Felblood Shmelblood

Final Prompt: “Everything we have done or will do we will do over and over and over again— forever.” Consider your character’s leitmotifs. Write a story that expresses the cyclical nature of the leitmotif, and the rise and fall of these themes in your character’s narrative. If it helps you to place the story to music, you may do so, but it is not required.

"You need to do as you're told, dear." Ileosa's mother was smiling but her stance was a stern one, looking down at her daughter. She stood over the child in a messy room, toys strewn about. A small wooden sword at the little girls feet.

"No! I dun' wanna!" the little red head wasn't more than 5 years old. Her cheeks puffed out, arms folded, she would stomp a single foot on the floor to affirm her position on the matter. Clearly there was no budging.

"But.. Didn't you promise to do your chores when it was noon?" The firm demeanor wavered a little, and she looked up at her mother. She was a tall woman, fit and healthy and perhaps someday Ile would be as tall as her even! "Uhm.. A bit. Maybe. But. I dun' like chores." "I know you don't like chores but you promised! And it's always important to keep your promises, and to do what the adults tell you! We're only looking out for you." The little girl pouted, her lip quivered in an attempt to sway her terrible oppressor. Wide blue eyes with an attempt at almost tears. Though even then her feet shuffled in her uncertainty. "But! It was only a little promise. And I could do them laaater?" "Ile no. You agreed to do them now." the pout increased and the fair lady sunstorm sighed, crouching down. "You know promise breakers don't get any dessert after dinner." A look of horror encroached on the small childs face. "THEY DON'T!?" Her mother gave a sagely nod. "I'm afraid not. Dessert is for people who keep promises and do their chores like they're meant to.." There was no hesitation as the little Ileosa waddled over to begin picking up stray toys and tidying up the room. Her mother watched from the doorway, a smile on her face as her husband approached. "Trouble with our lovely daughter?" he kissed her on the cheek and grinned at the flurry of activity within the room. "Mm. Some. But she seems sorted out at least for now. Though I do wish threats weren't necessary. Even mild ones of no dessert" "We have to be tough sometimes. Besides, I'm sure one day she won't need incentives to do what she's asked."

"I'm sure you're right" she sighed a little and leaned into him. "Though I swear she may be the death of me someday."

...

"Remember to always follow orders when given to you by a superior Officer." the Captain walked briskly along the line of trainees. He was a man of broad stature, and quite an intimidating fellow as his gaze fell across the barely minted soldiers they would stand to attention. Heavy plated boots made a audible thud with each step he made. He paused at one particular recruit. Ileosa Sunstorm, daughter to a Lieutenant from a cavalier unit and a Captain in the Farstriders. He knew her father quite well, a good soldier and a reliable friend as well.

She regarded him with no small amount of respect as she realized quite quickly she'd become the subject of scrutiny.

"You there, Sunstorm." he watched her carefully. "Yes sir?" she shifted a little though remained at attention.

"In that last exercise, you were ordered to retreat but stood your ground against the opponents. Why?"

"Sir, it seemed like the bout was winnable and we could have-" "You were to retrieve the 'wounded' and  withdraw to our own lines. One of your fellow soldiers had been tagged and was by your feet." Her ears wilted, though her stance remained strong she nevertheless began to look embarrassed.

"By ignoring your orders you put one of your comrades at risk, had he been truly wounded he could have bled out in response to your engaging the enemy over tactical retreat."

"I.. Yes sir." her confidence was deflated as she recieved this dressing down. "In future if you are given a direct order like that, think of how it will affect those who fight by your side. Officers do not give orders without a good reason. Now. You'll be doing ten laps around the training grounds in full armor so that you remember this lesson. That is an order." "...Yes sir." the warrior slumped slightly before giving him a salute and breaking from the line to begin her laps, her cheeks red with embaressment. The Captain watched her move off before returning to the rest of the recruits. It was a hard lesson but one they all needed to understand. Discipline led to victory. She would no doubt thank him for it in the future.

...

"Obey the commands of our Prince"

The thought was at the forefront of Ileosa's mind. She'd been assigned for the moment to Sunfury Hold with her fellow soldiers. The Aldor and the Scryers had sent many to attempt to penetrate their defenses – so more troops were required in the meantime. At times it felt strange, as they cut down human and sin'dorei alike. These were our brothers and sisters what had led them so astray? Ever since the betrayal of Voren'thal and his followers the world felt somehow... wrong.

Why would anyone leave the Prince's service? He was the leader of their Kingdom. Of all who were above her he was at the very top. He couldn't possibly lead them astray. Without him she and many others would not have learned to wield the Light of Mu'ru as their own – Masters of that power instead of mere servants to it's supposed whims. And they would have all surely starved had he not figured out how to drain the magic from other sources.

Those who stayed loyal to him were even granted access to ever more potent mana gems. Ileosa could not deny just how good it felt to fill those cravings with the intoxicating energies. Without them it was just too hard to think through the haze of need. She was taken care of. They all were. Without all this they'd surely perish in the wastes of Outland and even beyond.

Knowing all this quelled any concerns she had for the present. These people were traitors. They deserved no quarter nor mercy from her or anyone else. Even her mother and father had fallen to the lies and falsehoods that brought them to the Aldor. They had turned from their Prince. But Ileosa knew the path to their salvation was to obey, and trust in her superiors. This was the only truth.

...

To be an obedient servant granted rewards. And I had been nothing if not obedient. Our Prince turned us to a path of power. A path that would see our cravings seen to. More turned away to the waiting arms of the Quel'thalas when they learned the truth. We were to be part of something great, something immeasurably vast in scope and power. The Burning Legion were our Masters. And do those of us that obeyed. Who served diligently and never wavered in our loyalty? We are being granted the gift of ascendancy.

And so it was I came to be in this place. Surrounded by succubi in a chamber of hedonism and delights, my brothers and sisters lay here too. We were here to reap the benefits of conquering the Sunwell. But more than that I was here for my greatest reward. One of the demons here had been drained of her blood, the green ichor now filled a large bowl that rested within my hands.

This is what I deserved. This is the prize for loyalty and obedience and now it is mine. I will be an even greater servant than I was before and The Deceiver will enter the world through the apex of what once gave us all life. More rewards will come. I bring the bowl to my lips and I tip it back - this power will be mine. And I will serve my Master for eternity.

28th: Describe a little thing -- one of the things that defines your character's world, but is often overlooked.

Ileosa sat and was wringing her hands. She was not nervous. She rarely ever was. She just needed to keep her hands.. busy. It had always been difficult to describe for her. A strange sensation. An itch she could not quite scratch. She had to do something - anything with her hands.

In her most listless moments the urge was quelled, or at the very least she had not the energy nor effort required to fidget. At other times she could keep them busy through activities. Tinkering with her small devices. Roaming the form of a lover in bed. She enjoyed these things all the more for the fulfilling of that persistent sensation.

But when these options are unavailable she would fidget. Twisting her hands, moving her fingers, making a fist then uncurling her fingers. A constant persistence of movement or motion that very rarely came to rest. Perhaps it was related to the fel-corruption that stained her hands. Or simply a tic she developed over time she could not say. Still it was a habit that seemed to remain.

27th: Have your character write their own eulogy.

"My friends, and what family I may have left. If you are reading this it seems I have passed on in an untimely fashion. Or possibly a timely fashion it can be terribly difficult to predict such things.

I would hope that I was felled in the line of duty, doing what I must to defend what and whom I swore to do so. Quel'thalas. The Sunguard. My brothers and sisters in battle. If my death was apart of saving any of those then I'd like to think it was a good death.

May I be remembered for loyalty, for promises always kept. That what few friends I have made might know me as a woman of sincerity and passion. Someone who could be relied on and called upon at a moments notice to lend a helping hand. Someone who loved all her close friends dearly, and held them in the highest value. And who would remain steadfast and loyal in the darkest of times.

26th: If your character could take the pen from your hands and tell their own story -- write their own narrative, and create their own version of their "happy ending", how would it look?

And so Ileosa Sunstorm (aka. The Boulder) became known by a great many people both within The Sunguard and  The Cabal. Everyone she met found her rather charming, and many enjoyed her company and the riveting conversation she provided. Most everyone wished to be her friend.

She would go on to have a great many paramours who adored her even beyond the bedroom. Lovers who stood by her and respected her loyalty and her needs as she did theirs. There were no complications and if romance were to occur she wouldn't really object but being without it was fine too.

Ileosa was able to work on engineering projects of enormous magnitude including the construction of Fel Reaver scaled machines that helped the war effort immensely bringing her respect for her cleverness from all of her peers.

Everything in her life was good and positive. People loved Ileosa for who she was. Then she killed herself because she was dumb and useless and this was a lie. Then with all of these good feelings she never felt any more dark clouds of depression or lethargy that had plagued her for so long. Not ever again.

25th: Select an alternate universe for your character and narrate their experience. How would they be different? This can be small changes in their narrative (a rogue is instead a priest, your character’s parents don’t die, etc.) or supplanting the character into an entirely different universe.

Ileosa stirred awake, all around her was darkness. She felt groggy – there was a dull pain in the back of her head as she tried to take stock of her surroundings. The woman made an attempt to to feel around in the dark but found her hands were bound. Rope, it felt like? So she'd been captured. That wasn't good. Little by little, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. She could see other shapes, many coming too just as she already had. Fighting through the headache, Ileosa tried to collect her thoughts.

It'd been a little over a month since she and her father had followed a significant portion of the Sunfury armies to assault the Sha'tar and their Aldor allies. A little over a month since they'd all chosen to throw down their weapons and lend their aid to the naaru Ad'al - on the advice of Voren'thal the Seer that the Princes path would only lead to darkness. It had not been an easy choice to make, but some of the acts they had been asked to perform in their duties had been rather questionable. Ileosa knew to be loyal, but her father always taught her there is a limit. Sometimes we must take fate into our own hands and do what is right.

Now fighting under the banner of 'The Scryers'. Ileosa and several of her fellows had been part of an advanced scouting party. Of course they knew much of the tactics and organisation of the Sunfury forces – but they were sure to have begun switching things up. The longer they waited, the less useful their intelligence would be. Constant updates were necessary. They needed to know just how prepared they were for attacks from the traitor forces.

It turned out to be far better prepared than they'd hoped.

It was an ambush – Ileosa could recall it with increasing clarity. How they knew they'd be there at that particular outcropping she could not know. Perhaps some of her fellow Scryers had second thoughts and were feeding them information? Or their own scouting parties had spotted them well in advance? Whatever it had been that tipped them off the results were the same. Her skill with the bow and keen eyes were not enough to prevent the assault. It was over quickly and brutally. And so now they were here.

There was little time between gathering herself and the figure that came through the opening in the tent and dragged her out. The others followed. The treatment was rough, there was no love spared for traitors of the Prince it seemed. There was an almost surreal feeling as she was paraded through the camp along with her fellow scouts. She could see faces she knew. People she'd once fought alongside. She knew there was an element of control there. The mana crystals, making them drunk with power. It wasn't entirely their fault. But they could have fought harder.

She grunted as her knees met the rough dirt of Outland's landscape. Her entire party were one by one pushed to their knees in a line. Ileosa just stared at the dark soil beneath them. It seemed the only thing in store for them was a swift execution. A tall warrior made their arrival, an axe handed to them. This would be their end.

Ileosa tried to avert her eyes. One by one she could hear the hefty thwack of that axe as it separated the heads of her fellows from their necks. She grimaced, the gruesome sound getting closer and closer. Heavy plated steps followed each swing. Soon their executioner was upon her and she looked up to meet the soldiers gaze. Her eyes grew wide. She knew this face. She knew it all to well.

“M..Mother!? Mother it's me! Please!” her mother's gaze was cold, but there was a sense of hesitation. “Please you must listen! The Prince has gone MAD. We can't just stand idly by while we're commanded to slaughter innocents! This is wrong! You know it is! We can escape! Come WITH me mother. We can-”

Those cold eyes never left her as she felt the rush of air at her neck, for the briefest moment the sensation of that blade cutting into her was all she could feel. And then.

24th: What disgusts your character?

Ileosa and her fellow sunspears were marching through the woods just beyond the fortress where the Crimson Steel had once claimed as their 'home'. Two prisoners, one deceased as she herself tried to apprehend the man, and two still at large. They were murderous bandits who preyed on those weaker than them, taking what they wished and killing those who would stand up against them. These crimes were grave of course - but their other transgression brought upon the blood knight a sense of genuine revulsion

Oathbreakers. Traitors. Few things disgusted Ileosa more than the thought of those who would go back on their word. Turn away from those they had once served in a fashion that insulted everything they had stood for. She only felt bad for Caedius Emberstar's death in her failure to take him alive as her Knight-Commander ordered, and that his punishment would not be a more drawn out process. Unlikely a painful one but rotting in prison or facing justice at an executioners axe was good enough.

The whole concept of breaking ones oaths felt alien and wrong. What could drive these vermin to have committed such an act? Your word is your word. It doesn't matter what your commanders ask of you. If you disagree then change your opinion. If you have a moral issue then you're in the wrong line of work. A soldier is loyal and does their duty to their utmost or dies trying.

22nd: What skill or hobby has helped your character the most in their life? If they do not have one, what skill or hobby do they think would be most beneficial to learn?

Ileosa sat at her table, it was scattered with pieces and parts. Wires, cogs and a variety of other miscellaneous bits of metal and wires. She'd always found working on her contraptions to be a rather soothing – almost meditative affair. Her hands would feel so fidgety all the time, like they had to be doing something at all times. There were other distractions she greatly enjoyed using her hands for, but this was the easiest to do on her own.

She looked at her incomplete device through the magnifying lenses of her goggles. A tiny screwdriver in hand tightening pieces here and there. She'd grin to herself while she worked. She liked the smaller trinkets but she dreamed of one day working on something massive once more. More so than the ballistas of the Sunguard. Like a fel reaver. She'd had the good fortune to get some time working with other engineers on the handful or so the Prince had been granted. The sheer size and scope of that kind of project was almost mind boggling – and the terrible feats of engineering to make it all possible were simply inspiring.

Perhaps she could create a more wholesomely powered war machine of a similar magnitude. Alas she did not have such resources yet. For now she was content to work on her little toys, learning what she could about how felslate reacted and behaved as a power source and a casing. She placed down her tools and looked at her latest creation with some tiny amount of pride. She pressed in a button and it hummed to life, as if the fel material might shake it apart with the vibrations.

21st: Write about a memory related to a holiday.

The pitter patter of little feet coming down the stairs echoed in the household. The young quel'dorei was grinning broadly as she entered the central room of her family's home. There Ileosa's parents were already seated and waiting for her. She lept into her mothers lap, barely able to contain her excitement. The little elf always loved Winter's Veil, who doesn't love presents?

She tore into the wrapping paper of her gift. Her blue eyes grew wide as she unveiled the contents and she smiled so wide her cheeks might hurt. Made of wood, a toy sword. Finely carved by some artisan she would never remember the name of, it was even painted to look almost like the real thing. Brimming with excitement barely a moment passed before she was leaping around swishing her new toy as if she was a mighty soldier or knight. Now she could be like mama and papa! The best soldier ever!

20th: Create a scene using mostly Onomatopoeia to describe the setting. You do not have to write the entire narrative using them, but attempt to limit your descriptions to sentences and phrases containing them. If you need examples, look here (http://examples.yourdictionary.com/5-examples-of-onomatopoeia.html).

19th: Your character must write a thank you note. Who is it to, and what is it about?

To Ms Lightbinder.

Thank you very much for the brownies! I admit I haven't made all too many friends within the Sunguard yet. So it is good that I met someone as generous as yourself! I will continue trying to avoid grave injury even if the Infirmary has these treats (Which are really good by the way). Perhaps I will try to repay this kindness of something of my own making!

Your friend, Ileosa 'The Boulder' Sunstorm.

17th: Share the last thing your character got genuinely excited about.

After taking the Oath and being made to understand it's importance (as if she needed to be imparted the importance of keeping one's word), Ileosa was dismissed to go about what businesses she would require. Today had been altogether fabulous, the blood knight felt she was lighter than she had been in quite some time Oathsworn! An Emberward!

She was giddy with the excitement of the days events. Finally she was truly apart of something greater than herself again. She would prove to the Sunguard she was a good, loyal soldier. Already her acts of strength had won her that ridiculous contest with Zaren. 'The Boulder'. This was the title and nickname she'd managed to earn pushing an oversized rock across the grass farther than anyone else. It was honestly quite absurd but even so gave Ileosa a sense of pride. She made a small name for herself, and it wasn't easy to get a nickname.

For today at least there were no dark clouds hanging over her head nor as far as she could tell, threatening to dispel her good mood. Emberward Ileosa Sunstorm felt as if she could conquer a kingdom. She'd shove open the doors to the tavern with a huge smile on her face, still in the ceremonial uniform of her sub-unit.

Day 16: (Throwback Thursday) Write a fragment of a story that is made up entirely of imperatives (Do this; do that). This exercise will be a sort of second-person narration, as a you is implied in the imperative.

Get out of bed and get dressed. Make sure you do your routine, breakfast, excercise. Don't break the routine. Be ready to face what's coming. Put on your very best smile. Remember to lie. Give up. Ignore it. Remember today you are a paladin. Remember you are a blood knight. Be whoever it is you need to be so they will like you. Stay home. Lay down. Don't go out.

Ignore it.

Be better than it. Step out that door. Remember to lie. Remember they'll know. Don't let it hold you back. Lie with every smile. Lie about your interests. Be as perfect a person as you can be. Like what they like. Hate what they hate. Hate yourself. Remember nobody loves you.

Ignore it.

Remember it does not rule you. Remember it does not make you who you are. Do not give in. Make sure you are happy. Be funny. Be charming. Be lovable. Be a lie.

Think about how today will be over.

15th: FREE WRITE. Congratulations on making it halfway (+1 day) through the month!

Sunspear Mission: Stop the Thefts