It had been at least a week since Koril had been force fed the power of the Uor’Tal. She kept hearing Verka’s voice in her mind, trying to command her…but she was strong enough to ignore it. She had the power to do as she wished, she wasn’t about to bow to anyone. Not Verka, not Dristun, nor Kordel or any of the Highlords of the Eyes of Chaos. This power, however forced upon her, was hers and hers alone.
How easy it was to fool others. She kept her spells tempered, her attitude docile, and they all fell for it. She was just the sweet, innocent seeming warlock they had all known. She, in particular, enjoyed fooling the rogue known as Daelin. He preached to her about enlightenment, and she pretended to be a good pupil.
It was because of this that he decided to escort her back to Southshore from another expedition into the Scarlet Monastery. She was amused by his chivalry, but he could become a nuisance to her plans. He would be dealt with…eventually.
She was surprised to see Dristun in Southshore, as if he was waiting for her. The look on his face told her he needed to speak. She shrugged off Daelin, explaining a need for privacy, and dragged Dristun down to the basement of the inn.
“What? What is it you need?” She asked in a hushed, irritated voice. Dristun was a pawn of Verka, while she might be fed by his power, she herself was free.
A voice whispered in her head, urging her to give Dristun the Uor’Tal. He held out his hands as if he heard it as well. She shook her head, as if trying to physically shake the voice loose.
“I will not give you the Uor’Tal…it is mine, forever!” She pressed back against the large kegs of ale, glaring fiercely at him. He stepped closer, grinning wickedly.
“If you do not give him the Uor’Tal, child, I will hurt you in ways you will never recover from.” Verka’s voice spoke through Dristun’s mouth. Verka knew he had lost control of Koril; he barely had it in the first place. He wanted his tome back and desperately.
“If you touch her, you will die by my hand.” A voice from nowhere spoke. She had seen this tactic before, it was favored by Daelin. Verka laughed, looking around while advancing on Koril further.
“She is mine rogue, and she knows it well. She knows what will happen if she does not obey me.” He froze suddenly, as a line of blood welled from the blade pressed to his throat. It only caused him to laugh further. He sidestepped the blade, guessing correctly as to Daelin’s position, and grabbed for Koril, tossing her upon the kegs of ale with a heavy thud. “The tome or the incubus is released!”
She managed to get up a little and look him in the eye. “No…never.” She hissed, “It’s mine now.”
With that, Dristun – and Verka by default – vanished, returning to Stormwind. Koril pulled the Uor’Tal from her pack, holding it close as she sat up on the kegs. She glanced about the basement. “You can show yourself now rogue.”
Daelin seemed to appear from nowhere just as Dristun had vanished. She knew it was merely a trick of his, being a rogue he was trained to use the shadows to his advantage. He sheathed his blade and stepped closer, eying the tome with some sense of wariness.
“Koril, what’s going on here?”
“That…was Verka the blood drinker. He seeks me because he wrote this, and empowered it.” She glanced down at the tome.
“Then you should be rid of it.”
She narrowed her eyes and looked at him. “I see why you would say that, rogue. You feel the power of it as well. You want it for yourself! You cannot have it, I won’t let you. It’s mine, all mine.” She clutched it tighter, glaring at him.
“I want nothing to do with that tome.” Koril blinked, frowning a bit.
“You don’t?” She felt confused as her rage subsided, the danger to the tome gone.
“No, I’ve seen what it’s done to you. You’ve gone power mad, Koril. Toss it aside, you don’t need it. You’re strong enough on your own.” She frowned deeper as he spoke, his words bringing something bubbling up in her mind, something distant yet familiar.
It was gone in a flash as Verka’s voice sounded in her head. “You have five minutes to give me the tome, child. Which crypt in Stormwind holds my true remains…hrm, I wonder? Will you find me in time?” He laughed. “Perhaps I shall release the incubus now…or perhaps I will put it in Dristun, and let him be a host.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
Daelin’s voice sounded distant, a sudden pounding in resounded through her entire body. She felt severely weakened, as if something was being drained from her. It almost felt as if one of her own spells was being turned upon her. She glanced down at the Uor’Tal…it was slowly losing its normal reddish black glow.
Her eyes opened in a flash as she realized what was really going on. Her head pounding, she looked to Daelin, the first person she was able to recognize as bringing to the surface her old self. The one who sought power, but not to wield it to frighten and intimidate, but to help herself…
“Daelin…Verka is draining the tome of its power…and I think it’s taking from me as well…” Daelin wasted no time, helping her down from the kegs and into a comfortable seat upon the floor. He stood behind her and rested his palms lightly upon her shoulders.
“Koril, I need you to close your eyes and breathe deeply.” She frowned for a moment, not understanding how this was going to help, but did as was asked. She was starting to put a little trust into him. After all, here was a perfect opportunity to lay her low, yet he hadn’t.
She was feeling weaker by the moment; it was hard to concentrate only on her breathing. She could hear Verka laughing in her head, taunting her as Daelin began to knead her shoulders. He whispered instructions to her, keeping her calm and focused. Slowly, ever so slowly, she was able to stop the flow from herself to Verka. She was no longer connected to him now that the Uor’Tal was completely drained of its power and she was glad of it.
She offered Daelin the tome, but he refused, saying it must be destroyed in a proper manner, not passed off to another safe bearer. She nodded, almost slumping over in exhaustion, she he helped her up the stairs to a room for the night.
The next day, she was able to find Dristun. He looked as weakened as she, but in better spirits. His rages were also gone. Immediately, they both knew the other was alright.
“Dristun, we are free!” Koril exclaimed. She still felt the hunger for the power, the craving, but it was able to be held at bay, so she was as free as ever.
“Aye…we are free.”
Posted by Koril at 01:18 PM 16 May 2005