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Trials and Tribulations: Chapter 3

"BLOODY HELL!" Kelnas shouted, diving out of the way, as an expolding corpse landed not far from him, in Pyrewood village. They had been under siege for the last three months, and it was starting to irk him. They were the KIRIN TOR! The wizards of Dalaraan, and they couldn't push these bastards back!

"I have had quite enough of this," Kelnas said, and his eyes began to glow with fire. Standing, he moved to the top of one of the archery towers, he began to speak in the language known only to mages. He streched his arms out before him as he gathered the magical energies he'd need. Runes began to spiral around his arms and legs.

Leaping from the tower, and raised his arms in the air, then brough them rushing down, pointing at the oncoming undead menace. Fireballs flew from the nether raining down on the undead Scourge. He landed softly on the grass, kneeling. Standing, he brushed the ash of his hands. He always enjoyed that spell. He'd learned it watching the Dreadlords. Rain of Fire, he called it.

There was a sudden excruciating pain in his mind. A Dreadlord was assaulting his very essence. Casting out into the Nether, he backed his mind into the pool of mystical energy, trying to out distance the demon. But it was no good. Gathering more energy into him, he cast out, breathing the first spell that came to mind. A simple Arcane Missle. It splashed off numerous undead, and, luckily broke the concentration of the Dreadlord.

He sensed it shift it's attention. Kelnas turned as someone screamed. It was now torturing a young elf woman. Her beautiful form contracting with pain. "NO!" Kelnas yelled. "NO, demon. YOU will bend to ME." He didn't know where this anger or darkness came from. Maybe from being around demonic magic as much as he had. He cast out towards the demon, and using all his might, shattered the mental barrier the beast had set up.

Kelnas began torturing the demon. Pain, cold...dreams. Breaking down the very psyche of the demon. "I will control you, Demon. Much as you sought to control, and kill her. YOU ARE MINE!" A torrent of power exploded from his body, and the demon dropped. Kelnas stared in wonder as mystical, ethereal chains flickered to life around the demon. Then, he realised, the Dreadlord was in his thrall.

"Kill." he said. And the demon did. It rent flesh and bone of the scourge. Tearing into their rotting bodies, it sent corpse pieces flying, burnt Meat Wagons to the ground. "Now. Back to the shadows with you." Kelnas said, and gestured almost lazily at the demon, as if he'd been doing this his whole life. The demon roared in fury as it was bullyed and pulled through a rip in the universe. Pulled into its own personal hell, deep in the twisting nether.

Then, the power left him, and he collapsed. The sounds of battle had faded. What had seemed like mere moments to him had, infact, been two or three hours worth of work. Laying at his feet were several dead soldiers, and one wounded elf Paladin.

The elf looked up, his glowing blue eyes fixed on the mages glowing green ones. "We saw what you were doing, wizard. And thought it best that you weren't interrupted." He smiled tiredly.

Kelnas nodded, and conjured a bottle of water, and some food. He handed them to the elf, who gulped them down greedily. Kelnas then watched as the elf healed his wounds with the Light. Then his eyes went wide, and the elf prostrated himself. There was a coughing sound and Kelnas turned around, looking directly into the eyes of Kael'Thas Sunstrider.

Kelnas kneeled. "Master Kael."

The elf's eyes bored into his. "That...was incredibly foolish. Even for a human. I could feel the energies you were drawing from half way across the battlefield. What did you do?" Kelnas gulped and relayed everything that had happened to the elder mage. The Paladin jumped in now and then to explain the gaps in Kelnas' story. This made Mater Kael'Thas even angrier.

"You fool. This is the same dark road that Kel'Thuzhad travelled several years ago. His machinations became darker and darker. He kept going on about some new form of power. The power of Shadow and Pain. The power of demons. He tryed for many years to do what you just did on instinct. I don't know wether to applaud you, or throw you in the magic-restraining dungeons of Dalaraan."

Then the Paladin looked up. "All due respect, My Prince. But....without this young human the line would have folded here, and we'd all be dead. He may have used demonic power, but he also used it against the demons."

Kael looked at the elf in shock. "Illyrian Sunsword. I never would have thought that a Paladin of the Silver Hand would speak like that."

Illyrian smiled simply. "Due respect again, My Prince, but the Silver Hand was disbanded by the traitor king. I can think as an Elf once more. Not solely as a Paladin. And I tell you that not only should this boy be thanked for his work, but he should be trained to continue to control it."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "You think he should be trained as a Warlock?" Kelnas shook his head. He had no idea what they were talking about now. Magic of Shadow and Pain? Warlocks? Demonic Magic?

Sunsword nodded. "I do. Kel'Thuzhad is but one of their race. As was Arthas. But the majority of Human Kind is thoughtful, and nice. Though they are a bit rushed, who can blame them with life expectancies so short? As I say, Kel'Thuzhad was but one. And he is dead."

"MASTER KAEL!" A messenger screamed. "MASTER KAEL!"

Kael'Thas turned to the elf who was running towards them. "Yes? What is it? Speak."

"I bring word from your father, Anastarian. He says that the elf gates have fallen. They are being pushed back to Quel'Danas. He requests your aid, and the aid of those you would bring."

Kael sat stunned for a moment, looking to Illyrian. Illyrian's eyes were a study in hate and dispair. "He goes for the Sunwell." The Paladin said.

Kelnas gasped involuntairly. The messenger noticed Kelnas for the first time. "Long brown hair, green eyes...palpable magical power. You are Kelnas are you not?"

The human nodded. "I am."

"I bring word from your master."

"Then let's hear it! Be quick about it!" Kelnas said, and Kael'Thas nodded in agreement.

The messenger gave him a letter, and Kelnas began to read to the group: "Kelnas, Sage Truthbearer is dead. Weeks ago. We just recieved word. As is Uther the Lightbringer...." Kael'Thas gasped and Illyrian collapsed, to his knees, hiding his eyes. "He was struck down defended the Urn of Terenas. Arthas has taken it. Killing both Truthbearer ad Uther to get at it. Our scouts report that the Ashes of Kel'Thuzhad were taken from Andorhal. I fear he seeks to use the Sunwell to ressurect Kel'Thuzhad."

Kelnas shook as he read, turning to the next page. "This is the last you will hear from me, this I am certain. Kael'Thas is to return to Quel'Thalas. I am sure you would like to come, but Anasterian has forbade any human to enter Quel'Thalas, on pain of death. I am certain that this will be my last battle. Wether Arthas wins through or not. I am commanding you to stay where you are, in Pyrewood. Keep fighting against the Scourge there. The further away Arthas is, the better the chance to retake the captial. DO NOT COME TO QUEL'THALS."

Kelnas coughed. "With that, it just ends. It seems I am not to accompany you. Strange that I was ordered against something I hadn't ever been asked."

Kael smiled. "He knew we'd ask you. But...as it stands, you are now in command of Pyrewood. I leave it to you, Kelnas. I know this is quick, but the rest of the Kirin Tor is all over the continent, and all higher ranking elves must come back with me. Except you..." He turned to Illyrian. "You are going to stay with the young mage."

Illyian balked. "My Prince...allow me pelase...our people! My family!"

Kael shook his head. "No. I fear this battle will be the cause of much death. And I feel that your destiny lies upon a different road than this, young Sunsword. Stay with the human, advise him well." Kael cast a spell that magnified his voice. "Quel'Dorei. Isten Scourge shindu fala'nah alos Quel'Danas. Vore-al, kamben Quel'Thalas. Aven."

Kelnas shook his head, understanding the elvish. "Highborne. The Scourge are breaking through at Quel'Danas. All of you, return to Quel'Thalas. Now." With that, portals opened, and elves stepped through, vanishing. Some teleported themselves and friends. Leaving Kelnas and Illyrian alone with a much smaller force of Dwarves and Humans.

Illyrian sheathed his weapon and looked at the human. "Well...now we're really in it..."