Crusader's Blood

Crusader's Blood is the second story in Warcraft: Legends Volume 3.


 * Written by: Dan Jolley
 * Sketched by: Fernando Heinz Furukawa
 * Inking by: Rocio Zucchi
 * Shading by: Jan Michael Aldeguer

Description
A blood elf mage and a Forsaken warrior embark on a quest of vengeance against a ruthless Scarlet Crusade captain.

Crusader's Blood starts in the cellar of the Gallow's End Tavern, with an undead female beginning to tell a story to a captive Scarlet Crusader and an unnamed dwarf. Her story starts with a young male blood elf, Rinn Firecaster, meeting the Forsaken Jillian Grell in a derelict farm in matters of business - she is supposed to buy a gem for her uncle, Barnabas. Before they get any further than introductions, they are ambushed by the Scarlet Crusade lead by Captain Renee Lauer. Both of them are promptly executed.

Their nearest relatives - Barnabas Grell and Reynah Firecaster - hear the news soon after, and both separately swear vengeance. The story then cuts to Reynah pleading with Sylvanas Windrunner for aid in destroying the Scarlet Crusade, but is denied audience by Varimathras. Varimathras says he'll relay the request when Sylvanas isn't busy with more important matters, and Reynah storms out of the Royal Quarter crying, literally bumping into Barnabas - both are in a bad mood and promise to kill each other should they annoy one another again. Next, the Scarlets are shown to be grouping near an undefined lumbermill on the outskirts of Tirisfal Glades. A few crusaders are laughing at a rumor that eating a pumpkin would turn someone in to an undead. Captain Lauer and another Crusader named Stefan are sparring in the background; while they fight, Stefan questions the Crusade's mission. Renee becomes enraged and overpowers him, but stops her sword right beside his neck. Her angry expression becomes a smile and she assures him that their cause is righteous. The next scene shows Reynah and Barnabas trying to capture a Scarlet scout for interrogation, but he escapes because they get in each other's way. They fight, then agree to a truce until they've captured Captain Lauer.

The Forsaken woman's story is briefly interrupted by the captive Crusader arguing with the Dwarven captive. She resumes with the Crusader group, which is promptly attacked by Barnabas and Reynah. They successfully capture the Scarlet Captain after a brief fight. When Lauer awakens, she finds them arguing over who gets to finish her off. They fail to notice that the Crusaders have now regrouped and after another brief fight they are captured in turn. They are later questioned by Lauer, who wants to know why they attacked an overwhelming force so recklessly. They recount the stories of loss of their loved ones, and at this point Reynah and Barnabas find out their motivations were the same. Lauer ridicules both of them, saying they are both a disease upon the world that must be purged. Reynah, enraged, manages to utter a spell and kill a few of their captors, before they are subdued again. Stefan watches in horror as the captives are brutally slain, shortly before the Scarlet group is attacked by a horde of Forsaken led by Varimathras and Sylvanas themselves. Renee and Stefan try to escape, but they both are ultimately killed.

The captive Crusader asks the Forsaken woman how can she know all this, and accuses her of making it all up. She reveals that she is Renee Lauer, and Stefan was her nephew. The crusader recoils in disgust - he regards her as a weak-minded traitor. Lauer sighs and says she has told her story many times already, to numerous prisoners, and will keep telling it until people understand. The prisoner hasn't had anything to eat for quite some time and claims he can't hear any fairytales from the grumbling of his stomach; he asks if they plan to starve him to death. Lauer responds that she'll get him some fresh pumpkin to eat...