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sentence。
Thrall raised Doomhammer over his head and then brought it down hard on Burx s head。
Davin flinched as blood and gore splattered all over the sand； onto Thrall； and onto Davin himself。 He was；
however； too frightened to actually move to wipe any of it off； not even the blood that mixed in with the water on
his left cheek or the bits of skull in his beard。
Thrall likewise made no attempt to remove the stains of Burx s death from his person and he was much more
fouled by it。 Davin supposed that it served as a badge of honor to an orc。 The Warchief stepped forward and said to
Davin； You have the apologies of Durotar for this traitor s behavior； Major； and for this terrible battle that has
happened this day。 I will not permit the Burning Blade to influence my people anymore。 I hope the same will be
said for you。
Not trusting his mouth to work properly； Davin simply nodded。
We will depart。 I am sorry we did not arrive soon enough to avoid bloodshed； but first I had to order the troops
amassed on land to stand down。 We all shall return to Durotar； and not attack you again。 The Warchief stepped
forward。 Unless you give us reason to。
Again； Davin nodded； more eagerly this time。
He continued to stand there as Thrall ordered his troops to gather their dead and wounded and return to their boats
and set sail northward for Kolkar Crag。 Davin remained standing with his boots sunk into the sand； bits of Burx s
blood； skull； and brains on various portions of his armor and person； as Thrall climbed back up the ladder to his
airship； and both airship and waterborne vessels proceeded northward。
Davin was stunned to realize that； for the second time； his prayer had been answered； and he was starting to think
there might be something to the whole praying thing。
He was equally stunned at how quickly everything had changed all because of Thrall s words。 Yes； his rather
spectacular actions got everyone to stop fighting for a minute； but that would ve been only temporary。 Thrall s
words were what convinced the orcs and trolls to stop fighting and retreat。
Much as he hated to admit it about an orc； Davin was impressed。
Finally； a captain whose name Davin couldn t for the life of him remember； asked； Orders； Major？
Ah stand down； Captain。 He let out a breath he hadn t even realized he was holding； suddenly feeling very
exhausted。 Stand down。
TwentyFour
N ot five minutes ago； Aegwynn had urged Zmodlor to cease his parlor tricks。 The disembodied voice trick was
probably menacing to the average person； but it was a simple trick that any firstyear apprentice could pull off。 So it
didn t impress Aegwynn all that much。
Now； seeing the huge； leatheryskinned； batwinged； flameeyed Zmodlor standing before her； she realized she
should have kept her mouth shut。 Demons on the whole were not pretty creatures； but Zmodlor was hideous even
by their standards。
Surrounding the demon were eight hooded figures。 These； presumably； were the warlocks； who were chanting
rhythmically。
Jaina reached into her cloak and grabbed the scroll。 Aegwynn was grateful； as it meant this would be over soon。
Now that Zmodlor had revealed himself； Jaina would be able to cast the banishment。
Suddenly； Jaina screamed and fell to the floor。
Jaina！ Aegwynn ran to the young mage s side。 Lorena； good soldier that she was； moved to stand between the
demon and Jaina。
Sweat beaded on Jaina s forehead as she managed to get to her knees。 Through clenched teeth； she said；
Warlocks…blocking the spell。
This close； Aegwynn could feel the warlocks spellcasting。 It was fairly weak； though there were about a dozen of
them； which added power to their spells。 Still； a mage of Jaina s stature should have been able to punch through
that。
Unless； of course； she d overextended herself。
Jaina was struggling Aegwynn could feel it but she was losing ground to Zmodlor s minions。
This is even better than I d hoped。 I ll make sure that the orcs are blamed for Proudmoore s death。 It will send the
humans into a frenzy。 Nothing will stop them from going to war； and without her to guide them； they ll lose but
not before they kill as many orcs as possible。 It will be glorious！
Like hell； Aegwynn muttered。 There was only one thing for her to do。
It had been almost four years since she brought Medivh back。 That had drained all her magic at the time； as she d
told Jaina but the magic never went away forever。 Two decades after she had escaped to Bladescar； she had built
up enough magical power to bring back her son。 While she hadn t regained anywhere near that much in the four
years since； she might well have enough to do what was necessary。 If not well； she d lived almost a full
millennium。 As Lorena had so eloquently pointed out； that was a lot more than most people got。
Sweat was now pouring down Jaina s face。 She was still kneeling； fists clenched and resting on her thighs。
Aegwynn could feel the spell that she herself had written struggling to push past the blocks the warlocks were
putting up。
Down on one knee at Jaina s side； Aegwynn grabbed the younger woman s left fist with both hands。 She closed her
eyes； gathered up her thoughts； her power； her very life essence。 Focusing it； molding it； moving it； she channeled it
all into her arms…then her forearms…then her hands…
And then to Jaina。
Fatigue rather suddenly overwhelmed her。 Her bones felt heavy in her skin； her muscles ached as if she had just run
a race； and her breaths came in shallow gasps。 Ignoring all of it； Aegwynn continued to focus； willing her life； her
magic； her very soul to Jaina Proudmoore。
Jaina opened her eyes。 Normally an icy blue； they were now a fiery red。
No！
Simultaneously； both Aegwynn and Jaina said； Yes！
You cannot stop the Burning Blade！ We will prevail over all； destroying everything in our path； and then we
aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAARRRRRRR
RGH！
Zmodlor s screams echoed not only off the walls； but from the mouths of the warlocks； who felt sympathetic
agony through the bond the demon had with them。 Though Aegwynn s vision was fading； she saw Zmodlor s
hideous body twist and contort； ichor spewing from wounds that suddenly ripped open。
A wind kicked up as the air itself was rent asunder by the spell Aegwynn had written a portal to the Twisting
her pulling Zmodlor s body into the tear。
Noooooooo！ I won t let you trap me aga
The demon s words were cut off by his head being sucked in。
But the screams continued from the warlocks； even as the ground shook under Aegwynn s unsteady legs。 Moments
later； they stopped as they； too； were sucked into the Twisting her； where they would suffer anguish several
orders of magnitude worse than what they had planned for the residents of Kalimdor。
The tear closed but the cavern was still shaking。
Showing a soldier s capacity for stating the obvious； Lorena said； We ve got to get out of here！
But Aegwynn couldn t make her limbs move。 Her arms and legs felt like dead weights； and it took all her energy
just to keep her eyes open。
One of the stalactites ripped from the cav