Vengeance’s Folly
“Today is the day
we take the fight
to the Horde.
Today is the day
we topple their towers
and fell their fortress.
Today is the day
we shatter their pride
and ravage their happiness.
Today is the day
we thrust our spears
through their hearts and hope.
Brothers and sisters
of the Alliance,
today is the day ‒
It must be the day
we claim vengeance
for Theramore!”
Thus was my speech
to fifty-nine
other souls.
For the first time,
we all gathered on
World of Warcraft.
A dozen yards away
from the open gate
of Orgrimmar.
Wooden spires atop
the wall, adorned
with the heads of our kin.
Perched upon steeds
with blue and gold
armor plating, we charged
headlong, with swords,
maces, daggers,
staves, and wands.
Fireballs and lightning bolts
hurled over us
by our back line.
Arrows and cannons
responded in kind,
dismounting some.
We trampled over
the dead and dying,
charred and smoldering.
Some corpses
still twitched
from the electricity.
We stampeded through
the capital city, as
bakers and blacksmiths,
artisans and auctioneers,
and citizens of the like,
stepped aside.
We razed homes and
cut down stray soldiers
en route to the throne.
Yet once we arrived
to the seat of the warchief,
it was unguarded.
Confusion spread through
our ranks, until a horn blew,
and the Earth trembled.
Drums of war and
shrieks of berserkers
drew closer.
Orcs carried by wolves
and trolls saddled on raptors
flanked us.
Imps and succubi,
summoned by warlocks,
lead their advance.
Caught between the Horde
and the throne room,
we entered the building.
As the adversary funneled
through the single opening,
we realized our mistake.
The Warchief ‒
A hulking orc ‒
rose from his seat.
With axe in hand,
he launched himself
into the fray.
Our shamans died
first. He thrashed around,
decimating our backline.
And then our front broke,
and they flooded in
to join their leader
in the merry bloodshed.
Limbs and organs
scattered about.
And so, vengeance
was not claimed:
we lost. That was
the last time
we’d raid Orgrimmar
on such rash impulse.
With only sixty people.