Surrounded and weakened, Onyxia was no match for the Paladin's heavy hammer, the mages' unleashed magic, or the Gryphon Riders ' sharp Black Dragon.
But at this moment, it felt like a mountain constantly pressing down on her back, making her gradually feel desperate.
Humans, whom he originally regarded as flies and mosquitoes, could pose a deadly threat to him. Perhaps this is why his father sought to control human power?
The last wisp of flame in her throat finally died out, and the Black Dragon Princess lost her most powerful means of counterattack: dragon breath.
"Wind Spirit Binding!"
Master Omar seized the opportunity and guided the mages of Stormwind City to unleash hundreds of cyan magical ribbons, firmly binding the Black Dragon's wings.
Onyxia struggled helplessly but could not break free. Her wings went out of control, and her heavy body could no longer resist gravity. She tumbled through the air and fell into the sea, creating huge waves on the surface.
The Gryphon Riders gave chase, circling endlessly over the sea.
"Could she have escaped from underwater?" Unas dispelled the Heroic Spirit possession, letting Kressa rest, then leisurely flew to the Archmage's side, not daring to let his guard down.
"No, the wind spirits we release can trap her for a long time. Instead of worrying about that," Master Omar pointed his staff at the Docks, "We should think of a way to deal with them."
Unas turned around and saw several of Defias' warships departing from the Docks and heading towards the sea where the Black Dragon had fallen, seemingly intending to take it over.
"It's alright. I was just worried about how to get the Black Dragon ashore. Let them do it for me now."
After the fierce battle, the excitement of victory subsided, and a great fatigue washed over him. Now, Unas just wanted to find a place to rest.
Suddenly, Russell Blood Oath's voice came from the necklace on his chest, "Sir Knight, don't misunderstand, those ships were sent by me. They'll be keeping an eye on the Black Dragon underwater."
"..." Unas was displeased that he had forgotten to remove Plugger's necklace, thus exposing his every move to the Elf Warlock, and ripped the necklace off.
"I'm sorry." Russell Blood Oath's voice became unusually respectful, a sign of respect for the strong. He had witnessed the entire battle between the Paladin and the Black Dragon, and had a full understanding of Unas's strength. He had no desire to be his enemy.
"It's alright," Unas always responded better to gentle persuasion than force. Seeing the other party's submissive attitude, he couldn't lash out. He could only assert his ownership of the Black Dragon with a righteous air, "Whether she's dead or alive, please help me drag her ashore."
Russell Blood Oath neither refuted nor acquiesced, saying, "I hope you remember your previous promise."
"Certainly."
"So, VanCleef has fallen into the hands of a Night Elf, who appears to be one of your subordinates. Miss Vanessa and I wish to discuss this matter with you in person."
Night Elf? Unas frowned. It could only be Nightmoon. She, along with Huoye and Perella, had followed him in attacking the Black Dragon on the ground, though they hadn't been of much use.
"I'll be right down."
We eagerly await your arrival.
Unas put away the necklace and prepared to land, but was stopped by the mage beside him.
"Wait," Master Omar advised, "Beware of those bandits; you're not in good shape right now."
Oink also said, "Let's go down together."
"No need, you can stay in the sky and protect me," Unas said gratefully, confidently. "With VanCleef dead, her daughter faces a great crisis and needs friends, not enemies, more now."
Given the bandits' usual tactics, if their leader were taken away, they would immediately launch a war. But now they're humbly trying to "talk" with him, which suggests they genuinely have no hostile intentions. That's why he's confident he'll be alright.
"Then be careful."
Unas nodded to the mages and flew quickly toward the Docks. There, he saw Defias's bandit soldiers surging around the docked Dwarf warship, with seven or eight grappling hooks gripping the ship's hull. The crew on board were also tense, ready for a decisive battle.
Vanessa and Russell Blood Oath were present, Unas flew directly down to their side.
"Tell your men to hand over my father!"
Vanessa VanCleef sounded quite agitated. She was supposed to obey her father's orders to go to the Old Town to get reinforcements and then besiege the Cathedral, but she received news that her father had been attacked at the port, so she hurriedly led her troops back.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The battle between humans and dragons in the sky was in full swing. The Stormwind City attackers had already retreated under mediation, while the Warehouse District was being turned into a deadly, high-temperature wasteland by meteorites and dragonfire. Most of the scouts sent in were lost, and even the leader's body was not found.
At this moment, Russell Blood Oath received good news: the Paladin's three subordinates escaped from the Warehouse District with several seriously wounded men, one of whom bore a striking resemblance to VanCleef, the leader of the guild. The Elf Warlock had risked allowing the Dwarf warship to dock, so he had sent men to closely monitor the movements of those on board.
So they led their troops to surround the Dwarf warship, but the people on board refused to surrender. Vanessa, in desperation, wanted to launch a full-scale attack, but Russell dissuaded her.
The battle between humans and dragons in the sky is far from over, and the situation is constantly changing. If the Black Dragon wins, they will surely be its next target. The ruins of the Warehouse District serve as a reminder to everyone how terrifying an unstoppable Black Dragon can be.
If the Paladin wins, the attack on the Dwarf warships will make him a mortal enemy, which is something Russell doesn't want to see.
So they waited until now, Vanessa's patience had worn thin. Russell Blood Oath hurriedly said politely, "Sir Knight, we only want to see the few men your men brought aboard from the Warehouse District. VanCleef, the leader, is among them. We hope you can understand."
"Is VanCleef still alive?" Unas wondered. Those massive, piercing wounds that went through his heart and lungs would be fatal; how could he have survived until now?
No, if it's Nightmoon, it's quite possible. The Paladin suddenly remembered that when Master Oakleaf was poisoned, it was Nightmoon who fed him a pill that saved his life.
He looked up at the people on the ship. A row of Dwarf crew members were on guard, holding muskets. Nightmoon was at the bow and nodded to him.
Unas understood and said, "I agree to your request, but on one condition: hand over Marshal Windsor and Major Sophia to me."
"... Can."
Russell considered it for a moment and then agreed. Marshal Windsor was originally a very important hostage. In VanCleef's plan, after taking Stormwind City, the old marshal was to be brought to the forefront as a puppet. However, given the current situation, this plan had been largely aborted. As for the female major, she was just an insignificant byproduct.
Unas waved to the people on the ship and shouted, "Cease fire and bring down the person they want!"
Nightmoon replied, "Knight lord, I'm afraid that won't work. The person they want cannot be moved right now!"
Upon hearing this, Vanessa and Russell were overjoyed. If it were a corpse, there would be no problem moving it. Nightmoon's reply seemed to confirm that VanCleef was indeed still alive.
Impatient for the ship's hanging ladder to descend, Vanessa leaped up, stepping onto the head of a soldier beside her. Her nimble body somersaulted in the air, landing steadily on the ship's side.
Russell Blood Oath gave a helpless, awkward smile. Unas didn't seem to mind, grabbed his shoulder, activated the Light Wings, and the two of them leaped onto the deck.
Nightmoon hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "My lord, I'm so sorry."
She, along with Huoye and Perella, served as support for the Paladins, but they were unable to intervene in the aerial battle. After the Black Dragon unleashed its super-tier magic, they could only hastily retreat from the Warehouse District.
The King of Thieves, strung on the stone pillar, had long caught their attention; life or death, capturing VanCleef would be a great achievement.
So she took the dying King of Thieves from the stone pillar, but the gaping hole in his chest caused him to bleed so badly that he could barely breathe. Nightmoon could only feed him the Watcher's precious life-saving pills before hurriedly taking him back to the ship.
In the rush, there was no time to properly conceal VanCleef's figure, and he was discovered by the monitors sent by Russell, which led to this trouble. Therefore, Nightmoon apologized as soon as she saw the Paladin.
"It's alright," Unas thought, feeling no resentment at all, as this gesture had at least won over the old marshal and the female major. "Let's not talk about that. How is he?"
"This is the cabin over here," the female Elf pointed, "You'll see for yourself."
Without waiting for a guide, Vanessa rushed into the cabin that Nightmoon had pointed out, with Russell and Unas following closely behind.
In the spacious captain's cabin, three people lay sprawled: a middle-aged man with black hair covered in knife scars, a Blood Elf with blood seeping from his abdomen, and finally, the slender King of Thieves.
All three received simple first aid and were unconscious with their eyes closed.
Nightmoon explained, "The Blood Elves are Warlocks under the Black Dragon's command. The other person's identity is unknown; they were brought back by Perella and Huoye."
"It's Shaw," Russell explained, his eyes flashing with murderous intent towards a mortal enemy, "The head of SI:7."
Unas was secretly pleased; these two prisoners still had some value. To prevent Defias's two men from harming Blackhand, he instructed, "Have someone carry them to another room."
Vanessa completely ignored everyone else, focusing intently on VanCleef and carefully lifting the thin veil from his chest. A shocking hole was exposed to the air, and the ruptured lungs and cardiovascular system could be vaguely seen.
"Where are your Doctor and Priest?!" Vanessa cried out in shock and fury; such injuries meant certain death. "Russell, quickly send someone to fetch Sigmon!"
Sigmon, Defias's best Doctor, was currently at Stormwind Keep treating the wounded.
Russell was about to take a step when Nightmoon coldly stated the truth. "It's no use no matter who comes. Our Priest has done everything he can to treat his wounds, but it's all in vain. It's a miracle he's held on this long."
It wasn't a miracle, but rather the Watcher's secret medicine that kept her alive. Of course, Nightmoon wouldn't tell her secret to a stranger; in her opinion, those sentenced to death by Namelia were beyond saving.
"You purple-skinned bastard, what did you say?!" Vanessa drew her dagger with a clang. The Night Elf's words struck a chord with her, but she didn't want to face the reality of her father's impending death. Her pent-up despair and anger found an outlet.
Nightmoon, showing no sign of weakness, crouched down in an attacking stance. The tension between the two was palpable. Unas, unconcerned, crossed his arms and watched the show. In this assassin duel, he had more confidence in Nightmoon.
Russell Blood Oath, lacking confidence in his young master, quickly stepped forward to stand between the two women. Vanessa, however, showed no mercy, roaring, "Russell, get out of my way!"
Just as Russell was feeling helpless, a faint cough rescued him from his predicament—perhaps subconsciously hearing his daughter's loud shouts, the dying King of Thieves was actually awakened.
"Father!" Vanessa was only a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, and she quickly abandoned her opponent and turned to look at VanCleef.
"My daughter," the King of Thieves opened his eyes to see the face of his beloved, yet his voice was surprisingly calm, "I am about to die."
"No..." Tears streamed down Vanessa's face like broken pearls, her voice trembling uncontrollably, "My father is dead, what am I going to do?"
"Never ask yourself that question, Vanessa. You are my daughter. Never show your weakness in front of anyone."
"Yes, Father!" Vanessa gritted her teeth, wiping away her tears, her voice gradually becoming firm, "Your dreams and cause, no matter the cost, I will fulfill them for you!"
VanCleef smiled with relief, his expression frozen in that moment, and then he breathed his last!
No one could have imagined that the ruthless King of Thieves would die with such a peaceful smile on his lips. Perhaps he had been waiting for this moment, and death was another kind of relief for him.
Vanessa's face, contorted with suppressed tears, radiated boundless sorrow and hatred. After gently closing her father's eyes, she stood up and turned around, her expression now that of a cold-blooded killer.
She commanded Russell, "Drag the Black Dragon ashore as quickly as possible. I want to personally cut off its head to sacrifice to the flag!"
Whether it's to avenge his father or to establish his authority in order to inherit Defias, the dying Black Dragon is the perfect target.
Russell glanced at the Paladin, unsure how to respond.
Unas, of course, could not agree to that. He regarded the Black Dragon as his spoils of war, and if anyone was to be killed, it would be him—the experience points from such a top-tier boss would be off the charts, and he would not give it to anyone else.
But looking at Vanessa's sullen face, she was seething with anger and looking for a way to vent it; she was bound to resort to violence at the slightest provocation.
Unas was not afraid of fighting, but the Dwarf warships were still surrounded by Defias's bandit army, and he was in poor condition, so he wanted to avoid unnecessary battles.
"Miss Vanessa, I have a suggestion..."
"If it's about the Black Dragon's ownership, there's no need to say more; whoever gets it keeps it!" She really is the daughter of a bandit.
"Let me finish. This is a condition you can't refuse," Unas said confidently. "How about we wager your father's life?"
"My father...?!" Vanessa's eyes widened, thinking the Paladin had lost his mind; the man's corpse on the ground was gradually growing cold.
Unas revealed his trump card. "I have the power to resurrect your father."
The room fell silent. Vanessa was incredulous, while Russell, flustered, asked urgently, "How is this possible?"
Based on his understanding of Paladins, it was impossible for them to make such a joke at this moment; it was just that the fact of their resurrection was unbelievable.
"It's the real deal," Unas said, changing the subject, "But my abilities aren't free."
Vanessa saw that he didn't seem to be lying, and a flame of hope ignited in her heart. "If you can truly create a miracle, I'm willing to pay any price!"
"Oh? Any price?" This was exactly what Unas was waiting for; now he had a reason to make exorbitant demands.
Russell quickly tried to salvage the situation for the inexperienced new leader, saying, "But it must be within our capabilities."
"Rest assured, I am a Paladin, and justice is my highest principle." Unas said righteously, revealing a chilling smile.
"First, the Black Dragon and all her possessions belong to me," Unas glanced at the two opposite him, and seeing that they didn't object, continued, "Second, Defias must completely withdraw from Stormwind City, and I will take over the fortresses and ports you occupy."
"If you can truly resurrect the Master, he won't agree to this condition," Russell frowned. "My promise to Vanessa and I has no power before the Master." VanCleef Cleef had spent countless efforts preparing for the attack on Stormwind City; if he came back to life, he certainly wouldn't easily give up his gains.
"Unfortunately, Chairman VanCleef is now dead, and Vanessa is the true leader of Defias. How could her promise be ineffective?" Unas turned to the girl. "Don't you agree, Miss Vanessa?"
"Yes, I promise you!" Vanessa answered directly, ignoring the Elf Warlock's objections.
Even without the Paladin's suggestion, she herself had already begun to consider Defias's future.
When my father was alive, there were a few troublemakers in the Brotherhood who were not very obedient, but we tolerated them for a while because they were still useful blades.
Given the current situation, if Defias wins this battle, all will be well; if they lose or the battle becomes a stalemate, someone will inevitably try to sabotage the situation.
The Cathedral still hasn't fallen, the resistance in the Old Town is exceptionally strong, and the main battlefield, the Trade District, is even more difficult to break through. According to intelligence, an enemy reinforcement has already reached the city gate—it's very likely the defenders of Goldshire, and reinforcements like this will continue to arrive in the coming days.
Defeating Stormwind City quickly is no easy task, and having to suppress a group of their own people only exacerbates the already dire situation.
If her father were still alive, his prestige and methods could still unite the people, and a desperate battle might be possible. But Vanessa knew her own limitations; once news of her father's death spread, morale would plummet, and the hope of victory would become even more remote.
Therefore, retreat was already an option in her mind, and for her father's life, such a price was not unacceptable.
Russell was not unaware of this principle, but he was emotionally unwilling to be manipulated by the Paladins.
"Third," Unas continued, ignoring Russell's objections, "Help me assassinate someone."
Who is it?
"I won't tell you for now; I'll inform you when the time is right."
Vanessa thought for a moment and nodded, "No problem." There are plenty of assassins skilled in assassination within the Brotherhood, so this condition is actually easier to accept.
Finally, I want the Regent and the Little Prince.
But they are not in our hands.
That was the truth, but Unas knew VanCleef had already prepared a capture plan, so he said, "Then we'll talk after you catch them. So, I need a hostage in exchange."
Russell asked warily, "Who do you want?"
"Miss Vanessa herself," Unas said calmly, despite their angry glares, "Is as important to Defias as the Little Prince. My request is not excessive; otherwise, we would need to add another hostage on par with the Regent. Bakir is barely qualified."
"Not excessive?!" Even the usually composed Elf Warlock was enraged by the Paladin's demand. "This is impossible!"
"There's one more thing to clarify. Although I'm quite confident, the success rate of Resurrection decreases as the time since death increases," Unas said, ignoring Russell. "Of course, if you feel my request is inappropriate, we can continue the discussion."
The Paladin's scathing remarks turned their faces pale. Time was precious, and the arguments they were about to utter were forced back down their throats. Vanessa said urgently, "Stop arguing! I agree to everything you say, let's begin!"
"No problem," Unas gestured to the outer door, "You all go out and guard the gate; I can't be disturbed while I'm casting my spell."
The Paladin's word is law now, and although the two were unwilling, they could only accompany Nightmoon out to act as guardians of the Resurrection.
"I'm sorry to have to drag you back to this unfriendly world," Unas said, looking down at VanCleef's stiffly smiling corpse. "Redemption!"
He had always admired this ruthless and ambitious figure, so resurrecting VanCleef didn't bother him much, especially since it would bring huge benefits. Besides, too many people already knew the secret of the Resurrection, so there was no need to keep it under tight guard anymore.
Golden light instantly illuminated the entire room, and the magnificent Holy Light began to bestow new life upon the deceased.
Fifteen minutes later, Unas pushed open the door and came out. Vanessa and Russell looked like husbands waiting for their babies to give birth outside, anxiously asking, "How did it go?"
Unas smiled confidently, "Of course, no problem!"
Vanessa rushed into the room in disbelief. Seeing her father's chest fully repaired and his breathing steady, she cried out incoherently, "Holy Light above! Holy Light above!"
As an assassin, she had never believed in the Holy Light, but at this moment she was like the most devout believer, genuinely grateful for the miracle of the Holy Light.
Russell carefully examined the leader's body and found him to be indistinguishable from a living person. He breathed a sigh of relief and was truly convinced, murmuring, "Compared to such a miracle, nothing is not worth exchanging. You are very fair, Paladin."
Unas couldn't tell whether his words were sincere or sarcastic. Nightmoon whispered beside him, "The head of the secret service has woken up and said he has urgent business to discuss with the lord in person."
"Although Chairman VanCleef's injuries have healed, his strength and physical functions still need some time to recover. He's in your hands now."
Unas gave a brief explanation and then followed Nightmoon to another cabin. Shaw, who had just woken up, sat against the wall with a deathly pale face. His wounds made it impossible for him to stand up and bow.
"I am Shaw, the head of SI:7. I presume you, Sir Knight, already know this."
Unas was quite wary of this intelligence professional, nodding briefly and saying, "I am Unas of the Silver Hand."
Shaw could only manage a wry smile. He didn't know when he had lost consciousness. When he woke up, he found himself on this ship, with the Elf Warlock who had interfered in his duel with VanCleef lying next to him.
He only watched the first half of the battle between the Paladins and mages and the Black Dragon before being overcome by the thick smoke and not knowing the specific outcome, but one most important thing was always on his mind.
After summoning the guards and briefly inquiring about the battle situation, he immediately requested to see the person in charge.
"If it weren't for the Elf Ranger under your command who came to my rescue, I would have perished in the flames. I will never forget this," Shaw expressed his gratitude to his savior.
"It was nothing," Unas complimented. "Having heard of your great achievements in Stormwind City, it's my honor to help you."
Shaw also politely replied, "You have defeated the Black Dragon; Stormwind City will remember this honor."
"We couldn't have won without everyone's help; this glory belongs to everyone," Unas said modestly. "Mr. Shaw, please don't hesitate to ask for anything."
"I would like to see Dean Hernan."
Shaw was always worried about the king's safety. Although the Countess showed Varian to him and the Head of the Mage Academy, she did not make the good news public in the name of protecting the king. Apart from him, only the headmaster Hernan knew the king's whereabouts.
Now that he has learned that the Black Dragon has fallen into the sea, Shaw is only concerned with confirming the king's safety. He does not believe that the Paladin is a bad person, but due to his professional habit, he cannot trust people whose background he does not know, so he dares not tell him the news about the king directly.
"I only know Blackbeard Oink. Dean Hernan, whom you mentioned, did not appear at the port," Unas said truthfully.
"He's fine too, please, could I see him?"
"No problem." Unas nodded, unsuspecting, assuming that the head of the secret service simply felt unsafe on the Dwarf warship surrounded by strangers and wanted to find someone he knew for protection.
The mages of Stormwind City and Master Omar were currently free, monitoring the underwater activity above the sea where the Black Dragon had fallen.