Kudran stared at the forests surrounding him. Trees so exotic and beautiful.
Kudran, the magically gifted elf-archer, had led an entire army of the Human Alliance through a portal. Kudran looked to his left and saw his men lying around, he had been the first to awaken. He decided to scout and see what this place was like. Kudran stuck and arrow on a tree to mark where he was. He put on his dark green hood and pulled on his matching cape.
He ran across the area, making sure to put an arrow on a tree every once in a while. Getting tired, he climbed up a tree for a nap. He hadn't seen any Orcs... or any other creatures for that matter. Kudran yawned and dozed off...
A few minutes later...
Kudran awoke when he heard footsteps. He got up and slowly looked out the canopy of the tree.
A tall slender, thin, heavily armored creature stood silently, staring off at the horizon. Kudran heard more sounds and saw his men creeping up on the creature, their bows aimed. Kudran quickly jumped off the tree and raised his arms. The creature turned its head and a large blue energy blade ignited from its wrist.
"I come in peace!" Kudran shouted, his arms raised.
The energy blade disappeared and a voice sounded in Kudran's head.
"I welcome you then. I am Praetor Artanis, and you are in Antioch." the creature said. The creature known as Artanis looked at the humans and raised an eye. He had never seen Terrans dressed so... so... funny.
"Um, hi, my name is Kudran. I am a human of- wait, did you just talk inside my head?" Kudran asked, startled.
"Hm... Are you not Terrans? You should know that by now." Artanis replied.
"Terrans? Um... I think I should have a long talk with you and your people." Kudran answered.
***
1 hour later, Antioch...
Kudran had explained everything he could about his arrival and his home. Artanis had done the same. He had told them about the creators that had made his people, about an all-consuming race known as the Zerg. He had also talked about the futuristic version of his people, the Terrans.
"Amazing... I didn't expect this to happen just by walking through a portal..." Kudran murmured.
Artanis shook his head.
"We are still in a state of turmoil. The war is not yet over. The Terran Dominion survives, fighting back the Zerg. The UED fleet is still alive, not fully destroyed as of yet. And we Protoss are still not dead. This city you are in was recaptured a few days ago. The Zerg are bound to attack soon." Artanis informed.
"Ah... my people will surely help." Kudran replied.
Artanis looked at the humans with long ears with bows and men in armor with weak pitiful swords.
"With... them?" Artanis asked.
Kudran looked at his soldiers.
"Yes." he answered.
* * *
Korhal, Orc Encampment...
"Zugg-zugg!" a peon shouted.
The Blademaster stared down at the peon, then hit him with his stick.
"Fool! I told you to speak a language! Haven't I taught you anything yet?" shouted the angered Blademaster.
"Me know to speak." the peon grunted.
"I know how to speak!" The Blademaster screamed.
"Me want to kill, see blood, no talk!" the peon screamed back.
The Blademaster slapped the peon.
"Knowledge first, then start the fighting!" the Blademaster shouted.
The peon shut his mouth.
"Now learn. I am a peon." the Blademaster said.
"Me peon." the peon replied.
The Blademaster hit the peon with a stick again.
Ner'zhul, who was watching from afar, shook his head. He turned around when he saw a shadow form near him
.
"A new portal has been opened to Draenor. We have been able to tame the wild Minotaurs and incorporate them into our army." an Ogre-Mage informed.
Ner'zhul nodded. Indeed his plan was working. This world would soon be his. He saw a Grunt run towards him.
"What is it?" Ner'zhul asked.
"We find something. Crystal more than crystal. Crystal strong!" the Grunt shouted.
Ner'zhul made a mental note to teach the soldiers how to speak fluently. He followed the Grunt back to the inner encampment.
"Where's the crystal?" Ner'zhul asked.
The Grunt laughed and took out a stick with a large chunk of the crystal on it.
"Watch. Crystal strong." the Grunt laughed.
He swung the crystal axe and threw it at a nearby tree. The crystal axe flew straight through the
tree, not even a scratch landing on the crystal itself.
"Crystal strong!" the Grunt cheered.
"That's it? You just shoved a stick in a crystal and call it a weapon?!" Ner'zhul screamed.
He shook his head again. His people were going to have to be smarter if they were to rule the universe. He wondered how the other great Orcs got through without killing themselves.
"Fine... use it as a weapon." Ner'zhul looked to the side to see his Warlock lighting up green gas forming out of a cave of some sort.
"What is it?" Ner'zhul asked.
"I am not sure... some sort of explo... explosh... explosive substance." the Warlock answered.
Even the mages had a hard time speaking fluently. Ner'zhul nodded then grabbed a peon who was walking by.
"Bring me the Goblins." he ordered.
"Zugg zugg!" the peon replied as it ran off.
Ner'zhul shook his head again. The once small town was now a huge prospering city, with a Fortress and farms in the center and cannon and guard towers on the outer regions. Five sets of Barracks were in the base as well some ogre mounds and a few temples of the damned.
Ner'zhul turned around to see a death knight without his steed. He was more like a blue mist in clothing then an undead human. Ner'zhul smiled as he recognized the knight.
"Ah, Uther, what brings you here?" Ner'zhul asked.
"The undead and I were promised our own world and yet we still are with you. We have decided to break away from the Orcish Horde. You and your shamanistic ways have and always will disgust us. However, if you are in need call upon any members of our... council and we will answer." Uther Lightbringer, the once proud Paladin, now one of the council members of the
Death Knights, answered.
Ner'zhul raised one of his white eyebrows. The Undead, also know as the Scourge, never questioned the Horde's orders or ways. Recently, however, the Undead had slowly broken away from the Horde. They never were truly part of the Horde, they were incorporated after the Orcs had arrived in Azeroth.
"Then where will you live? How will you survive?" Ner'zhul questioned.
"We will find a place to live. We will survive the way we always have, unlike the other members of the Horde, we do not need food or water to survive." Uther replied.
Ner'zhul sighed. "Fine. If you need our help then we will help you as well."
Uther bowed then floated off to tell the other members of the council. Ner'zhul had a feeling that this was going to be one long day...
* * *
At the same time,
Antioch, Auir...
Kudran stared at the creatures attacking the city. Blue light flew through the air. Green spines pierced through the Protoss shields. The so called "cannons" couldn't withstand the might of the Swarm that was coming towards them. The aliens known as the "Zerg" were slowly making their way towards the center.
"Job's done!" a peasant shouted.
Kudran looked at the peasant and shook his head. "Good."
The huge machine slowly rolled across the field. The Hailista was a machine that was very similar in design to the catapult. However, instead of shooting one cannonball, it shot out up to twelve arrows at once. The Hailista slowly reached the field. The footmen cut the rope and the mechanism pulled the wooden "box" with twelve arrows up. The arrows flew outward and hit many of the spitting aliens in their "face". The aliens fell back, stunned at the primitive weaponry. Many of the ones that were hit died immediately.
"Load it again!" a footman ordered.
The footmen began arming the huge machine again. The smaller aliens known as "zerglings" began to attack the footmen. The footmen tried their best to fight back and they did well, however their primitive weapons could not fight back against the stronger aliens. Many of them fell, and the footmen began to lose hope. However, arrows began to fly through the sky and piercing the aliens. The elven archers were finally done with their crystal tipped arrows.
The crystals that the Protoss had mined were molded into arrowheads and replaced the former ones, which were made of metal. The arrows were indeed strong, piercing even the hard carapace of the aliens.
The footmen that had survived quickly rearmed the Hailista and fired it again. Once again many of the spitting aliens fell. Soon the air filled with loud noise and they looked up to see flying ships of some kind. The spitting aliens however, made quick work of them. Soon the air that was filled with flying ships was almost blank
.
Kudran looked out at the aliens. Their numbers were growing low but there still was a lot.
"Where are the mages?" Kudran asked.
"They're over there." Kristine replied, pointing at a corner behind a "cannon".
Kudran ran over to the spot and looked at the mages.
"Can you cast your spells yet?" Kudran asked.
The mages nodded their heads as a yes.
"Good, then cast invisibility on those machines in the sky." Kudran ordered.
The mages walked near the flying ships and began chanting their spells. The ships soon disappeared into thin air.
"What... all our scouts... gone?" Artanis asked.
"We are here. Our scouts are invisible for some reason." a pilot replied.
"Then take the chance to fight as much as you can." Artanis ordered.
"Affirmative." another pilot replied.
The invisible scouts flew through the sky and began shooting at the confused Hydralisks. Even the Overlords detection systems couldn't break through the magiks that were cloaking the scouts. A message finally relayed from a Cerebrate and into an Overlord to retreat. The Overlords quickly passed the information into the other Zerg and they began to retreat.
"We've done it." Artanis said in amazement.
He turned around, his cape flowing behind him, and made his way towards Kudran. He put out his right and looked at Kudran.
"I believe this is how you greet a good friend." Artanis said.
Kudran put out his hand and shaked with the Protoss warrior before him.
"I believe it is." Kudran replied.
The two shook hands and stared off at the horizon. This war was long from over, but friendships like these would just make it seem shorter...
* * *
About a week later,
Orc City in Korhal...
Ner'zhul finished writing his journal for the day and got ready to sleep. He took off his "glasses" and began to lie down, but stopped when someone knocked on his door. He lazily got out of his bed and opened the door to see a group of goblins smiling wickedly.
"What is it?" Ner'zhul asked, a touch of anger in his voice.
"Weapon we make, yes! Hee hee hee!" the goblins replied.
"You made a weapon with the gas?" Ner'zhul asked.
"Yes, yes! Hee hee hee! Gas go boom boom! Ground, buildings, everything go BOOM!" the goblins laughed
.
Ner'zhul's frustration began to rise. "Just tell me what it is!"
"Hee hee hee! Follow us, you must! Hee hee hee!"
Ner'zhul looked at the goblins. "Then lead me to it!"
The goblins happily hopped towards their testing site, with a sleepy and slightly angry Ner'zhul behind them, riding an undead steed.
They arrived shortly and Ner'zhul was surprised to see the ground blackened by the explosions. Various body parts of once crazed goblins were also littered all over the ground.
"Up you must look!" a goblin said.
Ner'zhul looked up and saw a zeppelin, yet this one had a bit of smoke trailing from some sort of pipe and it was flying higher than usual.
"Let out gas bags, it does!"
"And..."
"Watch! Watch! Hee hee hee!"
Green bags floated through the air, tied side by side. They floated slowly towards the ground. There was a long rope that connected from the zeppelin to the center of the bags. Ner'zhul yawned as he watched the bags glide downwards.
"Hee hee hee. Duck down, you must! Hee hee hee!" the goblins said with glee as they ducked down.
Ner'zhul just stared up at the sky. The zeppelin pilot lit the rope and the fire soon spread downwards towards the gas. The fire soon reached the center bag and everything exploded, from the center out to the left and right.
"What kind of stupid-"
Ner'zhul stopped talking and quickly created a shield in front of him as projectiles flew in all directions. These sharp projectiles were in the bag with the gas, the projectiles slowly floated in the green gas, then when the fire lit it, it flew out
.
"Brilliant." Ner'zhul mumbled, "Brilliant..."
"Hee hee hee, over it not!" the goblins shouted in glee.
Ner'zhul looked up to see the zeppelin falling, some projectiles had hit the zeppelin.
"As I thought... stupid..."
The zeppelin fell into the ground and soon a deafening sound filled the air. The zeppelin itself had contained the green gas and soon a huge explosion covered the area. Fire covered the ducking goblins and fully engulfed the shielded Ner'zhul.
"Nevermind..." Ner'zhul mumbled. Any anger or frustration that was in him was now gone, filled with joy.
* * *
Antioch, Auir...
The air was filled with loud gunshot noises as the dwarves tested their new Dwarven Rifles. It had taken them all week to finally finish their first prototype, which was a very primitive version of the Terran rifles.
"This is strong but we need more power if we want it to pierce anything strong." one of the dwarves remarked.
"Then use the gas." Artanis replied
.
The dwarves stared at the green gas. "This?"
"Yes, it's highly explosive. If used right, it could even destroy an entire city." Artanis answered.
The dwarves nodded and began their experiments with the gas...
* * *
Weeks later, Orion City, Korhal...
"Sir, several reports suggest that these "green creatures" will attack us next." a marine informed.
The general turned around and looked at the soldier.
"And? We have enough defenses to wipe out a swarm of Zerg! What makes you think a bunch of "green creatures" will destroy us?" the general asked.
The marine stayed silent, the general was right... or was he?
The Orcs attacked with ferocity. The Grunts marched head on, waving their new crystal axes.
The invisible projectiles were once again killing many of their brethren. Loud, thunderous claps filled the air and their brethren exploded but they did not stop. Their adrenaline mixed with the Ogre's bloodlust spell made them unstoppable. Many of them made it to the weird buildings that were shooting the invisible projectiles.
The Grunts began smashing away at the walls of the building and soon a hole large enough for them to walk through formed
.
"S**t!" a marine shouted as he spotted the hole and began firing.
The Grunts had trouble bursting their way into the buildings but their sheer numbers and strength got them through. Ner'zhul was silently watching the battleground from afar. The huge mechanical monsters in the back were firing fireballs that were destroying his troops, he devised a plan to destroy them.
"Laki, come here." Ner'zhul ordered the little Goblin King.
"Yes yes, goblin you need?" Laki asked.
"Place the new weapon Zeppelins on top of those mechanical monsters and begin explosion." Ner'zhul ordered.
"Of course master. After boom, city, look as good, it will not! Hee hee hee!" Laki laughed.
After a few minutes of "supposed" planning, the zeppelins began their trek towards the mechanical monsters.
"Hey dude! What the f**k is that? An Overlord?" One of the Tank drivers asked.
"Uh... no, no legs on that thing. Must be a balloon or something. Nothing to worry about." Another driver replied.
"Hey there's bags dropping outta those balloons."
"Weird..."
Indeed the gas bags fell from the Zeppelins. The goblins snickered as they lit the ropes. The fire trailed down the lines and soon the explosions began. The crystal shrapnels flew across the air and into the tanks. They also hit the buildings surrounding the area but it was far from over.
"S**t! Gas tank's been hit!" a driver shouted as his tank exploded.
Marines began to hide inside the barracks and academies, which were strong enough to withstand the assault. The zeppelins began falling towards the ground, punctured by their own shrapnels. When the zeppelins hit the ground, a huge explosion erupted throughout the area. The barracks and academies that the marines thought were safe, exploded into flames.
Ner'zhul smiled as he watched the area fill with flames. He watched Laki jump up and down excitedly. He watched the catapults begin their assault, with Orc Blademasters protecting them.
Deep inside a heavily guarded command center, the General of the army and his advisor, a soldier, stood in silence
.
"General, they're invading the city!" the soldier informed.
"How... how could they have? We had the best security, the best defense the Terran Dominion could offer... how?" the General mummbled.
"Sir, there's no time, we have to leave now! There's more of those exploding Zeppelins coming this way!" the soldier shouted.
"I will not leave. This was my mistake. I'll die fighting." the General replied.
"Then I will stand by my General. If you die then I die." the soldier replied as he pulled out his rifle.
Explosions rocked the command center. The Grunts broke through first, smashing into the
Command center and killing anything in their way. The Trolls came in next, throwing their axes and spears from afar. They reached the center and smelled fresh blood. They looked around to see two dead humans. One wearing green, the other wearing blue. The blue human had a huge black weapon, the same kind that shot the invisible projections, the green human had a small black weapon pointing at his head. Blood drizzled out from the side of the blue human's head.
"Victory! Yes!" the Orcs screamed.
The Orcs raised the dead bodies onto trees and burned them, laughing maniacally as they did. More bodies were hung to dry and maybe serve as food later. Ner'zhul raised a victorious arm, holding a dead human's head.
"We will rule!" he shouted as he flung the head through the air.
