Zoram

Throughout the journey, Kalei Nightdew did not stop, galloping along the main road of Ashenvale all night until he finally reached Zoram Town before dawn.

Like Maestra Town, this town is merely an outpost in the western Darkshore in the World of Warcraft game, but in reality, it is a vital military stronghold.

Beyond the Sentinel Corps, the Priestesses of the Moon, and the Druids, more than forty thousand civilians live in the town.

Kalei had visited Zoram Town several times before and was no stranger to the place. Seeing that it was not yet light and the morning mist still clung to the streets like a veil, he led Big Black along the stone path toward the council headquarters in the town.

The council headquarters here is similar to the one in Maestra Town; the main building is a reception hall, behind which stands a two-story wooden office building, flanked by residential areas and an outdoor garden.

Kalei entered the headquarters, handed Big Black over to the mount manager at the entrance, and walked into the reception hall alone.

The hall was filled with the fresh scent of pine needles and herbs. It was nearly empty, save for a short female Druid standing at the counter organizing scrolls.

Hearing movement at the door, she quickly looked up, greeted Kalei, and said, "Good night, brother of nature. I am Shalan Windrunner. How may I help you?"

Kalei smiled and said, "I am Kalei Nightdew. The council headquarters arranged for me to come and help investigate the beast riots. Please register me and, if possible, arrange some lodging."

Shalan set down the scroll in her hand and exclaimed, "Kalei... are you the hero Kalei from Maestra Town?"

Kalei scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed, and said, "That is indeed me, though 'hero' is perhaps too strong a word."

Shalan replied, "No, my brother. I have read your reports. Your actions are fully worthy of the title of hero. Please allow me to pay my respects." As she spoke, she crossed her hands over her chest and bowed to Kalei.

Kalei quickly returned the gesture, saying, "Is that so? It is my honor."

Shalan smiled, "Yes, and it is the honor of our council as well."

"Did you just arrive from Maestra? Would you like a glass of Morning Dew Wine to quench your thirst? It is brewed from dew collected in the forest; it is exceptionally refreshing."

Kalei said, "I'll have a glass."

Shalan quickly took a wine glass from the cabinet and poured a glass of Morning Dew Wine for Kalei.

Kalei took the glass and sipped it. The liquid was slightly sweet with a faint, fresh fragrance. As it slid down his throat, it instantly dispelled the fatigue of his journey.

He took a few more gulps and praised, "Truly excellent wine. Thank you."

Shalan said, "No need for thanks. Please wait a moment while I register your information."

Kalei picked up his glass, watched her write and draw in a notebook with a quill, and asked with a smile, "Do you not need to see my badge?"

Shalan did not even look up as she replied, "I don't think that is necessary. No one would impersonate our hero."

Kalei did not agree with this, but he did not show it, for he knew that since the collapse of the Night Elf Empire ten thousand years ago, it was morality and faith—not cold, hard laws—that maintained the stability of Night Elf society.

Shalan quickly finished registering his information and handed him a key, saying, "I have registered your details. The house at the far right of the residential area is currently vacant; you may stay there during your time in Zoram. That house has a great view, and you can see the sea directly from the window."

Kalei asked, "Thank you. Do you provide meals here?"

Shalan smiled, "Of course. We are the same as Maestra; we provide meals for council members staying here every day."

Kalei asked, "That is wonderful. How much is the daily meal fee?"

Shalan replied, "The meal fee is not expensive, but for a hero like you, the council provides the most sumptuous meals for free, so you need not worry about that."

Kalei had not expected his good reputation to come with such perks and was momentarily stunned.

However, after a moment of thought, he understood. In a society governed by morality and faith, if one were only granted a good reputation without any tangible benefits, it would likely appear hollow and fail to be sustained.

Having realized this, he accepted the treatment with peace of mind, though as he did so, he felt the weight of his responsibility grow heavier.

He pondered for a moment and asked, "The report about the beast riots in the nearby forest came from your side, right? What is the specific situation?"

Shalan thought for a moment and said, "It was reported by us, though calling it a 'riot' is perhaps an exaggeration. The main situation is that starting half a month ago, beasts have been emerging from the forest to attack passing civilians."

"At first, there were only one or two cases, but later there were more and more, increasing almost every day. Now, it has reached ten or twenty cases a day, and casualties have begun to appear."

Kalei was surprised, "It is that serious? Are there any mutations in these animals?"

Given the relationship between Night Elves and nature, creatures closely tied to the natural world generally do not attack Night Elves unless there are special circumstances.

Shalan said, "No, those beasts are perfectly normal. They have not been tainted by any dark power."

Kalei frowned, "Not tainted by dark power? Could it be a food shortage?"

Shalan replied, "That shouldn't be it. Feleria Nightwing, a high-ranking member of the council, conducted a detailed investigation of the nearby forest a month ago. He said that the berries, mushrooms, and herbivores in the forest are all abundant, and there is no sign of food scarcity."

Kalei's brow furrowed even deeper. He leaned against the counter, his fingers tapping the surface unconsciously, and muttered, "No dark power, no food shortage, yet they attack civilians for no reason... this is strange indeed."

Kalei thought for a while but had no leads. Seeing that it was already light and soft morning sun was spilling into the hall through the windows, he said, "This matter does not seem simple. I will go to my quarters to settle in first and begin my investigation tomorrow night."

Shalan said, "Very well. I leave this matter to you, Kalei. If you encounter any difficulties during your mission, do not hesitate to find us."

Kalei said, "Understood. Until we meet again, Ms. Windrunner."

"Until we meet again, Kalei."

Kalei left the hall and, following Shalan's directions, arrived at his house.

The house was not large, consisting of one room and a living area. The interior followed the consistently simple style of the Night Elves; aside from a few necessary items, there were no decorations at all.

Kalei opened the door, washed up in the bathroom, and when he came out, a young male Night Elf delivered a basket of food to him.

Kalei took it and opened the basket, discovering that it contained not only his favorite Moon-Marked Venison and Roasted Bear Steak, but also Magic Cinnamon Bread, Golden Dew Honey, and even a small bowl of fresh Berry Salad. The red and purple berries were piled together, looking appetizing enough to make one's mouth water—truly the treatment befitting a hero.

Kalei thanked the man, placed the food on the dining table, and ate heartily while still hot, pondering the mission as he ate.

However, no matter how much he thought about it, he could not grasp the key to the problem, so he stopped overthinking and decided to investigate personally tomorrow.

He made up his mind, finished his meal quickly, tidied up, and went to bed.

The next day, after breakfast, he followed his plan from the previous night. He rode Big Black out of Zoram Town, reached the main road outside, and began patrolling back and forth, intending to witness the beast attacks on the populace firsthand.

As it turned out, he saw plenty of beasts on the road, but very few Night Elf. It was likely that the recent unrest among the beasts in the forest had terrified the Night Elf in town, keeping them from venturing out.

Seeing no other Night Elf, Kalei decided to test the waters himself to see if these beasts would attack him.

The beasts clearly sensed he was a Druid who upheld nature, showing no hostility toward him; as he approached, they simply turned and ran back into the forest.

Kalei attempted to communicate with a bear and a wolf, but unfortunately, his abilities were still insufficient. He could not hear the voices from the hearts of these ordinary beasts, making communication impossible.

He felt a twinge of frustration, wondering if he should head into the forest to investigate.

Just then, a chaotic chorus of shouts erupted from the west, punctuated by the screams of women and children.

"Help! Run!"

"Get to the shore! Don't stay by the water!"

Kalei hurriedly rode Big Black toward the source of the commotion.

They hadn't run far before they burst out of the forest.

In front of the forest lay a flat beach, and beyond that, the silent sea. The entire ocean was shrouded in mist, obscuring its full expanse.

Moments ago, a dozen or so Night Elf had been playing by the water, but now, they were scrambling toward the shore in a panic, their faces etched with terror.

Kalei's heart sank. He assumed the attackers were Naga Siren—mutated Night Elf corrupted by the Old Gods after the War of the Ancients—or perhaps the chattering Murloc.

He quickly rode Big Black to a high vantage point to scan the shoreline. Yet, beyond the rolling mist and the waves crashing against the sand, there was nothing—no sign of Naga, nor any trace of Murloc.

He grabbed a passing Night Elf to ask what had happened.

The Night Elf panted, "It wasn't Murloc, and it wasn't Naga. It was fish—the fish in the sea have gone mad and started biting people. My leg was bitten."

Fish going mad and biting people? What was going on? It was one thing for the animals in the forest to go mad, but for the fish to do the same, and all of them targeting the Night Elf? This was becoming quite interesting. Could it be that they all held a grudge against the Night Elf?