World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 (21 page)

The trees, flowers, and woodland creatures silently watched the night elves flourish, whispering news of them to the
Wild Gods of Hyjal. Among them, the demigod
Cenarius took a keen interest in these newcomers at the Well of Eternity’s shores. The night elves would claim he was the son of the great White Stag,
Malorne, and Elune herself. Cenarius adored the night elves and believed they had the potential to become great caretakers of nature. He befriended the fledgling race and taught them about the natural world. It was Cenarius’s hope that the night elves would strive to live in harmony with the wilds.

For many centuries, the night elves did. They built a graceful society around the Well of Eternity. The capital of their small nation was called
Elun’dris
, or “the Eye of Elune,” and it was founded on the shores of the fount of power. The night elves also honed their ties with the surrounding woodlands and their myriad inhabitants. Cenarius guided the night elves when necessary, pleased by the wisdom and benevolence that thrummed in their hearts.

But in time, many of the night elves yearned for a different life. These individuals became obsessed with unlocking the Well of Eternity’s secrets. They rigorously studied the fount’s arcane energies, becoming learned sorcerers. They harnessed the powers of the arcane lake and constructed wondrous temples and roadways around it. Magic became an inseparable part of life as the night elves reveled in the power at their fingertips. Pushing the boundaries of their intellect became the driving force of their culture.

It was during this era of unprecedented growth that the night elves’ most prolific leader came to power. Her name was Queen
Azshara. Through her unbridled ambition, she would elevate her people to extraordinary new heights … and sow the seeds of their destruction.

B
eautiful and wise beyond her years, Queen Azshara embodied the most coveted traits of her people. She indulged in sorcerous pursuits and constructed a breathtaking, bejeweled palace on the shores of the Well of Eternity. There, the most powerful nobles—who became known as the
quel’dorei
, or “
Highborne”—answered to her every beck and call.

The Highborne were incredibly gifted and ambitious sorcerers. Some, such as Lady
Vashj, served as the queen’s adoring and loyal handmaidens. Others, like Lord
Xavius, were consulted by Azshara in matters of governance and acted as trusted advisors. But no matter what specific role these Highborne played at the queen’s side, all of them occupied the upper echelon of night elf society. They believed themselves to be superior to the rest of their race, a fact that drew the ire of the “lower born” night elves.

But such contempt did not extend to Azshara. Although the queen was born of the highest noble pedigree, night elves of every social standing adored her. The elves were so enamored with their queen that they renamed their wondrous capital
Zin-Azshari
, or “the Glory of Azshara,” in her honor.

Under Azshara, night elf civilization blossomed into a sprawling empire, a dreamscape of gilded spires, vast cities, and other marvels that would not be seen again even in the modern age. Networks of luminescent causeways, limned by the silver light of Elune, radiated out to the far corners of Kalimdor.

At Azshara’s behest, expeditionary forces set out to explore the world and also spread the empire’s borders. They often returned to Zin-Azshari with samples of exotic flora and fauna, and tales of the mythical dragonflights that ruled the roof of the world. The expeditionary forces also founded dozens of outposts and repositories, such as
Shandaral in the icy northern forest of
Moonsong,
Then’Ralore in the lush central wilds (later known as the Barrens), and
Eldre’Thalas in the southern jungles of Feralas. The queen herself oversaw the building of a wondrous new temple to Elune, a sprawling expanse of gem-encrusted bridges and effervescent lakes at the western edge of Kalimdor. Upon its completion, she named the mesmerizing grounds
Lathar’Lazal
, or “Seat of the Sky.”

Not since the
Black Empire in ages past had a territory grown so vast in size and scope. The immense influence Azshara held over the world and its denizens eclipsed even
Lei Shen’s wildest dreams of power.

There was, however, one location Azshara and her forces avoided: Mount Hyjal. The spirits and demigods who roamed the sylvan forests unsettled the queen. She knew in her bones that Hyjal was somehow beyond even her influence. It was a place steeped in ancient magic, a wild, untamable, and unchangeable land that stood in stark contrast to her vision of a new Kalimdor. Publicly, Azshara prohibited expansion into Hyjal out of respect for the night elves’ ancient kinship with the forests. In truth, she despised the mountain and the harmony it represented.

Azshara’s views on Hyjal were well known to Cenarius. With growing unease, he had watched the night elf empire expand. Year by year, he became increasingly frustrated with the hubris and thoughtless actions of the sorcerous Highborne. The majority of night elf society continued honoring the old ways of revering the wilds. The fact that these folk still lived in harmony with the land warmed Cenarius’s heart, but he knew that they had no influence over Azshara and her arrogant followers.

As time passed, the night elves began eschewing diplomacy and largely ignored Azeroth’s other cultures. Azshara’s dogmatic beliefs regarding racial purity seeped into the night elves’ psyche, creating an atmosphere rife with xenophobia.

MAP OF AZEROTH AT THE HEIGHT OF THE NIGHT ELF EMPIRE

Only the openly hostile troll nations drew the full attention of the elves. Small, sporadic battles ignited between the two sides. On every occasion, the
trolls buckled before the devastating magics wielded by the night elves. Azshara, however, was not interested in conquest. In her eyes, the trolls were a minor nuisance, their battle lust a symptom of primitive and unenlightened minds. Ultimately, the queen struck an accord with the Zandalar tribe, which held immense influence over all other trolls. In exchange for ending troll incursions into night elf territory, the
Zandalari would be allowed—by Azshara’s grace—to keep the sacred Zandalar Mountains south of the
Well of Eternity.

The trolls begrudgingly agreed, fully aware that they stood no chance against their enemies’ arcane powers. This shameful acquiescence fostered the trolls’ deep resentment toward night elves, a bitter hatred that would carry on for generations to come.

With the trolls no longer a threat, Azshara continued expanding her dominion. Yet even as she did so, she spent more time in the confines of her palace, obsessing over the Well of Eternity and the arcane secrets held within it. She believed that the night elves had thus far only tapped a small portion of the fount’s power. She pushed the Highborne to plumb the Well of Eternity’s depths, to expand their knowledge and reach for new heights of cultural and technological advancement.

Their reckless experiments sent torrents of magic crashing through the
Twisting Nether. Like moths to the flame, the Nether’s demonic inhabitants were drawn toward the irresistible source of power.

It was only a matter of time before
Sargeras and the
Burning Legion also took notice.

At long last, Sargeras had discovered the location of Azeroth. The fabled
world-soul. Without delay, he gathered all of his rage, all of his terrible demonic legions, and turned his baleful gaze upon the distant world. All that remained was for Sargeras to find a way to reach Azeroth.

A
s the Highborne continued experimenting on the Well of Eternity, a young night elf named
Malfurion Stormrage honed his ties to nature. Under the tutelage of the wise
Cenarius, he had become the first mortal druid on Azeroth. Malfurion excelled in his studies, and he often spent his days wandering the forests of Hyjal.

Cenarius was greatly pleased by Malfurion’s progress. He had sensed something special in his student from the very first time the night elf’s spirit explored the
Emerald Dream. Cenarius hoped that Malfurion would spread druidism among the night elves and help them return to their harmonious roots.

Yet this change would not come to Azshara and her followers. Unbeknownst to greater night elf society, the Highborne had begun communing with Sargeras. The fallen titan hoped to use the sorcerers and their great magic to expedite the Legion’s journey to Azeroth. Without a suitable gateway, he knew that traveling to the world would take ages.

Much as he had done with the
eredar on
Argus, Sargeras reached out to the Highborne and capitalized on their hubris. Lord
Xavius was the first of the Highborne to hear Sargeras’s call. The power-hungry Xavius quickly brought Sargeras to Azshara’s attention. The fallen titan promised to grant the night elf queen and her servitors unfathomable power, thereby allowing them to remake Kalimdor into a paradise. Sargeras requested only that Azshara and her followers summon his agents into the world of Azeroth so that they could give the Highborne this power.

CENARIUS AND
MANNOROTH DURING THE WAR OF THE ANCIENTS

Enthralled by
Sargeras’s might, Azshara and her Highborne used the
Well of Eternity’s energies to bring the Legion’s minions into Azeroth. Waves of demonic warriors flooded out from the queen’s palace, murdering every night elf in their path save for their Highborne allies.

Led by the likes of Mannoroth the Destructor,
Hakkar the Houndmaster, and
Archimonde the Defiler, the Legion stormed across the night elf empire in a tide of death and destruction. Blazing infernals tore through the skies, shattering night elf cities, while thousands of bloodthirsty doomguard and ravenous felhounds reduced Kalimdor’s tranquil woodlands to smoldering green embers.

War, the likes of which no mortal empire had ever witnessed, had come to Azeroth.

A night elf resistance force, led by a noble named Lord
Kur’talos Ravencrest, formed to stand against the Legion’s furious onslaught. Among these brave defenders were Malfurion, his sorcerous twin,
Illidan, and the beautiful priestess whom both brothers loved dearly,
Tyrande Whisperwind. Ultimately, these three unlikely heroes would change the fate of Kalimdor forever.