Lush woods climbed along both sides of the stairs, while flowerbeds overflowed with every variety of bloom competing in splendor. A broad staircase of white marble was laid with a red carpet, and above it stood a magnificent, beautiful palace: the Sunstrider Court.
True to elven aesthetics, it was built around gold and red. It was the concentrated embodiment of elven art and craftsmanship, a dreamlike wonder created by master artisans with the souls of poets. Marble, white jade, gold, and gemstones formed this spectacle, adorned with floating structures. Gardens, pools, mist-shrouded fountains, and birds strolling leisurely completed it. In short, it was a dazzling paradise of elven magical fantasy, expressed in the form of palaces and temples.
Ten thousand years of history and accumulated civilization had given the elves an aesthetic sense unlike any other.
"Dath'Remar's descendants spent thousands of years continuously improving and refining it. It serves as both a beautiful palace and a defensive fortress. Do not be deceived by its appearance," his mentor quietly told Shane.
The ceremony was about to begin. Today's protagonists were the Sunstrider family, while the other highborn clans would stand on either side of the stairs and watch the royal family's "performance." No one knew how many highborn clans thought this way, but none voiced it. Shane studied the expressions of every spectator and found that most appeared relaxed and at ease.
Shane nodded at his mentor's words. He could sense the powerful energy hidden beneath the palace. "Does the Sunwell supply it with energy?"
"Yes, but do not pry too deeply. The royal family has its boundaries, and the palace's arcane secrets are one of them. Do not touch them lightly. Other than that, we have nothing to worry about. The Kingdom of Quel'Thalas does not belong solely to the