Grim Views

The young paladin is found passed out with her head on the table. Maps and pens strewn across the round surface. She was sleeping soundly...a pen still held loosely in her hand, beneath her hand rested a gold tinted leather bound journal. Her most recent entry can be read in the slowly dimming candlelight:

Dear Journal,

It has not been an easy couple of weeks. I have spent many hours on the battlefield trying to earn more gear from the battlemasters...it has not been an easy task.

However, there was a new task dropped onto my plate last night at the Grim meeting. Ley promoted me to the leader of the Pillagers battle team. He believes I show promise for leadership and authority,

I hope to not let him down, tonight I spent quite a bit of time pouring over my battlefield maps, I am trying to develop my strategies so that I can lead those who go with me to victory. It is not an easy task, seeing as I know very few of the people who will go into battle with me...

Anyways...

The pen trail runs off the end of the page as if that were where she fell asleep.

Grendze snuck by the sleeping paladin with practiced grace. Noticing the maps and books, he knew all too well her task. A malicious and sly smile crosses his face and he almost betrays himself with a laugh. Hoping up on a crate and then silently sliding onto the table he takes full measure of her studies. 'Nice strategy my dear' he thinks to himself angrily. The narration in his head bitter and jealous. 'Seems a lot like my own tactics. Perhaps we'll customize it a bit for ya' he thinks as he scribbles some notes and changes some routes. He quickly disappears at the sound of a sudden and delicate little snore. In the shadows he waits and watches a bit, voices in his head demanding he run, flee, kill. As she settles back to deep sleep he sneaks off chuckling to himself.

Nyali walks in, and sees the sleeping paladin. She nudges her with her nose and sits, looking at the elf. Her ears droop and she sniffs the maps. She knows the difficulty of Kailei's task, and she sighs. "Kailei"

Finally back home in Ratchet, Kailei had barely made it to her bed after writing her newest journal entry, and that was evident as she was hanging partially off the mattress on the bed. Her journal was left open on the small table in the room.

Dear Journal,

I can barely keep my eyes open as I write this, tonight I lead a group of Grim into battle against the Alliance. I have lead soldiers in the past, however this was a little different for me, because I still feel I have to prove myself to the Grim. Yet here I find myself in charge of this battlegroup they call the Pillagers.

The battles were rough, and mending was tougher than I anticipated, but I hope to get better with practice. I was happy to see that Zeromuz joined me in battle. I feel better when he is on the field at my side, gives me something to really fight for.

I have never really cared about anyone as much as I do for him, and he really makes me put my best foot forward in battle as I do not wish to see him fall...

But anyways, battles were won and lost, and I am about to fall asleep at the desk...

The pen is left sitting atop the page she was writing on.

The writing of this journal entry seems excited as if her hand was shaking as she wrote.

Dear Journal,

Leading the group into battle this evening was a success!!! Everything ran smooth as I could expect. I am very pleased with how everyone took my directions to heart and it turned out successful!!!

I personally plan on celebrating a bit later, if I can ever find that fiance of mine...he was not with me today on the field...and I worry for him when he's not around. The victory would've been so much sweeter had he been there to share it with.

As much as I missed him, I did have my fellow Grim soldiers, and a few others who took up arms with us to celebrate with. But as it stands at this moment I am tired and must retire for the evening.

The pen is left upon the journal again.

The leather bound tome rests upon one of the desks within the Grim hall. She must've left it laying around again.

Dear Journal,

It has been several weeks since my last entry, I have taken to this leading of the Pillagers battle team and look forward to it every week. This past weekend, left me ill and bedridden and I believed I had let my guildmates down.

To top it all off, Zeromuz is just downright missing. I have looked for him everywhere, as it has been a few weeks...I am saddened to assume that the worst has happened and he won't be coming home to me at all...

Tear drops stain the parchment from this point onward.

I wish for the best, but fear for the worst...that he has passed on from this world. If that is the case, I hope that his spirit has found peace...my heart will ache for him always, words cannot really express just how much I miss him. I cannot bring myself to remove his ring from my finger...and probably will not ever.

I must rest and refresh myself for battle next week...if I focus on my work, maybe the pain in my heart will cease.

Kailei

A small infant white wolf that still carried youthful fuzz and puppy breath runs into Kailei's room and skits across the stonework floor. It chirps at Kailei who moans and swats at the unseen source of sound with a half hearted swipe.

The wolf then chews on a heavy boot in the corner for a good hour. Satisfied he runs from the room and into the guild hall. Without any consideration of momentum the wolf tries to stop and slides into a desk. After bumping into it a book falls and bonks him on the head. The tiny wolf barks at the open pages and then feels compelled to eye each word on them from left to right before seeking more boots.

The worn journal laid open upon the young paladin's desk, a pen resting in the crease between the pages. The book was turned to her most recent entry...

Dear Journal,

I do not know why I bother to write in this thing. Perhaps it eases my heart to hold onto something that might be considered "childish" or "immature" according to others I have met in passing. Who knows?

However, lately I have been consumed by my work, hence the lack of entries. The fight against the Alliance is one that requires a lot of dedication and drive. I wonder if I am spreading myself too thin, especially with my private search for my beloved. If the search turns bad, at least I can lay his body to rest properly...but since I have yet to find anything, I keep hope alive that he may still be out there somewhere. I miss him so much...

At least I have been able to take my frustrations out on the Alliance, there have been successes and failures, however the thrill of battle makes my mind clear enough to keep going on. The Light aids in my struggle and helps me to focus, but sometimes it seems so difficult to hold strong to that faith. Maybe I need to go home, seek my mother's council through a visit to her grave...being near her even though she is not physically there, sometimes restores that faith that I require. We will see, but until then rest calls for me.

Kailei

The journal lays open upon Kailei's desk at her home in Ratchet. The lantern by it is lit very low, Kailei is asleep upon the bed next to the desk...

Dear Journal,

So, apparently...something has happened to me. Just today, I woke up in a cell out in the middle of Gilneas. I do not remember what has happened over the span of the last three days...it is scary to think of what MIGHT have happened to me. I do not feel any different right now, I'm not in any pain, other than a rather nasty looking scratch I discovered on my arm...but I bandaged that temporarily until Bryii can take a look at it as I don't really trust my own judgment on healing of my own wounds, as I cannot remember where it came from.

It was a man by the name of Eurphadion that got me out of the cell, and took me back to Orgrimmar where I found Ashenfury waiting by the tavern. He said the wolves lost my scent...which is strange...because I was in Undercity...I think heading to Silvermoon...I think I was going to visit my parents...but I can't for the life of me remember WHY I didn't make it there...it gives me a headache just to think of it.

Ashenfury and Eurphadion talked a bit. Apparently Eurphadion can lead Ashenfury and Knithawk to where I was found, Eurphadion mentioned an alchemy lab...that prospect is a scary one...I could be poisoned...or worse. As of right now, I do not feel any odd effects.

I wish that Zeromuz was here. I am left alone to deal with this situation...and with no one's shoulder to cry upon...I try desperately to keep it all in and not have my world crash down around me. I almost broke down in the Wyvern's Tail again today, I shudder to think that I may have been...nevermind...we won't think of that prospect. But if my fiance is anywhere on Azeroth...I would give everything I am for him to come back home...

I am rather tired though from trying to force myself to think of what happened...I hope it will come to me eventually I am sure. Well...I hope...

Kailei

The pen is left resting next to the journal, and the lamp continues to glow at a low light, as if Kailei didn't want to turn out the light to go to sleep.

It appears that the paladin had written another entry in her journal after waking up. The book was left unattended in her home upon the worn surface of her desk.

Dear Journal,

I had nightmares last night, of I suppose possible things that MIGHT have happened to me. They were such a blur of terrifying things that I would prefer not to think about it, and it almost makes me thankful that I cannot remember.

Today at some point Bryii is supposed to come by and check me out. I am really nervous that she may actually find something, but really what can there be other than this irritating scratch, I should just heal it and be done with it...

On another note, I went into battle again last night, and despite my memory loss, everything seems to be working as it should, I was able to call upon the Light with ease as usual. So I will take care of some business around the homestead and wait until Bryii to contact me. Wish me well journal...

Kailei

The journal is left closed for once on her desk in her small home in Ratchet. Kailei is around somewhere, outside enjoying the day, maintaining her home as she has not been here in awhile.

If you were to flip to the most recent page in the journal you would read:

Dear Journal Feb, 21st

So, I was puttering around the house, just trying to rearrange some boxes, and get the clutter of many months cleared out of the living area, and I had a visitor drop by my home. First up the dirt road came Eurphadion. He apparently wanted to check on me and see how I was doing, and then a fellow Blood Knight came to visit me, one by the name of Roth'rili.

I knew of him from the Blood Knight roster, and it was a pleasant surprise to see him and catch up on how things were back home. Eurphadion had to run off to Orgrimmar, he mentioned something about his niece. So myself and Roth'rili talked about how my memory seems so screwy, and he even offered to help me figure things out more. He taught me this neat trick I can use if I happen to give myself a migraine again, which may very well happen if I keep forcing myself to think on things I can't remember.

Then Eurphadion came back, he seemed rather over-protective when he saw I was sitting with Roth. The two had sort of a stare-down, and then Roth left, with promises to stay in the inn in Ratchet in case I needed anything. Eurphadion seems to think something bad has befallen me and keeps telling me I need to rest...I don't understand why, I feel fine. But instead of elevate the testosterone driven encounter I agreed and went inside to rest.

Tomorrow, I will stay home and putter around the house. Do some more maintenance until Bryii comes out to check on me, she had something come up last night I believe and was unable to make it. Anyways, good night journal, I will write again soon.

Kailei

Dear Journal, Tues. 2/21

Well...seems it was worse than I thought. Bryii seems to think that I am infected with some sort of disease. I am not sure exactly what that is though. I know I am supposed to be resting, but sitting here in bed is not hurting anything I hope.

Bryii called me an idiot for trusting Eurphadion. I didn't THINK that he was responsible for me being in that cell, but she doesn't trust him. And let's just say...the examination that I went through tonight, was PAINFUL. Bryii cut open the wound on my arm, dug around and ripped out some of the torn flesh inside! If I didn't have Nyali there soothing me I think I would've fainted. As if that didn't hurt enough, the antiseptic stage of things was just as bad.

Ashenfuy also mentioned that my home may be quarantined if things get any worse. A prisoner in my own home...wonderful, but I see the need for it if there is a possibility that I can be really contaminated. I don't question Ashenfury's judgement....but I don't have to enjoy being trapped here. And you think, that while I was stuck in the house ANYWAYS, I'd be allowed to do some cleaning and organizing. No. These two (Bryii and Nyali) won't even let me out of bed. So HERE I AM! IN BED! WRITING just cause I can't my mind just be blank.

But I think I will take this time and actually get some rest. Good night.

Kailei

The book is found resting on the nightstand next to Kailei's bed, while she rests soundly.

Dear Journal, 2/22

Things have gotten worse if that is even possible. My face...looks like a purple bruised mess, and there is a high fever. I cannot stop coughing, and the wound on my arm...it just keeps bleeding.

Nyali gave me a potion earlier in the day, that let me sleep for a better part of the day. I was thankful for that. However now, it seems I have issues even keeping water in my stomach. I have nearly no appetite...and Nyali is trying to inject potions into my system to help me. I vomitted the first one on the floor...Roth had to clean it up. I felt really bad that I am too dizzy to do much but sit here in the bed...Bryii also returned from wherever she went off to...and currently is discussing things in private with Nyali.

If you ask me, that makes it seem that things might be worse than they appear...I will write more in a little bit, perhaps when they return.

Well some good news Journal, Nyali seems to have found a potion that makes it so I don't get any worse. She has filled several syringes for me, and I am supposed to inject them once an hour...and maybe...just maybe it will keep me from getting any worse. (Not that I am in the greatest shape right now...but it is better than dying over something we can't cure).

I just hope...that we find a way to fix me before we run out of this potion. Otherwise I dread to know what may come next in the stages of progression of this...illness, plague...whatever it is.

I do not understand why Roth chose to stay here, I know why Nyali did, but Roth is still confusing to me. Why he would choose to put himself at such risk for me when he barely knows me. But Nyali wants me to rest...so I am going to go to sleep. Good night.

Kailei

She had fallen asleep clutching her journal.

Dear Journal 2/24

The page is blank, as if she's run out of things to write about.