The truth is a harsh mistress

The Tauren district of Orgrimmar was quiet beyond the crackling of fire & braziers in the spring night. The local Sunwalkers were still awake, chatting & preparing for the next day of work that laid before them.  Aikane Grimtotem was gently polishing his armor as he listened to his fellow Sunwalker converse about local rumors.

"That's now what I heard. Seems Kurn is seeing one of the local Troll Witch Doctors near the Valley of Spirit." Said the female Tauren nearby Aikane, she was big into gossiping and the news of the hour was over who  Kurn, a fellow Sunwalker, was seeing on his off time. Of course to share in this chat was Aikane himself. " Ishna, do you honestly think he would go out with a troll? Their woman are easy on the eyes, but having one for a mate? I don't know the logic of that...."  Ishna snorted for a second " You're too old fashion, Aikane, and being a Grimtotem of all people."

Aikane stopped polishing for a moment and looked at her " I would have thought you would be above that. Grimtotems in the Horde to the ones that were exiled are not one and the same." She nodded " Yeah, I know. Honestly Aikane, you can't take a joke."  The black Tauren just shook his head went silent for a moment. " Anyway" She continued " I heard he may be seeing...." Aikane raised his three fingered hand to Ishna's snout to silence her. " Hold on....."

Ishna did not say a word but eagerly waited to see what he would do next. In one move, Aikane punched the hide skin wall of the long house and pulled back his arm back with a screeching goblin tightly clasped. " Finally caught you, you little green shit." The blond haired goblin yelled and waved his arms  " What's the big idea, pal? Can't a guy just take a stroll at night without you damn cows bothering me?"  Aikane squeezed harder and could hear the sound of desperate breathing from the green creature's lungs. " Minding your business? I doubt that. You are in the back of the barracks AND the walking path is in the front. You have been spying on me for the last week, and you are going to tell me why."

The goblin glared at him for a bit, but finally nodded desperately with the last of his strength as he felt like blacking out. Aikane dropped the goblin to the wooden floor. " Okay, okay! I got it. eeesh. I should never have take jobs without pay." The goblin complained to himself as he rubbed his bottom and stood up. "Just start talking, I don't have all night." The goblin waved off Aikane and nodded " I got you cowboy. Take it easy. Anyway, the name is Snellix or Nick, I could care less which one you want to use.  Anyway, I was hired by some weird looking Tauren girl to get some info on you, if I did she would give me some solid jobs with the Blood Knights."

"A Tauren? What is her name?" Came the question from Ishna as she had renewed interest with the mention of a female.

"Kamilah Steelstomp." Nick said as he felt his neck a few times, still feeling the grip that Aikane had on him." Girl wanted info and .... I kind of gotten it, till you started choking me."

"Kami?...why would she do this?" Aikane said as he tried seemed a bit shocked that it was her behind this. "hmm... Oh Aikane.. you're blushing! Is that one who you can't stop blushing over?" Ishna said with a wily smirk. "Shut up! This has nothing to do with you, and don't you have a patrol before the next hourly drums?" Aikane retorted as he tried to keep his emotions in check. "Oh.... guess I do. Don't think this is over, brother, the unit is going to loooooveee this juicy detail."  Ishna said with smirk. She didn't give him enough time to respond as she grabbed her sword and headed out for patrol.

"Girlfriend?" The goblin gave a smirk. " Co-worker." Aikane responded. He rubbed his snout a few times and sighed. He looked at the goblin and grabbed him again by his vest. In response, Nick began to wave his arms about and scream. " Ahh man! What is it now?! I told you what I know."

"Not everything. You are trying to get jobs with Kami, but I know your kind. I know quite well you have a boss. Tell me who it is." Nick shook his head " No way, he will kill me! This is just a side job too. This has nothing to do with him...and what are you doing with that sword?!"

"What do you think I am going to do? No one is going to miss a thieving goblin. I may even get a bonus for handling the issue." The Tauren said as he pointed his weapon at the goblin's stomach. " Okay! Okay! You win! His name is Ku'thalas Everstar.  There! You got your name, now let me go!" Nick screamed as he flailed his arms in fear of his life.

Aikane dropped the goblin dropped the goblin on the floor. " You're lucky I escorted that elf this morning. Therefore, I suppose letting you go is a suitable reward." Aikane nodded to goblin with a sly grin. " Wait... what are you doing?"

The Tauren grabbed the goblin once more, and walked outside with him to the directions of the falls. Snellix gave a quick look and tried to escape in vain. Aikane dropped  goblin for a final time and kicked him all the way into the  waterfall. " Hmmph, should serve him right." He said as saw the green figure come out of the water's surface in irate rage. With a large laugh, Aikane gripped his sword and walked towards the Elven distract  

Blood Elves were not known to take much ideas into living in Orgrimmar. The most that did wish to live here were ambassadors and their guards, teachers, or tradesmen. So it was unusual to see a Tauren in the Blood Elf district at this time at night. So it was no surprise when the local guards stopped Aikane and asked " Sorry, but I rather not have our Elven 'guest' to get beaten to a pulp, as much as I would enjoy that." The guard chuckled for a bit. Aikane waved it off and said, " I am not here to fight, I am just here to speak some business with a teacher. "

"Then come in the morning." The guard replied.

"It needs to be discussed tonight and I will gladly fight you for passage if I must." Aikane said to the grunt with an almost eager grin. "No need. I'm just bored and wanted to mess around. Besides we heard enough about you Grimtotems to just take on alone. Pass and keep silent, these elves have hearing better then the wolves." The Tauren nodded and began on his way.

Despite the small district the elves had made for themselves in Orgrimmar, it was still complicated enough to get lost in. A few hundred Blood Elves lived in the district and finding a mage would be even harder. However Aikane was lucky, he was the Sunwalker who escorted Ku'thalas  from the Cleft of Shadows. Thus it would make finding his home only a minor issue for him. In a little less than 20 minutes, Aikane was already at his destination.

The mage's residency looked much like most of the city, it was Orcish design and very few things of the house showed any sign of an Elf living there. Yet he knew this was the house, he escorted the mage himself. A few taps on the door with his large fist could be heard a few houses over, despite him only tapping it gently. " Who wishes to talk with me on such a late hour?" Came an immediate response from the house. "Ku'thalas Everstar, I am the Sunwalker, Aikane Grim..."

"Grimtotem? The one who escorted me?" The voice interrupted him.

"Yes, the one who escorted you this morning."

"Did I forget something?  Was there a form I forgot to fill out?"

"No... I just need to discuss something with you in private."

"Can this wait till morning?"

"No."

A pause came, then a long silence. The door clicked and opened softly for Aikane. "Enter. Mind you that I am not in the most cheerful mood." Ku'thalas said as Aikane began to walk inside.

Yet... what was this? The entire house was different. There were no granite walls or cedar beams that made up for Orcish design. No it was as if the entire house expanded and was remodeled to a Blood Elf design in less than a day!  Aikane looked outside for a moment and saw the Orcish design was still intact. Yet as he compared the door itself, it shifted material and craft as he looked at the opposite side of the door.

To surprise Aikane even more, the door seemed to open by itself. There was no one around to greet him except for a floating lantern, and there was no way that thing could open the door. The lamp reacted to the Tauren with several chimes and burst of lights, indicating it should be followed. The Sunwalker  shrugged and began to be lead by the enchanted object.

The longer he was in the house, the more he knew that magic was at play. There were too many rooms for a humble Orc house  and the air... the air seemed too clean too. He gave a sniff and could smell only incense but none of the desert air or cacti that he was used to being wafted in his nostrils. Finally the lamp stopped at an open doorway that lead to a study room. The lamp seemed to give a form of a bow and floated away.

"Seems you did not get lost. A shame, I would have loved to see solve a few of my puzzles." An Elf said to Aikane. The Elf was garbed in purple robes and was sitting in a chair next to a pile of books. " Did

you... make all this in one day?" Aikane asked, almost a bit fearful of the answer. " No, don't be silly. I did not 'make' all this. I merely linked the house I was given to a small pocket dimension that makes up for my private residence. "  Ku'thalas said in a almost monotone voice. The mage didn't even look at the Sunwalker and just continued to turn the page of his book.

" I am not sure how that is possib.. wait... no, I have a few questions for you for!"

Aikane said to the sitting mage as he began to walk inside the room. " Then ask. I have feeling it will be most interesting." He still did not look up.

" You know of a goblin named Snellix?"

"He works for me."

"I found him spying on me."

"Oh? Well I can assure you that I did not hire him for that purpose. "

" I felt as much, but I think you would like to know who did."

"Oh?"

"Kamilah Steelstomp." Aikane said in the most direct way he could. That seemed to pique the mage enough to give Aikane eye contact. " Now THAT is interesting." Ku'thalas closed his book. " Don't you agree Tumanga?" Aikane searched the room and realized there was a second elf in the room.

The second elf was unlike the first one. He had orange hair instead of black and was greatly better built. He also had armor that seemed to indicate that he was a " Blood Knight." Aikane commented. Tumanga nodded and gave a sly smirk " Very good. I suppose even foot soldier like you have heard our elite order."

Aikane laughed for a moment at the comment and responded " Elite? I'm a Sunwalker and your 'elite' order got a few lessons from mine several times. If you know what I mean." Tumanga glared and said " You challenging me?" Ku'thalas seemed to break the tension with a few claps "Gentlemen! Now is not the time to wave around your petty egos. Now, Tumanga...."  The Blood Knight raised a palm to the mage to silence him " I know.  Just a joke for your guest. Yet Kamilah..." The elf's smile grew to a full grin " Has that half-blood taking a liking to you?"

"Liking? She can't view me in that way?" Aikane responded.

"Oh, and why is that."

"She only looks at women."

"Only looks at.... ha ha  ha! Are you serious?! That cow is as straight as an arrow! For the longest time she was attached to the hip to some male assassin. "

" What? no.. she... wait...." Aikane's brain froze for a moment. He tried to figure what this all meant. "She... likes both sexes?" Aikane asked. Tumanga shrugged " I guess so. Never went too deep on her past. However she did not mind when I flirted with her. Heh, I bet she is playing little mind games with you." Aikane stayed silent, he was unsure if she was or not. Kamilah was different, yet....

"Hmm, you still with me bull man?" Tumanga poked the Tauren, who seemed to be lost in thought. Aikane reacted and shook of the pokes. " I'm fine, and thank you. I am certain this is enough for me tonight." The Sunwalker gave a bow and began to walk out of the room. " May that lamp guide me out of this maze?" He asked. " Yes, it will be here in one moment." Ku'thalas said as he opened his book again.

The second time around the house seemed to be shorter than the second. Maybe it was because he was deep in thought, or the fact he paced faster. Whichever fact it was, he was out of the mage's house quickly and began to head home. Yet his mind was filled with more questions to the answers he received. " What kind of game are you playing Kamilah?" He whispered to himself. The Tauren gently touched his lips and softly snorted.  He was not sure what was real or not, but he knew that the next watch was going to be a long one.