The Wakening:

Tuwana did not get a welcome when her ship docked at the Harbor. There was a defined absence of family or old friends from the docks or the stone street leading into the city proper. No one remembered or cared that she'd come back home to Westland. It reinforced her belief that the Duke who'd raised her like a father was glad to have been rid of her. Rid of the reminder.

She forced the emotions boiling inside her to turn back to a gentle simmer. She was twenty-one –an adult now. Tuwana had no obligation to the family anymore. Her path took her to a power they could only imagine. Their absence here just made continuing easier.

"Journeyman Danugan?" A soft, polite, voice queried behind her.

Turning, she found a slight carriage driver with the Morisanore livery embroidered on his tunic. "It's just Journeyman Tuwana, please. My past has no hold on my future."

The driver bowed. "Of course. Welcome back to Westland. The High Priestess eagerly awaits your arrival." At those words, he gestured behind him to a long distance carriage that could double as a sleeping cabin. The Plains of Leilainz was in the middle of Westland, a province away from these shores. It would take them a week or so to get there by carriage, more if the Mountains roads proved difficult.

"Thank you." Tuwana replied and proceeded to the carriage. She'd only been to the Temple (and the Harbor for that matter) once in her life, when she was seven. Portalling to a destination one couldn't visualize was a bad idea and only the most skilled could Portal somewhere just by a description. It would be years yet before she could do that. So for now, she must rely on more inconvenient methods of transportation.

Surprisingly, during the journey, Tuwana found herself thankful for the time to really see the country of her origins. As the miles passed, it felt like she was reconnecting to the land and getting to know its people. Westland was different than the land she just came from; here there was a much more spiritual component ingrained into daily life. Possibly due to the influx of lay lines that crisscrossed the continent. It was why the High Priestess resided here; she presided over the Divine Aspect of magic and thus provided for the spiritual needs of Azerim. The High Priestess was a neutral Divine conduit for any ones religious or spiritual calling.

It was for that reason the she also acted as an Advisor to the King or Queen of Westland. In fact, the Royal Dithril Ladageep line across the sea would seek the Council of the High Priestess from time to time.

Those of Westland held the High Priestess, and the Priesthood, in high regard; sometimes higher than Nobility or Royalty.

As the declared heir of the current High Priestess, Tuwana was also given a certain amount of respect and awe. Something she was not prepared for. The villages they travelled through would suddenly become active when her carriage was sighted, and the people would crowd the road just for a chance to see her. When they stopped for the night, the inns made her feel welcome.

It was far more then she was used to. Even those in the Temple of Carlabor didn't treat her so well. And it more than made up for the absences at the Harbor.

Of course there were exceptions. There was a small livestock hut and cairn between the last town and the Temple of Morisanore. They had stopped to water the horses for the last leg of the journey. The plains were safe, if secluded by mountain's, but had very little in the way of streams or lakes. The cairn and hut seemed worn down, but the structures that housed much of the livestock seemed well kept, as did the animals themselves.

Then Tuwana noticed a lone little girl outside of the hut, staring at the carriage with such longing that it touched the woman's heart. She got out of the carriage and smiled at the surprise on the girls face. Tuwana wore no gown, no jewels and definitely did not paint her face. All she had was her new journeyman robes she'd got from the Temple of Carlabor; her rucksack she left in the carriage. Otherwise she was unadorned. Even so, everyone seemed to know who she was; and this little girl soon came to that same insight. Her smile returned and the look turned to excitement as she also realized Tuwana was approaching her! "Hello," Tuwana greeted, kneeling down to be eye level with the little girl. Even with the dirt, Tuwana could tell that the girl could become very homely, beautiful even. Her long blond hair was already to her tiny waist; her skin was tanned but smooth, and there was strength already in her scrawny form. "My name is Tuwana."

"Mines Kat," the little girl squeaked. She seemed to gather her courage and took a deep breath, "Can-I-come-to-the-temple-with-you?" She asked very quickly. "I want to be a Priestess!"

Chuckling, Tuwana glanced over to the vast plains. Even this far, the top two spires of the Temple could be seen. It was a sight to behold; up close it was even more so. She turned back to Kat. "And why do you want to be a Priestess?" Even as she said the words, Tuwana knew by the tingling in her toes and fingers that this girl would be coming with her.

Kat beamed. "Whenever I dream… whenever I think about going… I see the temple. Not just the spires! My dreams take me inside. I help people." She told her with the straightforwardness of a child. "I've wanted to go for as long as I can remember."

"Well then," Tuwana took the little girls hands, "Perhaps our meeting was destined. You see I have a long apprenticeship awaiting me; and if you come, so do you. By the time I take the mantle of High Priestess, you will be ready to become a Priestess yourself. Maybe even the new High Priestesses Handmaiden." She winked at Kat.

"I'm going?" Kat asked, jumping up and down.

Tuwana nodded. "You are."

"She certainly is not!" Another voice announced from the huts doorway.

The voice caused Kat to scurry behind Tuwana, causing her to dislike the man on sight.

A sight which appalled Tuwana even more. He was about as tall as she was, but much more hefty. There was a roundness to his middle that seemed to explain Kat's scrawniness. The man was balding, but not completely so. His eyes were calculative and unkind; his teeth seemed to be the only clean and kept part of his person. His cloths were fine working cloths but had many layers of dirt on them. Skin also tanned like the child's, but deeper. He took care of the sheep first, himself second and everything else last.

Straightening to her full height, Tuwana looked over the man with a critical eye. "Are you her father?"

The man smirked, taking her measure in as well. "Nah. I take in strays and get 'em to help with the animals. Give them shelter, food, and cloths. More than they'd get on some street in some city."

"I see." Tuwana reached behind her and took one of the small hands clasped onto her robes. "Well, you shall be compensated for the loss of a worker after I've arrived at Morisanore. She is in my care now; and shall be accompanying me to the Temple." Before he could refute her claim, the distance between them was crossed and she looked him full in the eyes. She watched as they became unfocused and his face slackened. "You will let us go without another word. You will also treat your charges better. Teach them to read and write. Treat them kindly; for how you treat them will eventually return to you." Tuwana stepped back and crossed to Kat, taking her hand once more. "Come then Kat; we still have many miles to cross before nightfall." She declared. They climbed into the carriage; neither one of them looking back.

~. ~. ~.

If she had any doubts about bringing Kat with her to the Temple, they soon vanished as they both stepped up the grand stairs to the Temple proper. This building was more cathedral then Carlabor was; only the Tower of the High Priestess rose high to the sky with a quaint little branch off the main tower, the only spires visible from where Kat was found. The rest of the floors barely reached half that height.

The High Priestess was waiting for them at the top of the marble stairs. She didn't seem to have aged more than a few years instead of the decade and a half since Tuwana first saw her. She smiled when she saw the tiny Kat by her heir's side. "Good, you've found her. That is a good omen." Gesturing to one of her Priestesses, she addressed Kat. "Little one, you're training shall begin on the morrow. Go with Jeamoka, she will take care of you."

Unsure at first, Kat looked over at the younger and smiled shyly before allowing the woman to lead her away from Tuwana. Kat turned back after several paces and waved goodbye to her travelling companion.

Tuwana waved back before turning returning her attention to the High Priestess.

They took each other in in silence for many moments before the elder straightened. "Come," She beckoned, turning and leading the younger into the Temple proper. They crossed the Main Hall, which was a large space for perhaps hundreds of people to come pray in, and through hallways and eventually entering the Tower of the High Priestess. Where they travelled up to the topmost spire, and into the much higher side tower where there was a mirror on five sides of the ten sided room. There were also mirrors in the spaces between; the sun would in fact be beaming into one near sundown. The High Priestess took position near the very center of the floor, which stepped down before creating a slightly curved bowl. She looked to Tuwana and smiled. "Before you begin your training tomorrow, there is something that you need to know. Something that may affect how you feel about becoming the High Priestess or not."

~. ~. ~.

Baradun heaved himself over the ledge, grumbling obscenely about anti portal magic. With one last effort, he brought himself up onto the ledge of the cliff, rolling onto his back in exhaustion. He stayed there to catch his breath.

Minutes passed before Baradun finally moved to his side and pushed himself back onto her feet. He brushed off his now torn and ragged robes. The journey to the Ivory Tower had been more grueling then he'd thought, and now his cloths, skin and hair were all grimy from sweat and dirt.

When he looked back up, suddenly there was a tall aged man standing several feet from him.

He hadn't been there a second ago.

Standing straighter, Baradun returned the man's gaze. "I have survived the trip here; the Grandmaster says you must take me as your successor," he declared with his usual pompous air.

The man smirked. "The physical journey was not the test you must survive." His deep purple eyes gleamed as Baradun's smile faltered. "Though the Grandmaster thinks it is so; so your presumption can be forgiven as ignorance." He stamped his staff lightly on the ground. "Come." The High Sorcerer turned and started towards the tower standing tall and elegant behind him.

Baradun hurried to follow him. He wasn't sure why he was feeling foolish; the Grandmaster had given him the wrong impression after all. "Then what is the test… sir?" he asked, adding the respectful term when the man in front of him looked back with a raised eyebrow.

The High Sorcerer of Azerim sighed. The doors to the Tower opened wide, admitting them into a grand circular entranceway. Unlike Carlabor, which looked more like a tall palace, the Ivory Tower was a tower. It shot straight up with no additional buildings or structures. Across from the entrance, were twin staircases that wound up the inner sides of the tower to the next level; and presumably to the next and the next and the next, until it reached the top Observatory. There was also a smaller stairway that led down from the entrance; only noticed when the High Sorcerer approached it, for it seemed to blend in with the floor. "Come," was all he said before descending down.

"Right." Baradun said under his breath and followed the older man down. The descending stairs seemed to go on forever. Unlike the stairs leading up, which were open with just elegant banister's keeping them safe; these stairs were encased in stone on both sides, making it an unending tunnel down into the bowels of the mountain.

Then with surprising suddenness, the stairs ended, spilling into a small round room with a dark stone well in the center holding dark water looking fluid.

The High Sorcerer crossed to the other side of the well; the torches lighting at his presence. He waited as Baradun's eyes adjusted and he had taken in the contents of the room. "The test you must survive, Baradun Sairina'Tirmo, is the Truth."

~. ~. ~.

Surprised, Tuwana took a step towards the center, but staying on top of the steps. "What do you mean… becoming the High Priestess or not… you told me I was destined to become High Priestess after you."

"Yes," The older woman replied, "But this is the one and only time you will get to make a choice to become your Destiny… or deny it and live your life how you want."

A sudden vision of her abstaining and running to find Baradun suddenly filled her mind. Tuwana shook the image away. "Why?" Was all she could think of asking.

The High Priestess took a breath. "Because this is too important. If you decide after hearing this that you don't want to be my heir, the information will be wiped from your memory, but not your decision… and you will be allowed to follow where ever your heart leads you."

A cold wave seemed to wash over Tuwana as she looked at the seriousness on her mentor-to-be's face. "I won't remember what you tell me?"

"No… just this part and the part after where you give me your answer. All I tell you in between will be taken. For your own safety… and sanity."

Tuwana could feel her eye widen and her face pale. "Sanity?"

"Yes." After uttering that one word, the High Priestess smiled warmly. "But you are strong, Tuwana. I believe you can take this Truth. And when you ascend to take my place, you will be prepared for the… changes… that will come to pass when you do."

"By Day Nine…" Tuwana breathed as she turned and crossed to one of the windows, feeling the sudden need for air. She felt that tingling in her toes again, and knew the High Priestess was telling true; she was strong enough. And wasn't this what she wanted? To be the High Priestess and escape the prejudice and stigma for just being born? Hadn't she felt the gods themselves push her towards the Temple when she was seven, when this very woman summoned her family here? This was why she went to Carlabor to learn to control the magic she was given to make this stage of her training easier. Tuwana took a deep breath; filling her lungs with air scented by the sweet grass growing for miles around the Temple. She looked out towards the Mountains. Which ones, she didn't know, nor did she care; for she was awed at the sight of them. A moment more and she turned back to one of the most powerful women in Azerim; took those steps back to her and meeting her gaze. "Tell me."

The smile on the High Priestesses face deepened. "As you know, there are three primary aspects of Magic in the world of Azerim. Arcane, Nature, and Divine." She paused as her protégé nodded. "And that each High Magic is the direct avatar of their type of magic. High Sorcerer, High Druid, and High Priestess. We all are the most powerful in our magical Aspect, but all three of us are Equal to each other. As it has been since Time began."

Again, Tuwana nodded, this was basic magic theology 101.

"What no one knows… for good reason," the woman continued, "is that our world was constructed by a society of people… people who are much more advanced than us, but still people. Our world was created for the purpose of entertainment, and to assuage their need for fantasy and adventure. Azerim is what they call a multiplayer game. We are a simulation. We are what they call 'Non Playing Characters… or NPC's."

"What?"

The High Priestess paused, trying to think of how to best explain this Truth. "Think of Azerim like a sustained and extremely realistic caltrop. Complete with shadow characters; us. Sustained by machines and programed by numbers and equations. It is called Skycraft."

"So what does that mean?" Tuwana had a bad feeling about the answer.

"That in all intents and purposes… we are not real. Our world is not real." She grimaced. "Or… not supposed to be real."

After a moment, Tuwana realized what she was trying to say. She reeled for a moment, sinking to her knees. "Not real?" Taking in air seemed suddenly harder. "How can we not be real?"

"Reality is funny that way… I say we are not real… because we were not created by some sort of celestial being or extra planar entity while our world is filled with would be hero's from the world that created this one sprouting up from nothing and no land… but on the other hand..." The High Priestess spoke mostly to herself, and then refocused on Tuwana; crossing over to her and taking her hands, "Something happened that I don't think even the game developers realized happened… or even know about to this day." She locked eyes with the younger woman's, and saw comprehension there; and hope. "Sentience happened. This game… this simulated world is aware. This sentience resides in the very Magic of this World. And as such… the ones most powerful… most dedicated to their Magic become that Sentience. We are the Soul of Azerim. We are its Keepers and Guardians; real or not, that means something." She squeezed Tuwana's hands and pulled her into the center of the circular tower. The sun was nearly aligned.

~. ~. ~.

When the High Sorcerer was done talking, Baradun had to stumble to the nearest wall and leaned against it. It was as if a multitude of things suddenly made sense. Ordinary townsfolk who he used to think were simply stuck in a rut were actually programed to do and say the same things over and over and over. All never realizing it, or thinking it strange. After getting it all straight in his head, and suppressing the need to vomit, he turned to the High Sorcerer. "Can I have a night to think about this and let it all sink in?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't," the older man replied.

"And why not?"

The High Sorcerer shifted his hands into opposite sleeves and sighed; a sad sigh. "Because the last would be Apprentice asked for that same thing, and I granted it."

"And?" Baradun prompted.

After a heavy pause, his question was answered, "He died. Killed himself by slitting his own throat." He said; the brutal truth better then softened lies.

Shocked, Baradun didn't say anything for a long while. "Do you think I will kill myself?" he asked just as bluntly.

At that, the High Sorcerer gave Baradun a throughout look over. As if scanning his very being. What he found seemed to surprise and satisfy him. "No." he answered simply. "But I cannot, and will not take any chances. This is too important and I have waited far too long."

Somehow, the younger man understood. This was the meaning of life… their life, after all. Still… he had one more question before giving his ultimate answer. "What would happen if more people knew? Not everyone… but just a few ordinary folk?"

"No one knows." The High Sorcerer answered honestly. "It's never been done. The risks are too great to chance it. It could cause the game… the world… to simply… crash."

Baradun blinked. "Well… that's certainly a possibility…" He turned his back on the other man to think without those purple eyes staring at him. He'd done it… he was here at the Ivory Tower to be trained as the High Sorcerer. He had had no other goal but to be here for so long. To do anything else was an impossibility. Although… no, best not to think about could haves. His path was decided by him a long time ago. He knew there would be immense responsibility with the power of this position. Baradun was the only one strong enough to claim it. His mind settled, he turned back to his teacher. "If it pleases you, I would still like to become the High Sorcerer after you." He said solemnly, but couldn't help add, "Besides… High Sorcerer Baradun sounds too good not to happen." He smirked.

Surprisingly, the current High Sorcerer laughed.

~. ~. ~.

The High Priestess positioned them side by side. "So… what is your decision? Still want to become the High Priestess of Azerim?" she tried for a light tone, though they both sensed the stress in the older woman's words. She had waited patiently for this girl to get her magical training so that her real training; her Divine training, could begin.

The inner struggle seemed to have already been resolved, Tuwana reflected. While the Truth was bigger and far more frightening then she imagined it would be: she made her decision. Made it when she was seven, and again and again throughout her training. She even made it again just a few moments before the Truth was revealed. There was no point in turning back now, when she'd come so far. She looked over at the High Priestess who was suddenly looking very vulnerable. "Yes. I still wish to become the High Priestess… if you'll still have me."

Laughing, the High Priestess gave the woman a surprising hug. The relief was palpable. "Alright then! Get ready!"

Grinning at the transformation of the older woman before her, who now shone like a star, Tuwana unconsciously widened her stance. "Get ready for what?"

"For the Patch that will begin your training!" She answered just as the sun appeared through the western window; its light blaring into the room and bouncing off the mirrors in a sudden cacophony of light and color.

Then the light enveloped them and suddenly everything the High Priestess said made much more sense and the information she needed to begin blazed into her mind.

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