Dawn breaks over Nagrand, the mist still lingering.
Since the Lightforging Orcs took over the Warsong Clan's territory, Velen has refused to see any visitors. He has locked himself in a secret chamber, earnestly seeking guidance from the Holy Light.
Previously, only fragments of Velen's prayers could be seen, like plucking a leaf from the forest.
But this time was different. On the Argus Planet, Velen received instruction from the Naaru, greatly increasing his strength and significantly enhancing his prophetic abilities.
A dazzling array of illusions appeared, and the future was clearly presented before Velen.
What he saw was no longer leaves, but a path through the jungle.
Holy Light surged, and the sounds of Orcs greeting each other drifted in from outside the window as the Lightforging Orcs completed their morning prayers.
Velen, meanwhile, chose from a multitude of illusions, desperately searching for the highest path to power.
In many of the visions, Velen dies.
In his many illusions, Velen chose to retreat into seclusion, detached from worldly affairs, and lived a solitary life.
This is not what Velen wants; he needs to stand above the gods, he needs to rule the universe.
Finally, he saw a dazzling road.
He saw himself transformed into a giant, radiant with light, floating in the air like a god. A large group of people were kneeling on the ground, most of them dazed, only a few faces were clearly visible, including Orcs and Draenei.
The Lightforging Orcs, and the Lightforging Draenei, fervently called upon Velen's name.
Golden Holy Light descended from the sky, spreading outwards through Velen. The Abyss of death opened, and familiar faces emerged, praising the Holy Light.
The illusion ended there, shattering into countless points of light, and a satisfied smile appeared on Velen's lips.
The path must be taken one step at a time; first, one must become a god of Draenor.
Velen stood up, pushed open the door, and sunlight streamed into the secret chamber. Grommash Hellscream, Kilrogg, and the others had been waiting for a long time. They knelt reverently on the ground, letting the dew wet their foreheads.
"Get up, I want to hear good news."
Kilrogg spoke first, flatteringly saying:
"Great Prophet, our scouts have reported that they have penetrated deep into the Draenei settlement, but unfortunately, they have not found any living people."
Grommash Hellscream scoffed, "I bet they're hiding, a bunch of Imp."
Velen frowned; in his vision, he saw Lightforging Draenei, and this path was clearly wrong.
"Keep searching. If you don't find the Draenei, you will all be punished." Velen's voice was extremely authoritative.
"Ha! Velen, why would you expect anything from a bunch of brainless idiots?"
It was Khadgar who spoke; the Orcs chieftains, though furious, could only suppress their anger.
Khadgar strode over, disdainfully surveying the orc Orcs:
"I used to be afraid of them, thinking they were all great heroes, but I never imagined they were all useless trash."
Khadgar bowed slightly to Velen and said with a hint of pride:
"I discovered a group of Draenei at the Karabor Temple, who call themselves the Deathsworn of the Holy Light, and their leader is Akama."
"Akama, that two-faced, despicable scoundrel?"
Akama of Outland first allied with Illidan, and with the power of the Betrayer Illidan, defeated the Pit Lord Magtheridon. Then he betrayed Illidan again, leading adventurers to storm the Black Temple, nearly ruining Illidan's grand plan.
Velen held a strong prejudice against this, believing that even though this was Akama from Draenor World, human nature would not change.
Velen had no objection to Akama, but thinking of the Lightforging Draenei in the illusion, he could only patiently say:
"Summon Akama to me."
Akama from the Draenor Timeline did not become a hideous Broken; he remained as robust as other Draenei. Upon meeting, he knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face.
"Velen, I thought I would never see you again. You must avenge us! Since your fall, Yrel has turned to evil, abandoning the Holy Light and betraying the Draenei ancestors."
Velen was very unhappy to hear the word "fallen" and waved his hand, saying:
"Stand up and speak, tell me in detail where the Draenei have gone."
Akama wept as she recounted the recent changes that had befallen her.
After Yrel became the leader of the Draenei, he secretly made preparations for a long time. For example, he secretly sent people to Tempest Keep and used spells that Velen had explicitly forbidden to summon the Ancestral Spirits, and carried out preliminary repairs on Tempest Keep.
So when Yrel suddenly launched her attack and announced the abolition of the Holy Light faith, almost all dissenting voices were silenced in the face of the Tempest Keep floating above the Karabor Temple.
Only a few die-hards, among whom Akama was the most resolute, refused to ascend Tempest Keep rather than risk his life, choosing instead to remain inside the Karabor Temple and continue serving the Holy Light.
Yrel used a relatively gentle approach to lobbying, and did not make things difficult for those who insisted.
Just the night before last, Tempest Keep left the Karabor Temple and its destination is unknown.
The Draenei have escaped.
Velen gasped inwardly. This was bad news. Although he had become the leader of the Lightforging Orcs, he had never considered these barbaric creatures as his own people.
He still wanted to return to his people, continue to tyrannize them, and secretly make soul deals with the Naaru.
"Akama, how many Draenei serve the Holy Light?"
Akama smiled wryly, "Less than a thousand people."
Velen nodded, and said calmly:
"I have just finished my prayer, and the prophecy is clearly presented before me: Yrel has chosen a path of destruction, Tempest Keep will be reduced to ashes in a meteor shower. I wanted to stop her, but it was too late. Fortunately, the Draenei spirit has not been extinguished. Akama, from now on you will stay by my side and work with me to create a glorious future for the Draenei."
Akama looked up and met Velen's wise gaze, which seemed to see through everything. A warm feeling welled up in her heart. This familiar feeling made Akama feel that she had someone to rely on, and she was moved to tears.
"Great Prophet Velen, I am willing to be loyal to you forever."
Akama led the Draenei to submit to Velen, Velen personally helped them receive the Holy Light, transforming them into the Lightforging Draenei.
The news spread quickly, and among the crowd, a Lightforging Orcs was indignant.
"Akama, I haven't forgotten your betrayal. I didn't mistreat you back in Shadowmoon Valley, but what did you do in return?"
On second thought, the Lightforging Orcs revealed a strange smile:
"If you can betray me, you can certainly betray the Prophet Velen too; it only takes a little trickery."
On the orbit of Draenor World, Tempest Keep slowly rotates around Draenor. The ship is not yet fully repaired and cannot make long-distance flights.
Upon learning that it wasn't the Burning Legion that had entered Draenei, but rather the Lightforging Orcs led by Velen, Yrel tilted his head and pondered for a long while before saying to his advisor beside him:
"I know about the history of the Draenei in Parallel Worlds, and I once imagined how wonderful it would be if Velen could become the leader of the Orcs. Haha, my dream has finally come true."
Maraad, in his spirit form, said, "The Lightforging Orcs haven't established a firm foothold yet; now is the perfect time to wipe them out."
Yrel waved her hand and said:
"If we eliminate Velen, who will come next? The Legion's Eredar Mages, or the Naaru representing the Holy Light, are not people we can handle. Let Velen stay in Draenor and buy us some time."