Ill Warnings

Saltyne was in a land of waste. There was nothing around her that was living. She turned around and saw vast emptiness. She was in the Shadowlands. But it was different. Very different.

As if something bad happened.

Saltyne looked around once more. There was a figure in the distance. Doing something.

She quickly ran there and saw…

Herself. With a wooden plank, digging something.

- Hello? – she asked, confused.

- Yes? – the other her stopped digging. – What do you want?

- Why are you… me? – Saltyne pointed at the strange… something.

The thing looked over itself and smirked.

- Funny, you see yourself as me, fitting, knowing your reputation.

- I don't understand.

- Ah, you see. – the thing stopped for a moment and leaned onto the plank. – My name is Death. In your mind, you are me. So I appear to you as you. I have many names, but Saltyne Moonpike is not mine.

- You are… personification of Death?

- Exactly!... Huff. – it took out a small stopwatch and said. – Well break time is over, gotta keep digging graves.

- For whom?

- For everyone! – Death joyfully continued digging. – I am not sure what this will be, but the forecast definitely says it is going to be big, mon.

- Why am I here then?

- Let's see. One of the death knights from back when Arthas ruled, regained her freedom… And then gradually strengthened her ties to the Shadowlands. And now, as it gets ready for something big, you were taken here, in your sleep.

- Sleep? – Saltyne was confused.

- Ya, mon. You are sleeping right now. -  Death took a glance at her. – Maybe you should go, find out more about it. Maybe you will get a glimpse at what is coming? I don't know.

- And you will just… continue digging graves?

- Why yes. Someone has to do it.

- Alright, then… Farewell.

- Good luck. You will need it. – Death threw its last glance at her and went back to digging.

Saltyne slowly stepped back and walked away, wandering the Shadowlands once again. It was strangely empty.

It felt like hours but all she could see was white empty plain landscape. No sounds. No souls. Nothing.

Then she heard a loud scream. She ran towards it, but there was nothing.

Another scream. And another. More, more…

Saltyne fell to the ground, covering her ears. It was too much. Screaming souls were tearing the air asunder. Saltyne opened her eyes.

Fire. Fire and souls. They combined forming a horrifying amalgam of screams torture and death.

Saltyne was now on some shore all around her was blurry. She saw red everywhere. Blood? Banners?

Both.

The screams were unbearable. Their volume increased with each second. In all the blood and fire she could see their faces. Their voices cried out for justice. Their voices cried out for vengeance.

Soon the scene turned around Saltyne. She looked at what was in front of her. She could not believe her eyes. Teldrassil was…

In an instant it all disappeared. It was all plain white again.

- What was that?

- What was, is none of your concern. – her friend Lerdana spoke.

- Why?! – Saltyne yelled. She was terrified.

- You shouldn’t think about it.

- Why!?

- You… You just started living normally. – her mother said. Her hands were on Saltyne’s shoulders. – You shouldn’t stop.

- Those were my people…

- Those people despise you for what you are! – her father told. – They see you as a monster. We do not want you to be one. We want you to live a happy life, even if it means living here. In solitude.

- I have an oath…

- Warden oath? You are not one…

- I WAS one! – Saltyne yelled.

- You shouldn’t go. Butterwing is finally getting better, your wounds are healing.

- Giddy is in danger!

- He isn’t…

Saltyne gave the spirits a look full of doubt and worry.

- I AM going to protect them. Want it or not. – Saltyne turned around and left them.

- We demand you not to.

She stopped. Those words hit worse than anything she ever felt on her skin. Even the light felt like a gentle sunlight. She looked at the three souls with anger.

- You are a monster, Saltyne. They won’t like you despite anything you ever do for them.

- You are right. – Saltyne slowly strolled to them. – I am a monster… But only for you. – she snapped her fingers, her spear appeared in her hand.

- What are you doing!? Killing us?! – her father looked shocked at his daughter.

- No… - she struck the ground with her spear. – But I will, if you ever come back to me.

- But Saltyne, we are your parents… we are your family…

- My parents died in the War of the Ancients. My only family… - she looked down. - …is Giddy… - she looked up, ghosts in front of her disappeared in silence.

Saltyne stood there, alone. In the white plain landscape. She continued walking through it. For minutes that felt like hours nothing changed. Then she saw a coffin lying around. She walked up to it. It was wooden, but not nailed in yet. She took off the roof. An urge to jump into it overwhelmed her, and she did.

She woke up inside one instantly. She stood up, sitting amidst a row of freshly dug graves. Death came over to her. It still looked like her.

- Hey! Get out of it! That one is not yours. – it smiled.

- Whose is it?

- Ah, a soldier. Dies from the upcoming events.

- So many… - Saltyne looked all around, seeing countless graves wherever she looked.

- Yes. I’m waiting for them.

- So you said this one isn’t mine. Where is…

- Yours? I can show you. – Death took her arm and they immediately turned up at an undug grave. – This.

- This?... – she was looking at an obliterated coffin.

- Yes. Actually, this is not the first one you broke out. – Death pointed at a row of obliterated graves. – Your will is strong. Even I cannot trap you for longer than a day. But… That is the curse of most death knights. – it smiled widely.

- So this is every time I was… dead?

- Your soul is bound to your body. Destroy it, and you are here forever.

- What about my nephew?

- Fate hasn’t woven its verdict on him. He is okay… for now…

- That is good to hear…

- I guess…