And It is that time once again, like a loving friend, for the Stormreaver to return with a new chapter! Thanks to those who've responded and reviewed previous chapters! please R&R, and as always I hope you enjoy the next chapter! ~F
Chapter Ninety One
The Battle of the Shifting Sands
Teg'Ramm exited Dire Maul in glory, bearing the head of the ogres' former leader.
Cho'rush, while completely helpful and seemingly subservient to their new warlord, could not be trusted. Teg'Ramm knew that if he left these ogres here, they would simply elect a new leader and continue as they had been before the Balefire arrived. Leaving anyone to monitor them was too risky, and Teg'Ramm knew that the only choice was to relocate the entire clan to Blackrock, and forcefully integrate them into their ranks.
As he passed the many huts and tents, the head of their former warlord impaled on the claws on his now mutated hand, Teg'Ramm watched the ogres come out in droves to witness and proclaim their loyalty to the new "boss" of their clan.
But the group that Teg'Ramm was looking for were waiting at the very end of the path, before the main road out of the region. Tenebrous, the human warlock disguised as an orc, waited with the rest of the Balefire ogres that had initially come from Blackrock.
"I see you've managed to increase your ranks once again, Warlord." Tenebrous said, nodding his head respectfully as Teg'Ramm approached.
"Indeed," the ogre lord responded, "And I trust that you have also succeeded in the mysterious task that brought you here?"
"I have, and after a mighty battle we retrieved the Fel knowledge that will aid all of the Dark Horde," Tenebrous replied.
"Boss!" an ogre said, running hard from the far road, "Night Elves are approaching in large numbers!"
"We should withdraw and return to Desolace," Tenebrous advised, "let the Night Elves have these ruins and take what we've gathered back to Blackrock."
"No, boss, we should stand and fight," Cho'rush retorted, "The ruins are ours, and we should fight for it!"
Teg'Ramm saw through the ogre mage's words however, and waved his clawed hand, allowing the head of the former warlord to drop to the ground with a heavy thud. "We do not need these ruins, or this worthless jungle. There will be countless fields and opportunities to claim new lands for our united clan, which will make these crumbling arches pointless and cramped."
The ogres around them cheered, and Teg'Ramm turned toward the road that led back to the north, and gestured with his staff, leading the way.
"A wise decision," Tenebrous said, falling into step beside him, while the ogres following in a massive column. "That ogre advisor is clearly out for power, and silencing him will do wonders for your hold over this new clan."
Teg'Ramm nodded, but was carefully watching the disguised human as he eyed the physical changes that had come over the Ogre lord. "The Fel has empowered me," he explained briefly, "and I fully intend to use this boon to its full advantage."
The human nodded, unable to find words to respond to the comment.
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Jaina had not expected for Nobu'tan to take the news from the tablet so badly. The orc-raised human stormed from the tent, and had been wandering among the Alliance encampment, muttering to himself and seething angrily.
Personally, Jaina did not know why he had reacted so strongly, but she guessed that it had much to do with his final words in her presence, regarding another prophecy regarding him and his people. What he referred to; however, she did not know. The next time she saw Nobu'tan, he was speaking with the other warlocks of the Alliance force, and they seemed to be planning something among themselves.
The Alliance commanders were oblivious to all of this, and were heralding Nobu'tan as a superb leader and planning to move on to the other cultist encampments that the Cenarian Druids had scouted out for them.
To Jaina it seemed that Nobu'tan was plotting for something far greater. A few times, she spotted Garona sneaking into the warlock's tent as they moved about the deserts, and while the secretly Dark Horde leader participated in each attack of the cultists, he was overwhelmingly brutal and scoured every tent for any scraps of information that could be found afterward.
He seemed to be down spiraling into a touch of madness, even as the Alliance force circled the desert toward the eastern side, where the denser congregations of cultists lay.
Apparently there was some sort of massive stone wall in the mountains that the cultists were gathered around, and some of the Kaldorei spies had confirmed that there was an ogre fitting the description of Cho'gall present as well.
Jaina had tried to keep this information from Nobu'tan as long as she could, but inevitably he found out, and that spurred his subfaction into a dire frenzy, hastening their army's movement toward this place. Jaina knew what was going on, and feared what the outcome might be when they actually arrived at the mysterious wall.
By the time they did see the massive wall, emblazoned with giant scarab beetled, loomed in the distance, Jaina was worried that the warlocks might just speed on ahead of the column and attack without thinking or even forming a plan.
Luckily, it seemed that was not to be the case, and even as the drew up short of rounding the last crop of low dune hills, Nobu'tan seemed to have calmed himself and his people to a keen, steel-like focus.
She wasn't sure that this was completely to their advantage, even as the Alliance leaders gathered to plan their attack strategy. "Our spies report that Cho'gall is indeed among this group of the Cultists," the General reported, and both Jaina and Nobu'tan nodded, equally silent and understanding the gravity of the situation.
"I will contend with him personally," Nobu'tan said, "I have… history with that ogre mage…" the commander did not comment, and simply accepted that this was going to happen.
"If we surround the opening to the massive wall, we could bottleneck them in and crush the cultists completely against it." Jaina suggested.
"It would be possible," the commander said, "but we would be spread rather thin, as the gap between the rock protrusions is rather wide…"
They all paused at that moment, when coming from the direction of the Cenarian Hold a blast of warhorns sounded. Jaina recognized the clear thrumming of the Kodo-leather drums.
"Why is the Horde here?" the commander said, growing edgy. The rest of the company seemed to be equally perturbed.
The red banners appeared, poking over the dunes as a massive line of Thralls forces appeared, marching directly at the Scarab wall, rather than the Alliance force.
"Did the Cenarian Circle contact them as well?" Jaina asked, and from the look of clarity from the Alliance Commander, she had her answer. "Would their added warriors aid to my plan?" she asked, pushing for them to return to their planning.
"I suppose it would, if they can be trusted…" the commander said.
"So long as I am here, we can trust the Horde," Jaina retorted, and the man was silenced.
"I suggest we move into position as swiftly as possible then, and begin our attack before the Horde arrives…" Nobu'tan said, and the strength of the unseen Fel magic around him intensified.
"Understood," The commander said, departing to give orders to the other regiment leaders for their forces.
"I hope that you know what you're doing," Jaina said, turning to Nobu'tan. "From what rumors I've heard, Cho'gall is extremely powerful now…"
"I am not worried about Cho'gall… nor should you be." Nobu'tan retorted, dismissing her warning out of hand. "I will crush these fools, and end their charade of a prophecy before it can even affect my people."
"I hope you're right…" Jaina replied, walking away and joining the moving company of Alliance adventures and soldiers. She needed to make sure she was closest to the oncoming Horde line so that they did not attack on sight.
She was well respected in both circles, and she was sure that Thrall had made it exceptionally clear to all his commanders that she would permit no harm to come between Horde and Alliance is she was present.
She spotted the leadership of the Horde quickly, and smiled. Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem, a peaceful Tauren led the ranks of orcs, trolls, and his own kind. Clearly they were requested by the Cenarian Circle to lend their aid to this unsettling task.
"Lady Jaina Proudmoore," the druid said, nodding in her direction as they approached, "I am pleased to find you among this Alliance army, although it would be better if the circumstances were not so dire."
"Dire how?" Jaina asked, suddenly confused and hesitant. They were just crushing the Twilight Hammer cult, nothing more.
"Apparently, Cho'gall has some powerful artifact from the ancient past," Hamuul reported, "something from the War of the Shifting Sands, where the Old Gods fought against the Titans and their Dragon allies."
"You don't think he honestly intends to unleash an Old God?" Jaina replied, the full magnitude of what they were facing dawning upon her.
"That is what the Cenarian Circle believes, which is why they summoned for the Horde to lend what aid they could." The Archduid said solemnly, "Unfortunately, with so many conflicts happening on the Eastern Kingdoms, we could only muster so much in the limited time we had to arrive and assist your forces. Thrall sends his greetings."
"Any help at all is welcome," Jaina replied, turning her attention to the wide plain of sands leading up to the massive Scarab Door.
She worried her lip for a moment, before forcing herself to stop the old habit. What fresh horror might they face if they did not stop Cho'gall fast enough?
"We must hit them hard and fast, then," she said, nodding to the Alliance soldiers that had accompanied her. They would carry the message back to the commander swiftly.
"I cannot agree more, my Lady," Hamuul said, bellowing out an order and pointing at the gate. The Horde force let out a massive war cry, and charged, many Tauren shifting their forms into various Druidic beasts.
"To battle, then," Jaina said, with finality. Oh how she detested conflict in this manner. But even as she gathered the Arcane around her and spurred her horse forward, she was resigned to it being a needful evil in this hour.
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Garona watched as the combined Horde and Alliance force charged the line of the Twilight Cultists. "It's a frightening thing," she commented, "watching old enemies unite against a greater threat."
"I agree," Nobu'tan said, approaching from the far side of the cluster of rock in which the assassin had been hiding, "but they serve perfectly as a distraction so that we can infiltrate and destroy Cho'gall, locate your son, and break up this madness once and for all."
Garona nodded in agreement. The Little Runt had grown, and there was part of her that was saddened that she had not been there to witness it. Gul'dan's manipulation, as well as many other things had conspired against that happening, but if the cold-hearted assassin was honest with herself, she had cared deeply for the young human that had depended on her for so much, so long ago.
"Let's go," Nobu'tan said, and the other warlocks that had joined them, including other strangely enough member of Alliance races. They did not seem to care that Garona was among them; however, so she paid them no more mind that Nobu'tan's other associates. She had learned much of what had occurred when the young pup had vanished, and while she found it hard to imagine, the idea that other worlds existed out in the Nether with life on them was a proven fact.
If Azeroth and Draenor existed, why not others? But to think that Runt had come from one of those worlds, and had spent a great deal of his life there, drastically different in time that had passed on Azeroth, it was beyond belief, and yet she knew it was true.
They moved carefully down the outcropping of rock, dodging out of sight as the cultists rallied to try and fend off the combined force that bore down on them.
There was still a large gathering of creatures nearest to the giant gate, and among them it was easy to tell that an ogre, if not Cho'gall himself, was there. Garona indicated that direction, and Nobu'tan nodded. The warlock gestured to his allies, and they spread out, keeping to the shadows and converging on the point from different angles.
Nobu'tan himself stayed with Garona, and they took the most direct route to the large platform that the Twilight Cultists were gathered on. Indeed, it was Cho'gall that was with them, brandishing a large scepter of ancient origin, and bellowing happily to his followers.
"The time has come! (The hour is nigh!)" Each head spoke, strangely alternating and acting independently of each other. Garona had never heard of ogres, even mages, acting in such a strange manner, but one glance at Nobu'tan seemed to confirm that such was not completely out of the ordinary.
Cho'gall gestured at his side, and Garona had to restrain herself from charging forward. In a cage was her son, Med'an. The teenage boy was chained down, but quite defiant against the madness going on around him, which warmed her heart. The Twilight Hammer had not broken him yet.
"With this scepter, we will begin the process of unleashing our master! (The Old One will rise, and the Hour of Twilight will be one step closer!)" Cho'gall called, turning from Med'an and approaching a massive gong that was set into the platform.
"Whatever he is planning, we need to stop him now." Nobu'tan hissed in Garona's ear. "You get your son, I will handle Cho'gall and the scepter."
She nodded, and the warlock pushed forward, rising to his full height and brandishing a small wooden wand.
Taking advantage of the distraction that was about to happen, Garona darted to the side, seeking a way onto the rear side of the platform, closest to her son's cage.
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"Cho'gall!" Nobu'tan bellowed, allowing the Fel power to flare around him.
It was the signal for his warlocks to prepare themselves to attack, but remain in the shadows for the right moment to intervene. Nobu'tan knew he needed to face the insane ogre mage himself.
"Who is this? (Why is this one here?)" The twin heads of the ogre turned, studying him. The cultists seemed to be torn between attacking him outright, and waiting for the order from their master to do anything.
"I demand that you explain yourself, and your desertion of the true Horde, which had brought you and your followers here! How dare you disgrace the training and gifts that your former master, Gul'dan, gave you?" Nobu'tan shouted, spying from the corner of his eye as Garona snuck around the back of the platform, avoiding the eyes of all those paying close attention to the exchange between himself and Cho'gall.
"Gul'dan was weak, and paid his price for his ineptitude! (Torn apart by demons, betrayed by his own masters!)" The ogre shot back, glaring.
"I know you… (The Apprentice, long lost you were!)" Cho'gall said after a moment.
"I am Nobu'tan, apprentice of Gul'dan, inheritor of the mantle of chieftain of the Stormreaver Clan, and Lord of the Order of the Black Harvest!" Nobu'tan announced. The alliance warlocks were loyal to him now, and therefore it mattered not if they learned the truth. Nobu'tan raised his arms, allowing Fel fire to pour forth from them.
Cho'gall laughed, rising to his full and rather intimidating height. "Nobu'tan… the child of three realms! (Little Runt! Seize him!)"
"Stand back you fools!" Nobu'tan retorted, allowing his power to be made manifest, and spraying any who attempted to approach him with demonic flames. "I will tear you all asunder!"
That was the signal, and all around the platform, his four allies rose and commanded their demons to attack, calling forth infernals and horde of imps to fight for them. Nobu'tan lifted off the ground, channeling Fel fire through his boots and propelling himself into the sky, buoyed by the Fel itself. Concentrating, Nobu'tan made contact with some lesser lord of the Legion, tearing open a portal from Azeroth to worlds unknown, and calling for aid.
A collection of energy, prismatic green and radiating destructive power blasted out of the Nether, straight for Cho'gall. The Ogre Mage raised an arm, conjuring a shield of pure shadows, and with the other hand swung the scepter at the gong, sending a piercing sound through the air.
But even more impressive was what followed. The great gate behind their platform started to move aside, revealing what appeared to be the ancient ruins of some long lost civilization. Lost, but clearly not uninhabited. Figures were rushing the opening gateway, hundreds of thousands of writhing, skittering insect forms.
Snarling at the lost opportunity, Nobu'tan was forced to retreat, and he knew that the others would take that cue to fall back as well. Hopefully Garona got to her son and escaped in time as well. Aiming himself for the knot of Alliance commanders, Nobu'tan soared through the air, attracting a great deal of attention, but carefully avoiding the projectiles shot at him by the Twilight Cult.
He landed heavily, churning sand in every direction as he did so, "Cho'gall managed to open the seal Scarab Gate," he announced, "there is an army of insect creatures coming, thousands strong."
The commanders looked grim, but Jaina arrived, with a massive Tauren Druid at her side, "I sensed something powerful and menacing coming for us," the druid stated. Nobu'tan nodded, "something from beyond the gate," he affirmed, and the Tauren looked saddened.
"The Qiraji…" he stated, watching as the rearmost section of the Twilight Cult were swallowed up in the ranks of insect warriors. "Servants of the Old God C'Thun."
"What shall we do?" the Alliance commander asked, turning to the massive bull-like creature, who was clearly the expert in these matters.
"Hold the line, I will summon aid from the Cenarian Circle, and what other allies that can rally swiftly," the druid stated, "the Horde stands with you, if none else will!"
"I will take my people and make a strong counterattack, try to push them back and buy us more time," Nobu'tan suggested, feeling the surge of battle in his body once more. Cho'gall may have escaped, but he would not allow these hideous dark creatures overrun his world.
"And I will rally the Horde in absence of Archdruid Runetotem," Jaina added, turning and sprinting back to her horse, bee-lining for the long line of warriors. Nobu'tan turned to face the oncoming tide of insectoids.
"They will burn in Felfire!" he stated solemnly, even as his warlocks appeared at his side.
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Jaina had a brilliant idea, as soon as she reached the line of Horde warriors. The Horde was more than eager to fight the oncoming tide of insects, but Jaina had sway enough with them to keep them in formation. "There are too many, and I need to summon reinforcements." She said, "Likely the only ones that have fought them and know their tactics!"
"We will defend you, Lady Proudmoore, because it is the Warchief's command that you come to no harm," the Overlord in charge stated, turning and gripping his waraxe in both hands, "Lok-Narash! For the Warchief! And for the Horde!" he bellowed, the cry echoed by the other Orcs, Trolls, and Tauren around them. They surged to the front lines, shoving at each other to be the first to test their arms against the line of Qiraji.
Meanwhile, Jaina opened a portal with the arcane, rending time and space to a location she had rarely visited: Darnassus. Quickly she sent through an Arcane familiar, to find the leader of the Night Elves, and warn Tyrande Whisperwind of the opening of the Scarab Gate.
Leaving the portal open, Jaina turned her magic on the attacking force, allowing clouds of freezing ice to pelt the horrendous insects, torrents of chilling wind to blast those that tried to fly over the Horde ranks.
But the endless mass of those ancient creatures were still pushing through, despite the might of the Horde's warriors. Jaina saw the Overlord fall, and thought that they might have to pull back, when a massive white tiger leapt over her, ripping apart the creature about to finish the orc.
Astride the tiger's back was Tyrande herself, already stringing arrows to her bow as he rode, "Anu'dora! At them my sisters! For Kalimdor!"
A volley of Night Elf arrows sailed overhead, skewering another wave of the Qiraji. Nightsabers charged the fracturing line, reinforcing the Horde and the Alliance, while druids went about healing the wounded of either faction.
"Lady Jaina Proudmoore!" Tyrande said, approaching the Sorceress, "you were wise to call us to battle. Even if we now fight alongside the Horde, the Qiraji must not be allowed to escape this valley. They would corrupt all of Kalimdor with their vile taint."
"Thank you, High Priestess Whisperwind, for responding so quickly," Jaina replied.
"Luckily, we were all practicing in the Hunter's Terrace when your arcane familiar found us," Tyrande explained, "If only my Beloved was here to aid us…"
The Night Elf leader turned back to the raging battle, "but there will be time enough for wishes later. We have a battle to win! Andu-falah-dor!"
And with that cry, the High Priestess of Elune drove back into the fray, rallying Night Elves and Horde warrior alike with her ferocity. Night Elves and their allies continued to pour forth from the portal Jaina had opened, Children of Cenarius, Dryads, and many others rallying among the Druids of Teldrassil.
Jaina felt that it was time for her to fight as well. Chanting softly to herself, she felt wetness on her cheeks at the thought of the chaos her power would bring. A faint tune sounded in the back of her mind, the focal point she had used for her power for so long, and had tried to suppress since the Battle of Theramore.
Snapping her eyes open, she saw through the gifts of the Arcane, "Come, power of the Arcane!" she cried, reaching for the sky, and gathering magical clouds of violent ice, raining it down in razor-like icicles over the mass of Qiraji.
Flames and roars of challenge sounded from the massive front they were pushing from, and in the air, she spotted Nobu'tan jetting over the battlefield, Fel empowered spells raining down from his hands. Arcane and Fel magic was surging from the man, and Jaina in her throes of Arcane might could see the great power that the mysterious man contained.
He literally surged with magical strength, almost like a beacon of power. He burned from within, and his rage seemed to do nothing but strengthen that flame. There was a great roar behind her, and Jaina spotted Runetotem returning, with a column of Cenarian watchers and druids at his back. The Tauren had changed into the form of a great bear, and crashed headlong into the ranks of Horde and Qiraji warriors, tossing the insects aside and swiping great arcs with the massive claws.
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In all her ten thousand years of life, Tyrande Whisperwind had not expected to face such massive battles ever again. The return of the Legion and the battle at Mt. Hyjal had changed her perspective of that. The resurgence of the Qiraji, long thought to have been defeated forever during the War of the Shifting Sands came as a great shock. The younger races were truly effective at the chaos that they could bring to the balance around them, but the High Priestess of Elune would not judge them too harshly for this. The call of the Old God was great, and hard for many to resist.
Rallying her sisters, Tyrande orchestrated another volley of arrows, hindering the reinforcing wave of the insects that were coming for them. But the waves of monstrous bugs kept coming. Above them all, in the midst of swarms of the flying monstrosities, a single spark of flame was darting back and forth, raining down demonic fire on the ranks of their enemies.
That must have been the one that the Goddess had warned her of, Tyrande surmised. The warlock who had touched foot on the land of the Legion, and who she was warned might be the most dangerous of all mortals on the planet. The confusing thing was that he fought for them against the Qiraji, rather than allowing the insects and the Old God masters distract them while he continued his work for the Legion.
Perhaps not all was as it seemed, but Tyrande had thousands of years of experience, and was not one to trust lightly. This seemingly human man was infused with the might of the Legion, to the point where it enveloped his entire being, and could turn on them in an instant if he so chose. Tyrande would have no dealings with him, but she would fight for Kalimdor, even if it meant enemies had a temporary truce. It was as though Hyjal had come again for them.
Hamuul Runetotem appeared at her side, the gentle Tauren Druid changing back into his natural form, and shaking the beast rage of the Ursok from him. "That's the man, isn't it," the Tauren asked.
"How is it, that I am not surprised that the Druids also became aware of this potential threat to our world?" Tyrande asked, smirking slightly as she lined up a shot from her bow, hitting a Qiraji warrior in the head.
"The Dream quivered when he came into this world from afar, and started to disturb the balance, and yet I suspect that he is not as big a threat to us as he could be," Runetotem said, "the Warchief does not trust this change, and the rising of the Stormreavers and the Dark Horde coincides to these visions appearing, so I wonder what might be going on behind the scenes."
"So as always, the Druids will wait and watch for the right moment to interfere, if needed," Tyrande guessed, knowing how the Archdruid might think. It was so similar to her Beloved's peace loving and patience demeanor. But if roused to anger, Malfurion would surpass even Tyrande's rage in battle.
"The Dreamer does not see all ends on Azeroth, and there are always many paths into the future, some much better than others." Runetotem said sagely, turning and blasting a flanking insect with a powerful surge of solar power.
"I will reserve my judgment then," Tyrande said, still unhappy about it, "but I will not trust him, and if this 'Dark Horde' threatens my people, we will strike back with all the vigor that we give to your Horde and then some."
"We would expect nothing less," Runetotem said, before he was forced to shift forms back into the great bear and charge away to stop a Qirajian push for their lines.
Tyrande turned, just in time to see a Horde warrior fall to a barrage of poison spines from one of the larger Qiraji. A trio of Druids leapt upon the insect, driving it back, while the High Priestess approached the fallen orc. Despite her reservations about the Horde and the orcs specifically, they needed every ally on the field that they could spare.
"Mother Moon, heed thy daughter, and save this wretched being!" Tyrande cried, feeling the Light of Elune pour through her to heal the orc's wounds. A pair of trolls appeared, taking the orc under the arms and carrying him away from the front lines to recover, while Tyrande sought out more foes to face.
The combined Alliance and Horde force were pushing the Qiraji back toward the Scarab Gate, and through a small part in their forces, the Night Elf could see the leader of the Qiraji, General Rajaxx, coordinating their attack from the mouth of the gate.
If they were to have any victory here, the General would need to be forced to withdraw or be killed. Ash'alah, Tyrande's companion and mount, snarled in the direction of the General. The Frostsaber was about as passionate of protecting Kalimdor as Tyrande herself was, and she could not agree more in this moment.
"Sisters!" she cried, "To me! We end this now!"
A pack of huntresses charged from the back ranks, waiting in reserve for their time, and Tyrande was tired of waiting. "Elune, guide us!" she called, firing a powerful shot from her bow into the ranks ahead, blasting a large hulking insect with the Moon Goddess' light, and charged.
Ash'alah leapt gracefully over the ranks of Horde warriors holding the line, and the huntresses followed swiftly, their nightsaber's feet churning the sand beneath their paws. With vicious swiped from her paws, Tyrande's Frostsaber knocked the lesser insects from her path, while rider found new targets for her countless arrows.
They were making good headway into the heart of the swarm before them, but there was still a long way to go to reach General Rajaxx and end this advance.
A flash of green fire from above caught her attention, and Tyrande watched as the young warlock crashed with the force of an infernal meteorite into the midst of the Qiraji before her. The young human rose to his full height, flames and chaotic energy crackling along his skin, which shimmered with magic.
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Nobu'tan spotted the Night Elves joining the fray completely, committing a large push to reach the far side of the battlefield, and the massive creature leading these insects in their advance. He had never encountered Night Elves in such large numbers before, and the powerful archer astride the pure white tiger had to be their leader. Tyrande Whisperwind, he had heard the name once or twice before, but he had not expected what he found. She was strong, and there was a lightness about her that spoke of priestly magic.
But they were about to head into the thickest knot of insects on the field, rashly trying to push their way through force alone. While he respected the recklessness, he was still in a position to lend aid and end this battle swiftly. Diving from his high vantage, Nobu'tan dodged through clouds of the flying swarmers, and slammed into the ground with the force of a demon.
Fel flames shot in all directions, scorching the larger insects and incinerating the smaller ones completely. He rose, allowing all manner of Fel energy waft off of his form, and roared in anger. Allowing the chaotic magic to take hold, he transformed his hands into the claws of a demon, and send vicious slashes in all directions. The Fel coursed through him like a drumbeat, and left with arcs after his attackers, sailing outward and striking those that attempted to flee.
Within moments the way was clear, and the Night Elves took advantage of his attack, charging past him toward the goal. Nobu'tan sprinted after them, kicking into the air once the ranks tried to close on him once more, and tore through the air, hurling bolts of Chaos and waves of Felfire on either side of the charging panthers and tiger, pushing back those that would try to hinder their assault.
The insect leader seemed to know what was coming, and withdrew by the time the Night Elves reached the Scarab Gate, but there was still much for the Night Elves to fight. The panther riders spread out in a wide arm, their hand held glaves flying out in wide arcs and cleaving through their foes, while the white armored leader stood in the middle, seeming to chant.
"Feel the wrath of the Heavens!" she cried, holding a hand upward.
Nobu'tan felt the spike of Holy magic in the air moments before the sky started to literally rain shards of burning magic like stars, which sought out and struck rank upon rank of enemy warriors. Those trying to push out from the Scarab Gate were blocked in and started to plug up the wall with their dead, while a wide circle outward from the priestess were cut down in an instant.
Those in the air were falling like rain alongside the hailing bolts, and the combined Horde and Alliance warriors started to gain ground as the ranks of insects fell back to their death. The battle outside the gate was over in minutes, the raw magical strength of the Night Elf leader turning the tide in an instant.
Nobu'tan landed, his Fel fire burning the corpses of the dead he landed among, and turned to survey the damage. There was no sign of Garona or her son anywhere, and his primary concern was their wellbeing.
Horde and Alliance warriors were picking among the dead, rescuing their own and putting killing bows to the insects that still lived. Jaina appeared, looking around as well. "Where is Garona?" she asked, and Nobu'tan shook his head, not knowing.
He spotted Macnair, the man's arm in a sling, as well as the other warlocks that had joined him, but there was no sign of the assassin.
"I don't see any sign of Cho'gall either," Jaina added, sending a chill down Nobu'tan's spine. "You don't think…" she started, but Nobu'tan had already turned his eyes to the Scarab Gate, which was being excavated from the massive numbers of dead insects blocking it up.
"I'm going after him," he stated flatly, taking several steps toward in the perceived direction, before an arrow struck the ground in front of his feet. Nobu'tan turned, spotting the Night Elf leader, still holding her bow up after discharging it in his direction.
"As little as it pains me to see you vanish to your own suicidal mission," the elf said arrogantly, "I will not tolerate you leading this company into unnecessary chases through the bowels of Ahn'Qiraj."
"I have to agree with High Priestess Wishperwind," the large Tauren added, striding up to join them. "Stopping the attack was the prime goal of this effort, not chasing down an Ogre mage and his cultists."
"Eliminating the Twilight Hammer Cult is integral to defeating this threat," Nobu'tan countered, "In addition, because of their obsession with this prophecy of their, which seems to name myself and my people within, they will never stop hunting me specifically."
He clenched his fist, "So rather than endanger others by waiting, I would rather strike now and crush them completely, crumbling the ruins down on their heads if need be. And I do not care who dares to stand in my way, they will be considered my enemy as well." He added threateningly.
Turning dramatically, he stormed away, making sure to break the arrow with his boot as he passed it. The soldiers had just managed to clear the entrance when Nobu'tan arrived, storming past them without a word, and quickly followed by Yaxley, Macnair and the two Alliance warlocks supplicants.
From the chaos beyond the gate, the insects had fled in a hurry, their tracks scattering the sand down to the bedrock. Handfuls of bodies were lying about, carried off when the denizens of these ruins retreated.
Scanning then swiftly for any sign of Cho'gall's passing, Nobu'tan spotted a familiar body. "Oh no…" he said, rushing to the fallen female orc.
Rolling over the body of Garona, he sighed in relief. She was only unconscious, although the deep wound on her head would be particularly painful. Fishing in his robes, he withdrew a healing portion and pressed it to the assassin's lips.
"Cho'gall…" she sputtered as she roused, "Med'an, the temple… Old God…"