Amidst the swirling mist, a tall figure approached. As it drew closer, it became clear that it was a dark, humanoid monster, though not clearly visible. A lantern emitting a bright green light led the way.
With a whoosh, a chain emerged from the mist, its tip a sharp scythe. With a flash of cold light, it hooked an Orcs.
The chains retracted, and the Orcs vanished into the mist before he could even scream.
Before Med'an could react, the monster had vanished. Khadgar's staff still illuminated the surrounding area, but looking further into the distance revealed an unknown region shrouded in mist, as if countless ghosts and monsters were lurking there.
Med'an felt his whole body trembling; under these circumstances, he could hardly exert even a fraction of his full strength.
"Remember your courage, Med'an, you are the Savior of the future." Khadgar encouraged Med'an, who looked very weak and could barely stand. Only Khadgar knew that his magic was still at his peak.
"That monster," Med'an found his teeth chattering.
"Remember, there is nothing to fear in this world. We have seen insidious Demons, filthy and rotting Undead, and eerie Old Gods. The unknown terrors are merely appearances. The only thing that can hinder you is yourself. You must overcome the fear within your own heart." Khadgar, like an elder, earnestly instructed Med'an.
"I understand. I will muster my courage, for Azeroth, for the Horde." Med'an seemed encouraged; his eyes lit up, and courage seemed to return to his body.
Suddenly, a figure appeared from the black mist. It was an Orcs with glowing red eyes, half of his face reduced to bones. Med'an lunged at Med'an, who screamed in terror and fell to the ground, dropping his staff.
Several Orcs Veteran bravely rushed over and quickly defeated the skeletal Orcs.
Only then did everyone realize that the Orcs was a scout who had just been captured by chains. His flesh was rotting at a visible speed, and his body was covered with countless black worms. He would soon become a pale skeleton.
Khadgar carefully examined the skeleton, visibly relieved, and said with a faint smile, "It's just a simple resurrection of the Undead, a walking corpse. There's nothing to be afraid of, Med'an. Remember what I taught you!"
Slightly more sophisticated Undead magic can summon the soul of the dead back and reinfuse it into the decaying body. This body only retains some of its former fighting instincts; the soul is long gone. Corpses that have absorbed special Evil energy and undergone transformation can be considered a natural phenomenon.
"What should we do now?" Med'an felt slightly relieved, but still had no idea what to do.
"Find a place to camp, set up camp, and then proceed to scout ahead." The rugged mountain paths in the northern part of the Island were treacherous, and Khadgar was on guard, as his strength was currently weakened and he needed to be cautious.
Robbie returned to the cave, removing his disguise—a specially made ghostly costume that looked quite frightening—and his weapons: a chained scythe and a lantern to guide the way in the mist.
Kel'Thuzad lit a campfire, and the specially prepared roasted meat sizzled with oil.
His body was somewhat strange, resembling Lich yet possessing certain human characteristics, almost somewhere between Lich and a human, combining the strengths of both. He could eat to increase the nutrition in his body, and when necessary, he could rely entirely on magic to sustain his body's needs.
"Med'an is clearly terrified." Robbie, munching on his grilled meat, thought of Med'an's magnificent Guardian Set and eagerly suggested, "Why don't we team up, capture Med'an, and seize his weapons and equipment?"
Kel'Thuzad shook his head. "I know Medivh's true nature. Med'an is worthless, just a defective piece of equipment. We can kill him without him even batting an eye. As for the Guardian Set, like the Guardian's Legendary staff, Medivh has a spell that allows direct teleportation to Karazhan. Medivh can easily reverse cast spells in Karazhan and teleport to the location of the Guardian Set at any time, which would expose us."
Robbie suddenly realized, "No wonder Medivh was comfortable letting Med'an show off in the Guardian Set. It turns out he wasn't afraid of losing the equipment at all. Looks like we'll have to stick to the original plan."
"I have some great ideas," Kel'Thuzad chuckled, chewing on some roasted meat. "They'll terrify these Orcs to death."
Robbie waved his hand and said, "There's no need. The real fear is in people's hearts. Their own paranoia is more frightening than any ghost. We just need to maintain a suitable level of pressure and let them panic."
The presence of a water source on the Island was a pleasant surprise, and the campsite was set up near it.
But water alone is not enough; without the Tough Jerky, the Orcs soldiers' stamina is hard to maintain.
Before the Orcs succumbed to hunger and weakness, Med'an gathered all his subordinates, including the sailors Chef in the logistics department. Bathed in magical light, he looked at the Horde members from various races and began his eloquent speech.
"Our Horde always fought against the Evil Alliance with courage and strength, saving Azeroth time and time again. Countless heroic deeds have emerged, and victory has not come easily. Everyone needs to be prepared to sacrifice. Now I ask you, for the Horde, are you ready to sacrifice?"
"Ready!" the crowd shouted in unison, "For the Horde!"
Med'an looked relieved and nodded, saying:
"When faced with difficulties, we are not afraid of sacrifice, nor are we afraid of hardships and dangers. Courage and strength inspire us to move forward. For Azeroth, for the Horde, I need to see courageous sacrifices. Let me see your courage."
A dozen large pots filled with water were boiling hot, bubbling and steaming.
A dozen or so chubby Pandaren were the first to step out of the group. Their eyes were numb, like those of the dead. They took off their armor and clothes and jumped into the cauldron.
Skinning, Eviscerate, gutting, and rolling the meat into a pulp— the Troll Chef's skillful movements allowed him to savor the broth.
"Too much fat, too greasy," a Troll Chef said, shaking his head.
"For the sake of the Horde, necessary sacrifices are needed," Med'an shouted.
Several slender Blood Elves stepped out and, whether they liked it or not, entered the cauldron.
The Troll Chef nodded. "It tastes good. Add some seasonings and it'll be ready to serve."
The victims this time were several Goblins. Their flesh and blood have a special flavor and are considered the best seasoning, which is why Goblins are qualified to join the Horde.
"For the Horde."
"For the Horde."
This was probably the only sound they could make.
Soon, large chunks of meat were served, and the Orcs warriors feasted on them with great relish, enjoying the delicious meat while commenting on the silent Tauren to the side.
Beef is very potent, and it's usually only enjoyed before a battle.
"This is the spirit of our Horde; courage and fearlessness inspire us, and our Horde is invincible."
Med'an exaggeratedly demonstrated to Khadgar the courage of the Horde, this fearless spirit of sacrifice.
Khadgar ate his tasteless magical bread. He was already used to the Horde's barbaric behavior. Every race has its own customs, and this was nothing unusual. The Pandaren, Blood Elves, Tauren, Goblins, and others were all doing it voluntarily; no one forced them. Besides, such sacrifices were a great honor.
When things don't go well, Khadgar also believes in mystical forces, such as divination.
The divination indicates that things are not going well; beware of Trolls.
"Why Trolls?" Khadgar asked, puzzled.