His week long trek through Zangarmarsh was finally over.<br/><br/>Emrick Stone stood on a ridge above Shattrath City, it's worn stone walls jutting out of a thick mist that hugged the ground.  Behind him, the relatively small spine of mountains that separated the lush Terrokar Forest from the luminescent Zangarmarsh soared into a night sky laced with streams of mana.  The mage paused for a moment, looking behind himself at the crumbling peaks, thinking about the world-ending cataclysm that had turned their sharp pinnacles into rounded stubs.<br/><br/>A distant bird call, possibly arakkoa, turned his attention back to Shattrath.  It was night time already, and he wanted to make it to the safety of the city walls before he slept.  Rumors on the road indicated that Terrokar was a dangerous place to be at the moment: Illidari troops and arrokoa foragers mainly, but one frightened elf had spoken of the growing feud between the Aldor and the Scryers.  Emrick knew of the rivalry well.  If he wasn't being harassed by an Aldor, he was being harassed by one of his Scryer allies to take action against the draenei led faction.  During his absence, though, it seemed that the two factions had started brawling outside the city walls.  Emrick had no qualms with either the draenei or the Aldor, and so he had no intention of fighting them in some irrelevant feud.<em>Especially</em>when they<em>should</em>be fighting Illidan and the Burning Legion.<br/><br/>Perhaps sensing her rider's agitated thoughts, Talia, his mare, whinneyed beneath him, shaking out her mane in the cool air.  Emrick whistled quietly, scratching the back of her neck and edging her forward with his heels.  It would be another hour before they reached the city.<br/><br/>*   *   *<br/><br/>The road was now lit by small lanterns along the side of the path, the light of the stars and the Nether obscured by the thick canopy of trees overhead.  Shattrath's east gate loomed before Emrick, closed for the first time he had ever seen.  What had always been an unobstructed path into the naaru's sanctuary was now blocked by a thick wooden door ribbed with steel.<br/><br/>A trio of draenei vindicators stood on guard before the gate.  The middle one stepped forward, meeting Emrick halfway.<br/><br/>"Why is the gate closed?" the mage asked with a frown.  The vindicator looked wary, eyeing the satchels behind Emrick's saddle.  "They're supplies, vindicator," he explained.  He leaned back and opened one of the bags, exposing a bundle of cloth and several tightly wound scrolls.<br/><br/>That seemed to satisfy the draenei.  He stepped back from Emrick, leaning on his hammer.  "There is unrest within the city, and our leaders believe that the Illidari our on the move."<br/><br/><em>So, there </em>are<em> Illidari in Terrokar.  The elf was right...</em>Emrick thought, instinctively looking over his shoulder in the general direction of the distant Shadowmoon Valley.  A week's travel at least, but the danger felt much closer.<br/><br/>"Can I get in then?" he said, turning back to the vindicator  "If Illidan makes his move, I'd much rather be on the other side of that wall.  See this seal here?  I'm one of the Scryer."<br/><br/>The draenei, cautious as ever, leaned forward and examined the small metal pendant.  "So you are then.  I'd be careful in Shattrath if I were you.  Your brothers have been very bold as of late, and the Aldor have taken to responding in a similar manner."<br/><br/>As he spoke, the vindicator walked backwards to a partition in the wall immediately adjacent to the gate.  He handled some unseen device, hidden by the shadow of his bulky form, and then stepped back.  There was now a thin doorway in the wall; big enough for a person to walk through, but useless to an invading army.<br/><br/>Nodding at the guards, Emrick dismounted Talia and led her through the doorway by the reins.  On the other side of the wall, Shattrath seemed the same as ever.  Salespeople hawked their wares next to homeless refugees.  A sampling of every race from all paths of life bustled through the broad walkways of the Lower City.  Even in the middle of the night, a cacophony of voices and sounds filled the air.  Smells, both foul and enticing, wafted through the air.<br/><br/>Emrick smiled.  He had always like it here.<br/><br/>He led Talia down a nearby ramp to the Lower City.  He would find a place in anonymonity amongst the refugees to sleep tonight.  He could just as easily rest in his quarters on the Scryer Tier, but the vindicator's warning was still fresh in his mind.  If the Aldor and Scryers really were fighting within the city walls, he didn't want to be in the thick of it.  Best to blend in amongst the Lower City folk.<br/><br/>But first, he'd have to get Talia to a proper stable.  Emrick smiled, rubbing the bridge of her nose.  He wouldn't trust her out in the open of the Lower City.  A perfectly healthy mare would be stolen instantly, whether for transport or for food.  Mentally positioning himself in the city, Emrick turned and headed for the nearest stable.