Humans Who Did Not Hate Orcs

Alexandros Mograine's guidance benefited Tyrel Sunstrider greatly.

Before becoming a Paladin, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen had been a priest under Alonsus Faol, not a Warrior. His guidance focused more on the application of the Holy Light than on combat techniques.

Therefore, after Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen discovered the formidable Warrior combat techniques Tyrel Sunstrider had learned from Salorian Dawngrasper, he invited Alexandros Mograine to guide Tyrel Sunstrider, who had likewise transitioned from a Warrior to a Paladin.

Avenging Wrath, a powerful skill born from combining a Warrior's rage with a Paladin's Holy Light, left Tyrel Sunstrider utterly stunned. So a Warrior's rage could be combined with Holy Light Energy as well.

Alexandros Mograine stayed in Hearthglen for roughly two weeks, spending nearly all that time guiding Tyrel Sunstrider. The method was simple: Tyrel Sunstrider continuously fought the two Lord Commander Paladins, Alexandros Mograine and Tirion Fordring, improving his strength through real combat.

After Alexandros Mograine departed, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen quietly pulled Tyrel Sunstrider aside and asked, "Tyrel, I heard you ran into Prince Arthas in Dalaran. You two didn't exchange pointers?"

Tyrel Sunstrider took one look at his mentor's expression and understood that he wanted to know who was stronger between him and Arthas Menethil.

Although Arthas Menethil was the prince of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, he was also Uther Lightbringer's disciple. Naturally, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen hoped his own disciple would be stronger than Uther Lightbringer's.

"I didn't win, and he didn't lose," Tyrel Sunstrider gave an ambiguous answer. After all, he and Arthas Menethil could not fight to the death, and their combat techniques and command of the Holy Light were evenly matched.

Tyrel Sunstrider and Arthas Menethil were the same age. At first, they had studied combat techniques under Salorian Dawngrasper and Muradin Bronzebeard respectively. Later, they followed Uther Lightbringer and Tirion Fordring. Both had the finest mentors; they could suppress others of their generation, but not each other.

Tirion Fordring smacked Tyrel Sunstrider on the back of the head, then said, "Come on. I'll cook personally today and make you something good."

"Uh, maybe not, Mentor Tirion." Tyrel Sunstrider lost his composure as never before, his face full of extreme reluctance.

That was because Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen had a strange habit: he loved experimenting with all kinds of bizarre food. The meat of strange animals ordinary people could not accept became delicacies in his hands.

After trying it once or twice, Tyrel Sunstrider never wanted to try it again...

But Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen clearly had no intention of letting Tyrel Sunstrider off so easily, and directly dragged him away.

Taelan Fordring, standing nearby, was snickering, but Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen spotted him and said, "What are you standing around for, Taelan? You're still growing. Eat more and build yourself up."

Taelan Fordring's expression instantly went from sunny to overcast. He wanted nothing more than to slap himself twice. He should have run away immediately.

Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen cooked all kinds of meat Tyrel Sunstrider had never even seen before. After forcing himself to eat them, Tyrel felt completely unwell.

"Tyrel, these are spider legs. I heard your High Elf distant relatives consider spider legs a delicacy. Look, I made them especially for you." Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen enthusiastically introduced the food, which had been roasted directly from the legs of a giant spider.

Looking at the spider legs before him, Tyrel Sunstrider's eyelids twitched wildly. He did not want to try them at all, but seeing the expectant look on his mentor's face, along with all the kindness he had received over the years, he gritted his teeth and swallowed them.

After the meal, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen asked Tyrel Sunstrider about what he had seen and experienced during this trip to Dalaran in the study of his fortress.

There was nothing unusual about what he recounted at first, but when he came to his visit to Durnholde Castle, Tyrel Sunstrider hesitated again and again before finally speaking of it.

"Mentor, I saw an unusual orc in Durnholde Castle. His name is Thrall, and he is Durnholde Castle's Arena Champion. Unlike the other orcs, his eyes were filled with wisdom."

Due to the impact of the two Orc Wars, the humans of the Alliance especially hated orcs. This was particularly true of veterans who had lived through both Orc Wars.

Yet Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen did not show the slightest trace of hatred or displeasure. Instead, he sank into reminiscence, only speaking after a long while. "Tyrel, I have seen the most frenzied orcs. Back then, the orcs were mad and bloodthirsty, with nothing but chaos in their eyes.

"But after we defeated the Horde and destroyed the Dark Portal, the orcs suddenly became incredibly weak, as if they had become entirely different. Only one tribe, led by a terrifyingly powerful figure, had yet to submit."

"Who was it?" Seeing the gravity in his mentor Tirion Fordring's eyes, Tyrel Sunstrider became immensely curious which clan had escaped the fate of being imprisoned in the orc internment camps.

"The Warsong Clan. Their leader, Grommash Hellscream, was the most powerful Warrior I have ever seen." When Tirion Fordring spoke of Grommash Hellscream, his tone was more solemn than ever.

"He was strong—terrifyingly strong. Almost no one in the Alliance was his match. Not me, not Alexandros, not Uther. If any one of us encountered him alone, we likely would not survive."

Tyrel Sunstrider knew his mentor Tirion Fordring's strength. Even in the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, no one could claim with certainty that they could defeat Tirion Fordring.

Yet this orc powerhouse was so terrifyingly strong that even Tirion Fordring treated him with such gravity.

After a while, Tirion Fordring said with relief, "I once thought about learning more about orc culture—whether they had been like that from the beginning—but I never had the chance."

Tirion Fordring could be considered one of the few humans who did not hate orcs. It was because he had witnessed so much. Once, he had told the young Taelan Fordring, "I have seen the noblest orcs, and I have seen the most despicable humans."

It was for that very reason that Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen was willing to teach the High Elf prince Tyrel Sunstrider everything he knew.

"Perhaps one day, I may come to know an orc as well. Don't you think so, Tyrel? Hahaha." Tirion Fordring laughed heartily.