Death's Ascension

=== The Scourge Siege - Part Five ===
Knight Rasaan stepped forward onto the large, dark metal square, already occupied with Death Knights in shade black armour, most of them his initiates, trained vigorously. With their winged black helmets, near black cloaks and no brighter than black armour, one could mistake the group as a funeral party, except for four large, grotesque gargoyles perching on nearby rocks. Each held in its sharp claws the end of a long, rusting chain connected to a corner of the metal square. 
As Rasaan stepped onto the platform, he took a place on the crowded square next to a very large Tauren. The same Tauren he had seen only days before overcome a fellow Knight, a Naga, in a duel. The nearby gargoyles flashed into life, jumping in the air in near unison, flapping their wings frantically to gain altitude. As they reached a height far above the group, their flapping became laboured as the chains they grasped chinked as they snapped straight, jerking the metal plate. As their wing beat became more and more like a metronome, the plate slowly lifted off the ground, quivering as it rose.
Rasaan looked up, hearing the beat of the wings, smelling the rotting flesh in the mouths of the gargoyles, but most importantly, he gazed wearily at the monstrosity of a necropolis, his own necropolis. A huge pyramid with large fang like objects spearing through the base, nearly meeting far below the bottom of the monstrosity of a formation. Around the outside of the necropolis, four large cylinders wrapped their way around each corner, jutting out, finding their way to the top and bottom of the wall. On one side of the necropolis, a large circular hole went deep inside, though due to the size of the necropolis, near twice the size of Naxxramas, nothing could be seen inside. However, a deep and unnerving emerald glow emitted from within.
As the gargoyles flew near to the bottom, the large fangs retracted and a deafening crack saw them jump into life. They shakily began to withdraw inside the corner cylinders leaving a large gap for the gargoyles to advance through. As Rasaan looked upwards, he could no longer see the sides of the necropolis, but could only see the large base, riddled with intricate patterns of skulls, though whether they were real or not, he did not know, but what he did see, was a large cylinder with a snake like item wrapped around slowly descending towards them. As he looked at once side, a large door was sliding sidewise to show a large hall, massive, though from this distance, it did not seem apparent.
The gargoyles began to screech with pain, but the crowded carrying plate approached the doorway. From here, Rasaan could see several Death Knights extending a gangway across which clanged loudly as it slammed onto the plate beside him. Looking down, Rasaan’s eyes widened as he realised how far he had come. 
Turning his attention back to the necropolis, he noticed the Death Knights in the boarding cylinder standing to attention by the doorway. Through the silence in his mind, every step along the gangway seemed to echo for an eternity in his head but as he took his first solid step into the large circular room, he was pushed onwards by the oncoming Death Knights. Looking around him, he saw the walls were a very dark grey but stained red in many places. As he looked up he saw a tall spire spiralling upwards ending in a very dark point. He was on the inside, so from where he stood in his state of confusion, it looked as if the room never ended above him.
A loud clang brought Rasaan to his senses and the smell of rotting flesh hit him like a wave of ice, freezing his spine. As he looked to the door, the guard Knights were placing the gang ramp against the wall. The door began to close as the wall began to stretch over the gap, sealing with a bright red line in the middle. Rasaan looked about the large circular room. It was quite bright inside, a green light illuminating the people inside, but he couldn’t see anything that could create any light.
After what seemed like several days in his mind, the opening of the door leaked red again before splitting open and peeling away. The Death Knights between Rasaan and the doorway began filing out, the two guards taking up positions on the opposing side of the door. Stepping into the necropolis, Rasaan looked around, sighing.
The cylinder was behind him, the cylinder reaching to the ceiling which was far above him but in the centre of the room. Around him was a huge courtyard with a white stone floor; a strange contrast to the shadow black walls. The room was so big; several contingents of ghouls, led by a Death Knight were passing through one of the five large doors around the walls of the circular room. On one side, however, was a flat wall with a black flight of steps leading into a sixth door, small than the others. The ghouls disappeared into one of the doors and wheeled around a corner, but Rasaan’s eyes were fixed on the ceiling. 
The ceiling was decorated elaborately with the same skulls on the base of the necropolis but again, Rasaan’s eyes were focused elsewhere. Spinning around the lift shaft was a green, mist like form. Even in contrast with the gargantuan courtyard, the mist was large, spinning around the top of the shaft continuously. What it was, Rasaan knew not, but what he did know was simple; someone wanted his attention.
Turning his gaze to the stairs near the doorway, he spotted a Lich hovering, arms folded, glaring at him. Despite the distance, Rasaan knew he was grinning at him. In a flash of light, Rasaan flew towards the Lich at an insane speed before coming to an abrupt halt right in front of him. Dropping to his feet, Rasaan grimaced at the smell of blood coming from Nul’renak, the Lich before him.
“Like the decorations?” Nul’renak nearly spat out from his bony grin in his icy and chilling tone, stifling a laugh as he stared at Rasaan, spotting the white hand mark on the chest plate of his shadow black armour. “Still hurt? Hm? Good.”
Rasaan turned behind to look behind him as a small group of Knights marched in a tight formation across the hall, exiting using the door opposite him. How lucky, he thought, that they were made normally and didn’t have to deal with a Lich. “Just show me where I need to go.” Rasaan growled from between gritted teeth, disliking having to even be near the Lich. 
Nul’renak turned on the spot and floated through the door. Rasaan was stuck on this necropolis and he would either die here or destroy the Argent Dawn using it. He hoped both.
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Category:Story