Cover created by DeviantArtist, CeliArts.

Teldrassil. Crown of the Earth. Underneath its magnificent boughs lie a civilization of Night Elves, ones who've been living there for some thousands of years. Despite their turbulent and sometimes torturous history, the Night Elves upon Teldrassil have lived a moderately peaceful existence. One would think that being near-immortal would leave these branches monotonous to see every day, but on the contrary, within these limbs lie a gorgeous world, one that symbolized centuries, millennia even, of strife and tenacity. With this came respect, and the Teldrassilians were in endless supply.

Upon these branches lie Darnassus, the city of Elves, but farthest from that layeth Starbreeze Village, the smallest collection of homes on the tree. Dolanaar was rather populous, and at least Aldrassil had a magnificent tree that gave a sense of strength, Star breeze was simply there, more so as a last refuge for those Elves who wanted the absolute least between them and nature.

From such a place, you'd be amazed to learn that not everybody who lived there simply spent their days lazily walking upon the grass, or gathering peacebloom to sell across the season. In fact, there still remained one daughter of Starbreeze that longed for the call of Kalimdor to rouse her from this minute existence.

Kyra Shadowmoon, the last in a large family of Starbreeze, though also the last to leave. Her brothers and sisters had already gone off in the world, leaving Kyra alone to throw her own lot in. To be fair, she had become rather accomplished herself, especially given her history. When she was younger, she had been rather sickly due to some fel magic that had come during a grell invasion. Although a trivial repulsion ended the attack, Kyra was weak and small compared to her siblings afterwards. Nevertheless, inspired, and perhaps jealous, of her siblings, she was determined to make her own mark on the world. Arguably, her most successful sister had become a sentinel of the Silverwings, though she had siblings in Azshara, Darkshore, and even a brother in Ironforge who was learning to become a blacksmith.

Kyra was left to her own devices, and as soon as she could, she was allowed to be a sentry of Teldrassil, a post she tried her best to excel at. Thanks to a sister of hers, a Priestess of Elune, Kyra was given tasks that allowed her a challenge to allow her to stand out. To be true, she'd been a hero in Shadowglen for a week during a particularly dangerous spider siege. Her other achievements also included eradicating the grell from the tree, if only for a time, an achievement she heralded as one of her greatest, if only because of the finality of it and her childhood.

She longed for the life that came to those on the mainland: Kalimdor. She had heard stories since her youth, of Fandral's stand in Silithus, to Archimonde, to the Taurens that were as wide as her brothers were tall. Kyra desperately sought assignment outside of the crown of the Earth, but was always met with rejection.

One of the higher ups that actively helped Kyra with this goal was a Sentinel of Darnassus, Tyriel Dawnrunner, who'd long since retired from her adventures. She enjoyed the drive within Kyra, a motivation that lacked in most of the Night Elves of Teldrassil, who were content to remain here for their thousands of years. Tyriel had been alive since the creation of this second great tree, and had watched it grow over her life. The day Alexstraza finally blessed the tree was the only day she'd wept in her life.

While the Crown of the Earth might have been a daughter to Tyriel, Kyra might have been a second. While Tyriel was exiting her 'adult' age and moving into a sort of elder age, Kyra was on the opposite end of the spectrum, and perhaps was a respite for the elder's looming twilight. Often, Kyra would trek to Darnassus for a visit and the two would eat a meal upon one of the terraces. It was during one of these afternoon meetings that Kyra was expecting good news. Tremendous news, even…

"Tyriel!" she shouted, excitedly, running down the great bridge toward her friend and mentor, "Have you heard?!"

She quickly noticed an incredibly neutral face on Tyriel's face, with the slightest hint of contentedness, but she always wore that face, and Kyra knew it meant nothing to answer her question. Instead, Tyriel handed her friend a handkerchief to wipe her sweat off with.

"Good lord, Kyra, did you run all the way here?"

"Just about," she spoke, excitedly, now rubbing her hands together, "I'm going to Lor'danel, right?!"

Tyriel now smiled at the young one's excitement. Kyra was rather reserved, and she knew that there was only a few people on Azeroth who actually witnessed this side of her. She waved Kyra along with her as she began walking down the bridge, slowly.

"I spoke with one of the Sisters already. In fact, the news came straight from Astarii herself."

She turned and smiled toward Kyra, "You know, you've accomplished plenty here on this tree. Our home. Between you and Teldrassil, I have the two most important things in my life, and it's some poetic justice that you'd be protecting the other. But you must know that I want nothing but the best for you, and I knew you deserve more than this place; I see it in your face when you talk about it."

Unable to decipher her meaning, Kyra could only listen intently as Tyriel continued, "But I'm sorry Kyra, but it won't be this time around."

Kyra lowered her head, slowly, immediately feeling a strong weight of disappointment crushing her soul. There had been no doubt in her mind, but here she was anyway.

"They just don't think you're ready," Tyriel continued softly, "They just want you at 100%. They don't see that you'll become 150% in time. Maybe next time, kiddo."

Tyriel rested her hand, tenderly, on Kyra's shoulder, feeling the vibrations from her frustrations, though she didn't speak them. Soon enough, however, they poured ever so quietly from her eyes.

"I've done everything, and gone beyond; worked day and night, and sacrificed my friends and my life…" Kyra choked up.

"And you have more than enough to show for it!" a voice spoke, suddenly, from behind Kyra, which forced her to spin around quick enough to find Tyrande Whisperwind standing there.

Her commander in chief reached over to wipe Kyra's cheek, "By Elune, child, why must you cry over what you've done? Do you realize just how many Sentinels have actually commanded the whole of Teldrassil?"

"Three…" Kyra spoke, still shaking, but trying her hardest to remain professional in the eyes of her leader.

"And they've all been great warriors of Elune. Let me tell you, child, more than anyone else, adventures are not always as heroic as you may want to believe."

Tyriel nodded, "You don't have to tell me twice."

With a grin, Tyrande embraced Kyra tightly, patting her back to comfort her, "Sometimes, adventure is so much closer to home than you'd ever think. I hope you remain our most respectable Sentinel."

Kyra nodded slowly as Tyrande peered over to Tyriel to acknowledge her before making her leave. Kyra only stood there, upset still, but shocked to have actually met the High Priestess in such a state. Tyriel smiled as she grabbed her child's shoulder.

"Even Tyrande wanted you to know just how important you are here. Maybe next time they'll realize that your importance is too big for this crown."

Kyra sighed before turning to walk away, "I don't exactly have an appetite."

"It's fine," Tyriel smiled, "Maybe next time."

'Maybe next time' was a phrase that Kyra was truly beginning to despise.

Kyra was walking the paths of the tree a few days later, having been on duty for the day. It had been quite uneventful, with just a missing vase needing to be found, so she'd been on edge for most of the time. She'd found that the biggest problems always occur during the smallest bits of expectancy; a thought that usually had her on alert, even if most days offered little else than the aforementioned fetching. Her occupation was more or less helping residents, rather than protecting them, which only added to her longing to leave.

On this day, she'd let her guard down upon hearing the familiar footsteps of Tyriel, who walked with a gait that was archaic, and more proper of older Sentinels. Kyra turned to see the oddest sight she had seen, perhaps since she was a child, and she quickly took on a more serious stance as Tyriel approached her…with a man walking alongside her. A human.

Living her entire life on Teldrassil, Kyra had never encountered a human before in her life. She faintly remembered having seen one or two in Darnassus as a child, but never had she encountered one approaching her directly. She was as familiar of man as she was of dwarves, trolls, or worgan, and even draenei; about as far as a book or two could have taken her.

"Kyra," Tyriel called out, though she was only a few steps away.

"Yes, Sister," Kyra replied in a commanding tone, as though to demonstrate a certain dominance over this newcomer.

The man watched her innocently as Tyriel reproached her younger comrade, "Now, there's no need to be professional. This is Colin Dumerval, of Theramore, and he's here to learn about our crown of the earth. He's been trying to gain permission for years, but I figured now was the best time I could have afforded."

Kyra looked at Colin skeptically, though he only smiled back at her, a bit nervously, as Kyra replied, "And why is now a good time?"

Tyriel sighed, "Well, one of the biggest critiques of your abilities is your lack of familiarity of life outside of Teldrassil, right? Backwards logic, yes, but Colin, here, is perhaps the best person for you to become acquainted with."

The older night elf patted Colin on the back, a bit forcefully, giving him his cue to begin speaking, "Oh, uh, yes! I'm Colin Dumerval. Pleasure to meet you."

He quickly shot out his hand, though Kyra stared at it as though handshakes were foreign to her. It must have been simple skepticism, as she slowly allowed her own hand to shake his.

"I'm sort of an explorer, I guess. My goal is to learn what I can of, hopefully, all cultures, so as to sort of act as an ambassador of sorts, I suppose."

Colin began rummaging through his rucksack as Kyra turned to Tyriel, meeting her usually neutral expression.

"I'm adverse to war, so I'd like to be of service on the side of peace," Colin explained, pulling out a scroll, "I've spent time alongside gnomes, the pandaren; even the Darkspears had me under their banner for a fortnight."

Hearing that, Kyra's ear twitched, "The trolls? How did a human manage that?"

Colin chuckled lightly, "Not as easily as even a pessimist may expect."

He handed over the scroll, where he had drawn a picture of some trolls around a bonfire, partaking in some ceremony. Kyra examined the scene, rather bewildered.

"Colin has plenty of stories, but he's never been here before, so I figured this arrangement may work both ways," Tyriel explained, "I know books aren't your favorite things, but hopefully having a living book here may help the process."

Kyra looked at Colin, who was returning the scroll back to his rucksack, "Have you spent time amongst any of our kind?"

"A little bit," he explained, "But nothing too extensive. Night elves are rather secretive, though I've noticed that once you've gained their trust, their helpfulness and loyalties tend to last as long as they do. Down in Feralas, I was nearly mauled by a bear, but a Feathermoon sentinel saved me and I stayed in their stronghold for a day or two."

Kyra's eyes glazed over a bit, hearing about the sisters of Feathermoon, a Sister she had imagined, many times, serving with. Tyriel grinned a small smile, seeing Kyra's eyes flash.

"Colin will be here for a week, so you two will have to get to work quickly," Tyriel spoke, with a vagueness in her voice that Colin and Kyra both noticed, "I must return to my post, so you two go on. And remember, Kyra, that this could mean you leaving for the mainland."

Kyra nodded, a bit perturbed by Tyriel's words, though she remained silent as her superior said her goodbyes. The two left behind watched her off, before Kyra spoke up.

"Well, I suppose I'm your host. To be wholly transparent, I haven't been around humans, nor have I ever been host to a visitor, so I apologize if I offend."

Colin laughed, "I've been carried on the shoulders of Bronzebeards to a beer hall where a boar was being slaughtered for a meal. I doubt you could do much more that could terrify or offend me."

With only the smallest of grins, Kyra replied, "You certainly know a lot."

"Well, I've been traveling all around Azeroth since I was very young," Colin started as the two began walking, "My parents were killed during a Horde attack on Theramore. I was about ten at the time, and we retaliated, but during our own attack on their camp, there was an orc child, who couldn't have been any older than me. Someone hit him and threw him at me, probably expecting me to finish him off…but I couldn't do it."

Kyra stared at him, amazed by what she was hearing, "I know there are two sides to this war, and that it's so easy to say that humanity is "right", and the Horde is "wrong", but there's nothing "right" about killing. So, I dedicated my life to peace."

He shrugged, chuckling, "But from what I've gathered, you're quite eager to join the war. I suppose it's rather ironic that we've met."

Kyra stared on ahead, "It's not as if I'm looking forward to killing. I just want to serve my people, like my brothers and sisters. Hell, if I spent thousands of years just stationed at an encampment somewhere, or rebuilding Auberdine, or…"

She paused, as if in thought, "The people of Teldrassil don't need me. No matter how much they need someone to refill the moonwells; I have seven lieutenants that are more than capable."

The two arrived at the road that lead down to Starbreeze Village, with Kyra stopping and turning toward her guest, "I have something like twenty brothers and sisters, and I'm the only one left here. I was always the weak one, and the one they all felt needed protecting. Keeping me here is just another form of them sheltering me. But I've worked too hard for sheltering."

Colin nodded, "I understand that. In any case, I hope I can assist you in any way I can. I mean, I'll have a good time here regardless; you're the one who truly needs my visit, I suppose."

Kyra nodded, "And I'll definitely try to get you everywhere I can. I don't exactly know how you work, but being the commander of all the Sentinels here, I can get you, pretty much, anywhere."

"I'll take you up on that," Colin smiled.

Kyra raised her hand toward Starbreeze, directing her guest along. The two began walking again, chatting as they went, though Kyra was obviously more intrigued than Colin, who was enjoying simply seeing the tree that surrounded his every direction.

"My family has lived here in Starbreeze for generations," Kyra began, "Which means little in night elf society; our people have encompassed, probably, five or six generations' in total. Basically, we've been here since we've inhabited Teldrassil. I grew up here, along with all my siblings, and I still reside here."

Colin looked around, enamored by how 'open' all the buildings seemed, "You don't believe in walls, do you?"

Kyra grinned, understanding the joke, "Well, we enjoy being alongside nature as much as possible. Shoes are still a foreign concept to many night elves."

Nodding, Colin began scribbling down notes as he walked, which seemed to be an activity he was well practiced in. The two walked through the village, amidst the quiet whispers surrounding them. Most of the night elves on the tree hasn't seen a human either, and the presence of one definitely caught most of them off guard. Colin noticed this, though was familiar with the feeling at this point, but Kyra seemed rather oblivious to it herself.

Eventually, a curious enough observer approached the two, bowing to the two of them, before addressing Kyra, "Sister, you bring a guest?"

She nodded, as Colin continued jotting, "Yes, but he'll only be staying for seven moons or so. Colin is rather versed in studying cultures, so he's just observing our home."

The man looked at Colin, who was now returning the glance, and leaned toward Kyra, speaking in Darnassian, "[A human?]"

"[Is that a problem?]"

The man shook his head, offering a hand toward Colin, who shook it readily, "Welcome to our crown of the earth, human. I apologize for anybody's apprehension. In many, many years, very few of us have interacted with humans."

Colin smiled, "I'm far too used to being unfamiliar by now, so I entirely understand, uh, Sir."

"Teronus," the man spoke, "Elune be with you."

Colin nodded, watching Teronus walk away toward what appeared to be his home. Kyra began walking again, forcing Colin to do the same, which his did with a laugh.

"It never gets old," he grinned, "Being so alien. It almost feels weird returning to a place where humans are commonplace."

Kyra led Colin to her home and allowed him entry, though there wasn't much to impede him from doing so. Her home was made of wood and was only comprised of a small common room, which joined two bedrooms, though they looked more like cots from a barracks than anything for comfort. While it did, indeed, have walls, the openings that might have been windows were massive, and Colin quickly realize that the common room had no rooftop.

"I keep an extra room just in case a sentry or a Centurion finds themselves in need of rest. Starbreeze is on the opposite end of Teldrassil, and it's almost a day's trip from one end to the other, though we rarely experience a moon cycle unless we're attempting to do so."

Sure enough, Colin looked up and noticed that there was no sky, but endless leaves and foliage, and a purplish hue that surrounded everything. In his reverie, Kyra spoke up to get his attention.

"Was your journey a difficult one? You may need some rest, perhaps?" Kyra questioned.

Colin didn't answer quickly, as though having to invent an explanation, but he was quick enough, "Oh, yeah, I suppose it was."

Kyra stared at him for a moment, but shook it off as she went on, "Well, I need to check on the furbolgs tomorrow, so I suppose you can tag along to the Hollow. Shouldn't be too dangerous, unless the ley lines become especially influential."

Colin nodded as he unloaded his ruck sack, carefully leaning it against the table as Kyra spoke again, "My home is yours as well. I apologize for the lack of doors; I suppose I could hang a blanket if you need one."

Laughing slightly, Colin shook his head, "Not at all; your hospitality is plenty already. See you tomorrow."

"[Same to you.]"