Memory Lane

They had stopped on a small rise overlooking the village of Stoneplow, or rather, what was left of it after the Mantid invasion. Boulders were scattered over the hillside, making it useless for farming but an excellent place for a weary patrol to take their rest.

The Sin'dorei had marched for some time, heading from the forward bases in the Jade Forest and continuing on into the valley. Sent on the order of Alleriel Sunhaven, they comprised a mixed group of House Dawnsea and House Sunhaven forces, with some new recruits that had recently arrived on the continent. All of them were tired and awed by the strange place that they found themselves.

All but one that is.

“It is SO BORING here!” Lirallel grumped as she sat on one of the boulders. She shifted in place, not needing to rest and impatient with the rest of the small patrol. Several of the other Sin'dorei rolled their eyes at her, one even muttering under their breath. It was her fault they had marched for so long, since she'd managed to get lost not once, but twice during the journey and had to be located by the scouts.

“Well it IS!” the undead elf continued, either not understanding the hostile glares directed at her or not caring. “I just want to actually put my blade to use. Lady Sunfire totally said I could use it, and it's been almost TWO WEEKS since I've seen combat. How am I going to prove how useful I am if we're just sitting here?”

“Would you shut up?” one of the other soldiers muttered. He had a small brooch pinning his travel cloak in place that depicted a sun rising over the waves; the emblem of House Dawnsea. “Nobody cares what Lady Sunfire told you that you could or could not do. She's not even HERE and I doubt our new 'commander' is all that interested in engaging in outright battle with the Alliance beachheads in Krasarang. Get used to this; you'll likely be helping to rebuild burned homes and moving logs and chopping down trees rather than fighting.”

Lirallel stared at the other elf in horror, the effect contradicted by the fact that she herself was horrifying to look upon. Her blue-painted lips quivered as the other elf finished, “C-chopping logs? Oh my heavens, that is going to RUIN my armor! And my nails! My NAILS!”

She held up one of her hands to emphasize the point, pulling off her gauntlet to display her black manicure. Rather than impress the Sin'dorei she was talking to, her dead, marble-white skin merely made him shudder in disgust and look away quickly.

Lirallel didn't seem to notice the reaction, nodding happily as she slipped her spiked gauntlet back on her hand. “You'll see! I will show Lady Sunfire that I'm the best weapon she's got! And Lady Sunhaven too!”

With that, Lirallel took her runeblade out, holding it up to examine its edge. The other Sin'dorei merely rolled their eyes and ignored her; it was more trouble than it was worth trying to correct her, and talking to her for extended periods of time could give one a headache.

Several minutes passed, the Sin'dorei patrol taking the opportunity to rest and consume some of their rations. Their destination was the outskirts of Stoneplow, where they would assist with continuing to clean up the Mantid invasion or help Pandaren families that were trapped by the assault to withdraw. Just as the blood elves were about to resume their march (and Lirallel was about to begin removing her armor piece by piece to clean it), a scream arose from the nearby fields.

Lirallel was instantly on her feet, her unnatural swiftness allowing her to react faster than the rest of the patrol. Perched atop one of the larger boulders, she had a good view of the nearby fields. Many of them were partially burned or destroyed by the advance of Sha corruption. As had happened several times in recent days, the Mantid invasion force had begun to push into the area again, their flying creatures passing over the wall to harass the Pandaren that were trying to gather their belongings that they had been forced to leave behind.

The scene that met Lirallel's eyes was typical; about five Pandaren had been caught by a Mantid raid, the insectoid creatures surrounding their prey and herding them towards a final slaughter. Lirallel could see the Pandaren as they panicked, several of them grouping together as they tried to flee the invaders. One of the smaller Pandaren clutched desperately to the paw of what must have been her mother as she ran through the fields. As the death knight watched, a Mantid landed behind them, shoving the mother hard and causing her to lose her grip on her daughter. The little one, who was a young 'teenager' at best, cried out, reaching desperately for her parent as the two were torn away from each other by a flurry of insect bodies.

“What do you see Knight Ebondawn?” the patrol captain asked. Only silence greeted him, and he looked up to the boulder where Lirallel was standing with a puzzled expression on his face.

Lirallel didn't hear him. She stood, her shoulders wilted and her runeblade's tip resting on the ground. She stared at the scene far below, something deep within her mind rupturing as a memory forcibly made its way to the surface. The scourgelight in her eyes flicked and dulled, a faint hint of green mixing with the abominable color. An image from her former life flashed before her eyes, and a moment later, it swallowed her whole.

*********************************

Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath came in gasps. They were all around them now, in the open garden area near Dawning Lane that made up half of Silvermoon City. Screams arose from the panicked throats, the Scourge pressing their advantage and pouring into the homes and businesses of the Quel'dorei that lived and worked in the city's quarter as the nation of Quel'Thalas fell to the tides of undeath.

Somehow she knew she shouldn't be here. She knew something was wrong. Lirallel felt as if her body was mired in muck, unable to move. She looked and saw a Quel'dorei, her jet black hair flowing behind her as she ran, horror on her face. She skidded to a halt, her hand reaching out to grasp the hand of a young Quel'dorei with bright blonde hair.

“Lira! Lira we have to run! They've broken through! Come on baby, we have to get out of here!”

A shiver went through Lirallel's body as she heard the voice, recognized the face. There was no mistaking what she was seeing; Lirathiel Leafdawn was attempting to rescue her eldest daughter before the Scourge caught them. It was an ill-fated attempt that would result in her death. There was no escape now, no hope for the citizens of Silvermoon.

“Minn'da I'm scared!” the young Lirallel said as her mother began to run, pulling her along. “What about Cathara? What of Ann'da and Eli?”

Her mother merely shook her head, her face a mask of sorrow as she ran, “Come on baby. We need to keep moving. We need to get out of he-”

A ghoul charged out of a nearby garden, its face covered in gore and its talons extended as it rushed the two. Lirallel watched as her younger self screamed in horror, her mother skidding to a halt between her and the creature, breaking her grip on her daughter's hand. Gruesome talons reached out, raking the air and narrowly missing the Quel'dorei.

“Minn'da! MINN'DA!” little Lirallel cried.

“GO LIRA! RUN! RUN BABY RUN!” her mother screamed, using her body to shield her child. The little elven girl turned and fled, her mother delaying the creatures that were coming from the garden to rip them to shreds.

In her mind, Lirallel tried to process the emotions that flowed through her, her long undead form unable to comprehend what she was experiencing. She shivered in place, watching the scene that was a waking nightmare, her thoughts whirling.

I have to stop them. I have to protect her. I need a sword. I HAVE a sword. I can fight now. I can fight Minn'da! Please hold on, I can fight them!

The thought slammed through her shattered consciousness, electrifying her limbs. She began to move.

*************************

Before the patrol leader could repeat his question, the motionless death knight burst into action. Her blade came up, deadly runes dancing along it's length. She leaped from the boulder, her ghastly form a blur.

“Knight Ebondawn, what are you-” the patrol leader began.

“MINN'DA! I'M COMING MINN'DA! PLEASE DON'T GET HURT! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!” came a horrific cry from Lirallel's dead throat. The sound echoed through the fields, and several of the Mantid turned, their heads tilting as they detected the death knight's presence.

The creatures turned to face the charging white creature, talons extended even as several of them continued to herd the Pandaren to slaughter them. They had fought both Pandaren and some of the newcomers that had landed on the continent. Confident, the warriors prepared to slaughter the lone attacker and continue their assault.

Unfortunately for them, they had never fought the undead before.

Lirallel moved faster than she should have, her limbs a blur as her runeblade came up over her head. One of the Mantid attempted to block the blow, and the deadly magical blade simply descended down and shattered its limb, cleaving it nearly in half. Green gore splattered the ground and the howling death knight as she brought the blade up again, parrying a spear that was thrust at her.

The blade whirled, Lirallel's eyes glazed and unfocused as she beheaded on of the insects attempting to stop her. Beyond the opponents blocking her path, she could see the other Mantid preparing to spear the Pandaren woman before her daughter's eyes.

“MINN'DA! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Lirallel screamed. A spear thrust through her belly, splattering black ichor on the ground. She simply ignored it, driving herself up the shaft so that she could plunge her blade through the carapace of the Mantid that had impaled her. As it fell she reached out, dark magics curling from her fingertips and wrapping around the Mantid warrior that had brought its spear up to slaughter the Pandaren mother.

Instantly the creature was wrapped in dark tendrils of energy and it was jerked from its feet, its spear falling harmlessly to the ground as it was forcibly dragged to Lirallel. Another spear was jammed through her back and she ignored this injury as well, reaching out with her bare hands to snap the neck of the Mantid that had been assaulting the Pandaren.

Another Mantid lurched towards the cowering Pandaren woman, even as her daughter rushed to her side and they gripped each other tightly. An unearthly scream issued from Lirallel's mouth and she yanked her runeblade free from where it had lodged in one of her victims.

“MINN'DA!”

The ground around her froze as she lurched towards the cowering Pandaren. As another spear went up, she hurled her runeblade through the air. Rather than fly like a normal object, it began to hover in the air, parrying a sword that cut at Lirallel's head. Her eyes blazed with scourgelight and she pointed at the Mantid that was threatening the Pandaren. It hurtled through the air, attacking them as if an invisible warrior wielded it. A second later the Mantid fell dead, its ichor joining that of the others who had already fallen.

With the Pandaren safe, Lirallel turned, her face devoid of any compassion. Mantid weapons gouged her armor and a sword hit cut her arm. She ignored all of it, reaching behind her and drawing an ax from her back. It glittered with runes, dark energies surging through it.

“Now you all die...” Lirallel said, her voice like a cold wind.

As a group the remaining Mantid raiders charged her. Rather than prepare for them, Lirallel also charged, her ax held up above her head, deadly cold snow blowing around her. Bodies collided and weapons flashed. Spells exploded and Mantid howled as they were destroyed.

It was over in seconds and Lirallel stood motionless on a pile of insectoid corpses. Her body was covered in gouges, cuts, and what would have been life threatening wounds had she been alive. It meant nothing to her. All that mattered was that she had saved her mother. She wasn't in Pandaria. She wasn't fighting Mantid.

She was in Silvermoon City fighting Scourge.

Behind her the Pandaren gathered, hugging each other close, several of them weeping. They saw beyond the motionless dead elf that other Sin'dorei were hurrying from a nearby rise, their faces lined with worry. As the elves approached, the patrol leader passed Lirallel, reaching out to steady the nerve wracked Pandaren mother.

“Miss, are you alri-” he began.

An icy cold grip pressed down on his shoulder, and he found himself spun around, face to face with Lirallel. The death knight looked through him as if he was not even there.

“Do not touch her. Keep your filthy scourge hands off of my mother!”

The patrol leader swallowed a lump in his throat as he stared back at the dead elf. She was covered in gore, some of it her own black ichor. In areas where her deep purple armor hadn't covered her flesh she had been impaled, and she had holes in her that should be fatal. In one of them, he could see a blood worm writhing, feasting on diseased flesh. The sight nearly made him wretch.

“K-knight Ebondawn, there are no scourge here. Do you understand me? There are no scourge here. You are in Pandaria. You are protecting Pandaren from a Mantid invasion. Do you hear me?”

The death knight tilted her head, her bleached white hair falling around her face as she studied the elf. Her voice was hollow, as if it issued from the ground. “You lie.”

The rest of the patrol gathered around the scene, and the patrol leader held up a hand to steady them and get them to hold; they had already seen what the undead elf was capable of. “No, look around you. SEE what is around you. We are elves, not scourge. There are no spires here, no banners, no gates. SEE the fields Knight Ebondawn. Do you hear me?”

A tense moment passed as Lirallel stared through the elf that was addressing her. Her head turned, the scourgelight in her eyes fading slightly as she looked beyond him. A shudder went through her and her entire posture changed. Her ax dipped down before falling from her limp fingers.

“W-what...what's going on..?” Lirallel said softly. “Why are you all staring at me, and OH MY HEAVENS WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY ARMOR?!”

A collective sigh of relief issued from the patrol. Several of them looked at one another and made 'crazy' gestures while nodding at the death knight. For her part, Lirallel didn't seem to notice, looking down at her ruined armor in disgust. The patrol leader nodded, gesturing to his men to secure the area so they could lead the Pandaren to safety.

As they began to gather up the refugees and prepared to depart, a smaller, younger Pandaren girl pushed through the elves. She ran up to the undead elf and embraced her, ignoring the horrific wounds on the creature. Lirallel's eyes widened in surprise as the little creature nodded at her and then slipped back through the crowd to her mother.

As the group prepared to depart, the patrol leader came up behind Lirallel and patted her on the shoulder, “You did well Knight Ebondawn.”

Lirallel's gaze wandered to the Pandaren as they began to walk, and she shook her head. “No, I didn't do anything. Lirallel Leafdawn did. Her mother did not live that day, but maybe someday, she will rest in peace.”

With that the death knight stalked off, grabbing up her fallen weapons and joining the patrol, leaving her patrol leader confused. He would never understand the dead creature, and maybe that was for the best.

Crashing the Party

"Lady Sunnydale and guest!" the voice boomed out.

Several elves turned and smiled at the announcement, looking back towards the delicate metal gates that separated the party grounds from the rest of the estate. Located deep within Eversong, House Sunwhisper's property was a sprawling complex of buildings, pools, and gathering areas hemmed off by high bushes with the masterfully crafted gates as portals. The evening's party was taking place in one of the smaller, secluded areas and guests were being ushered in through one of several gates connecting it to the rest of the property.

The Sin'dorei noblewoman who had been announced curtsied gracefully to several other elves as they greeted her before walking towards the group and mingling with the crowd. She was quickly followed by another guest, and then another, each having their name announced by the gate's usher. As the names were announced and guests mingled, a hum of conversation grew. It was clear that everyone who was anyone had been invited to Lady Sunwhisper's party, and it would likely be the talk of the winter months.

Lady Sunwhisper herself was thrilled with the party's attendee list thus far. She mentally checked off each name that was announced. While she had given out invitations to only a select few, she had purposely allowed the details of the party to slip out and become public gossip, ensuring that virtually half of Silvermoon would show up for her event.

As she stood amongst her guests mentally congratulating herself, a small bit of disturbance rippled through the crowd. Frowning, she looked up to see some of the guests near the gate speaking more loudly in complaint. Even as she looked, a name was announced, "Dame Lirallel Ebondawn!"

As Lady Sunwhisper forced her way through the crowd, she saw the usher allowing a slender, pale Sin'dorei in a deep black dress through the gates. Immediately she could tell that there was something wrong with the elf, as her skin was ghastly white and her lips painted a deep blue. As she drew closer, Lady Sunwhisper could tell that the elf's eyes glowed with a deep blue scourge-light.

She approached the elf, drawing herself to full height before speaking in a hushed tone, "Come with me at once Dame Ebondawn."

With that she stalked off, leaving the rather confused looking Lirallel to follow after. Behind her, the crowd whispered, gossip already popping up as it was wont to do amongst high society.

The two elves walked to a secluded area of the party grounds, and Lady Sunwhisper turned and virtually spat words at the death knight, "What do you think you're DOING?"

"I-I...there's a party here, right?" Lirallel asked innocently.

"Yes, but not for YOUR kind. See yourself out of the back gate at once, and do not darken our event with your presence again," Lady Sunwhisper said sternly.

Lirallel opened her mouth as if to speak and then shut it, thinking better of the situation. She shrugged, slipping past the irate noble without saying another word, using a back gate and walking slowly away.

"It's not fair. I am never invited to attend events," Lirallel murmured to herself as she walked. Ahead she could see the moonlight sparkling on the water near Sunsail Anchorage. She wandered in that direction, her thoughts brooding. "I should be able to go to parties too! I even bought this dress just for the occassion!"

She walked towards the water's edge, looking at her reflection in the water and reaching up to fix a stray piece of her bleached white hair that had fallen out of place. If not for her ghastly color she might have been considered beautiful, especially the way she'd artfully styled her hair. Her makeup was also stunning, applied just so to match her hue. She shrugged, actually drawing in a breath to sigh slightly, "Now look at all this wasted effort. I bet they were totally jealous of me!"

She walked over to one of the broken piers of the Anchorage, sitting down on the stones and slipping her jet-black high heels off. She set her shoes beside her, arranging her skirts on the stones as she let her feet dangle into the water before her. She smiled as she saw the water ripple, breaking the moonlight up and sending sparkling bits of light around her submerged feet. Although she could not feel the water any longer, the act of sitting like this was something her form remembered from another time, when she would happily splash in the warm waters.

Times had changed of course. Rather than cooling herself down, the water around her feet began to chill, and little bits of ice floated up to the surface and floated away. This amused the undead elf for a time, and she sat still, musing over her most recent social rejection. "I bet the party isn't even very fun anyway. They probably don't have any music I would like."

She nodded to herself, splashing in the water. The sound distracted her for a moment, which is why she didn't hear them approaching her from behind. The first sign she had of the Wretched was when one of them was touching her hair and hissing softly into her ear.

With a start she whirled her head around, eyes wide in surprise. After a moment though she just shook her head, "Oh, it's just some of you."

Wretched were throughout the ruins of Silvermoon and around the Anchorage as well. Lirallel had become accustomed to seeing them alone or in packs, roaming the ruined buildings and searching for magic. Now and then they confronted her, but generally they did not want to consume scourge energy, which is all she had to offer them. They knew what she was. Even as she thought this, another of them hissed.

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything for you. I would totally give you some magic though if I did," Lirallel said.

One of the Wretched leaned forward towards her, as if sniffing the air around her, "Need more. We hunger..."

Lirallel nodded at the creature. Most Sin'dorei would be horrified to be so close, but Lirallel didn't mind them. At least they didn't say nasty things to her. Not that her feelings would be hurt, but sometimes when she was insulted she just wanted to HURT people, and sometimes if she thought about it long enough, she found it hard to stop herself. She LIKED hurting them. It made her feel good, or rather, made her feel better for a while. But she knew that they would try to destroy her if she acted out of line enough, so she was often forced to choke down the feeling and give up the bliss that hurting them would bring.

"I suppose they don't want you at the party either," she said to the Wretched. She looked back out over the water, kicking her feet and splashing again. The Wretched around her hissed at the sound before settling into half-crouches. "It's not fair really, you are just as much elves as they are. Instead of trying to help you, they leave you out here to starve."

One of the Wretched near her moaned pitifully, the sound bringing a smile to her lips. It murmured under its breath, "We must find another source..."

"Really though, I totally do not understand why they don't try to talk to you," Lirallel said. She wagged her finger at the nearest Wretched, which hissed at her. "I mean, look at you. You were just like them once! Just like I was, and they don't even help you find clothing and shelter or give you any magic to soothe your thirst. I at least can go find my own ways to feed, but you...just look at you gentlemen. You poor things."

One of them began to paw at her hair again. She shrugged as a blood worm wriggled out of her ear and tried to latch onto its wrist. "One day they will have to learn to accept you for what you are if they want to rebuild this place. And me! We can be useful, we can help too!"

She looked up at the Wretched, tilting her head as an idea came to her, "Hey you know what? I bet I could totally help YOU! I mean, you hate my magic so I can't help you with that, but there were some magical lights in the garden back there. If I let you in the gate, do you think you could sneak around the party goers and get to the lights? I'll do it if you promise to be super quiet."

One of the Wreteched stepped towards her, almost growling. The sound made her giggle and she patted it on the shoulder, prompting it to attempt to bite her. "You are SO CUTE! Anyway, if you want, follow me. At least someone can enjoy the party."

With that she jumped to her feet, sending some of the Wretched scrambling away from her warily. She reached down, snatching up the straps of her shoes and dandling them by her side as she walked barefoot back towards the gates that she had been ushered out of earlier. Seven Wretched followed her, as if drawn by curiosity.

With a smile, Lirallel reached the gate and pulled on it. It was locked from the inside, but she was sure that was merely accidental. What if more guests wanted to come in after all? She set her shoes down beside her and grasped the gate firmly in both hands, pulling with all her unnatural strength. The metal bent and buckled before tearing free with a shriek.

Lirallel set the broken metal down against the bushes that hemmed in the party area and bent down to retrieve her shoes. She smiled at the Wretched and nodded, "Go on then! I'm not allowed back in the party because they did NOT like my dress, but you can all go in and sneak around the back and take just a tiny bit of magic okay? Not too much, just a tiny bit!"

One of the Wretched sniffed the air before him, as if sensing the magic within the party grounds. With a soft hiss he slipped through the gates, the rest following. Lirallel smiled at them as the passed, satisfied that she had done a good deed. With a sigh of satisfaction, the dead elf walked back towards the Anchorage. This time she stepped barefoot onto the surface of the water, and it froze beneath her.

"It's hard being a hero. You really have to think about how you can help people," she said softly to herself as she walked away. "I think tonight was a great start though! Lady Sunfire is going to be so proud!"

With that she disappeared into the forest, heading towards her estate. Behind her, the water slowly thawed in the moonlight, the screams from the party echoing distantly in the night.

That Escalated Quickly

Eversong was quiet and peaceful, only the sounds of nature flowing beneath the carefully sculpted trees. In eternal spring, the forest was alive with a diverse number of creatures that called it home. Atop the small hill overlooking a lone stretch of road below it, the sounds of nature were muted where a group of Sin'dorei had established a small camp.

There were about twenty of them in all, five in the central camp and three other groups of five scattered amongst the trees and bushes down below. All of them wore clothing that blended in with the natural colors around them, the intent to conceal themselves from observers. In the central camp, a small, portable table had been erected and maps were strewn about its surface.

“Lady Sunfire's route will take her past this position within the quarter hour,” a soft, feminine voice said. Around her, several other Sin'dorei nodded at the priestess as she explained the plan. “As soon as I give the signal with magic, each group will launch their offensive, cutting off any chance for her entourage to advance or retreat. We slay all of them and move the bodies to the dead scar, making it look like some of the undead did it.”

Around the table, the other Sin'dorei nodded. They had already been briefed on the assassination plans, but it didn't hurt to review the details one last time, especially when dealing with a powerful magistrix like Biara Sunfire. As the priestess opened her mouth to speak, a voice drifted to her from the group, one that sounded unnatural, as if it were coming from beneath the ground.

“Wow, your dress is GORGEOUS. I know you are really busy and everything, but after you're done can we talk about where you got that?” the voice said.

Blinking in utter shock, the priestess turned to find a horrifying sight standing amongst the Sin'dorei within her ambush group. Ghastly white, an obviously dead elf was leaning forward, smiling at her through blue-painted lips, her eyes running over the dress as well as the map spread out on the table. She was armored in bits of deep purple plate armor that did little to cover her flesh and likely explained why her approach from the Dead Scar had gone undetected.

“W-what?! Who are you? Identify yourself at once!” the priestess snarled.

The dead Sin'dorei's smile widened and she offered a curtsey that was stiff and unnatural, “I'm Dame Ebondawn, miss. You can call me Lirallel though or Lira! I didn't mean to mess up your meeting but that dress is just AMAZING.”

As she spoke, Lirallel leaned forward, her purple gauntlets running down the sleeve of the priestess's dress. The Sin'dori looked at her with a mixture of shock and disgust, while out of the corner of her eye she noted a small dot in the distance that likely heralded the arrival of the carriage carrying Lady Sunfire on the road far below.

“More likely you are a spy!” the priestess snapped. She reached out and shoved Lirallel away from her with an angry gesture, nodding to the others in the camp. “Seize her for questioning. We will find out who she is working for after we've finished our business here.” For her part, Lirallel stumbled backwards in surprise, her mouth open in an 'O' of shock. She was roughly grabbed by two Sin'dorei who stepped up behind her.

The Sin'dorei priestess would never comprehend the sheer lethality of the mistake she'd made.

Lirallel's eyes became unfocused and she began to mutter to herself quietly even as the priestess turned away, “But it's so pretty. And I just wanted to ask about it. Why wouldn't she tell me where she got it? It's so pretty. I should have pretty things. But she said I can't, just like the others. I don't know why she's acting like this. She's going to die anyway...”

As the last sentence left her mouth, a change came over the dead Sin'dorei's face. The facade of innocence that had been present faded, and her eyes glowed maliciously. She began to speak, her voice much less friendly and accommodating, the tone firm. “It SHOULD be mine. She's not going to need it when she's dead. I DESERVE to have nice things too. She's going to be dead anyway. It's pretty, it should be mine. It IS mine. Give it to me now. Give it to me or DIE.”

She jerked her arms forward, her unnatural form much stronger than its size would hint at. The two Sin'dorei holding her were thrown to the ground and she stepped over them, ignoring them as if they were nothing to her. Her malicious gaze fixated on the priestess, she reached back, drawing an ax from its holster on her back. The weapon was cold saronite, the blade etched with glowing runes of death, blood, and frost. It glittered with an evil light as Lirallel brought it up.

The priestess turned as she heard her men being thrown to the ground, her eyes wide. She began to chant, hoping to cast a spell, but by then it was far too late. The unhinged creature had quickly crossed the distance between them, the ax arcing through the air with a delicate grace. A second later, the headless corpse of the priestess tumbled to the ground, her spell firing up in the air.

Lirallel was spattered with gore, the red shockingly bright on her bleached white skin. She took in an unnecessary breath, as if being cover with the vital fluids of another living being gave her some semblance of life. Around her, the other Sin'dorei began to react, their shock slowly fading.

*************************

On the road below, Biara's carriage came to an abrupt stop as magic flared into the air on a nearby hill. As cries of alarm came from the guards, Biara herself opened the door and stepped onto the running board of the carriage, watching the magic fade in the air. In the woods ahead, elves began to move, some of them looking at her entourage, and others glancing up at the hill above where the spell had fired off prematurely.

Biara's fel green eyes tracked up to the top of the hill, where she could see a pale white figure bending over something on the ground. Even as she watched in surprise, what could only be a Sin'dorei assassin rammed a blade through her back, sending black ichor spattering everywhere.

*************************

They had stabbed her. It didn't hurt much since she really didn't feel things anymore, but she was aware of it. She didn't really care except for the fact that the sword had plunged out of the front of her body, sending black ichor splattering to the ground in front of her. It had ALMOST gotten on the dress, and Lirallel knew how hard it was to get that ichor out of clothing. It was intolerable.

It was infuriating.

She rose, surging forward and yanking the sword from her back as she did so. Her eyes blazed with scourgelight now as she brought her ax up. Her would-be killer swung again, only to find his weapon shattered against the razor sharp edge of her ax. A second later, his mutilated body joined the weapon on the ground.

Other Sin'dorei ran at her, and from the woods around the camp the ambushers rushed towards their command post, sensing something was amiss. It didn't matter now, Lirallel was in her element. She was DESIGNED to kill. She existed to be a weapon of war, and they had foolishly decided to make war upon her. Living elves, with their frail little bodies and need to live. Sin'dorei who held weak emotions like fear, mercy, and compassion within them. She had none of these things, none of the weaknesses that would stop a true warrior. She had only her rage, and the unending need to bathe in their blood.

And so she did.

Blades flashed in Eversong's sunlight, metal clashing on metal as her weapon moved with unnatural grace. Sin'dorei struck at her, only to find her moving, or finding her weapon parrying blow after blow. She struck back, aiming not for vital organs but for limbs and extremities. Attempting to maim them so that they would bleed longer, so that they would cry out in agony for her. She laughed as she cut at them, the joyous bliss of feeling them suffer filling her like nothing else could. More and more of them rushed from the woods, only to be thrown down into the pile of howling, agonized victims laying in the leaves around her.

********************************

The House Sunfire guards watched warily as the hilltop became a killing ground. They muttered amongst themselves, understanding that if not for some chance of fate, they would have met an ambush on the road ahead. Amongst them Biara remained silent, her eyes affixed to the distant hilltop where what seemed to be a ghost was engaged in a most bloody slaughter.

More than a dozen had already fallen, and there were few left now to face whatever the pale thing was. By pure luck, one of them managed to hit its ax at just the right spot, sending the weapon flying in a glittering arc end over end. A bowman amongst the group fired, the arrow deflecting off of the pale creature's armor.

Biara's eyes widened slightly as she felt magic surge on the hilltop. The bowman clutched at his throat as the figure pointed at him, his windpipe crushed. Another Sin'dorei hurled a spear that impaled the creature, but she merely stumbled back before ripping the weapon from her flesh and swinging it in a wide arc, gouging the throat out of one of her attackers.

A second later the hilltop was enveloped by an unnatural blast of freezing cold air, the temperature change causing a dense fog to roll in and snow to temporarily fall. Just before their visibility was cut to nothing, the elves in Biara's entourage saw the pale figure bending down to retrieve her ax, a grin on her face as she stalked into the fog.

The final screams were cut off mercifully soon after.

*********************************

It took ten minutes for Biara's men to reach the hilltop. During that time, the sounds of battle had faded, and there was utter stillness and silence. In the warmth of Eversong, the fog dissipated rather quickly, and the elves found themselves walking into a scene of utter carnage.

Dead Sin'dorei lay strewn everywhere, many of them wearing assassin's garb or at least having covered hoods to hide their faces. That they were part of an ambush was without a doubt, but none of them had any marking to identify who they had been working for. There were many who would see Biara Sunfire dead however, so it mattered little.

Biara herself walked carefully amongst the dead, making sure not to get any of the gore from the battlefield on her robes. As she made her way to the central camp with its now destroyed map table, she spied a strange sight. There, sitting in the grass was a pale white Sin'dorei, her body covered in gore and ichor. Nearby, a nude and headless corpse was laying in the grass, and in the Sin'dorei's hands was a beautiful but now stained dress.

The pale thing looked up at Biara as she approached, scourge blue eyes boring into her, “They said I couldn't have it. They always say that I'm not pretty enough to have nice things. I don't know why they had to go and try to hurt me. I was just ASKING. It's mine now though, do you understand? It's mine and no one can have it.”

Biara approached slowly, her guards tense as she bent down before the undead Sin'dorei. She offered her a false smile, nodding gently, “Of course it's yours. You won the battle after all, so the spoils go to the victor. It would be ungrateful of me to take something from you when you have likely saved my life miss....what is your name dear?”

Lirallel smiled, her bleached white teeth blending into her face, “I'm Lira! And thank you! Finally SOMEONE sees reason here! Sorry if all of this has bothered you but I think they were going to try to kill you anyway. At least that's what that map over there said.”

Biara turned and nodded to one of her guards. The elf quickly hurried to the ruined table and pulled the shredded map out, studying it. He turned back to Biara and nodded. The Magistrix smiled, “Indeed, you have saved my life Lira, and for that I owe you a debt. If you ever find yourself in need, you have but to come to House Sunfire with your request and I will see to it that you are given aid. In fact, given how well you fought here, I could see that you might find a role amongst my fighters if you were interested.”

Lira looked up at Biara, a smile plastered on her face, “C-could...could I get more dresses do you think? And I'd LOVE to help out! I'm really good at helping!”

Biara's smile was somewhat genuine this time as she nodded, “Of course you could get more dresses. If you wish to put your skills to work, return to Silvermoon and visit the Blackhearts chapter-house. I am sure we can find something for one with your skills to do.”

Lira surged to her feet, making Biara's guards tense up. She didn't attack though, instead hugging her stolen dress to her body, “Oh THANK you so much! You will totally not regret this! I'll go get cleaned up and go RIGHT over there! You are really nice!”

With that she bent down, picked up her gore-encrusted ax, strapped it to her back and walked away, leaving Biara and her men to pick through the clues left behind amongst the dead. Biara watched her go, studying her deadly form for a moment with a smile on her lips.

“I cannot wait until you meet my mother, Lira,” she murmured to herself with amusement.

Brunch for Two

The Forsaken pulled back on the reins of his undead steed, bringing it to a halt as the numbered fronts of the buildings finally lead him to his destination. He slowly dismounted, his rotted form creaking a bit as he steadied himself on the ground. He paused, looking around with a raised brow, wondering if he had taken a wrong turn somewhere.

He was standing within the ruins of Silvermoon City, along one of the broad paths that paralleled the inner wall of the once populated area. The buildings around him were decayed, crumbling and hollow structures that no longer were inhabitable by living Sin'dorei. To emphasize the fact, the howl of a Wretched dying somewhere deeper in the ruins echoed off of the lonely stone edifice. Likely the area was once beautiful, but now it had fallen into a grotesque mockery of what it once was.

So why was he here?

He reached into his jacket, pulling out the strange invitation he'd received at his room in one of Silvermoon's inns. Certainly the elegant script and filigreed letter stock included the address that he now found himself standing in front of, and yet he was met with only silence, as if a joke had been played on him. After a moment he shrugged, putting the letter away and approaching the double doors of one house on the row. He had come all this way and there was no harm in knocking.

He gave the door a sharp wrap with his knucklebones, standing before the barrier with the infinite patience of the undead. His wait was short lived however as the door before him began to open on creaking hinges, unseen hands pulling it inward. With another small shrug he stepped through the opening, finding himself within a grand foyer.

It was obvious from the moment he stepped inside that the structure had once been more than one dwelling place that was later renovated and opened up. Several hallways lead from the foyer, with a newer looking staircase leading up to a second floor above. The space was lit with eerily glowing blue lamps, and in the dimmer light the Forsaken noticed the unmoving forms of several suits of armor, each bearing spears or halberds and standing at attention near each hallway opening. The size of the figures made their race difficult to determine given the heavy plate armor, and after staring for a moment the Forsaken decided that they were either Sin'dorei who were VERY good at standing still or empty suits of metal for display only.

His thoughts were interrupted as the air before him stirred, a wraith forming from seemingly nothing. He took a step back with a start, recognizing a creature that likely would have been created by the Scourge. Rather than attack him, the thing hovered for a moment, glaring at him with two burning points of cold blue light before speaking in a hissing whisper.

"Inivitaaaaaaaaation. Noooooow."

Somewhat amused, the Forsaken pulled out the letter he'd received and held it up before the wraith. It seemed to nod once and then dispersed in a cloud of shadow. Clearly his invitation was in order. The Forsaken's half-smile quickly faded as he realized several of the 'suits' of armor had moved while he was digging for the invitation, and more than one of them were closer in proximity to him now. They were less empty than he'd originally thought, and given their stillness, likely had similar undead servitors in them.

A melodious voice cut through his private thoughts, drawing his eye to the staircase above. "Sir Kevin Ives! Oh how delightful that you decided to accept my invitation! Please, let me have your coat seen to!"

The voice was low and feminine, but had an echoing quality as if it issued up from beneath the ground rather than from a living throat. It's owner would at first be mistaken for a pale Sin'dorei until one saw her clearly. The word 'pale' failed to properly describe the icy white of the skin of the elf that stood atop the stairway. Marble white with slight streaks of dark color where her veins were visible, the elf was a vision of macabre artistry. Her hair was snow-white, the color almost blending into her skin as it flowed across her shoulders and framed her ghastly white face. She wore a dress that on a living elf would have been stunning, it's white and pale blue fabric cut to hug the curves of a Sin'dorei and flared out at the bottom, giving just a peek of the pale blue, thick heeled shoes she wore beneath it. Her fingers were adorned with bejeweled rings, and similar jewelry bedecked her ears and adorned her head.

She took a few steps down the staircase, her shoes placed carefully to avoid catching in the fabric of her dress. Although her movements were likely designed to be alluring and graceful, to the Forsaken's expert eye there was a bit of stiffness within her form, as if her physical body was a puppet being jerked by the invisible strings of the will that commanded it. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she smiled, her blue-painted lips revealing teeth that had obviously been cosmetically bleached. He reached this conclusion almost immediately as when she spoke, he could see inky black ichor within her mouth that a living Sin'dorei would never tolerate.

She snapped her fingers and from behind the Forsaken a shuffling sound was heard. He turned to find a skeletal undead human approaching him, its form stuffed into a butler's uniform. With another raised brow he looked back at the undead elf, and she offered him another disturbing smile and a nod, "Christopher here will take your things. Come, I have much I wish to discuss with you!"

With that the Forsaken named Kevin Ives found himself handing his coat and hat to a skeleton butler of all things before hurrying after the strange dead elf. Her dress flowed out behind her like a drift of snow as she walked down one of the halls towards an open doorway. As he followed, Kevin noted that the suits of armor that they passed did indeed have malicious glows emanating from deep within their helmets; his guess had been accurate.

As they walked, the Forsaken noted that the hallway was decorated with wall hangings and tapestries that had been custom made specifically for this house. Many of them depicted an armored female elf bearing a glowing sword as she stood atop mounds of fallen enemies. A few had a stylized emblem of a raven perched atop the pommel of a runeblade; likely the symbol of the lady of the house.

Finally the two reached the doorway, and Kevin found himself ushered into a small palor with plush, although somewhat rotted, divans. Between them sat a small tea table, and the entire room was lit with the eerie glow of a magical blue fire in the nearby firepit. The elf gestured towards one of the divans before taking her own seat opposite from the Forsaken.

With some hesitation, the Forsaken opened his mouth to speak, "My Lady, I'm not sure what-"

His words had caused her to burst into a giggle, the sound somewhat unnatural. She recovered quickly, holding up a pale hand to forestall further comment. "I am no 'Lady' of Silvermoon, Sir Ives. You may call me Dame Ebondawn if you wish to be formal, or Lirallel if you wish to be friendly. I have been told in no uncertain terms and repeatedly that my lowborn blood could never earn the title of 'Lady'."

The Forsaken nodded and continued, "Dame Ebondawn, I'm not sure what the purpose of your invitation was, but I must admit to some curiosity. When I first received it, I was surprised that any in Silvermoon would invite one such as myself to a social gathering. Your kind don't prefer the undead."

Lirallel bit her lip, pouting slightly and shaking her head as her guest finished, "Sir Ives, as you can clearly see, I am not a Sin'dorei. You and I are of a kind, while those who I once called brothers and sisters are as distant to me as the sun itself. I have no more in common with those who walk the streets of the un-ruined portions of the city than I do with an orc or a human. It is for this reason that I sent my invitation. I rarely get visitors and when I learned that a Forsaken who was working with the Reliquary would be about, I jumped at the opportunity."

The Forsaken nodded, taking in what the undead elf had said. It was clear just from the very sight of her that what she said was true; she was certainly not amongst the living of Quel'Thalas. How she died, what her purpose was, and who she worked for were intriguing questions. He leaned back on the divan he'd selected, his fingers steepled before him. "Tell me Dame Ebondawn, why? Why do you wish to converse with me? Are you interested in the Reliquary, or simply spying on those within the city proper?"

Lirallel's unnatural laugh echoed through the room again, "Oh heavens no Sir Ives! I could care less what is occurring within the city except how it may impact my opportunities for to further my wealth or research. No, I simply wanted to converse with someone who understood what it was like to be one of us. With my research here and travels, it is rare that I have time to simply speak with another like yourself. Someone who appreciates what I have become and the advantages it brings."

As she finished, she leaned forward and picked up a small silver bell from the table before her. Another undead servant shambled to the doorway, standing there mindlessly. Liraellel turned towards it and nodded, "Brunch Marilyn, if you'd be so kind."

The creature shambled off as Kevin Ives studied Lirallel closely, "You actually consume food? You are becoming more and more of a puzzle with each passing moment Dame Ebondawn."

Liraellel offered him another smile, shaking her head slowly, "Oh my heavens, no! But I have developed some rather interesting concoctions that can help provide us with some energy. It is only polite to offer a member of the Reliquary some refreshment, wouldn't you say? I was fascinated to learn that you worked with that esteemed group, when normally the Forsaken do not involve themselves with much of Quel'Thalas. Tell me, have you gone on any digs? Some of the things that the Reliquary have been rumored to have unearthed sound absolutely thrilling."

The Forsaken remained silent for a moment, as if deciding how much he could share with the creature. The secrets of such an organization were not passed lightly, but there was something about her that made him understand that she would not betray one of her 'kind' as she'd put it. It was fascinating to meet such an interesting and obviously dangerously addled creature. He cleared his throat and nodded, "When they do work within Lordaeron we Forsaken involve ourselves in their projects. I am actually a member of the Royal Apothecary Society, however I have been assigned as an adjunct to several projects that they are moving forward with. I have yet to personally examine a dig site, but plan to in the near future."

Lirallel clapped her hands in delight and opened her blue lips as if to say more. At that moment her servant returned, the undead creature mindlessly shuffling into the room and placing a silver platter on the table. It contained two glasses, a dark wine bottle, and a crystal bowl of what looked to be small mints. The Forsaken's eyes widened as he took in the contents of the tray. Lirallel merely smiled at him, taking the bottle up and uncorking it.

"Naturally I do not consume wine my good sir," she said in an amused tone. "Some of my recent travels have lead me to obtain a much finer vintage however. If you'd care to try some, please be my guest."

She poured the bottle into the glass, the thick red liquid obviously freshly harvested blood. The sight brought a grin to the Forsaken's face and he nodded, allowing the elf to pour some into his glass as well. "Although there is no NEED to partake, sometimes it does one good to feed the blood worms, wouldn't you say?"

"Er...right," Kevin replied. He decided not to point out that he wasn't infested with parasites as he sipped the liquid politely. It wouldn't do to offend his hostess; she seemed like she might not be entirely able to cope with that if he did.

"Do try the mints!" Lirallel crooned. "I think you will be surprised!" She popped one in her mouth and nodded, watching him closely.

With some hesitation, he reached out, picking up the 'mint' and studying it. It was actually amber in color, and almost crystalline. There was a dark shape deep within it. He shrugged, popping it into his mouth and knowing that he would be unable to taste whatever it was anyway. To his surprise, the little 'mint' popped under the pressure of his teeth and something soft and warm flooded his mouth, immediately giving him a small burst of energy that traveled through his body.

Liraellel smiled at his surprised expression and nodded, "It's a type of crystallized Blight with a blood worm larva within it. Perfect pick-me-up when you need energy and great for serving to guests. It's my own recipe, I do hope you like them!"

The Forsaken actually chuckled, the sound a rumbling in his hollow chest. He was beginning to like the strange dead elf more and more. He settled further into his chair, popping another 'mint' in his mouth and offering the undead Sin'dorei a smile. "They are delightful, as is my charming hostess. And your estate is simply lovely. Tell me more about its history!"

With that Lirallel settled herself back as well, her voice a light and airy pitch as she spoke excitedly about her work and home. The two chatted on for many hours, enjoying the snacks she'd set out and exchanging news about the Reliquary, the state of the Forsaken's campaign, and other more mundane things.

Hours later a very satisfied Sir Kevin Ives, Adjunct of the Reliquary, found himself taking his hat and coat from another skeletal butler before being escorted out by his dead hostess. It had been a worthwhile trip after all, and he would be sure to tell his associates that might have to travel to Quel'Thalas about the strange estate where they could take their ease and enjoy a visit with a truly gracious, dead little elf.

True Love- A Goblin Tale

The tavern in Silvermoon was bustling, the decorative tables laden with food and the soft divans covered with lounging patrons idly chatting away. Here and there a voice would rise above the din in laughter or anger before the general buzzing drone of conversation continued on its way. Drinks flowed freely, and the atmosphere was light and celebratory throughout the confines of the place. That was, of course, with the exception of a lone patron sitting at one of the tavern's smaller tables.

The elf was best described as golden. His long flowing golden hair cascaded down around his sun-kissed skin, resting atop the shoulder plates of his gold and red armor. On the floor beside him sat a leather backpack with golden thread and a sheathed sword, it's length predictably decorated with gold. Although the Sin'dorei sat in brooding silence, given his appearance the sudden arrival of a second patron at his table was somewhat less than surprising.

At first the elf didn't notice as the small goblin woman slipped into the chair across from him. Swaying drunkenly, she placed a large bottle on the table in front of her and then promptly rested her hands on the bottle's neck and chin on her hands, peering at the golden elf through her glazed, purple little beady eyes. She sighed happily, just taking in the look of all that GOLD!

After a time, the brooding elf noticed his diminutive and uninvited drinking companion, his fel green eyes meeting her gaze. Not too politely, he growled out a few words in a low tone, “Can I help you with something?”

The goblin giggled, the high pitched sound discordant amongst the relatively melodious sounds of the laughing Sin'dorei in the tavern. After a moment she stopped, lifting her head up and offering him a sharp smile. “The name's Zeppi Sparkflash, honey. You can call me Zepp or Z if you'd like though. As for helpin' me, I just saw you sittin' there and started wondering what could make a doll like you so gloomy.”

The Sin'dorei's eyes widened slightly for a moment and he snorted, “I don't see how that's any of your business goblin. Why don't you go find someone else to swindle?”

Zeppi's face fell for a moment and then she shrugged and took a long pull from her bottle. “Don't gotta be like that honey. Besides, I already got business in Quel'Thalas. Buncha nobles hired me from some coalition or another.”

She set her bottle down and squinted at the golden elf, making him shift somewhat uncomfortably. “The way I figure it, either someone died or you lost something pretty special.”

The Sin'dorei nodded once, sighing as he spoke, “That is an astute guess. If you insist on sitting there, I will admit that I've lost something dear to me. It's not something you would understand though. My one and only beloved has run off with another you see, which is why I was sitting alone enjoying my solitude.”

Zeppi perked up in her seat, shaking her head even as the elf finished speaking and completely ignoring the not-so-subtle hint to leave. “What do you mean I don't understand? You lost your first love. 'Course I know what it's like to have a first love!”

The little green woman nodded vigorously as the elf looked at her with some degree of disbelief. She took another pull from her bottle and set it down again, more firmly this time. “Love's the thing that makes your heart race like an engine on turbo. It blooms in your heart like the biggest explosion you could ever see. It cuts through the night's darkness like...um, like a welder's torch cuts through metal! No matter how far you travel, or even how fast, you're always gonna remember your very first love. Can't ever forget 'bout it, because it turned your heart's key for the first time. Ya see sugar, I know alllll about it. Had just as much of it as you did!”

The elf blinked a few times, absorbing the rather unusual lecture that a goblin of all things had given him, watching the little woman sway drunkenly in place as she made her final point. For her part, Zeppi swept up her bottle, taking another gulp as she continued on.

“I remember my first love clear as day, sugar. It was back when I was home with my Ma and Pa. They ran a sweet little chop shop outta the house ya know? Had all kinds of trikes and tricked out rides comin' in and out of the place, and all sorts of folks. Sometimes even a few that were in the Trade Prince's eye ya know? It was there that I first found love. I remember the feelin' I got in the pit of my stomach. The way my heart raced each time my eyes caught a glimpse. I remember layin' in bed at night, wishing I could slip outta bed and knowin' my Pa's custom built security system would take out half the house if I tripped it. Let me tell you goldie, those were the best times of my life, and they got even better once I got to be WITH my love.”

The elf snorted, taking a sip from his own neglected wine glass as the goblin's story wound down and she sat across from him, staring happily into empty space and lost in a drunken stupor of memories. After a moment, he interrupted her daydreaming, his tone softer, “And what happened to your love? Did you lose it as I have? Did cruelty snatch it from you when you thought it would be yours forever?”

Zeppi shook her head, coming out of her trance and grinning at the elf, “Nah, wasn't nothin' like that. Fuel tank leak caused this HUGE fireball. It was really amazing to see, but man am I gonna miss that trike. Was my very first one ya know? Nearly four feet long with custom alloy rims, eighteen hundred horsepower dual throttle, turbo charged engine. And it even had a sweet nitro-boost rocket on the back for extra speed. Painted the thing this beautiful red color, even put a little heart on the side. I can't even tell you how many street races I won with it, and how much coin. Was some of the best years of my life when I was growin' up.”

The Sin'dorei nearly spit out his wine, his face breaking into a scowl as he slammed the delicate glass down, nearly shattering it. His head leaned forward, his golden hair half-covering part of his face. “Are you trying to tell me you are comparing the loss of the love of my life to a trike that you had once that exploded?!”

Zeppi blinked at the Sin'dorei, tilting her head sideways in confusion, “Course I am sugar. As far as I'm thinkin', it don't matter one bit what it is that makes your heart race. What matters is the FEELING you get when it does. That moment when your blood is pulsing and you know, without havin' to second guess, you KNOW that you belong in that moment. If that's not love, what's the point of it?”

The elf across from her leaned back in his chair, falling into a brooding silence. Zeppi took another sip from her bottle, frowning when she discovered it was empty. She shrugged, setting it on its side and idly spinning it on the table, a grin creeping across her face. She began to speak, her words almost slurred with drink, “You know goldie, the best way to get past a loss like that's to go and get your heart pumpin' again. Why don't you go order us another bottle and get one of the nicer rooms here. I don't gotta be back at the worksite til morning.”

The Sin'dorei's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he sat up in a huff. “I should certainly think NOT, Miss Sparkflash. I didn't ask for your company at my table OR your advice, and I certainly don't need...whatever it is you're implying.”

Zeppi shrugged, her laughter floating out and jarring with the general droning of conversation within the tavern, “Honey, I was just jokin' with you. Judging by the fake diamonds you got on your ears, I'm gonna guess you can't afford the kinda wine OR room I'd like anyway sweetie.”

The elf flushed red with outrage, his hands darting up to his ears, “W-what...how DARE you...do you have any IDEA how much these cost? I had them imported from...from...”

His face fell as a toothy grin cross Zeppi's face. Her voice finished his sentence for him, “From a goblin who got them from some pirate's cove, right dollface?”

The Sin'dorei abruptly rose from his chair, his face so flushed with anger he could hardly speak. As he stormed off, Zeppi's laughter followed him, redoubled now at his embarrassment. After he was gone she laughed to herself at the table for some time before she noticed the glint of red and gold near where the elf had been sitting. She leaned down, looking under the table and spotting his travel pack and sword. With an even larger grin her deft little hands soon had the coin-purse he'd accidentally abandoned.

Zeppi leaned back up in her chair and waved one of the tavern's barmaids over, nodding to the Sin'dorei as the other approached. “Hey toots, can you get us another bottle of your best wine? Golden boy had to go relieve himself but he'll be back. He said put it on his tab.”

The waitress nodded and hurried off to fill the order while Zeppi grinned and grinned.

Ten minutes later the little goblin woman was walking drunkenly towards the Sheppard's Gate, a bottle of extremely expensive, imported wine in her hand and a song floating discordantly from her lips hovering drunkenly in the air around her. At her belt, a thick pouch of golden coins jingled.

Sometimes you get to meet the love of your life more than once.

To Cheat A Goblin

A high pitched laugh echoed through the golden forest, the sound playfully flowing through the warm breeze that was always present in Eversong. Although laughter was not uncommon in the forest, the tone of the person making it was quite unusual. Not quite child-like, and with an accent that would make a grown orc wince, the goblin woman's laughter echoed again as she was told another joke.

"Never heard that one before Big G," Zeppi said with a sharp-toothed smile. She was hunched over her trike, trying to reconnect a fuel line that had come loose and set the ground behind her on fire for the last fifty feet of their ride before they stopped.

Around her were two other goblins, their own trikes parked as they lounged against them and watched their boss at work. The bigger of the two goblin males, the one she'd called Big G, smirked as he watched the smaller red-haired goblin try and fix her trike.

"You'll never reconnect that fuel line if you don't weld it in place Boss," Big G said casually. The thought that putting flame to a rubber pipe that had volatile fuel in it might be dangerous didn't cross any of their minds.

Zeppi shook her head and opened her mouth to comment when the second male goblin chimed in, his voice only slightly lower pitched than Zeppi's own, "Nah. Don't waste time Boss. I wanna spend our cut already. Just put a bolt in it and weld it back at the shop. You can use the geothermal fuser to get it on there really good."

Zeppi nodded at the speaker, the smaller of her two brutes named Znar. He was one of her better techs, and she always brought him along for longer trips in case they had to fix something on the fly, or better yet destroy something large. Like Zeppi herself, he carried enough blasting powder to level a small mountain as a matter of course.

"Ya know what? I think I'll just connect the secondary fuel tank," Zeppi said thoughtfully. "Should have enough that the extra burn off won't matter." With that, she quickly set about hooking a second fuel line to the injectors on that side of her trike, ignoring the fact that the Sin'dorei would likely not appreciate her burning half the foliage on her way out of Quel'Thalas.

Her two brutes, both members of Sparkflash Industrial Weapons Inc. of Orgrimmar, continued to lounge against their own machines, chatting while she worked. Just as she finished up and leaned back to admire her handiwork, a shadow fell over her. She looked up to find herself staring up at a blonde Sin'dorei, his fel green eyes studying her carefully. Around the group, several other Sin'dorei had approached, all in thick plate armor and wearing tabards bearing an emblem that looked like a sun rising out of the ocean.

All of it meant nothing to Zeppi, and she looked up at the elf, one eyebrow raised, "Can I help you with somethin' champ, or are you just admirin' my sweet ride?"

The elf smirked at her, the look on his face one that might make others uncomfortable from the malice in it, that is, if they weren't goblins. Zeppi just waited patiently for golden boy to start talking.

"Two days ago you received payment," the elf began. "This payment was given to you by House Felo'melorn. The expenditure was not authorized by all members of the Blackhearts military coalition, and must be relinquished immediately."

Zeppi's other eyebrow joined her first way up by her hairline. She tilted her head further, studying the elf, "I'm sorry honey, I don't think I heard that right. You sayin' you're going to TAKE my GOLD?"

"Essentially, yes." the elf replied. "If you have issue with this, House Felo'melorn should be contacted."

Behind Zeppi, her two brutes had straightened up, angry muttering coming from Big G. Two of the Sin'dorei Blood Knights surrounding the three smaller goblins half drew their swords, the glint of metal a dire warning. Zeppi held up her hand, looking at the other goblins and nodding slightly, "Easy now. No need for that. We're reasonable people after all sugar."

She looked back at the elf before her, who was staring at her impatiently. She rolled her eyes, reaching up to the top of her riding jacket, "Just hold on a minute. I gotta at least get it out before you get all weepy and ruin your eye makeup honey."

The elf rolled his eyes as Zeppi unzipped the front of her jacket. The tight corset she had beneath it drew his gaze as she leaned forward, letting quite a bit of her generous green cleavage peek out of the jacket. Partially distracted and/or disgusted with himself, the elf noted that there was something there, and nodded as he realized that a goblin woman would keep her money close to her heart.

Zeppi seemed to confirm this, her hand darting into the space and pulling the object out. A second later the elf realized his mistake when he was staring down the barrel of a derringer. Clearly there was something this goblin woman liked even more than money; weapons! Zeppi grinned a toothy grin at him as she cocked back the hammer on the small gun. Behind her the other two goblins had drawn larger firearms from the frames of their trikes, covering two of the Blood Knights. The elves, in turn, drew their swords, creating a tense moment.

"Be cool! Everyone just be cool!" Zeppi yelled, her purple eyes darting from one elf to the next and her gun held firmly in her grip. "I don't wanna hafta splatter you all over your pretty forest here, but nobody takes my pay ya got that honey?!"

The blonde elf sighed, taking a step back, "You should rethink this Miss Sparkflash. I'd hate to have to slaughter all of you. That wasn't in my instructions but if need be, it'll come to that."

Zeppi laughed, the sound not holding a hint of fear. "Honey, if you think this is the first time I've been double-crossed you got another thing comin'. Just beat it so I don't have to put a hot one in that pretty head of yours."

The elf shook his head and gestured with one hand, speaking to Zeppi as he did so. "I don't think you understand the situation Miss Sparkflash."

From around the forest, several more Sin'dorei appeared with bows in hand. The goblins were outnumbered a good five to one now. Zeppi frowned, not liking the odds.

"You see Miss Sparkflash, accommodating my request would be in your best interest," the elf said again.

Begrudgingly, Zeppi lowered her derringer and snarled at the elf, "Gonna hafta pay for this at some point honey. A goblin always remembers who owes 'em."

With that she stormed over to her trike and pulled out a brown sack, holding it in her hand. She jingled it once and the sound of metal on metal came from it. The elf nodded at her and she tossed it to the nearest Blood Knight.

"Thank you Miss Sparkflash, I'm glad you could see reason," the elf said.

Zeppi smiled at him, her hand coming up from off her trike, a small little metal object with a button on it in her hand, "No, thank you sugar. Been about two hours since I've blown something up!"

With that she depressed the button on the detonator she was holding, and the sack she'd thrown to the Blood Knight detonated with a spectacular blast. The elf was thrown back into one of his companions, shrapnel from the sack striking several of the other elves, felling two of them. It sailed harmlessly over the heads of the shorter goblins, although a few pieces peppered Big G's trike, which made him snarl in irritation.

Less than a second later, the clearing erupted into a full-scale battle as the three goblins opened up on the Sin'dorei around them. Zeppi crouched down behind her trike, using it for cover from the Sin'dorei bowmen as she worked her shotgun free from one of the trike's saddlebags. With a whoop of joy she rose up from behind the arrow-studded machine and let her gun roar out at the elves who were futilely using bushes and trees as cover. Behind her the other two goblins had similarly taken cover, and were systematically blasting any Sin'dorei that came into sight.

It was over less than a minute later. Taken by surprise by the blast and unable to find adequate cover, most of the Sin'dorei were cut down in the first seconds of gunfire. Those who had managed to get behind trees fled as the bark and wood was slowly cut away by sharp flying bits of metal. The goblins appeared to have more than adequate supplies of ammunition and were happy enough just blasting at the trees themselves if no elves were available as targets. After a few moments of cowering, the last remaining Sin'dorei fled the scene.

Zeppi smiled as she rose up from behind her trike, gunsmoke trailing from the end of her shotgun. She stepped out from around it, surveying the dead elves around her before hearing one of them groan. She walked over to the source of the noise, discovering the elf that had originally been leading the group laying in a pool of blood, his gut hit by one of their rounds.

Zeppi paused, looking down at him and smiling, "You see honey, never cheat a goblin. We cheat way better than you. 'Sides, we did that work fair and square. Can't let you take our coin back. That'd be bad policy!"

The elf groaned, looking up at her with glassy eyes, "Y-you'll never get out of here alive fool. Y-you can't just....kill...Sin'dorei in Quel'Thalas. S-someone will find our corpses and you'll be done for."

Zeppi just kept smiling, setting her gun down and pulling her arclight spanner from her belt. She tilted her head, leaning close as if sharing a secret. "Well honey, you know, I know a guy that knows a guy who buys corpses and body parts offa people. Says there's good business in it with the Forsaken. So I'm thinkin' there won't be no bodies to be found toots. Just more coin in my purse."

For one brief horrifying moment the elf looked up into the goblins eyes and came to realize that his life was nothing more than a sum in her head. A figure in golden coins that weighed against the amount of work it would take to cart him off. He shivered as she brought her spanner up, the truth finally coming to him as it came down hard on the side of his skull and blackness claimed him.

You really can't cheat a goblin.

Zeppi giggled, wiping her spanner clean on the dead elf's clothing before looking at the other two and nodding, "Big G, go and fetch the atv and trailer from the storage garage at the Blackhearts compound. Looks like we got one more stop to make before we head back to the zepplin and hit the shop. This trip just got a lot more profitable."

As the two goblins whooped and bellowed with joy behind her, Zeppi turned back to the fallen elf, the glint of gold at his neck catching her eye. With a smile, she leaned down and grabbed the pendant from around his neck, murmuring to herself, "What have we hear lovely?"

The golden emblem, the seal of House Dawnsea, found its way into her coin-pouch. The one she kept in her pants pocket, not her corset. With a smile Zeppi went back to her trike, stowing her shotgun so she'd have two hands free to loot the other corpses. It was all about maximizing profit after all!

What a good trip. Quel'Thalas was a great place to do business!

A Change in the Winds

The catapults shuddered as they fired, the huge projectiles arcing out over the water and heading towards the red and golden ship fleeing in the distance. Two of the shots missed entirely, splashing in the water and sending up huge plumes from the near misses. The third projectile hit the the target ship's mainmast, cracking some of the wood and sending rigging and elves plunging down to the deck below or into the sea near the stricken ship. The vessel shuddered, turning slightly as its crew desperately attempted to correct its course. While they were successful, the action served to slow the ship's speed and allowed the two pursuing vessels to gain ground on their target.

Aboard one of the pursuing ships, the Sin'dorei captain raised a spyglass to his fel green eyes, nodding to himself as land appeared in the distance.

“It won't be long now,” he said quietly to himself. “They have no place to go except the cove if they wish to repair the damage. They can't escape now.” He nodded in satisfaction and glanced at his subordinates nearby, inclining his head. The elves moved quickly and gracefully at the unvoiced command, beginning the preparations for a boarding action.

In the distance, the stricken vessel grew larger as the two pursuing Sin'dorei vessels caught up with it, the land behind it also coming closer and revealing a natural cove on a deserted island. The target ship was heading directly into the cove, and its fate was sealed at this point. The captain raised a hand, signaling to the artillery crews to stay their next shots. There was no point in wasting a fine vessel after all when it could be captured by force.

The three ships moved into the cove, the pursuing vessels slowing as they blockaded the entrance, their hulls turning to allow their deck catapults in the bow and stern of each vessel a clear shot on their victim. As they came to a stop and began preparing boarding ships, both vessels raised their flags, the red banners flapping in the wind and unfurling atop the mainmasts. The flags were large, the image of a golden sun rising over the waves on a red field clearly depicting House Dawnsea's colors.

The captain smiled to himself, leaving the bridge to one of his underlings as he joined the boarding parties preparing to disembark. Both Sin'dorei vessels launched their boats, dozens and then hundreds of hardened House Dawnsea fighters preparing to row over to the trapped ship and take it. House Dawnsea had been plying the seas for many hundreds of years, and they knew this business well. The captain smiled as the serene waters of the cove slipped beneath his boarding boat, the sandy shores of the deserted island surrounding the small body of water. Ahead of him, the Sin'dorei vessel he sought to capture awaited him like an unlocked treasure chest.

They had been told that the vessel carried a valuable cargo, and that High Priestess Seluna Dawnsea would tolerate no failure on this venture. It would be a simple matter to take the ship, execute the elves aboard and then indicate that they found it wrecked on the rocks. Whatever House owned the vessel would simply write it off and business would continue as usual. House Dawnsea knew THIS business equally well.

As they approached the vessel, he could see the elves that crewed it running in a panic. They were trying to untangle the damaged rigging so that they could make repairs on the ship, while others were hastily grabbing weapons to repel the boarders. They would stand little chance against so many boarders though; it was only a matter of time now.

As they drew closer to the ship's hull, the captain noticed one figure amongst those on the deck that was not moving about in a panic. Wearing a dark robe with a cowl that covered its form, the figure stepped towards the edge of the hull. Two delicately manicured hands reached up, resting on the ship's gunwale. From beneath the cowl, the captain could see two glowing green eyes; clearly she was a Sin'dorei passenger that the ship had been transporting. It mattered little now. She would die along with the rest of the crew.

Even as he thought this, the elf on-board the enemy vessel brought her hands up, lifting her cowl and letting it fall behind her. Flame red hair cascaded around her face, blowing in the winds coming off the sea. She looked out into the distance, towards the blockaded end of the cove. As she stared, the captain could swear he saw the burning fel in her eyes glow brightly, as if the legion itself marched in her gaze. Her hands rose above her head, and flickering embers began to dance in the air around her as the captain realized she was casting a spell.

He tried to call out, but it was far far too late. With a rushing FOOM! sound the air in the distance superheated, flaming balls of fire forming in the sky and raining down upon the surface of the sea. The two vessels that he and his boarding parties had left were the target of the spell, and even from the distance the heat coming off of their burning hulls tightened the skin on his face. He could see elves in the distance hurling themselves from the burning wreckage as the vessels began to sink, the flames so intense that they burned to the water line. It was no ordinary fire, and the captain could swear that amongst the dancing flames imps cackled and played.

With wide eyes, he turned his gaze back to the target vessel. The elf that had cast the spell stared down at the boarding boats, a smirk playing across her red painted lips. One of her hands reached up and casually tucked a few errant strands of her red hair behind one long, tapered ear as her eyes roamed over the boats bobbing in the water below her ship. Her eyes still glowed brightly, the fel magic she'd been using dancing there like a threat. That she was a warlock was now beyond a shadow of a doubt.

After looking over the elves that were now trapped in the small boats below her vessel, she raised a hand, snapping her fingers. Elves raced across the deck, weapons at the ready and two of them raising a banner on the mainmast. As the flag rose above the ship, the captain gasped and many of the elves in the boarding boats began to mutter. The flag flapped once in the breeze, its colors plain for all to see.

A golden sun rose above the waves on a red field.

The warlock turned, gazing down at the elves below her, her voice carrying out over the water like a sensuous whisper. There was an underlying threat in it that was unmistakable.

“My name,” she began, smirking at the elves that she could now burn alive at will, “Is Calexa. Calexa Dawnsea. And I am one of House Dawnsea's true heirs. That you dare to strike at me is a testament to the depths that our House has fallen to. The High Priestess may direct your hand, but when you strike at me, you strike at the pure blood of this House. This will no longer be tolerated.”

The captain opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was forestalled as the flame-haired Sin'dorei brought up one of her manicured hands again. She smiled at him, as one might an old friend. “Your excuses are not necessary. You have already committed the act and thus anything you may say would simply be a lie. You don't wish to contest my word or will, do you?”

The question hung in the air, the threat obvious now. Slowly the captain shook his head. He was rewarded by beautiful laughter that was, to his ears, cold and callous. “Excellent. You have already learned a valuable lesson. It is shameful that such learning came so late in your life.”

Calexa turned, smiling at her own ship's crew. “Repair the damage and get us underway. I have much to do, and the High Priestess must be greeted properly. It is high time that the survivors of this House come together for a long...chat.”

One of the crew stepped forward, bowing before the warlock, “M'lady? What of the survivors?”

Calexa smiled again, the malice on her face obvious now. Embers danced in the air around her, and in the water just beyond the hull of the ship fires began to rain down upon the boarding boats. Horrific screams rose up, and many of the crew winced as the elves began to burn alive upon the surface of the sea.

Calexa tilted her head, her glowing fel green eyes boring into the crew-member that had asked the question. Her voice was soft and casual, as if nothing at all had happened, “What survivors?”

With wide eyes the crew-member bowed, turning and running to attend to his duties. All across the ship elves rushed to their stations, making the ship seaworthy again.

Calexa leaned on the railing, watching the remaining flames as they danced upon the surface of the sea, a smile on her face. Soon she would return to the mainland. She had been in exile for far too long, but she had the power she needed now to ensure that her rightful place in House Dawnsea would not be denied her by usurpers and liars. The High Priestess and High Scion would be obstacles in her path, but she would find a way to work beside them, and slay any of their agents that blundered into her path.

House Dawnsea would regain the glory that it once held. She would see to it herself.