New Orders

[Darkblade]

Darkblade read over the missive again, fuming. She had recently returned to the Undercity for supplies and repairs, having been recently battling the Scourge in the Plaguelands, and found the new orders waiting for her.

"Immediately proceed to Outlands and assist the Horde position against the Burning Legion."

She stormed up to Mennet Carkad. "What is the meaning of this?" She tossed the scroll onto the ground in front of him.

Mennet raised a brow. "The meaning should be plainly obvious. Go to Outland. Perform your duties."

"But what of the Scourge? What of Arthas?"

Mennet sighed. "The Scourge are going nowhere. Arthas hasn't been heard of in years, and is probably dead, wherever he went. The Argent Dawn can handle the Scourge."

"Well then send the Argent Dawn to fight these demons, and send me back to the front lines in the Plaguelands!"

Mennet shook his head. "Doesn't work that way, missy. We can't tell the Argent Dawn what to do, but we can tell you what to do. Now, follow your orders. These come direct from Varimathras, to send all able Deathstalkers to Outland to fight the more pressing fight.

Thoughts ran through Darkblade's head. Varimathras' supposedly-dead brother was found leading the Scarlet Crusade from Stratholme. And now the Legion had returned...the Dreadlord was afraid. Afraid that the Legion would find out how low he had fallen and would take it out on him...should they get that far. So Varimathras was doing all that he could to prevent that from happening.

Fanciful ramblings, perhaps.

Darkblade crossed her arms. "So we just hope the Argent Dawn can keep the Scourge at bay, even though they have been enlisting others to help them in that task?"

"That is no longer your concern. Gather any supplies you might need, and proceed to the Dark Portal. Should the situation change, you'll be the first to know." Mennet bent over and picked up the discarded scroll, holding it out to Darkblade.

She knew that was a lie, but what choice did she have. She would not dare speak opening against Varimathras, but she did not for one second believe that he was dispatching the Deathstalkers to Outland for the good of the Horde, but to serve his own selfish desires.

But until she was able to prove that, she had to follow her orders. Grudgingly, she took the scroll, and stormed off.

[Ellenia]

Standing a distance away, far enough to not be sensed, she watched and listened to the conversation through the eyes and ears of Gothard Winslow, whom always seemed to be lingering nearby.

As Darkblade left, Eléna silently approached Mennet from behind, and let her mind drift to his and whispered, "she will betray you all."

Mennet's expression turned to a frown as he watched Darkblade walk off, and the self-proclaimed Priestess of Sylvanas wandered off, pleased with herself.

[Darkblade]

She emerged into a warzone. Demonic forces of the Burning Legion constantly threw themselves at the fortifications of the Dark Portal.
Darkblade saw the fighting and knew that she'd be of little use here, and to be fair, the Legion was being held back. She was not needed here. They tasked her with the job of a messenger, though, and soon found herself airborne in this new world.
...this new world which looked remarkably like the Blasted Lands of Azeroth.

Arriving at Thrallmar, Darkblade was put to work right away. She followed the orders she was given, fighting against both the demons of the Legion and the Fel Orcs of the area. They all fell before Darkblade as she cut a temporary swathe through their countless numbers. She needed to get her mind off of the Scourge, so she concentrated on her killing.

By the day's end, she was stained with orcish and demonic blood. But she still felt as if she accomplished nothing. Her desire for revenge directed her to the Plaguelands of Azeroth and beyond, but here she was in a place about as far away from those Plaguelands as would be possible.

She felt empty.

[Darkblade]

On one of the following days, Darkblade found herself playing medic to the Mag'har orcs. She was administering an antidote to one of the grunts there, when she heard the sounds of battle. Hurrying out of the small hut she was inside, she saw a small green-skinned orc fighting with a couple of humans. What that orc didn't see was the Night Elf hunter taking aim at it's backside, high in the nearby hills.

With a burst of speed, Darkblade dashed toward the hunter and when close enough, threw a handful of blinding powder into it's face. His aim interrupted, the Night Elf clutched at his face as the dust burned his vision. Knowing the effects of this to be temporary, Darkblade used the distraction to slip into the shadows of the hillside, and snuck up behind the hunter.

Shortly, the Night Elf was able to see again, and glanced about. Darkblade struck. Her blades cut into the Night Elf's backside. The hunter called out, and Darkblade noticed out of the corner of her eye a large cat coming running toward her, with a Mag'har orc in pursuit of it. Guaging it's speed, she timed a flip over the hunter's head, and jammed her thumbs into the suprised Night Elf's eyes. Temporarily stunning him, she pulled out a fel iron bomb and set the fuse. A moment later the cat lept at her, only to be blown backwards from the bomb's explosion, along with it's master. The Mag'har orc dove on the beast, apparently still having a score to settle with the cat. Welcoming the native orc's assistance, Darkblade went back after the hunter.

The Night Elf managed to recover from the eye gouging, and pulled up his bow, letting fly a close ranged scatter shot. Shrapnel pelted Darkblade, giving the hunter a chance to get to range.

The poison which coated the rogue's blade did not allow him to get much range. Recovering from the attack, Darkblade ran toward the slowly-moving Night Elf, and again gouged him, flipping over his head and landing behind him. Again her blades cut into the exposed backside of the Night Elf. He collapsed.

As he dropped, the large cat came flying in again, passing through the air where the Night Elf was previously standing. The impact of the large beast sent Darkblade sprawling to the ground, and it began tearing into the rogue.

Activating the talisman she received from the Defilers long ago, a protective shield came up around the rogue. She lept to her feet, and brought both swords to bear on the hunter's companion. It was already wounded from fighting with the Mag'har orc, and Darkblade managed to quickly finish it off.

Beaten and bloody, she walked over to the fallen Night Elf. Knowing the tricks of hunters, she wanted to be on the safe side. Hauling back, she plunged her sword through the hunter's back, hearing him cry out as she did it.

He may have been faking his death, but Darkblade gave him the real thing. Turning back to the green-skin, she noted that it had finished off the two humans. Pulling out a heavy netherweave bandage, Darkblade proceeded to wrap up her open wounds, and then went back to playing medic for the Mag'har.