#the-shieldedmind

She’d been in the Ghostlands when news reached her, and it took her a moment to piece it all together. A bomb. The Shielded Mind. Some said it was an earthquake but for such localized destruction, nobody truly believed it. Altherei pressed a hand to her chest and struggled for a breath, the news having pulled all the air from her lungs and left her wanting.

As fast as she could, she mounted her hawkstrider and spurred him to the city. He couldn’t run fast enough, and the astronomer’s mind was a swirling fog of concern. Not even a few days ago she’d managed to get in touch with Bel’navar and assure his own safety, but what of it now? What of Renik, who she’d still heard nothing from?

And what of the Doctor?

When she finally arrived in the city, the streets were abuzz. Grief, shock, worry, panic, and more emotions than she cared to recognize were displayed on the citizens. She hurried through the crowds as best she could, and when she saw that she wouldn’t be getting through to the Bazaar by its normal entrance, she tied her hawkstrider to a post outside the inn.

She hurried through, occasionally offering a gentle shove and plenty of apologies to those she had to move out of her way. When she finally caught her first glimpse of what had been the clinic, she almost wished she’d taken her time to get there.

It was destroyed. Teal eyes darted back and forth and though she wanted to get closer, to help those working, her legs didn’t dare move another step. She could smell the smoke and the disgusting odor of burnt flesh. She covered her mouth with her hands to keep herself from gagging as workers brought out body parts. She could ask herself who did this, but somehow.. somehow, she knew. It was obvious, wasn’t it?

This was the work of the Faceless. Or the Collective, or whatever they had decided to call themselves that day. A fire was set alight in Alth’s blood, and her own fear and panic melted away into a righteous fury. She had no skills with spell or sword. She had no way to heal.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t.. wouldn’t fight. She had asked Xanelen at her first trip to the clinic if he thought they would resort to violence. At the time, he had said no. Now, clear evidence was right before her very eyes.

The Faceless intended to make this a war... and Altherei vowed then to do all she could to bring them to their knees.

  It has been a week. I still can’t open my eyes. I have been this way before. I remember that I was sent on a mission into the Eastern Kingdoms.. I was to spy in Elwynn for a threat to my lord. I followed my target to Westfall only to be lost near Sentinel Hill.. She is like shadows itself sometimes. I have been hunting her long.. and I must continue that hunt. I set up camp in a safe spot I have used before.. A grove with a waterfall for bathing, tucked away in the hills. They must have came over night.. The grove had sprouted flora I had never seen before. I took one in my hand and examined it.. securing it away for later research. Perhaps it could used to make a poison. I turned away and packed up my things, and pulled up my hood.. jumping from the cliff to the water below.. letting out a harmless cough as I pulled up my hood. 

   To think I had been so careless. The cough wasn’t harmless at all.. neither were the flowers. The sickness took hold before I could even react. With my heart condition.. I was more susceptible to its hold. Blood would soon come with the cough, and nightmares quickly crippled me. I was put into the Med-Ward here at House Bladerunner. I remember my screams of fear and pain.. I remember closing my eyes for what seemed like the last time.

I felt like I was falling. Like never before. It wasn’t like when my gem acted up, or broke down.. causing my heart to fail.. This was like being already dead. Surrounded in nightmares and darkness.. It was like falling down a hole. I tried to grab the sides.. and there was no way to grip. When I was about to lose hope.. A voice spoke out to me. 

      “You can’t give in now, my dear cousin.. A Bladerunner never quits. You have a job to do still. We will bring you back to health.”

I awoke last night. The nurses had told me that the sickness had infected not only me, but the gem that kept me alive. They replaced it from my collection.. and told me I was given the cure a few days before I opened my eyes. I unplugged all the cords myself.. used to coming here for my surgeries. I walked outside and looked to the moon. It felt like I was an all new man.. After tuning out the nagging of the nurses, I knew who dear Gandrell wanted me to find.. The ones who did this to me.

Though Silvermoon was mostly empty, the patter of plate on stone could still be heard. The Guard-Captain was making his rounds, looking as if Death itself had been on his heels.. The man looking rather tired. Gandrell would make sure to check both inns, and all parts of the city. This had been a long day.. Making arrangements, assigning his guard to their new posts.. setting his researchers to these flowers.. And he still wanted to make rounds. Though to the best of his knowledge, he was not sick himself, the people of his city could be screaming in their homes because of the nightmares.. hallucinating that the walls were closing in on them. In a way.. he felt sympathy there.. Sometimes he wondered if walking the silent city was his nightmare.. and that his walls closing in were a fear of not being able to help his people. 

Zyyraxx had awoken suddenly.. for the first time in a few years, sweat beaded his forehead.. He looked to his lover.. She was sound asleep, not a single movement. He tucked her in before he slipped out of the bedroom. Zyyraxx stepped out into the cold air.. bare feet on cobblestone as he looked out onto his Garrison. He had not dreamed since he lost everything he had worked for. His House, His home.. And this night, it was no different. Instead, it was the thoughts of the meeting he had seen.. the congregation. He watched as so many Sin’dorei made the choice to join this.. Collective. All in hopes of attaining what they called, “Their Blessing.” He had come to see it with his own eyes, to see that the rumors were true. First these flowers and the sickness.. now there was some sort of cult that claimed to have the answer. Needless to say, He and his woman left as soon as the shadow magic started.. Zyy’s fears confirmed. He set his hands on stair railing down into the main yard.. He thought what would drive those elves to make that choice.. to give a part of themselves like that. He wondered if he could get sick, that if he would have done the same. He thought of his son and his family. He worried of his home. The blood would boil inside him as he realized that he might need to take care of this himself.. And that he would need the resistance to help him. He only hoped that his son was making the right precautions against this sickness, against this cult. He hoped that his messages would make it in time.

Dear Dr. Deh'lorei,

Somehow I'd thought more time would pass between our last meeting and our next.  It is advice I seek, as a member of the Guard -- I serve the Phoenix Guard at present --seems afflicted with a sensitivity to both Shadow and Fel energies.  She is less than forthcoming as to what happened that causes her to weaken when close to them, however when the missions involve venturing nto areas that have a higher concentration of magics about them, she seems to falter.  Nosebleeds, blackouts, voices.

Neither she not Lt. Commander Ronaestrider are aware I have contacted you.  I am withholding her name for that purpose.  They have enlisted help from elsewhere, though not from anyone with or travelling with our unit.   She seems to grow weaker everythime they try to ease the afflition.  Being aware that I may not force a patient to seek additional help and guidance, I seek your expertise to see to it that I am able to do all I can for her should she falter under my care again.  In addition, my thoughts go to others in the Guard that have yet to show the sensitivities she does.  As of this writing, I fear I am not prepared.  

Without violating her privacy, I have been quietly endeavoring to determine what to do for her when the pain finally knocks her into a sort of sleep.  It's only occurred once and I know she hears voices bacause , when unconscious, she cries for them to stop.  When it happened, my mind returned immediately to my shifts with you.  You were cautios at the time about offering services having to do with entering or clearing one's mind.  It is, of course, a practice beyond my own scope, so I had been hoping for advice as to how I may help her to keep her own stubbornness from killing her.  There is a disadvantage to bein a Prodigy and voracious learner, you see.  No book I read can replace experience.  

When I sent word to out Quartermaster on Quel'Danas as to your whereabouts and whether or not you were still affiliated with the Hospital or whether you had returned to the Field, he returned to me several flyers bearing your name - both positive and negative as well as clippings from recent Quel'Thalas periodicals describing what is happening in the City.  I fear your load is heavy.  

Xanelen, I had no idea.  I have been so focused on my duties here, I waved off what I'd been hearing months ago and did not realize the severity or scope.  I suppose, seeing the things I have, it was simply easier to put Home out of my mind.  I may require your help or counsel at some point in the future but for now - what can I do to help?  

Yours in Friendship and Respect,

Lady Vellissana Solaris Blood Knight Battle Medic & Physician of the Phoenix Guard

xanelen

the-shieldedmind

the-handmaidens-collective

ronaestrider   (for reference)

deylivia