Arenia

Kalei had lived in Maestra for quite some time while studying under Matt Hardwood, so he was fairly familiar with the environment and knew exactly where the Sentinel station was located.

He first wrote a reply to his mother, entrusting a town messenger to send it back to the village via owl.

Afterward, he went to the mount rental station to retrieve his Saber, Big Black, and rode along the familiar path until he reached the exterior of the Sentinel station.

A familiar guard came over to inquire about his business.

Kalei explained his purpose, and the guard replied, "I am aware of this matter. The team in charge this time consists of Sentinel Lieutenant Areniya Shattercloud and the Temple of the Moon representative, High Priestess Laria. They will be here shortly, so please wait here for a moment."

The names Areniya Shattercloud and Laria sounded familiar to Kalei, but he could not recall the specific details at the moment.

He guessed that these two were likely characters who had appeared in the game, but he had been away from the game for too long and had long forgotten those minor details.

He nodded to the guard in acknowledgment and waited to the side while mounted on Big Black.

Not long after, six female knights rode their mounts out from the Sentinel station.

The one leading the group was clearly the Sentinel Lieutenant, Areniya Shattercloud.

The lieutenant stood tall with a straight posture, clad in light armor and wearing a gleaming silver helmet. A pale purple cloak fluttered behind her in the wind, and she rode an exceptionally large black Stag, appearing heroic and spirited.

Following closely behind was the Priestess of the Moon, Laria, who wore a deep blue high-collared robe and rode a fierce Frostsaber, her demeanor solemn and kind.

Behind Laria were four female Sentinels in light armor with green cloaks; their gazes were sharp, and they maintained a high state of vigilance.

Night Elf society primarily consists of four 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 Army led by General Shandris Feathermoon.

Generally speaking, the Watchers are primarily responsible for hunting down and judging criminals and are not typically involved in the daily affairs of Night Elf towns.

Therefore, any Night Elf town of a certain size is jointly managed by the Temple of the Moon, the Cenarion Circle, and the Sentinel Army.

Among them, the Sentinel Army is the largest, numbering fifty thousand, all of whom are experienced mid-to-high-level professionals.

These Sentinels are nominally led by High Priestess Tyrande, but in reality, they are commanded by Tyrande's adopted daughter, General Shandris Feathermoon.

According to the relatively simple organizational structure of the Night Elves, the Sentinel Army has Commanders under the General, Captains under the Commanders, Lieutenants under the Captains, and Sergeants under the Lieutenants.

Seeing the team approach, Kalei hurriedly hailed them from the side.

Areniya raised a hand to signal the team to stop, scrutinized Kalei through her silver-shining helmet, and asked, "Good evening. May I ask what you need?"

The moment her gaze swept over him, Kalei felt as if the eyes behind that helmet were two sharp blades scraping against him, causing his heart to tighten; he realized this Sentinel Lieutenant was no simple figure.

He subconsciously used his panel to check her level and discovered that she was a level 53 Hunter, and also possessed a dual-class level 32 Warrior profession. No wonder she exerted such pressure on him.

He hurriedly explained his purpose to her.

Areniya listened patiently until he finished, then remained silent for a moment before saying, "I recognize you. You must be Matt Hardwood's student, Kalei, right? Your Druid talent is decent, and you are hardworking enough." Her tone then shifted, "However, the situation at Bristlelimb Village this time is not ordinary. Does your teacher not have time to go?"

Kalei understood that although her words sounded polite, she did not actually trust his abilities.

There was no helping it; every notable Night Elf lived a long life, was battle-hardened, and possessed vast experience. How could they easily think highly of a young man like him who had just come of age?

However, even though he understood her perspective, he could not back down.

He braced himself and said, "I do not know if my teacher has time, but since he arranged for me to go, I believe I will certainly be able to complete the mission."

Areniya showed no reaction to his bold claim, merely glancing back at the Priestess Laria, who was riding the Frostsaber.

Laria studied Kalei carefully for a moment, a flash of light appearing in her eyes, and she smiled, "Do not worry, Elune will light our path forward."

Seeing the Priestess agree, Areniya did not say much more and said to Kalei, "Fine. Since your teacher approves of you, then follow us."

Seeing Areniya agree, Kalei breathed a sigh of relief; he did not want the mission his teacher arranged to be ruined before it even began.

He gave Laria a grateful look and joined the team while riding Big Black.

The six ladies then introduced themselves to Kalei. Among the six, besides Areniya and Laria, the other four Sentinels were Areniya's personal guards, named Linda, Luna, Felicia, and Sera, respectively.

Once the introductions were complete, Areniya said no more and waved her hand to signal the team to move forward.

The group of seven passed through the town, descended the mountain path, and galloped along the forest road toward Bristlelimb Village.

The entire journey was extremely dull. Laria, in the middle of the group, maintained a constant smile and a peaceful expression, immersed in the divine light of the Moon Goddess.

As for the five Sentinels surrounding her, they were like wooden puppets, wrapped in cold armor, not uttering a single word.

Faced with this situation, Kalei, as an outsider, could hardly find a topic to liven up the atmosphere, so he chose to keep his mouth shut.

Of course, Kalei did not dislike the Sentinel Army's style; on the contrary, he admired it immensely.

These Sentinels had undoubtedly been tempered in a cruel environment; they were not only powerful professionals but also well-trained and strictly disciplined. With their abilities, they were more than capable of dealing with any enemy who dared to challenge them.

However, this made Kalei feel somewhat bored. Sitting on his Saber with nothing to do, he thought for a moment and opened the scroll his teacher had given him.

The scroll recorded three spells: Rejuvenation, Barkskin, and Moonfire.

These three spells were very useful for early-stage Druids, and he was already able to learn Rejuvenation and Moonfire.

Since he had nothing to do now, he might as well learn these two spells.

In this way, the team traveled for three or four hours, gradually approaching Bristlelimb Village.

Suddenly, Lieutenant Areniya, who was walking in front, patted the Stag beneath her. The Stag immediately slowed its pace and came to a silent stop.

The four Sentinels following closely behind stopped simultaneously, as if they were machines, and then dispersed in four directions to keep watch on the surroundings.

What happened? Kalei's heart tightened. He put away the scroll and involuntarily rode Big Black closer to the Priestess Laria in the middle of the road.

Big Black, beneath him, seemed to have sensed something as well; he grew restless, letting out a low, whimpering whine.

Only Laria, in the center, and the Frostsaber beneath her remained as calm as ever.

Seeing Kalei approach, Laria offered gentle guidance: "Child, you already possess the power of nature, but you are merely using it in a rigid, skill-based manner. That is not the right way."

"You should learn to feel the power itself. Treat it as a friend, embrace it, guide it, and let it become an extension of your senses. It will tell you exactly what is happening here."

Kalei felt as though her words held a magical quality, compelling him to calm down involuntarily. He began to channel the natural energy within him, letting it reach out to perceive the surrounding mountains, rivers, and vegetation. It didn't take long for him to understand.

Laria smiled and asked, "Do you know what is happening here now?"

Kalei nodded. "I can feel it. Everything looks normal, but the natural energy has become incredibly chaotic. It has been corrupted. This tainted energy is causing panic among the local flora and fauna, yet they cannot find the source of the corruption."

Laria sighed, "That is precisely why we have come to investigate."

Just then, a light flared at the front of the party.

Kalei looked up to see Arenia conjure a spirit owl out of thin air.

The owl soared rapidly into the sky, circling the forest in every direction before returning to Arenia. It chirped a few times and then vanished.

Laria remarked, "It seems only this patch of land has been corrupted; the enemy is not here."

Sure enough, Arenia signaled for the party to stand down, and they continued their advance.

After another ten minutes of travel, the party finally arrived at their destination: Bristlelimb Village.