Niviene walked around the tiny flat, checking the doors and windows to be certain they were locked, fortifying the wards she’d placed around the apartment to insure that they were all safe inside. 

She stepped into the bedroom the children shared, leaning over to brush a lock of golden hair from Korissa’s face then pull the blanket down to cover Banny’s feet. She smiled softly, realizing that the boy would be as tall as his father before long.

As she headed back to the living room she froze, her fingers curling into fists as she listened to footsteps coming up the stairs. She moved silently, reaching for the staff that was propped against a wall and waited, only breathing again as the person passed their door and continued down...

“We’re sorry to bring you here for such a macabre task Ms. Lancaster but we need the next of kin to identify the body.” 

The woman nodded as she stepped up to the cloth draped slab, she waited for a moment then narrowed her eyes at the priest who stood wringing his hands beside her.

“Oh! Oh yes. Sorry. So Sorry.” he muttered as he pulled the shroud back from the body. He fidgeted for a moment then cast a furtive glance at the woman, “So. Is it? I mean… is it.. Your brother?”

The woman turned an icy gaze on the priest, her fingertips drumming heavily on the edge of the slab. The man swallowed thickly, tugged at his forelock and made a hasty retreat from the room, not even bothering with a show of dignity. In his mind...

Niviene stood in the shadows, waiting for Erik to give the all clear before she stepped forward. It was difficult to see where she was going, the deep hood of her cloak cutting off her peripheral vision. It wasn’t the first time that she thanked the Light for the young man who worked for her husband.

The two made their way to a little used postern gate in the fortified walls of Iron Forge where a gryphon sat, calmly munching on a bale of hay. The dwarf who tended the gryphon nodded when he spotted the duo, handing over a pair of reins to Erik. The rogue helped Niviene mount the beast then settled in behind her. He pressed his knees lightly into the gryphon’s flanks and the creature leapt into the air, the only sound, the wind...

“What do you mean she’s gone?! How? Who?” the woman’s voice sounded panicked beneath her heavy veils.

The venthyr raised a placating hand, “She wished it and she knew the man who came for her. She assured us she would be safe.” he glanced at his companion, bidding her to confirm his statement.

The female nodded, “The woman was not happy here Sunshine, she was beginning to resemble the wraiths in the Desiccation. We could not, in good conscience, hold her against her will.” She looked pointedly at the woman, “And you were not here to say nay.”

The male spoke again, his tone matter of fact, “You knew he would come, you had been warned of such. Besides, this is no place for a living, breathing mortal. Though it...

The man stood quietly awaiting the arrival of his master, the picture of dignity and lordly reserve. His dark blonde curls shining in the torchlight, his features appeared to be carved of pristine marble. Heavily lidded eyes of amber swept the room as he wondered when his host would arrive. While he waited Caesarius watched the members of court, taking note of the various cliques, and who appeared to be in, or out, of favor.

It was only time hewn experience that allowed the man to hide his surprise when he heard a voice speak so close that it might have been in his head.

“The young one has taken you into her confidence, yes?”

“She has sire. She suspects nothing.” 

“What is it they call her? Sunshine? Sunny?”

“Yes...

Niviene sat at the desk, sky blue eyes resting on the ever growing pile of unsent letters to her husband. By her reckoning, she had been away from home for several months now. She had been certain that her captivity wouldn’t last long. And while she wasn’t exactly being held prisoner now, her liberation had not come about as she had expected it to. Had not come at all.

When she’d caught that glimpse of Erik, the priestess was sure she would be going home soon. But that glimpse was all she’d had. There had been no messages, no more sightings. Nothing.

In her heart she knew that there were few things that would keep Braghaman from finding her. But her head had been filled with the whispered doubts that seemed to permeate the air...

Braghaman woke with a start and instinctively reached out for the war hammer laying on the ground next to him. Blinking his eyes rapidly, he looked around the cave he had been sleeping in. The fog of sleep burned away as he heard another howl, like the one that had woken him up. 

“Damn,” he muttered to himself. The paladin stood up and slowly made his way to the mouth of the cave. He couldn’t see anything for the haze that was hanging low to the ground, but he could hear the howls and growling as it grew closer. “Guess it’s time to find a new hole to hide in.”

Braghaman slowly exited the cave, looking from side to side. Then he heard a growl behind him. Gripping his war hammer, he turned to find a skeletal hound with...

Erik stood next to the banisters overlooking the city of Shattrath. Nearby, he could see the elevator bringing people to the Scryer’s Tier. Watching as another group left the elevator and walked past him, he shook his head slightly when he didn’t see who he was looking for and turned back to gazing at the city.

“I had heard you were asking around about me,” a muffled voice spoke from behind the rogue. Erik turned to see a man wearing brown robes and a mask covering his face.

“I have been.”

“If this is a trap…” the masked man began before letting the statement trail off.

“It is not. I need your assistance.”

“I assumed our alliance was over once the death knight was destroyed. Has he returned?”

“He has...

“Don’t worry kid, you’re mum's okay.” 

Korissa narrowed her eyes at the imp, “How do you know about momma?”

The demon snorted and rolled his eyes, “I got connections. Don’t you worry about that either missy. I was sent to tell you she’s safe and she is. So now I’m gonna go.”

The creature looked back at the little girl, cocking his head to the side as he peered at her, “You know, I kinda do see it. Man this is weird, seeing you like this.” he raised his clawed hand and pulled at the air, drawing energy into the beginnings of a portal. He paused, the dark gateway no larger than a window, and looked back at Korissa, “How old are kid, eight, nine?” He nodded before turning back to his task, “Yeah, I’ll...

The window slid open with a click and a figure dressed in black slid into the room. A mask covered his face as he looked from side to side. The office was ornate, ostentatious even to his eyes.

“So much for a simple man of the cloth,” Erik whispered to himself as he crossed the room to the fancy desk. The rogue shuffled through the papers that sat on top of the desk but he didn’t appear to find what he was looking for. He then pulled open the drawers one at a time and searched each. Opening the final drawer, he pulled some papers out and looked through them. Again, apparently not finding what he was looking for, he started to put them back in the drawer when he stopped. Setting the papers on top of the desk, he then reached into...

Braghaman startled awake. He looked around his cave, wondering if the screaming he had heard was real or just a part of the disturbing dreams he was having in this forsaken place. Then he heard the plea again.

“Help!”

Without hesitation, the paladin picked up his war hammer and ran out of the cave. A few yards ahead of him stood an armored figured. His pauldrons had spikes pointing to the sky and he carried a sword that glowed white. The armored figure was leaning over and reaching down with his free hand. On the ground at his feet appeared to be a glowing figure who was shirking away from the armored hand reaching for it.

Braghaman ran forward with his war hammer raised. No yell or challenge came from the paladin as he rushed up...

Niviene sat at the desk, scarlet quill in hand as she stared down at the parchment before her. She sighed heavily, glancing at the scribe beside her, “I don’t suppose you could post this for me?”

Maddie looked down at the paper then gave the priestess a pitying look, “Madame, I will tell you the same thing I have told you with the dozen other letters you’ve written, we do not know where your husband is to deliver his.” she glanced pointedly at the stacks of letters on the table, “It would not be safe to deliver those to your children. The bishop does not need to know where they are, else he attempts to use them against you.”

Niviene nodded, carefully placed the quill back in its stand, scattered sand across the paper...

“So what will you do now, Erik?”

The rogue had been sitting quietly, staring at the papers and maps that were laying on the table. At the question, he looked up and leaned back in his chair. Across from him, a young lady sat on the coach with her legs pulled up beside her.

“I think it’s time I call in some favors, May,” Erik said calmly.

“You never call in favors.”

“Now’s the time,” Erik answered with a shrug.

“How many favors are you calling in?”

“As many as I need to.”

“To do what?”

“I can’t be everywhere I need to be,” Erik answered with a sigh.

“I’m sorry,” May said quietly. 

Erik nodded and cast a vague look around Sharlimay’s apartment. It was as comfortable and pleasant as...

It had taken some time to cross the eerie landscape. The sky was gray and there seemed to be a wailing sound just loud enough to notice but not clear enough to understand. Finally, Braghaman made it to the rocky mountains he had noticed when he first arrived. Creeping along their base, eventually the paladin found an opening. Gripping his war hammer tightly, he peering inside briefly and then ducked back around the edge. When nothing came storming out, he cast a glance around the area before tentatively entering the cave.

The cave was small and did not go deep into the mountain. Bragh looked around the best he could with no light, and saw nothing to give the impression that this was something’s home. He moved to the interior of the...

Niviene lay in the bed, her body tense as a drawn bow string, listening to the noises around her. She didn’t know what made her wake, but she had learned long ago to trust her instincts, something she had become lax with, something the recent events had proven could never be shrugged off as nothing important.

She lay there, listening until the power of sleep had almost lulled her back, when a shadow moved from the corner of the room. Before the priestess could react the shadow spoke, its voice a mere whisper, “It’s alright Mrs. Larethian. I won’t hurt you. I’ve come to help. I know you have no reason to believe me so I brought you this.” the woman held out her hand so that the light slipping into the room between the parted...

“We’re going to get a drink, boss.”

The priest scowled at the burly man, looking at him so sourly that the man immediately thought better than to leave.

“You are not being paid to drink,” the priest hissed. “You’re here to protect me at all costs.”

“We’re inside the keep,” the other man, who was almost as large as the first, replied. “There are plenty of guards out there.”

“And you two are supposed to guard me in here. What if he were to get inside? That’s why I have you two here!” the priest added, pounding his fist into the table he was sitting at. The priest continued to scowl at the two henchmen as they looked at the ground.

The sound of the lock in the door clicking caused all their heads to...

“You’ve been watching? What did you learn?’ The voice was low, feminine, of an indeterminate age. The woman to whom it belonged was heavily shrouded in black lace veils until it was nigh on impossible to see her face. But the other woman reckoned she was getting paid enough that those were details she didn’t really need to know.

Caliana nodded, “They know she’s in Draenor somewhere though not her precise location.”

The veiled woman turned away, her voice resigned, “I thought as much. You must bring her here. She will be safe here.”

“Are you sure? This place looks dangerous to me. These people are strange.” Caliana looked pointedly at a dredger, “Grotesque even.”

Soft laughter floated from beneath the veil,...

“What do you mean she isn’t here?”  her voice was as calm and matter of fact as if she had been asking after his health.

The sergeant of the guard gave a soft sigh of relief, relaxing the clinched muscles in his stomach. “Well miss she just isn’t. The folks that were there said she’d gone to another outpost. The lot of ‘em did ma;am, the whole crew she was with. ”

“And did you find her there?” the priestess asked.

“Uh… no miss. It was orders to have her moved and since she’d already gone we figured the work was done.” he answered, his voice less sure than it had been before.

Adeliza Lancaster straightened, turning cold, hard eyes on the man. He swallowed thickly, his stomach knotting again as she took a...

(warning: nothing graphic, but there is some torture.)

He woke to his head pounding. The stale taste of what passed for liquor in this Light forsaken place was still on his breath. He let out a groan with the realization that he had probably drank too much the night before.

“Or maybe not enough,” he thought to himself. With a grunt, he rolled over to reach for the bottle that was on the table beside his bunk. At least, that was his intention. Slowly, it dawned on him that he had not moved so much. He tried again to pull his arm around to reach for the bottle, but it would not budge. Slowly, the guard opened his eyes and looked to his side. It took a moment to focus, a moment more to recognize the rope that was knotted around his...

Life in the garrison hadn’t changed since she’d been there last. There was the usual bustle of people coming and going, hunters and farmers bringing in food for the populace, soldiers patrolling the walls and the perimeter.

The draenei who had taken over once the Shrouded Dawn left had done well. The small fortress was well fortified and guarded. She knew she was safe, knew that Lancaster could not reach her here. 

It had been several days since she had finally rid herself of the last of the drugs that had warped her mind to the bishop’s bidding. Finara, Xaanau, and the elder draenei women watched her closely, ensuring that she ate properly, fussing over her pale skin and the circles under her eyes.

They watched her so closely...

The priest was sitting at the small table in his room, eating what passed for breakfast in this place, and quietly contemplating what the new day had in store for him. Without warning, the door burst open and slammed against the wall. Standing in the doorway was a man wearing black leather, his hood pulled forward to help hide his features. 

Erik walked into the room dragging a moaning man by the collar. Once inside the room, he dropped the unconscious man to the floor and then reached back and pushed the door shut. All of this the priest watched with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Erik then turned to look squarely at him.

“There are two things we need to reach an understanding on immediately. First, my name is...

The older draenei women gathered Niviene between them and hustled her off to a room in the upper reaches of the keep while Xaanue spoke to her father and the captain of the garrison guards. She explained, as best she could, the situation with the priestess, emphasizing the mistreatment she had received. The men nodded and turned to give orders to the watch sergeant, the newcomer was to be protected at all costs.

“I think she’s been drugged. She suspected it could happen so she refused to eat, only drank water. Still, she has a mindless focus on treating the injured. I don’t believe it’s a normal focus, I literally mean mindless…” Finara spoke to the women, trying to make them see the gravity of the situation.

“Yes, I’m...

Braghaman stepped out of the portal and looked around the city floating amongst pale clouds. He saw groups of people moving around, most of whom were completely foreign to him. This entire place was completely foreign as he scanned for anything that reminded him of home. A moment later he heard boots hitting the ground behind him and he glanced back over his shoulder to see Erik emerge from the glowing disk.

“I warned you it was different.”

“I underestimated that statement,” Bragh replied with a nod. “Is the rest like this place?”

“Not that I saw. The one place I traveled had fields and mountains. But floating platforms as well.”

“We’re definitely not on Azeroth anymore.” Bragh turned and stepped to the edge of...

“You know, I’ve never seen her eat, all she takes is water.” the woman whispered to her companion as they watched the priestess, zombielike in her dogged efforts to treat the wounded that trickled into the field hospital.

They watched her for a moment before the other woman replied, “I don’t think she sleeps either. Not enough you could tell it anyway.”

A third woman shook her head, tisking, “It ain’t natural I tell you. No one is that dedicated to the Light.”

The first woman gave a bark of laughter, “You haven’t seen his grace, the bishop have you? This one would set that cold heart to pitter patting.”

Finara shook her head, her brow creased with concern, “No. It isn’t natural. She’s like a machine...

“I insist you open this cell now. This instant.” her voice was low and sharp as the executioner’s axe while her pale blue eyes were as cold as the ice on Anvilmar Lake.

The guard swallowed thickly but stood his ground. “Orders are no one sees the prisoner.”

The woman took a deep breath, leaning menacingly close to the guard. “He is my brother. I demand to see him.”

“Begging your pardon ma’am but you’re being another priest and all don’t give you pass to see the prisoner.”

“He is my brother by birth you dolt. We share parents, we share blood.” she straightened, bringing her several inches taller than the guard. She peered down the length of her narrow nose, her expression leaving no doubt as to her lowly...