Chapter 1

Namus awoke with white bandages around his shoulder and all down his chest, and the most massive headache since last winter's veil. He looked around to see that he was lying in a makeshift bed, and that it was early morning in what looked to be…Ghostlands?

"You're finally awake! Thank the light, I thought you were a goner for sure," said a female voice.

"What? Where the hell am I?" Namus asked, trying to find the woman, "And where is my team?" He paused for a second trying to recollect what had happened, 'Turun…Faelen…no,' he thought.

Finally a blood elf walked into his view, she had long, straight, blonde hair that was tied in a pony tail for the time being. "I'm so sorry, but your team is gone, Faelen said for me to give this to you," she said, handing him Faelen's journal.

Namus took it in hand and couldn't hold back the tears. "He was my responsibility," Namus whispered, then looked up at the blood elf woman, "Thank you, but may I please have some time alone."

The women nodded. "Of course, take all the time you need. I will bring your lunch in later," she said, and walked out.

Namus sighed, the journal in hand. "I am so sorry Faelen," he said to the journal, holding it close like a child's blanket.

Namus sat like this for hours, until finally the blood elf woman returned with a tray of food. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

Namus sighed, "I'll be fine, I guess," he said, taking the food gratefully.

He devoured the tray in record time, obviously hungry. "Well when you're ready, the captain would like to speak with you," the woman said.

Namus gulped down a cup of water. "Ok," he said, pausing for a second, "Um, I never got to introduce myself properly, my name is Namus Lightstrike. And I am very thankful for all the hospitality you have shown."

The woman blushed a little, "Oh how silly of me. My name is Lerilia Starstrider, but you can call me Lilly for short. It is a pleasure to meet you, Namus."

Namus smiled at her, "I have one question. Why?" he said, puzzled, "Why are you showing me so much hospitality in these times of war?"

Lilly shrugged, "I believe that everyone should be given equal opportunity to earn one's trust. Especially when they have just nearly given their life to halt an invasion aimed at my homelands."

"What does your captain think of me being here?" Namus asked, finding comfort in the fact that he was safe, for now, at least.

"He is fine with it, so long as you do not show any signs of hostility towards the blood elf nation of Quel'thalas, or any of our allies," she answered.

"Well, I never had any intention of fighting a war against you, that, I can promise you," Namus said, trying to move his right arm. The pain that shot through him was crippling, "What the? Why hasn't it healed more?"

"The Dark Ranger that you fought shot you with a very powerful poison. Don't worry, it will heal in time, but it will take a rather long time, six to eight weeks, probably."

Namus sighed, "Damnit, I am due back to the Argent Dawn in a month. If I don't return, it is likely that they will send a strike team to find me."

"Well, we could send word that you are ok, but need time, perhaps," Lilly said.

"Yes, I will write it when I get back. Do you happen to have any of my shirts?"

"Only your blood stained one, here, take this robe, she said, pulling a scarlet red one out of her pack. Amazingly, it fit just right. "Thank you, ma'am," Namus said standing up. He noticed he was about a head taller than the woman, "Now, where is your captain?"

Lilly, who had been staring at Namus finally snapped out of it, "Oh, um, this way," she said, leading Namus out of the one room building and into the center of Tranquillen.

Namus was shocked to see how many of the Undead Forsaken lived in this blood elf town. 'Sylvanas must really want to strengthen relations with her homeland,' he thought.

Soon they walked up two blood elf men. The taller of the two said his goodbyes to the shorter, and stepped out and started walking towards Namus, but when he walked by, he shoved into him. Luckily it was Namus' left, uninjured shoulder. "Watch where you're going, scum," the elf said. Namus stopped and turned around, "What, you have something to say, human?" The elf said when he saw Namus stop.

"Yeah, you're lucky that's my good shoulder."

The elf got close to Namus, and tried to punch his right shoulder. Namus caught the fist mid swing with his left hand, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, friend." The elf's face contorted with rage, he raised his other fist to swing, but Namus was quicker, he twisted the elf's arm and spun him around. "Leave me be, I have done nothing to harm you," Namus ordered.

"You have done enough by defiling the streets I walk on, human," the elf spat at him as soon as he was released.

"Enough of this!" said the other, older elf, "The only thing defiling the street is you, Calen, this man is a hero. His team was the one that alerted the patrols of Kane's most recent invasion. Now get out of my sight," he said. Then he turned to Namus, "You will have to excuse my friend, his father died in Northrend, when Kael'thas was helping destroy Illidan," he said, extending out a hand, "Captain Helios," he said, introducing himself. He was an older elf, obviously a seasoned veteran, but he still stood strong, his long blonde hair running freely.

Namus shook his hand. "It's a pleasure, sir."

"Same. How is your comrade?" Helios asked.

Lilly spoke up, when she saw the hurt look across Namus, "I couldn't save him, the poison had taken too much of a hold on him, sir."

"My deepest apologies," Helios said, "I had no idea."

"It's fine, sir," Namus said, then tried changing the subject. "Lilly said you wanted to see me?'

"Ah yes," Helios said, "I wanted to ask you what the hell you and your friends planned on doing while up here in the Ghostlands?"

"A simple scouting mission, sir," Namus replied, "We were sent to monitor the progress of your forces from a distance, nothing more."

Helios looked a bit unconvinced, but shrugged it off, "Very well, then under the authority of the Farstriders, you are welcome to stay in the blood elf territories, at least until you are fully recovered."

"I thank you, and all of your people for your hospitality. I will not betray your trust," Namus said, bowing as far as he could without hurting his shoulder too much.

"Also," Helios said, "I am placing you under the supervision of the private here," he said gesturing to Lilly, "Anywhere she goes, you go as well."

Lilly just looked at Namus and smiled, "Sir, does this stretch into Eversong Forest as well?"

"Indeed," he answered, then pulled out a paper and began writing on it. After he finished, he stamped it with his seal, and handed it to Lilly, "This gives you authority to request guard's support for anything concerning Namus, be it to escort him to an inn, or to just keep a watchful eye on him if you become suspicious. Though I doubt that last one, I must cover all bases."

Namus smiled, he had this captain's trust, and that meant a lot. "Sir, if there is anything that I could do around the town while I'm recovering, feel free to ask."

"Will do," he answered, "Now, I do have other matters to attend to, feel free to explore or do as you wish, Namus, so long as Lilly is with you. I can't guarantee your safety without her. But I must bid you both farewell for the time being."

"Very well," Namus said, bowing to leave. He turned to Lilly and watched as she gave the man a hug.

"Thank you, Uncle Helios," she said, and turned to leave with Namus.

Later that day….

Namus and Lilly had walked to the northern outskirts of the town, where Lilly had had a small tent set up for the two of them. The interior had a small space in the center for a campfire, and with a vented ceiling for the smoke. Two bedrolls lay on opposite sides of the tent, one with a red blanket, and the other a blue. 'Cute, they even color coordinated it.' Namus thought. "So," Namus said, "Uncle Helios?"

Lilly just shrugged, "My dad is a general for Kael'thas and his Sunfury. It's not that big of a deal."

Namus sat down on the floor beside his blue bedroll, and with a sigh, asked, "Wait, but if your dad is in such a high position, why are you here, on the front lines? Shouldn't you be in the officer's academy?"

Lilly did the same, on her own bedroll, "Because I don't want to be helped. If I am to truly take my father's position, it will be because of my own skill, not his influence."

"Wow," Namus said, truly surprised, "I am impressed, you truly do have a sense of honor, and I respect that."

"It's nothing," she replied, "Now about your bandages," she said, scooting over to him, "Off with your shirt."

"Oh the things I could say," Namus said, taking his shirt off.

"And the things I could slap you for," Lilly replied smiling. She then began to undo the bandages.

Namus flinched at her cold, but soft touch, and when the wound was fully exposed, he was repulsed to find that the skin was still, even after Lilly's treatments, dark purple and oozed fluids from it. "How's it looking from your point of view?" Namus asked.

"Hard to tell," she replied, "Maybe it's from the strain from today, but it wasn't oozing that liquid." Lilly frowned, and began casting a holy light spell to heal the most recent progressions of the wound. It flickered from her hand to the wound, and sealed the skin shut, but never did anything to heal the purple dead flesh.

Namus tried rolling his shoulder, but when it set off a shockwave of pain, and even split the skin a little, he decided to leave it alone. Lilly cast another holy light spell, and had the same effect, sealing the upper skin, barely. "Well, that looks like its as far as were going to get tonight," Namus said, "Maybe we should find someone more skilled tomorrow, no offence."

Lilly sighed, "That's the deal, I am the best healer in the town, that's why I was assigned to you. If we are to find anyone better, it will be in Silvermoon, and that will be a weeks worth of riding, just to get there."

Namus' heart sank; a week more of this and his arm would need amputation, he decided to just let it go for the night. "Well, we will figure it out. Until then, I'm going to get some rest."

Lilly got up and walked over and doused the flame and then walked to her bedroll, "Ok, wake me up if anything goes wrong in the night."

"Will do," Namus replied, getting in to bed, "Oh, and Lilly?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks again, for all of your work."

"No problem, good night, Namus."