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We re contentious beings； mortals。 Lorena smirked。 Give us a foe to fight； and we ll go after it with our dying
breath。 And beyond； if needs be。
Indeed。 Colonel may I have another piece？
Lorena laughed and said； Help yourself。
Taking another piece of meat this time one she didn t recognize Aegwynn wondered what would happen after
this was over。 She found the prospect of returning to her little hut in the Bladescar Highlands to be less enthralling
than she would have thought。 Jaina had been correct humans and orcs had built a life here； and it was because of
Medivh。 Which meant； ultimately； it was because of her。 Perhaps it would be best if she reaped the fruits of her
labors…。
Before she could ponder further； Jaina entered the dining hall。 I ve found them。 We must move quickly。
The young mage looked ragged。 Aegwynn stood up。 Are you well？
A little tired。 I ll be fine； Jaina said dismissively。
Aegwynn pointed at the plate of meat。 Eat something you ll be of no use to anyone if you collapse； and I know
better than anyone what happens to spells that aren t cast with full concentration。
Jaina opened her mouth； then closed it。 You re right； of course； Magna。
Lorena leaned over to Jaina。 She doesn t like to be called that。
At that； Aegwynn barked a laugh。 She was really starting to like this colonel。
After Jaina wolfed down some of Lorena s meat Aegwynn was amused to realize that Lorena had gotten the
smallest share of her own meal the lady said； The Burning Blade is operating out of a cavern atop Dreadmist
Peak。
Lorena winced。 Oh； great。
Looking at Lorena； Aegwynn asked； What s the problem？
Dreadmist Peak is aptly named。 The upper regions of the mountain are choked with this orange mist。
Dismissively； Jaina said； It s residuum from an ancient demonic curse on the place。 That s probably why Zmodlor
chose it that； and its location； since it s about equidistant from both rimmar and Theramore。 In any case； my
magicks will protect all three of us from the effects of the mist。
Good； Lorena said emphatically。
Also； Duree was able to find this。 Jaina pulled a familiarlooking desealed scroll from inside her cloak and
handed it to Aegwynn。
She took it； noted that the broken seal was that of the Tirisfalen； then opened it and laughed。 The scroll s lettering
was in her own handwriting。
Handing it back to Jaina； Aegwynn said； That s my refinement of the banishdemon spell。 I wrote that three
hundred years ago； after Erthalif died and I got access to his redoubt。 She shuddered at the memory of the old elf s
library； which would have had to be several orders of magnitude neater before it could be considered merely a
mess。 It took her and Erthalif s staff ten weeks just to anize the scrolls； scrub away the desiccated food and
drink； and chase off the vermin。 When she found the notes taken by the legendary elf wizard Kithros on the moving
of objects from one realm to another； Aegwynn had been able to incorporate them into a more efficient spell for
banishing demons。 I daresay if I d had this eight hundred years ago； we wouldn t be dealing with Zmodlor today。
Jaina put the scroll back in her cloak。 Actually； no。 I checked up； and it turns out that you were pletely
successful in banishing Zmodlor the first time。 But when the Burning Legion attacked； they recruited many
demons； including ones that had been banished by the Tirisfalen。 When the war ended； several stragglers managed
to stay in this world even when the legion was driven back。
And Zmodlor was one of them？ Aegwynn asked。
Yes。 Jaina nodded。
Unsheathing her sword and sounding to Aegwynn remarkably gungho for someone who was so appalled by the
notion of going to this Dreadmist place Lorena said； Milady； if I may ask what are we waiting for？
This warning； Jaina replied。 I was unable to scry too closely； for fear of being detected； so I m not sure what
kind of protection Zmodlor and his warlocks will have。 We must be ready for anything。 She turned to face
Aegwynn。 Magna Aegwynn you need not acpany us。 It may be dangerous。
Aegwynn snorted。 This was a hell of a time for her to say that； and a bit of a reversal from her earlier lecture on her
responsibilities as Guardian。 Then again； at the time they had thought that she had failed in her banishment of
Zmodlor； and now they knew that was not the case。 Yet； she still felt some measure of responsibility。 I was facing
dangers far worse than that little twerp of a demon when your greatgreatgrandparents were infants。 We re wasting
time。
Jaina smiled。 Then let s go。
TwentyOne
C orporal Rych had no idea who it was who started the fighting。
One moment； he was standing there in the skirmish line in front of Northwatch Keep s wall； Private Hoban on his
left； Private Allyn on his right。 They stood about twenty paces behind Major Davin。 The major himself was
amazing； just standing up to that orc like the war hero he was； not scared or nothing。 Did them all proud； the major
did。
The next moment； the skirmish line was shattered； and orcs； trolls； and humans were getting into it。 All around him；
he heard the clang of metal on metal； and the shouts of both sides imploring their fellows to kill their foes。
Not that Rych minded all that much。 The orcs had their nerve； they did。 Wasn t enough they had to pull their stunts
in trade at Ratchet； leading to a good man like Captain Joq getting pinched by the bruisers； now they had to e
and try to kick them out of their rightful place in Northwatch。
Rych wasn t putting up with that； he wasn t。
He unsheathed the family claymore。 Father was part of the Kul Tiras Irregulars back in the day； and used the
claymore to good effect。 After he died of the flu； Mother joined up and killed plenty。 She died fighting the Burning
Legion； and the claymore came to Rych which was a relief； as the longsword he d been using was crap。
Although he wasn t as good with it as Mother； he was better than Father was； and he intended to spill plenty of orc
and troll blood with it。
One of the trolls came right at him； holding up a huge cleaver。 Rych parried the cleaver； then kicked the troll in the
stomach。 That trick always worked on the drunks he used to clear out of Mowbry s Tavern back home。
Unfortunately； trolls had tougher bellies； and this one just laughed and swung again with the cleaver。
Blood pooled in the sand under him； but Rych couldn t spare a glance to see whose it was as he parried the cleaver
again。
You ve had this in a long time； the troll said as he lifted the cleaver。
While the troll was wasting time saying this； Rych stabbed the troll in the chest。
His foe falling to the sand as Rych removed the claymore； he turned to see that the blood was from both Hoban and
Allyn； who lay dead in the sand； blood pouring from multiple wounds。 An orc was charging toward the keep gates；
blood dripping from his ax。 Screaming； Rych ran for the orc and stabbed the greenskin in the back。
Ey！ Human！
Rych whirled around to see another orc。
You killed Gorx！
Gorx killed my friends； Rych said with a snarl。
Yeah； fought em； but you stabbed im inna back！
Not seeing the big deal； Rych said again； He killed my friends！
Raising his greatsword； the orc said； Well； now I m gonna kill you！
The greatsword was a lot bigger than Rych s claymore； but that meant it took the orc a lot longer to swing it； as he
had to wind up to strike； which gave Rych plenty of time to either dodge or parry。 An attempt at the latter resulted
in an impact of blade on blade that sent convulsions through his entire body； leaving Rych to embrace the efficacy
of the former。
Or so he thought the fourth time he dodged the greatsword； he bumped into Private Nash。 That caused Nash to
turn around in surprise； leaving him open to an attack from an orc s pulverizer。
Anger got Rych s blood boiling。 It wasn t enough that these orcs had to attack； now they were making him screw
up his fellow soldiers。 Screaming incoherently； he ran at the orc with his claymore。
The orc stepped aside to his left； holding out his greatsword； which cut through Rych s chest plate and stomach as
he ran past。 Whitehot agony sliced through his torso； and his scream became even more incoherent。 He flailed his
claymore about with his right hand while clutching his injured chest with his left。
Suddenly； the claymore stopped short and wouldn t move。 Wincing in searing pain even as he did so； Rych turned
to his right to see that the claymore had impaled the orc s head。
Serves you right； he managed to blurt out through clenched teeth。
He yanked the claymore out of the orc s skull； which shot a lot more pain through his chest。 For some reason； the
sounds of battle had dimmed； and all Rych could hear was a persistent roaring in his ears。
Using the family weapon as a makeshift walking stick； he stumbled forward in the sand； looking for more orcs to
kill。
TwentyTwo
A moment ago； Aegwynn had been standing in Theramore。
A moment ago； Lorena had taken a very deep breath and looked apprehensive。 Aegwynn remembered the colonel s
words about how she hated magic not to mention her nausea in response to teleporting last time。 Briefly；
Aegwynn wondered if it was such a good idea for Lorena to have eaten prior to this。
A moment ago； Jaina Proudmoore had looked determined。
Now； they stood at the mouth of a cave surrounded by a foulsmelling orange mist； leading Aegwynn to understand
why Lorena had been so unenthusiastic about ing here。 The orange miasma hung in the air like the worst kind
of fog。 Aegwynn almost felt weighed down by it。
Aegwynn had long since grown inured to the effects of teleportation； so the only disorientation she felt was related
to the mist。 She shot a glance at Lorena； who looked a bit pale； but was still holding her sword before her； ready for
anything。
Jaina； however； looked as pale as Lorena； which was not a good sign。
However； Aegwynn said nothing。 There was no going back now； and the last thing Jaina needed was someone
acting like a mother hen。 Aegwynn herself had certainly hated it when someone usually Scavell； or； when they
were sleeping together； Jonas； or one of the council fussed over her when she was exhausted and still had to do
battle； so she saw no reason to inflict that on Jaina now。
Still； there was cause for concern。 Jaina had cast four teleport spells today that Aegwynn knew about herself to
Bladescar； the thunder lizards to Bladescar； the three of them back to Theramore； and the three of them to this
cave plus scrying Zmodlor s location； doing whatever she did to keep the thunder lizards under control； and
inuring the three of them to whatever this mist did under normal circumstances。 That much casting in one day alone
would start to take its toll； and for all Aegwynn knew there was more besides。
As Jaina led the way through the mouth of the cave； Aegwynn wondered when she had stopped thinking of the
goldenhaired mage as Lady Proudmoore or that annoying little girl and had started thinking of her as
Jaina。
Aloud； she said； Zmodlor s here； all right。 She shuddered。 He s everywhere。 The demon had obviously set up
shop in this cave； and his essence was in the very rock。 She hadn t been so overwhelmed by foulness since she
confronted her son at Kharazan though some of the feeling might have been due to the mist。 It only added to the
general unpleasantness of the dank cave。 Jaina cast a light spell that allowed them to see； but all that served to do
was make the mist brighter。 Then again； Aegwynn had no interest in getting a better look at the damp walls；
stalactites the points of which threatened the top of her head and uneven stone floor。
After they d walked twenty paces into the cave； Aegwynn stiffened。 There s
I ve got it； Jaina said。 She muttered a quick incantation。
Aegwynn nodded。 Both she and Jaina had sensed the simple entrapment spell。 A lowlevel spell that any firstyear
apprentice could cast successfully； it was probably designed mostly to stop any stray animals or people from
wandering in unannounced。 It was