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ould
descend right back into the vicious animals that they were when Sargeras first brought them here。
However； Lady Proudmoore would not hear those words。 Certainly； Kristoff had tried； but even the greatest of
leaders had their blind spots； and this was hers。 She insisted on her belief that orcs could live in harmony with
humans； to the point that she betrayed her own father。
That was when Kristoff realized that extraordinary action would need to be taken。 The lady let her own father be
killed rather than betray the trust of creatures who； beyond Thrall； would never return the favor。
Under other circumstances； Kristoff would never have done what he did。 Every day； he awakened wondering if he
had done the right thing。 But every day； he also awakened in fear。 From the moment he first came to Kalimdor
through the end of the war and the founding of Theramore； Kristoff lived in abject terror that everything they had
built would be destroyed。 Aside from one fort on the Merchant Coast； the human presence on Kalimdor consisted of
a small island off the eastern coast； surrounded on three sides by creatures who were at best indifferent； and at worst
hostile to humans； and on the fourth by the Great Sea。
Despite his fears； despite his advice； the lady constantly took actions that favored the orcs to the detriment of
humans。 She claimed it was to benefit the alliance； that they were stronger united than they would be apart。 The
truly tragic thing was that she believed it。
But Kristoff knew better。 And when Lady Proudmoore proved herself incapable of seeing the bigger picture； the
very bigger picture that Kristoff had trained all his life to see； he got outside help。
Duree poked her shriveled head into the chambers。 Sir； the scrying stone from Northwatch is getting all glowy。 I
think it s got a message。
Dryly； Kristoff said； That s usually what that means； yes。 He got up from behind the lady s desk and went out
into the throne room； where the stone was kept。 Presumably； that was either Lorena or Davin informing him that the
former had finally arrived； her troops having gotten there that morning。 Kristoff s plan to have Lorena already in
place when the troop carrier arrived was dashed by the airship s having mechanical problems that delayed its
takeoff； plus the troop carrier benefited from a strong wind that hastened its arrival。
Walking up to the stone； which sat on a pedestal in the southwest corner of the throne room； Kristoff saw that it was
indeed alight with the crimson glow that indicated that its counterpart at Northwatch had been activated and used。
Hesitating for a moment； Kristoff grabbed it。 As expected； it sent a painful shock up his arm that almost forced him
to drop it。 The glow dissipated concurrently with the shock； followed by Major Davin s voice。 It sounded like
Davin was deep inside a cave and shouting toward the mouth。
Lord Chamberlain； it s my sad duty to inform you that Colonel Lorena s airship has yet to report。 Spotters saw the
airship； but it was heading northeast。 The troops have arrived； but I don t know what the colonel had in mind for
em。 Please advise。
Kristoff sighed as he put the stone back on its pedestal。 Damn that woman！
What woman？ Duree asked。
Colonel Lorena。 Who did she take with her on the airship？
Without hesitating； the old woman called up the answer from memory。 Peculiar though her manner might have
been； the woman was incredibly efficient。 Major Bek； Captain Harcort； Captain Mirra； and Lieutenant Noroj。 Oh；
and Corporal Booraven。
Frowning； Kristoff asked； Why did she bring a corporal along？ He had specifically told the colonel to have her
senior staff on the airship and to send the troops along by boat。 Then a memory started niggling at him。 I know that
name from somewhere。
Duree； bless her； came to his rescue。 She s the one they called the goodluck charm； back during the war。 A
sensitive； if I m rememberin right can sniff out magic at a hundred paces。
Right； of course。 Kristoff remembered that Booraven who had been a private during the war not only was able
to detect demons that couldn t be seen with the naked eye； but also could tell when someone had been possessed by
a member of the Burning Legion。 She also was always able to find Lady Proudmoore； or any other wizard； a skill
several generals made use of when the lady was difficult to track down during a chaotic campaign。
At once； Kristoff realized what Lorena had in mind。 Damn her！ Letting out a long sigh； he muttered； And damn
myself as well。
What was that； sir？ Duree asked。
Nothing； Kristoff said quickly。 He couldn t afford to explain things to Duree。 That ll be all。
Sounding confused； Duree said； All all right； sir。 Looking at him strangely； she left。
For his part； Kristoff stared out the large window。 It was hazy today； and he couldn t see more than a league or two
out on the Great Sea。
Belatedly； Kristoff realized that the mistake was truly his own。 He had let the colonel s hostility toward him
which had always been there； going back to the days of the war affect his own reactions to her。 He treated her
with the same contempt she treated him with； an indulgence that was acceptable； if sometimes counterproductive；
when they both advised the lady； but suicidal when he sat on her throne。 Part of the point of the symbolism of the
raised throne was that the leader had to be above everything else including the petty rivalries of the court。
The very arrogance that had done in Garithos and so many more before him； had done in Kristoff。 If the
chamberlain had treated Lorena with respect； she might have done as he asked。 Because he didn t； she took
Booraven with her to once again serve the purpose of finding Lady Proudmoore。 That explained why she headed
northeast： to Durotar； where the lady was taking care of the thunder lizards。
Much as it galled him； he had only one recourse。 The plan had to go ahead； with some small variations。 They might
cause problems later； but by then the die would be cast。 The only way for Jaina Proudmoore to see that the orcs
were not to be trusted was to accelerate the inevitable war between them。
To that end； he picked up the stone once again； this time with both hands rather than one； which the stone registered
as a desire to send a message。 This time； the stone glowed blue。 This is Chamberlain Kristoff。 I m afraid our worst
fears have been realized。 Both Lady Proudmoore and Colonel Lorena have been taken by the foul orc cult known as
the Burning Blade。 The orcs must be made to pay for this。 Major Davin； you are to take charge of all forces at
Northwatch and prepare for war。
When he put the stone back down； the glow faded； its message sent through the aether to its counterpart in the keep。
After that； he retreated to the chambers to finish the work he had been in the middle of。 However； the stink of sulfur
permeated the air as soon as he arrived at the entryway； which meant that Zmodlor had arrived。
Galtak Ered nash。 Report； Chamberlain。
Kristoff wrinkled his nose； both because of the smell and in general disgust。 He hated being involved with demons；
and if the stakes weren t so high； he would just as soon run this creature through。 But another lesson of leadership
Kristoff had learned was that sometimes one had to make strange allies in order to serve the greater good of one s
people。 That was why Lady Proudmoore had taken the extraordinary step of bringing human and orc together in the
first place； and why Kristoff now had to take the same step with Zmodlor。 It was a temporary alliance with a minor
demon who meant little in the grand scheme of things。 In truth； Kristoff was using Zmodlor playing on the
creature s vanity and bowing and scraping before him in order for him to do precisely what Kristoff wished。
All goes according to plan。 The people of Theramore are primed to attack the orcs and destroy them。
Good。 I will derive great pleasure from seeing those foul traitors wiped from this world。
As will I。 Kristoff meant those words。 Zmodlor had been a useful ally to Kristoff because the two of them shared
a fervent desire to rid the world of orcs。 And when this was all over； and the orcs were no longer a factor； Kristoff
fully intended to rid the world of Zmodlor as well…。
May our hearts desires e to us sooner rather than later； Chamberlain。 Farewell。 Galtak Ered nash。
Nodding； Kristoff repeated those two words in Zmodlor s native tongue that translated as： All hail the Burning
Blade。
Sixteen
A egwynn watched with bitter amusement as Jaina Proudmoore tried to break the demonic wards。 The girl had left
Aegwynn s hut to go to the periphery of the wards which were in the same location as the previous ones and try
to perate them from close up； at which Aegwynn didn t expect her to be any more successful。
Zmodlor obviously had no interest in meeting Aegwynn again； since he d gone to the trouble to trap her here once
Proudmoore dispersed the old wards。 After all； as long as those wards； which were up due to Aegwynn s desire；
were in place； Zmodlor had nothing to worry about。 But if the wards went down； he d be concerned； and so would
have a backup in place。
Not that it mattererd。 Aegwynn was long past the point of being able to fight demons magically。
After her latest failed attempt； Proudmoore reached into her cloak and pulled out some jerky。 Almost
unconsciously； Aegwynn nodded her approval。 Whoever mentored the girl was sensible enough to teach her the
practicalities。 That was something Scavell； for all his brilliance； had never covered。 It wasn t until the third time she
collapsed from hunger following the pursuit of a demon that she thought to bring food with her on such missions。
Then the girl turned to face Aegwynn。 Perhaps if we bine our forces； we can do it。
Not bloodly likely。 Aegwynn laughed bitterly。 Adding my forces to yours would give you the same result。 My
magical abilities have long since…atrophied。 The word was inaccurate； but was sufficient for the purposes of
answering Proudmoore s question。 A pity there s no one on the other side to serve as a conduit。
A conduit for what？
Aegwynn revised her estimate of Proudmoore s teacher back downward。 Don t you know Meitre s peration
spell？
Proudmoore shook her head。 Most of Meitre s scrolls were destroyed ten years ago。 I learned the ones that were
salvaged； but that one doesn t sound familiar。
Pity； was all Aegwynn would say。 It mattered little to her whose wards were up； as long as they kept her safe
here。 She wanted nothing more than to live out the rest of her days away from the world she d already done too
much damage to。
Why are you so weakened？
Aegwynn sighed。 She should have expected that。
Then again； perhaps Proudmoore needed to hear the entire story。 Or at least； Aegwynn s own verison of it。
Twentyfive years ago…
Medivh had taken up residence in the tower of Kharazan in the Redridge Mountains； located in a series of hillocks。
Surrounded only by vines and weeds the old trees of the Elwynn Forest no longer made it up this far； they had
died after Medivh took up residence the tor on which Medivh had his keep was shaped exactly like a human skull。
Aegwynn found the shape to be sadly appropriate。 She approached the place now on foot； having no desire to do
anything to alert her son to her approach。
The Guardians of Tirisfal were dead。 Orcs now rampaged throughout Azeroth。 War had broken out all over the
world。 The source of all this？
Her own flesh and blood。
She didn t know how it was possible。 She had sired Medivh to carry on her work； not unravel it。
Only when she arrived at the gates did she feel it。 Her son was present； she knew that much； as were Moroes； the
house servant； and the cook though the latter two were both asleep in their respective chambers。 But she felt
another； one whose essence was intertwined with that of her son。 One whom she had defeated centuries ago。
No longer bothering with her attempt to arrive subtly； she cast a wind spell that slammed into the gate； gale forces
shattering the woo