Let the battle continue.
They were bred for war, to bring death to all those around them, they faced death without blinking and charged forward against overwhelming odds with their blades ready and stance strong. So, Damion found himself surprised when he could feel the tension in the air as the lift, they were on entered a large open chamber that reminded him of the old chapels to the light. They were stronger than they'd ever been before, better equipped than they ever had a right to be. He didn't want to be overconfident, but it was hard to when you're so sure of yourself and those around you. So why the tension, perhaps since they were freed from control their emotions have started to return to them? He didn't know but he wouldn't let this slow him down, not here.
It wouldn't be long now, they were near the floor. So close that he could hear the sounds of chanting from under them "These traitors have broken into this fortress of darkness!" that was a voice he recognized, Lady Deathwhisper. The overseer of the Cult of the Dammed, the closet thing the Scourge had to a high priest "They will know the folly of such actions against the master!"
While he wasn't in the front of the grouping. The three former horsemen were, being chosen to lead them when Kal or Morgraine were not present, something that none of them had any problems with considering their rankings back in the Scourge.
As they reached the halfway point between the ceiling and the ground, Sir Zeliek took a step forward and started to speak "No matter what happens here" he didn't shout, he spoke just loud enough for those of them without the armoured helmets to hear him "I want you all to know, I have never felt prouder of the battle I walk towards, nor happier with those who I stand beside" he said to them
"Ah shut ya fuckin mouth, paladin" Korth'azz said back as they took a step towards the edge of the platform that was near the ground. Damion watched as all the undead within the chamber turned to look at them as they reached the ground "We ain't dying here" he could almost hear the smile on the dwarf's face.
"So! The traitors have come to our sanctum to face our judgement!" Deathwhisper shouted as she stood in front of her force of undead that looked ready and waiting for them, it wasn't very large though, no doubt this priestess had only just told about their arrival, not enough time for her to set up real defences or traps "Come forward fools! And face the wrath of the Scourges most faith…." That was when her head was blown clean off.
Everyone, including the mindless undead, looked to Lady Blaumeux who had steam coming from the barrel of her rifle that just fired at one of the higher power settings. The now headless body of Lady Deathwisper just fell to the ground completely dead and would not be coming back "Hahh" she let out a deep sigh as she lowered her weapon slightly "I have wanted to do that for a long time" She looked over her shoulders at the others "Shall we?"
As soon as the words left her mouth the mindless undead all charged at them and the Death Knights started to march forward with their weapons raised, many of the larger of their number, mainly the Orcs and warriors from their lives before this started marched forward first with their blades cutting down all who got to close, while the rest of them fired their rifles. A solid line that marched forward with little issue "Forward quickly!" Zeliek shouted over the sounds of battle "We must reach the chock point before they swarm us!" the order was a sound one and they all marched forward and a faster pace, dispatching all that got in their way.
They touched ground on the outlook of the upper spire, Kal was quick to let go of Mograine and the warrior was quick to step away from the man who just carried him. The two could look and see the throne of Ice crown above them, it must have been only another fifty meters above them, they could just fly up and challenge the Lich King directly, but they couldn't. They couldn't let any of the Scourge escape this purge, they all must die and the second the Lich King dies they would run, there was never a guarantee they would find them before they could do more damage. They would take them out first and then deal with the master of them all.
The large and no doubt locked door was in front of them and looked just as forbidding as the rest of this cursed place "Come on" Kal said as he started to move forward towards the door "Let's end this" he added as Mograine started to follow him. As he neared the door he pushed forward with one hand right in the middle of the two of them and the metal, no matter how tough it was or how magically enchanted it was, was blown off his hinges and flew down the hallway against the nearest wall. They were in.
Kal took out his trident and held it in a firm stance, ready to attack whatever might jump out at them, however unlikely it may seem. The corridor they walked in was large, but Mograine found himself surprised by how bright it was, not with warm comforting like from candles or touching but instead, an ice blue colour that hung to the walls, it shouldn't be bright enough to emit light but it was, how that worked he didn't know and at this moment in time, he didn't care much to think about it.
Upon reaching the wall where the broken door fell limp on the ground, there were two directions they could go, one left and another right, such a trivial choice but it brought the two of them to a halt as they didn't know the way. At least that was until Kal turned and started to move, seeing no reason not to follow, he moved after him.
Much like Kal, Mograine was holding a large blade in his hands as they moved. While his rifle was secured on his back, the blade was larger than the others of his brotherhood used. It wasn't the Ashbringer. That cursed blade was currently locked within Kal's fortress, he knew the blade better than any other but ever since his mind was freed he couldn't look at the weapon without feeling more shame than any before. The once bright and noble blade that brought more hope than even himself when it was seen, in a way he was the Ashbringer but now.
Now the blade was much like him, corrupted, broken, cold to the touch. He didn't doubt that the blade could be saved, he just knew that he couldn't be the one to do it. So on his back was a blade similar in size to the Ashbringer though noticeably different, mainly due to the blade holding all the technology that the others did, he didn't understand it but what he did know was that when pushed the smallest amount of magic into the handle the blade would activate.
A small easily missed layer of blue energy would wash over the blade, he didn't understand it completely but from what he was able to see it made the weapon incredibly hot, so hot that it would cut through other weapons, armour and even stone walls like a hot knife through butter. He wouldn't wait for the moment when he would test it against the Lich King's armour.
Though as the two walked carefully but calmly through the corridor, a thought wouldn't leave Mograine's mind "What did you mean before?" he asked Kal "When you said that more power and evil things than the Lich King have tried" he clarified.
Kal stopped walking suddenly, he thought for a moment that he was going to snap at him for asking or something of that nature, but that thought was taken away when an open vent pressed against the wall pushed out a powerful blast of ice, not normal ice of course, he could taste the magic in it. The reason for that he didn't know but he guessed that it didn't matter that much, the two waited for a moment before it stopped and continued forward "You and all the others in this world" Kal started and the undead knight was surprised by the calmness in his voice "You've fought in wars, you've fought against demons and monsters but the truth... The truth is that you know nothing about the horrors that truly lurk out there in the dark" this time when he stopped walking he did turn to look at him "the world I called home for my entire life is gone because the God of Tyranny wanted it gone. We entered a war that brought in the biggest and most powerful armies in the universe. I've seen true power, I've fought against it, I've fought with it, I've used it. The Lich King, in the face of all that I've fought against" he shook his head and let out a sigh "he is to me what a wolf is to you" he finished before turning and moving forward again, leaving the former Death Knight to ponder those words for a few moments before he moved to catch up.
"Once we begin our march, there is no turning back" Malfurion stated as they neared the start of their battle. The bulk of the forces had met up and were marching northward of the Crystal vice, they were so close now. He felt like he didn't need his harnessed and trained magical senses in order to taste the necromantic magic in the air. He was near the front lines of the army as they were about to leave the vice and step foot into the dead lands of Icecrown.
"We will not need to turn back" Sylvanas added with an uncaring tone "If we are correct on the plans of Kal-El then we simply need to be enough of a presence to warrant the attention of the enemy host. We on the ground hold the line while the dragons fly overhead and scorch the enemy forces" The plan was decided when Malygos returned with the Forsaken with him, content with their reasoning for being here.
While still not entirely comfortable with being around the undead and not fighting them. he was trained and mature enough to calm himself and accept the situation for what it was, beggars couldn't be choosers after all and they needed all the help they could get "There they are" the druid spoke as the host came upon the opening of the lands of Icecrown. It was a thin and narrow path on ground level in front of them, on either side of it were two large cliffs of jagged rock that rock that created a corridor effect in front of them.
It was too narrow to make up for any strength in numbers they might have had, which they didn't. He could see the undead halfway down the path, they were just standing there and not moving, not speaking, nothing. He didn't doubt they could see them if they were even capable of sight after all that's been done to them. But despite all of that, they didn't move. Were they so incapable of even the most basic of actions without their master's command? Something he could think about later, though he doubted he would, it was a really depressing thought.
"I grow tired of waiting" the Banshee queen stepped forward ahead of him "THE TIME HAS COME!" she shouted, turning around to look in his direction but mostly to the left "SHIELDS IN FRONT, ARCHERS BEHIND!" upon her command. The forsaken moved as one, quickly moving into a no doubt already well-known formation.
Knowing that his place was near the front as well, he moved forward. Many of the druids doing the same. Not moving completely to the front, he and the druids stood in between the formation lines between the archers and the shield walls "TAKE AIM!" Sylvanas added. It wasn't like it was for him so long ago, they didn't all move and take aim in one solid motion like he remembers the Night Elves doing during the War of the Ancients. Though he knew it wasn't a far comparison, the Forsaken were many different races and none of them held the same time of damage to their bodies, some of them were missing skin, muscles even bone.
It would be nigh impossible to keep an exact formation given that. He watched as the archers all took aim and readied themselves. Again, the enemy didn't even move from their stances 'What are they waiting for?' he asked himself "LOOSE!" she ordered.
He watched as a wave of over two hundred hours flew through the sky. To him, it seemed to happen so slowly, they moved higher and higher, almost blocking out sections of the blue sky. It was when they came down and started to hit that his nerves were tested. He watched as the sky rained arrows down upon the enemy. They didn't move.
Not an inch, he could see with his own eyes as the arrows fell upon them, they went through their bodies. Some of them fell to the ground, but most others, stood unmoving and unflinching as several arrows stook out of their bodies "By Elune" he heard Devon speak to him, he himself was no doubt shocked by the sight "Would the others survive that?" he asked.
"No" a voice said to him, he looked to his right and saw Sylvanas second, Nathanos speak to him "That would have killed many of us" he informed the group.
"It matters not" another far younger voice called out to them, the two druids and ranger looked behind them to see a young human walk towards them. He wore the armour of a paladin and carried a large great sword over his shoulder. This one Malfurion knew very little about, Darion Mograine. A former prisoner of the Forsaken who was now fighting beside them, the reason for that he didn't know, and he really didn't have the time to ask "If they do not fall to arrows then they will to the blade"
"You'll get your chance" the Archdruid as he looked back forward into the narrow road and to the enemy, who before were staring blankly into nothingness, now they seemed to be looking right at them with a strong intensity. Then they started to march forward towards them, there was no formation or plan. Looking at them, he doubted they would be able to do too much damage, they were so… flimsy.
"ENOUGH OF THIS DELAY!" a loud and powerful voice sounded above them "THE MORE WE WAIT, THE MORE TIME THEY HAVE TO PREPARE!" many heads looked up to see the large form of Malygos fly over them and towards the road. The aspect of magics' body was far too large to fit through the narrow passage, but many were quick to realize that was not his plan. When he neared the slit in the two mountains, he pulled his body upwards and his large claws slammed into the rock, it looked odd to see a dragon standing upwards, his tail was almost scraping across the ground. He opened his mouth and let loose a torrent of lightning.
It was bright enough that many had to turn their heads whereas looking into it directly would hurt their eyes. Malfuiron was aware that the blues dragons mainly fired an ice front from their mouths that would more often than not freeze their enemies into place. However, he also knew that attack wouldn't do much against the undead. It wasn't impossible to believe that the dragon aspects, the aspect of magic most of all would not be able to fire a different type of attack from his mouth.
It worked as well as one would expect when the attack was done. The force of undead within the slit was gone, all that was left was the ash blowing in the wind "Forward! Quickly!" he ordered as his wings flapped and pulled him into the air and he turned to look at the ground forces "We must make it to the black gate quickly!" he ordered.
While it was true that no one present held a real rank over the others, it would be foolish to miss the opportunity that was given to them "FORWARD MARCH!" Sylvanas shouted and upon her command, the shield wall started to move forward. Knowing that there was little reason not to, Malfurion started to move forward himself, the Night elves going with him.
The dragons held themselves back for a moment. They wouldn't go forward until the army was through and the formation lines were formed. Which they couldn't do until they moved past this road. Thankfully they moved quickly, the warning from Malygos resonated with many of them and they marched quickly enough. The cliff walls were foreboding with many of them but thankfully it was clear that no enemies were atop them, the dragons would have destroyed them quickly enough if that was the case.
It was awkward, being forced to march in such a tight space, especially when considering all the bulk that was on display and not just muscles or size but armour and weapons as well. They reached the halfway point through the road, and that was when the Archdruid saw it. He looked over the heads of all those in front of him, he's seen it through his meditations through the dream a handful of times but this was the first he did so with his own eyes.
The black gate of Icecrown.
The large gate of black metal and bone looked like it came from the ground, breaking out of the floor like the force of the earth itself pushed them out because it was so disgusted by it, he noted the thin layer of energy or aura that seemed to hug the metal, it was easy to see the resemblance between it and the necromantic colour that hugged the undead.
And there they were, there must have been thousands of them, just like on the road they continued to walk down. They stood in silence and did nothing as they approached, for one moment, for one foolish moment. He thought that maybe they would just stand there and let them be attacked. But he knew better than that.
He was saddened to see it but these seemed much better equipped, as they neared the army and their own started to filter out of the crack in the mountains, moving to both the left and right, taking up their formations. Of course, he moved out with them, as he got closer he could see the enemy more clearly. He could see them, their heavy armour, their large weapons. He could see the mostly bone and skeleton bodies that faced them, he could also see the small number of those who stood amongst them.
They wore full heavy armour, though it was more than that which gave them away. It was their stance, they were moving. It was like they were nervous for the battle to come, much like those who came with him 'No' he said to himself quickly, it wasn't nerves, he wasn't an expert in the undead but he knew enough to know that common emotions were not something they felt. They feel anger and rage and that was it. Nerves? No, it wasn't that. It was eagerness. They wanted this battle, they wanted it too badly, and they were hungry for violence.
Many of those he could see were pacing back and forth within the battle lines, looking up to the top of the gate, he saw another large force of undead standing atop it, looking at them ready for whatever order was given much like on the ground, he could see many of the other undead, ready, looking eager for the battle to come.
Death Knights.
The elites of the Scourge, their commanders, their tacticians and they were the real threat that they needed to watch out for. If they weren't careful then it was the Death Knights that were going to bring the dragons down. Not in a one-on-one of course but that would never happen, according to Sylvanas the Scourge would attempt to drown them in bodies while the Death Knights did the real work on the battlefield. Not the mention the Lichs that would be in their number.
Malfurion has been in many battles, he has fought many enemies. He was there during the fall of the Legion during the first war against them. The war that the other races call the War of the Ancients, but this was different, this was the first time he was going into a battle with enemies that he felt truly terrible for. This would not be glorious, not full of honour and distinction, this would be a grim duty that he would never forget.
Far sooner than he would have liked, they stopped moving. Their army had made it out of the crack and were now standing in a tight formation looking at the enemy. There was about half a mile of land in between them. The enemy didn't move, neither did they. They just stared at each other.
He didn't know how long they stood there in silence, five minutes maybe. It seemed like nobody wanted to make the first move, that was when it changed. The wind started to howl louder at them, and the sky which was once a peaceful blue started to darken and clouds started to appear above them, a dark foreboding going with them. The reach that the Lich king had over the environment around Ice Crown was impressive, even he could admit it. Being one of the strongest druids, something that took long for him to admit. His senses and power were strong, he could tell that the world around them was sick and dead. Was the power of the Scourge that strong? Did the Lich King have such control over this domain of death?
He knew the Lich King was strong to have assumed such a force but perhaps the Arch Druid had allowed himself to get cocky, not thinking that this former human prince could rival those that they'd faced before. He shouldn't have been so foolish.
He turned his head to the left and looked up to see the tall spires of the Citadel proper. The very layout of the battlefield they were about to enter went against them. the black gate in front of them was one of two, if they made it through this one then they would need to turn left and go through another, then turn left again, and then they would be at the front gates of the Citadel. The whole area created a large 'U' shape if you looked at the roads.
At the peak of the Citadel, he could see the darkness that was taking over the sky seemed to originate from there. He could see a whirlwind of darkness and snow, those two things didn't seem to go together at all but here it did.
That was when he heard it "So, the slaves return to me. And with such purpose" The voice was powerful, it seemed to echo all around him. He'd never heard the Lich King's voice before but there was no one else it could have been, not to mention the mixed looks of anger and fear etched on the faces of the Forsaken was difficult to ignore "To think they would march against me in the hopes of achieving something as childish as vengeance. Just like the others, all you do is delay the inevitable… Ah, so you have done even more. The great Dragon Aspects, are out of the shadows, leaving their nests and strongholds because of misguided trust and hope in this outsider. When the battle ends, I will own the greatest army in the world. None shall stand against the Scourge and none shall stop me from taking over this world" the words continued to echo all around them.
Malfurion was no fool and not one easily felled by fear but even he started to feel himself being dragged down by this aura of dread. He could only imagine what it was like for others who did not have even a fraction of the experience as him. That was when it felt him, the aura was washed away from him and replaced by the comfort he would feel if he was back within his home, laying on his bed with Tyrande cuddling into his side "Your reign of Death ends here abomination!" another voice shouted around him and through him, except it was much louder and even though he could feel it all around him. He could also tell where it was coming from.
Malfurion and many others turned around, and back to the road that was placed in between the mountains. He looked up and saw her, the great Aspect of lifewas standing tall at the peak of the two mountains, all four of her legs were digging into the rock, two for each mountain while her tails flowed calmly side to side in the crack under her "You have grown strong" another voice said, on the left of the red Aspect, she of the great dream seemed to appear out of no-were and for the first time in a long while. Malfurion saw her with her eyes wide open "But you are nothing in the face of might that we have stood against before"
"How pitiful" the third and final voice spoke, he turned his head again and saw the blue Aspect of magic land on the right of Life-Binder "The mortal king wants to play the role of conquer. I will show you, ignorant children, just how little you know of magic" he said with no small amount of hatred in his tone.
They were different than before, not even an hour ago when they were speaking their voices didn't carry this weight to them. Where they only now not holding back and flexing their real power? He didn't know, in truth he didn't think it mattered. From behind the Aspect, he could see dozens of different smaller dragons fly up behind their leaders, the number that continued to grow "The Aspects stand with you mortals" she who is life spoke again, her voice filling them all with life and vigour "we shall fight together, CHARGE!" she shouted as they all swooped down from the mountain, their great wings carrying them over their heads. Not wanting to leave them alone, all those on the ground charged with them.
Ok, all we shall leave it there; I know this is shorter than normal, but this just felt like the best place to end it. As always, let me know what you think in the reviews down below, and I'll see you all in the next chapter.
Next story update: A New Origin