The Young Treant ignored him and refused to take the blue potion. Yu Lin Bloodhawk opened it, and Little Locust Tree seemed to catch the scent of something good. It stretched out its twig-like arm and dipped a finger into the bottle. The blue potion was rapidly drained, leaving only an empty crystal bottle.
Satisfied after draining the potion, Little Locust Tree waved its arm at the ugly, worm-like scar. Green light coiled around it, and the scar writhed like a living earthworm. After a while, it gradually vanished, leaving only a faint white mark on the arm, barely visible without a close look.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk walked over to examine it. "You really can remove scars! Little Locust Tree, you're amazing. You ought to go into the beauty business."
Little Locust Tree had no idea what he was saying. With its magic replenished by the Medium Blue Potion, it simply kept waving at the five Rogues. Streaks of green light wound around the five adults as though alive. Comfortable expressions appeared on the Rogues' faces.
After a while, Little Locust Tree seemed to have exhausted its magic. It stopped, looking listless, then turned to Yu Lin Bloodhawk with an aggrieved expression.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk hurriedly took out another Medium Blue Potion. "Be good, Little Locust Tree! Drink this and recover a little."
This time, Little Locust Tree quickly reached out its twig-like hand, clumsily pulled off the stopper, and dipped its little finger inside. After rapidly draining the potion, it tossed the bottle onto the floor and prepared to cast another Healing Spell.
Alarmed, Yu Lin Bloodhawk hurriedly grabbed it. "Enough, enough, Little Locust Tree! They're already healed. Stop casting Healing Spells, or you'll bankrupt me."
Little Locust Tree turned to look at him.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk nodded. "All three of them are healed. You don't need to cast any more Healing Spells. Are you tired? Rest for a while!" With that, he carefully picked up the crystal bottle from the floor.
These things were far from cheap among the High Elves. Crystal was a mineral, a nonrenewable resource, and cost more than the potion itself. Yet there was no doing without it, because it could prevent the potion's magical power from leaking out, something ordinary metal could not do.
None of the Rogues found his miserly behavior laughable. To them, magical items had always been synonymous with valuables. They thought mocking such behavior would be even more ridiculous.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk put the crystal bottle away, then turned around to find all five Rogues holding their large bottles of Large Red Potion out to him.
"Huh? What's wrong? You don't want them?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked in surprise.
"Master, our wounds are healed. We have no need for such valuable medicine," Thirteen said.
"Oh, keep them, then. They could save your lives in a pinch," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"Yes, Master!" Thirteen wasted no more words. Like the other Rogues, he carefully tucked the potion away close to his body.
Once they had finished, Yu Lin Bloodhawk looked at the Rogues and said, "Find yourselves rooms and change your clothes. Those thick, bloody bandages are unpleasant to look at. Don't worry, just choose any cabin on the second deck. We've chartered this entire ship. Aside from the captain and sailors, there's nobody else aboard. Get a good night's rest. Whatever else needs doing can wait until tomorrow."
With that, he took Little Locust Tree into his room.
The five Rogues exchanged glances. Thirteen said, "I'll take the first watch tonight. Fourteen will take the second half. We'll rotate."
The other Rogues nodded and dispersed.
Perhaps Rogues had a natural fondness for black. Before long, Thirteen had changed into a black outfit and arrived outside Yu Lin Bloodhawk's door, where he slowly entered Stealth.
His figure gradually blurred and disappeared, though he remained crouched beside the doorway the entire time. Yes, he was keeping watch for his master-his new master.
When Yu Lin Bloodhawk woke the next morning, he still felt rather worn out. Though he had suffered no nightmares the night before, the constant rocking had kept him from sleeping soundly. It would have been strange if he had woken feeling refreshed.
He opened the door and saw a female Rogue slowly materialize beside it. "You're awake, Master."
"Huh? Didn't you sleep last night?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked in surprise.
"The five of us took turns keeping watch. I only got up a little while ago," the female Rogue said.
"Thank you for your hard work," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"It's our duty, Master," the female Rogue said after a brief pause.
"Oh, I'm awake now. Go get some more sleep," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"No. Someone must guard you at all times, Master," the female Rogue said.
"All right, then. Let's ask the captain where we are." Yu Lin Bloodhawk led the way out of the cabin, and the female Rogue immediately followed.
When they arrived, the captain was studying a nautical chart. Seeing them enter, he stood and smiled. "You're up quite early, sir."
"Aren't you up early too, Captain?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked with a smile. "I wanted to ask where we are now."
The captain looked at the chart. "We're still along the edge of Tirisfal. In another half day, we'll enter Lordamere's territory." (Later known as the Western Plaguelands. Since I don't know what it was called before, I can only give it this name.)
Yu Lin Bloodhawk looked at the chart. "I seem to remember that the Westweald region has no seaports."
"That's right," the captain said. "Although Westweald borders the sea, enormous mountains block its entire coastline. They have no suitable seaports, but there's a huge lake within their borders, Lake Lordamere, with inland docks."
"Seagoing ships can sail into an inland lake?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked in surprise.
"Of course not. Seagoing ships draw too much water. How could they enter an inland lake?" the captain said with a smile. "I meant they have inland ports. Only small boats can travel along the waterways and lakes there."
"Ah, I misunderstood," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said with a smile. "Then, Captain, where will we be by tonight?"
"Probably still in Lordamere's territorial waters," the captain said.
"We won't reach the waters under Stratholme's jurisdiction yet?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked.
"We might reach the edge of Stratholme's territory around dawn tomorrow," the captain said. "Why, sir? Are you in a hurry?"
"Yes. I have a great many things to attend to back in Quel'Thalas. I'm in quite a hurry." Yu Lin Bloodhawk did not know why, but he kept feeling a disturbing flutter of dread. He had felt the same thing the last time he encountered Trolls, and it left him deeply uneasy.
"We're a little short on sailors, sir. Even if you're in a hurry, there's nothing we can do. You know the sailors need rest too," the captain said.
"If you can reach Quel'Thalas within three days, I'll double the fare!" Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"Sir, do you really mean that?" The captain's eyes lit up.
"Of course," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"Thank you for your generosity, sir." The captain bowed his thanks, then
shouted to the sailors working below, "Put your backs into it, lads! Full sail, full speed ahead!"
The sailors answered with a chorus of shouts. Enormous sails slowly rose one after another, swelling with wind like inflated balloons. The ship immediately picked up considerable speed.
Watching the busy sailors, Yu Lin Bloodhawk called, "Sailors, if you can reach Sunsail Archorage within three days, I'll double each man's wages! Of course, you can also choose a delicious feast at Sunsail Archorage instead!"
"We want the wages!" one sailor shouted, drawing a burst of laughter from the others.
"All right, but I can only pay you in Quel'Thalas Coins!" Yu Lin Bloodhawk called.
"We like Quel'Thalas Coins even better!" the sailors shouted.
"Sir, are you truly willing to pay in Quel'Thalas Coins?" the captain asked.
"Of course. Quel'Thalas Coins are all I have. Don't worry, you'll get what I promised you. Your payment is separate from the sailors'. You won't lose a single gold coin. One Quel'Thalas Coin for one human gold coin. Is that acceptable?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked.
"More than acceptable, sir!" The captain roared with laughter. "Rest assured, we'll reach Sunsail Archorage within three days."
"You said it. If we don't arrive within three days, the deal is off," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"Of course!" The captain thumped his chest and shouted, "Lads, time is money! If we don't reach Sunsail Archorage within three days, this windfall will slip away! Put your backs into it!"
"Captain, how could we let a prize already in our hands slip away?" the sailors called back, laughing. "Even if you'd let it go, we wouldn't!"
"Easy to say! Whether you get that money is up to you!" Yu Lin Bloodhawk called.
"I can see them glittering up ahead-Quel'Thalas gold coins!" one sailor shouted back, making the others roar with laughter.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk returned to the cabin with the female Rogue, the smile gradually fading from his face.
"Master! What's wrong? Is something amiss?" the female Rogue asked.
"I don't know why, but I keep feeling this dread, as if something is about to happen," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said with a frown.
"Is it the sailors aboard this ship?" The female Rogue's expression grew grave. People like them, who had long lived on the edge between life and death, placed greater trust in instinct. It had saved their lives many times.
"I don't know. I just can't settle down. It feels as though a venomous snake has its eyes on me. Whatever it is, it's very unsettling," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said.
"Oh, I understand!" The female Rogue nodded.
"Understand? What do you understand?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked in surprise.
"We'll keep an eye on everyone aboard," the female Rogue said.
"It probably isn't them," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said uncertainly.
"Whether it is or not, we'd better take precautions," the female Rogue said.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk gave no reply, tacitly agreeing. The female Rogue left the room, and he heard her footsteps fade into the distance. After a while, he saw her return to the doorway without coming inside. Her figure slowly vanished as she entered Stealth. Yu Lin Bloodhawk could sense that she was nearby, but he could not see her.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk could not understand why he felt this way.
The ship sailed on for another two days. By late morning on the third day, it had entered Quel'Thalas's territorial waters. Yet instead of disappearing, that feeling seemed to be growing stronger.
The Rogues had long since divided into three groups. One stayed close to protect him, two watched the sailors and captain, and the remaining two kept watch over their quarters. Yet they had found nothing over the past few days. At first, Yu Lin Bloodhawk thought he was being overly suspicious.
But why was the feeling growing stronger and stronger? Uneasily, he walked up to the bow. At noon, the ship sailed inside Quel'Thalas's Magical Shield.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking up, he saw a squad of Dragonhawk Riders approaching through the sky.
One Dragonhawk Rider descended and hovered before him. "You are now in Quel'Thalas's territorial waters. Welcome home."
Before you continue