"Watch your head!"
Amidst Brann's exclamation, the three of them narrowly slipped through the closing gate. Just as Brann rolled through, the heavy isolation gate slammed shut with a clang, crushing the scarlet tentacle that had already extended through.
The severed part of the tentacle still writhed like an earthworm. Loken threw a ball of lightning, instantly incinerating the foul flesh into ash.
"Phew, we're safe for now." Brann wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He almost thought he was going to be cut in half by that gate.
"Don't let your guard down yet. No one knows if those monsters will catch up to us." Loken conjured a ball of light, illuminating their surroundings. "Hmm… it is indeed a disinfection room, but I've never seen a specialized facility of this scale before. The Titans must have been very concerned about the safety of this laboratory back then."
The result wasn't too good, though, as the Titans hadn't completely destroyed the dangerous samples in the laboratory before they left; instead, they preserved them. They just didn't expect this departure to be a permanent farewell.
"Let's find out how to activate this purification and disinfection room first. I don't want to see disgusting red and white chunks of flesh everywhere in our next exploration."
Brann walked to the wall beside the purification hall and tapped it twice with his hand. After hearing a crisp echo from the wall, the Dwarf curiously peered through the hollowing out metal plate.
"Uh… it's too dark. Loken, can you come over and help me light up what's inside?"
Brann looked at the pitch-black metal cutout, very curious about what was inside. Loken heard Brann's request and came over cooperatively, but said, "The control console usually isn't hidden behind a wall."
With the light from Loken, Brann tilted his head and peered inside with one eye, and then he saw a faint orange-red glow.
"It seems to be glowing inside? Is it some kind of energy line—"
Before he finished speaking, Brann suddenly felt a wave of heat wash over him. He subconsciously stepped back a few paces, rubbing his eyes, which were dry from the heat, and shouted, "What's going on?!"
"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
While Brann was busy rubbing his eyes, Loken's voice rang out. Brann said without hesitation, "No need to think about it, what's the good news?"
"We don't need to look for the control console anymore; this purification and disinfection room has already started."
"That's not bad," Brann blinked his eyes, finally feeling a bit more comfortable. "And the bad news?"
"The bad news is that we seem to have been identified as corrupted matter too."
Loken's cold joke didn't amuse Brann, because the old Dwarf had already seen with horror that the wall he had just been observing began to spew incinerating flames. The high temperature emanating from the scorching tongues of fire could be clearly felt by Brann, even several meters away.
Brann instinctively wanted to turn around and leave the room, but when he looked back the way they came, he remembered that the gate had already closed tightly.
"This is good. These purification measures should be able to eliminate the corruption we brought." Loken snorted, looking at Brann, "Like the Flesh Curse or something."
"Warning: Three corrupted individuals detected. Purification system initiating. Complete eradication expected upon progress completion."
A cold, feminine mechanical voice sounded, and a tall steel giant appeared on the other side of the energy isolation barrier. Her indifferent, rational blue eyes radiated undisguised hostility.
"Wait, what do you mean 'three corrupted individuals'?" The smile on Loken's face froze. "I am clearly the most legitimate successor of the Gods!"
"Guardian of Uldir, I am Great Guardian Lei, and we are here to assist you!" Loken immediately declared his identity, attempting to make this Guardian of Uldir stop the purification system in the hall.
"Identity verification, Great Guardian Lei, identity verification successful—error, the conversational entity contains a large accumulation of corruption, belonging to a high-risk corruption target. Access denied."
The Guardian of Uldir, Pure Saintess, emitted a holographic scanning ray from her eyes. However, after reading Loken's data, she actually increased the power of the purification system.
"Oh no… The residual dark power on me hasn't been completely cleansed. Uldir's defense system has identified me as a threat as well." Loken instantly realized the problem. His self-exile and imprisonment had been too long, and during this time, his negative emotions and the dark power from deep within Azeroth had mixed to create some undesirable traits. Although he was now trying his best to eliminate them, they hadn't been completely purged.
He just hadn't expected Uldir's self-defense system to be so strict. Pure Saintess would not accept assistance from anyone with corruption. She had already decided to mercilessly eliminate the three presences before her, even if one of them was also a Titan Guardian.
Seeing that Loken not only failed to communicate but also made the situation worse, Brann couldn't sit still. "Stop talking about that! Don't you feel like the temperature in the hall is almost as high as in Ironforge?!"
This hall for disinfection and purification was entirely covered with metal plating, and purifying flames were spewing from the walls on both sides, instantly raising the room's temperature. Especially the floor, even through his leather boots, Brann could feel the surging heat rising.
He could still endure it now, but if the temperature continued to rise, Brann didn't think he could last.
"Don't worry, the defenses here shouldn't be able to do anything to Loken and me. If you unfortunately sacrifice yourself, I'll have Arthas award you a medal." Loken comforted Brann.
"Do you even hear what you're saying?"
Brann rolled his eyes, rummaged through his backpack, and pulled out a Teleportation Scroll. "If worst comes to worst, we'll just have to leave for now. Although we haven't figured out the specific situation of Uldir yet, at least we've confirmed that this facility hasn't completely fallen into the hands of the Old Gods."
Just as Brann was about to use the Teleportation Scroll to leave, the incinerators on both sides suddenly sputtered out. Brann froze for a moment and looked at Loken, "Did you do that?"
"Not me, I was still trying to persuade my colleague." Loken was also a bit confused, but no matter what, the purification measures had at least stopped.
The one who had turned off the purification measures was naturally Pure Saintess, who stood in the isolation zone on the other side. However, the blue light in her eyes was flickering at the moment, and Brann inexplicably felt that her eyes resembled the indicator lights on the communication gadgets made by the Gnomes.
"Reloading data. Welcome, Guardian Odin."
"Great Guardian Lei, Guardian Odin asked me to convey his regards to you." Pure Saintess extended her hand, paused in mid-air for a moment, then waved it somewhat stiffly.
It's a good thing I managed to access Uldir's main system in time, otherwise Loken would have been purged as a fallen one. Just look at the good deeds he's done for over ten thousand years; how could he let himself get to the point where even the friend-or-foe identification system couldn't recognize him?
Odin controlled the console while still mocking his colleague.
"To have his heart gouged out by his own Dependents, his power stolen, and to have been depressed for ten thousand years because of it—as a Guardian, how could he make such a mistake?"
Since connecting to Uldir, Odin had barely stopped, constantly grumbling about Loken's shortcomings. "He was appointed Great Guardian by the Father of the Gods, and he should have steadfastly remained at his post, not given up hope for the future for this or that reason."
Arthas leaned against a nearby wall, taking a rare moment to listen to Odin's complaints. These beings, seemingly untouchable to mortals, actually had a side similar to mortals: besides the authority and power the Titans bestowed upon them, these Guardians also possessed the same emotions as mortals.
They would rejoice in victory, rage at betrayal, and grieve at the passing of a dear friend.
This was also why Arthas was willing to trust these Guardians; though they revered the Titans, they were not the Titans' puppets. Between Azeroth and the commands left by the Titans, they ultimately sided with Azeroth.
"But it's fine. With my help, he can at least gain a foothold in Uldir and has earned the trust of the 'Pure Saintess'."
Odin was also very curious about the Pure Saintess, this special Titan Guardian, but unfortunately, he didn't have time to meet this colleague he had never seen before. "The Pure Saintess told me that Uldir is not just a laboratory, but also a very important archive. To combat the Old Gods' corruption, the Titans stored most of the relevant data from the known universe there. Although parts of Uldir's facilities are severely damaged, after we eliminate G'huun, we can consult these treasures left by the Titans."
As for how to eliminate G'huun, Odin also found the answer in the data provided by the Pure Saintess. "We need to activate Uldir's Origin Re-origination Engine. This purification device can completely kill G'huun and its corruption—provided it hasn't completely broken free from its cage."
"It won't have a chance to escape. Compared to G'huun, we need to be more wary of N'Zoth." Arthas clearly understood that their true opponent was not the blood god G'huun, but the true Ancient God N'Zoth.
N'Zoth coveted G'huun's essence and would certainly not watch idly as Arthas and his allies completely purified G'huun. He was very likely to emerge at a crucial moment and devour the weaker G'huun.
"You're right, but unfortunately, N'Zoth is far too cunning and insidious. He certainly won't jump out until he's absolutely sure."
As Odin, who had personally led armies to defeat the Old Gods and their servants, he had witnessed the characteristics of each Ancient God. N'Zoth might not be the strongest among the Old Gods, but he was certainly the most cautious, meticulous, and insidious being.
While discussing countermeasures with Arthas, Odin also did not forget to retrieve tens of thousands of years of records from Nazwatha's logs. Although Nazwatha was severely damaged, a significant amount of data was preserved, allowing him to extract some for his research.
It was precisely this review that made Odin notice a very abnormal corruption index during a certain period. "This is… the transmission data of another seal, Atu'aman. A long time ago, Atu'aman's corruption index once soared to its peak—after the corruption value reached its peak, Atu'aman was almost rendered useless, but then the corruption value actually dropped?"
This was highly illogical. If Atu'aman had been breached by G'huun's minions, they should have immediately intensified the corruption, rendering it almost completely inoperable like Nazwatha.
Arthas looked at that data. "This should be the work of Mythrax the Unraveler. He fought a great battle with the serpent god Sethraliss in Vol'dun, and the result was mutual destruction, turning Vol'dun from a dense jungle into a barren Gobi Desert. As for the decrease in corruption value, it's because Sethraliss's followers later sealed Mythrax's remains within Atu'aman, hoping to use the power of this ancient temple to prevent Mythrax's resurrection."
Upon hearing about Atu'aman's current state, Odin promptly suggested, "Perhaps we can reclaim Atu'aman, just as we occupied Nazwatha, and completely kill that servant of the Ancient God."
Arthas, however, merely shook his head. Compared to Odin, who was indifferent to the mortal world, he had a much deeper understanding of the civilizations on this land. "Atu'aman is located in the heart of the Vol'dun wilderness, far more difficult to reach than Nazwatha, which is on the coast. Moreover, the local mortal forces in Vol'dun are complex, busy vying for immediate gains, and it's almost impossible for them to listen to persuasion."
Furthermore, compared to Nazmir, where Zandalar's influence couldn't reach, Zandalar paid more attention to Vol'dun. If the Alliance or a more powerful Guardian force intervened in Vol'dun, there's no guarantee that these trolls wouldn't make some foolish moves due to stress.
Even if they didn't, discordant voices would inevitably arise within Zandalar, which would instead give N'Zoth an opportunity to carry out his schemes.
The current Alliance was truly a colossal entity. Even if Zandalar had always guarded its small territory in Zuldazar, seemingly scoffing at powerful outside civilizations, Arthas was sure that these arrogant trolls would almost certainly react if they saw the Alliance's fleet intervene in Zandalar territory.
"However, this doesn't mean we completely ignore the darkness hidden in Atu'aman. A more suitable delegation than the Alliance has already gone to Zandalar to establish contact. If they can gain a certain degree of influence in Zandalar, perhaps we can also gain some new allies."
Odin sighed, "Alright, your mortal affairs are for you mortals to resolve. It's just that a powerful K'thir has been in a state of slumber, and it always gives me an uneasy feeling."
"Don't worry, eliminating Mythrax won't really affect G'huun much, but once G'huun is defeated, then Mythrax will be like a rootless duckweed, and we can eliminate this pest at any time."
Arthas seemed completely unconcerned about Mythrax's potential threat, which struck Odin as a bit strange. However, recalling the severe consequences of his own doubts about his colleague many years ago, Odin decided not to press for answers.
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"I never thought that one day I would be able to set foot on Zandalar again."
At the bustling port, an inconspicuous small boat slowly approached the dock. Vol'jin stood inside the cabin, looking out through a slightly parted door curtain at the lively market and the faintly visible magnificent buildings nestled among the distant mountains.
Dazar'alor, the home of the Zandalar Trolls, and the ancient holy city of all Trolls.
Vol'jin's feelings at this moment were quite complex. As a weak tribe exiled by the Gurubashi Trolls, the Dark Spear Tribe had even lost the right to make pilgrimages to Zuldazar. He had never imagined that one day he would be able to witness this ancient city of miracles with his own eyes.
However, he was not here for a pilgrimage today, but with a noble mission that concerned the survival of all Azeroth.
"My Chief, it's better if we find a place to stay first," Shadow Hunter Rokhan quietly suggested in Vol'jin's ear.
"You're right. It's not easy to get an audience with the current ruler of Zandalar," Vol'jin agreed with Rokhan. Their diplomatic mission this time was to warn King Rastakhan, the ruler of Zandalar, to seriously address the threats within his territory.
Vol'jin had realized the difficulty of this task even before setting out. After all, as the most ancient and powerful Troll tribe, the Zandalar Trolls often didn't pay much attention to other Trolls, unless those Trolls had gained the favor of the loa worshipped by Zandalar.
It was just a pity that the Loa worshipped by the Dark Spear Tribe… seemed not to be well-regarded by most Zandalar Trolls.
But what Vol'jin didn't expect was that as soon as he and his retinue set foot on the stone bricks of the dock, a commotion erupted from the nearby market.
Vol'jin stopped and looked in the direction of the noise, only to find that the crowd there had uniformly parted and knelt on both sides of the walkway. What they were kneeling before was the emblem representing the supreme royal authority of Zuldazar—the golden emblem was made into an adornment on a saddle, and a magnificent, imposing raptor was striding towards Vol'jin and his group.
The Chief of the Dark Spear narrowed his eyes, realizing that this contingent was coming for them.
"Vol'jin?"
A majestic female Troll voice came, belonging to the high-ranking individual riding the raptor.
"It is I, esteemed Princess Talanji." Although Vol'jin had never seen Rastakhan's daughter in person, intelligence reports on the Zandalar ruler naturally included a portrait of the princess.
The only thing that puzzled Vol'jin was how Princess Talanji knew he had arrived in Zuldazar.
But soon, Vol'jin was no longer confused, for he saw a hunched figure appear beside Talanji's mount, an old Troll with a repulsive smile on his face.
"Oh, perhaps you should show more respect, barbarian chief of a small tribe."
"Shut up, Zul." Talanji was very displeased with the old Troll's nagging and immediately stopped his demeaning address.
Prophet Zul bowed his head very submissively, showing no dissatisfaction whatsoever at being reprimanded by Talanji.
"Enough, this is not the place to talk, Vol'jin. Bring your people and follow me."
-----------------
In a secluded tavern on the outskirts of the market, Talanji's guards drove away all the idle people, then threw a gold bar to the tavern owner, buying out all the seats in his tavern for the day.
The Troll owner was quite sensible, immediately closing the tavern door and even throwing himself out, to avoid hearing things he shouldn't.
After all the extraneous people had left, Talanji finally spoke, "Should I call you the Chief of the Dark Spear Tribe, or an envoy of the Horde?"
"Both are my identities, Princess Talanji. You can also simply call me by my name." Although Vol'jin was still a bit surprised, now that the daughter of the Zandalar ruler was before him, he naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity.
Talanji remained silent, seemingly not satisfied with Vol'jin's answer, but Vol'jin's next words made her unable to remain silent.
"Princess Talanji, it is my honor to be granted an audience with you, but please immediately convey this message to your father, the supreme King Rastakhan—Dazar'alor is in grave danger, and with one misstep, all of Zandalar will face utter destruction."
Vol'jin had no intention of making small talk, directly speaking shocking words, and Talanji's reaction did not exceed his expectations.
"Zandalar has stood for ages, and Dazar'alor will not be in trouble—Vol'jin, you know, with just these alarmist lies of yours, I could execute you."
Facing Talanji's threat, Vol'jin did not waver in the slightest, still speaking humbly yet firmly, "Since you could foresee my arrival, and condescended to see a small Dark Spear Chief like me, I presume you also know the truth of my words—I can swear by Bwonsamdi…"
"Enough!"
Talanji waved her hand to stop Vol'jin's oath. She asked, "First, tell me what danger Zandalar is in."
"K'thir, Old Gods. Princess Talanji should be well aware of these secrets. Those corrupted dark gods are rising, and if Zandalar does not respond, then a wasteland like Vol'dun will be Zandalar's future."
"Evidence?"
Vol'jin lowered his voice, whispering in a tone only he and Talanji could hear, "The northern border of Zuldazar has been constantly harassed by Blood Trolls, and the empire's defenses have long since collapsed. Countless Zandalar citizens have been abducted and made into sacrifices for bloody rituals."
My lord, there is more to this chapter, please click next page to continue reading, more exciting content follows!
This news shook Talanji, but her face still maintained its composure, "The Blood Trolls are merely barbarians abandoned by time. As long as Zandalar—"
"If Zandalar could defeat the Blood Trolls, the news of victory would have already reached your ears."
This time it was Vol'jin's turn to interrupt Talanji, and after this, he seemed to have no intention of continuing the discussion. Instead, he stood up, preparing to leave the tavern, "Excuse me, Princess Talanji, I have just arrived and need to find a place for my subordinates to rest. It's getting late, please allow me to take my leave."
The guards at the door stopped Vol'jin, but Vol'jin merely glanced at Talanji behind him. The princess snorted, signaling her subordinates to let him go.
After Vol'jin's back disappeared outside the tavern door, Talanji waved her hand, summoning the person who had been listening to their conversation from the back door of the tavern.
"Heh heh, Princess Talanji, you should have let me say a few more harsh words at the port. That might have made it easier to bridge your relationship," Prophet Zul said, walking out with a smile.
"Such tricks are useless against him. He saw through your scheme long ago, Zul." Talanji looked coldly at Zul, "It would have been better to be frank from the start. Perhaps we could have progressed more smoothly."
The Prophet shook his head, "If Vol'jin's backing was merely the Horde, then we certainly wouldn't need to do this. But behind him stands an even more terrifying existence, a dangerous individual that even the Loa dare not speak of."
"Although your prophecies have always been accurate, I truly cannot imagine what kind of person could make even the Loa so fearful that they dare not speak of him," Talanji was not impressed by Zul's mystification. Her goal was clear: to find and excise the cancerous growths within Zandalar to revitalize this ancient empire.
She had known about the Blood Trolls for a long time, but she had only heard the specific situation of the northern front from Vol'jin just now. Talanji frowned and asked Zul, "Is the situation on the empire's northern border really as bad as Vol'jin said?"
"Heh heh, Princess Talanji, when you ask that question, the answer is already in your heart."
Prophet Zul grinned amiably.
"Blood Troll? Talanji, aren't you being a bit overly worried?"
Her father, as usual, paid no mind to Talanji's concerns.
As the supreme ruler of Zandalar, King Rastakhan believed he knew the kingdom like the back of his hand, so he didn't think the Blood Troll, which hadn't reached his ears, was any serious menace.
"You aren't even willing to send envoys to the northern frontier to take a look? If those battle reports truly have no issues, why can't those generals resolve these small Blood Troll issues, are all these generals appointed by you, Father, utterly useless?!"
Talanji grew more agitated as she spoke, even resorting to insulting words, which naturally offended and displeased her father.
"Enough!"
Rastakhan roared, his terrifying presence instantly making Talanji gasp for breath. Only then did she realize her impropriety as if waking from a dream. She was not only facing her father but also the King of Zandalar, a King blessed by the gods and reigning over the world.
"You are merely a princess, I am the King of Zandalar. You have overstepped!" Rastakhan's voice was high-pitched and filled with clear anger. He could not tolerate his authority being challenged, even if the person was his daughter.
To say that the generals he had selected were useless in front of the throne, wouldn't that imply he was also a blind and foolish idiot who couldn't discern people?
Rastakhan's personal guards on both sides stepped forward, intending to take the princess away at their King's signal. Talanji didn't resist, but before leaving, she cast one last look at her father, "I will not regret what I've said, Father."
Since her father was unwilling to open his eyes to face this reality, she would take his place and see what was truly happening.
Prophet Zul, standing beside Rastakhan, watched Princess Talanji depart. Though his face remained impassive, he sighed inwardly: as he had expected, Rastakhan had sat on the supreme throne for too long and was no longer able to heed counsel as he had in his youth.
"Zul."
While Zul was lost in thought, Rastakhan suddenly called his name, causing Zul to quickly respond, "I am here, Great King."
"Did you tell Talanji to say these things to me?" Rastakhan's gaze was scrutinizing, his demeanor lofty, just like the royal authority of Zandalar.
Zul's lips twitched, revealing a jester-like smile, "I merely told the princess some prophecies I had seen."
Rastakhan frowned. He had expected Zul to play coy with him, but he hadn't expected Zul to directly tell the truth in the face of his sudden accusation.
"Prophecy is always just prophecy. You are my trusted prophet and friend. You should teach Talanji this, instead of letting her use these ethereal matters to defy her father, her King."
"As you command, Great King."
Rastakhan stared at Zul, scrutinizing him for a long time, before finally waving his hand, "Go."
Zul was different from other trolls, and Rastakhan understood this deeply. You couldn't entirely trust his words, nor could you entirely disbelieve him. In his opinion, Talanji had trusted Zul too much, which was why she had made such a mistake today.
However, before he could enjoy much peace, a personal guard rushed forward and knelt before the throne, "Great King, it's bad, Her Royal Highness the Princess has disappeared."
"What?!"
-----------------
"Your Royal Highness, where are we going?"
Vol'jin, riding a raptor, looked back with some confusion at Dazar'alor's main city they had already passed through. Just now, Talanji had suddenly come alone to the Dark Spear Tribe's encampment and asked Vol'jin to bring his people with her to meet King Rastakhan.
However, they were now clearly heading in the direction of leaving Dazar'alor, which forced Vol'jin to stop and ask.
"My father is sacrificing at the altar outside the city. He told me to bring you there." Talanji's expression was normal, showing no hint of a flaw.
But Vol'jin still sensed something was off, "Also, your guards don't seem to have come with you—and that annoying prophet. Please forgive my bluntness, Your Royal Highness, I have come with good intentions and a mission. Please do not take my previous words as a joke."
Talanji frowned, displeased, "Are you suggesting I would lie to you? I am the Princess of Zandalar!"
But the more Talanji acted this way, the more Vol'jin felt something was wrong. He looked back again at the path they had come from, then unhesitatingly grabbed the reins of Talanji's raptor, halting it in place.
Such an offending action caused Talanji's body to sway, but she quickly gripped the saddle and, with the momentum, grabbed the small knife from the side of the saddle, pressing it against Vol'jin's neck.
The princess's ferocity was undeniable. She bared her fangs, like a coiled viper flicking its tongue, "What are you doing?!"
Vol'jin's attendants also reacted very quickly, especially the Shadow Hunter Rokhan. Almost the instant Talanji's dagger pressed against Vol'jin's neck, he also drew his twin blades and pressed them against Talanji's lower back, "(Troll language) Release our chieftain, woman."
"Rokhan, put away your weapon, do not be disrespectful to the princess."
Although Talanji held him at a vital point, Vol'jin remained calm. He first ordered Rokhan to retract his weapon, then looked at Talanji with a questioning gaze, "You should indeed be Her Royal Highness the Princess. My voodoo has not detected any deceptive sorcery… But I don't think King Rastakhan intends to meet us envoys yet."
Seeing that her lie had been exposed, Talanji retracted her dagger and snorted coldly. She raised her hand and snatched the reins of her mount back from Vol'jin's hand, "No need to waste time, my father will not see you."
"Please tell me why." Vol'jin asked sincerely.
Talanji was choked by the question, only able to remain silently speechless.
But Vol'jin saw something in her posture. This weathered old troll also guessed the general situation, "It seems your father doesn't trust our one-sided account… I hadn't expected Zandalar to have reached such a state."
Vol'jin shook his head self-mockingly. This was indeed a common ailment of most civilizations; the more highly they regarded themselves, the more closed off and ignorant they became.
"But I believe."
Talanji suddenly said, "Zandalar is no longer that immensely powerful troll empire. I can see that this kingdom has long since developed various problems, big and small, but my father stands too high, and he has overlooked these seemingly insignificant minor issues."
The troll princess's expression dimmed slightly. Just recently, she had been forced to face reality; the image of her wise and mighty father, once perfect in her eyes, was no longer so. Mortals, after all, had their limitations, even if that person was the Great King of Zandalar.
But Talanji quickly rallied, "But Zandalar is only troubled; there is still room for salvation. I must take responsibility—if my father is unwilling to believe the threat of the Blood Troll, then let his daughter venture into danger, even if it costs my life."
Vol'jin couldn't help but admire Talanji's dedication, but he was no longer that brash young troll. He had to weigh the pros and cons of this matter, and his thoughtful expression made Talanji involuntarily grip her reins tighter.
Rastakhan only needed to give an order, and all of Zuldazar would search for Talanji's whereabouts for their King. And without the help of the Dark Spear Tribe, Talanji knew that by herself, she might not even leave Dazar'alor before her father captured her and placed her under house arrest.
And the Prophet Zul, who had supported her earlier, was still the King's prophet after all; he could not provide her with substantial help in this matter. In the end, the vast Zandalar would only have the outsider Dark Spear Tribe left to rely on.
"We will help you."
"I know you don't want to help me, but—"
Talanji's voice suddenly caught. She looked at Vol'jin incredulously, even stammering the words she was about to say, "You, I—this?"
"Our goal is to make Zandalar recognize the threat they face. Since you've told me that the normal channels won't work, there's no need for us to waste time in the taverns of Dazar'alor." Vol'jin casually stretched his body, then tightened the reins of his raptor.
He glanced at the stunned Talanji and smiled, "Besides, you, this rebellious princess, have already dragged us into a fiery pit. I'm afraid now all of Zuldazar will think we kidnapped their princess, won't they?"
Talanji's breath hitched—this was indeed the method she had initially planned to use to threaten Vol'jin and his people if things went awry. She just hadn't expected Vol'jin to have seen through her little trick so early, just like back at the harbor.
At this moment, Vol'jin, the chieftain of a small tribe, seemed more like a wise man, a reasonable leader and elder, than the Great King of Zandalar.
"Tha… thank you," Talanji turned her head away, no longer meeting Vol'jin's gaze. For the first time, this princess, born into nobility, felt a sense of inadequacy in front of someone else, "Please just call me Talanji."
"Then forgive my presumption, Talanji—time is short, let us depart immediately."
"The Blood Trolls are becoming increasingly active; it seems the recent series of changes have made G'huun uneasy."
Arthas handed the letter in his hand to Jaina, which detailed the recent movements of the Blood Trolls in Nazmir—large numbers of Nazmani soldiers were gathering at the border between Nazmir and Zuldazar, clearly preparing to march on the still-intact Titan Seal.
G'huun was, after all, still firmly confined within Uldir's prison. His best method to clear away surrounding threats and spread corruption across this world was to destroy the last seal; otherwise, he would forever remain an experimental specimen that could be eliminated at any time by a restarted Titan engine.
"These Blood Trolls alone might be able to break through the northern checkpoints of Zuldazar, but they are far from enough to threaten the Titan Seal located in Dazar'alor."
Arthas had a clear understanding of the power disparity between the Blood Trolls and Zandalar. The Blood Trolls seemed to dominate their region, but their influence was limited to the Nazmir swamps. While they might indeed inflict severe losses on Zandalar with G'huun's blessing, trying to conquer the trolls' holy land with the strength of just one tribe would take an eternity.
Therefore, G'huun would certainly find a way to unleash the most powerful force he could currently employ: Mythrax the Unraveler. Only this powerful K'thir had the ability to overturn Zandalar, which was protected by the Loa.
"Isn't such bait a bit too dangerous?"
Jaina knew some of Arthas's plans, but she couldn't help but feel a little worried about such a risky endeavor. "If the monster Mythrax loses control, I'm afraid half of the Zandalar islands will turn into a dead land."
Arthas's reply, however, was quite cold. "We already gave Rastakhan a chance, but he was unwilling to accept this goodwill."
Yes, Vol'jin's diplomatic mission was a joint decision by the Alliance and the Horde, but unfortunately, the result was not ideal. Vol'jin was forced to leave Dazar'alor without even meeting Rastakhan.
Although this wise Dark Spear chieftain pleaded for more time, Arthas couldn't keep waiting indefinitely, as their opponents wouldn't just watch Arthas gradually expand his advantage.
Some functions of Nazwatha had been restored, but Arthas specifically instructed Odin not to reactivate the seals that had originally failed, but rather to continue maintaining Uldir's other normal functions.
In addition, they were using various means to remove the eyes G'huun had scattered throughout the swamp, putting pressure on the beast in the cage.
G'huun had been trapped in his prison since the day he was born, and his primal desires constantly fueled a longing for freedom. From G'huun's current perspective, the last obstacle to his escape from the cage was the Titan Seal located in Dazar'alor.
If the Blood Trolls alone couldn't destroy the Titan Seal, then G'huun would certainly bring about Mythrax's revival, using the angry strike of this awakened beast to lay the foundation for his freedom.
At this, Jaina could only sigh helplessly. Since Rastakhan himself was unwilling to face the threat his kingdom was facing, then nothing outsiders did would be useful. The Alliance and Horde could only deliver the most fatal blow to the Old Gods while trying to avoid harming innocents as much as possible.
"However, the current problem is that N'Zoth has no intention of intervening at all. Was the intelligence we received initially incorrect?" Jaina did not trust the deceitful Xal'atath and still believed she might be lying.
"Indeed, that possibility cannot be ruled out, but one thing I can confirm is that Xal'atath truly yearns for 'freedom,' and her freedom is currently held in the hands of N'Zoth and me."
Arthas, of course, would not completely trust Xal'atath's one-sided account. This void apostle's stance was actually different from any of theirs from the very beginning; the only thing that could move her was tangible benefit.
Jaina lowered her gaze, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. "If N'Zoth doesn't show his hand until G'huun's defeat…"
"Then it proves he doesn't have absolute confidence in defeating a united Azeroth. In that case, sooner or later, we'll be able to drag him out of the gutter and kill him completely."
Arthas's words were firm and unwavering, not at all shaken by the turn of events exceeding expectations. He was not an omniscient or omnipotent god; plans would inevitably fail to keep up with changes one day, but he never feared the occurrence of change, because his long-term preparations and the honing of his strength were not in vain.
"We will win, for Azeroth."
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"For the Lich King, eradicate these cowardly crawling insects."
Naxxramas, the city of the Scourge, symbolizing unstoppable human power, descended upon the Vol'dun badlands. Archlich Kel'Thuzad proclaimed the Lich King's decree and began to cleanse the fallen unbelievers.
These children of Sethraliss, who had forgotten the god who sacrificed for them due to their selfish desires, began to gather under a tyrant's banner, preparing to rule this wilderness with violence and blood.
Unfortunately, today, they encountered a group of death messengers who could better articulate what "violence" truly meant.
Black and mercilessly cold knights, ferocious and deadly necromantic constructs, and the city of death that unashamedly proclaimed terror and majesty—this group of naga who called themselves "unbelievers" suffered the most brutal blow in thousands of years.
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Just as they had always oppressed the other creatures of Vol'dun, when a more pure form of violence and darkness descended, the inhabitants of Vol'dun learned for the first time that these lawless unbelievers could also weep bitterly.
Although the unbelievers suffered the merciless destruction of the Scourge, some lucky ones found blessings in disguise.
"Haho~! Kiro, are you in there?"
"Cough cough… Mirra, don't be so loud, you'll attract the naga guards."
The Vulpera Kiro weakly opened his eyes in the prison cart. He had been locked in this cart, thrown deep into the cave for several days. If he hadn't been able to lick some water droplets from the rock wall, he would have died of thirst here long ago.
He was the leader of a Vol'dun Vulpera caravan, originally just wanting to make a living in Vol'dun with his caravan. However, the climate in Vol'dun had recently become harsher, forcing him to take risks and start trading with the dangerous unbeliever naga.
As expected, his goods didn't sell at all. The naga directly confiscated his caravan and threw him and his caravan members into prison, planning to sell them as slaves.
Kiro, seeing his kin tormented by the naga, rose in rebellion. As a result, he was beaten half to death and then thrown into a cave behind their camp's mountain to await death.
Fortunately, Kiro himself had wandered for years and knew some basic healing methods; otherwise, he would have died from his severe injuries on the first night he was thrown into this cave—but he wasn't doing well now either. Hunger and injuries tormented him, and if his companions hadn't found him, he probably still wouldn't escape death.
Seeing Mirra arrive, Kiro forced himself to perk up and asked, "Where are the others? How are they doing?"
Mirra's smile froze. She stammered for a long time, and then another voice answered Kiro's question for her. A red-furred Vulpera whose fur was as vibrant as leaping flames calmly said, "They're all gone."
"What… No!" Kiro roared in pain. For a moment, the agony in his heart even surpassed the physical pain.
The red-furred Vulpera Nisha, however, just slapped his head irritably. "Why are you wailing? They're just not in this camp anymore—it must be the threat of those black reapers that forced the naga slave catchers to retreat quickly."
Kiro paused for a moment, then stumbled out of the cage with Mirra's help, asking in confusion, "Black reapers?"
He still didn't know that during the few days he was confined in the cave, the entire Vol'dun had undergone earth-shattering changes.
Nisha said while bandaging him, "Yes, during the time you were out of contact, those brutal naga were like they were struck by divine retribution. Countless more terrifying beings started hunting them, especially the tyrant's loyalists."
The little white-furred Vulpera Mirra thoughtfully handed Kiro some dried food and a waterskin, adding, "But those scary-looking big guys don't seem to have attacked other tribes, except for hunting down the most brutal bad naga."
Nisha frowned and reprimanded sternly, "Don't let your guard down. Even the powerful unbelievers were beaten and fled in disarray by this mysterious group. You can imagine how dangerous they are, and as far as I know, no one has escaped after encountering them yet."
Mirra's ears immediately drooped, and she said weakly, "Understood…"
Nisha then nodded in satisfaction. She then clapped Kiro's back. "Alright, you're mostly taken care of. If you can still walk, hurry and leave with us. Who knows if those naga will turn back."
She looked into Kiro's eyes, saying seriously and earnestly, "We still have to find our companions who were taken by the naga—you brought them to this dangerous trade, you have to take responsibility."
Kiro winced in pain from Nisha's pat, but hearing Nisha's words, he gritted his teeth and said, "I will definitely not abandon any of my companions."
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"The wagon tracks are heading north… We need to hurry. If they enter the canyon, we won't be able to rescue anyone!"
Nisha traced the wagon tracks on the ground, discerning the direction the Naga slaving party had taken. Their destination was clearly the northernmost Naga city-state, where the subordinates of the tyrant Kotek had gathered around the Sethraliss Temple, establishing a regime that did not worship the serpent god Sethraliss at all, and turning the temple into their den for evil deeds.
Nisha really didn't want to get involved in this mess, but Emperor Kotek's subordinates had begun to capture slaves all over Vol'dun. Not only the Nagas who still devoutly believed in the serpent god Sethraliss, but even Trolls and Vulpera became targets for the Unbelievers.
She jumped onto Mirra's caravan. Mirra pulled the reins, and with two alpacas leading the way, the caravan began to follow the wagon tracks.
"Dolly and Dot, my best friends, pulling my wagon, over the dunes we wend~"
Mirra drove the caravan, humming a song she had made up herself. Nisha, seeing her cheerful demeanor, smiled helplessly, then walked over and sat next to Kiro. "Are your injuries okay?"
Kiro nodded silently. He looked at the dusty road ahead, his heart a mix of emotions. He had always wanted to avoid the Vulpera getting involved in the conflicts on Vol'dun. Compared to the Trolls and Nagas, the Vulpera were a relatively weak force. Once caught in such a vortex, it would be difficult to escape unscathed.
He had adhered to this way of survival for a long time and had never encountered an accident until recently, when Vol'dun's climate became more extreme. To obtain enough resources for survival, he had no choice but to take risks and trade with the Unbelievers with his kin.
And Nisha was one of the people who opposed him doing so. Unexpectedly, when his caravan members got into trouble, it was also Nisha who came to rescue him.
But he still blamed himself for his misjudgment. "I overlooked the threat of the Unbelievers… and harmed everyone. Perhaps I should have listened to you earlier. Even if we don't clash with these thugs, we should stay away from them."
Nisha sighed. She and Kiro had always had some differences of opinion, but they both wanted their kin to have better lives. She also knew that with the Vulpera's strength alone, if they rashly antagonized the Unbelievers, they wouldn't have enough power to protect themselves.
"It's alright. No one knew these Unbelievers would suddenly become more malicious—before the climate change, at least some of them could still conduct normal business." Nisha comforted Kiro; after all, it wasn't entirely Kiro's fault.
In fact, before this, they weren't completely unable to communicate with the Unbelievers; at least some among the Unbelievers were relatively peaceful and conservative. But unexpectedly, after Vol'dun suffered various extreme climate impacts, Kotek's Unbelievers seemed to have begun violent aggression against surrounding tribes, perhaps due to resource shortages or other reasons.
Kiro and his caravan were among the unlucky ones who suffered, except that Nisha was doing other work outside the tribe at the time, otherwise she would have definitely warned Kiro not to do so.
This perilous journey was dull and boring. Apart from Mirra, Nisha and Kiro remained silent after a brief initial exchange, until dusk. After they stopped and set up camp on a high ground, Kiro finally asked, "With just us, can we really rescue our kin captured by the Unbelievers?"
Aside from Nisha and Mirra, the caravan only carried a small amount of essential supplies and a few taciturn Vulpera warriors, all of whom were Nisha's loyal followers.
Nisha said, "We can only do our best—before leaving the tribe, I already had everyone migrate to a safe place. Those Unbelievers are gradually expanding their scope of aggression."
In fact, it was Kiro and his group's disappearance that made Nisha more vigilant after returning to the tribe, and also made her realize that those Nagas were attempting to control more areas of Vol'dun. They began to eliminate or dominate other ethnic groups to clear obstacles for their conquest.
The group that captured Kiro and his caravan was just a small band of Unbeliever slave-catchers. With the few of them, if they prepared in advance, it wasn't impossible to rescue everyone.
Moreover, those Nagas were carrying a large group of captives, so their travel speed wouldn't be fast. As long as they could cause a commotion within the slaving party and destroy the prison carts, they should be able to escape easily in the chaos.
After hearing Nisha's plan, Kiro instinctively wanted to refute such a dangerous approach, but he was not a pedantic person and understood that this was a desperate measure under special circumstances. "It's still too risky… It would be great if we could get more help."
"No one can help us but ourselves. You know, the Devout are already overwhelmed, and the Trolls certainly won't bother with matters in this wasteland of Vol'dun… Ugh, it's terrible. Perhaps we should have found a way to leave Vol'dun earlier. In this harsh land, even without these tyrannical Unbelievers, we would eventually be killed by this extreme climate."
Nisha cursed the harsh environment of Vol'dun under her breath, but how could the Vulpera leave Vol'dun? Who wouldn't want to live in the rich and peaceful Zuldazar? But to reach Zuldazar, they would have to cross the perilous Nazmir, which was an even more dangerous place that devoured people whole. After crossing the swamp, only a handful of people would survive.
Although Vol'dun was barren, it was the Vulpera's only home.
After cursing, Nisha, who had fallen silent, held a picked-up branch and poked the burning bonfire in front of her. In the vast night, this bit of light and warmth seemed especially precious.
"Nisha, Kiro, do you want some roasted meat?"
A cheerful voice rang out. Mirra walked over with steaming roasted meat and offered it to the two leaders who were still worrying about the future of the Vulpera. Nisha looked at Mirra and couldn't help but be infected by her optimism, showing a rare smile. "Thank you."
But just as the roasted meat entered her mouth, before Nisha could even chew, a sudden explosion echoed in the silent night, followed by a pillar of green fire that shot into the sky, capturing her complete attention.
"What… was that?" Nisha stared blankly at the ominous dark green, not even noticing the piece of meat falling from her mouth onto the ground.
"Watch out for the impact!"
Kiro quickly warned, pulling Mirra to hide behind a nearby rock. Just seconds after they hid, a violent shockwave swept through, making the withered trees nearby sway uncontrollably.
Only after the impact dissipated and the dust settled did Kiro manage to open his eyes and observe his surroundings: their makeshift camp had been ravaged beyond recognition, the bonfire that was burning moments ago had turned into smoldering wood scattered across the ground, and the two alpacas responsible for pulling the cart were just getting to their feet, shaking their heads to dislodge the dust from their bodies.
Nisha rushed to an open area, took out a telescope, and looked towards the direction of the explosion.
Amidst the eerie dark green glow, she saw through the telescope a Naga camp almost completely engulfed in flames, with many scattered parts of prison carts—clearly the slaving party they had been tracking.
"Quick, pack up! We're going to where the explosion happened!"
After giving this urgent command, Nisha could only pray that her kin had not been annihilated in the recent explosion.
By the time the alpacas, having traveled long distances all day, dragged the caravan to the vicinity of the explosion, they were so exhausted they could barely move their legs. Fortunately, Mirra timely fed them the pre-prepared energy potions, saving the poor creatures from collapsing from exhaustion.
Mirra had no time to feel sorry for her two alpacas, as they had more pressing matters to attend to.
They parked the caravan at the top of the canyon, and below them was the camp already covered in black smoke and flames.
Nisha scrambled onto a rock jutting out from the cliff, but due to the smoke and fire, she couldn't see what was happening below.
"No! The visibility here is too poor; I can't see anything."
Nisha anxiously craned her neck but still couldn't make out any useful information.
"Then we'll go down and find them! We need to see them alive or find their bodies!" Kiro declared decisively. For the safety of his people, he wouldn't hesitate for a moment.
Nisha looked back at Kiro, then nodded heavily, jumping back to the caravan. She casually pointed at two Vulpera warriors, "Mirra, you two stay here and keep watch. Everyone else, follow Kiro and me!"
As Nisha and the others' footsteps faded into the night, Mirra stood guard over the empty caravan camp, a sense of worry and fear rising within her.
Vol'dun's nights were fraught with danger. Although the route taken by the Faithless Serpents was relatively safe, it didn't guarantee complete freedom from threats. Under the cover of night, many dangerous creatures that didn't appear during the day would come out to hunt.
Even with two Vulpera warriors by her side, Mirra still felt a bone-chilling cold penetrate her clothes and fur, seeping into her skin and bones. She instinctively shivered and leaned closer to her two alpacas.
Pressed against the alpacas, wrapped in their wool, Mirra finally felt a slight warmth and reassurance.
This was perhaps the only good thing about Vol'dun's harsh weather; the overly dry climate meant the alpacas didn't have a strong odor, so even the Vulpera's sensitive sense of smell wouldn't be bothered. Mirra leaned against the alpaca at this moment, preparing to rest for a bit. After all, she had been driving almost the entire way, while Kiro and the others could take turns resting, but she was truly tired.
However, she didn't dare to truly fall asleep carelessly, as her people's lives were still unknown, and Nisha and the others were taking great risks to rescue them. If anything unexpected happened, her caravan might be the only way for everyone to quickly escape. So, to prevent herself from falling asleep, she also took a small sip of the energy potion.
Compared to the exhausted Mirra, the two Vulpera warriors were full of energy. They vigilantly stood guard on the caravan roof, watching every blade of grass and tree around them.
Time passed bit by bit. Aside from the flickering fire and rising smoke from the canyon below, everything seemed no different from a normal night. But Mirra felt her eyelids growing heavier and heavier, and even her two alpacas seemed to be snoring due to excessive physical exertion.
She looked up at the two warriors on the caravan, wanting to talk to them to avoid falling asleep, but as she looked up, she found that the warriors who had been diligently on watch earlier were now sprawled crookedly on the roof.
This sight sent a shiver down Mirra's spine, and she suddenly stood up from the ground, her hand gripping the short knife beneath her sheer coat.
The little white fox finally realized that the drowsiness wrapping around her wasn't entirely caused by fatigue. But even though she had sensed the danger, she had no time to react, because as soon as she stood up from the ground, she felt the world spin before her eyes. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed straight onto the ground.
Before losing consciousness, she heard ethereal and terrifying voices in her ears, but before she could make out what they were saying, Mirra's eyes rolled back, and she fell into a deep sleep.
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"This Vulpera seems to have drunk some alchemical potion; how did she last so long in the suppression field?" Kargath let out a series of low chuckles, casually tossing a red-furred fox next to the unconscious Mirra.
The Death Knights behind him each carried a comatose Vulpera, and like Kargath, they threw them next to the caravan.
"My Lord, the Faithless here have been cleared out," the Death Knight captain reported their achievements to Kargath.
After Naxxramas descended upon Vol'dun, it began to purge the Faithless under Serpent Emperor Kotek. The invasion of the Faithless, as perceived by the Vulpera and other weaker factions, was actually Kotek's desperate act when pushed to the brink by the Scourge.
He needed a large number of slaves to build fortifications and a large amount of supplies to resist the Scourge's military might. At the same time, he constantly tried to breach the temples of the Serpent Devotees to seize a treasure from their leader.
Kotek believed that only this way could he resist the Scourge; otherwise, the Faithless were very likely to be annihilated under Naxxramas's assault.
"What about these Vulpera? Should we let them go?" a Death Knight asked, staring at the unconscious Vulpera on the ground.
"Let's follow the old custom. Take them back to Naxxramas first and deal with them after the matter is concluded."
Kargath didn't intend to ponder such complex issues. He didn't care about the intricate forces in Vol'dun at all. He only cared about how to efficiently and quickly defeat the Lich King's enemies. Such troublesome matters should be left to others.
The Orc Death Knight summoned a black portal, leading his knights and the unconscious Vulpera away from this wilderness, leaving only the still-burning Serpent camp below to tell the story of what had happened there.
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However, when Kargath returned to Naxxramas, he was quickly subjected to a severe scolding from his former Warchief.
"Why did you bring back so many irrelevant people again, Kargath?!" Ogrim pointed at the pile of bound and unconscious Vulpera, practically beside himself with rage.
Kargath indifferently scratched his ear with his new prosthetic hand, treating Ogrim's words as idle chatter. "Didn't you order me not to let anyone go? I brought them all back, and you're still not happy?"
"I'm talking about the Faithless, the Faithless! Every time you go out, you manage to bring back something different. The time before last it was Trolls, last time it was Tortollans, and this time, what is it, fox people?!"
Ogrim felt that if he weren't already dead, he would probably burst a blood vessel from anger at this idiot in front of him. "What do you think Naxxramas is, a museum?!"
Kargath said innocently, "My mission every time is to deal with slave traders. It's normal for them to have some slaves, right? If it's really not working out, just throw them to the guys in the Plague Quarter for drug testing, huh? Or throw them into the Spider Quarter; I heard Anub'rekhan say they wanted to try a different flavor recently. If that doesn't work, then throw them into the Construct Quarter; they should be good at handling aftermath, right?"
"You—forget it, get out. Go find Death's Eye and see if your brain is really broken. If it is, go get a new one immediately."
Ogrim could only let out a long sigh in the end, telling the idiot Kargath to get lost quickly. If he stayed in front of him for another second, he felt his soul fire trembling.
As for how to deal with the captives Kargath brought back, Ogrim temporarily had no idea, but he knew someone who definitely would.
-----------------
"So this is why you called me?" Kel'Thuzad's cold eyes looked at the Vulpera confined in cages.
Nisha shivered, and when she opened her eyes due to the cold, she was startled by the giant skeleton before her.
She instinctively kicked her legs and scuttled into a corner of the cage, staring in horror at the undead creature before her—she recognized the Lich standing outside the cage, and it was an extremely powerful and evil one.
"Oh? This Vulpera has woken up. It seems she's the one with the best physique among this group."
When Kel'Thuzad spoke, Nisha felt as if his voice emanated from her mind, even causing a slight sting in her brain, which made her feel despair. While exploring the ruins of Vol'dun, she had encountered many dangerous Troll undead, but the threat they posed was nowhere near that of Kel'Thuzad.
However, Kel'Thuzad's next words filled Nisha with even greater terror.
"Do not insult me with those inferior undead, Vulpera."
Kel'Thuzad stared at Nisha with displeasure. The Archlich's gaze almost stopped Nisha's heartbeat. Yet, just as Nisha thought she was about to die, Kel'Thuzad withdrew his terrifying aura, which was enough to frighten the living to death.
Having narrowly escaped death, Nisha gasped for air, and the fright also made her mind, which had just awakened from unconsciousness, a little clearer. The last image she saw before losing consciousness was of black knights emerging through flickering flames.
So they were all undead… So the faithless were being hunted by such terrifying beings?
A bitter smile appeared on Nisha's fox-like face, but it quickly turned into a look of relief. She had already prepared for a bloody battle when she brought her people to rescue Kiro, and now it was just a different way to die.
She only hoped that her kin could run as far as possible, preferably hiding in a place where these undead would not find them, so that they could at least continue to live.
After temporarily suppressing her fear of death, Nisha suddenly understood something. She quickly stood up, gripped the bars of the cage, and eagerly said, "Are you here to deal with the faithless? I can provide you with a lot of information and help. My only request is that you spare my kin!"
She knew that most of her group had probably been captured, but since she was still alive and well, perhaps her kin were also safe and sound.
Nisha could not discern any expression on Kel'Thuzad's skeletal face, and when she met his deep, hollow eye sockets, she felt as if her soul was about to be drawn from her body. But the more she felt this, the more she forced herself to calm down, hoping to find a glimmer of hope for survival.
"Help?"
Kel'Thuzad gently exhaled a breath of cold air, his jawbone slightly lowered, as if he were laughing. "What kind of help can weak races like yourselves, who cannot even guarantee your own survival, provide?"
"Although we are small, we are not weak. The Vulpera have lived in this wilderness for centuries and have suffered enough from the oppression of the faithless. As long as you are willing to spare our lives, we are willing to exert all our strength to help you eliminate the faithless!"
Nisha felt her tongue trembling as she spoke, but her will and gaze remained unwavering.
"Tsk…"
Kel'Thuzad shook his head, and Nisha's suspended heart instantly plummeted to rock bottom.
"Such troublesome lives, but I also have a troublesome master, hehe." Kel'Thuzad's laughter remained eerie and terrifying. "Very well, there's no use in raising you as undead anyway. If that's the case, then serve the Scourge—what is your name?"
"Nisha."
Nisha clenched her fists. She knew she had made the right gamble. Since they were captured alive instead of being killed directly, it meant they might still have a glimmer of hope—even if it meant bowing to power for a time, it was better than losing their lives, because once life was gone, there would truly be no hope of recovery.
This was what Kiro had taught her. Although she had previously been quite indignant about Kiro's views, she also knew that only through this method could she possibly save the lives of her captured kin.
The Archlich waved his hand, dispelling the magical lock on the cage. Nisha pushed open the cage door, finally regaining her freedom. She sighed in relief, yet she couldn't help but worry about what was to come.
"Alright, since you've decided to serve the Scourge, don't be so timid."
If anyone else were present, they would surely be shocked by Kel'Thuzad's display of leniency, for the Archlich was always known for his strictness. He would fly into a rage over the slightest mistake from his subordinates and rarely showed such kindness to others, especially to the living.
Kel'Thuzad calmly said, "Welcome to Naxxramas, little one. You are one of the few living beings who can visit here."
"Th-thank you?" Nisha truly didn't know what to say, but she was still thinking of her companions. "Respected Archlich, are my kin alright?"
"Hmm… If you had woken up half an hour later, those irritated jailers, due to the increased number of prisoners, might have sent them to the Spider Wing."
Kel'Thuzad abruptly uttered words that Nisha found quite terrifying, but with her life in Kel'Thuzad's hands, Nisha could only quickly say, "Please spare them. If there's a shortage of manpower, I won't be able to help you very well."
"Hehe, you little fox are truly interesting."
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Kel'Thuzad had long seen that Nisha's submission was only to preserve the lives of her kin, but since he had already promised to spare them, he naturally wouldn't harm these Vulpera. Moreover, Nisha's allegiance did indeed give Kel'Thuzad some ideas.
"Before releasing your friends, I want to ask you a question: how much do you know about Atu'aman?"
Atu'aman?
Nisha immediately recalled the tall pyramid standing in the center of the desert. "That place used to be where the Troll cities were located a long time ago… but that was a very long time ago, back when Vol'dun was still a vibrant jungle."
She didn't understand why this Lich would suddenly ask about a Troll ruin, but there was nothing noteworthy in that ruin except for sand and ruins. "Atu'aman has been abandoned for a long time. There's hardly any human presence around, only hyenas and vultures wander there."
Nisha also knew that the information she was providing was useless, so she immediately racked her brain for everything she knew about Atu'aman. "Oh, that's right! I heard some elders say that dark gods are sealed in Atu'aman, and that Vol'dun's desolation is also due to that place."
Kel'Thuzad listened silently to Nisha's description. A long-abandoned city ruin quietly formed in his mind, but these were not yet the key, because Atu'aman's true secret required three keys to unlock.
However, Kel'Thuzad was not concerned with the secret itself, because his task was to deliver the answer to this secret into the hands of the Naga emperor who was about to be driven to despair. He had previously been troubled by the lack of a suitable method, and the appearance of this group of Vulpera did indeed provide him with some inspiration.