The local war with the Horde ended, and Quel'Thalas began to regain its vitality.
But just like what Sarlayan saw when he entered the city before, the high elves, who had not experienced war for a long time, were obviously ill-prepared for this sudden crisis.
More than a week has passed since Zuljin was killed and the forest troll fled in panic. Silvermoon City still has not returned to its pre-war prosperity.
Anastria insisted on holding a celebration banquet. On the one hand, it was to highlight the contribution of the Sunstrider royal family in this war, and on the other hand, it was also to take this opportunity to officially announce to the people that the crisis was over.
The celebration banquet was divided into two venues.
The venue, which is open to all the public, is located in the Garden Street Market, which has the largest flow of people in the city, and is hosted by someone from the Silver Moon Council.
The main venue for entertaining the kingdom's top officials and war heroes was held in the Sunstrider King's Court, hosted by King Anasteria himself.
The nobles usually have a small banquet every three days and a large banquet every five days. They are already very familiar with the banquet process. After entering the venue, it is like returning to their own homes, with no sense of restraint.
Sarlayan folded his hands on his chest and leaned against a white jade pillar in the corner of the venue, watching coldly.
Most of the nobles in the venue had smiles on their faces when communicating with each other, but Sarlayan could see at a glance how hypocritical these people's smiles were.
'A boring place for interest exchange. '
After roughly listening to the conversation of the well-dressed nobles beside him, Sarlayan quickly lost interest in the so-called celebration banquet.
Walking out of the banquet hall alone, he asked the royal court attendants all the way to the royal garden.
Yonge Forest is like spring all year round. Under the care of the diligent gardeners, the royal garden is always full of colorful flowers. The fragrant but not cloying fragrance of the flowers relaxes Sarlayan's slightly irritable mood.
Instead of wasting time watching the nobles pretending to each other, Sarlayan would rather hide alone and communicate with the barrage.
He has made up his mind to follow his father's advice and leave Quel'Thalas and go to the wider world outside the kingdom to gain knowledge and hone his strength.
Sarlayan has no interest in the banquet itself. This kind of exchange of interests is not an area he should get involved in.
If the invitation hadn't been conveyed by Sun King Thosalorien, Thalayan would have left Quel'Thalas along with Alleria who came and went in a hurry.
Although the defense of Quel'Thalas ended successfully, the Second Orc War was still in full swing.
The main force of the orcs came to the rear of the Alliance through waterways. Without finding a defensive gap, they bypassed Tirisfal Glades and Silverpine Forest and returned to the Hillsbrad Hills without anyone noticing.
The main force led by Alliance Grand Marshal Lothar was beating up the tribe in the middle of Hillsbrad, near the plains surrounding Southsea Town.
The remaining troops led by Varok Saurfang alone were unable to stop the alliance's elite troops, and were beaten back steadily.
But his mission was accomplished, delaying enough time for Warchief Orgrim.
After landing on the southwest coast from Hillsbrad, Orgrim did not choose to join the high-ranking warlord Saurfang, but unexpectedly headed north into the Alterac Snow Mountains.
When the main force of the orcs passed through the Alterac Trail without any hindrance and reached the city of Lordaeron, Lothar, who was still fighting in the front, finally received intelligence and woke up like a dream.
As early as Orgrim led the elite troops to move to the Hinterlands and Quel'Thalas, Lothar had a bad premonition.
But now, his ominous premonition came true.
The valley and forest area between Ogland and Lordaeron were supposed to be garrisoned by the King of Alterac, Aiden Perenold.
But Orgrim passed this path without any hindrance, so the answer is obvious.
Alterac betrayed the Alliance and shamefully defected to the Horde.
Lothar scratched his head and couldn't figure out why Aiden surrendered to the tribe without any warning.
But the matter has come to this, and Lothar can only make up for it as much as possible.
He detached a part of his troops to stand in Hillsbrad to stop Saurfang, and personally led his elite troops on a rapid march north, vowing to defeat the Horde's siege troops before the city of Lordaeron was broken.
On the other hand, Turalyon and Alleria, who set off from Quel'Thalas, were marching at full speed to Tirisfal Glades via land.
The current situation is to race against time to see whether the Horde breaks through the gates of Lordaeron first, or the two reinforcements from the Alliance arrive first.
The outcome of this surprise attack on Lordaeron is likely to determine the direction of the entire war.
"Black dragon?"
Sarlayan learned from the barrage the possible reason for Alterac's betrayal and raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"I remember that the black dragon has long abandoned its duty to protect the dragon, right?"
The barrage gave answers in a flurry.
"Yes, as early as the War of the Ancients, Neltharion, the Black Dragon King and Guardian of the Earth, was driven crazy by the whispers of the ancient gods."
"During the battle with the Burning Legion, he suddenly betrayed his brothers and sisters. The blue dragon who tried to stop his crazy behavior was almost wiped out by the direct attack of the dragon soul."
"The reason why Alexstrasza, the red dragon queen, was imprisoned by the orcs, was behind Neltharion... or the shadow of Deathwing."
"In addition, he also created a false identity in the human world - Baron Daval Prestor, a noble of the Kingdom of Alterac and a distant relative of the Perenold royal family."
Some barrages quickly refuted the above description.
"No, Davar Presto appeared after the tribe army was defeated."
"At that time, Aiden Perenold and all the Alterac nobles who surrendered to the Horde were executed by the Alliance. No one could stand up and see through Deathwing's disguise."
"It makes no difference. Don't you think Aiden's surrender is strange? I suspect Deathwing is behind it."
"His purpose is to balance the strength of the Alliance and the Horde, prolong the duration of this all-out war that has brought great disaster to Azeroth, and pave the way for the resurrection of the Old Gods by creating chaos and panic."
"The Ancient God..."
According to the analysis of the barrage, the forces that Sarlayan's parents secretly investigated were probably these ancient gods. His mother was seriously injured and disappeared because of this. She was hiding in a secret place and recovering from her injuries by sleeping.
'Could her disappearance be linked to Deathwing? '
After Danmaku's earnest persuasion, Sarlayan finally gave up on his plan to go directly to Alterac to commit suicide.
With his current strength, if Deathwing detects hostility in person, the outcome is predictable.
Not to mention Deathwing himself, even if he met his daughter, the black dragon princess Onyxia whose alias was Katrana Presto, Sarlayan would definitely not be a match.
Although he was very reluctant, he could only give up his plan to cause trouble with the black dragon and inquire about his mother's whereabouts.
In the final analysis, Sarlayan's strength is far from enough.
Under the barrage's planning, he had a new plan.
In a head-on battle, Sarlayan is definitely no match for an adult dragon.
But if he avoids direct conflict with the black dragon and provides help to the dragon clan by taking advantage of the situation, he may be able to get some detailed information about his mother from them.
This opportunity to provide help to the dragons is not far from Sharlayan, and the target is Alexstrasza, the red dragon queen who is imprisoned in Grim Batol and used as an egg-laying machine.
Coincidentally, Krasus, the consort of the Red Dragon Queen and transformed into a high elf archmage, sent requests for help to many mortal kingdoms, including Quel'Thalas.
Sarlayan planned to take the opportunity of this direct meeting with Anasteria to introduce himself to the old king.
It would be best if he could catch up with the Battle of Lordaeron. If not, he planned to divert to Dalaran and have a detailed face-to-face talk with Krasus.
Just as Sarlayan was concentrating on planning his future itinerary with the help of the barrage, his shoulder was suddenly tapped from behind.
"who!?"
Sarlayan admitted that he was a little distracted, but he did not let down his guard.
Being touched behind his back without anyone noticing, Sarlayan's hair stood on end. He subconsciously released his fighting spirit and quickly turned around. Anger had been condensed in his fists, ready to launch an attack at any time.
"Don't get excited, little one."
A white, plain hand with calluses pressed on Sarlayan's head, and the seemingly slender arm suppressed his violent intentions.
"Um?"
The voice sounded familiar, and Sarlayan raised his eyes suspiciously to look at the owner of the arm who was smiling.
"Uh~ So it's you."
"Sylvanas."
