The Darkness Strikes Back

The Darkness Strikes Back

Morning
It began as an ordinary beginning, to an ordinary day, in an ordinary month, of quite an exceptional year. This day would harbour such events as would set into motion the final cascade - a domino effect bringing about the end of the plans of a supernatural being with a single desire. Thus began the final events. Thus began the ending. Thus, the Darkness Struck back at the Brotherhood, and all who would stand with them against oblivion. The time had come to choose to stand - or flee from the approaching storm.

It began in Silvermoon City.
"They're coming! The Amani are coming!" was the cry of a lone, panic-struck young Farstrider as he rushed to the Gatewarden of Silvermoon City.
"Who? Speak up!" grunted the gruff Blood Knight - dissaproving of the disturbance caused by the young 'Ranger' as he hassled a passing trader near the gate. "I said speak!" he commanded, using the frown-lines of his expression to hide his worry at the curious remark.
"The Amani! They're massing forces on the borders of the Ghostlands. One of their "Loa" have driven them to more activity than we've seen in months!"
"So. It begins." grunts the Blood Knight, before turning sharply to issue the necessary commands.

Marching defiantly, in files of six, a full one-third of the Blood Knights in Silvermoon passed under the Shepherd's gate and started the long climb towards the distant, amassing Trolls. Many of the more vallient members of the Brotherhood instantly took the call to go with them, lingering out of step at the back, or amongst the command troops, if they held rank. The call had gone to all in the City - and many had answered, even from the Horde. Yet this was but the beginning.

Afternoon
It wasn't particually unusual for the Amani to remind the Sin'dorei of their presence with a token raid to the south. Yet what was unusual in this count, was for so many to be rallied so quickly, and therefore for so many Blood Knights to be dispatched to deal with the offending attackers, not to mention the military, Farstriders, and members of the Brotherhood. Only the Magisters remained in Silvermoon in force. Curious then, that the mastermind of this day's entertainment next provided a distraction for them, also.

It began in the gardens to the west of the City, the former ruins, following the assault of the Scourge, some seven years previously. Elves found themselves screaming in agony, but the token few who dwelled there, as they were transformed into Wretched, the like of which had not been seen since that dreaded day when the Sunwell fell. Screaming, and throwing the Arcane Guardians into dissaray as they paniced and ran wild amongst the previously peacefull gardens. With routine precision, Blood Knights were dispatched from the Temple to deal with the troublemakers, as Magisters moved amongst them, attempting to discern the source of the complications. It would take them until the end of the day - but the complications had been caused by a fine dust in the air. Thankfully, the effects would wear off in a day or so, yet how they'd been spread so quickly over such a specific area was quite curious...

Standing atop the parapet, Silvermoon city below her, the dead scar to her right, and the bright sun burning her cheek, Dark Ranger Lemayas looked down upon the column heading out the Shepards gate, Squinting into the distance she could make out the hidden Rangers, darting from tree to tree south through Eversong Forest, preparing to repell the Huge Green Forest trolls that had gathered to attempt to reclaim their lands. Sitting, letting her legs dangle off the steep rooftop, several floors from the ground below, she pulled out a notebook and began to write a report, all the time scanning the horison for changes to document. A small black kitten completed its long climb to the rooftop, taking the long way up as oposed to flying as Lem did, and, purring quietly, snuggled into Lems arm, jogging her hand, insisting that she stroke her.
"Oh Esmerelda..." The Dead Elf said quietly to the kitten, "What will I do with you?"
Sighing, she returned her notebook to her pocket, and got up, picking her Cat up she nestled the little animal in her arms, cuddling it.
"Come on then, the Grand Apothecary will want to know what happens here. We should probably see where they are going."
Sighing sadly, she walked towards the roofside, and looked down on the lower roof, a distance below. Eyeing the drop nervously, she held onto her cat tightly, then ran and jumped.

Evening
It had not been an ordinary day for the occupants of Silvermoon City. The streets were calm and quiet, devoid of presence, as the citizens remained indoors, and the Arcane Guardians and Blood Knights had taken to a distant skirmish in the south, and a troubling infection spread through the sparsely-populated gardens of the former western half of the City. It was amongst this calm, this eerie silence, that two hooded - invisible figures, slipped past the now-meagre protective force guarding the entrance to the Blood Knight Temple, and made their way inside.

Spell and potion wearing off, the two figures faded into view - each masked and hooded, yet their height and slender forms quickly betraying their race and gender as a male and a female elf. Their sights were set, their plan in action - the Brotherhood, the Blood Knights and the Magisters scattered across Quel'thalas. Leaving their goal - the Wooden Chest set before Champion Bali, relatively unprotected. Smirking behind their respective masks, the evil duo moved in for the kill.

It was a hard-fought battle, even for the off-guard champion, yet against the Warlock and the Mage, he stood no chance. With minimal noise, the Champion was bested to unconciousness. There, before them - the chest stood, it's form most simple and tribal. The male figure regarded the female, who split herself into four further pieces. Instructing one of her figures to open the chest in a few moments - she and the male, prepared to flee...

Dusk
Warm-cheeked, battered, but victorious - the soldiers fighting in the south return to Silvermoon City. To the west, the many Wretched return to their normal selves, leaving the Magisters and the Blood Knights able to tidy up the mess, and return Silvermoon City to it's peacefull normality. All was as it should be... or... almost.

Approaching the Blood Knight Temple, either in person, or this story being accounted to you - the brief visit from the evil duo has left it's mark. Sharp, desparate commands echo out from the halls, a dark presence having fallen upon the Temple. Stepping inside, the rooms are dark, the crystals lighting up the halls having been fizzled out by some strange force. Rushing from place to place, Initiates and Champions alike work together to restore order, the chaos originating around the central balcony - under which, a Naaru was once imprisoned. Sitting before the circle, an open box sits - ornate and so perfectly made, it's contents gone.

Standing in a circle around the central balcony, a ring of Initiates grip their shields nervously, eyeing a plume of shadow and smoke, dark light pouring out from the central pit, a region into which no man or woman dares to tread. Whatever'd been in that chest was gone, now - taking residence in the pit, stray pulses of magic causing fear and terror to coarse through the mind of anyone brave or foolish enough to try and venture, through either route, down to meet the released Harbinger.

Marick looked up from the shout of the Ranger. Trolls? he softly muttered.
Marick grabbed his shield and mace from the floor next to him and walked to the guards near the entrance of Silvermoon City.
Whats wrong? Marick asked The Guard turned to him looking annoyed, then he reconised Marick and quickly saluted. Sir, this farstrider just gave us a report of Trolls attacking Farbreeze. And not just a small ammount like usual, but a very large force. Marick noded at the the guard and at the Farstrider.
I shall report this at the Bloodknights Headquarters. Marick replayed and with a quick salute he walked back to the Weyfayers Inn. There he grabbed his Snow Wolf and mounted up. He motioned his wolf to great speeds and charged for the Bloodknights Headquarters to report the Troll assult to the Knights.