A New Cycle

The Draenei shaman eased herself into a chair beside the small writing desk that was included with the room she'd rented for the evening, carefully tucking her tail out of the way so as not to whack it against anything (a lesson she had learned from numerous encounters with human furniture in the past!). With a smile, she pulled out an old worn pouch that clattered as she placed it gently on the desk. Beside it she set down a worn, battered old journal that was bound with a bit of twine. Carefully she undid the tie, opening the journal and flipping past pages that were covered with neat rows of script written in the Draeneic language. Finding a fresh page, Mariskka grabbed a quill and ink from the desk and began to jot some notes down.

Tonight was a very interesting night! I encountered two humans in one of the many inns within Dalaran. When I looked more closely, I noted that one of the two had a mechanical construct that was familiar to me. To my surprise, it was the very same one that had been described to me long ago by a mutual friend, Olow Domin. 

I stopped to speak to the woman, and it was as if the elements themselves wished for this to occur, for she was indeed the same woman that Olow had mentioned. She had known him as well, and in all the world it seemed we two had this in common. I have traveled many places, and across many worlds, but the chances of meeting someone whom I share such a connection with is incredibly low given all that my people have been through.

I performed a reading both for this woman, Ilhedith Knox as well as her guide, Kaiden. I think they enjoyed the readings, and the elements gave them good fortunes if I am any judge. Those two will do something important together, BE something important if my guess is correct. Neither of them have yet to fulfill their true destiny, and when they do it will be a great boon to all I am sure.

Ilhedith was very nice to me, and she even said she would speak to me again soon. It is strange to think that I could befriend one of the humans, for their lives are like a passing dream to the many years I have seen, and yet even if her life is like the quick burning of a candle it will burn like the brightest flame I believe. I have learned from my travels not to reject such an offer, for every moment is to be treasured and can enrich your life, your experiences. Who knows, perhaps this is the beginning of something new then, a new Cycle. As with all new beginnings, I will embrace this and see where the road leads me. I cannot fear the Cycle's end or I may potentially miss the most important moments of my life. 

With a sigh and a smile, Mariskka set the quill down and closed the journal. She reached out and took up the worn pouch, turning it over and dumping its contents onto the desk. A number of clear glass cubes that contained sealed water within them tumbled to the desk's surface, each inscribed on the sides with runes in the Draenei tongue. Gently Mariskka picked three of the cubes up and held them in her palm, her eyes closing as a warm blue glow leaked out from between her fingers. She tossed the cubes down, watching them tumble across the desk and finally come to a stop, three runes glowing on their surface showing her own fortune.

Destiny. Disaster. Family.

One of the shaman's eyebrows perked up as she read the runes, surprise crossing her features briefly. She rarely read her own fortune, for it was far easier to interpret the threads of the future when one's own interests and desires didn't interfere with the process. And yet...

"Is destiny to be preventing disaster, protecting family," Mariskka said aloud in Common. "Am not having family, so...vhat is meaning? Is destiny to find family and be protecting from disaster? Is disaster if am having family and is being destiny? Bah! This is vhy am not reading for self, yes!"

With a laugh she shook her head and looked away from the runes for a moment before reaching down to scoop them up. When she did, she paused in stark astonishment, her mouth hanging open as she stared at the runes before her.

Every single cube now showed the symbol for family on every face, even though it only should appear once on one of the nine cubes she had in the pouch. With wide eyes, Mariskka leaned forward and picked up one of the cubes, staring hard at it. The water within it glowed brightly for a moment, and all of the symbols faded from the surfaces except the one that had first shown, Family. 

With a shrug, she reached down and gathered up the other cubes, shoving them back into the worn pouch and not trying to think very hard about it any further. Fortune telling was a difficult business at best, and taking it too seriously would only give one a headache!

As she set the pouch aside and went to go get some sleep, she never noticed that she had accidentally shoved a crystal she used to magically communicate with others into the pouch as well. She never saw the warm glow from the magical fortune telling cubes as those in contact with the crystal pulsed again with the same rune for Family, as if to point towards the importance of those she would speak with through the device.