Stench

Before dusk, they set up camp in a small clearing by the roadside. The night was dark and moonless, with only stars twinkling in the ebony sky overhead. Jaina lit a fire, conjured some delicious bread and drinks, and then jokingly announced, "My work is done." The men laughed heartily and diligently prepared other food, roasting rabbit and peeling fruit. They passed around wine, feeling more like a group of companions enjoying a beautiful Dusk than a military unit ready to investigate a deadly plague.

Afterwards, Jaina sat down a little away from the crowd, looked up at the sky, and smiled.

"This wine is quite good," she said, then looked towards the road to the northwest of the camp, where Arthas and Nathanos had just gone to scout ahead. Perhaps having the leader of this small group here would affect the atmosphere, but Arthas didn't seem too keen on having Nathanos with him. Jaina remembered seeing the two of them argue.

"You shouldn't have come along, Nathanos. I can manage on my own."

"It is my duty, Prince Highness. But I assure you, I will not hinder you from doing anything, and you may even find something useful in me," Nathanos said. In the darkness, Arthas's deep blue cloak remained strikingly prominent.

"You won't stop me?" Arthas turned to look at him, his eyes full of suspicion. Nathanos had objected to his idea of slaughtering all the Orcs earlier that day, even calling him by his first name in front of others. However, he wouldn't doubt Nathanos's loyalty because of this; at least the latter part of his statement was true, and there was a possibility that he might need his help.

Nathanos nodded in the darkness, then, realizing Arthas couldn't see, said, "Yes. I won't stop you."

"You are a loyal friend, Nathanos. You can take over Uther's duties—oversee me. And you are far superior to me in combat." He laughed and continued walking, but his words made Nathanos uneasy.

When they were at least a mile away from the camp, the two finally had a new conversation.

"Prince Highness, it's very late. Perhaps you should go back to the camp and get some sleep."

Arthas stopped and stood silently in place. Nathanos frowned, eager to know what Arthas was thinking. He could find out by simply walking up to Arthas's face, or by the Prince turning around and showing him his expression.

"Prince Highness?" Nathanos called out softly once more.

"You're right, there's nothing to see here. Let's go back."

Arthas turned and walked back, completely ignoring Nathanos's surprised look. He was unusually calm.

"Yes, Prince Highness."

For some reason, Nathanos's simple reply sent a shiver down his spine, though he didn't notice it because the other man was bowing deeply as he spoke...

Although it was late at night, Arthas was wide awake. He stared at the sky, tossing and turning. Just as he was about to drift off, he was awakened by the various noises of the night. He couldn't stand it any longer. He knew he was always impulsive, so he needed someone constantly by his side to remind him, which was probably right, but he didn't like it. Nobody likes someone constantly nagging and gossiping. He wanted to find out what was going on here as quickly as possible, but why did everyone think he should take it slow?

Those who were with him did not witness the horrific scene of their fallen brethren—an Orc Blademaster raising his weapon, then bringing it down, the heads of three innocent men rolling to the ground. He did this solely to please his bastard Demonic Master!

Arthas would think of this whenever he sat down to rest, knowing that if he did not take action, more people would die.

"That's right, they didn't witness any of this, they didn't see those people die so tragically. How dare they say they are right and I am wrong?" Arthas threw back the blanket and sat up. The camp was quiet and there was no danger around, so no one was assigned to keep watch. He got up, draped his cloak over his shoulders, and quietly left the camp, glancing back every now and then to make sure no one was following him this time, until he never looked back again.

There was indeed no one there, but...

Nathanos squinted as he stood on a tree, watching the departing figure. Below, one of his hounds was ready to go.

"Follow him, but don't let him spot you."

The hunting dogs moved at the sound, faster than wolves.

The next morning, when Jaina woke up, everyone was already having breakfast. Nathanos noticed her coming out of the tent and brought her a bowl of hot soup.

"Thank you," Jaina replied with a smile, the steam from the bowl refreshing, especially in winter.

"Where is Arthas?" The female mage noticed that one of the most prominent figures seemed to be missing and couldn't help but ask.

"He doesn't like being with us, so he left alone last night."

"What? Then why didn't you stop him?" Jaina looked at him in surprise.

"I..." Nathanos looked at Jaina, but couldn't utter a word. Last night, when Arthas left, his heart was heavy, and he had considered whether to stop him. But what would happen if he did? Arthas might be furious, accusing him of obstructing him, and that all his previous promises were empty words. No! Nathanos couldn't let that happen. It would cost him all of Arthas's trust, making him believe that Arthas's presence was a spy for Terenas, and perhaps even... he would be fired.

"I can no longer go against his wishes. Although he has never asked me for anything, I know what he wants. And I cannot stop him."

Jaina blinked, and as she spoke, Nathanos sighed.

What does he want?

"He wanted to protect his country... his people."

A silence fell between them; Jaina even forgot she had food in her hand. She couldn't understand what Arthas's departure had to do with his duty. Weren't all these people here here to eliminate the hidden threats to this land?

"I have failed my mission, and perhaps I will leave him after this." Nathanos turned and walked away. "Hurry, Lady Jaina, we should go find him."

At midday, scattered farmhouses appeared along the road leading to Arthas. He made no attempt to conceal his identity, summoning any passing patrolling soldiers he encountered. He knew full well that he couldn't manage alone, so seeking help was wise. More importantly, these newly recruited men wouldn't question his orders.

"Saurfang, how far is it from here to the village?" Arthas asked, consulting the map. "There don't seem to be any markings for farm facilities on the map."

"Yes, Your Highness," his newly appointed adjutant Saurfang, affirmed. He and Arthas had only recently met, so there was a slight awkwardness in their conversation. "Your Highness, I grew up in this area, and most of the farmers here are quite independent. They make a living by selling agricultural products and livestock."

Are they hostile to outsiders?

Not at all, Prince Highness.

"Excellent, let's go see what clues we can find," Arthas commanded, setting off. They moved slowly to attract the attention of the farmers, giving them time to prepare. They also took the opportunity to observe the farmers' complexions to see if they had contracted the rumored plague.

As he approached the farmhouse, Arthas carefully examined the entire area. "Look!" he exclaimed, pointing to a spot. "The gate is broken, and the livestock are gone. This is not a good sign."

"Nobody came out to say hello," Saurfang reminded us. "Not a soul in sight."

The two exchanged a glance. The troops behind them also stopped.

"Greetings!" Arthas called out. "I am Arthas Menethil, Prince of Lordaeron. We will not harm you, so please come out and speak. We simply have some questions to ask."

A deathly silence fell, then a north wind rose, flattening the vast grassland. His voice still echoed around. The only sounds were the howling wind and the clanging of their own armor.

"Is nobody here?" Arthas said.

"Shall we go in and take a look, Prince Highness?" Saurfang asked. Arthas felt an unprecedented sense of relief. Finally, someone was asking him what to do instead of instructing him on what to do next.

Arthas glanced at his followers. They all seemed reluctant; entering the house could mean catching the plague. He himself was one, after all, but these people were his subjects, and both his Paladin's oath and his duty as crown prince required him to help them. He would do it, whatever fulfilling that oath might bring him, whatever the cost.

"Come on," he said, striding toward the farm. As they approached the garden, a gust of wind suddenly blew up.

The wind carried a terrible stench. Arthas covered his mouth, barely managing to hold back his vomit. The others did the same, as if struck by a heavy blow. It was the smell of a slaughterhouse, the stench of fresh blood mixed with the stench of rotting corpses. A rotting morgue would be a more fitting description than a slaughterhouse. One soldier finally couldn't hold it in any longer and turned to vomit. Arthas only managed to avoid doing so through Will. The putrid smell was coming from inside the building. What had happened here was now clear.

Suddenly, accompanied by the stench of death, a terrifying scream with a wet, liquid-like sound filled the entire space, and something rushed towards them from inside the house at an alarming speed.

"How much longer until we find Prince Highness?" The voice of Farek Arthas's captain of the guard, suddenly came from behind Nathanos. The question immediately drew whispers; some discussed where the Prince was, while others questioned why everything was now under Nathanos's command. Although he would gladly show them with his fists, it would only be a waste of time.

"All I can tell you is that we haven't lost them."

"Didn't lose him?" Another captain of the guards Marvin, stepped forward and shouted. "Are you sure? You think this dog's nose can find Prince Arthas? That's absurd. If Prince Highness wanted to avoid us, he should have taken a separate path where there should only be his footprints." His words were echoed by many others.

For hours, they had been following a dog by the tail, which seemed incredibly foolish.

Nathanos scoffed, his disdainful expression nearly driving Marvin to a rage. He offered no explanation, but his hound wouldn't be wrong; after all, it wasn't smelling Arthas, but rather another companion. It was winter, the temperature low, and scents in the air didn't easily dissipate.

"Nathanos." Jaina walked to his side, her blue eyes looking at him. "Are you sure Arthas is on this path?"

He nodded, but looked at the road full of messy footprints with some complicated feelings. He had thought about it for a long time on his way here. At first, it was just a guess, but as more and more footprints appeared, Nathanos gradually became certain of his idea.

After thinking for a while, he said to Jaina, "Jaina, I have a favor to ask, and I hope we can talk in private."

The female mage was taken aback for a moment, and only nodded after the other party gave her an affirming look.

The two walked to the side, Jaina asked first, "What do you want me to do?"

Nathanos hesitated for a moment before saying, "I plan to have Marvin and Farek go find Arthas next, so we don't need to follow."

"What? But I..."

"I know you need to complete the task Antonidas gave you. And I will help you investigate this matter, but I hope that you and I will no longer follow Arthas. Consider this a deal."

"But why are you doing this? Do you think we'll have any impact on Arthas?" Jaina's golden eyebrows furrowed as she asked incredulously, only to receive an affirmative answer.

"You...are very intelligent." Nathanos closed his eyes and acknowledged what she said.

The female mage was taken aback. How could this be? She shook her head. "I don't understand, why is this happening?"

"I will explain to you, but I need your promise. This will benefit us, and Arthas as well."

Jaina's expression grew increasingly puzzled and complicated. She glanced at the others behind her who were growing impatient, and then exchanged a look with Nathanos for a while before nodding in agreement.

"Okay, I agree to your request. However, I also need an explanation from you."

"Of course, this is an explanation that will satisfy you."

There should be another chapter tonight.