Liadrin
Tall trees rose overhead, their branches white and leaves golden. The evening breeze swept through them, stirring a gentle murmur like a song. This was Quel'Thalas.
Kael'thas sat alone fishing on a golden seaside cliff by the Western Sanctum. Golden leaves swayed and rustled behind him in disarray, but he felt no annoyance.
He had grown accustomed to the quiet, so accustomed to it that he could even fall in love with it.
Kael'thas...
Kael'sala emerged from his work at the Western Sanctum and looked at the boy fishing alone beneath the dappled shadows of the leaves. His long golden hair danced in the wind, and he was as beautiful as a god fallen to the mortal world.
"Your Highness, is that His Highness Kael'thas?"
A timid voice asked Kael'sala. It belonged to a pretty elf standing behind him. She looked about Kael'sala's age, but she was actually only sixteen.
She was a High Elf born on the front lines who had only just returned, and she was still dazzled by the beauty and splendor of Quel'Thalas.
"Yes, Liadrin, that's my younger brother, Kael'thas," Kael'sala said with a smile, then led her forward.
"Kael'thas, sorry for the wait..."
Kael'sala called out, and the fishing boy turned in pleasant surprise. He was smiling, and his deep blue eyes sparkled with delight. His face was exquisite beyond compare. Liadrin swore she had never seen anyone so beautiful.
"Brother, are you finished with work?" Kael'thas swiftly reeled in his line and handed it to a guard beside him, then walked happily toward Carl'sara. The sound of his footsteps woke Xiao Ao, who had been sleeping nearby. Xiao Ao woke up in a daze and staggered after Kael'thas.
"Mm, I just finished." Kael'sala affectionately patted Kael'thas on the head, his favorite gesture, then turned sideways to introduce Liadrin to him. "Come, Kael'thas, this is Liadrin. She's only sixteen and she's a Priest! From now on, let her stay with you..."
A sixteen-year-old professional was exceptionally gifted even among High Elves.
But that was not what caught Kael'thas's attention. Liadrin, isn't she Countess Liadrin, the future leader of the Blood Knights? Why is she so young?
In history, Liadrin had been a High Elf Priest who later became a Paladin and ultimately betrayed Kael'thas after Quel'Thalas was invaded by the Undead.
Thoughts flashed through his mind, but Kael'thas did not hesitate. He gave Liadrin a broad smile and a slight bow fit for a lady. "Hello, I'm Kael'thas," he said, gentle and courteous.
"Hello, Your Highness..." Flattered and startled, Liadrin hurriedly returned an awkward bow. She stepped on her Priest's long skirt and nearly fell.
Many years later, whenever Liadrin, by then a model of etiquette, recalled this scene, she was always filled with shame.
"Pfft..." Kael'sala could not help laughing at Liadrin's flustered appearance. He secretly pressed his lips together so she would not notice.
Kael'thas smiled. Leaving aside her betrayal, he quite liked the girl as she was now. She looked very cute.
"I look forward to working with you, Liadrin," Kael'thas said with a smile. He did not mind her breach of etiquette in the slightest. His long hair stirred in the wind, gleaming a dazzling gold.
In that instant, Liadrin was won over by the boy.
"Y-yes, Your Highness! I-I'll be sure to protect you!!"
Liadrin spoke excitedly, her face red.
Ding... Liadrin's loyalty to you has increased to 80... You have completed the hidden quest: Gain a person's loyalty! You have gained 100 experience points!
The system notifications sounded in Kael'thas's ear. He was startled, but there was something else that concerned him more.
"Protect me?"
Kael'thas looked at Kael'sala questioningly, hoping for an explanation.
Didn't he have plenty of guards? Besides, could a Priest just starting out protect him better?
"Haven't you always wanted to learn magic?" Kael'sala said with a smile. Kael'thas's mindset was sound enough, and it was time to let him get some practice. "Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you magic and let you put it into practice!"
"These guards are too high-level, so Liadrin will accompany you instead. She's a Priest and can protect you well."
Of course, Kael'sala believed Kael'thas understood that he would not let him face battles beyond his level, and that the guards would still step in if Kael'thas faced real danger.
Carl'sara was sure to have made thorough arrangements.
Even so, this was enough to fill Kael'thas with delight. He had been in this world for eight years, and he could finally go fight!!
"Really?" Kael'thas clutched Kael'sala's arm, his face full of anticipation, still unable to believe it.
Half amused and half exasperated, Kael'sala pinched Kael'thas's nose. "Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
He had originally planned to wait until Kael'thas was fifteen, but his younger brother was too remarkable. He had completed his basic education at five and had a steady mindset by eight. Kael'sala could hardly hold him back any longer, so he had chosen Liadrin early to accompany him.
And so Kael'thas headed back to Silvermoon City, full of anticipation. He did not have a mount of his own yet, so he rode on the same Hawkstrider as Kael'sala. Liadrin rode with a female guard, looking around curiously as she followed them back to Sunfury Spire.
Sunfury Spire stood within Silvermoon City and was the residence of the High Elf royal family. Silvermoon City was the capital of the High Elves, located in the fertile northern reaches of Eversong Woods. Led by the Sunstrider Dynasty, it had a senate, while the Silvermoon Rangers were responsible for the city's defenses. It was a testament to the High Elves' tens of thousands of years of advanced civilization. Here, they engaged in trade, research, and study, while also dealing with raids by the Amani Trolls to the east.
Thousands of years ago, after the High Elves landed on Lordaeron, they built Silvermoon City here as their main city. Its architecture did not use the white stalactites or living plants of the ancient Kaldorei Empire, instead weaving the city into the natural terrain and surroundings. It included the renowned Silvermoon Academy, a center of Arcane study, and the magnificent palace of the High Elf royal family, Sunfury Spire. The High Elf government, the Silvermoon Council, also known as the Silvermoon Committee, was established there as well. As the city expanded northward, the Sunwell was built on an island to the north.
Silvermoon City was the largest and most beautiful city in the world today. Before Liadrin had recovered from seeing the automatic magic items at work, she had already been settled into a room in Sunfury Spire.
"Then I'll teach you the most basic Frostbolt first!"
Inside Sunfury Spire, in Kael'thas's room, Kael'sala spoke to his younger brother. On the way back, Kael'thas had pestered him to start teaching him magic sooner. With no choice, Kael'sala decided to teach him one spell first. Once Kael'thas found it difficult, he would have an excuse to put the rest off until tomorrow.
Frostbolt was a basic skill, but it was very practical and well suited to Kael'thas's current situation. It could damage an enemy while also slowing them down, so Kael'thas could run if he could not win a fight.
Kael'sala began teaching Kael'thas the steps to cast Frostbolt...
Ding... You have learned the skill Frostbolt! Ding... Mage template activated... Starting mage template... Ding... Mage template damaged. Startup failed... Ding... Independent skill-learning template triggered. Accept? If accepted, you will be able to learn skills independently, but all class templates will be destroyed. Please choose carefully...
Kael'thas stared in surprise at the window before him, with its "Confirm" and "Cancel" buttons. An independent skill-learning template!?
Did that even need asking?
Kael'thas pressed the "Confirm" button in his mind. His class template was already damaged, so it was no use to him anyway.
Ding... Independent skill-learning template activated... Starting independent skill-learning template... Independent learning template started successfully! Ding... Updating information... Name: Kael'thas Sunstrider Race: High Elf Identity: ? (locked) Class: ? (independent learning template starting...) Level: 10 (experience required for next level: 7,500) Skills: Frostbolt - 2-second cast time. Consumes 5% of total mana. You fire an arrow made of ice, damaging the enemy and inflicting a freezing effect that reduces speed by 60% for 15 seconds. ??: ?? (damaged) ??: ?? (damaged) ??: ?? (damaged) ??: ?? (damaged) ??: ?? (damaged) Traits: Arcane Torrent - Silences all enemies within 10 yards for 6 seconds and restores 1% of your total mana per second. 10-minute cooldown. Instant cast. Magic Resistance - Increases all magic resistances by 7 points. Summon Phoenix - Summons 1 phoenix to fight for you.
"What is it?" Kael'sala waved his hand and asked as he looked at Kael'thas.
Why did he suddenly space out?
"If it's too difficult..."
"No." Kael'thas quickly shook his head and looked up with a broad smile. "I think I've learned it already!"
Kael'sala froze.