#talondressa

[shadow-of-illidan]

[piggys-writing-blog]

WoW Fiction- “The Night Before”

It was late at night, when the world was still and slow. The midnight sky was dark and vast; little specks of innocent light dotting its black expanse. One bright light hung above, pouring its silvery rays onto the land below. Many believed that light was sacred and pure. They worshipped it and called upon its power to augment their own. Talondressa used to be one of them.

Now, however, she stood on the balcony staring out at this sky, her arms folded and leaned against the metal railing. The only thing keeping her from jumping to her death. What would be the use, anyways? She would just come back afterwards. So there she stayed; several hundred, maybe even a thousand feet above ground, taking in what she could of the ebon night. If she focused, she could make out the faint energy of the stars. But the moon...there was no denying its power. Gentle and frigid, yes; but also strong. Thriving. Pulsing. The Moon Goddess she once served was still just as luminous and breathtaking as she had always been. The man she now served paled in comparison to her--she knew that well.

Regardless, she would always be indebted to Illidan. Nothing she could ever do would be enough to fully remunerate him. Many called him The Betrayer. A heretic. A criminal. He committed many crimes against the Night Elves, yes. But Talondressa, the others--they knew the truth. They knew the reasons behind their master’s seemingly ill-meant behavior. He was the only one out of them all who would even take action. Nothing would have changed; hell, most of the elves would not be alive now if it weren’t for him. His followers knew that. That’s why they served him. Because they knew they could unquestionably rely on him to follow through, unlike anyone else. He alone could and would change things. Born with amber eyes, Illidan Stormrage had always been destined for greatness. And here he was even now, after everything, still doing his damndest to make things right. Talondressa admired him so for this.

But it was more than that to her. Not only did he save the Night Elf race as a whole; she felt he had also saved her, personally. He’d dragged her out of the hopeless and desolate abyss she’d found herself in--that everyone found themselves in. He told her, and many others, to get up and brush herself off, and learn to fight for what needed to be fought for: Azeroth’s safety, and that of its inhabitants, great and small. Even after being labelled a criminal and a betrayer, and called a monster by the woman he loved after being rejected by her as well, his grand plan at the end of the day had never changed. Protect Azeroth, no matter the cost. After Talondressa lost her entire family and everyone she held dear, she felt as though her entire purpose for being alive had slipped away, too. But Illidan gave her a new purpose. And she became one of his Illidari.

With all this in mind, Talondressa had begun to wander the castle in silence. By now, she had ventured from her chambers and up the many tall, wide staircases of the Black Temple. Up she climbed, lost in her thoughts and worries. Visions of the past filtered through them, and she sent them away without a care. Those were old and irrelevant now. She held her head high and reminded herself of her ultimate goals: protecting her home, and obeying her master. It was all that mattered now.

Eventually she found herself at the very top of the citadel, the sky open and endless above her. The many torches were lit and blazing brightly, guiding her way across the large roof before her. She wondered why she had ended up there, but didn’t think much of it. That is, until she was suddenly overwhelmed by the presence of another. She stopped dead in her tracks, eyeing the dark, shadowed blob a few hundred feet away from where she stood. The silhouette was difficult to make out, but after focusing her gaze a bit harder, she was able to recognize the energy signature. The swirling emerald power radiating off of the figure was so great and terrifying, it sent a shiver through her. It was her master. The demon within her quietly chuckled to itself.

Still afraid of him, are we? it taunted her. She ignored it. Squaring her shoulders, she took step after step towards him in a cautious but precise manner. If he were to send her away, she would not argue. But perhaps...perhaps he wouldn’t mind some company? Never had he laid a hand against one of his Illidari, despite being rather rough with the demons and the Broken Draenei. He was strong and very powerful, and was definitely not a pushover. But he never used force unnecessarily. So, though her demon was technically correct in its musing, she wasn’t truly afraid of him. Just...extremely intimidated.

“Did you want something?” came Illidan’s inquiry, all of a sudden.

Talondressa stiffened with a small gasp. She immediately dropped to her knees, unable to remain standing in his presence. “S-sir,” she stammered, “I was just wandering the halls unable to sleep, and I happened upon you by accident. If you would like me to leave, I will not hesitate to do so.” She squeezed her eyes shut, grimacing as she waited for him to send her away.

Alright, so she was afraid of him.

The Illidari Master was silent for a moment, and Talondressa was unable to see his reaction, for her head was bowed.

“...what gave you the impression that I would ask you to leave?” he then asked, in an almost confused tone.

Talondressa slowly looked up at him, shock evident on her face. “I-I was afraid I might have disturbed you.”

“Then why did you approach me in the first place?” inquired her master, smirking.

The younger Illidari’s mouth opened and snapped shut again like a hungry fish. He definitely had a point. Her cheeks began to heat up and she hung her head in shame. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, embarrassed.

A single, soft chuckle left him. Though it sounded more like a scoff, it was truly the closest thing to a laugh that she had ever heard come out of his mouth. Her eyes widened.

“Well, I won’t send you away, for now. Getting lost in my thoughts isn’t exactly something I enjoy. It’ll be nice to have a distraction, even if only for a moment.” The shifting of fabrics and the plop of a massive body setting itself upon the cold stone was heard. Illidan had sat down. Talondressa gazed at him again in confusion and gratitude as he patted the spot beside him once. With that, he turned his gaze to the sky and said nothing more.

Elated, the younger Illidari shuffled her way over to him, resting her own body upon the spot which he had indicated. It was so strange to be sitting beside him, as if they were equals. Her heart swelled and roared in excitement and uncontained emotions as so many things to say came to mind. She’d always had so much to tell him, to thank him for. There just weren’t enough words in the world.

None of this was spoken aloud, however, for she did not know if Illidan would want to hear them...or if he would even accept them. She kept it to herself once more, nearly exploding from the catastrophical amount of sentiments that were forced to remain within her.

Digging her nails into her palms, she tried and miserably failed to keep the tears in. Ah, yes. The tears. Sure, she had become one of the fiercest demon hunters around, and had lost or at the very least dulled most of her sensitivity to death and murder and the like--but that did not mean she didn’t cry over everything from seeing a cute rabbit in the forest to sitting beside the person she adored and respected most in the entire world. Blood trickled down her wrists; she had forgotten that her nails were now claws. Hundreds of years she’d spent harboring a large portion of a demon soul within her, and still she continued to forget that she also took on some of its physical features. She quickly hid her palms from view and took a breath, calming her tears as quietly as physically possible.

“Sometimes I envy those who can still express their emotions in such a manner,” Illidan mumbled suddenly, causing Talondressa to jump.

“Wh-what do you mean?” she asked him, bewildered, hastily rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands to erase any evidence of tears. She was sure there was no way he had actually seen her.

Her master turned his head and gazed down at her. “You. You’re crying.” He nodded once at her.

She simply stared at him in shock.

A sad smile played on his lips. It was so faint, it was barely even there. He let out a sigh and shook his head. Talondressa could tell he was troubled. She wondered if he would tell her or not. He seemed to be attempting to formulate words in his head, but nothing else came from him. He was silent. Eventually, he looked back up at the stars again, wordless.

Talondressa’s shoulders drooped. But it was at that moment when she caught sight of what was in his hand. It was a skull. Focusing harder, she was able to deduce that it was an Orc skull, or at least looked it. The Master looked down at it then, another sigh leaving him. His shoulders sank, too. Talondressa was extremely curious now. She decided to say something else, hoping it would eventually lead him to explaining what he’d meant by his previous statement.

“I was crying because...well, I’m grateful to you,” she said simply. “You’re my master and yet...here I am, sitting beside you.”

Illidan grunted. “Indeed, I am your master, but that does not mean you are not allowed to occupy the same space as I.” He glanced at her apathetically.

Talondressa felt herself smile at that. “Well, I’m grateful. I--we owe you so much, Lord Illidan. Our lives.”

Another grunt. He shook his head. “I’m just trying to make a real change in a world full of people too self-absorbed to do the same. You, and the rest of my Illidari, are the special few who followed me on this path because you share my ideals.”

Talondressa nodded. He was just being modest, but none of it was untrue.

Illidan took a small breath, hesitant before he finally went on. “...and...you know,” he took a moment to pause. “I’m...grateful to you, too. To all of you. Without you, I….” he trailed off, his eyes finding those stars again. Nothing more was said on the matter.

Still, just hearing those words from Illidan was enough to send her over the edge again, tears flowing endlessly from her fel-burned eyes. Her shoulders shook gently from the strain of trying to keep silent. She was embarrassed at herself for crying in front of him not once, but twice. She hoped at least this time he wouldn’t--

“You’re crying again,” Illidan noted, a hint of amusement coloring his voice. He hadn’t even moved.

“Gah,” Talondressa choked, a small sob leaving her. “I’m sorry.” Her words were barely audible.

Illidan heard them. He shook his head and stared at the faint power radiating off of the distant stars. “You’d better not cry like that tomorrow when you launch your assault on Mardum. Am I understood?”

“Y-yes sir,” Talondressa managed to say between sobs. She was hugging her knees now.

Illidan would offer her no comfort save for his presence, and a gentle smile that she would never see. “Good.”

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 5: Friends

Many things were better before the war. That does not exclude Talon’s friend circle. She had many friends. Tenderis, of course, was number one. An aspiring druidess by the name of Saellennia was probably the second after him. She belonged to a family with close ties to their own: the Silverspear Clan. Saellennia was a kind, soft girl who held a deep regard for nature and all living creatures. Talon was a hunter, so they didn’t always get along--but Saellennia was amiable and cheerful, so it made friendship quite easy, despite their differences. Naturally, after the war, Talon was separated from them, and she did make a few friends in the Illidari...many of them did not make it. Others were left behind after the vault was broken into and only a select few were shattered out of their prisons. Years after their escape, Talon joined a group of criminals that her brother had been affiliated with and made friends with them. But alas, they all turned against her--one even killed her. Twice. The moral of the story is, “friend” is not a nice word to Talondressa--it only brings with it cold memories of bitter betrayal and aching loss. She needs only her brother. What an edgelord

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 3: Hobbies

When she is not buried balls-deep in demons, she likes to spend her time in the forest, as it reminds her of the place she grew up in when she was much younger. It reminds her of a happier time, when the world was beautiful and her family was still together. If she can’t wander in a forest, she’ll be in town somewhere drinking. Usually in Stormwind. Some things never change.

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 10: Broken Temper

Talondressa’s anger has no leash on it. It doesn’t help that her fiery personality combined with the Shivarra’s own wild ways, and things tend to get out of hand rather quickly when Talon is involved. Her patience is at an all-time low and her her stress levels are higher than ever before. They’ve been thus for thousands of years now. She’s a broken and messed up shell of an elf, barely holding it together through the day. And I’m sorry, but when she’s asked you twice already to get her the damn fel blades off the wall over there, she’s not going to be very happy with you the third time she has to ask. You have been warned.

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 4: Family

When she was younger, Talondressa of course had the normal “nuclear” family everyone might expect. But after the war...well, many did not survive. She was left with just her brother, but she was even separated from him--for thousands of years. So she spent that long believing she had no family. Illidan, the other Illidari--they were her “family,” though she never referred to them as such. Family was a rather touchy subject for her for a very long time. When she happened upon her brother Tenderis after all that time, however, things were different. She had her best friend back, and that was all that mattered. Nowadays, he’s all she has left. They stick together like glue, determined to never let anything separate them again. It’s kind of cute.

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 2: Job

Talondressa works for Illidan Stormrage as one of his Illidari. She puts her life on the line daily to fight against the Legion, along with the rest of the Demon Hunters. She is one of Illidan’s captains; a strong, passionate leader who directs her troops with intelligence and power. Just don’t catch her on a bad day.

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 9: Spirituality

This is probably a tricky one. Talondressa was born into the very same religion all other Night Elves were born into; therefore she worshipped Elune just like everyone else. The Moon Goddess was good to her and never failed her, just like she never failed anyone else. However, after the War of the Ancients broke out and everyone around her died, she had what some call a “crisis of faith.” She basically felt angry and betrayed by her Goddess that she would allow something like this to happen--that she would allow Aszhara to do the evil things she’d done and that she would allow The Hecking Legion onto Azeroth. Many elves didn’t exactly seem to share her views. Correction: none of them did. So she was very much alone in her confusion and heartbreak. It wasn’t until she decided to join Illidan that she found peace again. How did she find peace? Simple. After taking in a portion of a demon soul into her, her own soul quickly became intertwined with it. She had absorbed the soul of a Shivarra; a powerful demon who obeys faithfully and worships her master. The very nature of the Shivarra clung to Talondressa’s doubts and fears about her own goddess, and it wasn’t long before a rather unhealthy and almost insane love for Illidan was developed. Talondressa worships someone else now. She worships Illidaddy<3

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 8: Formal Outfit

Talondressa has honestly not attended anything remotely formal in over 10,000 years. She is always either out on missions or lounging about in the city. Her work attire consists of a blood red mask and massive pauldrons fashioned from the bones of many large animals, along with her vests and leggings, and of course her cape. Her war glaives are massive and constantly radiating fel, and she loves them, even though she throws them around a lot. However, back in “the day” when she did attend some formal events, she adored those skimpy cocktail dresses with plunging necklines and threads for straps. She would usually complete the ensemble with a set of crystal pumps and a see-through cardigan made of the finest silk (the shimmery kind.) She was one of those girls.

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 7: Casual Outfit

On days when she has nothing to do (which rarely happens) she will most likely wear her illidari robes and boots and pretty much nothing else. She likes having her hair down sometimes too, though it’s rather long and gets in the way at times. Occasionally she will sport gloves or even a cape, because she secretly loves the feeling of a billowing cape fluttering behind her when she glides through the air. 

[piggy-peach]

30 Day OC Challenge!

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Day 6: Guilty Pleasure

Talondressa may seem uptight and a stickler for the rules to many, but don’t let her gruff demeanor fool you. She has needs too--and sometimes she just needs something to laugh at. If you follow her when she’s drunk, you’ll watch as she stumbles through Elwynn forest to that one lake--you know the one--and plops herself down on the sand there. Then she’ll sit and stare at those disgusting murlocs and talk to them. Or at least, she’ll think she’s talking to them. It might sound like it to her. She’ll gargle and mumble at them for hours, laughing uncontrollably at their disgruntled responses. She might even through a bottle at them. It’s happened before.

[shadow-of-illidan]

Meet Vermeadow (3/3)

Before WotA:

Currently:

Vermeadow Silverspear and twin sister Sællennià were born to an ever-devoted priestess and her kind and faithful husband who was often cast aside for the sake of her duties to her Goddess. Vermeadow, the younger twin by a mere few minutes, felt saddened and personally betrayed by her mother’s absence--especially as a little girl. She saw herself as a troubled elf, and a rebel, and from a young age, held a fascination for noble life. Their family was middle-class, but she’d somehow gotten it into her head that they were poor. A sort of resentment towards her family began to grow around her 100th year of life. She could not connect with her twin sister, who seemed to love nature more than her, or her father, who was gentle and docile--which to Vermeadow, only looked like weakness. She decided she was above them all, and gave up entirely on them. She spent most of her time after that in the city, making connections and mingling with the nobles of Suramar--a couple of whom she grew sort of close to over the years. She learned about arcane magic--something her father had always warned her and her sister against--and began to study and practice it. She was snobby, and entitled, and quite full of herself. Sællennià hated her, as did Tenderis. Talondressa didn’t like her most of the time, but was not afraid to approach her if she needed to do something shady. 

That was all well and good for Vermeadow. She was alright with hating her family. She was fine with living with rich strangers in the city. And she was absolutely okay with studying a magic that had previously been forbidden to her. Not only did it bring her joy to know that she was directly disobeying her father’s wishes, but she was also enthralled with the power, beauty, and convenience the magic came with. It became a part of her life, and like many other elves, she became addicted to it. She would often lace her drinks with it, and once Arcwine became a thing, you can believe that it was her favorite drink. 

She was selfish, but she was happy. Or so she told herself.

Then the war came, destroying nearly everything in its wake. She somehow survived, siding with the Highborne in the city that opposed Queen Aszhara. When all was said and done, and they were forced to move to Nordrassil, she was one of the few that disagreed with Illidan’s imprisonment. Illidan was a hero in Vermeadow’s eyes. To her, there was nothing wrong in what he did--his infamous acts during the war, or his attempt to create another Nightwell with his vials. Malfurion and Tyrande reminded her so much of her sister--pretentious and sanctimonious--so of course, she hated them. She refused to relinquish her magic, and was more than happy to sail across the sea with her fellow High Elves, abandoning her Night Elf cousins--her family--forever.

Finally, she was able to live in true happiness. She could share her love for magic with other elves who felt the same way. Her people joined the Alliance, which she was a bit hesitant to agree with at first, but it grew on her. She settled down, met a man, and soon after, they were married. Together, they had one child. Her husband and baby became her everything, and it was so strange to her, for she had only ever cared about herself her entire life. But she had truly grown as a person, as her beloved husband had encouraged her to. She strongly believed that abandoning the way of the Kaldorei had been the best thing she’d ever done in her life. 

But then the Scourge came. 

Like many, many of the High Elves, her entire family was wiped out. But unlike the rest of them, she didn’t rise up and take on the name “Blood Elf”. And unlike even less of them, she did not remain a High Elf loyal to the Alliance. Perhaps she could have taken the Sin’dorei title, but it just didn’t appeal to her. She was too broken to care about rising above her pain. It was as if all of her progress in becoming a better person had crumbled away, and she was back at square one. 

Now, she’s a wanderer. She doesn’t identify or side with either faction, and simply travels the world in attempt to find her way again. Being away from the Sunwell for so long, she’s been going through withdrawal from Arcane for a long time. She gets a few hits occasionally from a glass of wine or a particularly arcane-heavy area that she spends time in, but most of the time, she’s a bit of a withered hag. For a little while, she was seeing a human man, but it ended quickly when he turned out to be different than she initially thought. But it was too late for her, because she was pregnant with his child. She carried him to term and birthed him, both of them barely surviving the ordeal, and then made her way to Stormwind to bring him to her sister, whom she knew would take better care of him than she could. It was definitely an awkward meeting, but one that Vermeadow felt was necessary. With her son in the care of Sællennià, Vermeadow has gone back to being the bitter, sorrowful vagabond with no direction in life. Perhaps with the new war on the horizon, she might find a purpose, and finally pick a side to fight on.

Vermeadow has medium-length, gray-purple hair. (The color faded considerably as she evolved.) Her eyes used to glow green but are slowly fading into more of a pale blue because of the great amount of arcane exposure. She stands at only 5 feet and 5 inches, and has a small frame. She doesn’t talk much, but when she does, she rarely has anything nice to say. Like her twin sister, she is 10,435 years old.

[piggys-writing-blog]

WoW Fiction -- Talondressa and her Feelings

Kinship. Trust. Respect. Love. A few things Talondressa hadn't experienced in ages—she hadn't allowed herself to. Too much pain had come from them in the past...she knew better. She'd already lost everything—for good—because she'd felt those things. So she made a vow to herself: “I will never love, or expect someone to love me.” It was for the best. Nothing like that would ever happen again.

But there she stood, before her Illidari. Despite everything she'd promised herself, every silent reassurance that this would never happen—she felt as though she could cry...cry from the kinship, the trust, the respect...and even the love she felt so strongly in her heart as Kayn honored her before all of them. Named her “Slayer.” Praised her for her wonderful deeds and for leading them with conviction and strength. Every day she'd worried nearly to death that she wasn't doing anything right. But it was all for naught, and she knew that now. It made her so...happy for the first time in a long time. If only Illidan could see her now...maybe, she thought, he would be happy too.

In that soft moment, a dark shadow began to hover over her mind, erasing it all. Agonizing pangs shot through her as she was swiftly reminded of her faults, her shortcomings. Those who left her. Xailaraa. Lucidian. Probably the two most precious people in her life, aside from her brother...gone in an instant. Her child...his life was over in the shortest of moments, as the person Talondressa hated more than anything—even more than the Legion itself—cast her off the highest place she could, sending her down carelessly and watching in satisfaction as she landed lifelessly below. Saellawyn...Talon knew if she ever saw her again, her blades would find her throat and reave it apart without a second thought. The very notion sent a shiver of rage through her, causing her to flinch. Back into reality she came tumbling, suddenly aware of the sounds of applause and whistling from her underlings. Even the Shivarra Mother clapped once or twice. Talondressa immediately plastered a gracious smile onto her face and gave a polite bow. The attention was nice, though the good feelings were quite short-lived.

Once the announcement was over and she was free to go, she nearly sprinted to the upper balcony to get some air. Through it all, she'd barely noticed Sin'drai's haughty chuckle echo within her ears...taunting her. How weak and patethic Talon was...still obsessed with those long gone, hell-bent on revenge for having her precious lover stolen from her by some slut, bitter over an unborn child barely older than 3 months—

“Shut up,” Talon seethed at the demon, her fists curling tightly as she moved to the very corner of the balcony for some privacy. She let out a tired breath and leaned against the railing, staring down at the vast, fel-corrupted expanse of Marduum. Her heart had been irrevocably destroyed; it was a fact. The only thing that kept her going day by day was the Legion...the need to defeat it. The need to please Illidan...to honor him. Aside from that, there was nothing left for her. Many, many times, she had considered offing herself and just waiting in the Twisting Nether...going to Illidan, or letting herself get captured by the Legion, whichever happened first. But the Illidari needed her. She was left in charge...she needed to see it through to the end. It was her duty. To Illidan, and to Azeroth. Not that she cared much for the latter.

“Talondressa?” came a gentle, yet grumbling and confident voice. It belonged to a man. The softness of it did little to startle Talon outwardly, though she was quite surprised that someone had come to see her. She slowly turned to the one who had spoken, glancing apprehensively at his energy before addressing him...it was Jace.

“Ah. Jace,” she said cordially with a nod. “What brings you here?”

The Illidari gave a small smile in return. “I just...couldn't help but notice you, all alone in this corner here. You seem troubled.”

The Slayer eyed him. “Not in the least,” was her reply. “I was just thinking we ought to redecorate the place one day.” She gestured down to the planet below.

Jace let out a small, belated laugh after peering down at Marduum. “Right...of course. I guess it could use a bit of sprucing.” He chuckled once more before giving her a more serious look. “Something must be upsetting you, Captain,” he insisted, pausing a moment. “...your hands,” he said at last, pointing at them.

Confused, Talon peered down at them and abruptly became aware of the stinging pain she felt in her palms. A small gasp and a hiss left her as she slowly uncurled her fingers, revealing four blood-smeared dents beneath them. She'd once again underestimated the length of her fingernails....

“I—uh,” Talon mumbled sheepishly, quickly hiding her hands from view. She wiped them on her legs and attempted to come up with a viable excuse. “I was, um. Just—you know, my hands, they were...they were itchy. And my nails—damn, my nails are long,” she said with a nervous laugh, “so I guess I just scratched too hard.” She huffed and turned away from the Illidari, aware that he knew better. It was apparent from the smirk plastered on his dumb face.

Jace knew what was going on. He was a smart man. Taking a few moments to sort his thoughts, he leaned one arm against the railing and let out a silent puff of air. “Captain,” he began, “you are aware that I am one of your champions, correct?”

The Slayer side-eyed him confusedly, her flustered tone long gone as she spoke. “Obviously. I recruited you not ten minutes ago.”

“Quite,” Jace nodded in agreement. “That means you have my utmost respect. I believe in you, because you've never let us down. You're an excellent leader and a fine Demon Hunter.”

“Thank you, but I've had enough flattery for one day,” Talon cut in sharply, not even looking at him now. Hearing it all over again made her feel uncomfortable. He had to be lying, anyways. She was an awful captain and everyone knew it.

Jace, however, was patient, and kept his voice calm and level. “Along with all those things, there's something else.” He closed his eyes only for a moment, preparing himself. Then he stared at her unwaveringly. “I also care about you, Captain. Very deeply.” He gave her a moment to process.

Talon merely stared down at the planet below and said nothing.

Jace pressed on. “If something is bothering you in any way—by all means, let me know. I want to help. Or at least listen....” A sigh left him as he turned, facing the same direction as Talon with both arms against the railing. Only, he looked straight ahead into the fel-lit sky. “The others may not have the time, because the most important thing is to defeat the Legion. It's been this way as long as most of us have been alive.... But I know that you are also a person. A person with a history, and a past.” He looked at her again, his gaze soft and curious. “Often, I wonder if that's what bothers you so.” Turning his gaze back to the open sky, he continued, “Now that I have been recruited as one of your special champions, it means I am directly beneath you. You are my captain. Well,” he added with a small laugh, “you always have been, but now it's official. So because of this, I want you to know that I am here for you to—“

“Stop. That's enough.” Talon's ice-cold words sliced through the air between them like shards of hateful glass. Her fists were curled once more, her nails digging deep into the new wounds she'd just gained. Deepening them. The sting was nothing compared to the empty ache in her heart. Jace's words were like sandpaper against newly-seared flesh to her. She had just reiterated to herself—merely moments ago—that she was not going to allow herself to feel those things again. Not ever. And there he was, trying to force her back into it once more. She felt the terror she'd once known course through her, her heart beating against her ribcage like a feral animal. She could hear her pulse thudding ceaselessly, like the steady drumbeat of impending doom. The world around her began to spin, slowly. This was it. She felt herself slowly slip away, her vision fading, as with the rest of her senses...one by one...until darkness and silence overcame her. Then, there was nothing.

-----

When Talon finally came to, it was very brokenly. Her vision came first, and then hearing...but for a few moments, they were out of sync. Through her weakened, fel-burned eyes she could make out the shape of someone's face...and moments later, their desperate voice as they spoke her name.

“Captain Talondressa?...Captain?...Are you...coming back...?”

Gradually, her eyesight returned fully, and her eyes opened wide. She stared directly in the face of Jace Darkweaver, watching his lips move long before the sound of his voice met with her ears. Fascinating.

“Captain!...You're awake!...Thank Elune!...How are...you feeling?”

The two came together eventually, and Talon didn't dare utter a word until they did. Time seemed to shift back into place and flow naturally once more. Once she felt it return, she quietly pushed herself up to sitting.

Jace's hands flew to her immediately and a panicked, “No no no!” came from his lips. He gently pushed her back down, and she merely stared at him. “You shouldn't sit up yet, you had a concussion, and you might faint again. If you do, then who knows when you'll wake up again....”

“Perfect,” Talon muttered, sitting up again as quickly as she could once Jace removed his hands. Immediately the entire room flopped onto its side and back again, tumbling around her and carrying her along. She nearly vomited from the wave of nausea that hit her then, but as much as she had hoped to, she did not black out again. A pained groan left her as she clutched her head in her hands, squeezing her eyes shut. “Damn it....”

“Oi!” Jace had yelped at her when she shot up once more, gripping her shoulders to keep her steady. He shook his head in disbelief at her. “You want to black out again that badly?”

“Yeah, kind of,” Talondressa replied irritably. She lowered herself back again with a grumble and stared up at the ceiling. The room was silent for quite a while before Jace finally spoke up.

“I'm sorry, Captain,” he said quietly. “I feel terrible. I didn't mean for this to happen....”

“Why do you even care?” the ever-stoic Talondressa replied, a sliver of hostility coloring her tone.

Jace took a deep breath and obliged her by explaining. “For a long time, since the day you showed up at Lord Illidan's door, I've watched you in admiration. It may not have seemed it, and there were times when I wasn't even around...but when I was, you were always on my mind. Why? Because you seemed so strong. So capable. I knew from the moment I saw you, that you were a born leader. That you would gain respect from us and from Lord Illidan. And I was right.

“Moreover, I saw something in you that made my heart ache. Something deep and painful—something that can never be forgotten. Loss. You look to me like someone who has lost everything, and is barely holding on. And it hurts to see that. It hurts to see a woman as respectable and strong as you weighed down by those things. You just deserve better. Whatever may have happened to you, you didn't deserve it. And I want to right the wrongs that were done to you, because no one else seems to be willing to. I want to do that for you.”

By now, Talondressa's eyes were overflowing with silent tears that merely slid down the sides of her face. She stared quietly, angrily at the ceiling, desperately holding back the sobs threatening to escape. He was right. And she hated it.

“Why,” she began to ask very softly, and was horrified when her voice was weak and unstable. Clearing her throat and hastily wiping away those pesky tears, she tried again with a more confident tone. “Why would you even want to do that for me? You don't know me. I never did anything directly for you that would warrant some sort of repayment like this. I don't need it. I don't want it.” Even as she said it, her mouth nearly froze from having to form such nasty, untrue words. “So don't worry about it. I'm fine on my own, loss or not.” She folded her arms across her chest and turned her head away from him, trying to show him that she was done having the conversation. In spite of herself, however, part of her wished he would continue anyways.

He did. “I may not know you, not completely. Not inside and out...not yet. But I know what you're capable of, and what you do for someone you respect and love. You love Illidan; you respect him, and you refuse to let him down, even when the odds are stacked high against you. You're incredible and determined, and you lead us well. I have so much respect for you, Captain...and love.” He quieted his tone at the last two words, almost sounding bashful as he uttered them.

Talondressa slowly turned her head towards him, finally staring at him. More fresh tears had replaced the old ones, and her lower lip was quivering. She was weak and disgustingly pathetic. She reminded herself of this, her mental voice echoing that of her demon's. “W-what...?”

“Love,” Jace repeated. “You love Illidan, and I love you. It's the same love. I don't mean romantically. Honestly, I don't have time for romance,” he said with a sigh. “There are much more important things than that. Like saving our world, our planet, from an angry Titan hell-bent on destroying it.”

Talon felt her heart collapse from the strain. For a second—a tiny, insignificant second—she'd hoped he had actually meant romantically. Despair hit her like a 10-ton elekk as she realized that she was really wasn't ever meant to find love again.

“What I do have time for, however, is building a relationship with someone I trust and respect. Becoming their close friend and supporting them with all I have. And if this person and I end up deciding to stay together forever...then we will.” He looked at her rather pointedly now, hoping she would get the message.

After the huge letdown she'd just experienced, and the heartbreaks of the past, his words were a breath of fresh air in a stale world. She looked at him again, her heart lifting just slightly. It took all she had not to shout yes and throw her arms around him. Instead, she stared at him quietly, the tears having dried on her cheeks.

Did she love him at all? She searched deep within herself and gradually found the answer. First, she loved Illidan. She always would. The Illidari belonged to him. They were his. Talondressa may be the captain now, but Illidan would always be their creator and master. Regardless, being in charge of the Illidari, being responsible for their lives, really had changed her perspective of them. It seemed they had become an extension of Illidan, and in doing so, had earned a place in her heart, as well. They fought side-by-side with her every day, they followed her commands without batting an eye, and they gave her the respect and trust she'd craved but never received. In return, she led them the best she could, made every decision with them in mind, and made certain that they were safe at the end of the day.

Jace had a new way of looking at love. It was one she'd never thought of, but really like the sound of. With Xailaraa, it started out as a crush that grew into attachment. She cared for her undoubtedly, and enjoyed her company...but she hardly knew her. In fact, she knew her so little, that she hadn't even seen it coming when she returned from “training” in the Caverns of Time with a new lover and a child. With Lucidian, it started out as purely attraction. They made love countless times, and because of the chemistry they shared, they grew fond of and attached to each other, as well. But looking back on it, she knew absolutely nothing about the man. She cared whether he lived or died, but she didn't know a thing about him. She didn't know about his crimes and that he was on the run...that's why it took her so by surprise when he was taken into custody that day, never to be seen again. No; that couldn't have been love...Jace had to be right, then. He just had to be.

With this in mind, she asked herself once more if she loved Jace. The answer was clear then: she did. She respected him as one of her chosen champions, and as a fellow Illidari. He was reliable and kind, and very strong, too. Looking back on it, she remembered many times when he had made her smile with one of his little jokes. Despite the dark times they all were in, he was always there to try and lighten the mood. And even now, here he was, offering his companionship and love to her. Thinking of her. It seemed too good to be true.

So, she loved him. Now what? She was still firmly sticking to her vow. Even though everything seemed wonderful, she knew she couldn't let herself be fooled again. It had always seemed fine before, but never turned out very well in the end. This couldn't be any different. She knew that. But did she believe it...?

“So?” Jace asked, breaking the silence that had probably been killing him. “What do you say?”

Talon merely eyed him and said nothing. She weighed the options some more. He was nothing like the other two—this whole situation was different, in fact. He wasn't asking her to be his girlfriend because he had a slight crush on her, nor was he suggesting they become “exclusive” after making love dozens of times. He was making her a simple offer, with everything laid out before her. It didn't seem like there were any expectations being put upon her—not even being “in love” with him. He just wanted to build a relationship with her. Like friends, but...closer. What was so wrong about that?

She chewed on her lower lip and huffed a little. She was getting ready to say yes. His calm countenance and feather-soft voice made it hard for her to refuse. It almost persuaded her to abandon her past for him. She stared at him again, her gaze softening a little. Now that she had given him a real look-over, she found him to be a little cute. Another point towards him.

So, what. You love and respect him. He loves and respects you. He seems decent. He's not trying to get in your pants. And he's cute. What's stopping you?

“What's stopping you, Captain?” Jace asked softly, echoing her own question to herself. Talon jumped. “I get the feeling that if you'd really wanted to say no, you would have already.” He gave her a knowing smile.

Talon glared at him. “Fine then, since you seem to know me so well, why don't you tell me what my answer is.” Her voice seemed brash and sarcastic, but it was mainly because she was agitated at him for being so damn endearing.

Jace chuckled, leaning closer to her. It was the closest he'd ever been to her, though he was still several inches away. He gingerly brushed a bit of hair off of her forehead, and Talon's heart began to race. “You were going to say yes, right?”

Talon dared not speak, for she doubted anything coherent would come out anyways. She simply nodded at him, her eyes locked on his. She worried he could hear her terribly fast heart beat. He probably could.

The widest smile spread across the Illidari's face then. He looked like a kid on christmas. “Wonderful. That's good. Thank you,” he said to her, sitting up again. Talon was saddened as the distance between them grew once more.

Damnit. I'm already getting fond of him.

But for Jace, it was already business as usual again. He gently took her arms and asked her if she could sit up, then helped her to do so. He fluffed her blankets a little and made sure she was comfortable before leaving the room to get her something to drink. And all the while, Talon just sat there numbly. So exhausted. So full of emotions. Of kinship, of trust, of respect...and most of all, of love.

[shadow-of-illidan]

Meet Talondressa (1/3)

Before I start posting more of my writing stuff I figured I should introduce you to the characters I rp the most! Starting with my main girl Talon :D

Before WotA:

Currently:

Talondressa Wildmane was born in Suramar to Valindra Duskwillow and Eldrin Wildmane, succeeding her older brother, Tenderis Wildmane. She grew up mostly on the streets since her parents were awful and careless, and most of the time the two were kicked out and left to fend for themselves. Whenever they were home, there was much chaos and discord that often led to them being evicted, so they spent most of their time at the Silverspear Residence. 

Tenderis taught Talondressa from a young age how to hide in the shadows and track her prey. She became a decently skilled hunter with hopes of one day becoming one of the Sentinels. That dream, of course, would never come to pass, as the War of the Ancients began and destroyed most of Azeroth, as well as her life. She was separated from her entire family including her brother, and all of her friends, taken prisoner by the Legion along with some other elves, where she stayed for a very long time before being rescued by the Illidari as one of the only survivors. She soon after became an Illidari, managing (barely) to take down and devour a Shivarra. This is what led to her incredible will and ardent passion for Illidan. She went on to become the new leader of the Illidari after Illidan was killed and subsequently brought back to life, and eventually became known as the Slayer after her numerous feats helped greatly in the war effort. 

Now, with the Legion threat having been eradicated, she has banded together with an old Demon Hunter friend named Raxsinerys and other like-minded Illidari to support each other and attempt to find themselves a new purpose in this world with their master gone. As for this new upcoming war between factions, they are refusing to take part, for they will not allow such pettiness to come between them.

She has long emerald hair that she usually keeps braided tightly. Her eye sockets burn with the usual felflames all Demon Hunters possess. She is fairly tall and broad, but not terribly muscular. Her face is scarred, and she usually hides it behind a mask, only showing her eyes. She is stoic and cold, but behind the facade is an utter mess. She is 10,210 years old, meaning that she was about 200 years old when the ancient war began.