Time slipped by, and the years flew past. Time was always the most powerful weapon. You might not feel it, but by the time you did, it had already changed something. Its greatest trick was changing people's hearts.
A long life was the Kaldorei's most precious gift. They could spend as long as they liked studying whatever interested them, never worrying about time running out—not in a year, a decade, a century, or even a millennium. The Night Elves remained absorbed in the secrets of the Well of Eternity, for they had discovered that it seemed to hold endless mysteries waiting to be uncovered. They delved deeper and deeper into Arcane energy, becoming learned mages, then Archmages, and then... and then... They used the power of the Arcane to build astonishing structures, and magic gradually became an important part of their lives. Azshara was one of the finest among them. She oversaw the construction of a new temple dedicated to Elune and named the magnificent hall the Throne of the Heavens. She led the Highborne in their continued study of the Well of Eternity, hoping her empire could achieve new heights of glory. Yes, she had become the ambitious, desire-driven Azshara once more. She was Queen Azshara!
She didn't rush to take back her daughter's power. For now, her daughter seemed to be managing the empire well. Sophia's approach to governing carried on her father's philosophy of letting things take their course. Under her rule, the people were prosperous, peaceful, and happy. The common folk supported and loved her. Azshara simply took charge of the mage corps once again, leading her followers in their continued study of the Well of Eternity. These followers believed they were different from ordinary Kaldorei: they were the queen's close allies, they were nobles, and they deserved to be superior. So they began calling themselves the Highborne. They rebuilt Suramar into an even larger, more lavish city of magic. There, they established the Council of Mages, which took control of everything related to magic. They reveled in all that magic brought them. They studied it, understood it, and mastered it, believing they ought to be its masters. And so conflict arose. The mages of the Mage Research Institute strongly disagreed with their philosophy. It was an organization of the Wise, who believed that mages and magic should have an equal, accepting, mutually supportive relationship—that neither should control or enslave the other. Prince Azar had once warned them, "Don't think about enslaving the power of the Arcane. Don't even consider it. If you do, one day the Arcane will turn on you."
"They were never well-intentioned, even from the day they first learned of the Arcane. They're used to enslaving others, and now they dream of enslaving the power of the Arcane. Their first instinct is always to enslave and exploit. They were parasites before, and now they're a disgrace to mages." That was Saruman's assessment of the Council of Mages.
"They're nothing but a bunch of country bumpkins. They can't appreciate the beauty of the Arcane." The Highborne looked down on their opponents even more.
With Her Majesty's tacit approval, the endless arguments grew more heated. The ideological dispute began spreading through every stratum of Kaldorei society, and class conflict continued to intensify. Eventually, the Highborne chose to monopolize the Well of Eternity and cut themselves off completely from the common folk. The people had no choice. Some Kaldorei resigned themselves to their fate, but many more chose to leave Zin-Azshari and head west to Eldre'Thalas. In this way, Zin-Azshari returned to the control of the queen and the Highborne. Princess Sophia, who governed the city, was powerless to stop it. She wouldn't go against her mother; that wasn't in keeping with her principles. She tried hard to soothe both sides, but failed. Her efforts at mediation achieved nothing. In the face of class conflict, an individual's strength was so pitifully small. The only thing she gained was the common folk's hearts. In the end, she chose to return to Eldre'Thalas and begin a new political career.
A great man was great because people could always benefit from what he had done. In Eldre'Thalas, Prince Azar was widely regarded as such a man. From the day this beautiful elven city was founded, it had been indelibly marked by Azar. Prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony were the city's hallmarks; freedom, equality, justice, and the rule of law were the reality of everyday life; dedication, diligence, honesty, and kindness were virtues shared by everyone there. The city had always upheld its distinctive cultural ideals. It was both the jewel of the Kaldorei and an outlier among them. And it was all because of Prince Azar. He had given the city its soul and given the common folk a creed to believe in. The people of Eldre'Thalas supported him, loved him, and revered him. But today, they would lose their great prince. Faced with his wife's actions and her constant changes of heart, he had finally reached his limit. He had struggled, tried, and fought. Now he was tired and wanted to rest. He felt powerless to deal with the empire's tangled affairs. In truth, he had another option: he could end the conflict through war. But he didn't, because of Azshara—and because war itself would harm the empire far more than class conflict ever could. This was a necessary path of development. No one could change it, not even the Titans. In the end, he chose to flee, to leave this world behind. He sealed himself away!
Two letters, two loves; a lifetime could never repay them. If we meet again in another life, I'll give everything I have so we can settle what we owe each other.
My dear daughter,
By the time you read this letter, I will be resting beneath the earth. On your first day in Eldre'Thalas, you asked me why the capital had six satellite cities and why there was a pit at the center of Eldre'Thalas. I only smiled and said nothing. Now let me tell you the answer. I brought back the purest water from the Well of Eternity and poured it into the pit. It will provide energy for this city. Each of the six satellite cities has a huge stone engraved with a magic array. Together, they form a vast barrier around the entire city, protecting it from outside interference. As for why I did all this, you'll understand someday.
I love the statue you made for me. It reminds me of my days in Pandaria. When a Mogu emperor died, they would erect a stone statue in his honor. I've asked Falco to place my statue at the entrance to the pit. I'll be sleeping down there, so if you miss me, come and talk to me. Once the statue is in place, the water from the Well will begin supplying energy. You must activate the arrays on the stones in time. I've already told Daphne how, so just have her do it.
I can entrust Eldre'Thalas to you without worry. Don't blame your mother. Take good care of yourself. Remember your father's advice: the people gave you your power. Without them, you are nothing. You must serve the people.
That's all.
Your loving father
My dear Azshara,
My love, I'm leaving. Don't grieve, don't be sad. We love each other deeply, and we have Sophia. That's enough for me. Vashj and Dath'Remar are people you can trust. Be wary of Xavius!
Your loving Azar
The bronze statue fell, and with it fell the tears of two women.
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