Although Alvin possessed senses far beyond those of ordinary people and exceptional talent for the path of the Priest, becoming a second-level Priest capable of using first-circle divine magic in less than two years had taken more than talent. It had also required relentless effort.
Those who didn't know him well could only marvel at his "genius" and gifts. They had no idea how much toil and sweat this young child had poured in, driven by fear in his heart—
Under his martial arts instructor's guidance, he trained to improve his physique. In the meditation chamber, he prayed and sought to commune with the Holy Light. In the royal library, he absorbed knowledge. That was how he spent every day.
Even Archbishop Faol, a commoner by birth who had seen countless people over the course of his life, was secretly astonished by Alvin's diligence and effort. More than once, the kind old man had gently tried to persuade him to ease up, worried that the young boy's body wouldn't be able to keep up.
Neither Archbishop Faol nor King Terenas, two influential figures who kept a close eye on Alvin and had a wealth of life experience, knew why the boy worked so hard, even to the point of exhaustion. In the end, they could only attribute it to Alvin's unusual talent.
After more than an hour of devout prayer, Alvin once again strengthened his connection to the Holy Light and expanded his senses. Then the boy rose, left the meditation chamber, pushed open the door, and stepped into the night in the City of Magic.
A warm, gentle night breeze blew in from the distant lake, mingling with the lively din coming from the Violet Citadel.
The boy glanced up at the castle, which shimmered with a mysterious light beneath the night sky. Frowning, he turned to the royal guard who had been waiting outside the door and spoke softly. "Abberton, is the banquet at the castle still going?"
The tall, imposing man raised his right hand to the prince and bowed. The metal gauntlet struck the armor over his left breast with a pleasant ring.
"Master Antonidas of Dalaran has been so hospitable that..."
The rest went without saying.
Terenas ruled the Kingdom of Lordaeron, while Arthas was its future heir. In this era of bloodline and primogeniture, even though Alvin was also a prince, people paid more attention to his identity as a Priest.
As in most noble families, the eldest son inherited everything, including the title and property. The other sons received only enough money to make their way in the world, or stayed home to assist the heir. As for the daughters, with a few exceptions for those of exceptional talent, most were simply used to forge marriage alliances.
So even though Alvin was now a prince of Lordaeron, his future standing might not be as high as that of some petty lord who ruled over a patch of land. That was the real reason he could leave the banquet without a fuss. Otherwise, those mages, who were forever worrying about funding, would never have easily "let go" of the young prince.
The fact that he had only one guard accompanying him now was proof enough. During the day, Arthas had been followed by two entire squads of soldiers—and that was in Dalaran, where their safety had already been confirmed!
"I see." Seeing the awkward expression on the royal guard's face, the boy gently scratched his head.
Alvin didn't mind. He had no intention of staying in Lordaeron forever. Once he had stopped Arthas from falling into darkness and saved the Kingdom of Lordaeron, the land where he was born and raised, from the Scourge, he planned to follow Brann, that reckless adventurer who always started the fights, and explore every corner of Azeroth—
The mighty Ironforge, mist-shrouded Pandaria, snow-covered Northrend, strange civilizations from other worlds, the powerful Dragon Aspects, mysterious Titan relics... That was the kind of adventure and exploration that made a man's heart sing!
It was this deeply buried longing that had caused Travel Domain to become his second domain automatically when he became a Priest.
"Then come for a walk with me. Let's go see that curious wishing well again."
As the boy thought about what to do next, he suddenly remembered the wishing coin Arthas had tossed to him earlier that day. He decided to throw it into the well on his brother's behalf.
He knew the wish was unlikely to come true, but people always dreamed about the future. Perhaps the wishing well really did have some sort of magic?
The pitch-black sky was like a vast curtain, strewn with stars like tiny game pieces. They twinkled with a gentle glow, joining the magic lamps along the road to light Alvin's way.
The wishing well wasn't far from the Violet Citadel. For an adult, it was only a little over ten minutes away. But for a young boy who had lacked exercise since childhood and was weaker than others his age, the journey was no easy stroll.
It took nearly twenty minutes, and Alvin was already breathing hard. He looked up at the wishing well at the street corner and was surprised to find that he and the guard behind him weren't the only visitors that night. A small figure stood beside the pool—
It was Jaina.
The girl was alone and hadn't noticed anyone else arriving. She remained in the same position, eyes squeezed shut, a coin clenched in her palm as she muttered, "I want to become a mage like Master Antonidas. Hmm, maybe like Uncle Kel'Thuzad, too? No, I'd rather be like my teacher!"
Though the girl was rambling a little, Alvin understood that she had come to make a wish in secret, all by herself. Just like Arthas, who had avoided her during the day, Jaina didn't want anyone to know her wish. Nobody wanted their privacy invaded, even by a new friend.
Still, Alvin's sudden arrival took her by surprise.
The prince didn't sneak off to one side. Instead, he walked straight up to her and called out loudly, "Good evening, Miss Proudmoore."
The boy's clear voice rang through the quiet street, startling the girl. Jaina's eyes flew open, and she jumped on the spot like a startled kitten. She looked around wildly, then fixed her gaze on the boy and glared at him. "You heard me?"
"No, I didn't hear someone wishing to become a great mage," Alvin replied with a teasing shake of his head and a faint smile.
"Hmph, dummy!"
To his surprise, Jaina didn't threaten him again. Instead, she lifted her chin, lips pursed in a smug pout. "You fell for that so easily! My wish isn't that shallow!"
As if to prove her point, the little girl held out the coin with an air of superiority. "See? There's nothing on it!"
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