In the Sidelines of a Dream
“She can be brought back!!”
The few people that were kneeling at the unearthed grave glanced sadly at each other as Nikoleta clutched onto the life-less body of her dearest friend, Mariveaux. The pale Knight glared desperately up at the Forsaken Priest, Brother Melenor. Nikoleta did not know she was crying. She did not care.
“We can bring her back!” Nikoleta cried hoarsely, her voice finally straining under the tightness of her throat.
Melenor looked as sad and wretched as Nikoleta felt. He looked down at her and the body of Mariveaux. “…I have tried already. There is nothing more that can be done…” He looked as though he were straining with great difficulty to keep a focused and sound mind.
Nikoleta’s body sagged, her head bowing in acceptance. “You would know…of course… there is no one more capable in the matters of Life and Death than a Man of the Cloth…“ She tucked her head down, hiding against Mariveaux’s shoulder.
“Though.. Perhaps…” Nikoleta looked up to see Melenor hesitate. “Perhaps .. a more closer bond might help… By all means try…” He nodded down at her grimly.
Surprised and reluctant, Nikoleta gently laid the body back onto the ground. She was certain she would fail, just as she had failed in preventing this but she knew she had to try. Rising to her feet slowly she closed her eyes as the Light flooded its energy within her, ready and waiting for her direction.
Filling her hands with the raw power of the Light, Nikoleta concentrated with all her might as she called out in a controlled clear voice, “Light come to me -!” and sent the Light into the body beneath her. Directing it with her words and will, the Light soared up into the heavens to search. She found a slight and very familiar resonance, but it made Nikoleta strain, feeling like there was a barrier stopping her dead in her tracks. The Light finally returned back to her, rather than rushing back into the body the spell was cast upon, as should have happened.
Falling to her knees, she cradled Mariveaux’s head, feeling uneasy. “I felt her… but she could not come…”
I’m sorry Mari…
Melenor straightened up from his slouch, his face grim. “Well. We should take her inside so I may… find out what we are dealing with…”
“Why should we move her?” Queried a voice. Nikoleta did not look up to see who.
The sigh that came from Melenor was deeply regretful. “So I may perform the autopsy..”
Nikoleta uncontrollably clutched on tighter as the commotion around her grew heated. Folk argued around her as she looked up at Melenor, desperately. “Brother.. She will need a body to come back to!”
Melenor hushed the crowd and explained. “I may be able to learn where her soul is kept… It is all that we can do now. It must be done.”
Knowing he was correct in this matter, Nikoleta tried to lift up the body on her own, but realized she was too weak with worry. Dualla stepped closer to help the Knight. They migrated to an old, broken-down house and carefully laid Mariveaux’s body down upon the floor, near the hearth.
The Blood Knight kept her place at Mariveaux’s head, stubbornly, smoothing back the hair, as if to comfort, while she watched Melenor work.
Melenor worked slowly and expertly. Nikoleta found herself wishing, as she watched Melenor take samples of Mariveaux’s dead flesh and blood from the open wound in her gut. She wished and wished that she had never left Mariveaux’s side. Nikoleta knew that the Tavern life was not always fun and games, familiar faces, and loud laughter. Nikoleta knew what sort of people were out there, and knew the trouble Mariveaux had had in the past. While Nikoleta was away on a mission for the Order in Tanaris, the best of her bouncers, Chava, needed to leave them for a while, to pursue his own great-ness. And that was something Nikoleta could not stifle, she supported the pursuit of happiness and great-ness. The other bouncer, Telinas, had abandoned Mariveaux abruptly. In more ways than one… Nikoleta reprimanded him soundly when she saw him at the Bucket, right after Slagle made his attempt of escape. She remembered shouting in his face as he started up at her, frightened and so innocent looking.
“How could you just leave her unprotected?! How could you be so cowardly and selfish! Why do you think we NEED Bouncers there!?”
She sighed. The dream Nikoleta had the other night… By the Light, if only she paid it more attention, if only she hurried! She could have saved Mariveaux…
No. She couldn’t have. She knew that. Most of her dream was in real time… as if she was someone else…
Sometimes, when a person dreams, it start out slow and the dreamer has no control. The dreamer usually finds themselves in the side-lines, an innocent bystander, just watching. Helpless…
That was how Nikoleta felt now… maybe this was all a dream…
Maybe she were indeed in a nightmare. Everything had gone so unbelievably bad that day…
The Bucket was a nearly a lynch mob and Nikoleta was nearly powerless on her own turf. She was thankful for Executioner Karis to take the matter to hand, as it was more appropriate. The person that was the cause of the mob-scene was a Forsaken, as was the Lady Karis. She was the law there. Melenor was assaulted as he tried to confront the man everyone was now suspicious of. It was his eyes, this mysterious Forsaken’s, that she saw in her dream too. She knew it was him, but what proof is in a dream? The suspicious Forsaken, who called himself ‘Zed’ as Melenor called him ‘Slagle,’ laughed at everyone and his alibi, a beautiful young Sin’dorei, vouched for him. At least, she did until Melenor searched her mind. Nikoleta was still awed by the powers beholden to others at times…
A search party had then returned from Tarren Mill, they had gone since there was talk about the Undercity and the Mill. Sufferthorn, a long time friend and employee of the Tavern, showed their findings: Mariveaux’s pet prairie dog. Found near a freshly dug grave.
After that, everything happened so fast. Slagle bolted, along with his lady-friend. And everyone was enraged.
~
“We need the weapon that was used. It keeps her soul.”
Nikoleta blinked, her thoughts interrupted by Melenor. He nodded to himself and she watched as more people hustled about and spoke. Nikoleta wasn’t listening. All that she could think about was how she had failed.
Everything started to become a haze as she watched her friend, life-less, below her. She vaguely heard the commotion about a dagger found on Slagle. She was barely aware when Andais left her side to determine if the dagger was indeed what they had been looking for. Nikoleta felt more and more as if this was only a dream. The feeling started to numb her.
~
“Get away from her. I want everyone out when I do this.”
“I will not let you be completely alone with her, you filth. I will stay...” Melenor spoke, hate masking his usually pleasant voice.
Slagle had been brought to Mariveaux, his freedom was bargained in an Oath made that he can never harm another of the Horde ever again. He said he would revive Mariveaux.
Nikoleta felt a tug on her arms. She looked up to see Sufferthorn, his face grim and full of hate as he looked at Slagle. Nikoleta felt like wretching, she wanted to kill this man, Slagle. Noticing that Nikoleta was having a problem with the thought of leaving Mariveaux’s body, Melenor looked at Nikoleta, angry but sympathetic and told her to step back. Nikoleta, once again feeling useless, let Sufferthorn pull her up and away. They stopped at the door, both refusing to be banished completely.
Again on the sidelines, Nikoleta watched almost with wonder as Slagle pulled a dagger out of his chest, as if some arcane magic held it inside of him. He moved over her body looking as though he was going to use the dagger again.
“Give me the dagger,” Melenor interrupted. “I will do it, I do not want you touching her again.”
Slagle barked a laugh that gave away his lack of sanity. “I have to do it.. it is part of the spell.”
Melenor looked as though he wanted to rip Slagle’s head off, but nodded grimly, his eyes never leaving the scene.
In a matter of seconds the dagger was pierced into the original wound made by it. There was a flash of light and and a sickly feel of power. It felt old. It felt wrong.
Nikoleta bolted to Mariveaux’s side as her friend opened her eyes and screamed, seeing Slagle above her. Nikoleta wrapped her arms around her, letting the Light seep into Mariveaux from her own body, healing her slowly. She clutched on tight as Mariveaux cried bitterly, so scared and confused.
In this moment Slagle ran, taking his opportunity.
“Shh, you are alright, you are alright.. I will never leave you alone again…” Nikoleta whispered, Mariveaux’s tears triggering her own.
It seemed like an eternity before Mariveaux tipped her head up from Nikoleta’s chest and looked around at everyone. She was confused, Nikoleta knew, but she looked so happy to see the many people surrounding her, there for her. Mariveaux started thanking everyone, Nikoleta, selfishly, barely releasing her to allow her to hug the others. Nikoleta grasped onto her again when she was done.
Nikoleta smiled up at Melenor only to notice the odd look he was giving her as she held Mariveaux. He looked away and started to step his way out of the gathering, his voice faltering, his words confusing. “I should leave now… Yes… I can see Mariveaux is safe. She does not need me.”
Mariveaux got caught up in the excitement and started hugging everyone again. Before Nikoleta could stop Melenor, he left.
Everything felt hazy as Nikoleta watched her friend. It almost felt as if everything was right in the world again. Like the day’s events never came to pass.
Mariveaux’s friends either stayed or departed. The ones that stayed wanted to make sure she got somewhere comfortable. Those that departed, were ensured that she would get there.
Everyone was cheerful. Everything was right...
As if the day had been a dream.
The few people that were kneeling at the unearthed grave glanced sadly at each other as Nikoleta clutched onto the life-less body of her dearest friend, Mariveaux. The pale Knight glared desperately up at the Forsaken Priest, Brother Melenor. Nikoleta did not know she was crying. She did not care.
“We can bring her back!” Nikoleta cried hoarsely, her voice finally straining under the tightness of her throat.
Melenor looked as sad and wretched as Nikoleta felt. He looked down at her and the body of Mariveaux. “…I have tried already. There is nothing more that can be done…” He looked as though he were straining with great difficulty to keep a focused and sound mind.
Nikoleta’s body sagged, her head bowing in acceptance. “You would know…of course… there is no one more capable in the matters of Life and Death than a Man of the Cloth…“ She tucked her head down, hiding against Mariveaux’s shoulder.
“Though.. Perhaps…” Nikoleta looked up to see Melenor hesitate. “Perhaps .. a more closer bond might help… By all means try…” He nodded down at her grimly.
Surprised and reluctant, Nikoleta gently laid the body back onto the ground. She was certain she would fail, just as she had failed in preventing this but she knew she had to try. Rising to her feet slowly she closed her eyes as the Light flooded its energy within her, ready and waiting for her direction.
Filling her hands with the raw power of the Light, Nikoleta concentrated with all her might as she called out in a controlled clear voice, “Light come to me -!” and sent the Light into the body beneath her. Directing it with her words and will, the Light soared up into the heavens to search. She found a slight and very familiar resonance, but it made Nikoleta strain, feeling like there was a barrier stopping her dead in her tracks. The Light finally returned back to her, rather than rushing back into the body the spell was cast upon, as should have happened.
Falling to her knees, she cradled Mariveaux’s head, feeling uneasy. “I felt her… but she could not come…”
I’m sorry Mari…
Melenor straightened up from his slouch, his face grim. “Well. We should take her inside so I may… find out what we are dealing with…”
“Why should we move her?” Queried a voice. Nikoleta did not look up to see who.
The sigh that came from Melenor was deeply regretful. “So I may perform the autopsy..”
Nikoleta uncontrollably clutched on tighter as the commotion around her grew heated. Folk argued around her as she looked up at Melenor, desperately. “Brother.. She will need a body to come back to!”
Melenor hushed the crowd and explained. “I may be able to learn where her soul is kept… It is all that we can do now. It must be done.”
Knowing he was correct in this matter, Nikoleta tried to lift up the body on her own, but realized she was too weak with worry. Dualla stepped closer to help the Knight. They migrated to an old, broken-down house and carefully laid Mariveaux’s body down upon the floor, near the hearth.
The Blood Knight kept her place at Mariveaux’s head, stubbornly, smoothing back the hair, as if to comfort, while she watched Melenor work.
Melenor worked slowly and expertly. Nikoleta found herself wishing, as she watched Melenor take samples of Mariveaux’s dead flesh and blood from the open wound in her gut. She wished and wished that she had never left Mariveaux’s side. Nikoleta knew that the Tavern life was not always fun and games, familiar faces, and loud laughter. Nikoleta knew what sort of people were out there, and knew the trouble Mariveaux had had in the past. While Nikoleta was away on a mission for the Order in Tanaris, the best of her bouncers, Chava, needed to leave them for a while, to pursue his own great-ness. And that was something Nikoleta could not stifle, she supported the pursuit of happiness and great-ness. The other bouncer, Telinas, had abandoned Mariveaux abruptly. In more ways than one… Nikoleta reprimanded him soundly when she saw him at the Bucket, right after Slagle made his attempt of escape. She remembered shouting in his face as he started up at her, frightened and so innocent looking.
“How could you just leave her unprotected?! How could you be so cowardly and selfish! Why do you think we NEED Bouncers there!?”
She sighed. The dream Nikoleta had the other night… By the Light, if only she paid it more attention, if only she hurried! She could have saved Mariveaux…
No. She couldn’t have. She knew that. Most of her dream was in real time… as if she was someone else…
Sometimes, when a person dreams, it start out slow and the dreamer has no control. The dreamer usually finds themselves in the side-lines, an innocent bystander, just watching. Helpless…
That was how Nikoleta felt now… maybe this was all a dream…
Maybe she were indeed in a nightmare. Everything had gone so unbelievably bad that day…
The Bucket was a nearly a lynch mob and Nikoleta was nearly powerless on her own turf. She was thankful for Executioner Karis to take the matter to hand, as it was more appropriate. The person that was the cause of the mob-scene was a Forsaken, as was the Lady Karis. She was the law there. Melenor was assaulted as he tried to confront the man everyone was now suspicious of. It was his eyes, this mysterious Forsaken’s, that she saw in her dream too. She knew it was him, but what proof is in a dream? The suspicious Forsaken, who called himself ‘Zed’ as Melenor called him ‘Slagle,’ laughed at everyone and his alibi, a beautiful young Sin’dorei, vouched for him. At least, she did until Melenor searched her mind. Nikoleta was still awed by the powers beholden to others at times…
A search party had then returned from Tarren Mill, they had gone since there was talk about the Undercity and the Mill. Sufferthorn, a long time friend and employee of the Tavern, showed their findings: Mariveaux’s pet prairie dog. Found near a freshly dug grave.
After that, everything happened so fast. Slagle bolted, along with his lady-friend. And everyone was enraged.
~
“We need the weapon that was used. It keeps her soul.”
Nikoleta blinked, her thoughts interrupted by Melenor. He nodded to himself and she watched as more people hustled about and spoke. Nikoleta wasn’t listening. All that she could think about was how she had failed.
Everything started to become a haze as she watched her friend, life-less, below her. She vaguely heard the commotion about a dagger found on Slagle. She was barely aware when Andais left her side to determine if the dagger was indeed what they had been looking for. Nikoleta felt more and more as if this was only a dream. The feeling started to numb her.
~
“Get away from her. I want everyone out when I do this.”
“I will not let you be completely alone with her, you filth. I will stay...” Melenor spoke, hate masking his usually pleasant voice.
Slagle had been brought to Mariveaux, his freedom was bargained in an Oath made that he can never harm another of the Horde ever again. He said he would revive Mariveaux.
Nikoleta felt a tug on her arms. She looked up to see Sufferthorn, his face grim and full of hate as he looked at Slagle. Nikoleta felt like wretching, she wanted to kill this man, Slagle. Noticing that Nikoleta was having a problem with the thought of leaving Mariveaux’s body, Melenor looked at Nikoleta, angry but sympathetic and told her to step back. Nikoleta, once again feeling useless, let Sufferthorn pull her up and away. They stopped at the door, both refusing to be banished completely.
Again on the sidelines, Nikoleta watched almost with wonder as Slagle pulled a dagger out of his chest, as if some arcane magic held it inside of him. He moved over her body looking as though he was going to use the dagger again.
“Give me the dagger,” Melenor interrupted. “I will do it, I do not want you touching her again.”
Slagle barked a laugh that gave away his lack of sanity. “I have to do it.. it is part of the spell.”
Melenor looked as though he wanted to rip Slagle’s head off, but nodded grimly, his eyes never leaving the scene.
In a matter of seconds the dagger was pierced into the original wound made by it. There was a flash of light and and a sickly feel of power. It felt old. It felt wrong.
Nikoleta bolted to Mariveaux’s side as her friend opened her eyes and screamed, seeing Slagle above her. Nikoleta wrapped her arms around her, letting the Light seep into Mariveaux from her own body, healing her slowly. She clutched on tight as Mariveaux cried bitterly, so scared and confused.
In this moment Slagle ran, taking his opportunity.
“Shh, you are alright, you are alright.. I will never leave you alone again…” Nikoleta whispered, Mariveaux’s tears triggering her own.
It seemed like an eternity before Mariveaux tipped her head up from Nikoleta’s chest and looked around at everyone. She was confused, Nikoleta knew, but she looked so happy to see the many people surrounding her, there for her. Mariveaux started thanking everyone, Nikoleta, selfishly, barely releasing her to allow her to hug the others. Nikoleta grasped onto her again when she was done.
Nikoleta smiled up at Melenor only to notice the odd look he was giving her as she held Mariveaux. He looked away and started to step his way out of the gathering, his voice faltering, his words confusing. “I should leave now… Yes… I can see Mariveaux is safe. She does not need me.”
Mariveaux got caught up in the excitement and started hugging everyone again. Before Nikoleta could stop Melenor, he left.
Everything felt hazy as Nikoleta watched her friend. It almost felt as if everything was right in the world again. Like the day’s events never came to pass.
Mariveaux’s friends either stayed or departed. The ones that stayed wanted to make sure she got somewhere comfortable. Those that departed, were ensured that she would get there.
Everyone was cheerful. Everything was right...
As if the day had been a dream.