The soft rustling of Acolyte's robes and a discrete cough announced the presence of the messenger as loudly as a fanfare of trumpets, when contrasted with the preternatural silence that existed just seconds before in the Kirin Tor Grand Archive. A few more moments passed while the Mage sat, unmoving. Finally, he acknowledged the presence of the messenger with the slowly deliberate raising of his eyes to meet those of the waiting boy and a quizzical quirk of the left eyebrow.

'Master, the -ahem- gentlemen you were expecting has arrived, sir' whispered the boy, a touch of uncertainty causing a hitch in his voice. A brief nod of the scholarly Mage's head served both as acknowledgement of the message, and dismissal of the messenger. Steepling his hands before his chin, the Mage spent a few more minutes lost in contemplation, then simply disappeared.
--
The Warrior strode confidently into the chamber that he knew belonged to the Mage, and was not suprised in the least to find that he had not yet arrived. Nor was he suprised when the Mage suddenly appeared beside him.

"Hello, old friend. What is it that you wanted to show me?"

Both men reached out a hand and placed it on the large crystalline sphere set in a dragon's claw stand on the table before them. At their touch, the interior of the stone began to cloud, and an image formed.
--
Large gates of dark, twisted metal lay broken before the huge battering ram built on a tremendous wooden wheeled seige engine. All around the device a host of adventurers stood waiting with varying degrees of patience to begin the assault on the Lich King's fortress. The view in the crystal swooped and soared around them as a snowflake might, propelled by the faintest of zephyrs. When it finally settled, the group of people shown were all wearing the same tabard, and obviously knew each other well. Some prepared by leafing through spell books one last time, others prayed to the Light, yet others merely tightened the straps on battered armor and shields one last time.
Finally, the command was given. One Paladin turned to the other and banged his sword once agains his shield, muttering in a gruff voice - "Let's do this." With enough of a tumultous roar to shake the very firmament above, the throng rushed through the gates.
The assault of Icecrown Citadel had begun.
--
Images began to form and then dissipate faster and faster -
Legions of undead Nerubian fighters locked in deadly combat with the living are replaced by the vision of a floating skeletal monstrosity whose wingspan is greater than most buildings. Beams of cold blue flame shoot out from him to strike unwary combatants. A lich in some form of shield bubble preaches to a crowd of enraptured cultists. Two giant flying ships are locked in mortal combat, nearly crashing them both on the sides of the citadel. An Orc Death Knight single-handedly defies the might of the Alliance, holding his post to the very end.
A monstrous abomination stands knee deep in some noxious gas, laying waste to those around him. Another similarly large and grotesque creation spews tremendous quantities of stomach contents all around him. An alchemist randomly mixes ghastly concoctions which cause him to undergo strange mutations.

Three San'layn vampire princes terrorize the adventurers who face them. All these and more meet their ultimate fate at the hands, swords and spells of the group from the earlier vision.
At the last, they stand gathered at the entrance to a blood red chamber containing the Blood Queen, ruler of the San'layn.
--
The images and sounds slowly faded away as the two men withdrew their hands from the crystal sphere. Companionable silence filled the room as the two contemplated what they had just seen and it's implications for the future.
"Excellent. Thank you for showing me this, Neuriel. You and the Elders have done a lot to be proud of. May good fortune continue to favor you as the final confrontation with Arthas draws ever nearer."
Clasping the Mage's hand firmly in his own, the Warrior responds: "Thank you Usul, for all that you've done for the cause, and the Guild. May fortune favor you too, that you may find that which you seek."
--
Congratulations to all who participated in this kill: Gohloem, Celi, Zebodol, Tribian, Kataklism, Arturus, Ariis, Vorissa, Reyknight, Geofry.