Many thanks to those who read and reviewed the last chapter. We are closing in on the end of the Burning Crusade arc of the story, and there are but a few loose ends to tie up. Please R&R, and enjoy the next one! ~F
Chapter 140
Flames Extinguished
"Don't look so smug! I know what you're thinking…" Kael'thas Sunstrider said, glaring up at Nobu'tan, even after the warlock had demolished his personal guard. "Tempest Keep was merely a setback. With all the power that the Legion has to promise, I will succeed in bringing salvation to my people."
"By murdering those that come upon you to prevent the destruction of your entire world?" Nobu'tan challenged, "Isn't that already the legacy that Illidan Stormrage left you?"
"Do you honestly believe that I would trust the future to some blind, half-night elf mongrel?" Kael'thas shot back, turning in a swish of his robes and beginning to pace the room angrily, "Oh no… he was merely an instrument, a stepping stone to a much larger plan! It has all led to this… and you are here to what? Assist me in admitting our master to this world, to steal credit that I justly deserve?"
"No," Nobu'tan replied, his voice growing cold as he watched the madness dancing in the verdant eyes of the Prince of Silvermoon, "I am here to kill you, stop the Legion, and damn their plans for Azeroth back into the Nether hell where they come from!"
Kael'thas stopped, looking at Nobu'tan with a mixture of mild surprise and confusion. It was almost as though he was beyond reasoning that anyone even could stop the Legion, let alone would willingly choose to do so after being pledged to their cause. "I cannot allow you to interfere…" he said, his voice dipping just as coldly as Nobu'tan's, and flames bursting to life in his hands.
"Felomin ashal!" he suddenly bellowed, already casting.
Nobu'tan had expected an attack, but still had to swiftly raise a shield as flames roared around him, orange trying to consume him as well as the lavishly decorated room around him.
It had been strong magic once, Nobu'tan could sense the potential that had once been, but it was diminished. Nobu'tan's own abilities kicked in reflexively, snatching the ambient magic of the flames and bending them to his will. Orange flashed and changed hue to Fel green, before surging upward and arcing just below the ceiling to crash down on Kael in return.
And he suddenly realized that Kael'thas was still very weak, only just recovered enough to operate openly for his forces. "I see why you've delayed so long…" Nobu'tan said, even as the flames finally died away, nearly shattering the arcane shield that the Prince had thrown up to defend himself.
"…You want to open the Sunwell yourself for Kil'jaeden, but your magic has not recovered sufficiently for you to even leave this protected place…" he explained coolly, stalking forward as his magic danced around him.
"I have strength enough for this…" Kael'thas seethed, already mustering another spell, "my vengeance burns!"
The summoning spell activated, and a miserably small phoenix appeared, shrieking as it started into the air and tried to attack Nobu'tan.
"Lord Nobu'tan!" Teg'Ramm called, even as he and Blaise entered the chamber. A bolt of chaos annihilated the Phoenix, reducing it to a tiny egg, which Nobu'tan crushed underfoot as he continued advancing on Kael.
Slowly, Nobu'tan drew the Elder Wand, keeping one eye on Kael the entire time, just in case the Elf tried something while the warlock was being theatrical. "You see, Sunstrider… The Legion cannot be allowed to have their way with this world," he said, casually flicking the wand and erecting a shield to prevent the demons from watching this place. Curiously, no active spells were removed by this ward rising into place around them, which was something, as Nobu'tan was certain that the eyes of the Legion would be all over this island fortress.
Perhaps they had already gotten their use out of Kael, and didn't care any longer what happened to him. The surge of Arcane magic started to well up from Kael'thas. "I'll turn your world… upside… down," he intoned, but Nobu'tan leveled the full power of his magic upon the Elf.
"I think not," Nobu'tan said, overpowering the denounced Prince's magic. Where he had tried to reverse gravity, Nobu'tan simply intensified it around the Elf, breaking his stance and forcing him to his knees. "I suppose it would only be a mercy to eliminate you at this point," Nobu'tan said, stopping just out of reach of the Prince, and keeping the pressure of his magic on him, "but I cannot allow a single loose end to remain, to spoil my plan for the Legion before it comes to pass…"
Slowly, a bubble of Fel magic started to blossom in Kael'thas, but even as he tried to call on the Legion's magic to support him, Nobu'tan fortified his spell, and the telltale snap of bone caused the Elf to cry out and fall completely prone, where he feebly writhed in agony.
And yet, even through the pain, Kael'thas continue to rave at Nobu'tan, his own rage overwhelming all sense, "My demise accomplishes nothing!" he shouted, blood already forming at his mouth as Nobu'tan pressed even harder with his magic, slowly crushing the life out of the Elf. "The master will have you! You will drown in your own blood! The world shall burn! Aaaghh!"
"Now now…" Nobu'tan said, even as the air was squeezed out of Kael'thas' lungs by the sheer pressure of his magic, "We needn't make threats that we have no more power to enact."
It was not a merciful way to die, and Nobu'tan knew it. But in order to put a wild beast down, a strong hand was required. And as a royal, the Elf deserved an audience to his demise, meaning that a personal touch was the most effective and sensible choice.
But still, poison or a knife across the throat may have been kinder.
Once he felt the life leave Kael'thas' crushed body, Nobu'tan turned away, unwilling to look upon the bloody mess any longer than necessary. "I want him preserved, and placed in an enchanted coffin, for transport with our compliments back to Silvermoon," he ordered Teg'Ramm, "He is royalty, and deserves no less than the utmost respect, even as our foe, in death."
"As you wish, my Lord," Teg'Ramm replied, looking over the corpse with a neutral expression.
"Most of the leadership has been removed from this place," Blaise commented, "it would be wise, if we are to summon reinforcements, to do so from here."
"We need to be careful to not draw too much attention to ourselves," Nobu'tan reasoned, "And there are a fair few of our allies that ought not to be part of this particular mission."
Blaise nodded, clearly understanding that the Grand Warlock was referring to any member of the Forest Trolls. The potential hazard of involving them with this would be dire. No, better to take though who had cooler heads regarding Elves, and focus on stopping the Legion.
There would be time enough for vengeance and justice later on, but to defend their entire world from the flame of the demonic invasion, they had to not be distracted by anything.
"We may just want to hold down this location for a time," he said after a moment's worth of consideration, "and rather than launching a full assault, work toward a more subtle infiltration."
"Yes, I quite agree," Blaise said, looking around the fine decorations, "too many chances of strange involvement regarding these Elves, and the Legion…"
Nobu'tan had a spark of realization, "Yes, the Elves' use of magic here is quite overwhelming." He casually mentioned. He had grown quite accustomed to it the first time he had come to Quel'thalas, but clearly Blaise had not spent any amount of time in the actual homeland of the Blood Elves.
"Yes, gaudy in the extreme, to the point of extravagant, even." Blaise said, his eyes still darting, "There's just too much, it can be distracting from time to time."
"You'll get used to it," Nobu'tan said, clapping the assassin gently on the back. Blaise was still weak from his injury at the Black Temple after all.
Teg'Ramm returned, carrying a conjured coffin of ornate metal, likely transformed from some of the enchanted ornaments in the room, "The body has been cleared, Lord Nobu'tan," he said, setting the sealed box to the side of the entry to the chamber.
"Good," Nobu'tan replied. "Take it down to the Blood Elves in the center, I will send messages ahead of you so that you are expected."
The ogre hesitated for only a moment, "As you wish," Teg'Ramm said, carrying the coffin out of the chamber, and squeezing carefully back into the corridor.
"Secure the perimeter, and see that all the other servants of Kael'thas are driven from this place," Nobu'tan ordered Blaise. He had desire to be alone, of a sort, for the moment, and waited until his assassin departed to relax.
Tearing a hole in the fabric of space with a sweep of his hand, Nobu'tan admitted the skull of Gul'dan to float into this land from where it had been safely waiting back at Blackrock. He had no desire to risk the Skull in any way, but it was a comfort to be able to speak with his mentor when planning his final moves to defeat the Legion.
"I see that the mad Elf has been put down," Gul'dan whispered, as the skull spun in a slow circle to gaze over the chamber.
"Yes," Nobu'tan said, "and now we control the small outpost not far from the Sunwell itself, where the Legion uses their Elven slaves to tear open a portal for their armies to enter our world…"
"And you are hastening to find a means to break the battle outside and push into the Legion';s fortification." The skull replied, finishing the thought that Nobu'tan himself had.
"Yes, but I do not know what best to do, or even what the Legion's scheme is, outside of the generalities that I've gleaned…" Nobu'tan said, exasperated.
"Calm yourself, apprentice," Gul'dan said, and Nobu'tan obeyed instinctively, "You must access what you've gained, before pushing for anything else. What have you claimed here, and can use against your foes?"
Nobu'tan paused. He was not actually sure what Kael'thas might have been hiding here. From what he had seen and suspected, the Elf prince was little more than hiding here and licking his wounds from nearly dying.
But on the off chance that that was not the case, he turned and examined the room more closely. Curiously, there was a ramp at the back of the room, snaking up into a secluded area that was blocked from view by the hanging cloth that enshrouded the room in perfume and ambient magic.
Walking up and around the partition revealed a plinth, with a golden, rotating series of orbs, which hummed with its own magic. "Interesting," he said.
Drawing the Elder Wand, he quickly cast several spells in order to determine the exact purpose of it. The results were even more than he had expected. "A telemancy beacon…" he said aloud, a smile spreading on his face as he already started to imagine where and how he could manipulate it to transport any forces he desired.
"This… this will be of use." He said, looking at Gul'dan, before turning back to the entrance. He wondered if there were any other gems of useful items that had been left behind.
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Varian couldn't help but gaze out toward the Harbor from his study window in Stormwind Keep.
In response to the surge of magic reported by the Mage Tower, Varian had sent a small fleet, led by Matthias Shaw, in order to help prevent the Legion from entering their world. The SI:7 forces had been given strict instructions to not engage the Horde or the Dark Horde under any circumstances. They couldn't afford any more infighting, not with demons right on their doorstep, because of the treachery of some malicious Elf, who had been driven to his actions by betrayal from the Alliance itself.
"You should not overly stress youself over the actions of others," Lucius Malfoy said, from where he sat on the far side of the room. The unofficial representative of the Dark Horde had been advising the King of Stormwind on the movement of those unallied forces in Outland, and whether the Alliance had anything to gain by leaving any forces in Outland beyond those groups that were determined to hold Honor Hold, the Allerian Stronghold, and the Wildhammer Stronghold.
"It's hard not to dwell on it," Varian said, returning to the map of Outland on the table between them, "Everything hinges on the Legion being stopped, and I cannot lead my forces personally."
It was the truth. Varian would have been the first on the ship heading north. Indeed that was what he had planned, before Lady Narcissa had forcefully reminded him of his duty to Anduin, and that there were others that he could trust to lead his forces while he tended to more important matters.
The King had taken that rebuke to heart, and knew that it came from a concerned mother, and that his dear Tiffin would have agreed immediately.
"Shaw is more than capable, and should the Legion prove too much for all those forces arraying against them, we need our leaders here to muster a defense." Lucius said sensibly. It did little to settle Varian's heart, but he was able to tear himself away from gazing out the window every few moments.
"I suspect your Nobu'tan has already gone to battle in Quel'Thalas," he commented, watching Lucius for any reaction.
The man paused, seeming to weight the likelihood of that event, before nodding, "It seems likely, although Nobu'tan has not confided the details of any such plan."
"Should I beware any ill intent?" Varian asked pointed, raising an eyebrow as he studied the older man carefully.
"No," Lucius said, and the definitively in the man's voice broached no argument, "Nobu'tan wishes no conflict with the Alliance, unless they bring it to him first."
Varian knew what that retort meant. The Dwarves were still very angry with the Dark Horde, and while their wrath had been stymied for now, they were still pushing for a formal repercussion with the threat of all out war between the factions. Additionally, Varian knew that there was conflict to the north as well, with the Forsaken being openly hostile to the Dark Horde, although the weight of Thrall's influence had quelled that for the time being as well.
"I trust that it continues to be the case, until the Legion is defeated once again." Varian said, more to himself then Lucius.
"So do we all," the man replied, equally self-reflecting.
Varian wasn't sure why, but the uncertainty in the other man's voice was unnerving all by itself.
There couldn't be something that… "Surely not…" the King of Stormwind said, his mind already turning toward a myriad of terribly possibilities.
"Did not the siege of the Black Temple, and the utter shattering of Illidan Stormrage's power in Outland not reveal the lengths that Nobu'tan will go if threatened?" Lucius said calmly, setting aside the report that he had been reading from Theramore, regarding the movements of Alliance adventurers in Kalimdor. "He did that, not to protect Outland, or even that it was on orders from another, but purely for the fact that Illidan held something of immense value to Nobu'tan."
The cold, grey eyes glinted, although with magic or the beginning of tears, Varian couldn't say, "If he or his faction is threatened, he will start a war across this world, the likes of which you cannot fathom. He burned our world, just to return here when he thought that his family was alive. Anyone or anything that even comes close to taking what he has left away will be dealt with extreme prejudice, and even I do not know all that that young man is capable of."
Varian felt a resurgence of uneasy horror, but at the same time, Lo'Gosh within him stirred in injured pride. "I do not know if I can outright delay the cries for justice upon the Dark Horde any longer than I have," he said, "nor do I believe that Thrall has control enough over the Banshee to stay her wrath. Taking Arathi and Blackrock Mountain have been the two biggest errors that the Dark Horde committed since their resurgence in this world."
"I am not inclined to agree," Lucius said, surprising Varian. It wasn't often that anyone outright defied him in opinion, and was one of the key reasons that he had chosen to keep the Malfoys around him and his son for so long. They were fresh minds, with their own ideas that often countered his own, and they were wise, which meant that they might see things in a more complete light that Varian could alone.
"Nobu'tan is many things, but a blundering fool is not one of them," the wizard said, rising to his feet and stretching his back laboriously. "Blackrock is the home he knew, and the heartland of the Dark Horde. He had to claim it to take his rightful place as leader of the remnant faction. Arathi is rich in resources, and the nearest location to Blackrock that does not have a unified power blocking access to it."
"However," Lucius added, stepping away to move around the room, already lost to Varian in his own thoughts, "There were mistakes, primarily of trusting the wrong individual to hold to his ideals, such as the incident in Desolace, among many more smaller overcompensations for his extreme centrality to the faction, but otherwise every move has been carefully planned and executed."
"And what am I supposed to do to prevent the other leaders of the Alliance, or the Horde for that matter, from doing precisely that," Varian said, already feeling a strong sense of rage building in his ears. The position that he was put in, seemingly placed between the Dark Horde and the rest of the world.
"Nothing…" Lucius replied coolly.
Varian froze, thinking he had momentarily misheard, but turning to look at the robed older man told him that it was no lie. "Nothing?"
"Nothing," Lucius affirmed, "there is no use in worrying over a situation that has not yet manifested as more than a possibility. You can only react to situations that actually are happening."
Varian started to open his mouth, but Lucius held up a hand, unfinished, "The Dwarves will sputter and rage, but I feel that they are more than aware of the defenses of the Dark Horde, and what it would take in both resources and manpower to even crack the outermost wall around Blackrock Mountain."
"But they could tear the Alliance apart demanding our assistance in waging war." Varian protested.
"You've already said you would bring Nobu'tan before them for the sake of justice, or what justice is as far as the Dark Irons are concerned, but I feel they will learn a hard lesson when that day comes to pass." Lucius retorted coldly.
"I cannot allow violence to break out in such a meeting," Varian said, getting heated, but Lucius held up a hand to calm the King of Stormwind.
"Nobu'tan's tongue is a sharp as his wit and more powerful than his magic," the older mage replied, "I think he will have no problems handling himself against the irate babbling of the dwarves. If any of them would devolve into violence, it would be the Dark Iron Dwarves."
And despite his misgivings for the leader of the Dark Horde, Varian had no choice but to agree with Lucius. The hottest heads in the problem between the factions, the Forsaken included, were currently dwelling in Ironforge.
The man laid a comforting hand on Varian's shoulder, "We shall deal with those events as they come, Your Majesty, and should therefore leave them until such a time as they arise."
And for the time being, the King of Stormwind would have to be satisfied with that promise.
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Teron Gorefiend proceeded carefully. It was clear that the others in his group brought with Nobu'tan were meant strongly to act as a distraction, and power through the obstacles that were poised against them, but Teron was far older and wiser than the rest.
He wouldn't be so quick to throw away potential when they discovered it. The massive Fel crystals in the chamber after the overhanging causeway, for example, were prime candidates for the Dark Horde's use. Each was brimming with stored mana, and from their vile nature Teron could tell that they were siphoned directly from powerful demons. Countless uses could be derived from each, and there was enough to last for a long time.
Voldemort, the significantly younger Death Knight, brushed past them, only focused on following the trail of living enemies, and seemed to not even sense the magic all around him, or the value of the towering emerald crystals.
"There are yet elves ahead," the other Death Knight said, turning back to look at Teron, who had halted to observe one of the crystals up close, "We have little time before Nobu'tan deals with their leader, and starts to plan his next move."
"Indeed, but we need not rush headlong into the next confrontation with these Elves," Teron countered, "There is something else ahead, and I feel it would be of more worth to observe it before charging in."
Voldemort was clearly displeased, wanting to be done with this distraction of eliminating the last of the Elven underlings, but nevertheless he permitted Teron a few moments, and after entering the far corridor, Teron brushed aside the floating wyrms of pure magical energy, and peered into the next elongated chamber.
Swarms of the same little wyrms moved like a congealed blob along the ceiling of the chamber, while a single Blood Elf moved beneath them, clearing tending to the little creatures and gauging their health. Finally, the massive source of magic at loomed at the rear of the hall: a towering elemental of pure arcane power.
The curious thing was the relationship between the elemental and the wyrms, "Can you sense that?" Teron asked the other Death Knight, "the hum of magic in the air, surrounding the creatures."
Voldemort paused, focusing his senses, and finally getting a taste of what Teron had been aware of since they entered this place, "that is a lot of untapped power," he commented, "power that could be used must better than how it is hoarded here."
"The Elves need it for their own personal use," Teron explained quietly, preventing the patrolling Elf from overhearing them, "they are addicted to raw magical power, but we can make so much more with this gathered mana than they could hope to."
"Then we will slay the great creature and take it," Voldemort affirmed, gripping one of his runeblades and started forward. Teron held him back, "We cannot fight the elemental; it is the source of the magic, funneled through the wyrms to keep it from becoming unstable. Just slay the Elf monitoring the wyrms, and we can seal the room so that there is no further interference."
"Fine," Voldemort huffed, refocusing his sights on the Elf. Teron let him take care of the one foe, favoring inspecting some of the nearby wyrms while the younger Death Knight slaughtered their keeper.
The little creatures fed on the mana produced by the volatile elemental, taking it in and actually processing the mana, altering it from a raw form to a more aligned arcane that could be taken by the Elves and used to sustain their lives easily.
It was genius, a process that was perfectly sustainable, so long as the wyrms were not over consumed and permitted to reproduce and grow.
A ripple of magic shuddered through the chamber, disturbing the swarms of wyrms, and Teron turned back to where they had come from. There was a Fel taint in that ripple of released magic, a powerful spellcaster had died, but it was not Nobu'tan from the taste of it. Whomever it had been was new to the Fel, and not very strong with it, although powerful overall, from the reach of the ripple of power.
"I suspect that Nobu'tan had discovered the Elven Prince and eliminated him," he called, signaling for Voldemort to finish playing with his victim, and that they needed to return and report of the things they had found in the main structure of the observatory.
The younger Death Knight was clearly displeased with his venting cut short, with how he drove both blades through the screaming Elf, ending her life in as painful a way as possible before turning to follow Teron as they returned to the main causeway.
Teron noticed the little wyrms gathering around the fallen body as they turned the corner out of sight, clearly siphoning the latent magic from the dead Elf and returning the magic to their own shimmering forms.
Nobu'tan was back on the main bridge leading out of the observatory, conversing mentally to the skull of Gul'dan. Teron could tell that this was the case, and from the glances that Voldemort threw the skull of the old orc, he too could sense the soul remnant that inhabited it.
"The rest of this area is cleared of Elves," Teron reported, pulling the Grand Warlock from his internal dialogue. "And there are resources we have discovered that you may be interested in making use of."
"Yes, the excess Fel and Arcane are wafting off of both of you." Nobu'tan said, casually summoning a trio of magical eyes, the little orbs scattering to scout the area surrounding their position. One went to review the area that Teron and Voldemort had explored, while the other two sailed over the walls and went to observe outside.
After a moment, Nobu'tan smiled, "those crystals are spectacular," he said, "I can find a good use for them…" he added, grinning.
"So what is our next move?" Voldemort said, pressing for more immediate actions.
"Hmm," Nobu'tan hummed aloud, scratching his chin thoughtfully as his eyes shimmered between the views of his extended sight. "The battle is continuing outside, more demons from the Sunwell pouring out continually. We need to get a way inside and break the siege, meanwhile keeping a lead before the others mop up the demons outside and follow us."
"Do you really think the five of us stand a chance again that?" Teron asked. He had full confidence that Nobu'tan had a plan, but thus far the warlock had been secretive about the details.
"Now that we have those crystals, as well as what I found in Kael's chamber, I am more convinced than ever that we alone can do this," Nobu'tan replied.
"Care to elaborate?" Voldemort pushed further, and Nobu'tan glanced at the pair of them.
"Not at this exact second," he said, dismissing the eyes with a wave of his hand, and drawing the strange little, wand that he used with the strange, new magic that he had learned when he was not on Azeroth.
The shimmer of light the pulsed outward washed over Teron, feeling strangely warm on his ancient flesh that had not had sensation for countless years.
"Now I can speak freely," Nobu'tan said, once the sensation had passed, the spell completed, "the Legion is watching, and cannot know my full plans for destroying their chance to invade my world."
"So, what is our plan?" Teron asked again.
"Kael'thas had an arcane transporter beacon, tied to some region in the midst of that battle," Nobu'tan explained, "With the arcane in this place, plus not being a near invalid Elf Prince with a megalomania problem, I can alter the location connected to the beacon to anywhere with a strong magical connection."
"The Sunwell itself…" Teron guessed, already seeing where the young miscreant, neither so young nor innocent anymore, was going with his line of thoughts.
"Indeed," Nobu'tan said, "better still, I can pinpoint nearest to wherever the Legion warlocks are summoning this army from inside there. And that's where the Fel crystals come in."
"Explosives," Voldemort supplied, also nodding as he caught on to the plan. "Meanwhile, you recalibrate the transporter a second time to drop us off far away from the explosions and we strike at the center location of magical energy while those fools outside mop up the demons and other underlings."
"I had originally planned to bring in some Felfire explosives I've been working on back at Blackrock, but with such a large supply on hand, and easily made volatile, we can save that little surprise for another engagement." Nobu'tan said, "The five of us, with sufficient distraction at their gates and dropped on their doorstep via magic, will have all the needed power to enter and disrupt whatever ritual that they are working on to bring a lord of the Legion into our world."
"Sounds like we can get this going very quick," Teron said, "what can we do to speed up the process?"
"I need the crystals, and as many wyrms as you can lure, in the main room where Kael had his transporter," Nobu'tan listed, "I can begin as soon as Teg'Ramm and Tenebrous return, I'll need them to prepare the crystals and trigger them as I activate the transporter and recalibrate it."
"I will set some undead on moving them immediately," Voldemort offered, "They have no ambient magic left in them, Fel or Arcane, and therefore stand the least chance of accidentally triggering the crystals of they are unstable."
"I'll prepare the ritual circles for the transporter," Nobu'tan said, starting to turn away, "When Teg'Ramm returns send him to me immediately."
Teron raised a hairless and cracking eyebrow, wondering just where the ogre had been sent to.
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Teg'Ramm was not sure what he was supposed to expect, walking down to the battlefield with a great coffin on his shoulder of the Blood Elves' prince.
If not for the word of Lord Nobu'tan, saying that he would be safe and received by the Elves down here fighting the demons, he would be significantly more nervous than he was.
Nevertheless, as he had been told, the first Elves that found him did not react with hostility, although it was clear that they were just as agitated as Teg'Ramm was of them.
"This way, Chieftain of the Balefire Ogre clan…" one of the Elves said, gesturing for the warlock to enter the large structure right on the waterfront, "Regent Lord Lor'themar is awaiting your arrival…"
"Is… is it him?" another Elf asked hesitantly, glancing at the coffin over Teg'Ramm's shoulder.
Glancing at the young male creature, Ramm blinked his single eye once. "It is…" he affirmed, turning toward the building indicated and walking purposefully away. Letting the rumor-mongers circulate their stories would do nothing to their fighting prowess against a unified enemy such as the Legion. However, once it was something less serious, such as a war against the distant and less threatening Dark Horde, rumors and varied opinions might discourage and turn allies against each other.
There was a flurry of motion and voices inside the main hall of the building, Draenei and Elves pouring over maps and directing orders out to the forces holding the line against the demons pouring out of the Sunwell. Even Teg'Ramm's presence did not cause enough of a stir to draw the attention of more than a few of the persons in the chamber.
"Ah, the representative of the Dark Horde's assault force," an Elf with a signle eye said, turning to glance over the coffin and Teg'Ramm.
The large bow on his back told Teg'Ramm immediately that this was the former Farstrider commander, and Ranger General of Silvermoon, Lor'themar Theron. "Lord Nobu'tan sends his regards, along with this." Teg'Ramm said, setting the coffin on the ground gently, "Bury him with his family, and the people he initially went out to protect."
The Regent Lord looking over the enchanted coffin with a quick glance, before returning his attention to Teg'Ramm, "We will do so, and we thank Nobu'tan of the Stormreavers for his generosity to preserve the body of our fallen Prince, in more ways than one."
"I will convey your thanks, and strive to make sure that our mutual efforts toward the Legion do not interfere with each other." Teg'Ramm replied neutrally, silently tapping into the ambient magic to sense what exactly this united force might be up to.
"You may want to amend whatever plans you have," Lor'themar replied, "The Alliance have just landed, with their elite SI:7 in the lead."
"I understand, and will take my leave immediately," Teg'Ramm said, turning to depart, but it was already too late. A host of humans entered, with the Stormwind Spymaster, Matthias Shaw, at their head.
"I thought I smell the stench of the Dark Horde here," he said hotly, glaring at Teg'Ramm, "What is your vaunted master up to this time? Aiding the Legion to invade our world?"
"Cleaning up the mess that you left behind," Teg'Ramm retaliated coolly, already mentally preparing an exit in case he had to slip out another way. The wide, open windows would admit his bulk if needed, and from there he could generate a shadowed gateway back to Nobu'tan's side.
"So Kael'thas is confirmed dead then," Shaw replied, his eyes quickly finding the coffin, "Good of you to return him to his people, after killing so many of their kin in the process."
"Only proper thing to do," Teg'Ramm replied.
"I would never have thought I'd hear about what was proper from an ogre…" Shaw said, more amused than irritated, "first time for everything I guess."
"Lord Shaw, if you'll come this way, we have a preliminary strategy to incorporate your forces into our united assault," Lor'themar said, beckoning the human over, and allowing Teg'Ramm to make his exit. The SI:7 agents watched Teg'Ramm until he had exited the building, and even afterward the ogre lord suspected a few of them tailed him until he was at the gates of the terrace.
Only when he passed the Black Harvest demons guarding the entrance, did the sensation fade, and Teg'Ramm hurried to locate Lord Nobu'tan.
What he did not expect to find was a full ritual circle prepared and waiting for his presence to maneuver and charge volatile Fel crystals. "Genius," he said, after the plan was revealed to him in totality, "it will help us avoid the Elves, their Draenei allies, and even the Alliance."
"The Alliance arrived?" Nobu'tan asked, not overly concerned, "Who leads them…"
"Shaw, and SI:7," Teg'Ramm replied, and aside from a furrowed brow, the Grand Warlock did not react.
"Is there any special significance of who leads the Alliance force?" Tenebrous asked, the assassin lingering on one of the plush seats left in the chamber, "Shaw is a pain, that is true, but he cannot hinder our work here, can he?"
"It's less of what he could do, and more of what he could say to the King of Stormwind," Nobu'tan replied, measuring out powder for the ritual, "personally I had hoped that Lady Proudmoore or another of their frequent commanders was leading. I appreciate her skill in the Arcane, and she does not have open hostility for us or the situation we are in."
The assassin raised an eyebrow, looking at the Grand Warlock, but Teg'Ramm was uncertain what that might have indicated. Something to do with humans and their relationships between males and females, but it was something significant.
Nobu'tan clearly understood, as he paused his measurement to glance at Tenebrous, "I am not infatuated with Lady Proudmoore," he said sternly, "Her attentions are directed elsewhere…"
