Pretense of Awakening

Ailac stirred upon the tall grass as a gentle breeze washed over him, carrying the crisp scent of the night air. Slowly he opened his eyes rolling onto his back to stare up at the ethereal sky, pale violet clouds rolling lazily overtop the crescent moon. Drawing a deep breath he raised himself up onto his elbows, peering through the tall grass as his mind gathered itself.

Raising to his feet he stood amidst the waist high grass, the clearing stood only ten paces off, writhing tendrils of Nightmare flailing in their final death throes, it would fade in time without aid. Turning he scanned the tall grass, Xaneria must lay nearby hidden among the grass. He must wake her.

Xaneria's body lies in the center of pushed back grass, chilled over and still surrounded in a dark aura, as if suffocating her from the dream, deep into the nightmare. Her body shakes slightly from time to time, words coming from her lips, though her voice is gone, mouthing cries in her state. A hand pressed to her chest, her fingers twitch as if trying to grip at something around her neck, the color faded from her skin.

Ailac walked towards Xaneria's form with purpose, the blades of grass parting and bending back before his steps to allow him to pass unhindered. He knelt beside her, placing his hand upon her brow. So cold. His brows furrowed, a green glow enveloping his form as he drew upon the flow of natural energy flowing through the place molding them at his well. Moss sprung to life, blanketing her form to warm her.

"Il'dar... you must wake yourself. Open your eyes from the Nightmare."

A hand, shaking, grips Ailac, with great force, fearfully holding tightly, eyes still closed tight in fear. Her breathing labors, mouthing the words her voice barely whispers. "Why...." "....betray..." Her grip grows tighter then loosens, before gripping tighter once more. Her body starts to warm, the distress over her form lessening.

"None have betrayed you, Il'dar." Ailac lowered his head, letting his forehead rest upon hers. Gently he places his hands upon her shoulders, letting soothing green light course through him to infuse her with energy. He could feel the power washing through her, feel the flow of her own energy clinging to life. Corruption threatened to consume her, trying to throw the last trickles of life from her form.

Closing his eyes he felt this Cenarius' power flow through the night, he called it, willed it to strike back the corruption writhing inside her. Vibrant life met putrescent filth, writhing and snapping against one another. Images flashed through his head, dark Nightmares of things past not his own.

The images race through the flow of power fast. A wave of darkness flows with the visuals. Xaneria stood by and watched as Elizabel took a final swing at a jade haired male warrior in the wrath gates, spilling his blood about the floor, her eyes looking up in cold and lost hatred. The flash of green from her eyes becomes blinding, throwing the images into the Requiem deep in the Black Citadel as Elizabel's beaten and bloodied body sinking into the wall. The darkened despair from the nightmare pulls Ailac's thoughts down into a cold corner of the woods where a Death Knight Elizabel and a Death Knight resembling the former warrior reach out, cold hands touching Xaneria's head, to end her life. Final tears drop, the sound vibrating the imagery around his mind and pulling him quickly into a saddened but true reality.

Xaneria and Elizabel stand in Dragonblight in a faraway place, laying flowers at the base of a small headstone. Both bow their heads, as the wind picks up, throwing the snow about and blinding the visuals, fading to a small cliff above a castle in Eversong. Xaneria stood in the moonlight, looking down at the castle, her eyes fixed on a pale druid, whos powers of nature begin to shift, falling into the abyss of arcane. Xaneria closes her eyes in disappointment and turns, walking away and vanishing into the darkness of the foliage. A cry from a sorrowed wolf crosses the landscape, followed by the remnants of the nightmare as it throws Ailac's mind from Xaneria’s, fading from her body.

Ailac opens his eyes, the images retreating slowly from his mind. The corruption seeped from the form of the druid leaking through her eyes into the night air. Focusing his mind he pressed on, chasing after it with his hand, flows of life and rejuvenation bursting forth to tear through the corruption. Slowly he relaxed, leaning back away from her form and sitting on his heels. He could still feel the flows, her life force weak, yet flooding back through her body bringing with it life and warmth. Her hand fell from his shoulder, its grips lax and released, no longer tensed in pain, breathing coming stronger and more peaceful. A slow smile drifted over his face, the corruption gone from the area, replaced with the peaceful flows of nature's power drifting through the breeze.

Xaneria's hands halted their shaking, her eyes starting to open. Her voice was clam and weak, tired from the ordeal. "Where...?" The blackness enveloped her sight, unable to see anything, her senses still a wreck and failing. The druid sat up, a hand to her forehead for support, turning her body to look around, trying to find some semblance of her whereabouts. "The nightmares..." She whispered, still uncertain of what was around her.

"They are done now, Il'dar. You are free from it," Ailac called, his voice gentle and relieved. Slowly he reached out, placing a hand softly upon her shoulder for support. "I finally found you, Xaneria. I won't let the Nightmare have you again."

"Ai...lac... " Her voice shook at the mention, her body halting movements, turning to him slowly, the direction of his voice. Her face showed faint signs of fear as she scooted back on the ground. "Ailac..." She repeated in a nervous rapture. "This... another of the nightmares? I.. I can't see, I can't feel... all that is around my vision is darkness." She turns her head, face soured in irritation that her senses were messed up beyond repair at this point.

"No Il'dar. This is not the Nightmare." Ailac closed his eyes, hanging his head, sadness in his voice. "We are still within the Emerald Dream, however. But this is no Nightmare. I'm here."

Her voice lowers. "Nothing in this place is believable, not my sight, her smell, not your voice." Xaneria curled herself up for a second then forced her body to stand. "Why am I here? This, isn't what I was expecting... the corruption defiling 'you' pulled us into the dream and locked us immediately in the nightmare without bereave." Her hands shake, moving at her sides as if trying to find some form of balance.

Ailac rose to his feet, drawing himself to stand before her. Slowly he reached out, taking her hands and enveloping them within his own firmly. "I never meant to bring you here.... If I had known what would happen I never would have allowed this." He sighed, sounding burdened. "But that is done now. I am at peace, Il'dar, my mind is none but my own. This is no trick, the Nightmare is gone from your body now. You are free now, Il'dar, as am I."

"I.." Xaneria pulled back suddenly gripping her head as the sounds of shrieking power and the blazing colors flashing in her head bring her to her knees. "Then...why?! Why are my senses still so..." She groaned under her breath at the ache. "Why can I not take control of them?! It hurts, all this power, this natural... natural existence is overwhelming me... I just...STAY AWAY!" She bit her lip and glared upwards under pressured eyes. "I... I can't find any truth, any solidity... STAY AWAY!"

Ailac crouched down to her side, frowning in concern. "Such is the nature of this place, a land of power where spirits dwell and thrive all around. Power flows through the Dream like currents flowing through the Ocean. Truth does not mean the same things in this land, not in regards to most. But know this on truth at least..." Ailac reached up his hands behind his neck, untying the knot of a thin cord hanging round his neck. He leaned forward, slowly so as not to disturb Xaneria's frail senses further, reaching past her head to tie the cord, letting the talisman fall against her skin. "... I am here. I will find a way to wake us both."

Xaneria's eyes widen for a moment, the feint red glow from the metalic shard now hanging around her neck warming her heart. She moved a weary hand up, touching it, a smile growing on her face as the tears fell from her eyes without warning. The druid's thin fingertips grazed over the metal, feeling the dark grooves of the etched runes. Her hand gripped tightly around the necklace as she took a deep breath, flinching from the pain of the sounds that pushed through her shock, harder still, causing her knees to weaken.

"I... want to go home...Ailac. If you are well, then I want to go home." She turned her head, closing her eyes and biting her lip. "I'm not as strong as you and Cenias... the dream... it devours me. I can't sleep and fight this fight, I could not be here as you two were. I'm not that strong. Even now, knowing you are real..." a hand raises before her. "Evening knowing this isn't a nightmare, even knowing those were nightmares... Eli...would never betray us... never...die... I was still so frightened and scared. I couldn't do anything but frantically call to myself, and found myself begging for her to save me."

The druid laughed.

"I'm pathetic, when in a tight corner relying on others, but I can't do much else. My purpose isn't to be strong or fight, though I am not sure what it is..." Xaneria dropped her head upon Ailac's shoulder, taking in a deep breath, still clinging to her necklace. She reached up, pulling at his arm. "Ailac... Forgive me, but without my sight I truly am useless. I need to lean on you for now... Please... let’s go home." Her voice grew weary as the tears continued to fall.

Ailac wrapped his arms around the druid’s shoulders, pulling her tighter against him to give her strength. "Hush, Il'dar, do not speak words such as this. The Nightmare feeds upon the doubts within the mind, turning fear and sorrow against oneself, tearing at the mind. But you are strong. I can feel it, your mind is whole. Do not call yourself weak."

Ailac sighed, letting the wind flow over him, cooling his heads and calming his thought. "So much has happened, this place has brought nothing but pain to you. I'm sorry, Il'dar. I only wish there was something I could do."

With that he paused, mist drawing thick over the glade, its energy pulsing and whirling, causing the trembling druid to flinch beneath his arms, her eyes shut tight against the buffeting energies. Ailac reached his hand back, brushing tears from her face, his fingertips brushing overtop her closed eyelids, energy leaping into them and shocking him back.

"This pulse..." he breathed, flashes of colour beating against his mind. "Stay still Xaneria, let me take away this burden from you."

Xaneria pauses, her head motioning up at his with strange confusion on her face. She took in a breath.

"What are you talking about, Ailac?" The druid drew her face in worry, flinching from the pain resounding in her head.

"Don't worry, Xaneria. I'll lessen the pain." Ailac drew himself back, crouching before her and brining his left hand up to cover his left eye. Gently he took her chin in his right hand, tilting her face up to look towards him, bring his fingertips up in front of her closed eyelids. "Open your eyes, Il'dar. Keep them open and remain still, no matter what you hear."

Xaneria stutters, her hands starting to tremble, gripping tightly at his arms.


"W...what are you .... " She stopped herself short, questioning him at this point seemed useless. Her eyes, opaque and empty opened looking straight through him, their color nearly gone. Xaneria bit down on her lip, hard. Her nerves and curiosity made it difficult to sit still, yet she managed to breathe in and relax.

Trembling, Ailac forced open his left eye, drawing the wisps of energy into his body to pulse through his being. Green light enveloped the forefinger and thumb of his left hand, exhaling sharply as he braced himself. With a subdued gasp of pain he forced the fingers into the socket, green light pulsing as fingers shed blood and tears fanning across his cheek. Shaking, he pulled, meeting resistance as nerve and tendons strained, snapping with a sickly pop as the eyeball pulled forth into the palm of his hand, green glow surrounding amber sustaining it.

"Ailac?!" Xaneria's hands gripped his arms tighter, hearing the popping sound and flinching, the smell of blood rushing over her. "Ailac!? What are you doing? Blood?!"


Roots sprung to life from his fingertips sinking roots into the amber mass, sending creepers shooting over his arm and chest, flowing out to his right hand. Amber light flowed into the creepers, pulsing across him as the eye was devoured, its nutrients feeding into the vibrant vines, leaves opening from blood with brilliant glow. The creepers grew, slowly leaving his right fingertips and closing the gap, caressing Xaneria’s cheeks before coiling up to her eyes. Their amber roots bursting from tips, sending energy flowing into her opaque eyes as they latched on, infusing blue and emerald with life.

Xaneria's hand moved as if to grab at her face. She began to panic at the feelings on her face. "What!?" The druid stopped feeling the entrance into her eyes and biting down on her lip, the power rushing into her eyes. "Ailac what...?!"

The last of the amber light flowed through the creepers in his hand, the vines coiling and sinking back across his body towards his right hand, dissipating into the air. Ailac felt the flows pass through him, the life from his eyes flowing through the vines in a pulse of light. Amber light pulsed through the vines, flowing through the roots as they broke into mist, the last of the energy swelling into her eyes and flooding them with light.

Ailac's strength flagged, his hands sinking down to rest upon his legs, slouching down to draw his breath. Blood flowed with tears from the empty socket of his left eye, yet he paid it nor the pain it brought no heed. "Xaneria... Il'dar. Now open your eyes, truly open them once more."

Xaneria hesitated, her eyes closed and misting from the sudden changes. A hand reached up, touching her eyelids before weakly pulling her lids open with her muscles. At first there was nothing but darkness, then light poured over a blurred and shapeless world of color that began to shift and take form... slowly, more slowly things became clear to her. Xaneria's hands began to tremble as she looked upon Ailac's face, it coming more clear before her. A gasp escaped her lips at the sight, taking his face in her hands tightly, trying to close her eyes to the image but finding herself unable to look away. Xaneria began to cry, her hands starting to emit a soft glow.

"Ailac! This..." She hesitated in her words. "This... isn't the way I wanted to see you, after all these years..." Her tears began to flow more with each word. "Why... why did you do this?"

Ailac reached up his right hand, placing it overtop hers, his left hand with bloody fingers lay hanging by his side. "After all you were willing to risk for me..." he breathed softly, his energy slowly returning. "How could I sit by and do nothing for you."

"BRAT!" Xaneria's voice raised for the first time in true anger at Ailac, yet worry trailed behind it. Her hands began to shake, yet her healing continued... it was as if she was completely returned to herself, her fears and doubts gone, her energy strong as ever.

"What were you thinking?! Its only natural for a mother to do such..." She stopped a bit embarrassed but continued. "To do such things for a child... and you... hurting yourself to this extent, for my sight" her agitation began to calm, her words lowering and her voice like one from long ago; deep in the hills of the Moonglade, standing behind a grave marker. "Thank you, Ailac."

Ailac gently took hold of Xaneria's wrists, closing his eyelids and smiling as he moved her hands from his face, rising to his feet and gently pulling her to stand. Slowly he turned, opening his right eye to gaze over the glade. Grass swung slowly under the breeze, rustling softly into the still night, a sea of blue tinted gold flowing endlessly before his eyes.

"It's time.... We should wake now."

Xaneria gripped Ailac’s hand for a moment then released it stepping next to him.

"I... think so as well." She smiled in his direction, her cheeks blushing, her face happy. "After all, I think they are probably sick of staring at our bodies, don't you think?" Xaneria paused.. putting a finger to her lips as if seriously thinking. "Ah, Eli's probably broke something, I bet she's bored out of her mind right now."

"I'm sure your right. Cenias has watched over me enough already. I'll be lucky if he doesn't smack my head into a tree for this." Ailac smiled with a weak laugh.

"Eh...Cenias..." She tilted her head down, keeping her smile, yet still showing worry. "He will truly have at me for failing so poorly... won’t he?" Xaneria takes a deep breath. "Well, I'm old enough I think I can handle a lashing or two myself." The small druid giggled.

Ailac raised his hands up, holding them over the soft earth beneath him. Emerald light swirled about him drawn in from the grass, the earth, the sky and all of the dream realm that flowed about the druids. The light swelled in his hands, glowing fiercely underneath his palms as it trailed downwards like flowing water down back into the earth. The ground shook and protested, churning rock and dirt groaning in protest as they were shoved aside, a massive root rising from the earth and bursting into the fresh night sky.

"A..amazing." Xaneria smiled looking over the creation. "Ailac, you really are strong, especially here."

The root broke apart, arching itself out into the night into a large open circle, two spans across. Shimmering flowers blossomed along the inside of the arch, bursting with pollen that swirled and amassed at its centre, writhing in shades and hues unseen in the natural world. The gate opened, shifting and writhing with the faint scene of the barrows.

Xaneria nods lightly in response, still in awe at the sight, she grips his hand tightly.

Ailac nodded, smiling lightly as he looked at her face, the light shining from within her eyes. Turning he stepped softly towards the gate, tugging on her hand to get her to follow.

A rusted bell tolled into the silent night.

Black flames burst through the portal, consuming the swirling light. The roots shattered, bursting then erupting into rotten wood. Darkness enveloped the night, blotting out the stars and swallowing the night sky, blackness making it seem as if the night's pale light had been noonday sun. The field danced into life, speckled in rot as the plants themselves seems to scream in anguish.

Corpusculent roots lashed from the earth, tearing the field asunder as if the dirt were made of mere cloth. Rotting plant life leaked blood onto the ground.

"The Nightmare...." Ailac breathed, his eyelids flung wide in horror. Crystalline amber stared on in horror.

Xaneria stepped back, seeing the nightmare for the first time, taking its way and laying its mark on the emerald earth. Her hand released from Ailac's as she stepped backwards, gasping in fright.

"How... why? Why is it still around?"

Xaneria flinched at the sight and covered her face lightly.

"No. This cannot be..." Ailac flinched, spinning around as the dark walls of Nightmare surrounded them, writhing in a mass that seethed in towards them. Ailac braced his feet, roots spreading from his legs down into the clean earth below, drawing upon the green life below.

"Xaneria, take my hand!" He reached out stretching his hand towards her.

Xaneria took another step back but stopped, looking around. Her eyesight was returned and the visions before her were terrifying. Snapping her head up, hearing Ailac's voice Xaneria thrust her hand forward towards Ailac, her fingertips grazing his, barely missing.

Ailac felt her fingertips graze over his, he clenched his hand hoping to grasp on, yet the earth protested. Roots tore about his feet, sending him flying through the air away from Xaneria. Corruption welled up, vines snaking and grasping about her, swallowing over her form and dragging her back into the wall of rot seething through the glade. Bright green blossoms burst to life over Ailac's form, his spell now complete. Darkness clouding out the dream. Her hand reached out towards him, slowly being swallowed by the writing mass of bleeding vines was the last image his solitary right eyes saw, as he opened his eye once more into waking.

Xaneria vanishes into the darkness....