For the first time in her life Kyra did not rush. She was pacing steadily, taking her time, slightly limping, towards the Temple of Elune. Each step meant a new shot of pain through her body, making her brows frown, but she did not seem to mind. She mentally waved the aching away, ignoring the signals it was sending, and took every step with her chin up. The pain was a reminder that she was alive, that she survived.
She lived to tell the story.
The streets were unusually empty today, so she did not have to worry about the unwanted looks from the bystanders. Tyrande's spies took care of that, it seemed. She did not send any escort after the warrior either, as to not draw too much attention. Kyra was pleased. That meant less stares from her fellow sentinels.
While slowly walking, one thing seemed to bore in her mind, wandering around her head, plaguing with doubt the happiness of her recovery. She tried to push the thought away, but with no success. It kept resurfacing over and over again. She sighted in frustration.
She kept thinking if the troll was alive. Last time she saw him, his injuries looked pretty bad. But then again, their race was known to posses and extraordinary self healing ability...So he could've recovered...She knew he was horde, the enemy, but he fought alongside her, no question asked.
He wasn't horde. He was a comrade. A comrade that could be dead now, only because she had the privilege of being born a Night Elf, and Tyrande ordered someone to heal her properly. Just as she did in Shattrah.
"Please be safe..." she thought .
Her thoughts started to overwhelm her, and she stopped. She took a couple of deep breaths, clenching her jaw, trying to clear her head. She looked up and saw the Temple. She did not even realize when she got there. She exhaled loudly, and started ascending the steppes towards the entrance. She tried to avoid any unwanted stares from the apprentices and to ignore the smell of ritualistic herbs that stirred painful memories. She quickened her pace, despite the pain inside her body, wrapping her cloak tighter to her body as to not be recognized. The speed made her limp more obvious, and that made her more angry and the pain worse. But the young priestesses that were in the temple seemed absorbed with lighting incenses and praying in silence, so she sighted in relief. She quickly made her way upstairs, to the High Priestesses chambers.
Tyrande was seated at the end of a long table placed in the middle of her quarters. Shandris was seated at her right, her head bowed. Few priestesses and sentinels were seated alongside the grand table, their heads bowed in silence. All around the table, and next to almost every guest there was an empty seat. The High Priestess was murmuring a prayer, and the women were following her chants in a whisper.
Kyra stopped in the doorframe, waiting for the verses to end. She shifted her weight from one leg to another, uncomfortably, not wanting to disturb the prayer, but not knowing what to do either. She could not walk back now. Not she could enter the room. She was just trapped in the door frame, not knowing what to do. She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue in frustration.
Her eyes darted to the guests in the room. She counted about thirty women. To her surprise, she recognized most of them. Some had their hair shorter than she remembered, some longer. Some wore high ranking gear now, but she remembered them as novices. There was no doubt, this was a gathering of the new Sisterhood of Elune, and she used to be part of it. But she left, alongside Maiev and others to join and form the Wardens, some chose different paths.
Then her eyes fell on the empty seats and her heart sunk.
The ones that were not present could not refuse the royal summons. The pride and honor of the Night Elfs forbade that, and none of them would dare to not appear. Unless they turned to the Burning Legion or forfeit the Alliance altogether, which most definitely was not the case. No, that was not it.
They were all dead. All the empty seats were now a real, painful memory of the dead ones. Oh, the irony.
The thought of it made her sick. She swallowed and lowered her gaze, shaking her head.
"Sister Moongaze! Glad that you could join us. Hope you are better now, yes?"
Kyra raised her head in an instant. Tyrande's calm voice stopped her train of thoughts and in mere seconds, all the participants eyes were on her. She could not read their expression, as they just prayed and had a serene look across their features. Except for Shandris . She starred at the warrior with her jaw stiff, her eyes narrowed. Kyra felt a small drop of cold sweat slowly descending in the back of her neck and she swallowed once more and cleared her throat.
"Yes, High Priestess, I am feeling much better." She said in a firm tone "Thank you." She murmured and bowed her head.
The Priestess smiled.
"Sit." Tyrande pointed at a chair at the middle of the table.
Kyra bowed her head once more, and removed the hood of her cloak.
"Thank you" she said and proceeded to get to her place. She was relieved that her chair was nowhere near the High Priestess, and she sat on it in silence, bowing her head, not willing to look at the ones that were seated next to her.
"I will address the purpose of this meeting shortly, we have some more guests that should arrive soon" Tyrande said in a calm tone, and turned to whisper something to Shandris, which in return was making approval gestures.
"Here they are!" Shandris pointed at the door.
"No..." Kyra thought without raising her eyes
She could recognize the familiar metallic sound anywhere. Slow, heavy armor clatter... The rigid clang of the shoulderpads against the headpiece... The plate boots scrapping the floor... The heavy breath behind the faceguard...The clinging of the carefully sharpened weapons that could cut through flesh, through skin, up to the bone, meant to kill, to shatter souls...
She hated herself for not forgetting this sound, for not burying this memory alongside others that she did not mean to forget...She slowly raised her gaze to look at the intruder, even though she did not need to see to know exactly who that was. She hoped that her eyes will meet someone else, that in the doorframe will be a Sentinel, a veteran of the war, she hoped that Tyrande would not be so foolish as to negotiate with that despicable monster...But when her eyes fell on the frame at the door, all her hopes shattered, and a new flare of rage and anger started to burn inside of her.
"Maiev..."she thought as the feeling of nausea overwhelmed her. Fear mixed with fury, terror and frustration were tearing both her mind and soul. She felt her heartbeat increasing it's pace, her breath became erratic, her fists clenched on the hilts of her weapons as to melt their leathery strips. The air around her felt hot, and the only thought she had was to kill.
"We are glad that you could make it, sister. Please, take a seat"
Tyrande gestured towards a seat that was opposed to Kyra. The warrior shook her head, not believing the audacity of the warden and the ignorance of the High Priestess. The low murmur at the table indicated that she was not the only one displeased at the idea.
Maiev slowly walked in to the room, her chin up. Her heavy footsteps were echoing in the room, as silence descended upon the gathering. Kyra felt her blood boil, and the heat from the anger made her lip twitch, her knuckles turning white from clenching the weapon's hilt.
Maiev sat down, the clattering of the armor stopping for a brief moment. She looked up and saw Kyra across her. The warden froze and her eyes narrowed. Her gaze started to slowly dart from side to side, taking in to account all that surrounded her. Next, her hands started to slowly move, reaching for the glaives.
"Don't you dare..." Kyra hissed under her breath.
The warden stopped for a brief moment, her eyes locked with the warrior's, then continued slower than before.
"Or...what?" Maiev added ironically, in a coarse voice. Her hands continued to slowly descend towards her own weapons.
The sound of Maiev's voice made the warrior pulse quicken.
In this very moment, every rational thought left Kyra's only thing she felt was waves and waves of heat raising from her chest, pulsing in her temples. A loud ringing started in her ears. In an instant she jumped from her chair with a feral roar and leaped towards Maiev, toppling her with her weight , her both swords drawn towards her enemy, their sharp point aiming for the warden's chest. The warden was quick to react and parried the blow with her rounded glaive, with a loud grunt. None of them were paying attention to the loud gasps around them and concerned phrases that the other participants were uttering in a haste. But Kyra's ears picked a sound from her left, and she turned her gaze for a brief moment towards it. The warden then, seemingly with no effort with one swift motion, disarmed the warrior. One sword left Kyra's grasp, rolling on the floor, away from her.
The warrior, frustrated, without thinking twice threw the other sword on the ground, and grabbed the warden's blade with her bare hands, screaming uncoherent words, trying to push it in to her opponent's neck. Her roars sounded unnatural, demonic almost. But if someone was listening, the could've hear the pain in her voice, the almost crying tone that her words had.
Kyra's eyes were filled with fury. Her heart was racing, her hands were shaking, her face contorted in a mask of pure anger. All she could see was Maiev. The one that ruined her reputation. The one that disfigured her face and scarred her soul .The one that killed her friends. The liar. The insane. The murderer. She had to die now. She had to be gone forever, or else there was no end to her nightmares, no end to her guilt. Kyra made a promise to herself, long time ago, that she would not stop until Maiev's blood would be cold on the floor... An oath that she swore to fulfill.
She did not hear the footsteps at first. When she realized it, it was too late. A hard punch landed on her right cheek, knocking her on the ground, and she lost her grip on the blade and on Maiev. She looked up, in anger, at the attacker, and hissed like a predator that was cut off from it's prey. Maiev quickly took the opportunity, and rolled away on the floor from her attacker, getting right on to her feet, in a battle stance.
Kyra got up in an instant to confront her attacker. In front of her was Shandris, standing at her full height, her eyes narrowed, her lip twitching, her fists up, ready to throw another punch. Behind her she saw Maiev, and her heart started beating faster, pumping blood in to her mad brain. She saw her sword on the ground, and went to retrieve it, but a set of hands grabbed her elbows, twisting them behind her back. The warrior, enraged at the sudden intrussion wanted to kick the other cowardly attacker with the sole of her boot in the shin, but a hard, painful kick in the back of her legs made her kneel. She yelled in agony.
Another set of hands gripped her neck, pulling her head upright.
As she struggled to break free from the ones that jumped to hold her still, moving her body from side to side, pulling her arms from the deadlock they were in, she saw Maiev standing on the other side of the room.
The warden was smiling. Her face was covered with the helmet, but once again Kyra could swear she was smirking.
As sweat was covering her body,from her own ragged breath and struggle she saw that no one was holding Maievand she froze.
The warden was standing there, victorious, superior, while the warrior was punished for her audacity. Her nostrils flared in ager, and she could hear her own heart beating fast, erratic. She was shivering from the adrenaline rush that was slowly subsiding, frustrated that her prey ran away. She had to keep her composure, otherwise her anger might let tears, real tears of anger to take it's place.
No one was holding Maiev. The thought was repeated by her own mind with a strange, mocking tone to it. Everyone was here, trying to hold her still. She slowly looked around her and she saw them. Scared faces, beads of sweat on their foreheads, trembling lips, eyes in tears. But no anger. There was pain in every gaze, pity, fear. But no anger. She looked around in confusion.
Someone was speaking to her, from her left, but she could not here the woman, nor she could see her face clearly. She frowned as blood was pumping in her temples, the intense drumming in her head making it even harder to hear anything.
"Please, calm down..." she heard a faint voice from the woman next to her. "This is not the time, Moongaze, trust me." Kyra shook her head. "Please..."the woman pleaded in a tiny voice. "Or Shandris will punch you again. Or worse."
Then, in a tiny, trembling, pleading voice the woman whispered hastily :"Trust me. I want to kill her too. But this is not the time..."
The warrior was panting now, the adrenaline was going away. The grips around her loosened a bit. Kyra felt hot tears burning her eyes, and she closed them. She bit her lip, frowned, and tried to calm herself. Slow breaths were filling her chest. She opened her eyes.
Raising her gaze, she took a closer look at the woman that was desperately trying to make her come to her senses. Her eyes widened as she recognized her. It was Sivera Lightray, a former warden...Long was gone the uniform of the warden, she wore now a formal priestess attire. She was there when...Oh Elune...
Kyra lowered her gaze and shook her head in surrender, slowly. She took one last look at the priestess, and nodded in agreement.
"Good call, Moongaze" Tyrande uttered. Her surprisingly steady tone made her ears twitch.
Kyra forgot that she was there. For a second she forgot that she was in the Temple. It was just her and Maiev in her head. A duel to death. She lost herself, and now,slowly the pices of her body and soul were flying as to be sown toghether once again.
Tyrande was standing in the middle of the doorway. The same place where she stood when she greeted Maiev. She never moved or wanted to intervene. "Or did the encounter lasted for mere seconds?"... Kyra's brain tried to understand.
The gripping hands left her body, and she rose up. For a second, it seemed like everyone was holding their breath, waiting for her to jump on the warden again. But Kyra did not move, and a relieved sigh was heard.
"Very well. How about you, Maiev?" the Priestess turned her head to the other end of the room.
The warden smiled, and extended her hands upfront, palms up, in a surrender gesture also.
"Very well then. We shall continue our meeting."
Kyra slowly turned around, and riding the last strain of anger, kicked with her left foot the chair on the ground. The loud sound made the attendees jump, and in an instant Shandris was in front of her, her forehead mere inches from the warrior's.
"I will have you kicked out in a second if you do one more gesture, Moongaze. My patience has it's limits..." Tyrande turned her angry gaze towards Kyra. The warrior nodded absently, planting her palms on the table. "Very well then, I want to state something, and hope I will make myself clear. I invited Maiev here for reason way beyond your comprehension. But I will explain that, of course, as long as you can keep your head cool. I needed you all here. Each and every one of you. This is not the time for old quarrels..."
A sad smile spread across Kyra's features. Her voice was low, sad notes could be heard in it when she added:
"How can you do that, Priestess? How can you count on her for anything?..."
" Traitor!" Maiev spat with disgust from the other side of the room.
"Oh, cut your barking!" Kyra yelled to the warden, her eyes flaring pure rage
" I regret letting you live, worm!"Maiev hissed
"You're lucky they are holding me, otherwise these would be your last words, bitch!"
"Enough!"
Tyrande's booming voice filled the room, sending shivers down everyone's spines. Kyra bit her lower lip and shook her head. No matter how much she disliked Tyrande, her commanding tone could set everyone and everything straight in a matter of seconds. That's why people loved her and would have followed her until their death.
Kyra felt a hand placed on her shoulder, taping gently in a reassuring manner. It was Sivera. The warrior looked briefly at Maiev, and saw her gaze fixed on Tyrande, her expression serene. She knew the warden did not feel this way. She knew Maiev hated Tyrande more than anything. Hell she even let her for dead.. But she had the guts to lie when it suited her, which Kyra did not. That's why Kyra had a scar and she didn't.
"I will hear nothing more from any of you!" Tyrande commanded, her eyes moving from one to another " I have plenty of things to do and a whole race to rule, I don't want to play a mother figure in your childish quarrel. From this moment on, who doesn't feel like it belongs here, can leave. Now!" Her icy tone made their blood to freeze. For a second no one moved. It felt like the air was still. "But know this: you leave – you will be forever deemed as a traitor. You will no longer be part of Darnassus or the Alliance. No one will hunt you. But also no one will be there to watch your back! " She inhaled " Or, stay. Stay and fulfill your duty to this nation, leave your personal, petty disputes at the door, as there are more pressing matters and issues way beyond our existence. And we can solve them, and help each other. Together."
Tyrande turned on her heels, and slowly walked to the end of the table and graciously sat down on her chair.
"So, which one will be? I'll wait."
The silence that filled the room was her answer. Heads were bowed, eyelids half closed, eyes scouting left and right.
But no one left. No one moved either.
"Glad we agree" Tyrande smiled. "Now, everyone, sit, please!" she commanded "Maiev, please, come sit next to me. Shandris, take Maiev's seat. Just to be safe,"
Kyra felt her heart racing, but she held her composure. She inhaled deep and slowly started to walk towards her seat. She sat down, and only then she noticed that her hands were clenched into fists, her knuckles painfully white. A small hand caressed her shoulder. She quickly turned towards it. It was Sivera, and she was smiling. She sat herself next to Kyra, placing her hand, calmly on the warrior's closed fist. Kyra opened her palm, slowly.
A loud armor clatter in front of her made her turn. Shandris slammed herself down on the chair, crossing her arms over her chest. She smiled at Kyra and rolled her eyes. "Why is she smiling?" Kyra thought. Again, she found no anger in the sentinel's eyes. But before she could ask Shandris the same question, Tyrande's voice filled the room:
"As you can see, I've gathered here the remaining forces of the Sisterhood of the Elune. We grew...apart. Many of us chose different paths, and we lost what made us strong – Unity." Tyrande bowed her head and sighted. " Although we faced many challenges together, we defeated every enemy that stood in our way, we lost very much in the process. Our own brothers and sisters, our homes, our families. Some of us, even our faith."
Kyra felt Tyrande's gaze descend upon her for a short second.
"However, I did not summon you from all corners of the world to remind you the past. I called upon you to speak about our future, and to ensure that we will have one. I recieved news that king Varian is back, safe and sound."
A light murmur was slowly spreading across the room.
" Now is the time for a more...united Alliance. As the rightful King of Stormwind is back, he is calling for us to unite now, more than ever. To answer the Alliance call, whenever the need may arise" she made a short pause, as to emphasize what she was about to say next.
"We are a race that lost almost everything. We know it, and the world knows it too. Elune has been kind to our people, and it is time that we start to share the good. We will honor our oath towards the Alliance. I've received word of some members of The Argent Dawn joining our city's defenses. They are recruiting for a Northrend expedition, and keeping us safe with their expertise from this new plague that our spies have informed us of. Untill then, we as a nation, need to be at our best. So, I've decided to train a new order of wardens. That is why Maiev is here."
Kyra's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She looked straight to Tyrande. She could not believe her ears. This was beyond appalling. She knew it was a mistake, she knew it was against every logical train of thought... She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. After all, there was nothing she could do.
"We also faced many betrayals, ones that run deep inside our own walls. " Tyrade continued
"I recently found out about a group of cultists operating from inside Darnassus. This is beyond unacceptable. Somehow it slipped from our attention. Probably because we have grown soft, and forgot that for us, the trials never end. But with the new wardens we will have more trained spies, fighters and we will be able to secure balance amidst our nation and therefore, help the Alliance. Alas, we cannot help anyone, until we sort our own issues. So we must take a different approach. Each and every one of you will lead, or help a new faction within Darnassus: new priest order, rogue, warrior and warden. You will lead them with your steady hand and many years of expertise on foreign lands.A reform, if you like. Not mandatory, of course."
Silence.
"So, that means – Tisela," Tyrande's gaze landed on a green haired priestess, on the other side of the room." You will lead the new priestesses of the moon. You will share your expertise from Mount Hyjal . Kyra," the warrior felt her eyes landing on her and froze." You will help with the warden training, along with Maiev and Sivera. You can share your Outland experience. I hope you can put your differences aside. Sivera, I count on your diplomacy."
Tyrande went on, naming the leaders of the future orders, in a mesmerizing long speech, that was meant to encourage them, and give new hope to the night elfs gathered in the room. The words sounded shallow for Kyra's ears, their meaning lost. She was one of the few that knew the exact reason why Tyrande took this measure. She and Shandris saw what happened in Ashenvale. She could not protest. She could not leave. If she left now, she will be forever banned from Darnassus...She frowned.
"This is all I had to communicate to you today." Tyrande smiled " And I would like to add that all of this will start next week. You have time until then to organize your schedule, go wherever you may have the need to. Or stay in Darnassus, as we are in the middle of the Midsummer Festival Celebration, to rest and enjoy some of the local food...And drinks, of course..." Tyrande smiled.
"Meeting adjourned" Shandris said in a loud tone, with her gaze fixated on Kyra. Kyra's eyes pierced back at the Sentinel, holding her ground.
The attendees slowly got up to leave. A low murmur was heard across the room . Low plate rumble and cloth whooshing as seemingly empty armors and robes were leaving the room. All of them bowed before shortly before the High Priestess prior to exiting.
Amidst the low buzzing of the room, Sivera gently approached Kyra's ear and whispered: "Hope I'll see you at the celebration. Some of us are gathering to drink our brains off."
Kyra smiled. She realized she needed a strong drink and a night of alcohol amnesia. Maiev passed before her, without even looking in her direction. Kyra felt bile rising up in her throat. She shook her head in shortly bowed before Shandris, and rose to leave the room aswell.
"Moongaze...Not yet..." Shandris whispered coldly.
"Stay. The Priestess has something to say to you. In private." The Sentinel rose up, and went towards The High Priestess.
Kyra stood up and sighted. She felt tired. No matter what she did, she somehow manage to get herself into trouble. Nothing worked. Even now, all she wanted was to exit the room, but she could not. Something was screaming inside of her, but she did not know what. She clenched her jaw as she saw the last of the group leaving the quarters. "Lucky..." she thought to herself...
Slow steps approached her.
"Moongaze..." Tyrande started in a direct manner.
Kyra quickly turned her head in surprise, as the Priestesses tone was different than before. It lacked emphasis, power, direction. It sounded cold and soulless.
"I will be brief." Tyrande faced the warrior and her glacial stare made her skin crawl. "I, by no means condone your behaviour! In the eyes of our people, you are more of a traitor than Maiev."
"I am truly sorry, Priestess..."Kyra bowed her head, mumbling.
"Oh, stop it! You are not. How can you be sorry for something that you are not in control of? For something that you did not try to gain control of? I heard what you did to Toula, this morning.!"
"...Who?" Kyra was visibly confused.
"The priestess that healed you. You acted like a spoiled child, and that priestess put you back together, in spite of that. You are never grateful."Tyrande swung her hands in despair.
Kyra's breath started to accelerate. She was being scolded once more for what she was, yet they made her that. Even if she saved the Priestess, it did not matter. She was who she was. Her scar was the proof. She was a traitor.
"Now..." Tyrande adopted a more steady tone " Without you, your help and your...friend, I maybe would not stand here today. But there lays a problem. People should not know about that, about the events that we faced...As we previously discussed. You remember, don't you?" The Priestesses gaze was unwavering.
"Yes." Kyra mumbled.
"Well, now that we are once more clear on that, you have to know that you will soon be in charge, along with Maiev of a new order of wardens. That is a promotion. I can't do that, without merit"
Kyra frowned, confused.
"What do you mean?"
Tyrande brought her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. She exhaled loudly.
"There is no easy way to say this..." the Priestess sighted. " I can't promote you, when you, in the eyes of our people are still a traitor"
"But I saved you life, Priestess..." Kyra bursted out, taking a step towards the Priestess. Shandris was quick to draw her blade, calculating the warrior's every move.
"I know that." The Priestess continued. " But the people don't."
Kyra frowned once more and took a step back. She turned her back at Tyrande and cupped her head with her hands. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she uttered in a low voice, almost inaudible.
"So then...what do you propose, High Priestess...?" her tone sounded mockingly, and she heard Shandris click her tongue.
" A grand gesture. A public one. A sacrifice. I'm leaving this decision to yourself. You decide what do you want to do. Any cost will be compensated, of course. But I can't lie to my people."
" Not saying the truth is also a form of lying..." Kyra said and turned to face the Priestess, smiling. Both Shandris and Tyrande kept their composure, not answering to the provocation.
"What are my...other options?" The warrior asked carefully
Tyrande sighted.
"This is the only one."
Kyra let the words sink in to her being. They hurt. But she brought her chin up, and played her part.
"Very well, High Priestess, I will think of something." She quickly bowed and hurried to exit the room.
"Please think about it until next week."
The words made her stop for a brief moment. She clenched her fists close to her sides, and with a mumbled "Yes", stormed out of the room.
