With the battle over Stormwind finally calmed down back in Lordaeron hell has come again as one of the strongest and largest populated city in Lordaeron that was supposed to be well defended is now destroyed, leaving only hell in its wake. Jaina and the others make their way towards Stratholme except for Garithos and Terenas, Garithos was ordered to take troops from Tyr's Hand and here along with other places and try to siege Tol Barad, the place where the orcs are using as a command center for now in Lordaeron. Sylvanas and her people left the field and return back to Quel'Thalas because the king only allowed them to help defend the capital and once that was done she was force to return, return back to her husband to see that he will make a quick recovery just as long as she is there by his side.
Arthas and Jaina and Talion arrives on the hill with a hundred men behind them looking out seeing Stratholme, seeing this whole place in flames and seeing dead bodies everywhere, dwarves and humans and elves alike all dead. There's no dead bodies of orcs and no way this city can fall in a matter of minutes, something deadly came here and swoop through it like a tsunami and they don't know what happen.
"Stratholme... all gone..." Arthas said with his eyes widen looking out at the place. "I don't believe it..."
"I am sorry Arthas... i heard two Paladins going after a warlock named Gul'dan..."
"Gul'dan." Talion turns his head towards her "He was here?"
"That's all i know..." She looks to him "I know two paladins went after him, one was Barthilas the Magistrate and the other was Cathela the Seeker. There's also Aurius who defended Stratholme but... i don't think they all made it."
"All three of them... dead..." Arthas walks close to the edge of the hill looking out at the view. Suddenly he started to hear this loud demonic roar inside the city. "There's something in there... it's still in there..."
The wraith appears through Talion as he heard it "No..." He shakes his head looking out "No... how did Gul'dan brought him here..."
"What is it?" Jaina asked looking at him "Who or what is in that city?"
He closes his eyes for the moment hearing the strange beast letting out another roar then once he opens his eyes seeing flames in the middle getting fiercer. "A Balrog of Morgoth... a demon from another dimension."
Arthas looks at him then back to the city. "Signal the attack."
"No!" He shouts to Arthas "If you're met go in that city... there all dead just like everyone else in Stratholme."
"We can't leave this Balrog in that city it will go somewhere else... Tyr's Hand maybe!"
"I have faced this demon once... i can do it again." He returns back inside Talion. "You know what this means..."
"Yes..." Talion said and looks at Jaina and Arthas "Arthas take your men and go to the east, go find Gul'dan and finish him... end him and avenge the fallen people." He looks back out as he heard the roar again. "I will go after it."
"Talion..." Jaina walks over to him "You can't fight that thing alone... that's suicide."
"That might happen... going in Stratholme is a one way trip but i have to do it. I have to go in there and kill the Balrog it's the only way, i have my last stand and you lot have your fight in Lordaeron, don't fail me." He started to walk down the hill towards the entrance of Stratholme.
"Talion!" Arthas runs down the hill to stop him. "You don't have to do this... we can take it out together."
"No... if we stay here and fight that thing together then Gul'dan will go elsewhere and maybe just maybe he could summon another Balrog, you need to go after him before it's too late." He turns his body to face Arthas "Arthas... there are a few weapons in this world that can kill Sauron, one in Northrend and another in Stormwind but if they fail to defeat him then you must obtain the third sword, it's called Narsil."
"Why haven't you told us about this weapon until now?"
"It's hard to find good people in this world; i needed to know who is good enough to fight and i have seen you fight, i know you can wield it. If you do die then someone else must take it."
"Where's the sword?" Jaina asked
"That i don't know... when i travel into this world i was sent through this vortex, the sword got pulled out of the vortex and got sent elsewhere in Azeroth. I got sent here but the prophet was trying to find it while you humans didn't believe him, now it could be anywhere but i assure you its here and not in Stormwind or Lordaeron. It's somewhere else."
"Talion..."
"Arthas... don't... i wasn't going to live in this war, i wanted those black captains dead and there is only one left, find him and kill him for me he's probably either in Gilneas or in Tol Barad. Arthas you have helped me take my revenge on them, now i will face this demon and if i do die in there I can finally reunite with my family, i am doing this for them."
"Talion –"
"Go... get Gul'dan now!" He looks back and started walking towards Stratholme "We will meet again... one day..."
They watch as he walks blindly into the flames Arthas wanted to go with him but he signals Jaina and his men to start going to the north east, they make their way out of Stratholme while Talion sets foot inside the city looking out at the destroyed place with so many dead bodies everywhere, he takes a deep breath then walks in drawing his sword engulfing it in this wraith energy.
Gul'dan was nearby but was in the northern part away from Stratholme guarded by warlocks and orcs making sure he stays alive, he still has plans for this land but once the elves are returning to Quel'Thalas he will begin his second strike there, Quel'Thalas will be next to fall at the hands of the dark lords wrath. Arthas and his men started to try and pick up the trail on where Gul'dan left off while Talion started walking around in the city trying to find the Balrog, he was scared at first but he was ready and he is ready to face this beast with Celebrimbor by his side.
"Is he here?"
"He's near."
As Talion walks in the town square looking around as a firewall was behind him but when he heard the roar again, he quickly turns back behind him with his sword and dagger drawn, out of the flames comes forth a powerful demon to challenge Talion's move on him, there he was out of the shadows comes forth the Balrog of Morgoth, Durin's Bane.
"Hello there beast..." Talion mumbles then turns back and started running while the Balrog goes after him, taking loud footsteps towards him. "Come and get me beast." Talion taunts him a second time as he keeps running, placing his dagger on his back and keeps on running until he decided to run up a building to get on the roof.
The Balrog keeps moving and forming his flammable sword, once he moved closer he lays a swing down upon that building cutting it in half and lighting it in flames. Talion jumped on another building and kept on moving to draw it into a wider area; the Balrog simply follows him and tries to catch him by destroying one building after another, even walking through the buildings just to catch Talion. He stops and jumps down on the street, rolling forward and keeps running while the Balrog slowly catches up to him, switching to his flaming whip instead of a sword and hits Talion to the leg causing him to trip over and lose his sword, letting it slide forward while he lays there.
Talion looks back as the Balrog was right on top of him, switching back to his flaming sword and strikes down but he rolled out of the way and started sprinting to his sword. Once he got it the blade glows in wraith energy then turns back and charges, using a broken piece of a house as a lift for him to leap in the air and strikes down at the Balrog, giving it pain but it wasn't enough he leaves a cut through the beast and jumps back but the Balrog hits him with his arm sending him flying back and giving him three burnt marks on his chest that burnt through his clothes and burns his skin. Talion stands on the ground looking at the burns but slowly got up and started moving backwards while the Balrog pursues him until he's dead.
Elsewhere the orcs with Gul'dan started to get the smell of humans pursuing them like they got their trail, one of them stops and looks back while Gul'dan kept moving but he turns back seeing his orcs holding position. "They're coming... take care of them; i don't want them ruining everything." He turns forward and started walking towards the city of Tyr's Hand.
The orcs he brought turns back and goes to deal with the humans, Gul'dan was holding his staff in one hand and this strange looking item on the other, showing it was a head of a Balrog that has it's horns on fire like they were lava but they weren't burning him they were just energy flowing through the head of it. Gul'dan had another head and probably used it to awaken the Balrog into this world, these heads are the key of teleporting one Balrog to the location, it was like a beacon and he let one off into this world and is ready to release another one in Tyr's Hand. It was meant for Quel'Thalas but since that place is full of magic there was no way the demon can survive in there.
Arthas and his men had their weapons drawn when they can hear something on the road. "Get ready..." Just on the road a hundred orcs started charging towards them. "Here they come!" He charges and so does his men while Jaina moves away and started to prepare some spells.
Arthas and his men come crashing against the orcs on this field smashing their weapons against each other while Gul'dan is getting close to his destination. Jaina was about to use her magic but she thought of something, she started to try to move away from the fight and go around them so she can go after the warlock while Arthas keeps fighting, he did notice her leaving the fight and wanted to call her name out but he punched an Orc then strikes another across the face.
Gul'dan was close to his destination and it's up to Jaina to stop him, back in Stratholme Talion makes it to the middle to this wide open area except for the broken fountain that could be a problem to him, he turns back seeing the Balrog coming and before stepping in the middle it lets out a deep breath of fire upon Talion causing him to roll out of the way but got his cape burned. He takes off his cape and stands ready with his wraith sword waiting for the demon to come and get him.
Talion charges while the Balrog moves forward to swing his sword down at him, making him duck and moves in front of the beast striking the left arm of the Balrog leaving a cut on it. He swings again hitting the chest only making a cut but the Balrog hits him yet again sending him flying and smacking against the fountain, falling to the ground and feeling a stab from behind from the point of the fountain, leaving him injured in this fight while the Balrog stands strong, igniting his body to show his strength to Talion while he slowly looks up at the demon.
"You shall not pass... demon..." Talion said while he lays there looking at it, slowly getting up and seeing Celebrimbor standing next to him. "Ready?"
"Ready..." He takes out his wraith bow and started firing at the Balrog while Talion charges yet again.
Celebrimbor switches to his sword and charges as well to help Talion striking the beast to the chest and arms, avoiding the slow swing and keeps going but they do get burnt a bit but they continue to fight, continue to keep striking the demon until they pull back and moves back away for the Balrog to move closer to the middle. The two turns back and charges towards both sides, the Balrog sends forth fire upon Celebrimbor consuming him in the flames but Talion kept going but the Balrog swings forth at him quickly, taking a large strike through the chest and sending him crashing on the ground on the side. Celebrimbor appears and charges while Talion was on the ground, holding his sword and dagger and comes sliding on the ground striking the leg of the demon then started to jump up on the Balrog, it tries to grab him but he comes stabbing down once he reach the top, stabbing through the head of the demon and stabbing halfway through until finally the Balrog lets a loud roar and finally the Balrog of Morgoth falls to its death.
Celebrimbor falls to the ground once the Balrog was finally cast down but the damage was already made, Celebrimbor slowly walks over to Talion who lies there bleeding out and burning inside of him, slowly turning his head towards his friend while he kneels down in front of him.
"Celebrimbor... it's done..." He started coughing out blood "My time... our time... is done... i can finally rest... in peace... i can finally be with my wife.. Ioreth my beloved..."
"Talion..." He moves his hand to him but notices his hand slowly fades "I guess it's time anyway... there was no salvation for us as we were once... survivors of Middle-Earth."
"At least we got our revenge on him... it's up to them... to see if they succeed." He coughs more until finally he turns his head to the side closing his eyes. Celebrimbor stays where he was slowly fading away as he too couldn't be here without Talion.
In Tyr's Hand Gul'dan holds the object in both hands once he began making this large symbol made of blood, placing the object on the ground and started to channel energy to summon another Balrog into this world. Before he had a chance to do the words to summon it Jaina appeared behind and sends a water blast towards Gul'dan sending him falling to the ground with the object falling down the hill.
Gul'dan quickly got up and looks over seeing the object going down the hill "No!" he looks back to Rias "How dare you ruin the dark lord's plan."
"I will not let Lordaeron fall to the likes of Sauron!" She sends a fireball towards him but he blocks it with his staff.
"The dark lord will come... i can feel it, were going to win we are finally going to win." He sends this black and red lightning blast towards her, she tries to block it with her own shield but it shatters and sends her falling back on the floor.
Jaina slowly tries to get up but Gul'dan sends a fireball hitting her chest and falling back on the ground, standing there allowing the burns to do his job, hurting her while she lies there in agony. "He is coming... Stormwind will fall to the darkness of the dark lord."
Jaina looks up at Gul'dan while he stands there aiming his staff at her but she still held her staff and quickly swings up at him at the back of the staff, sending this water out of the staff hitting him and pushing him back then she hits the ground with the staff sending this lightning rod through the water to electrify his whole body, Gul'dan would feel the pain he did to her. He still stands there even though he is being electrocuted but he sends a fireball to the ground to remove the water causing her spell to break, with that he sends another fireball at her while he moved back but she evaded it and sends one back at him, hitting his chest and falling back. Gul'dan was still standing and doesn't want to go down he stands ready for another battle but Arthas comes to interfere in this fight.
"Arthas..."
"I got this Jaina..." He stands ready with his bloodied sword with two hands to it.
"I will not be defeated by the likes of you." He sends the black and red lightning towards Arthas, he quickly had time to activate his divine shield to block it but he went flying back hitting the ground.
Jaina took action and summons a water element to attack but Gul'dan sends triple fireball from his staff hitting the element three times before melting away, sending one more lightning at Jaina but hits her staff and quickly lets go of it, seeing her staff explode right before her eyes and falls back on the ground. Gul'dan was going to finish her but Arthas got up and charges with his sword drawn, Gul'dan sends a few fireballs at him but the divine shield gives Arthas immunity over magic and physical attacks, he comes leaping towards him swinging down at him while he raise his staff up but Arthas broke his staff and gives him a long cut across his body, hitting the bottom of his chin all the way down to his chest in a vertical way to the side of his waist, with his staff broken Arthas finishes this off for good, grabbing the back of his head and stabbing his sword through his mouth, letting the blood spill out of his mouth when he did that. He pulls the sword out and he falls back on the ground dead, finally ending the hunt for Gul'dan.
Arthas' men arrives while he runs back to Jaina to start healing her, his shield breaks off but he kept healing Jaina's wounds. He looks up to his men when they come over. "Get that demon head..." He looks back pointing to where it is, they obey and head down there to retrieve it. "Jaina... are you alright?"
"Yes... i am fine my love..." He slightly smiles while she lies there letting him heal her wounds.
"That's good... i need you by my side."
"Well i may need a new staff now..."
He slightly laughs "Of course..."
His men returns to him with the head but suddenly this skull with black and green necromantic energy appears and hits three of the men hard, blasting them and sending them back on the ground as a death knight appears, revealing it's Teron Gorefiend. Arthas looks up and grabs his sword but he rides off towards the dead men, using this force of energy to get the item to fly towards his hands then rides out of there before they could do anything, riding to the south.
"Damn it! Go after him!" He yelled to his men and they take off to the south. "He's got that head... he can summon another Balrog into this world..."
"Arthas..." She grabs his hand while he keeps healing "Take me to Dalaran... now."
"You sure?" He asked seeing her nod "Ok..."
Arthas gets a horse from Tyr's Hand and rides with Jaina behind him to Dalaran while his men returns to him since they failed to get Teron, travelling far to the south to Strahnbrad but not releasing the Balrog there instead he is doing something else. With Gul'dan dead and the first Balrog destroyed by Talion and Celebrimbor it won't be long before others find out what happen, and Arthas and Jaina will find out what happen to Talion in Stratholme.