[Battlefield of Gods and Demons] was no ordinary map.
It was a world.
A world sturdy enough to withstand open war between gods and demons.
Its laws and foundations ran far deeper than a mortal realm like Mythrosia could ever match. Pluck any random creature from this place and drop it onto Mythrosia, and it would rank among the deadliest raid bosses alive.
Caelthas had once mentioned that when Aelindale came under attack fifty years ago, magical beasts that belonged to no mortal world had joined the invasion.
Most likely, they had crossed over through the [Battlefield of Gods and Demons].
Then a familiar voice spoke behind him.
"Dawnbreaker. We meet again."
Kael went still.
Wasn't that Aureleaf's voice?
He turned. A hazy figure stood behind him—the same Aureleaf he had met three days ago.
Kael bowed at once. "Greetings, Divine Aureleaf."
"No need for ceremony."
"May I ask where we are?"
"This is the [Battlefield of Gods and Demons], the border we established between our realm and the demons'."
"Why bring me here?"
"I know the five Arch Elders of the elven race are testing you. I brought you here to tell you something."
"And what would that be?"
"Those five elders are the sharpest and most capable descendants I have left in the mortal world. Listen to them. Hold nothing back from them."
"Oh? Could you be more specific?"
"They will ask you to surrender control of the Starlight Tree. Give it to them. Starbough Village will remain under your management. The only real loss to you is the right to use the Eye of Elunara."
"Easy enough," Kael said. "But before that, shouldn't you make good on your promise?"
"My promise?"
"Yes. You said it yourself. Don't tell me you've forgotten."
"Ahem. Whatever I promised, I will naturally fulfill. Tell me which matter you mean, and I will see to it at once."
Kael grinned. "The part where you named me Governor of Silverglade."
Aureleaf snapped, "You little—"
Kael's smile went cold, and his voice rose.
"Enough. Drop the act. Who did you think you were fooling with a cheap trick like this?"
"Aureleaf" burst out laughing. Green smoke boiled off his body, and Jorena, Arch Elder of [Amazora Yewhold], stood before Kael in his place.
"Very good. How did you see through it? Was my disguise lacking?"
Kael smiled faintly.
"Your appearance and voice were flawless. The problem was your perspective. You kept speaking to me like a mortal, not a god."
Jorena tilted her head. "A god's perspective?"
Kael nodded.
"A god would never trouble himself with such petty mortal affairs. He wouldn't spare a single thought for who controls a newborn World Tree.
"To him, whoever holds the title, we're all ants.
"Would you care which ant on the ground gets the crumb?"
Jorena said nothing.
As a member of the [Elven High Council], she stood among the greatest beings on the continent. And a human barely past level forty had just compared her to an ant.
Worse, the comparison rang uncomfortably true.
After a long pause, a satisfied smile spread across Jorena's face.
"Dawnbreaker, your [Conviction] has moved me. You have passed my trial. You may go."
With that, she waved her hand and vanished.
But Kael didn't leave the map.
Were all five trials held here?
He steadied his breathing and waited for the next stage.
The land around him was a ruined battlefield, as if a great war had only just swept through. In a place like this, anything might come crawling out.
One minute passed.
Then three.
Then five.
After ten full minutes without so much as a stirring, Kael gave up standing around and headed for the heart of the ruins.
Thick smoke curled up on both sides of the road. Here and there, flames still guttered among the shattered stone. Along the way he passed countless monster corpses, most of them orcs from a scattering of different tribes.
Kael gave a faint, dismissive smile and kept walking.
Then he heard a weak cry.
He stopped and listened, tracking the sound.
It led him to an orc NPC.
The name floating above the orc's head made Kael's eyes narrow.
[Warchief Kromgar]!
Damn.
The final boss of the first expansion.
At the moment, Warchief Kromgar was breathing hard, slumped where he sat.
Badly wounded, clearly.
Kael checked his stats.
[Severely Wounded Kromgar]: Level 60
HP: 500,000,000
Physical Attack: 100,000
Magic Attack: 100,000
Physical Defense: 100,000
Magic Defense: 100,000
Even gravely wounded, those numbers were terrifying.
While Kael was still weighing whether to approach, a voice sounded at his ear.
"Dawnbreaker, this is your chance. Kill him, and the world will know peace."
Rykan, Arch Elder of [Tongass Yewhold].
Before Kael could answer, another voice cut in.
"Dawnbreaker, you cannot defeat him. Give it up. I will arrange another trial for you."
Ossian, Arch Elder of [Tarken Yewhold].
Rykan pressed him. "Dawnbreaker, it is time to prove your [Courage]."
Ossian countered, "Dawnbreaker, [Courage] does not mean throwing your life away. This trial does not count. Leave Kromgar at once—he is about to notice you!"
Kael smiled faintly and ignored them both.
He didn't raise his bow.
He didn't retreat.
He walked straight toward Kromgar.
Rykan and Ossian shouted as one, "What are you doing? Stop! Do you want to die?"
Kromgar clearly hadn't expected a human to stroll toward him in the open. For a moment, he could only stare.
"Human. Do you know who stands before you?"
Kael sat down beside him as if he hadn't a care in the world.
"Of course. You are [Warchief Kromgar], the name that made every living creature on Mythrosia tremble."
Kromgar looked taken aback.
"If you know who I am, then as a human, shouldn't you kill me or run?"
Kael shook his head.
"Neither. I just want to talk."
Kromgar bared his tusks, his voice going cold.
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
Kael met his eyes without the slightest change in expression.
"Then why haven't you?"
"You—!"
Kromgar erupted. He drew the Frostblade of Gods and Demons and brought it down toward Kael's head.
Kael didn't move. He simply watched Kromgar, calm and cold. The instant before the blade cleaved into his skull, it stopped dead.
Kromgar's hand trembled around the hilt.
Kael was no longer looking at him. He lifted his head and shouted at the sky.
"I told you already—enough with the children's games. Is this what you call [Courage]?"
Crash.
The world around Kael shattered and re-formed.
He was standing on the observation platform once more.
And in front of him stood Miana, her face dark with fury.