Interlude

"Malfurion, I hope you can send some Druids to teach us."

"Of course, Snyder. I think the Druids would be happy to. Oh, right, Ysera, the Dream Queen, wants to open some portals to the Emerald Dream. You can ask her to establish one where you are."

At Malfurion's words, Ysera, the green dragon, lifted her head from the red dragon Alexstrasza's thigh and opened her sleepy eyes.

"I don't think that'll be necessary. Our new home is being built, and I need the Druids to help me establish a stable ecosystem. Besides, I hope they can enter the Emerald Dream on their own. It's better to build up their strength bit by bit themselves."

Everyone present was speechless. Of everyone there, Snyder was the last person qualified to say something like that. He was so noble, so impressive: a born Shaman known as an Elemental Spirit walking Azeroth, exceptionally gifted with golden eyes said to be unmatched among the elves for ages. His strength was extraordinary too. How many demon armies had he buried with his mastery of elemental power?

Snyder had a reason for doing this. He believed that with Faledor helping the Druids cultivate, they could do without the green dragons' power. Snyder did not yet know that his decision had averted a crisis. When Ysera saw that Snyder had no intention of accepting her help, she fell asleep on Alexstrasza's lap again, drawing wry smiles from everyone.

Seeing that the ceremony was over, the Dragon Aspects took wing and vanished into the sky, except for Ysera, of course. Still in her humanoid form, she was fast asleep in Alexstrasza's claws. As the dragons departed, the Bronze Dragon Aspect looked at Snyder again. Snyder noticed his gaze but paid it no mind.

"Snyder, when are you leaving?" Malfurion stopped Snyder as he was about to go.

"The migration has already begun. Once I've settled my people, I'll tell you where we are. I'll still need you to send the Druids over."

"Then I wish you a safe journey." Malfurion said nothing else. At this point, all he could do was hope they found a new home soon. Tyrande said nothing, only staring at Snyder the whole time. Snyder paid her no mind either; after all, there was no telling how many years would pass before they met again.

"Are we really not going to stop them anymore?" Tyrande asked, watching Snyder recede into the distance.

"There's no need. This may be the best outcome for them."

Snyder walked down the mountain and found Jarod waiting for him.

"My lord, something terrible has happened. There's trouble in Suramar City," Jarod said anxiously.

Upon hearing Jarod's report, Snyder immediately directed the Hand of the Bright Moon to join forces and build a small portal to Suramar City.

Let us return to the time when Prince Tortheldrin and Elisande went back to Eldre'Thalas and Suramar City.

"Prince, are we really going to pledge our loyalty to Lord Snyder?" Prince Tortheldrin's captain of the guard asked.

"Of course. He has water from the Well of Eternity, and he's very powerful. Most importantly, there's his talent. He's the same age as Malfurion and that betrayer, yet he's already become a demigod. His talent is enough to rival Queen Azshara's. No, his talent is even greater than Queen Azshara's." Prince Tortheldrin's eyes were filled with fervor.

His captain of the guard was still reeling from the revelation that Snyder possessed water from the Well of Eternity.

"Captain, take my insignia and muster our troops. Also, send people to keep an eye on those stubborn old nobles. I don't want anything going wrong at a time like this. Let word reach the nobles that Lord Snyder has water from the Well of Eternity. I want to see who wants to become my stepping stone to the upper ranks of this new empire."

"Understood. I'll go right away." The captain's eyes were already full of fervor. The Well of Eternity held immense importance among the elves, except for the lower elves who believed in nature.

That night, several Highborne nobles gathered in a basement.

"Hmph! That youngster Prince Tortheldrin has gone too far. He actually wants us to abandon this place and follow that Snyder Rain, a stinking nobody. He's only getting worse with age," an old elf said.

"He's also stripping us of our military command. Our ancestors fought for everything we have!" After the great war, everyone knew how valuable military power was.

"What do we do? Wait for them to make a move against us?"

"Of course not! We'll fight him!" As soon as he said it, the others chimed in.

"Fight? With what? Are you going to do it, or am I? Look at yourselves. Do you think Prince Tortheldrin's troops are pushovers? One spell and we'd all be finished," said the old noble seated at the head of the room. Everyone froze at his words.

They were all experts at enjoying life, but sending them onto a battlefield was no different from sending them to their deaths.

"Then what do we do? We might as well surrender. At least we'd save ourselves, though life wouldn't be easy afterward."

"As far as I know, Prince Tortheldrin pledged loyalty to Snyder because he has water from the Well of Eternity." Everyone present was shocked by those words.

"Let's take the water for ourselves!" At this, the others joined in.

"Yes, take it!"

"It's what we Highborne deserve." Sure enough, a great enough prize could drive elves mad. Their handsome faces had long since twisted at those words.

"Why don't you tell me how you plan to take it?" The old noble spoke again, silencing them.

One quick-witted elf immediately knelt before the old noble. "Please tell us how. Once it's done, you'll get the biggest share." Hearing this, the other nobles followed his example and pledged their loyalty to the old noble.

Seeing how readily they had fallen in line, he stopped holding back.

He took out a communication stone and contacted a friend in Suramar City, telling him what was happening on his side.

Suramar City was not Eldre'Thalas. Elisande had not stripped the nobles of their military command, so they had not resisted her much. The news about the Well of Eternity's water shocked them for a while, but they had no intention of rebelling. Even so, they reached an agreement with the nobles of Eldre'Thalas. After all, they could not put all their eggs in one basket.

What they did not know was that in Eldre'Thalas, Prince Tortheldrin had already obtained evidence of their incriminating conversation. He had secured his stepping stone, and now he wanted to cast a long line to catch a big fish. Whether that big fish would snap the fisherman's line, however, remained unknown.

Meanwhile, in Suramar, another elf had discovered the secret. He was now racing home, unable to hide the excitement on his face. He knew the chance to change his family's fate had come.