Although Antonidas's words had been full of pessimism when discussing how to deal with the Scourge,
when the undead truly arrived beneath Dalaran's walls, this man who had long been regarded as the pinnacle of human spellcasters—few people had ever known of the Guardians of Tirisfal—indeed displayed extraordinary ability.
Amid the smoke of war, under his leadership, the city of magic had completely entered a state of war.
No one traveled in or out of the city anymore. The entire city was now enveloped by a magical dome.
This opaque blue hemisphere was the greatest safeguard of the city of magic, much like Quel'Thalas relied on its "Gatekeeper" system.
Unlike the High Elves, Dalaran did not have a Sunwell providing it with an endless supply of magical power.
But Dalaran did not occupy nearly as much land as Quel'Thalas. It was merely a city, not a nation, so Dalaran's reserves truly could sustain this barrier.
Even ordinary people with no knowledge of magic could imagine the enormous cost of maintaining such a massive magical barrier.
But likewise, as the crystallization of Dalaran's magic, the enormous barrier possessed effects worthy of its cost.
Arthas saw with his own eyes a wild rabbit, startled by the movements of the Scourge, blindly flee toward the magical barrier.
When it was less than twenty feet from that spinning blue sphere, bright orange flames suddenly flared across the rabbit's body.
—Leaving behind only a rabbit-shaped pile of ash where it had once stood.
Arthas observed the city before him, the city they were about to attack,
while atop the tower of the Violet Citadel, six mages were also observing him and his army.
They were the primary commanders of Dalaran's defense. Five of them were members of the Kirin Tor's Council of Six. Only Archmage