[An Elf in Zul'Gurub]

"You can leave now."

When that "lowborn" female elf said this to her, Alleria could hardly believe it.

But when she emphasized it again, "It's true. You can leave whenever you want. At the very least, none of the trolls in Stranglethorn Vale will stop you anymore."

Only then did Alleria begin to believe her.

The one who had said this to her was none other than Shandris, the Night Elf whom Alleria saw as someone who had "degraded herself" by keeping company with trolls.

Two months had passed since Alleria had been crushed beneath that violent, terrifying ocean of arcane energy and suffered injuries akin to drowning. She had gradually recovered.

She had even found a blessing in disguise: her body's affinity for arcane energy had become several times stronger than before.

As a High Elf, this was unquestionably a good thing. If she had been a High Elf mage, she might even have advanced in rank because of it and gone further down the path of the arcane.

Unfortunately, she was a ranger, more skilled in agility and technique than in manipulating arcane energy.

Even so, she could now imbue her arrows with stronger arcane energy and inflict greater damage upon her enemies.

Before this, after being captured by the trolls, Alleria had always wanted to leave. She had tried to escape several times, only to be caught and brought back each time.

But now, she was somewhat reluctant to go.

It was not because she had developed feelings for the trolls or Zul'Gurub. She still disliked this city saturated with the smell of trolls, though its scenery truly was beautiful.

Alleria wanted to remain because of the violent ocean of arcane energy from two months ago.

She wanted to find out what it had been.

As the