My old life was lost to me. It was...sad to realize that fact. That my family that I had known and loved until my death were last to me.
But my father in this life made up for it, when he could.
My mother sadly didn't survive long after my birth. From what I was told, it was because she had been frail for most of her life.
Despite her being half-elf, her body didn't have the legendary vitality famous to the Quel'dorei, possibly due to the distance between her and the legendary Sunwell. She couldn't draw on its magical powers from a continent away.
Father did his best though. While distant, he had tried to be there for me even though I was being raised by the maids and tutors while he was away fighting for the kingdom.
Being the Champion of Stormwind didn't leave you a lot of time to raise a family.
But it wasn't all bad, having the crown prince of Stormwind be your light-father and having the actual Guardian of Azeroth be your magical tutor had its perks.
"Alright Arengorn try it again. Let the magic flow through you, don't force it." Came Master Medivh's wise voice. Despite being the most powerful mage alive, he had never treated me as anything less than a favorite nephew. Perhaps it was because I was partially named after his father or maybe because I had more magical talent than any of the snot nosed brats the Kirin Tor sent down to spy on him. Either way my magical powers were being honed to a razors edge because of his tutalge.
"Yes Master." With that I began channeling the mana in my body and magic of the world, I felt it form, instead of the pure arcane, fire or frost most mages conjured, mine came in the form of lightning. While I could use them, I always felt more natural using lightning. I channeled it thorough my practice swords, increasing the cutting power and even affecting my opponents in heavy armor when the electricity conducting through steel plate.
Gathering enough lightning in my hands I sent it forth at the training dummy, causing the poor straw filled target to explode with a loud 'BOOM!'. Bits of burlap and hey went everywhere.
Whoops, hadn't meant to put that much power into it.
Medivh seemed to sense this and only laughed. "Nicely done lad, but the point was to focus the bolt and make it go through through the dummy."
"Sorry Master. I'm still having a hard time holding back the amount of power I put into the spell." I said rubbing the back of my head.
"It's fine, Arengorn. But best we learn to throttle it before we send you to Dalaran. Don't want you blowing up the Violet Citadel on your first day, do we." Though with the smile on his face, he looked like he wouldn't have minded that happening.
Can't really blame him though, despite the Kirin Tor being the leading authority of magic in the eastern kingdoms, they hated anything couldn't directly control or influence. They had tried over and over again to infiltrate Karazhan and Medivh's collection of magical secrets by sending him apprentice after apprentice, each one being sent home bruised, bloody and mentally scarred after the hell Medivh out them through.
"Do I really have to go to those quacks, are you sure I can't just finish my teaching under you?" Yeah I had no love for the Kirin Tor after they tried to smuggle a wizard polymorphed as a boy I had befriended into Kharazan.
"Believe me lad, I would like nothing more than take you on as my apprentice fully, your father would most likely kill me if I tried to make you the Guardian in training." Medivh ruffled my brondish hair, chuckling as I tried to swat his hand away.
"Damn right I would Medivh, all i need from you is to make sure my son can control his powers and not blow himself up." We both turned to see my father, Anduin Lothar in all his glory, wearing heavy armor with the sigil of Stormwind, a golden lion on a blue field.
Even though he could out muscle any man in Stormwind, my father was getting on in years, turning 50 this winter. He had been balding for a while now, having lost the last of the hair on his head a little while ago.
He still smiled when he saw me though. Father had been away some months dealing with remnants of the Gurubashi warbands.
"I'm just glad he can aim now, before I had to worry about standing in front when he practiced in the yard." Fathers weathered face crinkled into a smile as he poked fun at my formerly atrocious aim.
"Well at least I don't need to be withing arms length to hit someone, father." We had this mock debate all the time, the benefits magic vs swords.
Father, ever the warrior, rolled his eyes as Master Medivh laughed.
"Well as fun as hearing this debate for the hundredth time would be, I need to return to Karazhan. The new sp-i mean apprentice from Dalaran is due to arrive soon and I'd actually like to meet this one before I put him through hell. Farewell young Arengorn, till our next lesson, and remember, never force the power let it flow through you." With that Medivh waved his hand to conjure a portal to his tower, bowing his head as he stepped through. "
"Strange. Medivh is never that abrupt. Usually he demands more fanfare when he departs Stormwind." Father commented as he watched the arcane gateway close.
"He's been like that for a while. I'm starting to get worried, he's been muttering to himself, even having full conversations with seemingly no one." I idly said.
Father just shook his head, "Wizards." With that he put his hand on my shoulder and lead me out of the yard to the main manor.
We walked through the main house to the dining room before my father said. "I can see by the destroyed dummies, that your magical training is going well son, but I trust you haven't been slacking in your combat training."
"No father, Sir Gavinrad has been tutoring me dutifully, but I still have the same problem, it seems like no sword I have in my hands feels right to me."
Father only snorted in amusement, and I gave him a look of annoyance.
"Don't give me that look boy, I had the same problem when I was your age, talent can only go so far without the right weapon. We know that you fight with a sword like me but not heavy broad swords. Don't worry about that now. Let us enjoy a meal while we can. We've been revciving troubling news from the Black Morass lately, Llane most likely intends to send me out to investigate."
And with that bit of news, we settled into a small shred of normalcy, enjoying a meal together as father and son.
5 years later
I still have no idea how this happned so quickly. My father was sent on a routine scouting expedition to the Black Morass and Stranglethorn Vale, only to run into a bunch of green skinned brutes that kill anything that moves.
For the last 5 years, a never ending Horse had emerged from the Black Morass, raiding and destroying the outlying towns and garrisons and then dissappear into the night. Skirmishes and full scale battles happned across the continent, one after another with no end in sight.
I was in Stormwind Keep, being accompanied by King Llane, who was appointed guardian of me while my father was fighting this 'Orcish Horde'. King Llane saw where the war was heading and started the preparations to fortify the city, luckily the Horde had been mostly landlocked and hadn't been seen traveling by sea, so we didn't have to worry about a naval siege as well as one by land.
"Uncle I'm not leaving you here. Father would kill me if I left you here alone." I was now 15, and despite Medivh disappearing, King Llane's court Wizards had been more than helpful in keeping up with my magical training. While by no means a master, my abilities weren't anything to dismiss as amateur. We walked through the halls of the keep of Stormwind while the people began to fortify the city for a siege.
"Arengorn believe me, I'm glad you wish to stay and fight but we both know your father will kill me if I let you stay and fight." King Llane gave me a weary smile, the stress of this invasion getting to him. "Besides I need you and Varian to look after Taria for me."
Damn him, knowing that the Queen was my weakness. Queen Taria had been like a mother to me since mine died.
His Majesty had backed me into a corner and he knew it. He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze, "I know you want to help your father and I. I do. But you, Varian and the queen need to go to Lordaeron and plead with King Terenas to send help. We're alone down here and we need the might of the northern Kingdoms along with the Gnomes, Elves and Dwarves. If we don't get help soon, Stormwind will fall anf the rest or Azeroth along with it."
As much as I hate to admit it. He's right. We need help. And we need it soon.
Just as I about to retort I saw something flicker out of the corner of my eye, as if light was bending around a mirror. I barely managed to put up a magical barrier around King Llane before I was launched off my feet and thrown into the stone wall behind us, landing on a table at the end of the hall.
I heard the clatter of metal on stone as a dagger was stopped by my shield and fell to the floor. I tried to rise and protect my king before I was struck in the head felt unconsciousness start to claim me. I could here Uncle Llane cry out in pain along with sound of flesh being cut, I could only imagine what was being done.
But before my vision went dark, I saw her. Her dark emerald skin, glowing purple eyes and hair styled like two horns.
Garona. The orcish prisoner that father had captured and interrogated.
"Stay down whelp. Or I'll l kill you next." Whatever was talking sounded like her, but it wasn't Garona. Even during her capture by my father, she spoke with emotion, whatever...thing speaking was not Garona. The dark, foul power I felt confirmed that Garona was being controlled but some outside force.
I tried to rise, but my strength was leaving me fast along with consciousness.
I felt my head pounding and darkness began to claim me I heard Varian cry out in anguish.
"FATHER!"
I knew nothing more after that.
A few hours later.
When I woke up, if felt as though a horse was kicking my head repeatedly. But as my vision began to clear, I could here people talking, whispering, even crying.
I opened my eyes and saw Varian and Taria holding each other, weeping over what looked like a body under a sheet.
I felt my heart stop cold as I realized who it was.
Uncle Llane.
Dammit.
Garona had killed him.
Father was there, while not crying, I saw something I hadn't seen since we once visited my mother's grave. True and utter sadness. He looked upon the sheet with such sadness it was coming off him in waves.
"F-father..."
Hearing my voice, my father turned and rushed toward me. Embracing me firmly but gently, he was in his Champion's Plate but I could the dents and scratches along with blood stains, and not black blood stains of the orcs, but the red stains of men.
"Arengorn I'm sorry I wasn't here."
I still tried to speak but I could only stay awake.
"W-here..."
"We're on a ship heading toward Lordaeron. The city is lost." Dammit all that preparation for a siege failed.
"M-medivh?"
It was then I saw even more anguish in my father's face when asked about my mentor.
"Medivh was the one who brought the Orcs here. He helped their Warlocks open the Dark Portal to their world and bring them here. He left us no choice, Khadgar and I had to kill him."
Dammit. Dammit!.
Just...dammit. I'd never been a big believer in the Holy Light before but I pray that this ends soon.
But little did I know that this was only the beginning.