[Solo] ~Rebellious Souls.~

Space...

Matter...

Time...

Elthas found himself in the black void he'd oft found himself in those days. Sleep never came easily for the young Elf, but he was troubled by a very key matter to his emotional development. Father...where have you gone...? Elthas thought to himself as he stood up to face the void. He felt a familiar presence manifesting nearby. Elthas immediately knew who that presence belonged to. He turned to face his Father, Halm Belthasar.

"Father...?" Elthas called out to the figure in the darkness.

"Yes, my son." Elthas heard the familiar voice of his Father as he materialized out of the darkness. But something was different, he didn't wear the traditional clothing of The Forest Elves, or even Radasanth regalia. Elthas recognized the symbols on Halm's crest immediately and he could not believe what he was seeing. "It has been some time, has it not? You've grown into a fine young man."

"Father...tch...ten years it's been. Not a single word since then...I had almost given up all hope." Elthas looked at his Father. The man was there and not there at the same time.

"I have come bearing a warning, my son." Halm began. "You must cease your search for me."

"W-why...?!" Elthas demanded. "I have not given up hope that you are alive somewhere...I knew you were alive. I could feel it deep inside." Elthas began to cry at that point seeing the symbols on his Father's armor and clothing.

"Things are more complicated than soldiers and men fighting a war. Something happened...something that I hope you can forgive me for. But in order to save a lot of lives I had to make a choice that nearly cost me...us...everything." Halm said. He moved closer to his son. "I am glad I got to see you one last time, boy."

Elthas was crying freely at that point. "You joined The Empire...?" Elthas realized what he'd suddenly just found out...what it would mean.

"I was not given a choice." Halm explained. "Lives were on the line. I hope you will understand someday."

"Father...you...you joined The Empire!" Elthas yelled. "What about all that bullshit you've fed me my whole live about honouring the old alliances? The union between Men and Elves...the pact...it's all bullshit!" Elthas cried at that point in nearly a hysterical way.

Halm put his hand on Elthas's face and touched him in an almost gentle way. "I am afraid I cannot give you the answers you seek. I am not the man our people have made me out to be. I made a choice that needed to be made in order to save a lot of lives. People got to go home alive because of my choice. I'm not proud of what I've done but it was necessary. There is something, though it is extremely selfish of me that I must ask of you." Halm said.

Elthas touched his Father's hands with both of his own. "F-Father...what will I do now..." Elthas began. But he held a strange sort of conviction in his tearing eyes. "What must I do...?"

"Ruin is coming. A Great Ruin. I do not know the form that The Ruin will take shape in. But I do know that it is coming. I have come here tonight to warn you that you must become The Hero that you are meant to be. Save our people from The Ruin." Halm said.

Elthas nodded. "I will do what you ask, Father." Elthas wiped the tears from his face.

"I am proud of you my son. For what you have done and what you will do. I believe in you...no matter how far apart we may be." Halm continued to speak as he started to fade away. "One last thing...you must tell no one of our meeting tonight. They won't believe you anyway." Halm smiled at that point and nodded softly as he faded into the darkness...

***

It was fourth hour in the morning when Elthas awoke with a scream.

He sat up in his bed and began to cry for many hours...the dream, Elthas knew, had been real.

All too real...

Father joined The Empire... Elthas thought to himself as he cried freely for the rest of the night.