Dark Innocence

Disclaimer: I do not own any names in this story you might recognize, except Ida, of course, who is completely fiction and made up without prior knowledge about who the 'demon messiah' really is. All other known names are from games respectively from Warcraft 3 and heroes of Might and Magic 5, property of Blizzard and 3DO. If you have any plans of suing me, however, know that it would be a losing debate. This piece will not be published without the correct copyright.

….

Rest Little Ida

Close your eyes and sleep

Lay your battered body

Not an eyelid should you peep

Ignore the screams and protests

Gathering in your head

Dream of happiness and hope

On your hand-made little bed

Forget about my departure

Every single worry be gone

For when the morning comes at last

You will be left with no one

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Prologue:

He walked among the ashy grounds, stepping over the piles of burnt wood gingerly, straining his ears for sounds of intrusion. He couldn't shake off the feeling that somebody was there, no matter how empty and desolated the place looked. His hooves made crunching sounds as he crossed over a burnt-down house. Beyond that one, he 'saw' an unharmed cottage- and he was positive someone was inside. He approached the peculiar building cautiously, his hands clenched on his twin blades. His instincts were correct- he wasn't alone in this isolated place. Could it be right again in thinking that, whoever's inside, doesn't mean harm?

He pushed the wooden door open, looking around with his other senses. It was a woman, he knew, as he listened to the ragged breathing coming from behind the sofa. It seemed she was injured, her arms around something smaller, delicate- probably a child of three years.

As he made an attempt to peer over the couch, however, a sword rushed out of its sheath and met his nose, threatening to proceed if he made any more movements. He turned his head down and recognized the feeling of anger erupting from the woman- she was protecting the small body in her arms. He willed his voice to speak naturally, so that she wouldn't be frightened, and said in an undertone, "I don't mean harm," in fluent elvish.

The woman stared up at him. He could feel her gaze- he was quite used to that, really, with everybody staring at him in fear most of the times. But this was slightly different; sure, there was a trace of fear in her eyes, but he could also sense relief flooding in the woman's mind- a good omen.

"You're…an elf," she said in a hoarse whisper, and immediately he knew she was human. "Are you Sylvan?"

He shook his head no, and turned his attention to the child she cradled. "Is it alive?"

She looked scandalized. He mentally kicked himself- Why the hell did he say that?

"Of course my child is alive…she is only sleeping." She replied, cooing at the small girl. "But I must leave her here. She cannot come with me."

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Perhaps one could call my decision of taking an innocent child under my wing savagery, no matter how ironic it sounds. And yes, I would say that person is marginally correct- if the child is truly the demon messiah, one way to avoid her becoming a full-fledged demon is by keeping her away from one, and yet even if I am only half demon, I am certainly not the right person to be given such a task. But Ida is a CHILD. Leaving her where her mother had left her would give her no chances of survival. She may be tainted, but an innocent soul such as hers may still have the chance to remain pure- regardless of what other people say.

Wizardry would have no hold on this little girl either. After all these years trying to drain the demonic energy emanating from my body with mage craft, I have long learned that no amount of magic will truly cleanse a soul as tainted as this little girl's and mine. However, she is still young, and her mind is as simple as an ordinary human. There is hope.

I did her mother a favor and named the child after myself. Taking away the I-L-L-N in my name, I came up with Ida, which meant 'godlike' in German language. It sounded so simple and fair (regardless of the meaning), and I wonder what she'd look like when she grows up. Would she be like her mother? It's so sad to think about, especially if I have no eyes to see.

I have grown fond of her presence two months later, but I have no use of her in my plans, and bringing her with me is like taking her to my final destination- death. I have been ordered to take down the lich king, and I have dawdled enough. Perhaps I would come back for her when all is over and I am free of Kil'jaeden's control. I do not want to take this little girl into the palm of another demon lord, possibly even worse than the Demon Sovereign. No; I would leave her somewhere safe and secure, where she'd grow up as an ordinary young woman until we meet again. If I survive, there would be an eternity left to spend with this little girl named Ida.

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