"Monster"

Arthas looked at Sylvanas riding a white Hawkstrider and found the sight strange no matter how he looked at it-he had no idea why the High Elves used these creatures as mounts.

"Your Highness, don't underestimate a Hawkstrider's speed in the forest. They make better mounts than warhorses among the trees." Sylvanas keenly noticed Arthas's odd look. As she explained, she checked the two short blades strapped to her thighs.

Of course I know that, Arthas thought. It just looks awkward seeing you riding something so soft and cute. Though Hawkstriders are actually carnivorous birds of prey, not soft, cute creatures at all.

A squad of elite Farstrider rangers followed Sylvanas, while Arthas had brought his own Secret Council Knights.

The curious rangers studied the comrades they would soon fight alongside. They were veterans themselves, but they had never seen a knightly order like this from Lordaeron.

"Your Highness, let's set out."

Sylvanas secured her longbow on her back. Although the weakness caused by the curse still troubled her, Priest Lilian's initial efforts to suppress it had restored her to fifty or sixty percent of her strength.

The two groups immediately left the outpost, heading for a Farstrider fortress within the Ban'dinoriel barrier.

On a hill about ten kilometers from the outpost, troll scouts watched Arthas and Sylvanas's party pass, then began moving after them.

Riding her Hawkstrider, Sylvanas remained intensely alert to her surroundings, her pointed ears picking out every scrap of information carried by the wind.

"Arthas, something's wrong." This time, Sylvanas dropped the honorific and called him directly by name.

"What is it, my lady? What did you hear?"

Arthas had no doubt about Sylvanas's abilities. Although the curse had greatly weakened her, her awareness of her surroundings remained undiminished.

"This stretch of road is too quiet. Normally, I can hear animals even far away. Now they're all gone."

"Then it looks like we guessed right. Have everyone stay on guard. We could be ambushed at any moment. My lady, please keep watching our surroundings."

"No problem. Leave it to me." Sylvanas leaned low over her Hawkstrider, her longbow already in her hand.

To Sylvanas's senses, the forest, normally teeming with animals, seemed far too quiet. Even the predatory lynxes had fallen silent-if there were only trolls nearby, they had no reason to retreat so far.

Even when the elves marched to the outpost, low lynx growls could still be heard in the forest. These creatures, strengthened by the magical energy leaking from Quel'Thalas, were not as easily frightened as ordinary animals.

A few minutes later, Sylvanas gestured to Arthas. "There's movement. Judging by the weight of their footsteps, they're troll scouts. Quite a few of them."

"Good. They've taken the bait," Arthas replied simply. "If they're following us, they must be confident they can kill us. There's probably a powerful troll among those scouts."

"The terrain opens up just ahead! They'll probably attack around here!"

Sylvanas immediately reached a conclusion. What the trolls wanted most was to engage them in close combat in the dense forest. They could not let the trolls have their way.

"Understood. Then let's pick up the pace and charge into the open!"

Arthas flicked his reins. The warhorse beneath him understood at once and quickened its stride.

The trolls in the woods spoke to one another in guttural Trollish.

"The pointy-ears spotted us! They're speeding up to escape!"

"Catch them! Get the nets ready!"

"For Zul'jin!"

Just as Arthas saw the trees beginning to thin, a dull thud came from behind him. He turned to see a ranger near the rear brought down, mount and all, by a large net thrown by a Troll Headhunter.

As the ranger was about to be dragged back into the dense woods, Sylvanas wheeled around and loosed three arrows without aiming. The sound of arrows striking flesh came from the trees, and the ranger immediately stopped moving.

That capture seemed to serve as a signal. Another dozen or so trapping nets flew from the woods on both sides, catching several knights and rangers before they could dodge.

"Prepare for battle!"

Arthas sharply wheeled his horse around. Blazing Holy Light flared on his warhammer, and a sweep across the net trapping one knight burned a large hole through it.

The others who had been caught did not remain idle either. Every Secret Council Knight possessed monstrous strength. With the sharp outer edges of their vambraces, they broke free of their restraints with a simple twist of their bodies.

The freed knights quickly drew their longswords and large shields, shielding the rangers-as warriors, protecting their comrades was their specialty.

The instant Arthas and his companions formed up, countless throwing axes and spears flew from the forest, pelting the knights' shields like rain.

Arthas snorted coldly. With a sweep of his warhammer, he knocked aside every projectile hurtling toward him.

A troll carrying two battle-axes leaped from the high canopy and slashed at Sylvanas.

Sylvanas was helping a ranger break free. The instant she sensed danger, she raised her longbow, its sturdy body deflecting the troll's powerful blow. She pressed the bow against his neck and wrenched it hard.

She slammed the troll, who towered over her, to the ground. Before the troll warrior could recover, the freed ranger beheaded him with a single stroke.

More trolls charged out of the forest, clashing with the Secret Council Knights and elven rangers.

They were the best of the best. Although the ambush had cost them some initiative, these troll scouts could hardly pose a serious threat to them now. They could only hold them in place through their troublesome regeneration and sheer numbers.

A knight raised his shield to block a troll's spear, then knocked it aside with a backhand motion. Sylvanas leaned out from behind the knight and casually ended the troll's life with an arrow.

"Damn it! Why isn't their Ranger-General as weak as the Witch Doctors said?!"

The troll scout captain stared at the vigorous Sylvanas, completely bewildered. But the gathered scouts were no match for these enemies, so he hastily shouted, "Mighty Halazzi! We need your help!"

An ominous roar came from the dark forest. Sylvanas's expression froze. "What beast makes that sound? A lynx's roar isn't that terrifying!"

The sudden roar seemed to strike terror into their very souls. Many knights and rangers grew sluggish after hearing it, while the trolls became even more vigorous. Much of their earlier advantage vanished.

"That's no beast..." Arthas smashed the enemy before him to death with his hammer. "It looks like the trolls really want you dead!"

"Heh. I'll take that as a compliment."

Arthas glanced at the surrounding terrain and made his decision at once. "We can't stay bogged down here. Once the owner of that voice arrives, we'll be in serious danger-!"

Before the prince could finish, a swift black shadow shot out of the canopy. The blurred figure tore through the crowd, then vanished back into the dense forest.

Sylvanas's pupils contracted. What had she just seen?

Blood gushed from an elven ranger's throat. She fell to the ground with disbelief written across her face, not even knowing what had killed her.

"Behind you!"

At Arthas's shout, Sylvanas spun around. A pair of eyes glowing an eerie green stared straight into hers.

Instinctively, she tried to draw her bow and retaliate. But in her current condition, she was far slower than usual. Her hand had only just reached the bowstring when gleaming claws almost reached her throat.

Clang!

After a clear ringing impact, the black figure swiftly retreated, disappearing into the darkness once more.

Sylvanas held her bow drawn, watching the dark woods warily. A barrier of Holy Light surrounded and protected her.

"My lady, take the troops and go. I'll hold him off!"

"What? But-!"

"You haven't recovered your strength yet, and he's too fast! In woods like these, once he gets close, I can't promise I'll save you again!"

Only a handful of troll scouts remained, no longer enough to matter. But that shadow alone could slaughter Arthas and Sylvanas's troops at will in this forest. They could not stay here!

If Sylvanas had been at full strength, unburdened by the curse, Arthas could easily have seized an opportunity to counterattack with her help.

But the Windrunner was hardly stronger than the other rangers here now. Staying would accomplish nothing except burdening Arthas.

Sylvanas realized this too. She wasted no more words, merely looking at Arthas once before saying softly in Thalassian, "May the Sunwell be with you!"

"Brave warriors, let's go!" Sylvanas vaulted onto her mount and led the Ranger Corps and the knights in a swift retreat from the woods.

The dark figure did not emerge again during their withdrawal. Like a lynx, he would not strike carelessly without being certain of success.

Arthas's warhammer smashed the last troll who tried to flee to the ground, sending foul-smelling blood splattering everywhere.

The prince raised his warhammer and watched the party recede into the distance, preparing to focus on the dangerous foe in the woods.

"So the mastermind behind this invasion is actually Zul'jin... Has he already returned to Zul'Aman?"

When the shadow attacked Sylvanas, he had already seen the fellow clearly-he was roughly troll-shaped, but had a lynx's head, fur growing over his limbs, and hands transformed into claws. There was something strangely disjointed about him, like an artificially fashioned monster.