Interlude (Part Two)

While Kael'thas was still diligently working on his tasks, an unexpected message arrived.

The Trolls had suddenly intensified their attacks on the front lines, and Kael'sala needed to take his troops into battle.

"Can you explain this to me, Kael'sala?"

In the command post at Windrunner Spire, the magical apparition of Anasterian Sunstrider burned quietly as he looked at the figure kneeling before him.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for acting on my own, but I had good reason to do so."

Kael'sala, the only person present in the command post, lowered his eyes and explained respectfully:

"As you know, my profession is ranger, not mage. Only by returning to my identity as Sylvanas can I make full use of my strength..."

"Aren't you afraid your identity will be exposed?"

Anasterian snorted coldly.

"No one would suspect that Kael'sala is a ranger, and besides... he's a woman..."

Kael'sala lowered his head, a trace of gloom flashing in his eyes.

"The situation is somewhat tense now, so I believe this is the best arrangement..."

Without the king's consent, he had already made the appointment and gone to fight on the battlefield as Sylvanas.

But in truth, for all his strength, the battlefield might not need one more high-level fighter. Kael'sala was gambling... gambling on the trust Anasterian had placed in him, which he had earned with two hundred years of his life...

Silence followed.

His heart was pounding. Even Kael'sala was extremely nervous now, anxious about Anasterian's decision on his request.

He had arranged everything, but if he couldn't get past Anasterian now, it would all come to nothing.

"Then I approve."

After a long while, Anasterian's apparition finally spoke. "Go, Kael'sala. Don't disappoint me..."

"Yes! Thank you very much, Your Majesty!"

The apparition slowly vanished.

Kael'sala let out a long breath. Feeling the chill on his back, he realized he was drenched in sweat.

"Honestly..."

He gave a helpless, bitter smile, but deep down, he felt utterly elated.

He had succeeded in the end. With this move, he could gradually begin to make good use of his true identity-Sylvanas.

That identity would slowly accumulate merit until one day...

Even when Kael'sala was absent, Sylvanas could remain at Kael'thas's side as a high-ranking official...

It was a perfect plan. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong.

Cold resolve glinted in Kael'sala's eyes as his thoughts raced, sifting through every possible obstacle.

"How far can you go, Kael'sala...?"

At the distant Sunwell, Anasterian smiled. He knew everything, and he himself did not want a headstrong girl like Sylvanas to become his daughter-in-law. No matter how slight the possibility, he would not allow the Sunstrider Family's rule to be threatened! But...

There were aspects of Kael'sala's plan that benefited him too.

At least it spared him the trouble of dealing with the throne in the future...

Presumably, Kael'sala had seen through that as well, which was why he dared to act...

"Interesting..."

"Then let the two of us have a good game."

Kael'thas, at the center of it all, did not yet know that a quiet storm had begun to swirl around him.

It would keep swirling into an unseen future...

"Heal!"

Holy light radiated from her hands as Liadrin repeatedly healed new patients. Her ears drooped slightly in displeasure, and she was still troubled by the inexplicable parting a few days ago.

I can't help feeling something's wrong...

Although Alleria had also told her the situation was urgent, Liadrin felt that her explanation seemed forced no matter how she looked at it, so she still had some doubts about why she had come here.

She felt like a complete failure. She had originally planned to present herself gracefully before His Highness Kael'thas after seven years, but she had never expected to wake up on the battlefield before she had even had time to say goodbye.

I wonder what His Highness Kael'thas will think...

"You're quite skilled!"

A clear voice tinged with indifference interrupted Liadrin's wandering thoughts. She looked over and saw that it was the new patient she was treating.

The patient was a female elf with long golden hair. Her left shoulder was injured, but her expression was cool and unruffled. She wore a mage's robes, and her eyes were full of pride. She looked quite dignified.

"You flatter me, Miss Mage..."

Liadrin smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Miss Mage?"

The female elf's eyebrow twitched. She seemed to dislike the title.

"First, I'm not a mage. I'm an astromancer!"

"Second, don't call me miss, rookie..."

She leaned forward slightly and fixed her proud gaze on Liadrin. Liadrin felt like a mouse under a snake's gaze, instantly unable to move.

"You will call me... Lady Solarian!"

Lady Solarian...

A drop of cold sweat appeared on Liadrin's forehead. She felt somewhat at a loss as to how to deal with the elf's arrogance.

And besides... aren't astromancers mages too?

Although Liadrin didn't know exactly what astromancers did, she knew they were a group of mages who liked to study mysterious things such as stars, and that most of their skills were no different from those of mages.

"Hmm? You don't seem to think much of it."

Solarian quickly noticed what Liadrin was thinking. She narrowed her eyes and studied her carefully.

"I see. No wonder I took such a strong dislike to you the moment I saw you!"

She soon seemed to understand something and sneered.

"One aspect of your future gives me a feeling I find very unpleasant. It looks like you might..."

She said no more, but Liadrin suddenly remembered that astromancers seemed to be able to peek at fate.

Solarian's tone had also displeased Liadrin, however. She glanced at the astromancer's left shoulder and countered:

"If you can see what will happen to me in the future, why couldn't you dodge the enemy's attack?"

"...Idiot... If dodging would get you hurt worse, would you dodge?"

Solarian curled her lip. "Besides, I didn't see what would happen in your future."

"I can't see the future. I can only sense its general aura..."

She seemed proud, but she was not actually conceited. She knew her own power, knew her shortcomings, and knew what she needed to do.

Her power as an astromancer was not limitless. Solarian could sense the feeling the future gave her, but she could not see exactly what would happen and could only guess. That was the limit of her ability...

"You're really strange!"

After that explanation, Liadrin could no longer stay angry. She gave a wry smile and resumed treating Solarian.

"You probably don't have many friends..."

"Friends?"

The light of Heal slowly closed the wound. Feeling its warmth, Solarian's tone grew proud again.

"I don't need anything like that!"

She raised her eyebrows, and her eyes suddenly lit up. "I only need one person!"

"One person? Who?"

"His Highness Kael'thas!!"

Solarian answered without hesitation. Liadrin's hand paused, and she looked at Solarian in surprise. The astromancer before her seemed to smile suddenly, sweeping away her earlier pride and aloofness and looking very charming.

"He is the king I am destined to serve..."

This was the greatest gamble of her entire life.

From the moment she was born, Solarian's loyalty had been reserved for the one who, in her dreams, held a sword, bore flames on his back, led his people, and walked alone through the darkness...

The greatest king of the elves...