Conquest of the Horde

Inside a wooden shack, two elves sat on the cold stone ground. Through the windows a large lightening storm was apparent in a purple abyss; the room was filled with steam. Yet inside was a tranquil meeting, between two who rarely spoke. Zariel had always resented Jidaeo, his father for things that happened in the past. Although he was beginning to realize his father wasn’t as bad as he thought he was. Jidaeo appeared detached but was really proud of his son, his friend and ally Reigen told him he should show his son that he loved him. He didn’t like speaking with her of such matters, but it was true and he respected her judgment. He sat with his son in Netherstorm, who was detoxifying his body from demon blood he was given without knowing. His uncle, Jidaeo’s youngest brother was responsible.

“Zariel” Jidaeo said his voice haunting as black strands of hair fell down his face. His son looked up to his father, his arms extended to either side with iron cuffs around his wrists. The cuffs were linked to chains which were connected to the wall; his feet were chained together as well. He sat with his legs crossed, looking to his father. "Yes, I’m sorry I’ll be more careful. Uncle Renore-" Jidaeo raised his hand cutting his son off. His face void of emotion although Jidaeo was mustering all of his soul that he could. “It is alright. My brother will be dealt with, and I will see to it that you and your sisters will be never be harmed by him again. I will also find your mother.” Zariel smiled in surprise, he adjusted himself in the room, the chains rattled against the stone floor. Zariel’s hair was clinging to his sweating face, “How do you suppose you will do all that, father?” He asked honestly. He was intrigued by his father’s words for the first time in a long time. Jidaeo’s blue eyes pierced the foggy steam that filled the room, “I don’t know”.

He shook his head then stood up. “You are the Nova, my son. A title you hold respectfully. Live and enjoy your life.” Jidaeo turns around leaving Zariel stunned as he watches his father walk to the door. As the door opens, the steam appears to be ripped out side, “I...I’m sorry, father. I truly am.” Zariel said, holding his head down. He fought back tears as Jidaeo stopped his ears twitching. He nodded. “I am too.” He walked out of the doorway closing it behind him. Outside the wind pulled Jidaeo’s cloak and hair to the side, indifferently he walked to the large tower nearby. He pushed open the doors, walking up the spiraling stairs to the very top floor. He saw a table, with a small elf at the head of it. She had dark hair and a mask; he approached her nodding to her. “How’d it go?” she asked. “It went well, I believe he knows. I want you to look after him while I’m gone, can you do that for me?” Jidaeo asked looking to Reigen. The small elf looked at him curiously. “Where are you headed?” she asked.

Jidaeo raised the hilt of his sheathed blade as shadow formed around it, opening a doorway. The death gate to the ebon blade, Jidaeo looked to Reigen one last time. “It’s important. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. He is old enough to do it himself, he is the Nova….but he is still my son.” He blinks slowly, and then walks into the death gate; it closes behind him.

The gate opens within Ebon Hold; a cloaked Jidaeo walks out with smoke swirling around his feet. He adjusts his hood and walks to the training center walking amongst his fellow death knights. The sounds of clashing swords taunt him to the arena faster; he stops at the edge watching an orc fighting a human. The orc stood tall, his skin darkened by rot and his hair was white like the moon. He ran at the human swinging the sword quickly, as his attacks were met with the human’s runeblade. The two moved around the arena trading slashes, with sparks leaping to the ground.

Jidaeo watched silently from under his cloak, the human’s sword began to illuminate with bright blue light. Ice crusted over the blade as he ran at the Orc with a stoic expression on his face. The orc with one swift slash of his massive rune blade sent the other knight flying into the air then crashing to the ground alongside his weapon. “Who’s NEXT!?” he shouts in a hollow tone. Jidaeo raises his hand, the fabric of the cloak sliding down his arm revealing a black silk glove. “…I am.” He answers.

The orc's head slowly rotates towards the cloaked figure outside the ring. He chews the air as his dried rotted skin stretches with his jaw line, his haunting voice a common place in the hold as he speaks grimly. "You and who else, elf?" The orc asks. A few death knights march by paying no attention to the others, some fly onto the balcony on undead gryphons. Jidaeo slides his hands back into his cloak, a thin sheathed runeblade strapped around his back. He slowly walks to the Arena, the human from earlier gets up slowly. He grabs his runeblade looking to Jidaeo.

"I asked you a question, Elf? Who else is going to fight with you?" The orc asks again, frustration surfacing over the haunting echo. Jidaeo walks passed the human, the long sleeves drifting to either side of him. He stops in the arena a few paces away from the orc. "I will fight you alone. Do not insult me, brother." The elf looks up to the orc, the large hooded cloak masking most of Jidaeo's features. "Brother?" The orc says, a twisted grin cracks on his face. “Of course…We are all children of the dead. Talah’dorei. We’ve shar-” The orc cuts him off raising a gauntlet, ice frosted over his dark metal knuckles. “I know what you mean…But I’ve seen you before, Jidaeo Novalight. You’re the one who still thinks everything is okay. That nothing has changed.” Jidaeo looks to the orc, his expression remaining the same. “How dare you call me brother, when you deny what you are?” He says, ice steaming from his body and his runic glare pulsating. An icy amoeba begins to grow from under his boots, it cracks as it stretches.

Jidaeo jumps back, his hands shoot from out of the sleeve and reaches for the hilt. He pulls it out of the sheathe and holds the blade out in front of him, both hands death gripped on the hilt with shadow energy pouring between his fingers. The orc takes a step forward. “…Lok’” He grabs his sword and swings at Jidaeo. “Tar!” the elf blocks and flies back from the force. He lands on his feet, quickly jerking his head up to fold the hood back. His runic eyes were wide open, as black hair from his pony tail hung from his shoulder. He stands up, swinging his sword in a flurry of slashes, small runes on the side of the blade burning red as the two blows. The orc remains on the defensive blocking the sword taunting the elf. “Too sl-” he begins, as Jidaeo’s blade slashes his cheek wide open, Jidaeo jumps back staring to the orc quietly. The orc remains surprised, black blood leaking from the open wound; he closes his eyes as the runes on his sword burn a greenish hue. Plague energy boils over the wound, the rotted skin grows and heals, and he opens his eyes.

“I don’t think it’s fair for you to judge me, brother. You may have heard of me in passing…” Jidaeo flicks the blade to the side, sending the orcs black blood splattering to the arena floor. “But you do not know me…Or what I have come to terms with.” He unties his cloak and tosses it aside. He turns his sword upside down; he summons his armor to him in shadow flames. The orc runs after him yelling loudly, other death knights in the area turn to the noise. Others turn away indifferently, some begin watching. Jidaeo dodges the first swing, and attempts to block the second. The force being too much for his elven figure, he slides back easily. The lumbering orc approaches swing a heavy horizontal slash, Jidaeo ducks low under the strike holding his sword out behind him. The red runes begin bleeding downward, the blood collects at the very edge of the blade. He hardens the blood and slashes at the orc scratching his chest plate. The orc grimaces stumbling back surprised. He quickly extends a frozen gauntlet to the elf’s helmet knocking him down to his knees quickly. He then swings the sword with his right arm knocking the elf to the side.

Jidaeo’s armor scrapes the ground as he slides to a stop hitting the wall on the other side of the Arena. The orc runs over to Jidaeo holding the sword high above him coming for an over head arc. Jidaeo looks to the blade and rolls out of the way. He slashes upward again cutting the orc’s face. The orc stumbles back in frustration he grunts louder. Ice smokes from his armor, as he swings his blade once more at the elf. Jidaeo raises his blade outward, reinforcing the back with his free hand. He stops the force of the orc, sliding back a little. Snow flutters from the swords on contact. The orc steps back, switching hands with the sword and jabs it forward quickly. Jidaeo jumps to the side, and then back dodging another slash by the orc.

“That is what I –hate- about you elf. You deny our true existence, you wish to be one of us, but you live as if you are one of them!” Jidaeo’s helmet fades away in black smoke, it reveals his angered glare. “You should keep your personal feelings, out of the arena….brother.” The orc shakes his head. “My feelings never leave the arena. It is because you are –that- way that you fight –this- way. Why dodge? You’re dead. In the moment you took fleeing you could have planned an attack.” The orc runs at the and begins slashing away heaving the heavy blade in wide arcs. Jidaeo jumps back and lands crouched, ducking under the first arc. He swings his sword to meet the orcs blade but he flies back, snow bursting from the contact. Jidaeo grunts as he slides on the ground once more.


“Chh…” Jidaeo runs towards the orc, the blade bleeding profusely from the red runic symbols. “Why haven’t you accepted it?” He orc asks calmly. Jidaeo’s face goes from annoyed to eneraged, he screams loudly and stabs the orc in the chest. “What do you care!?” The blade burning with with red runic power slides through the armor and the dead flesh of the orc. Jidaeo stops as the hilt taps the surface of the armor as other knights turning to the commotion, from the arena. The orc’s head goes back, as black blood leaks from his mouth. He then looks to Jidaeo seemingly unaffected. “We’re brothers, aren’t we?” he says stoically punching Jidaeo in his now exposed face, the elf rockets back pulling the sword with him. The death grip fades as he drops the blade; he hits the back of the wall and lays there. “Not used to fighting your own kind, are you?” The orc taunts, as the elf lays there.

One of the Death knights that had arrived by the undead gryphon approaches the Arena. “Listen up. We’re heading to Northrend.” His hollowed voice echoing around the arena as Jidaeo staggers to his hands and knees. The elf looks up to the knight through a veil of black hair, while the orc sheathes his blade over his back and crosses his arms listening. “We have an issue going on, that only we can fight. We depart in five minutes.”

"Battle is near, the army's ammo is fear
eager to slaughter their opponent like cattle or deer,
gryphons straddled and steered in formation
As no one rambled to hear information
During the debriefing, the elf's soul was fleeting
into memories of many of his past life's evenings
He remembered who he was so he was living with pride
but he was a corpse, so his "living", is living a lie"

The flock of undead gryphons land in a large patch of snow, sprinkled with dead trees, with long extended shadows. The mountains and clouds on the horizon were snuffing out the sun’s light. The armored warriors dismounted the gryphons as the snow crunched with each step breaking the surface. “Alright…” A high ranking knight began, his hollowed voice echoing under his helmet. The other knights stood in the snow listening. “There has been more of our kind defecting in this area. We want to find a reason and kill those who are causing harm. I was told they are spreading plague in the area. This is –not- acceptable” The knight lifts his large runic axe and rests it on his shoulder looking to the other knights with runic blue eyes.


The orc who fought Jidaeo looks around, spotting the elf. He grunts. “Don’t get in the way, elf.” He says low to the elf as he walks on. Jidaeo glares at the orc but says nothing. They begin to move in formation, like ants. On journey, the knights are quiet save for the slinking of armor and the crunching of snow. The wind howls as Jidaeo thinks of his past, who he was and what he has become. He knows he’s different than what he was; the torment of his soul was still settling. He had murdered and endangered many, before the Lich King and after. He sought atonement, although he wasn’t sure he would like the final judgment.

Through the howling snow the army marched on without breaks, they collected snow on their armor and still moved without speaking. It was only then a roar was heard, a loud bellowing voice that shook the very ground around them. The knights stopped as the leader raised his gauntlet signaling everyone to stop. The sound of rustling metal was heard as the knights unsheathed their weapons preparing to fight. A condensed jet of icy smoke covered a Knight in the back of the line. He was frosted to the point of restricted movement. He grunted in frustration as a large beast, covered in white fur and with the horns of a ram appeared roaring to the cloudy sky. With one massive fist, he punched the knight cracking him all over; he flew in the air landing in the snow ceasing animation.

The knights turn around surprised as more come; the others scream orders as the knights listen getting into position. Jidaeo arms himself still thinking of what he left further south, his allies, friends and family. The fight became more severe than he had imaged, a knight was lifted by a yeti stained with black blood. It grabbed a female kaldorei knight by the legs and neck pulling her apart. She tore open raining down like confetti with a scream abruptly ending as she was severed. She drops to the ground as the battle continues not stopping for a second to acknowledge her. Jidaeo runs for the yeti freezing the surface of the snow for stable ground. He slides to a stop carving a hasty rune on the ground. He places his palm on it, as his sword glows red. The yeti in front of him groans as his blood boils, with smoke coming from his ears and mouth. The yeti staggers as multiple knights run up to the creature some getting swatted away as it flails in rage. It become stabbed numerous times as the blood begins to leak from it’s body still steaming and melting the snow where it lands.

“Watch out!” a hollowed voice called out, Jidaeo turned to see his surroundings as a ferocious yeti was running at him specifically with feral insanity. Jidaeo raised his sword to brace himself, but instinctively jumped back as the beast screamed. He landed as the yeti punched the snow where he stood. The creature growled looking up to where Jidaeo once stood. As he slowly stood up, the orc he fought raced passed him. “Keep up, elf!” he said as he leaped onto the beast, driving his sword into his chest. Blood erupts from the creature along with a yell. Jidaeo stands up running to the yeti and slashes quickly over its chest. A red hair line appears as blood begins to fall. The beast roars and releases another plume of ice smoke. Jidaeo dodges, jumping to the side but is quickly met with a fist. He is hit hard flying into the snow sending it erupting around him, his body slides to a stop. The sound muffles around him as his soul’s connection to his body begins to waver, he looses consciousness.




Jidaeo’s eyes open to a prairie; he looks to his hands which are much smaller. They aren’t covered in armor and they illuminate blue from his gaze. But not the cold runic blue he’s become accustomed to. He stands up looking around, he recognizes the place. He spots his uncle by a large tree, the grass wavering in the wind. He runs to his uncle and sits beside him, with the wind tugging at his hair and clothes. At first he says nothing. It has been sometime since his soul reminisced so clearly about something positive. He usually was submerged in waking nightmares, so lucid he had to go to speak with someone. This memory was warm however; the subtle touch of the wind and the sun could be felt. His uncle Diel’vani had stood beside him, before he was publicly exiled from the family.

“Jidaeo…” His uncle began.

“Yes, Grand Uncle?” a young Jidaeo responded on his own.

“It must be difficult carrying the name of our ancestor. Everyone expects you to be a certain way. They expect you to walk a path, you aren’t on. You are young though.”

The young elf looked to the grass below his feet swaying in the direction of his hair. He couldn’t say anything. He had just got into a fight for spewing condescending remarks because of his nobility. He brought a smaller hand to his cheek; it stung from the touch of the bruise. What was this? Pain? It had been some time his soul thought.

“You have his name, but you aren’t like him. That is okay though…” Diel’vani said watching the wavering grass on the hill; he put his hand on Jidaeo’s shoulder. The young elf looked up, listening. “You are you, and that’s alright. One thing you take after our ancestor, is that you do fight for what you believe in. You are very passionate about –your- truth. Maybe that is all you need, but remember. Don’t be what you are expected to be, be better. Don’t become a marionette of society, if anything enjoy the show. You have all you need nephew.”


The words echoed over and over until Jidaeo’s eyes opened under his helmet; blue light flushing from the hollow openings and pouring out unto the snow in front of him. A severed head was inches away from his face, twisted in agony screaming at him silently. He woke up to a massacre, pieces of the Knights and yetis had been spread out over the snow. He attempted to stand up, but couldn’t. His body must have taken too much damage to function.

“Oh? So you’re awake.” A voice called out to him, he turned to see the Orc. His legs were missing; he was propped up against a few other bodies. Other death knights randomly patrolled the area. Jidaeo grunted in response. “What happened?” he finally asked. “The knights we were looking for showed up during the fight. We were outnumbered and caught off guard. More left to pursue them. We are casualties of war now.”

Jidaeo’s head sunk into the snow, he gritted his teeth at his own failure. “Chh…”

Night had fallen, and the sky was cloudless. A dead chill swept over the still snow, splattered with limbs and blood. The same knights that had been patrolling earlier were patrolling now, the full moon casting large shadows over the red and black snow. The leader had remained behind. The site of the massacre had become an impromptu relocation point. He gestured for another armored warrior to come to his side, a lumbering troll with one burning runic eye walked over to Jidaeo and the knight in charge. The troll’s right eye was smeared over with dead flesh; he looked to Jidaeo void of emotion or concern.

The head knight nodded, as the troll crouched beside Jidaeo stabbing a runic axe into the snow. It began to burn green light, as the snow melted and browned around the blade. Jidaeo’s wounded body began to absorb the plague energy slowly healing the ruptured limbs. The knight in charge removed his helmet, his skin was alabaster and his hair was as well. “A human?” Jidaeo asked, wincing. The green energy boiled and bubbled over the surface of his armor, penetrating deeply beneath it. The troll silently concentrated on the elf’s limbs.

“No.” He said holding the helmet under his arm, the dark metal a stark contrast to his features. “I am a corpse. Just as you are. Holding on to your previous life can be dangerous… all that comes with it.” He grimaces. “All that comes with it that no longer applies.” Jidaeo still lying in the snow furrows his brow. He grunts while sitting up, the orc amputee watches but says nothing as well. Jidaeo brings a gauntlet to his cheek softly. “You think because you –look- like a Sin’dorei you are one? You don’t think they mock you while you’re away, for trying to be something you aren’t? That they aren’t horrified by you? You think your voice sounds as normal to them as it does to you?” He shakes his head. “You know it is true.” The knight looks to the troll as the plague continues running over Jidaeo’s body. “What was your name?” He asks him.

The troll turns to look to the orc, he shakes his head waving a hand. He watches the two other knights. “Jidaeo Novalight.” The elf responds, he stares to the human knight. “Just because I am this way, doesn’t mean I am not who I was.” He adds, the Orc scoffs against the snow. The troll silently looks behind them as the other knights patrol amongst the inanimate corpses in the area. “Because you are this way?” He smirks. “You mean dead? You aren’t the same. Ask anyone who has known you before you died.” Jidaeo’s face twitches as if hit by the words, he thinks of Zariel. “You’ve been told you were different, because you are. Did you kill often while you were alive? Did you enjoy it? Did you need it?” he asks looking away. “The answer is clear.” He says as Jidaeo sits quietly in the snow.

“We share the same land as those who are living, but we exist in a different world.” The knight puts his helmet on, as other death knights with ebon blade tabards return from over the horizon. The ride towards the four knights, the undead horses kicking up white flames and snow from their ethereal hooves. “I...I know. But I have a wife, children…a family.” Jidaeo replies, having trouble finding the right words. His blue eyes dart from left to right looking passed the snow beyond them. “You –had- a wife. You –had- children….a family.” The alabaster knight says calmly. Jidaeo’s jittering eyes stop as they glare to the human as the other knights continue approaching. “They are –not- dead!” he says angrily, his hollow voice flaring up. “No….but –you- are.” He says crossing his arms, awaiting the approaching knights. The words stab Jidaeo once more, he knew of his state of existing, but never thought of it from that perspective.

Was he going about his existence –wrong-? Is this what Zariel thought, his father had died a long time ago in Northrend and no longer existed? Is this what he thought of his Aunt, sister or mother? ...Was he wrong?

Jidaeo grabbed his head and said nothing as the other knights reported. “Sir! The targets we are searching for are coming this way. They are quite formidable as expected. A tormentor is with them.” The alabaster knight exhaled looking to the others. “Are you all that survived the search party.” He nods grimly. “Then we won’t be able to hold them here.” The alabaster knight adds. “Prepare to lay your lives down once more. The stronghold is not to far from here, if they are coming this way they are heading for it. We will not let them pass!” The patrolling knights as well as the mobile ones respond in unison. “SIR!”

Jidaeo looked to the knight and stood. He grabbed his sword preparing for battle. The knights approached over the horizon as some of the corpses around them begin to writhe. A couple of the yeti corpses stood wobbling on dead flesh. The elf turns his head to the orc, he watches him for a second before placing his helmet on his head. He runs towards the knights, jumping over death knight limbs and mangled yeti corpses. He raises his voice screaming as he spins the sword above his head, he brings it through the arm of a yeti ghoul slicing its arm off cleanly with a blood strike. The yeti grabs Jidaeo with his large hand picking him up; Jidaeo stares at the ghoul and draws a rune on the arm of the beast burning it with plague energy. He places his palm on it and explodes the corpse; the force sends him flying back into the snow.


The Death knights unaligned with the Ebon Blade began advancing, engaging in battle with the patrolling knights. One remained in the back, his body leaking shadow energy; he held a runic scythe over his shoulder. Jidaeo slowly pushed himself up to his hands and knees in the snow. Two knights ran towards him. He glared as he stood, awaiting them. His thin rune sword began to illuminate with glowing red runes. They leaked blood as it dripped down the blade and onto the snow. He ran at them. He pulled his bleeding sword and saw the oncoming attack. He didn’t dodge; the sword pierced his armor right into his chest. He stabbed forward as well into the knight, and boiled the blood from the blade inside of its wound. The knight growled pulling back from the blade. The other stabbed Jidaeo as well pinning him to a near by tree covered in frost.

From the snow a claw of shadow gripped Jidaeo around the tree, as the shadow arm became taut it rose from the snow and connected to the hand of the knight with the scythe. Using the arm he pulled himself to Jidaeo and they stood in front of him. The knight removed his helmet as Jidaeo struggled in vain to get free of the hold. The other knight returned, with steaming blood from his wound. He and the other held the elf down, as the one with the scythe watched. “Oh…Such pretty skin…How fortunate you didn’t rot like the rest of us.” He scoffs. His scythe begins to burn furiously with black and purple fire, the shadow was so thick it was almost tangible. “Hold him here.” The tormentor said as the other knights secured their grip over his body. He began chanting as his palm was above the blade, “Inside this slash I incase a nightmare. -Your- nightmare.” He raises the scythe and swings the blade down deeply.

The blade cuts through his armor and chest like a paddle through a calm lake. No resistance, Jidaeo’s eyes roll back as his mind is ensnared in a nightmare.


He saw his family, all in an extravagant hall. He saw his father, his mother and his brothers and sisters. How beautiful they were, Asondra’s eyes had been blue but the blue of a quel’dorei. He looked to his hands and saw they were the same, but he felt…Alive. He saw himself wearing a white and red suit. He was getting married, and was on his way to the altar. He remembered it quite nicely; it was well catered and decorated. Before he could take in the happiness, a dark knight entered pushing the doors open. Midnight hair fell from his face, he raised his chin as his hair spread from his ash grey face. His eyes blue like the icy void of a death knight. He brushed the hair from his face and looked to the audience. “J-Jidaeo!” the crowd said horrified, some screamed and left. Jidaeo looked to this doppelganger and called out. “No! it is not me!” he gasped at his voice sounding natural. No one listened, he watched in horror as his family was slaughtered by himself. By what he was, by what he is. His parents, his cousins, aunts, uncles, his wife were all slain by this death knight that resembled him.

Their white garments all stained with blood, the screams were terrifying. The knight walked passed Jidaeo, stabbing his wife Cerice in the throat. She groaned in disbelief and horror. “Wh-…why my love?” she gurgled before dying. The death knight’s head rotated one hundred and eighty degrees to look to Jidaeo behind him. “Your soul is corrupt; all you will do is kill those you know. Run and never return.” He said.


Jidaeo came to, still pinned to the tree. He was alone and wounded, he screamed frantically to the sky and break himself free. He continued to scream but noticed the battlefield was different. More death knights laid in the snow, the fighting was over. Jidaeo still terrified quickly removed the swords from his chest and dropped them to the ground. He briskly walked through the corpses; he tripped over one and fell into the snow. Frantically he looks to the corpse, it’s the alabaster knight. He groans, “Novalight? You survived?”

Jidaeo walked over to the knight, surveying the area before stabbing his sword in the ground next to the knight. He raised his palm above the hilt and channeled green unholy energy from the blade into the knight. “I was lucky,” he responds. “He did something to me…” The alabaster knight slowly stood, “I see. He left to the shadow realm. I need you to go after him.” The knight said standing as the green energy boiled over his body.
Jidaeo looked to him surprised. “What? I thou-” the elf began but was cut off. “He is a tormentor, while he was with the Ebon Blade he went through training, the same you are about to embark on.” The alabaster knight walked over to an open patch of snow.

“Training, I can’t under go any training. I have-”

“Obligation to the Ebon Blade and as your commanding officer you will go after him. Others will be sent to assist you, but you will need to survive in the meantime. One month. You must evolve with the shadow around you, use it to strengthen you. What you endure will be very dangerous, and as you are now you have a slim chance at best to beat him. You will come across beings there, some will aid you, some will wish to kill you and others are too mad to have an opinion either way. They still may kill you as well. Bring his rune blade to Ebon hold.” Jidaeo closed his eyes and kneeled in the snow as the Alabaster knight opened a death gate to the realm of shadows. “If you do survive for a month you will not be the same. You must strengthen your dead body; push it to limits no living creature can go to. Take advantage of your death, Jidaeo.”


The elven knight nodded, and reluctantly walked through the portal. “I will find him, I will survive as I have -other- obligations as well” he said as he walked through the gateway, shadows swallowing his body. As the elf disappeared the troll death knight walked towards the head knight’s side. “Report that Jidaeo Novalight has fallen in battle.” The troll nods, and summons a death gate of his own, disappearing inside. The alabaster knight stares to the moon.

"Leaving one life, and entering another
He still had on his mind his children and their mother
But he wanted vengeance, so he rushed forward in an instant
unaware of the true dangers to begin with
for a month he would remain, thirty days
His family he hoped wouldn't take any pain
He was wrong, as an ebon messenger sung them a song
Sir Jidaeo Novalight was dead and gone
As they wept, the knight entered the Nightmare
unaware of the strife and how he would change his life there"

A gate of shadow opens to a world void of color, the knight in all black walks out into the realm. The snow brighter than it was before, only because the sky is that much darker. The air was thick as if composed of shadow itself, Jidaeo marched on unaware of how he would find his target. Unaware of this training he was to undergo, and how it would happen. He felt that surviving would be enough for now, so he continued. He wanted to complete this hunt quickly so he could return… but thirty days? He had heard stories of the Shadow Realm, these stories were never pretty.

Jidaeo marched forward determined to end this before the thirty days, the snow seemed endless and in this realm everything felt heavy. He surveyed the area and appeared to be alone; he traveled in silence for what felt like the better half of a day. Thinking about what the alabaster knight had said. He had began to see his own life differently, what worth had he done? Yes, he protected his family and helped them financially…but what did he do for the world? Or anyone outside the Shin’ari? Nothing he thought. It angered him, but what could he do. He continued walking; now dragging his sword in the snow creating a linier trail beside his footprints.

Upon his walking he saw something sticking out of the milk white snow. It was rounded; he stopped, and stared to it. It appeared to be a rock of some kind, but it looked different from the others. He knelt beside it, brushing snow away from it to see it was a skull. He stared at it blankly before rising to his feet, he grunted and began to walk away. The skull seemed to siphon smoke into it as it ran down the bones buried in the snow. Jidaeo ignorant to this continued, until he heard a ghastly howl, that sounded like two voices wailing simultaneously. The skeleton climbed out of the snow, burning with shadow energy, it hobbled morbidly towards Jidaeo. He armed himself looking to the creature unimpressed, until many others began crawling out of the ground, all of them burning with dark fire. They stood above the snow slowly walking towards the knight from all sides.

He ran at the first one that was in his way, he raised his sword slashing at the skeleton’s chest. The flaming skeleton raised its arm, as the blade slid into its forearm and stopped, as shadow energy halted its progression. Jidaeo raised an eyebrow surprised to see a skeleton stop his strike, another one swung an arm at him, encased in shadow. The hit sent the knight stumbling to the side. It was then when he looked to the numbers around him and saw how dire his situation was. There was a fair chance he would die right here. He had no choice, and he had to survive this month. They approached him swinging their burning arms at him; he raised his sword to them grunting at the force. It was then he began hearing the shattering of bones and ghastly exhales.

He pushed one back, swinging at it. He slashed deep into its jaw. He jumped back to survey the area, and saw he was no longer fighting alone. A knight with a blade incased in shadow was swinging down on them shattering their ribs, or skulls. Jidaeo once again hacked at the skeleton’s jaw finally cutting it off. It sunk into the snow as the creature continued burning in shadow, which seemed to be coming from inside it’s ribcage but encased its whole body. The knight cut the skeletons down on his way to Jidaeo, he grunted and spoke between swings as the crowd surrounded the two knights. “Are you at least remotely sane?” the knight asked, “What?” Jidaeo responded confused on the relevance of the question in their current situation. The knight raised his sword high as it burned with more shadow. It seemed to seep between the openings in his armor as well. “That’s the least insane response I’ve heard to that question since I’ve been here.” He slashes the skeleton mostly in half vertically.

He runs to an opening. “This way! They’ll keep coming!” Jidaeo nods and runs after the knight, the two run kicking up snow behind them. The knight remains far ahead of Jidaeo, running at a speed he can’t match. He finally stops at a run down outpost, looked like goblin work except it was abandoned and run down. The knight looked both ways before heading through the front entrance; the small encampment was walled off, with a few dome structures with in it. Jidaeo followed the knight into one of the small buildings; the roof was broken in many places. He looked around slowly, the colors were so dry and dead in this realm it was almost deafening.

The knight watched Jidaeo closely. “Why are you here?” the knight asked. “I…I am looking for someone, a tormentor with a large runic scythe.” Jidaeo responds. The knight sighs a icy mist from the face guard of his helmet. “I don’t know who that tormentor is, but I am glad you aren’t one of the lost ones.” He says removing his helmet, revealing dark grey skin. He was a kaldorei while living, his hair was also dark and pulled back into a large braid. “Lost?” Jidaeo questioned. “Yes, the lost as I call them….” He looks to his rune blade. “…Are our brothers and sisters who have either lost their mission or their mind. They will attack anything, and are most likely always delirious. You should be mindful of them.”

“Well what are you doing here?”

“Training.” He responds simply. “My superior officer believed me to be up to the task. So I accepted. It has been a long twenty days.” He says spinning the hilt of his rune blade; he watches it in a trance. Jidaeo nods, “I was to train here as well…But I’m not sure in what exactly.” He removes his helmet, as his dark hair falls over his tan elven skin. “Hmm. Well first off you should learn how to use the shadow, how to -wield- it to make you stronger, faster, and more durable.” Jidaeo scoffs looking to the Kaldorei, “I know how to fight with shad-” the kaldorei raises a hand cutting him off, he still keeps his gaze on his blade spinning it by the hilt, as its tip remains in the ground. “You haven’t let it become you yet, I can tell your skin appears for less corrupted than by one who walks our path.” Jidaeo furrows his brow once again confused by the relevance. “I can teach you…” The Kaldorei adds, he stands up and extends the runic blade to his side, holding it level with his shoulder. Black fire begins to cover the blade, submerging it in shadow. “…But first I will have to -kill- you.”

The sin’dorei struggles to his hands and knees, black blood dripping from his face, and leaking through his armor; his soul’s grip weakening over his body, as the runes flicker in his blade. “Do you know why you can’t beat me?” the kaldorei knight asks. “Because you are stronger….faster…” Jidaeo responds. The kaldorei shakes his head; he raises the sword high then brings it to rest over his shoulder, his elbow pointing forward at Jidaeo. “My muscles are torn and rotted beyond use. These muscles could no longer support my body, let alone this armor or movement with it.” Jidaeo watched him closely as he spoke; he used this moment to freeze the snow solid under his palm. He drew a rune in blood and slowly healed his torn body with plague energy; his soul’s bond strengthening over it.

“It does not change the fact that you are faster and stronger.” Jidaeo says, standing up. The kaldorei nods, “True…I suppose I was trying to get you to ask w-”

“Why are stronger and faster?”

“Exactly.”

The elf’s cuirass, gauntlets and helmet blow away from his body in thick black smoke. He stares to the smaller elf. His torso bare, his skin was darker than ash, or any natural kaldorei. It was dead, rotted beyond repair. Scars remained, and some gashes were still open, bruises freckled his arms and neck. The elf closed his eyes, he extended both arms out, level with his shoulders, and he left the sword sticking into the ground. Shadow ambient in the air and in the snow began to gravitate towards him. It went inside him, deep into his arms and chest his skin became darker, dying before Jidaeo’s eyes. The elf opened his eyes and grabbed his sword. He raised it above him, so Jidaeo could see. Just like his body, shadow around the blade gravitated towards it, until the sword was aflame with black fire.

“Like this, I am faster…and stronger. The catch is, you have to die to do it.”

Jidaeo watched closely, he was impressed by how poised the knight was with taking that much shadow into his body. “I see.” He wiped some of the black blood away from his eye brows so he could see. “You must have used blood and ice runes to keep yourself preserved this long. If you wish to truly wield the shadow, you will have to kill the rest of your body.” Jidaeo stared to the elf, but didn’t respond. He did go about up keeping his appearance. He was a noble, and public figure he couldn’t look like….A corpse? Like what he was…The thought bothered him. He surrounded himself with the expensive and exquisite, from garb to wine. He loved the taste, and was accustomed to tailor made clothing. How would his family feel? Would they treat him the same? Did it matter?



After his wedding, he and his wife returned to the estate. They had the house to themselves, besides the necessities, minimum security, chef, and aides. The two quel’dorei had adored each other. They had met in the oddest way, but fell in love once they warmed up to each other. They hadn’t been alone all day, due to the ceremony and reception. They sat at the edge of their balcony to their home which Jidaeo made specifically for his family. He wanted to raise his family and live with his wife, away from the rest of the Shin’ari, away from the corruption, the greed, the gossip and all the other negativity which comes with living in close proximity to them. He caught slack for it, as most all Novalight’s lived in the main estate encasing multiple homes almost like a neighborhood for the Nova and the branch families.

“I lied, during the ceremony. I apologize my love.” Cerice said over looking the courtyard. Jidaeo still holding her kissed her the back of her head softly. “About what?”
He asked curiously. “We all lie, dear.” He assured her. “It was during our vows.” She said now gazing at the stars. Jidaeo tilted his head to the side to look at her. “Wh-”

“He said until death do us part. Like I am only supposed to love you until I died. I didn’t want to correct him but…” Jidaeo looked to her curiously.

“I will love you even after I die. My soul burns for you.” She leans back kissing him softly.

“And mine for you…” Jidaeo says smiling, he kisses her.

“Remember that…Promise?” She asked, and then giggled; her voice echoing in his memory.



The kaldorei pushed off the snow, freezing it below him. He ran at Jidaeo with incredible speed. Jidaeo watched his movement; he saw more shadow seeping into his arm which held the blade. He kept his body low, and the blade began to burn darker with shadow. He swung the sword too quick for Jidaeo to register it, he only felt the force repel his body to the side rapidly into the snow. The kaldorei looked to Jidaeo shaking his head; he spun the sword and stuck it into the snow. “I don’t know who told you to come here…I don’t think you’re ready.” He shook his head turning around. “Good luck.” As he took a step he heard Jidaeo’s voice…

“No…This -isn’t- over.” Jidaeo spits black blood to the snow. “Not by a long shot.” Jidaeo stares at the kaldorei standing; he holds his rune blade in front of him with both hands. He grunts, as he begins to concentrate as if forming a death grip. He commands the shadow roughly to his blade; it covers the sword like a glow. Not like flames. The knight stops, turning around. He looks to Jidaeo surprised. “Interesting.” He nods. “Now control it…” Jidaeo nods staring only at the blade. The glow darkens, becoming more condensed. It flickers, the glow licking into the air. It flickers once more before erupting into black flames. He thinks of his wife, who is somewhere in Azeroth. The sword burns wildly, the knight elf steps back. “Hmm…”

Jidaeo grunts running after the elf, he swings the blade trailing black flames. The elf quickly leans his head back. Shadow wisps from his greaves as he jumps back rather far. He death grips his sword off the ground and pulls it to him as it begins to burn with black fire. He runs after Jidaeo, the two swords meet. Jidaeo’s blade being only enough to stop the kaldorei’s swinging arc. The knight raises a brow surprised. Smoke leaks from his exposed arms as he quickly pushes Jidaeo back. He sends a slash, cutting through Jidaeo’s armor. He sends another one cutting it again. The raises his sword for another arc, as Jidaeo’s blocks it. He pushes off of it, and slashes the kaldorei deep in his exposed chest. Black blood and shadow pour from the wound. Jidaeo raises his sword high, and swings another slash, which the kaldorei takes to the chest, more black and purple smoke leak from his bruised body. The knight looks to the dark blood dripping as well, he blocks Jidaeo’s next attack.

The two exchange attacks over and over, sparks and shadow fly as the two increase momentum. Jidaeo struggles meeting the blade every time, but does as he attempts to read the kaldorei’s movements. Most attacks send him sliding back, but not as much with the shadow surrounding his sword. It was interesting the strength that it took. The two went on fighting like this on and off, for three days. While they weren’t fighting, they were talking about fighting. Jidaeo was constantly criticized for his actions, and rarely praised. Jidaeo was used to being spoken to in that way, since he was coerced to join the Farstriders by his father. He took it constructively and used it in the next fight. The two continued to fight.

At the end of the last battle, Jidaeo swung his sword disarming the kaldorei knight. The knight’s blade spun in the air, it’s shadow fleeting and loosing form as it stuck right into the snow. Jidaeo turned to the knight pointing his blade towards him. The kaldorei nods. “Good. I’m surprised how far you’ve come. But don’t get cocky. I am glad you have the basic concept down.” The knight extends his palm to the sword. He grabs it with a tendril of shadow that extends from his palm. He catches it, and sheathes the blade. He looks to Jidaeo stoically.

“The difficulty lies, in conjuring and sustaining this…outside the shadow realm.”

Jidaeo’s eyes widen on the realization of the task.

“Plus this blade is an inanimate object. Such tasks are difficult, your body will not be the same, and is much larger than a blade.” The knight looks to the sin’dorei. “I will spend my remaining seven days cramming everything into you that I know. The remaining twenty you will have to spend alone. As I did.” Jidaeo nodded.

“Thank you.”

“I do hope you realize, there is –much- more to learn in your time here, than that. Reflect on who you are, why you are fighting. It is the only benefit to solitude. Sort out your demons from being a puppet, murdering your friends or family.”

“Or both.”

Jidaeo was looking down as he spoke; he shook his head thinking of the horrors trapped to his soul. He raised his blade as it began to burn with shadow. “One more match.”
The kaldorei looked to him surprised and nodded.