"This is Silvermoon City? It's even more beautiful than Dalaran!"
"There are arcane golems everywhere, flying magic carpets everywhere, and even magic brooms for sweeping? It's too extravagant!"
"The concentration of arcane energy here is much higher than in Dalaran!"
"Here, the power of my spells will at least double!"
Many mages, upon being teleported to Silvermoon City, began discussing animatedly, astonished by the magical atmosphere of Silvermoon City.
If Lordaeron was a low-magic city and Dalaran was a medium-magic city, then Silvermoon City was a high-magic city.
Magic had permeated every aspect of life; daily necessities were inseparable from it.
For High Elves, arcane energy was as essential as water.
There was more than enough arcane energy here for them to squander.
Because on an island on the other side of the northern strait, there was an energy source called the Sunwell.
Antonidas cleared his throat, signaling everyone to be quiet, then looked at Kael'thas: "Your Highness, how do you plan to group them for combined spellcasting?"
Kael'thas said: "2800 years ago, our ancestors already provided the answer: the Hexagram Formation."
Antonidas clearly knew that history and nodded: "Seven people per team, with one in the center presiding over the formation, and the other six distributed around the hexagram, linking the mana of the seven together to achieve combined spellcasting?"
"The Speaker's words are spot on," Kael'thas praised.
The Hexagram Formation had a similar ingenious effect to the Quanzhen Sect's Heavenly Dipper Big Dipper Formation.
Antonidas continued to ask: "This is only seven people, and the effect of combined spellcasting is still limited."
Kael'thas laughed: "Seven people form a small team, seven small teams form a medium team, seven medium teams form a large team, and seven large teams form a regiment. This way, the mana of 2401 people can be gathered together. How terrifying would such mana be, I don't need to say more, do I?"
Everyone's hearts were instantly filled with longing.
Even a Guardian of Tirisfal could not, by his own strength, contend against 2401 mages, especially when many of them were Archmages and legendary mages.
With the mana of so many mages gathered together, even facing the Blue Dragon King Malygos, there would be nothing to fear—
Provided he didn't bring the Blue Dragon artifact, the focusing iris, otherwise they still couldn't defeat him.
Kel'Thuzad's expression changed slightly: "This… this is the method the Council of Tirisfal used to create the Guardians!"
As soon as he said this, the entire hall erupted in an uproar.
After that war 2800 years ago, the number of human mages grew daily.
Increasingly frequent spellcasting attracted demons led by the Dreadlord Kathra'natir.
To deal with powerful demons, a large number of High Elf and human mages infused mana into the half-elf Alodi, thereby creating a powerful being comparable to a demigod: the Guardian of Tirisfal.
Gathering the mana of 2401 people would surely create a being even more powerful than Alodi.
However, who could guarantee that the person receiving the mana would not claim it for himself and never return it?
There was a precedent for this!
The Council of Tirisfal had a rule: a Guardian, after serving for a hundred years, must pass on their mana to their successor.
However, eight hundred years ago, that generation's Guardian, Magna Aegwynn, claimed the mana for herself and later passed it on to her son, Medivh.
This led to everything that happened afterward:
The opening of the Dark Portal.
The fall of Stormwind.
The Horde marched straight in, pushing north, and within five short years, they were at Lordaeron's gates, even threatening the safety of Quel'Thalas.
And all of this, tracing back to its source, originated from Aegwynn, from the unauthorized possession of mana!
As soon as Kel'Thuzad spoke, all the mages present looked at Kael'thas with hostility.
Kael'thas remained unperturbed, answering smoothly: "The method for creating Guardians originated from that great war 2800 years ago; it was developed based on the Hexagram Formation."
"Everyone can rest assured, the Hexagram Formation can only link our mana together, not transfer it into one person's body. You can cut the connection at any time."
"In fact, before the appearance of the Guardian of Tirisfal, human and High Elf mages always hunted demons this way."
"In fact, to permanently condense the mana of others into one person's body, it's impossible without the Guardian's Forge."
"Because the mana a mortal body can bear is limited. Condensing the mana of a large number of mages into one person's body would cause the mortal body to be destroyed from inability to bear it, which was not uncommon in the early days of the Council of Tirisfal."
"Only after being refined by the Guardian's Forge will a mortal body undergo a fundamental change, becoming an existence similar to a mana forge, possessing demigod-level traits, capable of bearing the mana of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people."
He smiled slightly: "And the Guardian's Forge is not in my hands, am I right, Speaker?"
Everyone quickly looked at Antonidas.
Antonidas nodded: "That is indeed the case. The Dalaran library has relevant books; you can consult them yourselves."
Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Kael'thas continued: "Seven people form a small team, led by a High Mage; seven small teams form a medium team, led by an Archmage; seven medium teams form a large team, with one person chosen from each of the seven kingdoms to serve as captain. With such an arrangement, are you all still at ease?"
Everyone nodded.
Having their own people serve as large team captains was, of course, more reassuring.
"Then, who will be the regiment commander?" someone asked a crucial question.
Everyone looked at Kael'thas in unison.
Logically, since Kael'thas proposed and organized this operation, he should naturally be the regiment commander.
But they were unwilling to entrust their mana to an outsider, even with Antonidas's endorsement.
Who knew what unforeseen changes might occur then!
Even if Antonidas were the regiment commander, they would still be uneasy.
People's hearts are hidden.
Who knew if Antonidas would be tempted by demigod-level mana.
Who knew if he and Kael'thas would collude?
Kael'thas laughed: "Regiment commander? Not needed. Each large team has 343 mages, their mana so strong it rivals a Guardian of Tirisfal. The Flame Strike released by such mana is enough to cover all of Zul'Aman!"
At these words, everyone finally felt completely at ease.
They gathered in groups of three to five, beginning to form small and medium teams with those they knew.
As for the large team captains, it was tacitly agreed that the highest-ranking Archmage from each kingdom would serve.
Dalaran's large team captain was, of course, Antonidas.
Gilneas's large team captain was Archmage Arugal.
Quel'Thalas's large team captain was Chief Archmage Belo'vir.
After arranging the combined spellcasting, Kael'thas found Ranger-General Lirath Windrunner, High Priest Vandellor, and General of the Guard Salorian.
"The leader of the Amani Trolls is Zul'jin, a legendary being comparable to His Majesty. The mana fluctuations from combined spellcasting will not escape his notice."
"He will surely guess that we are going to use the same trick again, and he will undoubtedly attack the mages at all costs."
He looked at the three and said: "Combined spellcasting takes time, and during this time, the mages cannot be disturbed. I need a sufficiently powerful elite force to protect them with me!"
Lirath Windrunner nodded: "I will send out our strongest rangers, at Your Highness's disposal."
Vandellor also said: "Your Highness may choose any of the priests under my command."
Salorian thought for a moment and said: "The Horde has not yet invaded, so the city defense forces are not under much pressure. I will also send an elite force to assist Your Highness."
Kael'thas was overjoyed: "Thank you, all three of you. With this, we can ensure foolproof safety!"
Early the next morning, Lirath Windrunner personally led a mighty army of 50,000 to the southeastern part of the Silvermoon Forest, where they joined the stationed forces and launched an attack on the Amani Trolls.
Since the war 2,800 years ago, the High Elves had never dispatched an army of this scale.
For a long time, the High Elves and the Amani Trolls maintained a relatively peaceful state.
Neither side had enough strength to attack the other's stronghold, so they could only confront each other in the southern part of Eversong Woods (later the Ghostlands), pulling back and forth.
The skirmishes were always minor, with troop deployments generally around a few hundred, and never exceeding a thousand.
Now, suddenly, an army of fifty thousand was dispatched.
This was half of Quel'Thalas's total military strength.
Although most of them were garrison troops from various regions, with average combat effectiveness, there were also elite units like the Firewing, Sunfury, and Sunstrider, as well as a large number of mages and priests.
Their combined strength already surpassed six of the Seven Human Kingdoms, second only to Lordaeron.
On the other side, the Amani Trolls only occupied a corner of the southeastern Eversong Woods and the Hinterlands, with a total territory only one-fifth that of the High Elves, and a population of less than a million.
Among them, those gathered in Zul'Aman and its surrounding mountains were fewer than five hundred thousand!
Although the Trolls, like the Orcs, were almost all soldiers, it was only 'almost,' not 'all'; Trolls also had ordinary civilians.
Moreover, the lifespan of Trolls was far shorter than that of the High Elves, who were backed by the Sunwell.
Among the five hundred thousand, there were many old and young; those truly capable of combat were fewer than fifty thousand.
Also, because their lifespan was not as long as the High Elves', their training time and combat experience were insufficient, making their individual strength slightly inferior to the High Elves.
Furthermore, the High Elven army's attack was too sudden, making it difficult for the Amani Trolls to gather and form combat effectiveness in time; no matter how one calculated their paper strength, they could not match the High Elves' fifty thousand troops.
Lirath Windrunner proved herself to be a renowned Ranger-General, commanding with skill.
The mixed units cooperated seamlessly and quickly led the army to the gates of Zul'Aman.
At the same time, the mages, who had undergone a few days of training and were now familiar with Joint Casting , opened portals and arrived at the rear of the army.
The leader was, of course, the supreme commander of the expeditionary force, Kael'thas.
"How is the battle progressing?" Kael'thas inquired.
Lirath Windrunner quickly reported: "Our army launched a sudden attack, and the Amani Trolls did not have time to organize an effective counterattack; they have now been driven back into Zul'Aman."
"However, Trolls possess regenerative abilities; as long as their limbs are not severed, their wounds heal quickly, so the actual casualties are not large, less than three thousand, and mostly consist of the old, young, sick, and disabled, with no critical injuries."
"The army's unfavorable combat is all due to my poor command; please punish this humble servant, Your Highness!"
She proactively pleaded guilty and was about to kneel on one knee.
Kael'thas quickly helped her up: "General, what nonsense are you speaking? If the Amani Trolls were so easy to deal with, our ancestors would have eliminated them long ago; how could they have resisted until today?"
"The combat mission I assigned to the expeditionary force was to drive the Amani Trolls back into Zul'Aman, and this has been perfectly achieved. The General is to be credited with the greatest merit, and there will surely be rewards after this battle!"
Lirath Windrunner quickly said: "Your Highness, besides the soldiers' dedication, the current battle results are also due to the commanders at all levels, especially them."
She waved her hand: "Alleria, Sylvanas, Vereesa, Lor'themar, Halduron Brightwing, come here!"
The five quickly trotted over and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Your Highness!"
"No need for formalities, rise."
The five stood up and quietly remained in place.
Kael'thas's gaze swept over them.
Alleria, of course, needed no introduction; he had met her in the palace before. She possessed a strong sense of responsibility and mission, was valiant and clear-headed, and her analysis of the current situation was very accurate.
Moreover, as the leader of the Farstrider unit, she had rich combat experience, and her individual strength was said to have surpassed her mother's.
As the leader of an elite unit, Alleria was already a Ranger-Lord.
Sylvanas was the later famous Banshee Queen and leader of the Forsaken.
Unlike her strong-willed elder sister, she was calm and composed, more adept at commanding battles than individual combat, and possessed a greater political mind.
Alleria had always been uninterested in succeeding as Ranger-General and was not suited for it.
The most suitable candidate was, in fact, Sylvanas.
A mother knows her daughter best; Lirath Windrunner had always kept Sylvanas by her side, training her as her successor, and she was currently a Ranger-Captain.
Vereesa was the youngest, gentle and humble, with delicate emotions, skilled in handling interpersonal relationships, and her individual strength was also good.
The youngest daughter had always been the most beloved; Vereesa held no official position and had never been on a battlefield before.
During this army expedition, as a member of the Windrunner family, she actively applied to participate in the war, following Sylvanas and eliminating many Amani Trolls.
The Windrunner sisters stood together, truly a sight of competing beauty, each with her unique charm, attracting attention and making one unwilling to look away.
As for Lor'themar and Halduron Brightwing, they were currently Farstrider Ranger-Captains under Alleria, both outstanding in individual strength and military literacy.
After Kael'thas left home, they even served as Regent Lord and Ranger-General, respectively.
Without them, the later Blood Elves would have been exterminated during the Classic era, and would not have survived until The Burning Crusade.
"You five have achieved great military merits; I will not wait for later, I will give you my promise now."
Kael'thas said: "After this battle, I will personally propose to His Majesty and the Council to promote Sylvanas, Lor'themar, and Halduron to Ranger-Lord, and Vereesa to Ranger-Captain. As for Alleria…"
He paused and said: "It seems there is no rule that there can only be one Ranger-General?"
The five were overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Highness!"
Lirath Windrunner was also surprised; His Highness's promotion speed was too fast!
The other four were fine; once the Amani Trolls, a millennia-old nemesis, were eliminated, they should indeed be promoted based on their military achievements.
However, for seven thousand years, the High Elves had always had only one Ranger-General. Would His Royal Highness's proposal to add another be approved by His Majesty and the Council?
Of course, now was not the time to discuss this.
Kael'thas's gaze fell on Alleria's back.
It was a bow, the High Elves' first divine bow shaped like twin eagles: Thas'dorah, the Legacy of the Windrunners.
This longbow, carved from a branch of the Mother Tree and bathed in the energy of the Sunwell, was a divine artifact of the Windrunner family, held by successive Ranger-Generals.
It should have belonged to Lirath Windrunner, but it was now given to Alleria.
This was a Windrunner family matter, and Kael'thas had no right to interfere.
He instructed: "General, the time has come; immediately launch a full-scale attack. Ground forces will fully assault the gates of Zul'Aman to draw fire, and the Dragonhawk Riders will engage the Amani aerial forces and escort the mages to their designated locations!"
"Yes!"
Lirath Windrunner quickly complied.
Numerous Ranger-Lords and Ranger-Captains led their troops to attack.
Alleria and the other four, however, remained.
"Your Highness, Mother… General asked us to follow your command, as well as the Farstrider unit," Alleria said.
When working, one should address by title; in the army, there is no mother, only the General.
Kael'thas nodded.
At this moment, two other women, each leading a unit, came to pay their respects: "Your Highness, Lanathel / Liadrin has come as ordered, awaiting your command!"
"Rise."
Kael'thas looked over.
Lanathel was the subordinate of Commander Salorian.
She was valiant and capable, with a pretty face, a slightly pointed chin, a graceful figure, full of charm, every movement hinting at seduction.
Liadrin, on the other hand, was much more serious, exuding an aura of sanctity.
She was a disciple of High Priest Vandellor, and a High Priestess of Silvermoon City.
Kael'thas was instantly drawn to the greatsword on Lanathel's back, a strange smile appearing on his face: "quel'delar?"
This legendary sword, like its sister sword Quel'Serrar, was a dragon-forged blade from ancient times, imbued with the protective power granted by the Red Dragon Queen Alexstrasza.
In the original history, quel'delar belonged to Lanathel after Salorian's death in battle.
After Lanathel was killed by the Scourge and resurrected as the Blood Queen by the Lich King, she shattered quel'delar in a fit of rage.
During the Wrath of the Lich King, the sword was reforged and came into Liadrin's possession.
At this moment, the two owners of this legendary sword stood before him simultaneously.
"It seems I need to find time to visit Dire Maul and obtain Quel'Serrar to bestow upon Liadrin."
"When the two swords are united and the two women stand together, it will be a fine tale."
Kael'thas said in a deep voice: "Very well, follow me into the sky!"