Letters to Ashenvale

Dad,

Sorry it's been a while since I wrote, I got really busy.  I didn't mean to make you worry.  I'm fine, but it might be a while before I can get away long enough to visit.  I'll write again soon.  Love you!

-Sky

Written in a shaky hand, the pen barely touching the paper.

Dad,

I got a little sick.  Nothing to worry about, they're fixing me up quick.  Getting a lot of reading done, you'd be happy to know.  Remember that priestess I told you about?  The scary one?  She's been super nice.  Kind of reminds me of Mom.  They sing the same songs.

-Sky

Hey Dad,

Things are still quiet over here, mostly just resupplying going on.

I let everyone know that if anything happened and they need a safe place to hide, that you'd take care of them.

I knew you wouldn't mind.

-Sky

Dad,

I'll be in Darnassus tomorrow for a lecture, maybe we can get food.

- Sky

Dad,

The apartment is great, thanks for taking care of everything.  Don't worry, I have someone checking in on me and bringing food.

Love you, I'll write again soon.

- Sky

Dad,

It was great seeing you again.  I promise I'll start visiting more often.  We had a great time at the resort, and we're heading back east today.  All this swimming's been good for me, I think.  We're thinking about maybe getting a place nearby... Like a cabin in Ashenvale or something.  You know, for down time and leave.  I'm eager to get back to work, even if it's just light duty.  

Love you,

Sky

Dad,

We'll be back in Feralas this weekend for a party.  We'll stop back in on our way home.  We're also going to start looking at places in Ashenvale.  See you soon!

Love you,

Sky

Dad

I have that sinking feeling again.  Like something bad is going to happen.  Stay safe.  Love you.

- Sky

Dad,

I know I just came to visit, but with everything happening, I wanted you to know I'm alive.  I hope things aren't so bad in Ashenvale; things aren't good here.  We escaped the demons invading Dun Morogh, and are headed north, back to the Keep.  I pray it's still there.  I'll come home as soon as it's safe to get there.  See you soon.

Love you,

Sky

Dad,

Please be alive.

I love you,

Sky

The fel reaver continued to chase them down.  The Distraction Team had done their jobs and regained its attention, leading the enormous mechanical construct toward the lava-filled pit where they intended to trap it within range of the cannons.  M’s mechanical voice droned at top volume through the COMM “GET UP THE RAMP TO THE AIR SHIP WE NEED IT INTO THE PIT.”  But the reaver was picking up speed.  Sky couldn’t be sure that it wouldn’t just follow up the hill, trapping M and Bey along with her.  

So she ran.  Not up the hill, but toward the pit.  At ground level, right to the edge of the bubbling green fel lava.  She raises her daggers high over her head, their enchantment sending out a bright flash of moonlight whenever they strike together.  “Over here, you overgrown clockwork!”  She thought the reaver had been at top speed, but it managed to run even faster, its booming steps heading straight for the elf.  Her breath hitched in her throat, but she held her ground.  Her knees shook, but she refused to let her feet move.  Nel and Fro were on the thing’s legs, attaching a braided cable, and their success was more important.  If the reaver was coming after her, it wasn’t attacking them.  

Suddenly a wave of water washed over her, sliding her feet backward onto rapidly-cooling lava.  A large mass of salt-stained wood slammed into her chest, whipping her head around and pushing her down into the molten fel-touched stone.  It felt like everything was on fire.  Her nose filled with saltwater and the acrid stench of burning hair.  Roiya’s dagger.  It was still tucked tight inside her belt, and she went to pull it loose, her fingers stiff and her grip slipping as her flesh melted in the intense heat.  She threw the blade with all her might, praying that maybe at least it would survive this fight.  The water was gone, but her ears filled with the sound of her own screams and the emergency alarms of every COMM in the area.  Everything went dark.

She felt a warm grasp around her left hand, though the sensation was muted as if through thick gloves.  Squeezing back sent a spike of pain up her arm; her whole palm felt like it was covered in shards of broken glass.  “... Mom?”  But no, when she forced her stiff eyelids open, blinking and squinting against the light and the dry, sandy feeling on her eyeballs, it wasn’t her mother at her side.  

“R-Roiya...?  I’m... alive?”