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The Light's Crusade Finale

Post by Hellborne

((Finale: A New Beginning))

It was the beginning of the end, and Quinton Angelblessed knew it very well. This mountain would bare witness to the Light’s reckoning upon the one vile creature that had taken so much from the paladin. It would be here, amidst the boiling lava and the lung-filling smoke that the lich Kel’Thuzad would meet his end. Quinton, guided by both his own emotions and the Light, delved deeper and deeper into Blackrock Mountain. It was only minutes earlier that Quinton witnessed the Scourge leader murder all he was close to. Kate, Kreel, Tefri, and Daellin, all gone.

The path inside the mountain was a downwards slop, heading towards the lava at the bottom. Neither Scourge nor any other adversary challenged Quinton. He noticed this and found it odd. “Where are you at, beasts?” Quinton muttered. He clenched Strongwill, the sword bestowed to him by Dread Lighthammer, in his left hand, and Dawncrier, Daellin Lightheart’s sword of so many years that he gave to his apprentice in his last words, in his right hand. The two swords seemed to complement one another. It is uncommon for a paladin to wield two swords at once, but Quinton never was one for being typical.

The mountain seemed to moan and groan the deeper Quinton dived downwards. In the distance in front of him, he noticed several giant chains holding up an island in the middle of a lake of lava. Quinton decided to head towards the island. As he walked closer and closer to his destination, he heard a very strange noise. It was like a bee’s buzz and a low hum at the same time. The young paladin picked up the pace and went into a jog. The closer he got to the standing island, the louder the sound was. Soon enough, it was clear as to what the source of the sound.

A black alter, decorated with skulls and necromantic trinkets, stood on the island. On the alter, four metal chains that glowed purple and black held a man down. Dark magic seemed to resonate from alter. It did not take Quinton long to figure out who was the man being held.

“Seth!” Quinton called out, but Seth did not reply. His head was down and his eyes closed. Quinton assumed that Seth was unconscious. He had to get to him, but there was only one way to get to the island from his location on the side of the mountain. He would have to walk over on one of the giant chains. He jogged to the nearest chain, and after a moment of hesitation, jumped on the chain. He kept his body low on top of the makeshift bridge as he inched his way.

He was nearing the halfway point when Quinton heard another sound. It was definitely not coming from the alter, nor was it the natural sounds of the mountain. It was like metallic objects rubbing against one another. Then, a very loud crack resonated in the chasm. The bridge trembled then, before Quinton could do anything, the chain broke in half. With adrenaline pumping, Quinton reacted as quickly as he could, using his swords to hook inside a chain link. Quinton averted falling into a it of lava, but the chain was quickly heading to the side of the island. He braced himself for impact the best he could.

The chain crashed against the side of the standing island, which almost made Quinton fall. He was lucky that his swords did not budge from their hooked spot. The chain calmed down, and Quinton began to crawl up the once bridge now ladder. Before he could reach the top of the chain, however, the lava below roared, and, in an instant, pillars of lava shot upwards like geysers in a swamp. The pillars were getting awfully close to Quinton, which prompted him to climb faster.

He placed a hand on the ground above him. A few more lifts would get him out of trouble and be on safe ground. He tossed his other hand on the ledge, and tried to pull himself up. Before reaching safety, Quinton heard one more audible crack. The large nail that kept the chain attached to the island snapped, and the chain bridge fell down to the lava below. This left Quinton hanging for his life, with two hands holding on to the ledge. With a prayer to the Light, Quinton used every ounce of strength to pull himself to safety. He looked down to the molten lava below.

“Anything else?” He yelled, and then remembered why he just risked his life. He turned and ran to the alter where Seth was floating, limbs held down by magic. Indeed, the heir to the Lighthammer was unconscious, and his skin was sickly pale. He was in typical Argent Dawn chain mail, but clearly, the armor had no protection against this magic. Without even thinking, normal for Quinton, he used his swords to slash at the magical links that held Seth. However, it was ineffective. Now he gave a few thoughts over the matter. It came to him shortly. He prayed to the Light, and his swords now glowed golden. Once again, he slashed at the links. This time, the bonds were easily broken. Seth fell forwards, right into the arms of Quinton. He placed Seth down on the ground.

“Seth! Talk to me Seth!” He asked as he shook the other paladin. He was given no answer. He noticed, though, that his skin was gaining color again. “Think, Quinton, think,” Quinton muttered to himself. In a flash, he smacked Seth’s face with his right hand, leaving a good mark.

Seth woke up with a moan of pain and shock. He looked up to his savior, and assailant. “Who-who the hell are you?” Seth asked, dazed and confused. He half expected this man to be to deliver death to him, seeing he just smacked him.

“Names Quinton. Got it memorized?” Quinton answered and held out a hand to Seth. Seth took it the outstretched hand and was pulled up. He felt that this man was gifted with the Light. Rarely had he felt so much strength and energy given off by a man before.

“Yeah, sure. Look, Quinton, we are not safe here. He will come back,” Seth told Quinton.

“Who is he?”

“Me.”

The two paladins turned back. Next to the alter that held Seth prisoner for who knows how long, the dreaded lich and Scourge commander Kel’Thuzad floated. A smirk, a smirk for an undead at least, and twirling fingers greeted the paladins. He was the same since Quinton saw him the first time, but something was different.

“Kel’Thuzad!” Quinton exclaimed, swords ready for battle once more. “This ends now!”

“Oh dear child, this I know very well,” The lich echoed. “The finale to my master’s plan has come.”

Seth and Quinton stood there, puzzled. “What do you mean?” Seth asked. He was without a weapon to defend himself. As many in the Dawn, and all of Azeroth, knew, the Lighthammer that his family wielded was lost.

The lich laughed, “The plan to destroy all of Azeroth’s greatest in one sweep! With the Lighthammer boy here, the Lich King knew his greatest threats would try their best to rescue him. And you all did. With Lightheart dead, this leaves just you two.”

“Enough!” Quinton yelled, and charged at Kel’Thuzad, swords raised. Before his side sweeps could land, the lich disappeared. Seth and Quinton looked around, and then the lich showed himself, on the side of the mountain, far away from the standing island in the middle of the lake of lava. Its hysterical cries disturbed both paladins.

“The so-called Light’s greatest shall make this mountain their tomb!” Kel’Thuzad roared as he tossed several shadow bolts at the sides of the mountain and the chain links holding the island up. The bolts made gaping craters in the sides and snapped the chains. The chains were all that supported the land mass the two paladins were. It started slowly at first, but the pinnacle rapidly slumped downwards to the lava.

Quinton pierced his swords into the ground. “Hold on!” He told Seth. Seth hung on to Quinton’s body as the pinnacle fell downwards. It landed in the lava with a squish. The scorching hot lava was slowly enveloping the land. Quinton used his swords almost like ice picks, climbing up the now sideways island. The two were able to get to the flat portion of the land, but even that was slowly sinking into the lava.

Kel’Thuzad materialized in front of the two paladins.

“And so, the sweet embrace of death shall take you two.” The lich taunted. He conjured two shards of ice and launched it at Quinton and Seth. The two were able to dodge the ice, but just barely. Seth returned the favor launching bolts of Light at the Scourge, and Quinton ran towards his nemesis with Strongwill and Dawncrier.

Once again, Kel’Thuzad teleported away from the onslaught then reappeared further away from the paladins on the sinking ground.

“Can you handle the heat?” Kel’Thuzad asked as he tossed more shadow bolts towards the paladins. This time, one of the shards landed in the lava while another lodged itself in the top of the mountain.

“Looks like someone has terrible aim! You missed!” Seth mocked as he regrouped with Quinton.

“Did I?” Kel’Thuzad asked. The two paladins were confused, but a crack above them answered their questions. Where the icicle landed in the ceiling above, a large crack formed. In an instant, a large piece of rock fell. The two paladins had to roll out of the way, as the large rock broke the pinnacle in half, with Quinton and Seth on each end. Quinton was very close to the lich, so he lunged at him once more. Meanwhile, Seth was trying to crawl away from the lava that was awfully close.

Quinton, with adrenaline aiding him greatly, finally landed a hit on Kel’Thuzad with Dawncrier. The blow landed across the lich’s side, resulting it to howl in anguish. Before Quinton could attack again, Kel’Thuzad used his magic to push Quinton away from him. Kel’Thuzad then teleported once more. He was now near Seth, who was still on the ground, crawling.

“The almighty Lighthammer, down on the ground. How pathetic. So lost without his precious hammer. So sad how you are so close, yet so far,” Kel’Thuzad rambled as he neared Seth. Seth tossed a few bolts of Light at the lich, to little avail.

“Die you son of a lich!” Quinton exclaimed as a volley of Light. The Light seared the Scourge’s bones, causing him to flee once more. Seth slowly stood up, but felt something. Something familiar, and close. He examined his surroundings, expecting to see Kel’Thuzad attacking. He could hear Quinton calling out for him, but was too focused on what this sensation was.

Kel’Thuzad materialized behind Quinton, and then punched the paladin at the base of his neck. This sent Quinton sprawling to the ground. He called upon the Light, and the Light answered. He consecrated the ground at his feet, causing the Scourge to back off momentarily. Quinton turned back to the lich, and with an angry face, heaved Strongwill at Kel’Thuzad. The lich was unprepared, so the sword stuck in his ribcage. Using this momentum, Quinton jumped and grasped the hilt of Strongwill to push it further into the undead. Kel’Thuzad, too, grasped the sword and tried to pull it out. It was a test of strength and will of the two.

Seth, meanwhile, was observing the lava. A portion of it, only a few inches away from the sinking ground, had a strange yellow glow. No, it was more golden than yellow. Something was emerging from the lava! At first, it looked like a pole, but soon enough a handle with a pearl pummel. “Quinton, hold Kel’Thuzad off!” Seth yelled back.

“Easier said than done!” Quinton exclaimed between gritted teeth. He was losing the extremely up and personal battle. Kel’Thuzad was slowly pulling Strongwill out of his ribcage, and Quinton was losing strength.

Seth kneeled down, and with his right hand, protected by a plate gauntlet, grasped the handle. Despite the gauntlet, the temperature of the handle was excruciating. His own hand felt burned. With every nuance of strength he had, Seth pulled on the handle. The sounds of thunder and lightning were heard, resonating from the handle. It rose slowly at first, but then quickly emerged from the lava. The handle gave way to a hammerhead. It looked like a large, square rock, but it was evident it was made of the finest iron. Under a layer of lava that was slithering down the mace, a strong aura of Light glowed. Despite the pain in his hand, Seth placed the long handle in both hands, as expected for a mace this large.

It was at that moment that Kel’Thuzad was able to push Strongwill out of his ribcage. He sent the sword and Quinton flying to the ground, awfully close to the lava. “Go on, child; let your emotions control you. Let it flow like your dead master. I know you, Quinton. I know how you get. Let your anger, your rage, take you,” Kel’Thuzad told Quinton. Quinton shook his head in defiance, refusing to let the Scourge’s empty words get him.

“Kel’Thuzad!”

A roar so loud that rivaled an army of drummers echoed throughout the mountain. Kel’Thuzad looked up to see Seth, wielding the fabled Lighthammer. The hammer beamed and resonated, like its master. “Impossible!” Kel’Thuzad exclaimed.

Where Seth was one moment, he was gone. Just like how Kel’Thuzad teleported, Seth did the same. Before the lich could even comprehend was just happened, Seth was behind him. He brought down Lighthammer down on the lich’s shoulder, nearly breaking it in half. Again, Seth brought his hammer across Kel’Thuzad’s side.

“Gah! Foolish mortal!” Kel’Thuzad yelled as he swiped Seth aside with a strong backhand. Seth landed next to Quinton, who was now standing. It was clear that Kel’Thuzad was injured. He was nursing the blows he took, leaving him exposed.

“I got it from here,” Quinton told Seth, and charged at the lich. Quinton closed his eyes and calmed his breathing. Time seemed to slow down and shapes and sensations were all visible to Quinton. As he did earlier, he let the Light be his sight. To Quinton, Kel’Thuzad was merely a shadow, while everything else shimmered in black and white. He could identify the lich’s weaknesses and soft spots.

“There’s a nice place in Hell for you, Kel’Thuzad!” Quinton exclaimed. With Strongwill and Dawncrier crossed together, creating a V shape, he lunged at Kel’Thuzad’s ribcage once more. This blow sent Kel’Thuzad sprawling backwards, and landed in the lava. Shrill cries of pain escaped from his mouth. He was sinking slowly in the lava for a few seconds, and then disappeared. A moment later, he appeared, floating high up, near the top of the chasm. The lich’s bones were charred to a dark black, and what remained of its robes were tattered.

“We will meet another day, paladin. I hope you look forward to your

Post by Hellborne

Seth walked up to Quinton, Lighthammer in one hand, and another around Quinton’s shoulder. “Well done, friend,” He remarked. He marveled at this paladin, whom he had never met or heard of before.

“Yeah, thanks,” Quinton muttered as he looked down at his two swords. His hands trembled. Kel’Thuzad, who took so much from him, spoke words of anger, of revenge. However, the moans and groans of the mountain interrupted Quinton’s thoughts. All around the two, the sides of the chasm were falling apart. Large chunks of rock were falling from the top, and the lava was nearing the paladins’ feet.

“Time to get out of here,” Seth said.

“Any ideas how to?”

“One,” Seth answered as he wrapped one arm around Quinton. In a flash, the two were off the sinking island, just in time as it completely submerged under the lava. The two appeared on the side of the chasm. Seth raised the Lighthammer high, and brought it crashing against the rock. The blow resulted in a gaping hole, large enough for two people to walk through.

“Impressive,” Quinton remarked. The pair quickly walked through the makeshift tunnel to escape the collapsing chasm.

…

“So, looks like we are heading back to Lordaeron,” Seth noted. The pair were out of Blackrock and were in the Burning Steppes. There were no one else, alive or undead, around them, possibly for miles. The two watched as the dreaded necropolis, Naxxramas, flew away from the top of Blackrock, heading north.

“You are, I am not,” Quinton replied. He had Strongwill and Dawncrier sheathed at his sides.

“What do you mean, Sir Quinton Angelblessed?” Seth asked, mostly out of sheer disbelief.

Quinton chuckled slightly, mostly at being called by that name. “It it not my path to follow you to Kel’Thuzad. That is yours. It is your duty to be the torch that guides Azeroth out of darkness. That is what your father said.”

“My…father?”

“Yeah, it is kind of crazy. Kel’Thuzad wants me to follow, to embrace my anger and hatred. I will not give him that pleasure. I learned from… a close friend to never let that happen.”

“But, Quinton, you just defeated the beast, easily may I add!”

“That was you,” Quinton told Seth as he pointed to the Lighthammer. “Azeroth needs a hero, a hero they know. You take the fight to Kel’Thuzad and the Scourge. Lead your men to victory, for the Light.”

Seth paced back and forth, obviously disgruntled at this. “What about you, Quinton? Are you just going to give everything up?”

Once more, Quinton chuckled. “Of course not. The Light is my only companion now. I intend to serve it justly. The world needs someone to protect it abroad. Wherever the Light needs me, I will be there. I will help the helpless, bring justice to the unjust, you know, the cliché stuff.”

Seth shook his head, “I can’t say I support this, but this is your choice, and I respect that.”

Then, Quinton seemed to remember something. He reached down in one of his pockets and pulled out a journal that had seen better days. He held it out to Seth, “Here, better let his memory live on.”

“Who?” Seth asked as he took the delicate journal.

Quinton grinned, and then turned around. He began walking away from Seth. “I bet you know him!” He called back. He continued walking into the desolate Steppes. A beam of light followed him from above as the smoke filled clouds parted. Soon enough, he was at the horizon, and then disappeared. Seth, finally, looked away from the hero who saved his life, and possibly all of Azeroth. He looked down at the journal, still in his hands. He wiped the dust away from the leather cover. He squinted to read the faint, gold letters on the cover.

Property of Daellin Lightheart, Protector of the Light
And
Quinton Angelblessed, His Loving Apprentice

Post by Hellborne

And so, the journey comes to an end. Writing this story was phenomenal, and I am glad that people took their time to read it. That, above all else, makes me the most happy. Now, while I can go on about certain events over the last two(?) years, I will not. I could go on about how Daellin’s experiences, but I will not. And trust me, I really want to go on and on about how his epic tale ended, and how Quinton’s began. But I shall leave it all alone.

So, I might as well say this now. I do not intend to make another post on this forum, on this site, after this. My time here, as cliché as it sounds, as come to an end. What drove me to stay was to finish the Light’s saga. Now, sarcastic spoiler alert here, I may still make occasional posts. Who knows, maybe a bored Hell will write something new up, but don’t expect much, if anything.

I just wanted to mention here that every single person here on the L&RP board is absolutely amazing. My, somewhat brief, time here was thrilling. However, I wish to end any ties I had to Warcraft sooner rather than later. I know everyone here is in good hands, and I trust that L&RP does not die. In addition, I desire to more works of fiction here, because I know every single person here has the talent to write something up and it being great.

And so, with this long worded speech done with, I say to you, goodbye. Cheers.

The Light's Crusade Finale

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