lts always
looked at me strangely when I said that wizards were always men； after all。 That last was said with a certain
bitterness。
So were soldiers。 I grew up with nine brothers； and they were all soldiers just like my father。 I didn t see any good
reason why I shouldn t be one； either。 Lorena chuckled。 I got the same strange looks； believe me。
The drinks arrived a moment later； as did Aegwynn s salad。 Lorena held up her mug。 Would you like a taste？
Boar s grog smelled about as wretched as the animal for which it was named。 Her nose wrinkling； Aegwynn
politely declined。 I m afraid I haven t had a drink of alcohol in well； centuries。 Mages can t afford the loss of
mental acuity； so I lost the taste for it some time ago。 She held up her mug； which was apparently a mixture of the
squeezings of three or four different fruits。 This is as strong a concoction as I m willing to imbibe。
Makes sense。 Lorena threw back a big gulp of her grog。 Me； I can drink four of these things before I even notice。
Always had a high tolerance。 She grinned。 When I was a rookie with the Kul Tiras City Guard； I always used to
drink the men in my barracks under the table。 We started having contests with the other barracks； and I was always
the secret weapon。 She laughed。 I quadrupled my ine on bets alone during that year。
Aegwynn smiled as she nibbled on her salad。 She found herself enjoying talking with this woman an emotion she
wouldn t have credited herself capable of feeling only a day ago。 She had been thoroughly convinced that she had
no more use for the pany of other people。
The steward brought a pile of assorted meats； cooked to a fine brown。 Aegwynn only recognized some of them； but
she assumed the livestock on Kalimdor was different enough to account for that。 It had been years since she ate
meat； and； unlike the smell of the colonel s drink； the smell of the meat was almost intoxicating。 As a mage； it was
her constant panion the exhaustive requirements of casting spells required regular infusions of protein but
since her selfimposed exile to Kalimdor she hadn t the wherewithal to hunt her own meat； nor the physical need to
consume it； so she had bee a vegetarian。
Mind if I have a bite？ To Aegwynn s surprise； she asked the question shyly another emotion she didn t think
herself still capable of。
Pushing the plate to the center of the table they sat at； Lorena said； Be my guest。
As Aegwynn hungrily chewed a piece of what looked like boar sausage； Lorena asked； I have to ask； Magna
what s it like？
It s Aegwynn； she said while chewing her sausage。 I stopped being the Guardian when I passed on the power to
my son。 And I m certainly unable to fulfill the responsibilities of the title now。 She swallowed。 What s what
like？
Living for so long。 I m a soldier； born and bred； and I ve known from the beginning that I probably won t live to
see my fortieth year。 You ve reached your fortieth decade twice over。 I just can t imagine that。
Aegwynn let out a long breath which now smelled of boar sausage； an odor that was still more pleasant than the
grog named after the same animal。 There really wasn t much time to reflect on things。 Guardian is a fulltime job；
sadly。 Demonic threats have been a constant since before I was born。 The attacks became more overt in recent
times； which probably made things easier。 But when I wasn t stopping demons I was covering up evidence of their
perfidy。 Most people didn t know about it or about me and the council preferred to keep it that way。 She shook
her head。 It s odd I defied them in so many ways； but that particular credo I kept to。 I wonder if that was a
mistake。 Yes； people probably felt safer not knowing the truth； and more people died in the recent wars but the
demons have also been more roundly defeated。 Your Lady Proudmoore and her orc friend did more damage to the
entirety of demonkind than has been done in thousands of years。
We re contentious beings； mortals。 Lorena smirked。 Give us a foe to fight； and we ll go after it with our dying
breath。 And beyond； if needs be。
Indeed。 Colonel may I have another piece？
Lorena laughed and said； Help yourself。
Taking another piece of meat this time one she didn t recognize Aegwynn wondered what would happen after
this was over。 She found the prospect of returning to her little hut in the Bladescar Highlands to be less enthralling
than she would have thought。 Jaina had been correct humans and orcs had built a life here； and it was because of
Medivh。 Which meant； ultimately； it was because of her。 Perhaps it would be best if she reaped the fruits of her
labors…。
Before she could ponder further； Jaina entered the dining hall。 I ve found them。 We must move quickly。
The young mage looked ragged。 Aegwynn stood up。 Are you well？
A little tired。 I ll be fine； Jaina said dismissively。
Aegwynn pointed at the plate of meat。 Eat something you ll be of no use to anyone if you collapse； and I know
better than anyone what happens to spells that aren t cast with full concentration。
Jaina opened her mouth； then closed it。 You re right； of course； Magna。
Lorena leaned over to Jaina。 She doesn t like to be called that。
At that； Aegwynn barked a laugh。 She was really starting to like this colonel。
After Jaina wolfed down some of Lorena s meat Aegwynn was amused to realize that Lorena had gotten the
smallest share of her own meal the lady said； The Burning Blade is operating out of a cavern atop Dreadmist
Peak。
Lorena winced。 Oh； great。
Looking at Lorena； Aegwynn asked； What s the problem？
Dreadmist Peak is aptly named。 The upper regions of the mountain are choked with this orange mist。
Dismissively； Jaina said； It s residuum from an ancient demonic curse on the place。 That s probably why Zmodlor
chose it that； and its location； since it s about equidistant from both rimmar and Theramore。 In any case； my
magicks will protect all three of us from the effects of the mist。
Good； Lorena said emphatically。
Also； Duree was able to find this。 Jaina pulled a familiarlooking desealed scroll from inside her cloak and
handed it to Aegwynn。
She took it； noted that the broken seal was that of the Tirisfalen； then opened it and laughed。 The scroll s lettering
was in her own handwriting。
Handing it back to Jaina； Aegwynn said； That s my refinement of the banishdemon spell。 I wrote that three
hundred years ago； after Erthalif died and I got access to his redoubt。 She shuddered at the memory of the old elf s
library； which would have had to be several orders of magnitude neater before it could be considered merely a
mess。 It took her and Erthalif s staff ten weeks just to anize the scrolls； scrub away the desiccated food and
drink； and chase off the vermin。 When she found the notes taken by the legendary elf wizard Kithros on the moving
of objects from one realm to another； Aegwynn had been able to incorporate them into a more efficient spell for
banishing demons。 I daresay if I d had this eight hundred years ago； we wouldn t be dealing with Zmodlor today。
Jaina put the scroll back in her cloak。 Actually； no。 I checked up； and it turns out that you were pletely
successful in banishing Zmodlor the first time。 But when the Burning Legion attacked； they recruited many
demons； including ones that had been banished by the Tirisfalen。 When the war ended； several stragglers managed
to stay in this world even when the legion was driven back。
And Zmodlor was one of them？ Aegwynn asked。
Yes。 Jaina nodded。
Unsheathing her sword and sounding to Aegwynn remarkably gungho for someone who was so appalled by the
notion of going to this Dreadmist place Lorena said； Milady； if I may ask what are we waiting for？
This warning； Jaina replied。 I was unable to scry too closely； for fear of being detected； so I m not sure what
kind of protection Zmodlor and his warlocks will have。 We must be ready for anything。 She turned to face
Aegwynn。 Magna Aegwynn you need not acpany us。 It may be dangerous。
Aegwynn snorted。 This was a hell of a time for her to say that； and a bit of a reversal from her earlier lecture on her
responsibilities as Guardian。 Then again； at the time they had thought that she had failed in her banishment of
Zmodlor； and now they knew that was not the case。 Yet； she still felt some measure of responsibility。 I was facing
dangers far worse than that little twerp of a demon when your greatgreatgrandparents were infants。 We re wasting
time。
Jaina smiled。 Then let s go。
TwentyOne
C orporal Rych had no idea who it was who started the fighting。
One moment； he was standing there in the skirmish line in front of Northwatch Keep s wall； Private Hoban on his
left； Private Allyn on his right。 They stood about twenty paces behind Major Davin。 The major himself was
amazing； just standing up to that orc like the war hero he was； not scared or nothing。 Did them all proud； the major
did。
The next moment； the skirmish line was shattered； and orcs； trolls； and humans were getting into it。 All around him；
he heard the clang of metal on metal； and the shouts of both sides imploring their fellows to kill their foes。
Not that Rych minded all that much。 The orcs had their nerve； they did。 Wasn t enough they had to pull their stunts
in trade at Ratchet； leading to a good man like Captain Joq getting pinched by the bruisers； now they had to e
and try to kick them out of their rightful place in Northwatch。
Rych wasn t putting up with that； he wasn t。
He unsheathed the family claymore。 Father was part of the Kul Tiras Irregulars back in the day； and used the
claymore to good effect。 After he died of the flu； Mother joined up and killed plenty。 She died fighting the Burning
Legion； and the claymore came to Rych which was a relief； as the longsword he d been using was crap。
Although he wasn t as good with it as Mother； he was better than Father was； and he intended to spill plenty of orc
and troll blood with it。
One of the trolls came right at him； holding up a huge cleaver。 Rych parried the cleaver； then kicked the troll in the
stomac