Sensing the familiar aura emanating from the Spellstealer Wyrm, he knew it was clearly nurtured from the flesh and blood of his own brother.
Varian sensed the immense power contained within, a power inherited from his bloodline that resonated perfectly with King Varian 'Varian body, tempting his heart.
It seems I have no other choice.
Varian gave a bitter smile. He was unwilling to be used, but he had no choice.
The threat posed by Anduin was secondary; what truly made Varian realize was that in this chaotic era, his throne was precarious without substantial power.
"Varian, this is your good fortune," Jaina's image sighed softly.
"Do you know the price I paid to become an Archmage? Forcing smiles to appease Prince Kael'thas, racking my brains to please my mentor Antonidas —how much effort I poured into it all! Not to mention dealing with the Guardian Medivh, a capricious and unpredictable man. I walked on eggshells, treading on thin ice, to achieve my current glory and status. And all you need to do is rescue Thrall. I envy you so much; not all Kings are so lucky. You can open another box now."
The second box was opened, revealing a longsword that gleamed brilliantly.
Jaina's video introduction reads, "The Elf Sword Shalamayne, once owned by an ancient Elf twin. This is merely a near- Epic quality replica. After successfully rescuing Thrall, the original was immediately offered to you. When you obtain the full power of the Goldrinn Lo'gosh, combined with the Elf Sword, even the Black Dragon Princess will be no match for you."
Jaina deliberately told a lie, King Varian did not suspect it. He picked up the sword and swung it a few times. Although it was a replica, he could still feel the powerful force contained within it.
"Very good, our deal is a success." Varian sensed Jaina's sincerity and was delighted to have acquired this powerful force. "Now, tell me how to merge with this Spellstealer Wyrm."
"A very simple incantation: I am Varian, but I am also Lo'gosh," Jaina's image said calmly.
"I am Varian, but I am also Lo'gosh."
As the incantation was completed, the Spellstealer Wyrm let out a joyful roar and burrowed into King Varian's chest. He felt his heart fill with power, and a powerful surge of blood energy spread throughout his body.
The young King Varian was not particularly strong, and his height was only average, but after the Spellstealer Wyrm merged with his bloodline, he felt his muscles bulge rapidly, his bones made a crisp sound, and he grew taller.
Looking at himself in the mirror, tall and strong, with well-defined muscles and sharp angles, exuding explosive power, Varian finally felt the joy that strength brought, making him feel particularly confident and charismatic.
Then, an unbearable hunger struck. King Varian was so hungry that he felt dizzy and wanted to grab a chair and gnaw on it. At that moment, he felt like he could eat a dragon.
"The kitchen has prepared a sumptuous dinner, all made with ingredients I painstakingly collected that will be very helpful to you."
Varian rushed to the kitchen. Although dinner was no longer fresh, he still wolfed it down, his face beaming with delight, believing the deal was worthwhile.
Jaina's image followed to the kitchen, still with her back to King Varian. She wasn't worried that the King would go back on his word and turn his back on her after taking the benefits.
"You'll love this feeling; the relentless pursuit of power is addictive. Seeing you is like seeing myself in Dalaran. Even now, I'm still not satisfied with my own power."
King Varian nodded as he ate the blood-scented roasted meat. As a king, how could he be satisfied with the power he had gained? He wanted more, the complete power of the Goldrinn, so he would never go back on his word.
"You must assemble an Elite force as soon as possible. We'll meet at Raven Hill in three days. Oh, and there's a map of the troop distribution of the Vulgol Ogre Mound on the table; hopefully it will be helpful. I need to contact some allies to prepare for rescuing Thrall. Good luck, King Varian."
Jaina's image disappeared, and King Varian, having eaten his fill, quietly left through the back window.
Robbie and Vanessa appeared behind King Varian, watching his departing figure, both showing expressions of disappointment and exhaustion.
History continues to unfold in such a wondrous and fascinating way. Robbie and Vanessa tried their best and fought for it, but they still couldn't change the course of history and could only watch helplessly as King Varian walked towards his Destiny.
"Is there any way to stop King Varian?" Robbie asked, without much hope.
Vanessa's beautiful face showed a worried expression, and she gently shook her head:
"You know, Robbie, the House Wrynn's rise to royalty in Kingdom of Stormwind is no accident. They possess extraordinary qualities. You're not King, so it's difficult for you to understand the mindset of such rulers."
Robbie nodded in agreement. The reason why kings become kings is because their way of thinking is different. They have their own unique understanding and values, and they think about problems from a different perspective than ordinary people.
"I still want to give it a try." Robbie felt he could try, his mind racing:
"Let's assume that Cho'gall knows about King Varian's actions. What will he do? Escape with Thrall? Fight to the bitter end? Or does he have some other scheme? Knowing Cho'gall's next move might just be enough to stop King Varian."
Vanessa thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, let's go scout out the Vulgol Ogre Mound."
There's no need to hide the news about rescuing Thrall. After all, Thrall is the Ogre's bride, the foundation of Cho'gall's Ogre Empire. They're too busy protecting this hard-won bride to do anything like killing her.
Although King Varian's power had long been usurped by the Black Dragon Princess, rendering him unable to mobilize the Kingdom of Stormwind's army, the House Wrynn itself was a prominent clan, and it could be said that the House Wrynn was the greatest lord in the Kingdom of Stormwind.
Elwynn Forest, Lakeshire, Duskwood, and the former Westfall are all inextricably linked to the House Wrynn.
For example, the mayor of Lakeshire, the leader of the Night Watch in Darkshire, and the mayor of Goldshire all pledge allegiance to House Wrynn first, and then to the Kingdom of Stormwind.
Although the Vulgol Ogre Mound has thousands of Ogres, few are willing to fight for Cho'gall. If the Kingdom of Stormwind were to send troops to attack, they would simply stand by and watch the Twilight's Hammer and the Alliance engage in a fierce battle.
Varian assembled the private army of House Wrynn and sent messengers everywhere to make contacts and hire adventurers.
On the third day, King Varian successfully assembled a force of nearly two thousand men.
One-third of them were the private army of the House Wrynn, plus the Stormwind City Guard sent by Marshal Windsor under the pretext of protecting the King, a main force of nearly a thousand men, well-trained and well-equipped.
Although the remaining thousand or so ragtag men lacked coordination, their combat strength was still considerable. With strong individuals like Jaina and Garona who could stand alone, Varian firmly believed that this force was enough to wipe out the Vulgol Ogre Mound.
As the procession marched out of Stormwind City, Duke Bolvar blocked their path with a grim expression.
"Go back, Duke Bolvar, my old friend. This is my private matter, and even the Black Dragon Princess has no right to stop me." King Varian said this to his old friend.