Massive Nerd

(Read here for a little backstory on our hero.)

The bell tolled. The rooster marked the rising of the sun.

Morning. This is the eleventh day. Corrigan rose from the table. He collected the massive tomes in front of him and carefully placed them on the librarian's desk. I should wait for Maris to wake and thank him for his time. However, I am anxious to be off.

Today I take my vows.

Corrigan stepped from Northshire Abbey for the first time in over a week, and was greeted to an unexpected, if welcome sight.

"Ten days and nights of meditation, contemplation and education into the ways of the Order of the Silver Hand. And ye still look as stupid as the last time I saw ye."

"Father! I was not expecting an escort back to the Cathedral."

"Lad, if ye call me 'Father' one more time, ye'll be the first Paladin to take his vows with a staff up his backside. After today, I'm yer teacher no longer."

"Yes Fa.... Rondrey."

"That's better. As to my being here, I have some final questions for ye before the council tests you."

"A final lesson? I welcome your test."

"Good, then let's be on our way. Stormwind is not far, but the walk should be long enough. First question: What is the Silver Hand's greatest foe?"

"Easy. The Scourge."

"Lad, how did ye ever make it past yer first year of studies? True, the Scourge is our biggest currently active threat. However, their former masters, the Burning Legion always has been and always will be the greatest threat, not just to our order, but all of Azeroth. They sent the Orcs. They sent the Scourge. To this day, they still try to infiltrate our organizations. Until they are defeated, no life on this world, or any other will be truly safe."

"How can the Legion infiltrate an order like the Silver Hand? I thought they could only possess those who are willing."

"That's partially true, lad. Even the most powerful demon will have difficulty taking an unwilling host. It would require a complete overwhelming of the host's spirit by force. After such trauma, all that would remain is a soulless husk. None of the demon's power would be available to it. It would not be worth the demon's time and energy to gain a worthless sack of flesh."

"Then the Order is safe. No Paladin would give themselves willingly to the Legion."

"Don't be so sure, lad. Every man has his weakness, his breaking point. The Legion is nothing if not patient. Ten thousand years they've been trying to take our planet, what's a few more to them? They're waiting. Waiting for the right person at the right time."

"What difference does it make?"

"Simple, lad. The more devout the host, the more holy, the more full of Light, the stronger the corrupted spirit, the stronger the demon would be. They want someone so pure of heart for their own, they will search for another ten thousand years, if that's what it takes."

"Someone like you, Rondrey?"

"Nah. Not me. True enough, I've served the Light faithfully in my years. I am, however, not without my faults. I have not even served as a Priest my whole life. I do love my ale, as well."

"Bah! I do not know how you can cloud your mind with drinks like that. You'll never catch me looking for knowledge at the bottom of a mug. But, fine, if not you, then who would be a better host?"

"Someone born of honorable people. Someone who has dedicated their life to the Light. Someone so completely devout, that to corrupt their soul would be an accomplishment like none before."

Rondrey stepped in the middle of the road, staring Corrigan in the eyes to drive home his point.

"Someone, lad... like you."