Order Of Illumination - Angels and Blades

The Tempelum chamber was warm and quiet. Kneeling in front of a simple altar of the Light, Tattersail could almost feel herself relaxing. Almost. The recent nights of broken sleep and the constant ache of the scars had left her tense and edgy. Shadows constantly moved in the corners of her eyes and she could hear muted voices whispering in her ears. Vaknor, the old fool, had not spoken of any of this when he had explained the Ascension to her, though she still did not fully understand what had happened to her. In any case, her dreams were proof enough that something had chosen her. She shuddered slightly as the image of the Chained One came unbidden to her. Her dreams were still haunted by him and she woke each night bearing the scars inflicted by his agonising touch.

Breathing deeply, Tattersail tried to clear her mind and focus on the simple mantra that Vaknor had taught her, muttering it under her breath as she fingered the simple wooden rosary she had been given by the Orders monks. Her eyes flicked quickly to the other gift she had received. It lay beside her on the floor, the long heavy blade that she had instinctively known was called Mercy's Edge. There was something odd about the blade, she knew that. Her Brothers and Sisters would steal glances at it and whisper to each other and more once she had caught Vaknor staring at the blade. Strangely his look had been one of regret and sorrow, as though the mere sight of the blade caused painful memories to surface.

Memories and rumours and pain. This Order seemed rife with all three, at times almost seeming to stagger beneath the weight of whatever it was hiding. Not for the first time, Tattersail wondered whether she had made the right choice in joining the Order's ranks.

Again, that damned whispering in her ears, never loud enough to actually make out whatever was said. Tattersail swore gently and shook her head, trying to dislodge the voices from her ears. It was then she noticed the candle flame, flickering in the corner. Time seemed to slow as she threw herself aside, twisting as she fell through air that felt as thick as tar. On instinct she lashed out with a wave of power, flinging it over her shouder. The wave howled as it tore through the air and demolished the doorway to the Tempelum. Tattersail could make out a thin black-clad figure flung aside by the wave like a rag doll before crashing through the wall opposite the doorway with bone-crushing force. She scrabbled for her blade as two more intruders entered the Tempelum. Each wore form-fitting black leathers and clutched vicious looking knives, spreading out to flank her as they stalked though the debris strewn across the floor. One was significantly shorter than its partner and as it spoke, Tattersail realised it was female.

'Bitch. You'll pay for that. The Twins dont like to be hurt.'

The female gnome nodded slightly and its partner leapt forward, knives dancing in its hands. Tattersail's blade was in her hands and seemed to spring to her defence, meeting each thrust and slice of the knives with a speed and grace she wasnt entirely sure was all her own. They circled, a flashing web of steel between them, small wounds blossoming over their bodies. Tattersail caught a movemnt in the corner of her eye and realised it was the gnome, slipping in under her guard and unleashing her fist-blades against Tattersails unprotected back. Slowy and surely, they began to systematically take her apart. For every blow Tattersail parried or dodged, two more opened her up until her robes hung in tatters and blood washed down her slim form.

She staggered back into a corner, Mercy's Edge falling from nerveless fingers and gasped for air. The pain was immense, greater than anything she had ever felt and it dorve her to her knees. Through dimming eyes, she could see her killers stalking foward, red-slicked blades raised to finish her. The gnome had pulled down the mask that covered her face and now her mouth was set in a sulking pout.

'Done so soon? Gods, I was just getting started. Get up, come on, get up you frakking bitch.'

Agony washed through Tattersail, making her whimper with its chiling touch. She knew she was going to die and knew that there would be no end to the pain. Her pulse slowed and she could no longer hear the obsencities the gnome mouthed at her. Each slowing beat of her heart sent fresh pain sluicing through her screaming nerves and her vision greyed at the edges. The blades flashed in and she could feel them inside her, tearing and cutting. She could taste blood in her mouth, feel it dripping from her wounds and knew she was falling away into the Light..

....the Light.........
..Gods, such pain!.............
.....the...pain, the pain....focus....
...Focus Child.....
.....Dont make me, I cant............
...Focus. Use it..........
....No....no, its too much........I............

........................................................

There.......You know this feeling. Lesson number two.
All things are possible with Hate............
........................................................

Chuffty sighed and watched the girls limp body slide from her blades. This one had provided little sport in the end, though she was sure at least one of the Twins would be sore in the morning. Still, probably best to leave quickly, before the rest of the damned Order came running. Let them find her body, cut and bled. Giggling to herself, Chuffty turned away and skipped towards the shattered doorway. Gods below, she mused, its bright in here...

'Mistress...'

The Twin's voice held a note of warning. And something else. Was that fear? Chuffty turned, impatience writ acrosss her face.

'What? What the frak is suddenly so important tha........oh. Oh Frak.'

The girls body was suspended in a pillar of light, gleaming chains spilling from the wounds she bore. As Chuffty stared in disbelief, dazzinlgy white wings unfurled behind the girl and the chains began to snake and writhe around her. The Twin turned to run and Chuffty saw the girl open her dead eyes and fix her gaze upon him. Almost quicker than she could see, the gleaming chains lashed out and filled the air with razored links of light. The Twin simply fell to pieces, blood misting the air and painting the floor and ceiling. Chuffty didnt wait for the girl, or whatever she was, to turn her dead, brilliant gaze on her. She ran from the room, vaulting through the hole left by the girls first burst of power and disappeared into the night. Gods below she hoped her beloved shadows wouldnt be torn apart by gleaming chains of light.....


When Tattersail eventually opened her eyes again, she was lying in her cot. Every inch of her screamed in agony, but she glimpsed Vaknors concerned face before the pain pulled her back into the darkness.

This next time, the pain had lessened, though an ache seemed to have settled into her bones. Faint light streamed through her window and she could hear birdsong. Strangely, she felt at peace for the first time since she could remember. Something felt right, felt true to her soul, as though she had been reunited with a missing piece of herself. Gingerly Tattersail sat up and raised herself from her bed. She bit down on the waves of pain and nausea that washed through her and opened her eyes after only the briefest of pauses. She stood swaying and stretched an arm to hold the wall for support. Tattersail's breath caught in her throat as she saw.

Looking at the reflection of her naked body in the mirror, her eyes followed the links of the tattooed chains as they snaked and writhed across her. Her eyes chased the chains upwards, over her torso and breasts, twisting in and out of the scars her dreams had left her, before reaching up her pale neck where they seemed to anchor themselves in her flesh. She caught the pale grey eyes of her reflection and held them for a moment. Tattersail nodded to her reflection, as if agreeing to something, then reached for a robe. She needed to find Vaknor and ask him some questions. Questions about chains. And a man from the House of Severus.

Chuffty’s limbs burned.
‘Frak, Frak, Frak.’ She panted in time as she sprinted across the rooftops of Stormwind. ‘Frak, she really went and frakked it up the frakking frakker.’
She giggled and was teleported through one shadow to the next, rooftop to rooftop.
‘My precious boys.’
Giggling, panting and sweating profusely she finally made it to her destination. The door was marked with a three-pointed star and she knocked three times. No answer.
‘Open you Fraks!’ She gave it a little kick for emphasis.
No answer.
‘You picked the wrong day to play games with me you frakkers.’
She mumbled to herself contently whilst riffling through the webbing at her back.
‘Bingo!’
She pulled the pin and kicked the small canister towards the door, jumping back into the shadows to avoid the blast. It exploded in a shower of timber and fire. Three men in black robes stumbled out coughing and retching.
The explosion caused a bunch of commotion and an officer of the militia stepped into the alley to investigate. He saw the gnome and started advancing towards her.
'Lay down your arms miss, you are under arres..'
With a casual flick of the wrist she lodged a blade hilt deep in his right eye and he died.

‘Mistress Fizzlesprocket, you know you are supposed to pick the lock in order to gain entry.’ A calm voice rich like dark wood spoke from somewhere inside the smoke. Chuffty kicked her heels and looked slightly embarrassed;
‘One day I will learn my master.’ Karaptis beckoned her forwards.
‘Come little one; tell me of your failure.’

***

She cried. This was the only time she ever allowed herself to. She lay on his chamber bed, alone, nude. Every time it felt as if he took a little more of her and gave a little less. The exquisite agony of him, his being, it bored into her in everyway. She hated it but never wanted it to end. So, when she knew he was gone, she wept.
She placed her hand upon the parasite at her breast; it was his link to her, to all of them. She would not fail him again; she would kill the thrice-damned whore, no better! She would deliver her into his hands and make her take the parasite to her breast. Maybe then, he would finally love her as an equal and not as a pet…
Chuffty swung her legs off the bed and started to redress.
‘Tattersail,’ she said smiling ‘we have a gift for you.’ Reaching to the writhing mass attached to her chest she pulled a tendril away and watched as it started to writhe.
‘Silly girl should have just died.’
And Chuffty giggled.

FYI - 'Angels and Blades' was written by me as a follow-up to Vaknors earlier 'In the Underbelly of the Beast' - he then added a small epilogue to my tale, which is added above