Ebony Chill

"That's quite a title." Slender, fair fingers set aside a slip of paper freshly broken out of a wax pellet, then lifted their owner's exquisite face. "Blood Warrior."

Rommath bowed slightly. "Indeed, Your Highness. This child named Lister defeated Joel head-on. It is hard to imagine that he is only eight years old."

"As we all know, Joel was a powerful warrior—" Astaroth Bloodrage was decisively interrupted by Rommath. "He was. He used to be a powerful warrior."

Astaroth turned his gaze toward the prince. Prince Kael'thas had his eyes closed in thought, seemingly unconcerned by this minor dispute, so he continued, "Yes, he used to be a powerful warrior, yet now he has been defeated by a child. That is enough to prove this child possesses extraordinary talent."

"Perhaps he inherited his father's talent as a warrior, but can we be certain he inherited the arcane talent of us Sin'dorei?" Rommath saw through his colleague's thoughts at once and said in a somewhat cutting tone, "I would say it is more likely that the blood in his veins came from those traitors."

"Rommath." Kael'thas opened his eyes, his deep blue gaze studying the other man. Rommath immediately realized that his words had offended the prince. He rose and bent into a bow. "My apologies, Your Highness."

"Regardless, the people of Silver Crown Forest are still our kin. According to the records, when my ancestor, His Majesty Dath'Remar, led our people to this continent, they first landed in the Tirisfal Glades."

"But—" The prince's turn in tone was like a snapped string. He sat upright, and the advisers beside him straightened as well, the room turning solemn. "There were certain evil things there. We could not say exactly what they were, but many elves went mad and then lost their lives. It was precisely because they chose that path that their lives were preserved."

"Green-haired freaks who play with grass." One elf's remark brought smiles to everyone's faces. Kael'thas frowned in displeasure. "Aethas, they are our kin after all. Their sacrifice allowed us to continue studying the arcane path. Even His Majesty Dath'Remar regarded their choice as a sacrifice. We have no right to condemn or ridicule them."

Tarsis Kimodir wore a gentle smile, his fingers continuously turning the ring on his hand as though savoring the atmosphere. As a member of the Tirisfal Arcane Society—

The High Elves' second schism on the Lordaeron Continent was forever an unspoken pain. After pondering for a moment, Kael'thas looked at Astaroth. "Since you volunteered, I cannot well refuse. You, Astaroth, will represent me and make contact with this boy."

"As you command, Your Highness." Astaroth bowed. Kael'thas clapped his hands, and an exquisite ceramic teapot filled with tea, plates of pastries, and fresh fruit flew in from some unknown corner—or directly through the window. The tables before everyone were removed and replaced with long banquet tables. Everything happened swiftly; in less than ten seconds, the room had become a banquet hall. Elegant music began to play. "Forget these troubles for now, Rommath. Some things can be forgotten."

"Of course." Rommath raised his wineglass. Above them, crystal magical lamps shone with dazzling, intoxicating light.

Naturally, our protagonist had no idea that his name had already spread far and wide. The title Blood Warrior spread rapidly throughout Lordaeron as well. Everyone was asking who this person was and how he had defeated Joel. Even while he sat aboard the airship receiving Uther's treatment, people came to question him.

Including now.

"Sir, even if he defeated Joel, he is still only a child." Uther calmly tried to dissuade the visitor. "Though he did kill his opponent in a fair duel, he feels deeply remorseful about it. His emotions are not very stable at the moment."

"I merely wish to see him." The visitor was very polite. "To see whether he has any latent potential. It would be greatly beneficial to his future."

Uther seemed persuaded and stepped aside. A mage carrying a strange blue staff entered the swaying cabin. When he saw Lister, a cold smile appeared on his face.

He looked ordinary: golden hair, deeply sunken eyes, and a slightly hunched back. Yet the enormous staff on his back immediately drew Lister's attention. Alex wore a warm smile.

"Are you looking at it?" Alex removed the staff. At its top were four azure ice crystals arranged in descending order of size. Magic connected the fractured sections, allowing them to remain suspended. The entire staff was a dark blue, and its handle bore a twisted rune, likely some sort of frost symbol. Even though Lister had never played World of Warcraft, he could still sense the immense power contained within it.

He reached out and slowly accepted it, wanting to understand it. A warm chill seeped into his body, and the pleasant sensation sent a shiver through him.

"Ebony Chill is calling to you." Alex stared in disbelief as several streams of dark blue frost magic drifted out from Ebony Chill and coiled around Lister's hand like swimming serpents, like lovers reunited after a long separation.

He reached out, wanting to touch the staff that had once—no, just moments ago—been his. Yet the moment he extended his hand, the spirit serpents, sensing hostility, all turned toward him.

The air froze at that moment—literally. Frost spread across the windows. Mages outside had already sensed that something was wrong, but intimidated by the prestige of a member of the Council of Tirisfal, they did not dare intrude rashly. They merely prepared for the worst.

Lister withdrew his will, and the frost magic on Ebony Chill retreated as well, returning to its former deathly stillness. He handed Ebony Chill back to its owner. "Thank you."

Alex took back his staff with a complicated expression and asked, "Would you like to study with me? To learn frost magic together?"

"Perhaps I am not qualified." Lister's words greatly displeased Alex. "You were not this hesitant when you killed Joel cleanly and decisively."

With that, he turned and left, leaving Uther and Lister with a decidedly unfriendly back as they wondered why exactly he was angry.