#inlaeth

They were jeering at the young man. Barely more than a boy, really. He was out of place, so obviously out of place. His hair was a dark, deep violet, his skin tinged purple and his eyes, again, were glowing purple. He was void-touched.

5 elves had him pinned into a corner in one of the back alleys of Dalaran, a city where everyone was supposed to come together to discuss differences plan in peace and calm.

Supposed to, anyway.

"Traitor!"

"Coward!"

"Fucking sellout!"

"Power-hungry little shit!"

"What are you gonna do? Hit us with your big bad creepy tentacles? Go all dark on us? Hah! I'd like to see you try, pathetic wimp."

The young man was curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth, quietly talking to himself.

"What are you saying, crazy boy? Come on, freak!" The last insult was punctuated with a kick, the other four laughing as he fell over.

The five elven men went silent as they heard another voice approaching. They saw the shadow of horns and wings on the wall, getting bigger as the voice came closer.

They panicked, thinking a demon had come for them, and climbed over the wall at the end of the alleyway, leaving their victim to the mercy of the approaching shadow.

He was still curled up in a ball on his side, talking to himself.

The voice paused in its conversation as his companion touched his arm. "What is it, dear?"

The couple were standing at the mouth of the alleyway. Two elves, a man and a woman, linked arm in arm. The woman had dusky skin, and pale blue hair braided and resting on her shoulder, two long scars on her cheeks freshly sewn up. Her eyes had the unnatural blue of the undead, rather than the blue of a Highborn elf. The man was a bit taller, and had the horns and wings of a demon hunter. His horns were short, but his wings were huge, unable to he tucked away like the others. His hair was red, pulled into a ponytail that had the ends of his blindfold tucked in as well.

The woman pointed into the alleyway, and they walked in to investigate.

The young man started as the woman gently set her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't! No no no. Please no. I know I have to, but it hurts. I don't want to hurt. Even if I have to. Please please please..."

He was sitting upright again, back to the wall and holding his hands up in front of his face.

The man's mouth was open in shock. "Who did this to you?" He asked softly, kneeling beside his wife now.

"Who? Anyone.... everyone. Anything and everything. It has to happen. Has to be me."

The hands were moving away from his face, slowly and cautiously. He looked between the couple warily. They were strange, that's for sure. An undead woman, and a man who was almost a demon, but not quite.

"We're not going to hurt you. It's alright now." The man says soothingly, as his wife gently holds out her hands.

She looks at her husband, then back at the young man.

"My name is Lorinath. This is my wife, Mendvia. She can't speak, but she can hear what you say. What's your name?" The demon hunter asks.

"... Inlaeth." The young man replies.

Mendvia smiles warmly, taking his hand. Lorinath smiles brightly. He looks at Mendvia for a moment, then back at Inlaeth.

"Would you like to come home with us?" He asks.

"Home?" Inlaeth asks uncertainly.

Mendvia nods happily.

".... home." Inlaeth is calmer now, and gingerly holds a hand out to Lorinath.

He takes the hand of his new son. "Home indeed.