Arenia

Kale had spent quite a long time living and learning under Matt in Maestra Town. He was fairly familiar with the area and knew where the Sentinel Outpost was.

First, he wrote a reply to his mother and asked the town's mail owl to deliver it to the village.

Then he went to the mount rental and picked up Big Black, his Saber. Riding along the familiar road, he soon arrived outside the Sentinel Outpost.

A gate guard he knew came over to ask what he wanted.

Kale explained why he had come. The guard said, "I know about this. The ones leading the team this time are Sentinel Captain Areniya Shattercloud and the Temple of the Moon's High Priestess, Laria. They'll be here shortly, so wait here."

The names Areniya Shattercloud and Laria sounded familiar to Kale, but he couldn't remember the details.

He guessed they were characters who had appeared in the game, but he had been away from it for so long that he'd forgotten the finer details.

He nodded to the guard, then waited nearby on Big Black.

Before long, six women riding mounts emerged from the Sentinel Outpost.

The one at the front of the group was presumably Sentinel Captain Areniya Shattercloud.

The captain stood tall and straight in light armor, a gleaming silver helmet on her head and a pale purple cloak fluttering behind her. She rode an exceptionally large black Stag and looked every bit the gallant warrior.

Right behind her was Laria, priestess of the Moon Goddess. She wore a dark blue, high-collared robe and rode a fearsome Frostsaber. Her expression was solemn yet kind.

Behind Laria rode four female Sentinels in light armor and green cloaks. Their gazes were sharp, and they remained highly alert.

Night Elf society had four major armed organizations: the Temple of the Moon, led by High Priestess Tyrande; the Cenarion Circle, led by Archdruid Malfurion; the Watchers, led by Warden Maiev; and the Sentinel Corps, led by Sentinel General Shandris.

The Watchers were generally responsible for hunting down and judging criminals, and didn't usually handle the Night Elves' day-to-day affairs.

As a result, any Night Elf town of considerable size was jointly governed by the Temple of the Moon, the Cenarion Circle, and the Sentinel Corps.

The Sentinel Corps was the largest of them, with a force of fifty thousand, all experienced mid- to high-level professionals.

Nominally, the Sentinels were led by High Priestess Tyrande. In practice, they were commanded by Tyrande's adopted daughter, General Shandris Feathermoon.

The Sentinel Corps had a relatively simple chain of command: below the general were commanders, then captains, then company captains, and finally squad leaders.

When Kale saw the group approaching, he hurriedly called out to them.

Areniya raised a hand, signaling the group to stop. She scrutinized Kale through her gleaming silver helmet and asked, "Good evening. What can I do for you?"

The instant her gaze swept over him, Kale felt the eyes behind her helmet rake across him like two sharp blades. His heart tightened. This Sentinel captain was no ordinary foe.

He reflexively checked her level on his panel. She was a level 53 Hunter, and also had a second class, level 32 Warrior. No wonder she made him feel so pressured.

He quickly explained why he had come.

Areniya listened patiently. When he finished, she was silent for a moment, then said, "I know you. You must be Kale, Matt Hardwood's student. You have a good talent for Druid magic, and you work hard." Then she changed tack. "But what's happening in Bristlelimb Village is no ordinary matter. Your teacher doesn't have time to go?"

Kale understood that, for all her kind words, she didn't trust his abilities.

It couldn't be helped. Every Night Elf of any renown had lived for ages, seen countless battles, and accumulated vast experience. How could they take a young man who had only just come of age seriously?

Still, he understood her doubts, but he couldn't back down.

He forced himself to stand firm. "I don't know whether my teacher has time, but since he's assigned me to go, I'm sure I can complete the mission."

Areniya gave no reaction to his bold claim. She simply turned and glanced at Laria, who was riding a Frostsaber.

Laria studied Kale carefully. A light flickered in her eyes, and she smiled. "There's no need to worry. Elune will light our way."

Seeing that the priestess agreed, Areniya had nothing more to say. She turned to Kale. "All right. If your teacher trusts you, then come with us."

Kale breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to mess up his teacher's assignment before it had even begun.

He gave Laria a grateful look, then joined the group on Big Black.

The six women introduced themselves to Kale. Besides Areniya and Laria, the other four Sentinels were Areniya's bodyguards: Linda, Luna, Felicia, and Sera.

Once the introductions were over, Areniya said no more. She waved for the group to move out.

The seven of them passed through town, descended the mountain road, and raced along a forest path toward Bristlelimb Village.

The journey was exceedingly quiet. Laria, riding in the middle of the group, wore a gentle smile and remained serene, immersed in the radiance of the Moon Goddess.

The five Sentinels around her were like puppets, wrapped in cold armor and not saying a word.

As an outsider, Kale couldn't think of a single topic to liven up the atmosphere, so he kept quiet.

Of course, he didn't dislike the way the Sentinel Corps operated. On the contrary, he admired them greatly.

These Sentinels had clearly been tempered in a harsh environment. They were not only powerful professionals but also well trained and strictly disciplined. With their abilities, they could deal with any enemy who dared challenge them.

Still, Kale was starting to get bored. With nothing to do atop Big Black, he thought for a moment, then opened the scroll his teacher had given him and began to read.

The scroll recorded three spells: Rejuvenation, Hardened Skin, and Solar Wrath.

All three spells were useful to Druids in the early stages of their training. Rejuvenation and Solar Wrath were already within his reach.

Since he had nothing else to do, he might as well learn those two spells.

The group continued on for three or four hours, gradually nearing Bristlelimb Village.

Suddenly, the captain at the front, Areniya, patted the Stag beneath her. It immediately slowed and came to a silent stop.

The four Sentinels behind them stopped as if they were machines, then spread out in all directions to keep watch.

What had happened? Kale's heart tightened. He put away the scroll and, almost instinctively, rode Big Black closer to Laria, the priestess in the middle of the group.

Big Black seemed to have noticed something too. It grew uneasy and let out a low whinny.

Only Laria and the Frostsaber beneath her remained calm and still.

Seeing Kale come to her side, Laria gently advised him, "Child, you already possess the power of nature, but you're using it in a rigid, spell-like way. That's not right."

"You should feel the power itself and treat it as a friend. Accept it and guide it, then let it become your sense of touch. It will tell you what's happening here."

Her words seemed to hold a kind of magic. Kale couldn't help but calm down. He began to use the natural energy within him, letting it sense the surrounding mountains, rivers, plants, and trees. Before long, he understood.

Laria smiled and asked, "Do you know what's happening now?"

Kale nodded. "I can feel it. This place looks normal, but the natural energy has become terribly chaotic. It's been corrupted. The corrupted energy is frightening the plants and animals around us, but they can't find the source."

Laria sighed. "That's exactly why we're here to investigate."

Just then, a flash of light appeared ahead of the group.

Kale looked up and saw Areniya summon a Soul Owl out of thin air.

The owl swiftly flew into the sky and circled through the forest in every direction. At last, it returned to Areniya, chirped a few times, and vanished.

Laria said, "It seems only the energy in this patch of land has been corrupted. The enemy isn't here."

Sure enough, Areniya gestured over her shoulder to signal that the group could stand down, then led them onward.

The group continued for another ten minutes or so and finally reached their destination: Bristlelimb Village.