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Chapter 5: Bitter Truth

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Mia Greymane, Queen-consort of Gilneas, was currently in pain. Her daughter Tess holding her pale hand in her own shaking hands. How could they have fallen so far, thought Tess - her father looking outside, through the black curtains that covered the windows.

"Save your strength mother, you'll need it," said Tess, caring for her. She was feverish and sweating heavily. "Father..."

King Greymane didn't acknowledge her daughter' words, just looking at Lordaeron and beyond. Lordaeron was busy, people and merchants trading in Capital City, the sun shining upon the lands, guards moving about and keeping order - it made Genn feel bitter inside. This was the kind of prosperity he wished for his lands, not the yoke that was happening within his lands and to his people.

"FATHER!"

"...what?" asked Genn, finally breaking from his boiling to respond to his last child.

"Mom needs you, could you atleast try to care," said Tess. "Her condition is getting worse."

"Figures..." cursed Genn.

"Don't you start this again!" replied Tess back angrily. "They brought medicine, and helped in more ways than we had been worth."

"And yet nothing..." replied Genn. "They enjoy watching me suffer."

"Maybe if you weren't such a jerk!" yelled Tess, finally breaking.

"What?!"

"You heard me, dad! Your always acting so high and mighty - look where it has gotten us!" said Tess.

"I-"

"-if you weren't so stubborn, our home wouldn't be in flames and...Liam would be alive," gasped Tess, starting to cry after saying that. Genn wasn't easily swayed by emotions, but seeing his family hurting like that could even make the iron-hearted king feel sadness.

"Why. Why? Why!" screamed Tess, hugging herself, as the tears fell. "Why did Liam have to stay behind?"

"I'm sorry," said Genn, hugging her daughter who didn't resist much. "I was, weak. I thought I could hold them all back, and then Liam had to fix my mistake. I'm sorry!"

"Can we stop fighting? Liam hated it when we fought," sobbed Tess.

"I know, I usually started those fights," sighed Genn.

"What are we going to do, father?" asked Tess.

"I don't know..." replied Genn, for the second time he didn't have any answers to this predicament. Gilneas was in flames, undead pushed through the land and his own family suffered as well. He hated to leave, leave his country leaderless but his family, his wife needed aid - the kind that was in short-supply due to the war being held there.

A knock on the door shook them out of their pondering, as Princess Calia entered their room, alongside Crown-Princess Alleria.

"Where is she?" asked Calia, simply as that. Tess pointing at the bed, where her mother was lying. "Understood. King Greymane, I wanna speak with you after this."

Genn merely nodded and bit his tongue - for his family. Calia went over to where Mia Greymane was and checked her temperature - she was burning.

"We don't have much time, Alleria I need your help," said Calia, rolling up her sleeves.

"Right," replied Alleria, as she got ready as well.

Calia started to chant first, conjuring up the spell the she had studied - Alleria opening her own arms and the Light danced along her arms.

"Now!"

Both Calia and Alleria unleashed their magic - arcane magic from Calia and holy magic from Alleria. The plague had taken root and was deep, but Calia had experience with the plague - she had aided several people when it afflicted her lands and she hadn't lost a single one to this plague.

Alleria wasn't a weakling herself, the Light favored her in a way that she could even outclass her father one day.

"BEGONE!" screamed Calia, as the arcane and holy magic danced over the body of the dying queen. Green haze being pulled and severed, then it vanished, the curse was lifted. The horrid pull that she felt was now gone; Alleria breathing a sigh of relief, the plague was gone.

"Mom?! How do you feel?" asked Tess, going over to check her mother.

"Tired...but alive," moaned Mia in pain still, but feeling alive again.

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Back in Outland, the Grand Alliance was making progress in fortifying their location around the Dark Portal and Honor Hold.

High General Turalyon was still allowed to remain in command, as he had the largest amount of experience regarding the fel-orcs and demoms. As well as how to best use the various races in the best way possible against the Legion and being the only commander with any experience with the draenei.

Arthas, Varian, Muradin, Danath, Kurdan, Falric and Marwyn had been occupied at the frontline, keeping the Legion at bay and commanding troops on the battlefield itself. Kael'thas managed the studying of the Darl Portal and to find out clearly how to sever the nexus between Azeroth and Lordaeron. While the three Windrunner sisters were busy supporting the frontlines and hitting the Legion from the sides and from behind.

Now, they were about to get some answers, as the several mages wearing the purple robes of the Kirin Tor exited the Dark Portal and were headed towards Honor Hold; among them was Archmage Antonidas and Jaina Proudmoore.

"Well met, Archmage! I hope you bring news," greeted Falric.

"Indeed we have found something - summon everybody. They will need to hear this," replied Antonidas, dis-mounting from his horse.

Soon the commanding force of the Expedition had been gathered in the makeshift tavern. Among them was Arthas, Turalyon, Khadgar, Sylvanas, Alleria, Muradin, Falric, Varian, Kael'thas and Velen.

Antonidas currently explaining to them, the problems behind the Dark Portal not remaining 'closed'. So far Antonidas had explained to them in simple-tone the 'bridge-effect'. Putting it even simpler - they had to destroy both ends of the nexus to seal the way between Outland and Azeroth. Otherwise the link between the worlds could be repaired and re-opened.

"That's it?" asked Varian, unbelieving how simply they could finish this.

"Indeed. The nexus was recently re-opened so if we start working immediately, we can seal the way before it strengthens."

"In addition, acting now would prevent us from needing to acquire or use artifacts of power to seal it again," added Kael'thas.

"If I may speak, human?" asked Velen, rising from his seat.

"You may."

"My people have had ages of experience with magic, myself with the Light mostly. But more than it is with clear-voyance or future-seeing among myself - and I regret to say this, but with the forces at your disposal you will fail," spoke Velen.

"Impossible!" said Antonidas.

"I've had experience with the draenei, Archmage," spoke up Turalyon. "Velen of the Draenei and his people have aided us in many ways, his vision even...have been true and saved many of us from death, myself included."

"Then what can we do?!" asked Varian.

"Just as I hold the curse to your victory, I also hold the salvation. In this cursed world lay your hope, in the lands we know as Nagrand," said Velen.

"You can't be serious!" hissed Alleria, in anger.

"Would you choose the alternative?" asked Velen. "Victory or death as they say."

"Explain - what is at this Nagrand?" spoke up Arthas.

"It...is a land...more greener and less destroyed," replied Turalyon. "It's home to the Mag'har...or to us known as the brown-orcs..."

"What!" yelled up Sylvanas. "You can't expect us to believe that our salvation lay in the hands of the same beasts, that we fight!?"

"It be true," said Velen.

"I don't believe it either!" roared Varian, from his position.

"Then you would rather die?" asked Velen, silencing the gathered crowd. "Let me tell you a tale: there was once a world called Argus, the Legion came and corrupted its denizens into powerful weapons yet slaves nonetheless. Some escaped and they arrived here, here they met the orcs - they were strong, brutal, but honorable and wise. The two races lived in peace for centuries, until the Legion came and corrupted the orcs. The orcs attacked the Argus' survivours, yet they managed to survive still. Then the Legion turned their new slaves, the orcs, towards your world..."

"Those were your people?!" asked a shocked Turalyon.

"Indeed - my people have battled the Legion for eons, we have suffered equally, both from the Legion and the orcs," spoke Velen. "But we believe in hope - the brown-orcs in Nagrand aren't the ones you fight, yet the remnants of a once proud race...like mine corrupted by the foul Burning Legion."

"If we don't get their help, we lose?" asked Falric.

"Yes - and your world may follow the same, corruption and destruction. None shall be spared," said Velen. Most of occupants of the room being shocked and scared for their life and their loved ones; Varian for Anduin, Kael'thas for Jaina, Falric for his family and friends, Alleria for his son and husband and sisters included, Arthas and Sylvanas included - nobody would hurt or corrupt their little princess Alleria, they'd rather die themselves before that happens.

"How...how far is it, to their lands?" sighed Varian, breaking the dead-silence that had entered the room.

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A/N: Yup, slow, writer-haze/block and low ideas on Outland' scenario. Hope you still enjoy this.

Please review.