For humanity to stand against the Orcish Horde, they needed to unite. Yet, each kingdom is different in their own way and has their own traditions. It would take more than an agreement for the Alliance of Lordaeron to truly be united, just as can be said of Lion's Vengeance. Both would need a leader, and in the case of Lion's Vengeance, that leader would be Gregory Kell.

Gregory's father, Oliver, was a knight of Lordaeron, a position granted to him after his heroic actions facing an uprising of gnolls. Oliver told Gregory of his battles and inspired his son to follow in his footsteps. He honed his swordsmanship, learned to ride a horse, and lived with chivalrous values.

Yet, Oliver knew that there was very little to be done with knighthood. Lordaeron was relatively peaceful and able to secure its land from threats. The knight was given little chance to improve his social standing. He sought out different noble families to arrange a marriage between Gregory and a heiress to elevate his family to nobility, but alas, many lords were hesitant about it.

The truth is that Gregory was able to make it where he was due to nepotism. Had Oliver never been knighted, Gregory wouldn't have the resources and connections his father had to succeed. It didn't help that the young knight wasn't too successful in what he could do. He was never able to claim victory in the few tourneys that he signed up to compete in.

If Gregory was to move forward with his life, he needed to prove his worth in a relatively peaceful kingdom. That chance would come to him when refugees came from the south, bringing word of the Orcish Horde with them. Although it took time for the kings to assemble, they did command for their respective militaries to mobilize and train. Gregory rode with his father to Lordaeron City to help train and lead a surge of new recruits. Yet, if Gregory was to succeed, he would need to step out of his father's shadow and show what he was capable of.


Gregory waited outside of the palace, stroking the mane of his horse, Dawson. Oliver's horse, Maria, waited patiently beside the young knight and the mount. He was anxious while waiting for his father, who had been summoned to a meeting alongside dozens of other knights. It wouldn't come as a surprise if they were speaking with King Menethil himself. Gregory wondered if he would have a chance to mingle with royalty one day. Perhaps if the rumors he heard are true and he fought against the invaders, that could happen.

With how many people talked about them, Gregory believed that the orcs were real, and that it was only going to be a matter of time before they traveled north. Lordaeron and the other kingdoms wouldn't be preparing for war if they weren't true. Gregory had yet to see a real battle before and previously only fought in tournaments. What few bandits and raiders that Oliver dealt with he did so without his son's help. However, if Stormwind was destroyed, then the rest of the kingdoms would need all the help they could get. Gregory wouldn't stand by and watch others fight when he could fight with a sword.

Eventually, multiple knights left Lordaeron Palace with Oliver among them. Gregory's father was a stern man whose red hair had turned silver with age. He kept his armor maintained and had his sword and shield strapped across his back for easy access. Oliver walked toward his son and mounted Maria with Gregory quickly hopping on Dawson. The two took up their reins as the younger knight started a conversation.

"What news do you have from the palace, Father?" Gregory asked.

"We're to help train new recruits," Oliver answered in a blunt manner. "Ride with me, my son."

The two knights rode alongside each other with Gregory continuing the conversation. "Are we to train them for war?"

"That's right," Oliver said, his voice growing louder as their horses trotted along the streets. "Hopefully, Lordaeron won't have to stand alone in the coming war, but for now, while we let the nobles work through their political discussions, we have our part to do."

"Are we to fight as well?"

"Perhaps. We will know more when the time comes. For now, we start training the recruits we were assigned to."

"That starts today?" Gregory asked, surprised by the development."

"Do you recall the different tents and clearings we passed by entering the city?" Oliver asked but didn't wait for an answer. "The recruits have been working under drill sergeants for three days. While I was given the option to wait until tomorrow, I want to get an early start on training."

"I can't believe we have so many recruits," Gregory commented. "I never thought the people of Lordaeron would want this war."

"It's not just our people we're working with," Oliver told his son. "Refugees from Stormwind make up the bulk of the men we're training today."

"Really? But why would they train under Lordaeron?"

"What military forces they do have are busy recovering from the destruction of their kingdom," Oliver informed Gregory. "Their commander is busy as regent to convince the other kings to unite to worry about training. That's where we come in."

"I understand," Gregory said with a nod. "I shall do my part."

"We shall do our part," Oliver nodded back.

Gregory remained silent, content to let the conversation end there. He had learned enough from his father and was glad to be at his side when it came to the training. However, he was anxious at the prospect of fighting in a war. Lordaeron had yet to face something on that scale in centuries and he was worried about their odds in an extended conflict. Humanity would have to stand together, and thankfully, the people of Stormwind showed that they were willing to work with the other nations. He hoped that this was the start of the other kingdoms joining together.

The two knights rode out of the city and to the clearing outside. Although Gregory didn't think much of it when he first arrived, he again noticed the different tents and people gathered outside. Originally, he had thought that they were refugees but now realized that they were recruits. Oliver looked up at the different flags raised by each tent and guided the way toward the clearing marked by a flag with a bear on it. Gregory followed behind his father, and when the two slowed their horses down, they dismounted.

While Oliver stepped forward to talk with the officer in charge of training, Gregory took a few moments to look over the recruits. Many of them were young adults although there were a few who looked like they were veterans. He couldn't tell which were from Stormwind and which were from Lordaeron as they were all wearing the same training equipment. Gregory supposed it didn't matter as they would be trained all the same for the coming conflict. When Oliver motioned for him, he joined his father's side.

"Attention!" the drill sergeant called out, waiting several seconds for the recruits to fall in line. "The king has sent knights to oversee your training moving forward. You'll follow their orders as if they were mine."

Oliver stepped forward. "I am Sir Oliver Kell, and with me is Sir Gregory Kell. It is our duty to see that you are properly prepared for any battles that you may face. As such, we'll be taking over your training. We'll start by examining your swordsmanship. We'll run through drills then take part in sparring."

Gregory remained silent, letting his father take the lead with running the training. He imagined that his place was to assist Oliver however he could. The officer started to issue commands for different slashes and strikes the recruits were to do. Oliver and Gregory both walked throughout the formation, taking note of individuals who needed to improve on their performance. While Oliver was strict and straight-to-the-point, Gregory was patient and understanding with his constructive criticism, and for a few recruits who were struggling, demonstrated what he was saying with his sword.

This continued on for sometime before Oliver called for everyone to take up a training partner and spar. Although Gregory thought that they would watch, his father eventually approached with two wooden training swords. The knights fell in with the rest of the recruits and started a sparring session. It wasn't too long for the recruits closest to them to realize that the elder knight was more experienced. Although Oliver was a kind father, he was a strict mentor who didn't hold back even against his own son. Gregory found himself on the defense for most of the match, and while he was able to block each strike, his arms shook at his father's strength.

The sparring came to an end and Oliver called for the recruits to fall in line. He motioned Gregory over to the horses and the young knight was quick to mount Dawson without question. He wondered what their horses had to do with what was planned for training but was also glad for the short break.

"Aside from your skill with a blade, it is important to stay in shape as well," Oliver explained. "Start running."

"With me!" the drill sergeant called out and started to lightly jog, leading the recruits.

When Oliver joined his son and mounted Maria, Gregory was quick to ask a question. "Should we not join them? It doesn't feel fair to ride when they run."

"Worry not about it," Oliver shook his head. "We must be ready to continue their training after they're done running. I know that you're in shape and you know that I'm in shape. We're good to ride and keep an eye on the recruits."

"I suppose you have a point," Gregory said with a reluctant nod.

Gregory and Oliver rode behind the recruits as they ran down a worn-down path leading north. They all wore armor and would grow tired quickly but it was important to build endurance. Oliver wanted to ensure that no one he trained would die from losing stamina and grow sloppy in their fight so this was an important exercise. Gregory was still uncertain as to ride with his father rather than join the recruits. In his mind, a knight needed to lead by example, but for now, deferred to his father's command.

The recruits kept running at a steady pace even as they grew tired. However, one man in particular started to fall behind after twenty minutes, wheezing heavily as he took deep breaths. Gregory recognized him as one of the recruits who particularly struggled when it came to the earlier training. He was worried about the man's success in battle but knew better than to talk him out of leaving. Oliver rode past the man to stay behind the formation, only barking out a single sentence.

"There'll be a break and water once you finish."

Gregory sighed and slowly pulled his horse to a stop. While Oliver was content to keep up with the rest, his son was intent on seeing that everyone made it through. He dismounted from his horse and ran up behind the exhausted recruit. Gregory slapped his back twice in an encouraging gesture, stunning the recruit as the knight started to jog alongside him. Surprisingly enough, the two realized that they were likely around the same age as a bond started to form between them.

"Keep at it," Gregory said with a smile. "We'll do this together."

"Please, don't wait for me," the recruit sighed. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I don't mind," Gregory shook his head. "I'll match your pace but you have to keep moving, okay?"

The man nodded. "Thank you, Sir Gregory."

"Please, Gregory will suffice. Might I know your name?"

"It's Matthew."

"I look forward to serving alongside you, Matthew," Gregory said and started to notice that Matthew was picking up his pace. "That's it, keep it up. I'm with you!"

"I'm pushing myself!" Matthew said through gritted teeth. "I can't give up."

"That's right," Gregory nodded encouragingly. "We'll win this war together!"

The conversation slowly died as the two focused on running. Even Gregory started to grow tired but not as much as Matthew. Still, the small act of encouragement was enough to push the recruit to keep going. Gregory knew that the war would try to break as many people, but if he could, he would do his part to make sure that everyone kept their spirits up.


The tournaments that Gregory competed in measured martial ability such as jousting, duels, and archery contests. What they failed to take notice of was the traits that made a leader. Gregory never won a tournament in his life but that wouldn't define who he was as a leader.

What Gregory lacked in strength he more than made up for with his charisma. He did what he could to inspire others, be it by words of encouragement or from action by leading the way to battle. He was by no means a tactician but knew enough to listen to what others had to suggest and follow through with a plan that he supported.

There were many among Lion's Vengeance who qualified as leader with some having better qualifications to lead than knighthood. Yet, they all fell in with Gregory as their leader for their own reasons. It was through Lion's Vengeance that he would finally be able to prove his worth to his peers and his kingdom.


A/N: Another update for you here and we have another character introduced from Broken World. Those of you who read that may see that Gregory is much different than during his service on Outland. All I will say is that a lot can happen in the years between the Second War and the events of the Burning Crusade.

Until next time.