Augustine's Melancholy Revised Edition

Augustine's Melancholy

Augustine's words immediately sparked a wave of opposition. The people of Southshore, who had just suffered grievous losses in an Undead ambush, would never accept the Silver Dawn's principles.

"Damn it, I'd rather die fighting alongside the Scarlet Crusade than fight with those Undead! They must have gone mad to make such a decision." The blunt Adrian offered his assessment without reservation.

"I share your views, but Taerosus refused to accept my opinion, so I had no choice but to leave. Some of the other knights made the same decision. The number of Silver Dawn knights has now declined to a certain extent, but the order's leadership still insists on its decision."

"As far as I know, in the Western Plaguelands, the Silver Dawn has already reached an agreement with the Forsaken at the Undead bulwark," Augustine said dejectedly.

"What a foolish move. Their idea of concentrating their forces and dealing with the Scourge first is correct. But reaching an agreement with those Forsaken has absolutely crossed the line for many people. As long as you don't launch an attack on the Forsaken fortress, those dead men who betrayed the Scourge surely won't dare take the initiative to attack."

"Those Forsaken are nothing but stray dogs. They would love nothing more than to see the knights of the living and their former masters destroy each other on the battlefield. Then every territory in Lordaeron would be theirs." Roderick gave his merciless assessment. He too was baffled by the Silver Dawn leadership's decision. There had to be something wrong with those people's brains.

Augustine said that he could not understand why the Silver Dawn was pushing this policy with all its strength either. Fortunately, Light's Hope Chapel in the Eastern Plaguelands was still surrounded layer upon layer by the Scourge, and the Silver Dawn knights there were still mainly fighting the Scourge. A certain number of high-ranking knights were stationed there, but the situation elsewhere was far less optimistic.

"Augustine, what are you thinking now?" Roderick did not directly ask whether he wished to join the Dark Raven Warband, since his own goal was even more radical than the Scarlet Crusade's.

"I... I don't know either. I won't return to the Silver Dawn, but I won't join the Scarlet Crusade either," Augustine said gloomily.

"Augustine, you're always so indecisive. Just join the Dark Raven Knights with us. We'll keep fighting until every kingdom's territory has been reclaimed." The impatient Red spoke bluntly.

"Roderick, may I ask why you tortured those Tarren Mill prisoners to death? That isn't something an upright knight would do." After a moment of silence, Augustine asked.

"They launched an inhuman attack on Southshore. I will not forgive any Undead who harmed Southshore's civilians. Besides, many recruits learned how to kill Undead soldiers more effectively. I think it worked quite well. If I get the chance in the future, I'll try to acquire some higher-ranking Undead prisoners." Roderick's tone remained calm, and most of the officers around him wore expressions that said this was only natural.

"But they were already prisoners incapable of resisting. How could you..."

"Should I feed and house them well, then? Or should I expect those Undead to turn over a new leaf and join our ranks? They are nothing but monsters. One command from Lordaeron City, from the Banshee Queen, and they have no ability to resist whatsoever. Just as when they served under the Lich King. Back then, they were no different from the Scourge."

"Augustine, if you still intend to cling to your knightly code, then I do not recommend that you join the Dark Raven Warband. To defeat these brutal enemies, sometimes we have no choice but to become even more brutal. But never try to compare the limits of humanity with these Undead. The moment they were awakened by necromancers, they lost their humanity."

Roderick handed the well-preserved letter to the speechless Augustine.

"After you read it, you'll know why." Augustine had believed the Forsaken rebelled against the Scourge because they had regained their humanity, but this letter dealt him a crushing blow. The Royal Apothecary Society controlled by Sylvanas captured soldiers of every race and used them for their horrifying pharmaceutical experiments.

Just one letter, with the various testing methods it mentioned, was enough to make one unable to bear reading further. It was impossible to imagine how desperate the soldiers captured by the Undead must have been in that dreadful city of sewers.

"Monsters are monsters! The Forsaken truly were pitiable tools created by the Scourge. But now that they possess self-awareness, they have merely become another kind of monster, one that only appears less vicious than the Scourge."

"And those green-skinned Orcs. They are hiding on another continent and seem harmless for now. But in the long run, they pose an even greater danger than the Undead. They have a complete social structure, their own writing, Orc nations, an innately savage and warlike nature, and physiques superior to human soldiers."

"Sooner or later, after occupying Kalimdor, the Orcs will cross the sea again. When that time comes, it will mean humanity's destruction."

Augustine looked at the friend before him. His black hair and brown eyes were the same as before, but the kindness and innocence of the past had vanished. There was only calm in Roderick's eyes.

He could sense the bloodthirsty madness beneath that calm. Roderick would surely unleash a tide that swept across all Azeroth. Whether in life or death, everyone around him would be unable to escape it.

Augustine did not know how he left. His mind was muddled, and only strong liquor could numb him for a while. By the time Abbendis learned of it, Augustine was already too drunk to control himself at all.

"Why would someone choose to become a lich and cause the deaths of so many people?"

"Why do those Forsaken still commit such cruel acts even after gaining their own consciousness?"

"Why did the Orcs come to our world to slaughter humans? Why?"

Years of repression forced this devout paladin to confront one paradox after another. Having left Northrend, Augustine did not know how to face the friend whose temperament had changed so drastically. The blood-red Dark Raven Insignia was the path his other companions had chosen.

"Augustine, you're drunk. Hurry back and rest." Abbendis looked at the knight who had traveled alongside her all this way, his face full of pain and confusion, and did not know how to comfort him.

"I hate the Scarlet Crusade for slaughtering innocents, yet now my friend wants to create an even more terrifying slaughter. I want to avenge my dead father, but I never thought of killing every Orc."

"I, Augustine, left the Silver Dawn because I hated Orcs and Undead. But now, I actually feel pain because Roderick is trying to slaughter Undead and Orcs. I must be the most useless paladin of all! Holy Light, please redeem me."

Augustine was completely drunk. Abbendis, too, felt sorrow for this righteous and kind knight.

"Arnold, help him back so he can rest." Roderick sat silently beside Abbendis as he spoke.

"I hope he can understand that kindness is the most useless emotion on the battlefield. Such kindness can only hurt the companions who believe in him and care for him."