Naisha locked blades with the much shorter undead blood elf. A maniacal smile hidden by ram horned helm. Vanessa glared at the night elf with venomous eyes. She knew she wouldn't be able to parry the massive swords the woman held, in the darker corners of the undead's mind tried to figure out how she wielded such weaponry so easily.
"He he he, You getting tired yet shrimp?" Naisha pressed harder on her swords, the claymores screeching as they skidded against the smaller blades.
A sudden flash and scorching heat made both combatants turn to a large fireball flying towards them. The pair swallowed before leaping away from the incoming blast. The pair tumbled as the fireball smashed into the tile floor exploding sending shards raining down upon the battlefield.
"By Elune's grace are you trying to kill me!" Naisha screamed at the mage standing some distance away.
"I missed, I was aiming at her!" Was the reply causing the hardened warrior to shake her head disgustedly.
"Where were we?" Naisha asked turning to where the her opponent was last. She sighed as the elf was now in a hectic battle with Nerthius. "Dammit cutie. I don't try to steal your kills let me have mine. I wanted to go swish, swish, dead."
Nerthius slashed precisely at the risen body of his lost love. A unhindered rage burned in his eyes as his blade crashed into hers. Vanessa's eyes turned from rage towards the night elf to confusion as the paladin continued his relentless attacks.
The undead tumbled backwards her swords clattering to the ground as her back slammed into the hard tile. Her eyes creaked open to see a darkened silhouette of the paladin that stuck her down. A sly smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.
"You won't be able to finish me, My dear. I love you, that is what brought me back." Vanessa said as she motioned to stand up but felt the sharp tip of the blade jab into her chest. "Nerthius. Honey you aren't serious."
"Vanessa Windsong. You were sentenced to death I will take responsibility and end your life." Nerthius said his voice cold as the frozen wastes of Northrend. Swiftly the blade sang as it slashed through the target. The sound of splashing liquid and the hollow thuds of the rolling orb seemed to echo off the high white walls of the elven city.
Nerthius stood over the beheaded body of his foe. A eerie silence filled the air as he bent down and picked up the head of his fallen love. Naisha and Amy looked at each other slightly confused before Amy motioned of what to do, Naisha silently protested but sighed. Naisha slowly approached him patting a comforting hand on his stiff shoulder.
"How you holding up?"
"I did my job." Nerthius said coldly.
"That is bullshit." Naisha said making Nerthius look at her. "You just finished off your best friend's sister... Ooh that would make her the tramp." Naisha said pointing to the corpse. Naisha tensed as the words exited her lips. "Right sorry. Um... can you help me miss-mage-person."
A sigh was heard from behind them, suddenly she was beside them in an instant. "Mr. Paladin. You had a connection to this woman you must be feeling something other than 'It is my job'. I believe Miss Ravencrest is trying to get you to let the emotions out."
"I have no emotions to let out. This wasn't the Vanessa I knew. The one I knew wouldn't be so careless she was a shield maiden. The best of the female paladins, aside from Lady Liadrin. This wasn't the same woman." Nerthius said calmly as he turned and began walk away from the body. "I will report this to the knights. You two better be scarce. Your races are not normally welcomed here."
"I have immunity." Naisha said holding up a badge with the horde emblem. "I am a licensed Mercenary for the Horde." Naisha smiled broadly.
"I can go with her I might be able to pass by some guards." Amy said scratching the back of her head. "I wonder how Mom is getting past them."
Nerthius ignored their explanations whistling to his trusty steed.
…
Samantha squealed as Kaldesh hauled back on the reigns, the beast staggered as the passengers hopped off. Kaldesh looked up at the familiar spire he raised an eyebrow at his traveling companion. The woman turned to him and made a motion for him to go ahead.
"How ya gonna get through dem." Kaldesh asked her.
"Don't worry Master troll. I have ways." Trisha said moving forward, also reaching into her robes withdrawing a few slips of parchment. She stopped before a guard and handed the papers to him. "May I pass through here I have a daughter in the infirmary."
"Ma'am this says your daughter is Serenity Windsong." The guard said reading the papers.
"Is there something wrong with a half-elf to have a human mother." Trisha said calmly as she removed her hood before the guards. They all jumped their hands reaching for their weapons, a single hand was held up halting them.
"Miss. Foredragon. Your papers seem to be in order, we cannot stop you from seeing your daughter." The guard said calmly looking at the different signatures.
"Thank you young man. I go by Mrs. Runetouch now but I still miss Darill. I did not hear that he had lost his life until recently." Trisha said making small talk with the knight. "I left Serenity here so she could live with other elves, so she would know your culture and such. It was amazing that she found me not long ago. It is a grand story..."
"I be sorry ta interrupt but can we go an get dis over with." Kaldesh said calmly making the woman blush vividly.
"Oh I am sorry." Trisha bowed to the knight before walking past, Kaldesh gave the knight a understanding look as the remaining guards got a chuckle from the older lady. "Oh and my other daughter should be arriving sometime soon, she is wearing blue and gold robes you can't miss her." Came a voice from inside the spire.
The odd pair moved into the darkly lit room as elven priests and priestesses rushed around franticly to various injured elves. Some looked to be minor scrapes from training exercises, others lay on nicely done beds. Kaldesh even eyed a few recruits seeming to fake injuries to ogle the female priestesses.
A blond elf priestess popped up in front of the pair making them slightly jump. "How may I help you?"
"We be 'ere ta see Serenity Windsong. We were told dat she be 'ere." Kaldesh spoke up before Trisha got to open her mouth.
"Ah yes the shaman." The elf said absently rubbing a small scar on her neck. "Follow me. We have repaired her body but it seems she is lost."
"How so?" Trisha asked as she moved past a few evil glares. They arrived to a small secluded bed, Serenity lay on it her hands clasped loosely on her stomach.
"She doesn't seem to react to anything. Her body is fully repaired, we believe that her mind has shut down to protect itself. We don't know what to do with her we need these beds for people we can save." The priestess said her voice growing softer as the grim words came out. "I am sorry, but I have other patients to deal with if you will excuse me." She nodded her head before rushing off to tend to a elf with a broken arm.
"Well dis seems a little silly now." Kaldesh said taking out a small silver trinket. He placed it on Serenity's stomach tucking it under her hands. "Dis just raises ya from da beyond, it only works once though."
Trisha gave a mumbled reply as she grabbed a chair that sat nearby. The retired priestess sat and took her first daughter's hand and caressed it softly. Both elders thinking about their next move.
…
Serenity lay on her back looking up at the pitch black sky above her. The shaman couldn't help but think that this was just some sick illusion as she stared into the inky blackness. Her hands wandered around the floor almost as if they had minds of their own. She expected the room to be cool and quiet but due to some arguing spirits her nirvana was misplaced.
"Will you four shut it!" Serenity screamed silencing the four spirits, she propped herself on her elbows to look at the humanoid forms of the great master of elements and wasn't surprised.
Ignious held Terran by his dwarven beard a fireball alight in her other palm. Cyclonus hand his arms looped around the smaller frame of the fire spirit, restricting her movements. Hydross held Terran in a similar way as the wind and flame were connected. All four spirits turned to her with looks of confusion.
"I'm trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do here. If you don't mind either help me or be quiet." Serenity shouted plopping back to the floor dramaticly.
"You didn't tell her how to choose her path tornado face?" Ignious said looking at the old gray haired elf.
"I was rudely interrupted when you arrived dear sister." Cyclonus said calmly as he let go of the female spirit.
"You know the way out and didn't tell me." Serenity said sitting back up.
"In my defense.."
"The wind don't have defense. You just let everything go through ya." Terran smirked as he walked toward the shaman."There is four choices lass. They all lead to a different place." The ancient dwarf said sitting down in front of Serenity. "We are all here to help guide ya on your choice. Flame head over there her path is very stressful and many don't return."
"They aren't really meant to down my path." Ignious chuckled placing her hands on her hips. "Choosing to go through hell is not usually the wisest choice."
"My path lets you forget about the mortal realm to live among the clouds." Cyclonus said waving a hand as he stared into space.
"They keyword being forget." Terran barked at the air elemental. "His path is a final choice as well. You live on as free spirit, but ya lose all memories of your previous life."
"My choice is to remain here. To contemplate through the end of time." Hydross said coldly.
"You are just bitter." Ignious smirked. "Tornado face and I got the best ones."
Hydross rolled his eyes and turned away from the spirit.
"My path is extremely hard, ya return to the mortal realm." Terran said waiting for a reaction from the shaman. "Ya need to make a connection with someone on the other side."
Serenity looked at the old dwarf confused for a few moments as his words sunk in. "You mean I get to haunt someone?"
"Ya could but that hasn't worked too well in the past." Terran said scratching his cheek sheepishly.
"It has never worked." Hydross said calmly. "We have had countless souls arrive here. They all choose Cyclonus's or Ignious's paths believing they are the most just or easiest to endure."
"Hey hey hey..." Serenity smiled as gears began to turn in her mind. "You guys can so tell Kaldesh about this. You can go to Azeroth and then we have two people trying to think how to get me back into my body."
The four spirits looked at each other dumbfounded. Ignious began to chuckle madly, slapping her knee as the idea donned on the other spirits.
"We have been doing this for how long... How many shamans have come through here." Ignious cackled. The others eyed the fiery spirit bitterly as she laughed.
"I will go and speak with him. It will be easier for me to form than the rest of you. I will do my best." Cyclonus bowed as he vanished into a twirl of harsh winds.
"Gods help us." Serenity sighed flopping back onto her back.
…
Nerthius rode through the lightly busy streets his face was cold and determined as he made his way to the Blood Knight Academy in Farstrider's Square. Despite his outer cool resolve the young knight's mind was a mixture of thoughts and emotions. He had not just lost his fiancee but also one of the oldest friends he had ever had. Without even realizing it he arrived at the monstrous building, his grim task of delivering the head.
Nerthius walked toward a pair of gallantly dress knights. "Where is Knight-Lord Bloodvalor. I have a delivery for him." Nerthius said emotionless.
"What does a lowly elf like you need to busy the Knight-Lord." The elf laughed along with his friend.
Nerthius sighed and lifted up the severed head and thrust it between the two. "Fine if you are going to be fools. You deliver him the message that Vanessa Windsong is dead after she escaped slaughtered three guards. Also that Captain SunReaver will be sending in his resignation soon." He spun on his heel walking away from the stunned knights, one knight glanced down at the severed head in his hands and began to squirm and cringe.
...
Hello readers. I hope you enjoyed this chapter this was very difficult to write and I would like to say personally I don't find it all that good. This is the transition to the final chapters, there will be by my guess about 4 more chapters. I want to thank you all for reading and say sorry if the battle was not as climactic as you would think. I have a plan no matter how bizarre and erratic it may be, I usually change ideas on the fly half the time.
Read and review and thank you for reading. ^^b