Last Resort by sniperct is an epic saga of love, war, loyalty and treachery set in the World Of Warcraft (WoW). The Alliance and the Horde have been engaged in a draining war that has slowly sapped both parties of resources and soldiers, leaving them vulnerable and on the edge of extinction. Continuing the bloodshed would only lead to total annihilation of both factions. But there has been too much blood spilled and the wounds inflicted on each other are way too deep for a simple peace treaty to be signed. A mutually assured destruction pact is necessary… And what is better than the most beloved by fanfic fans trope that guarantees such an outcome but the famed fake marriage between mortal enemies?
Sylvanas Windrunner – the Warchief of the Horde – comes up with the only solution viable to ensure any kind of lasting peace. She is but a husk of herself, a “raised” elf, an immortal being seemingly incapable of any feelings but pain and despair. She has nothing to lose, but her loyalty to her people push her to find a solution to give them a chance to survive. And that solution is to marry the one and only daughter of Kul Tiras, a powerful mage and one of the most beloved leaders of the Alliance – Jaina Proudmoore.
Jaina Proudmoore on paper makes for the perfect hostage. If the Alliance moves wrong, Jaina dies. The Horde attacks, and Jaina – with her immense magical power – reduces Orgrimmar to a wisp of a memory.
Sylvanas is so sure her plan will work. It has to. After all, it’s all there is, even if it is to the utter shock and disbelief of absolutely everyone on both sides. And Jaina—who nurses her own deep wounds—understands that if peace is to endure she has to sacrifice herself and her future to Sylvanas, despite all the contempt she feels for the undead elf.
Will the Jaina and Sylvanas—both deeply wounded and scarred but life and war—find solace in each other or will their hatred, contempt and complicated history destroy them both and the people they are so determined to protect.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Did I mention that the story is epic? Because it is! 180,000 words of war, peace, cities, magic, ancient gods and stupendous world and character building.
I have to say I was not a dedicated WoW fan before treading into the story. I knew the players, knew the mythology behind the worlds, but would not consider myself an expert. Still, this story took me on a journey and on an adventure that I did not want to end.
The author has an immersive writing style, a creative storytelling ability and they bring the best and the worst of the characters with mastery, ease and poise.
The slow burning, drawn out dance between Sylvanas and Jaina, the little steps they take seemingly to double cross each other all lead to both of them falling deeper and deeper. Lies and deceptions envelop them, along with the most improbable and impossible secret of them all – how is it possible to fall in love with your own wife, who is also your worst enemy?
Oh, and the hotness meter? Off the charts since enemies to allies to lovers, all the while wives, is one of those tropes that brings out the opportunities for particularly explosive intimacy scenes. Sniperct uses every opportunity to bring the characters closer in style with lots of fireworks.
Cons And Heads Up
This is WoW, dear reader, so expect violence galore. But it is not used gratuitously. Each scene reveals something within either Sylvanas or Jaina, even when they are fighting each other. Or perhaps especially then.
Conclusion
If you’re not familiar with the mythology of WoW, the story may be very confusing, hence I recommend giving the Wow wikipedia entry a quick read. Afterwards, the author is very good at making things as accessible even for someone who is not a fan or not that into WoW.
Look, epic sagas full of love, hate, war, magic and redemption aren’t that frequent in wlw literature. And this one has it all. It even has one of the cutest, most mischievous cats. Need I say more?
And of course, Snow White is not part of this story, or this fandom, which is very good, since there are plenty of meddlesome busybodies in this story as it is.
Excerpt from Last Resort by sniperct
The sea was calming to Jaina. She’d grown up on it and spent most of her life in proximity to water; while Jaina had left Kul Tiras for a time, it had never really left her blood.
But this was the wrong coast, and the wrong sea. It was too warm, too dry, and the ships in the harbor were all wrong.
Jaina stood on the docks outside Orgrimmar, watching peons unload crates from Zandalar. A Tauren nodded at her as he passed, his Darkspear companion eyeing her warily. She gave them both a faux smile and reflected on her situation.There was some irony in her being the fulcrum upon which peace balanced. She’d wanted it for so long, only to have it flung in her face again and again until all she’d had left to offer was raw, bitter anger.
A year ago, she’d been ready to obliterate the Horde. Today, she was the only thing standing between the mutually assured destruction of both sides. She was, in fact, that mutually assured destruction. As if reacting to her mood, storm clouds darkened on the horizon and she saw a flash of lightning.
“Thinking of stowing away?”
The familiar voice grated on her, and Jaina barely glanced in Nathanos’s direction. “I believe I was told I had the full run of Orgrimmar. Is this not part of Orgrimmar?”
“On a technicality,” Nathanos allowed.
“And if I wished to visit Thunder Bluff? Silvermoon? Suramar?”
He regarded her, face unreadable as he let her question hang in the air. Just when she was considering hitting him with her staff, he answered. “As agreed upon, all the lands of the Horde are open to you and you may, on occasion, visit with family and friends elsewhere.”
Except there’d be a time limit on the latter, but it was the price Jaina had been forced to pay for that allowance. So she nodded, and looked past him, towards the fortifications of the city. Her throat tightened and her mouth went dry. “It’s time, isn’t it.”
Nathanos inclined his head towards her, and Jaina couldn’t tell what he was feeling or thinking. But she didn’t really care. She looked down at herself, at the navy blue and white of her mother’s wedding dress. A dress she’d once thought she’d wear for someone else. That was another irony, though one she refused to reflect on.
Lifting her hand, she gestured for Nathanos to step closer as arcane energy swirled around her. If she was going through with this, she was going to make an entrance.
Find the full story here
Bits And Bobs
Fandom: World of Warcraft
Length: 180,455
Author: Sniperct
Rating: E
Photo: Press Photo from the World of Warcraft Game copyrighted to Blizzard Entertainment. Find more about the game here
Rating Guide: G= General, T = Teen and up, M=Mature, E = explicit
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