43. Dying

43. Dying of my 100 Theme Challenge
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Featuring my priestess Alayda (now the DK Alayda) and my "brother's" character, Ronis. He is not my real brother but a very good friend who looks out for me, just like Ronis and Alayda who are not actual siblings either but have always referred to each other as such. I decided to link this picture to how Alayda died as a priestess to go along with the other picture I made of her rising as a DK. Please be advised this story is a bit long and probably full of typos since I typed this up at 4 in the morning. If you DO read the story, I thank you for doing so and hope you enjoy it. ♥
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When Alayda had not returned by nightfall, Ronis had begun to worry. He knew she would have just remarked how silly he was to do so when she eventually did show up. Still, he could not help fussing over his sister, especially since she had come all the way out to Hyjal to "visit" him.

He was a Cenarion guard at one of the remote outposts in Hyjal, and when she had suddenly showed up unannounced, he had nearly pulled her by the ears if only to deafen her while he yelled some colorful choice of words at her face. He had been appalled and horrified at the whole situation, but at the same time not surprised she would take such a risk. He was quite happy to see her as well, but he would have been a fool to ler her know that.

She could stay the day, but she was to be sent straight to Nordassil for proper protection before nightfall. She stayed...through the night, the next morning, and for another fortnight before Ronis began to give up on demanding (and pleading) she go.

"I'm a priestess!" she chimed. "Really, you would be the one in danger were I to leave. You had plenty of wounds for me to heal when I arrived."

She was right, of course. He and most of his batallion he was in charge of had suffered many griveous injuries while trying to hold the Twilight Cultists at bay. Healing them anew had given them the advantage and had actually been able to push the Twilight back in their most recent skirmish.

It had been four days since that battle, and the scouts had reported there were no signs of the cultists for miles around. It was only then that Ronis agreed to letting Alayda walk to one of the nearby lakes to freshen up...or as she had put it "stroll through the forest and pick some flowers."

Stroll through the forest, indeed, he thought. His lips drew thin as he smirked at the corner of his mouth. She could be at the front of the lines of a battle and still not be aware of the danger.

He was all too familiar with it though. Just because there had been no sightings for a few days did not mean they had made a full retreat. It could simply be the calm before the storm.

They may be regrouping, waiting for reinforcements.

Ronis had let his mind wander for some time before he noticed two scouts returning from patrol, coming up the hill he stood atop of. They were running as if the ground would swallow them up should they stop for a single second. Ronis met them halfway down the hill.

"What news?" he demanded.

"Captain! The Twilight has returned from the east!" the male rang out. "They have a recruitment camp near Wintergrasp's border and have just deployed them to join the battle front."

"They are vastly inexperienced," the female chimed in. "But they come in great numbers."

"How many?" Ronis asked. He realized he had broken out into a cold sweat. "And from where exactly?"

Both the scouts turned to gaze into the horizon. The male pointed first, and already Ronis was scrambling around the camp.

"20 miles between those two peaks there. We came soon as they started marching. They should be at our old outpost by the time--captain?"

They watched their captain as he grabbed for his sword and two daggers, along with one of the medical packs each guard was given as part of their standard equipment. He did not bother with his armor.

"They are going by the lake, where Lady Alayda is," he yelled, over his shoulder as he was running past them now back the way they had come from.

The scouts gasped in union, horrified. "Had we known she was there we would have retrieved her on the way back!"

"Get everyone ready and in formation!" he ordered before he was competely out of earshot. He turned then and broke out into a full sprint, his feet barely touching the ground.

Elune, keep her safe, Ronis prayed. Keep her hidden and safe until I get there.

~*~*~*~

"Ouch!" Alayda cursed silently as she pricked her finger on another thorn. "Elune's blood, I can heal a dying man with these hands, but apparently a single flower gets the best of me."

She sighed as she rubbed her finger, drying off the tiny droplet of blood she had drawn and made to pick the flower again, this time being much more careful, watching exactly where she planted her fingers on the stem, between the thorns. She must have pricked her fingers at least once on every flower she picked. Still, she would not be discouraged. She had at least ten by now, just two more and she would have the dozen she had come for. She planned to give the flowers to Nerili today, one of the guards in her brother's batallion. It was her birthday today and Alayda was determined for her to have at least one present on her special day. Nerili loved flowers, Alayda noticed. She was always fussing over the ones near their camp and after the men to be careful not to trample on them. Unforuantely, they had been all burnt during the last attack from the Twilight or covered in ash from all the smoke and died. Most of the land had been, in fact, but Alayda figured the flowers near the lake would still thrive thanks to the water.

"And that makes 12," she chirped happily as she grasped the flowers together and tied the stems with a ribbon she had brought along. She had been on her knees the whole time picking the flowers at the base of the trees. She groaned softly as she began to stand up, then froze, her breath caught in her throat.

At least 200, she throught. There were at least 200 Twilight cultists marching not 50 yards from her. They were up the bank on the old worn trail that ran along the perimeter of the lake to the mountain border nearby. Very, very slowly, she lowered herself back down, out of sight behind the tree she had been plucking the flowers from, her eyes peering over one of the roots that thankfully offered her further protection and hiding from view. She did not plan to move from that spot until the last of them had marched by and were out of sight.

She studied them and noticed their armor...they had none. They wore basic clothing that barely looked like it protected them from the cold air in Hyjal. Being so close to Winterspring, the weather here was more chilled then not. Their formation was also sloppy and unorganized, most of them going at their own pace and almost stepping on heels. They must be some of the new recruits. Surely no match for seasoned fighters like Ronis and his guards, but there were enough to still give them a struggle.

Ronis! They are heading right for his post!

She had to warn him somehow. She remembered their discussion during one of the first few nights she had spent at his camp.

Should you be in trouble or need to give a signal of any kind, use the flare gun. Me or the closet outpost of guards will come to your aid as swiftly as possible.

Of course, she didn't have the flare gun with her. She had left it in her pack back at the camp. She bit her bottom lip, beginning to panic now as she had no way of letting Ronis know without revealing herself.

She realized she might have to worry about herself first before she could even think of Ronis. Half of the formation had suddenly broken off from rank and was marching straight toward the lake. Straight to her.

"Everyone, fill up your canteens, vials and every single empty barrel we have!" she heard one of leaders yell out. "Should you lose control over your fire elemental, you are going to wish to have some water handy before it burns your skin off."

Alayda closed her eyes and began to pray as she pinned her body as close as she could to the tree, as if trying to meld with it.

Meld with it...

Of course! she thought. Shadowmeld! I haven't done it in ages, but perhaps...

She kept praying as she tried to recall the ability to take on the form of the shadows, her chanting a source of clearing her mind and concentrating. She barely took note that they were almost upon her, streams of them appearing on either side of the tree as they approached the lake.

"Oi," one of them rang out, his accent giving away he was a dwarf . "What was that?"

"What was what?" a rather flat sounding yet high pitched voice questioned. A gnome.

"That whoosh sound I just heard."

"Whoosh sound? The wind perhaps?"

"No, no, defeintely not the wind. I heard that kind of sound before, but I can't exactly recall...like when the battle doesn't seem to be going well, everyone is dying around you, and you hear that sound as if someone is trying to avoid it all."

The gnome just blinked at him, baffled. "Hell if I know. You better fill up your canteen though before they brand us again with their fire pets."

The dwarf grumbled, frustrated he couldn't remember exactly and bent over the water's surface to fill up his canteen when he noticed a small school of fish nearby. He stood back up and walked closer to where the gnome he had just been talking to was.

"Let me fill up near you, I don't want one of these rascals swimming into my cateen should I want a drink later."

"Why not?" the gnome laughed. "You'd have a snack along with a drink then."

The dward was about to reply when he stopped in his tracks. "There it is again, I just heard it."

He looked around and took a step back, then a step forward. Again and again he heard it. He looked around but saw nothing out of place until his eyes landed on the tree and saw the faintest shimmer of something that did not belong there. "What is that..."

He was just beginning to walk over to it, his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword when a bloodthirsty cry sailed into the air, slicing the silence in twine.

All 100 heads looked up to see a Kaladorei male race down the mountain side toward them. Alayda's eyes opened but she did not move a single inch, quickly looking around to see a large number of the twilight directly in front and around her. She knew that battle roar to be Ronis.

There are too many, Ronis! Run away, run while you still can!

~*~*~*~*~

Ronis knew he was racing straight into his death most likely. He had his sword in hand but had left all his armor behind, lest it slow him up. He heard the orders from one of the Twilight to turn and attack and launched himself into the air just in time to dodge several fireballs. He landed in the middle of them with full force, making the ground around him cave in and shack violently, the earth spitting upwards into spikes, tearing at bodies. Several around him screamed in pain and they quickly retreated into a full circle around him, keeping several yards between him and them. Ronis held his sword out trying to ready himself for anything. The order was given out again to attack, most charging at him for melee combat, others beginning to summon their fire spells.

He ran straight into the group in front of him and swung his sword in a full arc. It sliced through most as if a knife through butter, some trying to parry while others dared to meet his strength head on only to have their swords and arms shattered.

He immediately began to run, or tried to at least, but even those without weapons meant to try and disarm him, jumping at his arms and legs to slow him down. It would be enough to let him get hit by those fireballs that were sure to be ready to cast at him now. He looked up to see he was right, several of the magi in the ranks beginning to cast off their spells at him. He struggled to free himself but they were already sailing towards him. The moment he was able to free himself, the first fireball landed, and then the next and the next and the next. Ronis didn't feel a thing. When the smoke cleared the twilight looked on in amazement, Ronis doing the same as he glanced down at his body. His clothes and skin remained unburnt. Thats when he noticed the soft yellow light surrounding him. The twilight leaders instantly caught on.

"A shield! He has a priest with him! Find the priest and kill it!"

Like headless chickens, the twilight recruits scrambled and ran straight into each other, in desperation to follow orders. They looked around wildly and Ronis almost began to laugh, watching them for a split second in amusement. He charged into the middle of group again and began to swing his sword at them furiously, cutting most of them down where they stood. He noticed the shield came back up again in full force, shining brighter then ever around him and heard the sound of swords and magic fizzle against him.

Ronis was actually laughing now. With Alayda healing him, he would be able to wipe off half the reinforcements before they even reached any of the outposts.

He did not notice the one dwarf break away from the group heading back toward the lake.

~*~*~*~*~

Alayda was laughing herself, though not as audibly as her brother, but watching him fight in such cheer was making her smile victoriously. She kept peeking around the tree she had shadowmelded against just enough to be able to channel her spells on him, keeping her shield up over him mostly. She was so focused on trying to keep her brother safe while staying out of sight herself, she did not see the dwarf who had heard her earlier walk up to her silently from behind.

"Caught ya," he snarled, his crossbow aimed directly at her. "Lets see your shield stop this, you shadowmelding cowardly wench."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The bodies were beginning to pile. The whole mountain side was beginning to bathe in red. Ronis's breathing was hoarse and rapid, but he didn't let up, planning to not stop until every one of them had their face planted into the ground and were no longer breathing. Let their bodies return to the earth and help grow the life they had burnt and destroyed, he thought bitterly.

Only a handful of cultists and their leaders remained when he noticed how weak the shields seemed and were reappearing much slower now. Something was not right. He looked over group still alive and standing, noticing the fear in their eyes, how their bodies twitched in a simple ready stance, yet it looked like they would break out into a run at any minute. All of them looked this one, save for that dwarf at the end. He was grinning malicously back at Ronis. When Ronis met his eyes, the dwarf laughed.

"No more heals for you, Cenarion guard! I would say your priest is out of mana...but its more like she's out of life."

Horror roared through Ronis's body, shaking uncontrollably for a moment before he could regain his senses. Then the bloodlust erupted inside him, echoing in the terrible battle cry he gave out as he charged them and hacked them to pieces. It took mere moments for Ronis to finish them all off, his last swing beheading the dwarf who no longer held a grin on his face. In fact it looked like shock as he it rolled down the hill away from its fallen body, dissappearing into some bushes.

Ronis was down the hill just as fast, looking around frantically.

"Alayda!" he called out. "Alayda, where are you!"

Silenced answered him. He began to walk around the lake as fast as he could before breaking out into a run again, calling out for her again and again. He stopped suddenly, when he noticed the dreaded contrast of colors in the water. The lake was emitting a brilliant glow from its purified waters that gave a etheral amethyst color the shade of Elune herself. A tree closest to the lake had one of its roots branch out towards it as if greedily wishing to drink from the water all the time. It was just on the other side of the root that he noticed the crimson pool spilling out into the water.

His worst fears were met when he reached the root and glanced over. Alayda laid there on her side, her hair swept out under her towards the lake and her dress sprawled over her body in a dissarray. She looked to be taking a nap in the soft sweet smelling grass save for the hideous sight of a black arrow protruding out of her side, blood having soaked through her white robes, covering the grass beneath her in a thick coat of it and seeping into the lake.

"Alayda, no," Ronis choaked out. He hurtled himself over the root and landed by her head, leaning over her. Gently, with great care, he lifted her head up into his hand and slipped his leg underneath so she could rest in his lap. He slipped off the pack he had on his back that carried the medical supplies and began emptying its contents.

"Alayda, can you hear me? Can you heal yourself? Can you open your eyes?"

Alayda did not answer or so much as even stir in reply. Ronisi's heart sank.

"Hold on, I'm going to clean and wrap the wound at least. I'll have to draw the arrow out. It'll be painful, but it must--"

He stopped when he felt her hand reach up and grab his. "Ronis," she whispered. "I picked some flowers. Where are they?"

Ronis could only stare down at her in bewilderment before her words sank in. "Flowers? Alayda, you are bleeding severely, I need to wrap it up."

"Yes, I know. The flowers have thorns." She exhaled in a shudder, her body twitching in pain the movement caused. "I kept pricking myself. I tied them up though so they would make a nice bouquet. Do you see them?"

Ronis sighed, exaggerating the sound and drawing it out to cover up a sob. "Yes, Alayda, they are right here, next to you."

"Give them to Nerili. Today is her birthday."

"Give them to her yourself," he choked. "Now be quiet and let me get this arrow out. I have to get you back to the post to get you properly treated."

"Ronis, the tip was coated."

Poison...one of the few things a priestess couldn't heal, even as seasoned as her. Ronis clenched his fists and cursed himself for having picked the life of a warrior, rather then following in his mother's path of the Druid. It may have not even mattered. He had realized too late she had been pierced and was dying, the poison deep inside her veins by now.

"Alayda, I'm so sorry."

"Hush now," she replied. Her voice was barely above a whisper. She nestled her head in his lap, as if trying to get comfortable. "We were able to wipe out some of the reinforcements...but you must go back and be ready to take on the rest. You have your duty, as I had mine...to keep you...alive..."

"Please...please stay with me."

He watched the corner of her mouth turn up in a smile. "Of course...I will...who else...would take care...of my brother?"

Her breathing had become so soft and slow, he did not even know when she breathed her last, but knew she had passed on as the heat from her body went cold in his grasp. For a very long time he could only watch her, her hand still on his, as if to soothe him despite she being the one to die. He held her head in his other hand again, running his thumb along her cheek.

Again, he thought, she looked to be only sleeping peacefully.

"Sweet dreams, my sister."

♥