Fall to darkness

[Gambar Darkstone]

Loch Modan, my home. It seems ages ago. Me and my father Daeres were living at the lake. I just loved to go fishing with him and listened with wonder and terror to the stories he told. My father could tell them with such a convincing tone that I believed it was true, but then again they were a bit overdone. Such huge monsters of stone donot exist.

When i was self supporting he would be off for sometimes weeks and as time passed by his hair grayed, streakishly, his eyes grew grey and dull, but still there was a spark of perseverance and when he looked at me of hope and joy. It could easily bring a tear in my eye and I would hug him and tell him he was the greatest dad in the world.

He was a mage and he also showed me some of his talents. Fire in his hands, disappearing and appearing again. I never told him, but i could sense him somehow. I knew he was going to pop up behind me to startle me. I'd let him. One time i even tried to stand next to the fire place in the hopes the he would scorch himself. Unfortunately he did not. He probably noticed the fire somehow.

In the weeks he was gone i tended to the house, made sure there was always enough food and hoped and waited for his return. I knew he was away on business selling his better enchantments or busy "saving the world" or so he said.

My mother, Sindera, would come and visit every once and a while when her duties of the church would let her. She was beautifull and dedicated her life to the light. She was always busy with something. She said that there was always someone in need and she wanted to help. She could also tell me stories of harsh battles in which proud warriors fought and where she tended to their wounds.

One day a few years ago my father told me he had to go once more, there was a frown on his face i did not understand and he told me that this time i could spend some time at the abbey with mom. So I packed lightly to make the journey to the abbey. Outside my father waited until i came out. He gave me a warm hug and squuezed quite hard. There was a tear in his eye this time. He mounted Ghanbur his horse, looked at me intently and then rode off to the wetlands.

I waved him goodbye until i could no longer see him for a black dot on the horizon somewhere between the trees. After that i set out for a journey to the abbey. A trip i had made often. The guards would greet me warmly and asked if i could bring some nice drinks back from the abbey. I always tried but the monks were mostly not that generous when it comes to handing out ale to guards. After a fine but weary journey I arrived at the abbey and met Versalle a friend and also priest just like my mom. Different though. I told him i was expected but Versalle told me my mom wasnt here.

He told me about awfull things happening in the far north and my mother was called to aid there. He lothed the fact that she was asked and not him. "I should have gone, but no, the council decided that i was of no use there, i would only make things worse. Pfff, who are they to judge" With that said he stalked off to leave me standing there. Alone

[Gambar Darkstone]

Still confused and angry at Versalle for walking out that abrupt my feelings went from being afraid to furious anger. Afraid for my parents and furious for not telling the truth. They both must have known this. Dad went north, mom went north. Did they think me that naieve? But what is there, what could I do? Would my parents come back? While pondering I noticed that I was soaking wet. I looked up and it was raining. The drops of water falling on my face felt good, warm and tender but my clothes clinged to my body. I went inside the abbey to find myself a change of clothes, a warm fire and some answers.

Naked I stood there in the chambers of my mother, the warm tongues of fire lingering just for a second and then fluttering away in the chimney. The touch of fire lit coal on my body, ticklish and searing. It did all not matter for my mind was elsewhere. The question burning what to do next. The door creaked open daylight surging in with a posture shadowy in it. Startled I protected my body with my arms. “No need for that my child” Elduare said. I bring you new clothes. Elduare was a high priestess and one of the council of the light. Warm bright blue eyes sought mine, emphatically, trustfull. She wore a mooncloth robe of the purest white. It was very rare to see, but beautifull and she wore it with strength and wisdom. Even her steps were gracefull yet determined. She handed me the clothes she held in her hands. A simple robe nothing more. “These should do for a while” said Elduare. “Please sit and lets talk after you clothed yourself” The first startled feeling of being naked in the same room with her was replaced by a feeling of mother taking care of her child, holding her close to her breast. “I have heard of what was going on. my apologies for Versalle, he has not treated you like he should” Silence fell and she looked at me appraisingly. After a minute of holding my breath she let her gaze go and stood up. “Please follow me, I will show you to your new quarters” she said. My new quarters? I, what, but? I scrambled up and followed her still not sure if I understood what she meant.. No I knew what she meant but did I know I wanted just that?

She showed me a door and gave me an orb of purplish blue. Cold to the touch even though I came from her robes. “Pray, meditate, wait. The orb will show you what you need to see. Be warned, donot let go of the orb under any circumstance for it should not touch the ground.” And so I waited for I did not know of meditation or praying other then my daily prayer at supper”

[Gambar Darkstone]

I sat and sat, waited and got bored, tired even, but paid attention not to let it fall. I wondered what would happen if it did and also wondered why she did not explain it to me. Then again why should she? It was obvious she wanted to help me in someway. But what would this orb do to help me?

I noticed the orb grew warm in my hands and started to vibrate just a tad. My eyes saw that the wall were blurring, tapestries unidentifyable, windows not straight but like rippled water. The blue and purple colors woven through it. Then everything got form again. I stood on a bridge looking at a city entrance. Curious I entered and felt somewhat out of balance while walking. A city full of commerce, people walking on and off music playing and laughter. I tried talking to some people but it was if I was not there. Then the world started to blurr once again, I staggered, blinked my eyes and the next thing i saw was a city in ruins, on fire. Mutilated bodies on the ground, screaming in the far distance, monsters of unfathomable horror were walking past. I felt the urge to run and throw up at the same time.

Rationalising i tried to find out where the screams came from. Walking along unnoticed, pacing myself and trying to realise this must be the inner workings of the orb I came upon a fight. Humans, elves and even a dwarf. They were fighting a lost battle for the were only a handfull left. The others lay on the ground, eyes as ash, grim and determined.

My body froze as I saw both my parents. They were here, battling evil. My mother raised her hands in protection of an awfull blaze of fire that came upon her. My father made a quick gesture and spoke strange words. A shield came around her. The blaze engulved her and my father.

At that moment Versalle walked straight through that image. I screamed and let go of the orb. Immediately the visions were gone, I was in the same room as i was before seeing the orb fall. It was as if time slowed. I saw Versalle reaching with one hand and the other in his robe the orb still falling, my own body still disoriented would not react to my commands.

The orb stopped midair. Time rushed in, relief and fatigue went through my body. I stumbled and fell just to get caught by Versalle. He sat me down and grabbed the orb out of midair. "Hmm, cold" he said. "What is it ?"

I told him what Elduare told me. He looked at me quizically then grinned. "And you believe that nonsens? Look this is what happens when it touches the ground" Versalle threw the orb in the air and once again time seemed to slow.

[Gambar Darkstone]

Even though knowing I could not get there in time, I tried. To no avail, the orb fell on the ground and when it did it became as water and dissipated as not have been there at all. But not before its effects were unleashed upon us. I felt a cold shiver through my spine and a sense of being here while not. The only similar sensation I ever had was as being drunk when the ceiling would not stop spinning, stomach wanting to empty itself in the moments you were floating. Versalle had a look on his face pretty much how I was feeling. Then it went away and I could only feel a residue of what was.
“What was that ?” Versalle said in wonderment. Though he probably did not wanted or expected an answer he did get one.
“That was a tear of Nozdormu the Timeless One and this ‘accident’ might have greater repercussions than you both could have imagined” Elduare told us. My face filled with shame for having disgraced the very trust I was unselfishly given. It did not go unnoticed and those blue eyes once again set upon me radiated empathy and not anything near anger or dissappointement.

As we suspected you both now have a greater responsibility to this world then you know. And it is our hope it will be fulfilled in the right course of time. She turned her eyes to Versalle who stood there unwavering against those eyes, filled with his own resolve. “Versalle, you will prepare yourself for travel and then wait in your room until you are led before the council ?” It somehow was not a question and I was surprised that Versalle jumped to obey it. So there was reverence and awe. But certainly not for a title or for ancienity. As Versalle left the room Elduare elaborated about the tear.

To understand the tear is to understand history of the beginning of this world and the structuring of time in a way you have not come to realize. Don’t worry about the loss of the tear. Although it is a great loss, it can be a great gain too and we might sway Nozdormu once again to grant us the gift once again. In all my eagerness I asked who Nozdormu is and why his tear summons such things as I have just witnessed.
Nozdormu is one of the great dragons and guardians of this world and in this case guardian of time.

I have been here only for a few hours and my entire world was upside down. DRAGONS ? They exist ? All the stories my father told me, all the boasting and fancy tales were of truth ? Exitement rushed in my body and my mind flew off to all the wonders dad told me about. “Be calm, open yourself to calmness” As I regained my composure Elduare helped me sit down on my cot.

Your arrival was not unfamiliar to us and these grains of time that have fallen through the hourglass of time we knew of, we can only hope that the right grains keep falling or our future will be doomed. The safety of our world lies upon those who are willing to fight it and most people in Azeroth have little knowledge of what is happening around them. We like to keep it this way and we help in any way we can to aid the long hard struggle against the burning legion. I know you have a lot of questions and in due time all will be answered whether it is by us or found out by your own. So you will study with us if that is your wish and find out about the world and the light. I will leave you know to your thoughts.


And there I sat, with all kinds of things going through my mind. Fate, faith, structure in life, inevitability ? nonsense. Were Versalle and I bound to the grains of time, were we grains of time or again nonsense ? So many questions and not one clear answer.

[Gambar Darkstone]

I shook my head and let go of my memories, my past. There I stood watching at the great gates of what once would have been a grand town. A mutilated ruined version of what was. With other adventurers, I was there and entered the gates. In search of undead, to slay those that should not be on this world, but most of all, to find my father, my mother, my family.
As we went in and our stout dwarven warrior gripped his shield to stand ground for the rush of undead that almost immediately came upon us, I hesitated a second for I recognized that what I had seen in my vision given by the tear of nozdormu. The loud grunt and the battering of claws on a shield got me to almost automatically summon a shield around him. Yes it was a power word, yes it would weaken him for a short time, but it only strengthened his resolve and the sheer power he used to slam his shield into the undead startled everyone. As one we fought, almost like we had for years, but it was not so. We only met a short time ago in lights hope chapel but we set out on a mission together. To rid stratholme of Baron Rivendare, one of the most feared among alliance and horde. Our mage was impressive, not only his presence radiated sheer power, but his spells did so aswell. He was not like my father but rather what I have come to know as Frost Mages. They have studied specifically on the art of air and water and can summon deadly blizzards amongst others. Our paladin believed in retribution and he did so accordingly with sword and spell alike. You could just see the fire in his eyes when wailing his sword and exorcising. It was a holy conviction and thus devastating against the undead. I aided and healed where I could, lacerations, slashes could be renewed and hard cuts and stabs I healed. I believed in our cause and our right to live and though opposition was strong, we finally got to baron Rivendare.
He knew we were coming, he just stood there on his dreadsteed taunting us. A wicked grin from Brunel and the remark:”The horse is mine” was a clear remark that was followed by a large shout and a charge that I would never have dreamed to see from a dwarf. He even jumped high enough to slam his shield towards the Baron. The Baron parried this with easy and reared his horse. In his presence we could all feel evil working. I stepped back until the pain lessened and I was not the only one. I was glad somehow, seeing warrior and paladin fighting side by side and when the Baron summoned his skeletons I was even gladder for they seemed to notice me alone. The skeletons rushed towards me only to be stopped cold by a frost nova followed by the harsh cold of his blizzard. Our paladin did notice and consecrated the ground. The skeletons fell but one. The Baron noticed and sacrificed it to heal him. Our endurance went thin and we seemed to loose this battle. We could not go out like this, this is not happening. Not here, not where my parents were lost, I will avenge them. A power unlike anything I felt before entered my being. Dark whispers of death entered my mind. I saw our paladin fall under the brutal slash of the baron’s sword. My entire being cried NO and with all my anger I let go, I let it all out to my one place it could be. The Baron. He got struck so hard that he lowered his sword. Our warrior saw he had a chance to finish him off and with an amazing move he not only slammed his shield full in his face he also slashed him so hard on the shoulder he went right through the armor and you could hear a bone break. The baron fell off his horse and spoke his last words; ”For the king”. We did it I thought, we killed him. I felt my head and it pained me, I felt blood dripping from my nose, ears. I looked at my hands and they were bloodied, scratched like some kind of animal had scratched my hands, or did It rather looked like my hands just ripped open from the inside out ? “What did you just do ?” asked our mage. I have never seen anything like it ? I looked at him quizzically and I got a look back that spoke of fear and terror. “Look !” we heard and when we looked up we saw the Baron fade as did his horse and our paladin. I quickly and desperately I tried to resurrect him but to no avail. My grasp on his soul was lost. He was lost. Still bleeding and exhausted I was bandaged and together we left Stratholme not to return. My father and mother were avenged but it granted me no pleasure there was no feeling of relief. I still felt that I held anger in my heart and where I thought I could finally close the chapter on my hurting, my pain had only gained. My sense of faith and my cause of good was waning.

[Gambar Darkstone]

to be continued