Tyrel's Gift

After the victory celebration ended, within Sunfury Spire, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider and Little Prince Tyrel...

Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider gazed at Tyrel Sunstrider for a long time before finally saying, "Tyrel, you've grown up."

"Father, I merely did what I should have done. I did not disgrace the name of Sunstrider." Tyrel knelt on one knee before Sun King Anasterian. He was no longer the child who had clung to his father, but a general capable of standing on his own.

A proud smile hung on Sun King Anasterian's face. He reached out and stroked Tyrel's golden hair. "Good child. You and Kael'thas have both made me incredibly proud."

He had already lived for several thousand years. Though Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider still appeared to be in his prime, his heart had grown old and lost its vitality.

Yet he could not abdicate just like that. He had to wait until both his children, Kael'thas Sunstrider and Tyrel Sunstrider, had fully matured.

Fortunately, both Kael'thas and Tyrel were exceptionally outstanding and already capable of standing on their own. One had become an Archmage of the Six Council of Kirin Tor in Dalaran through his own efforts, while the other had formed the Dawnblade Legion and defeated the Forest Trolls.

When he had first received the news of victory, the delighted Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider had gone to the shrine of the late King Anasterian Sunstrider and told him that Kael'thas and Tyrel, the two direct descendants of the Sunstrider family, were now both capable of standing on their own. He hoped that the late King Anasterian Sunstrider would bless the two rising stars of the Sunstrider family.

The result of passing down a single line was that one person had to bear too much. Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider understood this well. Fortunately, he had two children, so Kael'thas and Tyrel could support each other. Even after his death, the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas would be able to prosper.

"Father, I brought you a gift." Tyrel suddenly said mysteriously to Sun King Anasterian.

Hearing that Tyrel had prepared a gift for him, Sun King Anasterian smiled even more happily and asked, "What is it, Tyrel?"

Tyrel took an exquisite box from his Space Bag and handed it to his father without directly saying what it was.

Sun King Anasterian opened the box and saw two exquisitely crafted little figures made of wood inside.

One was Kael'thas dressed in mage robes, while the other was Tyrel clad in plate armor.

"Father, I know that neither my brother nor I have time to stay by your side, so I carved statues of us from the branches of Mother Tree Sas'aral. That way, they can keep you company in our place." Under the influence of the Sunwell's powerful Arcane Magic, the plants within the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas had begun to change. The oldest tree in the kingdom was the first to complete its transformation. This enormous tree was named Sas'aral, meaning Light of the Forest, and the High Elves called it Mother Tree Sas'aral.

Mother Tree Sas'aral was in Dalsom—or rather, Dalsom had been built around Mother Tree Sas'aral. To protect it, the High Elves of Dalsom had even constructed a temple upon it.

The branches of Sas'aral contained Arcane Energy, so they would not decay even after ten thousand years.

The two wooden statues were lifelike, as though Kael'thas and Tyrel had been magically turned to wood and shrunk down. Sun King Anasterian lovingly cradled the two carvings in his hands.

Just as father and son were immersed in their familial warmth, a beautiful High Elf woman with a seductive figure entered carrying a tray of tea and pastries. When she saw the wooden carvings in Sun King Anasterian's hands, she said to Tyrel, "Tyrel, you truly put your heart into this."

"Liandara, it's been a long time."

The direct line of the Sunstrider family consisted of only Sun King Anasterian, Kael'thas, and Tyrel, but the Sunstrider family also had collateral branches.

Liandara Sunstrider belonged to one of those collateral branches and had no right to inherit the Sun King's throne. She was responsible for attending to Sun King Anasterian within Sunfury Spire.

"Liandara, you're here. Come, take a look with me. Don't you think the wooden statues Tyrel carved look especially alike?" Seeing his distant niece arrive, Sun King Anasterian happily beckoned to her.

Liandara Sunstrider set down the tea and pastries, then smiled. "Tyrel carved them with care, so of course they are lifelike. Sun King, you may not know this, but several years ago, little Tyrel asked me to find him a teacher of woodcarving. He secretly practiced for years just to give you this surprise."

"So that's how it was. Tyrel, you actually kept this from your father." Sun King Anasterian suddenly understood. Tyrel had begun carefully preparing this gift for him years ago.

"If I told Father beforehand, then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it? And Liandara, you promised to keep it secret for me."

After their brief moment of warmth, Sun King Anasterian said to Tyrel, "Tyrel, let Father see just how far your strength has progressed. How about sparring with Father?"

"Since Father has proposed it, I can only give it a try." Tyrel understood that his father wished to assess his strength, so he agreed without hesitation.

As the Sun King's palace, Sunfury Spire was enormous and fully equipped. Sun King Anasterian and Tyrel went together to the Sunstrider family's private training ground within the tower.

Numerous weapons were displayed throughout the Sunstrider family's private training ground, along with every kind of weapon and armor. Every single piece possessed epic-grade quality; outside the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, any one of them could become a treasured family heirloom.

Sun King Anasterian and Tyrel each chose a two-handed sword. The difference was that the Sun King's sword was light and nimble, while Tyrel's was heavy and powerful.

The Sunstrider family passed down the art of swordsmanship, so Sun King Anasterian and Tyrel naturally used swords for their duel.

"Come, Tyrel." Sun King Anasterian held his longsword in one hand and leveled it at Tyrel.

Being able to fight his father naturally thrilled Tyrel beyond measure. He immediately gripped his two-handed sword tightly and launched his attack.

Relying on the vigor of youth, Tyrel directly used the form of Crusader Strike, bringing his sword down in a head-on slash without using Holy Light Energy.

"Not a bad move. You must have learned it from the humans. But it is still a little too slow."

Sun King Anasterian commented unhurriedly. Then his figure became an afterimage. Before Tyrel could react, he dodged Tyrel's Crusader Strike and swept his longsword toward Tyrel's waist at blinding speed.

Tyrel was startled and hurriedly dodged, but Sun King Anasterian closed in swiftly, his longsword thrusting straight toward him.