The Immortalis

[Danyxandra]

http://www.computer-man.us/fr/tatt.jpg

~~The Immortalis~~


On every society that lives in the history of a world and its people, there can be found secret societies hiding nestled in the shadows of “civilized” people. One such society found its birth the day the elves met the death of their immortality. The loss of that immortality was mourned so profoundly by those weeping, that one small group swore an allegiance with each other that holds strong past the first generation. It is founded on tears, cemented with blood, and sealed with a brand that each member wears, the brand of the Immortalis. Should anyone find their way deep into that inner circle, accept the branding of their flesh, uniting and signaling each to another with that symbol, it is impossible to leave. Once they are so marked and are an active member to that inner core, there is no going back, no changing of one’s mind. They are either members, or they are marked for swift death.

Danlily’s brand had long since healed, though the scar of course, still showed plainly the symbol of the Immortalis if one knew where to look for it. She cannot remember never having the scar of burned flesh. They had branded her at her birth. She was one of the secret-born for the specific purpose of serving the Immortalis. The sudden upswing in embarrassing half breed births among the nobles, the sacrificing of their reputations and honor among their peers, all were for a worthy cause and the long term goal of the Immortalis.

The House of Nex'Cruor, directly descended from Queen Azshara, had to suffer no such sacrifices. At least one great noble house had to remain unquestionably loyal to the Sin`Dorei cause as a whole, had to remain a leader among the circle of the highest born if the Immortalis was going to maintain the greatest support, albeit secret support of the most powerful of their race.

Each House who made up the membership of the Immortalis had to send an agent into the world at large. Those important houses that did not suffer the half-breed births such as House Nex'Cruor made use of half-breeds born of the other houses. With House DeStrasza bearing the half-troll twins of Danji and Danlily, the extra agent was sent to House Nex'Cruor for their use. Danlily was a young girl barely ripening into womanhood when she was sent to House Nex'Cruor, but ripe enough to catch the eye of one Clys Nex'Cruor, high noble daughter to Baron Nex'Cruor and descendant of the royal line of Nex'Cruor. Danlily’s mother was beside herself with greedful glee and made the girl swear that she would continue to report to her as well as to the House Nex’Cruor, and Danlily dutifully did so, as long as such information did not compromise her new Mistress whom she had quickly fallen under the spell of.

Danlily sat thinking of her people’s history, how they had taken back their beloved Quel’Thalas. She thought of the Sin`Dorei’s rebuilding of Silvermoon. She remembered the fury of her mother at one point or another as the politicians fought at the terms of the treaty being prepared to take to the Forsaken’s Sylvanas. She remembered watching from dark corners as her new Mistress, Clys Nex'Cruor stood among those politicians representing her grand House. Clys commanded the room with a cold, quiet power, hypnotizing opponents with the rhythm of her words, soothingly convincing any who could hear her voice that whatever words she spoke surely had to be truth and wisdom. Danlily shivered in remembrance of the power Cly held over the others as she spoke in those political chambers. It was with the same cool, quiet power that Clys had led the Immortalis.

When Clys had disappeared, the Immortalis had feared the worst. When she had reappeared but with no memory of what or who she fully was, the Immortalis erupted into chaos. An undead could no longer lead the Sin`Dorei’s secret society. Fighting had begun over who take command of the Immortalis in the wake of Clys’ demise. When Danlily found Clys again, she was first ordered to leave Clys be, to not tamper with what was. Clys was undead now and could not lead the Immortalis, they said. It was better that Clys not remember. Besides, Danlily was merely an agent. She had no power to make decisions and it was their decision that Danlily just let it be. The Immortalis would find new leadership and they would survive as they had ever since the Sundering.

Danlily played with a piece of paper in her hand; idly playing with a fortune she’d received at the Darkmoon Faire. “Sayge’s Fortune #16, The time will soon come for you to make a choice in a pressing matter,” it read. Clys remembered her now. She was starting to remember Kitsu. More memories returned to her every day. One day Clys would remember it all. Would Clys forgive Danlily for not telling her? Could Danlily go on keeping something so important from her Mistress? Clys was and would always be her Mistress for as long as Clys would have her and though Danlily had been born to serve the Immortalis, she found her loyalty came to Clys first.

Danlily read the fortune again. She pressed her lips firm as she reached her decision. Her Mistress had to know the full extent of who she was and could still be. Clys had to retain her seat as the leader of the Immortalis. Until now Danlily had always been loyal in her orders to the secret society she had been born to serve. Her soul told her she now served a more important purpose, to protect Clys and the House Nex'Cruor and return their power to the head of the Immortalis.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

((Backgrounds to this continuing story can be found at:
Vision of Shadows at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=30729&ForumID=141891&TabID=275257&TopicID=1588922 and at
Integration of Evil at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=30729&ForumID=141891&TabID=275257&TopicID=1547152 ))

((This story is not exclusive of these two characters. Anyone wishing to become a part of the story, and/or of the Immortalis, need only contact Clys or Danlily))

[Danyxandra]

((As written by poClys))


A page from Clys' journal:

I sat up awake tonight for a long time after Danlily had fallen asleep. I sat near her, letting my fingers move gently across the smooth skin of her shoulder and arm. I breathed in the warm fragrance that always surrounds her, and I cast my mind back, willfully seeking the old memories, the ones I lost when I died.

Danlily has done me a great service. She has held my memories for me. And now, with her words, and her devotion, she has given them back to me. The important things have all returned. I know who I was. I remember my name, my family, and my position. I am the leader of The Immortalis. I see no reason why death should change this.

It's ironic, in a way. For years I have led a group that seeks to find immortality, and now I have indeed found it! I wonder how many of my followers would be willing to follow me into it, seeing what I've become? But that doesn't matter, for although I am now immortal myself, I still have not the slightest clue about how it was accomplished. I still cannot pass the secret on. My people are still mortal. And, worst of all, the one thing I don't let myself dwell upon -- Danlily is still mortal.

She lies beside me now, happy and content and so completely mine, just as she has been since I first touched her. She was mine before that, I know, but it was the touch that confirmed it. She was so young and innocent, and so willing! And I took her to myself and showed her the depths of herself, and in the process I found the depths of my own soul as well.

I cannot lose her. I will not! The Immortalis cannot defy me. I am still Clys Nex'Cruor, and they will follow me or die. They will follow me, and they will worship me, and they will help me find what I must find.

Life. Eternal.

[Fallacy]

((Interested, of course. But, then again, I'm always intrigued by you two gals.))

[clys]

A page from Clys' journal:

I met with my subordinates in The Immortalis today. I found it amusing. I could sense their petty revulsion when they first saw me. They tried to hide it behind polite words and expressions, but they failed. They sat there in their comfortable beauty, and they were horrified to look upon me. I could hear their soft murmurs to each other, my newly keen hearing going beyond even their elven abilities. They thought me a monster. They were dismayed by my outward appearance. They were sure that they could never follow me again.

Until I spoke. As always, their minds and emotions were mine to control, and I wove my spell of words upon them, telling them of all the possibilities. I bade them to look closely at me, to look beyond the seeming corruption of my body. In the end, they recognized that my power has not been diminished by my undeath, it has been multiplied a hundred fold. They all knelt before me, begging me to show them the way, pledging their unending support to the cause.

After all, is it not wisdom for me to ally myself with the only race that is already immortal? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say, and there is eternity before me to change and manipulate things until I am what I wish to be. They agreed with me that The Forsaken are bound to be our best teachers and allies, and that The Lady Sylvanus is the key.

The rest of The Horde will no doubt also prove useful, perhaps more than their petty minds see at this time. There is much to be learned from the shamans and druids of the Tauren, for example, and the mages, warlocks, and priests of the various races hold much knowledge of the forces of life and death. Even the magicless hunters and warriors and rogues have power and knowledge that can serve us. I myself, while not wielding magic in as direct a way as a mage, make use of the arcane and the natural. Even the shadows speak to me, and the mana in the blood of my enemies strengthens my spirit.

The Grim have a special place in all this. They are perfectly situated to serve as a power base, and a learning resource. And, considering what the goals of The Immortalis are, I suspect that many of the members of The Grim will be interested. Everyone wants immortality. I will find those who are willing to seek for it, and join them to our cause.

Before I left the meeting, I had each and every one of them step forward, kneel before me, and kiss my bony toes in obeisance. Not one of them recoiled. This is as it should be.

[Danyxandra]

“You did what?!?” the bloodelf woman shouted. Danlily cringed at her mother’s displeasure but inwardly she feared more the reaction she was going to get from her mistress, Clys.

“I couldn’t help it, mother. Karkarov is a friend. He’s a guild brother, it slipped out and I told him and the guild that I am half blood-elf….” started Danlily.

“He’s a member of a guild you were sent to infiltrate, to spy on, to find out if they could be trusted,” finished the youthful looking matron of the DeStrasza house. “You aren’t there to...”

“A moment, love,” a man quietly spoke. Slowly he edged himself from the shadows. Danlily’s eyes grew wide at the sight of him. She knew her mother had a secret lover, she thought she knew who, but him?

The tall Sin`Dorei put a finger to his lip in thought. “Our race is to be allied with the Horde, that much is certain. What we, the Immortalis are looking for is a special group within that Horde that we can align ourselves with, people who can accept our…special needs. Furthermore, the Grim’s leader, a Forsaken, is known to be very loyal to the Royal Apothecary Society. Our secret ties with the RAS, their lobbying for us to be accepted by Sylvanus has been crucial. Their research skills are stellar and their methods and ethics, well, the RAS and Maledictus can both be quoted with “any means necessary,” he grinned evilly. "Is that not our own motto? Immortality by any means necessary? Only a fool would assume that Maledictus has not been privy to the secret meetings on the Sin`Dorei treaty with his Dark Lady. Furthermore, I would not put it past him to know already of the Immortalis because of his ties with the RAS."

The highborn blood elf circled the room slowly as he spoke. The DeStrasza’s were nobles, but had fallen on hard times here and there, struggled to keep what they had. Having to bear the half-breeds, Danji and Danlily, did not leave the reputation of House DeStrasza any better and the wine sales had dropped despite the quality of the vintages. The highborn continued to circle the room, drumming his finger to his lips as he thought.

It was a tricky web he had been weaving, secretly pulling the House DeStrasza down without their knowledge, down enough that their young matron would seek his help. He had to keep just the right balance so that their disgraces did not hurt the reputation of the House Nex`Cruor when he sprung his “rescue” on their House by taking it away from them.

“Danlily," the man said with a fatherly smile, "tell my daughter that I approve of you revealing yourself to The Grim. If the Grim can accept that you, one who is half-blood elf lives among them, if they can accept that blood elves are coming to the Horde, it may be time to take the next step and reveal ourselves to them. That will be my daughter’s final decision of course, as is anything in regard to the Immortalis, but as her father, tell her that she has the full support of her family’s House."

He turned to face the window, gazing on the land what would soon be his if all continued to move well. He kept his back to the two women as he smiled with devious pleasure at the success of his manipulations. Things were moving along nicely, nicely indeed.

[clys]

Clys descended the dark stone stairway, which was unlighted by any torches. She could see quite well in the shadows, and she knew the way. As she approached the locked door, she could hear a few low moans coming from within. She grinned to herself, her small fangs poking over her lower lip.

She unlocked the heavy steel door and pushed it open. Despite its aged appearance, it opened easily and quietly, pivoting inward. She turned and closed the door behind her, locking it again. She stood in a small antechamber, which lead to a darkened hallway. The hallway contained several pairs of doors on each side. The doors were all closed, and the low moans were coming from behind the nearest door. From another door farther down the hall could be heard the sounds of scuffling, and chains rattling. At the very end of the hallway was a single door, from which a rather bright light was shining, illuminating the iron bars of a small window in the door, from behind. The sound of laughter came from behind this door.

Clys walked to the first door, and listened to the moans for a moment. She nodded to herself, and opened the door, slipping through it quickly and closing it behind her. Inside were two gnomes, sitting on small cots placed on opposite sides of the room, their legs shackled to the floor, their wrists handcuffed behind them. Clys withdrew a small flask from her pouch and swirled it. The milky white liquid inside seemed to glow slightly.

"Ready for your medicine?" she asked the gnome on her right, a female with short pinkish hair.

The gnome said nothing, and did not look up, but simply stared at the floor. Clys took hold of the gnomes hair and yanked it back, lifting the gnome's face. The gnome did not meet Clys' eyes, but she opened her mouth in resignation. Clys poured the contents of the vial into the gnome's mouth, watching as it was swallowed. Clys nodded in satisfaction.

"And now yours," she said, turning to the male gnome on the other bed, and bringing forth another vial, this one containing some kind of black fluid.

He grimaced at her defiantly, and pressed his lips together.

"You're not going to be difficult, now, are you?" Clys said in a tone of voice that made it clear that she would very displeased if the answer was yes.

The gnome just glared at her. Clys stepped close to him and ran her fingers over his bald head. He turned his face from her, cowering from her touch. Clys withdrew her dagger and placed the point under his chin, pressing upward, increasing the pressure until he lifted his head.

"Open wide," she said. The gnome pressed his lips together tighter.

Clys paused for a moment, then stepped back and turned toward the female again.

"Very well, if you're not going to cooperate then there's no point in keeping you both alive. You may watch now as I slowly peel the skin off her." Clys pointed to the female gnome, who cringed back, a look of fear and horror on her face.

"No!" the male gnome cried out. "I'll...I'll drink it."

He turned his face up and opened his mouth, and Clys poured the black liquid in. He gagged at the taste, but managed to swallow the stuff. After a few moments, his eyes rolled up into his head and he passed out, falling back onto the bed. The female gnome managed to stand up, although she couldn't take a step because of the chains on her ankles.

"Oh, sit down," Clys snapped. "He's not dead. Now...let's see if this works as I hope it does."

Clys approached the unconscious male and placed the tip of her dagger on his chest. She looked over at the female gnome and frowned.

"Bare your chest, I need to be able to see your skin," Clys commanded.

The gnome hesitantly unbuttoned her thin shirt and opened the front wide. Clys nodded and then turned back to the male. She carefully cut a line into his skin, not deeply, just enough to make it bleed. She then turned to regard the female gnome. After a few seconds, the same wound appeared on the female's chest. A few seconds more, and the wound disappeared from the male's chest.

"Oh yes! Health transferrence! It works!" Clys smiled widely, nodding her head. "Now, let's give it a better test."

She suddenly plunged the dagger into the gnome's shoulder, cutting it to the bone. He jerked, becoming almost conscious for a moment. Clys watched the female carefully. After a few seconds, the female cried out in pain, the wound appearing on her shoulder, the blood suddenly gushing down her arm. Clys stepped over and grabbed the arm, bending her head and fastening her mouth to the wound. She drank the blood as it gushed and oozed and finally stopped. The gnome turned very pale, and then collapsed onto the bed. Clys placed her bony hand on the gnome's throat, feeling for a pulse.

"Very good, still alive. I have a few more experiments for you two. It wouldn't do to have you expire before I'm finished."

Clys went out of the cell and returned in a minute with two bowls which contained some sort of congealed stew, and set the bowls on the floor. She stood over the female gnome for a moment, and then reached down to allow her hands to explore the gnome's bare chest.

"You don't have much to play with, do you, poor thing?" Clys giggled evilly. "Well, even so, we don't want lover boy over there getting all hot and bothered now, do we?" Clys buttoned up the girl's shirt and left the room, locking it carefully behind her.

[clys]

A page from Clys' journal:

I've made a decision. The time has come to let Danlily assume a greater role in The Immortalis. Up until now, she's been my innocent little darling, but I know that she can be so much more. I've kept things from her, such as my experiments, so as not to trouble her. But I can no longer do that. If she's to become the person I need her to be, the person that I know she is destined to be, she must learn and accept the full truth of what we must do to achieve our goal.

She has the will and the intelligence, and I know her loyalty lies fully with me. It's not enough, though, for her to be loyal to me. She must be fully committed to the cause, as well, and able to act on her own when it's necessary. When we finally know the answer to immortality -- and we will, I am sure of it -- we will hold the key to great power. Power over the Sin'Dorei, of course, but power over others as well. We will be the ones who choose who gets the Gift, and who does not. The Great Secret will be ours, and we will be in a position to direct the course of the world.

Part of me wants to hold this power alone, but I realize that I cannot afford such arrogance. I must share it, lest it be in too great a danger of being lost. Knowledge such as this will make the holder a target, and so by holding it alone I risk the loss of everything. Danlily is the only person I can truly trust never to forsake or betray me.

So my decision is this: Danlily will become my second in command, subservient only to myself within The Immortalis. It is time for her to grow up and take on her true calling. Yes, I will still be her Mistress. Yes, she will still obey me in all things, even as she does now. But she will bow to no one else, other than in respect for thier place in grand scheme of things. Her total allegiance will be to me first, and to The Immortalis second. Nothing can keep us from our goal. The future of our people, and of all the world, is at stake.

Tonight, I will take her to the secret laboratory, and show her everything. I will explain to her the depth and breadth of my plans. I will strip her and shackle her and beat the truth into her soul, and she will rise up to the heights of submission and mastery that lie within her. I alone will be her master, and she will be above everyone else but me.

It will be interesting, and fulfulling to me, to see her take the reigns of power. She will change, I'm sure, and grow, and become more focused and dangerous. Together, we will ascend the mountain, until we stand together at the peak, holding the very secret of life itself in our hands.

And the rest of the world will bow before us.

[Snowfeather]

OOC:

8O

*steps away from her guildmates but secretly starts FRAPS and watches in the shadows*

[Danyxandra]

The longer one is a huntress, the greater her skill becomes at understanding the empathetic messages sent by the pet they hunt most with. This was no exception with Danlily and Kitsu. They had been close even before this, as Kitsu was never tamed. Kitsu was truly a Kal`dorei under all that fur. She was a druid that had somehow gotten stuck in cheetah form. How that had happened, Danlily could not be sure of, but the mental images that Kitsu persistently sent to Danlily made her sure that it was by no accident. Kitsu had been cursed somehow.



What was a Kal`dorei druid doing running with the Danlily and her mistress, Clys, you might ask. Clys had seen her one day and rather than kill her on the spot like any other alliance, for whatever reason, Clys decided to toy with her. At first it had been amusing to watch as Clys hypnotized her with words the way she controlled the Immortalis, but it wasn’t long before Kitsu had developed the same kind of loyalty to Clys that Danlily felt. Kitsu had become a great agent for Clys, betraying her own night elven people and returning with information for Clys time and time again. Kitsu and Danlily had become soul sisters who shared the same intense love for the same Mistress.



It was no surprise to Danlily that Kitsu had somehow been able to show Clys the mental image of the silhouettes that argued and locked Kitsu into her current state. Danlily understood Kitsu’s frustration but in all honesty, she hadn’t tried very hard to resolve the how or why because now that the three of them were not living in Silvermoon and were firmly entrenched in Horde territory. It simply would not be safe for Kitsu to resume her natural state and remain with Clys and Danlily.



It was morning and Danlily was just starting to ease out of her usual grumpy mood with her second cup of rum laced tea. Kitsu padded over to Danlily giving her those big sad cat eyes and dropped her whiskered muzzle in Danlily’s lap. Again, Kitsu sent her the image of the silhouetted couple arguing, of Kitsu transforming, or the flash of light that seemed to seal her within that form. Danlily looked down at Kitsu and caressed that furry face. “I’m so, so sorry love. I don’t know what to do to help you. If we fix this, you will be in greater danger. It was sketchy enough to come out with my own elven secret to The Grim, but if you were able to change yourself back you wouldn’t last five seconds in the guildhall. Only after your death would they ask questions. If the Immortalis finds the secret to our lost immortality, then perhaps….”



Kitsu interrupted Danlily when she lifted up her chin and wrinkled her muzzle. At that moment a direct thought reached Danlily’s mind. It wasn’t a picture, not an image, but through a foggy idea, a ghost of an image formed into first garbled and then clear words. “I do not wish to change back. I only wish for justice. Give me justice!”



Danlily blinked at Kitsu. She blinked again, and then she beamed a smile and hugged Kitsu tight. It was the first time Kitsu was able to show Danlily that she was truly in there, that she hadn’t forgotten her true self after being in animal form for so long. Her lover and soul sister was still with them.



She pulled herself away from Kitsu. She pursed her lips in thought. What she needed here was enough mana to open both their minds. Danlily drank a bit of mana enriched blood daily to quench the dependency that coursed through her Sin`dorei blood. She brought out her little vial she carried with her everywhere to lace her wine when she visited taverns. “No,” she shook her head. That wasn’t nearly enough. She heaved a large heavy bottle down from a shelf in the kitchen area. The dark fluid within sparkled as it sloshed around the bottle. She refilled her little vial with some of the fluid from the large bottle, and then she poured a generous amount into a bowl. Then she poured herself a large portion into a goblet. Placing the bowl on the ground before Kitsu, she raised her goblet to Kitsu in a salute and gulped the mana soaked blood down quickly, blood escaping out of the corners of her mouth and running in rivulets down her neck. Kitsu lapped greedily into the bowl, blood soaking the fur of her muzzle.



Danlily weaved a bit and reached for the table to stay her balance. Reaching for the flint, she had to strike it several times before she could get the candle lit. With the candle she lit a censer. Soon the room filled with the scent of wisteria and lilies. Taking a few deep breaths, Danlily reached for Kitsu. Placing a hand on each side of the cheetah’s head, she gazed deep into her lover’s cat eyes and let the mana soak through her, let herself drift deeper into Kitsu’s mind. Kitsu stared back into Danlily’s eyes and let her mind release the memory, let it lift from her mind and travel to Danlily.



The shadowed silhouettes began to sparkle with color, swirling and becoming more vivid. Muted sound became clearer, almost painfully sharp. A couple argued. The man wanted something to be left undone; to let…someone else deal with it. The woman was near hysterics in her anger. She’d had enough, she’d been laughed at enough, and she would endure no more. She reached a hand toward Kitsu’s cowering form and shouted a curse that sent a painful jolt at Kitsu. Kitsu’s change to cheetah form was not like the easy way she morphed with her druidic abilities. This change was painful, claws ripping from the ends of her fingers, her body twisted against her will and bringing her onto all fours, her face pushed and distorted into a muzzle, her legs and arms twisted into animal form but without the graceful transformation that was her druidic will. The violence of the change left her panting on the ground unable to move.



The woman stood over Kitsu now, laughing loudly, an ugly laugh that echoed through Danlily’s mind as she heard it. She knew this laugh. She knew this woman.



Danlily and Kitsu pulled their connection apart, breathing heavy and exhausted. Together they crawled up onto the bed they shared with Clys and fell asleep; Danlily’s last thoughts were of revenge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



It was some days later, but Danlily had succeeded in enticing the woman down into the secret lair. This woman was greedy for power. She craved the power of the Immortalis, and the name of Nex`Cruor was as much a drug to her as pure mana. They had shared a toast, Danlily and this woman. They drank one of the finest bottles of bloodwine from the Nex`Cruor wine cellars, and one of the goblets was generously laced with belladonna.


Now she had her victim secured safely on the slab deep into the secret chambers in the large laboratory. The drug was wearing off and Danlily toyed with one of Clys’ scalpels along the naked skin of the woman as she finally became alert.



The woman shook her shackles, confused. She looked frightened as she glanced about, trying to figure out where she was. She spotted Danlily and turned a questioning gaze to her. Danlily moved closer and answered her with a wicked hiss, “Good evening, Mother.”



Danlily carefully took her time as she worked slowly on her project. She wanted to be sure she had done everything just so, and now Danlily had nearly finished with the strips. For every sin Mother had committed against her, Danlily had carefully carved and peeled a strip of skin in exacting measures of three inches wide by six inches long. As she worked slowly and carefully, she recited to her Mother what each strip was payment for. “This one is for pretending to love me,” Danlily said solemnly as she slowly peeled the strip of skin she’d scored with the scalpel from her mother’s muscle and fatty tissue. Carefully as her mother screamed she sliced and scored another perfectly measured strip into exactly three inches by six inches. She used the tip of the scalpel to lift and separate one end of the strip of skin enough to be able to grap the end with her fingers and then slowly she began peeling the skin away from the dermis beneath. “This strip is for using me too get yourself closer to the Nex`Cruor wealth.” Again and again she scored strips from her mothers flesh, carefully peeling another strip away, “This strip is for your martyred sighs at having to birth an abomination such as me,” she continued, “This strip is for trying to break my loyalty to my Mistress in order to gain information.,” yet again, “This one is for squandering my inheritance. Oh yes, I know that our House is all a façade of wealth, that you’ve emptied the assets and borrowed far too deeply to dig yourself out.” Blood oozed from her mother’s body, welling from the patches of uncovered dermis. The blood soaked Danlily’s arms and colored her long golden hair deep red where the long tresses brushed the laboratory slab. The blood began collecting in the trough that ran along the sides of the slab. Her mother’s screams faded away as finally lost consciousness. Danlily checked to make sure her mother still breathed, and then whispered as she pulled the last strip of skin form her mother’s body, “And this one, the one with that beauty mark you are so proud of, this strip of skin is for the spotted fur you forced my lover to wear."



Danlily took inventory of the strips she’d carefully laid out. Kitsu watched perched up on a bench with glimmering eyes. “These strips will make great leather wraps for my bow, oh I’m so pleased,” Danlily exclaimed, clapping her hands together and splashing the blood on her hands across her own face unnoticing. Danlily began to giggle. The joy began to bubble deep within her and her giggles became laughter. “Are you ready, Kitsu? Shall we finish her life and release you from this witch’s curse?”



Danlily reached for the ritual knife she’d prepared. It was much larger than the fine scalpel she’d been using to lift the strips of flesh with. The jewels on the hilt sparkled with fire in the light of the candles. The joy bubbled within Danlily again and she giggled with glee as she raised the knife high over her mother’s body.



Suddenly she stopped frozen as the door to the laboratory swung wide.

[clys]

Clys moved back into the hallway, turning to face the doorway at the end. Odd. Why hadn't she noticed that as she came in, all that light? And that laughter, it sounded like...but Danlily didn't know about this place, did she? Clys was planning to tell her but hadn't done so yet. Still, Danlily was a clever girl, and Clys hadn't really tried to hide it from her, either.

Clys walked quietly down the hallway. Grasping the handle, she swung open the heavy door and stepped inside. Danlily froze, her face and her scent telling Clys everything. The smell of blood was everywhere, and Clys could make out the form of Kitsu in the back, and a woman on the table, unmoving.

"Mistress, I..." Danlily started.

Clys waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it, my sweet. It seems that you have exceeded my expectations once again."

Clys grinned, her small fangs glinting, and wrinkled her nose. She pointed to the unconscious woman on the table.

"Who's that? No, wait...don't tell me."

Clys approached the table, inhaling deeply, recognizing the scent of the woman lying there. Her grin became wider still, and she did an uncustomary little dance of joy.

"You figured it out, huh? You're so smart! You will make a very excellent second in command."

Danlily's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Second in..."

"Command, yes," finished Clys. "So, whatcha gonna do to her? After all, it's up to you. I delegate the decision." Clys' face creased into a merry smile.

"I...I..." Danlily stammered, trying to gather her thoughts. She opened and shut her mouth a couple of times, and then began to giggle almost uncontrollably. At last she managed to blurt out, "I'm going to free Kitsu from the curse! You want to help? Um, Mistress," she added hastily.

"I'll let you do the honors, dear. This is your moment," Clys responded, nodding her clear approval.

Clys leaned back against the wall almost lazily, and watched as Danlily raised the ritual knife once again. Danlily spoke a few words in an odd tongue, and then plunged the dagger straight into her mother's heart. There was a sudden flash of light, which spun and whirled around Danlily for a moment, coalescing into a ball which then floated slowly toward Kitsu. Kitsu let out a soft growling whine, and rose up on her back legs, putting her forepaws onto the table as the light engulfed her body. As Danlily and Clys both watched, Kitsu's cheetah form began to slowly lengthen and stretch, the fur fading away to smooth skin, her back legs straightening behind her. Her forelegs unkinked and she pushed herself erect, shaking her head as her long hair flowed down and across her naked back. Her face flattened and her ears grew longer, until at last she stood there before them in her true form. It had been so long. She didn't know what to say. She stood there blinking back tears as she looked back and forth between Clys and Danlily, unashamed of her nakedness.


http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/13.jpg


"Kitsu!" Clys said in a mock stern tone. "You got all naked and didn't invite us? You'll pay dearly for that!"

Kitsu's eyes widened as Clys shoved the dead woman off the table carelessly, patting the blood soaked slab with her hand. Kitsu licked her lips, soft elven lips at last, and smiled, the tears of joy running unnoticed down her cheeks.

"This calls for a celebration, my dears!" Clys cried.

Danlily's clothing hit the floor in seconds, followed by Clys', and the three of them snuggled together in the warm, wet, blood of the woman who lay dead and forgotten on the cold floor. The gnomes in the cell down the hall were frightened by the cries and laughter that resounded in the hallway, thinking that surely the demons themselves must be having a party.

[Savah]

(( this story is soooo diabolical! Great writing, I'm fascinated in a sick, demented, wonderful sort of way. :P ))

[Danyxandra]

((thanks...always appreciate feedback :D ))

[clys]

Clys stood close to Kitsu, and reached out to take both of her hands.

"My lovely Kitsu," she said. "Now that you are free from the curse, and are once again able to take on your true form, I have some new plans for you."

Kitsu smiled, squeezing Clys' hands gently.

"First of all, dear one, you must never, ever, take your true form in front of others of the Horde. You will remain always in your cheetah form except when we are alone, or you are on a mission into Alliance territory."

"Yes, Mistress, I understand," replied Kitsu, shaking her long hair back from her face.

"Also, you must never speak aloud to anyone other than Danlily or myself, when there is any possibility you could be overheard. You would be in grave danger otherwise."

Kitsu just nodded, smiling, happy to once more be a full part of the trio.

"And now, for your first little task. There is a human paladin I've been watching. I am certain that she will be perfect for what I have in mind. I wish to learn more of the powers of the paladin, you see. They are very resistant to damage. They can even become invulnerable for a time, and they have great healing powers. This interests me, for it may lead to knowledge that would be helpful to our cause.

You will travel to Alliance territory, and move through their midst in your elven form. You will be accepted as one of their own, of course. Find this paladin, and convince her to meet with me in our secret area. You know the place.

Her name is Lovely, and she is associated with the group known as the Tears of Elune. Tell her whatever you must, just get her to come."

Kitsu smirked mischievously, shivering just a bit with anticipation and excitement.

"I will do as you ask, Mistress. I am pleased that you trust me with this."

Clys nodded and pulled Kitsu close for a moment, Kitsu bending down to accept the embrace. Clys bit down hard on one of Kitsu's ears, the sharp pain causing Kitsu to gasp. Kitsu tightened her arms around Clys, as Clys kissed her on the mouth.

"Go on then. Find Lovely, and bring her to me."

[Lovely]

((Excellent writing as always....I await the next one with baited breath.))

[Caelyn]

((Been meaning to post, but I always seem short on time, but anywho..

I just wanted to say, great writing. When I'm reading this I kind of feel like it is that road side accident, you don't want to look but you can't take you eyes away.... not the point.

Wonderful writing, I can't wait for more.))

[clys]

Kittsu felt weak, but happy. She was able to resume her natural form again, freed from the curse that had held her in cheetah form for so long. But the time had left its mark, and drained her powers. She was still able to summon enough of nature's power to hunt small prey, and she could put up a weak shield around herself, or heal some minor wounds, but it was as if she had been returned to her youth, when her powers were new and untested.

Her Mistress had sent her on a mission, though, and she was determined to see it through. Where to start? Where would a Paladin like Lovely be found? Ironforge, maybe? Or Stormwind? She would travel to these places, and search, until she found this person, and then she would talk to her. But first, she needed to go to Shadowglen. There would be druids there, trainers, not too skilled and not too wise. She had no desire to face anyone too powerful. An archdruid might well be able to discern the shadows within Kittsu's mind, and that would never do. Yes, Shadowglen, then Dolanaar, and Darnassus -- she would visit these places first, practice her arts, and regain some of her lost powers.

She had already written a note, and sealed it in a small envelope. She would drop it into the first Alliance mailbox she came to as she traveled. The note was written in flowing script, on scented paper.

"Dear Lovely,

My Mistress has asked me to contact you. She would like to meet with you, to discuss some matters of mutual interest. As her ambassador, I am here to give you the details, and to answer any questions you might have. Will you agree to meet with me, at your convenience?

~Kittsu"

Perhaps Lovely would respond. Perhaps she would not. Either way, Kittsu would find her.

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/14.jpg[/i]

[Lovely]

Lovely sat on her mount in Tinkertown, watching with a smile as the gnomes there hurried about. It was a festive time of the year, and the gnomes seemed to be working extra hard to build fantastic toys and gizmos.

A tiny voice rang out, almost Startling Lovely. "Milady...Milady! You've got mail. A letter just arrived for you."

Lovely dismounted her horse and held it by the reins. "Hold on, Splendor. Let me get this."

Opening the letter, Lovely breathed in a wonderful scent and smiled. She took a moments pause to bask in the fragrance before reading.

Upon finishing the letter, Lovely scribbled a reply and gave it to the gnome at the mailbox. She then whispered to Splendor, "It looks as though I may be making another contact, my friend. I love meeting new people."

Lovely then turned and pressed her thighs together, using her feet to guide the horse down the tunnel toward the tram. She sang songs of love and joy as she passed underneath the twisting gears, her echoes spreading through the halls.

[clys]

Kittsu met with Lovely in the town of Goldshire. Lovely was shorter than Kittsu expected, but the silver hair and sensual attire were just as Clys had described them. She curtseyed, and greeted Lovely. Kittsu put her very friendliest face on, trying to look a little bit innocent and vulnerable.

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/15.jpg



Lovely says: So what can I do for you?
Kittsu says: Well, as I said in my message, my Mistress wishes to meet you. She feels that she and you might have some common...interests.
Lovely says: Really? Can you elaborate? I'd love to meet her.
Kittsu says: Well, you see, she's very interested in all of the magical arts, natural, arcane, or otherwise.
Kittsu says: She's trying to study each one, to learn the capabilities, and to find out what benefits they each have.
Lovely says: And she wishes to study divine magic?
Kittsu says: So she's been working with mages, warlocks, druids... but, due to her condition... she hasn't found anyone to help her with the...what you said...divine arts.
Lovely says: Is she okay? I'm not sure I understand...Is she ill?
Kittsu says: Um, not exactly. She's hoping that you will be more open minded than most paladins.
Kittsu smiles weakly
Lovely says: hmmmm
Lovely says: Okay....So whats her story?
Kittsu says: You're not um, bigoted, are you?
Lovely says: I'm pretty open minded.
Kittsu peers at you closely.
Kittsu says: I get a good feeling about you.
Kittsu smiles
Lovely says: Thank you. I hope I can make everyone feel good.
Kittsu looks around nervously
To Lovely: she's...become undead.
Lovely whispers: Undead? Her name isn't Felicia is it?
To Lovely: No. Her name is Clys Nex'Cruor. I knew her...before.
To Lovely: She wants to...well she wants to reverse the process...and, she needs help.
Lovely whispers: I know of one who it has worked with before. I will gladly aid her.li
Kittsu blinks
Lovely whispers: It can be done.
To Lovely: You do? You have?
Lovely whispers: Antigone. A friend of mine...She was Forsaken, and now is back to her old self.
To Lovely: Is she...immortal?
Lovely whispers: I will gladly aid Clys if she is in need.
Lovely whispers: Immortal? I'm not sure....
Kittsu nods
To Lovely: Well, if you're agreeable, we'd like to arrange a meeting between you and Mistress Clys. Somewhere safe, and private, and... she can explain things better?
Lovely whispers: Of course. I'm free tonight.
Lovely whispers: If she doesn't have plans, that is.
Kittsu smiles brightly
To Lovely: You are too kind! But it will take time for me to get back to her, and arrange things.
Lovely whispers: I always do what I can to aid others.
Lovely whispers: Give her the stone I gave you, or use it yourself. Contact me when she is ready.
To Lovely: I will have to translate. I can speak Common of course, and Clys has a way of communicating with me when I'm near her...a potion.... but there is one other thing.
Lovely whispers: Yes?
To Lovely: Um...you'll have to meet her in Horde territory. She'll make it a safe place but... well, there's always danger.
Lovely whispers: I have no fear of the Horde. Whatever she desires to make her whole, I shall fulfil it.
Lovely whispers: I will come when you call me.
Kittsu tears up slightly
To Lovely: Thank you!
Lovely whispers: Are you okay?
To Lovely: Yes I just... well I thought it would be harder to convince you You are so kind!
Lovely whispers: I don't care if she is Horde or Alliance. My mission is to make others happy.

Kittsu smiled inwardly. This paladin was so incredibly gullible! She'd believed everything Kittsu had said. She hadn't even questioned it. It was almost too easy.

Kittsu was pleased, for she knew that Clys would be pleased, and after all, that was all that really mattered.

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/16.jpg

[clys]

Clys lifted the vial of blood and swirled it, noticing the way the dense liquid fizzed and bubbled. She poured a small amount into a spoon, and then licked the spoon clean. A slight shiver ran through her body. The taste was light and airy, and the magical properties of the blood were potent. She put a stopper on the vial and carefully labeled it.

"Blood of the Paladin, Lovely"

She grinned to herself. She would have to reward Kittsu for a job well done. Clys herself couldn't have done a better job of talking that paladin into submitting to the experiments. And what a "lovely" subject she was, too, so full of idealistic talk about love and honor and the desire to help others. Clys thought back about a few of the things Lovely had said earlier that evening, when Clys, along with Danlily, Lupen, and of course Kittsu, had met with Lovely in the Ravenholdt Manor.

"I want to show love to all, Horde and Alliance, for everyone is beautiful."
"I am your possession at this moment, do with me as you wish. I am here to serve."
"All of my powers come from divine magic, not arcane. Divine magic comes from the light, arcane comes from the Nether."

Clys shook her head in quiet amusement. How funny it was, really, that this paladin, who should by rights consider Clys a monster, a horror, and something to be destroyed on sight, had instead been persuaded to "help" the poor creature. Lovely didn't seem the least bit afraid of pain, or even death, if it meant she could "do good" by helping Clys.

Of course, Kittsu hadn't told Lovely the whole truth. She had simply said that Clys was a bloodelf, who had become undead through a horrible accident, and was now trying to find a way to reverse the process and regain her former beauty. It was true as far as it went, and Lovely had eaten it up.

Clys thought back to the moment when Lovely had arrived in Ravenholdt. She was unarmed, and wearing nothing but a belt, boots, and a tabard. She had smiled at Kittsu, and then kneeled before Clys, honored to be in the presence of Kittsu's mistress. Clys grinned a bit. Lovely had acted for all the world like she belonged to Clys. It was almost too easy.

Kittsu had acted as a translator, listening to the words Lovely spoke, and then translating them for Clys via their mind link. Clys was very pleased with the way the mind link had worked, actually. The potion she had concocted was nasty tasting, but once she and Kittsu drank it, they were able to converse mind to mind, at least while they were in close proximity. It was useful.

Clys had asked permission to touch Lovely's face, playing the part of the gentle, tragic creature, blind and wretched. Lovely had agreed immediately, and Clys had spent a few moments sliding her leathery fingers across Lovely's smooth skin, feeling the shape of Lovely's features.

"She's not very lovely," Clys said. "She's fat!"

Kittsu translated for Lovely, "Clys says you live up to your name."

"Tell Clys she is a very gracious mistress, and I am honored to be here," Lovely replied. "I will do everything I can to help her."

Lupen seemed faintly disgusted at the sight of so much warm human female flesh, but he was there to help Clys with her experiments, and he deferred to her judgement. It was clear, however, that left to his own devices he would have slain the Paladin on the spot.

Danlily wanted to bite Lovely, and taste her blood. When presented with the request, Lovely just nodded and smiled, saying only, "Just not too deep." Danlily laughed softly, and sunk her teeth into Lovely's throat just enough to taste a trickle of blood. It wasn't enough, but she knew that Clys had other plans for Lovely.

The four of them went down into the Ravenholdt basement, where Danlily had set up her equipment. As an engineer, Danlily had many devices for measuring and comparing. It would be her task to keep a record of everything.

"We need a sample of your blood," Clys said to Lovely.

"Of course," Lovely replied immediately.

Shrugging, Danlily grasped Lovely's wrist and sliced it, filling a rather large bottle with the blood.

"Take two pints, Lily. We may not get another chance like this."

Danlily nodded and filled another bottle. Lovely simply watched passively as her blood drained out of her wound.

Clys then began peppering Lovely with all sorts of questions about her abilities. How did her shields work? How many kinds of shields did she have? What was the difference between arcane and divine magic? How did the shamanistic magics compare to the divine? Lovely answered all these questions in a quiet voice, doing her best to explain things as she understood them.

Then the test began. Clys stabbed Lovely savagely in the ribs, and then watched as Lovely healed herself. Lupen cast a series of shadowbolts at Lovely, while she attempted to shield herself from their power. Danlily took readings and measurements, and a careful log of each event.

"I'd like to try something, if you will permit me, Clys?" Lupen asked. "I'd like to try to summon a demon from her."

Clys grinned, interested. "Go ahead, my dear warlock."

Lupen's fists glowed with energy as he spoke the dark commands, and Lovely was engulfed with brilliant purple light. From the center of her body a demon appeared, a female form, sultry and sensual.

"As I suspected," Lupen said. "A demon of lust. Each being that has a soul carries with it one particular dominant sin. Hers is lust. Lust, which degenerates into love, and causes men to betray their friends and brothers."

Clys regarded the half-naked Lovely. Kittsu had told Clys about Lovely's recent escapades. Lovely was always running about naked, getting drunk, dancing for men, getting run out of bedrooms by angry wives. She claimed to be a virgin, but Clys had to agree with Lupen's assessment. Lovely's demon was lust. She might be able to quench it with silly actions for a while, but eventually she would weaken. And even if she continued to repress the lust, it still gave Clys a handle with which to control her. Clys understood temptation. She understood it very well.

Danlily was very suspicious. "I don't trust this woman who gives herself to my mistress so easily," she said.

"Neither do I," said Lupen. "Perhaps she has another plan?"

"It doesn't matter," Clys replied. "We will use her. If she is foolish enough to place herself in our hands, then we will take advantage of the opportunity. We have enough to study for now, though."

Clys approached Lovely again. Lovely knelt, bowing her head.

"You are free to go, for now. You will come to me when I call for you again?" It wasn't really a question, the way Clys said it.

Lovely smiled happily. "Of course I will. I will help you in any way I can!"

"We will study your blood, and the results of our other tests. Kittsu will be in contact with you when we are ready."

"I am your servant. Call on me anytime. I will do whatever I can to help you," Lovely said.

Turning to Danlily and Lupen, Clys beckoned them with a motion.

"Let's be off then. Let me know what your investigations turn up, both of you. Lupen, be sure to take a sample of the blood with you to study."

Clys, Danlily, and Lupen each opened portals and disappeared from the Manor.

Lovely turned to Kittsu, and gave her a gentle hug.

"See you soon," Kittsu said, and then disappeared to join Danlily again.



http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/17.jpg

[Lovely]

Lust. A demon of lust.

This is what Lupen had said was inside Lovely, and in her heart she knew the Forsaken Warlock had told the truth.

Thinking back to the night she had met Clys, Lovely began to analyze herself. She had worn only boots, a belt, and a taberd. Why? Surely she could still have come unarmored but could have worn pants and a shirt....Why didn't she?

Questioning herself was hard for Lovely. She was usually stubborn and prone to be an idealist, yet she could feel that she was slipping. Her lust was growing out of control. When they had met, Danlily had bitten her on the throat, tasting her flesh and her blood. Lovely had told no one, but this had enticed and excited her. As the half-troll had sucked on her neck, Lovely fought the desire to embrace Danlily...She had wished for Danlily to go further, touching her not only on her neck but on the rest of her body as well.

Lovely had never known the touch of a man or a woman in a romantic sense, and as evil as Danlily was, Lovely could not help but desire her. She desired everyone that was in the room. As they performed their experiments and cut at her flesh, Lovely could not help but wish that they had just ripped her taberd from her, exposing her bare flesh...

This scared Lovely a bit, which seemed strange since Lovely generally was a fearless creature.

She thought about Kittsu, the elven druid who served Clys. She had encountered Kittsu several times since the meeting, and every time they met the tension was there. Kittsu seemed to have some type of power that drove Lovely wild...Lovely, as honorable as she was, would do anything Kittsu asked of her. Anything. She could not help it. When she saw Kittsu, she wanted to kneel before her. When Kittsu ran her fingers through Lovely's silver hair, Lovely felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine, making her quiver as she stood.

Lust. It had consumed Lovely. Lupen was right.

Now, as Lovely thought back on these events, she stared in the mirror at herself. She hadn't seen her new friends for several days, and grew impatient. Looking in the reflection at her nakedness, she put her hands toward the mirror and pressed her face against it. Thoughts raced through her mind of Clys and Kittsu, and of Danlily. Yearning for their touch, she pressed her body against the mirror and kissed it.

"I will see you soon enough," she whispered. "We will make Clys whole again, and love will spread throughout her family."

((OOC I hope this isn't too far over the top, but I wanted to share what Lovely is going through with this storyline. Not only does she have this demon of lust, but at the same time she is also under a curse from Felicia of The Crimson Watch which has taken away her inhibitions. Still good at heart, I'm trying to delve into the characters mind and soul. HOpe this was okay.))

[Mortica]

(( I don't think that is over the top at all, Lovely. I think the majority of RP-ers are adults or at least mature for their age. I personally wouldn't mind if it got racier if that is where you wanted to go with it. However, if it did get more "detailed" than what you have here, I would ask that you preface the post with a

***** Warning! Adult Content *******

and add a few blank lines at both the top and the bottom to give people a chance to skip it if they wish.))

[clys]

Clys was dreaming, drifting in that just-before-waking slumber when dreams are vivid, and you can control them freely, changing or rewinding the events to suit your desires. Although she no longer could see colors while awake, her eyes having been destroyed, in her dreams she still saw them. She would often dream of Danlily, seeing the sunlight dappling her golden hair. Clys might spend the days seeing only shadows, and loving them, but when she slept the colors returned.

Tonight she dreamed of a dungeon, damp and dark, filled with the moldy smell of death. It was funny how undeath had made such places more dear to her. She actually enjoyed travelling to different parts of the world, just to explore some crypt she had heard about. But this dream wasn't about exploration. It was about the milk-white paladin, the human named Lovely, the one that Clys had not killed.

Danlily had made her report to Clys earlier in the day. Based on the measurements Danlily had taken during the experiments on Lovely, Danlily had discovered that Lovely's blood was rich in mana, as they had expected, and undeniably potent. It had healing properties, and an effervescence that was unique. Yet Danlily had detected some kind of taint to the blood, as well. She was unable to pin it down, but she was sure it was there.

Then Clys had received her report from the RAS, the Royal Apothecary Society. There were those in the society who she worked with frequently.They had similar goals, and The Immortalis had a rather close relationship with the RAS. The RAS report had been most interesting. The scientists there were baffled and intrigued, wanting to know where the blood had come from. They had never seen blood like it, they said. It was a combination of the divine and the demonic, which they insisted should be impossible. Whose blood was it? We must study this individual!

Clys had thanked them for their information, and promised that she would do what she could. Later, she made a small entry in her diary.


"Well, it seems that my choice of Lovely for these experiments is very fortunate indeed. I knew I felt something different about her, something dark and powerful and out of place. "A combination of the demonic and the divine," the RAS told me. Now that is truly fascinating. What kind of power can there be in such a combination? Can the two opposing schools actually be made to work together, and if so, what kind of amazing power will they become? This might be exactly what I'm looking for! Of course, to get the power out of her will probably kill her beyond redemption, but that's a very small price to pay. For me."


And so as she slept, Clys dreamt of what might be in the future. She would have to capture Lovely, this time for good, and lock her away. She would drain the blood from the Paladin, for weeks or months if need be, whatever it took, unil the RAS was satisfied they had learned all they could from it. She would carve the milky white flesh and watch it heal until it could no longer heal and the scars stood out, red and inflamed. She would beat and bruise and whip Lovely's body until she discovered the limits of the paladin's power. And when all the experiments that could be done while Lovely was alive were complete, then Clys would sacrifice her. Clys would dissect the body, and examine every organ. The RAS was especially interested in the heart, and the brain.

Clys giggled in her sleep. She knew the silly paladin was excited by the closeness of evil. Her physical arousal when Danlily had touched her had been obvious, the thin tabard she wore disguising nothing, the musky scent of desire clear and pungent. Clys would enjoy teaching this one the real meaning of evil. When Clys was done, Lovely would no longer be excited. No, indeed, Lovely would be destroyed.


Image from Clys' dream:

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/18.jpg[/img]

[Lovely]

**Warning- Semi-mature content**


Lovely could not wait to see Kittsu. The past few days had been strange and exciting, and she wanted to share her joy with Clys' servant.

Unaware of what was transpiring with Clys and Lupen, Lovely lay on her bed in Stormwind and scribed a letter to Kittsu. She smiled as she wrote, a terrifying smile of pure innocense mixed with violent lust. As she dipped her pen in the ink, she giggled sharply, writhing on top of her bed sheets.

"Dearest Kittsu,

I have great pleasure in informing you of what happened to me the other night. I happened upon the boat in Menethil Harbor to Auberdine, and it had been taken over by The Crimson Watch.
Needless to say, I was excited by this and dove into the battle with my axe held high. I was quickly brought down by their overwhelming numbers, however, and fell quickly.
What happened next was incredible.
I was taken to the back of the boat as it departed for Auberdine. Yomi, the undead rogue protected me, keeping the others from killing me. From there, we engaged in revelry the likes of which I have never seen. We danced, and removed our clothing, and kissed.
I could still hear the screams of my fellow allies but for some reason I didn't care. Several members of the watch surrounded me, touching me and putting their mouths on my bare flesh...Bony fingers ran chillingly across my body, my nakedness seeming to draw them in. I caressed them as well, and found enjoyment I cannot describe. It was as if I was the only flower in a field full of bees....they tasted my nector and we all derived pleasure from it.
Only when Morghoul showed up did this stop. His followers scattered and stopped what they were doing, and I was released on the docks at Auberdine after nearly 30 minutes of unbridled ecstacy.
I am still confused by this, and shamed that I ignored my friends in their moment of need....I wanted to share this with you, because it seems like Lupen's theory from last week has been proven correct.

I can't wait to see you again....To see all of you again. I wait with baited breath...

Lovely"

Finishing the letter, Lovely cut a small lock of hair and placed it with the parchment inside the envelope. She then sauntered to the mailbox, clad in only a sheet, and let the letter go. She giggled wickedly as she returned to her room...

[Lupen]

Lupen slowly walked to the lab table in the Apothecarium... He was cold... So very cold. A shiver rolled up and down his spine. Sleep was heavy in his eyes, but he shook it off, devoted to finding the true taint of Lovely. He pulled the vial out from his pack, swirling it like newly poured wine. The blood was maroon red... With a slight touch of purple in it. Lupen was no alchemist, but he did understand the basic compounds of demon's blood. The blood, for the most part, was human... Something was a bit different about it.

He sighed and asked himself, "The divine magics...?" but seconds later discarded the theory. "No no... This taint is different... It is not pure... It is chaotic." He beckoned the idle Felhunter over... "Come, hound spawn of Xoroth... Come to your master." he said, slowly as the sedated demon lumbered over. Lupen stroked the razor sharp hairs coming from the demon's body, and casually sliced a bit of the demon's throat. The Felhunter did not flinch, almost as if it was numb to all pains. Lupen shrugged, took the tainted blood in a separate vial, and began to heat it. Lupen's hands were filled with a dull flame, in his left hand; he held the vial of tainted demon's blood... It was a deep red, but when applied to fire, it turned a dull violet.

"Possession, perhaps?" Lupen thought as he compared the two samples, but quickly discarded that theory too. "No no... The Paladins can purge such magics... They are gifted in exorcism..." He nearly dropped the two vials as he blacked out for a split second. Lupen quickly awoke and placed the two samples gently on the lab table. He buried his head in his hands, searching the confines of his brain for answers... Nothing... Nothing...

He let out an angry roar as he struck the two vials with a single swipe of his arm. The two glass containers were hurled into a stone wall, and instantly shattered. The two liquids slid slowly down the wall mixing into one unholy concoction. The liquid stayed the same in colour, but a sweet, soothing aroma filled the air. Lupen grinned as the ideas hit him. The single word slid from his lips, "Lust"... The smell was truly enticing, an inviting perfume that the Succubae emanate. Short of breath, Lupen quickly grabbed a parchment and began to write to Clys.

"Dear sister Clys,

I have discovered something tonight... I was tampering with the sample from Lovely the Paladin and some blood from my Felhunter... When the two mixed, they gave off the smell of lust. As ludicrous as this sounds... Lovely, the "protector of the light and all that is holy" is corrupt... She is slowly turning into a mindless servant to her emotions... And what she wants... Is love. I don't quite understand where this Lust came from... But it is a very interesting discovery.

I look forward to hear back from you.

-Lupen"

He grinned as the letter was sealed and sent to Clys... Lupen gave out a sigh of relief and called his Succubus to him. "Dear... It is time to sleep." He lay in his coffin, with his demon of lust directly on top of him.

[Danyxandra]

~Meditation~

It seemed as though Danlily never had enough time to just sit and think anymore. Between gathering the data for Mistress Clys, fighting the escalating battles with the Alliance, celebrating both Winter’s Veil and her birthday, there was just too much to be done to sit and think. Now it was the eve of the New Year and Danlily had stolen away for some precious time to relax into a bit of quiet hobby work so she could refresh herself.

She looked about her “parlor,” the workshop Clys had given her in the highest of the Nex`Cruor towers. She had another workshop deep within the Mistress’ secret-crypts, one that opened up to Clys’ main laboratory, but this one in the tower was all her own, her own special space away from everyone to be alone with her thoughts while she worked at her more artistic endeavors.

She leaned out of one of the windows, her hair catching at the high winds in the storm that raged outside, and she looked up the side of the outer wall. She nodded with satisfaction that the cable leading up to the spike atop the tower was secured well enough. Before popping her head back into her parlor she took a moment to gaze out upon the city. This was a city that called her an abomination. If her Mistress had not been a Sin`dorei, Danlily would likely hate them all. “No,” she thought to herself, “the bulk of them are simply misguided, like children taught the wrong way to think. I cannot hate them all. Only the worst of them shall be punished,” she spoke softly with a small smile. She closed and secured the shutter and turned her back on that world and returned her thoughts to her own world.

She looked around the large round room. There were windows nearly all around it, now firmly shuttered. A portion of the room was sectioned away from the rest, draped in gauzy silks in gold and reds. Low furniture to lounge on matched with large, plump pillows rested comfortably within those silken drapes. A low, gilded table sat with a golden bowl full of fresh fruit. Beside the bowl sat a decanter of sparkling mana-rich blood-wine with a fine crystal goblet drained beside it. To the other side of the large room sat a large marble slab with an unconscious subject strapped firmly down between the slab’s drain troughs. Danlily moved to where her workbenches lined the wall. Lovingly she pulled what equipment she’d need from the their pegs. She always kept her equipment meticulously organized. She stroked the cylinder of the micro-saw, a piece of equipment she was particularly proud off. She lined up all she’d need on the bench and then took down a jar in which the donor bone rested. She pursed her lips, looking at the jawbone that rested in the viscous fluid. Streyth had lost it weeks ago when he was still with The Grim. It had been quite funny really, she chuckled to herself, his attempts to talk without it. Luckily for this particular project, he had replaced his original jawbone with someone or something else’s, so she had this discarded one to make use of. It was lucky for her that Clys had snatched it up. Next to the saw she laid out a periosteal, a box of tiny screws and a driver, some retractors, chisels, assorted scalpels and elevators, and her favorite hammer beside a tray of standard surgical essentials like suture material and such.

Now all she needed was the proper music to relax to while she worked. She slapped the subject hard. It jolted awake and opened its mouth to complain. She deftly slipped the mouth clamp into place, clicking it wider and wider to give her room to work. The subject fought against the restraints but soon got itself into the rhythm of the work with a melody of sweet screams that Danlily hummed in harmony to, her shoulders relaxing visibly with the music that delighted her most. The subject changed the pitch in time with each tug as she separated its tissue from its palate. She could feel the tension of the last couple of weeks drift away from her with the almost meditative rhythm of the song.

Ah, the last couple of weeks. It was as though the several years, the last score or two of years had all melted away as a bad dream and now she was finally, truly awake. She was raised to be proud of her blood elf half, to be loyal to them and the cause, and true enough there were many to be loyal to. But then the one she was most loyal to had disappeared without a trace beyond the walls of their secluded Quel`Thalas. “Oh Clys, where had you gone?” Danlily sang sadly. Danlily knew she was her mother’s favorite, at least she could find comfort there. Her mother reinforced that love every time she comforted Danlily for what she had to endure. It was more than the scorn of the beautiful elves that laughed at her huge wedged feet, much more. She had been proud to be an agent of the House Nex`Cruor but with Clys gone she had to answer to and obey Clys’ father, the Baron Nex`Cruor. He was a cruel man who seemed obsessed with the House DeStrasza for some reason, and for whatever that reason was, Danlily could never discover. He’d taken his frustration out for what he could not own by owning Danlily, raping her near death whenever he felt the need, and he’d felt that need quite often. Her mother cried with her at how they could do nothing. The Nex`Cruor was too powerful a house and Danlily was not full blood elf. She had no rights and her mother, sadly could do nothing to help her. A child had been born of those rapes, a daughter she’d named Danlyra. The Baron Nex`Cruor could not have the elite know he’d created such flawed spawn and so he took the child and kept her deep in the bowels of the estates. Danlily could see her, be with her, but she could not protect her from a man she could not protect herself from.

Danlily focused again on her subject and back to the present. The music had stopped. She prodded the subject and it heaved a deep breath. She examined her work. The bone of the palate was neatly exposed and had stopped oozing. She wiped the pretty bone clean with damp gauze and chose a site. She turned and retrieved her micro saw from behind her and brought it to the slab and began sectioning the bone with a deep sigh of happiness when the music returned and she returned her thoughts to the past.

Danlily thought of how the past years moved quickly as her had daughter grown. As the child began to grow out of childhood, the Baron’s assaults on Danlily lessened and she knew of course why. He had a new toy; a new piece of House DeStrasza to possess in whatever new and torturous way his whims led him to. And then Clys had been found again. At first there was the joy of Clys being alive, and then the crash of realizing the Clys didn’t know who she was, could remember nothing of her own past. Danlily was ordered not to contact Clys. Clys was undead now and not one of them. Clys could not help her and even if she ever did remember her past, the Baron promised to kill Danlyra if Danlily revealed all that had happened.

Danlily’s eyes focused again on her subject. She’d finished with the saw and the palate was now scored properly so she set the saw aside. The music had drifted into quiet moaning. It was time to pick up the beat. She brought her array of chisels from the bench along with her favorite hammer and the music began again, a beat of screams matching the beat of the hammer against a chisel’s head as she loosened the scored bone from the subject’s palate. She paused in her humming to chuckle to herself. The beat of this part of today’s composition sounded much like the stammering of Danlily’s mother when she had confronted her about her affair with the Baron. How could she have cried with Danlily over the years of cruelty inflicted by the Baron when this same man was her lover? She pounded the chisel into the final scoring of the palate a bit too hard; hitting the sinus floor and the subject screamed a crescendo. Danlily admonished herself. She had to be more careful when combining music with her meditations. Well, it was all over now. When she’d slapped her mother it was as though her mind had been snapped awake. She removed the section of the palate and brought a mirror up to the subject’s mouth. “Oh good,” she sighed. “No bubbles,” she said, looking into the eyes of the subject. “You’ll be happy to know your sinus membrane is intact and not leaking air into your oral cavity. There’s a crack in bone of the sinus floor, but yes, the membrane is intact,” she giggled. “No bubbles.”

She brought over the jar with Streyth’s jawbone. She let the subject rest and sang a stanza on her own as she carved from the jawbone’s ramus a section that would match the piece she took from the subject. “Mother is more dead than this jawbone,” she sung to her captive audience. “An undead jawbone, dead but not quite dead. Immortal bone in a way,” she sang. There was still some kind of essence within it that wasn’t quite done living. She brought the piece carefully sectioned and fit it into the space in the palate she’d taken from the subject. She secured it with the tiny screws, remembering how she’d secured her own mother’s flesh to her bow weeks past. Life was so much better now, and her mind was so much clearer. Clys had returned, her memories intact. Danlily had enacted revenge on her mother. Danlyra had escaped and was now free. Clys had found Danlyra and brought her home safely to them. “Now all that is left is to deal with the Baron,” Danlily sang as she stitched the palate’s tissue back in place, securing it to the gingival between each tooth in the maxillary.

Danlily sat back and let the patient’s song drift away into unconsciousness. She was satisfied with her work. She was satisfied that the past was nearly set to rest. She took all her instruments off the slab leaving only the patient on the wet, bloodied slab. She attached the electrodes that connected to wires that lead the thicker wires that led to the cable that ran outside the room, up the wall and connected to the towers metal spike. All she had to do was wait, wait for the storm that raged outside to strike the metal spike and force the life from her subject into the undead bone. All she had to do was wait and Clys would finish tying up the lose ends with the Baron. If all worked well, the slate would be clean and the future would be bright, and… she mused as she examined the subject in anticipation, perhaps if this experiment works, life will spark from the living bone into the undead bone and perhaps, if we get lucky, a piece to the puzzle of immortality will be revealed.

[clys]

Clys smiled as Kittsu entered with Danlily.

"You look pleased with yourself, Kittsu. Things are going well, then?"

Kittsu nodded and laughed rather wickedly.

"You won't believe, it Mistress Clys. The paladin Lovely actually pleaded with me to take her as my own. She begged me to become her mistress!"

Clys shook her head in amusement. It was almost too easy.

"And, what did you tell her, my dear?" Clys asked, running a finger along Kittsu's jawline.

"I told her that I accepted her, and that I would talk to you and find a safe place for her to go so we can be together. Then she told me that I own her, and she would do whatever I said."

Clys drew Kittsu's face down to her own, and kissed her, biting Kittsu's lip hard enough to draw blood.

"I am very pleased with you. You have done far better than I even expected. And such a nice little twist, this last part. You have completely charmed Lovely, even made her beg to be yours. Yes, you have performed your tasks admirably, Kittsu. You shall be richly rewarded."

Kittsu shivered, smiling in anticipation.

"Thank you, Mistress. I exist only to serve you and Danlily and whatever you hold to."

Clys tapped her lip with a forefinger thoughtfully.

"She'll come when you call, right?"

"Oh yes. She says she can't wait."

"Good... now here's where I want you to bring her...."

[clys]

Clys wiped the blood from her daggers and looked down at the two Dalaran wizards at her feet.

"Nice house you have here. Just right for my plans. So kind of you to offer the use of it to me," she said, grinning.

She lifted the two bodies, moving them into position on each side of the door to the house. She leaned them against the outer wall, as if they were guarding the place. Their dead faces stared blankly out at the small path that lead to the house.

"Yes, my devoted servants, you just wait right there. Lovely will be here shortly," Clys said, chuckling gently to herself.

[Lovely]

Lovely stood in the basin of warm water, washing the blood from her skin. She had been helping Kittsu kill Dark Iron Dwarves earlier, and the battles had been quite fierce. The dwarves had attacked in waves, but Lovely was somehow able to throw them off each and every time. She was strong in the fight, her lust for blood growing stronger with each enemy that presented himself.

Now the fight was over, and while her armor was being repaired she bathed away the oily blood that was smeared over her flesh. After all, she had to be clean for her trip. She wanted to be presentable to Clys, Kittsu, and Danlily. They were going to help her as she helped them, and soon the circle would be complete.

Lovely licked her lips as she thought about the future and what it entailed...

[clys]

Kittsu met Lovely at Southshore, grinning as Lovely entered the inn and
kneeled before her. She brushed Lovely's cheek with the back of her
knuckles.

"The time has come, my Lovely. Are you ready? Do you have everything you'll need?"

"Yes, Mistress Kittsu, I have brought extra clothing and I am ready," Lovely replied, smiling gently.

"Good, very good. Follow me, then. Mistress Clys and Danlily are waiting for us."

Lovely followed Kittsu out of Southshore, up into the Silverpine
forest, to a small, cozy looking house. As they entered, Clys stood and
beckoned Lovely over to her. Lovely knelt before Clys, bowing her head.


"Welcome to your new home," said Clys, grinning, her two small fangs
glinting a bit in the glow of the fireplace. "This is where you will
stay, for now. You will be safe here. The doorway is magically sealed.
None can enter or leave without my permission; the spell is locked to
my spirit and unbreakable by anyone else."


http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/19.jpg


"I understand," Lovely replied. "I will be patient and wait here. I only wish to help you."

Clys nodded and smiled, and Danlily grinned at the paladin.

"May I change into some non-combat clothing?" Lovely asked.

"Yes, make yourself comfortable. There are others who wish to meet with you. I will bring them here to see you."

Lovely smiled, and removed her armor, changing as they watched into a soft silken shirt, and pants.

"Is there anything you need, before we go?" asked Clys.

"No. I will wait here until you return."

"Very well then." Clys nodded to Danlily, and the two of them portaled away, leaving Kittsu and Lovely in the house.

"I must go also," said Kittsu, smiling at Lovely in an odd way. "See you soon. Enjoy your new home."

Kittsu portaled away to take her place at Danlily's side once more. The
last thing she saw was Lovely, kneeling on the floor of the little
house, unaware of what lay in store for her.


http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/20.jpg

[Lovely]

Lovely woke up, curled into a ball in the middle of the wooden floor. There was no bed in this room, and no pillow...She had used her backpack as a pillow the previous night.

Anticipation grew within Lovely's fragile mind. She knew she would have a visitor soon...She just knew it. Was she wearing the right thing? Would she be acceptible to the mistress?

Looking down at her crimson outfit, she tugged at a few of the wrinkles. Perhaps they wouldn't like it....Perhaps she should wear the white wedding dress she had brought along, or one of the mageweave outfits....

Looking out the window, Lovely could see the Dalaran mages going about their tasks. They didn't even seem to notice that Lovely was being kept in the house, or even notice the corpse of the one that Danlily had killed outside.

Lovely sat in the chair, humming a song to herself and thinking about the future. She hoped to help the Mistress with her problem, and had hoped that The Grim were true to their word and would treat her as they said they would. She trusted Clys and Kittsu...Surely they were among the most noble of The Horde....

Dark thoughts began to creep into Lovely's mind....and she smiled....

[Daala]

The night was hot and sticky and Reijek had closed the Rest Inn Peace until that scrawny little gristle-bag of a rooster has another slice of his fifteen minutes of fame. Daala was reclining in that extra-large bed of her niche, alone, for once. Her slender digits, wrapped about a quill wrought from a Razormane's hide, rapidly scribbles upon a blank parchment, bound in a slender tome. Those crimson robes of hers hang from a gilded wire; a thin strip of ragged cloth and a short-legged pair of trousers are all the garment that cling to her flesh.

Reijek enters; not a fuss nor a warning. Daala does not glance up, though her jaw clenches, then relaxes, so quickly that it seems to be a spasm. She reasons that, though this was her private room, he likely knew she wasn't asleep. Besides, he technically owned the place.

The Innkeeper is a portly, well-worn man, a bit reminiscent of Greatfather Winter. Good thing; Daala could never bring herself to trust a thin Innkeeper. That quiet rumble of his; "Heard you were having quite a time, last night."

"Mmm? What of it? No new news."

"Also heard that the door swung open in the middle of it, and the whole Common room saw you in the throes of your diversion."

At this, she glances up, irritably clicking her tongue. "I've told you that the bloody door needs fixing..."

His expression remains entirely grave, but a certain laughing twinkle enters his eyes. A pair of sausage-like fingers scissor about an ivory pipe, lazily sliding the thing from his lips and tapping the instrument against a wall, emptying the ash. Though lacking fresh tobacco, he replaces the pipe betwixt clenched jaws.

"Aye, lass. Well, the reason I came up was that you got some mail. It was flagged, so I figured that you'd want a look. Goodnight; rest well."

Basking in solitude once more, Daala curiously inspects the note. No signature, no marks of any sort. Not that any were really necessary. It was a message detailing Lovely's imprisonment, and an invitation to come by for a personal analysis.

Wasting no time, Daala stands up, folding her hands along the back of her head as she mentally selects vials from her shelves. No instruments; too early to warrant them. Besides, Clys would likely have some on her person.

A soft, pink tongue wriggles from pouting lips, delicately moistening the tip of her quill, as she resumes her writings.

[Danyxandra]

Danlily poured herself and Clys each a goblet of wine from the decanter that sparkled with mana infused bloodwine. She sat in a large overstuffed chair, and swung one of her legs over the chair’s arm, scrunching down in the deep cushions comfortably. She drank deeply and then sighed, closing her eyes to enjoy the rush of the mana as the warmth spread into her belly, into her loins, and warming her extremities. She breathed deeply, relaxing as she let the cares of the day slip from her mind. Oh, her thoughts were still there, but when she was alone and relaxed with Clys, though the thoughts were there, there were no worries. She could sit back and analyze the chaos that came when interacting with the living, and the undead. Such chaos. Not peaceful and meditative like her work with her instruments and gadgets as she tinkered with new ways too analyze the workings of a living being or beast. “People can be so unpredictable,” she said softly to herself.

She leaned her head back on the chair’s arm, opposite of the one she had her long leg draped over. “This Kari business. If he has the power to randomly possess people…if he’s following Daala around and possessing her guild-mates,” Danlily swirled her bloodwine in her goblet, seeing in her mind the members of the inner circle swirling. “It would be a bad move to allow her into the inner circle. I can see the circle collapsing like dominos with such an entity loose and in connection with her.” Danlily opened her eyes and looked over at her mistress who nodded in agreement.

“On another note, we will be needing to move Lovely in a few days. I know we’ve promised the RAS the paladin’s heart and brain, and that they need her alive to extract them, but, “ Danily looked to Clys with big glowing eyes and a look much like a cat gives when they want to beg a treat, “would it be too much for me to ask a token?”

Clys grinned over at Danlily, “And what kind of token from the Lovely paladin do you wish to keep for yourself, my dear?”

“Her hair…I want to hang her hair from the top of my bow. I’m sure mother would approve,” Danlily answered, turning a gaze full of wicked satisfaction to the bow that stood propped against a wall, Danlily’s mother’s flesh stretched and wrapped neatly around the wood.

[clys]

(( MATURE CONTENT, NC 17))

((OOC Note: The following story has been approved by the player of Lovely. I do not write for other people's characters without their express permission ))

Lovely stood naked, her wrists held fast above her head by metal shackles attached to the wall. She had come willingly into her imprisonment, filled with the desire to help Clys, wanting to spread love and forgivness to even the undead, but now she had to wonder if she'd made the right choice. She watched as Clys approached her with a razor sharp dagger, the scent of some vile poison wafting from the blade.

"I'll be taking samples of your tissues and hair, your nails, and whatnot," said Clys in a voice so incongruously gentle it sent shivers through Lovely's entire body.

Starting at the ankles, Clys began shaving Lovely with the poisoned blade, catching the fine hairs in a cone of paper. As the blade touched her skin, Lovely could feel the sting of the poison. She concentrated her holy will, resisting the taint, but she could not prevent the pain that lanced through her, making her shudder and twitch involuntarily. Clys worked her way up each leg, grinning wickedly as she approached Lovely's down covered mound.

"No," whispered Lovely, as if she could prevent anything now.

Clys ignored the paladin's word, and scraped the soft hairs from her nether regions. Clys laughed gently as Lovely arched her body in agony, the poison causing her tender skin to turn red, burning and inflaming a part of her that had never been touched by anyone. That it should be touched now, in this way, was agony.

Clys continued up Lovely's body, stripping it completely of all body hair save that which was on her head. When she was done, she emptied the contents of the paper cone into a vial, and fixed a stopper onto the top.

"I'm leaving the hair of your head for Danlily," Clys said matter of factly. "It will make her a fine trophy to decorate her bow with, and she's earned it, I think."

Lovely's chest heaved as the agony of the poison slowly receded, pushed back by her divine magic. A bead of sweat ran down her side, and Clys wiped it with a finger, sticking the wet finger into her mouth and tasting the sweat.

"Ah yes, bodily fluids, that's right. So kind of you to remind me."

Clys began by gathering the sweat that had beaded on Lovely's brow and torso, dripping it into another clean vial. Clys then probed and prodded each and every orifice, collecting her samples, chuckling happily at Lovely's obvious humiliation as her body was invaded. Another moan of despair escaped Lovely's lips as Clys touched her most private areas, stopping afterwards to collect even the tears that had welled up in Lovely's eyes.

"And last, but not least, the blood," Clys muttered, almost to herself.

Clys inserted a hollow needle directly into Lovely's neck, piercing the artery, and Lovely's red blood pulsed through it into a large glass container. Clys watched impassively as Lovely's milk-white skin became even paler, slowly approaching the pallor of death. Lovely could feel her heart racing as it tried to keep the blood flowing through her body. She began to feel dizzy, and spots gathered before her eyes. At last Clys removed the needle and allowed the wound to seal. Lovely's head dropped forward and she nearly lost consciousness.

"Perfect position, my dear, yes, keep your head just like that," Clys said, reaching for a metal object with a small wooden handle. She held the metal part in front of Lovely's eyes, so Lovely could see what it was -- a branding iron, with some kind of odd symbol to it. Clys heated the iron in the flame of a candle, and then lifted the hair at the nape of Lovely's neck. Lovely gasped as the red-hot iron was pressed against the tender skin at the back of her neck, leaving there a small, but indelible, mark.

"You won't be alive that much longer, but it doesn't matter. You are mine, and must be marked as such."

Clys lifted Lovely's chin with her bony fingers, and stared directly into Lovely's eyes.

"Anything to say, before I let Danlily have her turn with you?"

Lovely nodded slightly, licking her dry lips before attempting to speak.

"I love you," she gasped. "And I forgive you."

[Lovely]

Lovely hung limply on the wall, with her head held low and tears streaming from her eyes. Had this really happened? Was this some sort of nightmare?

She thought of how she had come to be here...She had wanted to help Clys, and had been seduced by the lust within her as well as the thought of being claimed by Clys.

Well, now she had been claimed. The white hot fire of the poison still arced through her body, and the burning sensation from the brand on the back of her neck reminded her that she was not a free woman anymore. Clys owned her, like she was merely property, and treated her as such. There was no equal ground here....

Never once through her entire ordeal did she question why Clys had done this. Clys had even told her that her time was short, yet Lovely still wanted to show her love...to forgive her. Perhaps through this Clys could learn what true love was all about....Perhaps not.

Lovely waited for Danlily....For the pain and humiliation she knew the half-troll would bring. While waiting she uttered silent prayers for them all, praying that the light would show them the way...

[Danyxandra]

Danlily’s eyes glittered with wicked glee, an occasional mad giggle escaping lips parted slightly by those too smallish tusks. “Concentrate!” Danlily’s mind disciplined herself, “do not forget to take samples.” The half troll took a deep breath and gathered her engineering bag and medical kit. She tilted her head in thought, then decided on a spot in Lovely’s inner thigh for gathering her specimens. “You’re sure she’s secured tightly,” she asked, looking over her shoulder at Kittsu. Kittsu nodded a reassurance and Danlily turned back to Lovely, kneeling to examine the anterior portion of Lovely’s inner thigh. She reached for a scalpel and scored a neat section three inches wide by four inches long. She looked up at Lovely to gauge her reaction. With a half smile, Danlily returned to her work. She lifted the skin of Lovely’s thigh with the tip of her scalpel and started peeling the skin from the dermis from one corner down to the far corner diagonally. She took the skin and placed it in a sample jar for later use and pulled another, rounder and fatter jar out of her pack. She was normally very exacting and meticulous when working with samples but she could not help this one bit of unprofessional behavior and gleefully pulled out a fork, thinking of Sehkar and his “squire” Winslow. She dug the fork into the top of the exposed dermis and began peeling away fatty tissue and collecting it into the larger jar. She wasn’t quite sure, but at this point, Danlily was sure she heard music, singing perhaps, and so she started singing along to the music box that tinkled away in her mind.

Once Danlily cleared a path through the fatty tissue, she made her way to the largest bone in the paladin’s body, her femur. There was a major artery here and Danlily was careful not to nick it. She licked her lips, the scent of the paladin’s blood along with the scent of Lovely’s nether fluids made her ache with need but she diligently returned to her goal, obtaining bone samples for further study. Oh, how she wanted to sink her tusks into Lovely’s thigh, to drink deep of the rich blood, but the Royal Apothecary Society had been promised their living subject, and Danlily would not deny the organization their lab-rat. The RAS was an organization that had done so much to help the Immortalis. Danlily took up her favorite hammer, and kissing it lightly, she set it to a chisel and carved a bit of bone from Lovely’s femur, just enough to give Danlily the chunk of bone she wanted to study, but not enough to leave the thigh bone too weak to make the march to Undercity in a few days.

Danlily continued to sing to the tinkling music in her head. There may have been screaming. There may have been crying. There may have been no other voices other than Danlily’s, but it was a melody she loved all the same and her eyes danced in mad happiness as she lovingly put away her jars and equipment once she’d finished pulling Lovely’s extraction site tight and she'd stitched it closed. She stood and looked Lovely in the eyes. She reached for Lovely’s hair and pulled it tight into a top-knot on top of the paladin’s head and secured it in one bunch with two leather thongs, the first near the scalp and the other an inch apart from it. She licked Lovely’s cheek, looked into her eyes again, and kissed her hard on the mouth. With one hand holding up the hank of silver hair, Danlily took blade with the other and cut the hair from Lovely’s head between the leather thongs. Danlily stepped back. There Lovely remained, shackled, shaved, carved. Now what little of her beautiful silver hair that remained was sticking straight out in a short silver spray above the single thong left atop Lovely’s head.

Danlily stepped back and threw her head back and crowed a victory, holding the silver swatch of hair high. She turned to Kittsu and Clys with mad laughter and bounced as her blood elven brethren would do, right over to her bow and attached the swatch of silver hair to the top of her bow. She stroked the leather hand wraps on the bow and purred, “Do you like it Mommy? You were always so pretty. Look at you now.”

http://www.computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/danlilybow.jpg

She turned and peeled her tunic off, looking at Clys. Danlily’s hands and arms were covered in Lovely’s blood, which she smeared across her bare breasts, feeling her nipples harden. Clys approached Danlily and grapping her hair yanked her head down to her, sinking her small fangs into Danlily’s soft throat. After a small taste, Clys tore off Danlily’s remaining armor and motioned for Kittsu to join them as they satiated themselves on the floor in front of Lovely.

Hidden deep in a corner, a half frightened Sin`dorei watched on, sickened in horror and yet unable to stop the lustful throbbing within.

[clys]

It was an interesting night. Karkarov, my dear brother in The Grim, wished to see the prisoner, and so I had Kittsu fetch Lovely from her prison and bring her to an upper room I had prepared for the meeting. Lovely was worried that there might be more torture involved, yet she remained submissive, declaring her love for me again, and telling me that she belonged to me, and would submit herself to my desires, whatever they were. I almost begin to like her. She has the proper respect, at any rate.

Her healing powers are extraordinary. She had already completely healed from her previous examinations, even regrowing her leg bone and hair. Only the brand which I placed upon her neck remains, and she admitted that she will never be able to remove it. She is marked forever as mine, and she accepts this.

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/21.jpg


Karkarov, having been a paladin when he was alive, was most interested in questioning Lovely. He had her drink some wine mixed with the blood of a human priest. She did so without difficulty, and he said that it proved that she was definitely corrupted. A true paladin would not have been able to drink it, he said. He was quite excited about it, and said that he thought she might be the key to creating a true dark knight, who would have the power of the divine, yet able to turn it to evil in service to the Horde and The Grim. He felt that it might be a waste to allow her to be destroyed.

While I see his point, I have already promised her to the RAS, and I will not back out on that promise. My ties to the RAS are too important, as is my allegiance to The Grim and Father Maledictus. She will be delivered to the Undercity at the promised time.

As we neared the end of Karkarov's interrogations, we heard a scuffling outside the building. I immediately had Lovely remove herself to our hiding spot and secured her there behind the magic portal. It was a good move, for within moments three of the Blades of Lordaeron appeared, obviously looking for her.

Not finding her present, they stood about for a bit, unsure of what to do. As we were in Horde lands, they were powerless to attack us, and we chose to simply taunt them. I cuddled up to Celethorn, pretending to flirt with him, knowing that nothing could possibly disgust him more. It was quite amusing, really.

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/22.jpg

After a while, we left the place and returned to the Undercity, which we have decided to make our home now that the rules are more relaxed.

I shall have to find another meeting place for the next examination, I suppose. I wouldn't want it to be interrupted by nosey humans.

As for Lovely, she remains in my power, and although I wouldn't say she is enjoying it, she knows her place and she intends to submit to whatever I have in store. I even told her that she was destined soon for death, but that did not change her attitude in the slightest. I will move her closer to the Undercity in the next couple of days, so that the delivery will be easier to accomplish. I expect that her friends and comrades in the Alliance will not be as submissive as she.

They may try to stop us. Let them come.

[Alucian]

Alucian stood silently at an invisible line of taint in the grass, collecting himself for the task ahead. Behind him rested the green lands of Hillsbrad, and before him, the slowly dying grove named Silverpine. He could feel the sickly taint of the land, as if the old capital of Lordaeron had oozed its disease from its very walls to infest the lands around it. Alucian didn't like this kind of place...but he had volunteered for the task, and would see it to the end.

Taking a deep breath, he summoned the Cat spirit and felt himself take its form. He knew Silverpine Forest was a large forest indeed, and the information they had was sketchy at best...but he could still see his love's pleading eyes when he suggested he might try to find where they were hiding the captured paladin, Lovely.

Quietly, he shook his head, fur rustling softly. For you, Kurohane...I will see this mission through successfully.

Instinctively, Alucian became one with the shadows and crept over the dying grass surrounding the first city he intended to search: Ambermill. The wizards and guards of Dalaran still inhabited the city, and Alucian felt a momentary pang of pity for them. They seemed green and ill-equipped...almost as if they were simply waiting for the Horde now dwelling in these lands to come and slay them. He sent a quick prayer to Elune to give them her grace, then continued forward.

The main complex of the city rose before him, a great stone structure surrounded by a large wall, making only one doorway in or out of the encircled area. Alucian paused briefly, recognizing that it meant if he was found he'd likely not have any way to escape, but felt the risk was warranted. After all, what were the chances of him finding the location so quickly?

Alucian moved through the doorway, little more than a shadow, and paused before the great structure's main doorway. With a little difficulty, he began to perform the training he'd recently learned from his higher Druidic brethren, and felt around him for the living beings in the area. It would be hard to differentiate between the usual Ambermill occupants and anyone else that might not belong there, but so far, those were all he found.

Suddenly, Alucian became aware of a powerful presence behind him. He whipped around to find, to his utter horror, an undead warlock perched upon a menacing dreadsteed. It took all of Alucian's control to keep from bolting then and there, but he managed to stick to the shadows and crept to the backside of the stone building instead. Cautiously, he peeked around the corner, eyeing the entranceway that the warlock still inhabited.

Please, Elune...please let her not have seen me...

Thankfully, Elune was listening to his prayers, for the warlock eventually turned and left the portal free and clear. Alucian bit back a sigh, then decided it would be best to take this opportunity to leave as quickly as possible.

Except... Did I just hear a...night elf?

Alucian slipped behind the building and to the left, to another wooden two-story building that had eluded his attention before. A large room sat in the back of the second story, its equally large windows left open to the breeze.

Gutteral Orcish issued from the window. Alucian tensed, ready to dash away at a moment's notice. But then, he felt it. Holy power...unlike the power of Elune...which could only be...the Light! Yes! A paladin is in that room...it must be Lovely!

He also sensed another presence...one not unlike his own. Druidic? No...impossible. I can't be sensing that right.

The Orcish wafted down from the window again, and the same female voice he'd heard before seemingly translated the gibberish. Another female voice answered...and his suspicions were confirmed. He had found Lovely and her captors after all.

This was a singular opportunity. From what the female night elf said, they were waiting on someone to see Lovely...perhaps now, all the questions everyone had had in these last weeks would finally be answered. Alucian had no hope of actually going inside, or seeing through the window...so instead, he climbed up on the stone foundation underneath the room's overhang (did his claws always make that much noise?) and tried to still even his heart from beating for fear of being found. Every name that was spoken, every fact that was translated, he committed them all to memory. Every gory detail that turned Alucian's stomach was burned in his mind.

The meeting stretched on much longer than Alucian thought it would. He spared a nervous glance to the sky, marking the change. It was long past the time he was supposed to return, and Kurohane would be terribly worried. She might even try to come find him.

Oh Elune...please, let her not come here...

Alucian returned to concentrating as hard as he could, listening to every scrap of information he could hear floating from the window above him. He concentrated so intently, in fact, that when the human and dwarf stumbled around the corner of the building, he very nearly leaped right out of his purple-furred skin.

Their tabards marked them as members of the Blades of Lordaeron. They spoke little, but from what it sounded like, they may have happened upon this site accidentally in a blanket search for Forsaken. Alucian cursed silently. What horrible timing...they would definitely move Lovely now. He had all the information they'd spoken, but their ace was now effectively ripped from their hands.

The meeting was over. The Blades had entered the upstairs room and Lovely plainly was not there anymore. Alucian would learn nothing else of use, and only risked being seen by staying. During the commotion the Blades were causing, Alucian slipped around the side of the house and through the open stone entryway. Once he felt he was far enough away, he left the shadows and raced back toward Southshore as fast as his legs could carry him.

It was a pitifully small victory, Alucian felt, but at least it was one victory more than they had before.

[Danyxandra]

((*squeels with delight* Wonderful post...could you please also cross post it to the Grim Forums to keep continuity at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=30729&ForumID=141891&TabID=275257&TopicID=1680842&Page=6 ?))

[Rudrah]

(( I want to congratulate the roleplayers that are working in common: this is without a doubt the best storyline I have ever read since I started roleplaying on WoW! And grats to Dan'lily, you really managed to gross me out, and would I know what happened in that house, you'd be labeled as the "freakiest freak". ;)

Please keep this rolling, I hunger for more! ))

[Lovely]

Lovely sat in the filth covered basement, stroking her hair. It had grown back somehow...She wasn't sure how, but it was there. At the same time, all of her wounds had healed as well, all of them except for the brand of ownership that Clys had placed on the back of her neck. She had a feeling that would never heal. No matter what happened, even if she lived, that brand would serve as a reminder that Clys had claimed her.

So why had everything else restored itself? Had the light restored her? Was this a message of some sort? This was beyond what the Spirit Healer noramlly did.

Thinking of last night, Lovely teared up as she remembered hearing Celethorns voice echoing throughout the house where she was being held. She wanted so much to reach for him...to tell him where she was. But this could not happen. Clys made the rules at the moment, and Lovely could not be rescued no matter how much she wanted to be. Or did she want to be?

Confused, Lovely scrawled a crude drawing on the dirt floor of the basement. It was a rendering of the sun, with beams of light bathing the entire room. Lovely curled up in the center of the drawing, and cried herself to sleep....

[Kurohane]

Kurohane felt literally ill. What Alucian had described to her of the meeting he witnessed in Silverpine the night before turned her stomach and crushed at her heart. She had only shared part of it with Liadain – the part she felt was the most relevant. Some aspects she simply wished to forget and certainly not give voice to. Lovely already had enough condemning her. The huntress wanted her freed, saved and returned to her proper place – not locked away as a mentally ill criminal. Only the confirmation that Lovely was, in fact, cursed truly pushed Kurohane on to following this mission through. She shuddered slightly as her love’s words echoed in her mind once more. I nearly bore witness to… unnatural acts. She had clarified, much to her dismay, that those acts seemed to be ones of lust. Wincing, she pushed her barey-touched-omelete away.

We won’t give up so long as there is hope… another voice whispered from her memory. Liadain’s smile over the mug of ale they had shared the night before accompanied the words. The human rogue had become a fast friend – one that Kurohane had quickly come to trust in many, many matters both of friendship and battle. No, they would not give up hope. They would rescue the paladin, cleanse her of the corruption those damnable horde had tainted her with – somehow, some way. She would never give up. She couldn’t.

That did not change the other facts from the previous evening, though. Lovely had been found, but the plan for her rescue has gone astray – much due to the there fool-headed men, as she and Liadain had called them. It was inevitable that Lovely had been moved by now, whisked away to some new location – and it was inevitable that The Grim knew the hunt was on. But the question was, did they know who all was truly involved? Conidivh’s name had been on the lips of more tongues than she wished among the ranks of the Alliance – and it seemed her own name was starting to be as well. Did the horde know them? Did they suspect what was being orchestrated?

She stared vacantly at her now cold eggs, her tea having long since taken on a winter chill. Slowly, she stood, slinging her cloak back into place on her shoulders and leaving her untouched meal on the table as she exited the inn to the streets of Stormwind. There was much to do – information to be gathered, plans to be made, contacts to be informed, a friend to be rescued. Oh yes, she would be rescued. I know I need help… The wind whispered the words Lovely had confided in her what seemed forever ago now.

“My aid is yours,” Kurohane whispered back to it, “if I have to swim through corpses to bring it.”

[Alucian]

((*squeels with delight* Wonderful post...could you please also cross post it to the Grim Forums to keep continuity at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=30729&ForumID=141891&TabID=275257&TopicID=1680842&Page=6 ?))

((err...me? Um...okay...and if not me, just delete the post I'm about to make. ^^;;; ))

[Danyxandra]

((*squeels with delight* Wonderful post...could you please also cross post it to the Grim Forums to keep continuity at http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?GuildID=30729&ForumID=141891&TabID=275257&TopicID=1680842&Page=6 ?))

((err...me? Um...okay...and if not me, just delete the post I'm about to make. ^^;;; ))

((Yes...to everyone who adds to this story, and we love that you do, please also post it on the Grim forums so the story continues in order over there too. If you do not wish to do this, if you could give us permission to copy/paste your story addition over to that one, giving you credit for the writing of course. Really enjoying what people are adding to this!))

[Feorn]

Feorn's search for Sammuel was going badly. The young warrior had lost his path, obviously lead astray by his sister, Feorn couldn't stand the thought of one who he was supposed to be a chaplain to being so irrevocably tainted. But, It had happened. Feorn would have to end Sammuel's existance, saving him from Undeath.

"Silverpine forest, Mark. Your namesake is buried here...Suffered the same fate as Sammuel..." Feorn said to the little wood frog trailing him.

In his search through the forest Feorn had talked to many Dalaran magic-users and much as he disdained magic talked to them. It seemed that something was going on in Ambermill, The mages weren't quite sure what was happening but something was obviously amiss. Feorn decided to investigate.

Trudging through the ruins of the small fort he saw one house that the mages were avoiding. Moving closer he heard voices. Three he could not understand, one quite obviously Darnassian and one that just had the right tone of piety to be a paladin. He couldn't make out what was said.

"Well Mark, We're quite outnumbered here...Let's shout out, see if anyone friendly is around...We're pretty close to Hillsbrad and I doubt these mages will help much."

Celethorn, by coincidence was in the area and came running when Feorn yelled: "Here! Help!". Celethorn came and with him, Torold.

After a quick conference they decided to go in, afterall this could have something to do with that paladin, who from Feorns's understanding of the situation should be left to rot. After a quick examination of the ground floor they moved upstairs, heard some shuffling and ran up to the door. Hoping to find Sammuel, Feorn was very disappointed when all he found was a couple of lousy unclean Forsaken and a Troll. While they made several unwelcome advances they never broke the cease-fire, leaving us honour-bound not to attack them ((Flag more.)).

After the filth left, they told Torold to stay behind and keep watch for a few hours, Feorn and Sanrin relieved Torold around midnight and had an interesting converation... ((I'll link Sanrin's post here: http://www.bolguild.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453 Yes, I don't understand your forums. Bite me ))[/url]

[Lovely]

Lovely lay on her back in the basin of warm water. Clys had begun
preparing
her for the trip to The Undercity, and wanted to make sure she looked
appropriate for them. As Clys stood and watched, Lovely cleaned
herself,
wiping away the grime of the past few days. Lovely's hands moved
slowly, as
if she was trying to take her time, and then one of them came to a rest
on
the back of her neck.

Using her fingers, Lovely traced the symbol that Clys had branded her
with.
This symbol bothered Lovely, because throughout her humiliating ordeal,
this
was the one thing that remained. It would always remain, even if
Lovely
somehow lived through the events that unfolded. This brand was Clys'
power
over Lovely. She had made Lovely hers, and had taken Lovely's
innocence as
well as her freedom.

No matter if she escaped, or even killed her enemies, she would always
have
the memory of what Clys had made her, and what she had done to her. As
a
tear fell along Lovely's cheek, Clys stepped closer and caught it on
the tip
of her finger. She held the finger out, allowing the tear to drip off
of it,
into the basin, where it created small ripples that lapped gently
against
Lovely's bare skin.

As Lovely finished with her bath, she stood in the basin. Clys
motioned her
to come forward, and Lovely stepped from the tub and knelt before her
mistress. Clys ran a bony hand through her hair, almost lovingly,
before
snapping her fingers closed and arching Lovely's head back sharply.
She
then bent down and sunk her fangs into Lovely's neck, tasting the
nectar of
her blood for several seconds. Lovely's back arched along with her
head as
the undead rogue drank her blood and ran her free hand along her naked
body.
This was pain, but yet pleasure at the same time. Confusion and anger
ran
through Lovely's fragile mind as she struggled to break free.

When finished, Clys licked the neck wound clean and kissed Lovely full
on
the mouth. "Its a pity, my dear," she said in a whispery voice. "I'm
almost going to miss you."

Clys lowered Lovely to the ground, where Lovely lay still except for a
slight sobbing sound. Clys then opened a box and tossed something to
Lovely. It was a white wedding dress, spotlessly clean and beautiful.
Only
a slight bit of dried blood around its neck area made it less than
perfect.

Clys pointed at the dress. "Put this on, Lovely. You are soon to be
married
to Death."

[Lovely]

Lovely sat in the dank basement, contemplating the future. The white ripples from her wedding gown spread in a circle around her, and from above she looked like a flower of silken white. Thoughts raced through her head about the events which would unfold, and she began to question things.

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped her. She basked in it for several minutes, its soothing embrace comforting her.

After it vanished, Lovely stood and stretched. The light had said nothing to her, but it had cleansed her. Now, on this fateful day, she thought more clearly than she had in the past several months. She knew what would happen next, and what she must do. Her demon consumed, Lovely embraced the power of the light and readied herself for the coming battle.....

[Danyxandra]

A golden haired half troll nails a poster on the walls outside the banks of Orgrimmar, Thunderbluff, and finally on the outer bank wall of Undercity. It reads:


“Honorable Guild Leaders,

Some of you may not know me so let me introduce myself. I am Danlily DeStrasza, First Slave of the Mistress Clys of House Nex`Cruor. I am a huntress, an engineer, and I have earned my Medical Doctorate in Arathi Highlands.

My Mistress Clys has been working closely with the honorable Royal Apothecary Society and the time has come for her to fulfill a promise she made to them. She intends to deliver a paladin woman alive to them this day so that they may extract the paladin’s heart and brain from her living body, in the hopes to capture the life spark within those organs for whatever their reason.

It has come to my attention through my sistered-slave, Kittsu and through her slave, that there are several Alliance guilds that intend to keep my Mistress Clys from delivering on her promise to the RAS. Therefore, we are in need of your help.

If you are loyal to the Horde cause, if you have ties to the RAS, for whatever reasons, we ask that you contact either Mistress Clys or my daughter, Danlyra, today; the earlier the better so as to organize your troops. I fear that I cannot be contacted until it is time to move the paladin as I am behind the portal guarding her.

Proud member of The Grim,
Danlily DeStrasza

[Danyxandra]

Danlily looked into her goblet, swirling it as she thought over the events of the long day. She and her daughter, Danlyra, had made many contacts among the horde for help. The spies had told them that there were members of three Alliance guilds that would be trying to keep her Mistress Clys from honoring their promise to the RAS, from delivering the paladin, Lovely to them alive for dissection. Many assembled in front of Undercity. Together, Danlily, Clys and Kittsu marched with many horde, several guilds in attendance. A raiding group overflowed into another. Old friends were warmly greeted and new friends were made. They marched to Shadowfang Keep. There were no Alliance on Danlily’s track. There was nothing. Clys released the portal keeping the prisoner sealed away and Lovely appeared in no armor, nothing but a white wedding dress. Clys took Lovely’s hand, to lead her to her awaiting doom, and from the shadows, a rogue named Kalu dropped Lovely to her death.

It was as though some madness took over Zusteakai. He quickly claimed that he had killed Lovely, called us all traitors to the horde, that we were traitors to Thrall's will. For all Danily knew, that rogue could have been an agent of Zusteakai. It certainly looked the case. Then Zusteakai had repeatedly demanded duels with Danlily. Over and over he slammed the gauntlet to her, but she repeatedly refused to duel Zusteakai. Danlily shook her head with the thought. The Frostwolf Brotherhood had gone traitor against the Horde. His words against the Dark Lady were sacrilege. A raid and more horde stood strong to take Lovely to her doom and no one to kill, no Alliance to take bloodlust on, only horde brethren turning on each other. The Frostwolf Brotherhood were now crazed lunatics speaking out against the Dark Lady, calling us traitors to Thrall. Danlily quirked a brow. “Oh, what will Zusteakai think when it is revealed that my blood-elf people are signing a treaty with Sylvanus,” Danlily snickered to herself.

Well, Lovely was now freed, but not by her people. She was freed by a raving lunatic, a traitor of the horde. An agent reported to Clys that Lovely’s body had disappeared. It was unclear if it had been stolen, if someone had retrieved her, or if Lovely had revived herself. Regardless, Lovely was alive again and free. Still, not by the hand of her people but by a hordesman that must now be shunned.

[Danyxandra]

((ooc: disclaimer….the writer has absolutely nothing against the player/writer of Daala. It is STRICTLY Danlily the character that has issues with the character of Daala. Please DO NOT read between any lines, as there is nothing there. This is strictly IN Character))
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was morning, a new day, and Danlily shook off yesterday’s fiasco like any other bad dream. How they would make amends to the RAS, she had no idea, but her beloved sun still rose in the sky, she was alive, and she slept each night beside the greatest bloodelf that ever walked Azaroth. She turned from the window to look at Clys’ sleeping form, her arm around Kittsu. Even in undeath, Clys was beautiful to her. Danlily turned back to the window, feeling the sun’s rays warm her face. Why the kaldorei had chosen to remain in the dark, she could not fathom. It surely was the reason that branch of the elven race had not evolved and remained the cowards that they were. There were a few like Kittsu who fought their natural tendencies to blithely run around hugging trees and fatlings. It was sickening the way so many of their women had taken the ugly human men as lovers. Danlily stepped from the window and moved towards the kitchen table, passing Kittsu’s sleeping form and ruffling her hair the way she’d ruffle her fur when she was in cheetah form. Kittsu yawned wide in her sleep, smacking her lips the way a cat would when dreaming of a fat digger rat.

Danlily sighed softly as she took a seat at the table and took up her mug of java. She reached for the mana soaked blood and poured a dollop into her mug, stirring it with a finger which she then sucked dry. She took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of the spiced java with a smile and returned to conversing with Mother.

The bow, itself, was new. She’d outgrown the monolithic bow and Mother now had a new body. Mother’s skin was re-wrapped carefully onto the handgrip of the bow. Lovely’s hair was firmly secured to the top curve. Mother’s eye, a deadly scope, was properly attached. “You’re not drinking your java, Mother,” Danlily admonished. “Well I understand if you’re still upset. Oh? You are more upset by the conversation with Daala than with our failure to deliver Lovely?” Danlily frowned. “Well, I miss Snowfeather too, horribly so. It makes me so angry to think that her spirit is still within Daala. It may have been her intent to have a nice little rest in that woman’s head, but with the length of that little “vacation,” I am beginning to fear there may be yet another hostage situation going on within The Grim. Surely there would have been word by now, a solution, something. The talks Mistress Clys has had with Daala puts off even more alarm bells in my head. It nearly drowns out the music sometimes.”

Danlily leaned forward across the table to the bow, “For all her talk of wanting to help the Immortalis, it is Daala’s mannerisms and the very way she delivers her points across that worries me, and I think Mistress Clys as well. This Kari fellow that traumatized Daala, he now inhabits Snowfeather’s corpse. Coincidence? And now Snowfeather’s spirit has been in Daala’s body for far too long. I smell control here. We have no Snowfeather now and Daala controls where Snow walks on the face of Azaroth. I do not like it, I do not like it one bit. And then there is her wanton ways. Nissi is so precious to us. Daala purrs and strokes Nissi, calling her lover, and yet we all know how many others there are that Daala takes to her bed. I fear for Nissi’s heart. She says she does not like it, but she is trying to accept Daala’s “open” ways,” Danily scowls. “Mistress Clys would never be unfaithful to us. She would only have lovers she brings into our family, not strangers.” Danlily drained her mug and reached over and took the full mug sitting in front of the bow. She raised it in a half-salute to Mother and then took a sip. “Waste not, want not.”

”I just don’t undertand it all,” Danlily continued, “ I’m sure there’s more pieces to that puzzle that I’m not seeing, but of the pieces I do see, all I see is doom and pain for Snowfeather and Nissi. Ya know what we should do? Cut off that demon foot from Snowfeather’s corpse. Trap that Kari in it, cut it off and burn it. Replace the hoof with one off one of those Frostwolf traitors. It wouldn’t make up for what that Frostwolf did yesterday, but it would serve them right. At least the hoof wouldn’t be dirtied by demon-taint. Gah!” Danlily hit her fist on the table, “There has to be a way to bring Snowfeather back!”

[clys]

A page from Clys' journal:

I am pleased, very pleased, tonight. Everything went according to plan. The RAS was a bit upset that they didn't get their new lab rat to experiment upon, but when I explained things they settled down, seeing the wisdom in my approach. It was such a grand set up, I must admit that I've surpassed myself on this one.

That there are traitors within the Horde has been clear for some time. My informants have issued a constant stream of small observations to me that pointed to this fact. Identifying them has been the problem. And so, my scheme developed to flush them out, once and for all. It was my desire to make these people show their true colors before us all, and to bring them out of hiding into the open where they can be dealt with by everyone who cleaves to the true calling of the Horde.

If I could reach back and pat myself on the back, I would. If the traitors had not shown up, it still would have been a good plan. The paladin Lovely would have been a grand sacrifice in the name of research and knowledge, and I did so enjoy showing her the other side of herself. But that was really my secondary goal. However, my plan went down without a hitch, and the traitors fell into my little trap, taking the bait -- hook, line, and sinker as the goblins say.

They think they have won a victory by 'freeing' Lovely, when in fact all they've done is reveal themselves to the rest of us. No longer can they scheme against us in secret. We know who they are. Everyone knows who they are. They are marked men.

Danlily has grown significantly through this experience. Allowing her to have this hands-on time with the subject has caused her to expand and grow, as I knew it would. Every day she becomes a greater asset to me. She is no longer only my little lover. This is very good. I will need her strength as time goes on, as much as I need her loyalty and submission.

Kittsu has also pleased me greatly. She moves within the ranks of the enemy with such grace and clarity. Even now that some of them are connecting her to myself, her influence only grows. She takes the risks in stride, considering it all as useful service to me, which it is. Her steadyness to the cause puts those idiot traitors to shame. The lines between the races are blurring. The 'bug war' as I call it, is causing this to happen at an even greater rate. It is no surprise to me to find Kittsu, a night elf, to be worthy of praise, while Zusteakai, a troll, is worthy only of death.

As the future unfolds, all of us must begin to evaluate each person as an individual. Actions speak louder than words. Much, much, louder.

As for Lovely, she remains in the world, also as I planned. She has broken with her former guild, because they failed to support her in her time of need. She has bonded more closely with the Swordwaltzers and their charismatic leader, the Lady Kurohane, who was a loyal friend to Lovely throughout. The pieces are starting to fall into place for phase two. Lovely is alive, and carries my mark upon her neck. She will be yet my tool.

[clys]

(( OOC: Here are three screenshots I took during the event itself, just for your enjoyment ))


The Grim and their friends head to Silver Pine to get Lovely and face whatever Alliance may be there to resist:

http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/23.jpg



Lovely exits the portal, clad in only a white wedding dress, surrounded by the Horde:
http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/24.jpg


During the ensuing raid of SouthShore... well we almost killed the Magistrate :)
http://computer-man.us/fr/clysshots/25.jpg

[Rudrah]

Rumors of the death of Lovely flew like the wind, and the same wind soon caught Rudrah's perceptive ears...

While Rudrah certainly did not want that paladin's organs to be used for some feat of Black Magic, he couldn't help but feel somewhat sour... He wanted Lovely's sacrifice to be twarted in some way, yet the way the events unfolded left much discord into the ranks of the Horde.

"The tendrils of dark powers go so deep that they sow hatred into the blood and separate friends and family..." he scowled to himself.

Will there be a mean to vanquish Evil totally and forever? Rudrah was starting to doubt it.

[Zemekis]

Full report filed by the Scorned General, Zemekis verifying the betrayal of the Frostwolf Brotherhood even further:

The day was a typical day for Zemekis.. wake up
go to the auction house to check for rare items, go to the bank to organize his gear. But wait, somewhere along this morning routine a note caught his eye. A note from a group of people he had only met briefly asking for help in escorting a paladin. he decided then and there that whatever battles called him he would come to see how this turned out.

After ensuring the battle of Alterac Valley was favoring the horde once again, he contacted Clys. "A contingent of scorned will aid this effort, we will not fail!" I whispered along the hearthstone. We formed up in front of the undercity.. a vast army the alliance could not hope to vanquish. A speech was given, and we moved out on foot, yelling battle crys... but there was no alliance.. only the shadows of silverpine forest.

and then we came upon two night elfs near the keep.. who were quickly slaughtered. "Is this all they send to rescue lovely... I almost feel sorry for her, she is surely doomed" thought zemekis.. possibly mumbling aloud a bit.

after another speech about the mission lovely stepped out of the portal, greeted by catcalls and jeers from the horde.. and then she was quickly assinated by Kalu(Typhoon rogue) and members of the frostwolf brotherhood. "Well so much for that" I said. The bloodlust needed to be directed somewhere.. so southshore was attacked..

This quickly grew boring and I went to check on the status of lovely's body only to hear that she was gone and whereabouts unknown. But I found her.. amid the corpses of many, only two stood guard.. which I killed quickly. She was beautiful, I could not kill her but then again I had no idea what to do about her either... I flirted a bit.. but she rode off, ah well undead charm isnt much to work with. I followed of course only to meet another escort. His soul screamed a fine tune as it hit my soul pouch. My comrade akuu met up with me near the tower on the edges of the silverpine forest where we just stood there toying with lovely.. interupting her spells of healing and resurrection.

I started asking what We were to do with her over the battle channel but the only response I got was from the frostwolf brotherhood, he came and told her to go home.. Me and akuu stood there confused a bit, thinking we should really take her to the RAS now that we were done tormenting her... But about the time I thought this she shieled and called upon her hearthstone.. I was about to send a coil of death her way to stop her, but that smile.. It stilled my hand. So pure.. so alive, my moments hesitation was enough to let her escape. The feeling she left behind.. I could not understand. So I shruged and went back to the battlefield which I understood perfectly.

Thus was the end of an event that could have been a turning of the tides. an event that could have united the land.. under the banner of the horde. Because we would have had a powerful weapon much like the lich king had arthas.. but fear and misunderstanding of the forsaken had foiled our efforts.

As an end note I would like to say that my services as a general, treasure seeker, and high warlock are available to The Grim should they need assistance again.

[Danyxandra]

Danlily salutes the Scorned agent delivering the report and reads it. "So, the Frostwolf Brotherhood told Lovely to go home? First they killed her, knowing she may ressurrect as paladins are known to do, " Danlily scowls at the last part, "and when they find her ressurrected and alive, they tell the property of the RAS, they tell the lab-rat to go home. Interesting. The RAS will hear of this. Mistress Clys was right. There were enemies among the horde and the happenenings on this day succeeded in flushing them out."

[Kurohane]

((You know, I REALLY need to remember to cross post this sort of stuff. I'll blame it on being 6am when I wrote this.))

Kurohane flipped through the litteral pile of letters that had been accumlating in her mail over the past week, discarding the ones that were no longer relivant. The planned rescue had not gone as expected at all - but Lovely was now safe, and seemingly freed of her curse as well.

The events had unfolded with blinding speed, a whirlwind of people and plans. She, Galidon, Hokdor and Tanzias, someone she had litterally just met from the Keepers of Stromgarde guild, had traveled through the woods to the lake surrounding Lordaeron to wait as she had been instructed. And they waited... and waited. No word came from the Tears. No word from anyone - there seemed to be no other alliance in the area. She had felt her heart begin to sink. How could this happen? Where were the Tears of Elune? Where was Lorandir, who had been so adiment about saving Lovely?

Finally, with a biting anger, she ordered her tiny contingent to move. A large force might have stood a chance of ambush that close to the undead capitol - despite what a foul idea she had considered it - but four lone alliance? None nearly as seasoned as those she knew they would be facing? It would have surely ended in failure.

She marked out the place on the map and Galidon took the lead, Kurohane blindly following him as she took out the device that allowed for communcation across great distances. Her plea was desperate, she knew, to Liadain and she could only pray that the rouge would be able to rally a force and make it to her in time.

They had come to the barn Kurohane had chosen and slipped inside, dispatching the worgen that were calling it home. Hokdor huffed, glaring about as she and Galidon began laying out plans. The elves would blend themselves into the shadows near the road and pray not to be seen. When Lovely's enterouge passed, they would ambush them, try to clear a path for the paladin to escape. It was the best they could do. Hokdor was not best please to be left in the barn, alone and awaiting the word to come out of hiding, but he had hunkered down, blades at the ready.

They waited again, her heart now pounding against her chest with antisipation, but she drew her sense out over the land. The Tears HAD to be there. Somewhere, she was just missing them. They had to be- No. They were not. But another was - a dwarf she had spoke once, very briefly with. Torold. A small flurry of hope arose as she used that device once more to notify him of thier position.

And then the troll mage had come. She knew that he must have seen them, prancing around the area as he was on his mount, but she dared not move a hair. Mentally, she begged him to leave - she never saw the force that knocked her out coming.

When she came back to, she could since more presences in the area. Night Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Gnomes - The Blades of Lordaeron had come to thier aid and she could have jumped with joy, but stilled herself. There was work to be done.

What followed still seemed a blur in her memory. She had rattled off orders, began moving into position. Asverus had joined them, the only Tear to show. The Allaince moved into positon, Torold reporting on the Horde's movements.

Sighing, Kurohane tossed the last letter from the pile aside and folded the few she would keep for later refrence. It had been chaotic. However, Lovely was free, and thusly the mission was a sucess. One investigation and mission closed, several more opened. The various meetings that had followed the rescue that evening would keep her quite busy for months to come, she was sure. There were more people to save, in other manners, and the Alliance's lands to protect from the plight the Horde seemed to love bringing.

The work was never over, but for now, it was time to revel in a victory and rest.

[Fallacy]

The fierce winds of Silithus blew Fallacy's cloak around his body, covering much of his armor from filling with the sand that the gale carried. The tower of Cenarian Hold wasn't much of a sanctuary from the dangers of the land, but it proved to be able to hold off any Silithid attacks at the moment. As he climbed the steps, he carefully listened to his footsteps before the sound could be carried off the wind that blew down from the veranda atop the tower. When he reached the top, he found the person who had asked him for a private meeting, Zusteakai, co-leader of the Frostwolf Brotherhood.

He knew that the troll had attempted to assassinate the paladin, Lovely, as he had been at Shadowfang Keep to witness the event. He did not care for his intentions in doing so, as he was not one of the Forsaken, even though many assumed so. The Society's agenda was not his own, and the loss of Lovely was just another lost oppurtunity to stretch his voice out among the Alliance. The same had happened earlier a few days past, with an encounter in Orgrimmar with a rogue named Mayday, at which Zust was also present. That passing chance was probably the reason why the Frostwolf had asked for Fallacy's presence that night.

However, that incident was not on the troll's mind. Zust questioned Fallacy about his motives there, which he only gave vague hints in return. They surveyed the land together, until Zust asked him about the history of Silithus. Fallacy told him all that he knew, from the creation of Azeroth to the War of the Shifting Sands. He told the troll of his master's responsiblity in protecting the region, and why bronze dragons filled the sky.

Fallacy told Zust of what he truly thought of the Alliance, not as an enemy, but as an obstacle. There were things in the world, and beyond, that were a much larger threat to the order of Azeroth, and how the leaders among the Alliance had failed to uphold their part in protecting it. He told of the betrayal of Fandral Staghelm, and the entire Night Elf race that followed. He mentioned the death of Onyxia, which hopefully would change Stormwind's intent in the coming war. He spoke of the inevitable fall of Ironforge, with the failing health and the constant mourning of it's king.

With all this in mind, they went out from the tower, and rode south to the Scarab Wall, which left the troll shivering at times.

Most of all, Fallacy warned the troll to prepare as best as he could for the coming battle. He knew the troll would take it to mean agains the Qiraji, but he knew the conflict with them was only the beginning. Among the Forsaken and the Grim, he would be seen as a traitor to the Horde, while among others, a hero who stood against a possible corruption from the Alliance. It did not matter, however. Fallacy hated petty intra-faction politics, as he sought it as a way to distract from the real purpose that the Horde existed, and would keep his involvement with both groups to his own interest.

The tide was rising, and selfish desires, vengeance, and hatred only meant failure.