Chapter Three- A Mission to the Shadow Vault

A mission to the Shadow Vault

The order received an urgent mission from the Highlord to deliver a letter to the Shadow Vault in Icecrown. What the content was no one knows. Duvaineth Wisp- Reaper quickly gathered what Knights she could find that moment, A few Ebon Knights an Argent Crusader and a half queldorei - half human ranger.All together they set out for Howling Fjord. When their ship docked at Valgarde, no one really noticed the Ebon and Argent banners that the small group carried. The area was in heavy battle with red drakes that flew over . Men yelled as they shot arrows at one drake, forcing it out of the sky where it crashed in the middle of the camp. Dwarves and humans leaped on it with large axes, removing the beasts head. Duvaineth and her men agreed they would not risk the mission to fight off the beasts, so they galloped hard up the cliffs, to the road heading North.

On their journey they noticed a large humanoid like figure watching them, but were unsure what it was. They did not chase it, but moved on, with the mission as a priority. Sometime passed until they all came to a halt. A bridge they had to cross was being blocked by a group of forsaken. Behind the forsaken stood this strange figure they had seen eariler. Despite the Ebon and Argent banners these forsaken rained arrows down on the group. Without hesitation The Argent, half elf and Ebons charged. The battle was short resulting in the defeat of the forsaken. During the battle the half elf ranger was wounded and lost her steed to the rain of arrows. The group could not understand why their neutrality was not respected. They searched the ground for the corpse of this strange figure. All that could be found was slain forsaken. It was clear that the strange figure escaped in the fog of battle. Duvaineth once again ignored the turn of events. Ordered the group to head to Westguard keep to attend to the wounded and get a new steed for the ranger. Unfortunatley on their way they were trampled by a herd of shoveltusks. There Sir Simon an Ebon Knight and Duvaineth took heavy damage to their armor. Despite being run over by the herd they pushed on with hope to repair what they could at Westuard Keep.

As they approached the keep a group of mounted humans met them at the entrance. They held their hands on the hilts of their swords as they stared at the group with disgust on their faces. The lieutenant in charge ordered for the Ebons and Argent to state their names, ranks and business. After a short talk they were allowed to pass into the keep for aid, but to be quick about it and not over-due their stay.

Once the wounded had been attended to, armor slighly repaired, and the half elf with a new steed, our small group galloped once again heading North. On the road they came across a lone drifter. A death knight with no tabard. A brief discussion took place resulting in all drawing blades. This was something the group could not ignore. A member of the Scourge in Howling Fjord. Ghouls were risen, necromancy, blood frost and unholy spells used by the Scourge and Ebons. The Argent armed with the holy light on his side, threw all that he had at his foe. The half elf fought with bravery, proving her abilities using beasts, bow and swords. This battle went on for a few hours, resulting in the death of an Ebon Knight and many wounded. The group had lost the battle to a single scourge death knight. Duvaineth had only one choice. She called forth her undead flying steed which carried her group to safety. Accepting a great delay in the mission, she opened a death gate to the Acherus, and tossed everyone through it.

Once they passed through, fellow Ebons came and took the wounded death knights away. The living were taken to lights hope chapel. Duvaineth carried the corpse of her fallen knight to a dark corner. Death knights and necrocromancers in cloth gathered around, where they all began helping Duvaineth place the body together, using metal bolts and whatever they had to fix, that couldn't be binded with magic. Through the endless hours of the night, they dumped large amounts of shadow magic and necrotic energy into the corpse. Only by the next evening to come, time would tell, if they managed to raise the fallen Ebon Knight.

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