Silvermoon City

"A mage comparable to Alodi." The ruler of Silvermoon City looked at his son, who had not returned home in a long time, and murmured, "Are you certain? That would mean..."

Recalling the scene from the night before last, even Kael'thas felt the ominous sense that a storm was coming. He replied in a low voice, "Yes. That half-elf called Lister gained Ebony Chill's recognition. It was the artifact of Alodi, the first Guardian, so Master Antonidas decided to personally teach Lister."

"But becoming a Guardian requires more than talent." Belo'vir spoke. He was very old, old enough to have seen Aegwynn and her teacher, Magna Scavell. "One must also inherit the magical power accumulated by the Council of Tirisfal over a thousand years. That power is in Medivh's hands. Lister can only be said to possess a greater aptitude than anyone else to inherit it, but Medivh may not necessarily pass that power on to him."

Even now, he regretted Scavell's decision. Scavell had indeed shaped the greatest Guardian; Aegwynn had even defeated Sargeras's avatar. But a female mage who had suffered considerable discrimination was inherently more emotionally unstable. Anything could intensify the conflict between her and the Council of Tirisfal. When she lost control, the entire magical world had been shaken, and the effects persisted to this day.

Belo'vir lowered his voice. Though every mage present knew that if that person wished to eavesdrop, such a gesture would be utterly useless, he still said, "If he follows his mother's example and has a child..."

An ominous chill swept through the group, and every elf shuddered.

"As far as I know, the Guardian's Forge was never destroyed. That forge which concentrated power was merely hidden away by Aegwynn in some unknown corner." Kael'thas's voice was hurried and tense, like the fearful sigh of an asthmatic in the night. "If—if they find the Guardian's Forge again, and Medivh passes his power to his child, then in a few decades, there will be two Guardians."

King Anasterian could not help rubbing his aching brow. Yes, two Guardians. What would that mean? It would mean Dalaran's division. No, it would lead to war between Dalaran and Medivh's family, perhaps even between Dalaran and Storm City.

For humans, several decades was a rather long span of time. But for high elves, several decades was merely something humans would face a few years later. They had no choice but to prepare in advance.

"My people, just as Kael said," King Anasterian began, "we are now facing a matter of utmost urgency: a war between mages."

"If that day truly comes, whom will we support?" The king's words made everyone look at one another. "Will we support Medivh, or Dalaran?"

"It is more likely that they will not go to war." A discordant voice rang out. The woman wore the distinctive cloak of a ranger and carried a certain wild air about her. "This world is vast, vast enough for two demigods to coexist peacefully. There are far too many demigods living on Kalimdor. In fact, I would rather believe that Medivh would be delighted to find someone of his kind who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him in magic."

"Lady Lireesa, this is magic, not some simple landstrider breeding game." A caustic voice came from a corner. "I believe that creatures at the top of the food chain are surely unwilling to share their hunting grounds."

Though crude, it made a great deal of sense. Everyone let out soft laughter, yet no one disputed it. It was a very practical view. Even prosperous elves were unwilling to share their wealth, much less crude humans.

"That is because food is scarce, so the two compete. But as things stand, what else can Medivh gain from Dalaran?" Ignoring her husband Velas's attempts to stop her, Lireesa insisted on speaking. "He left Dalaran long ago. Prince Kael even said that the Council of Kirin Tor did not know whether he still carried out his duties as Guardian. That is enough to prove that Medivh has half-abandoned the position of Guardian. He is now merely a mage who wishes to live freely."

"Indeed, no one in the Council of Six has been able to establish stable contact with Guardian Medivh. One could say he is even more... than his mother." Kael'thas tried his best to find the right words, but he could not find anything suitable to say aloud. All that came to mind were curses. Madmen and tyrants were the least welcome kinds of people; put the two together, and they were a perfect match. "Out of control."

"If it were me, I would certainly be pleased to have someone take my place, so I could free myself from all those mortal trivialities. Then I could drink comfortably and watch those children slowly grow up." Anasterian stroked Kael's back. The overgrown boy shifted his shoulders, but in the end, he did not brush away his old father's hand. Everyone smiled knowingly.

"What did the Council of Kirin Tor say?" Belo'vir asked. At last freed from his father's caress, Kael'thas slowed his voice. "The Council of Kirin Tor's position is to leave the matter entirely to Antonidas."

Belo'vir rolled his eyes. "Of course. Master Antonidas is the leader of the Kirin Tor."

"What kind of person is he? I only know that he is called the Blood Warrior, but now I want to know more about his character, his abilities, whether he favors Silvermoon City, Silver Crown Forest, or humans more; what foods he likes; which aspects of spell research he prefers; even what type of girls he likes." The king raised a hand, signaling for the elves outside to begin arranging dinner. The attendants who received the signal walked out briskly and silently. A mild warm breeze stirred the golden curtains, and the orderly rustling of the cypress trees was the finest song. "We have plenty of time. Take it slowly and speak with everyone."