Hope

Is it finally over? Sylvanas still couldn't believe it. The human forces had already withdrawn from the Battle of Mount Hyjal. Without their help, Archimonde had truly fallen beneath the World Tree. The massive shoulder armor left behind when the demon vanished was the best proof of that.

Time will heal the roots, and the world will gradually recover; this is the price of victory. The World Tree Nordrassil is now just a bare trunk. Whatever magic it once possessed, it is now like a Warrior exhausted from his struggles. It defeated evil and now stands as a hero, receiving Sylvanas's gaze.

The Night Elf weren't happy; they didn't celebrate like the humans and Orcs. Sylvanas understood this; a victory won at the cost of their homeland wasn't a true victory.

Her Elf face was etched in the wine glass. The world had been saved, but Quel'Thalas had not. The initial mission could be considered a failure. She wanted to find Nathanos; the good news was that she had found it, the bad news was that Nathanos had become a nightmare for the Quel'dorei. And the biggest problem facing her was how to tell Alleria about it. This was an unavoidable question.

"What are you thinking about?" Jaina Proudmoore looked like she'd had quite a bit to drink, her face flushed slightly. Throughout the camp, some were releasing their grief in private; others were among the crowd, proving they could still enjoy food, wine, and laughter, celebrating life as Jaina wished. Only Sylvanas seemed downcast, so the mage came specifically to ask her what was troubling her.

"It's nothing." The Female Elf downed her drink in one gulp. "I plan to leave here and go home."

Jaina glanced at her, not understanding why Sylvanas was in such a hurry to return. "Quel'Thalas isn't safe right now. Perhaps you should wait until things stabilize before going back."

"That's impossible." Sylvanas shook her head, her cold expression masking a deep well of sorrow. "Quel'Thalas needs help more than ever. Besides, the Windrunner family has been the guardians of the kingdom for millennia. I can't just hide away and live in seclusion. And where can I go if I don't go back?" She glanced towards the Night Elf camp. Having been here for so long, Sylvanas hadn't gone to see Priestess Tyrande. The Night Elf couldn't possibly have a cure for the Quel'dorei, but their situation was similar to the High Elf'. As far as she knew, without the World Tree, the Night Elf would lose their immortality and be plagued by disease. Sylvanas was curious to know what they would do next.

We can't possibly plant another tree like that.

This idea terrified the Female Elf. If the Night Elf wanted to regain their youth, replanting the World Tree was the most effective method. And for the High Elf, why couldn't they just build another Sunwell?

Unfortunately, Sylvanas didn't know how Dath'Remar Sunstrider created the Sunwell. Everything about the Sunwell was sealed away; only the King and senior mages who studied Sunwell knew its secrets.

There will be a way.

"Warriors of the Alliance, listen to me," Jaina said loudly as she walked to the center of the camp. Sylvanas believed in her heart that she was a natural leader.

"Some people believe that fate is immutable," Jaina's voice was clear and powerful, audible even to those standing at the farthest distance. "I don't believe that."

She paused, cleared her throat, and continued, "Because today, we have won a victory, not only against the Burning Legion, but also a great victory against ourselves." Her gaze swept across every face before her, finally settling on Sylvanas.

"Humans, Elf, even Orcs. We have cast aside hatred, we now stand together, and we have won the battle against the evil within us."

The dark clouds began to dissipate, and a bright crimson hue appeared in the sky.

"Now, the red sun rises from the east... and bestows upon us a new dawn." Jaina's eyes glistened with tears as she pointed to the horizon. "Look!"

Sylvanas looked in that direction; the sun could be seen in Quel'Thalas as well, but never had it been so dazzling. The pain faded with the night, and the wounds began to heal.

"New hope is what our heroes need, and the price of winning this war has been high. Many have made sacrifices." Jaina's gaze fell on each face, seeing the longing in everyone for comfort. "We have defeated the Burning Legion. Now we pay tribute to all the fallen heroes. Our way of honoring them is not to die like them... but to live well, to heal our wounds, to help others to recover, to laugh, to feel the sunshine on our faces, to embrace our loved ones tightly, and to let them know how important it is to live, every hour, every minute, even every second of every day!"

"The world is safe for now, but that doesn't mean things will be smooth sailing from now on," Jaina continued. "Looking around, the threats we face have not been completely eliminated. The remnants of demons and the Scourge still ravage the land of Lordaeron. Our former home is lost, now empty. But if you are willing to follow a Dalaran witch who weeps with you today, if you are willing to build a new home on this land where we defeated the Burning Legion, then I beg you, live with me. For our lives, our joy, our world—these are the gifts left to us by those who fell. We must cherish them. For the Alliance!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd, many with tears in their eyes. Jaina stepped back amidst the shouts, her gaze returning to Sylvanas as she did so. Human and Elf locked eyes. The mage nodded to Sylvanas. She had wanted to invite Windrunner to stay, but the Female Elf had already flatly refused. Sylvanas was a woman of action, Jaina estimated she would return by full daylight.

"This is the best I can do for you."

Medivh stood behind Nathanos, and in front of him and the Undead was a place Nathanos knew all too well—his home.

"I never thought I'd come back here," Nathanos murmured. The farm had become one with the dying land of Lordaeron. It had been destroyed; the doors of the house were covered in Ghoul claw marks, and the house held the burial grounds of Nathanos's past.

"This is where it all began." Medivh turned to leave. Nathanos knew that once they parted, he would hear the Lich King's whispers again.

"You can leave now."

The guardian frowned and turned to look at him.

"Now is the time for me to enjoy a brief moment of Tranquility."