Wrath of the Light

Chapter Six: Ravages of the Plague

The company weathered night in an outlying farmstead, where the grain was in full growth. Then they pressed on. As they passed through a village. A woman made her way from where she had been looking over it, to lean over the wall.

'Prince Arthas,' she said, 'there's something amiss at the bridge ahead.'

'We'll see what it's all about.' said Arthas.

They pressed onwards and saw two blonde children playing tag around a maypole. Further on there were houses with thatched roofs. People were speaking to one another about daily affairs. As they traveled people began to take note of their presence, in particular, a group of young woman.

'Look, its Prince Arthas!' said one amongst them.

Arthas found their reverence more than a little disturbing. 'You would think I was the greatest hero in the land and not Uther.' he muttered to himself.

'People need heroes,' replied Falric, 'and people prefer them young.'

They marched onwards along the road. The sound of scythes hacking wheat could be heard as workers went about their tasks. Then they came to the bridge.

It had been broken across the middle, and all along the northern bank, nothing could be seen. The other side had a desolate look to it. Meanwhile, the people were all milling about, discussing the matter of the bridge. During this time, a man appeared.

'Milord, someone has destroyed the bridge from the far side of the river.' he said. 'There is another way to cross, but... it is not as safe as it used to be.'

'What way is that?' asked Arthas.

'You must make your way east of here,' said the man, 'and then north once you get past the village. Once you are there, you'll find a shallow section of land which you can use to make your way to the other side.

Even so, word has it that many dangers have appeared.'

'Thank you for your assistance,' said Arthas, 'I'll remember it.'

They made their way east, into the hills and soon came within sight of the village. There was an air of unease about them as they entered. People were shuffling around, looking warily. Then they looked up to see Arthas and their eyes were hopeful.

Arthas wished he deserved that hope.

Suddenly a group of thugs, clad in brown armor burst from the trees with axes and shields.

'Slaughter them all!' cried a bandit.

'Bandits!' cried a villager. 'Run!'

Arthas and his men rushed forward to meet the bandits. Even as they did so, a number of the ruffians cut down several villagers, and then the alliance was upon them. The clashing of swords soon filled the air, as Falric and his men engaged the bandits, and Arthas joined the fray. Jaina burned two to death with firebolts. Falric hewed the head from another. The other footmen slew many, while Arthas smashed in the skulls of the leader with his hammer.

Finally, the bandits all lay dead, and not one of Arthas' party had fallen. It had hardly been a battle, for the Bandits had been poorly trained if trained at all. Even so, they had killed several villagers before they had fallen. A few had escaped to the north through the shallows on a river.

Falric kneeled down by a bandit's body. and picked it up. 'This is the crest of Alterac.' the Captain said. 'This butchery was the work of Aiden Pernolde's Syndicate!'

'Yet how has he gotten such manpower?' asked Arthas, pressing through the crowds to meet him. 'Alterac's forces weren't disbanded, but absorbed into the military.'