The atmosphere of the banquet was warm and joyful. Under the guidance of Kael'thas and Rhodes, Anveena gradually adapted to her role as a princess, engaging in poised conversation with the Blood Elf nobility. Her innate affinity, stemming from the very essence of the Sunwell, allowed her to easily win the hearts of most of the nobles. The evening was an unqualified success.
With the conclusion of the Silvermoon gala, Princess Anveena Sunstrider's status was officially recognized by the upper echelons of Quel'Thalas society. While scattered whispers about her origins persisted in private, they were quickly drowned out by a wave of welcome and curiosity, backed by the dual endorsement of Prince Kael'thas and Rhodes, the Son of the Holy Light.
Over the next few days, Anveena's life changed beyond recognition. She leaped from being a carefree country girl in Tarren Mill (even if that identity was a fabrication) to a high-profile royal living in the depths of the Silvermoon palaces.
The magnificent gowns, the tedious etiquette, and the constant scrutiny made her feel a bit suffocated. Inwardly, she felt a sudden impulse to return to her quiet, pastoral past. To be honest, despite her Blood Elf exterior, she still felt like a human at heart.
After accompanying her for a few days and teaching her the most basic techniques of mana sensing and control, Krasus departed to attend to Red Dragonflight business, promising to return frequently to visit her. The true focus of her education then shifted to Rhodes.
In a secluded magical study within the Silvermoon Royal Gardens, Rhodes began his first formal session with Anveena. Jaina and Finnall were also present—the former driven by academic curiosity about this "Daughter of the Sunwell," and the latter by a passionate desire for any opportunity to practice the way of the Light alongside Rhodes.
In just a few days, Rhodes had already helped Anveena establish a preliminary connection with the reborn Sunwell, encouraging her to tap into its Holy Light energy.
"Alright, Teacher Rhodes, what do we do next? How do I guide the power of the Sunwell?" Anveena asked.
"Relax, Anveena. First, you must learn to master the power within yourself. Do not try to 'command' the energy in your body; it is already a part of you. Feel it as naturally as you feel your breath or your heartbeat," Rhodes instructed.
Anveena nodded and closed her eyes, her slender pointed ears twitching slightly. She had already learned meditation from her foster father. She strove to follow Rhodes's guidance, attempting to capture the sun-like warmth and vast power within her. However, that power felt like a boundless ocean; standing on the shore, she could feel its majesty but didn't know how to scoop up a single drop.
"I... I feel it. It's so warm, so massive... but I can't control it," Anveena said, opening her eyes with a look of frustration.
"That's because you are still trying to understand it in a 'human' way. For a mage, magic is a tool guided by incantations, gestures, and runes. But you are different, Anveena. You are the Source. Your will should be the incantation. You are the avatar of the Sunwell; you inherently possess the right to manipulate this power," Rhodes explained.
In truth, Anveena didn't need to "cultivate" magic. She didn't need to accumulate mana like other mages because her internal reserves were already terrifying—even more so than Rhodes's current levels.
"Forget the conventional path Krasus taught you. For you, the key is 'Identity' and 'Connection,'" Rhodes said, pointing toward the Isle of Quel'Danas. "Feel the reborn Sunwell. It shares your origin. Your core is the essence of the old well, while it has integrated the new Light and purer Arcane. Try to resonate with it. Don't demand power; greet it. Confirm the bond between you."
Teaching Anveena like a normal mage would be a total waste of her talent.
Anveena nodded thoughtfully and closed her eyes again. This time, she didn't try to force the power. Instead, she let her consciousness expand, actively accepting the strength that was already hers. Gradually, she felt a distant, steady, and grand pulse. A gold-and-blue brilliance shone in her mental vision—warm, familiar, like a long-lost relative.
The moment she established that faint link, a soft golden halo naturally rippled around her body.
"The Light! She truly has an incredible affinity for the Holy Light!" Finnall cried out in delight. She could feel that the aura contained the very power she spent her days and nights praying for.
Rhodes smiled slightly. "Excellent. The first step is a success. Do you feel it? When you resonate with the Sunwell, the Light is naturally drawn to you. Next, I will teach you some Paladin and Priest spells."
Anveena's learning speed was no less impressive than Rhodes's when he first arrived in this world. Every Holy Light spell Rhodes described, she mastered instantly. In a single day, she had basically learned all of Rhodes's Holy Light repertoire, including his custom-made spells like the Light version of "Gate of Babylon."
Her talent shocked everyone. It was the same with conventional magic. Because she was the Sunwell's avatar, she wasn't particularly gifted with water spells, but she was a natural at fire and pure Arcane magic. It took her only two days to "empty out" Kael'thas's entire library of knowledge. Every fire spell he explained, she could simulate and release immediately without practice, and with a potency that rivaled the Prince himself.
This left Kael'thas feeling quite demoralized. Is this a joke? he thought. Comparing oneself to others truly is the quickest way to madness. Once she learned to manipulate her own energy, her power was nothing short of frightening.
In less than five days, Anveena transformed from an ordinary girl into one of Azeroth's top-tier fire mages and Holy Light masters. Because she was a pure physical manifestation of the Sunwell, her body was also remarkably sturdy. Picking up a warhammer and shield to play the role of a Paladin was no problem at all. Rhodes even joked about getting her a set of plate armor, an idea Anveena seemed quite excited about, having harbored dreams of being a hero while growing up in Tarren Mill.
Theoretically, Anveena's raw power now exceeded Kael'thas and Jaina combined. Only Rhodes could likely win a fight against her, and even then, he'd have to summon his Archangels and Holy Light Phoenixes. In a fair duel, even the Prince might lose. Of course, she lacked combat experience; she was all power and no practice. It was time for her to see the world.
Next, Rhodes had Somra use the Academic skill to teach her Heroes of Might and Magic spells. Unlike the side effects Jaina and Capernian had suffered, Anveena had no adverse reaction. She effortlessly learned all of Rhodes's Level 1 to 3 spells.
"How... how do you feel? Is your head okay? Any pain?" Jaina asked, looking at her like she'd seen a ghost. "I nearly passed out just learning 'Magic Arrow,' but you just learned a whole library!"
"Uh, I feel great. The spells just sort of appeared in my head. I can use them right now," Anveena said, shaking her head. It seemed so easy to her—she hadn't encountered a "difficult" spell yet. She started to think being a mage was the easiest job in the world.
"I... I need to go outside and calm down," Jaina stuttered, her chest heaving as she gave Anveena a "monster" look before running out in a daze. The female mage was completely self-conscious and broken; Anveena's talent was simply too abnormal.
Rhodes watched her leave and shook his head helplessly. You can't compare a "genius" to a "natural disaster." Even without the Wisdom skill, Anveena picked up Level 3 spells instantly. Her magical talent was truly unmatched in all of Azeroth.
After the lessons were finished, Kael'thas approached Rhodes privately to discuss their next move. Rhodes realized that even with his "cheats," his talent only barely matched Anveena's. He finally understood why the writers had to "write her off" in the original lore—she was too strong.
If she were allowed to grow, the title of Azeroth's most powerful mage would be hers by right. In the original comics, she had vaporized Dar'Khan with raw instinct alone before ever learning a single spell.