#day302020

Day 30 - Secret @daily-writing-challenge​ Follow-up to THIS story

Pollux exhaled a cloud of smoke and condensation into the frigid air before bringing the cigarette back to his lips.  It had been a long week already, he could feel the chill down to his bones at this point; warming up seemed almost impossible while in Icecrown. The handful of other soldiers with him went about setting up a fire and preparing dinner while Pollux leaned heavily back against his rucksack.  He was both starving and extremely tired, but he wasn’t sure which would win out in the end.  With the way his eyelids drooped, sleep would probably come the moment he finished his cigarette.

He pulled out his comm and flipped through the unread messages, he could always count on Khaeris to leave him something sweet that would make him smile. In response, he took a picture of his face with his eyebrows and eyelashes coated in frost, sending it along with a message that read ‘Is it time for the beach yet?  Missing you...and warmth.’

Another message was from Xylaes; he was obviously agitated at something and had been staying in Pandaria on ‘vacation’ for a while. There were no specifics, Xy was a private man and kept a lot of secrets; Pollux could relate. Xylaes also knew that he would never press for information, just offer a night out drinking at some dive bar. He could go for that right about now.

His final message was from Aerden; it was just a lone photograph of the younger man’s birth certificate.  Pollux smiled to himself when he saw his own name next to ‘father’. It didn’t really feel any different than it had before, but legally there would be a huge change.  Pollux hadn’t had a ‘next of kin’ since his mother, and there was something comforting about knowing that Aerden’s previous ‘father’ could no longer play that card.  That and Aerden would be set for the rest of his life. They had spoken about hosting some sort of gathering to let their friends know, but that would have to wait for another time; as would a response.  Right now, he needed some sleep.

Daily Writing Challenge Day 30 - Secret

He eyed the manila envelope as he shut the door to his apartment and wandered back over to the kitchen table to resume drinking his coffee.  Whatever this was looked official and important, probably military stuff.  It was getting to be about that time, wasn’t it? The ‘peace’ had gone on for a while now and since history seemed to continue repeating itself on Azeroth, something was bound to happen soon. There had been rumors and talk of it already, something was transpiring and he was on standby to be deployed when they needed him.

Maybe this was it.  

He frowned at the thought and opened up the envelope, pulling out the paper inside: ‘Certificate of Live Birth’. He sat up a little straighter, forgetting to breath momentarily as eyes scanned the remainder of the document: ‘Mother: Casienna Lo’sharri,  Father: Pollux Hale’. His worried expression turned into one of relieved joy; he had forgotten all about this! The two had decided to keep it a secret from everyone that already knew. For now, they wanted it to be their own private thing, and later on they could celebrate with everyone else. Maybe even let it be public knowledge.

They had also assumed it would get bounced around in the court system due to his mother’s husband being a lawyer.  They weren’t wrong, and a process that should have taken a couple of months took about six instead. But this was a fight that the other man likely knew he could not win. Pollux had hired a damn good lawyer, taken a paternity test, and gotten all the documents in order for the both of them to sign. So much had happened in the past half year that this had completely left Aerden’s mind, Pollux’s too by the looks of it. Or maybe he had meant this to be a surprise.

He laid the document out on the table and took a photo of it with his comm before sending it to Pollux.  It was now a part of public records; Pollux was officially his father.

Day 30 - Secret

Gathering supplies from his hidden sanctuary, the silver haired Kaldorei had so many wonderful thoughts going through his mind today! He had been compiling a list of his upcoming research and projects once more, not wanting to forget a single detail. Without realizing it he begins to sing a song of ages past with words that he thought were lost to time. 

"With open eyes and solid mind, you cast your view on me. With open heart and solid will, tell me what you see...."

The ignited memory of it had him slowly remember where it had come from and he looked over to an engraved box that held a very unique relic the magi found a short time ago.

The new home for this heirloom waited for the magi in eternal patience. Talthorn had not opened that case since he placed the disk in there, because in the back of his thoughts he knew it held answers to long buried questions. The song still rolls over his tongue as he decides to place down his materials and sate his curiosity at least a little this day.

"Truth awaits behind the veil, if you want it so. Or take your solace in the peace, and let the darkness go..."

After a press and command word, the sealed rune disperses. His fingers slide over the lid, holding the lips on either side while he holds in a breath. Opening it, he looks again to the beautiful intricate disk that is settled inside. It still gave him shivers to look over, understanding what it was capable of. 

He remembers it being called The Unraveller.

Reaching to carefully takes it in his hands, his silver eyes examine the intricate runes within every circle and crevice. This artifact was made by none other than his own uncle; Malthis Syl'voran, thousands upon thousands of years ago.  It had the ability to take apart multiple curses and magical effects at the same time. A masterwork surgeon's tool that in the right hands could help a vast amount of people suffering from horrible ailments even the most skilled cursebreakers could not relieve. 

Talthorn would never claim his expertise were in lifting curses, but when given time to study and execute, he was very capable. It seemed to be a family trait. 

His uncle was always a mysterious sort with beautiful words and exceptional talent in all of his crafts. Part of the faculty within the Nar'thalas Academy, he taught his students the advanced techniques in curse recognition and dispersal. His exams were extremely difficult and sometimes lethal. Despite his instructor's schedule, teaching were not his only endeavors. People sought his abilities to relieve their hardships often, and some even considered him a potentially dangerous man.

Talthorn had always wondered how deeply his uncle had crossed into the realm of creating curses himself, instead of merely finding ways to dismantle them. How else could one become the best at their abilities, if they did not have new ones to break and bend. No one would question Malthis if there were a combination of spells or bane that he could not untangle. That is why when an ailment fell onto his father....

Smoothing his finger over the side of the disk, he could feel a heavy weight start to sink on his shoulders. This could very well be the murder weapon that took his life. And if that were true? How many more lives were taken with it. How deep was the corruption of his esteemed uncle in a time where there was so much that was lingering in hidden lies and secrets about the living world about them. What were the roles of his own parents then? Not many questioned their Queen then. 

It was so easy to wash away the would be truth, with how Azsuna had been decimated as it was. The reality of it was, Talthorn was not there for it and that is why he still breathed. Did he really need to taint the image of a past that would never come back? Never be relevant anymore? What good would the truth serve him now. 

The magi thinks upon all of this a bit longer. He knew that if he wanted to find his answer, he would have to find a way to create a particular fel curse and use this device to attempt removal as it supposedly could not untangle those well. As he had no desire to ever delve into that realm of magic himself, he might need to find a new friend or two. 

As he rotates the disk back in his hand, he winces just a touch to notice how there was a sharp edge that had sliced at his finger. The lingering ache of the cut reminded him he needed to be careful with the steps going forward. 

@daily-writing-challenge​