Into the Light

09 | ELUNE'S ALTAR

Atop her gryphon wheeling high above the snowy glades of Winterspring, Tyrande searched the horizon, gazing past the towering pink and blue crowns of the frozen trees for her destination. There. Between the woods she glimpsed the ruins of an ancient temple, its crumbling walls and pillars huddling together against the icy winds. Her gryphon landed, its vast wings pumping on a ledge halfway up the side of the mountain range. New fallen snow gusted up into the air, blinding Tyrande for a heartbeat.

Brushing the fat flakes of snow from her cloak, she dismounted. Ahead, the sacred Altar of Elune, protected for thousands of years by Elune's children, the Wildkin, lay waiting. The Wildkin eyed her, suspicious, as they left their caves and gathered one by one around the Altar, their feathers rustling, defensive.

Another gryphon came down onto the ledge beside her, its talons scrabbling to find purchase on the loose surface. Malfurion brought it to a halt and dismounted. He joined her, his gloved hand finding hers under the folds of her cloak.

"Do you want me to speak to them?" he asked, nodding at the enormous owl-men watching them, hostile.

Tyrande shook her head as she scanned the assembled creatures for their leader. "No. I think it is best if I approach them alone."

She stepped forward, her booted foot plunging knee deep in the fresh snow. Malfurion's grip tightened, holding her back. "These are wild creatures," he murmured. "Dangerous and suspicious of any not their own. I can speak their language, I can try to make them understand."

Tyrande pulled her hand free, and touched Malfurion's face. "If Elune wants me to do this, she will tell them to let me pass. If not, then I shall be able to go no further."

Malfurion nodded, wary, his gaze remaining on the creatures hissing at them, their feathers bristling. "Then, forgive me for hoping they do not let you through. If they attack, I will root them. But do not waste any time in fleeing. Their magic is powerful, and the roots will not hold for long. I will be right behind you. Tyrande--"

He pulled her back to him and brushed his lips against hers, soft. "Even though I have not been a good husband to you, please know my love for you is endless. If Elune takes you away from me, please, no matter what happens, know I will never stop loving you. I will be waiting for you. No matter how long it takes. I will be here."

Her throat tight, Tyrande backed away from him, her hand still in his, one more step and only the tips of their fingers touched. Another step and she was alone. He let her go, anguished.

She turned. The owl-men waited, their diurnal eyes unblinking. She took a step toward the leader, standing in front of the Altar, protective. A cry rose up from the creatures, piercing, shrill. A warning. She knew enough to understand their intent.

Stay away, Stranger.

Tyrande halted and lifted her hands to them, palms upward. The cries intensified. The leader shook his staff, menacing her. A tremor of fear slid through her, these creatures were protected by Elune, she could not harm them. But they were permitted to tear her to pieces. Only those chosen by Elune could approach her Altar. Perhaps she had it wrong after all, perhaps she had led herself to believe her purpose was greater than it was. Or perhaps, Illidan was somehow deceiving her, and it was a trap. A dark thought slid into her mind: maybe the one who had called to her wasn't Illidan at all, but an illusion of the Legion, a trap to catch her and use her against her own people. She glanced back at Malfurion.

He shook his head, tense. It wasn't working. She sighed, relieved. It must have been a trick. Xe'ra had sent Tyrande to this place, to test her against Elune, knowing if Tyrande had been deceived, she would never be able to--

The hissing stopped, abrupt. Silence fell. Several warbles broke the quiet, soft and reverent. The wind ceased. Stillness and peace settled over Tyrande, as a beam of Light cascaded down from the heavens and surrounded her; blue, cool, and filled with power. She drank it in, breathless. Elune.

The owl-men parted, opening a way for her to approach the Altar. As she passed them, bathed in the light of the Goddess, they knelt, their plumage flattened, respectful. The leader stepped aside, lowering his staff, and bowed low. Tyrande nodded at it, her emotions tangled. So it had not been a deception after all, which meant it was all true. Illidan was fighting, alone, against the Legion.

She stopped before the Altar's massive surface, a single slab of stone, waist high, rimed with ice, lay atop two supporting ashlars. Above, a blue gem, bigger than Tyrande hung in the air, silent, dull. A tendril of light slipped from the halo of light surrounding Tyrande and slid into the gem. It flickered and came to life, rotating, reminding Tyrande of the wings of the Na'aru. Shafts of pure blue light streamed away, far into the distance. Elune's Light would be able to be seen for hundreds of miles. Tyrande staggered back, shielding her eyes. The Light was far too bright to look at.

The owl-men trilled, filled with joy. Tyrande sensed it had been thousands of years since Elune had communicated through the gem. A voice, perfect, eldritch, yet soft and pleasing echoed through the air.

"Tyrande, daughter of my heart, a great task awaits you. You must help the one called Illidan stand against the Enemy of all life."

Tyrande knelt, overcome, only a chosen few had heard the Goddess speak, she could not believe she was worthy enough to be one of them. Trembling, she answered, "Great Lady, I am ready to do what is being asked of me, but I cannot do this alone, I will need your Light to protect Illidan . . . as much as I can carry."

The gem's light sparkled against the snow as it rotated, making the ice crystals glimmer and dance.

"Though your heart is pure and your will is strong, you will not be able to carry what is needed to help Illidan. What is required to aid him in this fight will require more than this. Much more."

The gem continued to rotate but the Goddess said nothing. Tyrande waited, uncertain. Was Elune suggesting Tyrande find others who could join her? How many would it take? Hundreds? Thousands? She bit her lip, troubled. Even if she could find those who would be willing to take the risk of never returning, how would she recruit them in the short amount of time Illidan had left? She slumped in the snow, disheartened. She had come all this way, for nothing.

Despite its blinding brightness, Tyrande lifted her eyes up to the gem. "My Lady Elune, how many others do you need?"

The gem pulsated, its surface rippling with deeper blues as the Goddess laughed. Her laughter cascaded over Tyrande, musical, soothing. "Daughter, you misunderstand me. Just as Illidan is to be a conduit for Sargeras, you will need to be a conduit for me. It is the only way to defeat the enemy."

Tyrande lunged her feet, astonished. "I am to be your avatar?"

"It is the only way you can enter The Twisting Nether. Through this gem, your soul will entwine with me. I will be able to protect both you and Illidan this way."

Tyrande staggered, overwhelmed. She glanced back at Malfurion, still standing where she left him, his expression stricken. She shook her head, this was far greater than anything she imagined. She was to be a part of an ongoing ancient battle, between a god and a titan, acted out between her and Illidan. It was too much, she wasn't ready for this. She shuffled backward, her calves carving a trough into the snow.

"My Lady, I cannot. I am not strong enough. Please, there must be another."

The gem's Light glided over Tyrande, warm and reassuring. Elune's voice came again, gentle.

"There is no other. It can only be you. I will protect you, for as long as I am able."

Tyrande hesitated, what did she mean by that? A memory tugged. She searched through the chaos of her thoughts, sensing it was important. An image filled her mind. The Na'aru's light dimming, until it winked out, leaving the space filled with dullness and shadow. Tyrande's thoughts skidded to a halt. Xe'ra's warning. It had been about Elune, after all.