The breeze was warm,
blowing golden leaves on its eddies and bringing with it the sweet smell
of spring that always permeated the forests of Eversong. Deep in the
heart of the forests the solitary mage tower stood isolated from the
rest of Quel'Thalas, the deep foliage around it all but concealing its
golden hued stones from sight. Around the tower stood a white stone
wall, high enough to prevent intrusion and ensure solitude for those
within but not high enough to be considered a military fortification.
At the front of the tower the wall had an opening, guarded by two Sin'dorei with longswords and bearing the tabards of House Dawnsea. Brightly colored pennants fluttered from the top of the tower, replicating the sun-over-waves motif on the guards' uniforms. The elves were relaxed, knowing that they were deep in the heart of Quel'Thalas and also that their matron, the Lady Kenzie Dawnsea, was now one of the most powerful House Scions within the city. The guard duty was considered an easy job, and one that they were grateful to have been assigned to. It certainly was preferable to dealing directly with the Lady of the House or her Priestess Seluna Dawnsea.
Unfortunately, the normally boring but peaceful guard duty was suddenly interrupted by a strange flickering of light a few feet down the path leading up to the tower. The glow built until suddenly there was a bright flare of radiance and a portal opened along the path. Through the portal, three cowled figures stepped forward, their feet gliding effortlessly along the path and their long robes concealing much of their form.
The guards immediately tensed as the three figures approached, halting a mere foot from them, standing silently in the path. After a moment, the leading figure brought a hand up, displaying an emblem to the two surprised guards. It was a sigil of the Magistrate.
"By order of the Magistrate of Silvermoon City you are to stand down and allow us access at once," a silky female voice said from beneath the cowl.
The guards frowned and looked at one another before drawing their blades and locking them against each other, blocking access to the tower's entrance. "House Dawnsea was not notified of your arrival, and we've been given no orders to allow you entry to this structure. This building contains powerful magical artifacts taken from our foes and we would be remiss in our duty if we allowed unknown spellcasters entry!"
The central figure tilted its head slightly, as if in surprise, and spoke in a more menacing tone, "You would dare to defy the will of the Magistrate?"
One of the guards reached up to his chest, his hand brushing against a clasp that kept his cloak in place. Magic activated and sent a signal throughout the tower behind him. Shouts rose up and elves poured from the tower entrance, weapons at the ready as they took up positions around the three figures in the clearing before the tower's entrance. Naked steel gleamed in the sunlight as the three were menaced by the weapons.
"You will surrender yourselves into the custody of House Dawnsea at once," one of the elves said. By the markings on his tabard and the quality of his armor, it was clear he was the tower's captain.
His words were met with lilting laughter that drifted like a song over the crowd of elves. The leader of the three figures spoke once she'd composed herself, "House Dawnsea has been declared outlaw. If you dare to stand in our way, you will be included amongst those charged. Your crimes will include unlawful obstruction of the Magistrate, aiding and abetting a known criminal, aiding and abetting an agent of the scourge, and tolerance of an undead creature within the borders of Quel'Thalas. Now stand aside. My patience wears thin."
In fury the guard captain took a step towards the leader of the three. As he was about to reach out to strike her, a rumbling sound built in the air around them. With wide eyes the guards that had filed out of the tower looked around them as a company of Blood Knights on fully armored chargers surged forth from the woods to surround them. The Knights sat silently on their steeds, their metal helmets showing no hint of emotion and giving no sign as to the identity of the elves.
The guard captain blinked in shock, sputtering as he realized his men had been lured out of the defenses of the walls and surrounded, "W-what...who ARE you? The Lady Dawnsea will hear of this."
As he turned to look back at the leader of the cowled elves, a pair of fel green eyes glinted mischeviously at him from beneath the cowl. There was one other feature though that made his gasp, the breath leaving him in a gust. Beneath the cowl, hidden in the dark recesses of the overshadowing cloth, blue runes glinted on the figure's right cheek, glowing with baleful menace.
"Y-you...you cannot be here...it's not possible..." he trailed off.
Delicate, manicured hands came up and pushed the hood back, revealing the pale elf's bright red hair. Without taking her eyes from the guard captain, Biara spoke over her shoulder, "Sister, since your treasury funded the new company, the choice is yours. How shall we deal with House Dawnsea's treacherous guards?"
From amongst the Blood Knights gathered around the edges of the clearing the sound of a sword leaving its sheath could be heard. One of the Knights edged her charger forward, her voice echoing from the metal confines of her helmet.
"Kill them all."
It was over in a matter of seconds as Kyliska Sunblade's Blood Knights surged forward at her command, a roar building as they rode down their hapless opponents and trampled them into the brown soil of Quel'Thalas. The blood of a tyrant's minions soon flowed freely. After the last clash of steel on steel had ended, the Blood Knights fell silent again, all turning to look to their leader as she dismounted and removed her helmet.
Kyliska Sunblade grinned wickedly as she flicked the last bit of blood from her sword, turning to face her sister. For her part, Biara turned and pointed at the tower, and the two cowled figures behind her, the first of her new apprentices, moved forward to deactivate any wards placed on the structure.
"Well done sister," Biara smiled. "I always knew you were capable, and now I find that it is I who rely on your strength to protect Quel'Thalas."
Kyliska slowly sheathed her blade, watching as Biara's apprentices disarmed the tower. The tower that would now serve as their new base of power, their starting point in Quel'Thalas. "I will bathe in her blood Biara. I swear on my mother's spirit that I will bathe in the bitch's blood."
Biara stepped forward and laid a hand on her sister's shoulder, her eyes meeting the other's. "I know you will Kyli, I know you will. She will pay for every tear shed, for every life lost. She will pay for what she has done to Quel'Thalas, to Silvermoon, and to our family."
Biara's words were interrupted when one of her apprentices returned from the tower carrying a bundle. The cowled figure bowed once before handing it to Biara, who took it and carefully unwrapped it. As the concealing cloth fell away, a battlestaff was revealed; one that she had lost in the ruins of her spire. A weapon stolen by House Dawnsea when they looted the remains of her family's seat of power.
Biara looked to Kyliska once and nodded grimly, holding the staff up. The head of the staff flared with brilliant light as the magic within it stirred in the hands of its owner, and the Magistrix was illuminated with power. "It is time Kyliska. Would you like to do the honors?"
Kyliska smiled sadly and nodded, walking to her charger and retrieving a bundle of her own. She looked once at Biara in question, and the Magistrix gave her a reassuring smile, "You can do it. It is your right, and it is the new way of things. It is time that we walked a different path. A new path. With you beside me, we will never make a misstep again."
The Blood Knight nodded once to her sister and turned to face the assembled Knights. "Today marks the first step towards the fall of House Dawnsea, but it is more important than just that. This is a new beginning for us. A new dawn for the survivors of the destruction of Dayfire Spire. It is a new era for Quel'Thalas, and a chance to at last lay grief aside and grasp strength to us once again."
Kyliska paused, holding the long, bundled object up above her head, her words ringing out now. "Today marks the rebirth of our family! The resurgence of who and what we are! For too long has despair, has defeat pressed down on us. Today that ends, and Quel'Thalas shall hear our battle-cries! Let no one question our dedication, our will to preserve our land, our POWER!"
Kyliska brought the long bundle down, the end of it plunging into the ground. The cloth wrapping around the object came free, and a banner unfurled beside her bearing an emblem of a burning sun with two crossed swords behind on a field of red.
"LET TODAY BE MARKED AS THE DAY WHEN HOUSE SUNFIRE WAS BORN!"
A roar rose up from the knights as the banner waved in the glowing light of the sun, their voices echoing through the forest of Eversong. From amongst the roaring crowd, a pair of fel green eyes watched as one of the apprentices detached a House Dawnsea banner from the tower. They tracked the movement of the fluttering piece of fabric as it came down and settled in the dirt, to be trampled by Kyliska's men.
Biara Sunfire smiled, the expression on her face beautiful and deadly as she whispered to the wind.
"I'm coming for you mother."
At the front of the tower the wall had an opening, guarded by two Sin'dorei with longswords and bearing the tabards of House Dawnsea. Brightly colored pennants fluttered from the top of the tower, replicating the sun-over-waves motif on the guards' uniforms. The elves were relaxed, knowing that they were deep in the heart of Quel'Thalas and also that their matron, the Lady Kenzie Dawnsea, was now one of the most powerful House Scions within the city. The guard duty was considered an easy job, and one that they were grateful to have been assigned to. It certainly was preferable to dealing directly with the Lady of the House or her Priestess Seluna Dawnsea.
Unfortunately, the normally boring but peaceful guard duty was suddenly interrupted by a strange flickering of light a few feet down the path leading up to the tower. The glow built until suddenly there was a bright flare of radiance and a portal opened along the path. Through the portal, three cowled figures stepped forward, their feet gliding effortlessly along the path and their long robes concealing much of their form.
The guards immediately tensed as the three figures approached, halting a mere foot from them, standing silently in the path. After a moment, the leading figure brought a hand up, displaying an emblem to the two surprised guards. It was a sigil of the Magistrate.
"By order of the Magistrate of Silvermoon City you are to stand down and allow us access at once," a silky female voice said from beneath the cowl.
The guards frowned and looked at one another before drawing their blades and locking them against each other, blocking access to the tower's entrance. "House Dawnsea was not notified of your arrival, and we've been given no orders to allow you entry to this structure. This building contains powerful magical artifacts taken from our foes and we would be remiss in our duty if we allowed unknown spellcasters entry!"
The central figure tilted its head slightly, as if in surprise, and spoke in a more menacing tone, "You would dare to defy the will of the Magistrate?"
One of the guards reached up to his chest, his hand brushing against a clasp that kept his cloak in place. Magic activated and sent a signal throughout the tower behind him. Shouts rose up and elves poured from the tower entrance, weapons at the ready as they took up positions around the three figures in the clearing before the tower's entrance. Naked steel gleamed in the sunlight as the three were menaced by the weapons.
"You will surrender yourselves into the custody of House Dawnsea at once," one of the elves said. By the markings on his tabard and the quality of his armor, it was clear he was the tower's captain.
His words were met with lilting laughter that drifted like a song over the crowd of elves. The leader of the three figures spoke once she'd composed herself, "House Dawnsea has been declared outlaw. If you dare to stand in our way, you will be included amongst those charged. Your crimes will include unlawful obstruction of the Magistrate, aiding and abetting a known criminal, aiding and abetting an agent of the scourge, and tolerance of an undead creature within the borders of Quel'Thalas. Now stand aside. My patience wears thin."
In fury the guard captain took a step towards the leader of the three. As he was about to reach out to strike her, a rumbling sound built in the air around them. With wide eyes the guards that had filed out of the tower looked around them as a company of Blood Knights on fully armored chargers surged forth from the woods to surround them. The Knights sat silently on their steeds, their metal helmets showing no hint of emotion and giving no sign as to the identity of the elves.
The guard captain blinked in shock, sputtering as he realized his men had been lured out of the defenses of the walls and surrounded, "W-what...who ARE you? The Lady Dawnsea will hear of this."
As he turned to look back at the leader of the cowled elves, a pair of fel green eyes glinted mischeviously at him from beneath the cowl. There was one other feature though that made his gasp, the breath leaving him in a gust. Beneath the cowl, hidden in the dark recesses of the overshadowing cloth, blue runes glinted on the figure's right cheek, glowing with baleful menace.
"Y-you...you cannot be here...it's not possible..." he trailed off.
Delicate, manicured hands came up and pushed the hood back, revealing the pale elf's bright red hair. Without taking her eyes from the guard captain, Biara spoke over her shoulder, "Sister, since your treasury funded the new company, the choice is yours. How shall we deal with House Dawnsea's treacherous guards?"
From amongst the Blood Knights gathered around the edges of the clearing the sound of a sword leaving its sheath could be heard. One of the Knights edged her charger forward, her voice echoing from the metal confines of her helmet.
"Kill them all."
It was over in a matter of seconds as Kyliska Sunblade's Blood Knights surged forward at her command, a roar building as they rode down their hapless opponents and trampled them into the brown soil of Quel'Thalas. The blood of a tyrant's minions soon flowed freely. After the last clash of steel on steel had ended, the Blood Knights fell silent again, all turning to look to their leader as she dismounted and removed her helmet.
Kyliska Sunblade grinned wickedly as she flicked the last bit of blood from her sword, turning to face her sister. For her part, Biara turned and pointed at the tower, and the two cowled figures behind her, the first of her new apprentices, moved forward to deactivate any wards placed on the structure.
"Well done sister," Biara smiled. "I always knew you were capable, and now I find that it is I who rely on your strength to protect Quel'Thalas."
Kyliska slowly sheathed her blade, watching as Biara's apprentices disarmed the tower. The tower that would now serve as their new base of power, their starting point in Quel'Thalas. "I will bathe in her blood Biara. I swear on my mother's spirit that I will bathe in the bitch's blood."
Biara stepped forward and laid a hand on her sister's shoulder, her eyes meeting the other's. "I know you will Kyli, I know you will. She will pay for every tear shed, for every life lost. She will pay for what she has done to Quel'Thalas, to Silvermoon, and to our family."
Biara's words were interrupted when one of her apprentices returned from the tower carrying a bundle. The cowled figure bowed once before handing it to Biara, who took it and carefully unwrapped it. As the concealing cloth fell away, a battlestaff was revealed; one that she had lost in the ruins of her spire. A weapon stolen by House Dawnsea when they looted the remains of her family's seat of power.
Biara looked to Kyliska once and nodded grimly, holding the staff up. The head of the staff flared with brilliant light as the magic within it stirred in the hands of its owner, and the Magistrix was illuminated with power. "It is time Kyliska. Would you like to do the honors?"
Kyliska smiled sadly and nodded, walking to her charger and retrieving a bundle of her own. She looked once at Biara in question, and the Magistrix gave her a reassuring smile, "You can do it. It is your right, and it is the new way of things. It is time that we walked a different path. A new path. With you beside me, we will never make a misstep again."
The Blood Knight nodded once to her sister and turned to face the assembled Knights. "Today marks the first step towards the fall of House Dawnsea, but it is more important than just that. This is a new beginning for us. A new dawn for the survivors of the destruction of Dayfire Spire. It is a new era for Quel'Thalas, and a chance to at last lay grief aside and grasp strength to us once again."
Kyliska paused, holding the long, bundled object up above her head, her words ringing out now. "Today marks the rebirth of our family! The resurgence of who and what we are! For too long has despair, has defeat pressed down on us. Today that ends, and Quel'Thalas shall hear our battle-cries! Let no one question our dedication, our will to preserve our land, our POWER!"
Kyliska brought the long bundle down, the end of it plunging into the ground. The cloth wrapping around the object came free, and a banner unfurled beside her bearing an emblem of a burning sun with two crossed swords behind on a field of red.
"LET TODAY BE MARKED AS THE DAY WHEN HOUSE SUNFIRE WAS BORN!"
A roar rose up from the knights as the banner waved in the glowing light of the sun, their voices echoing through the forest of Eversong. From amongst the roaring crowd, a pair of fel green eyes watched as one of the apprentices detached a House Dawnsea banner from the tower. They tracked the movement of the fluttering piece of fabric as it came down and settled in the dirt, to be trampled by Kyliska's men.
Biara Sunfire smiled, the expression on her face beautiful and deadly as she whispered to the wind.
"I'm coming for you mother."
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