Choice

In the Stormwind City subway tunnel, two figures, one large and one small, were walking towards a warehouse. These were not an adult and a child, but an elderly man and a young man.

"Just one more track section is needed to complete the assembly."

"Master Mekkatorque, you've only drawn the last section of the subway on paper. As of now, the materials, personnel, and funding are not ready at all. Don't talk as if we're about to complete this project."

"Ah, I always do. I think we need to get to know each other better, don't you think?" Mekkatorque walked at a pace three or four times faster than a human, trying to walk ahead to better display his status as Great Craftsman.

"You... should have my information."

"I haven't looked at it yet. I'll look at it now." Mekkatorque quickly flipped through the thick stack of papers in his hand. There were design drawings, material inventory, and personnel lists. The things in his hand seemed to be in no particular order. "Let me see... Nathanos Myris."

"It's Marius!" Nathanos shook his head, feeling helpless. This unserious demeanor made him doubt whether Mekkatorque was truly the Great Craftsman.

"Oh, right!" Mekkatorque scratched the back of his head. "Maris, Maris! There's another note below: Sir Uther of Lordaeron recommends."

"Alright, Great Craftsman. Please tell me when we can begin, if possible..."

Bang! Thud! Clang!

The sound of rummaging through things came from inside the warehouse, and the two people who were talking immediately stopped.

"Are you a worker?"

"I swear on my invention, you're the first worker to report." Mekkatorque kept staring in the direction the voice came from. "It's not a rat, is it?"

"I think..."

"I hate mice the most."

"Like..."

"Damn it, why did the Creator create those creatures with long, thin tails?"

"Master Mekkatorque..."

"With such a loud noise, how big must this mouse be?"

"Great Craftsman!"

"What's wrong?"

Nathanos sighed. "Could you please loosen your grip on my trouser leg? And then... you stepped on my foot."

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Mekkatorque laughed awkwardly.

"It shouldn't be rats, I heard footsteps. It must be... a thief!" The human stared at the warehouse door. The door was ajar, and someone slipped inside.

"Damn it! Those steel bars and tin ore were transported from Ironforge; we can't let those thieves get them," Mekkatorque said, then glanced at Nathanos. "Young man, are you a part-time thief catcher?"

"Phew! I regret coming here." Nathanos shook his head and walked toward the warehouse. It was so quiet that he could almost hear Mekkatorque mentally encouraging himself—which meant the Gnome would be watching from the sidelines.

Thieves had indeed broken into the warehouse. Nathanos peered through the cracks and saw three intruders inside. Looking down, he noticed the warehouse's padlock lay on the floor, showing no signs of being pried open. Did these thieves have the key?

Mekkatorque, hiding behind an iron pipe, peeked out and saw Nathanos go inside and then close the door from the inside.

Next, even more frantic sounds came: the wooden crates were smashed apart, accompanied by screams of agony, the sound of metal falling to the ground, and the cracking of bones as fists pounded into faces.

"How tragic." The Great Craftsman shook his head, trembling all over.

Not long after, Nathanos emerged from the warehouse.

"Nailed it?"

The human clapped his hands and nodded in response, "I also found this on them; it looks quite official. Do you recognize it?"

Mekkatorque took the blue emblem from Nathanos's hand. He took out his flashlight, examined it carefully, and then wiped the thing as if to confirm its authenticity.

"Damn it, why them?"

"You... know him?"

"You didn't do anything to them, did you?"

"I won't die," the human replied.

The Gnome seemed to be blaming Nathanos, and was quite annoyed. "We have to go to the Old Town."

"What exactly is this thing?"

"Haven't you heard of SI:7?"

Years have passed, the body is cold, but the memories still burn. Nathanos still remembers the time he inadvertently clashed with the agents of SI:7. Those people weren't thieves, but were carrying out a mission assigned by their leader, Shaw —to check if the supplies were complete and prevent some greedy Stormwind City nobles from profiting from them.

The misunderstanding was later cleared up, but when Nathanos and Shaw met again, they both sensed something different about each other. Shaw looked at Nathanos with suspicion in his eyes. During his time in Stormwind City, Mekkatorque's assistant always felt like he was being watched...

"SI:7, Mathias Shaw." Nathanos closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then Shattered Hand Clan. He stared at Veronalara and Enya's two dead faces, just like his own.

"Let them come. There are already too many people coming here to die!"

"SI:7 doesn't operate like the Crimson Crusade without thinking. You can't possibly handle them alone; your only option now is to come with us." Veronalara's words were both a hint of doubt and a reminder.

"Go with you?" Nathanos laughed. "You mean you want me to rejoin the Lich King? Let me tell you, I will never give up my freedom."

Veronalara and Enya exchanged a glance. "We are like you, Nathanos. You are not the only one who has broken free from the Lich King's control."

"Congratulations, but that doesn't mean I'll cooperate with you. I just want to stay here and wait for my chance to take revenge on the Lich King. After the Scourge is completely defeated, I'll rot here. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

"It seems we can't convince you anymore." Enya's face was filled with disappointment.

"Many people are just as lost as you are, Nathanos." Veronalara shook her head. "Someone needs to step forward and lead us. Enya and I both believe in your ability. But... you declined our invitation."

"I never wanted to be a leader, let alone keep dead people around me. I feel nauseous just looking at my own face," Nathanos said through gritted teeth in anger.

"It seems you've made your choice."

Choice! This word filled humanity with both shock and fear. He made many difficult choices, and he had already paid the price. What Nathanos didn't know was, if he had known all this beforehand, would he still have chosen to stay by Alleria's side? Perhaps... listening to Medivh's advice was the right thing to do.

If you do this, Alleria will die!

He suddenly opened his eyes, and those eyes, like smoldering embers, made Veronalara and Enya take a step back uneasy.

"Yes, I made my choice."