Extra-Tiroya's Tears (Extra)

Duskwood Town, its name as chilling as the Duskwood it occupies. It wasn't always like this, at least not in the past. As a farm, Duskwood Town once supplied the Alliance with a large quantity of goods, but pollution has eroded the land, and many goods have long since ceased to exist. Many have left, hoping to seek the protection of Stormwind City in the west. The economic downturn has left farmers and merchants with nothing to sell. Many spend their savings at the Raven's Perch Inn in town. This inn is run by Orina Goldtooth, a generous and hospitable Dwarf, one of the few wealthy people in the town.

"Today's not a good day," Orina said listlessly, tapping the counter. The sparse number of guests in the inn meant he was barely making any money. The rain outside made the already eerie atmosphere of Duskwood Town even more unsettling.

Orina rested his legs on the counter, leisurely enjoying the peaceful moment. Just then, a tall figure approached the inn—a man in a suit and tie. At first, Orina didn't notice him; the Dwarf, as always, intended to say, "Take whatever you want, just pay." However, when the man reached him, he opened his eyes. This was the tallest human he had ever seen; the tight-fitting black suit couldn't conceal his muscular physique. The man patted the rain off his clothes, his soaked top hat held in his other hand, his hair damp and looking rather disheveled.

"Hello!" The man noticed Orina looking in their direction, gave an awkward smile, and nodded and bowed slightly, displaying his gentlemanly manners. "Could I have a glass of fine whiskey? And if possible, I'd also like some warm bread; it's quite cold outside."

Orina paused for a second, then immediately jumped up from her chair, nearly knocking over the empty wine glass on the counter. The Dwarf grinned and replied, "Of course, of course, please find a seat wherever you like, and I'll bring your order right away."

"Thank you." The tall man smiled back and placed five silver coins on the counter, enough for Orina to treat him as a VIP. As the Dwarf prepared the food, he noticed that the man had simply sat down at the table closest to the entrance, carefully tucking his hat behind the back of the bench, his hands clasped together on the table, quietly waiting for his food.

This must be a wealthy gentleman, not a vulgar nouveau riche.

Orina smiled again, and soon he brought the item to the man.

"What you've ordered, is there anything else you need?"

The man carefully pulled a napkin from his sleeve and wrapped it around his neck, then said, "Thank you. Actually, I didn't come alone. A few friends of mine will be arriving in a little while, and I hope there will be delicious food waiting for them. Of course, their bill will be separate."

"Okay, okay," Orina nodded quickly, promising to prepare the best food. The Dwarf dashed into the kitchen, urging the chefs to get to work; some important customers were returning today. Orina herself was puzzled as to why such high-ranking individuals would come here to while away the time— Duskwood Town wasn't exactly a vacation spot. But, as long as there was money to be made, who cared about such things?

Half an hour later, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the Raven's Perch Inn. The man realized at the same time that the person he was waiting for had arrived, and excitedly stood up to go out and greet him.

Orina listened to the conversation of several people outside the inn and judged from their voices that three more people had arrived, including a Dwarf.

The four men entered simultaneously. Orina observed them; the three newcomers weren't dressed as formally as he'd imagined, but rather more casually. They were all dressed in civilian clothes made of linen, a stark contrast to the man in the suit. Orina studied the other two humans; they exuded a military bearing, both appearing battle-hardened, especially the older one, whose meticulously groomed goatee and unwavering resolve were impossible to conceal. The younger human, with short brown hair, was the most energetic among them. Finally, Orina's gaze settled on his Dwarf "cousin," a Dwarf with a beard reaching his waist, whose occupation was impossible to discern from his appearance.

These three people seemed to be deliberately concealing what they did, so they were very careful.

"It's great that you could come, Stephan, Larein, and Bigal. Thank you for coming to help me," the man said first.

"It's alright." Stephan picked up the wine that was already laid out on the table, took a big gulp, and then began to talk about business. Their voices were low.

"Tell us, Tobias. Everything about your brother Staven Mistermantho. It will help us find him," Stephan said.

"Okay." Tobias, dressed in a black suit, took out two letters filled with writing from his briefcase. Although they were somewhat damaged, the writing was still clear.

Stephan held the two letters in each hand so that Larein and Bigal beside him could both see them.

First letter:

To the esteemed Principal Krelian:

My former master, I write this letter to let you know what your student has been up to lately. I followed your advice and left my beloved Gilneas to travel the world, honing my knowledge and wisdom. I have been to many places and finally decided to settle in the lovely town of Moonbrook Town. With the harvest season approaching, the farmlands of the Westfall are so beautiful.

I'd only been here a few days when I started teaching children on a nearby farm. My classes were going so well that the mayor appointed me to establish a school, and construction has already begun on a brand new school building! I've traveled from Silverpine Forest to Stormwind City, and now to Moonbrook Town. Who would have thought I'd experience so much in Azeroth!

Second letter:

Dear Sir/Madam:

I've heard you need to find a teacher for your child. I'm currently staying at the Lion's Pride Inn in Goldshire, as I was forced to resign from my position as headmaster due to the current dire situation in Moonbrook Town. I'd like to offer my services as your child's teacher and hope you will accept my application. If necessary, Principal Krelian can vouch for my abilities.

When the winter rainy season is over and the roads are suitable for travel, I will come to see you in person.

See you then.

After reading the letter, Stephan returned it to Tobias and then looked at Larein —his mentor.

"Tobias, please answer some questions for us. It will help us find your brother," Larein said.

"Of course, please feel free to ask."

"First of all, we all know you are a Gilneas nobleman, at least you were wealthy before Gilneas was conquered by the Horde," Larein said, casting a regretful and apologetic glance at Tobias, mentioning a painful memory. But Tobias merely frowned, not responding inappropriately. "But why? Your brother seems destitute; from the first letter, it appears he's been wandering. Didn't you help him?"

Tobias shook his head and explained, "That's not the case, Lord Larein. I have offered to help Staven many times, but he always refuses out of politeness. We have a good relationship, otherwise I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to find him."

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep, gruff voice rang out. Bigal pointed to the second letter and said, "This looks like a job application. Did he get the job?"

"That's the problem!" Tobias said excitedly, his voice rising involuntarily. "I investigated, and it turns out that a nobleman in Stormwind City is hiring private tutors for his children. My brother did apply, but strangely, I heard that the nobleman's entire family died not long ago, not even a single servant survived."

"Dead!" Stephan exclaimed in shock, asking, "What caused this tragedy?"

"I don't know, even SI:7 has no conclusion."

"So, that's all the information we have about your brother?" Bigal picked up the two letters again and looked at them. "How are we supposed to find him? We don't even know if your brother was ever hired."

"In fact, he was hired." Tobias sighed, pressed his hand to his forehead, and pulled a third clue from his pocket—a few more tattered pieces of paper. "These are his diary pages, just a few fragments. Please take a look!"

"... That boy named Kills seems difficult to manage; he might be a challenge for me. His sister, Tiroya, is a very bright child, and her beauty is striking. Tiroya exudes a uniquely feminine charm, and her family may have already arranged for her to marry next year. I've digressed a bit. This week I'll be accompanying them on a summer vacation to their summer lodge near the Eastvale Logging Camp Elwynn Forest, which is quite close to the Redridge Mountains. I hope to write to you again from there."

"... Strange, uncontrollable, I felt something I'd never felt before today. While I was tutoring Kills in history, Tiroya was tending her garden outside. After a while, she came in, placed a bright red begonia in my palm, smiled sweetly at me, and I felt my heart pounding... I'm sure she felt the same way I did. This morning, she even held my hand in hers. When she smiled, her eyes sparkled like diamonds. We had a silent conversation; she had captured my heart, she made my blood boil."

"... I never imagined I'd be so angry! How dare she do this to me! When I was teaching Kills math, Tyrola came with one of her suitors, and they were openly holding hands! What an ill-mannered young man. Tiroya didn't really introduce me, just casually saying, 'Oh, this is my tutor, Uncle Staven. He's a nice old man.' Old man! The word made my face burn. I'm only a few years older than her, and she betrayed me... My heart felt like it was sinking into an abyss of despair. She deceived my feelings, and now she's engaged. That despicable liar, she pretended to be in love, but all she ever wanted was to hurt me. My heart was filled with darkness, and with each passing minute, the feeling grew stronger. I wanted to make her pay in blood, but compared to the tears I'd shed, that was so pale and powerless..."

"Damn it, your brother isn't a... Ouch!" Bigal was kicked hard by Stephan, who glared at him and told him to shut up.

Larein coughed; he too was shocked by the words, especially the last sentence.

"So, Tobias, do you want us to find your brother, or do you want us to capture him?"

Tobias shook his head. He was feeling a bit emotional and hoped that Staven was just saying what he wrote in his diary.

"You just said that SI:7 knew nothing about the nobleman's death. Does that mean you didn't hand these things over to Master Shor?"

Tobias sighed and nodded helplessly. "I hope I can resolve this privately. If Staven really did such a thing, I will personally make him atone. The latest clues indicate that Staven escaped here; I've been searching for him in the Duskwood for a month..." Tobias said.

Stephan felt a sudden pang of sadness upon hearing this, as if a wave of sorrow had washed over him. It reminded him of someone he least wanted to remember.

"I understand. You actually knew Staven's whereabouts all along, didn't you? You wanted someone to witness all of this with you?" The young human gave Tobias a determined look.

"Yes, I lied to you. I just... just lacked some courage. If..." Tobias looked pleadingly at the three faces before him, "If Paladin had been with me, I could have handled all of this."

Stephan, Larein, Bigal exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

Tobias gradually relaxed and said to them, "Let's go... He's in a dilapidated house not far from Duskwood Town."

They left, and a cold, light drizzle continued to fall from the sky over the Duskwood. For Stephan, this was a day he would never forget.

"Is this it?" Bigal stared at the eerie, dilapidated house ahead, gripping his warhammer tighter. "What should we do? Do we have a plan?"

"No!" Tobias replied, then stepped forward and shouted, "Staven Mistermantho! Come out, your brother is here waiting for you, to face your judgment!"

There was no response or even the slightest movement from inside.

"Let's go straight in!" Larein said, and golden the Holy Light appeared around him. The group burst through the door and were astonished by what they saw. An Undead lay on the ground, long dead, with an arrow piercing his forehead and one of his hands twisted off. It looked like he had been tortured before he died.

"Staven!" Tobias roared.

"What, this is your brother? He's an Undead, and this looks like he's died a second time."

"I'm sure it's him." Tobias lifted one of the corpse's hands from the ground; a ring was visible on the index finger. "This is the ring representing the Mistmantle family. It's him, it's Staven, no doubt about it."

"But he's dead! Who did it?" Stephan tried to find some clues, and finally his gaze fell on the arrow. He pulled the arrow out; it was covered in disgusting brain matter. Suddenly, Stephan's eyes widened, and fear made him drop the arrow immediately!

"This... this is impossible!" Stephan roared, losing control of his emotions. "This is impossible!"

"What's wrong, Stephan?"

What are you yelling about?

"This is impossible, this is impossible!" The young Paladin didn't say anything else, just repeated these four words, retreating step by step in a daze, as if he had been abandoned by the Holy Light.

"Impossible, impossible!" Stephan repeatedly grabbed Larein and Bigal and shook them from side to side.

"Are you crazy? What's wrong with you?" Bigal pushed him away forcefully.

"He's alive! He's actually alive! How can he be alive? Why is he still alive?" Stephan roared. How could that arrow be here? He kept asking himself this question, which stirred up his most painful memories. He still remembered the great battle at Marius Farm, where he had personally witnessed Alleria shoot the person he respected and loved most. So many years had passed, Stephan was once again on the verge of collapse.

"What's on the arrow? It sounds like a Sauras language!" Larein picked up the discarded arrow.

"Let me see!" Bigal took it and looked at it, explaining, "It is indeed Sauras language, Vendel'o eranu."

"What's the meaning?"

"It's very simple, it just means 'help me forget'."

"Help me forget?" Larein stroked his goatee, turning to say, "Stephan, that line... Stephan? Where is he?"

"Huh? Where did that kid go?"

Stephan ran frantically along the road leading to the Redridge Mountains, even dropping his weapons. "Faster, faster, Stormwind City, Stormwind City!" he forced himself to quicken his pace.

"We must tell everyone this!"

Two days later, Stormwind City Cemetery

It was late at night, and almost no one came here, but a figure hid under a black cloak, kneeling on one knee before a tombstone, a beautiful little white flower swaying in the wind in his hand. Only a few starlight shone on this figure, and in the dim light, a hand completely devoid of flesh and blood was revealed—he was an Undead. There were no patrols in Stormwind City under the cover of night, so no one noticed him.

After a long while, faint footsteps finally sounded. Tobias looked around, and after confirming that no one else was there, he walked to a spot a short distance behind the Undead.

"He found out. I saw his expression; your brother was shocked."

"Is it shock, or fear?" A rough, grating voice rang out from beneath the black cloak, echoing around.

Tobias did not answer.

"Tiroya!"

"What?"

"That girl, the girl who drove your brother Staven mad, is now lying in this grave. She bled to death when she was buried there."

"Staven is deeply sinful; thank you for freeing him."

The Undead gave a chilling, muffled laugh.

"I made his death very painful, until he knelt down and begged for mercy before I ended his life," he said, placing the flower in front of the tombstone. "I named this flower the Tiroya's Tears; it is the only living thing in their manor."

A cold wind blew through the air, and Tobias sighed with a solemn expression.

"In short, thank you, the Witherer." Tobias frowned, then asked curiously, "But you've been exposed, and soon someone will be searching for you. What will you do?"

"It doesn't matter anymore, I should get going."

"Departure? Where to?"

Pandaria!

The Undead stood up, turned around, and pulled down its hood. Tobias would never forget those eyes, as red as burning embers.

This is a side story, a classic quest that left a deep impression on the author. The story takes place after the Cataclysm!