A Rising Hero
There are people in the world who may tell someone like her that she’s too young to possess any knowledge or experience with heavy warfare, and perhaps these people right. After all, she knows she can’t wield a sword, she knows she’s not fast enough to outrun anything larger than herself, and she knows seventeen certainly isn’t the ideal age to pack her bags and seek combat training.
Perhaps she doesn’t know anything about war, but she does know loss. Despite her age, she’s grown to understand the pain that comes with losing a person - people - close to you. She knows that the worst feeling she’s ever felt was when the echoed screams of her mother and father cried for her to run, and the only element to accompany her while she tore through the blazing streets of Lordaeron was sheer fear. Fear for her life, fear of realizing she’d never see her parents again, that bedtime stories and goodnight hugs were lost to a gaping hole of unforgiving darkness.
She also knows love. It’s odd to think that love pairs so well with war, but love makes up the gravity of loss. To grieve is to lose love, the foundation of life. She loved her parents, she loved the life they provided her, and if she was any older than six and maybe had a bit longer legs at the time, she would have fought for what she loved - dug into the deepest parts of her soul to search for the spark that would ignite the flame of something spectacular. Wars can be fought for power, wars can be fought for wealth, but nothing - no element, no words, no deity - is stronger than love. Nothing holds more importance than fighting for something that is loved. With the Legion riding on Azeroth’s back as a horrid threat with seemingly no escape, too many reliable soldiers have met the fate of fel fire, and she tells herself that to win a war, the world needs love.
These are the thoughts that creep through the young woman’s mind as she finds herself staring into the face of her own reflection within her bedroom mirror. Two blue eyes gaze back at her with a matching look of, well... what is she supposed to feel? Determination? Apprehension? Love? She can feel a rise in her chest as she deeply inhaled, then a lessen of the rise as she exhaled, causing her shoulders to slump slightly beneath the heavy weight of her plated armor.
The armor isn’t anything special, really. She made it herself, and she’s not much of a blacksmith. The armor is simply pieces of metal painted black, though the lack of color does not hold a good reflection of what she wishes her life to become. The armor is big and clunky, especially on her small and slim frame, but this is a war, and she’ll use any resources she can get her hands on. As she tied her ebony hair back into the confines of a ponytail, she could hear the faint sound of movement in other parts of her home. For a moment, all she could do is stare at her small bedroom... the place she grew up after the fall of her city. She lives with two men in a small cabin in the woods, alone. Her brother and her uncle are her best friends, her only friends, and the sound of her two housemates bustling about the cabin nearly all hours of the day makes her feel comforted. There’s always someone around the corner... right outside her door, waiting for her.
“Are you ready, Kaylyn?”
She could hear the rumbled tone of an older man on the other side of her door. Allowing her gaze sweep her room a final time, she slipped her hands through a leather strap and picked up her small bag of packed clothing, and opened her door. There, on the other side, stood a tall man, gray speckling his otherwise brown hair as he smiled at his niece. They’re not blood related, but this man saved her life as Lordaeron fell, and she loved him as if he really was her family. She took a deep breath, then raised her head and nodded in confirmation, giving him a small, sure smile.
“I’m ready, Uncle.”
When she caught his gaze again, the greens of his eyes were filled with pride. Her uncle pat her shoulder with a warm, heavy hand, and began guiding her toward the front door. “Kaylyn Hartford... I knew the day would come when you’d explore the world on your own. I would have never imagined, nor wanted to believe, that you’d explore Azeroth under such dire circumstances, but... right now, the Alliance... and the Horde... is in need of more good people. Those with hidden potential that haven’t had a chance to shine until now.” They reached the front door of the small cabin, and he turned to her, sliding a finger beneath her chin to gently tilt her head up to look at him. “More heroes.”
Kaylyn’s small smile brightened into something bigger. She stretched her arms out wide, gazing up at her uncle with beaming happiness. “I’m gonna miss you.”
A pair of broad arms wrapped around Kaylyn, drawing her in for a giant hug. When they came together, she burrowed her face into his chest and let her eyes flutter shut. For a moment, she allowed herself to enjoy this feeling. Her uncle’s arms felt like a secure blanket of safety... his warm embrace was one she wouldn’t be forgetting for a long time. One of his hands drifted up and down her back in a gentle, comforting motion. “As will I... but don’t miss me, Dove. Right now, we need a little bit of Light in this dark abyss.” Her uncle parted from the hug, and when Kaylyn looked up, she could see him staring down at her once more, his expression warm. “Go learn all you can, small bird. Kaelan’s going to be so proud of you... after he stops being angry that you didn’t say goodbye.”
Kaelan Hartford. Her brother. Kaylyn smiled at the thought of her twin. She’s well aware that she’s leaving without saying goodbye... but that’s love. Love includes loss, but Kaylyn wouldn’t ever be too far from him. She had a feeling her sibling would come chasing her down as soon as he’d learn of her absence. “Well, if he comes chasing me down, tell him his sister’s half way across the world swinging swords that she doesn’t know how to use.”
A low chuckle of amusement rumbled from deep within her uncle’s chest, and such a gesture brought another smile to her lips. Her uncle smiled back. “That’s my girl. Now, go on, Dove... spread your wings and fly.”
Kaylyn brightened, feeling a newfound hope rise inside her. Yes... she will fly. She’ll spread her wings, she’ll take off to the sky, and she’ll fly straight into the war. Once more, she hugged her uncle, her embrace tighter than the last, before she took a few steps back, and moved outside. Kaylyn stepped into the forest that surrounded her small cabin, tilting her head up to cast her gaze toward the trees, then around. Her white horse stood in front of the cabin, saddled up and ready for a run. Kaylyn walked to her ride, tying her bag to the saddle, before sliding her foot into one of the saddle holsters and hoisting herself up and over, seating herself upon the large animal’s back. As she took the reins of her horse into her hands, she looked toward the cabin once more.
Her uncle, bless his heart, still stood there at the doorway, watching her with pride. There was another look in his eye, however... something off, something Kaylyn couldn’t read, but if she had to guess, perhaps the look was longing. She realized that letting her go might not be as easy for her uncle as the man let on. So, a small smile spared her lips, and she raised her hand to waved at him. “I’ll write.” She assured him. “I’ll write every day.”
Her uncle gave one single nod of understanding. “Goodbye, Kaylyn.”
“Goodbye, Uncle.”
Kaylyn flicked the reins, and soon, her horse began it’s happy trot through the forest. With a deep breath, the girl forced herself to look away from her home, and at the land around her. She was starting her life... the beginning of her own fight in the war. She was ready to be another little Light in the darkness. Another surge of hope filled Kaylyn, and upon a sudden, second, firmer flick of the reins, her horse broke into a gallop, bypassing trees as the animal began carrying her in the direction she needed to go. Every pound of her horse’s hooves against the ground was like a brilliant warcry. Every whistle and tweet from hovering birds was like a song sung just for her. Kaylyn kept her head high, shoulders broad, and couldn’t help but think to herself as she rode away from home,
“Look out, Azeroth... make way for me.”