As It Burns: Chapter 4: Kayzerie Hydroswivel, Azra and Molniia.

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Hey everyone! Here's the next perspective chapter of As It Burns! This time We're taking a bit of a neutral perspective with an edge of Alliance undertones, but also, there won't be any direct intervening around the tree, as you will see in this chapter, is somewhat of an impossibility for Kayzerie and Azra. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this chapter as the rest!

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The sun was shining delicately through the window of the modest home Molniia's brother and his life-mate, Kayzerie dwelled in. Molniia sat at their table, legs crossed and cup of warm tea in her hands, watching the clouds roll lazily by in the pink painted sky from the rising sun. This week had been rather trying, but Molniia was glad the hardest part was over. Now, they were just enjoying the blissful joy of a newborn. Molniia's chest warmed with joy merely at the thought. Little Morska was already a joy to be around, her light sea-green skin soft and dark thatch of hair wild and spread generously around the nubs that denoted her Draenei heritage. Molniia had held her frequently, caring for her often while Kayzerie recovered from the birth. Morska was larger than a traditional goblin infant, by nearly four pounds, and though Kayzerie had done relatively well, she was tired, and often spent time either feeding Morska, or sleeping against her husband's chest.

Azra had taken to being a father well, and embodied the "daddy" aspect wholly, fawning over his daughter in a way that warmed her heart greatly. She was glad to see her brother taking to the little child so well, considering how nervous he'd been before her actual birth. But, now with Kayzerie doing just fine, she supposed he no longer had anything to worry about, save perhaps the almost imminent issue of the Sword of Sargeras piercing through Azeroth's core in Silithus. Molniia frowned.

She'd received a missive from the human King, Anduin Wrynn, in addition to a summons to congregate in Silithus to assist the Alliance in chasing the Horde from the area, essentially. She'd declined to respond, to which she had been chagrined to realize could result in a tribunal should they find her guilty of disregarding a call to the Alliance, but frankly, she was needed here, with Kayzerie and Azra and now little Morska. It put her stomach uneasy to think of what they Alliance really wanted to do in Silithus to remove the Horde and she neglected to mention it to either of the new parents, even going as far as to keep Azra's missive in her bag, unopened. They deserved happiness in their new life, not to mention Azra had decidedly declared himself neutral a few years ago, and thusly wouldn't have responded to the summons anyway. He and Kayzerie both remained out of any and all faction conflict, instead spending most of the Legion assault over the past few years assisting the Shaman Farseers in the Maelstrom make decisions and gather supplies. Kayzerie had been alone and without family since she was very young, and had known Molniia and Azra many years. They were her family now, in more ways than one.

She sighed. She pulled out another, more worn piece of parchment from her bag, eyes scanning the rigid scrawling across the paper with troubled eyes.

They're killing goblins here to keep them from mining the Azerite. I know how you feel about this kind of thing, so I wanted to give you the heads up now before you made your way here. If I were you, I wouldn't mention it to Azra or Kayzerie. They'd understand why you kept it from them if they could see what this is doing to the Alliance and the Horde.

All my love.

Navene

For this reason alone Molniia had hesitated as long as she had to find her way to Silithus and answer the call to arms. Her hand deftly touched the hilt of the Doomhammer. The weapon had lost the luster of Power over time, and now, though still a delicate artifact, no longer responded to her the way it had these past few years. She missed the thrum of energy she felt in it, but knew it had been necessary to draw the power from the sword. She'd asked a mage to port her to Silithus and back, conferring with Magni and the other champions, ones she'd fought against the Legion with, drawing the destructive power from the blade, and leaving quickly back to Ratchet, intent on insuring her sister in Law's pregnancy went as uneventful as possible.

A flutter of frantic wings pulled her from her thoughts at the same time that the door to Azra's bedroom opened. Azra's eyes blearily trained themselves on the window where a well-groomed Hawk bearing two scrolls sat, its beady eyes peering in expectantly. Molniia felt her stomach drop as her brother walked to the window and cracked it open, holding out an arm and allowing the bird to perch upon it. He swiftly removed the two scrolls, passing a coin into its pouch and the bird took off through the window again. Azra turned the two scrolls over, a frown passing over his features as he passed one to his sister, and ripped the second open.

Molniia tore at the seal and felt her stomach drop again as her suspicions were confirmed. The was a letter sent directly from the King.

Teldrassil had been lost. The Warchief had set it to burn.

"What is the meaning of this?" Azra asked beneath his breath, his eyes wide. Molniia wasn't sure he was even speaking to her. She assumed the letter was more or less the same as hers. Inscriptionists in Stormwind would have ensured copies of the King's missive went to all soldiers and able-bodied citizens of the Alliance, in addition, perhaps, to even the common and untrained.

"Azra-"

"Why would they burn a World Tree, 'Niia?" Azra asked, the distress in his voice clear. "What has been going on?" Molniia bit her lip, suddenly unsure. Had hiding this from him truly been for the best?

"Azra… do you remember when I left for Silithus, almost three months ago?" He nodded, a hard expression across his face. "While I was there I saw… the lifeblood of Azeroth." Azra took a seat, seeming like at any moment he may lose balance. "They're fighting over it, Azra. That's what's been going on."

"They're going to start a war… over something that is killing our world?" Azra stated simply. Molniia nodded, troubled. "No wonder the elements have been… difficult, to commune with."

"You've noticed too?" Molniia asked. Azra nodded absently.

"Kayzerie too, though she's been mostly… preoccupied. We meant to discuss it sometime in the near future but… this now really and truly takes precedence over anything else."

"Not necessarily for you, brother." Molniia reminded him, setting her hand on his. "You are regarded as a neutral party. You can decline to answer the call." Azra's frown deepened and he looked to his sister.

"But you cannot." He pointed out. "You are sworn to the Alliance." Molniia sighed, removing her hand and taking a deep breath.

"You're right of course. I must answer the summons." Molniia replied. "But you don't have to and… perhaps… perhaps you shouldn't get involved at all."

"What do you mean?" He asked, his tone betrayed. Molniia slid Navene's letter to her brother, watching him carefully. His eyes scanned the paper slowly, and his look of solemnity was replaced with one she rarely saw on her brother's face; Anger.

"This is all retaliation." He said. "We kill, they kill. He takes, she takes. There will be nothing left of Azeroth to fight for when all we do is kill one another." Molniia shivered at the unveiled disgust in her brother's tone.

"When will it finally be too much?" He asked, his voice smaller, calmer. Molniia met his eyes and found that she had no answer.

"When there is nothing left." She said, voicing her fears. Azra stood up, tossing his summons into the low burning embers in the fireplace.

"You are right; I will not be joining this fight." Azra told her, his hands at his temples, rubbing circles into them. "I will not involve myself in any more bloodshed, and I doubt Kayzerie would want any part of it even if we didn't have Morska." He turned to his sister.

"Are you going to join Navene, then?" Molniia recoiled at the implied discontent. Azra had been there for Molniia when Navene had left her to assist the Army of the Light so many years ago. He hadn't quite forgiven the Draenei for the times he'd found his sister crying in his name, and made his distaste for it well known to the man.

"I have to answer the king's call, you know this, Azra." Molniia said. "But I will try to remain as neutral as I can. Not that… the Horde has made it easy."

"The Horde doesn't do easy." Came a slightly hoarse voice. Azra and Molniia both turned to see Kayzerie in the doorway, Morska latched to her chest, her violet eyes looking at the two Draenei carefully. "They struggle to maintain resources, land, trade. So of course they're going to fuel a war. It's their way. It's how they survive."

"Have they tried to contact you, Kay?" Molniia asked the goblin. Kayzerie shook her head, shrugging.

"I was never inducted into the Horde to begin with, and I don't affiliate with any of the cartels. I'm about as neutral as they come." She replied, hopping into Azra's arms. "As far as they're concerned, I don't even really exist. Though, I'm sure I have a few distant cousins in Silithus or something trying to help out the Bilgewater Cartel."

"So… you know about the Azerite?" Molniia asked in surprise. Kayzerie shrugged nonchalantly.

"I have correspondence with one of the other goblin shaman's I met in the Maelstrom during the Legion invasion." She explained. "She and her sister lost two of their brother's to the Alliance. They mentioned they were going to Silithus to assist the Horde in the War effort. I didn't know it would result in a World Tree burning." She seemed troubled for a moment, her fingers brushing some of the hair from Morska's forehead. "I can only imagine how people on both sides are feeling. But… I don't want to get involved." She looked up into Azra's eyes. "And I don't want you to get involved either."

"Worry not, love, I'm going nowhere." Azra affirmed, embracing her and his daughter lightly.

Molniia watched them for a few moments before sighing, standing carefully.

"I have to go." She said, tying her bag shut and hefting it over her shoulders. "I will be back as soon as I can."

"Just… be careful, Molniia." Kayzerie said. "Alliance or Horde… sometimes there's something… deeper and darker than just right or wrong." Molniia nodded, kneeling over and kissing little Morska on her cheek. She hugged her brother and sister-in-law.

"I will return." She replied. "Until then… be safe, and be well." She rubbed the hearthstone around it's rune and felt the thrumming of magic come to life. As her body transported to its new destination she caught the looks of worry on her families faces.

Stormwind warped into view quickly and she straightened her back, moving quickly out of the Inn and out into the streets. Many soldiers and citizens alike were bustling about the city, many carrying survival packs and newly forged weapons on their waists. She followed the exodus towards Stormwind Keep, the letter the King had send clutched tightly in her hand.

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And that's it for this one! I hope you are all enjoying the perspectives of the Burning of Teldrassil. Not sure who I'll do next, guess you'll just have to wait and see! :D