Chapter 1

The night was silent, a rare sight in the hulk of the human city, Stormwind. It held activity within it, to be certain, but not nearly as much as my previous experiences within the day. When carts were pulled out by the canals, people constantly moving and shopping. Often a chicken or pig in sight. Docks had some military activity as well. Dwarven engineers cranking at their large tanks, soldiers training their swordskills.

No such commotion could be heard as my ship, Elune's Tidewaters, slowed it's approach. The lighthouse would illuminate the area, revealing some soldiers still on guard, keeping a watchful eye over the waters at their posts. Most, I suspect, were probably fast asleep or in the process of finding a strong bottle to chug down.

A cool breeze reached my cheek, seeming to have followed me from Winterspring. I shifted my right shoulder, trying to refocus myself. The other Kaldorei alongside me just began to stand themselves up from their seats, wearing some fairly heavy armor. These sisters looked anxious to shed their gear and get some rest, but none of them held gear up as cumbersome as I did, it would seem.

The captain barked at his sailors, ordering them to drop the anchor. They obeyed, bringing Elune's Tidewaters to a gentle stop, just alongside the docks. "Alright sisters," I caught my commander speaking to us. "We're going to be staying in the Mage Quarter, by the Blue Reclouse. The King authorized us access to the quarters there. Next assignment should be arriving in two days time, this hour. Stand ready then."

We nodded in acknowledgement. The Blue Reclouse held a variety of customers there in the late hours, but due to the constant guardsmen presence, I suspected that we'd see no issue staying in the area. We all were quick to unload our gear. The commander got her own room, naturally. A large room with a couple dozen bunkbeds and a great fireplace is what we were left with.

I dropped my bags at a lower bunk, somewhere in the middle of the lines of beds, fancying the night stand by it. We all began to remove our mail armor, switching into some soft cloth dresses or leather pants. All except myself, that is, deeming some simple workout clothes and boots more appropriate.

"So, who wants to stop by the Reclouse? Grab a glass of wine to toast the success of another assignment to?" I turned my head to the right, seeing that Saleia was the one to suggest the activity. My eyes turned to the others, seeing them all nod with smiles twinkling in their eyes. I didn't acknowledge it, instead continuing to unpack my things as they began to leave.

"Will you not join us, Trixiriel?" My ear twitched, forcing me to turn my head to the speaker. I offered Saleia the warmest smile I could, but shook my head. "I can't. I've just got to-." The word was lost to me, but she nodded in understanding despite this. Her moonlight eyes looked a bit concerned, but she decided not to attempt at convincing me otherwise.

"You know where we'll be if you change your mind." Saleia left, walking a bit quick to catch up to the others, allowing me to collapse back first onto my bed. My mind veered back to Winterspring, reminded of the brown orc who pulled an arrow back while grasping a longbow. Upon seeing the figure then, my head turned sharply to Tureleya. I remember my legs kicking with the power of a horse to bring the image of her closer. A sharp cracking noise zipped to the right of my ear, passing in front of my eyes to strike sharply through my friend.

I shook my head, refocusing myself as my muscles moved to sit myself upright. "There was nothing you could have done for her," they tried to tell me. Doesn't change the fact it feels like something could have happened make sure the red of her blood didn't stain that snow. Even if it meant letting the arrow pierce through me in her stead.

"Elune help me," I muttered to myself, bringing my feet to the ground. A drink was indeed in order. Upon exiting the quarters, I caught a glimpse of my fellow Kaldorei laughing and talking just outside the Reclouse. My lips curved slightly, glad they were all enjoying themselves. As I stepped forward to join them, however, a thought hit me, and the joy of a smile was replaced with a frown. Do none of them recall or even care for Tureleya's death last week?

My head veered to the left, up the hill. A human couple passed by me, walking in that direction. Curiosity took me. Perhaps there were multiple places to have a drink around here. My legs began to move themselves semi-mindlessly, eyes scanning for a place to give my friend a toast. Upon reaching the top of the hill where the land leveled out, I spotted a well and a few buildings. The far right sign said "pyrotechnics," obviously not what I was looking for. Across from it held an open building with a sign above it as well, "The Slaughtered Lamb."

Inns tend to give themselves fancy names, so I jumped to the conclusion it must be such. Climbing up the steps and walking through the front door, I found that I was actually incorrect. A bar, but not an inn. Seeing as it did the job nonetheless, I walked up to the counter, asking for a glass of wine.

The other residents inside were an intriguing bunch. A knight of the ebon blade at one table, some pandaran standing around, and a purple eyed worgen drinking himself well past the drunk line. A man on my left took an interest on those residing as well, but he made his observations quite obvious.

"Light bless Stormwind this day," he muttered to himself. I couldn't help myself, the urge to comment was too strong. "We could use a blessing." The man raised an eyebrow, turning himself to study me over. I looked at him from the corner of my eye. He was blonde haired, sporting a Tushui tabard on top of his shirt. Typically something only pandaran wear.

"What makes you say that, friend?" He inquired. I looked down at my glass, black-red wine remaining still within it. Winterspring returned to the back of my mind. With a sigh, I responded. "This city typically drinks to the vast heroes who live today. 'Long live Tirion Fordring!' 'All hail the king.' Doesn't seem right that the heroes that died so this bar could be here are not drank to."

He studied my face over, despite it not having much to reveal. The man looked down at his own glass. With a sigh, a nod was offered. "It's a shame it is," he spoke with some drooped eyelids before perking back up and rising his glass. "I suppose I'm going to be ordering a lot of rounds if I'm going to raise a glass to every one of them." This comment I did not expect.

I offered a smile, displaying my pleasure with his words, whilst raising my glass to my lips. There was, however, not much taste within a drink known for it's taste, but I thought nothing of it. They were good words and I hoped they'd offer Tureleya some form of peace.

My mind would veer off though, recalling a woman's death who had been sung and drank to. The Great General of the Night Elven Sentinels, Sesirrael Seabearer, my mother. Perhaps the only one who has ever been real close to me. Her death was almost legend now. In fact, it was what inspired me to work towards becoming a sentinel.

I shook my head, refocusing myself into the present. A human woman walked up to the bar on my right, setting a sack of coins down and asking for a bottle of bourbon. However, it's when she began to stare up at me when I grew curious. "Do I know you," I asked simply. She'd smile, responding in a gilnean accent. "No, but I know we're going to get ta' know each otha' well."

Well, that triggered a couple nerves. A bit weirded out, I finished my glass, eyeing the exit. When I looked back, she was still holding her gaze. "Say, I don' believe I've ever seen ya' here before." I looked at my glass, remembering why I came here. Turning myself to face her, Tureleya's death plays back again. "I just came back from a tour."

The woman would nod, understanding that I did not mean a the tour of a tourist but of a soldier. "What's ya name," she asked me. I was about to answer, but then a night elf male of white hair entered, mask around his face. Behind him, was another human woman with a cowl arohnd her face. Interrupting me, he stated, "Hey Frysta! Look who I found."

As they stopped just behind the gilnean who spoke with me, I quickly exited the bar as she was distracted. Instead of taking the alleyway I walked up to get here, I decided to take the one directly across it, heading downhill. I reach a three way intersection in the buildings, but I hear a voice calling out to me. "Miss!"

I turn around, seeing the gilnean woman and the cowled woman. "I have a package for ya. I'm a courier, ya see." My fist thought was on what the package was, but then I recalled what she said in a bar. No courier would say that. I looked down the second side of the intersection, which lead directly to the Blue Recluse. The masked kaldorei man stood there, blocking the way.

This was no package delivery. I cracked my neck and unsheathed the sword from my back. "Oh hell no" I stated simply. These three were going to prove to be trouble.