On the day of departure, Lor'themar rose early and silently helped his older brother check his luggage.
They had already said everything there was to say about their concern and worries over the preceding days, so on the morning of departure, the two fell silent instead.
Even Vereesa, who usually did not get along with Charlemagne, had made a rare visit to the Theron residence with her little brother Lirath to watch the two brothers quietly going about their preparations.
"Hmph! I don't think you're capable of it, but if my second sister runs into trouble, I still hope you'll lend her a hand."
Only when Charlemagne shouldered his luggage and prepared to leave did Vereesa finally speak, her face full of disdain.
"My second sister is far too proud. Ever since we were little, she's never asked us sisters for help. Whenever something happens, she shoulders it herself. Even when Father died..."
Seeing the downcast expressions of the Windrunner siblings, Charlemagne gave both of them a firm pat on the shoulder as he passed.
"Don't worry! As you said, I might not be much help to Sylvanas, but whenever I get the chance, I'll still do everything I can."
Lor'themar clenched his fists tightly as he watched his older brother's figure recede into the distance.
I have to work even harder! Next time, I'll definitely be able to help my big brother!
A grim atmosphere hung over the entire ranger camp that day. Colleagues who normally greeted one another with smiles merely exchanged nods when they met.
Lireesa stood on the platform, looking at the determined expressions of the young people, and nodded in satisfaction.
Although this group of rangers under her command had only joined within the past ten years, the troops she had personally trained already showed a hint of an elite force. Next... they would be tested in actual combat.
"I won't waste words. Sylvanas and her rangers are currently stationed at the Farstriders' camp. Once we reach the Sanctum of the Sun, she'll come to join us. We'll discuss the details then."
"All right, mount your Hawkstriders. We're moving out!"
"Yes!"
The well-trained rangers mounted the Hawkstriders beside them in perfect unison. Charlemagne, too, gently patted the sturdy Hawkstrider beneath him.
"Swiftfeather, sorry for the trouble again."
"Chirp!"
This pure-white Hawkstrider had been specially bestowed upon Sigma Theron by the Sun King in recognition of his repeated military achievements during the Troll Wars.
Having been raised using the royal family's secret methods, this Hawkstrider had a far longer lifespan than ordinary Hawkstriders. At least, Charlemagne, who had grown up alongside it since his mentally impaired days, had never seen it show any signs of aging.
After receiving the Hawkstrider, Sigma had given it to his eldest son Charlemagne, who had only recently been born, and named it Swiftfeather.
For more than three hundred years, Swiftfeather had remained a loyal companion to the Theron family. Through all that time together, the little fellow had also grown increasingly clever and attuned to people as it matured.
After regaining his mental faculties, Charlemagne had personally taken on the responsibility of training it. Under Lireesa's guidance, he had spent the past ten years turning Swiftfeather from a family pet into a capable combat Hawkstrider.
If not for the high elves' lack of reliable records, Charlemagne would even have planned to make it his first animal companion.
With the Hawkstriders' speed, the lightly equipped rangers took little time to race from the ranger camp in Tranquillien to the Sanctum of the Sun.
When Lireesa led her troops into the Sanctum of the Sun, the spellcasters sent by the Sun King to fight alongside them had already arrived ahead of them. At their head was a female elf with an arrogant expression.
"General Windrunner, I am Lianda Sunstrider. I have been waiting here for some time with twenty mages and fifteen priests."
Lireesa's expression shifted upon hearing her name, and she took the initiative to extend a hand. "I've heard of you, Lady Lianda. As a member of the Sunstrider family, you've already reached the sixth circle at such a young age. You must be close to the hero rank by now?"
A measured look of pride appeared on Lianda's face, but her words were modest. "You flatter me. It is you whom I have long admired, General Windrunner. Your reputation as a heroine is truly well deserved."
Charlemagne, who was among the ranger troops, had clearly heard Lianda introduce herself as well. After searching his memories, he recalled who she was.
Lianda Sunstrider was a member of a collateral branch of the high elves' royal Sunstrider family and had no right of succession. In the original history, her obsession with the power of Flamestrike had ultimately led to her being killed by a murderhobo mage, who took her artifact.
Of course, in the real Azeroth, one could not judge a person based on a few one-sided impressions from before.
At least in Charlemagne's eyes, Lianda's arrogance fell within the normal range for elves. Lireesa's praise had not made her get carried away, either, and she still maintained the decorum expected of royalty.
The priest leader's self-introduction that followed, however, took him completely by surprise.
"Anu belore dela'na (May the sun guide you), General Windrunner. I am Priest Liadrin. I have long heard of your great reputation."
Charlemagne looked in surprise at the beautiful female elf, whose brown hair was tied in a single ponytail and whose perfect hourglass figure was wrapped in a snow-white priest's robe.
This lady was tremendously famous. Though she was still a priest now, she would later become the leader of the Blood Knights, the renowned Countess Liadrin... and she was also A-Qiang's future girlfriend.
But the current Liadrin had yet to experience that devastating war against the Undead Scourge, so naturally, she had not yet inherited her family's title of countess. For now, she was only a priest with a modest reputation.
"General Windrunner, your daughter Sylvanas hasn't arrived yet. Do you think we should...?"
At Lianda's polite question, Lireesa waved a hand casually.
"Don't worry about her. Let's go inside and discuss the Trolls' movements first. I'm sure she'll arrive soon."
Watching the three big shots enter the Sanctum of the Sun, Charlemagne could only join the rangers around him in setting up camp a short distance in front of the sanctum. The twenty mages and the priests who had accompanied Lianda also joined in their efforts.
"Heh... just what you'd expect from rangers who spend all day rolling around in the woods. Every last one of them reeks of dirt. How nauseating."
Just as the rangers and priests were helping one another set up tents in a harmonious atmosphere, a mocking voice rang out from behind them.
Charlemagne turned and saw that the speaker was a male elf with long golden hair, dressed in lavish mage robes. He was looking at the rangers with a face full of disdain.
"Show some respect, Sean Morningstrider. For a noble Arcanist to mock his own people-isn't that rather beneath your station?"
Before the rangers could retort, another mage with fiery red hair in the mages' group spoke up to rebuke him.
"You again! Lanas Bladesinger, why are you always opposing me? Aren't these rangers just a bunch of mudlegs?"
(End of chapter)