The Dreamstalker

[xAnimaSola]

*INTERMISSION POST* (A short pause on Izzy's back story)

Izshandriel stood in the center of a forest clearing armed to the teeth and then some. She was as still as she could be. Mercenaries surrounded her, guns and crossbows pointed at her, others with swords and other such weapons. Her enemies were masked and cloaked in black but one could clearly tell most of them were members of the Horde, with a few goblin additions. The elf kept her hands in the air, her breath hissing through her metal mask.

“You have a deathwish, Kaldorei?!” shouted an Orc.

“Not at the moment.” Izshandriel retorted. “I came looking for you, actually. Strictly business, of course.”

The Orc seemed confused, “What are you talking about? Speak clearly, elf!”

“This is the famed Blackhood family, am I correct? Known to have terrorized the roads of the Barrens for decades until recent events drove you out of your hiding.” The Orc and his allies remained silent. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Izshandriel cleared her throat, “I have, here, a warrant for death or capture of the entire Blackhood gang, from Orgrimmar, in fact. Curious…”

“You think you can kill us?!” laughed the Orc.

“No… I’m here for your redemption.” Izshandriel put her hands down which made the others uneasy. “I am Izshandriel Dreamstalker. Exile of the Kaldorei, wanted criminal by the Sentinel army for thousands of years. My list of sins grows worse by the day. I would rather be turned into Orgrimmar than be handed over to my sisters. Perhaps you will even see some forgiveness by your peers.”

The Orc smirked, “You’re kidding me.”

Izshandriel disarmed herself, “Capture me now, before I change my mind and decide to die in a glorious battle.” The Blackhood took no hesitation. A few moved over to her, binding her arms behind her back with rope. It was only a few moments before Izzy spoke again, “I have committed crimes against the Horde numerous times, so I’m sure they’ll see reason to your return. Yes?”

“I can only wonder, elf.” The lead Orc said. “Is Kaldorei punishment that severe?”

Izshandriel chuckled, “Oh, you have no idea.”

Within moments several metal cannisters were tossed into the area. It soon filled with a dense fog. Many of the Blackhood began to react to it. Their noses and eyes began to run. Their breath was like fire. A few even began to vomit in a few moments. Izshandriel shut her eyes, breaking free from her bounds through brute strength alone. She quickly equipped goggles and stood up, grabbing her weapons.

“It’s a trap!” cried the Orc. “Kill the elf!” He said, trying to feel his way to the nearest tree. A gunshot sounded in the distance, followed by the explosion of an Orc skull.

“Nice shot, Kalisha.” Izshandriel said to herself.

Then came Celen, Izshandriel’s only Sin’dorei student. With her heavy armor, shield and sword she charged in, bashing a troll with her shield, and stabbing another in the gut. Through the dozens of highwaymen, she slashed at her enemies, cutting tendons and rupturing arteries. Through the tree canopy flew a large raven, swooping down and tackling a goblin with her large talons, killing him almost instantly. The raven rolled off his body, transforming quickly in another Kaldorei, Saelliia. She swung her staff over her head, bashing an Orc in the skull. She extended her hand toward a troll, roots ensnaring him to the ground. His chest ruptured as a bullet pierced it seconds later. She ducked as a sword came hunting for her neck. She tucked and rolled turning to face the attacking troll, transforming into a saber and pouncing onto her enemy.

A flying glaive flew through the trees, cutting the necks of several enemies before returning to the large claw of a worgen, Darius. He leapt from foe to foe, crushing enemies necks with his mighty claws, slashing their necks open. After pouncing and biting into the neck of an Orc, he drew his weapons, strafing about as he was matched up with a large totem-wielding Tauren. Darius only growled and made his charge with axes drawn.

Kalisha continued to shoot enemies from a distance but was taken surprise by an Orc who came around her. He swung his axe at her, the young human deflecting the blows with her rifle. Soon she was pushed back, rolling along the ground. She sprung to her feet, tossing a few knives at the Orc. The blades sunk into his flesh. Though it did not seem to halt him for too long. Suddenly a blade impaled his chest from behind. The Orc was not ready to die yet. Then, more swords came. He was immediately overwhelmed by undead minions who pounced and piled upon him with weapons. They gargled and stood up once the Orc was dead and continued their mangled marched forward toward the main battle. Kalisha watched the small zombie army go forth, as Teraneth lagged behind, walking with a cane and a stern face. Kalisha stood up and followed, her sword drawn.


Izshandriel spent her time doing what she did best, killing enemies. She wasted not a single movement as her blades cut through several of her foes. She threw a blade into a goblin that nearly struck Saelliia, leaving herself with one weapon. A troll came for her. She gripped her blade with two hands. Her muscles contracted. With faster movement, and significantly more strength, she beat the troll to the punch, cutting her completely in half with one strike.

“Izzy!” Celen shouted. Izshandriel looked over to the Sin’dorei who was running toward her. The confused Kaldorei thought to turn around, spotting a troll as he cast a large ball of fire to her. Normally the elf would brace the attack. Instead, Celen rolled in front of her bringing up her shield and reflecting the fireball into a nearby goblin, causing him to explode. The Sin’dorei continued running toward the troll as he fired a myriad of spells which she was able to deflect away from her with the enchanted shield. Soon the troll was overtaken. Celen leapt into the air, sunk her blade into the troll, and pounced him into the ground.

The battle was shortly over. Izshandriel and the rest of her comrades stood around each other, looking at their handiwork.

“Loot them. Take their black hoods. I will have House Sunfire process this for us.” Izshandriel said, picking up her weapons, “Well done, Izshani.”

[xAnimaSola]

After her relocation, Izshandriel received the letter from Saedra, which was marked as from her parents for the sake of anonymity. She crushed the note in her hand, but then thought to keep it, folding it away and placing it somewhere safe. Saedra was right, despite being called paranoid. Starripper was scheming, and while her intentions may have been noble, the cost was far too great. Izzy resumed operating under Saria, her new captain, along with a few others. Soon the training groups would disperse and operate individually. A captain would be grouped up with others, and they would watch over the trainees, which were now being referred to as alpha sentinels.

That doesn’t mean Izshandriel took any joy in it. Yes, they were able to quell the demonic forces in Ashenvale, with ease sometimes. However, the joy of being able to speak with her friends, the feeling of base camp… it was all gone. Captain Saria was no joy to have and throughout the years would bicker with Izshandriel about her insubordination. Izshandriel simply was doing things her own way, frequently telling the others that they were not needed and only slowed her down. Izzy would often sneak off while her supervisors slept and slay demons through her own methods.

With each passing day, she mourned what she lossed. Her childhood, her youth, her captain… she would get none of it back. Though there was some hope in saving Saedra, she feared it would take centuries of planning. Every day, she grew angrier… more violent… more rebellious. Her physical appearance had changed for the worst, matching her tenacity and rage.

One evening she stood face to face with a Felguard, a mighty and tall demon with a large sword. The two had already exchanged their ferocity in battle, suffering an equal amount of wounds. Where the Felguard excelled in strength, he lost in speed. While Izzy was muscular herself, she was the smaller fighter. The demon was unsure of she had been playing around with him, making quick nicks and cuts along his body. A heavy sword swing was easily ducked under, or side-step. To his surprise, Izshandriel was beginning to mimic his stance and swordplay, and more surprisingly matching him in strength.

The two found themselves in a deadlock, and Izshandriel was holding her own. The more the two pushed against each other the more the demon could see Izzy’s anger which was not targeted toward the demon, but within. She exerted more strength, her eyes flickering green a few times. The Felguard was caught off guard by the sight, losing focus of the task at hand. Izshandriel pushed him back and slashed his side.

The demon roared, staggering back before trying to slash his weapon down on the elf. His sword became anchored in the ground, and before he could pull it up, Izshandriel cut through his wrist disarming the demon. Once again the demon roared, this time in pain as he fell to a knee, holding his bleeding handless wrist. He looked up to see Izshandriel rip his sword from the ground and swing its heavy weight about and directly into the demons chest. The felguard had much difficulty trying not to fall back, but the elf leapt in the air, driving her weapon into his neck and pushing him over.

He tried to grab her with his free hand but she had cut that off the moment it rose. The felguard’s eyes locked with Izshandriel’s now green eyes. He had muttered something in Eredun while the elf straddled his chest, snarling at him, baring her unnaturally long canines.

With one last growl she decapitated the demon swiftly before standing up, covered in both her blood and the demons. She took her weapon with her, looking one last time to the demon.

“I am no monster.” She said to the corpse.

“Izshandriel!” cried a voice. Her superiors emerged from the forests. Izzy gave no response to the fully armed and ready elves. “Izshandriel, are you okay?” asked Liara, probably the only superior she had nothing against.

“I may be sore in the morning.” Izshandriel joked.

“By Elune, Dreamstalker!” Saria growled, “Will you ever listen to us? We move and act as a unit. We can’t account for you when you run off like that. Now you go off fighting Felguards? Those are one of the most fiercest and dangerous demons we have in these forests!”

Izshandriel looked back at the still bleeding corpse, “If you say so…” She continued walking.

“Damn it, Dreamstalker! Follow orders like you’re supposed to.” Saria barked. “I’m tired of chasing your ass around the forests. Starripper would kill me if you ran off and never came back.”

“Not my problem.” Izshandriel said, continuing back to camp. “I’m killing demons, that’s what we do. We make this forest a safer place. How it gets done doesn’t matter. If you can’t keep up, don’t try to. You’ll just die.”

Saria ran up and twisted Izshandriel to face her by the shoulder, “What, do you think you are better than us?”

“If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t need four of you to watch over me.” Izshandriel replied.

Saria drew her glaive, “Come on then, Dreamstalker!”

Izshandriel ignored her and kept walking, “Put it away, Saria. Not worth you getting beat again.” The other elves calmed Saria down as they arrived at camp.

“Izzy.” Liara said, helping the elf get cleaned up. “We’re just worried about you, you could get yourself killed. We’re your friends, and we don’t want that.”

“No such thing as ‘friend’. It only ends badly when you let someone get too close. Bad for them.”

“So what are we then?” asked another elf, Edara.

“Allies. Mutual goals. Nothing more.” Izzy answered.

“You’re funny, Dreamstalker.” Saria said, approaching her. “You talk like we’re the throw away here. What are we, expendable to you?”

“I expect you to hold your own. If you can’t… well that’s too bad.” Izzy said. “I reckon Starripper could care less about what happens to me. Just like the others.”

“What do you mean?” Liara asked. “Of course we do! You’re one of us.”

Izshandriel licked her fangs, “Pawns.” She muttered. She stood up and started walking back into the forests.

“Where are you going, Dreamstalker?!” Saria shouted. Izzy gave no response. Saria ran up and tackled Izshandriel to the ground. Izzy rolled to her side, grabbing Saria and tossing her off to the side. “I said, where are you going!”

“None of your business, Saria.” Izzy said.

“Saria, stop this!” Liara said. Saria immediately drew on her dagger. Edara and the other elf Iris came to pull the two apart. Saria broke free and began fighting with Izzy. The match was like clockwork, the Sentinel training apparent in both of them, but Izshandriel had strength. Izshandriel swept Saria onto the floor, grabbed her leg and flung her into the nearest tree.

“Keep her away from me.” Izzy said, walking into the forests.

Saria growled, standing to her feet and tossing her knife at Izzy. The blade would sink into her back. Izshandriel roared, falling forward onto one knee before ripping the dagger out.

“Saria!” Edara shouted. “That’s enough!” Saria stood to her feet as her comrades gathered to calm her. Within moments, however, Izshandriel broken through the small crowd, picked up Saria by the neck and pinned her against a tree.

“Don’t test me, Saria.” Izshandriel growled.

“Expendable piece of shit.” Saria choked. “Starripper was right about you.” Izzy loosened her grip just enough to hear her speak. “Should’ve died back in that demon camp. You’re just one of them now.”

Izzy turned around, slamming Saria into the ground by the neck twice before tossing her back onto her feet with the others. “Keep her away!” Izzy shouted.

“KILL HER!” Saria screamed. “You have your orders!” Izshandriel turned around looking at the hesitant Sentinels. “Starripper said she would be trouble, and what we should do if she becomes difficult.” Izshandriel ran off into the forest. “After her!”

Those were the last words she heard from her superiors. She would be hunted down… like a dog. She was no monster… this was Starripper’s fault to begin with. Izshandriel moved towards the center of the forests where Starripper might be, and waited. She knew at least Saria would report Izzy to Starripper and she would have an even bigger ordeal to handle.

Instead, Izshandriel hunted her superiors down, one by one in the night. This had gone too far. Starripper’s crimes were growing and as unfortunate as it was, others were paying the price for it. Despite being coordinated and well-armed, Izshandriel surpassed her superiors in all fields and had even ambushed one of them right under their noses. Edara was the first to go down, yanked by the neck and mouth before the elves turned around, spotting Izshandriel dragging Edara’s body into the brush. When they had found the body of their ally, it was too late. She was suffocated. Iris was second, falling victim to Izzy hiding in the stream. She was quickly pulled into the water only rising to the surface when she had drowned. The remaining two sentinels became paranoid as Izzy hunted for her life’s sake. She regretted the kills… but her survival was top priority, and Starripper had crimes to answer for.

While Liara and Saria walked about, keeping a sharp eye on the surroundings, it was not enough. Liara fell unconscious after being hit over the head. As her body fell, Saria turned to face Izzy. Quickly she fired two arrows at Izshandriel, both sinking into Izzy’s arm which she used as a shield. Still the tall elf ran for Saria, fighting once more but with a more hateful disposition. Saria continued to lose, suffering broken ribs, a dislocated arm, and a bloodied face as she continued to fight Izshandriel purely out of rage. The fight would end, however. After Saria had driven a dagger into Izzy’s side, Izshandriel managed to get a hold of Saria once more, rising her up by the neck. She would pull out the dagger from her body and release Saria, catching her quickly by driving the dagger under her jaw and into her brain. Izshandriel held the body elevated for a time before dropping her to the ground.

Liara awoke, looking at a sobbing Izshandriel by Saria’s corpse. She was unable to stand however.

Izshandriel looked at Liara, sniffling her last tears. “Go, Liara. Tell them what happened in whatever version you see fit… Starripper will hunt after me regardless.” She stood up to her feet, and began to walk off. “Izshandriel is no longer a Sister… and no longer a Kaldorei.”

[xAnimaSola]

Exile.

Izshandriel had to live with this word somehow. To think everything she worked for… everything she was put through was on puppet strings. She served Starripper, grudgingly but obeyed regardless. She marched through the forest at night, holding onto the recent injuries she suffered. It had been little more than a day but she moved as fast as she could, distancing herself as far as possible from the main camp. She was sure Starripper knew of what happened already.

Starripper.

Izshandriel gasped, “No!” She grunted trying to pick up herself to run. If Starripper found out about Izshandriel’s betrayal… the others could not be safe. She knew where one of her friends was camped at. She ran as fast as she could… just as fast as the day she saved Eilana from demons. The run was just like that day… too nostalgic now and it started to make her uneasy. “No no no no…” She muttered to herself. “Not Eilana, please not Eilana.”

Izshandriel promised herself she wouldn’t stop running until her heart gave out; she held true to this promise. Though it took some time, she eventually came across Eilana’s camp. It was clearly abandoned, not a body in sight. Were they on a hunt? No… they wouldn’t have left it like this. Izshandriel stumbled around the camp looking for anything… something. It was hard to tell in the night.

But much to Izshandriel’s fear, she found a still body on the floor. Her body froze for just a moment, her legs locked. She found the courage to move forward, her breathing heavy as she covered her mouth with both hands. She inched closer, the moonlight piercing through the canopy above. There lay the body of Eilana, bleeding out of her side, a bruise to her head. Izshandriel near buckled at her knees before she reached her friend but waited to do so when she was close.

“Eilana…” Izshandriel choked.

Surprisingly, she was still alive. Eilana slowly opened her eyes and looked over to Izshandriel, “Izzy…” Izshandriel sniffled, out of joy to be able to speak to her friend once more. “I… had a feeling I’d see you again.”

“This is all my fault, Eilana… I’m so sorry.” Izzy confessed.

Eilana shook her head. “Saedra was right… whatever you did… you did the right thing.” Izshandriel looked more closely at Eilana’s wounds. She was far too gone to have any help. “The others?”

“I-I don’t know…” Izshandriel answered.

Eilana turned her head to face the sky. “I’m glad you’re here.” Eilana whispered, her strength leaving her. “Izzy… you can’t let her get away with this.” She reached to her belt and took two vials, handing them to Izzy. “You have to replicate it, Izzy… learn what’s in it. I couldn’t bear to die knowing you’d suffer. Make more… and find a cure. Starripper has to pay for this.”

“I can’t leave you here, Eilana!” Izshandriel cried.

“I want to see my parents again…” Eilana rasped. She frowned, tears flowing down the sides of her face. She looked to Izzy, reaching a weak hand over to her friend’s knee. “It’s alright, Izzy.” Izshandriel looked up, her eyes swelling with tears. “It doesn’t hurt.” Eilana smiled and shut her eyes. “Not anymore.” And with that, Eilana breathed her last. Izshandriel sobbed on the stomach of her friend, until the sky cried with her.

Rain fell… thunder crashed. Izshandriel, would have been on the move again… this time towards Starripper’s camp. She didn’t care if she was injured. At the moment, anger grew inside her like a plague, spreading to every fabric of her being. Through the storm she eventually made it to her ex-commander’s location. Sentinels were all around. Izshandriel didn’t care. Starripper had to die tonight. She took the weapons she had and made her way through the brush, her soaked face peered through the leaves, staring at Starripper with a great intensity.

She moved out of the bushes and stood in the camp clearing, nothing between her and the Huntress. Izshandriel had two blades drawn, glaring at her.

“STARRIPPER!” Izshandriel shouted.

The Huntress smirked and turned around, “Izshandriel… thank you for saving me the trouble of finding you.” The other Sentinels swarmed around the Huntress with bows drawn. “Honorable for you to turn yourself in.” The huntress grinned, “But you’re not really here to do that.”

“You’re going to pay, Staripper!” Izshandriel growled.

“You see! She has lost her way. Corrupted by demons! They did infect you in that camp!” Starripper said.

“You’re a liar and a traitor!”

“I’ve only done what is in the best interest of the Kaldorei… one of which is killing tainted soldiers like yourself and the others.”

Izshandriel growled, “YOU TAINTED US!” Starripper and the others laughed. Izshandriel had enough. She roared, ready to charge.

“Kill her.” Starripper ordered.

A staff came from behind Izshandriel and whacked her across the head leaving the enraged elf unconscious. “Sorry Iz.” There from the shadows stood Aliandril, wearing her custom armor. The bows fired their arrows. Aliandril drove her staff into the ground, placing a shield in front of her and Izzy deflecting the projectiles.

“What?” Starripper turned around to see what had happened. “Kill this intruder!” The Sentinels rushed with blades drawn but Aliandril spread her arms to her sides letting out an explosion of energy. The blast tore up the ground, rupturing it while the bubble of light sent the Sentinels back to their original positions. “KILL THE INTRUDER DAMN IT!” Aliandril stretched out a hand toward the group and emitted an extremely bright light. None could see in front of them, blinded by the magic. When it dissipated, Izshandriel and Aliandril were gone.

[xAnimaSola]

Aliandril and her frostsaber journeyed through the forest until they came across a small cave, one that Aliandril had well-established a small home in. Izshandriel was still unconscious, as intended. After laying her sister down deep in the cave, Aliandril began to cast her healing magic over her. She kneeled beside Izshandriel and hovered her palms over her body. A bubble of light encased Izzy, glowing with a soft light. Small threads of light coiled their way from the bubbles shell and into Izshandriel’s body, their glowing trail shining in her veins as they snaked around. Aliandril stood up, frowning at the sight of her bloodied sister.

“The demon was right… but I can’t purify you without killing you.” Aliandril said quietly. She looked at a vial filled with the toxic regimen. It was still stained with Eilana’s blood. “Don’t worry sis…” She popped open the vial and brought it to the nose of her frostsaber, “Come, Maras. We need to help, Iz.” The frostsaber sniffed the regimen for a few moments before making a soft growl. “Good girl.” Aliandril looked at her sister one last time before mounting her saber and riding off.

Maras did not take her immediately to the source. Instead she came across bodies, or where bodies had recently been moved. The blood was still rich with the scent. Izshandriel’s sisters were gone... all of them, as far as she knew. Aliandril took a deep breath before riding off again. The saber took her far away from the cave, passed the Sentinel camps and passed the border into Felwood. There she found a dirt path leading off the main road. Aliandril dismounted and patted Maras on the foreleg, gesturing for her to leave.

“I’ll be back soon, Maras. Stay out of trouble.” Aliandril said.

It was the same camp Saedra had invaded, just as quiet as before. There was no one outside, just a pair of torches highlighting the entrance to a cave. Aliandril cautiously moved from cover to cover before slipping into the cave structure. It was rank with fel energy and blood. She knew the smell well. Candles were the only means of illumination for a time before torches were used for large rooms. Then she stumbled across a chamber filled with cages and demons trapped inside. Many of them were sickly, dying or just unaware of her presence. One of them looked at Aliandril with curiosity. It was a succubus. She arose from her resting position and stood up, staring at the ex-Watcher. The night-elf turned, feeling the eyes staring at her. She gave a light smile before approaching the cage.

“Hello…” Aliandril said, telepathically, so as to not disturb the other demons.

“Out of my head, Kaldorei!” the succubus responded in kind.

“You look like you’ve been here for some time… perhaps we can help each other.” Aliandril said. The demon began to feel uncomfortable, as if something were crawling in her body.

“What do I have to gain from helping you! Your kind locked me in here to begin with.”

“I’m aware,” Aliandril nodded, “But they say, the enemy of my enemy…” She trailed off. “I can get you out of here… in exchange for some information.”

“A Kaldorei is not often called to cohort with demons.”

“Only when the Kaldorei is desperate enough for aid.”

The succubus paused, “I help you find what you need… I go free.”

“That is my promise.” Aliandril grinned, “You have my word. But just for good measure.” Aliandril raised her hand, the reflection of a thread would show at her finger and begin to glow. “If you decide to… retaliate.” She tugged on the thread ever-so slightly. The demon cringed from pain. “I’ll kill you without a second thought.” The succubus looked dismayed but nodded in agreement. Aliandril levitated off the ground, raising herself up to the cages level as she undid the lock from the outside. The succubus climbed out and glided down to the ground. They continued their mental conversation as they walked further into the cave. “Not a word to your brethren… I’d like to remain here, unnoticed. Now, who did this to you?”

“A demon hunter… one of your kind. He has followers, and a mate… I suppose she’s some military official.” The succubus responded.

“Starripper’s mate… how interesting.” Aliandril smirked. “Go on.”

“He hunted us down with his followers and captured us. He brought us here… caged us. From what I heard, they are using our blood and energy to create---”

“Potions. This place is a factory…”

“So you know.”

“This demon hunter… his mate is a Huntress. Perhaps they both believed that empowering soldiers with fel would make them more capable in defending our forests against your kind.”

The succubus scoffed, “A foolish plan if you wish to kill your soldiers.”

“Many of them lived… they did become more powerful… and more dangerous.” Aliandril added, “My sister has grown taller, and stronger… and now she is being hunted for being tainted by the very same person who inflicted her.”

“You plan to kill her.”

“While she is surrounded by her soldiers… impossible. Even if I had her, killing her would be an easy way out. I require evidence to bring her to proper justice. Then I will have my way.”

“The demon hunter is this way…” the succubus pointed to another hallway. “Can I go?”

“Not yet…” Aliandril moved into a very large laboratory, her boots clicking on the stone floor now.

“Who goes there?!” a male voice shouted. The demon hunter was busy brewing, and turned around to see a succubus standing idling in the hallway. “Demon! How did you escape!” The demon hunter angrily approached her but was struck in the face by Aliandril who popped from the shadows. “What’s this?!” Aliandril stared forward with her ever faint-smile. The demon hunter drew both of his glowing red blades and growled as he charged at Aliandril.

Aliandril stood still until the very last moment. She drew upon her dagger and stave, repelling the demon hunter away. “Starripper’s mate.” Aliandril said, getting the hunter’s attention. “Your kind never cease to amaze me. Never have I seen such carelessness and stupidity!” The hunter charged forward again. The two exchanged a flurry of attacks and blocks. The battle was evenly matched until Aliandril began using her purifying energy to burn and destroy the demon hunter. Soon enough, he was crawling away, bloodied, bruised, and begging for his life. “What is in that potion!?” Aliandril kicked the hunter in the ribs, tossing him onto his side. She gripped his neck with a burning hand, “TELL ME!”

The hunter was unable to speak. Instead he screamed as Aliandril’s hand began burning through his skin and into his throat. “I WILL KILL YOU!” Aliandril gripped tighter, and brought his face to hers. “Decide whether or not you want it to be swift or painful.” The hunter still refused to speak, or rather was unable to. Aliandril kicked him to the ground and hovered a hand to his body. Threads of light dropped down and snaked their way into his body. “Have it your way.” With a moment passed, she gripped the threads of light and yanked them upward. The hunters body convulsed, his back arching upward toward Aliandril’s hand. His scream was blood-curdling, but Aliandril only kept her hand raised, using him like a puppet. “SPEAK!” The hunter was in too much pain to do much of anything. Aliandril stepped on his chest and pushed down on his body as she pulled up with her risen hand. The threads snapped out of his body, causing mortal injury. Cuts would appear all over his body; veins and arteries burst inside.

Aliandril snarled, looking at his dead body. She noticed one of his hands was pointing to a chest in the far corner. She moved quickly to it digging out a few scrolls. She checked them all, sifting through until she found the correct one. “This is it.” She walked out of the room, taking the succubus with her, and dragging the hunters body out. She came to the room with the caged demons again, and remained still. She folded her hands together as she assumed a prayer-like stance. A glowing light began to glow. It was brighter, and brighter, the orb becoming bigger as it completely encased her hand.

“You may go, succubus. But take the hunters body to the surface.”

“I’m free?” the succubus questioned.

“I gave you my word.” Aliandril said, her eyes closed as the light grew more intense, a swirling wind developing around them. The succubus looked to her Legion-brethren. “My word was for you, and you alone!” The succubus dragged the hunter’s body through the tunnels as Aliandril’s spell conjuring continued. Mystical runes and symbols appeared on the floor and in the air. The demons around her backed away in fear inside their cages. She opened her eyes, they glowed with the same bright golden glow as her spell. She made her incantations and remained there as the spell grew for another minute. Then, she roared as she stretched her arms to her sides. A giant explosion of holy energy erupted from her and burned through the entire cave structure. The demons were vaporized, and all traces of fel were gone. Aliandril was left, kneeling on the ground as smoke rose from her body. She was breathless, pushing herself up with her stave before heading out. At the entrance of the cave she found the body of the demon hunter on the ground, and the succubus nowhere to be seen. Aliandril gripped the demon hunter by the neck and looked to the cave behind her.

A day later, Huntress Starripper arrived at the cave. She found nothing but horror. Her mate was impaled on the wall above the entrance. Around its borders were written in his blood: “DREAMSTALKER.” Starripper wasn’t sure what to feel. Tears welled up in her one eye as her face tightened in anger. All she could do was cry out to the wind in sorrow and rage.


Back at Aliandril’s cave, Izshandriel was still in her healing stasis. There she left a note for her sister, along with the scroll for the recipe. Aliandril took one last look at her sister before frowning and mounting her saber. She left. The healing stasis wore off. Izshandriel, whenever she woke would read the letter:

Izzy. I know what you’ve become… I know what you’ve done. And I’m sorry there couldn’t be any other way to fix this. I’ve left you some supplies, and the recipe for your drug. But now I warn you, to never return to Kaldorei lands ever again… or I will find you, and I will kill you. I’m always watching.

[xAnimaSola]

Izshandriel awoke hours later. The healing spell wore off, and as soon as it did her eyes slowly opened. The fire in the cave had gone out. The breeze came through, but she was covered in fur, clothed in a new clean set of gear. Aliandril had dressed her, and left her food when she left. It was a kind, if not confusing gesture. Reading her sister’s letter, Izshandriel wasn’t sure why Aliandril did what she did. Treat her kindly, and threaten her with death? Aliandril, the Nightshade, was the last person Izshandriel wanted hunting after her, even more than Huntress Starripper.

She had no time to think about it. Aliandril was known to make good on her threats. Izzy took her things, ate a quick bite of food before departing the damp cave. Ashenvale was a big place… and she had very few options. She was exiled now, she declared it herself. Izshandriel was respected, honored, and loved… but the game of ignorance, and deception shred it all to pieces. Her life with the Kaldorei was over. With every step, that began to sink deeper and deeper into her mind until she found herself in tears. She was no longer a valiant defender, but a wanderer, forever marked with a body developed from fel energy.

Izshandriel navigated further away from camp, a direction she was not used to. The nearest encampment wasn’t far… and the feeling of home was even farther. What bothered her most was that she wasn’t going to come back from it. This was forever, set in stone. There was no regaining her honor, or restoring her name. She was tainted, and cursed… doomed to live an existence on the run. Darkness was her new home, and she wasn’t allowed to leave. She had naught but a parchment with the recipe for her toxic regimen, as signed by Starripper’s mate. It was evidence… but she needed something more to convict Starripper. She needed Saedra, her former captain, now jailed and cursed with the inability to speak properly. Breaking into the Warden’s jail was unthinkable. Izshandriel prided herself in her talents but even that was beyond her.

She carefully navigated through Ashenvale’s thick flora, trying to escape its far borders. It felt like days. Weeks went by. She occasionally had to stop, sleep, hunt, and eat what she could find. The regimen she had was beginning to dwindle. Occasionally she scouted demon camps and stole necessary ingredients, often at the cost of injury. Though, normally, demons were able to smell her coming, it almost seemed like she blended in. As unfortunate as it was to realize it, it did work to her advantage.

One night, Izshandriel decided to take a well-deserved rest. She looked up at the full moon, scratching her neck and face. Leaves crunched beneath her feet as she took a casual stroll through the forests. It was dark, almost unnaturally so. The further she walked, the less the moon shone through the thick canopy. Then, the rustling of leaves shifted behind her. She turned around, walking backwards and stumbling over a root. Blood was rushing in her eyes as her adrenaline pumped. The pressure urged her to continue, to run. She scurried to her feet and rounded a corner. She tried to contain her breathing as silently as she could while listening for the footsteps.

Izshandriel.

Izzy turned her head, hearing a voice call her name. She was too scared to move.

IIIIIzzyyyyy…

The voice teased. Izzy quietly drew on her glaive and whipped around as the footsteps were right around her tree. With a shout she held her blade out in a threatening manner. There was no one. The footsteps were gone.

“That’s not possible.” She said to herself.

Footsteps rustled through leaves in another direction. Izshandriel turned around and held her glaive out, backing away from the footsteps, trying to at least find some form of movement in the brush. She was knocked over from something behind. Izshandriel fell on her face, springing back up to get a glimpse of what hit her. Still, there was nothing. Whoever this was, they were playing with Izshandriel.

Over here, Izzy.

Izshandriel began to lose her patience, mostly out of fear. She growled, lowering her stance. Suddenly something struck her in the face, yet… it was nothing. No stone, no fist, no projectile of any form. She growled again, turning around.

“Come on! I know you’re out there!” Izzy shouted.

Leaves rustled directly behind her. Izshandriel swung her weapon in rage. Yet nothing was there again. She lost control of her breathing; her focus was destroyed. Now, all she knew was panic and fear. The cold night air chilled her sweat, causing her to shiver. Izzy swallowed the lump in her throat and lowered herself. Her breathing was now unsteady, short breaths casting vapor into the air.

Soon…

“Come out demon! Whatever you are!” Izzy said, on the verge of tears. “Come out or leave me alone! Stop these games! If you’re here to kill me, then do it! I’m already dead!”

Kill you? Now where’s the fun in that?

Izzy snarled, “ENOUGH OF YOUR GAMES!”

Careful… you don’t want to give away your position… Starripper will be after you before you know it.

Izshandriel furrowed her brows, “Then let her come…”

Oh no… it would be a problem for me if you died, Izzy. I’m only trying to help.

Izshandriel’s vision began to blur. She stood up and tried to back away to a tree, only to fall onto her back. She lost her balance and strength, unable to do much of anything. Leaves rustled in front of her… slow light footsteps.

“What’s happening to me?” Izshandriel asked. “Who are you?”

The being tormenting her came into a blurred view. It was a Kaldorei, Her skin was as pale and vibrant as the moon. Her body was lithe, voluptuous in every way. Long black hair, beautifully cut, fell to her lower back. She strut herself to Izzy, her hips swaying along with her hair and no clothes on her body.

Pardon me for not introducing myself…

The Kaldorei half-straddled Izshandriel, a single leg rested on Izzy’s thigh. The woman brought herself to Izshandriel, peering at her with obsidian eyes. Her pale lips curved into a devious smirk. Izshandriel shook her head, her eyes widening in disbelief. The Kaldorei and Izshandriel were one and the same.

I’m you.

[xAnimaSola]

* This is an intermission post for all my readers *

Yes, the Dreamstalker story has been long... and slow. And I apologize. I got my work cut out for me in life, but I haven't forgotten about you guys. You readers are what keep this story going! That being said, please, feel free to PM me, or leave a profile message. If you have question about the story, let me know. If there's a particular aspect of the character's past you want to see told, I'll gladly write it. I've heard some great compliments about the story so far, so if you want to voice about anything else... do not hesitate to tell me.

From the soul alone,
xAnimaSola

[xAnimaSola]

Izshandriel found herself inside a fortress of some kind. There she was, stuck in narrow brick corridors lit by torches along the walls. She carefully tread along the ground, constantly looking behind her. Both directions never seemed to end. It wasn’t long before she heard indiscernible whispers, and arrived at an intersection. She turned right. There a woman, made of black ash drove a dagger into Izshandriel’s stomach. She felt the pain. It was as real as she imagined for she felt it before. The sensation of death took her as the woman stood over her body. She began to black out.

“I will bring you rest.” A voice said. That voice... the one that brought her here in the first place. Izshandriel awoke, unharmed, back at the same place where she started. She ran down the corridor, and instead continued to go straight. Again, an ash woman materialized, stabbing her in the neck and twisting the blade. It all repeated. “Succumb!” the voice called.

Again, she was at the beginning. This time she turned left, but encountered no foe. She entered a room. In the center was a little girl sobbing over two corpses. Around the girl was a circle of black ashen men but they seemed inanimate. Izshandriel stepped closer. Immediately the girl stopped her cries and began to growl at Izshandriel. The girl seemed too familiar, but what recognition she took was cut short as the child appeared in front of Izshandriel, piercing her with a dagger. Izshandriel fell to the ground. The girl sat on her chest.

“You’ve failed your people! You are NOTHING!” shouted the girl, but it was the same voice from before. Izshandriel stood up, the pain immediately gone, the room clear. She moved on to the next room, which held the same content. Again the girl materialized in front of Izshandriel, stabbing her in the throat and pushing Izshandriel to the ground. “You hear their cries every night, don’t you Izshandriel?!” Once more the room was clear, and Izshandriel pressed on. This time the room was filled with several girls who all proceeded to attack Izshandriel. Each of them took their turn in cutting her.

“Love wasn’t enough to keep them alive!” One had said, “Could you do nothing to save them? You’re still as weak as you were!” screamed another. Izshandriel stood up. Her vision blurred. She looked upon dozens of little girls, all of them sobbing toward the ground. This time they were made of black ash as well. However, one girl appeared normal and stared at Izshandriel. The ash girls burst into flames and screamed in rage and pain. They rushed toward Izshandriel will a hateful glare in their flaming eyes.

“No…” Izshandriel shook her head.

The girls scratched her with bare fingers, and tore her clothes. Izshandriel took up her glaive and pushed forward. She threw girls from her back as they tried to weight her down. She began her counter, impaling some in the stomach and neck. She slashed throats, and severed limbs. She did all she could under the pain and injury. Throwing others to the ground she stomped their heads to dust while more attacked her. As each took their mortal blow they burst into sparks. Blades met heads, and bodies split in two, but it wasn’t long before Izshandriel’s body began to give in. She took as slash to the throat, her wound flaming instead of bleeding. After taking care of the last of the flaming children she looked to the normal looking girl. Izshandriel, again, was tattered both body and clothes. She staggered to the little with little conscience.

“No…NO!” The girl shouted, she seemed frightened but unable to move. “You cannot! YOU MUST NOT!”

Izshandriel gripped her by the neck and squeezed tightly. The girl struggled like anyone would and soon fell as Izshandriel’s grip finally subdued her. Izshandriel sighed and looked down at the girl. Her face, again familiar. But it was then Izshandriel wished she hadn’t focused on it for the little girl she gazed upon…was her.


Izshandriel awoke from her nightmare, staring up at the sunlit canopy above. She remained still… motionless and in awe. Her worst fears were confirmed. She was losing control of herself. A battle she would struggle with to the end of her days.

[xAnimaSola]

For thousands of years, Huntress Starripper and her Sentinels had nigh caught a glimpse of their prey. Izshandriel only appeared as a specter in the night, often evading hunting parties, and sometimes regrettably confronting them. Now, while Izshandriel had no quarrel with the Sentinels themselves, she was not always of sound mind, having frequently lost her bouts against her corrupted soul. While she might have often run away, or simply maimed her pursuers, her darker side would have favored to see them flayed, dismembered, burn, put on display, or all of the above.

The guilt of her uncontrolled crimes drove her deeper into madness and anger. When she could contain herself and her insanity, she retreated as far as she could away from her kin. And as time progressed, she saw less and less of them. Society and language developed without her knowledge and her Kaldorei tongue would eventually become near obsolete. Her minimal education left her baffled at new Darnassian script; eavesdropping on patrolling guard was nearly pointless. In due time, Izshandriel fled the only home she had. She travelled the vast continent of Kalimdor, exploring new terrain, and observing flora and fauna that were alien to her. Still, she never let her guard down. Paranoia swept over her every night since she left the forests of Ashenvale. The thought of pursuit, as hard as it was to reject, would be with her to the end of her days.

The world was changing around her, and all she had was the wilderness which she became so accustomed and united with. Day by day, she would train herself as harshly as she was under Starripper’s command. When she was not training, she was meditating; when she was not meditating, she was hunting. Izshandriel did what she could to remain alive, and sane. However, the world outside the forests was dreary… and the elf began to wonder if the world was going to change at all… or would she continue scraping by to the end of her days.

Thoughts of suicide were common. Izshandriel would often reflect back on her past and feel the stabbing pain of being unable to see her family again. The fear of her sister also haunted her. Aliandril, though unbeknownst to Izshandriel, never had any intention of harming her sister. She simply needed to make a point that Izshandriel could not return home for her own safety. Thousands of years had passed and Izshandriel would still listen to her sister who she respected above all people in the world.

Time eventually began to mean nothing, but the world was starting to move quickly. The new Orc race had arrived in Kalimdor. As they pressed on toward Ashenvale, Izshandriel moved back to her forests and defended it against the oncoming invaders. She wasn’t sure if she was one of the first of the Kaldorei the Orcs had met, but she made sure that they knew who she was. Izshandriel presented her barbaric side to the Orcs leaving a lasting impression of the ferocity of her people. The world was beginning to turn, and Izshandriel had spent the past few millennia preparing for it.


*And now to not bore you with thousands of years of Man vs Wild with Izzy... we now revert to the more recent decades of her life.*

[xAnimaSola]

It was a new age for Azeroth. But for Izshandriel, time had blurred and meant nothing. She had no schedule, no commitments, nothing holding her to responsibility. Instead, she spent her days hunting, exploring, sleeping, and finding substances to create her regimen. This often required the presence of demons which Izshandriel unfortunately needed. She was often a nuisance to Sentinel hunting parties. She disguised herself as a demon and thwarted many hunting parties, keeping her livestock of demons alive while she would hunt them herself later on. Every day she detested keeping the filth of the world alive… but even she feared pain and death. Her unholy poison was all that kept her remotely sane and functional while at the same time corrupting her body.

One day in Ashenvale, just like any other, Izshandriel had been gutting an elk at her camp, stripping it of meat, and skinning it for hide. She had no access to artisans, save for the few she encountered in her journeys. Here in the wild, she was on her own. But she was not alone.

Izshandriel was busy tanning the hide of the beast while a voice crept from ear to ear.

“You can’t silence me forever you know.” said the voice… it was all too familiar. Izshandriel turned her head and looked back. There stood the hallucination… the image of her inner and corrupted self. Izzy had come to call her Ash’thera, or simply Ash. Izshandriel looked back to her work.

“So long as I keep you in the back of my head… you can do nothing.” Izshandriel replied.

“Don’t be like that, Izzy…” Ash said, approaching her from behind. She gave the elf a firm hug from behind. Her cold nude body, as imaginary as it was, felt real to Izshandriel. “You know I love you.”

“Stop it…” Izshandriel kept Ash from her sight.

“We’re one and the same, you and I…” Ash sang softly.

“Leave me alone!” Izshandriel whipped around, swinging a short tanning knife as she stood to her feet. Ash was gone, and nowhere to be seen.

“You’re stuck with me, Izzy.” Ash said. Izzy turned around to face her, firmly grasping her knife. “You’ll realize that soon enough… along with the futility of trying to kill me.” Then, Izshandriel’s ears twitched upon hearing a faint noise in the distance. It sounded like metal clinking metal, but she wasn’t sure. “What’s that?” Ash asked.

Izshandriel narrowed her eyes and moved quietly through the thick brush to get a better look, “I don’t know.” A few moments passed, and Izshandriel came upon a path through the forest. There she spotted the anomaly. It was a group of blood elves. There was a single woman, regally dressed in dark yet elegant blues, surrounded by armored males all of them in their vibrant gold, and red fittings. They were conversing with each other, but Izshandriel could make no words of it, it was not her language.

Ash peaked through the bushes along with Izzy, whispering, “What is that…. mutant pink Kaldorei imp? Her ears are all wrong!”

“This is no mutant.” Izzy said, “We’ve been away from society for too long… we’ve seen new races. Perhaps this is a new one. But why here?”

“Aww… you said ‘we’.” Ash chimed.

“Shut up.” Izzy said, tracking the group as silent as possible.

The group of blood elves were walking endlessly, seemingly with no direction. Everyone but the woman had seemed on edge… with good reason.

“Lady Sunfire.” Began one of the guards, “I really must protest. I don’t think you understand the savagery the Kaldorei can project. We’ve come a long way from our ancestry. We might as well be walking into a den of feral beasts!”

The woman glared at him, “Mind your tongue, Andras. I’m Reigen Sunfire, and I don’t think you understand the savagery I can project when I’m faced with insubordination.” She held a hand at eye level as arcane energy swirled between her fingers, “Would you like a demonstration? Or can I trust you to do your job?”

“Y-yes, my lady. My apologies.” The guard bowed his head.

Reigen faced forward, turning her nose up. “This trip is purely educational… and I promised my children I’d bring back a trinket… something or other.” Reigen sighed, lowering her shoulders, “They ask for the strangest things.”

“Yes, Lady Sunfire but… you do understand the danger we’re in.” the guardsman said.

“Of course I do!” Reigen snapped, “And I’m well enough prepared for it, unlike you. You’re a noble guardsman, a well-paid guardsman! The least you could do is act the part!”

The guard raised a finger, “But what if t—” An arrow sunk into his shoulder. That instant, the rest of the guards took formation around Reigen, with their swords, shields, and bows. They protected her with their lives.

Voices came from the thick treeline, but there was nothing to be seen but shadows. “What are you doing here, Sindorei?” said a womans voice. It was deep, belonging to a Kaldorei no doubt, but Izshandriel couldn’t understand the language. It sounded nothing like Darnassian. “You know where you are? We take kindly to no one outside of the Alliance… and even they are carefully watched.”

Izshandriel narrowed her eyes, “They’re here…”

The timid guardsman became frantic, “There’s no reasoning with them!” He took up his bow and fired an arrow into the brush. Immediately an arrow sunk into his skull, right between the eyes.


“Kill them!” the Kaldorei’s voice shouted. Sentinels leapt from cover and unleashed their arrows upon the group. Reigen’s guards were smart enough to use a formation of shields to protect them, occasionally opening up and allowing her to use various kinds of ice spells. She placed up shields of ice to stop arrows in their tracks, and launch frozen spikes at the Kaldorei hunters. The guards closed her in their shields again, waiting for the right timing.

Back in the shadows, Izshandriel couldn’t stand to watch any longer. “You’re not actually going to help that pink-skinned disease.” Ash’thera said.

“This is wrong, and even you know that.” Izshandriel said, rushing back to her encampment and grabbing her things before heading back.

“Fine, kill your sisters. Let that rest more on your conscience. Or…” Izshandriel stopped. “You could let me do it.”

“I have no assurance you’d return control to me.”

“Now, Izzy. I’m a woman of my word. Just like you. Like I said, you and I are one and the same. I just need to stretch my legs.” Izshandriel growled and headed to the fray.

Reigen whined. “I just wanted a pleasant trip!”

“This was a bad idea ever since we left the estate!” said another guard. He was suddenly pulled by two long arms, and stripped away from the group. One of the Sentinels decided to take the combat to them. Their formation was broken, and the stray guard was shot with multiple arrows.

“Protect the lady!” the guards said, switching their style as they were reduced to three… then two.

One of the Sentinel’s fell to an arrow in the skull. Before anyone could find its source, Izshandriel leapt from the thick brush and shot down another Sentinel. Still in the air, she pounced on another, catching the Kaldorei with a knife in the throat before standing up to her full height.

“What… what is that thing?” asked one of the guards.

The Sentinel leader shook her head, “The Dreamstalker of legend… impossible! Destroy her!”

Izshandriel growled and charged at one of the Sentinels taking two arrows to her arm and shoulder. She swung her blade at the Kaldorei, the Sentinel’s glaive did nothing to protect her against Izshandriel’s strength and mass. She was cut down leaving only a few left.

Reigen watched as Izshandriel took down her own kind, absorbing all the pain from the many arrows they fired into her. The giant muscular elf was beginning to slow; blood ran down her body as arrows impaled her arm, leg, and back. Still, she went on strong. There was one Sentinel left. She looked at Izzy, throwing her glaive only to have it deflected to the ground. Foolishly she tried to take up fists against her, but was only choked by the neck and pinned against a tree until she has lost consciousness.

The battlefield was quiet for a moment. Izshandriel’s breathing was loud, irregular, and mixed with feral growls. She turned and looked at the remaining Sindorei and approached them.

One of the guards charged at Izshandriel with his spear, shouting as he did. Izshandriel grabbed the wooden shaft with a single hand, and stopped him immediately with the pike only inches from her chest. She grabbed the shaft with her other hand and proceeded to break the tip off. The guard, trembling looked at his now broken weapon and scurried behind Reigen who stood, equally in fear of Izshandriel, but kept her upright and poised posture. Izshandriel crouched down, still taller than Reigen could stand.

Izzy stared into Reigen’s confident eyes. “You have a brave heart, little one.” Izshandriel said. Reigen, though educated in many languages could only recognize Izshandriel’s tongue as an ancient Darnassae. “But I am not sure I can protect you a second time… you should leave.” Izzy gestured for Reigen to turn back. “Let us hope we don’t meet again.”

Reigen bowed, folding her hands together as she did. “Thank you.” The gratitude was in Common. Then again in Darnassian. Izshandriel only offered a confused look. Reigen nudged her two guardsmen to bow, elbowing them in the ribs, “Bow, you fools.” The guards did so.

Izshandriel only smiled. “That’s not necessary.” She said, waving them to stand. She pointed down the path and turned around to leave back into the forest.

“Wait!” Reigen called out. Izshandriel stopped and looked back. Reigen pointed to her own chest, “Reigen.” She then pointed to Izshandriel who only took a moment to understand.

Izshandriel pointed to her own chest, “Izshandriel.” She then left into the forest.

“Izshandriel.” Reigen said, “I’ll remember that.”

“By the Sun! What the fel kind of monster was that?!” cowered one of the guards.

Reigen smacked the guard upside the head, “That monster saved your life! Now, come on. We have bodies to bury.”

[xAnimaSola]

**Let’s fast forward a bit, shall we? Many people wondered just how Izzy and Reigen finally became friends. We’ve already seen their first encounter… but what about the one that solidified their unorthodox relationship? Let’s go back and see how Reigen returned Izzy’s favor.**


Just days before, everything had gone as usual. But an inevitable run in with slavers, and the sudden loss of her vision had left her a helpless elf. Izshandriel found herself walking down a wooden boardwalk with nothing to protect her bare feet from splinters. Her hands were tied behind her back as voices chattered around her. A stick was pushed against her spine. The goliath of a Kaldorei woman fell to the floor weak and helpless.

“Get up you useless freak.” said a voice. It was in a tongue she could not understand. She could not even place what creature had mocked her. Hands grabbed her arms, four of them trying to lift the heavy elf to her feet. Izshandriel stood and walked forward as she was pushed. Her lack of sight was the least of her troubles now. Her senses were beginning to fade as well, and pain was not even existent to her. She was by the water, the breeze and crashing waves gave hint of that. She walked along a wooden plank and onto a ship, the rocking boat was unmistakable.

“Alright, filthy troll-elf-thing. Down you go.” said another. The ground in front of her was suddenly gone. She was shoved down a staircase, down to a lower end of the ship. Laughter echoed down below. “I think I'll have fun with this one, Vick.” said a woman. Rope was tied around her neck as she was dragged into a room, a cell as she could tell when the woman left. The metal door was shut and locked.

She could not understand it. She had taken the regimen all this time to sedate her inner self, but now that it had been days without them, she expected to suffer withdrawals as she had before. She was calm. Something wasn't right.

Heh… what did you expect? For me to emerge again? No… your attempts to sedate me proved false results. I acted calm so you would destroy yourself with that poison you think controls me. In all attempts to regain your sanity and respect, you have only ruined your own life. Come with me, Izshandriel we have much to talk about.


Izshandriel awoke in a world she had never seen before. It was a salt flat that saw no end. The sun was beaming brightly on the ground, and onto a dead tree that was in front of her. She winced, the light too bright to adjust from being blind. She saw a figure on the tree, swinging her feet on a tree branch. Izshandriel's eyes focused finally. The figure was pale, a Kaldorei. Her black hair fell passed her knees, as black flaming eyes stared at her. It was Ash’thera, her alter ego.

“You made it!”said Ash. She sounded much like a wraith, echoing and breathy but still had the power of a grown Kaldorei woman Ash leapt down and walked toward Izshandriel, her bare lithe body gracefully moving toward Izshandriel.

“You…” Izshandriel frowned. “You blinded me! Why? How?!”

“That's correct, Izzy. Did you think I couldn’t before? Besides, you’re the one that’s blind. I can still see everything. It’s to teach you a lesson, Izzy. That one day… I will gain entire control of this body… and you won’t be able to stop me. You see, you're not even supposed to exist.” Ash crossed her arms, “The only thing that composes you is the guilt of murdering your comrades, and whatever memories of being a child you have.” Ash approached Izshandriel and circled around her closely. “All of your rage, fury… your anger and hatred… your lust. That is what I am. That's all I… the real Izshandriel should be!”

“You lie.” Izshandriel looked away.

“You're a monster, Izshandriel! That is all you ever will be! Born to kill and slay those that stand in your way. All of this remorse, friendship, and affection building within you… it is all fake!”Ash’s fingernails extended forming claws as she slashed Izshandriel across the chest and down to the stomach. She tore flesh with her fingers leaving Izshandriel to kneel to the ground. “Look at you.” Ash spat on Izshandriel. “You’re absolutely worthless… wasting your one proper talent in this world.” Ash’thera kneed Izshandriel in the face sending her on her back. “Your drugs might be enough to stop me from gaining full control… but that doesn’t stop me from growing with every act of violence, and malicious thought that you have. One day, you will hand over your soul to me on your own! I've had enough of your weak pleas of restoration. This is my show! MINE!”Ash stepped on Izshandriel's stomach leaving her breathless.

“I hate you…” Izshandriel said as tears streamed down her face.

“You did this to yourself! If only you left well enough alone you never would have been come to this point. You never would have existed. Only your stupidity created this torment! You want to go back? To you want to go on living? It's a vicious cycle, Izzy, and you know it! Nothing has changed and it never will! You'll never see the light again and you never will be loved. You are a monster, hated by the world and only placed in it to cause chaos and destruction. That is the purpose you have been seeking this entire time! What more can you do!? Why are you looking for peace elsewhere?”

“I don't want this.” Izshandriel could only weep. “…not anymore.”


Ash straddled Izshandriel's body, pinning down her arms and staring at her. A black, living tar began to ooze from her mouth and eyes, first covering her skin like a malleable armor, then slowly creeping onto Izshandriel and coating her body. “Then join me. I will give you one last glorious attempt.” The tar began to circle around Izshandriel and encase her. The Darker began to laugh, her voice starting to develop a growl.

Izshandriel awoke in a cell. Her vision returned. She was in a cell with other members of the Alliance. They all were slaved, chained and bound.

One final chance…

Izshandriel stood up to her feet.

“The Kaldorei is alive. And here we thought you were a walking corpse with how weak you looked.” said a human. There was no response. Izshandriel only stared at the cell door, trying to shake it a bit.

“Doors locked, lass.” said a dwarf. Izshandriel began to lift on the cell door. She was strained for sure.

Behold vessel let me.

A sudden amount of strength came to Izshandriel; a cracking noise came from the door. It was surely open now, and the others knew this. Izshandriel signaled for them to wait before barging through.

Izshandriel let out a powerful roar, leaving the other cellmates shaken and terrified at was more like a dragons roar to them.

“What's all that racket down there!” said a voice from above deck. Izshandriel grabbed a human by the neck who screamed and struggled as she was lifted into the air. A Forsaken came to investigate.

“Oi! Kaldorei. You put that human down, she's merchandise. And you don't touch the merch!” The Forsaken said. Izshandriel dropped the woman and turned around to face the Forsaken.

“Stupid blind elf. You realize you're the worst purchase we've made. You'll just be moving heavy objects around. Now stop this madness before I get Vick down here!”The Forsaken scolded.

Izshandriel kicked the cell door forward, sending it into the Forsaken and knocking him unconscious. She bent down and took his keys, undoing her shackles before tossing the keys to the cell.

“Free yourselves.” Izshandriel said. They didn’t understand but they knew what to do.

“Thank you, Kaldorei. What is your name?” asked another human.


Izshandriel turned to the wall, taking a torch and setting it on the ground. The flames would spread, slowly but surely.

“Jarred! What’s with all the noise down there?”asked a woman. A human came to check up on the unconscious Forsaken but only saw his body and Izshandriel standing calm. “Uh, Cap’n we have a problem!” She yelled back to the corridor. “Now now, Kaldorei. We don’t want any bloodshed here.”

The slaver tried to slash at Izshandriel with her saber but was evaded. Izzy grabbed her throat and held her in the air, staring angrily into her eyes. “V-Vick!”the human tried to scream. Her throat was soon crushed in a quick squeeze of Izshandriel's hand.

All this delicious suffering…

Three more enemies came, two Orcs and another Forsaken. They gave no quarter and started to attack the Kaldorei. They were no match for her fury. She delivered a single fist to the Orcs chest, shattering his bone and halting his heart instantly. The second Orc, a female, she struck in the stomach, leaving her mouth open as she gasped for air. Izshandriel reached into her mouth, getting a hold of her bottom jaw. She proceeded to grab the head and pull the jaw until it cracked. The Orc fell lifeless.

The Forsaken had already a head-start and slashed Izzy in the chest. She grabbed his wrist pulling him toward her. She brought up her knee into his chest, head, and his head again until it caved in. Izshandriel hadn't stopped walking and made her way above deck where others were waiting.

“After her!” said Vick, a Forsaken standing by the wheel. His orders were useless.

Hehehe… yeeeeessss…

One by one Izzy struck them down. She shattered skulls, broke backs, and sent others to a watery grave. She suffered her own wounds, as her style of combat required. She was bleeding again, still standing miraculously as others would have died with such wounds. The ship was on fire now, the captives having moved from below deck, and watching their savior battle. And after all was done, she stood surrounded by a lake of blood and corpses.

“Kaldorei! You'll pay for this!”Vick said. Izshandriel made her way toward him, talking a slow walk. The Forsaken pulled out his pistols and shot her in the shoulder, in the leg, and in the stomach. He was out of bullets and she had been standing over him. Blood was running down her head, and over her closed eyes. Her glowing eyes opened and narrowed down at the quivering undead.

Finish him.

Izshandriel tore off his rotten arms with ease, then ripped his torso from his legs. Strangely enough the Forsaken was still alive. She grabbed his neck and removed his head from his body. She dropped the parts and stared at her massacre.

Well done, Izzy.

The rest of the captives came from their cell and made their way to the lifeboats.

“Come, sister!”said a Kaldorei captive. She noticed Izshandriel was hurt and ran to aid her.

Izzy shouted. “Stay back, Kaldorei!” Her tongue was far too ancient for the Kaldorei to understand. "I am not leaving.”Izshandriel gestured for them to leave. “Leave me.”

“Come on, Naera, the big ‘un don’t wanna join us!” said a dwarf.

Naera shook her head, “I’ll not leave a fellow Kaldorei behind!” Izshandriel roared at the elf, causing her to stumble back. She pointed for Naera to leave. “At least tell us your name!”

“Let’s go!” said a human.

The captives watched in silence as they lowered down. Izshandriel stood in the smoke and flame and watched as the only way off the ship was gone.

Fool. You still have a chance to get off.

Izshandriel paused for a moment and stood as the ship was entirely aflame. Powder kegs began to detonate below.

If you wish to die, then do it! I'd rather be dead than with your helpless self!

The ship began to sink, tearing apart at the explosions. Izshandriel was cast into the sea, drifting in the water as the blood from her wounds attracted nearby predators. A shark had come to feast. However pensive Izshandriel was, she wouldn’t die by its jaws. As the shark chomped on her leg and dragged her down, she grabbed its gills and jabbed a thumb into its eye, then punched it in the nose. Immediately she was released, but not before she would tear at its gills, ripping them apart and leaving the shark with its wound. But now she felt too far under the sea. Her instincts forced her to swim to the surface. Shore was in sight, but too far. Exhausting quickly took hold of her and all hope of reaching land was gone. Her muscles began to cramp… and she was unable to continue.

Damn it... I swear if this is not the end, Izshandriel… I own you…


**


Reigen had been enjoying a calm relaxing picnic on the beach with her children, her guards humbly standing by. The beach was remote, and away from most of the noise often incurred by the traffic of Booty Bay. The children played as Reigen sat under an umbrella reading a book. Nothing would bother her, she thought. It was her time to relax... for once. But something tugged at her mind. The thought to look up prodded her again, forcing her to take her eyes off her book and gaze out at sea. There she spotted something very strange in the distance, floating aboard a bit of flotsam. Reigen folded her book and stood up.

“Kellen.” Reigen said, beckoning one of her guards.

“Yes, my lady?” the guard replied.

“Take my children further down the shore, please.”

“Uh… yes, my lady.” The guard walked off, beckoning the children as he noticed the same thing in the distance. Soon enough, the creature on the flotsam had washed ashore, and Reigen was there to see it for herself. It was Izshandriel, unconscious… but breathing and heavily wounded. Reigen’s eyes widened.

“Izshandriel…It can’t be…” Reigen said. She looked over the elf’s body. Izshandriel’s eyes slowly opened, just enough to see Reigen’s silhouette There was no mistaking it. “All these years…” Reigen said. “We need to get you home.”

Izzy looked up, trying to speak with her dry and raspy voice, “Rei…gen…”

Reigen would have smiled were she not so concerned. Her voice slowly became muffled to Izshandriel as she began to lose consciousness again. Reigen had called her spare guards to help her, but by then Izzy blacked out.


**

Since that day, Izshandriel sat in the comfort of Reigen’s estate, unaware of how she ended up there. She was fed, and provided lodging. Izzy became the center of fascination for Reigen for some time, often putting the guards on edge. Day after day, Reigen had Izshandriel rehabilitated to civilization, and later taught her how to speak the current languages of the day. Common, Orcish, and a bit of Thalassian were all she needed. Back onto her feet, Izshandriel found her life again despite being so far from home. And as a gesture of gratitude, she pledged her undying loyalty to Reigen and her family, offering herself as a personal guard to the noble house. Though many were put off by her presence, she made every lasting effort to show she meant no harm. Even after a time, she began to train the noble guardsmen in different fighting styles, and exercise plans.

It took time for Izshandriel to catch up thousands of years of history that she had missed being out in the wild. But at least now she had a place to belong, and for once in thousands of years, she had a friend to call her own.

[xAnimaSola]

D'aww did you come here expecting another story post? Sorry for deceiving you. That's not to say I forgot about Izzy's story. There's a lot of events that have happened in her life... a lot. That being said, I think I'm going to go ahead and write up the conclusive pinnacle point in Izshandriel's life... and that is using the Izshani and her friends to finally, once and for all oppose the Sentinel's under the command of the heinous Huntress Starripper. Izshandriel demands justice, and is owed far more than Starripper could possibly repay.

With that said, if any of you would like to see a story in Izzy's life that I have not covered, please let me know. This next post may or may not be the final post. And much of the stories that are not included in this series are from RP moments that I have dearly shared with you all. No need to repeat past events. But again, I write on request, or otherwise I move forward.

While I have no specific due date for this next upcoming segment, rest assured that it is in the works. I am unfortunately a busy man. RL has all stolen my RP time on the server, and activity in the forums. As most of you know, when I am on the server or posting, it's because I've taken my only viable time to do so. But I have not forgotten you, my dear friends, and I hope you have not forgotten me. Fond are my days in CotH, and fonder more I pray to come. ^_^

P.S. This next post is gonna be big!

[xAnimaSola]

(The Final Chapter has begun. I decided to do it in parts. Sorry for taking so long but life is gripping me by the neck in business!)

Izshandriel sat in her room within the dark cellar of Deadwind Pass. The hulking elf hunched over her desk with the candle chandelier hanging from the ceiling and an oil lamp on her oak desk. She studied a map intensely, sketching lines here and there with her pen. Her eyes, glowing a dim green now, darted to and fro on the excellently drawn charts. She brushed her hair behind her half-bitten ear. Her once beautiful teal hair, often dyed purple, was now black at the roots and progressively turning green as it fell to her lower back. Apart from her jittering hands, she couldn’t ignore the pressure she felt pushing at her forehead.

Izshandriel stopped, putting the pen down and taking a deep breath. She looked to the corner of the desk. There sat a vial of green liquid. The more she stared, the more she heard whispers of a language she preferred not to hear, and wished she didn’t understand. The words were still incomprehensible… but occasionally she understood them, and that’s what worried her.

“Come on now, Izzy…” said a voice. Heeled footsteps clicked on the stone floor. Ash’thera, Izzy’s alter-ego strutted into view, this time wearing a long elegant yet flaunting black dress.

“I won’t.” Izzy said, shaking her head and shutting her eyes tight. “I know what you’re trying to do, Ash…”

“Have it your way…” Ash’thera shrugged and strutted out of view again. “Not like I feel your pain, anyway.” Her voice echoed in the stone room, dancing from ear to ear much like she was doing behind Izzy. “You know what will happen to you eventually… when I take over. Your body is changing… your mind is changing. You feel it don’t you? The pain in your head… the aches in your back… that itching in your skin. Hm… I think horns and wings might suit you.” Izshandriel stared at the vial. She grew anxious, her hands quivering. “You’re a smart woman, Izzy… but even you can’t ignore your desires. You can’t ignore… the power. Take it or not… you will collapse below me. Soon…”

Izshandriel swatted the vial off her desk and against the wall. The green liquid slowly dripped down as Izshandriel leaned over her desk, her forearms supporting her head as she covered her face with her hands. The demonic voices that started as whispers became louder and louder, soon blocking any sort of noise from the room. Suddenly the elf became angry, and she wasn’t sure why. Part of her was urging to lick the vial’s contents off the wall, another part of her was searching for violence. The sane part of her was the only thing keeping her to her chair.

“Izzy?” called out a voice. The demonic voices stopped. Izshandriel jumped in her seat and turned around to see who arrived. It was Karast, a strong and stubborn Draenei warrior, and the closest thing Izshandriel had to a best friend.

“Karast…” Izzy cleared her throat, “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Karast raised a brow. She had been wearing a full plate armor set. “Didn’t hear me? With those big paranoid ears of yours?”

Izzy waved off the topic, “Must be old age.”

Karast snorted a laugh, “Don’t give me that shit. I’m not stupid Izzy.”

Izshandriel turned to her desk again, “Alright... sorry.”

Karast approached the elf, “Izzy apologizing… now I know something’s wrong. Talk to me.” The Draenei put a hand on Izshandriel’s shoulder.

“It’s nothing…” Izzy said.

“It’s getting worse isn’t it?” Karast frowned. Izshandriel nodded. “The stress isn’t helping.”

“Not at all.” Izshandriel sighed.

“This is a big operation. You’ve got a lot riding on this.”

“I know.”

“Waited your whole life for this…”

“I know.”

Karast smirked, “All boils down to one moment.”

Izzy huffed a sigh, “You know, you aren’t helping.”

Karast patted the elf on the head, “Come on, Izzy. Let’s get you something to eat at least.” Izshandriel nodded. She needed a bit of help getting out of her chair but progressively made it from her seat and into the main hall. She headed down to the long banquet table. All of the seats were full, save for those who were still training or not present. Izzy looked upon the long table of Izshani warriors. They were eating, happily conversing with each other. This was the community Izshandriel sought to bring together. “That’s some family you’ve brought together…” Karast looked at Izshandriel, “You think they’re ready for this?”

Izshandriel frowned, “It’s now or never. I’ll go alone if I have to.”

“Hey… you’re never alone.” Karast smiled and rested a hand on Izzy’s shoulder.

Izshandriel walked to the edge of the table. Everyone began to quiet down. They all saw her with her somber look, her unmasked and scarred face, and her changing hair color. She paused for a moment, looking at the dozens of people before her.

Izshandriel took a heavy sigh and began to speak, “As you well know, I’m an old elf. I’ve lived beyond many of your own bloodlines. I’ve seen this world shaped and reshaped. I’ve seen civilizations rise and fall. But just like many of you, I have had my own history. As you can see…” Izshandriel gestured to herself, “…history has not been kind. I’ve spent thousands of years in hiding, running… fighting my way to the next day. I slept with an eye open, just in case. I’ve dyed my hair, and hid my face so that I might seem less monstrous to passerbys. But this…” She stood to her full height, “This is the true me. Fel runs through my veins as much as my blood. With each passing day I have more similarities with demons than my own kind.”

The Izshani frowned as Izzy continued talking, “This was not my choice. When I was young, my Captain brought me into the Sentinels to train and defend my homeland. Little did she know how deceptive her superior was. There was a night elf Huntress named Starripper, glorious in her own right, and perhaps too adamant to defend what she held dear. She became desperate… and in her desperation she turned innocent night elves like myself into… this. At first it was subtle, but some of us began to die. Some of us lost our minds. Eventually, Starripper decided to end it, and bury this secret of enhancing her soldiers. The order to have us killed was given. I do not know if any others survived… but I know for certain that many did not.”

Izshandriel paused and looked into the eyes of her subordinates as her voice grew more stern, “I became an exile. A monster. A traitor in the eyes of my people. Every day I was forced to intake a liquid that would poison my body and mind, or else be subject to incomprehensible pain and ravenous withdrawal symptoms. But, in due time… this poison would affect me anyway. Starripper never answered for her crimes. No one knew what occurred in Ashenvale, right under the nose of high command. The Alpha Sentinels were gone. Starripper, to this day, holds high authority. The only one aware of this truth was my former Captain Saedra, who was cursed to silence and locked away under watch of the Wardens. I’ve kept this story from many of you. And I am glad that you were willing to set judgments aside and join me anyway. Most just view me as I look. But now you know my secret, and with that I have one favor to ask of you. Journey with me to Ashenvale… apprehend Starripper and free my Captain. Bring an age-old criminal to justice.” Izshandriel’s eyes narrowed, “This is my final wish.”

Saelliia, Izshandriel’s chief healer and druid, tilted her head, “Wait, what do you mean Drizzy?”

Izshandriel stared at the young elf, reluctant to say what she would, “After this matter is settled, I will no longer be with you.” The table turned to an uproar of questions and upset remarks, “Now, quiet please.” Izshandriel said, using her deep and booming voice. “You must understand. My… sickness is finally catching up to me. I regret I will soon not be able to have as much self-control as I have in days passed. I will become a hazard to you all, and I’d rather not suffer the pain of harming any of you.”

Another soldier spoke up, “But you founded the Izshani! You brought us together!”

Izshandriel gave a gentle smile, “I look upon the Izshani… I look upon all of you. You’ve stuck with me from the beginning, even when I had little to offer. But as we grew, and as we developed ourselves, I came to realize one thing: The Izshani are not just a group of outlaws and folk who simply could not fit in society. No… the Izshani are a community. This is the first time in thousands of years I’ve had something I could call a family. This is… my home.”

Izshandriel’s expression grew somber once again, “We have been together for a long time. Many of you have thanked me for offering this humble place as a home when you had none. And I could say as much to you. In a way you all gave me purpose. And I thank you for it. But consider this my resignation. This last task is my only purpose… and I should think that we may fail. The Sentinels are not to be trifled with, and their tactics have evolved over the centuries. We are dealing with warriors that even the mighty Orcs had deemed savage and relentless. I cannot promise a return home… I cannot promise your lives will be spared, for they will give no quarter. If that does not deter you to join me, then please stand.”

For a time no one stood up. Then, one by one, people began to stand. Izshandriel watched as faces from different race and faction stood up, proud and ready. It warmed Izshandriel’s heart nearly to the point of tears. Soon enough, there was not a person left sitting. In unison, they saluted. They stomped their right leg, stood up straight and extended their right arm forward while gripping their wrist with the left hand. Once again in uniform they all shouted, “Zin Izshani!”

Izshandriel managed a soft smile, “To our glory.”

[xAnimaSola]

The forest of Ashenvale was in full color, but today the vibrance of the beautiful elven forest seemed gray. The rain was heavy, dripping slowly off the big leaves of the canopy above. In a large opening of the woods, there stood Izshandriel, adorned in black plate armor.

Her protective gear was accented in glowing fel markings, her shoulders forged like the razor-toothed maws of two demons. She was covered from the neck down, her scarred face exposed. She didn’t hold back anymore. Her eyes glowed a vibrant green, staring forward as a long canine fang crept in front of her black-painted lips. Both of her two-handed claymores were impaled into the ground. Her plated palms rested on the black jagged hilts, the fel-iron blades were nearly as wide as her forearms.

And so, Izshandriel waited. An hour passed. Then another… and another. She stood in the rain like a statue. It wasn’t long before she could feel the rumble in the ground. It was repetitious, shaking the floor like an oncoming quake. Through the misty vapor of the torrential rain the sight of glowing blue eyes, hundreds in number. Sentinels dressed in their usual leather camouflaged armor came marching over the hillside. Izzy’s black hair blew back in the wind, the bright green tips flailing like a raised flag.

Izshandriel was proud to see her people come so far. Starripper and the other officers had trained the Sentinels well. Should Izzy not survive to see her people flourish, she would at least rest easy knowing they were kept safe. She watched as more Sentinels pooled over the hillside, leaving a great space between their frontlines and Izshandriel.

The army stopped. There came Starripper, riding behind on a nightsaber. Her age was beginning to show, and that disappointed Izzy. Would Starripper still pose as much a threat as she had in days passed? A thought for another time, Izzy mused. Her greatest enemy now stood before her.

Starripper dismounted her saber and stared out to Izzy with her one eye. “I have to say I’m impressed, Izshandriel.” Starripper crossed her arms, “I didn’t think you’d show.”

Izzy took a moment to respond, “I’m a woman of my word... should try it sometime.”

Starripper grinned and shook her head, “For thousands of years you still hold to your delirious suspicions.”

“I must be crazy, to show up in front of Starripper’s finest, because I had a grudge.” Izzy smirked.

Starripper’s mouth turned to a frown, “You’re delusional, Izshandriel. And that poison you’ve taken has turned you into a creature not fit to walk these forests.”

“I agree. I’m not fit for these lands.” Izzy’s voice grew darker, “ But neither are you.”

“So what then, Izshandriel. You tired of running?”

Izzy shook her head, “Tired of waiting.” She pointed to her former commander, “I’m here for you.”

Starripper stifled a laugh, “I’ve dozens of Sentinels ready to take you down… not with all your strength could you even reach me.”

“I’m inclined to disagree. Besides… you won’t kill me here. Not til you’ve had your fun. The way I see it… in a few hours I’ll have you begging.”

Starripper began walking to the back of the formation, “Sentinels… bring Dreamstalker down and back to camp.”

Izshandriel smirked and charged forward, leaving her weapons behind. She was much taller than many of the Sentinels, barging through the front line with no problem. Only so many could attack her at once, an advantage she used. She pulled elves trying to bring her down and swinging them aside as she made a slow progression through the ranks. She was caught with darts and arrows, but either her armor or tolerance absorbed it. She used every bit of her height and weight to push through, punching, kicking, and grappling Sentinels when she could. She broke and shattered bones, knocking a few of the Sentinels unconscious.

They were not prepared for Izshandriel, an elf with ancient training, and thousands of years of practice and knowledge of the world around her. Izshandriel was a goddess… or a demon of war, and they were not fit to compete. Still, they provided an obstacle. The poison darts and arrows eventually took a toll. She began to slow, but that gave her more incentive to push through.

Starripper hadn’t bothered to look back, assured that her soldiers would handle the problem. But when the clinking of metal and armor lasted longer than she anticipated, she turned around. There Izshandriel came hunting for her. Starripper pulled out a glaive to defend herself but Izzy knocked it from her hand and grabbed Starripper’s neck. With one final tight squeeze, Izzy released and began to lose consciousness. The poison was too much. She looked at the frightened Starripper with a grin before she fell over.

The Commander felt around her neck where Izshandriel held her life in her hands. Her eyes were wide, breath quickened, heart racing. Izshandriel had the power to end it there, she knew that. She looked up at the long lane of fallen Sentinels, none dead but sorely defeated.The others came and retrieved Izshandriel while more tended to their dear commander. After everyone had recovered they retreated back into Ashenvale and to Starripper’s encampment.



---



Izshandriel woke up on her knees. Her hands were shackled and chained to a wall behind her. In front of her were a pair of crossed legs. With her hazy vision beginning to clear, her eyes dimmed when she caught sight of Starripper, staring down as she sat in a chair.

“Izshandriel… I really am at a loss. “ Starripper began. They were in a tent, alone and secluded. “I simply don’t understand. You could’ve led a good life… could’ve escaped my clutches forever… you’ve been doing so for so long. So why now? Did your guilty conscience of murdering your allies consume you?”

“I told you,” Izzy began, her voice dry and raspy, “ I’m here for you.” Starripper gave Izshandriel a flask of water, tipping the spout into her mouth. “The only guilt I had was not being able to save the ones you killed… and leaving Saedra to your prisons.”

Starripper sat back down, “Ah yes, Captain Evermoon.”

“What are you going to do… throw me in prison with her?”

“Well now, seeing as I have you now.” Starripped let out a sigh of relief, “There’s no one else with my secret. Rot in prison for all I care… you look worse for the wear anyway. Your mutations will get the better of you.”

“Seeing as I put your mind at ease by surrendering myself… I think you owe me, Starripper.”

Starripper crossed her legs over and leaned back, “What do you want? A last meal?”

Izshandriel glared forward, “I want to know why.”

“Why what?”

“Why you did it.”

Starripper stood up and sighed. She began to pace around, “I’m not proud of what became of it, Izshandriel. But I wasn’t going to let one mistake ruin my career.”

“So kill off a few innocent Kaldorei sisters just as willing to die for our lands as you were. Not sure a career is worth that much blood on your hands.”

Starripper stopped and looked at Izshandriel, “In my eyes, you’re still young, Dreamstalker.” Izzy looked away, “If you saw what I saw… endured what I endured. The sundering… the coming of the Legion… If you saw the corruption that befell my mate. You would have done anything to save your home. No one would have approved and we were losing our territory. Something had to be done!”

“If you wanted to save your home so bad, should’ve taken the potion yourself instead of using young girls as test subjects. If you think putting me away is going to silence the guilt in your heart… you’re wrong. Blood is on your hands, Starripper.” Izzy growled.

“As is yours. ”

Izshandriel’s temper grew, “You and I both know that was unavoidable. I left one alive that day to tell you what happened, and she wasn’t the lying type. You know Captain Saria started that fight… you just needed an excuse to put me down and kill the others before things got out of hand.” Izzy sighed, “ I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, Starripper. I had a lot of time to think… I thought about this scenario… that you had your reasons. Your heart was in the right place… but right now? You’re no different than me. A monster.”

Starripper scowled at Izshandriel and turned to look away. There was a silence between them for a moment. “So what now, Dreamstalker?”

“I told you. I’m here for you.”

Starripper turned and looked at Izshandriel, “How do you imagine that?”

“You think I didn’t crush your throat in the field because I was weakened? Imagine I brought my weapons, Starripper. I needed you to see the monster you created.”

“I have you chained to a wall! You’re not escaping!” Starripper yelled.

Izshandriel’s fanged mouth grinned as wide as anyone had seen in a long time. “Escape?”

A Sentinel rushed into the tent, “Commander Starripper!” she saluted.

Starripper turned to her subordinate, “What is it?”

“Patrols 2, 6, and 10 have gone missing!”

Starripper’s eyes widened as she looked back to a chuckling Izshandriel. “I’m not trapped in here with you, Starripper. You’re trapped in here with me.”




---



The night before…


Izshandriel stood at the front of the long rectangular pond in the catacombs. The ghostly fish swam about as the entire Izshani force sat around it. Izshandriel began handing each of them an envelope.

“Listen up, Izshani. In these envelopes you have a bit of information. This is contains who your partner or partners are… and what your assigned job is. You will follow these instructions to the letter… and you will not share them with anyone else. I can not risk Sentinel’s interrogating any of you. Once you have confirmed your task… you will destroy the letter immediately and move on. For any reason should you be disconnected from your partner… or need instruction, you will turn to an officer. They are as follows: Saelliia, Kalisha,Flor, Ixxi, Elria, Karast, Darius, Arntae, and Celen. Reigen and her family has offered to help as well…” Izzy paused, “Should all go according to plan… we will have Starripper by the day’s end.” The Izshani looked to their leader, “Good luck.”

[xAnimaSola]

**Thanks to Florandrel for helping out with this segment**

Starripper began walking to the back of the formation, “Sentinels… bring Dreamstalker down and back to camp.”

Florandrel watched from the bushes, hidden and feline, as her leader miraculously plowed through the Sentinel lines and nearly killed Starripper. Izshandriel’s might was unmatched which made Florandrel wonder why she hesitated. Once the Sentinels had taken their target away, Florandrel took a deep breath and turned back. She leaned against a large tree, and took an envelope from her pocket. She began to read the enclosed letter out loud.

Flora,

You are one of the few who joined without question and gave the Izshani another friendly, loyal face to look upon. I regret that I do not know you half as well as I should like, but my respect for you is much higher than you’d expect. That is why I am tasking you with one of the most important jobs of all: my escape.

The day this operation initiates I will hand myself over to Huntress Starripper, albeit without a fight. Knowing her, she will undoubtedly take me as a prisoner to her stronghold in Ashenvale. From then on, I do not know my fate. I doubt she would have me killed, but being sent to a Warden prison is not part of the plan.

You will be partnered with Anixia. I know your relationship with her is not on the best terms, but I need someone who can tolerate her, keep her quiet, and utilize her genius. She will be bringing a cart of her tools and weapons with her along the mission. Your job is to pass through the forest, hopefully unknown and scout the area from above. Once you can detect where my holding cell might be, return to Ixxi and tell her the position. I will most likely be in the main tower as the encampment.

Once you have returned to Ixxi, follow her instructions to the letter. Should you both come across any opposition, do NOT kill them under any circumstance. My dealings are with Starripper, and her alone. I'm sure Ixxi will have something for that. Until then, I will see you on the battlefield... perhaps we can bring this old commander to justice.

To our glory

“To our glory.” Flora repeated, tearing up the letter and scattering its pieces. She walked deeper into the forest, shifting into her elven form. It wasn’t long before loud and clunky footsteps came rushing from behind. Flora turned and watched as Ixxi came bursting out of the forest. Behind her, she dragged a metal cart full of gadgets and tools.

"Flory, Flory, Floryyyy! Izzy got captureded!" Ixxi shouted.

Flora rolled her eyes, "That was part of her plan, Ixxi..." Flora muttered. "And quiet down! We don't want Starripper's sentinels to hear us."

Ixxi stopped, slightly out of breath, "Reeeaaally? When did Izzy say that?"

"...Did you read the letter?" Flora asked.

Ixxi tilted her head, "Ooooooo... nope! What letter?"

Flora palmed her face, "...Forget I asked. Any orders?"

"Izzyface said there was a big mission. So Ixxi brought stuffs!" Ixxi gestured to her cart. "Ixxi came prepared, see."

Flora flared her nostrils, "I knew that! But what must we do, Ixxi?"

"Ixxi dunno... Ixxi didn't read the letter." Ixxi offered a cheesy grin. Flora grimaced and shifted into cat form and began walking into the forest. Ixxi blanked out for a moment, processing a thought. Finally the lightbulb lit up in her head, "Oo! Ixxi knows! Let's go save Izzy!"

"Okay… How are we going to do that?” Flora sniffed, “We were told not to kill anyone."

Ixxi turned to her cart and pulled out a large gun. All of its moving parts began to spin as the gun whirred a bass sound, "No killing, no problem. Flory can pounce-pounce, yes? Then Ixxi can... do stuffs."

Flora kept her distance from Ixxi, "...Yes, sure."

Ixxi rumaged through her unorganized cart and pulled out a collar. "Flory needs to put this on. 'Kay?"

"Okay...?" Flora cautiously inched closer and offered her neck as Ixxi snapped a blinking collar around.

"It's Ixxi's good luck charm. Works most of the time!" Ixxi gestured to her waist, a belt that looked akin to the collar wrapped around her armor. "Now we match!" Ixxi cleared her throat. "Now... Ixxi already knows where Izzy went. Ixxi's been here before... big fortress place thingy. Izzy told Ixxi to scouts, so Ixxi scouteds. Does Flory speak night elf, 'cause Ixxi don't."

Flora paused and stared at Ixxi, "Yes. I know Darnassian." Ixxi smiled and pressed a few buttons on her gauntlet. With a few moments of silence, energy surged around her. Wind gusted. Finally a crackle of power thundered throughout the forest of Ashenvale. Where Ixxi once stood, smoke veiled the area. Then, out of the haze, a night elf emerged. She was purple skinned with blue hair. She looked at Flory with a serious, if not imposing gaze.
Flora looked back at the new Ixxi, “It’s like a nightmare…”

Ixxi heeved her large gun over her shoulder before her serious facade faded to a smile that was at least less silly than Ixxi's. "Ready Flory?" Her voice remained the same, annoying sing-songy tone it always had been.

Florandrel continued to walk into the forest, "Yes, I am prepared."

"Good!" Ixxi dragged her cart along. Its metal and equipment clanking together as they crossed the bumpy terrain. The two elves wouldn't have to wander far before they would be confronted by a passing patrol. One of Starripper's sentinels, alone, would confront the two with a bow drawn but aimed downward.

"You two! Stop right there. We've heard strange noises coming from this direction. What do you know of it?" the Sentinel asked. Ixxi raised her brows before looking at Flora.

"We know nothing of it. We're merely two travelers passing through."

"Travelers indeed." The Sentinel said, eyeing Ixxi oddly, "You best travel carefully. Huntress Starripper has this entire area on close watch. We just recently captured the legendary Dreamstalker. We suspect she has allies." the elf said, relaxing the tension on her bow.

"You guessed right." Florandrel said. The Sentinel furrowed her brows at the statement, before watching in awe as Florandrel shifted into her Bear form and swatted a menacing claw at her. Before she could pull on her bow, she ducked, missing the smack but staggering to the side. Ixxi immediately took aim of her gun and pointed it at the enemy. The Sentinel took a defensive stance, though finding herself cornered against a large fallen tree. Ixxi strafed to the side keeping aim.

"Traitors! Both of you!” The Sentinel hissed, “Dreamstalker is a cursed demon! What corruption has she tainted you with that you'd turn on your own people?"

"Truth!" Florandrel roared before charging at the elf. The Sentinel drew upon her glaive and charged at Flora, taking a panicked swing at the druid. The bear's hide was grazed. With another roar, Flora slammed herself into the sentinel, again, knocking her back against the tree before she fell to the ground still.

"Yay! We win!" Ixxi would comment. She put down her gun and rushed to the sentinel checking if she was still alive. Soon after she placed shackles around the elf and then placed a gag in her mouth. Ixxi proceeded to tie the elf to the truck of the tree before dusting herself off and looking at Florandrel. "Flory is okays?"

Florandrel shifted back to her elven form, a noticeable cut on her shoulder, "I'm… fine."

Ixxi hummed a thought before nodding, "Okays... if Flory says so. Ixxi can fix Flory you know... or try. Can't save Izzy if Flory is hurt. Ixxi needs Flory's help."

Flora winced, "That's… real sweet. Thank you."

Ixxi brushed her hair behind her ear, "These ears are weird..." She'd giggle before looking at Flora again, "Come on. Ixxi will carry Flory on her back if she needs to!" Ixxi continued to move through the forest. As the two partners continued into Ashenvale, they spotted a few patrols from a distance who seemed to be in a hurry. Suspicions were definitely aroused. Luckily they were out of sight, for the time being. Ixxi looked back to Flora, "Does Flory think everyone is okay?"

Flora crouched down beside Ixxi, watching the Sentinels, "I hope so."

Ixxi looked forward. The terrain was too cluttered to see into the distance. "Flory needs to go up up UP! And see where the camp is. Ixxi thinks she's lost. Can Flory still turn into a birdy forms?"

"Patience, my friend." Flora took a running start and soared into the sky, flying through the canopy and above the treeline. She spotted a hazy structure in the distance. They were still a bit away, but luckily heading in the right direction.

"Ixxi wants to fly..." She'd pout.

Flora looked, getting a good head of the surrounding area. "We're on the right path." She said to herself before flying back down.

Ixxi watched as Flora returned only to take a nervous gulp and raise a finger. "Uh... Flory... We has problem." Upon descent, Flora found a host of Sentinels in the surrounding brush, all of them with bows drawn and aimed at Ixxi. Her disguise had regrettably worn off.

“You're fucking kidding..." Flora would revert to elven form and quickly conjures a blast of strong winds to blow the sentinels back. "Shoo!"

The Sentinel's protected their eyes from dust and debris giving Ixxi enough time to draw out her gun. The invention fired bursts of harmless energy that would knock back any victim it struck. With Ixxi underfire, the Sentinel's also turned to Flora, firing at will. "Kill the traitor and Sindorei!"

Ixxi took cover as best she could, returning fire at the Sentinels. "Be careful Flory!" she'd shout.

Flora growled, "Nature turns against you!" She cast another gust of furious wind, knocking the arrows away.

The arrows cast aside, the Sentinel's continued their fire, concentrating on the druid while Ixxi blasted a few back, though some stood up once more. "What forces does Dreamstalker have under her wing?! They've already taken out 3 patrols!" cried one of the Sentinels. Ixxi unleashed a barrage of suppressive fire, the gun ineffective against the hard Ashenvale trees, but gave enough impact to deter an attack.

Ixxi reached to her belt and took a small explosive and tossed it into the air. "Catch Flory!" She pointed at the Sentinel's under cover before ducking from another arrow.

Flora caught the grenade and threw it toward the hidden Sentinels "Beyond your reckoning, as is already EVIDENT!" The grenade flew toward the group of Sentinels, exploding as it touched the ground. Instead of fire and flame, the explosion froze the Sentinels in place. Ixxi pumped a fist in joy that her inventions had worked.

"Quick Flory, they’s gonna get free soon." Already the thin frozen layer covering the Sentinels would begin to crack. Ixxi began to group them all together, struggling to drag their heavy statuesque bodies together. She began unravelling a reel of rope from her cart. "They saids Ixxi wouldn't need rope... bah..."

Flora caught her breath, "What are you doing?"

Ixxi looked at Flora, "Ixxi's gonna tie thems together, silly." Flora waved a dismissive hand as Ixxi carried out her task, finishing just in time before the icy layer cracked. The Sentinel's heads were the first to get free. The first thing they saw were Flora and Ixxi.

"Feh, a Sindorei and Kaldorei working together. This truly is the end of days." The Sentinel looked at Flora, "Why betray us sister? We've done nothing to you... and here you are with this... tainted creature."

"I really don't like the Sindorei that much.” Flora looked at Ixxi, who still offered a goofy smile, “But we both owe the Dreamstalker."

"What could that monster possibly have done for you? Do you know, she is told as a nightmare for children? A warning not to wander into the forest too far? Whatever she has done for you, it is a LIE. We've already captured her, and she will be dead before you can do anything about it." hissed the Sentinel.

"Izzyface never lies to us!" Ixxi shouted.

"Shut your mouth, creature! You curse my ears with your voice an---" The Sentinel's words were cut short as Ixxi swung a hook to the elf's face. Ixxi seemed surprised that she did such a thing, as if her arm moved by itself.

"You will both answer for your crimes." the Sentinel muttered. "The same as the demon you serve." She glared at Flora, "You, especially, for treason!"

"When this is all over, maybe you will speak differently. Izshandriel told us not to kill any Sentinels. And I won’t. But I can not speak for the beasts of Ashenvale. Pray to Elune, and pray well."

Ixxi stepped into the ring of Sentinels. Despite their struggle, they could do nothing to stop her mischief. She reached behind them where their hands were tied.

"What are you doing, Sindorei?!" growled the Sentinel.

"Nooothing." Ixxi said with a smile.

The Sentinel shouted, "WHAT did you do?!"

"Ixxi riggeded your bounds. Nows, if elfies try to run, they'll SPLODE. And only Ixxi can deactivates it." Ixxi gestured to the grenade that was tied to the center of rope between them. "Have funs!" Ixxi walked away and dragged her cart along.

"You're all sick..." the Sentinel snarled at Flora.

Florandrel smirked, “I'm not sick, she is. But I like her for that."

"Come on Flory!" called Ixxi from a distance.

Flora walked away as the Sentinel continued to speak, "We outnumber you at least 10 to one. Do you really think you'll win?" Flora ignored the elf and continued walking.

The two Izshani warriors made their way through the thick of Ashenvale only to stumble upon a great fissure in the land. There was a steep drop, and a long opening in the forest before it made its way up another steep cliffside and back uphill toward their destination.

Ixxi stared at the chasm before her and frowned, "How is Ixxi supposed to get her stuffs across this?" She'd ask, looking back toward Flora.

"I don't know....Should we find any ways around?" Flora asked.

Ixxi pointed toward the ravine. "But Izzyface is that way. If we goes arounds then we'll take too long!" She crossed her arms ready to pout. Then she raised a finger with a gasp, "Ixxi knows! Flory can fly and carry Ixxi's stuff 'cross the big space. Thoughs... Flory will have to bring one at a time. Stuff is heavy!" She'd smile. "Flory can do that right?"

"I probably can...how much did you bring?"

Ixxi walked over to her small wagon and unveiled the sheet covering her equipment. Surely it would have taken a few trips and all the strength in Flora's wings to get them across. "Nooooot muuuuch. Just my dragon cannon, dimensional rippers, bombs, more bombses... d'uhh... and stuff. Ya."

With a groan and several trips later, Flora managed to get the equipment across. "Please tell me I don't have to carry you too..."

"No way poopypants.” Ixxi said. Florandrel immediately fell to the ground in exhaustion, taking her canteen of water. “Ixxi is always prepared." The crazed blood elf took a few steps back and took a running start all the way to the ridge's edge. With each stomp of her foot to the ground, sparks flew from her heels, accompanied by a popping sound. Soon smoke rose from her feet until a great thrust of flames tossed her high into the air. She flew high above the treeline, and definitely in plain sight of anyone that so happened to watch. She remained in the air, exhausting the rocket fuel in her shoes while she took a short but detailed mapping of the grounds before them. They weren't far... but neither would be the Sentinel's. Ixxi fell back down calmly before deploying a parachute built into her cape. While her landing wasn't accurate, it was safe. Florandrel flew over a few moments later.

Ixxi removed the rocket boosters from her boots. "Uh... Flory... Ixxi thinks we're gonna be in troubles."

"We must hurry."

"Can't hurry, must prepare!" Ixxi began assembling pieces of her gear together, checking to make sure nothing was broken or misaligned. Her somewhat impaired sense of hearing couldn't pick up the mass group of Sentinels steadily making their way to Flora and Ixxi's location. She continued to assemble parts, a few attached to her armor, while others built into a canon of some sort, one that Flora would recognize well. "Without Ixxi and Flory, Izzyface won't be free."

"We have to hurry there, regardless!" Flora gazed at the cannon. "And that had better utilize non-lethal rounds!"

Ixxi paused in her assembly. "Cannon not meant for elfies. Meant for stone and rock. Ixxi calls it, the Prison Breaker! It breaks prisons! Lethal? Maybe... but not meant for elfies. Meant for pri---" An arrow sunk into Ixxi's chest from a high volley, sending her to the ground, motionless. The voices of Sentinel's would get louder. Nearly over a dozen Sentinel's would start to be within a stone's throw.

"Find the intruders!" cried one of the Sentinels. "Starripper will take pleasure in more prisoners."

"Shhhhit..." Flora quickly moved to Ixxi, and yanked the arrow from her chest and began channeling what healing magic she could muster.

Ixxi's eyes slowly opened as she looked at Flora. She could only offer a weak smile before raising her left arm, almost as if reaching for Flora's face. With the flex of a few fingers, her wristguard and gauntlet shifted, revealing a panel and a small device that rose from the armor. A thick and powerful stream of lightning zoomed out of the weapon, crackling loudly as it struck a Sentinel that was quietly making its way to Flora. The Sentinel fell immediately to the ground as smoke rose from her body. The others were drawing closer.

"Over there!" shouted a Sentinel.

Ixxi gently grabbed Flora's arm, "Go." Flora tried to carry Ixxi, but with her armor and gear it became a struggle especially with the nimble soldiers trailing behind. An arrow sunk into a tree, nearly missing the two Izshani warriors before more flew by them. Ixxi was weak, unable to support herself but at least willing to fire her gun when she could.

"Flory has to save Izzy, not Ixxi."

Flora turned behind a tree and set Ixxi down "Forgive me..." Flora sprinted off, shifting into Cat form and darting away.

Ixxi winced, her body was weakening and she knew it. She flipped over in a poor attempt to stand. Her heart was trying to keep up, and failing as it did so. Her chest heaved with each breath. Her eyes fluttered trying to stay awake. "Ixxi... can't... die. Must... save... Izzy. Must... save... Flory."

Sentinel's came by in pursuit of Flory, finding Ixxi on the ground, still and motionless. One of them flipped Ixxi onto her back and put a hand to her neck. She looked to her sisters, "This one's gone. Find the other!" The Sentinel's ran off in search of Flora, moving as fast as they could.

Flora ran as fast as she could, hearing horns being blown behind her. Her feline ears noticed that they were trying to circle around her. With a soft growl she shifted into her bird form and flew into the air.
"Curses!" spat one of the Sentinels. "A druid... a rogue one at that. Wait until the Circle hears of this." She shouted toward Flora, "You won't get away with this traitor! You hear me! I swear on my life!" She growled and turned to her sisters. "Come... let us make sure the other one is dead and bring it to Starripper."

Florandrel stopped her flight, silently cursing them.

Ixxi's eyes had finally shut. Her fingers twitched as her arm weakly reached over to her left gauntlet, lifting a small panel at the back of her wrist. She pressed a button, a soft whirring sound grew louder and louder before her chest convulsed, leaving her back to arch into the air. Again she pressed the button, to the same result. This time electricity surged around her armor as her body convulsed again. With a loud gasp her eyes opened wide, looking at the area around her in confusion. She felt around her armor, confused and disoriented. The memories came back to her shortly. Her ears heard rustling in the distance.

"She was over here!" said a Sentinel in the distance. As the elves approached they surrounded her with caution, relaxing when they found her just as they left her, dead and on her stomach. "I wonder what Starripper has in store for you... perhaps a catalyst to start more war between your kind and ours." The leader flipped Ixxi onto her back. With a smirk on her face, Ixxi stared right at the Sentinel as she held two bombs in her hands, with another set of them attached to her chest. They all began to beep with a pulsing red light.

The sentinel grimaced, "f**k me..." She tried to run... but Ixxi detonated them all at once leaving a large cloud to rise above the treeline. Wood splinters flew around as rock was reduced to rubble... and Ixxi was left unharmed, protected by her force-field. The same could not be said for the Sentinel.

Florandrel heard the explosion in the distance. “Ixxi!” She gasped.

The remaining Sentinel's cleared themselves from the rubble and splinters strewn about. Most of them were already wounded from the blast, coughing up the dust still clouding the area. As they helped each other up, one of them spotted a pair of green eyes glowing through the haze. Ixxi stood there, her goggles cracked and mostly destroyed. Her pony-tail was undone, and her hair a wild mess. The once goofy expression was gone. Instead there was only a scowl as she flared her nostrils, shooting dust from her nose.

"Impossible..." coughed one of the Sentinels.

Ixxi reached under her pauldron, pulling out a silver hilt with no blade, and a long cable extending from her armor. With the flick of a switch, the hilt ignited into a blade of unstable blue light.

"Wounded or not... you're outnumbered, Sindorei." said a Sentinel. "You killed our Captain! You think you'll get out of this alive?!" The night elves drew upon their glaives.

Ixxi removed her broken goggles, briefly looked to the sky, spotting Florandrel in the distance. She responded with a flat, and mature voice, "Yes."

The Sentinel's began their attack. One dove straight for Ixxi, leaping into the air with her glaive. Just as she came within reach, Ixxi aimed her hand at the elf, a bolt of lightning striking the Sentinel and immediately turning her into a chicken. Ixxi proceeded to punch the elf-chicken away before, strafing her other arm, and burning them with a whip of electricity. Her deterrent only bid her some time before they attacked again. She took up her right arm, a small rocket rising from her wristguard and flying into a nearby tree. By then she was left to defend herself with her weapon as they came in range. When the opportunity came, she retreated back to the ledge which they crossed to before, cutting branches when she could to block the path behind her.

Flora flew as fast as she could, trying to find where Ixxi was retreating to, listening for the chaos that she was causing.

Ixxi glared at her foes as they cornered her against a tree. Even now she bared her canines, clenching her teeth as hard as she could. She looked to the sky again, spotting Flora as she was in range.

“Give it up, Sindorei.” a Sentinel said. “This ends now.”

With one heaving breath, Ixxi let out her battlecry, "I am Anixia Sunstalker! All who hinder me will PERISH!" She reached behind her cape, pulling a small explosive cannister and hurled it at the ground. The bomb erupted only as a dense cloud of smoke allowing her to move forward and attack the Sentinel's blindly.

"...They've unleashed a monster." Flora muttered as she dove down to the cloud of smoke. She spotted Ixxi's bright glowing sword through the smoke. Flora would then dropped down and shifted into bear form, falling onto a few Sentinels. The elvse were crushed, and winded immediately. As the smoke began to clear the Sentinels directed their attacks to the bigger threat, pouncing toward Flora's large form. She roared, clawing an mauling her way through the assault. Ixxi watched as Flora handled the Sentinels before yanking on a cord behind her back. The blood elf hissed a breath as her breast and backplate fell apart in two.

Her backplate began to make a ticking sound. Ixxi covered her fallen armor with her cape and began to run.

"Florandrel! Ixxi shouted, waving in the distance, “Run this way!" She looked again at her cape, the ticking getting louder.
Flora batted away one of the Sentinels before shifting into her bird form and flew toward Ixxi. The blood elf continued to wave in the direction of escape before she looked back at the Sentinel's and scorched the ground with her under-wrist mounted flame thrower, it was enough to deter them. "Just keep running!" Ixxi looked back at the Sentinel's who also turned tail, but before Ixxi could turn to make another step, the bomb had detonated. The explosion wasn't devastating, but the shockwave was more than enough to send Ixxi flying into a nearby tree, while the neighboring area was scorched. Flora cursed as she hears the explosion and continued flying, escaping the shockwave.

All was quiet. In the distance were other explosions. It had begun... the great mission of the Izshani. The smoke began to clear. Ixxi groaned, struggling to stand up to her feet as her armor and clothes were still singed and smoking. She leaned up against a tree, slowly removing pieces of her armor, most of which had limited use gadgetry. She was down to high leather shorts, and a tattered tank-top. But now, as was hidden before, was the hydraulic system that assisted the movement of her permanently weak left arm. The thin hydraulic pistons hugging her skin tightly, wrapped around with leather straps. once her armor was gone, she rested against the tree with a sigh, looking around for Flora.

Florandrel fluttered down, shifting into her elven form to land. Ixxi leaped at her into a hug, "Florydory's okay!"

For once, she hugged Ixxi back. "By the Goddess, I was worried..."

Ixxi gave a weak smile, holding her side. She was wounded, bleeding for sure but stable. "Need to save Izzyface... need the cannon." She'd gesture in the direction of the equipment cache. "So close!" Ixxi fell onto her butt, losing her balance. "Sorry, Ixxi's just... tireds. Flory knows what to do. Bring the gun here. Izzyface isn't far."


Flora ventured into the forest, finding the cache and bringing the cannon to Ixxi. "Do not worry."

Ixxi looked at the gun, a bit battered but functional. "Kitty form, Flory..." She winced, her left arm's hydraulics were starting to leak. Once Flora complied, Ixxi put the cannon on Flora's back and began hurrying as quickly as her tired self could bring it toward the fortress. They would walk through the brush and tree lines until they were a few hundred yards away. She climbed up a series of rocks, that gave a perfect view of the encampment. She gestured for Flora to use her cat-like agility to climb up with her.

Ixxi took a deep breath, exhausted from the climb. "This is why Ixxi make kitty-cannon... can bring it anywhere." As Flora sat with her, she fiddled with the cannon's aiming instruments and repeatedly glanced at the encampment in the distance. "Ixxi knows where Izzyface is..." She took a shell strapped to the side of the gun and loaded it into the chamber. She'd adjust Flora's position with her hands, lowering her back, moving her neck to get just the right angle. "Ready when Flory is..."

Flora anchored herself a bit, “I'm ready."

"Hold still." With one hand, she covered Flora's ears, and with the other she pulled on the trigger-string. The cannon let out a thunderous bang as the shell flew into the distance and crashed into the encampment. It was off, but seeing where the last one went, she was sure how to fix it. Quickly she ejected the used shell casing, and pushed in another. With a few more adjustments to Flora's body, she nodded. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Ixxi pulled the string again, the cannon making known its power through the recoil. The shell flew again, this time into the largest building of the encampment. Smoke filled the air as Sentinel's panicked in fear. "That was it!" Ixxi quickly unstrapped the cannon from Flora's back and cast it down the rocky climb. They weren't using it again. Their mission was done. "Ixxi can't fight without her toys." She sat down and pressed her back against a wall. "Ixxi’s done."

Florandrel shifted back into her elven form, "So...We'll just remain here?"

"Ixxi's doesn't know." She said, "Izzyface told Ixxi to stay away from fighting when Ixxi was done. Did Izzyface tell Flory anything?"

"Not that I recall..."

Ixxi started to fix herself into a feedle position, "Then Ixxi thinks Flory needs to decide. Stay or fight... but don't fight if Flory can't."

"You have to go, my friend. If we are to fight. I'll remain to heal you."

Ixxi yawned, "Can fight later... Ixxi's going beddy-bye..."

Flora stroked the side of Ixxi’s left arm, "Sleep..."

[xAnimaSola]

“My dearest Celen,


It was your innocent and immature nature that drew me to you in the first place. You reminded me much of myself when I was younger. Your willingness to learn and potential to improve has made you one of my star pupils. You’ve proven yourself worthy of the Izshani, and worthy of the halls of Azeroth’s mightiest.


Because of this I task you with something very important. I have mapped out the area surrounding Starripper’s base. North of her encampment is another Sentinel base led by another Huntress. It is in no doubt that Starripper will make a call of distress for reinforcements once this operation begins to unfold. That being said, your duty is to ensure that no reinforcements arrive at Starripper’s camp. Delay them… distract them… do what you must. And please, refrain from murder if you can. My quarrel is with Starripper.


I know you will succeed. You are the only one I can entrust this task to. Take care of yourself, Celen. And should anything happen to you, or I, know that I am proud to call you Thero’shan, and I your Shan’do."


Ashenvale was quiet. Perhaps it was the capture of a notorious monster… or the calm before a tumultuous storm that this very monster had conjured for centuries. So much uncertainty soared around the distraught forests of the Kaldorei. Rustling in the brush… the disappearance of scouting and patrol parties. Strange sounds and lights in the distance. And of course, the appearance of several seemingly unrelated individuals all bent on a single mission. Soon the Sentinels of Ashenvale would soon know that the one called Dreamstalker was no mere individual. It was not just a fel-tainted elf seeking justice. No… Dreamstalker was a collective of outcasts, outlaws, and nomads all working together to support each other because the world cast them aside. They were the Izshani.


In the deeper northern portion of Ashenvale, a hooded elf sat atop the tallest tree she could find, one foot stepping on a rope that she tied to the thickest branch. Her green eyes peered down from her hood, looking…waiting. Down below the thick canopy was a party of Kaldorei all talking amongst themselves.


“She said that?” asked one of the Sentinels.


“Such disrespect coming from a new student.” commented another.


The elves continued on, “Trust me, she’ll learn her place. It’s just a matter of---” One of the elves stopped after hearing a loud pop in the distance. The group spotted a burning bright light in the distance. “...time.” She finished. “What was that?”


“A distress flare?”


“People don’t fire flares without reason. Let’s go!”


The elves sprinted down the path as fast as they could only to come across the fallen body of another Sentinel. She lay face to the ground along the base of a tree. Lasiel, the leader of the group rushed over and turned the fallen body over. Lasiel tilted her head, checking the elf’s pulse.


“She’s not dead.” Lasiel said. She further investigated the body, noticing a mark on the side of her neck. “Poison… she’s been hunted.”


“She’s one of Starripper’s.” commented another. “We should report back.”


“No.” Lasiel stated. “Whoever did this is probably still out there.” On that note, the elves surrounding Lasiel took up their bows and kept a watchful eye of the surrounding area. “Let’s go… we’ll find this hunter.” Lasiel beckoned the elves to follow deeper into the forest, and off the beaten path. Paranoia only grew as they progressed, the Sentinels’ eyes catching the movement of every leaf, and occasionally passing animal who nearly met an untimely end by their arrows. Their long ears picked up a muffled voice deeper in the brush. Finally they came across another Sentinel, bound and gagged in the middle of a clearing. Lasiel rushed over and recognized the elf immediately.


“Falaea!” Lasiel began to undo the tight knot securing her comrade’s cloth gag. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.” Falaea seemed to scream in protest, struggling to free herself. “What’s wrong?” Finally Lasiel undid the cloth, freeing Falaea’s mouth.


Immediately Falaea scream, “It’s a trap!”


The hidden Sin'dorei in the treeline flashed a smirk as her finger ran along a thin clear string leading around the trees. She brought up a small dagger and cut the string. A metal grinding noise began to turn before a soft hissing noise whispered from the bushes. The night elves turned around and panicked.


“Boom.” Celen muttered.


A series of explosions detonated around the group of Sentinels. They were flameless but caused the entire area to be filled with dust and a certain gas kept in the canisters hidden around the area. It wasn’t long before faint explosions rumbled in the distance. Celen emerged from the dust, waving the particles away from her field of vision.


“Well then… I see my friends are having a blast without me.” She smirked and continued walking.


Lasiel struggled to even move after suffering injuries from the blast wave. Many of her comrades were intact and seemed to be alive but unconscious. She tried to right herself up but only managed to drag herself a few inches. Her vision was blurred, but she was able to make out a faint image before her eyes would attempt to focus.


“Sin'dorei? Here?” Lasiel groaned. “Are the... agreements of war so shallow?” Lasiel growled, “Get out of my forest!” She curled in pain, “This is no place for the Horde.”


The blood elf stared down at the Sentinel. Her burning fel eyes piercing through the shadows cast by her hood. She silently raised her hand and fired a sleeping dart into Lasiel’s shoulder. The night elf fell limp. The Sin’dorei looked again in the distance.


“Any second now…” she whispered.


***


From a far encampment, a huntress turned to the sound of a faint explosion. She was aged, but still well figured. "Was that on Lasiel's patrol route?" she asked herself while narrowing her eyes.


One of her subordinates tilted her head looking at her commander, "What was that?"


"Hopefully nothing, Siphara." The huntress said. "Although... ready a small hunting party."


"What for?" Siphara asked.


"Just... a casual stroll.” The huntress stood up and smiled, “We're not really occupied here, are we?"


Siphara bowed and backed away, "Right away, Huntress Dreamstalker." The Sentinel left and the Huntress, in all her aged glory, gazed into the distance as the nightsabers were saddled.


***


Celen grunted as she re-stationed her position and put the sleeping Kaldorei in a safe place. She looked into the forest from a high tree limb, and noticed the movement of nightsabers heading towards her direction. She licked her teeth as her expression turned into a frown.


"Why did I have to pick the short straw?" she asked before loading a red shaped tear gas canister into her flare gun. She glanced to the ropes by her and then to the incoming squad, getting ready for her surprise.


Tylandra's unit took a few minutes to arrive, the Huntress riding in the back of the pack of nightsabers. The Sentinels dismounted, except for Tylandra who kept a careful eye. The bodies strewn about were a cause for concern, but Tylandra’s group found many of them still alive.


"Who could manage something like this?" asked a Sentinel.


"Someone who enjoys traps, my dear." Tylandra said. She dismounted her saber and looked around. "One that might be luring us to." The Sentinel's moved closer into the forest. "Mind your step."


Celen seemed unpleased. The new unit was smarter than the previous one. The night elves tread carefully, walking by the spots she planned for them to walk. The Kaldorei troops kept their bowstrings drawn as they ventured around, peering around every corner. They checked bodies when they could, relieved that they were still alive. Tylandra watched from a distance before entering herself. She needed to stay alive, or there would be no one to lead her soldiers.


"I guess I will just have to make them step on them." the Sin'dorei said to herself. She looked to the tree opposite to her, a long invisible string running along the two of trees."Leeet's seeee.." she cut the string. Suddenly, rattling can be heard.


Tylandra's ears twitched in response. She clenched her teeth and pushed her Sentinels out of the way, "Don't!" Ten mounted crossbows fired arcane shots at the ground below in a thunderous cacophony of bowstrings. The targets were random, driving the Sentinels away from the arcane explosions and into her traps. One of the Sentinels backed away and into a snake trap. Tylandra had recognized the snake sounds but it was too late. She turned to the Sentinel crying out, "Keilan!" Immediately Keilen jumped, scared at the sudden release of snakes before one struck her hamstring, injecting its venom. Tylandra rushed over and pulled Keilan away as the others kept the snakes at bay.


"Is she going to die?" asked one of the elves.


"From that snake, no..." Tylandra muttered. Keilan became short of breath before losing consciousness.


"What's going to happen to her?" the elf asked.


"I don't know..." said Tylandra, "but for now she must be tended to. Take her back to the encampment, and send a few others this way. And be careful... I don't know who is watching."


Celen grinned, as she watched the enemies dwindle. She eyed the group, specifically focusing on Tylandra.

"So you’re the pack leader..." she mutters. Celen glances to her left and then to her right. "Perfect." she says with a grin as she cuts the closest string to her."This was my escape plan but..." Suddenly another loud sound of rattling can be heard. It was the quick popping sound of metal from below the ground. Soon the air became painful to breathe, and their eyes began to sting and water. Tylandra looked around, as cautious as ever. The hissing sound began to whisper to her gently before the other Sentinels began to cough around her. With one regretful whiff, she breathed in a small helping of the gas, causing her to cough as well.


"Poison gas?" Tylandra questioned before looking at the others, "Don't breathe! Don't open your eyes. Hold your breath and leave befo---" A gas mask was thrown to her feet. Tylandra looked down and gave it a curious look before equipping it on. Finally she could breath, but now she looked around for the one who gave it to her. "What do you want from us!?" she cried as the others fled.


The response was silence, like the calm before a storm. Tylandra watched your troops choke until they fled or fell. One by one they hit the floor. The only one standing was Tylandra, the one who endured watching her own troops and friends collapse She was alone. Celen's eyes burned with her playful grin as the mutual feeling began to appear, the feeling of being left out. No answer was given, but a rope fell down from a tree.


Tylandra may have been old... ancient even... but she still had the musculature of a veteran Sentinel, and still a very capable elf. She hesitated for a moment, gently holding the rope in one hand. She looked back at her troops. She knew that whoever was doing this was singling her out. For the sake of her troops she grabbed ahold of the rope and climbed using only her arms. The tall elf stood atop the branch and looked straight ahead.


Tylandra only saw a small crouched black figure sitting on top of the tree branches. As she looked down, she could see the horror that lurked below. The light reflected down on dozens of intricately web of strings all forming the symbol of the Izshani. There was much more that Celen had in store. Celen pointed down at the ground, gesturing in silence that this place, the place with the fallen Kaldorei will be their battle ground. One on one.


Tylandra pulled back on her gloves, tightening them around her fingers. "What do you want, Sin'dorei? You've crossed our borders, alone... just to torment my soldiers? Do you think the cataclysm hasn't done enough damage to our home?" Tylandra planted her feet firmly into the ground before kicking off and dashing toward Celen. "You will answer me, and then you will leave this place!" Tylandra kept her weapons holstered and swung a straight jab toward Celen.


Celen grunted, watching the Kaldorei in front of her begin her attack. She could not let her enemy get the first attack. Celen jumped up and extended her arm up. She pulled and severed a string activating a handful of blunt knives to fly toward Tylandra. The night elf gasped, putting up her shoulder and catching the knives into her armor. She staggered from the impact before stripping herself of her pauldron and resuming a fighting stance.


The Sin’dorei spoke. "I answer nothing."


Tylandra only stared at Celen, the same way Izshandriel would stare down her opponent. “Come then... take what you came for."


"Alright." Celen muttered."But I promise I wont be clean."



Celen narrowed her eyes as she looked her opponent. Celen drew her sword and lifts it up, entering a strange stance. It appeared to be a mix between a traditonal Sin'dorei stance and a Sentinel stance. Celen took in a deep breath and stepped forward. After that step, the only thing that was heard was the clash of swords. Celen dashed forward, going for a simple diagonal slice, hoping her opponent would parry.


Tylandra dug her feet into the ground once Celen made her move, watching her movements with a seasoned eye. Once she was in range, she opted to back handspring out of the way, tossing a dagger upon her recovery. Again she'd handspring, throwing another dagger, then backflipping in the air and throwing three more blades.


Celen was confused from the back handspring, still managing to deflect the first two daggers. The moment the three daggers were sent at her she would attempt to dodge by rolling to the side. Celen stands up with a loud pain as the dagger hit her shoulder and dug deep below the mail.


“Got you.” Celen said, setting off a trap below the Tylandra’s landing spot. A patch of leaf covered ground suddenly fell down, revealing a pit with spiked branches. Celen would then dash forward, towards the falling Kaldorei.


Tylandra gasped at the sudden trap, looking down at a painful fate. To save herself she spread her legs horizontally, doing a split to catch herself on the edges of the trap. Her body swung upsidedown, leaving her head to dangle just above the branches. It took a moment for her to right herself up, only to face an approaching Celen. All Tylandra could do was wait.


The footsteps slowed down from running into a walk. Celen would slowly look down over at the Kaldorei. With her burning fel eyes she would stare at her. "Check." she says.


The Huntress stared at the blood elf. "I wasn't aware the Sin'dorei were so adept at traps. I thought that was a bit below your kind."


A little smirk appears on Celen’s face."I fight to win, doesn't matter how." she said, eyeing the huntress as she walked around the hole and avoiding the edges. "Currently what's below me is you, nothing else."

The night elf was silent for a moment. "You're not here to kill me. You've snuck into Kaldorei territory. Set up traps, and disabled two entire units of Sentinels without so much a sweat. If you wanted someone dead, you could have done so already. So, again I ask... why?"


Celen looked over at her shoulder, the blade that sunk in deep began showing presence on the expression of the elf. "Dreamstalker." One word was spoken in a solemn tone. She took in a deep breath and took out the dagger, throwing it beside her. Then, she took out a bandage, and closed the wound.


Tylandra tilted her head ever so slightly at the name. "...what did you say?"


Celen continued taking care of the wound. "Dreamstalker." she said slowly.


Tylandra narrowed her eyes unsure of what to say. "You're looking for Dreamstalker?"


"Keeping her from harm."


Tylandra snorted, "You're doing a poor job of it."


Celen raised a brow, moving all of her attention to the Kaldorei. "Oh? Well, I already cut off the main route of reinforcements, Izshandriel should be fine." she said, in a frank voice.


Tylandra offered a quick cut of her eyes to Celen, "Did you say Izshandriel? You mean Izshandriel Dreamstalker?"


Celen nodded with a sigh. "Indeed."


"You're lying."


"Okay then, I am not forcing you to believe me.” Celen looked around, for incoming Kaldorei, and also a signal to fall back. Then, she looked over at the Kaldorei.


Tylandra shouted from her pit, "I don't know what game you're trying to pull, Sin'dorei. But I find no humor in this charade of yours!"


Celen took out her big crossbow and put a bolt in it. "Do I look like a clown? I don't think so." she said with a frown.


The aged night elf put all the strength she could into her legs. She pushed off one wall, swinging her body and grabbing onto the pit wall with a blade before swinging herself up out of the pit. Tylandra landed on the opposite side of the pit from Celen, looking at the blood elf. Out of breath she spoke again, "What is Izshandriel Dreamstalker to an outsider?"

Celen would pay no heed to the escaping Kaldorei. She swung her crossbow over her shoulder and then slowly turned to look at her opponent. "Mentor. Savior. Family."


"It is truly dark days when someone resorts to stealing another person's identity for the sake of what? Reputation? Is it not enough the name of Izshandriel Dreamstalker was reduced to nothing more than folklore? A legendary monster to torment children in their sleep? And you follow such a person? They spit on her grave... it is disrespect!"


Celen's face filled with confusion. "Folklore? Stealing?" she said with contempt. "You are speaking nothing but slanderous words, Kaldorei. Izshandriel lives, she was betrayed by her people and hunted, after years of staying silent, she came back."


“I would NEVER have betrayed Izshandriel!” Tylandra growled, leaping over the pit and dashing toward Celen with more ferocity than ever. She drew on her glaive, rushing forward. Celen's left eye twitched the moment the Kaldorei jumped. Celen knew that some attacks were better off dodged than parried. She took her sword and jumped back, barely avoiding the attack.


"She is being held, haven't you heard? I thought news travels fast in the forest?" Celen said "Now please, don't interrupt my work." Celen waited, relying on the trap placed behind her.


Tylandra dashed forward again in a blind fury, tears falling from her eyes as she growled in aggression. "I've had enough of your folly, Sin'dorei! You come to my lands, and mock me. You think I haven't suffered enough. I don't need an outsider bringing me down again!"


Celen released a burst of breath before parrying her attack. She quickly released a tranquilizing bolt at the Kaldorei. "SUFFERING?" Celen shouted."YOU HAVE NOT SUFFERED AS MUCH AS SHE DID!"


The tranquilizer met its mark. Tylandra staggered back, pulling the bolt out as quickly as possible. But the toxin had begun already. She fell back onto her side, holding herself up with an arm. “I was content all these years, you know.” Tylandra said softly. “Content with her fate.”

Celen caught her breath, staring at the night elf. “I rested easy convincing myself that my daughter died with honor defending her homeland.” Celen gasped as Tylandra continued, “But often I had nightmares of my child turning into what the rumors made her out to be, a rampaging monster. Her body was never returned home. They said she would have been too soiled by demons to come home. Since then I always thought that somewhere… somehow my dearest… little Izzy was still alive, yearning to return to her mothers arms. That is why I took up this position again. Maybe one day a scout would say that she had returned.”


“Y-You’re…” Celen stuttered. She could see the resemblance now.


Tylandra stood up slowly, fighting the toxin. “I am Tylandra Dreamstalker, Huntress of Ashenvale. Wife to Jerolan of the Cenarion Circle. Mother of Aliandril and Izshandriel. You say I have not suffered. Then you know nothing of being a mother who lost her child." Tylandra drew on her weapon again, "If you are telling the truth, Sin’dorei. You will tell me everything you know about my daughter. Or I will cut you down where you stand."


Celen placed her crossbow on the ground. Then, she put another tranquilzing bolt in her hand mounted crossbow. Then, with a sword at hand and a crossbow beside her, she looked at Tylandra. She gave a bittersweet smile, giving a gentle bow, “It is an honor to meet the mother of my master. Izshandriel has done nothing but bring honor to your name.”


The night elf held herself up with her blade, "They say my daughter died during a raid of a demon encampment that Huntress Starripper mistakenly ordered. Since then, her death was used as a horror story... something night elves would become were they ever captured by the Legion. They would end up worse than Illidan. Since then the Dreamstalker name has been forever tarnished by Starripper's propaganda." Finally she stood upright, as if she were not tranquilized at all. "Thousands of years pass, and now a no-named Sin'dorei comes to tell me that my daughter is alive, and in Ashenvale?"


The surrounding went silent, the beasts quieted. All that shimmered at that moment were the green fel eyes of the small Sin'dorei. Her smile vanished asshe stood in a fighting stance."Your daughter survived. She has taught me resolve… just as she has survived so long." Celen kicked the crossbow beside her. A bolt flies towards the Kaldorei’s legs. The smell of black powder fills the air as Celen charged toward the night elf.


Tylandra was sluggish, sure, but her mind still functioned enough. She rolled back, avoiding the bolt but was tossed by the small explosion it cast. She sprung back onto her feet, bringing up her glaive to defend herself. "You say my daughter is alive... what has she done to enlist the allegiance of a Sin'dorei?"


Celen continued running forward. "Saved..." she spun, doing a midsection slice. "...my life!” she shouted.


The Kaldorei brought her glaive to parry, before swinging a spinning back kick toward Celen. "And there are more of you?"


Celen parried and prepared for the kick. The moment the leg swung toward her she brought her hands to grab it. "We are..." Tylandra’s power was too great for Celen, the heel crashing into her ribs. The blood elf let out a yell of pain. "...INFINITE!" She screamed as she punched the huntress’ leg, releasing the second tranquilizer.


As the tranqulizer filled her veins, Tylandra let another spinning kick whip at Celen, expending her energy before the anesthetics affected her. "Then why now... why return here?"

Celen sprung to the side, avoiding the second kick, but falling to the ground. "Revenge." she growled. She coughed from pain, the taste of blood was in her mouth ."Starripper deserves her punishment."


Tylandra supported herself with her blade. "Starripper... tell me, Sin'dorei. If you are so well acquainted with my daughter. What has Staripper done to her?"


Celen slowly moved a hand to her belt, taking out her final tranquilizer and putting it on her crossbow. She slowly stood up, wobbling from side to side. Her breath became sporadic. She lifted up her trembling hand. “Corrupted." Celen pulled the trigger. An arrow flew from the forest, aimed directly for Celen's crossbow and knocking it from her hands before the shot went off. "Shit..." she muttered. The Sin’dorei took in a deep breath and triggered the flare gun attached to her belt, firing a dense cloud of tear gas. Nothing remained and it seems like all the traps activated at once, but nothing happened. They were disarmed. As the cloud dissipated, all what was left of the Sin'dorei was the crossbow, that lied on the ground.


Tylandra finally stood up, leaning against a tree. After the gas had cleared, two dozen Sentinel warriors slowly emerge from the forest. Tylandra gave a weak smile, "Thank you for standing down that fight." she said.


"The Sin’dorei displayed fighting styles of our order." said one of the Sentinels. "Perhaps the word of your daughter is not untrue."


Tylandra stood straight, being aided by another Sentinel, "My prayers were not ignored. I knew Elune told me my daughter was alive. I just... had no strength to believe it."


"Then what do we do, Huntress Dreamstalker?" asked one of the soldiers.


"The mystery remains..." Tylandra said. "What happened to my daughter? Why was she gone all these years? What's Starripper's involvement in this... and why return now?" Tylandra sighed as a cloak was placed around her. "As my Elite 24... track down this Sin'dorei. I would see no harm to her, that is an order." Once the order was given, all of the Sentinel's except for one had saluted and dashed into the forest and spread out to find Celen.


As the elite searched, they stumbled upon traps. Some worked or broke apart. Judging by the lay out, it appeared that Celen had made every route a possible escape path. But it wasn’t long before she was found. Whatever Sentinel's were left, and unharmed by Celen's traps had arrived at the pond. They dropped from the tree branches, and emerged from the shadows. They all had their bows on hand but not drawn.


"You there, Sin'dorei. Huntress Dreamstalker would like to have a private word with you." said one of the Sentinels. "Your well-being is our priority."

The Sin’dorei turned her look from the pond to the Kaldorei beside her, then to the pond again. "Don't you think it's beautiful..?" she said.


"The entirety of Ashenvale is a gem to the Kaldorei. Of course it's beautiful." replied the Sentinel. "But you have time to gander at its wonder later. Come speak with our Huntress, she is very much interested in what you have to say." The other Sentinels lowered their weapons.


Celen looked from the pond in front of her, and took in a deep breath."There's a man on the corner." she spoke, preaching to the Kaldorei. "Selling dozens of bones." she said, lifting her leg. "Every type of bone." Celen began stepping on the water, casting ripples with each step. "Except the one that I want." she began walking on water towards the center of the pond. "Ever think what your eyes do? When you are trying to sleep?" she continued. She looked at one of the Kaldorei as her hands slipped beneath her robe. She then looked back at the pond. "Sleep... is the safest place you can be. You can try hard to catch it, it just catches you." She continued walking forward, sighing. "It's bigger than us, it's bigger than everything it decides to touch. The water behind her began to ripple. Then, the Sin’dorei stood at the middle of the pond. "Such a lonely ride.."


One of the Sentinel's softly growled, "Come back here, Sin'dorei! We don't even know your name!"


Tylandra emerged from the forest, limping with the aid of a soldier, "Leave her, Kasia. Unless you plan on walking on the water to chase her."


"But Huntress!"


"Nevermind it. Think of all she's done so far. This... all of this was planned years in advance. We never had any chance of catching her or preventing this from happening. What matters is the news of my daughter. For that, we're going to find Starripper." Tylandra said, staring at Celen. "I think this Sin'dorei was meant to delay us from something far grander than we could have imagined. But now I think she's a messenger."


Celen stared at the water. "There is a man on the corner." she spoke. Her image began to shift. "Selling dozen of bones. Every type of bone..." Suddenly she was silent. Her robe fell, as if just a piece of cloth floating on the water. Celen was gone. "Except." Her voiced whispered. "The one that I want."


“If this is truly one of your daughters agents… she has definitely accumulated worthy allies.” said a Sentinel.


“If there are any more like that… Starripper may be in for a surprise.” Tylandra said.