Upperclassman,

Light be with you. I hope you enjoyed the service today. Certainly better than the prattle Chaplain Pitr used to bore us with. I remember the notes we used to scribble to each other; I felt you were the only friend I had in that huge room. But the first thing I learned is something you don’t understand: never mix spirit and The Study. Didn’t you always tell me that the Craft begins where the Nothing ends?

When you went away without telling me, I was devastated. You had a destiny, and that destiny was yours and yours alone. Maybe it was better for me, because I suspected afterward that you’d refrained from doing everything you could have to help me. I’m sure each and every time the magisters slammed me with demerits, you were there, glad to take off your tough face for a few minutes, feeling the defense of the Perfect Hand. Trying to be a good big brother by making sure I was strong enough to pull up my own boots. I’m sure you made up some excuse that it was just about protecting things. Protecting me, protecting the Kingdom, protecting Azeroth. But haven’t your studies with the thorns taught you anything? You should quit, by the way. The lead is dead.

When you knew me, so many years ago, I was never the best detective. And by the way, I don’t blame you for looking down on me. But you were so smug. But regardless of what you tell yourself, you are sloppy. And The Pride Cometh Before The Fall; ‘StarWolf’? You were always mocking me.

The first thing I uncovered were the faked scores. I don’t know why the Grand Mage put you in charge of administering MY test, and I don’t know why you never told me. Probably again because you were my world, but I was only your disciple.

That angered me. And I stopped looking for a while. But I was continually nagged by memories of you telling me such platitudes as “Trust your instincts” and “Play the game like you’re just about to win”. My favorite was “Faith is the weakness of the slave”. So I kept looking.

Please try to imagine my joy when I discovered you were a prince! Suddenly your cagey behavior made sense. ‘Orphan’, my ass… how many street vermin speak Dwarfish? Oh, and a nice little trick you’ve got going with the putrification potions. A few identify-misdirects, and even a Holy ward or two. I’m sure all your admirers would love to see what’s behind the mask of everyone’s favorite bastion of the Light. The rancid breath, though, that’s your own culture – you always thought using some quirk of Old Science would get you a few ‘style’ points.

Running away is all you’ve ever learned to do. Run from the crown, run from me, run from whatever remains of your humanity. Yes, of course. Dirt runs from the howling wind. Your cousin though, has really stepped up to the mess you left him. He’s not a bad kid, is he? Just a little fancy in the pants.

Oh but that’s not all. Oh no, that is not all. Passing yourself off as one of the Dark Lady’s minions? Oh, my dear friend, I didn’t know you had it in you. You were always a middling student of Alchemy if you’re truly honest with yourself. I’m impressed, what you’ve taught yourself in so little time. What industry from a defector and a coward.

So go ahead. You think no one knows about your dark little secret. You think the ‘tortures’ Sylvanas put you through will get you through what she does to traitors? No, your suffering has just begun. Two hours of sleep isn’t enough to sustain a living creature, is it? Consultations, appointments, day and night. You just barely hang on. The secrets must be eating you up inside, trying to keep every fact and figure straight. Maybe you’ll sleep a little better now, knowing that there’s one person out there who knows what you are but would rather play than fight. You can’t see me, but I’m always listening. Try talking to me, you did always love your experiments. Go ahead, see what I say. It’s getting lonely back here.

I want the girl. The girl mage following you every Sunday. She doesn’t know you know because she’s a child. She tempers with powers far greater than she can carry. She doesn’t know. But I do.

Put the letter down, go to your security box and get what you’ve been thinking of. Exactly the thing you were thinking of. And come back to this room. Immediately. But don’t even consider leaving until I call for you. Enjoy the solitude, I hear rain is on the way. I think I shall show the little mage just how … predictable … you can be.

I’ll let you out, and she’ll ask you for a favor. What she’s going to ask you, you don’t know, but you’ve already made plans to help her, haven’t you? And you will help her. And you’ll succeed.

But when the time comes, you’ll have to make a choice between her and the Dark Lady. Choose neither. Choose me.