The pair and their mounts walked swiftly through the Eversong woods. Nerthius gave the shaman a few quick glances he watched as her dark hair bounced with each step of her beast. He eyes were oddly vacant from his view. She was also oddly silent compared to her normally vibrant nature.
"Is something wrong Serenity?" Nerthius asked softly but got no response from her. "Serenity." He barked causing the shaman to quickly turn to him.
"What?" Serenity asked rather harshly.
"I asked you what is wrong?" Nerthius looked sternly at her rather angry eyes. "You have been in your own little world since we left. I am your friend if something is on your mind speak freely."
"I don't think you would understand."
"Try me. We have known each other for at least ten years Serenity. I doubt there is anything that your could surprise me with... well except with womanly things. Then you are on your own." Nerthius tried to joke but it seemed to land flat on its face.
"I was asked by an Alliance leader to be an ambassador for the horde."
"That is great news." Nerthius said smiling but it quickly faded as he saw the concerned look on Serenity's face. "You don't want to take it though do you."
"I don't think it would suit me."
"You wouldn't know until you tried. Oh wait you already have." Nerthius said getting a confused look from the shaman. "You were an ambassador to the cenarion circle when we need more soldiers. If it wasn't for you we wouldn't have won that."
"True." Serenity said meekly.
"You are one of the strongest people I know Serenity." Nerthius smiled. "I honestly believe you can and will do amazing things."
Serenity smiled warmly at her friend's comment, her whole body felt at ease.
...
Serenity yawned loudly as her frost wolf bounded down the darkened road to Tranquillien. The thumps and clicks of their mounts feet hitting the pavement began to have an effect or the shaman. Her whole body felt heavy as she rode into the dark dreary town. Serenity looked around the town at the vacant shops dotting the hill the town sat on. Nerthius pulled along side his friend, his eyes scanned the area.
"Where is everyone?" Serenity asked bluntly.
"Maybe they are in the inn or broken tower there." Nerthius said pointing to a crumbling elven tower. He quickly dismounted his horse and walked over to the tower, as soon as his foot stepped into the threshold a chill run up his spine. "Something isn't right here."
"Yeah nobody is in the inn, I can see from here. There doesn't seem to be a sign of a battle either." Serenity said walking towards the paladin about to pass him but was stopped by a outstretched arm. "What's up?"
"You can't feel that?" Nerthius asked turning to her.
"I can't feel anything. These lands are basically dead so I have very little connection to the earth here. I also can't hear any wind." Serenity tried to explain but seemed to be ignored by the young paladin as his eyes scanned the dark shadows of the tower.
"We are in a trap."
"What are you talking about." Serenity said confused. "Who would slaughter a whole town for a trap for two people."
"I don't think we are in the town." Nerthius said crouching to investigate the ground.
"You're kidding. You think this is some magic trick?"
"Use a spell Serenity. Use a lightning bolt on the box over there." Nerthius pointed to a pair of old wooden crates a short distance away.
"I don't think that will help but fine." Serenity said quickly channeling a ball of lightning and tossing it at the box. The ball of energy smashed into the box kicking up a torrent of dust. "See nothing happened... wait... what."
"We are in a magic circle." Nerthius said standing and heading outside the tower.
"How do we get out?"
"I remember this spell slightly, Or a spell like it. It is called an instance boundary." Nerthius said looking around the area intently. "We have to find the one that cast the spell, if we find them and defeat them it's broken."
"Oh that all." Serenity said a small gray circle forming around her. Small living tornadoes suddenly appeared around her. The tornadoes instantly scattered in all directions. "Find the spell caster men!"
A raspy cackle cut through the air making the two elves to look at each other. Serenity's face went from confidence to terror in a few seconds. Nerthius tried to stay brave as the cackle caused shivers down his spine.
"You think a parlor trick such as that can defeat me?" The raspy voice spoke confidently. "I draw power from the true king. His power is my own, I am a god."
"You mean the Lich King, Necromancer." Nerthius shouted to the sky. "He was defeated by the Argent Crusade. Arthas is dead and nobody morns."
"You lie Elf." The voice shouted. "Who are you to claim the master has fallen."
"I am Nerthius SunReaver. Blood knight captain of Silvermoon." Nerthius replied, he was answered by gagging sounds and then a eerie silence. Nerthius turned to Serenity who was spinning on her heels trying to spot the magi. "Something caught in your throat Necromancer."
"Neeerrrrthiiusssssssss." The voice hissed. "I have been looking for you."
Out of the corner of the paladin's eye he saw movement. He turned to the old decrepit inn, in the doorway stood a figure slightly shorter than the paladin. The iconic skull helm of a necromancer told him instantly who it was. Nerthius's hand hovered over the handle of his sword the other waiting to grab his shield from his back.
"Who are you and what do you want from me." Nerthius shouted glaring at the magi.
"I want you to come with..." The Necromancer spoke with arms wide but stopped as they eyed Serenity behind the paladin. With a thrust of their ashen shinned hand they pointed at Serenity. "The imposter shows herself. Tries to take what is not hers."
Serenity stiffened at the comment. "What... what did you say?"
"They are trying to mess with your head don't listen." Nerthius barked not letting his eyes off the magi. "You better explain what you want. Or you will face the wrath of Silvermoon."
"I came to claim what is mine."
"I belong to no one." Nerthius said grabbing his sword.
"I hardly believe that." The necromancer cackled reaching for their helm lifting it off their head to reveal pearly white hair, a Female blood elf glared at the paladin her eye lost their fel green glow and replaced with a icy blue. Dark rings surrounded her eyes making her whole face seem paler. "You said you would be forever mine." The woman spoke her voice less raspy than before but it seemed as if there were two people speaking.
"I only said that to Vanessa. She is dead." Nerthius said pointing the blade at the elf.
"You believe in necromancers but don't believe in their abilities. You are a sad creature Nerthius." The woman cackled as she tossed the skull to the ground. It clattered loudly as it skidded across the broken floor. "I thought you would fall into my arms as we once did so long ago. My lovely Nerthius."
"You are insane woman. You are not Vanessa." Nerthius glared at the blood elf who staggered slightly shocked by the man's bluntness. "The woman I loved died. She knew her job's threats and accepted that. She fell to a dark way and couldn't recover. I forgave her for that but I can't forgive turning into what she fought against. You are not Vanessa."
"You are shell of my sister. The true Vanessa left us when she took the Naga's deal." Serenity said coldly walking up beside Nerthius. "We will give you a swift death." She said as electricity arced off her hands.
"I will have you! You will accept me!" Vanessa screeched at the pair. She flipped open the cloak to reveal twin blood stained swords on her belt. Twin hooked cobalt blades with a silver shield guarding the handles. A skull ornament was imbedded into the guard giving the twin blades a menacing look.
"Those don't look like nice weapons." Serenity whispered to the paladin.
"I stole these off of the Nerthius impersonators. They didn't serve their last owners well enough." Vanessa hissed as she drew the blades.
She leaped at the pair her blades raised over her head, letting out a unholy scream as she soared through the air. Her blades were quickly deflected by the large shield and shining blade of the paladin. Vanessa's features quickly changed from rage to shock as her attack as parried, Nerthius replied to her shock by slamming his helmeted head into her forehead. The undead elf staggered backwards as black bile began to seep from a gash on her head.
"You never could beat me in melee." Nerthius smirked as he watched the undead elf recover. "You always beat me in everything else though."
Vanessa screamed and charged at the paladin her right hand glowing a sickly green. She thrust out her hand, a sickly green skull burst from her and was about to slam into Nerthius. Suddenly it turned quickly and seemed to be devoured by a small brown glowing orb that hovered beside Serenity. The shaman smirked at the spell was eaten by her orb.
"What the fel was that?" Nerthius asked leaping back from the undead elf's wild swings.
"A earth based absorption spell." Serenity said quickly as she launched a ball of electricity at the undead elf.
"You should be paying attention to me! I am your love!" Vanessa screamed as she swung wildly with her twin blades. As she screamed the air crackled with escaping energy. Serenity watched as the energy passed by her and revealed the fractured window to another world.
"What the fel are you talking about. We just explained this." Nerthius said deflecting the swords rather easily. Serenity smirked as the paladin leaped back gracefully. "I don't like that look Serenity. You are thinking..."
"We could use this to our advantage."
"Use what and how?"
"Follow my lead." Serenity said getting a hesitant nod from the paladin. "Oh ya Nerthius, you fell for me as soon as she was in the ground." Serenity nearly shouted causing the paladin to swallow deeply as he eyed the reaction of the undead elf.
"Um.. ya..."
"He was so dashing picking me up bridal style and whispering sweet nothings into my ears." Serenity said smiling as the whole world around them began to crack and splinter. "We went to the dock and watched the sunset." Serenity quoted some dreams that she could have with the young paladin. She looked dreamily towards him as he stood unblinking looking at undead before him. Serenity huffed as she noticed his gaze. "You just had to come back and ruin the little happiness that I could get right Essa." Serenity's voice rose in anger at the last sentence.
Vanessa screamed loudly her rage overflowing at the shaman. The magic in the air was thick like a dense fog as the spell began to shatter around them. Phantom shadows of people who live in the town began to wander around the three. Some showed signs of noticing the battle pointing towards them, running away from the spectacle probably to get their friends.
Vanessa bolted from her spot and rushed towards Serenity her blades ready to skewer the shaman. A large blue shield suddenly appeared in the undead's path, her eyes widened as the cobalt buckler came rushing towards her. Her blades scraped the edges of the steel armor, but the wall of steel didn't stop. Vanessa clenched her eyes shut as she readied for impact.
The sound of steel against bone was sickening as bone shattered and blood splattered. The sound of someone screaming was drowned out as the two combatants separated both flying backwards from the clash.
Vanessa's back slammed into the ground, her arms and legs turned into rubber after the impact. Her face was oozing black bile, one eye was sealed shut. Her jaw sat at a awkward angle. Sickening moans exited her mouth as she lay on the dark grassy ground.
Serenity lay nearby clenching her teeth not wanting to look down at the source of searing pain in her abdomen. A few pained hisses escaped through her teeth as she tried to move.
"Serenity don't move." Nerthius barked at her as his face appeared above her.
Suddenly a second head appeared, a undead wearing a white hood. Serenity couldn't see their face very well but the ashen chin poking from the shadow told her he was a forsaken. "I will patch you up little lady. You took two swords to the guts. So try to relax as we try to remove them." The undead waved Nerthius away so he could concentrate.
"It hurts..." Serenity hissed getting a chuckle from the priest.
"I bet it does. I ain't seen something like this in a while." The undead said as he quickly yet smoothly removed the first sword and applied his healing hands. "I think she missed everything vital, no worries there isn't much I can't patch up. We won't know for sure until we get the next one."
"Where is she."
"The paladin is taking care of her with some of our guards." The priest said he snapped his fingers in front of Serenity's face causing her eyes to widen. "Can't have you dozing off on me."
"I'm feeling sleepy. I can't keep my eyes open." Serenity mumbled as her eyelids began to feel extremely heavy. Darkness began to invade her vision, her ears began to ring loudly as the forsaken tried to shout at her but Serenity felt her energy disappearing as the seconds passed.