The Romancer Shadowstep

Episode Twelve: The jig is up, Shadowstep! It's a shaman shakedown...

Shadowstep excused himself to Anchorite Orlick and took Priestess Feathershine aside. "Deliah, I just remembered something… we have to get rid of the young people before meeting Alessandre in Auberdine. If he is going to do his best work, then he has to be himself and… there are certain dangerous things we don't want Windsong and Vermillion to know about our secret weapon."

Feathershine sighed. "Alessandre is a person dear. He is a very special person." She began smiling in a way that got Shadowstep instantly jealous. Feathershine caught onto his look and composed herself. "Alright, I agree. This has to be done stealthily, or else I will be in a great deal of trouble with Tyrande, yet again. I think that she is short on patience these days, even for a Priestess of Elune."

"Just with you, Deliah." Shadowstep boldly joked. "She adores me. I am going to retire very well."

Feathershine frowned. Vermillion and Windsong came up then. They were holding hands.

"Vermillion and I made up!" Windsong cheerfully announced.

"Oh, good for you dear." Feathershine smiled. "Shall we begin the tour then, Anchorite Orlick?"

The tall Draenei bowed gracefully. "Right this way, my Night Elf friends."

Shadowstep wasn't listening to any of Orlick's droning lecture. He'd heard it all before, and he was barely able to survive it then. Vermillion stepped on his foot, and Shadowstep exhaled loudly.

"Watch it whelp." He snapped.

Vermillion apologized, but Shadowstep knew the young man didn't mean it. He was doing it on purpose. Vermillion had been accidentally brushing up against his mentor all evening. Clearly Vermillion wanted to ask Shadowstep something but didn't feel welcome enough. Shadowstep was content to keep the young man feeling unwelcome… unless Vermillion was going to keep stepping on his polished black leather boots.

"Fine, I'll bite. What's wrong with you?"

Vermillion slowed his pace so that the ladies went ahead with their tour guide and he could whisper. "I think I… I want to ask Windsong to marry me."

Shadowstep stopped walking. "You… you WHAT?"

"I love her so much. And that fight we had back in Ashenvale when I saw the naked woman and she slapped me… I realized that I might lose her forever. And I can't live like that. I don't want to make her mad ever again. I just want to hold onto her."

Shadowstep knew the feeling. But he really didn't get the part about staying in a woman's good graces. It was completely unnecessary if you knew how to keep certain things to yourself.

Shadowstep shook his head. "I am asking this only once, Vermillion. Did you get Windsong pregnant?"

Vermillion scratched his scalp through his funky lime green hair cut.

Shadowstep swore. "Dear goddess…"

"But it's not just about that. I really, really, really love her. I've never felt like this about anyone before. She's so beautiful and smart, and she treats me soo well. No one has ever been so nice to me. She doesn't even mind that I'm clumsy and… not such a good rogue yet."

Shadowstep grunted. They began walking again. "Don't even bother asking for her hand. She's just going to say no."

Vermillion was crushed. "But… she loves me too."

Shadowstep rolled his eyes. "I am going to do you an incredible favor by being honest with you Vermillion. Are you listening?"

"Yes Sir."

"You are a failure." Shadowstep looked the young Night Elf right in his eye when he said it. He didn't even blink. "You are unattractive, you're awkward, you don't even have a decent set of daggers to try and become a good rogue… and if you have questions about your career, I'll tell you right now, I would never let you into the KRN and nor would my successor. You do sloppy work. A damn demon was watching us this whole time and you didn't even see it. And do you know why? Because you were busy indulging your hormones! I give you the biggest break of your career… I knew you were a little flaky but not so much that you would frivol away such an amazing opportunity. I hope you like selling flint and tinder because that's all the precious metal you'll ever get your hands on for the rest of your life."

Shadowstep turned around to see that Vermillion was no longer beside him. The young man stood forlorn some feet away. His hands trembled.

"Vermillion, you baby! Take the criticism like a man." Shadowstep complained. But that turned out to be the last straw. Vermillion turned and fled.

The others were watching.

"Big V? Where are you going?"

Shadowstep groaned even louder when he heard Windsong's nickname for her boyfriend. "I did not need to know that about him."

"Big V! Wait!" Windsong ran off to catch him.

Feathershine came up to Shadowstep then. "Jebidiath! What did you do?"

Shadowstep shrugged. "I just told him the truth. He's a loser, and he should understand that before he goes and does something stupid like… propose to your Windsong. Can you believe they are that close? It's only been a few weeks."

Priestess Feathershine's hands flew up over her mouth. "Oh Jebidiath… you didn't! Windsong adores Vermillion… she was just telling me that she hoped he would propose, only she didn't think herself worthy." Feathershine turned angry in an instant and slapped Shadowstep's shoulder.

"You idiot!"

"But Deliah!"

Feathershine seethed. Anchorite Orlick inserted himself into the conversation by standing too close. Draenei don't have a sense of just how large they are, and tend to miscalculate personal space with Azerothians every single time.

"Perhaps they did fall in love very fast, but… Jebidiath! It is love! And if you like thinking practically so much, then consider this: Windsong is the best that Vermillion will ever do, and he's smart enough at his age to understand that about himself. He has terrible shortcomings, but he found someone who loves him for all of that awkwardness. And Windsong fawns on him so. She always wanted to date a rogue, but she was afraid that rogues were too devious… he's just the right type of failure she's looking for. It's far more than… the fact that her parents are going to kill her when she comes home pregnant." Feathershine frowned.

"She is pregnant!" Orlick suddenly exclaimed. Both Feathershine and Shadowstep turned annoyed looks on the poor Draenei.

"They are together now, aren't they?" Shadowstep flared at Feathershine. "Let's just finish the tour okay? They'll probably just kiss and make up… whatever, I don't care."

Feathershine turned back to the pink crystal projector machine Orlick had started up and folded her arms across her chest.

"Shadowstep, just because you are bitter about your failure with me does not mean that Vermillion should give up on the love of his life as well."

"Oh, Deliah, don't you dare—"

"What is this Orlick? I think you were just showing Windsong and I something interesting, before we were so rudely interrupted by my bitter boyfriend."

Orlick looked worried, but Shadowstep rolled his eyes and gestured for the Draenei to continue. They'd come to the most important part of the tour, anyway.

Orlick cleared his throat. "Zis projector has a record of ze demons who attacked Felwood." He turned it on and a pink hologram of a succubus flashed into view. It was very lifelike. The demoness even put a hand on a hip and played with her whip like a real one.

Feathershine furrowed her brow and looked at Orlick. "How would the Draenei know that demons attacked Felwood? And why in Azeroth would they have a record of each Burning Legion soldier in that regiment… we weren't allied with them yet back then!"

Orlick panicked. He looked to Shadowstep for an answer. Priestess Feathershine glared at Shadowstep. "Why do I have a feeling that this also somehow your fault!" she sniped.

Shadowstep raised an eyebrow. "I am the Master Rogue, Deliah. In a way, everything that goes wrong with Darnassus is my fault. Just like the Troll temple in Azshara... I can't tell you everything about this. But, let's just say that the Draenei did not want Tyrande to know just how carefully they watch the Burning Legion."

Feathershine thought for a moment and put it together for herself. "They have…" she began to whisper, "Draenei agents working for the Burning Legion? That's horrible!"

Orlick spoke. "Priestess, zey are not friends of ze Burning Legion, and neither are the Draenei people. We honor ze Naaru above all else, and we are willing to go further than zey ever would to get information about ze enemy. We Draenei may not have rogues like you Azerothians, but we are willing to make friends with those of our relatives who wish zey weren't captive but can do nothing about it."

"Eredar Spies?"

"Double agents. We know zat these Eredar still do wrong, but they are willing to give us valuable weapons against their masters. That is why we have such detailed information. Our records here are more than just a compilation based on the long history ze Naaru have with ze Burning Legion." Next, he pleaded with her. "Please do not tell High Priestess Tyrande… we would do anything to destroy the Legion, even make friends with their friends who have grown dispassionate with their evil ways."

Feathershine was about to say that she understood when something occurred to her. "This very projector…" her hands shook just thinking about it, "Is evidence that your knew about the attack on Mount Hyjal and just watched from Draenor… you did nothing to help us! My children are orphans because of you—"

"Now Deliah, that is not the fault of the Draenei. They had enough to deal with on their homeworld, and getting involved would have put them at risk, by stretching their resources too thin. It would have been nearly impossible to—"

"Your crashlanding here was not an accident, but by design!" Feathershine realized. "Oh, how horrible—"

"I call zat fortune. We wanted to come and help you then, but could not. We are doing everything we can to help you now."

Priestess Feathershine had to lean on the machine for support. "Jebidiath… you live every day knowing these kinds of secrets… and you don't tell anyone? How do you even manage it?"

"Will you tell anyone, Deliah?" Shadowstep ignored her question.

Priestess Feathershine looked from Anchorite Orlick to Master Rogue Shadowstep. "You are right, Jebidiath. There are shadows everywhere… there is no right or wrong. Life is both light and dark… in fact it's… gray." She sighed.

Shadowstep smiled, relieved. "Good. I'm glad that you finally see it my way."

Anchorite Orlick was eager to go on with his findings. "Please, hand me ze Burning Legion badge you found in Felwood." Shadowstep took the strange metal object out of his pocket and gave it to the Draenei. Orlick studied it for a few moments and then pressed some buttons on the keypad of the machine. It whirred and a rose colored light turned on. It scanned the badge. The hologram of the succubus flashed to one of an Eredar, and then to something else… the images began to go by so fast, it became clear that the machine was looking for a specific one. It was making a match.

Orlick bowed to Feathershine. "It knows whom you seek. In moments, the machine will show you the very demon who is responsible for murdering the parents of your foster children. I hope you will take zis effort of mine as a good omen, and see zat ze Draenei people have been sneaky over ze years for a very good reason: we will have justice."

Finally, the machine stopped searching. One image remained. A tall monster stood before them on large feet that ended in claws. Two small arms and a long muscular tail helped to give it away, but the large reptilian head completed the effect. The body had evolved somewhat, with the fel energy it no doubt was exposed to. The monster walked more upright than it should have naturally. But it made the devilsaur body look more humanoid, and thus more intelligent than was ever intended by nature. A unique set of armor had been crafted to cover it from head to toe. The very badge the Draenei now held rested prominently over the creature's right shoulder.

"Commander Zar'teaus." The machine droned on in its hollow programmed voice.

Priestess Feathershine had to hold on to Shadowstep to keep from falling.

"Jebidiath… he… that Zar'teaus is the one. I should have known all this time… of course he'd be obsessed with Opalbane! He wants to finish the job!"

"Now Deliah…"

"No! No, I will not calm down. He has got to be stopped! He tried to destroy her life…" Feathershine's eyes went wide with shock. "He tried to sleep with her! You know that's how it's done… how one becomes the High Priestess of an Old God… through heinous and despicable means. That evil monster who murdered her parents wanted to turn Opalbane into a mate, and force her to do his bidding, through the help of the Twilight Cultists! Oh, I can't take it!"

"I know." Shadowstep said. "It's sick."

Priestess Feathershine looked up at Shadowstep. "You know—"

"Yes, I mean I agree with you. It's terrible. Thank you, Anchorite Orlick. I think we found the answer we were looking for."

"Zen… I am no longer in your debt. Thank you again Shadowstep, for everything." He put a comforting hand on Priestess Feathershine's shoulder, then departed.

"Oh Jebidiath, this is terrible, so terrible. I know we have to fix this somehow, but I can't think of anything else. Oh, my poor babies!"

Shadowstep hugged Feathershine close. "We don't need to fix it. Zar'teaus is going to die a long and painful death with no one to worship him in Silithus. It is more than what he deserves, more than we could ever do to him. The only thing that needs to be done now is for us to find those kids and send them away so Alessandre can do his job and take out that last cultist. Then we can go home."

Shadowstep walked with Feathershine, and held her tightly as she wept. He had his doubts over the last few days, but if there was ever a time that he was going to make things permanent between his girlfriend and himself, now was the best moment. She would be like putty in his hands…

"Deliah, let me be your hero."

Feathershine shuddered against him with her sobbing. She looked up. "What do you mean, Jebidiath?"

"There is no more fighting to be had now. You've dedicated your life to your children, and they are both grown up with their own families. Today, we learned the horrible truth, and it should comfort you to know that this is all at an end… but it doesn't. I think you need to have someone look over you for once, to take you away from this madness. Let me be the one to do it."

There was something very odd about the request. Feathershine sensed how selfish it was, but she thought that maybe it was just Shadowstep's way. The only way he'd ever do something nice for someone else. But now, he seemed to be truly concerned about her well-being.

"You're right, Jebidiath. It's been a horrible last few years… I've never had any rest."

"Come away with me."

Feathershine didn't know what to say.

"I am going to retire when we get back to Darnassus. I know that you planned to stay on longer, but why not retire a bit early with me? We can end our careers together and… ride off into the sunset." He smiled and pressed his cheek against her forehead.

"I don't know…"

"In fact… I'll do you one better." Shadowstep hadn't wanted to push it this far yet because it was risky, but he sensed that he needed to sweeten the deal. He let go of Feathershine and got down on one knee.

"I'm lacking a lot of things for this… flowers, and maybe some romantic minstrels for one… but I do think that my heart is in the right place, this time. Deliah Feathershine, will you marry me?"

Priestess Feathershine tried to dry her tears, but burst into another round of crying. "Oh, Jebidiath, I shouldn't—"

"We should. I love you more than anyone else in this world. You know that. I am the only on who knows what you need, and I can give it to you. We've already wasted so much of our lives…" Shadowstep played into her fears of aging.

"Yes." Feathershine cried. Shadowstep smiled instantly. He'd not shown such joy in a very long time. He got up and hugged his girlfriend.

"Good. Then, let's not wait. Wear this, and come with me." He pulled on her arm.

"Where are we going, Jebidiath?" Feathershine worried. "And is this… the very same necklace you gave me seventy years ago? You brought it with you on our journey?"

Shadowstep honestly forgot about that little detail. "I… always carry it." He lied. "Come on, I don't want another second to pass without you as my wife. Let's find a priest."

Later that evening…

Windsong sat in the Exodar inn kissing Vermillion. They'd made up, but he was still sulking.

The young priestess held her boyfriend's hand, and frowned. She didn't know what else to do.

"I love you." She told him.

Vermillion looked even more dejected. "I love you too. But we can't be together. Shadowstep said so."

"Don't listen to him! I don't like him anyway."

"You don't?"

"No. What, do you like him? He's so very disagreeable."

Vermillion thought about this. "I don't like him at all, I guess. I just admire him." Vermillion straightened in his chair. "In fact, I don't admire him… when I close my eyes," and he did, because it helped, "all I feel is fear. Raw fear! You know what! I hate Master Rogue Shadowstep!" then he yelped and covered his mouth.

Windsong giggled. "Hate is a very strong word… but I believe you. In that case, why do you care what he thinks? Let's just get married." She smiled.

Vermillion hugged her. "Really?"

"Yes! Let's go do it now, before they find out!" she got up and pulled on his arm. Vermillion went along with her laughing.

They ran all over the Exodar looking for a priest, but it was very late and most people had gone to bed. Then they got lost and really feared that they wouldn't find one.

"Excuse me, miss?" Vermillion politely stopped a Draenei woman dressed in elaborate mail armor and a wolf's head helmet. Her outfit looked strange to Vermillion and Windsong, but the Draenei were new to this world. Who were they to judge another people's customs? Evenso, the Draenei woman had a majestic air about her. Even though many vendors were hurriedly closing up shop for the night, she seemed calm and poised. The woman pushed her wolf helmet further up from her eyes to see Vermillion better.

"Yes, young Night Elf?"

"I know it's really late, and we don't want to be a bother but…" he blushed. "We really need to get married right away. Do you know if there are any priests about?"

The woman frowned. "I am sorry young man, but zey are all gone. Besides, it is not in our custom to marry you?" her Common was very good for a Draenei.

Windsong looked sad. "Oh… because we are a different race? Night Elf weddings are like that actually, if it's not done by a Priestess of Elune, then it's not legitimate." Then, she started to sound desperate. "But please… do you have any relatives who are priests? Or friends? I don't think I can go another moment not being his wife. It feels like there are so many people against us, and I just want him to feel better… and I want to know that he will always be there for me, under Darnassian law or not. I'll give you anything!" she begged.

The woman got the long staff she carried across her back and took it in hand. She pushed her wolf helmet back down over her eyes.

"I am sorry but you misunderstood my words… in my culture priests do not marry people." Then she smiled. "Shaman do." She bowed before them. "And I am a shaman. My name is Zeersheba. I am pleased to meet you."

Zeersheba began to cast totems before herself. One blazed with fire, another was green like new spring growth, a third bubbled forth pure water, and the last whispered like a gentle wind. Zeersheba stood in the middle of all the mystical totems and held her staff out. She pushed it between them, and the lovers were forced to break hands.

"By the power of all the elements!" Zeersheba called out in a loud voice. Draenei around them knew the traditional words. They stopped what they were doing and came over. They formed a circle around the shaman. "These two love each other with the purest love, like a force of nature itself! I would have asked them to prove it to me, but their selfless show of affection has come to me unbidden. It begs to be acknowledged under the Draenei tradition. The two of them precede the timing of life, their youthful wisdom drives me, and their union is already very clear to me, like a prophecy revealed to our hallowed Velen."

The Draenei assembled began to whisper in awe.

Priestess Feathershine and Shadowstep had been looking for a priest too. Shadowstep heard that someone was getting married and he rushed Feathershine over to the crowd. "We'll be next, don't worry." He dragged Feathershine over.

"Are you sure that this can't wait until we get to Darnassus? It would be nice if Onyxbane and Opalbane could—"

"No! We have to do this now!" Shadowstep growled at her. He pushed through the people to get to the front.

Zeersheba summoned a powerful spell and tossed her head back. Then she slammed the staff into the ground. It made a powerful cracking noise, like thunder. And then real lightning exploded at her feet. The onlookers gasped, and applauded.

The shaman's bright eyes flared. "I have spoken with the spirits. They find you worthy. It is done!" She walked over and put Vermillion's hand back together with Windsong's. Everyone started to cheer.

Vermillion looked at Windsong, overjoyed. They hugged and started to dance around.

"Windsong!" Feathershine shouted.

The two young Night Elves turned around. "Uh oh…"

"Is this how you are going to get married? Not even with a priestess? What's wrong with you! You get yourself pregnant and get married in this barbaric way... like a common Orc? This is disgusting!" she admonished.

"But priests don't marry Draenei in their culture. Shaman do it." Vermillion defended their decision. "Shaman aren't just for the Horde anymore you know."

Shadowstep swore. "Deliah, it's doesn't really matter does it? If it's good enough for those whelps, than it's good enough for us too."

Priestess Feathershine was complaining, but Shadowstep was in full Master Rogue mode now. The end of Mission Implausible was so close, he could taste it…

"Please, marry us next." He wrapped an arm firmly around Feathershine's waist so that she could not get away. The shaman Zeersheba turned her shining eyes on the older couple. Vermillion and Windsong stepped back into the crowd.

Zeersheba bared her teeth at Shadowstep. "For shame!" she shouted, and pointed a finger at him.

Shadowstep looked alarmed.

"You come to me, a Far Seer, with the greatest of disrespect in your heart. You have dishonored this woman's family, and so you have dishonored her ancestors. Their spirits speak to me, and the spirits of those orphans she so loves also speak to me…" Zeersheba dropped her staff and pressed both hands to the side of her wolf helmet. She staggered around in a circle, as if she was having powerful and painful visions. "Ze wind of a storm comes to me… and man named Captain Murtough… you paid him to arrest the one named after ze white ancestor… ze one who died before Zar'teaus so angry that her daughter ingested that passion!" Zeersheba screamed, and the crowd of reverent Draenei gasped. "And ze son named after the Dark One… you used his heart against him, told the one named for a flower… Wisteria? … to betray him, and turn ze Opal one over to you. And zere is a rogue… with many names and faces, with a mind of a murderer zat is not even his own… you, ze one who walks in shadows went to him and asked him to put the Opal one in danger, so that ze Shining Feather would cling to you!"

Feathershine pushed out of Shadowstep's arms. She was beginning to understand.

Zeersheba fell to her knees. "And ze final betrayal is the most horrible!" she cried and twisted with the vision, "In all those other times, before, love was able to prevail! A sister chose to love her brother. A man embraced ze woman named for a flower who would become the mother of his child… and the madman, ze assassin… he fell in love and saved the angry Opal woman. But this time, zey will have no help! The Legion is coming for them now."

Zeersheeba moaned in agony and tore her helmet off. It clattered loudly on the slick white tile ground. "Zar'teaus is free! Ze Raptor God has come to back to this life, to reincarnate, and no one can stop him now, because of your evil. And the tragedy is," Zeersheba began to pant. She leaned over and some Draenei from the crowd bent to help her. "You knew… you knew all along zat Zar'teaus wanted to rape the Shining Feather's daughter. And you did nothing..." her voice began to fade, "... and now he comes to torture ze new baby, the last generation..."

Then, Zeersheba the shaman collapsed.

Feathershine stood in the abyss of frightened Draenei. They rushed to help the fallen shaman. Even Vermillion and Windsong went to help Zeersheba, but Feathershine was solely focused on Jebidiath Shadowstep.

"You lied to me." She said.

Shadowstep begged her to let him explain.

"No… no, there are no explanations to give. You ruined my career… and the children that I loved. You put them in danger, time and again to sate your… lust, your obsession over me." Shadowstep grabbed hold of Feathershine, but she slapped his face. "I trusted you! I trusted you with all my secrets!" she backed away, shaking her head. "And the worst part is… you knew how I suffered, how my heart was breaking for not being able to help them. But you did everything in your power to destroy my relationship with my children. You took away every opportunity that I had to be a mother to Onyxbane and Opalbane, by forcing them to turn against me. You are the cause… everything is your fault."

Feathershine began to walk away.

"Deliah! Don't you turn your back on me!" he shouted at her. Feathershine stopped, and Shadowstep knew that he had only one chance, one last chance to make it better. There was only one thing to say now. He narrowed his eyes at the woman he loved. "If you want this thing settled properly, you had better not run far. Alessandre is meeting us at Auberdine in two weeks. If you can't stand me, then fine, run away, but you have to come back by then, so we can… so we can save your children, and your career."

Feathershine shook her head. "Oh… oh, I hate you." She really began to cry. "Even now, when you could have apologized, you are still trying to manipulate me." Then the Priestess of Elune rushed off.

Vermillion walked over to Shadowstep, holding his new wife's hand. Their success was painful to watch, and Shaowstep sneered at them.

"We are going on our honeymoon." Vermillion said in his most confident voice. "I am taking my wife to someplace happy where we can be together away from you and your girlfriend judging us. I am not going to run around and do your bidding any more Master Rogue Shadowstep."

"You failed your mission then." Shadowstep spat back at him. He didn't know what else to do.

He is proud to have failed you. Any man who follows in your footsteps truly walks in the darkness, Shadowstep. Windsong told him in his mind, and it overpowered Shadowstep's angry thoughts.

"Goodbye. Come on, Windsong." Vermillion kissed his wife's cheek and wrapped his arm around her. Shadowstep hated how much the two of them reminded him of he and Feathershine, leaving the Vault of Lights only a few moments ago… and coming back from the woods after their first Springtime about seventy years earlier.

He stood in that very spot until it got very dark in the Exodar. No one came and asked the Master Rogue if he was alright. Shadowstep felt cold. Then, hours later, the moon rose.

That was when all the anger finally left him. Shadowstep covered his face, and began to cry at last.

"Oh, my poor Deliah. What have I done?"