“He won’t listen to me. Not for that.” It had been trouble enough to make Illidan look up. To convince him to do as Krasus desired would take far too long, if it was even possible.
“I’ll do it,” Rhonin offered. “He may listen to me better.”
In truth, Illidan looked up to the human. Rhonin knew how to cast spells even Malfurion’s twin could not yet handle. Illidan almost saw him as a shan’do.
“Do what you can, then,” Krasus said to Rhonin.
As the fire-tressed wizard rode off, Malfurion asked, “What do we do?”
“Anything that separates them from us.”
The druid had hoped for more, but he understood that Krasus did not wish to overly guide him. They would work best if each did what they felt was most comfortable. The ways of the elder mage were not necessarily those of Malfurion.
Without waiting to see what the night elf would attempt, Krasus gestured toward the battle. At first Malfurion could not tell what he did, but then he noticed the foremost demons seem to shrink a foot or two. Only after a moment more did he see that they struggled with a sudden bog that had opened up beneath their feet. Those behind them clustered together, trying to battle through to the other side.
Rather than trying to attack again, the night elves wisely continued their retreat. But Krasus had only managed to aid one area of the battle; in others, Malfurion saw that the demons continued to cut down the defenders. He immediately reached down and spoke to the plants again, asking that they give of themselves their roots once more. They knew the dire developments and were aware that once the night elves left, they and all other life would be purged by the Legion. Nevertheless, they freely offered what they could.
Tears rolling down his eyes at this sacrifice, Malfurion carefully crafted his spell. The roots came up in even greater clusters than previously, becoming a veritable forest in reverse. The demons hacked away at the strong tendrils. Even the Infernals were finally slowed. The druid felt each cut into the roots, but his spell had the effect that he had intended. More and more, the night elves pulled away from their devious foe.
An unexpected reprieve came in the south in the form of night saber riders. Malfurion had forgotten about the force sent earlier by Ravencrest. Their numbers were smaller than he recalled, though they fought with no less fury. Several of the panthers had wounds already and more than one rider looked battered, but still they cut into the Burning Legion, buying precious seconds for those comrades on foot.
“The north!” Krasus shouted. “Focus on the north!”
Although they could not physically see the struggle in the north, both Malfurion and the mage had other methods by which to observe it. Reaching out, the druid sought birds or winged insects. He found none of the former, but still a few of the latter. Even the smallest fauna understood that to stay near the demons was to invite death. Yet the beetles he came across, already in the process of fleeing, agreed to be his eyes.
Through their peculiar field of vision, the druid soon viewed the other end of the struggle. What he saw made his heart sink. In even more vast numbers than he had ever seen them, the Burning Legion poured over the soldiers. The dead lay scattered everywhere. Faces too much like his own stared sightlessly in horror at what had slain them. Felbeasts tossed the dead around while other demons eagerly sought to add to the piles.
Malfurion looked for some creature or plant that he could use, but only the beetles seemed present. A breeze blew one of the insects about, finally giving the druid an idea. Speaking with the wind through the beetle, he first told it how much he admired its forceful gale, then convinced it to show him more.
The wind responded obligingly, creating a dust devil. With more urging by Malfurion, the dust devil grew larger and larger, soon dwarfing the huge demons. As it swelled in size, its intensity also increased a hundredfold.
When it had grown powerful enough, the druid directed its force against the demons in the forefront.
The Burning Legion ignored the fierce wind at first…that is, until it engulfed the first few and threw them to their deaths. Those nearest then scattered, but now they were pursued by a full-fledged tornado. Malfurion felt no pity for the demons, and hoped that they would soon be joined by many of their comrades.
“Do not grow overconfident,” came Krasus’s voice. “Our tactics have bought the army time, but nothing more.”
The druid did not have to be told that, but he said nothing. The night elves were in no state to turn events around. All that Malfurion and the other spellcasters had done simply enabled the soldiers to survive.
Not satisfied that he had done enough, Malfurion sought through the beetles’ eyes anything else that might be of use against the demons. The insects fluttered bravely over the Burning Legion, giving him five views simultaneously. Surely there had to be something that—
The druid screamed as something seized one of the beetles and crushed the life from it. Two of the survivors immediately fluttered away, but the remaining pair turned, giving the shaking night elf a glimpse at what had killed the hapless insect.
In the midst of the demons stood a dark-skinned figure who towered over the rest of the Burning Legion. He strode like a giant among his children, calmly directing the fearsome warriors in their monstrous efforts. Vaguely he reminded Malfurion of the Eredar, but was as much above them as they were above the Infernals. He wore elaborate shoulder armor and surveyed the violent battlefield with analytical indifference. From his right hand, the massive demon dropped the bits of shell that were all that remained of the beetle…then stared directly at one of those still being used by Malfurion.
And into the druid’s mind.
So…you are the one.
An intense pressure filled Malfurion’s head. He felt as if his brain was expanding, pressing against his skull.
Malfurion tried to call out for help, but his mouth would not work. In desperation, he sought the aid of anything near the demon, something that would distract the druid’s attacker before it was too late.
Deep within the earth, something stirred. The rocks themselves, the eldest and hardiest of living forms, woke from their eternal slumber. They touched Malfurion with anger at first, for few things mattered to them more than their sleep. But the druid quickly focused their attention on what lay in the wake of the Burning Legion’s rampage, pointing especially to the landscape itself.
Few there were who understood that rock lived, much less had any sense of the world. Now those he had awakened discovered the awful truth about the demons—that even the earth itself could not escape death at their hands. The foul magic that was an inherent part of the demons killed everything. Nothing, no matter how deeply buried, ever escaped.
And that fate included even the rocks. Those that lay buried behind the Burning Legion lacked any sentience whatsoever. Their life essences had been destroyed as readily as the blades of the Fel Guard killed night elves.
Malfurion fell to one knee as the demon’s attack squeezed his skull tight. It became impossible to think. The druid started to black out…
The ground rumbled. Malfurion dropped to both knees. Oddly, the pressure in his head now decreased.
Through the eyes of the beetles, he watched with astonishment as crevices opened up all around the monstrous figure who had attacked him. A smaller demon nearby tumbled into one fissure, which promptly shut on him. Other demons scattered from the area, leaving their gigantic leader to his own defenses.
The indifferent look never left the face of Malfurion’s foe, but it was clearly all he could do to keep from falling into one of the many increasingly-vast chasms surrounding him. The sinister colossus reached out toward one of the beetles, but Malfurion immediately ordered both remaining creatures away.
As they retreated, the druid saw the demon draw a circle around himself. An immense green sphere formed, protecting its occupant from the savage quake. It hovered above the chaos even as other, lesser demons spilled into the new ravines.
The deep, monstrous orbs watched in turn the retreating forms.
I will know you, insect…
He did not refer to the beetles, but rather Malfurion. As his foe dwindled from sight, the druid realized that he, too, would recognize the demon when next they met. Already Malfurion suspected he knew by what name to call him, for surely this could only be one of the horrific commanders of the monstrous horde.
Surely this could only be Archimonde.
Hands seized him by the shoulder, breaking his link to the beetles. Instinctively, Malfurion expected to be torn apart by some other demon, but the hands were gentle, and the voice soft and caring.
“I have you, Malfurion,” Tyrande whispered in his ears.
He could only nod. Vaguely noticing that he was no longer seated atop his night saber, Malfurion wondered what had become of the animal. Tyrande gently drew him up onto her own mount. Showing surprising strength, she hefted him in front of her, then urged the massive feline on.
Heart still pounding, Malfurion caught bits and pieces of the catastrophe as the priestess of Elune carried him off. Hundreds of soldiers trudged quickly over the rolling landscape as, far in the background, demons pursued them. In several places, flames rose between the forces, and here and there an explosion caused by some spell was punctuated by screams—whether night elf or demon, he could not say. Once, Malfurion witnessed the personal banner of Lord Ravencrest flutter by, but he saw no sign of the noble himself.
Faces passed across his vision as the night saber brought Tyrande and him to safety. Gone from the soldiers was the look of expectant triumph. In its place a terrible truth could now be witnessed; it was very possible that the night elves might lose this struggle.
He must have moaned upon seeing this, for Tyrande leaned close to his ear, whispering, “Never fear, Malfurion…I’ll attend to your wounds the moment we can pause.”
The druid managed to twist around and see her face. Much of it was hidden behind the war helmet of the sisterhood. The rest was covered in grime—and blood. From the determination with which Tyrande moved, Malfurion gathered the blood was not hers. It startled him to think that she had likely gotten closer to the heart of the battle than he had. He had always thought her calling a more gentle one, even with the armor.
“T-tyrande,” the druid finally managed. “The others?”
“I’ve seen Broxigar, the wizards, and your brother all. Even the erstwhile Captain Shadowsong, who guides them like a protective herder.” She said the last with an all-too-brief smile.
“Ravencrest?”
“He is still master of Black Rook Hold.”
So, even after many losses, the core strength behind the host remained intact. Still, neither Ravencrest nor his many spellcasters had been able to prevent the disaster.
“Tyrande—”
“Hush, Malfurion. It amazes me that you can still speak, considering all that has happened to you.”
He understood the intensity of the mental assault Archimonde had thrust at him, but did not know how she could have sensed it.
The priestess suddenly held him close. While Malfurion welcomed her touch gladly, he did not like the anxiousness he felt.
“Elune must have truly watched over you! So many ripped apart around you, even your own mount stripped bare, a horrific tangle of flesh and bone—and you barely marked.”
Ripped apart…his own night saber torn to pieces…what had happened around him? Why had he not noticed the butchery? How had he survived all that in addition to the mental attack? The very notion of the terrible spectacle that had taken place unnoticed around him made him shiver.
Malfurion had no answers to his questions, but he did understand one thing. He had survived what had been thrown at him by one of the archdemons. On the one hand, he could be grateful for the miracle; on the other, he was aware that he had now been marked by Archimonde. They would meet again, that was almost assured.
And when they did, Malfurion knew the demon lord would do his best to make certain that next time, there would be no escape.
Seven
Peroth’arn struggled wearily into his personal chamber, finally free to recuperate a little of the strength that his constant work on the portal had drained from him. Before leaving to take personal command of the demonic horde, Archimonde had laid in place a concise plan by which the portal would gradually be adapted to withstand the entrance of the great Sargeras. Unlike Mannoroth, who flung the Highborne sorcerers into their work with no regard for their flagging power, Archimonde recognized that the night elves would not survive long enough to fulfill their duty if they did not have a chance to sleep or eat. He worked them hard, yes, but the respites he gave them actually had enabled the work to advance as never before, even under the guidance of Lord Xavius.
Thinking of his former master, Peroth’arn could not help but look over his shoulder. The room—a small chamber with but a wooden bed, a table, and a brass oil lamp—was filled with shadows, each of them reminding the sorcerer of the thing that had emerged after the glorious Archimonde. That the beast who walked on two legs had once been Xavius unnerved most of the Highborne. They had all lived in fear of the queen’s advisor when he had been one of them, but now he radiated an unsettling presence that of late even haunted Peroth’arn’s dreams.
Trying to shake off such concerns, the night elf distastefully inspected the bed. He was as dedicated to the work as they all were, but as one of the Highborne he was used to far better accommodations. He longed for his villa and his mate, neither of whom he had seen in days. Mannoroth had permitted no one to leave the palace, and in that, he and Archimonde were in full agreement. Therefore, the sorcerers had to sleep wherever they could—in this case, chambers once used by the officers of the guard. Captain Varo’then had willingly offered them up to the spellcasters, but Peroth’arn could have sworn that the scarred soldier had done so with a slight wry smile. Varo’then and his underlings were used to a more spartan existence and Peroth’arn suspected that they enjoyed the discomfort the sorcerers now had to endure for the sake of the cause.
But all would be worth it when the lord of the Legion made his entrance. The world would be expunged of the unclean, the undeserving. Only the Highborne, the most perfect of Azshara’s subjects, would survive. Peroth’arn and others like him would populate a fresh, remade land, creating a paradise as none had ever before dreamed.
There would be much work after, of course. As had been explained to them by the queen, the Burning Legion had to raze what already existed out of necessity. The world would have to begin from scratch. Much would be expected from the Highborne, but boundless were the rewards their efforts would reap.
With a martyr’s sigh, Peroth’arn sat down on the hard bed. Once paradise was created, a softer, more lush place to sleep would be among his first requests.
He had barely put his head to the gray lump that acted as his pillow when a voice whispered in his ear.
“So much sacrifice…so much hardship undeserved…”
Peroth’arn bolted to a sitting position. Again he peered around the chamber, but saw nothing save the horribly-unadorned walls and meager, undecorated furniture.
“Forced to take such squalor…you are to be admired, dear Peroth’arn…”
A sharp intake of breath was the Highborne’s only response as a piece of shadow detached itself from a corner. Onyx eyes with streaks of ruby coursing across them fixed upon the startled sorcerer.
“Xavius…”
The satyr’s hooves clattered ever so slightly as he moved closer to Peroth’arn. “I lived that name once,” he murmured. “It doesn’t mean as much to me as it did then.”
“What are you doing here?”
Xavius chuckled, a sound much like the bleat of the creature he resembled. “I know your ambition, Peroth’arn. I know your dreams and how hard you’ve struggled for them.”
Despite his distrust of the horned figure, the night elf felt a sense of appreciation. No one else seemed to un
derstand all that he contributed. Not even the queen or Archimonde.
“I pushed you hard, you know, because I expected much from you, my friend.”
Peroth’arn had not known and hearing it now from his former master made his chest swell with pride. Lord Xavius had been the bar by which the other Highborne had measured their skills. He had been the unparalleled master of his craft. Who else would willingly forfeit their own eyes to better understand the powers that they wielded? There was no sacrifice asked of the others that the advisor himself had not first suffered.
“I…I am honored.”
Tilting his head, the horned satyr grinned. For some reason, Peroth’arn did not find that grin as frightening as he had earlier.
“No…’tis I who am honored, good Peroth’arn…and I come now in the hope that I may be honored even more.”
“I don’t understand, my—I don’t understand.”
“A little wine?” The hooved figure produced a flask from the air and offered it to the night elf. Peroth’arn opened the flask and sniffed. The heady bouquet thrilled his senses. Surely this was rainbow flower wine, his personal favorite.
Xavius leaned near. “From her own cellar…” he said, leering. “But we can keep that secret between us, eh?”
The thought of so bold a transgression against Azshara initially stunned the sorcerer, but then thrilled him. Xavius had performed this act of betrayal against the queen just for Peroth’arn’s sake. Azshara had executed loyal subjects for far less.
“Captain Varo’then would be aghast,” Peroth’arn suggested.
“He is not one of us…and therefore not a concern.”
“True.” To the rest of the Highborne, the captain and his soldiers were a necessary evil. They were servants of the queen, to be certain, but they lacked the noble blood and flamboyant airs of the others. Most of the Highborne considered them no better than those who had once lived beyond the walls of the palace, but never let such notions show in their expressions. Captain Varo’then had ways of quietly dealing with those who showed him contempt.
The Demon Soul (warcraft) Page 9
