Chapter 1

I woke up in the dark, screams and the sounds of battle and destruction filled my ears. I opened my eyes and looked out the window; fire was suddenly set to buildings nearby. I was shocked, only able to see the outlines of the beings outside. I squinted harder into the darkness; the flashing of the firelight revealed what appeared to be corpses destroying the walls outside, setting fire to all they could. Horrified, I ran to the gathering room where my mother and father were already dressed in their robes and frantically gathering their shoes and staves. I stared wide-eyed into the dim room, only slightly illuminated by the blazing flames outside the windows.

"Mother, father, what is going on?" I yelled, my voice quivering.

My mother started towards me, gently placing her index finger over my lips, her blonde hair still unkempt from her partial night's sleep. Even in the midst of chaos, she remained poised and calm for my sake. She removed her finger from my lip and brushed back my hair. "These…things sweetie, they are attempting to take our kingdom, they are heading for the Sunwell but there is nothing our people cannot overcome and conquer." She smiled reassuringly at me. She then put her finger over her own lips, reinforcing my silence. "Stay quiet Eraelyn, we have to go help, just stay put and we'll be back." She kissed me abruptly on the forehead, and I watched my parents hurry out of the door way, staves in hand.

Hours passed, the commotion outside became louder, yet I stayed inside. The fires outside got louder, but I thought to myself: Maybe those are the mages, like my mom and dad, casting those fires, but this was only to comfort myself. Soon I could hear screaming, and our own house began to quake, so I hid under our dining table, covering my ears. My father suddenly burst through the door, but instead of carrying his staff, my mother was in his arms, limp and bloodied. He had his own gashes about his face; both of their robes were torn.

"Eraelyn!" he called.

I shot out from under the table, my lips quivered; I could already feel tears well up in my eyes as I looked up at them. "Daddy! What happened? What's wrong with mommy?" I tugged at her arm, and it fell lifelessly in front of me, I cried out.

My father withdrew her body from my reach and turned his harsh gaze towards me. He spoke hurriedly, "Eraelyn, you have to leave Quel'Danas. Take Redwing and fly to Silvermoon, just go straight off the coast, you can see it from the water when you get closer. Try to find your aunt when you get there. She lives far enough away from Silvermoon, the Scourge shouldn't have…" He bit his lip, panic overcoming his face.

I ignored his commands, I was sobbing fully now, "But, daddy, what about you and-"

"Eraelyn, GO! He can't carry more than one of us!" he yelled, his own voice breaking. I turned on my heel and ran out through the back door, more scared than I had been after seeing how frightened he was. I took nothing from the house; I doubted my father would allow it. I ran across our green yard to the small sapling where Redwing, our small dragonhawk was tied. Thankfully the monstrosities had not reached our house yet, but they were nearing from what I could hear.

I reached Redwing and untied him, my small fingers slipping over the rope. I coaxed him, only to calm myself, as the beast flapped his wings and looked around curiously, as if unaware of the impending danger around us. "Red, we have to go!" I said, my body still racking with sobs. "I-I don't know if you know the way to Silvermoon boy, but we need to find Auntie Stella if we can." Redwing merely gave a characteristic chirp in response. I scrambled onto his smooth back after attaching the reins best I could and kicked his sides.

I had only ever seen my father fly Red, but I tried to remember what he had done to seize control. I jerked on the reins, sending Red skyward, but forward towards the sea; I decided that was good enough. I clutched his neck to avoid being thrown, and looking over my shoulder I could see the devastation that had occurred. I saw hundreds, maybe thousands of what were the Scourge, buildings were reduced to rubble, and a great black streak had been branded on the landscape. I turned my face into Redwing's back, holding on tighter than before as I swayed from dizziness.

Soon I could see Silvermoon, but it seemed the Scourge had passed through there as well, as most of the tall spires and walls had crumbled just as on Quel'Danas. I panicked as my mount descended, all too familiar with landing in the great city with my father. I pulled him upwards once more, he let out an irritated growl at me. I was fairly sure my aunt's house was somewhere east of here, along the coastline. I steered Redwing in this direction, he was hesitant at first, but trusted my guidance.

I flew near the water's edge, but high above the golden treetops, as to avoid what Scourge remained, and in order to better locate my aunt's home. However, I did not find her house immediately, so Redwing and I spent hours scanning up and down the coastline. It was almost mid-morning by the time I spotted the chimney of her cottage poking through the tree tops. Catching Red by surprise, I pulled hard on the reins towards the group of trees her home was well hidden in.

I guided him easily downward, he chirped happily, knowing he would finally be able to rest, although I was still wary of any undead that may appear. We landed in her small, heavily flowered yard; I tied Redwing to a garden post near to her house and patted him on the nose, thanking him for bearing me for so long. I knocked quietly on the door, afraid while outside and unhidden. She answered almost immediately.

"Oh Eraelyn!" She beamed, seeming relieved, . "Is it just you? Or, where are your parents? You couldn't have come all this way by yourself. Where is your father? My sister?"

I remembered my mother's limp body in my father's arms, the destruction on our city as I looked back upon my old home. Tears began to roll down my face, and a look of morbid understanding crossed her face, although I could tell she was keeping her own tears back, if only for my sake. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry, please come in…you must be exhausted. As she stepped aside to allow me in, she peered outside, noticing the dragonhawk I had arrived on. "Era, I'll get you and your dragonhawk something to eat and drink, you both must be so…tired." She said "tired" as if she couldn't think of any appropriate word to describe what I must be feeling, she would have been right.

Although my Aunt was a normally neurotic, hair-brained mage, my visit seemed to sober her. She fed me a warm stew and then went outside to tend to Red; she went quickly about this and soon returned to me. She kept her unusually stern eyes on me, her silver hair falling over onto the table, watching me.

"Eraelyn honey, I insist you stay here until your parents come, I believe it would be safer that way. Some of our runners only reached Silvermoon in time to warn a few of the Scourge's coming. I was lucky, but I was able to open a portal to this house, cast a few protective charms over it, and now I am afraid we must wait this attack out. I don't hear the noise from Silvermoon anymore, but to be safe, please stay with me. I'm sure your parents will be along soon."

I looked at her hopefully, "Do you really think they will?"

She swallowed, casting her eyes down to her clasped hands on the table. She slowly got up, and then tucked my blonde hair behind my ear. She kissed my temple and said, "I really do Eraelyn. You parents are skilled in the ways of the arcane, our forces will bring these atrocities down within this day."