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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | The fourth entry in Lena's Icecrown diary. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arc: Season 13
When the image flickers into existence, all that’s visible is Lena in her battle robes, sitting with her back against what looks like a tent wall. In the distance, the sounds of shouts, clashing of swords and stamping of hooves can be heard. She looks a little tired, her smile a little strained, but she’s composed.
“Been a while since I’ve wrote, I know. Been a busy time. Some things I just didn’t quite know how to put to words.”
Lena reaches one hand up to touch the side of the tent.
“I’m here at the Argent Tournament. That’s been a lot of our focus lately. Dane got invited here, and he said we were all worthy to compete. I’m not sure if I really am, to be honest. I’m good on horseback, but this is all… swords and lances and spears. I’m not that strong, really, in a physical sense. I’m a lot better at fel magic.”
“At first, they had us follow-up on a fishy-seeming knight fellow, claimed he was from Westfall. That was a lie, he was a Cult of the Damned infiltrator, but we did go out to Westfall to look for him. I didn’t have time to go find Roz. I wonder if things would’ve turned out different, if I had? I guess… it’s not like it would’ve changed any of the facts.”
Lena takes a deep breath, and blinks her eyes once or twice.
“I did more work with Fallon, after that, fighting kvaldir up on a kvaldir island. With death knights, again. Not covered in mist this time, and that was… a whole thing. The kvaldir are a menace that needs to be handled, though, after what they did on our first expedition. There’s no reasoning with… whatever they are. Seaweed vrykul sea spirits bent on slaughter.”
“The island we went to, there was a Tuskarr settlement there once. The Ebons seemed to care about that, which surprised me. We also came across a Silver Covenant boat strayed into the mist, helped them get clear as could. It was a good mission, all told.”
Lena’s gaze goes a little to the side of the crystal, as the sound of footsteps approaches. A quick mask of a smile slides over her face and she waves. It isn’t until the sound fades that the mask slides away and she looks back to the crystal.
“One of the competitors. I try to be friendly. Anyway, it was after that I went down to Stormwind. Talked to Sir Ference about the whole Old God thing, and that went better than I expected. I’m glad I consulted. He had some good ideas, tips on how to keep on top of things and not get fooled by things that can creep into your mind. I brought ‘em up with my team later, and we have a code phrase now. I’ll not say it here. But that way we’ll always know if we’re really us.”
Lena bites her lip and falls silent for a moment. Finally, she continues.
“Then I went down to visit Roz in Westfall. That did not go how I expected. Things were great at first. But then, I tried to talk to her about the whole gift thing, and we…” Lena crosses her arms. “I… I broke up with her.”
“Is it weird to miss a person when you’re normally apart a lot anyway?” Lena blinks again, but a tear still trickles down her cheek. “Some days I feel like maybe I ought to run back and say no, I was wrong, please let’s start again. But I wasn’t. I know I wasn’t. She wouldn’t be happy in the life I want to live. And I don’t think I’d be happy in hers. Brings to mind an old saying about a fish and a bird in love. Once you can see the ending like that, it’s better to stop things before the hurt gets deeper.”
Lena rubs at her nose, a little un-ladylike.
“She’ll be alright. So will I. I just got to get through the hurting part first.”
Lena starts to reach for the off-button, but then sighs and sits back.
“Reckon there’s still a lot more to talk about, and I ought to do it now rather than later. Work in Icecrown is going on, whatever’s happening with me. More work with the death knights, with that Thassarian fellow. We’re trying to make sure Corp’rethar doesn’t end up like Angrathar or Mord’rethar. Keep the Horde on their toes, no time to make trouble. And against the Scourge - softening up the defenses there, freeing some chained ghosts.”
She frowns a little.
“That Thassarian worries me, sometimes. Like when he was talking about how he had not been able to re-create the will-controlling elixir made from tortured souls. I mean, I know they got to hurt people on the regular, but you can be polite and not talk about it, right? I was worried again, when he said we ought to bring back shards of the mind-attacking gems at Corp’rethar. Crystals that fill people with horror, suffering, and despair. Ben brought back little bitty ones for proof, because what did he even want with them, you know?”
Lena looks away for a moment, maybe making sure no one’s nearby, then back to the crystal.
“I was wrong about that. He just crushed them right off into dust, made sure they were gone for good. There was something in his voice, some kind of almost… vulnerability. I think they used those crystals on the death knights, back before they were free. So they were… raised against their will, trapped and tortured, and then they got these crystal things putting despair and horror in their minds without their say-so. And then the hunger. And I know I always got to be on guard, I will never lower my guard at any person I know likes seeing girls in pain, but…” Lena shakes her head. “It’s just a hell of a thing to go through. That’s all.”
Lena shakes her head again, dismissing the train of thought this time.
“Any case, as you can see, I’m still at the tournament grounds. They had us put on a show, the five of us fighting against other champions of the Horde and the Argents for a bunch of the leaders and diplomatic delegations. Went pretty well till a Cult of the Damned death knight fellow swooped in and murdered the announcer right in front of us. Raised him up as a ghoul before Iphi could do anything about it.”
“We killed him, naturally, though it was too late for the elf fellow,” Lena sighs. “He fought like hell, but we got him in the end. Reckon that’s death knights for you, too.”
She reaches forward and turns the crystal off.