A mysterious Archmage is welcomed in most situations.
Although Ogres are savage and cruel, they also hold mages in high esteem.
After Antonidas displayed his powerful magic, Zhakeuer, the leader of the Vogul Ogres, personally came out to greet him.
Zhakeuer was an exceptionally strong Ogre; most of his skin was keratinized, like a thick layer of armor. Zhakeuer carefully sniffed the air and said unhappily:
"I smell the stench of Undead creatures."
Antonidas calmly replied, "Human lifespan is too short to pursue the vast ocean of magic, so I abandoned my human body and became an immortal Undead."
"Well said! I love the Undead the most; the Undead of Raven Hill are all my friends."
Zhakeuer laughed heartily. Who says Ogres can't flatter?
Antonidas successfully became a distinguished guest of the Vulgol Ogre Mound. Zhakeuer asked curiously, "You said this place is rich in magic, how is that possible? We Splitfist Ogres have lived here for many years, and the number of Ogre Mage have emerged from here is very small."
As an Archmage, deception is a basic skill, Antonidas said calmly:
"When I first approached this place, I sensed an Evil aura, with countless wronged souls wandering within the cave. Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly discovered that beneath this Evil aura lay an extremely pure source of magic, surpassing even that of Dalaran."
Zhakeuer's face lit up with delight, and he blinked his small eyes as he asked, "You mean it's because the vengeful spirits have obscured the magic deep underground?"
Antonidas smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise. That's right. I guess there must have been a bloody battle here, and a king must have fallen here, causing the resentment to linger."
Zhakeuer looked surprised and praised:
"Your Excellency is indeed astute. Indeed, a king died here. Heh, because I promised someone, I cannot reveal his name."
Antonidas waved his hand and said:
"The kings of the mortal world are but fleeting clouds, a bunch of vulgar fools chasing after empty power. I have never been interested in them. I have wandered the world for over three hundred years, and it is difficult for me to break through to the next level. The pure magic beneath this land is probably my last chance. In return, I will purify this land and train Ogre Mage for the King."
Zhakeuer fell into thought. The Archmage before him was incredibly powerful, beyond his imagination. Fortunately, he had come with sincerity. Whether he was real or not, the Ogre Vogul had nothing to lose.
Zhakeuer saw no reason to refuse, so he readily agreed.
Purifying the vengeful spirits in the cave was no easy task. Antonidas commanded a group of Ogres to set up Magic Circle and construct a bloody Altar inside the cave.
With Antonidas's help, the Blightcaller successfully regained their strength inside the Altar. Once everything was ready, on a dark and windy night, all the Ogres withdrew from the cave, leaving only Antonidas behind.
Through a special ritual, powerful magic circulated within the Magic Circle, and a transparent array of vengeful spirits clearly appeared in the cave.
Antonidas watched as hundreds of human soldiers clashed with Ogres; the Ogres ' souls were unusually violent, while the human soldiers' eyes were filled with numbness.
"A great battle did indeed take place here; the information on the parchment is mostly true."
Antonidas cautiously searched for his target among the souls, but unfortunately, apart from the chaotic melee, he found no souls of value.
Deep within the cave, Antonidas noticed a blurry light, seemingly composed of several intertwined souls. Antonidas cautiously approached, trying to get a better look.
Suddenly, Antonidas felt a splitting headache as countless tentacles flew towards him and coiled around his body.
Antonidas was startled, and then he heard a strange whisper in his ear:
"An Archmage, the Betrayer to Dalaran, you foolishly summoned Archimonde, nearly destroying this world. You're searching for a soul, aren't you?"
"The Old Gods C'Thun." Antonidas remained clear-headed and finally saw a dim soul enveloping a cluster of transparent tentacles.
"It really is him, King Varian Wrynn."
Antonidas was shocked. He was no stranger to this king, who had mysteriously disappeared a few years ago, and he never expected that he would die here.
"You mean this child King?" C'Thun's voice was erratic.
"A foolish King who actually trusted those barbaric Orcs and was then cruelly eaten. Haha, how could there be such a fool in the world? I'm sorry, Antonidas, but you seem to be one of the fools too. Being eaten by Orcs must have been a terrible experience."
Antonidas recalled the horrific experience of being eaten by Orcs, a nightmare that haunted him even after he became Undead.
In that instant, he almost lost his composure.
"C'Thun, what do you want?"
Antonidas was not worried. C'Thun's power existed here, but only in a spiritual form. As long as he guarded his mind, he would not fall into corruption and darkness.
"Haha, you're just an ordinary mage, your life is as insignificant as an ant's, what can you possibly give me?" C'Thun's voice was laced with sarcasm.
Antonidas calmly replied:
"I know you, C'Thun. You've bewitched the Qiraji, you created the Twilight's Hammer, though I don't know why. But you need them to serve you, don't you?"
C'Thun's tone shifted, taking on a divine majesty. "Correct your mistake. The Qiraji are my creations, my people. As for the Twilight's Hammer, they will spread my name. A god is difficult to destroy, but what is most feared is being forgotten."
Antonidas stated in an uncompromising tone, "I refuse to spread your name."
C'Thun chuckled. "The dead cannot spread the name of a god. What I need is to plant a nail. When I need you, you must fight for me."
"I will never betray the Dark Lady!" Antonidas said coldly.
"Master, you underestimate me."
C'Thun whispered:
"A decaying Forsaken kingdom means nothing to me. My true purpose is beyond your imagination, far beyond your level of existence. When that day comes, your queen and her empire will have long since decayed and become dust of history, and only then will it be your turn to submit to me."
Antonidas fell into thought. If C'Thun's request was for the distant future, or even before Lordaeron existed, then perhaps he should agree.
Although as a Forsaken, one theoretically has an infinite lifespan, Antonidas doesn't believe he has the chance to live that long.
"Okay, I agree."
A dark shadow disappeared into Antonidas's chest and vanished quickly.
"A pleasant trade, Archmage. This soul is yours."
The soul encased in the tentacles was freed. Antonidas saw a pair of bewildered eyes, hurriedly took out the crystal ball, and carefully absorbed the precious soul.
The soul of the King of Stormwind City, a rare and valuable treasure, its worth was self-evident. Countless schemes and plots flashed through Antonidas's mind in an instant.