Chapter 587: Making a Scene?

Situated on the northern shore of Lake Lordamere, the white citadel known as Lordaeron is undeniably a captivating city. Nestled at a considerable distance from the Alterac Mountains, Lordaeron boasts a picturesque backdrop when viewed from the west to the east, with towering snow-capped mountains in the distance, a shimmering lake to its right that never freezes over in winter, and vast plains to its left.

The celebratory atmosphere of the triumphant ceremony now pervades the entire city.

Having never genuinely fallen to invaders, the few damaged structures were promptly and flawlessly restored.

Colorful banners hung high, and the streets were adorned with ornate trinkets gathered from every corner of Lordaeron.

Beggars were nowhere in sight. For days now, even the common folk roaming the streets donned their festive attire, considering it a disgrace in Lordaeron to wear the same outfit for two consecutive days.

With the arrival of dignitaries from various nations and the convergence of many high-ranking military officials, one could hear a symphony of Common tongues, each bearing distinct accents, echoing throughout Lordaeron.

At the magical portal in the city's northern sector, the portal's overseeing mage appeared somewhat bored.

"We'll probably be busiest on the day of the celebration," one remarked.

"Why's that?"

"The mages from Dalaran's academies don't want to waste days mingling with nobles. They believe it diminishes their research time."

"What about Archmage Antonidas?"

"He, along with several Kirin Tor council members, has already arrived."

"What about those high-nosed elves?"

"They're here too."

"So, there shouldn't be any more VIPs, right?"

"No, I heard that Duke Marcus and Lord Lothar have yet to arrive."

As the two earthen mages chatted, one suddenly blanched, "Wait! There's a portal request."

"Just a request? Where's it from? Let me see." The other mage leaned in, "It's fine! It's a portal request from Stormwind City. The passcode's correct, so let's initiate."

The first mage's face contorted in dismay, "No, look at the demanded magical energy!"

"By the Arcane, isn't Duke Marcus the only one in Stormwind with such power to request a portal? Why such a massive demand? Are they sending an entire battalion of Moon Guard mages!?"

"What do we do?"

"Let's open a smaller one first, let them send someone through for verification."

"Hold on! Our portal— it's self-activating!"

In the ensuing chaos, the Lordaeron mages were horrified to find the magical crystals, which should have required their initiation, were self-draining at an alarming rate.

Then, right before the flustered mages, a massive portal autonomously opened. If this were wartime, it would have been considered an invasion.

A portal, even grander than the one Dalaran had used to send a thousand-man raid, audaciously appeared.

For a moment, the Lordaeron mages braced for combat, raising their staves.

However, the two knights emerging from the portal, representing the Stormwind Kingdom, stood facing each other, announcing their identities with impeccable etiquette.

"Supreme Commander of the Alliance of Lordaeron, Lord Anduin Lothar, and Vice-Commander, Duke Marcus, have arrived."

Their impeccable manners and military bearing left no room for criticism.

Yet as two lines of Stormwind knights clad in ceremonial attire paraded out of the portal, the mages and guards of Lordaeron were left in stunned silence. The knights dispersed, swords drawn, gleaming brilliantly under the sun.

Yes, it was the grand entrance befitting a person of importance.

Everything seemed in order.

Yet, every mage of Lordaeron felt the urge to spew in disbelief.

Who was the imbecile lavish enough to also teleport horses?

Didn't they know that teleporting a single horse required thrice the magic of an adult human? Even if the Stormwind Kingdom was wealthy, why drag Lordaeron into such frivolous expenditure?

The portal guardian mage felt an impulse to rebuke them openly. The magic expended was supposed to be shared equally between the two locations for stability and fairness.

But the magic crystals consumed just now amounted to the annual quota for the northern portal of Lordaeron!

Had it not been for the distinguished guests, Lord Lothar and Marcus, the mage would've surely voiced his indignation.

Lothar, mounted on his steed, moved forward, commenting to Marcus, "Your followers are quite skilled. Such a long-distance teleportation was so precise, with not even a hint of dizziness. I recall when Medivh first attempted teleportation and had me test it; I ended up retching my dinner."

As the portal was self-initiated by Stormwind, Lordaeron's protocol officers only now managed to rush to the scene with a flurry of welcoming remarks. Yet, Lothar noticed the grim faces of the Lordaeron mages.

"What's got into them?" Lothar whispered to Marcus.

"Probably upset about the magic crystals. The portal must've drained their reserves," Marcus replied nonchalantly, tossing a handful of magical crystals from his spatial storage, "Apologies for the inconvenience. Here, compensate your losses with these. Any excess can be considered a tip."

Thinking they were being ridiculed, the chief mage initially snubbed the offer. The very next moment, he gasped, eyes glued to the crystals on the ground. So potent, these crystals, known as Arcane Luminance, were relics of ancient times, seldom seen in the current age.

Marcus had just casually tossed dozens of them!

The once haughty mage leader, along with his peers, lost all composure, scrambling to gather the precious crystals.

Seeing this, a realization dawned on Lothar. Marcus's arrival might indeed be to stir the pot.