Jaina stayed with Taelan Fordring for another two days before finally leaving Mardenholde, reluctant to go. She diligently copied notes every day, and during her free time, Taelan took her to hear Instructor Havinfar tell stories about the Orc Wars.
Their laughter and joy filled all of Hearthglen and the Lumber Mill.
In the end, she still left with her mother. As they said goodbye, Jaina reminded Taelan Fordring once again not to forget to write to her.
After they had left, Taelan found his tutor, Grand Astromancer Solarian. It turned out that even High Elves could be changed by those around them. She had come to think of herself as one of Taelan Fordring's family. She had not requested to leave Hearthglen. Instead, she devoted herself to teaching her students here. At the same time, she began studying Holy Spells. She spent the rest of her time running the Prince's magic shop.
High Elf goods were in high demand. The Prince approved of her work. In November, Solarian helped the Prince buy a great deal of grain and produce in Andorhal. Lordaeron's tax revenue also increased significantly, and an air route opened between Hearthglen and Silvermoon City.
Taelan saw a Dragonhawk for the first time—the most cost-effective aerial mount in all of Azeroth. He even considered suggesting that his father develop a Dragonhawk force. At the same time, Solarian introduced him to the uncouth Li Yajun.
She was still a proper Priest. Through her, Tirion Fordring hired a small group of High Elf Priests. This greatly eased the problem of wounded soldiers resulting from the recent campaigns to clear out the Forest Trolls.
Though High Elves tended to look down on others, they were always dedicated to their work. And because of their long lifespans, their professional skills were invariably excellent. They had earned a good reputation in Hearthglen.
Watching these High Elf Priests reminded Taelan of the Sorceresses and Priests in Warcraft III. It almost felt as if he had returned to the Warcraft III: Reforged days.
On the night Jaina left, Taelan took out the letter. He asked Solarian to help him examine the confidential message.
The letter's tube bore a distinct magical aura. It either held a magic trap or a spell that would destroy the letter. So he cast Power Word: Shield on Solarian, who then used Mage Hand to inspect it. As expected, it was a coded letter. If the person opening it entered the wrong password, the tube would destroy the message.
Of course, a little trick like that was no challenge for a legendary spellcaster. Solarian soon cracked the code. She also had a more direct option: forcibly dispel the magic.
This was evidence delivered right into their hands!
"Ding. Congratulations! You have completed the quest: Dark Deal!
You have obtained Barthilas's secret letter.
You have obtained 60 Points!"
Well, he had Points again. Taelan Fordring opened the long-neglected Nephalem Hut and bought two Attribute Dice once more. He gained one point of Intelligence and one point of Charisma! He had 40 Points left. The hut needed exactly 40 experience to level up. It seemed he would have to wait two months before he could spend all those points. Even worse, none of the main quests awarded Points. By the time he reached level two, he would have spent them all. He could only watch helplessly as the newly available items vanished when the shop refreshed a month later! It was infuriating!
The next four months were very fulfilling for Taelan Fordring. Every day, he meditated and practiced martial skills. In the evenings, he studied magic and Occultism with Solarian. The rest of his time went to trips into the mountains with his friends, hunting, or spending time with the people of Hearthglen. He chatted with them, learned about their lives, and told his father about their troubles.
Sometimes he helped them drive off wild beasts or recover candles stolen by Kobolds. He also visited the Weeping Cave and ran into Hask. It had not yet been corrupted by the Scourge. It did not have green skin, and it would not attack passersby.
Over those four months, he had improved himself, learned to wield warhammers, and mastered Cleave. Under Solarian's tutelage, his Occultism advanced further, and he gained a very important spell talent: Multicast!
Multicast: Passive ability. Each time you cast a spell, there is a chance it will trigger twice! Requires three times the mana. (Offensive spells only!)
You are not alone! (System: I'm the one who's human!)
The northern winds of Lordaeron brought Jaina's letter and the New Year to Hearthglen. The day Taelan Fordring had been waiting for half a year was finally approaching.
Tomorrow, his whole family would set out for Light's Hope Chapel in what would one day be known as the Eastern Plaguelands. There, he would be baptized by Archbishop Alonsus Faol, at a location chosen personally by the Archbishop.
Only six people would attend: Taelan Fordring, Bridget, Abbendis, Marland, Renault Mograine, Sally Whitemane, and Demitria. These six would become the second generation of Scarlet Crusade leaders.
Taelan had also heard the news: Arthas, the Prince of Lordaeron, who was two years older than him, would be baptized at the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind!
The next day, the entire Fordring family set out! Of course, Solarian and the tagalong siblings, Paris and his sister, were coming too! They would witness Taelan Fordring become an Initiate Paladin of the Order of the Silver Hand.
As Taelan Fordring's magic tutor, Krasus was certainly not going to miss it! He had already received approval for his teleportation request. He would teleport directly to Stratholme, then wait for Taelan Fordring at Light's Hope Chapel.
Kalandra had recently received a letter from Lady Katherine Proudmoore. She couldn't attend because of affairs in Kul Tiras, but Daelin was leading a fleet on a visit to Dalaran, and he would bring Jaina to the ceremony. They would travel through Lordaeron, then ride Gryphons to Light's Hope Chapel. That had to be Jaina's idea.
In truth, nobody but mages liked teleportation. It was dangerous, and for safety's sake, teleportation had to be requested in advance. The time, number of people, and destination all had to be confirmed before it could be used. On top of that, teleportation was expensive and the experience was awful! Most ordinary people threw up their dinner the first time they teleported. They might even need half a month to recover.
The Tirion family chose to travel by carriage. They set out from Hearthglen and headed east along the main road. The journey would take five days.
The Eastern Plaguelands was a rich and expansive land. Not only was its soil fertile, but it was also a strategic region. It lay at the crossroads of Lordaeron, Quel'Thalas, and the Zul'Mashar Trolls, and the three factions clashed from time to time.
In World of Warcraft, the Eastern Plaguelands was also a very important zone. It was home to Stratholme, one of the three great dungeons, as well as Naxxramas, the final raid of the Vanilla Era. It was also where the fragments of Atiesh could be found. By level sixty, players almost always ended up here. It was also Tirion Fordring's place of seclusion.
Another important reason was that Stratholme was not only the turning point in the fate of Arthas, Prince of Lordaeron, but also a stronghold of the Order of the Silver Hand. Its rich history drew countless players there. The presence of the Undead Warhorse and the Runeblade of Rivendare also helped keep it popular.
Since Quel'Thalas was so close, Solarian felt a stronger longing for home the nearer she got. She actually wanted to visit Quislin Hut and see the Farstriders, hoping she might run into the Windrunner Sisters.
It had been a long time since she had returned to her homeland—at least by the standards of an Elf's long lifespan.
I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I'll revise it when I get back tonight. If you have recommendation tickets or monthly tickets, please send them in. They mean a lot to a new author.
Though Penglai's skills are limited, I'll keep learning and improving. Thank you all for your support.
I'd also like to thank the great author Withered Violet for the monthly ticket. Thank you. It's the best comfort a struggling author could ask for.
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