The story of Gannar & Iuno Embergaze. A RP Backgroundstory [H] Frostwolf

[Kraai]

Gannar Embergaze

To recall this events is opening a dirty wound that never completely healed.

“The loss of a Nation”

This is the story of Gannar Embergaze, son of Aeneas Embergaze and Inaya Brightvale, brother of Thaleia and Iuno Embergaze.

The battle was messy, horrific and utterly painful. Or at least that is what I still can remember. They came with numbers and a force so big we did not stand a chance. The scourge invaded our lands and lay waist to our beloved Sunwell.
I was together with my parents and Thaleia, when they broke our first defences. As priest of the Light our job was to mend the broken and heal the courage of our noble warriors. But our power was not strong enough to match the abominations’ offensive strength and cursed plagues.
Our brothers and sister kept falling at a pace we could not counter. At one point I remember my father running out towards the scourge, screaming and surrounded by the familiar glow of the Light. Fire burning is his eyes and pure power pouring our of his outstretched arms.
It did not take long…

The destruction of the Sunwell was imminent and the scourge won ground and numbers, for every fallen member of our beloved elven warriors could be raised as one of their own.
Against his will, Gannar was commanded to find his younger sister, Iuno, who against all expectations could not completely grasp the powers of the Light. He didn’t want to, but one must honour the wishes of their parents, and especially in times like these he could not disobey.
He could not remember much after this. A sudden boom rendered him unconscious.

I was covered in dirt and rubble. Everywhere around me was a sight of destruction and brutal death. Looking down at my body I could not distinguish my own blood marks from that of my comrades. It disgusted me. Trying to get up I had to move some boulders away from my legs and somehow I lacked to power to do it. How could this have happened? Was it over?!
It was with these thoughts that I suddenly remembered Iuno. Damnit! With all my force I tried to get up and moved the boulders covering the lower part of my body out of the way.

Gannar began his search for his sister the best he could. Stumbling over rocks and parts of the ruined surroundings, loosing his balance while trying to step over, what looked like, pools of blood and separated body parts.
He found his mother first together with his other sister, or what was left of them. He could clearly see their faces frozen on a moment of fear and pain. Eyes staring at some monstrous being long gone but still very present in their gaze. But the face of a dead body was unmistakable.

Gannar didn’t want to see anymore. Why did he not go blind or die himself? Forcing his eyes off the bodies of his dead mother and sister he looked for a sign of others he recognised.
A little further away, amongst a huge remnant of a once mighty spire, he found his father.
It was then and there he lost his faith in the Light.

How could this have happened to us? I tried to get to my father but I could not anymore. The pain and loss filled my entire body and paralysed me. I felt empty and deserted. Hate and grief filled my mind, but it could not fill my soul, for I knew it was empty. The light had forsaken us and I lost everything. What good is my life if there is no other to live for? Were we not worthy of the Light? Why did it desert us?
I turned away from the bloody body of my father and staggered towards a half broken column standing nearby. Sinking to the ground I promised myself; no more will I subdue to be a servant of a deserting power. When I get up again it is me who is in charge of the powers I wield and I wield them for one purpose alone; unite my family; find Iuno.

In the days that followed Gannar found some of his comrades had survived, but more had perished gruesome deaths. They took shelter in a ruin that once was a guard tower but now only the lower part was still standing. Every day he went out to look for signs of Iuno but she was nowhere to be found. Nothing of her was found, also no body. Even though many of the dead were unrecognisable it gave him hope that she fled or was hiding somewhere safe.

Days passed by and Gannar and his comrades felt it. The growing emptiness of power. The destruction of the Sunwell had a greater effect than many believed and soon one by one the remaining elves went crazy with the loss of their addiction of the arcane powers.


“Master of the Light”

I was one of the last ones to pick up the sword and joined the fight against the remaining scourge that surrounded our lands. I didn’t want to be distracted of my search, but I also wanted to do something for the good of our nation. It was not until the great priestess of my order, Lady Liadrin, proved that the sword was just as deadly as the Light and a perfect weapon against lingering filth.
We trained under guidance of blade masters and battle experts. The training was hard but fair and the strongest were selected to accompany Lady Liadrin or other officers on missions.

It was after one of those missions that luck took a turn in their favour. Lady Liadrin was offered a new method to regain the Light. Not just to believe in it again, for this option was out of the question, but a way so they could take control over the Light instead of being subservient to It’s belief. To a nation now fuelled on Fel energies this came as a sudden surprise. Lady Liadrin was offered to use the powers of a captured Naaru, M’uru. The method was to infuse oneself with it’s Light powers and be reunited with the Light. Unfortunately this was not widely accepted by society and many looked upon this action as incorrect and not natural.

We didn’t care. The power was pure and raw and immense. I felt it streaming thru my body and pulsating in my veins. It was the first time in a long period of distress and emptiness that I felt almost whole again. And even better, I was in control. Not anymore this weak subordinate position to the Light, but a master of it. We controlled it and it felt great.
We became a force to be reckoned with.
It was the perfect addition to our growing strength as warriors and we named ourselves Blood Knights. Under guidance and supervision of Lady Liadrin we fought back the remaining scourge, and we proved that our ranks were as great in power as others in different nations.
On top of this, I strived. I needed to become better and stronger. I needed to be worthy of the Nation. I needed to be strong, not for me, but for.…


“A source lost”

We were all called to arms. It was chaos. Our training half forgotten we all rushed to the headquarters of the Blood Knights. It seemed that also high ranking officers where caught by surprise, for some of them were not completely dressed in their usual armour. On other occasions this would have been a funny sight, but I did not have time to linger on that thought.
I turned towards the door when Lady Liadrin came bursting in together with her second in command and an advisor of whom I always forgot the name. She rushed to the front of the hall and turned toward us, capturing every gaze from the bistanders, including mine.

Scouts had reported the sight of Kael’thas Sunstrider near the entrance towards the holding cell of M’uru the Naaru. Gannar’s heart skipped a beat. How Kael’thas located the place was yet unknown but his intentions were crystal-clear; stealing the Naaru and use the power for himself.
It was their duty to make sure this was not going to happen. Lady Liadrin urged them out to report to their commander in charge and defend their source of power.

Flashes came to my mind, flashes of the past, full of blood and destruction. The faces of my parents and my sister staring into the unending world of death and decay. I was going crazy.
I rushed thru the battlefield defending myself and my fallen comrades as good as I could. We were almost at the gates of the ruiend Sunwell but our timing was the worst ever. From the corner of my eye I saw the Naaru been taken and there was nothing I could do. I screamed. Only later I realised the words I screamed were not really words at all, they were Iuno’s name over and over again. I really was going insane.

In a rage I forced my sword upon the enemy. Warm blood stained my face and steel hit steel with the sound of thunder.

It looked like this fight was taking forever. We were following Kael’thas to the harbours and fighting our way to free our source of power. We could not loose the Light again. But then I felt it. Or rather I did not feel anything anymore. A loud screeching sound filled the air and suddenly I felt all the power leaving my body. I fell to the ground. Everything went white.

In the attempt to steal M’uru away from the Sunwel Kael’thas was too eager. M’uru fought back and resisted but nothing could help his fate. He knew it would come this far and understood. It was time for redemption. With a final hum of his powers he gave up his life, and with it all who were infused with his powers were powerless yet again.

In many ways you can describe this battle, but not many viewed it as a victory even though Kael’thas did not succeed. It was only after the Great Velen arrived with a gift that the Blood Elves understood; Redemption comes in ways you cannot force, but must be accepted with open arms.


“The Light forgives”

….
It is supposed to be all good now. I feel it has changed. The gift of Velen, the heart of M’uru, restored our Sunwell. The powers of the arcane flow freely yet again. And in addition to that I can feel the strong powers of the Light flowing with them. No more Fel pollution in our skies. No infused powers.
I understand now that the Light was never gone… It was just us who needed to understand that whatever happens, the Light will come to forgive you, if you just have faith. M’uru’s sacrifice showed us the path. And I will walk it. I need to be strong, not for myself, but for.… Iuno.

[Kraai]

Iuno Embergaze

Looking back makes me feel weak. I hate feeling weak.

“The loss of a Nation”

This is the story of Iuno Embergaze, daughter of Aeneas Embergaze and Inaya Brightvale, sister of Thaleia and Gannar Embergaze.

The battle was messy, horrific and utterly painful. I remember it in every inch of my being. They came with numbers and a force so big we did not stand a chance. The scourge invaded our lands and lay waist to our beloved Sunwell.
I was getting supplies for the priests of my order, when they broke our first defences. As priest of the Light our job was to mend the broken and heal the courage of our noble warriors. The power of our warriors was not strong enough to match the abominations’ offensive strength and cursed plagues.
Our brothers and sister kept falling at a pace we could not counter. I remember the breath stilling scream of my mother over the sound of battle. I was far off but I could clearly hear her voice calling for my Father. I dropped everything I had on me and ran towards the sound of my worst nightmare.
It did not take long…

The destruction of the Sunwell was imminent and the scourge won ground and numbers, for every fallen member of our beloved elven warriors could be raised as one of their own.
Running as fast as she could, Iuno closed the distance between her and her family. Cold sweat pouring down her spine. Cursing under her breath she fought to calm her mind. Unlike her brother and sister she had a lot of trouble controlling the Light. It did not come natural to her. She needed to be calm of mind to have a little control over it. A sudden boom kicked her of her feet.

I couldn’t see clear at first because there was a bright flash. But when I got up everywhere around me was a sight of destruction and brutal death. Wiping my bloodstained hands on my tunic I rushed towards the place I left my family. It was obvious to me that I would never get calm enough for the Light to work for me so I ignored it.
I turned around the corner and stopped in shock. Everything was ruined. Elves were scattered amongst piles of rock and pools of blood.

Iuno looked around and first found her mother together with her other sister, or what was left of her.
She rushed towards them and fell to her knees besides their bodies. Her sister was clearly gone and the sight of her dead face send chill through her body. But her mother was still breathing. Placing her hand on the cold forehead, Iuno willed the Light to heal the near dead body. But it was in vain. She no longer felt the warm power of the Light anymore.
Suddenly her mother’s eyes flung open and she felt a cold hand grip her wrist.
“Run, my love, run! Safe yourself for all here is lost!” Against her will Iuno heeded the last words of her mother and got to her feet. With tears rolling down her face she took a mental picture of her mother and sister laying arm in arm. She could clearly see their faces frozen on a moment of fear and pain. Eyes staring at some monstrous being long gone but still very present in their gaze. But the face of a dead body was unmistakable.

Fear filled her body and replaced the void where once the Light held power and she ran away. Away from the battle. Away from her family. Away from death and destruction.


“Nature’s Grasp”

I had wandered for days and I did not know where I was going. Woods that once were familiar to me now seemed strange. My clothes were torn and cut’s and bruises marked my skin. Ofcourse none of that I gave any attention. I had to get to a safe place. I could not be weak now. Weakness already payed it’s price. Never, I said to myself, never I want to be weak ever again.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks duplicated like fire on a dry log of wood. Slowly Iuno became aware of senses she did not know existed in her being. Her physical reactions felt faster than before and her vision slowly became better. Her strength returned and it was clearly growing. She was well aware of the emptiness in her, the absence of the arcane and light powers that used to flow freely thru the city. But this newfound senses could quench the thirst of that addiction.

It was at this time that I met my companion. I was hungry and alone, trusting my instincts and being careful not to attract any attention. I came across a little open valley within the forest and was about to turn around, - open places like that I normally avoided, - when I saw a young deer grazing at the edge of of the trees. Before I knew it hunger overtook me and I flew from the shadows of the tree to attack the poor beast. But I was not alone. In the mid-air leap to sudden death I saw from the corner of my eye another being doing exactly the same thing at the same time. Together we hit the deer with an immense force and death was upon her before she even could look up from the tasty grass. I looked up to my partner in crime and was face to face with a giant white cat.

Iuno was not alone anymore. Since that day with the deer she shared her journey with the giant white cat. Somehow she could understand him and he could understand her. They worked together in an unspoken efficiency, adding there powers to a collective strength.

More regularly she roamed a little more populated area and slowly she regained the courage to be amongst other beings apart from animals. Her grief was still present in her heart but it also filled her with a desire of power. She felt that she left her defenceless “little” self die with her family at the destruction of the Sunwell. Never again would she be weak and helpless.

It bothered me that I was frightful of other people. Even though I did not feel the power of the Sunwell anymore flow thru my veins, I did feel the power of Nature now more present than ever. I hated the emptiness but I would not let it drive me mad.


“Shadow’s fight”

Call it luck or chance, but out of all people the first person Iuno ran into was no one less than Vyrin Swiftwind; one of the High Elves known for his skill in battle with the bow and a revered member of the Farstriders Guild. Well, she did not really ran into him, for he woke her from the first carefree sleep she had in days, immediately regretting letting her defence down. Funnily enough her companion did not seem to be startled at all, so Iuno got up and demanded an explanation.

It was foolish of me to let my guard down, but I never regret a moment that passes after that. Vyrin explained me exactly what happened with the Sunwell. Pain stabbed my heart every time he mentioned a person lost the the scourge. Tears broke my eyes when he mentioned not only the death of my mother and sister, but also that of my father. Only when I asked for my brother he was not sure. Rumours were that a group of “lost” priest took up the sword and fought in defence of the nation. The idea that Gannar would be one of them gave me hope and fuelled my determination to become strong enough to join their battle and avenge my family.

The following months passed in a blink of an eye. During these months Vyrin offered to train Iuno in the ways of the farstriders. And so she became a stealthy bower with a fatal aim and, to make matters more deadly, her companion grew even more close to her. They trained together with the ever watchful eye and right placed comments of Vyrin. It would soon be time to return. Return to her home.


"The path of the Arrow"

A fire filled my heart with the thought of revenge. I am no longer the weak crying girl that ran away. I am deadlier than the point of an arrow. I hope you are holding on, Gannar, for I will come to help you, my brother.

[SunMace]

Good stuff man! I'm not one for 1st person but good read.

[Kraai]

Good stuff man! I'm not one for 1st person but good read.

Tnx! Much appreciated!