a brief respite

I am completely exhausted. I have slept so little in the past few days that I can barely focus my thoughts. For the past several days, I have been in the dark halls of Naxxramas, along with my guild, where we have been fighting our way to Kel Thuzad. I do not know exactly how long we have been in here, but except for one brief period when I was needed to fight a monstrosity of metal and flame in the Titan's lair of Ulduar, I have not been outside of this place in days.

As I write this, I am sitting near a fire just outside the lair of Sapphiron. While the warmth does nothing for my cold, dead flesh, I still find that it provides me comfort. My fellow warriors are spread out in small groups around me, tending their wounds, repairing their gear, and sharpening their weapons. A few others are resting, preparing potions and elixirs, practicing their crafts, or preparing themselves mentally for what is to come.

This group, consisting of the best fighters and most powerful mages in our guild, along with some additional people we brought in to fill our ranks, has beaten back Maexxna, dispatched Loatheb, sent the Four Horsemen to the Hell where they belong, and finally, last night, killed Thaddius, that twisted creation of a madman. We tried to take down Sapphiron last night, and we almost succeeded, but she was too powerful, and we were simply too exhausted from the past days' exertion. After three tries, we retreated back to this spot, safe because the corridors are too narrow for the giant dragon to pass, and because Kel Thuzad has no more minions to send after us.

I ask myself why it matters that I, that we, must face and defeat Arthas' lieutenant. And I am not sure. There are certainly other formidable warlocks, more powerful warriors, who could take down Kel Thuzad with the same ease that we took down the Grand Widow. Yet we feel compelled to do it, to show that we, the Ravager clan, can face and defeat this threat. Glory, or perhaps riches, may drive each of us as individuals, but we want to do this as a guild. And this is the difficult part. Because we are not a large guild. The people arrayed around me are the same people I have been fighting with since I began wearing the tabard of my guild. But there are not enough of us to fight Sapphiron ourselves. And so our numbers are filled in with scavengers who hope to snatch up magical items they find before we get to them, or even while we still fight, and others who simply don't have the experience to be much help, but who joined us for the fame they think they will achieve for being here when Kel Thuzad falls.

But this is the truth of it: We are here, now. A place we have never been, fighting an enemy we have never faced before. We will destroy this dragon, and then we will crush the Lich King's minion. And if, after that, I never step into this hell of cold stone again, it will be too soon.

In any case, I have heard stories of greater challenges to the north.