Varian believed himself to be intelligent enough, but this reason was clearly insufficient.
"Thrall, perhaps you can try to convince me in a different way. If you can't convince me, I don't recommend killing you; it's just death anyway."
Varian held his sword, his face radiating a chilling aura.
Thrall was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. He said in a low, humble voice:
"Wait, Varian, don't be impulsive. You have no idea how terrifying Elune, is. Death itself is not frightening, but defying Elune's will and suffering eternal torment after death is the true Abyss. The previous Varians may be dead, but their souls have found peace."
"Elune?"
Varian's hand trembled as he held the sword. Who knew if Elune truly controlled the afterlife? Was Thrall lying?
Better safe than sorry; Varian was clearly terrified.
Thrall saw a glimmer of hope, his eyes darting around, and he added:
"During my time in Stormwind City, I learned in detail about the life of Emperor Thoradin. He was a great human King who unified humanity, drove out the Trolls, and established a powerful empire. You should know that the Elune sent an Emissary to protect the Orcs."
"What are you trying to say, Thrall? You're already in my hands. Are you waiting for that Emissary to save you?" Varian was somewhat confused.
Thrall lowered his voice and said, "I'm increasingly suspicious that the Emissary is Emperor Thoradin."
Varian looked at Thrall in surprise. "So what if he's Emperor Thoradin?"
Thrall said seductively:
"Varian, don't you understand? Even if you become the greatest King in human history, no matter how many delicious Tauren you devour or how many beautiful Blood Elf women you sleep with, in the end, it's all just dust. Everything will vanish like a dream."
"This!"
Varian was deeply moved and began to understand what Thrall meant.
Thrall continued to tempt you, "If you serve Elune, and gain Moon Goddess favor, you could very well become an immortal Emissary, forever enjoying worldly riches and glory. You are a wise man; you will surely seize this rare opportunity."
Immortality was the dream of countless emperors, some of whom would gamble everything for even the Void hope.
Varian was truly persuaded, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground.
Thrall gave a slight smirk, knowing he was safe.
History always repeats itself, and humanity never seems to learn from its mistakes. Like the others before him, Varian was also drawn to immortality and repeated the errors of his predecessors.
A thin mist rolled in from the sea, shrouding the entire Stormwind City in a light fog.
Robbie and Kel'Thuzad walked down the street. Robbie remembered that during the reign of the Black Dragon Princess, every day before dawn, vendors would hawk their wares along the streets, and shops would open one after another, starting the day in a lively and bustling atmosphere.
But King Varian's aggressive military campaigns caused Stormwind City's population to plummet and its economy to collapse. The sun was high in the sky, and the streets were deserted, resembling a ghost town.
Varian's decision did not escape Robbie's notice.
Unsurprisingly, the human King was once again consumed by his own ambition. Although Robbie knew this would happen, he still felt a pang of heartache.
Kel'Thuzad noticed Robbie's sadness, and he felt particularly distressed as well.
"This is a very difficult decision for us!"
Kel'Thuzad murmured, "The 100,000- Alliance army are all subjects of Kingdom of Stormwind. If they breach Icecrown Citadel, should we fight or not?"
Robbie looked ashen and added:
"And then there's the Argent Crusade, many of whom are also citizens of the Alliance. We've worked so hard to protect the Alliance from the Horde, yet they're trampling on our sincerity."
Kel'Thuzad remarked with considerable feeling:
"Dalaran, I saw through these nobles long ago. When personal interests conflict with collective interests, these so-called Kings and leaders will not hesitate to choose themselves. That's why Dalaran never dared to resist the Orcs. Perhaps that's just human nature."
Both remained silent. Even with immense power, what could they change? The human heart was beyond their control.
Just like the people of Stormwind City, who still chant the praises of King Varian's greatness and Savior 'Thrall mercy and kindness, even though Stormwind City has just been ravaged by the Orcs.
In the northern part of the Trade District, beside the canal, at the end of a small alley, an enticing aroma wafted out. In the usually quiet Stormwind City, a small tavern had opened.
Robbie and Kel'Thuzad followed the aroma and found the tavern.
A plump female shop assistant brought out breakfast: a delicious chocolate cake, accompanied by fragrant apple mulled wine, and the hotel's specialty, Storm Steak, which was coated with a thick layer of honey and sprinkled with local seasonings, and was baked to perfection, exuding an irresistible aroma.
Robbie wasn't attracted by the food. Although the Orcs and the Argent Crusade had left Stormwind City, there were still 100,000 loyalists in the Stormwind City, many of whom were unruly. This was one of the reasons why every household in Stormwind City stayed indoors and the streets were as silent as tombs.
There must be something extraordinary about why this small shop opened under these circumstances.
Robbie's eyes lit up with Point, Line, and Plane, and planes as he secretly observed the small shop. Sure enough, he discovered something amiss: a colorful magical aura surrounded the shop, and various magical energies converged here.
"It's not the shop assistant from before, but the beautiful proprietress behind the counter." Robbie subtly observed the slender figure behind the counter.
Perhaps sensing Robbie's gaze, the proprietress turned around, her large eyes blinking as she smiled and sized up the two guests.
Upon seeing the proprietress's face, Kel'Thuzad's eyes were immediately glued to her, staring intently.
The proprietress seemed unconcerned, smiled sweetly, and gracefully approached them. She sat down opposite them and chuckled softly:
"You two look unfamiliar; you don't seem to be from Stormwind City. It's nice to meet you. Just call me Lisa."
"Lisa?"
The common name startled Kel'Thuzad, almost causing him to lose his composure, but he managed to restrain himself and lower his head to drink his mulled apple cider.
The proprietress looked very young, not even thirty, but Robbie sensed the marks of time on her.
In the landlady's eyes, there was an air of detachment from worldly affairs, as if she were not a member of the world, but rather an observer.
"This little shop looks like it's been around for a while," Robbie remarked, picking up a piece of Storm Steak and savoring it.
The proprietress smiled charmingly, "Yes, it's been a long time. I still remember after the Sundering, when the Azeroth Continent was shattered into pieces, I opened my first little shop here."
The Sundering; that was ten thousand years ago. Robbie looked on with suspicion.
The proprietress sighed, "Aman'Thul is really ruthless!"
Ten thousand years ago, Aman'Thul caused the Sundering, and the memories of the Night Elves were altered by the Moon Goddess. Very few people on the Azeroth Continent know the truth of this event.
Robbie's expression turned serious, but the proprietress smiled easily and casually began reminiscing about the past:
"I remember there used to be a group of simple, honest Tauren living here, and my baked flatbreads were very popular."