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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 cave roof with a sharp crack and impaled the floor less than a handsbreadth
from where Aegwynn and Jaina both knelt。
Aegwynn heard Jaina start to mutter the incantation for the teleport spell。
Then she passed out。
Epilogue
O nce again； Lady Jaina Proudmoore stood atop the butte on Razor Hill； gazing out over Durotar。
Soon； she heard the low； steady rumble that heralded the arrival of Thrall s airship。 This time； the Warchief came
with an honor guard； most of whom remained in the undercarriage while he climbed down the rope ladder to greet
Jaina。 One warrior； whom Jaina did not recognize； came down after him。 When they alighted on the butte； the
warrior stood three paces behind Thrall； holding his ax at the ready in front of him。
Smiling wryly； Jaina said； Do you not trust me； Thrall？
Thrall returned the smile。 My own closest advisor betrayed me； Jaina。 I think it s best if I remain alert at all
times and with someone watching my back。
A wise move。
Is the threat truly ended？
Jaina nodded。 It would appear to be。 Zmodlor and the warlocks who performed his magicks have been banished to
the Twisting her。 Even the Burning Legion would be hardpressed to liberate them and so minor a demon
would hardly be worth the effort。
Well done。 I only wish it could have been acplished before blood was spilled unnecessarily。 Thrall s hand
went to his belt； from which hung a talisman in the shape of a flaming sword。 Jaina assumed it belonged to Burx；
the advisor who had allied himself with Zmodlor； just as Kristoff had。 According to Major Davin s report
provided along with his letter of resignation Thrall had killed Burx in front of a large cadre of orc and troll
warriors for consorting with the Burning Blade。
Sighing； Jaina said； We were very lucky； Thrall。 Zmodlor may have been responsible for this； but he simply
brought up hatreds that were already there。 Look at how easily your people and mine took to killing each other at
Northwatch。
Indeed。 It was far easier for our pe