Chapter Text
Oliktalv Warfury had heard stories of Draenor, the world his people originally came from. He wondered if he was born in this world, but even if he was, he was too young to have any memories. Some of the veteran orcs that accompanied the expedition through the Dark Portal spoke of how the land they stood on used to be a thriving jungle for the hunters of the Bleeding Hollow clan. Oliktalv knelt down by the barren ground and dug his fingers through the rough dirt. The corruption of the land wasn’t like anything he had seen before in Azeroth. Some of the soldiers under his command took to calling the region “Hellfire Peninsula,” a fitting name.
Draenor was no longer the world that his people came from. It had been shattered and was now Outland, where the Horde faced numerous battles against the demons and their forces.
The orc warrior rose from the ground and looked over his shoulder at Thrallmar, the Horde outpost that he had been stationed at. Although he served under Nazgrel, Oliktalv was promoted to Stone Guard before being sent through the Dark Portal. Oliktalv had led small bands of warriors on raids against the Horde’s enemies before but this was his first time leading a battalion. He led five hundred men through the Dark Portal two weeks ago and has focused on facing the Burning Legion and the Fel Horde in battle.
Each battle had taken a toll on the warriors under his command. The demons and fel orcs were relentless in battle and many of his men had been killed or wounded terribly. At the moment, Oliktalv figured that he had around two hundred warriors still capable of fighting. He expected for Nazgrel to tell him where to fight next, and although he needed reinforcements soon, he would fight if commanded to.
Oliktalv was quick to notice a troll leaving the gates of Thrallmar and recognized him as Dal’bin, one of his most trusted scouts. Dal’bin stood half a foot taller than the orc even when hunched over and kept his bright red hair tied back as a ponytail. Dal’bin stood out in the harsh terrain with his blue skin but his dark leather armor and cloak kept him hidden. He had short tusks, calculating green eyes, and a youthful face. The rifle that he had holstered across his back was a surprising choice of a weapon for a troll but Oliktalv saw for himself how deadly he was with the firearm.
Dal’bin was a new addition to the Horde’s ranks, and although he originally hails from the Darkspear Tribe, wasn’t with his people when they joined the Horde. In fact, the circumstances that led the troll to join the Horde were out of ordinary. Oliktalv had seen Dal’bin in a fight, and while he had his doubts at the time, he decided to take a chance and ask for the troll to join his ranks. Dal’bin had proven himself as a skilled warrior and scout over time, and most important of all, he was loyal without question. Oliktalv knew that he made the right choice.
Dal’bin stepped in front of Oliktalv and saluted. “Commander.”
“At ease, Dal’bin. What’s new?”
“Overseer Nazgrel told me to pass along new orders. He wants us to deal with the Burning Legion’s offense on the Dark Portal and put an end to it.”
Oliktalv couldn’t help but frown at his new orders. He had seen the Burning Legion’s offensive on the Dark Portal when he first arrived on Outland with his warriors. There were numerous demons of all kinds trying to make their way into Azeroth with their attacks proving to be endless. The defenders, consisting of both soldiers from the Horde and Alliance, did what they could to protect the gateway and keep the people of Azeroth safe.
Although Oliktalv wanted to help, and he was proud to know Nazgrel trusted him with such a task, he couldn’t help but think that this was too much of a task. His warriors were experienced and had seen the horrors of the Burning Legion through their previous battles. Yet, they couldn’t match the numbers the demons had over them. Oliktalv wasn’t a brilliant strategist but even he knew that he needed to do more than his typical tactics to stop the Burning Legion’s assault.
“It’s a good idea,” Oliktalv started, though his frown remained. “The soldiers at the Dark Portal need a break from fighting. We’re going to need a plan. Dal’bin, have you found the portals where the demons come from?”
Dal’bin shook his head. “I know the general region where the portals are but that’s it. There are too many demons in the area for me to find out without risking my own neck.”
“We’ll need to find the portals before we make plans to destroy them,” Oliktalv noted, deep in thought. “I need you to relay a message back to Gotur. I need him to prepare our warriors for battle.”
“If you want to wait, word is that reinforcements are due to arrive in Thrallmar any day,” Dal’bin explained. “The Forsaken and our new allies, the blood elves, will bolster your ranks soon enough.”
Oliktalv nodded, taking in the development. He had fought alongside some of the Forsaken but it was difficult for the orc to trust them. Many of the undead were once human and the harsh treatment he faced during the internment camps stayed with him years later. He knew that he would have to get over his personal grudge to focus on the battles ahead. As for the blood elves, Oliktalv knew that they fought against the Horde many years ago, and while he never fought in the Second War, the elven warriors would need to earn his trust.
It was tempting to wait for the reinforcements to arrive. It would mean that he’d have more warriors to work with to deal with the Burning Legion. However, Oliktalv knew that Nazgrel wouldn’t want him to wait. It would be a difficult battle but he had a plan on how to take action now.
“Be that as it may, we’ll continue as planned,” Oliktalv said and shook his head. “I’ll lead my warriors against the Burning Legion’s forces. While the battle takes place and the demons are focused on us, I need you to take the opportunity to find the portals the Burning Legion uses. If you’re spotted, signal for a retreat. You’re dismissed.”
Dal’bin saluted, turned around, and made his way back to Thrallmar. Oliktalv knew that the troll would follow the orders even if he was uncertain of their success. Oliktalv once thought that such loyalty was something that only orcs held but the troll proved him wrong. He was glad to have such a loyal soldier to have his back when it came time for battle.
Oliktalv turned his head, looking in the direction of the Legion Front, where the Burning Legion massed their forces for attacks on the Dark Portal. He couldn’t see them with how far they were but he could picture them in his mind. The warrior wasn’t sure how many of his men would survive the coming battle. Still, he knew that they would all fight their hardest against the Burning Legion.
Determined to see his orders through, Oliktalv walked toward Thrallmar to help prepare his men for battle.
It pained Naur to see the state that Draenor had fallen into. While the draenei vindicator was present when the world was devastated and became Outland, he still found new ways the corruption of what land remained showed itself. Argus was where Naur was born but Draenor held a special place in his heart. He vowed to do what he could to ease the shattered world’s suffering.
Naur had adjusted to life in Azeroth when the call to cross through the Dark Portal was made. He volunteered to join the expedition and was assigned to Seventh Company. Formally, he didn’t have a rank with the Alliance military but was a consultant to the officers. The battalion made their way to Honor Hold, an outpost previously established during their first expedition, and bolstered the forces there. Naur overlooked Hellfire Peninsula from one of Honor Hold’s towers, keeping an eye out for trouble.
Seventh Company was led by Marshal Gregory Kell, a human warrior and veteran of the military. Originally a knight from a destroyed kingdom, Gregory was able to make his way to Stormwind and served the military there. Numerous conflicts had hardened the knight but there was still some kindness that he kept hidden away. There were times where he was strict with his drills and orders while other times he joined the enlisted men in the tavern, singing songs while enjoying the drink. Naur served as Gregory’s advisor on the history of Draenor, and while their opinions differed at times, the two held a mutual respect for one another.
There was one officer that Gregory consistently invited to his meetings. Captain Kelvin Gearwork had previously commanded Seventh Company during the Second Wars, and if the gnome was disappointed that one of his subordinates was now in charge, he didn’t show it. Gregory, knowing of Kelvin’s tactical brilliance, invited him to strategy meetings to help come up with battle plans. Naur, who joined them during such meetings, found the gnome to be efficient yet cold, and had often argued against him on some of his plans because of the risk they put the soldiers in.
So far, Naur had only fought in a few battles on Outland. The Seventh Company was meant to fight in defense of Honor Hold and Gregory was careful in picking their few offensive marches. Still, the draenei felt that the stability of the group wouldn’t last for long. Hearing footsteps coming up the wooden stairs, Naur turned to see a young man with short blond hair. The man’s face was strained from the weight of the armor he wore.
“Balthar, how good of you to come by,” Naur said with a warm smile.
The young man nodded and saluted the draenei. Balthar was Gregory’s squire and the son of an old friend the knight made during the Second War. It was Gregory’s task to train Balthar into a warrior but Naur thought that the squire could do better following another path. Naur had taken the time to get to know Balthar and found him to be good-hearted yet quiet. It wasn’t the squire’s physical ability that made a career as a warrior a futile effort (although Balthar certainly didn’t have the muscles to fight) but his peaceful nature.
“Sir,” Balthar greeted, standing at attention.
Naur shook his head. “Remember, Balthar, I have no rank.”
“But Gregory lets you give orders all the same,” Balthar reminded the draenei, slowly relaxing.
“Be that as it may, I’d rather not have my friends go out of their way to be formal with me,” Naur told Balthar with a reassuring smile. “How can I help you?”
“Captain Gearwork has called for a meeting with Sir Kell, who has invited you to join. A scout has reported that a band of orc warriors are leaving Thrallmar.”
Naur nodded along at the instructions, seeing where this was going. There was an armistice between the Alliance and Horde but relations between the two factions were tense. Kelvin, having fought the orcs when they invaded Azeroth, was mindful of the Horde’s movements. He was always suspicious of their activities and often suggested action as a show of force. The gnome was mindful of the armistice but believed that it was only a matter of time before war broke out.
Gregory, having fought in the same war as Kelvin, was distrustful of the orcs. Still, he often invited Naur when discussing what to do about Thrallmar to serve as a counterpoint to Kelvin. Although the orcs once waged war against the draenei, Naur had moved on from the destruction and looked forward to seeing what the orcs would do in their new era. He was the voice calling for a peaceful approach with the orcs or leaving them be.
If Kelvin called for the meeting, it likely meant that he was suggesting a course of action against the Horde. Naur would need to intervene but had a plan in mind.
“Which scout was it that reported the Horde’s activity?” Naur asked.
“Finnal Leafshadow,” Balthar answered. “She’s still in Honor Hold if you’d like to talk to her but hasn’t been summoned to the meeting.”
“She’s the druid, yes?” Naur asked with Balthar nodding in confirmation. “I need you to pass along a message to me.”
“A message?” Balthar blinked in confusion.
“Ask her to keep an eye on the Horde’s forces. If they return to Thrallmar, she is to let me know immediately, regardless of what I’m up to. Can you do that for me?”
“Of course,” Balthar nodded quickly. “You’ll be able to find your way to Sir Kell, right?”
“That I will,” Naur smiled. “Go in peace, my friend.”
Balthar saluted once again and made his way downstairs. Naur looked over at the wasteland one last time and made his way down the tower. He had a good feeling that the meeting was going to be long but the vindicator was prepared to endure the debates.
Leading his men in formation to the Legion Front, Oliktalv wondered if the heavy casualties his battalion took were because of the enemy or his poor leadership. He had no problems leading small skirmishes but large scale battles were still new to him. Oliktalv couldn’t help but wonder if he made too many mistakes as a leader and was making another costly mistake now. It was too difficult to blame his losses entirely on the enemy.
Despite his doubts as a leader, Oliktalv pressed on. Ever since his promotion, he hadn’t lost a single battle against the enemies of the Horde. He also fought alongside his warriors in each battle. Oliktalv knew that there were some leaders that directed from the back but he couldn’t stand the thought. He was a warrior at heart and he would fight alongside his warriors no matter the battle.
Approaching the top of a hill overlooking the Legion Front, Oliktalv held his hand up in a fist over himself. The warriors behind him stopped moving and their commander stepped up to overlook Legion Front. The demons were numerous, and while they mostly consisted of felguards, there were several imps and felhounds among the ranks as well. There were a few other kinds of demons among the ranks as well but nothing powerful enough that enough warriors couldn’t bring down.
Fortunately, the Burning Legion had yet to notice the Horde’s approach. They were focused on the Dark Portal and hadn’t had to face an attack from behind yet. Oliktalv frowned, thinking that the only reason the demons were so careless was because they had the strength to act in such a manner. He’d be able to take the Burning Legion by surprise, but the longer the conflict lasted, the more time the demons would have to turn the battle against them.
Oliktalv turned around to face his warriors. A single orc in heavy metal armor stepped up from the ranks with a large greataxe in hand. Gotur Bonelash was second-in-command of the battalion in part due to the friendship he had with Oliktalv. While the two orcs were close friends, they had their differences. Gotur was taller than most orcs and muscular underneath his armor, and while Oliktalv grew his dark hair to his shoulders, his friend was cleanly shaved. Oliktalv’s skin was a darker shade of green than Gotur’s skin but the two had brown eyes.
The two warriors had fought by each other’s side ever since they were freed from the internment camps. Although Oliktalv was jealous that Gotur was the better warrior between them, he wouldn’t have anyone else at his back. The armored orc grinned widely and slammed his fist over his pauldron in salute.
“Are the warriors ready for battle?” Oliktalv asked his friend.
“They will be after you give a speech to raise our morale,” Gotur told Oliktalv, hoisting his greataxe over his shoulder. “There are a few who are concerned after the losses we’ve suffered from our earlier battles.”
Oliktalv shook his head. “You of all people should know that I don’t do speeches.”
“That didn’t stop me from telling the others that you were going to give a speech,” Gotur laughed.
With a sigh, Oliktalv rolled his eyes. They were friends but Gotur was always pushing Oliktalv’s patience in new ways. Still, he wouldn’t be a good leader to go against what Gotur told the others and he recognized that morale was low after the casualties they suffered. Oliktalv turned to face his warriors, and with a hand gesture, signaled for their silence and attention.
“All of us have seen battle, and during so, we’ve seen both enemy and friend fall. We shall not forget our fallen brothers and sisters even though they are no longer with us. We shall remember that they fell while fighting honorably and wouldn’t want us to mourn for long. Instead, they would want us to remember them by cutting each demon that stands before us down. Today, we fight for not only the Horde, but the fallen warriors looking on at us to finish the fight!”
Oliktalv turned around, hearing the cheers of his warrior. Gotur grinned at his friend and clapped alongside the others. So far, the demons had yet to notice them even with the sound due to the cover of the hill. They had the element of surprise still. It was a matter of keeping them focused on them so Dal’bin could focus on his task.
Preparing himself for battle, Oliktalv pulled out the two swords he kept sheathed at his side. While most orcs he knew fought with axes, he found that he was drawn to the sword, which was considered to be more of a weapon meant for humans. During his time in the internment camps, Oliktalv saw how the humans fought with their swords and knew how capable they were. With leather armor to keep him somewhat safe with greater mobility, the warrior’s fighting style was focused on being faster than his enemy to cut them down before he’s attacked.
“Lok’tar ogar!” Oliktalv called out, pointing one of his swords towards the Legion Front.
“Lok’tar ogar!” Gotur joined in.
“Lok’tar ogar!” the rest of the warriors cheered.
The orcish warriors charged over the hill and toward the nearest demons, ready for battle. They caught the Burning Guard off guard and the orcs killed several demons with their initial attack. With their enemy unorganized and the first felguards to fight back rash, it was an easy battle. Oliktalv cut his way through any warrior that fell in his way, nimbly avoiding the few attacks thrown at him while slashing apart demons with his swords. Gotur overpowered any enemies he came across, and while there were a few imps that casted fire bolts at him, his armor endured the blow before he chased after the pesky demons. The rest of the orcish warriors were also successful in their opening attacks, calling out with various war cries.
Oliktalv threw a dead felhound that jumped onto his blades off to the side and noticed that the remaining felguards were getting into formation to confront the orcs. Oliktalv called for his men to do the same and prepared to face an organized force. Fortunately, he had come up with a technique meant to break the initial defensive line and give his warriors a chance to charge in to take advantage of the opening. Oliktalv found Gotur tossing away a dead imp from his greataxe’s blade.
“Gotur!” Oliktalv called out. “You know what to do!”
The armored warrior nodded and called for the largest warriors to join him. With a dozen warriors by his side, Gotur led a charge into the demon’s formation. The felguards tried to stop the charge, and while two orcs were killed, the rest attacked and pushed the demons back. Gotur struck down three felguards in a single swing and roared out, prompting Oliktalv and the rest of the warriors to charge through the opening he made. It was a simple tactic but one that proved to be effective, even if their enemy learned how to defend it for their next defensive line.
Cutting down demon after demon, Oliktalv could feel a bloodlust build up from within him. Over the battles he fought, he realized that during the heat of action, he often fell into an uncontrollable rage. While Gotur told him he was stronger, Oliktalv knew that he was careless. The few fights that he lost were because he succumbed to his bloodlust and left himself exposed during a furious assault.
As the leader of the attack, he couldn’t afford to fall into a rage. He found himself on the defensive, blocking a felguard’s polearm with both of his swords, as he tried to calm himself down. Seeing the fallen orcish warriors around him wasn’t helping. Oliktalv turned to faze the felguard, broke from the blade lock, and ran him through with both swords. The demon collapsed down to the ground and the orc was glad that although his warriors were taking losses, more demons had fallen.
While fighting back against his bloodlust, Oliktalv noticed a nathrezim standing on top of a small hill behind the demons. While the felguards were busy fighting, the dreadlord overlooked the battle, shouting out commands. The warrior held back his rage just enough to realize what the demon was planning when he pointed his claws toward a large group of orcs fighting against a band of demons.
Before Oliktalv could warn them, several sickly green orbs fell down upon the orc and demon alike, blasting them apart in a violent explosion. He knew that the Burning Legion had artillery but never thought they would risk it on their own soldiers.
It was then that Oliktalv fell into his bloodlust, letting his anger at the loss of his men guide his swords. The rest of the battle went by in a blur, and although he knew he struck down numerous demons, he could only see red. Oliktalv screamed out in fury, determined to avenge the fallen.
It was when he heard the horn calling for retreat that Oliktalv snapped out of his rage. In the moment that he did, a felguard struck him from behind, slashing his glaive across the orc’s back. Oliktalv collapsed down onto the ground and groaned in pain. He struggled to get back up and saw that the felguard was raising his weapon to finish him off. Oliktalv spat blood onto the rough ground, and even though he accepted his death, he knew that Dal’bin must have been able to flee if he called for a retreat.
“Lok’tar ogar!”
The felguard turned to face the charging orc but was too late to defend itself. Gotur cleaved his greataxe through the felguard’s shoulder and down into its body, ending the demon’s life. Another explosion from the Burning Legion’s artillery deafened the warriors and shook the ground. With a grimace, Gotur picked up Oliktalv and threw his friend over his shoulder. Oliktalv groaned in pain from the movement but was glad that he might be able to fight another day.
The same could not be said of many of the others. There were many fallen orcs across the battlefield and that was before remembering those blown apart by artillery. The Burning Legion was quick to cut down those that were too slow to retreat. Gotur swatted aside any felguards that came his way with his greataxe, focused on getting back to Thrallmar. Even with the information Dal’bin had, this battle would be a devastating loss.
Oliktalv closed his eyes and fell unconscious, thinking of the fallen.
Finnal went unnoticed by orcs and demons alike even though she saw the entire battle play out. The forces paid little attention to the small crow that circled the Legion Front, watching the fight. The orcs suffered heavy casualties from the Burning Legion’s artillery fire. From the sky, she could see the cannons positioned on a ridge overlooking the hill, hidden from those looking from below. It came as no surprise to know that the demons were willing to sacrifice their own ranks for a chance to kill orcs but she still felt remorseful for the fallen warriors of the Horde.
Thinking over how the battle went, Finnal wasn’t sure why the Horde would make such a reckless attack. Even if they were supposed to end the siege on the Dark Portal, they didn’t have the numbers to make it to one of the portals. It was only after the retreat horn was sounded that the druid noticed a single scout who snuck his way through the Legion Front. He had made it to one of the metal gateways established by the Burning Legion before retreating, taking down several demons along the way with his rifle.
Finnal realized that the attack was likely a diversion to give the scout time to learn the portal’s location. However, he managed to only find one portal before the demons discovered him. Finnal wondered why the Horde didn’t use wyverns to scout from above when she remembered the cannons. She went unnoticed due to her size but the same couldn’t be said of wyverns.
The orcs retreated back to Thrallmar knowing the location of one portal. It was a shame that they couldn't see that there were four portals like Finnal saw.
The druid recalled the instructions to return to Honor Hold and report to Naur when the Horde returned to Thrallmar. She didn’t think much of the task but now wondered what the draenei had in mind sending her out. Finnal would have to ask him after she gave her report. With the battle over, the crow turned around and flew back toward Honor Hold.