126 Chapter 66: Homecoming

"Welcome back, Chosen. I knew you would be victorious. I saw your future. Every aspect of it," said the warm and gentle voice of Z'eru when Kelrian entered the hall.

Kelrian didn't hesitate to walk over to the naaru, bowing in front of her. "Stand up, Chosen. You don't have to kneel in front of anyone. Not even in front of me or the other naaru. If I could kneel, I would kneel in front of you. You are the Chosen One. The one who will save Azeroth. The one who will protect it from all evil."

"Are you sure that I'm indeed the Chosen One? I nearly lost to that demon. Are you sure you are not confusing me with someone else?"

"I have never been wrong about anything," replied the naaru. "I know it's you who will be Azeroth's saviour."

"I nearly lost the fight..."

"Only nearly. You won in the end and that is all that matters. The fact that you are the Chosen One doesn't make you invincible. You can't expect yourself to be much stronger than every creature in the universe. There are enough creatures which are very powerful. Few of them might be equally strong or even stronger. Dreadfist was one of those whose powers even surpassed yours but you defeated him in the end. That is all that matters."

Curiosity was reflected by Kelrian's eyes. "He told me that he saw the outcome of the fight years ago. He told me that he saw my death. He also told me that he managed to defeat the Lich King in his dimension. Was he lying?"

"I don't know what was going on in his mind but I assume that what he said is not true. Maybe he believed that it is true but it was not true. Not everything at least. It is true that he was the one who killed the Lich King in his dimension but he had help. Mal'Ganis and several other powerful demons helped him."

"Was he a medium? Was he able to see the future?" Kelrian asked.

"Like you, he was able to see future events from time to time. He had no control over it. He is not a medium nor did he possess the powers of the dragons of the Bronze Dragonflight. He was just a madman who believed that he was a god. And now he is dead. It's for the best. He would have been a danger to everyone."

"A lot of creatures would have died if he would have escaped."

"You did the universe a favour," replied the ancient being.

"What Dreadfist said about Sylvanas...His Sylvanas...The Sylvanas from his dimension...Do you think that he spoke the truth?"

"You want to know if he turned her into his personal slave."

Kelrian nodded hesitantly.

"I'm afraid he did. He didn't lie to you in this matter. The Sylvanas in his dimension is no longer like your Sylvanas. He broke her and changed her for his liking. But this parallel universe doesn't have to bother you. It's not your task as the Chosen One to save this universe. It cannot be saved but ours can. We need to protect Azeroth from the Scourge and the Burning Legion. It is your task to do everything in your power to achieve that goal. That's your main purpose. Focus on your main goal and stop worrying about parallel universes."

Kelrian hesitated but then nodded, not knowing what to think about this matter. He didn't want to imagine a world where Sylvanas was nothing more than a toy for a crazy half-demon. Dreadfist might be gone but this version of Sylvanas was still not the woman she used to be. He doubted that she could become the woman she had once been again.

As much as he hated this thought, he knew that Z'eru was right. He had other things to worry about than a different version of Azeroth and a different version of his wife. His family was still out there and not safe at all. The Burning Legion and the Scourge were still posing threats to his home world.

He had to do everything in his power to stop them. He had to do everything to protect his family. His son, his sisters-in-law, his cousin, his friends, his people, the Alliance and of course Sylvanas. She and their children were the most important persons in his life. He would do anything necessary to protect them. He had sworn to himself to look for a way to free his daughter from the Lich King's control. He wanted to bring her back to their family and allow her to live a more or less normal life as an undead. He didn't want her to serve the Scourge until the end of her days. Saving his daughter was very important to him.

Z'eru's warm voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"For the ritual. We will make you stronger and give you new abilities which will help you fight all evil."

"I want to know one more thing first," Kelrian said demandingly.

"Go ahead."

"When I stabbed Dreadfist with his own sword, I... I saw something. It was like a vision but it felt so real. I had the impression that I was really there. The woman I saw... Was she real? Was it really her?"

"It was her."

Kelrian's eyes widened a little, his heart began to beat faster and his skin tingled nervously. "How is that possible? How can she be alive? Truly alive..."

"I will explain it to you after the ritual. You will see things from a different perspective once the ritual is completed. You will understand why your wife is alive in that vision. Truly alive."

Kelrian nodded. Happiness, curiosity, anticipation and many other emotions could be seen in his eyes. It was obvious that he was looking forward to finding out the meaning of this vision. He couldn't wait to find out the truth. To find out how it was possible that Sylvanas might be alive in the future.

There was nothing he wanted more than to bring Sylvanas back to life. He didn't know how, but it seemed to be possible. He hoped it at least. He didn't want to get any false hopes and invest time and resources into something which might not be possible in the end. He remained as calm as possible and decided to wait until the ritual would be completed. He had to wait until Z'eru would explain everything to him.

"I'm ready," he said to the naaru eventually.

"Good. Follow Maraad. He will guide you to the room where the ritual will be carried out."

"As you wish."

---

Kelrian opened his eyes and lifted his upper body up, turning his head to check his surroundings. He laid in a bed made of softwood, his body was covered by a white blanket. The room was kept simple, the furniture didn't look extraordinary expensive but still quite solid. There was a table on the right side of the room, a creature sat on one of the two chairs next to it. It was no other than his cousin.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Liadrin said smilingly.

"Good morning, Liadrin," Kelrian said in return. He regarded her from head to toe, noticing that she didn't look much different. She still wore the same golden-red armour she wore every day as the leader of the Blood Knights.

"How long was I asleep?" Kelrian asked when he was done with examining his cousin.

"Two days."

Kelrian wasn't surprised by her response. "I see. I suppose the ritual was successful."

"Seems so. I was not there when it was carried out but I can feel your aura. It's much stronger than before."

Kelrian got up from the bed and walked over to the mirror that stood next to the wardrobe. He didn't hesitate to regard himself. His whole upper body was covered by golden tattoos. Mostly symbols and letters of a language he didn't know. Even his back was tattooed.

"Not sure what I should say about these tattoos, to be honest."

"They look good on you. I think Sylvanas will like them."

"Sylvanas... I haven't seen her for nearly a year... I should meet her as soon as I can. Have you seen her in the past months?"

Liadrin nodded. "I did. She misses you but she understands that you have to be on Outland to train. She doesn't want to stop you from following the path destiny chose for you."

"Destiny... I remember the time where I thought that I always choose my own destiny but now it seems that everything is predetermined for me. It was not my decision to become the Chosen One. It was the light and the naaru who chose me for whatever reason."

"Do you still doubt that you are worthy enough to be the Chosen One? If that's the case then I have to assure you that you are. All you did was for the well-being of our people. You want nothing more than to protect our people, your friends and your family. You wouldn't even hesitate to sacrifice your life for the greater good. If you are not worthy, then I do not know who else should be."

"I no longer doubt the light's choice. I trust the naaru's words. If they say that I'm the one who will bring light into the darkness, then they must be right. The draenei said that the naaru have never been wrong about anything. The draenei are very wise creatures. They know a lot of things that are not known to me. I trust them too."

Liadrin smiled. "Time passed so quickly. I still remember the day you were born. I knew from the very first day that you were special but I would have never believed that you would be that special. Winning the heart of the Ranger-General, one of the most famous women of our kingdom, is one thing but becoming the Chosen of the light is a completely different story. I would have never believed back then that you would accomplish such things. Especially after you have shown no promising signs that you can use the light. Your tale is very interesting, Kelrian."

Kelrian returned her smile. "Yours is interesting too. You started as an ordinary novice priestess but you rose to the highest rank, joined the Knights of the Silver Hand and later you became the Blood Knight Matriarch. You became a powerful paladin and the leader of an influential organisation. You helped to rebuild our fallen kingdom and lead our people through the hardest crisis they ever had to go through."

"You might be right but my story is not as interesting as yours, Kelrian. Anyway, how are you doing? Do you feel a difference?"

Kelrian thought about her words for a few moments. "Not really, to be honest. I feel stronger and more confident than before but that's it. Except for the tattoos, my body didn't change either."

"Your eyes and your hair are the most obvious changes. You look so much better without that green demon hand."

Kelrian didn't avert his gaze when he put on an undershirt and a tunic. "Thank you. I wonder what Sylvanas will say about my hair. She loved my long mane. Now that it is gone, I wonder if she will miss it."

"I think she will need some time to get used to it but I don't think it will really matter to her. All that matters to her is that you are healthy and alive," replied Liadrin.

Kelrian nodded. "You are right. I have to visit her as soon as the naaru allow me to leave Outland."

"You should do that indeed."

"I will go to the naaru now. You can stay here if you want or come with me. It is up to you."

"I wish I could come with you but there is something else I have to do. Feel free to tell me when you are leaving Outland."

"I will. See you later, Liadrin."

"See you later, Kel."

Kelrian waved at her and left the room quickly, making his way to the main hall where Z'eru and A'dal were waiting for him. No one else was in the room.

"What can we do for you, Chosen?" Z'eru asked.

"I wanted to ask you the same question," replied Kelrian.

"You already fulfilled our wishes and attended the ritual. How do you feel?"

"Good, I guess. I don't feel very different. All I noticed is that my aura became stronger but that's it. Oh, and the tattoos. What's their purpose?"

"They confirm that you are indeed the Chosen One and not just a stranger who pretends to be the Chosen One. Almost all servants of the light know about these tattoos," explained A'dal.

"I assume that all Chosen had these tattoos."

"You are right about that," said Z'eru.

"What about the vision I saw?"

"It might come true if certain events occur."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow, a questionable look could be seen on his face. "Certain events?"

"We don't know of all events which have to occur but already we know about a few."

Kelrian felt his heart beat faster in his chest. His skin was tingling and his throat was dry. The thought about Sylvanas becoming alive again made him nervous and excited at the same time. He hoped so dearly that what he had seen would come true. He wanted Sylvanas' suffering to end and he wanted to have the third child they had planned to have. He would do anything necessary to make this vision come true. To turn this vision into reality was his greatest desire.

"Which ones do you know?"

"The Lich King must die but Illidan must live."

"Why Illidan?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"He will be able to show you the location of a certain object you need to turn the vision into reality. If he dies, the vision will never become true," explained Z'eru.

Kelrian nodded. "I see. Is there anything else you already know except for the fates of Arthas and Illidan?"

"Unfortunately, no. We will inform you as soon as we know more. Just like you, we also only see bits and pieces of the future. We don't know everything and we cannot foresee everything."

A'dal spoke before Kelrian could say anything in response. "You cannot tell your wife or anyone else about the vision. You have to keep it secret. The chance is high that things turn out differently if people know about it. Promise us to not tell anyone. Only the naaru are allowed to know about it."

"That almost sounds as if you want this to happen. Is there a certain reason why you want Sylvanas' resurrection?"

"There is," began Z'eru. "As you know, there have been Chosen Ones before you. All of them fulfilled their purposes but in the end, the Legion or other threats got them. All of them died in the end and we had trouble finding a new one every single time. Often, we didn't have a Chosen for decades or even centuries. We want to prevent being without a Chosen in case something happens to you. That's why we want a rightful successor. Someone who will be trained to become the Chosen One in case something happens to you."

"The child in the vision will be my successor," Kelrian said surprised.

"Only if something unexpected happens. We don't expect you to die against the Scourge or the Legion but we cannot be sure. Things often didn't turn out as we have expected. We have to be prepared for everything, for every possibility. That's why we take these precautions."

"I want this to happen and I'm glad you are supporting me in this matter."

"You are the Chosen, it's our task to help you whenever we can. We must accompany you on your path and make sure you will meet the expectations of the light."

"I won't disappoint you," said Kelrian determinedly.

"We know."

"Is there anything I have to do for you or can I return to Azeroth and meet my wife and my son?"

"We have no tasks for you at the moment. We will let you know when there is something to do for you."

Kelrian nodded. "So I can go to Azeroth?"

"You can go wherever you want."

Kelrian smiled. "I will always be ready to do whatever you want me to do."

"Good. Now go, your wife misses you."

Kelrian lowered his head in respect, said goodbye to the naaru and left the hall without hesitation.

---

Even though Sylvanas had started working two hours ago, she had not gotten very far. The stacks of documents on her desk hadn't gotten much smaller in the past two hours. The reason for that was a lack of concentration. She couldn't really get focused enough to do her work because she couldn't stop thinking about him. Almost a year had passed since he had gone to Outland and she had no idea when he would return. She had no idea how long this training would endure.

She missed him so badly. She wished he was there. She wished he was in her office, so she could hug him and kiss him. She wanted to spend time with him, wanted to be around him and do whatever he wanted to do. It didn't matter to her what they would do, she just wanted to be together with him. She yearned for him. Her body yearned for him too. For his soft touch and the heat that was radiated by his body.

In all the years they had been separated, Sylvanas had not missed him as much as she was missing him these days. It was ten times worse than all the other times she had not been able to be close to him. If it was up to her, she would go to Outland and meet him but she had a city to run, not to mention that she didn't want to distract Kelrian from his training. Him becoming strong enough to be the Chosen was the most important thing at the moment. Her lower needs were negligible.

She would have to wait as long as necessary. She could only hope that his training wouldn't take years. If so, she would have to deal with it and wait patiently. Sylvanas was a patient person but at the same time, she hated waiting. She hated it but accepted it nevertheless. She had to. She had no other choice than waiting, no matter how much she hated it.

Sylvanas was wondering what Kelrian was doing at the moment. Was he training? Resting? Speaking to the naaru? To the draenei? Was he doing something else?

She wondered how his training would look like. She wondered what he would have to do. She wondered who will train him. There were so many questions in her head. Questions to which she wouldn't get answers so soon.

She was still lost in thoughts but not for too long because loud knocks at the door brought her back to reality. Her gaze fell on the door but she said nothing nor did she do anything. Only when the unknown person knocked again, she sat upright and told the person to come in.

The door was opened a short moment later, her eyes widened in surprise when she caught sight of the familiar man. Her gaze fell on his handsome face and then wandered to his hair. His new hairstyle really surprised her. She had to admit that he looked good with short hair but she still preferred him with long hair. But it was not her who decided about his hairstyle. It was him. If he wanted to have short hair, she wouldn't say anything against it. She wouldn't try to convince him to keep his hair longer. It was his decision and not hers.

Sylvanas got up from her chair and rushed over to her husband who closed the door in the meantime. She wrapped her arms around his upper body before he could even react. His armour was gone a few moments later and replaced by soft silk which was much more comfortable than the firm material of the armour. Kelrian had replaced his whole armour with a golden tunic and a golden pair of trousers without having to speak a wording. He had just done it as if the spell was one of the easiest he was able to use.

Kelrian didn't hesitate to put his right hand on the back of her head and wrap his left arm around her waist. He pulled her closer against him and pulled her hood down, running his fingers through her pale blonde hair. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes, enjoying their close body contact. He had missed her so much. He was glad to finally have her in his arms after almost a year of being away from her.

"I missed you," Sylvanas whispered against his chest.

The corner's of Kelrian's lips formed a smile. "I missed you too, Sylvanas." He toyed with her hair, wrapping a few strands around his fingers.

"Your aura feels so different. You even smell different," she whispered after a while.

"What do I smell like?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"It's hard to define, to be honest. Your smell reminds me of vanilla. Dunno why."

"And my aura?"

"It still has similarities to the aura of mages but it reminds me more of the aura of a paladin. But it's much stronger than the auras of any paladin I ever met in my life. Liadrin's, Tiron Fordring's and not even Uther's, Turalyon's and Arthas' auras have been so strong."

"Well, I'm more than just a paladin."

"I know."

They said nothing for a while and just hugged each other. They enjoyed the presence of the other and the pleasant silence which was eventually broken by Sylvanas.

"How was your training?"

"More challenging than expected. Especially my final test."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow curiously. "Final test?"

"I fought an evil creature from a different timeline."

"Tell me more."

"I had to fight myself basically."

Sylvanas' eyes widened, her face reflected heavy surprise. "Yourself? What do you mean?"

"I fought Dreadfist. I fought what I would have become if Raesh wouldn't have stopped me. If he wouldn't have pushed me through the window by accident, I would have become this angry and insane creature. He was so powerful. He was much stronger than I am but I managed to defeat him. The fight was pretty close nevertheless. It could have turned out in a different way if he would have used the runes tattooed on his hands and engraved in his runeblades."

"Runeblades? Plural?"

"Yes, plural. He possessed Drak'tar and Worldender. I only defeated him because I managed to trick him. I rammed a knife made of holy light in his chest and then..." Kelrian paused. He wished he could tell Sylvanas about the vision he had seen. He wished he could tell her that there was a way to bring her back to life. He wished he could tell her that they could have another child if everything would turn out well. But he couldn't. No matter how badly he wanted it, he couldn't tell her the truth.

He had promised the naaru to keep it secret and he would keep this promise. He didn't know the consequences of telling Sylvanas about the vision nor did he want to give her any false hopes. He didn't want to see the disappointment on her face if the vision wouldn't become reality. He wanted to protect her, so he had to withhold that information from her. It wasn't exactly lying but it still felt for him as if he would lie to her. He hated that feeling but there was nothing he could do about it. He had to keep this information secret.

"And then what?" Sylvanas asked curiously.

"And then he died," Kelrian said after a few moments.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Kelrian shook his head. "No. I'm good. Everything is fine."

"Are you sure? You seem troubled." A small amount of doubt could be heard in Sylvanas' voice.

Kelrian nodded, putting a hand on her cheek. "I am, sweetheart," he said when he stared into her eyes. That was enough for Sylvanas to believe him. She returned his gaze and stepped on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was not as tall as he had been before his rebirth, so she didn't even need to pull his head down to press her lips on his. He returned the kiss without hesitation and slipped his tongue in her mouth.

Sylvanas' tongue found its way in Kelrian's mouth, licking every reachable spot. The kiss was sweet and passionate, one of the best kisses they had ever shared. Sylvanas was surprised about how long Kelrian was able to hold his breath. He was able to hold the kiss much longer than usual.

Kelrian put both of his hands on her cheeks and ran his thumbs over them while he stared into her crimson eyes. "Your eyes are still so beautiful. So is your face."

Sylvanas smiled, putting one of her hands over one of his. She put the other on his hip. "Thank you. Your eyes are also beautiful. Your eyes have changed so much over the years. They were been sky blue when we met but they became pale blue after Arthas invaded Quel'Thalas. When you went to Outland with your father and Lady Vashj, they became fel green due to the effect of fel energy. Arthas took one of your eyes but Exadius gave you a new one, a golden one. When you were Dreadfist, you had golden irises and fel green eyeballs and now you have pure golden eyes. From all those different eye colours, I prefer your current. Blue looked good too but not as good as golden. You are a very handsome man, my dear."

"And you are a very pretty woman."

"At least Arthas didn't take that from me. At least my good look and the man I love with all my heart have remained."

Kelrian smiled and kissed her again. They parted after several minutes, smiling at each other.

"What happened in my absence?" Kelrian asked after a while.

"Not much. The Scourge is still active in the Plaguelands and Illidan is still trying to gain control of all areas in Outland."

"So you have to divide the available forces by two."

"Exactly. Unfortunately, we don't have the manpower to deal with both threats in the long run. We must stop Illidan so that we can focus on the Scourge. Arthas has to pay for everything."

Kelrian noticed determination and anger in her eyes. "He will pay, my love. I promise. It's my task to protect Azeroth and Outland from all evil. I have to make sure that Illidan and Arthas will be stopped. But I cannot do it alone. I might be powerful but I doubt I'm able to defeat the Lich King alone, not to mention his undead army."

"Good for you that we have allies. The Alliance has the same interest as we do. They will do anything in their power to stop Illidan and Arthas. There is also the Horde who is pursuing the same goals."

"You are working with the Horde?" Kelrian asked surprised.

"Not really. We have a non-aggression pact with them. We don't attack them and they don't attack us. Alleria would never work with them if there is an alternative. Only if there is no other option, she would seek negotiations with them and try to convince them to work with us," explained the Banshee Queen.

"I don't like orcs and trolls but I have nothing against the tauren. Nevertheless, I would only consider working with them with we have no other choice. I share your sister's opinion."

"So does every other leader of the Alliance. Even Greymane."

Kelrian noticed the way she pronounced the name of the king of Gilneas. "You don't seem to like King Greymane," he remarked.

"You course I don't like him. He still regards me and my people as abominations. The way he looks at me...I'm not afraid of him but I hate the way he looks at me. He is the only leader who is not happy that the Forsaken are a member of the Alliance. Even his son accepted us. Liam Greymane is much more tolerant than this old wolf. He is so much smarter than his stupid father."

"As long as Genn doesn't do anything, there is no reason for us to do something about him. Genn is smart enough to not attack your people like the Scarlet Crusade. Genn also knows that the Alliance needs every capable fighter they can get. We lack manpower, so he wouldn't dare to attack your people," replied Kelrian.

Sylvanas nodded. "You are right. Greymane also listens to King Varian. The King of Stormwind trusts us. Especially because we got rid of those traitorous elves who joined the Scourge."

"Dar'Khan and Xenarion."

"Did I ever tell you that it was Lyndia who killed Xenarion?" Sylvanas asked.

"Not that I remember. I'm glad she did. Not only did she avenge herself but also her father. I wish I could have killed him myself but Lyndia deserves it more."

"I miss my brother. More than twenty years have passed since his death but I still think about him from time to time. Seems I'm not fully over his death. after all these years..." Sadness could be seen in her crimson eyes. Kelrian wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. "I barely knew him but I know he was a good man. He would have become an excellent ranger like you and your sisters if the orc invasion wouldn't have happened. And if Xenarion wouldn't have betrayed us."

"He was a talented actor and he was very skilled at playing the lute. I loved to dance with my sisters to his songs." A tear ran down her cheek and become dust before Kelrian could wipe it away. "We lost so many members of our families since the Second War. My mother, most of my uncles and aunts, several of my cousins, your older brother and sister. Not to mention your mother and your younger siblings who are probably dead too. We never heard of them again. And then are those who became undead. Turalyon, Uncle Zelastor, Lyndia..."

"And you," Kelrian added, his voice sounded sad suddenly.

"And me..."

Kelrian softly pressed Sylvanas' head against his chest, running his fingers through her hair. He noticed that this helped Sylvanas to calm down, so he continued.

"We will make Arthas pay for everything," he said.

"Yes, we will. I will kill him myself if I can."

"You deserve to give him the fatal blow. But we have a long way before us. Achieving that goal won't be easy."

Sylvanas nodded but said nothing in return.

"How is our son?" Kelrian asked after a while.

"He still doesn't speak but at least he helps us deal with these threats. He is on Outland with Maiev Shadowsong and Shandris Feathermoon. They are in Shadowmoon Valley to reduce Illidan's influence in the area."

"I assume Kaelor is with him."

"He is but Raesh doesn't talk with him either. Kaelor told me that he will be there for him and try to make him talk again."

"Seems we have to be patient with him."

"The doctors said that he is technically able to speak. They think it's purely a matter of the head. Like a blockade or something like that," Sylvanas explained.

"Can we do anything about it?"

Sylvanas shook her head. "The doctors haven't found a solution yet. We have to hope that Kaelor finds a way to help him."

"I see. Let's hope for the best."

Sylvanas nodded but said nothing.

"Any news about the rest of our family?"

"My sisters are fine. I see them very often because they show up in Undercity from time to time to look after me. Not to mention that I see them whenever the leaders of the Alliance meet. Our relationships are still strong. I love them and don't want them to suffer the same fate as I did. My greatest fear is that those I care for will become undead and suffer as I have suffered."

"I will do everything in my power to protect them."

"I also worry about you."

Kelrian caressed her cheek. "I will take care of myself. Promised."

Sylvanas closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against his hand, enjoying the pleasant warmth which was radiated by him.

"What about your father?" Kelrian asked eventually. "I haven't seen him for a while."

"Well... He is still alive and healthy but... The Scourge invasion and the death of my mother changed him. He is no longer the man he once was. He is no longer a businessman because most of his businesses and goods were destroyed during the Third War. But he chose a different profession. A profession he is surprisingly good at."

"Which one?"

"He became an armourer. The weapons and armour pieces created by him are pretty good for elven standards. They might not be as good as the weapons and armours the best dwarven armourers create but they serve their purposes."

"That's good to hear. At least he didn't allow the depression to take him down."

"He is still drinking but he is trying to get away from it. Trying for two years... Not sure if we will be able to achieve his goal."

Worry was reflected by Kelrian's eyes. "I hope he will find a way to control his alcohol consumption."

"I hope so too."

"What about my father?" Kelrian asked. A mix of worry and curiosity could be seen on his face.

"He is still in the Violet Hold."

"So the mages of Dalaran didn't manage to help him?"

Sylvanas shook her head sadly. "They tried but there is nothing they can do for him. The fel made him lose his sanity and we have no idea how it can be restored. There is only one who might know a way. That person knows fel magic better than anyone else we know of."

"Illidan Stormrage."

Sylvanas nodded.

"Let's hope we can make him cooperate when we stop him. Maybe he can help my father."

Sylvanas' eyes showed worry. "I wouldn't count on it if I were you. Do not get your hopes up too high. It is possible that your father will never be the same again."

A sad sigh escaped Kelrian's lips. "I know... I know that the chances are pretty low but they still exist. I hope so at least. I won't stop believing in a miracle, no matter what the others say."

Sylvanas rubbed his cheek gently. "Nobody said you shouldn't have any hopes. I just want to make sure you won't expect this to happen. There is no guarantee that it will happen."

"I know." Kelrian kissed her hands gently and then placed them in his, running his thumbs over their backs. He intertwined their fingers and stared into Sylvanas' beautiful eyes, noticing that she was doing the same. They did nothing except for staring at each other and holding hands for nearly an hour. Both of them had enjoyed the pleasant silence but they weren't disappointed when it eventually ended.

"What will you do now?" Sylvanas asked.

"I must go to Silvermoon as soon as I can."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "You must?"

"I spent my last portion of power for the fight against Dreadfist. I need to recharge my power but it takes too long for my liking if I just wait and rest. There is a way how I can recharge it much faster."

"Recharge your power? How?"

"I have to go to the Sunwell. It will provide me with new power. I have to go to the Sunwell whenever I used all of my reserves."

"Who told you this?"

"The naaru. M'uru to be exact."

Confusion was reflected by Sylvanas' face. "But M'uru was defeated and its shards have been used to reignite the Sunwell."

"I know. That's why I'm able to hear its voice. M'uru is a part of the Sunwell and I can hear it because of my close connection to the Sunwell."

"That makes sense I guess..."

"I know it's hard to believe but that's the truth."

"I believe you, Kel. I know you would never lie to me."

Kelrian didn't avert his gaze, knowing that it would make him look suspicious. Staring into her eyes while not telling her the truth was harder than expected. The urge to tell his wife everything he knew was strong but he managed to control himself.

He hated not being truly honest with her but he had no other choice. He couldn't tell her about the vision he had seen, no matter how badly he wanted to do it. He didn't give in to the urge and said nothing. He felt bad about not telling Sylvanas what he had seen but he knew it was best if he would keep it secret. It was best for everyone.

"Are you sure that nothing is troubling you, honey?" Sylvanas asked when she got closer to him. Her face was only a few inches away from his.

Kelrian nodded. "I was thinking about my father. That's it," he lied.

Sylvanas nodded understandingly. She had bought his lie. "Will you go to Silvermoon today?"

"I would love to but at the same time, I want to spend some time with you. So... I don't know what to do, to be honest."

"We could go to Silvermoon together if you want," offered the Banshee Queen.

"You would come with me? Don't you have a lot of work to do?" he asked surprised.

"I do but that can wait. It's not urgent work and as the ruler of Undercity, I can decide what I will do and when I will do it. If I want to spend some time with my husband, I will do it and no one can stop me. No one can stop me from doing what I want."

Kelrian smiled. "People are too afraid of you to criticise and contradict you."

"That might be true. Anyway, we can go right now if you want." She offered him her hand and he took it without hesitation.

"Sounds like a plan."