Part One

Allies and Enemies: The Return of the Defias

Chapter One

Arriving at Westfall

Sanctivia

Cataclysm

When I entered Westfall, across the bridge from Elwynn Forest, I felt a calmness wash over me. The ocean breeze that fell upon my skin was a nice contrast to the warmth. By that time, the sun was setting over the horizon. A mix of reds, oranges, and pinks set their glow upon the clouds. It was nearly perfect. I knew my journey had only yet begun, but I felt limitless. The Naaru had spoken to me before I left the Exodar. They whispered to me that their light would guide me. I thank them for all of their encouragement. I knew I could not fail them. I needed to learn the true strength of a Paladin, and I knew that someday I would know. I would be as great as my sister, Arrilla, an amazing Shaman. Though I never completely agreed with her, I respect her and her skills. She's done much for the Alliance, which is why King Varian trusted me with the mystery of Westfall.

Something has been amiss in the territory. And uprising of peasants had been reported, and crime rates had skyrocketed, including the murder of the Furlbrow family.

I had never expected the sadness that would wash over me. I had heard stories, but seeing the horrors of the world for myself, for the first time, was overwhelming. As I knelt beside the body of Mrs. Furlbrow, tears came to my eyes. I fought them back and continued to look around for clues. There wasn't much to go off of, and so the mystery remained.

I asked the poor nearby if they had any information. Some were reluctant to say, and others required some bribing. In the end, I still hadn't figured much out. I wandered around the hills for a while, just thinking and trying to fit the pieces together. It was around that time that I met my first ally... Fheros.

Chapter Two

Separated

Fheros

Cataclysm

It had been almost a month since the Battle of Gilneas. Leaving my homeland was one of the most difficult moments of my life. I'm left with so many questions. Why did this happen to us? We were just humans, isolated from the world, trying to separate ourselves from the terrors outside of the gates of our community. Why was it our people that had to be cursed with such a terrible fate? I am a beast, a monster. No matter how much people say they accept us, believe in us and our human soul... I feel the pull of the monster everyday. It's clawing at me, trying to take the last bit of humanity I have left.

I had nothing after that. I was left with the clothes on my back, a few gold, and hope torn to shreds. How could I just pick myself up? It was nearly impossible. I'd have ended my own life if it wasn't for Kaethleen. She was a Gilnean, just like myself, but I was never sure what became of her. We were separated during the confusion back in our homeland. She could be dead or alive... human or worgen. There was no way for me to be sure.

Because of her, I continued on. I needed to find out exactly what happened to her. For the moment, I couldn't return to Gilneas to search for any signs of her or her remains, so I decided to hold onto a tiny spark of hope that maybe she is still alive. I did a few odd jobs in Darnassus and Darkshore for a while to make some money before journeying throughout the land in search for my lost friend.

Along the way, I made a single friend. His name was Myr, a wolf. He was a loner, much like myself. He took a liking to me and began to travel with me. Two beasts as one...

Eventually, I made it to Westfall. I set up my tent and made some stew for dinner. That's when I met Sanctivia. The one who would get me back up after such a long fall.

Chapter Three

Hope is Renewed

Fheros

Cataclysm

A hint of sound hit my ears. The clicks and clacks of mail armor were approaching. Myr cocked his ears and looked to the south. A Draenei woman was walking in our direction. He obviously didn't see her as a threat as he laid back down lazily. Her smell was somewhat clean, and her eyes bore a hint of sadness. She was a slender, young, and certainly strong girl by the looks of her. She had somewhat of an innocent aura to her. Her twin ponytails rested at her shoulders and her tail swished from side to side behind her.

When she saw me, she stopped. She almost seemed shocked to see me. After a few moments, she continued walking in my direction.

"Are you a traveler?" she asked. I nodded. "May I sit?"

"Sure."

She sat down, cross-legged on the opposite side of the fire. "Have you just gotten to Westfall?"

"Just a couple of hours ago", I replied.

"It's somewhat calm." She looked to the direction of the sea.

"I suppose it is." I offered her some stew, in which she accepted. "So why are you here, Draenei. You look like a hero straight from Stormwind."

She smiled slightly. "I have only just begun my journey, but I already feel the weight of it."

"Death is everywhere you go, Draenei. If you want to be a hero, then you need to get used to seeing lives taken, and taking them yourself."

She stared at me, trying to figure something out... perhaps read the pages that have been burned.

"You're certainly right", she said. "My name is Sanctivia."

"I am Fheros." I reached out my hand and she didn't hesitate before grasping it.

"You are welcome to the Alliance, Fheros."

We sat and spoke for an hour or so in the dim light of the fire. After she said that she was having a hard time getting clues for the murder of the Furlbrows, I decided to help. She offered gold for the trouble. My sense of smell and sight in the dark would certainly be of assistance to her.

We began our investigation by going back to the scene of the crime, and eventually made our way to different farms, gathering as many clues as possible along the way. When we reached Sentinel Hill, we took a break to help the homeless there. We distributed stew and we hired a tailor to make some new clothes for the children. That's when I smelt it, a hint of the Furlbrow's blood.

She sensed a tenseness in me. "Fheros, what's the matter?"

"I smell something, this way." I led her to the tower atop Sentinel Hill. Other than those outside, there was only a vendor and a young girl inside. The smell faded almost upon entry.

Sanctivia encouraged us to move on, and so we did. We went to Moonbrook, which had now turned into a broken down town for the poor and homeless. After running across some thugs, we realized all of them were carrying a peculiar red cloth with them. After consulting some Alliance heroes in the area, we discovered that they resembled the cloths worn by the Defias, a group of rebels that had been disbanded years ago.

"My sister helped disband the brotherhood", Sanctivia said. "She told me the stories about their mischief and the Deadmines."

"We should go to the Deadmines and search for any sign of activity", I said.

During our conversation, an Elder Draenei overheard and called Sanctivia over. He gave her something and Sanctivia bid me to follow her. We journeyed into the mines, following a trail of the homeless. A suspicious smell rose to my nostrils. "I sense danger."

"As do I." She sat down and put out a bowl. "The Elder told me to use incense... he said it would lead me to the answer of this riddle." I watched her as she placed the incense in the bowl and lit it. She closed her eyes, concentrating and let the smell overwhelm her. It was an odd smell of different types of herbs meshed together.

She suddenly collapsed on the floor. "Sanctivia!"