Echoes of laughter enveloped the darkness as the young elf's glowing blue eyes opened from her haze. She lay on what seemed to be a gurney, her wrists bound with rope tightly.

She felt as if the blood was being cut off from her wrists, her hands feeling numb. Was she drugged? Why couldn't she move well?

The stench was enough to make her want to hurl. It was that of death. It felt ice cold in that room to make matters worse.

The click of an overhead light bulb swinging above her brought her around as she winced from the sudden light, the room having been pitch black. She turned her head and saw the tattooed face of an orc, smirking down at her.

It was the terrible face of Garrosh Hellscream, her captor and tormentor.

For a moment, the elf just felt frozen. She couldn't tear her own face from his as he lifted his meaty paw up suddenly...

"Time to wake up!"

Those same glowing blue eyes shot open as the elf sat up as if she had been shot. Her face was drenched in sweat as she looked dazed from the nightmare, the one that haunted her for the past few months since the Seige of Orgrimmar. She turned her head toward the voice to see a hunched figure, round in the waist as black/gray and white fur covered his body.

It was that of her teacher, Taran Zhu.

The elderly pandaran stared at her a moment, his eyes seeming narrowed. He leaned heavily on the doorframe judging her from a distance in a silence that made her uncomfortable.

"Nightmare again?" he asked in his deep gruff voice.

"They've happened since we took Orgrimmar back," the elf muttered, a sort of Southern accent to her voice. "The way that bastard taunted me..." She made a groaning sound as if to show the disgust she had felt. "It's been hard to sleep."

"Well, I bring good news," the pandarian monk said. "His fate is to be decided today. Yet I wouldn't be looking for swift justice."

"Damn," the elf said expressing her disappointment. "I'd so love to see him fry in that electric chair or get the needle."

"Patience, Kalista," he warned and strode off.

Kali made a face behind his back. "Ol' furball," she muttered in the Orcish language. She stood up and moved to take a shower, giving a quick glance at her watch. "I'd bitch, but he saved me from a worse fate..."

She hated getting up early.

Kalista Sunstrider was a princess. The only child of Kael'thas Sunstrider, she had been neglected due to her female status, as royalty was more looked to male heirs than female. She was ushered through the foster system until adopted by the orc Thrall now known as Go'el. This made her heir of two kingdoms, but neither she felt like taking control of.

During the company takeover, and better yet hostile takeover of lands by Garrosh Hellscream, Kali had to flee for her life. It was obvious he was looking to destroy her to keep her from being in his way and he nearly succeeded, having imprisoned her, raping and torturing her until she was rescued by an old friend, the death knight Breetor. It was then she left Azeroth and moved to Pandaria, where her life changed and her career.

She was a monk now as well as a hunter. And bodyguard to the furball that just left her.

She hadn't seen Go'el in awhile, he having returned to his roots to find things in shambles. They had to turn to Alliance Inc. for help. Yet things happened that actually made enemies and others into allies.

A shiver went through Kali's veins as she felt the water turn cold. She had been so deep in thought, she forgot the value of hot water in the temple. Cursing herself, she turned off the faucet and dried off before dressing in the Shado-Pan style. She hurried to find Taran, who happened to be monitoring training for the day. He only gave a curt nod to her as she just adjusted the straw hat she wore and stood at his side.

"Will Father be in attendance?" she asked softly.

"Yes," he said. "I will give you time to visit. I heard he had a child recently."

"Yeah. I got a lil' brother now," she said sheepishly.

"Then set a good example for the boy," he said clapping a paw on her shoulder, making her wince. Sometimes he never knew his own strength. Yet she could see the old wound Garrosh caused still give him trouble every day. She reached out and touched his stomach.

"It's still givin' ya trouble," she said. "Hard not to notice."

He merely grunted. "It'll become a scar like all the others eventually."

"All wounds do."

"Yes, yet yours are taking their toll as mine are," he said. He stared back at his students. "Anya stopped by. She wanted to see you, but she was called back to help get rentals for the visitors coming today. Her adopted mother and father will be among those here."

"And Jaina...she ain't the woman I once knew anymore," Kali said. "Hateful...surprised that dragon fell for her." She was well aware of the news through the Frying Wok Newspaper. It got delivered every day and she saw the headlines while Taran read through it occasionally muttering on certain things.

Taran did let her see one part, the only part he thought women should see: the cooking columns. Oh, the hundreds of recipes she saw! It almost made her want to expand into the cooking business, but the last time she cooked, it took four fire trucks and an extinguisher and baking soda to stop the blaze.

So she left it to the professionals.

Kali saw the headline when the dragon Kalec had fallen for Jaina. They were Azeroth's "power couple" apparently. But she knew Jaina was a hateful woman now and Kali was scared Kalec was biting off more than he could chew. She thought the human was also giving curses around to the Horde at times.

To her, explained why her relationship with Lor'themar went down the drain.

Bastard couldn't keep his dick in his pants.

Taran quirked a brow up a bit surprised she knew about this. He then shook his furry head. "Be mindful of your words, child," he warned with a stern tone.

"Yes, Master Furball," Kali said with a fake salute as she dodged a punch.

"Ah, you dodged! Finally!" He smirked.

"Ya get smacked around a lot, ya learn to dodge," Kali said. "And...mastered your secret technique the other day at the vaults."

He stared at her, his golden eyes narrowed. "That one is a deadly touch. Don't use it recklessly. I only taught you that, none of the other students."

"I feel honored," she said and looked at the time. "I'm headin' to the Vale market. I'll be back in time for the arrivals."

"Be sure you do, Kalista," Taran said. "Being late in front of the Celestials won't be good."