He could track the Focusing Iris from Theramore. And he would. He would wait until it finally came to a stop, until the thieves had tired of the game, and then head directly for it. In the meantime, he would return to Jaina Proudmoore.
From what he had seen, she was going to need all the help she could get.
“How many did he say?” asked Pained. She, Tervosh, Kinndy, and Jaina were in the library, but the long table at which they had spent so many hours recently was no longer covered with books or scrolls. Instead, a large map of Kalimdor was spread out over it, the only books remaining on the table serving to anchor the parchment at each corner.
“He didn’t,” Jaina said. “At least not specifically. He said only that the Horde’s numbers were strong, and as we are now, we would fall.”
“Are you sure you can trust him?” asked Kinndy. “I mean, come on—he’s a member of the Horde. This could be a trap of some sort. We end up calling in reinforcements and bracing Theramore, and then they attack Stormwind or something.”
“For someone so young, Kinndy, you have quite a suspicious mind,” said a voice.
Jaina whirled, her heart lightening as Kalec strode into the room. Her pleasure faded somewhat as she caught sight of his face. It was still handsome and smiling, but he was paler than she recalled, and there were furrows in his brow.
“You couldn’t find it,” she said quietly.
Kalec shook his head. “They’re playing a little game with me,” he said. “Whenever I get close to the Focusing Iris, they move it somewhere else.”
“Trying to wear you out,” said Pained. “It is a sound strategy.”
“Sound or not, it’s as frustrating as trying to haggle with a goblin,” said Kalec. “I can sense it from here. I will wait until it slows and stops. Then I will go in search of it.”
“Is it safe to wait?” asked Pained.
Jaina answered for him. “We don’t know what they’re planning, but attuning so ancient an artifact toward whatever it is they want to do will take time and effort. Especially as they aren’t blue dragons, and therefore have no innate connection with the Focusing Iris. They cannot perform such complex work if they are traveling with it. Kalecgos is right. When the Iris ceases to move, then he can track it down.”
“I hope you have enough time,” said Kinndy.
“You would have me out there, flying around uselessly?”
“Well, when you put it that way—no.”
He nodded, then turned to Jaina. “I came back for another reason,” he said. “It sounds as if you have already heard, but Northwatch Hold has fallen to the Horde. I saw what was left of it.”
“We have heard,” she said. “From a very trusted source. But—you’ve seen it. I was also warned that from there, the Horde plans to march on Theramore.”
Kalec paled even more. “Jaina—you’re completely unprepared for them.”
“We were told their numbers are strong,” Jaina said. “And that, yes, right now, we aren’t prepared for them. But thanks to the warning, I’ve had a chance to send out some requests for aid.”
“I don’t know if that will be enough,” said Kalecgos. “Jaina, every race of the Horde was there. They have all but wiped Northwatch from the face of Azeroth. The only things that remain are rubble and—and pyres. They’ve not dispersed. The army—and it is an army—is still gathered. I wish I could truly show you what I saw. If your requests for aid are not met, and quickly, you’re not going to survive the attack.”
“And then Garrosh will summarily destroy the rest of the Alliance footholds,” said Tervosh. Kalec nodded, his eyes somber.
Jaina looked at them, then at Pained and Kinndy. “You’re all acting as if the Horde has already won. I won’t accept that.” She narrowed her eyes and jutted her chin out defiantly. “I believe Kalec when he says they have an army encamped at Northwatch. But if they are there now, then they’re not marching. And if they’re not marching, then they’re not ready to march. That means we still have time.”
She moved to the table, feeling Kalec’s curious gaze upon her. “Look. Here’s Northwatch.” She tapped a slender finger on the map. “And here’s Theramore.” She drew her finger down and to the right. “Over here is Brackenwall Village. Some Horde live there, but it’s not a military outpost. It does stand between Fort Triumph and us, however.” Fort Triumph was a rather newly established military base. If there had been more time, Jaina thought, it would have sent reinforcements to Northwatch. It might be too late for Northwatch Hold, but she prayed it wasn’t too late for Theramore.
“We’ll have the soldiers from Fort Triumph march through Dustwallow Marsh. They can avoid Brackenwall if they’re careful. We’ll also send out runners to Forward Command.”
“Any who are left,” Kalec said. “When I passed over the area, it seemed deserted.”
“Most of them probably went to help Northwatch,” said Kinndy quietly.
Which, Jaina thought with a pang, meant most of them were dead. She shook her golden head, almost physically trying to clear the image from her mind’s eye.
“Any who escaped the battle probably regrouped at Fort Triumph rather than Ratchet,” she said. “It’s the first place we should look for survivors.”
Kalec stepped beside her, his focus on the map. She looked at him in query, expecting him to have a comment. He shook his head. “Go on,” he said.
“Theramore is both uniquely vulnerable and highly defensible, depending on how fast reinforcements can get here. If we act quickly, Stormwind can send several ships, and any Horde vessels that attack will, hopefully, not even get close enough for their crews to come ashore.” She placed a finger on the map and drew a half circle around Theramore.
“If the Horde reaches the harbor first,” Pained said, “we will have no chance at all.”
Jaina turned to look at her. “That is true,” she said. “Perhaps we should all just lay down our arms and go to the dock so we can greet the Horde and thus save ourselves the trouble of a battle.”
Pained’s purple-pink cheeks flushed a darker hue. “You know I do not advocate that.”
“Of course you don’t. But we have to go into this battle thinking—no, knowing—we will succeed. I welcome all comments about flaws in my planning,” she said, addressing this to Kalecgos. Pained, Kinndy, and Tervosh already knew Jaina was open to constructive criticism. “But comments like that, Pained, do nothing save drag us down. Theramore has defended itself well in the past. We will do so again.”
“Whom have you sent letters to so far?” asked Kalec.
Jaina smiled a little. “Letters? None. Nor have I teleported. I have a way to instantly communicate with King Varian, young Anduin, and the Council of Three Hammers.”
“That must be interesting,” said Kalec. “From what I hear, the three dwarves seem inclined to agree on very little.”
Not so long ago, Ironforge’s leader had been Magni Bronzebeard. In an attempt to better understand the unease of the earth prior to the Cataclysm, Magni had performed a rite to make him “one with the earth.” It had succeeded, after a fashion. Magni had been turned into diamond, indeed becoming one with the earth. After a brief time of chaos—during which Magni’s daughter, Moira, attempted to claim the Ironforge throne and rule with the Dark Iron dwarves—order was restored when a council was formed instead of continuing the tradition of a single ruler. Each clan of dwarves—Bronzebeard, Wildhammer, and Dark Iron—now had a representative. The ruling body was called the Council of Three Hammers, and while its members cooperated, getting unanimity on anything was a challenge.
“It would seem that no one likes the idea of the Horde running Kalimdor,” Jaina said. “While they might argue some of the details, all three were in agreement about that.”