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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 Scavell； the elf said； You have trained all five of your students well； Magna Scavell。
Aegwynn frowned； she d never heard that honorific before。
However； there is one student that has stood out from the others。 One student who has proven inquisitive in the
ways of magic beyond ordinary curiosity； who has shown aptitude for spellcasting that is unparalleled； and who has
already mastered the Meitre scrolls。
Now Aegwynn s heart raced。 The night elf Meitre was a great wizard from many thousands of years ago。 Elven
mages didn t attempt to cast from Meitre s scrolls until the final year of their apprenticeships； and human mages
often didn t even try until after that apprenticeship was pleted。 Aegwynn； however； was casting Meitre s spells
at will by the end of her first year。
She had also been doing so in secret Scavell insisted that it would annoy the boys。
Falric looked at his fellow apprentices in turn。 Who was casting Meitre s spells？
Grinning； Aegwynn said triumphantly； I was。
Who said you could do that？ Manfred asked angrily。
Speaking in his papery voice； Scavell said； I did； young Manfred。 And you and Falric would be wise not to speak
out of turn again。
Bowing their heads； Falric and Manfred both said； Yes； sir。
The elf went on： What you must now be told； all of you； is that there is a war being fought。 It is not known to the
general populace； only to the munity of wizards； of which all of you will some day soon be a part。 Demons
have invaded our world； and they grow more aggressive with each passing year； despite our best efforts to stymie
them。
Indeed； the gnome put in； earning him a mild glare from the elf； likely because of those efforts； which serve only
to anger them。
Demons？ Natale sounded scared。 He d always had a fear of demons。
Yes； one of the humans said。 At every turn； they try to destroy us。 Only the wizards can stand against them。
The Tirisfalen； the elf added； with a glance at the human that indicated that he didn t appreciate this interruption；
either； have been charged with protecting this world from demonkind； and we have created a Guardian。 The finest
young mages in the land are brought together by the current Guardian your master Scavell； in this case who
trains them。 We then determine e the new Guardian。
The choice wasn t easy； the gnome said。
Jonas muttered； It be a stupid choice。
What did you say； young man？ another elf asked。
I said the choice be stupid。 Aegwynn s a girl。 She be fit for a wisewoman； givin out herbal remedies to the
villagers or summat； but that be all！ We all of us be mages！
Aegwynn looked in shock and disgust at Jonas。 She had grown rather fond of Jonas； and the two of them had slept
together a couple of times。 They had kept their liaison secret from the other apprentices； though Scavell knew about
it there was nothing that escaped the old mage s gaze。 The last thing she had expected were those words from his
lips Falric s； maybe； he was a pompous ass； bu