By Blood and Bow I Serve.

[HussamAlkarim]

((Alright so with the announcement of Human Hunters, I decided I should reinvent an old character that I had back when I first started Warcraft as alliance. That's what follows. It's my first attempt at fanfiction so please feel free to give any suggestions.))

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Prelude

Tyrius walked slowly away from the burning wreckage of the final house. The stench of the fallen filled his He among several others of his Order had stayed to see this through, and looking at his fellows, he could see the guilt in their hearts. It was only then that he began to think that perhaps Uther had been right about Stratholme.
"Good work men" He heard, and looked towards the sound of the voice. It was Prince Menethil walking among the troops. He looked different, different from when this had all begun. The weight of recent weeks lay as clearly on his face as the blood on his tabard. "But our work isn't over just yet, we must destroy this threat to Lordaeron, we must follow it to the very crown of Azeroth itself. In one week's time we set sail for Northrend. All of you have three days furlough. Go, see to your families. Any man who doesn't choose to return, won't be thought a coward." The prince said, slowly walking away from the gathered troops.

Tyrius had no home to go to, no family to see. The undead had taken it all from him. While he was away learning from the Order, they had struck. By the time he was able to return riding with the Prince on the way to Stratholme, his home was nothing but burnt rubble. Perhaps that is what drove him to ignore Uther when he left. Perhaps that is what drove him to stay at Prince Arthas' side. None of that mattered anymore. After the carnage he had seen that day in Stratholme, after looking down at his hands and seeing an everpresent bloodstain, he knew that this was over for him. If this slaughter was what a pillar of the Light would inflict, he would have no more part of it. He folded up his Silver Hand tabard, and went to lay it on his empty footlocker. He looked back and grabbed it then stuffed it in his bag as he saddled his horse.

As he rode back to the city of Lordaeron, he stopped back at Hearthglen and stayed the night. He met several of his fellows there, and many of them had decided the same thing as he. They had decided to not return when Arthas launched his ships for Northrend.. Himself, an older footman by the name of Richter, and another paladin whom he didn't recognize, found themselves discussing what next. After several hours, they had agreed to ride hard the next day for lordaeron, then Richter would go his seperate way. The other two went to sleep but Tyrius stayed up, nursing his drink, and listening to those around him. He heard several talk of the excitement and glory that were to come. Even some of the Order were excited to be accompanying Arthas. Getting tired of listening to it, he went to bed, and rose at dawn to set out. The other paladin had changed his mind and decided to stay and return to Arthas.

"I'll never know what made that lot stay. I don't even believe in the Light and that business turned my stomach." Richter commented looking at the clear road ahead as they stopped to let their horses rest and drink.. "What'un you suppose done it?"

"Arthas, no doubt. Even after the killing he still looked and talked exactly like the leader one would follow into battle. He is righteous, and strong. He made a tough decision. Still, I don't intend fo follow. That is not a path I can take. With the Light still favoring him, I don't believe i can follow it either. Me and the Order of the Silver Hand are through. I will be informing Uther of my decision when we arrive." Tyrius replied to him rather harshly. Richter seemed to understand that the business of Stratholme was now a forbidden topic and remained quiet for the rest of the day. That couldn't have suited Tyrius better.

As nightfall approached they could make out the arches of the entrance to Lordaeron City. They had made the ride with little of note occuring, save their horses being ran into the ground. They parted ways and Tyrius made his way towards the chruch. He had expected Uther to put up more of an arguement, however all he did was ask for Tyrius's tabard. Tyrius pulled it out of his bag and sat it down on the table before walking away.

Having seen Arthas' face at the end of the campaign of Stratholme, made it no surprise months later when he learned that the Prince had returned, killed the king, and set the very creatures he had fought to defeat unto his populace. "Righteousness is damning I suppose" Tyrius recalled saying as he fled the city as the undead approached. He would ride until he could ride no more. Ride to a place far from those humans whom he had known. He would ride for Ironforge, and that is exactly what he did.

[HussamAlkarim]

Tyrious watched the first week go by. Soon that week had become a mont, that month a year. Tales of the destruction brought down upon the Upper Kingdom began pouring in. Assualted by the undead legions by one account, and blade carrying demons by another. The only fact everyone could agree to was that the city had been destroyed. It bothered Tyrious only a little that he had not stayed behind. That he had not helped in the fight to resist the undead. It did bother him enough however, to head to the tavern to drink it off.

The place had become quite the meeting area for all sorts of people. Refugees from every corner of the upper kingdom filled the place. Some thought to stay there like himself, others were quite content to take a short break before continuing on their way to the kingdom of Stormwind. Suddenly one day, he began to see new visitors among them. They appeared similar to the elves of Quel'Thalas but their eyes, hair, and mannerisms all were quite different. They seemed more reserved, and the only signs of magic he saw from them outside of their clerics were a few strange men who took the form of bears. These elves called themselves Kal'dorei and worshiped a strange moon goddess named Elune. They had come from far offshores and were in Ironforge to learn the secrets of the forge from the dwarves.

One thing particularly interesting about them was their warriors. Watching them out in the lists whenever he was headed out to go run odd jobs, he had noticed that as archers they were without peer. Their forces could annihilate enemies at range before they ever had a chance to even get within spear range. They also possessed the uncanny ability to become practically invisible by the light of the moon. If they were standing still you would damn near need to step on them to find them.

He soon found himself going out of his way to watch them. Partly, this was because of his admiration for their skill. The other reason was also out of admiration, but this admiration was for their beauty. In contrast with the strange bear men their archer corps was, with but few exceptions, female. For awhile he was not sure which was stronger but after several failed attempts to attract their attention he decided it was best to admire their bow work, lest his actions draw the attention of it.

“Lad if ye keep starin' like tha' wouldn't be surprised if they put an arrow in ye' by accident” A rather stocky dwarf said, elbowing his hip. His face was as full as his large blond beard, and unlike many of his brethren he had a full head of long unruly hair which often hung down over his face. His name was Daromir and for almost the past two years he had been Tyrious' friend. He was a trapper by trade and although his skill with a bow wasn't anything compared to the elves, with a rifle he could easily down even the most ferocious of wild cats. He had tried to show Tyrious' how it was done but he just didn't seem to have any interest in it.

“Think maybe I could learn how to shoot like them?” Tyrious asked looking between Daromir and those training.

“Wadda ye need that for lad? A good set of irons and some powder will do ya just as good, or are ya thinkin' of tryin' again to gets their attention? I ain't stickin 'round this to watch you act a fool.” The irritation was almost dripping from the words as they came out of Daromir's mouth.

“Yeah, and what if that powder blows up in my bag? I think I'd rather stick with the bow.”

“Be that as it be lad, you still have to 'ead out wit' me. Dinner won't catch itself now will it?” Daromir said dragging Tyrious away from the lists.

After hours of watching Daromir as he tracked the boar around the outskirts of Ironforge, Tyrious was reminded of what made Daromir great. While his skill with a gun lacked the finesse of a bow, it was aided by the assistance of the very kind of animal he was hunting the week before. A snow leopard accompanied them, helping with the assault on the hapless swine.

Tyrious had been there the day that Daromir had tamed the beast and was surprised even to this day of the amount of control Daromir seemed to have over the great cat's actions. It didn't matter that it had been nearly a year already, it just didn't seem possible. That didn't mean that Tyrious was not going to observe it carefully though. Having a skill like that would be useful, if he ever managed to leave that place. 'Better than the Light atleast' He thought,and the more he thought about it, the more truth he saw in the statemtent. The Light had abandoned those innocents in Stratholme, but not once had the great cat abandoned Daromir.

“That's a good kitty, we'll be havin' good eatins tonight, isn't that right Ella” Daromir said to the cat as himself and Tyrious carried the two dead boar up the hill towards Ironforge. You could almost see Ella smile.

[HussamAlkarim]

((Sorry for the large break there... work overtook me. I have two days off so expect another chapter sometime later today and one(possibly two) chapters tomorrow. ))