Warcraft Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodstained Shadows - Chronicles of a Lost Soul ❯ Memories of the Twilight - Chapter 1 ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 1:

 

 

FINALLY!

My desires will come to an end today. I will be able to achieve the last of the virtues. In only a few hours I will be more powerful than ever before.

I will be able to transcend death!

I will become a god!

Those fools of the Forgotten Shadow. They don't see a chance like this even if it lies right before their eyes. Those idiots just make me laugh.

Compassion?

What nonsense!

They preach to their followers that power and the mastery over death itself are the things that lead you to a new level of existence, that you have to pay your respect to equally powerful beings and that you have to follow your goals with tenacity, but they also talk about compassion? They just don't know what they are talking about.

I reached the Plaguewood in front of Stratholme only minutes ago on my Dreadsteed. If you are not used to it, it may be a fearsome appearance. Its whole body is covered with scales glistening in a tone of onyx. It has two large spikes on its sides and seven horns adorn the head of this majestic yet demonic creature. It's mane consists completely of fire and from his eyes and nostrils flames emit all the time. Its hooves are also on fire, leaving a trail of blazes behind it with every step it takes.

I dismiss my fell steed and make my way to the teleporter by foot.

The last snicker of my horse is ear-piercing as always.

I don't summon any demon to my side, they are of no use to me anymore. I found my ways to take the power that I want from them without depending on their aid. They are so weak..., how pathetic.

I am wearing a long, fiery red robe, around the chest it has a violet to purple colour, as if you are looking into a dying flame devouring wood. My shoulder pads resemble the wings of demons or bat-like creatures, also in this kind of colour toning. At the end of my gloves the bones of my arms are visible. The colour of my skin is a wan green, as well as my hair.

The light brown sky above me, it's been a while since I was here for the last time. Those giant mushrooms are just too funny. I always have to laugh when I see them emitting their spores into the atmosphere.

The ghouls in this area feel my presence. They fear me. I look around as I walk towards the teleporter, even the banshees retreat when I approach. I focus my sight on one of them. With a short gesture of my hand the banshee goes up in flames shrieking in a high pitched voice. I turn around and walk on. The banshee is wincing in agony behind me.

"Worthless underlings...", I say to myself. Without looking back I raise my hand. The fire spell on the banshee explodes, leaving nothing but mere ashes of the undead creature. I hope that these warriors of the Scourge down here are merely the cannon fodder of the army. It would be disappointing to be able to eradicate the whole of Naxxramas on my own.

A grim smile comes onto my face. Yet again, I already feel a powerful entity. He, she or ... it is definitely stronger than I am. He overshadows the rest of them completely, except for one. There is a group of four almost equally strong people, but one of them stands out. He could smash the other three within seconds. I suppose they are his followers, everything else would make no sense. The only thing I don't understand is that it feels like I know this person. There are quite a lot that are equal to me. If I get what I search for, I will surpass them all at ease.

They will all be my tools so I can reach my goal. It will take some time, but it will be worth it. When I am strong enough, I can escape this world. Nobody will be able to demand an account from me. I will finally be free from the shackles. I don't care what I have to do, but I will not rest until I'll have reached my goal.

Freedom, that is what I truly desire.

Yet I can only achieve this with power in this,... in our world.

I stand in front of the teleporter to the necropolis named Naxxramas.

I look to the sky. There it is, floating high above the Plaguewood and the ruins of Stratholme. It is an envoy of the end to come. Soon I will be a part of it.

The teleporter itself looks like a little pyramid with all four sides missing. I enter the structure. The floor underneath my feet is glowing in a light, yet extremely cold blue. It only takes seconds until I feel being pulled up somewhere. I close my eyes for a second and when I open them again I am already up in the necropolis. Most of the inhabitants have surely noticed me by now. Although I am quite sure that Kel'Thuzad already knew when I would arrive after I had entered the plaguelands.

I take a careful step out of the blue glowing circle into the dark room, that seems to be the, well... entrance hall of Naxxramas. I take a look around. There are four gateways. The one I stand in front of is decorated with a lot of skulls, there are three sources of power in it, two users of magic and a third one indefinable. All three of them are quite equal to me.

The second of the gateways is full of spider webs, nothing interesting in there, I can only sense animals and a warlock, no match for me.

I walk on to the third gateway, I see abominations. Those giant lumps of undead flesh. I don't sense anything in there, probably it is filled with undead creations that use no magic.

As I reach the gate to the fourth wing I feel a tickling. Everybody in there is incredibly powerful. My hands are shaking. I want to know who they are. I start trembling even more. I WANT TO KNOW! A pair of gigantic wings appear out of my back. They have a bright yellow colour that changes to orange and violet after some time. A magic illusion every time it overcomes me, the urge to kill. Around me the light grows faint, it becomes darker, the wings absorb it. I want to see blood, I want to hear them scream in pain! Stronger than me? HAH! I want to know who they are so I can kill them with pleasure when I meet them! See how they suffer. My eyes are widening.

I want to taste their blood!

My lust for blood is abruptly stopped, I hear a strange clicking noise from the other side of the hall. The wings on my back disappear. The clicking slowly draws nearer. My senses are numbed due to the six sources of immense power behind me, so I guess I'll have to find out the old fashioned way. I listen from which side the clicking is approaching and I also draw closer to it. After a few steps I already see the reason for the noises.

What on earth is this? The creature reminds me of an oversized beetle. Its whole body is covered with some sort of blue plates, I guess it really is chitin. It even has two pairs of wings, although I hardly think they would enable this huge creature to fly. It is about twice as high as I am and it has a rather long body with four thick legs attached to it. Its..., well arms are more something like claws and on his head he has a jagged horn. It stops about five feet in front of me.

"Greeeetingz, Warlock.", the voice is similar to a human with a few minor differences in pronunciation. "My Mazter iz awaiting you."

I did not expect that this oversized scarab would be able to talk, maybe this thing isn`t just a vile beast after all.

“My Mazter tellz me that you zhould be careful what you think, Warlock.”, the creature stands still in front of me. A split second later one of the sharp claws of it only misses my head by a few inches.

That thing is fast, but I suppose it will not be able to take a lot.

“My name iz Anub'Rekhan. I am a nerubian crypt lord. Be aware that I am ztill your enemy if you insult me.”, he seems to have a fair understanding of honour.

“My apologies, crypt lord. I'm just not used to talk to giant beetles.” I bow slightly to return his greetings. “Now then, take me to your master. I long to see him and I don`t like to wait for no reason...”

I know that I sound a bit annoyed, after all I still don't think this insect would be able to keep up with me.

Anub'Rekhan emits a strange humming noise for a moment then he starts walking. “Follow me, Warlock.” He goes past me and into the quarter I stood in front of last. I want to meet that person that overshadows everyone else here. I follow the giant insect.

We enter the first hall of this wing. There are a lot of small cages and a few bigger ones at the left side of it. Three skeletons are working at a giant black anvil on the right side of the room. The room has another exit in the back, you can hear a lot of voices and the sound of weapons striking against wood. coming from there.

The crypt lord leads me to one of the bigger cages on the left side.

“My mazter told me that you zhould wait here, until he zummonz you.” The nerubian opens the door of the cage and pushes me into it with one swift movement. It was too fast, I couldn't respond to it.

“There iz alzo zomething to eaze your luzt for blood.” In the right corner of the cage another undead is sitting, his head hanging low. The jaws of the crypt lord flutter for a moment, the sound coming from it reminds me of laughter.

I land on my knees, that thing really is faster than you would expect. The crypt lord turns around and makes his way out of the hall.

“I hope that beetle will get what he deserves for this impudence. Throwing me into this cage. Pah!”, I mumble to myself. “Insolent bastard! As if a mere cage could hold me back...”

The undead in the corner raises his head slightly. “Cursing won't help you in here, friend.” The rags the Forsaken is wearing glisten in a light blue, his skin also has a blue tan.

“Don't you dare to call me a friend, you're nothing more than an ant that I would crush underneath me.” I hate it when people talk to me as if they would know me.

“My apologies...” the undead replies cold hearted. “Nevertheless now you also lie to the mercy of the Scourge. And that is quite a grim future.” I just turn away from him, I won't be here for long. I'm sure of that. "As a fact, I don't know what these cages are made of, but magic won't help us to get out of here.", the Forsaken looks to the locked door, "I tried that myself often enough." Yeah right, as if someone as pathetic as you would be able to escape from here.

“In these cages they keep the ones the still `need' for something. The ones that they look at as worthless are taken to the abomination wing as `raw materials' or by the death knights on the lower floor for training.”, the forsaken turns his head to me. “Therefore we should both feel lucky.”

I wonder what use the Scourge wants to make of this wretched undead. I sense that he is able to use magic but not pretty well. Is it about knowledge or maybe something completely different?

"I was caught by a group of necromancers when I tried to study the aftermath of the destruction of Stratholme regarding the former inhabitants.", here he goes again, talking, talking, talking... "In short: I tried to study whether there are ghosts in the city or not, to bring an end to the rumours."

He lowers his head again.

"Oh my, we haven't even introduced ourselves properly yet. My name is John Chillsbane. They caught me about half a week ago." From the corner of my eye I see how he smiles at me. "Now... may I know who I am talking to?"

I don't know if I should answer, actually it's a shame he didn't hear of me by now.

"I know that you are stronger than the one wearing those robes before you, they are one of a kind in our world and I knew that person, not too well, but I knew him." He turns his head away from me. "But why on earth did you kill Blarus Whitrick?”

“Because...”, I turn around, “... he was a meritless insect, not worthy to wear a robe like this. You said it yourself, it is one of a kind.” I shrug. “So I figured it should be in the hands of someone who is able to make full use of it.” I lean against the bars of the cage.

“I see...”, this is the only response of Chillsbane. His words are emotionless. After about a minute he looks at me again. “May I know your name now?”

His words sound a bit like mockery.

“My name? It's a shame you haven't heard of me before... Ceberus is my name.”

“Oh, oh yes, I thought so. I just wanted to reassure myself.”

“Stop mocking me or I will silence you forever!”, it bursts out of me, two giant wings appearing out of my back, they disappear as soon as they touch the top of cage. I take a step towards him with open arms ready to cast any spell I could think of.

“If you want to kill me, go on! Do it! You won't feel any satisfaction! I know the likes of you, you want to see your enemy suffer... and you know that I would suffer far more when I have to sit here and wait for the mercy of the Scourge. Go on! Free my spirit!”, he yells at me. I stand in front of him hesitating. I know that he is right with the things he is saying.

“Besides...,” now his words are calm again, “...you won't be able to use any magic in here anyways.”

“What? Why?”, to know this only feeds my anger.

“I told you, I don't know what this cage is made of, but it suppresses magic, that's for sure.”, he shakes his head slightly.

I try to create a ball of flames in my hand, usually it should be about twenty centimetres wide, but it doesn't even reach one. I think for a moment, then I put all my effort into it, normally half of the room should be swallowed by the sphere of fire by now. Yet it seems to be limited to about ten centimetres. What ever this material is, it drains magic. I let the orb disappear. Now I feel extremely powered out. I don't know, it's been a year or so since the last time I felt this way.

I lean against the corner of the cage trying to think what to do, yet I already have the feeling that I have no choice but to wait.