The destruction of Dalaran? What did that mean?
Dalaran was a magical city floating in the sky, a holy land for the mages of Azeroth.
Robbie had a very, very poor impression of Dalaran.
Most of his resentment came from this body's original memories.
To satisfy the Dalaran mages' extraordinary sense of refinement and keep that lousy rock floating in the sky, the people of the Kingdom of Stormwind had suffered more than enough.
Leaving aside the vast quantities of Arcane Crystals needed to keep this magnificent city aloft, its maintenance costs alone amounted to a terrifying astronomical sum every year.
It was a crushing tax that kept King Varian awake at night.
Orcs, Tauren, and Trolls revered muscle and didn't give a damn about Dalaran.
The Undead did value mages, but whenever Dalaran came up, their first question was whether they could eat it.
The high elves said the Sunwell was enough for them. Some also said the high elves had joined the Horde precisely to escape this hefty tax.
The Horde wouldn't shoulder Dalaran's enormous maintenance costs.
And so the expense fell on the Alliance, or more precisely, on the people of the Kingdom of Stormwind.
Robbie had been born in Lakeshire, and his parents had spent plenty of time worrying over that heavy tax.
One could say that the people of the Kingdom of Stormwind carried Dalaran on their shoulders.
When the people of the Kingdom of Stormwind spoke of Dalaran, the kindest thing they said was, "I really hope Archimonde comes back."
That lousy rock couldn't even be used to smash people, yet it insisted on floating grandly in the sky.
If it had kept a lower profile and settled on some mountaintop, the people of the Kingdom of Stormwind would have been living well long ago, and Robbie could have eaten meat often as a child.
"Ignorant, foolish adventurers. Aside from the clinking of gold coins, the cloudy, cheap liquor in your cups, and the bloated dancers in the taverns, what do you know?"
Udir looked around disdainfully, recounting the past without realizing it:
"This esteemed young lady is the granddaughter of Grand Archmage Antonidas. In year twenty of the Dark Portal, the Undead Scourge laid siege to Dalaran. Grand Mage Antonidas failed in his challenge to the Lich King and used the Book of Medivh to summon Archimonde..."
Udir immediately shut his mouth. He didn't know what was wrong with him today.
He couldn't control the Holy Light. Had he lost control of his mouth too?
"Go on, tell us more," Robbie urged from the side.
That was right. Robbie was behind it all, having secretly cast Repentance.
A penitent's Repentance was a little different. It really did make people confess.
Udir's unexpected subject also piqued the onlookers' interest.
Lunarfall had been peaceful lately, and everyone was bored out of their minds. Now someone had appeared to tell them about the past. True or false, believed or not, it was interesting enough to listen to as a story.
Unexpectedly, Udir gave a miserable grin and released Andenani.
Andenani sank to her knees, her face already streaked with tears.
"It's not that I want to marry an Orc. I hate Orcs. I'm truly afraid. When I was little, I saw Thrall... my grandfather, with my own eyes..."
"Shut up."
Udir sternly stopped Andenani and murmured to himself:
"You have to pay for what you've done wrong. A taboo was broken, and it's enough for me to pay for it alone. You're still young. Live well, until the day the truth comes."
Udir laid down his weapon and submitted to capture.
"What a mess."
The Argent Crusade's strongest Paladin, Tuyang Tusunpo; the worgen Priest Udir; and the female mage Andenani represented the Argent Crusade, the nobles of Stormwind City, and the mages of Dalaran, respectively.
Armed with Prince Anduin's letter of authorization and escorted by a large contingent of Ashran's elite guards, the three had come looking for trouble, brimming with confidence and aggression.
In the end, one had died without a clear explanation, another had been definitively identified as a murderer, and as for Andenani, she had been scared out of her wits and had nearly revealed a secret. Jaina would hardly let her out to embarrass herself again.
Marshal Gabrielle and General Kash Baolu both felt rather disgraced. They had no choice but to take Udir away and send people to collect Tuyang Tusunpo's remains.
Udir had taken Andenani hostage and drawn everyone's attention. In that unguarded moment, Tuyang Tusunpo had been reduced to a naked corpse, stripped even of his underwear.
His dashing silver judgment armor, Quel'Serrar, the Elementium Bulwark shield, his mysterious jeweled ring, and his gloves set with six gems had all vanished without a trace.
Even more outrageous, the enormous frostwolf was gone too.
The veins on Marshal Gabrielle's forehead throbbed, and General Kash Baolu stared in disbelief. The Defias Brotherhood had been far too ruthless, and their hands had been quick.
Unfortunately, they couldn't punish everyone, and there was no evidence.
Cordana Felsong watched it all with a smile, feeling her trip had been worthwhile. She openly cast flirtatious glances at Robbie, then deliberately passed by him and whispered:
"You're quite something. Come find me at Starfall Outpost for a night of tenderness with a Night Elf, all to yourself."
Were all Night Elves this forward? Robbie was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to respond, so he could only stare straight ahead and pretend he hadn't heard. Cordana Felsong left with a soft laugh.
Robbie let out a long breath, rubbed his chin, and nudged Hogger beside him. "Do you believe what Udir said? That Grand Mage Antonidas summoned Archimonde?"
Hogger blinked his little eyes. "Believe it?"
Robbie stared at Hogger in surprise.
"You actually believe that nonsense? Are you all right? Are you being an idiot too?"
Hogger grunted smugly, then clapped Robbie hard on the shoulder. "Young junior, let your senior teach you a thing or two about the workplace."
"What does this have to do with the workplace?"
Hogger put on the air of a worldly elder and grunted a few times before saying:
"Everyone out in society, from the higher-ups of the Burning Legion down to the filthy Kobolds in the mines, has to follow the rules. Without rules, nothing gets done. Everything before and after the Lich King's rise was planned by Kil'jaeden the Deceiver himself, and it was going smoothly, with outstanding results. For his colleague Archimonde to show up openly and steal the credit would be breaking the rules. Archimonde had lived so many years. How could he not understand something that basic?"
"I don't get it." Robbie couldn't make sense of the Gnoll's thinking.
Hogger chuckled. "History always plays up its own side and paints its enemies as utterly worthless, while making the losers look a little stupider too. Archimonde ordering the Lich King to summon him to Azeroth—would Kil'jaeden have agreed to that? It doesn't hold up at all. It could only be that Archimonde tricked Archmage Antonidas. Antonidas must have wanted to summon a powerful helper, but summoned Archimonde instead: 'Who am I? Where am I? Who summoned me here? Hahaha, I didn't come to steal the credit on purpose.' That's got to be what happened."
"That's just a Gnoll's pathetic imagination," Robbie retorted.
Hogger assumed the air of a sage who understood the ways of the world.
"Imagination? I don't think so. Grand Mage Antonidas was one of the most powerful mages in the Kirin Tor's history. Who could compare to his wisdom and learning? How could he not know what the Book of Medivh did? Throwing his own life away was stupid enough, but to hand over a quest item while he was at it? That's downright moronic. I swear on the three hundred Gnoll warriors of Hogger Ridge, there's definitely something wrong with that piece of history."
"Well!" Robbie thought he had a point.
"I'm not just talking nonsense. I have solid evidence to back it up. Do you know who recorded the history of Azeroth?" Hogger bared his teeth smugly.
"Wasn't it Blizzard?"
Robbie shook his head to indicate he didn't know.
"Ever since the Council of Tirisfal established the system of Guardians, the Guardians have always been entrusted with recording Azeroth's history." Hogger's expression dimmed slightly.
The spatial mage Medivh.
That was right.
The Last Guardian!
Ashran, Stormshield.
After descending a spiral staircase, Udir stopped before an iron door.
Major Shanmiusen, who was waiting beside the door, bowed in greeting.
"What form is His Highness in?" Udir asked cautiously. He had a vial of poison hidden in his arms, ready to take his own life at any moment.
"Shadowform," Major Shanmiusen answered expressionlessly.
"Holy Light bless me, I'll get to keep my life." Udir let out a long breath.
"Yes, your luck is very good," Major Shanmiusen said. "This is the first time in months that the prince has entered Shadowform. Make the most of it."
This was a secret residence built deep underground. It wasn't particularly luxurious, with comfort, practicality, and security taking priority. Thick animal hides covered the spacious throne. The prince, concealed beneath a great mass of shadow, studied the Draenor Star in his hand with interest.
In his shadow state, the prince called himself the "Shadow Reaper." He was powerful, confident, and calm in his dealings, something of a homebody, and occasionally cold and unfeeling.
Yet his trusted followers generally agreed that, compared with his uncertainty and weakness in his light state, his volatile moods, indecisiveness, and groundless suspicions of those close to him, the prince was actually easier to get along with in his shadow state.
"Udir, do you know what you did wrong?"
Udir hurriedly bowed. "Your Highness, I was incompetent." He stole a glance at the prince's confident, youthful face, hidden in shadow. Compared with its immaturity in the light state, this face undoubtedly inspired more confidence in his subordinates.
Anduin leaned forward, his blue-green eyes studying Udir intently.
"Actually, I don't know either."
He then burst into a hearty laugh.
It wasn't funny at all. Udir had no choice but to laugh along, feeling a little foolish.
Anduin waved a hand magnanimously and smiled.
"I've already ordered Bishop Faxien to examine the body. I believe we'll have results soon."
Udir nodded repeatedly. "Bishop Faxien is learned and knowledgeable. There will be no problem, but Tuyang Tusunpo was Tirion Fordring's disciple, after all. I'm afraid..."
Shadow Anduin said unconcernedly, "There's nothing to worry about. Before the attack on the Dark Portal, Khadgar sent someone to Northrend to ask Tirion Fordring for help. Tirion Fordring refused, saying his old leg ailment had flared up. Now that he sees things going so well here, he wants a piece of it. How could things work out so nicely for him? Tirion Fordring is yesterday's news. 'Princess' handled this matter very well."
When it came to "Princess," the light and shadow states had completely different attitudes.
Light Anduin was like a puppy guarding its food: foolishly adorable and pitiful, with no telling when he might bare his fangs and bite hard. He had planned this attempt to cause trouble.
Shadow Anduin, on the other hand, was like a lone wolf. He didn't care, as long as it was interesting.
That was why Udir could be forgiven despite having botched the job.
"Bishop Faxien requests an audience," an attendant reported.
Shadow Anduin waved for him to enter.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Seeing the prince in Shadowform, Bishop Faxien was delighted and hurriedly presented the prepared investigation results.
"The autopsy results show that General Tuyang Tusunpo's death was connected to Blackrock Spire."
"Blackrock Spire. Nefarian, the Black Dragon Prince with two heads?"
Shadow Anduin's expression turned grave.