Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War

Today is the English Day of the #31DaysWritingChallenge, so I will write this whole post in that language. It is about a World of Warcraft book: Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War. Do you know why the book’s cover illustrates a drowning lady? Not only drowning, there are expressions of grief and anger– as well as hair color change (some are white, some are yellow). That lady is Jaina Proudmoore, a human mage, who was very adamant to stop the war between The Alliance and The Horde. She had her own city named Theramore; where it once stood in the lands of Kalimdor– near the main cities of The Horde’s races, such as Thunder Bluff (taurens) and Orgrimmar (orcs and trolls). She even befriended the tauren leader, Baine Bloodhoof. Although, in the end, she lost hope of peace– the thing that she had fought for her entire life.

The beginning of the story took place in the Coldarra, a place in Borean Tundra, Northrend— after Deathwing’s defeat. That place was the home of the Blue Dragonflight. Kalecgos, leader of that dragonflight, was talking with Kirygosa, when the Focusing Iris— the artifact and symbol of blue dragonflight– was stolen. Kirygosa and Banagos (another blue dragon), searched the traces of the culprit and found five dead dragons along the way. Kirygosa asked Banagos to return to Kalecgos and tell him of that massacre. However, Banagos refused, telling Kirygosa that he wanted to tend the fallen, especially little Pelagosa, the dragon he had loved and could have been his mate once she had come of age. Kirygosa returned to Kalecgos and told him of what happened. Long story short, Kalecgos flew alone to search the missing artifact– leaving Kirygosa to be his voice in the meantime.

In Orgrimmar, the home of Orcs, all Horde races were being called to Grommash Hold, where Garrosh Hellscream, leader of the Horde, resided. He called them to announce the next plan of The Horde, the conquest of Kalimdor. This meant that every Alliance races living on Kalimdor would be invaded– from Draenei, Night Elves, and even Human. Yes, Human, because Jaina Proudmoore built her city, Theramore, on Dustwallow Marsh (a region located south from Durotar). Baine Bloodhoof (from Tauren race) and Vol’Jin (from Troll race) were the ones to oppose Garrosh’s idea when “Theramore” was mentioned. After that, Sylvanas Windrunner, leader of the Undead race, spoke for her race and for the Blood Elves, because their capitol were located on Eastern Kingdoms. By invading The Alliance on Kalimdor, they might not retaliate on Kalimdor, but instead on Eastern Kingdoms– because it was easier to access by land. If they were about to retaliate to Kalimdor, they would need to send their forces by sea which would take days or months. It became more tense after Baine told Garrosh that he did not know about Jaina Proudmoore– who was working tirelessly for peace. Garrosh said to Baine, “If you do not wish to share your father’s fate, I would advise you to watch what you say!” to which he (Baine) replied, “You mean dying betrayed?”

Baine said that because once, his father, Cairne Bloodhoof, challenged Garrosh in a duel of honor named mak’gora. In that duel, each fighter must fight until his opponent dies. However, during the duel between Cairne and Garrosh, Magatha, leader of the Grimtotem tauren tribe, poured poison to Garrosh’s axe. Her action affected the mak’gora right away. When Garrosh hit Cairne with his axe, Cairne was weakened severely by the poison. In the end, Garrosh “won” the mak’gora. Baine, knowing that Garrosh was cheating by using Grimtotem tribe to his advantage, had been bitter to him ever since.

Garrosh was angry after Baine said that sentence. Eitrigg, Garrosh’s advisor, quickly held him. The same thing happened as well to Baine, who had Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem stood in front of him. However, there was an orc from Blackrock Clan named Mal’korok, who stood between them. Mal’korok showed his rage to Baine by saying such things to his warchief. He (Mal’korok) was completely loyal to Garrosh. At the end of the day, the meeting in Grommash Hold concluded with the decision that The Horde will strike Northwatch Hold on The Barrens first and Theramore Isle after.

Later, on Tidefury Cove, Go’el (birthname of Thrall) was confronted by Jaina. She asked him why he didn’t take any action regarding Garrosh’s brutality, to which Go’el replied that everyone has their own paths. Go’el had been busy covering the gap left by the Earth-Warder, Neltharion (or Deathwing). Jaina wasn’t satisfied with his answer, struck back, “This world has already been torn apart. Do you truly think I should stop trying to prevent its inhabitants from tearing themselves apart?” Jaina’s care for Azeroth was maybe, limitless, although not many shared her thoughts. She even said, “It seems as if I am struggling through mud simply to be heard, let alone actually listened to. It’s… difficult to try to be a diplomat and work for real, solid results when the other side won’t acknowledge reason anymore. I feel like a crow cawing in the field. I wonder if it’s just wasted breath“. Such was the life of Jaina Proudmoore. She tried to realize peace all over the world, but no one would listen, even Go’el, who preferred to do his own duties as a shaman of the Earthen Ring. He was needed, though, because without him joining the Earthen Ring, Azeroth would just fall apart– especially during Deathwing’s Invasion. After they finished talking about the topic about war, Jaina asked about Aggra, Go’el’s mate. Go’el told Jaina that Aggra was a shaman too, like him, her job was not only healing the world, but healing him as well. Jaina was shocked and asked him why did he need healing (because in Warcraft, shamans can heal everyone, including themselves). Go’el replied, “We all do, whether we see it or not. We bear the wounds of simply living in this life even if we never have a physical scar. A mate who can see one for who one is, truly and completely—ah, that is a gift, Jaina Proudmoore. A gift that restores and renews one daily, and which must be tended carefully. It is a gift that has made me whole—made me understand my purpose and place in the world“. Secretly, Go’el told Jaina to find her mate. Jaina remembered her past relationships, with Arthas and Kael’Thas, which both turned “evil”. Arthas became the Lich King, while Kael’Thas Sunstrider worked with Illidan Stormrage— a night elf who was infamous for using demonic energies.

Kalecgos sought help from Jaina to find the Focusing Iris. Jaina, along with Pained, Kinddy, and Archmage Tervosh offered him help by providing resting place and library full of books to learn why the Focusing Iris couldn’t be detected, even by Kalecgos himself. A relationship grew between them as they did things together, although they did not realize it. Back in The Barrens, The Horde (all races) were preparing to strike Northwatch Hold. However, the shamans used dark magics, such as enslaving elementals. Baine and Vol’Jin again, told Garrosh that such things weren’t allowed and would cause the elementals and Earthmother angry. Garrosh ignored their advice and continued to destroy Northwatch Hold. After the victory was assured, Baine knew what must be done. He sent Perith Stormhoof to Theramore to warn Jaina about the coming war. He also asked Perith to give Fearbreaker, a mace given from Anduin Wrynn to Baine as a symbol of peace. He returned it because he felt that he had failed to uphold their expectations. After that warning, Jaina tried to find reinforcements from The Alliance and Kirin Tor, while Kalecgos, with all the knowledge he had learned from Jaina’s library, was still trying to figure out where the Focusing Iris was.

Few weeks later, the reinforcements of The Alliance and Kirin Tor arrived. They were ready to defend Theramore Isle from The Horde, who positioned themselves on Dustwallow Marsh already. Day after day, until finally the horns of war was blown. The gate of Theramore was being magically protected at first, until a member of Kirin Tor, Thalen Songweaver (a blood elf), sent magical attacks to the gate to weaken its defense. Although he was captured, the gate was heavily weakened than before, and The Horde entered the city. The Alliance was resilient, especially with the help of Kalecgos who was attacking from the air. After a long battle, Garrosh ordered the horn of retreat to be sounded. The Horde retreated, but still kept their distance near from Theramore. After their retreat, Jaina realized that Thalen had gone. Vereesa (Archmage Rhonin‘s wife) and Shandris Feathermoon, along with her sentinels, went outside the city to capture him back. Little The Alliance knew that this was merely a trick from Garrosh. It was his plan all along to bait all The Alliance generals to Theramore to die… together. Kalecgos felt something. The Focusing Iris was heading to Theramore. He was panicking and told Jaina about this. He changed his form to a dragon and flew as high as possible to see all different angles about the Focusing Iris’ whereabouts.

Kalecgos saw something being carried in a zeppelin. A mana bomb. Something very destructive, made with the power of the Focusing Iris. He flew towards that zeppelin and fought the air-forces of The Horde. At the same time, Jaina and Rhonin planned created a portal to an island on the sea to save people from the mana bomb. Jaina asked Rhonin why he redirected Jaina’s portal from Stormwind to that island. Rhonin answered that it would take less energy, an answer that didn’t make sense for Jaina. Then she understood– that Rhonin wanted to sacrifice himself by containing the detonation around the tower, so the effect from the bomb would be somewhat dampened. Jaina refused to abandon him, saying that Rhonin was the leader of Kirin Tor. “And you are the future of it!“, Rhonin replied. Outside, Kalecgos was being hit by a cannon, causing his wings to stop working effectively. He fell from the sky. That was the last thing Jaina saw before she was being pulled to the portal– right before the detonation happens.

The Horde cheered outside the bombed city, excluding few persons– such as Vol’Jin and Baine. This was not the honored victory they wanted. They stayed quiet amidst the loud noises of The Horde’s “celebrations”. Far away from that place, Jaina woke up on the island, hurting so much. When she saw her hair, it was not golden anymore. It was now the color of the moonlight. That island was not far away from Theramore. She could see Theramore Isle– or at least what was left of it… with the sparkling arcane energy around it. The city that she built… was now ruins. She looked around, seeing no one, until Kalecgos came to her. She told him that maybe she could have done more to save her people– to which Kalecgos replied that she couldn’t save them with a Focusing Iris-powered mana bomb being thrown to her city. He also told her that it wasn’t safe. Jaina snapped him by asking what it had done to her. Kalecgos explained that most of her hair turned white as well as her eyes… glowing white. Jaina’s hand went to her heart as if she was trying to say, “What has it done to things that couldn’t be seen [such as my heart]?” Kalecgos tried to convince Jaina to return to Theramore later, but Jaina refused. She left him alone on that island after teleporting to her ruined city.

When she arrived on the “city”, she saw so many deaths. She saw the fallen body of Pained– who was still holding a sword. She wanted to find the others as well. The next she found was Kinndy. This time, Jaina touched her lifeless body. To her surprise, it crumbled into shining violet dust. This was maybe if not the saddest, one of the saddest moments in the book.

She fell to her knees and placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder, to
turn her over. Kinndy’s body crumbled into shining violet dust.

Jaina screamed.

She screamed in utter horror, frantically gathering up the crystalline powder that was all that remained of a smart, lively young woman. She screamed in loss, in grief, in guilt, and then most of all, in rage.

After some contemplation, around 30 of Horde warriors came to the ruins to check whether someone survived or not. They met Jaina. Jaina, still infused with rage, killed them all one by one with cold blood. Before delivering killing blow to their leader, Jaina said to him, “Your people are despicable cowards. You are nothing more than rabid dogs, and you should be put down. You spit on mercy? Then you will have none. You want carnage? Garrosh will get more blood than ever he bargained for”. After that, Jaina saw an object which was Focusing Iris. She took it for her own. For her revenge.

She brought the Focusing Iris to Durotar, a zone where Orgrimmar was built. She used The Focusing Iris to enslave water elementals. She wanted to destroy the whole Orgrimmar– just like how her city was destroyed. She was confronted by Go’el, who fought her with his shamanistic spells. But in the end, she was stopped by Kalecgos, who told her that if she followed her rage, she would become the next Garrosh, and she didn’t want to do so. She released the water elementals she had enslaved. At the same time, The Alliance 7th fleet came to Durotar to liberate Northwatch Hold from The Horde. Jaina relieved she had released the water elementals, or else it would destroy the entire cavalry of The Alliance. She with Kalecgos then helped The Alliance to prevail over The Horde’s fleet and retake Northwatch Hold.

After the victory, Jaina and Kalecgos flew to the Ruins of Theramore. To their surprise, the fallen bodies remained unchanged. They realized this when they saw Pained’s body. The arcane energies that covered her when Jaina first saw her had gone. She then cried, regretting her choice to touch Kinndy. If she didn’t touch her, her body would have been there still. Kalecgos hugged Jaina, trying to comfort her. At this time, Jaina realized what Go’el once said about partners to heal each other.

Jaina and Kalecgos returned to Dalaran. She wanted to know whether the Council of Six would accept her as a novice member of the Kirin Tor, because she didn’t have a city to care anymore. To her surprise, Khadgar, one of the Council of Six, asked Jaina to become the leader of Kirin Tor, because of one of the prophecies that Rhonin kept all this time.

After the red comes the silver,
She who was golden and bright.
The Proud Lady humbled and bitter,
Shall now turn her thoughts to the fight.

Sapphire to diamond she gleams now,
The Kirin Tor leader who comes,
“Queen” of a kingdom now fallen,
Marching to war’s martial drums.

Be ye warned—the tides of war,
At last shall break upon the shore.

–The Prophecy of Krasus (Korialstrasz)

Although the prophecy didn’t explicitly say a name out loud, the description perfectly matched Jaina’s personality and what had happened to her. Jaina accepted the position– with Kalecgos as her advisor– as he had proven himself influential to her, because of their growing love.

What I learned from reading this book is that even a patient person, his/her patience has a limit. And when it does, fear his/her rage. Do not ever let down a patient person. As the time flies, although slowly, they will become more broken inside.

• Tweet