BEYOND THE STARS [2]

APHELION

QUEST OBJECTIVE: Paint some happy little trees.

— K A R A Z H A N —

True to her word, Eona swept through the winding staircases and arched corridors in search of Khadgar. Silvery ghosts peeked through furniture as she passed. Portraits on the wall followed her with blank, painted eyes. Eona ignored them the entire journey to the library.

The abandoned tower of Karazhan was once used by Eona and her brothers as a place for disco parties (Medivh's ghost didn't let death stop him from throwing ragers). Now it was cleaned out of all...unwanted presences, and served as a family gathering spot.

Khadgar was hunched at an uncomfortable angle over a table weighed down with books. Floating candelabras filled the hall with icy blue lighting. It was ironic how flames would suck the warmth out of the room, crafting shadows from empty bookshelves and forging dark places behind pillars.

Her brother (in title only), Kalecgos, stood behind Khadgar, arms crossed with a grim expression. Only he noticed when Eona entered, and wore a look that plainly said, Not a good time.

"Do you need help with something?" said Eona. Her eyes skimmed the faded parchment that Khadgar poured over. Some were maps of the northern hemisphere of Azeroth. Others were in languages that made her brow furrow.

Khadgar glanced up after a moment. Gray strands were starting to resist his clean, swept-back look, dipping down into his eyes. "My apologies. It has not been a pleasant night. And I fear it's not going to improve..."

Kalec stepped aside. He pulled Eona away with him.

"What's going on?" she whispered. "Where's Wrath?"

Wrathion, their youngest sibling by declaration, wasn't in his usual lounging spots. The more Eona considered it, she hadn't seen him in weeks.

"Hiding, most likely." Kalec shook his head. "What are you doing here? Isn't this usually the time you bother Anduin?"

"It is. Um, I did. And I met Varian. He knows about me now."

Kalec's blue eyes that so perfectly matched his hair bulged out of their sockets. "Wh — h — how did he take it...?"

"Surprisingly well," said Eona.

"Huh. Those anger management classes with Jaina really paid off."

"But..." Eona pressed her index fingers together. "Varian also wants to meet my father..."

Both looked to Khadgar. His eyebrows were furrowed so deeply, his eyes were casted in shadow.

"Maybe wait a week?" said Kalec.

"I don't know how much time I have! What if Varian doesn't want to wait a week?"

Varian didn't seem like the waiting type. And the longer she waited, the higher her chances of being pummeled by a door in the keep.

"Eon, look at him. He's exhausted. Don't tell him now — it might not sit well with him." Kalec threw a worried look at Khadgar.

The human Archmage was now holding up one of the books, moving it side to side as his tired eyes failed him and stared straight ahead. His blank gaze rivaled the empty looks of mindless undead.

"He always looks that way! He's stronger than he appears, you know this," said Eona, but her words trembled. The book thing was scaring her.

Khadgar had been affected by an aging spell since his late teens; he now sported an older appearance (most Spellboundmagazines called him sexy and matured), but when would the inside match the outside? His eyes were always bright with youth, but it was hard to see it when he was so tired nowadays...