Category: Shizukera
Posted: September 2, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Here’s the little drabble I wrote around the dialogue I posted in my last entry. Enjoy!
–
“Shizukera. What are you doing?”
The demon hunter looked up, her expression eager and her felsight glowing brightly behind her blindfold. “I’m gardening!”
Serreina blinked. She blinked again. “Gardening?”
“Yeah!” Nodding enthusiastically, Shizukera raised her thumbs in a cheerful, triumphant gesture. “I know it’s weird to think of someone full of fel magic as being able to grow stuff, but I’ve been told I have quite the green thumb.”
Serreina blinked again, then gave her head a quick shake as her daughter’s words drifted serenely over her head. “A … green thumb?”
“It’s a human expression. It means you’re good at growing things, and look! I am!” Shizukera gestured expansively. “See my great big garden?”
Serreina looked around. The garden was indeed large, and it was filled with newly sprouted seedlings. Some of them she recognized, while others were completely alien. The effect was surprisingly pleasant.
“It looks and smells very nice,” she said.
“Thanks, but you can’t eat it yet. Nothing is ripe, except the flowers.” Shizukera looked up at her mother again, her ears twitching. “You want to try growing something? You might have a green thumb too!”
Serreina managed not to laugh, although she felt the corners of her mouth twitch. She wondered, as she attempted to keep a straight face, just how detailed her daughter’s felsight was.
“I am a death knight, Shizukera,” she pointed out. “Things die when I touch them. I do not have a ‘green thumb’; I have a black thumb of death and desiccation.”
“Oh. I guess that’s true.” Shizukera’s ears drooped slightly, then perked again. “Want some flowers, though? They taste really good. I know because I tried some earlier.”
“No, thank you. They’re not for eating, you know.”
“Okay, suit yourself. More for me!”
And with that, Shizukera purred, popped a flower into her mouth, and happily returned to her garden.
Posted: August 30, 2010 at 8:27 am
I should start all my writing projects like I started this one – with an ink pen, a piece of paper, a bit of dialogue, and a big black smudge on my left pinkie.
Anyway, this is a thoroughly random (and, in my totally biased opinion, fairly adorable) conversation between Shizukera and Serreina about gardening. Like the title says, it’s a work in progress. I plan to add narrative and whatnot to expand it into a tiny short story. For now, however, you can has cute dialogue!
Demon hunter + death knight + gardening = LOL.
–
“Shizukera. What are you doing?”
“I’m gardening!”
“Gardening?”
“Yeah! I’ve been told I have quite the green thumb.”
“ … green thumb?”
“It’s a human expression. It means you’re good at growing things, and look! I am! See my great big garden?”
“It looks and smells very nice.”
“Thanks, but you can’t eat it yet. Nothing is ripe, except the flowers. You want to try growing something? You might have a green thumb too!”
“I am a death knight, Shizukera. Things die when I touch them. I do not have a ‘green thumb’; I have a black thumb of death and desiccation.”
“Oh. I guess that’s true. Want some flowers, though? They taste really good. I know because I tried some earlier.”
“No, thank you. They’re not for eating, you know.”
“Okay, suit yourself. More for me!”
[Shizu munches a flower, purrs, and goes back to gardening.]
Posted: October 25, 2009 at 9:36 pm
(Original Post Date: October 18, 2009)
WARNING: Large screenshots lie ahead! I resized them quite a lot, but I play on a 20″ 1600×900 monitor, so they may be like WHOOSH IN YOUR FACE if you play on a smaller one.
I’ve spent the last few weeks plugging away at a few of the items on my bucket list. I made a lot of progress. In fact, over the last week, I think I managed to knock off about half the things on it.
First, it was decreed that Serreina should reach 80. And lo, my first max-level alt came to be:
No, that’s not a glowy red ding – I missed the actual ding, having dinged on a mob kill. But I caught the achievement itself, and I was standing in my mage friend’s Flamestrike, which looks pretty darn cool if you ask me!
With that done, I plowed away at my remaining Alliance rep grind – Gnomeregan, possibly the most aggravating Alliance rep grind, which I’d saved for last since I wasn’t as far along in their rep as I was the others (I was not quite halfway through revered). After I finished the quest series, I bought a few commendation badges and voila! Ambassador title for me!
I stopped to laugh for a while, because if you’ve RP’d with Shizu you know how funny it would be for her, of all people, to actually be an ambassador. Many dignitaries would facepalm. Then I remembered something else, and I raced to Dun Morogh, where I completed another achievement I’ve been eyeballing for a while:
Yes, Shizu was 7 mounts away from the albino drake, and Gnomeregan happened to have 7 mounts available. Huzzah! And the albino drake is gorgeous, so here, have a gratuitous screenie:
With those achievements under my belt, I decided it was time to finish off my Silver Covenant and Argent Crusade reputations. Three days later, I hit exalted with the Silver Covenant. That left me about 4 days’ worth of dailies away from Argent Crusade exalted and the Crusader title, but I am impatient. So I took a deep breath, dove into /lookingforgroup (which, by the way, SUCKS if you’re dps), and waited patiently for someone to announce that they needed dps. One H-Utgarde Keep and one H-Violet Hold later:
Then I snickered at the very random, very silly thought of Shizu actually being knighted. “Highlord Fordring, sir, be careful with that blade. I have large ears…”
So, what’s next? The Silver Covenant hippogryph, of course. 85 seals and counting!
Posted: October 25, 2009 at 9:33 pm
(Original Post Date: September 22, 2009)
Here it is – part 4 of the continuing series, “From Beyond, She Comes.”
I took a very different approach to this particular piece, as I wanted to get directly into Serreina’s head and document what she was going through as she attempted this particular act of insanity. As such, it’s very stream-of-consciousness and I’ve done very little editing. All the same, I hope you enjoy it!
—
“Serreina Nightfury, you are relieved of duty until further notice. You will continue your training here and in Outland. You are not to enter Northrend under any circumstances until I clear you to do so. Have I made myself clear?”
“Sir – “
“There is only one acceptable answer, Serreina.”
I stood there for a solid minute, staring at Highlord Mograine, struggling to keep my emotions in check. He stared back, his expression stern, yet his eyes revealed just the slightest touch of – was that sadness? Regret? Pity?
Sadness was pointless. It would take more than regret to persuade the highlord to change the orders he had just given me. And I certainly did not need his pity. So I closed my eyes for a moment, struggling to keep my emotions in check. When I opened them, Mograine was staring calmly back at me. I drew myself up to my full height, looking down into the highlord’s eyes.
“Understood, sir.”
—
Even now, days later, I remember every word, every detail of that conversation. I remember that undefinable look in Mograine’s eyes as he ordered me to stay behind while the rest of the order continues the march toward Icecrown. I remember fighting back nearly uncontrollable rage, struggling to maintain my composure as I turned and walked away from the highlord. I remember how the other knights watched me as I approached the gryphon that would take me back to Stormwind. And the whispers. I remember those too.
There were a lot of whispers.
Once again, I feel the rage building inside me. Apparently it’s noticeable; the passersby and even the city guards take a slightly wider path around me as I march past them. My fingers curl into fists and a slight smile forms on my face as Sorrowblade’s consciousness stirs.
It is almost over, it whispers.
Yes. It is almost over.
Kill them.
For the first time in quite some time, I experience doubt. Uncertainty. My powers are much weaker than they were when I was under the Lich King’s control. I’m not sure I can kill them. I can barely touch them. Last time I tried, Shatterbound nearly tore my head off – literally.
They are making you weak.
They could also make me dead again.
They are making you sentimental and weakening your resolve. You are weak now. You will remain weak until you remove the source of the weakness. Remember the strength you once had. Remember their betrayal.
The fury builds again, growing into cold resolve. Yes, I will kill them. Or they will kill me. Either way, it will end. It has to end. I cannot bear this turmoil any longer …
Only now Kharsus is here. There’s only a bridge between my daughter and me, and here he is, trying to stop me as always. It makes no sense. I nearly decapitated him. He shouldn’t be here. Why won’t his soul stay inside Sorrowblade where it belongs? Why does he keep coming back to torment me? He is dead! He should stay dead!
We argue. That is what we do. I very much hate him, especially now. I do not wish to deal with him any longer. So I run him through with my blade – again – then push him off into the canal. Will he come back from that? I’m sure he will. If decapitation couldn’t kill him permanently, being run through and knocked into some water won’t do it. But it will buy me the time I need to end this.
I cross the bridge and find myself standing face to face with Shatterbound. Well, of course. I always knew I’d have to go through him to get to Shizukera. I don’t really expect to survive. But it will be over at last.
Sorrowblade’s whispers grow louder in my mind. Its hunger – my hunger, our hunger – increases, exquisite in its pain. I do the only thing I can do.
I attack.
—
“Serreina.”
Mograine was standing behind me. I wasn’t in the mood to continue the conversation from earlier, but I couldn’t exactly ignore the highlord. So I took a deep breath, attempted to work my face into a neutral expression, and turned to face him.
“You just banned me from an entire continent, sir.”
He cocked his head, scrutinizing me. I bit my lip and looked away.
“You want me to change your orders? Then prove me wrong.”
I blinked. “Sir?”
“Northrend will test you as you have never been tested before, death knight. You will face reminders of your past at every turn. It takes a certain presence of mind. You think you’re ready? You think you’re stable enough to fight at the Lich King’s doorstep? Prove it. Oh, and Serreina … “
I stared warily at him. “Yes, sir?”
“You have a family. You have a second chance to be a mother to your children. Take advantage of the opportunity and stop trying to kill them.”
—
I yell in rage and frustration as Shatterbound catches my blade neatly between his hands. Damn the demon hunter and his unnatural reflexes! I feel the blade’s agony as it is assaulted by felfire; I smile coldly as I unleash disease and the chill of death on the demon hunter. Then I hear a voice. Shizukera’s voice.
“I will end this!” she yells, and her fel-charged sword crashes down on Sorrowblade.
The runeblade shatters.
The pain is indescribable; I feel it in every part of my body as my runeblade and my soul are torn asunder. I fall to my knees as someone shrieks in agony, only vaguely aware that I am the one screaming. The pain subsides, and I realize that the whispers in my mind, the voices that haunted me even after my release from the Lich King’s service, have gone silent at last. The victims of the battle for Light’s Hope. The hundreds I slaughtered during the purging of the Scarlet Enclave. Countless others who died by my hand. They are all gone. Even Kharsus isn’t here to taunt me.
I am alone inside my own head. I am truly free at last. I am in pain, I have lost a piece of my soul … and I have never been so afraid.
Someone is standing next to me. Kharsus. He lifts me to my feet, his grip surprisingly gentle. He’s looking at my daughter, and he’s smiling. I’ve never seen him smile. Then again, I’ve never seen him free.
“The blade is broken,” he says.
My grip on the pieces of Sorrowblade tightens. “And with it, my soul.”
He looks at me appraisingly, then shakes his head. Of course he disagrees. He isn’t the one whose soul was torn apart. I watch in silence as he thanks Shizukera and Shatterbound and calls forth a death gate.
“Let’s go home.”
Posted: October 25, 2009 at 9:28 pm
(Original Post Date: July 27, 2009)
Here it is, the long-overdue third installment in the continuing story of Serreina Nightfury. Enjoy!
—-
Serreina stood at the edge of the dock with her runeblade in hand, gazing out across the sea. Her hood was pulled back, and her limp hair fluttered lightly in the breeze, but she barely noticed; her thoughts were back in Shattrath, her mind focused on what had occurred there.
She hadn’t been particularly smart, confronting them there. Trying to take them on at the same time hadn’t been all that wise either – in fact, that had been a patently terrible idea. She’d taken on far larger numbers and survived, of course, but she had never faced even one demon hunter, let alone two. She had underestimated the power Shizukera and Shatterbound wielded, and that lapse had nearly gotten her killed.
Decapitated, to be exact …
The death knight rubbed her throat, grimacing. That had been another mistake – she had watched him as he harnessed his power, growing larger and stronger and more powerful, and yet she had foolishly allowed him to get close enough to touch her. He had a hell of a grip, too; he had simply caught her chest armor in one hand and her neck in the other and pulled, while she had boiled his blood and afflicted him with diseases. If Shizukera and Kharsus hadn’t interfered, Serreina knew that both she and Shatterbound would be dead. As it was, she had wounded both of them, but she had also lost her voice. She fervently hoped this was temporary, because now when Kharsus spoke she had no choice but to listen. That was annoying and inconvenient, partially because the former Scarlet Crusader was an arse, but mainly because he said many things that caused her resolve to waver.
The thought caused her lips to curl back in a sneer. Oh yes, he said many things. That she was insane; that she couldn’t be trusted; that she was utterly dependent on her runeblade, to the point that it controlled her, rather than the other way around.
Untrue …
She tightened her grip on Sorrowblade, listening as the runeblade whispered to her. After several long moments she turned back toward Stormwind and whistled sharply. Her deathcharger appeared at once, seeming to materialize from darkness and shadow. She smiled.
I will defeat them still, she promised Sorrowblade silently. I was uninformed and unprepared before. Now I know better. Now I know how to fight them
And I will make sure she is alone.
Her smile widened as she spurred her deathcharger on, racing back toward the city as quickly as the undead beast could carry her. No, she wouldn’t be distracted. She wouldn’t be dissuaded.
And she would not fail again.
Posted: October 25, 2009 at 9:26 pm
(Original Post Date: July 10, 2009)
This short story, written from Shizukera’s perspective, is part 2 in the RP series “From Beyond, She Comes.” Enjoy!
~*~
Guess what, journal ~
Today I met my mother, who’s been dead for years. She’s a death knight. It was weird.
Shizukera Nightfury read over what she had just written and couldn’t help but laugh. Weird? Weird didn’t even begin to describe that experience. Horrifying beyond imagining came a little closer.
The truth was, she had always wished there was a way to put her family together again. Of course, she knew that could never happen – she had seen her parents die; she’d lost her mind for a time because of it – but what orphaned child doesn’t wish she could have her parents back again?
Well, she’d gotten her wish. Half of it, at least.
Shizu shuddered. She could see her mother clearly in her mind’s eye: pale skin stretched across hollow cheekbones, the icy blue glow of necromantic magic shining through her sunken eyes, the cold smile as she made both her presence and her purpose known. There was nothing left of the gentle priestess who had been Shizu’s mother. All that remained was this dark, cruel, battle-hardened champion of the Scourge.
Former champion of the Scourge, Shizu silently corrected herself. If Serreina was still under the Lich King’s control, she never would’ve made it out of the king’s throne room alive. No, her mother was acting on her own will. She truly wanted her daughter dead, and her son … and Taldarion.
That thought filled Shizu with rage. She had learned long ago not to expect life to be fair, but this? To have her mother returned to her as a death knight, deranged and merciless and set on killing her and two of the people she cared about more than anything or anyone else in this world – this after all that Shizu had already been through – wasn’t that a little too much? She had never asked for much out of life, yet life insisted on piling shoveltusk droppings on her head.
The rage faded as quickly as it had formed, and Shizu sighed heavily. Even now, having seen what Serreina Nightfury had become, she couldn’t let go of her desire to have her mother back. Was there anything left of her? Was there enough of her to save? Maybe not. It didn’t look like it.
But that wasn’t going to stop her from trying.
With another heavy sigh, Shizu laid her journal aside, scooted closer to her mate, and slipped into an uneasy, dream-riddled sleep.
