Twilight Highlands

Quel'Thalas.

Nathanos remembered that place by that name. Many years ago, when he got involved in the rescue of the Queen of Dragons from Grim Batol, he knew he would return here sooner or later. Deathwing, Demon Soul, and... Alexstrasza.

"Grim Batol on the map looks like an underground fortress, but the terrain we're on now is getting higher and higher, like we're climbing a mountain."

Ten meters away, five short men were discussing their upcoming trip. Earlier in the meeting, he had said that traveling alone was impossible. In extraordinary times, it's always necessary to have a few people around to help you.

"I have found a lot of traces of dragons here, and perhaps some place is a dragon's lair."

"Are you sure we can get close to them? We can't be exposed, those are the master's exact words."

They were still talking. Nathanos remained silent, having kept the letter safe. Judging from its contents, Grot already knew his current situation. Furthermore, it was truly surprising that the Orcs knew his whereabouts in Arathi Highlands. The Witherer deduced that someone must have revealed something to Grot.

"You five..." Nathanos interrupted his guards, who were indeed being noisy, and the Witherer needed a quiet atmosphere. "Go and draw a map of the Twilight Highlands, and if possible, try to find the Red Dragon's lair."

"This could take quite a while. Where should we meet up with you after we finish our mission?" asked the leader of the five short men.

"After you complete the mission, you don't need to come looking for me again. Go back to the Wailing Caverns and continue with the mission I gave you a month ago."

"Yes, Master."

Now only Nathanos and his two Blight Hounds remained. He gazed at the moon, calculating the approaching time to meet Grot. He couldn't believe that after all these years, that Orcs was still in this land where the Dragonmaw Clan had enslaved the Queen of Dragons. When the Forsaken's intelligence organization was first established, Nathanos had considered recruiting Grot as a spy for Orgrimmar, only to discover that not all Dragonmaw Clan Orcs joined the Horde; some were still missing.

"Let's get started." Nathanos knelt down and stroked his pets with both hands. The Blight Hounds trembled in response to their master. "As guests, we can't keep our host waiting too long."

Grot slowly walked towards the animal pen. On his back was a bulging, blood-stained sack.

The animal pen was filled with straw and held 'prisoners' inside.

The captives had been sleeping at first. But they awoke instantly when Grot approached. There were four captives in total, both male and female. Each had a thick iron chain attached to its right foreleg. They warily watched the approaching Orcs, but as soon as they smelled the blood in the sack, they knew what Grot had brought. They excitedly darted about, letting out joyful cries and wagging their little tails. These were several young Wyvern.

"Take your time, little ones, eat your fill," Grot encouraged them. "Keep your voices down, don't let anyone else hear. This wasn't originally meant for you." He took a piece of dripping meat from the bag. The Wyvern cubs went even crazier. After finishing the piece of meat, they were clearly not satisfied and continued to howl longingly.

Grot watched them, then after a while, he shook his head, muttered something to himself, and tossed in another piece of meat. The Wyvern cubs immediately pounced, scrambling and gobbling down the sweet, fresh meat. Grot continued to toss them meat. Soon, all four cubs were munching away. The youngest was practically an infant, while the largest already had wings growing from the center of its fore and hind legs.

Grot's face turned ashen with grief, and just then, a voice explained why he had such an expression.

"Wyvern? Have the Dragonmaw Orc started kidnapping Youzai again?"

"Who?" Grot was startled by the hoarse, deep voice, and his hair stood on end when he turned around and saw the other person's scarlet eyes.

"Didn't you invite me here?" The mysterious figure who suddenly appeared pulled down his hood, and the Wyvern cubs that Grot had just been comforting immediately fell silent, huddled in the corner of the pen, trembling. They were living beings too, and they knew fear.

"You are... Nathanos?" Grot took a step back, gasping. He remembered the name. Nathanos Marius, once a member of the Alliance, a cunning human. Grot believed anyone who encountered him would find him a formidable opponent. Now he was dead, an Undead.

It seems that a lot has happened over the years.

"Just the fact that you can call my name is enough for me to kill you," Nassano said. His Blight Hounds glared at the Orcs, their teeth clenched. At their master's command, they would tear Grot to pieces.

How did you get in?

The Witherer looked somewhat disappointed. "The guards at the camp gate are slacking off and sleeping."

These words made Grot's cheeks flush. "No matter what, you've come."

"So do you know why I came?"

The Orcs looked around and said, "This isn't the place to talk."

They arrived at a wooden hut near the coast of the Dragonmaw Camp, where the sound of the waves drowned out their voices.

"I must clarify one thing," the Orcs said. "My job is simply to feed and care for the wyvern whelps. I will not mistreat them."

"I don't care," Nassano said, sitting on a pile of hay on the ground.

Grot sat down as well. The two looked at each other, like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, ready to have a long talk.

"Now it's time to answer my question."

"There's so much to say," Grot sighed. "I've been to Arathi Highlands, and I must say, I never imagined you commanded such a massive Undead army."

"I never expected you to be working as a nanny." Grot wasn't angry at Nasano's sharp response. "I like this job; at least I don't have to kill anyone or anything."

"I didn't hear an answer, Orcs."

After a brief silence, Grot began to recount his ordeal to Nathanos in a low voice. The Witherer listened quietly, without interrupting him, only occasionally widening his eyes in surprise.

"And this..." Grot took out the amber-colored stone. "He asked me to give this to you."