Prelude to Silverpine Forest

Shadowfang Keep

Dark Ranger Veronalara hoped the long wait would end soon; she hadn't received a word from Nathanos for a whole year. Since being sent to Shadowfang Keep, her daily task had been to ensure it remained under the control of the Forsaken. Significant complaints were growing within the Dark Ranger force. Many were beginning to suspect that Nathanos had forgotten them.

Veronalara rebuked those people and told them that Shadowfang Keep was the Forsaken's only military base in the northern part of the Eastern Kingdoms, the Witherer could not forget it. One day, the Forsaken would use this as a starting point to launch their attack on Lordaeron.

Of course, that day has not yet come.

Veronalara rarely returned to the castle. She spent most of her time on the walls, like a soldier on guard duty. Since she didn't need sleep, she couldn't resist spending all day in the castle's command room, keeping company with solitude. Looking out at the view from the castle at least reassured her that nothing could threaten Shadowfang Keep.

The Gilneas Walls lay south of the castle. From there, she could see the majestic castle. Firelight flickered on the walls in the night. Veronalara pondered to herself—how many stones would it have taken to build this wall?

A Forsaken rode a bat, circling above the castle a few times before descending. The bat keeper took his reins. This was one of their spoils after conquering the castle: several giant bats for reconnaissance and communication, and several skeletal warhorses for riding. The Forsaken's current problem was the lack of air and cavalry forces. Due to circumstances, the giant bats came from Lordaeron, a city now occupied by Demon Lord, and the skeletal warhorses were not simply resurrected dead horses. It involved extremely complex magic; Nathos had mentioned that the Scourge's warhorses were somewhat like stitched-together monsters—assembled from parts.

Veronalara was waiting for the Forsaken just landed to come up and report. "Lady Veronalara, is there some exciting news?"

"Exhilarating?" Veronalara frowned. She had almost forgotten what that felt like. The Dark Ranger Squad hadn't engaged in any combat for a year. The monotonous daily training had filled the Dark Ranger with rage, ready to unleash it on their prey at any moment. "Tell me about it."

The Forsaken smiled and said, "I know, I know. I'm just glad she wanted to see me." He also nodded to the little doll in his arms. "It's the Master of the Witherer. The Master of the Witherer is back, and he's on his way here."

Veronalara's previously listless eyes immediately brightened. "When?"

"Within a day or two. And he wants you to assemble your troops; he will need the military strength of Shadowfang Keep."

"The Dark Ranger have been waiting for his orders." She glanced around contentedly. The Dark Ranger were thrilled to hear this; they would soon have a chance to prove themselves.

"He hasn't arrived yet," Veronalara said, calming the restless crowd. "We need to ensure Shadowfang Keep is absolutely safe until the Witherer arrive." She glanced around again, noticing the Dark Ranger Enya looking at her calmly. "Get back to your sorting work, and don't forget who you are."

After Veronalara finished speaking, she walked towards Enya, her intuition telling her that the other woman had something to say. "You don't seem very happy, Enya."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm actually eager to see the Witherer. It's just that I'm worried about the battle we're about to face," the Dark Ranger said truthfully.

Veronalara gave her sister a forgiving smile, "The Dark Ranger are always ready; there's no enemy we can't handle."

Lilian Voss was planning her next target in the attack on the Crimson Crusade; every night at this time, she would devise a perfect assassination plan. It had become a habit.

The wind that blew through her brown hair was damp and chilly. She turned back, and the dark figure in the moonlight reminded her that she was on a guard duty. Lilian's eyes quickly spotted the two Undead Hound, their bodies covered in the plague virus; they seemed to have a new name: the Blight Hounds, named after their master. Lilian thought that even without her, the Witherer should be quite safe. The past three hours had proven it. Undisturbed, Nathanos the Witherer meditated under the moonlight for three hours.

Lilian seemed to have heard that this was his hometown in life, which appeared to be a farm, but only barren land ravaged by the Scourge remained.

Another half hour passed, and nothing happened.

A moment later, Nathanos's voice broke the silence. "Voss."

"I am here, sir."

Do you come to this place often?

"I don't come here often. I rarely appear where there aren't Crusaders," Lilian replied respectfully. As she spoke, the two Blight Hounds stared at her, sending a chill down her spine, as if Nathanos were watching her. "However, Belmont mentioned that this is where you used to be, so I'll keep a close eye out for anyone here."

"Is there?"

Lilian was somewhat surprised; the Witherer seemed to take this matter very seriously. "Occasionally, some Argent Dawn soldiers approach this place, but they only make sure there are no Undead before leaving," she said, carefully observing the Witherer's attitude. After a long silence, a low growl escaped the master's throat. Voss was certain he was disappointed by his answer, but not because of her, but because of the truth.

"Do you know? I was buried here."

"I...I've heard about it."

"I'm actually... quite happy that no one comes here."

"Oh! That's not what you really think," Lilian muttered to herself. Nathanos's tone seemed to be trying hard to hide something.

"If someone comes back to check, they will find nothing under the ruins of this house, no remains of a body." He paused. "If my family, my cousin, or even... my lover, any one of them comes here, they will find that I am gone, and they will realize that I may still be alive."

"But they didn't," Lilian said cautiously.

"Yes, they don't." Nathanos stood up, his silhouette appearing much taller in the moonlight. "Lilian Voss, accept your new mission."

The Undead assassin's eyes widened. She would be disappointed if Nathanos sent her on another mission, because that would mean she could no longer hunt the Crusaders. But her intuition told her that the Witherer would not stop her.

"If any living thing comes near here in the future, kill them all."