A Dark Day (Spoiler Warning!)

Dedicated to a friend of mine, passed away from cancer last night.

(Written from the perspective of a female human paladin, Kinnavieve)


I shouldn't be alive.

If it hadn't been for that sortee on our left flank ...
If I hadn't ...

/sharp inhale

You have probably already heard of what happened, there at Wrathgate. If not, well, you will. Oh, you will. I- I don't want to talk about it. It's too much. Too soon. Too...
But now I'm holding-
She says I must-
But I'm only-
But I'm-
/covers eyes
/ragged breaths
/ragged breaths
/deep breath
I'm sorry. It's just so overwhelming. And I'm still trying to understand. To make some sense of it...

The day began in the town of Wintergarde, in the the Dragon Blight, where for the past few days I have been helping to beat back Scourge attacks. This morning we had a breakthrough when I was able to obtain the phylactery of the Lich Thel'zan, commanding the attacks. With it, I drew him out of his lair in the catacombs beneath the city to where Commander Yorik of the 7th Legion and best troops were waiting. The foul monster put up a tremendous fight, and summoned a swarm of ghouls to aid him, but in the end we were victorious.
After, High Commander Wyrmbane himself credited me with having turned the tide of the battle. Which was rather an exageration - after all, many had contributed and sacrificed.

/secretly bursting with pride

And then, he dispatched me to the base at Angrathar, to report to Lord Bolvar Fordragon, commanding the Alliance half of the seige of Arthas' citadel. Wow. Me. Holy frickin' cow.

There she was. Alexstraza the Life-Binder, queen of the dragons. Lord Fordragon had asked me to ask for her help in clearing the skies over Wrathgate. She was so strong and powerful and frickin' important, I just believe she would have any time for me.
Yet when they brought me before her, and she smiled at me, and said, "It is good to meet you in person, Kinnavieve. I have known you since before you were born."
I, well, gosh, what do you say to that? When she looked at me, with her glowing eyes, I felt like she was looking into me, into my soul, searching for something. With anyone else I would have felt threatened and naked, but with her it felt safe, loving, maternal. I realize that doesn't make much sense - I just don't know how else to explain it.
Not only did she agree to help us, she sent me to lead her dragons to kill Grand Necrolord Antiok and end the Scourge's control of the frost wyrms.
And the attack on Wrathgate began.



I-
The betrayal-
The screams-
And-
And he was falling-
/wipes tears
I still can't talk about it. I'm sorry.
You've probably heard what happened already, anyway. I- I really can't add anything to that story. I shouldn't even be alive.
/sharp breath
But afterward, Alexstrasza was there, on the battlefield. And she called to me. And she asked me to take his- to take it to the king. And to tell the king that he musn't lose faith.


And then she said-
She said that the Alliance needed a hero. That they needed me.
But...



That can't be right. I'm no hero. I'm just Kinnavieve, woodcutter's daughter from Nowhereshire. Heroes are larger than life, like Tirion Fordring, or Ratshag, or Bol-
Darn it, a hero wouldn't be standing here clutching his shield and bawling some scared little girl! There must be someone else!
...
But she just looked at me with those huge, deep, glowing eyes. She didn't say anymore. But I could sense that she believed what she was saying. And I just- I just couldn't bear the thought of letting her down. Even though I knew she was so wrong about me.

/sniff
I'm not a hero. I'm just frickin' not. But I'l be damned if I'm going to let the Queen of the Dragons down.
/grits teeth
My people do need a hero now. And, if I'm the best they've got, then I owe it to them to give them the best I've got. I owe it to him, and everyone else who died today. And I will do the absolute best I can.