Rise of a True Paladin

From RavenholdtWiki

There are limits to the stresses a mortal soul can endure.

Kaaosa Aileron, the Butcher of Redridge. Hated by her own people. As corrupt and brutal as they were, she was still a monster in their eyes. While not barred from entry to Silvermoon City, she was shunned by the general populace. Those who were required to acknowledge her existence when she came to draw energy from M'uru did so with disdain. She was a pariah - not to be associated with.

Her goals however, remained unchanged. The deaths she caused were never enough. Her murders only further fueled her blood lust. Retribution had to be exacted. She was the hammer of justice. The darkness clouding her soul grew greater with each innocent killed. It wouldn't be long before she was consumed by it. Kaaosa could feel it; a heaviness within her. It was taxing on both her mind and body. While she wasn't entirely sure what would happen when the strain became too much for her, she knew that if she died now, her work would go unfinished.

In her desperation, she returned to her father's workshop. There she began what would become a grisly series of experiments on the soul itself. If one were to go back to that place and read her research, they might say she crossed the line into necromancy. Through her research, she found that it would be difficult to remove the taint on her soul, as that was now, ironically, part of her strength. However, she devised a way to bind a soul to a new body.

Very much like the way a paladin binds a soul recently departed to its former body to resurrect an individual, she found that it was possible to bind a soul to a host body that was not its own. All she needed now was a body. A simple corpse wouldn't do. The longer a body is without a soul, the harder it is to bind one to it. It's difficult enough for a healer of any sort to bring back those who have died only moments prior. She needed to find someone still alive, but in a stasis of sorts.

It wasn't long before Kaaosa got wind of a girl in Revantusk, the troll village in the Hinterlands. She had recently fallen into a mysterious coma from which none could awaken her. Kaaosa let slip a small grin. Hopping aboard a bat, she flew to Revantusk Village. When she landed she introduced herself as a paladin of the Holy Light and asked for directions to the girl's house. She burst into the girl's home, much to the dismay of her caretakers. Paying them no heed, she cast her spell.

Placing a hand upon her head, she channeled her own soul into the girl. She was partially successful. She did inject a portion of herself into the girl, but was unable to place all of her being into the child. The part of her that remained was now weaker and more susceptible to the taint consuming her. Furthermore, she was unable to do away with the girl's own soul, something she had, in her haste, neglected to plan for. Still, a success was a success. She grinned as the villagers threw her out of the girl's home. However, the spell had taken a toll on her. Having expended a large amount of energy and now having a severely weakened soul, she had made herself tremendously vulnerable.

Kaaosa hurried back to Silvermoon to siphon power from M'uru. Stumbling through the streets, she finally arrived. Standing before the being of Light, she raised a hand to draw energy from it. Suddenly, she heard the chimes she had grown to associate with the Naaru, only this time it spoke to her. It was relatively faint, due to the Naaru's weakened state, but the conversation resounded within her mind none the less.

"Aileron.. your soul... it is weaker than I remember."

"What of it?"

"In your weakened state.. your body and mind will not last long. The Light has kept you from destruction thus far, but it has its limits."

"What are you trying to tell me, M'uru?"

"Allow me to help you. Become a tool.. of the Light. Be-"

"I am nobody's tool."

"If that is your decision.. proceed then... on your way to oblivion."

"Wait! I'll hear you out. What do you want from me?"

"As direct recipients of our power.. the paladins of Azeroth are our greatest champions in the war against the Burning Legion. However... the Blood Knights of Silvermoon have twisted the Light, robbing it, and themselves in turn, of much of its power..."

"Get on with it."

"Very well.. In short, I will help you learn to channel the Light naturally, as did the Knights of the Silver Hand... as did the Lightbringer. It is a quick process.. all I must do is clear your mind for you. The rest is in your hands. Give yourself to the Light, and it will reciprocate...."

"'So what do I get out of this?"

"What bargaining posture do you believe you have, Aileron? I am helping you to keep your soul from being extinguished."

"And?"

"And nothing! Prepare yourself, Aileron."

Kaaosa raised her hand again, forming a link between herself and the Naaru like she had done so many times before. As soon as the link formed, she was struck with a powerful blow of Holy energy which threw her into the wall behind her. She writhed in pain as the Light forcibly altered her mind. Her hatred and blood lust were erased. Her thirst for vengeance was quenched. She rose to a knee and looked to M'uru who was now being punished for what must have seemed like an attack to all the others in the room.

"Arise, Kaaosa.. the Illuminator."

She rose to her feet. Already she could feel the Light returning to her of its own free will. The darkness clouding her soul was extinguished and that which she had given of her soul was renewed. The Blood Knight Matriarch, Lady Liadrin approached her.

"Aileron? Are you alright?"

Kaaosa waved a hand dismissively, nodding.

"Yeah.. I just drew out too much of his power too quickly. It was my mistake... Don't punish the Naaru for it."

Liadrin scowled. "Are you attempting to order myself and the magisters?"

She shrugged, "I guess so."

Kaaosa turned to leave. Lady Liadrin fumed.

"Blood Knight Kaaosa Aileron! Don't you dare turn your back on me! I'll have you discharged from the Knights!"

Kaaosa tore the Blood Knight medallion from her neck and threw it at Liadrin's feet.

"I quit."