《WORLD OF WARCRAFT: ASHES OF WAR》


 Chapter 1: Zin-Azshari

    In the heart of an ancient city, shrouded in an etheric blue glow, the full moon rises in the sky, immense and bright, casting its ghostly light on the majestic structures that dominate the landscape, Capital of the elves, capital of the kingdom that could change everything, its supreme jewel, a place where the splendor of tall towers and domes decorated with arcane symbols floated on shimmering water channels, reflecting the glow of the well of Eternity. It was a privilege to be here, a paradise for anyone who had the opportunity to see it.


    Hanging gardens filled with exotic flora, with violet-leafed trees and resplendent flowers that responded to the ambient magic. Its polished marble streets were inhabited by night elves, dressed in elegant robes embroidered with magical runes.


    The lush avenues meandered between buildings of marble walls and red oak roofs, the pride of the night elves, like one more stone to add to the history of a millenary civilization.


    The elevated platforms also separate the buildings, illuminated with lanterns that cast a faint and warm glow, in contrast to the bluish coldness that dominates the environment. There are temples and palaces for the high-class elves, these buildings have golden decorations that predominate over the other structures.


    From an elevated platform, you can see the city in all its splendor, imposing columns and carved arches rise into the sky, while crystal clear waterfalls fall in harmony with the architecture. the vegetation, lush and mystical, is intertwined with the buildings, giving the feeling that nature and civilization have reached a perfect balance.


    In the center of the city, a huge pillar of light rises from the ground, stretching skyward like a connection between the earthly world and the divine. its radiance glows with mystical magical energy, pulsing like an ancient heart that still beats in the center of the city.


    ¡°His eyes roamed over each piece of art, from sculptures to engravings, each telling its own story. It was the dream of any artist, to see their work adorn the streets of the capital. But of course, that was not enough, they would not only have to be beautiful pieces of art, but they would also have to provide some magical purpose, a utility beyond aesthetics and beauty.


    the floral fragrance of the gardens hidden in the buildings makes the predominant smell of humidity less perceptible. The murmur of the water descending through the canals and fountains is heard, accompanied by the whisper of the wind that drags leaves and petals through the paths.


    -Veltharion, we were here 20 years ago, hanging out with humans has altered your perception of time, don''t let yourself be altered by such ephemeral creatures - I had always considered these words hypocritical, but now with the weight of the years, with the time that has passed, I am more than aware that I have been more elven than human.


    ¡°Change is a sign of advancement, I am sure this city has not changed in the last 100 years, but those creatures we despise today, tomorrow may be different, maybe those that will change Zin-Azshari in the future.¡±


    His words were not without reason, but they were not conversations that could be had openly on the streets of Zin-Azshari, to go about debating the change of a tradition-governed kingdom was to risk being hunted down or hunted by god-anyone who spread the word and reported to the higher-ups. Everyone loved the current ruler, some more than the Goddess herself.


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    -You have always been more about actions than words, if you really want to propose changes, you should be able to achieve them.¡± It was my duty as a brother, to support him, even when his goals were something closer to impossible.


    Come on Isen''thoris, you know that I am the failure, the only one among the three brothers who has not performed magisterially in magic, I only share my thoughts with you, the young elite of the wizards of Nar''thalas- Veltharion sounded cheerful despite the harsh self-critical words, he was never someone who adapted to the pursuit of the mastery of magic and it was something he had understood since he was a child.


    - We can''t get involved in politics, I don''t want to either, it''ll take up too much of my time


    ¡°Sure..."- Veltharian smiled bitterly- ¡±as if you could forget your obsession with magic, but I guess I don''t need to remind you of the dangers of those who have been disobedient or have defied the rules of magic.¡±


    -I have to go, I must report to Lady Vashj -It was not a subject I wanted to revisit, after so many decades of hearing the same words.


    -I know I''ve had a lot of your time over the years. I must also take care of some business before returning to Isildien, I wish you well on your way, brother.


    His figure and voice had always been a strangely soothing thing to see, but since he had begun his druidic path, that feeling had only been enhanced.


    I hoped that he would not commit any rashness in the near future that lay ahead by rushing into the mysteries of his new path.


    However, I did not have the capacity to worry about others right now, that anguish should be relegated to a dark corner of my mind, since decades ago the secret politics of the kingdom had begun to intertwine like threads in a complex web of intrigue, and according to the history of which I had little knowledge, that meant that soon the greatest cataclysm that this world had ever witnessed would break out, a cataclysm that could change the face of the empire forever.


    The road to the upper district was not difficult to find, the whole city seemed to have been built with the comfort of the upper classes and their all-powerful wizards in mind, and the luxurious buildings glittered with magnificence.


    It was clear that they did not want to take any security risks. As usual, behind every checkpoint I passed, my identity was checked ad nauseam as if my presence posed a threat.


    In a way, it made sense. To put it bluntly, even a prince can easily be replaced in his leadership capacity if the unthinkable happens, but there was no immediate replacement for the great queen if she was killed by an enemy. to some, she was literally something close to a deity on earth to some, a few millennia into her reign, and her empire seemed endless in its potential with her leadership, her figure, replete with myths and legends, evoked both admiration and terror.


    It is no exaggeration to say that his well-being affects the fate of millions of souls residing in the domains, the decisions he made although often seem distant and alien to the common people, were capable of triggering catastrophic events. hence the imposition of round-the-clock security measures and the extreme precautions taken to control his health. Something that would make sense if the queen herself were not a monster in a beautiful guise, a creature with unimaginable power that anyone could feel even if they were miles away, she herself was a being that with proper preparation could have the power with enough preparation to destroy the entire city and reduce it to ashes in the blink of an eye.


    It was terrifying to contemplate the idea that the world would have to face her to prevent her fall, history had taught us that the gods can fall but before doing so, they usually destroy everything in their path. at that moment, I felt a shiver run down my back.

 Chapter 2: Vashj house

    I straightened my gray hair, pulled my hair back into a neat ponytail, and triple-checked all my belongings. For the first time in decades, I actually cared about how I looked and how I looked in the absurd cloak.


    There were many things I hated about the current elven society, like their stupid oppressive hierarchical society, their blatant xenophobia, and the way they enslaved any weak and primitive race or exterminated those who dared to challenge their power, they are, in essence, the Nazis of fantasy. But what he hated the most was their absurdly imposed fashion.


    -You look purple - A charming voice for anyone who heard it, sounded behind my back.


    Immediately, my neck felt strangely stiff, as if my own body refused to discover the identity of the speaker. But there was no need to have such a feeling, unfortunately my mind already knew, and didn''t like it either.


    -Shouldn''t you be by the queen''s side, I would assume that the headmaid would always be by her side.


    -Our queen enjoys her privacy as much as any of us," she replied with leadership, "As her faithful subjects we must make sure we give her the time she needs to feel comfortable. -Lady Vashj, daughter of Matron Lestharia Vashj and one of Queen Azshara''s personal maids.


    Even before becoming what she would be in the future, she had always been an obnoxious woman, raised in the pinnacle of high society, surrounded by privilege and power, but her life took a turn when she met her beloved queen, since that day the only thing she had wanted was her attention. Something you could tell by how everything about her seemed to be made for Azshara''s liking, from her demeanor to her tone of voice.


    We had worked together before, albeit tangentially. My academic career so far could be described as a scholarly form, though in my defense, whoever belonged to the magic guild tended to share the same traits, so most of my life has been behind a book, but to access the important knowledge of magic, you needed connections and House Vashj was apt. Unfortunately for me that led me to meet Lady Vashj on a regular basis.


    -It''s good to know that our queen is in the best of hands. -Although she was still my superior, there was one thing that always worked with elves, and that was compliments.


    -Please, Isen, spare me the empty compliments, we both know we are not here for that," her smile was polite, but her eyes revealed a calculating coldness, "My mother informed me about your plans and ordered me to support you in any way possible.


    -I assume that''s the reason why you called me so urgently to the capital- I didn''t like this place even if its beauty was exuberant, feeling the power of some monsters could frighten anyone.


    -The southwest border," he said, as if that explained everything, "Soon a squad of slayers will be sent to the southwest border of the empire, apparently some groups of insurgent trolls are wreaking havoc.


    For nearly four thousand years, High Elven society remained relatively calm, however, as they settled their civilization and consolidated their nation in Ordered Azeroth.


    Map of Ordered Azeroth.


    Ancient enemies like the trolls watched from the shadows with resentment and rancor, these descendants of the mighty empire never forgot that the elves had taken their ancestral lands. for centuries the Amani trolls regrouped, gathering strength and waiting for the right moment to retaliate, starting a great historical conflict. although this did not last long, the trolls were defeated and with their empire reduced to ruins, had no choice but to accept the reality, they could not defeat the elves. however, the elves knew that completely eradicating the trolls was an impossible task and that a constant war would only weaken their reign in the long run.


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    So instead of completely annihilating the surviving Amani trolls, the elves offered a truce, a pragmatic decision that also sought to avoid further losses.


    Unfortunately, this was not to the great liking of many trolls, although the agreement was good for them in terms of survival, the reality was that the high elves had secured their dominance in the region and with it taken many lands, some of them sacred to their people. Some troll tribes over time have declared the agreement illegal and have raided the borders of the empire, attempting to reclaim their sacred lands.


    -I thought Prince Tortheldrin was in charge of protecting that side of the empire.


    -The prince cannot afford to leave the city of Eldre''thalas, by direct orders of the queen herself, so it is necessary to send a capable squadron," he paused before adding what really mattered, "That is why you will leave with them, the rumors about your ability to master magic have gone far and many consider that you deserve to be given a proper place at the top, but there are others who believe that they are more than an exaggeration and consider your skills as mere rumors.


    -So I''m going on a mission to prove my ability, it''s a test imposed by the higher-ups.


    -You can look at it that way, it''s the most I can do to help you," he waved his hand, as he seemed to fix the collar of my shirt, "from now on, it will be up to you to prove that the efforts that House Vashj has put in you have not been in vain.


    The air between us thickened with a tense silence. Lady Vashj''s smile did not fade, but her gaze hardened, assessing me carefully.


    - don''t worry," she continued in her silky voice, "i have no interest in seeing you fail, isen, if my mother thinks you''re worth supporting, I''m inclined to trust her judgment.


    I didn''t need Lady Vashj''s approval, but I needed her influence, without it, getting the backing of the aristocracy would be practically impossible.


    -Your family owes me more than you might think, Lady Vashj, as I recall our relationship.


    It was not easy to obtain the support of the great houses and less that of a princess, but I had made sure to create enough profits for the house Vashj, to get some favors in return. Something necessary if I didn''t want to pledge allegiance to any of the other houses.


    Normally I wouldn''t bring them up, but Lady Vash was taking my head out of the game for a reason.


    Vashj laughed softly.


    -You have guts, but don''t be delusional my poor Isen, house Vashj has the power to take what it wants from simple beings and not be affected, the only reason we decided to go along with your games is because my mother sees some potential in you. - His mocking and haughty tone achieved its goal of annoying me even more.


    I pursed my lips; and crossed my arms.


    - remember that it''s not only your prowess in a battle that is in question isen, it''s also your loyalty, so be careful what comes out of your mouth," his threat was accompanied by a malicious smile.


    - Do you really think I don''t want the best for our people? -


    - I don''t think we share the same ideals of what is "best" for our people - he leaned slightly towards me and caressed the fabric of my tunic with a distracted air - but that doesn''t mean that we can''t... benefit each other.


    there was what I had hoped for, I knew exactly what it meant, success on the border would help me consolidate my influence.


    -Very well isen, soon you will leave for the border so when you return we will talk about your reward, we expect great results, not inexplicable losses," he smiled again in an ironic way.


    I''d better keep silent. I was just a simple mage, there was no need to get into an argument with her, and I would probably only get a quick death. Although I could feel how my hands seemed to stiffen at the smile on that pretty face.


    It was annoying to have someone tell you the truth to your face, especially a self-centered pretentious one, but at times like these, it was always comforting to know how they ended up and how low they would fall.


    -I would love to continue our conversation, but unfortunately, I have to go, show up at the training arenas, and meet your next team. - he said dryly as he walked away towards the upper chambers.

 chapter 3 : Aarawi Duskwhisper

    The lodging I had been given in the noble district had been annoying, The early adventure. An inn, accessible by a short flight in hippogriffs, stood atop a rocky promontory overlooking the rest of the city. Built with the characteristic elven structure.


    Extravagant for an inn, yes, but if you took into account the constant extravagance of the elves it was something expected for what they used to do, I didn''t like the capital and much less a place like this.


    Even with the bad taste in my mouth of the day, I got what I needed: a chance to get where I needed to go. With their support, I could avoid the pressure from the other houses. Unfortunately, I hadn''t gotten to know the group I would have to go out with.


    The next morning and the day of departure, the squadron met at the guard''s headquarters. When I arrived at the meeting point, as expected, all the members seemed to be elite warriors. the hunters were already formed, lined up in martial ranks, their armor glittering in the moonlight. They were twenty in all, elite warriors of the elven society, hardened in combat and trained since childhood for hunting and extermination. But of them all, five were known even to a hermit like me.


    As I waited at the foot of the stairs, mostly out of respect, I noticed that Vaelarion Nightgale, the squad leader looked much more imposing since the last time I had seen him.


    ¡°Vaelarion,¡± I greeted, ¡±I hope I didn''t interrupt anything.¡±


    Vaelarion looked at me in surprise before raising his head to look down at my staff, he probably hadn''t been informed of me.


    -Not at all, we were on our way out. Although I must confess I didn''t expect to see you here,¡± the man ran down the last stairs. But it''s a pleasant surprise to know you''ll be joining us, Isen.


    -Please,¡± I grabbed his hand. It was a last-minute order, so you couldn''t have known. In fact, I''m surprised I was assigned to your team, too.


    Vaelarion smiled. -Didn''t they tell you, I lost the leadership a few years ago, now there''s a new leader who has been a promise since we were little.


    ¡°That''s definitely a surprise,¡± I laughed, seeing that Vaelarion seemed unaffected by what I said, ¡±I hope he''s as capable as you say he is.¡±


    -Something tells me that you''ll like it, my friend,¡± he said with a smile that seemed to slip from his lips, ¡±I have to go, I have to coordinate what we''ll bring, but take the liberty to get to know the others.


    It was good to know that Vaelarion Nightgale, I knew him as a child because we had attended the same school and he used to talk to me. He was a charismatic and calm elf always among the others, his silver hair fell in an elaborate braid down his back, and his eyes always scanned each of his subordinates making sure they would not make any mistakes.


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    He had heard a lot about his battalion, about how it was made up of only the best of the best, and how they had had continued total success in all the missions they had been sent on.


    To his right stood Kaelith Moonstrike, an elite archer with eyes as sharp as arrows, his bow, of a dark ebony with silver engravings, was as lethal as his aim. With his tall, slender figure and stoic expression, he looked more like a spirit of the night than a mere elf.


    Beside him stood Vaelrion Dawnshade, a former sentry of the Queen''s guard. His golden hair and haughty bearing contrasted with his fierce attitude on the battlefield. It was said that he could kill a man with a single thrust before he even realized he was under attack.


    The fourth in rank was Elandor Sylveris, the strategist of the group. He saw the battlefield as a shatranj board (Shatranj or shatranji is the name of an ancient form of chess), a mage of great reputation who preferred meticulous planning to direct combat. His eyes, glowing green, revealed the cunning of someone who saw beyond the immediate, and the relaxed gesture on his face hid an ever-calculating mind.


    Next to Elandor was an apprentice, something that was of a great surprise since none of the other captains had one in their ranks, Vaeris Starbloom, one of the youngest mages to achieve mastery in spells of control and disorientation.


    I decided not to intrude on their preparations as I took a seat in the corner of the room. It didn''t look like any of them had taken the lead from Vaelarion, and the others weren''t recognized enough to make it, but it didn''t look like the whole group with nineteen of them in the room either.


    Finally, Aarawi Duskwhisper, a warrior of incredible talent, entered the room. Unlike the rest, who were dressed in demure tunics, she wore tight-fitting leather armor, reinforced in key areas designed for mobility rather than protection.


    On her back rested a sword of mammoth size for someone with her build. It measured longer than would have seemed possible for a woman of her stature, and yet she wielded it with disconcerting ease, few elves were strong enough to wield a weapon of that size with precision and speed. It was a weapon that would be associated more with a seasoned veteran of a thousand battles than such a young warrior. moreover, she was not only a skilled swordswoman, but also one of the best trackers in the empire.


    ¡°I didn''t know you had connections in such high places,¡± she said as she approached.


    She was a figure made for war, but her beauty seemed out of place in a combat unit, Her long white hair, and sharp, dark blue eyes flashed with an intensity that spoke of unwavering determination, so deep and enigmatic that they seemed capable of piercing your soul.


    I took a deep breath and, without looking away, gave him a gentle smile before turning my attention back to the others.


    -I didn''t expect you to take the leadership of an elite team so soon,¡± I said.


    -It''s bound to happen soon,¡± he grumbled, ¡±Noble?


    I suppressed a satisfied smile. ¡°Soon, looks like I beat you to it.¡±


    -You were in the east,¡± he replied enviously. Nothing was happening in the south. Not much chance of promotion.


    ¡°Well, that seems to have changed in the last few days.¡±


    -I''ve heard about your situation, it seems that the Vashj house is not being easy on you,¡± he said with a satisfied smile on his lips.


    I pursed my lips. ¡°...Well, in a way. I''ll have to get to know new possibilities because of this.¡±


    -I don''t think you have room to show off this time, I won''t let a new untrained element interrupt and cause chaos between us- I looked over his shoulder...his gaze rested slightly on me and he smiled slyly.


    -It''s not like you to be so insecure about others, but don''t worry, I''ll make sure I don''t overshadow your team''s accomplishments.


    I left the discussion halfway, it was not a good idea to worsen relations with the leader of the squad that was going to accompany me to a battle to the death with Trolls.