CHAPTER 1

Unorthodox Methods

Though perhaps more widely known than it wishes to be, the somewhat secretive Ravenholdt assassins league has spent decades manipulating and twisting events from the shadows. Expertly positioning agents of extraordinary talents into profitable situations was the calling card of this dubious 'agency' and Rogues Azeroth-wide would train for years to simply apply for such a role. It was the pinnacle of the underworld, the target to which so many would aspire to and to which most would sorely fail.

Aranaya's induction to the shadowy elite was more a gift of chance rather than a lifetime of determination. Though her skills surpassed those of many of her peers, her acceptance was surrounded by a veil of manipulation and deception. Not on her part of course, a fledgling Sin'dorei Rogue would hardly have the influence to make such events happen. Irregardless of the details, Aranaya had spent years completing contracts for Ravenholdt and over time built a level of trust amongst its commanding tier. It was in no small thanks to this detail then that her recent endeavours had proven so... successful.

Fahrad, the grand-master Rogue of Ravenholdt, hardly shifted his concentration as Aranaya quietly slipped into the room. Though she had been missing for some time, the human thought very little of her fate and had always presumed to see her once more. His focus remained on the book in his hands until the fair-haired Rogue addressed him.

"I need to find the cabal..." She announced in her usual, soft tone.

Fahrad drew a deep breath and placed the book on the table before him. He took a moment to lean back against his chair and examine his guest for a moment. Her appearance had changed very little over the last year, but then again her looks were always the last thing on her mind. After a few moments of deliberation, he nodded intently and responded;

"That could be a problem."

Aranaya shifted her shoulders slightly, clearly disappointed with the response. She had seen her own share of misfortunes of late and the last thing she wanted was more complications. Fahrad could sense her dissatisfaction and had little hope to offer her.

"You knew how this would play out if you left, Naya. Very... influential figures had their eyes on Valharian. With you gone, it was only a matter of time."

Her attention drifted slightly as she silently drew conclusions in her mind. She knew the only protection her protégé had against said dignitaries of power was her own knowledge of how they would strike. With her absence came a number of opportunities for her enemies and it was only to be expected they would make their move. For several moments she appeared lost in thought, though this was a common sight for Fahrad – Aranaya was a Rogue of intricate detail after all.

"Where do I find him?" She asked finally.

Fahrad chuckled under his breath, realising his former apprentice couldn't be fooled. Valharian was famous for his tactical brilliance and would never succumb to an untimely fate so easily - even without his assassin bodyguard. The Rogue master began to explain in no small detail of what transpired shortly after Aranaya's departure, though none of it came as a surprise to her considering all she had learned in the months prior. Upon learning of the tactician's fate, she wasted no time in departing for his location. From what she understood, his miraculous luck had almost run out...

Almost a full day later Aranaya found herself witness to the slaughter of several admirably-armed acolytes. Her frantic accomplice struggled to understand the situation just as much as she was thankful for it. Their somewhat anarchic attempt at escape left them with no time to discuss pleasantries and instead forced them to cooperate with the task at hand. The crumbling halls of the derelict cathedral seemed to twist and turn in an almost maze-like fashion further adding to the sense of urgency in the two escapees. Aranaya, normally a calm and collected individual, found herself in a light panic as she was forced to defend more than just her own life.

The occasional acolyte managed to block their path but didn't stand for long against the shapely-assassin's expert blade. Much to her dismay, her warlock companion had lost all sense of concentration and would be no further use in a struggle. Thankfully they stumbled into the main foyer and it wasn't long before they could feel the chilly caress of the Silverpine winds against their exhausted faces. Valharian clutched his knees as he attempted to catch his breath and turned to glance back into the building. His eyes widened at the sight of the relentless mob still caught in pursuit.

"It's hopeless..." He stuttered, "...we'll never get away."

Aranaya took a brief moment to survey the surrounding forest. Even with the aid of her sharp Elven senses, this haunted woodland was almost impossible to navigate blindly. Indeed, her arrival at the cathedral in the first place was partly due to a gift of fate. Somewhat defeated, her shoulders sank and she mumbled under breath.

"Keep moving." She demanded and began sprinting southward into the wood line.

With only seconds separating the pair from their would-be murderers, Valharian gained a new incentive to keep moving and quickly set off after his rescuer. The pair disappeared into the mess of trees and foliage, leaving the large group of hooded fanatics to ponder their next move. They knew all too well that escaping Silverpine forest was almost impossible during the night...

Several minutes passed and the two fleeing Elves finally began to run out of breath and almost slowed to a light jog. Though Aranaya could muster the strength to continue further, Valharian was clearly not accustomed to such physical tasks. Thankfully the chase seemed to have ended and they took a moment to gather themselves amidst a small clearing. The moon had almost reached the centre of the sky and pierced the snaking branches above, bathing the duo in a luminescent light. For a moment their dire situation was replaced with an almost peaceful period of serenity.

"This... is your... plan?" Valharian asked between frantic breaths.

Aranaya gave him a cold stare in response and wisely chose to keep her vocal feelings on the matter inside. Regardless of how bad the situation seemed, they were still alive and that counted for something. After taking a moment to ensure they were no longer being followed, the cold-mannered Rogue let loose a sharp whistle between her fingers. Valharian's ears immediately twitched in shock, understandably concerned about the noise. His apprehension was replaced with confusion however as a large red hawkstrider emerged from the nearby shrubbery,

"This is my plan." Aranaya announced as she took hold of the reigns.

Within seconds the bird began carrying the two Sin'dorei further southward toward the Hillsbrad border. It seemed as if the sketchy rescue attempt had met with resounding success, at least until they caught the sound of something very unpleasant. A deafening howl bellowed from the north and seemed to shake the branches of the nearby trees as it caught the ears of the two Elves. Valharian was at a loss, but Aranaya was all too familiar with the warning. She dropped her head and closed her eyes at the thought of what was about to unfold. Immediately she forced the hawkstrider into a faster sprint and silently prayed for a miracle.

Valharian sat on the rear of the bird and was forced to huddle close to his female accomplice to avoid any accidental mishaps such as falling off. Curious, he turned his gaze to the rear and his eyes met with a terrifying sight. Baring down on the absconding duo was none other than a rabid, slavering Worgen in a sprinting motion that out-rightly put their hawkstrider to shame. The warlock's jaw dropped and understandably his attempted scream failed to even leave his throat. As the frenzied beast drew within striking distance, it mustered a great deal of energy in its hind legs and pounced forth in a deadly motion. Finally taking note of the imminent danger Aranaya tore the shotgun from her back, spun the weapon around her outstretched wrist and fired the weapon at the unholy abomination. The recoil from the blast almost forced her off the mount, unfortunately losing her grip on the gun in the process. Both injured monster and projectile weapon hit the ground simultaneously as the crimson bird tore into the distance. Valharian released a huge sigh of relief and crudely collapsed against his partner.

Aranaya wasn't as reassured as her accomplice, knowing full well that Worgen rarely hunt alone. Loosely she clutched the hilt of the blade over her left shoulder and used her free hand to tightly pull the reigns and keep the mount steady. It wasn't long before her suspicions were realised and two more lunar hounds emerged from either side of the pathway. Tauntingly they drew parallel to the bipedal creature and remained just outside of swiping distance of Aranaya's sword. She switched her attention between the two beasts repeatedly and tensed her weapon arm in preparation for any sudden movements. The hawkstrider tried several times to veer off the path and away from the danger leaving its distressed rider to constantly struggle with it.

Knowing she couldn't take the two Worgen if they attempted an attack at the same time, Aranaya was forced to make a quick decision. As calm as she could manage she took a slow deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Suddenly she pushed her body upwards and brought her feet to the saddle, leaving her in a loose crouched position. As the pursuing beasts prepared themselves for a synchronised attack, the light-haired assassin thrust herself into the air and spun her legs forward in a crescent-kick manoeuvre. Time almost seemed seem to slow down as she soared majestically in the air with her legs pointing to the sky. In a stunningly slick flick of the wrists, she pulled a pair of throwing daggers from her belt and tossed them in opposite directions. With perhaps an unnatural accuracy the small blades cut the air and impaled themselves in the skull of each Worgen. As the harried fiends dropped to the ground in a spectacular tumble, Aranaya gracefully fell to her previous position and whipped hard on the hawkstrider reigns. The sight of the green Hillsbrad fields on the horizon was all the bird needed to increase its pace.

It was time to finally get some answers...