A bit of WoW writing...

I recently changed my dwarf into a draenai. I had been considering it for months, but just couldn't make the decision until I had a dream about the toon a few weeks ago. I'm a very visual dreamer and trying to translate it into words is hard. I should probably draw it out and not write it.

So, this is for all my friends on my server.



I woke up this morning with hooves. Which was not how I woke up the last time I slept.

I hope that my Father would have understood. I never told my mate that I found his body at the ruins of Thaurissian. The bracelet I made and gave him as a child was unmistakable in the dust. His bones, my Father's bones, were gnawed on. I told Mother that he was dead. She followed him, walking to the ends of Azeroth.

I still haven't found her to tell her.

Father preferred to call me Oddbit because I played with odd bits of gems and strings, always making pretties to give to the elders. Even the king thought it was cute that the little pig tailed red headed dwarfess handed him a pretty to wear. I had an aptitude and I followed my dreams. Everyone called me Oddbit, my birth name disappearing into a memory.

I followed my parents' footsteps, out into the world of Azeroth, with my pet at my side and my mentor, my lover, and my mate Tyerol. He always had a sparkle in his eye for me. I really can't blame him for turning from me when it happened.

I really shouldn't have been alone searching hidden crevices for ore. The ancient evil smell to the place I found made me cringe. I felt a sting but thought nothing of it when I was exploring under Icecrown Citadel. Then I got called by Chessy to join her guild, to help them fight their way into the frozen throne.

I don't know when it actually started. I heard the darkest voice I have ever heard laugh about his creations. Then the burning started. I was burning from within and it seered me to my soul. I wanted to destroy all around me, friends, enemies, everything. I know Chessy will forgive me for the claw marks I left. My mate, precious Tyerol, he still hasn't gotten over it. Makoy, Shakrie, Tsunamee and Kari all tried to get the poisons out of me. Nothing they did worked.

They could see it start with my hands. My skin was turning red. My back hurt. My feet burned. I was blinded with pain. I reached up and felt bone growths. Then things got strange.

I know Chessy didn't mean to hurt me when they subdued me. The back of my head still hurts from where her sword hilt took me down. They piled on me as a howl I have never heard before erupted from my lips.

“Hold her! She's becoming Eredar!”

“We have to get her to help!”

“She got closer to the darkwinds than I did. Enslave demon!”

“She's possessed. Subdue her.”

“Shadow! Chessy! Hold her still! Deathgrip if you have to!”

“Take her to Velen!”

“She's loose! Watch out for that tail!”

“None of our heals are working.”

My world went dark when something hard hit the back of my head. I awoke and found that I was bound, hand and foot, my anger consuming me. I could hear music in my mind that was trying to break past my fury. The pain was searing me as my body burned. The bonds were cutting into my flesh. I could taste my blood on my lips.

“There is nothing I can do for her. Perhaps the Na'ru on Shattrath can save her. If she'll let their light in, she will live, but never the same.”

“Oddbit? Can you hear me love?”

A snarl erupted from my throat.

“You've been infected by something that is making you into an Eredar! We're doing all we can to save you. But you'll never be the same.”

“Stop fighting us!”

“We can let you die, Oddbit. Or you can choose to live.”

“You'll never be the same.”

“Yah, there's going to be a few changes...”

“Do you want to live?”

“Please, love.” It was Tyerol. I could hear the hurt in his voice.

“Leave her with us. She'll be one of us now. If she chooses to live.”

“Fight. Please fight. Live!”

I will never know how long it was I slept. The fire that burned inside met a quenching water. The darkness filled with the light of a thousand inner suns. I could feel the love of the Na'ru flow through me in rivulets, filling the core of my being, their music healing me, changing me into something new, their light healing all that I was, making me whole.

The burning stopped, and sweet darkness of sleep overtook me.

When I woke up, I was on the Aldor Rise in Shattrath. I could still hear the chimes. Chessy hadn't left my side. Nor had Tyerol. I could hear his gentle snores over on another bed. Chessy replaced a cool compress on my head. “We nearly lost you, short bit.” She chuckled, “actually, I don't think you're that short anymore.”

I sat up and looked for where my toes were. I could no longer feel them. I looked at my hands and the blue skin was shocking. My arms were longer and thinner. My body felt longer and off balance.

“It was come and go. The healers wanted me to stay just in case you attacked us again. Don't look at me that way. You were hit by some sort of Maker designed probe that the Burning Legion had modified and the Scourge had perverted.”

She lifted a glass of purified water to my mouth and handed me some sweet breads. “I bet you're famished. It took seven healers to keep you alive. Four Death Knights, three paladins, two druids and I were barely able to keep you under control without killing you.”

“The profit Velen told us to bring you here. A'dal and the other Naaru worked their light and not only let the change happen, but directed it to where it would let you live, not die.

“You're a Draenei now, short bit.”

I let those words wash over me. My blue skin was not simply blue from the cold. I pulled the covers back and where there had been cute little dwarven toes, tough as nails hooves took their place. I felt my forehead and traced the long curving horns, felt the tendrils and finger combed through the little wisps of white hair. Even my voice was strange to me now. “Help me up?”

Familiar hands held onto mine as I stood for the first time as a Draenai. I was off balance, yet she caught me. From the corner of my eye, I saw the curtains being pulled back as Spei brought in tray laden with food. “Hey, cute stuff! Glad to see you're up and about. We were worried about you.”

I sat down, taking it all in, squealing in pain as I sat on my tail. “Nothing hurt but my pride,” I grimaced, stuffing my face full of food and drink as fast as I could. I was famished.

“Eat up, short bit. Everyone wants to see you when you're ready.”

Tyerol stirred in the corner. His eyes opened and almost instantly he was at my side. “Oddbit, love, I... I will stand by you, but I know I'm not meant for you anymore.” He wiped away a tear. “I'm just glad you chose life.”

“Oh, Tyerol!” I held him crushingly to my breast, aware that the room was empty but for us. My mate had freed me from the burden of knowing I was leaving him behind.

New clothing had been provided and I dressed myself when I was finally ready. I stepped out through the curtains into my new life as a Draenai. I could hear my friends cheering.

I inhaled, remember the name of my birth. “Aethena. My name is Aethena.”