Hakkar, Come Play!

We'd been warmly welcomed by the Pandaren these past few days, and just as we were enjoying ourselves so much that we'd forgotten to go home, Saruman threw a bucket of cold water over us.

"Gandalf got in touch with me. Something major has happened, and we need to hurry back," Saruman told Azar gravely.

"I'm retired. Why are they still looking for me? I'm not going. I haven't even finished enjoying myself."

"It's serious. The princess can't make a decision, and she wants you to come back," Saruman explained.

"Is it the Trolls? The Zandalari? The Gurubashi? Don't tell me it's the Amani."

"It's the Gurubashi. It has to do with Hakkar."

Farewell, Pandaria. Farewell, Halfhill Town's food festival. Farewell, Chen's Brew. With a heavy heart, Azar stepped through the Portal Saruman had spent a third of his mana setting up. The moment he went through, he regretted it. He hadn't even said goodbye to the Pandaren. What a terrible breach of etiquette.

"Good day, Your Highness, Prince." Azar had just stepped out of the Portal, his head still spinning and his legs unsteady, when a large crowd of Elves appeared before him and bowed.

"Father, I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation. But this is truly urgent, and we desperately need your guidance." Sophia looked anxiously at Azar.

"Ahem... Go on." A father's lot was a hard one. If his son had been standing there, Azar would have started by giving him a good scolding. But when he saw his daughter looking so delicate and pitiful, all he could do was sigh.

"Half a month ago, one of Mother's elite forces launched a surprise attack on the Gurubashi capital, Zul'Gurub."

"That's not so bad. Once Zul'Gurub falls, the Gurubashi won't have much strength left."

"But that entire force was wiped out."

"Who did it? Someone that powerful? What did our scouts say?"

"That's why we asked you back to take charge. Our people never returned, either."

"Impossible. Lida was one of the most elite Sentinels I ever trained. It would take all my strength to kill her. The Gurubashi don't have anyone that powerful. If she'd wanted to escape, she would have." Maiev was almost berserk with rage. Lida wasn't her most gifted pupil, but she was the one Maiev liked best.

"Calm down, Maiev. Sophia, go on." The moment he heard things were complicated, Azar switched straight into work mode.

"Mother was furious and sent in more troops! This time, Dath'Remar led them himself."

"You think we should send troops, too?"

"No. We have no reason to send troops. We can only go and investigate as observers." As she finished, she stole a glance at her father.

"Oh, come on. Observers? You called me back because you want me to go, don't you? You should just say, 'Old man, since you like traveling, why not go take a look while you're at it?' I know you too well. You're nowhere near as subtle as your mother." Azar looked at his daughter with an amused smile.

"...All right, that's exactly what I mean. Old man! Are you going or not?" Sophia was an expert at throwing a tantrum when she didn't have a good argument.

"I'm not going! What are you going to do about it?"

"You're not going? Fine, I won't support you when you're old!"

"Heh. I've got a pension. I don't need your support."

"I'll delete your account!"

"..."

"Just go take a look, please. You said yourself that something was wrong with the Gurubashi. I'll only trust what you find if you go there yourself." After throwing a tantrum, she followed up with a sweet, pleading voice. Men were basically helpless against that combination.

"All right. I'll go take a look." He'd surrendered just like that. That was fatherhood for you.

"Who are you taking with you? It's dangerous, so you should bring some experts." Why did she look so sly?

"No need. Just the four of us. Oh, Gandalf, you're coming with us. And you, Anla."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Wonderful! I've been waiting for this day!"

Azar was her father, after all, and he'd seen right through her little scheme. Why else had she insisted that he lead the group? Only with Azar in charge could she take a few bigwigs away with her under a perfectly valid pretext. That way, the people she'd trained herself could rise to prominence. A new ruler, a new court. It might seem cruel, but this was simply the natural cycle of renewal in politics. Put simply, the next generation needed hope. The old men couldn't occupy those positions forever.

They set off as soon as they were ready. Time to use the Portal! With this high-tech convenience, they reached Zin-Azshari in an instant. Azar sent his damned wife a letter explaining his purpose, then took a few Frostsabers from her palace and led the group racing east.

"You know, you're an idiot. I told you ages ago to come traveling with us, but you couldn't bear to leave your research. Anyone could do that job. It didn't have to be you!" Saruman was lecturing Gandalf.

"Careful what you say. We may be friends, but if you slander me, I'll still sue you!"

"Fine! Let me spell it out for you. You've been clinging to that position for ages. Don't you think you should let someone else have a turn? Nobody objected when the Prince held power, but now the princess is in charge and you're still there! What are you trying to do? Don't you think the princess has any outstanding Archmages under her?"

"...I never thought of it that way."

"That's why you're an idiot. And today, when His Highness asked you to come with us, why did you pull such a miserable face? Look at Old Anla. Now that's someone with sense. 'I've been waiting for this day!' He was telling the princess, 'I'm old, my job is exhausting, so why haven't you found someone to replace me?' He's the High Priest. His rank is no lower than yours."

"All right, stop picking on him. Politics just isn't his strong suit. He'd better stick close to me."

"...But my research..."

"Kid! Traveling is research, too. The world outside is full of wonders!"

"Uncle, is there any way to go faster? I can't wait any longer." Maiev's anxious voice interrupted the three of them.

"Ahem... Gandalf, set the coordinates and open the Portal."

"Where should I set it?"

"Right outside the gates of Zul'Gurub!"

"Could that be dangerous? People can feel a little dizzy right after stepping through a Portal."

"Enough talk. I'll lead the way!"

"That won't do. Let me go first." Falco grew anxious.

"Are you stronger than me? I'm first, you're second, Anla's third. The rest of you can do what you like. Anla, do you know what to do once we're through the Portal?"

"I do. If there are a lot of enemies, I'll use my ultimate move: silence them all with the Moon Goddess Orbital Cannon. If there aren't many, I'll watch you put on a show."

"..."

The Portal opened, and Maiev charged through first! "That girl never listens! We agreed I'd put on the show!" Azar thought, annoyed. Gandalf was the last to step through. The sight before him gave him a headache: Troll corpses covered the ground, and Maiev, drenched in blood, was still killing every Troll that charged at her. What were the other three doing? Sitting off to the side and cheering her on. He couldn't stand by and watch. Ignoring his dizziness, he hurled a Pyroblast at the rear ranks!

"We'd better join in. Let's finish this quickly," Azar ordered. He charged in first with Charge and Whirlwind, then followed up with Mortal Strike. One swipe of a branch, one enemy down!

Falco stood in front of the three cloth-wearers, using Shield Block and Shield Slam again and again.

Instant Fireball! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

There are more of them over there! Freeze one! Azar reacted in a flash, leaping into the crowd with Heroic Leap, then unleashing Intimidating Shout and Bladestorm.

"Back up Maiev!" Even in the middle of a fight, Azar didn't forget to give orders.

Frost Nova, Power Word: Shield, Blade Dance—the three worked together.

"Polymorph that Centurion! We might need him."

"Baa..."

They cut through the enemies like chopping vegetables. Done and dusted.

"What happened to the Elf troops from half a month ago?"

"Hahaha! They've all become sacrifices to the gods! None of you will escape, either!"

"Just as I thought!"

"I'll send you to your god right now!" Maiev raised her blade and struck.

"I haven't finished questioning him!"

"I'll catch you another one!"