The Ghoul looked at the bright full moon in the sky and laughed triumphantly, feeling very fortunate to have escaped.
One must be ruthless enough, willing to give up and sacrifice, in order to achieve success.
When the bright moonlight broke through the shackles of Experiment Subject No. 001 and shone directly on Sylvanas, the Karazhan warriors knew it was the only escape route.
Unfortunately, they refused to relinquish their strength, thus losing their only chance to escape.
Gul'dan was ruthless to others, and equally ruthless to himself. He directly abandoned the Fel Body had painstakingly acquired, transforming into Restless Souls.
This made his escape incredibly fast, almost keeping pace with Sylvanas in her Banshee form as they fled Karazhan.
Without a physical body, he quickly found a skeleton and used his last strength to transform into Ghoul.
Fortunately, Gul'dan also had some knowledge of Undead magic.
Gul'dan, now Ghoul, was incredibly weak, unable to even defeat a wild dog, and staggered along the Deadwind Pass Path.
He needed to find a corner, a secluded place, to rebuild his strength.
As long as one is alive, there is always a chance. Gul'dan believed that the knowledge he remembered would allow him to make a comeback.
The mountain road was winding, rugged, and difficult to travel.
The road was overgrown with weeds, and wild beasts roared from the nearby gloomy forest. Fortunately, the Ghoul's rotting body did not arouse the interest of carnivores, which reassured Gul'dan.
Gray, leaden clouds blanketed the sky, darkness shrouded the earth, and everything seemed colorless. Gul'dan suddenly sensed something, stopped crawling, and began to feel the changes in the surrounding space.
The Ghoul stood upright, leaning against a withered tree; even in death, he died with dignity.
Gazing at the bright full moon in the sky, Gul'dan sighed softly:
"You're still the same as before, enjoying manipulating people at will, showing no mercy. Even now that I've become like this, you still won't let me go. Well, if it were me, I wouldn't let go of a former the Betrayer either."
"I never let others go, so how can I expect others to let me go? Cruelty is relative. When my people were cruel to me, I learned to be cruel to others. Your cruelty can't frighten me, because I'm used to it. No living person has ever heard of the village where I was born."
"Life is truly amusing. I didn't die in the Tomb of Sargeras, but instead I'll fall in this unknown corner. I wonder who you'll send to take my life. It certainly won't be the Night Elves, because they're just a bunch of fools."
A purple Portal opened, and a young figure leaped out. He had distinct Orcs features, though not particularly strong. He wore a purple mage's robe, carefully scrutinized Gul'dan, then curled his lip in a mocking smile:
"Look, what a pathetic Ghoul. Who would have thought that Gul'dan, who once reigned supreme, would end up like this? Is the ultimate Undead of Orcs?"
The young people laughed and joked, mocking without any restraint or mercy.
"Med'an, have you forgotten that you are the son of Medivh?" Gul'dan retorted, then continued, "We wanted to make you the young master of Karazhan, but we didn't know where you'd gone."
"I never considered myself Medivh's son; I was merely a failed experiment," Med'an said self-deprecatingly, then adopted a fawning expression. "Now I serve a new master."
An Orcs emerged from the Portal, his young body brimming with Vitality, his face familiar— Gul'dan from Draenor.
The two Gul'dans stared at each other in Anjing for a long time.
Looking at his younger self, the Ghoul Gul'dan murmured:
"What a cruel Destiny, what a cruel arrangement. What are you waiting for? Well, at least no one else will benefit. No need for pretense. I know myself very well. How could you give up such a good opportunity?"
The young Gul'dan chuckled and slowly said, "I'm thinking about what decision I should make thirty-five years from now if I were faced with this situation. You're old now, your era has passed. You should face your Destiny. The Tomb of Sargeras should have been your end, so why come back to life?"
Hearing the young Gul'dan's sarcasm, the Ghoul Gul'dan smiled faintly and said dismissively:
"In my youth, I was indeed so arrogant, looking down on everyone and nothing. But as I've grown older, I've come to value my life and realize how vast the universe is, and how insignificant we are but dust. For years, I've hidden in Karazhan, afraid to show my face, lest I be crushed like dust. Until Medivh fell, I thought my chance had come, but this is how I ended up. Perhaps, this is my destiny!"
"Come, young me, we were originally one, you can absorb my soul without any problem."
Gul'dan, the Ghoul, seemed resigned to his fate. He closed his eyes, gripped the withered branch with his claws, and struggled to maintain his standing posture. This was his last vestige of dignity, as pitiful as a grasshopper in autumn.
Young Gul'dan revealed a smug expression. What he needed was the knowledge and experience of the older Gul'dan, which would allow him to avoid many detours and save him years of study and research.
Green Fel energy appeared in Gul'dan's hands. The young Gul'dan smiled cruelly as powerful Fel enveloped the Ghoul Gul'dan, slowly destroying his body and draining his soul.
Gul'dan Ghoul, let out a painful howl as his Ghoul skin cracked inch by inch. Fel energy destroyed everything within him and devoured his soul, yet his gaze remained utterly calm.
"Young man, you shouldn't use Fel."
Gul'dan, the Ghoul, had a smug smile playing on his lips as his face was on the verge of shattering.
"Not good!"
Gul'dan the Ghoul was reduced to ashes, but his soul invaded his body, gaining control of some of the Fel and vying with him for control of the body.
Having studied in Karazhan for many years, Gul'dan's understanding of Fel far surpasses that of his younger self.
Med'an stared in astonishment at his new master, Gul'dan, who stretched out his arms as if to grab something, but only grasped at thin air.
His blood-red eyes bulged out, and deep within his pupils flickered the images of two Orcs, one ferocious and cruel, the other even more ferocious and cruel.
"I am Gul'dan."
"I am Gul'dan."
Come, let us merge together.
"No, I am the only independent Gul'dan, get out of my body."
Fel Flames enveloped Gul'dan's body, making him dangerous and terrifying, as if two ferocious aspects had merged into one. Med'an, watching from the side, trembled, unsure of what to do.
Finally, Gul'dan could no longer hold on. He collapsed to the ground, convulsing and writhing in agony, as if an invisible foot were stomping on him. The grass was stained with the green of Fel, becoming a Corruption Fel land.
After a long while, Gul'dan finally stopped struggling. His aura had weakened to the extreme, but his eyes were even more crazed. He slowly stood up and let out a terrifying, arrogant laugh.
"I am Gul'dan, and I am also Gul'dan."
Med'an scratched his head, thinking to himself, "Who exactly are you? Can't you be a little more reliable?"
Gul'dan took a step forward; though his breath was weak, his spirit was incredibly vigorous, almost like a madman.
"From this day forward, I will reign supreme, I will unify Azeroth, I will become the king of the land, I will forge a world, a world that grovels at my feet."
"You can't do anything, Gul'dan."
Robbie emerged from the shadows, holding the Book of Medivh in his hand, and a cage of Holy Light enveloped Gul'dan.
Med'an was terrified and turned to run away, but then fell into a state of dizziness.