Chapter 31: Another Nuisance

Crack

Pain

So much pain

Crack

Will the pain ever stop?

Crack

How long do I have to suffer?

Another whiplash

The pain can't get any worse, can it?

Crack

Skin burst

Blood flowed

Screams filled the air

My screams

He is enjoying it

This bastard

Crack

More screams

Garithos

He's controlled by a demon

Crack

Will this torture ever end?

---

Sylvanas' gaze rested on the human stronghold for a few minutes before she looked at Varimathras. "This is not Detheroc's base. This is a human base. You brought me to the wrong place, demon," she hissed.

Varimathras chuckled and gave her a small smile. He was more self-confident than ever. "This is the right place, milady. Detheroc used his telepathy to enslave a top-ranking human warlord. I believe his name was Garabon or Gilithos or something. Human names all sound the same to me. Instead of stamping it out, Detheroc has taken control of the last pocket of human resistance. They maintain their own army within the keep."

"Your brother is more clever than I thought. His defences are considerable."

"Yes, and with this paltry force you've mustered, a direct assault on his walls would be suicide," the nathrezim commented.

Sylvanas smirked. "I have no intention of assaulting the walls."

Varimathras turned around and started to walk away. "Then let's go before he..." He stopped in his tracks as Sylvanas began to speak. "My banshees will possess those hapless humans. We'll use them to open the gates for us. We will attack at night and only try to kill Detheroc and his minions. We have to spare as many humans as possible because we might need them to defeat Balnazzar and Arthas of course."

"You realize we'll have only a short amount of time before he discovers what we're up to?" Varimathras asked irritated.

Sylvanas smirked again. "Of course. If we strike quickly enough, Detheroc will never know what hit him."

The demon nodded. "I'm ready."

---

Kael'thas lifted his head as he heard footsteps. He sat up from his bed and looked at the cell door, expecting that someone will come there soon. The three guards, who had taken Kelrian away a few days ago, came in his sight. They opened the door and threw Kelrian in the cell, spitting at him before they closed the door and locked it again.

Kelrian looked beaten, his back was covered in dried blood but the wounds were still open. At least no blood was flowing out of the wounds that had been obviously caused by a whip. He had been tortured but not only that. His magnificent, long and blond hair, of which he had always been proud of, had been cut. It was very short. Way too short for an elf. Some humans prefer to have their hair that short but Kael'thas had never met an elf with such short hair. Elves loved to have long hair. It was an ideal of beauty in the elven society. Of course, receiving physical pain was far worse than losing one's hair but it still shocked Kael'thas that the humans had done that.

He wanted to go over to him and check if he was alright but another person was already doing that. His newest cellmate had rushed over to Kelrian, as soon as the humans had thrown him on the floor, and was currently checking his condition. Kelrian was still conscious but he didn't look good at all. His skin was pale, his nose was broken and his left eye was swollen. Garithos had mistreated him pretty badly and Kael'thas assumed he had done that because Kelrian had intended to attack him.

"I'm not a doctor but I think he will make it," said Elena. She wrapped her arms carefully around Kelrian who flinched at first but then relaxed when he realized it was her. "His condition may not look good but his wounds will heal eventually."

Kael'thas shook his head. "Garithos plans to execute us, so it doesn't matter if he makes it or not. Unless a miracle happens, all of us will be dead soon."

Elena said nothing in return. She just sat next to Kelrian and held him, allowing him to put his head on her shoulder.

"If there is any justice in this world, Garithos shall suffocate on his next meal," said Kael'thas and hit the wall furiously, not caring that he hurt himself that way.

"There is no justice in this world, that's the problem," responded Elena quietly. "If there would be any justice, Arthas Menethil would be dead already."

Kael'thas hit the wall again but didn't respond to her, not knowing what to say. He went to Elena and helped her carrying Kelrian to the right bed, carefully placing him on top of it. Elena laid next to him and allowed him to snuggle up to her, regarding him with a sad look on her face. "He needs some rest," she said to the king while her eyes still rested on Kelrian.

Kael'thas nodded and dropped onto his own bed, trying to calm down. It was easier said than done. He was furious that Garithos had not only imprisoned those who had followed him but also those who had been near the Alliance's territory. Elena and a few other sin'dorei had accompanied a group of human soldiers on a mission when they had been captured by Garithos' men. He had also locked them in the dungeon and even wanted to execute them too even though they didn't team up with the naga.

It had been his decision and not the decision of his people. He would understand if Garithos would execute only him because he had accepted the naga's offer. His people didn't do anything wrong. But that racist wanted to kill them nevertheless. Kael'thas wished he could do something. He wished he could kill Garithos and everyone else who followed him but he was powerless. He was unable to cast any spell in this enchanted cell. All he could do was waiting. Waiting for the approaching unavoidable death.

A few days passed in which nothing had happened. The guards had only come to their cells to bring them food and water, so they had been left in peace most of the times. Kelrian hadn't said a single word in the past days. He wouldn't have eaten anything if Elena hadn't fed him. He had just laid on his bed and stared somewhere.

Elena had no idea what Garithos had done to him, she could only assume it had been terrible for him. What Garithos had done to him must have left marks on him, otherwise, Kelrian wouldn't refuse to speak or do anything else. Even if he would have wanted to do something, there was not much he could do in the cell.

Elena had refused to leave his side and always stayed close to him, hugged and held him. She had put kisses on his cheeks and on his forehead from time to time. It pained her to see him like this but there was nothing she could do for him. It reminded her of the times where he had been heavily addicted to alcohol and refused to talk to her and to anyone else. This time, the torture he had received was responsible for his silence and inactivity.

She didn't know how many days they had left before Garithos would execute them. It surprised her that he hadn't done it already. She wished she could speak to Kelrian one last time before their lives would end but being able to be near him and hold him was already good enough for her. At least she would die together with the love of her life.

She couldn't know at this point that destiny had different plans for them.

Two days later, Elena woke up in the middle of the night. She heard noises coming from outside the cell but she had no idea what these sounds were and who or what produced them. She turned her head to check her surroundings but it was too dark to recognize anything. She noticed that Kelrian was awake too and had sat up. Kael'thas was also awake.

"What's going on?" whispered Elena.

"I've no idea," whispered Kael'thas and got up from his bed, walking to the cell door slowly. Normally, the corridors were illuminated every night, but that night they were completely dark. He was unable to recognize anything in the dark. He heard noises. Hisses of snakes or naga. He heard lightning strikes and the muffled cries of humans. He was frowning, wondering what was going on. He had a suggestion but he didn't want to leap to hasty conclusions. Suddenly, Lady Vashj and two other naga appeared in front of the cell. Lady Vashj carried her bow in one of her four hands and a bunch of keys in another one.

"Vashj, what are you doing here?"

Lady Vashj smirked. "What do you think am I doing, my dear," she said and unlocked the door, opening it. Kael'thas turned his head, looking at Elena and Kelrian. The pink-haired woman helped Kelrian up and walked with him to the door, leaving the cell after the king.

"My naga took care of the humans in the nearest corridors but there are still enough of Garithos' men in the dungeon."

"We need to free our brethren but even if we do so, there is nowhere to run. Garithos' forces outnumber us ten to one," said Kael'thas.

"You stand at a dangerous crossroads. You can either stay here and be slaughtered by human hands... or choose a darker path... to freedom," Lady Vashj replied.

Kael'thas hesitated at first but then he got curious. "What is this darker path?"

"In the city above us stands a portal. A gateway that leads to other worlds. My master, Illidan, awaits us on the other side of that portal. Lead your people to him and he will forge you a new destiny. He will sate your people's burning hunger for arcane energy."

"Side with a rogue demon... or lead my people to their certain deaths. There is no choice here, Vashj," replied the elven king. "We'll have to free my lieutenants and captains first. They'll be able to rally the others while we assault the exit."

Lady Vashj nodded. "As you wish, Kael."

---

The air was cold, the hoots of owls were quietly hearable in the distance. These sounds and Varimathras' breaths were the only sounds Sylvanas' sensitive elven ears could hear. No sounds came from the base in front of them. She was wondering why her banshees were taking so long. They should have opened the gates already. She had a bad feeling about this. About everything. She assumed that something had happened, otherwise, the gates would already have been opened.

Sylvanas remained patient and waited. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. The gates were finally opened and a footman stepped out, waving at their direction. The signal Sylvanas had waited for. The footman was one of those humans her banshees had possessed. They had been allowed to enter the base by their comrades and had waited until nightfall to open the gates.

Now that the gates were open, nothing would stand in Sylvanas' way to kill Detheroc. Sylvanas turned her head, looking at the ten dark rangers. Besides Verena, Nathanos and Velonara six of her best rangers were accompanying her. She didn't want to take more with her, because the chances that the humans would discover them would be higher. One of them was Varimathras who she had forced to take that form. He was disguised as a muscular raven-haired undead elf. All dark rangers nodded to her, signalizing her that they were ready. Varimathras hesitated but then he nodded too.

Sylvanas made a gesture and got up, rushing towards the gates in a stooped posture. The others did the same, making no sounds. The group was as silent as the nightwhen they moved. They arrived at the gates and entered the base, checking their surroundings as they rushed to the nearest building to take cover.

There were no guards in their near. No guards that weren't possessed at least. Sylvanas wished she could take them with her, so they could help her to defeat Detheroc but she knew they had to remain there to keep up appearances. The humans would know that something was odd as soon as they would discover that many of their comrades were not on their posts. They had to stay to cover their backs.

Sylvanas and her group sneaked through the streets, avoided patrols and some drunken humans until they came to the largest building of the base where Detheroc was most likely hiding. The headquarters. They took care of the guards but they didn't kill them. They knocked them out and hid them in the nearest bushes. The humans were not their enemies, they were fighting the Scourge just like Sylvanas and her followers. Their only enemy was Detheroc.

The demon was in the main hall, sitting behind many tables that had been moved together and were full of meat. Roasted chicken, boars, lynxes and even roasted horse meat were served to the dreadlord. A bib was wrapped around his fat neck and covered his fat belly. At the moment, he was devouring an entire boar in one piece. A loud burp escapes his lips, a satisfied expression could be seen on his lips to which sauce still stuck. His eyes wandered, falling on the group that had just entered the room. A smile appeared on his lips.

"Look who's here, the mighty Sylvanas Windrunner. The fact that you are alive means that Varimathras has failed. That doesn't surprise me, he has always been the weakest and most unimportant of us three. Besides, he was so ugly. Have you seen his face? You probably have because you killed him. I've never seen a dreadlord uglier than him," said Detheroc and laughed wickedly.

"That comes from you," shouted a voice.

The fat demon's gaze fell on the brave dark ranger who was anything but amused. "And who are you, elf?"

"You know who I am, Detheroc."

The demon frowned. "An unimportant undead elf nobody cares about?"

Fury was reflected by the undead elf's eyes, his form started to distort until he looked like Varimathras.

Surprise was reflected by Detheroc's face as he recognized his brother. "Varimathras... you are still alive."

"Yes, I am alive, Detheroc and I'm pissed. The words you said were not very friendly. I'm disappointed in you. I thought you would want to avenge me but instead, you made fun of me," Varimathras responded and came closer. "Seems I mean nothing to you even though we spent an eternity together."

"That's not right, Varimathras. I..." Detheroc was unable to finish his sentence because Varimathras hit him hard in the face, causing his head to snap back. Detheroc fell from his chair and covered his face with his hands. Green blood was flowing out of his broken nose. "We can talk about everything, Varimathras." His voice was cracked and weak.

Varimathras hit him with a forceful kick. "I'm listening, brother."

"We should work together like in the good old times. We can defeat this elven whore together."

Varimathras smirked but said nothing. His only response was another punch which broke Detheroc's jaw. The fat demon howled out in pain and backed off, increasing the distance to his brother. "I can't believe you are working for the banshee now."

"He has no other choice," said Sylvanas. "Either he serves me or he dies. He even begged for his life and promised me to help me defeating you."

Detheroc's eyes narrowed and fell on his brother. "So, you are not only a weakling but also a coward and a traitor..."

Varimathras didn't respond verbally. He was pissed that Sylvanas mentioned his inglorious method of survival. Detheroc was still making fun of him, so he couldn't let him go unpunished. He created a shadow bolt and threw it at the fat nathrezim, hitting him. The corners of his lips formed a sadistic smile as he heard Detheroc's loud and painful scream.

There was a yawning wound in the demon's belly out of which green blood was flowing out. "How dare you...," Detheroc screamed but was hit again by the same technique before he could finish his sentence. "Stop doing that!" he screamed but he was hit again and again.

Sylvanas watched amused as Varimathras hit his brother over and over again until he was lying on the ground severely wounded. He was lying in his own blood that was flowing out of several deep wounds. Sylvanas had not expected Varimathras to attack his former partner. She was sure he would have done it if she would have ordered him but she didn't expect him to do it on his own. She enjoyed watching him. She enjoyed the violence, especially when a demon got hit over and over again. She watched Varimathras for a while until she had enough.

"That's enough, Varimathras," she shouted. But the nathrezim didn't stop. His next punch knocked several of Detheroc's teeth out.

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" she screamed, making those around her flinch. Her dark rangers looked alarmed and afraid even though they were not the reason for her anger. Varimathras was the reason. The demon stopped this time, knowing how unpredictable the Dark Lady was. He knew better than incurring her wrath. He stepped aside and lowered his head, muttering an apology.

Sylvanas drew one of her swords from her belt and walked over to the demons. Varimathras was not sure if she would hit him or Detheroc. It was also possible that she would attack both of them. His heart was hammering in his chest and he noticed a similar feeling spreading in his body. He had the same feeling when Sylvanas had defeated him. Fear. He was afraid of what she might do next.

Fortunately for him, she didn't attack him. She pressed the tip of her sword against Detheroc's double chin. She grinned mischievously as she noticed the fear in his eyes. "Please spare me, Lady Sylvanas," he whined.

Sylvanas' smile became wider. That situation was familiar to her but this time she wouldn't show mercy. "I'm sorry, Detheroc, but I have to tell you that I have no use for another demon. Varimathras' services are sufficient enough for me. I don't need another bootlicker."

"I have useful information for you," he replied.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow curiously. "Which information do you have which Varimathras hasn't? I doubt you have anything useful for me."

Detheroc shook his head quickly. "That's wrong. I have useful information. I promise."

Sylvanas tilted her head, her red eyes bored into his green ones. "Tell me what you know and then I consider what I do with you. Maybe I spare you. Depends on the information you give me." She looked at Varimathras as he felt his burning glare at her. "Why are you looking at me like that? I gave you the same chance. It's only fair when I allow him to speak first."

Varimathras didn't respond, so she turned her head again and looked back at Detheroc, removing the tip of her sword from his neck.

"I know where your people are. Those who survived Arthas' invasion. My minion holds them captive and waits for my order to execute them. If you spare me, I bring you to them and tell Garithos to let them free."

"Where are they?"

"I only tell you if you promise me to spare me."

Sylvanas hesitated for a moment. "I promise."

"Allow me to get up," Detheroc demanded.

Sylvanas allowed it. "Where are they?" she repeated impatiently.

"I ordered Garithos to lock them in the dungeon of Dalaran."

"Garithos won't execute them unless you give the order, right?"

"Well, that's not quite right. I also told him to execute them if he didn't hear from me for three days. If you kill me, you will have three days left until Garithos will execute all elves he caught. That's why I advise you to spare me."

Sylvanas looked at Varimathras. "You know your brother better than I. Is he speaking the truth?"

"He does."

"How do you know?"

"I spent millennia with him. I know when he's lying."

Sylvanas looked back at Detheroc. "Is there anything else I need to know about Garithos or the elves he captured?"

"The newly crowned king and his bodyguards are among the prisoners. I believe one of them was called Kellian or Kelrian, or something like that. You elves have weird names which are hard to remember. I think Garithos tortured him because he tried to kill him."

Sylvanas' gaze fell on Varimathras. "How long do we need to reach Dalaran?"

"Two or to three days. Things can get very tight if you do what I think you want to do. The risk is not low."

"There is always a risk," Sylvanas said and executed a swift strike, separating Detheroc's head from his body. "His death was necessary to lift the spell from Garithos."

"You know that there is the chance that Garithos executes them as soon as he can because he no longer has to listen to Detheroc's orders. Killing him was very unwise."

"My spies spotted Garithos in the east. He wouldn't be able to reach Dalaran before us."

"He has mages," replied Varimathras.

"We have mages too."

"You planned to travel by portal the whole time, right? Then why did you ask me how long it would take us to reach Dalaran on foot?"

"To test if you say the truth. I know how many days we have to travel to reach Dalaran on foot.

Varimathras nodded. "I see. You want to go to Dalaran, right?"

Sylvanas nodded. "I can't allow the quel'dorei to die."

"I believe they are calling themselves sin'dorei these days. They are no longer high elves because they renamed themselves to blood elves."

Sylvanas raised a brow. "How do you know?"

"I have my eyes and ears everywhere," he responded.

"I see."

"My pardon, milady, but it is very unwise to go to Dalaran. Balnazzar will soon hear of Detheroc's death. If we go to Dalaran he will have more time to get prepared for our assault. It is very unwise to give him more time."

"You sound like Balnazzar is the worst nathrezim."

"The worst of us three but not the worst of all nathrezim. There is another who claims that title for himself."

Sylvanas gave the dreadlord a curious look. "Tell me more," she said and started walking towards the hall's exit, signalizing everyone to follow her.

"His name is Exadius, he was once the king of the nathrezim before we were forced to serve the Burning Legion. He refused to join so Kil'jaeden went to my home planet Nathreza himself. He left a bloodbath behind but Exadius still refused to join. They fought for seven days and seven nights but Kil'jaeden was victorious in the end. It was said that Exadius only lost because he was betrayed by one of my people. Exadius asked Kil'jaeden for a clean and swift death but he didn't grant Exadius the death he sought. Instead, he put him under mind control and forced our people to serve him and the Burning Legion."

"I assume he is still alive."

Varimathras nodded. "He is working for Kil'jaeden's right hand. Her name is Alyssa Felspeaker."

"Who's that?"

"A night elf who joined the Legion during the First Invasion. Exadius recruited her but then she rose through the ranks and became his master. He is serving her for thousands of years. I don't know what she did exactly to become Kil'jaeden's advisor but I assume she was very successful in what she has been ordered to do. I heard she conquered lots of worlds in the Legion's name."

"Will this Exadius pose a threat to us?"

"He is pretty powerful. He is much stronger than any other nathrezim. He was not our king for nothing. He is smart, has lots of experience and possesses a power one can only dream of. If I were you, I wouldn't cross his path. Unfortunately, I have no idea what he or his mistress are planning."

Sylvanas nodded. "Good to know." She made a small pause. "Alright, let's go then. We need to go back to our base. Our mages will create a portal and bring us as close to Dalaran as possible."