Garbage Day

When Nyxxa sought to invite Selin Fireheart over for tea in what used to be Magister Goldensword’s estate, she thought the setting would be enticing in itself.  Most of the felblood as a whole seemed to be curious as to what was in the manor, and it would be best to show off the manor now before the new residents started to make more sweeping renovations.

That aside, it wasn’t her intention to show off.  Far from it.  Given the events she had been relayed as far as the search for Frostmourne, as well as Fireheart’s interest in the ‘“late” king of the high elves, it was obvious that things needed to be discussed.  If they hadn’t been already, that was.  Either way, the conversation would prove interesting.

Asking permission, Nyxxa had taken a room that had likely been for meetings or entertainment of some sort.  At least, it seemed like it to her. She couldn’t make heads or tails of the use of half of the rooms in this building. 

These highborne and their too many halls.

She had the tea and some food ready for his arrival, as she assumed it would be hospitable to have such things ready after traveling to this place in the chill of winter.  Especially someone whose surname was “Fireheart”.  But as for what would come next was largely unknown to her.

She had made it clear she had invited him over with the expressed intention to talk about something important.  Though, as she was still unfamiliar with the man, she was uncertain if he was one to want to cut to the quick or indulge in small talk first.  But either way she would adapt.  Best not to overthink this.

As Selin arrived she quickly made sure he was brought in from the cold and hastily given a hot cup of tea.  And after the typical formalities were traded, Nyxxa began the conversation.

“So.  How’ve you been settling into things?” She said with a flick of her wrist gesturing towards his entire form.

Selin was never the most curious of individuals, but even he couldn't help but have the slightest bit of inquisitivity as to the interior of the former home of the Seeker of Wisdom. During his time as a Spellbreaker for the former regime, he had been in the private homes of many of the most powerful magisters, but never hers. Indeed, she employed her own private guard force, and had a select group of spellbreakers that would be permitted to check in when necessary. Though it reeked of corruption, there was naught he could do to change the arrangement, despite his counsel to his former superior, Commander Theron.

Not that such notions mattered any longer. The Seeker of Wisdom was now ousted along with the remnant of the government-in-exile, and Lor'themar with them. In time, he hoped they would come to realize that they were making a mistake by refusing his offer to return to Silvermoon... but such things would, unfortunately, take time.

Time in which lives would be lost on both sides. A regrettable circumstance... but thus was the tragedy of war.

The invitation, under any other circumstance, may have screamed a trap. To be invited into the heart of a stronghold of an ally, but away from prying eyes, to discuss important matters. Had he reason to suspect the satyr of treachery, he would have come prepared for an assassination attempt.

However, he knew such measures would not be needed. In the few times he had interacted with Nyxxa, he had found her to be exceedingly genuine for a demon, and for a satyr no less. Though he had never met any others, his intelligence within the Legion named them as remnants of the Legion's first invasion; deceitful, capricious demons who's loyalty for the Legion extends as far as their own interests. And yet Nyxxa seemed... genuine. Disarmingly so, especially when compared to her absent colleague.

And as the woman immediately went about ensuring his trip was safe, and that he was not uncomfortable in the first winter Quel'thalas had experienced in thousands of years. 

No, whatever Nyxxa wished to discuss, she wished to do so with neither pomp nor circumstance. A... unexpected and refreshing circumstance, given the warnings he otherwise would have heard.

He had opted not to wear his armor and combat regalia, shirking it for a comfortable, sleek outfit once reserved for formal soirees and appearances and a simple sidearm, along with a warm violet cloak, which he relinquished to Nyxxa gladly upon her offer to take and hang it.



He settled in and took a slow sip of the tea she had prepared for him, sighing with relief as he allowed to tea to stoke the fire in his veins once more. He allowed his miniscule wings to stretch out, after being folded beneath his cloak during the journey here.

"Admirably, given circumstances," he said. "Considering the minority that now makes up our people here in Quel'thalas, we are managing well. Though I must say, one does not truly appreciate eternal spring until it is gone. Were I to never experience another winter, I would not be disappointed."

He leaned back and took another sip of tea.

"The orcs are... unorthodox allies. But they are strong. Spirited. There is much to be gained from our alliance... though I do wish they would take better care of my city. They have a bit of a cultural tendency to disrespect their surroundings if they are not to their specifications, and it does not take an interior designer to recognize that Thalassian architecture is far from their ideal. I've simply resigned myself to the inevitable complexity of the restoration that will have to take place once peace is brought to Azeroth, and once Quel'thalas is returned to us."

And, of course, once Zul'jin and his savages have been dealt with, once and for all.

There was the subtlest hint of a crack in Selin's demeanor as his thoughts travelled to the burgeoning alliance between the Orcish Horde and the Amani tribes. It was all he could do to contain his fury upon hearing of this... troubling development.

"But that is a problem for another day. What of you, Lady Nyxxa? Though our city is far from an ideal condition to impress right now, I do hope you have found your time here enjoyable. You are from... far away, if my knowledge does not fail?"

Nyxxa raised her eyebrow as Selin seemed to be leaving something unsaid concerning relations with the orcs.  Though, she decided not to press.

"I believe the term that's been floating around in the demonic circles is 'blunt instrument' when it comes to the orcs.  But yes, they do suffer from lacking respect for things they have never seen before.  The majority, at least.  And yet I suppose that is a flaw all peoples share when you really think about it."

She rested her head on her hand as she pondered aloud.

"But yes, I'm from off the map it seems.  It's out there somewhere, same place where your people came from if that is helpful in any context.  That said, I've been gone for so long I can barely remember the place.  Though I think I find the ruins of a city far more familiar then one in full glory- truly I'd be more out of my element if you did have the full Silvermoon to show off."

She chuckled a bit before stopping herself, and took a sip of tea.

"But perhaps that's a joke in poor taste.  I can tell you care a lot for your people and this place, and it's a shame that things have become so broken."

Again.

Selin shrugged, taking another sip of tea before placing it upon the saucer on the nearby table.  "Sometimes, the fields and forests must be burned to cure the sickness in the soil. Regrettable though it may seem, the end result is something that will better withstand the elements thereafter. It may seem frightful at first, but ultimately, our people will become stronger for it."

Selin cocked his head slightly to the side. She was a curious one, she was. It was plain to him that, while she spoke with confidence and sincerity enough - though strange for a satyr - to seem comfortable, she was painfully out of place, and he could sense her wound up tighter than a taught bowstring. From her garb to her demeanor, she was a woman of action first. More at home was she on the road, in the forest, moving her hands and hooves; not drinking tea in a library. A bemused, but endeared, smirk revealed a fang as he leaned back in his chair and cradled his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

"Not to seem disingenuous, but you did invite me over to discuss something important, yes? Fair warning: I could wax philosophy regarding the status of civilizations and war all day if you allow me to, but I would not wish to bore you. If you would prefer to skip the pleasantries, you do not have to fear me holding it against you. Though I enjoy a good discussion as much as anyone else, you needn't tax yourself overmuch to try and appease me for fear of treading on nerves or sensibilities. You will - hopefully - be relieved to hear that I am not so uptight as my colleagues within the Magistrate, especially while I am 'off duty,' as it were. You may speak as freely as you are comfortable doing."

Nyxxa raised her hand quickly in protest.

"Oh no, I enjoy 'waxing philosophic', as you put it.  It's real interesting to me the different perspectives people have, though admittedly I'm not very good with smart words."

Again she laughed.

"Honestly, the only part of this conversation that made me feel out of sorts was you referring to me as 'lady'.  I'm a forest woman so that's really never felt quite right!"

She sighed. 

"That said, you are right.  And if we keep on this I'm more likely to get sidetracked and forget what I invited you here to talk to you about in the first place."

Nyxxa leaned back into her chair slightly, thinking of what grave news this was likely going to be.  She was also wary of perhaps giving too much information.

"First I would ask you, what had you heard of what transpired during the Battle of Quel'danas?  Specifically, the high elvish forces that fought in the battle."

"Then perhaps we will have to make time to do so, after business has been handled. But..."

His gaze narrowed ever slightly.

"I heard enough to know I have not heard nearly enough to paint a full picture of what happened.  I know that General Dawnseeker recovered the runeblade that was sought after by our orcish allies, and that King Kael'thas was seen at the battle directly within the Sunwell Plateau, despite being reported slain in battle by Mal'ganis before the dreadlord's defeat."  Selin leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knee and holding his chin behind his hands. "That, and reports of an unfamiliar force at the head of the Elvish vanguard, clad in unfamiliar colors and wielding... darker magics than my kin are wont to use."

He tapped a finger on his hand in contemplation.

"I trust you have reports of your own to share? You were on the front lines, if I am correct. I would be glad to hear them."

Nyxxa nodded along as Selin spoke.

"I can confirm all that information is true.  I do not know the specifics behind the power the vanguard was wielding- you would need someone like Halno to explain the details of it.  But.  What I do know about that runeblade is that it possesses powerful, necromantic magic.  So it's no wonder that this was the general nature of what was being brought to bare against us."

"Frostmourne," She said, with an almost scoff.  "And though I felled Lana'thel myself, given the nature of that thing I am all but certain we haven't seen the last of it."  

She let her words hang in the air for a moment, swishing her tea around, before continuing.

"I did not see the king for myself, but I know from other sources that he was seen during the battle.  And I also know that he was indeed slain during the fight with Mal'ganis.  Though it's not something I can confirm truly for myself, with Frostmourne in the picture and the presence of the risen dead- it is once again not difficult to draw a conclusion."

And as she said this, lights flickered from under Nyxxa's blindfold and around her tattoos as she channeled her powers into her sight.  Though perhaps an extreme measure, she knew whos business she was getting into.  Though the dreadlords likely had better things to do then keep an eye on a mouthy satyr, it didn't hurt to be careful.

"But.  There is something else.  Something about that whole situation that strikes me as concerning.  And given our conversations in the past, this is something I thought you should know."

Necromancy.  As a spellbreaker, Selin had more than a passing knowledge of the arcane arts. Of the schools of magic, Necromancy was seen as the most dangerous and corrupting.  The conjuration and control of shadow and death magic was something no one did in public, and only the most powerful or most foolish did in secret - until recently, that is.  If Kael'thas and the Grand Magister were both aware and endorsing the use of such magics publically - and, indeed, if the King's return was in some way heralded by the selfsame magic, then perhaps the elvish people were going through even more change than he expected the fall of his city to cause.

The ripples of this would be most curious to observe... and most troubling.

He knew Lana'thel Dawnseeker tangentially, and now regretted not looking further into the wife and subordinate of the famed hero who fell to Arthak's blade, as it seemed she was to take the stage in some manner. If she, too, defies death in the same way as the King reportedly did...

"Thank you for corroborating this information," Selin said.  "It is quite interesting and... troubling. Quite frankly, I have no idea what this could mean.  The last thing I expected this schism to produce was an opposite reaction involving dark magics on the other side of the battlefield..."

Selin gestured with his hand to Nyxxa.  "You've checked this room for scrying, yes?" he said. Though her methods were different, the technique was unmistakable, and judging from the fact that she had continued speaking, he surmised the coast was clear of eavesdropping. "If you believe we are secure, then please.  I would much like to hear everything you are willing and able to share, Nyxxa."

Nyxxa nodded.  

"As far as I can tell, no one is watching.  Although, it is said that if a demon is powerful enough- the mere mention of their name can invite them into the conversation.  As far as I can tell we should have not much to worry about that dreadlord, given his current state...  Though something to keep in mind if you ever have talks like these in the future, or if others come up.  Superstition or not, it pays to be as careful as you can."

She placed her teacup down and rested her other hand under her head.

"The troubling information I heard from the party sent to retrieve the blade- is that is seemed that his intentions were that Frostmourne fall into the hands of the high elves.  And if I am recalling correctly, he was taking particular interest in the king. Though he missed his mark, and was felled for his trouble, none the less the blade has fallen into the hands of the high elves.  So perhaps he did get what he wanted after all."

As she spoke this information, her gaze did not waver away from Selin.

"Not that I have any idea of what he wanted, or even if the other dreadlords knew either.  This might have even been a shock to them too.  So this is one of those matters where plans may have been royally fucked up... or all things are going according to plan.  Or anywhere in between, really.

And, of course, because the dreadlords are the ones calling the shots at the moment- we'll likely never know.  Truth be told if I knew that the eredar in charge were going to be replaced with them I probably wouldn't have stayed..."

Nyxxa let the silence sit for a moment, and took a sip of her tea.  She understood this might be a lot to take in.

"I have my own theories- but past what I heard from the expedition report it's all but conjecture based on experience."

Selin considered Nyxxa's words.  The Dreadlords were known to him, but only by their reputation. He knew they were master manipulators with esoteric powers that few fully understood, and it was plain that while only a truly foolish demon would trust them, they were well-respected and feared, both for good reason.

If these winged masters of shadow were indeed trying to compromise King Kael'thas and his followers from within, he sincerely hoped that they would not fall victim to their machinations and be wiped out. Ultimately, the Shadowsword were few in number, and without reclaiming their ranks from those who opposed the Legion's invasion and the Orcish occupation, the Shadowsword would face challenges in the future.  If the elves were wiped out, then they, too, could follow suite.  This was, of course, unacceptable.

But, without concrete evidence, it was hard to say which of Nyxxa's hypothesis was correct, or if perhaps it was a combination of factors beyond their ken.  In either sense, it was something to think of.

"I am slow to leap to conclusions and assumptions... but even conjecture could prove useful," Selin explained. "If you hold suspicions, I would know them. Even if they prove true, giving voice to concerns can allow others to lend their viewpoints towards a circumstance, and it is better to consider all possibilities than to be blindsided by one you did not consider."