CHAPTER SEVEN
A great battle
Several hours later Rahlynn arrives to the outskirts of Dalaran right as the sun is setting. He looks towards the sky and waits as the last rays of heat leave his face and then quickly reaches up and removes the orb from his forehead. Pausing for a few moments he hesitates and then slowly opens his eyes. At first even at night his surrounding areas are too bright but he strains himself to keep his eyes open. Several moments go by and his eyes stop watering, he looks around with his new eyes and quickly realizes that something is not quiet right. He kneels down and looks closely at the grass; he takes in the sight of their darkened green leaves and brushes his hand across them. They move as grass should move but release a red dust as he brushes cross them. After doing this several more times and pondering he realizes that although he is seeing the proper colors of the things, everything seems to be highlighted in a red hue. He continues his way down to Dalaran for a while contemplating his new eyes when all of a sudden his necklace begins to heat up. Taking it into his hands he studies it wondering how to answer its call. After a few seconds of though he decides the obvious, �Hello?� he whispers into the necklace, �Good� it responds, �That means you paid attention� it says in a laughing voice. �What do you need of me?� Rahlynn inquires, �Your quest begins quicker than you think. It has come to my attention that certain events are about to take place, I need you to drop what your doing and head to Stormwind.�
�Wait a damn second� Rahlynn responds, �I accepted your gift wearily, I accepted you necklace with second thoughts, but now your going to tell me I have to drop everything,�
Something�s are greater than you or I Rahlynn this I must ask of you now,� the voice retorts, �I have a quest of my own to fulfill, I have to find out what happened to my,� �Your father, yes I know, all things will come into play, our meeting was part of the process, now you must follow my instructions if you expect to find the next location.� Wordless for a moment Rahlynn stands there, �explain� he says after a few minutes.
Several hours later Rahlynn finds himself atop a Griffon heading to booty bay, his mysterious voice informs him that Faeroth requires the Conclave and Knights to meet for a recruitment session. Along the way, the voice explains, �With the help of a mutual friend I have called together six members of the Alliance for this quest, I first contacted your friend Boomus of the Divine Knights so that I would not have to make myself known to any of the other members. Boomus has recruited the other four for me, and he did well in this endeavor doing well not to let on to my existence. Ellebris, once a member of the Conclave was happy to join, his uses are limited as his seasons are young but his determination is there. Tebrimir, the rogue you meet up north was quick and eager to join, Draknes a warlock with little experience, and finally Forzalupo, who was a little hesitant to join but after a little persuasion accepted Boomus�s offers. And then there is you, you who was the hardest to recruit only because you were the hardest to find. Boomus had no knowledge of you where about, neither did Firaawyn. And so I found you in Hillsbrad after 2 weeks of searching. I have named our secret order the Shadow Council, fear not for there is no relationship to the shadow council of old. Our purpose to change the tides of war, and to assure the success of the Alliance.� Pausing for a moment to let Rahlynn take all the information. After a few moments he continues, �I do know if you have realized Rahlynn but the world of Azeroth is on the break of another great war. The blood elves are in talks with Thrall for an alliance, such an alliance should not be made, not for the hordes sake, not for our sake. The blood elves are treacherous and they will not keep to any agreements they have made. They have worked for Seragas in the past and I fear that they are doing so again.� Pondering for a moment Rahlynn asks, �And you want the Conclaves help in stopping this war? You want us to make sure this alliance does not happen?� Laughing for a moment the voice responds, �I fear that Faeroth is to bent on world peace to take the necessary actions. I have spoken to Thrall already about the choices he is making for his people. Although I have a great hatred for the Orcs I find Thrall to be a most honorable leader. He would not hear my words and told me that I waste my breath. Being that he knows me Rahlynn this is a great insult to me and show of his age, he is growing old and arrogant. No I fear the Conclave will not be much help in the endeavor, they can speak their words but they will not take action. Not unless the horde provoke an attack, which will take many years for the blood elves to manipulate. I will not see this world fall to piece in the verge of self destruction again Rahlynn, and this is why I have called together the Shadow Council.� After thinking it over Rahlynn inquires, �What can six men do to change the tides of war?�, thinking it over for a moment the voice responds, �I have send Tebrimir on a quest to assonate the Blood Elf Ambassador, I would like you Rahlynn to hold an emergency meeting of the council tonight after your gathering with the conclave. Tebrimir will need a distraction, so I need you to take your men and march on Razor Hill.�. �Are you out of your mind?� Rahlynn responds in surprise, �Attack the horde in broad sight? Without an army?� �I do not mean for you to succeed, and I will be there to make sure your men are not killed. I only need you to pull the guards from their post long enough for Tebrimir to slip in unnoticed.�
As the sun sets on Razor Hill Rahlynn and his Shadow Council turn to leave the now ruined city. Weak, beaten, and exhausted they find a place of safety and gather in a circle. �This shouldn�t take long� Rahlynn says to the rest of the group has he extends his hands and beings to cut a whole into the fabric of reality. �Quickly through now I cannot hold it long,� and as instructed the council quickly step through the portal. Moments later the groups finds themselves standing in the mage tower of Stormwind, they make their way to a local pub known as the Blue Recluse where they all gather for a few drinks and take a seat at a table. �A good battle it was� Boomus congratulates the group, �Aye it was� Rahlynn says in a sad tone, �I only wish it would have gone more smoothly, I did not expect Firaawyn to discover us so easily.� Laughing Boomus raises his mug to the air, �Aye but she was always the intuitive one wasn�t she?� �Aye that she is� agrees the group. �What now� Draknas their newest member says to the group, �Well� Rahlynn says half heartedly, �What�s left? Boomus�s title was stripped from him, however expected it was, hell I expected it long before, ya lazy dog� Rahlynn says with a tone of laughter on his voice. Throwing the table�s center piece at him Boomus retorts in a sour voice, �Its not my fault I had other priorities, The Conclave and Knights where everything to me when I was a younger dwarf, but when Ogham revealed to me that prospect of who my tribe was, learning of them and finding them took priority.�
�As it should� Rahlynn retorts with a smile on his face.
Looking to the rest of the group sitting at the table Rahlynn stands and raises his cup and motions it towards each person present, �Forzalupo, Ellebris, Boomus, Draknas. Let us take a moment to think of Tebrimir, and hope that he returns from his quest in once piece.� �Ill drink to that� the group says as one. Only moments after does the door of the Recluse swing open and Tebrimir comes stumbling in bleeding and beaten half to death. He takes several steps towards the party and says to them, �I have failed� before falling to the floor and passing out. Moments later the necklace around Rahlynn�s next begins to heat up and he turns to the group, �Please see to him, I must step away for a moment.� Confused the party looks to him and then Tebrimir and then quickly rush to his aid.
Stepping out of ear shot Rahlynn grasp the necklace and whispers, �Go ahead�. The voice echoes in his ears, �All is not lost, I am sure by now Tebrimir has reported the failure, twas not his fault, he was setup. Somehow the Horde found out about the assassination attempt and when Teb snuck in to kill the Blood Elf Ambassador he was ambushed. I was barely able to get him out alive.� �Well I am glad that he made it out alive,� Rahlynn responded, �Yes, well we cannot let this stop us can we. It is time to pull together more followers, it is time to gather more strengths.� The voice explains, �That might be harder than you think, I don�t know if you calculated in your plans but Faeroth will not have us after this, he has already stripped Boomus of his title for grievance long past, Forz and Ellebris are also without alliances at the moment, and I surely will not be welcome back nor Teb and Drak, what other options do we have at this point?� Rahlynn questions, �That will be found in due time, there are others I am working with to turn the tides of this war, do not dwell over such things, now is the time to recuperate, we must stage the second attack when they least expected it, in the mean time work on gathering your forces, find alliances where ever you may, I will work things from my end. We shall not let this war happen!� And with those final words the voice stopped. Turning to rejoin his friends in the aid of Tebrimir he explains the plans to the group. �I will probably be summoned by Faeroth within a day or two to explain my actions, if not earlier depending on how long it took Firaawyn to get a hold of him. I fear this attack will not sit well with him but I cannot worry about that right now, we have preparations to make. We attack the horde again, but first we must replenish ourselves and find more support. I don�t think Teb is up for another attack just yet so we will have to plan this one a bit better. Faeroth�s and his knights will not support us in the war, he is a man of peace as I though I was, but oddly life takes interesting turns that way. For now we must find people with the means of war, for if we do not stop the events to come, this land will know war again!�
The group quickly takes Tebrimir over to the healing priests in the Cathedral, while seeing to his comfort Rahlynn slips away to speak with the Archbishop. Kneeling before the Archbishop Rahlynn explains, �I thank you for the care you showed me as a child, I thank you for leading me to such friends, but I am sure you know of the war that is coming. Things don�t always work out as they seem do they?� Smiling and shaking his head the Archbishop says, �I knew the day would come when you would find your place in this world. I had hope to save you from the troubles that the Horde bring but it seems as though every man must choose his own path.� �You are a wise teacher Benedictus, and a good friend.� Waving his hand the Archbishop says a blessing for Rahlynn and his friends. �Take care that your quest does not turn into greed, stay forever true to yourself and the light will bless you in your endeavor. Vowel to see and end to the coming war by whatever means and you will have my support.� �This I vowel� Rahlynn quickly responds, �But not without bloodshed.� Nodding with an understanding look on his face the Archbishop turns and leaves.
On his way to return to his friends the necklace beings to heat again, �I believe it is time to reveal your secret.� It voice says and then quickly fades away as fast as it came but the statement was clear. Walking into the nursing room Rahlynn turns to his friends and smiles, �I have a secret to reveal to you all,� he says as he places his hand to the orb on his forehead, �But know now that this is a secret that cannot be shared with any other.� Watching all their confused faces Rahlynn looks around one last time to make sure no unwanted eyes look towards him. As he looks around Tebrimir�s eyes open and look towards him silently watching, �I fear, that I have not been completely honest about my sight this last week� and he removes the Orb from his forehead. His eyes open to reveal not gray dead eyes, but bright flaming red orbs, they are not much different than normal eyes, the retinal is the same as others but the white around them reveal hot burning flames. Everyone gasps in shock, �They function almost as normal, but they are taking some getting used too.� �AND YOU KEPT THIS FROM ME?� Boomus rings out, �All the times I walked your blind arse around, and you keep THIS from me.� �I had no choice Boomus, let me explain,� And so he explains to the group of the mysterious voice who secretly leads them all.