Finding a Guide (pt 2)
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:11 pm
((A continuation from the story 'Finding a Guide'))
Nervous, emotionally drained, exhausted, weakened, pained, broken. Those emotions were all Dareus knew at this point. Sadair approached without caution and politely introduced himself. He asked Dareus if the horse Sadair held by the reigns was his, but Sadair knew it was.
"No, that horse belongs to my parents." Dareus said grimfully.
"Nonsense!" Sadair replied. "Your parents are dead, or did you forget that?"
Dareus' eyes flared wide with anger. He jumped to his feet, bearing his teeth, and shot a bolt of fire straight towards the stranger. All the elder high elf could do was grin. He raised his hand as if he was about to slap Dareus from a distance, waited, and then hit the ball of flame with his backhand, sending it into the sky.
"Finished yet?" Sadair asked in his calm, collected tone. The reply he recieved was what he expected: Another firebolt.
Sadair turned so his side was facing Dareus, closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He lifted his left hand, made his fingers point to the sky, and shot his own firey bolt back. The two bolts collided in the air. Dareus' bolt did nothing more than provide a small barrier to Sadair's, who's bolt came and hit Dareus square in the chest. Dareus was knocked back breathless for several feet until he collided with his back to the bottom of a cliff.
Sadair approached the now gasping Dareus. "Finished yet?" he asked again. "Of course you are, you aren't so stupid to strike me again."
"You... You killed my parents!" Dareus breathed. "Come to finish me off? Then do it!"
"Ah, still dillusional I see. No, I didn't kill your parents child, thugs did. And so eager to die! Why is that? You're a young graduate with much to look foward to! So you had a minor setback, there are worse things. Besides, look at this horse! This will become very valuable to you in the future.
"What do you mean?" Dareus asked, still on the ground.
"You're full of questions, aren't you? I'll answer them later. Now, come with me. We have much work to do!"
Sadair turned, leaving Dareus and his horse together, and began to quickly walk away from Silvermoon, down to the South of Eversong. Dareus paused for several seconds before getting up and jogging to the back of Sadair. When he caught up, he asked him questions. Lots of questions. 'What are you doing? Why am I so important? Who are you, exactly?' but each question had the same answer: "You'll see."
Dareus was in the process of asking another question when Sadair stopped and turned around. Cutting him off mid-sentence, Sadair began. "Enough! Listen, those magi taught you how to teleport, right?"
"I'm done with magic, Sadair. It didn't save what mattered most to me. It's useless."
"So ignorant!" Sadair shouted. "Answer the question!"
"Well, yes, but I vowed to never use arcane again."
"Good, arcane is an art only silly, apathetic fools would use. However, they taught you fire and frost, yes? Forget the frost. We'll improve the fire. Now we just need to throw some shadow in the mix! We'll have a beautiful cake then, wouldn't you agree?" Sadair chuckled to himself, laughing at his own joke. Dareus stood silent.
"You're a Warlock, aren't you?"
Sadair coughed, bringing himself to stop laughing. "Ah, so you are intelligent. Perhaps I did get lucky with this one. Yes, and I imagine those at Dalaran taught you to be weary of us. Perhaps one of their most correct teachings. Now listen, we're going to a new place. It's called Desolace. Your horse is going too."
"Get lucky? Am I part of some game where you seek for an apprentice? What happened to your other apprentices then? And why are you taking me to Desolace? How will we get there without the use of arcane? My horse?"
"Again with the questions! We'll work on that too."
As Sadair trailed off, he began to weave his hands. A small purple sphere appeared to his side which began to grow in size. The sphere let off hundreds of black sparks as it grew until it was evident that it was a portal. Once it reached about 8 feet in diameter, it stopped.
"Inside you go! I trust you will be able to survive this. And no, don't ask another question. Get in."
Dareus inhaled deeply, and did as Sadair asked. He stuck his hand inside the sphere and it seemed to grow around him, when he was just being pulled in. He closed his eyes and began to feel his body levitate as if it were being tossed around by some oafish ogre. He felt a cool sense come over him and began to feel increasingly dizzy. It stopped. He opened his eyes and was lying on a cold gray floor. As he tried to stand, he fell back over and began vomiting all around him. He heard Sadair's voice.
"Ah, Desolace. Smells wonderful, doesn't it? Now stop making a mess on my scenery! Up up!"
Dareus stood, still feeling woozy. He looked around at the overbearing gray mountains and the black, cloudy sky. Lightning danced behind the mountains and wind whistled through the valley. He was in a wide, open space. Nothing was around him except gusts of dirt, Sadair, his horse, and very dry skeleton of a kodo.
"Now, I'll tell you what I'm doing here, Dareus. Yes, I am a Warlock. As you know, the fel arts are heavily looked down upon, and forbidden in some places. Not here. Not with me. The population of shadow masters, such as myself, is very, very thin. Some join willingly, others are recruited. You are the latter. Be honored, Dareus. I think it was 18 years ago when I began hearing reports of you. You had a very keen knowledge of fire. Top of your class even. Listen to me, young one. Whatever drives you, focus on that. Something made you very good at what you do, and that wasn't your parents' deaths. Do not shift your passions, it will cloud your mind and drive you to insanity. Your destiny was to become a great Warlock. The choice is yours however. If the answer is no, you will be returned to your home and forgotten by us. No harm will come to you... From us, that is. If yes, we will begin immediately after you sign a contract. I will not sugarcoat this. I will require the best of you. Past students of mine have perished before the first year was over. Make your decision."
Dareus was still in shock as to what was happening. 20 minutes ago he didn't even know this man. Now he was being asked to sign his life away. "Sadair, I accept. Now, what do I sign? Do I have to say certain words?"
"Not quite" Sadair responded. He reached into his robes and pulled out two short blades. He handed one to Dareus. "This is your blade now. Keep it hidden. It is your hammer. Its victims are your anvil. Now, you will begin to forge a beautiful blade with it, one sharper than any warrior's blade, and deadlier than any mages."
Dareus took it. "So, now what?"
"You still haven't signed the contract. Sit." they both sat. "Give me your sinister hand, Dareus." Sadair gripped Dareus' wrist and pulled the hand to his lap. With his free hand, he held his dagger and slid the blade across Dareus' palm. Dareus cringed at first but said nothing. "Does it hurt Dareus?" "It does." "Good. It's to remind you that you are not immortal. Be weary of everything. Now, you do mine." Dareus grabbed the Warlock's wrist and slid his blade across his hand.
"Many groups do something similiar to this. It's a form of trust, with no real advantage attached to it. We go much further. When you grab my hand, our blood will smear together. Once your hand begins to feel hot, you may remove it. At that point, part of myself will flow through you. You'll have an advantage over demons once you take my fel blood. No matter the amount you recieve, it will spread. Your entire body will soon be filled with it."
"Did you have to do this?" Dareus asked.
"The blood is a necessity to all Warlocks, Dareus. I had to act as an assassin to get mine. A human warlock died at the cost of this blood. Normally, I wouldn't allow myself to take an innocent so easily. However, this human was drunk and angry. That reminds me, don't drink. Who knows where he got his. We are all related, Dareus. You will become my brother once we join hands, but not only mine, you will be a brother to all those who practice the fel arts."
Dareus grinned, embracing the new identity. He put his hand out, and Sadair raised his so their palms were pressed against each other. Several seconds passed, and Dareus' hand grew warm. He removed it, but the heat didn't go away. It began to pulse, getting hotter with each pulse. The heat traveled through his arm and into his chest quickly. It proceeded to spread throughout his entire body. Dareus panicked as the heat became too hot to bare. He frantically looked at Sadair who only watched. Dareus began to scream and flail. Then everything grew dark. He fell into a very, very deep sleep.
Nervous, emotionally drained, exhausted, weakened, pained, broken. Those emotions were all Dareus knew at this point. Sadair approached without caution and politely introduced himself. He asked Dareus if the horse Sadair held by the reigns was his, but Sadair knew it was.
"No, that horse belongs to my parents." Dareus said grimfully.
"Nonsense!" Sadair replied. "Your parents are dead, or did you forget that?"
Dareus' eyes flared wide with anger. He jumped to his feet, bearing his teeth, and shot a bolt of fire straight towards the stranger. All the elder high elf could do was grin. He raised his hand as if he was about to slap Dareus from a distance, waited, and then hit the ball of flame with his backhand, sending it into the sky.
"Finished yet?" Sadair asked in his calm, collected tone. The reply he recieved was what he expected: Another firebolt.
Sadair turned so his side was facing Dareus, closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He lifted his left hand, made his fingers point to the sky, and shot his own firey bolt back. The two bolts collided in the air. Dareus' bolt did nothing more than provide a small barrier to Sadair's, who's bolt came and hit Dareus square in the chest. Dareus was knocked back breathless for several feet until he collided with his back to the bottom of a cliff.
Sadair approached the now gasping Dareus. "Finished yet?" he asked again. "Of course you are, you aren't so stupid to strike me again."
"You... You killed my parents!" Dareus breathed. "Come to finish me off? Then do it!"
"Ah, still dillusional I see. No, I didn't kill your parents child, thugs did. And so eager to die! Why is that? You're a young graduate with much to look foward to! So you had a minor setback, there are worse things. Besides, look at this horse! This will become very valuable to you in the future.
"What do you mean?" Dareus asked, still on the ground.
"You're full of questions, aren't you? I'll answer them later. Now, come with me. We have much work to do!"
Sadair turned, leaving Dareus and his horse together, and began to quickly walk away from Silvermoon, down to the South of Eversong. Dareus paused for several seconds before getting up and jogging to the back of Sadair. When he caught up, he asked him questions. Lots of questions. 'What are you doing? Why am I so important? Who are you, exactly?' but each question had the same answer: "You'll see."
Dareus was in the process of asking another question when Sadair stopped and turned around. Cutting him off mid-sentence, Sadair began. "Enough! Listen, those magi taught you how to teleport, right?"
"I'm done with magic, Sadair. It didn't save what mattered most to me. It's useless."
"So ignorant!" Sadair shouted. "Answer the question!"
"Well, yes, but I vowed to never use arcane again."
"Good, arcane is an art only silly, apathetic fools would use. However, they taught you fire and frost, yes? Forget the frost. We'll improve the fire. Now we just need to throw some shadow in the mix! We'll have a beautiful cake then, wouldn't you agree?" Sadair chuckled to himself, laughing at his own joke. Dareus stood silent.
"You're a Warlock, aren't you?"
Sadair coughed, bringing himself to stop laughing. "Ah, so you are intelligent. Perhaps I did get lucky with this one. Yes, and I imagine those at Dalaran taught you to be weary of us. Perhaps one of their most correct teachings. Now listen, we're going to a new place. It's called Desolace. Your horse is going too."
"Get lucky? Am I part of some game where you seek for an apprentice? What happened to your other apprentices then? And why are you taking me to Desolace? How will we get there without the use of arcane? My horse?"
"Again with the questions! We'll work on that too."
As Sadair trailed off, he began to weave his hands. A small purple sphere appeared to his side which began to grow in size. The sphere let off hundreds of black sparks as it grew until it was evident that it was a portal. Once it reached about 8 feet in diameter, it stopped.
"Inside you go! I trust you will be able to survive this. And no, don't ask another question. Get in."
Dareus inhaled deeply, and did as Sadair asked. He stuck his hand inside the sphere and it seemed to grow around him, when he was just being pulled in. He closed his eyes and began to feel his body levitate as if it were being tossed around by some oafish ogre. He felt a cool sense come over him and began to feel increasingly dizzy. It stopped. He opened his eyes and was lying on a cold gray floor. As he tried to stand, he fell back over and began vomiting all around him. He heard Sadair's voice.
"Ah, Desolace. Smells wonderful, doesn't it? Now stop making a mess on my scenery! Up up!"
Dareus stood, still feeling woozy. He looked around at the overbearing gray mountains and the black, cloudy sky. Lightning danced behind the mountains and wind whistled through the valley. He was in a wide, open space. Nothing was around him except gusts of dirt, Sadair, his horse, and very dry skeleton of a kodo.
"Now, I'll tell you what I'm doing here, Dareus. Yes, I am a Warlock. As you know, the fel arts are heavily looked down upon, and forbidden in some places. Not here. Not with me. The population of shadow masters, such as myself, is very, very thin. Some join willingly, others are recruited. You are the latter. Be honored, Dareus. I think it was 18 years ago when I began hearing reports of you. You had a very keen knowledge of fire. Top of your class even. Listen to me, young one. Whatever drives you, focus on that. Something made you very good at what you do, and that wasn't your parents' deaths. Do not shift your passions, it will cloud your mind and drive you to insanity. Your destiny was to become a great Warlock. The choice is yours however. If the answer is no, you will be returned to your home and forgotten by us. No harm will come to you... From us, that is. If yes, we will begin immediately after you sign a contract. I will not sugarcoat this. I will require the best of you. Past students of mine have perished before the first year was over. Make your decision."
Dareus was still in shock as to what was happening. 20 minutes ago he didn't even know this man. Now he was being asked to sign his life away. "Sadair, I accept. Now, what do I sign? Do I have to say certain words?"
"Not quite" Sadair responded. He reached into his robes and pulled out two short blades. He handed one to Dareus. "This is your blade now. Keep it hidden. It is your hammer. Its victims are your anvil. Now, you will begin to forge a beautiful blade with it, one sharper than any warrior's blade, and deadlier than any mages."
Dareus took it. "So, now what?"
"You still haven't signed the contract. Sit." they both sat. "Give me your sinister hand, Dareus." Sadair gripped Dareus' wrist and pulled the hand to his lap. With his free hand, he held his dagger and slid the blade across Dareus' palm. Dareus cringed at first but said nothing. "Does it hurt Dareus?" "It does." "Good. It's to remind you that you are not immortal. Be weary of everything. Now, you do mine." Dareus grabbed the Warlock's wrist and slid his blade across his hand.
"Many groups do something similiar to this. It's a form of trust, with no real advantage attached to it. We go much further. When you grab my hand, our blood will smear together. Once your hand begins to feel hot, you may remove it. At that point, part of myself will flow through you. You'll have an advantage over demons once you take my fel blood. No matter the amount you recieve, it will spread. Your entire body will soon be filled with it."
"Did you have to do this?" Dareus asked.
"The blood is a necessity to all Warlocks, Dareus. I had to act as an assassin to get mine. A human warlock died at the cost of this blood. Normally, I wouldn't allow myself to take an innocent so easily. However, this human was drunk and angry. That reminds me, don't drink. Who knows where he got his. We are all related, Dareus. You will become my brother once we join hands, but not only mine, you will be a brother to all those who practice the fel arts."
Dareus grinned, embracing the new identity. He put his hand out, and Sadair raised his so their palms were pressed against each other. Several seconds passed, and Dareus' hand grew warm. He removed it, but the heat didn't go away. It began to pulse, getting hotter with each pulse. The heat traveled through his arm and into his chest quickly. It proceeded to spread throughout his entire body. Dareus panicked as the heat became too hot to bare. He frantically looked at Sadair who only watched. Dareus began to scream and flail. Then everything grew dark. He fell into a very, very deep sleep.