Battle for Tempest Keep

Purple energy pierced the shadows that shrouded the Netherstorm. Magical conduits continuously channeled magic from the Twisted Void into Tempest Keep. Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider's Blood Elf forces rained down on the Shattrath Alliance like a death storm. Despite Sylvanas's orders to prepare, the Elf army suffered heavy casualties, yet they pressed forward relentlessly, determined to rid the Prince of these Draenei and rebels.

Sylvanas paused, observing carefully. Her men were becoming restless, and she repeatedly reprimanded them for their composure. They needed to wait; Kael'thas wouldn't send his entire army at once. So far, Sylvanas had only seen the Fire Wing and Dawnblade Legion. The Female Elf Ranger was now hoping the Shattrath army could hold out longer. Only by showing Kael'thas the strength of those coming to punish him would he be able to send more soldiers away to support the front lines.

"Hold on, warriors of Shattrath!" Sylvanas whispered her prayer, wanting to turn her words into a battle cry to inspire the Warrior holding off the Blood Elf army. Many would die today, no matter what.

An hour later, the Flamewielder Legion left Tempest Keep...

Three hours later, the Sunfury Legion and some of the Bloodwarder left the Prince's side.

Only a small number of guards remained on the fortress platform, and the defensive spells had weakened considerably. The defenders reacted extremely slowly, as if they couldn't believe that an army smaller than themselves dared to attack. Perhaps the Elf were waiting for reinforcements. If so, they would surely be disappointed. No reinforcements would appear.

Sylvanas glanced at the squad behind her. Sarodien and Kaelia were among them. She was relieved the two weren't bickering at this moment. "For years, Kael'thas has stubbornly remained in Dalaran with a bunch of self-important mages. I'm glad he doesn't know how to fight. He doesn't have many guards left. He's no match for our strategy and Will. Our Warrior have given us the opportunity to launch an attack." The Female Elf scanned every face in the squad; no one intended to back down now. "Nevertheless, we must be careful. We don't know what's hidden in Tempest Keep. Even if Kael'thas is the only one left, even if he's become corrupt and arrogant, he's still a powerful mage, very dangerous!"

"No matter how dangerous it is, we must stop him!"

Sylvanas looked back at Sarodien, who had spoken, and nodded; this was what she was about to say. Kaelia's eyes also gleamed with the fervor and joy of battle. "This will be a battle of honor, lady. Although Kael'thas's forces far outnumber ours, Shattrath is prepared to fight to the last man."

"No, we will eliminate Kael'thas swiftly and decisively." Sylvanas's promise reassured everyone; she didn't want to see Kaelia's resolve become a reality. She needed to take Tempest Keep as soon as possible and end the fighting outside, minimizing casualties. Neither Shattrath nor the Blood Elf — Sylvanas didn't want to see them bleed. Moreover, she believed that some Elf under the Prince's command remained loyal, and she would recruit them into the Silver Covenant.

"Let's go! The time to unleash our fury has come!"

Through the gates of Tempest Keep, Sylvanas saw a long, narrow corridor. Several Bloodwarder were surprised by her sudden appearance. The Ranger easily felled the mages behind the Bloodwarder who couldn't cast spells in time. Sarodien's dagger plunged into the neck of a Blood Elf, and another Bloodwarder was knocked to the ground by Draenei Paladin accompanying her. Sylvanas gritted her teeth, reminding herself: this was a necessary sacrifice.

Passing through the corridor, a vast and spacious courtyard unfolded before them. Here, patrolling Blood Elf formed a defensive formation to repel the intruders. Sylvanas was familiar with this type of transformation and knew how to counter it; she remembered it was the result of Saloren Dawnseeker's research.

Under her command, the squad members easily shattered the Blood Elf's defenses as if sliced through flesh by a sharp blade. After finishing, the Female Elf was about to urge the squad members to continue advancing when Kaelia suddenly exclaimed, "Down!"

Sylvanas didn't know what was going on, but if they wanted to win, they had to trust each other, so the Female Elf quickly lay down on the ground.

A sharp whistle swept in, and the Female Elf heard Sarodien's cry, "Kael'thas didn't bring his pet with him!"

Kael'thas's pet? Sylvanas thought carefully. She remembered Alleria mentioning at a family gathering that Prince Kael'thas owned a phoenix pet named: Aurelia.

Was this what terrified Kaelia? Sylvanas looked up and immediately gasped. Above, the creature didn't appear to be alive, but rather a manifestation of energy. Its flight path left a brilliant orange-red trail, like the embers of the sun. How large was it: at least thirty feet long!

As Sylvanas pondered, Owl swooped down, his massive wings ablaze with flames, sending several party members flying. The falling flames made it difficult to react.

"Priest, heal the wounded. Warrior and Paladin, protect the Priest. Sarodien, watch out for O's attacks and protect those who can't get out of the way. The rest of you, use ranged weapons and frost magic to attack it." Sylvanas drew her bow and fired arrows at O.

The Archmage Laenna and the other mages cast spells together, and the magic roared out of the sky.

The attack seemed to have an effect; O tried to rise higher to avoid magic and arrows, but the enclosed space of Tempest Keep severely restricted his flight.

The flames grew brighter, and O's wings and tail slowly turned into fire. With a final shriek, it plummeted. The fall was like a shooting star, and the squad below scrambled to get out of the way.

Amidst the embers, an alluring egg emerged from the flames. Kael'thas had boasted that death would never befall it. Sylvanas proved him wrong! The Female Elf leaped towards the Phoenix Egg, Quel'delar suddenly drew her sword, mercilessly piercing the body of Al, who was preparing for rebirth. A surge of energy erupted, sending Sylvanas flying to the ground. Kaelia quickly helped her up, calling upon the Holy Light to heal her.

"Is everyone alright?" the Female Elf shouted. She received some responses, but wanted to hear more.

"We have lost five men, madam."

Sylvanas clenched her fists, cursing inwardly, "Kael'thas will pay for this."

The group continued on their way.

Sylvanas wielded her swords with both hands, showcasing her combat prowess. Her enemies fell one by one.

The Blood Elf, the Starcaller, are masters of magic and swordsmanship. Swift and agile, they fight valiantly for redemption. Tempest Keep, once Draenei ship, is now a battleground for the Aldor, who fight with a burning desire to reclaim their lost land from the Blood Elf. A shared belief that faith is above life unites them. Within minutes, the remaining enemies in their path are annihilated; Kael'thas's forces have crumbled, and the gates to the Fallen Prince have been opened.

Sylvanas couldn't remember the last time she saw Kael'thas.

The aura of magic assaulted Sylvanas's senses. Energy swirled and danced around Kael'thas. His long golden hair reached his waist, and he wore magnificent robes symbolizing nobility, royalty, and eternity. He held the golden Sunstrider's Scepter in his hand, three green magic orbs constantly dancing above his head. Kael'thas was as handsome as ever, resembling a figure from legend. Sylvanas was puzzled; how could such a person follow a demon?

"It's time for your conspiracy to end, Kael'thas Sunstrider." The Ranger shouted his surname viciously. Every High Elf would thank Dath'Remar, the pioneer of Quel'Thalas. But his descendants had become a despised existence.

Kael'thas looked at Sylvanas with his green eyes. When he spoke, his deep voice echoed with magic. "Sylvanas Windrunner? You were sent by Alleria? Is she ready to become the queen of Quel'Thalas?"

"I came here without any orders or authority, you traitor. Any sane citizen of Dath'Remar would love to tear you apart!"

Kael'thas burst into laughter. "Magic, energy, my people are hopelessly ensnared in it. Ever since the Sunwell was destroyed... Welcome to the future. Too bad you can't stop anything, no one can stop me! Selama ashal'anore!" His words were uttered with madness, sending a chill down Sylvanas's spine.

"Those who dare to stop you, stand before you!" The Ranger stepped forward, raising Quel'delar high in her hand. "Champions of Shattrath, attack!"

"You gambled with your life, but you lost!"

Kael'thas's words radiated unparalleled confidence, as if no one could challenge his power. Sarodien launched the first attack. Twin blades slashed through the air from behind, aiming for the Prince's neck. A simple Arcane Explosion from the Prince sent him flying.

Laenna and the other mages unleashed a barrage of spells at him, with Sylvanas's arrows mixed in as well. Kael'thas used his most proficient fire magic to meet these attacks head-on, and the impact of the energy collisions made him lose his balance.

Sylvanas leaped forward and appeared before Kael'thas. The Prince quickly chanted a spell, causing the ground beneath the Female Elf's feet to instantly shatter and erupt with pillars of fire. But Kael'thas was no longer there.

Sylvanas retreated with difficulty, sweat beading on her brow, her breathing growing heavier—a warning sign that her stamina was dwindling.

"You can't hide for much longer."

Sarodien retreated to Sylvanas's side, cursing, "Is this guy's magic inexhaustible?"

Endless magic? A thought flashed through Sylvanas's mind. Even if she wasn't a mage, she knew that the amount of magic a person could control was limited. Physical size, Will, and other conditions would limit the amount of magic one could control.

Indeed, why didn't Kael'thas's magic run out?

Sylvanas focused her gaze on the Purple Crystal Pillars standing on either side of Kael'thas. At first, she didn't pay much attention to them, assuming they were just Draenei decorations or perhaps Kael'thas's personal preference.

Now it seems that it isn't...

"Attack those two magic pillars and destroy them!"

"No!!!" Upon hearing Sylvanas's voice, Kael'thas's expression changed drastically. He immediately attacked those who dared to approach the source of his power, using magical barriers to deflect the mages' spells, fireballs to repel the advancing Warrior, and gravity imbalance to make the annoying Stealth lose control of his body. He used all his strength, but he still couldn't defend himself effectively.

"Enough!" Kael'thas spread his arms and began chanting a spell. A massive surge of magical energy descended from the sky, his final trump card. "I cannot be defeated! No one can stop my meticulously planned scheme! Now, feel my true power!"

The magic propelled him into the air. The crystal pillars on either side boomed. The dome above the entire hall was ripped open by the exploding magic. Stars that Twisted Void appeared in everyone's sight. Kael'thas was surrounded by magic, greedily absorbing the energy, and his body began to grow enormous. He carelessly discarded the Scepter of the Sun King.

The commotion quickly subsided.

A few flashes of lightning and clap of thunder startled Sylvanas awake. She couldn't comprehend what had happened; when Kael'thas landed, he was more than five times her height. This wasn't a fantasy, but a real change. The moment the Prince stepped onto the ground, cracks immediately appeared.

Kael'thas laughed heartily, overjoyed at his transformation.

"What should we do?" Sarodienkarya asked, his voice trembling.

"Fight!" Sylvanas's tone remained resolute. She knew many members had already fallen, but the fact that some were still alive meant there was still hope. Kael'thas had indeed become more terrifying, and his power was immeasurable, but that didn't mean he was Invincible.

The Female Elf threw down her bow, drew Quel'delar, and charged at Kael'thas's feet. A massive fireball hurtled towards them, Sylvanas barely dodged. The Ranger weaved between the Prince's towering frame and his, her blade flashing and slashing, leaving bloody gashes on Kael'thas's legs. Kael'thas roared, and the fireball came crashing down again. Sylvanas rolled away from beneath the Prince, then grabbed Prince red robe and charged up his spine, plunging her blade deep into Prince back. Blood splattered everywhere!

Kael'thas let out a bloodcurdling scream. Gritting his teeth and burning with rage, he ripped off his robes and threw Sylvanas and her sword away. "Game over!"

The Female Elf was flying in mid-air when she suddenly felt a suction force that slammed her body violently to the ground.

"For a mortal, you are quite powerful," Kael'thas said.

Sylvanas gave a wry smile. Had he already come to regard her as a god?

"I am indeed mortal!" she said, struggling to look up at Kael'thas. "But I am not alone."

"Laenna!" Sylvanas called out almost hoarsely.

A blue light shone directly above Kael'thas. The chanting ended, but the voice didn't come from Kael'thas. It was the Archmage Laenna, whose presence had been remarkably low throughout the battle. In Kael'thas's eyes, mages posed the least threat, a point he had overlooked. Laenna had spent considerable time preparing this spell; the air grew icy, and the blue light gradually formed a halo around Kael'thas. His hands and feet began to freeze, and he was unable to cast fire magic to escape his predicament—it would burn him.

He can't move!

"So that's how it is," Kael'thas said sarcastically. "That's quite impressive."

"It's over!"

When he came to his senses, Sylvanas roared, sword in hand, and leaped towards the traitorous Prince. Quel'delar, the Guardian Sword, pierced Kael'thas's chest, through his heart. Blood spurted out. No matter how dazzling his red robes, they now paled in comparison.

The Blood Elf Prince felt his breathing becoming increasingly difficult; no matter how powerful his magical energy, he could not stop the flow of life. All those years of painstaking effort had vanished with that one sword strike...

Kael'thas collapsed to the ground, his hand trembling as he raised it as if to grasp something. He may have touched it, but he no longer had the strength to clench it, to hold it in his palm. "For... Quel'Thalas!"

Fifth update (actually it should be the sixth update, this chapter was too difficult to write, it ended up being 4000 words long, equivalent to two chapters)

The author only has one sentence today: I have died suddenly.