The scorching midday sun shone down on Unas, but it could not dispel the chill in his heart. It was the first time a man had examined his entire body, and the disgust lingered.
"Who was that Durand? He was unbelievably arrogant," Unas asked, pretending to be angry.
"Just an ordinary Paladin of the Silver Hand. There are quite a few more like him, so be prepared," Gordon said calmly.
"Quite a few more? Big brother, just how much do people hate you?"
"Ever since I lost the ability to use the Holy Light, I've been expelled from the Order of the Silver Hand. In some people's eyes, I'm a fallen Paladin, an insult to the sacred profession." As Gordon spoke, his dim eyes gradually brightened. "But I'll prove it to them. My faith may have wavered, but it has never changed. The great Holy Light sent you to give me a new life, and I'll repay it for the gift it gave me..."
Unas couldn't bear to listen to another word of this religious drivel, so he hurriedly interrupted. "Why was Durand wearing a blue tabard? Didn't he join the North Maple Legion?"
"The Twin-Headed Eagle tabard is the uniform of Lordaeron's Order of the Silver Hand." Gordon paused. "The Distant Mountain Monastery is now jointly controlled by the Silver Hand and the North Maple Legion. The Silver Hand's leaders have assigned their Paladins to the North Maple Legion's various units to strengthen the army."
Put that way, Unas understood. Paladins really were buff machines. Their various blessings, auras, healing and support spells could all strengthen a team, and in the game, you always had to bring a few Paladins along on raids.
The road took a sharp turn ahead. Once they emerged from the mountain pass, the land suddenly opened up before them, with fields scattered here and there. The relatively level ground between the mountains had all been cultivated and planted with crops such as corn and wheat.
Their arrival caught the attention of the farmers working in the fields. The farmers straightened up and waved vigorously at them, and Gordon waved back.
A young boy who seemed to know Gordon picked up an unripe ear of corn and threw it over, shouting, "Lord Gordon, have something to eat!"
"It isn't ripe yet, you brat!" Gordon caught it and tossed it back with a laughing curse, hitting the boy squarely on the head. The boy cried out in pain, setting the farmers roaring with laughter.
Compared with the perilous world outside, this place really was a paradise.
"Everyone seems to be in a good mood," Unas remarked. He had expected a gloomy refugee camp.
"The harvest seems to be good." Gordon waved goodbye to the farmers. "And ever since Highlord Alexandros Mograine returned from the Dwarven Kingdom with that sword, we've won quite a few battles. The remnants of the Scourge in northern Tirisfal have been almost completely wiped out. Only that cancer, the Dreadlord Bessarius, remains."
"Could it be the Ashbringer?!" Unas was greatly interested.
"You know about the Ashbringer too? I thought you didn't know anything after losing your memory," Gordon teased.
Few Warcraft players were unfamiliar with the famous Ashbringer. It was not only the name of a sword, but also the title of its wielder. Highlord Alexandros Mograine was the first Ashbringer.
The second Ashbringer, Highlord Tirion Fordring, used the cleaver-like weapon to shatter Frostmourne and defeat Arthas, the Lich King.
Legend had it that the sword burned with an inextinguishable flame of Holy Light, and every undead creature slain by it would be reduced to ash.
This legendary weapon was the ultimate aspiration of every Paladin. Unas's eyes gleamed. "Is the Ashbringer at the monastery too?"
"Not necessarily. I've been away for some time, and the Ashbringer is our army's greatest fighting force. It wouldn't be left idle at the monastery for long."
Unas suddenly wanted to reach the monastery as quickly as possible and see the legendary holy sword. He even put his worries about his identity aside.
The Gothic spires of the cathedral had already come into view. The two urged their horses on and finally reached the monastery gates.
The monastery had been converted into a military fortress. A wall four or five meters high, which had not existed in the game, surrounded it, and a squad of North Maple Legion soldiers in red stood guard at the gate.
The two went forward and gave their names, and a Priest with the squad gave them another routine magical inspection. This time, however, Unas was stopped. The squad leader politely told them, "All newcomers must be quarantined for at least three days. Lord Unas, please stay at the Whispering Gardens for the time being."
Unas looked at Gordon, who nodded to him. The squad leader led them around the wall toward a patch of high ground on the right.
After a short walk and a climb up a few steps, they arrived at the Whispering Gardens. The flowers were long gone, leaving only a few bare flower beds standing conspicuously among rows of tents.
There did not seem to be many people staying here, and most of the place was quiet. The squad leader picked a nearby tent at random and settled Unas in.
Once the squad leader had gone, Gordon said to Unas in a low voice, "Rest here for now. Someone will come to ask you a few questions and examine you. Just do as they tell you. As long as you aren't infected with the plague or a spy, this is the safest place. I'll come find you after I report on the military situation."
"All right, go ahead," Unas said, feigning ease. Now that he was here, he would have to make the best of it. All he could do was improvise.
Gordon nodded and left in a hurry.
Alone for the first time since crossing over, Unas had no idea what to do. He was utterly bored, and his stomach was rumbling. It was already noon, and he still hadn't eaten breakfast. He bitterly regretted giving the two wild rabbits back to that damn fatty Parrion.
Clutching his stomach, he walked out of the tent and shouted, "Hey! Does anyone provide food?"
He called out several times without an answer. Occasional whispers came from the surrounding tents, but no one came out to pay him any attention.
"How boring," he muttered as he returned to his tent, sat down and closed his eyes to rest.
Before long, footsteps approached. Unas opened his eyes, and two people lifted the entrance flap and walked straight in. The small tent was instantly crowded with three people.
A kind-looking middle-aged man looked down at him and said, "Greetings, sir. I am Hanni, the medical officer. I've been ordered to examine you."
"Why do you need to examine me? I'm perfectly healthy." Unas was strongly opposed to it.
"That isn't for you to decide," Doctor Hanni said politely. "Rest assured, sir, this is only a routine examination. Every newcomer has to go through it."
The young man standing beside the doctor spoke up as well. "Greetings, sir. I'm Lake, the household registration officer. There are a few forms concerning your identity that you need to fill out. This is also a procedure every newcomer has to go through."
The two had probably seen his fine armor and the sturdy horse tied up outside the tent and taken him for some sort of noble. Both were very courteous.
Unas waved a hand and said to the registration officer, "There's no need for forms. I've lost my memory. The only things I remember about my identity are that my name is Unas-Lawugade and that I'm a Paladin. I don't know anything else."
"Holy Light above, so you are a great Paladin! In that case, you are outside my jurisdiction. Please excuse me." The registration officer paid no attention to the memory loss, seemingly afraid to ask further.
"Then whose jurisdiction am I under?" Unas hurriedly asked.
"The Inquisition's, of course." The registration officer gave a slight bow and left the tent.
The Inquisition? Unas began to feel uneasy. Gordon had already warned him about it, and it seemed difficult to deal with.
"So you've lost your memory, my lord? Did you suffer a head injury in battle?" Doctor Hanni grew interested and made to examine Unas's head.
Unas quickly dodged. "I wasn't injured. I might have acute memory impairment. It works sometimes and not others."
"What kind of unusual condition is that?" The doctor grew even more interested.
"You can't do anything about it. Get on with your work."
"Then, sorry for the trouble, my lord, but please remove your armor. I need to perform a full-body examination."
That posed a bit of a problem for Unas. Hal had helped him put on the full suit of armor, and it fit together so tightly that he didn't know where to begin.
But it was borrowed anyway, so he began pulling it apart by brute force. Pop, pop, pop. Rivets and armor plates fell in all directions. Heh, let that damn fatty Parrion rue the loss.
Doctor Hanni watched in astonishment. Full plate armor was generally very expensive, and no one would treat their own life-saving equipment that way. Seeing him chuckle foolishly as he took it apart, the doctor thought he was either mad or a fool with too much money.
"Please lie down." Though the doctor looked down on the fool, he became even more respectful on the surface.
Unas lay down on the ground as instructed. Doctor Hanni quickly examined his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and the skin, muscles and bones all over his body. He also took a few drops of blood from his finger, then bowed and hurried away.
Unlike the last time he had been searched, Doctor Hanni's technique was very skillful, and Unas felt wonderfully comfortable all over.
Unas lay on the ground, unwilling to get up. Just as he was drifting between sleep and wakefulness, footsteps approached again. The entrance flap was flung open with a rustle, and a fragrant breeze followed.
Unas hurriedly opened his eyes. The first things he saw were a pair of long red leather boots. He looked farther up and nearly had a nosebleed. From his angle, he could just make out something indescribable.
"Staring at a lady like that, what a filthy look!" an angry female voice came from above.
Unas's face reddened. He awkwardly scrambled to his feet and looked at the beauty before him.
It had to be said that the woman was a great beauty, and once again, everything about her was indescribable.
Most striking of all was her shoulder-length silver hair, which gave her a silvery glow. The only thing that spoiled the sight somewhat was the stern expression on her delicate face. Her big, clear blue eyes were glaring angrily at Unas.
"Beauty, did you need something from me?" Unas badly wanted to whistle.
"I am Sally Whitemane, the Inquisition's prosecutor on duty today, and I am here to question you!" the beauty before him announced loudly.
Unas was dumbfounded.