"You three, I believe Kael'thas has already told you why I invited you here. He and my apprentice Jaina will accompany you to Lordaeron as Dalaran's envoys." Antonidas coughed softly and addressed the three of them. "King Terenas is very interested in your experiences. He and his generals also need your intelligence to devise a strategy for a counteroffensive against the Orcs. Sorry for the trouble."
With Antonidas being so courteous, what else could the three of them say? They could only reply that it was their duty, that it was all for the Alliance, and so on.
"Oh, and my apprentice Jaina Proudmoore will be accompanying you this time as well. She is quite close to Lordaeron's royal family, so I believe she will be of considerable help to you."
Hearing this, Aaron could not help rolling his eyes. Jaina's relationship with Lordaeron's royal family was far more than merely close. He just did not know whether anything had happened between her and Arthas yet.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Antonidas walked over to the teleportation array and began activating the portal, preparing to send the five of them to Lordaeron.
As violet light began to shimmer in Antonidas's eyes, Aaron faintly sensed the power hidden beneath the aged body of Dalaran's foremost mage. He could not help murmuring to himself, "So this is an Archmage?"
As the scenery beyond the portal's curtain of light grew increasingly real, an interested expression crossed Aaron's face. Come to think of it, this was only his second time experiencing teleportation.
Back in Grim Batol, Rhonin had hastily cast a teleportation spell to get them out of the cave. That emergency teleport had not left Aaron with a particularly good impression. He had nearly thrown up, but they had been too busy fleeing for their lives for anyone to care.
This time, they would be passing through a portal, and Aaron decided he would properly experience the sensation of teleportation. After all, unlike in the game, where any mage could learn portals for a little money, Aaron had once asked Rhonin about it out of curiosity. Short-range teleportation aside, only a very few people could perform this sort of long-distance teleportation without a portal prepared in advance.
Of course, activating an already constructed portal like this one only required supplying mana. Even without a particularly powerful mage, several mages could share the burden.
"All right, everyone, the portal is stable. Someone will receive you on the other side. I shall wish you a safe journey from here." Antonidas gave them a kindly smile and gestured for them to enter the portal.
Watching the others enter one after another, Aaron took a deep breath and prepared to step through, only to hear Antonidas say, "Young fellow, there's no need to be nervous. This portal has been in use for a long time. Its safety is assured."
"Archmage, I'm not afraid." Aaron smiled at the old mage. "We'll meet again if fate allows."
With that, Aaron stepped into the portal.
Once Aaron had left, Antonidas stopped supplying mana to the portal. He withdrew his hands and smiled at the portal, now a curtain of light. "That's finally over."
Ever since receiving word that Deathwing was active again, Dalaran's mages had spent quite some time on edge. After all, the enmity between that fellow and Dalaran could be called endless.
Deathwing had once come to Dalaran with the Orcs to steal things. Later, Khadgar had joined forces with the king of the Gronn on Draenor and given Deathwing a thorough beating. After that, the Dalaran mages who remained on Azeroth had ambushed Deathwing again, and he had only escaped by feigning death.
Now that Deathwing had suffered another setback, Dalaran reckoned he would probably refrain from causing trouble for a while. After all, several Dragon Aspects and their followers were still hunting the old black dragon.
At that thought, however, Antonidas's heart lurched. He had just remembered that Dalaran still had another problem on its hands, neither particularly large nor small. He could only hope Kael'thas's trip would go smoothly.
As Antonidas walked back to his quarters, lost in thought, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him. Looking back, he saw a middle-aged man with gleaming eyes striding briskly toward him.
Antonidas's expression shifted slightly at the sight of him. "Kel'Thuzad, what is it?" he asked sternly.
Antonidas had originally held very high hopes for Kel'Thuzad's future. In recent years, however, Kel'Thuzad had begun researching the necromancy Antonidas had forbidden. Antonidas had tried advising him a few times, but Kel'Thuzad had always either changed the subject or flatly denied it. Now, Antonidas could only hope Kel'Thuzad's research would not cause too great a disaster.
Kel'Thuzad, who was in unusually high spirits at the moment, did not notice the change in Antonidas's expression. Beaming, he said, "Master, I would like to request some time off. I need to visit the Broken Isles."
"Hmm?" Antonidas was taken aback. He had no idea what Kel'Thuzad wanted to do in the Broken Isles, but as far as the old mage was concerned, anything that made this stubborn fellow set aside his necromancy research for a while was a good thing. Naturally, he granted the request.
Watching Kel'Thuzad leave in delight, Antonidas could not work out what the man had encountered to make him suddenly want to visit the Broken Isles. Little did he know that he had personally sent the culprit away.
By then, the culprit responsible for Kel'Thuzad's decision to leave for a while had already arrived in Lordaeron.
The instant his body passed through the portal, Aaron had involuntarily tensed all over. But just as the old mage had said, the portal's safety was assured. Aaron merely stepped through, and when he opened his eyes again, he was already standing in a garden.
"Hmm, it felt like passing through a film of water." Aaron recalled the sensation, only to find that there did not seem to have been anything particularly special about it. It was as though he had really just taken an ordinary step forward.
"Welcome to Lordaeron, honored guests." Just then, a young man spoke. Judging by his meticulous movements, Aaron guessed he was the court attendant Lordaeron had assigned to receive them.
"Please rest in your guest rooms first. His Majesty the King will receive you at tonight's banquet. Envoys from the sovereigns of the other nations will also be attending." The attendant led them through the garden.
Unlike Dalaran, where magical wonders were everywhere, Lordaeron had far fewer marvels, but it was much more bustling than sparsely populated Dalaran. Even as they walked through the garden, Aaron could see all sorts of tall, magnificent buildings nearby.
After passing through a corridor, they followed the attendant to the guest rooms that had already been prepared. As everyone settled in, Jaina suddenly stopped the attendant. "Where is Arthas now?"
"Your Highness Jaina." The attendant first bowed, then answered, "His Highness the Prince is undergoing Silver Hand training under Sir Uther. If you wish, I can inform His Highness."
Jaina waved a hand. "No need. I know where he trains. I'll go find him myself."
With that, Jaina left the guest rooms with practiced familiarity and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Watching this, Aaron shook his head and sighed. "Ah, the ardor of youth."
As soon as he said it, however, Aaron suddenly felt that something was off about the atmosphere around him. Puzzled, he asked, "What is it? Did I say something wrong?"
Beside him, Kael'thas and Vereesa wore somewhat odd expressions but said nothing. Rhonin sighed. "Aaron, judging by your appearance, you're not even eighteen yet, are you?"
"Huh?" Aaron froze, then immediately understood. In terms of appearance, he was not actually much older than Jaina. No wonder the two elves had looked so strange when he made such a remark, especially in front of long-lived High Elves.