"You have to do something!", Thalarion shouted at Rhonin, slamming a fist on to the round table between them.
"Thalarion, we cannot do anything if we haven't a single clue where she is! From what you described, it's even quite likely that she's dead!", Rhonin bellowed back.
Within moments of the words running from Rhonin's mouth, Thalarion was on him. The burly elf had the archmage by his neck against the wall, fist raised to strike.
"Stop!", Lady Proudmoore ordered, staff raised at the paladin. "Let him go, Sunstrike."
With a huff and a glare, he reluctantly released Rhonin, turning and marching out the door where he had come through.
Darion Mograine stood and watched as Jaina rushed over to her superior, helping him off the ground. The Knights of the Ebon Blade, after much consideration, had joined the alliance formed by the Argent Crusade and the Kirin Tor.
"Is he always like that?", the highlord asked, gesturing toward the door Thalarion had exited through.
With a cough, Rhonin answered, "No, not at all. Sir Sunstrike is generally very slow to anger or to resort to physical violence. Lady Azurebreeze's disappearance has kept him in a permanently foul mood."
"Well, no wonder. You saw how he looked at her, and how they had danced together at the ball several weeks ago. He loves her.", Jaina growled, still fussing over Rhonin.
"Love is very blinding, especially in this case. He loves her, and does not want to accept that odds state that she is very likely to be dead.", Rhonin muttered, running a hand through his hair.
Weeks had gone by since Thalarion had watched Sapphira fall out of the sky on a wounded dragonhawk. He had been having issues sleeping ever since, only having strange and disquieting dreams of a corpse-like deity and of Sapphira.
Returning from the explosive fight with Rhonin, Thalarion fell on to his bed, rummaging through one of his bedside drawers. He finally settled on a small black box, opening it and looking inside.
"I wanted to thank you with something more meaningful than a kiss or hand squeeze.", Sapphira said, pulling a small, onyx box from one of her many satchels. "I hope you don't think it out of place."
Inside lay an ornate, silver band, a royal purple gem sitting in the center, surrounded by small, cobalt tanzanites. Thalarion had fit the ring over his thumb, beneath his gauntlet.
"They're my colours. I thought it would be more romantic than a flower that will die in a few days or some meaningless assortment of words that anyone has the nerve to call 'poetry'."
Thalarion turned the ring over in his hands, basking in the memory. He noticed starlight streaming in through a nearby window, glinting off the keepsake. Holding the ring tenderly in his palms, he drifted into sleep.
Thalarion fell into another dream, only, this was no dream. Sapphira knelt in Icecrown Citadel, arms chained up at her sides. She was naked, with her hair cascading down her back and breasts. It was obvious that she hadn't eaten in a long while. Her ribs and shoulder blades protruded awkwardly beneath her pearly skin. Dark, bruise-like shadows surrounded her once vibrant orchid eyes. Three Vrykul women entered the cell ; a warrior, an archer, and a seer. Veril, Alailin, and Sirol.
The warrior, Veril, slung Sapphira's limp and weak body over her shoulder while Alailin, the archer, and Sirol, the oracle, unlocked her chains from the walls. Sirol and Alailin wrapped the silver chains ornately around Sapphira's nakedness, before leaving the cell.
Thalarion awoke abruptly, confused about the strange scene he had witnessed. Shaking his head and trying to rid himself of the image, he put away Sapphira's ring and headed down into the Inn for breakfast.
He felt sick to his stomach after looking upon Sapphira's skeletal form. He couldn't bring himself to gag any food down, only some lukewarm Kal'Dorei tea. Staring down into the swirling amber of the tea, he felt a sharp poke at his side.
"Sir Sunstrike?", came a small voice that he had gotten to know well.
"Risellie?", he said, surprised. "What do you need?"
The gnome was flustered, her pink hair sticking up in various places and coffee stains all over her cover-alls. "I need to come to my laboratory NOW!", she shrieked, grabbing at his wrist and trying to tug him along.
Yielding to the little gnome, Thalarion followed. A stench of decaying flesh and burning Saronite hit him when he found himself in Risellie's secluded lab. Sitting in a corner was the one and only Brann Bronzebeard.
"Thalarion, I'd like you to meet Brann Bronzebeard. Using the strange Saronite samples you and Lady Azurebreeze brought me, we've stumbled upon something absolutely fascinating, but dreadful."
Hopping up next to the copper-haired dwarf, Risellie began to explain.
"Do you recall how I told you that the Saronite you brought me was being used as a host for Scourge magic? Well, I found out the purpose for it, and it's connected to an ancient and powerful deity and her guardians. The place you found it in, despite sounding very Titan-esque, is actually Vrykul in origin.", Risellie paused and turned to Brann.
"Right! Long, long ago, there was a Vrykul oracle, Seva. Seva brought about the rise of the goddess Sjol'Vess. Sjol'Vess's guardians, the Deathscreamers, required a heart of Saronite imbued with the soul of a damned. However, Saronite by itself cannot withstand an angered soul, and will crumble if imbued. BUT, this Saronite that you and Lady Azurebreeze found is strengthened and being used as a host for Scourge magic, and can withstand the damned soul. This area you the Saronite found in in the Dragonblight is one of the many wayshrines Seva established for Sjol'Vess. Seva corrupted the very ground, thus causing all Saronite that would ever be there to permanently host Scourge magic, or if we want to get technical, a sect of magic dedicated purely to Sjol'Vess. Now, about Sjol'Vess. This goddess was viewed as a mother of mercy and unconditional love, a protector, a shield that the Vrykul could always rely on. Sjol'Vess was able to control the Northern winds and much of Northrend's wild beasts, along with her Deathscreamers.
Sjol'Vess wanted to become close with the Vrykul, close like a mother and her children. In turn, Seva offered herself up, becoming a vessel for the goddess, but losing her body in the process. Seva's body was not strong enough to withstand Sjol'Vess's presence, and she collapsed. She declared with her dying breath, that the death god's uprising would herald her return. The 'death god' to the Vrykul is Arthas, remember? Although, her return seems rather unlikely, as worship of her eventually completely disappeared.", Brann had gotten up and started pacing while he was explaining to Thalarion.
"Is there any possibility that Sapphira's disappearance would have to do with this deity's return?", Thalarion asked, turning towards the candy-haired gnome. Risellie's eyes widened, and she turned questioningly to Brann.
"By Sapphira, I assume you mean Lady Sapphira Azurebreeze?", Brann wondered.
Thalarion nodded at the dwarf.
"It is very possible. Sapphira's magical prowess shows that she has a high capacity for magic and power, and thus would make her an ideal candidate to be Sjol'Vess's new host.", Brann started shaking his head and tugging at his beard.
Thalarion then proceeded to tell them about the strange dream he had had.
Brann's eyes widened before he spoke again.
"Thalarion, it is very likely that that was no dream. Your direct connection with her may be invoking a higher power, and giving you visions. This confirms that Sapphira is indeed going to be used to bring Sjol'Vess back into this world. This is bad, very very VERY bad.", Brann started pacing again.
"Risellie, go tell Rhonin of your findings, now.", Thalarion ordered.
The little gnome didn't question and immediately ran to find the Archmage.