Cold. Abyssal. All surrounding. Omnipresent darkness surrounded Sally, it's chill bite ripping into her body as its vile power flowed over her prone form, enveloping her in shadow. Though her eyes were open, there was nothing for her too see. Nothing for her to taste. Nothing for her to smell. Nothing for her to hear. Only the cold chill of the void confirmed that she even existed; and the void was vile. Everywhere it touched, it felt as if it was sapping her, draining her power, clawing into her. Seeking to envelop something.
"Am… I… Alive?"
Sally did not know whose voice it was that reverberated throughout the darkness. She could not feel her lips move, the breath of her own life sliding over her lips, or even the words passing into her own ears.
"Is… She… Alright?"
A second time the voice came, yet still she did not know if she was alive to answer it. Was she alive? Could she respond? Who was she? Was she… me? Is me… I? Could I be she? Is Sally… I?
A hand moved beside her, slowly rising up, as if pulled on by a string. With a sudden burst of motion, the shadows ripping up, wrapping about the arm and yanking it down. A scream of pain burst through the darkness, causing her ears to rumble and vibrate, the burning fires of pain to ripple across the arm. Blazing light, as bright as the sun, shone forth from Sally's body, burning away at the darkness. Two screams joined where there had been once one as the Light poured forth from Sally's body. Sally's own voice, and that of another being.
"She's coming too!"
The stone-colored walls of the Scarlet infirmary came into focus as the blaze of light died down and the shadows ebbed away. Warm blankets, white and colored with the symbol of the Crusade, covered her body. Beside her two medics stood, staves in hand as they slowly chanted healing spells.
"She's awake." said one of them. Both medics stopped her spell, one going off to tend to those whom had been wounded defending Lordaeron, while the other sat down beside her. For a moment, Sally said nothing, content to simply let the warm breath fill her lungs. She didn't know why, but despite the blankets, she felt oddly cold. After a moment she felt her strength had returned and sat upright.
"What happened?" she asked, unsure of how she had ended up within the Scarlet Infirmary. The last thing she could recall, she had been within Arcanist Doan's chambers within the Library, asking about a cure for the plague. She didn't remember Doan's answer, or what had been said, only that she had been there.
"The guards found you passed out, High Inquisitor, outside the entrance to the Cathedral Wing. The last people to see you well were several of the library scholars. They said that you were walking away with a furious and vaguely predatory posture in your body, as if you were a ravenous wolf, and muttering words in a language that they could not identify. We believe you had a seizure. Have you been getting enough rest? Have the stresses of the High Inquisitor become too much for you?"
Sally shot the medic a sour, indignant, look; insulted to be even asked such a question. "Stresses? The only stress I have suffered from my position is the stress from the undead that surround us every day and how unwilling people are to follow! It is just so… Urrgh!" She reached down and picked up a small cup of water that had been placed beside the bed and flung it as hard as she could against the wall. The cup shattered, sending water splattering all over the wall. Two droplets sprung back into her face, stinging into her eyes. Sally squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to rub her eyes. Then, she stood up, being careful as her vision blurred from her self-inflicted pain.
"I… Need to be alone for a bit." she said before retreating to her private chambers.
Sally sat down in the posh and empty chambers, the walls bathed in scarlet tapestries and bookshelves, yet her gaze was not focused on their splendor. Instead, it was on her own hands. Her hands that had strangled her own master. Her hands that had been so ready to call upon the divine power to wound the very soul of her own underling.
"What is wrong with me?" she asked in confusion. "I should be fighting the monsters out there. I came here to do that. Yet all I can do is fight my own people."
She bent down, cradling her own head in her hands, letting streaks of tears mingle with the crimson streaks upon her cheeks. "I didn't do those things! I didn't want to hurt anyone! I…"
Had she hurt anyone? Fairbanks… had…
Pain suddenly lanced through Sally's head as demonic shadows suddenly swirled about her. Etherial claws suddenly dug into her shoulder as the grinding of foul lips stained her ear, whispering, feeding, overwhelming her. Fairbanks had defied orders! He wanted the Crusade to be weak! He wanted to spare people whom would have become undead! He wanted the Scourge strong and the Crusade weak! He was a traitor! Doann was a coward! Unwilling to expunge people because he might lose his precious tomes! Tomes full of useless knowledge! He was useless!
"Useless! Useless! All of them useless!" she screamed in pure fury. "This Crusade is useless! People fighting half-heartedly! Unwilling to die for their cause!" She stood up and kicked the door to her chamber open. Outside, several monks sat upon the Cathedral pews, calmly and quietly offering up prayers to the Light, seeking guidance to spare themselves from the undead.
"You!" she shouted, plumes of foul magic bellowing from her eyes. "All you monks. Arise! Arise and fetch together all these masses! I have an important announcement to make! Do you understand me?"
The monks nodded in submission before rushing off.
"Wait! You two." she pointed to two of the monks whom had been praying side by side. "Come here. I have a special task for you."
OOC: Once again, I find myself in the position of being delayed on updating. Several months behind on updating. I wish I could make some excuse. It would be all too easy for me to blame my sore lack of updating on the holidays or a lack of inspiration. Alas, I cannot blame either, nor do I desire too. If I did, I would be lying unto myself. Some part of me would know that I could have written the chapter in advance and posted it on the proper day. I have been lazy. I do not seek justification. I do not seek mercy.