SOVEREIGN by J CAE

WARNING: VIOLENCE AND MATURE CONTENT. The next two or three chapters are NOT suitable for VASHJ fans with weak hearts... Anyways, one advice: don't use dark forest shortcuts at night!!!

CHAPTER NINE: FAITHLESS

On her way back to report to Kael, something attacked Vashj from behind.

By the time she figured out it was a web, it was already too late. She had been secured to the ground. She did not attempt to struggle, knowing that it would not help--she knew how excruciating it could get if her scales get caught between the strings.

Naga guards came into view, surrounding her with their spears, halberds and crossbows pointing at her. She stared at them with her jaw hung open, more from puzzlement than fear.

Anna the siren came into view from behind the shrubs, obviously in charge of this ambush. Vashj knew her face, but had trouble putting a name to it.

The trap Anna had set was the narrow shortcut in the forest that Vashj often took when she travelled to and fro the two castles, a nice and quiet path concealed by the shadows of the trees. Not many knew how to navigate the dark passage--but this was to Anna's advantage. Late was the hour, and there would be no help even if the Sea Witch cried and screamed. She had made sure of the fact before she made her move against Illidan's most trusted general.

Vashj cocked a brow at the siren, questioning her motive.

"I'm sorry, my lady," she managed her tone as plain as she could. "But by order of Lord Illidan we are to execute you."

"Why?" Vashj choked on her shock. This was unexpected. Why would Illidan wish her dead?
"You know it," the siren reminded her quietly. "You lied to him."

The sea witch protested, "I did not!"

"Silence!" Anna roared, and her warriors pressed their weapons closer to the helpless sea witch. Ha, she enjoyed her newfound authority. Even Vashj herself had to obey her commands now!

"You knew about the Dark Lady coming back to life. You visited the Elders and asked them about it," the young siren smiled menacingly. "Do you suppose Lord Illidan knows naught of those?"

Vashj's eyes widened. Her secret meeting with the Elders was exposed! But how?

Well, it would not matter now, how or why.

"I merely wanted to make sure of things before I report to him," the sea witch tried her futile best to argue.

"Say no more," Anna pointed to Illidan's castle in the other direction, "Lord Illidan lives over there. You are heading to the wrong master."

So her cover was blown! What else did Illidan know? The sea witch grew desperate, but she was not hopeless. "Wait. How do I know that you have actually received orders from Lord Illidan? Let me speak with him so that I know it is the truth you are saying!"

Anna nodded, "You may speak with him if he wishes to see you at all. But I fear, my dear lady, you will find that every word I said is true."

She enjoyed watching the Sea Witch mentally suffer. She must be wondering how that could have happened. She must be debating within herself whether she should admit her crimes or go down with a fight? Well, well. The answer would come soon.

*~*~*~*

Kael raced down the quiet hallway, asking every night guard if they had seen Vashj. No, they answered, she had not come back and we do not know where she is now, sorry about it.

Whatever was going on?

Just as he resumed his flight down the dim corridor, he heard one of the guards saying something like, "Well, there's no point in trying to find her if she decides not to come back at all," louder than he intended. Kael heard him clearly enough and thought to give him a lecture--but decided against it. Vashj's safety was the major concern.

Varimathras. The Dark Lady had said. Go find Varimathras.

There had to be a reason, he felt it.

The Forsaken were camped in the forest. They might know where Vashj was if she happened to be outside. They might have seen her. He stepped out of his castle into the open night air and wished he had his cloak on with him to keep out the autumn chill. But no time to worry about that.

The very presence of the Undead polluted the forest. Trees died all around their base, and the once fertile soil turned to blight. But the Forsaken were fiercely loyal to their Dark Lady and Varimathras--and to Kael as well. They proved to be crucial allies.

"Where's the Dreadlord?" the elven king bellowed. The Forsaken hurried to find their master.

Varimathras emerged from behind the dead trees a few seconds later, "Yes, my king?"

"Have you seen Vashj?"

"No, but I have already sent out trackers to find her," it seemed that he also suspected something to happen to the sea witch.

"How did you know..." the question caught in Kael's throat.

"I heard the Dark Lady's command in my head," the dreadlord replied calmly.

"How?"

"I do not know," he explained. "But since we rescued her from Kil'jaeden's citadel, I have been hearing her voice."

"It's not possible," Kael protested. "She's been unconscious all the while!"

"You think she was unconscious?" Varimathras looked at him as though the idea had been totally ridiculous. "She was merely somewhere else, fighting a war--she speaks to me of the shades and shadows she's battling against."

The dreadlord had said it with such firmness that Kael felt it impossible to shun. He believed it. But shades and shadows? What could that possibly mean? Why, then, had Kael never heard Sylvanas's voice in his head?

But before he could get any further with his questions, the dreadlord turned to greet one of the four trackers who returned to fill him in on the situation. "The Naga had taken the sea witch away to Illidan's fortress, in chains," said the shade. "They said they were to execute her in their sovereign's name."

Damn.

Execute! Buried alive? Was that what Sylvanas had tried to say?

"We must get her back before they do anything to her!" Kael reacted spontaneously, "We'll put up a fight if..." and paused when he realized he was alone in this.

"No," Varimathras only shook his head. "It is not a wise idea. Vashj serves under Illidan's command--he has a right to execute her. We are not ready to war against him and his vast forces. Besides, we cannot risk losing an ally. Not in this state."

An answer he did not expect from the dreadlord--it sounded more like Sylvanas's thinking.

But whoever came up with it, the elf had to admit that it was right.

How, then, could they get Vashj back before it was too late?

And suddenly, a few ghouls ran towards Varimathras and told him something that Kael made out as, "Someone's near."

They smelled raw power--it could have been spies. It could have been the enemy--or even Illidan himself.

They braced themselves.

*~*~*~*

The Dark One concealed himself and continued observing from the shadows. If Sylvanas's telepathy was all that strong, she should have had sniffed him out already. But she had not. Nor had her minions.

She still needed more practice.

For a moment, when the ghouls ran back to inform their master, he thought his tracks were discovered, and he quickly fled back to the trees. But then, he realized those brainless undead had not seen him, but were distracted by something else instead.

He smiled in spite of himself. Perhaps he had truly overestimated Sylvanas.

He reached into the pocket of his black robe and touched the strand of elven hair he took from her just before her death--when she was drawing her last few breaths, too weak to resist him.

I have killed you once, lady, and I intend to do so again.

He raised her from undeath with his tremendous power. He had brought her back to life so that he could kill her again.

I crave to hear your screams of pain again. I lust for your flesh, the savour of your blood. I want you, whole once more, so that I can rip apart your every joint again.

And still quivering with excitement, he watched and anticipated.

*~*~*~*

"Master Illidan, we have brought the traitor hither."

Anna the siren bowed low before the undead lord who seated himself on his throne with a distant look. Moonlight poured through the small windows high up on the walls, on his dead face that showed no emotion, no acknowledgement of any sort. The young Naga would have thought he knew not of their arrival at all, but he waved a dismissing gesture at her.

He would speak with Vashj alone.

And when the doors closed behind the last Naga guard, he spoke, his tone full of accusation and anger, "You know what you have done to me, Vashj?"

The sea witch cast her gaze to the floor, unable to speak.

"Look at me, damn you!" he roared.

She dared not disobey and looked into his decayed face. She could see patches of blue, brown and grey on his skin, trapping clogged and corrupted blood underneath it. He rose and approached her, forcing her to take a closer look at him.

"This is what you've done to me! You abandoned me to this fate!"

He clawed at his own face, ripping his skin away, tearing the dead flesh out until all that remained of his left cheek were bones. No blood. Nothing. A tooth bounced off the floor. He felt no pain. Only anger. Only mad rage.

Vashj stared at him in total disbelief. He seized both her shoulders and shook her violently until he could hear her teeth clattering.

"But I loved you! I trusted you! I wanted to give you another chance! And this is how you repay me! You lied to me! You denounced me!"

When he released her, she lost her balance and fell to the floor, "Lord Illidan I would not dare." Fear washed over her--for the first time, she let it show in front of another. "You know that I wouldn't dare."

"I have heard more than enough," without warning, he picked her up by the collar and planted a kiss on her lips. Disarmed by terror, she did not know how to react as he bit her hard enough to make her bleed. She tried to break away, but dared not.

Finally, he paused to give her time to breathe. Rusty liquid filled her mouth.

He cupped his mouth over hers again and again, tearing her flesh apart, drinking her blood.

And she realized he was going to bite her to death.

*~*~*~*

Relief showed on Varimathras's face as he bowed deeply at the figure that approached, wrapped in bed sheets. Her steps were quite uneven--it had been too long since she worked her legs. The dreadlord darted to her side quickly and attempted to aid her when she gave him a death stare. He stepped back.

For a few seconds, Kael's jaw hung open.

The woman standing before him was beautiful, almost shimmering under the midnight moon--or was it just the furious energies radiating from within her? She gazed back at him--her eyes were the same shade of cobalt he remembered. Blonde curls were cast down to her waist, glowing in splendour.

"Sylvanas?"

She looked as though she had never been killed--her soul never stolen.

She looked alive, exactly the way she was before he left Quel'thalas.

"What happened to you?" he could not trust his eyes.

"What?" it appeared she knew nothing of her transformation.

"You have changed, milady," Varimathras said calmly and went down on his knees. Sylvanas reached to touch his forehead, extracting the image of herself from his mind. Somehow, their...closeness disturbed Kael. They seemed to know exactly what the other wanted before they even spoke. Was that her work of telepathy?

"I am...cured..." she gasped in wonder.

"Your hand is warm," the dreadlord told her--a vampire was sensitive to body heat, a hunting instinct.

But she came here with a more urgent matter on hand, and she chose to cast aside the issue, "No time for this. I must find Illidan now. Varimathras, Kael. Back me up as I go speak with him."

"All right, my lady," Varimathras got up to his feet and prepared to leave.

"Er, Sylvanas?" Kael paled suddenly.

"Yes?" she trained her eyes on him.

"I need to speak with you."

She nodded, but stood there.

He added, "I mean, in private."

"We don't have time..."

"No, we don't" he led her away by the arm.

*~*~*~*

It was not good.

When Vashj regained her consciousness, she found herself caged in the middle of the Naga encampment, exposed to the curious eyes of the soldiers who once served under her command, and those who once called her leader. A wooden cage, for crying out loud! What mockery is this? She knew she could easily breakthrough a wooden cage, even with her weapons confiscated and her mana stripped. But she did not.

One of the reasons being that there were still two dozen guards standing around her cage, awaiting Illidan's arrival to give her the final sentence. It would not help even if she could get out of the cage--she would be recaptured within seconds.

And another reason was loyalty to Illidan. She had seen how her betrayal hurt him--and oh, how badly he could hurt her in return! Bite marks marred her face, her neck and shoulders, but the worst damage was done to her tongue. She would never speak again, let alone cast a spell.

One of the guards spit at her. She made no attempt to move away from him. No big deal.

Later, as dawn broke, she was given food and water, and ordered to finish it in front of the guards. Without words to protest, she had to obey. She was not the least bit hungry, but she shoved the tasteless nutrients into her mouth and tried to ignore the pain as she swallowed. The guards watched with scorn in their eyes, but their attention was quickly ensnared as a giant shadow appeared overhead, blocking out the rising sun, haunting the heavens with their howls.

"It's a skeletal dragon!" they cried.

Vashj also turned her eyes to the sky. It was not only one Frost Wyrm. At least thirty majestic creatures filled the sky, cruising slowly, as if they were studying the newly built city below them, waiting for their chance to strike.

In the lead was Sapphiron--the dark blue of midnight. Ner'zhul's plight! Was he finally making his strike? After six months of peace and reconstruction, had he finally come to ravage the new Quel'dara.

"What could they be doing here?"

"Quick! Go inform Master Illidan!"

And the reason they came became absurdly clear as Vashj felt a shiver down her spine--it was merely a diversion. She tried to cry out for help, but the cries of the Frost Wyrms drowned out the noise. The Naga neither heard it, nor saw anything. They would not come to her aid in time anyway.

The banshee once named Meris crept easily into the Naga territory and leapt through the cage at Vashj's head. The snakes in her hair--the four souls reacted at once, clamping their venomous jaws at the attacker. But neither their teeth nor poison could hurt one who was already dead.

No, little Naga, the banshee laughed frenziedly as she drank in the sea witch's tormented screams. Be not afraid. Join with your new master!

She clawed at the four snakes, severing their heads lose from their bodies. The pain threw the sea witch against the wall of the cage, twisting away, slamming herself to the wall again, twisting, slamming.

Meris tortured and defeated the elven souls that once bundled within the mutilated shell, enslaving each that emerged reluctantly from the broken heads that vaporized with the wind. Then, she approached the fallen sea witch who laid so still on the ground as if she had already died.

She touched the Naga's mind. It still resisted her, but not for long. Her strength was all gone. None left.

Meris smiled as she touched the sea witch's slack but blemished face--and with a bow in the direction of Northrend, she gracefully stepped inside the empty shell, "In Ner'zhul's name..."

The body of Vashj rose and resumed eating what food she had been given as the guards withdrew their attentions from the Frost Wyrms.

It would appear to them as if nothing happened, and Meris would continue with the charade.

Still looking for the banshee who stole your daughter, Alanen? she snickered. Well, she has become a Naga now.

*~*~*~*

Illidan raced to the scene and managed to catch sight of the herd of flying horrors before they disappeared in the direction of the rising sun. What could they be doing? Surely if they were to attack, they could have levelled Quel'dara already. Though Illidan had made sure his base would not be defenceless in case of aerial assaults, against such vast force, what could be done?

He tried to come up with possibilities--they could not be spies. Why would anyone send a strong army over another's territory if not for an assault? It never occurred to him that the Frost Wyrms were merely ordered to 'pass by' Quel'dara. More subtle and dangerous works were being done.

A satyr approached him before he could think of anything else, "Master, a messenger."

He was about to turn the messenger away when he realized he could not. She was an elven woman in a loose fitting black dress--and he would have thought her beautiful if he were not dead.

"Illidan Stormrage," the woman greeted him coldly. Her voice--there was something about her voice. Something familiar. But even as he wrecked his mind he could not recall seeing such a face¡Kwait. Did she just address him as Illidan Stormrage? Any Blood Elf would have called him 'milord' or something of that sort.

"What is it, elf?" he barked.

"You are a selfish, incompetent fool!"

He snapped. For one who marched into his base and called him a fool, she had a lot of nerve. "Careful with your words, elf, or I will..."

Blue fires erupted between her fingers and burnt him on the shoulder. He clutched at his wound, taking a step back. It was not meant to be a fatal blow, but totally out of his expectation, that an elf could...no. He knew that magic. He had felt it before.

"Sylvanas Windrunner!" he exclaimed in recognition. "Back among the living. Such a pleasant surprise."

She ignored him and flared, "Did you think I'd be grateful enough to let you turn me into your personal Sunwell? Did I ever ask you to rescue me?"

"And if I had not," he reminded her. "You'd probably still be trapped in Kil'jaeden's torture chamber if not worse. I've helped you take care of him, so you won't have to do it yourself."

"You could have asked me first," she cried.

"I do not see why you should be angry at all," he retaliated dryly. "What difference does it make? You owe it to me."

"Right," she agreed rather sarcastically and forced her mana upon him. He raised his brow. This woman...

She pointed at the cage where Vashj was clutching both hands to the bars, staring back at him with such intensity he felt as if he was almost burnt by her gaze. "I really don't have to tell this, but I owe it to you. Because of your folly, you have just lost a warrior to Ner'zhul!"

Before he could react, she summoned her blue fire and tore down the cage. No one dared to try to stop Vashj as the Naga slithered away to freedom.

"What are you doing?" Illidan yelled. If Vashj had joined Ner'zhul's side, he had every reason to execute her.

"Letting loose the bait," Sylvanas replied angrily. "Your idiocy has left me with no choice."

And he felt his blood boil.

He struck her across the face--though powerful as she had become, she still had no way to avoid that blow. And god that felt so good.

*~*~*~*

And amid the shadows, the Dark One smiled.

And you are my bait, little girl.

*~*~*~*

Coming up next: Jeez...a bait for whom I wonder? Meris knows that she can't take on her enemy alone. She'd lead him to Quel'dara, even if it means giving him a chance to salvage the Demonlord's creation--Sylvanas, really. BTW, Kael really DID promise me a b-day present. It's just gonna be pushed back a bit due to darn plot changes.

*~*~*~*

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Demongod86: There is no ultimate evil in the story, except for...me. Mwahahahaha. I guess you could say Kil'jaeden. But he's gone now. The rest of the cast are like 50/50.

Ira Poon: Geh...it's ok. I mean I cheated the first time too cuz I kinda wanted to know the story. But I did manage to beat it without cheats. Good luck on your exam. But happy ending for my story?!...I'm sure the ending will be quite unexpected...I've already had the ending planned out BEFORE I even set my pen to paper. Weird, isn't it? DONCHA DARE DO ANYTHING BAD TO SYL OR I'LL SMITE YE!!! Eh...just kidding.

KawaiiNekoOfDoom: Thanks. Um...maybe I really should be doing a detailed description of both Illidan and Syl. I don't think I'd be including Durator and the rest of Lordaeron cuz that would turn my story into like a 500 chapter thing. Well, but for some reason I DO think Thrall is eating chicken and growing fields ^_^. What did he do in the TFT campaign?! Like, er, nothing.

San: You're a fan of Illidan/Vashj? Good for you. Such a thing does exist, and I think it's more one-sided, i.e. Vashj seems more infatuated with Illidan than he with her. There will definitely be a fight between Vashj and Anna, though it will get quite ugly...

wingchumonZero: Thank you ^_^.