In the Terokkar forest on the far side of the portal to the Outlands is a city that has earned the nickname Shatt. It is a city of peace, where people who make there living killing one another seem to gather. Tension is always high here, but seldom does it lead to bloodshed.
A gnomish woman is standing on a stone railing trying to get as much attention from the crowd as she can. “Selling Death Knight lessons! Only 75 gold each!” over and over she yells at those passing bye.
Most don’t bother to even look at her, But one group stops. Areithis is a tall night elf, wearing strong plate armor and carrying twin swords tempered in a hell forge. She motions to her companions while asking, “Any of you know this one?”
Sonijazen a Dreanei with a fondness for keeping her horns sharp enough to cut glass laughed. “I know her, her name is Beep.”
“Beep? Are you serious?” Asked Lothsoth, the only male of the group, also the only human.
Overhearing Lothsoth’s question Beep felt it her place to answer. “It is a good name, a great name. It is by far a better name then yours! What ever it may be!”
Lothsoth Opened his mouth to defend his name, but the last member of the group, the soft spoken Tryatian put her hand on his chest motioning him to wait. “These lessons you are selling, what do they entail?” The Dreanei asked.
Beep obviously sensing the chance to make a sale puffed up her chest. “I will train you to be the deadliest death knight in the land, well next to me of course.”
Areithis and Lothsoth both burst into laughter while Sonijazen smiled big and asked, “I am sorry, what legion where you in again?”
Beep was obviously cough off guard by the question, but recovered quickly. “I was in no legion, I am a legion all on my own.”
Tryatian slowly shakes her head as she starts to speaks. “We are all Death Knights, and all of us were created by the same hand. His foul hand. But we had a purpose. Each and everyone of us were officers in his army. Each of us slew innocents in his name. And more to the point we all knew each other.” She motioned to an Undead walking by. “Her name is Pixe. She commanded the fifth battalion of the wrath legion. I have never met her before. Yet I know her.”
Beep Looked startled. “I am also a death knight.” She insisted. “I am just a special one, because of my power.”
“You are nothing more then….” Areithis words trailed off as a blank look came over her face.
Anyone looking around could see the same blank look on the faces of her three companions, as well as many others scattered around the city. But not all.
Beep did not fall silent. “I am nothing more then what? You stupid elf!” There was no answer, but after a few seconds the four death knights started walking away in silence. Beep got in front of them and Yelled. “You will not ignore me!”
On the lower levels of Shatt the same things were happening that were happening on the upper level, where the story has happened so far. Some people suddenly went blank, then acted with purpose to get to destinations known to only them. Confusion was spreading. And then a scream was heard as a body fell from the balcony and lay still. The body had been stabbed and slashed. Then the fall seemed to finish the job. Now the gnome once known simply as beep was dead.
However with what came next few even think of that murder.
*****
Sailing on the steam ship ‘Iron Breeze’ a group of friends were making there way to the northern land. Three dwarfs, two male dwarven warriors named Sutnack and Gashe and a female dwaven hunter named Funinthesun. Also there was a gnome named Ozztrois, and towering over all of them was a Draenei named Zephanea. Thus far the trip was boring. All of them had taken the trip to many times to count, and not once was it memorable.
Sutnack and Gashe were passing the time by playing a game of chance. Sutnack had thought ahead and brought a deck of cards to help pass the time. However after the 30th game or so only the two of them could handle the repetition of the game. “I am not sure, but you are either the luckiest man I have ever met, or the slickest.” Sutnack said to his friend after loosing a hand.
“Skill, nothing but skill.” Gashe said with a smile as he gathered up the few copper pieces that had been wagered. “I was playing this game before I was born, might even be longer then that.” Funinthesun laughed at the outrageous comment but said nothing.
Ozztrois was doodling in a book looking up at Zephanea from time to time. She had caught the little warlock doing it a few times, and her curiosity had finally gotten the better of her. “What?” she finally asked.
“Nothing.”
She didn’t buy it. “Seriously what?”
“Seriously nothing.” Ozztrois said with a smile growing on his face.
“Show me.” She started acting like she was mad, but it wasn’t real and it showed.
“Hmm… I could, but… no.”
She got up and walked up to him. “Let me have it.” With her standing and him sitting she looked ten times his size, which really wasn’t to far from the truth. So with a grin from ear to ear he handed the book to her.
At once she burst into laughter. Ozztrois had drawn a picture of the two of them together, but Ozztrois was twice her size. And to make matters worse he was holding what looked like a cookie just out of her reach. “It is my master peace.” He declared.
“Well it sure is something.” She finally was able to say after a few more seconds of laughter.
However these five friends were not the only ones on this boat. There was the captan and crew of course. But there was also other passengers. three to be precise. They have not been overly sociable but two of them were death knights and one hunter named Sittis. None of the three had been seen for a few hours. But it was not something to be concerned over. Until the boat docked there was nothing really for anyone to do.
Then a scream came from below deck. This made all of them stop there pastimes and go on alert. “Should I summon the brut?” Ozztrois asked referring to one of the demons he commanded.
“I am already here.” Sutnack commented as he pulled out his war hammer.
Then the door leading below flung open and Sittis came running out. He opened his mouth to say something staring right into Ozztrois‘s eyes, but did not have time to speak. Instead he was grabbed by a dark shadow and yanked back through the door. No sounds were heard for the next few seconds that seamed to stretch on for years.
Suddenly the two death knights burst out of the doorway with swords drawn. Gashe and Sutnack immediately blocked there path to protect the others. Funinthesun fired her rifle at one as her Tiger attacked. Ozztrois started casting a spell when Zephanea stopped him by saying, “Not that one, You’ll sink the boat!”
“Oh, right.” Ozztrois said then changed the spell he was casting.
The battle did not last long, but it was very fierce. When it was done the two death knights lay dead.
Zephanea was patching up some gashes on Gashe when the lookout called, “Land Ho!”
Instinctively everyone turned and looked at the city emerging from the fog, then let out a collective gasp. The only one to be able to say a word was Funinthesun, and all she could say was, “My god.”
*****
Three rouges sat quietly in their dark hiding place waiting for their chance at fame and fortune.
Stabysmirf looked at his two partners in crime, “Dis be da moment.” He whispered. “After dis one, we will be legions.”
Usiel was holding both hands over his mouth to try and keep from laughing. The little gnome had thought this job hilarious from the start. And in his own words he couldn’t be paid to stay out of it. The last member was an elf by the name Lucynia. This job was her idea, but that was where her ideas had ended, she was content to let Stabysmirf mastermind the heist.
“Ok buck up, it be time.” The dwarf said as he eased open the door.
The three of them came out of the closet into Lady Emily’s bedchamber. Lady Emily, the oldest daughter of the king of Stormwind had just gotten all new clothes. Now since she had come of age she had started turning men’s heads. Now with her new outfits she made there jaws drop. Needless to say Lucynia wanted those outfits for herself. “Oooo.” she said as she opened the dresser draw.
Stabysmirf went over to the door to make sure no one was coming. “Hush.” he cautioned.
Then Lucynia pulled out a sexy teddy from the drawer and Usiel just couldn’t control himself any longer. “PANTIE RAID!” he yelled then grabbed the teddy from Lucynia’s hand and tied it around his neck like a cape.
For a moment Lucynia and Stabysmirf just stood there starring in disbelief . “Of all da dunderheaded.” Stabysmift manage to get out right before the door to the room flung open.
“You Are Under Arrest!” a guard shouted.
At once the three thieves sprung into action, and out the window. “Idiot! Moron! Jerk!” Lucynia yelled at Usiel as they ran through the courtyard.
“Stow it! Ye letten ever one of dem know where we be.” Stabysmirf Snapped.
Sure enough the guards started chasseing them. First 2 then 5 and then more then they could take the time to count. Through the alleys and side streets they ran, dogging around barrels and under carts. It looked like they were destined to get caught when all hell started to break loose.
Men and women all over the place warring plate armor started climbing on top of buildings and attacking all those who tried to stop them. Most of the guards broke off their chase to deal this more serious threat. But one did not. A Draenei Paladin would not give up the chase.
She was relentless and every bit as fast. Then Stabysmirf saw his opportunity. “Grab Da Rope!” he told his comrades.
Seeing what he meant the three rouges grabbed on to a rope dangling from the air. And then were pulled up into the sky. However the Draenei managed to also grab on to it. “You Are Under Arrest!” She shouted.
Looking up they saw that the rope was tied to some sort of gnomish flying machine. And it was struggling to stay in the air with the extra weight. The gnome pilot looked down at his unwanted passengers and yelled, “Let go, we are going to crash!”
As they cleared the wall Usiel yelled back, “Come on, help a gnomer out.”
Shaking his head the pilot pulled out a hatchet and cut the rope. The four of them fell into the woods and landed in a heap. The Paladin being at the bottom of the rope took the brunt of the fall, with the other three landing on her. “Under… arrest…” she muttered as the others rolled off of her.
They staggered to their feet and Stabysmirf’s face went grim as he staired back at the city. “Usiel give it to her.”
“Are you serious?” Lucynia asked while Usiel pulled out a knife.
Stabysmirf turned and looked. Then slapped the gnome in the back of the head. “Dunderhead.” Then ripped the teddy off his neck and throw it on top of the Paladin struggling to get back to her feet. Then he turned and pointed back at the city. “Look.”
The city was being engulfed in huge crystals. One after another encasing whole buildings and people trying to escape. Then as if the smaller crystals, as big as they were, weren’t enough, the entire city was suddenly incased in one large bubble. As they looked on they saw very little movement inside the bubble. People stood completely still, as if frozen in time.
“Look!” Lucynia said pointing to a lone figure walking their way along the bridge leading out of the city. Then another was spotted, and another. Then dozens more. All wearing plate armor, all carrying weapons glowing with magical power.
An army of them assembled outside of the city gates but still inside the bubble. Then all acting as one they summoned there hellsteads from the neither regions and mounted up. And very much like an army headed out to battle they rode off in columns through the bubble and to the north.
The Paladin finally back to her feet put a hand on Stabysmirf’s shoulder, obviously not seeing beyond him and said once more. “You Dwarf are under arrest.”
Stabysmirf just stood there looking at the columns riding away. “Lass, we all have bigger things ti deal with now.”
