Secret Letter

Sky-Coverer the Orisus, the Scourge's foremost archer. Few in this world excel in any single area, for even the most ordinary hunter possesses melee combat skills. But the Sky-Coverer are different; they only know archery. No other force in the world can match their range. This is why the Witherer admire them and accepted them as members of the Forsaken. In the Battle of New Avalon, the Sky-Coverer undoubtedly became a nightmare for the Crimson Crusade.

"Our current enemy is Stromgarde, and we should discuss how to break in more quickly." These words came from a Death Knight wearing a veil.

Prefest, commander of the Knights of the Scourge, participated in the Battle of New Avalon, where he annihilated the Scarlet Crusade and led his men deep into enemy territory. He possesses extensive experience in land warfare and is skilled in horsemanship. Under a special mandate from Nathanos, a group of four from within the Forsaken—instructors Razuviaus, Prefest, Val'gria Gaza, and the apothecary guild master North—was formed specifically to train Death Knights. Prefest will be the commander of this knightly force.

"Once Danas withdraws from Stromgarde, it will be as if we have won this war," Nathanos said.

Prefist looked puzzled, his expression conveyed entirely by the wrinkles on his forehead. "Then why did we go to all this trouble to come here? You've mobilized tens of thousands of troops. That's more than half the total strength of the Forsaken army."

"The mobilization of armies is never just for fighting, but for planning ahead. The same applies to war," Nathanos said. Since Prefist had brought it up, he went on to explain why the Battle of Stromgarde was being launched. "All our actions now are for two people. The first is Deathwing. The Cataclysm is coming soon. Deathwing is about to return. He will unleash unimaginable catastrophe. But the threat he poses is far less than that of the second person, the Horde's new Warchief, Garrosh Grommash."

"The son of Grommash? You think he would..." Meryl frowned, his expression full of doubt.

"You might think I'm wrong, but I can tell you, according to intelligence from the members of the Blade of the Witherer hidden around Garrosh, this guy has decided to attack the Alliance. Right now it's just a small skirmish, but after Deathwing's defeat, the world will soon be plunged into a state of total war. At that time, no one will be able to remain uninvolved. Our swift capture of Stromgarde will demonstrate the Forsaken's power to the entire world, and will also prevent the Alliance Horde from underestimating our strength. Moreover, as our territory expands, the conflict between the Alliance and the Horde is likely to spill over into the Forsaken, and this war will force them to consider whether they are provoking us in their future actions."

"So, it's all about taking precautions, just like you said... being prepared for a rainy day?" the mage said. Nathanos sensed something hidden in Meryl's tone, but he couldn't tell whether it was agreement or disagreement.

"Never forget the lessons the Lich Gate taught us. What the Forsaken must always fear is the unseen war."

When the Lich Gate were mentioned, Orisus and Prefist felt a little ashamed, as it was a plot by the Scourge, and they had once been members of the Scourge.

"For at least two years, Stromgarde will be under our control," The Witherer continued. "There are rich mineral resources here. The future of the Forsaken also needs them. I have ordered a permanent garrison here. Venture Company's mining machines and workers are already on their way, and the mining operation must not make a single mistake. Then..."

His words were interrupted by footsteps outside the tent; even in the rainy night, he could clearly hear the sound of boots stomping through the mud. There was...

"Master." A scout, looking bewildered, pushed open the tent flap. Realizing Nathanos was holding a military meeting, he rushed in and quickly said, "Please forgive me, Master. I didn't know you were..."

Nathanos raised a hand to indicate he was alright. The Forsaken army was highly trained and disciplined. They would never appear before their leader without prior notice unless it was something extremely urgent. "What's going on, soldier?"

After saluting, the scout said, "My mission was to monitor Hammerfall. I was discovered there, but the one who discovered me wasn't Orcs..." The scout shook his head, feeling there was something wrong with his statement, "No, not Horde Orcs. He said he didn't belong to the Horde, but he knew you and asked me to bring this to you."

Nathanos looked at the letter the scout had taken from inside his clothes. The scout was soaked, but the letter had only a tiny water stain on it.

Belmont took the letter and handed it to his master. The Witherer looked the scout over carefully again and said to him, "Go and dry yourself."

The scout withdrew.

The tent was completely silent; the only movement was Nathanos's changing expression as he read the letter.

"It was written by an Orcs," Meryl said. "I saw that it was Orcs script."

The crimson light darkened as Nathanos's pupils dilated. He nodded, then carefully put the letter away, and said solemnly, "After Stromgarde is captured, Belmont will be responsible for guarding Stromgarde and handling all daily affairs. Orisus and Prefist will be responsible for the defense of the Sor'Thalas Wall. Meryl, you will immediately return to Kalimdor and go to Feralas. As for who to see, I think you know very well."

"And what about you? From what you're saying, it seems you're going somewhere alone again. Is it because of that letter? I think I even saw your name there." Meryl's eyes were fixed on the letter in Nathanos's hand, on the back of which was a skull and dragon head, like the symbol of some faction.

"It was sent to me by an old friend, but I had almost forgotten about him. This letter raised many questions for me, and I had to investigate it myself."

"There are only a handful of people in this world who know your true identity, and I don't remember any of them being Orcs."

Hearing this, Belmont was also somewhat uneasy. He suggested, "Your safety is of utmost importance. How about letting the Deathstalker accompany you, Master?"

"No, the letter said he wanted to meet with me alone." He thought for a moment, "I never expected that he would still remember me after all these years."

"Then at least you should tell us where you're going."

"No, this time I'm going to operate in secret."