"This way, your Highness", So'Eent invited his Princess, leading the way.
Unlike most Eredar, the bodyguard had a low voice, and never spoke more than necessary, a feat that had been useful more than once to him. He treasured his thoughts too much to expose them to others and risk spoiling them. He believed that most failures occurred when people spoke more than what they should. Also, speaking was a waste of breath and energy, which were most needed in a fight. So'Eent didn't want to die fighting; he wanted to outlive all his friends and foes. It was a simple ambition of his.
Maybe because of his virtuous silence, Dyra had chosen him as her protector. But the Eredar was far from being a common bodyguard. He had used his position of privilege to plot, plan and analyze every situation. He had worked towards securing his status, tricking his mistress into intimacy with few but effective words. Most of her decisions were influenced by So'Eent's opinions, which was in the end a good thing for the Loyalists. The Princess, although powerful, bold and charismatic, lacked the intelligence and cunning to actually lead. Everyone followed her blindly, her sweet voice lulling them, her beauty numbing them, her power inciting them. But without So'Eent, Dyra would've never achieved so much influence.
If only she was like Kalersha, the Stormreaver chieftain... The orc woman had proved to be bright over and over again, also showing a stunning domain over fel magic. However, despite her brightness and So'Eent's outstanding intellect, the bodyguard had understood that the Legion Loyalists were doomed to fail. He had studied all scenarios, all variables, all possibilities... and he had realized that the faction would never achieve their goals. At least, if they continued walking the same ruinous path that had fed them nothing but defeat.
Word had arrived that the promising Fel Botani army that Tushna and Mahtor were creating had been destroyed because of Koradeun's recklessness and stupidity. The Loyalists were packed with mindless leaders, desperate to prove their worth, willing to show how powerful, great and witty they were. They all thought they could reach a high position of influence, high enough to be richly rewarded by Sargeras once they freed them. But none of them was ready to release the Dark Titan. Not even So'Eent was ready to the inexorable fate that awaited them: a confrontation with Illidan Stormrage himself, Sargeras' jailor. The night elf had made clear that he was the greatest Demon Hunter to ever exist, for he had finally hunted the largest prey there was to hunt: the Lord of all Demons. The bodyguard knew he, and all of his so-called allies, were bellow Stormrage.
"I'm so glad we came here", Dyra uttered, taking him out of his thoughts. "Tell me, my dear, is someone else coming?"
"Only Kalersha Bloodbath, your highness. Soratog and Irontusk were conducting some raids. They claimed we were running low on supplies, and I agreed."
"You could've told them to send their commanders! This is an important event!"
"They are running low on commanders, your highness. All of us are. I'm afraid our forces thin with every passing day. Our orc associates have trouble finding more devotees to the cause, since most of their people have grown an increasing hatred for the Legion. As for ourselves... we can't seem to reach other Demons. Our Dark Lord's forces are out there, somewhere, but we haven't been able to find them. Our resources are... scarce, at best. Raiding the Alliance villages is, perhaps, the best idea those two have come up with in the last couple of months."
Dyra performed a theatrical sigh.
"Then I guess we will have to start without them", she added then.
"My lady, may I speak a word?", So'Eent asked politely, even though he knew the answer.
"Of course, my dear. But be quick, I'm getting impatient."
"Even though we managed to refine the process, the Shattered can still be defeated", he announced, referring to the humans they had experimented on. "I saw with my own eyes how Raghek fought his foes, even when outnumbered. They show no fear, they are strong, they are dangerous... but they aren't immortal, nor indestructible."
"I know, I know. But I'll be honest with you, since it's the two of us now", she winked her eye. "I don't care about them. Yes, it's not easy to capture the subjects, it's time consuming to Shatter them, and most of them die in the process. But they are expendable", she added with her sadistic wicked grin.
"The orcs must know this."
"Why? So they lose their will to fight? We need them to remain motivated."
"I disagree, Princess. The orcs are our allies now, not our pets. It would be wise to treat them like equals. In fact, we wouldn't be here without them."
"Enough with this boring conversation", Dyra grumbled. "Let's meet Kalersha and show her our forces. Do not say a word about this."
"Not sharing our thoughts with our allies is what will get us defeated, your Highness", the bodyguard dared to say before leaving.
She didn't respond, but So'Eent knew she had heard his words. He didn't really care for orcs or other demons, but he was smart enough to understand they wouldn't achieve their goals on their own. The Horde and the Alliance were strong because, in spite of all their inner differences, in spite of all their disagreements, each faction had always remained united. Blood elves and Lordaeron citizens had set aside their hatred towards the orcs when they joined the Horde. Humans and night elves had appeased their respective xenophobia and haughtiness, willing to work together to survive.
The bodyguard finally found Kalersha, having a heated discussion with Herbalist Tushna herself. The Eredar sighed deeply, for he suspected why the Frostwolf woman was so furious. She had all the right to be.
"Greetings, Chieftain, Herbalist", So'Eent saluted with respect.
"Finally! This insane Flowerpicker is driving me crazy with her complains!", the Stormreaver Warlord uttered.
"Nobody wants to listen to me!", Tushna yelled, almost about to lunge over Kalersha.
"Is it because Koradeun's decision to sacrifice your army?", the bodyguard asked, arching one eyebrow; the Herbalist opened her eyes wide and nodded, speechless. "I have listened, and you speak the truth. My peer shouldn't have forced you to march... I understand your life's work is completely gone, am I correct?"
"My children are all dead, Koradeun lead them to the slaughter. Mahtor almost died too, and he lost all his ogre slaves. However...", she then took some seeds out of her pouch. "I can grow more Fel Botani... but it will take time."
"We are patient", So'Eent answered with an honest smile.
He did like this woman, even more than Kalersha. Tushna had vision, and had created a new weapon for the Legion where others saw a hindrance. And her fascination towards the Eredar was quite pleasing for him, although it had been the reason why Koradeun had wasted the Fel Botani.
"Now, if you please, come with me."
"Does she have to come too?", Kalersha asked with a scornful voice.
"Yes, and I suggest you get used to her presence in the High Council. Her work and her research is far too important, and we can't risk losing it, Bloodbath."
"Wait... Bloodbath? The Kalersha Bloodbath?", Tushna asked, halfway terrified, halfway amazed. "I've read hundreds of your scrolls! Your research on fel magic proved crucial on my experiments! Chieftain, you must let me trial to join the Stormreaver Clan! I can't stand being called Frostwolf anymore!", she begged, kneeling before Kalersha.
"Perhaps, some other time", So'Eent intervened. "Now I need you to join me."
The bodyguard guided the two orcs to Dyra, and he could feel Tushna's excitement when she met the Princess. Her enthusiasm caught the Eredar's attention, and now that she had kneeled before the Stormreaver Warlord, Kalersha was also more friendly towards her. So'Eent suspected that, in due time, the Herbalist would need no clan to her back.
"Oh, don't worry about your children, my dear", Dyra was saying to Tushna.
"I can't, your Highness... I was with Koradeun when he attempted to assault Alterac Valley. In the end, it was my own naivety what endangered my children. We never expected to be ambushed by those peace-loving Ambassadors!"
"I've been hearing a lot about them... and I must say, they are beginning to annoy me", Kalersha added.
"I have heard of them too. So'Eent, is there nothing we can do to remove them from the table?", Dyra asked the bodyguard.
"I'm afraid I don't know, your Highness. However, they are a small faction. They have proven to be strong, but Archimonde and Kil'jaeden were stronger and were indeed defeated. With the correct planning, we might be able to outsmart them and, as you say, remove them from the table."
"Wonderful! Please start thinking of something, dear", she commanded with her sweet voice; sometimes, So'Eent considered said voice was certainly delicious. After all, he did have desires.
"As you wish, my Lady."
"As for you, dear Tushna, you should get your seeds to Netherstorm and take advantage of the Consortium's Eco-Domes. They won't mind you working there as long as you pay them richly, and money isn't a problem for us. You know, the Netherstorm used to be Farahlon before Draenor was broken, the heart of the Botani lands!"
"Yes, I was aware of that! Now that we are here, I can go there with Mahtor and grow a new army!", the Herbalist cheered with joy.
"Netherstorm is still on the other corner of this world, you won't get there so easily", Kalersha warned. "And we are deep within Shadowmoon Valley now, it will take you several weeks to travel north."
"That's not a problem, right, dear?", Dyra asked Tushna, who was quick to deny with her head. "Now, as a researcher yourself, you will be pleased to behold what we are about to show you", she added with a playful voice.
So'Eent moved a huge boulder with his magical powers, opening a hidden entrance to a cave. It was dark and narrow, but far away a dim light could be seen. Orcs and Eredar entered, and the bodyguard made sure to close the entry. He had walked that cavern a hundred times already, but it was the first time for Kalersha and Tushna, so he lit a few torches with a lime colored fel fire.
Slowly, the faint screams of the tortured prisoners began to echo within the tunnel. Deep within the unstable land of Outland, they had managed to create a strong and solid fortress where no one would find it. Not even the Naaru and the Sha'tari forces.
They finally reached the main hall, where no torches were needed anymore. So'Eent always enjoyed arriving there: several Eredar and enslaved humans came and went, focused in their tasks. It was the headquarters the Legion Loyalists had been wanting for a long time. But the bodyguard wasn't naive enough to allow such a magnificent place fool him: he and his allies were still at a huge disadvantage. Their best move right now would be to slowly grow an army worthy of facing Horde and Alliance... but he knew that patience was a lacking resource among the Loyalists.
"What is this place?!", Kalersha wondered with clear fascination.
"Our new facilities", Dryra answered joyfully. "It's still under construction, but take a look. To the right, you'll see some Fel orcs... we found them here on Outland, trying to survive in a world that no longer wants them. They were former members of the Shattered Hand, Bonechewer and Laughing Skull clans, but now they are clan-less. I was hoping that you, Kalersha, could trial them to join your people. I was going to offer Soratog and Volrok the same, but unfortunately they couldn't join us today."
"They'll gladly offer these fine warriors a chance too", Bloodbath uttered, clearly meaning she would wait for the other Warlords to know about this. So'Eent approved such decision; orcish honor could be useful sometimes.
"As you wish, dear. To the front, you'll see we are still digging and building. We intend to build a Fel Forge there, with portals and demonic workshops... if we are lucky, we will find a way to contact other Legion outposts and bring them to our cause. And to the left...", she made a triumphant and theatrical pause. "If you follow us, you'll see exactly what we want to show you."
They continued to a major hallway, which ended at a big, metallic door. Dyra knocked three times, and then two times more, awaiting for the entrance to be opened. She had her usual arrogant smile, but So'Eent expected she would hide her excitement.
"Finally", she said when the gate hinges began to screech. "Here, my dears, is our wonderful experimentation laboratories, where I expect you, Tushna, to get everything you need for your own researches."
Inside the labs, there was everything a scholar would ever dream of. Obviously, most of the books and scrolls they possessed now had been stolen from several azerothian archives, and also from Argus and Outland. There were Scourge and Forsaken machines, Ethereal devices, Goblin and Gnomish tools, and all sort of cages and torture elements. And there, in the middle of the chamber, a well formed warband, a battalion of about a hundred successful experiments.
"Are those... humans? Does this mean your tests finally paid off?", Kalersha asked with intrigue.
"Indeed, my dear!"
"This is wonderful!", Tushna cheered, and then her face turned to fury. "Damn Koradeun! If we had my children and the fel Infested Ogres, our forces would be strong enough to siege small cities instead of harassing towns and villages!"
"Don't you worry, my sweet Herbalist. In due time, we will grow this army you dream about!", Dyra said to the orc's ear.
"We must bring Soratog and Volrok immediately!", the Stormreaver Warlord suggested. "We could bring our clansmen here! There's enough room for all of us within this fortress. We could actually make good use of all our forces, finally working all together for the same goal!"
"Even though you speak the truth, and I'm glad someone else agrees with me", So'Eent intervened, sharing a look with Dyra that said I told you so, "there is something else I would like you to see before you leave."
"What? Did I forget something?", the Princess asked, trying to remember.
"No, your Highness. This is a surprise, from me, to you", the bodyguard answered. Sometimes, a little sweet-talking, although brief, could be immensely useful.
He led his companions to a small cage, covered with a tattered piece of clothing. Unlike Dyra, he removed the mantle without any sort of theatrical gesture. Inside the cage, there was a young male night elf, gasping exhausted on the floor. But he was no common elf at all.
"He's an Illidari, your Highness."
"Oh... is he...", the Princess whispered as her face was filled with wrath.
Suddenly, they could all witness the demon she was instead of the flamboyant character she had created to seduce. She slid her finger through the cage keyhole, melting the iron lock and allowing her to open the prison with no effort. She grasped the elf by his hair, and removed him from captivity.
"Aren't you going to fight back, Demon Hunter?", she taunted, removing the blindfold the prisoner used to hide his wounded eyes. "Aren't you going to follow your master's footsteps?!", she then slapped him fiercely, leaving scratches on his cheek.
"I am defeated already...", the elf finally said. "You should kill me, for I will say nothing!"
"Why kill you, when you can be so very much useful?", she asked, returning to her usual character. "You see, when your master imprisoned Sargeras, he sealed all of the creation's fate. Without the Dark Titan, the Void is unmatched and unchallenged, free to do whatever it wants."
Then, she forced the night elf to stand up in front of her. She assessed his body, his injuries, his features, everything.
"I thought he could be... useful, my Lady", So'Eent uttered.
"Oh, yes, I know exactly what you mean, dear", she agreed with a malicious smile. "There is a demon within you, am I wrong?", she asked the Demon Hunter. "Do not fight it anymore. You have done well, dear, you have resisted so much", Dyra then hugged the elf, without pressing her body against him and stroking his hair; she attempted to soothe him, not to arouse him. "It must have been exhausting, to fight this creature within yourself. You don't have to do it anymore! Just give in... embrace it. Embrace the fury of a demon!
"I... will never...", he mumbled.
"Shush, sweet Hunter, don't talk. Listen to the sound of my voice", the orcs were staring at the scene, with a hundred Shattered humans present, and several researchers and torturers wandering inside the lab busy with their chores. "Don't fight this inner fury anymore. I know it has been hard. I know it has been tempting to succumb. I know they told you you shouldn't give in... they were wrong! You and me know they were wrong. All lies to keep you at bay. But no longer, my dear. Embrace the fury. Embrace our Burning Hatred, rejoice in it, and obey our command. My command."
Then, she let him go and the elf fell to the ground once more. He uttered a long, heartbreaking cry, as if he was in an extreme agony. But as quickly as it began, it ended, and now there was a faint greenish aura towards the Demon Hunter.
"I... conquered the demon... the pain... is over...", the night elf said. "He is one with me now, but I'm in control. This... power. I've never felt such thing before...", he added with a joyful surprise, his eyes healed, now glowing with a lime bright, and gazing at Dyra.
"I told you, my dear. What will you do now, then?"
"I am yours! I owe you my life, and in gratitude, I shall serve!", he yelled, kneeling before her.
"Ah, music to my ears. What's your name, dear?"
"I was named Loedril... and the demon within me was called Shurgrenos. I am no longer either of them. I wish to be called... Volrenhas."
"My sweet Volrenhas, your service will prove to be quite useful!", Dyra exclaimed with joy. "Your knowledge will help us conquer the Black Temple for our cause... first we need more Illidari to join us, of course. So'Eent", she then addressed her bodyguard, "I must say, I am quite pleased with this surprise you had in store for me.
"With the correct planification, and with Tushna's renewed forces, it won't be a problem, your Highness", the eredar answered with an unusual pride.
"Yes... Tushna...", the Princess mumbled distractedly. For a moment, her eyes got lost in her thoughts. "Tushna, my dear, you were saying something about the Azeroth Embassy earlier..."
"Yes, your Highness."
"And you, So'Eent, said we have the power to bring them down."
"We do, my Lady. However, I wouldn't advise on engaging them yet."
"Don't you believe that we must take care of them before they can grow in power?"
"Yes, your Highness, but...", he tried to protest, but he couldn't.
"You will do my will, as you have sworn to do. My will is to destroy the Embassy", she said with a cold voice.
"Shouldn't we gather the other Chieftains before we can make a decision like this one?"
"Why gather the others?", Dyra wondered. "Considering Tushna will be part of the council now, there's no need to. Tushna, Kalersha, do you support me on this?"
"Of course I do!", the Herbalist rushed to answer.
"Me too", Bloodbath echoed.
"Then, out of five votes, we already have three in favor. Even if Soratog and Volrok vote against me, we still have the majority", the Princess shrugged.
So'Eent was tired of this kind of arrogance. It was Koradeun all over again. And then, it hit him: he didn't have to put up with all this stupidity.
"Then your wishes are my command, your Highness", the bodyguard bowed, and then pretended to be thinking for a couple of seconds. "From what I've heard, the Azeroth Embassy is attempting to rebuild Theramore. I believe we can await them there with a small warband and overpower them... maybe fifty Shattered will suffice."
"Why not take them all?"
"Better safe than sorry? Yes, perhaps that would be the wisest move..."
It wasn't, but So'Eent didn't care anymore. He continued to explain his poor developed plan as if it was a brilliant strategy. If everyone was going to fight for their own personal gain, then maybe it was about time he did the same.
This weak ambush at Theramore would be helpful for him and him only. If they triumphed over the Embassy, then the Loyalists would grow stronger and he would have one less enemy to deal with. But if the group of Ambassadors actually managed to win, then Dyra would lose her life for nothing, and he would be able to step in as commander of the Eredar forces. And, with him on charge, all the demonic arrogance and foolishness would be finally over.
"At your command, my Lady, we may march on Theramore", he finally said.
"Why waste time? Let's head there right now", she uttered with her malicious, beautiful and perfect grin. Oh, how was he going to miss that grin.