Auchindoun

Xirezege carefully examined the terrain of Nagrand. He hadn't seen Orcs scout for days. Why hadn't they appeared? Nagrand had always been the territory of the Warsong Clan; even if Grommash had led his people to Azeroth, it was impossible for them to leave no one behind.

The last time Xirezege stood on this hill, he was a very young boy, watching with curiosity the herds of Kodo Beast migrating.

But now, it's a completely different world.

The Witherer had told him that the world he saw would not be exactly the same as before. The wizard had also said that the world had been torn apart by magic, and the floating islands in the distance were the best proof of that.

The Orcs shielded his eyes from the blinding sunlight, gazing at the plain bathed in the setting sun. This hill was Nathanos's designated camp, a safe place to rest, as any intruder would be easily spotted by the lush grass below.

Behind him, the Witherer and Meryl stood by the campfire, discussing something that Xirezege could hear clearly.

"Nagrand is completely different from what we saw when we first arrived. It's hard to believe."

"I have a bad feeling." The Witherer threw a piece of wood into the campfire. "I've been in this world for a few days now, and I've discovered some interesting things. First of all, time. The flow of time in this world is very chaotic. Yesterday, from day to night, it only took twenty hours according to Azeroth's time, but today it took sixteen hours. Not only that, the constellations we see at night are also constantly changing. I suspect that time and space in Outland are very chaotic."

Xirezege turned around, staring directly at him. "Will this affect us?"

Nathanos dusted off his trousers and stood up. "Whether it has any impact or not, we'll have to find your own kind first and then ask them to find out."

Xirezege grunted but didn't answer. He was eager to find his compatriots immediately.

"I think we need to get the Azeroth forces here first," Meryl interjected, glancing at the Forsaken around him. These few couldn't really do much. "We need to find a special place, special enough for me to open a portal."

"As far as I know, no one used magic in the beginning of this world." Nathanos stroked his chin. "Xirezege, do you Orcs have any particularly important places, or holy sites or anything like that?" The Witherer asked this because he felt that places with miracles were usually filled with inexplicable magic.

"Yes, there is." Xirezege thought for a moment and replied, then pointed to the north, "That direction should lead to the Elemental Throne, which is the holy site of the Orcs Shaman."

Meryl was immediately disappointed upon hearing this. Elements and magic were different, and one could even say they were mutually exclusive. "Elements not only can't help us, they might even prevent me from opening the portal."

"In that case, there's only one place left." Xirezege turned to face the wilderness, his gaze seemingly piercing through something. "There, after you cross that mountain, you'll see a plain. In the center of that plain lies our Orcs' sacred land, the land of our ancestors— Auchindoun!"

"Your ancestral lands?" Nathanos approached him with interest. He often heard Orcs talk about their ancestors and thought that Auchindoun must be a very mysterious place that could help the Forsaken. "What's so special about it?"

"That place wasn't formed naturally; it came from the sky. When I was young, my father took me there to take a look. He said the souls of our ancestors would drift towards Auchindoun. I was standing on a high mountain then, asking my father why we didn't go closer. My father told me that only Shaman could enter Auchindoun because they could communicate with the voices coming from within Worsh'gol, voices that the Orcs firmly believed were guidance from their ancestors." Xirezege then shook his head, saying painfully, "That's all in the past. Ever since Gul'dan's Fel magic severed the Orcs' connection with the elements, Auchindoun has gradually been forgotten."

Meryl was clearly uninterested in the Orcs' story; he only heard the more important parts. "Falling from the sky? Able to attract souls? Interesting. Perhaps it's some kind of special magical meteorite."

"Alright." Nathanos's voice was very calm. "Let's go take a look, and if possible, summon our reinforcements from there." He looked at Xirezege and asked, "Is that alright?"

The Orcs sighed heavily with his eyes closed. "I told you, Auchindoun has long been forgotten. Do whatever you want, but I don't want to go. I will follow Orcs tradition and not set foot in the holy land."

Nathanos raised his eyes slightly; he understood the Orcs's meaning. He didn't want to stay, but to leave. The Witherer wasn't stupid; to save time, he pressed on, "Then... where do you plan to go?"

"I'm going to find my people. If I remember correctly, when the Horde attacked Azeroth, some Orcs remained in Nagrand, hiding in a place called Garadar." Xirezege said, looking into the eyes of the Witherer. "I want to go and find them."

"That's your freedom." Nathanos turned around, his answer surprising Meryl, who wondered why he trusted Xirezege so much. "But don't reveal our information to anyone. Also, if I need you, you'd better answer my call."

"It's a deal. How can I contact you then?"

Nathanos didn't answer directly, but instead gave a wink to one of the Deathstalker, who approached. "He'll follow you, and when you find Garadar, he'll leave to find me. That way, I'll know your location."

And he can help me search. Xirezege watched the Witherer figure, not uttering a word, but already understanding the hidden message. "I understand, the separation is only temporary. So, may I go?"

"Kindness."

"Lok'tar, the Witherer, may your path be unobstructed," Xirezege said as he turned and leaped down the hill after a few steps. His movements revealed his excitement; if it weren't for the night, he might have already raised his arms in triumph.

"We must set off too." Nathanos had no time to savor the Orcs's praise. He pointed to the spot where Xirezege had just been facing. "Let's go to Auchindoun and see what secrets it holds."