[Private SRP] Fall of the Light, Rise of the Shadow

[Nonfictionless]

Aland sat as and watched as Noxvari left. For the first time in decades he was a bit afraid. He was no longer sure what Noxvari was too him but she didn't seem to be the same either. He decided to do as she said and figure it out. The headache continued but he ignored it as best he could. Years and battles passed in his mind as he struggled to remember who he was. After a few hours he had to stop thinking as his head was throbbing. He noticed something near the back of his mind, just Noxvari. Is this what it felt like? He of course had been on the receiving end many a shadow spell before but this was different. It didn't feel strange or wrong, almost reassuring but far from what he remembered of the Light. It wasn't something he just had to believe but it was right there. He knew Noxvari, and the Shadow allowed this.

He tried to rest and laid down. All the aches of his age seemed to be completely gone. He held his side and felt the muscles beneath. It no longer burned from the taint of a long cursed wound. The battle against a demon from long ago flashed in his mind and he remembered clearly his temptation. He still thought of himself as a protector but he could still be the same in this form. A creeping sensation came into his mind and he knew it instantly, the Shadow. Something he had long fought against and yet it didn't attack him. He thought it Noxvari but could find nothing from their connection and instead looked for another but found nothing. Again the Shadow touched his mind. Aland had turned his back on the Light but even still in his darkest times in his life it was their for him and now nothing. Had it just kept him alive so long just to abandon him? Was Noxvari right? The Shadow pressed at his mind but he was still too unsure. He didn't accept it, but he didn't push it away either.

((You can find Farah in the Apothecary btw))

[Synaxis]

Noxvari made no effort to be quick about her tasks. She was happy to just leave Aland there to work out the knots in his perception of the world, by himself, in a completely empty, dimly-lit room. He would get it. They always did.

She was able to successfully track down Farah Wood and upon doing so, she sent a messenger to get the apothecary and bring her to the dungeons of the Undercity. The death knight did not elaborate further on the circumstances or what Farah was needed for, only that her presence was required as soon as possible. While the messenger went to fetch Aland's daughter, Noxvari returned to the former paladin with two weapons: a fairly dull sword about the same size and weight as Aland's demonic blade and a slighter shorter, lighter, sharper sword.

When she returned to the cell, she let herself inside and dropped the dull blade in front of Aland. "Stop resisting it," she commented quietly, more in the tone of an impatient teacher than anything else. "You are not naturally weak. It knows this. It is attracted to strength," she explained, taking a few steps around Aland. It was not a threatening gesture. "It is not like the Light. It helps those who help themselves.. The better you make yourself, the better it will make you. It will not abandon you in your time of need.. So long as you do not give up on yourself or allow yourself to become weak or complacent, it will fight with and for you until the bitter end."

"You will only hurt yourself if you resist," she added, taking another couple of steps around the room, holding the sharper blade casually.. Killing time before the big show. "Go on.. Try to strike me while refusing it, first, then again while allowing yourself the empowerment it offers. You will notice a difference. I will block your attacks either way, but you will feel the change." And of course Noxvari could say she'd block his attacks with confidence - she had one finger on his train of thought, of course she had an advantage. The point here, however, was not to fight or kill..

[Nonfictionless]

Aland looked up as Noxvari entered and stood as she instructed him on the Shadow. It sounded almost like Noxvari complemented him as she talked about what the Shadow truly was. But a chance to strike Noxvari, alive or dead, he remember that was quite a thrill. Only now he didn't think about killing her. Mainly because he didn't believe he would able to currently but also because he was starting to appreciate her. That did sound better.... there were many times in his life when he felt the Light was not strong enough for him. Times when he could of healed more people, protected more people, saved more innocents. Could the Shadow truly empower me to do this? He grabbed the great-sword and first noted it's obvious dullness. He gripped the hilt with a single hand and twirled it around. Something he could easily do with his blade but still the fact that it didn't hurt in the slightest made him happy. More and more he accepted his undeath.

"Fine." He took his stance and waited as Noxvari circled him. Ignoring the Shadow, Aland flipped his blade so the flat edge paralleled the ground and swept at Noxvari's midsection as she passed his right side, with as much speed as he could muster.

((I'll have Farah arrive in the next post))

[Synaxis]

Nox had not complimented him. She'd simply stated facts that could be taken as a compliment. That was not at all her intention, though - she wasn't the sort that handed out positive words willy-nilly like that. Now that Aland was no longer on the opposing side, he really had to prove himself before she would start to truly compliment him and mean it.

She parried his attack entirely too easily; that little mental finger touching his mind let her see where he was going to try to strike before he had even swung, allowing her to deflect the attack with ease. It was a nice enough swing but it was just a swing, nothing special. Noxvari only had to brace against it a bit to not have her sword knocked aside. She kept her eyes fixedly locked on his this whole time, not once bothering to look down, not even in the process of blocking his attack..


"And now again," she said, stirring up that hidden part of Aland that had sulked in the back of his mind for a long, long time.

[Nonfictionless]

Noxvari blocked the blow much easier than Aland expected but then again he was still becoming used to his body. He thought he felt something through their connection but didn't care if she was watching. He let out a breath as pulled his blade back and took his stance again. Still hesitant about the Shadow but he let it in. It rushed in and around him, covering his physical form. It seeped into muscles strengthening them, and his mind become much clearer and focused. It felt.....wonderful. Upon his command the Shadow spread and covered the edge of his blade. It wanted nothing from him, except to grow stronger. No years of praying for help before it helped him. No waiting for it to come and help. It really did respond to power.

He didn't wait this time and spun. Aland swung over his shoulder down to cleave Noxvari from her right shoulder. He could feel himself moving faster. Maybe even faster than before, it was hard to tell for now. The key difference that stuck in his mind during the swing however was the fact that he had no fear. During his life he never truly realized it was there, fear that the Light may leave or fail him at any moment.


Meanwhile Farah had received the messenger's word. What could she want? Noxvari had given no word on what she wanted but Farah knew she couldn't just ignore her summons. She was a bit afraid of Noxvari after all. Farah took off her goggles and set them aside with her thick gloves and put her proper tabard and gloves on. The clinking of bottles around her waist followed her all the way to the dungeons. She made her way to the cell indicated and waited outside the door. I hope she doesn't need something for torture...

[Synaxis]

The death knight blocked that strike, too, but this time there was a reaction. Something between the two blades sparked and the collision between them was noticeably more powerful. She still was not forced backwards, but it took more bracing to deflect this blow, as it might've in the past when he asked the light to assist him in battle against her. "There is much for you to learn," she said quietly, lowering her blade and indicating by doing so that they were not about to start practicing. He'd had a taste of what he was missing by walking the 'righteous' path, it was up to him to to really pursue it. "But for now.. there is other business to tend to."

She plucked the sword from his hand without bothering to ask for it and turned away to walk out of the room. As soon as she walked out of the room, she noticed Farah standing there. The shadow of a smirk appeared on her face. "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here," she commented slyly. "In. You will see."

And with that, Noxvari gestured to Farah toward the door through which she would find the little cell with Aland inside. She did not bother going in. Instead, she herself went to the other room she'd been in originally, the one with the window, as there really wasn't enough space in that cell for her to be far enough away from the father and daughter to be a comfortable distance. Once in her little viewing room, she slid open the window and smirked, watching quite emotionlessly.

[Nonfictionless]

He let the blade slip easily from his hand as she took it and nodded in agreement. He finally understood what the Shadow was and how wrong he had been before. The flow of energy flowed back to normal but he felt improved even as it did. Still clasped around his mind he could feel the Shadow, and it felt good. "Other business?" for a moment he had forgotten why he had first accepted this and then as the door opened he could just glimpse another outside, a woman. Farah!

A smirk? What is Noxvari playing at? Farah sighed and entered expecting to see some poor living soul strung up. At first she didn't recognize the man, after all it had been many years and very trying times. Unimaginable joy filled Aland's mind and heart, "Farah...I've found you." Tears welled up in his eyes as he stepped forward, however Farah took a step back. Fear plain as day on her face. She of course had known of her father's life for many years now but his reputation proceeded him. Aland held out a hand to console her, "No, I'm not that man anymore." His only fear since his rebirth into the unliving had proven true. She had indeed stayed away for fear that he would kill her. "What..." she took a moment to truly look him over and not just his face. Obviously he had been captured by Noxvari, but Farah had never expected him to be risen or that he would accept it. "You became a Forsaken? Noxvari turned you? But why?" Farah wanted to revel she was searching for a cure to her, their, condition but knew Noxvari would be listening. Her goal was just to be back with her father but this was just as good for her. Aland nodded, "For you, my daughter." He took a few more steps and embraced his daughter for the first time in over 10 years. "My whole life after that terrible day was just revenge and hoping to see you and your mother again in the next life. I gladly chose this to be with you again." For the next few hours they sat in that cell and talked about much that had past in their years apart, mourned Miranda, and more of Farah's work than her father's. They continued like this without thought to the rest of the world until Noxvari decided to come back.

[Synaxis]

Noxvari grew bored a short way into the cozy catch-up between father and daughter, so she did eventually leave one of her trusted underlings to make sure nothing got out of hand and nothing was said that could potentially turn into a problem either now or in the future. While she was away, she tended to more important business elsewhere in the city, business that had absolutely nothing to do with Aland or Farah but the Forsaken as a whole. In this time, her underling sat in the room behind the barred window with the window shut so he could not be seen, but it was thin enough that he could hear the conversation through it. He, of course, was bored out of his mind but orders were orders and he knew better than to object to his dull job.

When Noxvari finally returned a few hours later, relieving her underling of his duty but choosing to enter the cell itself rather than the little room beyond the cell. "A lovely conversation, I hope," she drawled in a tone that suggested family matters were not her cup of tea, "But we all have work to return to. You, too." Her attention settled ominously on Aland. "There are people for you to meet and places for you to see and it's best this gets done quickly. Your reunion can resume on your own time. Come."
She then backed to the doorway and indicated to Aland that he should, in fact, follow her; though he was fresh and new and Noxvari was not at all convinced about him and where he was aligning himself, he was unarmed and unprotected in a city that was both crowded and unfamiliar to him. Doing something silly would be a bad plan, indeed..

[Nonfictionless]

Aland was far from ready to leave, but he knew that he would of had to leave sooner or later. The connection between them didn't work quite so well in reveres but reading Noxvari was something he had to learn over the years of their fighting. She wanted to affirm his allegiance to the Forsaken. At first the idea was still hard forming in his mind. He did of course have first hand knowledge to more of their ruthless side, but while speaking with Farah he did learn redeeming qualities and more importantly started to understand them more than ever. "It was Noxvari, Thank you." Aland followed Noxvari and Farah walked beside her father as long as she could until she knew Noxvari would no longer tolerate her.

He was a little on edge as they walked through the Undercity. He instinctively reached for the Light but the Shadow came instead, that will take some getting used too. Decades of training and reacting did not disappear over night. "Who are we meeting then?"

[Synaxis]

Nox tolerated Farah tagging along as long as she had to. The depths of the Undercity, those parts closed off to visitors and the common public, were maze-like in nature and every hallway there looked nearly identical to the others nearby. The death knight had several years of experience navigating the underground city, though, so she confidently walked with Farah and Aland down a series of halls and up a flight of stairs and through some more hallways. Despite the fact that nothing was marked with any kind of direction, Noxvari knew exactly where she was going and eventually led them to a larger, more open hall. She pointed toward a large doorway. "Farah," she said a bit roughly, "You are excused." And that was it for a dismissal.

Aland's question went unanswered. It was clear that just because Aland was undead now did not mean Nox was going to start treating him as anything better than an acquaintence; she did not afford him any extra kindness or even sociability based on their long history. She just about ignored him the whole time they walked, until they arrived at a rather large, open chamber beneath the main floor of the Military Quarter. I do love making this shit up.

"I do not have the time nor the patience to teach you the ins and outs of the new you," she explained without emotion, "You will be quartered here, for now. I do not know off the top of my head where exactly, that is for the appropriate people to find out and tell you. This is also where you will be trained."

[Nonfictionless]

Aland found their walk further on not enjoyable but different from what he expected. More gloatly? Maybe. However their relationship changed he felt it was acceptable. He knew of Noxvari's standings and seeing as she didn't regard him in any less capacity he felt it could only be a good thing. Aland cleared his throat, "Trained? I'll only need a dark cleric." With his acceptance almost coming to a head, Aland was becoming his old self again. However being given quarters so far underground was not appealing. He wondered how much of Lordaeron still stood. There was a particular blacksmith shop he remembered enjoying as a child, and it would be nice to dust off a few of his old skills.

[Synaxis]

"I find it adorable that you think you know what you need," Noxvari replied sardonically, casting an impatient 'you don't know jack shit about yourself' look at Aland. His opinion clearly did not matter on this subject as far as Nox was concerned; there was more to the 'being dead' thing than just doing what you did in life, but exactly the opposite way. She did not explain this but kept walking until she came upon a small building tucked among a number of long, rectangular buildings - barracks. She went inside and indicated that Aland should do the same.

"Archie Weaver," she said quietly to Aland, gesturing to an old Forsaken man at a desk. He looked up when he heard his name and regarded the pair of them with droopy eyes.

"New boy?" he inquired, voice rough and gravelly and indicating his great age. He got up from his seat and approached Aland with a long measuring tape. He held the tape up to the side of Aland's head and found his height, then did a series of measurements as one would for the fitting or armor. Somehow, he managed to get a relatively accurate weight out of these measurements. All of the measurements were written down. "What's your name, boy?" the old zombie croaked at him. "How old were you when ya snuffed it? And when'd that happen? And how?"

[Nonfictionless]

Aland pondered what Noxvari meant. He knew enough about her to know she didn't say anything she didn't mean. Made her for a more difficult opponent in the past, threats from Noxvari were never idle. He nodded shortly as she introduced the man. "My name is Aland Wood...." He hesitated for a moment as his traditional introduction was no longer relevant. Knight of the Silver Hand, Paladin of the Holy Light, etc. Again habits formed over the years were proving annoying in his new life. He straightened slightly and cleared his throat, "I am fifty years of age. I would say it was about five hours or so ago when I died and," He glanced at Noxvari. He wondered how much he should tell but decided not leave out anything. Noxvari had killed him and risen him and nothing to the contrary could hide it, "my heart was stopped by a blood spell by Noxvari." He didn't flinch and stood straight as he spoke to Archie.

[Synaxis]

Archie Weaver didn't miss a beat when Aland spoke. Everything was written down in their appropriate places and it seemed like that was it, that was all. He found a rather large sheaf of paper and flipped through it seemingly at random. When he stopped, he begun reading down a long list of what looked like apparently random letters and numbers.. at least until Noxvari stopped him. "Third block, Archie," she said with a touch of impatience. "Another?" he replied, looking up and squinting at her. "Yes, another. Don't question me," she snapped in reply, and that was that.

"Three fourty-seven," the old Forsaken man said, pushing the paper he'd just written on toward Aland and making a dismissive gesture with one hand. Noxvari gave him a hard stare for just a moment before turning and gesturing for Aland to follow her again.

Once walking again, she approached several long, two-story buildings. She ducked into one of them and went up a flight of stairs, then down a hallway lined with doors. About halfway down this hall, she swung a door open. The building's purpose would then be made quite clear - it was a dormitory, for lack of a better word. More homey than standard barracks but still a steaming pile of dung compared to, say, Nox's residence. It was barely furnished with only what looked like a fairly crappy chaise lounge, a standing closet, a mirror, and a nightstand with three drawers. There was really no need for comfort when none of the residents need to sleep.

"Your quarters, for the time being," Noxvari announced unneccessarily. Down the hallway, a door opened and a woman walked out of that room, gave a little bow, muttered 'Shadowstalker' and went on her way like it was nothing. Nox did not respond to it, but continued to Aland, "A cleric would be of little practical use to you unless you plan on wasting your combat skill and becoming a healer instead. Else, they will only teach you the principles of the Cult. While enlightening, not physically useful. They will not help you in exploring the new doors that have opened to you. You will begin that tomorrow. Follow.."

And she would begin to lead him off again, back down to the outside..

[Nonfictionless]

Aland didn't really care for his quarters. He would accept them for the time being though. He kept a few stashes near here, mainly one just outside of the city in a certain grave that was no longer needed. "I still wish to be a healer, at least in part. Besides healing was all I knew when I started. But I can defer to your expertise." Aland continued following her wondering where they were going next.

[Synaxis]

"It would be a shame not to put your combat expertise to use first and foremost," she said in reply, "You can learn to heal.. later."

She led him back out into the open cavern, the hidden part of the Undercity's military quarter, where all the actual stuff happens. This time she led him more out toward open spaces dotted with Forsaken either sparring, shooting, or being lectured on one thing or another. It would make sense that she'd take him to one of these areas, but she did not. Instead, she took him over to a small building. The inside of the building was fairly plain and nondescript. There was no furniture, no decoration, no nothing. It was an empty room with a closed door on either side. Noxvari went to the door on the left and opened it.

Sitting inside was a Forsaken woman in simple mail armor. Her little office was lined with books, most of which had titles relating to magic in melee combat, particularly dark magic. She looked up from what she was reading and stood, looking between Nox and Aland.

"Aland Wood," Nox said, nodding to Aland, "Cathra Archer. You do not need training in physical combat, but she will take care of most of your more.. magical instruction, daily."

[Nonfictionless]

"Glad to meet you Cathra Archer." He glanced around her office and saw a few books he thought no longer existed. Before he would of burned them but now he was just thankful the censors missed them. Then Aland looked over his new trainer, she didn't look like much but then again most spellcasters never did. But she did not seem overly nervous with Noxvari, something a majority of her usual underlings shared and that was something.