Death and Decay
By
Shad0wen
Chapter 1
Damoar, Death Knight of the ebon blade was walking down the road in Elwynn Forest heading towards is old child hood home by stonecairn Lake. He hadn't been back for so long and after killing his sister he doubted he wanted to live there again.
But that was a year ago and many things had changed. though still hated for who he was the people of the Alliance didn't look a gift horse in the mouth he had fought a lot of battles and seen many horrors in his adventures. When he arrived at his family's house he was shocked to find it was in ruin and over ran with gnolls. After killing every last one of the vile things he went back towards Stormwind, not having a home to go back too he would find an inn and later move to Duskwood he thought.
"Meow!" followed by. "Graw!" sighing to himself, Damodar turned to the noise. His ghoul was close behind his master and perched on top of the ghouls head was a small white kitten. Doing a face palm at the site. The kitten for his part was smart enough to hitch a ride on the ghoul, the kid in Stormwind was right. But it looked to damn funny. Giving a heavy sigh Damodar continued to walk down the road.
"Help! Help!" a screaming little gnome was running towards him. "You got to help my master!"
Sighing 'why does shit always happen to me?' he thought. And followed the gnome to Azure tower, when Damodar got to the top the mage was in a fit. Trying everything he could to close a portal that was like a black hole, sucking in some of the furniture and other items near by.
"What's wrong mage?" Damodar asked as he came up the steps of the top floor. Clad in his Sanctified Scourge lord's Battlegear saves for helm that was a Conqueror's Darkruned Helmet and wielding Shadowmourne an evil looking two handed Axe. He was a very intimidating figure.
"That damn portal I was working on wont close, worse still it is sucking stuff in it. It sucked the stone I was using as a anchor for it." the mage explained.
Sighing softly Damodar didn't like where this was going. "What does the stone look like?" he let a long drawn out sigh.
The mage smiled. "It's a flowing ice blue gem, as big as your hand."
Damodar tightened his grip on Shadowmourne and jumped in the portal followed by his ghoul and kitten. It was easier then he thought. The gem was 10 feet away, picking it up Damodar tossed the Gem back through the portal and it closed.
'Now to hearthstone.' he thought while picking up the kitten and putting it on his shoulder. Taking the hearthstone out of one of his pouches and activated it.
It made a fizzling sound and nothing happened.
Blinking in pure be-fuckment he tried the hearthstone again and still nothing happened.
"Meow." the kitten let out.
"I know." Damodar replied then tried casting death gate. Again nothing. Panic set in, looking around he saw nothing but forest. He then caste Death and decay, it worked. "Thank the light." he whispering to himself.
Finding higher ground he could see smoke from a town not too far off, heading towards the town he found a road . The mid day sun was out but cloudy. He could tell something was a miss, when he entered the town. No one was out side , then he heard shouting, picking it the kitten and setting hem on the ground.
"Stay out of the way." Damodar said. For his part the kitten seemed to understand. 'too damn smart.' Damodar thought.
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Raki lost site of clare in the battle and now was alone, he was running for his life when he was sited by a yoma.
"Die human!" Raki screamed. Before the yoma could reach him, a fast blur pasted between the two. The yoma froze in shock. It's out stretched arm was missing. Complete dazed by the attack.
"GET OVER HERE!" came an echo empty voice from the ally across the street. Something to akin of black lighting wrapped around the yoma's chest and was pulled towards the figure an incredible speed. And just like that the battle was already over. A man walked out of the shadows of the ally. Icy blue, almost white glowing eyes behind a skull helmet clad in bluish tone armor. In his hand was an axe with the same tone. But looked more like it was covered in ice. The man put the axe back across his back.
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Damodar looked down at the kid little more then 14 years of age. He spook.
"Are you alright?" Damodar's empty echoing voice scared Raki a little, but spook a few seconds later.
"Y-yes sir." Raki replied. Then he noticed a big gash across the man's throat and pointed. "Doesn't that hurt?" Damodar Reached up and touched the gash.
"Guess that thing got me good." Damodar looked passed Raki to his ghoul still chopping down away on the severed yoma arm. Casting death pact, Damodar's wound closed up and was gone.
"how you do that!" Raki questioned. Damodar while summoning another ghoul, replied. " A small matter, child." Raki then noticed something rubbing against his lag. Picking up the small white kitten picked up the kitten to see he gender. "What's your name boy?" Damodar spook his echoing voice still giving shivers down Raki's back.
" I only got him today before I ended up in this place." Raki handed the kitten to Damodar, putting the kitten on his ghoul's head where the kitten had a good foot hold.
Raki than realized where he was again. "Clare!" he blurted out, while Damodar a questioning look on his face.
"Sorry sir. I just remembered why me and my friend where in this town. I need to go find her." Damodar noticed how worried Raki looked and sounded. "Alright kid, I'll help you find her." He spook softly. Raki nodded his head in thanks. Heading back to where Clare was, they both noticed her in the middle of yoma corpses. She finished off the last one that was still alive. Damodar took in the site of Clare. Silver armor, white clothing underneath it, blonde yet almost silver ear length hair. Yet Damodar had a feeling as though he was looking at another Death Knight.
Raki noticed a group of claymores walking towards them. "Clare your comrades are here." Clare noticed Raki and the man in Dark blue armor. Narrowing her eyes a little before directing them to the group approaching.
When the group got close enough the leader spook after noticing Raki and the man in dark armor.
"You missed one and it almost got a girl killed."
I sensed you 3 coming the way she was going. I figured you would handle it." Clare replied.
"Looking for glory war we?"
"Our kind never get glory." what that the group walked on and the leader eyed Damodar as they went passed. Once they were gone, Clare spook, readying her claymore to attack.
"Who are you?" Raki answered for him. "He killed a yoma that tried to kill me Clare." Clare narrowed her eyes at the man. "You killed a yoma?" she questioned.
Damodar spook for the first time to her, his hollow echoing voice made Clare Flinch slightly as those she mite be ready for another attack. "You mean that monster?, I've fought tougher foe's than that before, though I must say these yoma are new too me. Can you tell me where I am, is this Azroth or Outlands? I've been almost every where but have not seen these lands before."
Both Clare and Raki looked puzzled, Raki was the first to speak. "There are other lands, Other then this one?" Damodar nodded than looked to the dead human bodies on the street the yoma had killed before being slain by Clare. "Though I only see humans among the dead, no Worgen, Dranei, Night elves or even a gnome." again they had puzzled looks.
Raki remembered the thing Damodar summoned. "where is that thing you made and the kitten?"
'cat?' Clare thought. As if on queue the ghoul came to the side of Damodar and the kitten still on the ghoul's head. He looked to the boy and then to the woman with a loud but friendly "Meow!" as if to say 'hello!'.
Clare got in front of Raki and readied her weapon. Damodar held his hands in the air empty to show he was no threat.
"I will explain Dare lady. This is a ghoul, one of my minions that I can make. Good for combat and mundane tasks."
Clare lowered her sword still not sure of this man. "I don't sense this thing being a yoma or yoki from you." she said.
"If I may be blunt to both of you, may I join you. Seeing how I do not know my way around these lands?"
Raki spook up. "Can he Clare?" Clare gave a heavy sigh and nodded then started to walk out of the town, soon followed by Raki and Damodar with his ghoul and kitten. Later at the camp they made for the night. Raki asked what a Death Knight was and Damodar told him and his past deeds, good and the bad. Raki and Clare were shocked that he killed civilians and even his sister, and even more so at this lich king that hand controlled him. Clare got up from where she was. "I'll need to report to my handler. Please have food ready when I return Raki." to that Raki have a nod and a smile.
After awhile at the cooking fire Raki spook as he tended to the food. "You know Damodar, Death knights and Claymores seem to be the same." Damodar arched an eyebrow. "How so?" Raki than told him how he first met Clare and all he knew about claymores. From them being made to hunt and ultimately turning into the thing they hunt them selves, how humans hated claymores the same as yoma. He mostly talked about Clare though.
"Indeed you mite be right Raki." Getting up he continued. "Ghoul Guard Raki." The ghoul gave a low growl.
Rubel was just done talking to Clare when he spook. "You may come out now." a small white kitten came out followed by Damodar. Clare was shocked she hadn't heard him in his armor. "Clare. Food is ready." Damodar spook calmly. Rubel smiled and added. "Yes Clare. I wish to talk with this person, in private." after she left Damodar turned his head to the man in black. His glowing eye's behind the Skull helmet glowed a little more.
"And you are?" Rubel smiled and bowed to the Death Knight. "I must say she was right, your voice does sound hollow. But that's not what I wish to talk about. Tell me would you like to help Clare on her next mission? I could add you to the roster."
Damodar pondered this for a moment. " I still owe her for letting me join her, so yes." Rubel smiled in that same 'I know every thing' smile of his and bowed. Leaving the Death Knight in the clearing. After a few moments the salience was broken by. "Meow."
"I know I don't trust him either."
Back at camp Clare's eye darted to Damodar when he came into view. Setting down he spook. "I'll be joining you in your next mission, that man has put me on the mission roster." Clare's eye's widened. If she was drinking Damodar was sure she would have choked. He looked to the ghoul and dismissed it. The ghoul fell to the ground and turned to ash.
The following week went by quick, Damodar passed the time teaching Raki some basic sword techniques and tails of his land. When they arrived at the town where they were to meet the kill squad it was mid day after noon. As the group walked down the street a man in a dark robe stepped out from an ally way. "Follow me." was all he said. As they reached a door he spook again. "you're the last to arrive." opening the door to let them in. the room was dark but they noticed 3 figures setting down. "You're a week late."
The Claymore that spook noticed Raki. "Ow! I see you brought a brat and an older man with you. Well I'm sure he's not Your kid and I know the guy in armor isn't much of a looker with him hiding behind that helmet of his. So what did you do pick up a stray along the way.?" After a pause a grin came across her face "Mmmmm…..I get it now. Their little toy's you carry around with you." Clare drew her sword as did the loud mouth. But in a blink of an eye Damodar blocked the sword of the claymore who was quietly watching, while clare met steel against steel with the load mouth. shadowmourne in one hand he easily held his own from the assault. 'she's fast. She was just setting down a second ago.' Damodar thought.
The Dark robed man scratched the back of his head. "I'll leave this to you Miria." and left the room closing the door behind him.
"Enough!, Put your weapon's away." the Claymore still setting in the fare side of the room commanded. Aster they did so she continued. "unbelievable first you disregard orders and now you arrive a week late. Delaying our mission. The veraishs eater we will be facing is south of here in the mountains, so we'll leave in the morning. Now that, that's done. Please state your name, rank and experience battling voracious eaters before. I'll go first." getting up from her seat she spook.
"My name is Miria, Rank 6. This is mission will be my 7th hunt."
"My name is Helen, my Ranking is 22 and I have no experience hunting these creatures." the loud mouth said.
"My name is Deneve, Rank 15 and I have been on two other hunting journeys." the quite one said after Helen.
Damodar spook after her. "Damodar Cryptstone. Death Knight of the Ebon Blade. No Rank. No experience fighting voracious eaters."
Helen snorted a laugh. "your fighting too."
"Rubel approves." Clare stated. Helen looked to Raki, but Damodar spook what was on her mind before she could speak it. "The boy will not be joining us." his hollow voise felling the room. Raki looked disappointed but a firm look Clare gave him, told it was true. Clare than took her turn to intrados herself.
"Clare, Rank 47. No experience fighting a voracious eater."
After Clare spook Helen laughed again. Raki getting mad than shocked to learn Clare was the weakest among the Claymores. But Raki still didn't mind nor did he care. Damodar could only give a grin to Raki's loyalty to his Friend.
"Enough." Miria said. "We will move out at first light."
The following morning Clare took a bag of cold rods and emptied the bag on the table. "this will more than enough for you Raki, I'll return in a week's time." Raki picked up 3 of the god rods. "This will do when you return. You are going to return Clare don't do any thing stupid alright." Raki was almost at the point of crying a little. A soft hit to the forehead stopped Raki.
"I will be fine Raki. Do not worry."
Damodar Reached out and grabbed 1 of the god rods. Then taking the white kitten by the scruff of the neck and made it so the kitten was looking him in his glowing ice blue eyes. "You stay with Raki and Stay out of trouble." the kitten gave a small meow as if to say 'yes.'. handing the kitten and gold rod to Raki, they soon left to meet the rest of the squad that the town gate.
It was well after dark before they stopped at a Cave for the night to get out of the rain storm that started just 2 hours ago. Clare sat near the entrance, Damodar did the same but at the opposite side across from her. Crossing his arms and closing his eyes in thought Miria Watched the man. 'What was the Organization thinking sending a human on a hunt?' She decided to ask. "What are you thinking about Human?" Damodar opened his eyes as he did so the helmet he ware shown the glow through the eye holds making it seem even more eerie. He looked to the leader of the group and replied.
"Past event, the people I killed, the monsters I slain and the things I wish I could do too make amends." Clare retorted at this. "A dead man with a soul. How quaint." Damodar turned to Clare. "indeed Clare." the sadness in his voice was apparent. Miria arched an eyebrow at what Clare said, Getting between them Miria spook in a commanding tone. "You two follow me and bring your weapons." Clare and Damodar looked to each other and got up to follow Miria.
Walking out into the poring rain to see Miria in the meddle of a clearing. Her arms folded with a scowl apprizing them both. After a long monument of silence she spook.
"Clare, you and I will spare first I need to know what you are capable of and your rank does bother me."
Damodar Retreated calmly to where Deneve and Helen were standing under a tree trying to keep out of the rain. "this wont take long." Helen said with a smile. After a around 15 seconds sure enough Clare was face down on in the mud laying not moving. She was out like a light, to her credit though she blocked a few attacks from Miria when Helen saw It she proclaimed it a fluke. Damodar went over to Clare and picked her up and walked to the cave to layer her down where it was dry. This Gave him time to think how to battle Miria. She was fast and thought things through. A smile came to his Face when the idea hit him. He came out of the Cave, returning to where the 3 claymores stood. He slowly took out shadowmourne and went into unholy presence. The sound it made and the sickly emerald green flowed for a few seconds around his body.
Miria's eye's widened, as did the others when this happened. 'Yoki!' Miria thought. 'No this is different but somewhat the same.' Damodar took his stants as did Miria. Damodar let out a Rawr casting unholy frenzy onto him self. He throw out his hand towards her. Miria didn't know what he was up too, but she should react fast enough. She saw a thin black line like lighting jetting out of her chest towards his hand. Then before she knew it she was hurling towards him and not by her control. She brought up her sword in time to block his incoming blow. Landing behind him, she tried to jump up but couldn't. looking down to see a skeletal hands grabbed her lag, she sow skeletal arm around Damodar grasping at the air blindly trying to find something to get a hold of. Damodar sensed something was up with Miria she was getting her energy up and he could feel it some how for something big. He quickly caste Dark simulcrum.
Miria used her yoki energy to do her phantom step and came up behind Damodar to strike him only to she her sword go through his after image. Eye's wide she held up her claymore above her head to block the over hand blow of Damodar's Axe. Miria used phantom step again, and again the same result. Quickly Miria swung her claymore as she spun around. Miria's Claymore was an inch away from the Man's neck and his Axe was the same to hers, a smile came across his lips from under the mask where she could see it through the mouth space. Her breathing was ragged.
"I think she would stop now Ms. Miria." she was speechless more so was Helen and Deneve.
'What his he?' Miria took shallow breaths to calm down. "Every well. I see why they let you join this hunt. Though if you don't mind, I'd like you to answer a few questions I have?"
Damodar thought it over. Only taking a few seconds to reply.
"every well. But lets do this out of the rain." they Returned to the cave and. Setting down by the fire he gestured for them to set.
"alright. What do you want to know?"
