Anveena Sunstrider took a step forward. Her dress fluttered as if caught in a phantom gale, and the vast arcane energy she had previously kept suppressed now surged forth without reservation.
A golden, divine light erupted from within her, casting her in a radiance that made her look like a descending deity. The air around her rippled and distorted under the sheer pressure of such pure energy.
"This... this is her true power?" Kalecgos's eyes went wide, his face a mask of total disbelief. The power hidden within this girl far exceeded anything he had imagined. What he had sensed before was merely a stray ripple leaking from a vast, bottomless ocean. This girl was not only the essence of the old Sunwell; she could now draw upon the power of the new one as well.
Tyrygosa also took a half-step back, her expression grave. Her draconic sensitivity to magic told her that the energy level within this "frail girl" surpassed that of most adult dragons—perhaps even rivaling the Great Spell-Weaver himself. For the first time, she felt a flicker of pity for the necromancer.
This was indeed a meticulously prepared trap, but Dar'Khan was the one who had blundered into it.
The greed in Dar'Khan's eyes was almost tangible. He threw his arms wide in manic ecstasy. "Perfect! Simply perfect! Such pure primordial power! With you, I can transcend the Lich King and command true eternity!"
Everyone else looked at Dar'Khan as if he were a complete idiot. Where on earth did he get this confidence? In Dar'Khan's mind, this Avatar of the Sunwell was barely a year old—having been born shortly after Kel'Thuzad's transformation. How much could a one-year-old learn? There was no way she could master such immense power! If he could just capture her, he could siphon that energy and become an eternal being greater than the Lich King himself.
However, his rapture was short-lived.
"Hey, Uncle Skeleton," Anveena tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips as if she were looking at a fun toy. "Your laugh is really ugly. Teacher Rhodes said that when dealing with bad guys like you, there's no need to be polite."
As the saying goes, he who touches pitch shall be defiled. After spending so much time with Rhodes, Anveena had developed a bit of a sharp tongue and a hidden dark side.
Without chanting a single syllable, Anveena simply raised her right hand and made a gentle clenching motion toward Dar'Khan.
BOOM!
The space around Dar'Khan seemed to collapse instantly under invisible pressure. His hastily raised Arcane Shield and Ice Barrier shattered like wet paper. He was slammed into the ground by a massive force, creating a shallow crater.
"What? How... how is this possible! You!" Dar'Khan was both terrified and enraged. He hadn't even seen how she attacked. This method of casting completely subverted his understanding of magic.
"Mr. Undead, is that all you've got? Don't you know you don't need to chant to cast magic?" Anveena winked playfully, her tone dripping with mockery.
No-chant casting was second nature to the Avatar of the Sunwell. Furthermore, under Rhodes's tutelage, she had developed various ways to blend Arcane and Holy Light energies. Unlike other mages, priests, or paladins who borrow the power of magic, she commanded it—or rather, she was the magic.
"I thought you'd let me play a bit longer! You're kind of weak!"
At this moment, Anveena's attitude was arrogant to the extreme.
"Arrogant brat!" Dar'Khan roared, issuing a frantic command to his undead legion.
The army of the dead behind him erupted into roars. Skeleton warriors swarmed like a tide, ghouls' claws glinted with cold light, and Abominations lumbered forward, swinging massive meat hooks and cleavers.
"Watch out!" Kalecgos instinctively moved to help.
"Just sit back and watch the show, Mr. Dragon. No need to help." Rhodes had, at some point, found a rock to sit on and was currently biting into an apple he'd produced from nowhere. "This is Anveena's practical exam. We can't have anyone interrupting."
"That is an entire undead army! Are you sure she can handle it?" Kalecgos asked. If anything happened to the Avatar of the Sunwell, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"This girl... is a genuine monster. Just watch, Dragons," Jaina said, leaning on her staff next to Rhodes with a wry smile. Only those who had seen Anveena's talent firsthand knew how terrifying—and enviable—she truly was.
Tyrygosa shook her head at Kalecgos, signaling him to stay put. It wasn't their fight, and the girl clearly wasn't losing.
Facing the surging sea of undead, Anveena showed no fear. Instead, she looked excited. "Watch closely, Dar'Khan. I only need one move."
She pressed her palms together in front of her chest and then thrust them outward. "Holy Light, PURIFY THEM!"
Hum—!
Centering on Anveena, a golden ripple made of pure Holy Light expanded outward like a tsunami. Wherever the ripple passed, low-level skeletons and zombies melted away like snow under a desert sun, leaving not even ash behind. Ghouls let out piercing shriek before disintegrating into dust. Even the thick-skinned Abominations began to smoke and char, their movements becoming sluggish and rigid.
One move. With just one move, nearly half of Dar'Khan's vanguard was gone. Anything within range was wiped out so completely that not a scrap remained.
Just like Lord Rhodes said, Anveena thought. Holy Light is incredibly effective against the undead. This is so convenient!
"What! No! Impossible!" Dar'Khan's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. This undead army was power he had painstakingly spent months amassing after escaping the Lich King's control, only to have more than half of it deleted by this girl in an instant. "What kind of monster are you?"
"I am Anveena Sunstrider, Princess of Quel'Thalas! I am here to judge you, Dar'Khan—the traitor who betrayed his own kingdom!" Anveena declared loudly. Her human guise faded away, revealing her as a tall, blonde elven princess with pointed ears.
"You dare take the name Sunstrider? How amusing. Do you really think you can represent us High Elves?" Dar'Khan spat.
"It's not about representing. You should understand one thing: I have been officially titled a Princess by Kael'thas. And you will be the first gift I present to the people of Quel'Thalas as their Princess," Anveena said with a cold laugh. "I have a new move I want to test. Rhodes taught it to me."
Anveena raised her hand, aiming it toward the sky. This time, she tapped into the Arcane. Her powerful mental focus locked onto every single undead entity on the field.
Countless basketball-sized Arcane Missiles shot forth as if possessed by their own consciousness. They accurately hunted down every remaining undead—whether it was a skeleton archer hiding behind a tree or a ghost trying to sneak close. Each was tagged and blasted into fragments by the homing missiles.
A stream of blue light swept across the battlefield, completely consuming and annihilating everything left, including the massive Abominations. The battlefield was cleared in an instant, leaving only scorched earth and wisps of smoke.
Dar'Khan stood alone. The undead army he was so famous for had been wiped out in less than a minute. One Holy Light attack, one Arcane follow-up, and Anveena had ended his legion down to the last man.
"How was that? Pretty cool, right? This is a theory Teacher Rhodes came up with: Lock-on first, then attack. Theoretically, if your power reaches a certain level, you could use this move from a high altitude to instantly kill every enemy on a planet," Anveena said with a proud expression.
The two blue dragons, Jaina, and Finnall all turned to look at Rhodes simultaneously. Their expressions seemed to ask: Is she for real? Killing everyone on a planet in an instant? Do you even bother to check if your boasts are physically possible?
"Ahem... theoretically, it is possible. The girl isn't lying," Rhodes said, rubbing his nose. He had adapted the "Gate of Babylon" concept from a certain golden king into a Holy Light version and shared the theory with Anveena. He had also mentioned Majin Buu's "Assault Rain" move—the one that wiped out all humans on Earth in an instant. It was just too cool not to share. While they weren't at Majin Buu's level yet, wiping out a city shouldn't be a problem. Perhaps when he reached Titan-level strength, he could match that planet-clearing power.
The two blue dragons were thoughtful. The theory was sound. If their father, the Spell-Weaver, were to execute it, clearing a city or even a larger region wouldn't be an issue. However, such a move would likely only be a "crushing" blow against those significantly weaker; a stronger opponent should be able to evade it.
Dar'Khan looked at the blonde girl, who still wore an "I haven't had enough fun yet" expression. For the first time, he felt a bone-chilling cold and a fear beyond words. This wasn't a battle. This was a massacre; it was a game.
"Now, it's your turn, Mr. Undead," Anveena clapped her hands as if she had just finished a trivial chore. "I hope you're a bit... tougher than your subordinates. Don't go getting one-shotted by me."
"No... stay back! You monster! You monster!" Dar'Khan cried out in pure terror, backing away step by step, his eyes filled with nothing but dread.