Blood Feud's Destiny

"I'm sorry, Tyrel. I failed to stop Zul'jin and the others, which led to the Dawnblade Legion suffering such heavy losses." Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, who had caught up in pursuit, looked at the battle-worn Dawnblade Legion and spoke to Tyrel apologetically.

Tyrel's original plan had been for the High Elf rangers at Pathfinder Camp to use their defensive advantage to hold back the main Forest Troll force.

After all, Pathfinder Camp had thirty thousand High Elf rangers, all elites, as well as defensive fortifications.

Yet the Forest Troll main force successfully broke free of the High Elf rangers from Pathfinder Camp and, under the efforts of leaders and powerful figures such as Zul'jin, shattered the Dawnblade Legion's defenses.

Before Tyrel could ask anything, Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner decisively led the High Elf rangers in pursuit of the Forest Trolls.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How could Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner possibly let it slip away?

The High Elf Paladins of the Dawnblade Legion were not suited for pursuit to begin with. Their heavy plate armor restricted their speed, and there were also many wounded. Tyrel thus had the High Elf Paladins carry their injured comrades back to Sunwell Citadel to rest.

Pathfinder Camp was, after all, the territory of the Ranger-Expeditionaries. Although it was closer, Tyrel still chose to return to Sunwell Citadel.

The advantage of Paladins was that even those not of the holy specialization could use Holy Light healing skills. Combined with bandages and other emergency measures, they could quickly treat those with lighter injuries, while those more seriously wounded could at least be stabilized.

The exact battle losses could only be counted after returning to Sunwell Citadel.

Yet on the way back to Sunwell Citadel, the Dawnblade Legion happened to encounter a Forest Troll force of over two thousand.

Tyrel immediately realized that this Forest Troll force had escaped by retracing its route from the Amani Crypt in the Sunscar Peak mountains.

Both sides froze. The Dawnblade Legion still had nearly four thousand combat-capable soldiers, twice the Forest Trolls' number, but they were also protecting the wounded. If battle began and the Forest Trolls charged at the injured, things would become troublesome.

"Brother Dakara, I'll hold them off. Go quickly. The Forest Trolls cannot afford to lose you." Seeing the High Elf Paladins who outnumbered them several times over, Dakuro Warfang hurriedly moved to cover his elder brother, the Forest Troll general Dakara.

Dakara was in terrible condition. He had suffered two fatal wounds and had little fighting strength left.

"Dakara, you..." Dakara knew his younger brother's abilities well. Though Dakuro could be considered fairly capable, facing so many High Elves alone at the rear meant almost certain death.

Dakuro Warfang struck without hesitation, knocking Dakara unconscious, then handed him over to the other Forest Trolls. He himself stayed behind, leading two thousand Forest Trolls to cover their retreat.

"Mylah, protect our brothers."

Tyrel had two thousand High Elves, who retained roughly seventy percent of their combat strength and condition, fight the two thousand Forest Trolls fairly.

The remaining High Elf Paladins, under Mylah Dawncaller's command, protected the wounded.

Two thousand against two thousand. Neither side held an obvious advantage, and their conditions were evenly matched. Both had endured brutal fighting. The Forest Trolls possessed powerful regenerative abilities, while the High Elf Paladins had Holy Light healing.

"Come, High Elves!" Dakuro Warfang gripped his weapon, already prepared to die on the battlefield.

Tyrel recognized Dakuro Warfang as the enemy leader, but he still let out a battle cry. "In the name of sunlight!"

Both sides charged at the same time. In the clash of two thousand against two thousand, not a single High Elf or Forest Troll showed fear or retreated.

The Quel'dorei Greatsword swept out, instantly killing two Forest Troll warriors. Then it thrust into the chest of a Forest Troll warrior trying to seize the chance to attack, the sharp Quel'dorei Greatsword piercing straight through him.

Just as Tyrel pulled out the Quel'dorei Greatsword, Dakuro Warfang attacked him. From Tyrel's high-grade set of armor, so unlike that of ordinary High Elf Paladins, Dakuro Warfang had determined that Tyrel was the commander of the High Elf Paladins.

The greatsword blocked the blow, and Tyrel's eyes met Dakuro Warfang's.

Hatred, fury...

Those were the emotions in Dakuro Warfang's eyes.

The two continued fighting. Empowered by his desperate final stand, Dakuro Warfang erupted with tremendous strength.

Tyrel, meanwhile, was deeply conflicted and unable to wield his true strength.

Even so, Dakuro Warfang could not suppress Tyrel.

The bloody battle lasted half an hour. In the end, the High Elf Paladins of the Dawnblade Legion emerged victorious.

Of the two thousand Forest Trolls, fewer than a hundred were captured. The rest lay in pools of blood.

"Kill me, High Elf!" Dakuro Warfang fought until the very end and was captured only because his wounds were too severe. Yet there was not the slightest hint of surrender in his eyes. Unyielding, he wanted the High Elves to grant him a quick death.

To be honest, Tyrel could not bring himself to kill Dakuro Warfang—the one who had treated him as a friend, placed one hundred percent trust in him, and taken him to the Amani Crypt to pay respects to his father.

Cain Sunfury did not know what had happened when Tyrel had disguised himself as a Forest Troll, so he stepped forward and said, "Tyrel, we don't need prisoners. Zul'jin's lesson is right before us. If you can't do it, leave it to me."

Unaware of the full story, Cain Sunfury volunteered to do it himself.

Rilas Windrunner, who understood everything, patted Cain Sunfury on the shoulder, signaling for him to leave first.

"Tyrel, leave it to me. Prisoners might slip free and escape if we are even slightly careless. That would not be strange."

High Elf Ranger Lord Lothmar Theron and the others, as well as the Forest Troll Zul'jin, had all once been captured by their enemies before breaking free and escaping.

Rilas Windrunner meant to create an opportunity for Dakuro Warfang to escape on his own, so Tyrel would not be put in a difficult position.

"No, Rilas. I understand. You and Cain both want to help me, but there are some things I must face myself. As an elf of the Sunstrider family, I have borne responsibility since the day I was born. I know what I should do."

Tyrel approached the captured Dakuro Warfang alone, Quel'dorei Greatsword in hand.

"High Elf, tell me your name, so that I may know whose hands I died by." Faced with death, Dakuro Warfang showed neither fear nor hesitation. Instead, he asked Tyrel's name.

Tyrel did not answer immediately. After a while, he spoke in Trollish. "Tyrel Sunstrider, prince of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, Lord of Dalsom, and leader of the Dawnblade Legion."

"Good. To die at the hands of a High Elf prince is an honor. I am Dakuro Warfang. You should count yourself fortunate. If you do not kill me now, I will become your greatest enemy in the future!"

"Mm... farewell, Dakuro."

His sword rose and fell, and Dakuro Warfang collapsed weakly to the ground.

Afterward, Tyrel had the Dawnblade Legion return to Sunwell Citadel first, while he alone carried Dakuro Warfang's body to the Amani Crypt and buried Dakara Warfang's body beside his father.

This was destiny. High Elves and Forest Trolls were enemies fated to fight until one side died. Tyrel and Dakuro could never become friends.