Ten-Thousand Years. She'd been Warden and Jailer to some of the worst scum that Kalimdor had to offer for ten thousand long years. And the worst of them all, the first of her prisoners and the whole reason that the Watchers existed as an organization in the first place… was Illidan Stormrage. The Betrayer.

He was the reason that Maiev had left the Sisterhood of Elune behind, foregoing the robes of a Priestess of Elune and taking up arms. He was the reason that she had taken up Malfurion Stormrage's charge all those years ago. Because if someone like Illidan was allowed to roam free, than a second Sundering might just occur. The end of everything they knew. And sure, she'd also have been happier just killing Illidan for what he did to her brother, but in the end Jarod had lived and her vendetta was not truly justified. Over time she'd come to accept that eternal imprisonment would have to do.

Over the centuries and millennia that had followed, Maiev had taken those of a similar mindset as her and inducted them into the Watchers. Their members eventually came from all sorts of backgrounds, but the originals were all volunteers from the Sisterhood, just as she was.

As First Warden, Maiev Shadowsong had taken the mandate set down by Malfurion Stormrage and ran with it. The Archdruid had recognized the need for a force like theirs in the wake of the War of the Ancients. However, not even he had fully understood just how necessary they truly were. Sometimes it felt like only Maiev comprehended the gravity of the situation and the magnitude of the task at hand.

But that was fine. She had not let anything or anyone stand in her way. Her Watchers had become both the jailers and marshals of Kalimdor. Not only did they guard the Night Elf Prisons located far beneath Nordrassil in the Barrow Deeps, but they also hunted down dangerous criminals… criminals that Maiev had to admit, she'd always, without fail, compared to Illidan Stormrage.

None of them had ever measured up to the sheer threat that Malfurion's brother represented, however. A powerful sorcerer… but worse than that, a man of uncheckable ambition. Maiev should know, she'd sat in on a few of the earlier sessions, when Malfurion had visited and tried to get his brother to see reason.

She had watched Illidan refute every attempt the Archdruid made to try to redeem him. As far as Illidan was concerned, he did not need to be redeemed because as far as he was concerned… he hadn't done anything wrong.

That was what made him truly dangerous. That was what made Illidan Stormrage her most important charge. And yet… and yet, on one of the handful of times over the centuries that Maiev had been away on a mission, one that had taken her far from Northern Kalimdor and left her out of contact with the Barrow-Prisons for months… everything had gone to shit.

Without her even getting a chance to speak against his release, Illidan Stormrage, after ten thousand long years of her as his warden… had been released.

Oh, but that wasn't all. No, that wasn't even the half of it. What really left Maiev Shadowsong at a fucking loss was the fact that not only had Illidan been released without her permission, but he'd gone and gotten himself killed within the hour, just like fucking that.

It was unbelievable. Truthfully, Maiev HADN'T believed it at first. She'd refused to accept it until she'd done a thorough investigation on her own. It would be just like the Betrayer to somehow fake his death, she figured. And if he had, Maiev knew she was the ONLY one who could have figured that out, the only one who could have found him and brought him back to his cell. She'd guarded his prison for ten thousand years after all. There was no one who knew Illidan Stormrage better than her.

… And yet, Maiev's investigation had turned up nothing but evidence that seemed to confirm what she'd already been told. She'd been to the place where he was said to have died. She'd located some of the ash left behind by the destruction of his body. She'd spoken to all of the parties involved and while she had her suspicions about High Priestess Whisperwind… she knew that Lord Cenarius was above reproach. He would not lie to her.

But that didn't stop her from wanting more. Conflicted, desperate for answers, she'd looked for anything at all that could continue her search. And that… that had ultimately led her to here. To this strange new city filled with strange new creatures. The orcs, she'd been told they were called. Savages, but in a good way was the prevailing opinion among the commonfolk that Maiev had spoken to.

Of course, the High Priestess and Lord of the Forest had had plenty of nicer things to say about them. The orcs, it would seem, had been crucial to the defeat of Archimonde and the salvation of Kalimdor. Meanwhile, the destruction of Nordrassil and the loss of the Night Elf peoples' immortality was considered a necessary sacrifice and a decision made wholly by Lord Cenarius himself.

Maiev didn't much care about suddenly being mortal. It just meant that she would need to prepare the Watchers for when she was gone. No big deal. But… losing Illidan. THAT was a big deal.

And so here she was, having snuck into the heart of orc territory, into this strange grove filled with Nature Magic… and into the abode of the orc druid responsible for it all. Chieftain Rognak of the Warsong Clan.

Holding her Umbra Crescent to his neck, she stares him down wordlessly, noting the lack of fear in his eyes. But then, from what she's heard, orcs do not fear death as a general rule. Something she'll have to keep in mind over the course of this interrogation. He could have called for help… but that too was something orcs tended to avoid she'd been told. They were prideful creatures to the last, with their own ideas of honor.

Tilting his head ever so slightly, Rognak grunts, parroting her words back to her.

"And what exactly do we need to chat about, Warden Shadowsong?"

Maiev's eyes narrow beneath her mask and she grits her teeth. So he knew her already did he? Did that mean Tyrande had warned him of her coming? Or perhaps Lord Cenarius himself? Maiev hadn't told either of them of course, but it wouldn't surprise her if they knew she would eventually end up here. It was inevitable, given the orc's role in the events that led to Illidan Stormrage's demise.

Still, the orc's fearlessness might make even more sense now, if she puts it through another lens. He probably thinks she can't kill him. Not a student of Lord Cenarius. Not a friend of the Night Elves. Hmph, perhaps not… but she will have her answers either way. If he proves to be… uncooperative, she has ways of making him speak.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"I'm here to discuss the circumstances under which the Betrayer was released from his prison in the Barrow Deeps. Circumstances I'm told you were highly involved in."

Remaining where he is, the Orc Chieftain is quiet for a moment before letting out a grunt.

"Aye. I was there. Cenarius decreed that we needed all the help we could get. So we went to the Barrow Deeps to release Illidan and any other prisoners who could be trusted to fight against the Legion Invasion."

A lie. Or rather, not the whole truth. Maiev smirks beneath her mask and digs her Umbra Crescent a fraction more into the orc's neck.

"Don't lie to me. Keeper Califax told me what he saw. He told me how all of you acted down there, while you were busy forcing him to release the greatest criminal my people have ever known. And he told me what you did, little orc druid. How you were unsurprised when Illidan ran off within mere moments of being freed. How you pushed for him to be followed, but discreetly. Califax is a good judge of character. You knew more than you let on."

She's certain of this. Everything she's heard, everything she's managed to piece together of that moment… it all leads back to here, to this orc. When Rognak doesn't immediately reply, Maiev hisses and leans in closer, pushing down a bit more on her Umbra Crescent. In response, before she can blink, one of his large hands is suddenly up and grabbing hold of her blade, stopping it in its tracks.

With a single grunt and a simply frightening display of physical strength, he pushes her and her weapon away, sending her skidding back across the room as he finally sits up and rubs at his neck. Almost immediately, the blood from the shallow cuts she gave him, both the intentional one on his neck and the unintentional one on his palm, seep back into their wounds, which then close under his healing magic.

Maiev's eyes widen at this, and she prepares for a fight, though she's already considering possible escape routes. Battling a physically stronger opponent is something that her and her Watchers are well-versed in… but doing so in a confined space while surrounded by thousands of their allies in the middle of their city stronghold is NOT an optimal strategy.

However, rather than lunge at her… Rognak stays where he is, remaining seated as he stares at her for a long moment before speaking.

"Illidan's death was never my intention. But you're right, I had ulterior motives for wanting Cenarius to free him. And when he ran away… well, I saw my plan coming together right before my eyes and I seized the opportunity presented to me."

Maiev… doesn't relax. But she does uncoil just a little bit. Still tense, still wound tight and ready to fight, the Warden nevertheless growls, wanting answers more than anything.

"And what was that opportunity exactly? What was your goal?"

"Arthas Menethil."

He says it so simply, as if Maiev is supposed to know who that is. Something of her confusion must have shown despite her face being hidden, because after a moment of silence, Rognak groans and covers his face with a palm for a moment before giving her a distinctive 'look'.

"The man that killed Illidan in the first place? The Death Knight?"

Maiev shrugs, shifting from foot to foot for a moment.

"Yes? What of him?"

She knew Illidan's killer of course, though she hadn't bothered memorizing his name. Looking into Arthas had ultimately been a dead end as far as she was concerned. He was a dangerous entity capable of dangerous things… but seeing how he was dead too, it wasn't like Maiev and her Watchers needed to hunt him down or anything like that.

"… He was the Champion of a malevolent entity known as the Lich King. His favored Champion, in fact. The Lich King sent Arthas Menethil to Kalimdor specifically to get to Illidan Stormrage. Through prophetic visions, he knew that Illidan would be freed and could be turned into a pawn in his plans. I had… my own prophetic visions, I suppose you could say."

Visions? Prophecy? Maiev wrinkles her nose under her mask at the orc druid's increasingly irritating explanation. It wasn't that she didn't think such things were possible… she just hated when they cropped up. People seeing what COULD be and thinking it WOULD be always made things so much… messier in her line of work.

"And what did your visions tell you, exactly?"

Solemn faced, Rognak spreads his arms wide.

"Well, they told me that Arthas would seek out Illidan if the latter was freed. And they also told me that if allowed to survive, Arthas Menethil would become a greater threat to Azeroth than Illidan Stormrage had EVER been."

His conviction takes Maiev aback. The orc sounds… absolutely certain of his words. Seated there on a pile of furs, staring up at her with his eyes glittering in the room's dim light, he looks as though he believes what he just told her beyond a shadow of a doubt.

That doesn't make his words any easier to digest, however. To learn that her greatest charge was released and allowed to go and get himself killed to some human necromancer was… something Maiev was still struggling with. To find out that it was all because the human necromancer, this 'Arthas Menethil' was deemed a greater threat than Illidan himself was even harder to stomach.

In the silence that ensues, Rognak remains seated but does eventually shift from side to side for a moment before grunting.

"Cenarius is aware of this, to be clear. He and I have already discussed this. As I said before, Illidan wasn't supposed to die. I underestimated Arthas… or overestimated Illidan. I can't say which it was."

Maiev scoffs at that. Likely the latter, really. Yes, Illidan was a dangerous sorcerer and left unchecked could cause plenty of damage… but the Night Elf had been imprisoned for ten thousand years. It wasn't as though they were keeping him fighting fit all that time.

Still…

"I care not what Lord Cenarius does or does not know."

Rognak's eyes narrow at that. Maiev knows she's toeing the line there, treading close to disrespecting the Forest Demigod. But it's the truth. Holding her Umbra Crescent in both hands, back ramrod straight as she stares down at the seated orc druid, Maiev growls.

"Your actions have cost me a prisoner, orc. Whether they were necessary or not is neither here nor there. Reparations are required. You will perform a service for me… or I will take payment out of your thick hide."

At long last, her words provoke him into standing up. Maiev watches as the orc druid rises to his full height, standing perhaps a couple inches taller than her and easily twice as wide. These orcs were… a large people to be sure. She could see where the commonfolk she'd spoken to had gotten the 'savage' descriptor from.

Her grip tightens on her Umbra Crescent, even as Rognak rolls his shoulders, looking at her with those same narrowed eyes from before. Then, finally… he dips his head.

"What would you have of me? If it is not too much, then I shall fulfill your request."

Maiev bristles at the insinuation that he would deny her, that this was a 'request'. She almost wants to tell him off… but no. She already had an idea in mind for how he could make this whole debacle up to her. In truth, his role in Illidan's release WAS minor, despite the ulterior motives. It was Lord Cenarius who had ultimately given the command after all. And with Illidan truly dead, well… it was time for Maiev to turn her sight back towards her other responsibilities.

The Watchers might have been originally formed for the sake of keeping the Betrayer imprisoned, but their mandate had grown in the past ten thousand years and their role was not yet expended. Setting aside the strange feeling that she's lost her purpose, Maiev shakes herself and then pins Rognak with a stare.

"You will atone by assisting me with a hunt, orc. Then and only then will you have earned absolution."

She tenses up, waiting for his response… but to her satisfaction, he nods his head in easy agreement.

"Very well. Consider it done, Warden."

Scoffing, Maiev just shakes her head.

"I will consider it done when it is done, orc. And not a moment before."

Rather than get angry with her caustic attitude, Rognak just chuckles.

"Oh, this is going to be fun. I can already tell."

Fun? Not likely. Productive? He'd best hope so.