Author's note: This one is set in the WoW mythos, but has a lot of deviations from it. Anyway it is self contained and so it doesn't matter if you are thinking wtf is WoW (but shame on you).
Through the nether world his spirit had wandered, reckless with vengeance and madness. The gleaming specks of his miasmic spirit bled through a portal ablaze in lightning fire and surged onto his decaying body. The blind half – demon, half - elven warrior had been resurrected. The twin blades that lay on his chest seemed to throb with electric energy. He slid his fingers into its hand grips like they had done countless times before. The betrayer had awoken.
“Who dares awaken me?” thundered Illidan Stormrage. “I am the rogue, the betrayer, the demon who was once an elf. My whole life was a play of hatred and bitterness. When I died no one mourned me....... and now you resurrect me? What does this mean? Who is foolish enough to bring this wretched being back from the dead?”
“It was I.” The voice had a shrillness that could pause any passing creature's heart. It came from everywhere, as if a hundred wisps all around sang in unison. Far from being pleasant it evoked images of slithering serpents with their fangs grating against each other's scales. It came from a banshee. “I am Sylvanas Windrunner, the Queen of the Forsaken. Once a revered elven warrior much like you, but cursed into a fate worse than death – into undeath.”
“And what do you want?” rasped the demon elf.
“Why? The same thing that you want.........” The banshee's eyes were orbs of green flames as she hissed through gritted teeth, “VENGEANCE”.
______
“Priestess, the Lich king's undead army has breached the alliance's defenses. It is only a matter of a few days before they reach the Moonglade forest and disrupt our beloved druids' slumber.”
“Good work huntress........ leave me now.” The priestess, Tyrande, had dreadful secrets that she could not reveal even to her trusted sentinels. She was expecting her scout owl to return any moment with news from the banshee territory. The fair elf was fondly called the priestess though she was the titular head of the night elves. Her beauty had been sung about in lands afar. It had once made two of the most powerful elves quarrel. The Stormrage twins were both in love with her, but she chose the wise druid Malfurion Stormrage and married him.
Malfurion was now drifting in the transcendent emerald dream rejuvenating his powers. He was to be aroused on the day of solstice that was just three days away. The savior of the people could then fulfill his duty and stem the surge of the Lich king's scourge. But until then he could not be troubled or he would be forever in a vegetate state. The undead scourge was advancing, relentlessly slaughtering and enlisting anyone who opposed them, for the scourge turned their kill into the undead. The Moonglade forest, where Malfurion and his fellow druids were recuperating would soon be blighted and infested with the undead minions of the Lich king. Malfurion would be killed and there would not be a champion left to rescue their world.
As Tyrande gazed out of her citadel's window her brow was wrinkled. She knew that there was almost no hope left of rescuing her people, her forest and above all of Malfurion. The Lich king had outwitted and overpowered her forces at every turn. Now was her last chance and she prayed that she would be more fortunate. She only needed to hold on for another three days, but that seemed impossible.
______
“You are an incompetent fool!”, cried the Lich king.
“Your majesty..... haven't I served you well?” Anub'arak the chief lieutenant reminded him.
“Then why do we have so many setbacks? Azeroth should have been conquered by now.”
“We cannot fail ...... you are almost a god.”
“Yes. Soon I will be a god. But now my army is too far away for me to control telepathically. I, myself will go to the battlefront and put an end to this pathetic resistance by the alliance,” thundered the king. “Make sure that everyone knows of my plans. The puny alliance will tremble on hearing these tidings...... they shall be devoid of all hope long before I unsheathe my sword in battle.”
The undead scourge unleashed their blood lust on the defending alliance champions with renewed gusto as emissaries brought forth the tidings of the Lich king's impending entry onto the battle field. And soon the alliance came to know their doom, that the invincible tyrant would conquer the elven territory and blight their holy forests.
______
“You remember Tyrande don't you?” the banshee teased Illidan.
“Of course, more than anything else.”
“Then hear this........ she is presently in terrible danger. She, as the commander of the alliance is the biggest obstacle to the Lich king's plans and he will see to it that it doesn't remain that way.”
“What are you saying?” Illidan was perturbed.
“The Lich king himself is entering the battle. Your brother Malfurion is recuperating in the emerald dream. There is no one left who can face the Lich king......... except you.”
“Me? He defeated me once before...... and he is several multitudes stronger now........” shouted a perplexed Illidan.
“Your demon avatar is impervious to his new powers...... and you will not face him alone this time. I have enough reasons for joining you. The wretched bastard did this to me, turned me into a banshee.”
“All right. I will go with you. What is your plan?” he asked.
The banshee related to him the events that had transpired since his death and then the details of her plan. They would go to the fringes of the Lich king's continent kingdom, Northrend, and infiltrate the undead troops. They would then intercept him on his way into the elven territory and assassinate him. The undead scourge would crumble without their leader and the future of the living on Azeroth would be safe.
“Illidan, this is your chance to redeem your honour, to save your loved ones.......”
“ENOUGH! Your platitudes do not sway me. I doubt if your insipid plan will succeed. But I will still do it...... I owe it to my brother and Tyr-........ his wife, the only people I care about in this miserable world. I shall play along and if your plan fails, it wouldn't the first time that I die.”
“Good..... and this is not my plan. It was Tyrande who requested me to resurrect you using my knowledge of necromancy. I have informed her scouts about my success with the necromantic rite.” Sylvanas noticed the disbelief in his face when she said, “She should be here soon.”
______
Mighty Malfurion floated over placid forests enveloped in a verdant bubble. An omnipresent force of limitless energy pounded on the circumference of the diaphanous bubble seeking an orifice. But inside Malfurion was calm. In fact he was meditating. He or rather his mind was in the emerald dream, the dimension where the mind was all that mattered. For eons creatures with fragile old bodies had retreated their surfeited minds into its calm and yet stimulating environment. There their thoughts could resonate helping their minds cogitate at an explosive pace. The emerald dream had thus turned into the biggest repository of wisdom and knowledge. But no one could enter it without the key keeper's, the great red dragon's, consent for the infinitely potent force would obliterate all infiltrators.
In the emerald dream Malfurion had the counsel of the wisest minds ever in Azeroth. Every moment he learned more about the true nature of power, about the origins of strength and magic. In a few days he would know enough to transform nature itself. Then he would be not only the keeper of the grove but its maker too. On the day of the solstice, when Elune's stellar powers are in its most untainted form he could recede from the emerald dream and revisit the real world. No one could then threaten the fate of the living in his world for he could turn the world itself against them.
______
He was still haunted by her tears; the shame and repent was overwhelming. More than ten thousand years ago Illidan had betrayed the elves to demons. He was so enamored by Tyrande that in his desperation he betrayed everyone to win her as booty. When Malfurion had caught him during his insane act, he was heartbroken too. But then he sentenced Illidan to be imprisoned forever, until due to a string of fortuitous events he was finally released. But by then he had spent a mind numbingly torturous ten thousand years in a dungeon. And even after he tried all he could to make up for his past mistake no one showed him any compassion or mercy.
He was not sure if his second life would be any different. He was needed for his powers and extraordinary talent for violence. When that need was over what would happen? Would he be shunned again? Illidan's desultory reverie was interrupted by the voice that he would have heard even if he was dead.
“Illidan. Thank you for doing this.” It was Tyrande.
“Tyrande!....... I am glad to see you again.”
“There is no time for conformities. You carry the fate of Azeroth on your shoulders. Pray the gods be with you.”
“I know what I have to do.” Illidan felt fatigued. He felt he was destined for self destruction. If the Lich king doesn't kill him then the remainder of his despondent solitary life might be worse than death itself.
“It is good to have you back Illidan..........,” said Tyrande looking genuinely glad. And then they deliberated their plans and decided on the details.
______
Illidan was soaring over the ice continent, Northrend. The wind chill would have frozen the tears in his eyes if he had had eyes. Sylvanas was a zooming purple blur next to him. They were on route to Netherport where the Lich king was thought to have camped before his journey to the Moonglade forest. He smelled acrid smoke from somewhere below and flew towards it. A party of necromancers were engaged in a sacrificial rite of self mutilation and cannibalism. Acolytes were hovering around them eager to sacrifice themselves hoping to attain undeath. Decomposing carcases lay splattered on the putrid ground. Illidan had known before the morbidity of these bands of undead and his reaction now was the same as always.
“DIE, FOOLS” he bellowed. His twin blades were more than eager to slice through the flesh of the necromancers and their lackeys. It had been a long time since a kill and his body and mind, being tuned for the purpose, reveled at the opportunity. Within minutes he decimated them all.
“You are the fool! Now everyone here will know of our arrival,” cried Sylvanas.
“I needed to do that.... Besides they were an isolated band. It's going to be sometime before we are discovered.” a calm Illidan replied.
But he was wrong. His audacity had endangered him once again. The ground below him shook in tremors. The blighted land cracked as hundreds of arachnoid warriors emerged from underground. At the center of the group was a giant ant covered with spiky appendages and mandibles the size of Illidan's arms.
“Illidan this time you DIE,” it announced.
“Anub'arak!” cried a shocked Illidan. The hideous monster was almost as despised and feared as his master, the Lich king. Illidan quickly transformed into his demon avatar and a terrifying battle ensued. Sylvanas surrounded herself with the arachnoids whose souls she magically possessed. Protecting herself thus she slew several undead warriors with her uncanny archery skills. Illidan, seemingly in a demoniac frenzy, went on a rampage killing all in his sight. Though he was targeted by the entire company, his magic shield protected him. He leveled many of the undead by summoning the flames of hell onto them. Finally Anub'arak and Illidan came face to face.
Both adversaries were adept at magic and their fight appeared to be a pyrotechnic spectacle. The ricochets from their clashing curses pulverized their surroundings. Eventually all but Slyvanas, Illidan and Anub'arak had perished. Anub'arak was beginning to show fatigue when Slyvanas aimed her flame tipped arrow at him. But she never fired the weapon. She was suddenly engulfed in flames that inexplicably emerged from the air around her. Her pitiable screams alerted Illidan, but to no avail as she was quickly reduced to ashes. The tyrant Lich king had manifested in front of Illidan shielding Anub'arak.
“Your persistence is impressive,” said a voice that clearly bespoke the unrivaled power of its source. “Before you try anything foolish listen to what I say.”
“I am here to kill you,” shouted an enraged Illidan before he pounced on the Lich king.
The Lich king effortlessly fended off the attack. He drew his magnificent sword and said, “If you insist I can play with you for some time. After all that is what you are here to do, to delay me.”
After many more futile lunges Illidan said between gasps, “No I am here to rid this world of you.” He used his twin blades both to attack and parry the Lich king's lurches.
“My powers have grown dramatically since the last time we had a bout. Apart from my boundless magical powers, I also posses unparalleled physical strength. You cannot hope to even scar me. Everyone in the alliance knows this. Hence I surmise that you must be here to delay me.”
“No, I can kill you. I am immune to your magic...”
“And I am immune to yours. You might as well give up elf. Did you really think that you can defeat me? I didn't think so..... thats why you are still alive. I want you to join me, why do you side with the people who hate you the most? You know you have no place in Azeroth as long as they are here. With me your powers will be respected. As I conquer other worlds you will be the champion of my army.” The Lich king put up an impassive face masking the weariness he felt.
Though Illidan was exhausted he did not give up his fight. He screamed, “Never..... I have not lost my mind. I will not betray Tyrande.”
The Lich king laughed out wickedly and using his most sympathetic tone he said, “Tyrande? She send you here? Isn't it obvious that she has used you as a ploy? She wants to delay me until Malfurion returns from the Emerald dream. What you don't realize and what she knows is that my telepathic powers are now so strong that I can sense whatever happens anywhere on Azeroth.”
They both stood still and regarded each other. The Lich king acutely observed Illidan as he said, “You see, if your plan was to surprise me with a stealth attack you had no hope from the beginning. I knew of your arrival the moment you set foot on Northrend. She too knows the fallacy of your plan. You have been used by an elf trying to save her love.” The Lich king's countenance did not betray his guile and trickery. He could subvert anyone.
“I don't believe it.....” Illidan was dismayed. But he realized that everything he had heard was logically sound.
“You can join me and have the life you deserve or die a painful death. Your first task as my lieutenant would be to return to moonglade forest and slaughter your brother. If you need to, tell your brethren that you killed me.”
Illidan was in a dilemma. It was heart wrenching to know that he had been betrayed, but he still had feelings of loyalty and some residual love for his brother and Tyrande. She could not do something so cruel, could she? But he knew that nothing could be said of the atrocities people could commit for the sake of their loved ones. He himself had once left the realm of reason and sinned terribly for the eternal company of his love. Was he really just a pawn? His whole body shook from the gravity of this revelation.
“ILLIDAN. Do you swear your allegiance? Will you murder your brother and take revenge on Tyrande?” asked the devious Lich king.
______
Tyrande was preaching a sermon when she felt desperation inexplicably creep up on her. She shuddered and tears ran down her cheeks as she sensed that something terrible had happened. The world moaned the departure of one of its greatest souls. A Stromrage twin had died.
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