The Light within

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The Light within.

"Moment, yah?" said the Draenei. "I tell tem you hkhere see hkhim, Hkhuman. Tey first need know."

Elizabetha smiled and nodded. "I will wait here, sir."

"Good, good, yah," the Draenei leading her replied and walked further ahead as she stood waiting, his hooves clonking in their particular way.

Fascinating people, Elizabetha thought, leaning against her staff as she let her senses tell her of her surroundings. She could still recall the first time she had entered the Exodar, pratically walking on her own to O'ros, the Naaru being. He had called to her, lead her with his song, and not once did she stumble or walk into something. So strange... she mused. And even now she could sense vaguely his presence deep within the Exodar, his song sounding faintly in the back of her mind - her smile grew. Such beautiful Light.

She turned her head slightly, sensing how it shone brightly all around her. It was as though everything within was infused with it, and it almost seemed to her that she could actually see it in her darkness - the lack of eyes being no hindrance. The Draenei seemed also quite focussed on the Light, she'd found - their greetings and farewell either a blessing or a wish for good fortune. She'd also been pleased how willing they'd been to listen to her and ask her so many things about how she perceived the Light, adding what they believed. Indeed, it had been a most learning experience coming to this mysterious ship that had travelled through the Great Dark, and plummeted from the sky onto Azeroth.

"Hkhuman, tey know you come. Hkhe wait you, yah? Come, come, yah?" the Draenei's voice sounded closely by.

"Ah, splendid," she replied and held her staff to the ground as she probed her way forward. She thanked whoever had built the ship for making the stairs so delightfully long and big, yet without being too tall. It made her walking and probing so much easier. "Am I going in the right direction, sir?" she asked.

"Yah, almost up. I take hkhand tere and lead, yah?"

"That would be most helpful, thank you." Elizabetha smiled warmly at his offer of help and nodded once in gratitude as she passed the final step. When realising this she held out her free hand, and let the Draenei take hold of it as he carefully lead her onwards.

It was but a few metres, it seemed before he stopped again and spoke something in their language.

A voice replied in turn, yet seemed so much older in its fashion.

"Hkhuman, hkhe see you and you stand before hkhim. Hkhe glad you hkhere. Light embrace you, hkhe say," the Draenei said as he let go of her hand and stepped back a step.

"And may the Light embrace you, noble one," Elizabetha replied and curtsied, lifting up her staff, which carried the human symbol for the Holy Light. "I'm honoured that you would see me."

She waited briefly, expecting the Draenei escorting her to translate. Instead the old voice replied.

"I am glad to hear your words, Human woman. It is warming for me to see one of your kind to speak such a well wishing thing unto me. May you be blessed." The voice was kind, and though she could hear the accent being heavy, it was quite understandable.

Elizabetha felt her cheeks flush as she bowed her head in respect. "You speak my tongue well, noble one. I apologise that I can't speak yours."

A kind chuckle came from where she had heard the voice. "Humility is a blessed thing. By what name are you called?"

Elizabetha curtsied once more. "I am called Elizabetha Istro. I come from the city of Stormwind, which lies in the Eastern Kingdoms." She tilted her head slightly, trying to listen intently. She could hear others breathe, but they were keeping silent, yet she could sense no tension. Those around her were calm, perhaps keeping silent in respect as the Draenei who'd led her here. "And I have heard of you. They call you Velen, the Prophet. And they say that the Light shines brightly in you, blessed by the Naaru."

For a moment, she thought she could sense the old Draenei smiling.

"I am Velen. That is enough, Elizabetha Istro from Stormwind. That I have been blessed to lead my people is not of my making, but Light willed it so, and I embraced my task," he answered with a kind and wise tone. He paused a moment. "May I ask, if it be not painful, what happened to your eyes?"

Elizabetha swallowed hard as she touched her blindfold for a moment. "A result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, noble one. I was mistaken for having killed innocents, and those mistaking did this in vengeance. It is...a complicated story, good sir." She sighed.

"I am sorry that I have caused you pain to remember," Velen said comfortingly.

Elizabetha shook her head. "No, no, it's alright. I'm used to people asking." She forced a smile. "I comfort myself with that I have had eyesight, so that I can still remember colours and the like. The images will always stay with me." She nodded thoughtfully. "The Light gives me strength."

She could hear him move a little, a staff tapping as he moved closer. His breathing also became ever so slightly louder, signalling that he had approached a bit. "And a great strength it can give, especially when it comes so through others that aid us in life, Elizabetha Istro."

She smiled faintly, nodding in agreement. "Yes, that is true, noble one."

A hand was placed on her shoulder. It was done so gently, but she didn't hear it approach and quivered slightly in surprise. "The Light is within us all, young Human. It is not a distant force that you call upon, hoping for it to come."

Elizabetha lifted her face. He was taller than her - that much she could hear. "Sir?"

"The Naaru taught us the ways of the Light. They showed us how it is within all. I sense it within you, and it makes me glad that the Humans follow its ways, as well." Velen's voice was still quite old, but there was a soft touch to it, an understanding that breached both years and race - and she perceived what was bridging everything: The Holy Light. Thoughts of the visions she had seen when before O'ros flashed before her mind's eye, yet this time she could vaguely see her own people side by side with these Draenei, fighting the Burning Legion, the Light shining in each of them.

She gasped at the vision, yet heard no reply, no voice speaking. She could only sense the Light shining brightly around her, within her.

"The Light..."

"Yes. Within," Velen's voice replied. "And it is what we do that decides how much the Light may shine within us. When we head its voice we will shine more brightly, and inspire those around us, give them hope with our words and our deeds. Against such Light the Darkness pales, and we are comforted."

She started to smile as she heard the truth in the old voice's words, and she felt a strength flow into her, peace in its wake - the stinging sensastions of worry fading away within her mind. It felt marvelous, so complete and pure.

She nodded. "Yes...I see the truth of it."

He was silent for a moment, and she felt as though he was staring at her, measuring her, but the peace within made her relax. She focussed on this peace, on the emotions of this happiness and felt the Light only grow stronger in its illumination. ''Emotions of happines, joy and love are the strongest emotions that strengthen our connection with the universe from where we all came. When this connection is strengthened with such emotions the glory of the universe reflects in us and is mirrored back unto itself. The Light shines in that connection, in those moments - and we grow in the Light, enabling us to cause more change for the better. And by that, a small part of the world has become a better place.''

"You must accept what you are to others," Velen suddenly said.

Elizabetha frowned as she lost focus of her thoughts. "Pardon?"

"You doubt yourself, when you find others counting on you. Do not. Pay their kindness with the same kindness, and trust in them. Alone we can do so little."

The sagely words rang within her mind, as she absorbed the meaning of them. "Yes...I understand. I was just..." She paused, sighing. "I was just afraid that they'd look to me rather than the Light."

Velen chuckled kindly. "But the Light is within you. Not distant. It is in us all. They must see the Light in you if they follow you. Do not be afraid of that. Be glad for the chances you receive to make the Light shine more brightly in them," he said as he withdrew his hand.

Elizabetha smiled, feeling her cheeks blush a little at how transparent she apparently was to this old Draenei. Yet she couldn't help but count herself fortunate of having been able to receive those words. "Thank you, noble one."

She heard cloth make a sound indicating that he had bowed his head.

"I must let you go now, young Elizabetha Istro. My people are in need of me, and I must help them as I have done these many long years," Velens kind old voice said. "I am glad to have met a fellow Light follower on this new world. If you can help them in any way, the Draenei will always be grateful."

She curtsied respectfully. "Thank you, noble one. I would be most glad to help in any way I can. And...thank you for your words and for seeing a stranger. Light be with you."

"May the Light embrace you, Elizabetha Istro. Favour the road travelled by few."

The Draenei behind her finally moved, and she felt his hand take hold of hers. "Come, come, oter one you must meet."

Elizabetha frowned as she let herself be lead. "Other one?"

"Yah. Seer Nobundo. Come, you meet. Learn, yah?" the Draenei's voice said excited.

"Oh...well, if he wouldn't mind," she replied, smiling.