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"Would you elaborate?" Illidan asked back, joining to the conversation.

"Trolls. Young outlaw punk trolls. One of the gangs seems to have settled in the area, and quite a few members have started to come here as well. They harrassed the guests and the employees. They even got weapons inside somehow, despite my sons having bodysearched them before! Okay, so you don't have to think about the worst, it's just knives, not firearms... Usually... So the management tried to ban them. But oh no, those pesky punks are not so easy to scare away! In retaliation, one of my men, so let's just say... was sent on a longer leave. Another three were threatened until they resigned. Okay, okay, it wasn't serious, those kiddos were a bit faint hearted, that's all, y'know? Needless to say, those worthless people were roaming here the last week happily as if they owned the place!"

"And when did you want to tell this to my partner?" Maiev snapped at him. "Before or after he gets knifed?"

"By the Light, no, what are you saying? He wouldn't get knifed! I-it only happened once or twice! It's not that frequent, y'know. Nothing serious... And I wanted to tell him anyway, it's just... well, I might have been a little scared that..."

"That for the ridiculous amount you would offer to him, he wouldn't risk his skin? Well, you are damn right about that!" Maiev growled at the man with increasing heat, but before she could really warm up, a gentle touch on her shoulder took her out of her towering anger, signaling that it was time for a shift.

"After hearing about your problems, I believe you found the best possible man for the job." He smiled at the dwarf with boundless confidence. The man's eyes, upon hearing those words, began to sparkle yet again.

"Then you take it?"

"Yes, but..." with one firm move the demon hunter took the contract out of Maiev's hand. Suddenly green light flashed in the tiny room as Illidan set the paper on fire. The edges of the white sheet slowly blackened, then the small pieces of ash fell to the floor. "Not on these terms." he closed his fist, extinguishing the flames, crushing the remnants of the contract to dust.

Ukar fell back in horror at the sight of magic. Not even his great-grandparents had seen a spell like that before, it became that absent from people's lives. The scene utterly shocked him.  After a moment of hesitation, he ran to his desk, tearing open all the drawers, trying to find something in them with trembling hands.

"It's useless, you can't even scratch me with that dagger." Illidan laughed haughtily as he stepped closer. His tattoos glowed menacingly in the dimly lit room.

"Ho... how...?" The dwarf looked at the demon hunter, frozen as Illidan towered over him, slowly closing the drawers. Ukar shifted his vision to Maiev, but the woman stood firmly in the shadows, showing only her faint smile.

"Like I said, you have found the best man for the job." Illidan turned to the trembling dwarf, removing his blindfold, exposing the burnt flesh under it. The empty eyesockets stared right into the man's soul, as the sight of the small fel flames waltzed a cruel dance on his eyes’ wet surface. He got his hand in front of his mouth and began to heave, probably nervousness and the scene have finally taken their toll on his already worn out stomach. "With these..." Illidan pointed at his sight. "I can see more than you can imagine. But just as I paid the price for it, you have to do, as well."

"What do you want? Just tell me whatever you want, I'll give it to you, but please don't hurt me!" the old man fell to his knees, shaking in terror. Illidan nodded contentedly at Maiev.

"My partner just wanted to point out that his service is worth far more than the pathetic amount that was printed on that contract. I think you can see that by now. If I remember correctly, you said you lost four people. Illidan can make up for them on his own, and can offer even more... " She walked slowly next to the demon hunter, leaning on the corner of the table, completely surrounding the man trembling in the middle encircled by the two of them. "In other words, we'd like to negotiate."

"Ho... how much do you want?"

"I'm convinced that he would've promised you the salary of ten other men too, if I hadn't stopped him." Maiev said as she bit into her usual chicken sandwich. "You scared the poor old man to death." she pecked at Illidan, who stretched contentedly in his chair, visibly taking the woman's remark as a compliment.

"Thank you, but you weren't exactly gentle with him, either." he elbowed on the table, grinning. - You enjoyed it, don't even try to deny it.

Maiev pretended to be deep in thought, but her faint smile served as a dead giveaway that the man was right.

"Perhaps... a bit." she said at last, squeezing two of her thumbs togehter to show just how tiny that pleasure was. Or at least how much she cared to admit. Illidan, pleased by her answer, took another bite from his own wrap. Maiev took a glance at the man, than returned to her food as well. "How pleasant..." she thought to herself. The whole day was like an oasis in the desert of dreary millenia that she spent in self-made isolation. Trying to knot a tie, laughing at their failures, scheming, sharing a table and eating together. Almost like back then when she still used to know how it feels when someone has friends.  Hers was always an achingly lonely existence, but she never intended to be truely alone. Yet, what destiny held for her was grave cold forlornness. Her inability to face the ever changing world locked her away in a the past. Her former sisters, her family, they all walked away into a brand new life where she couldn't follow them. But now, the lock cracked and she could peek out for the first time to see a different path before her. Small steps only, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted to walk down on it yet, but she would have only fooled herself if she dared to deny that she enjoyed the day. No matter which side she looked at it, the man in front of her was the same Illidan she had been hating with a burning passion for thousands of years. Yet, as the world had slowly changed, so did her circumstances. "A beggar can't be a chooser, huh?" And it seemed that fate had chosen a partner for her who was almost as lost in this world as she was, or even more so. Misery loves company... For the moment, she settled on to just go with the tide and enjoy the moment.  

"By the way..." Maiev reached into her pocket, then handed over her cellphone to Illidan. The display showed Malfurion's name. "I thought you'd like to tell your brother about your new job." she placed the device into the man's hand, then pressed to dial.

Illidan's face lit up as he brought the phone to his ears, waiting for the other side to pick it up. After a while, he happily spoke into the device.

"Brother, it's Illidan. Guess what, I got a job!" he said with joy, but his smile suddenly faded to nothing. To his surprise, a different voice aswered his call. One, that he used to know well. "Tyrande...?"

It's been nearly three hundred years since the last remnants of the once glorious Kaldorei Empire officially ceased to exist.The handful of Night Elves who had survived the Fourth War were unable to retain their former territories, pressuring them to rely more and more on the help of the Alliance to maintain their influence over the lands historically under their control. The policing forces, mostly Humans, slowly settled in the supervised areas, starting families of their own. Before anyone could act, the Night Elves, despite their numbers stabilizing over the centuries, became a minority in their own realm. For a long time the settlers and the natives lived side by side in peace, but as the Alliance weakened and the age of the monarchies dwindled away, tensions between them flared up. The former became less and less tolerant over the time of the Kaldorei's adherence to the past and traditions. The Second Industrial Revolution brought new technological advances into people’s everyday lives, but these were received with mistrust from the elves’ part or were outright rejected by them. Thus, those who lived in Kaldorei territories often felt that the Empire was not advancing with the times. And indeed, they began to severely lag behind - both technologically and economically - the neighbouring, young and aspiring countries. The Human settlers demanded to follow those bordering nations" example. They wished for Tyrande to be dismissed as the leader of the people and that a democratically elected government be formed, taking over ruling. The High Priestess was called to action by her brethren, especially by Maiev Shadowsong. Most of the elves were ready to take up arms and fight, even at the cost of their lives, just to protect their faded glory. However, Tyrande was not blinded by the false glamour of the past. Her heart was still bleeding like a fresh wound from The Burning of Teldrassil. Not a single day has passed without her hearing in her dreams the desperate voice of her kin, crying for help. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could still vividly see the pervasive despair in the look of the survivors, and her nostrils were still imbued by the stench of burnt flesh.The tension between Humans and Kaldorei ended without a single sword strike. By the time the Night Elves came to their senses, the settlers had outnumbered them by nearly twenty to one. The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the neighboring countries promised support to the insurgents in exchange for territories. Even with the help of the Druids and Malfurion, they would not have been able to repel a combined attack. At least not without heavy losses, possibly even risking extinction.Tyrande, to protect her people from another genocide, agreed to a democratically elected government's takeover. The High Priestess at the time had no idea that her efforts were in vain, and her decision would lead the Kaldorei down on a path that was worse than death: they lost their identity, their culture, and became a merely tolerated minority in their own home. Without a representative in the new, inexperienced government, the Night Elves and their problems became virtually invisible, their interests not taken into account in any legislation. Within a few decades, atrocities against elves became commonplace, and the government didn’t seem to even bat an eye. In the meantime, a few of them moved to the vicinity of Mount Hyjal, creating the largest Night Elven settlement in the country, while many moved to neighboring, much more racially diverse, and as a result more progressive countries. Either way, most of the Kaldorei felt betrayed by Tyrande’s decision, turning their backs on their former leaders in a heartbeat.Being fed up with the Human repression, a group of Night Elves grabbed weapons. Decades of atrocities have made an unerasable impact, as broken and furious Kaldorei embarked on more and more brutal assaults against small, unprotected settler villages. The government in their despair turned to Tyrande for help to stop the bloodshed. In the end, a deal was made: A group specifically representing the interests of the Night Elven minority could be formed, which, in cooperation with the government, would have ensured that their needs would prevail in the country. But the cooperation proved to be short lived and futile. The elves lost their faith in the High Priestess. Despite her call, the killings continued. Tyrande assumed that Maiev Shadowsong and her followers might be behind the attacks, but she soon had to realize that the former Warden had nothing to do with the case. Maiev, though supported the radicals in principle, knowing she would one day have to face her brother again, stayed away from the struggles. However, she acknowledged that a few of her former wardens were members of the group.In the end, the incident had no winners. Shandris Feathermoon, along with Jarod Shadowsong, tracked down and put members of the radical group behind bars, earning the government’s respect. But contrary to previous promises, the new group, representing the interests of the Night Elves, had virtually no say in legislations. The Kaldorei continued to be secondary citizens. Although employers had preference for hiring them, they almost never got promoted to higher positions in fear of these essentially eternal workers slowly taking over the companies, trapping the Kaldorei in low-prestige jobs. The situation only began to improve when the law addressing the childbearing of elves and other races with long lifespans was adopted internationally, forcing the Night Elves to give up their immortality in hope of having legally administered children.Dozens of old Kaldorei ended their lives, giving birth to the term "The Passing", while the younger ones tried to accept their destiny and integrate into the new society, leaving their culture behind and assimiliating into the Human population from generation to generation. Mixed families and half-blood elves of anykind began to appear, further reducing the numbers of the Kaldorei.After a few years of attemption on prohibition, the Sisterhood of Elune was officially declared as a registered church, with Tyrande remaining its leader. Although the religion remained somewhat popular among the Night Elves, the High Priestess was seen only as a religious, not a social leader, who tried to remain strong for her followers and served Elune with an unwavering devotion, only the Mother Moon knowing how much pain had accumulated in Tyrande's heart.

The ringtone of an old mobile broke the silence of the kitchen. The device lay on top of a fruit basket, its display flashing wildly, signaling that someone was looking for its owner. But he was nowhere to be found. Rustle of faint footsteps could be heard from the corridor, then the wooden door painted emerald green opened shortly. Tyrande looked around curiously, but didn’t see her husband anywhere. She opened her mouth to speak, but immediately closed it. She knew that her partner was teaching his new apprentices in the wilds that day, it would have been futile to call him.Tyrande smiled gently as she walked to the table, where the phone continued to cry an 8-bit version of an old Kaldorei song, quite falsely in places. There wasn't a day without thanking the Moon for being able to find a mate like Malfurion, whose flaws she loved just as much as his good side. Among them his charming forgetfulness. Carefully, she took the ringing device in her hand and looked at the display."Maiev?" the priestess wondered. She knew her husband had got the woman's number from Shandris back in the day. Tyrande could only guess what the reason behind it may have been, but she thought it might have had something to do with the woman's intermittent disappearances and her messy private life. Either way, now she was looking for her husband for some reason. She believed it would be better not to keep her waiting for Malfurion's return. Maybe she finally wanted to ask for help to sort things out. Tyrande did not hesitate any longer, pressed the answer button, and raised the device to her ear."Brother, it's Illidan!" a voice, radiating serenity immediately rang at the other end of the line, sweeping across Tyrande's mind like an icy breeze. "Guess what, I got a job!"Illidan?" the man's name escaped her lips without thinking, interrupting him."Tyrande?" the question came. Illidan's voice was both surprised and shaken. He clearly didn’t expect anyone other than his brother to pick up the phone. For a brief moment, Tyrande stood stunned, then she hung up the phone in a panic. As the device's light slowly went out, her thoughts kept whirling like a storm around in her head. What's the meaning of this? Why is Illidan back?Before she could collect her thoughts, the phone, still in her hand began to ring again. The call came from the same number. Tyrande let out a long breath and prepared to answer it."You know, it's not very polite to pick up a call not meant for you, High Priestess." On the other side, Maiev's fierce voice echoed."Maiev...?" she thought, not fully grasping how those two could be in the same place. "Keeping the fact from me that my brother-in-law has returned to Azeroth is not so nice either, Maiev." she said in a firm tone, mastering the impulse to let some of her anger be shown."Well, Illidan has nothing to do with that. If you want to blame someone hiding things from you, ask your husband." And with that, the woman hung up the phone, leaving only a beeping mechanical sound and distrust behind her.Tyrande sluggishly lowered the device from her ear. The silence returned to the room, but thoughts still roared loudly in the confused elf's head. The sound of her fierce heartbeat was outvoiced only by her rapid breathing. She walked slowly to the green chair she and her husband had carved and painted years earlier. With her hands, she gently gripped the backrest adorned with Kaldorei motifs, as if she feared that the material could moulder between her fingers just by touching it, like a dream built on lies.Maiev should have known better than trying to cause an argument between her and Malfurion. Yet, unknowingly the Warden stung where it hurt her the most. The seed of mistrust had been planted in her mind long ago and had been made fertile by the betrayals she suffered through the millennia. However, her heart still beating in unison with her chosen partner, she always knew she had a pillar stronger than gods to lean on in him.Tyrande, with unwavering determination on her face, pulled out the chair and sat down. She decided not to jump to conclusions without hearing her husband's side, nor would she go look for him to get answers, no matter how torturing the wait would be until the man comes home.

The light of the moon casted ominous shadows on the evergreen thujas growing around the wooden house, reflecting the feelings in the soul of the woman staring out of the window into the darkness. The sounds of the night were suppressed by the crackling noises of the restlessly rustling branches. Tyrande leaned out, letting the gloomy breeze of the eventide catch into her hair. She smoothed a lost strand out of her eyes and stared into the darkness again. Behind her she could hear a doorway opening in the hall. Upon hearing the familiar clicking noise of the lock, the high priestess" pulse accelerated again. She took a deep breath of the cool air outside and closed the window. Tyrande put on the disguise of serenity on her face as she walked to the hall. There, her husband had just hung his animalskin coat on the hanger. As his wife appeared, his lips twitched into a loving smile under his mustache. He spread his arms invitingly toward the woman, charming his sweetheart to hug. Tyrande, with her heart pounding in her chest, fell into the man's arms, raising her gaze to the pair of eyes that always brought reassurance upon her mind. It would be so easy to leave the matter, not even ask about it. She can simply dispel her worries and trust her husband without question. But blind faith was never, and could not be, the basis of their relationship, not even a part of it. As much as it hurt, and she was afraid she might be wrong about her sweetheart, she knew that the truth had to come to light."My dear love. The sparkle of your eye shows even more clearly than the moon that your heart is tormented by something." Malfurion unexpectedly kindly caressed Tyrande's face, reinforcing her determination.Gently pushing herself away, the high priestess freed herself from her husband's embrace and opened her lips to talk."You got an unexpected phone call from your brother earlier this day." she turned her back and continued. "Maiev said you knew about his return."Malfurion, hearing his wife's real question between the lines, placed his hands softly on her shoulders."Forgive me, my Love, for not telling you sooner." he said. "But please, don't worry. Let the fog of disturbing thoughts sitting on your heart disperse. The reason behind my speechlessness is merely that I didn’t think it might be important to you. I can see now, it was a mistake on my part. But know that I would never hide anything from you, not even with a valid reason."Dear..." Tyrande fell on her husband's shoulders. She pushed her cheeks against the man's chest as she hugged him with her arms and every strings of her heart. "How could I have been so foolish to assume even for a moment that you're keeping something from me...?"Don't blame yourself, my beloved..." the druid embraced her. "Unquestionable trust is based on nothing but ignorance. True faith must be nurtured through forthrightness."Please forgive my words, but I still find something strange." she began. "How come he called you from Maiev's phone and not headed right here to begin with?"Well, this is a very interesting story. Maiev is currently serving as a probation officer for Illidan. He told me, that he is already accustomed to the woman's presence and could only say good things about her work."I wouldn't be so fast to trust that woman." Tyrande's tone changed into a more serious one. "After all, she is a master of deception."I know, I share your doubts. But Illidan knows her the most. He belives in her sense of duty."True, her commitment is undeniable." Tyrande had to agree on that with the brothers. Maiev's love for her people and her work was her core. Even her corrupted parts served that very same goal."As for his absence... I only learned of his return from Maiev. Apparently he didn't want me to find out." Malfurion said, "According to his own account, he felt there was no place for him in our lives after what had happened. He wished to stay away and not bother us with his presence."Those words made Tyrande wonder. The uneasy feeling in her stomach resurfaced with her inability to trust her brother-in-law. Illidan betrayed her trust one more time than she could have forgiven it. Yet, seeing her husband's serene face with a tint of happiness while he began to tell her about everything he talked with his brother since the man's return made her think again. After all, his last message to her proved to be true as well. Perhaps she can give one more chance to Illidan. Not to trust him, not yet, but to belive his explanation. And maybe, bit by bit, let go some of her distrust towards him. Beside that, his intention to keep his distance from them to respect their wishes not wanting to meet with him revealed something important about him.Tyrande couldn't help but to smile with a maternal feeling in her heart. Perhaps, he matured a bit after all...

"That was completely uncalled-for." Illidan said with a resigned expression on his face. "On the contrary. I absolutely called her." Maiev replied as she put her phone away, swimming in her flush of victory. Her tiny revenge on account of Tyrande having spoiled their festive mood successfully made her feel like wanting another round of that delicious Moonberry Juice. "Can I get you something?" She asked Illidan as she stood up from the table. "No." the simple, dry answer came instantly. Maiev rolled her eyes as she went to refill her glass with the sweet, purple juice. It proved to be harder to perk Illidan up than her. Even if his pride did not allow him to show it, he was clearly affected by the High Priestess's not so warm welcome, ruining the former good mood in which Maiev had rarely have a share anyway. Under her breath, she cursed Tyrande as she started to walk back to their table, but as she turned, a wide, suit-clad chest stood in her way. The night elf stepped back in surprise, almost spilling her drink. It was uncommon that someone was able to get behind her unnoticed. It seemed her senses and reflexes slowly began to show signs of the lack of intensive training. "In a couple of hours, I'll start at the club. I should change my clothes." said the demon hunter restrainedly. Maiev, regaining her senses absently nodded and hurried to their table. Maybe the fresh air and a walk would ease the man’s mood a bit. She tossed her coat on her arm and motioned for her companion that she was ready to leave, but the man did not move. Illidan looked down, almost as if he tried to evade her gaze. The woman being confused over his inaction, walked back to him. "You won't come?" she asked in amazement. "I'd like to..." Illidan began, but fell silent almost immediately. His probation officer angrily waited for him to continue, but as he remained silent, she took over the conversation. It became clear to her that a little walk would not solve the problem. It had deeper roots than she anticipated before. "Look, I don't have the time nor the patience to wait until you decide whether or not you're willing to tell me what you want." she said in a blunt tone. "Out with it or I'll leave you here."Maiev's harsh words weren't for the liking of the demon hunter, but at least he began to speak."I was hoping I might be able to go alone..." he finally blurted out, obviously knowing that the request was completely ridiculous. He should have realised it even before he mentioned it to her at all. Maiev would never give him her apartment's key and let him do whatever he wants to there, alone. And the woman's prickly stare only confirmed this belief. Finally, after a few seconds of intense locked gazing, Maiev sighed angrily. Grumbling, she pulled a keyring out of her pocket with some unexpectedly cute owl decoration and a single key on it and held it in front of him. "You look through my stuffs, I send you back to the Twisting Nether." She said in a serious tone, yet lacking even the slightest hint of threat in her voice. Illidan looked at the keychains ringing in front of him in shock. Was he dreaming? His companion, growing weary of his ado, grabbed his wrist. She raised his arm horizontally and placed the object on his palm. "You want to be alone, don't you?" She asked, with a faint sparkle of solidarity in her eyes. "Yes, but..." "Then what?" "You... have such faith in me...?" "No, that's why I told you not to touch my stuff. And now go before I change my mind. My migraine is about to come out just by looking at your gloomy face." she said, but before Illidan could move at all, she walked to the door. She tossed her drink in the trash, growled something about Illidan leaving the key under the doormat within three hours, and then soon disappeared behind the door. The man left behind stared after Maiev for a moment, then glanced at the keychain resting quietly on his palm and smiled. Now that they were on the same side, Maiev's incredible ability to read him felt less frightening and more compelling. 

Although it was only early afternoon, grey winter clouds covered the sun, keeping the day in a dirty darkness. A sharp icy wind swept through the streets, ruthlessly punishing those who trusted the weather forecast and dressed thinner. Maiev pulled the fur hood of her jacket over her head, protecting her face from the frosty attacks of the hissing enemy, but it proved useless against the invisible opponent that aimed at her heart. An invader against whom not even her old armour would have protected her. She quickened her steps almost as if she believed that she could shake off her pursuer, but one cannot simply leave their own thoughts and feelings behind. Not even Maiev Shadowsong. Why has she handed over her keys? She gave Illidan virtually free access to her most personal belongings. It wasn't much, but that little was hers. It was her. A place she could retreat to if she needed a little solitude. She knew that feeling very well. Maybe that's why she agreed to it. Illidan had no such place to go. That was something she could understand way too well. Beside that, she didn't really know any other way to solve her problems either. Being alone, or drinking. Or both at the same time. Those were usually her answers to personal life issues...  But it wasn't sharing her sanctuary that stirred her up so much, but rather the realization that she was angry, and she did not really understand why. Was she truly worked up over that she had to say goodbye to her company sooner than she intended? Or something else bothered her? She snorted bitterly on the empty street, the blown air fluttering like a white cloud from her nostrils. Either way, it was maddening, and she had to do something about it. Well, perhaps she wasn't good at solving her problems or figuring out her feelings, but at least she knew how to release her anger. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and opened one of the requests she had received from ReLife. A wide, cruel smile appeared slowly on her face. 

Maiev got off contentedly at the tram stop near her residence. As the battered vehicle continued on its way behind her back, she looked cheerfully at the display of her phone. It showed a bit after half past five. In less than four hours, she hunted down four worthless undead. It was far from her personal record, and her preys barely showed any resistance on that day, but it did not detract from her mood. She was doing well regarding time, too, giving Illidan three hours to sort out his thoughts in her apartment, and that was well over. As she slowly descended to the basement floor on the narrow concrete stairs, the ringing sound of an old Kaldorei melody slipped her lips. With her left hand, she tilted the light switch effortlessly, illuminating the hallway lined with pipes and wired lattice doors, at the end of the tunnel was the entrance to her apartment. In front of the door lay an old, battered-worn doormat, perhaps even an inscription of Welcome Home decorated it a long time ago, but if it did, it faded away even before Maiev got her hand on the ugly mustard-coloured thing. The woman still humming stopped in front of it, then leaned down to get her key from under the rug, but found nothing underneath. "Illidan!" the usual steeled voice replaced the previous singing one as her cheerful mood quickly turned into anger. She jumped up immediately and grabbed the doorknob, but it didn't move, indicating that the door was closed. "Illidan, if you're in there, open the door immediately." she pounded on the door heatedly, then waited for a few moments, but no answer came. "How impudent! I gave him my keys so he could have his hissy fit in cultured conditions and that's the gratitude? Just wait, if I find you Betrayer, you'll regret to bid defiance to me!" Maiev thought as she blinked through the solid wooden barrier. There, darkness and silence greeted her in the one-room apartment. The bathroom sliding door was open, and the carpet was dotted with remnants of cloth. The built-in closet also seemed intact. The Night Elf sighed annoyed. "At least apparently, he didn't touch my stuff." she thought, but something caught her eye. On the table still lay the ugly knit tie she had thrown there in the morning, and beside it, in a pair of carefully arranged piles, the clothes sewn for Illidan rested peacefully, undisturbed. "What the...?" Maiev jumped to the table, but her eyes were not mistaken. Not a single piece of clothing was missing. Turning her head around tensely, she searched the tiny room for the suit that should have been taken off in there, but found it nowhere. "Oh my..." she bit her lip. "I think I need a drink..." she said frustratedly, then fished out a huge promotional bag from the built-in closet and packed in the clothes. When she was done, she hung the bag on her shoulder and headed for the door. She stopped abruptly and looked back at the table. It was as if she had seen some tiny red flashing for a moment, but it seemed like only her eyes were dazzling. She turned back, blinking through the door, then began to run. Once again, the hunt was on, but for the first time the place of exhilarating thrill was taken over by uneasiness in her heart. "Damn it, Illidan! What the hell are you doing?" 

The reflection of dark clouds painted the usually bright, sparkling lake that surrounded the downtown of Astranaar dirty green. On the quay, as always, a multitude of young lovers gathered despite the unpleasant weather. Two Night Elven teenagers held hands as they walked up to a huge, iron-lattice monument. The art relic made up a magnificent tree out of hundreds of coal-black iron bars. On its branches, countless braided necklaces hung, with cheap pendants attached to the ends. Nothing but a single word were to be seen on the statue’s pedestal with a rough engraving: Teldrassil. The monument was placed exactly to restore the sight of a tree that burned two millennia earlier on the horizon. There was a widespread belief among the city’s youth that if they leave "leaves" on the branches of the tree, their love will be budding and long-living.The young couple laughed a bit longer in front of the relic, then the boy took out their necklaces from his backpack and started climbing. His lover encouraged him from below. When the lad’s feet hit the ground again, they fell on each other’s shoulders, then held hands lovingly, while raising their hopeful gaze at the horizon.A pair of green eyes followed this intimate moment of their merely awakening life from nearby. He used to weave similar hopes as he was walking down on the streets of Suramar, waiting for his beloved to steal time for just the two of them while escorting the young woman home. But those times were long gone, and the girl drifted away from him, like all of his youthful dreams about love and life, tainted by and lost in falsehoods and lies, slowly letting himself drown in a grim existence he can’t even despise, no matter how much he wanted. All of his decisions, his actions were his own. He chose the path that led him there, standing alone on that sidewalk.A yellow tram pounded comfortably past Illidan, showing the direction to follow to the man. He turned his gaze away from the cheerful couple and slowly continued his lonely walk.A bitter smile formed on his stern face. It was foolish of him to think that maybe things could be the way they used to be. That perhaps they can still sit together on the green lawn while Malfurion is telling tales about The Dream, or listen to Tyrande as she talks about her duty as a priestess. His unexpected luck with his brother rocked him into the false illusions that perhaps his childhood friend would be able to go beyond past grievances and give him another chance to prove he had done everything just for their sake. But reality relentlessly shattered these dreams into small pieces on that day, reminding him that in the eyes of his former companion, his character was probably forever intertwined with the title his people had given him twelve thousand years ago: The Betrayer.His heart sank at the idea, and there was nothing he could do about it. Immersed in his thoughts, he walked on following the tram line, counting the stops to Maiev’s apartment. One by one, the most beautiful memories of his youth penetrated his mind, deepening the bleeding wound on the man’s heart. Hiding in the woods, picking berries from the bushes of the locals, watching the clouds in the meadow... Those were the most beloved days of his life... Without warning, Tyrande was slowly becoming a mature woman, and this didn’t escape his attention. Gradually, the shared moments and growing desires in his soul raised a seemingly insurmountable altar in his heart, on top of which sat, like a veritable goddess, his childhood friend. The sanctuary, where he served Tyrande’s image with unwavering admiration, could not be shaken even by the loneliness and pain of ten thousand years, and as his boisterous anger gradually burned away everything around him, only the shrine and the false illusions were left for him to turn to in his solitude.Old habits die hard, and no matter how he tried to let go of the delusion he had adored for so long, his own weakness bested him. Tyrande said well: Raw power is no substitute for true strength. Something that his heart lacked, and they both knew it. He still remembered the pain that these words caused in his soul as the pillars of the thousand-year-old altar were slowly shattered, and in their place only the torturous emptiness gaped. His unsatisfied desire to worship someone was oil stirring the flames of his hatred. Eventually, the fire engulfed the Legion as well, but despite his efforts, he could not reignite his loved ones ’confidence in him.The landscape gradually changed, tall, illuminated office buildings replaced the suburban scenery. In the distance, Nordrassil appeared on the horizon, and Illidan’s distracted thoughts wandered to his brother. At least his relationship with Malfurion seemed to become settled. Since their meeting, they have been regularly talking on the phone for a few minutes, in courtesy of Maiev. It wasn’t much, but it was a beginning. As for his probation officer... She proved to be a pleasant surprise again. Ever since his return, she has been helping him steadfastly. And now she even trusted him with the key to her apartment. He still didn’t see the reason behind the woman’s actions, but just by knowing that she trusts him on a surface level filled his heart with warmth. He laughed into the twilight awkwardly. Who would have thought that one day Maiev Shadowsong would trust him, and he would be grateful for it? But soon the smile melted off from his face...In front of him, a vagrant ray of the resurfacing Moon gleamed on a frozen puddle, crushingly reminding Illidan of the time. He realized in a panic that the three hours given by Maiev had long passed while he was pondering in the city aimlessly, contemplating the past."Oh no..." he thought as he pulled the night elf’s key chain out of his pocket. It rested peacefully on the palm of his hand, though its master must have been waiting angrily for it. "I am such a fool..." he clenched his fist. He knew he had certainly failed the woman’s trust. His stomach turned over as the painful realization hit him in the head. He barely recognized what he had won and he already let it slip away between his fingers.Maybe if hurries and honestly explains to her what happened, he might be able to reduce the damage, even though it was obvious that the woman would no longer vote him the same level of confidence. It didn’t matter, he had to save what he could. But before he could take a step, a well-known hoarse voice broke in his ears."Illidan!"The demon hunter stood there dumbfounded. He knew it was over. He turned resignedly, and his gaze almost immediately met with Maiev’s, rushing toward him."Where the hell have you been?" she snapped at the man after reaching him. She lifted the enormous shopping bag from her shoulder and placed it on the floor, then waited for an answer, but it didn’t come. Illidan rested there, speechless, lowering his gaze. After a while, Maiev exhaled, smoothing out a few unruly strands from her eyes. "Did you get lost?" she asked in a slightly gentler voice."In my thoughts..." Illidan replied apologetically, still unable to face the woman in front of him. Maiev examined him a bit longer, then shook her head. She grabbed the suit’s sleeve worn by the man, then gently began to lead him behind her. The demon hunter opened his mouth in surprise to speak because the woman’s apartment was in the other direction."I need a drink. " the night elf said unexpectedly, as if she could read the man’s thoughts. "And I think you do, too." she added in a tired voice as the lights of the city slowly lit up around them, illuminating their way.

The pub where Maiev led them was small and poorly lit. Perhaps not even the owner could tell anymore if the walls were originally that color, or if over the years tobacco smoke had colored them dirty yellow. Behind the clumsily fixed bar counter that broke earlier during a fight, poor spirits stood on the wooden shelf from floor to wall. An ancient pinball table collected dust in one corner. Two young troll younglings glanced longingly from the street at the game machine, but once they saw the orc bartender’s disapproving look, they reluctantly moved on. But the tapster’s troubles didn’t end there. He hurriedly re-filled a mug with cheap dwarf ale and shook his head as he put it in front of his customers. Maiev wasn’t the least bothered by the orc’s discouraging manner. Imitating a toast, she lifted the jar and then poured it all down her throat. Beside her, Illidan sipped his drink from time to time, but his probation officer’s shocking behavior distracted him. The always tidy, strict Warden was shamelessly drinking like a fish. When the woman emptied her oversized pitcher again, she slapped it on the counter cheerfully, then turned to the man."It doesn’t taste good?" she poked at Illidan’s drink."It’s good enough for what it’s meant to be." he took a sip from the low-grade ale. However, seeing his companion’s incessant skeptical gaze, he eventually drank it down, too. He glanced at Maiev, who greeted his action with a satisfied smile, and soon he faced another full glass, just like the woman who seemingly decided to empty the pub’s supplies single-handedly."Aren’t you drinking too much?" he asked in amaze."Don’t you dare to worry about me. My liver is made out of iron!" she dismissed his concerns with a wave of her hand. However, her already rosy cheeks would’ve liked to argue with that statement. She ordered another glass, sometimes grinning at Illidan, encouraging him to drink more, she would pay the check. The man nodded to thank her for the invitation, but Maiev simply waved again, adding that she was merely doing her duty. The demon hunter looked at his more and more jolly drinking partner with a smirk on his face. Of course, he was in her care. Still... He was amazed by just how far she was willing to go to get her job done. How lucky that someone must be for whom she would be doing this out of selfless love. For a moment, something akin to envy sparkled in his heart, but soon it was washed away with another round of cheap booze.They were drinking for almost half an hour like this when, unexpectedly, the already undeniably tipsy Maiev broke the silence."By the way...What’s da deal with you and Tyrande anyway? If I recall, you were quite worked up when she has gone missing during the Third War, too."She’s... was... a childhood friend of mine." He began with a dry throat. He took another sip of his drink and continued. "We grew up together." Maiev glared at him, then, like the gears in her skull had finally started to move, slapped her forehead and moaned irritably."Oh, Mother Moon... A love triangle. Great. Just what I needed..." She summarized the part that Illidan would have liked to keep for himself. He turned his sight away, grimacing, but that didn’t stop Maiev from continuing her increasingly drunken train of thoughts.What’s so gud about dat woman anyway? She’s painfully average, yet everybody seems to be so head over heels for her. Elune, your brother and now you too... Oh c’mooooon! She’s 6/10 at best!" she helped her slowly failing articulation with some unintentionally comical body language, throwing her arms up in the air. Illidan believed to perceive some jealousy behind the woman’s statement, but her performance was too entertaining to interrupt her. And Maiev continued. "And you...! - pointed somewhere over the demon hunter’s shoulder. "Yuu. Don’t tell me yu couldn’t find a better catch!"What do you mean by that?"Playing the clueless, huh? What can I say, it suits you. Now, let me tell ya... In the sisterhood... all the girls... Okay, perhaps not all of them, but still..."she giggled, like a little gal, telling a secret to the other kids. "They were sooo into you! For real! Well, who could blame them? You were a solid 8/10, if I may say so."Really?" Illidan asked back in amusement. The last thing he thought he would ever hear was Maiev admitting any kind of admiration of him, even past ones. Her words undeniably flattered his self-confidence."Yeah..." she replied with a dreamy smile, probably remembering better times, when life was kinder to both of them. She ran her finger along the mug’s rim in delight, finally lifting it to her lips again."Oh yeah...? And how’s now?" Illidan inquired humorously, as he was well aware of his power gain’s consequences. To his lesser surprise, the obviously drunken Maiev seemed to be up for the joke."I wonder..." she pretended to be considering an answer. "It’s still an eight. Just put a minus sign before it." she said with an impish smile. She chuckled at her own attempted humour as Illidan watched her, enjoying her joyful laugh."No.. no... Not that bad... Let me see..." she said as she leaned closer to her companion." Hm... I would say... a 7.5/10. I don’t dig da tattoos." she added, pretending to be more serious than she was."The tattoos?" Illidan asked incredulously."Yep." she nodded, still keeping a straight face as much as an intoxicated person could do."Out of all of my deformities, you picked the tattoos?" "Precisely." Maiev nodded with a held back smile already curling around her lips. A brief silence ensued as they looked at each other, both understanding the joke, then at once, they bursted out in heartfelt laughter.But all the joy came to a sudden end as tears began to roll down on Maiev’s cheeks."Are you all right?" her companion asked, dumbfounded.The woman slowly raised her gaze upon him and Illidan felt his heart skipping a beat. He had never seen her so lonely and vulnerable. Not even when she was lying before him on the dirty ground, rugged and defeated in Shadowmoon Valley. Back then there was pride in her eyes. Now, only immeasurable anguish. Not sure what to do about her sudden change of mood, he tried to ask for the bill and take Maiev out, hoping that fresh air might benefit her."You were right..." she blurted, her voice breaking. "I know... I am nothing... So, please... Don’t leave..." she asked him, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her sobbing worsened. "Can’t you see... how trapped I’m here...?" Her words slowly molded into one incomprehensible cry for help, bursting out from the deepest depth of her sorrowful heart after two thousand years of repression. She hid her head into her palms as she wept.Illidan, feeling for her, placed his hand on her shoulder hesitantly. Maiev, sensing the gentle touch, grabbed the man’s lapels, burying her face into his chest, not allowing him to move. The once so certain picture of Maiev Shadowsong became vaguer and vaguer in his mind as the woman's tears slowly soaked his cloth, feeling their warmth on his skin."Please... Don’t... leave again..."

In the dim light that filtered through the dirty basement window, tiny grains of dust danced undisturbed, waltzing around in the small storage room. Along the mud- and dirt-stained wall, alcohol bottles of varied prices were waiting in junk wooden boxes to be served to thirsty guests one day. One thing they all had in common was the poor quality. A depressing compromise of series production. The ad hoc guest who had been sleeping silently until then suddenly moaned on the bed made by piecing together a couple of crates. Her aching head and the vomit’s bitter, bilious taste in her mouth mercilessly reminded her how much she overplayed her hand the day before.

She reluctantly opened her silver eyes to look around, where the morning has found her this time. She was counting on the usual bench, or a pissed, dirty doorway, but to her surprise, she woke up in a storage room. Under her head, the blue bag - still containing the clothes she sewed - served as a pillow, and as a blanket, someone spread a jacket over her shoulder. She didn’t even have to look. The smell immediately revealed who its owner was. Maiev sat up ponderously, taking the suit in her hands. She gently stroked the sleeve, wondering about the evening. Indeed, she did not drink alone. Slowly, memories lingered back into her scattered mind. Just moments... As she weakly leans over the toilet cup and someone holds her head. As the wind blasts into her face outside in the cool night while someone carries her in their arms. Her uncontrollable panic and then the reassuring warmth as someone covers her. No... No, it wasn’t just someone...

The throbbing pain ripped into her head again as the door creaked open and Ukarner Redpike walked in, humming off-key. At that sacred moment, Maiev could have drowned the dwarf in a spoonful of water in her fury. But at least she finally knew where she was. Seemingly not noticing her, the man walked straight to the boxes in one of the corners, picked up a bottle from it, and he was right about having it open, but he probably felt the fiery gaze of the night elf on his nape as he spun around his axis as if he had been poked with a hot skewer.

"Oh, good mornin’!" the dwarf cleared his dry throat, quickly hiding the bottle behind him. It’s not like it mattered... "I see you feel better now! But hey, let me tell you, you really knocked yourself out last night, little miss!" the man opened his conversation-tap, letting out a flow of words, seemingly ignoring Maiev’s angry, telling look, which, with all its sparks, tried to get the message into the skull of the wooden-headed dwarf that she now wanted silence. "You’re lucky to have such a caring boyfriend!"

"Not my boyfriend." the night elf squeezed the words out between her lips, but her steely voice hurt her ears. However, she could not dispute the other part of the sentence. As much as her confused memories allowed her to recall, she indeed owed gratitude to the demon hunter.

"All righty, I see the day starts badly. Wait "ere, I’ll get ya my miracle medicine! It always whips me into shape!" the old man whooped, already rushing out of the room, leaving Maiev alone with her throbbing head. She blinked a few more times, wiped the tweezers out of her eyes, then climbed out from her occasional bed and reached for her coat. Understanding her embarrassing behaviour from the other day and not knowing if Illidan was still around, she wanted to leave as soon as possible, but her plan quickly fell into disarray. An unmistakable hoofbeat struck her ears. So she took a deep breath and tried to mentally prepare for the seemingly inevitable taunting. The sound of footsteps stopped, then knocking could be heard from outside the room. Maiev reluctantly turned to face her drinking buddy from yesterday. Illidan stood politely in the doorway, holding a glass of water, and a painkiller in his other hand. A piece of black fabric rested on his arm. He changed his clothes, now wearing a V-neck white shirt, tucked into his coal-black jeans. His unusual, well-kept appearance took her by surprise, almost forgetting about herself again, despite already having seen him in regular attire the day before.

"Ukar sent this. He told me it helps with the hangover." he said in a completely ordinary tone. "Although I must confess, I’ve never seen a drug like this before. The composition is strange."

Maiev looked in amazement at the demon hunter glaring at the pill with suspicion. She would have dared to bet that he would open with some arrogant remark about yesterday, but he was more interested in the painkiller.

"Fascinating..." he said at last as he stepped closer to the woman.

"Thanks." She took the glass and the pill from the man, then swallowed it without hesitation. "If you don’t mind, I’m leaving now."

"I see. Ukar allowed me to keep my stuff here until I find a place for myself."

"At the same time..." he lifted the material hanging on his arm until that moment. It was a simple black t-shirt with the logo of the place on it. "I..." he began, but he quickly bit the word, no doubt embarrassed to ask a favour from her. "If you could..."

Before he could continue, Maiev took the cloth from him.

"I’ll do it. But! You must never mention yesterday!" She raised a finger in warning. "Don’t bring it up. Not today, not tomorrow. Never. The best would be if you could forget it quickly."

"The memory of an awkward evening for an awkward favour..." Illidan said with a smug grin, pretending to think about the offer. "Seems like a reasonable trade."

"Then it’s settled." she replied, and with that she was already at the door, ready to leave.

"It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Warden." the man looked after her, with a satisfied smirk on his face. The woman turned back, her smile matching his.

"You are the worst businessman in history." she laughed lightly. She said something about the date of their next meeting, then disappeared into the nightclub’s out-of-the-box hallway.

Illidan followed her with his gaze for a long time as the lights depicting the woman got farther and farther away from him. Although he promised he wouldn’t bring up the event, there was something he wanted to talk about with the night elf but he had to realize that this wasn’t the right place nor the right time. Before his spiritual eyes was still the image of Maiev clinging onto him as he tried to put her to sleep on the crates. As she begged him not to leave. He sighed troubled. He should have told her sooner... This was on him...

The journey to home felt infinitely long for Maiev. Albeit the sun was already high, somehow it seemed as if every noisy, crying child had the desire to travel on the same tram on which she was sitting. Eventually, the vehicle stopped and the night elf could leave the carriage reminiscent of a birdcage. Close to the station, a group sat at one of the outdoor tables at a nearby playground. Most of them pulled their scarves thoroughly over their faces against the cold, but their yellow eyes and pale, dead skin soon gave away their true identity anyway. But Maiev wasn’t the least interested in a dozen self-deprecating crypt fugitives that day. Her hangover was too demanding of her energies. At least her memories seemed to return at last, but that didn’t improve her mood.

"I can’t decide which one is more embarrassing... Giving a score or crying... Damn it, I didn’t want to talk about it, but now I must, I can’t leave the topic at that... I’d like to sink into the earth in shame! What was I thinking? Oh, I know! Nothing, you drunken idiot!" she thought as she staggered down the stairs toward her basement apartment. Although the painkiller had finally begun to take effect, she still wanted to have a good and re-vitalizing sleep to truly be in her elements and be able to think about how to deal with her awkward situation. Longing for her old, battered sofa, she pulled the key out of her pocket and turned it in the lock.

"What the...?" she pulled it out in surprise. The key was harder to turn than usual. She examined the device frantically. Could Illidan have bent it? That’s unlikely. He wasn’t even there according to him. Even if he had accidentally sat on it, it wouldn’t be enough weight to deform it. Eventually, Maiev opted for an oily treatment later, impatiently pressing the doorknob, but she hesitated to open the door. Something was wrong. The handle itself clicked strangely. All her senses screamed relentlessly at her, signalling danger, but their voices were lost in the throbbing, drumming cacophony of the woman’s aching head.

"I’m imagining things... It’s just the hangover." she tried to allay her worries, opening the door slowly. Inside, her apartment greeted her just as she had left it the day before. Open bathroom door, closed closet, tie on the table... The table... Where she thought she saw a small, red flashing light...! 

As the picture finally assembled in her mind, she immediately tried to close the door and get away from the apartment, but it was too late. At that moment, a fiery, dazzling light flooded the room, followed by a terrible bang as the destructive energy erupted with an abhorrent force from the tiny structure hidden under the table. It happened in the blink of an eye. For a heartbeat, the world turned into a ravishing white, deafening hell. Then all of a sudden the noise stopped and the cosmos went silent as Maiev’s eardrums ruptured with crippling compulsion... But the pain did not go away. On her dominant arm, not covered by the door, razor-sharp shrapnel tore apart the flesh. A larger shard hit her side. Another dug into her thigh. Her face and ears were scorched by the heat released as she flew back nearly two meters due to the gust of air. Her battered body hit the ground like a rag doll.

Someone hid an explosive in her apartment.

"That damn device... must have been already there by yesterday...!" Maiev thought as she tried to stand up to her feet. "Luckily, Illidan never came here. He would have probably walked in without hesitation, and he would have been caught in the explosion’s centre... Well... " she looked at her shattered arm. Skin and flesh tore, blood and dirt muddying the open wounds. "I didn’t fare much better anyway..."

Using her other, uninjured hand, she clung to a lattice door and leaned against the wall.

"If I hadn’t taken that painkiller, I probably wouldn’t be able to stand at all." she tried to concentrate on a healing spell, but suddenly another thought crossed her mind. "It was a small bomb. Apparently, they didn’t want to damage the structure of the building or the other apartments... I was the only target. But if they want me... Jarod!" she stopped the spell and reached for her phone. Luckily, it escaped the explosion intact. Maiev desperately looked up her brother’s number and called it. With her eardrums erupted, she stared at the device’s display. It showed the call, but after a few seconds it hung up. Her brother was probably in a meeting... She feverishly searched her troubled mind for another solution. "Shandris!" she whispered as she saw the name in the phone book. She immediately called the number, her hand trembling, but to her relief, the phone indicated that someone has answered the call.

"Shandris! This is Maiev!" she shouted into the phone as loudly as she could, hoping the other could hear what she was saying. "A bomb exploded in my apartment! Don’t go home! By all means, don’t go home! Tell Jarod and Lysende too! Stay away, you understand? I can’t hear you. My eardrum got ruptured. If you understood, hang up the phone! I repeat, do not go home! Don’t go home! Don’t go..."

Someone on the other side hung up. Maiev leaned against the wall with relief. Everything will be fine now... Suddenly she noticed lights and movement from the other end of the corridor. Someone was probably trying to find out what happened... At least that’s what she thought, but soon she had to realize she was wrong. Two undead walked toward her, with a chopper in their hands. Their intent, and the reason for the attack, became clear to Maiev at once: to eliminate The Warden.

"So you’re behind this. I’m not even surprised. Wretched cowards using cowardly methods to execute their cowardly plan. Fitting." She spat blood on the ground. "But if you think I will give my skin so easily, then you’re sorely mistaken, vile worms! I’ve been in worse situations before! You can ask those fools soon enough in the other world how well it went for them!" Maiev said as she stood up with dignity and took a fighting position, suppressing the pain within herself. The two newcomers paused for a moment, but after a few seconds, they began to approach her again, albeit more cautiously. The night elf smiled confidently. Idiots. As soon as they would get close enough, she would blink behind their backs. She takes the weapon from one of them and finishes them off. Neither of them seemed combat-trained, and they had no chance against a veteran like her. But the outlined plan went up in smoke, as she felt a sharp, crippling pain in her right shoulder. A thin, metallic blade tore through the muscles and tenders, reaching the bone. She didn’t even have time to cry out in pain. She reached behind her back, where the assault came from with her intact hand, grabbing the attacker by the wrist, then tossed them over her back, right into the other two undead, then began to run.

"The wretched... probably climbed in through the window." the night elf felt the knife stuck in her shoulder, making her dominant arm now completely useless. She barely felt her fingers. She had to treat it and fast if she didn’t want to lose it.

The adrenaline and the painkiller suppressed her pain just enough to let her move quickly despite her many injuries. She took the stairs by two, then tore open the front door. However, the open sky did not bring relief either. Seven other ReLifers stood in her way. They seemed to have been waiting for her. Maiev knew she couldn’t waste any time standing in the doorway, as the rest of them still inside could catch up and attack her in the back at any moment. With her hearing damaged, she was vulnerable in the situation. She was about to blink through the undead line when the blood froze in her veins. Behind the row, on the road to the tram stop, stood a medium-height, chubby ageing man with a pistol in his hand. Although Maiev had only seen him once, she immediately recognized the man mourning his son from the ReLife Center about a month ago. "So it was about vengeance..." The man with a face distorted by hatred slowly raised his gun at her. He aimed... But never got the chance to fire. Without hesitation, seeing it as her only chance to evade a fatal gunshot, Maiev pulled the knife from her shoulder and threw it at the bloke with the same motion. Her attacker’s chilling scream as the blade sank into his hand holding the pistol was heard only by the horde of undead.

Taking the opportunity, the night elf blinked through the man-made wall and ran. Fearing that more attackers would await her at the tram, she headed in the other direction, straight into the heart of the housing estates, hoping to shake off her attackers there. However, her plan seemed to fail. Her initial fear appeared to be confirmed. The knife had hit an artery in her shoulder. Bright red blood squirted out of the wound at the same rate as her heartbeat. She tried to push the wound with her other hand, reducing the bleeding, but she had already lost too much blood.

She was careless. And now she has to pay for it. Did she truly think she could have a life she always dreamed of? One with meaning, care, and attachment? Finding her place in this world? For the first time in millennia, she did.

"No, I can’t give in now!" she thought as she tried desperately to force her legs to move. "I already came this far, I want to see that possibility!" She took corner after corner but her pursuers were on her trail ceaselessly and she was close to coming to the end of her rope. It was getting difficult to even concentrate on her movement, blinking was out of question. It finally hit her: she was dying. 

In the end, her last ounce of strength also left her as she fell to the ground, dazed. "No...!" She cried out in a panic. "Not now! It can’t be!" she tried to push herself up but to no avail. She rolled over to rest on her back. Under her, she felt the warm pool that increased in size by the minute. Her own blood. Her panting intensified as her limbs slowly began to get cold. "No... after so many years of wanting to just leave everything behind... When I finally feel joy for the first time... I don’t want it to end like this! Not now!"

"Someone... help..." But no one heard her desperate supplication in the empty housing estate. "I don’t want to die... Not yet...!"

She turned her head to the side. Her vision was gradually getting blurred as her thoughts slowly faded away into the void. A ghastly, alien emptiness flowed through her body. First, only in her fingers and then in her feet, approaching her heart. An undead was running toward her, holding a knife. Maiev tried to raise her hand in defense, but the limb disobeyed.

"No... I want to live... Live...!" she begged Elune as her attacker got closer. The tears running down on her burned cheeks dissolved in the pool of sanguine fluid beneath her. With her last breath, she clung desperately onto her memories, as if those could somehow keep her alive. Jarod’s kind voice, being worried about her... Lysende’s sparkling eyes while they were shopping together... Illidan’s smile, laughing together at that damn tie...

Lying on the ground, broken and ragged, unable to move even her fingers, her pulse weakening, her pursuer finally caught up with her. She sobbed as the man leaned over her, seeing her eye to eye. There was no reason to hide her feelings anymore. It didn’t matter who gets to see her cry. It will end soon anyway. Pride be damned.

"If only I could start over..."

The undead was ready to strike down when his arm suddenly stopped in mid-air. Slowly he let go of the knife and fell on the ground, revealing a woman’s figure behind him, a smoking pistol in her hand. Not far from her, several uniformed men approached.

"Shandris...!" Maiev sighed, then the world went black.

Outside, the sun emerged from behind the grey clouds of winter, illuminating the unnaturally clean, brittle room. Only one of the four beds was in use, on the surplusses the immaculately white sheets were resting untouched. On the one closest to the door sat a night elf woman, despondently. She closed her silver eyes betraying the sorrows hidden deep in her heart, listening to the conversation seeping in from the corridor. One of the voices was unmistakably her brother's. The other, presumably a doctor, communicated with various incomprehensible terms, but Maiev did not need to understand them."Cowards! Come in, say it in front of me! Do you think I haven't figured it out already?!" She fell back resignedly to the shabby pillow. No matter how many times she tried to fix it, over and over again she was left in disappointment.Her dominant hand will never be the same as before.The conversation outside stopped. A minute later the door opened and Jarod entered the ward, with a booklet under his armpit. In his hand, he held a plastic bag, full of clothes. On its side, a pen found its way to freedom by poking a hole in the material. His sister did not pay much attention to him, instead was fiddling with an infusion needle she had taken out of her vein. The man took a deep breath. Slowly, he stepped beside her bed, taking a seat on a chair placed there for visitors. He opened the booklet and quickly wrote something in it, then turned it toward his sibling."How are you?" the question stood on the white paper with ornate handwriting. Maiev glanced contemptuously at the sheet, then demonstratively threw the cannula next to her side."Jarod. I'd like to remind you that I was once a priestess. I'm quite versed in the art of healing. Unlike these good for nothing mountebanks! I've fixed my hearing a long time ago." She said with increasing fierceness in her tone. Only her younger brother's compassionate gaze prevented her from bursting into an angry scream. She turned her head again to try and control her temper."So you know."You don't have to be a particularly intelligent creature to notice if you can't move one of your arms properly." She spat the words and Jarod could almost taste the bitterness dripping from all of her sounds in his mouth."They had no choice. The knife stab hit an artery and the motor nerve in your shoulder. They had to perform surgery right away..."Or they could have waited until I regained my consciousness and healed it myself, instead of making my dominant hand useless for the rest of my life!" She said as she was about to lose her head."Maiev, with physiotherapy..."Get out!" All the anger and pain emanated from the woman's throat at last."Please..."I said get out!" She waved her intact arm at the man. He evaded the blow with ease, but her sister's outburst still hit him in the heart. Believing to be better to fulfil the request, he left the room without a word. The door closed behind him creaking, leaving the enraged Maiev alone. However, in the night elf's soul the anger was soon replaced by remorse, then by self-hatred again.She looked with disgust at the weak, unusable limb of her body. It was unfamiliar and repulsive. Setting her teeth, she tried to clench her fingers into a fist, but they could barely touch her palm. "It's impossible to hold a weapon with this! Or anything else..." It was the end of an era. Though her heart kept beating in her chest the same way, the Warden was dead. There was a terrifying emptiness in her soul, from where vicious strangers tore her millennial identity out, leaving behind only a bare skeleton she no longer recognized. She stood naked in front of the road she had wanted to set off the day before, her legs trembling with previously unknown uncertainty. Who was she without her strength, her arm? What should she cling into now that she had been deprived of her integrity? Her breathing gradually intensified into a wheeze as feelings of torment permeated her heart and mind. In her unstoppable temper, she slapped the bed with her intact hand. Then again... and again. Her grief erupted from her throat like a painful scream. But her cry for help was heard only by the four walls. Bowing to her helplessness, her wail softened to sobbing. For the first time in a while, she thought of her mother. About the woman's kind smile, her soft embrace, the hunts together. When a bright future stood ahead of her..."I want to go home, Mother..."

The bright neon lights of Astranaar's nightlife filtered through the spaces between the plethora of multi-storey houses as mere tiny blurry spots. Maiev peered reluctantly at the horizon from her nephew's bed, remaining red even at night from the artificial lightings. Kur'talos had moved out years earlier, but Shandris kept his room as tidy as if her firstborn still lived there. Jarod insisted that until the investigation of the attack was over, Maiev lived with them, and the empty room has just come in handy. She didn't have much of a choice. Almost all the furniture in her apartment has been destroyed. Her clothes also became prey to the explosion, so Shandris lent her a few pieces to wear. Maiev glared in disgust at the peach-coloured nightgown made out of synthetic fibre stretching on her body that she borrowed for pyjamas."A beggar can't be a chooser..."She reached wearily for the black T-shirt and needle resting on the bedside table, but made a mistake and knocked down the physiotherapy exercise ball she had received from her brother. It thudded softly on the floor, then rolled away, as if itself wished that the ground could just swallow it."Good, stay there." she hissed.The lights suddenly lit up outside, and Maiev soon became the ear witness to another tense parent-child conversation as she had been so many times during the week. As far as she could tell, Lysende started seeing a boy. This in itself would not have been a problem, but for some reason, they wanted to do it regularly at night, which in turn caused a strong dislike by her parents."I told you you can't go party alone on a weekday night!" Shandris's voice filtered in as she passed the door."And I told you I don't care! Just because you had a shitty teenagerhood you don't have to ruin mine, too!" Lysende spat back.For a while, Maiev could hear the heated give-and-take, then at once, a loud door slam raised silence again. The night elf could see through the window as her niece left the building, put on her thin leather jacket and got into a junk green hatchback car. Such old tin cans were typically run by deadbeat workers or teenagers who wanted to grow up early. The vehicle soon drove away, and she also thought it was for the better to focus on her work.She put the tailored t-shirt on her lap and smoothed it out. She made another barren attempt to keep the needle in her injured hand, but her fingers were unable to hold it. She watched the tiny piece of metal trembling between her fingertips as her heart shattered into pieces. She finally gave up and took it into her other hand. Her stitches were nowhere near as beautiful as if she could sew with her dominant hand, but at least she was making progress.The thin black thread sometimes disappeared, sometimes reappeared on the surface of the fabric, tying the cut material together forever. It was a monotonous but calming preoccupation, the kind in which one could look inward at their soul in peace. But Maiev wanted to avoid that, and with all of her might she tried to concentrate on the movements of her clumsy hand, in vain. Her thoughts turned again to the loss she had suffered. Although her brother did everything he could to alleviate her torment, someone who lived in a world so different from her was unable to understand her pain. Every time they tried to talk, it shallowed into hollow formality, and Lysende was no different with her empty gossips. Despite her loved ones being around her, the most they achieved was emotional loneliness.The night elf carefully set aside her work to rest her hand - which was less accustomed to the load - and glanced longingly at her phone."I'm sure he's already working." she thought as she looked up Ukar's phone number and pressed the dial button. The call went out and shortly an overly cheerful voice joined the line. "This is Maiev Shadowsong. I'm sorry to disturb you again. Yes. No, we didn't break up, how many times do I have to tell you that he is not my boyfriend?! Just tell him that he will get the t-shirt tomorrow morning."Alrighty. Anything else?" the dwarf asked, and the night elf's stomach tightened. "Can I speak to him...?" "No, that's all. Thank you for your help." She hung up the phone in frustration. Again, she couldn't bring herself to call him on the phone, or at least tell the truth. "If I were to ask him, would he come? Stupid question. We're not friends, he doesn't owe me anything. He probably breathed with a sigh of relief that he wouldn't see me for a while now... And even if he were to come... What would that change? How could he help me? There's no point to it."A chocking silence settled on the apartment. Only the light of the Moon glinted from time to time on the restless needle and Maiev's tearful face.

Several young people gathered at the Hot and Misty Club’s entrance, excitedly waiting to finally get in. Not just to have a royal time in the evening, but to finally warm up a little. Illidan looked at the shivering girls reprovingly. Most of them were wearing knee-length skirts despite the near-freezing temperature, their neon-coloured puffy coats barely covering their waist. He was already past the cultural shock of his first couple of working days, but being an Old Elf, he still couldn't figure out what that unnecessary show-off was good for. Back in the days showing skin wasn't considered to be seductive, but merely part of the culture when it was appropriate."Class went out of fashion with common sense it seems..." he thought, but he didn't have much time to ponder. Next to him, a young male troll around the age of 20-25 tried to sneak in unobtrusively. Behind him, a panicky night elf girl in her adolescence tried to follow him. But their attempt soon came to nothing. The troll, feeling a firm hold on his shoulder, turned around. His tense gaze quickly met with the security guard's."What du ya want?" he said dissatisfied, demonstratively freeing his shoulder from the man's grip, who didn't seem to be phased by the laughable power show-off. Instead, he held out his hand, as if he were asking for something. "The knife, if you would."What? Did ya smoke somethin', mon? I ain't no have any knife with me! Or du ya see one anywhere?" the troll unfolded his coat menacingly."Za'zul, please..." his companion tried to calm the man. Her eyes sparkled with fear as they scanned the creepy, goat-deer-like demon guard."As a matter of fact, yes. I can see it." Illidan put on a haughty grin on his self-assured face. "It's in your left hip-pocket. Hand it over."The night elf kept looking in disbelief at the strange-looking man then at her friend."Stop messin’ aroun', mon, let us in, or you'll regret it!" The young man pridefully pushed his chest against the confident demon hunter's."Will I?" Illidan laughed mockingly. The troll didn't ask for more. Driven by his stricken self-esteem, he gave in to the provocation and resorted to his knife. However, his fingers were not able to reach the grip. The security guard grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm. The previously impatiently bustling crowd fell silent at once, watching the unfolding scene in shock."Lemme go, yu madman!" Za'zul tried to get out of the grip, in vain."Now hop it with your minor girlfriend here while I say nicely." Illidan whispered into the troll's ear, the undisguised life-threatening threat rang crystal-clear in his voice, frightening to death the boy who seemed unshakable until then."We're leaving, I swear, just let him go!" begged the gal. The demon hunter twisted the young man's arm a bit further and then released it. Like a battered bird, he scurried back behind his girlfriend."Yu'll pay fo" dis!" he spat back as his girl desperately tried to drag the bellicose young man away."Sorry for the uproar!" she stammered humble-mouthed. The demon hunter didn't waste much time on the filly until then, but suddenly she caught his eye. He found the girl strangely familiar, though he didn't remember ever meeting her before."Oh, nice job, son!" Ukar patted his back happily, pulling the man out from his thoughts. "This little filth has been raiding the area for weeks. Although I haven't seen his girlfriend before. Which reminds me, yours just called."Even though Illidan tried to ignore the dwarf's empty gossip, he began to sharpen his ears at the mention of his probation officer."You mean Maiev?"That's her, the little Miss! But my son, ya're lucky, ya hear me? That lady ain't an everyday woman! Unlike my wife, that old good for..."What did she say?" the demon tried to steer the wandering man back to the conversation's original topic. An inexplicable tension pressed his chest as he waited for an answer."She said she is cancelling next week's meeting as well. Oh, and that you'll get the t-shirt tomorrow morning."I see..."As Ukar bursted back to the nightclub, Illidan's thoughts turned to Maiev yet again, just like many times before during the week. He could almost feel the vulnerable woman in his arms, clinging into him. But just as he couldn't dispel the memories, he couldn't shake the feeling that his patron had avoided him since the incident. Even though he didn't realize it, a sense of neglect crept into his chest little by little, uncomfortably straining his throat, infuriating the man. His original idea of giving her time to get over her drunken mishap turned slowly to smoke as his patience approached its end."So you're cancelling next week's meeting too? That's ridiculous, Maiev! Even if you feel uncomfortable about what happened, I still have to talk with you. You're not going anywhere tomorrow until you listen to me, like it or not!"

Jarod's head could have been best described as an angered beehive that morning, his thoughts were buzzing and flying back and forth, seemingly without rhythm or meaning, but actually, he tried to organize memories and feelings of millennia in just half an hour. Indeed, it was twelve thousand years ago that Illidan Stormrage nearly took his life. He didn't get in his car and headed to the Hot and Misty Club on that day to nostalgize for sure."Little brother, would you take this to him, please?" Maiev handed over the black t-shirt she had been working on for days to him. The only thing she seemed to be able to find a moment of joy in since the accident, and Jarod's heart broke just by the sight of his sister's almost ghost-like existence. He tried to raise her spirit, in vain, as Maiev completely excluded everything and everyone out, and fled behind the mortification-walls of the past, refusing any help. He had to regularly fish the physiotherapy ball he bought for her out of the garbage can, and whenever he tried to start a conversation, it usually soon ended in empty chatter on his part. And the fact that she didn't even want to do her job and cancelled her meetings with Illidan terrified him. Luckily, Shandris agreed to pay attention to the woman while he was away and delivered the T-shirt. He knew way too well how far his sister was willing to go, the evidence of it still laid in his drawer."My dearest sister... how can I help you? How can I make you understand that life is not over? That so much is still before you?"He suddenly stepped on the brake. He almost missed the intersection. The man reversed carefully amidst the chorus of loud honking, then turned in the narrow one-way street. Not much later, he found the address he was looking for. He parked hurriedly, then got out of the car and looked around. Based on the neon tubes he was at the right place, yet he didn't see a solitary soul. He walked uncertainly to the black gate, ready to knock on it, but was interrupted by an annoyed, familiar voice."Is this a joke? Did Maiev send his brother instead of facing me?" asked Illidan, leaning not far against the wall, his tone was coloured with mockery and frustration.Jarod looked at him bewildered. He was sure the street was empty just a minute ago. Was he lying in ambush? And what did he mean by not facing him?"It's been a while, Illidan." he nodded at the demon hunter, but the man didn't reciprocate the gesture. Well, Jarod didn't expect else, after all, from the demon hunter's point of view, he was the reason why he had to be imprisoned for ten thousand years. It may have been a mistake to give Malfurion the right to decide his brother's punishment, instead it would have been more merciful to take responsibility and ask for the death sentence. Then maybe his sister... But it was no use to meditate on the matter, what happened already happened. Jarod pulled the black t-shirt out of the bag hanging on his hand and held it to the other man. "Maiev sent this." But his initiative was rejected again. Instead, Illidan straightened up. He walked in front of the younger brother, menacingly spreading his wings. His jaw tightened from the recurring rage as he descended to eye level with the night elf."Tell your sister I have a conversation with her, so stop hiding!" "I don't think she would answer your call. She hasn't recovered yet."Pff, oh come on, please." Illidan grimaced mockingly. "From a hangover?"Jarod's eyes widened at the realization."Didn't she tell you?" the question slipped thoughtlessly through his lips. As a response the demon hunter's whole body tensed, the question seemed to take him by surprise."What do you mean?! What didn't she tell me, Jarod?!"

The water mirror rippled from the hot water flowing from the tap, refracting the low-quality bulb's yellowish light glowing on its surface."I wonder how deep I should sink to get completely absorbed in the darkness and simply disappear from the world?" Maiev looked at the ceiling of the white-painted bathroom, lying on the bottom of the bathtub. An air bubble escaped her lips. She slowly reclined on her elbow, rising out of the water, her wet hair falling like a waterfall on her shoulders and chest as she reached for a towel."Is everything okay?" Shandris knocked on the bathroom's door, to the woman's immeasurable annoyance."Yes of course." She lied. What was she thinking? That she would be able to kill herself in her own brother's apartment? No, in spite of the spiral of dark thoughts that captivated her consciousness and engulfed her soul little by little in despair, she still had enough self-control left that she would not expose Jarod and his family to that shock and tragedy.With some difficulty, she pulled on her borrowed apple-green pyjamas and wiped her hair towel-dry, taking a look at herself in the mirror. The feeling of alienation that started from her injured arm slowly settled on her whole body and personality."Who the hell am I like this?"Returning to her room, she hit the bed again, but dream's salvation avoided her yet again. She got trapped in a cruel cycle: she wanted nothing more than to sleep, but her increasing anxiety kept her awake. She sighed in frustration as she sat up, looking out the window at the outside world she had wanted to be a part of not so long ago, for the first time in her life.The minutes passed slowly, the streets emptied little by little, and only the bleak ordinary emptiness grinned back mockingly at Maiev. An unexpected strange noise hit her ears. She hadn't even realized what she was hearing, but her heartbeat was already accelerating. The sound of footsteps filtered in from the stairwell. No, it was hoof beating."Don't jump to conclusions right away Maiev. A Tauren family is living in the bungalow. However, they are on the first floor. Maybe someone is visiting...?" The possibility of her yesterday thought becoming reality filled her with both icy fear and electrifying excitement. "No, don't get your hopes high." She silenced her soul, but the noises did not subside. "I must be losing it... After all, isolation can do that to the mind, right?"The next moment, the door opened outside, and Jarod's voice filled the hallway."Wait here, I'll let her know that you're here."It was certain now ... Illidan was there, on the other side of the door. However, her enthusiasm was suddenly swept away by her self-loathing. Panic rounded on her, squeezed and shackled her lungs. She wanted to get some air to ease the pain of her heart beating in her throat to no avail."No! I don't want to be seen like this!" But the door opened mercilessly before her brother could speak with her, and despite Jarod's protest, the demon hunter entered the room. Her brother muttered something apologetic and then left them alone.The blood froze in Maiev's veins at the sight of the man for the first time since she knew him. Her own self-flagellation pushed her chin like a stern hand, turning her head away from Illidan, to no use. She felt his gaze on each centimetre of her body as he inspected her, finally settling on the injured shoulder."That one won't heal." the man remarked objectively, without the slightest sign of pity. "Do you mind if I sit down?" he asked, but he didn't wait for an answer. He pulled the chair from Kur'talos" desk next to Maiev's bed and lopped down, elbows on his laps, clasping his fingers in front of his lip. Ideas stormed through the woman's head. What does he want? Why did he come here at all?"I was born with amber eyes." He started all of a sudden. "The High Priestess of the time prophesied that I was destined for greatness. Even though through all of my young life I chased that premise, all I achieved was a plethora of dead ends, with no reward in sight."Is he going to tell me his whole life?" she wondered, yet remained silent and listed in awe."Every time I thought my life was finally on track, I found my purpose, it turned out over and over again that I was mistaken, and my dream was dusted to ashes before my eyes as my brother took away the life I thought belonged to me."Just like for me when Tyrande stole my place as the Hight Priestess...!" Maiev looked at the man with surprise and shared empathy just to quickly avert her look again. Yet, the realization finally hit her. He too struggled to find his true call, just like her. They walked the same path, yet so far apart from the other, making it impossible for them to recognize it. Like parallel lines, never meant to meet with one another."It was disheartening, even humiliating, yet, I kept chasing. Finally, my life gained meaning: to destroy the Legion, at any cost. For millennia that objective, that goal was my only purpose."Just like for me..."But as my plan seemed to draw close to its end, little by little..." The word stuck on his lips for a moment, he seemed to hesitate. "I was getting frightened. Because I realized that the Legion's end would be mine as well. The hunter is nothing without the hunt..." He sighed, leaving the room quiet for a moment. "I know you felt the same. I saw it in your eyes that day at the top of the Black Temple, shattering everything deep in your soul that you had built until that moment. I thought for sure, that it would be the end of you." He took another break... with every pause taking longer and longer as if his well of words was about to go dry. "Yet, when I returned from the dead, I witnessed nothing short of a miracle: You, still standing, still fighting. It was... " Another silence..."Please, go on! I want to hear it, I need to hear it! Let me hear it... Don't hide it from me!" Maiev finally turned her longing gaze at the man, her breath waiting for him, feeling that whatever Illidan was about to say would perhaps finally unleash the crippling shackles that had handcuffed her to her past self-image, tearing her away from her coveted future. Their eyes finally met truly for the first time, without anger or rejection. The parallel lines intersected somewhere in infinity.The last remnants of doubt have evaporated as the words began to reshape one after another on Illidan's lips."... absolving. I found reassurance in my mind... No. In you. You made me believe that I could give a new purpose to my life, it would not end with reaching my goal. The day I had left for Argus I left behind my anchor chaining me to the past, I had no need for it anymore, my course was clear. What I was longing for was something else. Something to elevate me to greater grounds, to help me face my only fear. And you were the embodiment of that desire. Because only you knew this struggle... You gave me what I needed to see to believe."Maiev's throat tightened from the flood of repressed tears and overflowing happiness. All she had wanted in her life, that was the fulfilment she had been waiting for! And now at last... Biting her lips she nodded that she understood what the man tried to say. She would seal those words away deep in her soul, never to be found by the creeping, corrupting evils of self-doubt and loathe. Her own Moon Well.

Sitting on the edge, Jarod was waiting in the living room for someone to finally come out of his son's room. He jumped off the couch at a speed that could easily embarrass younger people at the click of the doorknob and hurried down the hall. Illidan carefully closed the door behind him, then nodded at the man and left. Standing puzzled by what happened, Jarod walked carefully to the room and opened it. Inside, his sister was still sitting in bed, in her tight apple-green pyjamas, her injured hand holding the physiotherapy ball. She forced her fingers into obedience again and again as they dug deep into the ball. A flame of a new kind of determination flickered in her eyes.

"Are you leaving already?" Jarod peeked out of the kitchen upon hearing his sister's footsteps.

"Yes, I have an appointment with another offender under me, but due to his work schedule he is only available at the morning hours." She replied as she managed to put on her coat alone, albeit with little difficulty. The burgundy leather and black fur collar looked unusual on her, but all the more refreshing. Probably it was also one of Lysende's recommendations, just like so many other garments in her new collection.

"Then I'll be quick, I don't want to hold you up." he stepped outside. "Can you look after Lysende this afternoon? Her detention hasn't expired yet, but Shandris and I are expected at a theatre play. I would be very grateful."

Maiev sighed thoughtfully. Her niece's behaviour, especially her disrespect for her parents, has taken on a worrisome form since she started dating that troll.

"All right. I have a meeting with Illidan at the evening, but..." as she uttered the magic words, Lysende's door slammed open and she poked her head out in excitement.

"Are you meeting with Illidan?!"

"I believe that's exactly what I said." the night elf frowned, and the filly's eyes began to sparkle even more vividly. She had probably pouted in her room until that moment for not allowed to meet with her boyfriend and pricked up her ears, but she clearly had no objection to finally getting to know the man she'd fantasized about so much, and despite Maiev repeatedly telling her that their relationship is merely work-related, she had been bothering her aunt long enough to finally introduce him to her.

"If you behave." Maiev raised her finger in warning, but her voice was lost in Lysende's cheer. She shook her head disapprovingly, though there was a smile around her lips. "I hope you won't be too disappointed..."

A refreshing, green-scented spring breeze ruffled the lively blades of grass on the crystal-water lakeshore. On the branches of the giant tree that settled over The Well, the evergreen leaves gleamed with the dawn dew. The collected droplets fell like a diamond-downpour, breaking the sparkling surface. A silk moth flew away in fright after one of the drops landed on its head, and found peace on Archdruid Malfurion's antlers again. The older Stormrage brother sat troubled on a bulkily carved stone bench, deep in thought. His eyes watched two young people across The Well as they meditated. Or rather tried. One of them, a grown Tauren man with a peaceful face and loose limbs, sat on the lawn. While his deep, steady breathing revealed his inner peace, that of his companion sitting next to him testified about the exact opposite. The young night elf sighed deeply from time to time, glanced warily at the Tauren, then closed his eyes again just to repeat the scene before. Eventually, after a long period of torment, he stood up and stumbled away.

Malfurion shook his head resignedly.

"What do I do with you, Kaelor?"

Lysende stared back at forth with a mixture of excitement and tension at the display of her mobile phone and at the entrance of the fast-food restaurant that had seen better days, but none of it offered her anything new.

"Is that why I hurried so much from school?" she sighed, but her aunt wasn't bothered by the reproach.

"I agreed with him on half past five. Until then, it's almost a quarter of an hour." Maiev said, not even glancing at her niece. Her fingers ran diligently up and down the keyboard of her laptop, probably trying to finish another report.

However, Lysende was not overly enthusiastic about the woman's objectivity, instead, she looked at her phone again. For safety's sake, she reconnected to the Wi-Fi to see if Za'zul still wrote to her, she just didn't get the text, but the last message was still the last heartbreaking "k" from the boy. The night elf, searching for a happier memory, scrolled through the long correspondence of their last quarrel, trying to cheer herself up by re-reading their previous conversations in vain. The endless flood of passionate compliments gradually faded, replaced by impatient questioning and occasional quarrels. Nor did it improve the situation that Jarod and Shandris did their best to keep the man away from their daughter and make their relationship impossible with barbaric methods such as the enforced curfew and, after a couple of hours of slipping, being grounded.

"Honey, it's not going to work, my parents won't let me."

"You're just playing hard to get like a virgin bitch." The sentence caught her eyes, tearing open the wound cut on her immature heart by fear. 

A sudden sharp scream followed by a loud rattle pulled her out of her torment. Terrified, she turned back toward the front door to find out the cause of the noise, but she did not expect to see a scene like what she had witnessed, to say the least. A Draenei part-time worker stood in the hallway with her feet rooted to the ground, shards of shattered glasses lying around her, her gaze fixed on an all-too-familiar demonic figure. An older employee immediately rushed to her aid, reassuring the frightened student, then apologizing on her behalf to the newly arrived guest, who, however, was apparently not the least bit upset by the cold welcome and set off undisturbed, straight to Lysende's desk. The shocked girl immediately recognized the rough security guard from the last time in the stranger. To her greatest surprise, her aunt gestured to the man calmly.

"New employee?" the scary-looking figure asked as Maiev slid on the bench, giving him room.

"Yes. Yesterday was Kende's last day, he's preparing for his university entrance exam."