Chapter 3
The gryphon landed in the middle of nowhere of the dead grounds of The Eastern Plaguelands. My body shifted right, moving forward as it reascended to abandon me. I walked miles and miles, passing by many burnt trees and rotting corpses. After an hour, I reached the opened gates of an abandoned fortress.
My legs kept striding forward, passing a giant cathedral upon a hill, a library, and a barracks. The land past them was not so exciting. If anything, it was the most destroyed thing I've seen thus far. Towers with stone walls cracked open. Charred buildings with fires still living in the fireplace. The grass was a foul orange, and the trees seemed to be painted red with blood.
My body stopped just before a well, decorated with skulls and candles. Around it were a dozen residential buildings, with one large one on my right. The door for that flung open, but my body could not turn to face it. Footsteps came into hearing, growing louder and louder. I was forced into a kneeling position as the person came into view.
The person was a female Kaldorei, wearing the hide of some blue creature, outer edges covered together with saronite. Shoulder pads were filled with spikes, with the helm holding one massive one, as if prepared to stick someone with it at any time. She began to speak in the voice of none other than my mother. "You look so grown up for a child. Do not fear though. We will hammer in anything loose."
I felt my ability to speak return. "What do you want, murderer?" She chuckled behind her helm, rising a hand that would force my body to stand. Gesturing me forward, we entered the large house, but as I learned from the bones inside, it was not a mere house. At some point, it was either an orphanage or a school. I could not tell which, but the skeletons obviously belonged to children.
"You know where you are?" Sesirrael asked. I nodded, feeling my head's motions become under my will once again. "The Eastern Plaguelands," I answered simply. The room was cold. My head shifted around to spot ice on some corners of the walls, and splotches on the floor. I did not think Death Knights would want nor need a home, but it appears the Fear Harbinger managed to obtain one anyway.
"This is the Scarlet Enclave," she answered her own question, disappointed with my answer. "This was one of the last assignments the Knights of The Ebon blade made to the Lich King. For me, it was merely one of the first." She removed her helm, placing it on a table. Despite being dead, my mother remained fairly put together. Her brown skin looked almost natural rather than decayed flesh, her white hair still remaining in place.
I disregarded her description, more curious on me than the Scarlets. "What do you want with me, Fear Harbinger?" She folded her arms, looking out the door. Her eyes studied something intently, but otherwise remained quiet for a moment. With a shake of the head, her head turned to face my own. "To be honest, dear child, were it not for your father's sudden interest on my whereabouts, I would have killed the both of you."
Feeling returned to my whole body now, and I instinctively rubbed my wrist as she'd begin to speak. "Your aunt, Nytreath, found word of my whereabouts and sent for your father, Rwafius. He spoke to me, seeming to hold the strong desire to return us all as a family. There was no way to do that before bringing him to my new family, however."
I leaned my back against the wall, folding my arms as I listened to the tale. The door was right there, but I was released from her grip for one obvious reason: Running from her was pointless now. "Polynecies, my student, seemed to agree with the idea. We brought your father to the head of our family, who discovered that your father held more darkness in his heart than he showed."
My head instinctively shook. "Because he mourned your death. Or at least the death of the woman that you were." She waved a hand, disregarding my comment. "When he left a new member of the family, I assured the prophetess of my loyalty. Telling her I'd gladly kill all of the old to protect the one of the present."
Sesirrael unfolded her arms, pointing to the necklace around my neck. "She held a different idea." That changed things. My mother, perhaps the most evil person left alive, captured me under the orders of someone else. A rush of pain surged throughout my body, and I fell to my knees. I recalled what one of the voices in my head said to me.
"What do the shadows have to do with any of this," I asked looking up at her. She didn't even move a muscle from when I fell, clearly not caring much at this point. With a sigh, she'd answer. "Everything, dear child. The family, our master, and all we do ties back to the Great Shadow. Your living is by his will, as a gift within that necklace."
Another surge echoed. My eyes clenched shut as I let out a loud yelp. It was as if lightning was echoes across my body, making it's way to every last bit, especially focusing on the brain. Light rushed back into sight, as I opened my eyes and looked around. I stretched out my legs and stood straight once again.
"This necklace," I began as well as I might muster with a lack of breath. "What does it do? Obviously it stings a bit, but there must be more to it." Sesirrael stepped forward, removing a metal gauntlet. The death knight placed a cold hand upon the jagged necklace. She'd admire it for a moment, holding a legitimate smile.
"In the words of the prophetess, it will grant you dark thoughts," Sesirrael would answer quite joyfully. "It saddens me that I could not keep it for myself, but I was ordered to give it to you. She might not be the most happy that I tampered with it a bit and had two others place it around your neck, but it is there now. However, with my tampering, a few problems emerged. Ones that I counted on. Your progression will not be the most gradual, and instead will require facilitation."
Her smile grew wider, the thought would amuse her. "I get to become a min'da again." She chuckled, taking a hand off the necklace and wrapping her gauntlet back around it. This thought drew fear to my eyes. Ever since General's death, I have been working to live up to her name. But unfortunately, they Shadows had other plans in mind. Plans of me living up to the name of The Fear Harbinger instead.