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Seasons

Chapter 28: High Autumn, Y25

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Dalaran, Eastern Kingdoms
High Autumn, Y25

The time had come. After years of study, the day of Jaina's graduation as Archmage had come to pass. The past year of intense study and work had finally borne fruit. Standing in her bedroom, looking at the formal robes she had laid out this morning, it all felt unreal.

I can't believe I did it... all the studying, all the research... it's come to this, Jaina thought, reaching down to finger the cloth. It was soft, solid, reminding her that it was real. My family will be there, my friends, Arthas, and...

Jaina's expression tightened as grief and anger swelled in her chest. I wonder if he'll even show up. I haven't really seen him since... since we broke up. Hopefully, that will actually help.

It had been a year since she'd ended her relationship with Kael, and broken off her engagement with Arthas. Both acts had led to this moment; the pain she still felt when she thought back to that day, even as those memories justified her actions.

I just wish doing the right thing didn't hurt so much, Jaina thought, and picked up her robes to dress. They were a lush blue, halfway between midnight and sky, heavily embroidered with gold runes, screaming out her new status for all to see. They were more ostentatious than Jaina preferred, though Rylai had assured her they suited her well. I wonder what Kael would have thought...

There was a soft thump, and Jaina turned abruptly, hurrying out of her room. As she walked, she struggled into her robe, tugging it around impatiently until it stopped hampering her. She was halfway through the living room when she heard the thump again. This time, she recognized it for what it was: the cold box making ice, and not a roommate, nor a friend.

Jaina sighed heavily. I need to stop doing this to myself. It's been a year , I shouldn't still...

Kael was everywhere. Not literally, of course -- Jaina had never assumed he was stalking her -- but she saw him in every glinting lock of blond hair, and any red robe, so different from Dalaran's blue and purple. She saw him when Pathaleon dropped by to talk to her about his latest interest, demonstrating the form and function of his new arcane device without looking her in the eye. Jaina saw Kael when Voren'thal spent time with Kelnar, helping divine particularly hard-to-accommodate student schedules. She saw him when Ghlorine dropped Finnall off at her mother's house, kissing her goodnight with a sweetness that made Jaina's heart ache. She saw him when she bumped into Rommath at the library, or Kylian while she was shopping.

She rarely saw Kael himself, and that only made it worse.

Arthas still visited her once a season, acting the way he had when they'd first started dating. He was all smiles, affectionate to the point of being clingy. Her ex-fiance's behaviour had made her question her decision while they were together, and push her towards confidence when he was gone.

At least Kael isn't around to complain about it, he'd probably-- The thought made Jaina's breath hitch. No, I have to stay strong. I did this for a reason. Losing my best non-elemental friend because I needed space is just a... consequence of my actions. That's all.

With determination, Jaina returned to her room so that she could use the mirror to straighten her robes and brush her hair. Today, of all days, I'm not going to be late.

~ * ~

Jaina stood in Dalaran's portal chamber, and kept her hands hidden in the long, belled sleeves of her robes. Outwardly, she looked serene, standing next to Archmage Antonidas. Beneath the blue cloth, she ticked her thumb against each of her fingers, counting out constellations, then stars, then celestial movements. It kept her from worrying, or startling at the sight of red cloth or blond hair.

The portals to the various Alliance-aligned cities were largely quiet, save for a crowd of dwarves and gnomes traveling back to Ironforge after the arcanotechnologist conference that had just ended. Pathaleon had attended the conference and had confided to Jaina that he had been seated in an alcove that had been spelled so he could see out, but others couldn't see in.

It's good that we make such accommodations readily available, Jaina thought. ...the Hunter, the Scholar... the Wanderer... otherwise we might never get to share in the wisdom of people like him. ...the Dove, the Wolf...

The portal to Kul Tiras began to glow purple, and Jaina's gaze fixed on the archway as it began to shimmer. She could very nearly smell the salt, fish, and tar from her childhood home; their Portal room itself was actually well inside Boralus Keep, and did not smell of the docks.

A few moments later, a pair of figures walked through the portal, and Jaina straightened. It felt like an age since she had seen her parents, though she'd been home for her birthday. It wasn't as memorable as my twenty-first birthday, but then, none of them usually match going out to a bar, getting into a bar fight, getting kicked out of a bar, and then getting a tattoo you regret when you're sober, except...

Jaina took a breath, and waited for her parents to move forward.

"Welcome to Dalaran," Antonidas said, his tone formal and a bit stern. "Grand Admiral, Lady."

"Nice to see you, Antonidas," Daelin said, offering his hand to shake. Antonidas took it, and let Daelin pump his hand vigorously. Adriana offered a brief, respectful curtsey. "And here's my little girl, dressed in the finery of Mother Ocean herself."

"Da..." Jaina said, trying to sound more like she was protesting. "Welcome, thank you for coming."

"Of course, it isn't every day my little girl becomes an Archmage," Daelin said, then raised a brow. "It isn't, is it? Do you keep writing essays and we keep showing up to hear about them?"

"No no," Antonidas said, and gestured for them to accompany him out of the portal room. Daelin, still with Adriana on his arm, strolled out. Jaina followed. "An Archmage thesis is largely unique."

"It's been an age since I've been here," Daelin noted as he paused on the street, lifting the brim of his hat as he stared up at the violet spires of Dalaran. "Hasn't changed."

"It's very purple," Adriana remarked quietly. "It's good to see you again, Archmage."

"You as well, Grand Admiral, Lady Proudmoore," Antonidas said. "We're all very proud of Jaina. None of us who have taught her over the years are surprised that she has become an Archmage, and so young. Our pride, however, should not be."

"These years in Dalaran have meant the world to me," Jaina said softly, blinking back tears. "Even when I have to leave, I'll always remember how good you've been to me."

"Ah, give us a hug, Sunfish," Daelin said, and reached towards Jaina. She hugged her father back, squeezing him tightly even as she inhaled his familiar, comfortable scent. "You're not leaving on your next adventure yet, are you?"

"No, not yet," Jaina said, smiling weakly. "Master Antonidas has plans for me, I believe."

"Even as an Archmage, Jaina will be a very junior one, and we like to confirm that new Archmages can go out into the world without accidentally starving themselves to death while in the throes of research or an experiment," Antonidas said dryly. "Once we secure a properly challenging assignment for Jaina, we'll ask her to complete it."

Jaina rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I know how to fend for myself."

"Spare an old man's feeling, won't ye?" Daelin asked, accent slipping a fraction. "A nice, simple task will help calibrate your sails."

"There is that I suppose," Jaina said. "I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I won't have to wait that long?"

"No, I can't imagine so," Antonidas said, spreading his hands. "Our graduations are not large, and the guest list is largely up to the graduates. We of the Six will of course all be attending."

"Family and friends," Jaina said, forcing herself to smile. "Arthas will be coming, or so he said. I had the impression that there could be an emergency that keeps him but he had planned on attending."

"Good," Daelin grunted. Adriana gave him a slightly quelling look. "What? This is Jaina's big day, he'd damned well better be here. Kel and Finn?"

"Both coming, Kelnar is having someone substitute in for her today," Jaina said, relaxing slightly. "Finn was already on a break, thankfully. I'm guessing Sea Urchin is busy?"

"Making the run to Tel Abim, will probably bring back a rash and bananas," Daelin said. Jaina bit back a giggle, and her mother's eyes sparkled. "I'll get him to bring you some."

"No thank you, I don't need a rash," Jaina replied. Antonidas coughed in a blustery fashion into his beard. "Let's get you sitting down. I can't wait to show you what I've been working on for these last few years."

~ * ~

Archmage graduations were not grand affairs in Dalaran, for all the notion seemed contradictory. When Dawnwing Academy in Silvermoon had a crop of graduate mages, there was a week-long festival that included food, music, dancing, poetry readings, and at least one orgy. When Goldenspire Academy in Stormwind graduated mages, there were rumours their teachers had a wine glass in one hand and an eye to the swords of the Lionguard, lest they deem one of the newly recognized conjurers as threats.

Dalaran had larger ceremonies for the mages who finished their primary studies, stiff and formal with students crossing a stage to receive their credentials and shake hands -- Kael recalled feeling a little foolish at his own graduation, considering how much older he was than the other graduates -- but Archmage graduates only had ceremonies if they requested one, and Jaina had.

Archmage at twenty-three, they should be throwing her a parade, Kael thought sadly. In a decade, they'll put up a statue of her next to Archmage Khadgar, assuming she's still practicing magecraft then.

Thinking about Jaina's brilliance being left to tarnish in Lordaeron made him think of Arthas, and thinking of the human prince made him angry, so he shoved it aside and focused his attention on the stage again. Kael's friends had taken seats in the back, though there were only a few rows of total seats. Rommath muttered something to Kylian, and predictably, Kylian smacked him.

In the front row sat Jaina's family: father, mother, and half-sister, along with Kelnar Goldensword and her latest ward. The boy, barely older than Jaina had been when she'd first come to Dalaran, looked overwhelmed by the honour. Some of Jaina's other friends, the ones from her Archmage study group, sat in the second row, behind her parents. The back of Rylai's head drew his eye, and Kael forced himself to look away. Arthas was there too, of course, in the second row, sitting off by himself so he was clearly visible to anyone on stage.

Fucking egocentric little prick, Kael sneered within the safety of his own mind, and settled a little more carefully into his hiding spot. The illusion he had cast was perfect, but there were downsides: he was going to have to stand for the whole thing, or risk being caught out.

The invitation to the ceremony sat in his pocket like a stone, leaden and heavy; he hadn't opened it. To open it was to acknowledge that he would attend, something he hadn't been sure of even just before he'd come here.

I can't not see this through, Kael thought helplessly. I was there for her first step, that original sharp kick in the shins. I can't fail to show up, but I won't be stared at by all and sundry.

Antonidas stood off to one side of the stage at a podium. The Archmage was resplendent in deep purple robes, cinched with a belt that held the Eye of Dalaran, the sigil of his office as leader of the Six, and wore a tight-fitting purple cap on his bald head. Jaina stood on the other side of the stage, looking over the crowd. At the back of the stage sat the other Five, with seats carefully designed so that each member's head drew even with all the others.

Antonidas said something Kael couldn't catch, even this close, and Jaina's gaze tightened briefly, and said something back. The old man nodded once, and Jaina left the stage, to stand in the wings. The Archmage began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. We gather here today to recognize one of our own, Magistrix Jaina Rhiannon Proudmoore, for her achievements. She has risen to meet each challenge placed before her, completing advanced studies in magic, ethics, and history to stand before you now as an Archmage of Dalaran."

The audience clapped loudly as Jaina walked on stage, and Kael's ear twitched as he caught a brief sob -- Jaina's father, he suspected, and not Kylian being a jackass -- and Antonidas raised a hand for quiet. Kael studied his former lover, and felt his chest swell with pride and longing both: instead of the purple and gold of an apprentice mage, Jaina wore blue and white robes with long, trailing sleeves. Her hair was unbound and draped over her shoulders, drawing attention to the bright blue of her eyes and the proud tilt of her chin.

He blinked rapidly, dispersing the tears forming in his eyes before they could betray him. I don't think I even have that right, anymore.

"I have invited Archmage Proudmoore to speak on her graduate thesis topic for you today," Antonidas continued, gesturing for Jaina to take the podium. "I bid you all to listen well to the product of Jaina's hard work, dedication, and meticulous study of her chosen field of study."

"Thank you," Jaina said, and Kael swallowed hard. "I am honoured to be recognized by the Six and the Kirin Tor for completing my thesis, though a true Archmage knows that our time as a student never ends, we simply go on to find new and more exciting subjects to explore. In this case, my thesis is regarding the comparative study of the magical relay system in relation to the recorded ley lines in the Eastern Kingdoms."

That's... was that what she went with in the end? Kael wondered. I thought she was studying the Lethargy, though I wouldn't want to bring that particular topic up in mixed company. He glanced at Antonidas, who was raising an eyebrow, though if he was surprised, he didn't show it. Don't tell me she wrote an entire second thesis just for her graduation ceremony? No wonder she was so busy...

Kael listened as Jaina spoke, letting the confidence in her tone and the sound of her voice wash over him like waves lapping against a sunny beach. Safely hidden behind a pillar, he let his expression relax; more complicated than grief, more morose than love. The presentation was an hour long, and when it wound down and the audience clapped, Kael started, and nearly gave himself away by clapping along with them.

"An exemplary presentation," Antonidas said. "For this effort, for all your work in the past, and all the research you will do in the future, I, Antonidas of Dalaran, leader of the Six and representative of the Kirin Tor, do present you with your certification of completion of your Archmage studies. We see you, Jaina, we recognize you as a peer, colleague, and friend."

A rousing cheer -- and another brief sob -- rose up from the crowd as Antonidas presented Jaina with a heavy scroll bound in purple and gold. Jaina took it, and carefully opened it, showing off a long screed of Jaina's accomplishments and new qualifications.

"Congratulations, Archmage," Antonidas said, voice thick with emotion. "The rest of the Six wish to speak to you as well."

Both Jaina and Antonidas moved to the side of the stage, and one by one, each of the other ruling Archmages rose from their seats to make a speech. Archmage Goldenmist spoke of Jaina's enthusiasm for equality and justice; Kael couldn't help but remember their trip to the Internment Camps so many years ago. Archmage Sweetberry spoke of her investigation of Kelthus and the value of Jaina's work. Archmage Desoran regaled the audience with Jaina's enthusiasm for research and her frequent visits to the libraries. Archmage Modera spoke of Jaina's ambition, drive, and desire to be the greatest mage she could be; Kael bit down on one of his sleeves to avoid a sob of his own. Archmage Runeweaver, the final speaker, conveyed that the pattern of much of Jaina's work over the past decade had blazed a trail that he hoped others would follow.

"Thank you," Jaina said, after the speeches concluded. "Thank you all..."

"You're welcome, Archmage Proudmoore."

Kael saw Jaina blink rapidly, as though holding back tears. Her teacher was the first to embrace her, somewhat breaking protocol. The other Five each took their turn -- Jaina had to kneel for Sweetberry -- before parting so her family could offer their own congratulations.

Daelin Proudmoore, cheeks wet, gave his daughter a fierce, rough hug, and Jaina returned it with great fervour. Her mother, Adriana, embraced her more delicately, but no less lovingly, then followed by her sister and Kelnar. Once her family stepped back, Jaina's friends crowded around her, offering their own congratulations.

I should... I should tell her too, Kael thought. Even if we're done, surely she'll hear that much.

"Jaina." Kael stilled as Arthas spoke; he hadn't heard the human prince's voice for nearly a year, and the sound churned up a complicated mix of anger and jealousy. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Arthas," Jaina said, tucking a lock of hair behind one ear. "Thank you for coming."

"I couldn't miss such an important day," Arthas replied. "I owuldn't forget something so important to you. To both of us."

"I'm glad," Jaina said. "Arthas, I..."

"Speaking of forgetting, I didn't see you wearing your necklace," Arthas said. "I guess you were in a hurry?"

"I didn't want to be late," Jaina said. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, because I was thinking that instead of that one, you could wear this one," Arthas said, and drew a delicate-looking silver necklace from the inner pocket of his jacket, and let it unfurl from his fingers: the pendant was a dark blue sapphire, framed by diamonds that twinkled like stars. "Please accept."

Kael swallowed down the sour bile that had lodged itself in his throat and turned away, not bothering to hear the rely.

~ * ~

Later that evening, Kael gathered with his friends in the residence he was now sharing with Kylian. It was good to see them; the occasions were precious and rare that they all had time for each other. Something Kael had learned to value deeply. Even if it resulted in him being subjected to the mortifying ordeal of discussing his past actions.

"Did you actually skip Jaina's graduation ceremony?" Kylian asked, draped carefully on some furniture. There was a look in his eye, a dangerous, manic gleam that reminded Kael of sorcerers with a particular penchant for lighting things on fire. Which, as it happened, Kylian was. "Look, I know things ended badly, but..."

"No, I was there," Kael said. "I was just hiding."

Voren'thal nodded sagely, and made a grasping gesture with his fingers. Pathaleon obligingly handed him a bowl of the chilled fruit balls and a spoon. "You wanted to see, but did not want to be seen."

"Yes, exactly," Kael said, sighing. "She looked... she looked really good. Didn't you think?"

"She isn't my ex--" Rommath winced as Ghlorine's elbow impacted into his side. "Yes, she looked fine. For a human."

"Oh, don't start," Kylian said, rolling his eyes. "Read the room."

Rommath muttered something that, generously, could have been an apology. "...anyway, I have mail from home."

"Belore help us, don't we all?" Ghlorine said, sighing. "In fact, I think you and I might actually have gotten the same letters. Mother does love her replication spell. One of these days she's going to accidentally replicate her missives to the whole Conclave and not just our family."

"...that would be hilarious, I'll make sure Dad tells me about it," Kylian said. "Though, speaking of family, how's stuff with your father these days, Kael?"

"Better," Kael said, a smile fighting its way to prominence on his face. "It's actually really amazing, we went riding last time. Sunstrider caught wind of one of the springpaws that the Windrunners are training up for their Farstrider trainees and he sprinted halfway down the Dawntide Concourse before Father just gave up and polymorphed him into a gerbil. Then he had to try to catch the damned thing before Snowflake ate it."

Ghlorine laughed. "Oh no! I hate it when that happens. How was he about it?"

"Deeply embarrassed and annoyed," Kael said, and smiled proudly. "We laughed about it. I liked hearing him laugh. It wasn't derisive or mocking at all. It was a normal thing that people do."

"Normal people who can't ride ," Rommath muttered, then grabbed at his shin. "Can I not make any snarky comments? I can be discerning!"

"You are ruining the discussion of a perfectly heartwarming familial event," Ghlorine said sternly, and nodded to Kylian. "Thank you."

"No problem," Kylian said. "Because I'm about to ruin it myself. Did your dad tell you about what's been going on with the Conclave? Dad sent me a letter about it, he said the King would tell you."

Kael's face fell. "...yes, he did."

"So, what did he say?" Pathaleon asked, sitting up.

"The Isolationists are gaining power," Kael said softly. "They're pushing for a vote in the Conclave to formally leave the Alliance instead of just withdrawing to our borders. If it goes through, a call will go out to any full-blooded Quel'dorei outside of Quel'thalas for them to come home."

"Shit," Kylian breathed out. "Or what?"

"Forcibly have their citizenship revoked," Rommath said, closing his book. Kael turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Look, I'm not saying I agree, but I used to hear the talk about their plans for years, and read the reports coming from Quel'thalas while we were here. The elves in Azeroth won't care. They've always been Azeroth first, everyone else second, but some of the others... Do you think the Windrunners are going to tolerate two of their scions living outside of the Dusklands forever? Or the Goldenmists having one of their most powerful mages leading Dalaran? Or... us?"

"What is forcing us back to Quel'thalas supposed to accomplish?" Pathaleon asked, fiddling with his cube. "Are we cutting off trade too?"

"Possibly," Rommath said, sighing. "I don't like it. I may not always... agree with the humans, but trying to lock our doors and pretend they aren't there is futile. The Isolationists aren't just talking about a few expats; they'd be shutting down the Farstrider Lodges in Khaz Modan and the Hinterlands. They'd be essentially destroying all sea trade except for extremely localized fishing. We'd get to keep our exports, but then what would we do with them? Not to mention we wouldn't be importing anything either."

"We don't raise enough animals to get leather or wool," Ghlorine said, frowning. "We have silk and cotton certainly, but we'd have to start cutting down forests to get all the building materials we'd need."

"No steaks, no bacon," Kylian remarked wistfully. "Not to mention the cheese."

"There would be riots in the streets without cheese," Voren'thal said solemnly. Kael looked at him sharply, but Voren's mouth twitched into a brief smile at the attention. "Hyperbole, not prophecy, I promise. So far as I can see."

"There are elves in every country in the Alliance," Kael said. "Training in Lordaeron, Dalaran, and Ironforge... even in Kul Tiras."

"In the Silver Hand," Kylian whispered. "She'd never be able to come back at all."

"They don't care," Rommath said harshly. "They don't care what -- or who -- we'd lose. All they see is imperfection. Impurity. A failing of moral standards ever since Anduin Lothar convinced Ranger-Captain Alleria Windrunner that we needed to peek outside the gates before the orcs tore them down. Some even blame the humans for that."

"That's such horseshit," Kylian muttered, and flopped back. "You're right, though. About the issue, anyway. Dad's complained about it over the years."

"We have to do something," Pathaleon said, brow wrinkling with distress as his brows drew inwards. "We can't just let them ruin everything."

"We can't," Rommath said. Kael looked at him sharply. "Not from here. They're not going to listen to us while we're living in Dalaran as 'students'. We have to go back home, start making connections."

"Are they going to listen?" Pathaleon asked. "Maybe they would to you or Kael, but what about me? What about Voren?"

"We could split up," Ghlorine suggested, voice soft. "Some of us can go back to Quel'thalas, while others stay here and talk to other elves and Shano'dorei. We could even send someone to Lordaeron and Khaz Modan, though that might be tricky. We could even--"

"No," Voren'thal said quietly. He gripped at his cane, and Kael's ear twitched as the magic in it pulsed hard. "We must stay together, always. Only darkness comes for us if we separate."

Kael inhaled sharply, and Kylian bit his lip. "So, what do you propose?"

"We need to make friends and gather allies," Voren said softly. "We need to gather and prepare for when the time comes. There will be darkness, hunger, and suffering. We need to weather the storm."

"The storm?" Kael asked, pitching his voice soft. "What storm?"

"The worst storm Azeroth has ever known," Voren said solemnly. "The rain of chaos."

~ * ~

Once we have an appropriate assignment for Jaina, we'll ask her to complete it.

Jaina exhaled slowly through gritted teeth, and turned the page of the book she was reading, taking in none of. It had been three weeks since graduation; her family had returned home and her course work had officially ended. She would need to surrender her student housing soon and dig into her stipend to find a new place to live.

I'm sorry, Arthas. I have a final assignment after my graduation. I'm not ready to resume our engagement just yet. Please understand.

She touched over the pendant that rested over her heart; it felt, some days, unfathomably heavy.

I'm going to visit Master Antonidas, and see if he might have something for me, Jaina thought, and closed her book with a snap. She pushed it aside and stood, hurrying to the door, only barely recalling to grab a cloak before she went out into the crisp High Autumn afternoon.

The streets were relatively quiet as Jaina made her way towards the Violet Citadel, and she tugged her cloak a little closer around her. In pieces, Jaina caught snatches of conversations: weeks ago, a border keep, Durnholde, had fallen to the orcs. Work had been done to track them down, but they had scattered, hiding from the roving Alliance patrols.

I wonder if they were able to tear down the walls of those fucking Internment Camps, Jaina wondered. I hope that they did. I hope that they destroyed every last pit of misery and suffering. However they did it, it can't have been easy.

Jaina swallowed heavily; she still regretted that her first thesis had not been in a fit state to present at her graduation ceremony. Antonidas had accepted it for her graduation, but knowing that it wouldn't be the perfect, coherent, logical argument she'd hoped to present to the Six, she'd started over, completing it and having Antonidas approve it the day before her graduation.

I suppose it doesn't matter, it's not as if I'll ever need to use it for anything, Jaina thought. I should just--

"--madness!"

"I swear to you that it is not." The speaker was another man, his voice both more youthful than the venerable Archmage, and yet somehow deeply weary. "You must not ignore the signs. The weather patterns, the state of the land, the moods of the people. The past is repeating itself."

"Nothing that is happening now matches the old patterns," Antonidas said sternly. "Nethergarde Keep would send word if the Dark Portal was opening again. Do not resurrect old problems to no purpose. Our ambassador to Lordaeron told me of your visit there. Did you somehow think that I would be more gullible, more credulous than Terenas?"

The last I'd heard, our ambassador was trying to convince Arthas' father about our concerns regarding the sicknesses breaking out in the northern villages, Jaina thought, and silently cast a spell to cloak herself from observers so she could get closer.

"I thought you would be sensible and listen, not stick your head in the sand," the man said, turning away briefly in frustration. Jaina bit back a gasp as he seemed to make eye contact, then ignored her. He was hazel-eyed, and what she could see of his hair beneath his hood was light brown. A small beard and moustache framed his mouth as it grimaced with frustration. "I've come here in vain, clearly."

"Yes, and you should leave here. Now," Antonidas said. "Seek an audience elsewhere."

"It's good to see that some people never change, Archmage," the man said before his form twisted around and a glossy black raven took wing, flying out of the courtyard.

"Yes, that is my greatest fear as well," Antonidas murmured to himself, and then glanced towards Jaina. "You can come out now."

Jaina let the invisibility spell fade. "I couldn't help but overhear."

"I know," Antonidas said, sighing. "You were looking for me?"

"I was, I wanted to ask you about something else, but now..." Jaina gestured towards the sky. "What was it that he wanted to talk to you about?"

"Nothing of importance," Antonidas said sharply. "We think a little more critically here than-- elsewhere. Come."

Jaina opened her mouth, closed it, and then nodded. If that's who I think it is, I have a dozen questions, and an urge to learn how to self-polymorph to fly after him.

Antonidas raised a hand, and cast a teleportation spell, carrying them both to his office, startling his cats a little, and Jaina not at all. "You want to know when you'll receive your special assignment, don't you?"

"It's been weeks, so... yes, I do want to know that," Jaina said. "I've heard rumours, about some kind of illness, the orcs... and now this. Are their signs of something coming?"

"Do all Archmages rely on gossip for their opinions, or only the young ones?" Antonidas asked, arching a brow. Jaina met his gaze steadily until he sighed. "Our... guest is certain the world will end. It will not. There are some serious concerns -- the orcs, as you mentioned -- but that's best left to Lordaeron and its soldiers. The concern I'd like you to focus on is of a different nature."

"Of course, however I can help," Jaina said, trying not to sound too eager. "What is it?"

"You're right that there's a concern about illness... there's a plague sweeping through northern Lordaeron," Antonidas said. "King Terenas is... reluctant to restrict the freedoms of his people for what he believes is an unproven threat. I'd like for you to see if you can find the source."

"That's a healer's task, unless you think it's arcane in nature," Jaina said slowly. "Do you?"

"Do you remember Nicholai Kelthus?"

"Vividly," Jaina said. "Do you think this is his doing? Necromancy?"

"It's dangerous to speculate without all the facts," Antonidas said. "...but there's a very real possibility. We stripped him of his power and exiled him, believing him to be rendered harmless. If that isn't the case, we need to correct our mistakes."

"I'll find out," Jaina said. "Whatever needs doing. Will I be... going alone?" Sheltered as she was in her cloak, Jaina fiddled with the cuff of one sleeve. Normally, I'd pick Kael in a heartbeat for an investigation but... somehow, I don't think that will be good for any of us. Either because we won't speak, we'll get into a screaming fight and destroy something, or because he just won't show up.

"I've actually arranged a special envoy for you," Antonidas said, and offered a very thin smile. "I don't think you'll object to them."

Jaina nodded, and took a breath. "Then I'll prepare to leave immediately."

"Safe travels, Jaina," Antonidas said, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This is the first step towards what I am certain will be a remarkable career."

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