The Scar of Marius Farm
"I want to go!" Belorell pleaded, tugging at Fiona's sleeve. Fiona sighed, about to say something, but Jidwen spoke first.
"It seems we've brought back a problem on the way."
"Alavi, you have no idea how dangerous Marius Farm." Fiona's gaze flickered to the bounty. "This bounty was personally issued by Lord Maxwell of the Argent Dawn. It has existed for a very long time."
Belorell thought of the Undead, wondering if he was the reason everyone was afraid. "Is there any danger there?"
Nobody knows.
This answer, coming from Tarenna, surprised Belorell. He seemed even more curious than before.
"Everyone who went to that place is dead." The Blood Elf Paladin stroked his pointed beard. "The Argent Dawn has sent people to investigate that place many times, but no one has returned. As a result, Marius Farm was turned into a forbidden area by the chapel. Even so, Lord Maxwell still wants to find out what is hidden there, so he has put up a bounty."
"Has no one taken on this task?"
Jidwen laughed loudly, as if mocking Belorell, or perhaps those who had accepted the bounty. "But just as Tarenna said, no one returns. Initially, the quest was worth fifty gold, but now it's worth a thousand."
Fiona remained silent throughout the conversation, hoping that Jidwen and Tarenna could use words to make the Elf boy show fear on his face, but Belorell's emotions remained unchanged except for increased curiosity.
"There must be something there. I need to investigate."
Jidwen breathed heavily through his nose. The brat before him was the most stubborn and arrogant child he had ever met. If it weren't for his role as a member of the Light's Hope Chapel, unable to ignore the passing of a life, he wouldn't have bothered with this boy he had just met. The Dwarf shouted, "Are you insane? Or did you steal the wine Fiona had put in the carriage? Didn't you hear what Tarenna and I were saying?"
"I know exactly what I'm doing?" Belorell retorted. "I'm looking for answers, and those answers might have something to do with my father. I... I don't even know who he is."
Belorell lowered his head, and the Dwarf's anger vanished by more than half, replaced by sympathy and a trace of guilt.
"So, do you have any clues to prove that your father's departure from you is related to Marius Farm?" Fiona asked.
"No, my mother told me that my father died when I was born."
"Your father died at Marius Farm?"
Belorell shook his head. "He died in the battle of Quel'Thalas against the Scourge Undead."
What is your father's name?
"I..." Belorell stammered, the atmosphere was extremely awkward for him. Under everyone's gaze, he slowly shook his head, "I don't know."
"I really can't understand it. Did your mother never tell your father his name?"
"No, she never told me anything about my father."
"Looks like your bad habit of not being clear-headed isn't entirely your fault," Jidwen muttered.
"If that's the case, how do you know that your father has any connection with Marius Farm?"
Belorell was nearly driven mad by the endless questions. He tried his best to hide his impatience, and he couldn't answer Tarenna's questions. Because once he took out the map with the clues, it would be tantamount to revealing his identity—the back of the map had the eagle wing emblem of the Windrunner family.
Perhaps sensing that Belorell had something difficult to say, Fiona didn't wait for the boy to come up with an answer. She said, "Let's go eat something first and then talk. Food makes the tongue more flexible."
Lilian Voss can't breathe.
Her eyes were closed; in the darkness, she felt safe and relaxed, but if she wanted to sleep, it would just be a waste of time.
Under the immense pressure, the bare tree could just bear her weight. She slowly inhaled the surrounding air—something she would do every fifteen minutes—and nodded. There was no unusual smell, no faint, pungent, or corrosive odor. Lilian had initially worried that the large number of dead people here would create a stench of blood. Nathanos certainly wouldn't like that smell.
She buried the body beneath the ruins of Marius Farm. Over the years, there have been countless reckless individuals who have dared to trespass there.
Kill everyone who comes here.
She always remembered the commands of the Witherer, from the initial Crimson Crusade and a few wandering Undead creatures, to the later Argent Dawn and the Argent Crusade. Lilian's dagger had already etched a mark of fear into the Eastern Plaguelands.
The last time a well-equipped squad came here, they foolishly chose to camp here. A few hours later, when a light drizzle made everything wet, the ground around Marius Farm reflected a bloody light, dissipating into the already reddish soil.
This was quite an interesting battle.
At least now few people bother her. The more people die, the more people will realize the danger here.
She stretched her hand towards the sky. Just then, a cold wind blew by, chilling her skin, carrying with it the decaying smell of the earth.
Then she blinked. She heard a low, grinding sound—it was a car wheel!
Lilian opened her eyes; the process wasn't slow, but the darkness before her eyes faded in patches.
"Oh? Another fool challenging me?" She gradually made out what was approaching. There were four people in the carriage, and the clinking of bottles and jars didn't sound like weapons, but rather like cargo. The Undead muttered, "An unarmed woman, an Elf imp, and two Paladin —are they here to die?"
Lilian stood on a tree branch, one hand resting on the trunk, the other gripping a dagger. It was just past dawn, and she was wondering what to do in the new day.
The two Paladin were the first to charge, one tall and one short, their figures poised for battle. However, Lilian could see the Dwarf's face trembling beneath his helmet; he took a great effort to catch his breath.
Is this all that's left in the Argent Crusade Army? Lilian thought with disappointment, but her attention was soon drawn to the middle-aged woman driving the carriage.
The muddy ground swelled with water beneath her feet, and she jumped off the carriage and strode towards it.