Kelnas' eyes widened sharply, and the green glow flared. "You speak madness,  Illyrian! Absolute, unadultered madness! What would ever convince you of such a thing?"

Illyrian slouched forward in his chair, wringing his hands. "A vision. I know not from where it came, and I care even less. But the power that Arthas wields, you cannot deny its potency. It is vast and terrible. If we were to wield it in kind...THINK, Kelnas. THINK of what we could do! We could wipe the Lich King from this planet, destroy Arthas, rebuild Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas."

Kelnas blinked. "All with unholy power?"

The Elf sneered. "As if you have room to talk. You traffic with demons, Warlock. Never forget that."

A dark aura sprang up around Kelnas, flicking and rolling off of him like a heavy, dark mist. "And never forget that the Light abandoned you, Paladin. Notice that my power has grown and your has diminshed."

Illyrian stood, and drew his blade, but Kelnas was too quick. A gesture from his hand and a cold wind sprang up, knocking the elf back into the wall. They stood, looking at eachother for a moment. Then, Kelnas walked over to Illyrian and helped him stand. "Salai Delona." Kelnas said. Thalassian for "Deepest apologies."

Illyrian stood and brushed dust from his clothing. "Delona kelistal." He smiled sadly. Thalassian for "my heart apologies". The two friends embraced. "Promise me this, at least, old friend."

Kelnas' eyes stopped glowing as he regarded his friend. "What is it?"

"Istalan Koman quel'kiron'ai? Thamanda Hiron bala'simon, salan kelistal'kana?" This was the High Promise. Essentially binding to people into a family. A brotherhood. There was nothing closer than this request than being blood. Loosely translated, Illyrian was asking "Will you make the high promise, and bind you heart to mine as if we were true born family?"

Kelnas embraced the Elf. "Felna. Iro'kana." I will. We are family.

Illyrian smiled. "My friend, I promise you. If I choose to follow this road, as you chose the path of Dark Magic, I will not allow it to corrupt me. Nor will I allow it to harm you."

The Warlock smiled tightly. "But you've already made your choice, Illyrian. Still, I accept your promise. But know this. If you take on this power, I will take on some of my own. There are Darker magics still that the Lich King does know. And I will make that knowledge mine, raising my own army of dead, and turning his own against him. I fear it may doom us, but if it saves our world, we are but a small price to pay."

The two friends clasped wrists. "It is decided then?" Illyrian asked.

Kelnas smied. "It is." The zepplin then shuddered. "We have docked at Valgarde it seems."

Illyrian nodded. "Yes. Command the men to present themselves to the commander at the barracks and get themselves situated. According to my rank as a General in the Silver Hand, I command that they be kept together in a platoon, due to their unparalleled knowledge of eachother. We, however, depart for Icecrown."

Kelnas nodded, and swpet from the room to do as Illyrian had suggested. Illyrian for his part, sat down and pulled his dark cloack around his shoulders. Pulling from one of its pockets, a pipe and tobacco. Lighting it with magic he began to puff. "It begins, Arthas.  It begins," he blew smoke from his mouth and leaned back, closing his glowing green eyes.
************************************************************ ************************************************************ *

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" Vice Admiral Keller spat at Kelnas. "You come here with troops, but order me to put them where YOU command? Who gives you the authority to order a Vice Admiral of the Alliance Fleet?"

Kelnas' eyes narrowed. "Have a care, Admiral. I'd hate to suck the life from your body."

Keller sneered. "I think not, Warlock. You have no power here. The Silver Hand and the Holy Light hold sway, and we will not distill for your insanity." He spat on the warlock.

Gesturing, Kelnas brought the Admiral to his knees, his throat closing off. "I have been given the authority to do this BY the Silver Hand, you short-sighted fool. General Illyrian Sunsword commands it. And he will have it. Do as I tell you, or I will see that you are broken, my dear Admiral. You will be less then the meanest of ghosts, fit only for being a meat-shield. Do. Not. Test. ME."

"KELNAS!" Illyrian shouted as he strode onto the dock. "Rlease him."

Kelnas sneered. "As you wish." And he waved his hand. The Admiral gasped as breath returned to his lungs and his brain began to function again.

"I apologize, Admiral. My friend is a little over-zealous sometimes. But he has a point. I ordered this, and though I do not recognize the Holy Light any longer, I still have the rank of General in the Silver Hand. I outrank you, my very young friend. You will take my men, and place them in a platoon together. Then, you may do as you wish with them."

The Admiral scowled. "And what of you?"

"The Warlock and I are leaving. We are bound for Icecrown."

The Admirals eyes widened in shock. "Madness. The Lich King's power is at its strongest near his fortress. We know nothing of the land."

Illyrian smiled. That is what he had been hoping for. A chance to leave...on a scouting mission. "That is why we leave. To map the region. If we are to fight the Lich King, then we must know all we can about HIS region. You can be certain he knows ours. Why our base is still standing, I do not know. Perhaps he has been too busy whiping out my people."

"And a blessing that is..." The Admiral whispered. Illyran backhanded the man.

"Watch your mouth, you bastard. Because of you and your precious Alliance my people are DEAD! The Handful of  us who remain loyal to House Sunstrider are now Blood Elves, and have no patience for you, or your goals. You let Quel'Thalas burn during the Second War, and allowed it to be razed by your own mad Prince. And, do not forget, while Quel'Thalas is in ruins, it endures and is being rebuilt."

Be bent low and whispered to the Admiral. "What of Lordaeron? Have you managed to recapture it yet, or does that filth Arthas still posses it? Your wonderful Prince has reduced your once mighty nations to dust. There is nothing left of your Lordaeron. Only the Dwarves stand untouched. Never forget, that while my people suffer, yours are destroyed Human. Never forget."

The Admiral scowled. "Garithos was right. You elves are all alike. Arrogent, pig-headed and bastards ever one of you."

Illyrian tilted his head. "Garithos is a fool who doesn't understand what he says. As my friend here said, Admiral. Have a care. I'd hate to see you go to bed and wake up dead." To emphasize his point, Illyrian drew his blade, and dragged its sharp blade over Keller's cheeck, making a shallow cut. To his credit, the man didn't flinch. "This is your final warning, human. Mind it well."

With that, the former Paladin turned to his friend. "My Brother. The horses are prepared with food. Let us leave."

Kelnas nodded, and followed Illyrian to the stables. There, they mounted and kicked off, storming out of the settlement and striking north, to Icecrown.