Kahtraa's 8th Journal Entry

I made my way to Thousand Needles to find that what apparently was once a dried canyon is now flooded.  I caught a boat ride with a night elf to a barge just outside of Thousand Needles in an area called Shimmering Deep.  The barge is apparently the gnome and goblins answer to their destroyed raceway.  Both races seem to be in some type of competition with each other when it comes to building their strange contraptions yet they will fight side by side when it comes to defending the barge from the pirates.

I decided that being surrounded by this much water was not a good idea for one encased in plate armor despite the breathing apparatus the gnomes gave me.  I am not comfortable here and it showed.  A human warrior I met at the bar in the barge told me that he had heard that the Argent Crusade was currently trying to drive the remainder of the Scourge out of the Plaguelands and was looking for paladins to help.  After confirming that those lands are not currently under water, I changed my plans and headed back to the Eastern Kingdoms.  Avaan had written me that he would not be arriving in Tanaris for several weeks and would be there for many months so I have plenty of time to meet up with my old friend.

Upon arrival at Light’s Hope Chapel, the headquarters for the Argent Crusade, I was immediately put to work.  It wasn’t only the Scourge the Argent Crusade was dealing with but the Twilight Hammer Cult as well. 

I was sent to Tyr’s Hand to take back it back from the Scarlet Crusaders who have been turned into the undead by whom, no one knows for sure.  Despite being the undead, the Scarlet Crusade is not to be taken lightly.   There were leaders still among them that I had to help track and bring down.  My main targets were Mataus the Wrathcaster, Huntsman Leopold who is currently somewhere on top of the keep picking off members of the Argent Crusde, Scarlet Commander Marjhan, and Rohan the Assassin.  While the majority of the paladins kept the Scarlet Crusaders busy, some of us went to find the holy relics that had been secreted within the keep while I went in search of my targets.

 I found Mataus in the cellar below the keep doing some kind of dark magicks but his dark power was no match for the Light.  Once he was taken care of, I headed up the stairs to the roof.  On my way up I had a few Scarlet Crusade stragglers that tried to waylay me much to their demise.  While I was catching my breath, I heard movement in the room next to me.  I quietly moved around the corner to see a figure bent over a table studying some kind of document.  She seemed to feel my eyes upon her and looked up.  I thought it might be Commander Marjhan and called out a challenge to her which she immediately responded to.  There is a reason she made Commander in the Scarlet Crusade and it was a tough fight.  In the end, the Light won out and she went down.

I could hear the fighting continuing downstairs and a few fights on the stairways as I continued to make my way to the roof top of the keep.  I was challenged only a couple more times before I reached my destination.  I kept my shield in front of me while I warily looked through the door along the walkway from one turret to the next.  At first I didn’t see anything but all of a sudden I heard a raspy voice cry out, “I’ll fill your corpses with arrows!” followed by a maniacal laugh.  Then I spotted him between the merlons halfway down the walkway.  As I charged, he heard me and turned to face me.  He let loose several arrows which bounced harmlessly off my shield and then I was upon him.  I don’t know how he was in life but in undeath he was completely insane and that lent him strength.  I was able to defeat him finally but it was close.  I did not come away from that battle unscathed.  I staunched the bleeding as well as I could and called upon the healing powers of the Light before I went in search of my last target.

Rohan was nowhere in the keep so that meant he must be in the Abbey.  I made my way from the Keep and across the compound to the Abbey.  I could hear fighting within and I cautiously made my way in.  Commander Korfax had told me that he had reports that Rohan might be in the bell tower so I thought I would start at the top and work my way down.  I didn’t have the strength to help with the intermittent fighting as I was saving what energy I had for this fight with Rohan.  I made my way quickly up the stairs and when I reached the top, I stop to catch my breath and calm myself.  I sent my senses out to feel for the dark energies that these Scarlet Crusaders seem to give off.  I felt something in the back of the bell tower, behind the bell pull platform.  I slowly made my way in that direction when I felt a shift in the air behind me and I turned with my shield raised just in time to turn the blade of the dagger.  Rohan didn’t expect me to sense his presence and it slowed him by a few seconds.  This was more than enough time for me to bring my sword up for a savage cut at his arm.  He cried out in pain and turned even more savage despite the wound.  I was put on the offensive for a bit and my armor saved me more times than I could count.  He was striking at me wildly and I parried what I could while waiting for the opening I knew would come eventually.  I saw it and took immediate advantage of it was I was tiring quickly.  I could see the shock in his undead eyes when my sword ran him through.  I quickly pulled it out and with a roundhouse strike separated his head from his body.  I sagged to the floor and the wounds I had staunched earlier re-opened.  I was finally able to make my way downstairs and reported to Commander Korfax the successful completion of my mission.

Commander Korfax called for a healer and had me taken to the encampment for rest while he and his force finished clearing the area.  The Scarlet Crusaders where making the Cathedral their last stand and the Commander was planning an all-out final push the next day.  After having battled as long and hard as I had taking the Keep and Abbey, I had no intention of missing this final battle.

The next morning I readied myself and reported with the rest of the paladins.  The Argent Crusade’s banner flew in the morning air and the bugler sounded the call to battle.  We rushed their positions and the battle was on.  There was never any doubt in our minds that the Light would win the day and while many fell wounded and some died, we fought our way into the Cathedral.  There we found Crusader Lord Valdemar surrounded by his guardsmen.  Our little group had fought our way in and we engaged this final group of Scarlet Crusaders.  We brought the guardsmen down and engaged Valdemar.  Undeath means they don’t tire as we do and he was able to reduce our little band down to just me.  I called upon the Light to aid me and give me strength and he just laughed at me and stalked forward ready for the kill.  From somewhere within me, I summoned the energy for a final charge.  I was determined that if I were to die here in this place then he was going with me.  That was the only thought in my head as I parried, blocked and attacked.  I remember one final surge from me, pain and then darkness.

I awoke to a white tent flap as the healer came in to check on me.   She looked at my bandages and then left to let Commander Korfax know that I was awake.  He came in and as I tried to rise, gently pushed me back down on my bed.  He told me that the rest of the paladins had finally made their way into the Cathedral as Valdemar ran me through.  As I was falling off his blade and he was striding forward to meet the new force, I turned and with the last of my failing strength struck at his neck severing his head from his body.  The paladins watched in shock as Valdemar took another step and then fell at their feet.  They used what healing powers they had on the wounded to keep us alive until we reached the healers back at Light’s Hope Chapel.

I am battered, bruised and I ache all over but I am alive and I thank the Light for that.  It will take weeks for me to recover from this battle.  I will take it easy and when I am able, I will start my voyage to Tanaris as I have an appointment with a dear friend to keep.

Kahdraa

((currently Level 51))