(Thanks to Feigongmo and book friend 20170416211351503 for the 100 reward!)
This is Silvermoon City, the capital of the High Elf kingdom and the power center of the Sunstrider Dynasty.
In the Sunstrider Court, the Sun King sat on his supreme throne, with Kael'thas standing below.
"A message has come from the Archmage of the Sanctum of the Sun: the Scourge has slaughtered the entirety of Deatholme, and fifty thousand of my brethren have been resurrected as Undead. Arthas, that executioner, I will kill him with my own hands!"
The High Elf prince looked up at the Sun King, who sat high on his throne, and cried out, "Father! Why don't you send envoys to the other nations for help? Why don't you ask Dalaran for help? Do you intend to watch our people be slaughtered by Arthas?"
"Are you questioning me, my son?" The Sun King looked down at him, the king, though shrouded in twilight, still a king. " The Silvermoon Council disagrees with asking humanity for help. They believe that the Runestone Barrier of Quel'Thalas can hold back all enemies, and our ranger generals and mage troops will keep them at bay beyond the Elrendar River!"
"But we still have 100,000 people in the entire Ghostlands! Are you just going to abandon them?" Kael'thas shouted, expressing his anger.
"I have ordered the people of Ghostlands to retreat to Eversong Woods. The ranger and mage forces will continue their attacks on the Scourge." The Sun King did not refute his son's rudeness; in fact, he was already exhausted and had no interest in such trivial matters. "If Arthas wants to come, let him come! The High Elf are not weak humans. The phoenix's flames will devour all the Undead, Flamestrike will sever Frostmourne and end the Undead Scourge!"
"But Father..." Kael'thas wanted to argue, but the Sun King's voice suddenly became authoritative.
"My son, you don't understand. Because of the oath we made 2800 years ago, we can never hold our heads high before the blood of Thoradin. I thought Lothar was dead and that would be the end of it all, but then another Nicholas appeared. Although he is not of Thoradin's blood, he wields Thoradin's weapons, and that makes me very uncomfortable."
The Sun King rose, his connection to the Sunwell granting him true High-tier Legendary spellcasting abilities. "Now is an opportunity. Even Lordaeron, the most powerful of the seven human kingdoms, couldn't defeat Arthas and the Scourge. But if we utterly annihilate the Scourge on our own territory, the Sunstrider Dynasty's prestige will surpass that of Lordaeron and all human nations, and everyone will forget their past oaths!"
"My son, you must always remember: the dignity of the High Elf is more important than the lives of a small number of their people!"
After leaving the Sunstrider Court, Kael'thas arrived at the Sunfury Spire.
He pondered for a long time before finally taking out a crystal and activating it.
An image of Antonidas appeared before him.
" Kael'thas, the Kirin Tor has been waiting for the Sunstrider Dynasty ' request, and the Battlemage Corps is ready. It seems the Sun King is finally willing to request support? You... are willing to return to the Alliance?" Antonidas's aged voice rang out.
"Speaker, my father didn't make the request; it was I who requested Dalaran's support," Kael'thas said.
Antonidas's image remained silent for a moment; the Speaker seemed to be contacting other council members. Kael'thas waited anxiously, and it was ten minutes before he heard a reply.
"I'm sorry, you cannot represent the Sunstrider Dynasty. Unless the Sun King requests it, the Kirin Tor's battlemage order will not be able to directly participate in the war. Modera, Drenden, and Ansirem have all expressed their dissatisfaction with the Sunstrider Dynasty's decision to break the agreement and leave the Alliance," Antonidas said. "However, Krasus is willing to go to their aid in a personal capacity, after he has resolved a minor problem."
Krasus!
Upon hearing Antonidas's refusal, Kael'thas's face betrayed his disappointment. He knew that the tacit understanding between humans and High Elf could not be broken.
Humans would indeed not participate in the war unless their father personally requested it. But upon hearing the name " Krasus," Kael'thas's face lit up with joy.
Even in Dalaran, only a very few people know Krasus's true identity.
He is more than just a member of the Kirin Tor Council.
In fact, he was an ancient red dragon that had lived for more than ten thousand years!
That red dragon mage's magical skill was in no way inferior to his, and coupled with his status as the consort of the Red Dragon Queen, his overall strength was probably the strongest in all of Dalaran, even stronger than him and Antonidas!
"Speaker, thank you for your support. The High Elf will not be so easily defeated. I will await Lord Krasus's arrival in Silvermoon City!" Kael'thas said solemnly.
This is the westernmost part of the Ghostlands, the Windrunner Spire. Further north lies the Windrunner family's territory: Windrunner Village.
Sylvanas stood atop the tower, her tall figure exuding a heroic air. On her back slung the famous Windrunner's Warbow, and in her hand, the purple epic-grade crossbow, bestowed by the Sun King and passed down through generations of ranger generals:
Fallinsh Quel'Thalas Guardian!
The wandering general looked southeast, but a deep worry lingered in his eyes.
The destruction of Deatholme caused her immense pain. The ranger forces' several raids yielded nothing but corpses. Although she hadn't been fighting on the front lines, messengers sent by her two lieutenants told her that the Scourge was unstoppable!
"General, battle reports from Lord Lor'themar and Lord Halduron have arrived." A ranger handed over two battle reports.
"No need, Kalma, I know what's inside without even looking," Sylvanas said. "Tell them to retreat. I'll wait for them at the bridge over the Elrendar River!"
"What? General, we're not going to fight the Scourge?" Kalma couldn't believe her ears!
"These are orders from His Majesty the King and the Silvermoon Council, which I cannot disobey. Although I also want to question them, why didn't the Archmage of Sunwell Plateau come to our aid? Why were the Dragonhawk Rider and elven mages recalled? Why didn't they ask Lordaeron and Dalaran for help? Are they allowing the High Elf ' damned arrogance to murder the lives of millions of their own people?"
Sylvanas gritted her teeth and said coldly, "But I cannot disobey the orders of the Sun King and the Silvermoon Council, and neither can you!"
"Alright, I'll go right now." Kalma looked at Sylvanas, her eyes filled with pleading. "General, the Runestone Barrier should be able to hold off the Scourge, right?"
Sylvanas looked north.
Ghostlands is merely the frontier; Eversong Woods is the heartland of the High Elf kingdom, the true Quel'Thalas!
Runestone Barrier covered the entire Eversong Woods, providing a continuous supply of energy from the Sunwell. Even a million Troll, a hundred thousand Orcs, and enslaved red dragons could not breach its defenses...
So, it must be able to withstand the Scourge's invasion, right?
" The Order of the Silver Hand have agreed to send troops, and after the ranger forces help them breach Stratholme, the High Elf ' Runestone Barrier, which has existed for thousands of years, will surely be able to hold off the Scourge." Sylvanas's voice was more resolute than ever before. "It will!"