Robbie remembered an old saying: Never underestimate your enemy.
Looking at the black raven on the bow of the ship, Prince Anduin revealed a smug smile.
Robbie clearly sensed the powerful magical aura and understood why Anduin was so nervous, his hands trembling violently as if they were out of his control.
It turned out that it was all an act; he was stalling for time, waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
Anduin had a trump card up his sleeve: he could contact Archmage Khadgar when he was in danger.
It's said that nobles are born actors, and Prince Anduin, being royalty, is an acting masterclass. Robbie was caught off guard and fell for it, but thankfully, such a mistake was within acceptable limits.
Khadgar was stationed at Starfall Outpost, not far from the Karabor Temple. With the strength of an Archmage, he could arrive in a short time.
Med'an, standing to the side, hadn't expected Anduin to have such a trick up his sleeve. Looking at the black raven, its dark eyes fixed on him, Med'an's expression became slightly awkward.
The raven transformed into Archmage Khadgar with gray hair and beard, who landed on the deck.
"Prince Highness, Archmage Khadgar greets you."
Khadgar's gaze sharpened as he glared at Med'an, then shook his head with slight disappointment. "Prince Highness, I wonder why you summoned me? Khadgar is willing to obey your orders."
"Take back my cloak." Anduin glared fiercely at Robbie's Orcs disguise, hesitated for a moment, and said with a hint of reluctance, "This is a noble Orcs. For the sake of peace in Azeroth, I don't want to cause a diplomatic incident. Let him learn a small lesson."
Khadgar nodded and said respectfully to Robbie:
"Honorable Orcs Warrior, please return Prince Anduin's cloak. Dalaran will remember this favor. Believe me, the value of this favor is no less than that of a Legendary cloak."
"I don't need any favors." Robbie sneered, pointing at Anduin and Med'an: "One is the human Prince of Stormwind City, the other the son of Guardian Medivh. They've joined forces with the Iron Horde, attempting to destroy the Karabor Temple. I wonder what the Archmage thinks of this."
Khadgar narrowed his eyes and sighed softly:
"I don't know what happened, but I know very well that Prince Anduin and Med'an Medean would never do anything to harm the Alliance's interests. House Wrynn, as the kings of Stormwind City, has proven their wisdom and greatness countless times, Guardian Medivh has saved the world time and time again; he is a respectable Savior."
"And what about this ship loaded with explosives? What's your explanation for that?" Robbie stepped forward and questioned Khadgar, "That's the Karabor Temple over there. You don't think they're going to have a barbecue, do you? Aren't you going to stop them, Archmage?"
"I think there must be some misunderstanding here. Prince Anduin and Med'an Archmage must have acted for Justice purposes." Khadgar ignored Robbie's questioning. "Orcs, there's no need for me to explain to you how His Highness the Prince acts. Neither you nor I have the right to interfere. I warn you again, return the cloak to His Highness the Prince."
"What if I refuse?" Robbie asked with a smile. He had realized that arguing with Khadgar about right and wrong was unwise; people of such status had no concept of good or evil, only self-interest.
Regardless, he would protect Prince Anduin for his own benefit.
Perhaps this was all part of a pre-arranged conspiracy, a result of mutual scheming. Who knows what Khadgar was really thinking?
Khadgar frowned slightly. To be honest, it was quite stressful for him to attack an Orcs.
This is no longer the era of the two Orcs Wars. Today's Orcs are the Saviors of Azeroth. As the leader of Dalaran, Khadgar's guiding principle is to unite the Alliance and the Horde to fight against the Iron Horde.
"You've really put me in a difficult position," Khadgar said with a cold smile. "I won't kill you, Orcs. I'll send you to the Iron Horde's ship and let your people decide your Destiny. It only takes a simple spell."
"You can't do it. You overestimate your abilities, Archmage Khadgar."
Khadgar breath. The Orcs's rudeness enraged him, unsettling him. He secretly prepared to cast a spell. "I truly don't know where you get your courage, but I must tell you..."
Khadgar's voice was suddenly interrupted as he clutched his throat tightly, blood trickling down his fingers.
A shield of Frost protected his body, but he had clearly been ambushed before he could activate it.
If it were just a simple wound caused by a sharp blade, Archmage like Khadgar would have nothing to fear. However, the wound was imbued with powerful shadow energy and a mysterious poison, hindering its healing.
Khadgar then realized his carelessness; there weren't many Stealth capable of such a sneak attack. A name immediately flashed through Khadgar's mind. He looked at Robbie in surprise, raised his right hand, and pointed at Robbie, saying:
"You are not Orcs, you are a Defias Brotherhood, you are human."
The wound reopened, and blood gushed out like a fountain. Khadgar was speechless. He quickly crushed a runestone and disappeared from the spot.
Although Vanessa's sneak attack succeeded, severely injuring the momentarily careless Khadgar, capturing an Archmage is not so easy; they always have strange magic that allows them to escape.
The severely wounded Khadgar escaped, but he left behind enough information that he believed Prince Anduin's wisdom was enough to turn the tide and avert disaster.
"The Defias Brotherhood?"
With Khadgar's guidance, Anduin's eyes darted around before he suddenly realized, "So that's it! You were just wearing an Orcs disguise. I've long heard that the princess has a powerful and resourceful Follower, the most mysterious officer of the Deadmines. You are Robbie Capor."
It must be admitted that Anduin's intelligence is not bad. Upon seeing Robbie, he remained silent, Anduin revealed a confident smile. He was naturally timid and subservient towards Orcs, but when facing his own kind—the oppressed and ruled— Anduin possessed an innate sense of superiority, immediately adopting the majesty of Prince.
"I must admit, your Orcs disguise truly frightened me, causing me to lose my judgment. You lowly human, remove your disguise."
"Prince Anduin, have you forgotten your predicament?"
Robbie looked at Prince Anduin with a puzzled expression, not understanding where his confidence came from. "Khadgar has already escaped, who can protect you now? Archmage Med'an?"
Anduin chuckled, his face twisted in a vicious grimace:
"Princess, you and I couldn't keep Khadgar. If I died here, guess what would happen? Robbie Capor, I heard you're from Lakeshire. My father would slaughter Lakeshire, leaving not a single rubble. Stormwind City's monarchical succession system, the House Wrynn becoming monarchs generation after generation—do you think it's based on mercy? You probably don't even know how Raven Hill in Darkshire was destroyed, do you?"
Robbie was taken aback upon hearing this. As a native of Lakeshire, he naturally knew about Raven Hill in Darkshire.
How this place became a gathering place for the Undead remains a mystery to this day; all official records have disappeared, as if someone is deliberately concealing something.
Med'an, standing nearby, whistled and said seemingly casually:
"Poor Raven Hill, a bunch of lowly commoners. That year, an old friend of my father's passed through Raven Hill and was seen in his true form. To keep the secret, Marcus Jonathan led his army to massacre all the people of Raven Hill and spread the Plague, falsely accusing the Lich King's remnants of the crime. Marcus was thus honored and became the High Commander of Stormwind City's defense forces. Oh, the bloody slaughter, the night of bloodshed, the wails of innocent Restless Souls, the restless spirits."
Anduin a smile:
"If you don't want Lakeshire to become another Raven Hill, you'd better submit to me right now, Robbie Capor."
"It seems I have no other choice." Robbie paused, then shrugged helplessly. "I have no choice but to make the decision to sever the royal line of Stormwind City. House Wrynn, you have been Kings for far too long."