Disclaimer: World of Warcraft is Copywrite to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision. I own nothing but the Characters them selves - aside from the world and incarnation they are in.
Hey guys, it's been a long time since I posted anything, and a recent conversation of the WoW forums prompted me to post my main character's story, so here it is. I am not sure how often I will update it, but if I get some reviews I may get back into this again. I miss writing. Also a side warning, the beginning is a little fast and hashed out because it started off as more of a summary but it ended up turning into a story, so the beginning is a little shorter. Anyways without farther a due, on with the fic.
Of Elves and Arrows
Kyechii was the daughter of a family of Blood Knights. Growing up, both her mother and father wanted her to follow in their footsteps and become paladins like them selves.
Kyechii didn't really enjoy magic to the same extent her parents did, and found her self sneaking out of classes, and lessons to roam around in the surrounding forest of Eversong exploring. One day, during one of her adventures around Eversong, she strayed a little to closely to the Ghostlands and encountered a Spider.
She got caught in it's web, and just when she thought she was done for, a Springpaw came jumping out at the spider, followed by a few arrows shot from what appeared to be a wandering Troll hunter. He killed the beast, and cut her lose from the silk. Only knowing Thallasian at the time, she didn't understand what he spoke to her. She figured it was something along the lines of "Why are you out here alone, with nothing to protect your self?" It sounded like a question, and when she didn't answer, he handed her his Bow, and took off.
She never saw him again.
Her parents used to tell her stories of how the trolls were a barbaric race, and how they would kill anyone they came across. Bounty hunter's were always being sent out from Silvermoon to deal with the "barbaric" Troll encampments in the area, yet she just met one who seemed to be a lot nicer then she was lead to believe. She hung on to the bow tightly, knowing if her parent's knew she had it, they would take it from her and discard it.
Since that day, she was forever being scolded for bringing home stray animals such as cats from around Silvermoon, baby dragonhawks and the like. Her parents saw her affection for animals rather annoying, and would constantly tell her "no" when she asked for a pet or companion to have around the house.
She would practice her archery in secret every night after her parent's went to bed
"Why the Farstriders? It's an insult to your family history! Why would you choose to associate with those.. those.. Backwards individuals?!" - Salendis Sunstar, Kyechii's dad.
Eventually, when the time came for her to go off on her Journey, her parents and her stopped speaking completely. Kyechii decided to go to the continent of Kalemdor, Durotar- to learn the ways of the Hunter. She had heard good things about the Orcs and Trolls..how they had a sense of honor. So she left the Eastern Kingdoms, and her home of a couple hundred years- to learn the path of the huntress, from the race that seemed to know it best. Keeping an open mind, she decided to stop basing opinions purely off what other people told her, and find out for her self. If that meant turning her back on her family history and even her race it's self, so be it.
When she reached Durotar, she was directed to the Valley of Trials to begin her official training as a huntress, and upon reaching there, she was greeted by an Orc named Kaltunk.
He raised an eyebrow at her.. Why would a blood elf come all this way for training? It was no matter though.. the Horde needed new bloods, and another hand to help was always nice.
He quickly directed her to go kill some boars, so that he may see where her skill level was at.
She was proficient with the bow.. if not a little rough around the edges, but good. He may have a few tasks for her after all, he thought to him self.
Night fall came quickly, with her doing various remedial tasks around the camp. Gather scorpid tails, to make anti-venom.. boar meat for food.. Cactus apples, for dessert.
A few weeks past, and she began to work her way up in the ranks. She became a personality around the camp.. the peons knew her well, and she was eventually tasked with supervising them for a bit, while the boss took a break from yelling at them for sleeping on the job.
About a month passed, when one day she woke up to Thazzril,(the foreman around the camp) telling her she had a letter from Silvermoon come in for her.
He handed her the note which read:
Kyechii Sunstar,
By request of the Blood Knight: Salendis Sunstar, The Red Dragon Dynasty has been tasked with assigning you a guardian to watch over you for the duration of your stay in Durotar.
Salendis asks us to inform you that though he may not agree with your choice in profession, you are still his only daughter, and thus, must be protected at any cost.
Your guardian, Pyro-mage, Dawnis Arnell is scheduled to arrive within the next few days of you receiving this. Please treat him with utmost respect and gratitude. That is all.
~ Farowyn Marshall - R.D.D
Kyechii frowned at the letter, and handed it back to Thaz before she crumpled it in mild annoyance.
"So what, I need a baby sitter now? They still see me as a child... how irritating." She thought to her self.
Oh well, better make the best of it, she decided. In her mind, she worried that this "Dawnis" fellow would be like her parents, and try to convince her to return home and continue her studies instead of pursuing her dream of being a huntress. But, benefit of the doubt also told her that not everything in life was black and white, and he may just end up being somewhat of a supervisor to her, as opposed to interfering with her decisions.
Time would tell, she supposed.
Sure enough three days passed, and Dawnis arrived on schedule. The welcoming was a little lack lustre to what he was expecting, but he also wasn't aware that his presence was unwanted until meeting Kyechii face to face.
She was polite enough, introducing her self to him before going about her daily tasks and chores around the Valley, but she otherwise didn't pay him any mind save for the odd glare when he would shoot a fireball at a random scorpid that ventured a little closer in range to Kye than he was comfortable with.
At the end of the day, she gathered her things and sat down to dinner and Dawnis took his seat next to her silently.
Dawnis didn't like Durotar. Sure, Orgrimmar wasn't bad, and Thrall wasn't such a bad guy as far as orcs go.. the odd time or two that he had met the Warcheif anyway.. But he was puzzling to him self all day, why a blood elf like him self would choose-willingly- to live in a dirty, run down, smelly, Orc and Troll Camp.. as upposed to the beautiful, clean, up kept city that was Silvermoon.. amongst her own kind. It was rather peculiar..
As Kyechii, the Trolls and the Orcs all conversed with one and other, Dawnis ate his food in silence listening to the conversation. They mused over the day, chuckling at the humorous events, or talking about plans of what they will do once they finish their initial training. Dreams of being in the Horde army. Dreams of going on to farther study the elements and Shamanism.. Dreams of becoming the most skilled archer. They all chatted and shared a common goal: The need to improve them selves. No one cared Kyechii was a blood elf. Kyechii didn't care that they were Orcs and Trolls. To them, they were comrades; friends. Dawnis thought quietly to him self.
She was interesting...
Day two.
Dawnis woke up from his rather uncomfortable cot, to find Kyechii was already up at sunrise and was finishing up the last of her morning chores. She greeted him with a polite smile, and went on about her business, ignoring him as usual. He thought carefully to him self before actually striking up conversation with her.
"You know.. I know you don't want me here.."
No answer. She continued about cleaning up her area.
"...Hell I don't really want to be here much my self, but this was my assigned task to look after you, and the pact I made with the Guild... I can not break it.. even if neither of us like it..."
Kyechii turned to him, but still said nothing, instead choosing to listen to what he had to say.
"... so why don't we try to make the best of things..ok?"
Kyechii was still silent as she considered this. He wasn't interfering...much... Yeah, fireballs on occasion tended to annoy her.. but other then that, he really didn't get in the way of socializing, or any work she did. He more or less just..watched.
"Ok." She said, "I guess we can be friends. I see no real reason to blame you for something that wasn't even your choice. You're just following orders.. I get that. "
Dawnis smiled at her, glad she understood where he was coming from.
"...And.. I am sorry if I seemed to be ignoring you before. I just was concerned that you..well.." Kyechii thought briefly for a moment before continuing, "I figured my father had an ulterior motive. He didn't exactly approve of my coming here. But I don't care what he thinks, and not everything in Azeroth revolves around him or his ideals... I'm sorry you got wrapped into this...It's not exactly a vacation here."
Dawnis chuckled a little in response but replied,
"Well no.. but I can't say it isn't interesting. Though I have to wonder what drew you to this place? Why not Farstrider square? Do they not have fine hunters a little closer to home?"
Kyechii grimaced at the mention of "home".. Silvermoon was a far cry from a place she liked to call "home".. Over the past month or so, the Valley of Trials became more of a home to her than the centuries spent amongst the blood elf city. Although Kyechii oped not to say that, rather choosing one of the beginning reasons she left for Durotar instead.
"Well, my family is made up of Blood Knights.. that should be enough explanation in its self. If I had joined the Farstriders, my parents would never forgive me.. and I would never hear the end of it. At least out here, I can be what I want to.. and not have to hear them gripe about it."
He nodded. That was reasonable. Dawnis remembered back into his mage training. He had encountered quite a few head masters who disagreed with choice of art. Stressing to him about how he should focus his study more into the arcane arts, and less into the fundamentals of fire, and pyro Psyche. He knew all to well what it was like to feel.. judged?
"Yeah, it's usually not fun when someone tells you what you are doing is wrong.. " Dawnis replied.
Kyechii nodded in agreement and they went on with their day.
A few weeks past, as the two of them farther got to know one and other, and eventually the two of them worked out a some-what friendship. The days were routine, and the nights were usually filled with chatter about past events, or stories of Dawnis's journeys around Outland. Kyechii enjoyed the adventures he told, and often wondered how much of it was fact, and how much of it was sugar coated to make him look cool.
Secretly, part of her didn't really want to know. She kind of liked the idea of him being a hero.
One morning Kyechii pulled out a sheet of dusty notes. There recently had been sightings of a group of demons up around the Caves to the north, and Kyechii had been tasked with investigating.
Kyechii packed up a few supplies and the two of them headed out.
Reaching the cave, sure enough there were demons. Vile Familiars surrounded the place, and from where they stood, Kye could just make out a few Fel hunters inside the entrance. Why would there be so many of them? She wondered to her self. Dawnis echoing the thoughts aloud.
"I don't know.." Kyechii replied idly.. " demons usually don't group up like this without some sort of guidance."
Dawnis nodded at her assessment, before asking,
"So what do you propose we do?"
Kyechii was a little taken a back by this.
"What, you're asking me? I figured, you being the "powerful guardian" of mine would have some semblance of a plan you would want me to follow." Kyechii said with a jest, the smirk on her face making Dawnis smile back in reflex.
"You are the one with the orders, no? I am simply here for backup.. you're the one in charge here not me." He chuckled, "Though if you want me to do the thinking, I say we go in guns-a-blazing. It's not like these guys can hurt us..well.. not much anyways. Remember, I'm just here for insurance- you are the one on the mission." he added shortly after, "You take all the credit.. I imagine telling everyone you went into a cave of demons to discover.. well.. whatever attracting them here.. You would get some sort of reward for your efforts.. wouldn't you say?"
"I like how you think Dawnis." She replied with a smirk, "But I would give credit where it is due. Still, you are right- we need to get in there and find out what the problem is. We can't afford an ambush from a bunch of rogue warlocks.. and I highly doubt these familiars just decided "hey why don't we chill here for a while guys? Bring your friends!" if you know what I mean?"
"True enough."
The two of them ran into the cave as expected, and killed of a large portion of demons surrounding the entrance. As they ventured farther, it was decided that they split up to cover more ground. Kyechii went left, and Dawnis right. Bow at the ready, Kyechii wandered in deeper, and was cornerd by 2 familiars and a fel hunter. Kyechii shot her arrows, and her aim was true, as the familiars fell to the ground. The fel hunter charged her, and she pulled out the knife she had on her side, and stabbed it in the gut just as it gashed her side with it's tusks.. at least, they looked like tusks. The beast fell to the ground in a bloody pool, and Kyechii collapsed to her knees in pain just as an orc came into Kyechii's line of vision. He had an odd dress about him, and he didn't seem all to happy to see her.
Kye smiled at him thinking, 'Oh good, some help. Maybe he can get me out of here..'
"I think you have strayed a little to far from camp little girl." The orc said to her.
Kyechii looked at him with confusion. "Who are you?" she asked, as fear began to well up inside her. This orc was not friendly it seemed.
"Hehe you ask for my name? Silly fool.. I am Yarrog Baneshadow and my name will be the last thing you hear!" He raised his hands as a dark purple glow emmited from him and the demons began to all flock towards Kye. She sat there, paralyzed in fear, the pain in her side ever growing as they descended upon her.
Just then, a fireball came flaming at the demons that had began to attack her, as they quickly turned to ash.
"Dawnis!" Kyechii cried, as he turned to Yarrog and spoke calmly and quietly,
"I think you strayed a little to far from your rituals, warlock. And now.. you are going to pay for it." Dawnis then cast a Pyroblast at the orc, silencing him for good. As he fell to the ground, a pendant flew off of his neck and landed at Kyechii's feet.
"I think...Nartok and Hraug should take.. a look at this." Kyechii said, between winces. The Warlock and demon trainer would know best what to do with such a thing.
Dawnis looked Kyechii over, worry evident upon his face.
"You're injured.." he said, to which Kyechii just smiled a little.
"It's nothing.. just a .. flesh wound." She said once again with a wince. Dawnis frowned at her and said nothing, choosing instead to pick her up.
"I'm carrying you back-"
"I can walk..for my self." She replied, but as she tried to stand on her own, she winced and collapsed back into Dawnis's arms.
"Not from what I can see." Kyechii just looked at him with a scowl as he picked her up again, and proceeded to carry her back to camp. Upon arriving, Kaltunk rushed to her.
"What the- What in Thralls good name happened?!"
Dawnis sat her down, and explained to him about the demons and the Orc warlock. Kyechii nodded filling in details of what happened while Dawnis told him what he found on the other side of the cave. Kyechii then said,
"I need to speak with Nartok. The warlock was carrying something that may be of interest to him." Kaltunk nodded and called the Warlock trainer over. Kyechii handed him the pendant, and he turned the gold coin over and read the inscription. It was covered in demonic runes, which clearly read "Burning blade".
"Kyechii, do you know what you just found?" he said to her, as she looked on curiously. "This is a pendent of a lutenant rank in the Burning Blade - a cult that has plagued the horde for quite a few years. We must bring this to Thralls attention as soon as possible. "
Kaltunk nodded, and then added on to what Nartok said,
"Well, congratulations Kyechii.. you just graduated. Get healed up as soon as possible.. Your next task is to take a trip to Orgrimmar to see the Warcheif. Give him the pendant, and tell him what happened. From there, I am sure Razor Hill will be in need of some assistance, and I believe you are just the girl for the job."
Kyechii smiled bright, in spite of the pain in her side. She would get to meet the Warcheif of the Horde for the first time- even if it was just to pass on a message. As Dawnis picked her up again, and headed for the Den, he spoke quietly to her.
"I'm proud of you kid.. You did good out there."
Kyechii scoffed a little with a chuckle, wincing a little still.
"What are you talking about? I did nothing.. you were the one who came up with the plan.. I would have been dead if not for you.." Kyechii trailed off as she remembered a troll from a long time ago, and mumbled more to her self then to Dawnis, "Well, there's another person I owe my life to..."
Dawnis said nothing, but raised an eyebrow a little as he placed her on her cot, and turned down the sheets for her. She began to undue her leather chest guard, but winced every few moments, clearly having trouble.
Without thinking, Dawnis reached over and undid the string from her back, as the chest guard became lose and the injury began to swell up. He paused a moment realising what he just did, as the their eyes locked, and a small blush painted his cheeks.
"The gash needs to be cleaned." he justified, looking away from her. "You..um.. looked like you needed help. I was only.. yeah.. " Dawnis trailed off as Kyechii sat there, unsure what to say. Closing her eyes she sighed a little and said,
"Well..er.. I do kinda need the assistance I guess.. and um.. I can clean the gash my self, I am pretty sure, but.. " She trailed off too. Well this was awkward. Kyechii shifted turning her back to Dawnis, and in unspoken agreement, he removed her chest guard and under cloth. Quickly being careful not to look, he exited the Den and went to go grab some water to clean it with and returned to set the water down, and then silently left her in privacy again, standing guard outside the door for anyone who may venture inside while she bandaged up.
"It's safe now." He heard her say from the cave, and breathed a sigh of relief as he re-entered the Den with a smile.
Kyechii smiled back, shifting a little, the earlier tension in the room gone.
"The Salve works really well. The pain is less." She said, "And.. thanks again for saving me. I promise one day I will return the favor. When I become a good huntress, I hope to see you on the line of duty.. only this time we will be as equals."
Dawnis smiled back, "I have confidence that day will come soon. Get some rest kid. You're going to need your strength."
Kyechii nodded, and laid down, pulling the covers of the cot up over her. Dawnis smiled at her as he turned towards his own cot, and headed off to bed.
The next day came far too early for Kyechii's liking... She groaned in pain as the bandages on her side were mildly stained with blood from sleeping on it. She slowly removed them, and limped her way over to the water buckets and small spring that was off to the back of the Den. Cleaning her wound, and re patching her self up, she walked - well more like limped- out of the cave to find Dawnis already up and waiting.
"How you feeling?" He asked.
"Like I was stabbed in the side." She said with a sarcastic note, "How am I supposed to feel?" Despite her tone, a smile played upon the side of her lips idly. Dawnis smirked back at her.. She certainly had character about her.
"Like peaches and cream." He replied, returning her sarcastic smile.
"You got the cream part down.." she said gently tapping her side; The newly applied Salve slowly starting take effect.
"So what's on the list then... You well enough for the trip?" Dawnis asked, "In fairness to your injury, it's expected you take a day or two to recover...But in truth, we really do need to be quick about this. The Burning Blade is not a threat to be taken lightly. For all we know, they could have an attack planned on the Valley of Trials really soon.. If they kill off all the young lings, then it could potentially devastate our defences against them in the future."
Kyechii nodded at his words. Sure, the trip was going to suck. She knew it was going to be hard, but this is what being a soldier of the Horde was. One must endure a little pain, for the greater good.
"Well when does the ship sail?" She asked.
"As soon as you blow the horn, Captain." Dawnis retorted with a mock bow. In response, Kyechii cuffed him over the back of his head, making him stumble forward with an "ow" before standing strait again, holding the small sore spot on his head and laughing lightly. Kyechii chuckled back, returning his smile.
"Then lets get moving." She said as she limped off in Thazzril's direction, leaving Dawnis standing there momentarily, questioning to him self if leaving today was such a wise idea.
Kyechii approached the orc foreman and explained that she had to take a trip to Orgrimmar and needed a spare supply crate for her trip. He nodded and began to ready one for her, as she turned back to her companion who was looking a little worried.
Kyechii frowned at him. "Stop."
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Dawnis glanced off to the side not meeting her eyes.
"You didn't need to say anything, it's written all over you.. I'll be fine. You even said, we need to get this pendant to Thrall soon before something bad happens. I am sure you've suffered worse then this. I'll just have to deal."
"I know.. but.. " Dawnis paused a moment and let out a sigh. She had a point, and though she was in pain, the matter at hand really couldn't be put off. There was no point in arguing about it. Changing the subject he assessed the situation. "Are the supplies ready then? How are we traveling? Windrider or ground transport?"
Kyechii thought briefly before replying,
" According to Thaz, Razor Hill can't send for a Windrider until the next week. They are all out of the town on business, though Jhash and Kerr said they would lend us their wolf mounts. That should get us Orgrimmar within a day or two they said."
"Good. We can stop at Razor Hill along the way. I have a few.. items, I need to pick up from there." Dawnis nodded at Kyechii and walked up to Thazzril as he handed them the supply crate. Thazzril nodded to Dawnis and turned to Kyechii,
"Be safe."
"I will." she replied back, and the two blood elves were off.
Kyechii winced in pain as the wolves cantered beside one and other at a decent pace towards Razor Hill. Shortly up the road, Dawnis spotted a wandering peon idling up ahead. Pointing him out to her, Kyechii slowed down to a stop before him.
"Ukor need help. You strong.. Me just a peon. Me need to deliver food bag to the inn, in Razor Hill. Me scared of all the scorpids wandering near the road. Can you help me?"
Kyechii smiled at Ukor and took the bag off his hands. "Sure.. we were heading that way anyways."
The peon bowed to them in gratitude and Kye and Dawnis took off north again. Every few minutes Kyechii would wince in pain, but the salve had almost fully kicked in and the pain was dulling out. Nothing could be seen but desert for miles. The random scopids and boars that roamed the dusty ground occasionally took notice of the two travelers, as they went along their journey. Eventually the sun was starting to set, and Kyechii needed a rest.
"How you holding out, kiddo?" Dawnis asked as they slowly began to slow down. Kyechii cocked her head to the side squinting a little, shaking her hand in a "so-so" manner.
"I'm holding. That's what counts. The pain is minimal now.. I'm not sure if that's the ointment, or just healing kicking in... but what ever.. Not complaining."
"Good to hear. We are almost at Razor Hill. I think we should crash for the night there. Come morning there will be many jobs available to you, but we can get to them as soon as we deliver this hunk of junk to Thrall." Dawnis chuckled a little, and grinned at Kye. She returned his grin.
"I can't wait."
They continued on shortly, until Razor Hill could be seen just up ahead. The two of them slowed down to a brief walking pace as they approached the town, and Kyechii gazed at the small little village with a smile. It was quiet and dim, with torches lighting the ground where the light of the setting sun slowly diminished to nightfall. Occasional clank of metal upon steel from the blacksmith working away, echoed around.. along with the quiet chatter of orcs carrying home their dinner, talking casually with each other.
Dawnis approached the side of the inn, dismounting the wolf. Tying him to the harness beside the water trough he then carefully helped Kyechii off her wolf and proceeded to do the same, tossing them both a slab of meat to nibble on for the evening. Kyechii thanked Dawnis, and turned to the two furry travel companions scratching behind their ears with a smile.
"Thank you my friends, for the making the ride as easy as possible... Be sure to give a little extra love to Kerr and Jhash for me.. we couldn't have made it here without you." With a whine, the wolves proceeded to lick her and nuzzled into the side of her neck affectionately. Dawnis watched silently beside her with a smile.
"Come on then, kiddo. We should get an early night. Tomorrow is a big day, and the more you rest, the better you will be for the trip.
Kyechii turned to him with a nod of agreement. She carefully grabbed the bag that Ukor requested to have sent here, and followed the mage into the inn ahead.
Firelight and candles gave the inn a warm welcoming feeling, as Kyechii approached the Razor Hill inn keeper, Grosk. He smiled at her, and her red haired companion, noticing the bag held in her right hand.
"Welcome to Razor Hill, travelers.. Isn't that the bag I sent Ukor to the Valley with? What's it doing back here?" He asked curiously. Kyechii looked at the bag, and then back at Grosk, handing it to him.
"Ukor said that he needed to return it here. We had an abundant enough amount of food that Thaz told him we didn't need it. Ukor was too scared to return here though, and asked that we bring it back for him."
Grosk opened the bag which contained a somewhat stale hunk of bread and a skin flask with some fresh water in it. He handed the bread to Kyechii and the flask of water to Dawnis.
"Well, I have no use for it here.. Since you two came all this way, better not let it go to waist. I am sure you guys can make use of it." He smiled warmly at them, "Enjoy your stay in Razor Hill. If you need anything, let me know."
Dawnis smiled back at the orc, thanking him for his kindness. Then he turned to Kyechii. "So, where did I last leave off in my story?" Kyechii grinned widely and sat down by the hearth, getting ready to hear another one of Dawnis's tales of his journey through outland.
"I think you were at the part where you faced off against a giant bird man. He wanted your shiny trinket you carried on your waist."
"Ah yes.. The Sethekk Halls.. Well as I had told you, not all bird-men were evil, but this one, who went by the name of Syth- we wasn't very nice. He kidnapped his brothers daughter, Lakka.. and I was sent to rescue her from him and his assistant Ikiss. I went into the dark dungeon and there were birds everywhere. The place gave off an erie feel. Eventually, I came upon a room, were Ikiss was standing on a pedestal, and Lakka was locked in a cage."
As he continued the story, Kyechii was hanging on to his every word. One day she too would be a hero like him, she hoped. She loved the tales he would tell her before bed, and often wondered what she would do, if ever she found her self in a situation like that.
Dawnis finished the story, and Kyechii looked at him with an admiring smile. "You know Dawnis... I wonder just exactly where you come up with these tales."
"They are all true! I swear it." He said to her with a chuckle. She smiled back, and stretched a little, wincing as she accidentally pulled on the bandages- reminding her she needed to change them and bathe. Kyechii looked over at Grosk, and asked him, "Do you think I could get some hot water for a bath?"
Grosk nodded to Kyechii, "Sure thing. Follow me out to the side of the inn. We have a few scrub-tubs and I can gather some water for you."
Kyechii thanked him, and turned back to Dawnis who was walking towards the door. "Don't worry, I will head to bed after my bath. I need to change my bandages anyways. Where are you going?"
"I told you, I had some things here I needed to pick up. You enjoy your bath, I will be back in an hour or so." Kyechii nodded at him, and with a wave he was out the door.
-TBC