When Penance is to Burn
The ever dreary atmosphere of the estate at Ravenhill had been shrouded deeper into darkness having mostly fallen to ruins after the current generation of Duskhollows sought refuge to the north in Quel’Danas. It had been by decree of the Raven Lord himself that the household be emptied and relocated to the far sunnier island that set as home for the other half of their Houses. There had been the occasional guard dispatched to the spanning estate to inspect the damages though it had been at least two years since anyone truly inhabited the home. Far be it time since the two elder noble Houses of Silvermoon conjoined their families and soon after the Horde’s aid in Argus had come to an end did the Lord and Lady resign themselves to a retirement of sorts. Their daughter had been born and despite the occasional call to action that Cineas took in his own regard, the two found themselves… domesticated and settled.
However, this did not stop the missives from arriving, calling for their numbers, gold, and power to stand against whatever enemy loomed over Azeroth at any given moment. More often than not, they were ignored. It was only with the news of the fallen Banshee queen did Elenaris find herself somewhat intrigued but also disappointed. Although, it had been the defeat of N’zoth that had garnered the Duskhollow’s attention the most from their little piece of paradise on the Isle. The whispers which once guided them, haunted them in the best and worst of ways had become still and quiet. They had delivered the souls needed to procure their child’s life and as Maevyn had been born, their connection fell distant like a far off memory floating in the cosmos.
While this offered the darkened pair some peace they had not ever expected to feel since their devotion had been offered to the shadows and yet at the same time, they felt lost without it.
It had been months since Ravenhill had seen life when they decided to return to the estate and while they knew there had been damages to the manor itself, the Duskhollows were unprepared for the sight beholden to them upon their arrival. The gates were barely hanging to their hinges, the gardens that led to the grand entrance were littered with flowers crisp with lifeliness and the colorless hue of death becoming the petals scattered about the paths. There were parts of the towers which crumbled and what they were to see upon opening the doors of the manor was what broke her heart the most having seen its effect on Cineas. It was at this moment she had realized making the decision to leave their daughter behind in Quel’Danas had been the proper one. A slender and delicate hand raised to rest upon her husband’s arm, offering a nod in silent reassurance that they would restore his home, their home.
They had stood just a step outside large doors to peer inside, unknowing to what truly awaited their entry inside. A feeling had overwhelmed Elenaris as the neverending darkness loomed within the near empty walls of the estate and perhaps years ago she would have had the consciousness to foresee what was to come, the wherewithal to allow her perception to be greater than her comfort in normality.
But as time passed them by, they had not prepared for the darkness to consume them in the way in which it took hold of Cineas Duskhollow the instant his being crossed the threshold. It was as if the universe and void beyond converged all on him all at once, attacking not only his body but his mind and rendering him powerless. In a flash of black feathers and purple mists, Elenaris found herself bound behind an invisible barrier which she attacked with all her force in attempts to get to him. No matter her efforts, she could not break through and thus fell helpless to watch the horror before her. The shadows swirled around him, contorting his body in unfathomable ways causing the release of painful screams to echo into the desolate mansion. She wouldn’t simply sit and watch as he suffered, as he was tortured to death but as Elenaris lifted her hands to once again slam on the barrier, they would not move. Her entire being was frozen in place, only able to lift her head to catch the sight of Cineas’ pale amethyst hues locking onto hers before widening as the sound of his screams were cut off by the undeniable sound of breaking bones. The soft glow of his eyes faded, his lids not having the chance to fall to allow him a peaceful gaze upon his face while his crumpled body slumped to the ground.
Her breath caught in her chest as she felt a piece of her fade away, unable to believe what had transpired before her and as his body hit the floor, so did hers as the barrier gave way. The pale blonde Sin’dorei scrambled for her soulmate’s lifeless body, hands shakily moving over him unsure of which thought to follow as thousands raced through her mind. The silence had become deafening, those that had traveled with them from the Isle standing huddled just outside the doorway just watching…waiting, for what? Who was to say. Each and every one of them felt the pain and horror as a guttural scream ripped through that silence as Elenaris fell over Cineas, not only a sadness but an anger overcoming her entire being.
It had returned for them, allowing them just a brief view of what life without the Void would or could be like had they chosen a different path. However, the Void gave them life within their daughter and they asked for much in return. Despite their every effort to appease them, it would seem the shadows made their own rules. As her knuckles bore white with the tightened grip to the cloth of his shirt, she heard a soft voice beckoning her. It was familiar in tone, soothing in melody and with the choice to acknowledge this voice, Elenaris lifted her lids and standing there had been Maevyn, their little raven haired child beaming in all her glory with eyes like her father’s.
“Mama, you were crying…” The soft voice cooed, a tiny hand caressing her mother’s face but Elenaris had noticed that not all was right with her daughter either. “I had a bad dream too, mama… something’s wrong with papa.”
[ @cineas-duskhollow ]