An Unmarked Grave

The night is still and quiet, in the farthest reaches of Durotar. Amidst the crashing waves along the shore, a hooded figure, clearly of Orcish design, passes through the chilled night air. A menacing creature walks beside him, tendrils sprouting from its head, snapping at the timid crabs as the two pass.

After some time of seemingly aimless wandering, the orc pauses. The sand beneath him is no different than any of the rest of the beach, but an instinct tells him more than his eyes reveal. His head picks up, the hood falling back just enough to reveal his blindfold. His hands reach to the cloth, pulling the hood away in its entirety.

"Jhuunhym," a dark voice says, from the mouth of the orc. "Keep watch." A soft growl emerges from the beast beside him, which then turns around, scouting the path they had taken. When the beast had gone far enough away, the Orc reached into his robe, pulling out a wreath made from Wild Steelbloom, Goldthorn, Burning Blossom, and a variety of other herbs and flowers, all gathered from distant lands.

The air hums softly, and a faint ghostly figure appears, floating around the Orc. The spirit picks up the wreath, and a smile comes to her face. Although faint, her voice breaks through into audible words.

"..Thank you. So beautiful.. You remembered. Why do you not look?"

With a heavy sigh, the orc turns away, his eyes closed behind the thin fabric. "I would never forget, Arylle.. You would have been one year elder, this day." Though he chuckles, his laughter is barely audible. "You know well why I don't look.."

The spirit adorned the wreath atop her head, like a hat, and passed through the air, circling her arms around the neck of the young Orc. "Grumlosh," she said, hugging him tightly, though her body made no actual contact to his. "Thank you.. You know I don't blame you."

"Please, Arylle." Grumlosh sighed heavily, his hand laying atop her own, once again with no actual contact. "Let us speak no more of that.. You know how it pains me."

The spirit simply nodded, brushing her lips across his skin. Her arms released him. As she was about to speak again, a harsh wind began to blow, chilling her greatly.

"Grum.. I will treasure this always. You know I must leave now." With no response from him, a gentle sigh escaped her lungs. "I know you'll do the right thing.. You'll always be my guardian, Warlock." Arylle turned around with a warm smile, noticing his decision to turn around. Though he still wore the blindfold, she could see his eyes behind them, opened.

Her form slowly sank into the ground below her. As her smiling face vanished into the earth, the crown of plants she wore came to rest against the grains of sand, peacefully. The wind came to a stop, and the tide began to draw closer.

Grumlosh sank to his knees, tearing the blindfold from his face. Tears streamed from his dark purple eyes, mixing with the salty water that slowly drew nearer. "Arylle.. I will find a way to fix this. I promise you.. I promise.." He choked back a cry as he dropped to his arms, staring at the lone wreath.

The tide rose higher, and came to take away the treasure he had crafted for her. He knew it would happen, as it did every time, and with a heavy heart, he turned away, starting back down the path he had taken prior.

With a sudden realization, he turned back, looking for the piece of cloth that had blinded his vision on his travel here. When his eyes settled upon it, a moment of silence and happiness entered his heart. With no desire to retrieve it, Grumlosh set himself back on the path, calling for his Felhound.

As the Warlock and his companion left the resting site of his beloved, the moon shined brightly down upon The Great Sea. Illuminating much of its hidden secrets, a particular focus seemed to be upon a wreath of plants, beautiful as the moon itself. Beside it, pulled by the waves, a wet handkerchief was brought along. The waves almost seemed to battle one another for a moment, but after two joined and settled, the sea became still, as the two items floated off, together.