unfortunately for him, the Lich King, Ruby, Kel'thuzad, they all have him made. They know that we would have died if he were put in charge. Plus, I think they want to test you."

"Test me?"

"Yeah. You've trained with some of the best, been allowed to skip Razuvious's hell course because of that sword on your back," Koltira nodded to Ashbringer, "but you're unbloodied, all the fresh meat here are to some degree, so they want to see how you all handle yourselves. It'll probably end up deciding whether the Knights of Acherus actually get made or if the entire project gets scrapped."

"Oh," Darion muttered, "so no pressure then."

"If it makes you feel any better, me and Thass have been doing this for a lot longer than Orbaz has, and I think you made the right call here. By the time we get to the back, it will be night, so most of the Scarlet Crusade will be getting drowsy."

"Just butcher them in their beds?"

"If it will be that easy. I'm betting we'll still lose at least one."

"Are you coming?" Orbaz called out, contempt clear.

"I hate him."

"Don't worry, nobody likes Orbaz, I'm pretty sure there are plenty of plans floating around for how he'll fall off Acherus. Stefan, at least, has one ready."

Iydallus canted forward at Darion's command.

"Finally."

If Darion made it back, he was finding this Stefan guy.