A Real Drengr 9 (Patreon)

“You sure, kid?” Caerel asked, the Blood Knights preparing to continue their patrol throughout the Plaguelands.

“I am,” Salandria answered. “I went into the Blood Knights specifically for this. The commander knew ahead of time.”

The tanned blood elf let out a disappointed sigh, sending a look my way as I secured the buckles on my armor, before saying, “Well I can’t stop you. But you are making a mistake, you know what the Lordaeronians did to us.”

“Alteraci,” I shot back, satisfied with the buckles. I could tell that Salandria was close to erupting, so I put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from verbally eviscerating the other blood elf and said, “I’ve called her my little sister multiple times since we ran into each other, am working with members of both the Horde and Alliance, and I’ve stated that I don’t have active plans to participate in either group’s offensives in Northrend. The only thing you have to complain about is the fact that I’m human.”

“That’s enough,” Caerel said with a growl, turning around and marching off.

“Talk about an ass,” I muttered, before turning back to Salandria. “Now I know what Chromie said, but to hell with what history says, are you okay with this?”

Salandria’s blazing green eyes met mine, determination burning in them as she answered, “You focus on dealing with your uncle, I’ll make sure the people get to safety.”

I let out a breath through my nose, swallowing the lump in my throat as I forced out, “Thank you.”

Salandria gave me a half hug, even as Chromie walked up to join us. The bronze dragon gave the two of us a bright smile and said, “Seela’s taking the others to continue the mission you were going to do after Darrowshire. We’ll be arriving at the same spot in the past, showing up just as the Scourge is making their push.”

I nodded, wrapping my arm around Salandria’s shoulders and pulling her tight. Chromie walked up to us, putting a hand on each of our legs. The air around us crackled with energy, and I could feel Salandria’s anticipation, a mix of excitement, nervousness, and determination. I kept my eyes fixed firmly ahead, not turning my head or averting my gaze as energy built up around us.

“C’mon,” I heard Chromie mutter to herself.

After a moment, all of the energy that had been building up released. It started as a faint shimmer, like the quiver of heatwaves on a scorching summer day, gradually intensifying and transforming into a mesmerizing cascade of pulsating light.

The radiance swirled and danced around us, creating an ethereal spectacle that defied comprehension. Colors melded together in a kaleidoscope of hues, intertwining and separating in a captivating choreography. Waves of vibrant blues, deep purples, and shimmering greens weaved through the fabric of reality, leaving trails of iridescent sparks in their wake.

As the luminous display grew more intense, time itself seemed to... shift. The surroundings underwent a subtle metamorphosis, a distortion that played with the fabric of existence. The scenery began to fade, its details blurring and dissipating like mist in the wind. The landscape rolled backward, folding in on itself as if the very essence of time was being rewound.

The house crumbled and reconstructed before our eyes, eras collided and separated, and the passage of time reversed. Fading memories resurrected, weaving a tapestry of forgotten moments in the air, while whispers from bygone eras filled the space around us.

“Not now,” Chromie said with a grunt, making me pause to glance down at her. Sweat glistened on her forehead, and her hair was coming free.

And then, as swiftly as it had begun, the luminous spectacle started to recede. The colors faded, the swirling lights dwindled, and the rippling energy subsided. We were standing inside the dust strewn interior of the house, having rewound the hands of time by nine long years, with a chance to fix all the lives lost because of my absence.

“Ugh,” the exhausted noise from Chromie pulled me out of my head, and Salandria and I both moved to catch Chromie before she collapsed.

“You alright?” I asked, carrying her to a chair.

“Yeah, yeah,” she managed to say in between pants. “Just sneaking past the Infinite Dragonflight was a lot more exhausting than I was anticipating. Hoo.”

Salandria and I exchanged a worried look. If Chromie was this worn out, how was she going to hold up during the fight against the Scourge?

“Can we rest for a bit?” I asked, crouching down in front of Chromie. “We need you at full strength.”

Chromie shook her head, her breaths starting to even out. “No, no time for rest. I had to bring us back a bit further than I'd planned, but we still have a village to evacuate. The Scourge is on its way, and we need to move.”

I nodded, standing up and offering Chromie a hand. She took it, pulling herself up with a grunt. Salandria picked up her own sword, her eyes scanning the room. I could tell that she was getting ready for a fight.

“Alright then,” I said, drawing Truth. “Let’s do this.”

We stepped outside, and paused for a moment. I swallowed, taking in the sight of the Lordaeron hillside, before it had been turned onto the Plaguelands. Plants were still green, the sky wasn't covered in a haze of smog, there were no mushrooms the size of trees.

“Chromie, you wait here,” I told her, “Rest up, then join us once we've gotten the people out.”

Salandria and I didn't wait for Chromie to respond, making our way down the hill towards Darrowshire. The people within were already moving, but it looked like they weren't acting with any sort of cohesion, unity, or a clue of what they were doing. My eyes narrowed, a few men with swords and shields stepping up as we approached.

“Who are you?” one of them demanded, raising his shield to block our path.

I stepped forward, holding up my hands in a non-threatening manner. “We’re here to help. the Scourge is coming, and we need to get these people out of here.”

The man looked me up and down, his eyes lingering on the sword at my hip. He seemed to come to a decision, lowering his shield and stepping aside. “We could use all the help we can get.”

“Gather everyone you can,” I instructed. “We need to get them to safety.”

The men nodded, turning to their fellow villagers and shouting orders. Salandria stepped up beside me, her sword still at the ready. We watched as the villagers started to organize, though it was clear that many of them were still in shock from what was happening around them.

“What?” I asked, seeing Salandria smile at me.

“Nothing. Just can't help but think you sound like a king,” she said.

I gave a slight chuckle, before two forms caught my eye. I leaned closer to Salandria, pointed to them and said, “Those are my cousins, Jessica and Pamela. Please keep an eye on them?”

“Of course,” she said, her voice low.

As the villagers organized, I stood in front of them and spoke, projecting my voice, “People of Darrowshire, my brothers and sisters in arms, today we stand at the precipice of doom. The darkness encroaches upon us, its vile presence casting a shadow over your beloved village. the Scourge approaches, their hunger for our lives insatiable. But I stand before you now to ask for something far greater than that. I ask for your courage, your sacrifice, and your unwavering commitment to the safety of your people.”

The eyes of Darrowshire were on me, and I forced down the lump in my throat as I pushed on, “In this dire hour, we face a choice that will define us as individuals and as a community. We can turn and run, abandoning all that we hold dear, leaving our homes and loved ones to the mercy of the encroaching darkness. Or we can take a stand, drawing a line in the sand, and face this malevolence head-on.

“I know the odds that stand before us. I know that those who remain to hold the line will likely meet their end, their sacrifice etched in the annals of Darrowshire's history. But let me tell you this: the measure of a person's courage is not solely defined by their victories, but by the unwavering determination with which they face adversity.”

A few looked close to despair, but none spoke as I continued, “Every moment we buy, every second we hold firm, is another precious heartbeat, another chance for our people to escape the clutches of this unholy menace. We are the last barrier between our loved ones and the abyss. It is in this crucible of sacrifice that we shall forge a legacy that will be whispered with reverence by generations to come.

“Yes, the road before us is fraught with peril. The enemy will surround us, their numbers overwhelming, their hunger unyielding. But we will not falter. We will not bow before the face of evil. For we carry within us a fire, a flame of resilience that can never be extinguished.

“Remember, people of Darrowshire, that heroes are not born in times of peace and prosperity. Heroes are forged in the fires of adversity, their mettle tested, and their spirits proven indomitable. Today, we have the opportunity to become those heroes, to etch our names alongside the legends of old.”

I took a breath, feeling the resolve in the people I’d grown up with, a number of my boyhood friends kissing the cheeks of their wives, sisters, and mothers. I nearly choked, but managed to catch it, “I am not blind to the magnitude of the sacrifice I am asking of you. But let it be known that the bonds we forge in the face of impending doom will transcend mere mortality. We will stand shoulder to shoulder, hearts ablaze, as we confront this darkness with all the strength that lies within us.

“Let us show the world what true heroism means. Let us be the beacon of hope for our loved ones, their guiding light in the storm. Let our valor echo through the ages, inspiring others to rise in the face of insurmountable odds.

“Today, my comrades, we hold the line. And though death may claim us, our sacrifice will not be in vain. For as long as there is a spark of light in this world, as long as the stories of valor are told, the memory of our unwavering resolve will endure.

“Who among you will stand beside me, shoulder to shoulder, as we face this horde together? Who will be counted among the brave souls who held fast in the face of certain death? Let your hearts speak, for in this moment, we shall make those death worshiping sons of whores wish they’d never come to Lordaeron!”

There was a loud cheer, and I felt a swell of pride in my chest as the villagers stepped forward, their weapons drawn and their faces set in determination. I turned to Salandria, seeing the same look on her face.

“Keep them safe,” I whispered, and she gave a determined nod. I turned back to the people of Darrowshire, projecting my voice again, “This is Paladin Salandria, she will guide the rest of you to safety!”

Watching the trail of people fleeing their home, being led by Salandria, was a painful thing. I glanced to my left as one of the men who'd chosen to stay came up to stand next to me.

“Didn’t think you’d make it in time, Peter,” he said, making me turn to look at him.

“What gave me away, Oswin?” I asked the butcher I’d grown up with.

He chuckled, “Ya may be wearing a fancy helmet, but if you don’t want your best friend spotting you, maybe don’t wear fancy armor that looks like the stuff you would draw when we were kids.”

I gave a small laugh, considering how much to tell him, before quietly saying, “I didn’t make it in time.”

He turned to look at me, and I continued, “At about this time I’m only just reaching the point that I can see the shore of Tirisfal. By the time I manage to make it here after having taken in an orphaned elf girl, the entire village is wiped out. The only thing I can do is put down the monsters they’d been turned into.”

Oswin stared at me for a moment, before asking, “Is Salandria one of those time dragons you talked about?”

“No,” I said with a short laugh. “No, but one did help. I was given a second chance, how could I pass it up?”

Oswin nodded, a somber expression on his face. “I...I don’t know if I could have done what you did,” he admitted. “To face that kind of darkness...it takes a special kind of courage. You're a braver man than I am.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a small smile. “You’ve always been brave, Oswin. You just haven’t had the chance to prove it yet.”

He chuckled, “I hope I never have to prove it like this.”

We both fell silent, watching the last of the villagers disappear into the forest. There was a few hours left before the Scourge arrived, and until then, there were preparations to make. I guided the villagers in making barriers, defenses, and other means of slowing the undead or funneling them to more defensible areas. Finally, roughly an hour before dawn, we heard them. Coming from the northeast, the sound of countless feet and the stench of a veritable legion of rotting bodies.

“Are you ready?” I asked Oswin, drawing Truth.

He nodded, readying his meat cleavers. “Let’s do this.”

[hr][/hr]

“Is Papa going to be okay?” Peter’s cousin Pamela asked Salandria as they stopped by the river.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Salandria said with a smile, doing her best not to let her real thoughts show. She’d realized who Pamela and Jessica’s father was, that Peter had been forced to kill him twice, but she couldn’t tell that to a little girl.

Pamela continued to stare at Salandria for a moment, before she said sadly, “That’s what grown ups say when they don’t think it’ll be fine. Like when Mama got really sick.”

“C’mon, Pamela,” Jessica said, taking her sister’s hand. “Miss Williams needs some help.”

Salandria watched the two girls run off to help the other villagers, feeling a pang of guilt in her chest. She knew that Peter was in grave danger, and she couldn’t do anything to help him. She had promised him that she would keep the villagers safe, but what good was that promise if she couldn’t protect the ones he cared about the most?

“Hard, isn’t it?” one of the villagers asked, a woman with her silver blonde hair in a braid.

Salandria sighed, “It is, and I… I’m not sure if I’m strong enough to protect everyone.”

Screams drew Salandria’s attention, as she turned to see a number of Scourge gathering in the distance. At the front was an armored figure atop a skeletal horse, her armor covered in skull iconography, a long, serrated bastard sword covered in glowing runes. Even if Salandria had never seen them in person, she knew who it was standing on the hill, staring down at the people of Darrowshire.

Determination settled in her chest as she stared at the monster who was once a princess. She’d failed, but like hell she was going to let Arthana get to her charges while she drew breath.

“What if you did have the power?” the villager asked, making Salandria snap her head to look at her. Her eyes were glowing turquoise, the skin around them turning black and scaled, a single horn growing out of her forehead, and an amused smirk was on her face. “A single bargain, and your charges will be safe behind Alliance lines. You will continue to watch over your beloved’s family. Then when the time arrives, you will be able to return and reunite with him.”

“I don’t have time to…” Salandria began, glowing with the power of the Light, only for the apparent dragon to snap her fingers, the world turning silent around them. Salandria looked around, only to see that everything had gone still, even the few birds around were frozen mid-flight.

“Now we have time,” the dragon said, the smirk still on her face.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Salandria turned back to the dragon and growled out, “What do you want?”

“A test subject. There was a secret experiment conducted millenia ago that we have just become aware of, and some of my superiors are interested in the implications,” the dragon pulled out a vial, the contents scarlet red and shimmering with an inner light. She shook it, causing the lights within to swirl around inside the liquid. “Drink this, and I will ensure that you and your charges make it to safety.”

Salandria eyed the vial warily, unsure of what kind of experiment this dragon was referring to. But she knew that she didn't have much of a choice. Her charges were in danger and she had to do whatever it took to protect them.

She reached out and grabbed the vial from the dragon's clawed hand, uncorking it with a deft twist. The liquid inside was thick and viscous, and Salandria hesitated for just a moment before bringing it to her lips and swallowing it down in one gulp.

At first, nothing happened. Salandria stood there, waiting for some kind of sensation to spread through her body. But then she felt it - a warmth in her chest that spread throughout her limbs, filling her with an otherworldly energy. She looked down at her hands, which were now glowing with a brilliant light, and grinned in amazement.