(2025-09-16) Felwood: Signs of New Life

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	Hespyth, Kaladris, Qelida, Sarandis, Syreithe, and Velrin continue to help in Felwood, doing what they can to clean up the fel the Legion left behind. In the process, they encounter an unexpected sign that the land may indeed be on its way to healing. ~3700 words
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Kalimdor Newbies

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discussion of soulmates

The team assembles in Whisperwind Grove. It’s a peaceful afternoon and a light rain is falling.

[Kaladris]: Hello!

Qelida approaches the others. "Greetings, Aegis."

Sarandis inclines her head. "Greetings."

Hespyth curtsies before Qelida.

[Velrin]: Hello everyone. *Vel does her best to put on a smile.*

Hespyth waves shyly at Velrin.

Velrin waves back.

Sarandis holds out a hand, cupping it to let the rain pool. "This seems well for the land. Healthy rain."

Hespyth tilts her head back and closes her eyes, seeming overwhelmed by the feeling of the rain falling on her head.

[Qelida]: It is untainted. This is well.

[Sarandis]: Good progress towards healing the land.

Hespyth sways a little, eyes still closed and head tilted back.

Qelida beckons them. "Come, we have had requests for aid from the Emerald Circle."

Hespyth catches up with the others hurriedly.

Syreithe addresses Hespyth in Darnassian: "Sister, are you alright?"

Hespyth smiles vaguely at her sister, still seeming mostly focused on the rain.

Qelida addresses the pair, a tauren and a night elf. "I have brought the Cobalt Aegis."

Hurak the tauren speaks first. "Greetings… Cobalt Aegis. You are here to help rid Felwood of demonic corruption?"

[Qelida]: Yes, yes.

Velrin nods.

Hurak Wildhorn says: Let me give you a little history, so you will understand what Elessa and I will ask of you.

Syreithe smiles softly and hugs Hespyth from the side, briefly resting her head on her sister's shoulder.

Hespyth softly hums a very, very old song, holding out one arm and turning it this way and that, watching the way the raindrops fall off her fingertips.

Hurak Wildhorn says: The first demons to set foot in this forest were infernals. Long ago, these powerful beings of stone and demonic fire fell from the sky to take this land for the Burning Legion.

Sarandis listens with grim attention.

Hurak Wildhorn says: The charred craters of Shatter Scar Vale to the south are where these infernals landed, and many still wander there. They are fierce foes, and killing them is both a worthy challenge and a noble cause.

Velrin clenches her fists as she is reminded of what happened to her home.w

[Sarandis]: We are up to this challenge, druid.

Hurak Wildhorn says: As you slay these infernals, you may look for the most fearsome demon in Shatter Scar Vale, Kroshius. Though many have hunted him over the years, destruction has only made him stronger.

[Sarandis]: Stronger?

Hurak Wildhorn says: Yes. Time after time, warlocks have come to this forest and reanimated Kroshius. He now lurks in the southeast, surrounded by demonic fire, awaiting any who come to try and claim his power. I will not have this corrupt cycle continue! Kill Kroshius, and bring his infernal core to me.

[Velrin]: Gladly.

[Qelida]: We will gladly stomp out any of the Burning Legion. We shall do this.

Elessa smiles at Hurak, and then turns to the group. "I am glad you can assist in the thinning of the demon presence. Destroying them is only part of the solution, however."

[Syreithe]: What is else part of the solution?

Elessa Starbreeze says: I've found that the stone that infernals are made of still contains large amounts of fel magic even after the infernal's death. The rubble of slain infernals now litters Shatter Scar Vale, leeching its corruption back into the ground. If you could collect it and bring it to me, I would be grateful. It would prevent more fel from leeching into the environment.

Kaladris looks a little unsure of handling fel-touched material.
[Sarandis]: I have sturdy gauntlets, *Sarandis says, frowning.* I hope that will be enough to transport it.

[Qelida]: Is there a cart? Carrot can pull this.

Elessa Starbreeze says: Oh, yes, of course. You may take the cart *Elessa gestures at a cart with a little lantern nearby* In the meantime, we must also monitor the effects of fel energy that has already leeched out. The energies are so chaotic that they manifest as violent entities, pure fel magic given form to lash out at all life.

Qelida fetches her talbuk and hitches him up to the cart while Elessa gives them further instructions.

Elessa Starbreeze says: I have been keeping a close eye on these chaotic beasts, and studying their strength. I need to make sure they are still weakening with time. Bring me the essences they drop, so I may ensure they are diminishing.

[Sarandis]: That we can certainly do.

Hespyth turns toward Elessa at the word 'magic,' seeming to pay more attention now.

Syreithe nods firmly.

[Sarandis]: Will Carrot be able to pull it, or will we need to help push it along as well?

Qelida pats her talbuk. "He is ready to go. We may need to push on the return, if infernal stone is very heavy. Velrin, do you know the directions to this place we are going?"
[Qelida]: Did we pass it on the road…?

Hespyth cuddles her sister's sprite darter for a moment.

[Velrin]: I-I do… It's near where I grew up… *she mumbles*

[Qelida]: Lead us, then.
Qelida nods solemnly to her.

Sarandis looks at Velrin with sympathy. "We go to help heal it, now."

Qelida leads her talbuk carefully down an incline.

They head down into Shatter Scar Vale, which is pockmarked with craters corrupted with fel energy. Infernals roam, as do chaotic elementals of fel fire.

Syreithe picks up a piece of the infernal debris and quickly deposits it in the cart.

Qelida helps Syreithe load the cart once they take down their first infernal.

[Sarandis]: We pick up any rubble that looks… infernal. *Sarandis takes a step back from a creature of fel flame*

Hespyth still doesn't seem to be paying direct attention to the proceedings, and yet when threats approach she unthinkingly lashes out with precise bolts of arcane energy.

Velrin lashes out at all the demons that cross her path with extreme prejudice.

[Sarandis]: This brings back… memories. *Sarandis says, staring at the scorched land and the roaming, flaming demonic creatures*

Syreithe leaps into combat with the infernals and horrors, slamming her fists into hard stone and fel fire with devastating effect.

[Qelida]: Were you also from this place, Sarandis?

[Sarandis]: No… for me it is the demons. And the flames. *Sarandis swallows, and clumsily draws her sword* The battle, on the mountain.

[Qelida]: We are with you.
Qelida's tone is confident, rather than comforting, but perhaps that too is intended as a comfort.

Hespyth seems relatively calm for once, but mostly because her mind seems to be elsewhere. She hums to herself.

Sarandis nods, and moves to join the fighting. When a burst of flame passes close to her face, she cries out and stumbles back.

Qelida steps in to cover for her, blasting the fel creature with a gust of wind to knock it back from Sarandis.

Hespyth absently pets Sarandis, her hand feather-light on her back.

Velrin slips out of her vengeful rampage when she notices Sarandis, "Are you ok?"

Sarandis glances at Hespyth with a shaky smile, and then says to Velrin, "I will be steady."
[Sarandis]: The body remembers pain, even if the mind is determined. I am sorry.

Velrin frowns, relating to her mental health get in the way of her work, but she seems a bit too embarrassed to admit it here now.

Hespyth's thoughts are unreadable.

Syreithe furrows her brow in concern at Hespyth.

[Sarandis]: There is so much rubble. We may need to help Carrot.

Carrot plods along obediently, dragging the cart as it slowly gets heavier.

[Sarandis]: But with every stone removed, this place is closer to what it should be.

[Qelida]: Yes.

Velrin smiles faintly at that.

Carrot grunts. This task has made him easier prey for the sabers.

[Velrin]: I hope that one day I can have a little girl and show her how beautiful this place was when I was little.

Hespyth continues humming. Anyone who's ten thousand years old might recognize a little lullaby about rain.

[Qelida]: This is a good goal.
Qelida nods solemnly to Velrin.

[Sarandis]: That is a good dream. *Sarandis smiles* I treasure the time I have spent with my own daughter.

They fight infernals and fel creatures in silence for a while.

Hespyth seems to use the same technique Caspis does to stay with the group when her mind is elsewhere… just keeping people in her peripheral vision at all times.

Syreithe also instinctively herds Hespyth when she gets like this.

[Sarandis]: This place seems well-cleared, but we still must find Kroshius.

Now that they are looking for him, he is not hard to find. Kroshius is VERY large. And very fiery. He stands in a ring of fel fire.

[Sarandis]: Ah… that would be the demon.

Velrin growls menacingly.

Hespyth notices the enormous guy. She kind of can't help it.

Sarandis raises her shield, less in confident preparation and more just to protect herself.

Hespyth shrieks.

[Kaladris]: Elune bless us.

Qelida flings down a crystal totem. "Water of Azeroth, I call upon your aid."

Sarandis is somehow relieved when the demon charges out of the ring of fire towards the team.

Kaladris acts on the blessing she asked for, calling down the light against the demon.

Hespyth hurls bolts of arcane energy at him, her terror seeming to amplify her power.

Sarandis bashes him with her shield. That's what she's got to offer. She's breathing fast.
Velrin rushes the infernal at breakneck speed to attack.

Qelida's healing stream totem seems amplified by the rain.

Syreithe leaps through the air at the encroaching demon and buries her staff in its neck. Neck area. It doesn't seem to have a neck.

Kroshius crumbles to fel-tainted rubble.

[Qelida]: This may be… too heavy for the cart in a single trip. But we can collect the core now.

[Sarandis]: Yes, and let them know to send someone for the rest.

[Velrin]: Right. *Velrin picks up the core to load into the cart.*

[Hespyth]: WHY IS IT SO LARGE?

[Syreithe]: The humans say…he does not pass up meals.

[Sarandis]: They said… reanimated by warlocks many times. Maybe larger each time?

Hespyth is no longer daydreaming.

[Kaladris]: Eugh.

[Hespyth]: That is horribad.

[Sarandis]: I do not want to think of what such a creature eats.

Sarandis helps get as much as can fit in Carrot's cart.

Syreithe blinks at Hespyth. "What does 'horribad' mean?"

Hespyth blinks back at her sister.

[Qelida]: Perhaps we push the cart on return, yes? Come, Aegis.

[Kaladris]: what if—

Hespyth does not really seem to remember saying that nonexistent word.

[Sarandis]: Is it not a Common word? I assumed you learned more vocabulary than I.

[Hespyth]: What?

[Qelida]: Horrible-bad.

Kaladris attempts to levitate the excess.

Some of the fel-tainted rocks rise.

[Sarandis]: Oh, well done.

[Kaladris]: Oh my, that's difficult!
[Kaladris]: But I think I can manage it.

Qelida nods to Kaladris. "If you need to rest, you can set the pieces down. We can always make two trips. Come, we shall go."

[Hespyth]: Are we fighting more large demons?
Hespyth seems to have just arrived at the party.

[Velrin]: I hope so.

[Sarandis]: I do not know. I think the Emerald Circle will tell us what is next.

[Hespyth]: I hope and do not hope.
[Hespyth]: I hope there are no more large demons, but if there are, I hope we kill them.

[Qelida]: Perhaps we may, but first we drop off the infernal pieces so they can be disposed of elsewhere.

The team carefully gets the cart back to Whisperwind Grove.

Hurak looks over approvingly at the full cart.

[Qelida]: Very good.

Hurak Wildhorn says: That there, that's the core of Kroshius?

[Velrin]: It is.

Hurak Wildhorn says: This foul chunk is what those warlocks sought year after year. I will protect it myself, or destroy it if possible, and ensure Kroshius never rises again.

Qelida unhitches Carrot and leads him to one of the little ponds - not the moonwell - to drink. She returns to the others.

Hurak Wildhorn says: I thank you for hunting in my stead. I've found I must pace myself… finding too much thrill in hunting demons is a dangerous path.

Elessa, meanwhile, is picking up pieces of infernal rubble and examining them, then looking over the entropic essences.

Sarandis nods at Hurak. "That is wise. It is not good to lose oneself in the fight."

Velrin pauses a bit at Hurak's words, but doesn't let them get to her too much.

[Hespyth]: It was a very large demon…
Hespyth says this in a tone that suggests it would have been nice to be warned. They were totally warned.

Hurak nods at Hespyth. Yep, large demon, as advertised.

Elessa Starbreeze says: It's good to see someone who cares about keeping the forest clean. I can tell just from the size of these that the fel taint is healing. Slowly… but significantly. Thank you. I will ensure these are properly purged.

Qelida nods.

A kaldorei man across the path, Isural Forestsworn, looks over at the group with curiosity. "Would you like to do more to help the forest grow?"

[Velrin]: Yes please. *Vel's ears perk up.*

[Kaladris]: I would love to.

[Syreithe]: This is why we are here.

Hurak gestures to him. "By all means, help Isural. You have done so much for Elessa and I."

Isural Forestsworn says: Even if the demonic corruption is removed, the ancient protectors of Irontree Woods to the north have been dead for years, their bodies a grim symbol of the damage to these lands.

Sarandis waits patiently to hear what is to be done about it.

Isural Forestsworn says: Every season, we take the water from this moonwell, and pour it on the ground before them, hoping it will nurture new life. If you'd like, you can deliver the water yourself

[Hespyth]: Oh, this sounds nice.

Isural Forestsworn says: I was about to do that today, but perhaps you would like to? It is an excellent opportunity for reflection.

[Hespyth]: Yes, yes.

Syreithe bows her head deeply. "We would be honored to carry water."

Hespyth bows down graciously.

[Qelida]: We can do this.

Velrin smiles, "That would be a great honor."

Isural Forestsworn says: Take these vials and fill them at the moonwell, and pour the water on the very top of the small hill between the three ancients.

Qelida glances at everyone else's reactions. "This is sacred?" she asks her companions.

[Velrin]: The moonwell water is blessed. *Vel explains*

Sarandis smiles gently and nods. "It is sacred… I am honored to be trusted with this."

Syreithe nods deeply. "Water is the essence of life. Moonwell is the blessed by Elune."

Qelida collects her vial from Isural and bows to him. "In that case, thank you for entrusting this task to us."

Sarandis takes the vial and fills it carefully, kneeling by the moonwell.

[Hespyth]: It is not Well of Eternity but it is all we now have.

Syreithe fills her vial with the kind of reverence one might bathe one's newborn child.

[Hespyth]: Small wells, like echoes of lost song.

Kaladris pauses by the moonwell, feeling its gentle power.

Qelida carefully dips the vial in the water. This is not her own faith, but she seems to take it seriously now that it has been explained to her.

Moondrop chitters and splashes playfully in the water while the vials are filled.

Sarandis smiles sadly at Hespyth.

Kaladris looks up at the open sky above the well, where Elunewould look down on it. then she fills her vial of water and raises it to the sky.

[Sarandis]: Velrin, you know where the Ironwood Protectors stand?

Kaladris bows before Isural Forestsworn.

Sarandis bows before Isural Forestsworn.

Hespyth begins to sway gently and hum to herself again, this time an old song about the Well of Eternity.

[Velrin]: I can lead the way.

Hespyth smiles at Velrin.

Qelida follows after Velrin.

Velrin leads the team to where the remains of the Ironwood Protectors loom, on a hill surrounded by fel-tainted waters.

Sarandis gazes up at the enormous husks of the old Ironwood Protectors with deep sadness in her eyes.

[Hespyth]: Ohhh…

[Qelida]: Water of Azeroth, in the rain that falls, hold the surface for us to walk upon.

Sarandis nods her thanks to Qelida.

The team crosses on the surface of the water.

Syreithe explains to Qelida, "All water is sacred. When someone gives to us water, we say, 'r. "Shaha lor'ma dula Luvas'alith'. To give thanks."

[Qelida]: I would make a note, but it would get wet. I will ask you to repeat this later.

Syreithe smiles and nods. "I will repeat this later."

[Hespyth]: These were alive?

[Velrin]: They used to be.

Hespyth stares reverently up at the enormous former beings.

[Sarandis]: We come here today in hope that they may be alive again. If not today, then someday.

[Hespyth]: This can be?

Qelida climbs up the hill in the center with the others.

Sarandis kneels on the top of the hill. "Hope does not require certainty."

Hespyth nods thoughtfully at Sarandis.

[Sarandis]: Let us pour our waters?
Sarandis pours out her vial into the soil.

Qelida nods and pours her vial of moonwell water out with the others.

Kaladris raises her vial and pours her water.

The moonwell water quickly seeps into the ground with a soft glow. A few moments later, a rustling noise is heard, and sprouts begin to pop up.

Hespyth gasps as a tiny little sprout pops up.

Syreithe gasps in unison with her sister.

[Qelida]: Oh…

Velrin gasps as the small plant creature appears.

[Kaladris]: Oh!

Qelida looks surprised. "Does that… usually happen?"

[Hespyth]: It's a baby?

[Velrin]: It's so cute!

Sarandis looks amazed.

[Syreithe]: I did never see this before.

[Sarandis]: I… do not think this usually happens.

Kaladris is very happy with Seedling Protector!

One of the tiny seedlings opens its leaves wide, like a baby bird waiting to be fed. It speaks in a very faint voice: “Hungry… want… bugs…”

Hespyth squeals!!
Hespyth sounds half startled, half enamored.

Sarandis stares in wonder.

Another tiny sproutling shuffles around, motioning towards the south. A barely audible voice says, “Want soil…”

Syreithe looks southward. "I hear buzzing bugs."

[Kaladris]: We will find you bugs, little one!

[Sarandis]: Perhaps we can gather some to feed them? And soil, along the way.

Syreithe nods at you.

[Hespyth]: Yes, yes. Feed the baby.

Syreithe chuckles at Hespyth.

[Qelida]: Come, let us carry you over the bad water.

[Hespyth]: Oh yes, the baby should not touch the green water!
Hespyth looks suddenly terrified that something is going to happen to the babies.

Sarandis carefully carries her sapling.

Qelida sets the seedling down on the other side.

Hespyth snatches one up and holds it close, refusing to let it walk. It's a good thing she does not have an actual baby.

Sarandis sets hers down as well. "We must nurture this new life."

Hespyth winces as thorns dig into her, but she doesn't let go of her baby.

Syreithe reflexively winces when her sister feels the pain of the thorns.

[Velrin]: I bet Nylarria would love this little guy.

[Sarandis]: Nylarria. Have you mentioned her before?

[Velrin]: She's my shalan.

[Sarandis]: Ah. *Sarandis smiles* You are lucky. I have yet to meet mine.
Sarandis carefully feeds a bug to her sapling.

[Qelida]: I do not know this word.

Velrin smiles a little, "She's been a good companion."

[Sarandis]: It is… a bound soul. Of a sense. I am not describing properly. Mated soul?

[Qelida]: Like… Hespyth and Syreithe?

[Hespyth]: No, that is different. Strange.
[Hespyth]: We are same soul. In two persons.

[Velrin]: It's difficult to describe.

[Sarandis]: Yes, shalan is two different souls, but… overlapping? Connected.

Syreithe nods.

Qelida looks faintly surprised. "The same? If one dies, does the other die?"

[Syreithe]: We are called kalanore. Shalan is different.

Hespyth goes ghost pale at Qelida's question.

[Syreithe]: We do not know. Kalanore are very…not many of us.

Hespyth nods in agreement with Syreithe. She trembles, eyes distant and horrified.

Sarandis pales a little. "For shalan, no. I have seen… no, if one dies, the other… suffers."

[Qelida]: Dangerous. We shall hope never to find out.

Velrin's ears droop remembering her old CO when her shalan died.

[Hespyth]: Kalanore happens sometimes when… mother has two babies at once. Very rare, this.

[Qelida]: Rarer than twins?

[Sarandis]: You may know of the Stormrage family. I do not know if they were kalanore, but… the brothers. Ah, twins, that's the word for it.

[Hespyth]: Yes, the Stormrage - they do not say they are kalanore. But… I think so.

[Syreithe]: Shai. Yes. Rarerer than twins.

Velrin clenches her teeth.

Qelida nods.

[Sarandis]: If Stormrage were kalanore, we have our answer. One is dead.

Hespyth exhales.
[Hespyth]: It is good that Malfurion and his shalan are again together. Or… are they? I… sometimes do not know the… today things.

Qelida looks blank. She certainly has no idea.

[Sarandis]: They are. He is awake and they are together, leading our people.

Hespyth smiles.
[Hespyth]: He loves her so much!

Sarandis smiles as well. "It is good that they have their time together now."

[Qelida]: So if kalanore is single soul and shalan is a paired soul… do two kalanore share the same shalan?

[Syreithe]: We…do not know. But…it is maybe?

[Qelida]: Draenei do not have these paired souls.

[Sarandis]: I do not know of any other people that do, so far.

[Syreithe]: It is a gift from Elune.

[Hespyth]: Or a curse…

Velrin blinks.

[Syreithe]: If Hespyth and I share the same shalan, it would maybe be…complicated.

One of the seedlings plants its roots in the dirt.

[Sarandis]: Maybe we should tell Isural what has happened? I expect we will need to nourish these saplings. They seem attached to us.

Hespyth is still holding hers. One of her hands is bleeding a little.

[Qelida]: Yes, he will wonder where we have gone with his vials.

Hespyth giggles at Qelida.

[Sarandis]: Let us go.

[Qelida]: Come, Aegis.

Hespyth salutes Qelida with respect.

The team heads back to the grove to report.