Nexus Fall: Battlefield Reunions
A courtyard unfurled before a towering castle. Gray pavers, smoothed by use, spread out around a massive platform. Though the platform was empty now, it seemed as if something belonged there. Water could be heard flowing nearby. Walls cordoned off the courtyard from the rest of the garden with forts and keeps spaced in the intervening area as defense.
A vast and sprawling countryside of gentle, undulating hills spread out between the blue roofed castle and a red roofed castle far in the distance. Three roads cut through the countryside to the walls of the other castle. Beyond that, it sounded like a garden party was taking place somewhere.
A shrine lay at the north and south of the country. One dedicated to the moon, one to the sun. In the center stood a huge, stone dragon statue. Something seemed to crackle just beneath the surface, almost as if the statue was alive beneath the stony veneer.
A dais, positioned directly in front of the castle gate, crackled with power before four figures seemingly appeared from thin air. In almost unison they stepped down from the dais. Three of them seemed to belong together with similar arms and armor. The fourth seemed like they were from another world entirely. Truly, they were.
“Another day, another fight! FOR THE WILDHAMMER!” A dwarf billowed from atop his gryphon.
“Enthusiastic as ever I see, Falstad.” A kingly figure with dark brown air chuckled as he glanced up at the sky. “Looks like sword and board today. We’re down a man and a healer.”
“Ain’t it a little funny? Even if they show up a bit late a fifth is always here by now…” A man in a full body suit of armor commented as he shifted his gun to his other hand. Almost as if that were a cue, the dais crackled with power again. “Speak a the devil…”
All of them turned to see who their fifth would be. The kingly figure turned a sickened shade of white immediately.
“No…” A barely audible whisper as he took a tentative step up on to the dais. “Why? Of all people… why are you here, my son?” With each step he seemed increasingly weaker. Finally, he collapsed to his knees before a flaxen haired young man. The very image of a broken man, he limply reached out to them. Finding strength in the myriad emotions welling up inside, he yanked the young man up against him tightly. Barely contained sobs buried themselves in the crook of the young man’s neck.
“Battle starts in 30 seconds.” A regal, albeit disembodied, voice echoed through the courtyard.
A dwarf in blue armor reached out and touched the grieving man on the shoulder.
“Come on! Wake up! We’re running out of time.” The king urged as he pulled himself from his sorrow.
“Ya Majesty. Yannae how this all works. He’ll be safe here.” The armored dwarf named Muradin spoke quietly and kindly.
“Aye, even if they take the core, they cannae touch ‘im ‘ere.” The gryphon riding Falstad chimed in encouragingly.
“Just... Come on, Anduin. Wake up.” The king gently shook the young man one last time.
“Come on, Wrynn. We gotta roll.”
“Right. If he’s here then I’m bound to see him again.” The king gently laid his son back down and got to his feet. A quick wipe of his face with leather gloved hands and he became a vision of seriousness. His noble features take on the shape of a king once more. Like so many times before, emotions pushed aside in favor of the stoicism necessary to lead.
“That’s the spirit!” Falstad cheered raising his hammer into the air. His gryphon squawked in seeming agreement.
“We need to figure out who we’re up against.” Sparing his son one last look, he left the dais. The others climbed on their mounts as they waited for him.
“Foolish mortal! I will feast upon your fear!” A deep voice shaded by darkness rumbled through the air like far off thunder.
“Great. It’s that guy… again... Someone really needs to tell him you can’t eat emotions…” Jim Raynor loosed a long suffering sigh before his visor clicked down.
“I hate demons…” Varian hissed under his breath. “Let’s go!” With a quick hop he was on his steed and racing toward the gate at the front of the courtyard. He glanced over his shoulder one last time.
“Light protect you, my son. Until we meet again.”
The clattering of hooves and roaring engines finally drew the young man from his slumber. Eyes slowly pried open by light and warmth coaxing him to consciousness. He sat up just in time to see a very familiar back riding away, cloak flapping in the breeze. “Father?” He blinked a few times while shaking his head and the figure disappeared beyond a gate. He got to his knees quickly and tried to call out to the figure again. Hands reached to take hold of the image but were met with nothing but air. His voice was lost to distance.
“What… is this place?” He finally took in his very foreign surroundings. “A dream?”
“You have been summoned to the Nexus.” A disembodied woman’s voice answered him.
“This… looks nothing like Northrend.” Confusion marked his features as he slowly got to his feet. He took one tentative step towards the edge of the platform.
“The name is a coincidence to the location you know.” The voice went on flatly. “The Nexus is where great heroes gather to fight.”
“For what purpose? Why are we fighting?” He took another step forward, but stopped short of going over the edge of the platform.
“That is the way of this place. Heroes are gathered to fight for lords of these realms. It helps to maintain the balance.”
“It’s some kind of arena then…? We must fight to be free of it. Is that it?”
“If that is how you choose to understand the situation.”
Any further questions were stifled by the sounds of a tremendous battle taking place beyond the gates. “Who’s fighting here now?”
Words appeared in the sky:
Blue Team
Anduin Wrynn
Falstad Wildhammer
Jim Raynor
Muradin Bronzebeard
Varian Wrynn
Red Team
Abathur, the Evolution Master
Diablo, Lord of Terror
Gul’dan
Illidan Stormrage
Miles “Blaze” Lewis
“My Father is here?! And... and… Illidan?! How is… I thought he…” Anduin’s brain came to a full stop along with his mouth left agape.
“Heroes from many different worlds and times are summoned here to fight.” The disembodied voice pulled him from his disbelief.
“Don’t let Lady Chronormu find out you are tampering with the timelines.” Anduin looked gravely serious as he shook his head to dispel his shock.
“You may have the opportunity to do so yourself in time. For now, the battle has begun. If you do not engage in combat soon you will be removed from the battle.”
“I can’t have that! My Father is out there! I have to help him!” He looked around quickly and found a chestnut mare waiting for him. He mounted the horse and rode off in the direction his Father went.
The scene that met him on the battlefield was not what he expected. Vast armies were commanded by the people whose names appeared in the sky but only 8 combatants stood out on the field. The combatants closest to him looked considerably worse for the wear, especially his Father. Varian was down on one knee leaning heavily on Shalamane.
“Damn… bested by Gul’dan and his demons again…” Varian sighed in resignation. “Regroup behind the gate! I’ll keep them busy!”
“Pitiful mortal…” A towering demon, the likes of which Anduin had never seen before, called haughtily before starting a charge right towards Varian.
“Raynor!” Muradin yelled sprinting towards Varian.
“Reloading!”
“FATHER!” Anduin screamed and Varian suddenly went flying backwards to the gate.
“Anduin?” Varian seemed wholly overcome with emotion to see his son awake again. He embraced his son tightly.
“Your wounds, Father.” Anduin quickly freed himself and began healing his father.
“Damn. Shalamane is out there.” Varian clicked his tongue as he watched the demon kick it to the side.
“Then take mine. I suspect I’ll be doing a lot of healing from back here.” Anduin pulled his Shalamane off his back and handed it to his Father. He gave his father a kind smile. “It always looked more at home in your hands than mine.”
Varian looked down at the blade then back up to his son with a conflicted look on his face. “This was not the life I wanted for you, my son.” His hand slowly wrapped around the hilt.
“I know, Father. Later.” He gave his Father a reaffirming clap on the arm. “I am here with you, right now.”
“Yes…” Dispelling all reservations, Varian took the sword and bolted back into the fray.
While Raynor laid down cover fire Varian slid down and grabbed his Shalamane before gracefully regaining his footing. He charged headlong toward the red demon.
“Thought ya said this was a sword and board match!” Falstad jeered teasingly as his hammer came flying back to his hand.
“Changed my mind!” Varian wore smug smile as he passed Falstad. “Cover the northern road!”
“Aye! LET’S FLY!”
Anduin sent a wave of light forward healing his allies before bouncing back to him.
“Always thank yer healer!” Muradin cheered as he gripped his axe tighter. Then he took a mighty leap into the air and landed a hair’s breadth away behind Gul’dan. “I’ve been lookin’ forward to this for a looong time…” There was a might crashing sound and Gul’dan went sailing through the air into the gate next to Anduin.
“You stay right there!” Chains reach up to wrap around Gu’ldan while canons rained down from above to finish him off.
“What is this place?” Anduin finally had a chance to ask as he collapsed into a sitting position on the stone courtyard of the opposing castle. Exhaustion had settled into every fiber of his being. Though he had trained after taking the throne, it had not been nearly as often enough and he could tell that now.
“They call it the Nexus. Something created it long ago and now it’s full of different realms. Each realm is ruled over by a realm lord. The acting realm lord of King’s Crest is Raena, the Lady of Thorns.” His Father explained as he offered a hand up. “It looks like the fighting is over for now so we’ll have some time to talk.”
Anduin took his Father’s hand and hoisted himself to his feet again. With great effort he mounted his chestnut mare and followed after his Father.
“I suspect since you’re still here, that means you’ll also be staying in the castle.” Varian motioned to the castle far off in the distance that was not fought over during the battle. A certain bitterness laced his words.
"Was that voice that made announcements during the battle the Queen?" Anduin's fatigue had lifted some in favor of curiosity.
"Yes. She is one of the many lords fighting over space here in the Nexus."
"Is... that why we are here to fight? For someone else to gain territory in this... bizarre place?"
"There is... quite a bit more to it than that. Once we make it to the planetarium things will make more sense."
The pair rode on talking all the way about the ins and outs of the Nexus. By the time they reached the grand castle Anduin's head felt like it might well and truly explode.
"Welcome back, King Varian!" A cheerful voice beamed as a VERY short stable hand came out to get their horses. "This must be Prince Anduin! We've been expecting you!"
"You... you have?"
"He is King Anduin. He succeeded when I was... What did happen to me exactly...?"
Anduin's face twisted up in confusion and concern at this. "Do you not remember, Father? Your fight with Gul'dan? And how you..." His voice faded off to nothing as sorrow took him. His gaze drifted away from his Father as he fought back tears.
"I remember getting on a boat to the Broken Isles but I don't remember ever getting there." Varian's answer was every bit sincere. He well and truly remembered nothing. "That is... a conversation for another time... Come, you need to see the planetarium."
Anduin thought to press the issue, but the more he thought to, the more he realized he didn't remember much of the what happened just prior to his appearance in the Nexus either.
"Quite the puzzle..."
"Take a look in this." Varian gestured to the eyepiece of the largest telescope Anduin had ever seen.
Still quite astonished by the size, he walked up to it and took a peek. He was greeted by a massive, swirling storm in the middle of space. "That's quite the storm..." He commented absently as he watched clouds roil and churn on themselves as lightning danced through them.
"Let's turn it so you can see something else." Varian turned the crank once Anduin pulled away. The telescope slowly moved in a clockwise rotation a few degrees at a time. "Look now and tell me what you see.”
Anduin obliged and what met his eyes now was wholly different than before. An endless expanse stretched before him dotted by millions of stars. Just off center of the field of view was a massive portal with a familiar world just beyond. Bathed in the light of day, it was clear to Anduin just what he was seeing. So startling was the image he fell away from the eyepiece and landed hard on the floor.
"That is... Draenor on the other side of that portal... But... The Draenor of the new timeline created by Garrosh. The one in which Valen dies and..." He stammered as his eyes shifted back and forth between his Father and the eyepiece. His hand pointed off into space shaking uncontrollably.
"Yes..." Varian nodded and smiled softly. "This place, this Nexus, is at the center of a great storm of energy that tears open rifts to other worlds, times, and dimensions. Even different versions of Azeroth." Varian walked over and offered his hand again. "There are even other versions of me here, at least Muradin has told me as much. And I suspect if you are here, I will see other versions of you in time as well."
"This is a lot to take in, Father." Anduin looked and sounded utterly overwhelmed by it all. "I feel as though I understand what is going on here to a point."
"There is more to all of this than just fighting to appease the lords of this place." Varian's countenance grew grim as he turned his gaze to the sky. "Could you imagine what would happen if Sargeras found out about a place like this? What he would try to do?"
All color drained from Anduin's face as horror washed over it. "I... I would rather not..."
"That's why it's important we try our hardest to fight. If we support the lords of this place they become more powerful with each victory. The more powerful they become, the easier it is for them to fight off any who would seek to use this crossroads as a means of conquest. As a means to worlds otherwise out of their reach." Varian slowly extended his hand up to the sky. He abruptly clasped it into a fist around a particularly bright entity in the sky.
“It’s not just terrors from our world either.” Anduin’s statement pulled his Father back to him.
“No. You saw as much during our battle today.” Varian reached out and put his hand on his son’s shoulder. All sternness faded into a mixture of sorrow and regret. Normally strong hands seemed weak as they pressed into Anduin’s shoulder. “I… I never wanted a life of constant fighting for you. I wanted you to live a life of peace and prosperity.”
Anduin’s eyes glanced to his shoulder before meeting his Father’s gaze. “I know, Father. But it seems fate has other things in store for me.” Anduin gave his Father a warm smile. “I, for one, am glad to have this opportunity. I never did get the chance to really fight by your side.” He trailed off a moment as a wave of myriad emotions washed over his face. “There are… so, so many things I want to say to you. So much left for me to learn from you.” His voice broke as tears pooled at the corners of his eyes.
“I know.” Varian wrapped his arms around his son and gave him the hug he had wanted to since they were first reunited.
“Father, I’ve missed you so much.” Wrapped in the comfort of his Father’s arms, tears flowed like springs from his eyes.
“I know. I missed you too. But I am proud of you, my son.” Varian was not immune to his own emotions, voice cracking at the end under their weight. Sensing words would only fail him, he opted to tighten his embrace instead.
“I should take you to meet Lady Raena now…” Varian begrudgingly pulled away from Anduin.
“Oh! It is only fitting I should introduce myself if I will be staying in her castle.” Anduin scrubbed the tears from his cheeks with the heels of his hands a moment. After composing himself he gave his Father a confident smile. “Shall we be off?”
“There’s something you need to know about Lady Raena.” The seriousness of Varian’s voice put an icy chill in the air.
“This must be your son.” A familiar woman’s voice filled the audience chamber as soon as Anduin and Varian entered it. There was a certain amount of venom woven around every word. “How nice for you to be reunited once again.”
Anduin looked around in distress at the state of affairs in the throne room. “This is far worse than you lead me to believe, Father.” Anduin assessed the damage the walls and ceilings that were still in the process of being fixed. “You said something troubling happened to the royal family. Is there anything I can do?” Anduin turned to his father who now stood beside a stone statue of a woman.
“You are welcome to try.” A woman’s voice filled the room.
“Do excuse me. I did not see you.” Anduin looked around confused. “I am indeed Anduin Wrynn. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance…” He finally laid eyes on his father who was not so subtly gesturing to the statue. “By the Light!” He immediately run up to the statue. “Lady Raena is imprisoned in stone?”
“It is the curse passed on through my family.” She replied bitterly.
“For… forgive me… I had no idea.” Anduin was genuinely apologetic as he lowered his head in embarassment.
“Hmph…”
“Has anyone tried removing the curse?” Anduin shook his head. “I’m sure that is the case…”
“This is not the type of curse even Archdruid Malfurion or Mehdiv could remove with their considerable skills.”
“They are… as well?!” Anduin seemed genuinely shocked to know more people he knew, or at least knew of, had been brought to this place as well. “Maybe… it isn’t a curse at all.”
“What do you mean?” Varian looked at him puzzled.
“What if… it’s a kind of vile enchantment?” Anduin looked quite serious as energy polled in his hand. “In which case, I might be able to help.”
“Save your energy, Child.” Lady Raena scoffed at him.
Anduin chose to ignore her and sent the energy at of his hand. It spiraled around her slowly, but seemingly did nothing. Until the statue’s façade cracked slightly.
“What did you just do?” She asked suspiciously.
“I… used dispel magic. I fear it did not yield the desire result.”
“No… It just wasn’t powerful enough.” Raena’s voice had lost it’s hard edge in favor of sadness.
“Hm… I wonder… In theory it could work…”Anduin held his chin as he considered his options.
“Do you have an idea?” Varian looked on expectantly.
“Mass dispel can remove harmful magical effect from many targets all at once. But if all of that cleansing power was focused on a single target it would, in theory amplify the spell’s effect.” He seemed quite thoughtful. “However… Given how little the effect of a single application was, I suspect it would require more than one attempt.”
“Or more than one priest.” A familiar woman’s voice echoed throughout the halls.
Anduin spun around quickly to meet them face to face.
“Or a priestess as the case may be.”
“Lady… Lady Tyrande…” Anduin’s wide-eyes narrowed quickly as sadness took him. “I am surprised to find you speaking so genially to me given our last meeting.”
“Our last meeting was quite joyful as I recall.” She smiled at him despite the worry on his face.
“Oh… Then you must be…”
“Perhaps it is a different ‘me; you know. But this ‘me’ is willing to test your theory if it means freeing Lady Raena.” Tyrande stepped up beside him facing Raena.
“Yes. In that case, I appreciate any assistance you can afford me.”
Together than channeled their energies and focused them all on dispelling Raena’s stony form. When the light dispersed, much to their sorrow, the stone remained.
“It was… too much to hope for I suppose.” Tyrande sighed quietly to herself.
Suddenly a cracking sound filled the room. Like hundreds of eggs cracking all at once the stone splintered and spiderwebbed. Anduin held his breath hoping this was a good portend and not a sign they had in fact destroyed Lady Raena instead. Then the stone started falling away. Piece by piece the rock fell away, smashing to smaller pieces on the polished stone floor. At last, there was none left at all. Lady Raena took a deep breath and all her limbs relaxed immediately.
“For how long?” Her voice was only audible to Varian who took her by the arm to steady her. “For how long was I trapped in that accursed prison?”
“Too long.” Tyrande answered in relief.
“Indeed…” Raena clasped a gem to her chest. “There is much to do. But for tonight, let us all rest.” She looked up at Anduin with grateful eyes. It didn’t seem like the same person who so angrily and bitterly spoke to him before.
“Yes. I have something of great interest to you, Lady Raena.”
“Very well. I looked forward to hearing from you.” With that, Raena gently freed herself from Varian’s grasp and turned towards the throne. “I have already asked so much of many of you. But it seems I will need to ask you for your strength once more if we are to rebuild the kingdom.” She looked directly into Anduin’s eyes. “I was right to call you here, even if my motives at the time were… wholly selfish. I hope you can forgive me.”
“I… really don’t know what to say. I will do my best to assist you in anyway I can, Lady Raena.” Though Anduin answered clearly and happily, Varian looked rather displeased…