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Chilling, icy wind whistled through the deserted roof yard. The breeze clutched into the sheets of free newspapers piled on the ground, flipping them open, just to slip away at the next moment and fly toward the benches and garden ornaments, covered by canvases, grabbing into them, then vanish as if it had never been t... |
The Silverwind Library's ornately carved ebony door opened at an easy pace, making way for the dim light and the two guests to enter. The entrance opened into a spacious foyer, with corridors leading to the various wings of the library on each side, and a wide stone staircase to the upper floor. Next to it, behind a do... |
The sky had been coloured by the setting sun in a vivid pinkish hue. It only appeared every now and then between the towering, unshapely multi-storey apartments. The parking lots were crammed with the vehicles of the residents, bringing some colour to the gray housing estate. Maiev hated these cube buildings the most. ... |
Maiev stuck to her resolution and headed right there. She searched between the identical buildings for the one where Jarod lived, then, taking advantage of the fact that a human family had just come home, she slipped past them at the entrance as they opened it and ran straight to the fourth floor. She was about to knoc... |
The last rays of the sun were about to disappear on the zigzag-like horizon formed by endless chains of mountains. As the night slowly descended, the stars began to show their radiant body on the nocturnal sky of Hyjal, and with them a handful of night elves began their preparation for their millennia-old tradition. Th... |
A sinister fog has descended upon Astranaar in the dawn. The gray veil could have been cut with a knife, but it could not discourage Illidan Stormrage. He squatted like a gargoyle on the top of a skyscraper as he observed the city. The high winds got in and out of his hair, and he enjoyed every moment of it. The ice-co... |
The door of the shabby fast-food restaurant slammed open with tremendous force, making the bell hanging above cry out in a bitter ululation. Illidan didn't shudder as his apparently ill-tempered probation officer slumped down on a chair in front of him. His hurry proved to be in vain. He quickly considered his options ... |
Illidan watched the fields from the train window in annoyance, beating on the floor with his hoof angrily."If you don't stop, I'll tie your legs." Maiev said, not looking up from the newspaper that has probably been left on the sear by a previous passanger."I asked you to honor my request to leave my brother out of thi... |
The fog refused to clear. It stubbornly hid away in a gray disguise of ordinariness the once beautiful green park where the Stormrage brothers were supposed to meet. Maiev looked back from time to time to check that the demon hunter was still behind her, but beside that she didn't pay much attention to him, and they ma... |
As the fog slowly began to dissipate, the mood between the Stormrage brothers slowly eased as well. At first, the two men talked modestly while sitting on one of the benches in the park, and gradually became more cheerful in the conversation. Malfurion and Illidan, siblings who were only distinguishable at birth by the... |
"Letting me know about my brother's return and arranging this meeting for us, for that, I thank you, Maiev." Malfurion expressed his indebtedness, then quickly added, "On my brother's behalf as well." |
"Then it seems, you two are done." She glanced at the screen of her phone. They still had plenty of time until the next train's take-off. |
"Illidan, I hope we will stay in touch from now on." |
"I share your desire." |
"Would you give me your contact information?" Malfurion retrievied paper and pen from his purse. However, his request remained unanswered, as his brother glanced puzzled at Maiev, but she looked just as helpless as him. "Is something wrong?" the night elf wondered. |
After a short pause, Maiev finally replied. |
"I don't think he has one." |
"Is that true, brother?" the older Stormrage looked at the demon hunter, who nodded hesitantly. "Where do you live then?" |
"What is the meaning of this, Warden?" Malfurion clashed out to Maiev, who didn't bat an eye, but being held responsible for something she had little to nothing to do with still rubbed her the wrong way. On one hand, barely a week has passed since she became Illidan's probation officer. On the other hand, he didn't sho... |
"Never fear, brother, we'll fix that soon, too." he calmed the druid, to the woman's surprise. |
"Just who is who's patron now?" Maiev thought. "Until then, you can contact him through me, Shan'do." she offered the opportunity, though reluctantly. |
"There's no need for that. I'll take care of my brother's accommodation. In the meantime, move in with us. Our home is but a little snug, but the three of us used to fit in my old hut, we will be able to now as well." Malfurion put his hand on his brother's shoulder, and Illidan seemed to think for a moment, but then h... |
"Your offer is, as always, proof of your generosity, Brother. However, I cannot accept it. I'm afraid Tyrande wouldn't be as forgiving as you. No, I'd better stay in town. Trust me, I'll paddle my own canoe. |
"Very well, then. I believe you are wrong about my love and she would not oppose your staying at us, but I accept your decision. However, I want you to know that the door of my house is always open for you." |
"If that's the case, I'd like to ask Shan'do to agree to temporarily register Illidan to your address." Maiev grabbed the occasion. "It would greatly increase his odds to find a job." |
"All right." the night elf nodded. "I request you to send me the completed form. I'll sign it." The druid smiled at his brother. "Well, I'm afraid I have to leave soon. There are other things I have to see being done today. But first..." The Archdruid turned his head towards Maiev. "Maiev, may I speak to you?" Asked th... |
"Perhaps, Shan'do." |
"Drop the act Warden, would you?" Malfurion growled at her. Maiev stood still, then flashed a vile smile. Her previous collected composure has gone in a blink of an eye. |
"Do not fret, Malfurion..." She said. The archdruid stood transfixed with horror. The way she phrased the words, deliberately mimicking when she held him captive, promising a slow, rotting death sent shivers down his spine. "I have no intention of killing your brother, if that's what you think. After all, I am his prob... |
"Unless he gets off the track, endangering our world. Then I can't guarantee his... safety." Maiev grinned at the archdruid, then turned her back on him and walked back to Illidan, leaving the other man alone. "So much better" She thought after getting back for her perceived mistreatment just before. Of course, she kne... |
And with that, the meeting ended. For a while, Malfurion stood beneath the lonely tree in the park, watching his brother slowly disappear at the horizon. This time, however, he undoubtedly knew: they would see each other soon again. On the other hand, his fears about Maiev did not ease, especially after their conversat... |
"Maybe I should have told you the truth, Illidan. I hope that your judgement about her is better than mine." |
When he was certain that his brother was out of earshot, Illidan turned to his partner with interest. |
"I'm looking for a job?" |
"Didn't you say you will resolve your housing?" Maiev asked sarcastically. "And that requires money nowadays. Or did you mean by taking over another temple? Or a whole country right away?" |
While the demon hunter certainly didn't find her tone to be in his taste, she was unfortunately right. However, it was difficult for him to imagine what kind of work he would be able do. Based on what he had read, most jobs required academic qualifications that he did not possess, and most of the classical profession h... |
The aging train slowly and relentlessly clattered toward Astranaar. Outside, the sun had fallen below the horizon, hiding the outside world in darkness from the eyes of the average passengers. Inside, at the faint light of the cart, a draenei ticket inspector twinkled as he tried to check the passenger" tickets, with l... |
Maiev put the tickets back in her pocket, then glanced at his companion before returning to her newspaper. Illidan stared out the window in silence, peacefully. His usual nerve-racking arrogant facial expression was replaced by a happier, almost day-dreamery one. Maiev grimaced in a theatrical manner, then slid back be... |
When was the last time she shared her joy with someone? Or someone shared it with her? The memory of most of the living beings on Azeroth would be too short for it to recall. Even Maiev wasn't sure about it. |
She warily glanced from behind the newspaper. Illidan seemed to be deeply immersed in his thoughts. How ironic... She was sitting there, in the company of the man whose death she presumed would give her marvellous catharsis, but instead only despair and unbearable emptiness awaited her. Now, having helped him, for the ... |
"I owe you." Illidan broke the silence, and Maiev had to realize that she had been looking at him less discretely for a while now. Could he have noticed? He was still staring out the window, but he was clearly talking to her. Maiev quickly sorted out her thoughts and lowered the newspaper as naturally as possible, as i... |
"How do you say?" she asked back. Illidan hesitated, then turned to her. |
"I owe you" He repeated. Maiev was completely floored. What was she supposed to say? She wasn't used to somebody being grateful to her, especially not the demon hunter. For her luck, Illidan didn't wait until the conversation subsided into silence. "But there would be something I wanted to ask from you for a while." |
Maiev looked at him suspiciously. What is he up to? What would he want to know from her? But at least she understood why he was so blissful just now. The whole gratitude act was just the introductory speech to win her over and make her tell him easier what he wants to know. Very well then. So be it! |
"You had a brother..." |
"I have a brother." She corrected the demon hunter. |
"I see. I hear this with relief. I admit, I thought your help - which I greatly apppreciate - has something to do with him. Or with your relationship with him... But it seems I was mistaken. |
"It's not surprising." She turned her head away, not to face the demon hunter. When did she become so superficial that anyone could read her mind so easily? First Jarod, now Illidan... Maybe it would be wiser to avoid future guessing and give him what he wants to know... "He lives with his family in Astranaar. His daug... |
Illidan, seeing that she did not want to continue the conversation, turned back to the window. Through the reflection of the glass he could clearly see that Maiev was not reading this time either. Nor was she observing him like a few minutes prior. Her eyes gazed into empty space. It was apparent that something had hap... |
"What do you want?" She growled, still holding the magazine in front of her. |
"I've meant it. I owe you." |
Although she did not respond, Illidan saw through the window's reflection as a smile lingered about the corners of her mouth behind the newspaper. |
A dazzling parade of colours. That would have characterized best Astranaar’s largest fabric shop. From the floor to the ceiling, each square meter was covered with fabric of different patterns and texture. One of the vendors, a troll woman, had just placed a roll of red gingham with checkered pattern on her worktable, ... |
It was barely noon by the time Maiev had completed all of her tasks for the day in the office. She submitted her weekly report about their progress with Illidan, but beside that she didn't really have anything to do. Unliket the other probation officers, she only had one patroned, yet no one dared to complain. It was w... |
Maiev happily entered her small apartment. "Finally... Everything's going well..." she thought as she threw herself into work. Her fingers were quickly running the needle through the fabric in her hand and slowly the material began to take shape. "Well, this makes it easier for me to give these to you... Think about th... |
Illidan arrived at the given address early in the morning. Without a watch, he had to trust the neraby crumbling church's giant clock. According to the mechanism, it was 7:50. The man sighed. Everything was much easier back then. They used the sun as their indicator and while it was more vague, it gave a special sense ... |
The city was already in full swing. In one of the parks, deprived from its colours by the mild winter weather, a group of Pandaren tourists rested, excitedly talking about their experiences of that day and what was still ahead of them. From the top of one of the skyscrapers, Orc and Draenei workers descended to clean t... |
Maiev and Illidan turned from the main road and continued their way on a traffic-free, dark side street. The concrete got cracked in several places by weeds, and a faint odour of alcohol smelled in the air. Maiev glanced at her phone from time to time, checking on the GPS to see if they were going in the right directio... |
"Great, an upfront sex bar." she grimaced. "You can still change your mind, there're jobs like this on every corner." she turned to her companion, but the man was already reaching for the doorknob. |
"No thanks. I'm not prudish." he replied, bantering with the woman as he slowly disappeared into the nightclub's darkness. |
"I'm not prudish! However, unlike you, I have morals!" she shouted after the man as she quickly followed suit. |
The hallway where they arrived had no windows, keeping the place in complete darkness even during daytime. A tiny unlit booth hid in the dark, presumably reserved for the cashier or a security guard. On the walls, luminous neon tubes led the visitors further, straight into a huge hall. The place looked exactly like any... |
The bar counter extended from wall to wall at the hall's edge, allowing to serve dozens of guests at once, intending to appease their thirst, or just lose their sobriety. On a podium was a table for the DJ and their equipment. The upper floor could be reached by two iron stairs, from where several doors opened. Probabl... |
"I don't see anyone. I'll try to call the guy I talked with yesterday." |
"Wait." Illidan stopped her. "Someone's coming." he pointed forward. And indeed, at the next moment, a chunky middle-aged dwarf stumbled out of one of the back offices. His huge beer belly jumped up and down as he put his feet one after the other, stretching the otherwise mismatched buttons on his white shirt to burst.... |
"Pff, dwarves..." Maiev thought, rolling her eyes, ignoring her own alcohol problem once more. |
The man slowly crawled closer. Just when he was about to extend his hand to greet the visitors, his almost closed bloodshot eyes suddenly flashed with excitement. |
"Are you the one who applied for the job?" he asked Illidan, who nodded in agreement. "Aaaaay, son! Son, son! You are the one I need! I was looking for a guy just like you!" he said, as he patted the demon hunter - several thousands of years older than him - on the back. "My name is Ukarner Redpike, but you can just ca... |
Illidan strongly disagreed with the last statement as he took a glance at Maiev, but she remained oblivious to his look, as she had the urge to deny another part of the dwarf's comment. |
"I'm not his woman!" she clashed out, but her words were lost in Ukar's merry laughter. |
"You're hired, son, you can start tonight! From six to four, it's pretty reasonable if you ask me. Oh wait, that's right... " just as abruptly as he had first appeared, the dwarf disappeared again into the office from which he had just crawled out. A few minutes later, he poked his hoarse head out and motioned for thos... |
"Curse, where did I put my pen?" the man was seemingly looking for something on his desk when the others got there. "Aha!" he shouted happily. "There's your contract, sign it here, please. You can read the details later, it's just the usual anyway." He tucked the paper and a pen under Illidan's nose, but before the man... |
"If you don't mind, I'll take a look at it anyway." she smoothed out the contract intolerantly, then began to read it. |
"A bossy pretty missy, isn't she?" The dwarf poked Illidan's side with his elbow like pals do. |
"You have no idea." the demon hunter replied. |
To their luck, the woman in question was way too busy reading the document, otherwise she would have surely acted upon their words. In the contract everything seemed to be off the form. Unfortunately, that included the salary, too. The insultingly low amount stood just above the minimum wage. "Just as I feared... With ... |
"About the wage..." She tried a bold effort, however, soon it proved to be in vain. |
"Oh, glad you noticed it! We are proud to pay our employees higher than the competition. We appreciate them, y'know." Ukar dinged pleased, almost as if his words somehow magically made the pitiful amount he was willing to pay somehow more appealing. |
"In other words, it's not negotiable." Maiev summed it up. "What a greedy dwarf. His mother must have been a goblin..." She turned to her companion bitterly. "Illidan, can we have a word?" she called the man out of the office, leaving the dwarf behind, still struggling with his hangover. |
"I'm all ears." the demon hunter turned to the woman when he was sure that his potential boss would not hear them. |
"This won't do it. The salary is pathetically low." she said as she fluttered the contract, however, to her surprise Illidan tilted his head to the side, seemingly confused. |
"Oh. Is that so? I thought you noticed, too, and you wanted to talk about it." he confessed honestly. |
"What are you talking about?" she raised her eyebrows. |
"Don't you think he's acting weird?" the demon hunter nodded imperceptibly toward the office window, referring to Ukar. Maiev glanced at the dwarf from the corner of her eye. The old man looked at Illidan through the window with such hopeful eyes as hungry dogs do, waiting for their owner. Her partner was right. Someth... |
"Now that you mentioned it... " Maiev began to think about the situation. |
"You said earlier that jobs like these are very common, aren't they?" |
"Yes, and it's usually not too hard to find people to fill in these positions. That's why it's strange. He said... "the Light sent you" and "nobody would pick a fight with you". This lets me believe that the place faces some security problem that an ordinary man cannot work out." |
"Good thinking, Maiev." Illidan crossed his arms." If you are right and we can get him into a corner, then the paycheck issue may get resolved as well." Illidan turned to the woman with confidence. "A beggar cannot be a chooser, right?" |
"Yet he wasn't too willing to negotiate about your salary." She grimaced. "Luckily, I just happen to know some... let's say... techniques that may help him change his mind." |
"Yes, I'm well aware of that, however..." Illidan said. "I'm afraid at the end he would want to hire you instead." He chuckled, but Maiev frowned her eyebrows, deep in thougts. |
"You are right, we should showcase your capabilities." |
"May I propose teamwork then?" the demon hunter leaned to her way as if he tried to bow in front of her, trying to get on her good side. |
"What's in your mind?" Good guy, bad guy?" Maiev asked with increasing excitement. She undeniably liked the idea of toying with the dwarf a bit. The man's attitude didn't sit well with her anyway. |
"I'd rather have it be bad guy and bait and switch bad guy if you know what I'm thinking" Illidan tossed the ball. Maiev's eyes lit up at the brilliant idea, as a delicious act began to form in her head. |
"Oh, sure I know." with that, the night elf began to walk slowly back toward the office, but turned back to Illidan halfway through. "By the way... Utility spells are allowed." she flashed an evil grin. |
"Oho..." the man smiled back, matching hers. |
"So, is everything fine with the contract?" the dwarf asked them without hesitation as Maievs stepped back into the small office. |
"Mostly." Maiev answered coldly. "There's only one little thing..." her scratched voice tinkled in the silent, airless room. The smile on the dwarf's face somewhat faded. He finally nodded uncertainly. "Why the hurry?" the night elf grinned. |
Upon hearing the question, Ukar went pale in a blink of an eye, his previous positive aura melted like ice in a desert. His reaction was quite to Maiev's liking. Almost as a sick animal trying to hide its weakness from a predator... In vain. The prey was in front of her, and she felt it. The old man was visibly affecte... |
"Me? Hurrying? Ay, I'm not in a hurry, little lady!" he tried to evade the question and regain some of his confidence, to no avail. Maiev stood there, with an all-knowing, mysterious smile on her face, waiting for her opponent to break. And he would submit, she was sure about it. She doesn't even have to use force or m... |
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