At Robbie's suggestion, the three thousand Warsong Clan prisoners were slaughtered, their bodies becoming fertilizer for the Ancient of War. Their right ears were cut off, put into a large sack, and sent to Darnassus.
Tyrande was practically driven mad after seeing it.
"How dare the Night Elves of Ashenvale defy the oracle of the Moon Goddess!" Tyrande was furious. She knelt devoutly before the Moon Goddess and pleaded, "Great Elune, behold the Evil in this world! I beg you to unleash your boundless wrath, punish these blasphemers, and burn them to ashes!"
Malfurion shook his head, knowing it was futile. After Tyrande finished praying, he said to her helplessly:
"Tyrande, useless. The great Moon Goddess will not stoop to the level of ordinary people. The Night Elves of Ashenvale dared to defy our orders. They must be taught a lesson, but we will have to rely on our own strength."
Tyrande bit her lip and said fiercely, "That's right, I must make these the Betrayer pay the price. I will let them know the terrible consequences of disobeying the Moon Goddess's oracle."
After their initial anger subsided, Tyrande and Malfurion were surprised to find that the power they could mobilize was extremely limited.
The Night Elves generally sympathize with Ashenvale, and those generals with large armies would never obey Tyrande's orders. The only forces she can command are the guards of the Temple of the Moon and some Sentinels from Darnassus.
These forces were insufficient to defeat the Night Elves of Ashenvale.
It's important to know that Ashenvale has a very special geographical location, making it a strategic stronghold. Below Ashenvale lies the Barrens, inhabited by cruel Centaurs and savage Tauren.
The Barrens, true to its name, are extremely barren with sparse vegetation, while Ashenvale is covered with lush green forests and has a much better natural environment—it's like heaven and earth.
However, the fact that Centaurs and Tauren can coexist peacefully with the Night Elves of Ashenvale is definitely not because the races of Azeroth love peace, but because the Night Elves of Ashenvale possess combat power that can overwhelm both races.
Comparatively speaking, Ashenvale may not have many famous generals, but each of them is a seasoned Veteran has fought many battles.
Darnassus is located far behind the Night Elf forces, Tyrande and Malfurion have enjoyed a peaceful life for ten thousand years. Their command and combat abilities are inferior to those of the generals in Ashenvale.
Malfurion can mobilize Druid forces, but there are many factions within the Druids, and they may not be truly willing to fight.
After careful consideration, Tyrande and Malfurion realized they couldn't win and were immediately filled with worry. The Ashenvale faction was openly defying the divine decree; if this continued, what would become of the Moon Goddess's authority?
"Ashenvale is the Betrayer to the Night Elves." Malfurion frowned deeply. "It's time to call upon another the Betrayer."
Tyrande's eyes lit up. "Yes, Illidan Stormrage, how could I have forgotten about him?"
The Vault of the Wardens.
Maiev was demoted from Priest to the Jailer Temple of the Moon, but she used this opportunity to expand her own power.
The establishment of the Watchers organization, coupled with the many powerful prisoners within the Vault of the Wardens, gave Maiev the confidence to contend with Tyrande.
When Tyrande entered the Vault of the Wardens, Maiev was very surprised. She feigned piety and said with a forced smile:
"What brings the esteemed Priest of the Moon Goddess to grace my humble abode with her presence? Compared to the magnificent and bright Temple of the Moon, the Vault of the Wardens is dark and damp, and these prisoners constantly reek of various nauseating odors. I hope the Chief Moon Goddess Priestess will not find it offensive."
Tyrande remained calm and asked, "Has the mind-changing of Illidan been completed?"
Maiev wore a proud expression. Torturing Illidan's soul in various ways over the past ten thousand years was one of her few interests. She chuckled and said, "Ten thousand years ago, two mysterious figures sent me a manual for tormenting souls. Over the years, I've gained more insights and implanted emotional memories into Illidan's mind, but..."
Ten thousand years ago, Robbie and Illidan, posing as Priests of Bwonsamdi, entered the Vault of the Wardens to teach Maiev the methods of tormenting souls.
Later, the Night Elf race sent people to Zandalar to investigate, and discovered that these two had no connection whatsoever with Bwonsamdi, becoming a mystery within the Night Elves.
"But what?" Tyrande asked, frowning. This plan was proposed by Tyrande and implemented by Maiev. Tyrande's original plan was to implant a deep brotherhood between Illidan and Malfurion into Illidan's memories.
Maiev smiled faintly, with a meaningful undertone. "What I implanted was Illidan's love for you, the most Evil the Betrayer the Night Elves, and the unchanging love between the Chief Moon Goddess Priestess, so intoxicating, so enviable, so worthy of worship, full of stories."
"Maiev!" Tyrande gritted her teeth in anger.
Maiev waved her hand and explained with a smile, "Tyrande, you must understand that brotherhood can be betrayed at any time; it's unreliable. Only great love is something to yearn for. Believe me, soon countless Bards in Azeroth will sing praises to your love, and among them, truly great works will surely emerge."
Tyrande, having no other choice but to comply since she needed Maiev's help, said, "Alright, I need to see Illidan."
Deep within the Vault of the Wardens, Tyrande spotted Illidan in the distance. Illidan was still firmly bound by sturdy chains, surrounded by various insidious Magic Circle that restricted his power.
Even so, Illidan still wore a strange, nostalgic expression, his gaze filled with deep affection. He held a delicate red flower in his hand, and his eyes, fixed on the flower, were filled with intense love.
Maiev glanced at Tyrande and explained, "This item is called Tyrande's Memory. As long as this thing stays by Illidan's side, he will be incredibly devoted to you."
Although Tyrande was filled with resentment, she knew that the bigger picture had to come first.
"So Illidan can work for us?" Tyrande asked, this was exactly what she was most concerned about.
"No problem. As long as Illidan doesn't leave Azeroth, he'll be under our control. If he leaves Azeroth and goes anywhere, I'll have to bring him back, or the consequences will be unimaginable."
"Very good!" Tyrande finally managed a smile, "Maiev, the time has come for Illidan the Betrayer to serve. The Night Elf race need him."
Maiev was visibly taken aback upon hearing this. Illidan was a crucial trump card for the Night Elf race, and this dangerous prisoner was only released when the race faced a crisis. Recently, the Night Elves didn't seem to be facing any crises.
After thinking for a long time, Maiev tentatively asked, "Tyrande, are you seeking revenge for Cenarius? Although I don't know how Grom Hellscream killed Lord Cenarius, if it was just this old Orcs, Illidan won't need to lift a finger. Give me three days, and I will capture him and imprison him in the Vault of the Wardens, torturing him in the most cruel ways."
Tyrande shook her head. "I want Illidan to deal with the Night Elves of Ashenvale. They defied the Moon Goddess's will and must pay the price."
Maiev cautiously took a step back, and said angrily, "I cannot agree to such an unreasonable demand. The people of Ashenvale are my brothers and sisters, Tyrande, just give up."