Troll Rogue

Gradually, the rain stopped, and the Priests went their separate ways to gather herbs. In the end, only Kael'thas and Liadrin remained in the shadow of the giant tree.

"Looks like we'll have to wait a little longer..."

The gently burning wood warmed Liadrin's soaked body as Kael'thas looked up at the sky outside. The sun was sinking toward the west; it was already afternoon, but its cool light couldn't help Liadrin dry off any faster.

Xiao Ao, meanwhile, was happily swooping back and forth through the sky...

"Your Highness, I'm fine..."

Sitting on the tree trunk, Liadrin nervously covered the glimpses of her figure showing through her clothes. She was shy, yet she stubbornly insisted that she didn't want to delay Kael'thas's work.

Kael'thas shook his head without saying anything.

High Elves had decent constitutions, but not good enough to keep them from getting sick. It was better to avoid illness if possible, and it wasn't as though they couldn't spare the time.

Come to think of it, the Night Elves were still immortal and immune to all diseases at this point, weren't they...

I'm so jealous of them!

A small fireball appeared in Kael'thas's hand, and he gently poured it onto the wood. The flames grew hotter, and Liadrin could feel her clothes gradually losing their icy chill.

"Oh, right, Your Highness! I learned Psychic Scream!!" Not wanting the silence to continue, Liadrin suddenly remembered something and spoke to Kael'thas, her face full of excitement.

Psychic Scream?

It was an important control and survival skill for Priests. It produced a scream that shook the mind, frightening enemies within a ten-meter radius into fleeing for a duration that varied with the user's level.

Kael'thas had casually asked Liadrin about it seven years ago. He hadn't expected her to remember...

He was a little happy. "Have you reached the late initial stage now, then?"

He saw that Liadrin was still using her old wand, so he was certain she hadn't reached the intermediate stage of her profession.

"No... I haven't even reached the middle initial stage..." Liadrin blushed and lowered her head as she spoke. This level was already quite good among High Elves, but facing Kael'thas, Liadrin still felt like a failure.

Not even the middle initial stage... That means she's roughly equivalent to level 20. Kael'thas pondered it privately. He wasn't disappointed; he had merely gained a rough understanding of how quickly High Elves cultivated.

If I remember correctly, Liadrin should be around twenty-three now...

They really can't compare to humans!

"Your Highness, I'm dry!"

Liadrin's clothes gradually dried. She stood up, felt them carefully, and then spoke to Kael'thas.

Kael'thas looked over, confirmed that she was right, and whistled.

"Xiao Ao, time to work!"

They began their afternoon's work. This time, with Liadrin joining them, the experience was halved, and their pace actually slowed.

But seeing how happy Liadrin looked, Kael'thas didn't mind.

"Liadrin, you're gathering them so fast!"

Soon, however, Kael'thas noticed something else worth marveling at. Although Priests were slow on their feet, Liadrin gathered herbs incredibly quickly. From the moment she crouched down to the moment she finished, it often took her less than three seconds.

Were girls more nimble-fingered?

Kael'thas marveled inwardly, but Liadrin gave him a different explanation.

"Oh, that, Your Highness? Everyone who becomes a Priest has to come here and gather herbs for half a year."

"So I've had plenty of practice..."

She turned to smile at Kael'thas, without a hint of complaint.

Half a year...

Kael'thas was startled. Would he have to stay here for half a year too? He wasn't as noble as those Priests. Who could stand gathering herbs for half a year?

He had already spent fifteen years grinding, and he really didn't want to keep doing it.

Trying to ease his worries, Kael'thas decided that the next time he saw Alleria, he would sound her out!

He continued gathering, using Blink after Blink, until he reached a lake and stopped.

The basket was full...

"I'm sorry, Your Highness..." Liadrin once again felt that she had done something wrong. She had been in such a hurry to see Kael'thas that she hadn't brought another basket.

Kael'thas looked up at the sunlight. It wasn't evening yet, but it seemed they had no choice but to head back.

He called out to Xiao Ao and walked to the lake, intending to wash his hands.

Ripples gently spread across the water...

They weren't on his side; Kael'thas hadn't lowered his hands yet. Puzzled, he looked to the side. There was nothing there. Had a leaf fallen into the water?

He wondered about it, and for some reason, he suddenly reacted by casting Frost Nova.

On the ground, a current of frigid air immediately burst outward in all directions from Kael'thas...

"Bang..."

A figure was struck into view five meters away!

The scene fell silent in an instant. Kael'thas and the figure stared at each other, both somewhat lost for words...

It was a Troll with long tusks. He was bent over, holding a green-glowing dagger in each hand. His pose was incredibly menacing, but his feet were frozen to the ground...

"Ding..."

"You have received the quest: Kill the Troll!"

"Your Highness, it's a Troll Rogue!!" Liadrin was the first to react. She sucked in a sharp breath and hurriedly cast a shield on Kael'thas.

The yellow shield enveloped Kael'thas's entire body. Judging by its color, it was probably much stronger than it had been seven years ago.

Kael'thas didn't dare let his guard down. Why had a Troll Rogue appeared here?

"Xiao Ao, don't break the freeze!"

He warned the phoenix, opened up some distance, and then instantly activated Arcane Orb, storing a Fireball inside it.

The Arcane Orb turned red...

"Pii~!"

Xiao Ao could understand the command now too.

Kael'thas cast a shield. A flaming shield appeared over his head, then slowly faded away.

Immediately afterward, an icy aura gathered in Kael'thas's hand. He was going to cast Frostbolt!

"Alabalakada!"

The Troll reacted at that moment too. He spoke a phrase that even Kael'thas couldn't understand, then vanished from where he stood and rushed toward Kael'thas!

Sprint-removes immobilizing movement restrictions and increases speed by 70% for 15 seconds!

The Frostbolt hit the Troll with a bang, but it didn't slow him down in the slightest. Holding both daggers and grinning viciously, the Troll reached Kael'thas in an instant!

A flash of green steel slashed toward Kael'thas's face. A single cut from those poison-laden daggers would inflict a damage-over-time effect.

"Blink!"

At the critical moment, Kael'thas used Blink and narrowly escaped, appearing twenty meters behind the Troll.

"Xiao Ao!"

A blazing light swiftly gathered in Kael'thas's hand. It was Fireball! Since he couldn't restrict the Troll's speed, he had no choice but to use his strongest attack to finish him off quickly.

Xiao Ao obediently flew over and began firing Fire Blasts at the Troll!

She seemed to know that she absolutely couldn't let this huge, disgusting fellow get close to her master.

All spellcasting classes were in great danger once a Rogue got close! Rogues had extraordinarily powerful close-range control and could even combo a mage to death in one go!

"Akada!"

The Troll swung his daggers at Xiao Ao a few times. After confirming that his poison was useless against the phoenix, he didn't linger. With Sprint still active, he swiftly attacked Kael'thas again.

He had naturally seen the Priest nearby too, but he was confident it would be quicker to deal with the mage first.

"Fireball!"

The Fireball struck the Troll along its intended path. He shrieked as it exploded, his upper body burned, but in the blink of an eye, he began recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye.

What astonishing recovery speed!

Kael'thas was shocked. He finally understood how the Trolls could have been enemies of the High Elves for thousands of years!

By now, the Troll Rogue had charged up to Kael'thas again. His Sprint had just worn off, but Kael'thas's Blink was also on cooldown.

This is bad!!

The next instant, steel flashed as the Troll's dagger slashed mercilessly toward him.

With a pop, the yellow barrier dented slightly, and then... it actually bounced the dagger back!

"Fireball!"

Red light flashed. Sensing the enemy's intention to attack, the Arcane Orb automatically released the Fireball stored inside it. In an instant, the light of the flames engulfed the Troll once more!!

"Scorch!"

Overjoyed, Kael'thas hurriedly cast the Scorch he had been chanting, then used Blink, whose cooldown had just ended, before the Troll's next strike could reach him!

He appeared twenty meters away again. Yellow light washed over Kael'thas: a new shield from Liadrin. The Arcane Orb had also gone on cooldown and couldn't store another spell for thirty seconds.

Kael'thas began chanting a new spell...

"Akada!"

But the Troll in front of him roared and vanished in an instant.

Vanish: Initial Stage-forcibly enters Stealth!

Damn it... What level do Rogues get that skill at!?

Kael'thas was alarmed. Once a Rogue entered Stealth, things got troublesome; he could approach without anyone noticing! Kael'thas had only Frost Nova to produce an area effect, but the Rogue would surely be prepared for that and wouldn't approach him so readily.

Wouldn't approach him?

Wait...

Liadrin's shield had just blocked his dagger. It was very possible that the Troll had changed his mind and gone after Liadrin first.

Realization dawned on Kael'thas. Without another word, he immediately ran toward Liadrin.

That Rogue's target is definitely Liadrin!!

"Power Word: Shield!"

Seeing Kael'thas run toward her, Liadrin understood at once. She hurriedly cast a shield on herself and moved closer to Kael'thas.

Just then, something unexpected happened...

"Sizzle~"

A flash of red light appeared halfway between Kael'thas and Liadrin, revealing the Troll's towering body.

The burning effect...

Kael'thas had nearly forgotten that the burning effect attached to Fireball dealt a small amount of damage, and that damage was enough to reveal the Troll in Stealth!

"Frost Nova!"

Overjoyed, Kael'thas hurriedly cast Frost Nova, freezing the Troll in place.

He immediately began casting. This was a godsend of an opportunity! Both of the Troll's dangerous skills were on cooldown, leaving him unable to break free of the control effect. Kael'thas decided to seize this chance and finish him off quickly!

Xiao Ao's Screech and Liadrin's Psychic Scream had yet to be used. Kael'thas's thoughts raced, and he quickly settled on a tactic. He would never give the Troll a chance to use a skill.

Now victory was assured!!