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leader she apparently was。 I m afraid I can t do that； Magna。 You re too important to
I m not important to anything！ Don t you understand； you stupid little girl？ I m not fit for human pany or
orc pany； troll pany； dwarf pany； you name it。
That got the infant s back up。 Aegwynn could see the magic roiling within her and realized that； child though she
may be； she was quite powerful。 She had gotten through the wards without Aegwynn s even noticing； after all； and
that bespoke a certain skill。 I m not a little girl。 I m a wizard of the Kirin Tor。
And I m a thousand years old； so as far as I m concerned； you ve got a few centuries to go before I might consider
calling you something other than a little girl； little girl。 Now go away I just want to be left alone。
Why？ Proudmoore sounded genuinely confused； which led Aegwynn to think that the young wizard hadn t really
read her history or it had been thoroughly bowdlerized by the time Proudmoore got to it。 The girl continued： You
were the one who blazed the trail for women to bee wizards。 You re one of the unsung heroes of Azeroth。 How
can you turn your back
Like this。 Aegwynn turned and walked into the house； abandoning the bucket。 She d get it later。
Naturally； Proudmoore didn t give up； but followed her through the rickety wooden door。 Magna； you re
Now standing in what she jokingly called the sitting room it was the only room in the hut； so it served as
bedroom； kitchen； and dining room as well she cried； Stop calling me that！ I m not a mage anymore； I m not a
hero at all； and I don t want you in my house。 You say that I blazed the trail for women to bee mages if
anything； I m the best reason why women should never bee mages。
You re wrong； Proudmoore said。 It s because of you
Putting her hands to her ears； Aegwynn said； For the love of all that is holy in this world； will you please stop
that？
Quietly； Proudmoore said； I m not saying anything you shouldn t already be aware of。 If not for your work； the
demons would have e much sooner； and we
And what difference did that make； exactly？ Aegwynn sneered at the girl。 The demons still came； and Lordaeron
was still destroyed； the Lich King still reigns； and Sargeras still won。
Proudmoore winced at the mention of the Lich King for some reason； but Aegwynn didn t really care enough to
inquire why。 Then the girl said； You can deny your acplishments all you wish； but it changes nothing。 You
were an inspiration to all She smiled。 to all the little girls who wanted to grow up to bee mages。 At the
citadel； my favorite story was always the one about how you were chosen to be the first female Guardian by
Scavell； who was the first mage to see the value of a female apprentice； and how the Guardians of Tirisfal
applauded the choice and
Aegwynn couldn t help it。 She laughed。 She laughed long and she laughed hard。 In fact； she was having trouble
breathing； she was laughing so hard。 She started coughing； but managed to get it under control after a moment。 Her
body was finally； after a millennium； starting to age and break down； but she still had some vitality left； and she
wouldn t be rendered helpless by a fit of laughter。
It was； however； the best laugh she d had in centuries。
Proudmoore looked like someone had fed her a lemon； her face was so sour。 I fail to see what s so amusing。
Of course not。 Aegwynn chuckled； and took a few deep breaths。 If you believe that garbage； you wouldn t。 A
final breath； which turned into a sigh。 Since you insist on invading my privacy； Lady Jaina Proudmoore of the oh
sonoble city of Theramore； then have a seat。 She indicated the straw chair that she had spent the third year of her
exile in this place putting together； but then refused to ever sit in。 I will tell you the real story of how I became a
Guardian of Tirisfal； and why I am the last person you should consider to be any kind of hero…
Eight hundred and fortyseven years ago…
For the first time in years； the Tirisfal Glades frightened Aegwynn。 The forests that lay just north of the capital of
Lordaeron had always been a place of beauty and of quiet； away from the hustle and the bustle。 Her mother had first
taken her here on a camping trip when she was a girl。 Little Aegwynn had found it to be frightening and fascinating
all at the same time。 She had been surprised at the animals ranging freely； stunned by the incredible colors of the
vegetation； and amazed at how many stars she could see in the night sky away from the torchlight and lanterns of
the city。
Over time； the fear fell away； replaced by joy and wonder and； at times； relief。
Until today。 Today the fear was back in full force。
She had been apprentice to the wizard Scavell since before puberty； working alongside four others all boys； of
course。 Aegwynn had always wanted to be a mage but had been told repeatedly by her parents that she would grow
up to bee someone s wife； and that was all there was to it； and her dallying about with herbs and such was fine
for now； but soon she d need to learn more important skills； like sewing and cooking…。
This assurance lasted right up until she met Scavell； and he invited her to bee an apprentice making it clear
that he wouldn t accept no for an answer。 Her parents both wept openly that they were losing their little girl； but
Aegwynn was thrilled。 She was studying to bee a mage！
Back then； there were only three other apprentices Falric； Jonas； and Manfred； who were as irritating as every
other boy Aegwynn had known； but a little more tolerable。 The fourth； Natale； came a year later。
Today； Scavell announced that he was a member of a secret order known as the Guardians of Tirisfal。 Aegwynn s
first thought was that the forest she loved was named after them； but it turned out to be the other way around they
called themselves that because they met in those glades； and had for many centuries。 This surprised Aegwynn； as
she had never seen any of these meetings； despite making regular trips to the glades for years。
Then Scavell said they were going to the glades to meet the Tirisfalen。
The boys went on about secret societies and how amazing that was； like it was some kind of adventure； but
Aegwynn didn t participate。 She wanted to know what exactly this Tirisfalen was Scavell was vague on the
subject。 Where the boys were content to trust Scavell s word； Aegwynn wanted to know more。
You ll see soon enough； my girl； Scavell had said in response to her question。 He always called her my girl。
When Scavell brought them out to the glade； Aegwynn was confused； for there was no one in the clearing they
stood in。
Then； moments later； just as she was about to ask Scavell what was going on； there was a flash of light and she
found herself； Scavell； and her fellow apprentices surrounded by seven people standing in a perfect circle around
them。 Three of them were human； three were elves； and one was a gnome。 All of them were male。
We have chosen； one of the elves said。
Falric asked； Chosen what？
The gnome said； Be silent； boy； you ll find out soon enough。
Turning to Scave