Story Name: Wherever there is light…
Format: One Shot
Disclaimer: Blizzard owns World of Warcraft, the lore, the characters and everything else. I only own the personalities. Completely nonprofit, of course.
Author Notes: This is purely for plotline purposes of Lillith Shadowfury and her first recognization of the dark entity growing within her. Really, this is for my fun, and for my little counterpart to understand how Lillith and Karmello work. Since the alliance side of life don't quite "love" shadow priests as much as I do, we decided to use Karmello as Lillith's alternate persona. Like I said, not really for random reading. In Fact, I'm going to skip most of the back story, basically because the person it was intended for, was, well, there.
Wherever There is Light
Where… am I?
Lillith felt the tunnel vision clearing from her head, feeling completely drained. A bar. Something about sheep. Ugh… She grabbed her head, forcing herself to focus. She took in the smell of ale, peaking around to find something that was remotely familiar to her. She looked up at a carving on the wall. She found it of ill taste to say the least, her face cringing at the carving of a lamb with a pool of crimson paint circling it. The Slaughtered Lamb! What a horrid name. Why would I be in such a revolting place?
That's when it hit her like an irrepressible Elekk. The man, draped in shadow, his face hidden by the visor of wolf-skin. The words he said. How they echoed through her head.
I know a lot about you Miss Shadowfury
I can help you attain the power you desire.
I know about the voices.
Mistress Karmello sent me.
She is the voice who lives within you.
Would he hide the truth from you?
He doesn't want you to become stronger than he.
All I ask is for your loyalty, and maybe a few errands here and there.
The future is written. You will be my most prized student, Miss Shadowfury
She grabbed her head tighter, her fingers intertwined in her hair as his last statement whirled around her head.
I can't help but ponder… what would Mistress Karmello advise you to do?
Then silence. A clear, deadly silence as her mind became hers again. She took a deep breath, regaining her composure and straightening her white robes. She looked again around the bar, seeing it was completely empty of all life, including the figure in her sketchy memory. She felt a chill of confusion and loneliness sweep over her. She quickly headed towards the exit of the bar, something inside her telling her this was not the place to be.
She sat at the top of the powerful and enchanted tower in the Magic Quarter in Stormwind, looking down at the various races of the alliance who scurried about their business oblivious to her existence.
So, the voice now has a name. She crossed her arms over her torso. Till now it was just an inner strength expressing itself to me. But a separate entity completely? That is absurd. A heavy sigh would echo through her lips. This whole thing is absurd. I don't crave power. I never told anyone about the voice… how could he have known? Tavon doesn't even know… Right? She rested her forehead on her knees. D-Do... I really believe that?
Her inner dialogue ceased, the sound of birds singing and the hustle below entering her mind. Slowly she lifted her head, her eyes focusing again on the common business.
DO you really believe that, dear?
Immediately she straightened up, looking around her. "H-hello? Is there someone there?" Silence.
Alarmed, she rose to her feet, looking for the origin of the voice "Hello?"
Only the wind would answer her call.
She sighed, calming her heart. "Kar…mello." Her lips whispered the unfamiliar name under her breath. "I must be going down right loony…" She closed her eyes, returning to her thoughts. If there is an entity within me, best to confront it outright and figure out how, and why, it got in me. And it's intentions.Determination had begun to run a course through her very veins. To figure out what is true… without Mister TavonSilentstride's help. This is… my burden.
All was set on Longshore. She had decided to pick herself a secluded area, near the lighthouse, in which to confront this being. Tavon had showed her this place a day before, quiet and serene and where he told her he was hiding something from her. Legs folded, she sat on a cool bed of rocks, the moist ocean air kissing her soft skin with each gentle breeze. She placed her hands on the knee to their adjacent sides, palm facing toward the full moon. The tranquil sound of the waves began to enwrap her as she began to clear her thoughts, slipping into a deep meditation.
Karmello. If you are here and this is indeed your identity, make yourself known to me. I beckon you to show yourself to me. This is my body, my soul, and if you indeed inhabit it, I believe we have much to discuss.
After what seemed to be an eternity she had felt frustration creep inside her, hearing nothing answering her calls. She began to focus her energy more on opening herself and less on clearing her mind.
Karmello… Where are you?
Still, the voice would not answer her. This is futile… I should do some research and try this again later.
Slowly she opened her eyes, ready to so quickly call it a day. But it wasn't the sight of the ocean that would greet her, at least not completely.
She did see Longshore, or at least, a version of it. The silver shine of the moon had faded, eclipsed in a fog of shadow, offering no comforting light to her. The world seemed to be drained of color, as if someone had placed a smoky, black veil over her eyes whilst she was meditating. Dark smog seemed to emit from everything, whisking away into nothingness.
She leaped to her feet, looking around with her jaw dropped. "W-w-w… what trickery is this?"
"It is not trickery, my little rabbit." The voice was low, smooth, purring from behind. Lillith would jump, spinning around to find the origin of the voice.
And there she was. Draped in the finest of dark netherweave, a figure of a woman reclined on the black stone. She sat on her behind, leaning back on her palms with her legs outstretched, crossed one over the other. Her hair was raven shade, flowing in the dark energy that emitted from her body. The eyes that started back at the now terrified priestess where a deep violet, emitting an aura so strong it would manifest itself at the corner of her eyes, making it look like a stream of purple rage. The figure stood up, or at least, that was the closest Lillith could describe it. It was more as if the shadowy inferno below the woman lifted her body upright with a certain prestige of elegance. The figure stood taller than the young night elf, and with a lot more confidence as it looked the priestess over.
Lillith tried to make herself talk, but words and voice was eluding her. Her mouth gaped openly at the creature that was studying her. She was terrified, and astonished at this new world, and at this woman whose lips formed a sinister grin at the sight of the priestess. The woman began walking towards the young priestess, every step refined and graceful as she closed the distance between them. Lillith felt an uneasiness start to creep through her as that dark aura came closer to her, but she couldn't move, mesmerized by the being's presence.
When the being put but a few inches between their bodies she would gently raise her hand, placing it under the young priestess's chin and lifting her head up to meet her gaze while simultaneously forcing the young priestess's gaping jaw shut. "My my, silly little rabbit. It's rude to stare." She would release the priestess's soft facial features, her glance turning to the night sky and wearing quite an amused look on her face. "Don't you love starless nights?"
As the gaze shifted Lillith felt the paralysis over her body lift. "W-who are you? Where are we?"
The figure let out a bothered sigh, her attention coming back to the shivering girl. "Our time is short, little one, so please forgive me if I through the formalities out the window. I am Mistress Karmello Sirenwraithe, Enchantress of the Shadow Relm, which you are currently inhabiting." She would begin to circle the young elven woman, shadows rising with every step. "But let's cut to the chase, shall we?"
The dark mistress stood behind the girl, her back to Lillith's. "Do you, or do you not, want to be the most powerful priestess you can be with the gifts your Goddess gave you?"
Lillith blinked, wanting to turn around to the alluring voice behind her, but feeling it wasn't appropriate. "Y-yes, of course I do."
"Then there is something you need to understand. Without hate, there can be no love. Without Evil, there can be no Good. And… without Darkness, there can be no light. I am what takes the anger out of your heart, the hate from your mortal coil, and blood lust from your veins so that you can retain your façade of innocence…"
"You have sold your soul to Tavon…" the mistress laughed in hilarity. "What a foolish thing to do…"
Lillith felt her body grow tense, her voice instantly defensive. "W-what? What does that have to do with anything? Tavon is a good man, and he cares for my well-being! He is teaching me how to become stronger, better! I-"
She felt a cold embrace seize her shoulder, spinning her around to be face to face with the shadow being. "Then why does he try and play off my existence to you? When it is I who have given you extra strength, taken away your pain in times of grief, and saved your life when your mortal powers and body has failed you?" she let out another tiresome sigh. "Listen to me, Tavon will teach you all you need to know about divinity…. But you will only be half complete. He fears you will become stronger, greater than he for he himself in divulged in pride. If you want to be a complete… you must seek my assistant, Nicholas Shade. Tavon will become jealous, swallowed in another deadly sin if he finds out about this. "
She would caress the priestess's cheek. "I do not scald you out of spite, my little rabbit. But you must understand, I do not grand my gift to everyone. I chose you because the light inside you burns strong, and to balance you out, you will need a darkness within you to free you completely. Meet with Nicholas tonight. Find out the truths your soul searches for. They are yours and yours alone."
Before Lillith could respond she felt the world become void of all life, all color. She opened her eyes and found herself blinded by the moon's warm embrace. "seek out truths…" softly she whispered the message. She gathered her things, leaving the rockbed, and somberly headed back to Stormwind.