Celebration Ceremony

Silvermoon City, the capital of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, the jewel of Azeroth, an unparalleled city of sunlight.

On this day, the city was filled with unprecedented joy. News of the great victory over the Forest Trolls had arrived from Southern Eversong Woods. For the first time in centuries, the High Elves of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas had fought their way to the gates of Zul'Aman. A hundred thousand Forest Trolls had perished. Such a tremendous victory was unprecedented for the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas.

Even the defeat of the Old Horde could not compare to this victory for the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas.

The High Elves of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas believed that, with the Magic Shield covering the entire kingdom, they no longer needed to fear enemies beyond its borders. The only threat to them was the Forest Trolls within Quel'Thalas itself.

Outside Silvermoon City, the Spellbreakers stood in orderly ranks on both sides of Shepherd's Gate.

If the Sunfury Legion was the strongest legion in the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, then the Spellbreaker Guard was its strongest force.

The time and effort required to train a single Spellbreaker exceeded that of cultivating ten powerful mages.

The Kingdom of Quel'Thalas was a kingdom of magic. The High Elves wielded the most powerful magic, yet Spellbreakers were immune to it.

That was right. The greatest strength of the Spellbreakers was their immunity to most magic. Even while immune to magic, they could cast spells themselves and possessed exceptionally refined swordsmanship.

Spellbreakers were the true nemesis of mages.

The Spellbreaker Guard answered directly to the Sunstrider Court and maintained public order throughout the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. It was precisely because of the Spellbreakers that the kingdom did not descend into chaos caused by mages.

Having the Spellbreaker Guard serve as the honor guard to welcome the heroes of the Farstrider Camp Battle was the highest ceremony and honor the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas could offer.

The Ranger-Expeditionary walked at the front. Whether in seniority or in their achievements during this battle, the Dawnblade Legion could not compare to the long-established Pathfinder Legion.

"Rilas, are you sure you won't come with me?" Ranger-General Sylvanas asked her younger brother whether he would join the Ranger-Expeditionary in receiving this honor.

Rilas was a ranger, and very likely a future Ranger-General as well. If he stood with the Farstriders, it would be easier for him to gain recognition. Yet Rilas refused. "No, Sister. This honor was earned by me, the Dawnblade Legion, and Tyrel together."

"Mm." Ranger-General Sylvanas smiled and nodded, no longer insisting that her brother come with her.

Many of the Ranger-Expeditionary had attended such victory celebrations before, so they calmly entered Shepherd's Gate.

In contrast, the High Elf Paladins of the Dawnblade Legion were somewhat nervous and anxious. Most of them were under five hundred years old, and they had never imagined that one day they would receive such a grand celebration—much less as its central figures.

Tyrel watched the High Elves, who had shown not a trace of fear before the Forest Trolls but were now flustered, and gave a wry smile.

"Don't be nervous. This is glory we bought with blood. We are receiving this honor on behalf of all our brothers. Glory belongs to the Dawnblade Legion."

That was right. The fifteen-thousand-strong Dawnblade Legion had gone through the Farstrider Camp Battle, but only their thousand-man delegation had come to receive this honor.

Encouraged by Tyrel, the High Elf Paladins took several deep breaths and finally relaxed somewhat.

Within Silvermoon City, tens of thousands of High Elf citizens eagerly awaited the arrival of the Dawnblade Legion's Paladins, wondering what they would be like.

They were completely different from the imposing, proud figures in handsome full plate that the High Elf citizens of Silvermoon City had expected.

A thousand-man force in shattered armor, bloodstained battle robes, and reeking of blood slowly entered the city.

The stark contrast left the once-cheering High Elf citizens stunned. They could hardly believe it. Were these truly the Dawnblade Legion?

Yes, this was the Dawnblade Legion in its truest form, fresh from bitter battle.

"In the name of sunlight!" Walking at the front, Tyrel naturally saw the doubt in the High Elf citizens' eyes. He stamped his right foot, and the fires of Consecration surged up in an instant. Yet instead of their usual burning effect, they radiated gentle healing.

Led by Tyrel, the thousand High Elf Paladins of the Dawnblade Legion unleashed the golden Holy Light within them and shouted as one, "In the name of the Holy Light!"

Golden Holy Light instantly enveloped the High Elf Paladins of the Dawnblade Legion, as though they had donned a layer of golden armor, dazzling as the sun.

Their blazing momentum, dazzling radiance, shattered armor, and blood-soaked aura showed the High Elf citizens of Silvermoon City what the Dawnblade Legion looked like when fighting the enemy. The hot blood in their veins was ignited at once.

"In the name of sunlight!"

The stirred High Elf citizens shouted in unison, their thunderous cries echoing throughout Silvermoon City and North Eversong Woods in an instant.

The Holy Light naturally could not be used like this during battle, but this was a victory celebration. Tyrel had the High Elf Paladins decisively use the Solar Holy Light within them and keep it active along the way.

With the Holy Light and their plate armor, Paladins certainly had no problem looking impressive.

Tyrel did this so that the watching citizens of Silvermoon City would remember the image of Paladins and begin to yearn to become one themselves.

The Dawnblade Legion made its way to the Sunstrider Court outside Sunfury Spire, the final venue for the celebration.

The High Elf rangers of the Pathfinder Legion had long since taken their places on the western side of the Sunstrider Court plaza, while the eastern side was reserved for the High Elf Paladins of the Dawnblade Legion.

The Ranger-Expeditionary and Dawnblade Paladins stood on the west and east sides of the Sunstrider Court plaza respectively. High Elf warriors of the Sunfury Legion maintained order throughout the Sunstrider Court as vast crowds of High Elf citizens cheered.

Surrounded by the Royal Spellbreakers, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas slowly emerged from Sunfury Spire.

With the appearance of Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider, the previously noisy Sunstrider Court plaza fell silent in an instant. Every High Elf turned their gaze toward their Sun King.

"Today, we welcome the return of two mighty legions of our Kingdom of Quel'Thalas from Southern Eversong Woods: the Pathfinder Legion and the Dawnblade Legion."

"The savage, bloodthirsty Forest Trolls, led by their leader Zul'jin, shamelessly launched an attack on Pathfinder Camp. But they failed. Through the cooperation of the Pathfinder Legion and the Dawnblade Legion, a hundred thousand Forest Trolls were annihilated!"

"This is a long-awaited great victory. Once again, relying solely on our own strength, we fought our way to the gates of Zul'Aman. This once again tells us that the Quel'dorei need only rely on their own strength to overcome every crisis."

"Cheer for our warriors! Praise the sun!"