Dalsom, the Fief

Due to his special status, Tyrel Sunstrider did not immediately follow his Paladin mentor, Lord Tirion Fordring of Hearthglen, back to Hearthglen to study the ways of the Paladin. Instead, he first had to return to the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas to report to his father, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider.

"This power is as warm as a priest's Holy Light, yet different. It is more steadfast. Perhaps Paladins truly are a profession worth cultivating." Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider gave his assessment as he sensed the Holy Light within Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider's body.

Although the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas had no Paladin tradition, it did have priests. Thus, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider was no stranger to the Holy Light.

Hearing his father's assessment, Tyrel Sunstrider smiled happily. He said excitedly, "Father, I can feel the Holy Light strengthening my body. Under its influence, my body has become tougher and stronger. Perhaps Paladins truly can break through the physical limitations of us Quel'dorei."

"Really, Tyrel? The Holy Light is strengthening your body?" Upon hearing Tyrel Sunstrider's words, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider furrowed his brow and asked with a grave expression.

If it was truly as Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider had said, then it could change the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas's lack of melee combatants.

Only with Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider's approval could the path of the Paladin rise within the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. To convince his father, Tyrel Sunstrider suggested, "Father, you can ask a priest to examine whether the Holy Light within me is different."

Priests and Paladins both wielded the Holy Light, but priests' bodies were extremely frail. Like Mages, they were ranged spellcasters with little killing power, more inclined toward support and healing.

Only by having a priest personally examine whether there was a difference between the Holy Light of a Paladin and that of a priest could Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider truly believe it.

Before long, a High Elf woman dressed in the robes of a High Priest arrived at Sunfury Spire. She carried an air of holiness and gentleness.

Tyrel Sunstrider knew her, not because she was a High Priest, but because of her other identity: she was Countess Liadrin of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas.

"Prince Tyrel, please relax your mental power so I may sense the difference between the Holy Light within you and within me." Countess Liadrin did not possess the terrifying mental power that Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider shared with Tyrel Sunstrider by blood, so she needed Tyrel Sunstrider's cooperation.

Tyrel Sunstrider nodded, then opened up his mental power, which far surpassed that of ordinary High Elves, allowing Countess Liadrin's mental power to enter his body and investigate.

A stream of Holy Light Energy, gentler than the Holy Light within Tyrel Sunstrider, entered his body.

As she sensed the Holy Light within Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider, Countess Liadrin's expression turned grave, then swiftly changed to shock.

Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider had been observing Countess Liadrin's changing expression all along. He instantly understood that Tyrel was most likely right, but he still reminded her, "Liadrin, examine it more carefully. I need a definite answer. This concerns the future of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas."

"As you command, Sun King." Countess Liadrin calmed herself and examined it carefully.

A few minutes felt as long as an hour to the three of them.

Countess Liadrin closed her eyes and let out a breath, then said with certainty, "Sun King, the Holy Light within Prince Tyrel can indeed strengthen the body. It differs from that of priests. This is simply unbelievable."

The Kingdom of Quel'Thalas's inheritance of the Holy Light was even older than humanity's. Back when they were still High Elves, many High Elves had sensed the Holy Light through their worship of Elune, the Moon Goddess.

Yet until now, not a single elven priest had discovered that the Holy Light could strengthen its wielder's body. Perhaps that was precisely why those Paladins converted from priests could become the backbone of resistance against Orc Warriors.

After receiving Countess Liadrin's affirmative answer, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider's eyes blazed with intense light. Thoughts that had long lain dormant within him stirred once more.

Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider looked at Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider and solemnly announced, "Tyrel, I hereby grant Dalsom to you as your fief. From today onward, you are the Lord of Dalsom. You may raise a force of ten thousand."

Kael'thas Sunstrider was the heir to the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Even Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider's immense affection for Tyrel Sunstrider would not change that.

Although Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider could not inherit the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider had long decided to grant Dalsom, the kingdom's second-largest city, to him as a fief. Originally, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider had intended to announce this several centuries later.

But given the current circumstances, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider decided to grant Dalsom to Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider ahead of time.

"As you command, Sun King!" Tyrel Sunstrider was briefly stunned, but quickly accepted the order. He understood that his father wanted him to use Dalsom as a base and the ten-thousand-strong force as a foundation to introduce the path of the Paladin into the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas.

If they forcefully promoted the path of the Paladin, it would certainly face resistance. Besides Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider, the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas also had the Silvermoon Council, composed of nobles. At first, they had helped the Sun King rule Quel'Thalas, but as time passed, the Silvermoon Council had become exceptionally corrupt. The path of the Paladin would lead to the rise of a new class and inevitably infringe upon their interests, so they would certainly oppose it with all their strength.

But if Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider could prove that the path of the Paladin was sufficiently powerful, then Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider could implement it throughout the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas.

Little Prince Tyrel Sunstrider did not linger long at Sunfury Spire. He soon left Silvermoon City and set out for Dalsom.

Dalsom lay at the southernmost edge of Eversong Woods, west of the magical gate of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. It was a city built amid the mountains, standing on one side of the range while Stratholme of the Kingdom of Lordaeron stood on the other.

Like Stratholme, it was a city that had prospered through trade, with more than two hundred thousand High Elves living there.

By all rights, receiving Dalsom as his fief should have been an immensely joyous matter, but Tyrel Sunstrider could not bring himself to feel happy. He could sense the heavy responsibility his father, Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider, had placed upon him.