The Chaotic Council of Tirisfal

Dalaran Sewer Legends, an adventure novel so improbable it was almost unbelievable, swiftly took all of Dalaran by storm.

Within its pages, one could find artifacts, terrifying giant spiders, enormous sewer rats, massive saltwater crocodiles, and even an account of a powerful mage defeating a dreadlord. That account left the Council of Tirisfal trembling with fear. They had never expected Kathra'natir to still be alive. Fortunately, the unlucky bastard had been defeated once again—and, coincidentally, this time by Alodi's successor.

This bestselling novella did not merely sell well in Dalaran; it spread across the entire continent. Now everyone knew that the Guardian was humanity's strongest shield, and no demon lord should ever dream of harming mankind.

But for Lister, the most important thing was that the novel had saved the teetering Dalaran Truth Daily. He had no choice but to sit through the press conference arranged by the Violet Citadel, answering questions while signing books for fans.

The more this happened, the more anxious the Violet Citadel became. Clearly, a demon necromancer was hiding within Dalaran. According to the high elf mages who had rushed over specifically, this necromancer had used Kathra'natir's knowledge to summon a felguard. Obviously, that felguard had been both the sacrifice and an offering meant to replenish Kathra'natir's fel energy. In other words...

Kathra'natir was very likely not dead.

The conclusion sent chills down everyone's spine. That was what everyone thought: yes, they had a Guardian, but the upper ranks of the mages all knew Medivh was unreliable. Only years later would they discover that Medivh was more than merely unreliable—he was humanity's greatest traitor. And Lister was still too young to become the next Guardian.

"I said it long ago. We should have used force to take the Guardian's power away from Medivh."

The gathering in Poison Spider Canyon was anything but peaceful. Most members of the Council of Tirisfal chose to meet here. The evil nocturnal spiders were excellent at driving away intruders, while the council members' immense power ensured that the spiders did not dare disturb them either.

"There's no point saying that now. Compared to Medivh, Aegwynn was practically good. At least she seriously carried out her duty of banishing demons." A councilor whose identity was concealed said angrily, "Antonidas now demands that we act immediately and find that necromancer."

"If the dreadlord Kathra'natir is revived, then our existence will have no meaning."

"The question is, how do we find him? Are we supposed to drag every person in Dalaran over for inspection?" Someone suggested the most practical approach. Using fel energy left an indelible mark of desecration on one's body. Checking people one by one was certainly clumsy, but it was also the most effective method. He then rejected his own proposal. "That would be utterly absurd!"

"If only there were a Guardian. He could tell at a glance whether someone carried fel energy."

"Idiots..."

These people argued endlessly, while the clever Tarsis merely recorded their voices and occasionally offered a few harmless opinions. At someone's request, he wanted to know how the members of the Council of Tirisfal viewed that person. Tarsis happily entered into a partnership with him, and in return, the other party elevated him to baron and granted him an estate in Silvermoon City.

Clearly, they were nothing more than a disorderly rabble. Without a Guardian, the organization of Guardians itself existed in name only. Alex losing Ebony Chill had only made matters worse. They had no unified ideology whatsoever. What had once been an organization dedicated to preserving peace had now become a garbage bin for shirking responsibility and endless bickering. Even Tarsis could barely stand to watch.

Lister sat before Kael'thas. Silvermoon City's most skilled craftsmen and enchanting masters had gathered together, discussing how to repair Levrethra's armor. Levrethra's descendants, a nervous pair of high elf husband and wife, sat there holding their baby, seemingly unable to believe this was real.

"Levrethra was one of the finest mages of our people. He defended both Dalaran and Silvermoon City. It is our duty to return his relics to his descendants." Kael'thas smiled warmly. "Don't be nervous. Have some wine."

"Your Highness, we simply never dared imagine that we would see Grandfather's relic again in our lifetime." The male high elf's lips were trembling. Kael'thas was not only returning the armor to him, but had even raised him to the rank of baron. For a commoner, that was an unimaginably enormous rise. "This is the history of our family's glory."

"Yes, my friend." Kael'thas nodded. Repairing Levrethra's armor and granting land would both entail tremendous financial expenses, but compared with the enormous prestige and potential benefits the elves had gained in Dalaran, they were not worth mentioning.

The high elves had indeed contributed greatly to Dalaran, but short-lived humans were prone to forget. Levrethra's armor reminded them that high elves and humans had built Dalaran together, and that high elves had bled for it as well. Kael'thas could clearly feel that even his position in the council had risen.

"My children." Anasterian walked in, with Belo'vir at his side. The eagerness in his voice told everyone that he was in an excellent mood. "Oh, Baron Sagnar, there is no need to be nervous. This is merely our duty. It is our responsibility to protect the interests of every commoner in Silvermoon City."

"Salorian, I'm glad to see that monster did not injure you. Take the baron to see the restoration process. I have something to say to my children." Anasterian came before the two of them. Those around them withdrew one after another, leaving only four people behind. "My children, you have done remarkably well. Our high elf kingdom has gained tremendous prestige among the human kingdoms."

A team composed almost entirely of high elves had saved Dalaran, earning Anasterian both honor and tangible benefits. The high elves had proven once more that Dalaran could not do without elven support.

Belo'vir looked at Lister. "Accordingly, some members of the Council of Tirisfal have secretly suggested to us that we create a second Guardian."

"Who?" Lister spread his hands. His reaction left Kael'thas at a loss. What did that mean? Brother, you don't want to be the Guardian? But who else besides you could hold that position now?

"What I mean is, there can only be one Guardian." Lister considered the Council of Tirisfal members' arguments. Though those troublemakers could accomplish nothing good, and their massive search of Dalaran had turned into a complete mess, there was one point on which they had reached a consensus: it would be best if there were no more Guardians. This sounded more like a test from the other party. "For now, there is only Medivh. There can only be him. There will be no second."

Belo'vir fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand what you mean. You mean that you are unwilling to become the Guardian?"

"It is too exhausting." Lister's reason was impossible to refute. "I have been to the Hall of the Guardians and read the diaries of every Guardian. They spent almost every day hunting demons across the world."

"When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." Lister's words sent an inexplicable chill down Kael'thas's back. "Aegwynn dealt with those monsters constantly, and struggled against them for centuries. It is hard to say whether those monsters twisted her mind. I merely came into contact with a portion of Kathra'natir, yet rage nearly overwhelmed my reason. If that continued for a hundred years, I could not guarantee that I would remain sane."

Anasterian and Belo'vir exchanged a glance. The two silently considered it for a moment before the king spread his hands. "Very well. This is entirely a matter of personal choice. My children, to commend you, the Silvermoon City Council and I are holding a victory reception for you. You must attend. Many high elves wish to meet our heroes—especially you, Kael'thas."

Kael'thas let out a long sigh. He had never expected that, in the end, he would be the one to suffer.