"Lady, are you sure the Prince wants to 'summon' us?" Halduron asked, riding his war strider, full of confusion.
Last night, Sylvanas found him and Lor'themar, telling Halduron to rush to Silvermoon City with her as Prince Kael'thas had an urgent summons, while Lor'themar was to command the ranger corps to continue fighting the Naga.
Halduron was full of questions about this urgent order; although Kael'thas was the Prince, he rarely truly exercised the Prince's authority. Due to the suppression by the Silvermoon Council, he was also unwilling to completely fall out with the Silvermoon Council, so he generally rarely interfered in Silvermoon City's political affairs.
But now Sylvanas said that Prince Kael'thas was going to summon them in the Silvermoon Royal Court, which was unprecedented.
Sylvanas's expression was unpredictable, and after a long silence, she only managed to say, "Don't ask so many questions, it's very complicated. Just stay behind me when we get there and don't say anything out of turn."
"This…" Halduron looked at his superior and finally did not retort. "I understand."
Strangely enough, after leaving the southern end of Eversong Woods where the ranger corps was stationed, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky, dark clouds obscured the sky, and occasional rumbles of thunder could be heard.
The magic laid out by the High Elves covered almost the entire Quel'Thalas. Within the enchanted barrier, such weather was extremely rare, perhaps occurring only once every few decades.
This made Halduron feel a strange sense of anxiety. Sylvanas was unwilling to reveal more to him. Although he trusted his Ranger-General unconditionally, these successive strange occurrences made him feel uncertain.
Halduron had never seen Sylvanas show such an expression, even when she inherited the responsibilities of Ranger-General and took on such a heavy burden, knowing she might be tied to this position forever, Sylvanas had remained very calm.
Unlike the councilors who enjoyed their lives in Silvermoon City, the Ranger-General was a position where one truly put their life on the line. In the entirety of Quel'Thalas, the only place directly threatened was the Southern Forest.
There was the Troll stronghold, and a vast and empty coastline that needed defending. Even with the Farstriders' rangers working day and night shifts, they could not guarantee that every single place was impregnably guarded.
But the councilors far away in Silvermoon City did not think so. They represented the interests of the oldest factions. They cared nothing for the lives of the rangers. If Trolls broke through the rangers' defenses, they could even shamelessly shift the blame onto the Farstriders.
The Farstriders had nearly fallen out with the councilors several times, but unfortunately, the cornerstone of the entire Silvermoon City was still its complete Arcane system, an Arcane system even more "solid" and "stable" than Dalaran's.
Moreover, Silvermoon City could ignore the lives of commoners in remote areas, but the Farstriders could not. Most of the Farstriders' rangers grew up in areas far from Silvermoon City, and the residents there were their friends and family.
No matter how much Silvermoon City made things difficult for the Farstriders, they could only endure it. For nothing else, the Arcane energy needed to maintain normal life was in the hands of the mages.
Various reasons allowed Silvermoon City to completely control the Farstriders. Of course, for Silvermoon City, the Farstriders were temporarily irreplaceable, so they barely maintained their relationship with Sylvanas, avoiding a complete break with the Farstriders.
Thinking of this, Halduron suddenly felt that the journey to Silvermoon City this time might be difficult.
The rain fell all day, and by evening, when their striders stopped in front of the Shepherd's Gate, a large group of fully armed Silvermoon City Guards were already waiting for them.
"I am Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, summoned by the Prince's decree to enter Silvermoon City to meet His Highness."
Sylvanas took out the special emblem of the ranger corps, and a faint magical imprint appeared in the rain mist. A Silvermoon City soldier stepped out of the formation, bowed to Sylvanas, and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Sylvanas. The Prince has already prepared a carriage for you."
Halduron watched with a grim face as the guards led his and Sylvanas's mounts to a nearby stable. The two rangers silently boarded the luxuriously decorated carriage.
Inside the carriage, Sylvanas took off her rain-soaked cloak. At this moment, she showed a hint of weariness. After hanging the cloak on a hook on one side, she looked at Halduron.
"Don't be so nervous, Halduron, this matter only concerns me."
"Lady, what exactly happened?" Halduron sighed. "You know, I'm not nervous, I'm worried about you. The Farstriders cannot be without a leader for a day. That fellow Lor'themar is still a bit lacking."
"No one is born a Ranger-General, Halduron. I am not, and neither was my mother. This title does not belong exclusively to the Windrunner family."
Sylvanas leaned back against the soft seat, and she whispered, "I don't know the specifics, but I can be sure that Silvermoon City is about to change, and the entire Quel'Thalas will experience a great upheaval."
Halduron wanted to ask more, but no matter what he said, Sylvanas only answered evasively, leaving him still unclear about the reasons.
He was somewhat confused: the letter came from Prince Kael'thas, and the Prince was clearly on the side of the ranger corps, so why was Sylvanas so pessimistic?
Halduron racked his brain but could not figure out the answer until he and Sylvanas appeared inside the Silvermoon Royal Court.
Unexpectedly, none of the powerful councilors were present in the Royal Court; instead, only Kael'thas was there, his back to the door, standing in the very center of the Royal Court—the position usually occupied by the Sun King.
Halduron followed behind Sylvanas, silent, preparing to observe the situation first, but Sylvanas's next action instantly made Halduron somewhat flustered.
Sylvanas stepped forward, decisively half-kneeling on the ground, her head bowed, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty."
"Sylvanas Windrunner, you have finally arrived. Do you know your crime?" Kael'thas's voice was like ice. He turned around, and in the shadows of the Royal Court's curtain, his face appeared exceptionally stern and gloomy.
Halduron immediately knelt on the ground as well. Although he didn't know what had happened, when he lowered his head, he saw the faded symbol of the Sunstrider family on Arthas's waist—Flame Strike.
This longsword, imbued with powerful Arcane, now appeared somewhat dim, and the Arcane it emitted had become very unstable, just like Halduron's mind, a complete mess.
What had he just heard: Your Majesty? Sylvanas is guilty?
Halduron instinctively wanted to refute, but remembering Sylvanas's earlier warning, even though he had a thousand questions at this moment, he could only swallow them.
"It was my negligence, allowing the ranger corps' forces to be too dispersed, focusing solely on obstructing the scattered Naga and Murloc stragglers. In order to increase my own merits, I overlooked the enemy's movements."
As she spoke these words, Halduron noticed that Sylvanas's body was trembling slightly. Her arms, which would not tremble even in the worst conditions when drawing her bow, were now shaking uncontrollably.
"Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, for dereliction of duty and negligence in defense, allowing the Naga army to cross the Farstriders' defense line without warning and assault Quel'Danas Isle. Fortunately, the late King timely organized the Sunwell's guards to counterattack, holding out until Silvermoon City's reinforcements arrived. However, the late King died in this battle, and the elite guards of the Sunwell suffered heavy casualties. You alone shall bear this responsibility, Windrunner. Do you agree to accept the judgment of the Silvermoon Council and myself?"
"I… I have no objection."
No objection?!
Halduron's eyes nearly popped out. What had he heard? Why were these absurd charges suddenly laid upon Sylvanas?
The ranger corps guarded the front lines day and night, and this was the treatment they received from Silvermoon City?
Halduron's fists clenched suddenly, and anger surged into his heart like a rush—Is this Silvermoon City? Is this the kingdom that the Farstriders defended at the cost of their lives?!
They actually slandered the hero of Quel'Thalas and trampled on the dignity of the Farstriders!
When Sylvanas was led away by the Royal Guards, Halduron remained kneeling on the ground, motionless, like a statue, completely lifeless.
Kael'thas looked at the Ranger-General's emblem in his hand, and he said again, "Although Sylvanas's crime is unforgivable, the Farstriders were misled by her. The rest of the Farstriders should be treated with mercy and leniency. Halduron Brightwing, the duties of Ranger-General will temporarily be handled by you and Lor'themar Theron. Continue to serve the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas."
"Halduron… will obey your command."
His clenched fists finally relaxed. Halduron Brightwing's eyes were vacant. He didn't know why he had agreed to Kael'thas the "King's" investiture, but when he thought of his brothers and sisters still fighting the enemy on the front lines, he suddenly realized that the Farstriders needed someone to lead them. At least… at least they were innocent.
Halduron, like a zombie, stiffly completed the subsequent formalities, carrying Sylvanas's emblem, and left the Royal Court step by step.
After the newly appointed "temporary" Ranger-General left the Royal Court, the Arcane crystals around the room gradually faded their surface magical glow, returning to their original appearance.
Kael'thas's stern and gloomy expression instantly changed, replaced by utter helplessness and distress. What Halduron didn't know was that Kael'thas was also full of questions and confusion at this moment.
"Father… why did you want me to do this? In your last moments, what exactly did you know?"
Kael'thas held Flame Strike, which surged with chaotic Arcane, in his hands. In the dim hall, Flame Strike emitted a faint orange glow.
At this time, the sky outside the Royal Court was still gloomy, and raindrops were still continuously falling on the exquisite Silvermoon City.
…
"The Sun King is dead?"
When Arthas received this news, he was also completely stunned. He looked at Nathanos with some disbelief, "Are you sure?"
The Sun King Anastarian, even if placed throughout Azeroth, was a top-ranked powerhouse. Although his life had reached the twilight years of a High Elf, his mastery and application of Arcane were unfathomable.
"I am certain. Moreover, the Farstriders have undergone earth-shattering changes. Sylvanas has been stripped of her duties and confined to a prison. The Farstriders are now led by her deputy and subordinates."
Nathanos's face was as cold as ice, but he still answered Arthas's questions meticulously.
"Is this the Silvermoon Council's order, or Kael'thas's?" Arthas recalled Kael'thas's urgent return to Silvermoon City a while ago. Since then, there had been no news of him, and now such a thing had happened, which was far beyond Arthas's expectations.
"It is the new King of Quel'Thalas… to be precise, the soon-to-be King, as Kael'thas has not yet held his coronation ceremony," Nathanos replied. "According to reliable intelligence, the former Sun King should have died during the Naga's assault on the Sunwell."
Died during the Naga's assault on the Sunwell? Why would the Naga attack the Sunwell?
Arthas immediately thought of the unaccounted for Illidan. It could only be the Naga faction following him that would, for no reason, find the Sunwell at this time and launch an assault.
Naga loyal to Azshara would absolutely have no interest in the Sunwell; firstly, Azshara did not need such a "fake," her current focus was on the Old Gods N'Zoth, and secondly, the Naga could absolutely not hold the Sunwell.
That place was the High Elves' vital point and lifeline. If you assaulted Eversong Woods and Silvermoon City, the Elves would fight you fiercely, but if you tried to lay hands on the Sunwell, you would be met by a large number of fanatics who might not even care about their lives.
The Sunwell was the High Elves' untouchable reverse scale. For the Naga to pick a fight and attack such a place, unless they intended to exterminate the High Elf race, they would absolutely not do such a meaningless thing until the High Elves were completely annihilated.
Moreover, to know the precise location of Quel'Danas Isle and the Sunwell Plateau under the High Elves' deliberate concealment, Arthas couldn't help but associate it with Illidan.
Or rather, this matter was almost certainly Illidan's doing. Arthas wasn't surprised that he would seek out the High Elves, but his current actions were very confusing.
Arthas was unsure if the Sun King's death was related to Illidan, but Kael'thas's order was abnormal. Unless Kael'thas had been brainwashed or turned into a puppet, he would absolutely not treat Sylvanas this way.
Moreover, Sylvanas herself didn't refute it at all; instead, she admitted her "baseless" crime: the Naga were originally active underwater. With them on the coast, the Elves' ships couldn't even leave the harbor. If they were ambushed like this, could the Farstriders be blamed?
Blaming the mages guarding the mage towers would be more appropriate! At least their detection magic failing to detect the Naga was the real problem!
Therefore, upon receiving this news, Arthas's first reaction was to doubt the veracity of the message, and now, he began to suspect if there was some inside story to the Sun King's death.
When Arthas learned of this news, he found it very strange, but he did not directly question Kael'thas. Although their relationship was good, the current situation clearly exceeded the scope of their personal friendship.
The Sun King's demise had not spread within human circles. It was likely that, aside from Arthas and the Secret Intelligence Agency, no one else knew about it.
However, this certainly could not be concealed for long, as the Sun King's death would cause a huge stir within Quel'Thalas. Kael'thas would undoubtedly initiate a series of countermeasures soon.
At that point, concealment would be meaningless—or rather, excessive concealment would only make other members of the Alliance aware of the problem.
So, it wasn't a matter of concealing or not concealing; Arthas only needed to wait for Kael'thas to give him a reasonable explanation.
As Arthas expected, less than a week after first receiving Nathanos's intelligence, Kael'thas sought out Arthas.
However, this conversation was conducted in a private capacity. In the Secret Intelligence Agency's secret chamber, only Arthas conversed with Kael'thas's image.
"You must know by now, Arthas. I believe your intelligence personnel should be aware of any exploitable event happening in the Eastern Kingdoms, or even Kalimdor," Kael'thas's tone was filled with helplessness and visible fatigue.
"Has His Majesty Anastarian truly fallen?"
"Yes, my father confronted the enemy before the Sunwell, repelling the invaders at the cost of his own life," Kael'thas's expression was indifferent as he spoke, as if he had seen through everything. "Before his death, he infused Flame Strike with the essence and insights of his life's magical power, and I have already absorbed them."
Arthas fell silent. The two maintained a tacit silence for dozens of seconds before Arthas finally spoke, "Kael, what do you intend to do?"
"What to do... I can do nothing now. The only thing I can do is, according to my father's dying command, imprison Sylvanas, because this is what the Silvermoon Council wishes to see."
Kael'thas sneered, "It's a good thing several old members of the Silvermoon Council also perished in the battle at the Sunwell, otherwise, whether I could even be speaking with you now would be a question."
Sun King Anastarian had indeed died on Quel'Danas Isle, and not only the Sun King himself had fallen, but also hundreds of elite guards of the Sunwell, and Archmages of the Silvermoon Council.
Kael'thas suppressed his grief. He understood that now was not a good time for sentimentality, because he felt that his father's death was very strange.
Why did his father leave such a strange "command" before his death? Why did his father, who died in battle, have time to infuse his power into Flame Strike?
Too many questions plagued Kael'thas, so much so that he had no time or energy for sadness. The first thing he did after returning to Silvermoon City was to absorb the magical essence from Flame Strike, which was the Sun King's last "legacy" to him.
Anastarian's legacy significantly enhanced Kael'thas's strength, which also gave him basic speaking rights before the Silvermoon Council. However, the Silvermoon Council mysteriously remained silent on this matter, neither opposing Kael'thas nor seeming to intend to support him.
The entire affair of the Sun King's demise was inexplicably strange. After Kael'thas stabilized the general situation, he immediately began an investigation, but aside from discovering that the invading enemies were Naga and murlocs, nothing else was known.
Throughout Kael'thas's investigation, the Silvermoon Council remained utterly silent, as if they were not subjects who had witnessed their king fall in battle, but unrelated strangers.
Kael'thas was furious about this. The Silvermoon Council's actions repeatedly crossed Kael'thas's bottom line.
However, the Silvermoon Council was the greatest pillar of Silvermoon City and Quel'Thalas apart from the Sun King. If the Council were to fall apart, the resulting chaos would not be easily quelled by Kael'thas, who had just inherited the throne.
For this, Kael'thas could only swallow his anger for now. He planned to deal with the Silvermoon Council after he had fully taken control of the Sunwell's power.
This state of the Council also made Kael'thas suspect more than once whether there were traitors within Silvermoon City, which led to the deaths of several Archmages representing Silvermoon City's foundation, including the Sun King.
As the investigation progressed, Kael'thas gradually discovered some details he had not noticed before, among which was another residual power in Flame Strike that caused him to ponder and suspect.
This divine artifact of the Sunstrider family, in addition to containing immense magical power, also contained a very subtle, chaotic, disordered, and corrupted power.
After Kael'thas meticulously extracted and studied it, he was shocked to discover that it was precisely the fel magic used by demons of the Burning Legion.
However, all guard testimonies proved that it was Naga who attacked Quel'Danas Isle, not demons, and those Naga showed no signs of using fel magic.
At least the Naga corpses left on Quel'Danas Isle indicated that they were not fallen beings who used fel magic. So where did the fel power in Flame Strike come from?
And near the runestones that served as nodes for the Banthinoriel Barrier, Kael'thas reconstructed some almost dissipated magical remnants. After simple restoration, these magical energies formed a spell-suppressing structure.
These clues indeed pointed to the Banthinoriel Barrier of Quel'Danas suddenly weakening, allowing the Naga to take advantage, and the person who weakened the barrier's effect was very likely a traitor among the High Elves.
Kael'thas recalled that the Sun King had asked him to imprison Sylvanas before his death to mislead the Silvermoon Council. This implied that his father might have been referring to a traitor within the Silvermoon Council.
But all clues stopped there. No one in the Silvermoon Council showed any abnormality. It couldn't possibly be that those few dead Archmages were traitors, could it? In that case, the Sun King would have had no need to have Kael'thas strip Sylvanas of her position.
Moreover, by stripping the ranger corps' core leader of her position and throwing her into prison, Kael'thas could foresee that in the coming period, not only the Silvermoon Council, but also the Farstriders' trust in him would sharply decline, potentially making the kingdom's situation even more chaotic.
Kael'thas was plagued by headaches because of this, but his father's last dying wish was this, and he repeatedly emphasized that he must carry it out, so he couldn't not do it.
Now Sylvanas was captured, but Kael'thas himself was plunged into greater trouble and confusion, which was also why he sought out Arthas.
"Arthas, your understanding of the Burning Legion is deeper than mine, perhaps even deeper than my father's. Can you find the source of the fel power in Flame Strike?" Kael'thas stated his request.
"Kael, it's true that I understand demons better, but it's impossible to trace their master through residual fel power."
To this, Arthas could only express helplessness. Indeed, he knew that this matter was very likely done by Illidan, but what good would it do to tell Kael'thas now?
Would it make this High Elf prince, filled with anger and hatred, fight to the death with the traitor, or would it make him repeat the same mistakes?
Moreover, Arthas was certain that the Sun King did not want Kael'thas to know of Illidan's existence, at least not yet. Otherwise, Anastarian would have left Kael'thas a direct message without Arthas needing to say more.
But now, all the clues left by the Sun King actually directed Kael'thas to focus on solving the kingdom's internal problems. Since the Sun King had his own considerations, Arthas believed it was best for him not to interfere.
Illidan heading directly for the Sunwell was something Arthas had not foreseen, but this still couldn't explain Anastarian's death, because with the Sunwell and the Banthinoriel Barrier backing him, Arthas didn't think the Sun King would be no match for Illidan.
In other words, if the two had not truly fought with all their might, Illidan certainly couldn't have dealt with the Sun King, who had the Sunwell as a backup.
Furthermore, Quel'Thalas was not like a kingdom at its last gasp from a Scourge invasion, unable to even put up a decent defense. There were no overt traitors in Quel'Thalas now. No matter how rampant Illidan was, he couldn't come and go as he pleased in the High Elves' homeland.
Kael'thas sighed deeply and apologized to Arthas, "I was presumptuous. However... this incident has caused significant damage to me and Quel'Thalas. I'm afraid that for a period of time, I won't be able to provide reliable assistance to the Alliance.
I apologize that after receiving numerous artifacts and knowledge from Eldre'Thalas, the High Elves temporarily cannot participate in the Alliance's upcoming activities.
However, I will hand over all shareable data to Dalaran. Rommath will be responsible for organizing the usable materials."
"It's alright, Kael, everyone has difficult times. If you need help, whether private or public, I will provide it for you. High Elves will always be allies of Lordaeron and members of the Alliance."
Arthas felt no regret. Although the High Elves' help would be missed, the Burning Steppes was indeed too far from Quel'Thalas, and given the High Elves' current situation, the assistance they could provide was too little.
After all, unlike the Burning Legion, the threat from the Burning Steppes could not directly harm Quel'Thalas. Although Kael'thas was now in power in Silvermoon City, he could not act directly over the Council; his prestige had not yet reached that level.
Kael'thas opened his mouth, and in the end, could only utter four words, "Thank you very much."
However, before ending the call, Kael'thas seemed to remember something. He said, "Wait, Arthas, although Quel'Thalas cannot participate in the operation against Blackrock Mountain, I can indeed send one more person over, because it now appears that she no longer has a very close connection with Quel'Thalas."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Keeping her in a cell is not a solution either. Although my father told me to 'imprison' Sylvanas, that was merely a temporary measure against the Silvermoon Council. So, if I temporarily exile her now, it's not a problem either."
...
Sylvanas sat in a simple carriage, looking at the magical shackles on her wrists, somewhat lost as she gazed at the scenery outside the window.
She, of course, knew Kael'thas's difficulties, otherwise, she wouldn't have so readily admitted her somewhat absurd "guilt," leading to her imprisonment.
Although there was still some resentment in her heart, thinking that Kael'thas's actions were also a helpless measure to maintain Quel'Thalas's fragile balance, Sylvanas could only comply.
Because she had no better solution. If Quel'Thalas was likened to a small boat tied to a stake, then the Sun King was the rope tying the boat.
Now that the rope was broken, no one knew whether the small boat would stay put or drift off somewhere.
Until Kael'thas became the new rope, all they could do was try their best to keep the waves carrying the boat from becoming too turbulent.
—That is, after thinking so much, as soon as she saw the shackles on her hands and feet, Sylvanas still felt an indescribable sensation.
She had been brought out of Silvermoon City's magical prison yesterday, and now she didn't know where she was being sent for imprisonment. The enclosed carriage prevented Sylvanas from knowing the exact passage of time; she could only estimate the carriage's journey based on her heartbeat.
This was actually different from what Kael'thas had previously informed her. Originally, she was to be held as a "criminal general" in Silvermoon City's prison until Kael'thas could stabilize the situation, after which her original status would gradually be restored.
This was also why Halduron and Lor'themar were only acting as "Ranger-General" and were not directly appointed as the new Ranger-General.
She believed this point would also make the somber Halduron realize something upon his return, and even if he didn't understand, Sylvanas believed Lor'themar should be able to interpret something.
Now she was being sent away from Silvermoon City. Although she wasn't sure where she was going, Sylvanas estimated that she must be quite far from Silvermoon City now.
Finally, the carriage stopped. A Silvermoon City guard walked in, his face cold as he unlocked the shackles on Sylvanas's hands and feet and pushed her out of the carriage.
"Windrunner, you are exiled. Please immediately—"
However, this Elf guard and the other guards escorting Sylvanas fell to the ground at the sound of something piercing the air. They lay sprawled on the carriage and the ground. Sylvanas, shocked, instinctively supported the falling guard in front of her and drew the curved blade from its sheath at his waist.
"Teacher, don't be nervous, it's me."
A familiar voice made Sylvanas's tense body relax by a third. Only then did she notice that the arrows that struck the guards were special magical arrows, without physical form, and should have instantly knocked out their targets upon impact.
"Nathanos, why are you here?" Sylvanas looked at her student with a serious expression. "Also, there's no need to be so harsh on these guards; they know nothing and are innocent!"
"Apologies, my lady, this matter is complicated to explain. Please come with us first. The effects of these arrows will wear off in a few minutes."
Nathanos took Sylvanas's hand and, with his subordinates, quickly disappeared into the mountain forest.
"I never thought we would meet again under such circumstances." Sylvanas forced a smile, her expression somewhat haggard, not because of the long journey, but because of recent events.
"Kael had no choice," Arthas said, having prepared a special residence for Sylvanas within the Secret Intelligence Agency. He couldn't offer Kael'thas any substantial help, but he could comfort Sylvanas.
"Thank you for your guidance, I know all this, but I just…" Sylvanas didn't know how to express her inner emotions, and her words trailed off halfway.
The High Elf's pale blue glowing eyes were now somewhat dim, showing that being "exiled" from her home was still a very difficult thing for Sylvanas to accept.
Even if it was something agreed upon with Kael'thas.
"Rest well in Lordaeron. Here, you don't have to worry about those messy things anymore. I believe Kael will handle everything well." Arthas comforted her, "Besides, Quel'Thalas is not in any danger. After the Sunwell was attacked, Kael'thas will only strengthen defenses, and your people will be very safe."
The struggle between the Silvermoon Council and Kael'thas would only affect the most elite part of Quel'Thalas, and in Arthas's opinion, even if the Alliance didn't intervene, Kael'thas's chances of winning were still very high.
After all, the Silvermoon Council was merely a level that exercised authority. The true lifeline of the High Elves was still in the hands of each generation of Sun King, and the Sunwell was the fundamental reason why the Sunstrider family could rule this kingdom for thousands of years.
Kael'thas always had the ability to overturn the Silvermoon Council, but he didn't want to make things so absolute. If the Silvermoon Council were overthrown, it would inevitably cause significant turmoil within the kingdom.
He wanted to cleanse those traitors who had betrayed the High Elves while minimizing losses, because the deaths of the Sun King and some Archmages had already wounded the High Elves' vitality.
"Hmm, actually, I don't really want to go back. Although I've fought for the people of Quel'Thalas my whole life, the things that have happened over the years have made me a bit tired—Lor'themar and Halduron are both highly capable. It's not a bad thing for them to take on the Ranger-General position."
Sylvanas leaned back on the sofa, somewhat dejectedly. She was tired of fighting with the Silvermoon Council, and this incident had made her even more disappointed.
No matter what, Sun King Anastarian had treated her as a pawn that could be used at any time. Whether it was Ranger-General or Ranger Marshal, it was all the same to the Sunstrider family.
Sometimes, Sylvanas would miss the days when she wasn't the Ranger-General, just an ordinary Ranger. Back then, she didn't have to worry about this and that, only needing to focus on her tasks.
But so much time had passed; she had gone from a Ranger to the Ranger-General of Quel'Thalas, but the happy days were gone forever. She gradually transformed from an innocent girl into a steady leader.
"I might have to trouble you in Lordaeron for a while. Of course, as compensation for the stay, if there's anything I can help with, just ask—but I'm no longer that Ranger-General, just an ordinary little Ranger."
Sylvanas cast aside the clouds in her mind, composed herself, and prepared to stay under Arthas for a period.
"Little Ranger? If you're a little Ranger, then there probably aren't any true Rangers left on Azeroth." Arthas shook his head with a smile, "But for a while now, we indeed need your help."
As he was about to launch an offensive on Searing Gorge, Arthas naturally didn't mind having more strong individuals to command, and with Quel'Thalas currently in a semi-closed state, there was no problem with her appearing on the battlefield.
"After some time, we will launch an attack on the Dark Iron Dwarves and Blackrock Orcs entrenched in Blackrock Mountain. The goal is to clear the obstacles between the north and south of the continent, allowing the Alliance's forces to communicate more easily."
"Oh, Burning Steppes, that's really not a good place." Sylvanas blinked, "You're really not holding back, Prince. I thought I could do something easy like my students."
"You agreed to this yourself, but perhaps after I tell you what's next, you'll be a little interested."
Arthas pulled a dark scale from his Pregnant, flicking it to Sylvanas, who caught it in her hand.
The cold touch instantly invigorated Sylvanas. She sat up straight and examined the scale in her hand, "This is... a dragon scale?"
The well-informed High Elves were not particularly unfamiliar with dragons; at least their ancient texts clearly recorded knowledge related to dragons, and Sylvanas had some understanding of it.
This scale was entirely black, yet it shimmered with a purplish hue under the light. The entire scale was light and hard. Sylvanas took out her personal dagger and scratched the dragon scale a few times, but it didn't even leave a mark.
"This isn't a Wyrmling scale, Arthas. Where did you get this?" Sylvanas examined the dragon scale in her hand with interest, "Don't tell me you hunted a dragon."
"Of course not, but there are dragons waiting for us to hunt." Arthas showed a meaningful smile, "Through some intelligence and methods, I am now certain that dragons are hidden in Blackrock Mountain."
"Is it a Black Dragon?" Sylvanas looked at the scale in her hand, naturally taking over the conversation, "This is indeed quite appealing... Although I've read many books about dragons since I was young, I haven't seen one with my own eyes. Hmph, my sisters are really lucky; they've seen quite a few dragons."
Alleria participated in the Second War and naturally saw the Red Dragons enslaved by the orcs, and Vereesa, needless to say, participated in the rescue of the Red Dragon Queen.
Only Sylvanas, who had always stayed in her old home in Quel'Thalas, had never seen a living dragon with her own eyes. Arthas's words naturally piqued her interest.
No Ranger would dislike adventure, let alone a Windrunner family Ranger. You could tell that from their surname. It was only responsibility that kept Sylvanas from having the opportunity to see the world outside Quel'Thalas.
Thinking of this, Sylvanas's previously dejected mood vanished. She asked, "Is it an adult dragon? If it's a Black Dragon, we can hunt it with confidence. Black Dragons seem to be evil beings, and other dragons consider them enemies."
"It's not just one dragon, Sylva."
Sylvanas's excitement faded a bit, "Alright, a young dragon would be fine too."
"No, what we are facing is an entire Legion composed of Black Dragons."
"Huh?"
Sylvanas's expression froze. She patted her long ears, as if she thought she had misheard, "You... what did you say? Say it again?"
"You heard right, it's an entire Legion composed of Black Dragons. There is ample evidence that Black Dragons have enslaved the Blackrock Orcs, hiding in the upper levels of Blackrock Mountain, engaging in evil deeds, and their target is a member of the Alliance, Stormwind Kingdom."
Nefarian was using Stormwind Kingdom as a whetstone for his Legion, preparing to test his new "biological weapons" on the Human Kingdom closest to him.
Once his plan succeeded, Nefarian would quickly provoke a war that would sweep across the entire Eastern Kingdoms, and even Azeroth.
"You're not joking, are you? An entire Black Dragonflight? Then we'll have to consider who's the prey and who's the hunter." Sylvanas frowned, "It's not that I want to discourage you, but mortal armies cannot withstand the wrath of dragons."
If it were just a lone dragon, even a full-grown one, with Arthas and other sufficiently powerful participants cooperating, Sylvanas would have full confidence in making the kill.
But an entire Black Dragonflight, Sylvanas felt that either she was crazy or Arthas was crazy. Even the most novice hunter knows that a single wolf and an entire wolf pack are completely different matters, not to mention that dragons are intelligent and live longer than High Elves. To confront an entire Black Dragonflight is undoubtedly courting death.
"The power of one, ten, or even a hundred mortals is indeed insufficient to contend with Black Dragons, but we always have a way to drive them out of Blackrock Mountain, and even if we don't actively seek trouble with them, will they be our 'good neighbors'?"
Arthas spread his hands and said, "Besides, we are not the only ones fighting the Black Dragons. You also said that other dragons view Black Dragons as enemies, so we can naturally use the power of other dragons to fight the Black Dragons."
Of course, if hope were placed on other dragonflights, it would be a huge gamble with unknown consequences—the other dragons were not yet aware of Nefarian's conspiracy, and given Nefarian's cunning, outsmarting some arrogant dragons would be no problem at all.
Although the Black Dragon Prince's power was not as great as his father Deathwing's, he was by no means weak. On the contrary, Nefarian's strength was entirely respectable even among dragons, and Valastrasz, whom he easily defeated, was the best proof.
The master of Blackrock Spire indeed had the ability to destroy this world. What Arthas had to do was to drive Nefarian from the table before he gathered all his cards.
"Are you sure the other dragons will help us?" Sylvanas was skeptical about this. Dragons always adopted a wait-and-see attitude, as if it had nothing to do with them. Would these guys really come to help the Alliance?
Arthas seemed unconcerned about the dragons' help, "I'm not sure, which is why we need to be prepared. Otherwise, why do you think I've had the entire Alliance preparing for such a long time? If the opponents were just Blackrock Orcs and Dark Iron Dwarves, I think Ironforge and Stormwind Kingdom alone could conquer Blackrock Mountain."
"Alright, Black Dragons, orcs, and a bunch of Dwarves squeezed together. Blackrock Mountain is really lively. It's a miracle they haven't fought each other." Sylvanas rolled her eyes and slumped back into the soft sofa.
"Uh, actually, there are more than just these three factions."
Sylvanas's gaze quickly fell on Arthas, her deadpan eyes fixed on him, "I'm really regretting agreeing to help you now—at least I should have demanded some compensation!"
The casual chat with Sylvanas didn't last long before Arthas discreetly left Sylvanas's residence, fearing that if he continued talking, Sylvanas might actually try to strangle him.
To put it bluntly, Blackrock Mountain was currently the most dangerous place in the entire Eastern Kingdoms. If the forces within it surged out recklessly, they could instantly engulf half the continent in war.
Sylvanas also realized why Arthas was so keen on the Blackrock Mountain operation. Allowing such a dangerous source to stand in the center of the entire continent was like burying a timed magic bomb; no one knew when it would explode.
Leaving Quel'Thalas made Sylvanas realize that the High Elves no longer had anything to be proud of. The hidden crises and threats in the world were simply not something Quel'Thalas could bear alone.
Now, she was somewhat glad she had left Quel'Thalas and could truly see the outside world. If the return of the Burning Legion meant the High Elves had to find an ally, then the subsequent threats meant the High Elves had to participate in this struggle concerning the life and death of various races.
After Arthas returned to his office, he looked at the person waiting for him in the office and asked, "Do you think the Black Dragonflight can still be saved?"
"I don't know, or rather, no one in the whole world knows about this." Onyxia's face was bitter, "That power constantly erodes our will and sanity, injecting madness into our minds, and it has been rooted within us for too long."
"Didn't you try to isolate this influence?" Arthas continued to ask.
"Many of our kind tried, but they either failed or were destroyed by my father as dissenters. He believes that the 'newborn' Black Dragonflight cannot tolerate traitors."
When Onyxia spoke of her father, there was no longer any nostalgia, no resentment, only deep fear remaining. "He was once a very good father, a very good Guardian, but that Neltharion is already dead; he died the moment he accepted the whispers."
Arthas's power helped Onyxia suppress the whispers of the Old Gods. The corrupting influence rooted in her bloodline was temporarily removed, allowing her to re-evaluate everything she had experienced.
Arthas looked at Onyxia, "After I end the chaos in Blackrock Mountain, perhaps I can find the answer to the problem from other Black Dragons. I suggest you do not participate in this campaign; no one knows what will happen if you come into contact with the corrupting influence again."