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As the first rays of sunlight began to break over the distant hills, the distinct smell of sulfur and burnt flesh filled Sylvanas? nostrils. Her black armor had a distinct hue of red and many chinks and dents from a long night of bloody fighting. Though weary from battle, she stood proud atop the hill, barking orders to the varied underlings and soldiers hurriedly attending to the after-battle logistics. It would be dawn soon. Not long now until she could revel in their victory. As she looked out upon the charred corpses littering the field surrounding the keep, she felt a presence approach from behind.
?Victory smells so, sweet, does it not my dear?? a voice behind her said. She twirled around to see a tall, imposing man dressed in the typical garb of a Red Wizard of Thay. His bald, tattooed head was doused in sweat as he braced himself against his staff.
?My liege,? she said with a bowed head. ?All is well. We have complete victory. Your magic was most??
?My magic was simply what ended the fight!? He interrupted. ?Truly it was your men and your tactics that won the war, not my magic.? He stumbled as he took a step forward, obviously weary from long hours of conjuring spells.
?Vadamar, please?? The woman leapt forward, catching the wizard before he could fall. ?You must rest.?
?I will rest when I am dead, Sylvanas Kathar! Too many times has my life been threatened! I cannot rest, lest some do-gooder with false delusions of grandeur will run a sword through my gut!? Vadamar scoffed as he pushed his way out of her arms. ?Perhaps I complimented you too soon.?
Sylvanas stayed knelt for a moment before rising to her feet. ?My apologies sire,? she said. ?I only thought that after this display of force that you could relax for once.?
Vadamar shook his head as he limped off towards two approaching wizards. ?Perhaps one of these days some of my teachings will actually get through that thick skull of yours.? He stopped suddenly, as if stricken with a heavy blow. He slowly turned, scanning the now twilight lit landscape. Noticing his obvious anxiety, Sylvanas instinctively gripped her blade, and began searching her surroundings as well.
The two wizards that were approaching starred with intent eyes. The land began to shake, as the freshly charred bodies of the recently fallen started to rise to their feet.
?Bareris, Firreli, what is the meaning of this?!? Vadamar shouted. The two wizards spoke as one, in a drawn out, monotone, ethereal voice.
?Your time has ended, old man. Too long have you sat at the head of the circle!? they said.
?Because it is my circle, you fools!? Vadamar proclaimed. He drew his blade, brandishing a dark bastard sword. ?If you want it, come and claim it!?
Sylvanas drew her sword as well, as the shambling zombies were now close at hand. The two wizards began chanting in an indecipherable tongue. The zombies began to close in on Vadamar, as Sylvanas started lobbing off the brittle heads from the crispy zombies intent on eviscerating her master. Vadamar braced himself upon his staff, hardly able to even lift his heavy blade. With a quick motion, the two younger wizards drew their blades, and sunk them deep in Vadamar?s chest. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground, and a dark crimson pool began to stretch from where he lay.
?Vadamar! No!? Sylvanas cried. She spun quickly, her blade leading, and sunk it deep into Firreli?s neck. She swung her sword again, but the other wizard deftly dodged the strike. ?Bareris, why??
The other wizard had lost his trance like state. ?Why? Are you not tired of him treating you like you are insignificant? He does not acknowledge any of our talents! He is not worthy of his position!? His white knuckles gripped his blade tightly, seemingly ready to pounce at a moments notice.
?You know you will not leave this place alive. I cannot allow it,? Sylvanas said with a stern face. ?You will die, if it is the last thing I do!? She sprang forward with these words, intent on propelling her sword into his heart. The wizard simply smirked, and swung his sword. The two blades collided with a brilliant spark and clang. Sylvanas? was hewn in two with the mighty strike. Bareris? blade continued along its path, nimbly plunging it between the plates on the young warrior?s armor. She stumbled, dropping her broken sword, before collapsing to the ground.
?Pity,? Bareris said, stooping to pick up Vadamar?s sword. ?You were always too attractive to be his servant. Shame I had to end your life. You would have served me well in Sundren.?
Sundren?that word rang loud and clear in Sylvanas? mind as she laid on the ground, gasping for air. The sword was would end her life erratically bounced up and down in her chest as she struggled to breathe. The world grew dark, and she drew in her last breath.
As the warm morning rays hit her face, she awoke gasping and coughing. Her wound had closed, and the sword had been removed from her chest. She staggered to her feet, woozily looking around, unsure of her surroundings. She let out an ear shattering scream as her body erupted with spellfire. As she fell to her knees sobbing, she heard a voice in her head. ?You failed me, my Thayan Knight.? It was undoubtedly the voice of her former master, Vadamar Lyrr. ?You were supposed to protect me, but you could not do even that. Since you could not save mine, I?ll just have to use yours. Find Bareris. Find him and reclaim my sword, and take his head!?
Invigorated and bristling with new, foreign magical energies rippling through her body, Sylvanas set out to follow the only clue she had: Sundren.
?Victory smells so, sweet, does it not my dear?? a voice behind her said. She twirled around to see a tall, imposing man dressed in the typical garb of a Red Wizard of Thay. His bald, tattooed head was doused in sweat as he braced himself against his staff.
?My liege,? she said with a bowed head. ?All is well. We have complete victory. Your magic was most??
?My magic was simply what ended the fight!? He interrupted. ?Truly it was your men and your tactics that won the war, not my magic.? He stumbled as he took a step forward, obviously weary from long hours of conjuring spells.
?Vadamar, please?? The woman leapt forward, catching the wizard before he could fall. ?You must rest.?
?I will rest when I am dead, Sylvanas Kathar! Too many times has my life been threatened! I cannot rest, lest some do-gooder with false delusions of grandeur will run a sword through my gut!? Vadamar scoffed as he pushed his way out of her arms. ?Perhaps I complimented you too soon.?
Sylvanas stayed knelt for a moment before rising to her feet. ?My apologies sire,? she said. ?I only thought that after this display of force that you could relax for once.?
Vadamar shook his head as he limped off towards two approaching wizards. ?Perhaps one of these days some of my teachings will actually get through that thick skull of yours.? He stopped suddenly, as if stricken with a heavy blow. He slowly turned, scanning the now twilight lit landscape. Noticing his obvious anxiety, Sylvanas instinctively gripped her blade, and began searching her surroundings as well.
The two wizards that were approaching starred with intent eyes. The land began to shake, as the freshly charred bodies of the recently fallen started to rise to their feet.
?Bareris, Firreli, what is the meaning of this?!? Vadamar shouted. The two wizards spoke as one, in a drawn out, monotone, ethereal voice.
?Your time has ended, old man. Too long have you sat at the head of the circle!? they said.
?Because it is my circle, you fools!? Vadamar proclaimed. He drew his blade, brandishing a dark bastard sword. ?If you want it, come and claim it!?
Sylvanas drew her sword as well, as the shambling zombies were now close at hand. The two wizards began chanting in an indecipherable tongue. The zombies began to close in on Vadamar, as Sylvanas started lobbing off the brittle heads from the crispy zombies intent on eviscerating her master. Vadamar braced himself upon his staff, hardly able to even lift his heavy blade. With a quick motion, the two younger wizards drew their blades, and sunk them deep in Vadamar?s chest. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground, and a dark crimson pool began to stretch from where he lay.
?Vadamar! No!? Sylvanas cried. She spun quickly, her blade leading, and sunk it deep into Firreli?s neck. She swung her sword again, but the other wizard deftly dodged the strike. ?Bareris, why??
The other wizard had lost his trance like state. ?Why? Are you not tired of him treating you like you are insignificant? He does not acknowledge any of our talents! He is not worthy of his position!? His white knuckles gripped his blade tightly, seemingly ready to pounce at a moments notice.
?You know you will not leave this place alive. I cannot allow it,? Sylvanas said with a stern face. ?You will die, if it is the last thing I do!? She sprang forward with these words, intent on propelling her sword into his heart. The wizard simply smirked, and swung his sword. The two blades collided with a brilliant spark and clang. Sylvanas? was hewn in two with the mighty strike. Bareris? blade continued along its path, nimbly plunging it between the plates on the young warrior?s armor. She stumbled, dropping her broken sword, before collapsing to the ground.
?Pity,? Bareris said, stooping to pick up Vadamar?s sword. ?You were always too attractive to be his servant. Shame I had to end your life. You would have served me well in Sundren.?
Sundren?that word rang loud and clear in Sylvanas? mind as she laid on the ground, gasping for air. The sword was would end her life erratically bounced up and down in her chest as she struggled to breathe. The world grew dark, and she drew in her last breath.
As the warm morning rays hit her face, she awoke gasping and coughing. Her wound had closed, and the sword had been removed from her chest. She staggered to her feet, woozily looking around, unsure of her surroundings. She let out an ear shattering scream as her body erupted with spellfire. As she fell to her knees sobbing, she heard a voice in her head. ?You failed me, my Thayan Knight.? It was undoubtedly the voice of her former master, Vadamar Lyrr. ?You were supposed to protect me, but you could not do even that. Since you could not save mine, I?ll just have to use yours. Find Bareris. Find him and reclaim my sword, and take his head!?
Invigorated and bristling with new, foreign magical energies rippling through her body, Sylvanas set out to follow the only clue she had: Sundren.