Ashenvale was beautiful this time of year. The tranquil forests teeming with birds singing the songs of nature and groups of herding animals like deer and solitary creatures like local sabers navigating its grounds—a community of life. A balance between predator and prey living among each other with mutual respect to ones needs. My Minn’do, Lora Nightwell, always reminded me the importance of balance in life and how hard it is to keep in dire times. But those who persevere and help maintain it come out stronger and wiser for later tribulations.
With time and training I will have a better understanding; I have only just started training in the ways of druidism and just like any other school of magic it takes time and dedication to master. That is why my minn’do travels around with me to various place of untouched wilds to better commune with the spirits and life within the environment.
Are you hungry yet, my little star?
“I am~” My stomach was creating all kinds of growls at me, made me wonder if hunting was going to be possible with all the noise.
Minn’do crossed my field of vision, craning the massive head of her saber form toward me to connect with big amber eyes, I trust you can judge how much you need to hunt for yourself, you must never waste your prey.
I nod my head knowing exactly what I wanted to feast on: rabbit. The saber slowly dropped onto her rump to watch and keep quiet while I conducted my own hunt. I have done this a handful of times, but I’ve never been successful just yet. While discouraging, I never gave up trying—well, atleast until my minn’do told me to settle for fruits.
I began looking for tracks, droppings or any nearby burrows for fresh signs that rabbit crossed by recently. I hardly feared straying far from Minn’do, her gaze always watching though I could never see her. It helped me focus on the hunt itself rather than worry about the dangers that might go on around.
A rustling sound broke my concentration on a fresh track to focus on a bush nearby. Emerging from the shade beneath it was a rabbit with his furry little chest heaving. It looked like it was already running from something. Before I even had the chance to take advantage of a perfect opportunity to snag it, the rabbit bolted off north. It was strange, if something was spooking that rabbit it meant danger was nearby but Minn’do has yet to say anything or appear. But wait…I couldn’t feel the watchful gaze of her. Where could she have gone?
“Min’da--?” As soon as I called a maw full of fangs swept me off my feet and threw me onto its back with little care. It was Minn’do, and her fur was bristling with apprehension as she decides her next course of action after retrieving me, “What’s going on?”
Lay as low as you can on me and do not make a sound!
Her command was frightening, I have never seen her so tense that her hackles felt like needles on my skin. I gripped the thick maned scruff of hers and buried within the fur to gain as much cover and less wind-resistance I could. The Great saber navigated through the woods, stopping every so often on her way to Astrannar. I tried to focus on my senses to understand what she was feeling but nothing was coming to me—Minn’do was sensing something I could not, and it was startling me.
We reached the path that led to the village seeing the ground marked with multiple footsteps, animal prints and wheel paths of vehicles that had passed. None remotely close to the shape and smell of the natives here—reeking of soot, death and decay. Shrill screams were heard from Astrannar ahead to which my Minn’do followed, only to veer off the path to submerge us into the pools of water as the scene unfolds before us.
I wipe the water from my eyes to see buildings set ablaze and the locals running from look like a large band of Orcs, Undead and Goblins. Before I could focus on what was happening, the druid sent us under so fast I almost forgot to breathe. The muffled sound of screams pierces the waters but not much could be seen as the crystal-clear waters became murky from disturbance and foreign objects polluting it. I signal my Minn’do with a pull on her scruff to let her know I was running out of air. Though she did not respond, she kept swimming beneath the surface until I swore things got dark. Thankfully, I was not blacking out, she had brought us beneath the bridge on the farthest side of the pools to hide under. Hurried steps of those fleeing along with their pursuers thundered ahead, followed by the sound of metal withdrawing from a sheath and a gargling choke that cut off a shriek of terror. I jumped when I heard a heavy splash that came form the side of the bridge only to see a male Kaldorei and his dim, lifeless gaze staring right at us as blood bubbled from his neck, staining the waters.
Advert your gaze, little one. We will be okay, just stay calm and quiet!
How could she be calm? As much as I wanted to wail there was lump in my throat so big, I thought I was going to suffocate. I much rather stay hidden in the bloody waters than my minn’do try to escape for the hills, but she urged me to hold on. Cold, shivering and scarred, I held on for dear life as she booked it to shore. We were spotted by the time we got to shore and an orc in his native tongue began alerting the others about us. We did not look back, the Great saber focusing on the path ahead to jump and weave through the terrain to create ground between us and those not familiar with navigating through forests.
Lora did not stop until we reached Darkshore but even then, we were not out of danger. It seems like the forces that were behind we farther up than we had thought, the main path covered in familiar warband tracks as well as straggling parties that were trying to keep up with the rest of the invasion. This did not bode well for the trek ahead, figuring that minn’do was trying to get us to the safety of the world tree, Teldrassil. Minn’do did her best to navigate away, heading to an ancient grove where great treants once stood guarding a shrine. The spirits must have alerted them about the dangers because they were no longer at their post. In fact, we came across one swinging its branch like limbs at its assailants. A goblin in a mechanized suit with a saw tearing into the bark skin of the ancient while two undead light a fire at its rooted feet. Its wooden body groaned as it tries so hard to keep a hold of its life, only to be consumed by raging fires and severed by the goblin’s saw.
Revan get off and find a place to hide…I’m dealing with these cruel monsters!
Her asking me to leave the safety of her back was terrifying enough for me to lose my grip on her. My body crashed to the floor as I see her ebony, white striped pelt joins in on the scene. I see her make a lunge at the mechanized suit, trying to disable it by attacking the driver directly. Though the pilot saw her coming and activated the glass hatch to protect them from the direct leap. It barely withstood the weight and batting of the saber as the glass cracked beneath every strike—unfortunately, minn’do was knocked off by one of the undead colliding with her lower half with his shield. Her claws could not find the hold needed to stay on, falling to the ground to where she was met by both undead with sword and shield readied.
Finding myself still in the open, I push myself to my feet to find a hiding spot not to far from the battle, my ears flickering as I hear the clashes of the battle and my minn’do roars of fury and pain. From where I ran, I could no longer see the fight because patches of briar blocked the view. Lora’s roar echoed in the forest that was filled with agony—something was very wrong, and I had to find out if she was alright. Pushing through the thorny walls, I managed to peer through to see my minn’do out of her saber form. She was being held hostage by her long braid by one undead while the other pinned her stomach down with a boot. Half of her face was coated in blood from an inflicted wound that was just above her brow.
The elf struggled as the trio talked among each other with sickening grins on their faces. The one pinning Lora down by her stomach scorched his blade into the flames of the dead treant, the tip during a cherry red as it was pulled form the raging flames to the struggling elf. Now putting a knee to her belly, the sentient corpse kneels to grab hold of her face and set the flat edge of his sword onto her face, branding her with it.
“AHHHH!!!”
I wanted to throw up. I could smell the burn of her flesh as the blade was seared into her skin and the wretch howl of Lora’s scream discolored my face, “Min’da!”
I was discovered. All three of the horde turned to the briar patch to see my face through an opening that I have created. The one who branded Lora stepped away with the goblin following to help break away the patch. I crawled away before the saw could do any damage to me only to be cut off by the undead.
“Lookie here! The runt elf has a littler runt with her!” The man that branded Lora lifted me up by my soaking backpack. I tried to kick and squirm away only to slip out of my backpack’s arm loops. The man laughed at my fumble and goes through my belongings pulling out my stuff moonsaber that represent my minn’do’s saber form.
“Give Luna back!” I cried but he did not seem to understand the language I spoke in. The man turned to me and kicked me down, looking to the goblin in the mechanize suit, “Turn him into crow food why don’t cha?”
The suit’s engine revved getting the saw blade on its arm spinning again, its serrated edges inching closer to my face.
“Ack!” The sound of glass shattering and the abrupt screech of the pilot was caused by a well-aimed arrow through the goblin’s mouth. Two elves came on the scene, the one that shot the arrow stood furthest from the seen with a massive wintersaber at her side, the other was a male druid thrusting his hand out causing the ground to shake and roots to burst forth from the ground to wrap at the undead who held me. The male druid quickly silences my captor with a dagger to the head. I was dropped and crawled my way out so that I could help my mother. It seemed that the distraction the other two elves created, allowed Lora to free herself by cutting her long braid and disarming the undead, using his sword against him with a swift decapitation. She then dropped the sword, still heaving and retching from the wounds that were inflicted on her—but that was the least of her worries. She turned about and ran to me to give me a thorough check up, “Thank Elune, you are okay!”
“I’m surprised we saw you. We were sprinting down the path when I saw the fire only to see you fighting that group, Lora.”
Now that things were clear and calm, the two elves were becoming a familiar sight to me. It was my Shal’nar, Keara with her wintersaber Aurora and her husband, Amallah. I was happy to see more familiar faces in this chaotic time, but their looks of concern matched Lora’s which worried me some.
“We don’t have time to loiter and protect this area, the rest of the warband is on its way from Ashenvale. If we need find were the rest of Tyrande’s forces are~” Lora then turned to Amallah, giving a command, “fly above and give us a bird’s eye view of the area. I’ll stay on ground to protect the others as we head up to Auberdine.”
Without hesitation, Amallah took his order giving a quick kiss to his mate before taking flight in his lunarwing form. I watch him disappear about the forest canopy until was I swept off my feet by my minn’do who fixed me on top of Aurora with Keara. Keara made sure I was snug against her on the unsaddled saber before taking hold of the thick mane of the cat. Keara made a command that sounded like a war cry to Aurora to get her running. The matriarch leaps to the main path and runs north.
This trip went by so quickly but nonstop with close calls with the enemy forces that were ahead. The two druids working in tandem through a druidic mind link, Amallah as eyes to give Lora the call to make her move ahead of us. My minn’do taking most call outs by surprise able to take them down with ease or with the help of Amallah swooping in and assisting in flight form.
We would soon reach an opening from the forest that would open to a wide clearing, there both the horde and Tyrande’s forces collided with siege weapons, fierce fighters and several of the fallen slowly piling from either side. Even bat and hippogryph riders roamed and fought in the sky, and Amallah was caught in the middle of it. One bat rider took aim at the flying druid with a rifle and fired—the bullet going clean through where the shoulder connected with the wing. A high-pitched screech was heard as Amallah went crashing down into the ocean nearby. Lora herded Aurora toward the salty-sea waters hoping that it would serve a safer route to use rather than find an opening through horde forces to get to the other side, as well as assist Amallah. Keara takes me off with her to swim along side Aurora as we get deeper in the frigid waters. We managed to find Keara’s mate, but he was bleeding profusely, struggling to shift between Lunarwing form to his elven form. He needed medical attention, but in our current situation we were sitting ducks with local threshers taking advantage of the death and smell of blood in the waters as well as dinghies full of horde soldiers making their way to shores.
We need to get to the Auberdine docks, they have boats heading to Teldrassil for citizens and those too weak to fight to safety. Things did not look good in the sky, Lora. Horde are coming from both the North and South!
Amallah, bear through the pain long enough to help me. We are going to clear the way for Keara and take out a few horde boats. Lora took form of an orca, followed by Amallah. The two combined their size and strength to create waves by propelling themselves toward the incoming dinghies one by one causing a well-formed wave to roll over the boats. They would even breach from the waters and crash onto the smaller boats with their bodies to crush the passengers and break the boats. Stragglers that managed to survive the orca strategies were soon taken under by hungry threshers that answered the wild call of the two druids to help.
Other than fighting around the chaos, Keara, Aurora and I made it to what was left of the Auberdine docks where evacuees were being stacked into boats. My aunt tries bringing us to the escaping crowd while Lora and Amallah crawl out from the waters supporting one another. Although it was cramped, we all got into a safety boat. I tried looking back to the battle behind but my minn’do collected me into her arms and pressed me to her chest.
Everyone on this boat was filthy, cold, and some wounded. Children and Adults cry as they were separated from their loved ones that may still be fighting or hysterical from the events that unfolded. But Teldrassil will keep us safe—and people like my mother will keep us safe. I clutch to my soaking stuffed toy, Luna, tuning in to what Lora and Keara were talking about. From what I could understand between the chat my minn’do and Shal’nar, Lora was seeking to return to the frontlines once she knows we are all safe. She usually leaves me with family when she needs to travel for work but hearing this in sickening distress that I reached up to tug at her bloodied, cut, raven hair.
“Min’da, I don’t want to be left behind…please don’t go.”
Lora’s jaw slacked only to snap close as the pain of her brand burned, “My little star, taking you with me will be too dangerous. When we reach the shore…you need to stay with your Auntie Kiki and Uncle Amallah.”
“But I- “
Suddenly the whole boat erupted in horrified screams causing me to cuff my hands over my ears. They were terrified but by what? Suddenly the night sky was brightened with waves fading on and off as fiery balls of inferno were launched toward the world tree. The molten balls struck the great tree igniting it as well as damaging its wooden structure. From the citizens already at the base of the world tree in Rut’theran Village, the crowd become to swarm to the city portal. Distant voices calling those over the panic that portals leading to the human city awaited them in the Temple of the Moon.
“Goddess above, this is turning into a real nightmare!” Amallah held his mate close with his good arm, as they pull closer to the shore. Some did not even wait for when the boat was properly docked, all jumping off nearly tipping the boat over just to get to the portal. We huddled close, entering the waters together to help each other to the shores. From the sky many molten rocks that were being casted over didn’t even reach the base of Teldrassil, hitting the village below and striking those fleeing down. What made it worse was that ash and embers were falling from the world tree above; one ember fell on me burning the edge of my ear. When my minn’do heard me yelp she drew me closer trying to shield me from the debris as we make our way to the portal.
Up in Darnassus things were far worse than it seemed. Buildings and structures were already on fire and many of the citizens were either stuck or too scared to get themselves to safety. We saw a group of people both gilnean and Kaldorei alike make their way into the city to help those in need. It was then Lora made the decision for herself, “Keara take Revan and Amallah to the Temple…I’m going to help as many people as I can to the portals there~”
I was then passed along during my time of shock to realize my minn’do was still going to leave me. Something inside me leapt out of my usual quiet self and caused me to wail on the top of my lungs as my hand reached out for her, “Min’da, no! Please don’t leave me! Min’da!”
“I’ll be back, Revan. Stay safe and strong for me~”
No matter what I did, she wouldn’t stay or listen to me. Something deep inside told me she mustn’t go but no matter how much I flailed, clawed or cried, Lora turned away toward the Trader’s Terrance. I saw her disappear in the cloud of smoke as Keara, Amallah and Aurora start heading toward the Temple of the Moon.
In the Temple, many were being helped through portals in front of the moon well or were directed to the side if they needed immediate medical attention. Amallah’s condition was getting steadily worse so Shal’nar brought us over so that he could be seen by a priestess. As they were setting him up with a healer, I smacked Luna against Keara’s face causing her to drop me. Keara, as well as the crowd around us gasped as I got up and took off running out of the Temple. I was compelled by an unknown force that frightened me and fueled me with adrenaline. My body stumbling and rushing down the cobblestone pathways to where I saw Lora last heading. Already my lungs were weak from all the sprinting as well as the smoke filling my small lungs, it felt like wispy spirit that was choking me out. My eyes burned and waters as they strain to find sign of my mother through the flame and smoke.
Instead, I would see few Kaldorei fleeing with their lives, some trapped in buildings because the flames blocked their only way of escaping without jumping, and those trying to help the families that were trapped. I bring myself to a halt as I hear the giving groan of a building unable to support itself, the structure toppling just a few yards from me catching an unsuspecting, fleeing family beneath it—crushing the life from them. I swore I saw the final look of terror in the family’s eyes before they were crushed in the rumble. My voice cracks in a shriek as I shake away the paralysis trying to settle in, this was no time to cower—Lora was in danger.
The smoke was finally getting to me as my body screamed for oxygen to replenish the muscles that were used but nothing came in but poison. I made as far as the craftsmen’s terrace and I have yet to find any sign of my Minn’do.
“Min’da! Min’da!”
“R-Revan...?”
There it was. A faint sign that my mother was around, the hope giving me the fight to continue into the smoke until a figure on the floor appeared. Lora was lying on the ground struggling to rise to her feet, it seemed that the smoke was overwhelming her too. Not to mention it looked like she has fought through some flames, her armor scorched and even skin was blistering at the places that were exposed.
“Min’da, come on and get up!” I cough but there did not seem to be a stop, only blood as a sign to know things were dire.
“Revan…I can’t…You…” She wretches through a series of raspy coughs and wheezes, “Please…go back to Shal’nar…she will take care of you…”
Her clawed hand comes to stroke my ashen cheek to soothe my crying. My eyes were so dry that when they tried to produce tears it felt like it was blinding me. I could hear loud cracks and roars as Teldrassil was giving its last fight to fighting the flames. Burning branches came falling around us and I cling to my minn’do trying to protect her.
“Please…my little star…I…”
Lora started suffocating, her body fighting to get one more breath of air only to swallow more of the toxic carbon and ash to the point the light in her amber eyes die. Her body becoming limp in my arms as the spirit within her is casted out to the flaming canopy. The sense of dread and despair shook my very core drowning out the burning world around me as my guardian, teacher and mother died in my arms. My cries of help deafened by the heavy wall of smoke that even I couldn’t hear the dangers around me. The sky darkened above me, and I lift my head to curse to the heavens as a massive branch came hurtling down to us.
“Min’da!”
I awoke from the night terror in a pool of sweat, heaving chest and disheveled hair. My eyes dart around the room that was painted much like the forests of Teldrassil with the Blue Child and White Mother painted above watching over me. Entering my room to hear my call was Lora with a dagger in hand and ready to kill. Her face still scarred from the brand and cut she received years ago. The small druid comes to my bed to crawl up beside me and cradle me into her arms.
“Revan? Is everything alright?”
It was a dream…atleast most of it was.
She could tell that this was another night full of unpleasant dreams of what could have been. Though it took a bit of time to collect myself from this one. The dream felt more real than the others were, and they all ended differently. Somehow this one was worse.
“I’m sorry…I…”
“Hush, my little star. This is not something that will go away just like that. There is no need to apologize. You just need to remind yourself that you are alive and stronger now that it has passed.”
My Minn’do reminds me on nights like these that children my age should never have to endure such tragedy at a young age. Several young, impressionable minds having to experience the dark and terrible truths about their world, living or dying in ignorance to why things were happening and to them. To this day, memories of that moment in still haunt me, leaving me restless most nights. What was supposed to be a hunting trip with my Minn’do and I turned into an unforgettable chain of memories that are unable to be broken.
“Min’da…can you sing to me?”
“I always do, my little star~”
