Christie Golden - Warcraft

Moonlight bathed the throne room of Stormwind, causing the the white stone of the empty royal chair to glow as if with its own deep radiance, and transforming the golden lions crouched at its base to silver beasts with hollowed eyes. Cool, milky light caught the clean lines of weapons on display, and turned the shadows in the corners, where its pale fingers could not reach, into pools of infinite darkness. In the fey glow, someone with a keen imagination might think the decorative suits of armor standing sentry were not so empty after all.

The moons illumination was challenged by the light of a single lamp, which shone its warm, ruddy glow on the intent face of a boy. He held two carved toys in his hands. One was a soldier, wearing a painted version of the armor that loomed in various places of the quiet room. The other was a hunched beastgreen, with tusks and an axe that was fully half again the size of its wooden adversary.

On the floor were other soldiers and beasts. Most of the toy monsters were still standing.

Most of the toy soldiers had been toppled.

The room brightened as the door was opened. The boy turned, displeased at having been interrupted, and glowered momentarily at the figure who entered before turning back to his playtime.

So, the man said, his voice youthful, this is where youve been hiding.

A prince does not hide, the boy thought. He goes where he wants to when he wants to be alone. Thats not hiding.

The man moved beside him. In the faint lamp light, his hair did not look quite so gray, nor was the scar that ran from chin to eye quite as ugly as it appeared in the daylight. He gazed down at the scene the boy was reenacting. How goes the battle?

As if he cant see it. As if he doesnt remember.

The boy said nothing at first, staring at the small green toys, and then he said in an angry voice, Every orc deserves to die. When Im king, Ill be like Lothar, and kill them all!

Lothar is a soldier, the man said, not unkindly. He fights because it is his duty. You will be a king. Your duty will be to find a just peace. Dont you think weve had enough of war?

The boy did not answer. A just peace. Enough of war.

Impossible.

I hate them! he shouted. His voice rang, too loud in the stillness. Tears suddenly burned in his eyes.

I know, the man said quietly, and his lack of judgment of the boys outburst calmed the youth somewhat. But war is not always the answer. You need to understand that not all orcs are evil, even if it seems that way.

The boy frowned and threw the man a skeptical glance. Khadgar was very wise, but what he was saying seemed unbelievable to the boy.

You know, Khadgar continued, the orcs came from another world, far away from ours. He lifted his hand and moved his fingers. A reddish-orange ball appeared in his hand. The boy watched, interested now. He loved to see Khadgar work his magic. The orb spun, green energy crackling around it. It was dying, Khadgar continued. It was consumed by a dark magic called the fel. The princes eyes grew wide as the strange green glow seemed to eat away at the brown, dusty-looking world. The orcs had to escape. If they didntthey would die with it.

The prince had no sympathy to spare for orcs or their dying world. His fingers tightened around the toy orc he clutched in his hand. So, those green monsters invaded our world!

They werent all green when they came to Azeroth. Bet you didnt know that.

The prince stayed silent rather than admit his ignorance, but he was curious now.

Only the ones poisoned by the fel magic, Khadgar continued. It changed them. But we once met an orc who resisted it. One who almost stopped this war from ever happening. His name was Durotan.

No windows were needed in the Chamber of Air. It was as its name stated, a chamber of air; in it, and of it.

Strangers to this place might marvel at the sight, might gasp in beauty and fear both, and wonder how it was the Council of Six could stand here and not have concerns for their safety. But there would be no strangers, not ever, not here in the Violet Citadel of the Kirin Tor.

Like magic, the Chamber was not for anyone but mages.

The blue sky and white clouds that served for walls and ceiling set off the colors of gold and purple that decorated the stone floor. The floor was also inlaid with a symbola stylized, watchful eye, and the boy who stepped inside and stood in the center of that room thought it particularly appropriate today.

He was eleven, of fair to middling height, with brown hair and eyes that changed from blue to green depending on the light. He was dressed in a white tunic, and he was the sole focus of attention of the entire Council of the Kirin Tor.

They stood high above him on a ringed platform, clad in violet robes embroidered with the same Eye that gazed up from the floor. They and the Eyes they wore stared down at the boy as he himself might have peered at an insect. He was unconcerned about their regard, more curious than anything, and peered at them boldly, arching a brow.

One of the figures, a tall, thin man with a beard as white as the magic that flowed along the towers walls, met the boys gaze and nodded almost imperceptibly. He began to speak, and his sonorous voice echoed impressively in the vast chamber.

There is a theory that every star in the sky is a world, Archmage Antonidas said. And that each of these worlds is alive with beings of its own. What says our Novice to this concept?

The Novice answered promptly. No world can equal Azeroth, he replied. The beauty of Azeroth, its vitality and abundance, are unique.

Who can be trusted to care for such a treasure?

One who can marshal the forces of magic to keep our world safe. The Guardian.

I see. There was the barest hint of a smile on Antonidass thin lips. The Novice wondered if he should modulate his voice. Sound a bit more humble. But honestly, hed memorized all this ages ago.

All the forces? Antonidas continued.

No, the Novice replied promptly. The dark forces are forbidden. The dark forces are the mirror of corruption. He realized he was starting to sound sing-songy and bit his lip hard. It wouldnt do for them to think he didnt take this seriously.

The dark forces, he said, solemnly this time, turn the user back against his own intentions.

And what do we learn from this?

That magic is dangerous and must be kept from those without instruction. No race of men, no dwarf, gnome, or elfnone but the Kirin Tor must use magic.

This is all just for us, the Novice thought, watching the flow of the silvery-white liquid chase itself around the walls and ceiling of the Chamber of Air. Not because were greedy, but because we know how to handle it.

He watched Antonidas carefully and saw the archmages shoulders relax. They were done with the first part, and he hadnt messed up. Good.

The elderly mage smiled a little, his eyes kind. We sense your power, Medivh, he told the Novice. We admire your focus, your appetite for knowledge. We probe and test it as best we can, but sadly, the most important question is one that cannot be answered until it is too late.

Medivh stiffened. Too late? What did Antonidas mean?

The life of a Guardian demands sacrifice that you cannot begin to understand. Yet we ask you now, as a boy, to bind yourself forever to the wheel of this vocation.