Chapter 20
I nearly made it to the spire when the scream echoed throughout the palace.
Mother.
I turned and bolted, hearing Anduin hot on my heels.
My heart was racing as I ran through the palace, magic shattering glass as I ran. Magic propelled me forward at an inhuman speed. Mother screamed again, the sound provoking shriek of my own.
"Jadearra!" Father was coming behind me, and I slammed doors behind me, blocking him.
I kept running, reaching her tower and scrambling up the steps, cutting my hand on the sharp stone. I felt like my heart was going to explode, my veins were icy, my thoughts were racing-
I got to her chamber and shoved the door open, breath shuddering through my chest as I took in the sight.
The smell of urine and defecation made me gag, and the gore of the sight before me made my stomach clench. Mother's hands were bloody, where she was scratching at her own skin and wounds. Hair had fallen from her head in a matted mess, her ears drooped down to hang limply. Her mouth was bloody, and her nose and eyes were bleeding. Chunks of skin laid on the bed around her, and her eyes were nearly slate grey.
"Mother!"
She screamed again, clawing at her chest, gnarled hands leaving scratch marks, "Leave! Don't look at me!"
"Mother-!"
Anduin and Teir were there suddenly, Anduin pulling me back as Teir raced in, holding all manner of things.
She worked with deadly precision and a wild look to her eyes that showed her strain-the bond must be going haywire.
"Get her out of here, Anduin." Teir said, and I screamed as Anduin tried to get me out of the doorway.
I watched in panicked fear as Teir took to her wounds, spreading pungent pastes over them and wrapping them tightly, whispering incantations in all manner of languages. She removed a vial of sparkling water from her bag, holding Mother's head and tipping the glowing liquid back, forcing her mouth shut and making her swallow it. Mother started hacking, and my heart rate jumped ever higher.
"Get Out Jadearra!" Teir ordered, and I realized that the strain was making her hands shake.
Anduin got the door shut, blocking us out of the room, and I sobbed, sitting on the step and staring at the door in fear.
We were there for hours, in an eerie silence, spare for the muffled work on the other side of the door. Anduin never left me, he merely sat down across from me on the narrow stairwell, rubbing his thumb in circles across my hand.
After an eternity, the sun was coming through the high windows and roasting me alive. My hair was damp and filthy from flight, and my body felt heavy from fatigue and exhaustion. My head lolled to the side, looking down the stairwell absently.
That's when I saw it.
Mist, small tendrils of it crawling up towards me.
"No." I whispered, alert all at once.
"Jade?"
"No no no no." I was on my feet now, staring at the growing amounts of mist slowly making its way up the staircase. The whispers were getting louder already.
No.
"You're not needed!" I shouted in rushed Thalassian, and Anduin realized what was happening.
The mist urged itself closer, daring to contradict me.
"You're not needed! Leave!" I brought my hands together, making to banish it, but my hands were stopped just before I could.
I looked up, and saw Thessali.
Nearly in colour, her face still looked ashen, and her green eyes glowed with a sadness. She was holding my wrists.
"Do not prolong her suffering, sister." She said, and my soul broke.
We stared at each other for a moment, her eyes solemn and resigned, and my own terror reflected there.
"I can't lose her too." I whispered, my voice cracking.
"She will forever be with you. As I am. Now let me bring Mother home."
I shuddered, my entire body shaking violently, as I spoke in common, "Teir. Open the door."
The door opened, a sweaty, ashen and filthy Teir sagging against it in resignation, watching the mist roll by in dejected acceptance.
I walked beside the phantom of my sister, stopping beside the bed to watch Mother, her face was pale, and there was only a spark of light left in her eyes.
"Mother" my voice cracked, and her head turned almost imperceptibly, and the tiniest of smiles quirked her cracked and bleeding lips.
"I love you…"
Thessali reached down, through Mother's body, and lifted her misty soul from the shell in a blaze of light, and life left her body with a final sigh, and her eyes turned grey, gazing at the heavens.
Mother looked healthy in spirit form, a full head of hair and whole skin, and dazzling eyes.
But she was gone from my plane.
She smiled at me, eyes pricked with tears, and she leaned into Thessali-taken from one daughter, reunited with another.
My face was drenched with tears, and my entire body shook.
"Goodbye, daughter."
With that, their forms faded and the mist dissipated.
I fell to my knees, sobs wrenching themselves from my soul in painful gasps.
My mother is dead.
I screamed, and glass shattered around me, cutting into my skin and flying around the room.
"Jadearra!" Father was there, braving the glass, and he pulled me into his arms, his form firm as I shook like a leaf from the force of my pain.
"Mother-."
"Shh, sweet Jade. I know" Father whispered, his voice wavering as he looked at her body in the bed, "We'll give her the ceremony she deserves." Father rose, carrying me in his arms, and I clung to him like a young child again.
Teir was curled into a ball outside the room, shaking-my grief must be contagious. Anduin waited, knowing this was not his place, and for that I was grateful.
"Daughter, you must sleep." Father said softly, carrying me down the steps and away from her.
I shook, knowing that sleep would hold nightmares, but I was so tired…
Soon, we were in the spire, and with another blink, I was being tucked into my bed, Bandit curling up and licking my cheek with a whimper.
Another blink, and I was alone.
My eyes were drooping, weighted with fatigue, and pain tugged at my mind. Grief filled my veins like oil, and my eyes closed.
I was in the Mist realm, wearing robes similar to what Teir had worn to the ball, and I was in pain.
The mist surrounded me, silhouettes dancing here and there in the shadows.
"Who calls me?" my voice cracked, but I knew a vision when I saw one.
Two forms came out of the mist-
"Mother." My heart broke all over again.
Mother was wearing full border guard attire, her nails tipped with golden talons and her hair up in a golden helmet. She looked regal and young and happy.
Beside her stood Thessali, who looked angry.
"We should not be here." Thessali said.
"I wanted to say goodbye to my child," Mother said, eyes shining.
"Mother…" I reached out, but then I remembered that I couldn't touch her.
"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm at peace." Mother said, I realized that I really did need that closure.
"Don't grieve for me, please. You have many hard times ahead, and it's going to tear you apart if you don't let me go."
"But mother-"
"Shush," she reprimanded, and I quieted, "Your sister and I are happy. We are at peace, and we love you more than anything. But you have to let us go."
I opened my mouth then closed it again, tears flowing down my cheeks again, "But I need
you."
"You don't sweetheart," Mother sad, smiling, "My job as your mother is done. You're
ready for what fate has in store for you."
"Mother," Thessali said, tone clipped, and I realized that Mother could see my future.
"May I ask on question of the future?" I asked, and Thessali's eyes narrowed.
"Of course you can ask, but we might not be able to answer." Mother said, and I nodded.
"Does…does Anduin die?" I asked, and their expressions softened.
They looked at each other, then sighed, "We can't tell you that, sister." Thessali said, and I nodded, understanding.
"I will not visit you after this. You're the lady of the Thalassian Realm now. You must be
strong," Mother said, and I nodded, a lump in my throat.
"Goodbye daughter."
"Goodbye Mother."
Winter Veil had passed. Mother had been lain to rest. Now it was time to move on.
To the trial.
It was…odd to be in Pandaria again, especially with the ones I traveled with, and I studied them as we ascended the path to the Temple of the White Tiger, where the trial was to take place.
Anduin's hair had begun to get shaggy again, with a simple black band holding it off of his face. His eyes held concern and conflict, and his face was honed into one of stone.
Teir looked vaguely murderous, her fingers twitching about empty sheaths-we were to all come unarmed, and a strong dampening field was put in place that even I couldn't penetrate-it felt odd, to have no power again.
Kenlora was calm, with a shade of glee in her eyes that paled before her anger-Tyrande Whisperwind had been named accuser in advance, with Baine as defender.
We reached the top, and we were helped off of the cart. I patted the work yak on the head as we passed, and pulled my thick cloak tighter about me as a cold gust blew past us. Anduin was handed a torch by a Pandaren guard, which he held in the hand that was around my shoulders.
I had memories of our first visit to the temple, and smiled softly, leaning into him.
Other leaders were already gathered, including Father, who stood in regal, blood red dress with black accents.
I separated from Anduin unwillingly, taking the torch with me as I went to Father's side, and he went to Varian's. Teir and Kenlora split to see their respective families as well, and then Taran Zhu-the Fa'shua-came out.
"Friends. Leaders. This is a most historic occasion. Have you all complied with the rules set?" Lord Zhu asked, and affirmative murmurs went through those gathered.
"Then you may enter. Alliance to the right, Horde to the left, and the witnesses will fill in the middle. Please take your seats quickly, and refrain from violence of any kind within the temple."
The doors opened, and the once empty room was now set as a court, with high stands and a witness chair, along with two boxes for defender and accuser. Two bronze dragons-Chromie and Kairoz, we were told-stood beside the table, where a large, sheet covered object sat.
I found myself at the edge of the Horde box, near the witness box, whereas Anduin was at the edge of the Alliance box. Eyes locked, and waves were exchanged. A series of witnesses and spectators began to fill in, and I let my eyes glaze over.
I had to let her go, she had told me herself.
But it very much felt like I had lost a limb, or an organ. I felt…empty.
It sucked.
The trial commenced, and Garrosh was brought out.
I inhaled, like I was sucker punched
Boom.
I screamed as my body released a sonic boom, banishing the Mist, obliterating the Heart
of Y'Shaarj, and bound Garrosh to the wall. I was dying.
"She's destabilizing! If we don't stop it she'll level Durotar!"
"Forget Durotar-she'll destroy half of the continent!"
"No!"
"Anduin-!"
I saw Anduin pushing his way past the wind, and my heart pounded hard in my ears as terror and raw energy flooded me.
"Go! Take your hearthstone! Go back! Get away! You'll die!" I screamed, and he pushed forward anyway.
"I'm not leaving without you!" He pressed closer, and I fell backwards, to the ground, the pain rupturing who knows how many organs in my body.
"Anduin go! I don't want you to be hurt! I…love…" I lost control of my nerves, and I was silently screaming, as he finally got close enough to touch me.
"I love you too…forgive me for this."
Everything froze.
He flooded my system with pure ice, my skin and organs piecing back together and becoming whole again, only to become stone. I stared in horror as he sobbed, furiously repeating the spell as the vortex began to calm around us.
He was containing the power in a statue.
"I love you," he sobbed, and my eyes sealed over.
"Jadearra?"
I shook my head, and realized I was standing, hand out to cast a spell that wouldn't come-the dampening field.
"Please sit down, Lady Theron," Lord Zhu said, and my cheeks heated as I took my place, breath coming in sparse gasps, and I felt Teir try to send comfort through the bond.
The trial began now, with accusations read out, and witness began taking the stand.
I daydreamed, not listening until one name in particular broke through the white noise.
Mine.
"I call Jadearra Theron, Reagent Princess of the Thalassian Realm of Quel 'Thalas, to the stand," Tyrande's voice was clear and sharp, and I stood, heart pounding as I descended to the floor and walked to the witness box, feeling all eyes on me. I noted the glass of water sitting beside me, and how it wasn't quite clear-a clarity potion, I assumed, taking a drink.
"I give my deepest condolences, Lady Theron," Whisperwind said, and while pain threatened to choke me, I merely nodded.
"You have fought Garrosh on three occasions, correct?" Tyrande asked, and I shook my head.
"Only twice," I corrected, and with a quirk of her eyebrow I realized what Chromie was going to play out with their sand glass.
"What occasion have I misinterpreted, Lady Theron?" Tyrande asked, even though we all knew full well what was about to be shown.
"I fought alongside Garrosh at Light's Hope Church," I managed to utter the words, and Tyrande nodded.
"I have chosen to show this memory today."
Before I could voice protest, the memory sprang into being in the air.
I was much younger-twenty-one, I think-and I looked young. My hair was in a chaotic array of platinum braids, with feathers thrown in. I wore ranger gear, and was beside Thessali, whose hair was in a simple tail tucked into her armor, dark skin pocked with sweat and freckles. I was looking up at her adoringly.
Tyrande had the memory paused, and the flickering image of the Theron heirs on their last day together floated in the air.
"Who was this woman to you, Lady Theron?" Tyrande asked.
"She is-was my sister. Thessali Theron," I said.
Tyrande signaled for the memory to continue, and it did.
Thessali turned to me, eyes a brilliant bright emerald colour, "I smell orc behind the church, gather our allies. Find the orc they call Garrosh. He is leading the war party."
I nodded, turning and scampering. It cut to me coming upon the orcs, and every weapon being pointed at me.
"State you name and business," Garrosh growled, his visage more of his mag'har heritage than the bloodthirsty Warchief I knew today.
"Jadearra Theron," My accent was thicker, "Reagent Princess of Quel' Thalas." I was snappish. I had a temper.
Weapons were dropped and bows were exchanged.
"I was sent to lead you to the Ranger General."
The memory cut again, and it came to the part that would haunt me for years.
I sliced through a ghoul like cheese, turning to see the Alliance arrive. Relief turned to horror as they cut into us like any other ghoul.
I heard chaos break out in the stands, but my eyes were locked on the memory of Varian Wrynn, my hatred reawakening like a phoenix.
I saw the King of the humans charging my sister, and I called out, "Thessali!"
I made to run forward as her bow met blade, but I was ripped off of the ground by the collar.
Garrosh.
"Let go, Orc!" I snarled, kicking.
"You're too valuable,"
He turned and threw me headlong into the church, the memory ended with me flying backwards, screaming as Thessali's head was taken by the sword Shalamayne.
The memory ended, and I was silent. The room was dead silent, and I heard Tyrande take a surprised breath.
"Accuser. Your questions." Lord Zhu prompted, and Tyrande shook her head momentarily.
"Yes, yes…Lady Theron, did Garrosh ever indicate that he was going to save your sister?"
I speared the orc with a look, old pain and fury dancing through my veins as I spoke.
"No."
