As many people may know one of the major destructive forces within the World of Warcraft, is the Scourge. Mindless zombies and undead all bend on the bidding of the Burning Legion. This story is more or less a backstory/history for a RolePlay character of mine. Yes, I know it goes against some of the Lore. But that is the point. I wanted to create a character whose backstory was alittle out of the ordinary. Please don't read this and think I need a lesson on Warcraft Lore. I know Lore about as much as I wish to know it. This story was written with the mentality of if it's viable and doable, do it. Read this story as a piece of fiction that says "What if there was a way to contain the Curse of the Scourge and stop one from becoming the mindless killing minions of the Legion?" Though everyone is entitled to their opinion, I hope those that read this enjoy it in one way or another--Daven
It has been three years since Charmayne's world was destroyed. Her parents, brother and husband all buried. She was the only living member of her family line alive now. It was during this time that she became friends with Theldane Emberhalt.
One day, Charmayne was walking to the Paladin Training Hall, her eyes cast to the ground as she walked through the sprawling city of Silvermoon. Her years of loneliness starting to get to her, a depression sneaking over her like a thief come to steal her happiness. As she walked, she suddenly bumped into someone in front of her. The impact sent her to land on the paved walkway with a gasp, landing on her rump. She looked up into the kindest glowing eyes she had ever seen as the Male turned towards her. He had been speaking with a fellow Ranger and blinked in surprise looking at the young Blood Knight Adept that has bumped into him.
"Pardon me.", he said, smiling at her.
Char blushed so furiously then that her face was a bright crimson. He was handsome, long blond hair to his waist, gentle eyes and flawless skin. He didn't have the hateful scowl of most other Sin'Dorei males. He and the other Ranger laughed, not to embarrass Char but because it was rather cute to them. He leaned down and offered his hand. Still blushing, Char took his hand and stood with his assistance.
"The name's Theldane Emberhalt.", he said as she stood.
"Charmayne Sunwhisper.", she said softly, still blushing.
Theldane and the other Ranger flanked her, walking with her to her destination.
When she left that night, Theldane and Rory, Char learned the other Ranger's name on their walk, were waiting for her.
Over the next few months, Charmayne, Theldane and Rory formed a strong friendship. They walked to training together, talked, went for drinks at the Tavern and just got to know each other better. Charmayne finally didn't feel alone anymore, she laughed and enjoyed her time with her two new friends. Until the day the Scourge attacked.
She was awakened from her sleep by a heavy, urgent banging on her front door. She leapt from her bed, putting on her house coat as she raced down the stairs. She opened the door to Theldane and Rory, both in their leather armor, their bows in their hands and faces flushed.
"Char, get your armor!", Theldane said as he and Rory came into the house.
"Wha--?", she started.
"The Scourge has attacked. They are summoning all Rangers and Blood Knights to defense.", Rory said quickly.
Those words sent Char racing upstairs. It didn't take her long to get into her plate mail uniform, she was fastening the shoulder strap of her breastplate when she was coming down the stairs, her two handed sword strapped to her back. She, Thel and Rory left them to defend their home. Racing through the panic filled streets until they came to the city gates, where their comrades fought.
The fight was furious and fast, the mindless Scourge cutting down all in their path. The armored as well as the defenseless, the young as well as the elder. The threesome arrived on the scene and immediately set to work with their comrades to defend Silvermoon and it's people. The Scourge had struck in the night to take the sleeping city off guard. The friends dove into the fray, cutting down the homicidal undead as swiftly as they could. They had been in battle for mere moments, when Char heard the one thing that would make any woman stop and turn. The terrified scream of a child. She turned quickly and her heart leapt into her throat. There in the street was a small child, no more then 4 years of age. She was sobbing over the fallen body of a woman, her Mother Char guessed. Coming towards her was an abomination that Char couldn't even begin to describe, his deadly crimson eyes locked upon the defenseless child as it unsheathed it's sword, the blade glowing a sickly green in the dark of night. Without another moment of hesitation, Char was in motion. Theldane and Rory followed her flight and their eyes widened. They both turned and started to fire arrows at the abomination, trying to take it down, but the creature was bent on killing the child and continued it's pursuit. The child looked up at the abomination and screamed once more. Char reached the child just as the abomination's sword cut the air. She reached out and pulled the child into her arms, the sword hitting the ground where the child once was. Char jumped back, dodging the upswing of the sword, the child now clinging to her and trembling.
"Char!", Rory called from behind her.
He was the first to reach Char and the child, Theldane still running in that direction. Char turned and quickly handed the child to Rory. As she turned back to face the abomination, her heavy sword was in her hands. Before it could raise it's sword again, it was headless.
They got the child to safety and continued in the fight, cutting down the Scourge at a rapid pace. It was when the Death Knight arrived on the scene that the whole battle took a horrible turn. Char didn't see him as he walked out of the swarming undead and abominations. She only knew he was there when she felt the powerful grip upon her arm and she was spun around. She only had time to gasp before she felt a searing pain in her chest below her left breast. She froze, her eyes drawn down. Embedded in her chest and protruding from her back was the sword of the Death Knight, the blade glowing a sickly green. It had slipped through one of the hinged openings of her armor in the front and simply pierced the armor as it came out through her back. A moment later, blood started to pour from the wound as the artery in her chest that the sword had sliced burst. A fresh, hot ripping pain gripped her chest and she gasped, blood from her now struggling heart filling her pierced lung and chest cavity as it started to travel into her throat. She looked back up into the horrible face of the Death Knight, tears of pain in her eyes. She tasted the warm, metallic tinge of her own blood as it filled her mouth, then darkness overtook her.
"By the Light! CHAR!!", Theldane's voice rang in her ears but it was distant, wavering. As if he were underwater.
She slowly opened her eyes, blood still trickling from her mouth and the wound left in her chest. Theldane raced to her fallen form and dropped to his knees beside her. Rory was being tended to by the Healers and wasn't around, having received a few wounds during the battle. Quickly, Theldane started to peel the pierced and bloody chestpiece from Char. She was white as death, her blood having taken a blackish tone. She shook violently, the burn of the curse pulsing through her veins. Her eyes already glowed a bright crimson red. Theldane gasped as he removed her chestpiece. Fanning out from the wound in her chest, were thick blackish veins that pulsed and throbbed. They traveled along her flesh, under her bra and reached towards her neck. As Theldane watched, he could see them still growing. Tears burned Theldane's eyes as he pulled Char's limp form into his arms. She gasped struggling to speak but only able to form his name, no sound coming from her blood filled mouth. He raced to the Healers.
"Help her!", he screamed, his voice choked with emotion at the sight of his friend.
Rory looked up and his eyes widened. Pain raced along Char's spine and she was unconscious again.
When she woke up once more, she felt weak and cold. She was in a brightly lit room, laying in a bed, her arms strapped down firmly. Theldane sat beside her. She coughed and he looked at her, standing. Lightly, he pushed her hair from her sweat-soaked face and smiled at her. His touch was painfully hot to her. He opened his mouth and started to talk to her but she didn't hear him. She couldn't. Instead, she heard deep, foreboding words spoken in a language she could barely understand, as if someone were speaking them softly in her ears. Whispering to her, beckoning her. Almost like an insane chant. She groaned, her body hurting more now then ever before, the burn in her veins like liquid fire, burning her from the inside out. She clamped her eyes shut and groaned again, the pain seeming to grow with each beat of her still struggling heart. She opened her eyes once more and looked at Theldane as if pleading with him to make the pain go away. He smiled at her gently and Char could see the concern in his eyes. But her vision was odd, as if she were looking through thick, distorted glass. She opened her mouth to speak but only a pained wail escaped her, almost like a wraith's shriek. Theldane looked to the side and a group of men and women came into Char's sight. They were dressed in the same Paladin uniform as she wore and some were in the bright robes of the Priestly order. Char looked back to Theldane.
"It's going to be alright, Char.", he said, though she couldn't hear him.
Theldane stepped back and out of the way and the Paladins and Priests started the Ritual of Cleansing and Exorcism upon Char. As soon as the first spell fell upon her form, she tensed in the bed, a shriek of pain escaping her. Theldane could only stand it for a short time before he had to leave the room.
For a year, the Cleansing racked Char's form. Burning the curse of the Scourge from her veins. Slowly, the black veins that snaked through her white flesh lightened and disappeared. The lively pinkish glow of living flesh slowly came back to her. The wound in her chest healed, leaving a scar that was barely noticeable. The sane greenish glow came back to her innocent eyes and the pain finally left her. The whole time, Theldane never left Char's side. He was there from the beginning and wouldn't turn his back on her. Only leaving to speak to Rory before he went to Outland to help Battle the Legion on their home ground. It was a warm spring day in the city, the windows to Charmayne's room in the City Infirmary were open, allowing the delicate breeze to enter the room. Theldane sat in the chair next to her bed watching her as she slept. She had been asleep all night, having a last Cleansing the night before. In Theldane's mind, this was the hardest year of anyone's life. Many times, Char begged for death but it was never granted. If she died, the Curse would instantly take her over, making her a mindless minion of the Scourge. Theldane didn't want that and kept the Priests and Paladins steady in their healings and Cleansing of Char's body. On nights when the curse was at it's worse, she was strapped to her bed, thrashing and shrieking. Those were the nights Theldane hated the most. He was broken from his thoughts as the door to Char's room opened. Standing in the doorway was one of the Priestesses who had taken a shine to Theldane and Char. Calaeis, Theldane believed her name was. He smiled alittle at her as she came over to him.
"How is she today?", she asked softly.
Theldane nodded, his eyes drawn back to Char's still form, the soft rise and fall of her chest letting him know that she was sleeping peacefully.
"She's okay now.", he sighed.
"One of the Priests came in last night and unloaded a lot on her. She will never be free of this Curse, it will always course through her veins and could make her sick again at any given moment. If that happens I have to get her back here as soon as I can to have her Cleansed or this will start all over again. And then her mind is still "open", the connection with the Scourge has been severed for now but her brain still has telepathic and telekinetic capabilities. And then there are things that haven't healed. She can never have children for one.", Theldane says softly.
He had been there for all that the Priest had said and it had hit him like a ton of bricks. As if he were hearing this being said to himself instead of his best friend. Char was silent the whole time. When the Priest left, she turned over and went to sleep. Thel watched her, his heart aching for her. Calaeis nodded.
"I'm to be her Guardian also. They gave me the run down of all that is going on and I have been told the same things.", Calaeis said, watching Char sleep.
Theldane nodded, his thoughts lost upon the last year Charmayne had suffered through.
It was about another month before Charmayne was allowed out of the Infirmary, the Paladins and Priests that "healed" her, warning her once more of her condition. She needed to meditate everyday, using a special Ritual they gave her. She had to do this to keep herself Cleansed. If she missed even one day, the Scourge would start to take over her system again and she would need to be Cleansed by them once more. Calaeis and Theldane were officially assigned as Charmayne's Guardians. They were to be around her at all times, watching her, caring for her and making sure she meditated. They even created a mental link between the three who had become friends in their time together, this way if Char was in direst, her Guardians would know.