Warcraft Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodstained Shadows - Chronicles of a Lost Soul ❯ Scarlet Dawn - Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7:

 

 

The rest of the week passed by fast.

During this time I heard rumours about the attacks on Hearthglen becoming stronger and stronger and that Tyr's Hand now is willing to join the Scarlet Crusade if we would supply troops for the protection of the city. I suppose a military field trip to the eastern plaguelands will leave soon.

Additionally to all of this, today is the day of the departure of the Ashbringer. I know that he will bring an end to this madness. He will clean the northern kingdoms of the undead plague. He will destroy every last minion of the Scourge between Stratholme and the ruins of Lordaeron.

I wish that some day I will be able to settle in Brill again. I hope this day will come soon. Maybe Keira and Corren would also stay there, that would be a dream come true. But I guess that day will never come, both of them have far greater things to achieve than I.

I hear an aggressive knocking on the door. I stand up slowly and walk to the door.

"Open up at once!" She knocks for a second time as if she wanted to punch in the door. "Open the damned door!"

As I heard her voice for the first time, I stood still for a moment not wanting to open it anymore. When she had yelled the second time, I rushed to the door, opening it.

"What took you so long, idiot?", she narrows her eyes in her typical way. "No-nothing Captain Theran, I'm sorry." I look to the floor.

"The High Inquisitor is waiting for you, he sent me to get you.", she takes a short look around. "What are you doing here anyway?" "Reading, Captain.", I answer. "Reading?", her tone is mocking. "Well, now cut it out and follow me, the High Inquisitor is leaving in a few hours and he wanted to talk to you BEFORE he leaves."

She leaves my quarters and I follow immediately.

"I'm getting sick of being your personal guide around the monastery."

Even though I am used to her yelling at me at least once a day, I still flinch every time she raises her voice. Without this rough character she would be a beautiful young women. I wonder if she is like that all the time.

We reach the office of the High Inquisitor fast. Captain Theran instantly sends me in, without knocking or anything else to announce our arrival.

"Ah, good morning, Marc. How are you?" He greets me in a friendly fashion, a smile on his face.

"F-fine, Sir." "That is good to hear, boy.", he arranges his belongings for his departure.

He takes a deep breath. "As I have told you yesterday, I will be leaving in about two hours." I nod silently. "Today there will be no lesson for all of you. But if Whitemane should summon you..." he pauses for a short moment. "Well you know what you should do in that case." he looks at me with a friendly smile. "Ye-yes, I do know." I answer. "Fine then, there should be no problems after my departure." he sounds pleased to hear this.

"Isillien will arrive tomorrow," he adds, "I assume you two know each other." I look to the ground, "Not too well, but yes we know each other."

"Good to hear, I guess you two will get along. But remember, you will have your classes in that time with the others." I still don't get why I was separated from the rest in the first place except maybe for Whitemane's influence, but I thought Fairbanks was the one in charge of education. At least that was what he told me the evening I had arrived here. I guess this is all far too complicated to understand it fully and clearly.

"We will clear Northdale from undead by midst next week." The High Inquisitor says this without introduction or warning. For a moment I stand still with my mouth a bit open thinking of the time long ago when I lived there. I loved the area. The small lakes all around the town, in fact even in the town, making a big part of it to a peninsula. It was a quiet region, not too dangerous, almost no wild animals. Northdale was known for it's fine wood. We had a big saw mill near the village. Most people who wanted wood from pines or spruce came to our little town.

"Fallen to your thoughts?" he asks with a faint laughter. "I-I'm sorry, Sir"

"No, no ... it's fine." he replies, "I thought you would be happy to hear this." His smile somehow is irritating.

"So..., Marc, the time for my departure draws closer, yet I still have something for you." "For me?" I fumble. "Yes, for you. I will be away for about two weeks. I know you've read a lot since you've arrived here. The secretary of the library was so friendly to tell me. So I assumed you might want to read this..." he turns around and takes an very old looking book from his shelf. "I admit, there is more exciting lecture than this, but I think you will approve of it, sooner or later." he hands it to me. "But please be careful with it, this is from my private collection." A bright smile is on his face. "You may open it when you have returned to your quarters, lad." I nod and thank the High Inquisitor. "Now, would you excuse me, Marc? I still have to prepare important things for my leaving. May the Holy Light be with you during these two weeks, and may you be hard-working with your studies so you can show me some results when I return."

"I-I will, Sir. May the Holy Light be with you during your venture." I whisper the last words, something about them just feels terribly wrong. I back off and leave the room. I take a careful look outside, but only after realizing that Captain Theran is not present any more I take the first step outside.

I head back to my room without any detours. I'm curious what this book is about that Fairbanks gave me.

I rush to close the door behind me. I already have some ideas what this could all be about, I am rather sure that the main subject of this book will also only be 'The Holy Light and his righteous Ways' just like the one Corren gave me on the day of his departure. I have to admit, I didn't read a single page from it.

I throw the book onto my bed and change my robe to a different one, fitting better and making me feel more comfy. After that I lie down and open the binder of the book. I find the title on page three.

'Using the Arcane - Studying the Blue'

Alright, I've lost my bet on it being about the Holy Light. I am a bit puzzled about it being a book about the arcane. I wouldn't have expected a High Inquisitor handing me, an apprentice priest, such a book.

I turn the page and see the acknowledgement of the author. I always wonder why people thank their family for helping them with their book if they hardly did anything.

It reads: 'To my precious son and righteous husband. I love you. - Tyrienna '.

I've never heard that name before. Ah, there it is, I find an annotation on the opposite page. Tyrienna is supposed to be a mage of the Kirin Tor and a former pupil of Antonidas.

The first chapter is named `Acknowledging the Blue'. What on earth is this `the Blue'? A bit confused I skip through the pages once to have a look whether there are any pictures inside. I only discover a single one on one of the last pages. I shows a giant, seemingly old, dragon. The title 'The Spell-Weaver' is written underneath.

Now I understand, `the Blue' refers to Malygos.

I read on a bit in chapter one. On the first page the writer introduces us to the world of magic as we know it, a basic start in such books, at least when I compare it to a few things I already have seen in the library. A bit later on she briefly describes the blue dragon flight and its head - Malygos, the

Spell-Weaver.

I still don't get why the High Inquisitor gave me this book, I don't want to become a mage - I want to be a cleric! Even while thinking this I can not stop reading easily. I fall for the part where the mage pictures `the Blue'.

 

The very air around him bristled with ether. His very essence was magic. I felt it flowing directly through me, enhancing my vitality and my arcane potential.

It is said that he is the oldest still living dragon, yet only his rather thin body would have pointed out something like this. His eyes looked like two gigantic glowing ambers. His scales all had a strong, vivid blue tone, some even shifting tones as he spoke, according to the tone of his voice, his pronunciation and the speed of his words.

His voice was clear as crystal, touching your very soul as he talked. He spoke slowly and calmly, I guess he assumed he would make it easier for me to follow him. At first I was dazzled by his app...

 

A knocking on the door interrupts my reading.

I stand up slowly. “Just a moment, I'll be there in a second.” I say loudly enough to be heard outside.

I walk towards the door, as a second more fierce knocking makes me stop immediately. 'No, not again her', I think to myself and prepare to be verbally killed upon opening up.

I open the door. “I'm sorry that it took me so long, but I had to get up from bed and...” Nobody is here?

I stare at an empty hallway for a moment or two. Then I decide to take a look to the left and the right, but I can't spot anybody. Who was that?

I step back into my room. I want to close the door behind me when I take a last look. I see something lying on the ground.

Another envelope.

I pick it up and go back into my room. I take a seat on my bed and stare at the slightly dirty letter.

Should I open it?

Fairbanks did everything to keep Whitemane away from me, yet again I don't even know why. I guess it is my fault that I couldn't bring up the courage to demand an answer to the 'why' of this all.

On the other hand, she doesn't seem that dangerous at all, there was something peculiar about how she speaks to others, but I can't even name what is up about that.

I close the book of the mysterious Tyrienna which is still lying behind me and put it to the side.

I am fighting against myself whether I should open the envelope or not. I fear I might disappoint the High Inquisitor on the very day he had left, but on the other hand I long for answers, for a reason for all this private tutoring and the great distance to Whitemane.

I pick the letter up again. Turning it around I see no signature on the outside of it.

I hesitate. I question whether it would be right. But how can I find an answer if I don't even know what `wrong' would be in this particular moment. I sigh and rest my forehead on my hands.

But I want to know what is going on right here. I suppose the High Inquisitor wouldn't tell me even if I asked directly.

I take a knife from my table. The blade easily cuts through the paper and I pull the letter out. It is folded two times. I'm reluctant to unfold it. I close my eyes and display it properly. I open my eyes again slowly, I don't know why I am doing all this.

The letter itself is rather short, without any signature, nor addressing at all. The handwriting is clean. It reads:

 

I know what you want, Marc. I can give you an explanation for all this.

If you want to hear what I have to offer to you, meet me after your lesson tomorrow.

Do not worry, I will find you.

 

Why does nobody speak clearly for once?

I guess if I really want to know more about this, I will have to wait `till tomorrow.

I sit on my bed for approximately another full hour, thinking about the letter and imagining what could happen tomorrow. I am a bit scared that Whitemane comes to see me and tries to tell me that I am some sort of saviour or a new kind of Messiah for them. I don't think I am capable of that. Or maybe she tells me something about my father, well at least that is what all people do.

I put myself to rest on my bed. As I lie here and stare at the ceiling of my room I try to think of my parents. I can't recall much of my mother. I can hardly remember her face from the day when she left me and Dad and headed to Dalaran. Basically all I know of her is that she was a member of the

Kirin Tor, that she took part in important research - which was also reason for her to leave us - and that she was a beautiful women with light brown eyes and long dark blonde hair. And I remember her smile, the lovely warming smile that a mother has for her child.

I never hear anybody talking about Sarah Fipps, only about my father. My `Oh he was so great' father. I hate it when I think of my own thoughts as mocking. He was close friends with Uther the Lightbringer and he saved his life more than once. He was Head of the Royal Guard of King Terenas Menethil - the great protector. Of course he also was a local hero due to these facts, but... why does this all... this all has to fall back on me in such a way? Everybody only sees this hero, this great Bryan Fipps in me, but what if I am not like him? Everybody seems to be closing their eyes in front of this.

Father? You wouldn't want it to be this way, would you?

I fall asleep still lying there on my bed wearing my robe.