Well met, my lovely readers. Pardon the tardiness, everything for the last week or so has been thrown into disarray because of the passing of someone I greatly respected (Rest well, Technoblade) and I needed time to process everything, which backed up writing and other things I had to run out and do today, which caused me to forget posting before I departed. Still, thanks to those who've left messages and asked questions, and I encourage more of this. With that said, on with the next chapter! ~F

Chapter 158

Besiegement

Nobu'tan gazed slowly across the fortification barring their armies from entering Icecrown properly. Called the Wrathgate, the stretch of spiked walls had no movement on either parapet or in any of the narrow arrow slits that stretched the entire length.

"I do not care for how still and silent our enemy is…" he commented idly, before returning his attention to their own formation and preparations. "Voldemort, take your clan to our overlook, and prepare your secret weapon," he ordered, even as they both glanced up to the uppermost side of the Kalimdor Horde had encamped.

They had seen on their approach that the Forsaken had taken that uppermost region, and they too had brought siege weapons and their strange canisters of toxic-looking plague. Neither of them trusted those undead whatsoever, and therefore treachery was not out of the question.

"We will await the eventuality of battle, and be the contingency you need should the worst happen," Voldemort replied, unhappy that his clan was being sent out of the chance of frontline battle, but Nobu'tan refused to be concerned about the pettiness.

They were needed to act if either the Forsaken started to betray them all or more importantly if the Lich King himself appeared in the midst of what fighting would eventually come.

Once the Death Knight had departed with his clan, Nobu'tan turned, eyes scanning their own Dark Horde lines in the valley below the rise to the gate proper, and onto the western spur, where only a tiny smattering of Alliance soldiers were holding a powerful position.

"Now we just need Stormwind's finest and we can call the Scourge into a direct conflict…" he commented.

"We needn't wait long," Blaise reported, entering the raised pavilion where Nobu'tan's tent was slowly being pitched for his use.

His report was confirmed shortly thereafter by the blast of horns from the southwest. The sound was almost lost amount the Dark Horde's own music, which Nobu'tan had ordered to continue throughout their siege, so that the host of undead could be constantly aware that they were on their doorstep, waiting for them.

The silver armor of the Alliance footmen gleamed in the snowy landscape as their Alliance army approached, turning off the road and taking to their spur quickly, alongside paladins and a host of dwarves.

It seemed that they were not alone in recognizing the moment that the Alliance joined the host assembled against the forces of the dead. As soon as the Alliance had taken to their spur, the Wrathgate started to open, and ghouls spilled forth in large numbers, trying to scramble up the cliffs, but inevitably being funneled down to the palisade walls that Teg'Ramm and Blaise had had the foresight to prepare as soon as they had taken the valley.

"To arms sons and daughters of the Dark Horde! The dead are upon us!" Bannok bellowed from the front lines, even as his Dawn's Hammer took up their weapons to defend the front.

"Deal with these rodents," Nobu'tan ordered, "I am going to converse with the Alliance, and see that all our needs are met for this siege."

The grand warlock had every confidence in his warriors, especially against such minor threats as ghouls, but welcoming the representative of Varian Wrynn in his full caliber was something he felt was needed. The Kalimdor Horde commander had sent an underling, but Highlord Fordragon had come personally, and that demanded a measure of respect from the Lord of the Stormreaver Clan.

The Alliance guards were wary as he approached, but their eyes were glued to the battle in the gulf below their spur of rock, and watching as the Dark Horde demolished the attacking Scourge. Nobu'tan glanced over, seeing the Paladins of the Dawn's Hammer spearheading their defense. "Yes, it is strange for you, isn't it, to see my people wielding the same Light that you hold in such high regard…" he commented aloud, which caused both human soldiers to jump.

"Send word to your Highlord that Nobu'tan, Lord of the Dark Horde, is here to speak with him," the warlock said, respectfully waiting outside of the Alliance encampment for official permission to enter. He would not be presumptuous enough to walk in as though he could go where he pleased, despite the truthfulness of that fact.

It didn't take long for word to return from within, and Nobu'tan was guided inside. The fact that he was not the first commander to arrive however, did come as a surprise. The brown orc, a native of Outland, turned and looked at Nobu'tan with only a vague sense of caution and suspicion. It lacked the animosity that he had presumed such a one would have to a warlock in traditional garb.

"Lord Nobu'tan," Bolvar said with a nod, "We were about to sent a messenger to request your presence, or whomever you had placed in charge of your forces."

"Then we are all of the same idea," Nobu'tan replied, glancing between both leaders, "form a united siege plan to draw out the Lich King and his forces, before pushing together into his lands."

"Indeed," the orc replied, "while the supplies we all have will last for as long as we need, eventually we will need to pressure the Scourge if we want to pass this place."

"Agreed," Nobu'tan said, "Despite our position here, and Dalaran to the north keeping the Lich King securely in his domain, it won't remain that way if we stagnate and allow ourselves to grow lax in simply besieging the lands of the dead. We'll have to go into his fortress if we want to oust him from his hole."

"Which leads us to the reason we are gathered," Highlord Bolvar said, returning both of their attention to himself, "The Alliance's main base on Northrend is still a ways away from fully operational and able to support a push into Icecrown, therefore I propose that we hold position here for a time, until supply lines are well established and feed all three armies what we need for a successful attack."

"There is also much to be said for us posing as a distraction for the Argent Crusade to set up their forward command post north of Icecrown," Nobu'tan offered, "It does benefit us all if we delay for a period of time here, draw out the Lich Kings forces, and perhaps get lucky to lure him out directly."

"We would need to cause a large enough ruckus to get the Lich King to come personally…" the orc countered, "Do we have anything that would actually rouse him?"

"I can think of a few things," Bolvar said, tapping his chin in thought, "But we can think on that avenue later. For now we need to dig ourselves in, and lend what aid is needed when the Scourge try to push us back."

"They have already stirred as soon as your army arrived," Nobu'tan reported, "My forces have engaged a large group of ghouls from the Wrathgate."

"We will keep a strong watch from our spur, and add what ranged support we can. Demolishers are waiting for the command to start bombarding the far side of the gate, and really rouse them up." The orc added, "Our base is nearly complete, but we don't have the manpower of the Dark Horde to throw together fortifications the moment we arrive in a location."

Nobu'tan smirked at the gentle jibe at their proficiency for securing regions as they wished. "We do not mind holding the front. We have the longest ranged siege equipment and a few other things that I hope to use against the Scourge which may have a… great effect… on their forces."

Neither of the other leaders had anything to say to that, and Nobu'tan let the notion drop, keeping the specifics of their special weapons to himself. From outside, an explosion tore attention from the tension in the room, and made Nobu'tan chuckle. "Someone might be a little overeager to eliminate their enemies…"

"I think we can leave any further discussion of how to proceed for later, and focus on the matter at hand for each of us." Bolvar said, gesturing toward the entrance of the tent for both leaders to depart.

"Then I will bid you good day," Nobu'tan said, apparating on the spot back to the Dark Horde encampment. The fighting had long died out after the explosion, and their forces had already returned to their tents and posts.

"You've returned," Blaise said from where he waited at the edge of Nobu'tan's large tent.

"Indeed," the warlock replied, "All here are of the same mind, to lay down a distracting siege for a time, and work toward the possibility of flushing out the Lich King rather than trying to assault his citadel."

"Do they think that they have the means to draw him out?" the assassin pressed on, and Nobu'tan could only shrug.

"The Alliance feels that they have the means, but they need to dig themselves in first, so it will be a short bit of weathering these sorts of attacks until they are ready." He said, setting aside his outer robe and preparing to get settled in his tent. "Not ideal, but we have a good position and control of the area, so it's something."

"But is it enough?" Blaise asked, stabbing directly into the heart of what Nobu'tan had not been sharing.

He sighed, there was little to hide from one of his closest allies. Only the Malfoys would have been able to read him as well as Blaise, or perhaps Garona…

"No, it doesn't feel like enough… not even close…" he admitted.

"Then what shall we do more? Where shall we place forces to work toward a more productive avenue…?" Blaise asked, pushing further.

Nobu'tan thought hard. There had been some other means into Icecrown, but each had been more dangerous and overrun than going overland. But still… "There is one other way I think it worth looking into," He said.

"Name it, and I will lead the expedition to investigate." Blaise all but demanded. Clearly the assassin was tired of this region, and any change was sufficient for him.

"The Nerubian tunnels, and their fallen Kingdom," Nobu'tan named, "They have tunnels stretching the length and depth of Northrend. Surely one of their tunnels will emerge in Icecrown."

"Those tunnels are rife with not only Scourge, but also the remaining still living spiders," Blaise commented, "Surely we could form a temporary alliance with them in order to find a route through to the northern regions."

"And we can send through warlocks and warriors to establish a forward assault point, in case this siege fails." Nobu'tan agreed.

"When, likely, it fails," Blaise added darkly.

"Take whomsoever you feel is most useful to this mission, and go swiftly, I doubt that the undead will allow us to remain on their doorstep for long." Nobu'tan advised, laying back and dismissing the assassin with a casual wave of his hand.

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Jaina stared into the blackness of the tunnel that Draco had disappeared into for what felt like hours. Whatever magic was on the clothing of the strange, otherworldly mage, it prevented even the slightest sounds of rustling from making it back up to the surface.

She glanced at Kalecgos, but the Blue Dragon seemed unconcerned at the prolonged absence from the other member of their excavation team. However, even as Jain started to open her mouth to ask if they should go after Draco, the entire pile of rubble started to shake.

The pair of them leapt to their feet, back away quickly in case the rubble collapsed. Jaina was already thinking of a way to teleport down to Draco, or else to open a portal for him to escape, but the rubble suddenly exploded upward.

The skeletal form of a massive dragon surged upward, half of the skeleton fractured or else missing, with wisps of magic trailing off of it in waves. Dangling from the one of the great horns on the skull was Draco, clinging for all he was worth as the Frost Wyrm tried to fling him off and go berserk.

But Jaina remembered fighting this dragon before. And it was far weaker and less together than before, and she was wiser and far stronger. Lances of ice shot outward, shattering the weakened bone and knocking the skeletal dragon to the rubble.

Draco leapt free, even as the dragon form of Kalecgos slammed into the skeletal monstrosity, shattering it into pieces and sending the rotten bones flying in all directions.

The massive skull flopped to the rubble-strewn ground, teeth and horn crumbling as the magic sustaining it failed completely. But even as the necromantic magic faded, Jaina could still sense something powerful surrounding the skull, and was drawn closer to it even as Kalec and Draco returned to her side, the latter dusting himself off of soot and snow from his perilous trip back to the surface.

"I had not expected Sapphiron to still have enough power to become animated," Kalecgos was saying, but Jaina barely heard him or Draco's response, as she was fixated on the skull before them. Or more specifically, the right eye socket of the skull, from where she sensed a torrent of Arcane magic calling outward.

Reaching in, and ignoring the strange sensation that washed over her, she seized what felt like a small, fist-sized stone at the back of the socket. Pulling it free, she gazed in wonder at the delicate rune-carving on the gleaming gem.

"Behold the key of Focusing Iris," Kalecgos announced, "Your way to Malygos is opened, and once you use that key to open the Eye of Eternity he is bound to take notice of you."

"We should make haste; with this force could we take down the dragon?" Draco asked, glancing at the dragon in humanoid shape.

"It may be possible to defeat Malygos, with those assembled," Kalecgos said, looking back over the assembled Kirin Tor mages and Dark Horde ogres. "He would not expect the presence of so many powerful magic users, not to mention your unique skills…"

"Can we get to this Nexus quickly and give them no more time to prepare a defense? Or would they even be expecting us to attack them?" Draco probed, unwilling to leave anything to chance if he could manage it.

"It is unlikely that they even think its possibly for mortals to approach the Eye of Eternity," Kalecgos confirmed, "as for getting there, I can teleport a few of us, then we can open portals for the others to prepare for the battle there. It won't be completely pleasant though."

"I can handle some discomfort to see this business concluded swiftly," Draco replied, "once we're in place, return to Wyrmrest Temple and inform the Dragonqueen that we are engaging Malygos, and will hopefully see the end of this business quickly."

"I will do so," Kalecgos replied, drawing magic to himself and preparing a mass teleport, "It works to our advantage, as I wouldn't want any of my siblings to know that it was I who betrayed them."

The sensation of teleporting by dragon-magic was much like sidelong apparation, but more intense. Draco gritted his teeth against the momentary sensation of being crushed, and held himself from staggering when they suddenly halted.

Jaina handled the jarring move with greater ease, as though she was used to this sort of transportation, but Draco paid that little mind in comparison to the view all around them, which dominated his attention.

The vast expanse that surrounded them was positively charged with arcane magic, and seemed to stretch on forever in all directions. "This is the Eye of Eternity?" he asked, breathless at the intense sensation around them.

"Yes, at the very center of all magic in Azeroth," Kalecgos confirmed, "and that is the Focusing Iris, the focal point of all this magic."

The orb he indicated gleamed with radiant power, seeming to sharpen and magnify everything around it. "No dragon created this device," Draco said, approaching the Eye and casually scanning it with his wand.

"No, it's part of the titan's creation for our world, given to the Blue Dragonflight for safe-keeping." Kalecgos explained.

"We should summon the rest of our forces," Jaina said, bringing both of them back to the present situation.

"Yes, of course," Draco agreed immediately, turning back and allowing magic to flow through him from the surrounding mass. Arcane magic was easy to access here, and while he did not fully use it, he could assist the sorceress with her portal magic by stabilizing it through another being, as well as anchoring the destination in his mind for her to use.

"I'll be off then. I'll get what help I can from Wyrmrest and return," Kalecgos said, channeling his own teleportation spell, and vanishing even as the first wave of mages appeared.

"We have no idea where Malygos will appear once we activate this key," Draco explained as they funneled through, "so take up positions all around this platform. Any blue dragons must be destroyed, especially the Aspect of magic. Prepare yourselves for a dire battle."

Only once they were all through did Draco cut the magical flow to the portal, sealing them here in the Eye, and Jaina produced the Key, the blue gem humming in key with the magic all around them.

"Prepare for whatever may come," Draco said to all present, and nodded at Jain to begin.

She held the gem toward the Focusing Iris, and it surged with new light and magic, stretching out into the vastness around them.

The reaction was instant, with the hulking blue dragon manifesting above them in a burst of magic. "Lesser beings, intruding here!" he ranted angrily, summoning more of his kin to surround the platform and their force, whelps, drakes and dragons alike winging about, searching for a weak point in their formation.

"A shame that your excess courage does not compensate for your stupidity!" Malygos taunted, "None but the blue dragonflight are welcome here!"

"Perhaps this is the work of Alexstraza?" he mused, as though heavily considering the idea that mortals alone could not possibly have come this far, "Well, then, she has sent you to your deaths!"

With that, his forces attacked, swooping in to try and strafe them with their breath attacks. Shields of arcane, fire, and frost formed to absorb the attacks, while a torrent of magic flew up to knock many from the skies above them.

Most fell well past the platform, disappearing into the endless void, but a few crashed into the platform, adding some obstacles that they had to dodge around in their battle.

The smaller whelps and drakes were easiest to fell, but the larger dragons were tougher and more resistant to magic altogether. Draco held back with using his wand, only applies Fel curses to those who seemed stronger than the others of their foes.

It was tiresome, but soon their enemies withdrew.

Despite the smaller dragons and other blue dragonflight minions fleeing from attacking them, the Aspect of Magic seemed undaunted by their fighting spirit.

"What could you hope to accomplish?" he openly questioned, "To storm brazenly into my domain… to employ magic… against ME?" he laughed, a bellowing sound that seemed to fill the limitless void around them.

"I am without limits here… the rules of your cherished reality do not apply… in this realm, I am in control…" with a thundering crash, Malygos landed on the platform, dominating a good third of the space allowed for their own forces, and causing them to bunch up in a dangerously close position. Draco realized that one good gust from those wings and a fair few of them might be knocked off into nothingness below.

"I give you one chance," the dragon said sternly, "Pledge fealty to me, and perhaps I won't slaughter you for your insolence!"

There was a pregnant pause between both their combined force and the dragon. Draco blinked, did the dragon actually expect that to work? Even if they served him, the destruction of their world would still kill them all.

"Never!" a voice rang out, stealing the opportunity to speak for their group himself. A torrent of ice launched from Jain's outstretched hand, doing little more than enraging the dragon.

"My patience has reached its limit. I will be rid of you!" he challenged, lunging forward, and trying to snap his jaws over their closest line.

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Garona had departed Blackrock Mountain for a small scouting mission. Remaining cooped up in the depths was not to her liking, even before when she served Gul'dan. Leaving her son with some of the more trustworthy leaders, she had ventured toward the north, into the Searing Gorge.

She was greatly pleased with Med'an's progress in his studies, and even despite the clearly war-oriented nature of their training, he was learning many techniques that had a wide range of applications, according to him. The bright-eyed enthusiasm from the boy for all magical learning was quite endearing, and he was quite popular among all ranges of the different groups in the mountain, outside the caster casts.

Therefore, she had no worries or qualms about taking these little excursions in order to relieve her own burdens of the closeness under the ground. Picking her way through the rocky terrain, she controlled her breathing and melded into the shadows, just as she had been trained by the masters of the ancient clans of Draenor.

In doing so, she observed many things throughout the location. Despite being dominated by the Dark Horde forces and guards, there were places that went unobserved by typical patrols and scouts, and these were the places she checked.

The pass into the badlands was clear, enough movement of their forces back and forth to prevent any incursion from that route. From the northeastern pass, she swept westward, checking for any vestiges of dwarven activity. Most had fled to their cousins in the north, but time and again small pockets of them appeared to try and harass the mountain, or else establish a foothold to observe what they were up to.

It was well known that the Dark Iron dwarves wanted nothing more than their mountain back, and revenge for their fallen leader and people. Previously they had used the tunnel connecting the Gorge to the snowy lands of the Bronzebeard relatives, but the Dark Horde had sealed that passage up years ago.

Now however, Garona saw that they Dwarves had used their ingenuity to open it back up again, and were sending scouts and spies through to enter their hard won lands.

There were too many for her to take care of on her own, already setting up military tents and some rudimentary defenses. It seemed as though they were hoping to remain unnoticed, as everything they had set up wouldn't resist an outright attack.

Granted, the forces currently at Blackrock would not be available to deal with this threat, as they were occupied with supplying and reinforcing the Northrend campaign, which was clearly the reason that the dwarves were encroaching at this time.

She did not wish to consider the option, but she had little choice but to report what she had found back at the mountain. And that would then require a relay of the information to Nobu'tan at the front.

Garona could already guess his reaction. The boy would rush off to crush this potential invasion, and force a complete lockdown of their lands. As needful as that would be, it would steal vital resources from Northrend.

She sighed to herself, there was nothing that could be done about it. The dwarves had to be removed.

Silently, she withdrew herself from the rocky outcropping near the dwarves' position. She would not be seen; the Dark Irons lacked the skills in stealth and espionage to even come close to rivaling her prowess.

Not even the gate guards on Blackrock were aware of her return as she passed, slipping through one of the few bolt holes that she alone had discovered. The commander in charge of defenses was not one of the more intelligent among the various clans, but he was fiercely loyal to Nobu'tan personally, and that was sufficient for him and therefore for Garona as well.

Entering the Blackrock orc's chamber, which was on a level lower than those occupied by Nobu'tan and the other commanders of the Dark Horde, as well as the members of the Black Harvest who remained in the mountain primarily, she was unsurprised to find it mostly bare, with only items that had practical purposes adorning the sparse furnishings.

"Lady Halforcen," the orc said, rising from a desk that was clearly too small for his bulk, and gladly tossing aside a quill that he was struggling to handle, "What can I do for you?"

Garona did not believe in beating around the bush, and therefore did not hedge her words. "There is a Dark Iron encroachment into the Searing Gorge. They cleared the pathway to Dun Morogh and are sending in scouts and spies. Lord Nobu'tan must be made aware of this."

The orc paled, knowing that to interrupt the Grand Warlock in the middle of a campaign was not a wise decision for his own standing, but the ruling to command their forces to counter this incursion was not within his power to enact alone. "I… will notify Lord Nobu'tan immediately."

"I will carry the message, if you wish," Garona offered, slightly pitying the orc for his unenviable position. The relief that washed over was smoothed quickly as the orc schooled his emotion.

"Your assistance would be most welcome. I will give you official orders for the portal guardians to give you passage northward. I wish you swiftness and safety, my Lady."

Carefully, almost agonizingly slow, the orc took up his quill and penned a message in orcish. Clearly the orc had had no literacy before, but his position and the awe of Nobu'tan and those of great intelligence leading the Dark Horde had inspired him, of his own accord, to develop the skill.

Garona, to spare his feelings and not snuff out the initiative to better himself as a leader, said nothing about the shaky penmanship, but took the missive without a word and nodded to the commander. "I suspect Nobu'tan will return to take command against this himself, so you had best prepare for military action."

If anything, the interim commander seemed even more relieved as Garona departed, and started straightening his uniform, probably to formally hand over command upon the return of a higher ranking leader. She quickly slipped down to the portal chamber, and handed the untidy note to the guards, with instructions to take her as close to Nobu'tan's immediate location as they dared.

The arcane casters accepted her reasoning, and quickly opened a frigid portal to an ice-covered wasteland.

Stepping through, Garona found herself on the edge of what seemed like a battlefield waiting to happen, before a massive wall of spiked metal that was not made by any faction that she knew of.

The constant blaring whine gave away the location of their forces, and Garona started there quickly, spotting the Stormreaver banners and tent without trouble.

"Lord Nobu'tan," she said, announcing herself as she entered the pup's tent. He was resting in a suspended net-like mesh, but the eyes focused on her instantly as she spoke.

"What has happened? Is it Med'an?" he asked, sitting up carefully, concern etched in his voice.

"Nothing that dire," she said, calming the young man, "but our enemies are encroaching into the Searing Gorge once again."

"Dwarves?" Nobu'tan asked.

At her nod, Nobu'tan groaned in irritation, and lifted himself out of the elevated bed-like contraption, and started gathering his key items and binding his outer robes on again. "And here I thought I may have a few days at most to relax as we laid siege against the undead…"

They were barely exiting the tent, when Tenebrous appeared, "My team is assembled, Forest Trolls and several other assassins from various clans," he informed the Grand Warlock.

"Good, you have my blessing to begin. Apparently our neighbors back near Blackrock are getting aggressive again, and I am needed to crush them underfoot once more. I'm trying to decide on what punishment that I will invoke this time… collapse the mountain range between us and the dwarven lands perhaps?" he said, adding in the last with a sarcastic grin.

Tenebrous did not seem to take it as a joke, Garona noted, "Nothing that will cause more fighting, please…" he said in all seriousness, "and return soon, we will need you here to guide the clans that are more self-interested…"

"They will keep in line for a time," Nobu'tan replied, and Garona could tell that they were speaking of a specific example unknown to her, "I will return as swiftly as they permit me to."

Tenebrous nodded, satisfied, and departed, joined by those he had mentioned as they left the Dark Horde lines.

"Alternate avenues of progress?" Garona surmised, leaving specifics of what she might have assumed out, as she did not care that much. She was occupied with her own priorities, and was not privy to the specifics of this campaign. While she was the spymaster of the Dark Horde, the doings of her Lord when she was effectively on hiatus was not vital. If she needed to know, she trusted that the pup would tell her.

"Basically," he agreed, cutting open a portal of his own with a casual wave of the hand. They returned to Blackrock in the uppermost levels, where Nobu'tan's personal stores of various magical items and equipment were stored.

"I hope to deal with this swiftly," he explained, carefully stepping through the packed chamber and picking this or that item for himself, "How many of them are there?"

"Three dozen at least, growing as long as the passage is cleared," Garona replied, mentally tallying those she had seen.

"Not a problem then," the warlock said confidently, adding several rings from a simple wooden box to his hands. "There's not even a need to trouble the remaining guards with approaching them, I'll handle it myself, and be back in time to return to Northrend before evening."

To Garona, it seemed more bravado than anything, but given what she had seen the pup accomplish since his mysterious return to Azeroth, she reversed her concerns in order to wait and see what the human had planned.

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To his credit, Blaise had schooled his concern of Nobu'tan leaving on the eve of battle between the mixed forces of Horde, Dark Horde, and Alliance against the Lich King, but he still thought it unwise to say the least.

Sure their force might never even notice the absence of the Grand Warlock, the de facto leader of the Dark Horde as a whole, despite Nekrosh Skullcrusher as acting Warchief, but risking their moral for what might prove to be less than a real threat seemed like a wasted effort that could sacrifice too much for too little.

Alas, he was not in a position to dissuade Nobu'tan from this course of action, but at the least this expedition could help mitigate any potential problems if the fallout occurred.

"We need to make our way with all speed to the spider's caverns," he said to the assembled fighters from various clans and tribes. Zul'Marosh, an Amani warrior that Blaise had found very promising, nodded his agreement.

"Da sooner we be findin' dis tunnel, da sooner we can return to fight at da gate…" he said, the lingering vestiges of command still radiating off of it. Zul'Marosh had once been one of the lesser chieftains in Eversong or the Ghostlands, whil Zul'jin ruled over the entire tribe.

It was a moderate trek south and west toward where the spider's nest entrance in the dragonblight was located, but Blaise and the trolls were able to find several shortcuts to avoid the roads and cut cross-country.

Because of their faster routes, they made excellent time, and were able to approach the pits where the spider kingdom entrance was located from the northeast, rather than where the road ran past it to the south.

The extensive Scourge presence was a significant tell that they had found the right place, the partially mummified spiders shambling about, keeping watch and doing other manual labor around the entrance of the underground kingdom.

Drawing his wand, Blaise started to weave magic around the group of ten, allowing their forms to blend slightly with the shadows around them, and gestured for them to keep out of sight just in case as they made their way toward the hole into the depths.

The lesser spiders gave no reaction to their presence as they slipped past into the darkness of the honeycombed tunnels that they had been advised led into the lost city of Azjol-Nerub. The larger, beetle-like nerubians on the other hand were more aware, and seemed to sense that something was there when they were passed, although even they rarely took any action to try and discover what was hiding in the shadows.

It was not until they started toward the underground city proper, avoiding massive webs and steep plunges into darkness as they made their way forward. A towering spider, taller even than its other kin, stood as a sentinel at the crossroad of several passages, surrounded by others of its lesser relatives, watching the path that the assassins were taking toward them.

"Keep an eye on the tunnel." The creature commanded its minions, "We must not let anyone through!"

Blaise stalked forward. Personally he had no desire to engage any of the spiders if they could help it, but too late he realized that the ground had been covered with tiny webs, which quivered and shook with every step they took, invisible to eyesight or not.

"I hear footsteps," the lead spider said, his attention perking up as the webs vibrated, "Be on your guard!"

Blaise momentarily thought that they might still pass safely, as they had not yet been discovered, but that was dashed as the creature turned to look directly at one of the orcish assassins. "I sense the living. Be ready!"

There seemed no choice but to eliminate them, Blaise surmised. He studied the surrounding area, and could see where the traps and other sensory webs were located. The entire area was surrounded in such things, forcing any invader to come straight through these guards. A clever defense, which countered what the assassin had thought would be a swift passage without any combat.

Unfortunately not to be, and he gave the signal to attack.

"We are besieged! Strike out and bring back their corpses!" the spider yelled as the assassins all sprang from the shadows at their line, blades gleaming with magic and poison as they carved into the undead carapaces.

"We must hold the gate. Attack!" the leader shouted at his spider minions, urging them forward.