Emily

Prologue: The early morning wind caressed the soldiers' faces as they waited, unsure of what was to come. Sitting on his horse, both dressed in shining silver armor, a young lieutenant looked across the field of his awaiting soldiers, a sword on his side and shield on his arm,his eyebrows furrowed in worry. He had never fought an army as large as the one coming.  No one had ever fought the kind of soldiers that filled this army, the undead, led by the Dark Lord Arthos and no one knew what to expect. His thoughts were interrupted by his master, Areo Hampton, head Paladin and guardian of high priestess Lania Areovich. "Lieutenant Baxter...You seem troubled my boy,"he said.  "Well, I mean yes. We have never fought the undead let alone an army as massive as this.  I fear we may not be able to win," Baxter replied.  "Fear not, my boy, as I'm sure the gods are watching us this day. If we fall we will die with honor."  The paladin smiled under his golden helm.  His horse let out a bored whiney, the golden armor swaying around it. The paladin himself was clothed in golden armor, a small war hammer on his side and a shield with the crest of God on its front.

The sun was almost rising when the watch tower bells began to clang a warning, shattering the silence of the morning.   Baxter, with power in his voice, shouted, "Men, prepare for battle! Archers,ready your bows!" Hampton turned to Baxter and smiled, "You've grown, my friend, I must say. If I should not survive this, you will take my place as guardian of the priestess."   Before the young lieutenant could reply, a soldier let out a shout, "Look captain, on the rise! It's the Dark Lord Arthos!"  Baxter and Hampton both looked upon the traitor of men and necromancer knight Arthos, sitting on his horse of death with hooves of steel and eyes of fire and armor as black as the Dark Lord's.  

The Dark Lord looked at the 250 soldiers from afar, his black horned helm hiding most of his face.  His chest plate was built to look like a demon's head, the "horns" at the shoulder guards and his gauntlet fingers ending in claws.  One hand opened as a blue flame formed in his hand before reaching back and gripping the handle of his great sword "Shadowstorm" pulling it from his back and raising it as two "men", one dressed in black flowing robes and staff in hand, one in armor much like his master's a massive pare of twin maces on his sides, both having given their souls and lives for immortality and power, took their place beside the Dark One's horse, awaiting his command.

Baxter's eyes widened at seeing not only the soulless generals of the Shadow Empire, but Arthos himself leading the charge.  Baxter, with another loud shout said, "Archers! Aim your bows for a volley!"  He turned to Hampton with a small smile and then turned to the front again as the Dark One's forces began to appear.  Having been waiting for his orders, they rose, spilling around him like some great creek being let free after being stopped up for days.  They formed lines of the hundreds,and within minutes there were nearly 600 undead waiting.  Hungry groans echoed to the soldier's ears.  It chilled Baxter's bones to hear the sounds, but he didn'thave long to worry.   Arthos raised his dark sword into the air and the beasts begun charging forward with swords or axes drawn.  Claws and teeth eagerly anticipated the feel of ripping flesh.

Seeing this onslaught heading towards them made Baxter want to give the order to retreat, but he knew that they had to hold the army off so the civilians, the King,the Queen,the High Priestess and the newborn child could have time to escape.   Baxter let out the order shouting, "Archers! Fire!" and within seconds the sky was filled with black as the arrows soared through the air, beginning their decent and raining down on the charging undead.  Many were killed and many more were wounded.  But it was not enough.  The undead that were wounded just stood up and continued charging.  Within minutes they connected with the first line of defending soldiers before forming with the other lines with swords clashing and cries of pain or growls of hunger and rage heard.

Baxter watched as soldier after soldier fought, many dying, and with a huff jumped off his horse and charged in, sword drawn and ready, shield raised.  As he begun slicing and stabbing at the dead soldiers he heard a growl.  A large Draugr, eyes filled with hate glaring from under its helmet, charged at him with a large blood-soaked ax raised.  With one deft movement, Baxter leapt out of the way, the massive axe slamming into the ground. Baxter smirked raising the sword as he charged at the creature swinging his sword down the shock of the hit vibrating his arms some as steel met steel, his sword meeting the armored back of the Draugr the undead monster letting out a loud scream of anger as it ripped its axe out of the ground and turned its eyes glowing with blind fury. The Draugr charged its axe ready as Baxter ducked under it and thrust his sword up, the blade digging into the exposed neck of the beast; the monster stopped as Baxter twisted the blade, slitting its throat and killing it. The Draugr fell blood spilling out from under its armored helm as Baxter stood and turned looking for Hampton.