"What? Several patrol teams haven't returned yet?"
"The gate used for blocking has also been opened?"
"Those Druids haven't reacted at all? Do they only know how to sleep?!"
Noisy conversations and footsteps intertwined outside the prison, and Illidan lowered his head, looking listless, but carefully distinguishing the number of people outside the cell.
After ten thousand long years, Illidan was already able to judge the changes in the outside guards based on the number of voices and the weight of footsteps. He had a basic understanding of when the number of guards was most and least.
However, the complexity of the Warden's footsteps this time was rare in these ten thousand long years, and Illidan couldn't help but wonder what had happened outside the cell.
'It sounds like the Wardens lost contact with others during their routine patrol.'
After overhearing some of the conversation, Illidan had a basic guess in his heart, but what still puzzled him was, who could enter the Warden's dungeon and cause a considerable number of Wardens to lose contact with the main force?
It definitely wouldn't be his own people breaking into the dungeon.
Illidan did not reveal any thoughts of escaping prison due to the Warden's personnel changes. He knew that merely the disappearance or attack of a few small teams would not change the situation in the dungeon, where there was a mechanism every five steps and a guard every ten steps.
Even if he broke free from the chains, he would inevitably enter a period of weakness. He needed time to recover his strength; otherwise, he would have no power to fight back against pursuers, and even if he fled, he wouldn't get far.
Moreover, there was still a difficult opponent like Maiev. Even in his peak state, Illidan was unwilling to contend with such a stubborn opponent as Maiev.
While Illidan pretended to be silent in his prison, secretly pondering countermeasures, Maiev at this moment also walked to the entrance of Illidan's cell, casting her gaze into the cell through the sturdy bars.
She saw that Illidan showed no reaction to the commotion outside, but instead appeared more silent and indifferent than ever before.
Maiev raised her hand to summon her subordinate Nasa, and whispered, "You keep an eye on this fellow. I'm going to personally look for those who are missing."
"But… Lady Maiev, I'm worried, could this be some kind of trick, someone trying to make you unable to attend to both ends?"
Nasa's suggestion made Maiev hesitate, but she couldn't abandon the missing Wardens. During this long period of surveillance, she had no relatives or friends accompanying her. Maiev had long regarded the Wardens she had personally trained as her sisters and family.
In addition, in recent days, rumors among the Night Elves suggested that demons from the War of the Ancients seemed to be reappearing in Ashenvale, making her nerves more tense than ever before.
Finally, the Warden made a decision.
"Don't worry too much, Nasa. I will find our missing sisters. Illidan's cell has magic personally cast by Malfurion and other Druids. He won't have a chance to escape."
Leaving this sentence, Maiev departed from the deepest part of the underground prison.
Nasa watched Maiev's departing back, sighed, and then turned her attention to Illidan. After repeatedly confirming that Illidan's restraints showed no abnormalities, she walked to the side and continued to fulfill her duties with the other Wardens.
Maiev's departure made the Wardens guarding Illidan feel immense pressure. Although they also knew that the magical restraints on Illidan had not loosened at all, this did not prevent them from feeling apprehensive about this notorious "betrayer."
They all gripped their weapons tightly, staring unblinkingly at the motionless Illidan.
In the depths of the entire prison, apart from the faint sound of dripping water, there was only the soft breathing of the Wardens. The overly quiet atmosphere caused a little cold sweat to unconsciously seep from Nasa's forehead, and even her vision became somewhat blurry…
Wait… wait a minute? Cold sweat? Blurry vision?!
Nasa's mind was in a daze for a moment, then she suddenly regained full consciousness. Her previously blurry vision instantly cleared up again. She clearly felt that the lining of her armor was soaked with sweat, a feeling like escaping from an extremely dangerous situation, with a sense of lingering fear and relief after a narrow escape.
When she looked at her companions again, she found that they had already fallen to the ground, their fates unknown.
This eerie scene made Nasa's heart almost stop. She tightly gripped the Moonblade in her hand, observing the surrounding darkness with extreme vigilance.
Arthas was somewhat surprised that there was still one Warden who hadn't fallen. He used the psychology of these guards and the environment in the depths of the prison to slowly infiltrate their souls, causing them to collapse in complete unawareness, amidst tension and palpitations.
But this last Warden before him was clearly much stronger than the others. She had actually woken up at the last moment before fainting and realized that the enemy had already infiltrated the core area of the prison.
Nasa held the Moonblade in one hand, while the other was hidden beneath her cloak, clutching a wooden amulet. As long as she crushed the amulet, Maiev would receive a message, knowing that the core area had been infiltrated.
Just as her five fingers exerted force, preparing to destroy the amulet, a cold hand gripped her arm. Nasa's body trembled, and she instinctively swung the Moonblade in her other hand, striking towards the person beside her.
However, just as the Moonblade was about to land on Arthas's neck, Nasa's movements froze. She stared blankly down, a runic greatsword piercing her abdomen. Crimson blood dripped from the blade onto the ground, and the hideous demonic carvings seemed to mock her foolishness.
Arthas's hand gave a gentle push, and Nasa's body separated from Frostmourne's blade, falling heavily to the ground. Her limbs were stiff and cold, unable to make even a final resistance or cry.
Nasa's gaze dimmed. Arthas indifferently stepped over her body and came before Illidan's cell. He surveyed the imprisoned "betrayer."
Even blind, it didn't mean Illidan couldn't feel others' gazes. His remaining senses were sharper than a normal elf's. He had long perceived everything happening outside, and had even heard with his own ears the dull thud of Nasa being pierced by a sharp blade.
Illidan raised his head, his eyes wrapped in black cloth seeming to perceive Arthas's presence. He asked with a hint of amusement, "Who are you? To be able to deceive that woman and reach this place."
However, unfortunately, Arthas did not reply. What Illidan heard was the faint sound of air being cut, and two crisp sounds of chains breaking.
His hands, confined for ten thousand years, finally regained freedom. Illidan forcefully tore away the vines and roots entanglement his body, and reached out, the familiar sensation bringing him an inexplicable comfort.
"Ah… Azzinoth, it feels so good to wield you again."
Inside the prison, two green lights flashed, and Illidan's last restraints were also severed by sharp blades. He, Illidan Stormrage, after waiting for ten thousand years, finally regained his freedom!