Chapter 182

After the meeting had ended, and the Covenant leadership had decided on following Lor'Themar's plan to secure the roads, towns and strongholds throughout the Eastwald, each of the councilors had split up to achieve these aims. 

For his part, Varrus had gathered together some scrap iron, and fashioned a few thousand simple rings. 

Then, with the countless Petty Soul Gems he had gathered, Varrus enchanted the rings with Detect Life, and Detect Undead. 

Whenever a ring bearer was within a mile range, a blue aura would shimmer around the Undead, and an orange aura would shimmer around the living. 

Varrus sent out these rings to help locate and eliminate Undead that may be hiding in forests, cellars, or other hard to see places. 

As for Detect Living, it was to find any survivors, and rescue them. Although it had been well over six months since the Scourge attack, going on the seventh month now. The idea that there were any survivors was bleak, yet Varrus was unwilling to give up on them. 

If the Scarlet Crusade could form, and hold major cities years into the future, then Varrus was hopeful that they could rescue at least some people. 

It was to this end that Varrus had deployed alongside Koren. 

With the speedy help of his airforce, the Knights of the Hawk were an excellent resource when it came to search and rescue. 

Flying in a chevron pattern, the Dragonhawk knights swept throughout the Eastwald in a gridlike manner. 

With a little over a thousand knights, it was a tall order. After all, it was a lot of land to cover. 

Lordaeron was basically the size of the Holy Roman Empire in its entirety. The Eastwald was basically the size of modern day germany. In other words, about a 500+ mile trip from north to south, and 800+ miles from east to west. It was fucking huuge! 

And within all that land were countless hamlets, farming communities, forests, and towns. 

It was on such a journey of search & rescue that Varrus had embarked upon. 

Flying on his carpet, Varrus was also cleansing the land with his ultimate power washing skill, Infinite Light. 

Syra had gone out with Tess, and Jan'alai to bond over krumping skulls.  Meanwhile, Rho'dan was reorganizing supplies, drilling the troops, and carrying out Lor'Themar & Nightsong's strategy. 

This left Varrus alone with his earliest supporter, Koren. 

The blonde, taciturn man had murdered his own father, knowing that Syra would kill both him and his brother if he didn't. Koren had also done so on the belief that Varrus could bring back the Sunwell. 

In retrospect, Koren was kind of mental for placing so much faith in Varrus, but he supposed if anything would drive a man to craziness, it would be a zombie apocalypse. 

However, thanks to Koren's support, Varrus had had an easier time establishing the Convocation, and stepping into his father, Vandercross's role as First Seat. 

Then, Koren's brother had to go and ruin things with an attempted assassination… 

Sighing to himself as he silently flew besides the stalwart Sky Marshal, Varrus wondered how much he could truly trust a man who had killed his own father? 

Yet at the same time, shouldn't the murder of a family member prove his dedication, and acted as the ultimate test of loyalty? 

Additionally, Koren's brother, Dakar, was, practically speaking, a hostage. 

Koren was a capable enough General, and offered youthful enthusiasm. His only goal was seemingly to restore the Sunwell. 

Now that Varrus had delivered on that promise, Koren should be just as loyal as Rho'dan. 

Shaking his head, Varrus decided he would always keep an eye open when Koren was around, but otherwise, he should trust him. 

Glancing at the fair blonde, Varrus noticed a scar on his face. One that appeared to come from a Dragon. 

As Varrus understood it, many Elves deliberately maintained scars to remember certain encounters. 

Whilst he hadn't asked, Varrus had gleaned that this was the battle that Thaladred had lost his life in. 

Just this week, they had fought off the Bronze Dragons and ignited the Sunwell. 

It felt almost like a lifetime ago, yet time waited for no man. 

After spending hours of mind numbing flight, Varrus met up with Koren on a hill overlooking some no name town. 

“Hail, First Seat! We have made great progress scouring the land.” Koren said as he landed his mount down beside Varrus. 

“Good news, Koren, but when we are in private, please, just Varrus. Now come, join me for lunch.” Varrus conjured a pair of chairs, and a table, then began to pull some of Syra's cooking out of his inventory. 

“I cannot. For you are the Highlord of Quel'Thalas, First Seat of the Convocation, Prophet of Hope, and-” 

“Just take a seat.” Varrus said glumly as he bit into his roast beef sandwich. 

Closing his eyes, Varrus enjoyed the sweet medley of tomato, cheese, mustard, and beef. 

There was also a mayonnaise adjacent secret sauce that his wife had whipped up, and Varrus was absolutely addicted to this flavor profile. 

“Lady Vandercross has made you addicted.” Koren said as he took a seat, and dug into some potato salad. 

“Is that jealousy I detect?” Varrus chuckled with mirth, then took a sip of some sweet tea. 

“You are one lucky man, Highlord. Just how did you do it?” Koren looked up at him, hope sparkling in his eyes. 

“Sorry mate, but you'll have to ask Syra on that one. It's as you say, luck.” Varrus shrugged his shoulders in a sorry-not-sorry pose. 

“Lady Liadrin seems more interested in spending time with that pest than me.” Koren said dejectedly. He morosely rested his chin in the palm of his hand, and distractedly played with a spoon full of potato salad. 

‘It is kind of sad that you're losing out to a Kobold bro, but that's just how it is.’ Varrus thought to himself in pity. 

“Hey, don't be so downcast, I've seen plenty of girls interested in you.” Varrus replied between bites. 

“Yes, but they are not Liadrin. Crimson hair, crimson personality on the battlefield, and kind. Kindness like hers is hard to come by.” Koren said, and stopped playing with his spoon to uncork a wine bottle. 

Drinking straight from the tip, Koren looked down at the broken village with a lost look on his face. 

Varrus almost laughed at himself thinking that Koren of all people would stab him in the back, when really, he was kind of a moping young man. 

Young by Elven standards, he was barely over 100, a Hero, heir to nobility, leader to an ancient order of knights, and councilor on the Convocation. 

All this power, yet he was depressed without someone to hold close. 

Honestly, Varrus empathized with him. There were a lot of men who had difficulty making relationships work. Especially with how frequent the divorce rate on Earth was, Varrus could only imagine how often such cases occurred in Quel'Thalas. 

With how accepted group orgies were, and fluid the population seemed, finding a lasting, meaningful relationship for an Elf must be like finding a unicorn. 

Everyone was a 9/10, and 10/10. When everyone was just about equal in looks, personality was the key dividing factor amongst Elves. 

“Hrm, maybe you should look for someone else? In fact, I know a cute girl who might match your criteria.” Varrus stroked his chin in thought. 

“Is she strong, and is she nice? I don't want to be worried about her constantly. After the sacking of Silvermoon, I don't think I could live with myself if I lost my love. Oh, and don't you dare suggest Faedra again. I quite like my balls where they are, thank you very much.” Koren crossed his arms defensively, yet he leaned forward, signalling his interest. 

Varrus nervously chuckled and scratched the back of his head. They had discussed dating and girl trouble in the past, and one thing had led to another…

“Ahem, no such thing. Although I do think she has a taste for younger men-”

“Highlord, please.”

“Alright, alright.” Varrus chuckled back, and held his hands up to ward off Koren's ‘assault.’ 

“You met her in the war room, it's Tess Greymane.” 

“The Queen of Gilneas? That little ball of doom and gloom?” Koren replied, his face souring as he spoke. 

“Oh Tess isn't so bad, in fact, you both have a lot in common.” Varrus said meaningfully. 

‘What with both of you killing your own fathers. Although I guess I also technically am part of this club. So is Arthas, Jaina, sheesh, how common is patricide in Warcraft?!’ 

“Highlord, with respect, even if we do fall in love, she will grow old and die within a century. How is that fair? To either of us.” 

“Good point. Which is why I intend to open the baptismal powers of the Sunwell to the Heroes & brilliant minds of the Covenant.” Varrus leaned close and whispered under a hastily cast shroud of Muffle. 

“Is that legal?” Koren replied, and leaned back in shocked surprise. 

“I'll make it legal. Half the reason the Cult of the Damned rose to prominence is because its leadership were Heroes afraid of death. By rewarding the most exceptional members of the Covenant with immortality, we shall cement our rule over these lands for generations to come.

Think of it Koren. Every generation, a new group of leaders takes route in the Human kingdoms. Some are pro Elf, others hate us. It is always a mixed bag. By dealing with the same leaders every time, we will know how they negotiate, and can form real, lasting, meaningful bonds. If every 10 to 20 years someone new came in demanding new deals with us, it would grow tiresome rather quickly, don't you think?” Varrus spoke in a low, yet excited tone. 

The passion of plotting for the future seeped through into his movements. His hands became animated, his breath sped up, and his eyes dilated. 

Settling into a grin, Varrus placed his hand over Koren's shoulder. 

“It's been a long standing plan of mine, but it is only possible with your help.” 

“This is a heavy tower to bear…I, I am uncertain with tainting the Sunwell in such a manner. The people would be strongly opposed to this.” Koren hung his head low as he spoke. 

“I promised you the Sunwell would return, didn't I? Was your oath to me hollow? Your sacrifices, our sacrifices, meaningless?” Varrus pressed. 

Koren's face had gone pale, and his hands trembled. Placing his palms on his knees, Koren looked up from his discomfort, and met Varrus in the eye. 

“I've done everything you've asked of me, Highlord. If I agree to this, please release my brother from prison.” 

“Can you guarantee he won't make another attempt?” Varrus said lightly. 

“There won't be a second time. You have my word.” Koren replied in as serious a tone as he could muster. 

Varrus pulled back with a smile, and dropped the shroud of silence. 

“Very good. Now about Tess, she's a sweet girl, one who is practically a little sister to me, and is Syra's pupil. Marrying her is like joining the Vandercross family. But she's a sweet thing with a broken heart who only wants love and acceptance.” 

“...she is strong enough. Please introduce me to her. It is shameful, but I am inexperienced and shy regarding matters of the heart.” Koren bowed his head towards Varrus as if he were some sensei or love guru. 

“It's not that complicated. You're a handsome strong dude who flies everywhere on a badass mount. A melodramatic wartorn bad boy who loves his brother more than the world, and fought to keep his country safe, you followed your good friend Varrus to save Quel'Thalas. 

Tess is a gloomy skittish girl cursed with an overactive Void constitution, and can teleport through shadows like a fish swims in water. Her older brother-who she loved very much-was killed in front of her, and her own father was of the same flavor as your own. She fought together with her good friend Varrus to save Gilneas. 

Honestly, you two would make a cute couple. You're both a little gloomy, but are doing your best not to appear young and weak.” 

“I am not weak!” Koren stomped his foot, and said with an affronted look. 

“Yeah, no, like I said, you guys will be adorkable together. I'm 100% introducing you to her now.” Varrus laughed to himself, and rose to his feet.

Wiping his hands free of any crumbs, and casting a cleansing spell, Varrus took flight, then began to inspect the town for any Undead in need of cleansing, or people in need of rescuing. 

“Highlord!” Koren held out his hand, yet was ignored. 

“First Seat!” Koren raised his voice, and took flight after Varrus. 

“ Varrus!!!” Koren finally shouted. 

“Atta boy Koren, there's hope for you yet! Now help me out here, we're on official business. There isn't any more time for your lollygagging.” Varrus chuckled, and flew away from the Dragonhawk Knight. 

“Pwah? But you were the one who invited me to lunch!” 

“And now I'm telling you to get back to work.” Varrus replied with a shit eating grin, and started cleansing the land. 

“...you really are our Prophet of Hope, aren't you?” Koren muttered to himself in awe as he witnessed the diseased land become cured. 

“You say something?” Varrus called out from some distance away. 

“Let us rid this wretched world of scum and villainy! You have my undying oath of loyalty, Varrus Vandercross. For the Covenant!” Koren yelled back with every ounce of emotion he could muster, and then dove his mount down into the town to destroy what Scourge remnants he could find. 

“Oath accepted, my Sky Marshal, oath accepted. For the Covenant!”