Three Youngsters

Prince Azar sealed himself away thousands of years ago, and with him, sealed away the social tensions of the entire Kaldorei. Thanks to the efforts of those who spread the word, more and more people came to understand Prince Azar's good intentions, and little by little, everything returned to peace.

Ashenvale lay west of Desolace and north of Feralas. Don't let its name fool you: it was actually a sea of green. If Feralas was a forest made up of great clusters of towering trees, here the trees stood alone, each one a forest unto itself. Sunlight filtered through the branches and mingled with the moisture in the air, creating a dazzling array of colors. The spectacle was breathtaking, bright enough to make your eyes sparkle. It was a paradise for animals. The rich variety and abundance of plants drew great numbers of herbivores to breed and thrive here, and they in turn became food for carnivores. The cycle went on, generation after generation—the way of nature. The Night Elves had ventured into this land long ago. Gradually, more and more came to settle here and enjoy nature's blessings. They were gentle by nature and preferred a peaceful life. They lived in harmony with nature, stood at the top of the food chain, and also took on the responsibility of protecting it. But they didn't know that their actions had already caught the eye of someone watching. Cenarius, Lord of the Forest, had observed them for a long time, and he liked these new neighbors who loved nature. So he appeared before them. It was the first time the Kaldorei had seen a creature like him: tall and strong, with an upper body much like their own and the body of a stag below. His eyes shone gold, and two enormous antlers rose from his head. Most striking of all, his beard and hair were covered in leaves and tender shoots. They weren't afraid. They politely spoke with their neighbor, and the longer they spent together, the more they learned about him. He was Cenarius, son of the demigod Malorne. He guarded the forest and was its king. He liked them, too—their gentle nature and honest character. He especially admired their belief that all living things deserved equal regard. Cenarius began teaching the Kaldorei his Druidic ways. It took him a long time to get his neighbors to accept them, and then much longer to train his followers. At last, he took on his first disciple: Malfurion. The wise Cenarius patiently guided his student into nature's embrace. He succeeded. Malfurion became the first mortal Druid, and he excelled in his studies. He was even granted free access to Mount Hyjal, the demigods' home.

Malfurion's success made Cenarius very happy, and he was more than satisfied with his student's achievements. After discovering Malfurion's unique qualities in the Emerald Dream, Cenarius grew increasingly certain that he would carry on his legacy. Together, they spread their Druidic ways among the Kaldorei. They made some headway in Feralas, but accomplished little in Zin-Azshari. Cenarius returned to the Emerald Dream, while Malfurion stayed behind in Zin-Azshari to continue teaching the Druidic ways. Why did he stay? The answer was simple: he had met a young woman named Tyrande, a priestess of the Temple of the Moon. Rumor had it that she was the first mortal in thousands of years to make the moon goddess Elune reveal her true form. Dianna, the head priestess who led the Temple of the Moon, had already chosen Tyrande as her successor and kept her close, teaching her personally. Anyone could guess what might happen between a man and a woman. But there was a problem: Malfurion's younger brother, Illidan. It was an old story: two brothers falling for the same woman. It was a cliché, yet it kept happening, which was worth pondering—even here in Azeroth.

In the outskirts of Zin-Azshari, beside a small lake, two male Elves were talking. One was tall and heroic-looking, standing as he spoke. The other was handsome and dashing, sitting on an exposed tree root and casually tossing pebbles into the lake.

"Why are you always like this? I've told you so many times that our teacher thinks highly of you and says you have excellent talent. Why can't you just apply yourself?" Malfurion had started lecturing his younger brother again.

"Don't blame me. The door's shut, so I can't get in," the handsome young man said irritably, making excuses.

Well, that made a lot of sense. I was at a loss for words. Why did it feel like a rebellious kid talking to his dad?

"You have to be sincere! As long as you have a sincere Druid's heart, the gates of the Emerald Dream are always open to you," his brother persisted, speaking earnestly and patiently.

"Forget it, brother. The power of the Druidic ways is too weak. I don't think they're right for me. I'm destined to become a powerful man, just like King Azar!" The young man's face filled with longing.

"He's a hero in everyone's eyes. But, little brother, if you keep slacking off, you'll never reach those heights." His brother clearly admired Azar, too.

Illidan lowered his head and fell silent. Malfurion looked at his younger brother thoughtfully, thinking he'd finally gotten through to him. He decided to try once more. Placing both hands on Illidan's shoulders, he said solemnly, "Illidan, choose the Druidic path. It's the one best suited to you."

"Malfurion, I want to become a mage. I think that's a better fit for me," Illidan said firmly.

"Why?" Though he wasn't pleased with his younger brother's answer, Malfurion patiently asked.

"Because it's powerful," Illidan replied without a second thought. His thoughts were always so simple and erratic, and his answers left people speechless.

"All right, I respect your choice." Malfurion looked disappointed. There was nothing for it; he had to let Illidan make his own decision.

This chapter wasn't over yet. Click to continue reading on the next page!

"What are you two talking about?"

Just as things were getting awkward, a clear female voice called out. "Tyrande!" The brothers' hearts stirred, and they both turned around. A beautiful young woman approached them, a sweet, springlike smile on her face. She walked lightly and gracefully toward them.

"Tyrande, what brings you here?"

Before she had even come close, Illidan hurriedly stood up and asked her excitedly. His face lit up, and his eyes followed her as she walked. It was clear he was quite taken with her. His brother's expression barely changed, but his relaxed brows gave away what he was feeling. Tyrande reached them and looked first at the younger brother, then turned to the older one. Malfurion understood her look and quickly said, "I was trying to persuade him to take his Druidic training seriously, but apparently his heart's set on becoming a mage."

"Mages are great! We should support Illidan, shouldn't we?" Tyrande said encouragingly.

"Y-you really think so? You think my... my choice is the right one?" Illidan grew even more excited, stumbling over his words.

"I'm serious, Illidan. Her Majesty the Queen is a mage, too. And the legendary mages Saruman and Gandalf are both incredibly powerful. I've heard they're already close to immortal," the young woman replied earnestly.

"I knew you'd support me. I'll become a great mage! Believe me, Tyrande. I swear!" Illidan shouted. Why did every boy act like such a lovesick fool in front of the girl he loved?

"I believe you, Illidan. You're sure to succeed," Tyrande continued, cheering him on.

"Tyrande, you don't understand. Our teacher says Illidan has even greater talent than I do for the Druidic ways, but he hasn't studied as well as I have. The real question is whether he can apply himself to learning, not which path he chooses." Malfurion still looked serious.

That was like stepping on a cat's tail. You're done for, Malfurion. How could you tell Tyrande he had an attitude problem? You might as well tell her he was a bad kid and she shouldn't play with him. Sure enough, when Illidan heard his brother say that, he bristled with anger.

"You're always saying, 'Our teacher says this, our teacher says that!' You're always criticizing me for this and that. I've had enough! You say I can't do it? Fine, I'll show you!" He roared like an enraged lion.

"Calm down, Illidan. Your brother only wants what's best for you. No career can bring easy success," Tyrande hurriedly said, trying to placate him.

"Right, he wants what's best for me. You all want what's best for me. I'm the one who's no good, right?" Illidan shouted angrily, then turned and ran.

It had all happened so suddenly that neither of them could react. They exchanged rueful smiles, then ran after Illidan together.

Not long after they left, two people stepped out from behind another large tree. One of them asked, "Who do you think she likes?"

"Obviously, she likes the mature, dependable older brother."

"Oh? What makes you say that? Is it because you think he's like you? Do you think girls are supposed to like stiff types like you?"

"That's not it. Didn't you notice how she was coddling him like someone trying to teach a disobedient little brother?"

"Hmm, you might have a point. Does he really have no chance at all?"

Why did people always take the side of the underdog?

"Who knows?" the person being questioned replied, clearly annoyed.

"Why do I feel like you two are the ones in love?" a voice called from the branches overhead.

"Maiev, that joke isn't funny at all!" one of them called up to her.

That was Daphne's voice. The other one had to be Falco. No need to guess.

"All right, everyone's here. Let's go."