Chapter 50
“It’s good to be home.”
Kyle glanced down from his perch atop one of the white stone towers onto the crowded streets of Stormwind, taking in the sights and sounds and smells that he had come to miss. Traders and auctioneers barking out names and numbers, their words coming so quickly as to be unintelligible to the untrained ear. The distant clang of metal on metal as blacksmiths worked their trade. The scent of freshly-baked bread, just masking the musky smell of so many creatures crowded into a small area. The children carving pumpkins and crafting other various knick-knacks as their parents strung up the holiday decorations across the streets.
For it was indeed time for Hallow’s End. A time of remembrance of those who had fallen. Of cleansing, burning away the burdens of the past in hopes of a brighter future. It all lead up to the Day of the Dead, when the barrier between the mortal plane and the spirit world was said to be weakest, and the spirits of the dead could be sensed by those still alive. Though it seemed for a time that much of the Alliance had forgotten the true meaning of Hallow’s End as it had been celebrated in Lordaeron, the Gilneans had brought back a deeper understanding of the event. They had even re-introduced one of Kyle’s favorite events to the holiday. One which he looked forward to enjoying in the very near future.
A streak of crimson soared overhead, and he turned his gaze upwards to see a bold red Pegasus streak through the sky above the Trade District. He was not the only one to stare as it flew over the canals and towards the Mage Quarter - several Human children stopped carving their pumpkins and pointed as the Pegasus passed overhead. Kyle couldn’t help but smile at their reactions. It had been less than two weeks since King Varian had announced their new Allies to the public, and the citizens of Stormwind were still clearly trying to get used to the latest additions to the Alliance.
But so far, the transition had been fairly smooth. Travel between the two worlds, while still rare, was becoming more common, with Ponies coming to Azeroth and Azerothians visiting Equestria. A few of the boldest and bravest had even uprooted and moved to the new world, intending to forge new lives in a new land. While it would take a while for things to return to a semblance of normalcy, there was no doubt that the Ponies were being welcomed far more openly than the Worgen or even the Draenei had been.
And speaking of Ponies…
The rustle of wings behind him drew Kyle’s attention, but he did not turn his gaze to meet the newcomer. The soft clop of hooves on stone further announced the newcomer's presence, but Kyle still did not look up, instead preferring to gaze out over the city he called home.
“You doing alright up here, Knight-Captain?”
Kyle closed his eyes and sighed, a slight smile crossing his lips. “I told you not to call me that, Twilight,” he replied.
“Why?” she asked. “I’d have thought that you’d want to be recognized for your promotion.”
Kyle chose not to answer. Instead, he opened his eyes and finally turned his head to meet her gaze. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “I thought you were busy in Equestria.”
“I found a bit of time to slip away.” Twilight walked over next to him and sat down, glancing down into the streets as well. “So this is Stormwind…” she murmured. “It’s a lot… bigger than I imagined.”
“Biggest city in the world,” Kyle replied.
“So what is it that’s got everyp- everyone all abuzz?” Twilight asked, looking over at him. “What’s with the pumpkins and the decorations?”
“Hallow’s End. I think we said before it’s kind of like your Nightmare Night?”
“Wait - that’s today?!” Twilight exclaimed.
“Well, the opening ceremony for the festivities are,” Kyle explained. “The main event isn’t for another two weeks or so.” He smiled. “You’re actually here in time to see the opening ceremony. One of my favorite parts of this holiday.”
“What’s that?”
“The burning of the Wickerman.” Kyle’s smile grew slightly bigger. “On the first and last day of Hallow’s End, we set fire to a large straw effigy just outside the city. People toss small branches into the flames to symbolize the burning away of any burdens we do not wish to carry anymore, in the hope that the future may be better.”
“And when does this happen?”
Kyle glanced up at the sky. Being able to use the sun as a measure of time once more had taken some getting used to, but now it had become second nature once more. “I’d say about fifteen minutes or so,” he replied, seeing the sun dipping towards the western horizon. “You’re welcome to come along if you’d like.”
Twilight smiled. “I think I’d like that.”
Kyle pushed himself to his feet and flinched as a twinge of discomfort shot through his abdomen. Though the injuries from his battle with the Sha had fully healed, their presence still echoed in his body. Pain would randomly shoot through where he had been impaled upon the Sha’s leg, a haunting memory of his brush with death. But even that had begun to fade from a sharp, stabbing pain that would leave him hunched over to a dull ache that elicited no more than a grunt from him.
He shrugged the latest discomfort off and lowered himself down from the building he had been resting upon, climbing own the white stone building to land on the cobblestone street below. An instant later, A shadow passed overhead as Twilight slowly descended to the ground. She folded up her wings as she landed, and the two set off into the trade district.
They got a lot of looks as they passed by the Auction House, for sure. Equestrian Ponies were still a rare sight in Azeroth, and many had never even seen one, especially up close. They found it difficult to move through the always-crowded square between the Auction House and the bank, especially considering the number of people crowding around for a better look.
Still, they eventually managed to force their way through, and emerged onto the main road leading out to the gates of Stormwind. The pair turned right as they entered the Valley of Heroes. The five statues stood tall and proud as always, fully repaired from Deathwing’s attack and freshly polished for the upcoming ceremonies.
Twilight whistled softly as she glanced around the valley. “I’m guessing these are all important figures in your history,” she said.
“Five of the greatest heroes the Alliance has ever had,” Kyle nodded. “Heroes who were believed to have been lost beyond the Dark Portal before we were able to return to Outland.” He pointed to his left as they fully rounded the bend. “That’s General Turalyon, the Paladin who led the expedition to push the Orcs back into their homeworld. We still don’t know if he’s alive, or his mate, Alleria Windrunner.” Kyle pointed to the first statue on his left as the turned down the bridge leading out of the city. “Ranger Captain of Quel’Thalas, and one of the best Huntresses we’ve ever seen.”
Kyle then pointed to his right. “Archmage Khadgar,” he said. “One of the greatest mages to ever live. He’s alive, and if I’m hearing right, actually helped lead the charge into Draenor in our latest war.”
“And finally, the last two,” Kyle continued, motioning to his right once more. “Kuraden Wildhammer, Thane of Aerie Peak, who continues to this day to serve the Alliance. And Force Commander Danath Trollbane,” he added, gesturing to the left. “He’s still in Outland at Honor Hold, though I hear he might be returning to Stromgarde sometime soon.”
Twilight nodded throughout Kyle’s explanation. Though he could tell many of the names and locations had no meaning to her, he also knew that she recognized how important these people were to the Alliance. His voice died down as the pair exited through the city gates.
Already, a large crowd had gathered around a large, wooden platform. Atop the platform stood a massive statue of straw, shaped to vaguely resemble a human. A large bonfire already roared in front of it, and people were huddling around the fire and speaking with each other. Kyle reached over and grabbed two torches, igniting them both in the bonfire. He held one out to Twilight, who took it in her magical grip, and the pair took a few steps back away from the crowd.
“So…” Kyle began. “Sorry I wasn’t there for that meeting to discuss those last few issues in Equestria. The medics ordered me to stay in the medical bay until they were sure I would be alright.”
“Well, I think you can pretty much guess what all happened there,” Twilight replied. “We decided to use the Sha crystals and keep the portal between our worlds open indefinitely. We’re working on moving it to a more accessible area in Stormwind, but for now it’s in the same place as before. And just to make sure they’re not stolen again, the other Princesses and I have all put numerous wards on them. Only if all four of us work together can the crystals be moved now.”
Kyle nodded. He had anticipated this piece of news, especially after seeing several Ponies in the city. “How about the Changelings?” he asked. “How’s Yxia doing?”
“We’ve not seen her since the battle, but as far as we can tell, she’s gained control over the remnants of her Empire.” A sly smile crossed her lips. “I… suggested to Princess Celestia that the Changeling Empire likely no longer required our undivided attention. Funnily enough, she just so happened to agree, and also happened to think that the guards deserved some more lax shifts after recent weeks…”
Kyle chuckled. “Excellent. Hopefully things will return to normal soon.”
“I’m afraid normal is gone,” Twilight replied, her voice becoming somber. Her gaze shifted over to the roaring inferno at the center of the crowd. “Our worlds are connected now. Nothing will ever be as it once was.”
“But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Kyle wrapped one arm around Twilight’s shoulders and smiled down at her. “After all, we’ve all made some new friends along the way.”
The two fell silent once more. No more words needed to be spoken on the matter. Instead, they simply watched the crowd gathering around the wickerman. Minutes passed, and more and more people filed out of the city to watch the ceremony. Kyle even saw a few Ponies scattered among them, some remaining silent and others speaking politely with the various other races.
“So… One last thing,” he suddenly said. He turned his head towards Twilight. “How’s Scootaloo doing? Is she alright?”
“She’s… well, she’s alright.” Twilight said slowly. “She’s fully recovered from that bump on her head, and back in school full time. She even seems to have caught up fairly well. But I have to say, she’s been… sad lately. I think she misses you.”
Kyle felt a shiver run up his spine that had nothing to do with the cool air that blew past him. “I… maybe.”
“We all do,” Twilight continued. “Rainbow Dash was just over last night asking when you were coming back.”
A small lump began to form in Kyle’s throat. “I told you before,” he began, forcing himself to kepe his voice even. “I don’t know if I’m coming back. If High Command sends me out to Draenor -”
“Ladies and Gentlemen!” A loud voice barked out from behind them. Kyle let his words die away as they turned around to face the man who stood upon the platform in front of the wickerman. “The ceremonies will now begin! To lead us in the ritual of the burning of the Wickerman, please welcome King Genn Greymane of Gilneas!”
Kyle’s applause joined that of those around him as the crowd ushered the King onto the platform. Genn had adopted his Worgen form once more, and pulled himself up onto the platform with more agility than one would expect from the aged king. In his right hand, he held a burning torch, ready to be hurled into the wickerman.
But that was not to happen yet. Instead, Genn stared out into the crowd. His face, eternally locked into the fearsome visage that all Worgen bore, was illuminated by the flames in his hands, allowing him to be seen even as dusk settled over the land. His gaze lingered over Kyle and Twilight for a moment, and Kyle could have sworn he saw a glimmer of a smile upon his face before he began speaking.
“Sons and daughters of Gilneas!” He called out, his voice rough and ragged. “Friends and allies old... and new!” His gaze switched back to Twilight for an instant. “Please, come close!”
“As you know, Hallow's End is a celebration of transition... of change,” he began. His voice took on a far more somber tone. “The people of Gilneas understand the gravity of change all too well. For we have endured much... far beyond what any of us could have imagined.”
“However, this is a time of neither mourning nor grief,” he continued, raising his voice. It became stronger, more defiant. “It is an opportunity to mock the fearsome - to gaze boldly into the grim unknown and laugh! It is a time to celebrate new friends and the future we may forge together.”
“New struggles await us with each dawn, and uncertainty weighs upon us all. As you stand before me, I pray you cast your burdens behind me. Let this wickerman embody any unrest within us. With turmoil as tinder, let it blaze; may it temper us against what tomorrow may bring.”
Kyle stared up at the Wickerman, imagining as always that all of his fears and doubts and burdens were among the straw and tinder the composed the effigy. But as he looked up at the straw giant, he found himself troubled still. The doubt and uncertainty of his future weighed, if anything, more heavily upon his mind.
Where would he go? What would he do? Could he really just leave everything in Equestria behind? Could he walk away from the friendships he had forged? And what about his apprentice? He had promised to train and take care of Scootaloo. How could he do that if he was on an entirely different world?
“Torches ready!”
Genn’s voice pierced through Kyle’s thoughts, bringing him back to reality. He saw that everyone had readied their arms, and were preparing to light the Wickerman. Genn himself had hopped down from the platform and taken his place among the crowd. With another glance towards Twilight, Kyle cocked his arm back as well.
“Let the flames fly! Hallow's End is upon us!”
All at once, hundreds of fiery torches flew from the crowd. They landed upon the wickerman - some down at its feet, some higher up - where they smoldered. Within seconds, the dried straw and tinder had been transformed into an inferno. The roar of the fire was only drowned out by the cheers of the crowd that surrounded it, celebrating the arrival of Hallow’s End.
Kyle himself hesitated for a split second before adding his torch to the barrage. He watched as his torch sailed high above the crowd, landing among those flung by everyone else. And then, it too was consumed by the blaze. A blaze that burned away the fears and doubts of everyone around him, but left him feeling as burdened as ever…
“Slater.”
Kyle jumped as he felt an armored hand come down upon his shoulder. He turned his head to face the newcomer. There, standing next to him, was King Varian. His gaze was not directed at Kyle, but instead was focused on the inferno before them.
“Your majesty.” Kyle dipped his head in respect as he recovered his composure. “I hope the day finds you well.”
“Indeed.” Varian did not avert his gaze from the Wickerman. “I was hoping to find you here, Knight-Captain. Enjoying the ceremony?”
“One of my favorite parts of the holiday, sir.”
“Mine as well,” Varian nodded. “Even if it does nothing to truly ease the burdens of the world, I still feel less troubled than before.”
Finally, Varian tore his gaze away from the fire. “I trust you are feeling well?” he asked. “Fully recovered from your injuries?”
“I was recovered a week and a half ago, sir,” Kyle replied. A small pit of dread formed in the bottom of his stomach, but he forced himself to remain calm as he looked his king in the eyes. “Am I correct in assuming it is time for me to resume my duties?”
“You are indeed.” Varian turned to face Kyle fully. “As you know, the war in Draenor has commanded our attention for several months now. One of our greatest champions has established a strong foothold in Shadowmoon Valley, which we have been using as a staging grounds of sorts for our attacks against the Iron Horde. A garrison, if you will.”
Kyle could barely stop himself from sighing. “So this is it.” he thought to himself. “I’m going to Draenor. I’m going to this garrison.” A wave of disappointment rolled over him. He wouldn’t be going back to Equestria. He’d be leaving his friends, and his apprentice, behind while he went off to war.
It was strange, he realized. For so long, he had been looking forward to this moment. He had been anticipating the day when he would be able to return to his normal life, to go out and fight for glory and honor in the name of the Alliance once more. For months, he had dreamed of this moment. And yet now… now the prospect instead left him feeling hollow and empty.
Still, he forced himself to keep his expression neutral. Varian paused for a moment, looking Kyle dead in the eyes. Kyle had the distinct feeling that his king knew exactly what was going through his mind - a feeling that was further reinforced by the small smirk that formed over Varian’s face.
“Such a stronghold is crucial when exploring any new world,” Varian continued. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes sir.”
“Well, Slater.” Varian’s smirk grew slightly deeper. “Draenor is hardly the only new world we have encountered in recent months.”
Kyle barely stopped himself from raising an eyebrow. “Yes sir.”
“Equus is indeed a strange new world,” Varian continued. He turned away, gesturing with his hand. “One that we know very little about. One full of natural resources that we so desperately need. One in which our allies have a very strong foothold… but we ourselves have none.”
Varian turned back around, locking his gaze with Kyle’s. “Not yet.”
Kyle risked a sideways glance at Twilight. Her expression was one of bewilderment and barely-masked concern, and Kyle couldn’t blame her. It almost sounded like Varian was preparing an invasion of Equus. He quickly returned his gaze towards his king. “Sir?”
“As I have said, a fortified stronghold is crucial when exploring any new world,” Varian repeated. “I have already spoken with Princess Celestia, and she has agreed to give us a sizable plot of land on which to build a garrison, similar to the one we have in Draenor.”
Kyle’s heart leaped into his throat. Just like that, his hopes of returning to Equestria had been re-ignited. It was all he could do to keep his face neutral as Varian continued. “However, with most of our commanders occupied with the conflict in Draenor, I’ve yet to find one suitable to lead such an ambitious project.”
As the implication of Varian’s words finally hit home, Kyle couldn’t help it any longer. A smile crept across his face, a simple expression of the hope that had built up within him. “If I may be so bold, sir,” he began, “I would volunteer to lead this project.”
“I hoped you’d say that, Slater.” Varian patted Kyle’s shoulder once more. “Report to the keep at 0800 tomorrow. You’ll have the full details of your assignment then.” With that, the King turned and strode away, his back illuminated by the inferno that still roared behind them. He passed through the gates of Stormwind, and was soon lost among the crowd.
Kyle’s smile continued to grow wider and wider. “No. Freaking. Way,” he said quietly. “I thought for sure I was going off to Draenor!”
“Well, it sounds like you’re coming back to Equestria instead!” Twilight exclaimed happily. She bounced up and down on her hooves enthusiastically. “Oh this is great! I can’t wait to tell everypony back home!”
Kyle let out a great sigh of relief, followed by a laugh. Just like that, the doubt and uncertainty that had burdened him so was lifted like a great weight from his shoulders. The world itself seemed brighter as he glanced around, smiling.
His gaze eventually met Twilight’s once more. He was surprised to find her horn lit up. Next to her, another torch was hovering in the air, enveloped by her magic. She levitated the torch toward him with a smile. “Here,” she said. “I think you need another one.”
Kyle stared at the torch floating before him. Slowly, a small grin formed on his lips. It grew bigger by the second as he plucked the torch from the air. He pulled his arm back and hurled the torch at the Wickerman. It landed square in the center of the wickerman’s fiery chest, far above any other that had been flung that day. As it landed, it almost seemed as though the inferno grew bigger still.
The pair was content to simply stand there for a long while, staring at the fire that burned before them. All of their troubles and burdens melted away in the heat of the blaze, mere ashes in the wind. As the inferno finally began to die, the two silently turned and walked away back into the city, leaving the remnants of their past troubles behind them.
For the first time that he could remember, Kyle felt himself at peace. Not the self-imposed, forced peace that his meditation brought, but true tranquility with the world. Instead of the burdens he carried in his heart and mind, he instead found serenity, and the hope for a brighter future.
A future among friends. A future in service to the Alliance.
A future in Equestria.
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Yey
And so another story to put down after reading it to completion.
And time to pick up the next one for what hopefully will be many more hours of joy and excitement
I'm considering writing an alt-universe of this, where instead of Kyle charging through the portal, an Orc did. (Horde kind, not Draenor kind.) Thus, it's the same story on an entirely different branching path.
Eh, whatever. Maybe maybe not. I'm forgetful.
In any case, epic story. Great work with all of it. Major kudos. 5 stars. A plus. eez gud.
5336018 Hey, if you ever did, I'd be sure to link to it ;)
Damn you!! Your story drove me to Play WoW again!!
[/sarcasm]
Any Way Great story, just finished the Last chapter.
It occurred to me. I don't remember if you discuss it or not, but where's C'thun and Yogg's Sha?
5377768 They're not exactly dead, per say. Their physical forms have been defeated, but I think they're still alive in some sense. After all, after we defeat C'thun in AQ, there was still enough of it left for Cho'gall to try to revive (And Med'an had to drop the entire temple on top of C'thun to stop it). Y'shaarj and Alp'tauum, on the other hand, had both their physical bodies and their spirits destroyed by the Titans or a Titanic Artifact. Thus, the Sha
5377930 So deader than dead for those two. But Yogg-Saron's death quote, the part he says in Faceless, supposedly translates to 'The shadow of my corpse will choke this land for all eternity'.
Before I start reading I will say this...HORDE FOR THE WIN! BLOOD ELF MASTER RACE!
With this finished I can finally take this out of my 'Read Later' and put it in my 'Favorites' and move on to other stories... like the sequel.
Well finished this story. Found it quit decent and quite excellent for a first story. After the first few chapters you got a lot better at seperating what a human on earth would know and one that lives in Azeroth. The dialog flowed smoothly and I had no issue identifing who was speaking.
Id argue about some plot points but hey its your story. Already started on the sequel and will be tracking it as you write it out.
Plus you got me interested in wow again. Seems like this happens whenever I read a crossover of something I liked before... Ohh well. I am not all that interested in playing a monk but I added 3 months of game time and will try out the game again.
6181277 Not true. The Shen'dralar were a faction of Highborne that survived the sundering 10,000 years ago. Outcast from Night Elf society for that entire time, they recently came back to the Kaldorei. Just before the Cataclysm, Archmage Mordent Evershade of the Shen'dralar approached Tyrande Whisperwind and offered his wisdom and knowledge to the High Priestess. Tyrande, no longer stuck in her ways as she once was, accepted, and the Highborne of the Shen'dralar were allowed back into Kaldorei society. What's more, they were allowed to train other Kaldorei in the ways of the arcane - a practice that had been forbidden to the Night Elves ever since the Sundering.
You are correct that there hadn't been a Night Elf mage besides Illidan for 10,000 years, but now the Shen'dralar are training Night Elves to be mages. It's why players in the game, ever since Cataclysm was released, have been able to play a Night Elf Mage.
6751244
ONLY if the ponies allow themselves to become embroiled in such nonsense. They can easily go Switzerland
6686217 Basiclly a Sha is a fragment of an old God. So if you kill an old God these "sha" as the pandaren call them are created. So Basiclly the only way to truely kill an old God is double tap
all is well...
PARTY TIME
I've reviewed this story. You can find it here. Also, have a ribbon.
s13.postimg.org/5a2dthj87/Giz_Vyc0.png
7405767
Well, they were spawned from the essence of the Old God, Y'Shaarj, after it had been slain and its remains fell upon the land that would become known as Pandaria. But more specifically, the Sha are physical manifestations of negative emotions, such as anger, hate, despair, etc.
(And yeah, I am more or less going by the wiki for this info.)
11241070
Thank you for cringing me with the video. Now I'm gonna have nightmares from it.