The First Encounter

A few days had passed since the War of Thorns was lost. Teldrassil remained as nothing more than a smoldering ruin of its former glory. Many lost their lives in the fires started by Sylvannas and her Horde. Now, the Alliance was preparing to march on Lordaeron.

In that time, Israfelia and Karignoth’s young daughter, Esme, had been left with one of the Keepers of Time, Simogen. The bronze dragon placed the time magic back into the young girl, taking her to train in the Caverns of Time with others that could help her learn to control the magic that she had been born into.

Israfelia had recovered enough to return to the Vindicaar, accompanied by a familiar presence that insisted upon being present. Israfelia stood before Captain Fareeya aboard the golden ship and listened to her words as the armor was handed down. “Duty. Honor. Sacrifice. The Lightforged strive to embody these qualities. You have done so with aplomb. It is my pleasure to award you with a symbol of your service, Israfelia. Please, don this armor, and return to Stormwind. We are needed in the fight against the Horde.”

The paladin bowed to the Captain. “Yes. Right away.” She carried her new armaments down to the lower level of the ship to change, at long last putting the armor she had worn for so many years to rest.

Amarina watched with pride. “My son chose the mother of his child well.”

“I will keep them safe, Madam Deathblade. I swear it on my life.” She reached out and placed a hand on the ghost’s shoulder.

“The crimes against my people must be answered for.” Amarina waved her hands over the armor that Israfelia now wore, imbuing part of herself within it. “And it is through you, my dear sweet child, that we will see it done.”

Israfelia nodded her head. “They’ve done the unthinkable... And now, the armies of the Alliance prepare to siege Lordaeron.”

“I will be with you, as will the Light.” With that, Amarina seemed to fade away, the glow of the crystals in Israfelia’s armor only growing that much brighter.

Meanwhile, Elinia knelt over the body of her dying sister. The two women had been tasked with assisting survivors in Lor’danel, but it too now burned. What stung the heart of the druidess most, was that the one who cut down her marksman sibling was a Sin’dorei. Elinia held Eindranci’s hand, whispering to her. “I can heal this sister, please... Please don’t leave me.”

Eindranci reached up weakly with her other hand to wipe tears from her elder sister’s eyes. “Don’t grieve, sister... Avenge me. Go to battle against them.” With her last breath, these words were uttered, leaving a sobbing and screaming Elinia to be the last of the remaining Nightshade sisters.

The time had come, and the Alliance’s armies were poised for their attack on Lordaeron. Elinia stood with many other faces among the ranks, as did Israfelia, Lucuria, and Lithelyne. The charge was sounded, and the army advanced. They stormed forward, only to be brought to a halt by Sylvannas’ deployment of the blight. Both Lucuria and Lithelyne heard the words of their former Regent Lord, calling them traitors. It was in that moment that Lithelyne threw away her last hopes of acceptance and fought for the Alliance. Lucuria, however, retreated back to stay with Elinia. Israfelia had gone off with a contingent of other Lightforged to assist with defending the wounded.

Elinia and Lucuria continued their advance with the army, Lucuria diverting when she saw a familiar face on the other side. Her eyes went wide as she said, “Brother...?” Elinia turned her head toward Lucuria. “What did you just say?” Her eyes moved in the direction that Lucuria was looking. Their eyes settled on a familiar person, a paladin named Karagoth, standing near Lor’themar.

Karagoth sneered as he noticed them looking in his direction. “Those Alliance dogs.” Lor’themar turned his head toward Lucuria and nodded to Karagoth as he spoke. “Oh look, a familiar face. Lucuria Deathblade! Traitor!”

Lucuria felt her chest tighten as Elinia stepped forward to defend her. “You will not touch her, monster.”

Lor’themar laughed. “Put them to the sword, and be quick about it. We have work to do! For the Horde!” With that, he went to assist Nathanos with whatever it is he needed help with.

Karagoth bowed his head, “Right away, Regent Lord.” He hopped down to stand face to face with those he previously considered family. “You strayed into the void, my dear. You are no longer trustworthy. I would be a monster for siding with you.”

Lucuria could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn’t manage to utter a word of reply, though Elinia stood in front of her in a defensive stance, her scythe raised, a growl in her throat thick with anger and pain.

Eventually, the priestess Lucuria spoke timidly, weakly. “Why, Karagoth... Please stop this!”

The blood knight drew his sword from his back, laughing at the elves that stood before him. “I hope you enjoy the dark then, Matriarch Deathblade, because with that one beside you, you shall never see the light.”

Elinia shook her head. “Your people cast out their own for nothing... Your people murdered mine... Your people murdered MY SISTER!” She swung down her scythe to attack him.

The paladin brought his sword upward and managed to block the incoming attack with some visible trouble. “My people did nothing that your ‘Alliance’ hasn’t done before.” while their blades were locked, Karagoth threw his shield at the Druid.

Lucuria quickly reacted and created a bubble of holy energy around Elinia, the orb coming to her defense quite well as the blow was entirely absorbed. Their weapons still locked, she called upon the blessings of her Goddess to rain starfire upon him. The void priestess pleaded to him. “Karagoth, stop! Please! Lady Deathblade has done nothing to you!”

Seeing the gleam of the moon in Elinia’s eyes, he cast his Divine Shield, surrounding himself in a small bubble of Light as the bolts of moonfire hit, the holy magic absorbing the blows. He rotated the clashed blades down to the left, reaching up with his shield-bearing arm and bringing it down with intent to cast Judgment upon the Void Elf.

Lucuria deftly dodged the strike, now on the defensive. Still, she did not have the heart to harm the man she had always known as a friend in the Light. “Stop! Please! Karagoth, leave Lady Deathblade alone!” Her voice would carry over the din of the battlefield, enough, she hoped, to draw the attention of his brother and sister-in-law, or even her own brother if he were on the battlefield. Elinia retaliated with a swift and strong strike of her scythe.

Karagoth brought his shield down, and with a blast of divine energy, he blocked the attack and sent Elinia flying back into Lucuria. He raised his weapon to the skies and cast a spell, blessing the ground around him.

As they flew backward out of the reach of the sanctified ground, Lucuria landed first, while Elinia seemed to tumble over her with the force of the blow. Elinia weakly rose to her feet, trying to shake off the dizziness, and collapsed to one knee, barely held upright by the handle of her scythe.

Lucuria stood from where she had landed, frozen as she stared in horror at Karignoth. She gripped her head, the whispers of the Void strong in her mind. “Kill him! Kill him kill him kill him!” The madness was strong, strengthened even more by the raging war around them. Where she stood, battling the madness, she was alone.

Elinia continued to struggle to stand, to defend the Grand Patriarch’s sister. After a moment, she rose and charged at Karagoth with her weapon raised. The holy grounds did no harm to her, as she remained pure in her intentions.

Seeing her coming, he dodged out of her way. “You will not win this fight, look at her, she can’t keep her mind her own.” As Elinia stumbled to turn on her heels, he threw his shield once more.

The blessed shield connected with the druid’s head, and Elinia fell to the earth, unconscious. Her eyes were closed, and there was a gash along her cheek from where his shield cut into her flesh.

Lucuria stared at Elinia, and then looked to Karagoth as she whispered, “Brother... Borin... Forgive me.” She loosed a scream that may well have belonged to the Banshee herself, hoping to drive him away.

Karagoth began running, but after a few steps, he snapped out of the fear as a bubble of divine light surrounded him. He retrieved his shield and charged at Lucuria. “FOR THE HORDE!!!” He brought his sword to bare once he reached her.

Lucuria defended herself, a bubble of holy light surrounding her as Karagoth brought his sword to bare. She looked from side to side, noting that Elinia was unconscious and it was very likely that the rest of her family members were caught up in combat of their own. She stared down the blood knight and cast a wave of void magic directly at him. “You will pay for what you’ve done to the Matriarch...”

Karagoth stumbled back, clutching his head, not able to get a defense up in time.

Lucuria gathered her courage and rushed over to Elinia, grabbing the communicator that the druidess carried with her, and pressed down on one of the buttons. “I need help! Please, the Matriarch has fallen and I can’t get her out safely alone!” She looked up at Karagoth as she cradled Elinia in her arms, watching to see if he would retaliate once he regained himself. It likely wouldn’t take long, as the spell she cast was in haste and fury.

A long forgotten voice came over the communicator. “I am on my way mon, dis wa’ is not ours to endure.”

“Y-Yagoki...?” Lucuria found herself sobbing with happiness. “You have no idea how I have missed your voice old friend.” She looked up at Karagoth and narrowed her gaze.

As the spell Lucuria cast upon him faded, he snapped to, straightening up with a roar of anger. “This is it, little priest. This is where you die!”

Yagoki spoke once more, his voice filled with urgency. “I am almos’ der, just hang in der!”

“Strike me down and you will face the fury of the storm, you wretched excuse for a Lightbearer!” Lucuria called forth a bolt of Light energy to rain over Karagoth in holy flame.

Karagoth brought his shield to bear, but the flames enveloped him as he stood firm, enduring the pain. “Y-you wil-ll not escap-e!!!”

The communicator rang out one last time, Yagoki’s voice strong through the din of battle around them. “Raise your hand and hold on to the Druidess tight!! I’m coming in!” As Yagoki swooped in on a swirling vortex of wind, he threw a totem down, and a massive fire elemental came forth, standing between Karagoth and the two elves.

Lucuria raised her hand up into the sky as she held onto Elinia. She looked at the elemental that stood between them and Karagoth, and then to the paladin himself. “You call yourself a man of the Light, and yet you would attack innocents who have done nothing to you. Your people put the torch to Teldrassil, exiled your own people for their studies, and have felled members of one of the most powerful families that have existed for more than an age. And for what? To help a banshee who is more concerned with her own immortality than the lives of her people! Of the Horde!”

“I said you would not escape!!” Karignoth threw a hammer of Judgment at the Shaman. Yagoki saw it coming, and with a snap of his fingers, the elemental blocked the hammer, took the energy from it, and began pummeling the paladin into the ground.

Lucuria looked up at Yagoki with an appreciative smile as she held onto Elinia. “We need to go while your elemental has him occupied, my friend.”

“Ye, let's get outta here.” The shaman raised his hands into the air, and the wind elemental flew higher and higher until Lordaeron was well out of sight.

Lucuria held on to them tightly as they were flown somewhere safe. Upon landing, Israfelia rushed out to greet them and picked up Elinia in her arms. “Yagoki, find Tahlian.” Elinia shivered and mumbled, still unconscious. “Our Matriarch is in for a long road ahead...” She looked to Lucuria with a nod and a smile, the two recognizing one another despite their physical changes.

“I be t’inkin’ my services are best served ’ere Milady.” Yagoki looked to Israfelia. “I t’ink your lover would be quicka to locate de Patriarch.”

“Karignoth can find him quickly, yes. Let’s get indoors and away from prying eyes.” She carried Elinia’s quaking form inside, laying her down on a cot. “Karig! Come quickly! I need you to find Tahlian!”

“It’s about ta get wet in ’ere.” Yagoki began channeling the elements between his hands and a small rain cloud appeared above the Matriarch’s head, filled with healing waters that washed over her body. The druidess seemed to calm, the wound in her cheek sealing to become no more than a scar.

Karignoth blinked into the room, frantic. “What happened?!? I heard the commotion on the comms but I was nowhere nearby.”

Lucuria knelt beside Elinia, petting her hand. “Karagoth... He was on the battlefield. I don’t think you ever met him, Karig. Borin’s brother. He... He felled Elinia.”

Days turned to weeks, Elinia remaining in some kind of comatose state. Whatever any of the Clan’s healers tried, she did not wake. Though her physical wounds were mended, she remained unconscious. Even the love of the one dearest to her, Tahlian, proved unable to bring her around. Whether it was some kind of magic, or something else, no one seemed to know. Perhaps the answers the family sought to wake their Matriarch would lie in Kul’tiras.