Mortal spirits were never meant to stay in the Dream forever. They were never meant to enter it without a living form to anchor them to reality. We really should have noticed her madness. Seen her corruption from the dream. We were fools.
It was quiet in the grove. A bit too quiet if one stopped to think on it. There was a gentle drone of nature but even that was hushed. It was almost as if nature did not want to waken the form that was lying prone on the ground in that grove. Although there was no chance she would wake. The figure's slumber was forced. Her mind held locked deep within by a mind that was even stronger…
At least, it was stronger for now.
This was not the first time since her return that she had been left to lay on the ground. Chances are it would not be the last either. You see, the form lying on the ground in forced slumber, was a druid. To some she was well known, to others, she was known not at all. In the end though it would not matter how well she was still known.
No. All that mattered now were the people gathering around her form. Faces filled with worry and sorrow. Worry, for the druids mind was racked with a growing insanity. Sorrow, for those gathering knew that one day, perhaps soon, they themselves would have to speak the command that would guarantee the druids death forever.
They gathered around the druid's form, surrounding her, preparing for another attempt at purging the insanity that corrupted the druid. The slight breeze stilled as one last figure entered the clearing.
Even now the approaching priest still had her beauty. It was not the beauty that drove men mad. Instead it was just the quiet beauty some preferred. Smooth flawless skin, a cherry tint to her lips. In fact many would have taken her for a living human even though she had long since left life behind.
As she got closer it slowly became more apparent that her skin held a greenish tint to it as well. A tint associated with only one thing, the plague. Indeed, it was noticeable as she drew near that she was in truth an undead. To some she was a pale mockery of a human woman, a monster to be destroyed. Those in the clearing however, knew her as so much more. She was the tribe's Lorekeeper. And she had been the one to bring the druid to rest again.
Grajaad seemed calm. Then again she usually appeared that way. Of those in the clearing only three knew how worried she was. The warlock, the hunter and Grajaad's warrior mate. Those three alone knew how much of a struggle it had been to control the druid this time. They alone knew how close to escaping Mharin had been.
The Lorekeeper's power rippled out over those gathered in the grove. One collapsed, joining the druid in slumber. Grajaad grinned slightly. She had placed his mind within. There were things that he could not know. So she made him sleep. He would not remember anything when he awoke. Already sporelings had gathered and were carting his body off to the refuge where he would awake. She had defended the race of Sporregars often enough to earn a bit more then just their courtesy. That was the only reason they carted off the male locked in slumber at her request.
Now however it was time to get down to business. There was still the matter of the druid on the ground. Her form shimmered slightly as she fed the information into the minds of those standing there awake.
'She snapped again. This time she attacked our Warmaster. There is no doubt that the insanity is worsening. What is worse is that she is getting stronger and it is happening far to fast. In fact the worsening of her insanity is tied in directly to her increasing strength. Soon even I will not be able to lay her mind low. There is no other recourse to us. For the good of Stonehorn, Mharin must be keep leashed. And for that I must turn to outsiders. The good of the tribe demands it.'
The feeling of sorrow magnified, to lose her again so soon, and to the insanity caused by the Darkness within the Dream. It was upsetting beyond belief for those still in the clearing.
The huntress spoke softly. "Long have I worried that the time would come when my sister would lose herself to this madness. Even so I do not wish to lose her just yet. Must she be killed or is there something else we can do to control her?"
Marthok shook her head even as the clawed hand of her voidwalker, Mezzthak, came to rest on her shoulder. "She is insane not a demon thus I cannot control her at all. I am sorry Rhyia. I cannot even offer to grant her soul safety within my shards. She is too strong for me to drain."
"And all I can offer her is death…" The warrior looked away. Even though the druid had tried to kill him he did not wish this grief on his tribe.
Grajaad's mind thundered again into theirs. 'It is not yet time for death. I have found another way. But you will not like it in the least. Not now, not in years to come. Nor may you question me on this. Rhyia.. Chieftess… Your choice is demanded now. I await your command. Death or worse?'
Rhyia took a deep breath. Her eyes wandered over the still form of her sister before looking at each of her tribemates in turn. In truth there was no choice. She knew what her sister would have chosen before her insanity. But even now she could not speak the words to send her sister on the journey into death once more. But the tribe must be protected at all costs. In the end there was only one choice she could make and one command to give.
"Marthok, Xozin, accompany me from this place. Graj…." The tauren female took a deep breath. "Lorekeeper do as you will to end the threat to my tribe. See to it that she does not threaten us again."
Rhyia strode out of the clearing without a backward glance. Marthok followed immediately but Xozin remained for a moment staring at Grajaad in shock until..
"Xozin! Come now!" Rhyia's voice drifted back along the breeze and he hurried to follow.
Grajaad took a deep breath and kneeled down by the prone druid as she waited for the others to get far enough away. Then she called out.
"They are gone. You may join me now."
The leaves rustled softly as two figures stepped out. One was Forsaken and grinning crookedly, the other was Kaldorei and wore a slight frown. The elf was clearly the stronger of the two and obviously did not like what was happening one bit. Graj brushed some hair back from the druid's face before speaking again.
"It has come to my attention that you are a hunter who enjoys the company of the wild beasts and can control them extremely well."
The elf nodded once. "That however is no beast!" She pointed to the druid lying on the ground. "I'm not blind undead, nor am I stupid. The goblins stated that you had a beast in need of taming yet I see no beast here at all. Unless you mean him," She glared at the male undead, "In which case I won't bother taming I'll just kill."
The male giggled crazily at the elf's statement. "I'd be more then willing to tame you though. Such a pretty lunch." He drooled just a bit as he looked at her lavender form.
Grajaad smiled amusedly. "Now Chrynus that is no way to treat our guest, IF you want to live past tonight." She sighed slightly. "What we have here is indeed no beast. At least she is not a beast normally. However as of late she has been growing insane. She has become a danger. We do not wish her killed though. She is too dear to us for us to let her go."
The elf shifted. "So what am I supposed to do. I deal with beasts not Taurens."
"What you will do is tame her. You see, she is a druid. Whenever she starts to loose control she will be locked into an animal form. When she is like that you will be able to control her as you are the stronger. She will be a problematic beast. In many ways your greatest challenge. You must hunt and hold her under your control when she is locked in beast form until I can realign her mind. Unless you are not up to the task?"
The elf smirked. "I can control her in beast form all right. That is as long as you keep her locked as a beast. She reverts to her Tauren form and my control is gone."
The priest nodded. "That is what he is for. If nothing else he will stay alive long enough to keep her distracted should she slip your control while her insanity is in control. After all Chrynus has pissed her off more then enough the past while that it will not matter that this undead only is his form and not his mind or soul. We are agreed then?"
The Kaldorei hunter nodded once and stood quietly as the darker powers of the priest bound her to the agreement. All she noticed though was the slightly insane giggling of the undead body that the priest had named Chrynus' shell.