Immortal Love
A/N:
1-I don't own any of Blizzard's content, characters, locations, etc. I only own Braxx, Azaraiah, Elunaa, and Railynn.
2-Special thanks to YOU, my eager and receptive audience. Please read and review, if you don't, Azaraiah comes and beats me D':
3-Many of you will note that I changed the numbering around a bit. does not believe in Prologues apparently so the prologue was listed as Ch1. Well, the OCD Minecraft Player in me couldn't handle that lol. I have reposted this with new numbering, removing a "prologue" Sorry about the confusion. Enjoy :D
Chapter I
What Child is This?
Young Braxx sat on his favorite stone beside the crystal clear lake. He focused all his meditation on the small pebble in his hand and it began to glow golden with holy light. His parents watched in awe as the small stone glowed brighter, its radiance matching that of the sun which was reflected on the smooth surface of the lake in front of the boy. Braxx's father turned to his wife with an expression of wonder at what his son was doing. It was nigh unheard of that a boy of but nine years could channel so much holy energy.
"What should we do?" the boy's mother asked.
His father looked toward Lordamere Lake and at his astonishing son. He turned his head and regarded their shabby, dilapidated farm which was nestled just off the path in northern Silverpine Forest.
"The boy's tenth birthday is but a week away" he said, turning back to his wife. "He must be taken to the priests of Stormwind for testing before then."
Her head dropped a fraction at their predicament. They were but simple farmers selling their meager crop in the Lordaeron Market to barely make ends meet, how would they ever afford the long, expensive trip down to Stormwind City? They both turned toward their son, sitting on his rock, unaware of the discussion taking place behind him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the glowing stone hovering in front of his face. He reached up with his little fingers and touched the stone.
"Ow!" He exclaimed, snatching back and cradling his burned hand. The stone dropped out of the air and landed in the lake with a plop and a sizzle. Braxx looked at his hand for a few moments, closed his eyes, and focused all his attention on his wounded fingers. His whole hand shined with a faint gold and instantly is burns disappeared. He opened his eyes and with a giggle of delight, stood and picked up his fishing pole. He cast his line into the water and was still oblivious to his parents as they conversed on the porch of their small home.
Braxx's father turned to his wife, a small smile forming. "King Terenas is preparing a trip to Stormwind at the end of the week," he said.
"Yes, Prince Wrynn is hosting this year's Fire Festival Grand Ball," his wife replied.
"King Terenas owes me a favor for donating a crop of our best grapes when the royal gardens' crop ran fallow last year, do you remember?"
"Yes but I didn't think you actually intended to call in a favor with the High King of the Alliance, my love," she replied.
"I will request in audience with him and explain our situation to him. King Terenas is kind and just, he will help us I'm sure."
"How are we going to explain all this to Braxx?" His wife asked.
"The boy is gifted, of that there is no doubt" her husband replied, "and he deserves a far better future with the priests than we could ever offer him."
His wife nodded in understanding.
"Braxx," she called to her son, "come inside your father and I need to talk with you."
A week later they were in Stormwind. The Fire Festival streamers and huge bonfire delighted the young Braxx. His jubilation was short lived however as his parents brought him before Archbishop Alonsus Faol. There in the Cathedral of Light, Braxx was thoroughly tested. The Archbishop smiled to Braxx's parents a few hours later.
"This rather unique child is not to be a priest," he said to them.
A shocked look passed between the parents. The Archbishop's smile grew wider.
"Let me explain," he said. "This young boy exhibits a degree of holding and distributing the Creators light to such an extent that we have never seen in one so young before. He is not to be a priest however because this one is destined to be a paladin, using the light to bolster the strong and protect the weak." Braxx's parents grinned down at him upon hearing this; the boy's eyes were wide.
"Yes, I see this lad as becoming a major asset in the Knights of the Silver Hand that I am helping to form, a collection of the strongest paladins on Azeroth." Alonsus Faol's expression turned sad however. "Unfortunately, the boy still has a few years to go through. He is far too young at ten years to begin training with us. Take him home, feed him well, strengthen him, then on his eighteenth birthday, return him to us and we will see him trained properly." Braxx looked dejectedly at the floor; his mother placed an arm around him. Archbishop Faol his hand on Braxx's head and spoke kindly to him. "There, there young one, look not sad. Eight years will have gone by before you know it. Strengthen your mind and body and then return to us. Sooner than you think you'll be a paladin without peer."
Braxx and his parents turned and made their way from the cathedral. They were making their way to the fountain, Braxx sniffling softly, when a tall, robed figure approached them. The hooded figure raised a hand in greeting and lowered his hood. Braxx stared mouth agape because he had never seen a Quel'dorei before.
"Sinu a'manore," he said, addressing the trio in his own tongue. Braxx's father raised his own hand and greeted the man in common. "Greetings to you sir, may we help you?" Switching to common, the elf replied, "Greetings to you and your family. My name is Azaraiah, a high Mage of Quel'Thalas. I was wont to speak with the Archbishop but I couldn't help overhearing this young man's predicament."
Braxx could not believe his eyes at the awesome presence of the elf before him. His bone-white skin glistening in the sunlight, his dark auburn hair done up in a top knot, his svelte voice like the water in the pond behind them. The fact that this being had addressed him as a young man and not a child or boy was not lost on him either. He sat on the edge of the fountain.
Azaraiah smiled down at the young man, fully aware that the other races of Azeroth are allured by the beauty of this race. He turned and with an earnest expression, regarded the boy's father.
"I heard the Archbishop's explanation of the young one's power. I was dismayed at his decision not to begin training him immediately. Most aren't aware that we Quel'dorei begin training our youths in their tenth year." He turned to Braxx. "Did I hear correctly that your birthday, your tenth birthday is in the 'morrow?"
Braxx look up to the tall elf and nodded then look down at his feet. His father nudged him.
"Yes sir," Braxx replied softly.
Azaraiah smiled. "Excellent, that is great news indeed."
"I don't understand," Braxx"s father replied.
Azaraiah explained, "It may seem rather sudden, unexpected and strange but I hate to see talent wasted. Based on your appearance, I would guess you are farmers?" He asked in such a way as not to offend.
Braxx's parents, in no way offended, replied, "Yes, we are but humble farmers with no means to pay for his training."
Azaraiah smiled to them. "I am leaving for Quel'Thalas in a few days, if you would permit me, I can take him with me and present him to our paladins for training. He will grow strong and be very happy among those of his equal in skills."
Braxx was thrilled at this development but turned and regarded his parents' worried expressions.
"What about mom and dad?" He asked.
Azaraiah's smile grew larger but more reassuring.
"I own a rather large bit of land in Quel'thalas that is currently unused. It used to be a vast farm with many workers. Your parents can live there in tend the land as they see fit."
Braxx's father was in thought, he then turned to Azaraiah. "Now wait a minute, we aren't about to become your servants just to have our son train."
Azaraiah patted his arm reassuringly. "I meant nothing of the sort, what are you paying King Terenas in land tax if you don't mind my asking?"
Braxx's father named a figure.
"Then that shall be what you pay me. In turn, all you grow and sell from the land shall be yours and yours alone. The land is very fertile, in no time you can hire a few hands and have a healthy farm in full swing," Azaraiah replied.
"Why would you do all this for us?" Braxx's mother asked.
Azaraiah smiled but it was half- sad, distant. "This is my way of paying it forward," he said.
Braxx's parents nodded, not really understanding.
Azaraiah continued, "I know this decision will be difficult, take some time to think about it and discuss. I won't be leaving for three days. I'm staying at the Lion's Pride Inn in Goldshire. Find me there before the sun sets three days hence with your decision."
Azaraiah shook hands with all them, donned his hood and walked into the crowd heading in the direction of the Dwarven District.
Three days passed and Braxx was ready to travel with Azaraiah. He hugged his parents goodbye, knowing they wouldn't be too far behind him on the journey to Quel'Thalas. He walked with the elf to the edge of town where Azaraiah opened a glimmering portal to Silvermoon City. In a flash of dazzling light in the late afternoon sun, they left Elwynn forest and entered the elven city.
Notes:
Most of you will recall that the Bloodelves used to be on good terms with humans so I didn't think it jumping the shark too badly by placing one in Stormwind.
Some may think it odd that parents would allow a boy of 10 to go off with an adult of a different race for training esp. when said adult was not to be the trainer. Even I found that to be a little far-fetched but needed a reason to have a human in SMC so if you can't buy that part of my story, at least rent it a while :p I swore to myself that I'd have the entire thing written before submitting it but I got impatient, plus this is becoming more epic than I thought it'd be as I'm writing this. So just bear with me, I'm just as impatient as you are to see it on paper, the whole story is there in my mind I just have to pound it out of there lol.
As a side note, this prologue and ch1 are being written on my 'droid phone at work. I'm going over it with a fine-toothed comb but if you haven't experienced the joy of a Swype keypad and all its glorious typo's then don't yell at me (seriously, when I swype the word "about" it gave me the word "sh#&" -.-).
Please read and review :D