Breaking Point
- -by Merlet
(As this has turned into a longer tangent than expected, I've pulled it out of the other writing.)
Chapter 1
An almost feral look of determination was set upon the huntress’s face. Her eyes glowed in a near mad fury as she urged her mount faster and faster through the Plaguelands. White hair streaming behind her, she gripped the reins of her mount hard. There was no raptor, nor rabbit following her. A rented mount took her where she had business this night. The entry way into the Highborne city was now open, and she would go there. She would go there and slay as many as she could find. Merlet would have her vengeance for the loss of her family.
She drove the poor mount into a froth as she passed from the Plaguelands into some twisted darkened forest land. She did not stop at the out posts, she had only one destination. Silvermoon’s streets would see blood this night. Some of her clan mates were already in the city. She pushed to catch up with them. They wished to deal damage to all members of the Horde, but she had one target and one target alone. Highborne would fall to her bow and her blades this night. Blood and destruction would be paid back with blood and destruction. Her mount passed from twisted dark woods into a lush and beautiful forest land. The elf saw none of the beauty, it was as if demons from her past were chasing her very heels. They were not on her heels, but in her mind, in her memories.
A scene played itself out in her mind, one of destruction that an elf child had witnessed. Something had broken that day in Netherstorm when she found Aleya working for the betrayers. In her mind she saw over and over her village on that final day. Doomguard and Infernals rained down upon the people still there. She could see her father, who had been so kind, gentle and patient with her, now little more than a mutilated corpse. Franticly she searched for her mother, finding her, too late to cry out, just as the demons cut her apart. Perhaps madness now ruled the once honorable night elf. Vengeance was her goal, and she’d let nothing stand in the way of her goal.
Merlet’s nose flared as she caught a scent on the wind. She knew she was close she could smell their stench on the wind. A demented smile formed on her lips as she caught her first sight of the partially ruined city. Ignoring those outside the gates she rode hard straight for the gates and the guardians around them. Thundering through the entrance and around the corridors she made for her clan mates. She did not make it to them. Guardians knocked her off of her mount and she fell to the ground, curling up to roll into a standing position she pulled her bow from her back and began firing at any guardian around her. Highborn faces blended into a sea of hatred in her mind and she screamed a rage born of 10,000 years of festering pain and anguish. When they were too close to shoot at she dropped her bow and pulled blades, hacking and slashing at the Bloodguard around her.
From behind she was struck with an energy bolt. A forsaken mage cackled as he sent another one at her. Tauren, Orc, Troll, and Highborn converged upon her and in seconds she was down, her spirit ripped from her body. She had not reached the other members of Regnat, she’d come to take her vengeance, and fallen. A small blue wisp floated over her riddled body, watching it and the few Highborn bodies with a detached air. A wrenching pain, a blinding light and agony unknown before found her back in her body and outside the city, dazed and incoherent. Her clan mates had found her body and dragged it from the city as they left, someone had resurrected her. Mumbling thanks she stumbled away and pulled out her hearthstone, using it before anyone could heal her ravaged body.
She stumbled around the Inn that she should know but didn’t, then outside into more unfamiliar surroundings, where a blue armored gryphon nudged her. It shoved and pushed her until she fell upon it’s back and took off from Aldor rise, headed for the lower city. The confused elf held onto the creature for dear life until it landed on broken pavement. Letting go of the saddle she scrambled away from the beast and into a corner where she sat shivering until sleep claimed her.
Chapter 2
clickity clickity clickity clickity clickity clickity scrape clickity clickity clickity clickity clickity clickity… The noises of an animal pacing back and forth in his stall at the Stables echoed off of the walls. Back and forth with a nervous energy the blue raptor paced. It wouldn’t perhaps be an odd site to see this at the Stable where hunters left their pets from time to time, except for the small snowshoe rabbit sitting on his head. The rabbit alternately washed his face and twitched as the raptor paced beneath him. Both animals had a nervous anticipatory energy surrounding them. Though if one paid close enough attention, one might see a hint of dejection in lowered ears or a lowered head from the two animals.
Fang and Rupert were companions to Merlet, and neither understood exactly what was going on with their mistress.
‘Where was Mistress? She never left without all of us.’
The raptor snorted in annoyance and Rupert thumped the top of his head for nearly dislodging him from the precarious perch he had obtained. From this lofty perch the rabbit could see his mistress’s other companions. Two large cats, one a riding mount, the other a hunter, an armored gryphon and a number of other smaller animals were arrayed in one section of the Stables. Their mistress must pay a small fortune in upkeep for all these companions, but she would not part with any of them. What made no sense to the small rabbit and the raptor is why they were all here, and none with her. In all the years that he had been with his mistress, she’d never left everyone in a stable all at once. He always went with her, usually the raptor as well. He sat contemplating this strange turn of events, nibbling on something or other that he’d found to eat, and sniffing the air of this strange city they were in.
At once, two heads spun towards the door. A familiar and beloved scent had crossed their noses. A scent tinged with blood and death. The Gryphon took flight from his stall and took advantage of a carelessly open door to escape. Fang let out a roar and charged his stall door. Rupert slid down onto his back with the impact of the raptor’s body against the door. A few more hard blows with the solid body of the raptor and the door splintered. With deft front claws he released his companions and ran out the door, the others trailing behind.
Roaring for his Mistress, Fang tore out the door of the stable and looked around. The scent had grown fainter and she was no where in sight. Undaunted the raptor took off following the scent. He knew how to get down from this place of alien creatures into the main parts of the city and made for the elevator at the front. Claws tapping with impatience he waited on it rising to meet him. A large white armored cat padded up beside him. Snowpaw brushed his head against Fang and then deftly lifted the rabbit off of his back, placing it on the saddle on his back with a number of other small creatures their Mistress had collected over the years. The gryphon was no where in view either, so they would trail the scent. Undoubtedly the gryphon had taken her down off the rise, and they must now find her.
The elevator arrived and the menagerie all got on, gaining not a few strange looks from the people getting on and off of it. As soon as the elevator touched down they all took off around the city away from Aldor rise around past Scryer’s tier and past the Scryer’s bank. During their mad dash around the city, Fang looked for his Mistress’s pack, or her mate. He saw two pack that Mistress had known for many moons. He stopped to head butt the elf healer Ninleas, then carefully grabbed the edge of her robes to tug on them. He hoped she would take the hint and follow him. Mistress had smelled of blood, her own blood and this healer had taken care of them on the many adventures the Pack had gone on. He half roared at the plate wearing healer Hader and took off after the rest who were running for a ramp into the lower city.
Fang stopped at the bottom of the ramp to sniff the air again. The scent had grown so faint he could barely find it. He stepped forward into the path way, first turning left a few paces, then right. The scent came to him on an eddy of wind from the right and he took off once again. Following the path all the way around the back side of the Scryer’s tier he could see the gryphon standing over something against the wall. Pushing himself to an all out run he scrabbled up the broken pavement and to the corner where his broken and bleeding Mistress lay unconscious. He leaned down and gently nudged her. Her skin was chilled to the touch and blood oozed through her armor.
‘Warmth…. Mistress needs warmth.. Furry claws has packs’
Turning he trotted over to Snowpaw and tore the leather straps holding a bedroll to the saddle off. With this teeth he gently shook out the covers and trotted over to Merlet, laying them over her body. He looked at all her companions standing around and began to heard them to her, pushing with his nose so that they were arraigned around her and then he walked to her head and squatted down on the ground, looking at all of them. One or two understood immediately, others turned heads in quizzical looks before understanding. They all needed to lay beside her and warm her up.
Fang got up, snuffed at Rupert and trotted off from them. He had to find a healer for his Mistress. Her Mate, or Pack could heal her, and he’d not stop until one of them came to her aid.
Chapter 3
Glowren walked around in the lower portions of Shattrath city, frowning to herself at all of the refugee’s. She made a note to herself to start grabbing some treats and toys to bring with her when she came back here, the children should at least have some joy. She’d asked a mage in the guild if they could kindly provide her a portal to come out here and see the place that her uncle and his wife had spoken of. A sad state of affairs it all was in truth.
The young paladin had hoped she might make a difference here somehow, but what she could do at this low stage in her learning might be little more than a drop in the ocean of calamity. Shaking her head she continued on her way around the lower city, exploring the nooks and crannies, leaving some small amount of gold at the orphanage, and a promise to come back and spend time with the children. Exploring this area of the city would stand her in good stead when she began questing in the area around it.
Turning from yet another exit from the city she caught a flash of blue scales. So few hunters had tamed the fierce raptor as a pet, fewer still one of those beautiful blue ones, Glowren wondered if it might be Merlet’s Fang she’d seen. She scanned the area looking for the Night Elf. What she saw was a lone raptor running through the city.
“Fang?”
The creature skidded to a halt and turned at his name, looking.
His eyes lit upon the form of mistress’s pack mate, her mate’s family. With a small roar he turned upon his claws and headed straight for the bewildered young woman.
‘What was he doing wandering the city alone? Is he charging me?’
She took a somewhat defensive stance, hoping it was nonthreatening at the same time. She had never seen Fang act in anything other than a bit of a clown around those he knew were friend. An enemy on the other hand would be ripped to pieces by his natural weapons. Seeing him charging at her was somewhat intimidating, as he was bigger than she by some no small degree.
Fang’s claws scrabbled on the broken pavement as he tried to slow down, but the smooth stone gave little purchase, he barreled into Glowren, knocking her over in his attempt to reach her. He did finally stop, reaching down with a mouth full of sharp teeth, he clamped them down over her armor covered wrist and began to pull.
Preparing to attempt to stun the apparently crazed beast she closed her eyes and pulled back her other arm to cast the spell. The spell never left her hand, for rather than trying to rip her arm savagely from her body, he was only tugging on it, trying to pull her up from the ground. She stood up, her arm still in his mouth and looked at him. Fang’s eyes were frantic as he continued to tug at her arm. Young Glowren was, most times, a rather astute individual, and quickly adding up the utter strangeness of the situation she began to fear that something had happened to the lovely Night Elf her uncle had married.
She allowed Fang to lead her where he wanted her to go. Imagine the strange looks that a young woman in plate, being pulled at the arm by a large blue, bejeweled and feathered raptor might elicit. She looked around as he pulled her towards the far corner under the Scryer’s tier of the city. In that corner, gathered around a bloody blanket were a number of the companions she’d seen at her uncle’s home by Loch Modan, Merlet’s many companions. A tight ball of dread began to form in her stomach. She was deathly afraid of what it was she might find under that blanket.
She no longer needed Fang’s urging to hurry, she broke into a run, her armor clanking, with each step. She had to know if there was anything that could be done. The animals looked first at Fang then at the young human, sniffing the air before parting around their mistress as Glowren dropped to her knees and pulled back the blanket.
Merlet’s face was bruised and ashen, her eyes sunken beneath the markings on her face. Cuts, scrapes and burn marks could be seen moving down her neck and under her armor. Shaking her head at the sight, Glowren began removing the armor so she could get a better look at what needed doing for the stoic Night Elf. The simple linen shirt and pants under her armor were shredded and burned. They looked like death wounds to the young paladin’s eyes, yet the elf still drew breath.
Not taking time to shed her armor Glowren closed her eyes and said a prayer, calling upon the light within her she laid her hands over Merlet and began healing her broken body. One by one, the wounds closed, burns disappeared and bruises faded. All that were left were faint lines indicating some injury had been healed. Glowren finished the last wound she could find, and slumped back upon her heels. Merlet’s breathing had evened out, it was no longer ragged but she did not stir. Wearily Glowren leaned forward and shook the night elf’s shoulder gently.
“Lady Merlet, please wake up. I’ve healed your wounds, awake now and I shall take you home to uncle.”
She continued to gently shake her till Merlet began to rouse. Glowing eyes fluttered open and looked up, then around, landing upon Glowren.
“Ah awake then? Come on, I’ll take you home. You need rest and the peace and quiet of the Loch.”
Those glowing eyes blinked at the young Paladin. There was no recognition within their depths.
“Lady Paladin, whom might you be? My home is Auberdine, not this Loch you speak of.”
Glowren slowly blinked at the night elf.
“Lady Merlet, your home has been Loch Modan for the last three years, tis where you and uncle Caladorn built your house.”
“Who is Caladorn?”
Chapter 4
Warmth and peace and a blessed cessation of pain was the first things she noticed when she awoke. Blinking eyes at the bright light, and wrinkling her nose at un familiar smells, the Night Elf looked up into the face of a young human paladin. Her name was coming from the young woman’s mouth, her name and some nonsense about a home at a Loch.
Thoughts whirled inside her head and confusion was a blanket over memories. Something was not quite right. Her home was Auberdine, and who was this Caladorn? Slowly she sat up and looked around her, still blinking in the unfamiliar light. A huge blue raptor moved into her line of sight and gently head butted her, nearly knocking her flat.
“Where am I, who are you, and why did that just do what it did?”
The young woman blinked.
“Lady Merlet, you are more injured than I first thought. You are in Shatrath City, in the Outlands. I am Glowren, Caladorn’s niece, and a follower of the light as he is.” Putting a hand on the raptor’s side, gently scratching it she turned to him. “This is Fang, he has been your companion for as long as I have known you. He’s never far from your side, and neither are the other’s around you here.”
“Fang?”
The raptor danced on the end of his claws, his head bobbing up and down at the sound of his name. She turned to look more closely at the creature, then into his eyes. Distorted images floated through her mind, images of the blue creature at her side, playing in a lake and ripping apart an enemy. She tilted her head and reached a hand out to touch his muzzle.
“My companion…”
Shaking her head slowly, hand still on the raptor she looked around her at the various creatures around her. The small snowshoe rabbit was the only one that she recognized.
“Rupert, that one is Rupert.”
“Aye Lady Merlet, I think he enjoys bossing everyone else around. He certainly has a heart and attitude that is far bigger than his own diminutive size. You remember only Rupert? You have been more gravely injured than I first thought. Those were killing wounds then; someone brought you back from death. Who would return your spirit to your body but leave you in such a state? I would have words with them for such.”
Glowren held her hand out to the night elf, offering assistance to stand. Hesitating for only a moment she took it, and stood up to look around her. Nose wrinkling again at the scent, she looked around her. The broken pavement and grass growing up through it, the small strange looking children in tattered clothes and the oddities around her caused her to stare, mouth open in shock at what she sees.
“Shatrath City, in the Outlands?”
“Let me take you back to Azeroth, to the home I have known you to live in. Once in Azeroth, I can begin to explain things. Perhaps seeing the home you and Caladorn built on the shores of Loch Modan might help you regain memories that seem lost to you.”
Snowpaw padded up to stand beside his mistress, and gently nudged her. The night elf looked at the huge battle mount, grasping that this must also be hers. She had little to loose in listening to the young human. Such animals as the raptor and the cat did not lightly offer bonds, unless they were truly companions. Perhaps some order might be brought to her chaotic mind in this place of quiet spoken of. Nothing was making any sense, and the harder she tried to grasp at the whirlwind of images to hold them in place, the more they slipped through her fingers like so much sand. She needed something familiar to her though.
“Can you take me to Darnasus first? I know that city, I can see it in my minds eye. I need familiar…”
“We can take the portal straight to Darnasus. It sends you to the Temple of Elune. Mayhap one of the priestesses there can help you.”
Bending down, Glowren gathered up the battered armor and began stuffing it into a bag that could be carried. She did not think that the elf was strong enough just yet to put it all back on. Grabbing up the cloak from the ground she handed it to Merlet to put on and made sure that the animals could gather themselves up to follow or ride on the backs of Fang or Snowpaw. Whistleing for her own mount, she waited for the elf to put on the cloak to cover her ripped clothing and slide onto her mount’s back. Putting the armor bag over the pommel of her own horse’s saddle she mounted and turned to lead the way to the portals into Azeroth.
Chapter 5
Pulling the cloak tightly around her she shivered. The air was not particularly chill, but she felt a chill in her soul. Something had gone wrong, horribly wrong and she had no memory of what it was. Gripping the saddle of the huge cat she allowed it to go where it wished. She had no idea of where she was, or where she was going so she could not guide it. She pulled the hood of the cloak up over her head and looked around her at the alien city. She had seen nothing like any of this anywhere on Azeroth. It seemed that this Outland was not in or on Azeroth. How could she have gotten here? She looked around at those moving about their business in the lower tier of what appeared to be a large city. Familiar races moved about her. All of the races both of the Horde and Alliance moved about her. The sea of familiar faces parted, and something else appeared. Some strange humanoid creature with tentacles on it’s face rode on the back of a large beast. She blinked slowly at it and was about to ask the young paladin who or what it was when she caught sight of a blond Highborn woman.
A fire she didn’t notice began to burn out of all bounds for control. She snarled and instinctively went to the weapons that were normally kept on her hip or at her back. They were gone; her bare hands would have to do. Each and every Highborn elf had to pay the price for their stupidity, their treachery they had to die. As the woman rode closer to the pair, she leapt off of her mount and at the Blood elf with a cry of rage.
Glowren turned around at the sound and looked on in horror as the Night Elf she had known disappeared into a rabid beast. Merlet was running straight at a Blood Elf with her hands out as though she might kill it with her bare hands. Having only moments to act she held up her hand and cast the only spell that came to mind, stunning the Night Elf. Sliding off of her mount she pulled out her hammer and with a grimace, tapped Merlet on the back of the head, knocking her out. Glowren struggled to catch the elf that stood head and hands above her and out weighed her by no small amount. She just managed to keep her from going to the pavement below their feet. The Blood Elf was staring at the both of them in open mouthed shock. Saying a prayer she picked Merlet up to carry her in her arms. As she did so the cloak fell away from her body showing the raggedly torn and burned clothing beneath.
“I do not know if you can understand our tongue, but she has had some violence committed upon her person. She is not herself because of this, please do not hold her in low regard.”
The Blood Elf looked from the torn bloody clothing to the paladin and half nodded. She turned around and walked away from them shaking her head and muttering something under her breath. Glowren heaved a sigh of relief and walked back to their mounts. She was presented with a dilemma of how to get the Elf up on her own mount because in this state she couldn’t ride the cat. She didn’t have the strength to lift her up onto the charger and really didn’t want anyone knowing of this until she had had a chance to consult with a Priestess. Snowpaw looked at her and growled softly while walking over to her. He lay down in front of her and looked at her, tossing his head towards his back. Kaldorei battle mounts were trained to help a wounded rider mount. Nodding to the cat she set Merlet down into the saddle and held her while the cat stood and then climbed into the saddle herself.
“Alright, let us be done with Outland for the moment. Your mistress needs the care of a Priestess. Her injuries are beyond my ken.”
She wrapped her arms around her charge and squeezed her knees against Snowpaw’s flanks. Taking off at a loping gallop he lead the strange menagerie out of the lower city and into A’dal’s chamber. A glance behind him making sure everyone was with him and he stepped through the portal to Darnasus and into the temple of Elune. Novice priestesses gasped at the audacity of someone to come through into the temple mounted. Some of the more senior priestesses looked up. Glowren pulled the cloak back from Merlet’s head and still holding her upright dismounted from the cat. A willowy blue haired senior priestess stepped forward.
“Is this not one of the Darkendale twins?”
“Yes Priestess, tis the Lady Merlet, and she’s been grievously injured. I have healed her physical wounds, but the damage goes deeper. She asked me to bring her here to the temple for aid.”
“You have done rightly, we shall care for her. She has long been a warrior for our people, gaining the respect of many. You may leave her with us.”
“If it please you Priestess, I would stay. She is my uncle’s wife, and he would have need to know how she is.”
“Caladorn’s niece? Ahh young one, he’s full of pride for you, for your service to the Light. You’ve more than just a passing interest in her welfare then. We shall take her from here, the young priestesses have been scandalized by your entry, and I would keep their tongues from wagging. Snowpaw can bear his mistress to a place where we might better aid her recovery.”
The priestess walked over and laid a hand upon Merlet’s shoulder, helping the young paladin steady her and motioned for a novice to lead them to more private quarters for the Sentinel. Moving through the temple the group elicited a few strange looks but no one said anything. They stopped outside a small private room, and the three women gently lifted Merlet from Snow’s back and carried her into the room, laying her upon the small bed there. The priestess turned to the novice.
“You will take their steeds and the Sentinel’s companions to the stables, make sure that they are all well taken care of, and have everything that they need. It will be your duty to check up on them daily.”
The novice bowed and began herding Merlet’s companions with her. Fang and Rupert refused to move. They stood their ground, and when the novice tried to forcibly remove them from the room, they both growled at her.
“Allow them to stay. I do not think anything will take them from her side right now. More loyal companions a huntress could not ask for.”
The novice only nodded and went about her business. The priestess turned to Glowren.
“Tell me what you know of how she came to be like this.”
“I was walking in the Lower City in Shatrath, I have been visiting the orphanage there, and I saw Fang running through the street without Merlet at her side. It seemed a strange sight to me and I called to him. He turned and it seemed charged at me. He was looking for help for his mistress. He took me back to where she lay in a corner of the city. She was under a blanket surrounded by all of her companions. Her armor is in tatters, and I could see blood seeping through it. I pulled her armor off and what she is wearing now is what was underneath. She was covered in wounds, many of which should have caused her death.
I can only assume that someone pulled her back from the Light to her body. I cannot fathom how they would not have healed her after doing so. I healed all of the physical wounds I could find, and gently shook her awake. She did not recognize me, she did not know where she was, nor did she know who Caladorn was. The only of her companions she recognized was Rupert. I wanted to take her to her home, in hopes that she might remember more there. She asked me to bring her here. Oh priestess, please keep what I am about to tell you in strictest confidence. As we were moving through the streets, she attacked a Blood Elf. I was afraid she would do more injury to herself and untold damage to her reputation in attacking someone within neutral territory. I rendered her unconscious and came with all speed here.”
The priestess sighed deeply and closed her eyes, bowing her head.
“Young one, what do you know of the sundering of our world?”
“Not much Priestess, my studies have not gone so far back. I know that it had something to do with the legion, and the well of magical energies that now lies at the heart of the maelstrom.”
“Thousands of years ago, many of the Highborn elves grew arrogant and greedy for power. The delved deeply into the arcane powers of the Well of Eternity, which in turn caused disturbances outside of our world. They caught the attention of Sargaras and his Burning Legion, the Highborn and our queen Azshara were seduced by the promises of power which he made. In their greed, they unleashed the Legion upon Azeroth. Merlet and her sister Aleya were but children then, learning the ways of our people deciding what path their lives would take.
Their parents were very traditional, holding the Highborn in great distain for their actions and practices. They had begun instilling this in their daughters when the invasion started. The two sisters were sent from their village for their own protection just as the legion attacked it. Their mother sent them into the forest to hide, but Merlet’s sense of loyalty wouldn’t let her turn and walk away just yet. She witnessed what I imagine to be the brutal death that her parents met with that day.”
The Priestess looked up with sadness in her ancient eyes. Glowren stared back with horror in her own.
“That day, Merlet swore vengeance upon those who had wrought this travesty upon her and the rest of us. A hatred burned within her deeper than the oceans that surround us. It has burned for over ten thousand years. She took upon her responsiblities that no child that young should take upon herself. She managed to find her way through to another village. She hunted for and provided for her sister through the journey. Her family had been scattered to the winds by the war that raged in our lands. She relied only upon her self to make a new life for she and her sister. Her honor has been above reproach in all of that time, she is respected, a Sentinel, a kind, generous and loyal person, but under it all is that hatred. I know not how she has managed to foster such hate and not be twisted and poisoned by it, turned into something contemptible but she has. We must find out what has happened to allow that hatred to rule her actions. You must travel to your uncle and bring him here. I’ve a notion that he could be key to helping her. I shall stay with her, and see what I may learn of what has happened to her.”
The young paladin blinked at the priestess and then looked over at the form of her uncle’s Love. ‘Ten thousand years..’
“I shall go to find him. He has been stationed in the Plaguelands dealing with Scourge incursions for many months. I have not heard from him in some time. I shall travel first to their home, then to where his detachment is stationed. I will bring him back with me. Please help her…”
“We shall do all that we can for her, in the end Elune will guide her path as she does all of her children.”
“I shall leave her armor and other items here. They will need some extensive repairs, I shall cover the costs. Tis my hope that she will be up and about and back in her armor before I return. Would that my uncle not have to see her in this state. I shall return as quickly as I can.”
The priestess only nodded to the girl as she turned and walked out. She looked at the raptor and the rabbit and nodded to them. They scrambled to Merlet’s bedside and set themselves up to hold vigil over their mistress. Turning her gaze to the Sentinel she sighs deeply.
“Ah dear one, I remember the clear bell sound of your delighted laughter the first time we put a creature in your arms. Such joy you hold in them. Would that that joy could have cleansed the hatred in your heart. Somehow I’ve a feeling that hatred is at the root of this.”
Sighing again she turned around and walked out of the room. A Sentinel shouldn’t have to sleep in torn dirty rags. Clothing and food must be brought to her, and her body bathed. Cleanse the body before beginning to cleanse the soul.