It was deception that led to the inconceivable intertwining of threads...

=-*-=

Mystic waters caressed the golden sands tenderly. No footprints violated the
sacredness of this hallowed isle; no evil permeated this holy atmosphere.
Perhaps it was the will of the Fates that the balance here be broken, for a
dripping claw burst from the surface of the Inner Sea and touched the reverent
granules. The stench of undead flesh spread its awfulness through the air.
Jahidd shook the remaining water from his fur.

Celest had been reluctant to allow a tainted being to reside within their
walls. Even Jahidd, who had provided such valuable intelligence, received a
mixture of hatred and charity from its citizens. After all - the city laws had
always called for 'pure' followers of the Light, and those merely touched by
the Taint were scorned and shunned. Jahidd was in a difficult position, one
that inspired him to do something unexpected...

=-*-=

He reached his hand toward the open palm in earnest desperation, but it kept
moving just beyond his grasp. When he tried to cry out, the words hung frozen
in the air and did not arrive at their intended destination. Lilian's form
faded into the surrounding fog and Jahidd was all alone once more...

=-*-=

It would only be a matter of time before the Celestians began pressing for
Jahidd to vacant their magnificent city, so he was forced to take matters into
his own hands. Beneath flickering torchlight, the dagger gleamed as the
reflection of the flames danced upon the blade. His knuckles were white and his
breath was staggered as he plunged the cold steel into his left eye cavity. A
crimson river flowed from the wound, but not a word of pain made it past his
lips.

Jahidd bandaged the hole where his left eye had previously been, and proceeded
to lower himself into a large tub filled with black dye. He closed his eye and
submerged, permanently covering his fur with the dark hue. A sliver of
moonlight reflected across the surface of the dye. Once dry, Jahidd donned a
grey robe which was torn and ragged with age. And with a barely audible sigh,
he turned around and strode eastward...

=-*-=

A long line of figures were chained up alongside Magnagora's Bell Tower. Cheers
clamored throughout the city as the bell tolled, signaling midnight, but these
individuals showed no sign of happiness. Some were crying; others stood
resolutely stern. A contingent of ur'Guard Marshals herded the merians, elfen,
and loboshigaru into a decaying tower.

Ever since the enemy paranoia, which ended with the apparent death of Jahidd in
Snow Valley, the Iron Council had decided to interrogate possible enemies of the
Engine. Obvious choices included the merians and elfen, for whom the city had
long held distaste. Loboshigaru, however, had only recently become a
significant mark of a traitor. They were taking no chances - only prisoners...

=-*-=

Jahidd winced as he was dragged by the Marshall. It simply could not be. The
Magnagorans had no reason not to believe that he was dead - the Warlord himself
had dealt the killing blow. Like the many months before, Jahidd felt his own
fear suffocating him, distorting his handle on reality.

They threw him into a dirty cell which reeked with the overwhelming smell of
rotten cabbage. A rat scurried through a small crack in the wall as Jahidd rose
to his feet. All he heard was a metallic clang as the guard locked his cell and
walked away. As the torch moved further away the light slowly disippated, until
eventually Jahidd was standing under a blanket of darkness...

=-*-=

There was no way to count the days. It could have been weeks or months and
Jahidd would not have known the difference. The arrival of a meager scrap of
bread and the occasional cup of rancid water was his only company. And even
these occurred at random intervals so that Jahidd could not determine when to
expect his next meal.

No longer did Jahidd dream of Lilian. Their time together seemed like a
fleeting instant while is imprisonment was an eternity. His love for her could
not survive without hearing the sweet melody of her voice or feeling the warmth
of her delightful embrace. She had abandoned him in his moment of truth, and
that though alone was enough to destroy his feelings for her. Stricken with
grief, Jahidd didn't even notice the bars unlatch and a sinuous hand pull him
away...

=-*-=

Blood splattered onto the aslaran rug on the floor. Jahidd spat out the
remainder and tried to be brave. Soon he would have to tell them everything
they wanted; he could not withstand this torture must longer. The Queen's Own
Torturer had threatened him with death if Jahidd did not tell him where the
loboshigaru criminal was hiding. Apparently the Magnagorans had discovered that
Jahidd had become undead and was not visiting the Fates as they had originally
thought. This had them all wrapped up in a blood frenzy - a lust for the blood
of a traitor.

The Torturer brought his arm back to take another blow when the mahogany door
opened. A stout krokani warrior entered and whispered something into the
Torturer's ear. He smirked. Evidently Celest had sent a letter to the Warlord
telling him that Jahidd was still in their holy city, and that if the Taint
wanted him, they would have to take him by force. The Torturer exited the room
and for a moment all that was heard were the battle cries of the Death
Knights...

=-*-=

The news did bring a small glimmer of hope for Jahidd. It did not secure his
freedom; it merely prolonged his death. Jahidd shuddered to think of the
consequences of Celest's blatant lie. How many of them would be slain in battle
at his expense?

As the guard led him down the narrow hallway back to his cell, Jahidd noticed a
slender figure being escorted by another orclach in the opposite direction. The
iridescent scales proved that it was a merian. It appeared to be a female, but
Jahidd could not be entirely sure. They passed and a slippery hand brushed up
against his own, placing something into his open palm. Jahidd withheld his
excitement until he was back alone in his cell, at which point he unclenched
his hand.

It was a beautiful white seashell hung about a leather thong. Inlaid in the
center with gold was an elaborate 'L'.

Jahidd's eye brightened as hope filled his lungs as he achieved the realization
that Lilian was still breathing. He might be victorious yet...