The battle between the Black Dragon Princess and Queen Sylvanas was far more brutal than the bloody battle between Dalaran and the demons.
Deren sighed. "If you're just here to gossip, the door's over there."
Sylvanas chuckled softly, then unexpectedly walked over and sat down next to Deren, deliberately sitting very close. "Since you're here, why not have dinner together? I'm quite interested in this rapidly growing 'magical creature.'" As she spoke, her gaze meaningfully swept towards Anveena was hiding to the side.
Onyxia's fingernails had transformed into dragon claws. Her golden, vertical pupils narrowed dangerously, and a low gurgling sound came from deep within her throat.
When Jaina returned to the Deren family's living room, she looked at the lively scene at the dining table and smiled helplessly. Jaina pulled her upstairs, and the two found a quiet place to talk.
"Your teacher has left?" Jaina asked softly.
Jaina nodded, the cuffs of her robes still damp with the lingering glow of teleportation magic. "Master Antonidas said he had urgent business returning to Dalaran. But I feel his purpose is more complex than it appears."
Jaina paused for a moment, then said, "He's observing Deren and Anveena." Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.
"You noticed it too?" Jaina turned to her friend. "When the Master saw Anveena linked arms with Deren, he couldn't hide the shock in his eyes." She recalled her teacher's slightly trembling beard and the way he gripped his staff tightly.
"He must have noticed Anveena's unusual behavior, but he won't say anything. That's what worries me too," Jaina said, expressing her concerns.
" Jaina, don't worry too much. Antonidas, after all, my teacher, and Anveena is my guest. He should be careful," Jaina reassured her, then asked, "What does Star Soul think about all this?"
Jaina recalled that after Anveena absorbed the waters of the Eternal Well, she had a brief conversation with the Star Soul through her. " The Star Soul bestowed its blessing upon Deren. And the Star Soul regarded Anveena as a daughter, hoping that by becoming close to Deren, she could avoid her original fate of self-sacrifice."
Jaina's fingers unconsciously traced the shape of her staff. "So this is... a change of fate? But isn't it a bit too much for Star Soul to make Anveena get closer to Deren?"
Jaina said somewhat speechlessly, "Yes, Anveena is still immature. She instinctively treats those close to her as family or elders. But that's fine too; Star Soul is happy to see it happen."
After a while, she continued, " Deren is like a stone thrown into the river of fate, creating ripples of change. He will change the fate of many, and he will also change the fate of Azeroth."
Jaina gazed at the scenery outside the window, hesitated for a moment, and asked in a barely audible voice, "So, what are your thoughts on Deren?"
Jaina laughed, "A straightforward question. And you, Jaina?"
Jaina's cheeks flushed slightly. She gazed at the distant sky, where the last rays of sunlight were sinking into the water. "I... I also want to be close to Deren. If only I could change my fate, if only I could avoid those tragedies."
She didn't finish speaking, but Jaina understandingly took her hand.
At this moment, the restaurant downstairs at the Deren family's house had never been so lively, nor so dangerous.
At one side of the table, Vereesa was intently observing Anveena's magical fluctuations, completely absorbed in her research, seemingly trying to decipher the special magic that made people grow taller; on the other side, Sylvanas elegantly sipped her wine, but occasionally cast meaningful glances at Deren.
In the middle, Onyxia and Anveena flanked Deren so tightly they practically sandwiched him like a sandwich filling.
"Brother, try this!" Anveena forked a piece of fruit and eagerly offered it to Deren's lips.
Onyxia snorted and cut off a large piece of roasted meat, stuffing it into Deren's plate. "Eat more meat, don't always eat those things that have no nutrition." A hint of concern flashed in her eyes.
Seeing this, Sylvanas gracefully raised her glass. " Deren, shall we toast to our friendship?" Her eyes clearly said, "Look this way."
Deren felt like a toy being fought over by many, and fine beads of sweat were already forming on his forehead.
Jaina and Jaina were just coming down the stairs when she saw this scene. With some concern, she said to Jaina, "If this continues, won't Theramore be blown away by the Black Dragon's wrath?"
Jaina, however, remained surprisingly calm, even with a hint of a smile, "Don't worry, Deren knows what he's doing."
Just then, Vereesa suddenly exclaimed, "My God! The magic within Anna is amazing!" The little ranger had been observing Anveena's condition from the side.
Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You've been watching for so long, what have you discovered?" Even the Queen knows to respect the host in someone else's home, but Vereesa doesn't have so many concerns.
"The magic within her seems to breathe; it appears calm on the surface, but as she gets closer to Deren, it surges and churns like a tide. Are they really siblings?" Vereesa explained excitedly, completely oblivious to Onyxia's increasingly dark expression. In a way, Deren has the blessing of the Star Soul, and Anveena is considered the Star Soul's daughter. Their relationship is somewhat far-fetched.
Anveena seemed to sense something was wrong and moved even closer to Deren for protection. This action became the final straw that broke the Black Dragon's sanity.
"Enough!" Onyxia stood up abruptly and pulled Anveena away from Deren. "Stay away from him, little girl!"
Anveena staggered a few steps, her eyes instantly reddening. "Sister Oni is so fierce. Brother..."
Deren stood up too. "Alright! Anna, eat normally. Stop leaning on me. Oni! Control yourself!"
The Black Dragon Princess's eyes burned with rage, and the patterns of dragon scales began to emerge beneath her skin, causing the temperature in the entire restaurant to rise suddenly.
Sylvanas stood up alertly, while Vereesa excitedly pulled out her notebook. "Are they going to fight? Great! Can I record the entire Black Dragon transformation?"
Before the little ranger could finish his nonsense, Sylvanas covered his mouth and dragged him aside to prevent her silly sister from becoming the target of the Black Dragon's wrath.
Jaina gripped the edge of the table nervously, while Jaina simply sighed softly, her fingers already gathering the light of teleportation magic—she would move this "war" outside the city if necessary.
Just when things were at their most critical, Deren suddenly slammed his fist on the table.
"Stop it, all of you! Eat your food properly and stop causing trouble."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. With this command, the tense crowd finally calmed down and silently returned to their seats to begin eating.
Deren regained his composure, stroking Onyxia's hand and comforting her, "Don't get angry over a child!"
"Tch!" The Black Dragon sneered disdainfully. She wasn't jealous at all; she was just pretending to be angry to divert the two female elves' attention from Anveena. If the little ranger continued his investigation, the secret that Anveena was Sunwell Incarnation might not be able to be kept hidden. The Black Dragon loved nothing more than intrigue and scheming!
Everyone silently returned to their seats, and dinner was finally able to continue—though an undercurrent still lingered in the air.
As night deepened and the last guest teleported away, the residents of Theramore slept soundly, completely unaware that their city had nearly been destroyed that night.
Third update! Have a great weekend everyone. Back to writing!