DRAMATIS PERSONAE
- Garok (alternate reality): A former orc from the Iron Horde. Once Grommash Hellscream was taken captive by Gul'dan, and Kilrogg Deadeye drank of the blood of Mannoroth, he formed the Iron Fist: a group of Iron Horde orcs that still remained loyal to Grom and looked to bringing down Gul'dan
- Khadgar: A human mage, and possibly one of the most-powerful alive. He lead the forces of Azeroth through the Dark Portal, and is now searching for a way to stop Gul'dan
- Vindicator Velekras: A draenei vindicator that is the guard captain of Lunarfall
Garok and Grom's other loyalists had been on the run for weeks now.It all started when Gul'dan showed up at Bladefury's Command. He offered the demon blood once more, and Grom refused again. This time, Gul'dan captured him. The traitorous Kilrogg Deadeye, however, decided to drink the demon blood. After that, many other orcs of the Iron Horde drank the blood, and they were now slaves to Gul'dan. Disgusted by the betrayal, and knowing they could not fight so many fel-empowered orcs, Garok and the other orcs who remained loyal to the Iron Horde's cause fled.
Those who managed to escape Talador fled to Nagrand, and there they formed the Iron Fist. Since Garok had been Grom's lieutenant, he was appointed leader of the group.
But Gul'dan would not let them get away so easily.
For days, the Iron Fist trekked across Nagrand. The Shadow Council and their demons would occasionally attack the group, thinning out their numbers. After a while, the Shadow Council lost the trail of the Iron Fist, and the Iron Fist was able to find a secluded cave in Nagrand to hide in.
Days went by, and the Iron Fist managed pretty well in the cave. Sometimes hunters wouldn't return, and eventually there were not many orcs left. Garok finally decided that it was time to move again - this time to Frostwall in Frostfire Ridge, where they would request the help of the Frostwolf orcs and their allies in taking down Gul'dan.
Later that night, Garok and the Iron Fist mounted their wolves and got to the shore of Nagrand. From there, they got on a ship and set sail for Frostfire Ridge.
Drakthor, clad in his silver and crimson armor, spikes sticking out from the steel shoulderpads, walked through the thick snow of Frostwall. The snow was falling hard that day, the green orc raised his hand over his head, staring up into the sky. He then looked ahead of him again and further walked.
Frostwall's town hall stood high. Drakthor eyed it, then continued on, walking along the road. He then walked down a hill, into a small bowl with three Horde structures in it, a large bonfire in the middle. Draka, the mate of Durotan, stood in front of it, staring into the fires. Drakthor turned to one of the buildings, furthest from the road the lead into the bowl, and he walked into it.
The Forge was a pleasant place, in Drakthor's eyes, a warrior from the Horde on Azeroth. Here, he was great friends with the blacksmith, Gardakar. This orc was the best blacksmith known to Drakthor, who forged Drakthor's might double-bladed axe. Drakthor sat in a chair as Gardakar hammered at an axe he was currently forging. "G'day, Drakthor. Need anythin'?" the orc asked the warrior. Drakthor smiled, "I am good today, old friend. I simply seek the warmth of your forge." Gardakar took the hilt of the axe he was forging, and dipped it into cold water, the hisses of boiling medal touching cold water sounding in their ears. "Aye, this place be possibly the warmest in all o' Frostwall. Certainly just as warm as that ol' town hall. That be why I decided to build a forge 'ere in Frostwall."
Drakthor looked around the forge, multiple swords and axes and polearms of steel were hung on racks. A counter stood in the center of the one room, separating the walk-in area from the forge itself, a boiling furnace and an anvil sat there. A large, metal bucket of water stood beside those, the same one that an axe currently sat in. Drakthor then turned to Gardakar, to find him handing a buscuit to the orc. "Take it, commander." Drakthor laughed, and took it. "I am not worthy of being called 'commander' for you, friend Gardakar. I thank you." Drakthor took a bite into the buscuit, complimenting on how fine it was. "Got these from Korgona, didn't you?" Gardakar nodded in response, "Aye. Gave it to me for my fine work, 'ere in the good ol' forge. A fine woman, ain't she?"
Soon, Drakthor stood up, his biscuit finished. He pounded his chest in respect and said, "I must leave now, friend Gardakar. Soon, we shall march into Taanan Jungle and bring down the bastard Gul'dan. Fare thee well, friend." Gardakar nodded, and pounded his chest. "Lok'tar ogar."
Drakthor stepped out of the forge and up the path out of the bowl. One thing he noticed as he left was that Draka was no longer there in front of the fire. Although Drakthor did not see her, he knew where she had gone. I must go to the town hall now, we must make battle plans. As Drakthor approached the town hall, a sound stopped him, filling his ears. He turned as the horns from the guard towers sounded. An orc cried out, "Iron Horde on wolves, comin' in! Be on ye're alert!" Drakthor turned to the gate, and there he saw indeed Iron Horde orcs, riding straight towards Frostwall on wolves. The orc took his axe from his back, and prepared for what seemed to be a battle.
As the Iron Fist approached Frostwall on their wolves, Garok noticed the guards staring at him, ready for combat. "Raise the white flag!" he ordered. A peon in the back of the group raised a white flag, which had been an Iron Horde flag but the Iron Fist had dyed white to show to the Frostwolf orcs that they meant no harm. As they entered Frostwall, Durotan was immediately there to greet them.
"What brings the Iron Horde here?" Durotar demanded. Garok dismounted his wolf. "We mean no harm," he responded. "The Iron Horde is no more. We are the Iron Fist, the only orcs who remain loyal to Grom Hellscream. The others accepted Gul'dan's poison after he captured our warchief."
"We have known this information," Thrall spoke. "We are preparing our forces to invade Tanaan Jungle and stop Gul'dan and his masters from invading Azeroth." Thrall thought for a moment, then spoke again. "We can always use extra troops. Khadgar could use any information you know. We'll send four guards with you to his tower in Talador, while your men stay here." Garok nodded in agreement, mounted his wolf, and waited for the guards outside Frostwall.
Drakthor, his axe Soulcleaver in hand, looked upon the former Iron Horde orc, Garok, the one with the magically enchanted Firesteel Axe. He claimed that he did not follow Gul'dan and still remained loyal to Grommash, and that their group was known as the Iron Fist. "You are the orc I must accompany to Talador?" Drakthor spat at him, scanning him and his armor he wore. Garok pounded his chest, "Indeed, Commander Drakthor of the...Horde." The warrior nodded slowly and said, "Lok'tar ogar." They, and three other orcs, mounted on wolves and began riding east out of Frostwall.
As the five orcs entered Talador on their wolves, four draenei on elekks hurried to block their path. "Halt orcs!" one of the draenei shouted. "Why are you here?" Garok gave the draenei a menacing stare. "Step aside, draenei," he growled. "We are not here to slaughter your kind. Gul'dan has taken control of the Iron Horde and we are here to inform Khadgar." The draenei stared at Garok for a moment, then stepped aside. The orcs continued riding through Talador until they arrived at Zangarra, then dismounted. Several Kirin Tor mages immediately ran over. "What brings you here?" one of the mages demanded. Before Garok could respond, Khadgar teleported in front of him. "Only this orc is a Warsong," he said, pointing to Garok. "The others are of the Frostwolf clan. Come to my tower and tell me what brings four Frostwolves and a Warsong here." Khadgar teleported himself and the orcs to his tower. Garok began to explain the events at Bladefury's Command. "I know all about this," Khadgar told him. "I had spies there. The Alliance and Horde forces have been preparing to invade Tanaan Jungle since then. We're almost ready and could use your inside information of the Iron Horde to our advantage. Ride with me back to Frostwall, and tell me all you know on the way back."
When Khadgar and the five orcs had returned to Frostwall, Vol'jin, Durotan, and Thrall were in the town hall. "I've managed to teleport to the Alliance garrison recently and help out there," Khadgar said as he entered. "I see the Horde are about to invade Tanaan Jungle. So are the Alliance. We'll both launch our attacks at the same time. While I was at the Alliance garrison, I helped the Alliance summon one of their best battleships from Stormwind at their shipyard. It will make sure that both the Alliance and Horde transports get to Tanaan safely. Now, here are some blueprints from an Iron Horde shipwright to build the shipyard." Khadgar handed some blueprints to Durotan. "I'll get construction started right away," Durotan responded.
Within minutes, the Horde had built their shipyard and a transport. Garok and Durotan boarded the ship, along with the members of the Iron Fist and several members of the Horde. Khadgar, on the other hand, had teleported to the Alliance garrison. "To Tanaan!" Garok shouted. There were roars and cheers aboard the transport ship as it took off and set sail for Tanaan Jungle.
Gazy looked across the water from the deck of the Lion's Mane. Khadgar had ordered the Alliance to wait until the Horde ship arrived outside the bay. The Lion's Mane and the Alliance's transport ship, the Integrity, would then meet up with the Horde ship, and together all three ships would sail for the coast of Tanaan Jungle.
"They're here," Khadgar said after half an hour. Gazy turned around from organizing supplies and looked. The Horde transport ship was stationed outside the bay. Gazy motioned towards Vindicator Velekras. The vindicator ran to the side of the ship. "Prepare for departure!" he shouted. Dockhands and soldiers around the shipyard scurried around, loading the last of the supply crates or getting to their stations on the ships. Five minutes later, the Lion's Mane and the Alliance transport ship sailed away from the shipyard. When they arrived at the Horde ship's position less than a minute later, they came to a halt. "To Tanaan!" Khadgar shouted to the Horde ship. Gazy then signaled to the captain. The Lion's Mane set sail again, heading to Tanaan Jungle, with the transport ships behind it.
A few short minutes later, the Alliance and Horde arrived at Tanaan Jungle. A few Iron Horde ships blocked the way. "Fire!" Gazy ordered. The Lion's Mane's powerful cannons fired, sinking one ship and severely damaging another. The Lion's Mane continued to fire it's cannons and other weapons while the transport ships fired lesser cannons. Within a few minutes, the Iron Horde ships were destroyed. The Alliance and Horde transport ships quickly docked, and soldiers poured out. With the landing at Tanaan a success, the Lion's Mane returned to the Lunarfall shipyard.
Dorondaer Fadrielad gazed at Tanaan Jungle, which lie in the distance. He stood on the hard wood of the Lunarfall Shipyard, his staff strapped to his back. He turned to look at the transport ship, that was taking off for the jungle soon, to stop Gul'dan and the Burning Legion that had come onto Draenor. Worried about this mission, he reminded himself that he would get home to his family in Darnassus on Azeroth. Arasdis will go mad if she learns I die, Dorondaer told himself in his head. But at least she and Falaern will know I died fighting for Azeroth. For them.
"Dorondaer!" the voice called out for the elf. Calling for him was his most-trusted adviser in the Order of the Leaf, his guild, and his best friend, Ralith Anandrienduil. "Dorondaer, come onto the ship! We take off in five minutes, and if you're not on by then, you don't come, or you wait until the next ship, which may not be as fun as this one." Dorondaer scanned the ship, its name being Stormwind's Transfer. It was a transport ship with a large sail and no weapons except for a few Lunarfall guards on the deck.
"I am coming, Ralith," Dorondaer said as he jogged to the ship. He stepped across a small gap between the dock and the ship itself, and he stepped onto the hard wood deck. It began to rain as he got on, and Ralith gestured for the druid to come below deck. Dorondaer followed, and found that it was a cozy little place with six bunk beds, a nice table with plenty of food on it, and a full lounge area filled with many of the people that were leaving for Tanaan.
Stormwind's Transfer was the second transport ship to be taking off for Tanaan Jungle. The first that left two hours ago was called the Integrity, which carried a few commanders of Lunarfall, who were here in Shadowmoon Valley when it was first built, as well as more elite soldiers charged with the mission of clearing a path for the rest of the Alliance Armada for once they got to Tanaan Jungle. The Lion's Mane and the Horde's transport ship had accompanied the Integrity to Tanaan Jungle during the initial invasion. Hopefully the invasion force had already set up an outpost, or started to set one up, somewhere in Tanaan Jungle. They were told that Rangari would be at the docks, ready to help them get through the battle if it was done.
"This is a nice place," Dorondaer admitted. He smelled the air, it smelled like marinated chicken mixed with the saltiness of the sea. "I must sail more. Perhaps find an island for my family and I." Ralith raised an eyebrow, and asked, "You mean Arasdis and your son?" One bad thing about Ralith was that he was in love with Arasdis when they first joined the Order of the Leaf, a guild of druids that dwelt in Darnassus, and was unhappy when Dorondaer started to date the night elf, who was more a hunter than a druid, and soon married. Dorondaer forced a laugh, "Yes."
"Ye'd better all get on else ye'll be waitin' for the next transport, mateys!" the captain of the Stormwind's Transfer called out. A few extra people walked into the room, but outside Dorondaer could see the deck filled with multiple more people, humans and elves and dwarves and gnomes and all races of the Alliance alike. "Well," Dorondaer said, stepping out onto the deck with Ralith, the rain pouring down on them. The ship started to move, and in no time at all Lunarfall dissapeared beyond the trees, "it seems the safety of the garrison is behind us. We are now exposed in the open," he turned to Tanaan Jungle, appearing more and more as they got closer, "and the battle is ahead of us. Be ready."
Vindicator Velekras crouched down and slowly walked through the bushes in Tanaan Jungle. Once he was right next to the Temple of Sha'naar and had a clear view, he knelt down and looked over it. This once holy place was now corrupted by the fel magic of the Burning Legion. Former worshippers of the light were now twisted by fel blood and served the Legion. Including...
High Priestess Nallion?! Velekras was shocked as he saw High Priestess Nallion, once of the greatest priestesses of Karabor, now corrupted by the fel blood. Why would she ever serve the Legion? She loves the light! he thought to himself.
Velekras heard somebody sneaking up behind him in the plants. As he went to turn around, he felt a blunt object hit the back of his head, and fell into blackness.
When Velekras awoke, he was in a ritual circle in the Temple of Sha'naar, bound to the sides of it by large chains around his hands. High Priestess Nallion approached him. Her skin was red and her eyes green from the fel corruption, and there was a tainted Mark of the Sargerei on her forehead. "How could you betray the Light?" Velekras asked her. Nallion laughed. "This is what the Eredar were meant for," she replied. "We were meant to serve Sargeras and the Burning Legion. The Light is weak. I only wish you could've seen that sooner, Velekras. You were one of our strongest vindicators. Soon, you will see the glory of the Burning Legion, and become a great weapon of the Sargerei." Nallion shot a beam of fel sludge out of her hand. It hit the outer ring of the ritual circle and filled it quickly. A beam of fel energy shot up from each of the four sides and hit Velekras. A fifth beam shot out of Nallion's hand and hit Velekras in the chest. Velekras screamed in agony as the fel energy channeled into his body, corrupting him. "I...will...NEVER...serve...the Legion!" Velekras shouted. An angry look fell on Nallion's face. Velekras screamed louder as she increased the intensity of the fel energy. He will submit! Nallion thought to herself.
Dorondaer and Ralith examined Lion's Watch together. They had just arrived, and the outpost had finished construction hours ago, by the time they had first arrived on Tanaan. It consisted of a dwarven armory, called the Lion's Den, which housed Lion's Watch's command table. There was a tower atop a hill, overlooking the rest of Tanaan Jungle and Hellfire Citadel, and there was a garage that seemed to be in construction still, but a large tank stood next to it.
"A well-protected place, it would seem," Dorondaer complimented. "Let us meet with Exarch Yrel to see what help we can be here in this Jungle..." he scanned the place. "I wonder where the generals are?" Ralith nodded in agreement, and followed Dorondaer into the Lion's Den. Yrel stood next to a command table with another draenei, Vindicator Krethos. "We have come for our first mission in Tanaan, Exarch Yrel," Dorondaer said, pounding his chest in a respectful salute. Yrel eyed Dorondaer from top to bottom, and said, "Soldiers at the Iron Front are in dire need of your assistance," she said. She eyed Ralith, and continued. "You are druids, I'd presume? Healers. They need more healers at the Iron Front. Take a gryphon there and assist them in battle."
Soon they arrived at the Iron Front. A massive battle that had been going on for hours now had been taking place, the Alliance was being lead by Exarch Malaadar. Once they landed, Dorondaer and Ralith immediately rushed to the battle and began to heal soldiers constantly limping back behind lines, wounded. "How did you get back?" Ralith asked one human as he got back. He took notice it was a Lunarfall guard. The Lunarfall guard managed to breath, "The other heroes..." he pointed out to the battlefield, where multiple Alliance members were fighting a gronn. "It seems multiple of our friends are here too..." Dorondaer said, and he and Ralith pushed forward into the battlefield.
Soon a massive wargronn engaged them in combat. Dorondaer immediately backed up and drew two long dual-wield longswords of elvish make, and gestured for Ralith to back up. "Heal me should bad go wrong." How Dorondaer got these swords was that he participated in the War of the Ancients over ten thousand years ago, and was a lieutenant in the Kaldorei Resistance. He was a blademaster, and honored by multiple kaldorei. As the wargronn slammed its fists onto the ground in an attempt to crush Dorondaer beneath them, the night elf jumped up onto his fists and began running up his arm. The wargronn flailed, but Dorondaer held onto the massive harness strapped to the gronn's back. Dorondaer, while still holding onto the harness, flipped up onto the wargronn's neck, and he lifted his blades and thrust it into its head.
The wargronn immediately collapsed to the ground, Dorondaer jumped off before it landed. He landed beside Ralith, and pulled out his sword that was in the gronn's head. "That's one gronn down..." he scanned the battlefield, "...and another battle that we are yet to win. Come, Ralith, we must push further, drive them back into this vile jungle."
After hours of fel energy being poured into his body, Velekras still stood. "Give up!" Nallion yelled. "It's over Velekras. Submit to the Legion and the pain ends." Velekras was now a hulking abomination, a massive green draenei with red eyes and runes of fel energy coarsing across his torso. "I...will never submit!" Velekras roared. He yanked his arms hard, and his chains snapped. Nallion, surprised by this, lost concentration and the ritual stopped. She stared at Velekras, who breathed heavily and angrily stared at her. The hulking green abomination ran at her. Velekras slammed Nallion into the ground and repeatedly punched her until she died. Other Sargerei and Eredar ran at him. Velekras lept in the air and smashed his fists down on a group of Sargerei, killing them all. Velekras rampaged through the Temple of Sha'naar, tearing apart and smashing the Sargerei, Eredar, and demons there until the place was in ruins and only one Eredar remained. As Velekras prepared to charge at him, he suddenly stopped. Fel energy rapidly coarsed through the runes on his torso. Soon after, felfire shot out of the runes. The felfire burned the Eredar to death. Velekras screamed as felfire continued to pour out of his body and his body shrank. When the felfire stopped pouring out, Velekras was back to his normal size. He dropped to his knee and put a hand on the ground, heavily breathing. After a few seconds, Velekras collapsed to the ground and let death take him.
A portal opened at the Temple of Sha'naar, and Gul'dan stepped out. He walked over to Velekras's body. "This one has a powerful soul," he spoke to himself. "There is still time to harvest it." Gul'dan strecthed his hand out. Velekras's soul rose from his body, and a beam shot out of Gul'dan's hand into the soul. Gul'dan then flicked his hands towards the portal, sending Velekras's soul flying through to Hellfire Citadel. As Velekras's soul knelt on the ground, he looked up and saw a twisted abomination in front of him. Gorefiend inhaled, and Velekras's soul was consumed.
The body of the orc fell, Soulcleaver stuck in its head. Pulling it out with great force, Drakthor looked around for more oncoming fel orcs, but saw none that were in range of his blade. He turned to his lieutenant next to him. He was leading a small band of orc warriors through Tanaan Jungle. "Scan the perimeter. Set up a small base camp here, and don't let anything in, do you hear me? Nothing." The orc pounded his chest in salute, "Lok'tar." Drakthor began walking into the jungle beside them. Before he entered the trees, he looked to his right, up at the looming Hellfire Citadel, its shadow cast upon a good amount of Tanaan Jungle. He then turned back to the jungle and stepped in.
Crouching in the bushes, Drakthor, with Soulcleaver in hand, scanned the jungle. When he saw nothing, he advanced through the jungle. Then he heard a grunt coming from a fel orc, and he spun behind a tree. He poked his head out to see what was there, and saw an orc captain with a patrolling demon squad. Drakthor grunted silently and muttered, "Demons...scum." Sneaking his way to the demons, he took Soulcleaver with both hands, ready to strike. "LOK'TAR!" he cried out.
Bringing his axe down on a felguard, he turned to the orc captain, his sword-hand raised. Drakthor swung Soulcleaver at the blade, throwing the orc back. He turned behind him and swung the axe, slaying three more felguards. Suddenly, "GAH!" He spun around again to find a felhound attacking him. It pounced him and Drakthor fell. The felhound was about to strike, but Drakthor thrust the top of Soulcleaver into the felhound, and through it to his side. He got up, and went for his axe, until the orc captain, the only remaining enemy in this group, swung his sword horizontally. Drakthor ducked under the blade, and took the orc, and threw him over his head.
Swiftly, Drakthor took Soulcleaver and brought the axe down on the orc. But before he brought the finishing blow, the orc called, "THE ENEMY IS HERE--" Soulcleaver was stuck in its head. Then Drakthor heard the shouts of other demons nearby, and he swore under his breath. He took Soulcleaver and rushed out of the jungle, followed by multiple other demons. He rushed to the other Horde orcs and cried out, "DEMONS! PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"
The demons were soon upon them, and they fought hard. But the demons easily killed the Horde orcs, and soon the lieutenant was slain. Drakthor witnessed his death to the felguard, and he growled, swinging his axe at it. He then realized it was only him. It was up to him to get out of there. But this was what he was named for...he was the Bane of a Thousand Demons. He raised Soulcleaver and cried out, "LOK'TAR OGAR!" And the demons overcame him.