#ehlier

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Rouille was situated back in the snow of Highmountain, watching her fire, when the Titan rose. Her mountain goat, Courage, was not one to live up to her own name. In panic, the creature bolted away into the night. Rouille stood between her animals and the giant-- as though that could possibly help-- and her own lip curled to match the Titan’s. "Kill us then, you fucking coward!" She shrieked to the heavens, her voice shaking with rage. "It only took you three fucking tries! We only beat you back for a thousand fucking years! Weak, stupid, cowardly shit!" 

--

"Ehli? EHLI!" 

The night elf child scrambled to her father. She buried her face in his chest as she started to sob. "Papa- Papa, what's happening?" She expected the poise, the ceaseless calm that followed her father. She expected him to scold her, to tell her to straighten up and act tough. She didn't expect to feel his tears drop in her hair. She didn't expect to feel him shake as he held her tighter than he ever had. She didn't expect him to be scared, too.

--

Enzle was a mess of tears. She had fallen to her knees in the middle of the tavern, pointing a shaky finger at the figure towering over the world. Her confused co-workers gathered around as the Titan’s sword descended towards the earth, and Enzle with it—the little goblin passed out from the panic, tumbling gently to the ground.

--

Nenkoka was on her knees as well, albeit for a different reason. She was wrapped around her tiny pig, whispering prayers directly into her Earthmother. "Forgive me of my wrongdoings," she murmured as she silently wept. "Everything I did, I did for you. I only pray I did what was right. I pray you will allow me to live on with you and with those I love.” Nenkoka was vaguely aware of the shouting and screaming occurring around her, and she raised her voice to speak to her tribe. “I am proud to die among you all today.”

--

The force of the sword’s impact threw Alexia back onto the stone floor of her Cathedral. She heard screaming, sobbing, and praying coming from her fellow acolytes. As Azeroth shook, she closed her eyes. I’m going to die surrounded by these pretentious shitheads.

Rouille shook her head, scarcely believing her eyes. The fallen Titan was dragged backwards, still reaching for his massive sword. She shielded her eyes, watching as he disappeared as suddenly as he arrived. She stood in the sudden stillness, her animals cowering inside her chest and behind her, when she suddenly became aware of what had just happened.

He did strike us. That will mean deaths. Panic. Meaningless loss of life.

If we were given a second chance, we might as well do our best with it.

With a whistle, Rouille snapped her animals back to reality as well. She swung herself onto Might, nudging the Tallstrider into a gallop. Someone back in Dalaran would know where she needed to go.

--

Nenkoka stumbled through the portal to Moonglade, covered in dirt and tears. Any other time, she would have been embarrassed to be around all of her old family, but none of that mattered to her right now.

The sword struck Cenarion Hold.

Nenkoka didn’t even have to say anything for her fellow druids led her gently to Ayashe. The minute Nen laid eyes on her mother, she knew the answer to the question that had been burning inside her head.

“Oh, ji agam, no! Not ji sahakanagi, please, no—“

Ayashe pulled her daughter into a tight hug, and the two women sobbed together over the death of Nenkoka’s father.

--

The Bearsong family all slept on the floor of their dining room together that night—nobody much wanted to be apart after what they had just witnessed. Erdras, her oldest brother, had been scheduled to leave for Silithus the next day. Their luck felt like a swollen balloon, so fragile that even mentioning it might cause it to pop.

Before they went to sleep, they lit candles to Elune in honor of those who had died to the Legion and the druids of the Cenarion Hold. They had sat in silent prayer for a long time, until a cloud passed over the moon and the only light came from the flickering candles around their town. As the family rose to prepare for bed, Ehlier’s father grabbed her shoulder, his eyes sparkling with tears. “Whatever you do, Ehli, you will make this family proud.”  

Ehli curled in a ball, watching the light of the candles on the other side of the room. It felt almost unfair, that she would be allowed to grow because of an act that ended so many lives.

--

Enzle wept as she sat on her bed, looking at her felhunter. “Look, ya know how much I love ya.” She whispered through her tears. “But I can’t… I can’t do this. Not afta seein’ exactly what th’ Legion did t’that Titan.”

She walked up to her felhunter—her puppy, as she always called him. Her tears flowed harder as she released him from her control, banishing him into the Twisting Nether. “You’ll have plenty’a friends t’play with an’ run with… it’ll be good for you. It’ll be good for us all.”

The felhunter howled, confused, as its physical body faded away. Enzle threw herself back onto her bed as she cried. It’s for the best, she thought, as if repeating it would make it more true.

--

Alexia threw her half-folded robes into a bag. Usually she would pack more carefully, but as of right now she just wanted to get herself away from Lightshock.

“Why would you leave now? After seeing the evil of the Fel? The world almost ended, and you know as well as I that only the Light could heal it—“

Lex slammed her bag shut, throwing on a traveling cloak and turning to her old mentor with a scowl. “Last night made me realize that this isn’t my true calling. If I’m given a second chance like that, I figure the Light or whatever would probably want me to seize it.”

She pushed past the priest, ignoring him completely as he howled after her. “But the Light should be everyone’s calling! What could call to you more than the Goodness and Justice in the world? What could you possibly—“

The heavy wooden door of the cathedral slammed shut, and a smile flickered across Alexia’s lips. I’m free, she thought, hurrying across Silvermoon.

Last night had been a turning point. The Void terrified Sargeras enough that he had turned against his own family. If it was powerful enough to scare a Titan, she couldn’t imagine anything more critical to understand.

“But Father says-”

“Listen to me, girlie. If I’d done everything my father told me to, I’d be dead with the rest of my family. Save your respect for the people who love and support you unconditionally, and tell everyone else to shove it.”

Ahhhhhh this is probably the happiest I’ve been with something I’ve drawn so far! It took a long time, & I definitely still have a ways to go, but I’m definitely getting somewhere!!