06.WoW - War Of The Ancients Trilogy ...

Indeks
06.WoW - War Of The Ancients Trilogy - 02 - The Demon Soul (2004-10), Books, World of Warcraft Books
 
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
A point of utter blackness formed in the center of the fiery sphere. From far within it, a voice filled Mannoroth’s
mind, a voice as familiar to him as his own.
Mannoroth…it is you…
But not that of Sargeras.
We have waited too long…it said in a cold, analytical tone that made even the huge demon shrink into himself. The
way must be made completely open for him. I will see to it that it is finally done. Be ready for me, Mannoroth…I
come to you even now.
And with that, the blackness spread, becoming a huge emptiness above the pattern. The portal was not quite as it
had been when first the night elves created it, but that was because the one who spoke from the other realm now
also strengthened it. This time, it would not collapse.
“To your knees!” Mannoroth roared. Still under his sway, the sorcerers had no choice but to immediately obey. The
Fel Guard and night elven soldiers in attendance followed suit a moment later. Even Captain Varo’then quickly
knelt.
The demon was the last to kneel, but he did so with the most deference. Almost as much as he feared Sargeras, he
feared this one.
We are ready, he informed the other. Mannoroth now kept his gaze on the floor. Any single act, however minute,
that could be construed as defiance might mean his painful demise. We, the unworthy, await your presence…
Archimonde…
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or
are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An Original Publication of POCKET BOOKS
A Pocket Star Book published by
POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Copyright © 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. All rights reserved. Warcraft and Blizzard Entertainment are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN: 1-4165-5995-7
POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Visit us on the World Wide Web:
For Thomas “Sonny” Garrett,
Accomplished Writer and Friend
One
T
he voices whispered in his head as he moved through the huge cavern. Where once they were but an occasional
occurrence, now they never ceased. Even in his sleep, he could not escape their presence…not that he wanted to do
so anymore. The huge black dragon had heard them for so long that they were now a part of him, indistinguishable
from his own twisted thoughts.
The night elves will destroy the world…
The Well is out of control…
No one can be trusted…they want your secrets, your power…
Malygos would take what is yours…
Alexstrasza seeks dominion over you…
They are no better than the demons…
They must be dealt with like the demons…
Over and over, the voices repeated such dire things, warning him of duplicity, betrayal. He could trust no one but
himself. The others were tainted by the lesser races. They would see his decision as a danger, not the only hope for
the world.
The dragon unleashed a puff of noxious smoke as he snorted at such treachery from those who had once been his
comrades. Though he had the power to save everything, he had to be careful; if they discovered the truth too soon,
it would mean calamity.
They must not know its secret until it is beyond their altering, he decided. It cannot be presented until the spell must
be cast. I will not let them destroy my work!
Huge claws scraped fresh the rock floor of the cavern as the scaly behemoth entered his sanctum. As massive as the
dragon was, the rounded cavern dwarfed him. A molten river flowed through the center. Massive crystal formations
glittered in the walls. Huge stalactites hung like swords of doom from above, while stalagmites grew from the
ground so sharp that they looked as if they waited for someone to be impaled upon them.
And, in fact, such was the case with one.
Teeth bared, the great black dragon peered down at the puny figure struggling to free himself despite the stony
spike thrusting up through his heaving chest. The remains of a tattered, black and bloodred robe and fragments of
ornate, golden armor hung around his oddly-shaped torso. High, goatlike horns thrust from his skull and the
crimson visage resembled most to the dragon a long skull with a wide, fanged maw. The eyes were pits of darkness
that immediately tried to suck the behemoth in, but they were no match for the will of the creature’s captor.
In addition to being impaled, the horned figure was bound by thick, iron chains to the cavern floor. The chains had
been set especially tight, pinning the demon to the stalagmite and keeping his limbs spread downward.
Constantly the captive’s mouth moved as if he furiously shouted something, yet no sound emerged. That did not
keep him from trying, however, especially when he saw the dark leviathan approach.
The dragon mulled over his prisoner for a moment, then blinked.
Immediately the cavern chamber filled with the venom-laced, rasping voice of the creature. “—is Sargeras! Your
blood will flow! Your skin he will wear for a cloak! Your flesh will feed his hounds! Your soul he will keep in a
vial, ever to torment at his pleasure! He—”
Blinking again, the dragon silenced once more his captive. Even still, the demonic figure continued mouthing
threats and obscenities until, finally, the dark behemoth opened his huge jaws and exhaled, enveloping the prisoner
in a searing plume of steam that left the latter shaking in renewed agony.
“You will learn respect. You are in the presence of my glorious self, I, Neltharion,” the dragon rumbled. “I am the
Earth Warder. You will treat me with the reverence which I deserve.”
The demon’s long, reptilian tail slapped at the rocks below. The mouth opened in what was obviously more silent
blasphemies.
Neltharion shook his crested head. He had expected better from the Eredar. The warlocks were supposed to be
among the commanders of the Burning Legion, demons not only skilled at casting spells but well-versed in battle
tactics. The dragon had assumed that he would hear far more intelligent conversation from such a creature, but the
Eredar might as well have been one of the brutish Infernals, the flaming, skull-headed behemoths who acted like
fearsome battering rams or airborne missiles. The one he had tested before capturing the Eredar had only the wit of
a rock, if even that much.
But then, Neltharion had not sent his flight out to pluck the demons from their rampaging horde for conversation.
No, the captives had another purpose, a grand one that they, unfortunately, could never come to appreciate.
And the Eredar was the last, the most significant. His innate magical abilities made him the key to fulfilling the first
part of the Earth Warder’s quest.
It is time…the voices whispered. It is time…
“Yes…“ Neltharion answered absently. “Time…”
The dragon raised one huge paw palm up and concentrated. Immediately a golden aura flared to life in his palm,
growing so brilliant that even the captive demon paused in his tirades to stare at what Neltharion had summoned to
him.
The tiny disk was as golden as the aura that had presaged its coming, but otherwise it was an astoundingly simple-
looking piece. It would not have even quite filled the hand of a much smaller creature—say a Night Elf, for
instance. The disk resembled a large, featureless gold coin with rounded edges and a gleaming, untarnished shell.
Its very unassuming appearance was all by Neltharion’s design. If the talisman was to perform its task properly, it
had to seem entirely innocent, harmless.
He held it toward the warlock, letting the Eredar see what awaited him. The demon, however, appeared quite unim-
pressed. He stared from the disk to the dragon, mockery filling his eyes.
Neltharion noted the reaction. It pleased him that the Eredar did not recognize the strength of the disk. That meant
that others would also fail to realize the truth…until it was too late.
At the Earth Warder’s silent command, the object rose gently from his palm. It floated above the paw for a moment,
then drifted over to the captive.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
  • zanotowane.pl
  • doc.pisz.pl
  • pdf.pisz.pl
  • hadwao.keep.pl
    		•
     
    		 
    Odnośniki
     
     
       
    Copyright 2006 Sitename.com. Designed by Web Page Templates