A blog dedicated to fictional short stories and role-playing across a spectrum of video-games and fantasy worlds.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

The Friends of My Enemy

((Based on in-game RP, and the character's actions after it. This is mildly graphic. And if you don't like reading about evil, don't continue! :) ))

The bell attached to the shop's small door jingled merrily as it swung open, letting in the a cold spring morning's breeze. The air of Northrend was bitter, even with the summer months ahead, and few customers went shopping so early in the day. The shop itself was small, and filled with the scents of dried herbs and blossoms used in a variety of potions and as ingredients for spells. The counters were filled with boxes of dried leaves, hanging plants, seed pouches, and other odds and ends used in the craft of herbalism.

Behind the counter, a young human female smiled as she saw her first customer of the day enter. The Sin'dorei had long flowing robes, and a cowl that covered her head to protect her from the cold morning. As the elf entered, she reached up to pull back the cowl, exquisite rings sparkling in the light of the candles that lit the shop. The cowl revealed pale white skin, almost the color of snow, and flowing black hair held artfully in place with golden, gem-studded clips. The elf looked around the shop with a quick glance, as if memorizing the layout of the space and its contents.

The girl behind the counter greeted the elf warmly, "Good morning miss! Can I help you find anything today?" She was happy to see a customer so early; normally half the morning would be spent with nothing to do but mind the counters since so few liked to brave the cold air in Dalaran to buy plants.

Seluna studied the human carefully as she walked deeper into the shop. The young woman was clearly just out of her teens, and bore the faint aura of power that an apprentice might have about them. As she suspected, the Kirin Tor often allowed their apprentices to take jobs within the city provided that they didn't interfere with their duties, and the girl was an example of such an arrangement. She likely spent the early mornings tending the empty shop, and then the rest of her day listening to lectures by stern instructors who knew less of magic than Seluna had forgotten in the years of her existence. A complete waste of time and effort.

"Yes, actually you can dear," Seluna almost purred. "I'm looking for some information about a person whom you may know. A member of the Kirin Tor."

The girl's eyes widened, "I'm not...that is to say, I'm forbidden from speaking of my training to outsiders, and even if I could I'm just an apprentice. I know little of the doings of the masters."

Seluna sighed. Everything always had to be so difficult. She locked her gaze with the girl and began to sing a prayer. Her voice flowed with beautiful harmony, and around her the light in the shop dimmed, shadows gently curling around her and flowing up around the girl. The human gasped as she found her eyes locked on the almost hypnotic fel green eyes of the elf as they slowly changed to an ice blue color. Shadows flowed into her body, penetrating her mind and her eyes became glassy, her gaze unfocused.

"Now then," Seluna said as she walked to the counter. "I believe you were going to give me some information which I require."

"Y-yes mistress," the girl responded with a wooden tone.

Seluna smiled, the expression never reaching the ice blue orbs of her eyes. She casually picked up a letter opener from the counter top, testing the sharpness of the tip with one finger as she spoke. "The Archmage Vomher Wyrmcurse. I wish to know of him. What work does he do for the Kirin Tor? Where does he reside? Who are his friends amongst the Archmages?"

The girl frowned, shuddering under Seluna's compulsion. "I-I don't know...I-I've never h-heard of him before. I've only n-newly begun my studies."

Seluna's expression hardened to anger. "You're lying to me. I want to know what you know of him. Now."

"N-not lying mistress," she stuttered. "H-he must b-be very withdrawn. N-never heard of him...s-sorry.."

Seluna rolled her eyes. More wasted effort. It was going to take FOREVER to discover the vital information she needed about Biara's allies. She casually placed the letter opener back down on the counter before her, sliding it towards the girl. She locked gazes with the human and sang another prayer, deepening her shadowy control of the other.

"Your studies are too overwhelming for you," she purred. "You know you will never succeed. Your life is an utter failure, and you're crushed by this fact. You wish to escape the prison your life has become."

The human shuddered and a small cry escaped her lips as the emotions flowed through her. She began to cry, the trials of her life suddenly a burden too heavy to bear.

Seluna smiled and whispered, "There is a way out." She looked down at the counter.

The girl mechanically reached down, drawing up the letter opener in shaking hands. Seluna watched impassively as the girl sawed through her own wrist with the sharp implement. She examined her nails as her victim worked at the other wrist with difficulty, the first slash having made her hand almost useless, blood flowing everywhere. Slowly the girl sank to the floor, her lifeblood running out and Seluna's compulsion wearing off. To all intents and purposes, the shop now contained a suicide victim.

For a brief moment as Seluna watched the life dim from the girl's eyes, a stab of jealousy washed through her. How lucky some are, to go to their rest and be with their beloved dead. To know that no one will stir their grave and call them from their peace. The thought passed and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. What was done was done, and now there was only room for revenge.

As her eyes faded back to fel green, Seluna drew her cowl back up and stalked from the shop onto the cold streets of Dalaran. Questioning Kirin Tor apprentices would apparently get her nowhere, as Vomher Wrymcurse was either eccentric and a recluse or didn't involve himself with all of the new students as some of the more charismatic Archmages did. She would have to find another means of divining information about him.

A Kirin Tor Archmage passed Seluna on the street, smiling and giving a polite greeting. Seluna returned a sweet smile, bowing low before continuing on her way; her evey movement representative of a sweet young priestess of the Light, dedicated to helping others.

Inside her mind, her thoughts churned like a boiling cauldron. My daughter has too many allies to call upon. Our expedition yesterday showed that. This Archmage has some strange dedication to her, and who were the others with us? It is clear that some efforts must be made to separate her from her allies. If she can call upon House Sunsong, then she may have other resources unknown to me. This cannot be allowed.

And what of the other two with us? The Blood Knight called Codex is clearly powerful, but her motives are unknown. The other though, the mage; she fought with the Archmage as much as I irritated him. Could there be a potential ally there, or an even greater threat?

Seluna smiled to herself as she walked through the streets of the slowly awakening Dalaran. Whoever this Tyavel was, if she didn't like the Archmage then she clearly represented a point in which to insert a wedge amongst Biara's allies. She would need to be studied carefully, as would her relationship to House Dayfire and Vomher's ambitions towards Seluna's daughter. As for the others, if they got in the way, steps would be taken to ensure that they never did so again.

Seluna hummed happily to herself as she entered one of the inns in Dalaran, shadows swirling around her and wisking her away.

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