It began with a tantalizing thought and ended with the taste of steel...

=-*-=

Piercing cries of agony reverberated off the murky walls of the Magnagoran
residences, emanating from deep underground. Yet the Necromantete's screams
were commonplace amongst the citizens. It was the unfamiliar howls of pain that
turned most heads these days.

The Engine of Transformation was transforming indeed. A chilling fear had swept
through the Iron Council, plaguing the very consciousness of the Warlord
himself. Winds of change whispered news of traitors in the city - insiders
desperately hoping to assist in the destruction of the tainted government.
Sharp tongues punctured alliances; harsh stares melted friendships. And soon,
the Mighty Province of Magnagora was standing alone on an island of their own
design...

=-*-=

Jahidd sat down at a ravenwood desk with apprehension creeping across his brow.
Quivering slightly, his hand pressed the tip of the quill to the parchment.
Small droplets of ink splattering down revealed his wariness. But it was too
late for him to turn back now. It wasn't the Iron Council - Jahidd knew that
they didn't have any idea as to what was going on. It was the thought of what
might happen to him once he was captured. Of torture there was no question.
Death was probable as well.

Staying alive was now a game to be played. And he intended to win.

The feather waved furiously in his hand as Jahidd scribbled down his
blasphemous ideas. Shadows danced eerily over his dark purple skin. Decades
ago, Jahidd had stepped out of the Portal of Fate in the form of a loboshigaru.
But upon touching the Crypt, everything changed...

=-*-=

Mechanically twisting, the gears of the Engine opened and spat Jahidd out.
Abominations hobbled obliviously around this world of metal. Jahidd stood back
and marveled at the technological prowess of his city, and gazed across the
landscape until his eyes rested on its regal magnificence - The Black Crypt of
Urlach. There were no words that could describe how it appeared that Urlach
himself was glaring down upon you. And the sarcophagi serving as a testimony to
passerby of the strength of lichdom. Shivering with earnest intentions, Jahidd
placed his hand upon the coarse, black stone. Instantly tendrils of tainted
matter swirled about his ankles, eventually covering him in a cocoon of
midnight. After mere moments, the Taint ceased its attack and retreated back to
its native refuge. Jahidd may have felt the same, but he was different beyond
previous recognition...

=-*-=

Clutching desperately to a stack of parchment, Jahidd stood upright against the
crumbling wall. Reverberations of the clanging armour of the Death Knights
clamoured throughout the city, saturating the air with a petrifying horror. It
was impossible for them to know about his actions. Every letter that Jahidd had
sent to the City of Light had been sealed carefully with wax. And every response
in turn had assured him that they hadn't been tampered with. Yet all good
intentions are laden with mistakes.

Jahidd's heart beat fervently, thundering against his ribcage. Anxiously, he
crept under a broken archway towards the Northern Gates. In front of him were
two ur'Guard Grand Marshalls chatting with one another. One of them held up a
hand in silence, but shrugged after he didn't notice anything suspicious.
Glancing around, Jahidd found a jagged rock and tossed it towards the bell
tower. Now alert, the Marshalls ran to the sound, allowing Jahidd to pass
through the gates uncontested. Night's Eye peered down upon him, as if She
could see his every action. Jahidd shuddered.

The gentle rhythm of flowing water reached his ears as Jahidd approached the
Shallach River. Jahidd gasped as the cold water covered his robes. Shouts could
be heard in the distance, causing him to move more quickly. Holding his papers
above the waterline, Jahidd waded to the north until he reached a steep path
ascending into the cliffs. Icy mountain air stung like needles as he made his
way to an ancient glacier...

=-*-=

Jahidd had planned for his escape since his first letter. Writing informative
letters to the enemy was, after all, a traitorous act punishable by death. In
exchange for his services, Jahidd was granted full amnesty to Celest, as well
as future protection if circumstances called for it. But in Jahidd's eyes, the
best benefit was Lilian, a beautiful merian girl he had met while discussing
the deal.

A standout member of the Star Council, Lilian loved Jahidd the first moment she
saw him. Viscanti or not, enemy or not, the way he carried himself appealed to
Lilian's better interest. Friendship blossomed into courtship, which bloomed
into a caring relationship built upon a foundation of love...

=-*-=

Lauk welcomed Jahidd to the Snow Valley. They had been in close touch the past
few weeks, ever since the Iron Council had begun to root out informants within
their own walls. The other taurians clanged their spears in a respectful
salute. After Jahidd had helped cure a sick taurian in Verasavir Valley, the
entire taurian race respected him greatly. Evidently, Lilian had not arrived.
Such is what Jahidd learned after speaking with the taurian leader. Jahidd grew
restless. He expected the worst...

=-*-=

Letter after letter soared into the Valley, heralding news of the outer Basin.
Keeping contact with Celest was proving to be a challenging task. It wasn't
normal for anyone to see several seagulls flying east into the mountains.
Jahidd looked unkept with a long, shaggy beard, and coarse hair dominating his
facial features. It didn't help matters that Lilian was absent. All attempts at
contacting her had been received no response.

The squat imp cackled to himself and ducked back behind the cliff face, careful
not to trip over the snowshoe hare hopping innocently in the snow...

=-*-=

For such a grand occasion, the Warlord himself had decided to accompany the war
party en route to Jahidd's hiding place. It still hadn't occurred to him how an
outstanding official like Jahidd had chosen to rebel against the Taint. But
even without that answer, the Warlord licked his lips. Vengeance was sweet.

The taurians fell victim to merciless thrusts - their spears no match for the
hardened steel of ur'Guard swords. Smoke climbed up the sky as fire was set to
the huts. The excruciating heat from the blazes melted the snow. Nobody was
left alive.

There, huddled in the corner of the farthest hut, was Jahidd. He was almost
undistinguishable under his ragged guise. Two orcs rushed forward to bind his
appendages, but Jahidd did not resist. His love had left him, and he was
defenseless without it.

A dull thud echoed as a head fell to the ground...

=-*-=

Footprints in the snow were all that remained from the onslaught of the
Magnagorans. To them, Jahidd was an ill-fitted cog in their grand Engine of
Transformation. It hindered their ability to achieve their ultimate potential.

From the beheaded corpse of Jahidd seeped a single coil of purple shades. It
wrapped itself over the body and split off into several more strands. The
resulting web enveloped the internal vacancies of the corpse. Within moments,
the form stood up. His skin may have been a greyer hue, but there was no
mistake - Jahidd was alive. An undead scowl played across his lips...