Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Krivax hadnt known until now just how much hed begun to find comfort in sensing the Life around him.

Having spent the past few hours walking through paddy fields filled with nothing but the stink of death, it was starting to become clear just how much Alexstraszas blessing had changed him. Krivax felt as if he was being consumed by some kind of spiritual sickness; a persistent discomfort that only grew worse the longer time went on. If Tirions grimace was any indication, then Krivax wasnt the only person who wasn't enjoying their little adventure.

Vizier Hadix had teleported them as close as he reasonably could to the epicenter of Scourge activity without drawing attention, which was in the region of Pandaria referred to as the Jade Forest. Most likely due to its relatively defensible position and proximity to the continents coastline, the Scourge had chosen to first conquer the so-called Tian Monastery and make it their stronghold.

Given that it was relatively close to the Temple of the Jade Serpent, a stronghold of the August Celestials, the Tian Monastery also served as a useful forward operating base from which they could launch attacks against the natives.

While Krivax knew that this place must have once been quite beautiful, that was far from the case now. Blackened trees loomed ominously overhead, their branches twisted as if crying out against the dark taint that had consumed them. The once vibrant green grass had turned a sickly shade of gray, with tendrils of deaths influence spread all throughout the landscape. The sparkling waters of the Jade Forest had grown murky and stagnant while undead lifeforms swam through them, creating eerie ripples on the surface.

It wasnt only the rivers that were patrolled by the undead either, as the Tian Monasterys proximity to the frontlines meant that the Scourge had invested heavily in its defenses. This close to their target, there was hardly anywhere that wasnt patrolled by ghoulish sentries or the occasional flying undead cloud serpent.

Theyd made such progress through the corrupted forest only because the Scourge was more expecting angry Wild Gods than well-prepared invisible strike teams.

Of course, that wasnt to mean that there was nothing for them to worry about at all.

Hold. Lifeweaver Masruk is signaling the presence of a shade ahead.

Krivax was pulled from his thoughts by Vizier Hadixs warning as their entire group stopped on the hill they had been climbing on their way to the Tian Monastery.

Turning his attention to Hadix, Krivax saw that the Vizier was looking off into the distance while wearing a set of modified gnomish goggles that looked incredibly incongruous on his arachnid face. Given that any unnecessary usage of magic beyond the spells and enchantments concealing them risked revealing their presence to the Scourge, it was reasonable that they would use as many non-magical items as possible.

However, that didnt lessen the fact that Vizier Hadix looked positively ridiculous with a bulky, eight-eyed contraption sitting on his head. Krivax had to stifle a laugh as Vizier Hadix chittered with annoyance as he fiddled with the knobs on the googles.

Thankfully, Krivaxs draconic eyes were sharp enough that he could see Masruk far in the distance, flashing a variety of hand signs in their direction while flying in the air. Masruks ability to fly had made him the perfect candidate for being dosed with an Elixir of Detect Invisibility and sent ahead to scout. Their greatest risk of being discovered were via the invisible shades patrolling the area that were themselves capable of sensing unseen intruders.

It seems the shade is accompanied by several other ghosts, Vizier Hadix said after spending a moment interpreting the hand signs. Well have to wait for them to pass before continuing ahead.

Their group was being forced to stop more and more often as they approached their destination, which was starting to become frustrating.

Perhaps its time for us to make use of the artifact we brought with us to sneak past them? asked Tirion, apparently also growing impatient with their constant halts to avoid wandering shades.

Your mortal biologies cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to Death magic without suffering irreparable damage, said Ironaya, the expression of her dwarf form stoic as she glanced at the paladin. This means that there is a limited amount of time that we can make use of it. We must wait until the last possible moment before activating the artifact, lest we limit its effectiveness at the most crucial moment.

Through the combination of Archaedas vast knowledge of Titan technology and Malygos unparalleled skill with enchantment, their group had been provided with several extremely useful devices to carry out their mission.

The one that Tirion was referring to was an artifact that could mask any Life magic being produced by their bodies and inundating them with an aura of Death magic in a relatively safe way. Combined with a few simple illusions, they would be able to make for a reasonable facsimile of an undead.

Naturally, this wouldnt be enough to fool any competent necromancer, or even some of the more vigilant undead, but that didnt matter too much. The vast majority of undead were not particularly vigilant, either being entirely unthinking or having significant portions of their mind corrupted by the magic sustaining them.

The creation of a truly intelligent undead required the personal efforts of an exceedingly powerful necromancer, such as the Lich King. Some of the Dreadlords were likely also skilled enough in necromancy to accomplish such a feat, but wouldnt dedicate their time and effort unless the situation demanded it.

Fortunately for them, Pandaria, unlike the Eastern Kingdoms, lacked a strong necromantic tradition. Monks could be trained to wield death magic, but they were simply much less likely than the mages of Dalaran or Quelthalas to start digging up graveyards and experimenting with forbidden magic. As a result, the Scourge almost certainly had much fewer necromancers than they would have liked.

That being the case, the artifact should be enough to get them through many of the Scourges defenses, and thus needed to be used as wisely as possible.

All of them understood the stakes of their mission, so Ironayas warning was enough to convince them that it would be better to wait. It took longer than they would have liked, but Masruk eventually signaled a short gap in the patrols, allowing them to move forward.

This pattern happened several more times in increasingly short succession before they managed to make their way to a small hill that gave them a good vantage point of their destination. While Tian Monastery may have once been a place of peace and meditation, it was clear that the Scourge had been hard at work turning it into a fortress of the undead.

A tall wall of blackened stone, imbued with necromantic magic, had been erected around the monasterys perimeter. Its ramparts were occupied by undead carrying bows and crossbows, completely still in their movements as they awaited any sign of intrusion. The entire stronghold was silent, save for the sounds of bones clinking together and the low moans of mindless undead as they walked in and out of the former monastery.

While the sights were somewhat intimidating, the Scourge stronghold was far from the Icecrown Citadel that theyd managed to construct in the original timeline.

A bit further in the distance, Krivax could see legions of undead being organized and sent off to war. Pandaren wearing dark robes and carrying staves glowing with dark energy supervised them and tended to their degrading bodies. If Krivax were to guess, these pandaren were most likely the Scourges new necromancers, trained to wield the dark magic that now animated them.

However, none of these were the focus of their mission.

Krivax turned his sensory abilities to the inner portions of the monastery. While Alexstraszas blessing allowed him to sense Life magic most clearly, necromantic magic felt to him like a cold, gnawing void, a stark contrast to the warm embrace of a living creature. This meant that while deeply unsettling, he could still pick out individual undead and track their movements quite clearly.

A similar principle allowed him to clearly sense the malignant energy of the demon hidden within the sea of undeath. Predictably, the Dreadlord was in the largest structure of the monastery, a large pagoda built atop a hill that had likely once served to house the head monk and the monastery's most sacred artifacts.

Krivax didnt hesitate to share this information with the rest of his companions, knowing that they would need to come up with a plan now that they had pinpointed their target.

I suppose it was too much to hope that we would catch the demon while it was inspecting its monstrosities or otherwise away from its lair, Tirion said with a disappointed sigh, studying the large numbers of undead surrounding the pagoda. I doubt well simply be able to walk up to the demon and capture its soul, even with the artifact.

No. We should be able to enter the monastery without much issue, but actually approaching the demon will require a more intricate approach, Vizier Hadix agreed, his many eyes scanning the area and searching for any weakness. The undead near the pagoda are clearly more alert and coordinated. It seems that there are quite a few lieutenants stationed there, powerful undead with some level of intelligence and autonomy.

Its a shame that we need to be close to the Dreadlord if we want to capture their soul. Otherwise, we could just use our bomb to destroy them all, said Krivax as he gestured toward Masruk to come join the rest of the group. Maybe we should use it to create a distraction after we ensure that the demon cant just teleport away?

Aside from the artifact designed to hide their life force, their group had been provided with several other items as well. The most important artifact was naturally the one-of-its-kind Soul Gem being carried in Hadixs robes that would suck in the souls of any demonic entities that died near it. While the rest of their artifacts were primarily derived from Titan technology, the Soul Gem had actually required the assistance of someone capable of wielding Fel magic in its creation.

The negotiations that convinced the kaldorei to permit Illidans participation in its creation had been tense and relied a lot on the Dragonflights to serve as mediators. As a result, there were quite a few important political matters riding on the results of this mission.

The second was a much more traditional Titanic artifact that would instantly prevent spatial magic from working over a very large area. If there was one thing that the Titans were good at, it was their ability to shut down magic they didnt want to function.

After all, there was a reason theyd been able to successfully seal away several world-devouring eldritch gods.

The last device was much more simple than any of the other artifacts, a mana bomb infused with Aspect of Magics potent arcane energies. The bomb would be suitable for destroying the pagoda and everything inside of it, along with most of the surrounding structures, if not for the fact that doing so would ensure the Dreadlords escape into the Twisting Nether.

It would be far better if we used the weapon to destroy the undead protecting the demon than as a mere distraction, Vizier Hadix immediately refuted, his tone thoughtful. We are formidable, but not so formidable that we can fight through an entire fortress before being overwhelmed by the enemys reinforcements. We must also ensure the demon is prevented from fleeing before we make our attack known.

Given how cunning the Dreadlords were said to be, that made sense to Krivax. They certainly couldnt count on the demon willingly staying in the fortress for several minutes while the monastery was blowing up around them.

Could we perhaps make use of your nerubian magic to tunnel beneath their fortifications and into the enemy stronghold? asked Tirion, turning a curious gaze to Hadix. Ive seen your people use many such tactics against the Horde during the Second War to great effect, after all.

Even from this distance, I can sense wards designed to detect any approach from beneath the monastery. We would be encircled within moments of trying to dig our way inside, Vizier Hadix responded grimly.

I suppose it was too much to hope that the enemy wouldnt have learned about our capabilities, Krivax thought to himself with disappointment. Although that does give me an idea.

Watcher Ironaya, how quickly can you activate the anti-teleportation artifact, and how apparent would its effects be to the Dreadlord? Krivax asked, his thoughts racing as a plan began to form in his mind.

The artifacts activation would be immediate, and its effects obvious to any competent mage, said Ironaya, her voice monotone as she responded. The Dreadlord will realize that hes being targeted within moments.

MalGanis is about to realize that he has made a very poor decision, Krivax thought with some glee.

Before the Dreadlord could further analyze the situation and realize that hed been tricked, several things happened in quick succession.

First, Ironaya deactivated the artifact suppressing their Life energy and covering them in necromantic energy, much to Krivaxs relief. Following that, Vizier Hadix immediately released the illusions covering their group and signaled toward Masruks figure above the Scourge forces. Finally, their group began creating their most powerful barriers around themselves while Masruk flew away from the epicenter of the bomb as quickly as possible.

The moment the mana bomb made contact with the ground, it detonated with an ear-splitting explosion of arcane magic that utterly obliterated any undead in its immediate vicinity. The shockwave from the explosion was nothing short of cataclysmic, tearing apart undead and destroying any nearby buildings. Debris went flying in all directions at breakneck speed, adding another layer of destruction that rippled through the Scourges defenses.

Krivax winced as what seemed to be the roof of a temple crashed against their barriers, sending a shower of shattered tiles and splintered wood in all directions. The force of the impact was immense, but their combined barriers held firm and absorbed the brunt of the explosions aftermath.

As the dust began to settle, the devastation became clear. A massive crater filled with crystallized arcane magic now occupied the space where the bomb had landed, torrents of wild arcane energy still crackling and sparking within. The surrounding area was a waste land of broken buildings and inanimate corpses, with the Scourge forces that had been so hastily assembled completely destroyed.

The few that remained were wandering aimlessly, the spells that controlled them disrupted by sheer potency of the bombs arcane magic.

The enemy is in disarray. It is time for us to attack, said Vizier Hadix, his voice pulling everyones attention back to the present. We must capture the demon as quickly as possible before they can reorganize.

With that, Hadix began charging toward the central stronghold while destroying any undead in his path with a flurry of arcane spells.

Ironaya didnt hesitate to follow suit, reverting to her true Titanic Watcher form and simply stomping on any undead unfortunate enough to draw near.

Tirion followed moments after, retrieving the Silver Hand and releasing a potent nova of Light that bolstered his allies and burned away the undead.

Masruk danced through the skills, his spear a flurry of motion as it pierced the skulls of the airborne undead attempting to swarm them. He would also occasionally reach into his spatial bag and drop gnomish bombs atop any large group of undead beneath him.

Krivax summoned his silk golem and sent it rampaging among the undead while summoning walls of Life-infused flames on the path behind them that protected them from any undead attempting to ambush them. Several of the less intelligent undead ran in regardless, causing them to catch aflame and quickly disintegrate.

Their group was few in number, but their combined might was overwhelming to the Scourges shattered defenses. Each step they took was met with resistance, but their group was able to very quickly push their way to the central stronghold.

Go, slay the demon and capture his soul, said Ironaya as she shattered an undead sea giants skull with a swing of her massive hammer and stood by the strongholds entrance. I will prevent any reinforcements from entering. I will not grow tired, and only the strongest of blows can harm my form.

Krivax nodded, directing his golem to fight alongside the Titanic Watcher and Masruk as he, Tirion, and Hadix charged into the fortress. Their non-organic forms meant that Ironaya and his golem were well-suited to last against a tide of undead, but even they would fall if MalGanis was not captured quickly.

Paladin, to the front! Krivax, guide us toward the Dreadlord, Vizier Hadix called out as he teleported away from a group of undead monks who had attempted to ambush him, reappearing behind Tirion.

Gladly, said Tirion, eyes glowing brightly as his grip tightened on the Silver Hand. For the Light!

Krivax could sense MalGanis moving through the upper levels of the fortress, his malignant presence pulsating with both shock and fury. After relaying this information to the group, the three of them began swiftly ascending the fortress. The Scourge that moved to stop them were very formidable, many of them monsters that could have potentially killed dozens of soldiers on their own.

However, the decision to equip Tirion with the Silver Hand quickly proved its worth. The legendary weapon, imbued with the purest essence of the Light, cleaved through undead with ease, its radiant glow drastically weakening any nearby undead.

The hallway to the left! Krivax shouted as Hadix froze a torrent of water sent their way by a naga sea witch and sent the jagged ice structure crashing back toward her. Were nearly there!

As they drew closer to their target, they ran into several brutal magical traps that had been quickly set up by the Dreadlord. It wasnt anything they couldnt handle, but it was enough that Tirion and Krivax took a moment to heal their wounds. Once they were ready, the three of them stepped into the chamber where MalGanis awaited.

The chamber itself was quite large, and was clearly used as a place for the Scourge to plan its operations. Maps of various regions of Pandaria were pinned to the walls, marked with symbols and notes that indicated strategic points and troop movements. On the other side of a large obsidian table stood MalGanis and what were likely several of his strongest undead subordinates.

A part of Krivax had expected to be greeted with villainous prattle similar to when hed fought Detheroc, but one look at MalGanis expression told him that wouldnt be the case. His eyes, glowing with malevolent green light, were filled with pure rage and hatred. The demon only spoke a single word as he prepared to unleash his fury.

Die.

With a wave of his hand, a stream of Felfire so hot that it melted everything in its path surged towards their group. A pair of undead monks, more fluid in their motions than any theyd previously encountered, lunged toward them. A patchwork monstrosity of flesh, bone, and too many limbs let loose an unearthly scream before charging from the side, its wail tearing at Krivaxs mental defenses.

Tirion let out a roar of challenge as the paladin met the Felfire head-on, the Silver Hand shining brighter than it ever had. The hammers radiant glow quickly overwhelmed the flames, causing them to harmlessly dissipate before Tirion charged the seemingly shocked Dreadlord and engaged him in direct combat.

The undead monks were met with a barrage of highly accurate arcane missiles that forced them to jump away and deflect the attacks with magic enchanted blows. Hadix swiftly took advantage, weaving a series of spells with a speed and precision that put his opponents on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Krivax focused on the patchwork monstrosity, launching a stream of Life-infused flames to disrupt the dark energies that held the creature together. Unfortunately, it soon became clear why MalGanis had chosen to keep this particular abomination close at hand, as it very quickly regenerated any damage done to its person. It also seemed to exude some kind of diseased gas into the air that would have already caused Krivax to grow sick if not for his empowerment.

Realizing that it would take far too long to deal with the thing by himself, Krivax launched it across the room with a blast of arcane magic and froze it to the wall. Following that, he turned to assist Hadix, surrounding the Vizier in a pillar of flames that healed him and prevented the undead from drawing closer.

This seemed to be enough to tip the tides of battle, as it gave Hadix enough space to cast several spells that slowly boxed the agile undead into a corner of the room. A subsequent stream of fire from Krivax very quickly turned the creatures to ash. Krivax called for his mentor to help him destroy the patchwork monstrosity next, but decided that it was best to simply solidify and reinforce the frost trapping it.

When Krivax was finally able to turn his attention to the fight between Tirion and the Dreadlord, he was unsurprised to see that their portion of the chamber had been completely destroyed. Felfire lingered everywhere, while both combatants had sustained several gruesome wounds. MalGanis was quite clearly the more skilled warrior, dancing between Tirions swings with a grace borne from millennia of experience, but it was also clear that he was losing.

Dreadlords were extremely formidable demons, but their strongest weapons had always been their minds.

Tirion, on the other hand, was one of the most powerful paladins on Azeroth and had been gifted the weapon of a Keeper. He was a warrior who had managed to successfully lead an assault against the Lich King at the height of his power during the original timeline. What he lacked in skill, Tiron more than made up for in determination and his connection to the Light.

Why wont you die! MalGanis bellowed as his claws left a wound in Tirions side.

Ignoring his injury, Tirion struck the Dreadlord with single-minded focus, his blow sending MalGanis flying across the chamber. I will die only when the Light no longer needs my service, monster.

Neither of them willing to waste an opportunity, Krivax and Hadix both attacked the downed demon with their most powerful attacks, causing MalGanis to scream in pain as his body was slowly torn apart. After several moments, Krivax noticed an enraged look in the Dreadlords eyes and immediately summoned an arcane barrier, expecting one last desperate attack.

However, Krivax was nearly struck dumb with shock as Tirion charged across the chamber and brought the Silver Hand down on MalGanis head with enough force to shake the room. The paladins blow unleashed a surge of Light that briefly blinded Krivax and forced him to look away.

When he looked back, Krivax was greeted by the sight of a glowing Tirion standing over MalGanis headless corpse. Krivax immediately turned his attention to Hadix, who had already retrieved the Soul Gem from his robes and was examining it with a scrutinizing gaze.

MalGanis has been captured, said Hadix after several tense moments, causing Krivax to nearly double over in relief. I can sense his putrid soul quite clearly within the Soul Gem. He is... less than pleased.

Good, Krivax thought spitefully.

After what happened with Detheroc, this was a victory that he had needed. Krivax still wasnt quite sure what the Burning Legion had managed to learn from his memories, but now they had the chance to regain the advantage that he might have lost them.

If they were lucky, then Malygos will have already returned from the Isle of Thunder and they would be able to hand the Soul Gem over to him. The Aspect of Magic would be their best bet at extracting information from the demon.

Given that the Lich King could be planning a counterattack at this very moment, much of that information could even be extremely time sensitive.

There is no time to waste, said Hadix, already leading them out of the chamber as he returned the gem holding the captured demon to his robes. We must meet with Ironaya, deactivate the anti-teleportation artifact, and flee this place before the Scourge can regroup and mount a counterattack.

Krivax and Tirion both nodded in agreement, following behind the Vizier as they quickly made their way out of the fortress. The number of undead had increased dramatically since they had entered the stronghold and were swarming over Ironaya and Krivaxs golem while Masruk was on the ground stabbing at them with his spear. All of them sported significant injuries, with Masruk even having lost one of his wings.

Upon seeing this, Tirion immediately let loose a blinding wave of Light that caused the undead to recoil and give their allies a brief respite. Ironaya immediately deactivated the anti-teleportation artifact, and the rest of them defended Hadix while the Vizier began casting the spell to take their group away.

They were all exhausted from the battle, but still managed to hold their ground long enough to disappear from the Scourge stronghold in a flash of light, with the soul of one very angry Dreadlord as their prize.