Song of Victory

Later, at ten that night, when the White Lady had risen to the middle of the sky, everyone set off for home, their hearts filled with victory.

Silver moonlight spilled across the forest like liquid mercury, bathing the narrow path in a hazy, mysterious glow. The trees on either side cast long shadows, as if escorting them safely home.

On the way back, their mood was nothing like the anxious uncertainty they had felt on the way there. Everyone was relaxed, taking their time and even deliberately slowing their steps to savor this rare moment of peace.

Linda and the other three leisurely began singing a traditional Night Elf song, War from Afar, while Jinli sang along beside them.

Their voices rang clear and far-reaching through the silent night, as if they could pierce through time and awaken ancient memories.

Beneath the radiance of Nordrassil,

we entered the land of shadows.

With Ashwood Longbows in hand and Moonlight Blades at our waists,

ah, Elune, please light our way,

and guide us through the thorns!

We crossed the Fel and strode through flames,

like sharp arrows, piercing the enemy lines.

Saber growled, and Hippogryphs cried aloud,

we rose up! We fought with all our might!

Death could not make the Kaldorei yield,

blood could not make the Kaldorei retreat.

Moonfire tore through the clinging shadows,

thorns ensnared the enemy's iron hooves.

My sister fell at my side,

her silver hair soaked in the green earth.

Ah, dear comrades,

do not hesitate, do not fear,

the Light of Elune has woven our fate.

We will be invincible!

Listen! That is the enemy's retreating horn!

Dawn will judge their fate!

Comrades, rejoice!

Celebrate this hard-won victory.

But remember, do not grow proud, do not underestimate the enemy.

When the Light of Elune falls once more,

a new battle will be waiting for us.

Kale had heard this traditional Night Elf war song before. He had also heard his elders sing it at celebrations in Moonshadow Village. But when he was young, he had thought only that its melody was stirring; he couldn't understand its deeper meaning, and it hadn't moved him.

But after this thrilling adventure, after experiencing life-and-death struggles firsthand, hearing the song again felt completely different.

Every line of the lyrics seemed alive, intertwined with his experiences over the past few days and stirring his heart.

As he listened, he couldn't help joining in. Unfortunately, he hadn't inherited the Night Elves' gift for poetry. His voice was clear, but he kept going off-key. He had sung only a few lines when everyone burst out laughing. Even Arenia, who rarely smiled, laughed aloud. It was rather embarrassing.

But Kale had spent some time with them now, and after their adventure together, they had grown much closer. He wasn't afraid of them laughing at him. In fact, he laughed along with them.

After laughing for a while, they stopped singing and began chatting.

Most of their conversation was about the Furbolg uprising.

Although they had found the mastermind behind the incident, dealt with the source of the corruption, and even gained quite a few unexpected rewards, the more they thought about it, the more they felt that the matter wasn't over. There were still many mysteries.

The greatest mystery was the strange power connected to shadows that they had encountered during the battle.

Thanks to Kale's deliberate prompting, everyone knew that this power was connected to the Nightmare. But they had no idea where it came from or who its powerful wielders were. Kale couldn't just force all that information into the conversation, either.

Jinli sighed. "It's a shame that Satyr leader got away in the end. If we'd caught him, we could have handed him over to the Wardens for questioning. I'm sure we could have uncovered plenty of information."

Arenia said, "Satyr are naturally skilled at disguising themselves and hiding. Catching him head-on wouldn't have been easy. Driving him off and foiling his plans was already a good result."

Sera said, "Kale, that Satyr leader seemed to know you. Do you think he might be hiding in your village?"

Kale thought for a moment. "It's hard to say. He did know me. He showed up when the Satyr Rebellion broke out in our village forty years ago. My father's disappearance might also have something to do with him. But I don't know who he really is, or whether he's hiding in our village."

Arenia said, "Since he knows you and once caused trouble in your village, he's connected to it even if he isn't hiding there. I suggest you investigate thoroughly after you return. If you find anything and need help, come to the Sentinel Corps and find me."

Kale nodded. "All right, Captain. Thank you. I will."

Luna, beside him, gave him a flirtatious wink and a smile. "You can come find me, too. I'm always free."

Her words made Linda and the other two laugh heartily, and they all invited him over as well.

Kale hadn't expected these experienced flirts to start openly revving their engines in broad moonlight. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Fortunately, Arenia promptly put the brakes on them. Otherwise, they would have taken things further and sooner or later run right over Kale's face.

Everyone chatted and laughed along the way, and it took them nearly an hour to get back to Bristlelimb Village.

When they had left, the village had been preparing for battle in tense silence. Now, it was peaceful and calm.

Apparently, their victory in Bearclaw Valley had already reached Priestess Laria through the Moonwell.

As soon as they entered the village, they were quickly spotted. Everyone who saw them greeted them warmly and applauded.

The commotion drew more and more villagers, who gathered around Kale and the others, surrounding them in the Moonlight Plaza like stars around the moon.

The villagers had heard the news of the victory from Priestess Laria, and now they were eager to hear how it had happened.

This time, without Jinli or the others prompting him, Kale took the initiative and began telling them about their adventure.

He recounted how they had left Bristlelimb Village and met up with Jinli, scouted Bearclaw Valley, discovered Uerga, reunited with their former allies, launched a surprise attack through the secret passage, cleansed the Magic Tree, and witnessed the tree sacrifice itself.

After hearing Kale's account, everyone agreed that it had been a short but memorable adventure.

Kale and the others also asked about the village. When they learned that the injured in the temple had all improved under Laria's care, and that Laria had cleansed the Moonwell, the last of their worries gradually faded.

With Kale and the others back and the injured in the temple recovering, the Furbolg incident had come to a victorious end.

Everyone decided to hold a banquet to celebrate their victory.

Night Elf society often held all kinds of banquets, to honor their ancestors, celebrate the harvest, and so on.

But this banquet was different from the usual ones. It was a celebration of victory, and it would be far grander than an ordinary banquet.

All the villagers of Bristlelimb Village volunteered to take part. They decorated a place for the celebration in the plaza with flowers, ribbons, and glowing moss, brought out the food and wine they had been saving at home, and warmly invited the heroes who had distinguished themselves in the battle to join them.

Priestess Laria, Priestess Lilin, Ranger Jinli, and Warrior Salomon readily accepted. Arenia and the other four Sentinels didn't refuse, but Kale, whom they called a young hero, seemed somewhat reluctant.

It wasn't that Kale disliked banquets. He had attended plenty of Night Elf celebrations growing up, but back then he had been a child, eating and drinking below while watching the adults perform. He hadn't expected to become one of the central figures at a banquet so soon.

The sudden change left him a little uncomfortable. Although he was an adult now, he had spent most of the past century training and knew nothing about some of the everyday skills of the Night Elves.

He couldn't sing, draw, play an instrument, or dance. He couldn't even tell a joke. He had no idea what he was supposed to do when he ended up in the middle of the stage.

But no matter what Kale thought, the banquet began when the White Lady and the Blue Child had both risen to the middle of the sky.

The village bards had turned the heroes' battle into poems and plays, which they performed in the plaza.

The villagers gathered around them, watching the performances, eating Roasted Forest Potatoes, Honey-Glazed Berries, Moonlight Berry Tarts, and other delicacies, and drinking Moonlight Wine and Morning Dew Wine. Soon, they were singing and dancing.

According to Night Elf custom, everyone at a banquet could set aside their status.

They were no longer lofty priests, stern hunters, or rigid warriors. Like everyone else, they were ordinary folk, free to let their nature shine and dance with the villagers.

As Kale watched the festivities grow livelier, he quietly took some food and wine and hid in a secluded corner, hoping no one would notice him.

Unfortunately, as one of the heroes, he was constantly being watched. A beautiful Night Elf woman in a pale purple gown studded with stars made her way through the crowd to find him. When she held out her hand and invited him to the dance floor, he was at a loss.

Fortunately, the woman quickly noticed his predicament. She didn't laugh at him and offered to teach him to dance, patiently showing him the basic steps.

Kale couldn't refuse again, so he followed her onto the dance floor.

As Kale joined them, eight elegantly dressed women also stepped into the open space.

Three of them were Jinli, Laria, and Lilin. Kale didn't recognize the other five.

But he quickly guessed from their figures and faintly familiar auras that they were the five Sentinels, out of their armor.

Kale had spent several days with the five Sentinels, but this was the first time he had seen them in full. He hadn't expected that beneath their stern armor were five women with such striking figures and beautiful faces.

Arenia was even more stunning, with an exquisite beauty. Paired with her cool expression, she was like a dew-covered blade beneath the moonlight, her beauty sharp and breathtaking.

The eight women's arrival caused an immediate stir. Everyone wanted to get close to these powerful, beautiful women, and they eagerly asked them to dance.

With them joining in, the banquet grew even more lively. Everyone threw themselves into the festivities, gradually bringing the celebration to its climax.

Kale stepped onto the dance floor with his partner. At first, his movements were awkward and stiff, and he stepped on her feet several times. But with her patient guidance and encouragement, he gradually relaxed and got into step with everyone else.

Though Kale was no great dancer—he had only just begun to learn—his handsome appearance and heroic performance in battle still drew the attention of many female Night Elves.

People kept coming to ask Kale to be their dance partner, including Jinli and the others, as well as several of the Sentinels.

Although Kale found that doing this over and over wore him out, both physically and mentally, he didn't want to be rude, so he went along with each request.

As time passed, the dancing came to an end. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and celebrated to their hearts' content, they found places to rest beneath the light of dawn.

Kale was finally free from the endless socializing. As usual, he found a sunny spot and prepared to get a good night's sleep.

But before sleeping, he checked the panel for information about the Seed of the Soul Ancient.

Name: Seed of the Soul Ancient

Quality: Legendary

Description: A seed condensed by the Spirit of Nature from fragments of a legendary Magic Tree's soul. It seems to require natural energy to activate.

Kale closed his eyes and focused. Before long, he sensed a transparent seed about the size of a fist, resembling an Ancient of War, floating within his consciousness, waiting to be activated.

He tried touching the seed with his consciousness, but nothing happened. Then he tried channeling natural energy into it, but the seed still didn't change.

Kale shook his head. The system said natural energy was needed to activate the seed, but it seemed it wasn't that simple. He had no choice but to set aside his curiosity for the time being, close his eyes, and fall into a deep sleep. He would find another way later.