Allure of the Void Chapter 1 El: Outfits used in this Chapter Nora: Nora shivered as a fresh gust of late autumn air blew over her person. Winter had almost arrived in Boralus, and soon her shift would no longer be enough to combat the frigid wind. “Who's idea was it to put a library outside?” the human mumbled to herself as she blew a rogue strand of her blonde hair out of her eyes. Normally she wouldn't be caught dead near the Stormsong Archives. For a paladin like herself, the Tidesages’ magic was always... off putting, especially after what happened in Stormsong Valley's Shrine of Storms. No. She'd much rather be in Stormwind's library, where the knowledge seemed limitless and the walls kept out the cold. Alas, for what seemed to be the first time, Stormwind's library had failed Nora. She'd scoured the place for weeks looking for any old tomes that might hold the answer to El's plight, but, despite even her advanced access to the restricted sections due to her paladin training, she'd come up dry. Not even the tomes once penned by Natalie Seline held the secret to exercising such a powerful being of the void from a person. There were rituals for cleansing corruption, of course those were abundant and honestly rather easy for a Light-welder of her caliber. However, what El had wasn't just corruption, and Nora knew they would only get one shot at yanking that parasite out of her close friend. So, in a last ditch effort, Nora sought the aid of those who had touched the void. Back in the 4th war, some of the Tidesages had betrayed their kingdom of Kul Tiras, and had begun dabbling in the void, at the behest of their leader, Lord Colm Stormsong. While they had purged most of their ranks since the Shrine of Storms had been cleansed of the void's foul corruption, Nora still felt a great sense of unease anytime she saw one. Now though, she was in their very archives, the book cases having been moved to where the scribes used to copy books by hand, in an effort to improve transparency with the local population of Boralus. While their magic kept rain and snow at bay, to protect the books, they hadn't quite cracked how to deal with the random gusts of wind that somehow snuck into the pit. In all honesty, Nora was surprised she managed to gain access to such a place. The Tidesages were always wary of outsiders, so she'd prepared to call in a few favors in order to enter the library. In actuality, she'd only cashed in one favor, which, while helpful, only put her even more on edge. In reality though, it didn't matter. She was here now, and she'd pull every book from its spot at least once if that's what it took to help El. “H-Hey... Nora?” A nervous yet familiar voice squeaked from just above where Nora was currently studying a book on Tidesage Rituals. The paladin snapped her attention upwards, her gaze locking with none other than the elf she was there to help, El Moonburst. “El!” Nora exclaimed in excitement, followed by a flurry of quick hushes from the Tidesages studying alongside her. Nora winced, slowly turning her head to the nearest sage who had made their displeasure known and offered a small, embarrassed wave. “Sorry.” Nora whispered apologetically, then turned her attention back to El, whose jet black hair and barely-there blue skirt had begun to swirl violently in the wind. Nora stifled a laugh as El did her best to tame her hair with one hand. It was then Nora noticed there was a rather large tome in El’s grip, clenched tightly to her chest with her other hand. “Hey? What do you have there?” Nora whispered loudly, pointing towards the tome in question. El, having now rangled her hair for the time being, looked down at the tome, then to Nora. “I... think... it might help us?” El stammered, her voice clearly riddled with nerves. Surprise and hope jolted through Nora’s body at those words. Could she finally be done with all this reading? All that searching had begun to affect her workout routine, but it had been for a good cause. “Oh! Great! Come on down and we can take a look together.” Nora whispered loudly again, motioning towards the stone stairs on the other side of the Library. El offered a nervous nod, then began to make her way towards the stairs. It was... odd. If El had discovered such a breakthrough, Nora would have expected her to be far more excited. Though, she had defended that fiend inside her the first time she told Nora about it. She waved the idea to the side. El was smarter than to trust that thing after Nora told her what it could do. But then... why the nerves...? Nora didn’t have the time to ponder, as El approached her spot, her usual smile still oddly absent. “Hey-... are you okay, El? You look-.” “I need to talk to you... alone. Is there a spot away from everyone?” El whispered in a harsh and hushed tone. It wasn’t like El at all to cut Nora off, unless it was important. Nora’s concern must have shown on her face, as El shyly averted her gaze downward. “Sorry... I just-... it’s important.” “Okay El, what have you fou-.” Nora cut herself off. As she had twirled around to lean on the wall, El had extended her right arm and firmly planted it right next to Nora’s head. A devilish grin etched itself onto the elf’s face as she placed the tome down on a desk to Nora’s right. The paladin blushed lightly at the aggressively flirtatious move, rolling her eyes playfully at El. “El, you know we can’t-.” Before she could finish her thought, however, El had clasped her left hand Nora nodded, at her friend, reaching forward to lift her gaze by the chin. “You’re okay, El. Yeah, I think I know of a spot. The Tidesages said they have an underground area here, and they offered to let me use it once I found the book I needed, should I not want any distractions while I study.” Nora responded, motioning towards a nearby open cellar door. Urgently, the pair walked downward into the dark and damp room. It was rather poorly lit, having only one lantern to flicker rays of golden light over the assorted desks and additional bookcases that lined the walls. “Well... at least we won’t get any wind down here.” Nora quipped, sauntering towards the wall with the lone lantern. She’d need it to read whatever El had brought after all. up against Nora’s mouth, silencing her. “El isn’tatthehelmatthemoment.”thelittleelfcooed,promptingapuzzledlookfrom Nora. Realization chilled her entire body as she watched El’s normally brilliant blue eyes be replaced by a violet hue, as though someone had injected ink into a cup of water. Nora scowled, reaching up toripawaythehandthatheldhermouth,holdingitharshlytotherightsideofher face. “Wretch!” Nora harshly whispered. The last thing they needed was unwanted attention right now. “How did you find out about me? And what did you do to El?” “Fiesty. I knew I liked you, Nora.” El’s voice purred, sending a fresh wave of chills down Nora’s spine. How did it know? “First, I am not called ‘Wretch’. You may call me El’ure. Second, let me assure you, your El is perfectly fine. Just...how to put it...In the passenger’s seat? Hmm?” The entity hummed again as she forced El’s face to smirk in a way that made Nora sick to her stomach. “As for how I found out... You really thought I didn’t see and hear everything this girl does? Let’s just say... her mental walls are dreadfully thin. You tasted wonderful by the way.” Nora’s heart dropped as she remembered back to that night in El’s tavern. That oh so sweet moment was meant to be a secret between just her and El. Now this void beast not only knew about it, but had been watching ?! “You vile-!” Nora hissed as she pressed her free hand forward, pushing El’s puppeted body back enough for Nora to take a defensive stance. “Why wait until now to tell me? If you knew we are trying to get rid of you, why didn’t-.” Nora started, though cut herself off as El’s right hand was raised to request a pause. Nora wasn’t quite sure why, but she obliged. “Allow me to be clear, El has been a kind and... entertaining host. At the same time, however, she can be incredibly stubborn.” El’ure sighed, reaching over to grab the tome El had brought along. “While I do gain strength every time she gives me a treat to keep herself alive, the pace is going all too slowly for my liking. I’ll admit, Nora, it is taking quite a bit of focus to keep talking with you.” Nora’s scowl intensified as she maintained her stance. She’d not let this thing lull her into a false sense of security. “Okay... so, what? You wish to aid us in getting rid of you? I’m calling bull on that, and your “name”. That doesn’t sound like any void entity I’ve met before..” Nora snorted, gritting her teeth at the clear lie. “The void wants nothing more than to consume anything and everything. Why should I think you’re any different?” El’ure sighed as she shook her head. “Oh, Nora. So... closed-minded. Though I’d expect little else from one who is willingly poisoning themselves with the Light.” El’ure paused, seeming to note the snarl that had unwittingly formed on Nora’s face. Upon seeing such, El’ure raised her free hand, as one might do in a surrender. “I will admit,the name I have given you is not my true name, but one I have elected to give myself. As for El, I have become fond of our mutual friend. She has treated me well, and her antics have become quite... entertaining to watch. I simply wish to do so from afar, whist-... Nora, put your arms down, you look ridiculous.” “Go to hell, liar.” Nora snapped as she defiantly kept up her defensive stance. “Whilst what? You terrorize the people of Azeroth as you try to take our home for the Void?” El’ure shook her head as she rolled her eyes. “I care not for the cosmic wars. The ones you call ‘Old Gods’ gave me to Neltharion as little more than a toy to experiment and play with after they ripped me from my home.” El’ure frowned. “My goal is simple. To return to my people, my home. Surely you understand this feeling well? The desire to return to what you once had after it was torn away from you?” Of course Nora did. She’d spent years searching for Clare for that specific reason. Too specific a reason. A reason El was aware of... and by proxy, so did El’ure. “Don’t toy with me, beast. I know El keeping you contained is saving a lot of lives. The only way you get out is over my dead body.” Nora snapped back. El’ure quirked an eyebrow, then sighed once more, disappointed. “All you Light-bearers. Always so self-righteous. Fine. You want the full truth? The longer your precious El feeds me, the stronger I become. If I do not pass on to a stronger vessel before the end of season next, I will be too powerful to transfer my essence without killing her in the process. It is either that, or I take her body for myself, not because I want to, but because there will be more of me in her than there will be of her.” El’ure snapped, tossing the book harshly towards Nora. The paladin caught it mid-air, then quickly reoriented herself to use the book as a makeshift shield. Now that she was able to get a better look at it, Nora noticed the tome looked similar to those kept in Valdraken, and was wrapped in bindings used by the Black Dragonflight. “Didn’t you just say you were struggling to keep this conversation going? Which is it? Are you becoming too powerful or are you barely holding on?” Nora smirked, clearly having caught the fiendin a lie. “Embelishment, my dear Nora. Though it did take a great deal of strength to retrievethat tome. I had to take poor El onto a trip deep into Zaralek Cavern to retrieve it.” Nora’s scowl returned as she let silence fill the room for a moment. There was no way she was going to trust anything El’ure gave her, but, if what it said was true, then El did not have a lot of time left. “Is this really a risk you can afford to take?” El’ure whispered, tilting her head to the side as she shrugged. “I’ll leave it to you to decide. Should you actually wish to save your precious El, follow the steps on page 42. I’ll take over once you do.” Before Nora could respond, El's body hunched over, grabbing at her stomach as a sickening gargle erupted from her throat. The Quel'dorei fell to her knees, her right hand reaching out to prop herself up as a vile violet liquid suddenly poured from her mouth and pooled between the two women. “El!” Nora exclaimed as she knelt down and placed her hand onto the monk's shoulder. Nora debated on if she should use the Light to help, but given how Light and Void tend to end... explosively, she restrained herself. After a moment that felt like an eternity, El slowly lifted her head, just in time for Nora to see the last of the purple hue from El's eyes vanish like smoke. She was back. “I... don't like that feeling.” El whimpered as she wiped her mouth with the long of her skirt. Nora didn't hesitate to launch forward to bring El into a tight embrace, pulling the little elf up and away from the sickly purple liquid her body just expunged. “How-.... how much of that did you catch?” Nora cautiously inquired as she pulled out of the hug to lead El towards a nearby chair. “Just... snippets here and there. When El'ure takes over... it feels like I-... like I'm stuck in a swirling purple storm, only able to glimpse through the haze for seconds at a time.” El explained, taking the seat offered by Nora. Her gaze turned towards the tome El'ure had placed on the table before giving El the reins back. “Page 42... she told you, right?” Nora nodded, reaching over to grab the tome and flicking it open. “Yeah... I'm not a fan of this El. Even if-.” Nora froze as she arrived at the page in question. Half the page was ripped out, just after the second step, and instruction that did not fill Nora with confidence. 2) Assemble flesh touched by Void. “Yeah... I know... not exactly confidence inspiring.” El started. “I think she tore the rest out herself. No other pages are like that...” Nora sighed and gently closed the book, resting it once more on the table. She placed both her hands on either side of it and let her head hang down, letting her blonde hair sway in front of her face as she thought. Nora did not like this plan at all, even less so since it was conjured up by the very entity they were trying to banish. But... if it spoke the truth, El had very little time left, with no way to buy more. And what if El'ure was lying, and they actually had plenty of time? Would saying no make her angry? Would she hurt El in retaliation? Wordlessly, Nora turned around, leaning her rear on the table and crossed her arms as she began to study El. Nora knew the girl was strong willed, and could fight well. She'd always seemed so confident and lighthearted, traits that had attracted Nora's interest in the first place. That wasn't the El that sat before her now. Who Nora saw now was a scared girl, trapped in her own body with a demon licking its lips to devour her very soul. A girl pleading for help. A girl with very little time left. “Shit...” Nora huffed, reaching back to pull the book to her right side, gripping it tightly. “Canyou meet me in Brennadam in 3 days time? The Storm's Wake posted an aid request to Heroesof the Alliance a few days ago. Apparently there has been an increase in cultist activities there.”Nora paused, burrowing her brow at the words she was about to utter. “If there's a place we might be able to find... ‘Flesh touched by Void’... that's likely our best bet.” El sunk back in her chair as she turned her gaze down to her feet. Silently, she thought for a moment, seeming to weigh options in her head. “Are... are you sure this is the only way?” Nora sighed, shaking her head as she moved to close the distance between her and El. “No. But, I fearwe might not have the time to find another.” Nora hummed, placing her free hand onto El'sshoulder. “And that's not a risk I'm willing to take.” Chapter 2 Outfits used in this Chapter El: Nora: “For the last time, by order of the Storm's Wake, the road to the Shrine of Storms has been closed until the cultist threat has been dealt with. You want passage? Get a bounty seal!” Nora huffed in frustration as she turned her back to the guard. She knew he was just doing his job, but he was quickly becoming an obstacle. “Hey.” El hummed, reaching her hand up to rest on Nora's shoulder as her ever contagious smile flickered onto her face. “Don't worry about it. Let's go to the Town Hall. Maybe Brother Pike can help us out.” Nora sighed, flicking one last annoyed glance back towards the row of guards blocking the path, then nodded to El. “Fine.” El's smile grew slightly for the briefest moment, before offering a curt nod towards the guard. “We'll be back.” The elf lightly snapped, turning her now quite bare body away from all present, hiding her behind from onlookers by her cloak. Nora followed along as El lead her back towards the center of the town. Nora hadn't expected El to arrive in the same combat attire Nora had met her in. Not because she expected El to suddenly become clothing conscious, but rather at the fact she'd wear basically nothing in such cold weather. “I don't see how you aren't freezing.” Nora chuckled, quickly jogging to walk next to El, whose returned Nora's chuckle with a giggle. “I think its either my scars or a her the Amani put on me. It's difficult for me to feel temperature, beyond extreme hot or extreme cold. Except on my tits and face since I dont really have any scars on them. Fel- half the time I don't realize I can't tell I've burned my hip on the oven until someone mentions seeing a burn mark on my skin.” El explained. Nora canted her head to the side, quirking her brow curiously. “I've never heard of a Hex able to do that... so, I guess the scars it is then. Not an advantage most would consider.” At that, El shrugged, guiding Nora towards one of the bigger buildings in town, the Hall Nora “Well met- er...” the man paused, his attentiondivertedtoElnearlyinstantly.“Apologies. I had assumed, given your attire ma'am, you twomighthavecomefromtheAlliancetoaid us.” The man spoke to Nora, doing his best to avoidlookinginEl'sdirectionatallcosts.Heextended his hand towards Nora, smiling warmly. “I amBrotherPike.”Norasimplysmiledandtook the hand offered to her, shaking it gently so as tonotcrushitwithinhergauntlet.“Nora,Order of the Silver Hand. And no, we aren't herefromStormwind.Rather,forourownreasons.” “We need your help sir.” El jumped in. “WeneedtogettoTheShrineofStormsassoon as possible. It's a matter of life and death.” AsElspoke,theTidesageshookNora'shand, quirking his brow in El's direction for a nanosecondbeforeforcinghisgazetofocussolelyonNora. “Well, that is a tall order, miss. We've seenanincreaseincultistactivitynearthere,so we've locked down the area pianos caution. Thelastthingweneedislike-mindedpeopleclaiming innocence before making their way theretobolstertheirranks.Surelyyouunderstand?” assumed. “Yeah. That's one of the reasons I haven't gotten rid of them. That and the constant itching when wearing clothes gives me that excuse to be naked on the battlefield.” El snickered as the pair approached the steps of one of the buildings. “You just want any excuse to be nude in general.” Nora chuckled in response, prompting a smirk from the elf. “Hey, I'm not hearing any complaints!” The pair laughed as they entered what Nora assumed was the Town Hall. Even in the face of pure annihilation, El somehow managed to lift Nora’s spirits. How did she do it? Nora wouldn't have the time to think on it. The moment they walked through the door, the gentle voice of a man in Tidesage greeted them. “We know.” Nora huffed, pulling her hand back. “Your guard made it abundantly clear. I can assure you, void lovers aren't friends of mine.” Nora lifted her hand she'd just used to shake Brother Pike's hand, and in a flash, a hammer made of pure Light appeared in her grasp. That seemed enough to ease the Tidesage's mind, as his look turned far more friendly. “That is good to hear. Perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement. Please, come to my office.” Brother Pike said, motioning the pair to follow him up the stairs. “As I'm sure you've discovered already, no one gets to use the main road to the Shrine unless they have a Bounty Seal. I give those out personally to those who come from Stormwind to help clear out the cultists that are attempting to reclaim the place for themselves.” Brother Pike explained as he pushed open the door to one of the upstairs rooms. The office was quite small, holding host to a desk, 3 chairs, and a few Tidesage themed decor items within. Brother Pike quickly moved to sit at the chair placed behind the desk, motioning for Nora and El to sit in the two chairs opposite him. “We are aware of this, but... we do not have the time to take out cultists first. Our mission is quite time sensitive.” Nora explained as she took her seat. El did the same, turning her cloak round to cover her torso so the Tidesage could look at her properly. He seemed relieved. “I understand. I was not going to consider sending you to do such a task. Rather... I have a more... personal request.” Brother Pike sighed, reaching into his desk to retrieve a slip of paper. He began writing on it with a reservoir pen. “Not long ago, I took on an apprentice. A bright young girl named Maren Tidebreak. 19. Blonde hair that she always keeps in a loose sailor’s braid. Blue eyes. Anchor Tattoo on her right shoulder.” Brother Pike said as he continued to write, his expression souring a bit. “Unfortunately, she is also quite stubborn. This morning, she vanished, leaving a note on my desk that she was going to scout out the Shrine, against my wishes.” Pike explained, reaching into his desk to pull out a seal and wax. “If your quest is as important as you say, then I shall not keep you to regale it to me. I simply ask that, while you are at the Shrine, please keep a lookout for Maren, and if you find her alive, please send her back to me at once. If you agree to these terms...” Brother Pike paused, pouring some of the melted wax onto the bottom of the paper. “... this Bounty Seal is yours.” Nora and El exchanged looks, with El shrugging with a smile as Nora nodded. “You have a deal, Brother Pike.” Nora hummed, raising to a stand to offer her hand to the Tidesage. With a relieved smile, Brother Pike quickly stamped the warm wax, then gave Nora yet another handshake. “Thank you, ladies. You'll be doing me a great service, regardless of the outcome.” Brother Pike said, motioning them towards the door. “You're welcome, Brother Pike.” Nora started, making her way towards the door as El flicked her cloak back around her. “Light willing, we'll be able to finish our business and bring her back, safe and sound.” Chapter 3 Outfits used in this Chapter El: Nora: “Ohthank fel!” El exclaimed, letting out a massive sigh of relief. “I can't even feel the bottomofmyfeet and I feel like they've been ground to stubs!” The Quel'dorei giggled, moving towardstheedge of the road where she plopped down to sit in the grass. Nora chuckled, scanningthesurrounding area quickly. “There, let's see if there's a spot to rest on the beach. I need tospread my toes.” Nora suggested. The road would still be in view from the spot she saw, anditwould be almost impossible for anyone to sneak up on them in such an open space. Even stealthed rogues would leave footprints in the sand. It was perfect. After 5 uneventful hours of walking on the main trail, Nora's plate-clad feet felt as though they would fall off. She'd been tempted to ask the stable in Brennadam for a pair of horses, but she knew good and well she couldn't guarantee they'd return. As such, Nora was thankful the pair had gotten the early start they had, despite the guard conundrum. Nora had promised herself she wouldn't rest until either El requested it, or they could see the Shrine in the distance, and finally, as the pair crested a hill, the imposing temple came into view, and even closer than Nora had expected it to be. If it hadn’t been for the blood. El noticed it before Nora did, having taken to dashing towards the beach. The moment the paladin saw the monk freeze mid-stride, she knew something was off. Her pained toes be damned, as Nora broke into a jog to catch up to El’s position. It started with a small puddle that had soaked into the sand, enough to come from a small gash to someone’s leg or arm. A few yards away, another puddle, enough to come from a harsh wound. A few feet from that, a trail had formed within a long divot in the sand, leading towards, and eventually over a large boulder nearby. “Eyes up.” Nora instructed, pulling her sword and shield from her back. “Someone got dragged.” El nodded, kneeling down to inspect the blood pool. “Fresh-ish. No more than a few hours old.” She confirmed, returning to a stand. Nora responded to the words with a nod, putting her pointer finger over her mouth to hush El. El returned the nod, raising her hands up and shifting her feet to take on the fighting stance of a monk trained in the practice of The White Tiger. Quietly and together, the pair carefully approached the boulder, leaning up as far as they could against it to try and get a glimpse of where the blood trail led. They found their answer. A sickening, vile answer. Not 10 feet away, a pack of 6 tiny, disgusting eyeless creatures with massive gnashing teeth and tentacles for every limb were gathered around a body, gorging themselves on the flesh of a poor human woman with blonde hair, torn Tidesage robes, and half of what once was an anchor tattoo on her right shoulder. Two of the beasts seemed to even be playing with one of the girl’s eyes, which were, of course, blue. “Voidlings.” Nora hissed. She’d read about these little fiends. Easy to take down alone, but in a group, quite dangerous. Nora shot a glance in El’s direction, who suddenly looked rather queasy. In a comforting motion, Nora reached her hand over to gently pat El on the shoulder, snapping the little elf out of her disgusted trance. Nora leaned in to El, and El did the same, as the pair began to whisper. “We still have the element of surprise. I say we each take half the group. You right, me left.” Nora instructed, prompting a curt nod from El. “Right. On your move. “ El confirmed, crouching down as she prepared to use her athletic ability to leap over the boulder. Nora smirked as she inched towards where the boulder met the water and rose her weapon into an offensive stance. “Go!” Nora shouted as she vaulted over the boulder, followed quickly by El launching herself up and over the massive rock. Nora was first to draw blood. As she had vaulted over the boulder, Nora raised her left fist, summoning the same hammer of pure Light Nora had shown off to Brother Pike and chucked it at the closest Voidling. Before it even knew what it it, the voidling was instantly burnt to a crisp. At the same moment, El slammed both her feet down hard onto a second Voidling, squishing it into a violet void paste. Not wanting to waste even a second for these fiends to gather their bearings, Nora pulled her sword back to her right side as it began to hum with Holy Light, then gripped it as tight as she could as she slung it horizontally in front of her. Two of the voidlings were sliced in half, screeching as they were torched by their cosmic opposite. Her job was done almost as soon as it had begun. Efficient. In an effort to end this as quickly as possible, El reached inward to find her anger, so often kept in check. She’d tap into it now to ensure a swift end for these creatures. El pointed her fingertips towards the two remaining Voidlings that were now charging her. In a flash of red light, however, El sent several highly charged volts of Crimson Crackling Jade Lightning directly into the mouths of her foes. They screamed in agony for several seconds and they burned from within, quaking violently until they finally crumpled to the ground, dead. Once the pair confirmed there weren't any more voidlings to squash, they turned to each other and nodded. Nora sheathed her sword and shield, then turned to look at the mangled body of the Tidesage girl. Her torso was torn open, a wound open from her loins up to her neck, most of her muscle and organ were either missing or chewed beyond recognition. Her face was missing an eye, though the look of pure terror frozen upon it was unmistakable. “She never stood a chance alone. Not if she got ambushed...” Nora sighed, kneeling down to check the young woman’s right shoulder. “Yep. It’s her. Shit... Brother Pike isn’t going to be happy.” “Perhaps not, but this is quite fortunate for us.” El’s voice cooed from behind Nora. It had takenonadifferent tone now, one she’d only heard once before back at the Archives, but she recognizedit instantly. Nora drew her sword and shield once more as she swirled on a dime, stayinglowas she drew her protection up to cover her torso. El’s eyes had once again turned that sicklyviolet hue, and her face was stuck in that vile smirk that betrayed El’s playful one. Nora scoffed as she furrowed her brow, standing her ground as she once more conversed with that vile parasite within her friend. “A warning would have been nice. And what do you mean it’ll be helpful? This is a tragedy.” El’ure nodded her head, half frowning as though internally she was saying good point. “For mortals, perhaps. You’ve done as I asked though. Flesh touched by Void, present and accounted for. You job is done, dame. Now, step aside, less you wish for your friend to suffer a similar fate.” El’ure hissed as she confidently puppeted El’s body to approach the pile of flesh and bone both the Voidlings and the duo had left in their wake. Nora hesitated. There was no way this was right, but what other choice did she have? Against her better judgement, she stepped aside, but kept her blade trained on the entity. Her original plan was still in play at least. If she could manage it, the moment El’ure was free of El’s body, Nora would cut it down. Nora kept her distance as she watched El’ure toss the voidlings into a pile over Maren’s body, filling the hole in her torso with the creatures. The sight brought bile up Nora’s throat, but she held it back, for the moment at least. Nora kept her eyes pinned onto the back of El’s cloak, watching intently and waiting to see just how wrong this was going to do. She knew, she’d only get this one chance. Once the pile was complete, El’ure moved to kneel in front of her sick masterpiece and rose her hands in the air. Twisted words Nora couldn’t understand erupted from El’ure’s lips, Shath’Yar Nora presumed. After a few seconds, the pile of bones and flesh began to glow a slight shade of purple. Suddenly, a sick cracking noise erupted from the pile, as the bones of the voidlings and the human woman were ripped from their bodies and began floating in the air. They quickly moved to form the outline of a humanoid body, with the bones of the voidlings filling in any spaces that were missing or damaged. If Nora was nauseous before, she’d have lost her lunch now. Once the bones were in order, the flesh of the voidlings were the next to be grafted. The skin of each beast flipped inside out, exposing their crude organs to the sea air. Gently, as El’ure spoke, the organs would squish together to form a sort of paste in mid-air, then morph to form the desired organ for the humanoid body. First a heart, then the lungs, stomach, liver, intestines... on and on until the only things missing were the skin and eyes. It was then Nora came to a stark realization. These creatures did not possess eyes. Maren however... Nora watched, disgusted, as the eyeball that had been a plaything moments ago and the one still lodged in Maren’s socket began to float upward, turned the same violet shade El’ure’s currently were, and inserted themselves right where they needed to be. “Perfect.” Came a hiss from El’s mouth. Not a breath later, El began to scream in agony as the skin from Maren began to syphon itself from the human’s form, and seemingly stitched itself together on the floating humanoid body starting with the head. Instinctively, Nora lurched forward, dropping her weapons as she went to grasp her friend. “El? EL!” Nora cried, horrified as she saw El’s form go from the curvy figure she knew all too well to begin to go alarmingly gaunt at a rapid rate. In mere seconds, El went from looking healthy, to looking like a withering Shal’dorei. Nora thought. She was pinned. Do her duty, or save her friend. Nora tried to focus as hard as she could, keeping the Light pouring into El’s form while Nora weighed the options... What was there to weigh though? With an annoyed grunt, Nora took one last look up to El’ure’s half formed body. Her bare breasts were skinned now, as was her stomach. All that remained was her loins and legs and the beasts would be free. With an angry yell, Nora tore the hand from her head and planted it firmly onto El’s chest, using both hands to pour all of the healing Light the paladin could muster into the monk to keep her alive. Then, El abruptly fell backward to the ground, taking Nora along with her. The Paladin winced as she let the Light fade from her hands, looking upon the body of her friend, gaunt and quivering, as though she had not eaten in months. Still though, she was breathing, albeit labored. Nora let out a sigh of relief as she saw El’s chest rising and falling. Remembering their situation however, Nora spun around, looking back at where a danger had surely been birthed. Standing in the sand, was a twisted amalgamation of void and flesh, an affront to all Nora held dear, and it wore the face of her friend. El’ure had taken on El’s bare, curvy form, albeit with a purple hue and with perfect skin devoid of El’s scars. It had even stolen El’s freckles! Nora watched as it took in a deep breath, curl its toes in the sand, and flicker open its eyes. Eyes that burned a haunting violet. Without thinking, Nora placed her hand onto El’s stomach and began to pour as much radiantLight into her friend as she could sustain, only to be disrupted by a sickening laugh. Nora shot her gaze forward and upward towards where the sound had come from. The head of the humanoid body had fully been covered in a layer of purple hued skin, giving El’ure the ability to speak as the rest of the body continued to be stitched together. To Nora’s abject horror, the face she now stared at was a spitting image of El’s. “Ahhhhhh.”El’ure sighed, contently. “It’s been so long since I’ve taken a proper mortal form.Though,Isuppose I have you to thank for that, Miss Silvercrest. You’ve been so helpful.” NorasnarledatEl’ure’s gloating, moving to raise her free hand towards El’ure. This was her moment.Aquickburst of Light to this thing’s chest would end it! Before Nora could get the blast offthough,El’ureflicked her un-skinned finger towards Nora. In a blast of pain, Nora gripped her head,atorrentofscreams filling it, making it almost impossible to focus on keeping El alive, but Noramanaged,ifonly just. “Your friend’s life hangs by a thread, Shieldmaiden.” El’ure hissed, herneckandshoulders having been stitched together now. “I believe your little Light is the only thingkeepingherclinging to this world. If you wish to strike me down, by all means, fulfill your blinddutyasaPaladin. But know... if you do so...” El’ure trailed off, her gaze sharply pointing towardsEl’sscreaming body. “... your precious little El will follow me into death.” El’ure jeered, strikingthemostvile smirk Nora had seen yet. No! Howdid she letthis thing getherintothissituation?!Thiswasthewrongdecision! Therehad tohave been another way! El’ure smiled gently as her gaze turned down to meet Nora’s, who was already reaching for herblade and shield. As Nora attempted to charge her, the air around El’ure erupted in purplemist, and the reborn shadow menace evaporated in it. Nora phased through the mist, hopingslightly she’d follow El’ure to wherever she was going, but alas, she remained on that beach,left with a few daunting words that echoed in her head. “Worry not, Shieldmaiden.I’m sure we’ll meet again.” Chapter 4 Outfits used in this Chapter Nora: El: AdayhadpassedsinceNorahadreturnedtoBoraluswithEl.BrotherPikewasrather helpful in stabilizing the elf, but the moment he saw the bloodied Tidesage linens Nora had used to wrap El in, he knew his apprentice was gone. If he mourned her passing, Nora never caught it. Either he was good at hiding it, or he’d just lost too many friends before. It didn’t matter now though. The job was done, and El was safe. At least, that’s what Nora hoped. In reality, El had not awoken for 3 days now. Nora had placed El in her bed to rest, but even all these days later, her skin was still rather shallow. So, Nora did what she could with the Light, resting her hands on El’s hand and letting the healing power seep into El’s form as a sort of sustenance for hours on end. When Nora wasn’t attending to El directly, she’d be pleading with the Light, praying for El’s salvation. All the while, Nora fought within herself. Had she made the right decision? Sure, El was alive, for now, but so too was El’ure. Would the life of her friend have been a fair trade to strike such a dangerous monster down? Would the Light not heed her prayer for El, as punishment for picking her friend over her duty? All questions were put to rest, when on the 4th day, just as Nora began to feed the Light into El, the little elf’s brilliant blue eyes flickered open, locking lazily onto Nora, and squinting in confusion. “N-... Nora?” El whispered in a raspy tone, prompting Nora to cheer in excitement as she launched herself towards El, bringing her into a tight embrace “Hey there, sleepy head! Thank fuck you’re alive!” Nora cried, releasing El from the hug before the monk could even reciprocate. Not that El could. She was still far too weak. “By the Light, you must be starving! Here, let me warm up that porridge!” Nora exclaimed, darting towards a nearby bowl. “What... happened?” El squeaked, scratching her right eye with a fist. “The last thing I remember was us walking on a beach. Then... things went black.” El sighed, doing her best to sit up in the bed. Nora was too far away to stop her, having begun to whip up the quick meal. “We did it, El. That nasty thing is out of you now.” Nora said, her tone none too chipper. El turned her head to face Nora’s busy body, canting her head to the side ever so slightly. “You don’t sound too happy about that... She... got away, I take it?” El reasoned aloud, prompting Nora to pause her preparation. She sighed. “Yes... She took advantage of your deterioration and my-... desire to save you.” Nora explained, turning towards El to bring over the bowl of fresh porridge and a glass of water. El’s gaze sank to her stomach, though when Nora approached with the bowl and water, El took it. She knew better than to fight a caregiver. “It’s not your fault, Nora. I know a choice like that is a tough one to call. But-... I am glad you made this decision. I like being alive after all.” El tried to quip, taking the first bite of the warm meal Nora had made for her. “It gets worse, El...” Nora started, making sure to keep the glass of water within El’s reach. “She has your face. Your body. Only-, she’s purple.” Nora confessed, sighing with a shake of her head. “I... don’t even want to think of the trouble she could cause with that.” At Nora’s revelation, El remained silent for a moment, her gaze locked onto Nora as she chewed her first bite. Once she swallowed it, she’d finally speak up. “Well... I’ll make sure to tell all my friends that if they see me with purple skin, that they need to run.” El hummed, reaching down to take another bite. Nora’s gaze snapped to El, surprise on her face. “You aren’t the least bit worried about her stealing your identity?” Nora inquired. To which, El simply shrugged as she swallowed her second bite and reached for th