Let's get it on!

After months of intense studying at, translating old texts in and smuggling out cooking recipes from the Temple, Arlithrien casually walked into the Temple once again on a sunny morning in Darnassus, resuming her daily tasks. Without taking notice of a dark figure creeping away behind her, she started sorting out the next shelf of books and old parchments. Suddenly noticing someone dashing out of the Temple at a safe distance, she turned around and tripped over a large, dusty, red book lying on the ground as if it had always been there. After looking around her, making sure no one saw her; she sat up with her back against the wall and took the large book into her arms, blowing the dust from its cover.


Book of the Dead

Arlithrien, slightly intrigued by the book’s title, opened it and started flipping through the pages carefully. Her long, agile fingers stroking gently over the old ink as she reached for her pencil and paper with her free hand. While carefully copying the names of the diseased onto her parchments, translating some old terms in the process, a page – seemingly ripped from the book – floated to the cold, stone floor. She picked it up and as she was about the shove it at its original spot her eyes wandered over the text scribbled on the page. Her eyes widened and mouth fell wide open in disbelieve as she panicked and crawled back again the wall, the book dropping on the floor as she held the page in her hands, curling up as she starts rocking back and forth.

“In the epic battle against the Burning Legion led by Sargeras during the War of the Ancients, Arlithrien Starseeker, dedicated follower of Malorne the Waywatcher and novice priestess among the Sisters of Elune, was killed performing her duty of mending those she loved dearly.”

She stared at the piece of paper for a good hour, tears burning in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks, before she crawled back up on her feet and clenched her fists in anger.

“If I am not her, I am not who I have been told I am. And they knew this all along, they must have... ‘Sisters of Elune’...” She muttered to herself.

Arlithrien stormed out of the Temple, trying to see if the dark, hooded figure might still be around. Disappointedly she gave up her search and tiredly sunk to her knees, her back against a big tree in the middle of Darnassus, dozing off.


The next day

The next morning Arlithrien woke up. With the piece of paper seemingly still untouched in her hand, she got on her feet and looked up. A crowd of about a dozen people looked at her curiously as she made her way through them. She decided to write a letter to the Temple and in specific the Sisters of Elune. Arlithrien rented a room at the local inn and sat down in her room as she started writing.

Only half satisfied with a letter, Arlithrien decided to deliver it to the Temple herself and await the response patiently. She went back to her room and as she stumbled in, she bumped quite hard into the hooded figure, knocking it down to the floor. Her heart was racing as she looked at the figure, which confusedly shook its head and sighed, knowing it was caught, it pulled back its hood and half smiled as it looked up. Arlithrien’s mouth fell open once more upon the sight of her supposed sister.

Arlithrien near yelled at her sister: “Neviel?! What..? How..? Do you know what is happening?”

Neviel responded calmly: “I do, you have to trust us.”

Arlithrien: “Us? Who is us?”

Neviel: “Our… order, our society concerning itself with the silent elimination of large, upcoming threats to the peace in the forests and our cities..”

Arlithrien: “Who ARE you?!”

Neviel: “The exact same person I have always been, I am your sister, your Guardian. You used to be part of us, Alissea..”

Arlithrien: “Part of y-.. Wait.. Alissea? I-is that..?”

Neviel nodded slowly: “It is your real name and the very same name showing up in many, many assassination contracts.”

Arlithrien’s lip trembled as she spoke: “B-but, what happened? I do not remember a thing.”

Neviel shuffled over to Arlithrien, who meanwhile sunk to her knees on the carpet, and slipped an arm around her.

Neviel: “You were... infamous, among us, the best. However at a certain point our leaders decided to put you on non-active. Usually this means elimination too, but they knew they’d have to kill me too before I’d let that happen. We were a team, Alissea. I suggested an alternative method, involving a shamanistic ritual, a complete purge of your mind. I have been watching over you for years.”

Arlithrien sighed: “So… I was an assassin of sorts? That’s quite hard to believe, isn’t it?”

Neviel: “I wish it were, but I remember our times together as if it were yesterday. I want you back with us, Alissea. The Sisters of Elune will not answer your letters. Plus they know little else than you not being the real Arlithrien Starseeker. You can keep your cover as and knowledge of a priestess.”

Arlithrien leaned against her sister and closed her eyes, trying to get back to her senses.

Neviel: “Go find your dagger, dear…”

Arlithrien suddenly opened her eyes, remembering the ancient dagger she had been carrying along with her, crawled up and ran over to a small bag standing besides the bed, took it out and looked it over.

Neviel: “You know what to do, don’t you, Alissea?”

Arlithrien nodded slowly and took off her necklace, disconnected the hanger from its chain and positioned the gem into the hilt’s socket. The dagger emitted a bright, blinding light, accepting the gem in its socket. Looking at the dagger, Arlithrien realized it was true; the dagger had transformed into its former self: a razor-sharp mithril blade. Arlithrien turned back to Neviel and smiled.

Neviel grinned: “Welcome back, sis…”