A Weight on His Heart

After seeing Apophis off, Jarod left and returned to the banquet hall.

The welcome banquet hosted by the Highborne in the banquet hall was still ongoing, and Snyder remained seated at the table, continuing to eat.

Having become a demigod, he doesn't actually need to eat frequently; he can absorb elemental energy from the air to nourish himself.

Snyder kept eating for two reasons: firstly, the Highborne food was delicious and much better Maiev's; secondly, he was communicating with the Elemental Spirits of Azeroth and wanted to know the specifics of the catastrophe.

Communicating with the Elemental Spirits for an extended period requires a lot of energy, which is a real challenge for the banquet's chefs. Snyder eats quickly but elegantly; the dishes are devoured as soon as they're served, so they keep adding more food for Snyder. The Hand of the Bright Moon have already left to rest, and now it can be said that the entire banquet staff is serving Snyder.

The door opened, and Jarod, looking sorrowful, walked in.

He walked to the table where Snyder was, picked up the glass full of wine, and drank it all in one gulp. This glass of wine was specially prepared by Snyder for Jarod. He could tell that Jarod had been distracted at the banquet and had even left early.

So Snyder had prepared it for him beforehand.

"Is everything done?" Snyder asked between bites.

"Yes, it's done," Jarod replied.

"Brother-in-law, is there any way to extend the lifespan of short-lived races?" Jarod asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.

"I'm sorry, no," Snyder said, spreading his hands.

"All species are relatively equal; those with shorter lifespans have a higher reproductive rate, while those with longer lifespans have a lower reproductive rate."

"This is the way of nature. If our Eternal Elves had a strong reproductive ability, I wouldn't have to worry about the population problem."

"Just imagine how terrifying it would be if we had eternal lifespans and such powerful reproductive abilities." Snyder's expression changed as he said this, and he quickly ate a piece of roasted meat to calm his nerves.

"Do those short-lived species often face life and death?" Jarod was also stunned by Snyder's words and understood that all species are equal, but he still asked his question.

"This is an inevitable short-lived species whose life is filled with joys and sorrows."

"They strive to live out their short lives and then leave everything they have to their descendants to inherit, and so on and so forth," Snyder said after eating another piece of bread.

"Jarod, your friend is truly gone, isn't he?"

"Yes, his soul vanished completely before my eyes," Jarod said sadly.

"I tried to give him a new obsession so he could stay alive, but I failed."

"If he succeeds, you'll ruin him," Snyder said slowly.

"Harm him? How could I harm him? I just want him to stay in this world." Jarod was a little agitated.

Snyder wasn't angry at Jarod's somewhat agitated reaction; on the contrary, he was rather pleased. It was good to have the problem addressed; it would be easier to resolve if the issue was brought up.

Snyder cast a calming spell on Jarod to put him at ease.

"Listen to me, Jarod, if you let him continue to exist, you'll be harming him."

"Thousands of years have passed, and everything he knew is gone. Rather than let him exist alone, it's better to let him begin the next chapter of his life."

"Now that he's become a ghost, he's destined never to reintegrate into his own kind, right?"

Snyder's words made Jarod fall into deep thought. He recalled Apophis's smile as he was about to disappear and the words he had said to him; he had been so happy. He should be happy for him.

Jarod smiled; he was at peace.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle." A wisp of black smoke drifted out from Jarod's body and dissipated into the air.

"What is this?" Jarod asked, looking at the black smoke rising from his body.

"This should be the remnant of Zakajz's forces that you killed here. You returned there without your weapons, which gave him an opportunity," Snyder said.

"The power of the Old Gods still smells so foul," Snyder said, summoning a gust of wind to completely disperse the remaining black smoke in the air.

"Go back and get a good night's sleep, and live well with your friend's share." Snyder patted Jaro on the shoulder, signaling him to go back.

"I will," Jarod nodded, then turned and left the banquet hall to return to his room for a good night's sleep.

A golden light flew towards the horizon after Jarod recovered, outside the window of the banquet hall roof. Snyder had noticed the light outside long ago but hadn't said anything. If he hadn't noticed it, Snyder, a demigod, would be too incompetent.

"What a lovely friendship," Snyder remarked. He then gestured to the Highborne waiter that there was no need to order more food Snyder. After that, Snyder quickened his eating pace, and soon all the remaining food on the table was gone.

"Comfortable." Snyder finished his meal in one gulp, replenishing all the energy he had used.

Snyder left the banquet hall satisfied. The Highborne waiters breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that the "monster" had finally left, and they could finally rest for a while.

Snyder ran into Dath'Remar as soon as he left the banquet hall.

"Your appetite has improved after thousands of years! My people tell me you've eaten a lot," Dath'Remar joked.

"Is it a lot? It's alright," Snyder said, rubbing his stomach.

"Is that a lot? You've eaten almost the equivalent of one meal's rations for an entire army," Dath'Remar said, his face dark.

"It's because the food you prepared was too delicious, plus I've been using up a lot of energy talking to the Elemental Spirits and need to replenish it," Snyder retorted.

"What is it that requires you to keep talking to the Elemental Spirits?" Dath'Remar wondered.

"I have a feeling something bad is about to happen to Dath'Remar." Snyder thought for a moment and then told Dath'Remar the elemental warning.

"Something bad? What's wrong?" Dath'Remar's relaxed nerves tensed up again.

"The element only gave me a warning; I don't know exactly what it is," Snyder said, shaking his head.

"If there's enough food, can you figure it out?" Dath'Remar asked.

"My old friend, I'm not predicting the future; it's just the elements giving me a warning," Snyder said, indicating he was powerless to help.

Dath'Remar frowned even more upon hearing Snyder's answer.

"Go back and get some sleep, old friend. Maybe the problem will be solved when you wake up," Snyder comforted him.

"That's the only way," Dath'Remar said with a sigh.