Commander Braghaman Larethian

Shadow In The Light, Part 2: Growing Conspiracies

(Originally Posted Jan 16, 2009)

The paladin Faris was sitting at a table in the Cathedral of Stormwind. It'd been a day and a half since he'd lost Braghaman Larethian. Almost two days since someone strolled up and dispatched his men and defeated him. He stewed over the insult as he read through papers on the table. While he was reading, a shadow fell over his table, blocking the light from the papers he was reading, blocking the light from his business. 

Looking up, Faris saw a young paladin, his armor still fresh and suffering from no mark or dent, standing beside the table. The young man stood at attention, waiting for his superior's attention. Faris eyed him up and down for a moment. "Report." 

"Sir," the young paladin began. "We've seen no sign of Larethian in Stormwind. I've personally talked to many of the guards stationed around the Park, the gryphons, and the Auction house. He's not here." 

"What about Duskwood?" Faris asked, picking up one of his papers again and looking at it without actually reading. He felt it important to make sure this young paladin didn't quite see how important the whole matter was. 

"I've received word from our contacts with the watchers there. No one has seen him in Darkshire or the surrounding areas." 

"What about Northrend? Could he have gotten there?" 

"He didn't go to Northrend from this harbor, sir," the paladin said. "I'd stake my honor on it. As for Menethil, who knows. They have guards, but they're much more lax there." 

"Or he could have returned to Outlands," Faris said, more to himself than anyone else. 

"Do you want me to contact Honor Hold to keep an eye out for him?" 

Faris thought a moment before responding. "No. The less who know the better. Besides, even if he is there, we'd never be able to get him back here easily." 

"So what are we going to do now?" the young paladin asked. 

"We," Faris began slowly, "we need to make him come out of hiding." 

"How do we do that?" the younger man asked. 

"His family." 

"Sir?" the paladin asked his superior, concern and trepidation apparent in his voice. "Is that wise? To attack a man's family? Especially a brother from the church?" 

"They're not really family," Faris said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. "That witch of a wife and that misbegotten whelp who dropped from her loins. They're warlocks. Not family." 

"Sir.." the younger man began, uncertain how to respond to his superior's statement. 

"Besides," Faris said, cutting off the other. "We're helping him. Those warlocks have twisted him, woven shadows over him to block him from the Light. Why else would he chose to side with them over us? No, we're helping him. He'll see that once we've gotten him back and safe from their manipulations. He'll thank us once he's free of their influence." 

"If you're certain, sir," the younger paladin replied, obviously not convinced. But Faris was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he never noticed. 

"Let the guards know to keep an eye our for the witch and her son," Faris finally said. "If they show up in the area, I want to be alerted immediately." 

"Yes, sir." 

------ 

Banagan stepped off the boat and walked down the docks. As he walked, his imp followed behind, leaping and cackling as it did so. Banny pushed his heavy cloak open and started to pull it off his shoulders. It was much colder in Northrend, but much milder now that he was back in Stormwind. 

He could've called for his dredsteed to ride into the proper of town, but the young warlock decided it would be nice for a stroll. His step was light and a bright look was on his face as he looked at the people around him on the docks. Banny then stopped and looked over at his imp. 

"Try not to get into any trouble while we're here, Voltuk," Banny reminded his minion. 

Voltuk simply grinned. Then suddenly, the small demon took off running down the dock, away from the warlock. Banny shook his head and grinned slightly as he watched Voltuk disappear. It'd do no good to run after him, Banagan thought. He'd just disappear. 

But while Banagan was watching his imp quickly moving down the dock, he failed to notice the guard who'd taken notice of him. He followed the warlock at a discreet distance. After climbing the steps up to the main part of town, he stopped and watched Banagan turn towards the Park. 

"Boy! Come here!" he called as a young boy went running by. "Leave that doll alone. Come here." The young man stopped, his sister (who was close behind) scooping up the dropped doll. "Go to the Cathedral and deliver this message there for me."