Servant No More

[Guest]

A cold dark hand thrust itself out from underneath a bloodstained cloak. The boney finger began tracing the shapes of ancient, evil symbols. Those symbols soon shone blue and illuminated the unmarked grave that lay before the figure. The one who lay here had made an effort that had not gone unnoticed.

Decayed teeth emerged in a grin as the figure admired his work. The dead trees and grayed ground frosted over as the light from the runes touched them. The gravestone too turned to ice and shattered when the stranger gave it a swift kick.

“Get out of the ground already! Come serve you master!” the horse voice yelled at the grave. IN response, the frozen ground beneath his quivered and began to upturn. A skeletal hand pushed its way from the dirt and flailed aimlessly in the air. The figure above it sighed and took hold. One quick yank brought the rest of the corpse out of his earthy home.

“Well, you’re not going to be much use looking like that,” the dark one, sighed as he looked over the fleshless skeleton. He held his hand out in front of him and mumbled to himself. A glowing white run appeared on his palm. As he concentrated flesh began to cover the skeleton. Grayed lungs appeared form thin air and began filling in the empty ribcage. Glowing green eyes filled the long deadeye sockets of the skull. Flesh stretched and squelched over the bones, then plumped as muscle filled out underneath. “Much better, in my opinion at least. Now you look halfway presentable.”

The bluish elven corpse shuddered in response and moved a stiff hand to cover a newly regrown nether region. Green eyes filled with anger and hate set themselves on the figure before it. The elf snarled and lunged. The dark figured sighed again and snapped his fingers.

The reanimated corpse stumbled and looked around in bewilderment. The scenery had changed. No longer were they in the eerie Ghostlands, but an icy castle. Others stood around him looking just as confused. Hunched over creatures in black cloaks scurried between them handing out clothing and weapons to the naked corpses. Before the elf could react, a robe and sword were thrust into his hands. He quickly dressed himself, prodded by an urge he couldn’t understand. Once dressed he admired the weapon he had been given. Before he could really take it all in, a horn sounded and he was urged forward with the others.

“Welcome, servants, to your new home. Whatever the Lich King instructs, you will do!”


___________________________

Crimson hair tickled his face as its owner hovered above him. The scene faded in and out as he felt his life force bleed out on the grass around him. Still, he smiled as his hand reached up to stroke her face. Only then did he notice her holy shield and the trolls above him beating down on it.

Ael’nin jerked back to reality as the cold, unfeeling death knights stood in a pack around him. He was one of them now, and in the most remote corner of his frozen heart, he wished it wasn’t so. There were many others like him. He could hear their piercing screams as the corpse’s true owner fought the magic that controlled the body. The elf screamed often, too, and the frequency was growing each day.

The hunched and shuffling bodies of the keepers grew restless as ripples of mutiny flowed through the troops. They too had their own reasons for wanting to be free, but fear of the Lich King kept them in line. His wrath kept them in line and drove the desire to keep the knights under control.

While his mind sat unneeded in his stolen body, Ael’nin lost himself. Dreams, illusions, and the past mingled with the present and distorted his truth. His red haired beauty was often in his thoughts. She surely hadn’t died that day. Perfection like that could not be slain. She had made it back to their daughter, and he was determined to join them.

The soul searched the lands for her, but he could not find his Seh’nuist. He had almost given up hope, but then he found her! But how she had changed! Somehow her eyes had become green and she had cut her hair. It took every ounce of power he had to whisper in her ear his joy and disappointment.

[Guest]

Tha’nuist’s green eyes surveyed the decayed and withering landscape of the Eastern Plaguelands. She had one duty to fulfill before she made her way to the north. He had called for too long, and she could deny it no longer. Her hands tightened around the reigns of her beloved Greeny. This would be his last adventure for a long time, and she would cherish this time no matter how gruesome her task.
Urging the hawkstrider on she made her way towards Ebon Hold. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of black feathers. The elf pulled the reigns and steered the creature towards the flash. She heard a scream as the woman and her bird and the other feathery mass collided. She rolled across the ground into a standing position and pointed her wand at the mass that had fallen off what she now realized was another hawkstrider. A young female elf with brown bushy hair moaned in pain on the ground.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Tha’nuist harshly whispered. Her voice quivered and she mentally cursed herself for looking weak.
“My father’s voice calls to me, and I’ll be damned if you stop me from getting to him,” the brown elf grunted as she slowly stood up and unsheathed her sword. Her eyes widened as she stared at the red haired mouth, and her jaw became slack. “You?! You’re here too?!”
Tha’nuist cocked her head to the side and lowered her wand. Her mouth opened and she stammered a bit, unable to find the words she wanted to say. Finally she blurted out. “Who in Kael’ has’ name am I?”
“You’re my sister.”
The two rode together on their way towards the border of the Plague lands. The tearful rejoicing and hugging was behind them now. They had a mission to accomplish. As they drew near the Death Knight’s hold the pounding and screaming that had been permeating only their dreams began to grow louder, but just as quickly as it came on, it stopped.
They two simultaneously halted their hawkstriders as it stopped, and looked around for what they had come for. A rustle in the bushes caught the brunette’s attention and she poked her sister to gesture to it.
A ghastly blue hand emerged from the bush, and the horror attached soon followed. Sunken blue eyes stared at the two Sin’Dorei with a deep sense of sadness and despair. The undead gnashed his teeth as she shuffled towards the two. Thanuist and her sister extended their hands, and he willingly took them. With a strength they didn’t know they had, the two sisters hoisted the abomination onto Tha’nuist’s mount. With a solemn nod to each other, they made their way to Light’s Hope Chapel.
When the trio arrived they were greeted by many swords and much yelling. Kalndriel shifted her hawkstrider towards Tha’nuist and bit her lip in fear. Through she wouldn’t admit it, the red haired elf was just as afraid. Tha’nuist took a deep breath and began shouting at the humans in a language they’d understand. Albeit its poor quality, the Argent Dawn humans seemed to have understood and lowered their swords. A young recruit walked up to the green hawkstrider and helped Tha’nuist’s passenger down. The two female elves dismounted as well and made their way behind the chapel, allowing the young human man to carry the weak Death Knight.
A plump dwarf priest smiled sadly at them as they reached the ritual fire. She began to gather her relics in preparation. Her blue eyes looked Tha’nuist up and down in assessment, and despite her seemingly cheery nature she clucked her tongue in disappointment.
The red haired elf snorted and walked up to her. She pointed at the dwarf’s tools, then gestured to herself. The other priest paused then looked around to the officer overseeing the setup. He nodded in approval and waved a hand dismissing the Argent priest. The Sin’dorei smiled gratefully at him and picked up the cleansing relics.
She nodded at the recruit, and watched him nod back in respect before hauling the undead towards the fire. Kalndriel followed closely behind him, unsure of what her job would be in all of this. She froze as the cold blue hand gripped her arm. Her eyes could not meet his as she and the human began lowering the corpse into the fire.
Tha’nuist appeared behind her sister and gently pulled her away from the flame. Stepping in front of her, the older sister began chanting the hymn she had studied long ago. She had heard this sung before many times during the fall of Quel’thalas, but she had never dreamed that she’d have to perform It herself.
The withered undead looked up at the two sisters with the carefree happiness of a child. The flames flickered and licked up his legs and his arms, and his pale golden hair hissed and crackled as it burned away. He smiled, let out an eerie echoing giggle, and blew a kiss to the two as his broken soul finally left his body.
Her bright green eyes had closed halfway through her song, though Tha’nuist’s clear melodic voiced never wavered through the hymn. After she finished she stood still for minutes after, frozen by the cold emptiness that flowed out of her heart and out of her fingertips. The weight and fear was gone, and she could finally be clear. Kalndriel’s sobs brought her back, and she slowly opened her eyes and her arms to her sister.

[Guest]

The Zeppelin sputtered and shook as it met the blowing winds of the north. Tha’nuist stood on the deck enjoying the breeze as it ruffled her hair. Goblin men and women scurried around her mumbling about “crazy elves”. She paid no attention as she looked towards the horizon. Her destiny awaited her, and not even goblins could get her down.
The elf turned away from the balcony and looked over to the large cream lion snoozing between some crates. The priest’s green eyes softened as she watched her friend. The druid would never know how proud Tha’nuist was of her. She made her way over to Ura and ruffled her fur gently. Big brown eyes sleepily opened at her, and she was greeted by a big-toothed cat yawn.
“We’re almost there. Best to get our things now and beat the rush,” The elf cheerfully said before turning to make her way to the corner that held her packs. “I especially want to beat the line that will be there when the animals arrive.”
Ura’s muscles tightened as she hopped off the crates and changed back into her tauren form. “Yuh,” she said, “Ura miss Munchy Kodo.”
“As I miss my ram and my wolf, Larka,” the elf grunted as she slung her packs over her shoulder. She snorted in jealousy as she watched the young druid grab her one large bag. “I will never understand how you can travel with… nothing.”
“Ura only need Munchy Kodo, sum herbies stuffs, her armors, a weapon, and herself,” the gray and brown tauren shrugged. Grinning sheepishly, she changed the subject. “So yuh tink yuh see da trolly, Dadunist?”
“Melikar? I imagine he’s around here somewhere.”
“Yuhs, but will you SEE him?”
“I hope so, Ura. There’s so much I need to tell him. Maybe he’ll forgive me”