Housing for the Dead

[Hellista]

Hellista sighed as she looked at the ghost in disbelief. She put her books down, irritated that her studying had been interrupted once again. Her childlike voice spoke calmly, but with obvious anger at being disturbed. "So let me get this straight. You don't think you should be dead, right? And how is this different from all the other ghosts I have to see every day? You realize of course, that all of them are "Special Cases" and didn't deserve to die, at least in their minds."

She paused as the ghost answered, leaning back and rubbing her temples. Finally, when the ghost finished her argument, Hellista answered once more. "No, you are not special in any way. You are a human who got into shit that you couldn't handle. You let yourself be put into this situation, and you did not survive. Thats the end of your story. Now leave me alone, I have work to do. Can't you just accept things and move on?"

To the other person in the room, Celuna, it must have seemed that Hellista was insane. She carried a conversation with the air itself, her mood quickly changing to irritation and anger. But Celuna had seen this before. She knew Hellista was a Dead-Talker, a being granted the ability to see and speak to spirits.

After Hellista listened to the ghost once more, she sighed in frustration. "Okay okay. Fine. I will help you, if only to get you to shut up....And of course, you know me well enough to know that I will try anything once. But I tell you, if this doesn't work, you are on your own and I will ask your to keep your tainted-ass spirit form away from me. You got that?"

Hellista then looked over at Celuna and smiled. "Celuna dear, I have to go out for a bit. The ghosts have plans for me it seems. And if you see Atanasia before I do, tell her I'm looking for her. And Celuna, lets keep this between ourselves, okay?"

[Skafloc]

(( Now what is she up to? . ))

[Hellista]

Hellista wore her black festival suit and her Netherweave Boots as she approached the gates of the Nex'Cruor manor. The place was a source of amusement for her as always, with its strange guardians and the atmosphere of chaos surrounding it. She knocked on the front door, waiting for a moment until the tall man known as Smurch answered. He raised an eyebrow at her as he spoke in his abnormally deep voice. "You rang?"

Hellista smiled at the lanky giant and nodded. "Greetings, Smurch. I was wondering if Atanasia could come out and play....Is she available?"

Smurch sighed and nodded. "I shall see. Wait here."

Hellista stood in the doorway, looking at the paintings in the foyer as she hummed a tune to herself. She glanced over her shoulder at the silver haired human ghost and rolled her eyes. "You realize," she said to the ghost, "that if this works, you will owe me. Big time."

The ghost said nothing, seeming to look past her into the mansion as if memories of the place invaded her mind. She had a look of wonder, fear, and anger on her dead face. Hellista smiled and waited.

Moments later, Atanasia strolled toward her, moving silently and with purpose, as the automaton often did. "Good morning, Hellista Lok'Tharis. What do you require of me today?"

Hellista bowed before the construct. "I would like you to accompany me, Atanasia. I have a gift for you."

[Hellista]

Hellista took Atanasia to her dorm room located within the halls of Silvermoon University. The room was large, with enough room in it for two people to live comfortably. She and Celuna shared the room, and had converted it into a place for study and relaxation. Books lined the walls of the room, and it was decorated with troll inspired art. Above Hellista's bed was a painting of a large tree covered in serpents, and above Celuna's bed was a painting of a large tiger that Hellista had commisioned for her undead friend.

On one side of the room was a makeshift altar that Hellista had built out of wood and animal bones. She led Atanasia to the altar and asked her to lay on it. Atanasia did so with a curious look in her eye as she spoke in her monotone voice. "Hellista, I trust that whatever you have in store for me will not go against the wishes of House Nex'Cruor, correct?"

Hellista giggled and nodded at the construct. "Of course not. Clys would want this. Now please, lie down and relax. I have a gift for you."

Atanasia lied upon the altar and tried to make herself comfortable. Hellista grinned at the ivory skinned construct and ran her fingers through the woman's white hair. "Atanasia, I am going to give you a soul."

Atanasia blinked, processing the information. "Hellista, that is impossible. I am a construct, and there is not a possible way to give me a soul. This has already been discussed."

Hellista chuckled. "Of course I can give you a soul. Your mistress Clys has made this possible. Now relax...I have a ritual to perform."

Clys Nex'Cruor. Hellista smiled as she went over the name in her head over and over again. This woman was the antithesis of everything the loa's stood for. She manipulated nature by use of science for her own needs, without thinking of the consequence of her actions. Hellista had much respect for her, but after watching the events with Lovely, Hellista knew that things needed to be set right.

Clys had unknowingly created a soul. The one that inhabited the body Lovely Nex'Cruor currently walked around in. She had even had this "New Lovely" kill the human part of herself, destroying the soul of her former self in an effort to get her genetically created Sin'Dorei body ready for immortality.

But what Clys didn't realize is that a soul cannot be destroyed. It can be killed, but such is the way of nature that nothing is supposed to be created or destroyed. The Loa would look upon what Hellista was about to do with great favor, and Dambala would be pleased. This human soul that had been displaced would now be set on course.

"Atanasia," Hellista said in her eerie voice, "Please close your eyes and do not open them until I give you the command."

Atanasia closed her eyes as commanded, and Hellista set about decorating her body with troll paint, drawing circles around her eyes, and painting symbols of the loa on the rest of her body. She then looked at the ghost and smiled. "We are almost ready."

[Hellista]

The ghost watched as Hellista began the ritual. Candles were placed atop the skulls of several Kaldorei, and were lit with green felfire as Hellista began to speak in the Troll tongue, uttering prayers to Dambala. She wore her voodoo mask and nothing else as she smeared blood on herself with one hand, while the other held a small crystal containing the soul of one of her victims.

Atanasia lay still on the altar, processing this information with curiosity. The runes painted on her body began to glow and she suddenly became aware of a feeling of emptiness inside her. Her mind began to wander, aimlessly looking about the room until without realizing it she had left her body. She looked at the naked Voodoo priestess standing over her albino form, and wondered why it was so hard to rationalize what was transpiring.

Moments later, Hellista broke her troll-speak and uttered a sentence in broken common to the ghost. "Now! Take it!"

The ghost did what it was told, and in a flash of green light, the soul inside the crystal was consumed. Spiritual serpents enclosed Hellista and Atanasia's body, until finally Hellista fell to her knees, breathing heavily.

A moment later, all was still. Hellista removed the mask and looked upon the form in front of her. She spoke once more in broken common. "Tell me, what is your name?"

Atanasia's body opened its eyes and sat up. She looked around the room in shock and disbelief. "My name....is Lovely of Lakeshire."

[Villayna]

((lol))

[Lovely]

One Week Later:


Lovely stood at the door to Hellista's dorm room, pounding rapidly on it. "Hellista, I know you are in there. We need to talk."

After a few moments, Hellista opened the door. Her red hair was skewed about her sleepy face in a random pattern, and it was obvious she had been sleeping. Lovely looked past her into the room and then sighed. "Where is she? Where is Atanasia?"

Hellista blinked. "Well, her name isn't Atanasia anymore it seems. I set her free several days ago. She was getting on my nerves."

Lovely bit her lip, stopping herself from growling. "Lascivious told me what you did. Hellista...I don't even know what to say. But I do know this....You are going to help me find Atanasia and bring her back. And then you and I are going to sit down and discuss a few things."

Hellista chuckled. "Look, lady, I've already done a good deed for you....Er, Human you, whatever the fel it is this week....I'm not doing anything but working on my studies and conforming to the laws. I'm a good girl now."

Lovley rolled her eyes. "Look, if you don't help me with this, you will be spending plenty of time in detention...and I am sure there are probably some school rules about having all this Amani Troll stuff in your room. I don't think the City Leaders care too much for whatever god you worship."

Hellista folded her arms and huffed. "Dambala. And he's a loa. Okay, you win....For now. I'll work on finding her. But you owe me, you hear?"

Lovely nodded with a sigh.

[Hellista]

Hellista stood in the open courtyard of the Ruins of Lordaeron, and to an outsider seemed to be acting quite insane. She paced back and forth, pointing at the air, and barking out orders to figures that weren't there. "You, check near Ambermill, and you go to Ellwyn. Now."

She ran her hand through her crimson hair, rolling her eyes. "Look, I don't care what it takes, just find the stupid bitch and tell me where she is. I will take care of the rest. Now go, and remember what I said. There are hundreds of you, and all you misbegotten bastards owe me favors. Spread in the formation I selected, and then when one of you gets information, send it back piggyback, you hear. I didn't call you here because you were pretty."

This was getting on Hellista's nerves. Everything connected to Lovely was filled with stupidity. The woman was a magnet for chaos, and Hellista was always seeming to get caught up in the middle of it. Perhaps it was time for Hellista to enact her plan to have Lovely arrested again...No, not yet.

Hellista had tried to keep this quiet, but she had in fact contacted a few of the Nex'Cruor family. Atanasia, the construct that Lovely's human soul resided in, was property of their family, and was probably worth quite a bit of money. But Hellista was on good terms with Clys, so hopefully that would work out well. She had also talked to Evanthe and Skafloc, and had asked them to keep an eye out.

Returning to her dorm room, Hellista sat on her bed and tried to relax, all the while researching possible ways to take the soul back out of Atanasia without harming the construct.

[Crysa]

((>.>))

[Lovely]

Lovely lay in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. The events of last night had left her exhausted, even after she had slept, and she was deep in thought. She was with Tamora once again, and Lascivious had gone. It was sad, because she truly loved the forsaken, but it was a neccessary hurt for both parties to ensure less pain in the future. However, this was not what was on her mind.

Lovely had met with Izrail and Visant for quite some time in the Undercity last night. Izrail had given her many answers about her condition, and she had told him about her human soul, and what Hellista had done with it.

The trio discussed options. Izrail suggested Evanthe may be up to no good if she found the human soul, and assued Lovely that the warlock was not nice, as Lovely believed. Lovely wasn't sure what to think of that.

In joking, Izrail had discussed capturing both the human soul in Atanasia's body, and Hellista. He said he might be able to switch their minds to teach Hellista a lesson about what she was doing wrong...always meddling. Lovely and Visant were both surprised by the idea, but suddenly began to think. This was an actual possibility.

Lovely thought of Hellista. She had no memories of this so called "Death Shaman." However, since her memory loss only seemed to affect bad things, it was possible that Hellista was a large enemy of hers. Already they had been fighting about small things, and according to others they had a very long history of tormenting one another.

Hellista worshipped a troll god too...an evil one bent on treachery. She was a practicing cannibal, and had once been locked up for eating her own family. Surely she deserved to be punished.

Lovely smiled as she thought about the Death Shaman cut off from her own body. A fitting reward for one who meddled in the affairs of the dead. A reward for one so vile and evil. Yes....This was something that needed to happen.

[Hellista]

The crumpled form of a plague victim stood in the doorway to Hellista's dorm room. He had been young when he died, and his skin still had almost an ounce of color to it. His jaw was partially torn open, revealing teeth, but other than that, he was one of the more decent ghosts that Hellista had ever encountered. Hellista listened as the spirit talked to her.

"Undercity, eh," Hellista said with a smirk. "And then what did Lovely and her family talk about, pray tell?"

The spirit finished his tale, and Hellista chuckled with a sigh. "Oh, thats rich. Well, never let it be said that I am unprepared. If that little bitch and her family want to do me wrong, I think they will find Hellista Lok'tharis to be quite ready. It's time to show her that SHE is the one meddling in things she isn't ready for."

The spirit talked again for a moment, bringing up several factors of thought. Hellista laughed defiantly. "Ha! No, I'm not scared of any of her allies. I have Dambala on my side, in case you forgot. And no, I don't need any alliances with her enemies either. I think I already know what to do."

Hellista then shooed the spirit away and began assembling some gnome bones in a pattern on her bed. It was time to plan.

[Lascivious]

(so much for those two working things out.)

[Evanthe]

Evanthe was bored, and boredom didn't sit well with her. She had been watching her pet birds fly around the castle aviary for the past hour, and even her brother's old parot's spot-on mimicry had lost its punch. She briefly considered starting a new painting, but the inspiration wasn't there. No, merely slapping down some paint on canvas wouldn't calm her restlessness. She needed a challenge, needed to toy with something. No, not something. Someone. Not a stranger. No, that wouldn't be as much fun. Someone she knew. Someone like... Lovely.

Lovely's plea came back to her. Will you capture her soul and give it to me for safe-keeping? Safe keeping? Perhaps. She could, as she told the paladin, fashion a necklace out of the shard formed by the crystalized soul. Or she could do something else with it. Something more fun. Sacrifice it to enslave a demon, perhaps. Or perhaps use it to store her own soul for safe keeping. Wouldn't that be fun? Using Lovely's old human soul (if that's indeed what this was) to keep her own soul safe. Or she could turn it into a healthstone, that delicious bit of soul-candy. She wondered what it would be like to eat part of Lovely's soul. The paladin was nervous about a possible link betweeen her soul and whatever soul was now residing in the construct, and Evanthe was just a bit curious. If there was a link, doubtful as it might seem, wouldn't it be fun to see what happened to Lovely when the other soul was crushed, consumed, used up? Perhaps.

Of course, first she had to find the construct, and soon, as Hellista was looking for her, too. Evanthe stood up and reached for her hearthstone.

[Skafloc]

(( See? Not evil, just misunderstood. >< ))

[Hellista]

(( See? Not evil, just misunderstood. >< ))

((LMFAO))

[Hellista]

The ghosts had not yet given Hellista the information she needed. But now there was something to think about. She was already working on a contingency plan in case Izrail and the Nex'Cruors tried something shifty, but now Hellista was in a race to get the construct before Lovely. If she could get to the soul first, she would have far more leverage to work out a plan.

Lovely had told Izrail that Evanthe might be looking for Atanasia also. This was something Hellista considered. She liked Evanthe, and felt a kinship to the warlock, but she didn't trust Evanthe one bit. Anyone who did was a fool, as it was obvious that Evanthe served herself. On the off chance that Evanthe found the construct first, it might be wise to deal with that as well.

Hellista drummed her fingers on her knee. Yes, the ghosts weren't doing their jobs. It was time to hurry things along. She needed to find someone who could locate a person no matter where they might be hiding. But who? Who could Hellista trust?

For a moment, Hellista thought about asking the Blood Knights for help, but the mere thought of it sent her into a state of cackling madness. Not that any Blood Knights would help her anyway. She had killed a couple of their number, and her pardon was shaky at best. Of course, they had deserved to die.

Perhaps the Scryers could help. They had the means. But Hellista had allied herself with the Aldor. What a mistake that was. Those stupid squid headed freaks were on her last nerve from day one. Perhaps it was time to switch sides.

Then the thought hit her. Why should she look for Atanasia? Why not make Atanasia come to her? After all, she had the one thing that "Human Lovely" held dear.....Sleeping in the same room as her....

....Celuna.

[Evanthe]

Evanthe narrowly dodged the Aldor, giving him a rude gesture as she passed. Silly squid-goat-thing. Truthfully, it had been more her fault than his, lost in thought as she was. Of course, that didn't mean he shouldn't look where he was going. Most certainly not.

Hellista was what was occupying her mind. What a very strange girl. Amusing, yes. Amusment was never lacking where Hellista was concerned. Amusing, and quite possibly insane. A combination which might cause some to underestimate the girl. Of course, it would be a very, very foolish thing to do so. For all her quirks and weird antics, she was also powerful and unpredictable. Two things that made her very dangerous. Deadly.

Hellista- amusing, crazy, dangerous, deadly. Evanthe smirked. And oh so easy to use.

She constantly sought out new experiences. Framing almost anything as something 'new' was sure to arouse Hellista's interest. And then there was that other way Evanthe could control her... She had only used it for petty mischief and information. Perhaps it was time to do something more?

Another idea floated to the front of her mind. Hellista's roommate. The new-and-improved-Sin'Dorei Lovely didn't seam to remember, or care, that her human sister was now undead and sharing a room with the troll-worshipping girl. But Evanthe was sure this soul, if it was Lovely's human side, would care.

Perhaps a visit to the Silvermoon University dorms was in order. A visit to sweet little Hellista and her dear little roommate.

Evanthe turned towards the Silvermoon Portal.

[Hellista]

((ROFL I love you Evanthe.))

[Evanthe]

[ I love you, too! :D ]

[Hellista]

Hellista sighed and looked at her clock. Classes should be letting out soon. She regretted skipping her biology class now, as the time would have passed much faster if she were carving up captive Kal'dorei. Soon....Soon Celuna would be out of class, and then Hellista would talk to her.

She planned to tell Celuna of her sister. The time was right, and it suited Hellista's plans perfectly. If everything went right, Celuna would do Hellista's job for her and the errant construct with the tainted human soul would come knocking on her door.

Hellista thought it humorous for a moment, how family can make a person do things. She had killed most of her own family, of course, but families that had love for one another could almost always be forced into situations. This wasn't always a good thing, but Hellista needed to accomplish this goal. The fate of pissing off that insane paladin rode on this. She could not fail.

[Hellista]

Tamora.

Hellista had just hearthed to Shattrath after receiving a summons from the orc. She sat in the tavern at World's End, her mind ticking as the orc spoke. Tamora was very clear. "I want you to find Atanasia, and bring her to me."

This was going to throw a wrench in Hellista's plans. Tamora explained that Lovley belonged to her. Hellista knew they were life mates, but the way it sounded, Tamora was definately the alpha mate in that scenario. Hellista did a little mock gagging and giggled, trying to make light of the discussion.

Tamora would not waver. She very politely threatened Hellista if Lovely was harmed in any way. Normally, Hellista would have thrown a shadowbolt at someone for talking to her thusly, but Tamora was one of the few people she actually liked and respected.

Reluctantly, Hellista made a deal with the warrior. She gave her some information, and agreed to turn Lovely over to her.

This deal grated on Hellista's nerves. Sure, she was what people considered crazy and evil, but she always stuck by her word. And she had given it in return for a few things. Tamora would make sure Lovely didn't try to attack Hellista...But Hellista still didn't like this.

Perhaps there was a way around it. Dammit, she thought.....Celuna needs to be found, and some other people need to be consulted.

[Evanthe]

Evanthe left a note tucked between the doorknob and the frame of Hellista's door.


Hellista,
I was bored today and wanted to speak with you. It seems you're out.

Pity.

~Evanthe Cindersong

[Hellista]

Hellista rubbed her temples as she read the note. Such a short note, but it said so much. Evanthe had been by the school, more than likely searching for Celuna. At least thats what Hellista assumed. A smart person would try to use Celuna, and Evanthe's intelligence had never been in question.

This was now a race. If Evanthe got custody of the soul, there was no telling what she might do. Hellista had now made a bargain with Tamora, and she intended to see it through. Perhaps it was time to meet with Evanthe and discuss things....

Hellista picked wrote her own note and sent it via goblin mail to the warlock.

"Dearest Evanthe,

It seems you and I are searching for the same thing. I would hope to speak with you at once.

Hellista."

[Celuna]

"You grow fat and timid, Little Cub." The tiger's tail lashed back and forth. "Books are to be read by firelight after a day of battles."

Celuna put down the book and looked at where her stomach use to be. "I think I could use some fattening up, to be honest."

Shirvalla scream-growled. "Mark my words Little Cub, you are becoming the prey, not the hunter. Didn't you have enough of the life of rabbits when you were human?" He lept off of the rock and loped back into the jungle.

Celuna listened to the song of the brook and the feel of the sun on her face. She closed her eyes and smiled. But then the jungle got quiet, and a cloud passed over, leaving her cold. When she opened her eyes again it was dark. Where was everyone? And why was it so cold? She shivered. It began to snow, and the stream froze over, and the jungle turned white. It was then she saw the snake-eyes watching her.

Celuna's head jerked up from the dusty tome. The room was full of bookcases and little desks, the high-vaulted room was illuminated by large windows covered in thin colored silk. The SMU Library may not have been that large, but it was still majestic in Sindorei fashion.

She looked around, disoriented. She had obviously fallen asleep at her studies, and it was now day, but where was the librarian? Why wasn't she woken up instead of left with a crick in her neck from sleeping at such an odd angle?

Oh, right...that's been there since she died. Celuna grabbed the back of her head with one hand and her jawbone with the other and wretched her head to one side, and then to the other side, the neckbones snapping into place...at least temporarily.

She stretched and yawned. Her notepad was open and she read over the notes she had been making before passing out. Gibberish.

She sighed and flipped back to the start of the chapter and began reading and taking notes again.

[Evanthe]

Evanthe read over the letter, a smirk playing at her lips. This meeting should be fun. She penned out her respose and dropped a few silver in the hands of a passing Sin'Dorei youth to ensure its prompt delivery.


Hellista,

Meet me in the Silvermoon Inn in an hour. Don't be late.

Evanthe

Now, though, she had some time to kill. Perhaps she should spend it wandering around the University campus. Although she wasn't at her dorm room, little Celuna was bound to be around somewhere.

[Hellista]

Hellista arrived at the inn as per the instructions of the letter. She wore her Netherweave gear, along with a necklace made of bones and decorated with a serpent symbol. Her crimson hair hung loose about her face, and she sat on one of the sofas in the upstairs room.

She had heard through her contacts that Lovely had in fact talked to Celuna last evening, but that nothing had come from it. Poor Lovely. She had no idea how to motivate people, Hellista thought. Celuna had been elusive since then, and Hellista hoped to find her soon.

Now, she waited on Evanthe.

[Celuna]

Celuna squiggled up her nose at the diagram on the page. "Ewwww...." she said outloud.

She wasn't sure why should should have to take Xenobiology as a Psychology major, but here she was looking at gnome reproductive organs.

"No wonder they give me the willies. I don't think I liked them when I was alive either."

"Shhhh!" A nearby Sindorei girl hissed at her. Celuna would have blushed if her complexion had allowed for it. She nodded at her and looked back down at her book.

"Ewwwww!" She whispered again.

[Evanthe]

Evanthe wandered around the sprawling Silvermoon University campus, looking around for any sign of the Forsaken girl. She passed countless giggling students, arms full of books, speaking in hushed tones about some boy or some professor or the latest fashions for sale at the Bazaar. Still, there were very few of the undead here, and no females. She briefly considered stopping one or two, but alerting Celuna that someone was looking for her didn't seem wise, at least before she could have her little chat with Hellista.

She turned north and followed a particularly boisterous group of trolls into a large building. An offensive odor immediately assaulted her senses, causing her to recoil and slam the door shut. She must have stumbled across some sort of science lab where the students dissected various creatures. She walked away, turning the corner and noticing a sign on the side of the building she had just left. It wasn't a science lab at all. It was the cafeteria.

This little walk around the campus was growing tiresome, and the thought of walking back into the stench-filled cafeteria made her stomach turn. She still needed to find Celuna, of course. But that didn't mean she had to search for the girl by herself, oh no. This sort of unplesantness was exactly why she had minions.

Evanthe muttered a word under her breath and almost instantly her succubus Zahona appeared, invisible to all but her master.

"How can I serve you, Mistess?" the demon purred. She reached out to stroke the warlock's ebony hair, but a glance from Evanthe stopped her cold. There were some warlocks who held their demons in high regard, seeking them for advice and companionship. Evanthe Cindersong was not one of those warlocks. Those warlocks were fools who afforded their demons too much power. Sooner or later they would pay for their own ineptitude and lack of foresight. Demons were simply tools to be used and controlled. To consider them more would be to relinquish some manner of control. And that would be very, very silly.

"I need you to find an undead named Celuna. Discretely. Check all the buildings on the campus. Notify me at once when you have found her. Do not let her from your sight. And do not let yourself be seen."

"Yes, Mistress," the succubus cooed before taking off to do as she was commanded. Evanthe turned towards the main entrance. She had a date to keep with Hellista.

[Atanasia]

Atanasia sat huddled in an abandoned house near Eastvale Logging Camp. She was cold, but had an old blanket thrown over her. Outside, she looked at the gnolls who wandered the lands, and she ignored them. Killing them wouldn't solve her problems.

This was a mistake, she thought to herself. She had been killed...This wasn't supposed to happen this way. Clys had always been good to her, after she had taken her into the Immortalis. What had gone wrong?

She thought back to days gone by. She was Lovely of Lakeshire, a virtuous Paladin, a Warrior of the light who used her powers for nothing but good. She wanted so hard to show the world love....And that was her downfall.

Lovely of Lakeshire had allowed herself to be taken by Clys Nex'Cruor and the Immortalis, naively believing that they would respond to her love with love of their own. Because love conquered everything, right?

She had walked right into their web. She freely gave them blood samples, freely gave them herself, and her love....and freely gave them her soul. When Clys and Danlily had tortured her, they had taken her innocence. They had taken what was Lovely of Lakeshire and turned it into something else. Something tainted.

She tried to think back. Was she already tainted before this?

No.

She was a virgin. She was dating a Knight of the Silver Hand. They were planning to be married. She was respected, and loved by her people.

She threw it away.

After being branded, she was a servant of the Immortalis. Lovely of Lakeshire was now known as Lovely the tainted. The demon of lust and despair had grown within her, and she had lost it all, including her sanity. She did many unspeakable things, and finally sold her soul to evil when she agreed to help Clys kill those orphaned infants. The price of immortality, so Clys said. She had told Lovely that she would have a place in the Immortalis...that she would be immortal. What a crafty liar Clys Nex'Cruor was.

Atanasia thought back to more recent events. As Lovely the Tainted, she had finally succumbed to the ways of sin, and was near death. Her body had become crippled by abuse, her sanity had long since been buried. She had no other choice but to call on Clys, to beg her for help. Lovely the Tainted feared death. She feared being judged for the evils she had committed. She didn't want to die.

Clys brought her to House Nex'Cruor. She grew Lovely of Lakeshire a new body, a perfect Sin'Dorei body. Lovely of Lakeshire was healthy, and now had a family. She had become Lovely Nex'Cruor.

Yet things were wrong. She was Sin'Dorei, but she was still human. Her soul was still the same soul she had been born with outside of the Redridge Mountains. Conflicts arose, especially with her new allies in the horde, who saw her as a traitor. She had to learn to adapt....to learn the ways of the Sin'Dorei...and to try to put her human self behind her.

Doing this was difficult, but with a Sin'Dorei body came a Sindoei brain, even if the soul of a human inhabited it. She accepted that she was Nex'Cruor. Sin'Dorei. She fooled her soul into believing it.

Then came the day Clys had promised her. Immortality. All that time ago, Clys had promised Lovely the Tainted that she would be immortal. But now she said that Lovely would have to get rid of her humanity. She had agreed...the Sin'Dorei. After all, humanity was something she had been trying to put behind her. She was Nex'Cruor now.

But what Lovely Nex'Cruor didn't realize was that Lovely of Lakeshire, the Tainted Paladin, was another part of herself. On the astral plane, she had fought herself. Two parts of a soul battling for the right to live within an immortal body. And Lovely of Lakeshire lost this battle. Lovely of Lakeshire died.

But it didn't end there. Lovely of Lakeshire became aware days later. She was a ghost, and she watched this....Sin'dorei with hatred and jealousy. This being had taken her body from her, the body Clys had promised her. Clys...The Liar. Immortal indeed...Kill your humanity....

Lovely of Lakeshire gritted her teeth in this construct body, furious with Clys Nex'Cruor. It was not Lovely that became immortal. It was something Clys had made. Something Clys had grown. Clys had thrown Lovely of Lakeshire away, discarding her as she would trash.

But Hellista had put Lovely of Lakeshire into this body and set her free. This construct body....Immortal just as the Sin'Dorei Lovely's body. This body was flawed, with no color pigment, and light sensitive eyes...But it was strong. It was a product of the Immortalis.

And it housed the spirit of a very pissed off human.

[Hellista]

Hellista watched from the bushes outside the front gates of Silvermoon as Tamora and Atanasia met. Moments later, Celuna showed up. Hellista did not make them aware of her presence.

Atanasia did in fact still house the human soul of Lovely of Lakeshire, and had apparently decided not to hide anymore. Interesting, Hellista thought. This would cause all kinds of entertainment. Especially with Tamora.

Atanasia explained to them who she was, and what she was, and Celuna seemed happy with it all. Poor Celuna, Hellista thought. The girl had lost all of her marbles when she had died. But she was now in Hellista's care, and Hellista thought of her as family. She served a loa too, although Hellista wasn't sure if Celuna actually knew this.

Tamora, though, was very interesting to watch. Hellista had been watching the orcess for a long time, thinking of her as a friend, but also keeping tabs on her activities. The Sin'Dorei Paladin Lovely was her life mate, but that didn't seem to be a monogamous thing in Tamora's eyes. Poor Sin'Dorei Lovley was bound for another heartache soon, not that Hellista cared.

What did surprise Hellista was just how much fire Atanasia had in her soul, now that she had a soul. Atanasia didn't seem to care about affairs of the heart. She just wanted vengeance against Clys Nex'Cruor for an apparent lie.

Hellista almost chuckled out loud as she watched the contruct with the human soul rant and rave about how evil Clys and Skafloc were. She was even more amazed after the "meeting" when she saw the construct mouth off to several Grim.

Atanasia had gone back and apologized shortly thereafter, apparently realizing that it was best not to make waves at this point. But still, Hellista could not help but almost respect this human soul.

The next day, Hellista encountered Lascivious, hinting to her about these events. She herself was forbidden to interfere, but giving Lascivious information was never a bad thing. And Lascivious actually hit on her afterwards. Interesting indeed. It was time to sit back and see what would happen.

[clys]

A page from Clys' journal:

I am slightly disturbed. Hellista came to me today, telling me that Lovely's human soul had come to her, clamoring to be heard, shouting at Hellista endlessly about how badly it was treated, and how unjustly, and whatever else. And, rather than let the bit of displaced spirit dissipate, Hellista used her magics to put that bit of a spirit into the body of Atanasia, my failed but nontheless interesting construct.

Hellista actually thought this was Lovely's human soul. I had to force myself not to laugh. That's not a soul. That's nothing but the child that we all leave behind when we become adults. In the normal course of events, the child dies, and the adult takes its place. The whining and crying of the child are replaced by the thought and control of the adult. For Lovely, becoming an adult was harder than for most, because she started out in the wrong place. But she succeeded, and I am very proud of her.

I swear, people are so incredibly stupid sometimes. What did Hellista think she was doing? Lovely herself battled and defeated that small immature part of her spirit that was always causing trouble, the part that brought her no end of problems and drama and upset, the very part that caused her lack of control and constant debasement of herself. She fought it, and won. She cleansed herself. She improved herself. She did what all strong people do...she changed herself into something better. She grew up.

So, Hellista then takes that evil bit of spirit, that whiny childishness, that loud-mouthed bitching essence, and keeps it alive by putting it into the unsuspecting and innocent Atanasia. Of course, once there it immediately starts causing trouble. Again.

I told Hellista quite clearly what I thought of her actions. She calls herself a Death Shaman. She claims to be powerful, and in control. She can talk to the dead! She can control souls! And yet she gives in immediately to the childish whining of some tiny bit of dead spirit, left over when Lovely expunged it from herself.

I told her that I was not impressed with her weakness. I told her that if she was really as powerful as she says she is, she'd find a way to control spirits, not let them control her. So what if they scream? Muzzle them! So what if they want something? Impose your will on them! Who is in control, I asked her, you, or them?

She appeared to see the truth of my words. A little light went on in her eyes. I told her that if you don't have the power yourself, then find a greater power and figure out a way to get IT to do what you want. There is *always* a way to achieve your goal, once you define the goal.

This whole episode has decreased my respect for Hellista tremendously. I thought she had more sense. I saw her as a thinker, a doer, a controller, but she turns out to be a whipped dog, running to and fro at the bidding of many masters. Such a shame.

Well, I hope at least she will reverse her little experiment with Atanasia. Lovely managed to rise above her upbringing, and laid to rest her immaturity. Let it remain dead. Lovely herself killed it. It no longer has the right, nor the power, to continue to cause trouble. Hellista's meddling has dredged up something that would in the normal course of things be left behind. Death Shaman, indeed. Hellista isn't living up to her self-proclaimed title. She has less control than most of the freshman-year warlocks at the University. Honestly.

Of course, whatever Hellista does, or doesn't do, it's just a ripple in the pond. In the overall scheme of things, it matters not at all. Lovely has grown up, and put her childish ways behind her. She no longer thinks as a child, or acts as a child. This is as it should be.

If need be, I suppose I can cleanse Atanasia myself. But for now I'll wait and see if Hellista can manage it on her own. She, too, needs to mature. Perhaps I can help her, as I've helped Lovely. Time will tell