Chapter 1: Morning Comes
Asoria City wasn't a quiet place in the midweek. Nor was it dull, or boring. This particular midweek morning was special, however. At least it was for the young adult Laiken Tearshorn. It was the day his grandfather, Lucien Hartshire was coming to visit him, from a far away place known only to Laiken as Stormwind. Laiken was raised in a shelter, which allowed for this to take place, only under very strict supervision from both parties.
The sun shined bright over Asoria Square, as Laiken proudly walked through the center of his birthplace, to the docks, to meet his grandparents. Now, technically, Laiken wasn't raised by godparents. His 'godparents' were really two elderly orcs known to Laiken as Frist and Kai. Kai was still alive, whilst Frist had passed on, due to old age. Lucien was marked as Laiken's "grandfather", when in reality; there was no blood relation to the two.
The docks were always lively on midweek days, people bustling, trading, eating, scheduling. It was really a confusing place to an outsider. Luckily, for Laiken, he wasn't an outsider, and knew to use the East Dock Alley to bypass a good chunk of the traders and businesspeople. The shade offered a brief repose for him, as the sun beat down on his back.
Laiken reached the docks as the sun reached its highest point: noon. His light-green brow was covered in sweat, as his grandfather approached him, happily. Laiken wasn't as tall as some of his other orc friends, but, he was as tall as Lucien, even at 19 years old. Lucien smiled as he hugged him.
"Laiken, it's been so long. Come, I've brought some brie from Stormwind, I know you love it", Lucien chuckled as Laiken put his muscular arm on his shoulder.
Laiken merely smiled, through half-tusked teeth. His smile was genuine; Lucien thought, but genuine enough to tell him the truth?
Lucien, over the intervening years, had resolved to go back to living in Stormwind, taking over his 'crimes', which were acquitted seeing as how Varkaan was dead, and Donald Lorsen had been missing ever since he resigned from the position of leader of the order of paladins in Stormwind City. The only remaining person who could possibly point a finger at Lucien now was Donald's 18 year old son, Roy, who wasn't even born when the 'crimes' happened.
"I have so much to ask you, Lucien", Laiken said as they reached Laiken's hovel, which was apart of the orphanage he was raised in.
"About what, my protégé?" Lucien replied.
Now, Lucien was in no condition to teach Laiken about the ways of the paladin, but he called Laiken 'his protégé' because it was a nickname that stuck when Lucien was travelling to Asoria Island after Varkaan was killed, and he would talk to Laiken like a real person. The constant thought of the treatment that Laiken would go under if he was raised in a pure-bred place were horrifying. Especially with the way they treated the suspicion of Varkaan's relationship with an orc.
"So much, sir… my main one being, when can I leave Asoria?" Laiken would always ask this, no matter when Lucien would visit.
"I always shall tell you the same thing, young one, whenever you are ready, young one", Lucien laughed as him and Laiken shared tea and brie, over the course of the day.
…
The night was silent in Stormwind City, as Ike Ironheart stood on the edge of the Canals, his hands at his back, eyes closed, and his breathing slowed to a meditative state. He sported a goatee, which was streaked with grey, and his once gallant hair was now shortened to a military-style haircut. His days as an assassin were over. Now he lived in glorious wealth under the watchful eyes of King Varian Wrynn, as the leader of the Alliance Army in Kalimdor. He wasn't happy, or angered by this; but he was content with it.
Ike stood, listening to the slight ripples the water would make when it hit the white-stone edges of the canals, and the fresh air coursing through his hair. He inhaled slowly, and reopened his eyes, seeing the world anew, as he slowly stood to a Stormwind Royal Guard looking over him suspiciously.
"Something bothering you, guardsman?" Ike asked, his voice not quavering or shifting in emotion.
"Not anything but you", the guard hastily replied.
"And to whom exactly am I bothering?" Ike questioned.
"Does that matter? You're out past curfew", the guard barked.
"Since when did the King set martial law? Be at your post, lest I need to revoke your service early… guard", Ike hissed.
The guard merely smirked, but not after Ike showed his warplate, which was covered by his cloth robes. It had the Generals' insignia, to which the guardsman immediately saluted.
"Such a high stature, I had no idea, General Ironheart!" the guards man stated.
"Keep your nose clean, boy, if you ever lip off to someone again, without proper authority, you'll see yourself drown under the weight of your own cobalt-forged armor, before you breathe and see it was me who threw you in there. Understood?" Ike sardonically asked.
The guardsman merely gulped nervously, and Ike laughed, going back to what he was doing as the guard walked off into the night. The clock tower struck midnight, and Ike exhaled slowly, his voice bouncing off the many stone walls of Stormwind City.
"Forgive me", he said, seemingly to himself, as he kneeled down, and revealed a rose, and plucked it into the water.
With that, General Ike Ironheart walked off back to his home, in the Stormwind City Outskirts, and sighed to himself that another exciting tour of duty was over.
…
"If you keep up your strikes like that… there we go! Keep your shield up, young Laiken! Strike from behind your shield, not in front of it!" Lucien Hartshire ordered as he was vigorously training Laiken to use a blade and shield.
Laiken, after a few tries, successfully emulated Lucien, and knocked the senior paladin over, indicating he had mastered the skill, at least according to Lucien. Laiken hurried over to Lucien to help him up, but the paladin got up without much help from Laiken.
"Very good Laiken… very good, you're learning very fast! I may be able to teach you some of the more advanced techniques yet… paladin stuff", Lucien wholeheartedly said.
"Paladin technique? Are you sure that's not forbidden, you know… by this order of paladins you tell me of?" Laiken curiously asked.
"The Knights of the Silver Hand have long since disbanded… the only paladins now are those trained by former members… I can train you if I wish, young one, don't heed too much on the subject", Lucien said.
"It must be a good advantage to have such training then?" Laiken questioned.
"Never underestimate an opponent, Laiken, and never think you can beat somebody before you engage them. A great paladin known as the Lightbringer once told me that, and it is completely true", Lucien wisely stated.
"Interesting… tell me more, oh great one!" Laiken laughed as he said this.
"I would… if we had more time… I must be heading off tomorrow morning, and as such, I – and you – must get some sleep", Lucien said.
Laiken sighed, and picked up the practice sword and buckler he had grown so accustomed to, whenever Lucien stopped to Asoria to visit him. They both retired in the cabin that Laiken had grown up in, and as the golden sunlight peaked over the walls of Asoria City, in the early morning hours, Laiken found himself awake, and more alert than ever.