[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Fifty-Nine
Appearing Characters: Alexandros Mograine, Alleria Windrunner, Arator Windrunner, Darion Mograine, Elissa Cross, Gilveradin Windrunner, Kael'thas Sunstrider, Kel'Thuzad, Korialstrasz, Liadrin Everpost, Lilian Voss, Lirath Windrunner, Maraad, Maxwell Tyrosus, Motah Tallhorn, Nathanos Marris, Remnii, Renault Mograine, Rommath Pyrewing, Sally Mograine, Samia Inkling, Seria, Sylvanas Windrunner, Teemo Manabrake, Thal'ena Dawnseeker, Turalyon Windrunner, Uther Menethil, Velameestra Windrunner, Vereesa Windrunner, Victor Prestor, Zagarra
October 31st
Rommath stepped behind Vel and handed her a small pile of her own belongings that he had found in the wreckage.
Vel looked up at Rommath as she took her belongings, but then she spread them out on the ground before her as she started to search insistently for something. Her hand closed on her ring and she put it on, searching for Kel’Thuzad’s presence.
Kel’Thuzad took in the situation around them.
Vel nodded stiffly and returned to collecting her things. The rest of the group looked at each other and Rommath narrowed his gaze.
She portrayed a feeling of acknowledgement to him.
Arator, Victor, and Elissa returned to the room, having secured the area. Rommath turned and warned them to mind their step so they avoided the symbol spell. Arator looked around at the lack of bodies.
Rommath didn’t say anything, but he nodded.
He gave the group a nod and expressed they did well, as without Fireleaf their hope of escape was gone. Now it was simply a matter of finishing the job.
She scowled down at the mangled body of her father.
A dark look passed over Lillian’s eyes.
Lilian turned and left. Gil put a hand on Remnii’s shoulder.
Remnii took Gil’s hand off her shoulder and held it tightly. She thanked him with a wry smile as she cast [Shield of Faith]. She then tended to Seria and ensured her wounds were healed.
Vel, meanwhile, did her best to struggle into what armor she could with Elissa holding out her cape to give her some semblance of privacy.
They headed back into the hallway and started to press further into the Monastery. They made it to the Cathedral Gardens, which had a large two-tiered fountain. Vel had the idle thought that the same stream she had been strung up over was likely what fed the fountain. The battle unfurled beyond it, and they saw Alleria and Turalyon fighting back to back up ahead.
Vel looked up at her in acknowledgement, and Alleria spun around to fire another arrow as Turalyon called they would cover their advance. He told Arator to watch over them, and they made a break for the upper tier.
They saw a trickle of blood stream down into the fountain as corpses piled up in the conflict. Vereesa and Sylvanas and a small contingent of Farstriders including Nathanos and Lirath were fighting up ahead. They were releasing volley after volley as Nathanos tore through enemies alongside his undead hounds.
Lirath looked over at Gil and Vel and ran over. He pulled Gil into a hug and he moved to hug Vel, but she instinctively stepped back and he chose not to pursue it as he looked with relieved sadness at his daughter.
He told them they would be covering them and also looked over at Arator as he told them all to watch over each other.
Up ahead, Liadrin, Maraad, and Darion were fighting alongside the other Torchbearers to clear a path further up.
Darion sheathed one of his swords as he approached.
Arator opened his mouth to say something, but Darion interrupted him with a swift punch in the gut. Almost immediately, Vel shoved herself between Arator and Darion with a loud hiss and Darion immediately stepped back, completely taken aback.
Arator spoke up between coughs as he caught his breath.
Darion raised his hands.
He seemed to suddenly fully register who the withered vampyr was.
He chuckled nervously and he offered an apologetic hand to Arator, who took it after he got the wind back in his lungs. Maxwell Tyrosus shot a look at the group.
She looked over at Remnii.
Remnii nodded as she took a cursory glance between Liadrin and Maraad to ensure they were both okay.
Maraad let his hammer rest on the ground as he took Remnii’s hand and gave her a quick kiss on the crest.
Remnii nodded and wished the both of them well as the group continued toward the doors. They felt a quivering of powerful magic. Vel sensed an immensely powerful spell. It was a [Forbiddance] that radiated from the chapel center. All the undead in the chapel were suddenly cast to their knees.
Vel looked back as she watched Alleria drop to one knee, as did Nathanos. Scarlet Crusaders started to swarm around him and Sylvanas shouted for him as she started to fire to give him assistance. Other vampyrs were dropped as they took an immense amount of damage.
Vel called for Uther to open the door, and Uther charged at the doorway. He slammed into it as Vel drew a sigil of magic and and released a [Dispel Magic] and broke the rune of the forbiddance spell apart.
As the doors slammed open they were greeted by a long chamber rimmed by crimson stained glass. Up ahead, they saw two figures bathed in the red light: Renault and Sally Mograine.
Darion stepped into the chamber.
Renault looked down from the stairs he was on.
She looked over at Arator.
Sally looked at Uther with a small, and then a laugh.
Sally raised her staff and a ray of light ignited in the room. The stained glass windows glowed with energy as manifestations of pure light started to appear in radiant plumes. Each of the ancient figures, angelic in appearance, fanned out around Sally and Renault: physical manifestations of the tenants of the Holy Light. Each of them took up a different weapon.
He cracked his neck.
He pointed his sword up at Renault, who scowled.
Doors slammed open, and from the balconies on either side, more Scarlet Crusaders appeared. A few took up bows and others shields and weapons and they sought to outflank them.
Gil began to summon his magic into a [Meteor Swarm] as molten earth rose from the ground, and several of the mages tried to counter. Vel was able to counter one of the counterspells, and Gil used [Earth Shock] to interrupt the other one with a blast of earth in their chest. She staggered back, severely wounded before the meteors erupted in the room. One of the angels, Holiness, immediately went up in flames as the flaming carnage blasted over the enemies, and most of the Crusaders that had just arrived to aid were left dead.
Renault had stepped in front of Sally and the blast washed over the two of them and devastated the altar behind them as the entire perimeter of the chapel was set ablaze. Gil felt a searing pain of retribution from Renault’s aura as the celestials were blasted with raw, destructive fire.
Sally then held her hand up.
She cast [Sunfire] on the group and a column of holy fire exploded around them. Vel looked around in wide-eyed horror, her hands on her face as the fire consumed the chapel. Sally smiled at her.
Sally held up her staff and it started to pulse and thrum. Vel felt a searing pain rip through the Scarlet Crusade brand that had been etched and burned into her flesh beneath her armor. The vampyr immediately started to screech in agony and she felt her body move on its own as the contingency charm effect that had been imbued in the brand activated.
The ring that Rhonin had given Gil to give to her that had been slipped next to the ring that housed Kel’Thuzad started to glow and it zapped her. She felt a portion of the effects start to slough off as the sharp pain jolted her and gave her an opening to fight against the control, but the compulsion of the Grand Inquisitor’s commands held strong.
Vel felt her body moving against her will, and she cast [Steel Wind Strike]. She screeched again, and swirled her claws in a wide arc around her as if attacking something unseen. The spell radiated outward and her claws carved into her allies, but there was a moment’s realization as she materialized in front of Arator and she managed to yank her strike away and gouge it into herself instead.
She teleported away as she continued to fight against the compulsion with another screech. The enchantment was hanging on by a thread. She sent out a mental command to the swarm of bats, which started to flap around her, biting and clawing at their own mistress.
And Vel felt the enchantment shatter.
The blade in Renault’s hand almost looked like a knock-off of the Ashbringer, and he swung upward and caused a wall of radiant, holy fire to erupt through the group, which blinded Darion.
A black dragon, which was the disguised Korialstrasz, swept by the blasted chapel and the Scales of Azeroth leapt forward to attack Sally. Renault blocked the majority of the blows, but Sally was still sent to her knees as Samia’s ray of molten ash struck into her.
Overhead, the bells of the chapel clanged loudly.
The angel of Protection hurled holy magic at the screeching vampyr, who just barely managed to erect a [Shield] to protect herself.
The angel of Justice soared towards Arator and slashed down with an arc of holy magic with his greatsword. Arator was able to turn two of the strikes aside.
The sole surviving war chaplain cast [Beacon of Hope] over herself and chose to try and mend her own wounds.
Renault descended the stairs and he launched himself into the air.
He slammed into the ground and used [Destructive Wave]. Both Remnii and Darion were thrown off their feet. The blast of energy extinguished the flames that had caught on his clothing.
The angel of Tenacity rushed by Remnii and then called for his allies to fight for what they believed in. Magic swirled around them and spurred them on.
Seria roared and shifted into her bear form. She swung around and struck into Tenacity, which caused the creature to dissipate into radiant light. She then rounded on Renault.
Remnii channeled her magic into a [Mass Cure Wounds] over her allies. She then hurled her last mote from crown of stars up at the war chaplain.
Sally also descended the stairs after she got back to her feet. She raised her staff and used [Banishment] on Seria.
However, Seria was able to resist the effect of the spell. Sally then looked over at Vel and shook her head.
Vel was assaulted by a blast of holy energy, though she was able to steel herself against the order as she continued to grab at her head and scream. Sally then healed herself, Renault, Justice, Protection, and Compassion.
Darion got back to his feet, though his vision was still white from the blinding effect of the radiant wall of light. He squinted and charged through it.
He rushed at Renault but his brother was able to block every single blow.
Renault smacked Darion on the side of his head.
Darion growled in anger and drove his blade at his brother, and their blades ground against each other. Uther ran up behind him and used lay on hands to cleanse Darion of his blindness.
He swung around Darion and went straight for Sally. It seemed that Sally was immune to the holy radiance he inflicted, but he still landed some powerful glancing blows.
Sally swung her hand around and a wave of holy fire rushed over Uther, but he ducked behind his shield.
Arator looked down at his hand and clenched it. When he opened it, there was a single white feather. His eyes started to glow a soft white-violet and two spectral wings emerged from his back. However, they were long, white-feathered raven wings that seemed to be shrouded in violet light.
He looked at them for a moment, confused, but he steeled himself.
He flapped his new wings and jumped over Seria, landing right between Sally and Renault.
The angels of Compassion and Respect began to sing, holy radiance wafting around their allies.
Darion and Renault were still trading blows before them.
Renault checked Darion with his shoulder.
In the midst of the conflict, Vel sensed something starting to brush against the veil. She felt a presence seeking an avenue. And justice.
Vel stepped back out of the wall of light, and her head went back and forth as if she was continuing to see things that were not there. But then her singular eye fixated on a point. She started to chant, the words almost crazed, but they got louder and louder as she hissed in quietish and necrotic energy wafted around her hands. At the peak of the incantation she screeched.
She released the magic as the color seemed to wash from the air around her and she swiped her claw through the air as if pulling back a veil.
There was an array of deep green energy that formed up from the ground behind Renault. There was a hissing scream as the energy formed into a gateway. A steel-gray gauntlet reached through the gate, and then a figure stepped out.
Wielding a reforged version of the Ashbringer made in an otherworldly place, was Alexandros Mograine.
Renault was torn between fending off Darion and the arrival of his father.
Alexandros looked over at Darion.
He swung at Renault, and Renault was only barely able to dodge. His concentration of his wall of light faltered.
He swung again, and he caught his son’s blade and shoved it aside as he moved closed.
Vel’s bats screeched and also swarmed around Renault, biting and scratching. Renault tried to retreat away from the assault of both his brother and father and Gil teleported up on the balcony. He took aim at Sally and fired. It scraped her shoulder and tried to disrupt her spell, but she was able to keep it up. He fired two more times, but she continued to maintain the spell.
Respect and Retribution continued to sing as Sally then harnessed her holy magic to try and restore the vitality of herself and her allies, but Vel harnessed her necrotic magic and extinguished the Light with a [Counterspell]. Sally grinned and held out her clawed gauntlet.
Tendrils of light wrapped around Remnii, Vel, and Gil, but they were able to shatter the magic. She then summoned a [Holy Nova]. Arator tried to interrupt the spell, but she slammed her staff into the ground, and a rippling nova of holy energy rushed over the group. Gil tried to temporally shunt her, but she pushed through the spell.
Vel screeched as the holy magic washed over her and she was knocked to the ground convulsing. However, Alexandros Mograine was still present on the material plane.
Sally walked over to Vel and looked down at her.
There was a pulse of magic as she used [Divine Word]. Vel’s back arched and she fell to the ground, fully dead. Arator screamed her name in distraught desperation.
Darion rounded on Renault and continued to fight while Arator rushed at Sally, radiant tears streaming from his eyes. He swung with a series of aggressive strikes.
The angel of justice moved to back up Sally as Renault tried to hold his brother with radiant chains, but Darion broke through all the chains with his blade. Meanwhile Seria released a roar and began to rage as she tore into the angel of Justice.
Uther looked over at Inquisitor Mograine and simply said “vault”. His armor fired up and he vaulted straight at the Grand Inquisitor and angled her up into the sky as he grabbed her by the chin. He went up to the ceiling and then slammed Sally back down into the ground. The Grand Inquisitor coughed in the massive crater that Uther had created. He then raised his axe and brought it down on her as she raised her staff to block.
Renault buckled, as he was not looking good, but he continued his attack on his brother.
He drove his blade through Darion’s stomach, and he was banished to another plane of existence. Renault then turned toward Alexandros.
He swiped down on Alexandros, but his father grabbed Renault by the neck and picked him up off the ground.
Necrotic energy rushed through Renault and he choked and fell silent as Alexandros then threw him to the ground.
She swung her staff and in a flash of light she teleported over to Renault.
She started to conjured an immense amount of Light.
Renault got back to his feet and he held out a hand to Alexandros.
Alexandros Mograine was banished back to the Shadowlands. However, Darion Mograine had reappeared on the ground.
Remnii dropped to the ground and felt for Vel, as she was still blinded. She pulled the vampyr onto her lap and started to pray as she looked up towards the glows of the beings of light.
The chime of the naaru was heard behind her.
The ancient guardians turned to regard Remnii, and she felt a sudden shift as the song of the guardian of Compassion rejuvenated Remnii and her allies, and the guardian of Protection also turned its eyes toward those that had summoned it. She then used a [Mass Flash of Light] over her allies.
She got back to her hooves as she laid Vel gently back on the ground.
The remaining war chaplain focused on Seria, but none of the attacks landed true. Meanwhile Sally and Renault regrouped and redoubled their efforts. Gil raised his bow and arcane energy wafted through it. He fired, and one of Sally’s blessings was burned away. He fired again, and the flames that licked her clothing increased in intensity and leaped to Renault.
Renault swung at Seria as she turned her attention to the guardian of Justice. An explosion of holy energy washed over her, but she kept her focus on the celestial as she raked it with her claws. The guardian seeped radiant blood as she nearly tore him from material plane.
Samia manifested and used [Earthen Grasp] on Sally. The earth wrapped around her ankles, but she broke the stone with her staff.
With a screech of wrathful rage, Kael’thas broke his way through what remained of the stained glass and careened into the room. He landed and saw Vel laying on the ground.
He threw Felo’melorn into the air and created a facsimile that swung at Sally as he used [Arcane Sword]. It swung at her, and she deflected it with her staff.
The door swung open and Alleria fired a shot at the guardian of Justice. The arrow passed through Justice, and the celestial dissipated.
Darion rushed at Renault and continued to spar with him again. Remnii held up her hand and used [Mind Sliver] on Sally. She then also healed her allies.
Kael’thas ran forward and raked his claws at Sally. She was swept up into his claw and he lifted her into the air. She tried to use [Exorcism] on Kael’thas, but he clenched his claw tighter and he countered the spell. In return, she was able to dispel his arcane sword. Kael tried to bite her, but she was able to squirm away.
The war chaplain decided to flee with the arrival of the Crimson King.
Renault and Darion continued to trade blows, and Darion managed to headbutt Renault. Renault cursed and then turned around and used [Exorcism] on Kael’thas.
Arator spread his wings and flew at Sally with two fearsome blows. Uther followed up with a [Seal of Banishment]. However, Sally grabbed his arm and used [Harm], which surged necrotic energy through him.
Seria slashed into Renault as Sally continued to shout.
The sounds of the battle being won began to spill into the chapel. Resolve that they were going to die bled into Sally and Renault’s expressions.
Gil fired again and again as fire continued to lick at Sally again. Renault dropped to his knees as the damage from his wife fed over to him. Renault reached his hand out toward Sally and tried to cover her in a divine shield. Uther turned and shield bashed Renault.
They heard the sound of his hand and nose break. Sally tried to cast restorative magic, but Seria roared and the spirit of her mother clawed at her and broke her fingers in the midst of the somatic components.
Arator continued his assault alongside Uther, and with Uther’s [Seal of Banishment], Sally disappeared.
He then spun around and cleaved Renault from his collarbone to his hip. After a moment, there was just a gout of blood.
Renault hit the ground.
Remnii turned to Vel and knelt down next to her. Two motes of light appeared in her hands and she pushed the magic into the dead vampyr.
Uther’s banishment on Sally ended as the Inquisitor reappeared in Kael’thas’s claw. Sally gasped, but her eyes fell on Renault’s body.
Kael’thas clenched his claw around her, and Sally’s staff hit the ground as she struggled in vain to try and reach her fallen husband.
Kael’thas snarled at her.
Meanwhile, movement returned to Vel as her sole good eye opened, and her blurry vision began to focus. She saw Remnii sitting over her, and across the room she saw Kael’thas with Sally in his claw.
Vel struggled against her own body, exhaustion settling firmly into her limbs as she clawed at the group and called out with a weak, rasping voice.
Kael’thas’s eyes flickered over to Vel, and for a moment, his expression softened. But then it got angry again as he looked back at Sally.
Kael’thas looked over at Uther as Sally was falling apart in his claw. He looked back at Vel, and then back at Uther again.
He dropped Sally to the ground.
He turned and walked away from Uther to instead head toward Vel as he carefully maneuvered through the group. He knelt down, and it seemed Vel tried to move, though her consciousness was fading fast. A hushed “thank you” was all she managed, and the last thing she saw was the Crimson King’s eyes flicker back to blue.
He looked over at Remnii.
He scooped the unconscious woman up into his claws and cupped her in his wings as he started to walk out of the monastery. His form started to shrink, and by the time he exited the chamber, he was back to his elven form, Vel wrapped snugly in the folds of his cloak.
They secured Sally as she crawled to Renault’s body, and outside, battered and bruised, the conflict was coming to an end.
