A Priest in a Daze

The ruins of Silvermoon City were gloomy and somber. Vareesa Windrunner waited anxiously in the eastern region, where the once Garden Market was now a wasteland of rubble.

Archmage Astalor Bloodsworn stepped forward. Vareesa knew what answer she would get, but she still had to ask.

"How... is the situation?"

The mage shook his head. Vareesa simply nodded, trying to hide her worry for Lor'themar and his party.

Most of the Elf in Quel'Thalas are now in Silvermoon City. Vareesa, leading all the Ranger, has gathered any survivors she can find. Since Arthas' departure, the ravaged capital has been filled with wandering corpses every night. To fend off the Undead, the Elf have formed a formidable defensive position in the plaza, repelling the walking dead. But the number of wounded Elf is increasing daily.

Vareesa cleared out a spacious inner room in the building to house the wounded. This two-story building was one of the few intact structures and had been a popular tavern before the disaster.

There was a place for the wounded Elf to rest, but no Priest. Since losing the Sunwell, the Priest quickly discovered that their power was waning, and they had lost the ability to use the Holy Light.

The sudden problem greatly worried Vareesa, and she hurriedly contacted Astalor, hoping the mage could find a solution. However, the result was disappointing.

On this day, Rommath, the advisor to Prince Kael'thas, returned. He had teleported back to the city. Unfortunately, he teleported to Eaglewing Square, an area Vareesa's forces had not yet recaptured. However, this mage was indeed capable, fighting his way out of an encirclement of dozens of Undead, searching for survivors along the way, and finally reaching the safety of Garden Market. According to him, the Prince was searching for a new source of magic for his people. This news gave the survivors a small boost of morale—their spirits were steadily declining.

Vareesa always felt a certain unease towards Rommath himself. The Elf was taciturn, with sharp eyes and a cold demeanor. Even when the two of them stood silently, the Archmage's presence made the ranger -Ranger-General feel a subtle discomfort. They had spoken; in fact, Rommath had advised Vareesa not to reveal any information about Kael'thas to anyone other than official statements, in order to avoid any schemes or plots by the traitor Dath'Remar.

The silver- Female Elf was used to it; when Kael'thas was far from his homeland, Rommath served as the messenger between the Prince and Quel'Thalas. Now everyone knew that their beloved Prince had chosen to follow a demon named Illidan Stormrage.

Vareesa couldn't understand why Kael'thas was doing this. Had they really fallen so low as to have to bargain with a demon?

The Female Elf shook her head. These matters were beyond her control; her only concern was protecting her surviving brethren. That was precisely where her energy lay.

Survivors continued to return in twos and threes, and with each survivor they appeared, Vareesa hoped to see Lor'themar and Halduron. But an afternoon passed, and none of the Ranger sent out had returned. She began to fear the worst, afraid to think that they might have met with misfortune, and that she would be blamed for it, which could even affect the Windrunner family.

Now, she was waiting anxiously outside the camp gate.

"We're back," a voice called from the direction of the gate. Vareesa looked over and saw a one-eyed man running towards them from outside the entrance. The Female Elf felt an unprecedented sense of relief.

"You're several hours late. I almost had to send another squad of Ranger to find you."

"I'm sorry, General." Lor'themar saluted Vareesa, who was hundreds of years younger than him. "We were attacked right here at Windrunner Tower by a very formidable enemy."

"Alright, it's good that you're back." Vareesa looked Lor'themar up and down, then at Halduron, and then at the others. After making sure they were all safe and sound, she continued, "Lor'themar, stay here. Halduron, you and the soldiers go and rest, and also maintain order in the refuge area."

"As you wish." Halduron waved to the Ranger behind him and led the others into the camp.

Now only Theron Windrunner remain.

"Is there anything else you need, General?"

"Come with me, I have good news to tell you, but... you should also be prepared."

Vareesa's last look gave Lor'themar a bad feeling, but why did she say it was good news?

"My men found her on Isle of Quel'Danas; she was wielding a heavy warhammer and fighting an Undead."

Lor'themar, following behind, frowned. After the Sunwell was destroyed, Kael'thas had decreed that no one should ever set foot on Isle of Quel'Danas again. That place was already a forbidden zone; who would go there now?

They went together to the basement of a building. The place looked like it was used to hold prisoners. Lor'themar and Vareesa went inside.

"Liadrin!" Lor'themar stared incredulously at the trembling Female Elf cowering in the corner. Then, with a look of bewilderment and anger, he turned to Vareesa.

"I didn't want to put her in such a dark place either, but for some reason she's afraid of sunlight, and... she seems a little mentally unstable."

Upon hearing this, Lor'themar immediately rushed to Liadrin's side. He had been searching for her for some time. The Female Elf had mysteriously disappeared since Prince Kael'thas's last speech. Lor'themar had been constantly worried about her, fearing she might be in danger.

Thanks to the sun, the Priest was still alive. But when the Ranger carefully examined the Female Elf's condition, his joy was instantly extinguished. Liadrin was alive, indeed alive, but Lor'themar found that her gaze was like looking through a window into an empty room. Liadrin was unresponsive, silent, just staring blankly at the wall in front of her.

"How could she have become like this?" After calling Liadrin's name several times without success, Lor'themar asked Vareesa for more information.

The Ranger-General closed his eyes and sighed, saying, "We... we'd better not talk about these things in front of her. You should spend more time with her; there's still a lot of work to do."

So this was the good news Vareesa had told him to prepare himself mentally. He was naturally happy to see Liadrin, but her mental state was in serious trouble. This truly worried Lor'themar.

"I will take good care of her, I will!"