The quiet forest, because it had just rained, had exceptionally fresh air with a slight earthy fragrance.
Druids love to stay in the forest because it is their warm home.
Druids, who are in harmony with nature, find all things in the forest to be their allies. Small animals are adorable Sentinels, giant trees are kind and reliable helpers, and even an ordinary vine can become a deadly weapon for Druid.
Unfortunately, they encountered Vanessa, and all the animals acting as lookouts along the way were Sap.
Inside a huge tree hollow, Juxiong, as large as a small mountain, was fast asleep, completely unaware of the approaching enemy.
Vanessa brandished a sharp dagger, her eyes flashing with ruthless cruelty.
"Commander, are you going to kill him?" Robbie asked hurriedly.
"What else? Are we going to keep him around for the New Year?" Vanessa said fiercely.
"Commander, killing him won't be the decisive factor." Robbie knew very well that killing Archdruid Grandaris wouldn't have much impact on the situation in Shadowmoon Valley.
"Kill him, Peace Dove will only need to find another Druid. My gut feeling doesn't always work."
"What do you mean?" Vanessa asked, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Talk to him," Robbie suggested, already prepared. "If we can bribe him, all the better; if not, we can always kill him."
"Alright, wake him up," Vanessa nodded and gave the order.
Robbie went up and kicked the Juxiong a few times, but the bear, with its thick hide and flesh, didn't seem to care, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
Vanessa took out a rope and handed it to Robbie, Robbie then tied the Juxiong up tightly. The bear seemed particularly confident in its own vigilance, as it didn't wake up even after being tied up.
A pot of cold water was poured over his head.
"What's going on? Is it raining? Haha, it must be in my dream."
The Juxiong barely opened its eyes, still sleepy, and was about to close them again.
Druids dwell in the Emerald Dream, sleeping for hundreds or even thousands of years; Sleep holds too great an allure for them.
"Grand Druid Grandaris, it's time for you to wake up."
"Who are you?" The Juxiong finally opened its eyes, yawned widely, and said nonchalantly, "Are you apprentices here to learn? I'm sorry, I haven't taught students in a long time."
Archdruid Grandarius was one of the most talented shapeshifters in Azeroth, and Moonglade regularly sent its most promising students to him for education.
This guy still doesn't understand the situation.
Robbie kicked him in the nose.
"How dare you kick an Archdruid in the nose!" Grandaris finally woke up from his sleep and found himself tightly bound.
"To actually bind a shapeshifter, how naive. Let me tell you, it's futile." Grandaris laughed contemptuously, struggling several times to no avail before his expression changed drastically:
"No, my Shapeshifting isn't working. There's something wrong with this rope. You're the bad guys."
Vanessa's dagger spun rapidly in her palm, flashing with a terrifying cold light. Robbie, with a sinister look on his face, took out the Cursed Torch and aimed it at the bear's head, as if to strike it down.
"Hey, you'd better think this through. Killing me won't do you any good. Do you know who my boss is? It'll scare you to death if I tell you," Grandaris threatened.
"We don't even consider the Nightmare Lord Xavius a threat," Robbie sneered.
"Xavius is nobody's business; my boss is the Green Dragonflight Dragon Queen Sera."
When Grandaris mentioned his boss, he became smug and boastful, his fluffy bear head looking so cheeky that it made you want to kick him.
Green Dragon Queen Ysera, Guardian of the Emerald Dream and one of the five ancient Dragon Aspects. Although she has lost her Dragon Aspects powers, she remains a formidable force to be reckoned with.
"Did Green Dragon Queen Ysera, send you?"
Robbie's eyes turned cold; he sensed something was amiss.
At this point in time, Green Dragon Queen Ysera, should not have been corrupted by the Nightmare yet, so why would she be involved in the conflicts of Draenor?
"Haha, you're scared now, aren't you? If you're scared, then release me quickly." Grandaris's voice gained a bit more confidence. "What good will it do you to kill me? You've offended the powerful Emerald Dream, you've offended the Green Dragon Queen Ysera, do you think it's all for a bearskin?"
Vanessa snorted and threatened, "Looks like all we'll get tonight is a bearskin."
Robbie nodded in agreement. "It's better than nothing. This bear pelt is big enough to cover a whole room."
"Wait, we can talk. Actually, I have quite a bit of treasure in the Emerald Dream." Grandaris finally got scared. This guy was surprisingly calm, knowing to resolve the issue through negotiation.
"Grandaris, you were doing just fine in the Emerald Dream, so why did the Green Dragon Queen Ysera send you to Draenor?" Robbie asked slyly, Vanessa's gaze never leaving the bear's throat.
"Ha, so you weren't here for the money, but for this."
Grandaris sighed, a hint of helplessness on his bear-like face:
"I advise you to just let me go. I'll go back to sleep, and we can pretend this never happened. This is too complicated for you to handle."
"Actually, bear meat tastes pretty good too," Robbie said to Vanessa.
"I prefer the taste of bear paws, preferably steamed with honey." Vanessa stared intently at Grandaris's thick bear paw, the dagger in her hand gleaming coldly.
"Hey, how could you do this? Fine, I'll tell you, okay?" Grandaris confessed obediently.
"That's right, I'm here to bewitch Prophet Velen. That guy is a complete idiot. He ignores the Draenei's advanced technology and only knows how to rely on the Holy Light and prophecies. Velen in Outland has already learned his lesson once. Back then, he received a wrong prophecy and saw the Orcs drank Demon Blood defeat the Burning Legion, resulting in the Draenei almost being wiped out."
"If I don't fool such a big idiot, someone else will. What's the point of killing me?" Grandaris felt wronged and looked at Robbie and the other man with pleading eyes.
"I think that bear is right." Robbie feigned a regretful expression and said, "Forget it, why waste time arguing with him? Let's just prepare a bear meat feast."
Vanessa nodded. "Leave the butchering to me. I promise, he'll be completely cleaned of flesh before he takes his last breath."
Grandaris's face turned pale, and he cried out, "What will it take for you to let me go?"
Robbie stared intently at the Juxiong. The bear was so large that Robbie had to stand on several stones to keep eye contact with Juxiong.
"Didn't you say the water here is deep? I'd like to hear just how deep it is." Robbie said casually, with an air of nonchalance.
Grandaris remained silent for a long while, his bear face becoming extremely serious, and he said in a low voice:
"Do you remember the Focusing Iris that blew up Theramore? The five most powerful Blue Dragonflight of the Blue Dragonflight Focusing Iris escorting it, not some weakling like Kalec. Yet they were killed in an instant, without even having time to transform into dragon form. Only Demons magic and Arcane energy remained at the scene. Tell me, how many people on the Azeroth Continent could do that?"