#sindurath

Sin had definitely fallen into a routine at this point after his rude awakenings. This morning was different, thankfully. Somehow he managed not to wake Elly this time. She was exhausted after she finally got relieved of taking care of the new Northrend crop, so it made sense. 

Sin slithered out of bed and made his way to the kitchen and started brewing a pot of coffee. As the coffee slowly started dripping, he pulled out a pan and fired up the stovetop. Sin started throing together a breakfast of an omlette, some toast, and some left over ham. Being the good partner he is, he made two plates and put them on the tray table. He poured a couple cups of coffee and brought the tray back to the bedroom. 

He sat the tray on his empty nightstand, before crawling back in bed. Sin gently nudged Elly, rubbing her back comfortingly in the process. "Good morning beautiful..." the elf sang as his partner slowly came back to consciousness. “I thought you needed a special surprise today, so I made breakfast.” Sin kissed Elly’s cheek as she sat up and realized what was going on, “Sin, you know you didn’t have to.” “That I did, but what better way to welcome you home?” Sin smiled.

“What’d you do?” “What do you mean?” “Sin, I love you. I’ve been when you long enough to know when you have a guilty conscience. You don’t hide it well.” Sin moved to sit on the bed and face Elly.

“It’s heavy, you sure you wanna go through this right now, love?” “We have nothing but time.” “And I already made breakfast,” Sin replied, moving the tray onto the bed between him and Elly.

“I feel like I’m falling apart at the seams. That’s the easiest way to dumb it down. All I knew for the past ten some odd years, was war. Death. Destruction. I’ve had to do so many unspeakable things. Slaughter anything that was in our way. That’s what the Lich King commanded. I’d be even more damned if I didn’t follow those orders. I can still hear or see...” “Sin, my love, I’ve told you before that what you did while under the Lich King’s control doesn’t define you. You were barely more than a puppet. What you did was what HE did. You didn’t have control,” Ellysandra interrupted. “So, you don’t think I’m a monster?” “No, I don’t.”

“Everyone else does, apparently! Ever since I came back, I keep getting the same looks. ‘Monster’ this, ‘Monster’ that. I keep trying to keep my anger in check.” “Sin, I don’t like where this is going. What happened?” “I woke up, like I always do. You weren’t here. I went to the market, and this group of 5 started to hassle me. Said I should’ve stayed dead. They were looking for a fight, probably still drunk from the night before. I went to leave the market, and then they stopped me. We went to a nearby clearing and I killed all of them. As soon as I broke the treeline they all pulled knives on me. Only two of them knew what they were doing, but even then. I’m tired of letting these people get to me. I should just walk away and let them be, but it’s just not that easy for me anymore.”

Ellysandra took a deep breath and looked her partner over, thinking over his recent pattern of behavior. “You just prove their idea that you’re a monster correct when you let them under your skin and react that way. You’re not gonna change the average idiot’s view point on you.” Sin sighed and took a sip out of his cup of coffee from the tray, “I know that. I’m trying, love. I just feel hopeless. That was the first fight or altercation in over a month, but just like that I threw away all the progress I made trying to heal.”

The smell of those stables with a fine sprinkle of the collective hangover was not a combination I envied for those in competition today. Upon the behest of my father, I kept the ales and wines to a minimum the night before the biggest tournament in the kingdom.

This was the morning of the big dance after all. There were few things I could leave to chance for the outcome of today's tournament. Castle Ravenscroll towered over the so-called "battlefield" today. By battlefield, I really only mean a jousting arena that had recently begun an expansion into a pseudo-coliseum of makeshift bleachers and canvas. Someone failed to meet the deadline, tsk tsk. Nothing really to lose our heads over now though.

Back in focus. Dad. King. Princess. Horses. Combat. Doing the Damn Thing. Dad. That is right. Dad. Focus Sin, he said to meet at the stables. That is why you are currently smelling the freshest horse shit in all the kingdom.

Sindurath Everdawn clutched his greatsword with a white-hot rage, as he rolled his neck. This excuse of an ambush could only have one of very few outcomes. Sin darted his gaze around the encroaching circle of brigands before managing to stifle his growing heartrate in his chest with a deep breath. "Now, gentlemen, is there any chance we could solve this diplomatically? Or do you desire to meet your death on this day?"

The circle of brigands stops roughly five to ten feet from Sin, about as staggered as a Goblin's dental work. Two of the beefier brutes directly in front of Sin step to the side and what could only be assumed as the de-facto leader emerges from between the pair. "We have you surrounded, Everdawn. I sincerely think that you are overestimating your abilities," states a voice much akin to shattered glass. The voice is leaving a man no more than five feet nothing. His size is diminutive next to the pair of 6"+ brick shit houses next to him.

"Just because you made it a fair fight for you, doesn't mean you'll win," Sin retorted through gritted teeth. His off-hand meets his sword as he spreads his leg to ready his stance. "Last chance, Short Stack."

"Short Stack" could not help but laugh, "Namecalling? from a monster is rich! I know everything about you, Sin. With one spell, I could get your precious little Ellysandra kidnapped and drug away far from Eversong! You're lucky my boss only wants you. You're lucky that he'll--"

Sin probably let his anger get the better of him here, but he had heard enough. Pure necrotic darkness enveloped "Short Stack's" throat as hands began to wrap around his neck and bring him off the ground. As he started levitating, Sindurath froze the earth beneath their feet. With another mutter of a phrase, three ancient rune blades appeared in the air around Sin.

The death knight wasted no time closing the distance between himself and the two biggest brutes who were still dazed by the flurry of events in front of them. By the time "Tweedle Dee" looked up from the frozen ground at his feet, his heart was run through by Sin's blade. He collapsed to the ground as Sin pulled his blade out of the now corpse. The Elf spun around and beheaded "Tweedle Dum" in a quick flash of steel.

Hearing the commotion of brigands fighting possessed ghost weapons ushered Sin to turn around. Summoning a tendril of necrotic energy, he pulled the remaining fighter's throat to his outstretched hand. His blade was waiting for his chest. Disposing of the final ambusher like a cheap piece of trash, his corpse slides off his blade as he returns his attention to "Short Stack." He released the energy holding him in place before picking him up and slamming him against the nearby tree.

"You have less than five seconds to start telling me who your boss is. If you do, you might manage to live past today, Tiny."

"Short Stack" was still coughing trying to get any semblance of air into his lungs. The empty gasps and the wheezing from his throat were music to Sin as he started laughing at his foe. "e"

"Four."

"Three."

"FINE!"

"Two."

"He goes by 'The Mask.' He's another monster, just like you. Except he's human or at least was at one point. Apparently, he has had a vendetta against your whole clan since Acherus? I don't know! I was just contracted out and you don't say no to the amount of gold he offered me."

"You have two options, then. You can die here in a puddle of your own boiling blood, or you can arrange a meeting with him and we can clean off this chess board together. In case you're as stupid as you've seemed up to this point, that second option involves you living for a few more days at the minimum. Now, if I were you, What sounds better?"

"Whatever you say, boss!" "Short Stack" responded emphatically, knowing how easy Sin could change his mind.

Sindurath was steal healing his relationship with Ellysandra, so he stayed at his house the night prior. He woke up in his old room and neglected to put on a shirt out of old habits as he made his way to the kitchen to raid it for breakfast. He made his way downstairs and into the kitchen that hadn’t seen much use as of late. Sin was about to change that, however. Blood must have already gotten the eggs that morning, which made life easier for him as he hunted down a pan to use on the stove. After successfully procuring the proper equipment, Sin muttered a soft spell to start a small fire under the pan as he began to crack three eggs into a bowl and add a variety of seasoning. After properly beating the devil out of it, he introduced the concoction to the pan before sprinkling in some leftover chicken from the night before and a healthy slice of cheese. 

He left the omelette to cook for a moment before raiding the chest for a bottle of water. When Sin got up and turned around, there was the familiar face of his mother. And a familiar pain in his chest as her groggy eyes passed over him. “Good morning, Mom. Want some eggs?” 

Sin could’ve been talking to a wall at that point, feeling her gaze transfixed upon the discolored scar in the center of his chest. He folded and plated the omelette before walking around the counter, in front of Titan. Sindurath didn’t need to be able to read minds to see that she was remembering a rather unpleasant memory. “What did I...” A whisper broke the silence as Sin was immediately wrapped up in an embrace. Titan hugged her son close as he felt a warm tear fall against his chest. Sin returned the embrace, rubbing her back in a comforting manner as he took a deep breath. “Sin, I’m so sorry.” Titan managed to speak in a broken voice plagued with sobbing. 

“Titan, mom, it was ten years ago. And you weren’t you. I could tell that then. You’re you now. We all did things we regret under his control. I’m here now. That’s what matters. We don’t have to dwell on the sins of the past. What we do in spite of them to heal is what matters,” Sin suggested as he continued to hold Titan as she let out her emotion.

She continued to apologize as Blood walked into the room. It took him a few seconds to catch on before he placed a hand on Titan’s shoulder. “Hey, love. Everything's okay now. You’re here with us. Sin obviously still loves you.” 

“Nothing’s gonna change that Mom. Not even Death did. When I first got to Acherus, you were the first person I asked for,” Sindurath reassured her, “When I say I’m fine and going to be, you know I’m being truthful, mom. The only time I ever lied to you was when I was drunk. Even then you saw right through it”

That last line brought out a pained laugh from the much smaller elf. The traces of a faint smile pulled at her lips, as she sniffled the tears back. She loosened the hug enough to look up at Sin to see his comforting smile before turning to Blood who offered another pillar of support. She let go of Sin and then latched onto Blood who wrapped her in his arms. 

Sin grabbed his plate and sat on the counter and waited as they continued to discuss the past and to an understanding. As Titan continued to calm down and heal ever so much, Sin looked out the window and saw Ellysandra walking away from the house. Shit. That must’ve explained the eggs. 

“Hey dad, can I steal you for a walk?” Sindurath asked while on the couch, as Bloodlight passed to the kitchen. 

“Uh, sure thing, what’s up Sin?” Blood walked over and met his son at the door. 

“I need to talk to you?” Sin replied as he opened the door and followed his father out. The pair started down the path in front of their home as a soft breeze swept up some leaves off the ground. 

“But that requires a walk?”  “It does. How’s Mom doing? Her memories back yet?” “Not all of them, but most of the important ones.” “I thought you might say that.”

The pair hung a left past a fork in the road, heading towards the Eastern Coastline. “As you can plainly see we both ended up in the service of Arthas. In fact, most of our family did. Which is really just our own damn faults, but that is neither here nor there.” “Yes, I am aware. I was the commanding officer of all of you degenerates but Titan. What’s this all about, Sin?” Sin looked up towards the pass through the hills then looked down the now cobblestone path towards a Sanctum. He led the pair to a spot near a scarred tree. “What’s the last thing Titan remembers from her time as a death knight versus before death?”

“She remembers how she died, and she remembers Acherus and being freed. How is that important now? Why did we walk all the way to where you were supposed to escort those refugees with Ellysandra?” “Because I did escort those refugees with her. And because this is where I died. I looked up the hill one last time to see the tears stream down Elly’s face as I was struck through the heart by a death knight.” “Who then brought you back. Yes, I know.”

Sin rolled his eyes and placed a hand on his father’s shoulder, muttering a spell in the process. A tip that Wiz learned from a couple Bronze Dragons helped fuel the energy behind the spell. That’s when the ghosts of the past formed in front of the pair. The line of Scourge. The 3 brave knights defending a fleeing mass of refugees. The lone elf standing at the edge of the pass. Two knights breaking the Scourge’s ranks just to be ran through with spears. The death knight dismounting her horse and halting her fellow undead. 

Blood took in the scene in every detail calmly until she took off her hood. “TITAN NO!” escaped the elder’s lips as his companion held out his arm to stop him from moving. After a moment, Sin clutched his chest, with a grunt he continued channeling the spell. The wave of flame brushed past them without incident. And then the vision of Sin fell, and the spell dissipated as the real Sin fell to his knees, hand still over his chest. Blood helped him back to his feet. 

“Sin, are you okay?” “Elly doesn’t know, she was too far away,” Sin coughed up a little bit of blood and he wiped his face.  “Sindurath Everdawn. Why didn’t you tell me?” “Because as you could see, That wasn’t Titan at the time. She may have been so many layers down, but she was just a passenger there. I don’t hold anything against her. I forgive her fully. But when and if she remembers this, you don’t need to do anything stupid to make it worse. Dad, I love you, but sometimes you’re a fucking idiot. That’s not allowed. You’re going to be a rock for her. Not just a rock, a god damn mountain.”

Wiz began muttering an incantation as he spun his free hand in a circle. "Here goes nothing..." Sin tried to take a deep breath but was interrupted by a cough. Being stabbed in the side wasn't fun, neither was coughing up blood. Wiz manages to conjure a portal and they fall through to the dining room of Wiz's mother's residence.

"Hey mom? I swear to the light if you're not home and I have to heal my cousin by myself..." Wiz immediately ran to the kitchen and raided the liquor cabinet.

"Hey Wiz, make sure I get some," Sin called out to his cousin as he entered the room with a bottle in each hand.

As Sin reached for the bottle, a female silhouette came around the corner from the stairs. "Boys, what in the fel are you - Light's sake, let me see him." Leo rushed over to the side of the table next to Wiz. "Do I want to know what you were doing?"

"Nope!" Sin quickly replied and took a swig from the bottle, "Stab wound, maybe an inch deep. Didn't penetrate anything important I think."

"You think? You're doing a lot of that right now, aren't you nephew?" Leo smacked Sin upside the head, and smacked Wiz for good measure. She clasped her hands together and began uttering a prayer as the warmth of holy light began to fill the room. Leo placed her hands on Sin's side and the warmth transfered from her and began to illuminate and fill Sin, as the wound slowly began clearing and closing.

Sin let out a yelp of initial pain, then steadied his breathing. As Leo grew quiet, Sin began to sit up. "Wait a second you idiot," Wiz shoved Sin back down onto the table,"Give it a minute."

"He's fine, Wiz. Let him be. You have ten minutes to get him to his wife or I tell my brother," Leo stated before leaving the room.

"Well cuzzo, Let's get me home," Sin sat up, and took another swig. "Your mom has good taste." Wiz snatched the bottle from Sin and placed it on the table. "You heard the grouchy woman, Let's get you to Ellysandra."

"You're no fun," Sin teased as he fell through a portal in the floor below him. He fell into his bedroom, then looked up. Wiz waved goodbye, and called out "Have fun explaining the new scar from where you got stabbed!"

Sin was sitting talking with Elly as Blood went and sat down with a plate of food he had prepared for Titan. The son kissed Elly on the cheek before standing up, "Hey old man, how about we spar real quick? Unless you're too afraid to take me on in. I would be too, if I was as fragile as you."

Blood smirked and stood up, "Getting a little bold, aren't we son? You're on. Just wrestling."

"Oh come on! You scared I'm gonna mess up your nose worse than Mom did?" Sin teased, as he walked over to the sand. "I promise I won't, for the record."

Blood walked over into the sand, in front of Sin before flashing his brother Dark a wink. Within a few seconds, Sin is tunnel visioned on his dad so bad that he doesn't see his Uncle coming across the sand. Sin turns just in time to get flatlined by Dark. "Come on kid, you know I'm gonna be there for my brother. How do you think he's made it this far?"

Dark helped his nephew up, and Sin took a step back. "Two on one isn't fair. Wiz?"

Wiz sighed and snapped his fingers. With the snap, Dark made a very unique sound as he fell through a portal and ended up right next to Tink. Wiz had to hold on to his side because he was laughing so hard.

Sin and Blood shared a laugh before honing in on one another. "I'm not that slow, kiddo. Come on, let's get this party star-" Blood was cut off by Sin blinking behind him and sweeping his legs out from under him.

"You were saying?" Sin rolled his eyes and walked over to Elly, and as he leaned down for a kiss Blood rushed him much the same Dark had. Wiz opened up a portal on either side of Sin, "Pay more attention, cousin. I don't need to save your ass all night."

"Duly noted."

"Wake the fel up, Gramps. It's time to go to work," Sin continued. Blood gathered himself and got up from his makeshift bed in the tent. "Gramps? You and Elly have a suprise for me?" Blood replied as he went to start putting on his armor.

"If we do, I don't know yet. With the way the world is right now, I'd rather wait a few years and make sure that our kid can have a future," Sin replied, his normal cheer absent from his voice. The younger elf shook his head and gathered himself, "Get your armor on, old man. Dark and Dari are getting the horses ready."