Chapter 10:
Blind sorrow and despair quickly turned back on me and into an emotion I was more adept at using for my own - hatred.
Pushing aside all thoughts about this Keira that were so suddenly eruption from all around me I found myself trapped in a corner, no means of escaping to be found and still it was easier than coping with what had happened only so few minutes ago.
The rage that had built up in me alongside found a new target only a short time later. I focused all of it in its entirety on the Scarlet Crusade again. They would pay for what they had done to me... to...
Right now I can't tell what will happen should they give me any more tasks involving the Crusade. The scouting was over for me... the only thing I'm interested in doing is killing. To annihilate them - every single one up to the very last!
I already know how I would get my revenge on Plaguefist sooner or later. The irritating thing at thirst was that the master himself had promised me the vengeance I sought. He probably said it to soothe my anger. But I guess it wouldn't matter if I fed the soul of a Crusader to Frostmourne or the wretched being of Plaguefist, surely both would be to its liking.
From these moments on I heard how my master and king was coming closer to me. I noticed how he was beside me almost all the time, constantly whispering into my ears... but I? I turned away.
I did not listen to him anymore.
Only occasionally a single word slips through that I can clearly understand which leaves me unsure about a lot of things... I don't know if he meant vengeance by killing Plaguefist or just another ambush on the Scarlet Crusade.
But soon I again stopped questioning what revolved around me unseen. All that matters is the present and the revenge I am longing for so desperately, not the way how I would achieve it in the end.
On the way back over to Thassarian I find myself tumbling about, unable to walk in a straight line. Every part of my body felt even more numb than before and my vision has gone blurry, though I didn't suffer any injuries. I never felt like this before. Just as if I had been alive again and now I was gravely wounded and they just left me out there to die.
Luckily for me this condition turns out to be not too persistent. The moment I stand in front of the inn everything has cleared up again, at least for a bit, at least for the current moment. Yet my legs still feel far too weak and fragile to carry me around too much further.
As I slowly make my way up the stairs Thassarian looks at me from his dead, bloodshot eyes. He clearly knows that something is wrong with me, but I don't plan on telling him anything of what had happened no matter how much I feel deep inside that he should understand me.
I only share the important part of the story with those around me, which brightens both of them up a little, making Thassarian leave behind any doubt he had about my situation being alright. That man is far too weak for becoming a champion of our master...
But what am I thinking?
Am I turning weak now too?
NO! I won't turn into a fool like Koltira or Thassarian! Though I don't want to be like Orbaz either... but I would prefer being like him compared to the other two any day... I guess.
"Koltira's cry for vengeance has been answered! Another victory for the Scourge! I salute you my brother." Something about hearing his words makes me feel uncomfortable.
Orbaz is tapping his foot behind us might be a possible reason, but I highly doubt it. Anyways I turn around to look into his cold blue eyes.
"While you burned down churches and murdered vermin, I've been busy formulating a plan. Within the next hour a courier will pass the Scarlet Overlook." He makes a short pause, pointing out of a window. "Just kill him. Kill him, but be careful not to damage his clothes too much. Take his belongings – everything he has and bring them here..., including the rags." I nod to show I understand.
"Hurry up so you don't miss him or I'm forced to kill you... And by 'forced' I mean I will take great pleasure in ending your life." The smile on his lips is deceitful.
As a matter of fact I don't think of his words as a threat. They simply mean nothing to me right now. I still know I'm not at a disadvantage when facing him.
The overlook I'm supposed to head to, is off to the east not too far away, near a path winding down to the coast and the last of the scarlet harbors.
I don't hurry through the empty areas of New Avalon. This war is almost won. It only took us a single day to drive this pitiful Crusade to the brink of annihilation. And soon nothing except for their torn flags will be left of them to be remembered.
Two large watchtowers flank the crooked path leading out of the town. I take a curious look down to the coast from the cliff above and find a rather surprising sight. Their 'harbor' consists of roughly three or four wooden landing stages. But then again, I can make out five large ships with white sails bearing the symbol of the Crusade. A large amount of people are down there loading these last vessels with their remaining hope, whilst others are roaming the coast, keeping it quite heavily guarded all in all.
Seeing the letter 'L' standing for Lordaeron colored crimson like that in the distance appears strangely familiar to me. Something in me wants to come out... I can feel that now. It is almost as if trapped memories are almost breaking free of their heavy chains.
But yet again, all these thoughts are banished in an instant as I hear a horse approaching.
He isn't too far away anymore but it still leaves me about enough time to seek the shelter of nearby shadows before he would spot me.
And there he is, the wind slightly tearing on his crimson cloth, the rider slows down the moment he has passed the two towers. Maybe he feels safe now upon reaching this landmark, ironic that this is the case only after he has left the walls of the city of his beloved Scarlet Crusade.
Soon he will regret that he slowed down early.
I concentrate all my wrath and unguided hatred on the area around the horse of the courier for a moment. I know what I want to happen so I'm rather sure what the shadows were conjuring up for me. I can't hold back the smile as I hear a digging sound. The horse rears up as it comes closer and closer, knocking the courier out of the saddle.
Only shortly afterwards a rotten hand bursts out of the hardened soil. The flesh on it is green, rotten and decaying, only held on the bone by dark magic.
The animal sees the unholy creature emerging from its earthbound tomb and flees back into the city of New Avalon as any sensible being should do. The courier now lies on his back staring in shock at my undead minion as it frees its feet from the cold embrace of the earth. Its eyes are completely black and lifeless, the skin covered with blains of various sizes.
"I LIKE GLITTER!" The blighted creature announces in a distorted voice upon achieving its release.
If their brain would not rot away too, I'm sure they would be far better minions.
The courier still lies on the ground paralyzed by the sight of the ghoul as it comes closer to him. Its movement is clumsy and not very fast, but what would you expect from a former human with most of his stomach missing. Blank ribs are pointing out of the rotten flesh. Its vitals seem to be all gone at least I don't see any of them hanging out. Small lumps of earth are flying everywhere as it shakes and trembles und every step.
As it's not too far away from our prey any more I decide to come closer on my own. Meanwhile the ghouls seems to go ahead and... sniff at the courier?
"RATCARVER HUNGRY!" It announces and with a surprisingly swift movement it sinks its teeth deep into the arm of the whimpering human.
Still in a state of shock and peril it takes a moment for him to even realize what is happening to him right now. But just before he can open his mouth to let out the scream of despair his mind has been searching for over the last couple of minutes, I leap towards him and cut off his head with one clean swipe of my blade.
I know that the voice of a single screaming human more wouldn't matter too much but I don't want to draw any attention or even make them suspicious as it is this close to their last retreat.
"Go... Ratcarver? Go after the head!" I kick the severed body part away with my foot. To my astonishment it really works the way I had it intended to do. The ghoul instantly leaps at the rolling head, running after it clumsy as it is.
The right sleeve is done for by the looks of it, but well... it shouldn't be too difficult to find an excuse for that in a battle ridden environment as this is.
Return to Orbaz instantly would be the right thing to do now.
To my surprise the ghoul is still by my side nibbling on the severed head in its claws as I enter the former inn. Normally the creature should have stayed roaming the area around the Scarlet lookout but instead it stuck with me till now.
I tell the creature to wait on the lower floor and it actually listens to the orders I give. For the moment I leave it standing next to a female bloodelf death knight guarding the entrance of the inn, hoping it wouldn't do too much damage down there. The number of death knight initiates keeping watch in this area of New Avalon is growing thinner by the minute. Most of them are being called back to the black fortress of Acherus; a clear sign of the ultimate defeat for the Scarlet Crusade.
Orbaz takes the letter out of my hands and tells me I should get dressed in the clothes of the Courier as quickly as possible. As I do so he suddenly bursts out in wild laughter.
"The armies of Hearthglen and Tirisfal will be marching into a massacre!" He announces loudly with a joyous tone and a bright smile is on his face. He's really getting excited about the news and for once I can fully understand how he feels about something.
"Are you getting dressed already?" His tone shifts back to something incredibly pressing as his eyes swiftly checked on my progress, urging me to hurry and get into the robes of the courier. They are by far too big, hanging loosely from my skinny body.
"I know that you won't fool anybody looking like this. But the Val'kyr will cast a spell on you that will make up a perfect disguise, at least for a limited amount of time... so you'd better hurry up."
Like many of her sisters the creature shining in a bright white light comes out of the rooms in the back. "She's checking whether the bodies we bring up here are still of use for us or not."
Her lips begin moving but I can't hear a single word she is supposedly saying. Seconds later the world around me is spinning but only for a short moment. After it had stopped again I look down at me to find a completely altered body. The Crusaders might actually fall for this disguise in the blind beliefs. The robe now fits perfectly after my rotten body now again bears fresh meat for a change. As I touch my face I notice the brown beard I am now sporting. This really turns out to be quite a change in appearance.
"Now go! We have only little time and the message must reach their high command at all cost! We don't want to draw their suspicion. Everything must continue as if all was going according to their own plans. They want to fight us in our realm...? What fools they are! But they will pay for their arrogance...!" I hear his words and unwillingly accept his orders. "Meanwhile we will also depart to Acherus. When you are done, retreat as well. We will bring the news of the approaching armies to Highlord Mograine. Make sure you return before they arrive. Don't you dare to stay here waiting for them and have fun all alone!" His eyes narrow down as the last of the words leave his mouth.
Clear of what I had to do I head down the stairs and make my way towards the exit of this building. To my ongoing surprise the ghoul is still down here standing next to the door, waiting for me as I had ordered him to do.
But he breaks with this sudden obedience quickly enough: with a loud "RATCARVER" his claws hit the bloodelf right in the face, tearing off scraps of undead skin.
"Stop it, you dumb ghoul!" I forget myself and yell at him. The bloodelf looks at the creature in disgust as any of her race would do. I'm just waiting for her complaint about it towards me, but I guess she did not forget she's just an underling compared to me.
I dismiss the ghoul upon leaving the building. I couldn't let him stay here, nor could I take him with me. Surely it would be rather awkward for a Scarlet Courier to appear before their general with a ghoul peacefully lingering at his side. Although I guess it would be all kinds of funny to see their faces in such a moment of colliding worlds. But whatever the case it would spell sudden doom for either me or the ghoul... or maybe even both.
Upon his dismissal I can only watch in astonishment how fast these undead puppets could be from time to time as he quite literally buries himself again. But frankly his is not the time to be thinking about unnecessary things like this, I have to focus back on the task I was given.
I have to hurry to the coast, there's no telling how long this spell of the Val'kyr might last. Luckily it's at least not too far away from here, though the path down to their landing stages is heavily guarded, step by step. This would be the first test for my guise already...
But as soon as they spot me a series of reactions is put into quick motion: one after another yells at his companions and me likewise. "Let him pass! Hurry! To the High General with you!"
The way opening up like this I climb down the slope fast and without any problems.
The young woman that took the place of the general in command, with the hazel-brown hair also shouts at me as soon as she sees me. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Her voice is piercing, like that of most women in panic. "You are two hours late! We were about to send a messenger to the High Commander!" Without a word I give her the unaltered message as I was ordered by Bloodbane.
"Damn it! The armies must not reach New Avalon at all cost! The Scourge will slaughter them all!" She takes a step towards me. "Listen well, courier. The Scarlet lands are lost. New Avalon and Havenshire are overrun by the Scourge. The specter of death looms overhead and threatens to overtake us at any moment." She swallows hard. "Tell Galvar this: 'Turn your armies around and prepare your ships for travel to the frozen wastes. When we meet next time, it will be in Northrend.' And give him this journal. It will explain everything." She makes a short pause as she has to fight for words. "The Scarlet Crusade is no more... Long live the Scarlet Onslaught!"
I nod again in silence and raise my arm with them so hopefully I don't blow my cover. Turning around immediately to head up the slope again was the best choice to make.
"Make haste!" Abbendis yells behind me and I speed up my pace following her wish, little does she know that this important note would never reach its destination.
The moment I enter New Avalon again the disguise drops. Clearly too close for comfort, but I'm already too far away from the first guards, the slope breaking their vision to me additionally. But my thoughts are already trailing off to somewhere else, my attention now drawn to the journal that this Abbendis woman had given to me. Not giving it too much thought but rather controlled by my own curiosity I open it and flip through some of the pages.
What I find is beyond any description. The content of this diary is lacking any sort of content. Random notes are taken down across the pages, sentences with no beginning or end to them. Lone words on lone pages scattered about. On some of them there are crude drawings I can't fully make out what they are supposed to be. And then... there is this one almost straight in the middle of it all.
It definitely has wings, but what is this... creature?
For the most parts it looks more like the coloring book of some child. As I walk along I read a few lines of actual sentences I find on another page. What rubbish and nonsense these few phrases contain. One foot already in their graves those fools are sailing to their demise.
As I look up again I find myself in Havenshire. The place is as quiet as a graveyard, and well in fact it has become during the earlier morning hours of this day.
Reaching the breach below Acherus the two elven princes Valanar and Keleseth are standing in midst of two bright green circles. Seems they are channeling some sort of spell, but it can't use up too much of their concentration. Valanar even waves at me as I pass by..., strange cocky elves they are.
The platform from before is now a good bit different. It is a lot higher than last time I'd seen it, also a lot darker. The material looks similar to the ore they use for our sets of armor. I have no idea why anybody should want to build a pedestal like this from pure Saronite but well... this is nothing of my concern. Hardly anything is...
Dismissing my thoughts yet again I take the gryphon up to the black fortress.
Up in Acherus I find Koltira and Thassarian standing on the outer rim of the lower area.
Deathweaver greets me as usual, though something about him is clearly different. I did not attribute too much to it at first but he is wearing a shiny new set of full-body armor.
Why did that useless...?
"Looks great, doesn't it?" He smiles at me, knowing fully well that I had spotted it. "They have one for you too!" He announces with a happy tone in his voice. Why do elves have so much interest in dressing themselves?
But even worse! The armor of Koltira looks similar to the one of Highlord Mograine, merely a little bit darker, but also with the horned skulls as shoulders with the crimson eyes. Why of all people would have deserved something like this? It's outrageous and insult to each of us!
Meanwhile as I still curse him in silence Koltira heads on wanting me to follow him to my personal new armor. From the corner of my eye as the elf tries to drag me away, I notice that Thassarian is also wearing a new set. His is dark blue with large spikes on his shoulders, four on each side. The welds are highlighted in a golden tone. Light grey skulls with blue glowing eyes decorating his shoes, gloves and the belt he is wearing.
As Koltira speeds up yet again and turns around into the hallway leading around the middle circle I just turn around and head back to the nearest path so I would get to Mograine without too much delay.
"What are you doing? Get your new armor! It looks great!" Koltira shouts behind me after noticing I wasn't following him anymore.
"I don't have time for this! I have to get to Mograine first! Show me later, insolent worm!" I snarl at him. The elf looks disappointed, stating clearly just how much of an idiot he really is. How could someone like him become a high-ranked death knight? And why the hell did they present him with something like that? He got himself captured out there, dammit!
The rage boiling inside me I step before the Highlord Mograine and force myself to kneel down.
I tell them what I found out without tallying. Everything about the approaching armies has been already conveyed by Bloodbane some minutes earlier. The Highlord looks utmost pleased as I hand over the journal of Abbendis.
A grim smile comes to his lips.
"You did great things today Malevolence, child of our king. Even more than I would have imagined from you and the other three... Now go! Go and collect your reward. Lord Thorval will give you your new set of armor. Something that should be more suitable for a warrior like you than the things you are wearing at the moment. Of all you have earned it."
I bow and back off, still unsure why the elf also received one.
Lord Thorval is the headmaster of the school of blood. I still remember this from earlier this morning, the master had told me so amongst many other things, although I had not seen him until now.
The grounds where he teaches aren't too hard to find. Everything is covered with curdled blood of initiates that were too weak or other 'test subjects' that had been brought up here.
Koltira, Thassarian and Bloodbane were here as well, waiting for me. Seeing all three I can understand why Orbaz gets a new armor... but the other two? Come on... They are little more than foolish initiates that were hardly even able to master the ritual of Death's Challenge.
I come closer to them whilst Bloodbane is still putting on his new boots. His presence seems more angst-inducing than before and a lot stronger too. Now almost any minion of the master would bow to him, I'm sure of it. Still... he gives me a strange look, ridden by an unknown emotion.
Just like Koltira, Lord Thorval is already expecting me. "There it is..." He announces full of pride. "..pitch black, just like the rest of your soul." A grim smile follows along to his words.
The primary color of the armor is black just as he said. It is covered with bronze welts all over, serving as highlights. From the gloves as well as the breastplate a skull is staring at me from bright red eyes. The shoulder pads are rather large and oval with three spikes coming out of the end of each with a bow. A black spike on the top end makes sure no blade will find a way to get through to my neck. It looks kind of dangerous at first, but as soon as I put it on, the armor becomes one with my body. It feels perfect for me and I am sure that spike will be of no harm whatsoever. They also have a helmet for me, but I refuse it. I believe it would only narrow down my field of vision. Something I can't stand at all.
"This armor is completely made of only the purest Saronite. There are no such armors in our army at the moment." Lord Thorval tells us, again with the proud voice. "You are the first ones to get these. Carry them with pride!"
We all know that they will surely try to make more of these if they prove worth the effort. Maybe that is the reason why they gave Koltira one too. With one major difference: He is just a rat they experiment on. If this armor is capable of protecting a fool from dying, it surely will be able to do the same for a real warrior!
"You will soon notice that Saronite will help you focus your powers, to gather strength - magical as well as physical. It is similar to your runeblades. You should also notice that it is significantly lighter than Mithril or even Thorium. Now, suffer well brethren."
Lord Thorval leaves the room and us behind without any further word.
I can only look down at me and find myself to be speechless of what I am wearing at the moment. It feels so good, a feeling I had already forgotten. Where do I know this from? Where...?
But everything is shattered again the moment I touch the bag that I had tied so neatly to my belt. Suddenly everything feels terribly wrong.
"The master wants to see us down at the breach. Get going you scumbags!" Orbaz gives the order, breaking my thoughts apart like shards of glass.
I haven't given too much notice to his armor so far. The style of his shoulder pads is similar to mine, but in a different color. Everything on his armor is in a light red. It doesn't look too spectacular if you'd ask me. But there is no doubting the effect it already has on him. Nevertheless – now bearing my own one I still look at him as equal... maybe even an underling. I hate how he is the one in command without ever being questioned.
The undead gryphons swiftly take us down to the camp again, the armor having no effect on their ability to fly in any way.
The Lich King, our unholy master has now taken his place, standing on the pedestal, overlooking Havenshire and New Avalon.
Ghouls, geists, initiates and abominations - flesh giants sewed together from various different bodies with far too many limbs - roam the area all alike.
We four kneel down in front of the pedestal next to each other, the voice of our master now echoing in our minds, rendering it impossible to make out if he is only whispering to us or if he really shouts it out over the battlefield.
'Feast my children! Feast on the flesh of the living!'
The armies of Hearthglen and Tirisfal have finally reached New Avalon and try to re-conquer Havenshire already.
'Where is your Holy Light now, Crusaders?'
A huge spear is shot from New Avalon straight towards us. It comes down early and only hits the ground in the town below, hurling up earth upon impact. So they have siege-engines with them too.
'Soon you will all be part of the Scourge!'
Still our forces are holding them back without major problems.
'There is no light, only darkness!'
The screams of those that are dying welcome the approaching sundown.
'Leave nobody alive!'
The Scarlet Apocalypse has begun...
'Bow to your eternal King!'