Sunstrider Royal Court.
"Your Majesty, esteemed sirs, the border conflict has concluded."
"Wherever our grand army went, the Amani Trolls were all executed, and a great fire burned to death over a hundred thousand Trolls."
"In this battle, we annihilated over a hundred thousand enemies, while our army suffered fewer than three thousand casualties. It was a complete victory."
"General Lireesa is currently leading fifty thousand troops in a large-scale search of the mountains. Within three months, she will surely wipe out the Amani Trolls in the mountains, completely eliminating the formidable enemy that has plagued us for seven thousand years."
"In three months, the entire Quel'Thalas continent will be incorporated into our territory!"
Kael'thas eloquently recounted the Zul'Aman battle, immediately stirring up a climax.
Everyone was emotionally agitated; they all stood up from their seats, unable to sit still.
Their gazes at Kael'thas were like looking at a kingdom hero who could stand alongside Dath'Remar and Anasterian.
"Seven thousand years, a full seven thousand years!"
"Seven thousand years ago, our ancestors crossed the sea and fought against the Trolls. After countless hardships, battles, and massacres, they finally gained a foothold in Quel'Thalas, occupying Quel'Danas Island and the northern regions of Eversong Woods."
"Two thousand eight hundred years ago, the High Elves and humans joined forces and paid an extremely heavy price to once again defeat the Amani Trolls, driving them into Zul'Aman, into the mountains, thus securing our current vast territory."
"Since then, the High Elves and Amani Trolls have experienced thousands of battles. The number of soldiers who died on the battlefield is more than a hundred thousand, yet we have never been able to eliminate the Amani Trolls."
"And now, Kael'thas has, in just one war, eliminated over a hundred thousand Amani elites, and will soon completely wipe them out. It can be said that he has achieved an unparalleled feat for our Quel'Thalas!"
Anasterian nodded continuously, looking at his excellent son standing below. The more he looked, the more satisfied, the more fond, and the more proud he became.
The members of the Silvermoon Council had originally been very displeased with Kael'thas's long-term stay in Dalaran, focusing solely on magic research rather than staying in Silvermoon City to learn how to handle state affairs.
But witnessing today's great battle, they had nothing more to say.
They had presided over the Silvermoon Council for hundreds or even thousands of years, arranging many family descendants into the military, including not a few Ranger-Captains and Ranger-Lords.
Yet, the combined achievements of those individuals did not even compare to Kael'thas's single battle today.
After today, who would dare to say that His Royal Highness was neglecting his duties?
Facts proved that His Royal Highness could not only persuade the leaders of human kingdoms in diplomatic settings and organize over two thousand people for a joint spell-casting that secured victory with a great fire.
He could also, by his own strength, defeat the Amani Warlord Zul'jin and Warlock Lord Malacrass.
Whether in leadership ability or personal power, His Royal Highness's performance was impeccable.
Chief Archmage Belo'vir sighed with emotion, "The younger generation is formidable, truly formidable!"
He was well aware of the strength of Zul'jin and Malacrass. Even if he personally intervened, he wasn't one hundred percent confident he could kill either of them.
Kael'thas could not only confront two legends working together and ruthlessly kill Zul'jin, but also dispatch the Phoenix God to entangle the Dragonhawk God. Such strength already far surpassed his own.
High Priest Vandellor stroked his beard, a smile on his face, "In this great battle, His Royal Highness deserves the greatest credit."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
For the great victory at Zul'Aman, His Royal Highness's contribution was at least half!
Kael'thas quickly replied humbly, "It is due to His Majesty's sagacious leadership, the meticulous planning of the esteemed sirs, the capable command of General Lireesa, and the dedicated efforts of officers and soldiers at all levels."
"The credit is theirs. I merely picked up the scraps; it's nothing to speak of."
"Without them holding back the main Troll forces, I would not have been able to kill Zul'jin."
Everyone cast approving glances.
To achieve such an unparalleled feat and still be so humble, even if it was an act, it was still better than not acting at all.
Anasterian smiled and said, "Kael'thas, what reward do you wish for?"
Kael'thas quickly declined, "This battle was not my sole achievement. Your Majesty should reward the other soldiers; I do not need anything."
Anasterian said sternly, "That won't do! Kael'thas, you must remember that one of the most important aspects of governing a nation is to reward merit and punish wrongdoing. Everything must follow rules, otherwise, wouldn't it devolve into chaos?"
Kael'thas immediately lowered his head, "Your Majesty's admonition is correct."
Everyone couldn't help but roll their eyes, thinking, 'Can you two, father and son, stop acting? Can we skip the formalities? It's really tiring to watch.'
"You are the Prince; in terms of official titles, there's nothing higher to bestow. How about this."
Anasterian unbuckled the sword from his waist and said, "I bestow upon you this Flame Strike, to help you slay powerful enemies and achieve new merits!"
Kael'thas's eyes immediately lit up. He quickly knelt on one knee and extended both hands, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
As soon as his voice fell, he felt his hands sink, and Flame Strike had already flown into his grasp.
An incredibly powerful fire elemental energy flowed from this dark red one-handed sword into his body, greatly enhancing his affinity for fire and arcane energy.
He distinctly felt that the two types of energy around him became more active, and his connection to the Firelands became even closer.
This significantly increased his mana, casting speed, and spell power.
At this moment, his overall strength had increased by at least ten percent compared to before!
It might not seem like much, but for a legendary mage of his caliber, it was already extremely impressive, equivalent to a hundred years of effort.
Flame Strike was a legendary fire mage artifact, and also the Sword of the King, passed down for ten thousand years by the Sunstrider family.
Anasterian bestowing this sword upon him was equivalent to prematurely announcing the heir to the throne—although there were no other options anyway.
Having lived for three thousand years with only one son, the birth rate of the High Elves was indeed pitiful.
"Your Majesty, commanders at all levels have made great contributions and should also be rewarded."
Kael'thas did not forget his promise and requested, "I humbly ask Your Majesty to promote Alleria to Ranger-General, Sylvanas, Lor'themar, and Halduron to Ranger-Lords, and Vereesa to Ranger-Captain!"
He did not request rewards for Liadrin and Lanathel.
Liadrin was a High Priestess; the priestly system was relatively independent, and internal promotions were all decided by the High Priest.
Her mentor would naturally reward her; it was not his place to intervene.
Lanathel was Salorian's deputy; her position was already high enough, second only to Salorian in the guard forces.
However, her merits were not yet sufficient to replace Salorian, so she would have to continue accumulating achievements for future rewards.
He also did not request rewards for Archmage Rommath and others.
The mage system was also relatively independent and highly valued magical attainment, similar to scientists.
If one's skill was insufficient, no matter how great their contribution, they could not be revered as a legendary mage.
As for the mage guard, he had personally established it; it was his private army, so rewards would naturally be given privately.
At these words, everyone's expressions changed dramatically.
"Your Royal Highness, this is against the rules!"
One council member immediately said, "Others are fine, but Quel'Thalas has historically had only one Ranger-General. How can a second one be appointed?"
The other council members all agreed.
Behind every council member stood one of Quel'Thalas's oldest and most powerful families, representing the interests of their entire family.
Throughout history, the position of Ranger-General had always been held by a member of the Windrunner family. It could be said that at least a quarter of the kingdom's military power was in the hands of the Windrunner family.
In terms of power and influence, the Windrunner family was no less than theirs.
Now, to appoint a second Ranger-General, wouldn't that mean completely surpassing them?
Kael'thas retorted, "Is there a clear rule that a second Ranger-General cannot be appointed?"
"No, there isn't, but appointments are based on ability and merit."
The councilor was firm: "Everyone knows that Alleria has been away for many years, rarely by General Lireesa's side, and lacks experience in commanding large-scale battles. She is probably not qualified for the position of Ranger-General."
"Furthermore, in the Battle of Zul'Aman, Alleria's contribution can at most rank third, so she is not qualified for promotion to Ranger-General."
Kael'thas said, "Is that so? I think her performance in commanding the Farstrider troops against the Eagle God and thousands of Amani Eagles was excellent. She is perfectly capable of being a Ranger-General. As for merit…"
He smiled slightly: "Given General Lireesa's outstanding military achievements in this great victory, how do you all plan to reward her?"
"This…" Everyone fell silent.
Burning Zul'Aman, severely damaging the Amani Tribe, and potentially eliminating all Trolls in Quel'Thalas in the coming months—even if it was a secondary contribution, this merit was still too great.
They truly didn't know how to reward her.
They couldn't possibly let her join the council, could they? That wouldn't do!
The council held power second only to the King, and its structure was set at the founding of the kingdom. The Windrunner family absolutely could not be allowed to come in and share the pie.
"I have a suggestion for you all."
Kael'thas said with a smile, "Since there's no higher position to bestow, why not attribute her merits to Alleria? Is there any problem with a daughter inheriting her mother's merits? With this merit, it should be enough for her to be promoted to Ranger-General, shouldn't it?"
The councilor was still not giving up: "It's enough, but the Ranger-General commands the entire Ranger force and doesn't need a second one."
Kael'thas changed the subject and asked, "Your Majesty, esteemed sirs, now that Zul'Aman has been breached, it's time for us to fulfill our promise. How many troops should we send to support?"
Everyone looked at the King in unison.
Anasterian pondered for a moment and said, "Quel'Thalas has only 100,000 troops nationwide. The minimum garrison in various regions is 30,000, and the Silvermoon City guard is at least 20,000. We also need to continue clearing out the Amani Trolls, so we can only send a maximum of 20,000 troops."
"Your Majesty is absolutely right," everyone echoed.
In fact, according to their thinking, sending 10,000 troops would be enough; there was no need to commit too many forces for the Humans.
Ultimately, this was a war between Humans and Orcs; they were merely providing support, merely assisting.
Kael'thas finally revealed his true intentions, saying, "Then, who should command these 20,000 troops?"
Anasterian said, "Kael'thas, naturally, you will serve as the supreme commander."
For such an important matter, of course, his good son should lead the charge!
Kael'thas chuckled, "I don't understand military matters. I can be a figurehead, but not a commander. Professional matters should be handled by professionals. Amateurs guiding experts is a big no-no."
Everyone frowned, understanding Kael'thas's meaning.
In all of Quel'Thalas, there were only a few who could command a large army in battle.
The King was too old, so he certainly couldn't personally lead the expedition.
Salorian had to guard Silvermoon City, so he couldn't either.
The most suitable candidate was, of course, Ranger-General Lireesa.
The problem was that the Amani Trolls in the mountains also needed someone to lead troops to clear them out, and Lireesa was also needed for that.
Compared to sending troops as reinforcements, clearing out the Trolls was clearly more important and required Lireesa more.
So, there were only two people capable of serving as the reinforcement commander:
Alleria, the experienced leader of the Farstrider troops, or Sylvanas, who had always been groomed as the next Ranger-General!
It was a choice between two sisters, an internal competition within the Windrunner family, which made no difference to them.
After all this circling, was this what he was waiting for us to realize?
"Compared to Sylvanas, who stays in Silvermoon City year-round, Alleria, who frequently travels the world, is more adept at dealing with Humans and is better suited to be the supreme commander."
Kael'thas said, "Among the 20,000 troops, there will undoubtedly be many Archmages, High Priests, and Ranger-Lords. If Alleria is only a Ranger-Lord, how can she command respect? Such a large force needs a General!"
The councilors fell silent, exchanging glances and pondering how to refute him.
Just then, Salorian, who had been silent, said, "His Royal Highness has valid points. I support him."
Chief Archmage Belo'vir said, "I also support him."
High Priest Vandellor smiled and said, "I also support him."
The councilors' expressions turned grim.
The status and power of these three were no less than any of theirs, and with His Royal Highness, they were enough to stand on equal footing.
Now, only His Majesty the King could decide everything.
But how could His Majesty the King side with them?
"Since her ability and merit are sufficient, and Quel'Thalas needs a Ranger-General, then promote Alleria to Ranger-General and appoint her as the commander of the reinforcements… No, the Supreme Commander of the Quel'Thalas Expeditionary Force!"
Anasterian finally made the decision, also naming the reinforcement force.
It was not a rescue force, but an expeditionary force.
He disagreed with the councilors' ideas.
The Horde was not only an enemy of the Humans but also an enemy of the High Elves. He understood the principle of mutual dependence.
Since Quel'Thalas had already joined the Alliance and become a part of it, it was not merely providing support, but rather upholding the principle of mutual assistance among Alliance nations, contributing a part of its own strength.
Most importantly:
Rescue implied fighting in the territories of Human nations, where the fruits of victory would only be shared by Human nations, and any conquered land and resources would only belong to Human nations, having nothing to do with the High Elves.
Expedition, on the other hand, meant that High Elves and Humans were both primary participants in this war, enjoying equal status and having the right to share in the spoils of victory.
The territories of Human nations occupied by the Horde would, of course, be returned to those nations after being recaptured, but what about territories that did not originally belong to Human nations, such as the southeastern region of the Hinterlands?
Furthermore, the Kingdom of Alterac had betrayed the Alliance and was an enemy; it would inevitably be held accountable after the war ended.
At that time, if the Kingdom of Alterac was divided, then the High Elves would also be entitled to a share!
As King, he never considered the gains and losses of a single battle, but rather the long-term interests of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas and the High Elf people.
With the matter settled, the meeting proceeded to the next stage.
Anasterian looked at Kael'thas: "Which battlefield do you plan to reinforce first?"
There were too many battlefields where the Alliance needed support.
Kul Tiras, Gilneas, and Southshore faced the threat of the Horde Fleet.
Stromgarde, Andorhal, and even Lordaeron faced the threat of the main Horde forces.
Even Dalaran was not absolutely safe and could also be attacked by the Horde.
But none of these were the most important.
Kael'thas said, "Your Majesty, what we must consider first is not supporting the Humans, but guarding against a Horde attack."
Anasterian nodded: "Issue orders for Lireesa to be on high alert, increase patrols, and pay special attention to the Zul'Aman mountains. The Horde must not be allowed to enter Quel'Thalas territory."
Kael'thas said, "Your Majesty, the Horde may not necessarily attack by land; they could also come by sea."
He looked at Salorian: "General, how is the reconnaissance going? Have you found any Horde Fleet?"
Salorian quickly said, "Your Highness, I have dispatched hundreds of Dragonhawk Riders, divided into two groups, to scout south along the east and west coasts. The western group has returned and found no Horde Fleet, but the eastern group has not yet returned."
Kael'thas frowned: "They haven't returned after so many days? They might not be coming back."
Salorian was puzzled: "You mean they were killed by the Horde Fleet? Your Highness, they are our most elite riders, only scouting at high altitudes, never within the range of cannons or arrows."
Kael'thas asked, "What about air forces? What if the Horde deploys air forces?"
Salorian shook his head: "The Horde's air force consists of the Dragonmaw Clan's Dragon Riders, who ride two-headed wyverns from their homeland, Draenor. They couldn't possibly kill Dragonhawk Riders."
Though called dragons, two-headed wyverns are actually just beasts.
They are larger than Dragonhawks, but their flight speed is roughly the same as Dragonhawks, so they are not capable of killing Dragonhawk Riders scouting at high altitudes.
Kael'thas said eerily, "But what if they weren't riding two-headed wyverns, but real Dragons?"