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deadromance619 · 5 years

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Telavani

(Lines from: Alice in Wonderland, Alice: American McGee, Alice: Return to Madness, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines)

(Personal note 'Lost Ones' are players.)

"The priest of Elune, our people are doomed, but our forces allied we'll grow in bloom. Not too late, but not too soon." Telavani served the High Prince tea next to his father the King.

"You were ordered not to speak unless spoken to, priest!" Anasterian Sunstrider King of the high elves set his cup of tea down clinking the glass against the plate.

"I like her riddles father; it certainly makes dinner more entertaining." The Prince took a sip, "and her tea is exquisite"

"Thank you my royal upstarts" Telavani bowed, "I have learned to see and hear, light and shadow all so clear, but truth comes out in riddles that are safe enough to share." Telavani stated, prince Kael'Thas Sunstrider smiled, but the King let out another deep sigh.

"This is why high elves don't worship that damned night elf goddess; it kills them, turns them against their own, or whatever the hell happened to her." The King complained

"Yet we've always listened to their counselors, they haven't led us wrong before, I find them more trusting then our human neighbors, yet I haven't seen any in the city for a while now." Kael'Thas stated.

"There are few of us dying from the plague that litters our lands but that's nothing compared to the humans." The King laughed, "By the time the plague passes we might be able to get the humans to surrender their lands thanks to that little concoction that mage brewed up."

"Don't remind me father, I know that Silvermoon has been richer than it's ever been, but if they ever find out the truth about-" Kael'Thas said but was interrupted.

"And they won't!" Anasterian interrupted, "Even if they do, there won't be many of them left. Humans are lesser, and we have something they all want, soon they will all be slaves to us or themselves." The King took another sip of tea, "You're right though, this tea is exquisite, totally worth the ramblings of a mad priest." The King put down his cup, "And it's put me right out, I will see you tomorrow morning my son." The King got up from his chair and left the hall.

"The world is never as mad as it could be, father." Kael'Thas said under his breath.

The King stopped with his back turned but turned his head with his eyes staring angrily at Kael'Thas. He turned his whole body towards Telavani and Kael'Thas, smiled, shook his head, and let out another sigh. "I like her Kael'Thas and I don't want to get rid of her, but you can't let the things she says get into your head. Good night." And he left the dining room.

"Telavani could you join me for a little more tea and do try to speak normally" Kael'Thas put out his hand gesturing toward a chair that was close to her.

"Of course, my Prince." But she jumped on top of the table and sat in the chair next to him, poured tea for herself and filled Kael'Thas's cup. "What was it that you wanted to speak about?"

"I'm not sure." Kael'Thas feeling that his personal shape was being violated.

"Then it doesn't matter what is spoken, only what is enjoyed, life is short, and tea is inundate. Now we have more tea then life." Telavani spoke in glee.

Kael'Thas felt a little confused, "We have lots of tea and were high elves, and we usually have lives longer then tea supplies."

"Speaking in rhymes, maybe there is hope for you, but you don't know when you going to die. It's soon, I too." Telavani laughed and took a sip of tea.

Kael'Thas's went wide; he stood up, grabbed Telayani by the neck and slammed her into the floor with her chair, "That sounded a lot like a threat. You're an assassin then! You've come to kill me, a knife while I slept, or an army outside?" Telavani gasped for breath and laughed at the same time. "My father told me not to listen to you but, you have five seconds until I burn you into a crisp."

Telavani gasp, smiled, and spoke "The priest of Elune, our people are doomed, but our forces allied-"

Kael'Thas shook her by her neck, "You said that already, do you really want those to be your last words."

Telavani laughed, reached for a tea cup, poured burning hot tea on her face and mouth choking even more, she let go of the cup on the floor started to go limp. Kael'Thas let out a roar, threw her body and chair at the wall, she gasped and coughed. "Father would be unhappy if his tea brewer was missing or dead and I don't want to kill someone so beautiful." Kael'Thas stated.

Telavani breathed like she was trying to catch her breath, but she smiled, "Of course I'm beautiful, no one would tolerate me if I wasn't. I would be dead or in prison, but the goddess Elune protects me from certain advances." Telavani clapped her hands twice while she was still on the floor staring at Kael'Thas, "Look this way, not like me at me." She ordered with a smile on her face.

She put one hand in the air snapped her fingers and levitated herself and her chair up to where she was sitting upright, she crossed her legs and leaned to one side of her chair, laughed, shook her head, and looked back at Kael'Thas. Kael'Thas really looked at Telavani clothes, she wore thin white linen that hooked on her arms and pelvic areas that flowed behind her, a golden choker imbruted with purple gems that held her golden, white, and bronze top up and a white and yellow hood that covered most her head but her black hair flowed in curls behind her and her blue glowing eyes illuminated all of her makeup, mad smile, laugh, and beautiful features. She had so much exposed skin; Kael'Thas thought something terrible could happen to her if she was in the wrong part of the city. "I was beginning to wonder about that," Kael'Thas stated. "how you can walk around the streets dressed like that."

Telavani rolled her eyes, "There more to being a grownup then boobies and alcohol. The goddess does protect her own, even one from the shadows such as I."

Kael'Thas crossed his arm defensively, "I know you have these predictions sometimes, but are they always true?" Kael'Thas asked.

"I mean what I say, you might try it occasional," Telavani stated, "but no, I was told a riddle about my father's death and what he thought that his next lucky break meant money but was actually his neck on the floor. Many riddles about my brother's death but he is too slippery for death to catch, he doesn't want to hear my warnings anymore, I miss him so, so I don't usually say."

"Why is that?" Kael'Thas replied.

Telavani disappeared into nothingness and reappeared lying on the dining table as if it were her bed, poured herself tea, and drank a small sip. "She who saves a single soul, saves the world, but what I see never actually was, always to be, no one will ever see what I see, nor will they ever, because life is the present, one gift I am short of then most people, but you're going to kill me, that way you can listen and then not listen."

Kael'Thas put his hand under his chin and thought for a second, "'She who saves a single soul saves the world' my soul" he thought "'what she sees never was, always to be. No one will ever see what she sees nor will they ever'. She sees the future." Kael'Thas smiled at the sudden relation, but looked at her in pity, she said, " 'You're going to kill me that way you can listen and not listen. ' " It was the only direct thing she said. "Why would I kill you?" he asked out loud.

Telavani took a butter knife off the table, climbed off the table, grabbed Kael'Thas's hand, put the knife in his hand, and then held it to her throat, "Bravery and I are not on intimate terms," She stated, "thus I've lived long. My visions whether truth or madness cannot be ignored so I speak without regard of consequence. Your courage deserves no less. You have suffered great pain and you've caused some, but you will be tested by a more deeply painful anguish. Keal'Thus Sunstrider, there is worst to come. You and this kingdom cannot both survive. So, take my life so I do not lead you into madness."

Telavani held the knife with so much pressure that her skin was turning red, Kael'Thas only had to move it to the side, "What would killing you solve? I can take your warning and be done with it." He asked.

Telavani looked around the room, "'A Lost One' greater then gods in our world, but less than men in their own, will save your life ten times over and lead your armies to victory, even now they watch over us, but one threatens to take my body for his own entertainment." Telavani begins to cry slightly, "I can't see, the shadows show me so many things in future but I can't see what's at the end of the tunnel. There's no man I love, no children, I only see hardships, war, and loneliness." Telavani put her face close to Kael'Thas lips like she wanted to kiss him, "Please, the goddess will not accept me if I take my own life, so please, my Prince take my warning and my life."

Kael'Thas pushed her away, ripped the knife from Telavani's hands, pushed her into the table, and paced side to side, "YOU!" He pointed, "YOU'RE MAD! YOU'RE CRAZY, I will kill you, but not now! If there is any truth to this, I might need you later."

Telavani smiled and shook her head. She turned around, jumped up on top the table, and walked away from Kael'Thas like it was her own personal cat walk "Heavy is the burden of the wise ones when no understands a word we say." Telavani's face was blank like she was thinking of a distance memory when she said that, and she let out another loud laugh, but tears were still falling from her face, "Mad shadow priest never bothered anyone, but no one ever believes me to this day. Why should they. How is a sparrow like a writing desk? "

"Get down from there, you and I are not the same, why should I believe you, and why not give this information to my father." Kael'Thas ordered.

She laughed slightly, wiped her eyes and face, and it seemed whatever madness drove her before was back in full force. She turned and faced Kael'Thas and was laughing and smiling again, "BeCaUse you're a scrumptious young plaything straight out of life and into high elf royalty, you smell new, like watermelon dew on a freshly cut pineapple tree, I'm I frightening you, little prince?"

Kael'Thas crossed his arms defensively "No, but I should put you in prison."

Telavani put down her hood and pulled her hair free letting her curly black hair free to fall from her back and face. "Oh, the law is just, just a whisper away, A way home to wonder, wonder who, who knows how to measure rules. WITH A RULER! Cruel rules. The Light will only show what is truly there, but the more shadows you have the less you see, but the more you stare into the shadows the more you see what others do not or will not. Leave this bit of chaos in a certifiable giggle, you must greet the sun before his lovely daughter moon. You can't forsake the journey for the safely of your room."

"I know-. " Kael'Thas began but was interrupted. When Telavani disappeared and reappeared again in front of his face bent over on the table at his level and touched his nose gently with her finger.

"Which is right and wrong, if right is right is left wrong, or is it what's left?" Telavani asked.

The Kael'Thas backed away, but the words made Kael'Thas suppress a smile, "I was going to say…"

"Your prayers," Telavani interrupted, "for you only pray for those that cannot pray for themselves, do you also pray for yourself?"

Those words brought a surge of pain to Kael'Thas's head; he wasn't sure if it was the words or the work of some spell "Don't interrupt me I can't."

"Go to the outhouse?" Telavani giggled in glee.

Kael'Thas grew angry, "MAD WOMAN!"

Telavani stood up with her hands on her hips "Yes you are, but what am I?"

Kael'Thas charged a fireball "I'll give you…"

"A present? You shouldn't have, I have nothing for you." She stepped off the table and walked toward him again making Kael'Thas feel even more defensive. Her smile seemed more like a predator playing with their food.

"She is getting in your head Kael'Thas, don't kill her." Kael'Thas thought.

Telavani laughed out loud continuing to walk forward as Kael'Thas was getting closer and closer to the wall "Already there, and you should." She said.

Kael'Thas blasted her with fire but not enough to kill her, she fell backwards onto the table again setting some of her clothes on fire "Get me food and I live, give me a drink and I die." She said as poured the remaining tea on her burnt clothes.

Kael'Thas put his hands on his head, "Please stop, no more riddles, no more talk, just stay out of my head!"

Telavani body turned into a thousand small purple butterflies and flew around Kael'Thas "No one's in your head Kael'Thas, that's just crazy." It was many small high-pitched voices at once.

"You of all people, you…" Kael'Thas spoke but she reappeared levitated upside-down behind him, her hair falling near the floor scaring him again.

"Make it too easy to manipulate. Men make terrible priest, care more about the respect of position, they never know their place, or anyone's place. When you go into madness my Prince you won't be as insightful as I." As she spoke her position slowly changed from upside down levitating to lying like she was on her own bed in midair.

Kael'Thas held on to his own heart, it was beating fast. Most priests he had met followed the ways of the Light to the letter, and only used their shadow powers as a means to an end, but this priest had a completely different power and it was like nothing he had ever seen before, "Do the shadows see my death?"

Telavani laughed at his fear and question, "If you really want to know, why don't you ask them yourself, they went that way," She pointed in one direction but looked in another.

"Who did?" He asked.

"The shadows."

"They did?"

"They did what?"

"Went that way?"

"Who did?"

"The shadows?"

"What shadows?"

"But you just said."

"Here they are!" Telavani thought back and slowly put her feet on the floor, "'No you will not be died, the dead feel no pain, but that's no comfort once alive.' That's what they say, that's wasn't what I was asking. They answer but with too much information, the shadows are quite mad you see."

Keal'Thas rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "I don't want information from mad shadows." He complained.

Parts of Telavani's body started slowly disappearing from the feet up, "Oh, you can't help that. Most all shadows are mad." Telavani laughed, "You might have noticed that I am not all there myself. I will stay here and die. The day he sees you walking away, he'll be left, cleaning up the mess I made."

Kael'Thas grabbed her arm before she could disappear completely and her whole body could be seen now, "I will not leave, nor will I, nor will anyone else, kill you, in three weeks if this is just the work of some mad goddess I will kill you myself, regardless of how beautiful you are, but until then it's business as usual. So, shut up and toe to line, while I redefine, how this all will be mine. I have a dream; it's got a full head of steam."

Telavani looked at Kael'Thas hand holding on to her arm and smiled at Kael'Thas suspiciously, "They just spoke to you, didn't they?"

Kael'Thas let go, his face went blank, and the blood left his face, "I need to leave, I'm tired. I need to sleep. Good night." And he stormed out of the dining room.

-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t

A week later messages came to Silvermoon when Lordaeron fell to the traitorous prince Arthas killing his father, they were asking for their aid but scouts said that only those that could fight and steered clear of Arthas attack escaped the wreckage. Many citizens lies were lost. "TELAVANI!" The King shouted.

The mad high elf seemed to come from nowhere but walked into the throne room in a few seconds, wearing a yellow and white velvet corset top dress with purple gems that made her exposed bosom rise up and her waist tighten in, a satin long sleeve crop jacket with big brown shoulders, a bronze, white, and gold short mini dress, and long black boots that made her look three inches taller. Topped off with a brown and purple top hat and the smile she wore so well, she bowed gracefully. "It's a bit early for tea, but it's just about done brewing if you would like me to bring it to you now. I don't nearly have as much feed all our guest though." She looked at the messenger.

The king smiled as she approached and completely forgot why she called her, "Father." Kael'Thas stood beside him impatient as his father was entranced. King Anasterian Sunstrider shook his head, was about to say something, but was interrupted.

"If you don't care for tea then try to make polite conversation, but I have an excellent idea; let change the subject. My king and prince the day is warm and bright, a pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, is a sure to be a delight" she held out her hand to the king.

"Is this your jester your highness?" The messenger asked.

"Nothing short of it, I still don't understand where she got those damn huge shoulders things." Kael'Thas complained.

"Kael, they are becoming quite the style just of late, and even in grave news she's..." Anasterian spoke to his son.

Telavani stepped toward the messenger, "There no time for whatever it is you want to talk about, it's time for tea. Leave or you, you, you-you!"

"TELAVANI!" The prince and the king both shouted her name in unison. "This is grave news," The King spoke, "You usually have visions of the future, yet you been quitter then I have ever seen you this week. Didn't you have a vision about anything that happened in Lordaeron?"

Telavani laughed slightly and rolled her eyes, "As knowing where you are going is preferred to being lost, you must ask." Telavani stated, "Kael'Thas knows a thing or two. And I, myself, don't need a weathervane to know which way the wind blows, but is it that time now? I was hoping your son would have killed me by that time; oh, this is a pity, you probably have about, a few hours now. A Lost One guides his hand as it always has, we must invite him for tea." She placed both her hands on the side of her face.

The messenger was somewhat shocked to hear her use words in such a colorful way, he knew that jesters were usually mad, but she was so insightful. "Kael'Thas you stupid, bullheaded, blonde, bully, you scared her into silence! She is much more than a brewer and a pretty face you know!" The King yelled.

"Father you said, 'not you can't let the things she says get into your head.' She wanted me to kill her; she spoke of Lost One's, said they were going to take over her body. Its crazy talk, riddles that mean nothing." Kael'Thas explained.

"Riddles have meaning once you solve them, did she say anything about Silvermoon, of the Kingdom of Quel'thalas?" Anasterian demanded.

"She said, there is worst to come. I and this kingdom cannot both survive."

Anasterian slamed the arms of his throne with his fist, "Messenger have there been any scout reports of incoming undead?"

"It was like you're, uh, I'm sorry what are you called?" He looked at Telavani.

"Telavani Lightwood at your service, but never Tela, it makes me feel fat and tubby"

"No I mean your title, your job."

"I am the one and only high elf priest of the goddess Elune, but I have chosen to learn ways of shadows and the goddess is graceful enough to allow it, but I also like tea and fortunetelling. Unfortunately my fortunetelling is never fortunate, I guess that makes me a un-fortuneteller. "

"She's mad if you couldn't tell, finding meaning behind her insights is quite a chore." Kael'Thas complained again.

"Well she right, a large number of dead ones near Temple of Light a few days ago," The messenger explained, "Uther the Lightbringer was among the dead, must have thin there numbers. They seemed to be headed this way but moving slowly, not big enough to destroy Lorderon and certainly not large enough to storm the gates of Quel'thalas. We out number them 100 to 1"

"See father we'll send out a volley and they will die in the woods." Kael'Thas stated.

"How is a King Arthas like a typhoon?" Telavani asked.

"A typhoon doesn't want to be a typhoon, but Arthus is nothing like a typhoon." Kael'Thas answered.

"You usually correct my prince, the undead are more than merely alive." Telavani stared into nothingness as she spoke, "They have other parts. The Lich King will deprive them of what remands of their deranged souls. They need care. Sanity not required, limited quantity, I'm not mad enough to be rejected. I'm like him, of him in a way; I'm like him, but not him. For I am him without the warmth of the Light on my back, his is gone, taken to feed the hunger. I should say us, for I am like him, but you're on your way my Prince. The way is clearly marked."

"He is mad like you." The King asked.

"Yes, even though I always stare into the shadow and the shadows stare back at me, I always feel the warm loving embrace of the Light on my back. Even though I turn my back on the Light, I would never leave its sight. Frostmorne hungers. Frostmorne is coming with its shiny cars, with comfy seats and wheels of stars. So hush my little ones have no fear, for the man with the sword is the engineer." Telavani spoke the words like there was another soul saying them, she fell to her knees and held her heart, "This, this is a better fate then the one that awaits me. I would rather be eaten then controlled by a Lost One."

"Who are these Lost One's?" Kael'Thas asked.

Telavani looked at Kael'Thas, "They guide his hand; lead his army, they kill without mercy. Our walls, homes, people are nothing to them; they are obstacles, objectives, adventures, quest, GAMES!" Telavani laughed and cried at the same time, "Frostmorne please take my body and soul!"

"Put her in chains and get her out of here before she starts a panic! I want to my city on lock-down, no one leaves unless I give the okay!" The King ordered "Recall every ranger, soldier, and labor if Arthas is bringing a war we need to be ready for him."

"Father we need her." Kael'Thas said now.

"Make your own tea son." He said angrily at his son as servants helped him with his armor.

"That's not what I meant." Keal'Thus replied.

"Keal'Thus, I know that brave men and women can change fate, but if the worst were to happen I need you to lead our people out of Silvermoon." He patted him on his shoulder, "I know you will keep them safe."

Keal'Thus shook his head, "I have no idea where to start, where to go, if it's really hopeless then come with us, and we can make a new kingdom elsewhere."

Anasterian looked at both sides of his hands, "I am too old, son. If the Sunwell goes, I go, she told me that I would die with something rich men need, something fouler then the Twisting Nether, and something greater than the god's combined. I think it was my will to fight."

"Of course it is father." But Keal'Thus knew the answer was actually 'nothing', and she left out 'we all take to our graves', but it gave his father hope.

"Anyone that is too afraid to fight leave now with my son, but know this; that you're fathers, mothers, young sons, and daughters will die if Arthas is to be successful!" The king explained.

Keal'Thus left as his people prepared for war and went down to Telavani's cell. He saw her there laughing and crying,"I know you could get out of there if you wanted too." Keal'thus said.

She sat in her cell holding her knees, , "I don't want to see, I don't want to see. La la la, shadows please show me something else, anything but this!"

She ran towards Keal'Thus and grabbed his robes threw the bars, "Please Keal'Thus you have kill me, the guards won't do it. It has to be you!"

"Why are you in prison, I know your power, there's no magical barriers, free yourself." He ordered.

"I can't uses the shadows anymore, they shows me things I don't won't see." She cried.

"What do you see?" Keal'Thus asked.

"Poking, killing, building, stealing, breaking, every time I close my eyes I see Arthas armies changing are women and child into undead, corrupting our lands. But I know those areas, I grew up in those places and played, but I see what the Lost One sees. I see Arthas's face clearly, he's five or six, and a thousand in green, but his army and the things he builds are fragmented like children toys. Our people are toys as well, but I recognize their voices, there screams. Sylvanas Windrunner gives him trouble, but she is a single bee trying to stop a bear."

"How do you know about her?" He asked suspiciously.

"I would like to read her fortune, she glows with forbidden love that she should chase, but she can't. I can't tell her to run away, I'll never be able to tell her anything. Kael'Thas it too painful please end it!"

"You can see him coming? Do you know which path that's clear? Tell me!"

Telavani laugh out loud, "Still with the royal upstart attitude," She regained some composer, "still curious and willing to learn I hope. Then take this, you must leave, rather or not you take my life you must walk away from me. I am not a power conduit that will prevent all death, I am a path to madness, let this first and only lesson I give to you: There is some power in this world and others that you MUST walk away from, because it will destroy you. Slavery and happiness do not dwell in the same house."

"Telavani stop! You said it once that you saw many visions of your brother death, what was his name?"

"Lachance, it meant 'good luck', he is my twin, but our parents told us we were a year apart. He was a disgrace because he didn't have magic, but I miss him so, I shouldn't have told him that he was going to die so many times, I was too worried, to overprotective, and I drove him away." she hit the bars she was leaning on.

"And yet you know he's alive don't you." Kael'Thas asked.

"When he would stare into the night sky I would see the stars even if I was in my room. He doesn't want to take up arms, he feels how I feel. We should run for our lives."

Kael'Thas crossed his arms, "He is a coward?"

Telavani grabbed him by his robes and pulled him into her face, "HE IS WISE! WITH OR WITHOUT MY WARNINGS, I DON'T TRUST THE SHADOWS WHEN I SEE HIS DEATH!"

Kael'Thas looked down at her, "Yet you trust them now?"

Telavani let him go, and turned the other way,"I... " She took a deep breath, "The meat of enlightenment is delicious and enriching to the mind, but each bite is heavy and bulking. I may be biting off more than I can chew and throwing up madness and riddles. Maybe this vision isn't true."

"That's a disgusting metaphor, but maybe we should take it one bite at a time. In your visions did you ever see me kill you?" Kael"Thas asked.

Telavani looked at him, "No. I hoped though. The shadows show me things that seem unavoidable, I thought now would be the time to take action for myself. "

Kael'Thas put his hand out, between the bars, "Did you ever hope for children and a man you love?"

Telavani put her hand over her face,"No Kael'Thas, don't do this."

Kael'Thas reached farther in, "Because I would never kill you nor would I leave you to die."

Telavani shook her head, "No don't say it, please don't say it!"

"Because I love you Telavani." The word made her fall to her knee's

"It's a lie's," She yelled, "Why?! You're mad, I can see you slipping every day, you keep falling into madness every time I see you, every time I speak to you, will you ever listen to my warnings. I love you too but the Lost One's will take me away from you," She touched his hand, "and if I don't die soon the Lost One's will make me kill you. Losing you would be more painful than death, more tormenting then Frostmorne." She leaned into the bars with his embrace.

"Stop trying to push me away Telavani, why are you afraid of love, of madness? What is madness, what is love?"

"Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me no more." Telavani laughed while tear's still falling from her face, "The Lost Ones are laughing and the shadows are breaking into song. I can't see the invasion anymore, I may be speaking in rhyme, for quite some time." Telavani was still laughing historically.

"Telavani this isn't a laughing matter I'm trying to be serious with you. I do love you."

"I don't know, you're not there, I give you my love but you don't care." (Haddaway) Telavani sang and danced. She disappeared into nothingness and reappeared behind Kael'Thas, it didn't scare him as much as it usually did. "Dance with me, I want be your partner can't you see." (Orleans) she bowed putting out her hand and still speaking in song.

"See this is what I love about you," he took her hand she lead him in a dance, "What do the shadows show you now?"

"The music starting, night is calling, and I am falling. Can you see, can you look, is it rotten and covered in goot?"

"I… " Kael'Thas looked around saw all the purple butterflies that surrounded her, strange music of common tongue but sounded delightful, there were crystals lights of rainbow colors, and her smile, the light that shined behind her back. But something cold was behind him. He turned his head but Telavani held his face in place.

"Please my love, don't look."

"What's wrong, where have you brought me?" He asked confused.

The sound of music faded, and it began to get cold. The prison cell begin to fall in shambles around Telavani's face, "I can get us out of here, but you mustn't look, you love me don't you?" She relieved him.

He nodded, "I do."

Telavani smiled, "Just look at my face, you can see your future with me, we don't have to trust the shadows."

"He doesn't love you Telavani, he just wants your power. Just like your mother and father, just like everyone did." A high pitched voice said.

She looked around, "No, we can make our own future now, we don't trust you anymore, you couldn't take my brother and you won't take him. Look behind me, you can see the Light right? The Light will show you what's really there."

Kael'Thas only saw darkness, "Telavani, I don't see anything, just you."

Telavani nodded, she did smile, but she had worry, something he never saw in her before, "Then keep looking at my face don't take you're eye's off me, and listen to my voice."

"What is yours but others use it more than you do?" She smiled but it wasn't her usual smile, she was trying to reassure him.

"I don't know." His mind was blank.

"A name" She smiled and nodded. Kael'Thas wanted to smile but he couldn't.

"What is born each night and dies each dawn" trying to reassure him again.

"I don't know." he answered, still blank.

"Our dreams." She nodded.

"The person who builds it doesn't need it, people who buy it doesn't want to use it, and the person who uses it doesn't know he has is, What is it?" Telavani had a look of dread in her eye's.

"I don't know Telavani I'm scared, please tell me what is behind us?"

She looked up in fear and Kael'Thas looked behind himself as well, he felt a strong grab by a giant of a man with black armor and white hair, he pulled out the sword on his back and pointed the end an inch away from his face. He knew what it was 'Frostmorne' "A coffin." Arthus spoke.

He thrusted it forward into Kael'Thas neck and a flood of memories came over him. Demons, Naga, his people eyes changing with a growing hunger, blue creatures that walked on two legs that he didn't even know, but spoke. He saw great pain and but great power, but he loses it, betrayed but his love Telavani. She's takes everything and any from him, completely un-moving and unfeeling, healing the large number of forces that kill his partners in ambition. He is left last, and these traitors take his clothes, weapons, head, and they leave. Then he see what Telavani sees, something like a game of chess but with a bigger playing field, Arthus is one of the pieces and he kills Sylvanas Windrunner and raises her as a Banshee that also looks like a queen chess piece. The vision ends there but he wasn't in Telavani's prison cell, he was right outside it. His father and troops were getting ready for battle and Telavani was being taken away. Kael'Thas stepped near Telavani's cell again and he looked at her and was still saying to herself, "I don't want to see, I don't want to see."

He opened the door and dragged her upstairs where a large number of scared high elves were and threw her on the floor, "This priest of the Night Elf goddess Elune knows a way we can all escape with our lives, but she won't tell me or anyone else!"

"No, this isn't happening, I'm going to wake and this will all be a terrible vision," Telavani looked up at Kael'Thas, "Kael'Thas, what are you doing, I don't want this." Telavani got up and put his arms around him, "I need to tell you something, my Prince, please listen to me this time, I love you and I know you love me too. So if you share any of that love, kill me, this path, this will destroy us all!" But his affection was not returned.

"Telavani what are you doing here, why aren't you fighting, they need your magic." Telavani let Kael'Thas go and responded to the voice with fear in her eyes.

"Don't, stay away from me." She pleaded but the high elf stepped forward with a child asleep in his arms.

Kael'Thas looked at his face, it was the same as hers, but with masculine features, "This must be Lachance." Kael'Thas walked over to him, he grabbed him by his neck dragged him toward Telavani, and took him to the floor, "You're name means 'good luck' right. Is that your daughter over there, blonde like me, but there's a striking resemblance of you both."

"Screw you, spoiled Prince." Lachance spit. Telavani tried to aid the unconscious girl on the floor.

"Tell me Telavani did the shadows show you this, did you see this as your brother death?" Kael'Thas cackled.

"You have broken my heart Kael'Thas Sunstrider, I did see it, but I didn't believe it! I never thought you could do this and my brother has always slipped between deaths fingers." Telavani claimed.

"Well he won't slip this time." He charged up a fire spell, "A pyro blast should kill his one, but the girl, I'm thinking ice, much less painful. Five seconds, Telavani."

The crowd in the back pushed her, "We just want to escape with our lives, tell us if you know the way out, help us."

"Time's up, Telavani." Keal'Thus claimed.

"Wait!" Telavani put out his hand, "Please, but don't kill him. I will lead you all out of the forest, but he is more mad then I, and will lead you down the path of you own destruction, and the good ones of you, the ones that don't follow, will be controlled by the Lost One's for their own entertainment. Death would have been a gift; Frostmorne would have been the lesser. Shadows cannot be changed without Light!"

"She's mad, crazy, Lost One's?" The people yelled, "What is she talking about? Kael'Thas, can she really lead us out of the forest."

Kael'Thas stood up off of Lachance's back, "Oh she can, I've seen it, but she has a much better view of the battlefield. Tell us shadow-priest."

"We have to burn a path through those trees, that way." Telavani ordered.

Keal'Thas started casting fireballs at the tree's and so did the other elves that could do so. Lachance ran over to the girl and picked her up, Telavani hugged Lachance from the side, "I missed you so much brother."

"I know. I missed you too, would you be surprised to know that mother didn't make it?" Lachance stated.

She looked down, "No, but who is this girl you're carrying?"

Lachance laughed, "This is Perfectia Dawnlight, she's my daughter, I just found out." Telavani looked down on her.

"The King said the children were going to die if Arthas was successful, just leave her she's dead weight!" That got the attention of Kael'Thas, he looked over at the three of them and was about to say something.

"She's is the daughter of Kel'Donas Dawnlight, do you really want be the one to explain to her why her only daughter is dead in the woods, if he isn't!?" Kael'Thas looked away and continued burning trees down, Lachance looked down at her, "Please just let me have this time with her."

Telavani touched her head as she breathed, Lachance moved her away, "Don't sister. I don't want to know, just let me have some hope that she'll make it."

Telavani put her head down, took a dagger from one person's bag, and put it in her brothers without him noticing, "I've never been able to see your death, brother, but she'll need you to keep her alive, and I think you'll need her to stay alive as well, but you should run once we clear the woods."

Lachance rolled his eyes, "What no riddles?"

Telavani smiled, "Nope just big sister advice now." She patted him on the head.

Lachance sighed, "Come with me then. I don't know anything about raising kids."

Telavani looked at Kael'Thas burning the trees down, "He'll never going to let me go, not now anyways, I've shown him too much."

Lachance looked at his sister; half smiled, and shook his head, "How could you fall for a guy like that anyways?"

Telavani laughed, "Your sister's mad remember?"

Lachance looked down and looked at her, "I will find a way to free you from this, I promise."

Telavani smiled, "I know brother, regardless of what the shadows show me I will continue to have mad hope as well."

Kael'Thas burned down most of the trees that lead to a pathway to the ocean. All of the big boats for sailing had already fled but all the fishing boats were left behind. Kael'Thas looked to the horizon for left over sail boats, there was one about a half a mile out, but Telavani said not to bother with it. All the elves picked up boats and rowed out into the sea. Kael'Thas got into the one of the boats and began rowing, but really couldn't get the technique of rowing. "Telavani, would killing you made any difference to me if I had done it when you asked me to." Kael'Thas asked frustrated.

Telavani rolled her eyes and got into the boat. "While I can see things most people can't, no one can see their world beyond there death, but I imagine that your father would have been cross with you and sent you away, then sent letters for you to come back, but it would have been too late." Telavani stated. "But if you try to kill me now, I will defend myself."

"I wasn't suggesting that I would, it's just you're not speaking in riddles anymore, have you lost your connection to 'the Shadows'?" Kael'Thas asked.

"I don't need to commune with the shadows to see what will happen next, besides I need to devote myself to 'the Light' now that the sunwell has been corrupted. These people will need the Light more than ever when there hunger pains start setting in." Telavani explained.

Kael'Thas said finally getting the rhythm of rowing, "We have some rangers with us that can fish."

Telavani laughed, "Every wild animal and fish has fled, been corrupted, or has been frozen solid, but actual hunger will be the last of concerns, Kael'Thas."

Kael'Thas stopped rowing but they were moving out to sea fairly fast. "Actual hunger, what danger will we face?"

Telavani held on to her chest and shook her head.

"Is it the Lost One's?" Keal'Thas asked.

Telavani looked at Kael'Thas and half smiled, "No, they don't know we're here, but how long has it been since sunset?"

Kael'Thas looked out to the sea where the sun was, the last of its light was starting to go. "A few minutes, we could have taken a boat large that could have taken us anywhere in the world why are we using small boats."

"Have you ever used a row boat before?" Telavani said displeased.

"No." Kael'Thas answered.

Telavani crossed her arms and put one hand on the said of her head, "This will be a learning experience."

Keal'Thus stopped rowing, "Will we'll be drifting to Northrend at this rate and what if we run into that damned maelstrom? This will all be for nothing."

Telavani rolled her eyes and sighed, but she put her hand on her chest took quick deep breathes like she was struggling to breathe.

"Telavani are you sick? If you have to throw up don't do it on me." Kael'Thas demanded.

Telavani let out a loud laugh that got the attention of the other elves in there small boats, "The time has come, " Telavani said, "To talk of many things: Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—Of cabbages—and kings—and why the sea is boiling hot—And whether pigs have wings."

In light of everything that had transpired a few elves in neighboring boats repressed a laugh including Kael'Thus, "Glad to see you're back to your old self." he said sarcastically.

Telavani eyes were glowing purple, "The Light will not take back this one as easily as she hopes." There was a deep voice coming from her mouth but Telavani's voice could be heard though it as well.

"Keep your voice down. No more visions of dread, we just need to survive now." Kael'Thas was startled and there were other elves watching from the boats.

"How is this?" Telavani didn't move her mouth, she put her hands on her lap and looked at Kael'Thas, "Don't say anything king of the High Elves. I can hear you just when you think it." Now it was just that one deep voice in his head.

"Who are you?" Kael'Thas asked in his head.

"N'Zoth, Enemy of the Titans, Old God, I'm been called before, and you are closer to my home then you might think." While her mouth didn't move Telavani's body and face made expressions as N'Zoth spoke.

"I've never heard of you, should those names mean something to me. If we are trespassing then I am sorry, but we are fleeing a war zone. "

"Yes, the one that will bring order to this world, it sickens me." N'Zoth crossed its arms.

"If Arthas sickens you, why didn't you stop him from destroying our city?"

The N'Zoth let out a laugh that made Kael'Thas's ears hurt and head ache. "Sorry about that, I don't usually do this." It said. "Your people are devoted to the Light and your cursed Sunwell is a bane to my power. Not my Telavani though, while I did enjoy sharing the sunwell with her, I find my own form more pleasing. "

"So you're on Arthas's side then, you command undead like him?"

Telavani possessed body didn't sound like any being of higher power, it was still using Telavani's voice but amplified. "No, many of my creations have sided with Arthas and no longer devote themselves to me. If the visions I've shown Telavani come true, if all life is cleansed from this world. My maker will not be able to take this world, nor will he be interested in it."

"What vision can you see of me?" Kael"Thas asked.

"You're always straight to the point aren't you? Never care for the bigger picture, I wouldn't tell you anyways even if you asked, but I will tell you this: If Arthas achieves everything he desires, if all life is snuffed out by the darkness and I reach my maxim potential I will not be enough to defeat the Lich King and his armies. I will need to free my brothers and I don't want to do that. Arthas will be defeated with our combined efforts but we will start fighting like we always do and for what? A world already ravaged by the undead with no memory of the past, or no sense of the future; boring, uninteresting, painful. Even if I'm the one who wins, I will die of boredom from being in that world. Frankly, I like tormenting the living and being the vestal that keeps the balance of light and shadows."

"What are you?"

"I'm the finger down your spine when all the lights are out; I'm the name all fear but will never know; when you are stricken with hopelessness I make you laugh, and everyone wants to know where I came from."

"I see where she gets it from; you're the madness that takes her from time to time."

A tentacle slivered on the side of the boat and shook it side to side and went back in the ocean, "Something like that." Telavani body smiled,"With the sunwell destroyed I can protect you from the maelstrom but everyone else will die."

"Why did you tell Telavani to use small boats then, we could have taken something that could carry more than two people."

Telavani's body stood up and put her hands in the air and a purple aura filled her hands and eyes. The waves became violent moving the boats farther out into the ocean and the other boats started bumping into each, then they were connected with tentacles. The other High elves panicked and started casting spells that would burn the tentacles off, "Don't do that, it's here to help." Kael'Thas ordered.

"What is this, my prince?" The other high elves started to ask as they were all drawn closer in the water.

"Whatever Telavani promised would save us is here now." Kael'Thas stated.

"How could he just run away and let his father die?" A voice said.

"What did you say?" Kael'Thas demanded.

"I said how is this thing going to save us?" The high elf in the closet boat said. "What is that shadow priest doing, I hate priest that use shadow power even a little, is he really listening to her. Does he really think he's fit to be king?" Kael'Thas realized that he could hear the thoughts of his rescued elves.

"Are you doing this N'Zoth?" Kael'Thas asked in his head.

"Only a little," N'Zoth used Telavani's voice, it was the only way he could tell N'Zoth voice from the others. As the tentacles brought more boats together Keal'Thus heard more voices of fear, panic, doubts that Keal'Thas will be able to fill his father's shoes, that he was a coward, a spoiled brat, that the shadow priest had set a trap, that this was a set up for him to become king, and they should kill him and the shadow priest once they get to shore.

"STOP! Stop this all of you!" Kael'Thas shouted.

"Keal'Thus is this what you thrown your alliance to? This creature?" other voices in the surrounding boats agreed.

"Did you just say that out loud?" Kael'Thas said in disbelief.

"Yes, are you deaf? Old God of the Sea, The Black Goat with seven eyes, the Drowned God, you've damned us prince Kael'Thas, that bitch will be the death of us all!"

"Wait, he said, he was going to help us." Kael'Thas pleaded.

"Did you give your soul to save your skin?" One of the elves said out loud.

"This was not my plan, I knew nothing of N'Zoth, but the shadows have shown-"

One of the elves interrupted, "The Light would have prevailed against Arthas it wasn't for you. If that bitch wasn't being passed around by you and your fathers' bedsides the Sunwell might be free from corruption!"

"Talda?!" A woman's voice in one of the nearby boats yelled. "No, he's not breathing. Taldaram please wake up." She breathed into her son's mouth.

Telavani looked over at the boy, "While he lived, something cannot be parted from him, it must be lifelong inside him, locked within his beating heart. " Telavani put her hands down, spoke out loud so all could hear, and she walked out into the sea and stood on the surface of the water.

"Kael'Thas kill her. It's another spell from her corrupted god." An elf asked.

Kael'Thas held his hand out. "Wait, it's a riddle."

The elf shook his head and drew his sword, "We don't have time for that right now, our children are dying and we could be next. We have to kill her if we want to survive."

"It seems a shame, " Telavani said and walked toward the elf with his sword out, "To play you such a trick, After we've brought you out so far, and made you trot so quick!" Kael'Thas didn't say anything, the elf raised his sword to strike, "The butter is spread too thick!" Telavani said.

The tentacles started to pull the elf's boat undersea; the elf with the sword was taken under water as well "Stop, Telavani!" Keal'Thas shouted as he charged up a fireball and blasted it at her.

Tentacles rose up from the sea and took the blast and went back into the sea, Telavani laughed with the same predator smile she had at times, but she shrugged and shook her head. Few people were burning off tentacles off their boats and some of the elves started casting spells at Telavani of various colors. Tentacles rose up like before to block the spells, but whenever they took whatever damage the tentacles went after the boats that cast them. After 45 seconds the elves stop casting spells at her, and the elves started trying to get into other people's boats. The woman holding her dead son was in the ocean, she reached for Kael'Thas's boat, and started tipping it over. "My prince, please you have to let us on!"

"Your son is dead my lady; you have to let him go." Kael'Thas demanded.

Telavani picked up the boy and put him on the boat. "Thank you." The mother said.

Keal'Thas leaned to the side of the boat to let her on but tentacles wrapped around his arms, upper torso, and lifted him up in the air. Telavani left up the mother and then both of her arms were in the boat Telavani pulled a dagger from her pocket and slide the blade across the mother throat. The mother held onto the cut. Kael'Thas tried to stop Telavani but tentacles held him from moving. Telavani grabbed the boy by the hair and placed him at his mother throat and the boy began drinking her mother's blood in large gulps. The mother tried to pull the child away but the child held on to her head until she was dead, and she fell into the ocean floor, "Blood." The boy said and opened his red glowing eyes.

The boys eyes were glowing red and fangs had formed as well. "Look, the boys alive." The other elves started to take notice. "Our blood can save our children."

"No." Keal'Thus said still wrapped up, "Take a closer look at this boy, he's a monster."

"Mother, where's mother?" The boy said.

"You killed her you stupid boy." Kael'Thas yelled. He looked at the other boats that held his rescued high elves. Some of them were cutting themselves but some of them were killing one another. The elves were being killed as they tried to get into other people's boats screaming, 'we need blood if we want our children to survive.' He remembered the human mage that concocted that damn elixir, John Ace, and the two Silver Hand humans that killed so many civilians, that he had to be called to deal with them personally. Now his people were going to start killing themselves, slaves to themselves, as his father once said. "NO! They can't drink the blood!" Kael'Thas yelled.

Fire burned in Kael'Thus's eye's and hands so much that his magic gloves that were used for magic started to melt off. Kael'Thus looked at the tentacles that binded him in place and they ignited on fire. Kael'Thas raised his hands in the air and the air around him became cold. He let go of his next spell, freezing the ocean floor that all the boats that were floating were frozen in place, and some of the elves that were in the ocean died as well, while the tentacles froze and then broke into pieces from their weight. "LISTEN TO ME!"

Everyone was stopped, Kael'Thas stepped out onto the ice, "My name is Kael'Thas Sunstrider Prince of the high elves. I have been a coward, a fake, a manipulator; I was ready to leave my home with my father but he chose to stay, but this, this is not what our kingdom is, this is not what our people do. If you have seen what our blood does when it is ingested, you would know that your children will never be the same." Kael'Thas grabbed the only living high elf boy by his neck, brought him to the middle of the ice. "Look at him!" The boy just looked around scared, "Red eyes, fangs, he's become a bloodsucking parasite."

"Kael'Thas he's just a boy." Telavani pleaded. N'Zoth's voice wasn't there anymore.

Kael'Thas looked at her in shock, "Don't give me that, shadow witch! You cut that boy's mother throat."

Telavani looked at to the other elves, "To show you how to save your children's lives. Look how many of your people you've killed under the ice."

"You're insane." Kael'Thas pointed.

"Duh!" Telavani looked at him and smiled.

One of the high elves was trying crack the ice that held some of the elves that were trapped, but he knew it was too late, he walked toward Kael'Thas with his dagger in his hand, others followed, "Our children are breathing now, our people are died because of you, and you're right about one thing. You are a coward, a fake, and a manipulator. We stop being high elves when the sunwell was destroyed, if blood is what we need then that will be our fate. WE will be blood elves from now on. Your kingdom failed to protect us, your people failed the Light, and you kill your own people with little regard, you are not my king."

Kael'Thas held on to his head, "I saved you, if you would just listen to me those people would still alive."

All the elves took up weapons and started casting spells, "Please don't make me kill you all, it her, the shadow priest. I tried to kill her brother, I did kill her brother, and now she out for revenge, if there's anyone that you should kill it's her. Who is in there, is it you, Telavani, or that mad god N'Zoth?!"

Telavani put both of her hands on the side of her face, "Ahhh, look at my eye's Kael'Thas." They were still purple, "I weep for you," Telavani or N'Zoth said, "I truly sympathize. With sobs and tears I sort out, maybe of the largest size, with my pocket handkerchief before my streaming eyes."

Kael'Thas looked around again, the children woke up and started tackling and feeding on whatever living thing they could find on the ice. "Great merciful Light." Kael'Thas said with one hand on his month.

"You had a pleasant run." N'Zoth laughed, she held her arms out, and spinned onthe blood stained ice. "Shall we be trotting home again? I said I like to have fun, and this was scarcely odd, because the others are being eaten, everyone."

Kael'Thas pulled the boat from the ice and put it in the water. Telavani walked down to the boy, whispered in the boys ear, stood up, and said, "Take care Prince Taldaram."

Taldaram smiled, nodded, and waved goodbye. Telavani walked on water like so many powerful priests did, it wasn't impressive to Kael'Thas anymore. "Where do you think you're going?" Kael'Thas asked with a sickened look on his face.

Telavani eyes were still glowing purple and she walked beside Kael'Thas boat, A tentacle pulled the boat to keep with Telavani's speed "I made a promise didn't I, where did you want to go."

Keal'Thas put his head down and shook his head, "Home."

"Silvermoon?" N'Zoth asked.

Kael'Thas looked at Telavani's face, "No my second home, Dalaran, I need to recruit as many of my kind as possible."

N'Zoth laughed, "They won't want to hear that you ran away from the invasion."

Keal'Thus sighed, "We're not going to tell them. If I would have killed you or Telavani, this wouldn't have ever happened, let the pages of history not know of this day."

"Well Telavani will be none the wiser once the sun raises, at least not these events."

"Will you be back during nightfall; if you're responsible for Telavani's visions I think I could use your insights Old God."

"It has been fun Prince, it really has, but this will be the last time you and I speak, whether you receive my insights or not, that is on Telavani. I do love a good tea party with my favorite priest."

"Should I fear these, Lost One's?"

"I'm not worried about the Lost One's so much, they will never know who or what I am, my brothers on the other hand. Let just say I'm looking forward to the plans that will be set into motion if you achieve your goals."

"You don't know for sure?"

"Do I seem like a god with all the answers?"

"You seem to know how to start a blood bath."

"Insanity is easy for me, bravery is when things get complicated."

Keal'Thus shook his head, "That, that doesn't make since at all."

Telavani laughed, "What do you mean?"

"Aren't those the same things."

"Are mania and dementia the same things?"

"No."

"They are two sides of the same coin."

"So are you the cause of shadow, oppose to the light, is there an old god for the light as well?"

Telavani laughed, "You think that I'm some kind of higher power in some kind of inter temporal with the Light?"

"Well aren't you, the sunwell was a bane to your powers."

"The shadows are my life blood but I do need light to survive as well, just like everything in the universe, but light and shadow are not beings of higher power."

"What are they?"

"There places."

"Places? Can I go there?"

N'Zoth laughed with a voice that was deeper than Telavani's voice and the ocean made a thousand small splashes like it was filled with small fish, but there were none.

"What is so funny?"

"I'm the guardian of that place, and I only let in the young, the familiar, and the truly insane, and try to give them insight on where they are and what they can take back, but I'm not letting you in."

"The land of shadows?"

"We call it Wonderland and my creator, the meaning of why I'm alive is to make sure no one gets in, but that place will make you find hidden meanings behind hidden meanings."

"Like what?"

"I can't let any living thing into Wonderland; I can let things from Wonderland into this world."

"The Lost Ones. You brought them in here; this is all your fault. The portal in Azeroth, Arthas, my home, you will be the destruction of Azeroth and for what? "

"Keal'Thus that is only the icing on the cake. When was the last time you wanted to have sex with someone for lust or love, when was the last time you saw an animal having sex or giving birth?"

"I've been in love before, but I've been a little too busy to focus on trivial things like that."

"Busy with what, were you in love with Telavani?"

Keal'Thus laughed, "Heavens no... Well war, ever since the orcs showed up every race had needed to prepare for the worst and for good reason. Even when we defeated the orcs, who could predict warmongers upraising from our once known allies, it still wasn't enough."

"In Wonderland death has very little meaning, everything keeps coming back over and over again, unless…"

"Unless what?"

"You cut off the head, and the more Lost Ones come into this world the more Wonderland rules start to apply. Think about Keal'Thus what would be the point of waging war if death had no meaning?"

"There wouldn't be any point, but people would… Well, I don't know what they would do."

"The answer is entertainment. Trust me, this world will need the Lost One's in order for this world to survive, but that's all this is to them, entertainment, until they get tired of it anyway. Then maybe things will go back to normal. Death will be final, and it will come from more places than a blade, claws, flags, or magic, but disease, accident, neglect, starvation, and malnutrition. That is a world the Lost One's come from, a land of lights where endless rivers of stars run red and white and light up the night sky. Where worlds and dimensions are displayed on every window and structures are built higher than the clouds. Other than that, it is just like this world, but not for long, animals, water, and people. Things are going change in ways you can't possibly imagine."

"How can I stop them from coming?"

"Live out your life peacefully, without war, forget your kingdom, your people, and your plans for revenge, find a wife and raise a family, and focus on trying to feed yourself and them, and live your life one day at a time. Prove that the visions I'm shown you and Telavani is completely false."

Keal'Thus started laughing but it was forced, N'Zoth rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Let armies of the undead corrupt our lands, let a bastard like Arthas steal our very souls, let other races kill and enslave us until we die out, no old god. From what I saw today I know that my people need guidance more than ever, I will restore and re forge my people until no power can challenge us, undead or Lost Ones! You think I should lie down and let my people become bloodsucking parasites, you're no better than Arthas, and when I take back this world, I'm coming after you and this Wonderland, and do you see that in your visions old god?"

Telavani closed her eyes and shook her head, "Kael'Thas where are we, where are the people we saved?"

"Don't play games with me old god!" Kael'Thas shouted.

Telavani fell into ocean water, but she resurfaced, "Kael'Thas what are you talking about how did I get here?"

Her eyes didn't glow with purple anymore, they didn't glow at all like so many high elves eyes usually did. The only light was the stars and the moon, KaelThas helped Telavani get into the boat. Kael'Thas charged fire in his hand and held it close to Telavani, the heat from the flames hurt her skin that she pulled away from the flames. "That's very kind of you, but that's a little to close Kael, are you trying to dry me off?"

Kael'Thas had a blank look on his face, "Telavani why did we take these smaller boats when we could have taken a larger boat?" Not moving the distance of the flames.

Telavani was a bit nervous and held her a hand in front of her face to block the heat, "If we had taken a large boat we would have been attacked by gargoyles that patrolled the shore."

Kael'Thas put out the flames, "Í figured as much." he said.

The real Telavani took a deep breath, "Why?"

Keal'Thus looked out in the distance, "Because we were attacked by gargoyles, but your shadow powers could only save you and I. I don't think your brother made it."

"I see." Telavani smiled and laughed a little, looked at Keal'Thus inquisitively and shook her head.

Kael'Thas looked back at her angrily, "What is it?" he asked.

Telavani met his gaze and half smiled, "I think from this point on, I can accept whatever fate gives me."

Kael'Thas rolled his eyes, "Because in the end you're going to kill me? I wouldn't keep my faith in the shadows if I was you. You think I'm going to keep you around like my father did, maybe fall in love with you, because of a few predictions?"

Telavani clinched her teeth and hit the side of the boat with her hand, "You think I would prefer the company and unyielding attention of a black heart-ed, hot sinking breath, spoiled, unreasoning, unfeeling, hell riser? I don't think so! I would need a better reason to respond then what's currently on offer."

"Then why are you here?" Kael'Thas asked crossing his arms.

Telavani got close his face spitting and yelling as she talked, "You don't know you're own heart, Prince! You think you know mine, there was no method to my madness, you ether obey or you over throw, but you were bonded by the walls Silvermoon and its sunwell. You can only see the tragedy; the whole truth you claim to seek eludes you because you fail to see what's around you."

Kael'Thas was completely un-phased by Telavani's outburst, "Are these more predictions." He asked.

Telavani leaned back and turned her face away, "Madness and destruction Kael'Thas, that's what I offer. Don't ask questions you already know the answer to it's not polite. You must make your survival mean something are we are all doomed."

Kael'Thas put his arms down and leaned forward, "You are finally speaking more direct now, I think I'm finally starting to see, you knew this would happen, everything, but what is worst, you wanted it to happen. You danced around with lies, riddles and skimpy outfits and couldn't just say the words to me or my father."

Telavani looked at Kael'Thas and laughed, "Your father was a 3000 year old baby in a crib. This world is meant for grown-ups: raw, well-ordered, ruthless, and careening on the jagged edge of reality. Self- pitying dreamers cannot survive here, better yet rule. Your father feared the truth, he lived in my shadows and I ruled your kingdom from behind a curtain. His pathetic attempts to reclaim his sanity failed, he just kept retreated into the sterile safety of his own self-delusions, always denying his kingdoms inevitable annihilation." Telavani put her finger in his face Kael'Thas face, "You Kael'Thas Sunstrider, you were well on you way, 'If she can predict the future can she see us together,' yes I did do some digging around that head of yours. I did want to replace that chip on your shoulder you carry around and fill it with my love, I was even willing to die for it, 'Oh, Jannia Proudmore doesn't love me boo hoo hoo hoo.' "

"Shut mouth shadow bitch!" Kael'Thas stood up slapped Telavani across the face.

Telavani held the side of her face with her hand with surprise, "My Goddess, where are you, the moon is shining so brightly but I feel completely drained, my Goddess? I don't know if I can command my powers I had before without the sunwell."

"You should have seen yourself a few minutes ago. You can't use your shadow powers anymore?" Kael'Thas asked.

Telavani shook her head.

Kael'Thus smiled the predator smile Telavani gave him on more than few occasions. He grabbed her by her feet and she flipped into the ocean. Before she could resurface he charged a powerful ice spell and trapped her in a huge block of floating ice.

"I don't need you or your old god; you did always want me to kill you, now you're welcome to your death Telavani Lightwood." Keal'Thas charged a spell and teleported himself to Dalaran.

Lines from: Alice in Wonderland, Alice: American McGee, Alice: Return to Madness, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines

#world of warcraft #world of warcraft fanfiction #world of warcraft fan #fanfic #priest #alice in wonderland #vampire the masquerade #riddles #arthas #keal'thas #blood elves

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kickdownthewalls · 6 years

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Top 20 Heavy Metal Albums of 2017

While it has been a tragic year in many respects (natural disasters, mass shootings, data breaches, a political hellscape, etc.), there has been more good music unleashed on the world than ever. I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to narrow down just the stuff I have had a chance to listen to to a top 20 list and finally gave up. So, this year, I am splitting my list in two: one of metal releases and one of everything else.

I’ll start with the metal releases. Several of these are new(er) bands I have discovered through Bandcamp and Youtube, but the majority are long-time favorites. Countries represented this year: USA (x7), Germany (x4), Sweden (x2), Japan (x2), Finland, Norway, Italy, Chile, and the U.K.

Without further ado, here are my top 20 fave metal records (and tapes) of 2017…

20. EVIL - Rites of Evil

Bands that can successfully mix old-school black metal with thrash and/or speed metal always get my attention and Evil from Japan do it pretty damn well. Elements of early (like, REALLY early) Sodom are combined with Hellhammer to great effect, with lots of cool change-ups and a very raw production style.

19. JACK STARR’S BURNING STARR - Stand Your Ground

From his early work with Virgin Steele and amazing solo album with Rhett Forrester (RIP) back in 1984, Jack Starr has had a long and varied career. I was expecting Stand Your Ground to be good, just based on the last record, but damn it is some really top-notch US power metal. Only a few bands are doing this kind of material justice and it’s great to see one of the scene’s legends still out there and at the top of their game.

18. JAG PANZER - The Deviant Chord

It’s been, what, six years since the last Jag Panzer record? Damn good to have them back though and worth the wait. The band’s brand of US power metal is still intact, with a good mix of the faster, heavier stuff and more expansive, melodic songs. It’s not the band’s best album, sure, but it is still a strong return after a long break.

17. RAM - Rod

Ram really knocked it out of the park with their previous album so Rod was bound to be a bit of a disappointment. Still, there are many great songs here and even the six-part conceptual piece that makes up half of the album works remarkably well. Classic heavy metal is alive and well.

16. SATYRICON - Deep Calleth Upon Deep

This one almost didn’t make my list because, frankly, I forgot it came out until I started looking back over the year. Which isn’t to say it isn’t memorable, only that I never got a copy of it to really give it a proper listen. Glad that I finally did, though, because it is a huge return to form after the rather disappointing eponymous release of 2013. The smoldering menace of Now, Diabolical is back in all its glory, with the drums possessing a particularly wonderful, organic thump.

15. MIDNIGHT - Sweet Death and Ecstasy

When it comes to filthy, punky black metal that worships at the altar of Venom, it is hard to beat Midnight. Having said that, No Mercy For Mayhem (2014) was a bit of a let-down after the still-brilliant Satanic Royalty (2011). Sweet Death and Ecstasy is right in between the two, with a couple of slower, more experimental cuts and fairly memorable songs in general.

14. WALPYRGUS - Walpyrgus Nights

Despite a logo and album art that looks more like black or doom metal, this band from Raleigh play a very potent brand of melodic metal with clean vocals and lots of guitar harmonies. Closest comparison I can think of is Immortal Soul-era Riot. Very catchy vocal lines, killer riffs, and strong songwriting all around make this one of the year’s most underrated albums.

13. ACCEPT - The Rise of Chaos

Accept pulled off a miracle by reforming without their iconic singer and then proceeding to release and tour 3 amazing albums in 5 years. While Stalingrad was the highpoint, Blind Rage was still a great album and The Rise of Chaos follows in similar fashion. It has a good mix of modern, heavier tracks like “No Regrets” and really classic-sounding cuts like “Analog Man.” One could argue that the band hasn’t progressed at all (and they would probably be the first to agree), but the release of another quality Accept record simply makes the world a better place.

12. KREATOR - Gods of Violence

Kreator are easy to take for granted, as they deliver an album every few years that is always solid, kick-ass thrash metal with killer production. There are a number of great thrash bands out there (new and old), but I think Kreator are probably the most proficient and dependable of the lot. Gods of Violence is definitely on par with Phantom Antichrist and delivers at least one instant concert classic with “Totalitarian Terror.”

11. MYRKUR - Mareridt

Multi-instrumentalist Amalie Bruun is really evolving her brand of melodic black metal with this record, her second full-length album. One thing I really appreciate about this one is that each song is very distinctive and incorporates many different instruments and vocal styles. The guest appearance by Chelsea Wolfe doesn’t hurt either. One of the few critical darlings that actually deserves the attention.

10. BOLIDO - Heavy Bombers

Chile is turning into a real hotbed for quality metal of all genres lately and Bolido is one of my favorite in the classic vein. They have a real talent for coming up with interesting riffs that are offbeat yet 100% metal. Just check out opening track “The Absolute Dominion of the Skies” and get hooked.

9. SATAN'S HALLOW - Satan's Hallow

The Midwest has been sourcing some great bands in recent years and Chicago’s Satan’s Hallow are right up there with the best of them. Their sound is very reminiscent of the NWOBHM, with plenty of catchy riffs, strong vocals and a healthy dose of speed now and then. More old-school metal for us aging headbangers!

8. ORDEN OGAN - Gunmen

While power metal as a whole has seen better days, certain bands are still out there delivering the goods and Germany’s Orden Ogan are one of my favorites. They manage to combine super-catchy melodies and huge choruses with fast and heavy riffage. Gunmen isn’t quite as good as 2015’s Ravenhead but it is damn close. Bonus: Liv Kristine guest vocal!

7. EMYN MUIL - Elenion Ancalima

Following in the footsteps of Summoning, Italy’s Emyn Muil create epic pieces with a Viking metal flair and lyrics and imagery straight from Middle Earth. Grim vocals are used as another instrument to add to the atmosphere and the songs remain engaging throughout, despite their long running times.

6. VENOM INC. - Ave

I’m not sure exactly what people were expecting from this release but I was actually quite pleased. It continues in the vein of the Prime Evil-era Venom (naturally) but with a bit more of the ferocity of the early years. It is great to see these guys out there playing the classics on stage but I was happy they were also able to deliver a high-quality release of new tunes, too.

5. OUTRAGE - Raging Out

Long one of my favorite thrash bands, Japan’s Outrage went through some interesting turns in the 90s (who didn’t), but they have really returned to form with the last couple releases and Raging Out is one of their best to date. Pure old-school thrash with modern production. Still has some of the Metallica influence from the early days but it’s much less obvious now.

4. MIDNIGHT RIDER - Manifestation

I remember getting this band’s first EP about a decade ago and loving their mix of early Priest and Sabbath but then never heard from them again. Until 2017, when this full album comes out of nowhere and not only lives up to the earlier work but exceeds it in every way. If you ever wish Priest had recorded more albums in the vein of Stained Class and Sad Wings of Destiny, this album is for you. The production and mix are perfect, too, coming across as 1978 with more clarity and impact.

3. VAMPIRE - With Primeval Force

When Vampire first hit the scene, I was skeptical due to the hype and anonymity of the members, plus the debut was kind of underwhelming. Fortunately, their sophomore effort is leaps and bounds better, taking their raw, old-school thrash sound to new levels. They mix speed and brutality with a surprising amount of melody and skilled musicianship and the results are a frenzy of headbanging goodness.

2. MAUSOLEUM GATE - Into a Dark Divinity

This Finnish outfit has been going for a few years now and never disappoints with their wonderfully eclectic mix of heavy metal, 70s hard rock, doom, and organ-heavy weirdness. Hints of Uriah Heep, BOC, Judas Priest, and Candlemass all shine through, but no description can really capture the band’s unique sound. Every track is epic in feel, even the shorter ones.

1. SANHEDRIN - A Funeral For The World

The cover and title scream ‘doom metal’ but Brooklyn trio Sanhedrin tend more toward the likes of classic Diamond Head or… I don’t even know what. They cover a lot of ground and, yes, even some doom territory with the title cut, but it’s never anything less than killer, memorable metal. Can’t wait to see what this band does in the future.

As I said earlier, narrowing this list down to just 20 was a major chore. Of the bands that were very serious contenders but just didn’t quite make it are the latest from: ALDIOUS, ALPHA TIGER, ARCH ENEMY, BATTLE RAIDER, CONDOR, CULT OF EIBON, DEMON EYE, THE FERRYMEN, GOD DETHRONED, ICE AGE, L.A. GUNS, LADY BEAST, LIMBONIC ART, LYZZARD, MALLEUS, NIGHT, NIGHT VIPER, OBITUARY, OVERKILL, PORTRAIT, SEVEN KINGDOMS, SHAKRA, SLAEGT, SORCERER, STALKER, STRIKER, TYFON'S DOOM, URN, VHÄLDEMAR, VINTERSORG, and VULTURE.

On top of that, there were many excellent demos, 7” singles, and EPs this year. My favorites came from BOMBER, COVEN, CRIME, CROWN OF COMMAND, CULT OF EIBON, DREADFUL FATE, FORGED IN BLACK, FREEWAYS, HAUNT, KROSSFYRE, LUCIFER'S HAMMER, MIDNIGHT PREY, ORNASSI PAZUZU, POUNDER, ROCK GODDESS, and SPEEDCLAW. Rock Goddess in particular was nice to see back in action and I hope they manage to release a full album next year because the EP was very promising (despite the less than sterling production).

As good as the year was, I think 2018 has the potential to be a stunner. New albums from the mighty JUDAS PRIEST and SAXON are on the way soon, not to mention MONSTER MAGNET, SUMMONING, WHITE WIZZARD, LOUDNESS, TRIBULATION, POSSESSED, RIOT V, and VOIVOD. Plus… IMMORTAL… maybe? Finally?? It was promised in 2017 so here’s hoping it will finally appear. And maybe a new HADES ALMIGHTY, too? Stranger things have happened…

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