Within minutes of the order being given, the entire company set off in the direction of the refugees. Lord Ravencrest commanded that they ride without rest until they intercepted the demons. Though it would force them to go into battle during the daylight hours, none in the formation had complaints about that if it meant they could save lives. Rarely did they arrive in time to do so.
According to the scouts, the refugees were fleeing towards Halumar, a small settlement a few miles outside of Zin-Azshari. Cytheas had mentioned that Lord Ravencrest was pleased that they could ride to the aid of the refugees without veering off-course too much.
Eliana wondered if that was the only reason he'd agreed to rescue them at all.
It wasn't that she believed the commander was a heartless, cruel man, but he had always made it clear that his priorities applied to his force as well. If the refugees were too far off their intended path, she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd chalked them up to be collateral damage.
They approached Halumar with all of them riding at the forefront of the group. Tyrande and Eliana led their small squad of priestesses that Tyrande had been put in charge of, while the High Priestess rode beside Lord Ravencrest. Where the commander was, Cytheas and Illidan could usually be found as well. In this case, for whatever reason, the commander had instructed them to flank him, putting Cytheas closer to the females, and Illidan closer to the High Priestess. When they were a few miles outside of the settlement, Cytheas faced them and signaled for Tyrande and Eliana's attention. When they met his gaze across the way, he formed a quick hand signal that indicated it was time for their discussed plan of action.
Tyrande nodded in acknowledgement, and over her shoulder, commanded, "Spread out, sisters! We are to provide as much support to whomever needs it as possible!"
The Priestesses of Elune drifted apart, dispersing themselves periodically throughout the soldiers. On the other side of Lord Ravencrest, High Priestess Dehjana instructed the other half of their sisters to do the same. After the priestesses were woven into formation with the soldiers, Illidan and his Moon Guard stretched out along the forefront of the battalion, offering offensive strength to the front lines. Malfurion, as well as the outsiders, rode in a small group close to Lord Ravencrest, flanked on all sides by Jarod's small force of soldiers from Suramar Hold.
No more than a few seconds after they'd all settled into their new formation, they rode up and over the hill towards the settlement. Down below, the small group of refugees could be seen sprinting towards Halumar with the demons on their heels.
The second the company reached the base of the hill, Lord Ravencrest waved his sword in the air and the battle horns were sounded. As they rode closer to the settlement, the verdant grass beneath their feet gave way to dead, decaying underbrush. The lush trees that had surrounded them slowly faded away, leaving burnt and broken shells of their former beauty. The Burning Legion had left nothing alive in their wake.
When Lord Ravencrest sounded his personal horn—two short, high-pitched notes—the Priestesses of Elune drew their bows and launched a volley of arrows at the demons. Distracted, the Eredar was not prepared for when the Moon Guard stepped forth and threw bolts of lightning their way. Illidan took the opportunity to unleash a devastating golden bolt into the center of their ranks. Chunks of flesh and ichorous blood rained down on the demons' comrades, and Illidan's only reaction was to laugh—laughter that was infused with a crazed amount of adrenaline and pride.
It was this display of pure power and reckless abandonment that led Eliana to finally understand why Lord Krasus and Lord Rhonin had been so concerned about the young sorcerer. Illidan was filled with potential and an amount of magical strength that few could ever hope to achieve. Left unchecked, he would succumb to the temptation that gaining more power offered.
When the Night Elven force collided with the front lines of the Eredar, she was pulled out of her reverie. The fighting was intense, but surprisingly short-lived. It seemed that with little effort, thanks to the Moon Guard and Lord Krasus' distractions, they decimated the Burning Legion's ranks. Each subsequent death gave the soldiers cause for hope, and when the High Priestess herself took down one of the horned demons, the priestesses raised their weapons into the air with a victorious shout.
During the next lull in the battle, the ground beneath their feet rumbled. A few seconds later, tree roots burst out of the dirt. Looping back down to create hurdles of nature, the roots tripped the Eredar, causing chaos in their ranks. Lord Ravencrest sounded his horn once more, and the priestesses took the opportunity to nock new arrows, loosing them into the rear of the Burning Legion's forces.
Feeling triumphant, Eliana glanced upwards to thank Elune for her grace and protection, when she noticed that the cloud cover had transformed into something far darker, and more menacing. The previously fluffy, white underside of the clouds was now thick, pregnant with something that felt far more unnatural than rain. Her gaze dropped back down to the battlefield, and it was then that she noticed Lord Krasus race past. It looked like he was heading in the direction of Lord Ravencrest's banner.
What in Elune's name is going on? she thought to herself, before racing after him.
When she caught up with him a few feet later, she saw that he'd switched directions. Instead of Lord Ravencrest, he was standing just in front of Malfurion. Before she could approach them, the two males shared a grim nod and Malfurion spurred his mount before racing out of her sight.
Krasus moved to sprint away again, but she pushed Kal'Shalla forward and intercepted him. "Lord Krasus!" she called out.
He halted in place and waited for her to approach. As she rode closer, she noted that his pauldrons were splattered with blood, and the circles under his eyes seemed more prominent than ever before. "Priestess Eliana. I am glad to see you are alive."
"Likewise," she replied with a respectful bow of her head. "What is going on?"
His eyebrows cinched together. "Caught that, did you? Good, I'm glad someone around here is observant. Look above us—quickly, child!"
Frantically, Eliana glanced upwards at the darkened clouds. "What am I looking for?"
"'Tis an illusion. Malfurion has gone to try and warn the soldiers. Be on your guard. They will likely attack us from above."
"From above?"
Without further warning, the illusion that Krasus had spoken of dissipated. From the cover of the clouds, winged demons rained down on them, their hands alight with the eerie green flow of fel energy.
With a frightened gasp, Eliana's hold on her daggers tightened. As the new wave flew closer, the demons sprayed an unknown liquid down upon the Night Elves. A few drops fell on Eliana's armor as she raised her arm to block her face. Krasus darted towards her, muttering a quick spell as he wrapped his fingers around her wrist. The liquid quickly evaporated, and she glanced up at the elder mage, confused.
When the soldiers beside her cried out in surprise and pain as the drops melted through their armor, she sucked in a sharp breath. "Thank you, Lord Krasus."
"Think nothing of it, priestess. Go!" he shouted, before hopping onto his mount once more and taking off for the heat of battle.
Eliana didn't have a chance to question his next destination, for another loud boom sounded from the sky above. When she glanced upwards, massive creatures comprised of rock and fel energy dropped out of the clouds. They landed on the field with a resounding thud, shaking the ground beneath her feet so greatly that she nearly lost her balance. Their glowing green eyes, set in skull-like faces, stared down at the Night Elves with a frightening level of apathy, like they were nothing more than bugs to be crushed.
One of them turned and met her gaze, and without warning, barrelled through their ranks. Eliana let out a terrified cry and dove out of the way. Unfortunately, unlike her, not everyone could reach safety in time, and many of the soldiers were trampled. Cries of agony rose up into the air, and she clutched at her chest, feeling a mixture of her peers' pain as well as her own panicked, racing heart.
A strong hand gripped her upper arm and helped pull her to her feet. When she turned to thank them, she realized that it had been Cytheas. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a horn blaring from the north.
Within seconds of the warning, another wave of demons rushed over the hill to the north and descended upon the Night Elven forces. Cytheas swore under his breath and hooked his hand underneath Eliana's elbow, dragging her along with him towards their mounts. Without a word, he hoisted her up and into her saddle.
When he moved away, Eliana cried out, "Cytheas, wait!"
"There's no time to wait, Eliana! You need to return to Tyrande and regroup!"
"Where will you go?"
With a grim expression, he nodded towards the front lines, where the demons had appeared. Her heart sank into her stomach, and her abdomen tightened in despair. "No, Cytheas, you can't! You—"
"I have to, Eli. Be safe," he said hurriedly, before hopping into his saddle and racing off towards the new center of battle.
A shaky breath escaped her as she watched him ride away. Her eyes slid shut for the briefest moment as she prayed to Elune to keep him safe, and alive. She couldn't lose him, too.
When she opened them again, Lord Krasus moved into sight in front of her once more. He was in the midst of a heated discussion with Rhonin, the flame-haired sorcerer. A few minutes later, after frantic gestures on Lord Krasus' part, Rhonin nodded and rode off. Eliana glanced around her, searching for Tyrande. Before she could find her fellow priestess, another horn blared from the south. When she looked toward the new warning, she saw another wave of demons riding in from the opposite direction. Her heart sank. What had seemed like an easy battle had become far worse, and she realized they'd walked right into the demons' trap.
It seemed as if Lord Ravencrest had realized it, too. Before she could join either battle, the horns that indicated the call for retreat sounded. Her grip on Kal'Shalla's reins tightened, and she frantically looked around her for a familiar face. She'd since lost sight of both Illidan and Malfurion, and Cytheas was nowhere to be seen. It had been quite some time since she'd seen Tyrande, as well. Panic seized her.
Though she wanted to search for them, it was then that the entire Night Elven force shifted and started moving back towards Suramar, rather than Zin-Azshari. All she could do was move along with the herd, lest be she trampled, and hope her loved ones were still alive. With a click of her tongue, Kal'Shalla about-faced and they raced back for the city.
Several hours later, when Suramar's ramparts came into view, the weight of the collective grief radiating from the company was more than Eliana could handle. With heaving breaths, she followed the rest of the soldiers through the city gates. Not long after she entered, Lord Ravencrest barreled through the gates on his panther, expression fierce and frenzied. Quickly, he barked orders at his officers who raced off into the city to gather the civilians. Eliana saw Jarod head towards the living quarters, and, thank Elune, Cytheas went in the opposite direction. Illidan pulled up beside the commander, and the sight of him, alive and well, had her eyes flooding with grateful tears.
She breathed another sigh when Tyrande, with Malfurion astride her mount, and High Priestess Dehjana, entered the city not long after. Malfurion was slumped over in the saddle, seemingly drained of energy, and Tyrande had her arms looped around his waist. If it weren't for her support, he likely would've keeled over onto the cobblestones.
Eliana made her way over to them, and when she stood before the High Priestess, she placed her hand over her heart and bowed deeply in her saddle. "High Priestess, I am so relieved to see that you are well."
"I thank you for your brave efforts, Priestess Starhelm. Please, stay with Tyrande while I gather our forces. I expect we will leave soon," Dehjana instructed, before hurrying off in Lord Ravencrest's direction.
"Leave? What does she mean?" Eliana questioned Tyrande.
Maudlin, Tyrande shook her head. "The demons still pursue us. We are only here to try and get as many civilians out of the city as possible."
"But . . . where will we go?"
"I suspect Lord Ravencrest plans on leading us back to Black Rook Hold. The Hold is much better equipped for defensive measures than the city is."
"Suramar is hardly large enough to hold the commander's entire force, let alone the civilians as well! There is no way we will all fit in the Hold!"
Tyrande shook her head again, ready to reply, but she was interrupted by the sound of paws padding against the stones. When they both turned towards the sound, Cytheas rode up to them with his hair flying in the breeze; sometime during the last battle, the leather strap that bound his ponytail had come loose.
"What are you two still doing here?" Though he sounded angry, with his brows drawn low over his eyes, Eliana had known him long enough that she knew he was more concerned for their safety than truly angry.
"Waiting for orders," Eliana explained defensively. "High Priestess Dehjana rode off to gather the rest of our priestesses, and last we saw, the commander had sent you and Jarod off to find civilians."
"Yes, and we're back now. I suspect that—"
This time, their conversation was interrupted by the sharp blaring of the horn once more. Cytheas tilted his head in concession and finished his earlier sentence with, "That the horn to move out will be sounding shortly. Come on!"
Both of the priestesses hurried after him towards the front of the company where, conveniently, the High Priestess stood waiting beside Lord Ravencrest. When she saw Tyrande with Eliana at her side, she nodded at them before facing forward again.
Once Cytheas slid into place beside Lord Ravencrest, the commander raised his sword into the air and shouted, "We ride for Black Rook Hold!"
The sound of so many people moving at once, both on foot and mounted on sabers, filled the air. Even as a low-ranking, relatively inexperienced priestess, Eliana knew that they were moving far too slowly towards the Hold. At a normal pace, the Hold was at least a day's ride. With all of the civilians now with the army, it would take days to reach the safety of the Hold. Days that they did not have.
As they moved towards the mountains, the demons continued to assault the rear of the company. A few hours later, a wave of death wash over her and she glanced behind them, back towards Suramar. Beside her, she heard Tyrande cry out in grief as well. Though she'd expected to feel death and sorrow as their people perished behind them, she hadn't been expecting to witness the destruction of their beloved city.
The trees that held their unique, beautiful homes toppled over, crashing onto the ground with earth-shaking thuds. The tall, strong walls that had previously protected them so well, crumbled and collapsed under the demons' relentless attacks. Tears welled in Eliana's eyes at the sight, and she faced forward again, feeling her prior hope dwindle.
If Zin-Azshari and Suramar could not withstand their onslaught, what hope did they as a people have of surviving this?
As they made their way through the cover of the forest, the sun sank below the mountains, throwing them all into the familiar cover of darkness. Eliana had not slept since their last day in camp, and though she'd never been able to sleep during the night hours before, if she'd had the opportunity, she had little doubt that it could happen now.
Night turned into day, and day turned into another night, and still they rode on and on. They would have reached the Hold by now, but as they rode, the number of refugees within their ranks continued to grow. The next day, as they kept making their way through the forest, Eliana saw Black Rook Hold's ramparts rising over the cover of the trees. When they passed by the Hold instead of stopping, Eliana looked over at Tyrande with a silent question in her eyes.
Her friend met her gaze, eyes droopy and swollen from lack of sleep. "There is no way we can house all of the refugees and soldiers in the Hold. Our numbers are too great, by this point. I have no idea where we are riding to."
"We can't continue on like this forever," Eliana muttered.
"No, we cannot," Tyrande agreed under her breath, stroking the soft green strands of Malfurion's hair. He still had not awoken and lay slumped over across Tyrande's saddle.
On the third night, Eliana glanced up through the treeline and realized that Mount Hyjal was just ahead of them. Confusion flooded her, and she stared up at the colossal summit with narrowed, exhausted eyes. Mount Hyjal was miles away from Suramar. Had they really ridden so far?
To her surprise, Lord Ravencrest's horn signaled for the force to halt. A sigh of relief left her, and beside her, Tyrande echoed her sentiment. With the slightest pull on their mounts' reins, they moved over and under the cover of the trees before dismounting. Both sabercats lowered themselves onto their bellies, exhausted and drained from the relentless pace Lord Ravencrest had demanded.
Gently, Eliana and Tyrande lowered Malfurion's still form to the ground and propped him up against the side of Tyrande's mount. He remained unconscious, but he was still breathing, and so there was still hope. Eliana suspected that whatever he'd encountered during their last battle had sapped him of all his energy, and his body was fighting as hard as it could to recuperate.
As they were getting settled, the High Priestess rode up to them on her own regal mount—a sleek Frostsaber that could rival Lord Ravencrest's black panther in quality. In a hurried tone, she instructed, "Tyrande, Eliana, I want you two to move through the company and heal everyone you can. The civilians are intermingled with the soldiers, and I'm afraid there's no way to keep track of everyone just yet. Do what you can in the name of Elune."
"Yes, High Priestess," they both agreed. With a curt nod, High Priestess Dehjana took off into the throng.
"Eliana," Tyrande began, prompting Eliana to look back at her friend. "I have a favor to ask of you, and I know that it is much to request . . ."
"What is it, Tyrande?"
"I . . . I am nervous and hesitant to leave Malfurion unsupervised. If his condition changes and we are not here . . ."
Eliana nodded in understanding. "You wish to stay with him."
Tyrande mirrored her gesture. "I know that it is unfair of me to ask you to treat everyone, but—"
Eliana held up her hand to interrupt her friend. "I understand, Tyrande. I would ask the same. It is no favor at all," she reassured Tyrande as she rose to her feet.
"The moment you feel tired or weak, come back, and I will take over."
"All right," she agreed, before touching Tyrande on the shoulder ever-so-briefly. With one last shared nod, she moved away and into the crowd.
It was only a few bodies later that she had to make her first prayer of the day. A young elf had sprained her ankle during the escape, and as such, could not keep up pace with the rest of the company without feeling excruciating pain. If left alone, her condition would get much worse. A quick prayer to Elune had the swollen joint back to normal, but Eliana suggested that the female keep her leg elevated until they moved on once more.
Many of the wounds she treated were superficial, like the first, but there were still far too many soldiers and civilians who needed more medical attention than she could give. Feeling helpless, and wishing she'd specialized in dedicated healing rather than the art of defensive measures, Eliana could do no more for them than to mark them with a small glowing orb, floating above their heads, for the healers. Though they were all grateful for her prayers and comfort, she couldn't help but feel that, once again, she was useless.
Just under an hour later, she spotted Cytheas' familiar mane farther up ahead in the company. With a quick apology and a promise that she'd return momentarily to the civilian she'd been treating, she rushed over to him. "Cytheas! Cyth, you're alive!"
The moment he faced her, he broke out into a wide smile. "Eliana! Oh, thank Elune!"
She threw her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist. For a moment, it was as if the horrors of battle, and all of her previous stress, dissipated. Cytheas was safe. That was one less loved one to worry about.
"I'm so happy to see you alive," she murmured into his chest.
"I was just about to say the same." He pulled back and swept her hair away from her face, checking her over for injuries. When he was satisfied at her condition, he straightened and peered down at her in consternation. "What are you doing all the way up here?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're nearly at the front lines, Eli. I'm only this far back because I needed to see a healer before going back out there."
"A healer?" A spike of panic lanced through Eliana's chest. What had happened since they'd last seen each other?
Quickly, Cytheas shook his head. "It was a minor injury, but it was bleeding profusely. I couldn't fight with my blood dripping all over my hands."
Eliana cringed at the brutal image that popped into her mind at that description. Cytheas patted her shoulder before adding, "It sounds worse than it was, I promise. Seriously, though. What are you doing all the way back here?"
"The High Priestess instructed us to heal as many of our people as we were able to. I just . . . I simply kept going. I hadn't realized I'd come this far."
"It's not safe back here, Eliana. You need to return to your position."
"Nowhere is safe any longer, Cyth! Our home is lost, our capital is razed to the ground and is now a—a twisted version of the city we used to love that the demons are using for their own horrible purposes!" As she spoke, her energy seemed to continually drain out of her. She swayed on her feet, and Cytheas caught her before she fell.
"Right, like I said. Return to where you were. You need to rest as well."
"I can rest later," she tried to protest, though her voice was feeble.
"There might not be a 'later'. Please, go back," he pleaded.
She sighed before meeting his gaze. When he nodded in encouragement, she returned the gesture. "Fine. I just . . . have you seen Illidan?"
For the briefest of moments, Cytheas' expression shuttered, before the corner of his lips quirked upwards. "Illidan is up on the front lines with the Moon Guard. He's working with them to keep the demons at bay. I wouldn't recommend that you go looking for him just yet."
She knew she hadn't imagined the change in his countenance. In an attempt to assuage him, she said, "Cytheas, I simply wanted to make sure that he was all right."
"He's fine. I saw him before I came back here. In fact, I'd say he's better than fine," he reassured her with a scoff.
"This is no time for jests, Cytheas," she reprimanded him.
"I wasn't jesting. Truly, he's magnificent on the battlefield." Though his words dripped with sarcasm, Eliana noted the slightest hint of envy and lightheartedness that she was familiar with.
The smallest bit of relief swept over her, and she sighed again. "I'm glad that he's all right, if what you say is true. If you see him sometime soon, let him know that Malfurion isn't feeling well."
Cytheas drew his brows together. "What happened?"
"I think something occurred during the last battle. He's been unconscious since."
Something over her shoulder caught Cytheas' attention, and when he looked behind her, he touched her elbow before jerking his head in the opposite direction. Eliana turned, and when she saw Tyrande and Malfurion heading their way, she sucked in a surprised breath.
She ran over to meet them, and when she stood before them, she said, "Malfurion, I am happy to see that you are awake!"
He smiled at her, though he still looked exhausted, and briefly touched her arm. "Thank you for your concern, Eliana."
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," he replied in dismissal as he glanced around them. "Have you seen my brother?"
"I haven't. Cytheas said he was—" She was interrupted by Cytheas himself walking up to join them.
"He was on the front lines when I last saw him a few moments ago."
Malfurion nodded, his countenance grim. "How are we holding up?"
Cytheas hesitated, glancing over at Eliana before looking back at Malfurion. "Our troops cannot continue fighting forever. We've started cycling through in waves, switching out our troops at regular intervals but . . . eventually, we will all need rest."
The druid nodded, and it was then that Illidan's charismatic voice carried out over the crowd. "Brother!"
Out of the row of soldiers ahead of them, Illidan emerged, looking surprisingly unscathed. At the sight of him still whole and well, the burden on Eliana's shoulders lifted. They were all safe. Illidan approached them and clapped Malfurion on the shoulder, completely ignoring his brother's grimace of pain. He had a manic grin on his face, and Eliana suspected the adrenaline high from such intense battles in quick succession still had not left him.
When Illidan reached them, he scanned Malfurion from head to toe with a surprisingly jovial expression on his face. "What happened to you? I had heard reports that someone had seen you struck down."
"I—It's difficult to explain. But I'm fine now. Tyrande—" Malfurion cut himself off with a guarded look at the other priestess, before clearing his throat.
Tyrande shifted in place. "I managed to rescue Malfurion from the battlefield. I remained with him while he was resting, to ensure that he healed well."
"Did you?" Illidan questioned, his voice lowering to an uncomfortable volume.
The pair did not respond, and Illidan shifted his attention to Eliana and Cytheas. "I see you two have found each other as well."
Somehow, his words sounded like an accusation, and Eliana bristled. She'd explicitly stated to Illidan how she felt about him, and where things between she and Cytheas lay. It was petty of him, and immature, to point out something like that when he was obviously upset about Tyrande and his twin. Especially in such a place as this.
She opened her mouth to retort, but Illidan turned away and looked at Malfurion once more. "Krasus was looking for you, brother."
"Krasus? Whatever for?"
Illidan shrugged, his expression dark. "I've no idea, he didn't tell me."
"Where is Lord Krasus?" Tyrande asked.
"Exactly where I just came from," Illidan replied, pointing over his shoulder at the front lines. Green lightning streaked through the sky behind him as he finished with, "The front lines."
Malfurion nodded. "Then let us go find him."
The males nodded, but when they moved to head forward, Tyrande and Eliana remained behind. "Unfortunately, we cannot go with you," Tyrande explained with a frown. "The High Priestess has ordered us to fall back to support and heal."
"Then that is what you need to do," Malfurion reassured her in a gentle tone. "Be careful, Tyrande."
"Shouldn't that be my line?" she asked, her expression soft.
Malfurion smiled before turning and heading north. Cytheas nodded at Eliana, which she returned, but when she glanced over at Illidan, he simply stood there, staring at her. Her previous smile morphed into a stern frown.
Tyrande stepped forward and touched Illidan's upper arm. "I am glad you are safe as well, Illidan."
With cold eyes, he shifted his amber gaze from Eliana to Tyrande. "Are you? Hm," he grunted. A few seconds passed before he added, "You should remain safe, too, Tyra—for me."
She offered a hesitant smile before turning away and meeting Eliana's gaze as she brushed past. A warning lay within her eyes, and Eliana nodded imperceptibly before looking up at Illidan again. He didn't say anything, much to her irritation—just stood there with crossed arms and narrowed eyes.
Though she was equally as cross with him, due to his words earlier, she tilted her chin up at him and said, "I'm glad you are unharmed, Illidan." Despite how angry she may have been, that much was still true.
He quirked his eyebrow at her, as if he didn't believe her, and she rolled her eyes in response. With an exasperated exhale, she demanded, "What is it? I can tell that you are angry, but I don't understand why."
"The first thing you do as soon as we get a reprieve is find Cytheas. The first thing Tyrande does is rescue Malfurion. I can't help but think none of you care to find me."
"Tyrande aided Malfurion because he lost consciousness on the battlefield, Illidan! Your brother could have died, and you're more concerned with the fact that the woman you love helped him live?" He moved to speak, but she stopped him with a firm shake of her head. "And, for your information, I was looking for the both of you. In fact, I asked Cytheas where you were and when he told me the front lines, I had every intention of coming to find you, despite his advice that I not do that."
Briefly, he dropped his gaze to the ground before looking at her again, though he still didn't speak. Conscious of how loud they were being, Eliana lowered her voice before she spoke again. "Illidan, I worried about you every moment of our last battle. When I realized that it had been so long since I'd seen you, my first thought was to find you and make sure that you were all right. I've told you how I feel. Don't you think it's a bit unfair of you to assume that I don't care?"
He held her gaze intently for a few moments, until he walked towards her. When he stood just in front of her, he stared down at her with an unreadable expression. Finally, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. "You are right. I am sorry I jumped to conclusions."
"I forgive you, but . . . you have to remember that I am not Tyrande," she reminded him in a soft voice.
Surprised, he reeled back. A few seconds later, he offered a reluctant nod. "I know you aren't."
She mirrored the gesture before tracing the high ridge of his cheekbone with the back of her hand. "I have to go back. Promise me you'll be safe still?"
"Haven't I been thus far?" he teased.
"Illidan . . ."
"All right, all right." He cupped her shoulders with his hands. "I promise, if you promise."
"Of course I do."
With a light push, he said, "Go. I need to join my brother and Cytheas, anyway."
Though they both took a step back, neither one of them wanted to be the first one to turn away. A few seconds later, with a quiet laugh, Eliana shook her head and pivoted on her heel and walked back towards the rear of the group. Shortly after, she heard Illidan's heavy steps fade away as he too returned to his position.
Cytheas, Illidan . . . Elune, please keep them safe.
A few hours later, at the base of Mount Hyjal.
"Quickly, sisters! We must do what we can to aid the soldiers!" High Priestess Dehjana cried, directing the priestesses to the center of the offensive group.
For hours now, they'd been fighting to keep the demons at bay. Their enemies had a newfound determination that did not bode well for the Night Elves, and it was even more discouraging that they'd been pushed as far back as the base of Mount Hyjal. According to Lord Krasus, they could go no further. Here would be where they made their stand.
How the mage had such certainty that this is where they would prevail, Eliana had no idea.
Their healing powers were no longer enough, and as the soldiers on the frontlines fought to buy them time, the High Priestess had declared that they had a new objective: give the soldiers as much strength as possible. Quickly, the priestess linked hands and formed a prayer circle, not unlike the ones they often created in the Chamber of the Moon. On the High Priestess' cue, they all sang their most beloved hymn, reserved for moments of the most dire need.
Above them, the sun's potent, warm rays shone down on them. Despite the fact that daytime was not their people's strongest hour, the hymn called forth an ethereal glow from the Mother Moon that enveloped the priestesses entirely. Up ahead, the soldiers let out a rally cry, and each sister breathed a sigh of relief that their plea had worked.
Inch by inch, the demons were pushed back, and Mount Hyjal became farther away. Airborne warlocks in the demons' forces took to the sky, aiming for the Moon Guard with their own jagged bolts of lightning. Illidan, Krasus, and Rhonin's efforts doubled in order to keep their enemies at bay. On the ground, Cytheas, Malfurion, Jarod, and Lord Ravencrest himself led the troops into the fray, cutting down any demons in their path.
About an hour later, amazingly, the Burning Legion began to retreat. Though a few of the Night Elven warriors gave chase, Lord Ravencrest sounded the halt. Immediately after their soldiers returned to the front line, the commander sounded his dual signal for the priestesses to release a volley of arrows. Hurriedly, they released one another's hands and spread out, lifting their bows and chasing the demons with their own offensive tactics. Their arrows managed to take down the rear line of the enemy's forces, but the remainder of their army eventually moved beyond their range.
Again, Lord Ravencrest sounded the single horn to halt their offense, and the priestesses stepped back.
Beside Eliana, Tyrande let out a quick exhale. "Thank Elune. We managed to stop them from pushing us beyond the mountain, just as Lord Krasus said."
"And just in time, it seems," Eliana responded, glancing about the battlefield. Their soldiers were worn, injured, and exhausted. They all needed as much of a reprieve as they could get.
High Priestess Dehjana moved in front of the priestesses and pointed behind them. "Spread out and heal as many as you can, sisters!"
A chorus of agreement rang out from the priestesses, and they spread out amongst the soldiers, ready to do their duty. Though they were reluctant to do so, Eliana and Tyrande separated from each other in order to aid as many elves as they could. With a heavy look and a nod, they went in opposite directions.
As she moved farther back, away from the front lines, Eliana's heart simultaneously grew heavier and lighter. Their people had been through so, so much, and yet, many of them were still unerringly positive and hopeful in such a bleak situation. More often than not, when she rose to her feet to move on to the next individual who needed assistance, both she and the ones she helped felt a sense of calm settle over them. Elune would protect them as much as she could, Eliana was absolutely certain of that. Her certainty helped her people as well.
A little while later, when she'd made it about halfway through the gathering, she saw Tyrande walking past with a young female in tow. Every step that Tyrande took, the young one tried to match her stride, and Eliana chuckled at her friend's ability to lead and inspire even when it was not her intent. Even their hair color was similar.
Eliana's mirth faded quickly when she saw the look on Tyrande's face. Her fellow priestess had a determined set to her jaw, and her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she appeared to search for someone in the throng. Part of her wanted to run over and meet up with her friend, exhausted as she was, but she knew she had responsibilities to her people, just as Tyrande did. So she turned away, back towards the civilian she'd been helping prior to spotting her friend.
Again, more hours passed, but this time, the reprieve thankfully felt like it would be longer than the first. The elven forces and the Burning Legion had done equal devastation to one another, and the demons would likely need time to recuperate, as did the elves.
Profound exhaustion threatened to overwhelm Eliana. After finishing a prayer for a refugee, she staggered over to a nearby tree, sliding down its length until she collapsed onto the ground.
Just . . . a few minutes . . . won't hurt. Right?
Her eyes slid shut, and before she knew it, the world fell away into blissful silence.
She awoke to the sound of multiple frenzied footsteps. As she sat up, a soft, cotton blanket slid down her body. Confused, she lifted it and glanced around, seeing no one nearby. A kind refugee must have covered her in her sleep, grateful for her aid and prayer. After folding the blanket into a neat pile, she returned to the encampment, trying to find the source of the footsteps.
A few seconds later, Jarod Shadowsong sprinted past. Surprised, Eliana reached out to him. "Jarod! Wait!"
He skidded to a halt and glanced back at her. When he recognized her, he about-faced and offered a quick bow. "Priestess Eliana. I'm sorry, I must—"
"What's going on?" She interrupted him quickly, so that he wouldn't have a chance to deny her an answer.
With a sideways glance, he let out a short sigh. "I . . . Malfurion and Krasus have disappeared."
"What?" Eliana exclaimed, striding forward and grasping his arm. "When?"
"A couple of hours ago. We just found out. Lord Ravencrest is not pleased."
At his words, she remembered that Jarod had been assigned to watch Malfurion. With the druid's disappearance, it did not put Jarod in the best of positions.
No wonder he looks so harried. Eliana crossed her arms over her chest, and her armor pulled against her shoulders. She'd had it on for so long, she couldn't have imagined her skin was very happy.
Jarod shuffled in place. "I have to go, priestess, I am sorry. I have to report to Lord Ravencrest."
"I will come with you."
"Wha—I'm not sure he'd want one of Elune's priestesses present, aside from Tyrande. He's trying to keep this quiet—"
"Tyrande? If she's there, then I am most definitely coming with you." She gestured in front of her. "Please, lead the way, Jarod."
Seemingly frustrated, he stared at her for a moment, trying to get her to back down. When she continued to stand there with her arms crossed, he let out a conceding sigh and gestured for her to follow after him. Together, they made their way towards the front of the camp, where, according to Jarod, Lord Ravencrest's temporary tent of operations had been erected.
In addition to Tyrande and finding out what was going on, Eliana knew that Illidan was likely to present as well. He'd been no farther than a few feet from the commander since the war began.
A few minutes later, they approached the rich violet tent, and Jarod offered a nod to the guard posted in front of the entrance. The guard eyed Eliana suspiciously, but when he recognized her armor as that of the priestesses, he nodded her in as well.
They entered in the midst of a great argument, from the sounds of things. Tyrande was explaining something to Lord Ravencrest as Illidan, Cytheas, Brox, and Rhonin listened in.
As she was waving her hands in the air, Tyrande explained, "Then, my sisters and I joined the fight. I can assure you that Lord Krasus and Malfurion left the battlefield uninjured."
With a sigh, Lord Ravencrest fell back in his chair and grabbed a flask of wine. After guzzling nearly half its contents, he commanded, "Tell me what happened."
Tyrande hesitated, but when she saw that Jarod and Eliana had entered the tent, she faced Lord Ravencrest again. According to her retelling, Malfurion and Krasus had taken off for the woods without letting anyone else know, escaping Jarod's watch. Tyrande had spoken to a refugee who had been attacked in the forest as they ran from Zin-Azshari. By his account, Tyrande had figured out that the demons' assassins were in hiding, and that Malfurion and the elder mage were in grave danger of being attacked. She and whatever nearby priestesses she could gather gave chase and were successful in saving the pair. It was then that they took off to find . . . dragons?
Eliana raised her eyebrow at that, and Illidan met her gaze across the room with an equally doubtful expression. If their people had no desire to work with outsiders—aside from the surprising handful that were already with them—why had Lord Krasus believed the dragons would be worth searching for?
After a quick consultation with Rhonin, Lord Ravencrest stared at the two new additions to the party. "Captain Shadowsong . . ."
Beside her, Jarod swallowed so loud that she could hear it. With a light sheen of sweat on his brow, he stepped forth. "Yes, my lord."
"I originally wished to punish you for losing track of your charge, but the more I hear about what's going on, the more I realize it may have been an impossible feat from the beginning. The fact that you've managed to keep them alive this long is . . . impressive. Continue doing so, provided you actually have someone to watch."
Jarod stared at his commander with a shocked expression. Eventually, he started and saluted Lord Ravencrest. "Yes, my lord! Of course, my lord!"
If Eliana didn't know any better, she could've sworn Lord Ravencrest rolled his eyes. With a long, exasperated sigh, he waved his hand at the group. "You are all dismissed. I need a breather from . . . spellcasters." He breathed the word as if he were speaking of poison.
Illidan, taken aback at being included in this dismissal, stood frozen for a moment until he finally offered a stiff bow. Together, the entire group trekked back outside to the encampment. Eliana veered to the left, thinking Tyrande would join her, but when she turned back, she realized that her fellow priestess had been stopped by Illidan.
When she just stood there, staring back at them, feeling hurt that he hadn't even acknowledged her aside from that quick glance inside the tent, Cytheas placed his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Eliana. Let's give them a bit of privacy, hm?"
"I—Yes, you're right." She let him lead her to the side of the nearest tent, where he sank down onto a lone crate that rested on the ground.
Neither one of them said anything, and Eliana hated to admit it, even to herself, but she was trying to catch as much as possible of Tyrande and Illidan's conversation. She didn't have to concentrate long, for a few seconds later, their raised voices carried through the air. It sounded like they were arguing about Malfurion.
Tyrande's voice snapped through the air like a whip. "Illidan! Recall yourself!"
The other side of the tent fell silent, the air pregnant with tension. Eliana glanced over at Cytheas when Illidan never replied, and her friend shrugged and mouthed, "No idea."
A few seconds later, it was Illidan's voice that raised to an uncomfortable sharpness. "What a fool I have been! I hope that you and Malfurion—" Eliana could practically hear the sneer in his voice. "—will be very happy together . . . if we survive!"
Shortly after, his stomps faded into the distance. Eliana's heart felt like lead in her chest. She knew that Illidan still loved Tyrande, they'd discussed as much that nothing had changed in that regard. But to hear him say it to her again, like this, hurt more than ever before. It had been foolish of her to think that confessing her feelings to him would change anything, and she'd known that from the start. But she'd always been ever hopeful that perhaps, just maybe, he would start to see her, too.
Eliana supposed they were indeed both fools, then.
The two of them were constantly back and forth, she and Illidan. One minute he was telling her that he cared about her as well. The next, he was spilling his heart to Tyrande again, all thoughts of her forgotten. In addition to that, every time she and Cytheas so much as looked at one another, he seemed consumed by envy. What in the world was she supposed to make of all that?
Her heart also ached for her friend. While she wished that it was she herself that Illidan cared for so passionately, she knew that Tyrande struggled with the challenge of choosing a mate just as much. She cared for both Illidan and Malfurion, that much was clear. But it was equally obvious to all who saw them which brother it was that she wished to spend eternity with as a mate. There was no easy way to break the news to Illidan, and it seemed as if the sorcerer had pushed for the truth on his own terms. On top of all that, they were fighting to survive.
Who was she to comfort? The man she loved more than anything else? The friend she cherished as her own blood sister?
Or her own shattered heart?
A/N:
Geez, that's a lot going on, am I right?
As always, thank you to Arenoptara for beta-reading this. There was so much happening that I feel like it needed more work than usual, and she definitely was a huge help.
Thanks to PotatoGuest, Shadyreviewer, Shalifi, and Lunar678 for the reviews! And many, many thanks to everyone who favorited and followed! See you guys next time :)