Hello everyone, something a little different today. This is a one-shot based off of the story 'Broken Wings' by OutlastTheDark. He's a superb writer (far better then I'll ever be) and he gave me permission to write this up, so I hope I didn't disappoint. This is based off of a certain event that happens at the end of the penultimate chapter so whether or not this actually happens or not is up to him. Now, on with the show!
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The Legion vessel hovered high in the sky, the clouds thick with smoke and Fel energy, casting an eerie light over the world of Remnant. The loss of Vale had been a major setback for the Legion, but they still had a foothold on the world. Vacuo and Mistral was still held within their grasp, and it was only a matter of time until Atlas lost the will to keep on fighting. Then, they could refocus their efforts on taking back Vale, adding yet another planet to their long list of conquests.
Fel energy hummed around the Legion ship as it prepared to teleport to a new location, a vast void of Shadow and Fel energy appearing at the bow of the vessel, which it flew into seconds later, reappearing above one of the last remaining Legion bastions near Vale. The main bulk of the camp was located in a gorge, where a large collection of Legion structures was located, along with a contingent of Demons of all shapes and sizes.
Overlooking the gorge was the rest of the encampment, where the Legion kept their prisoners and experiments, their screams echoing across the encampment nearly 24/7. A Fel Lord strode through the prison section confidently, his black and gold armour contrasting perfectly with his pale grey skin, a large runed Great-Axe in his hand. Not far behind him were two Felguards, their skin and armour matching the Fel Lord's. The two smaller Demons carried between them a frail young woman, who's head was slumped forward as though she was unconscious, her feet dragging across the dirt trodden floor. As the three Demons passed the numerous cages, some of the occupants began to take notice. Creatures of Grimm, driven mad by the Fel energy forced inside them, began to slash and reach out of the gaps of their cages, snarling and snapping in frustration.
"How much further must we heft this baggage?!" one of the Felguards growled, his voice deep and gravelly. "Any cell will do!"
"Why not toss her in with this lot?" the other replied, his voice much smoother then his compatriots, but just as deep. As he spoke, he nodded towards one of the many holding pens, where a pack of Beowolves roared in anger as they reached out to grab them. "They could use the meat..."
"Them?! What about us?!" the Felguard retorted, snapping his head towards the prisoner they carried. "My belly aches, and her flesh is seared just the way I like it..."
"Quiet! You two whimper like Imps fresh off the teat!" the Fel Lord ordered, the deeper bass of his voice commanding authority. "She's not meant for the cells. Gul'dan has something...special in mind for her."
The Fel Lord chuckled knowingly to himself as he traced his gauntleted finger against the edge of his Great-Axe as the Demons and their cargo continued forward. The Demons quickly made their way to the face of the cliff, the gorge directly beneath them. They proceeded to step on a large circular platform overlooking the encampment, a pair of Wrathguards stood either end. When all four were on the platform, the Fel Lord slammed the butt of his weapon on the platform once, causing one of the Wrathguards to nod in acknowledgement. It then proceeded to pull down a lever, the platform shuddering slightly as it then descended to the main encampment.
The platform stopped as soon as it connected to the ground, the Fel Lord and his escort stepping off of it as they quickly made their way to one of the many structures in the gorge, this one a dark mirror of the Cathedral of Light within Stormwind City. As they approached the structure, Fel Lords in red and gold armour lined the path up to it, some of them glancing slightly at the escort and their cargo as they passed. A pair of Fel Lords guarding the main door nodded to one another as the group came closer, quickly grabbing hold of the handles of the door and pulling them open as the Fel Lord and his party approached.
The doors closed quickly afterwards, leaving the Fel Lord and his entourage in the middle of a dark corridor, another door at the other end. As the Demons approached the door, it slid open quickly, revealing a large antechamber, lit by multiple Felfire Braziers. At the centre of the room, in front of a large Demonic Altar, stood Gul'dan, his back turned as he recited a sermon to the Legion. He turned his head at the sound of the Demons approaching, a sinister smile that promised only pain and suffering quickly spreading across his lips. The Fel Lord and the Felguards quickly knelt down on one knee, their heads bowed low.
"Gul'dan, I have brought you the prisoner as requested." the Fel Lord stated, raising his head slightly.
"You have done well, Dread Knight." Gul'dan commended, earning a subtle nod from the Fel Lord in return. "Now, leave us."
The Fel Lord blinked in surprise, looking up fully as he did so.
"But...I thought-"
"And take your guards with you." Gul'dan interrupted, turning around fully to face the three Demons. "You are being redeployed to the Dreadscar Rift. From now on, you will report to its Overlord, whomever that may be."
The Fel Lord opened his mouth to protest, yet no words emerged from his lips. With a low growl, the Fel Lord turned to face the Felguards, who were both looking at him expectantly.
"Release the prisoner." he finally said, the two Felguards obeying the order immediately as they let the woman slump to the floor, who only just managed to stop herself from hitting the floor flat on her face.
As the Felguards walked away, the Fel Lord stood up again, his gaze meeting Gul'dan's own, who was smiling smugly as he waved his index and middle finger away from him, signalling for the Demon to leave. The Fel Lord bowed subtly before moving away, snorting in disgust as he passed the woman, the doors closing behind him.
The Orcish Warlock stepped down from the altar and approached the woman, who's arms were shaking as she struggled to support her own weight. Gul'dan took note of the Fel burns running up from her hands and through her forearms, similar burns also running up her legs. She was lucky to be alive, honestly. Even with all the power within her, he had half expected her to simply die upon receiving the first of many blessings, her body too weak to contain the chaotic energies. If she had survived for this long, then that meant she showed some promise.
"You should be thankful, you know." Gul'dan finally said, causing the woman to slowly look up and face him, her once burning eyes now tinted a sickly green. "Your escorted wanted to have you hung by your entrails, and your corpse paraded around the camp. But ultimately, the terms of your fate are up to me...Cinder Fall."
Cinder growled quietly at the mention of her name, the Orcish Warlock raising an eyebrow as a dry chuckle escaped his lips at the display before him. Using the last of her energy, she managed to spit out five last words of defiance.
"Get it...over with...then..."
The Orcish Warlock let out another chuckle as he opened the palm of his free hand, a sickly looking orb of green Fel energy quickly appearing in his hand. Cinder closed her eyes as she awaited the inevitable killing blow, her head turning slightly away. She then felt the orb of energy fly past her, where she heard it hit what sounded like a wall if the sound of falling debris was anything to go by. When she reopened her eyes, she saw Gul'dan stood before her, his arm open as he gestured to the far side of the room, where a font of green bubbling liquid that had not been there previously now stood.
"Tell me, Fall..." Gul'dan began, his voice dropping to whisper as he leaned closer to Cinder's face. "...do you believe in destiny?"
Cinder's eyes narrowed at the Orc's query, who raised one of his own eyebrows expectantly as he awaited an answer. The Warlock then began to make his way over to the font, removing something from his robes in the process.
"...yes..." Cinder replied warily, her eyes narrowing further.
"Good..." the Warlock chuckled, turning around slightly as he continued to make his way towards the font.
She wasn't sure, but she was fairly confident that in the Warlocks hands was a cup of some sort. What he planned to do, she didn't know.
"You and I aren't so different, Fall." Gul'dan continued, scooping up some of the Fel liquid from the font into the cup. "We are both servants of a higher power, who's plans for us are unknown."
"Your Legion means nothing to me." Cinder spat back as the Warlock made his way back towards her, whatever liquid within the cup smoking and bubbling outwards. "I have seen true power, and your Legion can't even hold a candle to its flame."
"Really?" Gul'dan chuckled as he continued to make his way forward. "And why exactly do I not believe you?"
"My Master-"
"Has abandoned you." Gul'dan interrupted, stopping Cinder in her tracks. "If they truly cared for you, then you wouldn't have been in that cell all those weeks ago."
Cinder tried to open her mouth to respond, to spit out a reply of some sort, anything. But as she sat in silence, she realised the Warlock was right. She had been abandoned. By Salem, who had first contacted her, offering her the power to rule Remnant. And He had betrayed her as well. Had all the promises been a lie? She had always known that Salem would try and betray her for His sole glory, but she would never had thought He would too. So lost in her misery, she did not notice Gul'dan stood right in front of her, the cup close to his chest.
"I was once like you," the Warlock stated, both his voice and face filled to the brim with sympathy. "I had offered myself to the service of a higher power. Yet when I needed them most, they abandoned me."
Cinder could not tell if the Warlock was being truthful with his tone or if he was simply toying with Cinder's emotions. Regardless, at the moment, it was working wonders.
"But in their absence, a new power found me!" Gul'dan then hissed, holding out the cup as a vicious snarl spread across his lips. "Drink, and you will become the Harbinger of the Legion's wrath, and you will finally bring this wretched world to its knees!"
Cinder looked at the cup, the green liquid within seemingly beckoning her to drink it.
"Drink, Cinder." Gul'dan tempted once again, holding the cup out closer. "Claim your destiny!"
With a shaking hand, Cinder took the cup from Gul'dan, who offered no resistance. She visibly recoiled from the stench of the liquid. It had not been her first experience with this 'Fel' magic, that honour went to her first meeting with the Warlock, where she had nearly died. By some miracle, she had survived, and had Fel energy forced into her body on a near daily basis. But for the first time, it was being offered to her instead. She knew she had nothing to lose if she drank the liquid, her life's work wasted, and she had everything to gain if she did.
Slowly, she brought the liquid to her lips, the smile on Gul'dan's face turning into a victorious snarl as the liquid travelled down her throat. She nearly threw up on the spot, her hand going to her mouth as she forced herself to swallow the liquid. She quickly began to scream as an intense pain ran through her body, her arms flailing uncontrollably as her mind lost all control of her body.
Then slowly, the pain began to subside, instead replaced by a feeling of pure strength and adrenalin. This new increase in strength began to smother the pain, as she felt the Fel energy within her merging with her soul, fusing the two together. The old strength she had once felt within her was now returning to her limbs, her arms and legs now able to support themselves once again.
Gul'dan laughed as he watched the new Cinder stand to full height, Felfire crackling off of her body as the Fel burns along her arms and legs glowed with renewed power. He nodded in approval as Cinder began to gain control of the flames around her, dying down quickly as her eyes shifted under their sockets.
Then they opened, revealing two orbs of pure green Fel energy.