The Silvermoon Council's intention was clear: they were not on Kael'thas's side, and they also wanted to represent Quel'Thalas, but the Sun King's prestige was unmatched by the Council, unless the Sun King was 'no longer around'.
Logically, this situation was unrealistic, because even if the previous Sun King abdicated, or even if there was an accidental death like Anasterian's, as long as the family bloodline was not severed, the Sunstrider's throne would be legitimate.
However, a 'fool' like Kael'thas appeared. Anasterian died in the battle where the Naga and Illidan ambushed the Sunwell, yet for various reasons, this prince was unwilling to immediately take on the title of Sun King. Although most of the populace and council members had already tacitly accepted his status as king, there were still those with ulterior motives within the Silvermoon Council.
Counting from Dath'Remar, the Sunstrider family had ruled Quel'Thalas for over eight thousand years. This was an extremely long time for humans, even long enough to encompass the rise and fall of an entire civilization. But for elves, even High Elves who couldn't live forever, it was only two or three generations.
It was even possible that there were old monsters, who, relying on profound magical power and extensive magical knowledge, had survived from Dath'Remar's era. One should know that although Quel'Thalas had been invaded by orcs once, the Scourge, which truly almost destroyed it, had not trampled Quel'Thalas's land again. Arthas felt it was normal for there to be a few older individuals.
The elves' exaggeratedly long lifespans somewhat reduced many of their 'worldly' desires, but after so many years of High Elves reproducing, it was normal for a few outliers to appear, not to mention that they were originally a branch of the Highborne, and the desire for power was already embedded in their bloodline.
And power was also a form of strength, not to mention that the noble Sun King also had the qualification to control the Sunwell. This alone could drive countless spellcasters mad.
Arthas wasn't completely surprised that the Silvermoon Council could pull off such a stunt. If not for the heavy damage the Scourge inflicted on Quel'Thalas, with the Silvermoon Council members either dead or crippled, Lor'themar and his companions' desire to form a three-person governing body for Quel'Thalas would have been a pipe dream.
Arthas was originally too lazy to get involved in the political infighting of the elves. He had only wanted to wait for Kael'thas to clean up the mess and completely control the Sunwell, then communicate with him to strengthen and expand the Alliance.
But now, the Silvermoon Council's attitude made Arthas even want to find a few Master Assassins from the Secret Intelligence Agency and Ravenholdt to make a trip to Quel'Thalas.
Of course, this was only a thought. Banthinoriel was not yet a mere name, and a group of assassins wandering around the Silvermoon Council's stronghold was truly unrealistic. Even the most top-tier Master Assassin wouldn't want to rashly enter an Archmage's magic tower, let alone Silvermoon City, which was full of magical devices and barriers.
However, Arthas was not without other means. Although it was a bit more circuitous than directly hiring assassins, he could guarantee that no one in Quel'Thalas would refuse, unless that elf had something wrong with his brain.
Afterward, Derathil shamelessly came to Arthas several more times, but without exception, he was rebuffed. Finally, this envoy representing the Silvermoon Council could only return to Quel'Thalas dejectedly. Seeing this Magister suffer a setback, Sylvanas was instead overjoyed.
However, upon thinking that her homeland was full of such fools, Sylvanas couldn't smile anymore. The entire Alliance could now be said to be striving for good governance. After Arthas raised the terrifying external enemy of the Burning Legion, internal conflicts within Azeroth visibly decreased. Even the orcs became well-behaved, holed up in barren land, attempting to recuperate.
Yet, a significant portion of those in Quel'Thalas, who prided themselves on being civilized, were still immersed in the songs and dances of the past, completely unaware of the rolling wheels of time. In Sylvanas's eyes, those arrogant council lords who looked down on others were mostly like foolish groundhogs.
When the warriors of Quel'Thalas shed their blood on various battlefields that determined the fate of their race, there were always some fools who remained indifferent, only to come and contend for the fruits of victory in the end, which was utterly shameful.
It was a pity that none of this could be influenced by her, a mere Ranger-General. One need only look at Quel'Thalas's legitimate heir, Kael'thas himself, who was stuck in this quagmire and unable to extricate himself for a long time.
Sylvanas could only console herself that the Burning Legion had just suffered another major defeat on Azeroth, and even a prominent figure like Archimonde had fallen here. The Legion should lie low for a while, and she hoped her homeland could regain its former glory before the Legion's return.
As for before that, Sylvanas, as Kael'thas's only appointed 'external contact person,' must lead the High Elves who could still see the situation clearly and were willing to temporarily leave their homeland, to pave the way for Quel'Thalas to catch up with the Alliance in the future.
That's right, although Quel'Thalas couldn't fully support the Alliance's decided expedition to Draenor for now, a considerable number of ambitious individuals were gathering in Dalaran and Lordaeron, and Vereesa and Sylvanas temporarily took on the command of these High Elves.
"I just hope it's not too late... Prince Kael'thas, I don't know what you're truly considering, but given the circumstances, a swift and decisive action might be the best solution..."
"What are you mumbling about?" Arthas awoke from his contemplation. He heard Sylvanas's whisper and asked casually.
"Oh, nothing, I just suddenly remembered something," Sylvanas brushed him off and changed the subject, "So, when is the final date decided?"
"Soon... But before that, we have to go to a place first." Arthas's gaze turned to a spot on the sand table map.
Sylvanas also noticed it. She had been very puzzled before why this place was specifically marked for the Draenor expedition. After all, even the Blasted Lands, which bordered the Blasted Lands, hadn't been restored in such detail.
"You're going there? But there's nothing left there but death and curses, and as one of the Alliance's commanders, isn't it too dangerous for you to go to such a place personally?" Sylvanas expressed reservations about this. Even though her homeland and the place Arthas was going were poles apart, she had still heard many rumors about it.
"The Dark Portal was built by him, and the Orc invasion was also guided by him. Although that tower is dilapidated, it still conceals boundless dark knowledge and wisdom. The Council of Six of Dalaran unanimously decided to conduct a basic exploration there before opening the Dark Portal. However, it's not a place ordinary warriors can enter."
"Do you want me to participate?"
"Probably not. Your abilities are too incompatible with that tower. We finally decided that the Silver Hand and Dalaran would be responsible for the main investigation."
"Hmph, the Windrunner family's Rangers are not only effective in forests. Have you forgotten how many of Ragnaros's minions died by my bow in Molten Core?" Sylvanas was quite displeased when she heard Arthas's words. While ordinary Rangers were indeed wary of fighting in narrow terrain, she did not have this weakness.
"It's not that I don't trust your strength, but inside the tower, there are either cursed ghosts and vengeful spirits, or demons summoned by Medivh. Paladins and Mages are better at dealing with these creatures than Rangers."
This explanation clearly couldn't completely satisfy Sylvanas, but she also understood the difference in specialties. However, the Ranger-General still made one last defiant remark, "If Thas'dorah were still here, I would also be the bane of demons and undead."
But as soon as she finished speaking, a hint of sadness flashed across Sylvanas's expression—Thas'dorah, the legendary holy bow of the Windrunner family, had gone missing with her sister Alleria, with no news.
Arthas sensed Sylvanas's dejection. He slowly said, "Karazhan has been affected by Medivh's magic and is now in the gap between the real world and the Twisting Nether. Perhaps there, we can find news about your sister. Don't worry, Lady Alleria is a hero of the Alliance and an invincible legendary Ranger. She will be safe."
Arthas was tactful not to mention Turalyon's name, because he knew that Sylvanas didn't think much of this paladin, even believing that her sister's perilous actions were not unrelated to him. If Turalyon were mentioned, Sylvanas would probably continue to be stubborn.
*************
Dalaran had long coveted Karazhan's secrets, but due to the tower's history and the dangers hidden within, they could only investigate in secret.
Arthas's proposal to go to Karazhan to find all information about the Dark Portal and Draenor was exactly what Dalaran wanted, and Arthas didn't particularly care about Dalaran's hidden motives.
After all, Dalaran was the only magical sanctuary among humans, and the knowledge in Karazhan, instead of molding there, would be better transported to Dalaran to enrich humanity's foundation.
The Guardian's hidden treasure was a vast fortune, and Karazhan contained not only notes and writings left by Medivh, who was possessed by Sargeras, which contained dark knowledge completely untraceable in the mortal world, but also a large amount of wealth left by the previous Guardian, Aegwynn.
After Aegwynn gave birth to Medivh, she faded from public view, not even taking her staff with her.
However, even without the Guardian's power, she could still be considered one of the most powerful mages in this world, and after wielding demigod-level power like the Guardian's, her understanding of energy was unique even among the most top-tier mages.
However, not all secrets within Karazhan were suitable for public knowledge.
At least the Black Knight's crypt, which contained a large number of dark artifacts and ancient texts, Arthas had to deal with first.
Therefore, before the Alliance gathered forces and prepared to thoroughly investigate Karazhan, Arthas arrived at the mage tower first.
Only this time, he had one more person by his side.
"I remember the last time we visited the Stormwind Kingdom, we were warned not to step in here," Jaina pulled back her hood, her smooth golden hair cascading down, her beautiful face still shining brightly even outside this eerie tower.
"Karazhan is a persistent problem for the Stormwind Kingdom, and also a secret hidden within the mortal world that can be explored.
We will eventually come here one day to uncover its mysteries," Arthas was also cloaked; they were acting in secret, and no one knew yet, so they needed to conceal their identities slightly, "It seems today is that day."
Jaina nodded gently, looking towards the eerie and terrifying gate.
Standing at the foot of Karazhan's tower, she felt a chill deep in her bones, and even maintaining a magical barrier, this feeling lingered.
This indicated that a power of extremely high level and strong energy was influencing every action of Karazhan, and the ghosts that flickered before them, seemingly existing in the present but also seemingly floating in another world, were the best evidence.
These poor residents were instantly killed by the outburst of dark magic, and at the same time, they were permanently frozen at the moment of their death by this incredible power, forever lost in the gap between death and reality, unable to transcend.
Jaina felt a pang of pity at the sight, "Will they always be trapped here like this? Can we help them?"
"Kill them, and let them be completely freed, or find a way to remove the curse in Karazhan.
There are only these two methods," Arthas said, "But I worry that the more hardline mages in Dalaran will choose to use direct means to free them."
"I hope not…" Jaina mumbled, knowing it was inevitable; otherwise, leaving these ghosts trapped would also subject them to endless torment.
"But if we are lucky, there might be a third way…" Arthas mused, "Jaina, are you ready?"
"Ready, do you mean ready with materials… or weapons?" Jaina was momentarily stunned.
Arthas chuckled and shook his head, "No, but ready to welcome a new era."
"A new era?"
"Rather than a new era, it's more like an old relic… Little girl of the Proudmoore family, hello."
A hoarse voice came from behind, Jaina's expression froze, then she quickly turned with a hint of vigilance, moving closer to Arthas, her magic becoming active.
However, when she saw the speaker's slightly pale and weathered face, she stood rooted to the spot like a statue.
"Lo… Highlord Lothar?!"
Jaina could hardly believe her eyes—Anduin Lothar, who should have died at Blackrock Mountain, was now standing alive before her…
No… no, that's not right.
Highlord Lothar was enveloped in dark magic that Jaina had never seen before, and noticing this, Jaina quickly realized that Lothar was not a "living person."
"You… you became undead?" Jaina was incredulous.
Lothar should have been returned to his homeland and buried in Stormwind's cemetery, next to the Cathedral of Light; the power of death should not have encroached there.
"It seems I can't hide it from a genius like you from Dalaran," Lothar's expression was very carefree.
Since he appeared before Jaina, he had no intention of continuing to conceal his existence.
The Scourge was also gradually growing, and this dark army guarding Azeroth's reality and death would eventually be revealed to the public one day.
He came here today partly at Arthas's invitation, to serve as a guide for Karazhan, and partly for his own request—as a very special Highlord of the Scourge, Arthas gave Lothar enough respect and freedom, even when he was absent, Lothar had the highest authority over the Scourge.
Because both Lothar's character and ability allowed Arthas to completely trust him, but when Arthas heard Lothar's suggestion, he hesitated slightly, pondering whether to reveal information about the Scourge.
And Lothar's answer was that instead of everything being exposed one day, or being passively discovered, it would be better to gradually, little by little, spread the news to the Alliance leadership, so they might be more receptive.
However, Lothar did not elaborate on the reason for his resurrection now, but instead said, "I, Llane, and Medivh were once good friends who talked about everything.
I've been to Karazhan many times… Besides the deceased Llane and Medivh, and that old butler Moros, I might be the person most familiar with this tower now."
Jaina just listened quietly, not interjecting, but her gaze drifted towards Arthas.
Although she spent most of her time in an ivory tower, Jaina was not foolish; on the contrary, she was very intelligent and quickly understood some things and their connection to Arthas.
The female mage pursed her lips, realizing that today, her worldview and values might be significantly impacted… However, if the person bringing her this impact was Arthas, she felt she would trust him unconditionally.