They Had Their Eyes on Him

As mentioned before, Fastherin Academy was a comprehensive military school. It offered not only a complete education in the Arcane arts, but also served as a training center for new recruits. Most of the elite Farstriders, the High Elves' most renowned ranger corps, had come from here.

The archery range was packed almost every day, but there was always one corner few elves dared approach. That was also the reason Sarell had come here.

Her leaf-green shirt and shorts perfectly showed off the elven girl's graceful figure, while her knee-high boots and brown gloves fit her snugly. Wrapped in a full set of regulation leather armor, her already slender build looked even straighter and more petite.

The academy didn't restrict what its students wore, so few of them chose to train fully armed. They all knew it was only a matter of time, but armor was a burden, and there was no proof it would noticeably improve their progress. Few were willing to give up the easy life of a student ahead of time.

From her outfit alone, there was a faint impression of a resemblance to Alleria. Even her face looked quite similar, as though they had stepped out of the same stunning painting. The biggest difference, though, was her fine, silvery-white hair.

A breeze teased the hair from her forehead, but it couldn't block her view. She kept her keen eyes fixed on the target in the distance, drew her bow, and loosed an arrow.

A moment later, an arrow pierced the bull's-eye a hundred paces away, prompting a continuous chorus of gasps from those nearby.

Still nowhere near good enough. Vereesa frowned as she saw the arrow land barely an inch from where she'd aimed, and let out a soft sigh.

A hair's breadth of error could mean a thousand miles off. And this was only a stationary target.

Clap, clap!

The crisp applause came from behind her, but Vereesa felt no joy at being praised. The lone claps sounded grating, making her pout in displeasure. But the instant she turned around, all that annoyance vanished.

"Sarell!" the elven girl cried out excitedly. A rare, genuine smile spread across her face. Her childlike innocence made the others realize that she, too, was a student—a sweet young girl whose smile alone could melt anyone's heart.

"Very good, Vereesa. I haven't seen you in months, and your basic archery is already up to the standard of a proper ranger. Alleria and Sylvanas must be proud of you." Even from a hundred paces away, Sarell had immediately spotted the arrow that hit the bull's-eye.

Getting praised by a genuine elite ranger was certainly something to be proud of. But beneath Vereesa's happiness was a greater sense of disappointment. "My sisters' archery is so much better than this. If they heard what you just said, they'd laugh at me the next time we met."

Comparing herself to Alleria and Sylvanas? Sarell's eyelid twitched. No wonder the girl seemed so out of place at school. With two pillars of the family holding up the roof so high, the pressure on the younger ones had to be enormous.

"Ahem. Actually, I came here today to discuss something important with you." Stung by the comparison, Sarell cleared her throat and got straight to the point, then glanced at the people around them.

"I've finished training for today anyway. Come with me." Vereesa knew what she had in mind. She quickly gathered her things and led the way out of the archery range.

"Up ahead is Fastherin Academy, the jewel of Quel'Thalas, a garden that pursues the sunlight, and the hope of the Quel'dorei."

After passing through a golden forest, Lanlos's view suddenly opened up. Before he could adjust to the sudden change, the sight before him left him rooted to the spot.

A natural river channel linked to the Great Sea separated Sunstrider Isle from an undeveloped outlying island. A dozen or so High Elf buildings floated irregularly between them, crisscrossed and connected by countless suspended walkways, forming a fantastical scene that took one's breath away.

It was a castle in the sky. Fed by several mana crystals the size of houses on the top floor, more than a dozen buildings floated silently in the air. By comparison, the buildings on the ground, though just as splendid and magnificent, seemed dim.

Now and then, he could see brightly dressed students reading on the viewing balconies or laughing and playing in groups along the walkways. Most, however, stayed dutifully inside the buildings, listening to their instructors' vivid lectures.

"This is the academy's central area. Everything theoretical—tactics, scholarship, and the Arcane arts—is taught here." Alona gave Lanlos plenty of time to take in the view before beginning her introduction. "The buildings on the ground are dormitories and training grounds. The lower levels in the air are classrooms and laboratories, while the upper levels are the library. As for the floating platform at the very top, that's where the instructors hold meetings. You can't go up there, of course. Even I've only been there once, on my first day..."

Following Alona onto the suspended walkway, Lanlos glanced down at the ground receding beneath them and felt a chill run down his spine.

He put it down to the sea breeze.

Every building's interior was lavishly decorated: colorful, transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, floating magical lamps, and golden candelabras lit even in the daytime. One had to admit, the High Elves' arrogance wasn't entirely unjustified.

Their wealth and luxury had clearly crossed the line into wastefulness.

And that seemed to reflect their attitude toward magic, too: taking and squandering...

Perhaps that was why, after the Sunwell was destroyed, so many High Elves couldn't accept it and became Wretched.

As the old saying went, the same thing that brought you success could also bring about your downfall.

At that thought, Lanlos's shock gradually subsided. In the future, all this present-day prosperity would fall beneath the Scourge's hooves. None of it would matter...

Damn rich people...

"You're pretty composed, kid." Standing on the library's viewing balcony, Lanlos took in all of Sunstrider Isle. Before he could comfort himself with more thoughts of future tragedy, Alona spoke beside him.

"Am I? Did you expect me to make a big fuss?" With a helpless sigh, Lanlos accepted the glass she offered, but didn't drink from it. Was it appropriate for an instructor to drink at the academy?

"That's good. At least it'll make talking to each other easier." Alona smiled as she looked him over, her satisfaction impossible to hide.

"And you won't treat me like a child anymore?" Lanlos asked half-jokingly, running a finger around the rim of his glass. He had lived two lives. His combined age might not match hers, but he didn't want to give way when it came to maturity.

Alona laughed even harder at his question. "Ha! Actually, if you hadn't said that, I'd have forgotten you were a kid."

"..." Lanlos pursed his lips and turned his attention to the dazzling tower in the northeast, changing the subject. "What's that?"

Alona's playful smile faded, replaced by reverence and longing. "That's the Sun Tower, the academy headmaster's mage tower."

"The headmaster?"

"Magister Solanar. She's not only a senior member of the Silvermoon Council, but also one of the Sunwell's Keepers. She's a virtuous and accomplished spellcaster." As she spoke, Alona's face filled with reverence.

"A mage tower? A private one?" Lanlos sounded distinctly puzzled. Even from so far away, he could feel its mighty magic, which rivaled that of all Fastherin Academy.

"You've only just started learning, but you've got a keen nose." Alona began to see the boy in a new light. "The Sun Tower isn't just a mage tower."

"It's also a research center for the Magisters. It can clearly observe and draw upon the Sunwell's magic. Magisters from Sunstrider Isle, Silvermoon City, and even across Quel'Thalas have conducted research and given reports there. It holds plenty of records and notes that I can barely understand. If you ever get the chance to go in, once you're capable enough, you'll certainly benefit greatly."

"A lecture forum?"

"What?"

"Nothing..."

"Go on, what does my sister want you to tell me?" Vereesa sat right on the windowsill with her composite bow in her arms, not caring in the slightest about her ladylike image. Looking at the girl, who held herself to strict standards and could even be called overzealous, Sarell wanted to laugh but couldn't.

Had she had such a clear goal at Vereesa's age? No. Even if she could start over, she might not choose Vereesa's life. Having those two looming over her at the same time would be a nightmare. Yet this girl had not only withstood the social pressure of her sisters' illustrious reputations, but also kept moving forward, chasing after them amid constant doubts and comparisons.

If it were me, I'd probably have given up long ago. The distance ahead was impossible to see the end of.

"This time, I'm not here to lecture you." Looking at Vereesa, who was clearly holding back her resentment, Sarell giggled behind her hand. "This time, I have a real assignment for you."

An assignment?

Vereesa's snow-white brows jumped with excitement. All her previous gloom disappeared, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "What assignment?"

I knew it...

A flicker of bitterness crossed Sarell's face, and she began to wonder if giving Vereesa this assignment was really a good idea. But that man had recognized her, and it was inconvenient to move around the academy. Still, she couldn't simply ignore Alleria's concerns. It wasn't the best option, but it was better than letting him slip away right under her nose.

"A surveillance assignment. You don't need to get too close to the target. He's an assistant instructor at Fastherin Academy now, so you'll have plenty of legitimate opportunities to keep an eye on him."

"An assistant instructor?"

"That's right. An assistant instructor named Lanlos..."