Back in Orgrimmar, Thrall sat on his throne and began to ponder the whole affair.
Yes, he was indeed tricked, falling for the Kul Tiras' scheme, which left the water Elemental Lords Neptulon's fate unknown, rendering him unable to protect Orgrimmar.
Thrall simply couldn't understand why the Kul Tiras possessed the Burning Legion's magic.
Thrall didn't think he had done anything wrong. As long as Aegwynn the Guardian was still alive, the Orcs were safe. Compared to the Kul Tiras navy and the mysterious Tidal Curse, the threat Neptulon posed to the chieftain's position was what needed to be addressed.
This is the philosophy of a true king. Mediocre kings often consider the interests of the entire tribe, while wise kings only care about their own power and status. History has proven countless times that only the latter have the chance to have the last laugh, and Thrall is clearly the latter.
Now the question to be answered was how to deal with Aegwynn's questioning. The cunning Thrall's eyes darted around, and he quickly came up with a plan.
Before long, a dark cloud enveloped Orgrimmar, and the former Guardian Aegwynn, filled with intense anger, rushed into the Warchief's tent like a meteor.
Aegwynn's beautiful face was almost contorted, her lovely eyes filled with rage.
"Thrall, you damned beast! You dared to Neptulon! He was my most trusted old friend. Without Neptulon, who can fight the curse of the tides? Do you want to wipe out the Orcs?"
Aegwynn was about to unleash Flames and Lightning in her hands to punish Thrall, but Thrall remained calm and simply smiled confidently. This puzzled Aegwynn, so she paused to hear Thrall's explanation.
Thrall stood up, bowed respectfully, and calmly explained:
"Neptulon is merely a lowly Water Elemental, so weak and vulnerable. The weak have no right to live in this world. The curse of the tides may be powerful, but I believe you have a way, don't you, Lord Guardian?"
Thrall, with an expression that suggested he Aegwynn completely under his thumb, was infuriated by the former Keeper: "Thrall, you will pay the price for your arrogance. Don't think that no one can replace you."
"Guardian, I am using the Burning Legion's Fel Magic," Thrall said emphatically.
"The Burning Legion!"
Aegwynn was well aware of this; if it weren't for her concerns about the Legion magic, she would have torn Thrall to pieces long ago, leaving his soul to suffer eternal torment.
Seeing that Aegwynn's expression had softened, Thrall said calmly:
"I received a secret order from the Burning Legion, personally delivered by Lord Kil'jaeden, that Neptulon must be killed. I had no choice."
Since it was an order from the Burning Legion, Aegwynn's expression finally calmed down. Although she had some doubts, the Fel Magic against Neptulon was the best evidence.
Suddenly, Thrall felt a sharp pain inside his body, and he collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony and screaming in pain, like an insect being brutally tormented by an unseen foot, a pain that lasted for half an hour.
Thrall felt his whole body trembling, as if his body was being torn apart, and darkness engulfed his vision; even his soul was being damaged.
"This is punishment for your unauthorized actions, Thrall," Aegwynn warned sternly. "From now on, if the Burning Legion has any more secret orders, you must notify me in advance. If it happens again, you're dead."
Thrall breathed a sigh of relief, having narrowly escaped death. Without further ado, Thrall gritted his teeth and said, "My Guardian, I dare not conceal anything any longer. I will now inform you of Lord Kil'jaeden's secret orders: besides dealing with Neptulon, there is also the Bronze Dragon Aspect Nozdormu."
Why is the Burning Legion targeting Nozdormu?
Aegwynn was puzzled, but she couldn't verify it with Kil'jaeden. After hesitating for a long time, she asked, "Thrall, what method do you have to deal with Nozdormu?"
Thrall sighed deliberately and shook his head, saying, "I've already been exposed in order to deal with Neptulon. Nozdormu must have been prepared. Of course, I don't want to kill Nozdormu, but the Legion's orders cannot be disobeyed. At least I should put on an act."
Aegwynn understood Thrall's meaning: not to kill Nozdormu, but to carry out the Legion's orders; he only needed to deal with him, but Nozdormu would have to suffer.
After a long silence, although Aegwynn had some doubts, she realized that the Burning Legion's orders were the key, and sacrificing a mere Nozdormu was nothing.
In Aegwynn's plan, there was no place for Dragon Aspects on the Azeroth Continent; they were merely being used to extract the maximum value from the dragons.
"Orgrimmar is still safe," Aegwynn said with absolute confidence.
"If the Kul Tiras unleash the Tidal Curse, I still have one last trump card. I doubt they'll dare to act rashly."
Having received Aegwynn's assurance, which was expected, Thrall breathed a sigh of relief.
After a long silence, Aegwynn finally made up her mind and handed a scroll to Thrall. The scroll slowly unfurled before Thrall, revealing three Nozdormu scales inside.
The golden scales shone brightly, Aegwynn explained coldly:
"These three scales are methods to control Nozdormu. The first is imprisonment, the second is death, and the third is annihilation of soul and spirit. Thrall, how to deal with Nozdormu is entirely up to you. I have a past with Nozdormu; after all, he has helped me a lot. Just say that you stole this scroll from me."
Thrall quickly put away the scroll, realizing that this was Aegwynn's test for him.
The second and third scales cannot be selected; only the first scale can be used. Although this cannot kill Nozdormu, Thrall has a way to make Nozdormu suffer pain worse than death, driving the Dragon Aspects completely mad.
The powerful Bronze Dragonflight is ultimately a threat to the Orcs. Although they are allies now, they may become enemies in the future. If there is an opportunity to wipe them out, don't miss it.
That's how cruel survival can be.
Aegwynn made up an excuse and left Orgrimmar, specifically instructing Nozdormu to have the Bronze Dragonflight protect Orgrimmar's safety before he departed.
Although Nozdormu agreed, the example of Neptulon filled him with vigilance. The Bronze Dragonflight had always been sparsely populated, but he still mobilized the majority of its forces.
It wasn't to deal with the Kul Tiras, but to guard against the Orcs.
High on a mountain in Durotar, a steep peak too steep for even monkeys to climb, Nozdormu nested atop it, overlooking Orgrimmar from his vantage point, believing himself to be perfectly safe.
After Neptulon's Water Elemental Legion withdrew from the battle, the Kul Tiras navy began to move. Daelin, knowing Aegwynn's methods, believed that she must have a backup plan, so she hid all the Tidesages and attacked Orcs and Troll villages along the coastline.
Thrall had no choice but to send troops to meet the attack. After several battles, both sides suffered losses, but the Orcs were clearly at a significant disadvantage.
The Kul Tiras, with their advantage of the sea, could come and go as they pleased. Under their fierce artillery fire, countless Orcs perished on the battlefield, while the Dragonkin's support was always delayed.
In desperation, Thrall decided to ask Jaina for help.