Part Thirteen: The Prophecy Unfolds
No parent should have to bury their child.
-A grieving father
Illiana carried Celerion in her arms as she walked beside Langhaer through the streets of the market district of Silvermoon City. The sun shone brightly as she ignored the stares and murmurs of quel'dorei around her. Two year old Celerion seemed oblivious to those as well and for this his mother was grateful. Langhaer joined his wife every time she visited the city usually shopping for supplies for the base back in Eversong Woods. For him the stares and murmurs were more malicious. Illiana could not change the manner of her birth, but he chose to marry her and produce a child and for many that act of treason to their race was appalling. Illiana feared that some day those murmurs could rise to violence, but Langhaer assured her that no high elf would raise a hand against another, not since their banishment from Kalimdor millennia ago after the War of the Ancients.
That afternoon the family stood before a clothing stall perusing children's apparel. Herion's growth continued to amaze her. Their trips to the city had become more frequent lately just to purchase more clothing for the boy. On days like this one she often wished for the old synthweaving machine she learned to use back in Northrend, but such a device was rare on Azeroth being of sith design and she never learned the traditional arts of tailoring used by the world's native inhabitants. The merchant pretended to make small talk with Langhaer while Celerion played with Illiana's hair. The woman may have disliked the half elf, but she would not pass on the chance to make a sale if for no other reason than to hasten the couple's departure from her booth. When she asked why Illiana browsed the clothing for a boy much larger in size than the toddler in her arms, Langhaer responded they shopped for clothing the child could grow into since elven children tended to experience frequent and unpredictable growth spurts. The merchant shrugged her shoulders only half listening to the explanation.
Valeria spent two weeks traversing to Eversong after her encounter with Galen in Lordaeron. The journey took longer than she expected due to several villages along her route had been overrun with undead. Some plague similar to that in Northrend ravaged the commoners in the human kingdom. Several times she felt the same presence from that day in the entrance to Drakus' fortress try to pervade her mind, but now as a fully trained sith assassin she easily ignored the call of the undead ruler. Often she hid behind trees as knights and soldiers marched along the roads trying to chase the sickness and stop it before it spread to the next village. Not that she cared what happened to the natives of this land, but the delays did provide her opportunity to resolve the events from the haunted castle in her mind before she reached the last known location of the elven sith. She must remain focused when the two met. Her failure against the jedi continued to be a nagging distraction.
Finally near the base of the mountain she peered around a tree at the edge of a clearing. Ahead she watched a strange woman wearing a black top and long skirt with small silver shoulder pads. From under the pads extended a long black cape. Her skin was a darker pinkish tone than most humans, and two long tendrils extended from the back of her hairless head to end near the small of her back. She knelt near a bed of flowers near what appeared a doorway into the mountain.
"When we fled Korriban, Lord Maktai possessed a former jedi slave that he brought with us. She belongs to a race unlike any other on this world…as alien to you as my species. Whether she escaped or Maktai released her I am uncertain, but I know the woman has caused the death of at least one dark lord. I sense her near the abomination so be wary, my apprentice. Do not face them together. Talisora was a master of the jedi order that tried to exterminate my people and should never be taken lightly. Avoid the jedi if possible, but if Narcissis has found the woman, then you must wait until they are separate."
Drakus' warning rang clear in Valeria's mind as she watched the woman from behind the tree line. She had underestimated Galen and would not repeat the same mistake. Stretching out through the Force she tried to sense the presence of the elven sith. Something familiar touched back from inside the mountain. Not Narcissis but something very similar, and Valeria allowed a smile to cross her lips. The child of the abomination remained with the jedi while the mother traveled elsewhere. Now was the time. Pulling the hilt of her saberstaff she emerged from the cover of the forest. The alien jedi didn't react as her back was still turned towards the assassin. Valeria crossed the clearing near the entrance to the base as she anticipated a clean kill of the jedi. Talisora continued working with the flowers seemingly oblivious to her stalker. Her lekku twitched like the tail of a cat. Valeria's thumb massaged the activation contact on her hilt as she closed to within just a few steps of the jedi. The only sounds were those of the jedi's gardening tools in the dirt and animals in the surrounding forest. Suddenly the twi'lek turned with an outstretched hand, and Valeria felt a tremendous force pound her chest pushing her back several yards from her prey. Landing on the balls of her feet, the sith acolyte gripped her saberstaff in both hands and ignited the twin crimson blades. The jedi calmly stood to face the human with a green bladed lightsaber in her right hand. Valeria stretched out through the Force to sense her opponents fear and felt only reservation and serenity. A growl emerged from her gritted teeth.
"So you are Galen's liberator," the woman said calmly. "I felt his passing through the Force. I will miss my old friend, but I also know it was what he wanted. In death he has become more powerful than he ever could in life. While I rejoice in this I am also saddened that I will never feel his touch again." She circled to her left causing Valeria to counter. "I can feel the hatred within you. I felt it when you were miles from this place…when you hid in the trees watching me. By the scars on your face I know exactly who you are and why you have come to this place. The one you seek is not here."
"But the child is," the sith acolyte snarled as they continued circling each other. "I can sense him inside and you stand between me and my vengeance."
Talisora stopped and squared her shoulders with her back to the entrance of the mountain base. "The child is of no concern to you. Leave now and I promise not to harm you, but continue on your path and I will protect that child with all the power of the Force."
Finally a smile crept upon Valeria's lips. "Your death along with the child's will pain the abomination greatly and weaken her resolve when I face her."
Crimson blades sliced through the air as she leapt at the jedi. Talisora spun on her heal to the left as her single blade deflected the sith's attack. Pink head tails and black cape flowed behind her as she brought her leg beneath to sweep Valeria's from under the assassin. The acolyte jumped over the jedi's kick and somersaulted in the air to land on her feet several yards away. Again the two squared off to face the other. With both hands, Valeria spun the blades of her saberstaff as she advanced on the elder woman. The electric humming of the red propeller filled the air. Talisora backed up a step and reached forward with her free right hand. Valeria stopped in her tracks as the jedi gripped her entire body with the invisible hand of the Force. The saberstaff continued to slowly spin as the human struggled against her foe's power. Step after step she closed towards the jedi. Talisora's arm shook as she struggled to keep the assassin at bay. Beads of sweat formed along her brow and her head tails twitched furiously. Her right foot slipped in the loose dirt beneath her feet, and with a loud gasp she lost her grip on Valeria. The spinning blades increased in speed as the sith acolyte broke free of the jedi's grasp. Seizing the opportunity, Valeria sprinted towards the twi'lek envisioning a quick kill. Just as she reached the jedi, Talisora leapt over her head and the propeller of energy and landed on a tree branch ten feet above her head. With a growl the assassin hurled her saberstaff at the branch the woman stood upon. Talisora expected the weapon to come directly at her, but as the blades sliced through the wood her eyes widened as her perch collapsed beneath her. She rolled as she landed. In desperation the jedi threw her lightsaber at the acolyte hoping to catch the human off-guard and weaponless as the saberstaff still flew through the air. Valeria sensed the jedi's attack and sidestepped just in time for the green blade to pass before her face by mere centimeters. Her eyes narrowed as she caught the saberstaff in her left and reached out towards the jedi with her right. Purple bolts of lightning arced from her fingertips towards the twi'lek still crouched on the ground. The unsuspecting jedi caught the full blast of energy in her chest. Talisora collapsed to the ground and writhed in pain as the sith poured more Force electricity into her body. After a few seconds, Valeria ceased her attack and walked to stand over the jedi. Talisora's breathing was labored as she tried to raise her head to look into the face of her attacker.
"I expected more from a jedi master," Valeria said with a sneer. "I am perplexed as to why the sith feared your kind so much. Neither you nor Galen have shown me anything in life that would warrant such."
"Yet in death you fear to face him even now," Talisora gasped. "Go ahead, sith. Strike me down. When you do I will join him in death and become more powerful than either you or your master can possibly imagine. Do it! Even in death I will not allow you to harm the child."
"You are already dying," the assassin responded. "I think I will kill the child first before you expire. In your condition you cannot stop me. Afterwards when you have joined Galen you could try to kill me, but I know that vengeance is not the jedi way. I will have gained exactly what I have come here for and you are powerless to prevent it."
"No!" the jedi tried to scream, but the sith acolyte ignored the dying woman as she stepped towards the entrance to the mountain base. Upon reaching the doorway, Valeria swept her hand before her and with the Force pried the door open. Beyond lay a long tunnel with lights along the ceiling. She entered the base oblivious to the jedi behind her struggling to crawl after her. She stretched out through the Force to sense where the child was hiding and smiled once she located him. She ran down the corridor and into a large room furnished like a home with chairs, tables, and couches arranged to face the center of the room. In that center sat a small boy with elven ears and red skin playing with some sort of toy before him. When Valeria entered the room, he looked up at her.
In Silvermoon city, Illiana leaned over a table covered in clothing for infants and toddlers. Behind her, Langhaer stood holding a cooing Celerion in his arms. The merchant closely watched the half elf as she perused the man's wares between them. She wanted to find a new outfit for her growing first child, and as they spent that afternoon visiting one merchant stall after another she was becoming more particular about what she wanted to buy for Herion. She imagined the look on his face when she would present him with the new clothes. In her bag slung from her shoulder was a small wooden replica of a hawkstrider. Her heart warmed as she envisioned the boy joyfully playing with his new toy while wearing his new clothes she chose for him. After a moment she pointed at a red shirt with gold piping and turned her head to look back at her husband. The smile that originally highlighted her features instantly turned to an expression of excruciating pain as she doubled over and fell to her knees. At the same time Celerion began crying, and Langhaer tried to comfort his son while looking down at his wife in confusion. The high elf scoffed as he watched the spectacle and ensured the woman wasn't trying to steal from him.
"Shhh," Langhaer whispered to his son. "Illiana, what's the matter?"
"I-I have to go home," she replied as she stood. "I have to go home."
"Illiana?" Langhaer asked as she ran from him and out of the market district of the city. She rushed through throngs of elves scurrying through the streets. Near the main gate some chattered about an undead army heading towards the city and rangers ran to their posts. The elven sith ignored them all as she found an unattended hawkstrider and leapt onto its back. Grabbing the reigns, she prodded the beast into a gallop and then a full sprint as she left the city in the direction of her home in Eversong Woods. She utilized the Force in maintaining control of the creature as they sped through the forest. Through some clearings she could see Northrend gargoyles, wiry winged crystalline beasts, positioned along the roadways searching for elves fleeing the city, but she avoided them by staying in the woods. Roads were not the quickest path to the mountain base. After a couple of hours she could see her home in the distance. The main door remained open and her heart lurched in her chest. Talisora would never leave the base exposed this way. Within a hundred yards of the entrance she spotted something black in the entrance threshold. She held her breath as she dismounted the hawkstrider and walked slowly to the form lying on the ground. A gust of wind blew the scorched and tattered cape exposing the limp head tails of the twi'lek. Illiana stopped and brought her hands to her mouth. Vacant eyes stared into the base following an outstretched arm. The jedi was dead.
Fear overwhelmed her as she stepped over Talisora's body and walked through the entrance of the base. Deafening silence from the rooms ahead pounded her sensitive elven ears as thundering footfalls echoed in the long corridor. The jedi's body only confirmed what she felt through the Force in Silvermoon. Each step deepened her fear as she tried to keep the twi'lek's prophecy out of her mind. Herion was smart and talented. He knew this base better than anyone and the elven sith hoped he hid from their attacker somewhere inside. Talisora's words, however, echoed in the continuing silence.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
When Illiana emerged from the corridor into their living quarters she saw nothing out of place. Her eyes focused on the center of the room and immediately her hear t dropped. She wailed at seeing the limp form her son lying in the middle of the floor. Her worst fear became reality. She ran to his side and knelt beside him as tears welled in her eyes.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
Reaching out tentatively she brushed his dark hair from his face. A gasp escaped her upon seeing the expression of horror frozen on his face. The elven sith pulled him close to her chest as she cried. His limp arms dangled from her embrace. Her precious little boy was slain.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
Before another thought could enter her mind, she felt a viselike grip around her throat. She dropped the boy's body as she turned her head to see Valeria emerge from the shadows in the corner of the room. The pain inside boiled to anger as the human sauntered closer with a wicked smile on her lips. Illiana couldn't breathe and spots formed in her vision, but the pain and hatred swelled within and before the human could utter a word she stood up and faced the assassin. The smile waned.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
The elven sith raised both arms and a barrage of purple lightning engulfed Valeria. Suddenly the grip around Illiana's throat disappeared, but she continued her attack. This woman murdered her son. The acolyte writhed in agony as the elf stalked closer and closer. Tears streamed down her cheeks below red eyes as Illiana reached farther down into the dark side than ever before. Pain fueled her fury as the image of Herion's body permeated her thoughts. All she hoped for her son was now lost. She would never see the joy in his eyes or hear his laughter again. Celerion would grow up never really remembering his older sibling. She would never see Herion grow into a man and possibly find the happiness she dreamt for him. All of this was lost and because of this woman sent by Drakus. No words could suffice at this moment as smoke and flames erupted from the assassin's body still engulfed in lightning. Further and further Illiana reached into darkness. All of her pain she unleashed upon Valeria.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
After a few minutes the acolyte's husk slumped to the floor. Illiana didn't reflect on what she had done and returned to the side of her son's body. She took him in her arms and held him close to her chest as she wept. Time held no meaning as she rocked back and forth softly singing to him. Already she missed his questioning as he always did when she returned from the city. After an hour she stood with her son in her arms and carried him to him room where she placed him in his bed. Gently placing his hands on his chest, she looked now into his face. The muscles had relaxed while she held him and the look or horror was replaced with a peaceful expression. She stared at him for a few more moments before exiting his room.
In silence and choking back tears, Illiana numbly walked to the entrance of the base where Talisora's body still lay in the entrance. Swallowing hard, the elven sith knelt beside the twi'lek and rolled the body onto its back. As with her son, Illiana placed the jedi's hands on her chest and closed her eyes. She looked out towards the woods surrounding the base and with a heavy heart stood and walked to the edge to gather wood for a funeral pyre for both Herion and Talisora. A small clearing west of the entrance seemed the perfect place for the structure. This base was old and once used by the sith centuries ago. Talisora had told her that one lord named Varok sporadically used the base, but he still remained on some ship in orbit and had not returned for decades. The man delved into mysteries surrounding genetics, and Illiana could not allow the sith to pervert her child in one of his outlandish experiments. Working diligently she finished the pyre near dusk. First she retrieved the body of the jedi and placed it atop the structure. She then returned to her son and before picking him up stared at him for a few moments. No outward marks of violence marred his body, and gritting her teeth Illiana picked up her son and carried him the long distance to the pyre and placed him beside his protector. Her lips trembled as she stood back and with a single bolt of lightning from her index finger she ignited the lower branches that served as kindling at the base of the structure. The wood was dry and within moments the fires raised high into the sky. Illiana fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands when the flames engulfed her son.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
The pyre burned for an hour as she knelt sobbing. Pain wracked her heart at the loss of her first born. Just as the sun set the elven sith felt the second tremor in the Force that day. As urgently as she felt the need to return home now Illiana knew she had to return to the city. Finding the hawkstrider still in the woods nearby, she climbed atop its back and raced back to Silvermoon. Her heart already burdened with the loss of her son and her mentor, Illiana dreaded what she would find in the city. No torches lit the roadways, and she remembered the gargoyles patrolling them earlier. As she neared the city an orange glow filled the sky. Soon she saw the flames as the city burned in the distance. She stopped just outside the burning city walls and still under cover of the woods. To her right she saw the scarred earth where an army had marched into the city.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
She stretched out through the Force hoping to sense life, but instead all she found was a void in the Force. Her brow furrowed. Even an invading army should have left some sort of resonance, but she felt nothing. And then she saw them near the breech in the wall. Scores of undead like those in Northrend lumbered in the scarred earth and into the city. Her hand covered her mouth as she gasped at a sudden realization.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
No! Langhaer and Celerion had been in the city! Her eyes searched the darkness outside the burning glow and her senses stretched out through the Force searching for any sign of life. Nothing. She should have been here! She could have protected them when the undead arrived! She had faced them before when she escaped Drakus' fortress and knew how to evade them. But now was too late. In a single day she had lost everything and everyone she loved. Her eyes returned to the flames engulfing the city and instantly she saw Herion's face in them. Silvermoon was now the funeral pyre for the elves. The pain of the loss of everyone she cared for stabbed her heart.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
Her mind raced trying to fathom just what had become of her life tracing the events of this tragic day. Valeria. Drakus sent her after all these years. She killed Herion and Talisora. Her actions led Illiana from the city. Had Valeria not picked this day of all days to murder her son, then she would have remained in the city with Langhaer and Celerion. When the undead arrived she could have protected them and so many other elves. Any other day when Valeria arrived, the elven sith knew she would have been with Herion and stopped Drakus' plans.
A great tragedy shall befall you leading you into darkness.
The elven sith's mind pondered hypothesis after hypothesis as she tried to reason out the day's inevitable conclusion. Her family was dead. The pain of that loss churned to anger and further into hatred as each scenario circled to the same root cause. Drakus was to blame for all of this, and while the city burned she vowed in silence she would make the sith lord pay for all he had done to her. The dark side of the Force swelled within her as she turned the hawkstrider away from the carnage as undead continued to ravage the dead city. She would make Drakus pay. She would have vengeance.