Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 322, Section 12: Elves and Ogres - True Friends Are Those Who Can Share Secrets
Zulushid is dead!

The whispers of the void echoed in the ears of the Arakkoa sage, carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

Saratas casually plucked the heartstrings of his "little pet" and whispered to it:
"The poor fellow's soul was split into three parts: the part belonging to the demon was burned to ashes by the vigilant, the part belonging to death was ruthlessly taken away, and the last third was devoured by his greedy demonic scythe."

Ha, I told you long ago, that kind of magical weapon, the Uthalus War Scythe, is not worth relying on at all!

The mad soul residing within harbors a terrifying ambition; it cares not how long Zulushid has served it, it has forgotten the losers and savored the feast, eagerly anticipating the service of the next victim.

You mustn't follow his example, Escalade. Don't dabble in powers you can't control.

"Yes, dear Xalatas, I will certainly follow your teachings."

The Arakkoa sage, who was holding the blade of the Dark Empire and channeling void magic, replied respectfully.

At this moment, it was connected to the Sea of ​​No Light in a frenzied physical form, constantly channeling the erosion of the Void into the body of the tormented Dragon King Ysera before it, intending to first remove the Fel Seed that led the Dragon King to corruption, and then place the Void Seed into it.

Because Zul'jid's desperate resistance gave Eskar enough time to cast his spell, it had now entered the second phase of mental corruption with the help of Xal'atath.

In order to bring the dazed Ysera into the embrace of the Void as quickly as possible, Xal'atath even resorted to self-mutilation. As the host of the "Pioneer," the Dark Empire's Blade was weathered away, dripping dark fragments every second.

This fully proves that Xaratas also had his own "selfish motives".

She seemed to have grown tired of the days spent hiding in this dagger and was eager to find a powerful enough "body" for herself.

The Sleeper Ysera has been stripped of her Titan powers and is now suffering from primal degeneration, causing her to lose her mind. All that is needed is to use this opportunity to erase her original memories and consciousness, and I can easily crush the mind of this powerful dragon king, devouring her soul while performing a perfect "resurrection."

Although Xalatas didn't say it, this "Void Herald" clearly sensed the menacing approach of his "competitor".

She also has her own deep-sea kin, and theoretically the entire Naga Empire is her servant. However, a "faith broker" must be self-aware; if she were to actually plunge her hand into the deep sea, N'Zoth would certainly not be happy.

The Old Gods longed to devour the world, but Xalatas had no such ambition.

She and the Old Gods were merely superficial collaborators, so when facing Diakum, this "challenging" fellow, she had very few cards to play.

But it doesn't matter!

Once I control Ysera and become the "Green Dragon Queen," the now severely weakened Green Dragonflight will instantly become my formidable base.

That was a brilliant plan!

"boom"

Just as Xalatas was having a beautiful dream, a sudden explosion made her and her pet turn around at the same time, and then they saw the blood-covered leader Margok crashing into the deep dream in a disheveled state.

The fact that the ogre leader was brought to such a wretched state shows that it must have encountered something quite dangerous when it was banished to its own nightmare.

But it wasn't the only one that came.

Kael'thas Sunstrider, who was panting and supporting himself with his broken staff and bent magic sword, was equally disheveled, but the perfect prince was determined to maintain his composure under any circumstances.

Therefore, although his robes had turned into beggar's clothes, some of his long golden hair had been burned off, and his fair face was stained, all his disheveled state was restored to its best condition in an instant as he took out a very familiar handkerchief to wipe his face.

Well, this magic handkerchief that can quickly handle most bad situations is truly an essential item for home and travel. You deserve to have it!

Perhaps it was fate that brought these two men vying for the Guardian's Staff to this place at the same time.

As the two looked up, they were awestruck by Ysera's massive, ferocious, and majestic dragon form, but the next second, the two powerful spellcasters noticed Eskar and the bewitching dark blade in its hand.

"They are infusing the Green Dragon Queen with void!"

The two heads of Führer Margok shouted:

“I’ve seen that traitor Gugar use such magic before. This bastard is trying to lure this powerful dragon king into the void. Ah! So this tower’s dream hides such a secret.”

“They must be stopped. This is not just about the Guardian Staff, Lord Margok. It involves a missing dragon king, and this is a matter of life and death for the world.”

Kael'thas glanced at the bent longsword in his hand, shook his head, threw it to the ground, tossed aside the broken staff, and then activated his true "trump card."

As the flames rose, three emerald green orbs floated from Kai's shoulders and head like luxurious ornaments, instantly replenishing his missing magic power and suppressing the magic addiction that was on the verge of exploding under the torment of that damned nightmare.

These three orbs are secret weapons that the Phoenix Guardians specially crafted for their grandson-in-law using materials from the Sunwell's core crystal. They can not only store magic power but also serve as spellcasting weapons to enhance Kael'thas's magical destructive power.

"I knew you were hiding something good and hadn't gone all out. You cunning elf! Hmm, I'm really starting to admire you more and more, Kael'thas."

Margok chuckled a few times.

It no longer concealed itself, tossing the ogre holy sword back into its bag, and then took out the Book of Medivh, holding it in its hand so that the pages would automatically stop on a sealing spell without wind.

It's hard to say whether this book was actually written by Medivh during a lucid moment, but what is certain is that, in addition to the various powerful forbidden spells recorded in the book, the grimoire itself is also a top-notch spellcasting tool in the world.

Margok paid a high price to lease the book from Khadgar for fifty years.

"Attack together and interrupt their spellcasting!"

The wizard leader waved his hand, channeling arcane energy to unleash the forbidden seal. Like an invisible blade, it severed a portion of the void that bound Ysera. As it chanted, another head spoke to Kael'thas:
“You attacked that crow-man. The power of the Vigilant is bombarding the dream world. It will soon shatter. As long as we can hold out until we return to the real world, whatever they intend to do will fail.”

"it is good."

Kael'thas cast a spell with his bare hands, and streaks of phoenix fire flew from his slender fingers with a more vibrant and aggressive form, aimed directly at Shadow Sage Eskar.

This Arakkoa is no ordinary being; otherwise, Zul'hild wouldn't have entrusted it with such an important task. It is currently connected to the Sea of ​​No Light, allowing all its warlock magic to be transformed into Void Corruption. With the amplification from the Blade of the Dark Empire, it already possesses some of the aura of a Dark Archon.

Facing Kael'thas's Phoenix Flame, the Shadow Sage neither dodged nor evaded, but instead summoned the Devouring Maw of the Void to launch a counterattack. The mental pressure and tearing force inherent in the magic made Kael'thas suffer greatly. Most importantly, as the fight progressed, he discovered that the Shadow Sage had somehow stirred up his "magic addiction."

That unbearable thirst eroded Kael'thas's will like a deadly poison, making it difficult for him to cast spells accurately and even allowing him to hear a strange, illusory sound:

"Elves, ha ha, your greed is your greatest weakness, Kael'thas Sunstrider, darling of fate. I have been watching you from the shadows of Quel'Thalas since the day you were born."

"You are as weak as you are powerful!"

Xal'tas's voice kept penetrating Kael'thas's mind, an erosion that even the closure of his five senses could not resist. It was like an invisible hand constantly pulling at the hidden dangers Kael'thas had concealed in his body and mind.

Like the inept mine-clearing agents, their purpose wasn't to cure the disease, but to detonate the "bomb" hidden within the bodies of all the high elves.

"Eskar, ignore everything else and continue the ritual!"

The Void Herald, who always maintained an ambiguous demeanor, issued a serious order for the first time, stemming from the Void's power to create a "dark shell" around the Arakkoa, protecting them from the arcane invasion of High Principality Margok.

Aiska was taken aback; it realized it should run for its life.

After all, Zul'hild was dead, and he would certainly not escape the human reckoning, but he extinguished this thought with his own hands in less than a second.

escape?
My dearest Saratas is buying herself time, how can I abandon her and run away alone? I've already lost my beloved, right here on Tongtian Peak, poor wait, what was my beloved's name again?

Why did I forget that name that should have been etched in my mind forever? I should have.
Do not!
wrong!

None of this matters!

Saratas's orders and her desires are what matter most.

Shadow Sage quickly convinced himself and turned to rush toward Ysera, who was being awakened by Lord Margok. Wielding the Blade of the Dark Empire, it once again activated Void Erosion, this time even more recklessly invoking the power of the Sea of ​​No Light, using itself as a node, and pouring it into Ysera's powerful body and spirit like a surging tide.

The sleeper let out a painful cry, feeling her hazy senses being brutally torn apart.

This pain symbolizes that her spirit is being reconstructed by the void, and she is only one step away from the will that Xaratas hopes to inhabit.

Soon!

It's almost finished.

The entire dream was rapidly shattering and collapsing under the merciless blows of the Holy Light Judgment, and it was accelerating its return to the material world. Headmaster Margok realized that the situation was critical. The ogre wizard gritted his teeth and no longer tried to awaken it safely. When he flipped through the magic book in his hand and found a forbidden spell that could shake the soul, he chose to release it without hesitation.

But when he activated the magic, Margok's expression changed drastically.

This mana consumption is strange!

This was definitely not magic written by Medivh; it must have been some forbidden soul spell left by the Dark Titan. It drained Margok's mana almost instantly, causing several Titan-forged runes to teeter on the brink of collapse, but it still managed to be released successfully with minimal effort.

Under the roar of the wizard chieftain, the psychic shockwaves, which materialized, struck everyone present like a heavy hammer.

The weakest of them, Isaac, coughed up blood on the spot, and the Void Infusion ritual was completely interrupted. Ysera was also bombarded and immediately showed signs of awakening. Kael'thas was also able to use the intense pain to get rid of Xal'atath's Void entanglement.

Pale-faced from the torment of his churning magical addiction, Kael'thas gathered his magic into phoenix flames and hurled them at Esca.

The Shadow Sage stared at him, showing no fear. With the help of its beloved Xalatas, it was certain it could defeat this pathetic pretty-boy elf. Yes, as long as it wielded the powerful and invincible blade of the Dark Empire, as long as it... um?
Esca's swing missed.

The Dark Empire Blade, which should have been in its claws, was nowhere to be found. Its excessive contact with the Sea of ​​No Light had corrupted it, leaving it powerless to dodge the phoenix flames flying towards it. It could only watch helplessly as the radiant phoenix struck it, instantly plunging it into a fiery inferno.

With a desperate scream, Escar turned its head with difficulty and saw the Dark Empire's blade embedded in the scales of Ysera's leg.

The dark weapon seemed to have never moved, as if it had always been there, as if it had never been wielded by Esca.

When did I insert it into Ysera's scales?

When he needed him most, dear Xaratas abandoned him?
The burning pain made Esca tremble all over. It felt as if it were hallucinating. It saw Ysera flapping its wings and roaring to the sky in the green glow. It saw a beautiful and familiar raven woman waving her claws at it in the shadow of the dragon king, as if saying goodbye.

She is so sincere.

Just like when she escaped from the Titan Keeper's seal during the chaos in Ulduar caused by Loken.

Just as she lured the Gurubashi troll Zanduin to release the slumbering Kissiks, causing chaos in the Zandalari Empire, she mysteriously disappeared.

For example, the night before Azshara faced the Dark Titans, she mysteriously disappeared from the Queen's palace treasury.

For example, in the magnificent palace of Quel'Thalas, she witnessed Farondis and Dath'Remar arguing before quietly disappearing.

In countless dark nights in the corners of history, behind those unrecorded tragedies, Xalatas is omnipresent, the Void Herald always by his side.

Most recently, Xal'atath coldly witnessed the tragedy of the War of the Three Hammers, where she watched as Mordgud, the Dark Iron Witch Queen who was obsessed with her, had her head smashed by the Wildhammer Grand Duke.

Just like now, she allowed the poor Arakkoa who was deeply in love with her to be burned to death by Kael'thas's fire.

She was not heartless; in fact, she felt extremely satisfied by this scene.

Just like the black widow spider after it has preyed on its prey, she would gladly accept the loss of life and the outbreak of disaster because of her, and she would feel as if she had been reborn!

Xal'atath is generous to every friend who possesses it, but unfortunately, the Void Herald will never have a master.

"Don't think about it!"

The Elf Prince's roar was accompanied by a precise teleportation spell, which sent him into Ysera's body as she flew into the sky.

As Kael'thas was struck by Xal'atath and his mind plummeted, he grabbed the dark dagger embedded in the green dragon queen's scales and, despite his splitting headache, forcefully pulled it out with a shout.

Dragon blood splattered, but it severed the corrosive tentacles of darkness.

This thwarted the Void Herald's corruption scheme!

"You damned, savage elf! I curse your soul to never find peace in your addiction!"

The usually alluring Xalatas let out a slightly vulnerable scream, but she then made a decision: she withdrew her dark ritual from the dagger, but did not merge it into Ysera's body, which was not yet fully corrupted.

The watchdogs are outside; this land is no longer safe!

She must escape before her dangerous "colleagues" discover her. Her greatest advantage lies in her ability to plan and strategize in the shadows. If she recklessly appears in the light, Diakum could crush her with a single finger.

"Fly, Ysera, fly!"

Xalatas's dark consciousness transformed into a wisp of corrosive wind, silently disappearing into the shattered dream, yet leaving behind a malevolent whisper in the Green Dragon Queen's chaotic mind, soothing her restless spirit:

"Good child, spread your wings and fly! Go back to your warm, dark nest. Who is your most trusted friend? It is me, dear Ysera, only me."

"what"

Below, in the ever-shattering dreamland, the Shadow Sage Escar, finally awakened from the flames, saw Ysera rushing out amidst the rain of judgment. He finally realized what he had been doing all this time.

But death had come, and it had no chance to do anything more.

At the moment when that body and soul died, it could only see a pair of dark eyes, coldly watching it from the shadows beneath the sky.

"God Anzu."

It stretched out its claws, reduced to ashes, with great difficulty, and pleaded:
"Take me with you, I'm too far from home."

The only response it received was a black feather that obscured the world as it fell, as if another shameful chapter in the history of the Crow People had come to an end.

------

"Uh"

Kael'thas, who was caught by the magic of Lord Margok during his fall, collapsed upon landing and curled up.

He had lost all trace of his noble and perfect demeanor. Now, trembling, he looked like a pitiful creature suffering from withdrawal. He felt cold, bone-chillingly cold, and a hunger that came from the depths of his heart and body.

He needs magic, any kind of magic will do.

Born under the light of the Sunwell of Quel'Thalas, he was born with the same potential for magical addiction as other high elves, but Kael'thas was taught to restrain himself from a young age, and his addiction has never manifested in the past thousand years.

This gave him the illusion that he would never be defeated by addiction.

However, the greed and desire that had been completely ignited by Xalatas's final blow were relentlessly bombarding the prince's already crumbling mind.

Countless voices screamed in his mind, urging him to summon some magic to alleviate his craving. Even terrifying thoughts surfaced. Kael'thas felt that if anyone could give him a little magic at this moment, he would give them anything.
any!

"Snapped"

A slap landed on Kael'thas's face; he tried to calm his mind, which was boiling over with rage.

He then reached out, his hand trembling, to touch the emerald orb that had fallen to the side, but in the next instant, Margok grabbed him by the collar and lifted him into the air.

"What's wrong with you? Is this the magic addiction of you elves? What a terrible disease!"

The ogre leader stared at Kael'thas, whose eyes were vacant, with a look of shock, and roared:

"I had just begun to regard you as a trustworthy friend and fellow traveler on the path of arcane magic, and now you're showing me your most pathetic side? Hah, the perfect prince filter has shattered quite a bit at this moment."

No wonder Diakum is so disappointed in you; he's said more than once that you're unreliable.

Look at you now, Kael'thas. You're nothing like the great hero who just saved the Dragon King.
"Show some respect!"

The prince shed tears of humiliation.

He knew how pathetic he was. He had seen his people who had been tormented by addiction and were no longer human. He had vowed never to allow himself to fall into that pathetic, undignified thirst for energy.

But as it turned out, Kael'thas underestimated the dangers of magic addiction and overestimated his own willpower.

"Magic, I need magic."

He whispered:

"Help"

"You remind me of the grotesque behavior of those bloodthorn-obsessed ogre addicts. Do you know how I deal with those shameful bastards? I usually just chop off their heads, giving them some dignity, and incidentally sending a warning to the other ogres!"

Margok tossed Kael'thas to the ground, then removed the Titanforged rune that had been floating above his shoulder and tossed it to Kael'thas. He then took the prince's three emerald orbs, wiped off the magical imprints without any hesitation, and tossed them into his baggage.

But the ogre wizard did not touch the dark dagger that Kael'thas had brought back, even though the evil spirit that had been residing in it had escaped. The blade of the Dark Empire was still a terrifying magical weapon.

Margok may be greedy, but he values ​​his life.

It will not allow itself to fall into the pitiful situation of having to choose between the future and power.

The ogre leader carefully sealed the dagger in a sealing box, then, looking at the shattered dreamscape before him, he whispered:
"Don't try to absorb the magic! Don't give in to your evil nature! Once you start, you'll definitely do it again. Don't have too much confidence in your mind when it comes to this addiction. I won't take your things for nothing; I'll be right here watching you."

What you need is not magic! What you need is to suppress this terrible addiction.

Don't worry, Kael'thas.

I won't tell anyone, and I won't look down on you because of it.

This situation isn't something you brought upon yourself; it's a racial problem. Ah, the internal issues of outwardly glamorous Azeroth are more serious than I imagined.

However, this world is getting more and more interesting.

(End of this chapter)