Traveling along the northern road, a stag led a pack of wolves, five cheetahs, and four ancient Elemental Spirits the size of infants, galloping for a day and a night before finally arriving at Pyrewood Village.
More than three months later, I returned to this place, and the situation was completely different.
Lord Darius is undoubtedly a shrewd, capable, and decisive Highlord. Together with the ever-astute and capable Lord Godfrey, he has brought order to the entire southern region of Silverpine Forest.
Miss Lorna took away tens of thousands of refugees, easing the pressure here considerably. The Crowley Family has been operating in Ambermill and Pyrewood Village for many years, and their food reserves are enough to feed 100,000 people for a year. If they can hold on for a few more months, it will be harvest season again.
The farms in this region are enough to feed 50,000 people. Any shortfall in food can be purchased from Lordaeron; Lord Darius has already reached an agreement with Queen Calia. The wealth accumulated by the Crowley Family is sufficient to sustain them for several years, so there shouldn't be any major problems.
What Jiang Jie saw was that although people lived under the threat of the Undead in the south, the Greymane Wall remained impregnable thanks to the defenses of the Gilneas Brigade Legion, Dalaran mages, Lordaeron Paladin, and Gryphon Rider of Aerie Peak. The few Undead in Silverpine Forest should have been largely eliminated, and people's lives were beginning to return to normal.
The guards on duty quickly reported, and twenty minutes later Jiang Jie met Lord Darius.
" Nicholas, you're alive? You're back? How is Lorna now?" As expected of a father, his first concern was for his daughter's condition, not the war situation on Kalimdor.
He was somewhat agitated.
After all, his daughter had been gone for more than three months without a word, and no one knew whether she was alive or dead. He had been suffering a lot during this time, often unable to sleep at night, his dreams filled with images of his daughter, and several times waking up from nightmares, fearing that he would never see his daughter again.
If that were to happen, he would wish he were dead.
"Rest assured, Highlord, Miss Lorna is doing well. Jaina has already established a new city, ' Theramore,' in Dustwallow Marsh. The refugees of Gilneas will have a new home, and Miss Lorna will become one of the rulers of that city—that's beyond doubt."
Jiang Jie smiled and comforted her, "Miss Lorna is a rose with thorns. She has threatened every commander of the expeditionary force with a gun, including Jaina... In this world, she's the one who provokes others. Who can bully her?"
Upon hearing that Lorna was alright, Lord Darius finally breathed a sigh of relief. The tension on his face vanished, replaced by a broad smile, "What an ignorant child! She didn't even send a letter back, unaware of how worried I was! Ah, I almost wished someone would bully her! She's already 18, it's time for her to get married! Nicholas, I heard you're still unmarried? Look, I only have one daughter. If you marry Lorna, the Crowley Family will belong to your children..."
"... Highlord, it wouldn't be good if Prince Liam heard that. And if Fenna heard that, I'd be in big trouble." Jiang Jie smiled.
Although Liam has become Worgen, due to reproductive isolation... it's basically impossible for them to be a couple, but Jiang Jie has no intention of stealing him away... Fenna wouldn't agree, and Jiang Jie seems to have quite a few girls around him already.
If Lillian were to start having affairs, who knows, one day Lilian might slit Lorna's throat with her dagger, or Lorna might shoot Lilian dead?
That's not a good idea.
For the sake of world peace, let's forget about it.
Thinking of Liam, Jiang Jie quickly asked, "How is the situation now? Is Prince Liam and the others stable?"
Lord Darius frowned and shook his head. "There are too many Undead in Gilneas. None of the men I sent out have returned! My apothecary told me that without Nightbane, I can't make a potion to stabilize the Worgen Curse! Liam has a very strong will, which is remarkable. He's usually alright; he can generally stay conscious during the day. But at night, it's a problem. He has to be locked up. On the night of the full moon, he goes berserk and can't even be bound with ropes; I have to use chains!"
Jiang Jie frowned.
The situation is more serious than I imagined. Master Krennan's Nightbane Herbalist is quite something; I wonder if he's still alive!
" Nicholas, are there Worgen here too?" Velinde walked over to Jiang Jie and asked, turning her head to the side.
"Who is this?" Lord Darius looked at Velinde and realized that this was a species he had never seen before. It looked somewhat similar to High Elf, but taller and with a much darker complexion.
Yes, you have a great figure too!
"This is Velinde, the Priestess of the Moon, Night Elf from the Kalimdor. All of them are Night Elf... or at least they used to be." Jiang Jie gave a brief introduction, then looked at the Priestess: " Velinde, the situation is this... are you confident you can help them regain their sanity?"
"I don't know, I don't know anything about Worgen, I'll have to try." Velinde tilted her head in thought for a moment, then looked at Broll Bearmantle standing on the other side of Jiang Jie: "If Broll helps, it should be fine. Druid nature magic can also help Worgen overcome their inner shadows."
"I'll give it a try." Broll Bearmantle was actually quite old, no younger Velinde, and already married with children, making him rather mature and stable.
"Really? You can help the Worgen? That's great! Let's go to Shadowfang Keep right now!" Lord Darius was very excited.
He's been going crazy these past few months trying to keep the Worgen imprisoned in Shadowfang Keep!
Those Worgen couldn't be killed, and they had to be kept from starving. More manpower had to be deployed to prevent their escape. Even with the Kirin Tor mages' protective barrier, it wasn't foolproof. Several times, soldiers delivering food were bitten by Worgen and turned into Worgen!
Moreover, once the public learned of the existence of the Worgen in Shadowfang Keep, panic began to spread and could not be calmed down.
Lord Godfrey, decisive and ruthless, even privately suggested that with King Genn missing, Gilneas shouldn't be handed over to a mad Worgen. Perhaps Prince Liam should be put to death, and he would fully support Lord Darius's ascension to the throne...
Lord Darius was not tempted.
Everyone knows that he and King Genn disagree on politics, but few people know that he and Genn grew up together and have a very close relationship.
In the current chaotic situation, the people hope that Gilneas can have a new king, a leader, and a unified nation.
The people of Pyrewood Village and Ambermill, in particular, were abandoned by Genn outside the Greymane Wall. They did not actually recognize King Genn, but only Lord Darius.
The refugees who escaped from Gilneas were also dissatisfied with King Genn after learning that it was King Genn who ordered Arugal to summon the Worgen. As for how this news leaked, we'd probably have to ask Lord Godfrey.
The public outcry grew louder, but Lord Darius refused to yield.
Only he himself knew that he would never betray Genn, even though he always said that the guy was stupid to death!
They were all decisive and efficient people, and soon arrived at Shadowfang Keep and met Prince Liam.
Worgen were imprisoned all around, numbering fifty or sixty, with Prince Liam imprisoned in the deepest part.
It was already late at night, and all the Worgen were howling madly, attacking the cells with their claws. The walls, wooden fences, and doors were covered with scratches.
"The fence has been replaced several times; the Worgen are too aggressive," Lord Darius said, pointing to Prince Liam at the deepest part of the enclosure. " Liam is the most aggressive; he seems different from the other Worgen."
"It is a little different." Velinde closed her eyes and sensed it for a moment. The Scythe of Elune emitted a deep green light. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Jiang Jie, saying, " Nicholas, half of these are Worgen transformed from Night Elf Druid of the Scythe, and the other half are Worgen infected by Worgen bites. The one in the very back is a bit special. The Worgen that bit him is terrifying. It seems to be... the leader of the Worgen?"
"It's an alpha wolf." Jiang Jie understood.
Prince Liam, like King Genn, was likely bitten by the "alpha wolf" Ralaar.
Ralaar Fangfire was an extraordinary Archdruid ten thousand years ago, and he even used the Scythe of Elune for a period of time. He must be different from other Worgen. Those he bit and transformed into Worgen must be more powerful and more insane than other Worgen!
"The Alpha Wolf? You mean Archdruid Lyraar Fangfire, Nicholas?" Brol Bearskin, standing to the side, was somewhat surprised. Clearly, unlike Vidrin, he knew about the werewolf calamity thousands of years ago. His expression turned grave. "Archdruid Lyraar, also a student of Master Malfurion, was once one of the most respected archdruids. He actually emerged from the seal of the Emerald Dream?"
"He's out, and he's in Gilneas." Jiang Jie nodded, then looked at Velinde: "So, how about it, can we help them?"
"I'll give it a try." Velinde, holding the Scythe of Elune, began to unleash the power of the Moon Goddess and the Wolf God.
The reason the Scythe of Elune is a balancing artifact for Druid, rather than for Feral Druid, is because it possesses two completely different powers: the power of the Moon Goddess and the power of the Wolf God. A powerful Druid must find a balance between them. If a Feral Druid were to wield this artifact, the best outcome would be the same as Ralaar's: going to extremes.
Meanwhile, Broll and the other four Druid began casting spells, using Druid magic to help the Worgen calm their minds and emerge from the shadows.
Twenty minutes later, the Worgen gradually calmed down and reverted to their human or Night Elf forms. Prince Liam also collapsed to the ground and fell into a deep sleep.
All the Worgen fell into a deep sleep.
" Nicholas, I can control them with the Scythe of Elune, but it will take some time before they can completely overcome their inner shadows." Velinde tilted her head and thought for a moment, then looked at Jiang Jie with some apology.
"That's enough." Jiang Jie turned to Lord Darius: " Highlord, I must take all the Worgen and head to Gilneas... If all goes well, I will bring King Genn back!"