Unlikely Friendship Part II

“Bar keep! I’m still thirsty!!” I growled while slamming down my empty mug. What does an Orc have to do to get a drink around here?

“Jarisi, you’ve drank one of my kegs already. Can’t you wait till tomorrow to run me dry?” Ok’thar asked. He was eyeing me again, waiting for me to have an outburst so he would have an excuse to throw me out of the bar. Well, try to at least.

I barred my teeth at him and snorted, the only polite thing I could think of doing at the moment. “May I have another drink…. pl…. pl…. NOW!” I slid the empty mug towards him and started to tap my nails on the bar. Ok’thar looked at it, picked it up, and filled it up with the frothy goodness I so craved. I grabbed at it eagerly and slammed it back and savored the feeling of the cold drink flowing down my throat. There is nothing better than a couple dozen beers in the early hours of the day.

So this is what I’ve come to? Spending my days at the bar drowning my guilt and sorrow in the drink? It doesn’t matter, I thought. Nothing matters. I tried to find who murdered my family! I searched most of Kalimdor and half of the Eastern Kingdoms, and found nothing. No one even offered to help me! It doesn’t matter, I thought again. Why should I care about that anymore? People accuse me of murdering my mother, father, and my poor little brothers. They are afraid of me! They call me Kinslayer now. I chuckled under my breath… “Kinslayer”.

“What was that Jarisi?” Ok’thar asked. He was looking at me funny again. It seemed everyone was looking at me differently. Well… they should. I’m not what I used to be. Before I was strong, agile, smart, and one of the better looking female Orcs. Now… now I was a mess to look at. My belly was soft and hung loosely over my belt. I hadn’t showered in days nor have I changed clothes. I felt my chin and sighed, even a female Orc can get a coarse beard if she didn’t keep it under control. Yep, I was definitely a mess.

“Nothing, leave me be.” I needed to get away from here. After this next beer I’ll leave. “One more Ok’thar, and then I’ll be out of your hair”. I need to change. This isn’t who I am. I’m not a loser drunk whose only friend is the bartender. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll start working out again. I’ll go practice with my axe in the early hours of the day and redeem myself. People will forget about my past, and start remembering me as Jarisi the Brave! That has a good ring to it. Or maybe Jarisi the beautiful? Okay, maybe not the beautiful, I couldn’t even think that without laughing. Oh, people are looking at my funny again. I need to stop acting like I’m crazy, talking and laughing to myself. Tomorrow, I thought again, tomorrow will be so much better.

I looked up and saw Ok’thar smiling at me and holding my beer. Now that’s service! I reached for the mug and right before I could close my fingers around it, it was gone. Why do things keep disappearing on me!? I was staring dumb founded at the hand that was supposed to have a mug in it when suddenly something splattered onto it. It was blood. Again with things disappearing and blood. I’m cursed, I thought. I looked up to question Ok’thar only to find him looking at me with a horrid look on his face. Two daggers were stuck deep into either side of his neck, and he was bleeding badly. Before I could even ask what happened or shout for help I felt myself being pulled to my feet with surprising strength.

What is going on!? What just happened? Who is this person? Then things started to come into view. I started to see like a warrior again. On the bar, near where I was sitting was an empty vial. Ok’thar was trying to hand me a poisoned drink. But someone had stopped him. Okay they did more than stop him, they killed him, but I was saved either way. My unknown savior pulled me into the shadows of the Inn and threw down some flash powder to hide our escape. Whoever this was, they sure knew how to make an exit.

We ran for what seemed like hours until we finally came to a building and my savior ushered me in. I finally got a chance to look them over and to my surprise it was a young beautiful Blood Elf. She was almost my height with long shiny red-orange hair that flowed down to her lower back. Her emerald eyes looked at me with such a steady calm glare that made me avert my eyes.

“Why did you save me?” I asked still unable to look her in the face. I felt ashamed this is what I had become. Unable to sense threat around me and not even able to save myself. I should be dead.

“You managed to piss someone off Orc” She said, her voice sent a shiver down my spine.

“Why did you save me?” I asked again. I had to know why this Blood Elf felt my life was worth saving. In my thoughts kept hearing those dark words from that mysterious cloaked figure. That I would meet unlikely companions and they would have a hand in changing my future.

“Because you couldn’t. What’s your name Orc?” Those words hit me harder than a Tauren’s punch to the face. She spoke the truth though; if she hadn’t been there I would have been too drunk and stupid to see what was going on around me. And I would have died, and no one would have cared.

“Jarisi. My name is Jarisi, elf.” I tried to stand straight and tall, to feel like my old powerful self again and to show her I am indeed something to be feared. But because I was not in the best shape, the button on my pants popped off and flew towards the elf who gracefully caught it midair and handed it back to me.

“My name is Lynnius. Look, Jarisi, I’m not sure what’s going on here, but we should probably leave the city. They will be looking for us and we need to figure out why someone wanted to kill you.” Lynnius looked at me impatiently waiting for my response. I stood there flabbergasted. My life is never going to be the same after this.

“ I would still like to know why you saved me.” I knew I wouldn’t get a straight answer from her but I thought I would ask again. So maybe the cliché saying that Orcs are stubborn is true. Lynnius smiled, which sent another chill down my spine. I could tell her face wasn’t used to smiling. It looked forced and rigid.

“Come Orc, we will talk in the forest” She turned and began to walk towards the gates of the city. And like a lost confused puppy I followed.

An Unlikely Friendship

The scrolls began appearing outside her tent almost as soon as she begun making the woods her permanent home. For months after she was left without her parents, Lynnius survived in the alleyways of Silvermoon. Stealing food and gold from passersby without them ever noticing. But eventually the guards caught onto her and threw her outside of the city walls into the wild forest.

She was never scared. She didn't care if she had to sleep on the hard ground, she only cared about surviving. So when the scrolls began appearing out of her makeshift camp, she didn't care about them either. The first one was simple, instructing her to gather five rabbit's feet and leave them outside her tent. It ensured her that she would be rewarded. She used that first scroll to start her morning fire. The next day, another scroll sat in the same location the first did. She unrolled it to discover that it said the same exact thing. So she did the same exact thing and used it to light her fire.

This continued for two weeks, and on the morning of the 15th day, she walked out of her tent only to see hundreds of scrolls, all with the same request. "Well, this is just annoying," she said to herself. She saw a rabbit hop along in the distance, she pulled her knife off her waist and threw it, at least 25 yards, straight into it's skull. She ran to it and quickly cut off it's feet and put them in a small leather sack. As she headed back to her camp, she watched as the scrolls began to vanish until only a few remained. She grabbed one and pulled it open.

I appreciate your effort. Please collect one last rabbit's foot, and place it in the bag with the others.

She felt her breath catch in her throat and was about to turn to see who was watching her, but she though against it, not wanting to let whoever WAS watching know she cared.

The next morning she awoke to the small bag she left the feet in now filled with a few coppers, next to it another scroll with a new task. This continued for years, and the tasks grew more difficult, the rewards larger. Soon she was able to purchase an apartment in Silvermoon proper, and while her rewards were never enough to make her rich, she lived a comfortable life. The scrolls were her job and she carried out each task faithfully. She gave little thought as to who her benefactor was she only cared that she was paid for each one she fulfilled. She also didn't care much as to what the scrolls asked of her. In turn the scrolls soon turned her into a rather talented assassin.

It wasn't so much that she was heartless, but she felt ever since she had been abandon that people either fight to live or they die. So, if any of her marks cared enough about living, they would be able to stop her. None of them were able to save themselves yet.

One this particular morning she got her usual scroll, and pulled it open to see what the day had in store for her. Some mornings involved the gathering of herbs or cloth, meat or other simple tasks. Other days, were days she had to kill those that needed to die. But today's scroll was different:

Go to the easternmost inn in silvermoon. Wait.

She wasn't sure what to make of it. Usually the scrolls left her knowing exactly what to do. At times they were incredibly specific, telling her to stab her mark in between the ribs under the left arm, or some other detail she didn't really see the point in. But whether she saw the point in the scrolls or not, she always carried them out, so she gathered her daggers and cloak and headed towards the inn.

She walked into the inn stealthed and hidden in the shadows. It always amazed her how people just never seemed to notice her, even as she grabbed their jewelry or coin purses as they walked by. Oblivious. So she hid in the shadows watch people come and go, tell stories of their adventures, and drink themselves silly so early in the morning. It didn't matter what time of day the inns were always full and lively.

So what exactly was she waiting for? Her eyes scanned the crowds looking for anything out of place, or at least noticeable. But nothing called her attention to it. Taurens ran past her snorting their warm breath across her face. Trolls ran around nearly poking people's eyes out with their teeth, and the Orcs sat around challenging the Blood Elves to arm wrestling matches. Just a typical day.

As the hours passed, she began honing in on people, tracking their moves and conversations. An Orc sat at the bar, drinking herself to death. Her long white braid stretched down her back, and she would finish her drink and immediately order the next. She didn't speak to anyone except the bartender, and she only spoke in Orcish. Occasionally she would order some bat bites or other small snack, but she never moved from her chair, never looked at anyone. In a place that was full of life and cheerfulness, she was the odd one out.

Lynnius stayed in her corner watching this Orc, wondering what could happen to a mighty and proud orc to suck all the life out of them. There was no pride in this one, only the drink. The Orc ordered another drink, and Lynnius watched as the bartender turned around to get it for her. She watched him pour the drink and right before he turned around to hand it to her, a small vial appeared under the cuff of his shirt. Poison! She moved quickly, this had to be what she was waiting for. Her eyes glowed green and she ran across the inn, as the orc reached for the mug. Her left hand hit the bar and she propelled herself over, her foot kicking the mug out of the Orc's hand as she landed in front of the bartender. She grabbed both of her daggers, people finally noticing her. The rushed towards her, but she spent her life being one step ahead of others, and as the approached the bar, her daggers had already hit their mark, one landing in either side of his neck.

Some taurens and blood elves lunged for her, but she was back on the other side of the bar, pulling the drunk orc behind her.

"Quickly Orc," Lynnius snarled as the crowd closed in. She ran towards the darkest corner of the bar and faded into the shadows, pulling the orc into their inky darkness with her.

They arrived at back at Lynnius's apartment, the Orc seeming to have sobered up during this whole ordeal.

"You managed to piss someone off," Lynnius said.

"You saved me," the Orc said, looking dazed.

"What's your name Orc?"

"You saved my life. Why?"

"Because you couldn't. What's your name Orc," she asked again. Lynnius had few conversations with people in her life, but with each one she came across as cold and heartless.

"My name is Jarisi, elf."

Lynnius could tell Jarisi's thankfulness was turning into the trademark orcish rage.

"My name is Lynnius. Look, Jarisi, I'm not sure what's going on here, but we should probably get out of the city."

"They will probably be looking for us, won't they?"

"In Silvermoon? They will forget about us by tomorrow. No, we need to figure out why someone wanted to kill you."

"What we should figure out first is why you saved me."

Lynnius looked sideways and sent her a little smile, "Come on orc, we will talk in the forest."

Phinnian - The Undead Elf

When I awoke, I knew my father had indeed come through with his promise to protect me from The Scourge. My father, while he had lived most of his life in the shadows, he knew little of its magic. He had decided that he was going to be a warlock after growing tried of his rogue ways, and when I came to him in need - well when he found me and I needed him, he said he could help. When he pledged to save me, I trusted him, and I guess, in a way, he did fulfill his promise.

I did after all wake up. And I woke up with my hands and feet attached, so I suppose all-in-all, I was in better shape than the night before. Although it must have been a mighty long night.

"Close your eyes and rest my son, when you awake in the morning, I will have healed you," my father said. So I closed my eyes, but when I woke up my city was in ruins and my family was gone.

One night didn't seem quite long enough.

As I roamed around the cit, the blood elves didn't seem to enjoy the sight of me, but then again, I didn't really enjoy running around with my bones exposed and my flesh rotting.

And while I was thankful to be alive in some sense, my parents with all their plotting and scheming knew how this would end up, this was no miscalculation, this was no accident that I was left like this. It was not by chance that I woke up years after my attack, with no trace of my parents or the rest of my family to be found.

No, it was time for my parents to learn the true cost of their plans, of their plots and destinies. And I think I know just the person to help me show them - if only she survived the plan they laid for her.

Lynnius

Lynnius

Lynnius awoke one night in her bed. She stretched and glanced around in the darkness, relishing the absolute silence of the moment. She laid in bed, thinking of nothing just keeping her eyes closed. The breeze of Silvermoon blew through her windows, gently and comforting. Rolling on her side she could see outside, the stars twinkled. Then, a bright flash in the sky, like a shooting star, just larger. The wind blew harder, the leaves picked up and tossed around her home. The wind became violent, the leaves rushing into her room, covering everything. Their sound drowning out her screams. She stood, in an attempt to leave, to find her parents, to find anyone.

“Lynnius,” a voice whispered, behind her, then in front of her, it surrounded her. She collapsed. Her face hit the thick blanket of leaves, she breathed in their smell, and then blacked out. She awoke, covered in leaves. She stood up, barely tall enough to see over them. She trudged her way through to her door, leaves falling from her hair, crunching under her bare feet.

She opened her door, and the leaves cascaded out behind her, her white night gown floating behind her on the flowing leaves. The house, brightly lit by the sun was bare. Nothing remained. She tried to call out for her parents, and her voice caught in her throat. She knew they weren’t there. The air was still, the leaves from her room stood still as she wandered over the cold hard wooden floor, a floor that was clear of every and any sort of obstacle. Every trace of the life she had the day before was gone. She moved silently towards the room her parents shared and put her hand on the cold doorknob. Everything was so cold to the touch, she could she her breath as she exhaled, but continued to move unphased. She pushed the door, letting it open on its own. It banged loudly as it hit the wall, the only sound she had heard since the leaves. The room was empty, of course, except, on the floor in the middle of the room, three objects sat.

In the middle of the room there was a burgundy and gold box, a leather sheath, and a folded piece of parchment. She ran towards them, night gown billowing behind her. To any onlookers she would have looked like a wraith, red hair dropping leaves as she ran, pale skin cracked and bleeding from the cold. She grabbed the parchment , hands shaking, tears flowing from her delicate green eyes, gasps and bursts of sounds coming from her lips as she unfolded it.

Young Lynnius-

This is all you need. Find your strength and forget of us, don’t search, don’t cry, you will never find us.

You don’t need anyone. You don’t need us.

Walk the path hidden in the shadows.

-Our love always, Shorel'aran.

She let the note fall from her hands, the tears in her eyes stopped. She grabbed for the leather sheath, and pulled out the elegant blade. The dagger her father always carried, but never used. She moved quickly to the red box, opened it and found a collection of inks and a milling set. It was the inscription set her mother used when she thought no one was looking.

She grabbed the dagger and ink set and headed back towards her bedroom. She let the note on the floor. She didn’t need to read it again, the words kept scrolling past her eyes, taunting her. Abandoned, they abandoned her. She was running through the house, she could feel the cold now, feel the sting of the cuts on her face. Her feet cracked and bled with each step, but she didn’t slow.

She reached her room, pushing through the leaves to her dresser. She grabbed clothes from the drawers frantically. This house is going to kill me, she thought, run, Lynnius, get out.

She fled back through the hallway, she could see the front door, the bright sun shining through the open archway, she knew warmth would be there. It became harder to breathe, the cold air shocking her lungs each time she inhaled. Her bleeding feet sticking to the ground with each step. The blood on her cheeks freezing as soon as it reached the surface.

Faster, run faster. I won’t die here, I won’t. “ABANDONED,” she screamed. “They abandoned me.”

The rage began build, her pace quickened, the house grew colder. The archway impossibly far away. Her eyes watered from the cold as she ran, the tears froze and built up prisming her view. The breath she exhaled crystallized and fell to the ground as soon as it left her lips. Her knuckles cracked as she gripped the only possessions she had left.

The door was so close, she could see the warmth on the other side. She shifted her weight forward her left foot and coiled down and launched herself towards the outside. She half feared shattered like ice when she landed. The landing was anything but graceful. She landed hard on her right shoulder and bounced off the stairs. Her possessions flying from her arms, as she flipped and twisted through the air, hitting the ground and rolling through dirt.

When she finally stopped rolling, she was face down, she inhaled and the warm air burned her lungs. She opened her eyes to the brightest sun she had ever seen, and pushed herself up off of the ground. Her body ached but she moved through it, taking in sharp short breaths. She turned back and looked at the house. She expected it to be a gigantic ice sculpture frosty and shining in the sun. But no, it looked like any house outside the walls of Silvermoon City. She looked at the door, that evil archway, and saw a bright blue Glyph glow and then quickly dissipate. That Glyph. The one her mother always practice. The glyph her mother would write in the sand along the river, or in the flour while she baked bread, practice anywhere she could quickly brush it away when someone looked.

She gathered her scattered things, and walked towards the stream running behind their house. As she approached she gently dropped them again, leaving a trail of belongings behind her, her eyes staring directly ahead. She reached up and pulled the twigs and leaves out of her tangled hair. She walked straight into the water, pulling her torn and tattered night gown off. She stayed under the water as long as she could. Letting the cool water wash away the dirt and blood, wash away the memories of her family, her brothers and sisters, her terrible horrible parents.

She got out of the stream and dried herself with the broken night gown and then tossed it into the water and let it float away without looking. She got dressed and attached the dagger to her belt, she threw the inks set in bag. She heard the small class bottles rattle and clink, she didn’t care if they broke, in fact she hoped they all broke. She walked on the path that lead to the city. Not sure why she was headed there, but she was hungry and she hoped someone would feed her, or at least turn their backs long enough for her to feed herself.

“Child! Child, where are you headed? Where are your parents?”

It was a Silvermoon Guard standing by the path, tall and regal, glaring at a young child walking down a dangerous path alone. Lynnius looked at him and returned his glare, and walked past him. He was stunned for a second, many travelers looked at him like that, but never one so young. Her eyes had locked on his and taken his breath away. He was stunned by her hardness, her cold beauty. She was a beautiful child.

He quickly regained his focus. “Child, come here, these woods are dangerous,” he began to follow behind her, his gait quickly turning into a jog as he tried to catch up. But she didn’t run, she kept the same pace. She walked focused, He’ll take me back there, I won’t go back. I won’t! She turned her head, looking straight into the guards eyes as she veered off the path, towards the woods, towards the shadows.

“Child, Stop!” But she kept walking, her eyes locked with his, then they glowed a bright green, and she disappeared into the shadows.