A Choice Made

The Moonwell

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places in this story, all I own is the story itself. I hope you enjoy!

     Frantic, muffled voices was all I could make out among the blackness. They pleaded, almost shouting commands. One female voice, soft and comforting, was the loudest of them I could hear, I figured that she was right next to me. Other people shuffled around the area, I was unable to recognize any of the sounds that surrounded me.

     My lungs felt tight, constricted from the lack of oxygen. Unable to stifle a deep breath and a spout of coughing, I rid my body of the grimy, salt water and ash substance that lined my insides. I heard the female voice more clearly now, she had shushed the other beings, "Young one, can you hear me?" She asked, that soothing voice threatened to put me back under.

     "Please, if you are able to, tell us your name." I heard her say. I then managed to open my eyes, the light of my surroundings instantly blinding me and making my head ache. I shut my eyes once more before opening only one, attempting to get used to the brightness. 

     "M-my name..." I began, my voice croaking, my throat was raw for many reasons, leaving me nearly unable to form words correctly. I tried to get a grip on my vocal chords and I tried again. "My name, it's Kalserrar." I told the female. 

     The female sat next to me on her knees, she held a water skin near my mouth. I took sips, my vision soon cleared up and I was able to make out my savior's features.

     Piercing white hair glowed in the gray sky, tints of purple could also be seen in the silk that laid atop her head. The extra color could have been due to the magic that a nearby druid was casting on me, but it seemed as though the moons of Azeroth themselves gave her the glow. The next thing I noticed was her fair skin, she had no markings whatsoever, unlike most of the night elves I have encountered in the years. For a second I wondered if she was of another race, but was soon rid of that thought upon seeing her long, elvish ears and bright, pale blue glowing eyes. The elf woman's robes matched the color of her hair. Pure white garbs covered her figure, they were of the purest white I had ever seen.

     The elf woman soon broke the intense silence that hung over the air as I took in her beautiful features. Any male would die to have someone like that, but her robes told otherwise. This was a Priestess of the Moon. She would most likely be forbidden to have any relationship whatsoever, due to laws that had been set in place among the elvish race.

     "Kalserrar,.... so you are a blade made from the stars?" Her soothing voice spoke in rhythms that were pleasing to the ear. She had taken my name literally, "Kal" means "of the stars," or simply "star", where as "serrar" means "blade".

     "N-not literally," I stammered, still getting a hold of my voice. "That was just the name I was born with." I told the priestess. I then attempted to sit up so I could become more aware of my surroundings, but was gently, yet firmly pushed back down onto my resting place.

     "There's no need for that" the woman told me, "You must rest now, you were near death when you were found on the shore of Rut'theran Village. " I can say that I was shocked, I'm surprised I had even survived a fall from that height, let alone was found. "Where am I now?" I questioned. "You are in Lor'danel, under the protection of many people. You will be safe here." She reassured me.

     However that did not last long. The memories of the terrible night flooded back to me. The ground stained with my family's blood, the horrid stone creature that chased me nearly to my death. It all flooded back in one swift, strong motion, one that resembled the breaking of a dam. Mentally of course.

     All I could manage to the priestess was a small nod. I rolled to my left, now facing the wall as tears began to build up in my eyes. I heard the woman stand, hesitate, and head for the ramp on the far side of the room. I then let myself go. I couldn't hold back the coughs and sobs as they wreaked through my small frame.

     That night I didn't feel lonely. I was alone.

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     Nearly a half moon had passed since I wound up in Lor'danel. I hadn't seen the beautiful priestess since that night. In fact, I hadn't even gotten her name or thanked her for everything that she and the village had done.

     Many refugees had showed up within two days after that night, all from Darnassus. Appearantly the hundreds of elves had taken the boat to the village of my retreat, they flooded in hour after hour. I helped set up tents around the area, obviously temporary ones, as well as one for myself. The buildings were used for the most injured of the Darnassians, as well as elders and children.

     I was not among the children, not anymore.

     I was out in the forests of Darkshore now, I hunted any untainted elk I could find in order to obtain food for the survivors. I crept through the undergrowth, gray clouds covered the sky, threatening to bring rain.

     I picked up a faint rustling in the bushed ahead of me. It was not an elk as I had been searching for previously, but a large bear. An untainted bear. One with meat to feed ten people for many meals. My eyes widened into huge orbs at the sight. This was a catch I couldn't miss.

     I narrowed my vision, focusing my sights on the lumbering beast ahead of me as it was busy gnawing away at some deep purple berries that clung to a branch. I brought up my bow, pulled back the string that connected to the long stick effortlessly. A jagged arrow was wedged between the string and stick, making a complete and effective weapon.

     As soon as I held my breath and released the arrow, the head of the bear raised and it growled at something unbeknownst to me. It charged, the jagged piece of stone whizzing right above the nape of it's neck. Missed.

    In the name of all...   I cut off my private curse as I heard a splash in the direction that my arrow had flown. My breath hitched at the noise. Strange, I don't remember being by the shore...

     I walked a few paces forward cautiously, alert for the large omnivore to appear again. A dim, blue glow was visible between the trees, I pushed my way through a few branches to reveal the sight ahead of me.

     It was a moonwell, I had visited one as a child with my father in Teldrassil once, but that was many years ago. The brilliant hue of the ancient water lit up not only my features, but my surroundings as well

     I ventured closer, searching the edges of the water for my arrow. It lay gently at the bottom of the back-most edge of the well. Gingerly, I dipped a hand into the water to retrieve the arrow. The sight I had then witnessed shocked me down to my core.

     The water around the area where my hand reached in turned a sickly shade of green. The stench of the water, no longer smelling of pure, clean magic, now made bile rise to my throat. I fought to keep my stomach under control as I quickly pulled my hand, along with the arrow, out of the water. 

     It's color returned to the, well I could say normal hue of blue, though water in Azeroth isn't generally anything but clear. I placed the arrow back in its quiver, only to pull it along with my bow off of my back and set it carefully to the side of the well.

     My stomach flipped. I don't know what had gotten a hold of me right then, but I felt my will diminish. It was like I was,... possessed. I swallowed harshly and stood at the edge of the well. Right foot before the left, I stepped up onto the pale gray, moss-covered stones that lined the edge of the blue glowing water. As I had done so stepping up on the stones, I also put right foot before left into the water. 

     Every inch of my body that made contact with the water turned it that horrifyingly sick shade of green, it spread out until the edges of the pool were finally filled in with the color.

     The next and only thing I could feel was rage.