InsaneJournal

Hresden looked up from his writing to look at the boy, his faintly glowing eyes regarding him gently. They had been in Southshore for almost two months now and with two large-scale attacks on the town, he had been pulled into the Southshore guards since they were low on men. And now with reinforcements coming to the town, he and others were being ordered to come to Stormwind for training.

Taemmur stood in the middle of the room they shared in the inn, with half of the heavy armor he’d been given on the floor and the rest still on. Underneath the chain mail that he wore under the armor, his chest heaved as he stared at his reflection in a small mirror.

Slowly Hresden rose and walked over to him, gently touching his arm to bring the youth’s attention towards him. Wide gray eyes stared at him in fear and he softly intoned, “You are betraying no one, Taemmur. This is your duty to do and one only you can do.”

“I know.” The boy ducked his head, the two braids he had his hair bound into caressing each side of his face, and closed his eyes. “But it still feels like I’m betraying everything I know and love.”

“I know, lad.”

“Can you?” asked Taemmur, opening one eye to glare at him. “Can you really, Hresden?”

The High Elf frowned and said, “Despite the fact that I love my sister with all of my heart and that I say I do not care, I still do care for my people. And leaving Theramore hurt as much as fleeing from Quel’thalas when the Scourge took it. I love my people as much as you love yours, Taemmur. So do not tell me that I do not know betrayal!”

Green eyes flared for a moment with eldritch power and the hand on the youth’s shoulder suddenly gripped it tightly. Hresden groaned then and Taemmur spun towards him, grasping the mage’s shoulders as he almost collapsed.

“Hresden!”

“I’m fine,” gasped the elf. Shaking, he continued, “This happens sometimes.”

“What? What happens?”

“I do not consume arcane energies like my brethren; instead I spend certain hours meditating every few days to control it. But…there are times like this when…” The mage was cut off by another burst of pain and he would have collapsed if Taemmur hadn’t caught him about the waist. Hresden gasped for air for a moment, his hands clutching at the youth’s silver armor, then he finally finished, “Times like this when all control fails and I experience this.”

“How often does this happen?” breathed Taemmur, wondering how he had lasted so long with this pain. If it was him going through this…he didn’t think he would have lasted so long.

“Every seven years or so,” replied the mage as the youth helped him over to one of the two beds in the room. As he lay back on the bed, the elf sighed heavily and closed his eyes. “But it always strikes without warning.”

Another wave of pain struck the High Elf and Taemmur frowned as the lean face of the man of the slowly becoming his friend twisted into a grimace.

“Is…is there anything I can do?”

Hresden shook his head slightly and gasped out, “No. Just…just let it pass.”

The youth stared helplessly at him for a moment then nodded, moving to continue the task of removing his armor. As he was setting it aside, he heard the elf groan again in pain and closed his eyes. Unable to take the sounds anymore, he fled outside and sought the comfort of Kazhan.

He found the wolf at the edge of a field, eying the cows suspiciously, and lightly cuffed him. Kazhan grumbled and gave him an offended look as if to say, ‘I wasn’t going to go after one! Just observing!’

“You had better not go after a cow,” scolded Taemmur as he bent to pet the wolf’s thick coat. “I don’t think the farmers would be very happy at that.”

The wolf snorted in response then lightly nipped his master’s shoulder before bumping his head against his chest for more attention. He got the attention he wanted and growled happily, even going so far as to collapse onto the ground and roll over to show his belly. Taemmur just rolled his eyes and petted the wolf’s belly and sides, scratching them up and down like he wanted.

Kazhan then came to his feet and snarled at something coming along the road. The youth next to him scrambled to his feet as well, hearing the thunder of hoof beats moments after the wolf.

As the mounts and their riders came into view, his heart fell with a sudden thump.

The reinforcements and their escort to Stormwind had arrived

“Are you certain you’re alright to ride?” asked Taemmur as he worked at fastening the last buckles on his armor.

Hresden nodded and replied, “I am well enough to ride.” He then crossed the room and snapped closed the last buckle that had been just out of the youth’s reach.

“Thanks.”

The mage nodded and patted an armored shoulder, saying, “I’m fine, there’s no need to worry. I’ve been dealing with this for fifty years now and I dare say I’ll be doing in for a few more.”

Taemmur blinked and gasped, “Fifty years?”

“Elf,” pointed out Hresden, gesturing at himself. He then smirked and walked back over to packing his few things. The youth blinked after him then frowned and walked over to the window, looking out over Southshore. In the middle of town the guards were switching out properly and all that was needed for them to be prepared to leave was for the men to get their things packed.

They had three hours before the group from Stormwind was mounting up and heading back there. And thankfully Hresden had been pulled into going as well since High Elf mages were rare. Too many had given in to their addiction according to one of the guards so it was always rare to find one that hadn’t. It helped that his specialty was fire and all of the men in Southshore had respected him when he’d driven back three attackers all on his own.

They didn’t realize that he’d set the ground on fire and not them but Taemmur wasn’t about to tell them that.

“I think I’ll actually miss this place,” mused the youth as he leaned on the window. “Its not big, the people here are farmers and…it makes me think of home.”

There was a shuffling sound behind him then Hresden came to stand next to him, looking down at the hustle and bustle below with a smile. He nodded then said, “Yes, it does remind me of the places amongst the Horde. Small and pleasant with kind people…the only thing different is who they are.”

“Yeah.” Taemmur frowned at the window for a moment then looked at the elf. “They would hate me if they knew where I came from.”

“People hate what they do not understand. It’s the nature of them.”

“You don’t.”

“I was raised different,” said Hresden with a smile. He then frowned and added, “It will be strange being amongst so many humans again.”

The youth next to him stared down at the ground outside, watching at the men were finally gotten into order and those leaving went off to prepare. His armored hands gripped on the windowsill then and he hissed out, “You’ll help me, won’t you?”

A hand cuffed his shoulder lightly and he turned around to blink at the elf, who shook his head and smiled. Then he held out his hand and Taemmur stared before grinning and gripping it in a warrior’s clasp.

“That’s what I’m here for, lad,” said the mage warmly. “Now smarten up and gather up your gear. We’re really heading into enemy territory now.”