What we wish to become.

"I Won't"

She had said No to her master, for the first time 'ever' Skarain thought as their ways parted, shivering from cold after standing for to long in the open against the wind blowing from the sea below Stormwind City. Skarain wrapped her arms around herself and increased her pace, wearing only simple robes that offered no protection against weather. She gave a glance at The Three Winds, the shop of the ethereals as she walked on the bridge straight in front of it. It was already past midnight so the purple light emanating from their strange technology illuminated the surrounding buildings, a strange if not unreal sight in comparison to the more natural light of the lampposts of the city. Skarain did not care about them. She knew they were much aking to the goblins of Azeroth, greedy and always looking for a good deal, and that was all she needed to know. Skarain turned to the right from the shop, heading deeper into the city. She didn't fear walking alone on the dark streets, they had once been her home. After living the majority of her life on the streets of gilneas she knew, as a former thief herself, how to avoid them. Skarain drew her dagger from its sheat and a faint blue glow shone in the night. The dagger was enchanted, working as a spell-focus in lack of a wand and useful for carving runes and magical circles. Nothing flashy by itself but it would serve its purpose tonight. She pushed the dagger under her belt instead of its sheat. Thieves skulked for easy prey but were wise enough to leave mages alone. Few wanted to spend the rest of their lives as a rat or worse. A tome hanging from ones belt was usually enough warning, but it could be left un-noticed in the dark where a glowing dagger couldn't, and Skarain was not one to take chances.

"Think about it", Drustai had said. Skarain snarled aloud to the thought, earning a confused look from a nearby drunk who was yet to find his way back to home. Her master had offer her undeath and she had refused. Even though her master was a necromancer it was still just... not 'her' to offer such so lightly, nor to 'forgot to mention' about an antidote to negate the effects of a plague cauldron found in her lab. To Skarain it had been quite a surprise, to teleport there for the first time using the given anchor coordinates and find such necromantic artifact. "Even if it wouldn't, the fumes would raise you within a few days", had Drustai said when asked of the effectiveness of the antidote. Where was the Drustai she had used to know? Skarain wondered as she crossed another bridge over the canals, heading towards the inn. Where was the woman that had approved her runic wardings made against the nearby plague cauldron when they had met the first time at the ruins of the Scarlet Enclave? Skarain sighed and shaked her head. Thelos, why did you just have to go and die?

The death of Thelos, a draenei anchorite had hit Drustai hard. Their lessons had ceased and Skarain barely saw her. She had not even come to Thelos burial ceremony. Skarain had respect her wish to remain alone and had not pushed it, studied by herself. It had been a mistake, she understood it now. When Drustai returned to her life after months she was changed. Skarain couldn't recall when her master had been so demanding, impatient, cold, if not brutal. Being assaulted by a mana-draining demon and reduced to a lesser state of undeath had not helped it either. Skarain recalled the night she had found her master as a mere skeleton in the crypts beneath Raven Hill with Arenfel and a death knight. She had talked, but seemed to be driven only by her undead needs such as hunger. She had got better in Acherus where they had taken her for repairs, but she still was not the same. She was drifting away from the Light.

Skarain closed the door behind her as she enter her room at the inn. It was a small, windowless room with a bed, wooden table and a chair. It was not much, but enough for her. She prefer to live simple as you never knew when you'd have to leave in a hurry, leave everything you had behind, something that had happen more than once to her. Skarain moved forward in the dark room, running her fingertips on the planks of the wall to find her way. Her fingers scoured through the table, searching until they closed around a box of matchsticks, probably a gnomish invention she thought as she pulled one out and scratched it to the side of the box. The tip of the wooden stick flashed and a small flame light the room. Several books were piled on the table, her current study. Her backpack was pushed under the bed, pre-packed by old habit with the exception of the books on the table. That and a candleholder on the table was about all that she owned, having either sold or stashed away all but the essential. Skarain light the candle, rolled on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Drustai meant a lot for her, and not only for her protection and teachings. She had been her beacon of Light, a stable anchor in the storm, someone to trust. She had shown the Light to her and earned a place in her heart. Regardless of all odds, Skarain loved her, like a child loves its mother or... Light its children. A frown of worry had made its way up to Skarains face. The same beacon that had guided her way to the Light was now darkening, fading and Skarain was uncertain what to do. She felt helpless, like that child she had once been in Gilneas who had just lost her mother. A distant memory drifted through her mind, one of her childhood. She had been taught to believe the Light by her mother, a time which felt so distant now. She had... blamed the Light for what happen to her mother, her death, why it had not saved her from all the suffering. As wiser and older, Skarain knew that the Light did not work that way. Even the Chapter had a saying that there could be no miracles unless meditated by a believer. The Light lived through our words and deeds, the decisions we make for selfless reasons, to do good. It didn't work by itself. There always had to be someone, to bring forth the Light's will. Someone... Skarain knew what to do.

That night, Skarain prayed sincerely the Light, something she had never done before. There were no churches, cathedrals, priests in ceremonial robes, offerings or pious songs to be sung to strengthen the faith but it didn't matter, Skarain found peace within herself.

"Light, i have done terrible deeds and spit on your name, when i was alone and afraid. Your child guided me on my journey to Light, for her i am forever in debt. Your light was shown to me, granted by your benevolence. Light, I beseech your guidance, give me courage to stand up when i must, strength to do what must be done and wisdom to know what is right and wrong. Light, let me return the favor, let me guide those who are lost on their journey, who drift in darkness."

The Light didn't answer, it didn't have to.

It already lived in her heart.

"...Let me become a Beacon of Light"

Lexadin like this post a lot <3