Eye of the Storm

Finale

Azure Song.

Takurai stood on the hill overlooking Silvermoon. Looking it over…for as long as he could remember, this had been his home. His one solace in a turbulent world. But then it had become a…nightmare, as everything he cared for was sliced down, one by one. Before, he had blamed the misguided Prince Sunstrider, and had become stronger with only one thought: to make him pay. What a child he had been, then. It had taken death itself to convince him of his folly. The only question was; would they take him back? After everything he had done? To even recall the occurrences since last he stood on this hill was…

He had boarded a boat, chartered by the Forsaken to travel to Northrend, preparing a settlement. In his hand, he carried the parchment upon which the letter had been written bringing glorious news: His sister, Zenios Dawnstrider, was alive and well in Northrend. He stayed out of the way of the Forsaken, and they went about their business. It was a good setup, and marred only twice. Three days into the journey, he found a mysterious package in his room. On it, in Thalnassian, was the words "For Takurai." Inside was a curious, two hand sword, with runes down the blade. He reached for it for a moment, then closed the case, slipping it under his bed. But that night, he dreamed of a frozen wasteland. As he wandered, he saw his sister vanish as Keal set all of Silvermoon ablaze. And in the flames, cold eyes appeared, ones without emotion. They beckoned him further, deeper into the darkness…he awoke in a cold sweat, looking at the ocean out his window. In the distance, he could see the glaciers Northrend was famous for, and looming over them all: Icecrown, home of the Lich King.

"Could it be possible?" he murmured. After all, this journey was very close to the one Arthas had taken…perhaps plunging into the heart of the Scourge was a bad idea. Still, he had the light, and it hadn't failed him yet. [i]And I have my sister…[/i] he thought to himself. He couldn't let her down. He turned from the window and sat down on the bed. His thoughts turned to that sword; it gave him a chill down his spine, almost as if it was watching him. He shook his head, he was being paranoid. The sword was a lifeless hunk of metal, and he highly doubted he fit the profile of a Death Knight. He needed some rest, the ship docked tomorrow afternoon. He laid back down, staring at the planks above him. He didn't sleep any more that night.

The next day, Takurai helped the Forsaken with the docking of the ship. Not far from the dock, he saw a large tower being erected; apparently, the goblins were going to run a zeppelin line up here. That was madness…feeding more strong warriors to the Scourge. He respected Thrall greatly, but when he returned with his sister, he'd have to warn him of the dangers of sending the Horde to this frozen graveyard.

Then he paused. To be honest…he wasn't sure where to look for his sister. He started by asking the locals if they had seen a high elf around; she wouldn't be dependant on the Fel Magic like the rest of his forsaken race. Most of the people he asked hadn't seen any type of elf at all besides the Blood Knights employed by the Horde to keep the Scourge back. Just as he was about to give up, someone in the pub nodded at his question.

"To be honest, she looked quite a bit like you. In a female way of course." The orc laughed. "She came by here a few weeks back, posted one letter, and left again. She your mate or something?" Takurai shook his head and bowed. "Thank you…did you happen to see which way she went?"

The orc spat on the ground. "Only way to go in this place." He remarked. "North."

Trying to conceal his disgust, Takurai nodded. "A few weeks ago…and North. You've been very helpful." He prepared to take his leave. As he headed towards the door, the orc called out "Hey! Elf!" Turning, he looked at him with a quizzical expression.

"You're not thinking of going out there, are you? There's an entire legion of Undead out there…and they're lookin' for friends, if you catch my drift."

Takurai shook his head once more. "Don't worry about me. I'm not so easily taken as that."

Of only it had been true.

Later that day, he was packing up for his foray into the darkness beyond the camp. As he prepared provisions and checked his armor, his eyes fell on that sword. It glimmered with an unholy light; or so it seemed. Still, he wrapped it up and put it in his backpack.

A few hours later, he was trudging north, consulting the map he had acquired from a hunter that happened to be in town. There was a small settlement about two days north of his location, so he figured he would start there. As he traveled, he met roaming bands of scourge, which he easily dispatched with his sword, one he had acquired from the Bronze flight as a reward for his work on maintaining the timelines.

As the sun faded, he set up his small tent under a rock formation, to hide from the flying beasts he had seen in the distance. Too worn out and cold to remove his armor, he laid down and quickly feel asleep. He dreamed the firey dream that night again, but this time, there was a whisper.

[i]Takurai…cast aside your pretense of the Light and embrace…your true destiny.[/i]

He sat bolt upright, almost bringing the tent down when he hit the top of it. He looked around, trying to find the source of the whisper. It had felt so real…opening the tent, he saw the sun had risen just barely, and thus packed up his tent and began the long walk once more. As he walked, he thought about what the dream could mean. Truly, the so called Prince Keal'thas was a mere traitor to his people. This wasn't the first time Takurai had felt that the Prince had destroyed Silvermoon, his beloved home. And as long as he could remember, he had been chasing after his sister. But what about those eyes? And that whisper? No, no, he had considered this once before. Takurai was not Arthas, not by any means. His thoughts were jarred by a large Abomination that suddenly barreled forth from the trees. He had felled these creatures before, but it always took a long time. This time, it seemed even longer. The light wasn't doing as much as it usually did. From his backpack, the large, nasty looking sword beckoned: One swing of it could slice the creature in two. But he pressed on with sword and shield, and soon the creature was at his feet.

Panting, sweating despite the freezing cold, he looked at the sun. The fight had cost him dearly. By the map, he should have been at the settlement by late afternoon, but now he would have to spend another night in the wastes. He shook his head, pressing on in an attempt to cover as much ground as possible. Once night had totally fallen, he pitched his tent. Laying down, he slept, his night unmarred by dreams until he heard the same cold voice…no fire, just the voice.

[i]Takurai, I have given you what you need. You seek vengeance, do you not? The cold chill of death would serve you well, young Blood Elf. Come, complete your journey. At the end, you'll find the truth you've been seeking.[/i]

He awoke more easily that morning, packing up his tent quickly, as if to shake off that voice. But more to shake off the feeling he was getting. He had always said the Light they had stolen from the Naaru was false…that you had to become one with the Light to truly use it. But, even assuming he did have the true light, which he was beginning to doubt, it was unsuited for cutting down Keal. For saving his people. For protecting his sister…he pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He would be at the settlement soon. There, he would ask if anyone had seen his sister.

Soon, he walked past the bend that would show him the settlement…but there was only smoldering ruins. "No…" he said, running toward it in disbelief. His chance was gone! He swore bitterly, the next settlement was weeks away by foot. A crunching sound captured his attention. He turned, and his eyes widened. A small army of Scourge Infantry was heading right at him. He unbuckled his shield and drew forth his blade, calling on the Light…getting only a feeble trickle. Swearing again, he charged the undead nonetheless. "FOR QUEL'THALAS!" he called out, cutting into the first ghoul and watching it drop at his feet. How long he danced, cutting down undead, blocking, parrying, fighting for his life, he didn't know. But he made one misstep, and a swing of an axe sent his sword spinning through the air. He darted past the throng, trying to reach the blade, but everywhere he looked, Undead attacked. In desperation, he pulled the runed blade from his pack.

As he gripped that sword, an unusual feeling came over him. Even though it had been a very long time since he used a two handed sword, he gripped it with practiced ease. The blade felt [i]right[/i] in his hands. With renewed vigor, he struck down the undead easily, each swing taking down two or three of the weaker ones, and even the Abominations went down with only one strike. Every time he struck down a foe, his own power grew. That's when it hit him, what the feeling was. For the first time in his life, he felt as if he was where he belonged. As if this sword was meant for him…

He stood amoung the ruined corpses of the undead soon after, the sword gripped in one hand. Now he had no idea where to find his sister, but he knew one thing. Whoever left this blade for him knew him better then he knew himself.

"Well done…I knew it would be worth sacrificing a small number of undead to draw you out, Takurai."

That cold voice…it was…he turned, and what he saw chilled him to the bone.

The Lich King stood in front of him, amoung the ruins of the settlement. Even now, he walked closer to Takurai, a smile barely seen under the helmet.

"I was right about you, and now I'm going to tell you the truth I promised I would. Takurai Dawnstrider…" he said, pulling forth Frostmourne and showing the blade to Takurai…a runed, two handed blade exactly like the one he himself held "…you've been following in my footsteps all along. Finish the journey. Cast aside the Light and join me as a Death Knight. You seek vengeance on the one who ruined your people? It is in your grasp."

Takurai shook his head, denying what his ears and heart told him. "I am not…here for this!" he exclaimed. "Where is my sister?! Did you kill her?"

The Lich King laughed, a cold, hard laugh. "In a matter of speaking…"

Sheer anger overcame Takurai, a dark hate he had never felt before. He lunged forward, Runeblade ready to strike at this…creature. The Lich King simply knocked aside the attack…and struck him in the chest. Frostmourne sliced through his armor like it was mere cloth. Takurai stood there in shock, then dropped to the crimson snow. His vision fading, he was barely aware when The Lich King leaned over him.

"She serves me now…and so do you, young Death Knight."

He was half awake…unseeing, unhearing, drifting. A cold voice spoke to his mind. He saw people, then saw them dead. He walked, surrounded by death itself. He[i] was[/i] Death. He killed for his master, and raised the broken corpses for His dark design…

"The Crusade is mounting some small resistance here." Takurai told the two other Death Knights who came with him. The three of them jointly commanded a battalion of the Kings forces, sent forth to squash the small rebellion. He tapped the map, the black glove he wore clanking on the hard wood.

"We have more then enough forces to make a direct assault. Even assuming they managed to cause any damage, every Crusader we fell increases our own power." Zenios stated.

Takurai looked over at the Knight, his long lost sister. Once she embraced the glory of the Lich Kings will, her waking thought was to bring Takurai to Him as well. It had taken a long time, but in the end, all served the true King or embraced oblivion.

"I agree." The third knight, Kuloma, stated. In life, this one had also been an elf, but a Night Elf. It was a testament to the Lich Kings power that Kuloma had come of his own accord, seeking the power he had lacked as a Priest of Elune. And it had been granted him.

"Very well then. We march at dusk. For The Lich King." Takurai stated.

"For the Lich King." The two of them repeated. Takurai left the Ziggurat, looking out over the forces gathered for the attack on the living who dared oppose the true order. He smiled, looking forward to more slaughter. Even though he was the most junior of all three of the Death Knights, he had proved himself again and again, easily overtaking Kuloma in number of enemies cut down. But Zenios…she was peerless. To see her go into battle was inspiring, the sheer force she wielded for the Lich King. He was proud to have been her sister in his old life. Speaking of the devil…he turned as she walked down the steps.

"I presume you're ready, Takurai?" she asked, watching him. Almost as if she could tell what was troubling him.

"Indeed. Yet…I feel this buzzing in my head. It's making it hard to hear the Kings will…" he frowned, clearly disturbed by this. "I hope I'm not going to degrade into a common ghoul. I couldn't enjoy the feel of death, brought forth from my blade."

Zenios looked at him, then nodded, as if determining something. "Tak." She said, and only that. That one word shattered the icy chains around his mind.

"Si-sis? I'm…I'm awake!" he said, outjoyed, before Zenios covered his mouth. "Shush." She muttered under her breath. "So am I. Seeing you brought in, slumped over, by the forces of the Lich King…I couldn't bear it. He had no hold over me after that."

"But…you killed so many…and…" he looked down at his gloved hands. "So have I. Why…?"

"[i]You[/i] could not help it. Like myself, when you came to this cold land, you were ripe for Arthas to take. Your anger towards…pretty much everything, and your fear, shaped you for him. As for myself…" she looked down at the small throng of undead. "All my thoughts were freeing you from his grasp. For three months you served him unquestionably, and therefore I did as well, to stay close to you. But recently, I saw the light slowly return to your eyes." With that, she looked back at him, concern in her eyes. "We must keep this a secret. Once we attack the Crusade, we'll break through the lines and escape. I still control some small number of undead. What about you?"

Takurai turned, feeling out. Mindless voices responded to his call, ready to serve…to kill…destroy the living…

"Takurai!"

He shook his head, turning back to his sister. "Sorry…I…"

"The Lich Kings will still lingers. Try not to get too into this. The further we go from Icecrown, the more control we'll have over our own action." She smiled, nodding.

He nodded, thinking about what they would do once they broke out. They couldn't go back, that was for sure. They had been seen in many battles, and killed many former comrades.

"What of Kuloma?" he asked, bowing his head.

"He came of his own accord. The Lich King hardly has to control him. There's…nothing we can do." Zen said sadly.

That night, Takurai, Zenios, and Kuloma marched together, the army of the undead before them. It wasn't long before they reached the camp. The Crusade, seeing death upon them, brought out blade and spell, fighting tooth and nail against the inevitable. Takurai himself slew far too many, his runeblade singing as it drained life from the living and raised the broken corpses to serve Takurai. As per his sisters words, he kept detacted. Despite the sheer evil he had done, the Lich King was right. He was meant to wield a runeblade, not the Light.

Still, it neither Dawnstrider saw the chance to escape during the battle…until the commander fled with his most trusted men, leaving the rest to die. Takurai and Zen mounted their chargers.

"Kuloma! Keep these fools from following us! That one is ours!" she ordered, her voice cold and hard. Takurai marveled at her acting skills as the rode, soon overtaking the cowardly Scarlet. He pulled out his hammer, a look of determination on his face.

Zenios held up her hand. "Halt, Crusader. We're on the same side."

"You lie!" he said, holding his mace and trembling. "You serve the bastard Lich King."

"We did." Takurai told him, climbing off and sheathing his sword. "We're free…all we ask is an escort away from this place, and you can live."

"Why should I tru-gack" The crusader dropped to the ground, an arrow impaled in his neck. The two Death Knights turned…and saw Kuloma, with the reanimated remains of most of the Scarlet camp.

"Well, a couple of traitors. I don't know how you two freed yourself from the Lich Kings grasp, but I'll take you down myself." He pulled forth his own runeblade, as Takurai drew his.

To his surprise, Zenios stepped in front of him, Runeblade ready.

"Tak. Send your undead to protect the rest of the Scarlets. Go with them, in fact. I'll deal with him."

Takurai almost said no, but…she was the best of the three of them. And maybe by saving these humans, he could start to atone for his sins. The jig was up, anyway. He ran with what Undead would heed his call, slicing down the rest. It took some convincing to get the battered humans to follow him, but he lead them away from the battlesite, and left them to find their own way. Cutting down his own Undead so they didn't return to the Lich King with what happened, he strode his charger and galloped back to his sister. She clearly had the upper hand…

When he arrived, she had Kuloma on the ground, unmoving. Satisfied, she turned and waved at Takurai. "Shall we go, then?" She asked, extending a hand. Takurai was about to take it when the tip of a blade sprouted from her chest.

Behind her, dying, yes, but still with enough strength to take her down, Kuloma pulled out his blade, then, satisfied, fell facefirst once more, dead.

Takurai darted forward, catching his sister as she fell. "No! Zenios! Hold on, you're going to be alright. I…I'll get a healer from those-"

Zenios put a finger to his mouth. "No, Takurai. This…is the way it should be. Like…Kul, I came to Arthas of my own accord. I saw his power at the Sunwell and…I desired it. I served him for years."

Takurai shook his head. "You said…"

"Listen. I thought you were dead, the Sunwell was gone, everything was gone. Arthas offered me something. When I heard that the Blood Knights had arisen, I went back to the Human lands. I saw you, just once. Wielding the Light…I sent as many undead as I could, knowing it couldn't be you. But you slew them…even when I ripped the use of the Light from you. You're stronger then me. You have a cause. I'm…just sorry I had to put you through this. My selfishness got the better of me. I needed you at my side again, even if it was as a Death Knight of the Scourge." She coughed, blood trickling from her lips.

Desperate, Takurai called for the Light, but it didn't answer. Not even one bit came to him. He could only watch as his sister faded in his arms.

"Takurai! Be strong! Protect everything you care about with your life. I forged that sword for you. Shinen Lalau…the Lich Kings will is not in it. One day, I can only hope that it will end the life…of…Arthas…give him peace…" she closed her eyes. "I am at peace, now…Takurai, never forget…hate will only lead you to him…fight for…" those were the last words she ever spoke.

"I understand, Sister." He said, his cheeks moist. "I'll fight. I'll fight him at every turn, to protect, not to strike…I pity him now." He looked to the sky. "And not just Arthas."

A week later, Takurai stood back in the town by the dock. The tower was complete, the zeppelin was about to make it's maiden voyage. He looked at the hill, overlooking the sea where he had placed the ashes of his sister. He had to burn her, to make sure she wasn't used again. Shinen Lalau hung across his back as he boarded the airship. He was going to see Thrall…and then…well, he was going home.

As they pulled away from the tower, Takurai sat on the back, watching Icecrown fade away. In a way, Arthas had helped him. He knew his true meaning in life once. All it had taken was Death.

"I'll bring you peace, Arthas. And you too, Keal. The child is gone now. And I am at peace for the first time since the Sunwell was destroyed."