A Return to the Flesh
Chilalli - December 20, 2005
Snowfeather’s corpse lay at the bottom of Freewind Post for two
days. While it clung to the side of the needle, the poison in her
veins had been stunted from causing any further damage. Out of
her body, her mind was intact. She was free to search for the
Grimtotem who was also wasting away above her shell. She barely
knew him, but what she did know was like the first taste of
Ambrosia. Could she find him .. Could he help her before she was
dead for good?
In the Gray, the truth of things were exposed. There was only
what was - no facades, no hidden agendas, no interference. Sounds
were like waves lapping a shoreline - silent then crashing.
Disjointed pieces of thoughts.. Cries from battle... Whispers of
lust, desire, hate, sorrow and the constant call of th wind
echoing in every recess of her mind.
Roaming every Grimtotem settlement from Dark Cloud Pinnacle to
Stonetalon, Snowfeather searched in vain for Yichimet. He was
nowhere to be found. Had he truly began his ascension to the
Green Fields - or - was he hiding from her?
Resigned to failure, she looked at her left hand. Seeing straight
through its ethereal form, Snowfeather could make out the image
of a daisy. Its petals, the same shape as the bite on her hand.
Even as a ghost, she could still feel Licidion’s teeth on her.
Her flesh popping as each tooth punctured her tough hide... the
warm blood oozing down her fingers and sliding down his neck in a
thick stream.
It took half a day to return to Thousand Needles and to her body.
The time to search for Yichimet was over. Now was the time to
search for the living.. Unliving.. Betrayer. Licidon must be
found. In a flash, the color started to fill her mind. Smells of
the iron soil and dry acrid air surrounded her.. calmed her.
Snowfeather had returned.
__________________________________________
"Snow...fea...ther"
It did not take long to find him. Licidion’s zombie like voice
was calling out to her as she saw the Tauren guard lying in her
blood. Her own rib jammed through her eye socket, finding its
final resting place at the back of her skull. Licidion lurched
over her like a rabid wolf and its prey.
"Snow...fea....ther" As she saw Laughingcrow face down in the
dust. His horn bandages, but his spirit waning. Heard his
mumbling of the Grim fighting Grim.. The dishonor.. The disgust.
"Snow...fea..ther" As Licidion lunged for her. Stepping backward,
Snowfeather lost her footing and fell from the needle... again.
This was the second time in a week she had taken to free-falling
- both at Licidion’s doing.
From the graveyard, Snowfeather mounted Proot and called for help
over her hearthstone. She called the Grims to Freewind. Called
them to kill one of their own. Called them to kill the Forsaken
who proclaimed his love for her. The Forsaken who she denied..
Who she corrupted and tortured with her dismissal... The Forsaken
who she turned into a monster with five small words less than a
week ago.
Licidon slipped away. Rogues have a knack for that. Though, every
now and then he could be heard over the hearthstones of every
Grim "Snow...fea...ther".
Finally, a few of the strongest members of the House captured the
Monster and imprisoned him in a cage at the Royal Apothecary
Society. Under their guard, his body was to remain without
visitation from anyone - including his own guild. Just two days
ago, Vuuduu snuck both Snowfeather and Maledictus in to see what
was left of him. Her plan was brilliant. She transformed the two
as skeletal guards and she herself acted as a prisoner.
They snuck in easily enough and Snowfeather had to stand on her
new boney tip-toes to see inside the cage. Her nose was filled
with the truth.. It was Licidion, or parts of him. Smelling the
sickness surrounding the arms in the cage, Snowfeather flashed
back to the night of Licidon’s complete mental failure.
Salty taking a small blue spider from his pack and driving its
mouthparts into her infected, oozing wound..
"I’m like your knight.. This bug’ll save ya. Gotta keep you safe
Snowfeather. Because.. I.. Because ... I .... love ya!"
Stinker slicing a notch from Laughingcrow’s horn. Wadjet holding
new fractured ribs and a hidden scratch from Licidion’s infected
fingers. Licidion stabbing Snowfeather in the back from the
shadows...
Five simple words changed his life forever. Yes, the words were
forced. Stinker threatened Laughingcrow’s life. Snowfeather
couldn’t have two lives over her head - she could barely manage
her own. She chose Licidion’s life to mourn.
"It can never be, Licidion."
__________________________________________
Yesterday, Snowfeather watched unmoved as Wadjet’s body sunk in
the pool near Sen’jin Village. Her body was dying too.. Due to
the scratch a few days back. It was the only way to stop it,
Snowfeather explained. The spider that had cured her was dead..
The place to get another was out of their reach.. Those who could
help didn’t. Having her dead and wandering the Gray was a ..
Small price for Snowfeather to pay in the grand scheme of things.
It was at least one less person to worry about for a time.
__________________________________________
Last night, Snowfeather watched from the shadows. She watched
Licidion transform for a third time before her eyes.
She sat behind a cage of humans and watched Vuudu sew his arms
back on. Watched as Hektar healed his wounds. Listened as he
moaned..
"Snow..fea..ther..... An..ti...dote....... spi...der...."
Hektar, Vuudu and Licidion made their way to an anti-chamber in
the pit of the RAS. Green ooze dripped from the ceiling from the
tail-end of.. Something unknown to her. She stealthed in behind
them.. Took a place within viewing distance, hoping she would not
be spotted.
She watched as Licidion pulled a loose brick from the wall
exposing a small rusted cage. She could make out the familiar
blue legs as the same type of spider that had bit her in
Freewind.
Expecting Licidion to give the Spider to one of her guild mates,
Snowfeather started to leave. As soon as was almost out the door,
she looked back to see the spider sinking its fangs into
Licidion’s wrist.
Spasms.. Vomit.. Pools of slimy ichor... then nothing. Vuudu
trapped the spider before it made its way into a crevice - his
new home a green bottle. Licidion lay on the floor for some time.
Hektar, doing what his instincts told him, began crying out
orcish healing mantras. Vuudu applied bandages. Snowfeather was
as still as a corpse herself, though her mind was reeling with
confusion.
__________________________________________
Staring right at her, the new form of Licidion spoke:
"I am the one that is both "Salty" and "Stinker".. I am both.. I
am at peace."
It was then he told the group that he too had been infected with
the same illness that Snowfeather and Wadjet suffered from. That
he was an experiment of ‘someones’ design. That there was
another, like him, who was infected. Abric - and his time was
running out.
The party went their own ways. Vuudu took Wadjet’s redemption and
headed for Kalimdor. Hektar to sleep off the strange turn of
events. Snowfeather followed Licidion to the courtyard of
Lordaeron.
Small talk. Apologies.. Hidden sorrow... then it was over.
"Three" Snowfeather whispered as he rode off on his green
warhorse.. Still trying to fully comprehend what the week had
given her.
__________________________________________
This morning Snowfeather received a small holiday package in her
post.
A small sprig of wildflowers... daisies...
The note was short:
"He would have wanted you to have these.
~Licidion"
"Damn rogues.." She whispered as she clung tightly her flowers
and to the memory of Salty.