The Portal at Mount Hyjal has changed its destination once again, this time leading to the Stone Elemental Plane, Deepholm.
Jaina was filled with trepidation. She had no acquaintances among the stone elementals and needed to communicate directly with Therazane the Stonemother, facing a true Elemental Lords.
"What? You mean we want to meet Therazane the Stonemother, in person?"
Varian was extremely nervous about dealing with an Elemental Lords.
Jaina said uncertainly, "Therazane should be willing to help us, although the Earthen Ring once coveted her kingdom, but ultimately failed."
Varian's heart sank upon hearing this, and he complained, "You mean the Earthen Ring offended the Stone Mother? Damn it! Do you think she'll help us?"
Jaina hesitated for a moment, but then said firmly, "If she refuses, we'll make her pay the price."
Varian was stunned. How could a mortal body of flesh and blood fight against the earth?
Jaina stared at Varian and earnestly instructed him, "When we face the Stone Mother, we must appear incredibly strong and demonstrate the demeanor of a great King."
Varian asked worriedly, "What if we anger the Stone Mother?"
Jaina, with a look of resignation, shouted:
"Even if the Stone Mother is enraged, you must not lose your dignity, Varian. Remember, only courage can overcome everything. If Therazane the Stonemother refuses to release Thrall, order your soldiers to fight her bravely, let human blood splatter on the Stone Mother's face. For the dignity of humanity in Azeroth, we are willing to sacrifice Kingdom of Stormwind."
What's the point of such a meaningless sacrifice? Unfortunately, Varian had no better options; in order to achieve something, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and take on the challenge.
Varian led the remaining troops through the Portal in a grand procession.
In the Deepholm, countless rocks float in the sky, and towering Earth Elementals move slowly, any one of which could easily wipe out Varian's army.
Compared to the other three Elemental Lords, Therazane is more peace-loving and rarely gets into conflicts with other creatures.
But this doesn't mean the Stone Mother is easy to bully. If this Elemental Lords is angered, the earth will crack, volcanoes will erupt, and a terrifying tsunami will cause a mass extinction.
On Throne of Therazane, which was filled with beautiful crystals, Varian saw the Stone Mother floating in the air. Her body was so enormous that Varian could not see her face at all.
Jaina spoke cautiously and obsequiously, "Your Excellency Stone Mother, I am Jaina Proudmoore from Kul Tiras, a disciple of the Guardian Aegwynn. I have long heard of Your Stone Mother's unparalleled beauty, and seeing you today, I can confirm that it is indeed true."
Varian could hardly believe his ears. What happened to the promised toughness? What happened to the dignity of a great power?
Hearing Jaina's flattery, the Stone Mother seemed pleased and proudly said:
"Everyone knows of my beauty; there has never been a more beautiful creature in Azeroth. There's nothing to praise about that. I know why you've come, but it's rather strange that humans of flesh and blood would fight for an Orcs."
Jaina remained silent, then secretly gave Varian a wink. Varian, unsure what to say, blurted out, "The great Savior Thrall Consecration everything for Azeroth; all humanity is willing to die for Thrall."
"Is that so? I have my doubts."
Varian suddenly floated into the air, with stones whistling past him like meteors. These stones were so fast that if they hit him, they could pierce through Varian body.
Varian was so frightened that his legs went weak and he was drenched in sweat. He hurriedly pleaded, "Stone Mother, spare me! I don't want to die!"
"Is this your kind of bravery? With your flesh and blood?" Stone Mother asked, amused.
Varian returned safely to the ground, but his legs gave way and he plopped down on the floor. Jaina muttered disdainfully, "What an Imp!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Jaina floated in the air, undergoing the same ordeal as Varian. Terrified, Jaina screamed and cried, begging for her life.
Jaina was in even worse shape than Varian upon returning to the ground. She curled up in a ball, tears streaming down her face, constantly calling for her mother, on the verge of collapse.
After a while, the two recovered somewhat. Jaina was able to sit up on the ground with difficulty. The Stone Mother made a rumbling sound, "For flesh and blood to have such courage is admirable enough. I am very satisfied with your bravery."
Varian and Jaina were both baffled. Their performance had been so poor, so why was the Stone Mother praising their bravery? Was it irony?
The Stone Mother continued, "In my endless life, I have seen far too many creatures of flesh and blood. Although your courage is not even comparable to that of ordinary Kobolds and Murlocs, it is brave enough compared to the Orcs and Tauren who infiltrated Deepholm a few days ago."
The earth slowly cracked open, revealing a deep ravine.
Varian and Jaina cautiously peered into the depths of the ravine and saw a dense forest of stone sculptures depicting various races. Among them, a large group of Orcs and Tauren stood out, their faces filled with terror. Judging from their attire, they were members of the Earthen Ring.
I remember Jaina saying that the Earthen Ring once coveted Deepholm.
The Stone Mother said regretfully, "They all went through the same trials as you, but unfortunately they couldn't overcome their fear, their spirits collapsed, and that's how they ended up like this."
Varian and Jaina felt much better immediately. Although their performance was terrible, it was still much better than that bunch of useless people.
Jaina mustered her courage and asked, "Where is Thrall, the Savior?"
The Stone Mother smiled faintly and said, "Your Savior Thrall, is in the Basalt Forest below. He willingly became part of this endless forest. His cowardice prevents him from leaving, and no matter who calls out to him, it's useless. His cowardice and timidity surprise me."
Varian and Jaina looked carefully but couldn't find Thrall. Suddenly, they heard a faint, almost imperceptible sobbing sound. Following the sound, they finally found Thrall.
Thrall was curled up into a ball, his head buried deep in his knees, huddled in a corner, and faint sobs were coming from his mouth.
Jaina felt incredibly proud; compared to Thrall, her performance was quite impressive.
The Stone Mother sneered, "Look at him, trapped in the stone, unable to move, completely unconscious. His expression is so ingratiating and obsequious; it disgusts me."
Jaina asked cautiously, "Respected and beautiful Stone Mother, how can Thrall be rescued?"
The Therazane the Stonemother smiled and said, "I am pleased with your honesty. I have decided to help you, but ordinary methods cannot awaken Thrall; only love can."
"Like?"
Both Jaina and Varian were acting inexplicably.
The Stone Mother said meaningfully, "The great me has not forgotten what love is. Only the blessing of love can awaken Thrall. Are you willing to have a passionate love affair for Thrall?"