It was a pity that Arthas did not show up in person. Instead, he dispatched the Guardians Cult. Not only were their elites out in full force, but even the three High Priestesses were sent together. This lineup would have no problem taking down Kul Tiras; it could be considered a sign of the importance placed on Jaina.
Currently, completing the mission for the world soul was the priority, so he truly couldn't descend upon Kul Tiras in person.
On this day, like a bolt from the blue, rainbows appeared one after another in the sky where snow had been drifting for thousands of miles. Vegetation began to grow wildly across the entire ice field, as if it had been blessed by nature itself.
Such a strange and unique sight only occurs when a demigod gives birth to an heir. Arthas is a demigod, so the birth of his child naturally brought about such a phenomenon.
It wasn't that every child triggered this, but rather it happened with the first or second birth from each mate. If they had more children later, the spectacle wouldn't be as grand, though small-scale anomalies would still occur.
This was Azeroth celebrating the birth of a demigod's bloodline, a natural Guardian of the world; they deserved to be blessed!
The originally exhausted Sylvanas was startled awake by the anomaly outside. Her place of rest was an airship, an aerial fortress built by combining engineering and magic, referencing some construction principles of Naxxramas.
She had been very tired just after finishing, but now she seemed to feel a sense of destiny. Lightly stroking her flat lower abdomen, she wondered: was it because she was having a child?
She heard from Tyrande that when Shandris was born, the songs of wisps echoed through the forest, animals stopped to listen, and there was a personal blessing from the moon goddess elune. She was a perfect little princess from the start; it was only through good education that she became the empathetic and lively person she is today—otherwise, she would have been a demon queen.
Arthas embraced her from behind, watching the spectacle of the ice-field forest together, and comforted her softly.
"Don't overthink it. This is a good thing. We're having our own child—are you not happy?"
Sylvanas shook her head and leaned her head against her husband's shoulder, their faces brushing together. Her voice was slightly choked; these were tears of joy.
"I never thought I would have a child, and I never thought QuelThalas would fall. The feeling you give me is very special. Since being with you, the things I encounter have become more exciting, and life has become more meaningful."
"I am very grateful to you and willing to bear your children. I'm just a little worried about whether I can be a competent mother. I haven't even handled the Blood Elves' affairs in Lordaeron well; this indecisive manner is nothing like my previous style."
"Husband, I'm worried I won't do well, that I'll fail you, fail the child, and fail all the followers who support us. I feel lost; I don't know what to do."
It was hard to believe that the usually independent and opinionated Sylvanas could be so sentimental. Her past strength was mostly a facade, but now she had someone to lean on. With a place to harbor her inner softness, she finally showed the lost posture of a young woman.
Perhaps everyone has a unique side; that unknown part of weakness is hidden away to allow for better survival. Only when one has a powerful support does this weakness manifest. It is a subconscious act, also intended to make her husband cherish her even more.
Compared to strong women, men prefer the delicate and soft type. The former provides a sense of vanity when conquered, but it's only a novelty that lacks staying power. The latter can provide emotional value at all times and sustain it for a long period; even if one grows tired of it, they will find themselves turning back before long.
Sylvanas didn't have so many schemes; she simply wanted to rely on her husband. Only by her husband's side could she have such reckless peace of mind and sleep well. Properly revealing one's heart helps maintain marital harmony.
"Don't worry, I'm here for everything. Do whatever you want to do. If you feel lost, ask yourself who your family is. Only family is truly reliable; if they aren't family, there's no need to agonize over them."
"This method applies to any situation; use it when you're lost. With family as our foundation, we can do what we want to do. Whether we succeed or fail, we have family supporting us from behind. Even if we have nothing, we can still go home. Family is the best haven, the harbor for the soul."
"To me, wherever you all are is home. Everything I do is for you. I don't deny that I'm a bastard sometimes, but I can't help that I met you all. Every one of you is special to me, and I want to have you all. Sylvanas, I'm sorry; forgive my wandering heart."
For Arthas to say these things now seemed a bit inappropriate. But on second thought, this was the best opportunity to speak up!
No one knew how to coax girls better than him. There is an art to coaxing girls, and a mortal coaxing a girl is not on the same level as a demigod doing so.
With his status, speaking so nicely was entirely a show of respect. For anyone else, he wouldn't even need to bother. If she wasn't his wife, did the girl expect to be treated like some ethereal fairy? How pretentious.
Pfft!
Sylvanas laughed. In that moment, a hundred flowers faded in comparison; she was so stunning one couldn't look away. Whose wife was this? How could she be so charming?
"I don't blame you. You are my husband; I support whatever you do. In the future, if you take a fancy to any woman, just bring her back. I trust your taste, and I trust you to handle family matters well. If there are no special concerns, I hope you can accept Vereesa."
The third Windrunner sister?
Arthas blinked. That didn't seem impossible. As the saying goes, don't let a bad woman go to waste, and don't miss out on a good one.
Vereesa fell into the 'good woman' category. Recently, she had been quietly leading the ranger squad without vying for attention. He had almost forgotten about her, but now it seemed his sister-in-law still hadn't given up. Should he be happy or sad?
Perhaps this was destiny. Without Rhonin, Arthas had come instead. Without the Lich King, there was an Emperor of Lordaeron. Compared to the extreme idea of turning the whole world into undead, the current plan of uniting all races was far more sophisticated.
"I understand. I'll find a time to talk to her. For now, just focus on resting at home; let's wait until the child is born. Don't worry about things that make it difficult for you. If they can't survive without you, they don't deserve to live."
"In Lordaeron, anyone with hands and feet can support a family; supporting a single person is even easier. If they are unwilling to integrate into a new environment, that's a problem with their mindset. To deal with that, they just need reality to slap them across the face a few times, and they'll understand everything."
Arthas knew what she found difficult: it was simply that some Blood Elves were used to their former luxury. During the QuelThalas era, they could indeed provide an affluent and leisurely life, but that was based on low demand. Times had changed; even the nobles within Lordaeron had been purged, leaving only those willing to work hard. Those who wanted to leech off the Empire while doing nothing had already moved on to their next life.
If she couldn't make up her mind, then he would help her. These weren't problems, and he was happy to help. He wanted to see which fellow was so blind.
Caring too much about her people was Sylvanas's virtue, but also her weakness. Only when she let go of this obsession would she truly be Queen Sylvanas; right now, she was just a wife with some worries.
"Mhm, I'll leave it all to you. When we go back, I plan to establish a grove near the manor; I like that atmosphere. Azshara is also resting nearby, so perhaps we can keep each other company; that way it won't be too lonely. You, on the other hand, should hurry up—Jaina and Onyxia are waiting too."
Sylvanas smiled brightly. Once everything was spoken openly, her inner knot was resolved. She had been afraid her people were doing poorly and that she had failed their trust. She also worried she would burden her husband's empire and make things difficult for him.
Now, if she had to choose a side, she could only choose her husband. This was only natural; who wouldn't want to be with their husband?
Her people were merely a lingering sentiment. Helping them was a kindness, but not helping was her right. Sometimes being too much of a good person just leads to having a gun pointed at you.
"Haha, I will. Don't worry."
Arthas laughed heartily, and the two stood by the window watching the falling snow. It seemed that because of the birth of new life, this area that had never seen life was beginning to teem with it. With forests and plants, insects could be born, forming a healthy natural cycle.
All of this was brought by his child. He wondered if it would be a boy or a girl this time.
The offspring of a human and a Blood Elf—this would likely be quite a surprise.
A few days later, in the private study.
Arthas looked at the intelligence regarding the Storm Peaks collected by the dragons and scouts. Regarding maps, he trusted the system-provided map more; that was truly a 360-degree view with no blind spots.
The current mission was to infiltrate Ulduar. Ulduar was now closed to the outside world and allowed no one to enter. He didn't know if the actions against the Lich King had spooked this neighbor, who clearly had a guilty conscience.
"Currently, Ulduar seems to be under the control of the Guardian Loken. Outside, there are two more Titan Keepers. One is Hodir, who has an army of Frost Dwarves and Frost Giants under him. The other is Thorim, who commands an iron army forged using the Forge of Wills. He had a conflict with Hodir, and the two sides fought repeatedly outside Ulduar. Although they are now recovering, the races beneath them still have deep rifts from the thousand-year war."
The Red Dragon Queen was in high spirits, personally acting as a secretary. She had even put on a suit jacket, a short skirt, and high heels. There was no need to doubt this; such clothing did exist in Azeroth. They were invented by human nobles to display etiquette, and some were added for a bit of flair.
"To infiltrate Ulduar, the best way is to land from the mountains at the rear. The altitude exceeds ten thousand meters, and almost no creature can cross this natural mountain barrier. However, these are not problems for us; the current issue to solve is the outer perimeter barrier."
"Titan facilities use unique technology. This can also be found on the Dragon Isles, but unfortunately, we cannot go back. Therefore, to enter Ulduar, we must first obtain the corresponding permissions. This is a problem we cannot solve; only you can."
Having said that, she spread her hands. If she had a wooden pointer in her hand, she would be the perfect image of a seductive teacher.
Arthas had no time to ponder that. He knit his brows, thinking of a solution. Although this was a world of swords and magic, it possessed scientific technology comparable to modern times. The robots tinkered with by Gnomes, Gnomes, and Goblins also had high intelligence, and the source of all this was the technology passed down from Titan facilities.
Beside him was the newly appointed military secretary, Vereesa. Since laying their cards on the table and having a sincere, deep exchange, she had offered sharp opinions on the current problem. Both sides had talked very happily and exchanged ideas very well; it was just that they were a bit thirsty now.
Currently, Vereesa served as the military secretary, while Jandice was the lifestyle secretary, responsible for taking care of daily life.
"Perhaps we can try starting with Ulduar's army. If we capture one and crack its code, we'll know the entry command. Or we could start with those two Titan Keepers; if they can help us, it would be a huge aid in taking Ulduar!"
Vereesa proposed her idea. Although she wasn't as outstanding as her sister Sylvanas, she was, after all, a woman who had been a leader. Sometimes she just didn't want to stand out, but that didn't mean she knew nothing or understood nothing.
"Approaching the Titan Keepers might alert the enemy. However, if our target is Freya, then Loken will definitely know. Now there are three ways. I'll say them, and you can consider which is most suitable."
He had a plan already?
This surprised even Ysera. She didn't know why she had come here to attend the meeting; perhaps she was anticipating something. A powerful male had a fatal attraction for her. Her sister had already recognized Arthas's strength, and she had witnessed it personally.
If she wanted to reclaim her Guardian power, she might truly have to rely on Arthas.
Sylvanas did not attend the meeting. She needed rest, to temporarily set aside all politics and military affairs, and to stop worrying about the Blood Elf race. She focused entirely on hiding away to be a good wife and preparing to be a mother.
Therefore, Vereesa, who was present, perfectly replaced her duties—and perhaps there were other obligations she needed to help with.
The Naga representative Vashj, the chief handmaiden Jandice, the Nightborne representative Thalyssra, the Night Elf High Priestess Tyrande, and others were all gathered. Interestingly, everyone attending the meeting was female.
It was unclear whether this was Arthas's peculiar taste or if females were simply more powerful than males.
In fact, there were some private vassals present, but they were not qualified to attend the meeting; they were positioned as cannon fodder or high-level thugs.
For example, the Orcs of the Warsong Clan, the Mantid, the Gnoll, the Harpies, and so on. Their intelligence was not sufficient to support them in strategic discussions.
Vashj had been following Arthas lately. This was the Queen's command: while monitoring Arthas, if she were fortunate enough to get pregnant, that would naturally be for the best.
As for why she was being monitored, it was likely due to ten thousand years of resentment and the fear that Arthas might suddenly vanish again.
"The first method is to find two Titan Keepers, figure out why they are fighting, and persuade them to help us. It's impossible for Keepers to fight internally for no reason, and the fact that other Keepers haven't intervened is very strange. This method is somewhat time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it can serve as a diversion to attract Loken's attention in Ulduar, making him overlook our infiltration."
"The second method is a direct invasion. Although Titan facilities have more advanced code, there are still races on Azeroth that can bypass their system limitations. That would be the dwarven explorers; an expedition team dedicated to excavating ruins has extensive experience in entering various Titan sites."
"The third method is to find another Titan Keeper who is in conflict with Loken and possesses enough strength to tie down Ulduar's defenders on the front lines. You might be somewhat familiar with this candidate: Prime Designate Odyn."
Arthas proposed three methods; in truth, none of them would work alone. However, if used in combination, the success rate would skyrocket!
Often, the archaeologists of expedition teams are masters at pulling monsters, inadvertently provoking mysterious enemies. They have many ways to open doors, some quite bizarre; as long as they are on the field, opening a door is usually not the issue. The problem is how to settle the series of consequences triggered after the door is opened, otherwise, they just cause trouble.
The most typical example is the fall of Gnomeregan. Everyone knows that Troggs dug tunnels from underground to attack Gnomeregan. They are thick-skinned and possess immense strength; in an underground combat environment, many large machines cannot be utilized.
To be honest, the Gnomes fighting on the front lines are no different from adult humans, putting them at a natural disadvantage compared to other species. In a restricted environment, it is extremely unwise to pit one's weaknesses against the enemy's strengths.
The question is, where did the Troggs come from?
It was because the Ironforge explorers were excavating artifacts near the Titan facility of Uldaman. They accidentally activated the sealed, inferior earthen Vrykul. These earthen Vrykul were failed creations; after being sealed, the Curse of Flesh caused them to transform into Troggs.
They had originally been in a state of slumber until the archaeological drilling woke them up. They crawled out from underground to besiege the expedition. After leaving behind many corpses, the expedition fled back to Ironforge in disgrace. Little did they know they had long been targeted; Troggs have unique tracking skills, and since dwarves also evolved from iron Vrykul transformed by the Curse of Flesh, the Troggs tracked them all the way from Uldaman to Ironforge.
Despite a distance of over two thousand kilometers, they managed to dig a tunnel through the underground. Since Troggs are similar in size to dwarves, the tunnel wasn't difficult to dig, and they could even eat the excavated soil to replenish their energy, so progress was exceptionally rapid.
Gnomeregan and Ironforge are very close, with the distance between them not even exceeding fifty li. Because the Gnomes specialize in mechanical engineering, the roaring sound of machinery underground attracted the Troggs who had tracked the dwarves to Ironforge, leading to the invasion of Gnomeregan.
This incident had long since been analyzed and presented to King Magni of Ironforge. When this short-tempered king learned that his own archaeological excavations had drawn the enemy and led to the fall of his allies, he was so furious that he gave Brann Bronzebeard—the master of pulling monsters—a severe beating, nearly killing him.
It was only thanks to the persuasion of his brother Muradin, and the fact that Brann was also Magni's brother, that he wasn't executed. However, he was still locked away in solitary confinement to reflect on his actions, only to be released once he had truly repented.
Furthermore, he did his utmost to compensate the Gnomes for their losses. After all, this was an accident caused by his own brother; taking the initiative to compensate would save face, otherwise, the Alliance might have fractured.
Their capital was lost and so many of their kin had died; such an event was already extremely severe. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a blood feud—a mortal enmity!
A flicker of disgust flashed in the Red Dragon Queen's eyes. She was not a magnanimous woman and could be just as petty as anyone else.
The aforementioned Odyn was one of the reasons. Back when the five Aspects were being blessed, Odyn was the one who voiced the strongest opposition.
He claimed that the Keepers alone were sufficient to protect Azeroth and that these native creatures lacked the strength and status to bear the title of protector. Consequently, he refused to help during the blessing ceremony and even clamored to kill the Aspects, refusing to allow the honor of the Keepers to be desecrated.
There were nine Keepers in total: Archaedas the King of Earth, Loken the King of Wisdom, Thorim the King of Storms, Hodir the King of Ice, Mimiron the King of Invention, Freya the Queen of life, Tyr the King of Order,
Highkeeper Ra and Prime Designate Odyn.
They were created long ago during the campaign against the Old Gods. The Titans could not descend to Azeroth, nor could the planet sustain beings of such immense power. To ensure that azeroths world soul was not seized by the Void but instead became a member of the Pantheon of Order, the Titan Keepers were created to combat the armies of the Old Gods and seal the Old Gods away.
After sealing the Old Gods, these Keepers built numerous facilities to transform the world soul into the Order alignment and to reshape Azeroth as a member of the Pantheon. They aimed to subtly change the world soul through the environment.
Odyn held the highest authority among all the Keepers. He was short-tempered and unscrupulous in his methods; as long as the mission could be completed, anything could be sacrificed. The most classic example was his creation of the Valarjar army for the Hall of Valor, using Val'kyr to transform souls into undead-like entities to forge a unique and valiant fighting force.
"I know his temper isn't great, but that's exactly why we need to use him."
"Moreover, letting him clash with Loken has one benefit: it will completely destroy the early warning mechanisms within Ulduar."
"With Odyn creating a diversion at the front, we can infiltrate Ulduar and find the other Keepers who have been controlled or possibly even corrupted. This is called recycling waste. A foul and stubborn temper is no excuse—doesn't he pride himself on being the Prime Designate? Then let's give him something to do."
Arthas had already planned a strategy of 'driving the tiger to swallow the wolf.' It was now impossible for the Burning Legion to invade again. The Tomb of Sargeras was under his control and had been turned into an energy extractor; no matter how many came, they would just be fuel.
Since Azeroth lacked any other energy source sufficient to form a large-scale portal, the matter of the Burning Legion could be set aside for now, unless they attacked from Outland. But if that happened, they could simply use superior forces to blockade the portal and keep them trapped inside.
Alexstrasza tilted her head slightly; if she could have her revenge, that would naturally be for the best. She picked up her coffee and took a sip. This sweet, caffeinated drink tasted better than plain coffee—rich and refreshing. Humans truly were the race that knew best how to enjoy themselves.
"But we don't know where Odyn is. Getting that old stubborn fool to act won't be easy, I'm afraid."
.
Sometimes ideas are great and perfect in theory. But during actual execution, one realizes that plans often fail to keep up with changes. Finding Odyn, persuading him, or figuring out how to trigger a conflict between Odyn and Loken—all of these were difficult to predict.
Arthas looked at the deep-purple-skinned elf mage with a half-smile.
"Elisande is very good friends with Helya. Helya is Odyn's adopted daughter. Odyn traded a unique technique from the Shadowlands Realm to transform her into a special soul existence that isn't made of matter and isn't quite undead—essentially a monster."
"Helya hates Odyn and sealed his Hall of Valor in a place similar to an elemental plane. Now, Odyn can only watch helplessly as external events unfold, lacking the power to break the seal himself."
"If we can persuade Helya to move Odyn's Hall of Valor to Ulduar and let him out to fight Loken, it will distract Loken and surely allow us to smoothly carry out our plan to deal with the other Keepers. If we're lucky, the two of them will both be wounded, providing us with a convenient opportunity to take over."
The plan was good, but there was one slight flaw. Helya had been able to seal Odyn only with Loken's assistance. Getting Helya to move against Loken now would be somewhat difficult.
It seemed they had reached a deadlock. Was the plan to be shelved?
Arthas shared everything he knew, including the cooperation between Helya and Loken. He also mentioned the Platinum Discs he had obtained from Brann, which recorded the entire process of Loken framing his brothers and triggering the Keeper civil war—this was the best evidence.
The Platinum Discs could not be forged or altered with current technology. As long as Odyn saw them and it was revealed that Loken was already a puppet of Yogg-Saron, there was no doubt the two would go to war.
As long as the two sides went to war, Ulduar's iron army would no longer be an insurmountable obstacle. The frontal pressure would all fall on Odyn, and wouldn't doing whatever he wanted then be a simple matter?
The women fell into deep thought after hearing this. The plan sounded good, but how to persuade Helya was the key—or rather, what price would they have to pay to get Helya on their side?
None of those present were ordinary women. It was irrational and inappropriate to talk about feelings in such a major matter. Good relations were merely a foot in the door; without them, one wouldn't even have the standing for an equal conversation.
The key was still profit. What kind of price could they offer to move her?
"The idea is good. Once you settle the Helya part, the rest won't be an issue. With the evidence in your hand and the news of Tyr's death, it will be enough to make Odyn declare war on Loken."
Ysera, seeing that no one else was speaking, had to be the one to start. As for asking the expedition archaeologists for help, was that even an issue?
With one message from Arthas, wouldn't Magni just take the opportunity to do a favor and release his brother? If not for the concern about affecting the alliance with the Gnomes, Magni would never have kept him locked up for life given their brotherhood; he couldn't exactly treat Brann like Illidan, could he?
"No problem, I'll handle Helya. You all will be responsible for scouting Ulduar—it's best to approach quietly and conduct a field investigation. This scroll can help you teleport back under any circumstances, though it takes a few seconds to activate, so be careful not to be interrupted."
"I've prepared five Evasion Scrolls for each of you. If you run out, stop the scouting; do not act impulsively or recklessly. What we need to do is ensure safety while scouting. It's not worth losing your life over this, nor is it necessary."
Arcane magic is not omnipotent. There are anti-magic zones where no magic can be cast—let alone a fireball, not even a spark can be produced. In an anti-magic zone, a mage goes from being a noble lord of magic to an ordinary person. When that time comes, they really can only use their staves to whack people. If magic can't be used, what else can they do with a staff?
These Evasion Scrolls were system items with absolute stability. Once activated, they could ignore all restrictions to teleport away, leaving no worry about encountering bizarre situations or emergencies.
Almost everyone here was one of his own—some were his bedmates, others were future bedmates. Naturally, he couldn't let anything happen to them; safety measures had to be in place.
Jandice was quite surprised and moved to see that she had a share as well. She had never expected to become a queen, as she was just a handmaid. Only now did she realize she always had a place in her master's heart, though she didn't know her mother had a share too.
"Does Master not need me to stay and serve him?"
Arthas pinched her cheek. He had a great deal of affection for this boss from Scholomance. To be able to keep a boss by his side as a handmaid, he was certainly the first to venture into such territory.
"Not this time. I need you to help Alexstrasza and the others with the scouting. Your illusions are already powerful enough to deceive someone of Kiljaeden's level. With your help, this scouting mission will go much more smoothly. Once the mission is complete, you can come back to serve."
"A handmaid doesn't just look after daily life; sometimes you're needed for other things. In the entire Alliance, your illusions are unique. They need to be used in the right place to truly shine; it would be a waste for you to just be a handmaid by my side."
These words were a bit insincere. If Ilucia weren't still researching a vaccine for the Plague, the mother and daughter would likely both be here as handmaids.
As for the role of a handmaid, one was too few, and two weren't many—the more, the better. If one accidentally became pregnant, wouldn't there be someone to take her shift?
"Master, you're so kind. I'll definitely hurry back as soon as I finish the mission."
The term 'handmaid' was used in a broad sense; besides serving the master, they had many things to do. A typical example was Vashj; besides serving Azshara, she also needed to lead armies in battle or execute plans to achieve tactical objectives.
They were essentially no different from being all-rounders. The difference between them and ordinary generals was that they were the inner circle of the inner circle—trusted confidants who could be absolutely relied upon.
This wasn't praise, but a factual assessment. There wasn't a single person in all of Azeroth who could surpass Jandice in illusions. The illusions she wove could make it impossible to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Furthermore, besides casting illusions, she could also see through them. With her present, they could pass right through the middle of an undead army without being discovered.
This was evident from the fact that the airship on the Frozen Throne was never detected from beginning to end. Even Nerzhul, with his magically enhanced mental strength, was deceived. This level of power was truly terrifying.
In the Broken Isles, specifically the southern waters of Stormheim, a towering mist permeates the area year-round. The mist rises from the sea surface, enveloping the sky dozens of meters high, and the narrow coastline stretches as far as the eye can see.
Any experienced captain would subconsciously avoid these mists; rumors say that ships entering the mist will lose their way, and no one has ever come out of that area alive.
Some say it is an ancient treasure hoard, and because the treasures are so precious, it is shrouded in mist. As long as one breaks through the mist and goes deep inside, they will surely find a world-shaking treasure!
This kind of rumor is very popular in taverns; after all, adventurers love these treasure rumors most of all.
These rumors are a mix of truth and lies, and whether they are real can only be discerned by oneself.
Finding treasure is good luck; not finding it is normal. Who would reveal their true treasure? Most of it is just word of mouth, serving as conversation fodder over drinks in a tavern.
Because Arthas changed the timeline, The Maelstrom was not created, so there are many more routes across The Great Sea than before. Thanks to the restoration of Lordaeron and trade with the Night Elves, the number of ocean-going transport ships has also increased significantly.
A round trip can earn quite a lot; one only needs to pay a portion as protection money to have Naga responsible for escorting and protecting them. They can provide early warning for pirates, though a separate fee is charged if they intervene to wipe them out. If they unfortunately encounter a storm and the ship capsizes, crew members who fall into the water can still be rescued.
Although the cargo and the ship are gone, at least their lives are saved.
Of course, there are also those who like to take small advantages and are unwilling to pay protection fees; their safety then becomes their own responsibility. Some have successfully traded cargo and made a fortune, while others have been left destitute by waves and pirates; greed is always the melody that runs through Azeroth's adventurers.
Recently, not only are Alliance members conducting maritime trade, but Orcs from the Horde and Tauren from Thunder Bluff have also joined in. However, most of them are not eligible for trade because Lordaeron will not conduct any trade with them.
The reason is simple: the Lich King in Northrend intended to attack the whole world with an army of undead. To protect the peace of Azeroth, the Alliance paid a huge price to eliminate the Lich King. Now, a large number of undead troops are still blocked at Icecrown Glacier, and every day Alliance soldiers sacrifice themselves to protect the world.
These races that have not fulfilled their responsibility to protect the world naturally do not deserve to trade with Lordaeron. Even the Horde's Great Chieftain Thrall is helpless about this, as they are in the wrong. If they want to argue, they face the Orcs of the Warsong Clan. This clan, under their chieftain's leadership, defected to the Lordaeron Emperor Arthas, leading every battle and never retreating, no matter how great the sacrifice.
In return, their treatment was raised by a level. They were also encouraged to reproduce and to marry Orcs from other clans to bring them into the fold.
Yes, marry. Regardless of gender, if outside Orcs want to join, they can only join the Warsong Clan. It is normal for females to marry into the clan, but male Orcs also need to marry in, which is essentially no different from being a matrilocal son-in-law.
As for humiliation?
Orcs will never be slaves!
But if room and board are included, it can be seriously considered.
In the Night Palace of Suramar City—formerly the Nighthold—the place had been converted into a palace and served as Arthas's temporary residence and living quarters.
Listening to Elisande's tales of strange occurrences, everyone found them very interesting. After all, life in the streets is full of the atmosphere of daily life; such a life is very tedious, scurrying for a living, perhaps eating this meal today without knowing what the next meal will be tomorrow—not because they are picky eaters, but because they have no money.
No other fleets dock at Suramar City; the Naga are personally responsible for transporting goods. However, in the distance where it borders the Broken Shore, there is a large dock. That is the transit station for the Broken Isles, where food, fresh water, and other supplies can be replenished. It also provides ship repair services; ships damaged by hitting rocks, storms, or various accidents can be repaired here.
Compared to the deserted past, the gradual increase in the atmosphere of daily life has enriched the lives of the Nightborne. They also go to the Broken Docks to set up stalls, using unique crafts to exchange for materials, which was almost impossible before. This also gives them a sense of being alive.
Previously, although they could survive, they were mostly living numbly. Day after day of repetitive labor, serving the high-ranking nobles. Now it is for themselves; their lives have improved, their grievances have decreased, and naturally, they have become more obedient and cohesive.
"Helya is in Helheim. Although my relationship with her is decent, I've known her long enough to know she is a particularly stubborn person. She is a woman who sticks to her principles, and also a pitiful woman."
"Master, if you want to persuade her, you must offer conditions sufficient to move her heart. What she wants most is revenge against Odyn, or greater strength. Other precious jewelry and delicious food have no effect on her, and a honey trap won't work either."
Elisande added one last sentence, wondering if her master would have any thoughts about Helya.
Arthas irritably slapped her plumpness, drawing a cry of pain from her.
"What are you thinking! I have no interest in souls, and don't think of me as so wretched and base; I am a normal person. Have you seen me with a female Orc partner? Have you seen me with a female Troll partner?"
Yes, you don't, but what about Tauren?
No Tauren either! Don't talk nonsense, there's no such thing; saying more is just slander!
"Ouch, it's my fault, I said the wrong thing. Master, forgive me, I will definitely be obedient!"
Elisande took the opportunity to act coquettishly; she looked to be in her early thirties, but who would have thought she was actually much older than Tyrande.
Age is not really a factor in Azeroth; except for humans, immortal or long-lived races basically have their appearance fixed after reaching adulthood and do not change with the passage of time.
It was only in the palace that Elisande dared to act like this; if it were outside, being watched by so many of her kin, she, as an Archmage, would need to save some face. Although nothing would happen, if other Nightborne saw it, their jaws might drop in surprise—was this still the Archmage they knew?
"Alright, I'll punish you tonight. Now contact Helya; I have some things to talk to her about. I will find a way to get what she needs; you just need to arrange a meeting with her."
Arthas was not worried about being unable to persuade her. If he had to sacrifice one Odyn to gain Helya's help and trust, he would do so without hesitation. Because Odyn was an old-fashioned, obstinate Titan Keeper, and even other Titan Keepers were not very fond of him.
He was powerful, yes, but his emotional intelligence was a major flaw. No one liked having such a person as a colleague, let alone thinking about handling matters with him.
Besides, he had been trapped by Helya in an otherworldly plane for ten thousand years—it might have been twenty thousand years by now. Even if he still had combat power, there probably wouldn't be much left.
This was a creation that absolutely obeyed the Titans; once he deviated from the Titans' plan, the other would not hesitate to move against him. From the feedback from Azeroth's world soul, the Titans were not exactly good people either; they were more interested in transforming Azeroth's world soul into a member of the Order faction.
Perhaps it was because of the world soul's uniqueness, having the most powerful potential and being able to surpass all of them. The Pantheon would want to transform the world soul into one of their own; even if they were eventually wiped out, as long as the world soul was fixed as part of the Order, it would be hard to change back.
The Burning Legion was like this, and so was the Pantheon.
What Arthas wanted to do was to liberate the world soul and let her freely choose which faction to join. Or rather, let her become a higher-level existence that surpassed previous cognitive systems, where even the Primal Forces could not limit her.
This was definitely not something Odyn would want to see; once he found out, he would surely try his best to stop him. As for persuading Odyn?
Arthas had no such intention and felt it was unnecessary. The energy and time invested would be enough to do many other things. Now, it was perfect to let him fight Loken to the death, using someone else's power to consume Ulduar's strength; that was the most perfect plan.
A short while later, Elisande returned with a smile on her face.
"Master, Helya is willing to see you, but she set the location in Helheim. That place is an otherworldly plane; if she doesn't open the permissions, no one can leave. I can't guarantee if she will have other intentions, so please consider carefully. There is no need to put yourself in danger just for a negotiation with her."
"You are our King; your existence is the foundation that maintains the Empire. Please let me talk to her again, or I will go and talk to her."
Her words were not wrong. She might have fallen in love with Arthas a little, but it was more for her own interests. If something happened to Arthas, not only would Lordaeron be in danger of collapsing, but even the Nightborne would become lost due to losing their faith, potentially leading them down a path that would harm the world.
In every sense, whether personal or public, she did not want anything to happen to her master. This price was too heavy for her to bear.
The Red Dragon Queen Alexstrasza was not here; if she were, she wouldn't allow Arthas to do this either, as it was too dangerous. This was not the same as the Elemental Planes; the Elemental Planes could still be entered and exited freely, and for powerful existences, that bit of planar barrier was simply not worth noting.
Unfortunately, no one was accompanying him now; even Vereesa had been arranged to scout for intelligence on Ulduar.
"Don't worry, no one can keep me there. Even in the true Shadowlands Realm, I can come and go as I please. Go tell her that I will keep the appointment tomorrow."
Arthas's current strength was already extraordinary. After killing the Lich King Nerzhul, his strength had risen another level. Now he could use the magic, elements, and other primal forces surrounding the world to achieve levitation and flight; his speed was no less than that of an adult dragon soaring, and there was still room for improvement.
Seeing her master's persistence, Elisande had done all she could. She could only think that if something really happened, she would fight to the death to send Arthas out. As long as her master lived, there would be a way to save her; this was blind trust.
That night, Elisande received her punishment as she wished.
This was a great opportunity; if she didn't grasp it well, she wouldn't be an Archmage.
If she were lucky, perhaps she could be like Queen Azshara and bear her master an offspring. She wasn't greedy; just one, one would be enough.
The next day, early morning.
On the coastline of Stormheim, the area was still shrouded in thick fog. Occasionally, some tattered ships covered in seaweed could be seen, carrying undersea Vrykul ghosts. They were Helya's subordinates; these Vrykul ghosts could not ascend to the Hall of Valor. They were the most brave and battle-hardened warriors in life, intercepted and taken by Helya as her subordinates.
Their eyes were hollow and numb, as if they had no expectations for their current state. They were no different from the walking dead. Don't be fooled by their numbness; if they saw a living being approaching, because the curse had tortured them into a state that was neither human nor ghost, they would attack any living being and tear them to shreds.
This was also why the waters in this area seemed exceptionally eerie; not even a single living sea fish could be seen. They had all been hunted clean by these Vrykul, and the remaining schools of fish had long since fled this area.
Leaving might cause a great loss in the population size, but if they didn't leave, the entire population would cease to exist.
The two arrived at the designated location, standing by the cold and damp coastline, perched atop a huge rock. The waves crashed against the giant rock beneath their feet, splashing up sprays of water.
It was clearly perceptible that there was also a mist here that blocked spiritual perception. For casters, attempting to cast spells in such an environment required more concentration and would lead to quicker fatigue.
This place was very similar to a location in Northrend, which was also shrouded in mist like this. The difference was that place was not as gloomy or oppressive as this one; it was just that the mist blocked one's vision.
After waiting for an unknown amount of time, Arthas had already sensed a huge ship sailing toward them from a distance. He couldn't tell what era that ship was a product of, nor which race's work it was.
With a tattered deck and a hull covered in green seaweed, it carried Vrykul wearing pirate hats. Their faces were ferocious, and the spears in their hands were covered in spots of rust. If one were stabbed by these, the injury itself would be secondary; a tetanus infection would be the main concern.
One might not die on the spot, but after returning, they would still fall ill. The injury would not heal, and they would eventually die under the torture of the disease.
Elisande tightened her mage robes, her brow furrowed in dislike for such a place. For a Highborne who had enjoyed a life of luxury and wealth, this place was no different from being imprisoned in a dungeon.
Fortunately, as the sound of a vast horn blast echoed, the pirate ship sent to receive them slowly appeared.
"Kill them all!"
For some reason, the first mate on the ship suddenly drew his pirate sword and shouted in the Vrykul language.
Elisande was about to act when she was stopped by Arthas. Looking up again, she saw all the undead Vrykul who were about to attack fall one by one, turning into puddles of water and seaweed.
This was total annihilation, where even their souls no longer existed!