#nuana

Vaard stiffened up, his mind suddenly cold again. "Namya?" He looks over his shoulder to look into the eyes of his wife. They glow brightly, just like the stars in the heavens, warm and full of love and mirth.

"Of course ka'ra. Who else could it be?" Namya laughs tiredly, a laugh Vaard has not heard for many years. Namya leans up and kisses her husband on the cheek, humming warmly "Welcome home. How has your latest adventure been? How is Shan'H'Tra doing? Is she still causing problems for her fellow Mages?” Namya hold the rough hands of Vaard gently, her smooth fingers running over the faded scars and worn skin. Vaard is still trying to figure out how he is back home, and holding hands with, with,. With his dead wife. Namya looks up at Vaard, tilting her head “What is the the matter ka’ra? Surprised to see me? To see our old home again? Me and the children were too when we came here.” Vaard’s heart sank to new depths. They were dead,, and so was he. Something happened, and now,,. Namya smiles sadly before gently cupping her husband’s cheeks. “Ka’ra, my love. Do not look sad. We still love you, and remember our times together. They were the best years of my life. We have two beautiful daughters, who learned a great many wonders of life. They had an amazing Father, who was a Paladin of the Naaru. Ka’ra, do not be sad.” Vaard closed his eyes tight, holding the soft gentle hands of his wife in his. The soft sounds of smaller hooves are heard coming from within the house. “Pappa!” Nauna comes running over and clings to Vaard’s side with her free hand. The other arm is holding the youngest, Rulna who giggles and clings as well to Vaard. The poor paladin is fighting back tears. One part of him is angry and sad, that he could only meet his family again in the afterlife. The other part is so, so happy, to be finally with the people he truly loves. And for a time, he is happy. He holds onto his family, and he can feel them, their warmth, their touch, its all real, not some figment of his imagination. “I, I missed you all.” He manages to get the words out, faltering in his words.

“I know you did, Ka’ra. Your friend told us.” Namyu smiles softly, caressing the pale skin. “My,, friend?” Vaard frowns softly, tilting his head slightly.  “Yeah! He’s huuuge! He is even bigger than you pappa! He smells like warm metal and has braided hair like the Rangari girls.” Nauna rattles off quickly in one breath, bouncing slightly on her hooves. “Rulna played with his braids, and he was cool with it, said every whelp he has had did the same when he was younger. Pappa, what’s a whelp?” Nauna pauses in her rambles, tilts her head when asking the question. Namyu laughs warmly, a laugh that has always brought a smile to Vaard’s face, and put him at ease. Though the question does make him wonder “Who was this? I do not know anyone with such features,,” Vaard looks down at his wife with a curious frown. “You will find out yourself, soon enough ka’ra. I think you are needed elsewhere.” Vaard blinks confused, starting to open his mouth to ask for a better answer. Namyu doesn’t let him, leaning up and kissing him deeply, slowly, savoring lips she hasn’t touched in years. “It is good to see you again, my love. I hope you may visit us again sometime in the future. Though maybe, not by dying.” She chortles softly before patting Vaard on the shoulder. Vaard feels the cold again, wrapping about his body and slowly pulling him away. “W,wait, what are you..? No, no, no, nononono.” he tries to hold onto his family tightly but he gets pulled roughly through the hair into the sky, as if a Titan grabbed him and tore him away. “Nooooooo!”.

“Nooo!” Vaard sits up violently, an arm shooting out to try and grasp the after images of his family. He is panting heavily, a cold sweat covering his body, looking about with wild eyes. Beside him in arm’s reach is a small campfire, and on the other side of it, sat an armored orc. Vaard tries to find a weapon, trying to move from his spot, only to be rendered imobile by a shot of pain racing through his body.  “Easy, pale one. You are still recovering. The Eredar did a number on you, and my powers are still not quite as powerful as they were.” The Orc growls softly, his pale gold eyes peering over at the gasping Draenei. “What, h,how are you speaking our language?” Vaard groans out, clutching his side as he sits up crookedly. “Ha. I can whichever language I choose, pup. What was your dream about?” The orc chuckles gently as he picks up a water skin, tossing it into Vaard’s lap. The paladin looks about as he fumbles the water skin open, seeing the small camp is hidden in a deep cave, no outside light could be seen anywhere. “My,, dream?”, he thinks for a short while, trying to find the words “, family. And my home.” “Family and home eh? Hmmm,, a wondrous dream indeed. I hope I did not scare your family too badly, the spirit realm is a strange place to visit, and I had to use my old body to visit them. I do not think Draenei had met High Elfs before.” The old orc sits up slowly, his armor and bones creaking, and Vaard can see more features now of the warrior. Thick braid hang from his hair and jowls, decorated with loops of gold that contrast his graying hair. “W,wait, who are you? How do you know about my family? Spirit realm?” Vaard tries to stand up, before crying out in pain, grasping at his side, finding antiseptic bindings and drying blood.