Outland

"I found Kazzak's trail in the Blasted Lands. His presence there already speaks volumes about his intentions."

"The Dark Portal?" Nathanos thought of it first, but then a series of questions arose. "But Stormwind City built Tower of Observation in the Blasted Lands, didn't they notice anything unusual?"

Meryl thought she had misheard. Nathanos actually cared about the humans of the Stormwind Kingdom. "Tower of Observation has been useless since its establishment. All these years later, the garrison has never truly dealt with the Orcs remaining in the Blasted Lands. Those Orcs still worship demons, but unfortunately, the corrupt nobles of Stormwind City are completely unaware of the threat."

"But we can't be pawns."

"Nathanos, we are the only ones who have recognized the signs of impending crisis. We must do something," Meryl reminded him. He was rarely in a hurry, perhaps because this concerned demons. Nathanos, however, seemed to have forgotten that Meryl was the founder of the Tirisfal Council, whose very purpose was to protect Azeroth from demonic corruption.

"I understand your thoughts, Meryl, but I also hope you can understand the current situation of the Forsaken. Our strength is far inferior to that of the Alliance and the Horde. You said that only we have noticed Kazzak's presence, and you said that we should do something. Well, I can now notify the spies in various places to spread the news and let the Alliance and the Horde know about the demonic threat."

Meryl was unconvinced by this explanation. He tapped his staff on the ground to express his dissatisfaction. "You actually pin your hopes on the Alliance and the Horde? They are both licking their wounds from the Battle of Silithus. Asking for their help at this time will only leave them powerless to do so."

"The Forsaken never do anything without a reward. What do we gain by wasting manpower and resources to destroy a demon? We gain nothing, and it only benefits the Alliance and the Horde. Don't forget, our target for revenge is not the Burning Legion, but the Scourge, and the Lich King." Nathanos stood up, his attitude still resolute, but Meryl had already found a way to persuade him from his words.

"What if I told you that the Forsaken would benefit greatly from it?"

Nathanos turned and squinted at him, warning him he had better not be joking.

"Kazzak's target is definitely the Dark Portal, but I don't believe that a new Horde will emerge behind the portal."

"Then why should we care?" Nathanos asked. He had initially thought Meryl was worried that Kazzak would use the Dark Portal to launch another invasion of Azeroth, but the mage clearly didn't mean that. Meryl still hadn't made it clear what he meant.

"I've dealt with demons countless times; their cunning far surpasses that of ordinary humans. The Burning Legion has invaded Azeroth many times, especially during the Third War, where they suffered heavy losses, and few powerful figures remain within the Legion. Kazzak, as a demon lord, must have a plan for coming to Azeroth alone. I don't know the specifics, but think about it, Nathanos. He wants to open the Dark Portal, which is to tell you that another world awaits the Forsaken to explore," Meryl continued. Nathanos began to understand why he was able to nurture the first Guardian Alodi. Because his perspective on the world was always unique.

"Having seen what the Blasted Lands look like, I have no hope for Draenor. The energy that corrupts that land comes from the world behind the gate."

"Draenor is now called Outland," Meryl corrected, coughing as he continued, "When I went to Duskwood to carry out your mission, I checked on the situation in Karazhan. The Violet Eye, an organization in Dalaran, was still digging into Medivh's secrets. At the same time, I overheard them mentioning that Kael'thas and his Demonic Master Illidan had fled to Outland, and that the Blood Elf Prince had been searching for magical sources for his people in another world."

"Illidan? He went to Outland?" Nathanos's eyes flashed red. He stroked his chin, signaling for Meryl to continue.

"That's right, it's true. I've never met Illidan, but I've heard about his greed for magic. If even he went to Outland, then the Orcs' original world must still have a lot of magical resources for us to exploit."

"That's just your guess."

Nathanos turned around, but his movement inadvertently betrayed his inner desire, Meryl had already seen through. The mage added fuel to the fire, deliberately adding with a sorrowful tone, "Yes, the success rate is probably only thirty percent."

The Witherer shuddered. A 30% chance was already quite high. That wasn't just a territory or a city, but a vast world. The Forsaken alone couldn't conquer the entire Outland, but stealing a mine or a herb garden would be easy, and they might even find more valuable things. For example, Ner'zhul had come from that world, and they might be able to find some information about the Lich King and figure out how to defeat him. Putting everything else aside, this last point alone made Nathanos determined to try his luck.

"You're better suited to be a diplomat, Meryl," Nathanos remarked. He heard the mage laugh, but he wasn't angry at all. This time, he was convinced; he was rarely convinced, and he was surprised that he could accept it so easily.

"If one day the Forsaken no longer have to hide, or need to establish diplomacy, I would gladly become a diplomat."

The Witherer snorted coldly and said seriously, "Get all the spies moving. Gather all the recent intelligence on demonic activities. Send scouts... no, send Deathstalker to the Blasted Lands. Also, we need to infiltrate Tower of Observation. And then..." Nathanos paused, as if brewing something. After a long pause, he spoke in an unusually calm tone, "And then there's Quel'Thalas. It's time for the Forsaken to pay attention to the movements of the Blood Elf."

The mage behind him seemed somewhat surprised. Nathanos's actions could easily arouse suspicion among those who knew him, raising doubts about his motives. However, Meryl almost laughed out loud. He could tell that Nathanos had no selfish motives; he wanted to learn more about Outland, and the Blood Elf were the best entry point—after all, their Prince was in Outland.

"I will relay your orders to Belmont. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, for that strange race that fell from the sky."

Reminded by Nathanos, Meryl remembered this incident.

"I hope you can get to know them for yourself."

The Outland chapter begins next week.