#Moraliuen Sarron

[joywindsong]

The Seductive Bandit Pt 10

Ranger boots hit the ground. Running up the trail through the Ghostlands. Ignoring the cries for help from the mutilated citizens of Quel'Thalas who lie next to bodies and fall victim to straggling scourge forces. Watching the ranger run by, selfishly drowning out their pleas, would be their dying memory. Her knees and ankles ached with sharp pain, but the Lich King's forces still roamed. She couldn't stop running. Up through the Thalassian Pass, she saw the bodies of the guardians of the land, running past into Lordaeron.

Nowhere seemed safe. She could go to the lodge just past the border, but who knows what kind of Scourge could be there, or other refugees who might question her. She was wrong for what she was doing. Her family and friends were dying as she ran. As she came through the pass she looked out onto Lordaeron to see how the plague had ravaged the once serene landscape.

~Epilogue

Alyarus awoke staring at the ceiling of the infirmary on the Great Blue Meg. There is a tight compression on her left arm. Her nose and face are throbbing. She has to breathe through her mouth but there is a sharp pain as she inhales.

"You're awake." A deep voice said, approaching her bed.

"And, you're alive." Alyarus looked up at Moosehead.

The tauren pulls an ankh from under the collar of his robe and shows it to her.

"The Earthmother decided it was not my time to leave." He grinned. "See she spared you as well."

"Yeah... bad habit it seems." Alyarus stares up at the ceiling. Moosehead lets out a sigh.

"There is no shame in self preservation my friend. You said it yourself. Dying to the Scourge with the rest of your kin wouldn’t have made any difference. If they won't take the capable combatant you've grown into, that's their loss." Moose says handing her a mug.

Alyarus sits up to intense pain in her ribs. She takes the mug through the winces of her agony.

"Just woke up and you're trying to get me drunk?" She takes a sip to taste nothing.

"It's water. You're too dehydrated to heal back to full health." Moose informs.

"Did he make it?" She questions curiously over the top of the mug.

"The human is perfectly fine. Just shaken up. His stoic demeanor doesn't change the fact that he is a young adventurer. He hasn't seen what we've seen. This also seemed to be a rather emotionally taxing event for everyone involved."

Alyarus looks down at her mug. "I wasn't talking about Vontez..."

"Pesky paladins always seem to have some trick up their sleeve. He came back from the edge of death and the Captain disengaged us from the situation." Moose explained.

"So he'll be back for me."

"You have a whole crew behind you. The Captain would have never sent a new recruit with us if he expected things to go so South. He did his best, but Vontez has a long way to go. He wasn't ready to go up against an elite like that." Moose tells Alyarus who stares straight ahead. "I'll give you time to process things. I'll be back to heal you in a bit."

Later that night Alyarus is up and moving. She sneaks up to the upper decks to see Vontez looking out at the water. She slips through the shadows to appear behind him.

"How are we feeling new recruit?" She teases to no response.

Alyarus comes up next to Vontez and touches his arm. He's wearing his cloak in plain clothes.

"You did your best, and you lived to fight another day. That's what counts."

He sighs. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you..."

Alyarus tilts her head. "But you did protect me."

"I didn't. I started doubting the light and that's what let him overwhelm me. I couldn't stand to see someone wielding the righteousness of the light for such an evil reason. I started questioning it and I lost it." Vontez explained plainly. Alyarus raises her eyebrow.

"I thought the light had no moral compass. It's just a matter of personal determination. My brother's power from the light isn't a testament to the force's nature, but his own twisted sense of morality." Alyarus leans on the railing and looks up at the sky. "My brother's sense of right and wrong has always been based in bureaucracy and law. That's what made him take to the light so easily. He has a black and white view on those things. It's very easy for him to dedicate himself to the cause of maintaining order and status quo. You watched your kingdom crumble at the hands of the law. So of course you'll both come from two very different points of view."

Vontez sits on the deck covered in his cloak. "Why is he so much stronger than me? Is what I stand for not something I believe in strongly enough? I'm ashamed that I couldn't step up to him and prove him wrong."

Alyarus steps up to Vontez and crouches down. She removes his hood and pushes the hair off his forehead.

"I'm not a servant of the light. But I know my brother has at least a few hundred years on you. He's naturally going to have a stronger sense of what he stands for. You don't even know how little you know yet. Testing your devotion to what you stand for is what makes you stronger. This is one of those tests. But it’s very noble of you to feel the way you do."

"I am still ashamed that my values were shaken and it could have gotten us killed." The human's face remains stern and melancholic.

Alyarus pouts and puts her hand on his bearded cheek. "Failure is a part of life. Heroes survive, like we did today, and keep moving forward." She leans forward and kisses him on the cheek. "It's cute that you feel so bad about not protecting me though." Alyarus walks back to the lower decks.

Vontez blushes a bit and turns to her as she's leaving. "What was that for?" Alyarus smirks.

"Feel grateful. Not many men have gotten that for free. All you had to do was almost die for me." With a cocky grin she slips back into the shadows.

Vontez, not used to affection, takes a moment to take in what happened. He looks back out into the night sky reflecting on the high elf's words.

~Prologue

Far up north over the Crystalsong Forest in Northrend, two wyvern fly to a city in the sky. Touching down in Krasus' Landing a troll and blood elf dismount from their taxis.

"Wow mon. So dis' be what dey was hidin' over in Silverpine?" Omaroku remarked.

"Your first time seeing it?" Moraliuen asked. "Ya tink a troll my age was hangin around dem' parts before the Third War? All I be knowin' is a big barrier in da middle of da woods."

"Aren't most trolls from the Eastern Kingdoms?" Moraliuen questioned in an antagonizing way. "I know ya don't be implyin' I'm an Amani. Stranglethorn be all I know of dem' Eastern Kingdoms before everyting. Speakin' of, what was takin ya' so long the other day?" Omaroku prodded. "Had to take care of some enemies. Was a bit more troublesome than I thought." "Ah, chasin' dem honor kills for da Warchief?" Omaroku laughed.

"These were just some pirates, and most slipped away. Though I did slay a few of the Alliance in the jungle that day." Moraliuen bragged. "I'm sure dey had it comin'. Da elves always do... no offense." Omaroku laughs again. A messenger runs up to the pair. A younger human male wearing a purple robe. "Excuse me. Do either of you speak common?" "We both do" Moraliuen responds. Omaroku grumbles and says to Moraliuen in orcish. "Ay mon! Ya know I don' be tellin' Alliance I know it." "He seems to be with the Kirin'Tor. They're a neutral faction." Moraliuen responds back in orcish to Omaroku waving a hand. The young man points to Omaroku. "Are you a Darkspear Shaman by chance?" Omaroku reluctantly responds. "Yes. I be." "The Kirin'Tor are looking for an... um." The young man reads off a piece of parchment. "Omar..Rocku?" "Omaroku?" Moraliuen asks. "Is that how this is pronounced?" The young man shows the parchment to the blood elf and Omaroku snatches it out of his hand. "What be this?" Omaroku reads off a physical description of himself on the piece of parchment. "7'4? I be 7'6!" "Oh wow! So it is you! I was the one who found you!" The young man cheers. "Oh yeah. You're gonna have to come with me to see my teacher. He can explain everything." Omaroku gives the young human a puzzled look. "We have business Omaroku." Moraliuen reminds his comrade in orcish. "Ya' be goin' ahead. I'll entertain dis' little man." Omaroku tells Moraliuen who shrugs and walks off. Omaroku follows the boy to the Runeweaver Square where they enter one of the far buildings. An older gnome with brown hair, most not on the top of his head, wearing a Kirin'Tor tabard and purple robe looks up at the troll walking in. "Is this Omaroku?" He asks the young man. "Yes sir!" The student says excited. "Good work. Allow me to speak to our guest alone." The young man leaves a bit disappointed.

Omaroku waits for the door to close. "What be da deal mon'? Who are ya and what ya be lookin for me for?" The gnome motions for Omaroku to sit in the nook by the doorway. Two small chairs across a small table. The gnome sits and Omaroku's lanky body squats into the chair. "My name is Adius. I'm a professor of Arcane here in Dalaran. I'm also in charge of managing the well being and care of some of our youngest pupils." "What dis' got to do wit me?" Omaroku asks impatiently. "Well. As you know, Dalaran has been closed off to the world for many years. Since just after the Third War. Partly to maintain a peaceful sanctuary for our studies, but also to avoid the conflict growing between the two factions. We also became a sanctuary for survivors of the scourge and some notably unique cases." Adius conjures some tea onto the table with cups set for both his guest and him. He takes a sip. "One of those unique cases was a newborn child from the Alliance whose mother didn't want to risk that child becoming a casualty of war." "Hold on a minute." Omaroku leans forward pointing to his military tabard. "Dis be lookin' like a lion to ya? What ya be tryin'a say?"

Adius takes a sip of his tea. "Her mother was worried she'd face discrimination in the Alliance. Her mother was a night elf. The father was a troll." "Now-!" Omaroku goes to protest and has a sudden realization. "Wait a minute mon'..."

"Mr. Omaroku. We believe we have your daughter." Adius tells the troll blankly.

Omaroku's head sinks into his hands on the table. "We received a report from the Alliance a couple of days ago. Her mother has passed. We were in the process of arranging a return of custody. She's been heart broken ever since we told her the news. We were hoping you'd be willing to at least be apart of her life."

"I had an elf chile this whole time mon'..." Omaroku is in shock.

"She doesn't know who you are. We won't tell her or introduce you unless you're feeling up to it. She's been raised by the Kirin'Tor her whole life, and she even has a ton of potential already in arcane magic. There would be no harm in leaving her in our care." Adius assures. Omaroku sighs. "I dunno mon..."

~FIN

[joywindsong]

The Seductive Bandit Pt 9

Alyarus stands over her brother. Moraliuen is still alive but struggles to move without feeling tremendous pain. Vontez is healing himself enough to get back up to his feet, his muscular hamstring now exposed through his armor and scarred from the deep wound he sustained from the blood elf's assault.

"I'm not sure if we can afford to show this monster mercy." Vontez warns Alyarus, who stands over the gasping Moraliuen.

A warmness buds in her chest. Remembering how her big brother protected her and looked after her for all their life back in Silvermoon. She also knew his values and his discipline. It was not shocking how things got to this point.

Both saddening and sobering to see the passion of Moraliuen turned against her. It was why she never tried to return home, even as the Sin'dorei rebuilt things. Alyarus knew that she would never be accepted back after the decisions she had made. The only person who would ever show her sympathy for her crimes was now gasping through blood, still trying to execute her. The high elf lets out a soft sigh raising her revolver to aim between green eyes. "Mercy? I have none... Not even for you, brother." Her thumb cocks the hammer on the gun.

A light flashes and a warhorse roars knocking Alyarus back and down to the ground. The stead charges forward with Moraliuen on its back, knocking Vontez to the ground aswell. Moraliuen catches the hilt of his sword to pull it from the ground before as his horse passes by. The mount rides a few meters away and in another flash of light disappears. Moraliuen on his knees, trying to stand, summons a small burst of light over his body. The blood elf pants and slowly raises his weapon again. "I underestimated you pests. I guess I can't waste any time in exterminating you." The blood elf warns. Moraliuen and Alyarus' eyes are beaming under the dark purple sky. The green eyes charge forward. Vontez lunges in front of Alyarus to block a heavy shot that his shield barely withstands the force of. "GRRRAH! I'M TIRED OF DEALING WITH YOU WELP!" Moraliuen summons a spinning circle of light that knocks Alyarus off her feet and Vontez stumbles. Moraliuen swings his sword into the shield so hard that it starts to bend and dent. Vontez falls back and covers his torso with the damaged shield. The jungle echoes with clanging and banging and sparks of light from Moraliuen pummeling towards Vontez with the broadsword that is reshaping the shield over the human's arms and chest.

"How many wounds can you heal!?... You've already wasted so much of your power!... This is what happens when a novice steps up to a master!"

Faintly through the loud sounds of contorting metal are the cracking of bones and involuntary guttural noises from the man under the mutilated shield. A bit shaken, Alyarus aims the revolver at Moraliuen. In his violent thrashing aims for his head.

"BANG!" The bullet catches his shoulder plate and has enough impact to throw him off balance and turn him to face his sister.

"in a hurry to die are we!?" Moraliuen lunges.

Alyarus barely evades her brother's offense. With each swing of the illuminating blade she sidesteps to avoid it. Her strikes are fast and calculated. Swiping and stabbing where she can as the blade keeps coming back to try to catch her again. Each strike only slows Moraliuen a tad bit. Knowing he won't outlast her agility he swipes forward with an empty hand and grabs Alyarus by the hair on the top of her head. Her dagger clangs against his bracer trying to fight back from an awkward angle.

Moraliuen slams Alyarus face first into the dirt. Her nose and eyes start burning, she can't stay where she is. Alyarus rolls out of the way to watch the broadsword pierce the ground where she just was. Quickly Alyarus returns to her feet in a fighting stance.

Wiping her running nose Alyarus looks down briefly to see the red on her glove. She glances over to see Vontez lying unconscious on the ground.

"Well shit..."

Moraliuen roars with another swing. Alyarus has no time to dodge and uses her broadsword to parry. The force of the impact causes the high elf's sword to snap, and Moraliuen to stumble forward from the uncontrolled rage behind the attack. Alyarus takes the split second opportunity to drive what is left of her sword into her brother's thigh and then sidesteps away to create separation.

Moraliuen pulls the sword from his leg wincing before resetting into his battle stance. "You won't last long now!" Moraliuen casts judgement to knock Alyarus off balance.

He swings and she dodges. A swing and a dodge. A swing and he catches her on the upper arm slicing straight through her leather tunic and shirt. She stumbles, feeling her whole arm shoot with pins and needles down from the ripping pain of her open flesh. Another swing and the sword catches the midsection of Alyarus mid jump at just the right angle to mostly make contact with the blunt end of the blade. Alyarus falls the the ground clutching her ribs. She draws her revolver, eyes burning.

"BANG!" She completely misses.

"BANG!" Moraliuen blocks the bullet with his sword.

"BANG!" The bullet grazes Moraluen's hand, making him even angrier as he approaches. *click* *click* Alyarus throws the gun at Moraliuen and it only bounces off his armor. "All out of bullets... isn't that sad."

Alyarus sees the green eyes glow against the blurring background. "POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!" Moraliuen doubles over in pain. "ARRR! TAKE DAT YA HORDE DOG!" Alyarus watches her brother fall to his knees before her own vision fades to black.

~ Alyarus falls limp on the jungle floor. "AYE, MOOSE! GRAB THE CREW! I'LL TAKE CARE O' THE ENEMY!" Mad Whale reloads his blunder bus as Moosehead grabs Alyarus with ease and throws Vontez over his shoulder to retreat behind the captain.

"You dwarven bastard..." A flash of light heals Moraliuen of all wounds. "I'm not even close to finished!"

"Yarr! For Nightsquall's sake!" Mad Whale cocks his gun and lets loose another round. "POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!" The barrage doesn't slow Moraliuen's pace towards the pirates.

"Start runnin' Moose! I'll hold him off!" Moosehead charges into the trees behind them. Mad Whale tosses out a metal contraption at Moraliuen's feet. The ground around the blood elf starts to ooze with black tar. He tries to march forward but moving through the sludge is next to impossible. All the paladin can do is watch the pirates disappear into the wilderness.

"YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER ALY! YOU WILL FIND YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN HELL SO LONG AS I BREATHE!"

[joywindsong]

The Seductive Bandit Pt 7

It's the middle of the night in Eversong Woods. A young Alyarus stands watch over the road just outside Fairbreeze Village. She is wearing a ranger's uniform with her hair tied back, leaning against a tree on the side of the trail. Her eyes are heavy and she's nodding off in the moon lit forest. A hand grabs her shoulder and she jolts awake aiming her bow at her laughing brother.

"Gotta pay attention Ranger Alyarus." Moraliuen teases.

Alyarus rolls her eyes leaning back on the tree. "Yeah right. Nothing is coming up this far. I don't know why they have me stationed all the way back here and expect me to stay awake."

"You're a novice ranger. You're not gonna be seeing any real action." Moraliuen says tying his hair up that is barely long enough for a bun. "But, we all have to do our part for our city. Maybe one day you'll be on the frontlines but... you're definitely a long ways away."

"Yeah, literally a long ways away. I'm barely outside of the city. Sure hope a rabid lynx doesn't try to snatch someone's baby." She looks her brother up and down admiring his chainmail under armor. "Being a paladin seems so much more exciting. If mom and dad were gonna make me do something why couldn't they let me go with you to train?"

"Because you lack discipline. The light is a difficult power to wield without incredible devotion." Moraliuen lectures to Alyarus miming talking with her hands.

"You've told me all this. I'd rather be challenged like that than do archery drills all day, and then sit here bored all night." Alyarus crosses her arms. "Why are you here anyways? Weren't you and the others supposed to head back south this morning to the chapel?"

Moraliuen's face turns from light hearted to serious.

"Not much I can tell you. We received a letter this morning that something is going on in the human kingdoms and it's better for the elven paladins to stay in Silvermoon until further notice." Alyarus looks bewildered.

"Something going on?"

"I reiterate: not much I can tell you. The details I was given were minimal, but sensitive. It's best for me to keep quiet until there is an official statement from the High King." Moraliuen says sternly to his yawning sister.

"I'm sure Windrunner will say something to us at dawn if it's that serious. I know better than to try cracking you 'oh devout paladin.'" Alyarus teases.

"Well this devout paladin needs to go get some rest for training at dawn."

Moraliuen puts his arm out and Alyarus steps forward from the tree into her brother giving her a one arm hug before turning and walking away. Alyarus leans back on the tree and looks up the road. Reminded of how heavy her eyelids feel, she struggles to stay awake. A spot of light is fuzzy off in the distance as her vision blurs.

~Alyarus...~

~ALYARUS...~

"ALYARUS!"

The high elf awakes on the jungle floor. Vontez standing over her with his cloak covering her body and a finger to his mouth.

"OH ALYARUS!" A blast of light followed by the crash of a falling tree can be heard in the distance. "Come on out little sis! You've run too far and for too long!"

Alyarus sits up, her head is aching. She scans her surroundings. The sky is turning orangish purple as the sun sets. They're on high ground as Moraliuen is slicing at narrow trees below. Moosehead's bag is on the ground next to her. She is reminded of what she last remembers and looks to Vontez keeping her voice low.

"What happened?"

"I grabbed you and ran for cover but by time you got here you were unconscious. I tried to heal you but I don't think it was a physical injury." Vontez explains close to Alyarus' ear as the crashing and yelling persists.

"ALYARUS!?" CRASH.

The high elf stands up and accounts for all of her equipment. Long sword at one side, dagger on the other, revolver concealed but ready. She looks out at the commotion below and takes a deep breath.

"Alright. I guess this is the situation I'm in." She says to herself.

"Are we retreating to the ship? We're still a ways away." Vontez towers behind Alyarus watching her pull a green flask from her boot.

"No. The only reason he hasn't found us is because you had to stay put. Once we're on the move he'll definitely track us down and I'm not endangering the rest of the crew." She pulls the cork from the flask with her teeth and starts coating her blades. "We've already had too many casualties today and I've spent too much time running."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Vontez questions.

"Forget what you saw from me back there. I'm not the scared little girl who deserted her home and I've accepted that I'm not his cherished little sister either." She removes her cloak. "If it's him or me, then I choose me."

"Let me go in first. We have the two on one advantage and he's too strong to face alone. He's driven by divine purpose right now to call upon greater power and his retribution seals are going to return your damage back and then some." Vontez explains stepping forward. "If I'm protecting you, I can use that purpose to call upon greater power as well and withstand whatever retribution he deals as you break him down."

Alyarus sighs.

"As much as this is my fight, I'm not a fool... Go engage him and stall as long as you can for me to get into position to strike."

Vontez nods before leaping down to the lower level of the jungle with light glowing on his impact. He pushes his hair back and marches forward towards the bursts of light.

"That's enough blood elf!"

Moraliuen turns to face the barrel chested human entering the artificial clearing.

"I've had enough of you... where is my sister?" Moraliuen points his sword at Vontez threateningly.

"I never had a sister, or siblings. But if I did, I couldn't imagine harboring such evil in my heart to want them dead for trivial reasons!" Vontez swings his short sword in challenging manor.

Moraliuen lowers his sword and tilts his head.

"Evil? Trivial? I am enacting order on the world as it should be. I am a servant to the light and that comes before blood." Moraliuen looks down at the ground. "My sister made a choice on the darkest day of our lives. That choice was to commit treason."

Moraliuen lowers his hips and wields his sword to settle into a combat stance.

"She turned her back on her people!" Moraliuen yells "The strong survived and if she was too weak to see the end of the battle then she has no right to walk among the blood elves! She has no right to live in this world!"

ZISHING!

"GAH!" Moraliuen jolts forward. The tension of his chainmail armor popping away is immediately followed by a sharp burning sensation running deep up his back. He feels light headed and the taste of copper comes from the back of his throat. He sees blood splattered at his feet before looking up at Vontez still standing as he was.

Alyarus pulls the bloody knife from beneath the plate under his shoulder blade and watches the gaping wound start to cauterize itself as Moraliuen takes deep heaving breaths.

"So you think I'm weak? That's a sad thing to think of the sister who's going to kill you."

[joywindsong]

The Seductive Bandit Pt 6

Alyarus stands in front of her crewmates on the jungle trail of Stranglethorn Vale eye to eye with her brother.

Moraliuen looks so different and yet exactly the same since the last time she saw him. His hair longer, body thicker, a tuft of hair on his chin, the Horde's insignia on his chest, and eyes turned from blue to almost yellow.

Alyarus overcome with the emotion of seeing her brother for the first time since the Lich King led his attack on Silvermoon. Dropping to her knees, tears stream down her face.

The feeling of shame remembering how she ran from battle while Silvermoon fell. Knowing she has grown so much over the last 4 or 5 years. Become stronger, braver, and more independent. Reuniting with her older brother, she faces her shame to answer his question.

"No Moraliuen... I'm not dead. I ran away. I had to survive but I let our people down. I have lived with that every single day!... I'm so sorry."

Moosehead watches in awe with Vontez also taken off guard. Alyarus has never been so vulnerable in all the time she's been with the Whale Shark Pirates. It's a shock to see her in this state.

Moraliuen walks forward towards his sister, speaking softly.

"I knew you were still out there... all this time I knew my baby sister was capable enough to slip away and survive on her own... that you had to be out there... somewhere... holding on."

Moraliuen stands over Alyarus, looking down at her before his feet.

"So allow me to repeat myself." He grips the hilt of his broadsword. "You should be dead!"

"ALYARUS!"

Moosehead yells once again shifting the earth below her to jolt her out of the way before Moraliuen swings his sword causing an explosion of light on the ground where his sister just was.

Alyarus sits frozen on the ground looking up at Moraliuen.

"Alyarus! Run!"

Vontez shouts leaping into battle and slicing at the blood elf. Sparks fly off the chainmail on Moraliuen's armor. The broadsword glows before Moraliuen swings back catching the shield of Vontez and causing a deep reverberation through the metal knocking Vontez back.

Moraliuen swings again but Vontez plants his feet to tank the second blow from the broadsword, using the time between swings to respond with a blast of judgement from his shortsword. Moraliuen is knocked back but swings overhead with a trail of light following the path of his sword. Vontez deflects and catches Moraliuen with a slice across the cheek.

Alyarus is stunned until she feels Moosehead picking her up to her feet.

"Are you alright first mate?" Alyarus looks up at Moose and back at the Paladins dueling, accepting the reality of what's happening.

Vontez is holding his own for now, but Moraliuen's offense is strong. The burly human is clearly getting winded from bracing against the repeated heavy blows from the blood elf.

"First mate huh? If you're pirates, I'm surprised this one has such a strong grasp of the light."

Moraliuen mocks as he lets loose another crushing strike against Vontez. Brown hair matting against the forehead of the human repeatedly bracing and protecting from the broadsword's light infused blows.

"A little help here!?... It's three of us against one!..." Vontez pants.

"Why protect her? I have no business with you human. What compels you to stand so devoted against justice?"

Moraliuen catches Vontez's shield on the upswing of his sword. The clang breaks the shield from the human's grasp and the blood elf nearly beheads Vontez before his aura protects him at the last moment.

"Enough!" Moosehead steps forth with his booming voice. "What reason do you have for trying to kill your own flesh and blood!?"

Moraliuen laughs.

"Why don't you look at her hands? Our flesh and blood still caked beneath her fingernails no matter how hard she tries to scrub away her crimes!" The blood elf steps away from the human and turns towards the tauren holding Alyarus. "I stayed on that battlefield fighting, protecting our city. Then once it was too late! After I stood alone on the battlefield and the defeat had been done... I had to find my mother and father's mutilated corpses in our childhood home. I didn't even have the closure of seeing my sister's body with the other rangers... I had to accept the fact that my baby sister Aly... was a treasonous deserter who ran while our loved ones died!"

"Why am I to blame!?" Alyarus yells through tears stumbling forward. "Why must I bare the sins of Arthas Menethil!? Go to Northrend with the rest of the world and kill him yourself! He's the one responsible! What good would it have done for me to die with everyone else!? It wouldn't bring any of them back!"

"I do not write the laws dear sister. I cannot erase the fact that you disgraced our family name. I intend to go to Northrend and kill Arthas myself, but that will not pardon your treason. Only two of house Sarron survive and one is a spineless coward who could not accept her fate. Redeem yourself and accept it now at the hands of your brother!" Moraliuen's body shines bright, wings of light on his back as he grips his broadsword.

ZAP! A shot of lightning strikes Moraliuen where he stands. An explosion of electricity jolts the blood elf bringing him to his knees. Vontez has recovered his shield and rushes over to cover Alyarus. Moosehead stands tall with sparks dancing around his body.

"It's been awhile since I've had to call upon the elements like this but clearly the situation calls for it." He turns to Vontez and Alyarus. "You two need to run!"

"No! it will compromise the mission if we leave without you!" Alyarus pushes back as Moraliuen rises from the ground.

"Your priorities are all out of order Miss!" Moose tosses his bag to Alyarus. "Everything Mad Whale needs is in there! You're not in the headspace for this fight right now! Run and collect yourself!"

"This is suicide! You're not a fighter, you're a shipwright!" Alyarus turns to see Moraliuen risen to his feet and wielding his sword ready to strike.

"We don't have many options! Vontez, get her out of here!" Moose yells as he starts spiking totems into the ground.

Vontez lifts Alyarus over his shoulder and bolts up the road towards the ship. Alyarus doesn't struggle, she watches Moraliuen swing at Moosehead who throws bursts of frost, flame and electricity back at her brother with the totems reinforcing. Moraliuen seems to be taking damage and being slowed by the attacks and the totems, but he's also clipping Moose with his strikes and breaking him down. She watches the totems fall and a blast of light knocks Moose to one knee. Moraliuen raises his sword. Alyarus closes her eyes.

The wail of a tauren can be heard throughout the jungle.

[joywindsong]

The Seductive Bandit Pt 5

Booty Bay is filled with travelers, sailors, pirates, and soldiers from each faction. Alyarus puts the hood on her cloak up as they enter through the tunnel and motions for Vontez to do the same.

"You don't have a bounty do you?" Vontez questions as he raises his hood.

"No, but it's best to keep a low profile. There are lunatics around here who will strike you down just for the thrill of the kill. Which is why we need to keep moving."

Alyarus says keeping her pace across the boardwalk towards the inn. A blood elf in ranger's gear trots past and Alyarus pulls her hood closed.

"You also don't want to risk being recognized with how many people come through here."

They move steadily with Moosehead towering over them.

"Why doesn't he keep a low profile?" Vontez asks pointing to the tauren.

"Because I trust the Earthmother has already decided my destiny. Alyarus is also just used to skulking around and thinking of worst case scenarios. That also makes her a good leader for these assignments, so just follow her lead." Moose says patting a large hand on the Paladin's shoulder.

They enter the inn. Dwarves, goblins, orcs, and gnomes, all different races are yelling and jeering at the bar. All sorts of languages being shouted out. Alyarus leads the group upstairs to where things are much quieter. A forsaken man with a slack jaw and clumps of hair missing from his scalp sits waiting at the end of the hallway. He makes eye contact with the group and stands up. His shoulder dislocates and relocates as his posture adjusts. His leather tunic and pants have holes rotted through to show his bones popping out of his skin.

"Zug." He simply states.

Vontez reaches for his shortsword.

"That's our guy. We'll wait out here." Alyarus states with a hand on Vontez's arm.

Moose follows the man into one of the rooms and the pair can be heard speaking orcish to one another. Vontez relaxes.

"You seem a bit trigger happy around Horde for someone who isn't a fan of the Alliance." Alyarus paces over to the adjacent wall to look at the bounty board across.

"There's the Captain." Alyarus points as Vontez joins at her side.

The poster reads:

"Mad Whale Shark

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

For crimes against both Horde and Alliance

50,000 GOLD REWARD"

"Only 50,000?" Vontez asks.

"I'm not sure it's adjust for inflation. You know how it's been recently. New treasures from Outland, now Northrend. The value of gold is dropping like crazy. 50,000 was a lot more when he got that." Alyarus explains.

A goblin walks into the hallway with a sheet of paper.

"Damn drunks! They don't pay me enough..." He climbs up onto a chair in front of the board and pins a new flyer before hopping off and storming back downstairs.

"Why do the goblins speak common?" Vontez asks.

"Most people do. There are even a lot of Horde who know it but choose not to use it. For example-" Alyarus stops midsentence catching sight of what the goblin just posted.

That was her face.

"The Seductive Bandit of Gilneas

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

For the murder of Fiz Silverbolt

45,000 GOLD REWARD"

"Shit! Don't tell me these are already posted around town!" She keeps under her breath, walking across the hall to pull the poster down and inspect it closer.

"What do we do?" Vontez looks to Alyarus for direction.

Alyarus contorts her mouth to the side scanning the hallway and looking over to the room where Moose can be heard loudly laughing. She storms over to the doorway.

"Moose!" She holds up the poster. "Wrap it up. We need to get out of here."

Moose nods in understanding. He turns to the forsaken and hands him a coin purse in exchange for a small package that he promptly places in his bag. Alyarus turns down the hallway to see a pair of shady figures. Two men, one night elf one gnome.

"I'm telling you, I saw a blue eyed elf come up here." The night elf muttered to the gnome

"You're delusional! What kind of idiot would have a bounty like that and even think about stepping foot in booty bay?"

Vontez looked over to Alyarus. She pulled her hood down and slipped behind Moosehead as he walked out of the room. Walking down the hallway Alyarus grabbed Vontez by the hand as they passed.

"Move!" She told him as quietly as possible using the two men as cover.

Moving down the stairs they slipped through the crowd unnoticed. At the doorway they stopped just outside of the inn.

"Alyarus, you will be less noticeable without a hulking man in metal and an 8 foot beast with you. Let's split up now and we'll meet you on the other side of the tunnel." Moosehead instructs Alyarus.

"Your safety is the most important part of this mission!" she protests.

"That was before you got a bounty on your head." Moose snaps back.

"Fine! Other side of the tunnel, move quick and make sure tall dark and handsome doesn't start another fight with any Horde!" Alyarus says in a panic.

Alyarus slips into the shadows watching her comrades trot across the boardwalk. Faces pass by as she hides behind barrels and boxes. She slips up the ramp to the top level decks. A crowd of adventurers push past each other, clinking of chain and plate armor against each other. Horde and Alliance shoving one another out of the way. Alyarus tries to use the commotion as cover.

"Watch where you're going!"

Alyarus feels someone stumble into her with force, probably after being shoved. She falls to the ground.

"Are you alright Miss?" A plate armored hand reaches down to help her up.

"I'm fine!" She slaps it away before looking up.

It's a blood elf with long sky blue hair falling over his plate armor. His neon eyes adjust and then widen.

Alyarus' heart jumps up into her throat. She throws down a smoke bomb. Commotion breaks out with yelling and cursing as the crowd is blinded. She slips through the crowd and sprints off of the deck and onto the grass towards the tunnel.

Stopping for a moment to collect herself behind a rail post. She looks back to see the crowd frustrated in the smoke. Taking her dagger, she stabs the top of the wooden post to pry off a chunk of it. Measuring where the guards are positioned she chucks the wood chunk at the top edge of the tunnel.

"What the hell!?"

The goblins preoccupied don't notice Alyarus slip by. On the other end of the tunnel she sees Moosehead pointing the guards towards the wild with Vontez at his side. Vontez makes eye contact with her and taps Moose on the back.

Moosehead waves a hand dismissively.

"Ah! My old eyes must be playing tricks on me! I apologize for the mistake." Moosehead loudly tells the guards.

The goblins return to their post shaking their heads.

The trio reconvene just up the trail.

"Now that we're out of there, would you mind explaining: what did you do!?" Moosehead says to Alyarus in his deep booming voice trying not to be too loud.

"I did what I had to do for the crew! How was I supposed to know they'd track that pervy goblin's death back to me!?"

"He's a famous engineer! You thought he wouldn't have surveillance for them to piece things together!? This is not a mistake I'd expect from you Alyarus!" Moosehead can't help but raise his voice.

Alyarus is clearly fighting back tears, overwhelmed by everything happening.

"Are you alright?" Vontez says sheepishly.

"I'm fine! Let's just get back to the ship. Our work here is done." She wipes a single tear from her face.

"Aly!?" A deep familiar voice calls in the distance.

The sound of hooves galloping up the trail grows louder. Alyarus turns around slowly, her face white as a ghost. Light flashes with a winny before the clunk of plate boots hit the ground, then start walking towards the three.

"You know this man?" Moosehead asks looking across the way.

A tall blood elf with long sky blue hair stands on the trail wearing a full suit of armor. The tabard of the Horde on his chest and a Sin'dorei longsword on his back, splattered with still drying blood. Moraliuen's eyes meet with Alyarus. Her heart is beating out of her chest.

"Alyarus... You should be dead."

[joywindsong]

Alyarus Sarron

Alias: The Seductive Bandit, reputation of using her charm to lure in potential victims

Residence: Stormwind

Birthplace: Eversong Woods

Race: High Elf

Class: Outlaw Pirate

Age: 216

Known family: Moraliuen Sarron, of the Horde

Physical description:

Approximately 5'4 with a petite build. Carrying most of her weight in her lower body in her thighs and hips. Has smaller breasts and a bit of muscle tone in her arms, back and stomach. Eyes are bright blue with one scarred and dull due to an injury at the hands of a bounty hunter. Hair goes past her shoulders and can fluctuate from a dark red to orangish color from exposure to the sun. Skin tends to remain pale but does tan occasionally.

Personality:

Alyarus is ultimately driven by a strong will to survive. She is willing to resort to desperate measures without a second thought. Her life has mostly felt like a battle of survival between a lack of funds or threats to her physical safety. Growing up Alyarus often felt helpless. She takes pride in her ability to come out on the other side of dangerous situations and overcome. Often she comes off as contentious or antagonistic, but she is also a very curious person with good observational skills. She can also be incredibly vulnerable with little effort, but ready to bite back at anyone who takes advantage of her. It's possible that she puts herself in vulnerable situations specifically to prove to herself that she is capable even in her weakest moments.

Current status:

Pardoned for past crimes by the Kingdom of Stormwind because of her extensive service to Kul'Tiras, and by extension the Alliance, during the Fourth War.

Rarely partakes in sailing or pirate activities these days. Can often be found wandering Stormwind restlessly reflecting on what she wants from the world as a relatively young elf.

Notes

Loosely inspired by Nami from One Piece

Character backstory explored in The Seductive Bandit series on this blog (some developments on profile not yet touched on) linked below (parts 1&2 combined).

Would love to find someone to commission for accurate artwork of Alyarus. Preferably someone with a more realistic style or something resembling the style of WoW or shonen anime or western action cartoons. If you have any suggestions for artists please lemme know c: (feel free to make fanart if you're inspired by the profile or story, but I would like to pay for someone with a style I like to draw her.)

[joywindsong]

The Seductive Bandit Pt 2

The nature sings in the forest of Eversong. The morning sun shines between the trees illuminating the golden bark and amber grass of the wilderness.

"Give it back!"

The voice of a child disrupted the serenity of the forest. Three young men stood over a red headed girl holding a locket just out of her reach. The men clearly adolescent high elves but much taller than the subject of their torment.

"What's wrong pipsqueak? Can't reach?"

The boys laughed at young high elf jumping up trying to grab the locket.

"She probably stole it anyways." One chimes in.

"No I didn't! Give it back!"

The child jumps up and one of the boys pushes her down onto the grass.

"I wonder if the Silvermoon Gaurdians would be able to find who the RIGHTFUL owner of this is. Maybe they could even put this little thief away for good!"

Tears are streaming down the girls face.

"STOP IT! THAT'S MINE!"

"What's going on here?"

A tall young man with shoulder length sky blue hair rides up on his steed. As he leaps down from the horse the child runs into his arms.

"Moraliuen! They took mom's locket!"

Moraliuen puts his hand on the head of the girl and walks towards the trio.

"You really believe her? You know your sister is a thief!"

"That locket clearly shows the crest of house Sarron. It belongs to our family. I also don't appreciate you all tormenting my baby sister. That's my job."

Moraliuen extends his hand. Reluctantly the boys hand over the locket without anymore protest. A boy on the end eyes down the girl.

"You're lucky this time. But one of these days your big brother isn't gonna be able to protect you from the fact you're a little thief!"

The little red head hugs her brother's leg, sticking her tongue out at the boys who retreat from the situation.

Moraliuen kneels down to hand the locket back to the girl before holding it outside of her reach.

"Aly, they have a point. If I didn't know this was mother's I would have no reason not to believe them. You can't go around stealing things."

"I don't! I just borrow things and give them back!"

Moraliuen points a finger at her.

"Borrowing without permission is stealing."

Aly pouts. "I didn't even do anything! They were just being mean!"

Moraliuen ruffles Aly's hair.

"I'm sure you didn't antagonize them at all. Besides, like I said. Only I'm allowed to torment my baby sister." He hands the locket to her. "Don't go flaunting this around and no more 'borrowing' without permission. Alright?"

"Yes big brother." She responds in shame.

Moraliuen puts a finger below Aly's chin to raise her eyes to meet his.

"Don't be all mopey about it. Nobody wants to challenge me. If they challenge you, they challenge me. Just don't steal and I'll always have your back, little one."

Moraliuen puts his fist out and Aly excitedly gives him a fist bump. Moraliuen effortlessly lifts his sister up onto his horse and they ride off.

~

Alyarus awakes. We've progressed to a more modern day. It's the middle of the night and the room is messy. Alyarus sits up quietly. She tucks her long ginger hair behind her ear. An oversized red linen shirt covers most of her body with her smooth legs reflecting the moonlight peaking through the window.

Alyarus peers around the room searchingly before quickly noticing that the bed is empty.

"Looking for this?" A goblin's voice asked.

Alyarus instantly jumps into a combat stance spotting the goblin lurking in the shadowy corner holding a complicated looking mechanical device. Alyarus reaches for the nightstand but finds nothing.

"Looking for these?" The goblin turns on a lantern to reveal a dagger and revolver sitting on the table next to him with a long sword leaning against the wall. The light reveals his wrinkled face and wispy thinning white hair.

"I'm not a wealthy enough goblin for an elf like you to give me the time of day. Especially not ask to stay the night... unless you're looking for something."

Alyarus relaxes and giggles. "Babe... What do you mean? You're so cute when you act tough."

"Oh! I'm not acting!" The goblin wields some sort of electric powered gun, aimed directly at Alyarus.

"You're not taking my life's work from under my nose you tramp! Not without turning to red vapor!"

"I don't even know what that is... come back to bed."

Trying to tempt the goblin Alyarus lies back crossing her legs and raises the shirt up to her hip. Her body shifts to the side and she grabs a handful of her soft cheek, staring the goblin down and biting her lip.

"H-hey! What are you trying to pull! Put that thing away! I'm trying to kill you!"

Alyarus sits up and pouts. "Kill me? Do you really hate these little things so much that you have to kill me?"

She raises the shirt up to her ribs. Pulling up to let a bit of fat from her breasts start to spill out.

"I-I uh! Umm, are you really not trying to steal my invention baby?"

The gun lowers while something else raises. Alyarus raises the shirt a bit more and points her elbows down to show a window of cleavage.

"Of course not Sir." She smiles and suddenly disappears.

"Ack!" The goblin feels a sharp pain shoot from his kidney across his entire body. He glances over to see the table next to him is bare. The barrel of a gun touches his baldspot ever so gently.

"I'm just looting your invention from your corpse."

BANG!

The Seductive Bandit

Pt. 1

The moon reflected off the Great Sea. A hooded high elf stalked through the streets of Gilneas. Hungry. Thirsty. Desperate for anything that could provide relief to her.

A few months prior, the gates of Silvermoon were attacked by the Lich King and his forces. The high elves stood brave and strong. Rangers stood behind their leader in Sylvanas Windrunner who promised victory. All fronts watched the undead lay waste to their home and slaughter their kin. Many faced the horrors and accepted their destiny to defend Silvermoom until their last breath. One ranger could not accept that and ran.

Alyarus of house Sarron deserted the battle. Using stealth tactics she would retreat through Eversong Woods, through the Kingdoms of Lordaeron, and through Silverpine Forest, witnessing the destruction of the Scourge across the Northern Eastern Kingdoms. Alyarus would not stop until she found herself within the walls of Gilneas.

The isolated city promised her safety from the undead, but not from humanity. A homogenous kingdom of humans would not take kindly to a high elf within their borders. At least not in broad daylight.

Alyarus was only approaching 200 years of age. Older than any human she'd come across, but only reaching physical adulthood as a high elf. Her body was petite and her facial features were soft. By the beauty standards of Silvermoon, she was an average girl. Her messy ginger hair that she would rather tie back into a ponytail than properly tame was one example of her lacking the typical grace of a Silvermoon woman. However, to Gilnean men who participate in the underground shadows of the city, she was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen.

Especially because of the isolation of the city, Alyarus was sought after for her "exotic" features. There was a twinge of shame to what she had to do to survive. Though, she had already abandoned her home and left them to die. Even if she could never have done anything to stop it. At that point, what shame was there to swiping a few loaves of bread or giving favors to depraved men who would offer her necessities in exchange?

Rumors had been swirling about an elf within the city. Taking resources and seducing upstanding citizens. Finding even a crumb of food was becoming more difficult and her regular target locations were becoming more and more secure. Would she have to double down on providing services to survive? It was hard to say if it was more shameful to steal or resort to honest but degrading work.

Alyarus stepped through the dark alleys of the harbor town concealing herself in a black hooded cloak. The feeling in her feet numbing. Cold water seeping into her worn out ranger boots. A buttoned down shirt she stole from the closet of a client draped over her like a smock, covering the torn up dress she had recovered from the trash.

Failing to scavenge anything of value during the daylight, the starving elf had few options left. The alley would meet a cellar door that would lead Alyarus into a secret pub for degenerates and white collar criminals alike.

The room was filled with smoke. A crowd of people at a back table betting on dice. A few drunks sitting at the bar. A handful of odd characters scattered around the relatively small room. Alyarus would sit at the bar, removing her hood, and allowing her reputation to attract her marks.

"Hey doll... What bringsh a broad like you into a rundown dump like thish?"

A tall heavy set man took the seat next to her, leaning in a bit too close. His breath told that he'd been drinking.

"Ain't seen an elf girl around here since I been comin' here. I been around the world enough to know how sweet ye' are though."

The man appeared to be a deck hand. His sailor's shirt open to show the tattoos and body hair that went from his chest down his arms and to his hands. The smile on his face was missing teeth and the hair on his head was a collection of wispy blonde fuzz. Cupping his hand on Alyarus' far thigh with his arm going behind her back, he leaned in close to whisper.

"Bet you're reeeal tight..."

Alyarus was completely unphased by the situation. She simply smiled back at the drunken man.

"You're welcome to find out... for a price of course."

A deep belly laugh echoed through the cellar.

"Shorry. Ain't interested in whores.. at least not the payment."

His hand moved to between her thighs to pull them apart. The other hand went up her dress and between her legs.

"BANG!"

The entire room turned towards the pair. A gunshot followed by a thud of the large men hitting the ground. Blood was pouring from his sternum as Alyarus stood with a smoking revolver in hand.

There were no laws in this place, but that didn't mean actions had no consequences. Alyarus stood frozen while shady men crowded around the body.

"Ay! Dom ain't breathing!"

It came to Alyarus what she had just done. Seeing the life gone from the deck hand's face as he lie in his pooling blood. The men around the corpse slowly turning to Alyarus. Dehydrated and not eating much in the last few days, she was too weak to run. Whatever was about to happen she was accepting. This was the price for leaving her home to burn to the ground. She had brought this upon herself.

"Stand down men!"

A booming voice came from behind Alyarus. She turned to see a dwarf with a sailor's hat. Long stringy black hair and a bushy black beard fell over the collar of his jacket. His face was scarred and leathery with big brown eyes that betrayed his otherwise gruff appearance.

"We may be pirates, but ye' all know there are some lines we don't cross. I hold ya Whale Sharks to a higher standard than what ol' Dom was trying to pull on this lass. I ain't avengin' a man who asked for death."

The dwarf reached out to lower the revolver as Alyarus sat stunned with her heart racing.

"I do apologize lass for what my crewmate made ye do here tonight. I be makin sure the rest of'em do ye no harm."

The pirates side eye Alyarus as they head back to their dice game. A pair of barkeeps remove the body with a questionable familiarity.

"There be one problem lass... I now be short a deckhand. Without him, I can't meet with my business out in Kul'Tiras. If that falls through, I'll be out a lot of gold. Something a pirate can't accept."

The dwarf climbs up to take the seat of the fallen deckhand. Looking Alyarus in her face as she's still processing what just happened.

"I ain't gonna pay ya til I know you can work. But I can give ya a bit of food to eat, a bit of water to drink, and a place to sleep away from the boys. Dom always been the bastard of the crew, but just a precaution. Ensuring no harm. But, if ye ain't fit to compensate my loss in gold and ye ain't prepared to make up the muscle I just lost, there will have to be a price to be paid. Judging by your rags, I ain't expecting the first optipn."

Alyarus looked at the soft eyes of the rugged dwarf and felt her stomach ache from hunger. Piracy may not be the most respected profession but it was more noble than stealing and more dignified than prostitution.

"Y-yes. I'll work for you."

Showing a few gold teeth and a surprisingly white smile through his bushy beard, the dwarf put out his hand. His palm was like sandpaper against Alyarus' soft skin as they shook.

"The name's Mad Whale Shark, lass! The crew be the Whale Shark pirates! Based on the posters round town, ye be the Seductive Bandit I assume?"

"Alyarus." She corrects him.

"If that be yer preference. We set sail at dawn. Be at the harbor and we'll get you in working order."

Whale Shark hops down off the barstool and heads out the door. For a moment he stops and turns.

"Just to be clear. Ya lucky I know yer reputation. Had I not, there'd be no offer on the table to save yer skin. But a high elf makin' it this long in the streets of Gilneas, AND made a name for herself in the meantime. Ye clearly ain't just a streetwalker."

Whale Shark continues out the door.

Alyarus feels like she's in a dream. Before she can even process the events that transpired, her whole life just changed again.

After months of pain and grief, it seems like something may have changed her life for the better.