Time returned to the present. Centered around The Well of Eternity, the glorious and powerful Night Elf Empire continued expanding its territory in every direction.
This continent, borne upon the Endless Sea, was called Kalimdor by the Night Elves. Yet according to records bestowed by Sarodar, the God of Magic, this world was named Azeroth, meaning the Land of Starlight in the language of the gods.
As the only race that had mastered boundless Arcane power, the Night Elves took immense pride in themselves and called themselves the Central Race.
But this was not mere boasting on the Night Elves' part. Their empire truly was dazzling and magnificent.
Compared to the crude and savage trolls, as well as those half-beastlike races descended from the Wild Demigods, the Dragon Aspects naturally favored the elegant and eloquent Night Elves, a race that also wielded tremendous power.
The Night Elves had always enjoyed an exceptionally harmonious relationship with the Dragon Aspects. The inherently proud dragons only interacted and communicated with the Night Elves, while treating all other mortal races with utter indifference.
As for Sarodar, the God of Magic, and Elune, whom the Night Elves worshipped, the Dragon Aspects firmly believed that they were two Pantheon Titans who had long departed this world. They deeply envied the few Chosen Ones among the Highborne who had the honor of communicating directly with the gods. The dragons had repeatedly asked the Highborne to introduce them, hoping to have a chat with the great Titans as well, but without exception, they received no response. It seemed that Sarodar, the Creator, had no interest in acknowledging dragonkind, much to the dragons' dismay.
Thus, the Night Elves were regarded by the dragons as the gods' favored children. This was also a major reason why the dragons were willing to interact only with the elves.
The proud Night Elves continued expanding their glorious empire, until they discovered that the trolls stood in their path.
At this time, the trolls were ruled by the Gurubashi Empire. Countless Troll clans had been united beneath the empire's banner, and their civilization was equally brilliant.
The Gurubashi Clan governed the various clans, while the Troll Witch Doctors of the Zandalari clan held a status somewhat akin to the Highborne. They were the royal family's elite forces and upper class.
Then, the war began.
Bearing contempt and pride, the Night Elf envoys of war issued a declaration of war to the Gurubashi Clan in the name of the Light of Lights.
In the elves' eyes, the Troll Empire was nothing more than a massive shell, weak and frail within.
The Gurubashi Empire flew into a rage and immediately launched an offensive against these brightly dressed, fragile long-ears.
But once the war began, the trolls discovered that the bright long-ears they had considered weak and helpless were nowhere near as pathetic as they had imagined.
Their army had been strengthened by Arcane energy. Their soldiers rode swift and savage Night Sabers, charging at the trolls like lightning.
Behind the elven battle lines, Glaive Throwers enhanced by Arcane power possessed range and accuracy countless times greater than the trolls' bows and spears, and they could fire continuously.
The flashes that streaked across the battlefield were razor-sharp Four-bladed Moonblades, spinning rapidly as they flew into the troll ranks and instantly sending severed limbs and blood flying everywhere.
The Priestesses of the Moon responsible for ranged attacks wore light leather armor and wielded longbows blessed by Moonlight Energy. They rapidly fired tracking arrows, rendering shields utterly useless before them.
Most terrifying of all were the Highborne mages. Whenever their troops appeared, a massive banner flowing with purple Arcane energy would lead the way, its embroidered Eye of Truth seeming like the gaze of death.
Supported by the inexhaustible power of The Well of Eternity, these mages had no need to fear running out of mana. They unleashed all manner of large-scale area spells without restraint, slaughtering Troll soldiers in droves.
Strictly speaking, the Highborne's reckless behavior already counted as an abuse of magic. But the advantages of having connections and acquaintances became apparent: the Blue Dragons monitoring the magical network simply pretended not to see it, as though nothing had happened.
Perhaps the dragons also wished to see the elves claim victory and dominate the continent.
The Gurubashi Empire's army suffered defeat after defeat, then fell into complete disarray, and finally scattered entirely.
The Troll Witch Doctors were no match for the Highborne with their endless-magic advantage, while the conventional army could not overcome the Night Elf forces fully empowered by magic. Thus, the trolls soon learned what it meant to suffer a crushing rout.
Vast swathes of territory fell. After suffering excessive casualties, the various Troll clans scattered and fled into the remote mountains and wilderness along the continent's edges.
By the third natural month of the war, the once-glorious Gurubashi Empire, which had defeated the Aqir in open battle, had completely fallen apart and could fight no longer.
Just as the glorious Troll Empire collapsed, the Mogu Empire in Pandaria began closing itself off from the outside world, as though some major internal upheaval had occurred.
According to scout reports, it seemed that the Mogu Emperor had died.
The Mogu Emperor known as Lei Shen had apparently met a Lesser Titan Keeper named Ra-den in their inner territories. For reasons unknown, he then led a force to the Uldum oasis inhabited by the Tol'vir, seemingly in search of a Titan facility called the Halls of Origination. Soon afterward came a violent eruption of energy, its shockwaves felt even in distant Eldorei.
Afterward, Uldum changed from an oasis into a barren desert, while Lei Shen returned to Pandaria with his remaining troops. Only now had news of his death emerged.
After sealing Lei Shen's corpse within a tomb on Kun-Lai Summit, the Mogu Empire had originally intended to send troops to aid the Gurubashi Troll Empire. But after Zul'Gurub, the leader of the Zandalari clan, was killed by the elves, the Zandalari clan collapsed. Upon learning this, the Mogu Empire immediately withdrew its reinforcements and completely sealed off Pandaria, allowing neither entry nor exit.
The Night Elves had no plans to attack Pandaria either. In their view, it was also a harsh wilderness of barren mountains, with little potential for comfortable habitation.
Furthermore, according to the records, during the War of the Ancients, after Aman'Thul, the Father of Gods, slew the Old God Y'Shaarj, he burned the Old God's body to ashes. Only an essence called the Heart of Y'Shaarj remained, which a Lesser Titan Keeper took to Pandaria and sealed permanently within an underground palace under guard.
So whoever wanted to go to that wretched place could go. They certainly would not.
The war of expansion continued. The Night Elves successfully extended their sphere of influence across the entire Kalimdor Continent and founded cities of every size throughout its beautiful regions.
The great Queen Azshara, the Light of Lights, enfeoffed more than a dozen utterly loyal lords, also known as princes, to govern the various regions of the continent for her. Thus, the Night Elves formed a powerful feudal empire.
Among them, Lord Ravencrest commanded the strongest domain, and his overall strength remained firmly ranked first. This utterly loyal general faithfully governed the vast region of Val'sharah for his beloved Queen, while his capital city, Black Rook Hold, rapidly flourished.
Because it lay closest to the forest inhabited by Forest Demi-god Cenarius and was also nearest to an entrance into the Emerald Dream, Black Rook Hold gradually became a gathering place for Druids. The Priestesses of the Moon also established a great Temple of the Moon here, second only to the one in Capital Eldorei.
At this moment, the Night Elf Empire had reached the pinnacle of its glory. The radiance of The Well of Eternity and Queen Azshara, the Light of Lights, shone upon every corner of the continent.
But disaster and decline always came alongside the summit.
This time was no exception.
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