5th Day, 9th Month, Year 33 since the Dark Portal’s Opening

Today we engaged Alliance forces as we were pushing toward their supply depot. Standard skirmish, nothing exceptional, until their mages managed to collapse part of the canyon we were using for cover. Suddenly we found ourselves cut off, outnumbered, with Stormhoof injured and their cavalry moving to flank us.

Vera looked to Gorthak. “Can you get us out of here?” Gorthak looked… out of his depth. He was a formidable combatant, and he feared nothing. But this was something different. I could tell that Gorthak’s next words were likely to be “Lok’tar” as he charged the enemy that outnumbered him 10 to 1.

Things around me moved so very slowly in this moment. I haven’t felt Adrenaline course through my veins in… I dare not think how long. I had to make a decision. I could continue playing the reliable follower, follow his lead even if it meant casualties…

Or I could show what sixteen millennia of tactical experience actually provides.

I chose the latter.

I felt goosebumps cover my arms as I stood, cutting off Gorthak before he could seal his own fate and that of the entire squad. I looked to Krixxa with a calculated smile and pointed to Stormhoof. “He’s hurt bad, but I know you can keep him up and moving. Focus on that, he will be our trump card.”

Then I looked to Vera. I thought a moment, there were many options. But I decided that I would show off, but I would do so by making it look like I was hedging my bets.

“Vera… Get out of here. Get to command and let them know what happened here. In the event that we fail, they must know about it as soon as possible.” She was about to protest when I raised a hand to cut her off. “We will be right behind you.”

Then I looked to Gorthak. He was, truly, a great warrior. With one weakness: Moreso than any orc I’ve ever met, he feared Nothing. But for him… he used this to make many, MANY suicidal charges. When you succeed with that kind of strategy, you are lauded as a hero. And this leads to escalation… I had to make use of his skills without losing him as a piece upon my board.

“Gorthak you MUST remain with Krixxa, keep her alive. Provide backup for Stormhoof.”

And finally I turned to the large Tauren, who’s gaze even now attempted to bore into my very soul. He was an enhancement shaman, with twin maces the size of a large child. His strength alone beggared belief. When he combined this with the power of the elements, I have no doubt he could single handedly wipe out a battalion of enemy combatants. We would make sure he did just that.

“Stormhoof… I can take these soldiers on my own. But doing so would mean I cannot provide support for the others. I need you to be their focus. If you keep their attention, I will be able to take out the most dangerous of them more quickly.”

He grunted and rose to his feet. Blood covered his armor, but the wounds were closing up. Honestly, when the cliff first collapsed I was sure he was dead. It is a testament to his fortitude, and to Krixxa’s abilities, that this plan was able to succeed.

Stormhoof charged out of the pit we’d held up in, a battle cry wild enough to rattle even my old bones. I snuck out behind him and Vera made a break for it. I scanned the battlefield for those who would be the most dangerous. Not frontline combatants – Any who managed to get past Stormhoof would still have no change with Gorthak holding the backline.

I was on the hunt for casters. Mages, Druids, any who would be able to perform trickery or stay out of Stormhoof’s path. I slammed a totem into the ground at my feet to force tremors that would prevent anyone from sneaking up on me, and then I went to work.

Lightning arced through the sky, and I watched as many of these human mages burned and crackled, their bodies seizing and falling to the ground. I saw Stormhoof being overwhelmed, and summoned a primal earth elemental to run to his aid. This of course drew some attention, but I knew it would. Those smart enough to realize their attention should be on ME – those were the ones I was looking for. Each time I spotted someone in an alliance uniform scanning the field of battle, I’d arc lightning their way. If a few of them were clumped together, Lava would gush up from the ground beneath their feet. If I saw an enemy trying to get the jump on Stormhoof from behind, I hit them with a hex.

I find myself laughing now, in some ways as I did during the battle. Though now I laugh at myself for how much I am enjoying the act of reliving this experience from only hours ago. When I laughed on the battlefield, it was a much darker laugh.

Before long, the enemy pulled back. I considered pushing on, I believe we could have even accomplished our original mission. But the intel we’d received had been off already – the force in this depot was significantly larger than what we expected to encounter. I decided it was not worth the risk to test our intel further.

I turned to Gorthak and shouted to him “I believe that is our Cue to retreat, boss”. It was good natured, and Gorthak laughed in response. He nodded, and I went to Stormhoof’s side to help him from the battlefield.

We are back at a forward base now and wounds are being tended. I don’t know how much more the high command will trust me after that, but I am confident that Squad Ironwave will come around very soon.

Trust should be earned, not given.

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[The journal continues, but the remaining pages are blank, waiting for future entries as this ancient being navigates his integration into the Horde war effort.]