From the Darkness
Part 1
Stop fussing and finish your dinner!"
The young boy looked unhappily at the remains of his food. He hadn't wanted to eat - he had been far more preoccupied with the fantasies he had been acting out. His mother had forced him to sit at the table and eat. He would eat, of course, but he did not like to be disturbed from his games. He had been a mighty hero, fighting to defend his homeland from any who sought to destroy it. He has been the strongest and bravest kal'dorei in Ashenvale. he did not fear demons or dragons. Even the elementals scattered before his might.
However, not even the bravest warrior in Ashenvale could concentrate when his mother's persistent voice kept urging himm to come back to the hut and eat his dinner. She had greeted the returning hero with a smile that belied her exasperation. Over the past months, her boy had slipped more and more into his games, ignoring his chores and spending more time near the edge of the forest. Their home was situated near Orendil's retreat, and had been since the strange events that had reshaped the land. Driven out of Astranaar by the ever-increasing conflicts between the Horde and Alliance, they had taken up residence in a crude hut near Orendil's Retreat. They had remained there, and life was starting get get back to some semblance of normality, with the boy's games being the one exception.
Now, watching the boy play with his food, and seeing his mind start to shift back to his fantasy world, the mother decided to do something her parents had done to her when she had misbehaved. A mischevious light came into her eyes as she brushed her raven hair behind her long, lobeless ears.
She leaned forward, and said in a low voice, "You'd better finish your meal, young one before the demon of Ashenvale decides to come to us..." Her words were lined with an ominous tone reserved for threats, and punishing naughty little boys who did not eat their supper.
The boy looked up in surprise, broken out of his reverie by his mother's words. He scanned his mother's face for any hint of humor of falsity, but could find none (at least, none that he could comprehend). He leaned forward slightly, his childish curiosity piqued by this new development. His voice was high and tinged with slight worry.
"Mother, what is the demon of Ashenvale?" he asked. His mother only shook her head, and replied in a cryptic tone. "Exactly what I said it was. A demon who roams the forests, taking children from their houses and their beds."
The child was now fully interested. "What does he do, mother? What does his look like? What does he do to the children? How does - " His mother held up a hand to stifle the torrent of questions at its' birth.
"Now, now, don't go asking too many questions until I've told you the story," she began. She also leaned forward, almost nose-to-nose with her son. "The demon of Ashenvale has been roaming these parts for many years now. He comes and goes like a shadow, leaving empty beds and lonely parents behind. It is said that disobedient children are his favorites. He snatches them from his home and makes off with them. They are never seen again."
The child's eyes are wide now. His questions slip from his mind as he becomes more engrossed in his mother's words, which continue like the drone of an insect.
"People say the demon is a black entity from the depths of the pit. He moves silently over the ground, with two glowing red eyes that burn with hate. His skin is charcoal black, and he possesses gleaming white claws and fangs. His horns, which all demons have, are razor-sharp. He does not speak. He lives only for evil, and never pays heed. Just like his victims, like boys who never pay heed to their parents. He will find them, and drag them into the darkness, never to be seen again."
The young boy looked unhappily at the remains of his food. He hadn't wanted to eat - he had been far more preoccupied with the fantasies he had been acting out. His mother had forced him to sit at the table and eat. He would eat, of course, but he did not like to be disturbed from his games. He had been a mighty hero, fighting to defend his homeland from any who sought to destroy it. He has been the strongest and bravest kal'dorei in Ashenvale. he did not fear demons or dragons. Even the elementals scattered before his might.
However, not even the bravest warrior in Ashenvale could concentrate when his mother's persistent voice kept urging himm to come back to the hut and eat his dinner. She had greeted the returning hero with a smile that belied her exasperation. Over the past months, her boy had slipped more and more into his games, ignoring his chores and spending more time near the edge of the forest. Their home was situated near Orendil's retreat, and had been since the strange events that had reshaped the land. Driven out of Astranaar by the ever-increasing conflicts between the Horde and Alliance, they had taken up residence in a crude hut near Orendil's Retreat. They had remained there, and life was starting get get back to some semblance of normality, with the boy's games being the one exception.
Now, watching the boy play with his food, and seeing his mind start to shift back to his fantasy world, the mother decided to do something her parents had done to her when she had misbehaved. A mischevious light came into her eyes as she brushed her raven hair behind her long, lobeless ears.
She leaned forward, and said in a low voice, "You'd better finish your meal, young one before the demon of Ashenvale decides to come to us..." Her words were lined with an ominous tone reserved for threats, and punishing naughty little boys who did not eat their supper.
The boy looked up in surprise, broken out of his reverie by his mother's words. He scanned his mother's face for any hint of humor of falsity, but could find none (at least, none that he could comprehend). He leaned forward slightly, his childish curiosity piqued by this new development. His voice was high and tinged with slight worry.
"Mother, what is the demon of Ashenvale?" he asked. His mother only shook her head, and replied in a cryptic tone. "Exactly what I said it was. A demon who roams the forests, taking children from their houses and their beds."
The child was now fully interested. "What does he do, mother? What does his look like? What does he do to the children? How does - " His mother held up a hand to stifle the torrent of questions at its' birth.
"Now, now, don't go asking too many questions until I've told you the story," she began. She also leaned forward, almost nose-to-nose with her son. "The demon of Ashenvale has been roaming these parts for many years now. He comes and goes like a shadow, leaving empty beds and lonely parents behind. It is said that disobedient children are his favorites. He snatches them from his home and makes off with them. They are never seen again."
The child's eyes are wide now. His questions slip from his mind as he becomes more engrossed in his mother's words, which continue like the drone of an insect.
"People say the demon is a black entity from the depths of the pit. He moves silently over the ground, with two glowing red eyes that burn with hate. His skin is charcoal black, and he possesses gleaming white claws and fangs. His horns, which all demons have, are razor-sharp. He does not speak. He lives only for evil, and never pays heed. Just like his victims, like boys who never pay heed to their parents. He will find them, and drag them into the darkness, never to be seen again."