Suspicion

So where is that revered archbishop? Sylvanas resisted the urge to ask. From Varian's words, she could at least confirm that Benedictus wasn't in Stormwind City, and that the Alliance's attention was currently focused entirely on the conflict with the Horde. In either case, Varian wouldn't be concerned about the Cataclysm.

"Since King Majesty the King considers the Horde more terrifying than Deathwing, then I see no need to waste your time any longer." Sylvanas prepared to leave, and before she stepped out of the meeting room, the Ranger-General and the King of Stormwind remained locked in a tense standoff. The Female Elf found herself feeling little disappointment, partly because she had never held any hope for the Alliance in the first place.

As she walked out of Stormwind Keep, Sylvanas glanced back at the outline of the magnificent fortress. She had heard that a black dragon had once turned this place upside down, and that an even more terrifying black dragon would soon appear in the world. Why didn't the owner of this fortress take it seriously?

"Sylvanas?"

The familiar address sent a chill down the Female Elf's spine. "Alleria?" Apart from her sister, she hadn't heard anyone call her that in a long time, so the name slipped out instinctively.

A look of surprise also appeared on Jaina's face. She stared blankly at Sylvanas, too embarrassed to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Jaina. I... I'm just too sentimental."

"No matter which side you're on, no one can forget their family," the female mage said, giving the female elite a comforting smile. At the same time, she was also comforting herself, hoping that one day she could return to her hometown.

Seeing the same bitterness in Jaina's eyes as in her own, Sylvanas could truly feel that they were the ones who understood each other best in the entire Alliance.

"Thank you, Jaina. But I also want to apologize. Today's meeting with Varian ended badly again, although I had expected it to end this way."

"We can't give up yet." Jaina thought for a moment, then looked at Sylvanas with a questioning gaze and asked, "Do you think that if both the Alliance and the Horde realize the severity of the Cataclysm, they will give up the fight?"

As soon as the female mage said this, she was immediately grabbed by Sylvanas, who shook her head excitedly, "Don't do such a foolish thing again, Jaina. Warchief is no longer Thrall Warchief of the Horde. In the end, the decision to expand the Horde's territory is the new Warchief's order, and he will not allow you to interfere in the Horde's affairs. Moreover... in Grommash's eyes, you are still a member of the Alliance, and still an enemy of the Horde."

"But what about the other members of the Horde? Will they just stand by and watch Garrosh lead the Horde down the path of war?"

"Whether war will make the Horde stronger or weaker is still uncertain and it's too early to judge. At least for now, the Horde leaders, including my sister, will still obey the new chief's orders."

Jaina's expression had remained calm until now, when she began to show unease. Life rarely offers perfect solutions, just as her knowledge and abilities had come at a price. Even now, she couldn't understand why Thrall had chosen to leave the Horde, or why he had nominated Garrosh as Warchief. She had heard about Varian's recent actions regarding the Horde, and while she had always hoped for peace, she found it difficult to speak up and ease the tension between the Alliance and the Horde. Sylvanas was right; in the new Warchief's eyes, Theramore was the Horde's enemy. At this moment, Jaina only hoped that the disputes over resources wouldn't escalate into a war born of hatred.

"The world is changing rapidly, and I really want to get involved right away, but I have absolutely no idea what to do."

"A leader cannot focus solely on immediate problems; they must also learn to plan ahead," Sylvanas said. The Female Elf also told Jaina that she would be staying in Theramore to help stabilize the situation in Dusty Swamp and the Barrens to the north.

"But news of the Cataclysm..."

"It's okay, we can go find someone else."

When Alexstrasza was only a few miles from the Nexus, she saw blue and green dragons, some soaring in the air, others standing on the land. They, too, saw Alexstrasza. Several dragons immediately flew towards them.

"Queen of Dragons!" exclaimed the green dragon Ysondre in surprise, "Thank you for your timely appearance; you have brought light and hope to this moment!"

"Ysondre." Alexstrasza looked at the green dragon ambassador of the Wyrmrest Accord, her voice filled with warmth. "Where are my sister Ysera and the new Guardian Kalecgos? I need to see them immediately."

"They are within the Eye of Eternity, the Life-Binder," said a blue dragon.

"Only them? Any news from Nozdormu?" Alexstrasza asked.

Ysondre and the other dragons followed behind her, surrounding her above and below, accompanying her on her flight toward the Eye of Eternity.

"Not yet," Ysondre replied. "We sent messengers to inform the Bronze Dragonflight a long time ago, but they don't know exactly where Nozdormu is right now."

"He hasn't contacted me either," Alexstrasza replied. The Queen of Dragons had many questions for the Time Lord. She had always held him in high esteem, recognizing him as the most enigmatic of the five dragonflights, firmly believing that managing time was a far heavier burden than protecting life. But Krasus' death and the loss of so many lives forced Alexstrasza to redefine the responsibilities of Nozdormu and the Bronze Dragonflight. Was this predetermined fate something to be accepted?

"I can only conclude that he is still fulfilling his duties."

"Then we hope he can arrive in time to provide support," a green dragon agreed. "The more Guardian Dragons there are, the better our chances of winning."

Hearing these words, Alexstrasza felt a mixture of helplessness and sorrow. She thought of Neltharion, her brother, the source of all suffering. She couldn't deny the green dragon's words; if Neltharion hadn't succumbed to madness, there would have been no fear, no destruction, no Deathwing and the Twilight Cult—the world would certainly be far better. But...

"When we engage in battle, I hope Nozdormu and his Bronze Dragon will be with us," Alexstrasza said, landing on the snow and immediately sensing that a battle had recently taken place there, along with the lingering scent of Twilight Dragon's corpse. "Go ahead," she told Ysondre, "Tell my sister and Kalecgos that I'm back."