Whisperwind

By Laundrin Reatin a.k.a. Shandris Albatross

Chapter 3: The Hydraengea Orb of Mystery

"Albatross!" I hear my surname being called from outside. Mum comes in and wakes me up. "Wake up! In the Night Elf world daylight is night and night is daylight! You'll be known as Sister Albatross now, as you have been called by Illinois," She smiles, "And don't forget to brush your teeth," Mum says with a laugh and leaves the room. As soon as I finish brushing up for the evening, I leave the cottage.

"Ah, here you are Sister Albatross, we have an important briefing for you," A huntress rushes me to a very muscular Sentinel archer. "Ishna Kuradam, my Sister, I am Felara, your instructor. You will be learning the basic movements of a Warden, after that you will be tested on the various skills you have to learn." It seems like a long science lecture. Well, at least it's more interesting.

"You'll have to aim your knives properly, or you'll never make it, my dear," It was quite fun making the instructor unhappy and throwing the knives everywhere when she tests the Fan of Knives action (tsk tsk….). Soon I realise that being a Warden can be difficult… like that Shadowsong… Hah! If I could, I'll be her instructor one day! Okay, learning Blink is kind of easy… Just concentrate like if you want to apparate like Harry Potter… The rest is all okay except for Vengeance, oh yes you'll need a lot of concentration for that! One of my thousand blunders: hurling Shadow Strike at a passer-by!

This lesson takes hours before I master everything perfectly. It seems easy once you learn and practice! "Okay, Sister Albatross! You are already moulded for war!" Felara said excitingly. I am going into war! What will it be like? Oh cool! But fight against the Burning Legion? No way! Okay… so actually I'm here for the Orb and the war? Have to go now… gotta attend a private meeting with Illinois about the Orb. I activate the enchanted runes and walk in to the tower - which encloses the Hydraengea Orb of Mystery - Illinois pointed to yesterday. I enter the old, stone hallways with small hanging plants hanging on each side of the walls.

A whiff of a strange scent blows past me. It smells really like an old smelly swamp in here… "Hi, Illinois," I say as I enter a room with a stone study desk and a very strong musky smell. "Erm, so what about the Orb?" "Yes, yes Sister… You'll have to go up - all the way up, there you'll find the Hydraengea Orb of Mystery, floating calmly above the Basilisk." Illinois pauses for a while and points to a stone spiral staircase that is camouflaging so well that I could not see it when I entered the room. The Priestess of the Moon drags her finger all the way up so that I can see that the spiral staircase leads all the way up, then to an extremely high small stone platform which Illinois explained supported the Basilisk of Hydraengea Mystery.

"So, what does this Hydraengea Orb of Mystery really do?" I say calmly, expression clearly lacking on my face.

"Ah, I haven't explained to you in detail, have I?"

"Erm, no."

"When the Night Elf Legend Tyrande passed away not of old age, but because of the Burning Legion. They still keep her in their terrifyingly Dungeons of Evil and Horror. Anyone who has been kept there is considered been put to death. Many other few of my Sentinel mothers and grandmothers have been sacrificed to the Dark Lord of the Burning Legion. I hope I will do my best in the Burning Legion's revenge this time; I will be willing to sacrifice myself.

"And so must you, the future of our race is in your hands. You will free our race from burden, and only by unlocking this forgotten secret. The most likely time for the Burning Legion to strike is in broad daylight when we are asleep. We will not be fooled. At this time it is essential for us to plan our big move; it will be all worth the gracefulness of Elune. What you have to do is come up here with that silver pendant on your necklace, the one your Mother gave you when you were small. It was the first step to knowing you were a Night Elf."

I look curiously at my silver moon pendant and the little Night Elven scribbles on the edges. I have never noticed them before. Wonder what that means?

"The wordings on the edges say:

'You have Elune's grace within you, blessed child'

'The moon's glowing light soothes all the race'

'All traitors and enemies who attack you"

'Will suffer under the pain of Tyrande'"

Illinois says, almost reading my mind.

Am I really so great? I think curiously.