(9) Knath

Was this the world of the Scions?…her first thought, walking along Darkshore’s sands alone. Blissfully left alone since Lucihelma’s death, Annaliese was surprised that the others did not chastise her for her refusal to help in the paladin’s sacrifice. Serenah was more than understanding though, and talked to Annaliese more than the others. Though comforting as her fellow Scion’s words had been that evening, Anna still found Luci’s face deep there in her thoughts. She wondered if the others remembered her face as she did, but she would not dare speak of her own troubles-Melicity was always seeking the weak to cleave from the pack.

Instead, Anna tried simply to distract the faces of Luci and Bastion in her mind, among other things, by taking up a few tasks here and there. Desolace being demanding as it was, she found herself wandering aimlessly away from the Flight Master and again toward the beach. Her amber eyes cascaded over the darkened oceans as far as it could stretch over the horizon, strangely drawn always to her death place. Waters bearing so much life, yet so easily able to crush the breath from one’s lungs. A sense of chill passed through her skin, not from the night ocean air, for she numbed skin could feel no such thing, but something inward that brought Bastion’s leering voice in her mind. The smoothed, long hair the color of hardened corn; the dark eyes, deep as a night forest., and again, the slow, curling smile that spat the names of her children so victoriously…

Her feet took her to the wooden incline of the Kaldorei’s dock, though the rest of her body felt heavy, burning inside with an unspent rage. She wanted to choke Bastion with the strings he bound her with, but her rage only could produce tears, worthless, tiring tears. Annaliese frustratingly wiped at her face, as she sped past the night elf guardians at the entry way who eyed her sympathetically. Ten years of tears was enough--her eyes should have been long dried by now.

“Well,” came a voice behind her, though she hardly heard it. It was only when the man came about for her to view that she realized he was speaking to her.

‘What dark gem do I find here?” he smirked at her, the voice seeming so different from the youth that spoke it. He could not be more than twenty years, tousled chestnut hair hanging in his eyes. Annaliese blinked, and raised an eyebrow in reply, her rage subsiding.

The man waited patiently for a response. Annaliese seemed to take a moment to compose herself. He didn’t need an introduction of course, he’d seen her so many times through the paladin’s eyes, but now that he was free, he could see her for himself.

“May I ask your name?” He explained. Anna hesitated before telling him. “Annaliese Handhour.”

“Ah…lovely name, if I may say so. And a lovely woman to accompany it. A dark and alluring gem…much like the setting in which we find ourselves.” He smiled, and gazed around at the environment which held them. Darkshore was just that…dark…but it had a sense of mystery to it, buried beneath its disguise of tranquility.

Annaliese followed his gaze into the woods, not able to fully appreciate their beauty in the state Bastion left her…but she understood what he meant. She turned once more to look at him searchingly. Something seemed….familiar about him. Maybe not so much about him as the aura which seemed to constantly hang about him. That aura of…something deeper…buried in the dark……where had she seen that before?...
She broke her stare as she noticed he was watching her, an odd smirk upon his face like that of someone playing a game. “Um…” She said ever so softly, turning away from his glance in an effort to hide her curiosity from him. He didn’t say anything, so she continued, turning to him once more. “What…is your name?”

“Ah,” he grinned. Annaliese blinked, did she just see something flicker through his eyes? No…but she could have sworn she had seen a shadow…or…something…

“You may call me Knath.” He said, still smiling mysteriously.
“Knath…” She repeated quietly, still staring into his eyes to try to see what was hiding back there behind the twin pools of shadow. Holding her gaze at equal level, he stepped closer and grasped her hand, bringing it to his lips. The simple touch made something inside…echo…perhaps the first semblance of anything to break through the numb exterior the woman seemed encased within.

“My utmost pleasure, Anna,” he murmured, and she felt something in her blood pulse again, the same echo of familiarity. It went beyond familiarity even, passing into the realm of finding a long lost piece of oneself…and craving it with a dire need.

At last he released her hand, that same knowing smile upon his face, and it could only spike her interest more.

“And a warlock of some skill, am I right?” he spoke, walking round her, inspecting,. The woman retreated a few steps from the Knath, despite her curiosity. The knowledge of rituals whispered through her, faintly, glimpses of shadowy hallways, of dark magics, images she remembered suddenly, as if his enigmatic gaze inspired them--it made her terribly, horribly uneasy.

“Yes…I thought so, “ he spoke musingly, after her nervous silence.

In the mix of the Darkshore’s crashing tides, she could hear the faint melody, as if the ocean itself sang a lullaby of shadows…

“I believe I must take my leave, Anna. Have things to do, people to…speak to,” Knath said, his slow roll of laughter breaking the melody. Walking off into the dark woods, he looked behind his shoulder to gaze at her with the same penetrating eyes.

“I am quite sure we will speak again,” he murmured, whether intended as a promise or threat, she could not know. As Annaliese walked back to the dock, ready to leave the world of the night elves, one could hear a loud, mocking chortle down the long pier, though none could see where such a hateful sound might utter from.