The visitor was Rick.
This time, Rick hadn't been beaten black and blue by his best buddy, but the gloom and dejection on his face were plain for anyone to see.
"Rick, what happened? Did VanCleef turn you down? Or does he simply not believe that Onyxia is your real enemy?" Shawn asked in surprise.
Was VanCleef really that stupid?
Rick gave a bitter smile. "VanCleef believes what I told him. He's no fool, and he's always had his own channels and informants. He knows more about what's happening in Stormwind than anyone else. So as soon as he heard what I said and connected it to all the other clues, he believed me. But the problem is, he doesn't believe in Stormwind!"
I knew it would go this way!
Shawn frowned. "He doesn't believe in Stormwind? Is he planning to take down Onyxia by himself? Does he really think the Defias Brotherhood is that powerful? Does he have any way to deal with a Black Dragon Princess who can fly? Heh, she's a legendary creature!"
Rick sighed. "VanCleef is a very proud man, and an extremely stubborn one, too... He said that Onyxia may be the true culprit, but Stormwind was so easily manipulated by her that its nobles were accomplices as well. Neither the mastermind nor the accomplices can be spared!"
Hearing that, Shawn scoffed. "Does he plan to take revenge on all of them? Has he lost his mind? Which of them can he take on, Onyxia or Stormwind?"
Onyxia was a legendary creature, and her lair was home to a horde of whelps and young dragons, each at least as powerful as a mid-level warrior. Even if Onyxia herself didn't lift a finger, that would be more than enough to give VanCleef a hard time. And Onyxia was currently in Stormwind, controlling nearly half the city. VanCleef thought he could take her on?
Stormwind was even worse. Did VanCleef really think he could build a warship and use it to bombard the city? Even if his skills were top-notch and his ship turned out to be sturdy, so what?
It would probably be spotted by sentries and Gryphon Riders long before it reached Stormwind! And then his warship would be the one getting bombarded!
What's more, Stormwind had plenty of mages. A few large-scale area spells would be enough to destroy a rickety old ship. What could VanCleef possibly do about that?
The Defias Brotherhood seemed huge and powerful. It had infiltrated Stormwind, Westfall, Elwynn Forest, Duskwood, Redridge Mountains, and just about every corner of Stormwind's territory.
But!
That was only because Stormwind was in chaos and didn't have the time to deal with them. If Stormwind got serious, it wouldn't even need to look beyond SI:7. That alone could wipe out the Defias Brotherhood down to the last man.
Never overestimate the Defias Brotherhood. A group founded by stonemasons only a few years ago couldn't possibly be that capable.
Rick was just as helpless. With a deeply troubled expression, he said, "VanCleef really does think that way. But he also said that he might be willing to work with Stormwind, under one condition..."
Shawn sneered. "And what's that?"
Rick gave a bitter smile. "King Varian has to apologize to him in person."
What?
Shawn drew a deep breath.
He finally understood just how stubborn and proud VanCleef was, and just how deep his hatred for Stormwind ran.
King Varian had to apologize to him in person?
VanCleef, are you still dreaming?
For one thing, the current King Varian had been split in two by the Black Dragon Princess's dark magic. The brave half had been taken to Orgrimmar by Rehgar Earthfury and turned into a professional gladiator, while the refined half was still in Stormwind, constantly deceived and controlled by Onyxia. He couldn't possibly apologize to VanCleef.
And even if King Varian were whole, how could such a proud, strong-willed, hot-tempered man apologize to VanCleef, even if he were in the wrong? Not to mention that his wife, Queen Tiffin, had died at the hands of the stonemasons of Stormwind.
The hatred between those two men was tangled and complicated, with countless grievances woven together. It was an achievement just to keep it under control. Getting Varian to apologize to VanCleef was out of the question!
Still, it might not be completely impossible...
Shawn thought of someone.
King Varian's only son, the young Prince Anduin Wrynn. He was only nine years old, but he was remarkably perceptive and had a mind of his own. Varian had always taken his son's opinions seriously...
There was someone else who could influence Varian: Jaina Proudmoore, the ruler of Theramore. A powerful Archmage, she was someone too many people misunderstood and too many others believed in blindly...
If Shawn could tell Anduin everything, meet Jaina, rescue the brave half of King Varian, and find a way to convince the refined half, then perhaps there was a chance Varian would apologize to VanCleef...
But then again, if he managed all that, VanCleef's involvement wouldn't matter at all when it came to killing Onyxia.
Still, if VanCleef could let go of his hatred and the Defias Brotherhood stopped burning and pillaging, law and order in Westfall would surely improve, and the people of Elwynn Forest and Duskwood would have a much easier time...
"So I really have to go to Stormwind? But how can I meet the young Prince Anduin, and how can I get to Theramore to meet Lady Jaina? Don't tell me I can just ride a gryphon there. That's only in the game. For one thing, there aren't any flight points in Westfall, and there aren't any giant war beasts like gryphons, either. Even if there were, a gryphon couldn't fly all the way from Westfall to Theramore without food or water...
The entire Great Sea lies between them! To make a real-world comparison, that's like crossing the Pacific or Atlantic. Go on, try flying that far!
So taking a ship from Stormwind is the best option.
All right, here's the problem.
Stormwind is still under Onyxia's control. She's fooled the entire upper echelon of the city, so slipping away by ship right under her nose would be nearly impossible—unless I can get in touch with someone truly powerful in Stormwind...
But who in Stormwind can be trusted now? Who can I trust?
Regent Lord Bolvar Fordragon?
He may be a Paladin, but Onyxia fooled him, too...
Archbishop Benedictus of the Cathedral of Light? He's the real mastermind behind everything, a much darker hand than Onyxia...
This is an impossible mission!
Shawn complained to Rick, hoping to talk him out of it. They could wait a while, until King Varian returned and Onyxia was brought to justice, then find a way to reconcile VanCleef and King Varian.
However...
After hearing Shawn out, Rick said, "You know, I used to take part in Stormwind's reconstruction. I got to know quite a few people in the city's upper ranks..."
Shawn shook his head. "How high up? As high as Onyxia?"
"Not that high, but there's one man who really does hold a high position and wields a great deal of authority. More importantly, he would definitely be willing to help VanCleef and King Varian reconcile, because he knows VanCleef—and the two of them used to be very close..."
Shawn's eyes lit up. "Who is it?"
A flicker of respect and nostalgia crossed Rick's eyes before he spoke the name.
"Mathias Shaw!"
Before you continue