User blog:Illsanona/Meeting A Death Knight

The world has changed so much while I was away in the Outlands. It is like going to a completely new place, and defiantly new time.



Many talk of great Paladins like Uther, infamous Paladins like Saidan, and to a lesser degree Tirion while in my formative years. But none of them I met in person. Some were no longer even around. Mostly read in the history books. However, there was one Paladin that had a profound impression on me.



Many years ago I witness a terrifying and amazing feat. One that set in motion many different things in my life that I would not realize until much later. Upon some investigating a Dragonkin menace, I was brought to Stormwind Keep. I spoke with Squire Rowe that summoned Marshal Windsor for me. At which point, I discovered a massive masquerade that fooled some of the wisest in the Kingdom. Then I bore witness to the greatest Paladin I have ever, even to this day, witness in battle. Highlord Bolvar Fordragon fought back the entire Dragonkin militia that had disguised itself in the service of the Kingdom. From that moment on, I was in awe. Many would became awe inspired to be like him, a dedicated and loyal servant of the light and Kingdom, and for a time, I was one as well. He was dedicated to his friend, the King. He was dedicated to his home, the Kingdom. He was a father to the King’s son while the King was not present. He was devoted and steadfast. Even under the control of a dragon, when he himself admitted to me that he could access Onyxia’s own mind, he chose to do what was right because of who he was.



There was another impression left on me by the Highlord Bolvar, his power, grace, loyalty.



In my new found dedication to the Light and loyal service to the Kingdom, I joined a prestigious Order of Paladins. I shall forgo revealing the name. This order was a true believer that the only Paladins are Paladins in service to the Alliance, to the Light. Once the Sin’dorei learned to wield the power of the Light came to the knowledge of the Order’s leaders, a new directive was issued. Those ersatz Paladins were to be purged. A call to arms was issued and a march on Silvermoon City was underway. I was still in training, and could almost classify me as too inexperienced for the raid. However, an order is an order, and I was to march. I struggled as we traveled the Plaguelands up to the Ghostlands until we would reach Everson Woods. I started to fall behind the group where ghouls and ghosts tried to take me down. This is when I first met Khael Stargazer. A commander in the Order, he fell back to assist me getting through the lands. Khael stayed close the rest of the march to the City and even while in the City. It was there I learned my affinity for healing, as I kept Khael alive during the battle between the citizens and guards of Silvermoon, and he kept me safe.



Two things happened throughout the bloody battle. I saw a man that captured my interest leaving the same impressions upon me as Highlord Bolvar, and I saw a lot of people die for no real reason other than their views are different than ours.



Both of which play a large part in my future.



Over the days, weeks, and months; Khael became a consistent presence around me as he aided me in my training in wielding the Light, tactics on the battlefield, and adventuring into dungeons. When the daylight waned, we would share long evenings together in the tavern talking about everything. It was only time before something more than a mentor and his student relationship would form. After months, we married.



<p class="MsoNormal">I thought I had it all. Hey, I landed the Commander! But something greatly bothered me. Although I have good memories from that day we raided Silvermoon as the first day I met Khael, the innocent lives lost never faded.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Khael was an amazing Commander and led us successfully through many campaigns against the Horde, but really it was only the Sin’dorei. I became ever more aware that these battles were not for the Alliance but for the pleasure of our leadership. A personal vendetta. I began to vent my concerns to Khael. Khael agreed with my assessment, but he also felt a loyalty to the Order, besides “Where else would we go?”. I had the impression he was happiest when he had direction and familiarity of being part of an Order.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Ultimately, in a condense form, the Sacred Fire was born lead by Khael and myself out of new ideals to fight those pose an actual threat, being protectors not aggressors. While the Order thrived, our relationship did not. I spent more nights up going over Order paperwork, fielding recruits, and a myriad of other duties. While time together drew us together, time apart did the opposite. Although we ultimately still loved each other, we decided the Order would suffer if our relationship suffered. We divorced, but I kept his name. Most never even knew we divorced, only our closest friends. Khael always was true of heart and dedicated to me. He held the same dedication to what he himself believed in, as Highlord Bolvar did with the Kingdom and Alliance, Khael did in me. Looking back all these years later, I realized what I lost.

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<p class="MsoNormal">For years we successfully ran the Order to become a well-respected and strong organization. At one time I commanded respect from both the Alliance and Horde. Many tried to break us, but it only provided fuel for our Fire. However, in my personal time, I had more than a handful of private impulses and passions. One resulted with a child from a fling with a Sin’dorei Paladin after a blurred weekend chasing around undead rogues. I’ll save you the details.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Even with the birth of my child, Khael acted like a father to her and kept my secret. I will never truly understand why he put up with it. As time passed, it became more obvious that the child was not his and I became concerned others in the Alliance would start to realize. I took up permanent residence at the Scryer’s Tier in Shattrath City. Through long council with Khael, it was decided that it would be best to disband the Order, raise my daughter, and he ultimately went to go on to work as a writer for the Gadgetzan Times. It has been almost a decade now since that last conversation.

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<p class="MsoNormal">During my time away, I became guarded and almost mistrusting of others. The Order I started in never quit their lust for purging the Sin’dorei, and this now posed a lot more personal risk to me. Then I heard something even more sinister, the leader that Order had become a Death Knight during the battle of Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate. This man, supposed Paladin of the Light, was evil in the living, what would undeath make him? This rumor only solidified my stance of staying in the Outlands. The rumors about the Death Knights painted them in a very negative fashion, evil, untrustworthy, the exact opposite of what one would call a friend or ally. Solidified in my mind the fact that they chose that old leader seemed to me that they chose only bad people. It is an understatement to say I was wrong, but please let me continue.

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<p class="MsoNormal">My wilder ways stopped during my time in the Outlands, and I became focused on helping rebuild the lives of those still out in the Outlands. There were many other rumors that made their way out to us in the Outlands. One most concerning is the existence of another Dark Portal under the sea. And with all my time in the Outlands, we never located Illidan Stormrage’s remains. This became the most concerning to me after fighting and rebuilding after the last opening. So when my child was old enough to send off to training of her own, I then returned to the Eastern Kingdoms only to witness how much has changed. The great Cataclysm has destroyed much of what I remembered and I have never stepped foot in Northrend. The existence of the Pandarens were just a wise tale, but yet they appear before me. I had no idea that the existing Portal was bringing people to and from to another time and fabric of reality. It all made my head spin so much. But there was a reason I came back, and it is the worry that the Legion may be returning. So with that I decided I should rebuild the Sacred Fire.

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<p class="MsoNormal">I was not able to locate anyone from the last inception of the Sacred Fire so I set out to find new membership that holds the same values and goals as myself. After speaking to you over distant communication, I was intrigued. The more we talked the more I wanted you for the Order. I could sense great leadership qualities in you. You had this sense of loyalty about you and something else but I couldn’t put my finger on it at the time, protection or dedication. All of this I formed in opinion without meeting you in person.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Then when I finally saw you in Stormwind, you had this stoic presence about you. You were also very gentlemanly. You offered your arm to me, and although I did not take it, I was flattered. It has been a long time since I held any company platonic or otherwise with a man. I spent my days helping the women rebuild in the Outlands. I was also very overwhelmed with everything I have seen the previous few days throughout the Eastern Kingdoms. I haven’t even become brave enough to go to Kalimdor. Stoic, knightly, loyalty; amazing qualities and opinions formed without even seeing your face. When I saw your face, your eyes were obviously different. It did not scare me, it intrigued me. The Sin’dorei eyes glow, albeit different shade, it was not alarming. The creature that summoned to your aid was a little more shocking. While I have seen Warlocks have minions, I seen nothing like whatever that creature was. However, watching you in battle, you were clearly a talented and seasoned fighter.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Now it was a long day. I for the first time learned the history of what happened to Highlord Bolvar. The man that set in motion much of what became my formative years. To learn he was the new Lich King, a position that known for making his own army of Death Knights. My world was turned upside down. To recap, Death Knights were to be bad and my old hero is now in charge of them. Some of that incorrect? Probably, but it is a lot to try and absorbed in one day.

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<p class="MsoNormal">As we continued our adventures, you kept myself and others safe. You were a protector. As I have in the past for others, I healed you while you kept me safe. For the first time in a long time I felt not only useful, but whole.

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<p class="MsoNormal">I was <span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">enamored, but still curious on different aspects of you. This was the reason I asked you to talk more at the Tavern. Learning that you were a Death Knight was shocking, no doubt. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that I had in understandings of Death Knights was wrong. This was a confusing moment in my mind, so while trying to remain level headed I came across rude. On top of it, I insulted you, which was never my intention. I only was trying to say that I was wrong and apologies for my understanding of Knights of the Ebon Blade. Just in general say I am sorry because I let fear mongering get to me. Forgive me, as I have no qualms with the Knights of the Ebon Blade and shall be seeking favor among  them.

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