"You only need to look at the trees around us, which have been growing for countless years, to easily see that they all lean more or less towards the side away from the lake, and this hemispherical lake itself. These are the marks of that great war etched into nature."
Arthas briefly described the world-shaking battle of that year: Guardian Tyr and two powerful K'thir, who were likely among the strongest entities on Azeroth, besides the Old Gods.
The fierce battle between three powerful entities, previously only existing in myth, permanently altered the landscape of Whispering Forest, and even the name Whispering Forest itself was a result of the lingering influence of the deceased K'thir.
Even after death, the bodies of these formidable Void aberrations retained a terrifying vitality, and dark power continuously seeped out. At the time, Tyr's followers could not completely destroy Zakas's body, so they sealed him beneath Tir's Tomb.
Only the Guardian's power could suppress Zakas's vitality, allowing him to remain in a 'dead' state and prevent him from being reawakened by the Old Gods through his physical vitality.
Even so, Zakas's influence permeated almost half of Tirisfal's land, giving rise to Whispering Forest and Whispering Coast.
The entire western mountain range of Tirisfal is almost uninhabited, and even the Whispering Coast, which could have been used to build a harbor, remains undeveloped because Zakas's presence prevents humans from building ports on this mysterious coast.
Due to the influence of the Old Gods' power, coupled with the deep sea being an area heavily influenced by the Old Gods, ships that stay there for extended periods will suffer a terrible 'curse'.
Arthas had long wanted to eliminate Zakas, this cancerous growth. Therefore, coming here today to obtain the Silver Hand and Tyr's legacy was secondary. The real reason Arthas gathered so many powerful individuals was to utterly destroy Zakas.
Just as everyone was shocked by the traces of battle left by Tyr, sounds of fighting and the Holy Light energy of Uther and others came from the forest. The expressions of the group changed, and they rushed into the forest.
The Holy Tome on Arthas's hip emitted a faint glow. He followed behind the others and quickly entered the forest.
Remember in one second >
They hadn't gone far into the forest when they saw Uther, the two others, and a human restrained by Dathrohan, while more than a dozen people, armed with weapons and wearing light armor, confronted the three of them.
"Release Lal, and then leave here!"
"We are here to eradicate evil. Why are you attacking us without cause?" Dathrohan questioned. Being attacked for no reason was something the Great Knight could not understand.
Although the young man he captured did not use a weapon to sneak attack Dathrohan, he suddenly leaped out of the forest, intending to knock Dathrohan unconscious.
Unfortunately, he clearly misjudged Dathrohan's strength. Not only did his sneak attack fail, but he was instantly counterattacked by Dathrohan and immediately had his joints locked and was pressed to the ground.
Even without using the power of Holy Light, Dathrohan's own strength was top-tier, as he was a great warrior skilled in martial arts before becoming a paladin.
Uther's warhammer was already coated with a layer of Holy Light, indicating that being attacked without cause had made him suspicious of the identities of these mysterious people in the forest.
Tirion stood beside Dathrohan, guarding his back to prevent anyone from launching a sneak attack.
And the entrance of Arthas and the others changed the expressions of those people, making the situation between the two sides even more tense.
"Are you from Tyr's Guard?" Arthas didn't want to argue further and directly stated their identity.
"I know you, you are Arthas, the Prince of Lordaeron. Why have you entered this forest? Leave quickly; this is not a place where mortals should linger."
A younger-looking Tyr's Guard seemed to recognize Arthas's identity. It appeared that not everyone in this organization had completely cut off contact with the outside world.
Indeed, if they hadn't maintained some connection with human civilization, the successive disasters on the continent of Lordaeron would not have reduced this organization to only a few remaining members later on.
"You know me?" Arthas gave Dathrohan a look. Dathrohan snorted and pushed Lal, whom he had restrained, towards the Tyr's Guard.
Seeing their companion released, these "tomb guardians" who had been stationed deep in the mountains for many years also breathed a sigh of relief. Their attitude softened slightly. "Of course, a Prince who is so prominent in human civilization, we are not completely cut off from civilization."
Muradin nudged Dathrohan somewhat teasingly, "It seems your reputation isn't enough. They recognize Arthas, but not you."
Dathrohan rolled his eyes at Muradin. "I usually work at the Silver Hand or train new recruits. I'm not like the Prince, whose reputation precedes him."
The older Tyr's Guard, who seemed to be in charge, put away his longsword and said in a deep voice, "No matter what, please leave quickly. Something very bad is buried here. Even if you are powerful Paladins, you may not be immune to its influence."
"Actually, we came here precisely to eliminate this evil entity." Arthas was not evasive. Since the other party was willing to talk instead of fight, it saved a lot of trouble.
"Eliminate? Young Prince, do you know that even Thoradin, who wielded a divine sword, died at the hands of that monster?" The elder Tyr's Guard shook his head, not optimistic about Arthas's goal. "You should leave quickly. Thoradin crossed our Vigilance, broke the seal, and that's why he died. We will not allow a second 'Thoradin' to sacrifice himself."
"However, that monster still came back to life, didn't he? It's true that Emperor Thoradin broke the seal, but this means that monster wasn't completely dead. If he could get out once, he can get out a second time. You Guardians alone cannot defeat him."
Arthas showed the Holy Tome at his waist. "I am not blindly venturing into danger. The Silver Hand Knights have also inherited Tyr's will. Today, we are here to eliminate the monster sleeping in the lake."
However, the other party was clearly not moved by such words. He still stubbornly shook his head. "Please go back, Prince. Even if that monster revives, we will eliminate him again, no matter what it costs."
Muradin witnessed this scene and couldn't help but exclaim, "Tsk, these guys are really stubborn, even more stubborn than that guy named Gerard just now."
But it would have been better if he hadn't spoken. As soon as he did, the Tyr's Guard's faces all turned very ugly. The older guard, who was like a knight captain, also frowned and asked, "Sir Dwarf, what are you talking about?"
"Earlier by the lake, we met an old man named Gerard. Wasn't he a member of Tyr's Guard?" Jaina was also confused as to why the other party had such a strong reaction.
However, Lal, who had just been returned to his own people, answered in a slightly trembling voice, "Gerard… are you sure? He was indeed a member of Tyr's Guard, but he died over ten years ago. How could you have seen him?"
Dead?!
As soon as these words came out, even the members of the expedition team had varied expressions.
Arthas was also slightly surprised: The guy named Gerard just now was definitely 'alive', so how could he be a dead man?
The leading captain of Tyr's Guard must have been very experienced, as he calmed down after a brief moment of shock.
After having his subordinates soothe Lal, he slowly began to speak.
"Gerard was indeed a member of ours, but he passed away due to health reasons over a decade ago.
Logically, we should have buried him in the cemetery down the mountain, but it was during the Orc invasion, so we had no choice but to bury him on the mountain."
Although the captain was calm, his expression remained somewhat grim.
"Now it seems that the power of this place has likely affected his remains.
What you saw was probably not Gerard himself…
By now, you should understand that Whispering Forest is absolutely not a good place.
I advise you to leave as soon as possible, otherwise, if something truly unexpected happens, the entire Tirisfal Glades will be plunged into crisis."
The captain was actually kindly advising them, but he did not know that Arthas had come to the tomb prepared and certainly wouldn't retreat so easily.
Seeing that communication with Tyr's Guard was impossible, Arthas felt quite helpless.
With Tyr's Guard still having sufficient manpower and Zakas's seal being relatively firm, they naturally wouldn't be willing to risk opening the tomb as they did during the Legion invasion.
Arthas sighed and took out a small trinket Archaedas had given him.
"Look at this."
The captain of Tyr's Guard frowned when he saw what Arthas held, asking in confusion, "What is this… Wait…"
What Arthas held was a silver arm model, the model used by Yodon when he forged Tyr's Silver Arm, which he later gave to Tyr as a souvenir.
When Tyr decided to stay behind, he gave this souvenir to Archaedas and Ironaya, who were preparing to continue south.
Archaedas clearly understood Tyr's intention.
The Guardians said nothing more; this was their last meeting.
Archaedas, upon hearing that Arthas was going to Tyr's Tomb to resolve the hidden danger from back then, gave this souvenir to Arthas.
Although it had no special power, it might convey some message to Tyr's followers from that time.
Archaedas didn't even know what had become of the followers guarding Tyr's Tomb, but he said that if this item was useless, it should be left in Tyr's Tomb after Zakas was dealt with.
"You… How do you have this?"
Although an unknown amount of time had passed, Tyr's Guard, who had inherited Tyr's power and legacy, would never forget the giant's hand that stood on the earth.
That pure silver arm was regarded by everyone as a symbol of dedication and sacrifice, and surprisingly, the model in Arthas's hand was exactly the same as the pure Silver Hand left behind after Tyr's fall.
"Tyr was a respected Guardian.
I happened to awaken another Guardian who fled the Old Gods' clutches with him back then.
He came to have me resolve the hidden danger in Tirisfal, and it is also a final remembrance for his friend."
The captain paused for a moment, unsure whether he had accepted Arthas's explanation, but after a few seconds of silence, he asked, "Can I see it?"
Arthas nodded and handed the miniature Silver Hand to the captain.
The captain held it in his hands and closed his eyes, seemingly in prayer.
After waiting for a while, he opened his eyes and solemnly returned the Pure Silver Hand to Arthas.
"You did not lie, young prince.
I feel Tyr's aura on it."
Immediately after, he turned around and shouted to Tyr's Guard behind him, "Tyr's efforts were not in vain!
We have finally waited for this day!"
The expressions of Tyr's Guard were somewhat agitated, leaving Arthas's group a bit bewildered; they didn't quite understand why Tyr's Guard had suddenly been so easily convinced.
Magni, however, knew some inside information.
He quietly asked, "Is that the real thing?"
"Would I deceive people with a fake?"
Arthas put away the Pure Silver Hand.
"Don't be too wary of Tyr's Guard.
They have noble spirits and responsibilities, they just sometimes become overly stubborn."
The few Paladins looked at each other; except for the stern Uther, they all felt a bit awkward: they always felt as if Arthas had implied something.
However, the Guard captain's actions just now seemed to have interacted and communicated with the Light of this place, which was perhaps why he confirmed Arthas's intentions.
"Although we have confirmed your intentions, I still must advise you: if you are not fully prepared, do not challenge Zakas.
Emperor Thoradin paid with his life for that very reason."
"If I wasn't fully prepared, I wouldn't be here."
The Guard captain's expression grew more serious.
He scrutinized Arthas and those around him, making a decision.
"I will go back and report this matter to the remaining members.
With the Guardian's letter of credence, if you insist on opening the tomb, there shouldn't be too much of a problem."
Arthas's group naturally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the feared conflict did not occur; after all, the other party was also human and bore no significant malice, so fighting to the death certainly did not align with the wishes of the Paladins.
It can only be said that Magni and Muradin, as well as Jaina, who stood closest to Arthas, did not have so many reservations; as long as Arthas was not doing anything outrageous, they could all accept it.
If the other party insisted on fighting them, they would absolutely have no psychological burden whatsoever.
Before leaving, the Guard captain took one last look at Arthas and said solemnly, "Since you are prepared, wait for our news by the lake… Also, be careful of that 'Gerard'; no one knows what it truly wants to do."
Watching Tyr's Guard leave, Uther asked, "Arthas, what do we do next?"
Lightbringer clearly knew that his student had surpassed him in all aspects, and since this operation was led by Arthas, asking for his plan was the best choice.
"We'll go back to the lake.
Actually, I've made some discoveries, but Tyr's Guard's appearance interrupted me."
Everyone immediately rushed towards the lake, but as soon as they exited the woods, they saw the figure draped in a linen cloak, leaning on a staff, with its back to them, gazing at the lake.
"It's that Gerard—" Magic light glowed in Jaina's hand, clearly indicating she was ready to attack at any moment.
The weapons in the Paladins' hands also emitted a faint glow, and the two Mountain Kings were already eager to act; these tough men didn't believe in ghosts, only in the tools in their hands.
However, Arthas stopped them and walked out of the woods himself.
Everyone was startled, but then they saw Arthas make a gesture to them, signaling them to remain calm.
Arthas stepped on the soft lake shore soil, walked to within ten meters of "Gerard," and stopped, saying, "Almost perfect illusion, it even fooled me, didn't it, Emperor Thoradin?"
"How did you figure it out?"
"Gerard," no, it should be Emperor Thoradin, turned to look at Arthas, his face filled with confusion.
"This state even surprised myself for a long time."
"The first time I saw you, I felt something was strange.
Although your body exuded a sense of decay, your soul seemed exceptionally pure and powerful… Such a situation should not occur in a person whose body has been corroded by energy."
"Sharp intuition, but for you to connect it directly to me, there's clearly something else hidden."
Thoradin smiled.
"This is indeed not my body; a coincidence allowed me to awaken within his body."
After killing Zakas and making him fall into a "death" state again, Thoradin also died in Whispering Forest due to severe injuries, but his soul managed to escape Zakas's evil influence and wandered in the forest.
Logically, Emperor Thoradin's soul should have left the world of Azeroth, but the strange energy around Tyr's Tomb prevented him from leaving, keeping him wandering in the forest.
It was unknown how many years had passed; as a ghost, Thoradin was no longer clear about the passage of time, but the vitalized void energy pulled his soul into a corpse buried in the earth.
This body was riddled with holes from the Void energy's corrosion; if Gerard had not also believed in and used the power of the Light in life, the Void would have consumed him long ago.
And after Gerard's death, the Light gradually drained from his body, but the external Void energy remained, almost vitalizing his corpse into a monster.
However, before the Void could fully occupy this body, Thoradin's soul was first pulled in by this abnormal vitality, and finally, his powerful soul suppressed the Void's corruption, causing this corpse to open its eyes.
After crawling out of the grave, Thoradin had been wandering in the mountains, expelling hunters or travelers who had mistakenly entered Whispering Forest, preventing them from making the same mistake he had made years ago.
And it was this body, "corroded" by Void energy and possessing abnormal vitality, that made Arthas mistakenly believe Thoradin was a living person.
But now, upon closer inspection, it's not difficult to see that Thoradin was merely animating this body like a puppet, not truly resurrected.
Emperor Thoradin looked directly at Arthas and asked, "Young prince, are you sure you have the power to rival that monster?
Even when he was in a weakened state after his initial resurrection, my retainers and I risked our lives, relying on stromgarde's sharpness to suppress him again.
Although your companions all possess great power, I don't believe they can stop a fully resurrected Zakas.
If you don't have the power to prevent his further awakening, I advise you to leave here quickly.
My followers and Tyr's followers are different; they haven't experienced Zakas's power, but I have fought this monster and understand that he represents a height unattainable by mortals."
Facing Thoradin's questioning, Arthas placed his hand on the Holy Tome at his waist.
After a flash of holy light, Arthas, gripping the Holy Hammer, calmly looked at Thoradin, as if asking: Is this enough?
Thoradin shook his head.
"If it's just powerful weapons, it's not enough."
But no sooner had he finished speaking than a blue Arcane light flashed in Arthas's eyes.
Thoradin instantly noticed Arthas's change and looked at Arthas with some surprise.
"You… have reached that stage?"
Even the first emperor of human civilization had not imagined that among their descendants, someone would actually reverse the Flesh Curse and return to the original form of creation.
Moreover, Arthas's state was even more perfect than he had imagined; Thoradin could almost feel the mysterious power in Arthas, pointing directly to the primeval.
The divine light in Arthas's eyes faded.
He raised his arm, drew back his warhammer, and rested it on his shoulder.
"If further proof is needed, I think I can personally tear apart Zakas's remnants and use his ugly remains as proof."
"No need."
Thoradin shook his head again, but this time a clear smile was on his face.
"I believe you can go further than I, further than Tyr—both I and that great Guardian were forced to fight to the death, but you are the first to dare to directly confront those indescribable horrors."
"I may be the first, but certainly not the last.
Azeroth is never guarded by just one person or one weapon," Arthas's gaze fell upon the warhammer in his hand, "If it's just me now, there will surely be more later.
In this dark age, what we need is hope, the light of dawn."
"Very well, Arthas Menethil, let me see the 'hope' you represent!"
Emperor Thoradin, holding his staff, suddenly straightened his old body.
He stomped his foot, and with power from an unknown source, he leaped into the air, heading towards Arthas.
He held a wooden staff, but at that moment, the staff took on a sharpness that made people instinctively recoil.
Arthas did not dodge; instead, he stepped forward, stomped his foot, and power rose from his sole, driving his waist and warhammer, drawing a golden arc in the air.
A dazzling golden explosion burst open in the air.
Uther and the others, who were preparing to provide support from behind, could only shield their eyes.
After the blinding light dissipated, they saw Arthas standing in place, holding his warhammer, unmoving, while a huge energy-blasted crater appeared on the ground in front of him.
Gerard's body, which had been utterly corrupted by the Void, had vanished in the purification of the Holy Light.
Emperor Thoradin's soul revealed a satisfied smile.
He floated in mid-air, nodding to Arthas, "You are qualified—before I leave, I have one last question: what is the name of that weapon in your hand?"
Arthas also smiled.
"Light of Dawn, the light of dawn of Lordaeron."