Kael'thas's Invitation

In the sixteenth year after the Dark Portal opened, in the heartland of the Kingdom of Lordaeron—what would later become the Western Plaguelands—more than a thousand High Elves and humans were undergoing Paladin training in northern Hearthglen.

The middle-aged Paladins of the Silver Hand were teaching these young recruits how to use Holy Light Energy to strike down their enemies.

Prince Tyrel Sunstrider, the little prince of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, gripped a two-handed sword as he fought a training dummy before him. Crusader Strike, Judgment, Divine Storm, and other skills came forth one after another.

Due to his special status, Tyrel Sunstrider had only officially left the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas in the sixteenth year after the Dark Portal opened, arriving in Hearthglen to receive Tirion Fordring's instruction.

"Prince Tyrel, how about sparring with me?" While Tyrel Sunstrider trained until he was drenched in sweat, a voice rang out. It belonged to a young human man.

Tyrel Sunstrider looked at him, shook his head, and refused. "Taelan, if your father finds out you interrupted my training, he'll criticize you."

This young human was Taelan Fordring, the son of Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen, and also a Paladin.

Hearing Tyrel Sunstrider's words, Taelan Fordring was somewhat disappointed. He and Tyrel Sunstrider were close in age, but his father, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen, had always considered the High Elf prince Tyrel Sunstrider to be his finest student. After only a few months of training, Tyrel Sunstrider had already mastered Paladin skills and had even defeated several experienced middle-aged Paladins of the Silver Hand.

In truth, this was mainly thanks to the swordsmanship taught by Tyrel Sunstrider's other mentor, the Warrior instructor Salorian Dawngrasper. It allowed Tyrel Sunstrider to achieve twice the result with half the effort during his Paladin training.

Human Paladins preferred warhammers as weapons, while Tyrel Sunstrider chose a two-handed sword. High Elves were somewhat weaker than humans, after all, and few High Elves used warhammers as weapons.

For this very reason, the human Paladins and High Elf Paladins in Hearthglen had clearly diverged in their choice of weapons. Most human Paladins used warhammers, while High Elf Paladins used longswords.

High Elf swordsmanship emphasized technique, which countered strength. Human Paladins focused on their use of the Holy Light and neglected technical training, which was why they fell into a disadvantage when fighting Tyrel Sunstrider.

Young Taelan Fordring regarded Tyrel Sunstrider as his rival, which was why he had issued the challenge. Before Tyrel Sunstrider arrived, Taelan Fordring had been the most talented person in Hearthglen.

"Taelan, I've told you not to interrupt Tyrel's training. Come talk to me after you've mastered the combat skills I taught you." At that moment, Tirion Fordring, Lord of Hearthglen, walked over. Though he was reprimanding him, there was not a trace of anger in his voice.

"Mentor Tirion." Tyrel bowed respectfully. During this time, Tirion Fordring had taught him everything without reservation, benefiting him immensely and rapidly improving his strength. Moreover, Tirion Fordring had not refused to let the thousand High Elf Paladins Tyrel brought undergo Paladin training alongside him. Of course, that was also inseparable from the High Elves paying for their instruction. Teaching those thousand High Elf Paladin recruits had multiplied Hearthglen's finances several times over.

Taelan Fordring left in great dissatisfaction, pulling a face before he went.

"That boy." Tirion Fordring scolded with a smile, but his eyes were filled only with affection. After all, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen had only one son, Taelan Fordring, and Taelan had also displayed exceptional talent on the path of the Paladin.

"Tyrel, this is a letter your elder brother, Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider, sent you from Dalaran. He wishes to invite you there." Tirion Fordring took out an exquisite letter adorned with a phoenix emblem.

Tyrel Sunstrider accepted the letter. "Thank you, Mentor." He then tore it open and began to read.

The letter had indeed been written by Tyrel Sunstrider's elder brother, Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider. Kael'thas had gone to Dalaran ten years earlier, so the two brothers spent little time together. Tyrel had been too young to leave the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas before, while Kael'thas, as one of the Six Council of Kirin Tor, naturally could not leave easily either. Thus, after learning that his younger brother was now studying in Hearthglen, Prince Kael'thas had sent a letter there.

"Perhaps I need to leave for a while, Mentor. Please continue guiding my people for me." Tyrel naturally could not refuse his elder brother's invitation, but neither could he take everyone with him, so he asked his mentor Tirion Fordring.

"You're far too polite, little fellow." Tirion Fordring rolled his eyes helplessly. His High Elf prince disciple not only lacked the pride unique to High Elves, he was actually a little too humble.

Tyrel could not be blamed for that. If he were with close brothers he had grown up alongside, like Cain Sunfury or Rilas Windrunner, he would be much more at ease. But when dealing with elders and teachers he respected, he was especially modest.

The one who delivered Prince Kael'thas's letter was Magister Romance, one of the leading candidates for Archmage.

Magister Romance was a royalist and also Prince Kael'thas's confidant. He respectfully said, "Prince Kael'thas instructed me to open a portal directly and send you to his Mage Tower, Prince Tyrel."

"Thank you for your trouble, Magister Romance."

There were seven human kingdoms in Azeroth, but during the Orc Wars that had already passed, the Kingdom of Alterac had betrayed them and been destroyed.

Only six human kingdoms remained: the strongest, the Kingdom of Lordaeron; the isolationist Kingdom of Gilneas; the overseas Kingdom of Kul Tiras; the Kingdom of Stormwind on the southern continent; the oldest, the Kingdom of Stromgarde; and Dalaran, known to humans as the magic kingdom.

Human Mages had originated from the teachings of High Elf Mages thousands of years ago. It could be said that human Mages were disciples of High Elf Mages.

The magic kingdom was merely what human Mages called Dalaran. Dalaran was only a large city led primarily by human Mages. Apart from Dalaran itself, they possessed no other territory, making them wholly unqualified to call themselves a kingdom.

Dalaran was led by elite Mages organized by the Kirin Tor. Its upper ranks elected six powerful Mages, granting them the title of Archmage to govern the city of Dalaran.

At present, the chief Archmage of Dalaran's Six Council of Kirin Tor was Antonidas.

The Kingdom of Quel'Thalas had once been a member of the Alliance, so some High Elves had chosen to live on the lands of human kingdoms. Naturally, Dalaran, with its strongest arcane atmosphere, was home to the greatest number of High Elves.