Note: A two year old fic I did up mashing The World of WarCraft and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Mainly done as a tongue in cheek - because I had finally kicked my WoW Habit with thanks to the Elder Scrolls. I figured I might as well share it. Who knows, if people like it I might actually continue with it.



The thunder echoed across the barren plains.

Soldiers on both sides of the conflict ceased combat to gaze at the suddenly chaotic sky. Human eyes cast upwards along with burning red, those with green skin reacted to another peel of thunder with the same apprehension as those with skin as black as night.

And as a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, the jagged and ominous shadow of the Dark Portal cast it's reach across the field of battle. Demon and mortal alike pulled back as yet more lightning strikes made tiny craters in and around the portal.

"What's happening?" The Pit Commander of the Burning Legion roared in his native tongue. "What new sorcery is this?"

"Hold that portal steady!" A gnome mage barked as two of his brethren struggled to maintain a portal to the Human capital of Stormwind. "We lose those reinforcements in transit and the Legion will overwhelm our position!"

The gnome mage felt the current run up and down his body before he even saw the flash. The earth shattering BOOM that accompanied the sensation threw all eyes towards the portal, where a Lightning Bolt managed to slam into the great rip in the fabric of space and time. The portal itself had been struck. Swirling green energies briefly turned blood red and orange, almost resembling a erupting volcano. Tendrils of energy reached outwards, and mages on all sides gasped in astonishment as their own portals to other places suddenly were replaced with locations unfamiliar and alien.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the Dark Portal returned to normal, and the portals to the great cities of both the Alliance and Horde had been reestablished. The storm quickly passed over the combat area, heading deeper into the desolate wasteland.

The reprieve in combat over, both sides renewed the struggle for control of the grand Portal. But the mages in charge of maintaining the smaller portals were troubled. For a brief instant, the dimensional gateways were linked somewhere else.

What happened to anyone trying to pass through?



Alanos Highstorm, Knight of the Silver Hand - commonly called a Paladin - was having quite the bad day.

It didn't start out so bad, he had to admit. He was on his way to Stormwind City via the portal in the Outland sanctum of Shattrath City to aid some friends in flushing out the Amani Trolls of Quel'thalas in a gesture of good faith to the remaining High Elves of the Alliance.

Unfortunatly, things had gone awry afterwards. Exiting the portal, he hadn't stepped out into the Mages Tower of Stormwind, but rather the sleeping quarters of a strange elf with almost black skin and piercing red eyes. Alanos admitted the red eyes had caused him to react in shock, but he hadn't actually harmed the strange elf - only it's bed. He hadn't resisted the city guard's quickly arresting him, but to discover that the currency he carried held no value here was another shock.

So instead of a quick fine and a apology to the owner, Alanos Highstorm had found himself stripped of possessions, issued the most uncomfortable and spartan outfit imaginable, and tossed in the dungeons. Not even a trial!

Alanos scratched the sack cloth shirt he wore in a vain attempt to cease it from irritating his skin as he took in his surroundings. The cell was tiny, with not even a bed roll but it did have a small table and a stool. On the table sat a aged clay jug with some tepid, discolored water along with a small clay cup. One glance at the brackish yellow water told Highstorm he wouldn't be taking a drink any time soon.

Shackled adorned one wall, the same wall in which a peculiar indentation into the wall created a tiny ledge. Alanos wondered if this was where he was meant to sleep. A small window far above provided the only illumination, and cast a rather eerie glow on the two most macabe artifacts of the cell - a Human skull and the remains of a leg bone.

"Well, well." A voice said from across the hall. "An Imperial in the Imperial City prison, how ironic."

The Imperial City? Well, at least Alanos had some inclination as to where he was, even if he had no idea where this Imperial City was on Azeroth assuming he was on Azeroth at all. Turning to face the speaker, Highstorm noted it was the same race as the unfortunate owner which had started this whole escapade.

"I guess they don't play favorites, huh?" The other prisoner leered.

"I beg your pardon?" Alanos said, confused as to what the elf was talking about.

"Your own kinsmen think you're a piece of human trash." The elf explained. "You're an embarrassment. Best if you just," The elf made a little motion with his hand. "disappear."

Alanos didn't like the sound of that, but at the same time it would explain the finality the guards had displayed as they had locked him within.

"I bet you get special treatment before the end." The elf smiled wickedly at the sight of Alanos' confusion. "Oh. That's right. You're going to DIE in here, Imperial. You're going to die."

Highstorm thought this unlikely - unless that was the standard here, he supposed - but a sudden noise caught his attention. The faint sound of the door being opened down the corridor and up a flight of stairs.

"You hear that?" The Dark Elf asked. "The guards are coming, for you."

Laughing, the Dark Elf retreated deeper into his cell. Alanos strained to hear the voices he heard inching closer, he quickly determined they were not the guards the Dark Elf suspected.

"Baurus, lock that door behind us." A female voice with authority said.

"Yes sir." A male voice, Baurus, replied.

"My sons." A third voice, this one very commanding but with a good helping of age, interjected. "They're dead, aren't they?"

"We don't know that sire." The female, the commander of the bodyguard Alanos suspected, replied. "The messenger only said they were attacked."

By this point, Alanos could make out the new arrivals as they exited the stairwell. Two bodyguards, a male and a female, dressed in heavy armor with ornate helmets and thin blades walked side by side with an elderly gentleman wearing very elaborate robes rich with embroidery. Around his neck he wore a great jeweled necklace which seemed to house a giant ruby, but the stone in the middle gave off a slight glow. Alanos immediately recognized the signs of a magical talisman of great power.

"No, they're dead." The elderly man said with resignation and sadness. "I know it."

"My job right now is to get you to safety." The female said.

Alanos suddenly realized they were headed straight for his cell. Before he could back away, the two stopped right in front of the bars. Both wore looks of surprise at Alanos' presence, and the female forced the elderly man behind her out of instinct.

"What's this prisoner doing here?" She demanded of the other guard. "This cell is supposed to be off limits!"

"A usual mix up with the watch. I..." The other guard stammered a reply. From the tone, Alanos guessed this was not Baurus. Indeed, as Alanos glanced back at the stairs, he saw a third bodyguard, this one of dark skin but the same armor and weapon, emerge from the stairwell.

"Never mind." The Captain of the bodyguard said, waving off the question with a hand. "Just get that gate open."

She turned towards Alanos, who met her gaze levelly. He noted her mouth tightened at that, apparently believing all Prisoners should be docile and submissive.

"Stand back, Prisoner." She ordered the Paladin. "We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way."

Alanos took the threat the heart for while the swords the bodyguards carried seemed flimsy, he had no doubt it'd easy cut through his unarmored body. Stepping back by the window, with his hands raised to show he had nothing to hide, the Captain nodded.

"Good." As the door swung open, she gestured the other guard in first who promptly took up a defensive stance in front of Aalnos as she ushered the elderly man into the room. Baurus remained at the entrance of the cell, glancing up and down the hallway.

"Come on," The captain said to the elderly man. "We're not out of this yet."

The elder statesman, who's robes were even more elaborate and splendid up close, suddenly paused near Alanos and gazed at him intently with two piercing blue eyes.

"You." He said quietly. "I've seen you."

Approaching Alanos, he continued inspecting the prisoner.

"Let me see your face." He commanded. Alanos obliged, shifting slightly so he could stand directly into the light from the window. Even this small action brought three sets of hands on the hilts of their swords. Alanos swallowed involuntarily, these people meant business.

"You are the one from my dreams." The elder muttered in hushed tones. "Then the stars were right, and this is the day."

He let out a sigh, sounding halfway between relief and resignation. "Gods, give me strength."

Alanos dared to ask a question. "What's going on here?"

The bodyguards all gave Alanos neutral, almost heated, stares but the Elder nodded as though it were a perfectly reasonable inquiry.

"Assassins attacked my sons, and I am next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route, which by chance, leads through your cell."

"Which begs the question of why is he in prison?" The guard next to Alanos asked, sneering at him.

"Perhaps the Gods have placed him here so that we may meet, Glenroy." The elder replied, then turned his attention back to Highstorm. "As for what you have done, it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

Alanos dared ask another question. "Who are you?"

The elder's face was graced with a ghost of a smile. "I am your Emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the Gods, I rule Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you shall serve her in your own way."

"What should I do?" Alanos felt foolish, asking this in a hushed, reverent tone, but the old man radiated a presence the aging Paladin had not felt before.

Uriel placed a fatherly hand on Alanos' shoulder. "You will find your own path." The old Emperor's face became grim. "Take care. There will be blood and death before the end."

"Please sire, we must keep moving." The captain of the Blades implored. To Highstorm, it appeared as if she touched a random brick in the wall, but suddenly the peculiar indentation in his cell wall became apparent, as it swung inwards to reveal a secret passage.

"Better not close this one." The Captain advised. "There's no way to open it from the other side."

As the Captain entered first, Glenroy gestured the Emperor through after and proceeded immediately after. Baurus entered the cell and shut the door, it clicking shut and stopped just in front of Alanos.

"Looks like today is your lucky day, Prisoner." Baurus said as he stepped through the portal to the passage. "Just stay out of our way."

Seeing no alternative beyond staying and languishing in a cell, Alanos ventured into the passage behind Baurus, careful to maintain a respectable distance.After a short hallway and another set of stairs, the party emerged in a small ante chamber with alcoves in the ceiling and a worn wooden door at the end of the room. Alanos eyed the alcoves with some apprehension - one did not survive in Outland or even some areas of Azeroth without a keen danger sense.

"There's trouble ahead." The emperor muttered.

Almost as if a cue, three figures suddenly leaped down from the alcove farthest from the group. Alanos grimaced at the would be assassins. Had they waited till the group had made their way across the chamber, they could have landed in their midst with no warning. From across the room, it gave the Blades ample time to draw their swords.

Not that the flimsy swords would do much good.

Each of the three was armored head to toe in a sinister looking black and red armor. Their helmets seemed to be made of red cloth with a metal faceplate. All three wielded wicked looking maces, that ended in bladed points.

"Close up left!" The Captain shouted as she rushed towards the assassins. "Protect the Emperor!"

"FOR THE DRAGON!" Glenroy and Baurus both shouted and surged forward. Alanos almost joined them, then recalled his own lack of armor or a weapon. He was reduced to a spectator, still he took up a position near the Emperor in case one of the assassins broke through the ranks of Blades.

Alanos watched as the three bodyguards expertly traded parries and blows with the assassins, the latter clearly untrained. But untrained did not mean the same as harmless.

The Captain suddenly found herself under attack by two of the assassins, as one turned from Glenroy to try and smash his mace down on her shoulder. The Captain reacted like a veteran, spinning her blade to intercept the mace at the base where blunt end met shaft. However, her deflection of one blow made her turn to her right, exposing her left side to her original attacker. The opening did not go unnoticed.

The assassin brought his mace across the back of the Captain's head in a vicious two handed swing. Alanos watched in mute horror as the mace's impact dented the ornate helmet and was accompanied by a sickening cracking sound as the Captain's head jerked forward. The assassin she had blocked brought his mace up and across her face, and another sickening crack echoed through the chamber as the Captain's head snapped to the right, and continued on until it was across her shoulder, practically twisted backwards.

The Captain crumpled down on the stone floor, sword falling from her grasp.

"The Captain's down!" Glenroy shouted needlessly.

Alanos started forward, determined to die fighting when suddenly Baurus brought his sword up through an assassin's chest. What appeared to be heavy armor gave easily to the blade, piercing through the back of the assassin's briastplate. The assassin let out a gasp, then slumped on Baurus' blade. As Baurus pulled it free, the sinister armor and mace evaporated in a cloud of yellow smoke, leaving behind only a figure clad in a Red and Black robe. The armor and weaponry the assassins utilized was of magic origin, tied to the endurance and strength of will of the caster, apparently.

And despite the success against the Captain, the other two assassins failed to deflect the Blades' swords very much longer.

"Are you all right, sire?" Baurus asked after the battle.

Uriel nodded to Baurus. "Captain Renault?"

Baurus glanced at Glenroy, who was checking on the Captain. Glenroy glanced up and shook his head in disgust. Baurus sighed.

"She's dead." Giving himself a shake, Baurus motioned for the Emperor to follow. "Sorry sir, but we have to keep moving."

"Wait a moment!" Alanos spoke up. "I may be able to revive the good Captain. I am linked to the Holy Light, and can likely resurrect her."

"Holy Light?" Baurus blinked in confusion.

Glenroy spit at Alanos' feet. "Filthy Necromacer. Keep your damn magics away from my Captain!"

"Necromancer?" Alanos shot back, heatedly. "Listen you - I do not traffic in the dead, I..."

"You are only trying to offer aid." Uriel interjected, holding a hand up to call for peace. "And it is appreciated. However, in this instance I believe it is better to let the dead rest easy."

Glenroy and Baurus nodded and Highstorm sighed. He nodded, reluctantly. "As you wish."

Glenroy snorted in Alanos' direction, but paid him little more mind. Instead, he kicked one of the robed corpses at his feet. "How could they be waiting for us here?"

"I don't know, but it's best if we keep moving." Baurus replied, signaling the Emperor to step ahead of him. As Glenroy and the Emperor stepped through the door at the end of the hall, Baurus spun and faced Alanos.

"You stay here, Prisoner." Baurus said, his eyes hard as stones. "Don't try to follow us."

Alanos was about to protest but Baurus stepped through the door and closed it behind him. Alanos heard a faint click, the sound of a lock being set into place. The Paladin let out a disgusted sound and glanced around at the corpses surrounding him and no other exit evident.

"Now what am I suppose to do?" Alanos muttered to himself as his eyes fell on Captain Renault's corpse.

A determined expression crossed his face as he walked towards the dead bodyguard. Kneeling before the ruined corpse, Alanos closed his eyes and placed both hands on Renault's body.

"Light, hear my plea." Alanos prayed. "Return body to soul and repair these grevious wounds. Return Captain Renault to this mortal coil, her aid is still required. Her time has not yet come."

It was a prayer the aging Paladin had used since prior to the betrayal of Arthas shortly before the Third War. Never once had it failed to call a soul back to its body, save when the body was too frail and the soul in question sought death. Alanos opened his eyes.

"Arise, Captain Renault! Our quest is not yet done!" Alanos intoned.

The body remained motionless and devastated.

"Awaken! It is not yet your time!" Alanos tried again.

Still nothing.

Alanos rocked back on his heels and slammed against the wall. Sliding down to sit by the still unmoving corpse, he was cold inside. The Light hadn't answered his call. Worse, he hadn't felt it's warmth fill him at all during the prayer.

The Light had abandoned him.

As he digested this fact, a strange scrabbling noise caused him to glance towards the wall opposite him. Stone and mortar suddenly loosened, and for a brief moment Alanos thought the whole section was collapsing.

He almost wished that were the case.

From the breech in the wall, two rats emerged from a natural cavern behind. But these rats were something Alanos had never dealt with - larger then many house cats, these rats had sinister red orbs and wicked claws. Sniffing the air, Alanos suddenly realized what they were after - the feast of dead flesh.

He was sickened, but at the same time the monsterous rats had provided him with a potential escape route. The only problem lay in getting past the two. Suddenly, both rats took note of his presence, at to Alanos' astonishment , one LEAPT at him.

The Paladin only had a moment to raise his arm to deflect the lunge for his throat, but the rat clamped down hard on his arm, biting into flesh and drawing much blood. Alanos screamed in agony and fell back against the wall, the rat still clinging to him and beginning to seek a footing in order to begin pulling the chunk in it's mouth out.

Alanos' free hand began frantically searching the ground around him for something - anything - to stop the rat from removing a chunk of his flesh and his hand suddenly closed around the hilt of the late Captain's strange sword.

Giving thanks to the dead Captain, Highstorm brought the blade up at an angle and slashed hard. The rat squealed as well honed steel bit into it's body, releasing it's hold on Alanos' arm. Alanos continued the momentum of his swing, and sent the rat flying across the room, where it skidded to a halt and did not get back up. Alanos let out a sigh before recalling the second rat, he quickly glanced back towards the hole, where the second rat launched itself.

Alanos brought the blade up to block the rat, and the simplistic but bloodthirsty creature opened its mouth wide - and was thus cut nearly in half lengthwise when it's jaws reached the blade.

Covered in both his own blood and that of the rats, Alanos let the blade fall free as he breathed heavily. Glancing at his injured arm, Alanos svcked in a breath of pain as the movement brought jolts of pain and more fountains of blood from the wound. It was deep and it was potentially threatening to Alanos' continued health. If infection set in, he would likely lose use of the arm below the elbow.

Closing his eyes and steeling himself from the pain, Alanos clamped his now free hand down on the wound, and let out a harsh gasp of pain. The Light refused to allow him the miracle of resurrection, but perhaps it had not abandoned him fully.

Muttering prayers under his breath, Alanos opened himself spiritually to the Light. And, to his surprise, something responded. It was warm and pure like the Light, but it was subtlety different. Opening his eyes, he noted not the pure yellowish-white glow of the Holy Light, but rather a soft pale blue glow radiating from his hands to the horrible wound. As Alanos watched, this blue radiance quickly began healing the wound on his arm. He almost swore he heard a faint, musical laugh of a female but that had to have been imagined.

Whatever the source of this pale radiance, it had healed his arm as throughly and as quickly as the Holy Light would have. Offering silent thanks at even this small glimmer of hope, Alanos quickly picked himself up off the floor. He glanced at the cavern ahead, then at the dead rats.

"Yeah, like I'm going to go in there unarmed." Highstorm muttered to himself as he scooped up Renault's katana.

Armed only with the katana and this strange version of the Holy Light, Alanos Highstorm, Knight of the Silver Hand, stepped through the breech and into the darkness.

Verrrry interrresting take on the tutorial! I've never played WoW, so the beginning was a little disorienting for me.

But you didn't stay there long, only moved into Nirn PDQ, so I was able to pick up pretty quickly.

Nice take on the beginning! It's hard to write well!

Ah what the heck, dragging it out of mothballs seems to have made me interested in it again.



The chamber beyond the portal was black as night, and Alanos quickly found himself retreating back into the locked chamber rather then grope around in the dark and leave himself vulnerable to another of those monstrous rats. Seeing no other alternative, the Paladin decided to be about the grim business of searching the bodies for any source of light.

Off the assassins, Alanos merely discovered some vials containing strange liquid in a belt pouch. Taking the pouch and vials, Highstorm decided that the liquid could be something of value and continued the search. On the body of Captain Renault, he discovered a shorter blade made out of tempered steel that he slid into the acquired belt, opposite of the pouch. He also discovered a long stick wrapped in oily rags with a small piece of flint attached to the end - he'd located a torch.

"Thank you, Captain." Highstorm whispered to the corpse as he took the torch and backed silently away from the fallen Blade. Lighting the torch, Highstorm again ventured into the darkness.

The room beyond was a natural cave, but Alanos was surprised to see an old well sitting in the middle of it, with a bucket still supported by an ancient rope. Alanos wondered at the purpose of a well in a cavern, until his torch light fell upon a macabre sight - skeletal remains. The bones were old as cobwebs interconnected between the skeleton and the wall, and it was dressed in moldy leather armor that looked as if it had been a regular meal for the rats. Sitting beside the Skeleton was a small quiver of arrows and a rusted bow with a broken bowstring. Alanos shouldered the quiver, but left the useless bow where it lay. The Paladin also discovered a moldy leather shield, which he also took possession of reasoning that some protection was better then nothing. He was about to move on when he noticed the Skeleton still wore a suprisingly serviceable pair of leather boots. Thinking about it for a moment, Alanos sat down by the corpse and slipped off his ill fitting slipper, pressing his bare foot against the sole of the boot. While they'd be a tight fit, the boots would serve and provide better protection then the sandals.

As he gripped the right boot, he managed to take the entire skeleton's leg below the knee. Grimacing, Alanos picked out the bones and dumped them unceremoniously next to the body.

"From Paladin to Grave Robber in a day." Alanos muttered as he stood in his new boots. The skeleton's skull gazed back up at Highstorm, its leering grin looking as though it found the elder Paladin's situation hilarious. Taking up the torch again, he set out deeper into the chamber. He was quickly confounded by a man made obstacle - a locked door.

Frowning, Alanos leaned his weight into the door, but despite its age, it held fast against his attempts to break it down. He backed up and kicked it a few times, but outside a spectacular shower of dust from the door, it did not budge. Highstorm briefly considered sticking the torch to the door and burning it down, when he glimpsed another corpse in a shadowy recess near the door. Unlike the ancient skeleton, this corpse was relatively fresh. Also unlike the skeleton, it was obvious this creature was no human. It had green skin and wore a primitive robe, and it looked all the world to Highstorm like some kind of goblin. Near the corpse, Alanos found a simple club made out of wood with banded metal. Favoring the heft of a blunt object to the subtleties of the sword, Alanos put the katana in his belt, next to the short sword and then returned his attention back to the corpse. Seeing little alternative, he tore open the robes of the creature. Out of the robes tumbled two stained pieces of parchment, both rolled up as well as a key that looked as though it would fit the lock on the door. Smiling at his good fortune, Alanos took the key and stuffed the two pieces of parchment down the front of his scratchy shirt. Not only did they ease the irritation on his skin, but Alanos sensed the subtle play of magic around the two scrolls, and that could make them valuable.

Inserting the key into the lock, Alanos was pleased to turn it and hear a audible "click". He pushed the door open and continued to the cavern beyond. Here he could see evidence of the hands of men, as well as natural caverns. He found a large chest resting in the middle of the room, and opened it to find a briastplate and greaves made of iron, both rusted in several areas from years of neglect. Despite this, Highstorm smiled broadly at the sight and immediately began checking the leather straps of the armor. Finding them still serviceable, Alanos began putting on the armor, driving his torch into the ground so it would not go out. As soon as he finished buckling the final strap of the briast plate, Alanos heard the scream of a animal in agony from deeper down a passage. Hefting his mace in one hand and readying his shield in the other, he left his torch burning near the door and ventured towards the sound of the noise.

The tunnel the sound had come from sloped downward before turning a sharp corner. There was some sort of pale illumination coming from around the corner as Alanos eased himself down the dark corridor, ready for anything. As he neared the corner, the bloodied body of a rat sailed by and slammed into the wall, blood splattering everywhere and startling Highstorm to the point of crying out.

As a horrified Alanos looked on, a menacing man shaped form loomed in the gloom. Its head pivoted towards Highstorm and a low moan escaped its lips. Pivoting on his heel, Alanos sped back up the passage and towards his torch. As he ran, he could hear the thing shuffling after him. As he reached the boundaries of the torchlight, Alanos made himself ready. He had an idea of what was shambling after him, but he wanted to be certain.

It slowly came into the radius of light cast by the torch. It shuffled towards the Paladin, single arm outstretched in menace as it drug a useless foot behind it. It's clothing spoke of former finery, with a deep blue velvet jacket with a white shirt underneath, with pants only a shade darker then the shirt, with black slippers. The white shirt was torn open and stained brown, the flesh under the shirt was the color of rotting meat. The thing's head was covered in patches of wispy black hair, and its single eye was covered in a milky film. It had no lower jaw, but it continued to emit a low moaning by way of its exposed windpipe.

Alanos Highstorm's lip curled in a snarl and he brought his club down on the Zombie. However, upon nearing prey, the Zombie showcased a burst of sudden speed, and Alanos' wrist hit the thing in the shoulder with the impact forcing the club from his hands and behind the mindless creature. Eyes wide, Alanos barely got his shield up in time as the ghoul's clawed hand went for his face. Shoving hard, he forced the creature back a few steps but did not send it to the ground as he had hoped.

"Foul beast!" Alanos roared. He didn't know where he was, nor had he any idea of how to get back. But the Undead had been a blight upon the land of his birth for years, to see them active here as well stirred something deep within the Paladin. He shot out his hand and pointed accusingly at the Zombie. "In the name of all that is Holy, I command you to be gone!"

What Alanos Highstorm - Knight of the Silver Hand - had been attempting was a simple exorcism spell, taught to all potential Paladins as a quick method of dealing with the undead. But in another demonstration of how he was somewhere all together different, instead of a blinding white light and then a pile of bones, Alanos' hand glowed a angry red before a miniature fireball exploded from his outstretched hand and slammed into the undead creature. The zombie recoiled and fell to the dirt, it's clothing still ablaze. As it struggled to right itself off its back, Alanos scooped up his club and brought it crashing down on the creature's head. The creature's body twitched once violently, then stilled.

Alanos breathed hard as he considered what had just happened. Instead of an exorcism, he had somehow managed to cast a fireball. While Alanos was grateful for access to Holy Fire (as he'd come to consider it), he was still frustrated at how so many of his skills and abilities were altered or flat out inaccessible here.

Taking up his torch, he left the burning corpse behind and rounded the corner cautiously this time. The source of the illumination came from above, where a section of ceiling had collapsed, revealing another chamber above. Alanos stood in mute horror as from his limited vantage point, he saw no less then three other zombies and heard several more. Why such creatures would exist down here was beyond his ability to guess, but he decided to hurry on. He had no easy means to get up to the creatures and he found himself disinclined to draw attention to himself and draw them down to him.

As he drew into the next chamber, Alanos was greeted by a large pit filled with moldy vegetables and the occasional bone. Light shone down from above, and Alanos glanced up to see through grating another level above him, and above that another grate. Faint noises filtered down from above, women chatting and the sound of children laughing. Alanos smiled at the night and day difference of this chamber and the last. After the revelation of undead lurking in this world, the common noises of every day life were welcome.

It was almost too late Alanos noticed another noise - that of tiny claws scrabbling on rocks.

He brought his shield up, and barely in time. The giant rat impacted the shield and sent it bowing back into Highstorm. The moldy leather kept the Rat's mouth from finding purchase, but the sudden weight on his chest area forced Highstorm off balance and he fell to the floor, the rat landing just above his head. Rolling in an effort to keep the rat away from his vulnerable areas, he came up in a crouch just as the rat was preparing to launch itself again. As it flew through the air, Alanos let out a yell and swung his club in a two handed grip, connecting with the rat in midair and sending it flying into a support pillar. The rat slumped to the floor and did not stir.

"I don't know what they pay their rat catchers here, but it surely is too little." Alanos gasped between breaths.

He examined his now useless leather shield and tossed it aside. Fortunately, in the refuse that had fallen from the streets above Alanos did happen to notice a familiar shape. Pulling it towards him, he discovered it was an old and battered, but still functional shield made out of worked iron. Near it, he also found a battered and worn iron helm. Taking both items, he regarded his extinguished torch with some regret. When he had been knocked down he had managed to drop the torch into a small basin of collected rainwater, ruining it. He regarded the darkness ahead with some trepidation but he was clothed in armor and had a good weapon and what felt like a stout shield.

"I suppose, worst comes to worst, I can start throwing fireballs down the hallway." Alanos muttered to himself as he continued on.