WARCRAFT IV -- CHAPTER 1 - Rise of the Flames (Demon Campaign)

The Inner Defense

Within the inner compounds of the Black Citadel stands the very large and heavily fortified base camp of the Alliance forces. Originally established as the main stronghold of Prince Kael and the blood elves on Outland; the forces of the Alliance Expedition had conjoined themselves with the blood elven armies, and entrenched themselves on the elven stronghold within the Black Citadel, turning it into a one large formidable Alliance bastion. Behind the Alliance stronghold stands the naga camp of Lady Vashj built upon wet shallow landing area that is still connected to the sewer and aqueduct system of the entire Black Citadel. With numerous guard towers constructed within the area and well established garrison buildings; the defenses inside the citadel are more fortified and heavier than of the first set of defenses on the courtyard. The army of the Alliance forces and the standing naga warriors of Lady Vashj are all prepared for the soon attack of the enemy forces from the outside, with the expectations of large waves of the demons and fel orcs about to come.

Not long after later; the forces of the Legion finally arrive inside the citadel and began assaulting the Alliance stronghold as continuation of their conquest to the Black Citadel. The Alliance army within the citadel consists of elite knights led by Turalyon, elven archers commanded by Alleria, elven priests and spell breakers led by both Prince Kael and Khadgar, and also a group of draenei saboteurs and elite assassins that originally helped Illidan defeat Magtheridon before. The demon huntress Alandien is also assigned to support the Alliance army. Having mustered the majority of the surviving naga; Illidan and Lady Vashj lead the bulk of the remaining naga army that consist of naga myrmidons, naga sirens, snap dragons, dragon turtles, and naga royal guards. The armies of the allied defenders battle once more against the demons and fel orcs on a fiercely heavy war.

The nether dragons and the flying daemons are unable to be brought inside the compounds of the citadel. The demon and fel orc invaders consist of grunts, raiders, fel orc warlocks, overlords, fel ravagers, eredar warlocks, doom guards, voidwalkers and infernals. Led by Nek'rosh Skullcrusher, Keli'dan the Breaker, Kargath Bladefist, Highlord Kruul, Azgoth and Mephistroth; the terrible and large armies of the Legion press on their massive relentless assaults against Illidan's naga and the Alliance forces. Once again, another heavily fierce war battle rages with the two opposing forces fight against each another on such massive bloodshed and mayhem. Many warriors from both the opposing sides are starting to fall due to being killed upon the war fight in the vicious battlefield.

Despite having slain many demons and fel orcs on the first battle on the courtyard; the combined naga and the Alliance armies are still outnumbered by the standing forces of the Burning Legion. With the scales of the war in favor to the Legion; Illidan and his allies made it sure that they have highly fortified defenses within the citadel, which are of even greater than the first defenses upon the courtyard. Illidan, Lady Vashj, Alandien, and the Alliance leaders are using all their strengths and powers in leading their armies to fight and destroy all the various waves of enemy forces that come. Showing a greater resilience than before; the armies of the Legion are having a harder time on conquering the citadel with the defenders taking down much more demons and fel orcs on the battlefield. Despite the well expected tougher defenses within the Black Citadel; the forces of the Legion continue pressing the heavy attritions upon sending hordes of demon and fel orc warriors.

The vicious relentless war battle within the Black Citadel would last for almost three straight days, with the combined armies of Illidan's naga and the Alliance forces putting up great defense against the vast ravenous forces of the Burning Legion. As before upon the courtyard; the defenders shown a strong resistance upon killing such many demons and fel orcs in the battlefield, but their defenses have been eventually swamped by the forces of the Legion. Despite setting up their strongest form of defenses within the citadel; the forces of the Legion were still able to push through their defenses inside the Black Citadel, due to the great strength and powers of its dark commanders and the vast armies that they command. Huge scores of demons and fel orcs were slain during the past few days of straight war battle; yet the forces of the Legion were still able to break through, and destroy the large highly fortified Alliance stronghold, and the naga camp that guards the bridge leading to the innermost chambers of the Black Citadel. All the defending leaders suffered grievous wounds and exhaustion, and worse is that Illidan felt another sudden crippling seizure of pain upon his chest.

Illidan: "Aaaaarrrrgghh!!! Not this time!!! Aarrghh!"

Kael: "No! Lord Illidan! Not again!"

Vashj: "Quickly, Kael! You must bring the master back to the inner sanctum, and call for retreat upon your allies before we are all overrun! Hurry! I shall save whatever is left of my warriors!"

Kael: "Sire Turalyon! Lord Khadgar! Alleria! We must retreat! We cannot win here! Fall back!"

Khadgar: "Of course, lad. We shall recall our standing forces, and head back to the sanctum!"

Alleria: "Shindu fallah Na! Fall back to the bridge, my warriors! Fall back, quickly!"

Turalyon: "Light have mercy on us! We cannot win here! We must retreat, men! Retreat!"

Prince Kael and Alandien escort the severely weakened and battered Illidan to the throne chamber. Lady Vashj rallies all what is left of her naga, and retreats to her last base at the innermost chambers of the citadel. Khadgar, who is injured and heavily drained out from his energies due to relentlessly facing both Nek'rosh and Keli'dan, gathers all his standing companions in the battlefield to retreat. Both of the battle weary and wounded commanders, Turalyon and Alleria, who directly faced off against Kruul and Kargath, quickly rallied the surviving Alliance troops, and followed Khadgar to the innermost chambers of the Black Citadel. Suffering various injuries and exhaustion for almost three days of relentless battling against the demons and fel orcs; the surviving Alliance Expedition leaders and soldiers were forced to retreat in defeat in the end. Like before; Illidan and Lady Vashj did their best in leading their naga armies, but the vast numbers of the demons and fel orcs got the best of them, and also Illidan's crippling curse from the Frostmourne once again struck upon him.

Despite showing a very strong resistance upon the two and a half days of battling; the forces of the Legion were able to push through the tough defenses of the Alliance forces and of Illidan's naga. The entire Alliance stronghold and the naga encampment behind have just been decimated by the forces of the Legion. Many Alliance troops fell during the war battle, and there are now only few surviving naga warriors left with Lady Vashj. Though many demons and fel orcs were killed; the forces of the Legion are still large enough to outnumber all the remaining defenders, and are still strong enough to take over the Black Citadel. The allied armies of Illidan's naga and the Alliance forces have really shown great resilience, but it is quite certain that their defeat is now inevitable.

Azgoth: "Rise up, warriors of the Legion! Our victory draws near! None shall stand against us!"

Mephistroth: "Our task for Lord Kil'jaeden shall be finished, and I shall soon have my revenge!"

The forces of the Legion proceed on to ravage all what is left of the Alliance and naga structures within the citadel. Rallying all the surviving warriors in the battlefield; the battle weary forces of both the naga and the Alliance have withdrawn into the innermost chambers of the citadel, which is their very last holdout. Upon successfully conquering the inner compound; Azgoth, Mephistroth, Kruul, and Kargath made the final preparation upon finishing their siege of the citadel. Assembling the strongest and most powerful amongst the demon ranks, the forces of the Legion set themselves on invading the innermost chambers and destroying the last defenses of Illidan in the Black Citadel.

Kargath: "We are close to finishing our foes! Soon, we will end this war with victory on our grasp!"

Mephistroth: "The last resolve for this war is to slay Illidan himself, and I shall be doing it myself! It was Illidan who killed my brother, Tichondrius, which caused the invasion of Lord Archimonde in Azeroth to fail that also ended my other brother, Anetheron. During this long war, I thought that Gorefiend and Kazzak could finish the job of ending Illidan. Given their failure, I will take it upon myself in vanquishing Illidan with own hands! This time, Illidan will not be so lucky! I swear it!"