A Story of Aritzaga, Female Night Elf Druid of the Alliance
Chapter 1: Shadows in Ashenvale
The crescent moon hung low over Ashenvale, casting a ghostly light through the dense trees, painting silvery patterns across the moss-covered ground. Aritzaga, a skilled night elf druid aligned with the Alliance, moved silently through the shadows, her senses alert to every rustling leaf and distant hoot. Tonight, she was not merely passing through her homeland—she was called.
Ashenvale had always been Aritzaga’s sanctuary, but now it seemed almost foreign, darkened by a silence she couldn’t explain. The creatures of the forest were missing, even the ever-present deer and night sabers had retreated. Only a foreboding stillness remained, one that filled her heart with unease.
Aritzaga paused, her gaze turning to the ancient trees looming around her. They whispered to her in a language she felt rather than heard, a plea that made her chest tighten. There was something deeply wrong here, something that threatened the balance of Azeroth itself. With a breath, she let her druidic senses flow out into the ground, connecting to the natural energies pulsing through Ashenvale. She felt the trees shiver with a dormant corruption, like a festering wound beneath the surface. She knew her task was clear—she would find the source and bring an end to it.
But as she prepared to move deeper into the forest, a figure appeared at the edge of the grove, silhouetted against the shadows. An orc shaman, his eyes glinting with caution and wariness, stepped forward. Aritzaga stiffened, her hand instinctively reaching for her staff. She belonged to the Alliance, and her loyalty ran deep, but tonight, her duty to Azeroth transcended factional allegiances.
“A moment, druid,” he rumbled, holding his hands up. “Thrall sent me to investigate this disturbance. It seems we have a common enemy.”
Aritzaga narrowed her eyes, her instincts flaring. The orc had the familiar, weathered look of one who had endured battle, and though his presence here felt like an invasion, she sensed no malice. She had heard rumors of the Horde’s interest in preserving balance, and while she held her loyalty close, she knew there were greater forces than factional squabbles threatening their world.
“You tread lightly on sacred land, orc,” she replied, her voice as sharp as a blade. “But I’ll not deny Azeroth needs all who protect her.”
He bowed his head in acknowledgment, and together, they moved into the dark heart of Ashenvale.