Apocalypse

When Diago and Masley returned to Thorium Point, they were clearly no longer as obscure as before. Almost everywhere they went, they were the center of attention.

"I heard this human hunter and his companion were the ones who killed those Twilight Cultists. He's incredible-he can fight more than a dozen at once..." The Dark Iron Dwarves always liked to whisper things like this. Though they had no idea how the human had accomplished it, that did not stop them from using their imaginations to fill in the details.

"I knew he'd solve all our problems, just like he saved us all at the Great Forge," echoed the former slaves who had been taken in. Once again, they told the story of how this human had led them out of encirclement at the Great Forge and fought his way here. "Let me tell you, back then, we..."

"I heard the tavern's new dishes were all taught by this human..."

All of Thorium Point held drinking parties for several days straight to celebrate the great victory. With the food crisis resolved, the Dark Iron Dwarves had resumed their tradition of revelry. As the foremost contributor to this victory, the great hero was someone almost everyone wanted to get close to. Whether Dark Iron or Bronzebeard Dwarves, they expressed their enthusiasm through drinking. After getting thoroughly drunk several times, the human hunter conceded defeat to these dwarven drunkards and politely declined any further events of that sort.

One evening a few days later, when Diago came to the tavern to find something to fill his stomach, he finally saw the Night Elf-and, uh, his own pet. The big cat had clearly put on quite a bit of weight lately. Not being a picky eater, its once-sunken cheeks had grown plump, giving it a rather comical look.

"Hey, buddy, your 'companion' is over here!" the Night Elf called sarcastically from a corner. He looked quite displeased about being overlooked. For once, however, the Night Elf was not drunk today and remained sober.

"You know how it is, Masley!" Diago walked over, sat down opposite him, and spoke impatiently. He was very unaccustomed to being gawked at everywhere he went. It reminded him of China's giant pandas, rare creatures that could do nothing but eat their fill and wait to die.

"Relax, Diago. I'm only joking," Masley said with a smile. He waved to the server, signaling for another Dark Iron beer.

"We have to leave, Diago," he told Diago with a serious expression, one rarely seen on his face. "We've wasted too much time here."

"Where to?" Diago was a little surprised. To be honest, he had always thought this Night Elf did not care where he stayed, as long as there was alcohol.

"South..." Masley said. He paused thoughtfully and looked around, as though afraid someone might overhear.

"Hasn't that been our plan all along?" Diago interrupted. He also felt it was time to leave. To be honest, his main objective in coming to Thorium Point had already been achieved-it was strapped to his back.

"No, I mean Blackrock Mountain."

"Right, through Blackrock Mountain, into the Burning Steppes, then on to the Redridge Mountains..." Diago was beginning to have a vague idea of where this Night Elf wanted to go, but he did not want to think along those lines and continued playing dumb.

"Diago!" Masley suddenly raised his voice and slammed his mug down on the table. "I said we're going to Blackrock Mountain! Not the damned Burning Steppes, not the Redridge Mountains! We're not going anywhere except Blackrock Mountain!"

Diago jumped in fright. He had never seen the Night Elf in such a hysterical state before. He leaned aside to avoid the beer splashing from the mug.

"What would we go there for? It's hardly a nice place." Diago asked cautiously, trying his best not to provoke this brat.

"We have to rescue someone," Masley said calmly and casually, as though saying, "I've had too much beer. I need to use the toilet." Yet towering waves surged through Diago's heart. He knew whom Masley meant. He could think of no other answer.

For almost every Alliance player from before The Burning Crusade, the thrilling quest to rescue Marshal Reginald Windsor had left a deep and unforgettable impression.

This Alliance marshal was a great legend. He had once raided Karazhan alongside Sir Anduin Lothar to hunt down Medivh, the last Guardian. During that battle, he had seen in a vision of time that a Black Dragon would kill him in the future. Later, he fought through the First and Second Wars and became the Paladin Turalyon's favorite soldier. He fought bravely and earned outstanding honors, and those achievements won him promotion to marshal of the Kingdom of Stormwind after the war.

After King Varian Wrynn mysteriously disappeared, he noticed strange changes among Stormwind City's nobles. They began indulging even more in pleasure and became indifferent to every part of the Kingdom of Stormwind outside Stormwind City. Thus, those steadfast men who remained devoted to their duties had to shoulder the burden of protecting the people themselves: in Westfall, Gryan Stoutmantle formed the People's Militia; in Duskwood, Duke Ello Ebonlocke established his Night Watch, protecting the people of Darkshire alone.

When the Blackrock Orcs pressed hard in the Burning Steppes north of Lakeshire, and even rumors of Black Dragons began to circulate, Windsor could no longer sit still. Remembering his fate, he volunteered to go to the Burning Steppes and command the Alliance forces against the threat of the Blackrock Orcs and Black Dragons. However, Countess Katrana Prestor, who held great influence in the Council of Nobles, firmly opposed his proposal. The Countess's influence even swayed the decision of the regent, Duke Bolvar Fordragon. After openly breaking with the duchess, he went alone to the Alliance camp in the Burning Steppes-in effect, he had been exiled by Stormwind City-to direct the fighting against the Blackrock Orcs.

However, Stormwind City never sent any further reinforcements to the Burning Steppes, and Marshal Windsor was captured by Dark Iron Dwarves during an attack. Alone in his cell in Blackrock Depths, the marshal could only piece together the causes and consequences of everything that had happened. Once he connected it all, he discovered that the greatest source of suspicion was Countess Katrana Prestor, who had mysteriously appeared in Stormwind City just before the king disappeared. But he had no evidence.

"We can't go. You know that would be suicide," Diago objected. He knew what they would face if they did as the Night Elf suggested. It would be a disaster.

"You should agree with me, just like you did at the Great Forge!" the Night Elf said expectantly. "Besides, you haven't even heard whom I want to rescue."

"I know who you mean," Diago said impatiently. This brat's plan seemed like child's play to him. He had no idea where the Night Elf had learned that Windsor was imprisoned in Shadowforge City. Could it have been from the Thorium Brotherhood?

"This is different from last time. At the Great Forge, we still had a chance of success. But in Blackrock Depths, I can't see the slightest hope! That's an entire city. The two of us would be taking on a whole city of Dark Iron Dwarves!"

"But this is Elune's guidance!" Masley Bearhide growled under his breath. Fortunately, nobody noticed them. It was evening, and the tavern was filled with noise. In the crowded areas, people had to shout even to speak face-to-face. The Night Elf, however, paid no attention to that. He had lost the last of his patience, because the selfish human before him seemed as stubborn as a rock. He hesitated, then finally lifted the green hair off his forehead.

What appeared before Diago were two short horns about an inch long, somewhat like newly sprouted antlers, with tiny forks at their tips. They grew above the Night Elf's hairline, normally concealed beneath his long green hair and escaping notice.

"My God..." The human hunter let out a groan-like sigh. He reached out, trying to touch the antlers, but stopped again, as though afraid of profaning them. "They really exist. I once thought they were only a legend."

"You should know what these are," the Night Elf said solemnly. Though he possessed this miracle, he had never deliberately displayed it before others. Now, to convince his friend, he had no choice.

Diago Asnar certainly knew what they were-in Night Elf legends, they were the blessing of the four-legged demigod Cenarius, a gift from the moon goddess Elune. Almost every Night Elf who possessed this gift was a favorite of the moon goddess. Among them were Malfurion Stormrage, Broll Bearmantle, and several other renowned Archdruids. Without exception, they were all extraordinarily gifted and immensely powerful.

"Just last night, the moon goddess gave me a revelation in the Emerald Dream. I must go, even if I'm torn to pieces!" Masley Bearhide said firmly and devoutly. He looked at his friend expectantly. "Diago, will you come with me?"

Diago's jaw nearly hit the table in astonishment. Everyone knew that the moon goddess Elune never required her followers' worship, nor did she answer their prayers. She appeared only when she deemed it necessary. It had to be said that this Night Elf truly enjoyed Elune's favor-who had been the last person she favored so highly? Tyrande Whisperwind! The Night Elves' high priestess, the chosen of the goddess Elune!

Diago knew there was no getting out of this now. Though he did not know why Elune would take an interest in Windsor's affairs, when dragons were involved, any bizarre thing could happen. They were born with mighty powers akin to those of demigods.

"I knew you'd get me killed sooner or later, Masley," the hunter said with a bitter smile. He snatched up the M1 Rifle beside the table and headed for the door. "Pray for us. May Elune bless us!"

"We'd better hurry. Hopefully, there's still time." He looked back at the Night Elf. "What are you standing there for?"

Note: Many people may not be very clear about the First and Second Wars, so let me lay them out here.

This story has to begin with the Burning Legion's invasions of Azeroth. Before Diago traveled to Azeroth, the Burning Legion had invaded Azeroth three times in total. These three invasions brought tremendous suffering and disaster to Azeroth.

The first invasion was the War of the Ancients. This war took place ten thousand years ago. Coveting the immense power of the Well of Eternity, the Dark Titan Sargeras and his Burning Legion tempted the elven queen Azshara and instructed her to open a massive, swirling portal in the Well of Eternity. The Druids, led by Malfurion and Cenarius, wanted to stop the Burning Legion from entering this world. However, the Highborne, tempted by the demons, would never allow the Druids to do so-the Highborne's excessive reliance on magic made them unable to live without the Well of Eternity, while the Well was the Burning Legion's only way in. Thus, battle broke out at the Well of Eternity. In the end, Malfurion blew up the Well of Eternity, stopping the Burning Legion's invasion. The explosion also split the ancient continent in two, creating what are now Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. The most important thing about that war was that the explosion of the Well of Eternity spread magical power throughout the world. This was why people could later use magic everywhere; otherwise, the mage class would not exist today.-See "War of the Ancients" and "The Sundering."

The second invasion was the war between Orcs and humans. This time, the Burning Legion did not act directly. Instead, it used others to do its killing, sending its minions and servants-the Orcs of Draenor. This war had two phases: the First War of the Beast and the Man and the Second War of the Beast and the Man. Initially, the Orcs were tempted by the Burning Legion and fell, becoming its vanguard and high-quality cannon fodder. Medivh, possessed by Sargeras and Azeroth's last Guardian, opened the Dark Portal, allowing Orcs to pour endlessly into Azeroth from Draenor. During this period, the human Alliance suffered heavy losses, and the Kingdom of Stormwind, the southernmost of the Alliance's seven kingdoms, fell for a time as well-which was why Stormwind City had an Old Town. This was the first phase, also known as the First War.-See "The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind."

The second phase, the Second War, broke out not long afterward. Under Sir Lothar's leadership, the Alliance began to unite, including the elves of Quel'Thalas and the Dwarves of Khaz Modan. Meanwhile, the Horde assembled a massive army composed of Orcs, Ogres, forest Trolls of the Amani Empire, and even red dragons. A major event occurred at this point-Gul'dan of the Orcish Shadow Council, desperate to gain Sargeras's power, ignored the warnings of the chieftain at the time, Orgrim, and took half the Orcish forces out to sea to search for the Tomb of Sargeras. In the end, his greed led to his own death and enormous losses for the Horde. The final battle took place at Blackrock Spire. Orgrim Doomhammer killed Sir Anduin Lothar, but under the command of Sir Lothar's lieutenant, Turalyon, the Alliance ultimately won the war.-See "Alliance of Lordaeron."

The third invasion was another invasion by the Burning Legion. During the first invasion, to prevent the Well of Eternity from disappearing, Illidan secretly filled a vial with its waters before it was blown up. Later, he poured that vial onto Mount Hyjal, creating another Well of Eternity. In the twentieth year after the opening of the Dark Portal, the powerful Eredar demon Archimonde led the Burning Legion into battle directly once again. In the battle known as the Twilight of the Gods, Archimonde defeated the combined forces of the humans led by Jaina, the Orcish Horde led by Thrall, and the Night Elf Sentinels, and reached the World Tree. In the end, Archimonde was blown up on the tree in a suicide bombing by the swarm of wisps Malfurion had summoned with the Horn of Cenarius.-See "The Return of Archimonde and the Journey to Kalimdor."