A new kingdom

A month later, Snyder brought his trip to Northrend to an end.

Snyder could have left after meeting the Spellweaver, but he stayed for over a month, hoping to find Shandaral's lost Arcane relics. He found nothing.

Traveling in fits and starts, Snyder returned to Shandaral, planning to use a portal at its Ley Line node to return to the new continent.

In the month and more he had been away, the central city had been completed, along with the small and medium-sized cities surrounding the four major cities. The elves had finished moving, and now there were more houses than elves.

Population had become the main problem.

The scene shifted, and Snyder stepped out of the portal into the central city of the continent.

Snyder looked at the city he had designed, now built, and his delight went without saying.

"You're back." Maiev had been waiting in front of the portal.

"Yes, I'm back." Seeing his beloved after such a long separation, Snyder was overcome with longing. He swept Maiev into his arms, and the couple told each other how much they had missed one another.

"Come on, I'll show you around." Maiev slipped out of Snyder's embrace, her face slightly flushed beneath her faceplate.

Snyder laughed at his beloved's embarrassment.

The two wandered through the city, stopping along the way as Maiev showed Snyder every part of it.

"You still haven't named this city or the new continent."

"Let's do this. Send word to the people in charge of the other three major cities today and have them attend the celebration tomorrow. I'll announce both names at the celebration and plant the magic seed."

"Take me to see where we're planting the tree."

Maiev led the way, and the two headed to the planting site.

Fandral Staghelm was directing his novice apprentices to imbue the soil with the power of nature, making it more suitable for plants to grow.

Under Fandral's instruction, these Druid apprentices were already capable of working on their own, though they had yet to reach the point where they could enter the Emerald Dream under their own power.

Fandral was pleased with his apprentices. They were eager to learn, and they were all working hard for their home.

"Fandral, you look well." Snyder and Maiev arrived to find Fandral instructing the Druid apprentices.

"Hello, Mr. Snyder. While you were away, these Druid apprentices became ready to complete their training."

"Really? Fandral, is it that easy to become a Druid?"

"They really are ready. There's nothing more I can teach them. What remains will come with time."

"It seems you're very fond of them."

"Yes. They may not be the brightest, but they're the most diligent I've ever seen."

"Yes, building a new home depends on diligent people. They're the best foundation stones."

"Remember to attend the kingdom's founding celebration tomorrow."

"I'll be there on time."

Snyder took another look around the city, then concluded his inspection.

The sun rose, and its first rays fell on the new continent.

In the central city, many elves were already up and about, making their way into the streets. Today was a big day for them.

By the time sunlight filled the central pool, representatives from the cities and elves from the central city had gathered around it.

Dressed in magnificent formal robes, Snyder walked through the crowd of elves, who bowed their heads as he passed.

Snyder stepped onto a hastily built platform and looked out at his people, a surge of emotion rising in his heart.

"When the Well of Eternity was destroyed, it was as though we had lost a loved one. Our lives were bound inseparably to it."

"When magic addiction entered our lives, its arrival cost us our loved ones, and we ourselves suffered terribly."

Those in the crowd who had lost loved ones to magic addiction and those tormented by it wore expressions of pain. It was a time too painful to look back on.

"When our people refused to understand us, we left our homeland and came here, where we built a new home. We endured all the hardships along the way."

At these words, the elves gathered there raised their heads, pride on their faces.

"We will protect our home together, and we will defeat every enemy who comes against us!"

Snyder shouted!

"For Snyder!"

"Long live our new home!"

The elves below shouted.

"We will restore the glory of the elven empire!"

With that, Snyder took out all the Water of Eternity he possessed and, to everyone's shock, poured more than ten bottles of it into the pool.

Boom! Magic energy surged skyward, seemingly tearing the heavens apart.

Though it was still far inferior to the original Well of Eternity, it was much more powerful than the one Illidan had created on Mount Hyjal.

Seeing that the magic pool had taken shape, Snyder cast a protective barrier over the entire new continent and concealed it. Then he threw the magic seed into the pool.

The moment the seed hit the water, it began to grow wildly, soon occupying most of the pool. The great tree's roots filled all but a small part of the pool, and thanks to its strong roots, it grew exceptionally tall.

Once the tree had finished growing, various blessings appeared upon it.

Six kinds of energy-elemental, time, magic, life, dream, and nature-washed over the elves below.

The energy changed the elves' appearance. Their faces were no longer purple but pale yellow, and their eyes turned blue. The male elves became strong and resolute, while the females became slender and beautiful. Though their figures had changed, the female warriors were no weaker than the male warriors. At the same time, the powerful energy surged through the elves here, and some spellcasters were born as a result.

The vast energy also improved the new continent's environment.

"Whew. I obey your command, my awakener, Snyder Rain."

The power of the Water of Eternity and the variety of blessings had awakened Faledor's intelligence.

Faledor's birth shocked everyone, especially Fandral. He knew that ancient trees could possess intelligence, but this newly grown tree had gained intelligence because of the energy.

Snyder had not expected Faledor to gain intelligence either. But he quickly recovered; after all, it was a good thing-a powerful guardian had been born.

"Your mission is to protect this continent and shelter the elves here."

"That is the mission for which I was born," Faledor replied.

Faledor's birth brought the celebration to its climax.

The city came to be called Faletai'an, meaning "the guarded city."

The continent was called Hailidos, meaning "the place that rose."

The kingdom they founded was called Aikat'er, meaning "a new beginning."

After the celebration ended,

In a mountain range beside Faletai'an, Snyder placed the four elemental avatars he had prepared at the four cardinal points.

The Elemental Lords, who had long been unable to wait, entered the bodies prepared for them.

After a time, the four avatars awoke.

"Ah, it feels wonderful to be reborn."

"The land here is fertile."

"I can feel the wind."

"The sound of the sea is as pleasing as ever."