Byaghro, standing off to the side of the Champion’s Ring, watches the competitors intensely fighting until their opponents can no longer stand. Not even the fresh snows of Icecrown can cleanse the blood from the field where hundreds of competitors have had to be carried away.

“Ye be competing today lass?” asks a fellow crusader, an old grizzled dwarf by the name of Arv.

“Nay. The competition no longer holds a challenge. Of course, you know this as well as I,” responds Byaghro, “although I hear the coliseum is nearing completion and will present us with some new challenges soon enough.”

“Aye, them Argent fellas are tryin’ to keep it quiet. Methinks there be somethin’ they’re ‘fraid of involvin’ the place.” Arv pauses a moment before adding, in a hushed tone, “Ye know the Silver Covenant to be involved here…”

Byaghro nods, her eyes never straying from the field before them, “Aye.”

“Well, word is they be plannin’ to use the coliseum to test the crusaders and see who be fit to lead the assault on Icecrown Citadel.”

Finally breaking her gaze away from the field to look at Arv, Byaghro sighs, “For a self-proclaimed scholar you sure have a knack of making the information we all have heard to sound like such a secret.” She laughs, and starts to walk toward the stables, “Come Arv, let us see if you have improved enough to best me today!”

Arv grumbles as he follows Byaghro, “Lass, were I able to beat ya I woulda by now, but I can still make ya work hard for it!”

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Disclaimer: Although this story and the subsequent chapters are based on events in-game, they are meant to be completely separate and will, almost certainly, contain completely fictitious pieces of information as well.