Postwar cleanup

After a furious bombardment of the rangers' enchanted arrows, followed by Patrick's super Pyroblast as the finishing blow, Zeb'Watha was utterly destroyed. The green Hex magic surrounding the trolls began to fade and unravel, indicating that the high-ranking priest inside had died.

The trolls began to rout. Zeb'Watha was as good as destroyed, and elven rangers were slaughtering them up ahead. The surviving troll troops began fleeing toward Lake Elrendar, and the trolls remaining inside Zeb'Watha also began running toward the lake.

Mountains lay west of Zeb'Watha, making escape in that direction a dead end. Their only option was to flee toward Lake Elrendar. If the elves did not pursue them, they might still be able to swim across and return to Tor'Watha.

Baron Sunstrider stood atop several troll corpses and shouted, "Keep pursuing them! Kill every last one of those ugly trolls!"

"Don't be rash, Lord Sungunar. Don't pursue a desperate enemy. Take a look at our fellow elves." Patrick looked at Baron Sunstrider and gestured for him to look at the elven rangers behind him.

Every ranger was wounded, and the wounds of those struck by curses were a bloody mess. Although the battle at Zeb'Watha had eliminated the troll threat in Life Forest in one stroke and driven the troll forces out of Eversong Woods, the losses in this operation had been extremely high. Probably fewer than half the troops they had brought would return.

"We should treat the wounded first," Patrick continued.

Hearing Patrick's words, all the rangers felt grateful to him from the bottom of their hearts. A superior who showed such consideration for ordinary elves was truly rare.

Alleria nodded and said, "There really is no need to pursue them. The trolls can no longer pose a threat. We need to reorganize our troops, then establish a new camp."

Alleria planned to establish a defensive outpost in Life Forest, or simply build a Mage Tower, then open up the main route leading to the East Sanctum. That would put the entire area west of the Elrendar River under elven control. By also reinforcing the defensive troops at Farstrider Lodge and fortifying the banks upstream and downstream of Allendar Falls, they could keep the trolls' reach from ever extending deep into Eversong Woods again.

With the Thalassian Pass to rely on, the East Sanctum could develop more effectively. It could even become a central hub linking Silvermoon City, Tranquillien, Goldenmist Village, Suncrown Village, and Fairbreeze Village. The elven forces and military deployments in Eversong Woods and the Ghostlands would form a single, impregnable whole.

What had once been Zeb'Watha lay shattered. Some of the trolls' small wooden buildings had collapsed, while others had been engulfed in flames. Once the troops had finished their post-battle work, they returned to the East Sanctum.

The journey back was much quieter, with no sign of trolls in the woods. Returning to the East Sanctum was much easier than getting there had been. Alleria even left markers along the way, planning to send troops over immediately after returning to occupy the area and establish a new camp.

The troops slowly entered the barrier. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at returning safely to the East Sanctum, and the ranger soldiers felt much more at ease. They all headed back to their quarters. The wounded were sent for treatment, while everyone else went to wash up. After several days of marching, cleaning themselves up and then enjoying good food to unwind was a very nice way to relax. Or they could find their partners and properly "take their minds off things."

The soldiers were all giving vent to their feelings. Patrick returned to the Eastern Sanctum Tower, took a good bath, and enjoyed himself for a while. Standing on the Mage Tower's balcony, he watched the warriors let off steam. The sanctum town was bustling everywhere. Soldiers who had drunk too much boasted about how brave they had been and how they had killed enemies on the battlefield. As they grew more and more excited in the telling, the elves listening poured them another glass of elven fruit wine. Everything was so harmonious.

"Why don't you join in the revelry?" Alleria's voice came from behind him.

It seemed Alleria had finished the day's business and had just washed up and dressed. Her hair was still a little damp, hanging naturally behind her ears. She was not wearing armor now, and her close-fitting clothes revealed a perfect hourglass figure.

"I'm not really used to that sort of thing." Patrick felt rather helpless.

After all, he had been an ordinary person in his previous life. He really could not understand the lives of people who spent all day in bars. Back then, he would just have a few drinks, eat a late-night snack, play cards, or team up for games with a few old classmates. Patrick really did not know how to take part in that sort of bar revelry. Moreover, as a "newcomer" mage, Patrick had not formed many friendships with the rangers. As a mage, he also spent most of his time studying his own Arcane magic and pursuing the heights of Arcane mastery, leaving him even fewer opportunities to interact with the rangers.

Alleria walked over and stood beside Patrick, looking at the town's bright lights and revelry. The themes of elven life were always pleasure and ease. Ordinary elves preferred to stay tucked away in Silvermoon City, and only a small number were willing to struggle on the front lines.

"When will the council's decision come down?" Patrick asked.

"Are you in such a hurry to leave?" Alleria asked in return.

"I just want to know what arrangements the council will make for me." Patrick glanced at Alleria.

Patrick belonged to none of the factions within the Silvermoon Council, nor did he belong to a major clan in Silvermoon City. He did not know what arrangements the council would make. Moreover, as a new Arcane spellcaster, and one who had distinguished himself in the Troll Wars, he might receive an olive branch from the Silvermoon Council or an offer from the king.

For a mid-sized family like the Cabrolon family, accepting an olive branch from a major clan meant that the best possible outcome was becoming their vassal, sharing in their fortunes and losses. The alternative was to be completely absorbed by the major clan. There was no third option.

The Cabrolon family's entire foundation was in Silvermoon City. If this matter was handled poorly, it would place severe constraints on Patrick's future development. Moreover, when the Scourge invaded in the future and Arthas's cavalry overran Silvermoon City, even their lives would be threatened. Patrick did not dare gamble. His fate had to be his own to decide.

Silvermoon City was governed through Arcane magic. The king did not participate in the administration of the country, making the council's decisions crucial. This was also why Patrick had originally planned to go to Dalaran. Class divisions within Quel'Thalas were extremely rigid. Getting those great families to relinquish their own interests and distribute them to others was harder than climbing to heaven.

Thus, Patrick did not want to encroach on those great families' interests. Instead, he would seek a path forward in Dalaran, find an opportunity to make contact with Jaina, seek political connections after the Scourge outbreak, and then persuade his family to go with him to Stormwind City for refuge. But joining Alleria's troops in battle along the way had now disrupted Patrick's original plan.