Memories: The Great Exile and the Sentinels

Written by Jacques McDermid Heyns
"Tales of Friendship, Adventure, Dragons and Magic..." is Azallae Nightfang's storyline.
"Memories: The Great Exile and the Sentinels" is the second part.
== Creator's/Writer's note ==
Keep in mind that these stories are not always 100% correct lore-wise. If I happen to make a big lore mistake e.g. "Illidan was Malfurion’s sister" then please, please, please... feel free to edit the story and add a note for me (so that I can fix my horrible mistake at some point), but please do not just change something because you think it is not correct according to the lore of the game.
Also, English is not my native language. Please excuse grammar errors, spelling errors etc. I will tend to the language to the best of my abilities (and the abilities of Microsoft Word).
In the end... Please don't read these stories and think to much about the lore and such. Simply enjoy and read with an open mind as you walk into the wonderful world of fantasy, where Dragons and Magic are as real as they can get...
== Timeline ==
These events took place about 7,300 years before Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.
Interested in the timeline? See the "timeline" from the official site (2004).
== The previous Tale ==
Memories: A child and Dragons
== The Tale ==
Around 1000 years after the three dragons visited the elves an event took place in elf society which would have a great impact on the future of all of Azeroth. Every decision made influences the future, some are minor and some not so minor… Could this have been avoided? Could or rather should.... the past change to present a different present? No... It is as it should be…
As the centuries passed, the night elves' new society grew strong and expanded throughout the lush green forest that they became known as Ashenvale, as the elves named it. Many of the creatures and species that were abundant before the Great Sundering reappeared and flourished in the land, for now free from war and free from destruction… Under the druids' guidance and leadership, the night elves enjoyed an era of peace and tranquillity under the stars and the gaze of the moon goddess Elune. Azallae and Alonas, content and happy with life, focused on their studies. They spend countless hours even days, listening to stories of old and spend time refining their art, magic, song and music. They studied diligently, learning all they can and one day would be rewarded for their efforts…
At some point, many of the original Highborne survivors grew restless. Like Illidan before them, they fell victim to the withdrawal that came from the loss of their coveted magics. They were tempted to tap the energies of the Well of Eternity and exult in their magical practices. Dath'Remar, the brash, outspoken leader of the Highborne, began to mock the druids publicly, calling them cowards for refusing to wield the magic that he said was theirs by right. Malfurion and the druids dismissed Dath'Remar's arguments and warned the Highborne that any miss use of the ancient arcane magic would be met with severe punishment. Azallae stumbled upon something which she did not recognise at that given moment. She still to this day wish she had recognised what was happening… she still believes she could have stopped events from unfurling as they did… But she could not, she might have prolonged the inevitable, but she could not stop the flow of time. What must happen, will happen… In an insolent and ill-fated attempt to convince the druids to rescind their law, Dath'Remar and his followers unleashed a terrible magical storm upon Ashenvale.
The reckless Highborne were exiled from the lands. Dath'Remar and his followers, glad to be rid of their conservative cousins, boarded a number of specially crafted ships and set sail upon the seas. Though none of them knew what awaited them beyond the waters of the raging Maelstrom, they were eager to establish their own homeland, where they could practice their coveted magics with impunity. The Highborne, or Quel'dorei, as Azshara had named them in ages past, would eventually set shore upon the eastern land men would call Lordaeron. They planned to build their own magical kingdom, Quel'Thalas, and reject the night elves' precepts of moon worship and nocturnal activity. Forever after, they would embrace the sun and be known only as the High Elves.
Alonas and Azallae stood on the shore that day to wave farewell to a few close friends, people they’ve known all their lives. People they played with when they were still very young and people they studied under when they started their training. It was the elf council’s decision to exile the Highborne and Azallae and Alonas could do nothing about it except to, in their hearts, never forget their friends.
With the departure of their wayward cousins, the night elves turned their attention back to the safekeeping of their enchanted homeland. The druids, sensing that their time of hibernation was drawing near, prepared to sleep and leave their loved ones and families behind. Tyrande, who had become the High Priestess of Elune, asked her love, Malfurion, not to leave her for Ysera's Emerald Dream. But Malfurion, honour bound to enter the changing Dreamways, bid the priestess farewell and swore that they would never be apart so long as they held true to their love. Alonas also honoured the oath and said farewell to Azallae (at this time Azallae was not a druid, as female elves were not allowed into the druidic order, yet…) and prepared, along with Malfurion and the rest of the druids, to enter the Ysera’s world…
Left alone to protect Kalimdor from the dangers of the new world, Tyrande assembled a powerful fighting force from amongst her night elf sisters. The fearless, highly trained warrior women who pledged themselves to Kalimdor's defence became known as the Sentinels. Azallae asked Tyrande if she could also be allowed into the Sentinels to further her training. Her request was granted and Azallae was given the chance to show not only her fighting prowess but also her knowledge of the forest, creatures and many herbs. Her skills became even more refined in the time she spend as a Sentinel something which would be a great boon to her in the future. Though they preferred to patrol the shadowy forests of Ashenvale on their own, the Sentinels had many allies upon which they could call in times of urgency.
The demigod Cenarius remained nearby in the Moonglades of Mount Hyjal. His sons, known as the Keepers of the Grove, kept close watch on the night elves and regularly helped the Sentinels maintain peace in the land. Even Cenarius' shy daughters, the dryads, appeared in the open with increasing frequency. Azallae spend many nights singing with the dryads and talking with the Keepers of the Grove.
Although Azallae was kept busy with her tasks with the Sentinels, her thoughts constantly turned to her brother and the other druids. Oh how she wished and hoped to see them again soon, for life was very lonely with only one’s sisters for company... As the long centuries passed while the druids slept, the fears of a second demonic invasion grew. The unnerving feeling that the Burning Legion might still be out there, beyond the Great Dark of the sky, plotting its revenge upon the night elves and the world of Azeroth, could just not be shaken… The Sentinels remained ever vigil and ever watching, fearing the possibility of the coming of a time of doom…
== The next Tale ==
Still to come...
== Reference/Credit ==
Credit goes to where it is due.
In an attempt to help keep to lore and make sense of the sometimes crazy time-lines I use (sometimes just as they are) and adapt the in-game books found all over the universe of World of Warcraft. The pieces from these in-game books are bound to their respective copyrights and I do not claim the words from these books as my own work. Credit goes to their respective creators/writers.
This particular piece is an adaptation of the in-game books "Exile of the High Elves and "The Sentinels and the Long Vigil.
--HaraTakumi 22:50, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
Category:Story