Watching the Battle

The humans piled the demon's corpse along both sides of the road, not glancing at it again. Jaina silently prayed to the Holy Light, hoping they could hold on. She didn't know what she would do if they failed this time, but thankfully they had already withstood several waves of demonic attacks. However, Jaina wanted to buy more time.

The mage was utterly exhausted. After four hours of continuous fighting, Jaina's magic had long since run dry. She was completely drained, and for a few seconds she even lost consciousness. She awoke in a panic, struggling to stay upright.

She sat trembling beneath the Mage Tower. Several minutes passed before Sylvanas noticed her distress. She stared blankly and silently at the Ranger trotting towards her.

"Jaina, what's wrong?"

"I... I'm sorry, Sylvanas, for making you see me like this. I'm so tired, I need to rest, just for a little while."

"That's how it should be." Although her head was bowed, Sylvanas could tell from the mage's trembling hands that the woman was nearing her end. Mages are most vulnerable to attrition warfare. Jaina only longed for a few minutes of rest, but what could she do in a few minutes? The Female Elf observed her condition and estimated that it would take her at least a few days to recover.

"Just eat something and rest a little," the female mage said again, using words to dispel the Ranger's suspicions.

Sylvanas blinked, paused for a moment, then nodded, sat down next to Jaina, and pulled some cheese from her pocket, handing it to her. Jaina gave her a strained smile, her hands trembling as she accepted the precious food.

She took a bite of cheese, chewing as she looked at the Female Elf, carefully observing her profile. To her, High Elf always seemed to possess an air of superiority that made her inexplicably uncomfortable and difficult to connect with. Moreover, the Elf always expressed their etiquette through language and gestures, which, in Jaina's eyes, was an outdated formality.

But Sylvanas was different. She was always cold and aloof, rarely speaking, preferring actions to words. She had annihilated many enemies today. Many humans in the camp were still discussing her, praising her bravery.

The Female Elf only then noticed Jaina's gaze, as if she had already forgotten her existence, but then gave her a faint smile.

"Is it done?" she asked.

Jaina had only swallowed a mouthful. "Not yet," the mage replied. "What are you thinking about? It seems you're not just concerned about the upcoming battle."

"Yes," the Ranger said without beating around the bush or hiding anything, "I am indeed still considering other things, many things."

She wasn't lying; many questions swirled in her mind: the upcoming battle, Quel'Thalas's current condition, and how her sister and younger sister were doing—these were all things she needed to consider, and of course, there was more...

Nathanos?

The Female Elf shuddered and looked at Jaina in surprise, wondering how she knew.

"Don't get me wrong, I can't read minds. I just asked the Ranger you brought, and they told me you're here to find a human."

Damn it!

Sylvanas bit her lip and turned her head away. It seemed that what she was doing here was no longer a secret.

"You didn't tell anyone else, did you?"

"Of course not, Nathanos's father and his family are here. I simply cannot tell them that it is actually very dangerous for Nathanos to remain on the Eastern Kingdoms."

Sylvanas let out a piercing laugh. "Nathanos is dead."

The look of shock on Jaina's face vanished in an instant.

"Then why did you come here to look for him?"

"Listen to me, little girl. It's better you don't know."

The mage was too exhausted to understand what Sylvanas wanted. So she took another bite of cheese, concentrating on absorbing the much-needed nourishment. But for some reason, she found it difficult to swallow.

"I tried to persuade him to come here with me."

"Is that so?" Sylvanas listened intently.

"He refused because the people he cared about wouldn't leave, so he had to stay as well."

Alleria!

The Female Elf immediately thought of her sister, who always kept her responsibilities firmly in mind. Jaina was right; given Alleria's personality, she would never choose to run away. This was why Nathanos helped her escape death at the crucial moment in the Battle of Quel'Thalas.

How do you choose between your own life and your loved one?

Sylvanas sighed. She could imagine that Nathanos had chosen the latter without any thought. And what was the result? He faced an enemy many times his size. The Female Elf dared not imagine what terrible things Nathanos had encountered afterward.

"Jaina, thank you for telling me all this." Sylvanas smiled faintly, her head bowed. "But I hope you won't inquire about Nathanos."

"Why? His father is among my people, I can't..."

Please.

Jaina remained silent, trying to clear her mind, but it was no use. What had happened to Nathanos?

Something's up!

The sudden exclamations in the camp instantly heightened the tension.

Sylvanas and Jaina stood up at the same time to look at the soldier who had been shouting loudly. He was standing on the watchtower and noticed that the boulder that had collapsed in the middle of the road was loose.

A bolt of red lightning shot out and struck the watchtower squarely. The sentry who issued the warning was reduced to a charred corpse.

To everyone's astonishment, two towering figures emerged from the rocks: a Demon Lord and a Lich.

"You are protecting a world destined for destruction! Run away, and maybe you can live a few more days."

"The Burning Legion's final battle has begun! This world is once again at our mercy. Leave no survivors!"

The enemy launched another attack, and Sylvanas asked Jaina, "Are you ready now?"

The female mage collected the remaining cheese. "Hmm, that's enough."

The sky was turning from gray to black when the explosion occurred. Nathanos's heart sank.

Kel'Thuzad?

"That Lich isn't the Lich King's lackey," Medivh corrected. "However, his power is not much less than Kel'Thuzad's. His name is Reki Winterfrost. The other Demon Lord is called Anatheron. After Tichondrius died, he became the new leader of the Demon Lord."

"He sent out two powerful subordinates at once. It seems Archimonde is in a hurry and wants to break through Jaina's defensive line immediately."

Medivh chuckled. "Let's go too, and find a better spot to watch this war."