CHAPTER 8: THE RELIC

For the high elves, time was their least precious resource. With their long lifespans, they could afford to squander it. However, for Charles, a time-traveling elf, wasting life was not an option. After Oriella's departure, he continued his rigorous daily training at the Ranger General's encampment.

Presently, he stood with his bow drawn, his keen eyes fixed on a target that was a mere 500 meters away. With a sharp intake of breath, he rapidly released three arrows in quick succession.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

"Phew..."

As three arrows precisely hit the bullseye one after another, Charles wiped the sweat from his brow. Unlike Earth, where a 200-meter archer was considered extraordinary, the laws of physics in this magical realm were different.

Rangers, like other classes, possessed their own unique energy system. The founder of the rangers, General Taranas himself, had designed this system. He combined elements of mage's magic with the agility of rogues to create the ranger's specific power—focus.

The concept of focus allowed them to use abilities that both consumed and restored energy, creating a dynamic balance. The total focus a ranger possessed also determined their limit. Charles, for instance, after firing three carefully aimed shots, entered a short recovery period before he could continue using his abilities.

Abilities like Arcane Shot and Multi-Shot also drained focus, leaving the ranger reliant on traps and their trusty melee weapons when enemies closed in.

After experimenting with various weapons, Charles settled on two short blades as his melee weapons. Twin blades were versatile, suitable for both offense and defense. As long as they avoided direct confrontations with the enemy, and relied on their variety of traps, rangers could at least hold their ground in close combat.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen this fighting style somewhere before, but he quickly dismissed the thought. There was no time for such musings now.

His bow and short blades were not enchanted relics. The bow's frame was crafted from the branches of the ancient trees in the Evergrove Forest, and its strings were made from the sinews of magical lynxes.

The blades were standard steel, far from the enchanted weapons sought after by warriors. However, the lack of resources forced Charles to craft his own weapons. Charles often wondered about the legendary elven artifacts, like the Windrunner's family heirloom, Thas'dorah, but the life of a common ranger was far removed from the affairs of nobility.

"Wouldn't owning one of those legendary weapons be something?" Charles mumbled to himself.

His mentor, Liressa, overheard and chuckled. She ruffled his hair playfully and asked, "Daydreaming again, Charles?"

Charles smirked and shrugged. "Well, what if I wanted a legendary weapon, like Thas'dorah, the family heirloom of the Windrunners? You didn't craft it, did you?"

Liressa glanced at the bow hanging on the wall, known as Thas'dorah, the Sunshot, and shook her head. "You only know half the story. Legendary weapons are sentient; they adapt themselves to the owner's needs. They subtly change their form to become more suitable for their wielder."

"Thas'dorah, too, was transformed significantly by the time it passed into my hands. It had already changed significantly from the original weapon wielded by our ancestor, Taranas Windrunner."

"You see, over the millennia, the Sunwell's magic has fortified it. Within the boundaries of the Eldre'Thalas Forest, where the Sunwell's radiance touches, Thas'dorah becomes nearly invincible. The mere sight of this bow strikes fear into the hearts of trolls, except the royal heirloom, Solfurion, the Starsurge."

Solfurion, the Starsurge, was an orange-tier weapon dropped by the final boss, Kil'jaeden, in the Burning Crusade expansion. The player community never had a detailed explanation for the weapon's origin, making it mysterious and less popular.

Liressa went on to explain that Thas'dorah was initially intended for Tyrande Whisperwind, but the plans were canceled due to a commoners' revolt. Consequently, Dath'Remar Sunstrider took the bow with him when he left Eldre'Thalas and named it Thas'dorah in honor of the leader's newborn son, Taranas Windrunner.

Seeing Charles's hopeful expression, Liressa playfully patted his shoulder. "Come on, focus. If you want a weapon like Thas'dorah, you'll need to earn it through valor. This bow has been given to several elven heroes over the centuries. No one is currently worthy of it, so work hard, young man!"

After all, there hadn't been a major war since the Troll Wars, and without notable achievements, the legendary weapons remained stored within the Sunwell for centuries.

After his morning training, Charles proceeded to his mentor's private workshop to maintain his bow and blades. He inspected the tension of the bowstring, sharpened the knives, and sheathed them to his satisfaction.

Looking out of the window at the relentless training of Lorelma, Wenryssa, and Lirelase, Charles whispered to himself, "Tomorrow..."

Nine days had passed since Oriella's departure, and the time for the upcoming expedition was imminent. In her absence, Liressa had been training her protege, Sylvanas Windrunner, and the Farstriders to conduct guerrilla warfare against the trolls in the forest. However, their forces were vastly outnumbered and the situation was bleak.

With the massive conscription underway, the high elves were assembling their primary Farstrider forces at the Sunwell, aiming to once again contain the trolls in Zul'Aman.

Ten years earlier, during their massive attack on Zul'Aman, the high elves had suffered a considerable loss. They not only lost the then-Farstrider General but also a significant number of elite Farstriders. This emboldened the trolls to step out of Zul'Aman with newfound confidence.

As he looked at the bustling camp, Charles reaffirmed his resolve. "Trolls, prepare for a taste of elven vengeance. You have forgotten what it means to face the might of Azeroth!"