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Gravitation	By : neuralmisfit Category: +S through Z > World of Warcraft Views: 9243 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own World of Warcraft, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Gravitation
- 2-Awakening
- 3-Revelations
- 4-Memories
- 5-Skirmish
- 6-Hunger
- 7-Voyage
- 8-Outland
- 9-Maiev
- 10-Hunting
- 11-Trial
- 12-Consummation
- 13-Destruction
- 14-Return
- 12
- 13
- 14
Gravitation
Arcadia-Sama
Summary-
Never mind. You�ll see.
Disclaimer- Shayl and the dreadlords in here belong to me. Everything
else belongs to Blizzard.
Suggested BGM � "Broken"- Evanescence/Seether

"I
love it when a plan comes together."
� Varimathras

Author Notes � First off, allow me to apologize for how long this update
took. Life happened. Then I got writer's block thanks to stress. But I've
finally managed to start writing again. And I don't plan to stop until I take
over the world. Or the plotline finishes first. Thank you all, each
and every one of you, for your reviews and watches on this fan fiction. They
help keep me writing as an author. I cannot express how much I appreciate
the support.

Twilight � Thank you
very much, hun! And here�s the (very late) update!

Silver Shadow �
Grah? XD GRAH?

Raxzje � Oh, hell
naw. xD No slashyness here. But thank you very much! It�s always nice to see
that someone enjoys a new original character!

Now, on with the show! =D

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

It was the sounds of life that brought the woman lying in the bed to
stir at last, limber form stretching out slowly before relaxing into the mass
of heat and warmth that lay beside her, feeling one strong arm curling about
her waist in a most possessive manner. But then, that was only to be expected
considering the mannerisms of the druid's bedmate. A large smile was plastered
on her own mouth and slender fingers would stroke across her lover's chest,
feeling bandages winding their way across his torso before the man beside the
woman would mumble, shift and relax once more.

Shayl could not help leaning up to press a soft kiss to Illidan's
throat, her lips lingering as her tongue flicked out, savoring the taste of his
skin. Her fingers would work down her lover's body and then she snuggled even
closer to the man underneath the thin sheet, enjoying the feeling of her body
rubbing against his now as her mouth would nibble at the sorcerer's skin. Then,
a gasp and a laugh escaped her when she heard a growl and felt herself being
lifted atop the large man, feeling him frowning at her even as a smile tugged
at the corners of his mouth for not even Illidan could hold to his normally
dour moods after such a night of kisses and gentle promises and words that had
never been spoken and yet had passed between them with promises of forever. Then,
Shayl leaned down, her long hair brushing across his face, mouths meeting and
touching and kissing before parting and touching and kissing again.

"Mmm.. good morning, Illidan," she whispered to him softly,
her face nuzzling his now.

"And to you. Woman, could you not have let me sleep longer? I was
having a good dream," Illidan said, shifting his body to imply exactly
what kind of dream he was talking about.

Shayl sighed in pleasure as she felt the warm hardness of a certain
part of his body rubbing against her own and then she couldn't help the smile
that tugged at the corners of her own mouth now, a wicked grin touching her
face as she spoke in teasing tones. "Sleep longer? Why should I have done
that? Or are you just so old that you need more sleep then me?" A chuckle
of sound escaped her now, the druid stretching out before shrieking as she
suddenly found herself pinned beneath Illidan.

"Old, am I? Old? Well, then I suppose I'll have to adopt a cane
and start hobbling around to prove that I'm old," growled the large man in
reply, a smirk cutting across his face as he began to nibble at her neck.
Illidan smirked even as his body started pressing against hers now as Shayl
moaned in gentle pleasure, her hands pinned over her head by his, leaving her
helpless and under his mercies.

Yet, just as they started to enjoy one another, a knock echoed from the
wooden door into the room and Illidan growled as Kael's voice interrupted them
and Shayl would laugh before she would push at his chest gently, sitting
upright as she did so. She couldn't stop herself from wincing in pain and
pressing her hand to her stomach, blind gaze turned downwards before a sigh
escaped her when Illidan's hand snaked under hers, the man drawing her close
and into his lap with a wing, nuzzling his face to her hair as he spoke into
it, a frown on his well-shaped face.

"I'm sorry I hurt you-" started the apology before Shayl
shook her head some, turning to press her fingers to his mouth.

"Do not be. I would not have traded last night for anything else
in the world, Illidan." A smile graced her lips now as she looked up to
him.

Then, she rose from the bed and Illidan could not help but reach out
and pull her close, resting his head against her chest as he sighed softly, his
hand stroking up and down her back. Her arms would go about his shoulders and
neck, her own hand stroking his freed hair before the druid pulled away with a
murmured "You should see to Kael" as the prince knocked the door
again, turning to head into the bathing chamber that sat off the main room.
Closing the door, she walked slowly and carefully to the sunken bath, moving
carefully down the stone slope that led into the large pool of water. Sighing
in pleasure as the warmth of the water began to soothe her sore muscles from
their ache, Shayl would tuck into a corner and rested her head against the cool
stone of the floor, lips being licked quietly.

Outside in the master bedroom, Illidan stared after her, more than a
little tempted to go after her and join her. But the man would snarl when the
knocking came again and he would jerk his pants on now, tying them shut before
rising to his hooves and stalking over to the door, yanking it open and he
would simply glare down at Kael who gaped up at his master - and with good
reason! For, although Illidan couldn't see it, he had the marks of a man who
had definitely spent a night of passion with a lover. Scratches decorated
Illidan's chest and shoulders, a large hickey adorned his neck and his hair was
rather tangled looking. Kael bit back a howl of laughter as he kept looking the
larger man over, staring at the way the half-daemon's clothing was rumpled as
well before sneezing delicately at the musk of spent sex that assaulted his
nose; at least he refrained from wiping it.

"Pardon, my lord, for you know that I would not disturb you unless
I had a good reason. Your brother has been demanding to see you as soon as you
awoke and had finally threatened to come up here and disturb you and the lady
Shayl himself if you did not come to see him soon."

Illidan could not help the growl that escaped him, pools of smoke
flaring a bright greenish-gold as anger prickled up his spine. He could very
well guess what his brother wanted to speak to him about. Even as the thought
registered in his mind, a splash in the bathing room caught his attention and
he turned to study that door, Kael being given a brief moment of insight into
his master's thoughts. A look of longing and happiness touched Illidan's face
briefly and he could not help but notice that some of the lines that had been
carved on the half-breed's face were gone now, vanished from view. But then the
large man sighed and turned back to Kael to study him quietly it seemed before
he would growl and curl his hands into fists now, nails digging into his palms
until blood was drawn by the sharp points and he would lift his head, shoulders
being thrown back.

"Very well, Kael. Inform my dear brother" - a grimace -
"that I shall be down in minutes."

Kael nodded his head slowly before he would turn away and he headed
down the hall, his face dropping into severe lines as he descended the stairs
from the tower, moving with slow, purposeful steps as he entered the main
audience hall where some tables were set up, some of the men in the temple
enjoying a late dinner and others an early breakfast for there was always a
guard patrol on duty for this realm was not meant to be lived in and they had
to deal quite often with attacks on the temple from the local wildlife. And
lately, Kael's senses had been prickling as if some door were opening somewhere
in this godforsaken land, a door that could never be closed. And once in the
audience hall, he looked about before locating the arch druid seated at a
table, eating slowly of the meal he'd been given.

"My lord will be down soon to speak with you, lord Stormrage. He
is merely getting-"

"Getting what?" growled Malfurion. "Getting ready to what?
Seduce that girl again? Ravish her? Turn her against what should be her proper
path?!"

Kael blinked once before cold anger empowered his words, his normally
infamous temper burning brightly as he spoke now. "My lord, I'll ask you
just this once to keep your tongue to yourself. The lady Shayl has been fully
aware of what our lord has done in the past and she accepted him despite that. So
be silent and sit still until my master comes and speaks with you!"
Turning on his heel, he marched out of the main chamber, not having seen
Illidan standing nearby and listening. But at last, the half-breed began to
approach his brother, a scowl forming on Illidan's features for he had also
heard what Furion was saying of Shayl.

"You wanted to speak with me, brother?"

The arch druid lifted his head, staring at the rumpled form of his twin
and he could not help but notice that there were lines missing from his
brother's face nor could he miss the fact that Illidan had a sense of
happiness. But that did not excuse the fact that the lover of his twin was a
druid that had been driven out by her own people and should have been allowed
the chance to return. Furion would simply shake his head from side to side
before speaking, voice vibrating with a calm sort of fury that emphasized his
foul mood.

"Yes, I did. It concerns Shayl, Illidan. Exactly what are you
planning to do with her?!"

"Do with her? What do you mean by that?" snarled Illidan, the
twin pools of yellow smoke that served as eyes in those empty sockets starting
to glow brightly behind the dark cloth he wore about his head.

"How long are you planning on jerking her emotions around like
this? Have you no sense of shame or mercy for the poor girl? I am quite aware
of what you and she have done and I cannot help but condone such an act! You
will break her heart, brother, and who shall pick up the pieces of what you
will do to her as a result? Have you thought about what is best for her? I will
not see you do any harm to this young woman!" the arch-druid growled, his
own antlered head lifting high as he would plant his staff firmly against the
ground.

Illidan could not speak for several moments, his breathing coming in
swift, sharp gasps as he fought to keep from lunging at his brother and punching
him in the face, although it was oh so very hard indeed. But the temptation to
do so was etched upon his face for he would see Malfurion take a step back from
him, lifting the staff in a defensive manner before he would snarl at his
druidic twin and words would spill past Illidan's lips in a furious torrent of
anger and sorrow, oddly enough, for this was a confrontation that had been
brewing over several long years.

"You say that you do not want to see any harm come to her?! What
is it about me, my dear brother, that you cannot see me happy at all?! Was it
not enough that Tyrande chose you over I for her mate? Was it not enough that
you were given the credit for saving our people when both you and I did so?!
Was it not enough that I had to suffer under the hands of that wretched bitch
Maiev for ten thousand years?! And now you come and tell me that you will not
let me HARM Shayl?! Well, I will not give her to you, brother! She chose me,
willingly, despite knowing who I am and what I have done! Do not dare to
presume that you are protecting some na�ve innocent from my clutches! I leave
the choice to her on whether or not she wishes to stay or go!"

The half-breed of demonic energies and elfish origin would fall silent
now, his chest rising and falling as he panted, making the bandages that still
wrapped in a smaller swatch about his chest flex with each inhale, loosening
over the exhales as well and then Illidan growled at his brother's silence,
seeing Furion studying him with a thoughtful stare. That stare did not bode
well for him, or so the hybrid felt and he would give his horned head a shake,
sensing more than smelling the presence of Shayl nearby and turned to see her
staring at them both, features twisted into a composed sort of fury as she
would stare at the arch druid with a look that could have flayed flesh from
bone. Moreover, honestly, Illidan always thought she looked her best when she
was furious; perhaps that was why he had a habit of teasing her mercilessly,
even now. Yet, he could not help but ease back and out of the way as Shayl came
between the twins, scowling up at Malfurion so fiercely that Illidan actually
sympathized with his brother, just a little.

".. How dare you," Shayl hissed softly, her blind stare
pinning the druid in place as parted lips exposed her teeth. "How dare you
presume such things about Illidan and I! Yes, he had his people abduct me, take
me from my home, but I have come to have my own place and home here! I will not
leave him and you! You!" A stab of a finger into Malfurion's chest.
"You simply need to hoist yourself and shove that staff of yours where the
light of Elune certainly does not reach!"

Shayl was in fine, rare form and she looked ready to go after the
throat of the stunned druid before her, and then she felt Illidan's hands
settling upon her shoulders, his touch soothing and restraining her from lunging
forward and upwards. Now Illidan had to keep in mind that Shayl was, while a
bit small and diminutive, she was quite a formidable woman when riled up. In addition,
let any divine power try stopping her when she ever actually got mad. Really,
one could almost call it cute. That is, someone who was not having a
force as unstoppable as an avalanche bearing down upon them. Well, that was
really a rather nice way of putting things because, after all, Shayl was truly
a force of nature seeing as how she was a druid and druids were, quite
literally, forces of naure.

Yet, the mood that crackled in the air was distinctly unhappy and the
blind female was glowering before she would turn about and do something that
really was quite charming. Reaching up and grabbing Illidan's head by the horns
(for he was taller than she was, true, but she could still snag his horns) and
the slender woman would lift herself up while hauling his head down, pressing
her mouth quite securely against that of the half-breed. A muffled oath of
surprised acceptance met her mouth and then Illidan's arms were wrapping about
her as he lifted her upwards and against him, returning the kiss with a forceful
passion that had Malfurion politely averting his eyes from the pair before
finally glancing back when the couple broke their kiss.

Shayl, removing herself from Illidan's grasp, would scowl at the arch
druid before the young woman flounced off with a jaunty air to her, humming
loudly as she did so. The brother stood together in silence, Illidan with a
smirk on his face and Malfurion with a faintly embarrassed grimace before the half-breed
began to turn to his brother. The sorcerer stopped, sniffing at the air and his
smirk faded as a frown took over his expression now, the large, horned hunter
lifting his head to sample the air like some kind of dog or cat it would seem
as he tried to grasp the whisper of fel energy he felt curling in the air. It
had been just a brief whisper, but the sheer power that had come with it
was what caught Illidan's attention. But finally the hint of it was gone and he
stood there, silent, before turning at last to his smaller brother for Illidan
had grown to stand over his twin with his consumption of the Skull of Gul'dan.

"You are free to stay here as long as you wish, brother, and you
may make your attempt to persuade Shayl to come with you. But I promise you now
that you, nor anyone else, will ever take her from me. I would die before I
allowed such to occur. I have been thinking of asking her to be my
lifemate." Studiously, Illidan ignored Malfurion's gasp at that point.
"I know that I will keep her about, simply because she has managed to heal
this wound that none of my priests were able to heal. I damn near died thanks
to that wretched blade wielded by that human!"

Once more, Illidan felt the cruel blade of Frostmourne cutting across
his body, a strong blow having cut into his body in a diagonal slash that was
still healing, even now. There was a small ridge of scar tissue that would be
left, a permanent reminder to the half-breed on how close he'd come to dying
and would have died if not for Shayl's ministrations to his body. However, even
the mighty sorcerer was unable to remember that blade without a shudder of fear
as he remembered how the foul magic laid on Frostmourne had almost severed his
soul from his body. Illidan half-suspected that it was his daemonic side that
had helped him endure and survive the near-loss of his soul. But for long days,
he had been separated from his body, cast adrift.. somewhere. Shuddering and
shaking his head, he would touch his hand to the spot where the scar stood out
upon his body and Illidan's large wings flexed before Malfurion spoke up at
last.

"I know, brother. I.. felt it."

As only a twin could feel it. Despite the pair being polar opposites,
in personality and power, in choosing their path to walk upon, in their ways of
doing things, Malfurion and Illidan, however much they denied it, were still
brothers. In times of great stress, as the pair had demonstrated when they
worked together to rescue Tyrande, they were still bound by a bond of blood and
soul. But in this moment, Malfurion admitted quietly that he had felt the
almost-loss of Illidan, had nearly lost that part of himself. Although they
certainly did not get along (heaven above knew they were barely civil), the
brothers could not deny that bond that still lingered between them. But years
and emotions still held a strong barrier between them that would not be easily
torn down, if ever truly hewn through at last. Yet, the archdruid studied his
twin now with a quietly thoughtful manner, never truly having seen Illidan in
this light or this manner before. One hand gripping his staff, the curling
leaves and vines that wrapped the gnarled wood lengthening and spreading wider with
his mood, Malfurion's other hand came to stroke the luxuriant beard of green
that extended to cover his chest. It was a thoughtful gesture and he held his
silence before speaking up once again.

"Very well then. I shall stay here for a time, if only to observe
you and Shayl both. But brother, I can sense her potential. And the fact that
she was able to heal a wound not just of the body, but of the soul as well,
speaks volumes for her-"

Malfurion stopped as Illidan lifted one large hand upwards in silent entreaty,
the look on the face of the half-breed stopping the druid in his tracks. It was
a hard look, a cold one that warped Illidan's face to be rough as stone and just
as unreadable before the hybrid spoke at last, his voice a low rumble.

"No, my brother. Though she might have raw potential, Shayl does
not know of it. I think that she uses her own life energy to be a focusing
point for her odd healing technique. It is druidic magic, I think, but I am
uncertain. Shayl does not stop with the healing process until she is faint and
wilting against me, ready to pass out. Always, she sleeps for long hours
afterwards and she eats heavily too, but I cannot say if training would help
her or not. And I do not even know if she would accept such training. She
dislikes kaldorei, remember?"

Of course, such dislike was understandable when one considered her
background. Then, without further word to his brother, Illidan swiveled about
and stalked in the direction that Shayl had gone, telling himself that he was
going to make sure that she hadn't killed anyone yet. Of course, he had almost
never seen her so angry unless one counted her arguments against him. Illidan
certainly did not. But something caused him to stop, legs growing still as he
paused in midstride, once more catching a hint of fel energies in the air, the
daemon within his soul stirring briefly as a result. It was just another quick
whisper of such a sensation, but Illidan finally passed it off as nothing more
than the aftermath of a spell. And as a result, he never noticed the duo of
tall, almost unearthly beautiful blood elves standing apart from the rest of
the hall.

There was something strange about these two, however. True, at first
glance they looked to be merely a pair of blood elves, one with dark red hair
and the other with silver locks, and both clad with the almost characteristic
green eyes of a blood elf now; but these two were no more blood elves then a
naga was a human. Something about them seemed to divert the eyes as well,
almost as if there was something about the two that made eyes turn away from
them and refuse to look upon them. Even the sunlight from a narrow arrow slit
up above seemed to work about the pair, as if it were afraid to touch them. There,
on the floor, was a flash of what these two things truly were. It was nothing
much more than a hint of curving horns upwards or a twitching talon or a flex
of a wing that would betray them if anyone looked too hard at their shadows.

"You saw her, brother?"

They were cold words, harsh words. Words that made the very air about
them almost seem to curdle as the voices were certainly kept low, guttural
tones passing between the pair in lieu of actual phrases and sentences.

"Yes. I can see why Illidan would choose her for a bedmate. She
has a certain spice to her that will be delicious to remove."

More words, warmer then the first voice, but crueler for that warmth.
That was a voice that had whispered in ears of countless worlds, bending them
through clever manipulation within manipulation to the Burning Legion; it was a
voice that could have made a mother give up her child to an axe murderer,
really.

"No, my brother. That is for lord Kil'jaeden to attend to."

The second speaker fell silent with nothing more than a grunt of mild
protest; yet, as much as Ichondrius could gain pleasure from drawing out that
woman's soul, manipulating it with as much deft ability as a master mason with
a block of marble, he knew that Dathrizar spoke the truth of things. They were
here to collect the woman and bring her to their lord and master. No matter how
much temptation made them want to turn to their own pleasures, the loyalties
that bound them to Kil'jaeden, loyalties that came from fear and hatred and a
dozen other things, prevented that.

"Very well. When shall we take the girl?" inquired Ichondrius
as he turned his eyes to his "sibling"; certainly not brood mates nor
anything else, they were siblings insofar only that they were of the same race.
But he stood there, patient as stone as he waited for an answer.

"Soon, my brother; have patience until then. But it will be very
soon indeed. I can promise you that." Dathrizar was confident in his words
and actions and he didn't need to look at his companion to see the slow,
thoughtful nod.

"They might come after us.. Especially Illidan. I would not want
to be caught on the wrong side of him at all," Ichondrius cautioned as he
turned his eyes onto the disguised Nathrezim at his side. "If he should
come after us, brother, what are we to do then?"

"If that should occur, my brother, then we will not need to bother
keeping him alive. Now then, I have been informed that this druid spends her
days tending to a garden. Perhaps it is the only thing that she does about
here. It is passing strange that they tolerate her," came the thoughtful
murmur from Dathrizar's mouth. "If she were not under the protection of
Illidan, I have to wonder how fast that the naga and sin'dorei would tear her
apart."

Silence fell between the pair as they brooded together, thinking and
plotting intricacies within intricacies as they tried to think of a way to get
Shayl to their master without alerting Illidan or his brother to her missing
presence. But the answer would not come easily to the pair and as they knew
they must, the pair of nathrezim departed from the hall where they would
pretend to be part of the residents of the Temple. And so it was that the two decided to
wait and watch and learn what could be learned from observation, needing to see
how they could work this out and gain their master�s approval without drawing
too much unwanted attention to themselves.

And what they learned could be called startling, to some. Though the
sin�dorei and naga did not like the druid overly much for her being a night
elf, there was a quiet sense of respect for her that ran in strong currents
through the Temple.
True, very true, that there was an inherant dislike for her because of the
kaldorei heritage that Shayl represented in a stark reminder to both the blood
elves and naga as to their ancestry of many generations ago. Primitive and
wild, she was everything both races were not. Where there was refinement and
culture amongst the sin�dorei and amongst the naga, they were bestial and
ferocious, the kaldorei were a blend of both. Shayl, however, was more rustic
than most in a manner of culturally speaking.

As the pair remained at the Temple,
they tried to discern a feasible pattern for Shayl�s movements. Yet, that was
hard for Illidan and she would vanish at random times and the sounds of passion
would emerge from one part of the Temple or another if they were within hearing
distance and Illidan�s roaring would always mark the end of things. Perhaps it
was fortunate that Shayl was blind for rumors flitted about the Temple for more then
once, some roaming naga or sin�dorei had come across the pair in the midst of
passion. The first time, a mage had found Illidan pinning Shayl to the wall
with her legs wrapped around the hybrid�s waist while the movements of their
hips made what was occurring all too obvious. How strange had it almost been to
see his hands beneath Shayl�s rump as he held her up, teeth working against
that smooth neck and to see, if only very vaguely, the thrusting of his body
against hers. Perhaps it was the sexual passions that flowed through the air or
it was the way the two were so focused upon one another or the raw honesty that
was exhibited, but the mage had stood and watched with shock until Illidan�s
head had turned and those glowing spots that passed for his eyes moved in a
manner that could only be called narrowing dangerously and that had been her
cue to leave.

With the observation also came much better understanding of Shayl�s
nature. Nurturing, yes, strong, yes, and with a definite maternal streak that
aided in her nature of being a healer, a plan began to form between them that
would play on that very nature. Time passed, perhaps a week to a fortnight at
the most before they finally implemented their plan. And that was when
everything began to fall apart for one very unsuspecting druid. Shayl had been
working in her garden, tending to the plants she had been coaxing to blossom
into life. More plants had been growing along other areas of the Temple, yet there was
only so much one (or two, if one counted Malfurion) little druid could do when
faced with a structure that was soaked in fel energies from years of
corruption. Perhaps one day, with enough effort and patience, she would leave the
place filled with life when hers might end. Yet, this day, she was working
beneath the awning along one of the walkways when she heard a gentle voice
nearby speaking to her.

Later, Shayl would never be able to remember exactly what the voice
said to her. All she knew was that she needed to go somewhere with this person
to take care of someone outside of the Temple.
The exit from the massive bastion of the Temple
was cleverly orchestrated by Ichondrius as he took the woman with him and so it
was he met up with Dathrizar a good way from the Temple near the crystal fields that were
watched by several of the netherdrakes that circled overhead. But there was a
sense of danger in what they were doing as well for as they had both observed,
Illidan had a strange knack for knowing where Shayl was at most times. So it
was the pair began to usher Shayl away from the Temple, well aware they were living so to
speak on borrowed time.

Back at the Temple,
Illidan�s head whipped upright and he absently jumped out of the way of the
swiping blade from the spellbreaker that was watching him before his lips
suddenly curled back from his mouth as he sensed Shayl not in the temple. But
even more alarming to him was the feeling of fel energies that were with her.
Those energies stirred the beast within and he would spread his wings before
launching himself suddenly into the air, that large span flapping as he angled
himself upwards, lips peeling away from his teeth as he left the training
ground without warning.

It did not take long for the pair to notice the presence that was
Illidan moving towards them and so it was they shed the flimsy illusions of
being blood elves with ease. Ichondrius�s coloration was an orange-red shade
while Dathrizar was more along the lines of black. The first of the two flung
Shayl over his shoulder as his wings spread and the night elf began to break
out of the daze that had filled her mind. Small fists began to beat against the
back of the nathrezim that held her and she let out a scream that was echoed by
a distant roar from above before there was a thud as Illidan�s body impacted
the ground, leaving a shallow crater beneath his hooves. Already, his
warglaives had come to his hands and his head lifted to stare at the daemons
that stood there, both staring at him and only those who knew Illidan would
have recognized him going pale beneath the dusky shade of his skin.

"Ah, Illidan, we were wondering when you would arrive,"
Dathrizar murmured, flexing his hand in a casual manner to display the threat
of those long black claws that erupted from the lines of his fingers. "After
all, we could feel you coming. But our master wishes to meet with this
woman of yours and we know that what our master wants, he shall get."

Horror lanced through Illidan at the implications behind the words of
the nathrezim that stared at him, horror at what Kil'jaeden would do to Shayl
if the eredar got his hands on the druid. Illidan knew that if this scheme succeeded
and his druid was taken before the monstrous general of the Legion, Kil'jaeden
would break her. He would twist her, mold her and change her until there would
be nothing left of this smiling, gentle woman whom had begun to heal the wounds
that had twisted his heart. Where there had been a bastion of cold loneliness
before, he had opened his heart to her slowly, allowing her to begin bringing
him back to life. But that would all be dashed to pieces if that foul daemon
was given that beautiful druid and Illidan could only wonder who had betrayed
them.

Tension was thick in the air as Shayl struggled on that shoulder and
let out several expressive curses as she tried to figure out where she was. Her
head was spinning wildly and her senses recoiled as she felt the curdling
sensation of fel energies and magics around her body. They were not like the
comforting, if dangerous air that Illidan would put off around her. No, the
feeling from these two unknown presences was something darker and more
insidious and crueler then anything that her lover had put out. And then the
druid paused and calmed when she felt Illidan nearby, knowing that he was near
enough to keep her limp enough to cope with what she was feeling. Then, a low,
guttural snarl was the only warning before one long ear would twitch suddenly
at the sounds of bodies colliding together.

The fear and anger that had filled the sorcerer had reached its
breaking point and spreading his wings wide open, Illidan snarled and threw
himself at the dark dreadlord that stood before him without warning.
Dathrizar's hands came upwards and his claws would block the blow. To any
observer that had seen those claws, one could have called them thin black
shards of glass. At a casual glance, those nails were nearly able to be named
delicate, if not for those lethal points. By all rights, Illidan's blow should
have shattered those nails and hewn the black-shaded nathrezim in half. But
sparks were thrown up as Dathrizar used his nails as a shield with one hand,
the scraping along the edge of Illidan's blade grating to hear as it set the
sorcerer's teeth on edge and the dreadlord brought his other hand around, claws
swiping at the half-breed who let out a roar as they sliced across his side,
exposing muscle to the air.

Illidan's other blade swiped forward, aiming for Dathrizar's neck even
as he would leap back and out of the range of those deadly nails. But the
dreadlord moved after him, slicing again at the half-breed and Illidan's hands
would bring the blades about to bear, barely able to block the blow. On the
sidelines, Ichondrius would stare with cold intent at the battle as the massive
half-breed and the dreadlord continued, the pair trading blow after blow, but
there was a slight advantage in the fight on the side of the nathrezim. He was
older and far more experienced and his opponent was wild with anger, which
caused Illidan's blows to miss half the time.

Ichondrius was a patient daemon but not always and watching his
brethren toying with the sorcerer who had betrayed their master was irritating
to him. His attention had been consumed by the fight and not so much was given
to Shayl. The druid would twist before her body fell to the ground and she came
up, body starting to warp into that of a feline before Ichondrius's hand would
slam against her head, sending her flying to collide with a sickening thud
against one of the crystals and the dreadlord would turn to his brother with a
bored air as he spoke up.

"Do hurry this up, brother. Our master is growing impatient and
wishes to see this woman," the yellowish dreadlord said as he walked to
pick Shayl's limp body up. But as Ichondrius bent over her, he felt a sudden
and powerful sense of danger behind him and straightened slowly to glance over
his shoulder towards Illidan and his brother.

Illidan's mouth had opened in a silent scream of angry denial when he
saw Shayl's body collide with the crystal and he would shake his head, denying
it, but when Ichondrius touched his druid, the anger broiled over and Illidan
would throw his head back with a loud roar of sound. The beast roared to life within
him and power erupted from the half-breed. The sorcerer's hands opened wide as
the glaives would drop away and his wings spread wide open, teeth being bared
as he roared again. Shadows began to warp up and along the massive form,
spreading to cover his entire body as it grew larger. His horns increased in
size while his entire body grew larger and his spine elongated into a tail that
whipped back and forth behind his body. Red had replaced the golden smoke of
his eyes and the half-breed's jaws worked, his fangs gleaming with an oily
black shine. Even his wings had grown larger, shadows swirling beneath the
webbing and drifting down towards the ground to pool around his body. His claws
were lethally bright and his hooves were burning the ground, green-orange
flames licking at the dirt that was beneath him. The strained fabric of his
pants ripped and split beneath the increased size of his body, tearing open to
reveal blackened flesh upon his thighs. Slowly, those lips parted and a low,
guttural growl of a voice emerged from Illidan's mouth as his gaze would fix
itself upon the frozen dread lords.

"Neither of you are as strong as Tichondrius was. This will be not
any trouble at all."

Then, Illidan moved without sudden warning, his hands coming up to seize
Dathrizar by his throat. The daemon within Illidan had been roused by the
threat that was directed towards his mate. True, Illidan's mind on a conscious
level had not quite been accepting of that fact, but the bestial side of
himself was wholly possessive of the druid, attached as he was to her. Though
the dreadlord moved, leaping out of the initial blow, the transformed
half-breed's claws would slice across the dreadlord�s chest, drawing black
blood. An eye for an eye, after all, and there was quite a bit that Illidan
felt he needed to level out.

This development was completely unexpected! Neither Ichondrius nor
Dathrizar had anticipated the sudden change that had occurred with their
target. Their lord was not going to be pleased about this and Dathrizar would
settle down on his own hooves, clawed hands working as his yellowish wings
would spread in a defensive gesture while his head turned towards his brother
who was also staring shock at the transformed sorcerer. They had heard that
this male had consumed the skull of the warlock Gul�Dan but never had they
imagined that it had been blessed with such power that was only augmented with
Illidan�s own innate ability with the arcane powers. Then Illidan�s body moved
again and he leapt at his opponent with a howling snarl, teeth bared to the air
while his wings propelled him forward with a greater rate of speed. This time,
his claws closed upon Dathrizar�s body and a cruel smile touched Illidan�s
mouth as he began to call on an ability that had not been touched in such a
long time.

Ichondrius stared on in an emotion that he could only have described as
horror as a sudden and terrible shriek erupted from Dathrizar�s mouth and he
spasmed in Illidan�s grasp from where his head was held between those hot palms.
Slowly, the skin of Ichondrius's brother began to draw tight over his body, the
white starting to turn black as it would peel away from where those flexible
lines of flesh marked his lips. Smoke began to emerge from his eyes and ears,
curling outwards from the sockets and his ear's holes while the skin turned
even darker, blackened from the rampaging energies that were being consumed by
the half-breed holding onto him. Those onyx and amber eyes would bulge outwards
in pain from that continued drain of energy as the vampiric-like fangs that
characterized their race gleamed brightly against dark gums as his mouth opened
wide in silent agony. Dathrizar�s hands came up, whether to stop his attacker
or to try getting a blow in as a final act, Ichondrius knew it would never be
clear for they fell away as Illidan continued to draw in the magical energies
that supplied the nathrezim. The flesh over the horned skull grew tighter and
tighter, exposing his lips and gums to the air while his wings began to split
and peel upwards along the bones that had supported the leathery webbing,
leaving them stripped of the covering flesh. Before his brother�s eyes,
Dathrizar slowly became nothing more then a husk that was left barely alive as
he stared up at Illidan with a burning stare before the daemonically
transformed sorcerer pressed his hands together and like an egg, that skull was
crushed. Blood and brains squirted out from between Illidan's fingers in thick
lines of dark ichor, shards of bone cutting into the transformed man's hands.

As Illidan let the lifeless husk drop to the ground, it burst into
flames at a simple twitch of his clawed finger as he turned to Ichondrius and
his lips peeled open as the more powerful and transformed half-breed stared at
the darker daemon that stood before him and then that guttural voice emerged
again from Illidan�s mouth.

"I will give you a single chance to
flee, daemon. Give Shayl back to me and I will promise that your death will be
swift and painless."

Ichondrius stared with his dark grey eyes
at Illidan before he suddenly dropped Shayl's body to the ground and leapt into
the air at the same time. Self-preservation and the sense of coming first were
all too common amongst their race, where one of their people would happily
backstab one another, just to claw out an edge in power. Already, he was
shooting upwards towards the sky to escape and that was his mistake. Below,
Illidan had moved, catching Shayl and easing her down to the ground before his
head lifted to stare up at the dreadlord who was attempting to flee the area
and those dark wings spread open, shadows flooding down to pool across the
broken ground and then he threw himself upwards after the daemon.

Pain exploded through the nathrezim as he
gagged and choked, gasping for air that was being funneled through only one
lung. Shards of bone protruded out of the pale chest, armor bent outwards as
well around that massive wrist and the long, large fingers that held the
twisted black muscle of his heart in a tightly clenched grasp. Illidan's growl
resounded in the nathrezim's ear, the last sound that the daemon would ever
hear upon this plane of existence before the claws upon the transformed
sorcerer's right hand would dig into the dreadlord's back while Illidan's
fingers crushed the heart. At the same time, his other hand would rip the upper
half of the body hanging from his arm off from the lower half, letting the
hooves and legs and lower torso drop towards the ground even as Illidan
consumed the released magic.

Despite the monstrous appearance of his
body, those hands were gentle as Shayl was lifted into his arms and that caress
careful so as not to mar her skin with scratches. The emotions were full of
gentle worry as the dark head lowered closer and for once, Illidan was thankful
that Shayl was blind though he knew that she had been growing to resent it.
Unlike Illidan who had a variation of a form of sight, she was wholly and
utterly blind and until she had learned her way about the Temple, it had not
been unusual for her to walk into a wall or door or to even take a tumble down
the stairs, thought that scenario had thankfully happened only about three or
four times until Shayl had finally begun to rest a hand on the walls where she
could. But now, for all his power, Illidan felt utterly helpless as his lover
remained limp in his arms and he stared down at her before spreading his wings
and lifting upwards and he cradled that fragile body close to his chest. Worry
filled his mind up as did a dreadful realization.

He had to let Shayl go.

If he wanted to keep her safe, he had to
let her go.

Kil'jaeden knew about her and that scared
Illidan even more then the realization that he cared for Shayl in manners that
were far too complex for him to name. As he flew along, his arms instinctively
curled more tightly about the slender body of the druid and Illidan's mind
broiled with myriad thoughts and emotions that were both addictive and bitterly
cruel at once. The affections he had felt towards Tyrande had been love, yes,
but what he felt towards Shayl was like comparing a feeble candle's light
against a blazing star. Starfire was what burnt him every time he made love to
the druid and it was making love regardless of what anyone else would say. His
progress back was slower then his departure had been from the Temple and he came to settle in the courtyard
easily, ignoring the expression of disgust that decorated Malfurion's face.
After all, his brother couldn't seem to accept that he was now partially
daemonic from the consumption of the energies of the Skull of Gul'dan. Lifting
a careful hand to the unblemished line of the lavender cheek of Shayl's face,
he touched it gently and that seemed to be Shayl's cue to stir for she made a
low moan in the back of her throat that had Malfurion hurrying over.

"Illidan..?" came the almost
sleepy murmur of Shayl's voice as she would turn her face up towards his. It
was almost baffling how she always seemed to know where he was when he was near
her or that she knew who he was even in a crowd of people. Her blind eyes would
flutter shut now as Malfurion laid a gentle hand on her brow, soothing away the
damage that had been inflicted by her slam into the crystal with a simple
healing spell.

Shayl's hands lifted upwards to Illidan's
face and her fingertips made contact with his cheeks before his head moved out
of her touch as he gently eased her down to the floor of the courtyard, holding
her against him with one large hand. Where Illidan's hand normally covered only
part of her back, his massive paw now nearly covered her torso and Shayl's head
rested lower on his chest as she leaned against him. Something was not quite
right about her lover, but she was unsure of what it was. All she knew was that
Illidan felt different. Strange and more dangerous, yes, but she wasn't afraid
of him.

For a few brief moments, Illidan allowed
himself to enjoy the touch of her body against his even as the energies from
the transformation began to recede and the shadows melted away and he shrank
upon himself. Both arms curled around her and his head bowed until his face
pressed to her hair where he breathed in her smell for the last time. He was
holding her for the last time. And by Elune, it hurt in so many ways that he
could not even begin to name them. But if he allowed her to stay, then Kil'jaeden
would continue sending his agents after Shayl to bring her to him, to get what
he wanted. In this moment, Illidan cursed his pact with the daemonlord more
bitterly then he ever had before. But he had been happy, happier then he had ever
been for a brief period of his life. He had to protect her. He must. And it was
with that thought in mind that his hands moved to her shoulders and Illidan
thrust her away with a snarl.

With a startled cry, Shayl fell back
against a warm, solid presence which she knew was Malfurion. The archdruid was
staring at his brother and he saw what Shayl could not. He saw open anguish on
his brother's features even as one hand lifted towards her before falling back
at his side and Furion could only wonder what his brother was plotting. But he
kept one steady hand on Shayl's shoulder while she blinked and then spoke up,
her voice soft and hesitant.

"Illidan, what-"

"You stupid girl," came the
growling words that cut her off in midsentence. "You miserably foolish child!
I had thought you were more intelligent then that!"

Shayl's face grew pale as she listened to
him speak before her blinded eyes narrowed and she would open her mouth to
speak, but Illidan continued on with his words, voice cruelly harsh and cutting.
But how different it would have been if Shayl could have seen the open
self-loathing on Illidan's voice as he worked on driving away the woman he..
loved.

"Really, what did you think was going
to happen? I suppose that you were optimistic in your belief that I would come
save you? I did so, but not out of any affections for you, woman. No, you are a
precious and valuable commodity to me. None of my other healers have been able
to heal me the way that you managed to after the damage left unto my body by Frostmourne's
blade."

"Illidan.. What-? I thought-"

"Thought what? That I loved
you?" the half-breed interrupted her with, his voice cold and cutting
deeply into Shayl's heart and emotions as he stood there. It was taking all he
had to speak the way that he was, to not fall to his knees and beg forgiveness
for hurting her with these words. The next few stuck in his throat and he had
to force them out slowly. "You were nothing more then a merely convenient
warm body in my bed. I had never bedded a virgin before, but you responded
enthusiastically enough to it that I suppose there really is no accounting for
such a silly thing."

The young druid stood there, her mouth
hanging open as she felt as if she'd just been punched in the gut. No, that was
too mild an analogy. Shayl felt as if she'd been turned inside out, scraped
clean of every emotion and then returned to normal. Her face was pale and her
head swam as she would clutch at whatever she could for support. Behind her,
Malfurion was glaring murderously at his brother, despite the look of tormented
feelings that were written across the lupine features and Illidan moved as if
he were going to take a step closer and then his mouth opened slowly as he continued
to speak. He had to break her down, make her hate and disbelieve him, make her
never want to turn to him again. In doing so, he was protecting her for he knew
that if he told her the reason why that she would never leave his side.

"It was rather laughable at how
easily you fell into my bed. You are a romantic, my girl. There was nothing
more then lust between us and it was just shallow lust at that. I could have
had any woman from my retinue but there was something utterly satisfying about having an innocent,
don't you think?"

Perhaps it was the shock of the words that
finally gave Shayl her voice again for she sucked in a slow breath and stared
at him before speaking up again, voice trembling from the need to hold back
tears of bitter pain and shock from these terrible words.

"You.. You can't mean it, right? I
mean, you.. you said that.. I was yours! You said that-"

"I said that you were mind, only
insofar as to make an example to my dear brother
that I have merely taken what has been denied me for all this time. About the
only useful thing that you have ever done is heal my wound and since it's
closed, I don't quite need you anymore."

That was the breaking point as Shayl's
mouth dropped open and a gasping sob escaped her throat as she shook and then
fell to her knees, trying to breathe as tears slowly began to run down her face
and Malfurion's mouth opened to yell at his brother, to berate him, to tear him
apart verbally for the pain he had caused this woman. But his voice froze when
he saw what looked to be wetness running down his twin's face. Slowly,
Malfurion's mouth closed as he would stare in shock at his brother's tears
before it clicked at last in the archdruid's mind. His brother was hurting her
to protect her. When Illidan's face turned to him, Malfurion nodded slowly,
still stunned into silence from seeing those tears. Yes, he would take her with
him and keep an eye on her. And slowly, Illidan nodded back before looking down
to the sobbing woman on the ground while blood elves and naga stared at them.
Finally, however, Malfurion knelt and wrapped one arm around Shayl's body and
he stood, speaking as he did so, carrying on the charade to protect his
brother's lover. What strength it took to be so willing to give up the woman he
loved.

"Come, Shayl. We will leave soon. I..
will help you gather your things and we shall leave."

Turning away from his brother, Malfurion
helped Shayl off, the latter of the pair bent over like a broken, old woman.
They vanished into the Temple
and then returned a short while later, Shayl clutching a bag that held all of
her worldly possessions like a shield against whatever else would devastate her
world. Lifting a whistle to his lips, Malfurion blew into it though the magics
that filled it kept it silent save for the ears of his mount. It was not long
after that the shrieking roar of his hippogriff emerged from the clouds as it
came to land in the courtyard, hooves coming down first to settle on the stones
before the clawed forelegs came down next. Wings folding at his sides, the
beast lowered his head to Malfurion's hand, golden eyes focusing on the druid
before Malfurion lifted Shayl to his back, securing her bag to the strap of the
harness that encircled his forelegs and chest. Glancing back at his brother,
Malfurion was surprised to find an egg embedded with crystals being handed to
Shayl by Illidan. No more words were said, but Shayl clutched the egg close and
then Malfurion mounted the hippogriff behind Shayl and stared at his brother
before his hand lifted and the large wings spread, beating at the air as the beast
reared and then launched up into the air.

Illidan's head lifted as he watched the
hippogriff fly away and out of sight. As the last trace of the dot that held
Shayl on its back vanished into the horizon, his mouth dropped open and he let
out a sudden scream, hands flying to his head and chest as he clawed at himself
and the Illidari around him fled for their lives, letting their master vent his
pain alone. Clawing at the ground, at himself, slamming against the walls, his
screams continued, chilling the blood and leaving pain in the soul. When his
outburst finished, Illidan staggered and fell to his knees, lifting his head as
rain began to pour down from the clouds above, almost as if the heavens were
weeping with him. And Illidan's mind began to crumble as the beast within
keened wildly in pain at loosing its mate. Mouth opening, he moaned and then
buried his face in his hands, sobbing in crumpling sounds, rocking back and
forth as his fingers curled against his head, digging into the skin.

On the back of the hippogriff, Shayl clutched
the egg close, not caring that the sharp crystals were scratching her up before
the egg began to wobble and break open and her blind face stared down at the
egg. From out of its confines, a little netherdrake tumbled into her arms and
it cooed briefly before starting to lick her wounds and she was only dimly
aware of their flight path changing. Her mind was too focused on what had just
occurred, on how she had been abandoned and torn apart so easily by the man she
had come to grow affectionate of. The whelp's cooing finally stirred her out of
it as it lapped at the purple blood that streamed from her arms and chest where
she'd been wounded by the crystals. Then, as her mouth opened, a streaming hum
entered her ears and then a sudden, lurching sense of displacement that she had
felt only once before when Illidan had brought her to Outland. The departure
from the world seemed to finalize it and Shayl simply sat there as the
hippogriff continued to fly and so it was that she left behind her heart and
then Shayl's head bowed as she began to sob quietly, holding the little
whelpling close as she did so.

And behind her, Malfurion could only sit
as the wings of the hippogriff beat up and down and he knew that this was a
hurt that could not be healed by him. The only person who could ever heal this
hurt was his brother for he had left this woman broken in ways that had ripped
open old wounds and his hand lifted to gently press a gentle touch against
Shayl's shoulder as she cried. And all the while, the silence was broken only
by the beating of those large wings.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Thus ends the first storyline arc of Gravitation. Have no fear my loyal
readers, this is not the end of Illidan and Shayl. Oh, heavens no. This is only
the beginning of their story. Now that I�ve gotten over the block that was
killing the story, expect the next chapter out sooner then this one came out! I
have a new job so I don�t have as much time to write. But I do know how the
story�s going to continue. Just don�t lynch me (or Illidan) for what�s happened
with Shayl. Please?

Illidan - *Growl,
grumblegrumble, growl.*
Shayl - *Pets
him soothingly and gently.*
- 12
- 13
- 14
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Gravitation