New Friends

"I hope my sisters can grow up with me and get married together. This gold coin looks quite ancient." -- Sylvanas Windrunner's coin.

Dalaran possesses a magical wishing well whose origins are lost to time; it seems to have existed since the very year the city was founded. This well holds a wondrous enchantment: as long as one clears their mind and stands at the edge of the pool holding a coin, the true desire within their heart will automatically be etched onto the metal.

For many years, regardless of how the architectural layout of Dalaran changed, this peculiar wishing well remained exactly as it was. Even if mages filled the well with earth, it would reappear in some corner of Dalaran by the next day.

Countless brilliant mages have attempted to uncover the secrets of this small pool, only to return empty-handed. No one knows when it was born or what kind of magic it possesses, just as no one knows where the thousands of coins tossed into it have gone.

No matter how many people cast their coins into the well, the bottom is always covered by only a thin layer of metal, and the water level never rises by even a fraction of an inch.

After countless studies and experiments, the mages of Dalaran finally stopped before this small pool, no longer wasting their energy on it. A mage's energy is finite; they are not long-lived High Elves, and they would not squander their lives on something so inconsequential.

However, since then, a legend began to circulate among the people of Dalaran: the city's wishing well possesses extraordinary magic that can help those who truly wish to achieve their dreams. But each person can only toss one coin in their lifetime, or they will meet with misfortune.

Today, this peculiar little pool welcomed a few special guests.

A golden-haired girl skipped ahead, turning back to speak to her companions: "This is the most mysterious wishing well in Dalaran! All wishes can come true here!"

After spending half the day together, Jaina had successfully hit it off with the two princes. Especially with Arthas; having a younger brother who was always buried in books and disliked playing, the prince was in high spirits upon meeting playmates of his own age. In just a short time, this golden-haired girl had already become his friend.

"Is it really that magical?"

Arthas's eyes shone with curiosity as he looked at his new friend with some doubt. Due to his age, young Arthas had been studying the knowledge a king should possess and had not yet begun to touch upon the arcane arts.

"Of course! This is the most mysterious place in Dalaran!" The little girl held her head high, proud as a peacock displaying its feathers, looking every bit the proud citizen of Dalaran.

In Alvin's remaining memories, he only recalled that the Dalaran rebuilt on the southern shore of Lake Lordamere also had a wishing well filled with coins, and that well had miraculously survived the powerful magic Archimonde used to destroy the city.

However, in his impression, this well didn't seem very reliable. He had once read a post about the coins in such wells, and not many people had actually seen their wishes come true. Thinking of this, he looked up at the proud Jaina, his tone tinged with skepticism: "So, has your wish come true?"

"Uh..."

Faced with Alvin's questioning, the little girl was speechless. However, she was unwilling to back down in front of her new friends, so she quickly sought help from Kel'Thuzad: "I haven't thought of a wish yet, but Uncle Kel'Thuzad must have tried it, right?"

"What?"

The young mage, who had been lost in thought, was clearly not on the same wavelength as the three children. One second he was pondering how to improve his latest spell experiment, and the next he was pulled back to reality by the girl; Kel'Thuzad appeared somewhat sluggish.

"Uncle Kel'Thuzad must have tossed a coin in this well, right? Is it very effective?"

Jaina repeated her question quickly, looking at the young mage with bright, expectant eyes, clearly hoping he would take her side and give an affirmative answer.

Unfortunately, the mage, who had never understood the nuances of human sentiment, failed the girl's expectations.

"No, I have never tried it. Compared to an ethereal wishing well, we mages should believe in the truth held in our own hands." The mage did not hesitate, shaking his head directly. His answer was simple and blunt, containing a faint hint of a lecture.

"You... you're so dense!"

Feeling she had lost face in front of her new friends, the little girl felt a wave of heat on her face. She flushed red, stomped her feet hard, and trotted toward the nearby wishing well, not wanting to stay in this wretched place any longer.

Behind the girl, Arthas pulled the indifferent Alvin along, following closely behind as he shouted: "Jaina, don't run! I believe you!"

"Really?"

The little girl stopped and turned to stare at the prince who had caught up, her voice slightly choked, looking as if she would cry if he dared to lie to her.

Stared at intensely by Jaina, Arthas, who had no immunity to the little girl, nervously let go of the panting Alvin, patted his chest, and made a bold declaration: "I am Arthas, the future King of Lordaeron, and I never lie --"

"If you really believe it, then try it!" Before Arthas could finish, the little girl rolled her eyes and extended her right hand, a bright gold coin resting securely in her fair palm.

"I'll try it then! A man of the Menethil line never fears any challenge!"

Saying this, Arthas took the gold coin from the girl's hand, then pulled a gleaming gold coin from his own jacket pocket and tossed it to his brother, saying loudly: "Alvin, let's do it together!"

As the saying goes, brothers fight tigers together, and father and son go into battle as a team. To the request made by his brother, Alvin could think of no reason to refuse.

"No problem." The boy took the coin, nodded, and followed Arthas to the edge of the wishing well. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all distractions. Unknowingly, he seemed to fall into a vision --

In his mind, young Arthas grew up bit by bit, becoming a glorious paladin, joining the Order of the Silver Hand, shining in the defense of Strahnbrad, investigating the plague ravaging northern Lordaeron, issuing the order to purge Stratholme, pulling Frostmourne from the caves of Northrend, and finally, in the palace of Lordaeron, thrusting a sword into Terenas and himself.

At the very moment the blade was about to pierce his own chest, the boy jolted awake from the illusion, his back and forehead drenched in cold sweat.