9. Being Normal - (Naminnae)

"Close to You" - Josefine Cronholm

Returning to the little apartment home in Hillsbrad, and tired after a long day of tracking, hunting, and killing her target, the undead elf removed her armor and walked naked across her place, sitting in front of her mirror. She would pick up her armor later, but for now, all she wanted to do was fix herself up. A trip to Silvermoon would do her some good. After all, she did want to be normal, or as normal as someone like her could be. 

8. Seeking Answers

If only he had gotten to the door quicker. If only he hadn’t walked down the corridor. If only he had a different course of action. 

7. A Bitter Loneliness (Naminnae)

"Raise the Dead" - Rachel Rabin

The room was dark. It was always dark except for a few candles lit in her immediate space. A pale hand reached for the silver brush that rested on her dresser. Carefully, slowly, she moved the brush to her long, platinum blond hair and brought the bristles down. Pausing, she stared at herself in the mirror before her, gazing at the shell of a woman she once was. On occassion, memories of her former self would flash before her: her laughter, her smile, her faith in life.

But that was all gone now. Her warmth was now filled with a cold desire to destroy. As much as she tried to fight that sensation, it consumed her. Her daily sparring practice was not satisfying enough, and the random jobs she took on only did so much for her, but she persisted. She continued to cling on to the tiniest thread of hope: her sister Alexielle.

6. Truth

Alexielle sighed and leaned back in her seat. “His name is Raziel. He’s my…” She chose her words carefully. Daidh was well aware of how the craft worked. “Instructor. That’s all.”

Daidh served them both wine and sat beside her. “Instructor? What do you need an instructor for?”

“Stuff?”

Daidh stared at her and gulped down his wine. “I don’t believe you.” The door was knocked and he rose to get it. He smiled at the elf behind the door and he wheeled in dinner. Daidh had rented a room for the evening and Alexielle was unaware until he walked her up the stairs. She didn’t protest and trusted him well enough to know that his intentions were friendly. However, she was not aware of what information he wanted.

5. Training

The blow to her head was enough to darken everything around her for a moment before she opened her eyes and looked around her. Alexielle noticed she was at home, surrounded by familiar things. Her hands wrapped around her, rubbing her arms and she shivered slightly, goose pimples rising on her smooth surface. She exhaled and realized it had all been a dream; it was a nightmare in which she was the weaker link and failing miserably. She smoothed out her dress and felt a bump at her belly. 

She was with child? But, that was impossible.

4. The Ritual

Alexielle received her instructions and proceeded to walk deeper into The Sanctum. She had been there many times, instructing her own students on their abilities to wield the darkness they had opened up to, but this time, she was going to be the student once more. She chuckled at the thought. It had been years since she was a student and the last time she tried to learn from someone, he tossed her aside and ignored her pleas. This time, Talionia had told her to go straight to the training rooms. Her students would be sent out on errands until her training was done for the day.

3. The Test

"What other business do we have?" Telionia said rather annoyed. The late meetings at the Sanctum were starting to run to sunrise and she knew her pupils were going to pay for it when they woke up.