Weakness.

The sear air of plaguelands was filled with crying of the spirits. Dead hounds were roaming dried, cursed land not barking but crepitating, urging for more warm flesh of the living. Gharb felt the disgust to this place though he suited this land well as he was the same stinking, foul deadman.

...and imbecile, be sure to leave as much strife and grief as possible in your wake...

Nathanos Blightcaller. The strongest champion of the Lady. He was one of the best impersonations of the deepest hatred and sharpest ruthlessness that is possible to find in the sinful world of Azeroth. He was consuming death itself, enslaving her, sucking life and force from every weakness he was able to find in a living or even dead being.

If Gharb would be alive, he would have shivered in fear in front of this creature. But he was standing and listening to his new task. Just because the Lady herself ordered him to follow all the orders of Nathanos.

...leave them suffering.

Gharb nodded. He glanced at Nathanos' undead hound, so huge and frenzy that she could rip apart even an abomination without any effort, and dissappeared in the slimy shadows.


Gharb knew that was a test. A test of his loyality to the Lady, of his strength and power of will to faithfully serve and bring bloody peace to all the cursed humans which were known as the Forsakens.

Dried grass was crisping under his feet as he was crawling near blasted buildings of humans' towns that were swarming with undead servants of the Scourge. Gharb had no time to kill them. Such a pity but not now. He has to be tolerate with his anger and painfull dearth of revenge.

The target was near. He saw an elven building at the top of the hill. He must reach that building...

Suddenly he felt a presence of a human. There was no time to think - he just hid behind the tree and froze there making neither any sound nor movement, waiting for the guest.

A human came out from the forest. He was wearing a shiny armor with a large hammer behind his back. Gharb knew that was a paladin. He felt this like a hyena feels the presence of a lion.

Human stopped and took his hammer. A dim golden light was surrounding the man, covering him with some sort of protection, fulfilling his strength. He felt his enemy. He knew Gharb was here.

There was no other choice but to attack. Gharb swiftly approached the paladin from behind and made first move in a long and tiresome fight. He was full of hate and that gave him speed and agility. But the paladin had years of practicing his will and self-control so he was a worthy enemy.

In one minute the fight was over. Gharb felt he was badly wounded but that was nothing comparing to his feeling of revenge and overpowering might. He felt superior to the human.

Paladin was breathing hard, his armor was red of blood that was oozing on the ground, his golden light disappeared letting the darkness to surround his body, to crawl in his heart. Gharb slowly walked around the man and glanced in his eyes at the last time. So this pathetic paladin could see his disgusting doom...



Mission was accomplished. Nathanos said nothing to Gharb. He just stared him down and nodded showing that it would be better for Gharb to walk away for some time and fast.

Gharb was desperately walking along the road. He was broken from the inside. He felt like his strength was gone, like he was dead from the inside... He felt like that fight with a paladin exausted his mind and anger. The only thing Gharb had was a hope. A small light inside his soul that was saying "you're still human". Perhaps he should have finished that paladin. But he just wasn't able to kill a man who saw him as an enemy, who treated him not as a pathetic worm that has no right to live but as a worthy enemy. There was respect in those eyes.

Gharb will never be a champion like Nathanos. Because he was weak. He felt that. And that weakness was the most precious thing he ever had...