Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 250, Section 7: This was absolutely the darkest day in elven history.

"I'll just take a nap."

General Staghelm, whose hibernation had been interrupted, sighed as he sat opposite Diakum, who looked embarrassed.

It's really not his fault!

The main reason is that when someone broke down the door and saw that classic "suicide scene," who wouldn't have dirty thoughts?

And your title of Elf General is outrageous!
It's just insomnia, why are you using sleeping pills? And why do you have to act like you're peacefully passing away? Besides, do you even look at what Cenarion Hold looks like now?
How can you sleep with this?

At your age, in this situation, how do you manage to sleep?
“Alright, I know you mean well, and I can’t blame you. Lord Marad must have misunderstood. I locked myself in the command room to write a top-secret report.”

Vastan Staghelm chuckled bitterly, touched his rough skin, and sighed:
"I hesitated for a long time before deciding to report what happened here to the Black Raven King. After sending the letter, I decided to rest for a while due to the long period of mental exhaustion. After all, my great druid father taught me from a young age that getting good sleep is the best way to maintain mental well-being."

He paused, then said:

"Moreover, the situation at the fortress is now beyond what I can salvage with orders. The soldiers' spirits and their dignity are crumbling together. A vicious plague is ravaging our bodies, but its target is our souls."

The demons succeeded, and the Quicksand Guard collapsed almost overnight.

Forget about fighting, my warriors have become walking corpses.

They would rather die in battle than see themselves like this. Trolls? Why trolls of all! Why did that damned plague transform us from noble beings into savage trolls?

Diakum really wanted to say that this was how the code for flesh and blood degeneration was written, and this kind of thing definitely needs to be traced back to its source.

Even the most malicious methods of the life force must follow biological principles to be effective. If it could truly turn elves into goblins, it wouldn't be a plague but a magical curse.

Conversely, if it were truly just a simple curse, it would be absolutely impossible for it to cause such a terrifying collective mental breakdown among the resilient elves. Now, the elves are forced to confront the "truth" they have resisted for over ten thousand years.

All I can say is that lies don't hurt people; the truth is the sharpest knife.

Unfortunately, he couldn't say it aloud, or even hint at, the kinship between elves and trolls. Otherwise, the sighing General Staghelm would surely grab his cool-looking sword and launch a Mak'gora attack on the Vigilant to uphold racial dignity.

This thing is the elves' "political correctness," a racial bottom line that cannot be touched. Its level of provocation is basically equivalent to calling a Chinese person a "small fry." When you say that, you should be prepared to face "a powerful force cracking your skull."

Therefore, Dick decided to steer clear of the topic.

He glanced at General Staghelm's arm, which had been severed for a thousand years but was now slowly healing itself, and thought to himself that the dark troll's self-healing ability was simply outrageous.

"The problem now is that there are deserters in the fortress, and I am almost certain that the warriors were bewitched by the dark forces hidden in the Silithus desert when they had a mental breakdown."

You have been stationed here for thousands of years, so you should be well aware that there are some morbid things hidden in this desert.

It claims to the devastated that it can bring back what it has lost.

Diakum glanced at Vastan Staghelm, whose expression was subtle, and said:
"The most terrifying thing is that it can actually do that. So, General, how do you plan to deal with the inevitable large-scale defection that will follow? To put it more bluntly, is the reason you took the deep sleep potion because you also heard the whispers in the darkness?"

"I"

Vastan gritted his teeth, a gesture that revealed his own fangs, which were also growing. He stroked the strange crystalline war sword beside him, a symbol of a thousand years of merit, and said:
“I heard it, the Thousand-Eyed Demon whispered to me, promising to break the demons’ humiliation of us, to restore our lost dignity, all we need to do is kneel and pray to it, and become its followers in the darkness.”

But I refused it!

The robust elven general said sternly:

"The War of the Shifting Sands a thousand years ago was a war between the Kaldorei Moon Goddess Kingdom and its shameless servants. With the help of our noble allies, we suffered heavy casualties before driving the Ragnaros back to their dark lair."

I lost too many comrades in that battle, and their spirits watch over me from the branches of the World Tree.

I would rather maintain this cursed appearance than allow myself to stoop to the point of bowing down to my enemies.

However.
My morals and vows can only bind myself, just as I firmly believe that even if I were to become a pathetic troll, my wife, children, and parents would never abandon me, and the bonds of family protect my unwavering will.

But I can't guarantee that others will be as resolute as I am.

General Deer Helmet stood up, gazing anxiously and with a hint of worry at the endless yellow sand outside the window. He whispered:
"What worries me more is that such dark whispers will spread throughout the entire Moon God Kingdom. How can we expect the common people to have the same steadfast minds as the warriors? With just a little temptation, there may be more tragedies of families being torn apart and lives lost."

Plague
This vile calamity must be cured immediately. I heard from Lord Marad that you possess a cure for the plague?

"Yes, the Forest Sage has arrived in Azeroth, and the archdruids who went to Draenor to study by accident are also learning the secret art of manipulating degenerate spores in my second homeland."

The vigilant replied:

"They will return soon. If the Black Crow King wants to end the disaster as soon as possible, perhaps he should take the initiative to send people to the Eastern Continent to make contact with the Forest Spirit Sages."

The Kaldorei elves live in harmony with nature, and you and the forest elves are all companions of life. As long as we obtain the method, the spread of the demonic plague in Kalimdor will be quickly contained, but you... if I may be frank, you may become the 'victims'.

The degeneration of flesh and blood is irreversible.

General Deer Helmet fell silent; his sorrow was palpable without a word.

"Sage, the Black Crow King's messenger has arrived at the fortress."

Irelia called from outside the door:

"The newcomer has a terrible temper. He claims to be General Deer Helmet's father, and even though we told him there's a plague raging in the fortress, he still insists. Oh dear! Don't go over there. At least have your son wear a mask to cover his face!"

"Get out of the way, you hoofed man! That's my son!"

A roar came from outside the door. The door, which had just been covered by a panel, was damaged a second time, and a tall, old druid with a long beard and adorned with vines and flowers rushed in.

Diakum was surprised to see that Old Staghelm also had "antlers" on his forehead, just like Malfurion in his memory.

This means that Fandral Staghelm in this timeline also received the favor of the forces of nature, delved deeply into the druidic path, and even experienced this "advanced alienation" due to the convergence of the life force.

"Oh, my son! Why have you suffered such terrible treatment!"

When Old Staghelm saw his son's "ugly" troll form, the hot-tempered but family-loving old man broke down. He rushed over, hugged Vastan, and wailed. He frantically took out various holy relics he had brought to try to "exorcise" his son, leaving General Staghelm helpless.

The good news is that Old Deerhelm did not distance himself from his son because of the degeneration of his flesh and blood.

The bad news is, Dad! Can't you be a little more assertive? You're supposed to be a great druid, yet you're crying and whining like this, making me lose face in front of my new friends!
Old Deer Helmet did not come alone.

Clearly, the secret report that General Staghelm had previously sent to King Black Crow had attracted considerable attention.

Behind Staghelm, several elves dressed as spellcasters hurried over. After witnessing the final stage of the plague's degeneration, these dignified elven mages felt a chill run down their spines.

They underestimated the "viciousness" of the plague.

The thought of the Kaldorei kingdom being overrun with "dark trolls" in the future filled these mages with murderous intent.

"quick!"

The Black Crow King's special envoy, Master Latusius, the honorary commander of the Moon Guard, shouted with trembling fingers:

"Quickly send a message back to His Majesty Kutalos, and immediately dispatch someone to the Eastern Continent to make contact with the Forest Spirits! At this point, all domestic affairs are unimportant! We must immediately control the spread of the Demonic Plague, at all costs!"
"Oh my God, by Elune above, this is absolutely terrible."

There's no need to worry so much.

Diakum reminded him from the side:

"The Sand Guardians of Cenarion Hold were the first elves to be infected. According to my disciple's records, it took them about forty-five days after infection for their flesh and blood to degenerate into the form of dark trolls to suffer the tragedy."

Based on the pattern of the spread of the plague, the Kaldorei have at least twenty days left to save themselves.

If you act efficiently enough, you should be able to stop this before the people degenerate into dark trolls.

"A lie! What are you implying?"

Master Lattusius was an upper elf, but ten thousand years of life was enough for him to integrate into Kaldorei society.

His beard trembled with rage as he glared at the vicious "human." If the circumstances hadn't been so dire, the Grand Mage would have certainly given this foul-mouthed human a good lesson.

What does it mean to "degenerate into a dark troll form"?
Listen to what you're saying! Are you implying that elves and trolls are related?
I think you really deserve to hear the "falling stars" meme!

"The forest spirits are also part of the cosmic order, aren't they? Have they been exposed to the concepts in the Emerald Dream before?" Master Staghelm, who had only managed to calm himself after a long while with his son's reassurance, inquired carefully. After receiving confirmation, this great druid, who was decisive in everything except matters concerning his family, said in a deep voice:
"Other ways of contacting them are too slow! I want to open a path here that crosses the dream realm and connects directly to that area called 'Elwynn Forest,' so that the Forest Spirit Sages can be brought into our forest in the fastest way possible."

If they are truly soulmates, they can naturally embark on the path of dreams.

Master Lathou, please send a message to Mount Hyjal immediately.

I invite the Emerald Heart and other great druids to join me in opening multiple paths through the Dreamlands and bringing more forest spirits over. You are right, nothing is more important than the impending calamity right now.

If this matter is not handled properly, the people's morale will plummet into its darkest collapse.

After saying this, Old Deer Helmet turned around and patted his son on the shoulder, saying:
"I will definitely save you, Vastan, I will even risk my old father's life to cure your curse!"
Furthermore, the allure of the Dark Words you mentioned is indeed a problem. It seems the 'Raven Prophet' was right to warn the Black Raven King. At this perilous time, the Dark Families, defeated a thousand years ago, are beginning to stir again.

Then let's have another battle in the quicksand!
This time, we must bury them completely, no matter what.

"Ow"

Just as the Black Crow King's envoy made the decision and prepared to take action, a sharp screech rang out from the command post window.

Dick turned around and saw Nelly's battle pet "Holy Sun" standing there, flapping its scorching wings, with an Arkenite crystal in its mouth for recording.

The vigilant stepped forward, took the crystal, and lit it. Nelly's stern voice rang out from within:

"Dick, bring men to Southwind Village immediately! The Fallen Ones are rampaging here, and the situation is out of control. Many elves have been bewitched, and they are carrying out terrible sacrifices."

“I will go with you, but the Archdruid will stay here to open the dream path.”

Master Latusius and his retinue were the eyes sent here by the Black Raven King. He could not turn a blind eye to the people's suffering, so he quickly mounted his swift hippogriffs and followed the Wings of the Sun to ascend through the great sandstorm of Silithus.

By the time they arrived at Southwind Village, which was closer to the black beetle wall, the battle had already begun.

Nelly and Aegwynn are being attacked by a group of strange-looking "insect people," and many bewitched elves are also fighting against them.

The High Elf archmage casting the spell in the air quickly noticed that Aegwynn was the same "Raven Prophet" who had acted so rudely that day, but then his attention was drawn to the elves shrouded in shadow.

"They've recovered?"

He exclaimed in surprise:

"Did the evil god in the darkness truly cleanse them from the torment of fel energy?"

"It's just a physical reconstruction caused by the Blood Curse."

High in the air, Diakum retrieved Kazzak's Soul Staff and slammed it down with Holy Word: Punishment, blasting the ferocious insectoid lord into a spell-free state. Then, Nelly pierced the lord's wings with a barrage of Storm Arrows, causing him to crash miserably into the desert. The bursts of holy light stimulated the elves embracing the void to scream out loud.

He said calmly:
"In their despair, they replaced their curse with another curse, regaining the physical form of elves, at the cost of their souls falling into the shadows of the void, where Elune's moonlight no longer shines upon them."

The battle was over quickly.

The creature that came to Nanfeng Village to "preach" was merely an insectoid lord. Its strength as a high-ranking legendary being, coupled with the blessing of the Void Force, made it incredibly destructive and a dominant force elsewhere. However, facing the overwhelming combination of the Vigilant and Aegwynn, it was already extremely lucky to have left with a complete corpse.

"This guy has exceptional intelligence and can even speak Elvish."

After Dick landed, Nellie dissected the insectoid lord's corpse with a skinning knife, saying:

"Is this what the Qiraji looks like after its 'evolution'? Apart from its limbs and wings, it bears almost no resemblance to its insect siblings. How did it evolve like this?"

"The Blood Curse, isn't that amazing?"

Diakum reminded him:
"Put away its emblem. The insect wings and limbs are good materials for making weapons and armor, and this robe of its. Don't you think it's actually quite beautiful?"

"Huh~"

Archbishop Nelly immediately made a sound of disgust, observed carefully for a few moments, then shook her head and said:

"The style is indeed classic, but it's too revealing. So you like this style?"

"I don't like it, I'm just expressing my opinion."

The vigilant immediately denied it, then coughed and pretended to be a virtuous gentleman as he strode toward the captured Void Believers.

They were bound to the edge of the battlefield by Aegwynn, still wearing the armor of the Sand Shifters, clearly the deserters who had disappeared from the fortress.

"Master! Look, the great Thousand-Eyed Demon has given us new life!"

The commander, though bound, still shouted fanatically at the archmage interrogating him:
"The humiliation brought upon us by the plague has been erased! We have returned to our noble elven form; we are not trolls! We could never be trolls! You were also infected with the plague, weren't you?"

Although you are trying your best to hide it, your weakness cannot be hidden from me.

I've been through this process. Soon, very soon your skin will become dry, fangs will grow in your mouth, and all your splendor will vanish. You will suffer desperately in the darkness, calling out the name of Elune, but the moon goddess has already abandoned us!
She's not coming to save us!

When you awaken in the darkness, the archmage Latusius is already dead, replaced by a lowly dark troll. No light can reach you unless you embrace Him, just as we do!

The commander shouted at the top of his lungs, like a pig being slaughtered:

"I know you are watching! I know you are listening! People of Nanfeng Village, there is no need to hide in your houses ashamed to be seen! The demon has cast a curse, but the void has brought healing."

Either abandon your dignity and become a troll amidst the scorn of your compatriots, or embrace the void and rise noble again in the darkness. Make your choice; there is no third option.

"puff"

The frenzied shouts came to an abrupt halt with the slicing of the sharp arcane blade. The elf, his spine severed, fell into a pool of his own blood, and the hot desert wind grew even colder.

The archmage Lathou seemed very cold; his arms were trembling.

As Diakum approached, he heard him muttering to himself:

"It's not just the Kaldorei, all the elves will become like this. Azshara will kill us all after she awakens. We've made a mess of her people. My God, the darkest day in elven history has arrived."

The vigilant reached out and patted the archmage on the shoulder without saying a word. When he looked up, he keenly noticed that terrified eyes were shining in the windows of the deathly silent Southwind Village.

It was just like a group of desperate dark trolls seeing indifferent elves coming to kill them, a scene that had happened countless times over the past.

"This is a devil's plot, designed to incite internal strife among you!"

Aegwynn said loudly:

"Don't be bewitched by them. Don't raise your swords against your own people. They have only changed their appearance; their souls are still spirits!"

“No, no, no, Aegwynn’s warnings can’t save them and their shattered dignity, but you can, Diakum.”

The Shadow Words then began to entice:

"The plague has spread to all parts of the world. Even if the Kaldorei can ask the forest elves for help to save themselves, what about the Highborne on the Broken Isles? No one will help them! The newly born dark trolls will eventually face the malice from the world. At that time, will the Kaldorei lay down their weapons against those corrupted dark trolls?"
Don't be silly!
Slaying trolls is an elf tradition.

Even after the cataclysmic destruction, the Kaldorei will still hunt down the trolls of Kalimdor. Just because they can tolerate it now doesn't mean they can in the future.

Heh, so what if you have the soul of an elf?
Not everyone can appreciate the beauty of the soul. If their bodies are trolls, then they are a pathetic bunch of trolls!

Only the Curse of Flesh and Blood, which reshapes the body, is the only way to bring the dark trolls back from despair.

C'Thun certainly has its purpose. The Thousand-Eyed Demon is not pure enough, but you can spread such 'Void Blessing' in the name of salvation.

Do you want to learn the Blood Curse?

"We would be happy to teach you that the power of the void can also be used for salvation. Power itself has no good or evil, does it? Diakum, look at the fear in the eyes of these newborn trolls. Shouldn't you help them?"

"You're using moral blackmail on me again. Is this the only trick you ever use?"

The vigilant rebuked himself in his heart:
"How about something new?"

"Ha, the method isn't new, as long as it works, that's fine. So, what's your answer to our moral blackmail?"

(End of this chapter)