Sarahni Rennith

It had all been true, the events in Vol’Dun. In another life, she proudly gave herself to the war efforts going on. After hearing of the devastation brought upon the Kaldorei, Sarahni marched to the Recruitment Board in Stormwind and signed her name. Her oath to the Kirin Tor would be tainted, but she knew this day would come. The Horde must perish. Such warmongering animals couldn’t be allowed to continue existing, and Dalaran’s pledge of neutrality only helped serve themselves. Lady Jaina was right to purge the city of that filth years back, but the Council chose to punish HER rather than those that abused the neutrality for their own means?! Sarahni had spent the majority of her life under the banner of the Violet Eye, but to her the all seeing eye was blind. 

Sarahni blinked, noticing herself mid chew of a piece of bread. A soft sigh escaped her, and she set her food down. Bringing her hand up to rub the bridge of her nose, she spoke to the empty air around her. “They knew the risks..” she said, matter of factly. A slow breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, she pushing those thoughts aside as she listed the work she had for the day. Slipping on her boots, she gave one final glance over to the interior of her home before stepping outside and closing the door behind her. 

It wasn’t as luxurious as the home she used to have in Dalaran, but this cabin in the Highlands had its charms. Walking around the house, she approached the sound of chickens going about their business and grabbed the feed for them. An amused smirk broke through as she thought of the irony of it all. For all her years studying the Arcane and unweaving the mysteries of the Ley Lines, she was right back to where she started. Her parents would be proud, she was sure, that she continued the family way of life. Throwing the remaining feed along the coop and gathering the eggs she could, Sarahni paused as she caught smoke rising up into the sky from the distance. “Stromgarde..” She muttered to herself, continuing about her business. She didn’t love the idea of living so close to the Alliance city, but it couldn’t be helped. Since the end of the war, the Horde had been driven out of Arathi, with only stragglers remaining. It didn’t concern her, nor did anything else regarding all that as long as she kept herself busy.

Getting to a crouching position behind the sand dune, Sarahni readied herself. Glancing to her side where the dunes rose up higher, she hatched a plan. It would be a quick hit or miss, but she had few alternatives. Bolts of Arcane whizzed overhead and struck the sand around her, causing it to melt. Confusion fell upon her face for a moment, wondering why this one was throwing so much energy away for shots that wouldn’t hit. After a few more moments, the bolts ceased. This was it. Muttering the incantation under her breath, she channeled the Arcane through the Ley Lines and focused the energy into her left palm. Flinging her palm out, she let the spell loose along the ridge of the dune and let it kick up a small wave of sand and dust as it travelled. She climbed out from where she stood, and took her stance on the sand. The Sindorei took the bait, and had followed where the sand was being kicked up, thinking that Sarahni had been hurrying along that path. He had no time to do more than turn before getting struck by electrifying bolts of pure Arcane. 

Sarahni watched as the Sindorei fell backwards onto the sand, wisps of smoke forming where his robe was hit. She could hear the Elf cry out and say something, but Sarahni was too far away to tell exactly what. He clutched his chest and stomach, wails of pain echoing in the wind, but eventually all became silent. Trudging forward, Sarahni drew her sword and kept the blade readied in case he tried to attack, but none came as she approached him. Standing above him, she said nothing. He looked young. Young, even by Elven standards, and probably fresh out of basic training. Now, he laid there, dead. The parts of his body that took the blast were seared, and the scent of cooked flesh filled her nose. The sand around him attracted some of the Arcane lightning, it seemed, and made fulgurites.  Vol’Dun would not be kind to anyone or anything left out in the sun, and Sarahni knew she had to make the trek back to the Alliance base camp before the sun fully set. Staring down at the Sindorei, his lifeless emerald eyes staring back up at her, she said....something. Words came out, but they sounded muffled to her ears. This one, and the others that guarded the caravan struck the first blow. They knew what they were getting themselves into, right? The Horde’s “Victory or Death” meant they deserved nothing more than what they had now. The air grew hotter around her, and her mind swirled. The Sindorei’s cries picked up on the wind and everything around her fell. 

Four of them: Two Orcs, a Tauren, and a Blood Elf. They all charged together, but the Orcs seemed to take the lead over the Tauren as the Blood Elf stayed back to provide ranged aid. It could be done, but she would have to act fast. The heat was working against her, but she needed to focus. By herself, she could maybe sustain what she had in mind for a few moments, though it had to be timed just right. Adjusting her footing, she brought her palms out to her side and quickly began to chant under her breath. A bright violet aura came to life in her hands as her gaze kept on the advancing Horde. Just a few more seconds, she kept her concentration as she waited for the right moment. One of the Orcs gained footing over the other, now almost within striking distance. It snarled loudly as it closed the gap, practically jumping over the edge of the dune to strike with it’s axe. 

The aura in her hand flashed, and she threw her palm outward as the Orc moved to bring it’s axe down on her. In an instant, the light formed into a swirling rip in the space between them, emitting sounds from what appeared to be the other side. The Orc, having no time to react, had swung it’s axe down into the portal and stumbled into it as it tried to stop itself. The Leylines here were not as strong as they were in other parts of Zandalar, so she couldn’t hold it. Bringing her palm back, the aura dispersed as lingering specs of Arcanic energy was taken by passing breezes. One down for now. Drawing her staff, she moved to parry the second Orc’s greatsword. There was no way she could over-power the Orc with physical strength, as it was much larger than her, but it wasn’t hard to outsmart one. 

An Orc’s greatest strength was just that, it’s strength. Swinging wildly with their weapons, they were bound to cause damage if they could get a good cleave at you. Her staff, holding several enchantments, was unscathed as the Orc’s blade made contact with it before she maneuvered to have him swing to her side. Bringing her hand out, she would channel what Arcane energy she could into the Orc, feeling the pure energy course into its body. The Orc recoiled, giving her an opportunity to swing her staff out at it’s head and release a surge of Arcanic bolts against him. With a crack, pure Arcane energy bolted from the tip of her staff against the Orc’s head causing him to shudder and collapse to the ground. A FUMP could be heard in the distance, followed by a sharp whistling sound. Glancing back, she saw the spiraling streaks of smoke that followed another volley of Goblin Rockets.

She couldn’t focus on them for more than a moment, as the Tauren had advanced up the dune and charged, she moving back to give herself more room. Swinging it’s mighty polearm, she was able to evade but not before taking a slice to her side. Moving her hand to her now blood stained clothes, she gritted her teeth as Tauren moved in. Her concentration wavering, she mustered up what she could to turn the aura in her hand from violet to a deep red. Sparks emanated from her palm before coalescing into a molten sphere of fire. Pain shot through her body, causing her to flinch as the fire jetted out in all directions before her. BOOM, the rockets began to hit their marks around her. Sand was upheaved as explosions rocked her about. The Tauren, flailing to put out the fires that caught it’s fur, didn’t have time to notice as a Goblin Rocket soared in and hit directly. Sarahni turned and leaned away, feeling the force of the blast hit her as she brought a hand up. Violet energy rose up before her, absorbing the majority of the blast that had sent her to the ground. 

Her own breaths were deafening as her eyes slowly opened. The clear blue sky above her was becoming overcast with smoke, and a distinct scent of cooked steak filled her nose. The pain she felt came into focus now, she lifting her bloody hand over her head, taking note of the sand granules that stuck to her palm now. Sitting up, she softly grasped her staff and used it to help her stand. Charred remains of what was a Tauren littered the ground before her, while the remaining Horde soldier seemed to have abandoned the fight in an attempt to avoid the Goblin Rockets. Looking around, she didn’t see any glints on the horizon, nor did she see her travelling companions. Had they made it safely away? Using what little energy she had left, Sarahni tore off the hem of her jacket to tie around her wound. She needed to get back, or risk dying from blood loss or infection. Glancing up slightly, she became keenly aware of how hot it was. With no other choice, Sarahni collected herself, conjured a small skin of water, and set off. 

With luck, she could catch up with her team and get back to Shatterstone Harbor. 

Darkness was all she saw as her eyes opened. A harsh wind beat against the side of her tent as she sat up and caught her breath. Though the cool air of the desert night made her tent feel cool and crisp, she felt a bead of sweat slide down her head. With a sigh, she rested her elbow on her knee and brought her head down slightly to pinch the bridge of her nose. The dreams had started up again a short while ago. Her friend Khemra had shown her how to possibly ask the tides for their blessing and calm the mind. It had worked, or so she thought. Perhaps she only willed herself to believe it, but it wasn’t enough. Her gaze turned to the tattooed marking along her arm, the result of the day she nearly died. Her arms would be a painful reminder for the rest of her life. 

Silently, she performed her routine. She got dressed, ate a small snack, packed up her stuff, and poked her head out of her tent. The coast seemed clear, so she stepped out and cracked her back. It would be dawn soon, and they were nearly to the ruins. Putting her tent away, Sarahni woke her travel-mates and helped them pack before they set out. The day set out as normal. Sarahni scanning the horizons as the Dwarves regaled the team with stories that nobody requested. She didn’t mind too much, but all the stories ended up not having an ending since they were so drunk they couldn’t remember what happened next. It was probably for the best, though. At the start of the day’s trip, Atul’Aman was in view, and it was only growing closer. They’d hopefully be there by mid-day, and with any luck they-...Sarahni’s eyes shot to the left, as a glint in the sand caught her eye. 

“Get down!” She shouted, dismounting her camel a an object spiraled through the air towards them. With a BOOM, the sand thirty feet from them burst into the air as the object exploded into it. The Dwarves and Gnome hopped off their camels and threw themselves down the dune. A high pitched cackle could be heard on the wind, and she sneered as another glint came into view. “Goblins..” She readied her footing, ushering her travel-mates to keep an eye out as another three Goblin Rocket was sent spiraling through the sky at them. Bringing her palm out, she angled it up at the sky, seeming to count the seconds in her head before unleashing a torrent of Arcane missiles towards the explosives. Energy crackled from her hand, and one after the other, the Arcane missiles destroyed the Goblin Rockets before they could hit their mark. This wouldn’t be all, though. Surely the Horde would have more of a plan than this.

A bellowing roar filled their ears from behind. Charging up across the dunes were four Horde soldiers: two Orcs, a Tauren, and a Blood Elf. All well armed and looking pissed. The Dwarves and Gnome scrambled up beside her, unprepared for actual combat beyond the mining tools they carried. Sarahni walked forward to the overlook of the dune, focusing on the Horde that sprinted towards them. Though it wasn’t something she primarily used in combat, the lessons of Cryomancy were not lost on her. Bringing her palms together, Sarahni began to softly channel a spell under her breath. The usual violet aura that filled her palms was now a chilling blue color, and spilled from her hands to the sand below. 

Carefully angling her hands downwards, Sarahni accented the spell she was channeling and let it fly from her palms. A thin layer of icy sleet froze down the dune, turning the sand into slippery granules. The Horde soldiers slipped and struggled to maintain their footing, but the hot desert sun was already melting away the ice. It was a temporary solution. Looking back, she glanced from the camels, to the group she was with. “Get on the camels and get back to the Harbor!” She ordered, despite the minimal protest from one of the Dwarves. As they began to saddle up and hastily speed off, Sarahni heard the clanging of armor grow closer up the sands towards her.

The sunset was a welcome friend in this part of the world, or at least it was to Sarahni. Cool breezes, and even cooler sand, to sit on had basically turned her nocturnal these last few months. She would often volunteer for night duties as it gave her time to work in a more “hospitable” environment, if that was even possible in these lands. It did come with a catch, though. She wasn’t the only one that enjoyed coming out at night. It was at this time that the desert really came alive, as the calls of several animals could be heard on the wind as they emerged to hunt.

Tents were pitched, water was distributed, latrines were dug, and a fire was started.

 Sarahni let her shoulders relax as she sat down, keeping a wary eye on the horizons. The stray campfire here and there shouldn’t arouse any suspicion from people, as quite a few others often travelled across the sand. The fire crackled as Sarahni thought of the Horde, and their new allies. The Vulpera, who were all too at home in Vol’dun, would have no problem surviving out here and they would surely show others how to as well. The others had a dwindling sense of awareness of their current situation as they cracked open their “special homebrews”, each claiming that theirs was the best. Alcohol had been available, but not the smartest thing to drink in a place that can dehydrate you in hours, so Sarahni had abstained since she arrived. Oh, how she missed it. Now wasn’t the time to break that streak, though. She had a job to do, and had to keep her wits about her. 

An hour passed as stories were told by the fire. Stories of home, and past adventures. One of the Dwarves boasted about being the one who personally brought Deathwing to his knees, prompting an immediate groan from his cohort. When asked, Sarahni spoke of her life in the Eastern Kingdoms, and her training in Dalaran. Explaining the intricacies of Arcanic fluctuation through Ley Lines seemed to have been too much, though, as the trio exclaimed their sudden tiredness a few minutes in. She chuckled to herself. She missed discussing her work, even to the uninterested. It was always a way for her to test her own knowledge, and it gave her a warm feeling knowing that she hadn’t lost that spark among the sand-dunes. 

Deciding to retire for the Evening, Sarahni made sure the fire was completely put out and the embers were smothered before taking a quick scout on the nearest dune, and returning to her tent. Undressing, she made herself comfortable and laid her head down, feeling sleep begin to take her. It would be another hot day tomorrow, but for now she would enjoy the cool air that surrounded her tent.

Night-time was the only time she didn’t curse to herself about the conditions they faced. The cool breeze washing in from the ocean was always welcome over the whipping stings of hot air during the day, and she preferred to get as much work done as she could during that time. She was busy taking stock of the camp’s resources and reagents that particular night when her Commanding Officer found her and informed her of her duties for the following morning. An Expedition Party would be heading deep into the desert towards Atul’Aman to scout out any Horde activity amongst the ruins, and return with any information that can be gathered. It was HER job to guard the party members and ensure the return of any valuable information gathered.

The sun was just creeping over the horizon when the party began to prepare their departure, though Sarahni had already been up gathering what she needed Resting back against a stone staircase, she double checked the satchel she kept for the Vol’Dun terrain map as well as the various containers of reagents and potions.

Once she was sure that everything was in place, she donned her hat and went to join the others. It was a small group, thankfully. Less people meant less lives to worry about, especially since they would be battling the elements and local wildlife as well as the Horde. “No” she thought to herself. This isn’t about fighting outright, this is about gaining information. The thought seemed like such a dream nowadays. Dreams of a time spent in her study reading her numerous tomes and scrolls. The many experiments and spells she worked on back before this war started up again were something she longed for again daily during these months at war. But, there were more pressing matters at the moment.

As the party departed, Sarahni would occasionally glance back towards the Harbor, watching it grow further away as their camels carried them deeper into the desert. Sarahni remained silent at the start, letting her mind take her away from the heat that was starting to become more and more apparent around them. Her thoughts briefly turned to rumors she heard of this desert, and those who had to walk through these sands after being banished from their home. It was a momentary thought, as the other people with her disrupted her train of thought. She travelled with three others: two Dwarves and a Gnome. To her annoyance, they all decided to fill the travelling time with constant comparison of this land to their homeland of Dun Morogh. As they talked about the crisp snowy breezes that permeated the area, Sarahni couldn’t help but become aware of the hot sand blowing in her face.