#zaravala

Crimson hair whipped around her face as the Illidari woman made her way down the coastal line. Slipping with ease from one rock to the next, over sea logged boards and sandblasted stones.

The Felravens, as they were apparently now called, had been assigned patrols across the island. Their leader, Perchedon, having assigned her to investigate and patrol Largo's Outlook. Waves crashed against the steep rocky shoreline, no me so high as to reach her current trail.

"Zaravala!"

Her ears perked and her fel flame eyes turned to peer above her, there at the top of the steep cliff face sat the giant rogue staring down at her.

"What are you doing here..." she asked dryly.

"Well I was hoping we could talk....though seeing your position I assume now is a bad time."

"You think?" She leaped to the next surface, gripping the stone to hoist herself up, she paused reaching out and plucking something from the rock she clung to. After inspecting it for a moment she tucked it in her hip pouch and continued her climb.

"Collecting sea shells? You know there are much better shores to look for-"

"Patrolling." She said flatly as she pulled herself up the final distance to plop down next to her brother.

"I know Perch told me." He grinned, shrugging at her.

"Talk." Settling herself of the ridge she pointed her face at the crashing waves of the sea. A subtle hint of relief in her tone when she finally added more, "good to see you survived your mission."

Dizarak lifted a hand to rub at the back of his neck, teeth already fiddling with the gemmed ring adorning his lip.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. Thought for sure you still wanted me dead."

"Never wanted you dead. You asked me to kill you. Did i?"

"N-no..."

"Didn't want to. Had the chance. Didn't take it. You know, if it weren't for your equally tall counterpart I wouldn't have been able to drag you out of there."

She turned her masked face towards him, glancing over his features. So familiar yet so altered, the years had done a number to her twin. Void aside, his features had grown more angular, his facial hair a new addition after his fall to void and one she'd always joked he should try before their world turned upside down. Loving on the same island, one might think she had taken the time to notice these changes. Truth be told she'd managed to spend as little time around him as she could.

"So you don't want me dead....not even...a little?"

"Is that what you came out here to pester me about? I can easily knock you off this cliff if you're still trying to-"

"NO NO! I'm... I'm good on that." He sighed, leaning over slightly to retrieve his cigarettes and his lighter. Tapping the carton on his palm he plucked two from its container and offered one out to her. Hesitantly she took it from him, holding it between her fingers.

He set about lighting both and shaking the match until it extinguished itself.

"I came to....I don't know...reconcile? Catch up....I..I really don't know what I expected but at least hear me out?"

She reminded silent, fel flame eyes illuminating the maw of her mask in eerie green light. Then now lit cigarette resting between her fingers was occasionally lifted to her mask, billowing smoke pouring from it as she exhaled.

"I'm listening," words spoken through a lungful of smoke, her voice deeper and muffled by the clouds.

"I'm sorry."

She lowered the vice to rest her wrist on her knee for a moment before reaching up to carefully remove her mask. Setting it down between them she returned to gazing at the water.

"I'm so sorry for the things I said and the damage I did. You didn't deserve that...even more so while you were mourning. "

The Demon Hunters form visibly flinched as if recalling, though his words were vague, she could vividly see what the Ren'dorei was apologizing for. Her back ached and a tight fist closed around her heart.

"I don't expect forgiveness in full. But I...I cant keep going on like this. Avoiding each other and acting like distant family. I need my sister...now more than ever."

"You have everything...what on Azeroth could you need me for? You have a home....a family. You have mates who clearly would do anything for you. You have a job and control over your life."

Her eyes met his mismatched ones.

"Adding me back into your life will only lead to despair. No one needs a monster around..."

A low snarl rolled from Dizarak, "if anyone is a monster it's me. For the way I treated you. I left you so damaged....that I would have rather you killed me than live with my shame."

At his words she quieted again, occasionally lifting the vice to her lips to pull from.

"Zara....I need you...she...she needs you...."

The red heads ears perked...'she'?

"I...guess what I'm here to say is...I'm asking you to...step up and be the aunt that my new daughter deserves." He stiffened, bracing for a blow up.

Silence washed over the pair, as she stared at him, eye sockets wide in disbelief. A forgotten cigarette held halfway between her next pull and resting atop her knee.

"You...have a kid?" Last Zara had heard, his girlfriend was a death knight. Something didn't add up.

"She was the sole survivor of my mission...I couldn't abandon her and somehow Fhaliona convince d the council to let me keep her. And I.... she needs women to look up to..."

"And...your mates just...accepted a child?"

Dizarak's face flushed a deep purple, "well that's...the other thing...they...proposed."

Zaravala's dumbfounded expression was cause for concern, she turned to peer out at the sea again as she took in the information.

"You have a kid."

"Yes."

"And you're now engaged...to two guys? And a girl?"

"Uh....two males...Illei is my girlfriend and not shared with the others so not marrying us."

"You know mom and dad are rolling in their graves right?"

"Yeup."

"I still fail to see how you need me..."

"Zaravala....I want you back in my life....I'm tired of going without the only blood family I have left. Please...."

They say in silence once more. Each taking a turn blowing clouds of cigarette smoke to the wind. A pregnant pause filling the air as the waves crashed over the shore in a dull roar.

Eventually the demon hunter spoke, "I'm not wearing a dress."

"What?"

Her eyes met his again, face stone cold as she spoke.

"To your wedding. I'm not wearing a dress to your wedding."

"But!"

"No dress. Or I'll shove you off the cliff."

".............fine."

This is why I don't keep friends around...

Mask firmly in place, the Illidari stood just inside the camp. The fel flame eyes behind the covering trained diligently at the portal, awaiting the arrival of her only true "friend", if that's what she could be called.

The druid appeared, grinning at her in her usual manner, "Good you didn't back down."

The crimson haired blood elf crossed her arms over her chest and looked further down the path, refusing to look at Bess.

"You had to say something....now I'm regretting it."

"Oh come now, I give nothing but good advice."

Zara's masked face snapped to the large Tauren before her, a single brow lofted above the masks edge.

Bess chuckled heartily, "race you to the inn?"

Zara flung her leg up and over her flaming feline mount and nodded as the druid shifted to the form of a deer. The pair racing across the island at top speed, over bridges and past large spiders in an attempt to surpass the other.

Bess had always been faster, until today.

The Illidari eased off the great beasts back and grinned as once more the Tauren shifted to her full glory, a glint in her eye.

"Slowpoke." Zaravala said flatly.

As the pair entered, fel flame eyes behind the mask, scanned the room. Melisande smiled from the front bar, an oversized Pandaren stood next to Ashraen on the balcony, the back bar contained two void elves she hadn't met and Azryl, her brothers other mate. Finally her gaze rested on Perchedon who greeted her warmly.

"Evening. Perchedon this is Bess Blackhoof, not sure if you've met yet."

The pair began to chatter away, small talk and such drifting over her as the Illidari zoned out. After a moment she slipped silently away, raising a hand to shove the longest feather sticking out from Bess' pauldons out of her way playfully. A silent sign to her friend that she would be back.

The woman took the stairs slowly, hand trailing along the bannister as she approached the landing. Pushing past the rather large Pandaren woman creating music she greeted Ashraen.

"Hey."

He turned eyeing her curiously as she reached into her hip pouch and pulled out an envelope.

"Hey."

"I brought you these....figured it might be something you and Az would want. Found them tucked away the last time I....visited home." Her words hung like dead weights in the air as she held out the item to him.

Hesitantly he took it, slipping open the envelope and shuffling through the photos within. Each image, a capturing of a younger, less void stricken Dizarak. A few containing the pair of twins in their prime. She shifted awakrdly on the spot as she peered at him through the mask, watching the smile spread across his features.

"T-thank you...you should take these downstairs to Azryl. He could use the cheering up." He held it back out to her.

Reluctantly Zaravala palmed them and nodded.

"Hes going to be fine." She said dryly before turning to descend the stairs, a new task at hand.

Once downstairs, the demon hunter weaved her way between patrons. Finally arriving at the back bar and take her place in line. She watched idly as the female void elf ordered from the redheaded medic turned bartender, idly tapping the envelope against an open palm while she leaned against the balcony's support beam.

"Oh! Zaravala! What can I get for you?" Azryl asked, frowning when she simply shook her head.

"Ashraen told me to bring these to you said you might enjoy them." Sliding the envelope across the bar to him, she observed the way he smiled at them, startling slightly when he spoke to her again.

"Please, accept this, it's on me. Family of family--"

Felflame eyes widened behind the mask.

Did he just...basically tell you that you were family?

A gloved hand found the glass and she tugged it towards herself, "s'not a problem really...uh...can I have a straw?" She asked pointing from the pink fizzy beverage to her masked face.

He quickly handed one over.

Behind her, Bess called out "she can handle worse than that."

"You hush, heffer!" Zara chided back.

The pair of friends settling in to familiar banter. Something slipped from Zara and from the corner of her vision she caught Azryl's visible wilting. A pang of guilt washing over her.

I'm sorry I'm not him...hes going to be fine....he...has to be....

Resting with her back up against one of the few tress not wildly ablaze, the Illidari, slipped her gloves from her hands and draped them across her raised knee.  Weeks of constant battle, order after order and gruesome vision after grueling death, even the stoic Demon Hunter was beginning to show signs of uneasiness. 

Plucking her water-skin from her hip, she gingerly popped the cork and lifting it to the open maw of her mask, skillfully pouring it within, she lapped up the water until the dry scratching at the back of her throat eased.

Footfalls near by had her to her feet and glaives at the ready once more, the source of water tossed by the wayside in her haste. Before her stood a slightly startled mage an oddly pristine envelope clasped in their hand.

"Sorry to startle you,"

they said quickly before peering down at the letter in their hand, "I believe this is for you Miss Nightcaller."

Lowering her weapon she pushed the tip of one of her glaives into the ashen dirt to free up her hand. Reaching out to accept it she bowed her head curtly to the postmaster returning to her place at the base of the tree.

She leaned over retrieving the abandoned source of water and slowly slipped the envelope open.

Zaravala,

I’m sure you know of the happenings today on the battlefront, you always were at the front lines of anything you put your mind to. Let me know you are alive at least. 

I don’t want to know about how it felt or what you did, all I care about is you made it out alive.

Don’t lose yourself in this useless mess.

Remember who you are.

— Dizarak

The pounding of fists against ground was far less satisfying than it would be against his skin, the rain pouring down, splashing against the dirt and what bare flesh peeked around leather upon her frame. Crimson locks hung heavily toward the soil as she fruitlessly beat the wet surface, her masked face a barrier to the world. Hands a knees, a position ill suited for the demon hunter, whose usually strict and proud stance now crumpled beneath her in the mess of rainwashed terrain. Face the skies, worthless monster. Her memories echoed through her head and she obeyed, turning the open maw of her mask to the heavens, a place she knew she would never grace.

"What the fuck do you want from me!?" her voice echoed within her cover but rang out into the damp night air. Carefully sitting up she slid her mud caked hands along her thighs, as she continued to gaze upward. A disgrace.

Abomination.

Unworthy the love you so desperately seek.

You could have been so much more, something worth looking at and yet you come to ME asking for some form of forgiveness unfitting of the monster you have become. "Get out," came the low snarl from within, "you are no less an abomination than I am, you who thinks so fucking highly of himself." Hands moved to undo her cover, the metal fel infused mask rolled across the ground, her hands unwilling to even catch it.

The mind is a powerful thing, recreating images from memory as one loses themselves in madness, there he stood before her, tall, judgmental, her own blood dripping from his hands, blurring lines of who the real monster was. Sightless eyes dissolved raindrops as they impacted with the fel flames, sightless, tear less, empty. Sharp pain in her back as though it was more than a memory, perhaps as if, even now she could feel the blade slicing through her demon tainted flesh. A loud scream ripped from her throat and she fell, face down upon the sodden ground, curled there, dry sobs into the night air. You've chosen to die as a monster....You are no sister of mine.

Mention: @dizaraksanar

Tapping his foot on the decimated ground beneath him, the Ren'dorei shifted his grip on the dagger at his side as he stood just to the left of the opening to his charge's tent. The middle aged man, named Garrett, rustling around inside caused Dizarak's ears to flick as he gauged the human's whereabouts within. Finally the dark haired human emerged from the canvas flaps of the tent and scowled openly at his “babysitter” his gloves clutched in his hand. “You don't have to stay so close to me, I can take any of these savage Horde with ease!” Garrett spewed , slipping his glove onto the wrong hand and immediately ripping it back off to correct his mistake. He finished the process and unsheathed his sword, swinging it around and mumbling on about how excited he was to stab an Orc in the eye or decapitate an Illidari. The Void elf flinched a little at the thought before side stepping out of the way of the wildly swinging steel in the shorter males hands. This human was not only a danger to himself but to the rouge set to guard him to his ultimate survival, Diz realized with disdain. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of Eitaam in his fully geared form along side a smaller figure, he could only assume from the teal hair was Xanthia. Oh how he wished he could be guarding someone more capable like her instead of this ego maniac. “Did you hear me, Servant?” Dizarak's head snapped back to the dark haired male who was clearly addressing him as such. “No of course you didn't, My parent's think -you- are capable of keeping me alive? You can't even pay attention for five seconds. Pathetic.” The human turned his back to continue walking and Dizarak contemplated sinking a dagger into his neck before the fighting even began, reluctantly he followed. Soon the sound of the war-horns echoed through the clearing and the King gathered the forces. Diz kept pace with the short strides of the thorn in his side so as not to have to listen to his berating again. Soon they were standing near the front of the ranks, Dizarak took the chance to scan the area for any signs of his sister but the Hordes numbers made it impossible. On the King's command the cries of battle roared to life and the fight began. ~~~~ Overwhelmed and surrounded Garrett shouted and swung his steel blade wildly, the human managed to land a few blows on his assailants before the void touched elf leaped forward and finished the rest off. Diz panted slightly as he stood, his back to the human, a loud shriek forcing him once more to action as he ducked narrowly missing a thrown knife to the face, lunging forward he brought both blades forward in a sweeping motion and the wailing forsaken crumpled to the ground.

Not a moment later, Diz's ears caught the human lunging into the fray once more, "DIE ILLIDARI BITCH!" the dark haired human roared, his blade reflecting the ill green clouds of blight off its blood splattered surface as he raced towards a new target. Dizarak's eyes locked onto the females form and his heart dropped into his stomach. Time seemed to slow, from his kneeling position the seven foot male twisted, his muscles rippled as he pushed off the ground hard and took off running. It seemed to take forever to get moving, everything around him becoming dull and unimportant. He knew that mask, the crimson locks falling around her ears and face, her name tore from his throat without thinking as somewhere a catapult launched another assault.

"ZARAVALA!"

A flash of large golden light darted into view shoving the Demon Hunter out of the way of Garrett's raised blade before a gloved hand gripped the humans blade and a familiar pair of golden eyes could be seen above the gasmask. The sword was yanked away and thrown to the wind before the tall figure grabbed the smaller male by the head and snarled at him

"Mama can't save you this time," the golden male purred in a heavily accented Common just before the Human's head was smashed against a random shield that had been lost in the chaos.

Dizarak's eyes lingered on the sudden appearance of the familiar Paladin, Ashraen? But what on Azeroth was he dong here? Diz barely gave a second thought to the fact he was likely now out a substantial bit of gold by the disposal of his mission's only task. The void male's long legs easily carrying him halfway to where the two stood.

He slowed keeping his distance as he took in the sight of his crimson haired sibling, whose masked face made it difficult to read her expression at his arrival. She lifted her glaives at him warning him to step no further, a warning he was far too willing to follow.

"Zarav~" his words were cut by the sound of another catapult.

The first thing to hit him was the fresh stench of rotting flesh and disease, his eyes overflowed with fluid in vain attempt to flush out the toxin. The vile substance attacking his lungs, engulfing his throat and nose in proverbial flames of death. Diz sputtered and fell to his knees, the entire area around him coated in Blight.

Blinking his eyes to combat the tears he could just make out the figures before him. At least his last vision would be an eerily good one. Breathing became too much, and the large male slumped forward onto the dirt, gasping in vain for fresh air that would never come.

"Shit! Diz! Hey!"