Dark Portal
"You're just going to let them go like this? They're murderers!" Nathanos had just reached the tent entrance when he heard Alleria's excited and angry voice coming from inside.
"I've explained this to you many times, Alleria. We can't decide the fate of these Orcs. They were enemies before, but now they are prisoners."
"Just because they changed their identity? That's ridiculous. Have you forgotten the crimes they committed in Quel'Thalas? Not only did you not punish them as they deserved, you let them live. Do you think I didn't see that? You had Gavinrad divert some of the army's supplies to them. Did you mention any of this to me? Do you even have any High Elf?"
The argument briefly ended as Alleria finished speaking, and Nathanos did not go in. Turalyon was pondering how to explain things to Alleria, and he looked to Khadgar for help. The mage seemed to deliberately avoid Turalyon's gaze, indicating that he was also unable to help.
"On this matter, I truly..." Turalyon sighed, "I hope you understand why I did this, Alleria. Our war is not over yet, and the Alliance will certainly give Quel'Thalas justice." The Paladin realized he was truly bad at speaking. If Lothar were here, he would surely give Alleria a satisfactory answer, but he couldn't. He could only hope that this dry consolation could temporarily suppress Alleria's hatred for the Horde.
"That had better!" The Female Elf glared at him, then glanced at Khadgar, the mage who was clutching his forehead, indicating he had nothing to do with the argument. "If you can't do it, my soldiers will no longer obey your commands." Alleria turned and left, and as he pushed open the tent flap, he saw Nathanos standing outside with his arms crossed. The Female Elf's furrowed brow finally relaxed slightly, and she managed a strained smile at him.
"I'm here to see you," Nathanos answered her before she could even ask why he was there.
Let's talk somewhere else.
They arrived at a secluded spot. The Burning Steppes weren't particularly scenic, and Alleria just wanted peace and quiet; she was feeling very agitated. Nathanos knew this, so although he said he was there to see Alleria, he didn't say anything first. He hoped she would break the silence and tell the human that she was feeling better.
A long time
"Thank you for keeping me company for a while." Alleria let out a long sigh of relief, gradually relaxing. Then she turned to look at Nathanos. "What did you want with me?"
Nathanos shook his head. In truth, he had nothing to say. He had simply anticipated that the Female Elf would need help at this moment, even if it was just to stay with her for a while. "I am surprised that you would acknowledge Turalyon's leadership."
"It's only temporary. You heard me, didn't you?" Alleria explained. Nathanos knew she probably didn't really think that way. Perhaps she never considered seizing command of the Alliance. If Turalyon couldn't shoulder the responsibility of leading the Alliance, someone else would have to take over, but that person certainly wouldn't be Alleria. The Female Elf only wanted revenge, nothing more. Alliance leaders must weigh every decision they make, so they must consider the consequences. Both Lothar and Turalyon would do this. Nathanos was glad Alleria understood this; otherwise, she might have already stood up and denied Turalyon's leadership. However, this was precisely what worried Nathanos.
"You know deep down," Nathanos said to her, Alleria's face immediately darkened. "You know that no matter who leads the Alliance, they can't make those Orcs pay the price, and even..." The Female Elf's breathing was calm, Nathanos couldn't tell if she was truly indifferent or if it was a prelude to an outburst of anger. "You know deep down that even if you were to make the decision, you couldn't order the execution of all the Orcs."
Alleria smiled helplessly, her face growing paler. "You always seem to read people's minds, Nathanos. But I don't want to be like this, I'm just... just furious. My anger has nowhere to go, and even if I kill all the Orcs, I can't get back everything I've lost."
"Then why are you still..."
"I only want those Orcs to pay for their sins, and my hatred for them is something I will never forget. I will never forget the pain the Horde caused me." Alleria gazed into the distance, in the direction of the Dark Portal.
Nathanos looked at her face and then said, "You can rest assured." These words drew Alleria's gaze back. "The Horde has inflicted pain on not only Quel'Thalas, but also Stormwind City, Lordaeron, and the other kingdoms. They will face the judgment of all."
The Alliance then needed to reach the Swamp of Sorrows, a journey that took a week, including dealing with the resettlement of captured Orcs and preparing supplies. They could have done it faster, but Turalyon warned the others not to catch up with the Orcs. They needed to pinpoint the exact location of the portal before launching their raid.
Lothar's death shocked everyone, but it also ignited their fighting spirit. The once-dejected Warrior were now focused, fierce, and resolute. They all believed their commander's death was their fault and were determined to avenge him. Furthermore, they all accepted Turalyon as his chosen successor, especially those who had fought alongside him in Quel'Thalas.
Crossing the jungle was difficult and unpleasant, but no one complained aloud. Alliance scouts kept the Orcs in sight and constantly reported, allowing the Alliance army to move slowly without worrying about their prey escaping. The Horde remnants, on the other hand, were in disarray, Orcs moving in one direction but not together, merely fleeing individually or in small groups. Turalyon guessed that the Orcs guarding the portal was either Doomhammer's lieutenant or his most trusted Warrior. If that person was strong enough, he could reunite the scattered Orcs with his original forces into a powerful army. The Alliance needed to remain vigilant and avoid complacency. Underestimating the upcoming battle would be fatal.
It took them several more days to reach the place called the Black Morass. But what they found there surprised everyone.
"I don't understand," Lor'themar said, bending down and running his hands over the ground beneath his feet. "I remember Khadgar saying this place was all Wetlands! It should be like the Swamp of Sorrows, damp, filthy, and stinking." He patted the hard red rock in front of him, frowning. "But it doesn't seem like that."
"It looks like it was burned. Is this some kind of magic?" asked Verina, the other adjutant standing beside him. "If so, it must be an extremely evil kind of magic. It has almost wiped out all life here."
Alleria nodded; the terrible environment here made even a nature-loving Elf feel disgusted.
"What do you see?" he called to Nathanos, who stood on the high ground. These days he had been almost inseparable from the human, and Nathanos's comfort always calmed her heart whenever she was agitated.
"Perhaps you should see it for yourself," the human replied. The Female Elf watched him with amusement as he feigned ignorance, then approached him. The sight before her rendered her speechless. She didn't know if it was simply Dusk or if this was the natural state of the place. In the distance, dark clouds shrouded the sky above the Black Morass, flashes of light appearing intermittently— Alleria knew they were lightning. The horizon was a chaotic crimson, dividing the dying land from the somber sky. Anyone who witnessed such a sight would feel deeply oppressed. The half-fallen sun cast an awkward number 7, which puzzled Alleria. Only when the sunlight slanted slightly did she see the object in its entirety—a door, with faint green light emanating from within. The Female Elf couldn't fathom its immense size. She had always thought the gates of Ironforge were the most magnificent works of art in the world, but now she realized she was wrong. It was still a half-day's journey from here, yet she could already make out the outline of the Dark Portal.
"We're almost there," Nathanos reminded her. Alleria snapped out of her reverie and smiled; their journey was finally coming to an end.
He intended to accompany her for the rest of the journey, and Alleria was pleased with his fighting skills and the companionship itself.
Meanwhile Turalyon was also getting along very well with the two brothers from Ironforge. Muradin and Brann were particularly straightforward, appreciating exciting battles, delicious beer, and beautiful women. Brann was more like a scholar, always discussing obscure texts with Khadgar, believing that as Medivh's apprentice, Khadgar must be very knowledgeable.
Most of the Dwarf in Ironforge were experts in rocks and gems, but Brann didn't recognize the stones beneath their feet, and he was somewhat uneasy. "I don't know what these stones are, they look like they've been heated by fire, but how is that possible?" He scratched one of the stones with a fingernail while examining it closely with a magnifying glass in his other hand. "The whole area is like this, what's going on here?" The crimson earth stretched to the horizon. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"I...I've seen it, once," Khadgar replied, frowning. To explain would require revisiting memories he least wanted to revisit. "But not in this world." He didn't continue, his expression telling Brann he didn't want to discuss the matter further.
Muradin wanted to press further, but his brother stopped him.
Brann said to Khadgar, "Your name— Khadgar —means 'trust' in Dwarven language. We trust you, mage. Tell us when you want to, and we are always ready to listen."
"Well, anyway, it's related to Orcs." Turalyon thanked Brann for his understanding. He rarely thought about Medivh, especially the battle that had aged him so quickly.