RANGER GENERAL by J CAE

Part I

"Dedicated to Sylvanas, one of the underappreciated heroes in Warcraft--and her fans"

SPOILER: Everything up to Frozen Throne...my view on how Warcraft IV might turn out, hoi ^_~.

NOTE: More storyline-based than my previous fics, I hope. Sensible reviews welcome and thanks. Strictly no flames please. SYLVANAS FANS [!!yay!!] you made the right choice. OTHER UNDEAD FANS STAY AWAY. PG-13 Violence and language abuse (*cough cough* usually in author's notes)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Blizzard or Warcraft or Sylvanas or anything you recognize. I'm not making any profit from this thing, so whatever you're up to, forget it.

BEGIN

Do you remember me?

I was part of you, Elves of Silvermoon.

Through the years, I suffered and grieved with you. When the Scourge marched upon Quel'thalas, I was the first to get to the scene and defend your lives. I held the lines for your sake, braved death on the battlefield for your children's future.

And I DIED for you.

Not one of you was by my side to taste the terror of the cold runeblade. Yet I must be blamed for being possessed to do what my heart detested.

In your minds do you not recall a name now?

I once said that I would find my own way in this world.

And I shall.

CHAPTER ONE: NAMELESS

"Varimathras," Sylvanas whispered as she turned her eyes from the waning moon upon the greyish sky. Another day was about to begin. Time had long lost meaning to her yet she must still be bounded by it.

"Yes, my lady," the Nathrezim bowed. "I'm at your service."

"How far till the Elven encampment?" her boots fell soundlessly on the crimson snow as she resumed her journey.

"Two days on foot, my lady," the loyal dreadlord replied. Blood was everywhere--on the snowy lands, in the caves, up on the mountains tops. Even a blood-lusty vampire such as Varimathras felt unnerved by his surroundings. Ner'zhul had become so powerful after Illidan's defeat. It seemed that every single living soul on the continent was consumed, leaving behind only a disintegrating place of death and chaos. Perhaps the Nerubians who fought so hard for their freedom had been killed and converted already.

The Dark Lady sighed. Two days. If she successfully reached Prince Kael'thas in one piece, she would certainly make him pay for the boredom she was put through. But, she reminded herself, she was the one who wished to find him.

"We best make haste," she told her warriors. "I doubt Ner'zhul would let Kael'thas get off this continent..."

A low howl echoed through the frozen mountains, cutting her off. It seemed to come from high up the slope. Sylvanas narrowed her eyes and listened. She knew the cry.

"Frost wyrm," she muttered with distaste. And to her army, she said, "We must be wary of Ner'zhul's scouts."

"Mistress," one of her banshees suggested, gesturing towards the woods somewhere ahead of the band. "We could make use of the trees for cover." The trees were all dead and barren, their trunks splattered with blood. Yet the density of them shadowed the area, making it dark enough to mask the army's tracks.

Varimathras reminded her, "But the dim forests make a good hiding place for shades as well."

Sylvanas acknowledged his point, "Yes. We will just have to kill them before they can report them to their master." She proceeded towards the woods. Her army followed. The dreadlord lingered behind. Such change in her, he noticed. Each passing day, Sylvanas drew further and further apart from her elven heritage. The mercilessness she demonstrated on her foes was beginning to worry him. Who knows, one day she might decide to finish him? Then all that he had done to betray the Nathrezim and his own honour would be in vain.

Noticing that he lagged behind, Sylvanas turned her head and flared, "Dreadlord, you best keep your mind off my business."

"My lady?" puzzled, Varimathras mouthed. He had not said a word.

"I know what you are thinking," a hint of anger flickered in her eerie red eyes.

She was telepathic?

"I apologize," he bowed his head. Sighing, he followed her into the woods. He had no other choice.

*~*~*~*

Ner'zhul watched the Dark Ranger through the eyes of his spies. He was impressed by the persistence of the woman who refused to be beaten despite of her disadvantageous condition. She was far more cunning than he thought her to be. He should not underestimate her again.

His thoughts were interrupted as Sapphiron the frost wyrm appeared from amid the blood red snowstorm and landed before him.

Your humble servant Kel'thuzad has arrived at the coast, said the frost wyrm without moving its mouth. Ner'zhul could understand its meaning perfectly fine.

"Kel'thuzad?" Ner'zhul raised his brow. "What could he be doing here?"

Danger, Sapphiron told him. He came to warn you, my king, of grave dangers.

"Very well," Ner'zhul nodded his head. "Send escorts to bring him here."

Yes, great king.

"Wait. Avoid confrontation with the Dark Ranger of any sort," the Lich King said. "Until her plights are clear to us, she is not to be touched."

As you wish.

The mighty Sapphiron took to the skies and vanished back into the misty storm.

Ner'zhul shook his head. With Anub'arak still facing off Illidan's resistant forces, Sylvanas could wait. The calculated Crypt Lord would be the best choice to fight that crafty ranger.

And yet something bothered him still.

It was the warning that Kel'thuzad would bring. He knew, unless it was urgent, the lich would not leave his post and come to him. Something must have gone wrong back at Arthas¡¦s kingdom.

*~*~*~*

The dark woods cast eerie shadows on the blood-washed floor. Was there a single spot still free from the lich king's influence? Even the frosty wind that managed to breach through the desolate forest seemed to sing songs of death and betrayal.

Sylvanas who was running ahead of the band halted suddenly and stood still.

"Mistress, is something wrong?" the banshees gathered around her worriedly.

"I hear something...peculiar," the Dark Lady replied, scanning the area carefully.

"We hear nothing but the wind, Lady Sylvanas."

"Water running, about a mile eastwards from us," she told them. Her senses were sharper than the rest of them--she had been an elf after all. "But in this frozen wasteland? How come? We will head there to find out."

"But my lady," Varimathras said, knowing that he risked upsetting the dark ranger again, "this would mean deviating from our course."

"True," she nodded. "Stop this nuisance. I know what I'm doing."

Following the sound, they reached the edge of the woods. They would have to leave the protection of the darkness and head to the mountain area. They must move swiftly to avoid being tackled by any of their enemies.

And the weather seemed to get worse by the minute. Bloody snow fell heavily and mingled with the red and brown stains on the ground. The army fought their way up the slopes--the only ones who seemed unaffected by the wailing winds were the banshees.

Soon enough, a fountain of life became visible amid the storm. This was the source of sound that Sylvanas heard.

Twak!

She caught a dart between her fingers. Her army immediately surrounded her attackers with weapons drawn. It was two Naga warriors, bathing their wounds in the fountain who obviously mistook her for their enemies.

"How dare you!" Sylvanas fumed, tossing away the dart that was intended for her.

"No one possesses the Naga," the two amphibian warriors braced themselves for a final struggle. If Sylvanas was planning to possess them, they were ready to kill themselves before she could succeed.

"I am not interested in recruiting you foul snakes," she was about to finish them off when she changed her mind. "You serve Kil'jaeden?"

"What is it, elf witch?" the Nagas evaded her question.

Very well then. They asked for it.

She narrowed her eyes and spoke, "I have received orders from the demonlord himself. Escort me to the Blood Elven Prince."

Varimathras gasped, "Lady Sylvanas, he didn't..."

But she cast a silence spell on him before he could blow her cover. Yes, she knew the risks she was taking. She was inviting the wrath of the demonlord. Against him, she was powerless. Therefore she would need to be craftier than he was.

The two Naga did not doubt her words, "If it pleases you."

Smiling to herself, Sylvanas let them lead the way. It would be to her advantage if she could get through to Kael'thas with escorts. Behind her, the dreadlord seemed worried. He had seen what Kil'jaeden did to Ner'zhul. To suffer the same fate was not what he had in mind when he decided to follow the Dark Lady. Yet what could he do to stop her?

Sylvanas, on the other hand, was not in the least bit bothered by what she had just done. Rather, she was quite pleased with herself.

*~*~*~*

When they arrived, the encampment was still under invasion. Hot blood shed by the Elves and Naga poured onto the ground, melting the snow into a sea of dark red liquid.

A losing war.

It would not be long before the Crypt Lord Anub'arak could take out what remained of Illidan¡¦s forces.

Sylvanas licked her lips. To intercept such a battle would mean alerting the Lich King. Yet what could be wrong with that? Her ultimate purpose was to challenge Arthas, or Ner'zhul. Whatever he had become. She would kill the bastard who put her life in misery.

She had only limited forces--that was for sure. But whether or not she would succeed in the long run depended on if she could claim Kael'thas's forces.

All right. She was ready.

Nodding to Varimathras and her army, they charged. It did not matter how many enemies were on the field, or how many men she might lose. Figures meant nothing to her. As long as she could taste the sweet ecstasy of revenge, it would all be worthy.

Anub'arak, too, gasped as he saw Sylvanas and her Undead minions suicidally marched upon the battlefield--her warriors were fighting both sides of the battle. Whatever did that crazed dark ranger want? It was all beyond his comprehension.

And yet...

"Your lich king is a fool," Sylvanas gave the Crypt Lord a small malicious smile as they engaged in battle. "He sent you to hunt down the petty little pawns of Illidan whom not even Kil'jaeden cares about."

Anub'arak was stung by her comment, but he only warned her, "Guard your tongue, damned ghost. Or you will suffer the wrath of the lich king himself."

"Really?" Sylvanas laughed sarcastically, "I am petrified." She notched a black arrow to her bow and shot it at the crypt lord who evaded and returned a blow.

"Die, bitch!"

Varimathras came to the Dark Lady's aid by casting Rain of Fire on the enemy. Making use of the confusion, Sylvanas grabbed hold of Kael'thas and silenced him before he could utter a spell, "Hush. Don't scream. I have come to save you."

But he, of course, did not believe her for she was just another Undead to him. He struggled. The dreadlord punched him out cold and lugged him over the shoulders. With a loud whistle, Sylvanas signalled for her army to retreat from the battleground.

"Kael!" Vashj gasped in shock as she watched the young prince being abducted. She released an arrow at the dreadlord, but Sylvanas intercepted it with her own, breaking the Naga's arrow into two halves. Before Vashj could notch another arrow to her bow, the Dark Ranger shot her in the shoulder.

"Fool!" shouted Sylvanas as she and her minions cleared away.

Anub'arak's forces surrounded the injured Vashj...

*~*~*~*

What is she up to? And in my name too?

The demonlord Kil'jaeden watched Sylvanas's bold rescue attempt in amusement. Not that he cared to know what fate Kael'thas might suffer in the hands of the Dark Lady, but her act surprised him.

Good, he thought.

The ex-Ranger General of Silvermoon was still a talented leader despite of her death. After regaining her freedom, she had been on her own, yet she managed to exert her influence over a few banshees that eventually helped her enslave a notable force.

The pain of her death was her driving force--and it could be of use to me, mused the demonlord.

Very well. He would let her run around in his name for a while longer.

*~*~*~*

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