The moment the Dark Serpent God rose, Arthas, who was far away in Nazmir, received two reports, one from Naxxramas and one from Odin.
One was Naxxramas's direct observation record, needless to say, while the other was Odin's report on the damage to Atu'aman, obtained through Nazwatha's synchronized observation equipment.
"Atu'aman's facilities are basically destroyed, but before it collapsed, I managed to get a final transmission," Odin explained the contents of the report.
"Based on the existing data and a comparison with the G'huun sample from Uldir, there's a 99% probability that G'huun did not awaken Mythrax—in other words, your plan succeeded."
Arthas, however, shook his head, "This is only the beginning; N'Zoth has only exposed a tiny flaw."
Yes, according to Titan technology analysis, the entity that awakened Mythrax was not G'huun, whom he served; the one truly orchestrating the resurrection of this K'thir was actually the Corruptor N'Zoth.
Arthas could easily guess that N'Zoth most likely used deception, temptation, or some other method to make Mythrax temporarily obey his commands, but for an Old Gods' minion like a K'thir, it's difficult to discern their stance using common mortal sense.
It's possible that Mythrax is a K'thir loyal to G'huun, and upon realizing he was deceived, he would vehemently resist N'Zoth and try to save his master from N'Zoth's clutches.
But Arthas felt that a greater possibility was that for such fallen dark creatures, whom they served might not matter at all; as long as they were still serving the Dark Void of Azeroth, they would believe they had fulfilled their mission.
"The Dark Serpent and the existence of Mythrax are enough to stir up chaos in Zandalar, and G'huun will most likely seize this rare opportunity to try and escape."
At this time, as long as one could discern the respective intentions of N'Zoth and G'huun, it would be possible to predict their next moves.
N'Zoth wants to restore his power and expand Nyalotha, while G'huun wants to escape from his prison.
Coincidentally, the preconditions for both these goals are the same: they both need to paralyze the Titan Seal located in Zuldazar, so Zandalar is bound to be besieged by these two Dark Gods.
"I hope the Zandalar Trolls can hold out a little longer, preferably letting the faithless, Mythrax, and the Titan Seal perish together.
That way, the Corruptor will have no choice but to intervene personally; he can't possibly watch his last hope slip away."
It should be noted that Zandalar at this time had not yet experienced various internal conflicts; most of the loa worshipped by the Zandalar Trolls were active in the mountains of Zuldazar, and these loa would naturally not allow the apostles of darkness to invade their territory.
"Those Loa do possess formidable power; at least the serpent Loa Sethraliss might be able to find a way to perish with Mythrax, but can they truly withstand the combined assault of N'Zoth and G'huun?"
Odin still had doubts about the Zandalar Trolls' strength; in his view, it was almost impossible for a mortal kingdom to survive the clutches of the Old Gods, especially now with two Evil Gods invading the same kingdom.
For Zandalar and the Loa, the only good news might be that these two Evil Gods are either confined in prisons and cannot personally intervene, or they are still plagued by injuries and dare not show their faces in the real world; they only have to face the minions of these two Evil Gods for now.
Arthas was about to respond to Odin's question, but he was interrupted by a strange disturbance.
A power he was all too familiar with was lurking outside Nazwatha, causing a playful smile to appear on Arthas's face, "How interesting… this fellow would actually come knocking on his own accord?"
Odin clearly also sensed the presence currently located on the outskirts of Nazwatha; his true body, seated on the throne in the Skyhold, frowned slightly, "Is it a Loa? But why do I feel a sense of familiarity?"
"It's the Loa of Death, Bwonsamdi," Arthas provided the answer.
"As for why you feel a sense of familiarity, well… that's quite an old story; let's first see what this death god, who does nothing without profit, wants to do."
Arthas summoned the power of death and cast his gaze upon the figure situated in the gap between life and death.
The other party clearly paused upon realizing he was being watched, but soon he rubbed his hands and approached.
"Ho ho, Bwonsamdi greets you, His Majesty the King!"
The Loa of Death, who looked like a Troll ghost, awkwardly greeted Arthas.
He had intended to quietly observe the situation around him, but he hadn't expected to be discovered directly by Arthas.
"Bwonsamdi, why aren't you in your own death palace? What are you doing at a Titan facility?" Arthas scrutinized Bwonsamdi.
It was then that he suddenly noticed that the Loa's current state was not good; although such injuries were not life-threatening for a Loa, Bwonsamdi, a god who valued his life and was cautious, rarely allowed himself to show obvious weakness.
This meant he couldn't completely suppress these injuries and could only try his best to appear less "easy to bully."
However, now exposed before Arthas, Bwonsamdi realized his disguise had been easily seen through, so he simply removed the magic from his body, revealing his true appearance.
Several Void curses were wrapped around his body; some he had suppressed, but a portion Bwonsamdi could not deal with, and they were devouring his power and essence.
"Void power? Where did you get yourself into such a state?" Arthas was somewhat curious.
"To be honest, I foresaw some… unpleasant prophecies about Zandalar," Bwonsamdi chuckled twice and started rubbing his hands again, like a fly that had tasted something sweet, "A weak god like me can only try to protect himself in this catastrophe—but you know, most of the Zandalar Trolls don't really care for me, the Loa of Death, so I had to find another way."
"Another way?" Arthas scrutinized Bwonsamdi, while also raising a hand to erase several Void marks from his body.
From the lingering aura in the marks, Arthas suddenly understood, "I didn't expect you to be so bold, daring to steal something right under N'Zoth's nose."
Bwonsamdi felt the troublesome Void power on his body dissipate, and his voice involuntarily grew much more eager, "It was just a small trick, but as you can see, a minor god like me almost died there."
However, Arthas's next sentence instantly made Bwonsamdi's expression turn ugly, "Then give me what you stole."
"This—" Bwonsamdi gave two dry laughs, "That thing isn't of any use to you, is it…?"
"Making a deal, isn't that your favorite thing? Give me the item, and I can help heal your injuries," Arthas precisely hit Bwonsamdi's current need.
Bwonsamdi remained indecisive; he was like an anxious Troll elder, pacing back and forth in this illusory space.
Arthas was too lazy to waste words with him and directly raised the stakes, "I can also guarantee your safety—and the safety of your faith."
To his surprise, Bwonsamdi suddenly stopped at his words.
He looked at Arthas and said a brief sentence, "That's not enough; I want Zandalar's—"
Arthas smiled, but the smile sent shivers down Bwonsamdi's spine, "Perhaps Mueh'zala wouldn't be as greedy as you?"
"Alright, alright! I'll give you the item, and I'll also make Zandalar obey your will—as long as I can do it!" Bwonsamdi's heart trembled, realizing that continuing to negotiate would likely lead to trouble, so he quickly threw out his last bargaining chip.
He wanted Zandalar's faith and also wanted to gain enough benefits from this chaos, but he certainly didn't want to lose his own life in the process.
Having his bottom line completely exposed, Bwonsamdi could only pinch his nose and admit defeat, "Alright, alright, His Majesty the King, you're the boss now."
He rummaged wildly inside his robe and pulled out a soul radiating a crystalline glow. This was the item he had gone to great lengths to steal from N'Zoth's grasp—Sethraliss's soul.
However, this soul was clearly not content. After Bwonsamdi took her out, the soul, which was originally a regular sphere, instantly transformed into Sethraliss's original humanoid appearance, a female serpentine figure.
"Bwonsamdi! I can't possibly agree to your terms! Not even if you saved me from that dark place!"
Sethraliss appeared furious the moment she emerged. It was clear that after Bwonsamdi had gotten his hands on her, this Death Loa had proposed some unacceptable conditions to her.
"Ho ho, don't be so angry, Sethraliss." Bwonsamdi raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. "You're not under my, Bwonsamdi's, control anymore!"
"You?!"
Sethraliss glared at Bwonsamdi. His attitude of treating her like personal property to be traded truly displeased her. Even though Bwonsamdi had helped her escape the clutches of evil, Sethraliss couldn't feel even a shred of goodwill towards him.
"It's no wonder you're not well-regarded among the Zandalar Gods," Arthas said, unfazed. Bwonsamdi had always been like this; otherwise, he wouldn't be rejected by most trolls and Loa. "But Bwonsamdi is right about one thing: you're not under his control anymore."
"You are—"
Sethraliss's attention had been entirely on Bwonsamdi just now, and she hadn't noticed Arthas present. She subconsciously mistook Arthas for a mortal, to the point of completely ignoring his existence.
But when she shifted her gaze back to Arthas, her soul began to tremble uncontrollably. This Serpent God seemed to have been greatly startled and provoked, and she instantly hid behind Bwonsamdi with a "whoosh." "Bwonsamdi, are you crazy?! Even if I don't agree to your terms, you shouldn't sell me to such an existence—"
Bwonsamdi elegantly pointed a finger, and a strange imp temporarily deprived Sethraliss of her ability to speak. "I'm truly sorry for this display, I didn't expect her to be so… ill-mannered."
"Alright, Bwonsamdi, go do whatever you want. As long as it doesn't affect the plan's direction, the rest is up to you."
Arthas made a promise, and this promise satisfied Bwonsamdi. He chuckled softly, and after abandoning Sethraliss, he transformed into a grey-black mist and vanished into the cracks of the world.
Sethraliss, abandoned by Bwonsamdi, began to tremble. Her power had been sealed by rebels and evil gods. She was now no different from an ordinary soul, and she had even been silenced by that damned Bwonsamdi just now, unable to speak.
However, none of this prevented Sethraliss from seeing Arthas's undisguised essence: the absolute power of dominion over all the dead and souls within him.
In Sethraliss's eyes, no matter what Arthas was, he could never be human—yet now he stood before her in a human guise that Sethraliss couldn't find a flaw in, which caused Sethraliss to feel a deep sense of panic.
"Hello, Sethraliss. I didn't expect us to meet this way."
After Bwonsamdi left, Arthas dispelled the silencing spell, allowing Sethraliss to speak again. This Serpent God no longer had the imposing presence she had when speaking to Bwonsamdi earlier. "I... what should I call you?"
"Just call me Arthas," Arthas said with a very sunny smile. "I hope you don't mind me using those unbelievers."
"I have no objections. Those rebels were already fallen anyway..."
When discussing the fate of the unbelievers, a difficult-to-describe emotion flickered in Sethraliss's eyes. "Now they're just sinking deeper— Kotek tried to use a power he didn't understand, and in the end, he only brought disaster upon himself."
"Then let's not discuss this sad topic for now. As you can see, Bwonsamdi has transferred your 'ownership' to me."
Sethraliss was speechless. She had no say in this transaction, as she herself was a "commodity" to be sold, merely having fallen from the hands of the Old Gods into Bwonsamdi's hands.
Bwonsamdi initially wanted Sethraliss to become his subordinate god to strengthen his own power and seize an opportunity to gain a share from the chaotic Zandalar Gods. However, after he obtained Sethraliss's soul, Sethraliss was unwilling to obey him.
Although Sethraliss was considered kind and benevolent compared to most Loa, this didn't mean she was willing to be manipulated at will. At the very least, she didn't want to become Bwonsamdi's tool.
"That damned scoundrel... trading a Loa like a commodity. I'll curse him to never receive a single shred of faith again." Sethraliss fiercely cursed Bwonsamdi's vulgarity. "He wanted to use me to snatch faith from the Zuldazar Gods. This way, he could watch me deal with the Loa of Zuldazar while he hid behind the scenes to reap the benefits."
"So, you really dislike Bwonsamdi?"
Arthas smiled, having already figured out how to make Sethraliss willingly work for him.
Sethraliss was stunned for a moment at his words, then said with a complex expression, "No matter what, that scoundrel did pull me out of the Old Gods' hands—but then he sold me, so we're even."
"Being even is best, but I thought you'd resent Bwonsamdi and want to show him a thing or two," Arthas said, understanding Sethraliss's attitude. What he was about to say next was the main point. "Zandalar is about to face a great catastrophe; you should be very clear about this, and I happen to need some help here."
"Will Zandalar be completely destroyed because of this?" Sethraliss only asked one question.
"That will depend on the choices of all life on this continent," Arthas truthfully replied.
Sethraliss's serpentine eyes fixed on Arthas. "What do you want me to do?"
"The many Loa of Zuldazar will soon face a great threat, and their followers will likely suffer a collapse of faith as a result. At this time, if a deity can save them from their plight, then the people of Zandalar will surely be eternally grateful to her."
Arthas had practically laid it all out, and Sethraliss was shocked. "You want Zandalar's faith? But you shouldn't need such a thing."
"What I need is not faith, but a group of clear-headed individuals who can discern good from bad and make the right choices at critical moments. Unfortunately, the current Zandalar does not meet this requirement. The people on this continent have been isolated from the outside world for too long, and thus have completely fallen behind the times. They don't understand what kind of threat Azeroth is facing, or they simply don't care about such threats."
Arthas gazed at Sethraliss. "So, are you willing to be the Loa who guides them to see the path to the future?"
Arthas's goal was simple: after eliminating N'Zoth and G'huun, he hoped to see a Zandalar willing to unite with Azeroth, not the Zandalar that was still immersed in the dream of Zandalar's supreme glory.
He had extended an olive branch to Rastakhan, but unfortunately, the Zandalar King didn't even spare it a glance. Since that was the case, he wouldn't waste the precious lives of Alliance soldiers on helping the Zandalar Trolls.
Due to the presence of the Titan Seal, Zuldazar was bound to become a thorn in the side of G'huun and N'Zoth, and the trolls couldn't possibly allow evil forces to defile their sacred land. Therefore, the Zandalar Trolls and their Loa were bound to confront the Old Gods' minions head-on in a fierce battle.
As for Sethraliss, Arthas didn't have high hopes for her current combat strength, but her unique advantage as a Loa had not disappeared. She could still easily gain the trust and support of the trolls—especially when this loa rescued those troll civilians and those whose faith had collapsed from their plight.
However, to achieve such a goal, Sethraliss's current condition was certainly not enough.
"Your body has been taken by the Old Gods, leaving only your soul. It must be difficult to influence reality now, isn't it?" Arthas stated Sethraliss's current predicament.
"It is as you say. Although I can still mobilize some magical power, without a physical body, I can't use much strength except in specific areas."
Even a Loa, when only a soul without a physical body, cannot exert much power. The only thing Sethraliss could do now was probably communicate with devout believers in specific temples and bestow some simple blessings. Most mortals didn't even have the ability to observe her in her soul state.
However, Arthas had a way to solve this situation, especially after he defeated The Jailer and took over the entire legacy of an Eternal.
His right hand vanished into the void, and under Sethraliss's astonished gaze, he retrieved a palm-sized tree seed emitting a crystalline blue glow. Sethraliss stared at the strange seed and said in amazement, "Spirit seed... How can this thing appear in the real world?!"
"It seems you know of the existence of such a thing, so I probably don't need to teach you how to use it, do I?"
Arthas unhesitatingly threw the seed to Sethraliss. The tree seed arced gracefully through the air and landed steadily in Sethraliss's embrace.
Even Sethraliss, with only her soul, could catch this seed, which made Sethraliss even more certain of the seed's authenticity. "This is incredible, but it's a long process for a Loa to use a spirit seed to resurrect, unless—"
"Unless there's a large amount of anima irrigation." Arthas cut Sethraliss off. "You don't need to worry about anima. What you need to do next is to quickly restore your power as a Loa, because soon, this wind of catastrophe will blow to the shores of Zuldazar."
-----------------
When the first ray of morning sun pierced through the clouds and evenly scattered across the sea, the residents by the Zuldazar port found that a thick layer of fog had suddenly risen over the Zandalar waters. These mists surrounded the port, making it impossible for them to see the sea outside.
The trolls gathered curiously on the shore, discussing the thick fog, wondering if it was a natural phenomenon or a divine miracle bestowed by a loa.
However, these mists could not hinder the fishermen's lives. They had already set sail before the sun rose, but even though daylight had now appeared, they still hadn't sailed out of the fog.
One old troll fisherman, relying on experience and intuition, stopped his fishing boat at a roughly appropriate spot and skillfully cast his net, seemingly unaffected by the fog. After casting the net, he prepared to move to the next location.
After a short while, the old troll suddenly found a familiar floating object ahead in the water. He steered his fishing boat closer, only to discover that it was actually the buoy he had left from his previous net casting.
The old troll's heart inexplicably tightened—he should have left some distance, and his course hadn't deviated, so how could he have returned to the water where he first cast his net?
This was truly bizarre. The old troll muttered a prayer to Loa for protection, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes. Finally, he gritted his teeth, pulled up the net, and prepared to head straight back. This morning's fog was already a bit eerie, and encountering such a strange incident again made even the old troll, who had been fishing for many years, feel a bit uneasy.
He quickly pulled up the fishing net. As expected, the net, which had just been cast not long ago, hadn't caught many fish. However, the old troll couldn't care less about that now. He was panting as he pulled the net, preparing to put it away and immediately return to shore.
But just as the fishing net was fully brought back onto the boat, he suddenly found some strange scales attached to the net. He casually picked up a scale and held it up to his eyes to observe, but even after fishing for so many years, he couldn't recognize what kind of fish's scales these were.
He threw the scales back into the water, preparing to drive his small boat back to Zuldazar, but just then, he felt his eyes blur, as if some dark shadow flashed beneath the water.
The old troll swallowed. Could his luck be so bad as to encounter a shark or some other sea monster in this weather?
He quickly grabbed the harpoon on the boat, hoisted the sail, and vigilantly stared at the water.
The moment the small boat started moving, he saw the dark shadow darting beneath the water again—it wasn't an illusion!
And then, the old troll's face instantly became terrified, because he discovered that, at this moment, beneath his small boat, countless dense dark shadows were spread out!
He was immediately stunned with fear, and just then, a towering wave crashed over. The small fishing boat couldn't withstand the sea's fury and immediately capsized, overturning in the water.
The old troll frantically swam out from under the water, and just as he grabbed the stern of the boat, he saw the sea surface in front of him overturn—no, that wasn't the sea surface, but a giant tail covered with scales as sharp as blades!
As the giant tail struck, the small boat instantly shattered into splinters of wood. The old troll desperately sank to the bottom of the sea, and at that moment, he finally saw those dark shadows beneath the water clearly: countless naga were swiftly swimming past him, their objective very clear—Zuldazar.
Unfortunately, the old troll had no chance to convey this message to his compatriots, because in the next instant, a gaping maw, accompanied by surging water, swallowed him whole.
-----
Inside the Great Pyramid of Dazar'alor, the heart of the Zandalar Empire, Rastakhan sat on his throne, propping his chin with his right hand, idly flipping through the day's memorials.
This was a task he had performed daily for over two hundred years, and it was his duty as emperor. However, in recent times, these memorials and reports were almost always trivial matters. While such minor issues, when magnified to a national level, could lead to immeasurable consequences, Rastakhan did not believe he would mishandle them.
He placed a scroll he had finished reviewing onto a golden tray held by a nearby attendant, about to pick up the next scroll filled with reports.
Just then, however, chaotic footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the hall, causing Rastakhan to look up towards the main entrance.
Two Rastari Royal Guards supported a blood-soaked troll scout into the hall. At this moment, they no longer cared if their defilement would stain this sacred hall. The troll scout directly knelt before the throne, using his last ounce of strength to say, "Your Majesty… the Naga… the Naga have invaded Dazar'alor from the port!"
"What?!"
A wave of utter astonishment washed over Rastakhan the moment he heard the news. The Naga lived in the barren Vol'dun, separated from Zuldazar by either the treacherous Nazmir swamps or the insurmountable Zuldazar mountains. How could such a group of creatures inexplicably appear in Dazar'alor?
But then, fury ignited in Rastakhan's eyes. Regardless of who orchestrated this Naga invasion, anyone who dared to invade Zandalar would pay a bloody price.
"Take him for treatment. I will go personally to see what is happening!"
Rastakhan strode out of the palace and stood on the aerial garden terrace of the Great Pyramid of Dazar'alor, gazing at the distant port. However, this glance left Rastakhan deeply shaken.
In the distance, a colossal serpent, as massive as a mountain, was coiled in the lowest part of the port. Only a portion of his enormous body was visible above the water, yet his head was still level with Rastakhan, who stood at the apex of the pyramid.
"Seth… Sethraliss?! This is impossible!" Rastakhan exclaimed. He saw a familiar grandeur in this giant serpent, that of the powerful Loa who once protected the spirits of Vol'dun.
But a dark, ominous aura surged around this giant serpent, completely contrary to Sethraliss's aura of lightning and thunder. He was like a monster crawled out of the abyss, glaring menacingly at the Titan Seal.
The Hundred Merchants' Market and the port on the southernmost side of Dazar'alor were already engulfed in thick smoke. Even standing atop the Titan Seal, Rastakhan could guess how fierce the battle there was.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Rastakhan immediately tried to contact his Loa. That giant serpent was clearly not an ordinary animal. Even if his power was completely different from that of a typical Loa, Rastakhan had no doubt how powerful he was.
Allowing such a dark Loa to run rampant in Dazar'alor would most likely turn the entire city into ruins.
However, Rezan, the Loa of kings, the Devilsaur Loa, who had always responded promptly to Rastakhan's calls, showed no sign of responding to Rastakhan's summons. Rastakhan's pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears, yielding no useful response.
"Rezan is silent?"
An alarm immediately blared in Rastakhan's mind. He did not believe this was an accident. Rather, for such a dark Loa to appear in Dazar'alor, the fact that the various Loa worshipped by Zandalar had not reacted was already the greatest anomaly.
The only possible explanation was that the Loa were already in trouble, but the severity of the consequences this possibility entailed made Rastakhan instinctively unwilling to consider it.
But now he could not call for divine help, nor could he sit idly by. Although communication with the Loa was cut off by unknown circumstances, the Zandalar tribe did not solely rely on the Loa.
Rastakhan immediately ordered his subordinates to gather troops from all quarters, preparing to meet the enemy. In just a short while, numerous pterrodaxes took flight from around the Titan Seal. They carried Rastakhan's most trusted messengers, heading at top speed in all directions of the empire to call for aid.
It was true that the trolls were caught off guard, but this did not mean that Dazar'alor's defenders were powerless. After the initial chaos, Dazar'alor's elite troops quickly established defensive lines on the outskirts of the port and market to prevent the frenzied Naga from advancing further.
However, none of this could put Rastakhan at ease, for he constantly watched that dark great serpent. He was menacingly eyeing the central Great Pyramid of Dazar'alor, clearly having come prepared.
Yet, this great serpent seemed to have halted his advance at the distant Dazar'alor port, not even attempting to come ashore. He lay sprawled on the buildings around the port, seemingly still.
As Rastakhan frowned, observing the dark Loa's movements, he suddenly realized that a familiar figure was missing from among his ministers today. "Wait… where is the Prophet?"
The Zandalar officials exchanged glances; they also did not know Zul's whereabouts. As an individual with special authority, the Prophet did not always attend meetings for handling state affairs. Most of the time, he preferred to stay in the Zanchul pyramid, worshipping the loa and delving into voodoo and prophecies.
"Go find Zul for me, quickly!"
Rastakhan commanded in a deep voice. At such a critical juncture, Zul was an indispensable asset, and moreover, he was the most likely person to be aware of the loa's situation. Rastakhan even felt a pang of self-reproach for not noticing Zul's absence sooner.
However, the Royal Guard who had gone and returned brought Rastakhan news he did not wish to hear.
"Your Majesty, according to the Zanchul priests, Prophet Zul left Dazar'alor this morning to visit the Loa Shrine and worship the loa."
The moment he heard this news, Rastakhan's expression darkened: going to the Loa Shrine to worship the loa? And precisely today?
If it were anyone else, Rastakhan would merely consider it a coincidence. But Prophet Zul possessed peculiar prophetic abilities. Rastakhan refused to believe that this Prophet would be so coincidental, foreseeing nothing, and still leave Dazar'alor at this very moment?
However, Rastakhan soon had no time to verify the truth of this news, for a pterrodax landed unsteadily on the platform, and with a surge of arcane energy, he transformed back into a troll.
Rastakhan immediately motioned for his guards to help the druid. He looked at the injured druid and asked with a frown, "You are a priest of the Sky Lord. I remember you. How did you get yourself into such a sorry state?"
This troll priest, who had gained shapeshifting abilities by worshipping the loa, replied weakly, "Your… Your Majesty, the great Loa have been attacked by monsters… Dark apostles have occupied Atal'Dazar and the Loa Shrine!"
After speaking, the druid seemed to have exhausted his last ounce of strength and immediately fainted, leaving Rastakhan standing rooted to the spot, as if struck by lightning.
The news brought by the priest struck everyone present like a bolt from the blue; many Zandalar officials who had been calm suddenly fell into disarray, and the quiet crowd instantly became noisy.
It wasn't until Rastakhan roared, "Silence!"
Under the deterrence of the highly prestigious King, the commotion in the crowd gradually subsided. Rastakhan then angrily shouted, "What are you all doing standing around here? Get back to your posts!"
After the surrounding officials and generals gradually left, Rastakhan nodded to a nearby guard. The guard immediately took a vial from his belt, supported the unconscious priest on the ground, and poured the potion from the bottle into his mouth.
"Hiss—whew!"
The priest, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes, his chest heaving violently as if trying to expel all the air from his lungs. After he had calmed down a little, Rastakhan walked over, squatted down, and asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened to the Loa?"
The awakened priest quickly recounted what he had seen, like spilling beans from a bamboo tube: "Last midnight, a terrifying beast, accompanied by countless dark creatures, attacked the Loa Shrine. That monster went on a rampage through the mountains, and countless guards and priests were annihilated in the attack!"
"What about the gods?!"
Rastakhan no longer had time to mourn the dead; he was more concerned about the Loa's condition. If the Loa were severely injured or even dead, Dazar'alor would be powerless to resist the dark Loa entrenched in the harbor.
The priest, however, shook his head helplessly. "The center of the battlefield was too brutal; I couldn't see what was happening there at all. I only saw the gods joining the battle one after another. The Lord of the Sky saved my life before leaving and told me to rush to Dazar'alor for help, but I didn't expect..."
The priest stopped speaking here. He had been ordered by the Loa to come to Dazar'alor for assistance, but he hadn't expected Dazar'alor itself to be embroiled in war.
"What did the monster that attacked the Loa look like?"
Rastakhan continued to ask with a frown. He had ruled Zandalar for over two hundred years and had never seen an entity capable of fighting multiple Loa single-handedly. Moreover, while entangled with so many Loa, this monster could still fight them to the point where the gods didn't even have a chance to spare a moment to hear his call.
The priest recalled the monster's appearance, but his body involuntarily shivered. "Its appearance was incredibly hideous, covered in twisted carapaces and appendages, like a bipedal lobster as huge as a mountain. And its entire body exuded terrifying dark magic. Ordinary people, even if they got a little close, would be corrupted by that degenerate aura and transform into abhorrent flesh monsters."
Upon hearing the priest's description, Rastakhan gasped almost instantly, because the priest's description immediately matched an entity that should have died long ago.
"The Unraveler?! Wasn't he already by Sethraliss—"
Rastakhan's words stopped halfway. He looked again at the vague outline of the dark giant snake revealed beneath the thick smoke at the harbor, his voice full of disbelief, "Did the noble Snake God ultimately lose to the dark entity?"
Legend had become reality. Rastakhan no longer cared to ponder who won or lost that battle; he only knew that if they didn't receive aid from the gods, Dazar'alor would be reduced to ruins under the wrath of the dark loa.
But the Zandalar loa were also currently locked in a bitter struggle and had no time to spare for Dazar'alor's situation. To resolve Dazar'alor's crisis, they first had to help the gods deal with the threat of Mythrax the Unraveler.
Thinking of this, Rastakhan unhesitatingly ordered, "Troops maintaining city defenses, continue to hold your ground and find an opportunity to drive those lowly naga out of the city. As for the rest, follow me to reinforce the Loa Shrine."
Rastakhan's command was based on a practical assessment. In his view, as long as they could help the gods eliminate Mythrax, even if Dazar'alor fell into the hands of the naga, they could easily reclaim the city.
However, what Rastakhan didn't know was that these mad naga weren't aiming to occupy Dazar'alor or plunder the mountains of treasure accumulated in the city. The only thing these self-willed void servants wanted to do was to turn everything left behind by the Titan into ashes.
Meanwhile, Princess Talanji, far away in Nazmir, felt a subtle unease in her heart. She asked Rokhan, who was beside her, "How long have we been away from Dazar'alor?"
"Hmm... counting the time, it's been over a week, I suppose?" Rokhan pondered slightly while wiping his twin blades.
They had already crossed the border between Zuldazar and Nazmir several days ago, and Talanji had personally witnessed how rotten the empire's northern defenses truly were. Countless villages had been captured and burned by the Blood Troll, and these bloodthirsty barbarians wouldn't even spare a corpse; all the poor victims were dragged back to the swamp.
The situation here was nothing like what her father thought. Rastakhan believed that the Blood Troll had been entangled with the people of the northern border for centuries, and some disturbances here were normal. But what Talanji saw was that the empire's defenses had almost completely collapsed, and the Zandalar Trolls soldiers could only huddle in fortresses and fortifications, watching helplessly as the Zandalar Trolls people were slaughtered by the Blood Troll.
Talanji was almost numb to the misery along the way; under the tide of the Blood Troll, she would always see even more tragic sights.
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Vol'jin and most of the Dark Spear delegation chose to remain on the safer side of Zuldazar. Talanji asked Vol'jin to help her settle the fleeing refugees, while she herself prepared to delve deeper into the swamp to investigate the situation within.
However, Vol'jin would not just watch Talanji put herself in danger alone. He dispatched an elite Dark Spear squad to accompany the Zandalar Princess and ensure her safety, after all, if something were to happen to this princess, the consequences would be even more severe.
Talanji then led the squad, with Rokhan at its head, deep into the swamp to investigate the various anomalies occurring there.
Until today, as Talanji traveled along the swamp path, a feeling of unease repeatedly arose within her. She couldn't help but look back in the direction of Dazar'alor, "Damn it... I have a bad feeling. Something seems to have happened to Dazar'alor."
Rokhan somewhat didn't understand Talanji's worries. The Zandalar Trolls were powerful; what kind of opponent could conquer such a city?
However, some movement ahead on their path temporarily diverted Talanji's thoughts from Dazar'alor, because they saw a large number of lingering spirits seemingly gathered in the square of a ruined Troll town ahead, and their target was a Troll who was cornered against a pillar in the square.
Talanji frowned and quickly led the expedition to drive away the ghosts occupying the area. But when she saw the person she had rescued, she was completely stunned.
"Zul... Zul?! What are you doing here?!"
Prophet Zul looked a bit disheveled at the moment. He tidied his clothing, which had been askew from the ghost attack. "Oh... Princess Talanji, it's been a long time."
Talanji, however, had no intention of exchanging pleasantries. After a moment of stunned silence, she angrily dismounted her raptor and grabbed Zul by the collar. "You really know everything that's happening here?! Is this your doing?!"
Zul merely chuckled at Talanji's questioning, uttering a cryptic remark, "I only came to seek salvation... the salvation of the Zandalar Trolls."
However, this single, nonsensical sentence sent shivers down Talanji's spine. In Zul's unruffled eyes, she could only see her own reflection. This prophet seemed to be watching a good show, and the protagonist of the play was... herself.
She couldn't help but release her grip on Zul and subconsciously took a few steps back. At this moment, she finally realized the strangeness of the situation: in a bizarre swamp far from home, she had met an acquaintance who should absolutely not have been there.
"Al'Akir, how is Sethraliss doing?"
"Arthas, I have infused her with the power of the storm, but it will probably take a few more days for her to fully recover to her peak strength."
A peculiar cyclone swirled within Nazwatha, and the voice of the Elemental Lord Al'Akir emanated from it. He was ordered to help Sethraliss reshape her body and even personally bestowed the blessing of the storm upon this loa.
When Sethraliss is reborn from the nourished spirit seed, she will receive the blessing of the wind elemental domain, and her innate talent for controlling thunder and lightning will ascend to a higher level.
"Hmm… this is just an experiment. You don't need to be too anxious. Just let Sethraliss familiarize herself with her new body."
Arthas also wanted to see if, through Al'Akir's blessing, these loa could be somewhat unaffected by faith—although the existence of loa is not directly related to the amount of faith they receive, the quantity of faith they gain is indeed linked to the strength they can exert.
Otherwise, Bwonsamdi would not have gone to such lengths to try and get a share from the Zandalar Trolls, and those Loa whose temples were destroyed and inheritances severed would not perish or die, but their influence on the real world would plummet, sometimes even preventing them from manifesting their true forms in the real world.
The majority of these animal Loa's strength is embodied in their physical instincts. If they even find it difficult to enter the real plane, they can basically only exert two or three tenths of their power.
Al'Akir and Arthas's conversation quickly attracted Odin, who manipulated his raven to land on Arthas's shoulder and asked curiously, "Are you conducting an experiment?"
"It's not an experiment. I just want to see if I can find a way to strengthen these Loa. After all, they are also beings born from Azeroth, and their power should not be underestimated. They might be of great use when we fight against the Void and the Legion."
Arthas had no intention of hiding his thoughts; rather, he wanted to hear Odin's opinion on the matter. "What do you think?"
Upon hearing this question, Odin instinctively fell into contemplation, and the answer he gave surprised Arthas, "If you insist on my advice, then my answer is that you had best not have too high expectations for these creatures."
As a Titan Guardian, Odin clearly had his own stance on this issue. "The essence of these primal spirits' power is too wild and chaotic. Although this is a characteristic of life energy, overly exuberant life can sometimes cause harm. Therefore, even Freya would not allow life to grow uncontrollably—you should also be aware of this, which is why the Titan Fathers always pursue order and stability."
"Frankly, artificially amplifying the power of a primal spirit like you are doing, in the past, I would definitely have stopped it—but now I am also very curious whether it is truly possible to control their wild life essence through some means."
Changing the subject, Odin skillfully bypassed some issues, clearly indicating that this Guardian had not been entirely without thought on these sensitive matters during the long passage of time.
Arthas smiled at the words, but just as he was about to continue the topic, Al'Akir suddenly interrupted their conversation, "Arthas, an outsider is attempting to break through the barrier I set up around Nazwatha."
After speaking, the Elemental Lord thoughtfully summoned a cloud and used magic to display the image of the intruder on it.
"Is it the Blood Troll? Hmm… no, this appearance, it's Rokhan, Vol'jin's Shadow Hunter." Arthas immediately recognized the team of Trolls wandering in the mist, but aside from Rokhan, two Zandalar Trolls caught his attention. He even chuckled, "So this is Vol'jin's plan? But how did they end up here…"
The answer to the question was clear: it was the mysterious prophet Zul who led this Troll team to Nazwatha.
"That old Troll exudes a repulsive aura…" Odin's voice was filled with disgust. "Is he a follower of G'huun?"
"Perhaps—let them in, Al'Akir."
Arthas pondered for a moment and made a decision that surprised even Odin, but Odin temporarily suppressed his inner doubts, preparing to see how Arthas would deal with these trespassers.
The moment Arthas's words fell, the Nazwatha coast, which had originally only been shrouded in mist, was instantly swept by dark clouds and strong winds. Talanji's team, initially just following Zul in one direction, now completely lost their sense of direction.
Even the usually composed Prophet Zul showed astonishment. His proud power of prophecy completely lost its effect in this sudden storm. He tried to continue peeking into future scenes with a sense of defiance, but this time, the images in his eyes were only endless thunder and storms.
And beyond that storm, a terrifying presence was observing him with a disdainful gaze. Just a glimpse, and Zul felt as if his soul was being torn to shreds by the fierce wind.
This warning made Zul immediately retract his gaze, but a smile appeared on his face.
Talanji, seeing the prophet grinning foolishly, managed to steady herself in the storm and angrily rebuked, "What are you grinning about, Zul? What's going on with this storm?!"
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"Don't be impatient, Princess, we will soon meet the true master here—"
Zul's voice was muffled by the storm; even though the two were less than a meter apart, when his words reached Talanji's ears, they had become whispers from far away.
"What are you saying! Zul!" Talanji could only shout to express her confusion.
Just then, a lightning bolt struck, directly hitting where Zul stood. Talanji watched in shock as Zul was engulfed in electricity. When the thunder dissipated, the prophet had disappeared. Almost simultaneously, countless more lightning bolts fell from the sky. Talanji and the others had no time to react and also vanished in the electric light.
When the dizziness brought by the strong light gradually faded, Talanji opened her eyes and instinctively drew the dagger from her waist—countless tall Iron Vrykul surrounded them, staring at her with eyes that made her tremble.
Rokhan shielded Talanji behind him. Talanji whispered, "Vrykul… how did they appear here?"
Talanji's question prompted Rokhan's helpless response, "Princess, if nothing unexpected happens, we might have stumbled into some… Titan ruins."
Prophet Zul also stood beside them at this moment, but unlike the wariness displayed by Talanji and Rokhan, the prophet's eyes were filled with fanaticism the moment he entered this pyramid hall. He even knelt directly on the ground, prostrating himself, mumbling, "Yes… this is it, exactly as I saw… this is it, the path to Zandalar's resurgence is here!"
The Iron Vrykul slowly parted, standing on either side, seemingly welcoming the arrival of a certain presence, which made Zul incredibly excited. He raised his head, wanting to see the face of that great being clearly.
However, when he saw everything clearly, his expression was only one of shock and disbelief. "No… this isn't possible… how can a god be… a human?!"
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Zul was a pure Zandalar Troll.
Since he could remember, he had been bathed in the glory of Zandalar, and because of his innate talent, he was recognized by many high-ranking priests as having a promising future. His unique prophetic ability made Zul a famous prophet and priest in his youth.
When his reputation spread, even Rastakhan, the Great King of Zandalar, personally hired him as his private consultant. Together, they made immense contributions to the prosperity of the Zandalar Empire. Whether in military or agriculture, Zul could always provide Rastakhan with reliable advice, and Zul's prophecies and advice were never wrong. He once believed that as long as they continued to work for Zandalar in this way, they could make Zandalar "last forever" as their common slogan proclaimed.
But as he grew older, Zul gradually realized that Zandalar was not as great as he had imagined in his youth.
When he left his footprints in every corner of the sub-continent of Zandalar, Zul discovered: it was too small, Zandalar was simply too small.
The Zandalar that seemed infinitely vast in his youth, where he could never see the end of the continent, was actually just an isolated island trapped in the ocean, and the seemingly prosperous and bustling Dazar'alor was merely a surviving gem after the decline of the troll civilization.
The true Zandalar Empire had already fallen apart ten thousand years ago. The glory and eternal existence they boasted about had, in Zul's eyes at that time, become a self-deceiving lie.
At the same time, Zul's abilities suddenly allowed him to perceive a dark vision. In the not-so-distant future, true darkness and despair would completely obliterate Zandalar's last civilization. After the end of the world arrived, the troll civilization would be completely swept into the dustbin of history. Their great civilization and glorious empire would be nothing to mention.
Zul, who had never been swayed by his own prophecies, began to fear from that moment on. He had never feared powerful enemies, nor had he ever been afraid of death, but when he thought that Zandalar would no longer exist, and might not even leave a mark in history, he felt an immeasurable panic.
It was from this moment that Zul no longer confined himself to the small Zandalar Islands. He began to leave Rastakhan's side, attempting to travel every inch of Azeroth, re-measuring with his own eyes and feet the territories that once belonged to the Zandalar Empire in ancient times.
The more he explored, the more ignorant Zul felt he had been. He personally witnessed other civilizations flourishing on the main continents of Kalimdor and Azeroth, and also saw how other troll tribes were gradually driven from the center of the continent to the fringes of civilization by other races, transforming from powerful empires into a collection of barbaric chiefdoms.
Until he arrived in Northrend, where the Drakkari Trolls were being ravaged by a terrifying entity they called the Lich King, and it was under this high pressure that those trolls madly did something that Zul considered incredibly blasphemous.
They killed the Loa they had once worshipped and used their flesh and blood to cultivate more powerful troll warriors. However, this heretical and rebellious act allowed them to survive the Scourge's onslaught and even effectively impede the Scourge's advance.
When those Loa were alive, the trolls were in constant retreat, but when they died, the trolls were able to turn the tide.
This was a huge shock to Zul's worldview. The sacred aura around the loa, once so holy in his eyes, began to fade. Zul realized that these so-called gods were merely powerful primal spirits. Should the relationship of worship and sacrifice between them and the trolls truly exist? What could the trolls ultimately gain by expending so much effort to provide offerings and faith to these Loa?
With these questions and the dark prophecy he had seen, Zul returned to his kingdom. He tried to tell his close friend Rastakhan everything he had witnessed and warn him to guard against the potential future disaster.
However, due to Zul's long years of extensive travel, Rastakhan already felt a barrier between himself and his most trusted prophet. And when Zul spoke of that terrifying prophecy and his doubts about the loa, Rastakhan became furious. He directly denied everything Zul had prophesied, believing it to be nothing more than alarmist illusions.
For the first time, Zul felt powerless. He could not convince his king, and thus could not make Zandalar change. Although he was a prophet, he still had to obey Rastakhan's commands. From that moment, he knew that trying to change Zandalar and rebuild the glory of the troll empire through Rastakhan and the troll officials was simply unrealistic. He had to find a feasible path himself.
So he pleaded with Rastakhan to grant him a fleet sufficient for continued long-distance travel, and he left Zandalar with some followers loyal to his ideals, hoping to find a way out and a future for Zandalar.
Rastakhan agreed to Zul's request, and from then on, Zul was rarely within Zandalar, seeking to find a foothold around the world that would allow Zandalar to re-establish itself.
However, the period of his travels coincided with Arthas's reign and the dramatic changes occurring in Azeroth. The Alliance began to grow at an incredible pace, their sphere of influence rapidly expanding from being confined to the Eastern Kingdoms of Azeroth to the entire world.
Even the Horde, who had always been at odds with the Alliance, could only try to avoid direct confrontation with the Alliance, because their Warchief understood that the Alliance under Arthas's rule was no longer the loose old Alliance it once was. Different forces had been united by this exceptional monarch, and Arthas had no intention of settling scores with the Horde, so Thrall needed even more to maintain this peaceful status quo.
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Zul realized that things were deviating from destiny's path. He sought out Zandalar's ancient allies—the Mogu—hoping to obtain a portion of Pandaria's land from them.
However, the Mogu at that time were already overwhelmed. They were defeated by the combined assault of the Alliance and the Pandaren, losing their armor and weapons. When Zul proposed reviving Lei Shen to stabilize the situation, they discovered that the Thunder King's tomb had already been preempted by someone else.
At this point, Zul could no longer continue to support the Mogu, who were destined to lose. He could only return to Zandalar with his fleet, crestfallen. It was not long after this that a cataclysm, an elemental upheaval that shook the entire world, swept through. Although the Zandalar Islands did not sink as Zul had foreseen in his prophecy, the entire sub-continent suffered severe natural disasters. The impact within Dazar'alor was minor, but the jungles of Nazmir directly subsided, making the continuous swamps there even more vast.
When he was almost at his wits' end, Zul made a difficult choice. He no longer placed his hopes on Rastakhan and the Loa, but instead focused on a more powerful and darker entity—G'huun.
However, after a period of contact, Zul discovered that this so-called blood god seemed inferior to the dark monsters he had seen in Pandaria. His trust in this evil god plummeted: even the Sha entrenched in Pandaria had been defeated by the Alliance, so could this inexplicable god really give Zandalar a chance at revival?
As a pragmatist, Zul unhesitatingly abandoned this god, but he had already paid a price for believing in this evil god, so he prepared to reclaim it from this evil god.
He secretly stole some power from G'huun and used this power, far exceeding his own, to make a new prophecy. That prophecy told him that the opportunity for Zandalar's revival lay with a certain entity in Nazwatha.
Nazwatha? Hadn't that place already become ruins?
Zul almost lost interest in this extremely vague prophecy, but he noticed a detail: G'huun's power was afraid of the entity he saw, to the extent that the prophecy could not accurately display the vision, only providing extremely vague guidance.
However, at this point, Zul had no turning back. If he couldn't find an entity more powerful than G'huun, he would be unable to counteract the immense cost of stealing the blood god's power. At that time, he would only be able to choose to serve as the blood god's priest to try and restore Zandalar's glory.
And when this prophet, after immense hardship, arrived at Nazwatha, he found that the one he knelt before was not a god, nor a greater being, but merely an ordinary human. Zul could hardly believe his eyes.
He looked up, trying to see through Arthas's disguise, but his gaze began to scatter, and he muttered, "No... impossible, the prophecy can't be wrong..."
But a moment later, Zul laughed maniacally, as if insane, "They are all liars! Those Loa are, G'huun is, and so are you!"
Facing the suddenly deranged Zul, Arthas's gaze now held a hint of pity. He had already sensed the foul power of the blood god lingering within Zul.
Arthas personally witnessed the red and white corrupted energy surging from Zul's body. The dark power, like gas and smoke, began to spread wildly as soon as it emerged from Zul, and the floor of Nazwatha Hall, which had been purified, began to rapidly grow pale spores and fungi again.
The Valarjar beside him quickly pulled out their weapons, ready to go forward and purify Zul, the source of the corruption, but Arthas raised a hand, stopping the Iron Vrykul behind him.
At Arthas's signal, the Valarjar put away their weapons and returned to their original positions, awaiting Arthas's next command.
Arthas waved his hand, and a golden radiance spread out, instantly evaporating the impure corruption. Shimmering Holy Light energy surged around Zul, forming a regular hexahedral barrier that isolated him from the outside environment.
Deprived of Zul as the source, the growing corruption quickly withered and vanished. Only then did the Valarjar Runecasters, at Arthas's signal, step forward and begin a new round of purification measures on the walls and ground that had been eroded by corruption, using flame runes.
However, the blood god power Zul had used was clearly not insignificant; almost immediately, the surging red and white smoke almost completely obscured his body, and the entire Holy Light barrier was filled with this corrupted energy.
But then, a bone-chilling coldness suddenly swept through the entire hall. Under the suppression of Frost Power, the pollutants from the evil god gradually lost their activity and began to recede.
Zul's figure reappeared, but by this time he had lost consciousness, his eyes rolled back, yet his entire body was unnaturally contorted, his head bent backward and his feet forward, like a twisted wooden bow.
Arthas summoned Commanding Power, transforming it into chains to further bind this fallen prophet, completely eliminating the possibility of G'huun's power spreading further.
All of this happened too suddenly. By the time Talanji reacted, Zul was already hanging from a pillar, suspended by the Commanding Chains, and enveloped by an unbreakable Holy Light barrier.
"What happened to Zul?! What did you do to him?!"
After Talanji reacted, she was about to rush towards Arthas, but the Valarjar around her reacted even faster. Iron hands directly lifted this troll princess like a small chicken. Talanji, at this moment, disregarded her image and used her hands and feet to punch and kick at the Valarjar, trying to break free from their control.
Unfortunately, her strength was no match for the Iron Vrykul, especially since these Valarjar were Odin's champions. No matter how much Talanji struggled, she could not escape the Valarjar's large hands.
"Great Rezan, please—"
Realizing this, Talanji immediately wanted to call upon the Loa who protected the Zandalar royal family to help her, but before half of her prayer could be uttered, an irresistible will instantly dominated her mind, causing her voice to stop abruptly, and the divine power that was gathering rapidly dissipated like water from a broken bucket.
"Quiet, troll."
Arthas was studying how Zul had misappropriated G'huun's power without being immediately controlled, and the noisy Talanji beside him made it difficult for him to concentrate. He directly gave this troll princess a silencing package.
Although Talanji could not speak, fortunately, she still had control over her body above the neck. She immediately turned her head and gave Rokhan a look.
However, to the princess's despair, the Shadow Hunter loyal to Vol'jin gave her an awkward smile, then walked over to Arthas and said to Talanji, "I'm sorry, Princess… we seem to be on the same side."
Talanji was completely bewildered at this moment. She could never have imagined that the Dark Spear Tribe had a connection with this human in front of her.
Arthas, on the other hand, glanced at Rokhan and asked, "Why aren't you with Vol'jin, but instead with this Zandalar princess?"
Rokhan rubbed the back of his head, looking quite embarrassed, and said, "We weren't able to get an audience with King Rastakhan, but this Princess showed us enough sincerity, so the Chief wanted to see if we could work through her."
"Judging by the results, you should have failed." Arthas understood Vol'jin's approach, but they hadn't even met the King of Zandalar yet, and Dazar'alor had already been attacked by the Naga. "Just a few days after you left Dazar'alor, the Naga attacked Zuldazar. Dazar'alor should be engulfed in war by now."
Arthas's words made Talanji's pupils constrict. She found it hard to believe such a thing had happened, but recalling the unease she had frequently felt in her heart over the past few days, she couldn't help but believe Arthas's words to some extent.
Rokhan also found it somewhat unbelievable, but he thought that with Zandalar's strength, it was impossible for them to be attacked in their homeland by a group of Naga. "Is what you said true? But from what we understand, those Naga are not strong, and Vol'dun is a barren place. Where would they get the resources and troops to attack Dazar'alor?"
"This island is full of Loa, so a few more evil gods are not hard to understand. Besides, the two most terrifying dark gods in the world are now focused here. The troll Loa are already struggling to protect themselves, let alone the trolls themselves."
Arthas looked at the dazed Talanji beside him and said to Rokhan, "You should have felt it; even if she had finished her prayer just now, her god would not have come to help her."
Rokhan was silent for a moment, but then nodded in response to Talanji's questioning gaze.
"This is impossible! As long as I am in Zandalar, Rezan can protect me!"
Talanji exclaimed, and at this moment, she also realized that Arthas had lifted the silencing spell on her. She paused for a moment, then righteously declared, "What evil schemes are you, a human, plotting against Zandalar? Your conspiracy will not succeed!"
"There is no conspiracy, only self-destruction." Arthas looked at Talanji with pity, "I think the olive branch that should have been extended to Zandalar has already been personally rejected by your father, hasn't it?"
Rokhan could only sigh helplessly, "Indeed, Princess, the Dark Spear Tribe just wanted to warn King Rastakhan of the impending threat, but unfortunately, as you know, that King doesn't want to see us small foreign tribes."
Talanji's words faltered, but she still glared at Rokhan with angry eyes, "That doesn't give you outsiders and traitors the right to interfere!"
Arthas shook his head, not wanting to argue about these useless matters with Talanji anymore. He simply looked at Prophet Zul beside him, "What do you think, Prophet?"
Zul, unable to continue feigning death, raised his head, stretched his body suspended from the pillar, and sighed, "You won, human. Zandalar will ultimately perish in its own arrogance."