Revenge point: Argus

Revenge point

Argus

Argus. Barren desert filled with fel spanned to the horizon. The earth was corrupted and darkened, rocks became nearly indestructible felslate, water puddles turned into fel lava. The sky had no clouds, it showed the emptiness of the Twisting Nether, stars and… Azeroth.

The giant planet loomed across the sky. The gigantic rift torn by Illidan Stormrage is in-between the two planets. Some say he doomed everyone... Some finally found their way home… Some could have their revenge...

The Burning Legion is endless. It conquered countless worlds. It will conquer countless more, unless stopped. It laid waste and ruin everywhere it went. This desert is what Legion leaves behind. Lifeless waste of ash, dirt, bones and fel.

She was not surprised.

Saltyne, being a veteran of the War of the Ancients knew what it does. Destroys everything in it's way. She destroyed everyone who stood against her own crusade on the Legion too.

She sighed. She came alone a long way, and there was no coming back. She was determined to do what she had to.

Saltyne looked at Azeroth. There was something she left there. A kid she protected so much.

She searched her bag for something.

It was a picture of her. Beside her a young human. Her dearest nephew Gideon. She sat with a mug in hand while he was standing nearby, all nervous.

A tear escaped her eye. She turned over the picture."«Dear Gideon." We have been through many things together but this adventure is too dangerous for you. I embark on it, knowing how badly it may go. But this is my own choice.  I protected you long, maybe not well enough at times and I am not happy with it. But I hope you can stand for yourself.  I leave you with Butterwing. I know he dislikes you at times but you should keep an eye on him. He is a good friend.  " " I hope you will understand this.  "I have to do it.""May Elune guide you.""Your grand auntie,""Saltyne Moonpike»" 

These were the same words she left him when she went here. It hurt her heart to do so. But she had to do it. She could not let this chance of revenge slip away from her grasp.

She was on Argus. Homeworld of The Burning Legion. If she hoped to find her murderer anywhere, then it is here. Where else will she find this brute Zuur'Dok?

She put the picture away. It would remind her of whom is waiting for her to come back victorious and alive.

She hoped she will but the chances are she will get severely injured in the process… If not dead forever.

Saltyne looked back to the wasteland. It was vast and empty. But she knew that the Legion's outposts were there somewhere. There she could learn information on the fellord she was seeking. In time she will find him… Or he will…  Didn't matter. Saltyne wanted to engage him one on one and she will. Any minion he sends after her will get destroyed by her wrath.

They were stronger here, He was stronger here. But she was also more experienced since Third War. She was determined to end him and his threat once and for all.

She went into the wasteland. She was past the point of coming back.

Her ice-cold eyes filled with determination and want for revenge. Her mind was set. This will be her revenge point. Argus will be her revenge point.

***

Saltyne slowly traversed the wasteland. Her mind was all about destroying the wretched demon. She didn’t pay attention to her surroundings as much as she usually did.

She was looking straight ahead while her thoughts muffled her ears. Yet she heard something. She rather felt it.

She felt a jolt of energy behind her. It stopped her in a moment. Whatever it was it was something she didn't see before in her entire life. The death knight was able to determine the school of the spell. Fel. Wasn't hard to guess it, especially on Argus.

But what did it do?

- You found the wrong target to pursue, demon. – Saltyne unsheathed one of her blades and turned around. An eredar assassin was standing behind her with a fiendish blade ready to stab her.

- No one expects to come on Argus and go back alive! – he striked at her but Saltyne was ready to parry it. The demon snarled.

- What? Expected me to be stupid? – she got her other blade out and unleashed a flurry of strikes against him – Maybe I am an idiot because I go around alone on Argus, but you made a grave mistake.

- Fool! – The demon striked at her again but he couldn't make it. His arm that he extended to slash her was butchered by Saltyne's onslaught. – AAAAAAAA! – he reeled in pain.

- Who is the fool now? – she grabbed his head and pulled closer to her face. – Tell Zuur'Dok… His final death is coming! – She stabbed him in the throat and left him gurgling with blood.

She looked at his body as it twitched, suffering. She listened to the muffled agony coming from his mouth. Yet she did not care. She didn't care for any demon's fate. She had to move on, though. The violent screeches and curses gurgled along her way.

Saltyne did not care. The demon felt her mercy. She could have hung him on a fel spike but she needed to give a word to Zuur'Dok.

The demon went quiet. Either Saltyne was away enough or he simply died. Didn't matter at all.

***

Antorus. The main stronghold of the Burning Legion. The demon that was just resurrected gasped for air.

- Zuur'Dok! I need Zuur'Dok! – he desperately yelled before shivarras cornered him, intending to punish. – I… I have a message for him!

- First, you will be punished.

- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

The pain was barely bearable. The torture they did to him was agonising. Yet one of the shivarras left the hall.

She summoned forth a wyrmtongue to send a message.

- Tell Zuur'Dok to come. – she said.

The messenger departed immediately. He went back through the portal he was summoned. Moments later his body flew back with force and hit the wall.

Out of the portal appeared he. The fellord. Bane of millions. Commander of Threatex. Zuur'Dok.

- A resurrected assassin has a message for you. Knowing you… - she smiled. – We will see him yet again soon. The coven dislikes your methods… Formally. – she chuckled.

- Show me this whelp! – Zuur'Dok exclaimed. The shivarrah showed him the way.

Her sisters were about to finish with the punishment. The eredar was barely alive.

- They said you have a personal message to me. What is it? – fellord spoke.

- Great… *cough*… commander… - eredar could barely speak. – She… she told me…

- She? What? I was called here just for you tell me about some girl? – the fellord was furious.

- She… the dead elf…

Zuur'Dok was stunned. If this was who he thinks it is he was not called here for nothing.

- What? WHAT ABOUT HER? – Zuur'Dok screamed at the eredar, deafening him.

- She told… Your… Final death… death is coming! – the eredar screamed at the top of his lungs.

- How did she look like? Is it her? – the fellord grabbed him by his throat.

- She wore… dark armor… halberd… and a warden tabard!

It hit Zuur'Dok. She was here. The night elf that killed him years ago. Hatred overwhelmed him. He smashed the eredar against the floor.

-  YOU DARED HUNT MY PREY? – He slammed his axe into the assassin’s leg, cutting it off.

- AAAAAAAAA! – the demon yelled in agony.

- SHE IS MINE! – another slam. – MINE ONLY! – he cut his arm off. – ANYONE WHO STEALS MY KILL! – he cut the other arm. – WILL FACE MY FURY! – he smashed the axe into the eredar's skull, splitting it in half.

Shivarras chuckled.

- Well. Here he comes back for more… - they laughed. Zuur'Dok went out and into the portal. He had a prey to hunt.

***

Saltyne felt like days passed in the wasteland. She walked on, encountering nearly no wildlife. She knew the Legion was busy fighting against the Army of the Light.

She shivered. Their lightforged shining armor was painful to look at for her. Fighting among them was hard. Once the naaru Xe'Ra was destroyed she felt a little better around the paladins.

Still the pain didn't leave her anywhere on Vindicar. What other choice did she have other than having it as the base of operations?

- Hello there! – a friendly demonic yell startled her.

Saltyne took out the Ebon Blade's halberd she took with her. Her eyes desperately searching for the target.

- Ahem! – a small imp stood beside her. He wore a pointy wizard hat.

She looked at him, curious. She never saw an imp in the wild so friendly.

- Hello to you! Folks call me Ponder, that's my friend, Jaws, welcome to Argus! We hope you will accept this humble gift of Legion! – he handed her a basket with various fel tainted items.

Saltyne stood there, silent. She looked through the contents of the basket for anything interesting. A purple crystal caught her sight. Could be useful.

- So? There is no need to kill each other if you join us! – Ponder looked at Saltyne with a bit of worry.

Saltyne grabbed the basket. She inspected the crystal that interested her.

- Yay! We are friends now! – Imp was very excited. Saltyne had nothing of that.

He did not realize that the bones of the fallen under the ground began their move up. The rose up until they grabbed the imp and started sinking him down.

- No! Jaws, I need help! – Ponder screamed. The felstalker ran at Saltyne but was stopped by the boney hands that grasped it.

- Tell me, Ponder. Where can I find Zuur'Dok? You will tell it your friend, won't you? – Saltyne asked calmly, looking at her image reflecting in the many edges of the crystal.

- Commander Zuur'Dok? Oh, he is on the outpost southwest from… here… - he realised what he just did. – I meaaan he is not on Argus. – Saltyne used her shadowy grasp to get the imp's throat into her hand. – Not… on… Argus... – he was scared.

Saltyne looked into the distance. She took a sharp fel knife out of the basket.

- Where is Zuur'Dok? - She caressed his cheek with a knife, leaving a line of blood.

- HE IS NOT HERE! HE IS NOT HERE! – Ponder screamed desperately.

- Are you sure? – Saltyne took imp's hat off and chopped one of his horns off.

- Nooo, please, I will tell you everything!

- Good. Where is Zuur'Dok?

- Th-there! – Ponder pointed at the sky. – He found you!

Saltyne looked up. This was not what she expected to see. A dimensional ship of The Burning Legion. Massive structure made of fel slate and countless souls loomed above her. She knew she was in grave danger. Her reflexes told her to run and she did. She ran for her dear life.

Fel erupted from the ship. It bombarded her with fel flame from above. Saltyne was lucky she spotted it earlier. Otherwise she would have died on the spot.

She ran to the nearby spiked mountain to take cover. It was a few dozen paces away. Fel explosions erupted left and right around her.

She did not see it but Threatex was preparing its main weapon to strike at her. Zuur'Dok stood on the bridge, overlooking the chase.

- Kill her! Kill her now! – Zuur'Dok threw insults at the Threatex crew. – I want to see her ashes!

- Master, don't you think capturing her would give far more pleasure than this? – the inquisitor floated to him.

- Last time I captured her she killed me! I am not taking chances here! Blow her up to bits! – he commanded. The technicians increased the amount of ammunition spent on the barrage.

The very ground quaked from the quantity of explosions going off. The main weapon has nearly finished its preparation. A giant sphere of felfire erupted from the front of the ship at Saltyne.

The screech of the weapon reached Saltyne just in time for her to react. She rushed to the left and took cover behind a rock formation.

The explosion lit the everything with a sickly green light. Saltyne was safe under the rock. But only for a moment. The next barrage was imminent. Saltyne looked around, to find anywhere she could hide. She saw a big enough hole under the rocks for her to squeeze in. She went there and ran through the tunnel away from that spot. That was close.

***

- Do you see her anywhere? – a demon from Zuur'dok's army asked another.

- No. Either we erased her or she survived. I believe we annihilated her. – the other replied. – Anyway, Zuur'dok won't be happy. He needs proof.

- True. – the demon was an eredar. He did not like being under pressure of Zuur'dok. Did he have a choice? – Is there at least anything to proof she is dead? Aside from the giant crater?

- Hm… - felguard looked closely at the ground. – We could say… This is all that remained of her. – he took out a piece of Saltyne's cloak. – There is no real evidence she survived.

- Yes, could work…

- This leaves us safe from his… wrath…

- Yes. But I will do another thing… - the eredar cast a spell at the ground. A pile of bones rose out of the ground. - If we say those bones are hers…

- We won't have a problem…

- Exactly. – the eredar made a portal and they both came inside.

Threatex was a standard Legion dimensional ship. Many demons were killed by Zuur'dok in these halls, giving him the reputation of one of the most aggressive, yet powerful Legion commander.

- Commander! – the fellord turned to the eredar calling him. – This is all we have found. – he handed a torn piece of cloak and a few bones.

- Hmmm… - fellord was thinking. Is she truly dead? If so, he won. But what if she wasn't dead. He put his doubts aside. – Well done. You can go now.

- Commander?

- Go. – he said calmly.

The two went away. Zuur'dok was left with bones and cloak.

- Finally my prey found its end.

***

Saltyne found the end of the tunnel. She climbed out into a cave. She was alone there. Looking around she saw no threat. Except something was amiss.

She took a look at her own armor. Still intact. Cloak was torn but that happens often to her. Saltyne checked her blades and halberd. Still good.

Something moved. Saltyne took out her weapon and got ready to fight.

- Come out of shadows, demons. I know you are there. – she declared.

- Demons? We are no demons. – a voice was heard. Two glowing green eyes appeared on the other end of the cave.

- Then who are you? – Saltyne pointed her halberd at something. – I know you are right here. No need for hiding.

A broken draenei moved. His flesh was sickly blue with patches of green. He looked at Saltyne with confusion.

- Brothers. She is not a demon. – he said judging by her looks. Several broken moved out of the shadows. – Who are you?

- I asked my question first. – Saltyne still stood there, ready to fight if needed.

- We are krokul, the last survivors of Argus. – he spoke.

- I am Saltyne of the Ebon Blade. – she didn't state the fact she was a death knight. Who knows what their reaction would be?

- Did you come from there? – a krokul pointed at the ceiling.

- Yes, I went down a hole in the rocks and got here…

- No, no, no. I meant from the planet in the sky?...

- Yes, of course…

- Finally a savior!- every krokul knelt before her. – Can you help us?

- If you help me back… - Saltyne stated coldly.

- We were trapped in these tunnels for a long time. We found a way out but there are demons there… Please, get us out of here.

- For this I want one thing. – Saltyne sheathed her halberd. – I want the location of Commander Zuur'Dok. – everyone frowned at that name.

- Madness! Who would want to find him?

- Well, some say I am mad, but if you don't want to help me, where is the point in me helping you? – Saltyne went away from the krokul.

- Fine! We will show you where he is. – one said.

- Good… - Saltyne went deeper into the cave without stopping.

***

- There. The demons… - the krokul pointed at a few imps outside.

- Imps? That's it? – Saltyne walked out of cover. Imps noticed her and ran closer to throw fireballs at her. She pulled one close to her and easily cut him in half. – That's it, right? – she beheaded another one with a slash and impaled the last one. – That's it?

Behind her some rumbling could be heard. She was not sure what it was, so she turned around. Behind her an imp mother emerged from a pool of fel.

- You killed my children?! – she cupped some fel in one hand and threw it at Saltyne who dodged it narrowly. – You will pay!

Saltyne took an aggressive stance and patiently waited for the next throw. When it happened she dashed forward to dodge the projectile and slash at the imp mother's flesh.

- Arg! I will tear you apart with my bare hands! – she tried grabbing Saltyne but was too slow. – Come back!

But Saltyne was already out of sight. She grabbed a fel steel chain that was lying around and threw it around the imp mother's neck. She then pulled one end to strangle her, while trying to keep herself on ground.

To seal the demon's fate she added a small bit of shadow magic to crush the throat. The fat demon could only gasp for air, but soon wordlessly fell. Saltyne kept pulling the chain for a minute or so just to be sure. After that, she threw the chain away and walked towards the krokul.

- So. Zuur'Dok… - she cleaned her halberd from fel blood.

- He is rarely seen outside of his ship here, on Argus. But there is one place he usually appears. The Fel Fort. – The krokul pointed at the structure that towered over the landscape. – There…

- Thank you. – Saltyne sheathed her halberd and went on, to the Fort.

- May the Light be with you… - Saltyne stopped for a second. Dark shadowy tendrils appeared around her hands but disappeared as quickly.

- Thanks. – she said bitterly. She set off towards her fate.

***

Saltyne arrived at the Fel Fort and took a good overlook to spy on its inhabitants. Demons never seemed to sleep and she didn't need to either so she kept her close watch over what was happening in the camp. She noticed patterns.

The wyrmtongue would always yell a name of the approaching commander. He was also the camp's alchemist.

The inquisitor though at first seeming threatening to her position never actually checked her overlook with his eye. His patrol route is always the same, he was no threat to her.

Felbats were another case. They would fly over her or land exactly beside her but given her training she just played dead and her awful rot stench scared them off. For once it had a use.

Felguards patrolling the ground were always looking bored and once an hour stood in the building for longer than needed.

Felhounds could smell her but they were not sure where I was. The eredar houndmasters punished them greatly for misleading.

The eredar though weren't taking everything by the book as others. As soon as the commander left they would have a banter about their favorite form of torture or do some spellwork. All to mildly entertain themselves.

Saltyne wasn't surprised seeing this disorder in enemy ranks. No army had everything by the book behind the commander's back. Even the wardens oftenly neglected their duties to have a chat.

Saltyne sat there motionless for a week at least. She was about to go find more krokul when she heard it:

- ZUUR'DOK! ZUUR'DOK IS HERE! – the wyrmtongue screamed. Saltyne nearly jumped up. Every demon lined up before the entrance to salute Zuur'Dok.

She got up and relocated closer to the command center. She raised her head and saw Threatex looming above. Saltyne had no time to spare.

She dashed as fast as she could to get a closer position.

- Well well well. – a winged eredar blocked her way. She was tall and fel infused. More than others. – After so much time watching you from the shadows I came to think you were really dead. I suppose it is now that I will finish this!

- Or not! – Saltyne focused her power on the demon's blood. It started boiling.

- Ha! My blood boils even without your pathetic magic! – she flapped her wings.

- And now? – Saltyne reached her hand out towards the eredar. The fel blood gathered in the demon's chest.

- What are you… - the assassin floated up into the air. Soon her chest blew up from the inside. Covering her in blood. It burnt down the demon's already revealing attire. Saltyne took a step closer. – What are you? – the eredar lady asked, crying. Crying from pain.

- The death of yours. – she got her blades out and smashed them into the assasin's wings. They fell down. Saltyne then pushed the rest of the body off the overlook. The eredar landed helplessly onto the spiky felslate formations, fel blood spewing everywhere.

The camp didn't notice the body yet, but they soon will. Saltyne went to one place that may save her. The Shadowlands.

She phased into the different realm and floated quickly to the command centre. Inside she saw a felguard.

- Who?... How did!? – she slammed a sword into his neck and stabbed him in the heart. Using her strength she lifted him up until the blades tore their way out of his flesh, leaving him dead.

Saltyne heard footsteps so she got out her halberd and prepared for a fight. The footsteps became more chaotic. Finally a wyrmtongue wandered in.

- Oh, hello! – he was immediately dragged at Saltyne's leg. – P-please… - was all he could say.

His dead body dropped a handful of potions. Saltyne took a quick look at them and grabbed one. There was no more noise from outside.

After taking a couple of steps, the death knight stopped. She turned around and took out the purple shard she got from the imp. It played with different shades of violet.

- You! – Zuur'Dok came in and was petrified.

- Yes. I finally have you where I want. – she turned around, her hand tightly gripping her halberd.

- I want you dead! – he took a step back. – Threatex! – a portal appeared behind him.

- Oh, you are not going ANYWHERE! – Saltyne charged at him and jumped through the portal with Zuur'Dok. She stood up, finding herself onboard of Threatex.

- Now I have you where I want. – the fellord laughed at her. – Bring in Gurn and Frekkar. Before I finish her for good I want them to be punished.

Saltyne was cornered by an army. Though she felt their… fear… She eyed each one, clearly seeing they were not going to attack her without Zuur'Dok's permission. Curious. She took a step closer to the line, every demon moved away from her. Most interesting. She walked to Zuur'Dok, every demon in her way moved out. She was not fully confident but her tactic worked.

- In your pride and arrogance you made your dogs too obedient. How fitting for a fellord. – she said, while being right next to him.

- What!? – he turned back, surprised. – You want to fight!? Very well. Everyone OUT! – every demon in sight ran out, though still peeking in on the fight. – I waited for this for a long time. – Zuur'Dok took his axe out. – That stick won't stand against my weapon! – he aimed it at Saltyne but she sidestepped away. She slashed him with the blade but it only made a dent in his armor. – Ha!

- How about this!? – Saltyne took out the purple crystal and extended her arm at Zuur'Dok.

- A soulstone!? Bah, you are an idiot to rely on that! – Zuur'Dok took Saltyne's hand and crushed it together with the crystal.

- Agh! – Saltyne looked at her aching limb. – There is the other way still. – She rushed in, with a battlecry, ready to do whatever she can to stop him.

- It reminds me of that time. – he swatted her away. – On that necropolis… - he landed his axe in the ground, though Saltyne was able to roll out of the way. – Though it lacks… - he put his leg on her chest and pinned her. - … the part where you cowardly hid from me! – he started slowly crushing her. – And now here you are. Right under my foot. I thought you would put up more fight.

- Oh, I am. – Saltyne took out the potion. Though she did not like the sound of doing it, was there any choice? She poured its contents into her mouth. – It's only the beginning. – her eyes turned fel green. Her sight clouded with green. Her rotten veins, filled with corruption. She felt power. She felt like she had the power of an annihilan. Grabbing the leg that pinned her she twisted it around, making Zuur'Dok fall down.

- What!? – he grabbed her arm but she just pushed him down again. – How!? – Saltyne took her blade out and jumped at him with a mad expression. She stabbed him a few times but he was able to throw her off himself. He got up and threw his axe at Saltyne. To his surprise she caught it with her hand and threw it away with it. Something blew up. The warp engine. – What the!? – the fellord fell down as Threatex tilted. Saltyne not only stood her ground, but she walked at him with her dagger ready.

Another explosion. Demons were running around, though Saltyne was not moved by it. The fel potion took over her mind, her actions. It was as if The Hunger took over her. But it was something else. She didn't lust for blood, no. She was enraged. Her whole body was burning. Burning with hatred. Burning from the inside.

- What have you… become!? – Zuur'Dok looked at her with mix of shock and… fear. – You think you can beat me!? On my… - the fellord rose up from the ground. – ship!? – he punched her hard, yet she did not move.

- Dalektharu il dask daku... – Saltyne spoke. Zuur'Dok was even more afraid of the green eyed figure before him. - Elas umanes azarathan rakas ibna. – she outstretched her arm infront of her. Shadow tendrils flew out at Zuur'Dok, pinning him in place.

Around them were explosions caused by Zuur'Dok's axe stuck in the warp engine. Eredar summoners proceded to open portals to evacuate the army from the falling ship. Zuur'Dok noticed this.

- Rats! I will have your heads! – in a moment he felt as if something from the inside started tugging out of his ribcage. He felt extreme pain but did not show it. He laughed. – And what are you trying to do!?

Saltyne wordlessly amplified her power and the fellord screamed in pain as his heart was being ripped out of his body with shadow magic. First the veins slowly tore off the heart, then ribs gave away, and finally the heart made its way through flesh. Zuur'Dok observed as it slowly floated into Saltyne's hand and groaned from pain. The heart finally landed on her hand, still beating.

- Hah, you have done… nothing!... I will… return!

Saltyne, grimaced madly, the hand that held the heart slowly motioned to her mouth…

The ship ruptured. This explosion sent shrapnel everywhere. It shredded Zuur'Doc. It shredded Saltyne.

With pain came realization. With realization came self-control. With self-control came fear.

Saltyne, regaining her mind, saw what she had done. Her adversary laid in a pool of felblood, his heart in her hand. She herself was not in great shape. Saltyne took out her blade and summoned all the might she had.

Another explosion. She was unfortunate to be looking straight at it. The bright flash blinded her.

Yet she did not need vision to the next thing. She used all the power she had left and tore open a rift with her dagger. She jumped through it, seconds before Threatex blew up.

***

Saltyne landed on the cold floor. Her vision did not return to her yet. Yet she knew these halls well. Acherus. She felt as something stepped to her. It sniffed her and with a geist scream it jumped at her. Yet she did not feel it land on her. Instead she heard a slash, a limp body fell down. Probably without a head.

- What are you looking at!? – she heard a familiar voice. – Go! – she felt a gentle touch on her side and immediately responded with a blade. – It… is all okay… you are safe now… - she let go of the dagger, the fellow death knight voice comforted her. She felt something pulsating in her other hand. The heart was still beating in her hands. She didn't let go of it.

- T-take me to Stormwind… - she said to whoever it was, her voice shivering. – Please…

***

Saltyne was taken to Stormwind where medics healed her by removing any felslate shards that were inside her body and applying bandages. She explicitly refused to get help from a priest, relying on a more conventional healing. Medics filled her with healing potions every day. She was given a blindfold for her eyes to let them relax and gradually regain sight. Soon enough she found herself getting better with each day. She could stand up and walk, struggling and hitting walls at times, but at least she could.

One day Saltyne decided to go to a more peaceful and fitting place for her. Stormwind cemetery. She felt a dead bird lying outside. She raised it undead and used its vision to guide herself to the graveyard. Slowly she made it there, stumbling upon many rocks on her way. There she sat and listened to the damned. She felt… at home.

Hours passed as she was feeling better by the moment.

She heard steps coming her way. She took out her elven blade she took with herself, the other one was lost on Argus.

- Who goes there!? – she jumped. She was incapable of fighting well but she still was armed.

- Saltyne!? – she heard a familiar voice.

- Giddy!? – the blade fell with a clank on the pavement.