I have RETURNED valiantly for my readers!
I've been on a roll lately with where I am in writing this, so I'll be updating more frequently! Yay!
This chapter is kind of long. My apologies!
Thanks so much for those of you who continued to support me and the story, even when I wasn't updating! It means so much!
Without further ado!
Rogue
Book Five, Part One
We carried on to SI:7, both of us smiling as we walked together. Perhaps it was possible, after all, to balance a rogue's life with aspects of human normalcy.
The ceremony was in the long room I had previously been in, with the long rectangular table where the meetings were held. When I arrived, I was a tad surprised at the amount of people gracing the walls. Many I recognized, including Aradar, Cole, Brae, Robert…
"Is attendance mandatory?" I asked Zen.
"Nope. You're just that special."
I grunted my approval of that statement.
Zen and I sat on the complete opposite of Major General Rillhelm's seat. All the way on the end. It kind of made me feel like I was on trial again. Important officers, including Aradar, sat in between.
The Major General arrived, quietly sitting in his rightful chair. He smiled, and I knew immediately that everything would turn out okay.
Rillhelm greeted everyone, and then asked Zen a number of questions I wasn't paying attention to.
I had the strong urge to smile. To take everything in. This was my family now. SI:7 was where I belonged. Aradar, Brae, Cole…and Zen beside me.
"Grace." Now my attention was on my Major General. "You accept the invitation SI:7 has offered, and are willing to become a full-fledged rogue in the eyes of every officer present?
"Yes."
"You are willing to adopt the lifestyle being a member of SI:7 entails?"
"Yes."
"Then with the witnesses of every officer here, I accept your entry into SI:7. Welcome to the family."
I smiled. Family.
Zen's arm wrapped across my shoulders as he shook me gently in congratulations. Cheers erupted from around me, only causing my grin to widen. I had finally made it.
But of course, it had only just begun.
The other rogues eventually cleared out of the room, leaving Zen and I to return to his house. "So, are you kicking me to the curb?" I asked lightly.
Zen gave me a look of confusion. "Kicking you?"
"You're probably going to make room for your new trainee, right?" I asked. "I'm sure SI:7 is still trying to push through as many recruits as possible."
"Trying, yes." Zen's hands were tucked into his overcoat's pockets, giving him a laid-back look. "But they haven't found many more potential recruits. It's hard to acquire talented ones. Besides, I've requested a reassignment."
"You're…leaving?" I choked, stopping in mid-thought and mid-step. The other rogue had to turn around to keep me in his sight.
"You are too," Zen mentioned as if I was supposed to know. "Once a rogue gets initiated, he or she relocates to any one of our many bases. Wherever SI:7 sees fit to place you."
Separated. "How long do I have until I'm reassigned?" I asked carefully. I still hadn't made an attempt at moving out of the bustling street. Grumpy villagers shoved past me and Zen with critical looks.
"Depends. A week. Maybe longer."
"But I can…stay with you…until then?" I asked.
"Of course." I nodded in relief as we arrived at Zen's house. With a nod of enthusiasm, I began my escapade up the stairs. "What are you doing?" Zen asked out of curiosity.
"I'm going to get started on this spy business," I answered.
"Grace…" Zen warned. I stopped halfway up the stairs, the wood creaking with the stress of weight.
"Nothing is going to happen," I assured. "The worst that could happen would be me rolling over and hitting the floor."
"I don't want you experimenting with this gift of yours so openly," Zen stated, taking a step closer to the stairs.
"If I don't experiment, how is it supposed to improve?"
Zen glared, but it broke once he finally sighed. "At least let me…monitor you. Grant me some sort of ease."
When I paused, Zen took it as an affirmation, and he bade me down the stairs. With a sigh I followed the order, growling as Zen motioned towards his bed.
"We do this on my terms," Zen declared. Huffing all the way, I finally plopped onto the black satin blankets. Once the male rogue sat on the side of the bed, I laid down in an attempt to get comfortable.
"Just do me a favor," I mentioned as my dress shifted below me.
"Hm."
"Don't touch me if I slip away. I'm not sure what affect it'll have on the whole thing."
"And if you do roll off the bed and hit the floor?" Zen asked with a curious gaze.
"Then you have my permission to say, 'I told you so' when I return," I answered without a moment of hesitation.
It grew silent. I closed my eyes, attempting to concentrate. On what I was supposed to concentrate on, though, was a mystery. I had no idea what I was supposed to look for or reach out to. Should I imagine myself there again? Try to build up enough rage?
But rage hadn't triggered the episode last time.
"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do," I finally admitted, keeping my eyes closed so I could avoid getting distracted by Zen's bright eyes.
"Hmm." I wouldn't open my eyes. "Can you think back to what was happening before your first experience with it?"
I sighed. "We were arguing."
"Perhaps your anger…"
"I wasn't angry," I interjected. I opened my eyes, knowing fully that I would be seeing Zen's curious smirk.
"Well, something must have acted as a bridge between you and them," Zen pushed.
"Maybe it was random," I surmised. "Maybe I just have to wait."
"I'm perfectly fine with waiting," Zen announced, hands moving behind his head as he leaned back. Glaring, I nestled into the comfortable sheets below me.
I'd show him.
With a new eagerness I shut my eyes again, concentrating. This time, I tried to replay what had happened prior to my first episode. When Zen's contact had throttled my senses into overdrive…
I lay there forever, waiting for my consciousness to slip away.
It didn't happen. I growled, finally sitting up and opening my eyes.
"I assume that didn't exactly work," Zen stated, still sitting calmly on the bed's corner. His arms were now folded in arrogance, a slight smirk perking the corner of his thin lips.
"I have an idea," I declared loudly, tossing my small body off his large bed. "How about you continue to remain completely unsupportive and overprotective, while I go visit Jared so I can let off some steam!" I explained hotly.
"Overprotective?" barked Zen, who was now following my form as I stormed angrily up the stairs. "Unsupportive?" I rolled my eyes as my hands found my gear—minus a chest piece and daggers. I would have to buy a new set, after all. Quickly I snatched up my small money pouch. "And what the hell do you think you're doing?" Zen demanded.
"I'm going to help out the guys who haven't been initiated yet," I answered. "If I don't see some blood in the next few moments, I'll go crazy."
"You're being reckless again."
"Your point?" I articulated as I slipped my bag of coins into my inside pocket. "If I recall correctly, you're no longer my teacher."
"No, but I still outrank you," Zen growled as I walked toward the table my swords sat on. I wasn't too fond of swords—perhaps I could swap them for a pair of daggers.
"So does Jared," I countered. "And Jared has better jurisdiction over this decision anyway."
"That's Officer Jared," Zen corrected with a hiss.
My temper flared, aura giving off a heat that directly contended with Zen's own. "Officer Jared," I spat. "My apologies, Officer Zen."
The other rogue's eyes drew into furious slits, his hands bracing the stairway's banister and the wall, consequently blocking my exit.
A feral growl rumbled through my throat. "Move."
"No."
I took another step toward Zen, my face nearly touching his shoulder. When Zen didn't move, my own hands attempted to push his shoulder blades against the adjacent wall, to no avail. He merely swayed with the effect. I cursed my girlish figure.
"Keep it up," Zen growled. "I'm starting to believe your initiation was a mistake."
Disbelief was muffled by pure rage. "Why, you--"
I felt my eyes roll back, a new weightlessness completely infiltrating my body.
Blue again. A familiar dark and empty chuckle replaced my growl. My sight was no longer my own—everything was so cool, so slick…
White was showering my blue surroundings. At first I thought perhaps the vision was still settling, or fading even—but then the remaining surroundings come into realization.
Ice. Snow.
Completely out of place, considering in my realm it was almost September.
My host was overseeing something from his perch. Dark figures began to become more focused as time progressed. Six Undead had a hold of a pair of prisoners, sharp claws locking them in place.
It reminded me of my own encounter with the iron grips, the reasons behind why I was held…
The prey were human men. They resisted in the grips of the monsters, heavy armor clanking around built bodies. The horror I knew I should have felt never settled into my bones. Instead, it was a pleasure. I smiled, watching as the two helpless humans prepared for nothing but the inevitable. I was certain of their demise, their destiny within the talons of such things.
I willed a hand to reach out to the pair, but no movement was noted.
Their proficiency will be beneficial, came the familiar voice of Clad from my right.
It would not harm my crusade, I recognized to be 'my' voice.
I still believe they would be perfect subjects for my synthetic serum…
I want them under my complete control, my host replied. After your vile mistake last time with that girl…you're lucky you still exist.
There was a pause. The wind caused the white snow to angle more violently, shudders erupting from the two living beings. I inhaled sharply, enjoying the fresh smell of human and imagining how enticing the scent would be once the blood was shed.
They're cold. A flash of excitement caused a sinister smirk to peel at my seemingly immobile lips. Clad, let's put them out of their misery.
Yes, my King.
With a slither of command and an answering howl from the six minions, the act of mercy began. Each human cried in anguish as every Undead being sunk their poisonous teeth into any visible skin.
I tried to pull myself back, reel my consciousness away from this place, but my host's utter pleasure kept me anchored. I was forced to look upon the victims as they first collapsed, then writhed in pain as that all-too-familiar burn itched at their every wound, spreading then throughout their bodies.
My fingers—or his fingers, really, because these were bony and white—clenched, joints creaking with power and effort. I felt his restraint weaken. He wanted to jump in, get a taste of that wretched human blood for himself…
Finally his gaze moved away from the scene, landing on a slat of ice at his feet. Things finally began to fade away, those poor souls getting lost and instead being replaced with monstrosities, puppets on strings.
I slipped into reality with a pitiful whine. The revulsion I wanted so badly to feel earlier now took over, causing my breath to shorten and tears to prick beneath my eyes.
My eyes slipped open even though I could already sense Zen's presence. "Grace?"
"H-how long was I gone?" I asked, hands clenching whatever was beneath my laying figure. I didn't quite have the strength to sit up quite yet. I frowned. "And how did I get into my bed?"
"To answer your first question: not very long. Minutes, perhaps. And the second: it was either catch you or let you slip down every single step and let you suffer a concussion. I chose the more promising option."
I grimaced. Concussions to the head probably wouldn't have been healthy in my state. Would I get stuck on the side of the Scourge?
"What'd you see?" he asked carefully.
"They're building an army," I explained. "Taking ranked humans and intentionally turning them."
"We kind of presumed…"
"I see through their king's eyes," I mentioned.
Zen's hands clenched the blanket beneath me. "King?" he repeated.
"Clad called him his King," I explained. "They were somewhere cold, with ice and snow…"
"What was his name?" Zen asked with eager dictation. "The king."
"I…" I searched through my cold memories but came up short. "I don't…"
"Arthas."
I paused. It clicked into place. "He was the voice in my head when I was turning…I remember now. It makes sense."
"You can see Arthas' actions?" asked Zen.
"Seems like it," I breathed. I noticed I was still shaking, and I had to relax the muscles in my hands to minimize the quivering.
Zen's hand covered my own. "That bad?" he asked. Nodding, I closed my eyes in an attempt to erase the images in my head. It didn't help.
"I'm still mad at you," I mumbled.
"I know." Zen tried to hold back a chuckle. "You nearly punched me before your blackout."
"Good."
Part of me wished to drift into sleep, but I was nervous about any nightmares that may creep into a perfectly good nap. "Arthas is dangerous, Grace," Zen commented as nonchalantly as possible. "He's leading these attacks. His power is overwhelming, and if you keep creeping into his head…"
"I've already decided, Zen," I muttered. "I'm not going to stop moving forward just because I know who it is I'm connected too. Nice try though."
"Stupid, arrogant, self-centered rogue," grumbled Zen.
"Speak for yourself."
So this time, my anger had triggered the episode. There was little doubt now as to how it happened. But whether or not it could be developed on was still a mystery. Of course, then there was the option of intentionally angering myself…
But that didn't seem very healthy.
The next day, Zen begrudgingly outfitted me with a new set of almost-matching armor. Once we reached his house again, he led me into his room where he handed me a small box. "This was supposed to be your initiation gift," Zen explained. "I suppose now you'll need them anyway." I opened the box carefully, mouth dropping in awe as my gaze met a pair of beautiful daggers. Purple gems glittered around the hilt, complimenting the silver surrounding the sharp blade.
"They're amazing, Zen," I whispered in astonishment. With one arm I gave him the biggest hug I could manage. "Thank you."
Later that day I still visited Jared and told him I would offer any help needed. He seemed thrilled at the idea (even though Zen, obviously, was not). The next few days were spent spilling blood of the Undead, aiding others in their red missions with my new lethal daggers. More than once Zen offered to come as well, and I knew it was only to monitor my anger levels. I could only imagine having an episode erupt while I was surrounded by Undead and attempting a getaway. Something about slipping into unconsciousness while they circled me just didn't seem appealing.
It was the fourth day it began that would change everything. Jared had a special request for me, beneficial to send me because I had a talent for sensing the Scourge.
My talent had grown slightly more developed by then. With a bit of work I was able to reach out to Arthas, see what he was doing. Usually it was nothing of use, but the power was definitely an advantage. This, plus my uncanny knack for stealth and sharp senses for Undead, made me a prime candidate.
A few members of the Alliance had been running typical paladin missions in the Eastern Plaguelands. Purging the land, ridding of the unwanted. Apparently, their numbers had been diminishing as of late due to large numbers of Undead, and the few that were remaining needed help escaping the clutches of the Scourge.
I was perfect. It was dangerous—one of the most intense missions I'd been assigned to—but anyone else wouldn't have been compatible assistance.
Zen had been called into an important SI:7 meeting with other officers. The Scourge was moving, they knew, and plans to spread the ranks were growing more important. I figured Zen's transfer to a new base was on the list of things to discuss.
I traveled alone. It was easy at dusk as I stepped lightly across fallen leaves off the paths. The route was familiar now, and the base my fellow soldiers were at was easy to spot.
Although it wouldn't be easy to move the survivors. Undead monsters completely plagued the surrounding areas. How hadn't they been spotted yet?
I slipped around the perimeter, trying to find any openings in the many Undead. Easily averted for me—not as much for those inside.
As I took another step toward the dilapidated building I realized why my fellow comrades were safe—someone had placed a barrier around the inside of their sanctuary, so that nothing could be sensed in and out.
Anything Undead would have sizzled at the touch of the wall. Just my luck that I wasn't one of them.
My small frame dodged countless zombies in the dark night, not bothering to cause a scene with a brutal backstab or well-placed distract. That could wait for the escape. Soon I was slipping through the barrier, into the inside of the broken doorframe.
It felt warm and familiar inside. My memory did a quick scan until I remembered the aura's origin.
"Dennis..."
I turned the corner carefully, attempting not to startle anyone that had survived. There he was, sitting patiently with two other men. Dennis was haggard, looking like he had gone through a battle from hell. Dirt patched his face, hands, and armor. His lip was cut open, a trail of dark red discernable from the bruising around his jaw. Even with such a beaten appearance, his eyes remained alert. When he spotted me, confusion coursed through his aura. "Grace?" he whispered.
The other two men in similar shape looked up from their own sitting positions, suddenly alert as well. I tried to maintain a smile as I approached. "You guys call for backup?" I asked.
Dennis' eyes minimized in confusion. "You?" he asked. "I wasn't…when did…?"
"I got initiated a few days ago. Now, does anyone have any bites?" I asked, trying to properly assess our situation.
"No. We're just weak," Dennis answered. "My barrier has sapped my strength. Henri's use of the Light is about vanquished as well. And Edgar," he chuckled, "Edgar's a warrior. Lousy, no good…"
"Hey," the man who I presumed to be Edgar grumbled. "I haven't been slandering paladins, have I? Have I jested once about your use of 'protection,' or your so-called divine shield, or-"
"I'm going to cut you off right there," Dennis stated, smiling.
"Well, it's good to see you three have kept your sense of humor," I surmised, looking around the building. "This place is completely surrounded. I'm not sure how many I'll be able to take out so that we can all escape." My only comfort was the nighttime, but that wasn't going to cover the obvious human smell that would emanate from the house as soon as we exited the wall. "Everyone's able to move?" I asked.
"If needed," answered Dennis. I nodded.
"I'm going to have to clear as many as I can. I'll be back."
"Grace…"
"I'll be safe. I got in here, didn't I?" With a few more steps I was again outside the barrier, Undead beings still in plain sight.
One, two, three, four, five…
Useless to count. Sighing, I decided there really was no other way to clear a path besides utter violence. Damn. A reason to utterly destroy Undead.
Paladins were fierce contenders against anything unholy like the Undead. So I had found it terribly ironic that one little rogue had been sent to bail out three men—two of them being paladins.
It was a bit ridiculous, how they all simply swarmed around the house. As if they knew something was amiss around their territory. Of course, these things were everywhere in the Plaguelands, now. Growing in number and strength.
The darkness was on my side. I concentrated on the things that remained between the front door and a path over the hill. Over the hill was a river, and after that a break in the filthy stench around me.
My body floated through the grass as I approached the closest Undead monster. His back was exposed, the spine protruding from ashy skin like bony fins. The shoulder blades were partially exposed, their shapes gliding under un-living muscle as the monster shuffled about. It caught my presence as I closed the space in between us—it grew completely still, head snapping slightly to the left as if it caught my scent in the nighttime breeze.
It was too late for the creature to respond, though. His back had been vulnerable for far too long. With a deft strike of silence and grace my dagger was embedded in its thick but dead skin, causing a pipe of surprise to ring from my victim's throat. It couldn't develop into a scream—without any form of thought I pulled my dagger downwards forcefully, tearing parallel to its backbone. The scream of pain was smothered with the ripping of flesh.
The body remained alive, despite my messy damage to its torso. I had to turn the Undead thing around, get a good look into its lifeless eyes, in order to properly dispose of it. One more blow later my blade was through its heart, all noise and movement halted.
Considering the body of the Undead was mostly bone, it was fairly easy to drag the corpse further into the nighttime shadows, near the house's walls. I had to act quickly after the first kill; once the rest of them caught the scent of their own kind's blood, it wouldn't be easy at all.
Hopefully the walls of the building would restrain the spread of the stench. I tossed it aside, already calibrating my next move. None of them had noticed the slight subtraction at their numbers. One of the creatures was only a few steps away, sniffing the air awkwardly and shifting his weight back and forth on his hinds. Sharp claws emanated a glossy reflection off the sliver of a moon as his hands flexed. I smirked, crimson blades much more terrifying in the midst of darkness. My right dagger was momentarily sheathed as I recovered one of my throwing weapons. When I loosed it toward the slightly isolated monster, it screeched in the wind and landed with a palpable thud into his thin upper arm.
Blood red eyes immediately snapped to my direction, and once he registered what I was a dark growl rose from his chest. His shoulders faced me, body morphing into a stooping prowl as he prepared for an attack.
He didn't bother alerting his other buddies. Perhaps the Undead were too animalistic or instinctual for the concept of cooperating without the command of their leader. The being charged with the familiar gate, arms wild and itching for bloodshed. I had enough time to unsheathe my main dagger, my slice fanning out so it carved a horizontal gash into its abdomen. In the darkness, the blood spilling from the cut appeared brown. Before the momentum in my right hand was even finished, my left dagger was moving, plunging into the chest of my victim. In moments the second creature was dead, his body joining my first kill.
I got the next Undead's attention with the same throwing weapon. This one had a good swing intended for my neck, and I had to dodge the attack before I could even think offensively.
The movement caught the attention of one of the other zombies. I was further from the building now, where the Undead were growing closer together in numbers. It wasn't much of a distraction to see the other one coming from the right, but I was definitely aware of the presence as I stabbed my current target in its heart. As it collapsed, the other monster arrived, and I was forced to duck away from a strong swipe. A rumble of a growl escaped through his lips as he unexpectedly dodged my jab at his chest. Apparently he had learned from his comrade's death.
No matter. Using both of my weapons I decorated his chest with matching horizontal gashes, toying with my prey a little bit. I watched him stumble forward with the sudden injury, blood painting first my hands and then the ground below. Two more cuts arrived along his thighs, and then another pair along his forearms. The Undead released an inhuman groan as his arms dangled uselessly at his sides. They were barely intact, attached by damaged ligaments and tendons. Finally I finished him off with my usual stab, daggers moving through darkness with the smallest of noise.
I killed three more in the same fashion, taking each body back to the building. My stealth was keeping me alive—if I had been any other class out here the entire army would have sensed me, mauled me past recognition.
I could hardly control my breathing by the time I had returned to Dennis and the other two. My adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, telling my body it wasn't ready to finish yet. Any attempts I made at bettering my appearance failed. I tried to wipe the excess blood off my hands and arms but it only resulted in a very bloody pair of pants.
With ease I slipped back into our small sanctuary, minding that the sunrise was far too close to rest now.
My bloodied state didn't go unnoticed, but I was too focused to explain to Dennis. "We need to move. I've cleared as many as possible, but it's not likely to do much good if we don't act."
Three men followed me through the barrier, the recognizable warmth covering my skin as we crossed. At first I held my arms out, commanding the others to remain still near the building. They froze in compliance.
"They're going to be able to sense you," I whispered. "But paladins have a knack for-"
"Sensing them as well, yes," mumbled the other paladin, Henri.
"Good. You two are going to have to be Edgar's senses through this. I'm going to move a couple steps forward and be sure everything's cleared. It's a straight shot…"
I prowled forward, ignoring the blood spatters still evident on the dirt below me. The other three weren't as accustomed to moving quick in the dark; I felt them scoot forward uncertainly.
Having Dennis' aura so close behind me was both a blessing and a disadvantage. It was comforting, and I was glad to have him near me; but the fact that I was now protecting someone dear to me was dangerous. It had the potential to distract me and cloud my sense of judgment. I wanted badly to look back behind me, be sure Dennis was still whole.
Who was I kidding. Dennis was the most skilled soldier here. Even in is weakened state with the Light I was positive he could still pack a good wave of attacks. The Light wasn't his only skill, unlike most paladins that would rely too much on their gift.
Silently I rid of another Undead being with two movements of my daggers. It slumped to the ground as a crimson puddle decorated the dirt below it. There was a very discernable pathway now for us to follow, it was only a matter of being undetected now…
A shift behind me caught my full attention as my hair whipped around with force. Edgar, flanked by Dennis and Henri, was in a defensive stance as he took two large steps off the path. With more noise than necessary his weapon was pulled out, glittering in the moonlight.
"What the hell?" hissed Henri, who was taking a step closer to the only warrior present. I attempted to seek whatever had him startled, but found no Undead monsters of the Scourge. "It's a freakin' squirrel, dumbass!"
I had no time to sigh in relief. My senses were already picking up waves of darkness as they floated toward my group. At least five of the monsters had detected the sudden shift in movement, and were now scampering towards the trio as I broke into a full run towards the others.
Dennis and Henri sensed the danger moments later, when I had already removed my daggers from their sheathes. I slipped between Edgar and Henri, my weapons arriving barely in time to block a good slice towards Edgar's back. The would-be victim whirled around, completely shocked as six other Scourge arrived behind the first.
The initial monster was rid of.
Soon all of us were fighting for our lives. This wasn't my first close encounter with numerous Undead adversaries, but I also had three weakened soldiers behind me to worry about. I had three of the monsters lifeless on the ground before I could look behind me.
The others were finishing off the final attacker, and I watched as Edgar's blade ran straight through its body, piercing through the gray back with a jarring rip. As the sword was pulled out forcefully, blood surged from the fatal wound and the creature collapsed.
Our breathing broke the silence of the night. It felt safe for now, so I managed to sheath my daggers and approach the three men. "Is everyone okay?" I asked carefully. The question was met with silence, causing me to look over every human.
Dennis approached Henri, whose bloodied hand was covering his upper arm. "Are you okay, Henri?"
"No." I felt my own shoulders broaden, spine frigid. "I got bitten," he whispered.
Dennis stiffened, and Edgar had to suck in a breath that sounded painful. I felt my face contort in worry. "Let me see it," I demanded gently, reaching out my hand. Henri hesitated, glancing at Dennis. "Trust me, I have a fairly good knowledge of bites." Finally the paladin followed the request, his hand dropping lifelessly to his side as he concentrated his gaze on the ground.
Flesh was missing from his arm. Through the seeping blood I could see the unmistakable chalk white of bone. "It burns, doesn't it?" I asked, hands gently wrapped around the man's firm bicep.
"Y..yeah." He tried to flex, but couldn't find the strength. "A lot."
"D-dennis," I muttered. "Can't paladins…can't they…?"
"I can't reverse what's been done," Dennis answered, even though I had already known what kind of response I'd receive. "The Light can only…"
"Extinguish darkness," Henri finished.
I hadn't brought the potion that would otherwise save Henri's life. It was too fragile of a liquid, and if it were to get into the hands of any of the Scourge, then SI:7's secretive infiltration of the Scourge would be ruined. But if I had known I'd be able to save a life…
"Dennis," Henri began breathlessly. "You can't let me turn. It's inevitable, so please…"
My eyes widened in realization. "No!" I hissed. "No. We need to move now."
I began to stalk through our cleared path, knowing the others would have no choice but to follow. As we crossed the river and climbed the cliff, I couldn't help but let the guilt wash over me.
Henri was under my protection, and now he was bound to death. His fate was set in complete stone, and yet he was still willing to choose his own path, to end his life before the Scourge could turn him against his own. It was utterly amazing to me, how the entire war had turned a class of chivalrous paladins into remarkable humans with incredible principals.
When we arrived on the other side, I sensed that our surroundings were comparatively clean of Undead presence. We could stop and rest, let my heart rate slow back down to normal. "How's he looking?" I asked. Nobody answered; instead, Henri showed the wound with a painful grimace. The gray was beginning to spread down his arm, and the wound was blackening. I shook my head, unable to do anything but observe.
"Dennis." Henri was borderline panic now as he approached the fellow paladin. "The pain's only going to get worse. Please, I'm begging you…spare me."
I wanted to look away so bad, like I had during the episode in Arthas' head. But something had me rooted in place—terror, wonder, anticipation….
The man I had grown up with hesitated, lips pursing in his dilemma. "Henri, you know I couldn't…"
"Dennis, please. For the sake of the Alliance and for the sake of my dignity."
When Dennis didn't answer, Henri first kneeled and then laid atop a patch of grass. The sight had me nauseous and absorbed. His arm was still giving him a great discomfort, I noted; his fingers tried to claw at the ground below, and his abdomen expanded and contracted with violent heaves. But it was his face that struck me; how calm and collected Henri remained, even when facing certain death. Angelic, almost, the way the pale moonlight softened the skin of his face. Even with the dirt and blood blotching parts of his otherwise handsome face, there was a god-like quality, a hint of flawlessness with him.
Dennis kneeled beside his fellow paladin, his back to me. I didn't wish to get any closer, and even if I had wanted to, I was too frozen with disbelief to step forward. The wounded paladin looked up towards the other, giving Dennis a gentle pat on the leg. "I have no regrets. This journey has helped me accept that at times death isn't a burden but an honor. I'm glad our paths crossed." He winced with pain. "Even if only for such a short time."
My face grew hot as I attempted to stifle my tears. Even with the effort my vision grew blurry.
Dennis' hand gripped Henri's healthy arm softly but firmly. "You're sure of this?" he asked carefully, trying to hide the shake in his voice.
Henri nodded, and then closed his eyes in expectation. "This is for the better."
I heard Dennis inhale, and it caused me to hold my own breath as the paladin's right hand went to the decaying wound. His left hand's palm touched Henri's forehead, and I couldn't help but notice my own hands and how tense they were as they remained balled up at my sides. Softly Dennis uttered some sort of chant, but it was a foreign tongue I didn't recognize. Once he stopped speaking, Dennis' hands began to glow with Light, and an uncomfortable sizzling sound erupted from Henri's wound. The suffering man growled with pain, his body contorting slightly under Dennis' power until finally the light vanished and Henri stopped breathing.
Dennis' head bowed over the still body, his right thumb tracing a line and then a circle on Henri's forehead. "Rest in peace, brother."
I didn't dare say anything.
"We should rest elsewhere," Edgar whispered. "His scent will attract others…"
I nodded icily, my head feeling dislodged from the rest from my body. "It's probably for the better. Dennis…?"
The remaining paladin stood up, shoulders carrying his guilt and sadness. "Let's move," he agreed. We walked onward in the dark in complete silence. My senses were on overdrive, completely tuned to anything that could prove harmful to our small group. It made it impossible to dwell on what I had witnessed.
Once we reached the thicket of some forest we stopped. The three of us weren't concerned with follies such as wild animals. Bears that could severe our limbs off or wolves that wouldn't hesitate to rip our throats out. There were far worse animals to fathom now, and a few forest dwellers weren't going to startle us.
I sat down quietly, watching as Edgar and Dennis followed. "I suppose we continue at dawn," I began, my arms cradling my withdrawn legs. "They'll be less numerous. And it'll give us time to…to relax…"
Edgar fell asleep—probably the first time he was able to in days or weeks. His steady breathing and calmed aura helped me relax the slightest, although Dennis' own presence was far too frigid.
"I'm sorry," I finally whispered after too much silence passed. "Something went wrong. I should have been protecting him-"
"Stop it, Grace," Dennis interrupted, his smooth voice halting me mid-thought. "Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have done anything else." My face twisted into a frown, an effort to stop threatening tears of guilt. Dennis' hand went to rest on my knee. "Grace." I exhaled, trying to maintain control over my body. "You did well. I'm terribly impressed."
A smile tried to form on my lips. "Thanks, Den."
I realized that it had been a very long time since Dennis and I last talked. It was always a comfort of mine around Dennis, but now there was an underlying awkwardness. I grew puzzled with myself; when had the shift in our closeness happened? When had we drifted apart? After our slight pause, I heard Dennis shift slightly in his position beneath the large tree. His armor made strange noises against the rough bark. "I don't remember you being this…skilled. Not that I had any doubt that you would be. But you haves senses for the Undead that surpass even a paladin's abilities. It amazes me."
I chuckled dryly. "Well, it shouldn't. I'm only this attuned to the Scourge because of a freak accident." When I felt Dennis' aura shift to confusion, I sighed. "A lot happened while we were separated, Den."
"Well, I have all night."
So I explained everything that had happened to me. From the run-in with Clad to the visions to my unique grasp for Undead auras. "It's a part of me now," I whispered. "I may not have chosen what happened, but I'm certainly choosing to take advantage of it."
"Wow."
I grimaced. "Yeah, that about sums it up."
"I never thought you'd be this…vital…to the war," Dennis mentioned. He sighed somewhat dramatically. "That Zen figure had better be keeping an eye on you."
I stifled a chuckle, even though the mention of Zen's name from Dennis seemed a tad awkward. "He doesn't need to keep an eye on me. I'm an initiated rogue. I can handle myself."
The man next to me shook his head. "Don't be silly. You and Zen have gotten much closer over these past few months. I'm not dumb, Grace."
"Nothing is going on between Zen and I."
"I'm not going to get upset, Grace," Dennis announced quietly, eyes fixed on Edgar as if he was afraid to wake him. "I want you happy. If that would mean you'd have to elope with a Tauren, I would bend him up some horseshoes for a wedding gift. I want you happy. If Zen is the one to do so, then I have no qualms."
"That's not completely true," I commented bitterly. It wasn't a growl towards Dennis—it was geared towards myself, for being so completely oblivious to my best friend's feelings. All those experiences with Zen, and did I ever stop to consider Dennis? He had always been there for me. Whenever I was in true need, and I simply threw it all in his face by running off with my rogue trainer? "It wasn't supposed to come to this, Den…"
"Don't play the guilty card again, Grace," Dennis berated. "I'm still here, aren't I? Don't worry. You're not losing me just because," he paused dramatically, "you've completely dashed my hopes and dreams." For effect he sighed in a mocking gasp of sorrow.
"I wish you'd stop being so damn chivalrous," I seethed. Dennis' head turned to me, and even though I couldn't make out his eyes in the moonlight I definitely felt his aura shift to curiosity.
"Chivalrous?"
"You and your stupid paladin virtues. Doing the honorable thing. I can't believe you're just going to sit there and let me fall into the arms of somebody else."
"Don't take this the wrong way," the paladin offered. "It's not because you have unlikable qualities-"
"This isn't about me!" I defended, my voice raising in volume the slightest. "Dennis, you should be able to act selfish for once. I don't think I've ever witnessed you making a slightly selfish decision." I sighed. "You're just too good for your own good, I think."
"Well, what do you want me to do, then?" Dennis asked.
"I don't know!" I growled. "You should…demand that I reconsider. Give me an ultimatum. Do something so I don't feel as wicked!"
"That's not how I am," Dennis replied simply. He leaned back now, against the tree stump. "Especially with you. My only demand is that you be careful with yourself." My eyebrows knitted in confusion: how was I supposed to be careful at this stage of my life? "I'm sure Zen understands what I mean. If he truly cares, that is…"
It was hard to keep my reaction in check. I thought I did really well with handling Dennis' comments about Zen, until he drew in slightly closer. Cringing, I couldn't help but note that maybe I had winced the slightest once Zen's ability to care came into play. "Are you okay?" Dennis asked.
With a clenched jaw, I nodded.
The rest of the night we were silent. Dennis tried to get me to sleep, but my mind was still whirling with completely pointless thoughts.
My relationship with Dennis was finally resolved…for the most part. But a part of me had always wanted to believe what he offered me. A happy life with a family. Children. Did I want to have children in the future?
Would I be around long enough to have them?
It didn't matter if I dwelled on such things. I accepted long ago that nothing was promised of my future. Death was a guarantee for everyone, but it seemed to loiter around me especially. Numerous times I told myself that fighting for the Alliance and destroying the Scourge would be worth even my death, but now there was Zen. Now that there was Zen…
What did it matter if there was Zen? I wouldn't deter his judgment on the battlefield. It wouldn't cloud my conscience. And nothing was happening between us, anyway.
Which was easier to say now that we were apart. Everything was easier to assess when Zen was miles and miles away. Whenever we got close though, whenever his aura reached my senses…
I was startled awake when a hand nudged my shoulder. My eyes snapped open, senses immediately reaching out for any sign of danger, until I tracked Dennis and Edgar. Dennis was at my side, a slight smirk gracing his lips as he watched me adjust to the light.
"Time to move, Gracie," he announced, patting my shoulder. Edgar was already up, stretching his lower back as he surveyed the rising sun. My own muscles were sore as well, I realized, as I stood up from my slouched position. I reckoned trees weren't the best form of a sleep aid.
We began our steady journey south towards Ironforge. After a few moments of silent walking, Dennis tried to start a conversation: "So, these visions you have…they just come and go?" he asked curiously.
"More frequently as time passes," I answered as we trudged on. "In the beginning, it was triggered my strong emotions. But now it seems to happen almost at random."
If Edgar had no idea what Dennis and I were conversing about, he didn't hint at it. "So when it happens, you're incapacitated?" Dennis continued.
It helped pass the time away to talk, so I shrugged. "Basically. I'm working on that part of it. I can't be knocking myself unconscious in the middle of a battle or anything…"
Dennis chuckled. "Yes, I suppose that would…"
I didn't hear the rest of the sentence. My vision began to blur, causing me to stop my advances. I felt my body sway a bit in uneasiness, my hands held out to balance what little I had control over.
And then the surroundings weren't my own. I was Arthas, looking at a few others I assumed to be his best soldiers. Excitement laced my bones.
We've spotted them. They're on the move, my King, came a lower voice. A smile of evil caused my Undead lips to tighten.
Then we exterminate of them accordingly, I hummed, before those documents fall into the hands of the humans.
Then something I hadn't experienced before happened. My scene shifted to a landscape more familiar, but it was even more blurry and distorted than usual. I realized that Arthas must have been in one of his follower's heads, commanding through thought. I saw grass, hills, and nearly hundreds of Undead soldiers as Arthas' voice broke through. A slight alteration to the plans, Y' tharan. Take the Plaguelands, but first eliminate these silly humans that have tried to defy the Scourge…
The general Arthas was speaking to finally turned around, gaze leaving his ranks of Undead and instead mulling over the landscape. Yes, my King. His eyes remained on the body of water ahead, which looked familiar.
Too familiar.
It clicked while the vision began to fade. Once I returned to my own self, complete terror took over my form. I had remained standing throughout the incident, Dennis' hands gripping my arm to hold me up.
I shook. It was the only reaction I was able to muster as my breathing refused to steady itself. "Grace!" Dennis stated. "What happened? Was that..?"
"No, no," I muttered, not even listening to Dennis' inquiry. My eyes snapped to the lake not too far away, the same I had met in my vision. The distance was calculated in my head.
A hundred Undead soldiers were settled over that first hill. "Please don't tell me," I begged. "What do you have of theirs?" I demanded shakily. "What document?"
"How did you know about…"
Dennis must have sensed the army of Undead before he could finish his thought. His breathing halted as well, eyes blank as he calibrated the number of monsters awaiting over the hill.
"There's an army of them," I whispered. "They have orders to kill us."
Edgar's head snapped to my form, eyes wide in realization. "The Scourge?"
"They're moving," Dennis announced. All three of us turned towards the hill, watching in fear as the sun painted dark shadows across the green grass.
The first line of a dozen Undead was advancing slowly over the hill, with no sign of haste to their march. I was shaking uncontrollably by now, the realization of our situation finally coursing through all three auras and instilling utter panic within my bones.
Realization that death was now inevitable. That everything would end here.
The army had surmounted the small hill, several lines swaggering toward our meager group and lead by whom I assumed to be the general in my vision. I couldn't even move to draw my weapons—what was the point in wasted effort?
"Three humans versus eighty Undead," Edgar growled, taking his stance as if the actual number before us was under a dozen. "How do you like those odds?"
"How do you like two versus eighty?" Dennis countered coolly. Edgar and I both snapped our gazes towards the paladin, restlessness brimming with confusion. Without any sign of hesitation Dennis pulled a heavy envelope out of his inside pocket, then holding it out for me to take.
Edgar must have understood something I didn't as I took the important Scourge document out of Dennis' grasp. The warrior smirked. "I always wanted to go down in blazing glory."
Two. My fingers ached as they gripped forcefully on the pieces of paper before me when I finally came to realize what the men had silently agreed upon. "No," I nearly squeaked, I was so terrified. "Dennis, what are you planning?"
I couldn't help but notice that the Undead army was getting closer, details becoming more refined as they sought us out. They were so confident in their actions it disgusted me. "Your journey is not supposed to end here with ours," Dennis answered cryptically.
My eyes widened in horror, knees nearly buckling beneath me. "No," I stated more clearly. As if it would do much good, I forcefully pushed the documents towards Dennis' chest. "I'm not leaving. If you go, I go."
Everything was moving too fast, too rapidly for me to settle down and access the situation. The Scourge was closing in, Edgar was glancing between us and the others, Dennis was trying to hide me from enemy sight, and bittersweet memories of Dennis, from my childhood to the present, began to crawl dangerously into my head.
"Don't you see, Grace? This is what I've been placed here for. You're far too important to the Alliance at this point, and those documents must make it back to Stormwind. It all fits, but you're too panicked to realize it."
"This isn't supposed to happen!" I screeched desperately. "It's not fate, Dennis, it's war. I am not going to abandon my-"
"They've stopped. The attack is coming," Edgar warned. His voice wasn't as calm as Dennis', but he was truly making an effort to sooth the tension.
"You need to trust me," Dennis encouraged. "You're not going to die here, Grace. You're too important to the Alliance, and too important to me."
I shook my head violently, causing the hot liquid that had began to form beneath my eyelashes to slip down my cheeks. Dennis braced my arms, his strength the only reason I was still standing as my knees and hands shook. "Don't do this," I begged. "Don't make me."
"Trigger your hearthstone as soon as the protective shield activates." My body wanted to heave with sobs of terror and grief, but my desperation to plea with Dennis muffled the attempt to hiccups.
Dennis' hand went to my cheek, and I was nearly tempted to draw back, but fear had me rooted in place. His thumb then traced the same patterns across my forehead as they had Henri's, and then his lips, cold with fear, kissed the affected skin. The paladin I had loved for so long stepped back as the barrier enveloped me, a golden lining barely visible in the sunlight.
"Well," Edgar articulated, "now they're definitely on the move."
I glanced over Dennis' shoulder. Dozens of Undead monsters began their charge, the general's sword held up in premeditated triumph as his Undead horse reared its head. "Tell Lucas I did what I had to in order to keep you safe. And tell Zen it's his job to keep you that way." He cocked a boyish smile, the same one I had seen so much in our years growing up together, and it only caused an intensity in my sobs. Bitterly I wiped away relentless tears, determined to memorize Dennis' smile. I fumbled clumsily for my hearthstone, cynically hoping it would be unreliable and somehow wipe me off the earth. The green light took over as I traced the patterns on my stone. "We'll hold them as long as possible. Warn the others, Grace. The Plaguelands are corrupt."
"Dennis," I murmured.
"No regrets, Grace," berated Dennis. His arms raised, palms up, as he turned and faced the oncoming slaughter. They were so close now, so close… "No regrets." A bright light began to concentrate within his hands, causing me to whimper pathetically. The stone within my grasp was burning now, as I watched Edgar begin his charge towards the right side.
I heard Dennis shout something in a foreign tongue as the Light in his hands intensified, and then it all disappeared in a flash of green.