Well I've certainly had some free time lately! Here's another semi-short oneshot for you all! This time focusing on the story of how Wrath and Anduin first met! I promise I'll start working on the next chapter of Broken Wings now! Enjoy!
Faith
-3 Years Ago-
In the mystical lands of Pandaria, on a small outcropping overlooking a steep cliffside, a single hooded figure sat, watching the events unfolding on the small platue before him.
The Horde Warchief, Garrosh Hellscream stood before a massive ornate bell, at least twice his size. In his hand was a mace, poised to strike at a blonde haired young man standing between the Orc and a bell defiantly. "...-Your interference has cost me a great warrior, young prince. You'll pay with your life!"
"That is where you are wrong, Garrosh." Anduin replied, earning a low growl from the brown skinned Warchief. "The mogu made the Divine Bell to create chaos, but the Pandaren created a special mallet to turn the echoes of that chaos into perfect harmony. That mallet was hidden for thousands of years, until now."
Without another word, Anduin leapt towards the Divine Bell, slamming the mallet in his hand against the sacred metal as hard as he could, the sound that emanated from the bell, the sound stunning Garrosh and causing a massive crack to form along the side of the Divine Bell
"Die, whelp!" Garrosh yelled in blind bloodlust, charging towards Anduin with his mace raised above his head. Anduin was quick to dodge in incoming blow, the mace instead impacting against the Divine Bell.
The bell gave one last groan of resistance before it suddenly began to crumble into a dozen smaller pieces, landing in a heap onto Anduin, who was crushed within an inch of his life as the massive fragments of the bell obliterated his rib cage and shattered his appendages.
Garrosh gave a small chuckle as he watched the Prince moaning pathetically in pain, before turns away from Anduin, gazing out at the lands of Pandaria. The lands that would soon be his. "Your Alliance must be at its end if you're sending your children against me."
The Warchief then walked over to his personal wyvern, mounting the beast which began its take off only a moment afterwards, carrying it's laughing master into the skies, away from the dying Prince.
The courtyard grew silent, save for Anduin's haggard breathing.
As he lay there, the last shreds of his life ebbing away, his thoughts turned to what he had accomplished. What had happened over the course of his short life, the insanity of the last 10 or so years of his life not lost on him, though another though soon crossed his mind as well. What could have been.
He glanced over at the floor next to his head, finding it harder to breath with each and every second.
This is where he would die. Not surrounded by those who loved and cared for him, but in the lonely, yet captivating, beauty of the mystical mountains of Pandaria, so far from home.
It would not be long now. He would be coming face to face with his mother once more soon enough.
However, just as his lungs seemed to want to push out the last breath that the prince would ever take, a small flower petal fell next to his face, brushing up against his nose, forcing him to open his eyes in order to gaze upon what would no doubt be the last thing he would ever see.
The petal of a rose.
He let his eyes drift shut once as he accepted his fate, a small content smile etched upon his bruised and battered face. It had been a short life that was for sure, but never once was it one with regret.
Suddenly, just as he felt himself drifting away, Anduin felt as a massive weight was pulled off his back, exposing his injuries to the air.
"Wh-... Who?..." Anduin gasped out as he attempted to force himself to open his eyes once more, only to find the task exceedingly more difficult than it had been only moments prior.
"Don't speak." A voice rang out, echoing hauntingly throughout Anduin's skull.
Anduin took in a ragged breath before forcing his eyes open, and through blurry vision saw a hooded figure with icy blue eyes standing over him, hefting a larger fragment of the Divine Bell off to the side, landing in a pile of smaller fragments that had presumably already been removed.
"Who-... Who are you?..."
"I just told you not to speak. Your lungs are probably punctured." The figure reprimanded, kneeling down in order to inspect the injurers on Anduin's back. None of which were minor, no doubt.
"Then I'm as-... As good as dead." Anduin wheezed, reaching out towards the figure, who grabbed the Prince's wrist softly, gazing at the young man with those soul piercing eyes. "Please... Tell my father what happened here today..."
"You'll be telling him yourself."
Anduin attempted to open his mouth again in order to protest, only for his vision darken and his consciousness to slip away before he could let out anymore more than a moan of pain.
Wrath had been having a calm day all things considered.
Since Garrosh had a serious dislike for anything that was not either Orcish or swung around a large axe while screaming about blood and honor, many of the Horde's members had been set lose around Pandaria to do as they please, so long as they did not interfere with the workings of the Horde.
Not that he really listened to what Garrosh said either way, but if he could avoid unnecessary attention, then so be it. He could play along like a good little elf.
Of course that whole idea had gone out the window when Wrath had stumbled upon Garrosh and Anduin during the final moments of their confrontation, and the result of said confrontation.
Granted, Wrath had never had a serious issue with the Alliance like many in his race, due to him living in Icecrown during the incident between the elves and the human faction led by Garithos. So saving Anduin was almost a no brainer for the Death Knight, though he certainly was not looking forward to the Alliance's reaction to learning that their favorite Prince had been crushed like a bug.
Those fears were soon made real when Wrath trudged up to the entrance of the Alliance keep with Prince Anduin in a broken heap in his arms. A large Draenei and human were the first to stop him, their bows aimed at his head.
"Halt! Blood elf, state your buis-..." The guard trailed off and dropped his bow in horror as he realized exactly what the Death Knight before him carried in his arms like a sack of food. "Prince Anduin!"
Wrath growled silently as he watched the human's frankly overdramatic reaction playing out before him. Was it so much to ask to have a question or two asked before they started with the theatrics?
The human took one last look at the Prince before drawing his sword, rage building in his eyes as he glared daggers at the elven Death Knighg standing before him with an uninterested look on his face. "How dare you! What've you done to him?!"
"The Horde 'Warchief' Garrosh Hellscream crushed him under the divine bell..." Wrath explained, giving the human a roll of the eyes. Someone here needed to drink less coffee during guard duty. "He-..."
"How do we know you're not responsible for this... This atrocity?!" The human demanded as he began to stalk towards Wrath, his blade raised.
Wrath was honestly feeling quite the urge to teach the human approaching him where he could stick that sword of his. "Would you just calm your-..."
"No, stop!..." The Draenei suddenly interrupted, causing the human to hesitate and glance back at his patrol mate with a look of complete bewilderment. "No... Let him through... He speaks the truth..."
"What? How do you know?!..."
"Something about him is different..." The Draenei explained, a small naaru crest appearing just above his forehead as he stared as Wrath, who had since leaned against a nearby post, though he had not released Anduin's form from his grip. "The Light still-..."
"What're you spouting on about?!..." The human whispered harshly, this time directing his glare to his patrol mate, who seemed unfazed by the whole display. "Do you not understand who this elf has in his arms?!..."
"Trust me... He means us no harm..." The Draenei pressed, bringing his hands up in an attempt to placate his friend.
The human stood stock still for a moment in thought before grumbling and roughly sheathing his blade.
"Very well..." The human hissed out, clearly not amused with the current state of affairs. Turning to Wrath, he gave the elf a 'come-hither' gesture before making his way inside of the gate of the keep. "Follow me elf, I'll bring you to our Admiral. He'll know how to best deal with this unfortunate 'situation'..."
Varian and Jaina hastily strode into the room as quickly as they could while still remaining dignified, though the worried expressions on their faces betrayed their true feelings.
Only moments ago a royal guard had come up to both of them when Jaina had been visiting Stormwind, only to be told that Anduin was in serious condition and may not make it through the night. Needless to say Jaina and Varian were only a portal away and were quick to utilize that method of travel.
"Anduin!..." Jaina was the first to spot Anduin, laying broken and bloody on a small rag in the middle of the room, running over to him and kneeling over his prone body. Varian was not far behind, also taking a knee next to the fallen form of his only child.
"Anduin, what were you thinking?..." Varian uttered solemnly as he brushed a strand of Anduin's blood caked hair away from his face. "I should've sent you back to Stormwind!..."
"He's alive, but his bones are shattered..." Jaina said, her eyes brimmed with tears. She had practically watched Anduin grow from a child to the young man he was now. She did not think she could bear to see that young spark snuffed so easily.
"Send for Velen." Varian ordered the surrounding guards who quickly snapped to attention at the King's words. "Bring him here at once!"
The guards were all out a moment later, all searching for a Draenic mage who would be able to quickly travel to the exodar with little difficulty.
"My King, I promise you..." Jaina began, her voice filled with barely contained resentment at the thought of the brown skinned orc who had caused this. "The Kirin Tor will come down on Garrosh so hard his ancestors will reel! Blood will pay for blood!"
"Jaina-..." Varian began, only to be cut short when Jaina suddenly teleported away in a flash, leaving only traces of rapidly dissipating arcane smoke where she once stood.
"I will end Garrosh for this. His Horde already crumbles beneath him. We will deliver the final blow." Varian's voice finally softened as he knelt down once more to gaze at his son more closely, his heart breaking at the sight. "Anduin... You thwarted the Warchief today and won the Alliance a critical victory... I just wish this didn't have to be the price for that victory..."
After a moment of silence, the King glanced up over at the corner of the room, where Wrath stood, his arms crossed and his hood over his face. "...I take it... You were the one who brought him back?"
"Mhm..."
"Why?... You're a blood elf. You had no reason to-..." The King was cut off as Wrath suddenly shoot up straight, his arms no longer covering his tabard. His tabard of not the Horde, but of the Ebon Blade.
"I wasn't going to leave him to die." Wrath said as he wandered over to the King and the broken Prince. "I didn't care who he was..."
Varian gazed at the elf, stunned by his words for a moment.
Sure, he knew that the Sin'Dorei were not like the other races of the Horde in more ways than one. He even knew a certain blood elf rogue rather well, and had fought beside the elves on more than one front. Despite all of that however, it was still an absolute surprise to see that not only was it a Blood Elf who had saved his son from certain death, but a Death Knight at that.
"...Thank you... Thank you for saving my son..."
Wrath only nodded in response.
"I should go... I must speak with the Admiral to discuss a plan of action." Varian said as he pulled himself to his feet. Turning to Wrath he asked, "I assume you'll be staying?"
Wrath shrugged before walking back over to the corner, leaning against the wall once more. "Suppose so."
"Very well." Varian took one last fleeting glance at his crippled son before making his way to the door.
When Velen entered the room, he had honestly been expecting the worst for Anduin.
From the way that the Mage that had run up to him, ragged from running non-stop through the Exodar in search of him, had described the scene it would be a miracle if the boy would even still draw breath.
However when he finally did peer his aging head into the large open room, he found not a broken and bloody mess laying upon the floor, but a young man with little more than broken arms and legs, along with a few bruises peppered along his body.
His ribs seemed to be in perfect condition, despite his torn clothing, the prince's breathing as healthy as it possibly could be, and his head was absent of whatever gash had colored a majority of his hair blood red.
Finally there was the residual energy that hung in the air like the mist that would hang over the forests in the early morning. The pure graceful energy of the Light. Someone had been healing Anduin.
Finally, after scanning the room, Velen spotted what he presumed to be the culprit of the residual Light wafting throughout the structure. "You... Blood elf..."
"Hmm?" Wrath glanced over, his arms folded once more over his tabard, hiding the symbol of the Ebon Blade from the world.
"Your eyes... They carry the accursed mark of the Scourge..." Velen whispered as he hobbled over to the Blood Elf. With each and every step he took he became more and more certain. This elf was the conduit from which the Light had manifested itself.
"I already know that..." Wrath began, his voice dripping with sarcasm.. "What's your-..."
"Yet... The Light..." Velen interupted, the same naaru symbol appearing over his head as it did the Draenei who had stopped Wrath at the gate. "It has not abandoned you..."
The room went silent for a moment as Wrath visibly tensed, glancing away from the prophet. "...I don't know what you're talking about..."
"The Prince... His wounds should have killed him long ago..." Velen pointed out, his own tone almost jovial, if such a thing were possible in a situation such as the one they had found themselves in. "And yet he lives!..."
Wrath sighed, letting his arms fall down to his sides. He had not expected the Draenei to catch on so quickly, though he should have expected it. He was the leader of the race that was arguably the most in tune with the Light than any other on Azeroth.
"I'm not a hero of the Light Velen... You should know that just by looking at me..." Wrath argued, though it was obvious that he had abandoned any hope of actually convincing the Draenei of what he was saying. "...I walked away from the Light a long time ago..."
"Not all who wander are lost..."
Silence passed over the room, save for the sound of shifting metal as Wrath squirmed uncomfortably in the prophet's scrutinizing gaze.
However, that scruitinizing gaze was soon replaced by a small smile as the old Draenei let out a soft laugh. "...Come my friend. I will need help resetting his bones into place."
Wrath said nothing in reponse, only obeying the prophet's request as the two knelt down next to Anduin.
-Present Day-
"And thats how Wrath saved my life." Anduin finished as he watched as a massive smile of excitement began to creep onto Ruby's face. She had been pestering him nearly all day about how he and Wrath had met, and after about an hour of begging, Anduin had finally relented.
"That... Is... AWESOME!" Ruby squealed as she shook her arms around in the air, nearly falling off of Anduin's lap due to her erratic wriggling.
"Well I'm glad you think so." Anduin laughed as he brought Ruby more securly into his lap, wrapping both his arms around her waist. "Because it certainly wasn't very pleasant for me."
Ruby rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's words. "I just have one question though..."
"Hmm? What's that?"
"Why Didn't you die from your wounds?" The reaper inquired, tilting her head in thought. "It sounds like they were pretty bad."
"Well I can never really be sure..." Anduin glanced over to the othre side of the castle's private garden to see a laughing Wrath holding a breaded piece of fish just out of Blake's reach as she jumped pathetically for the breaded treat while Yang recorded it on her scroll. "But personally... I think it had something to do with just a little bit of faith."