Healing Kyliska

(Written by Biara)

Kyliska limped her way down the long corridor, a frown on her face as she passed through the empty passageway. The rooms around her were silent, Biara's floor of their tower seeming to almost be abandoned. She'd checked Astariel's room first, only to find the little girl and many of her toys gone. A quick peek in Biara's sanctum showed it to be cold and unused; her sister had not been researching or casting spells recently.

Her frown deepening and the pain in her wounded ankle growing, Kyliska finally pushed open the door to Biara's private chambers. The room beyond was dark and the lingering scent of burnt ozone could be detected on the air; a telltale sign that Biara had recently used a portal spell in her chambers.

Kyliska moved slowly into the middle of the room, sighing to herself and shaking her head. She'd wanted to catch her sister before she departed, but it seemed she'd been too late. Biara's four-post bed was empty, the see-through silken curtains around it drawn open and showing the neatly arranged, plush pillows that her sister preferred. It looked soft and inviting, and Kyliska decided she needed to sit for a few minutes before she began her own preparations to depart.

Just as she was about to start forward, another door opened in the small space, a bit of steam drifting from the opening to the room that contained Biara's private bathing pool. From the steam emerged a masculine shape, the form solidifying as he drew nearer into none other than Braeth'el. Kyliska's eyes widened as she saw him, beads of water glistening on his bare chest and arms, a simple towel wrapped around his waist covering very little and leaving very little to the imagination.

"B-braeth'el? What are you doing here?" Kyliska stammered, utterly shocked.

The spymaster grinned, holding up a placating hand and shaking his head, "It is not what you think, Kyliska. I was not entertaining your sister, merely finishing some exercise and a bath now that she's departed."

"Ah, I see..." Kyliska said, her eyes roaming despite the aches and pains she still felt. "Well, she left me a note before she left and said she'd pardoned you. I never believed you were a traitor anyway, so you're welcome to do whatever you'd like in our estate my friend."

Braeth'el gave Kyliska a classic bow, or did so as much as one could when clad in only a towel, "I thank you, Lady Sunfire. May I ask though, are you quite alright? You look a bit...disheveled. Usually when you are in such a state you are also covered in the blood of your enemies."

Kyliska sighed and shook her head, "I've had a rough time, I will admit. Actually, I think I need to sit down before I fall down."

She began to shuffle across the room towards Biara's bed, the pain in her ankle shooting up her leg. She hissed in pain as her knee buckled and she began to tumble towards the floor. Before she got anywhere near to falling, Braeth'el was at her side, he strong arms wrapped around her and holding her up. Kyliska sighed, breathing in the scent of the cologne he'd put on, feeling much better suddenly. "Sorry...it's just my leg....I was taken prisoner and-"

"It's fine, Kyli, really. Here, let me help you," Braeth'el said softly. With his support she was able to stand upright, and the two moved slowly to Biara's bed before he turned Kyliska around and gently lowered her onto the soft bedspread. "There you are. No more falling down, hmm?"

Kyliska looked up at him gratefully, her lip quivering for a moment as a rush of emotions passed through her again at everything that had happened. Although it had been a little thing, almost falling had drained the last little spark from her, leaving her utterly defeated. She couldn't even walk right. Everything was a disaster! Tears began to form in the corners of her fel-green eyes.

Braeth'el sat down on the edge of the bed beside Kyliska, an arm around her and his voice comforting, "Kyli...out of all who have lived in or served with House Dayfire and later House Sunfire, you have always been the strongest. I have seen you defeat a hundred foes unscathed. I've seen you come through fire and death, through the greatest hardships and be triumphant. You're the rock of this place, the foundation that all of the others lean on. You don't always have to be though. It is okay to sometimes need another to lean on, to need your friends and allies. You are not alone."

Kyliska broke, the tears flowing forth in an instant. She leaned against Braeth'el, crying softly against hardened pectoral muscles that would have made her woozy in another time or situation. Braeth'el sat beside her, his arm wrapped around her as wracking sobs escaped her, not saying anything but simply soothing her with his presence. When she finally could speak again, Kyliska's voice was quiet and broken, "I've lost Andi. H-he...he was with another, and I had to leave him. I have to leave this place for a while. I need time away, time to just be who I am without having to think of all of this. I don't want to be the Lady Sunfire. I don't want to have to decide, to have to protect everything my sister built. It's not fair...I'm just Kyliska...I'm just me. I can't do all of this alone."

"And you won't, Kyli," Braeth'el said softly. "We are all here to support you. It is good I lingered here, for you dearly need to hear that right now. Maybe you're right and you do need time to figure things out, but we'll be here to support you when you come back. I've always looked after you, ever since you were adopted into this household, and I always will. It is what I do, what we who serve the House do."

Kyliska sighed and shuddered, the angry hurt feelings finally draining out of her now that she'd given them release. She sat up a bit, shaking her head, "I can't thank you enough for that, Braeth'el. I just wish that I didn't hurt anymore. And I'm not even talking about my emotions; I've been stabbed, gouged, my arm was broken, and now my light-forsaken leg is screwed up because I was chained up. I'm so tired of aching and hurting."

Braeth'el smiled and rose, standing over Kyliska. He pointed towards the bed and spoke with authority, "Lay down then and let me see it. If you're about to go on an adventure you'd best be in good health, and I know you're not going to wait around for it to get better."

Kyliska nodded, looking up at the spymaster before complying with his request. She laid back on Biara's soft bed, sighing as she felt the comfort all around her. Braeth'el climbed onto the bed beside her, kneeling next to her, his strong hands coming down to remove her boots so he could examine her more closely. She winced, realizing she was still filthy from captivity, but Braeth'el said nothing about it, and gave no indication that it bothered him. Instead, his hands began to kneed the flesh at her ankle, rubbing and gently releasing the pressure there.

The pain lessened almost immediately as he skillfully worked at pressure points in her foot and ankle, his hands running up her calf. He spoke softly as he worked, not looking over at her, "It was just a pulled ligament I think. It should feel better in a day or two, and I can prepare you some herbs to dull the ache in the meanwhile. I know a thing or two about these types of injuries; in my line of work you tend to pull things when you're climbing rooftops or sneaking through places you don't belong."

Kyliska nodded, her eyes closing as she felt his hands at work. He continued up her leg, the massage soothing the pain that the cramped condition of her cell had left her in. She bit her lip, enjoying the feeling of his hands on her, her thoughts drifting away from her problems and on to other, more enjoyable topics.

The massage lasted for what seemed like hours, and was likely at least an hour long. By the time he'd finished with her legs, Kyliska's aches and pains were just a memory. As he rubbed the knots out of the muscles in her arms, she lazily opened her eyes, staring into his as he looked down at her. She could feel her heart racing as he touched her, his perfect body looming close over her as he rubbed tension out of her shoulders. He leaned forward, his face a foot from her own as he worked on her right shoulder.

Impulsively she leaned up, her mouth meeting his, her eyes slipping closed as she kissed him. The spymaster responded, the kiss passionate and sending a thrill through her; it was wrong to do this, especially after she had just ended things with Andi. Especially on her sister's bed.

She didn't care.

Her arms came up and wrapped around him, and she felt his own come down to hold her, their passion-fueled kiss seemingly never-ending. She ran her hands over his bare flesh, enjoying the feel of his muscles as they tensed when he scooped her up and onto his lap, all thoughts fleeing her mind as she was finally getting something she'd secretly desired for all these years.

After a time, he broke the kiss off, holding her in his arms and staring into her eyes. He didn't ask her, seeing what she wanted in the lust written plainly over her face, knowing that a part of her wanted to just forget it all for a moment in time. He obliged her, rising up and scooping her up into his arms, and she leaned back, enjoying the feeling of letting him take her where he would.

He rose from the bed, her weight a nothing to him as he whisked her from Biara's bed, a delightfully evil grin on his face as he carried her away. Kyliska laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her, her eyes getting one last glimpse of Biara's bedroom before the steam of the bathing room overtook them both, noting that he'd left his towel behind on her sister's bed.

And then the steam was all around them, the hot water of the bath flowing over Kyliska as he carried her away to her fantasies.

Endings

Kyliska opened the door to her bedroom. It looked the same as it always did, but it was different. Too much had happened in this room for it to ever be the same again. Kyliska had seen her lover Andithiel have sex with an imposter that was pretending to be her. She could forgive that if it was only one time or if it wasn't for weeks. He did not even notice that it wasn't the real Kyli. Kyli's heart ached with so much hurt and betrayal that she was finding it hard to breathe. Her injuries from being imprisioned were also playing a role in that, but she was more focused on the emotional pain as of right now. She looked to her night stand and saw a letter and was about to pick it up to read it when her bedroom door opened and none other than Andithiel Felo'melorn walked in. Kyliska looked at him and instantly the smile on his face faded and a look of concern crossed his face. He came rushing to her side on the bed.

"Kyli, what in the fel happened to you?" he started. "I just left you not too long ago and here you are all battered and bruised and filthy! Did you go off somewhere to fight?"

Kyliska looked sadly at him. She didn't want to say what she needed to say to him but she knew she had to. She felt so many emotions and she began to cry. She just let herself feel everything that was inside of her. She took Andithiel's hand and spoke softly to him. "Andi, my dear Andi, there is something you need to know. This will be difficult to hear, but please know that what I am about to say is true." she looked to him and he nodded for her to continue. "I have been imprisioned for weeks now and you have been with an imposter pretending to be me."

Andithiel frowned and stood up and started to pace, not totally comprehending what Kyli was trying to say to him. "That just cannot be! I would have known if that was not you my love, I would have known...." his voice trailed off as he came to the realization that he was not able to tell it was not his Kyliska that he had been with. He sat back down next to Kyliska and held her hands tightly in his. "Kyli, I......I am so so sorry........"

She nodded at him, not able to say any words for a few minutes. Then she wiped some of her tears away and spoke softly once more. "Andi, this has to end. I cannot be with you, not after this. I was forced to watch you and.....her. Whoever it was, that doesn't even matter to me at this moment. " she paused and held back a sob. "All I do know is that I need time, I need time away. Away from you, away from Quel'thalas, away from it all. I was going to seek you out if you had not come here to tell you in person. You need to know that I will be away, and most likely not be able to contact me."

Andithiel took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "Kyli, please, no do not leave me. I have forgiven you for your past transgressions, and you had done that knowingly, I did not know. I would never hurt you on purpose, you know this. I need you Kyli, you are my love, I would do anything for you, just please please tell me how I can fix this." he pleaded with her.

Kyliska hugged him back and then lightly pushed him away. "My love, I know you did not do this on purpose, and you know how thankful I was that you had forgiven me for sleeping with another. How ironic this is, this situation we find ourselves in now." she slowly stood up and walked over to her window and looked out at the sun shining brightly, like it was mocking her now. She looked back to Andi who was still sitting on her bed, looking defeated. "I do not know how you can fix this. Maybe time will heal me. It just hurts that you were with her for weeks and you had no idea that was not me. You, the one person who should be able to tell, you should have known, you are right." she stopped, thinking of what to say next. "Do you know that the person that saved me, she only spoke to the imposter for a short while and she knew, she knew it was not me, yet you were with her for weeks and had no idea?"

Andithiel stood up and walked to the window standing beside Kyliska. "I feel such guilt that I did not know it was you my love. I keep thinking to myself how I could not know. I have no explanation, I feel such shame, and I truly wish there was something I could do to make this up to you." Tears were forming in his eyes as he looked sadly at Kyliska.

Kyliska reached to Andithiel's face and wiped a tear that had fallen down his cheek. "This breaks my heart as much as it does yours, but this has to be done, for now at least." she leaned in and kissed him and then walked away towards her bed again, and her night stand. "Andi, I think it is time for you to go now. I must make preparations for my trip."

He looked to her and opened his mouth and then closed it, not knowing what to say next. He made an attempt to step closer to her again but she held up a hand to tell him to stop. "Kyli, I will never stop loving you, ever. Be safe in your journey."

Kyliska nodded, as more tears threatened to fall down her face once more. She put on a brave face now though.  "Be safe as well Andi." As he made his way towards the door he walked by her, ever so slightly he brushed his hand against hers and she looked to him. He did not turn around, he kept walking out of the room. After he closed the door Kyli collapsed onto her bed in sobs. She did not want to leave Andithiel but she knew she had to. Her pain and hurt was too much to handle right now. Every time she looked at him she would see him with another, and she could not bear that right now. That was why she had decided to go through the Dark Portal and help out the Horde, it was the only way she could get the time away that she needed. And also to get out some much needed aggression.

After she calmed down a little bit she remembered the letter on her night stand. She quickly read it and saw that it was from Biara and she too had decided to go through the Dark Portal as well but for other reasons. She knew of her half sister Telatha, Braeth'el had told her. He did not tell her that Kyli knew of her as well. That is probably for the best Kyli thought. Biara had no idea that Kyli was imprisoned. She wondered if she had left yet. Kyli desparately wanted to see her sister and maybe they could go through the Portal together. Kyli was determined now and hoped that it was not too late and her sister had not left yet! She made her way towards Biara's bed chambers.

A Knight in Shining Armor

 (This story was written by Biara.)

Sunlight slanted down across the dew-laden scrub brush of the plaguelands, the light reflecting back in a thousand broken sparkles in the morning's light. The beauty of the scene was lost on Avielle however as her scourged gaze swept across the ground, continuing to follow the trail of hoof-prints that a horse had left in the soft soil.

She had been tracking the path of the strange Knight from the Ghostlands all night and into the early morning, her lack of need for sleep a boon in moving quickly. Tirelessly she and her undead steed plodded onwards, moving ever further into the more wild regions of the plaguelands.

Hours had passed with nothing but the twisted dead scenery and occasional burned out building that was once a part of the mighty nation of Lordaeron before its fall. Now and then Avielle had encountered roaming undead, but they generally left her be as she herself was undead and far more powerful. Zombies were stupid, but they weren't that stupid.

As she progressed, a shape began to take form in the distance; an old watchtower that was once part of Lordaeron's holdings. Dilapidated now, it rose like a broken, crooked tooth from the brown soil and stabbed up into the sky; a would-be eyesore if any living eyes were present to take in the sight. As she drew nearer to the tower, Avielle began to realize that the trail she was following was heading directly towards it. After another half hour had passed, she was firm in her conviction that this was the case, and she yanked on the reins to halt her mount.

Across the barren, dead earth between her and the tower nothing stirred. No banners or pennants fluttered from the broken crown of the ruined building, and all was in stillness around Avielle. She stared hard at the structure in the distance, unmoving as she studied her destination.

Her patience was rewarded when she spied movement along the tower's base. Distant figures exited from one of the black openings into the structure, moving lazily away from it as if patrolling its perimeter. Even from this distance, Avielle could see the wings and red flesh of demons as they walked, and her eyes narrowed as she connected the creatures with the dead Felhunters she'd found at the battle site in the plaguelands.

With a grin, Avielle drew her horn from her belt, bringing it to her lips and letting forth a long, wailing blast. It echoed across the distance, the mournful sound a warning to all that a death knight hunted now. In the distance, the figures became frantic, pointing at her and running in her direction. She grinned wickedly, snapping the reins and letting her deathcharger begin its dash towards her prey. She reached back and drew her rune-spear, holding it before her like a lance, steed and rider gaining momentum with every thunderous fall of the deathcharger's hooves.

In her battle-lust, Avielle never noticed how the sunlight reflected from her speartip. She never realized how much like a Argent Crusader she must have looked, charging from the rising dawn, lance ahead of her to plunge into the heart of evil.

****************************************

Kyliska shifted in her cell, her manacle clinking against the cold stones of the cell's floor. She crawled as far as she was able, reaching the supplies that the imposter had left for her. She sat beside them for a moment, her eyes fixated not on the food and water, but on the hookah and blood thistle that had been left for her.

Once long ago she'd been addicted to the herbs. She remembered vividly how good they had made her feel, how powerful. That they were here now, in her lowest low when all the world had fallen down around her was a temptation she was finding it hard to resist.

What does it matter if I do it? I'm never getting out of here anyway. No one knows I'm gone, no one cares. If I'm going to die here, I might as well enjoy the one thing that can make me forget all of this for a moment.

Her hands shook as the desire to relieve the stress and lose herself in the herb took hold. She didn't care anymore and none of it mattered. If she was to be forced to watch another live her life, enjoy the company of her lover, then she was going to use the herb and go far away from it all to a place where she felt happy and content.

Slowly she took the hookah and slid it towards herself. She opened the top, placing the blood thistle inside and igniting it before closing the lid. Her hands shook even more now as she took up the pipe, preparing to lose herself in the herb's embrace. Her life was over now and it was best to just let it go.

She brought the pipe to her lips, her eyes closing as she prepared to inhale the highly addictive drug. She felt her heart racing as the old feelings for the herb flowed through her again. Just as she was about to inhale, a loud bang startled her and caused her to open her eyes in surprise.

A second bang rocked the room, the sound of something heavy pounding against the wooden door that sealed off the dungeon's cells from the hallway beyond. Kyliska stared hard at the barrier, her heart beating quickly in her chest and the un-smoked herb sending a curl of smoke up into the air from the hookah beside her.

The third bang shattered the barrier as a heavy form was thrown through it. Kyliska dropped the hookah in shock as she watched the very dead, mangled form of a Wrathguard slide across the stone floor and come to a halt against the far wall of the prison block.

The cell room was guarded, as it always was, by demons. A second Wrathguard surged to its feet from further down the line of cells, rushing towards the shattered barrier as a lithe figure entered through the opening. Kyliska took in the sight of her in an instant, seeing a strange blonde-haired elf strolling casually towards the charging demon, a glowing spear in her hand.

The Wrathguard's blades came down, one after another, and the spear-wielder reacted with cat-like reflexes. Her weapon whirled, the weapon deflecting one blow and parrying a second. The elf spun the spear around her body like a top and slammed the point into the demon's chest so hard that it burst out of its back. The creature howled, falling backwards into ruin as the spear-wielder slashed it three more times for good measure.

The intruder turned, rushing towards Kyliska's cell and causing her to cringe back against the far wall of her prison. The elf's blonde hair fell over half her face, messy from combat, but her exposed eye glowed with a foul blue light that fixed on Kyliska with an intensity that made her shudder. The elf set her spear down for a moment, reaching out and taking the bars to the cells in both hands, beginning to bend the solid steel with unnatural strength that confirmed Kyliska's fearful suspicions; there was a death knight trying to break into her cell for some reason.

From behind the intruder came the sound of a foul little giggle, and the death knight blinked in surprise as a barbed whip wrapped itself around her body. Kyliska noted that the barbs dug into the elf's flesh deeply, but only a small amount of blood oozed out of the wounds. Rather than looking pained, the elf actually rolled her eyes in irritation, even as the succubus that had been tormenting Kyliska for so long yanked the whip back and spun the death knight around.

The death knight wasted little time, reaching out and using her power to wrap dark tendrils of shadow around the succubus, dragging her close. The foul demon actually panted in excited surprise as her body was slammed against the dead elf's and she was slowly choked by an icy cold grip on her neck. The panting turned into howls as the death knight reached out and literally tore one of her wings off before spinning the demon around and snapping her neck with her bare hands.

Tossing the dead succubus aside, the death knight picked her spear up and slashed the bars of the cell, causing them to shatter from the cold of the weapon. She stepped through the opening and leveled the spear at Kyliska, her voice hollow and cold, "You. You are Kyliska Sunblade, now known as Kyliska Sunfire?"

Resigned to her fate, Kyliska brought her head up, her voice firm, "I am."

The dead elf reached out, grabbing Kyliska's arm in a firm, icy grip. Kyliska instantly felt nausea pass through her at the touch of the unholy being, and watched in surprise as the flesh on the dead elf's arm began to crack and flake from contact with her holy form. The undead elf released her grip, her voice a soft whisper under her breath, "At last..."

The death knight brought her spear up and Kyliska closed her eyes as the weapon descended, prepared for death. She was utterly shocked when the blade slammed into the manacle on her ankle, the weapon shearing through the metal and sparking as it bounced off the floor of the cell.

Kyliska's eyes opened wide as the death knight fell to her knees before her, her head bowed. She could swear she saw tears in the other's eyes as she spoke, "Kyliska Sunblade, I am Avielle Silverlight, heir of House Silverlight, allied to House Sunblade in accordance with agreements signed by both our fathers. Know that I come now to uphold the vows of my House, and that we of Silverlight have never forgotten and will never forget our oaths to you and yours. My blade, my power, is in your service Lady Sunblade."

Kyliska's mouth opened and closed, utterly shocked. She struggled to come to terms with what was happening, even as the strange elf lifted her head and stared straight into her eyes with her glowing orbs. Her next words rocked Kyliska to her core.

"Know that your father, Kelthias Sunblade, bade me tell you that he loves you. Know that these were the last words he spoke in life, and that his thoughts were ever on you and your mother Sassariel, even as he gave his life to protect the innocent of Quel'Thalas. His sacrifice, his honor, will never be forgotten by those of Silverlight for as long as I exist."

A strangled cry escaped Kyliska as emotions crashed through her, tears pouring freely from her eyes now as she began to sob. She felt elation flow through her, relief at finally knowing how her father had died, at knowing that he had thought of her before his life ended, at knowing that he had died a hero. Questions flowed through her, a thousand points she wanted to ask, beg, shout at the strange undead elf before her. Instead, she managed to croak out only a single sentence, "Thank you...thank you so much. You cannot know what that means to me..."

A look of relief flashed across Avielle's face as she rose to her feet. Her voice was soft now and soothing as she spoke to Kyliska, "Lady Sunblade...the tower is on fire. We need to get you out of here, get you to safety. Are you able to walk?"

Kyliska looked down at herself, at the filth that covered her and the blood on her ankle. She looked back up and nodded grimly, "I can try."

With that, she attempted to rise, a gasp escaping her as her injured ankle gave out on her. She tumbled back towards the floor, only to find the icy cold grip of the death knight holding her. Avielle's face was inches from hers as she spoke, "I will carry you from this place if not. No harm will come to you as long as I exist, this I swear. Come Lady Sunblade, it is time to go home."

With that Avielle hoisted Kyliska up, carrying her across her shoulder. She winced in pain as Kyliska's blessed form remained in contact with her, a soft hiss escaping her lips. For her part, Kyliska's world spun crazily around her, her weakness mixing with the touch of the unholy to make her feel sick. Her nose was filled with the strange scent of dead roses that came from the death knight as Avielle carried her from her cell. Kyliska's last sight of that place was of the un-smoked hookah, a trail of blood thistle smoke coming from its lid fading from view a moment later.

The hallway beyond the cells was long and narrow, the ruined tower's fortifications long since compromised. Beyond the end of the hall daylight stabbed through the broken opening of the tower's side, and in the dim light of the hallway Kyliska could see flames licking up the side of rotting support beams.

The hallway itself was littered with dead imps, their twisted bodies on the ground near a deathcharger. The undead horse was happily grazing on one of the imp's skulls, the sick crunching sound of bone being ground up coming from it as it chewed its meal. Kyliska felt herself being hoisted higher by Avielle's icy cold grip as she was placed gently in the saddle, the death knight leaping up behind her. A saronite plated arm wrapped around Kyliska's abdomen, keeping her in place as Avielle snapped the reins and urged the horse to a gallop.

The flaming hallway passed by them quickly, daylight suddenly surrounding them and making Kyliska squint and hold a hand to her eyes, the world spinning again as sickness stayed with her. Explosions rocked the ground around them as imps hurled fireballs at them from the tower's exterior, and Avielle wrapped her cloak around Kyliska, anti-magic wards shielding the wounded paladin as they galloped away.

Kyliska felt Avielle grunt a few times as she was struck by errant spells before they were clear of the tower's radius. Ahead of them a form rose up, a doomguard cackling as it prepared to hurl a spell at them. Avielle snapped the reins hard, her steed picking up momentum and hurtling towards a collision with the demon.

Kyliska's eyes widened and she cried out as it appeared they would slam into the demon, but Avielle shifted behind her and a spear hurtled through the air, shattering the demon's skull just as the deathcharger jumped, narrowly clearing the falling demon's body. Avielle yanked her spear from the creature's skull as they passed, and they galloped into the open plains beyond, free of their attackers at last.

In shock, exhausted and wounded, Kyliska felt her pulse slowly start to slow down. The questions in her mind continued to buzz, but a lethargy came over her as she finally felt safe for once. She found herself leaning back against the death knight behind her, her head against the solid armor that Avielle wore. The galloping of the deathcharger as they headed back towards Quel'Thalas combined with her exhaustion to slowly rock Kyliska to true, restful sleep finally.

As she drifted off, Kyliska's last thought was amusement at the fact that she heard no heartbeat through the armor of the elf that she was leaning against.

Encounter in the Ghostlands

Kenzie Dawnsea entered the dilapidated building where Kyliska Sunfire was being held prisoner. She smirked as she made her way towards the cell that she was being held in. Kenzie had kept Kyliska there for a few weeks and had been torturing her, mostly emotionally. She was being forced to watch as Kenzie slept with her beloved Andithiel Felo’melorn. She would tear apart their Houses and cause strife between them. Also hurting someone close to Biara Sunfire always made Kenzie happy. She hated that bitch and she would hurt and feel pain as long as Kenzie lived.

Kenzie made her way to Kyli’s cell. She looked weak, and tired. Her face was bruised and there was dried blood on her body. It appeared that she had tried to find a way to escape. She tried to remove the manacle that was around her ankle, but to no avail. She was strong but not strong enough, especially with no magical ability. Her ankle was very bloody and bruised. Kenzie could see that Kyliska had not been eating much recently either. There was a lot of food that was left uneaten. She shrugged and made herself visible. She cleared her throat and Kyliska looked up at Kenzie. Only to Kyliska, she was looking at herself.

Kyliska stood up slowly and walked to the edge of the cell and stared at Kenzie. “Who in the fel are you, and why did you capture me?” she asked.

Kenzie laughed. “Oh my dear Kyliska, the truth will be revealed when I am good and ready for that to happen. I do hope you like your quarters.” she smirked. “I know they are not quite what you are used to, but I think they are quite nice!” Kenzie laughed again. She was enjoying Kyliska’s pain all too much.

Kyliska spit in Kenzie’s face. “You bitch! You will let me out of here right this instant! Give me my identity back and stop sleeping with my Andi!” Kyliska raged. Kenzie could see that Kyliska was broken, even her little outburst was not at the level that it usually was. Her plan was working quite well then. Kyliska started to cry, the tears streaming down her face.

Kenzie wiped the spit from her face and reached through bars to slap Kyliska in the face. “You will do well to know your place Kyliska. You are a traitorous bitch’s daughter and that is all you are and ever will be. Biara is not truly your sister and she will never love you as much as her flesh and blood.” Kenzie said coldly. “Also, your beloved Andi, well clearly he must not love you as much as you think either. Or else he would know that he has been sleeping with an imposter for weeks now. He has never once thought I was not you. How sad is that? Your soul mate, your one true love, cannot even tell that I am not you.”

Kyliska’s face fell. The sudden realization that Andi did not know she was missing hit her. She was just focused on the torture of watching him with another woman, and did not even think of the pure fact that he did not know it wasn’t her. She fell to the floor. Her will to keep trying to escape her prison had ended. Kenzie had broken her finally, and fully. She looked up to Kenzie who was still smiling at her. “You are right. He does not even question that you are not me. I…...maybe I deserve to be here. For all of my sins that I have committed. My father would be so ashamed of me if he knew all the things I have done.”

Kenzie stared back at Kyliska and talked softly. “I have no care for what your father would have thought of you, but yes your beloved, and your “sister” do not care that you are missing. I could be you forever and they would not care or notice.” she went to leave but turned back around. “Oh and you really should eat something, you will just fade away. Oh wait, no one will really care if that were to happen. I did include some wine though and also a little something extra to help take some of the pain away if you chose to do so.”

Kyliska looked towards the wineskins and then noticed something that for some reason she had overlooked before. It was a pouch of blood thistle. Somehow this imposter must have known that she was once addicted to the drug and left it for her. Kyliska began to sob as Kenzie walked away. Kenzie left the dungeon and could not wipe the smile of satisfaction off of her face. Her plan could not be working any better. She must now head back to Kyli’s estate and see to Andithiel again. She mounted Kyliska’s horse and started to ride towards the Ghostlands.

*******************************************

The Ghostlands were dark and dreary, as they always were regardless of the time of year or even time of day. Muted sounds echoed beneath the oppressive stillness of the dead forest, the groans of distant undead and the sounds of predators taking prey as common as the crackle of dead leaves as Avielle’s deathcharger plodded along.

She had visited the city again, something that she was doing more frequently as of late, and was returning to the dark little piece of the Ghostlands that she called home. This far from the reclaimed lands in Eversong, the world was filled with danger and darkness. It was a home of sorts, and something she’d grown familiar with.

That was why the sound of a horse’s hooves echoing from the poorly paved road up ahead gave her pause. She yanked on the reins, her steed coming to a halt and giving out a little growl of irritation before she calmed it with a soothing hand. In the stillness the sounds she’d heard were growing louder, a rider approaching from deeper within the Ghostlands or perhaps the plaguelands. Whether it was friend or foe she would soon find out, for she was not of the habit of letting uninvited guests wander through the haunted forests unchallenged.

Avielle slipped from her mount, patting it and shooing it further up the trail, crouching down in the dead foliage and watching the trail ahead. She remained motionless as only the dead could, her glowing eyes the only sign of her as she waited. It took only moments for the rider to come into view; a blood elf on a Blood Knight’s charger, the figure not bearing the arms of a Knight perhaps but sitting regally as one.

Although the Blood Knights were the law of the land, it was still suspicious to see one out in the haunted wilds, and so when the rider came close enough, Avielle rose from her hiding place and stepped into the road, rune-spear held ready to gut the horse if the rider chose to advance further.

“In the name of Quel’Thalas, I command you to halt and identify yourself,” Avielle said calmly.

Kenzie slowed her horse down and looked at the elf that was talking. She smiled and spoke. “I am Kyliska Sunfire, not that it is any of your business Death Knight.”

Avielle’s mouth opened in shock, her eyes wide as her spear immediately moved to a non-threatening position, “K-kyliska did you say? But Sunfire? You have wed then, or was this always your surname?”

Kenzie stared at the Death Knight blankly. Why was she so concerned with what her new last name was? Her horse shifted slightly and Kenzie held the reins tightly. “You have not told me who you are, and also why are you so interested in my last name and who I am?”

Avielle nodded, offering the mounted elf a bow before looking back up at her, “My name is Avielle Silverlight, and if you are the Kyliska that I think you are, I have been seeking you for a very long time. I have an oath that must be fulfilled. I have sought you, or your mother, for the last several weeks.”

Kenzie looked at this Avielle with a confused look on her face. She shook her head and spoke. “Avielle, I am sorry but I have more pressing matters that need to be attended to. I cannot stay and talk about my sordid past and your supposed oaths. I must be going.”

Avielle gasped, rushing forward and grabbing the charger’s reins, her voice imploring and containing in it a hint of a banshee’s wail, “Please, I beg of you, stay but a moment and listen. As a Knight you must at least understand the need to uphold the honor of one’s name and station. It is vital that you hear me out, and that I learn of your mother as well!”

Kenzie gasped herself as Avielle ran towards her, she pulled back on the reins and the horse bucked and knocked her off. “What in the fel are you doing! Why would you charge me like that! My mother is dead and that is all you need to know, now please let me be!” Kenzie brushed herself off and attempted to get back onto her horse.

Avielle rushed to the fallen elf’s side, looking shocked. She reached out, brushing debris from the other elf’s clothing, her voice low, “I am so sorry to hear of Lady Sassariel’s death, Kyliska. Please know that I come before you not to seek revenge but to offer you hope instead. It is why I have sought you for so long; we are linked together, you and I, and you must hear me out.”

Avielle paused as the other elf got back in the saddle, a thought stirring in the back of her mind. She looked down at her hands; the hands that had just touched the Blood Knight, and then back up at the other elf, blinking a few times.

Kenzie looked at Avielle with a slightly confused look on her face. Sassariel, that was Kyli’s mother’s name! She tried to refresh the confused look and looked back to Avielle. “Maybe there is another time we can catch up on old times. I really must be going.” she looked towards the Death Knight and saw the expression on her face. “Are you alright?”

Avielle was no fool, and the look that passed across ‘Kyliska’s’ face at the mention of her mother’s name had not gone unnoticed. She stepped back a few steps, her back straightening. Although she attempted to conceal her emotions, there was a frigid coldness to her voice that had not been there a moment before, “Oh yes, of course, Lady Sunfire. I do apologize for causing you any inconvenience. I will let you be on your way now, and seek you out at a more opportune time.”

Kenzie nodded. “Yes thank-you.” she stated. “Let us meet and we can discuss these matters fully at a later date. Good day.”

Avielle bowed once, her gaze unwavering on the other elf, “Good day to you, Lady Sunfire.”

As Kenzie rode away, those two glowing eyes remained affixed on her back, the hard stare cold and unforgiving until it faded from view.

************************************

After the ‘knight’ had ridden away, Avielle called out in the Language of Death. Her deathcharger trotted from the nearby foliage, coming to her side at her call. As she mounted, her mind ran over the encounter again and again, her suspicions deepening with each passing moment.

The Knight’s touch was not unpleasant, not light-filled. She did not feel uncomfortable in my presence. Even if she’d been used to fighting the undead, my touch should have been uncomfortable unless she is used to the touch of evil creatures. And she didn’t recognize Sassariel’s name immediately. Why? Too many why’s.

Avielle snapped the reins, her steed setting out in a fast trot through the dead forest. As she thought over the encounter yet again, she directed her mount towards the direction the Knight had come from. The road was long and dark, heading towards the distant plaguelands, the broken gates of Quel’Thalas not far off.

As she rode, Avielle scanned the terrain around her, checking to ensure that the Knight had not ridden from somewhere deeper in the woods. After a few minutes of riding, she suddenly tugged on the reins, bringing her steed to a halt. Something in the woods had caught her eye.

She dismounted, her plate armor clinking lightly as she moved with purpose towards the dead undergrowth in the forest to the right of the path. She pressed through crackling dead branches and piles of leaves, her eyes affixed on a strange lump laying beneath the brush.

As she bent down, Avielle pushed some branches aside, and her eyes widened as she revealed a dead Felhunter, it’s body pierced by the thrust of an ax. Wary now, Avielle drew her own blade, stalking through the clearing around the dead beast and studying the terrain. Her investigation revealed the presence of several more dead demons, and something else as well.

She kneeled down in the leaves, her spear in one hand and her face coming close to the ground. She held out her free hand, pressing it lightly against the ground in a spot that looked burned. Instantly the skin on her arm began to crack, the flesh flaking as it dried up. Avielle’s eyes widened and she withdrew her hand in shock, the remnants of the Light left at the scene of the battle evidence that a paladin had fought in this place, and recently.

Alarmed now, Avielle rose, dashing back towards her deathcharger. She hopped up into the saddle, the beast already moving as she took her seat, sensing her urgency. She snapped the reins hard, the beast dashing further up the trail now, towards the gates beyond.

If the ‘Knight’ had come from the plaguelands, there would be a trail. Avielle would discover her origins and what she had been doing. And then she would go back and discuss it with the imposter.

Cloak billowing out behind her, Avielle dashed into the darkness of the Ghostlands, heading for the plaguelands behind, the thud of her deathcharger’s hooves warning the denizens of the haunted forest to keep their distance, for a real undead threat now hunted her prey, and when she found out everything she needed to know, someone was going to answer her questions whether they liked it or not.