//------------------------------// // Kicking and Screaming // Story: Love And Warcraft // by Alexander Bolt //------------------------------// "That doesn't answer my question." "I don't recall saying I was going to." "Listen, tauren, I ain't taggin' along with ya because yer nice, so how 'bout ya go ahead an' tell me where the bloody 'ell we are?" Burgon Ironkeg tried again. "Your mouth seems larger than your height, dwarf." Morik responded. "You shut 'yer mouth, orc, 'fore I do it for ya!" The dwarf retorted. "You two are acting as if you were children arguing over a toy." Fraln Windhoof interjected, a hint of irritation in her voice as she led the trio through the forest they had all seemed to appear in. Fraln had found the dwarf first, stuck in a large tree by his ankle, which was strange as the then-drunken warrior was in full plate armor. They had gotten along well enough, despite the dwarf's big mouth. They had found the orc, or rather he had found them, shortly after when Burgon had an arrow bounce off of his helmet. After a little diplomacy on Fraln's part, the trio had set off, seemingly in no direction, arguing all the while. "If I knew I would be happy to share. This earth is different than that of Azeroth, laced with more magic than Outland, even. The elements seem kind enough, however." The tauren woman responded calmly. "Well why didn't ya say that in the first place?" The dwarf responded with casual annoyance. "Perhaps she thought it would go over your head!" The orc chuckled with a mildly obnoxious laugh. "What seems to have gone over both of your heads is that we're speaking the same language." Fraln cut in, silencing both of her companions. There seemed to be a good number of minutes before anyone spoke again as they walked, the dwarf being the one to break the silence. "Somethin' ain't right 'ere. It's too cold. Even fer 'ere." Were the words, and as he spoke the three stopped walking and stood. "He's right. Even I can feel the cold." Morik confirmed, seriousness having replaced his earlier joking attitude. Fraln just nodded, as there was nothing to really say. The cold was unnatural, though. And it had a source. A nearby source. ... "Hmph, enough magic here to allow the minor portal, a little bit more for the resurrection, hmmm, I always have those two Knights to call on, should things go bad, unfortunate I can't contact the Master from here, but I suppose the Nerubian shall have to do. He'll be happy to have a new place to conquer, some good stress relief, perhaps. Dying seems to have only made him stronger last time. But then again, I'm getting ahead of myself. Aren't I, Mr. Bigglesworth?" Kel'thuzad, greatest Lich ever known, spoke primarily to himself as he stroked the chin of his prized cat. He had awakened on the edge of a forest, a fairly large village in the distance. His phylactery had landed on some strange new world, as he had planned. The ornate jar was indestructible due to months of spells placed on it, and it could only be opened by Kel'thuzad himself. He had various materials on his 'body', more than needed for the three spells he had planned. With the soon to be conquest he would have even more materials and minions. It would be a recurring of the scourge on a different world, with the same outcome. Atleast, that's what the lich hoped. Things all depended on the local populace, which seemed more primitive than the races of Azeroth, but nonetheless he wanted to be sure, which is where the Crypt Lord came in. A great mind needed some good muscle, of course, especially when that great mind had no real muscle of his own. Kel'thuzad chuckled a little at the thought, then cleared his mind and spread his skeletal hands, drawing magical energies from the world itself. Unlike Azeroth the soil was saturated with magic, just waiting to be taken. ... "Well then, I hate to state the obvious, but that doesn't appear good." Fraln whispered to her companions, the three having just found the small clearing where the lich was beginning his spell. "Worse than ya' think. I know that lich. That there is Kel'thuzad. Me 'n a raiding party killed 'im in Naxxramas, 'anded his jar over to the Crusade. 'Ow the 'ell he got 'ere is a dreadful wonder." Burgon whispered back. "Hm, despite the fact one Horde member easily equals three of that of the Alliance, I'd say we stay away from that monstrosity." Morik said, stroking his chin. His demeanor was that of a commanding officer, his eyes narrowed at the undead sorcerer before them. "There is a town nearby. No doubt he means to attack it with whatever spell he is preparing. It would be best to warn them and assist in defending." Both Fraln and Burgon stared at the dwarf, wide eyed, shocked at the hunter's speedy changes in demeanor. They both nodded and began to tiptoe away, staying just out of sight of the lich in case the necromancer could still see them. Within a few minutes the trio was in an all out sprint towards the village, unaware that Kel'thuzad was well aware of their plan. He had already adapted his own to counter them, and was halfway done with the summoning when the three had entered the town. ... Rarity had just opened the door to walk outside when three two legged creatures sped past. She looked and gawked at the newcomers, one short, one green, and one seemed to be a cow standing upon its hind legs. They seemed out of breath as they reached the middle of Ponyville, the short one seemed to be speaking between breaths. "Friggin', ugh, friggin' runnin' about, ho, and we're in a town full-a 'horses?" Burgon commented as he doubled over, huffing from the sprint. "I'm beginning to see a hole in this plan, Morik." Fraln noted as she scanned to crowd that was gathering. Morik ignored her for the time being. "Miniature horses! Your world is besieged by the foul undead Scourge! The time has come to arm yourselves against these decrepit monstrosities! Mount you defenses, for a great battle is soon to take place!" The orc yelled at the top of his lungs, which was quite impressive after so long a run. The crowd seemed to simply stare silently for a moment, before one pony screamed and ran off. This seemed to light a fuse, as most did the same. A few of the Equestrians remained, a trio of regular ponies of yellow, orange, and red colors, a cyan pegasus with a multicolored mane, and a quite annoyed looking white unicorn with a dark purple mane. "I told you." Fraln sighed, panic echoing in the distance. "You three must be new around here. Since Ponyville doesn't really have that many 'defenses', even if you're telling the truth, weirdos." The pegasus commented. "No..... defenses?" Morik asked, a shocked look on his face as he did. "Well, we have one kind, but that would take quite a bit of time to arr-" The unicorn began to respond before being cut off by the yell of an immensely deep and ancient voice. One that silenced the panicked screams in the distance. One that seemed to make the very air stand still with dread. "PUNY MORTALS. THE MIGHT OF NERUB HAS COME, AND THE SHADOW OF THE SCOURGE SHALL ECLIPSE THIS LAND OF LIFE." ... Meanwhile, a few miles away in Canterlot, in a silent room filled with an Indigo alicorn, a Forsaken warlock, a Night Elf rogue, a Blood elf paladin, and two Human brothers, one a monk, one a death knight, the silence, which had settled just a few moments earlier due to the rogue, was broken by the death knight. "Things just got worse. Tremendously worse. We need to get out there. N-" The human was cut off as his eyes widened and he snapped to attention. The others in the room just watched as he walked out onto the balcony. The cried out and jumped for him when he climbed up onto the railing. The monk and the rogue both stood in shock as the death knight jumped from his perch, towards the ground at least 60 feet below.