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Second Sight
#76
Theleniel smiled for a moment. "Aye, that makes the most sense. Temperance befits you, when rage boils at your core." she inclined her head for a brief moment.

"They might. They might not. I don't know - are you partial to fellish fluids burning in your eyesockets?" Theleniel chuckled, albeit darkly. "I'm sure you'll be fine." she nodded. She turned her sightless gaze to him and waited calmly.

"Sure. You'll have the time to tell me. And yes, I went through the exact same trials. My own master, Andruvinar, was Kaldorei just like you, and though my physical frame didn't quite match his in speed and endurance, I was put through the same trials as he was when his master taught him. There is a sense of tradition to these teachings. You are the latest in a long line of Demon Hunters, if my former master is to be believed."

The Blood Elf waited patiently, until she saw the blade of the dagger - the very same one used to ink the tattoos onto Ceredor's flesh - move no more.

She took the knife and nodded. With a piece of cloth, she wiped around Ceredor's eyesockets, "Lie back and stand still. Try to relax, even though it may seem impossible. More tension means you'll bleed more." the Demon Hunter said and unwrapped the two eyes, slicing into the core of each, and draining the searing green fluids, which burned with fel-flame as they dropped right into the Night Elf's eyesockets, letting out hisses as they came in contact with flesh. The flames died down very quickly, but the searing sensation of the corrupted fluids wasn't quite so kind.

"It'll only hurt badly for a short while, and sting for a month or so. You may move again only after you can see me. The fluid from the Void Terror's eyes should be gone by then. It does not last for very long..." she paused.

"...Also, Ceredor. After you can see me, I would suggest you inspect your body... This ritual, the Second Binding, though not dangerous for your soul, may end up... changing parts of your body, typically over time. It is after it that I noticed claws on my hands and feet. I hope nothing too drastic happens to you."
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#77
The Elf's lip twitched as he stood there for a moment, the blood seeping from his eye sockets. He nodded slightly, doing his best not to tense up, if only in bodily reaction to the pain. He took a deep breath, relaxing his body as much as it would allow. As the evil liquid was poured into his eye sockets, his fists clenched at the ground, fingers digging deep into the red soil.

Inside of him, the demon's essence swirled and twisted, practically scratching and clawing at his mind when he came in contact with the demonic liquids. He clenched his teeth, the sensation, the pain.. fueling the demon inside of him. His vision of darkness.. it brightened, if only slightly. Instead of pure black, he saw.. more grey now. Almost wispy, was his sight.. And looking up at his master, he saw the fel-green glow of the essence inside of her.

"I see.."

He finally calmed, moving to sit up and look over his body.. He saw his own fel-green glow. The taint inside of him.. It only antagonized the beast within, encouraging it to bite and rip at his sanity. Yet another deep breath.. His body felt normal, as normal as it could be anyway. He experienced no.. warpings in his form, his fingers and teeth remaining the same. No bestial, animalistic features to be seen.

"I am still the same.."
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#78
Theleniel sighed as she watched him. As he rose, her expression was pity. "You are not the taint you see inside you, Ceredor." the Demon Hunter shook her head. "But... you will have to get used to your second sight." she proffered Ceredor a strip of black cloth. "Here. To cover up your eye-sockets. It won't affect your vision in the slightest."

After the Night Elf'd take the cloth, the Demon Hunter would plop down and sit back. "Now is your chance to rest. Walk around a little, to try getting used to your new vision and then sleep. You'll notice that you can see me even through obstacles. And you can see... other things as well." she gestured towards the Dark Portal and the corrupted scar to its north. The Portal itself was a vortex of fellish light, the scar blooming with a multitude of miniature figures, like ants scurrying in the distance somewhere.

"When you wake, I'll have a gift for you and I will show you a few new ways to do your duty towards all life, in safeguarding it from the Legion..."
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#79
Ceredor nodded slowly, blinking instinctively. He glanced up at his master to see her glowing form holding something out to him. Slowly, he reached for it, taking hold of the cloth. His actions and movements were slow and carefully calculated.. He put much effort into getting used to his new sight. The Elf took a deep breath as he wrapped the cloth around his head, covering his now-empty eye sockets.

A nod was given to his master at the mention of rest, "Rest is always nice.." he said. It was easy to tell he was fatigued still. He laid back now, taking this time to rest without another word. He would lay silently for perhaps an hour or so. He wasn't even sure if he was asleep or not. The demon inside of him was tearing at his mind. The new addition of Fel was only more fuel for the demon's metaphorical fire. Antagonized now, it poked and prodded, taunting and teasing the Night Elf as he tried to get as much rest as he could, without taking too long.

After his 'resting' period, he would slowly sit up and rise to his feet, looking over to Theleniel. "I'm ready for my gift, master. You know, you really do spoil me so." He said to her with a grin at his slightly twitching lips. His hands were curled into fists, but not clenched tightly. Ceredor took this time to look around his surroundings while he awaited his master.
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#80
As Ceredor woke, Theleniel was standing nearby, a few things in her possession. One were a pair of glaives of Azsharite, similar to her own, but larger - the size that a Night Elf could use - stuck in the ground. They glowed faintly to the Spectral Sight of the Demon Hunter. She picked them up and offered them to the Kaldorei. "These are yours now. As my master gave me mine, I give you yours, and one day, you will smelt and sculpt Azsharite Crystal to form the weapons for those you teach. If you live that long."

She smirked. "And here's something to practice on." she yanked an odd sort of creature from a long bag. It seemed to be a misshapen Felhound, from the middle of its torso down it simply extended in a harmless shaft, as though someone decided to use it as a staff. It was still very much alive however, and moved, wriggling at Ceredor. "An elf I know called it a Felpuppy-on-a-stick. It can still bite and claw at you if you, but it won't chase you around. It'll be your first kill as a blind man."

The Demon Hunter stood back and held the demon out by the end of its long tail. "Kill it." she said to Ceredor, the beast writhing and clawing frantically at anything it could reach. "Your spectral sight is what you should rely on." she smiled. "Use it to guide your glaives to the right places. Get used to their balance and shape as you swing. Move naturally."

After Ceredor would kill his quarry, Theleniel'd speak up again. "And now you learn another of our abilities. Focus on its dying energy - the essence you see with Spectral Sight - and draw it within yourself, burning it and consuming it. A Demon Hunter can drain a demon's soul, replenishing their power, healing themselves and destroying the demon. See the energy flowing into you from it. Like a predator upon prey, you must devour it."

Theleniel sighed. "After you're done, we can move on to your next task. Only three more to go. And they'll be your hardest yet.."
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#81
Ceredor narrowed his covered eye sockets at the glaives ahead of him. He took hold of them, getting a feel for them with a few slashes and movements, "Huh.. Much different than the swords," the elf snickered then couldn't help but laugh a bit at the 'Felpuppy-on-a-stick', "Looks dangerous, Master." He said with an obvious hint of playful sarcasm.

Taking a more aggressive stance now, he focused on the green glow of the 'Felpuppy'. He wrinkled his nose, the drowsiness of slumber leaving him, his senses returning in full to remind him of the foul stench from the land he was in. Ceredor took in a deep breath and exhaled softly through his nostrils as practiced a few swings. Slashing this way and that, he definitely needed work on his balancing and needed to refine his strikes. He was sloppy with the glaives. Finally stepping forward to attack, he managed to get used to the balance enough to strike to kill, but his master should be able to see he needed work. But the felpuppy was slain. Staring down at it, for a moment, he was a little lost as to what to do.. But he picked up on it after that moment. The Demon inside of him seemed to stir at this as the Fel energy came to be absorbed by the Night Elf, replenishing whatever fatigue he was feeling. It was almost euphoric, but at the same time, his body rejected it somewhat. But this was all an inward feeling..

Ceredor's head shook somewhat, shaking away the feeling. "That was.. interesting, Master.." He glanced at the Blood Elf now, nodding. "You say that every time.. I've come to accept that the next trial will be the hardest." He smiled at her, lip twitching ever so slightly.
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#82
Theleniel chuckled. "Aye, they are. Shorter range, but much better rending power - and you'll need all the rending you can do, as you already know. Our enemies have tough hides. The glaives also react quite well to being immolated, as they're made of Azsharite, so don't worry. They won't bend, won't break, and won't melt." she nodded.

The Demon Hunter watched Ceredor absorb the essence of the warped demon and exhaled. "Just don't get addicted to it. Not that you can, physically, because of the two Binding rituals, but psychologically, you must not grow fond of the sensation of drawing a Demon into you." she said calmly.

Then, Theleniel turned her sightless gaze towards the Dark Portal. "Pick up your things and come. Outland awaits your final trials." she said and waited for a moment or two before making forth. "Tell me of how you got the Void Terror's eye while we get there." she said with a little smile, her ears perking up.

She had no trouble navigating the way to the Portal, and through it as she listened. Once on the other side, and out of the camp on the Dark Portal's steps, she faced Ceredor. "Your next task involves you surviving on Outland, without help, for three weeks, and making your way to Shadowmoon Valley in that time. You may not be helped by anyone. I know it will be hard to find food, water and shelter, as you're blind, but it's one of the difficulties you will have to overcome. Should you survive, we'll start the Third Binding..."
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#83
Ceredor nodded, "I don't plan on it.. It's interesting.. but still not pleasant." He started to follow his Master as she began to walk and talked to him. Giving a quick nod, he gathered his things, with a bit of difficulty, and followed her along the Blasted Lands. When she brought up how he got the eyes, his face lit up with a genuine smile, "Ah! Right! It was great, if I say so myself," And he would start to go on, in great detail, how he needed to do an abundant amount of recon around the Legion's camp, as well as doing a great many favors for the Gnomes in Blade's Edge. And then onto the fun part of going down and individually tying ropes to almost every single giant spine jutting out of the canyon's wall, while evading the patrols and then finally executing the retrieval. He was quite proud of himself, as he spoke with a happier tone, going on and on.

Finally, they would reach the Dark Portal and he would nod again to his Master as she told him the next part of his training, "Without help as in no bartering for any type of food or supplies or just not having anyone along for the.. journey? I'm assuming the second one." His common had come along -quite- well now, speaking almost perfectly, with little slips of his accent here and there.

After he was given his answer he would bid his Master farewell and head into the portal. The vibrantly and painfully bright green portal.. Moving in through and eventually coming out on the other side, he took in a deep breath and exhaled sharply, glancing out over the landscape.. All darkly shaded with the corruption showing quite brightly all over. Almost painfully. Now going out, he would start his journey.. It was going to be a while.
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#84
Theleniel listened to the tale with a grin as they walked. Once she was asked the question, she exhaled. "Well, you may not barter for food or drink, nor ask for directions or help. You may meet people, but they're not allowed to help you out in getting to Shadowmoon Valley, nor in surviving out in the wilds. All they're good for is conversation, if you're keen on it. And maybe company."

"It's all to help you cope with blindness. You need to learn to discern poisonous from non-poisonous food and drink by taste and smell, and carefully measure supplies you can't see. You'll be able to read no road signs, so instead, let your intuition and your Spectral Sight guide you. Shadowmoon's by far the most corrupted of places here. It has a volcano that spews forth Fel-fire, after all. You'll find me waiting. Safe travels, Ceredor. May whatever gods or goddesses that still watch out for people like us, keep you in their guarding grasp."

Theleniel watched Ceredor depart before turning Southward - or what passes for South on Draenor's shattered remains. She carefully made her way to the edge of the continent and leaped off, metamorphosing in mid-air, to cross the chasm into Shadowmoon aflight. It took a while, and the deed was taxing, but soon her clawed feet landed on the other side and she regained her normal form, panting for breath.

"You're late." a Kaldorei said, stepping out from behind a boulder. "I nearly thought you weren't coming any more."

"Fashionable lateness, Andruvinar." Theleniel said to her former master.

"Once a Blood Elf, always a Blood Elf." Andruvinar chuckled, beckoning her inland and turning, the two Demon Hunters setting off for the heart of Shadowmoon.
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#85
Upon the first few hours of his travels back into the Hellfire Peninsula, Ceredor encountered an odd sight.. Another Demon Hunter. And shortly, during their conversation, another joined! It was odd for him, awkward in a way, as he was so young and still a fledgling and yet here were two Kal'dorei Demon Hunters with possibly thousands of years of experience in the Arts.

He told them of the task his Master gave him and they both had the same reaction.. And the same reaction as the female Kal'dorei Hunter he met some time ago. "Your master must really not like you."

At this point, he just laughed lightly and nodded, agreeing with them. He asked little bits about themselves, but made it very clear, he was not to have any help with -anything-, not even directions. He seemed very strict about sticking to the rules his master gave him.

After some more short conversation, the Hunters went their separate ways and Ceredor continued his journey through the Peninsula.

He didn't rest much, always trying to move as quickly as he could towards his goal.. Combat was definitely a whole new experience without true sight. Luckily, near-everything in this place was tainted with Fel, so he had no problem finding his targets. Remembering a map that showed a point where Hellfire branched into Terrokar Forest. And that brought him to Shadowmoon Valley faster.. He was able to tell he was entering the different area, mostly because he knew to follow the different feeling of the road as opposed to the tainted dirt and sand that littered the ground of this hell-ish area.

Now.. Things got significantly more difficult.
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#86
The Blood Elf and the Kaldorei treaded the tainted earth of Shadowmoon. This was a place they could see clear as day, even with their Spectral Sight, due to the sheer amount of Fel in everything.

Slowly, the pair circled some ruins at the base of the gargantuan volcano at the center of the continent - the Hand of Gul'dan. "Do you think he'll make it?" Andruvinar sounded amused.

Theleniel peered up at the Kaldorei. "I made it, didn't I? He'd better show the same resolve." she grinned. "I'm willing to bet he did just as I told him. He's cunning and stubborn. Even if he does meet people, he's not the sort to disobey a teacher's word."

Andruvinar chuckled. For once, he seemed genuinely happy. The Blood Elf assumed it was the fact that they were in a target-rich environment. Fulfilling their duty always seemed to make Demon Hunters happy, and Outland was candy when it came to it. "Maybe. We'll see... And we'll see if he has the resolve to go through the Third Binding."

"I've put him through worse. And, I've done it. You sent me after a Kaldorei, remember? Not only was he more experienced, but he was also larger, faster and stronger." the Sin'dorei said up to the Kaldorei as they reached the path leading southwest, towards the pass between Terokkar and Shadowmoon.

"And you won. Tell me, why?"

"Because I wasn't a felled-up, angry, irrational killing machine? Because I had the reason and the sense to think about what I was doing?"

"Precisely. That's exactly what the Third Binding is all about." Andruvinar nodded. "That, and scaring students by showing them exactly what they will become if they fall prey to their urges..."

Theleniel fell silent and peered forwards as they walked, clawed feet leaving little pock-marks in the corrupted dirt. Little by little, worry crept into her mind...
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#87
This new place.. Terokkar Forest, as he heard it called, was odd. It wasn't as tainted with Fel as Hellfire, not by a long shot. But it still gave him an uneasy feeling. There was something about this new land that did not sit right with him.. Then again, this entire 'planet' did not sit right with him. But he shrugged off this feeling and kept a good grip on his glaives.. though another feeling left him uneasy, as well. Hunger. His stomach churned, begging for sustenance. Glancing down at himself, only seeing the green glow of the fel taint within him, he snickered.. "Time to hunt."

This kind of hunting was much easier said than done.. The Kal'dorei would spend hours hunting for food.. Many failed attempts were due to him not being able to see his surroundings well enough to capture the smaller details of the area. Finally he would manage to catch a couple of smaller animals with some basic traps he was able to get set up. Though, in reality, this was like a feast compared to what he had been subjected to in most of his training. This would be enough for him to carry on.

The map that Ceredor had glanced at way back when showed a few key things that would aid him in his journey.. More importantly, once entering the forest of Terokkar from the Peninsula, he would be coming in from the north and he had to travel southeast. The hills and terrain did not help him figure out which direction was the direction he needed to travel, but he trusted his instinct and intuition.. and, probably by dumb luck, managed to set off in the right direction.

He kept to himself, not speaking to many throughout his journey in this place. He had been slow so far.. He needed to step it up a notch. He was on a time schedule, after all.
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#88
As the Night Elf traveled along, his vision was suddenly becoming better.. More and more, the landscape became more detailed, in a sense.. Soon, he saw bright green all around. He had finally reached it.. Shadowmoon Valley.

He gripped his weapons tightly, scanning the surrounding area as he walked. In the sky, giant green balls of fire rained down in the distance, and on the ground he could see his mortal enemies for quite numerous in this region. In fact, they plagued nearly every inch of this tainted land. And he felt a burning inside of him. An eager thirst for slaughter as a sick grin came to his lips. In his mind, he knew this was the demon inside of him showing its influence, but right now he planned to use it to his advantage.

So while he searched the land for his master.. There was much hunting to be done.
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#89
"I'll be watching." were the last words Andruvinar said to his former student. Theleniel doubted it - her spectral sight was as keen as any other Hunter's, and she didn't see him around. Perhaps he simply found some way of keeping out of her sight; Above her? Below her? No... Her gaze settled on a completely different Fel-tainted Kaldorei: Ceredor.

The Demon Hunter watched the Night Elf with a faint smile, skidding down the rise she'd been perched atop up to him. "Ceredor. You've made it." - few words, but ones bearing easily-detectable relief. Her shoulders lowered, her clawed toes shifted in the gravel-like dust, soles splattered with ash and burnt bone. No one ever said being a Demon Hunter wasn't dirty.

"...Thank whatever gods keep you safe." Theleniel sighed and reached over - and up - to him to set a hand on his shoulder. "You've made it this far. I trust your trials weren't too grueling?..." she smiled.

"Either way, the time has come for the Third Binding. Towards the Hand of Gul'dan from here roams a Fel-tainted Kaldorei Hunter. He... fell to corruption and rage, twisted from his sworn path, and has become and indiscriminate machine of destruction." the Blood Elf stared at the Kaldorei with her eyeless gaze.

"It's what happens when you give in to the demon against whose soul your own struggles. I realize you might... see a bit of yourself in such an enemy - a person possessed of ardor and a desire for vengeance - but hold fast to what makes you -you-, and put down this wayward Hunter, that he may not threaten the innocent any longer." Theleniel sighed.

"I realize full well I'm sending you against a more experienced and altogether more powerful Demon Hunter than yourself. But I would not ask you to do anything I have not done myself. You must drink of his heart's blood after you slay him - the corrupted essence at the core of his heart - to awaken your full potential as a Demon Hunter. It will... be yet another test of your character, and whether you can truly stand against what can very well be a potential future for yourself. It's true that some day, you might end up being hunted just as you're now sent to hunt. But your path is one of sacrifice, and if you manage to hold fast to yourself, you shall not fall. Just remember who you are and how you are." she nodded.

"Provided you survive it all, come back here. There'll be one last thing to do before I set you loose on the worlds." - there was no bitterness in the Demon Hunter's words, but they bore plentiful humor.
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#90
Ceredor finally had reached his Master. As he approached, he noted the figure that accompanied her but was too far away to make out what it was and then it disappeared from his sight. Theleniel made little fuss about it, so he did not need to. A jokingly smug smirk came to the Night Elf's lips as his Master greeted him. She could tell he had had quite the trip; his clothing was torn and scorched in several places and stained with various colors of blood, some likely to be his own. His blades were shined and cleaned, looking to be well taken care of.

"Of course I made it.." He couldn't help but laugh, "After the naga and the continental run, and the demonic cat and mouse, and the wandering around to find and get those eyes.. Did I miss anything? ..No, that wasn't too grueling." He smiled at the shorter woman, wiping his forehead. "This vision is something.. that's for sure.." he said in a slightly grumpy tone.

As he listened to his next task, his expression shifted to a more serious one as she explained the situation and mission. Though he clearly was not happy at hearing this, a sick grin curled at his lips, followed by a little twitch and the grin was gone. "If he's fallen from the path.. he must be eliminated." He said this quite matter-of-factly, though there was a hint of.. sadness? in his voice. Though, it was gone in a flash.. That normal tone taking over once more.

"I'm pretty sure all of the things that I just listed were more experienced than me, too." He put on a proud smile and took a deep breath. "Well.. off to hunt the Hunter. The sooner this is done, the sooner I can be set loose," he mimicked her humor and turned to start off towards his next target.

As he ran though, that frown remained. It was as she said.. a test of character and strength. And while he was quite sure of himself, the demon inside of him saw another chance to gain control of this new vessel. And Ceredor knew this all too well.. and was prepared to do everything in his power to complete his task, as well as retain his sanity.
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