The Girl Who Watches Orcs

The Eastern Kingdoms are currently home to countless orc internment camps. Aside from Durnholde Keep, which raised the "World-Shaman" Thrall, the most notable is the Lordaeron Internment Camp, established not far outside the city of Dalaran.

This facility falls under the jurisdiction of Dalaran; though small in scale, it serves as the premier "research institution" for orcs across all of Azeroth. It was once abandoned following Thrall's orc liberation movement, only to flourish again with the emergence of the new species known as the Forsaken.

One must admit that the mages of Dalaran, who keep a large number of prisoners of war right on their own doorstep to conduct "scientific research," are the quintessential example of "those who do not seek death will not die."

With memories of the next thirty years now added to his own, what Liam most wanted to see were those orcs who would go on to stir the winds and clouds. Having lived in the vicinity for these past few years, it would be a waste of his three years in the Hillsbrad Foothills if he didn't take the opportunity to witness the orcs at their absolute lowest.

Therefore, over a year ago, when Liam and Wilton were granted permission to venture out for training, the two of them immediately visited Durnholde Keep, the closest facility to their estate.

It was truly worthy of being the most impregnable fortress built by the Alliance of Lordaeron with all its might; to call it such was no exaggeration. Moreover, under the conspiratorial cultivation of Blackmoore, the orcs there were not as lethargic as legends suggested, bearing a striking resemblance to the belligerent orcs of Liam's memories.

The two also caught a glimpse of the legendary Thrall. The ten-year-old orc boy showed none of the aura of the future "Son of Destiny" or "Warchief of the Horde," which left Liam quite disappointed. This left Wilton, who had accompanied him, completely bewildered, unable to understand why Liam was sighing, shaking his head, and looking so dejected at a young orc child.

After accompanying Liam to Durnholde Keep once, Wilton lost all interest in the orc race, his curiosity coming and going just as quickly. He flatly refused Liam's invitation to go see those "weak" orcs, stating, "Having seen the best, that is enough."

The wounds inflicted upon Azeroth by the Second War have gradually healed, and the orcs remaining on the continent are indeed as listless as animals in a zoo. It is no wonder that Wilton, having seen these "green-skinned monsters who have lost their threat" once, could not muster any further interest. This is, in fact, a consensus shared by humans across the continent of Azeroth: "The orcs are no longer a threat."

Although it is hard to believe, the orcs—the most aggressive race on both Draenor and the continent of Azeroth—have now completely lost the desire to fight. This strange phenomenon once puzzled many, leaving the leaders of the Alliance of Lordaeron feeling baffled.

In truth, the decline of the orcs is not merely due to the shadow of defeat and their status as prisoners; the biggest issue is the aftereffects that the Blood of Mannoroth has inflicted upon their race!

Earlier on, some believed that a strange disease, one that only infected orcs, had caused them to fall into this lethargic state. However, the leader of Dalaran, Archmage Antonidas, did not see it that way. He believed that the Blood of Mannoroth was merely the surface; the orc race might have had their bloodlines corrupted by demons as early as the First War, which is why they became more violent and cruel even as they gained immense power.

Utilizing the nearby Lordaeron Internment Camp, Antonidas and his apprentices began researching the "ailment" of the orcs, a study that continued for several years once it commenced.

Yet, Antonidas could not find a way to treat the current condition of the orcs. Many of his apprentices and several prominent Alliance leaders believed that finding a cure for the orcs was a foolhardy risk, and some even harbored grievances against Antonidas for "wasting manpower and money."

Even Antonidas himself eventually gave up on continuing to treat the orcs' "illness." After frequent fruitless efforts, even the wisest Archmage concluded that the orcs were now beyond saving, and that the only path to healing them might lie through some form of "spiritual" power.

Regarding the orcs, Liam has a feeling of "the world is drunk, but I alone am sober."

There is likely no one else in this world who has more confidence in the orc race than he does. Even Orgrim Doomhammer, who is currently in hiding and plotting a comeback, could not imagine the level of prosperity the orcs will achieve in the future.

Driven by this thought, Liam was determined to see all these internment camps, so the second stop was naturally set at the Lordaeron Internment Camp.

By this time, Liam had been honing his craft for over a year, and his stealth techniques were already outstanding, so the trip to the Lordaeron Internment Camp went very smoothly. As a key research site for Dalaran, outsiders certainly could not enter easily, but for a rogue, moving around the perimeter was no problem at all.

Under the cover of night, Liam toured the small internment camp from end to end. Just as the rumors suggested, the orcs here were incredibly lethargic; even the young and able-bodied moved like octogenarians, looking as if they were on the verge of death.

After making a full circle and seeing everything he needed to see, Liam prepared to turn and leave, but he spotted a lonely figure on a small hill outside the shelter. A golden-haired girl in light purple mage robes sat on the grass, hugging her knees, staring blankly at the orcs within the camp from afar.

This was how Liam first saw Jaina Proudmoore over a year ago.

"What are you looking at?" A voice came from behind Jaina, giving her a start.

The girl quickly turned to look in the direction of the voice. There stood a young man dressed in the uniform of a camp guard, his black, medium-length hair and rugged features giving him a heroic air; he did not look like a bad person.

Of course, Jaina would not judge a book by its cover, and she maintained the necessary caution.

"Are you a new guard? I haven't seen you before." Ever since she saw the orcs in the camp on her way to study in Dalaran, Jaina liked to come over whenever she was in a bad mood. She would bring items for the elderly, the weak, or the orcs with children, and seeing them offer her grateful smiles always made her feel much better.

After doing these things, she always liked to watch these "people" who were so completely different from her from a distance, observing their lives and their every move. She could never understand how these weak, pathetic people before her could have committed so many bloody atrocities.

The Kul Tiras fleet... her own brother... her father, blinded by hatred...

This question had troubled her for a long time, and she had never found an answer. Until the last time she was brought to this camp by Arthas, Jaina, though repulsed, realized that the answer to her question seemed to lie within this small internment camp.