#daer'leon

[juniper-rose-blower]

A Detour of Violence

(( The official lead-in to pre-BFA content and Teldrassil! Enjoy!!! ))

"Starstrike! There's been a disaster!"

As Xuen shifted to one side to allow the Demon Hunter entry, June looked at him in worry as she saw his medallion clutched in one hand with a death grip, knuckles turning practically white.

Mal tilted his head first in surprise at hearing his name. It was the last thing he expected. Then he saw the demon hunter rushing in with a deathly stare on his face. He held up a hand. "Slow down, what are you talking about?"

But Leon said nothing. He only held out his crescent-shaped medallion, which was glowing faintly as a woman’s hysterical voice cut in and out from it:

"Le...on!...ave to... get ba....orde atta… Darksh..." It was clearly Bellalily's voice, but she sounded like she was shouting over the roar of a building on fire. June started at the string of broken words, catching two that made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Leon looked like he was itching to draw his glaives, only controlling himself out of respect for where they were.

Malodar listened intently to the broken voice. Even after it broke off, he replayed it over in his head, trying to piece together the words. "The Horde attacking Darkshore… why? Wait… she wasn't going there, was she?"

Leon shook his head, "She was going to Ashenvale to deliver some supplies, but I think her escort got routed." His expression looked fierce and yet worried, like a bear fearing for its cub. June looked between the boys and the Tiger, determination on her face, "Is there a magus or maga nearby skilled in portal creation? It sounds like we are needed immediately elsewhere?"

Mal looked down at the ground for a moment in contemplation. Finally he looked up with a somewhat uncertain look. "I could...try something. It won't get us there but...I could at least see if she is safe."

The White Tiger was still looking with interest over Leon's formidable shape when June asked her question. He hummed in thought before looking back her way, "Elder Sage Le-Sing, who saw you in, can get you where you need to go... just remember what you learned here today: rage will seek to haze your mind. Do not let it. Keep clear and level, and you can achieve anything. Our paths will cross again, I am sure."

Leon looked between the Tiger and Mal, "If the Elder has a faster mode of transportation than those damned cranes, we need to take it." He looked to June as she went to retrieve her push daggers, then back to Mal, worry deepening the lines in his face, "I need to know Bells is ok... what can you do?"

Malodar took a step back and dark patches of void started to creep up his skin, more quickly and aggressively than ever before. His eyes dimmed and similarly replaced the glowing light with a dark void. "It isn't pleasant but I can peer through the void..." His head hung back and he took deep breaths.

Leon seemed to lean forward on the balls of his feet, watching Mal intently. June rejoined the pair, starting slightly at the sight of the void in use by the priest. But she said nothing, not wanting to break his concentration. "Well?" Leon asked a little impatiently, hand gripping his medallion tightly. June quietly stepped forward to take the medallion out of his hand and stand up on her tiptoes to put it back around his neck. His shrouded gaze shifted down briefly and he gave her a nod of gratitude before looking back to Mal.

Malodar had disappeared into the void, the purplish blackness slowly consuming his entire body. He was oblivious to their questions and concerns. He was drifting through an endless, yawning abyss. Nothing around him on any side gave any hint of direction, yet he seemed to know the way. He descended upon the shores of the Veiled Sea. The void realm was a twisted simulacrum of the physical world, but it reflected its events, if ethereally. He saw the war machines of the Horde advancing along the forest paths, northward toward Darnassus. He could speed up and down the shore and the forests faster than any gryphon could fly, seeking out the form of the Kaldorei girl in the chaos.

Mal's shadow journey would lead him all the way to Maestra's Outpost in Ashenvale's northwestern area. As he saw myriad fires burning around him, he'd catch sight of her shouting to a pair of Sentinels, carrying a bow in one hand, and leading a young Kaldorei child with the other away from a burning house nearby.

His ethereal form descended upon the scene, closing in close to her. And he couldn't help but do whatever equated to a smirk in this form as he saw the farthest thing from a cowering, fearful girl. He came within feet of her and reached out to her with tendrils of the void, a drastic measure he would only employ in such a desperate situation. The power brought to her mind a message. "Hold on, we're coming." The strain was starting to get to him and he could feel his grip on such a lengthy projection failing. At the last moment he spotted a second form, creeping through the brush behind her: a Forsaken shadowblade keen on taking her down. With a firmer connection he could've obliterated the threat, but with his strength fading, he shot out a second, more urgent message, little more than an echoing suggestion in the back of her mind. "Behind you!" And with those words he was ripped out of the void. He caught a glimpse of the temple before he collapsed to the side. Crumpled on the floor, he lost both his stomach and his consciousness for half a minute before slowly reawakening.

Back in the Temple, June jumped back as Malodar got sick and passed out. She immediately dropped to her knees, grabbing water to clean around him as well as clean his face directly. She was careful not to pour water into his mouth directly - the last thing he needed was to drown - wetting a piece of cloth and patting his head in worry. Leon was decidedly less calm, hands opening and closing into clenched fists as he waited for Mal to regain consciousness. He nearly jumped out of his scaley fel-pocked skin when his medallion around his neck glowed again faintly, Bells' voice echoing from it brokenly as before: "Tell...al thank... We're sa....eaded nor..." but then her voice cut out again.

June looked up to Leon briefly, patting at Malodar's forehead with the damp cloth, "She sounds quite tough... I'm sure she'll be ok."

The damp cool wetness brought him back to consciousness, blinking rapidly as he readjusted to the real world. "Unpleasant..." he muttered, the void effusion fading from his skin. "The refugees are retreating north, fleeing from Lor'danel on the remaining fleet." He paused. "The Horde have overwhelming force..." His voice carried the weight of just how dire the situation was.

June frowned as she looked between Malodar and Daer'Leon. Her expression was set, determined, and stony. "We need to get going..." Pale eyes looked over Mal with worry, "Are you well enough to come along, or should I send you back to Stormwind?"

Mal waved her off with a look like 'Really?' He pushed himself to his feet and brushed off his tunic. "I'm fine. And time is short, so don't argue. Let's get moving. He began to lead them out of the temple.

Juniper continued to frown as she watched him go, but nodded and followed him out, Leon on their heels.

As the trio crossed the bridge down from the Temple, the Pandaren that greeted them earlier ran up to them looking more urgent. "The Great Tiger said you would need this," the Elder said as he handed June a piece of paper - a voucher of some sort, from the look of it. June blinked down at it, then looked back up at Elder Sage Le-Sing. He pointed to it, "Keep it with you - it's a portal voucher to use when you reach the Shrine of Seven Stars. The kites here are enchanted, so your trip will take less a few hours from here to there." He motions to the grummel, speaking briefly in Pandaren before nodding again. The grummel was already preparing three kites for them. "May your rice bowl be full. You still have much to do, so we hope to see you back soon."

The corner of Mal's mouth twitched both at the notion of taking the portal and even worse at the suggestion of taking the kite to the shrine. He clenched his fist but resigned himself to power through it. "Let's get this over with..." He said as he awkwardly began to climb aboard one of the enchanted kites.

As the three of them got settled, the grummel spoke a few words they did not understand and the kites were off without a hitch. Surprisingly, the flight was not unbearable - they seemed to have a small barrier around them, protecting them from the worst of the wind. Considering the speed with which they were flying, that was definitely a good thing. True to Le-Sing's word, they arrived after about an hour and a half of flying through the chilly air. As the kites drifted downward through the clouds, the land below was quite a sight to behold. The magnificent golden facade that was Mogu'shan Palace, decorated in jade and stone and lanterns, was marred by ugly sha-touched land surrounding it. Toppled statues laid broken on withering hills. But they had little time to think about such a thing at the moment.

Mal clung very tightly to the kite for the entire length of the journey south to the shrine. The landing in particular turned his face somewhat pale as it descended quickly and came to a hover over the stone flooring. The moment he was able, he slipped off the frame and strode away, taking deep steadying breaths. "One horrific journey down, one to go. Let's get this over with."

June and Leon both looked significantly less bothered by the flight - apparently travel by air was far less dizzying than portal travel for the both of them. June nodded, giving Mal a look of empathy, "I'll fix a remedy for you once we get where we're going." With that, they headed inside to get their portal situated.

Mal rubbed a temple as he trudged along toward the portal room. As they marched inside his eyes turned outward, remembering for a moment that there was rumored tavern of special interests nearby, but unfortunately priority took them elsewhere. He took another deep breath and steeled himself for the worst of the trip thus far.

Leon looked back at Mal as they walked, "Bells managed to make contact before you came to. I think they were headed north from Ashenvale, so we should probably start there." June gave a nod and stepped ahead to speak with one of the portal mages. After some frantic back and forth, the graying mage nodded her head and motioned them forward.

Malodar nodded solemnly. "Its difficult to see anything other than what I focus on, but the woods were overrun by Horde. The roads are not safe, hopefully she'll stay off the path and hidden."

June nodded in agreement, followed soon after by Leon, "She'll probably be working to help as many as she can along the way, no doubt, but she's smart enough to keep away from danger she can't handle."

With a soft inhale, June glanced between them, frowning. "We should probably make sure our gear is settled and ready before we go."

Mal nodded and moved to wait by the portal. "Check what you need, I have everything I need already." He patted the dagger at his side and adjusted his tunic slightly. "We need to move quickly, even if she stays off the roads, who knows what scouts they'll have out looking for stragglers. It...didn't look like a strategic victory, it looked like they intended to burn the entire forest to the ground...and everyone in it."

Leon seemed ready as well, though he did step off to one side to pick up a whetstone from a vendor against the wall, using it to sharpen his glaives. June dug through her pack, pulling out her armor. With a small nod, she ran off to find a quiet spot to change. When she arrived again, she was decked in her leathers, with her lupine hood resting behind her head. "Are you boys all set, then?"

Malodar nodded none too patiently as he sincerely wanted to get this uncomfortable trip over with. He stepped up to the portal and waited for the signal from the mage. When he waved, Mal stepped into the portal and felt the uncomfortable squeeze of being forced through space to the other side of the world. June and Leon followed soon after, knowing there was little time to lose.

(( mentions: @malodarstarstrike @moonsorrowhouse @bellalily-moonsorrow ))

[juniper-rose-blower]

... Starts With a Single Step

(( #sorrynotsorry for this being as long as it is - I’m behind on writing for a week. Snippets from RP below, edited for tumblr. Enjoy ^_^ ))

‘Peace is like a river. Sometimes the waters are calm and flow smoothly for great distances. Sometimes it must fight with the shape of the land, bucking with rapids and carving through stone to reach its destination.’ ~Scrollkeeper’s Sanctum, Jade Forest, Author Unknown

Their day had gone quite well.

With Daer’Leon the first one to awaken - admittedly, he didn’t sleep very often, and when he did it was for short stretches at a time - he had disappeared from the inn to complete a morning routine of exercise, scaling trees and gliding around the outside edges of Paw’don Village to scout the way they would be headed on their way to the Jade Serpent’s Temple. He’d finished the tea June made for him before he fell asleep, finding it quelled his stomach from the upsetedness brought on by the portal they came through the day before. A grin came to his face. He’d have to find out what exactly she had put in the blend of tea; whatever it was, she obviously had a natural talent for using herbal mixtures to their full ability. And then when he woke, he found her sleeping - not in a bed, but in a makeshift hammock made from a worn stretchy sheet tied to a hook on the wall, curled up in a little ball and snoring softly. Such a peculiar young woman, and everyday full of more surprises.

Shortly after him, Malodar was up before the sun was rising over the Forest and set about his tradition of physical exercise to start the day. More importantly it kept his mind distracted from the growing unease he had been feeling since arriving. It was more than the portal, something about this land gave him discomfort. He had expected the sentient shadows to play a role, but if they were affecting him so already, he was deeply concerned, though he did his best to hide it. Several jogged laps around the village ended with him back by their lodgings, finding a heavy stone nearby to lift several dozen times. By the time he was finished and returned, he was sweaty and starving.

June was the last to awaken, but while the boys did their morning routines, she went about town hoping to secure them some form or fashion of travel to help expedite their trip a little. It wasn’t until she spoke with Miss Ai-Li, their innkeeper, before she managed to secure a riding crane for them to share. Though, if she was honest, June was likely going to travel in her equine form anyway. Regardless, she rejoined the boys as they converged outside the inn, holding the reins to a lovely crane with stormy grey feathers and gave a sheepish shrug, “This was the best I could find. We could always take turns, if we need to, to keep from getting tired on our trek.” She decided not to mention the fact that she rarely got tired when running around as a Sunrunner, or that she imagined Leon would also not get tired from long-distance travel.

With a few preparations, and a breakfast of fruit and eggs, the trio was soon on their way to the Temple, supplies secured on the back of the gray-feathered crane they had rented.

The worn dirt path through Jade Forest was certainly one to behold. With Leon gliding above them from tree to tree to keep a protective eye on them from above, June and Mal were barely out of the Village before June had looked at him sheepishly.

"You don't mind if I... uh..." even as her words faded off and her embarrassment showed, Mal smirked knowingly.

"No, I suppose not. I don't mind being the only normal one." He winked over his shoulder at that, pausing for a moment at an intersection to check the signs, seeing the one for the Temple pointing over the nearby bridge.

June blushed more, glancing up as she saw Leon gliding above them again. She dipped her head down and took the pause as a chance to shift before she could change her mind. As she did, she tossed her mane in the rain and knickered softly, looking a good deal more comfortable and sounding less nervous.

Malodar smiled at her and gestured her along with him as they crossed the strangely arched bridge. The rain didn't seem to bother him much at all, though sleeping in it would be less than preferable. He closed his eyes as they walked, listening to the sounds of it in the brush and the smell of wet foliage all around them. If it weren't for that nagging sense of darkness below the surface it would be immensely soothing.

June seemed immensely comfortable not only in her current form, but in the rain and the wilds of the Forest. This place was far greener and more peaceful than any place she'd been thus far. It was quite wonderful.

Malodar paused as they came to a second crossroads, frowning as he saw no signage on the nearby post to direct them.

As they came to the fork, June looked down one path, and then down the other, tossing her mane softly. The looks she gave Mal was just as clear as the thought that flitted through her mind: 'Which way?'

Leon glided down to the ground next to June, motioning down the hill, "That path leads to Serpent's Heart, though if I remember right, you wanted to avoid such?" He pointed to Mal curiously as he said this.

Malodar once again pulled out the map and examined it, trying to shield it from the rain. Through squinted eyes he examined the parchment, and then the paths, and then the map again. The temple was clearly visible atop the small mountain to the northeast. He nodded to Leon's words. "Yes. The map is hard to read but that's what I had thought." He then motioned toward the east path. "It's a bit roundabout, but that will get us to the Temple.”

June gave a nod of her equine head and looked to Mal and their supply-crane, and then to Leon, making sure they were both ok in the rain. It always surprised her a little that someone else was unbothered by the rain, and yet here she was with not one but two traveling companions that were completely fine in it.

Time passed as they walked along the path, verdant green trees and beautiful flowers everywhere they went. The Jade Forest held a an untamed and magnificent beauty all its own. How she had never gotten the proper chance to spend time in this Forest before now was beyond her.

Her state of wonder was nearly perpetual as they passed through the great jade serpent-carved gate into the outer Temple grounds. Serene little houses, soft white and pink water lilies floating on the little stream, and willow and sakura trees whose branches swayed in the breeze only added to the absolute air of peace and perfection. June couldn’t help but picture having a summer home here, spending weeks at a time in perfect solitude with Ky, tending to a garden and fishing and just enjoying the simple life. A wistful exhale left her flared nostrils as she took in the sight of everything, eliciting a chuckle from Leon.

“It is quite a wonder to behold, that is for certain.”

As they approached the Temple proper, Leon gave them a short history lesson before June was eagerly moving toward the stairs to the doors. The hunter and the priest followed close behind her, Leon leaning toward Mal curiously after something Mal said:

"You can hear her, can't you?"

Malodar nodded slowly with chuckle. "Yes. The shadow that still haunts me grants me some abilities, though in this particular case, only when she wishes me to."

Leon smiled as they passed through the first gate, which was already partially open. Another chuckle emanated from him, "That must help her feel more comfortable... it's quite kind of you." He glanced toward Mal, and though his eyes were gone and shrouded, the expression on his face was one of approval.

As the three were greeted by a monk who showed them about, Leon went off to enjoy some proper Pandaren brew while June and Mal went through the Temple to the library.

Another Pandaren - graying and fluffy - greeted them with a smile over spectacles and spoke with them at length about their journey through Pandaria. Even as the pair of them sat on the floor to listen to the Scrollkeeper weave his wisdom for them, he left them with more questions than answers. But one message in particular stuck out in her mind:

‘Balance in all things is what brings true peace. Peace of mind, and heart, and soul. It is what gives fulfillment in life and love. It is not easily found or kept, but is a blessing once it is earned.’

Even as more questions buzzed in their minds, June caught the expression of worry on Mal’s face, and offered him her arm:

"Shall we go for that stroll, then?"

"Yes, though I don't even know where to begin myself."

June exhaled with a sideways smile, nodding, "Yeah... but you know what they say?" She reached over to link her arm in his, their elbows intertwined, "Every new journey starts with a single step... yes?"

Malodar offered her a half smile in response. "That is the saying, isn't it."

As they walked along the terrace, June inhaled the summer air, freshened by the rain, and sighed.

"It's so strange... Despite feeling more at ease, I have more questions now than before."

"Strange indeed. I have the same old questions, and feel less at ease." He closed his eyes. "I can hear the whispers of the void even now. And according to that lesson I need to embrace them, not dispel them."

June hummed softly, "You know... he didn't say you have to succumb to them..." She looked back at Mal curiously, "Maybe what you need is more practice?"

"When it comes to the Void, the line between the two is extremely fine."

The silence that hung in the air was heavy for several long minutes before they decided to head back to find a lodging for the evening for their little traveling group. Even as Mal continued to brood, June gave him a nudge and a small smile, blushing.

"I know things have been worrisome and uncertain... but I hope you know... I hope you know that... I believe in you."

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you. Perhaps we'll do better if we believe in each other... to make up for our lack of self-belief."

As they started heading toward the main terrace where the Jade Serpent received guests, smiling the whole way, a monk came jogging up behind them.

"Excuse me," she said cheerily, "Are you expecting any mail?"

Malodar turned with a curious eyebrow. "I'm not..." He blinked. "Oh, were you?" He asked June.

June furrowed her brow, shaking her head, "No, I wasn't..." She tilted her head to one side.

The Pandaren woman hummed softly, "Oh. Well, darn. No one here in the Temple is named 'June'."

The woman barely had the name past her lips before the Botanist was rushing forward, taking the envelope from her hands, "Someone actually sent something to me here? But I only told-" but her words suddenly halted, her mouth hanging open as she recognized the handwriting on its front.

Malodar folded his arms as she took the note, nodding a thanks to the woman as June seemed distracted. "Would you like me to give you a moment?"

June blinked up from staring at the envelope, looking at Mal in embarrassment. She shook her head, holding the envelope to her chest, "No... no, I... I'll read it once we're settled in for the night." Even as she said it, she turned it over to see where it was sealed. A familiar scribble in Tanari made her heart do a somersault and she smiled at Mal, tears practically shining in her eyes, "Can we drink now? In celebration for... uh... making it to the Temple?"

Malodar smirked but nodded all the same. "Are you sure you want to do that? I don't think these folks play around with their booze."

June scoffed softly, "Please, you're talking about a woman who regularly drinks ambrosia straight." She looked at him all tough like for a full five seconds before leaping several feet into the air and squealing, "EEE!"

She jumped and spun in precisely three circles before settling down again, tucking the letter into her journal pouch and looking at Mal quietly, lips pressed together to keep herself quiet and calm. "I'm... good. I'm good."

Hours later, the three of them were reunited, having all had plenty of laughs and drinks with the Temple’s monks, and were shown to a quaint little house they could use to sleep in while they were there, as long as they took care of it. Immediately agreeing, June saw to keeping the candles lit and a fresh pot of tea going, getting everyone settled.

Once she had a free moment, she sat up on the roof to read Ky’s letter. Pale eyes scanned over the words again and again, tears forming in her eyes as she pulled the photo free and held it to her chest. The thought of Ky suffering made her heart ache. But then her stomach did a flip. Ky missed her! Oh, how she missed her back! So much!!

As she climbed down from the roof and headed inside to tuck in for the night, she hugged her pillow extra close, imagining it was Ky’s chest she laid against, nuzzling softly. Her heart was so full in that moment. She would most definitely have to write Ky back in the morning.

(( mentions: @malodarstarstrike @moonsorrowhouse @killerkyara ))

[juniper-rose-blower]

Every New Journey...

June gave a light sigh, finishing her note and tearing the page from her journal as Malodar headed outside into the heavy rain to go find Daer’leon. Despite the strange quirks the demon hunter had, the first thing he said to her once they were through the portal was surprisingly comforting:

“I hate portals, too.”

She’d felt the nausea hit her before both feet were solidly on the ground in the little Pandaren village, and had stumbled off to the side to lose her lunch in a bush before she could try to stop herself.

The thought alone of his effort to help made her chuckle as she got a pair of beds squared away for them. The innkeeper - a fluffy Pandaren woman named Ai-li - even brought them a privacy screen to help keep eyes off them.

“Are you sure you don’t need three beds, miss? You look way too thin to sleep in that sheet you tied up to the wall.” But June smirked and waved the woman off.

“No, really - I prefer my hammock over a bed.”

“Well, alright, dearie.”

Once Malodar and Leon came into the inn, June handed them each a towel to get dried off, along with the thermos of fresh-made hot red tea with jasmine and honey to Leon. “I have to, uh... get a letter sent out... so I’ll be right back.”

After setting her things under her makeshift hammock, she went to go find the innkeep to get a letter closed up and sent out, destination - Uldum:

‘Ky,

I hope things have been ok. I know that, by now, you likely are all in very dangerous territory.

How is everyone? How are Wren and Kestrel? How is the group fairing? I know when I was sent to the city that a few were still healing.

I miss you. Malodar and I made it to Stormwind. The consult literally took, at most, a half-hour to handle. Now, with free time on my hands, I have been given the chance to do what you suggested - we are traveling to Pandaria to visit the Temples, and the monks there, to ask about my healing energy. I hope we can find some answers.

We’ll be moving through the Jade Forest toward the Temple, and then to Tian Monastery. I do not know how long we will stay there. But you can send anything for me to the Temples, if you ever need me.

Stay safe, Adinah.

♡ June                أحبك    أحبك

PS - I hope I wrote this ⤴ right.’

Once she got it where it was going, she rejoined Leon and Mal and curled right up into her hammock, picturing how tightly she’ll hug Ky when she finally gets to see her as she drifted off to sleep.

(( mentions / allusions: @malodarstarstrike @moonsorrowhouse @killerkyara @blackbay-wra @quai-mason @brian-wellson @ephriza-dawnblade ))

[juniper-rose-blower]

A World on Fire

(( pre-BFA plot! Enjoy ^_^ ))

On the other side of the portal, the trio found themselves dropped into the ashen ruins of Astranaar, burning buildings abandoned to smolder by its inhabitants.

Malodar stumbled on his feet when they arrived, the usual discomfort and unease taking over for a moment. He shuffled sideways to the side of the nearby inn and leaned against the wall to recover his composure. He jumped back but a second later as it became clear through his slight haze that the building was on fire. At the very least, the adrenaline caused him to forget the nausea.

June covered her mouth, coughing softly, noting the burn of evergreen oil in the air. She furrowed her brow, looking around quietly, "It's been evacuated already... by a few hours, at least." She looks around again and turns her attention across the burning town, toward the western archway out into the forest, "We'll need to keep our eyes open."

The forest and the village were markedly different from his previous visit. The smell was nothing but burning and death, and aside from the crackling of the flames, it was eerily quiet. "There's nothing to the east but more Horde. They'd have to move west a bit before turning north to make it to Darkshore. If I know her, she'll try and rescue every soul she comes across. Compassionate..." Mal marked, "but it'll slow her down. If we ride quickly, we should close the gap fairly soon."

June hummed in agreement, already breaking into a sprint to start moving. There was nothing to wait for, after all. As the trio zipped through the forest, Leon was practically on fire, rushing across the land ahead of them, scanning anything and everything that moved. "Hold on, Bells. Just hold on."

June huffed softly as they sprinted, keeping her pace steady. Her legs were burning, but not nearly as hot as the forest. They -had- to keep moving. Ahead, as they turned north, Maestra's Post came into view... or rather, what was left of it. The armory and tower were both engulfed in flames, thick black smoke rising high above them.

June raised a hand to shield her face from the heat of the flames. "This is not good."

Mal managed to keep pace with the pair of them. He was never one built for speed, but he had the legs to run for miles and miles without stopping. He came upon the post thirty seconds after the others with a frown on his face. "The Horde have harassed this post for years, ever since they established that fort on the coast after the Cataclysm. But it was skirmishes at worst, reminding us they were there. Nothing like this. This is savagery."

June shook her head again, more worry lines drawn into her forehead. "It's vile... Astranaar was a place of peace... and healing... and now it's destroyed." She looks at Mal and Leon, pale eyes shining.

The priest set his hand on her shoulder. "Whatever it is, it's beyond our help now, and if we linger they may turn on us next. We must keep on, the shore isn't far. With luck, the Grove will be intact, that is the likeliest spot for refugees."

June nodded again, watching as Leon sprinted ahead of them once again. She bit her lower lip, "He must be really worried," she commented, catching sight of Leon lifting a hand to his front, no doubt clutching his crescent medallion.

Malodar nodded silently and stretched out his legs and arms. He dug in his heels and took off down the road after their companion.

As they passed into Darkshore, June lifted her pale gaze to the sky. Ash and thick black smoke drifted above them. The air was acrid and made their eyes and throats burn. June coughed, tugging her scarf up from inside her collar, covering her nose and mouth. She looked to Mal as they sprinted, her voice muffled as she shouted, "We're getting closer... keep your eyes open!"

Malodar paused long enough to pull a cloth from his bag and tie it around his face. "I could try and find her but there's too much noise." He glanced around through the smoke, the animals scurrying around helplessly. He looked up and down the road. "We should move off the road as well, they're sure to have patrols here as well and we're not equipped for a fight if we're outnumbered."

Leon seemed to either be unbothered by the horrid state of the air, or simply didn't care about it. He gave a nod, turning his gaze up the road. June watched him stare hard - as if the smoke around them didn't hinder his vision in the slightest. "I don't see anyone on the road," he said, looking back to Mal, "But Bells would likely have done what you said. I just hope..." but his words trailed off, along with his shrouded gaze. June frowned beneath her mask, sharing a look with Mal.

"The shores are dangerous, exposed," Mal reasoned, "I don't think she'd be to the west. East, at the foot of the mountains is the farthest out of sight and there's no reason for the Horde to go that way. You can't reach her on your device?"

June nodded in agreement to Mal's words, turning to look toward the mountains. Leon, meanwhile, reached for the medallion on his neck again, clutching his fingers around it. But nothing happened. He frowned, "Bells is either rushing around, or trying to stay hidden. She does not answer."

Mal turned north and points into the trees. "The Grove of Ancients is but a few miles north of here, its magics will protect it from assault. We should start there."

Leon nodded, already starting forward, still clutching his medallion. June bit her lip in hesitation, looking to Mal, "There might be one other reason she isn't answering his call..." she said softly, not wanting to say it too loudly.

Mal nodded once. "Hope is preferable to despair. And with all due respect, do not take her for the doting housewife she may have appeared when you met. She knows a thing or two about surviving." He smirked beneath his mask and took off into the trees.

June 's brow knitted together on her forehead. She hoped he was right as she set off into the woods after him.

After passing through the Grove, the keepers there pointed further North. The smoke in the sky was growing thicker and more horrid, and the smell of burning wood was all anyone could smell. Leon's behavior was growing more agitated as they moved along the eastern edge of the forest, following the river at the suggestion of the Grove's remaining protectors. By the time they passed the ruins that were Auberdine, June was getting uncomfortable. Pale eyes shifted around, taking in their surroundings uneasily before turning back to Mal.

Followed along, slowly starting to show signs of the journey. Sweat covered his exposed skin from a combination of heat and smoke and the exertion. "It can't be much further now. We're nearly to Lor'danel. Its defensible enough to get refugees out, but apart from that, its surrounded." He looked to Leon. "Would you like me to search again?"

June's gaze drifted off to one side, and she rubbed her arm.

Leon huffed in frustration, grasping at his medallion again, "Come on, Bells! Come on, Angel... we need you to answer..." Several long moments passed before the medallion glowed a soft silver, a broken voice coming through, a little stronger than when they were Kun-Lai:

"L...on? Leo.....s that yo...?"

Leon looked like he might leap for joy, "Bells?! Bells! Where are you??"

The woman's voice echoed back at them, still slightly broken: "W......iding... mounta....s... nea........Maw."

The broken communication didn't offer much but at the end Mal looked to June with a neutral expression. "A familiar spot. Its a nasty spot just up the ridge." He said to Leon. "Dangerous, but probably far away from anywhere the Horde is interested in."

June gave a solemn nod, letting her pale gaze shift toward the rather large pit, where rushing water was running rather quickly before falling into the abyss. Leon's grabbing her wrist broke June out of her reverie, confusion painted on her face. He motioned Mal to hold onto his back, "Get on, I can get us across faster."

Mal arched an incredulous eyebrow, "You're kidding me..."

But Leon didn't wait for his answer. Instead he pulled Mal onto his back, wrapped an arm around June's waist, and said, "Better hold on," before leaping into the air with them in tow. As they began to fall, his wings flew out wide, and they glided smoothly to the other side of the little ravine. Once on the other side, he gently placed June down and stood up straight so Mal could get down. "What's the matter, you don't like flying?" he asked with a lopsided grin.

"I'm not a fan of piggy back rides...well, not in that sense anyway." The priest said as he dusted himself off and examined the rim of the pit and the rushing waters into it.

June couldn't help but chuckle as they walked along the path. Leon was already ahead of them, sniffing about like a tracking hound. June tilted her head at the behavior, glancing back to Mal, "Can he actually smell her?!?"

Mal shrugged slightly. "I imagine something in his...abilities allows him to sense her. She must be close." He leaped from the bank to the rocks and along following Leon.

Leon clutched his medallion tightly, taking solace in its soft glow. "We're coming, Bells." As they followed up the hill, the thick smoke carried past the mountains overhead. June coughed again, blinking her burning eyes a few times as they climbed.

The smoke didn't seem to bother Mal much, and he offered his arm out to help June climb as they neared the top of the hill. "After the Cataclysm these hills were rent apart, opened up all sorts of caverns and crevices to hide in."

Leon stopped them just outside the cavern, glaives drawn. He let out a rumbling growl that echoed out across the ridge, sounding very much like a wild and vicious animal. It took June several long moments to realize that he was trying to scare away any potential Horde assassins. But by the time she realized it, a soft woman's voice echoed from out of the back of the cavern: "Leon?"

Several tense moments passed before a soot-covered Belle tiptoed out of the cavern, several tears in her robes, with a small child following behind her, using the woman as a hiding place.

Mal looked around suspiciously until Belle stepped out. He relaxed slightly, but kept his hand near his dagger just in case. "You're a hard woman to find." He pointed out. As he straightened up he looked around, the cliff seemed to be empty, but he felt the need to be sure. He closed his eyes and focused. Less than a minute later he opened them again and blinked. "Near as I can tell… we're alone."

June gave a soft sigh and relaxed as well, looking back at Belle. Leon was standing next to June, holding his arms out for his mate to come to him.

But the priestess was staring past them both, eyes wide, utter horror on her face. "No..." she whispered softly, tears falling freely down her cheeks, leaving trails in the soot on her skin. A few steps forward, and she collapsed to her knees, still staring forward... and as the woman went down, June saw it in her eyes, whirling around to take in the sight.

The great tree Teldrassil, home of the Kaldorei and one of the World Trees was now engulfed in flames. From base to canopy, completely uncontrollable, issuing forth great gushes of acrid black smoke.

Mal stood, watching as well, as the smoke filled the sky before them. He didn't have much of an attachment to his homeland, but the horror of it was impactful nonetheless. He stared in silence for a long time before he turned. "I know you've been through a lot, but we have to go now. This isn't a fight that's going to be won, and the window of escape is closing quickly."

June and Belle both seemed utterly lost, staring up at the horror of it, both with equal looks of loss in their expressions. Leon's expression hardened as he too took in the sight before looking back to Malodar quietly, "We should... we should give them a moment..." As his words trailed off, he approached Mal, side-glancing both girls, "We'll need to get back to where they've taken everyone... surely they were able to evacuate and portal them to Stormwind or... something... right?"

Malodar clenched his jaw. "Any delay is risking our chance at escape." He looked up at the roaring inferno that was once their capital city. "The portal in the city would've been dispelled. And I cannot imagine they would allow one in Lor'danel for long. If the Horde broke through that could bring them straight to Stormwind." He looked in the direction of the small town. "The Horde do not have a substantial fleet, escape by ship is the most feasible, but they will not linger long with the Horde pressing in."

Leon nodded in agreement, "Right." He tried to speak gently in Belle's ear, "Angel, honey, we have to go-" but just as he tried to break her out of her reverie, she lost her composure, wailing in emotional agony.

With a sigh, he nudged June.

Though she looked like she wanted to do what Belle had done, she nodded and inhaled softly. After a moment more of looking down at Leon's hand, she turned and headed into the cavern. It turned out, however, that the small child was the only survivor Belle had hidden away with her - the girl looked maybe five or six. Certainly not old enough to be handing such things. June frowned at Mal’s words, "Then let's make our way to Lor'danel and out of here, yes?"

Mal looked steely on the surface but somewhat unsettled in his eyes. It wasn't the first time he had to evacuate innocents from the horrors of war, and it was as ugly and terrifying then as it was now. He nodded once and turned to the couple. "We must make haste...Leon can you carry her and...I'll take the child..." He stepped around to the little girl and held out his hand trying to look as friendly as possible under the circumstances. He had a quick thought and reached into his bag, extracting a small piece of candied fruit he had bought in Pandaria on their journey to the summit. He offered it to her in his open palm.

As they gathered together, Leon nodded, taking Belle into his arms, "Yeah. Let's go."

(( mentions: @malodarstarstrike @moonsorrowhouse @bellalily-moonsorrow ))

[juniper-rose-blower]

Letting Go Your Anger

(( More to read of the Seeking Inner Peace rp bit! We’re nearly caught up to BFA content with this one, so enjoy! ^_^ ))

After resupplying with everything they needed, the trio headed to the cranemaster. They were each provided with rather lithe cranes with spindly legs that looked precarious as ground mounts. However, once they were seated and settled, they each had to hold tightly to their reins, because they bolted like lightning through the Forest. Over the course of a very uneventful week of mostly riding, with stops to eat and rest, as they traveled along the border of the Valley of the Four Winds, up through the Veiled Stair, and into Kun-Lai. The passage made June shudder with a memory that unsettled her, but she never did explain. As the Pandaren promised, by week's end they were approaching the entrance to the Temple of the White Tiger.

June pet her crane on the side as they approached, looking up at the Temple with some wonder in her eyes, "The last time I was here... I didn't take much heed of how beautiful it is... it's like I'm seeing it for the first time..."

Mal dismounted from the bouncy crane the moment they are within the shadow of the hilly path up to the temple, rubbing his backside. All the goodwill built up by not having to fly on rickety kites had evaporated by the second day. Now, seven later he was positively irate, not least of which because his suggestion of a detour to the vale to visit the supposed exotic bar there were shot down. He grumbled as he untied his packs, but paused as he looked up the incline at the trees and pagodas. "Well..." he said much more softly. "It is quite beautiful and tranquil. Leon, you should probably camp out here." He smirked over his shoulder.

June rolled her eyes at Mal lightly, waving him off and looking to Leon, "You don't have to, you know. They won't kick you out." But Leon was fidgeting with the crescent medallion around his neck. He hummed at them absently, shrouded eyes already seeming to be looking for a quiet place for him to take up their mounts and to have some privacy. Eager to make more progress, June slid down from her crane and started forward, marching with purpose through the Temple grounds.

Malodar shouldered his pack tightly and moved to follow June up to their next task. He was curious as to what more they could possibly learn, now that they had shed the bulk of their inhibitions and doubt. But the White Tiger was a legendarily awe inspiring creature, and he was eager to see the demi-God for himself if he could.

Juniper kept her gaze up as she walked them up the hill. They passed by monks sparring, meditating, stretching, and practicing other various disciplines with trained dedication and patience. That alone brought hope and inspiration to June's heart. She was definitely ready. As they crossed the hanging bridge that covered a sheer drop amidst the mountains, a Pandaren that looked similar to Tai-Feng was waving to them merrily, "Welcome to the Temple of the White Tiger. You wouldn't happen to be the trio from the Temple of the Jade Serpent, would you?"

Mal paused mid-step, head tilted and blinking as if trying to gauge whether the Sage had managed to beat them up the mountain. He certainly wouldn't be surprised if the ground travel had been a ruse to teach them some sort of lesson. But upon closer inspection, the details on the pandaren's face were different. "Yes, that would be us. And if it isn't too much to ask… if we are to be seated somewhere, could we request a pillow or two?"

The Pandaren let out a hearty chuckle, holding his furry belly as it jiggled. "I am sure there will be a time for sitting, my friend, but that time is not now." Even as the Pandaren spoke, Leon waved them onward before heading over to a cliff to sit, fiddling more with the medallion on his neck.

June watched him go before turning back to the Pandaren, "Are we expected by someone?" Without missing a beat, the Pandaren nodded and led them onward, toward the main Temple up the stairs to their left.

Mal took in the sights of the temple as he wondered who exactly it could be expecting them. Surely, they were not of relevance to Xuen himself. The climb to the central temple was somewhat taxing as he stretched his joints on the final steps, the toll of the ride still lingering.

June was also curious, but by the time they stopped, they were right at the entranceway to the Temple. The Pandaren turned and stepped to their side, motioning inside without a word. June tilted her head, "So, uh... who was it that was expecting us?"

But the Elder Sage merely smiled and motioned inside again, "The path forward may be shrouded in Mists, but taking that first step is always the scariest." A serene smile graced his furry features as he waited for them to enter. With a brow arched, June looked to Mal before shrugging and making her way inside.

Mal returned her gesture and followed along with little hesitation. He wasn't sure exactly what they were supposed to fear, but nothing seemed to be standing in their way at the moment, so he followed confidently.

June walked all the way into the Temple, stopping near the center of the large round room. She glanced around in confusion, watching Mal stop beside her. A few moments passed, and then a booming voice filled the arena from nowhere and everywhere at once:

"You have conquered your Doubts with a ferocity that your countenance belies... but does that Rage wait beneath the surface, ready to boil over?"

The voice echoed as the question hung in the air, making June's hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. As the echoes began to fade, both June and Mal would be momentarily rendered immobile. From behind them, the light outside grew intensely bright, elongating their shadows before them on the floor. Before they knew it, the shadows congealed and grew into a single twisted form of seething black and white energy, tendrils and smoke and glowing eyes glowering at the pair of them. The booming voice returned long enough to say, "Interesting..." before the Sha let out a hiss of aggression at the pair.

Malodar heard the voice echo about them without so much as a hint of its source. But before he could even begin to search for the voice, he was rendered paralyzed with a grunt, helpless but to watch as another creature of shadow emerged before them. He strained against the power holding them, trying for his dagger, but unable to do much more than scowl at the beasts.

June grunted as well as she struggled against the force holding them still.

A few moments later, the booming voice returned again, "You must let go your Anger before you can progress," he stated with a challenging tone, "Lay your inner-most rage to rest, and you may yet find peace." As he finished speaking, June and Mal were once again able to move. But so, too, was their adversary, hissing and roaring at them in defiance of their goal.

The frustration seemed to evaporate once Mal was free to move. He wore a smirk he had seldom used since his days as a warrior centuries before. He took his dagger from his belt and held it in a reverse grip and crouched slightly, defensive and ready to react to however the beast chose to attempt its attack. Far from looking furious, he had rarely looked so comfortable and excited.

June took only a moment to glance at Mal before leaping forward, letting loose a barrage of strikes against the Sha with her push daggers in hand, the blades piercing the formless shadow enough to make it hiss with anger. But as it swiped at her, she managed to dodge its attempts to hit her.

Malodar held his position. preferring to keep his defensive position, waiting for the opportunity to turn his enemy's own power against it. When the Sha charged, he locked his gaze unblinkingly and stepped to the side to avoid it. The creature's rage empowered it and it swung around, its forearm colliding with his chest sending him reeling backward by a step. But it didn't give him pause. The creature swung again and Mal easily ducked it, and swung his dagger in an arc, slicing a gash through the front of the beast.

As Mal managed a strike against the creature, June let her confidence get the better of her. As she stepped forward to strike it again, the creature's wail of frustration ended in a flailing of claws that rammed into her chest to knock her back with a grunt.

Mal followed up his first strike by continuing the momentum of his arm and flowing into a spin. The dagger flipped seamlessly in his hand and stabbed at the Sha, gouging deeper into the first gash.

As the rip into the Sha's body grew, it let out a pained hiss and swiped at both of them in failed retaliation. June growled softly and got back to her feet. But instead of attacking, she looked at the creature curiously. As she hesitated, so too did the ferocity with which the Sha fought waver. It turned to look at June with horrified realization and roared at her in defiance. June reached toward Mal, "Mal, wait!... Look at it!"

Malodar stepped away after his strike and resumed his defensive position. Her shout caused him pause, eyes darting to look but always flicking back to the creature in suspicion. "What about it?" He sounded the slightest bit impatient.

June pointed to it again. As Mal stepped back, the Sha seemed to falter, roaring in more defiance. It hissed at them, swinging its claws in frustration toward them without quite reaching them. June furrowed her brow again, "Our own aggression against it... it seems to fuel it."

Malodar twirled his dagger over in his hand as he watched the demon falter in its attacks. "I've always said defense is the best offense." He said with a confident smile. He backed up several steps, keeping his eyes on the Sha and his dagger at the ready.

June watched as Mal twirled his dagger confidently. This seemed to enrage the Sha entity more, enough to cause him to swipe a great claw at Mal. Surprisingly, it reached the priest enough to catch at his legs. As it hissed at him viciously, June furrowed her brow, trying to think of the best way to vanquish something without fighting it. The booming voice echoed above them, "What causes you to hold onto your anger? For whom is it harbored?"

Mal fell to the floor as his legs were dropped out from beneath him and rolled to the side, coming up in a crouch with his dagger still in hand. He frowned in slight frustration, quite sure he could fight the creature easily, but preferring for now to remain defensive. "Whoever you are, you're very presumptuous regarding our motivations." He muttered aloud.

A chuckle rolled through the room like thunder in response, "Tempered passion can drive a man forward in his lowest hour... but unfettered rage can drag him even lower down much faster. What brings your heart to anger, little one?"

Malodar frowned as if frustrated by the question. He was quite certain it wasn't anger that was fueling him. In the past perhaps, but he was sure he had shed those fights. He huffed quietly.

June tilted her head to the side in thought, tapping her lip. Her brow furrowed, "Is this a serious question?" When several seconds passed in silence but for the hissing Sha creature between them, the Botanist pursed her lips to one side and brought her pale gaze to Mal. She spoke as calmly as she could, though her anger bubbled in her tone a little as she said, "I've always held onto my anger towards my mother... for trying to put me in my place, based on what she thought was the ideal life... as a housewife of higher society."

Mal paused as June gave her explanation. "You're saying the doting wife with the apron and the rolling pin isn't for you?" He knew the answer of course. "Isn't anger justified...when your home is burned to the ground and the only family you've ever known vanished?"

The booming voice posed a serious follow-up question: "Are you still under such oppression from your mother?"

As it processed in June's mind, her expression turned curiously sad and blank, "Well, no... she's dead..." As she looked at the Sha creature absently, she swore she saw the snooty visage of her mother glaring back at her. Her eyes burned as she frowned more.

Malodar stood up a little straighter, hand still tight on his blade. "As is the source of my tragedy… I have only my task of finding my sister left to complete."

The booming voice echoed around them, making the Sha creature look around and hiss even more, "In your anger, you both have lost chances to live your own lives. You must let this go. Look at your anger... and release it from your heart."

For the first time, Mal showed a sense of frustration. "Why does everyone here seem so intent on getting me to let go of my quest. Do you all know something I don't? Can you tell me where my sister is? If she's dead, I'm happy to move on to something else..."

June frowned, looking back at Mal in sympathy. His frustration - his anger - seemed logical and reasonable to his situation. She lifted her pale gaze to the ceiling, calling out, "How do we let go if the source of the anger is no longer there?"

A second round of chuckling met their ears, "There is a saying about forgive and forget... Don't give up your quest... but clearing your mind may open new opportunities for you... it is the only way forward."

As June listened, she sighed gently. Pale eyes lifted to the center of the ceiling. She seemed to be contemplating such a thing. With a final sigh, she stepped up to the Sha slowly with push daggers in hand. It hissed at her, looking ready to eat her. But instead of defending herself, she dropped the weapons, letting them clatter to the floor. Her face was deathly calm. As she did it, the Sha creature seemed to lose a great deal of itself, shrinking in girth and looking less imposing. In frustration, it swung a claw at June, but it passed right through her - as if she were merely a ghost.

Mal tensed up and dropped to a knee. He took his dagger by the blade and threw it at the ground at the 'feet' of the sha. He didn't know what else to do. He looked up, awaiting it to strike, with only his bare fists to defend with.

The creature seemed a great deal weaker now as it stood over Mal, hissing in defiance. But June walked over to Mal, seeming to ignore the creature now, as if it did not exist, "Here's to letting go, and moving closer to our goals with clearer heads?" Even at the suggestion posed by June, the creature hissed in frustration again.

Malodar nodded once and stood, moving forward into the shadow of the creature itself. He looked up for a moment, staring the creature down. After a long moment, he bent and retrieved his dagger, sheathing it into his belt. Brazenly, he turned his back on the Sha and began to walk away.

The creature let out another hiss and a roar as they seemed to ignore it, a hoarse voice crying out brokenly, "Your... rage... sustains... meee...." before it sputtered out of existence. A final rumbling chuckle echoed out deeply, but this time it came from directly behind them. As June turned, her pale eyes went wide.

Sitting before them was the ethereal form of a great white tiger glowing, easily five times as tall as Malodar stood. His feline visage smiled down at them in amusement, as if he'd been watching an entertaining sparring match, and he stood to greet them, "I see you did well in purging your Doubt. It makes the heart more eager to let go. Your journey is halfway finished in your mission to surpass your pasts and forge ahead into the future." June gave a nod, looking to Mal. Her heart felt lighter, and she hoped that Mal felt so as well. Pale eyes turned back to the tiger curiously, but he hummed in response before she asked, "Yes, little one. I am Xuen. The White Tiger. Remember that true strength is not always in being dominant. Sometimes it's about knowing when fighting is wrong."

Mal paused as he moved to exit the temple, finding his way blocked by the White Tiger. After a moment, he nodded his head. It was hard for him to understand what he felt. "Where will we be off to next?"

The White Tiger opened his maw to answer, but he was interrupted as the shadow of another Kaldorei with folded wings stretched into the arena from behind him.

"Starstrike! There's been a disaster!"

As Xuen shifted to one side to allow the Demon Hunter entry, June looked at him in worry as she saw his medallion clutched in one hand with a death grip, knuckles turning practically white.

(( mentions: @malodarstarstrike @moonsorrowhouse @blackbay-wra ))

[juniper-rose-blower]

Erasing Your Doubt

(( It took much longer to get back into RPing the rest of this out, what with work and whatnot. Sorry to keep y’all hanging! There is more of this coming over the next week ^_^ Enjoy! [still takes place before the burning of Teldrassil] ))

Those first few training days in the Temple of the Jade Serpent had quickly turned into a week, and then two. Since arriving, both Juniper and Malodar had shed a great deal of preconceptions - and their extraneous armor and weapons - to spar in simple clothing with only their fists. Where Juniper was strong but petite, Malodar was larger but a little rusty. They were quite evenly matched.

Their time in the Jade Forest was nearing three weeks total when the Elder Sage called upon them to meet him at the dojo. The surprising addition to that request was to bring their escort, Daer’Leon, with them.

As the trio entered the dojo, the Elder greeted them with a smile, bidding they sit. "Today marks the day you move forward in your journey to rise above your former selves. Perhaps you've noticed that several Sha have manifested around the Temple's grounds?"

Malodar coughed as he looked up at the Elder Sage. "I had nothing to do with that," he joked before he could stop himself.

Tai-Feng's eyes shifted to Mal as a deep chuckle emanated from him. He shook his head gently, "No, that is true. You are not to blame this time, young Malodar." As he said this, his eyes shifted back to Leon, "There is one of your party who has yet to face his deepest Doubt, and it is far stronger than could be controlled."

Leon's scarred face looked surprised, and he looked over his shoulder for a moment, then back to Tai-Feng, "Me?"

To this, the Elder bowed his torso dangerously forward. "Your final task, young Hunter and friends, before you travel onward to the Temple of the White Tiger, is to vanquish this final negative force. Tell me, Malodar and Juniper: What do you think your companion's doubt is?"

Mal opened his mouth to protest the 'this time' comment, as that incident was most certainly not his fault either. But as the elder turned his attention to Leon, so too did Mal with a curious eyebrow. He held up his hand with a purple glow, "I could certainly get in there and find out."

June prodded Mal in the ribs hard for this taunt, pale eyes turning to look at Leon curiously. Brow furrowed, she looked back to the Elder Sage, "Do you want us to give a guess?"

Ever a look of patience upon his face, Elder Sage Tai-Feng gave a nod and looked between Mal and June quietly. Leon, meanwhile was averting his gaze away from the three of them, his hand moving to lay over the crescent-shaped medallion resting on a leather strap on his neck, muttering quietly.

Malodar watched Leon intently. He hadn't learned much about their companion yet, but from the pieces and anecdotes, he could hazard a guess. "I believe his… transformation has him in doubt about his beloved in some way." Leon's shrouded gaze lifted sharply at Malodar's words.

Tai-Feng clicked his tongue gently and intertwined his fingers before him, "Daer'Leon. You have, in your lifetime, been a man of confidence. Of charisma. Of conviction."

As the look of surprise unfolded on the Hunter's face, a soft woman's voice emanated again from his medallion, revealing the source from which the Elder Sage had learned more about June and Mal's elusive travel companion: Belle. Leon's brow knitted together as it wrinkled upward with worry. "I was once a protector, a guardian of Nature, and an expectant father... but I failed in my duty... and now I am none of those things." His tone was solemn as he spoke.

Malodar folded his arms somewhat confidently, and when he spoke to Leon it was with a force and bravado that was intended to snap him out of his mood. "Have you heard nothing the Master has said about doubt? You are doused in it. Facing it, as we had, is the only way you can be everything she needs you to be..." He was serious but demanding, trying to rile him into action. "You're not that weak, are you?"

June's pale eyes looked too at Leon, though they furrowed and looked briefly at Malodar in disapproval of his methods. Her expression softened as she pointed to Leon, "But that's not true. You protect her even still. Didn't you do what you did to find her? I can't think of anything you could do to be a guardian and protector better than that!" Admittedly, she had no answer for being an expectant father, but she wasn't wrong, either!

Tai-Feng watched the two trying to snap Leon out of his solemnity and adjusted his clasped hands. "Tell me, Leon. What is that irking fear in your mind... I believe it is far more specific than you've let on."

To this, Leon furrowed his heavy brow over his shrouded eyes. He loosed a weighted sigh. "With Bells in the condition she is now, and my own... our future looks nothing like we envisioned... and trying to picture it like we used to only ends in disaster every time I do."

June's words fell short as she looked at Leon in sympathy. Admittedly, she had no idea what they had been before, so she had no gauge. They had spoken before of his previous dabbling in alchemy, but it had not exactly been a deep conversation.

Malodar looked almost furious and threw himself up to his feet. "You think I envisioned my home and life being ripped apart by a blasted dragon? My sister being thrown to the winds of fate? Everyone suffers, everyone's life is thrown into chaos… but you find a new path! You make a new future… and you make it whatever YOU want!" He pointed his finger at Leon's face as if he were challenging him.

Tai-Feng watched, holding up a hand as June was half-way through pushing herself to her feet to come to Leon's defense. She stopped, looking back at the Elder and nodding. As Leon stood, the Elder cleared his throat loudly enough for Malodar to step back and pay attention. "Daer'Leon. Your companions have spent the past two weeks learning to hone their focus as sharply as a hunter's. They have sparred and trained their bodies to raise their endurance. They have overtaken their deepest fears and emerged on the other side to embrace who they are without those burdens on their hearts." Leon remains silent and stoney-faced, though his shrouded gaze was pointed directly at the Pandaren as he listened. Tai-Feng continued, "I think it is time you take the first step to overcoming these burdens on your mind and heart. Come with me." With that, the Elder Sage motioned them to stand and follow him as he made his way to the entrance to the dojo.

Malodar paused and stood straighter, retreating a step back and to the side and folded his arms. At the elder sage's instruction he silently moved to the door ahead of them all and stood aside to wait for them all to pass.

June watched as the Elder walked toward the doorway, then looked back at Leon. He still said nothing, though he gave June the tiniest of nods. Without another word, they followed after the Pandaren as he led them all out of the dojo and into the afternoon air. The sound of fighting was distant - apparently the Sha manifestations had been minor, for the most part. But as the Elder led their group across the grounds, the air seemed to grow colder as a chill built up on the backs of their necks. Down a winding path and up a set of stairs, and they finally found themselves near where the path dead-ended. Tai-Feng turned to Leon, looking quite serious, "You must be willing to move forward and embrace who and what you are. Things that are in your control should be done smartly. Things that are not... should be let go. Are you willing?"

Leon watched the Elder intently, and eventually gave a nod. "I am willing," he offered simply. Tai-Feng nodded, looking over the Hunter's face in thought. "Very well," he finally said, motioning up the ramp ahead of them, "Your path has twisted and turned and wound its way to bring you here. It is with this knowledge that I say to you three to prepare your farewells. For after you face this challenge, you will be ready to head to the next Temple."

Mal put his hand on Leon's shoulder and pushed him forward slightly. "Stop worrying about it and fight..." He offered simply. "Don't die and I'll buy you a drink."

June looked to Mal, placing a hand on Leon's other shoulder, stepping forward a little to continue to nudge the Hunter onward, "We are a team... we will help you should you need it." With these encouraging words, Tai-Feng nodded and led them up the ramp.

The creature that stood before them was significantly larger than the two shadows that June and Mal had faced a week and a half ago. Its body was made of swirling light and shadow, with wicked spikes and twisted claws and a maw that threatened to open more than enough to engulf them all.

Tai-Feng offered one repeated piece of wisdom to the Hunter as he took a half-step forward, “You have yet to face that deepest doubt… but you cannot wait any longer.” The Elder Sage watched quietly before motioning to the Sha creature. “Your Doubt is now manifested before you, Moonsorrow. The path forward is hindered by its presence. Embrace who you are. Good luck.”

Mal paused at the top of the stairs, letting the other two walk ahead of him slightly. He glanced over his shoulder at the Master's final advice. He looked down at his feet. The ritual had banished the worst of the doubt from his mind, but he still struggled to make that decision. He had been a monster of a fighter once, he had convinced himself there was a better path, and now been told he might have been wrong. He looked up to the beast and before his eyes it seemed to grow even more fearsome, only in his imagination perhaps. He drew his longknife from his belt and stared at it. As he did it swirled with purple and black tendrils of energy that seemed to come from the very flesh of his hand. He stepped up to his companions and pointed the knife at the creature. "Let's kill this thing..." His voice thick with excitement at the prospect.

June looked back at Mal and gave a small shake of her head, then looked at Leon, waiting for his response. But he said nothing. He merely stepped forward, rolling his shoulders again. His wings gave a small half-flap, rustling against the strange feeling the Sha creature was inciting in him. With a deep inhale, he drew his curved glaives from his back.

Before them, the ungodly transformation that unfolded was surreal. The winged Kaldorei that stood before them seemed to swell to unnatural proportions, muscles bulging against what little armor he wore. His wings opened and arched above his head as his legs grew thicker and longer, his feet morphing into heavy hooves. The fel flame that smouldered behind his shroud was now alive and burning brightly. He glanced back at June and Mal for half a beat, and when he spoke, it was in that deep voice he always spoke with, "... For Bells." And then he turned and leapt into the air, flying right for the Sha creature like a meteor.

Mal smirked slightly with an arched eyebrow as the hunter swelled with demonic power. "Show off." As the demon leaped, Mal held his free hand out palm up and squeezed his palm as if gripping something in the air. The shadow-creatures own energy erupting from rifts in the ground around them swirled with Mal's command and rushed up to the airborne hunter. The tempest of energy pressed against the hulking form and pushed it forth with even more velocity toward its target.

June watched as Leon charged the creature, followed shortly by Mal adding his strength against it. It was truly massive compared to the ones they had fought before. Tai-Feng gave her an encouraging look, "A healer is a fighter, too. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," he said to her. That was more than enough for her. She ran forward, drawing her initialed push-daggers from her waist and let forth a slew of strikes against the creature.

Leon's blades swung with deadly precision, careful to miss June while keeping the Sha's focus solely on him. He watched as June took a jump back, taking a moment to release a chaotic explosion of fel energy, catching the creature off-guard as Malodar's energy seemed to meld with the fel to eat away at the creature's form, working in perfect sync.

As the creature seemed to slowly succumb to their strikes, Mal threw his dagger spinning up into the air. With both hands he grabbed control of the swirls of sha energy around them. They ceased to random clouds but conjoined into solid tendrils. Lancing toward the creature, they managed to ensnare its limbs, preventing escape. Mal caught his dagger as it fell and threw it for good measure, embedding it in the monster's flesh.

June watched as Mal's dagger found itself embedded into the head of the creature, sliding beneath it to bring it lower to the ground, thanks to Mal's tendrils, as well as moving herself to safety.

Leon stood over the creature, exuding confidence as he looked down at it. The vibrance of his fel-burning eyes grew brighter and brighter. With a shout, Leon's wings flapped once, lifting his hulking form about a foot from the ground. A great expulsion of fel fire shot forth from Leon's eyes into the creature, obliterating it into nothingness. The attack seemed to go in slow motion, but as it ended, the Hunter’s form shrank down to its still-large size compared to June and Mal, his shroud strangely unaffected by what just happened. His grip on his glaives relaxed a little, and he let out a visible sigh of relief.

June gave a gentle smile, looking to Mal to make sure he too was ok.

Malodar stepped forward as the sha energy around them began to dissipate, including the tendrils he had seized control of. He picked up his dagger from the cobblestones and shook it off of any remaining residue from the creature. He sheathed it and clapped a hand on Leon's shoulder. "I could've done that… if I had demon-energy-eyes." He smiled at both of them.

June couldn't help but chuckle at Mal's comment. Leon gave a rather boisterously relaxed guffaw and clapped the priest on the shoulder in turn. "Thank you, both," he said, "... that... that was something I apparently really needed."

To this, June nodded and reached out awkwardly with one hand, as if trying to decide whether to hug him or shake his hand. She ended up patting his arm twice before smiling and clasping her fingers together in front of her, "I guess the next leg of our journey is to the next Temple?"

Malodar nodded, "The Temple of the White Tiger." He turned to the northwest and looked up toward the top of a large peak in the distance. "No small climb at all." He frowned slightly. "And doesn't look like the kind of place to find a good hard drink. Ah well."

Leon motioned toward the buildings, "Let's ask about getting gryphons - they might have something to help."

At the sound of this, June hesitated for a moment before nodding, "No harm in asking, I suppose."

Mal tilted his head and looked to the temple grounds. "I believe here they use some kind of magical kite things..." He looked quite uncertain. "I suppose its quicker."

June shrugged and lead the way forward, "Let's go, then."

(( mentions: @malodarstarstrike @moonsorrowhouse @bellalily-moonsorrow ))