As light came to the world a third time, time became its foe for it could not allow the light to shine, for if it did… the history that time kept would be put into jeopardy!
→→→→Excerpt from the mad paladin Saidan Dathrohan
As the beast charged onto the old wooden bridge, guard Captain Thomas gave his order! [Defensive formation! On this side! Don't cross the bridge! Let the demon come to us!] Hedging their captain's call, the men did not question their leader, for he had chosen to sacrifice the bridge, instead of their lives.
But as the men stood watching the demon getting closer, their nerves betrayed their previous bravado, for with shaky legs, they stood! Their captain knew full well how the men were feeling, for he too was also feeling the same! But he knew he could not allow those feelings to take root, for he was their leader! So, with closed eyes, the captain took a few deep breaths to calm his mind. As he allowed the fear to slowly dissipate, he gripped his sword ever tighter and tightly! And then… With open eyes, he said:
[Me,n don't be scared! I know the foe that stands before us is a monster that came from the father of chaos, os, but even so, remember what is at our backs! Remember why we took this job in the first place! It was precisely to protect that home of ours that we laid down our lives at the feet of our enemy! Remember, we were not the first to do so,o and we won't be the last so long as we fight! So, stand strong and fight!
Fight to protect that future where our kids can grow up and do the same when their time comes! It is a moment like this that we honor those who came before and those who will come after! Remember the strength our forefathers showed during the First and Second World Wars! Remember how they died to save our families that were captured at the dark portal! Remember the pain and hatred they showed to the Orcs that ruined their lives! OUR LIVES! And lastly… REMEMBER WE FIGHT FOR THE ALLIANCE!]
At that very moment, the men stopped shaking, and the shadow of doubt that had been cast before their eyes cleared! For in this moment of clarity, they now had a reason to die! For at this moment, their career was no longer just a job to keep food on the table! For it meant so much more! This…this was the moment they were born for!
They all felt it… No! It would be more accurate to say they knew it! With strong legs they now stood, with shield and swords in hand, as the silently night grew dark, their light shone the brightest! With renewed determination, they watched the demon step onto the bridge!
But how can such an old wooden bridge hold the weight of such a monster? For what happened next was as captain Thomas believed what would happen!
The bridge failed to hold its weight and completely collapsed, sending the demon into the stream! The second the demon hit those cold, beautiful, clear waters. The water burned with such a fever! NO! It boiled with such anger that it could melt steel! As steam rose like a steam explosion, the men hid behind their shields! Willing and waiting for what was to come! But what came wasn't what they expected!
For the demon didn't march onto them, nor did it charge at them. No! It instead stood still, while its four big tentacled eyes charged a red flame! Panicking with the realization of what the demon was going to do, Thomas quickly ordered his men to put their shields up! But how can plain steel hold against such power? For like paper to a flame, their hardened steel melted like hot wax! Pierced in either the head, stomach/leg, or hands! No one was spared!
As misty clouds cleared, Thomas found himself lying there on the grassy forest floor, with his mind fuzzy, he tried to sit up when the pain came rushing like a tidal wave! Through gritted teeth, he tried to stand up, only to find that he couldn't!
For he had a fist-sized hole burned through his right thigh and left shoulder. He looked to see that he was the only lucky one, for at least he still had all his limbs and was alive, for as he continued to look around, the smell of burning flesh coupled with the screams of his men made him realize just how bad the situation had become! Worse even! For the fact that the creature only attacked them one time, and they were already put in such a state!
To his horror, he sat there watching as the demon used its tentacles to pull the dead or the limbless to his grotesque mouth! With, widened mouth, it chomps on the still-breathing men! As bone crushed and blood rushed, with married screams! Thomas silently cried for those men… until it came for him! As he was pulled towards the demon, he stared in defiance with a heart full of hate at the demon.
As to response to Thomas' defiance, the creature merely laughed with a grin so big! It's as if it feeds off Thomas's anger and madness! As Thomas felt the creature's sulfurous breath, the hinges of his hair burned from the radiant heat! While four eyes stared his way up and down, the demon skull-like mouth opened one last time to chomp him down! Thomas, filled with "righteous fury," mustered what strength he could to grip the sword in his right hand and was about to stab the demon down his throat! When four icicles came flying through the air, implying all four eyes at once! Wincing back in pain, the demon drops Thomas and roars!
Confused as to what just happened, he couldn't believe what he was seeing, nor could he believe his ears, for the voice he heard belonged to someone he hadn't seen in a long time!
[Get up! Soldier! For now, it is not the time to be lying there!] said Jaina Proudmoore!