#kaisina

[kaisinasunblade]

August DWC 2025 Day 4 | Direction

Kai's eyes opened as she glanced around, trying to gather her bearings. Where was she? It took a few moments for her foggy mind to piece everything together. The caravan had been attacked. But where was everyone? Who else was wounded or missing?

She attempted to sit up, but pain shot through her right shoulder and lower left hip. “Eh! Lay back down; you don’t want to rip those stitches open,” a woman said—a voice Kai recognized from just before she had passed out.

“Lay back down, lass, ya got hit pretty hard.” The dwarven woman fusses over her as she eases her back on the cot. What had she been hit by? “Ya shattered ya hip and busted ya right shoulder pretty badly,” Rynga told her. “Ya got caught in some crossfire, it seems, while helping the others and trying to get to safety.”

Kai closed her eyes, feeling the burning pain spreading through her side and shoulder. She still wasn’t sure what had hit her. Rynga checked the bandages wrapped around Kai’s right shoulder. “Ya got lucky, lass,” she said. Kai glanced down and saw more of the damage to her hip exposed.

“Once ya can be moved, the Commander has ordered ya to be taken to Silvermoon.” Looking frustrated at the news, Kai sighs softly. She should be out there helping. “The others?” she looks at Rynga. “Those wounded to some degree are being sent home.. The others are staying behind for now,” she said.

Kai looked around the healer's tent, surprised to see Fio there with her. The woman was known for her exceptional fighting skills. More so with nature’s magic. What had she missed?

Her thoughts turned to the others. Where was Dice? Was he wounded? What about Xy? The Commander? She desperately wanted to get up and check on them. 

Dice had risked his life to pull her out of the quicksand. She knew he was one of their best fighters. He was strong, quick. She kept her eyes on the entrance of the tent, she nervously chewed on her bottom lip.

Gradually, the pain medication she had been given started to ease her back into a dreamless sleep. Her body slowly began to relax.

The next time she woke up, she found herself at the Shielded Mind in Silvermoon City. A full day had passed, and she had been in and out of consciousness.

Her bandages had recently been changed, and one of the nurses brought a bowl of stew. It was to soon for her to eat anything more solid. The pain had diminished significantly after undergoing surgery to repair the shattered bones in her hip.

It had been brought to her attention that Fio’s Star Motes had been the cause of Kai’s wounds and the wound to Fio’s neck. It would be a week or so before Kai can leave the clinic.

Even with the best doctors, the bones needed more time to mend. She closes her eyes. Word had been sent to her friend at the tavern, and flowers rested around her room. Shifting slightly on the bed, she looks at her arm in the sling.

Well now it seems there was new battled scars.

@daily-writing-challenge @themercenaries

@dicenne & @fio-renze for mentions

[safrona-shadowsun]

The Elysian Sojourn as she considered it was like herself on the surface, a name some knew of and presentable on sight, and at the same time serving layers of purpose and reachable only on her own terms. And unlike what Safrona considered herself, the Sojourn was a sanctum for those that needed it, taking the beleaguered away from the complications of the world or their personal troubles.

And when a young, tired woman's voice she knew spilled carefully over her chatterstone past the midnight hour, speaking of a ghost coming back to haunt her, the instinct to offer out a safe room and bed was strong in her. Safrona didn't feel she could save anyone of late, but helping someone get some much needed rest seemed like the least to be done.

Giving another look to the vacant room, Safrona positioned herself to hold open the door as her daughter came briskly down the hall with a bundle of blankets in her hands.

"These were the softest I could find - I also found the matching pillowcases!" Serenas said, beaming at her mother as she walked in and immediately set to fitting the bed with its sheets. "So, you said she is not one of your couriers?"

"No, Rose and the others officially went back to their own homes last month," Safrona reminded the girl. "The investigation of my offices are at their end, though it does go on in the city." She left the explanation there as she tested the deadbolt on the door, assuring it was operational from the inside if it was needed. The girl did not need to know the nasty details of the murder investigation.

"Oh," Serra replied, nodding as she folded the comforter neatly over the pillows, remembering well how the servants would do so for her own bed every morning. "And of course I don't remember Aunt Wenne saying anything about taking a few nights here either. So...is our guest a patron. Or a friend?"

Safrona chuckled quietly. "You are curious. Yes she is a friend. A girl, maybe not much older than you are. Her name is Kaisina. And you can save your questions for when she arrives, yes?"

The young author's eyes lit up with absolute delight. "Oh really?! I could show her around the Sojourn in a sort of...guided tour? And maybe even draw the private bath if she'd like that! And maybe even--"

"Maybe...we should give Miss Kaisina her time to just relax, Serra," Lady Shadowsun interrupted curtly, "like most people that come here. We don't want to overwhelm someone right on arrival."

"Oh. Oh yes, of course," Serenas pursed her lips together and quickly fell into a respectful quiet. Her fingers wrung into the coverlet a moment as she felt a trickle of shame for her own exuberance.

Safrona let herself slowly smile. "I think once she's settled, she'll love to have you of all people show her anything. You're a full delight, little light."

The doubtful, pensive look that had clouded Serra's face quickly faded into a warm joy as her lips carried it into her own smile. "Okay," she whispered back.

It was the first time she had heard her mother call her "light" since she was so small, and Serra's heart felt full to bursting.

{ For @kaisinasunblade , guest starting @serenas-dawnsinger 🍷}

[kaisinasunblade]

August DWC 2025 | Primal

The trip from Tazavesh to The Oasis had been uneventful for the most part. Slow and steady, the caravan moved across the hills of sand around them. But that was all soon to change. The ground around their feet began to tremble as chaos soon engulfed the mercenaries, civilians, and researchers. 

One moment Kai was walking with one of her friends, talking about what they would see at The Oasis, new creatures, new types of plants, learning the history of the land around them. Then the next moment, Talon’s voice reaches them, “You all, get the caravan and non-fighters inside the dome, now! Don’t return until everyone is safe!”

Her head whips around in time to see devourers descending in swarms, and for a moment her heart stops breathing while the breath in her lungs catches. Snapping out of the sudden haze, she forces herself to focus on helping the other civilians to get to the dome that offered safety. 

Doing her best to help the ones who kept tripping in the sand, finding it hard to get traction in their panic. She had been helping an elderly man up when a shearing pain started spreading from some place in her lower body and slowly upward. Another burning sensation slams into her right shoulder as she finds herself being thrown forward. 

Fighting against the pain, she pushed herself up, only to find out that the sand around her seemed to be swallowing her whole. Quicksand, she had fallen into quicksand. Pure panic reared its ugly head as she sank even deeper.

She could not let panic win. Because if she did, she would sink quickly. Taking in deep breaths as she glances around for something, anything to grab onto. 

But like a knight in shining armor, Dice came to her rescue. Risking his own life to get her to safety. When he pulled her free from the sand, she fought back the scream of pain that ripped through her right shoulder. Viel rose her throat and she forced it back down. “Don’t try to be a hero, just get to safety.” 

The depths of her eyes flicker as she just stares at Dice. Biting down on her bottom lip as he nudges her toward the dome with the others. She had barely made it ten feet before the darkness she had been fighting finally won, her body crumbling down to the ground.

Blood slowly spreads in the sand as she lies there. Not even she had known just how badly she had been wounded, because all she cared about was helping those she had worked alongside in the crew get to safety. Fighting through the pain. “HEY! We have one down!” a female's voice reaches Kai just as she passes out.

@daily-writing-challenge @themercenaries

@dicenne @talonoa for mentions

[kaisinasunblade]

Although she felt a bit sore, Kai gazed out at the sea as the sun slowly set. It had been two days since she returned home to Ratchet—two days spent adjusting back to her normal routine.

This new normal was necessary for now, as she continued to heal. Thanks to Lyn and the other doctors and nurses at the clinic, she was able to move around more easily.

Using crutches, she slowly made her way back home. The silence enveloped her as her friends remained in K'aresh. It was nearly impossible to contact them, which made her worry about how they were doing. Thoughts of Dice, Xy, Tinn, and Stellan weighed heavily on her heart.

At least she was able to see Dice before he returned to K'aresh. He stopped by to check on her before leaving, and she cherished every moment of his visit. The T&R chocolates he brought also brought her some joy. They talked for a while as she sat comfortably in a chair next to her bed at the clinic.

Before he left, he kissed her forehead and reminded her to make sure she rested. He was aware of how much she disliked being idle. In response, she kissed him on the cheek and promised to try to take it easy. After he walked out of her room, she closed her eyes. Sending a silent prayer for his and the others' safety.

Cy’s flowers rest next to her bed, accompanied by the card he had sent with them. Kara’s card is placed beside his. Their thoughtful gestures meant everything to Kai, especially after Nahi's visit.

She had truly missed talking to her friend. They caught up on the recent changes in Nahi’s life, including her going to school and training to become a nurse.

Thank you cards and gifts will be sent to their homes. After preparing a cup of tea, Kai settled into the sunroom, where the sounds of the ocean brought her a sense of peace. As she gently rocked in the swing, she took a sip of her tea while watching the last rays of the sun dip below the horizon.

Next week, she will begin her trips to the clinic and the physical therapist, with Ema having set up most of her appointments before she left. For now, resting and mending was all she could do. Work at the tavern was put on hold, until she was given the clear from Lyn.

She just hopped that she could get through all of this. With out losing her mind.

@dicenne @gloamingdawn @nahisummerhold @inistellan @themercenaries Mentions

[kaisinasunblade]

From the cliff, Kai could see Ratchet nestled in the Barrens below. It was her home, and her friends were there, unaware of the danger that was looming because of her. The less they knew, the better.

A new danger had emerged: he was simply known as The Ghost. Years ago, he had been hired by her father to handle the grim aspects of his business. Rumors circulated throughout Booty Bay about him, particularly regarding the pleasure he took in the pain he inflicted on others. He relished in playing with what he referred to as his prey.

Kai had earned his eternal hatred when she disfigured him while escaping from Booty Bay, taking something valuable from him in the process. The pleasure of being the one who took her life.

She ran her fingers over the scars concealed beneath her leather clothing on her arm. Taking a final glance at the sea as the moon rose high in the sky, she contemplated her next move. She needed to take care of some business in Silvermoon. Thanks to Stellan, she had a few names to investigate. She was done running.

She picked up a small satchel and slung it over her shoulder before turning to walk down the path that would lead her to the shores below the cliff. There, she would meet a friend who would take her to the shores of Silvermoon. For now, she needed to keep her identity hidden, and the leather outfit she wore concealed all of her features.

She was about to enter a world she knew little about, except for what she had gleaned from her father’s work. This was a problem she had to face on her own, and the fewer people she informed, the better. She knew both Dice and Stellan would tell no one.

She takes one last look at Dice’s home before sending him a final message. Then, she sent another message to Saf. She was grateful for the kindness that Dice had shown her by letting her stay at his place while she figured out her next steps. Saf had also offered her home as a place to stay if she needed it. Once this was all said and finished, she would go see Saf.

As she walked down to the shore, she remained alert to the sounds around her, carefully observing the shadows with each step. She knew he was watching her; he always was. But she was no longer the girl who let her fears dictate her actions.

After handing the satchel to her friend, she took one last look over her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the rowboat that would take her to the ship. She was about to embark on a journey in her life that she never thought she would take. She had done everything she could do to make sure she was never like her father. 

In the end, she knew she had to confront the problem; there was no turning back. Once everything was done, her life will be forever changed.  Keeping her back turned to the shoreline, she felt the rowboat being pushed away. Taking a deep breath, she glanced into the darkness.

A lone figure emerged from the shadows of the shore and cliff wall, watching silently. Then, it turned and disappeared back into the darkness.

@safrona-shadowsun @dicenne @inistellan (Mentions)

[kaisinasunblade]

May DWC 2025 Day 1 - Cruel

The air in the room seems to change as she looks down at the pocket-watch. Inside was a image of her and her mother. Fingers wrap around the copper piece as eyes close. Each day since that night it had been returned to her, memories of when it had been taken came rushing in like a wave in the sea.

Each night since her *Ghost* found her, those very nightmares wreaked havoc on her, making it impossible to sleep. She woke up screaming, begging. Cold sweat causing her to shiver despite the heat of the night.

He was dead now. Poisoned as she had requested. She had hoped that the news of his death would bring peace to her. "It's finished. Poisoned. I gave him a small enough dose where he suffered for hours, as requested. The body will not be found."

That night changed her. She had felt torn as guilt ate away at her, bit by bit in the part she played, but there was also an inner peace. She kept telling herself that it had to be done. Gone was the power he held over her.

She had never wished death upon anyone before. How did one cope with the guilt that ate away at them? She could not talk to anyone about what she had done. Not with out risk. The threat on her life if she ever spoke of that meeting assured that.

In the weeks that had passed since then, that guilt slowly eased. Each time she looked at the pocket watch reminded her why she had done it. Not only for herself, but her mother and best friend. And those she had grown to care for over the past two years.

She walks over and sets the pocket watch inside the box she kept locked away in her dresser and closes the lid. Walking out of her bedroom, she makes her way to the porch. She tucks her legs close as she looks up at the night sky.

The shadows no longer causes her heart to beat faster or sweat to break out on her skin. No longer will her past affect her life. Those who had tortured her was now dead. And that brought on another wave of inner peace. Now she could get on with her life with out fear.

Now she can heal.

@daily-writing-challenge

[kaisinasunblade]

Written for the mercenary prompt #2, found here

As Kai ushered people into the Intercontinental Hotel, chaos erupted outside. She worked tirelessly alongside the menders and healers to set up triage stations, running back and forth to ensure each healer had the supplies they needed. Together with Nahi, she devoted herself to directing the injured to the appropriate caregivers, making sure they received the help they required amid the turmoil.

It was getting harder to keep track of everyone inside the hotel. “Don’t lose focus.” she kept repeating each time she found her gaze drawn to the door that led outside. The screams of those still outside made her think back to that night the nerubian attacked another camp. Fear kept gripping her, but she fought against it as she kept on task. 

"Hey! Roof-top! I need as many bags of flour as you can get me up here asap! Don't ask questions just do it!" Shei’s voice reaches her from her com, and Kai does not even question the request as she rushes to the kitchen.

Grabbing as many of the heavy bags of flour as she could, throwing them up through the hatch. She peeks out after the last sack lands on the roof, her eyes wide, evening a startled gasp came from her lips. 

Little oozes had swarmed Shei, trying to make their way closer to the hatch that lay open, and Kai quickly gripped the handle and jerked the hatch upward. It slams into place. She trusts Shei and Garren to do their best to keep those oozes back. After making sure the hatch was in place, she jumped down and rushed out of the kitchen. 

Her foot caught something slick on the floor of the hallway and somehow she was able to catch her balance before falling into whatever was on the floor. A while later after taking more supplies to the healers, she went to find Nahi.

While she was looking for Nahi, and helping anyone she came across. She did not notice something large charging right at her, until a man slams into her. The force of the impact sent her slamming into a wall with a hard crack as solders rush the man to keep him from going after anyone else.

Commander Dal’shula voice reaches out “Move everyone to the second floor!  We will hold them off for as long as possible!” Despite the darkness that threatened to claim her, Kai fought with all of her strength to stand, her fingers slipping across something thick.

Forcing herself to her feet when Nara’s voice rings out strong “Focus on the heavily injured first! Move the equipment and supplies!!!!  Encourage anyone who can walk to relocate upstairs and bring any supplies they can carry with them!”

Kai wraps her arm around an injured goblin, helping the terrified woman. The stench of blood, burning flesh, and the intense throbbing in her head caused her stomach to lurch which causes Kai to stop for just a moment to take deep steady breaths. That's when she felt a sharp pain in her side. Either a rib was broken, or bruised.

She helped move supplies, patients, menders, and healers upstairs, despite the pain caused by her ribs. She was about to head back upstairs with more supplies when she spotted Nahi being taken down by a black blood-crazed worgen.

"Nahi!" Fear was heavy in her voice as she went to rush forward to aid her friend, but a burst of light blinded her for a few seconds and she was sent flying backward, becoming disoriented. 

Her vision clears just in time to see Nara aiding Nahi. She watches in horror as Nara lunges at the Worgen. No! What was she doing?! It was then Talon gripped Nara, snapping her out of whatever haze she was in.

Kai follows the man who carried Nahi up the stairs as Talon handled things with Nara. After making sure that Nahi was placed on a cot away from the others and tended to, she went to check on the others.

His voice reaches her, “LINALIA!” and she stops dead in her tracks. No no no no no! She watches as Dice seems to be trying to reach his deceased wife, screaming out her name. She stood there at the window while he fought through anyone who dared to get in his way. “DICE!” she cried out, her eyes full of fear and sadness. She watches him fall as one of Stellan's tranquilizer darts hits it's mark.

Her hands rest on the cold glass, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. She knew Stellan and Xy would make sure he was safe until they could get him back into the hotel. Forcing herself from the window, she goes back to helping the healers set up everything again. Now and then she would watch the door. Waiting, hoping. 

@nahisummerhold @dicenne @talonoa @xylaes @themadamelioness @sheizara @themercenaries

[kaisinasunblade]

Daily Writing Challenge February 2025 Day 5 - Undersea/Navigation & February 2025 Day 6 - Holiday

Kai ran her fingers against soft petals. Roses had been delivered to her home this morning, with a single note. It was signed with only 'Enjoy your day! From, an admirer'.

Only a few people knew the actual location of her home in Ratchet. This was the first time anyone had ever sent her anything for Love is in the Air.

As much as she desired to know who sent them, the mystery of it made it even more enjoyable. It was a shame the sun room was not complete, she knew a perfect spot to put these roses. For now they are settled into a vase on the center of her dinning room table.

It was almost time for her trip to Ratchet to visit a few families. Looking forward to seeing the children who are eager to enjoy the candy she would bring them.

Mothers and fathers would receive flowers, and a romantic dinner at their home, sweet and savory food brought from the tavern.

Stepping outside of her house, she looks down at the beach. It was still morning, so there was plenty of time for her swim. For the past few weeks since returning home, each morning was spent enjoying a swim in the sea.

Collections of shells lay in baskets around her home, shells she had found in the deepest part of the sea she could safely swim. Those shells would be used for necklaces, bracelets, and any other arts and crafts that came to her.

Closing the door behind her, she picks up the bag that held her towels, drinks and food. Humming softly she walks down the path that lead to the beach.

Today was going to be a great day. Full of fun, food, candy and just relaxation. And she was looking forward to ever single moment of it. Placing the bag down on the sand, she walks down to the waters edge. Yes, today really was going to be great.

@daily-writing-challenge