If your mother was gone, would you still pursue keeping your family legacy alive? Or would you let it die and pursue a different path?
Amber eyes widened in hysteric shock as a whisper grazed his ears. His jaw dropped as he found the breath stolen from his lungs at that moment. His stomach bottomed out as he felt an utter sickness beginning to claim his confidence. And then, that memory played back in his mind that squeezed on his heart.ย
Weeks had passed since his fatherโs death on the front of Arathi. Called upon by Lady Liadrin, Valanath Sunscorn came two to two with the Alliance forces and their own paladins. An unfortunate circumstance considering he had fought alongside a few of these gentlemen in the war against the Legion. The Battle for Azeroth had shed blood and souls that were unnecessary all to support the machinations of some twisted mastermind. But this wasnโt the tale of a universal scheme. No, this was the tale of the loss of a father, a husband, and an honorable knight.ย
Veronath recollected running in haste as he always had. With every war, his father always marched amongst the living with a smile on his features, even in the most solemn of losses. From youth, all the way to his full-fledged adulthood, Veronath was always proud to see his father return home. To the arms of his mother and the fireplace within their hearth. His heart thudded with intensity, adrenalized by the stories he would share about the Battle of Arathi.ย
โ Minnโda! โHe shouted, picking his auburn-haired mother out of the crowd with ease. He shuffled between people, placing his calloused hands upon her shoulder. Mere moments ago, he had been training his use of the blade in practice for his promotion from Adept. โ Minnโda. Did I miss it? Iโm so sorryโฆ I hope that Iโm not too late. โHe couldnโt help but feel by the anxious stare she possessed that he may have done just that.ย
โNo, no son. Heโฆ heโs not here. Or at least, heโs not in formation. โHer voice flowed with a gentleness that was only enunciated by the worry of a beloved wife. Veilora had been known for her kindness. However, out of all the Knight Champions in line, Valanathโs smile was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes desperately darted to find a single sign of him. Just one sign.ย
Unfortunately, much to Veronathโs own gaze, he couldnโt even place his father amongst the injured caravans. Even his own heart began to sink. His grasp on his mother tightened as the line of people began to reach its ending. And with it, carriers of the deceased followed. And with it, mother and son would see the first sign of Valanath: His broadsword that no longer emanated with runes of flame. For this day, his fire had burned out.ย
Veiloraโs entire body trembled as she witnessed the passing, immediately pulling herself from her sonโs comfort. All the woman continued to do in the back of her mind was shout -No!- repetitively to herself. Her dress became wrinkled and unkempt. Heels desperately clicking across cobblestone. She couldnโt even hear her own son shouting at him as he tried his damndest to keep up with her. And by the time he made it through the archways that lead to the medical chambers, he starred in the exact same expression we see him in now. Shocked and riddled with anxiety that tore at his insides. The sight of seeing his motherโs face buried into the torso of his fatherโs was agonizing. Her manicured nails dug into the sheets that covered the rest of his form. And despite the blood-stained features and wily mess of golden-blonde hair, Valanath still managed to return to them with a smile on his features.ย
โM-my S-S-Sunshineโฆ My s-sweet... Noooโฆ Nooooo! โ Veilora wept, tightly clutching to the lifeless body. Her make now runs blackened ink across her dusted features. In her eyes, her own heart was beginning to die with him. The world around her begins to shatter. And all Veronath could do was fall to his knees and allow his own mother to mourn, shedding tears for what was the end of his wonderful father and the beginning of his motherโs own turmoil.ย
After a week of dealing with the arrangements and funeral services. Veronath noticed that his mother had become distant. And every chance he got, he tried his best to pull her out of that miserable pit. But without her husband at her bedside, she no longer knew of the rest of an easy mind. No. All she could concentrate on was the warmth she would no longer feel in his arms and this will be carried out for their son, Veronath. A will in the form of a parchment that she would give to her son that day.ย
๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐, ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ธ๐๐ถ๐พ๐๐๐น ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐๐น๐ ๐๐ป ๐ท๐ถ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐น, ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐. ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ ๐ป๐๐๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ท๐๐น๐น๐๐น ๐พ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐น๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐. ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ท๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐พ๐น, ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฝ, ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ท๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ท๐๐ถ๐น๐, ๐ธ๐๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ท๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐น ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐น ๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐น. ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐ผ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐น ๐ท๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ธ๐ฝ ๐พ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ซ๐๐๐ถ๐๐. ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ธ๐ฝ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ป๐พ๐๐น ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ป ๐ถ ๐๐๐๐น๐๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐น ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ฎ. ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ธ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐ ๐๐พ๐น๐ ๐๐ ๐ท๐๐. ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐๐น ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ธ๐ฝ๐๐๐พ๐๐ฝ๐๐น ๐๐๐, ๐ต๐๐ถ๐๐. ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐ป๐พ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ฝ. ๐ฅ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐ข๐พ๐ท๐ผ๐ฌ๐ธ๐ป๐ท
Veronath's memories began to fade, remembering his own mother's words to follow that he must honor the wishes of his father. Not only for his father's honor and belief in him, but for his mother's own heart that dangled on the edges of despair every day.
Tears streamed down his cheeks. Reaching now to wipe them away in recollection of himself now. His fiery brows knitted together as he pensively pushed through that anxiety and fortified his confidence with passion. " Someday, my mother will be reunited with that Ann'da. But mark my words, even if someone took her away from me now, I would not falter from my path. To do so would be a grievous wound to my parents' hearts. "
He slammed a balled fist against the epicenter of his broad chest, creating a hollowed thud. His lips twisting into smile that was filled with determination and absolution. " There is no greater honor than making one's wonderful parents proud! So, whisper in the dark, I hope you are satisfied with the answer I have given you! Otherwise, have a pleasant evening and don't let the door hit you on the way out! " And once more, he winked at them.