At the Brink of Oblivion

Vord breathed in the fresh air of the Hinterlands. After all of the recent activity in the Grin, he was beginning to feel the stresses weighing down on him. He needed time away from the conflicts of the Grin, from fight after fight, move after move. He needed this, time spent getting in touch with the important things again. He walked to the abandoned dwarf burrow that he frequently used when he came here to hunt. He shut the door and started a fire to cook with and found his mind wandering. He sighed at the thought of her. Vord and Drak'nora had grown distant, both busy with their own duties. Vord had left a letter telling her where he was and asking that she join him. Vord looked outside and watched the sunset, wishing she was here to share it with him. As the sun went down, Vord moved back inside with Stripes, the tiger laying down next to the fire to sleep. As Vord was sitting at the table reading a book, a knock at the door caused him to look up.

A harsh bed of stone greeted Vord as he regained consciousness. He groaned, and reached up to rub his head. It was bitterly cold, wherever he was, and he tried to remember what happened. The door being blasted off its hinges, Stripes being knocked against the wall and slump down, bleeding. He opened his eyes and looked around, he was in a cave in some mountain range, but he couldn't tell where from his slab. He tried to swing his feet around to stand up but was stopped by a heavy weight. He looked down to see two large blocks of stone tied to his legs, one between his knees and the other between his ankles. While they weren't individually heavy, they restricted his movement enough to make standing up and moving around very difficult. He opted to roll off the slab and crawl towards the opening, hoping to find a sharp rock to cut the bindings. A cruel voice cut the air, "That was your problem from the beginning, always on the move. We can't have you leaving with all the plans we have in store for you." Vord looked around for the source of the voice, and locked on to the image of a lithe form walking towards him out of the shadows, carrying something long. "You didn't think you could get away from us that easily did you?" Elyndis said as she walked up to the prone orc. Vord snarled as he started to sit up, but was stopped by a swift kick to the head. She tossed the object she was holding aside and bound Vord's hands, tying them off to the wall. She brought her knee down roughly of his chest and leaned in close. "I've waited to long for my prize for it to just run away again, so we're going to fix this nasty little problem of your once and for all." She stood back up and heaved the object up again, and held it so Vord could see, and she smiled as his eyes grew wide. "Now then," she said while tightening her grip on the hammer, "Which one should we start with first? The ankles make such a lovely popping sound, but the knees cause so much pain..." Elyndis' cruel laughter rang from the cave, broken only by Vord's cries of agony.

Vord hung in his dark cell, the chains suspending him holding the weight his legs no longer could. Since Elyndis had brought him back to Naxxramas the torturers had cut, burned and beaten him mercilessly for almost the entire time he was there. An involuntary muscle spasm opened the just scabbed scourge brand they had given him to remind him who his master will always be. The constant pain dulled his mind to where all he could do was stare at the floor where his feet lay limp. A loud sound issued from outside, shouting and the ringing of steel, then silence. The door to his cell opened, letting in pale green light and casting the shadow of a small framed person across the floor. "Vord....what have they done?" he heard a familiar voice say. Drak'nora stepped up to him, lifting his head up to see his face. He gave her a weak smile and she embraced him. He relaxed, finally mentally embracing what it meant that she was here.

The sharp pain in his back sent his mind reeling, the blade digging deeper with each second. Drak'nora wore a cruel smile, her eyes lit with a chilling, unholy blue that came from Him. "It has only just begun, Vord. You will find no peace in even this sanctum." She laughed, but it was not her voice, and the world drifted away like dust in the wind until he saw the rotting hand of a scourge Will Breaker retreating back into it's owners robes. "He has broken through the illusion." the Will Breaker said. A voice from the shadows croaked, "Then begin again." The Will Breaker reached out, placing his hand on Vord's forehead, and he saw the room descend into an impenetrable darkness, then saw the clearing where his clan had been camped. He looked at his reflection in a small puddle and saw his seven year old self staring back. He looked at the tents up ahead, and ran to them, the only thought in his mind of his family. He turned the corner of the tent and fell to his knees at the sight of his slain clan, his father's axe laying in his open hand, his mother looking as though she were trying to protect something. The sound of him retching was the only thing Vord heard, until the moan. Vord snapped up to see his fathers hand moving, then his mother, then the others. Vord felt hope spring forth, then felt it turn to horror as his father stood back up, a large wound in his chest from a sword was prominent. Vord's father gazed around until he saw Vord, then an unholy moan escaped his lips and he started to stumble towards his son, arms stretched weakly. The other fallen started moaning as well, standing up, walking, limping, some crawling over to Vord. He stood there, unable to move from fear, until his father was a foot away. Vord turned to run, but only got two paces before something tripped him. An elder who had no legs to walk with had grabbed his ankle, his glazed eyes seemingly staring at his leg. As the others were closing in, Vord screamed as broken teeth sank into his leg.

Grimnir had learned not to be absolute faith in his feelings and intuitions...but sometimes they were beyond dispute. Hunched over the old stone roads of Wintergarde Keep, Grimnir closed his eyes....and felt agony nearby.

It'd been only a day since the Grin had overrun Wintergarde Keep, and the old shaman had no intentions of staying. What was another fortress to occupy, another fixed point to commit precious Grin resources to? The Clan would remain mobile, and in doing so, unpredictable.

But there was clearly something that needed doing before the Clan packed up and left. Grimnir straightened, and walked to the walled battlements near the top of the fortress, overlooking the devastation below. He closed his eyes, and felt his way down into the carnage. Almost as soon as he did so, he knew.

Vord. Naxxramas. Of course.

Grimnir receded into himself with a sigh. The Grin had had little experience in challenging the Lich King directly...but they were about to get a whole lot more. The Clan did not abandon one of its own.

"Grimface. Zeverus." Both Raiders, training grots in the open coutyard, disengaged and snapped to attention.

"We need ter organize a strike on Naxxramas. One of our own is trapped inside. Afore we leave this fortress an' move on...we need ter get to 'im."

Grimface looked momentarily stricken, but immediately covered it up and saluted. Zeverus simply murmured, "Aye aye, Sythegar."

"Awright," Grimnir said, turning to once again face the looming presence of Naxxramas. "A strike force, mind yew...not an army. We'll need ter get in an' get out quick. I'll need the squad yew assemble plus yer main plan an' two backup plans within two hours."

"Zug zug, Sythegar."

The damp darkness was the only company Vord had in his cell. The will breakers had moved on to others, leaving him to wonder what was real and what was dream. He had relived every moment that haunted him while enduring this torture, and it cut him deeper than any blade. But this was how they operated, all the process required was time and pressure, and eventually the prisoner would break. He tried to flex his fingers and cringed as a chorus of popping noises confirmed what he could no longer feel. He heard voices outside his door, but thought nothing until the door was blown off its hinges. "Don't see anythi- wait, there he is!" Vord looked up and squinted, the light blinding him. He saw a figure step forward and recognized Yagyu. The Chieftain looked Vord over and his eyes seemed to light up. "Looks like yew've been havin' a time here. Grimmy, git him out of here, doesn't look like he'll be able to walk." Yagyu walked out and Grimface walked in with a small hammer to break the chains. "I told her she needed a tougher orc..." he said while breaking the last shackle. Vord grimaced as Grimface lifted him up, "Says the warrior who comes to the heel of his mate." Grimface let Vord slip a bit, letting his feet hit the ground sharply, causing Vord to growl with pain. "Oops." Grimface said, trying to conceal a grin. Outside in the hallway, Yagyu, Grimnir, Drak'nora and twenty-one others stood, waiting for the order to move. Vord looked at the party, "This is all you brought to challenge Naxxramas?" Grimface heaved Vord again, trying to find a better place to hold the weight. "Cailos, Signe and Londra are on the ground outside with the other part of the clan, providing a distraction and securing a way out." "An admirable plan, but futile all the same. Did you think we would not notice you scurrying around like roaches, trying to rob us of our prisoner?"

Kel'Thuzad's voice rang out, and a wall of Scourge blocked the way out. "Your main force fought hard, but not hard enough." Cailos, Signe and Londra were kneeling in front of the Scourge army, blades to their throats. Signe had several long scratches along her face and Londra's left eye was obscured by blood from a gash above it, Cailos looked bruised, but only until he spat blood from his mouth did Vord see that many of his teeth were missing. "Now you will see what becomes of those who challenge the might of the Scourge." Vord watched as Signe and Cailos were shoved on the ground and to skeletal figure with large cleavers stepped forward, a robed figure now stood behind Londra, bent over as if speaking in her ear. Vord saw the axemen swing their cleavers up and closed his eyes but couldn't block the sickening sound of the ax falls and Grimface's pained howl. Yagyu turned and looked over the remainder of his clan. "Grin! We came here for one of our own because we never abandon our own, and we ain't gonna start now. We're gonna cut these rotters down and give our fallen the burials they deserve. We're gonna repay their killers with blood to spare. For our brothers and sisters, for our ancestors, for the honored fallen before us, FEAR THE GRIN!" the others answered the call, save Grimface who stayed silent as he set Vord down on the floor. Yagyu lead the charge into the Scourge mobs, but the tides quickly turned. Grimface cut a swath through the mindless, heading straight for Kel'Thuzad. He stopped before the lich for a moment before issuing a roar and charging him. Kel'Thuzad looked unconcerned as he casually froze the warrior completely, then shattered him with a bolt of energy. Vord looked at the others who remained, Yagyu was fighting back to back with Grimnir, trying to fend off the surrounding Scourge, while Drak'nora was fighting with a couple grots who had been sent with them. An abomination slammed into Yagyu, separating him from Grimnir. Yagyu lay prone for a moment, before looking up to see the abomination raising his foot in the air, then bringing it down on his head. Vord sat stunned, staring at Yagyu's life less body. He moved to stand, to help the clan he had bled for, but could only crawl slowly to the side of the fallen chieftain. Kel'Thuzad glided up to the subdued Grimnir and Drak'nora, "See? Not even the might of the Black Tooth Grin can challenge us. And now you will serve us, like you fallen." He motioned around him as the dead slowly began to rise again. "But first, there is one more order of business..." Kel'Thuzad reached out for Vord, freezing him. He heard Drak'nora call out, but the cold numbed him too much for him to understand. He heard the voice in his head say, "This is your end. There will be no songs or tales of valor of you, you will die here and become forgotten by history and all who knew you. Embrace the cold, for it shall be all you know for eternity." He felt himself shatter, saw the world turn dark, felt the bitter cold envelop him , but also felt the presence of the other dead in Naxxramas, every single soul who had been claimed within it's walls since it's construction. He heard their cries, the laments and anguish of a thousand voices all at once, crushing him. His eyes snapped open, and he felt the clammy palm of the will breaker pressed against his forehead. The robed figure smiled. "That is but a taste of what awaits you orc. Now just relax, we're going nowhere, and we've just started showing you the truth."

Drak'nora knelt at the foot of Kel'Thuzad, head bowed, seemingly defeated. She was deep in thought, and still full of anger, at herself, at Vord, at Elyndis.

A few days earlier...

A smile spread across Drak'nora's face when she read the letter from Vord. "My duties in Northrend can wait." she murmured to herself. She went out to find Signe, and tell her where she was going.

The day's ride was hard, and Drak'nora was tired when she reached the Hinterlands. The lands were quiet, save for a few lone wolf howls. She knew where the small hovel that Vord liked to go was located, and grew happier as she neared it. The sight that met her eyes, however, was unwelcome. The remnants of a fire were there, and the signs of a large struggle. She saw blood on the stone wall, knee-height, and patches of bright orange fur. A glint on the floor near the blood caught her eye. She lit a flare that a kindly goblin had given her, and moved closer. It was Vord's tanto, and through it's point in the dirt was a piece of paper.

"Drak -
I feel as if I know you, may I call you Drak? - You shouldn't have let Vord go off on his own, you know. It was all too easy to catch him alone, unawares. He's really let himself go! A strong girl like you would've put up more of a fight, hmm? I think you know what happens next. I will not be such an easy target this time, though.

- Elyndis

P.S. His screams were delicious. More than any moans would ever have been."

The flare flickered out, and Drak'nora stood there in the dim light, completely still, boiling with rage. "I let this happen." she whispered to herself. "I will find him, again. And this time, I will not leave his side." She felt a nudge at her leg, and she whirled around, sword out. Stripes mewed softly, and nudged her again. She dropped to her knees and hugged the great cat. She cleaned his wounds with some of the water and ointment she always carried, and bandaged him up. The cat would be no worse for the wear. "Come on, Stripes. I'm not staying here tonight. Let's see if the trolls in the village near the water will put us up for the night." She tossed Stripes a piece of meat, and whistled for her wolf. He followed closely beside her as they made their way east.

In Naxxramas...

Drak'nora had made up her mind. Fight or die. There was no other option. She heard clicking of steps on the floor, and saw black pointed boots stop in front of her. A low voice met her ears. "Ah, good, you are here. I was so hoping for you to witness what happens to traitors." Elyndis used her boot to tilt Drak's chin up to look at her. "You'd make a fine addition, Drak'nora."

Blood dripped down into her eye from the gash above. Blinking furiously, trying to gain some sight without moving to get attention focused on her, she glances to her left and sees Cailos with a few cuts and bruises, nothing too major until she spies him spitting out some blood and a tooth or two. She glanced to her right, to see scratches all over Signe's face. Signe turned slightly and looked at Lon through the corner of her eye.

Leaning her head down, Lon closes her eyes briefly before entering the mind of one of the nearby, unsuspecting soldiers, trying to get a slight glimpse of what they are surrounded with. Signe raises her brow, and then realizes what Lon is doing. One of the guards notices something with Londra, and moves towards her. Just then Signe lets out a hacking cough to get his attention, and Londra snaps back out of the vision, giving Signe a slight smirk, thankful that she wasn't given away.

Signe watches carefully as Londra draws three little dots in the dirt. From the center dot she places all of her fingers and spreads them out, laying her hand flat on the ground. Signe watches in confusion for a moment, and then looks up to Lon to see a darkness come over her eyes, dulling the brightness in them. Signe's eyes widen a bit, knowing that look. Fear set in for a moment, but shook it from her mind. "Lon can handle herself this time," she thinks to herself. Looking around once more, hearing Yagyu's cry, Signe looks back to Lon and nods.

Taking a deep breath, Londra lets a vigorous scream, sending all the nearby soldiers fleeing in terror. Cailos takes the opportunity to vanish and Signe whips out her bow, sending arrows flying, and lays a trap of ice at their feet. Speaking as fast as the words can come out of her mouth, Londra surrounds herself and Signe with a magical shield, immediately followed by a prayer to heal any nearby Grin. One of the scourge broke free and charged towards Londra. Signe, quick with her reflexes, clips his leg with her sword, slowing his movement - giving Londra time to gather her strengh for her hymn.

From the corner of her eye, Londra spots the abomination about to squash Yagyu's head. As fast as she could, she attempts to cast a shield around him... but the foot was down and it may have been too late. Panicking, she takes a deep breath and starts reciting the hymn. As the words flew from her mouth, her words seemed to incapacitate many of the soldiers, and healing many of the Grin nearby. With all her might, and what little strength she has left in her, she recites a resurrection spell on Yagyu, hoping it's not too late.

Exhausted, Londra collapses to the ground. Her resources drained, mouth dry and barely able to move. She recites one last hymn, her hymn of hope. A shadow appeared from behind her, and then..... everything went black.

Elyndis looked into Drak's burning eyes. 'She has agression and rage...perhaps we can turn that into hate...' Elyndis kneels down, holding Draks chin up with her hand, staring into her eyes. "You know, I used to be like you once. I had a family, a home, a love of my own, but our kind is not meant for that. It holds us back, keeps us from reaching our true potential. Look at me, I discarded those things and now I hold enough power to defeat a raider of the Grin on a whim." She leans in to whisper in Draks ear, "But you, you could be so much more. Than what you are, than me, than any ranger or knight here. All you have to do is sever the bonds that hold you back. I can take you to him, I can give you that opportunity, you just need to take it." Elyndis stands back up, still staring at the little warrior, "What will it be then? Either you die right here, right now and leave Vord to the Breakers, or you can join us, and speed his way out of this world. The choice is yours to make." Drak'nora bowed her head, not wanting to show her face as she muttered, "Take me to him."

As she opens her eyes, only darkness surrounds her for a moment. Blinking, some blood dripped down into her eye from the gash above. Looking around, she glances to her left and sees Cailos with a few cuts and bruises, nothing too major until she spies him spitting out some blood and a tooth or two. She glanced to her right, to see scratches all over Signe's face. Signe turned slightly and looked at Lon through the corner of her eye.

Leaning her head down, she couldn't shake the sights that lay before her eyes. "I've already been here, I've already seen what's about to happen," she thought to herself. Nothing was making sense.

Londra tried, but she couldn't get a grip on reality. Everything as happening as it did once before. A shadow appeared over her shoulder and a voice whispered into her ear, "You don't belong here. Leave now, before it's too late."

Londra watched as everything around her repeated itself, seeming to move in slow motion though. Pain seared through her mind, as she collapses to the ground, seeing nothing but the darkness surrounding her again as she closes her eyes and fades away into the shadows.

He saw it all again, everyone of his clan dying before his eyes. He watched as Mido, Adallia, Aulamil, and all the others fell, one by one. But as he watched, he felt something new this time. A mote of warmth brushed against his mind. He looked around the carnage, trying to figure out what was different. He saw Londra collapse, the hooded figure again at her side, watching her. Vord felt the warmth receding as Londra went down. He felt the contact breaking, and desperately cried out both physically and mentally, "LONDRA DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!"

The Will Breaker pulled his hand away from Vords head. "Your priest friend is talented to be able to reach you in here, but she was connected long enough for me locate her. When we are done here, I'll go and 'convince' her to join our cause. But for now, you have visitors" Vord looked up at the door stared disbelievingly as Drak'nora walked in with Elyndis.

Vord stared in stunned disbelief as Drak'nora looked him over. "Drak..." Vord croaked, "Help me..." "You'll never gain true power while you're bound to him," Elyndis whispered in Drak'nora's ear, " Let me give you the tool to break your bond." Elyndis showed Drak'nora to a furnace with a red hot iron sitting in the coals. Elyndis grabbed the iron and handed it to Drak, who gazed at the glowing tip. Vord watched Drak as she studied the iron. "Drak, please, don't do this." Elyndis smirked at Vord and hugged him. "Save your breath Vord," She whispered, "she's just like me. Although, I do have to admit, I do regret not having what she did..." Elyndis moved in closer until the iron struck her in the side of the face. She whirled around, trying to find where the blow had come from when another strike burned the other side. "You bitch!" Elyndis screeched at Drak'nora who was holding the iron like a fencer. Elyndis looked around, the guard and the will breaker were both laying on the floor dead, and Drak'nora advanced on the elf, the brand broken off to form a crude tip. "Those were for the times I wasn't here, but now I end this." Elyndis glared at Drak, "You've made a big mistake Drak'nora, we will pay you back in kind for this." Drak smiled, bringing the still hot iron up to strike. "No, it ends here and now." Elyndis pulled a dagger and made a wild swing that Drak'nora easily parried, then ran the elf through. "I'm nothing like you, you and your kind are the weak ones." Drak'nora pulled her tant? out and dealt a finishing strike, then wiped the blade on the elfs cape with a disgusted look.

The whooshing sound of trebuchets and catapults launching missiles toward the walls of Stormgarde greeted Vord as he woke up. Drak'nora had met up with Grimface's team after she had retrieved Vord from his cell and they had quickly returned him to Conquest Hold. Grimnir, Londra, Felora, Oroki and others examined his his many wounds. As they looked him over, he heard Grimnir swear as they got to his legs. He felt parts knitting back together, then hushed talk between the healers, then Londra moved to Vord's head, sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry, the damage to your legs are too severe for us to heal. Your legs have to finish healing on their own, and even then, we don't know if you will ever...I'm so sorry Vord."

Vord's grip tightened on his crutch as he watched the gates of Stormgarde break before the ram, as his brothers and sisters and allies rushed through the breach. He cursed his position, forcing him to watch from the rear, that he might never join them again in battle. As he stood watching the fall of Stormgarde, he wondered if his torture was really over.