A Nerubian's Journey

Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Are you certain that this is wise? Krasus asked cautiously as he observed the strange white monolith that dominated the region of Draenor the locals referred to as Nagrand.

The vessel used by the draenei to traverse the Twisting Nether and arrive on this world resembled a massive crystal mountain. Given the many spirits he could sense drifting around the structure, it was no surprise that the orcs called it Oshugun, or Mountain of Spirits.

Krasus turned his attention to Prophet Velen with his selected group who would accompany him on this mission. It had only been a few weeks since he had made contact with the draenei, but Velen was by far the oldest looking of his kind that Krasus had seen so far. He possessed a long white beard and purple skin etched with wrinkles, but he displayed a strength of body that could only be due to the Lights empowerment.

I am quite certain, Archmage Krasus, said Prophet Velen as he stared at the structure with a forlorn expression. The translation spell taught to him by Lord Malygos worked smoother and more accurately than the one Krasus had used before. I was prepared to abandon the Genedar if necessary, but the Light has delivered you to my people in our hour of greatest need. So, I see no reason to do so now. It would be to our great benefit if we prevented the Burning Legion from capturing Kure and the Genedar.

Genedar was how the draenei referred to the trans-dimensional ship and Kure was the naaru that was currently trapped inside. Krasus agreed with Velen that bringing the Genedar to Azeroth would be a great victory, but it was not without risks.

The demon presence on the ship is likely to be significant, said Krasus as he observed the subtle ward of Fel magic erected around the structure. While it was designed primarily to prevent spirits from leaving or Kure from making contact with the outside world, the ward would also alert any demons inside when they breached its perimeter. Your people will need your leadership once they are transported to Azeroth. Risking your life in such a direct assault could result in catastrophic consequences.

Velens gaze did not waver from the Genedar and his expression hardened with resolve. My people need hope more than anything else, Archmage Krasus. If we can secure Kure and the vessel that kept them safe for millennia, we give them not just hope, but a future as well. It is a risk I am willing to take.

He paused and turned to look at the gathered group. It is not my intention to recklessly endanger myself or those who have put their faith in me. We will approach this mission with caution and strategy. We will work together as we always have, and Light willing, we will prevail.

Krasus took in the expressions of the gathered draenei and could not see the slightest hint of fear in any of them. In the short time that he had known them, it had become clear to Krasus that these people had been honed by countless hardships directed toward the draenei by the Burning Legion.

Since the draenei encampment was far from the Genedar, Krasus was only able to bring as many as he was able to carry on his back. Despite this, he had no doubt that these few elite warriors would be enough to purge the structure of its demonic occupants.

With a sigh, Krasus acquiesced. Very well. I suppose then that we should go over our strategy one final time so that there is no miscommunication.

One of the draenei paladins, a hulking man in shimmering armor and carrying a crystalline warhammer, stepped forward. Vindicator Maraad was apparently one of Velens strongest remaining warriors and one of the first to volunteer for this mission.

Our primary goal is to clear the Genedar of demons as quickly as possible and prepare it to be teleported to Azeroth. The demons will attempt to call for reinforcements and summon more of their kind. So swiftness is of the essence. We must strike hard and fast.

We should also make a priority to secure Kure, said Ishanah, a stern-faced priestess of the Light. The demons may seek to destroy the naaru once they realize that they can no longer hold the Genedar.

Krasus nodded in agreement. It wasnt a particularly detailed plan, but there wasnt much else that they could do with their limited knowledge of the enemy forces. There was only one more detail that they needed to address.

Will we be moving as a single group, or will we be moving separately so that we can clear the Genedar more quickly? asked Krasus, as he deliberately glanced toward a certain figure who was standing away from the group.

His implication obvious, everyone turned to look toward the former leader of the Vindicators, the defenders of the draenei society. Akama barely resembled the rest of the draenei, his mouth filled with a row of needle sharp teeth and his face deformed and elongated.

According to Velen, the Broken were draenei who had been corrupted by the foul magic of the orc warlocks when the draeneis former capital city of Shattrath was besieged. Akama and the Broken had been exiled from draenei society due to prejudices caused by their loss of the innate ability to wield the Light. However, Prophet Velen had called for the Broken to be brought back to the draeneis hidden camp, in a marsh on the coast of the Zangar Sea, once Krasus had offered the draenei way off Draenor.

I will move alone and clear the upper portions of the Genedar, said Akama, his voice rougher and more gravely than that of any of the other draenei. Vindicator Maraad is correct. We must move swiftly, and we cannot do so if half of you are too busy watching me while expecting a blade in your backs.

Krasus noticed a mixture of relief and shame flashing across the expressions of the gathered draenei, but nobody voiced an objection. There would come a time when the draenei would have the opportunity to fix the fissures in their society, but that time was not now.

Once we are prepared, I will inform Lord Malygos so that he can begin the ritual to transport your people to Azeroth, Krasus said, cutting through the awkward silence that followed Akamas words. The spell will cause a disturbance to Draenors leylines capable of being felt by any skilled magic user on the planet. The Burning Legion is likely to develop countermeasures against this once they have fully realized what has happened, but your people and the Genedar should be far away from here by that point.

Krasus could see the overwhelming relief that overcame the draenei at the reminder that they would soon be away from Draenor. He couldnt even begin to understand the scale of torment they must have endured on this cursed world. Krasus had already quietly evacuated several other native groups across to Azeroth over the past year and they had all been glad to leave. However, the draenei were the largest group and had suffered the most at the hands of the Horde.

My people owe you and those on Azeroth a debt that can never truly be repaid, Velen said, his voice overwhelmed with gratitude.

You are wrong, Krasus said immediately, shaking his head. Your people can repay us by aiding us against the Burning Legion, but we can speak more on that later. We cannot afford to waste any more time.

The Prophet nodded in agreement. You are correct. My people and I are ready to face the demons within Genedar at any time. Please inform your leader to begin the ritual to transport my people to your world once you are ready.

Seeing no reason not to do so, Krasus nodded in turn and began casting the communication spell that would put him into contact with Lord Malygos. It was amazing to him that such a spell could function across worlds, but that was to be expected from the Aspect of Magic.

After a few moments, Krasus could hear the irritated voice of Lord Malygos echoing in his mind.

Korialstrasz? What is it? Are those draenei finally prepared to leave that demon infested world of theirs?

Yes they are, Lord Malygos, Krasus quickly confirmed. We are currently preparing to purge the Genedar of demons and will begin as soon we feel the arcane aftershocks of your spell.

Hmph. Then I will begin casting the spell now. Contact me again once youve secured the vessel and used the artifact I provided you to prepare it for transportation.

Without waiting for a response, Lord Malygos terminated the mental connection. Krasus turned to the draenei and quickly updated them on the situation. The draenei murmured words of acknowledgment and began making their final preparations for the fight ahead. Krasus had significantly overestimated how long it would take Lord Malygos to complete his spell and it wasnt long before everyone flinched in surprise as the leylines of Draenor shook.

The feeling reminded him much of the Dark Portals opening, though somewhat less dramatic. After the disturbance ceased, Krasus gave a curt nod to Velen who turned to the gathered draenei.

May the Light protect us, Velen murmured as he raised his staff and a soft glow washed over them all. Krasus could feel the Light bolstering his courage and banishing any hint of exhaustion as he called upon his own magic to begin casting defensive spells over himself.

When their final preparations were complete, Prophet Velen once more called upon the Light and shattered the Fel ward around the Genedar. Vindicator Maraad began quickly leading them from the front through the crystalline tunnels that would take them to the vessel's interior. As they traveled further, Krasus could sense the ambient magic gradually growing more corrupted by the Burning Legions foul Fel magic.

The group charged through the tunnels, and it wasnt long before they entered the Genedar. Krasus was immediately struck by the strange nature of the vessels hallways, constructed with an unusual combination of metal and crystals. Krasus observed ruefully that they were too small for him to shift to his true form as they were confronted by their first demon.

The winged creature was similar to most sapient races on Azeroth in that it had two arms and two legs, but that was where the similarities ended. The demons head was surrounded by six twisted horns and its torso contained two eyes and a gaping maw that spewed forth Fel magic as the creature rushed forward on cloven hooves.

Terrorfiend! shouted Vindicator Maraad, his eyes filled with fury as he charged the demon with his crystalline warhammer raised.

The demon thrust a jagged sword and released a stream of Fel fire from its torso-mouth that would have incinerated a common warrior. Vindicator Maraad merely danced to the side of the incoming blow, protected from the fire by the Light, and swung his warhammer with enough force to decapitate the demon in a single blow.

They know we are here now, Priestess Ishanah murmured as the creature collapsed to the floor.

Then we should move quickly, Krasus said, shaking off his surprise as to how quickly the demon was dispatched. Akama, you sho

Krasus turned to search for the Broken, only to realize that he had already left, presumably to begin clearing the Genedars upper floors.

Akama has never been one to waste time, Prophet Velen said with a light chuckle. Let us get moving. I can hear Kure calling for our aid.

With that, the group broke into a fast sprint towards the lower chamber where the naaru was being held. The demons charged at them with reckless abandon and did everything they could to slow their progress, but they had clearly been unprepared to stand against an Archmage and the draeneis most powerful warriors.

The demons varied in strength and size, from gnome-sized cackling imps to the magic devouring fel hounds. The imps were nuisances, flooding the halls as they flung tiny fireballs from every direction that forced Krasus to summon arcane barriers around the group. The fel hounds were more dangerous. Their magic resistance posed a notable threat to Krasus in his mortal form, but Maraad was able to make short work of them with his warhammer. Prophet Velen was also able to quickly heal any wounds they sustained and regularly cleared the hallway of demons with bursts of Light.

Only the Terrorfiends truly caused them significant issues, as they were deceptively cunning and didnt hesitate to take advantage of distractions caused by the lesser demons.

Kiljaedens voice was deceptively calm as he spoke to the nathrezim he had assigned to carry out his will on Draenor. However, anyone who knew him would already be doing their best to flee his presence at the wrath smoldering in his eyes. His clawed, scarlet hands gripped his felsteel seat until cracks appeared and his two demonic wings quivered with barely restrained power.

The second most powerful demon in the Burning Legion was currently situated on his trans-dimensional ship, the Deceivers Throne, flying high above Draenor on the border of the Twisting Nether and the physical plane. Kiljaeden stared balefully down at the primitive world and imagined how it would appear wreathed in Fel fire.

Yes, my Lord, said Sathrovarr, his voice deferential as it transmitted through the scrying spell. At your command, I sent some of the lesser demons to investigate the magical disturbances that took place first within the marshes near the Zangar Sea and then near the draeneis broken dimensional ship. Those investigations have revealed that a portion of the draenei likely survived the culling of Shattrath, and that their ship is no longer where it once was. We were also able to detect significant quantities of spatial magic near these locations.

Kiljaeden was silent as the nathrezim continued to give their report, his fury only growing with each passing moment. Despite this, his mind was clear as it ran through countless possibilities to explain how this had happened.

The demons he had assigned to guard the dimensional ship had all died and their souls were currently in the process of reforming in the Twisting Nether. Kiljaeden looked forward to when they did so that he could acquire a firsthand account of what had happened and let his displeasure at their failure be known.

But until then, he was forced to use the evidence available to him.

You say there are signs of a draenei camp near the first disturbance, said Kiljaeden, interrupting the nathrezim. How many of the draenei do you believe survived?

Sathrovarr hesitated for several moments before responding. It is difficult to say, but I would estimate from the size of their camps that they have no more than a tenth of their previous population, my Lord.

The news should have eased some of the fury Kiljaeden felt, but it did not. There had been occasions throughout the millennia when he had done grievous harm to the draenei, only for them to rebuild. Magic and technology could accomplish much, especially when one was desperate.

He had decided to act subtly upon finding the draenei on this primitive world instead of conquering it as he usually did in hopes to end the traitors before they could escape, but he had failed again.

Continue your report, Kiljaeden said evenly.

Once the nathrezim was finished sharing everything he knew for the fourth time, Kiljaeden ended the communication spell and ordered the demon controlling his ship to return them to the Twisting Nether. Within moments, Kiljaeden had left the physical realm and was once again within the endless void as time, space, and reality twisted around him.

Kiljaeden considered what he learned, his mind working at a furious pace. The demon lord ran through countless scenarios, extrapolating possibilities and probabilities from the scant information he possessed. Yet, no matter how he looked at it, one thing remained a stark, infuriating reality.

Velen had escaped. Again.

The boiling fury that Kiljaeden felt at this fact was enough to send tremors throughout the Twisting Nether. Any lesser demon unfortunate enough to be sensed by Kiljaeden as he unleashed his wrath was instantly obliterated and met their final death. Even the more powerful demons stayed well away, not daring to risk attracting his attention.

Eventually, Kiljaeden calmed down enough to begin considering his options. Out of all the possibilities, the most likely one was that draenei were now on Azeroth, something he had gone to great lengths to prevent. The Dark Portal had only been opened after the last of the draenei in Shattrath had been slaughtered and the Horde had taken full control of Draenor.

He had been disappointed when his demons failed to find Velens corpse, but such an outcome was expected when significant amounts of fel fire was used in a siege.

Kiljaeden had even assigned several demons to hunt down the scant few survivors there might be. The thought reminded him that he should seek the personal accounts of these demons and administer appropriate punishment for their failure when he had the time.

Kiljaeden had far fewer demons on Azeroth than Draenor, but he had no doubt they would report a disturbance in the planets leylines at a similar time to when the draenei disappeared. Azeroth was a world with infuriatingly powerful inhabitants, several of whom would be more than capable of such magic.

Aegwynn, Azshara, and Malygos could all have exploited the connection offered by the Dark Portal to accomplish this, but Malygos was a more likely culprit than the others. The Titans pet dragons had become vexingly active in Azeroths affairs recently, disrupting many of Kiljaedens schemes.

The Horde had achieved less than he had anticipated, one of the Keepers was interacting with the mortal races, and Azeroth in general seemed to be growing more capable of defending themselves against an invasion. The Legion had learned from their failure during the War of the Ancients, and knew that Azeroth first needed to be weakened before an attack could be successful. Yet with the Hordes failure and with Velen and the traitors who followed him now on Azeroth, any future invasion would become that much more difficult.

This cannot be allowed to continue, Kiljaeden thought to himself. Sargeras will not be pleased once he learns of this

In a single moment, Kiljaeden traveled through the Twisting Nether and appeared within his palace on Argus. He swept through the palace with swift, purposeful strides, his feet leaving a trail of Fel fire in his wake. He ignored the lesser demons assigned to maintaining the structure and made his way to the deeper levels of the place, where none but his highest ranking subordinates were permitted to enter.

It wasnt long before Kiljaeden began to hear the pleasant sounds of screams as the Sayaad and jailers tortured those demons unfortunate enough to earn the worst of his ire. The individual who he intended to visit now was perhaps the most unfortunate of those souls.

When he finally reached the lowest portion of his palace, Kiljaeden reached a room in which five dreadlords were taking turns torturing a disembodied spirit. The spirit could not scream as Kiljaeden had already taken away its corporeal body in preparation for his plans, but its torment echoed sweetly through the Twisting Nether.

My lord, we were not expecting you, said Tichondrius, leader of the nathrezim. The demons expression was calm in spite of Kiljaedens sudden appearance.

I have need of this one, said Kiljaeden, gesturing toward the spirit. The situation on Azeroth has deteriorated and we can no longer afford to allow our enemies to continue consolidating their power. Is he ready to be bound to the artifacts?

Of course, my Lord, Tichondrius said immediately. He has been ready for some time. We were merely amusing ourselves while we still had the opportunity.

Well the time has now come, said Kiljaeden, reaching into the Twisting Nether and retrieving two of the most powerful artifacts in his possession.

Frostmourne and the Helm of Domination instantly suffused the room with potent Death magic, their auras oppressive even by Kiljaedens standards. He had been in possession of them for quite some time, but had been hesitant to use them due to their unclear origins. One of his subordinates had simply found them on a recently conquered world, and no amount of effort was enough to definitively reveal their source.

However, now was no longer the time for caution. Azeroth needed to be weakened now, and these artifacts were the perfect method for doing so.

Kiljaeden reached out and grasped the spirit, still writhing and moaning from the torment being inflicted upon it. He forced the spirit into the endless abyss that was the Helm of Domination, slowly transforming it into an entity far greater than it ever was in life. The spirit thrashed and shrieked, but it was helpless against Kiljaedens overwhelming might.

Once he was done with the spirit, Kiljaeden held the Helm of Domination aloft, watching as the eyes of the helm began to glow with a harsh, cold light. Arise, Guldan. Your second life begins today. You will be my hand, my will on Azeroth. You will bring ruin and despair to the denizens of that world, and in doing so, prepare it for the coming of the Burning Legion!

Even though the Lich King was far more powerful in its current form, the former orc warlock cringed back in fear from Kiljaeden. He had thoroughly enjoyed the look on Guldans face when the orc realized his soul had been suffused with enough Fel magic for him to be reborn in the Twisting Nether. He was not nearly so brave in his defiance once Kiljaeden got his claws into him.

It would have been a kinder fate if the Aspect of Magic had torn Guldans soul to pieces, but Malygos had either not been feeling kind or didnt think it worth the effort. Guldan had been a fairly powerful warlock, so destroying his soul would have taken some careful preparation.

With Guldan attached to the Helm of Domination, Kiljaeden quickly repeated the process with Frostmourne and a recently forged suit of armor made specifically for this purpose. The artifacts reverberated with raw power and Kiljaeden could feel the spirit within the helm begin to stir. It was even more powerful than he had anticipated.

Excellent, said Kiljaeden with a sinister grin. Now, I believe it is time for you to make your entrance, my Lich King.

My lord, have you decided where on Azeroth you intend to send us? asked MalGanis, another of the nathrezim present. As you know, Northrend is no longer a suitable location for us to gather power.

Kiljaeden had discussed his plans for the Lich King extensively with the nathrezim, as he intended to send them to Azeroth with it. The Helm of Domination offered a rare opportunity for Kiljaeden to send several strong demons past the unique defenses that the Titans left behind around Azeroth. The helm would vastly expand the mind of the Lich King and offer it extremely powerful sensory abilities. Coupled with the fact that Guldan had already once been to Azeroth, the Lich King would have no trouble precisely navigating the Twisting Nether to its destination.

Yes, I have chosen an appropriate location, said Kiljaeden. There had been fewer options than he would have preferred. The Lich King needed time away from Azeroths powerful defenders as well as plenty of mortals to raise into undeath if it was to become a significant enough threat to weaken the world.

Thankfully, he had scryed and schemed until he settled on a location that he believed would be even superior to Icecrown.

Kiljaeden explained to the nathrezim where he would be sending them and his reasons for doing so, each one smiling and chuckling at their lords genius. When he was done, Kiljaeden cast a spell that encased the Lich King in a block of indestructible ice that would prevent it from escaping. The nathrezim would serve as its jailors, ensuring the Lich King continued to follow Kiljaedens will.

One by one, the nathrezim merged themselves into the icy construct, their corporeal forms fading until all that was left were ghostly specters imbued within the magical ice. When the final nathrezim, Balnazzar, had joined his brothers, Kiljaeden walked forward and placed his hand on the frozen block. He reached into the Helm of Domination, communing with the Lich King one final time.

You understand your purpose. Make Azeroth bleed. Turn their dead against them. Sow terror, pain, and despair. By the time they realize what has happened, it will be too late. Kiljaedens words were both a command, and a promise of what was to come if Guldan failed. Now, go!

With a swift motion, Kiljaeden cast a spell that sent the Lich King hurtling through the Twisting Nether towards an unsuspecting Azeroth.