Wrath of the Light

Chapter One: Chasing Visions

'The Sands of Time have run out, Son of Durotan.' said a voice.

In a dream, Thrall saw a barren hillside stood, with only scrub grass upon it. Great stones were piled here and there, and the sky was orange and yellow. The air was filled with suspense. As if the land feared something long expected.

'The cries of war echo on the winds.'

The beating of drums echoed throughout the lands. A warrior atop a beast Thrall had never seen before beating a pair of drums. The noise he made sent the warriors around him into a frenzy. The dirt shook beneath the vibrations of the army before him, as the grass was swept in a fel wind. Far away, a raven picked at the dirt, seeking food despite the coming danger.

The crow looked up. Its eye stared into his mind, even as a catapult was shoved over the hill and descended towards him. The crow fled in terror, as the vision changed to the opposing side of the hill. A human warrior stepped up upon a rock at the peak. He was clad in bright mail, with a flowing blue cloak. His face was hidden behind a helmet. Motioning with a shining sword her called his soldiers to battle.

'Heroes arise to challenge fate, and lead their brethren into battle!'

A vast force of humans in shining mail rushed over the side of the hill, swords gleaming for battle. The orcs on the other side roared war cries as the two sides descended on one another. Even as they were about to meet, the skies churned. Fire began to rain from the skies, and amidst the ranks of the orcs, Thrall halted and looked up.

Fire descended and consumed him.

'As mortal armies rush blindly towards their doom, the burning shadow comes to consume us all.' Then Thrall was standing before a human, clad in a brown cloak, who turned to point at him. 'You must rally the Horde, and lead your people to their destiny!'

The viewed changed, and it was as if Thrall had become a bird and was slowly flying away from his own home.

'Seek me out...'

Thrall awoke in cold sweat from a dream which had seemed as real as day. He stood up and swiftly made his way out of his hut to gaze down upon the village below. It was a place of thatched roofs and wooden walls. Several warriors paced restlessly below, awoken by fate or luck at the same time as Thrall. The Warchief looked out over the sleeping village. Then he turned his attention to the great trees on every side of them. The hooting of night owls could be heard heart and there as his people slumbered. This village had been made out of the way of most human encampments. So was a safe place to conduct operations from.

'What kind of nightmare was that?' he asked of no one in particular.

No answer was forthcoming. Thrall almost dismissed the dream as a meaningless vision. But at that moment a bird flew overhead, yet it spoke with a man's voice. 'It was not a nightmare, young warchief, but a vision. Follow me, and I will reveal what your future holds.'

Thrall watched in go in bemusement. This seemed somehow important. 'I don't know what this is all about.' he said after a moment. 'But I'll play along.'

Thrall returned to his hut and donned his armor. Picking up his hammer, he readied his favorite wolf mount, Snowsong for war. The wolf seemed restless and nuzzled his hand with a whimper. 'Easy girl, we're going out soon. I sense something out there that I can't just ignore.'

He mounted the white wolf. Riding Snowsong down, he rode towards the orcs settlement in the valley below. As he entered its midst, three warriors approached him, looking restless.