Tag: Shrouded Dawn x 58

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...

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...