Author's Note: Hope you enjoy my newest WoW love story. I'm writing this at the same time as 'An Honorable Heart', though it was actually started way before it. Just so everyone knows, not all my characters are real toons in WoW. The only ones that are would be Xiapha and Leonith, but they were the subjects for my first story. Anyway, enough of my rambling, hope you enjoy 'The Way of the Shadow' and if you do, throw me a good review ;)
Ella Lightstorm knew what it meant to be lonely. She lived in the pristine, holy city of Stormwind as a resident priest, healing the wounded and guiding young casters. Many citizens looked up to her with respect, but no one truly knew her. No one knew why she went about her life with a sorrowful frown on her face. She was but a mysterious ghost, silent and wistful as she performed her daily priest duties. Every day she would drift through Stormwind doing her work with regret still locked in her heart. She should've stopped him. Jonathan left because she finally said it was okay. She allowed it. How many times had she wished that there was a way to turn back time? She would have been stern. She would have pulled him back to her and avoid her painful future, but even with the magic skills people were discovering everyday, nothing could change her past.
The years before Ella was on her own, she was married to a handsome, brave paladin, Jonathan. She remembered him vividly, his long blond hair that he kept so kempt and the small tuft of course blond bristle on his chin. He was tall and well toned with glistening blue eyes. His eyes were always so captivating. Ella had never seen anyone with such breathtaking eyes. The highlight of her entire life was being held in Jonathan's eyes. They met in the abbey. They found each other attempting to kill the same kobold. They laughed innocently about it and that was it. She was forever locked in his eyes, his amazing eyes.
They spent their courtship sharing quests and fighting for justice. While turning in quests in the middle of Goldshire, Jonathan got on one knee and proposed to her. Ella had never known so much happiness. They went everywhere together, becoming skilled adventurers. Ella used all her skills to become a holy priest. Jonathan did most of the fighting while Ella healed his wounds, cleansed poisons and put words of fortitude upon him. After their travels, they decided to get married and settle down in Stormwind. They used the money acquired from their quests to buy a small cottage in the cathedral district. Ella began working for the priests of the cathedral, Jonathan became a guard and they were so very in love. They couldn't have been happier.
Sooner or later that fateful night approached. They were arguing about Jonathan getting summoned to go to war. Stormpike was calling for more warriors to fight in Alterac Valley. Jonathan suggested to Ella that they should go together and relive the old days. Ella had her own reasons for not wanting to join the battle, but Jonathan was stubborn. His duty was to fight for the Alliance and for justice. The quiet, eighteen year old priest wanted to wait to tell him that she was with his child. She knew it would make him stay against his will.
"You should go." She told him. "We could use the extra money."
"Money is not important for us, only love and justice." He was always so noble. She used to admire it, now she couldn't stand hearing about justice. Having her beloved be ripped from her grasp and thrown into the afterlife made her bitter over things she used to fight for. He used to fight for those ideas, now Ella lost the will to fight for what she used to believe in. It reminded her too much of Jonathan. Though she was sour towards honor and nobility, she still kept up a persona while residing within the holy city. She held up a mask of faith and righteousness to hide her true self.
It was a month after his departure when she was delivered the news. Jonathan had fallen in battle and no priests were nearby to resurrect him. By the time he was found, it was too late. Bloated from pregnancy, Ella fell into a deep depression. The birth of her son, Jace, occurred months later. It wasn't as happy an occasion as Ella hoped. Jace had his father's eyes and brought memories flooding back into her mind every time she saw her son. Even though seeing Jace brought sadness, she loved her son and raised him very well. She taught him the justice and honor that Jonathan had once believed in. Though Jace was very young, he was very intuitive and he could tell that every time his mother spoke of his father or of his beliefs, she would become very gloomy and alienated. He would sometimes ask, "Why does it make you sad mommy?"
Ella would just look upon him with a heavy heart and reply, "Because I am not able to change the past." She would never clarify what happened to his father, she would always just avert the truth every time he asked.
At the age of five Jace began to show an interest in the arcane arts. He was summoned to Ironforge to start his mage training. Ella reluctantly let him go. Though she would be lonely again, she could not deny her son the opportunity he deserved. Now that she was alone again, her bitterness and regret returned tenfold. It began to take a toll on her outside appearance now. Her trim, supple body that she used to hold with conservative pride was now slightly slouched. Her mahogany hair was usually wound in a tight bun, but was now sloppily gathered in a clasp uncaringly on her head. She had dark hollows underneath her honey colored eyes and her usually immaculate white robe was wrinkled and unkempt.
The people of the Cathedral began to notice her emotional breakdown pouring out over her appearance. One person who knew Ella a bit more than others began to worry about her. High Priestess Laurena was once Ella's trainer, now she could be considered a friend. Seeing the young priest in such distress was disheartening, so one afternoon she approached Ella.
"Ella, I'm worried about you." She began bluntly.
"Laurena," she sounded surprised at first, but then seeing Laurena's troubled expression Ella's eyes began to well up and she began to confess "why must I feel this way?"
Laurena looked upon her once subordinate, now her equal. "Ella, you are a woman full of sorrow for your lost love. You're living the same life you lived when he was alive. Perhaps it's time for a change?"
"I'm so frightened and lonely. Jace is away, Jonathan has been dead for years, but I still ache for him. If it wasn't for Jace, I'm not sure if I could stand living anymore. What am I to do?" She asked, seeking answers from her fellow priest.
Laurena smiled sympathetically and handed Ella a small pouch and a book. "I want you to take a vacation. Use this money for your flight and boat fare. I want you to make a change in your life. You need to let go of all your sadness. This book is about learning the ways of the shadow."
"Shadow?!" Ella exclaimed surprised. "I am holy, and shadow magic is far from holy."
"It's not as far as you think, Ella. I am indeed a holy priest, but I have tasted the power of the shadow. It's not necessarily evil, as long as you know how to use it. You might want to try it."
Ella stood there dumbfounded for a moment. Her shoulders fell as she attempted to make her decision. "This is all going by so fast. Am I making the right choice if I leave? What about Jace? What about my duties?"
"You must stop thinking of others, Ella, and start thinking of yourself. I will send Jace a notice of your leave and I'm sure he will contact you if he needs to." She placed a hand on Ella's shoulder. "You need this, even if you decide not to take the shadow training seriously. Get out of this city. Get away from all the cleanliness and purity. Take risks and for once, depend on yourself."
To be continued...
