Right From The Very Beginning

It was a good ten minutes before the clink of David’s empty mug against the floor signaled he was finished with his beverage. It had been pure hell for Kesi, too angry to form coherent sentences, too surprised and shocked to be outwardly angry. She had just sat there in dumbfounded silence.

Jan still stared up at her from the floor. Kesi was no stranger to war, to gruesome injuries, but this was different, more personal. Regardless, she refused to kick the head away – doing so would be an insult to Janice, even if it meant enduring her late gaze. She would glance down every so often, torturing herself with every peek.

It was a very long ten minutes.

“So, I s’pose yer fixin’ fer some answers,” David began, his dwarvish accent thick and pronounced, “Well, let’s get right to it then, huh?”

He raised both hands, purple electricity arcing down his robed arms, flowing into his palms like a rushing river. The crackling shadow magic pooled within his hands, swirling into a vortex of growing shadow magic that expanded outwards with David’s hand motions, allowing it to build in strength.

With a swift jerk of his arms, he released the huge sphere of shadow energies, allowing it to float in the air before him as he ran his palms across it’s surface, stabilizing it, shaping it to his will.

Kesi struggled in her seat, feeling the debilitating weakness of anti-magic course through her as the cold metal of her restraints pressed into her flesh.

“Relax lassie, it’s just a window …”

Kesi’s face scrunched up as if to ask What?, before she could even verbalize it, David responded.

“… a window into the past. Yours. Mine. Janice’s. Even some folks that aren’t here right now,” David said, taking his hands away from the stabilized ball of shadow magic. The cloudy orb of energy slowly peeled itself away, revealing an entirely blank center, devoid of anything, even color. It was a white void of nothingness, and Kesi was staring straight into it, mesmerized.

The thump of David’s feet against the floor filled the room as he paced about, circling Kesi.

“Ya see lassie, yer part o’ somethin’ that started long before you got involved.”

An image flashed across the orb, and Kesi’s heart sank into her stomach – it was him, the Light bless his soul. She could hardly bear to look at him after what she’d done to his soul, savagely destroying it like an animal. She could feel herself begin to shake.

“Me undead companion here wasn’t holdin’ up too well after a scuffle with the Alliance in Westfall. Was in the area for a … meeting, you could say.”

Another image faded into view across the orb. Kesi didn’t recognize who it was. She tilted her head, observing the figure in motion as it summoned fel green energy into it’s palms, before releasing them in bolts of demonic magic. A warlock, presumably. She was wore a dark purple robe not dissimilar to David’s, save for the generous skull ornamentation strewn across it. A silver brooch pin caught Kesi’s eye in particular, before being drawn away to the figure’s face. Her eyes flashed between emerald green, and a chilling blue. Warlock Death knight; that was a new one for Kesi.

“She was banged up real bad, was probably better off just up and leaving her for dead, but, well, I decided to try and fix her. Guess you could say I was pretty close to ‘er. Couldn’t heal her with holy magic – stuff’s deadly to the undead. Things were so bad I had to manually suppress the pain she was experiencing with shadow magic – had the unfortunate result of screwin’ with ‘er head, as shadow magic tends to do. She forgot why we came out here in the first place, lost sight of the plan …” David continued, pacing around Kesi. There was a twinge of irritated regret to his voice.

“I’ve got ties in the area, family connections. Had an uncle here not too long ago.  Was workin’ on somethin’ big before he got taken out, and his whole operation went to pieces.”

The orb shifted to pitch black, only a single spec of white light poking through the center of the darkness. The white light grew, intensified, until it was so blinding that Kesi was forced to look away for a moment. She blinked hard, adjusting her eyes to the new brightness, taking in the vast, circular library flashing across the shadow orb. She spied a small desk with a trunk next to it at the far end of the room.

“Dug up me uncle, performed a ritual – tried just bindin’ her lifeforce to me uncle’s – always was a strong lad, even after the fact.”

The scene dissolved into blackness once more, before exploding into the hellish likeness of a daunting infernal, it’s fel flames tinting the entire room green.

“Didn’t quite work out. Me companion got in over her ‘ead.”

The view of the infernal raced backwards, letting it fade into darkness as it reached out helplessly into a void of blackness. Even it’s fel green aura disappeared into inky space.

“Had to go to plan B, head into Stormwind to look for a permanent solution. Being a shadow priest has certain advantages; masking your identity isn’t that hard when you’ve can manipulate the minds of folks. Plus, I was need there anyways. Had business to take care of.”

The orb shifted, and a fuzzy image materialized before Kesi. She squinted, trying her hardest to make out the darkened scene before her, leaning forward to get a closer look.

She jumped backwards as the entire scene exploded with golden light, illuminating the room she was sitting in. A door burst off it’s hinges within the orb, splintering into a wreck as a figure draped in a robe and a hastily fastened breastplate ran screaming and flailing down a hall, frantically waving it’s flaming sword around, slashing at the darkness like a madman.

“Slipped into the city a few days before a preliminary attack – big, poisonous blaze in the Trade District, I’m sure you remember. Helped Stormwind out in the attack ta gain their trust – saved a few Stormwind wretches that day, but hey, I thought of it like an investment – ten saved today, is a hundred dead tomorrow. Things were goin well, met with me companion in the infirmary the day after, discussed our future plans.”

The scene dissipated, before bursting into flames, recounting the horrific fire that day. Billowing columns of smoke drifted up from the fiery husk of the Trade District. Kesi remembered that day, perhaps a bit too well. She struggled to hold back the cavalcade of emotions associated with that terrible, fateful day.

“But then things got … complicated.”

The scene shifted, relieving Kesi from the pain of reliving the horrific blaze once more. An image of an armor clad figure standing beside the Warlock Death Knight flashed on across the orb. It looked as if they were crammed into a terribly small space together. An elevator perhaps?

“Me companion started interferin’ with the plan, started disobeying orders. Tried to give ‘er the benefit o’ the doubt, I knew she wasn’t all there cus o’ the shadow magic, but it got to the point where the rest of my associates gave me an ultimatum; get ‘er under control, or face execution.”

The orb cleared it’s surface of imagery. David’s plodding pacing slowed as the next scene materialized.

“Sent some lads to take her out.”

There she was again, the purple robed warlock, her image flickering within the orb as the hissing screech of chaos bolts filled the room. Smoking husks, silhouetted by the green fireblasts flew across the scene, crashing down into the dirt violently.

“When I went to recover the body, found she was still kickin’, but at least her troublemaking partner in crime wasn’t.”

The scene dissolved, fading into a view of a wheat field with a lone tree silhouetted against the setting sun. A motionless figure lay propped up beside it. Kesi knew who it was.

“I knew I shoulda just finished her off right then an’ there, but, y’know, it’s a lot harder when it’s yer kin. She was so weak and helpless at the time – I caved, couldn’t do it.”

David’s likeness flashed across the screen, the injured warlock slung over one shoulder as he plodded down a dusty road.

“But I knew I would ‘ave to do it, sooner or later. Everythin’ hinged on me. I was feedin’ Stormwind officials false info, manipulatin’ them. Me companion was jeopardizing that, goin’ on about actually helpin’ the Alliance dogs. ‘Parrently this bastard rubbed off on her a little too much.”

He appeared on the orb again, and Kesi could feel her anger building again. It wasn’t his fault – he was just doing what was right, what she had taught him all those years ago to do in the face of injustice. He was just carrying out his duty as a paladin.

“I ran out o’ time to find a permanent fix to me companion’s condition – undead are fragile beings. Sure they’ll take a proper beatin’ to put down the ol’ fashioned way, but mess with the magic keepin’ em animated, and they crumble like a house o’ cards to a stiff breeze. I’m honestly surprised she lasted as long as she did; a fighter, she was.”

The warlock reappeared on the orb, flashing images of her racing across the screen of shadow energy. Kesi’s eye was drawn to a glinting piece of metal – a dagger – jammed into her gut.

“The day came when me associates couldn’t wait any longer. The attack on Stormwind was inevitable. I’m sure you remember the one.”

She did. Kesi remembered the day vividly. She had fought in the battle, in the ensuing chaos that day. Rogues appearing out of thin air, shadows shifting into people. It was madness.

Yet through it all, the thing that stood out to her most were those red masks of theirs, bright as blood.

“You’re Defias?” she asked bluntly.

“Aye,” David replied just as bluntly. He paced around for a moment more, coming to a stop directly in front of Kesi, blocking her view of the shadow orb.

He held up his right hand, letting his silky white robe fall back to reveal the top of his hand. A single black cog was imprinted on it – the seal of the Defias. He held it there for a moment, letting Kesi get a good look at it, before lowering his arm, and continuing.

“Me companion refused to cooperate when the attack kicked off – had to put her down. Even then, wasn’t sure I could do it, but I figured it was now or never, so I forced my hand. Killed ‘er on the spot.”

David took a step back, sensing Kesi’s rising anger. She writhed in her set, baring her teeth at him. He sighed deeply before continuing.

“I joined in the attack shortly after, but things started to go south for us. We tried our darndest to finish the mission but … ” another long sigh ” … wasn’t long before we were forced back. I tried to slip away, but I got cornered. Only reason I’m even standin’ ‘ere right now is because you Stormwind dogs are terribly easy to mind control. I faked my death – simple shadow magic disguise on an unsuspecting corpse, plenty o’ those lyin’ around by the end of the battle – and slipped away.”

The orb shifted, playing out a recap of David’s actions right before Kesi’s eyes. She grit her teeth in anger, especially furious at the point when the Stormwind soldiers were right there – they’d had him in their clutches! – and then to see him wriggle his way out of it with his shadow magic trickery; disgusting.

“Hid out in Westfall for a few months, tryin’ to re-infiltrate Stormwind – security was too tight, nearly got caught a number o’ times.”

The scene faded to black, before showing David being roughed up by a pair of Stormwind guards. They grabbed him by the shoulders roughly, before a flash of purple light obscured the guards. David was walking away when the light died down, twin piles of ash left to scatter in the wind behind him.

“For a while, I thought we’d failed. We’d lost a terrible many of us in the assault. Those of us that were taken alive committed suicide – Defias oath an’ all that.”

Images of Defias soldiers, foaming at the mouth, writhing and spasming flashed across the orb. Cyanide pills, carried in a fake tooth. Standard Defias fare, yet no less disturbing.

“So, I looked elsewhere, tried different methods to infiltrate the city. Our mission to assassinate the king still stood; plus, me companion’s remains were still being held in Stormwind. Was an added incentive to keep trying.”

Kesi heart sank as David finished. She knew what he meant by, ‘other methods’.

The open wheat field with a lone tree appeared on the orb. The silhouetted figure was still slumped up beside it.

“Yer friend there was as good a shot as any. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten about him in the months that passed, couldn’t find his corpse, and by the time I did, it was a putrid mess. It’d been sittin out in the sun, baking every day – was unusable for what I needed. So, I opted to tear his soul from the corpse; it’d never been put to rest properly, so it was still right there for the taking. Pried the corpse outta the armor, cleaned the suit up a wee bit, and bound his soul to it. Animated armor – reliable, sturdy, obedient.”

Kesi could hardly shake her head in disbelief as the scene appeared before her. Clanking, rattling groans filled the room as metal clanged against metal. Ever so slowly, a towering figure made itself visible, rising from the ground, and standing stock still once it had risen to it’s full height. David’s voice echoed out from within the rob, incanting something indecipherable, and in a flash of golden light, two fiery eyes appeared beneath the suit’s helmet, peering out blankly.

“SI:7 didn’t stand for my minion very long though – suit was taken down by a pair o’ agents few weeks in. However …” Kesi could practically feel the cockiness in David’s voice as he went on ” … those agents didn’t do a very good job of putting the soul to rest. I wasn’t controllin’ it anymore, was unable to wrangle it back without it bein’ bound to somethin’. It just started wanderin’ wherever it wanted to, killin’ everythin’. S’not like I’ve never seen anythin’ like it before – I have – but it’s kinda peculiar, first time I’ve ever seen a paladin’s spirit go berserk like that.”

Kesi sighed internally as the orb swirled and played out a terrible movie for her, the fiery eyed golden spirit brutally cutting down one person after another. He was still an aspirant, a paladin in training. He wasn’t ready for that kind of trauma. Indeed, paladins’ spirits are said to be incorruptible and pure, but every man has their breaking point. It takes a lot of dedication, decades of training and battle to forge a paladin’s soul into the shining beacon of hope they were known for, and he just wasn’t there yet.

Angered souls left to wander the world often acted like animals, lashing out at anything and everything in blindness. It was a horrific, sad fate.

“I did what I could to try and corral it, at least use it to do some damage to the Stormwind patrol guards, make infiltratin’ the city a bit easier. I pointed it in the right direction and let it have at it. Needless to say, for a wild card, it did remarkably well. Killed a few dozen before you took it down. Plus, and perhaps most importantly of all, it brought me you.”

The orb’s surface shimmered, all color and scenery fading from it as it slicked over. Kesi found herself staring into her own miserable, helpless reflection.

A sigh went up from David as he stopped beside Kesi, bringing his incessant pacing to a halt.

“Though, to be fair lassie, lookin’ back on the way things turned out, a lot of it was me own fault. Slipped up once, and everythin’ spiraled outta control from there. Was somethin’ so little too, was just tryin’ to squeeze some info from a few unsuspectin’ blaggards. Lot o’ royalty at the Academy of Stormwind; it’s an easy goldmine of valuable intelligence, woulda made things a lot easier when it came time to bring down the king.”

The mirror like surface dissolved, fading back into a veil of shadow energy. A scene that had played earlier reasserted itself. Kesi squinted her eyes, peering into the darkness of the scene.

The door flew off it’s hinges, flaming with holy fire. The figure burst through the destroyed doorway, flailing down the hall, waving it’s ignited sword about frantically. But Kesi noticed something, just barely able to make out a shadowy face, veiled in shadow at the corner of the scene.

It was David.

“Paladin’s are pretty rare in Stormwind, only seen two in all me years. S’me own damn fault fer not remembering they can sense shadow magic from a mile away. Musta set him off, made him paranoid.”

Suddenly, the orb’s surface dissipated, being pulled back into it’s center as it collapsed with a shrill hiss, arcs of spindly purple electricity crackling violently off it’s edges. The room was tinted purple for an instant as it imploded in on itself with a brilliant flash of light. Kesi turned away, shielding her eyes from the flash.

All was still not a moment later, and Kesi hesitantly blinked her vision back into focus. David was now standing directly in front of her, a reserved look about him. He leaned in, almost whispering to Kesi.

“For better or for worse, I’ve been part o’ all this right from the very beginning.”