Chapter 81: The Ceremony Concludes

The high-ranking mages govern all affairs of the realm, a fundamental policy of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas and a direct manifestation of its arcane rule. The most accomplished spellcasters are pillars among the High Elves. The two brothers conversed, one sentence at a time, catching up after years apart; Patrick had spent most of his time stationed away from home, returning only a handful of times. Now, they could truly reconnect.

The internal arrangements and personnel shifts within the clan were left to his elder brother and father. The brothers themselves—one managing external affairs, the other internal—together steered the Cabron family toward a promising future. All Patrick needed was to exchange ideas and plans with his father and brother; the specifics of familial appointments and daily matters were handled by them, requiring no further intervention from Patrick.

The meeting concluded, and the family’s sacred ceremony had reached its fevered pitch. Invitations had been sent to many prominent noble houses; parliamentary colleagues dispatched emissaries to congratulate, and the royal family was no exception. Their envoy was the chief of intelligence, Vireles Darkshadow.

The family members were busy receiving guests, each of whom was treated with due respect. On the elevated platform, Patrick stood side by side with his father, gazing down at the gathering below.

“How do you find the scenery of Silvermoon City?” Phil asked, watching the reveling elven kin below, turning to his youngest son.

“It is beautiful, but beneath that beauty lies hidden danger,” Patrick replied, firm and unyielding.

“Danger?” Old Phil was taken aback; it was the first time he’d heard someone use that word to describe Silvermoon City. “Why would you call it dangerous? The Eversong Forest has weathered millennia, its time-tested resilience evident.”

To the ordinary elf, the dazzling Quel'Thalas is safe and prosperous; its people live in comfort, guarded by magical wards against outside threats, and sustained internally by state provisions—a lifestyle unimaginable to humans. Humans envy the elves so much that they call Eversong Forest the Realm of Eternity.

But later, Arthas shattered the gates of Silvermoon City, defiling the sacred Sunwell, and thus forced all High Elves to confront the harsh realities of life.

“Yes, dangerous. Too many of our kin are lost in pleasure, lacking any drive for progress. Should an enemy march upon Silvermoon, I wonder if our people could withstand the invasion.”

“The possibility of an enemy breaking through is almost nonexistent. The strongest nation now is Lordaeron, and perhaps our distant kin—the Night Elves. Even if humans and Night Elves attacked Silvermoon, they would quail beneath the radiance of the Sunstrider Spire.”

The magical defenses of Silvermoon City are considered the pinnacle of arcane achievement in Azeroth; even Malygos, the Blue Dragon King, would fare poorly against the spells cast from Sunstrider Spire—so long as there were no traitors.

Patrick did not argue. If not for Dar'Khan’s betrayal, the Scourge would never have stormed Silvermoon’s gates.

Further words were futile. Patrick bowed his head, contemplating his future plans. To resist the Scourge head-on was nearly impossible; the Lich King, though crafted by Kil’jaeden as a “puppet,” was still a demigod-level spellcaster. For Patrick to ascend to such power within decades was unlikely. The threat of the Scourge remained ever-present.

A servant entered to report that many elves expressed willingness to follow the Cabron family. Patrick had already delegated the matter to his father and brother. If any elves sought mastery of magic, they would naturally seek out the Sunlight Spire.

Patrick returned to the grand hall. As the protagonist of the sacred ceremony, his presence lifted the atmosphere, the temperature rising with anticipation. As custom demanded, Patrick greeted the guests and received their congratulations.

Setting aside the tedious rituals, Patrick cared little for the banquets. Having only just entered the council, many lesser families remained cautious, but Patrick was patient. The Cabron family could not compare to the likes of Dawnblade or Morningwalker; if a new councilor had emerged from one of those five great houses, followers would flock eagerly.

The final event was the investiture of followers. Envoys from each major family stayed to witness, joined by ordinary citizens of Silvermoon—even passing adventurers, such as Luminus Sunmark from the Sunmark family, with whom Patrick had crossed paths, Vireles Darkshadow representing the royal family, and Liadrin of the Dawnblade clan.

Some elves, however, were clearly driven by ulterior motives. They needed to know immediately what kind of followers Patrick had recruited, and how this would affect the Cabron family’s influence, so their own clans could make informed decisions.

Ethonis managed the allocation of mage resources; Candiris controlled logistics and materials; Lorne Songstream headed the intelligence organization of the Sunlight Spire.

The three pledged their loyalty to Patrick before the eyes of countless nobles, receiving the Cabron family seal imbued with its unique arcane mark, signifying their status and position within the clan.

With their allegiance secured, Patrick now had to consider their future development. Their appointment as Cabron retainers caught many in attendance by surprise, especially Lorne Songstream. Any clan of note in Silvermoon would know he rarely resided in Quel'Thalas, instead roaming the human lands.

Perhaps out of dissatisfaction with his family’s decline, or a desire to rise through external means, he was viewed by outsiders as a mere adventurer scraping by. Yet Patrick Cabron accepted him as a vassal, an unconventional move in the eyes of the assembled nobility.

Moreover, Lorne Songstream’s inclusion greatly inspired the common folk and adventurers present, stirring in them a restless ambition. Serving a councilor was an honor, and it provided security for their families. For those born ordinary but brimming with passion, it was an irresistible lure.

Patrick sought to convey a new philosophy to all elves: “The Cabron councilor values ability, not noble lineage.”

Ultimately, Patrick aimed to transform Silvermoon’s aristocratic political structure, rejuvenate the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, and mobilize its people. Yet such a move would threaten the interests of the great noble houses and clans; Patrick was still in the preparatory phase and dared not make his intentions explicit.

Having settled the family's future arrangements, Patrick returned to the Sunlight Spire. Ethonis, Candiris, and the others had already returned from the sacred ceremony days earlier. As the first followers to arrive at the Sunlight Spire, Patrick granted them generous treatment—so generous, in fact, that they were somewhat unaccustomed to it.