Sarlayan didn't want to waste too much energy on trivial matters, and originally planned to return to Drustvar by boat after sending a letter reporting that he was safe.
The arrival of Cyrus and his attitude surprised Sarlayan.
Sarlayan: "Is it my imagination? This big man seems to be trying to trick me?"
[Be confident, he is indeed asking for information from you, maybe it is Dai Lin's order? 】
"Dailin..."
Sarlayan was a little puzzled: "Daelin and I have never formally met. Why is he asking about me, an unknown person?"
[Who knows, maybe it has something to do with the naval battle in Palatine Bay.]
Cyrus didn't embarrass Saryan too much. He just asked some questions about his origins. After getting the answers, he politely left.
After seeing off Cyrus, Port Authority employee Rogers looked at Saryan with a strange expression.
"Can the navy knight, the captain of His Majesty Daelin's bodyguard, come and ask in person... Are you a big shot in Quel'Thalas?"
Sarlayan spread his hands mockingly: "Do you know how discriminated against half-elves are in Quel'Thalas? Big shots? You are overthinking."
Saying goodbye to the hesitant brother Rogers, Saryan asked for directions in Boralus, which was still filled with a jubilant atmosphere, and soon found the post office that Rogers had mentioned next to the hotel.
Give the prepared letter to the post office and ask them to deliver it to Quel'Thalas. The mailing address is the Deep Shadow family's mansion.
"Quel'Thalas..."
The post office clerk scratched his head in distress.
"Not long after the high elves opened the border, Sunsail Port, which was destroyed by the tribe, is still under emergency repair. The ship that delivers the letter can only go as far as Stratholme City, and then it will have to transfer overland. Your letter may be later than expected.
It will arrive in a few days.”
Sarlayan was not surprised by this.
In order to prevent the Alliance from pursuing from the sea, Orgrim destroyed all the existing ships in the port before leaving Sunsail Port, and a fire burned the bustling Sunsail Port to a white ground.
After joining the Alliance, although Quel'Thalas has been opened to trade, the largest foreign trade port has not yet been repaired.
Except for a small number of privileged ships that can dock directly at Sun Chaser Island, foreign business travelers can only enter Yongsong Forest via land, from Salas Gate.
Sharlayan had thought about sending the letter to Dalaran, but the whereabouts of Krasus and Kael'thas were suspicious. Both of them might have left Dalaran for different reasons, and the letter might not be received if sent there.
"Hmm~"
After paying the trust to the Boralus Post Office, Sarlayan stood on the busy street of Huifan Market and stretched.
"Okay! Go back, it's time to study."
…
In the Palace of Boralus, Dai Lin, who had returned from the war, pushed the representatives of the other three major families and came to the study with Queen Catherine to exchange information.
After Prince Derek died in battle, Daelin and Catherine were immersed in grief for a long time.
Any trauma will gradually recover under the erosion of time, but hatred will not dissipate.
Although Derek died in the flames of the red dragon, Daelin had already learned from Krasus that the red dragon was being coerced. He placed all his hatred on the orcs who were the culprits and vowed never to let any orcs go.
"How's Tandre?"
Dai Lin's question made Queen Catherine smile bitterly: "It's not good. He doesn't think he is qualified to be the king, and he is firmly opposed to succeeding as the crown prince."
"Tandre just wants to sail on the sea. His dream is to become the admiral of the fleet and recover this blood debt from the orcs like you."
"Hey~"
Dai Lin also smiled bitterly and sighed: "It's not unexpected, that silly boy is still so stubborn... Forget it, let's leave the succession to the throne for later."
"If it really doesn't work out, we can only hope in Jaina."
A look of worry appeared on Catherine's face: "Is this really good? Jaina has wanted to become a mage since she was a child, and she has worked hard for it."
Delin shook his head helplessly: "What can I do? Derek unfortunately died in the battle, and Tandre, who has a straightforward temper, is not a suitable candidate to be the king. Only Jaina, who has been smart since she was a child, is left."
"His Majesty."
Just as the couple was worrying about the successor to the throne, there was a sudden knock on the study door.
Dai Lin quickly regained his majestic expression: "Say."
"Captain Sellers is back."
Dai Lin's eyes flashed: "Let him come in."
…
After Cyrus reported the investigation, he left. Dailin stroked the beard on his chin thoughtfully.
"Deep Shadow? Could it be..."
Catherine asked in confusion: "Is there any problem? I remember that the Deep Shadow family is a powerful family in Quel'Thalas, a die-hard member of the royal party, right?"
Dai Lin's eyes flickered: "No, it has nothing to do with the political stance of the Shenying family. I just thought of an old incident."
"Do you still remember that 'High Elf' woman who came to Boralus to meet her father more than 10 years ago, Inas Deep Shadow?"
After Dai Lin's reminder, Catherine's eyes suddenly widened.
"You mean..."
"Um."
He took out his pipe and lit it. He stood up and walked to the bedside, looking toward the west of Boralus City.
Taking out a heavy puff of smoke, Dai Lin's expression changed a little in the swirling smoke.
"Could it be that that absurd prophecy will really come true one day?"
…
After taking the boat back to Xiaowan Town, Sarlayan did not stay in the town and spent more than an hour returning to the Thornspeaker's den.
Orfa did not ask any questions about Sarlayan's outing, and after confirming that he had settled his personal affairs, he started the basic lecture on the way of the Druid.
"First of all, you need to understand the difference between a Thornspeaker and a Druid."
"Every Thornspeaker is a qualified Druid, but a Druid may not necessarily become a Thornspeaker."
In order to better explain the nature of the Thornspeaker to Sharlayan, Olfa transformed back into human form for the first time, and his two hands shone with different lights.
According to Orfa, the Drust live far longer than humans, but they are by no means an eternal clock like the night elves.
The average lifespan of the Drust is 2,000 years. The powerful Thornspeaker can extend his lifespan by relying on his own life force, but the maximum lifespan will not exceed 3,000 years.
Olfa is over 2,800 years old this year, very close to the limit of his lifespan. Some clues can be seen from his old human form.
Olfa's skinny hands held a ball of energy respectively. Even Sarlayan could see that these two energies had completely opposite properties, one represented life and the other represented death.
"This is the difference between Thornspeakers and druids."
Orfa stretched out his left hand that exuded a dark light: "The early ancestors of the Drust people obtained another power that is completely opposite to life by twisting the power of life, death."
"The real Thornspeaker needs to balance the power of the two and let life and death cycle. We don't favor either side, we just intercept their power and use it."
"Power is just a tool, how to use it depends on the individual."
"...Having said that."
After dissipating the energy in his hands, Orfa sighed with a wry smile.
"Under the brutal rule of Gorak Tul, the eager Thornspeakers broke the balance, abused the power of death wantonly, and even touched areas where the living should not set foot."
"That is Zlos, the Blighted Realm."
Sharlayan turned his head and looked at the Thornspeaker of Kul Tiras outside the den.
"Then these people..."
"Ha~ It's just like you guessed."
Orfa: "To prevent my apprentices from taking the wrong path again, I only taught them the raw side."
"Strictly speaking, they are just druids and cannot be regarded as orthodox Thornspeakers."
"Life and death..."
Sarlayan frowned and asked: "What exactly is the Blighted Realm? The world after death?"
"No, of course not."
Orfa said vaguely: "Your current knowledge is not enough to understand the nature of the Realm of Blight. Come on, I will teach you from the beginning. First, let you learn the correct use of Druid spells and the power of nature.