One of these Knights - 8

Daybreak

The singing of birds penetrated my mind, pushed aside the fog of sleep.  I sat up, yawning into the morning light filtering in through the openings in the walls.  The air smelled of pine forest, damp and earthy, mingled with the scent and sound of the sea.  I sat up, rubbing my eyes.  On the bed next to mine, Melithar snored gently, one long mauve-toned arm dangling over the edge of his cot, the rest of him hidden under a mound of blankets.  

Reaching out to the nightstand I dressed in the leather and mail armor the elves had provided for me back in Teldrassil during my stay.  It had taken several weeks for my health to return to the point where I could travel and fight, if necessary.  The world was dangerous, even in those lands held by the Alliance.  Those considered frail either did not travel at all or only in the company of the strong.  As I prepared myself for the day, I recalled some of the conversations that had set me in motion.

"Now that you are well, Paladin Wilde, we must send you forth as soon as possible."  Beside Athridas, Melithar nodded in agreement as he unpacked and laid out an array of long swords on a wooden bench.  "Take one of these, you will need it."  

"I agree, Athridas," I said as I eyed the weapons.  "I should return to Stormwind city and inform King Varian what I know of the plans of the Scourge."  The elf-made armor covering my body had been resized to my smaller human form, but overall it fit well and was considerably quieter than the chain mail typically used by paladins of my level of skill.   

"NO!"  Athridas' shout made me jump and I nearly dropped the sword I had been holding.

"No," said Melithar in a quieter voice.  "The trip is long and you will end up on the wrong half of the world for what you need to do."

"What?"  I was thoroughly confused by his statement.  The elves were well-educated as to the shape of the world; surely they knew the human lands were on the continent of the Eastern Kingdoms?

"There isn't time to send you to your homeland, Paladin.  While your loyalty to your King is commendable, you have forgotten you bear the seed of the Scourge in your body."
"You must seek a cure, while there is time," said Athridas.  

"Is there a cure?"  I had hardly dared to hope.  When it was hidden under leather and metal, my left arm looked like my right, and I often forgot about it during the tasks of the day.  At night when the armor came off, the sinister effects of my injuries were visible to me and I would consign my soul to the Light each time I lay down.  Tarindrella's herbs seemed to help slow the spread of the contagion, but I could tell it was not healing or going away, but biding its time, advancing slowly into my body day by day.  

"We are unsure, but Tarindrella thinks that her mighty grandsire, Keeper Remulos, may be able to help you.  He is a being tied to nature and the life of the world.  He is a son of Cenarius and has great age and deep wisdom.  We think he is the only one who has the knowledge to help you."  

I felt as if I had somehow moved from the world of reality into the world of myth and legend.  I did not know all the lore of Azeroth, but even I knew Cenarius was an ancient god of nature.  His son would be no less than a demigod.  "You want me to travel to him and seek his aid?"  

Athridas found a sheath for the blade I had selected while we talked and handed it to me.  "Yes, starting tomorrow."  We will go with you to Darnassus, our capital city, and then Melithar will take you to a ship and put you on the path you must take.  The road is long, but with Elune's favor and the guidance of our kinfolk, you will arrive safely."

A long journey on the continent of Kalimdor?  I was now very intrigued.  "Where am I going?"
"To Moonglade," said Athridas.

"Great home of all druids.  Keeper Remulos is lord and master in that land." Melithar added, smiling.  "Those who tend to the earth and defend all living creatures are welcome there."  His smile grew broader.  "You will meet our druidic brethren, the Tauren, in the town of Nighthaven."  

"The Tauren?"  I was startled.  "But… we are of the Alliance, and they are allies of the Orcs and the Horde."  

"Yes, but as I said, all those who labor to preserve the world are welcome.  The Tauren-folk follow the way of the Earth Mother as we revere Elune, goddess of the Moon.  All druids respect the teachings of Keeper Remulos and he demands peace in his domain.  We druids walk the same path and are brothers and sisters."  

"Ah.  I wish it was so for all of us, Horde and Alliance alike," I said.  I had never seen a Tauren up close and it sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine to think that I might be able to actually meet one of the mighty bovine people under peaceful conditions.

My musings on the past week's conversations were broken by Melithar, who had sprung up, splashed his face in the flowing basin in the corner, dressed and managed to look presentable while I was still trying to comb the knots from my hair.  "Come along, Paladin Wilde.  We have a long ride ahead of us from Auberdine to Astranaar."

"That does not sound like our final destination."  I belted on my long sword and followed Melithar through the inn to acquire some breakfast from the innkeeper.  We ate as we finished our packing.  

"It isn't.  Astranaar is only the midpoint of the journey."  

The voice floating through the open doorway of the inn nearly made me choke on my bread.  Swallowing the lump I dashed outside to find a red mare, decked in a new saddle and bridle, grinning with her face and body as only a horse can grin.  

"PENNY!"  I flung my arms around her neck, hugging her tightly and drinking in the salty horse-scent of her.  "I thought you were left behind in the Eastern Kingdoms!  I'm so glad you are here!  I worried about you.  I kissed her hairy cheek.  "How in the name of the Light did you get here?"

"I'll tell you if you let me breathe," Penny chuckled.  

I loosened my grip around her neck and contented myself with patting her silky hide.  She looked to be in excellent health.  "So, how did you get all the way to Kalimdor?"

"I flew."  Penny bobbed her head.  "Like you."

"You let a dragon carry you all the way here?  You brave thing!"

Penny smirked.  "Well, they are my relatives, you know."

I stared at my horse.  "You're related to the dragons?"

"On my mother's side."  She rolled her eyes at me.  "How many horses do you know who can talk?"
"You know, I kind of wondered about that now and then… but I thought maybe a mage had gifted you with the ability or something."  

"Hee-hee!  I don't know of any mage who has done anything so useful."  Penny nudged my elbow.  "Are you ready to ride?  The druids found me a new saddle and gear, it all fits very well.  I see Melithar has gotten his mount, so we should be off."

I leaped into the saddle with a palpable feeling of relief and joy.  "Oh yes!  I can ride as long and as far as you are willing to go."  Melithar rode up on a large nightsaber, a great cat the color of storm clouds.  The creature padded along noiselessly.  It did not trot like a horse, but rather moved in a sort of leaping lope.  

"I see you have found your friend, Paladin Wilde."  Melithar smiled at us and patted his cat.  "This is Duskstar, my companion on the road."  He nodded at Penny.  "She does not speak, but she has her own wisdom."  

"She's lovely," I said, and meant it.  

"Hmf," Penny snorted.  

"In her own way," I amended, patting Penny's shoulder.  We trotted through the night elf town of Auberdine and left on the main road through a deep forest.  Soon the town disappeared behind us as the road bent inland through the woods.  

"You must tell me what has happened all this time," said Penny.

"It is a long story," I warned her.

"The path to Astranaar may well take all day," said Melithar.  "Longer if we have to battle bandits or tainted furbolg."  

"Well then," I began.  "After you galloped off with my message for Lakeshire…"

----------

"Fel iron," said Koltira as he strode up to Thassarian.  "Our Lord wants a large sample of it, as quickly as possible." The elf's eyes burned even brighter than usual, the blue coldfire glowing in the gloom of the stone chamber.  

"That seems simple enough, assuming we know where to find such metal."  Thassarian scratched at his beard as he pondered the assignment.  "I'm not a dwarf to know where ore lies, or how to mine it."

"Oh, we aren't to go mining."  Koltira looked almost cheerful.  "We are to steal it from those who do mine it.  Preferably after they have turned it into serviceable ingots or other items."  

Thassarian shot the elf a calculating look.  "Just a moment.  Anything with the word "fel" in it implies it was either made by demons or has demonic energy in it."

"Yes, exactly.  And even though Lord Arthas defeated the demon-lord Illidan and banished him from Azeroth, the many demons of his Legion still seek to gain territory here.  Not all demons acknowledge Illidan as Lord, either.  Some follow various dreadlords who vie for power here on this world.  They would take the territory claimed by our master and that is not something he will allow."

"We need to go where the demons are?"  Thassarian's expression lightened.  "And kill them?"

Koltira looked to the straps securing his spaulders to his breastplate, yanking them tighter.  "I doubt they would part with their precious metal if we simply asked."

"Well then, let's be off!"  The human clapped his hands together.  "If there is one bright spot in this existence it is being able to rid the world of demons."  He paused mid-stride.  "To go where the demons are… I know they hold some ancient ruins in the land of Desolace."

"Yes, that's as good a start as any."  The two men walked side by side, their boots raising hollow echoes.  

"But it's halfway 'round the world."  Thassarian looked upward, toward the level of the necropolis frequented by the Scourge necromancers.  "I don't suppose we could get a 'port there?"

"We could, but the ruins occupied by the Mannoroc Coven are just the start.  We may need to visit many places to gather all that is needed."  

"Right.  Let's get a 'port to the furthest point we need to search and then ride to the rest."

Koltira grabbed Thassarian's cloak to stop his forward momentum.  "No need, my brother.  Our Lord has generously supplied us with the use of a flying mount for our mission."  

"Has he indeed?"  Thassarian smoothly changed direction, walking onto a wide concourse.  There he stepped onto a teleport disk and materialized in front of the platform used by the skeletal griffins and their riders.  "Which ones shall we use?"  The creatures all looked the same to him.  A number of them perched along the outer edge of the platform, griffin-shaped racks of bones with wicked beaks and ragged wings, decked out in Scourge saddles and trappings.  "I haven't had a chance to take one of these on a proper mission."

"You'll have to wait for another opportunity.  We aren't taking those."

"What?"  Thassarian paused to look over his shoulder at Koltira.  "But you said—"

"We're taking him."  

"Oh."  The elf was standing by a creature which had once been a mighty warhorse before Scourge necromancy had worked its magic upon him.  Now great leathern wings sprouted from his withers and his eyes and legs glowed with undead energies.  Thassarian felt a thrill of recognition followed almost at once by a distant pang of sorrow.  "I… I know this horse.  Knew him.  He was the young war-horse of Prince Arthas … before."  He rubbed his forehead.  

"Yes, Lord Arthas has graciously lent him to give us all speed."

"He had a name."  Thassarian's face screwed up as he tried to sort through the wreckage of his memories.  

"So he does."  Koltira patted the animal's neck.  "Lord Arthas told me his name is Invincible."

"Yess.  Invincible."  Thassarian joined the elf by the winged horse's side.  "Didn't know our Lord had raised him up as one of us.  He died after an accident long ago and Prince Arthas had him buried."  Invincible poked his nose at Thassarian.  His head was covered in a protective chamfron with spikes running along the top and sides.  Burning blue eyes glowed under the metal plates.  Armored ears swiveled to listen to them talk.

"We need to get started."  Lightly Koltira bounded up into the saddle, positioning his legs just behind the muscular attachment of the wings.  The steed was so massive he looked like child astride his father's horse, his heels barely reaching midway down the animal's sides.  "Come on."  He held his hand out to Thassarian.  "You'll have to sit behind the cantle, but there's plenty of room."

Thassarian took a deep breath, feeling his chest stretch under his armor.  "Very well.  Orders are orders."  Seizing the offered hand he jumped up and after a bit of a scramble managed to arrange himself behind his companion.  Koltira picked up the reins.  

"Uh…"

"Yes?"  Koltira cast a glance over his shoulder.

"You do know how to fly, don't you?"

Koltira shrugged.  "I've never ridden a winged horse like this before, but I used to ride dragonhawks back home, and they're just big bird-things.  Invincible is a horse at heart, how difficult can it be?"  Sitting up straight he shifted his seat and tapped his heels on Invincible's sides.  "Forward!  For Lord Arthas!"

Before Koltira could utter another sound the stallion sprang forward into a full gallop.  Five strides brought him up to the stone parapet.  Thassarian could feel the mighty muscles under his legs gather themselves.  Hastily he stuck his hands under Koltira's cloak and grabbed his belt as Invincible leaped the railing smoothly, vaulted into space, and fell like a stone.