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A soft vibration against her leg sent Kyetah diving for her guildstone while she watched Shadow treat Zak's leg. The huntress had been waiting for orders to meet up with the fellowship members who were going to Orgrimmar and had placed her guildstone on silent so that she could visit Zak without being disturbed.

She slipped out into a hallway and clicked the stone into life. The message was the one she had been expecting. Ratheron was telling everyone to meet up at Faldir's Cove on Friday. From there the fellowship would sail to Orgrimmar. Kyetah swore under her breath. That wasn't going to leave her much time.

She returned to Zak's room said a said good bye to him, then left, her heart heavy. Despite her assurances to him that she would return, Kyetah was under no illusions about her actual chances of keeping that promise. She was going to war and in war there were no guarantees about anything.

Brushing aside the tears that threatened to fall, she made her way to the bank. There were a few things she had stored there that she needed to retrieve. She entered the vault and took the things she needed. She was about to leave when a flash of purple caught her eye.

The brightly coloured armour, set up on a mannequin, was the first armour set that she had ever worn. How proud she had been that day! She had gone to meet Jorel for another training session and he surprised her with a large box that was heavy. Inside the box had been a set of armour that was purple in colour with red trimmings. Jorel was grinning widely as she knocked him down and kissed him in gratitude.

He insisted she put on the armour and test it to see how it fitted. The armour fitted her like a glove. She had found it a little hard to get used to at first. After being used to training in her regular clothes, she found the heavy armour restricted her movements a little. It would take her a few sessions to get used to wearing the mail armour, but she was soon so comfortable in wearing the armour that Jorel moved her training sessions out into the world outside Dalaran.

Those training sessions had opened her eyes to the war going on around her and had allowed her to see glimpses of the horrors it held. She had been glad to have her mentor by her side, guiding her and helping her adjust. It was a side of life she had never seen and it horrified her.

Each time she returned to the brothel after a training session with Jorel, Kyetah returned with a little more confidence. It showed in her life and how she dealt with clients. Like the old Seer, Jorel had been proud the day she turned the old brothel into a tavern. Again, just like the old Seer, he was dead within months of that day. A stray bullet had broken through their lines and reached him. Her mentor and friend was struck in the side. The bullet had found a gap in his armour. He died instantly.

Try as she might, Kyetah could never hate the alliance soldier that had actually fired the bullet. Her anger and hatred focused itself on the madman that had ordered that the battle with the alliance take place. The same madman that the fellowship was preparing to fight. Garrosh Hellscream.

Kyetah ran her fingers over the armour. Memories appeared in her mind's eye of her fighting with Jorel by her side, encouraging her as she lined up for a shot at the enemy. Even though he had been old enough to be her father, he was still a handsome, virile man and a considerate partner in the bedroom. She had never understood why other girls in her brothel had described him as sadistic. He had never been that way with her.

It was only after his death when she had learned the truth. A letter he had written to her on the morning of his death revealed that she had reminded him of the first woman he had ever loved. A woman who had died giving birth to his son. “I hope you've found her again my friend. I promise you, I'll make him pay for your death and the thousands of needless deaths he's caused over the years.”

She spun on her heel and walked out of the bank, pack in hand and took the first dragonhawk she could to Hammerfall. From there, she climbed aboard her riding tiger and took off, not drawing rein until she had reached Faldir's Cove. It was only once she was safely on board the ship, in the privacy of her cabin that she allowed herself the luxury of tears.

From the Journal of Zakia Sunblade

Saturday

It is almost time, I am almost ready to go home, unfortunately it came too late, the ship has gone, and with it, my friends, and my heart. I couldn't bring myself to listen to Ratheron's speech, before they departed, it made me angry, frustrated, sad, and many other emotions, that I cannot explain. Whatever he said I am sure it was inspiring, and I am sure many people were bestowed ranks, not that that matters to me, I am a soldier nothing more, ranks, and titles have never meant anything to me. I do what is neccessary, that is all, I have done nothing to ever have earned a title in my mind, I am simply doing my job, though I am happy for those who did earn some title or rank.

Shadow tells me I can go home in a couple days, and Rhan has everything ready for my arrival, still after tonight I am not sure if it is safe. Once again after Shadow left, I felt as though I was being watched, I feigned ignorance, while my eyes darted around the room, looking for some kind of subtle movement. I eased one of my daggers into my hand, and as soon as I caught the movement I struck, throwing the dagger quicker than the eye could see. My smile reached my ears, as I heard the satisfying sound of hit piercing flesh, I had not been crazy, something had been watching me, or someone through a demonic proxy. The spy turned out to be an imp, I watched as it struggled to pull the knife free, before it finally died, and faded away in a puff of green smoke.

I knew it for sure Illisadel was watching me, there was no one else I knew who would use a demon to spy on me, but why, was he waiting for an opportune moment to strike, to spirit me away?

My troubles did not end there unfortunately, as I slept I was plagued by dreams, not violent ones, but ones that wrenched my heart open all the same. Dreams of Kye finding someone else while she was away, of leaving me, because I was too weak to protect her, saying she needed a real man. I woke with sweat, and tears streaming down my face, and I could swear I heard feminine laughter coming from outside my window. I hobbled my way to look outside, and there sitting in the tree outside my window, sat a succubus, his succubus, she waved, and blew me a kiss, before she faded from view. A spy, and a tormentor all in one, it was at that moment I swore I would make that man pay, pay for everything he has put me through. I am sorry Kye, I cannot keep my promise not to go after Illisadel, not now, as soon as I can move freely, I go on the hunt, I wil kill him, and he will rue the day he made a fool of me.

Am I doing the right thing in staying home and not joining the fellowship in war? Should I have gone with them? Why do I stay?

I know I stay, why I choose not to fight, even though I risk losing my friends in this war. I can't do it. The fel taint grows stronger with each spell I cast. Each demon I summon, it grows a little more. It is hard enough to fight the taint, the corruption as it is. I can't allow myself to give in to that taint. Too many would die, and I would be irrevocably changed. I wouldn't be the person that I am today.

I constantly walk a fine line, trying to achieve the elusive balance between doing what I must to survive and keeping that darkness at bay. I let it over take me twice before, and both times it terrified me. I can't let that happen again. Next time I might not be able to fight my way back.

I'm expecting my younger brother Zak any moment. He's finally able to leave the infirmary at the Spire. Thanks to Shadow's treatments, he's regained the use of his leg, although I fear it will be some time before he has its full strength back. I'm glad to see that he has recovered so well, but at the same time I worry about him.

He has just found the woman who completes him, who helps settle that dark side of him. But she has gone to war as part of the fellowship forces and although she has promised to return, we all know that in war there are no guarantees. There is a chance she will never make it back.

There is also the man who hurt Zak so badly. I've seen the look in Zak's eyes before. He's going to go after that man, and nothing I can do will stop him. The man is dangerous. I've sensed demonic spies and tormentors around Zak on the few occasions I went to visit him at the spire. Zak's even talked about the man having a succubus and wanted my help for ideas of how to combat one.

I told him what I could but I couldn't tell him what he wanted, needed to know. How to make himself invulnerable to the charms of a succubus. That is something that must come from deep inside himself. Good memories of the woman he loves will help with that, remembering the first spark of attraction, the first time he realised he loved her will as well.

But the succubus is intelligent, cunning and crafty. She can twist those same images and memories into things to torment her victim. Only through finding the strength and courage to see her torments as they are and rejecting every single one of them as false will he even have a hope of defeating her.

I have seen stronger men than Zak crumble under the assault of a succubus. I can only hope that he will be able to handle it.

A blood elf leaned against the outside wall of the inn. The wind blew past, playfully tugging several long strands of his honey colored hair. He turned his gaze from the gently rippling waters of the ocean to a small figure that sat on the back porch writing in a journal. Beside her sat another journal. This one was new, unwritten in and he wondered if ink would ever touch its pages.

“Are you going with them?”

He was referring to a speech given over the curious stone that she kept buried in her bag. The call for the Fellowship to go to war against Garrosh’s horde.

She looked up from her writing, her gaze falling on a lone bird fishing from the lake. “No,” she said at length. “I have given enough to that war.”

“I thought that the Fellowship was a network of support—not a militia.”

“I am certain that Ratheron has his reasons for bringing the Fellowship as a whole into this mess, but you are correct; we are not a band of fighters. That is not what we are, what we stand for…” she stopped and shrugged. “Not what we stood for,” she amended. “Things are different now. They have been for a while.”

She was talking about more than the Fellowship, he realized. Her indifference about the Fellowship’s politics was telling. He had traveled with her back to Silvermoon a day after the announcement came over the stone. He had stood in the shadows as she slipped the stone back into a case that held several more like it. He had watched her in a shaft of moonlight by the fountain as she pondered a small, hand-held device.

The two fell silent for a long moment as she continued to scratch out words in the journal.

“Have you spoken to your friend?” he asked.

“Kel? No, not yet,” she replied, tucking a strand of her brown hair back behind her ear. “I will, though… at least I will try. We will leave as planned,” she said, glancing up at him. “No more excuses.”

***
(New entry in a plain brown journal)

There has been a call to war—it saddens my heart to hear that call spun out in the Fellowship’s name. Honor, loyalty, compassion, and faith are the things that the Fellowship built itself upon. It was these things that gave us the means to find common ground, to come together and grow, to give us strength to carry on.

Now, with Garrosh’s machinations revealed and grinding forward, even what was founded with such good intentions must bend before onslaught. Facing Garrosh is something that the Fellowship feels that it must do; in truth, I cannot blame them for feeling this need. It just weighs heavily upon me to know that it has come to this—not just for the Fellowship, but for everyone.

I have given much to keep our lands and people safe. I have traveled behind enemy lines to uncover information, plant falsehoods, rescue people. I have risked life to ensure that others will be safe and if all that I have given was not enough, I had to lose my husband to this, too.

Already I have seen many people answer the call to march against Garrosh, not just the Fellowship. They are coming from all corners of the land, Horde and Alliance. One less rogue won’t make a difference. Until the time that I get my head back on straight, I would only be a liability.

It is time to move on. I need to hunt down several ghosts and sever those ties that keep me from moving forward. I can’t move on until I do. I do not know how long it will take or where I will be when it is finished, but I know that I will be far past the Fellowship.

One ghost down… too many more to count. But the rest are not for here.

She blew softly on the pages of the journal, letting the ink dry before she closed it one final time.

For hours now Daenith Felweaver has been staring up into the night sky in a blissful semi-sleep, staring up at the stars with a small sleepy smile on her face. But then a moment of clarity broke through and she thought. 'Where the fel am I?' With that she sat up quickly and looked around her, taking in her surroundings. She was laying the middle of a circle, the outside of it lined with large black tree's. 'Silverpine? Maybe Tirisfal?' She thought to herself then got up, looking down at what she was wearing. A finely made black robe with ornate and very threatening looking red symbols scattered across it. When she felt her hands, she noticed something odd about them and lifted them up for her to see them. Her hands were totally void of any rot or decay whatsoever.

"What the fel?!" She shouted. She brought her hands up to her face, feeling that it as well had rejuvenated back to its pre-undeath form. She grips her head and starts pacing back and forth inside the circle, trying to rationalize the situation. "Okay, okay, okay...how could this have possibly happened? What was the last thing that happened to me..." She stopped suddenly when she did remember what had happened to her. She slumped down onto her knee's and put her hands on her face. "The Vale....Garrosh....by the Twisting Nether...." She felt tears start to form at the edge of her eyes. "I'm dead....and this is whatever afterlife I as destined for....damn it.....FEL DAMN IT!" She screamed to the heavens above attempting to conjure flames from her hands, but only punching the air several times.

Eventually she became exhausted and simply collapsed on the ground. Closing her eyes in exhaustion she nearly went back into unconsciousness, until she heard a very familiar sound.

((Le music to set atmosphere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz-tOLvN4C0))

The sound of a piano started playing. But no normal song, atleast not to Daenith. This song was special to Daenith because of the connection it had to her past. In her life, especially her young life. Her mother had in there ground floor apartment in Murder Row, a old and dusty piano. She and her mother would always be on it when Daenith was young. Playing songs written by composers from across Azeroth whether they be Elven, Human, and even occasionally dwarven songs. I mean dwarves playing the piano! Daenith was surprised as you are right now when she found out! But this specific song was always Daenith's favorite. Its dark melody's had always calmed her on her most saddest of days. Ironic because the song in of itself is kind of depressing...anyway, back to the story.

Eventually, her drunken idiot of a father had run out of money -again- and decided the sell the piano to pay for more booze. Her mother, reluctantly, agreed because she could use some of the money atleast to help afford food. Daenith, who at the time was the equivalent of a human thirteen-year old, was quite displeased. To the point of screaming at her own mother to keep the piano, but eventually, she relented. But even after all these years, and through undeath even, Daenith never forgot her childhood of playing the piano with her own mother.

But now, years later after both the piano and her mother having passed away, she hears the music once again. Its beautiful and dark melody's in her ears, comforting her. Daenith got up from where she was laying and started slowly making her way towards the source of the music. She entered the dark forest, unafraid of the darkness or anything that might be lurking within it. The large black tree's branches seem to dance to the music with the wind blowing against them as there partner. After minutes of walking towards the music, she exited the forest to see a small black lake. The stars above reflecting off the surface of it and a small island in the middle of it, dotted only with a few tree's. From the sound of the music, it was coming from the island. And before Daenith could even think of a way to get across, stones started rising from the waters depths and forming a bridge across the water. Daenith stepped on the stones lightly then hurried across to the other side. Daenith stepped onto the island and saw the light of the stars illuminating what appeared to be a large black piano, with a single figure playing it.

As Daenith stepped closer the song ended and the figure got up from the seat and turned around to look at her beneath heavy black robes, covering its face. "Who are you?" Daenith said to it. The figure chuckled femininely then began to lower the hood from its head.
"Do you really not remember you own mother, Daenith?" The hood fell off and the face a pale Blood Elf with midnight black hair and a small mischievous smile appearing on her lips. Daenith's mouth was agape in confusion and for a few moments there was only silence before Daenith yelled out "Mommy?!"

The dust and dry conditions in the plagued lands were easing due to the efforts of the Argent Crusade and the Cenarion Circle. Jana landed at Light's Hope and whistled for her hawkstrider. She had been gone a long time. Packing her goods on the back of a pack kodo she headed for the Enclave.

The absence had not seemed to bother anyone. She wondered if any of them had even noticed she was gone? New Dawn looked to be improved, and she noted the guest house with some surprise. Since she had not really established a house here she went to the refurbished Inn.

The desk clerk did not seem to know her as she strolled in and set her packs down. "Hello, I need a room and a bath. I am Jana Shadowstar. Who refurbished this place? It looks great!" she remarked as she signed the guest book.

It was a surprise that she was even trying to talk to Ares again. The last time they had been face to face, it had been at the Tavern where the Fellowship and the Legion had gathered together to celebrate everything and nothing at all. Shadow clenched her hand at the memory of him forcing his lips to hers as she stared at the assassin, far more scarred and worn than most Sin'dorei. Not because he was inept, but because he was too good. She knew his fighting style and knew that he preferred to take tit for tat and that made him even more dangerous. The kind of man to walk into another's blade to take the killing blow. As if he felt no pain whatsoever. Even more dangerous, she thought, was how he would even let friends cut into his flesh, as if it didn't matter.

"Don't I feel outnumbered," the assassin drawled while lounging on one of the overly ornate couches of Firehawk Spire, one leg kicked up onto it with his arm draped over the arm closest to him. Shadow's eyes took in the rest of those who had gathered, and knew that she had probably done something horrible by inviting only a select number within the group. But this was where her influence was strongest, she felt.

Eve made no comment towards Ares. She knew the man, perhaps better than Shadow herself did, and simply crossed her arms with no sign of amusement in sight. Seraphathir had taken politely to a chair, her dress armor free of nicks and scrapes, unlike her true armor after the war. It was probably still getting repaired. Zarina leaned up into a corner, looking like a drenched cat in the way of her aura radiating positive hatred and venom. Shadow shuddered slightly and turned her eyes away from the warlock. Though she hadn't meant to invite Zari, the woman had noticed something was up and had invited herself along anyway.

"Shut up, Ares," Shadow murmured softly. "I need your help."

"Have another assassin for me to fight?" the man yawned with disinterest. Selethen was rubbing off on him in a bad way, the monk thought with mild annoyance.

"I need to find the new leader of the Fellowship, and you're the one who holds the reigns of this mess. You know things that most people don't want to know."

"Generally speaking. However, in case you've forgotten, my time has been split between here, Stormwind City, Booty Bay, and Orgrimmar. In no particular order," his eyes narrowed. "Eve has been holed up here since returning but she has been just about as useful as I have."

"Thank you," Eve returned coldly while Sera's gaze flicked between the lot of them with mild amusement, like a cat watching a ball bounce back and forth.

"But this is the problem!" Shadow shouted suddenly, gaining more attention than she wanted to. When all eyes seemed to fall upon her, she blushed and looked away, silently wondering how she would even manage being married at this point. She hated this more than anything else, having so much attention. "This is what destroyed the Fellowship's heart."

"This is just me being practical," Ares drawled.

"But it's not right for them, and right now, this is what it feels like," she waved a hand, trying to explain what she was thinking, but it failed.

"Corrupt," Sera supplied the word and Shadow wanted to hug the woman. That was why she was here. She was good with words.

"Thank you," Shadow sighed. "Like everything that's been done has been straining what little we do have and everything has been corrupted and…" she trailed off again.

"Is crumbling," Sera looked around thoughtfully.

"Exactly. Once, we had two noble Houses supporting the Fellowship. Firehawk and Sunblaze. I'm sure Kel still wants to support it, but she's in need of getting away from it, too. With her twins, with the fact that the father abandoned them…" she looked away. "There's no way Kel could take this back. Ratheron is starting to feel that he isn't right for this job, either. But he doesn't know who to pick."

"Why not Seraphathir?" Zarina sneered suddenly, surprising Shadow, who looked at the woman questioningly. "Oh, don't give me that. She's the 'oh, let me inspire goodness in all of you!' type. She can lead you to glory and all of that bull!@#$."

"We don't want a leader, exactly," Shadow murmured suddenly, and more than one eyebrow raised. "What I mean is that we need someone who can connect to the roots of everyone's problems, draw them out, and pull everyone together and create a new, uncorrupted core."

"So, Sera," Zari growled. By that point, the Blood Knight's gaze had dropped to her own lap, though it was hard to tell if she was annoyed or embarrassed by having her name constantly thrown forward.

"No," Shadow groaned. "I mean a mediator!"

"So you," Ares joined in, as if badgering Shadow was his new sport.

"No!" Shadow whimpered.

"You are the only one here who mediates," Eve replied calmly. "I have my limits in tolerating idiocy, I do not connect with others well, and my position is already askew without a rumor springing up about the Fellowship's ability to 'break' House nobles."

Shadow dropped her gaze, for she hadn't thought of things that way. Go figure, she thought to herself, that Eve would already be thinking about such things. The woman was gifted in learning new ways of thinking. Only a few months and she already could map out political potential.

"Why are so few people here?" Sera noted, distracting them from the topic, if only for a moment.

"Because House Firehawk is a majority influence on the active Fellowship members. One of you is bound to know the others in the guild," Shadow murmured softly. "And I need for everyone to cooperate now in figuring out what to do. Ratheron will be leaving soon, and I'll be going with him. So I can't take leadership."

"Why not?" Ares closed his eyes.

"Didn't you hear the part about me traveling? Besides, Rath won't pick me, he thinks I'm already stressed enough as is…"

"Who cares if you're traveling? So long as you can make it to one spot once a week or so, and actively talk to everyone," the assassin drawled.

"Because I don't deserve it!" Shadow shouted angrily, far more angrily than she would have liked the words to sound. But once she had let that bit out, she found that more followed quickly before she could stop herself. "Because I'm a horrible mentor, because I can hardly keep my own friends from walking away, because I can't do crap to help anyone, because I've already been shown to be such a weak influence that everything breaks all around me no matter what I do!" tears were on her face at that point.

Sera moved as if to stand, only to freeze when a slow clapping began from Ares. The Blood Knight turned her eyes upon Ares, narrowing as Shadow took that moment to rub her eyes, trying to dry them quickly.

"And now we get down to the root of your personal problem," Ares proceeded to stand at that point. "You feel helpless and weak when left alone and that's why you've dragged all of these people in here, wasted everyone's time, because you can't do anything for yourself. You rely far too much on others."

"I…" Shadow swallowed hard, the bite of Ares' words only magnified by the fact that she was forced to accept it as truth. "Yes," she sobbed. "But it's better this way, too… I need everyone's opinions as well…"

"But you didn't invite everyone here, did you?" Ares returned calmly. "So not everyone's opinion is being taken into consideration."

"Not yet… I… I need names… People… Then I can… Then I can…" Shadow choked on her own words, shrinking back slightly.

"Then you can promote someone else, give them all of the responsibility, take none for your own, and tripsy off into another little fantasy world where whenever a burden is placed on you, you run away from it. 'Oh, I don't want to be a mage, I don't like it, but I can't tell my parents. Wah, I'll run away'. 'Oh, my boyfriend is all sad and doesn't want to be a leader, we'll just run off and everything will be okay if someone else handles things'. Am I wrong?"

Dead silence answered Ares' words as Shadow closed her eyes tight, trying to block out what he was saying. And yet, it was far too true, and hit far too deeply. The man began to approach her at that point, continuing to list her failures, her attempts to shy away from responsibility, and she lost that sense of peace that usually followed her. That feeling that everything would turn out okay, somehow or another. Because it wasn't. Everything was falling apart and she couldn't stop it. And Ares hit that spot on. A rush of fire leapt from her hand towards the man, though it was so weak that he simply waved an arm before himself, fearlessly casting it away.

"I'm sorry, was that a fireball spell?" he laughed.

"Enough!" Sera roared as she stood up. "This is not her responsibility to claim, but the guild's. You cannot pin this onto one person and one person alone!"

"I seem to be seeing a lack of 'guild mentality' here, and more a 'Firehawk mentality'," Ares waved a hand casually again before turning and making his way out of the room, leaving the women alone.

"I could make him scream," Zari said suddenly. Shadow glanced at the woman through a watery stare and noticed her jaw was set and her very aura had turned dangerous. Destructive. The warlock was annoyed.

"Leave him be," it was Eve who answered for the monk. Shadow nodded numbly in agreement as she took over the couch, dropping down heavily into it. What a strange sensation, to feel defeated before she had even begun. "He'll be scouting, just as Shadow asked, but that doesn't mean that he didn't want a price to be paid. Frankly, that's the smallest price he's ever asked of someone. To respect the truth of their actions."

"There's a difference between honesty and tearing someone apart," Sera growled softly. She and Zarina exchanged a glance, and Shadow couldn't help at wonder if the two women were actually seeing eye to eye for the first time.

"Move forward from here on," Shadow said suddenly as she straightened up a bit more, wanting to take full advantage of a potential truce between the two women. Still uncertain if she could raise to any challenge or occasion, and yet not about to back out. This wasn’t about her. "Look at everyone around you and see them for who they are… I made a mistake, but the plan is still a good one to start with. If the guild is to decide its fate, maybe it should be an unknowing decision…"

It was only happenstance that Haelya found herself in the small Inn at Fairbreeze. Meeting an old friend and meeting a few new ones. It started out so normal. But Fate had other plans. She had no idea she would meet people so interesting. They fought for something unselfish and noble. They stayed together through trials and tribulations that left them decimated in numbers, but never without hope.

A code to live by, Honor, Faith, Compassion and Love. It rang a bell in her very soul to hear these things and see them in action. Her father had died a war hero, selflessly staying behind to block the advance of a regiment of humans in a bottle necked valley. He was a paladin, he served the Light and passed on his beliefs in the power of the Light. Haelya had sat at his knee as he told of heroes who sacrificed much to keep the people safe. To protect the land and the environment.

She remembered the day they had come to tell her he was gone. She was alone and still in training. She had thought to become a paladin like her father. But the news of his death shocked her so much she turned from the Light. She remembered being filled with rage, that her only living relative had been taken from her. Throwing herself into her training she swore revenge on the humans who took her father from her.

A few years down that road found her cynical and bold. She could handle herself well, keeping the balance and skill she learned from her father and adding the years of training and fighting in mercenary companies. But something was different about Haelya. She had the build of a young man, with nothing feminine about her. Her hips and waist were straight, her chest was muscular but not developed.

She worked hard at her training, running miles to build endurance. Her arms were bulging with muscle and her legs were like steel. Not an ounce of fat graced her body. She kept her hair short, she hated to let it grow. There was nothing of finesse about her, but the grace of a warrior's stance.

Her teal green eyes glowed with a fierce pride. She was clean and neat without being fastidious. Not afraid to rush into a fight, but eager to defend her friends. She had a biting wit and often made fun of someone to get a rise out of them. She was very protective of her female friends, in particular her paladin friend Jaella. They had grown up in the same neighborhood. Fast friends and even faster at getting into trouble. Often with Jaella's brother Zackia.

This Fellowship had intrigued her. She was not sure what was happening, but something had changed. They wanted very much to move forward from a troubled past. She thought maybe she would learn more about it in time. But she accepted the invitation to join them with an open mind.

Zakia Sunblade sat at a table in the guest house he shared with Kye, the night's events replaying in his mind. First the reunion with Haelya who he, despite her constantly teasing him, considered a good friend. He was slightly disappointed he had missed his sister Jaella, she drove him nuts, but she was his sister, and his twin, and so he still loved her. The reunion was short lived however, as the biggest news of the night struck, Ratheron was stepping down as leader of the Fellowship, and he, and Shadow planned to get back to their roots. He had stayed stoic throughout the announcement, his mind at the time though was racing, what would the Fellowship do, without it's leader? The news had rattled him, and it was plain on his face when he returned home. He told Kye what had happened, keeping up his facade of stoicism, when his mind was in turmoil.

Now he sat in the main room of the guest house, everyone staying there already asleep, and he finally let everything he had been holding in out. He cried, he cursed, he broke a couple of glasses, he let it all out, he knew he should have done this around Kye, so she could comfort him, and so he wouldn't bottle it all up, but she had been upset as well, and being the man he is he was the one doing the comforting. Finally after what seemed like hours, he sat back at the table, and pulled his journal out of his pack, he had taken to carrying it with him ever since he moved in with Kye, he didn't want her reading it, it was far too embarrassing. He opened it to the first blank page, and began writing.

What a night, it has drained me, reuniting with Haelya is draining enough as it is, but then the news Ratheron, and Shadow delivered floored me. They were leaving, Rath, is stepping down as leader, and has left the Fellowship in my... our hands. I cannot think like I normally do, this is something I cannot do alone, no this time I must seek the help my my friends, and companions in the Fellowship. I promised Shadow, we would not let her down, but I wonder if I can keep that promise, this will be a big change for the Fellowship, and everyone will need to step up, and pitch in.

Despite my boastings, and promises, I cannot do this alone, I know I have Kye who will pitch in, and even Haelya I know will help, but what about the others? What about Fyn, Lin, Carinoth, and all the other members, will they help, I want to believe they will. I am not much one for praying to the Light, but if the Light is out there, and does listen to our prayers, then I pray it would give us the strength to carry on. I am drained, and my heart is torn, I need to get over these emotions, so that I can do my part, but I wonder if I can.

The Inn was quiet and Haelya sat at a small desk in her room. Opening the journal she read over her past entries and sighed. She had a lot to think about and it helped her to put her thoughts and memories down.

She flipped past pages of childish scrawlings. Things her mother had helped her with. She could not read them now without feeling the pang of her loss. Her father had changed when it happened. Where he had once been a kind and generous parent he became aloof and introspective. He took the loss of the love of his life hard. Daily prayers became short and terse and then dwindled to weekly. It was not his fault that his wife had died in childbirth, they had lost both mother and the son that would have been Haelya's brother.

It had taken Haelya a long time to get over it as well. She watched her father suffering from the double loss. He could not take time to coddle his daughter, he was too busy wallowing in guilt and grief. Instead he worked hard and tried to drown his sorrows in work and wine. The confusion in Haelya's mind went from jealousy for his apparent grief over losing a son, to sharing his grief over losing her mother.

His lessons up to that point had been an indulgent father's way of giving her something to do. She liked to fight and used two weapons in a complex dance he encouraged. Even when he had sparred with her it had all been defensive and more playful. He wanted a son, he was looking forward to it with joy and anticipation.

He had been called away for some escort duty. When her mother went into labor Haelya was outside playing with Jaella, teasing poor Zack until he was ready to kill them both. There was no one inside the house with her mother, they were not wealthy enough to afford servants. Her cries for help were not heard. It was really too early for the young one to be born. No one expected it.

When her father came home, Haelya was away in town trying to play a trick on Zack. He came into the house calling for his wife to bring her the flowers he always gave her on his return. He found her too late to help, she was already almost bled dry and the baby was past saving. He worked feverishly for hours to save her, but it was to no avail.

When Hael came home it was to a strangely quiet house. Both parents were gone and she was confused. She found the bed where her mother had bled to death and gasped out in shock. Running outside she was just about to go to the local guards when she saw her father in the garden. He was on his knees sobbing and cursing at the Light for taking away his only son and his wife.

She was stunned, too much in shock to even talk to him. Her own grief overwhelmed her and she fled to a hiding place where she could cry in privacy. It took both of them several days to even begin to speak to each other.

(1/2)

There was no one in her room to see her tears. She would not let anyone close to her to see them. Warriors do not cry! Warriors are stoic and brave, they deal destruction and...and mayhem...

Hael wiped away the tears that threatened. These memories were not what she wanted to color her life. Her father was gone now. He had only been around for a few more years before he had gone off to war and never returned. His efforts to raise her had only been superficial after that. She had been old enough to leave alone, not a child. Their house had become a silent dreary place she avoided as much as possible. Her entry into the Academy had been tersely acknowledged and she left home to make it on her own.

She moved away from that life and became a fierce fighter that took great delight in beating up anyone who challenged her. Getting into a mercenary company had given her a taste of coarseness that left it difficult for her to get close to anyone. She grew weary of the constant jibes of the others who wanted to bed her. Rebuffing all in her desire to stay away from the grief she saw her father drowning in. No one would be allowed to get close enough to her to go down that road.

The desire to do something better with her life was a subtle reminder of her happy past. It did not even occur to her that there was something good in life to be sought after. Helping others came naturally to her. But she never knew how much she needed the discipline of a focused group. This was going to be good for her, she felt it in her very soul.

Mommy?!

Daenith's mother started laughing loudly, so much in fact that she rolled onto her side. "Ohohohoho....Daenith, even in death you still make me laugh!" She stood back up then walked over too Daenith, opening her arms wide and gripping her in a hug. "It is good to see you again, my little flame..." Daenith returned the hug hesitantly then backed out of it.

"You....your dead..." Her mother smiled kindly at her then crossed her arms.
"Indeed. I did. I personally blame your father. To busy getting drunk and wasting away our money...." Daenith stepped back slightly suspicious. Her mother made a bored look at her then with a bored voice she said, "You were born in July. Lineron was born in December. I died in our home, in my bed." Daenith still did not look convinced. "When you were a teenager, you enjoyed wearing that pretty pi-" Daenith quickly covered her mothers mouth with hand.
"SHHHHHH.....Don't talk about it!" Her mother wretched Daenith's hand away from her mouth with a smirk on her face.
"Nobody else is even here. How could anyone else find out?" Daenith poked her fingers together and looked at the ground.
"Well I don't like talking about it...." Her mother began laughing loudly again then kissed her on the forehead.
"Oh Daenith, I love you!"
"I love you too, Mother..."

Daenith's mother clapped her hands then motioned for them too sit on bench near the piano. "So, I suppose I should explain. You are in a coma."
"Oh thank the Shadow's....I thought I had died....well, you know again." Her mother stared at her with a confused expression.
"What are talking about? Died again?" Daenith stared into her mother's eyes and spoke plainly.
"Mother...in the world of the living...I am undead..." A look of confusion crossed onto her mother's face.
"Before you jump to conclusions! Just let me explain too you my life...mine and Lin's anyway..." Her mother settled back on the bench, then let Daenith explain her and her brother's life ever since she died.

Shade's journal had remained untouched for so long. She didn't know how to express her thoughts or feelings. It had been hard enough to admit them to herself, let alone read them on paper in her own hand-writing. She had been angry enough at Kyetah for mocking her, even teasingly, enough to say harsh words, because that was how she felt. Her hand went to her side as she lay on the bed sheets, her wounds long since healed, but feeling far weaker and less alive than she had since the day she had opened her eyes. Inspiration struck as she picked up her quill and began to write.

I remember it now. The day I opened my eyes, I was nearly drowned in my own blood… I don't remember my name, but I never thought I needed one. I was so consumed with warfare and hatred. I don't even remember how long ago this happened. I don't know if the men I fought have long since died of old age or if it was only a year ago. But I remember being put into bonds. I remember that while I possessed the will to fight to the death for no real reason, I wanted to fight. And the fact that I was so weak that I couldn't lift my own head burned me.

I would kill every single human I saw. Every member of the Alliance. That was my purpose.

My hatred only grew, festered. I was never treated kindly by them since I opened my eyes. It grew worse. Darker. My mind merely a haze. It's a wonder I remember anything at all, but the more I'm forced to realize myself, the more I ask questions I never have before. As if fighting was as natural as breathing and I never thought to ask why. I never thought to wonder who was the first boy who kissed me. I never thought to live.

Zak was the first reason I had to look past that destruction. Because I wanted something, for the first time in a long time, to be something else. Maybe I had gotten bored with a mindless purpose. Maybe I wanted to be inspired. Maybe it was just base instinct telling me that it was time to lay with someone. I don't know. But I do not regret anything I have done.

I do not regret how harshly I treated Striker, how much I hated him. He was just another human to shove an arrow into. Just another monster to slay. Not a person. His arrogance was a clue to that fact, it was just another symptom of being a waste of breath, a piece of…

So my mind reeled. Zakia was not mine, he never would be mine. And it was a human who sat there, who sympathized with my situation. Who began to ask me the simple questions and made me realize that there were things I had never wondered. Who looked deeper at me for no reason other than to offer aid. I laugh pitifully at myself these days.

What's the point in hating humans if I can't kill even one?

My skin crawls sometimes when I think too much about it. How I've grown used to his company. The fact that when I told him I hadn't a clue, he told me he would give me a memory. I can't stand him.

Now, my heart is shattered. It hurts to breathe. I lie in bed, and I wonder where my energy went. Where my life went. My right hand is wrapped heavily because I've burned it, my fingertips were getting numb. I hope it's not permanent.

I don't know what to do anymore.

Get up. Party. Drink. Have fun. Live on.

A new question came to mind.

Why am I alive at all?

~Post Siege~

A note written in a book full of strange quotes and nonsense:

Something is wrong…I feel it in my gut. I felt it when she left for the Siege. Fynnariel had just started healing. Living life. Granted she is dating a Shadow Priest but that is besides the point…She went back into a war for him, for these friends of hers. For all of bloody Azeroth! But I fear she pushed herself too far too soon.

I spoke with someone in the Fellowship today. Shade hadn’t seen her and by the sound of it she hadn’t been in contact with many. The woman was crying. She had that look. The look I still see mirrored in my own eyes…

Shade wants to help Fyn, but can she? They might make a far worse combo than we did back then…

…when he…

The scrawl becomes illegible for the rest of the letter then clears up for the last sentence.

Light…I don’t ask you for nothing…Today what I can’t speak aloud I write in words. Save the ones that deserve saving, the ones who have a chance at life.

-Whisper

Zakia Sunblade, strapped on his boots, and donned his well worn leathers, he strapped on his two katana, and double checked his pack to make sure he had everything. Last night had gone from bad, to worse, to horrible, he always enjoyed talking to Shade, she had always been the one person he could talk to that was objective. Kye felt like she had to fix everything, and Rhan still treated him like a child most times, but Shade saw him for the man he was, and simply supported him, it had been their relationship when he was injured. Last night though it was his turn to be there for her, to be her outlet, and he had thought he had gotten close to her opening up completely. That's when Hael showed up, and soon after his sister, many things were said in anger, he had not meant to hurt Hael, hell she was so close to the family she may as well been another sister.

If that had been all he could have gone home, and lay next to Kye, and got a good night's sleep, but no, then Shade had to get him away from those two, and inform him, that Fyn was missing. No one seemed to know where she was, where she had gone, for him mercifully the siege was a blur, him having risked letting a bit of his darker side out, in order to make sure he didn't make an emotionally charged mistake. Because of that he didn't remember much, other than the pain of when he was cut, or bruised, he had recovered quickly enough from the whole ordeal. He knew, however not everyone had, Shade was a good example of that, he couldn't help but wonder if he should have done more last night to comfort her, but that could lead to something they would both regret. He loved Kye, more than anything, but he also hated seeing Shade hurting, what was he supposed to do in this situation.

Technically Hael was right he and Kye were not married, and it was very sin'dorei to play the field, but that was one thing he had always hated about his race. It was why he looked to Master Stormfury as a role model, he wondered what he would do in this situation. He sighed, he feared he would have to make another tough decision, one that would hurt one of the two women he cared about most, he cursed, once again Fate was playing with him.

On a lighter note he had received a letter from an old friend, a cousin of Bryah's, Kelden Starstrider. He had mentioned in his letter that he was interested in joining the Fellowship, and the rogue had to admit it would be nice to have an ally. The two of them felt pretty much the same about their race's promiscuity, and haughty nature, unlike Zak though Kelden had left Eversong, and his people behind. He had spent the lst three years in the wild, training himself, and escaping the stigma of his race, but he had expressed a desire to return, and to help the Fellowship. Saying something along the lines of, "We need to save our people from themselves," the rogue didn't know what that meant exactly, but it would be good to see his old friend none the less.

(1/2)

The rogue sat at a table in the guest house, he had to decide how much to tell Kye, like Shade he didn't want to pull her away from the thing she loved to do. He smiled as he thought of how happy she looked when the guest house had opened, and the first people began staying there. He didn't want to ruin that happiness, and so he put pen to paper and began writing.

My Dearest Kye,

When you find this letter I will have left, I want you to know I will return to your arms, but something has happened to one of my friends, and I need to help them. I do not know how long I will be gone, but I don't want you to worry I will not be alone, another friend is going to aid me in this, and I will always have you in my heart.

I am sorry I cannot tell you this in person, but I must make all haste, to help my friend, I know you will understand. My loyalty, and kindness to my friends is one of the reasons you fell in love with me right? Don't let Haelya, or Jaella get to you, they both enjoy causing me grief, and may tell you all sorts of things, know that I love you, and I always will.

Love Zak

He folded the letter, and placed it somewhere he knew she would find it, and bid farewell to the guest house, and his love. Fyn needed him now more than Kye did, wherever she was he, and Shade would find her no matter what.

(2/2)

The flickering fire danced in reflection in Hael's eyes. How long it had been since she had a home and family to back her up? Years...she knew it was a long time. Her father was gone. She was certain he had put himself in a position to end his life, his grief locked around his heart too tight to let go. Her mother was part of Hael's past as well. The kindness and love from her mother had winked out in her life, leaving her bereft of anything close to solace.

She had felt her guilt and her father's rejection as surely as if he blamed her as much as himself for her mother's death. Even though logically there was no fault on either of them, sometimes childbirth is fatal to mother and child. It happens.

The walls closed in on Hael like towering stone. Shutting out all who dared to approach her. Lashing out in anger and vitriol to keep them all at bay. Her coarseness was like an armor that covered her fragile ego. She teased and baited those who might have been friends. She knew nothing else. There was one exception and she sat beside Hael now. Jade was her friend, maybe her only friend. The thought of Zack and his obsession with her rang like a discordant note in a melody.

She could not hate the rogue, something about him made her wonder if she could have been thinking of him as a brother? Was that why she teased him so? Then the spectre of her unborn sibling would arise and taunt her. "Father wanted me! He did not want a daughter, he wanted a son!"

The pain lanced through her as surely as if her father stood before her with accusing eyes. The eyes that had once shown her love and fatherly pride even in her clumsy attempts to fight. That was gone now, shut off like a candle snuffed with a breeze.

She had not seen Zakie's attempts to visit her as anything more than annoyance. He caused her endless teasing from the other girls. Some of them even going so far as to claim he was her suitor! She broke more than one nose and bloodied more than one face for the teasing, until her instructors kicked her out and sent her away.

It was the company of mercenaries who took her in and finished her basic training. A strong woman among them taking her as apprentice. Hael learned more than fighting from the warrior. She learned the delights of rolling in the sheets with another woman. It opened her eyes to a whole new world.

My scarcely visited journal can now hear the tale that's been known by a small handful of ears. I think I prefer talking my problems out as opposed to writing about them, but I find that I have fewer and fewer people to speak with and confide in than I had thought readily available to me. That much became apparent the night that Zak's sister and her !@#$ of a friend came open Zak and I trying to have a conversation. I needed someone to help me sort through my own head desperately. But it was not to be.

Ridiculed for considering him a friend, called many a spiteful name, and unable to deal with it in such a raw state, I was more ashamed that I couldn't let go. I wanted to shoot the both of them in cold blood and leave it at that, but Zak would hate me for all of eternity. And then I would truly lose a friend. No, I stood there and took it, trying to endure, until tears of pain came. I should have found their words pitiful and idiotic for none of them hit close to home, but they struck too many nerves to count.

I left.

Zak fears the %^-*!es in his life more than he cares for me and my pains, which is probably well and good. But I am reconsidering my position in things. In who I can trust in when I really need someone to talk to. I don't think he's that kind of person after all. And he probably shouldn't be. Maybe it's pathetic of me to be made wary of such a thing, but I don't know how to take it when someone says that if I went missing, he'd search everywhere for me, beyond the planets, and yet when it comes to walking @#$%s, he can't say anything. Do anything.

But that's what I'm going to change, I hope. I can't be the victim around him, I need to always be the stronger person. I'll be the one to stand calm and level-headed as we find Fyn, though I know she is safe. She has to be. She's just waiting to be found, she just doesn't know it yet. I can't feel sad or vulnerable. Kyetah might well thank me for that, it seems she might be doing a bit of that herself of late. But I guess we all are. The war wasn't kind to us. But this is life.

I'm not allowed to stop and cry or feel sorry for myself.

Eat, drink, fight, sing, live, love.

Right, Silver?