The Citadel
Warchief Thunderaxe stood with his advisors before the Throne of Damnnation, deep within the Hellfire Citadel. Things hadn't been going to well for the Fel Horde. For some time now a constant stream of death knights had been flowing through the Dark Portal as more and more agents of the scourge were freed and recruited into the Ebon Blade. The warchief got up off his throne and paced for a moment before stoping, his armor clanked and rattled as he stopped.
"What is the status of the Horde forces stationed around the path of glory?" He demanded.
One of his advisors spoke up. "They remained contained within the road, sandwiched between the demons to the east and the horde and alliance forces to the south, they are of course heavily supplemented by Death Knights of the Ebon Blade organization, sir."
The advisor ducked as the Warchief grunted and a knife whistled past the advisor's head. "That is not good enough!." The warchief shouted turning around for a moment, his hand on the hilt of the large axe on his back. He drummed his fingers on the axe and picked up a map from his throne and tossed it to one of his advisors. "What say you? Do you seen anything good on that map?"
The advisor scanned the map and drew a quill from his pocket, making several marks on the map. "Our forces stationed at Zeth'gor remain strong, we will however need to appoint a new commander. We also have back up in terrokar."
The Warchief thought for a moment. "Yes, yes, that is all well and good, but what about the death knights!? I am due to report to the council very soon, and what bodes ill for me bodes ill for all of you as well!" He shouted at the advisors.
"The ebon knights are not tactical!" Said an advisor suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Warchief Thunderaxe said, walking up to the advisor. "Rise."
The advisor stood up "While there a great many of the Death Knights, they travel alone, mostly. And thankfully they seem to travel into Zeth'gor alone to die."
The warchief laughed heartily. "That will have to do for now. Send for a messenger, we must report to the black temple."
Hellfire Superiority
Varion and Emailon had been hearings all day regarding various matters throughout the ranks of the Illidari. Deathlord Varion had performed two executions so he was in less of a foul mood, but he still felt unease, he was not used to issuing direct orders with Emailon, normally he left the decision making to the other three council members.
"When is the Grand Blood-Lord scheduled to return?" Varion asked.
Emailon scowled. "By the sun are you ever impatient." Emailon sighed. "Radinius left to retrieve him less then twenty minuets ago."
"Can't be soon enough, he's good at talking to people." Varion said, sitting back in his chair.
The door creaked and a Bloodwarden Steward walked in, escorting a Fel Orc emissary. "My lords." The Orc said, kneeling down. "I bring word from the Hellfire Citadel."
Emailon began to stand up and walk over to the messenger when he heard a voice from above.
"What is it, Emailon?" Gathios asked almost lazily from the top of the ramps leading to the temple summit.
The Orc gasped. "Highlord!" and dropped fully to his knees, pressing his forehead to the floor.
Emailon took the missive and motioned for the Orc to rise. "thank you, you may leave." The Orc rose and left bowing as he did. Reading the letter he scowled even more so.
"Something troubling you?" Gathios asked.
"It is...troubling, Highlord. We're behind schedule in hellfire peninsula, once more the Fel Horde is..."
"A disappointment!" Varion cut Emailon off, jumping out of his chair. "If we just threw some demons at-"
"Know your place Deathlord!" Gathios shouted.
"Yes master, sorry master."
"But you are right, Deathlord, go do what you want, see to it that you get results, we cannot risk falling further behind schedule in the southlands!"
"Of course master, I hear and obey." Varion said with a bow and turned around and walked down the stairs, taking a deep breath and letting out a piercing shriek, making Emailon twitch his head slightly, and a death gate appeared. Inside the gate, shifting shadows in the shape of darkfallen.
"I'll be back later." He said, and walked through.
As the death gate gate closed, shadowy hands appeared midair and dragged a shadow portal open and Akairos and Radinius stepped out of the portal.
"Anu'belore delana Emailon." Akairos greeted, Radinius nodded.
"Greetings Blood-Lord." Emailon responded.
"Where is the Deathlord?" Akairos asked.
"On deployment." Gathios said. "Welcome back Grand Blood-lord, did you finish your mission?" He asked as he walked down the side ramp to the floor of the Chamber of Command. "But he isn't needed for now."
"My Lord." Akairos said, kneeling before Gathios. "What would you have of me?"
Gathios scowled behind his faceplate. "You are aware of the situation at auchindoun?"
"Yes Highlord, I am aware you have deployed a large amount of demons and Eclipsion magi. They are making limited progress against the Auchenai Draenei."
"Then you will go there Akairos, inspire your legions, gather what you need and depart for the crypts immediately" Gathios said and waved his hand casually, a silver gate opened behind Akairos. "Once you reach the...end...Blood-Lord, you know what to do."
"I do, My Lord." Akairos said and rose, he turned to Emailon and Radinius for a moment and nodded and walked through the portal. The two demon hunters turned to face Gathios.
"Hunters, take who you would want, go to the shadow labyrinth, wipe out the shadow council there..." Gathios paused for a moment, and he grunted slightly, seeming to focus off into the distance. Radinius cocked his head, watching the flow of energy within Gathios and was immediately took a step back, letting out a small gasp. "Is there something wrong, Commander?" Gathios asked. Radinius shook his head. "Good, take whoever you want, make sure to be swift."
The two Demon Hunters nodded and rose, Radinius focused for a moment and held his arms in from of him, slowly spreading them as multiple dark gates, from one gate walked a small group of demon hunters, from another gate walked a group of Blood Lords, Radinius motioned for them to remain, and through the third gate walked a group of Illidari special forces. An assassin, two archons, two battlemages, and a demonstalker. Radinius took in a deep breath and pointed two fists out in front of him, closing the dark gates and opening two more behind him. Breathing heavily, he motioned for Emailon to go through the portal on the left.
"Of course, I'll meet you there." Emailon said, and walked through the portal with the Illidari forces.
Radinius motioned to the Blood Lords to go through the portal on the right and he followed them to Eclipse point.
"Hurry up Akairos." Gathios said to himself, and disappeared in a flash of silver light.
Deathlord Varion stood at the southern Rampart of the Hellfire Citadel with a small army of Darkfallen, three hundred strong, Varion motioned for them to move forward and they marched towards the main complex. As they went, groups of darkfallen broke off into the main ramparts, the Blood Furnace, and to take point overlooking the Path of Glory. Many Fel Orcs looked up from the Hellfire Basin and yelled protests, some even had the tenacity to attacka few darkfallen near the back, but were swiftly killed a torn apart, food for the machine, many orcs in front of the group knelt before Deathlord Varion. As Varion reached the gate to the shattered halls he found a gate blocking his path, varion held up his hand and slowly moved it across the gates width and watched as it crumbled into rust and then walked inside and his army followed. Varion paused for a moment in the grand hall, a Shattered Hand legionnaire was yelling at a group of Fel Orcs as they trained. The legionnaire turned to greet Varion, but was shoved aside as he walked by, as Varion passed a Darkfallen Captain went over and bit the neck of the legionnaire and tossed the body aside and began directing the orcs. As they marched deeper into the citadel pairs of tacticians to take positions, biting, killing, and replacing sentries, Darkfallen soldiers broke off into groups alongside alongside the orcs, and commanders began restructuring formations of the orcs. The Darkfallen reached the grand warlock's chamber and three blodomancers encased him in an anti-magic zone while Varion took the remaining Darkfallen onwards, pairs of Darkfallen broke off and lined up against the walls. They passed the Arena of the Warbringer, an ogre-magi had replaced the one lost in the last assault on the shattered halls. Eventually reaching the hall of the Warchief Varion paused for a moment, the sixty or so Darkfallen halted behind him.
Do not think to hide from me, worms." Varion said as he bound the pair of Shattered Hand assassins in chains of ice and death gripped them to him, holding each of their heads in each hand. "Just what were you doing?" Varion asked.
"We-we, we patrol the halls for invaders." One said.
"Please spare us." the other finished.
"You should be out there FIGHTING THE WAR!" Varion yelled and twisted the head of the one that begged for life till he heard the bones crunch. "Get out of here!" He yelled at the other one, who quickly made his way towards the front of the halls.
Varion dropped the orc and walked up to the Warchief's throne, Darkfallen forming up along the walls. As Varion drew closer, Warchief Thunderaxe rose from his chair, kneeling before Deathlord Varion. "D-Deathlord Varion" he stuttered, obviously afraid, "what can I do for you?"
Varion glared at him for just a moment. "You! are. moving. TO SLOW!" Varion yelled, clutching his fist in front of him.
"My lord! I beg your pardon, we are moving as fast as we can! The near constant stream of Ebon Blade death knights continues to hinder us. Though we have made great strides against the remaining Legion demons." The warchief said, almost begging.
Varion thought for a moment, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his kneck, he turned a little bit and contemplated attack plans. "The Darkfallen are in command now." Varion said, turning back towards Warchief Thunderaxe. "Lets use the last of the Pit Lord blood from Magtheridon. We'll...talk...later regarding further action, I need to get an idea of just how incompetent your soldiers are." Varion said in an almost threatening tone, and turned to walk away. "Oh, and Warchief?" Varion stopped walking for a moment.
"Yes Deathlord?" Warchief Thunderaxe said, rising to his feet
Varion put his hand on the hilt of his runeblade and drew it from his back slightly. "Do not fail the Illidari." He said and continued walking down the hall.
The Ruins of Auchindoun
Akairos took a deep breath, savoring the magic saturated air of Eclipse Point, he rolled his shoulders and cracked the vertebrae in his neck and turned around to watch the Eclipsion Archmages inscribe and enchant his shield with new runes. Akairos looked over at a group of Bloodwarden Legionnaires and centurions overseeing the training of a new group of Eclipsion squires.
"It is done, Grand Blood-Lord." One of the archmages said as they released the spell cage. All four archmagi hefted the shield and presented it to Akairos, holding it out to him. Akairos took the shield easily and put it on his arm, doing some basic stances and shield bashed a lone stone pillar. Are you pleased, My Lord?" The Archmage asked.
"Very, but lets test it out." Akairos said with a smile. "you, mage." Akairos said, pointing to one of the archmagi. "Cast your strongest fireball at me."
"Yes, My Lord." One said, charging a ball of fire in his hands and threw it at Akairos, who raised his shield and smacked the fireball with it causing the fireball to bounce right off.
"Beautiful! The Eclipsion Magi prove their worth once again, dismissed. Go enjoy a bloodcrystal or two before the mission." Akairos said as he put the newly completed shield on his back saluted the archmages before walking away. Approaching the command building, he pushed aside the veil and walked into the lavishly decorated room and sat down on a couch, putting his feet on the table, and resting his head back and closed his eyes, trying to get some much wanted sleep. Before he could drift off, he was awoken by the sound of two pairs of plate boots walking towards him, Akairos stood up as the two Blood Lords approached and saluted him, he returned the salute and sat down, motioning for the two to sit.
"We have been deployed by Grand Commander Radinius to aide you, sir." One said.
Akairos smiled. I don't need help Radinius. he thought to himself. "Fantastic." Akairos said. "Maybe you can teach some of my men a thing or two. Now, would you both report to, wait...how many of you are there?"
"Seventeen, sir." The other Blood Lord responded.
"Allright then, report to fifth battalion, with you lot, I can move more then double that to twelfth battalion for deployment to Netherstorm. Tell your men to be ready to mvoe out within the hour, dismissed." Akairos said with a salute and the two Blood Lords left. Waiting a moment, Akairos stood up. "Why did you send them Radinius?" He asked, Radinius said nothing, merely walking over to Akairos and grabbing his arm, sending a stream of images through Akairos's head. "Fair enough, take however many demonstalkers you need, it is a fair enough trade."
Radinius opened a portal and nodded at akairos