Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen Into the Nightmare

don't want!Malfurion couldn't help thinking.Don't...he knew it was coming, that his secret hopes were about to be put at greater risk.The Nightmare Lord scoffed at his rescue plans, even tormenting him with thoughts and images of Tyrande lost and dying in the mist. To make matters worse... the Nightmare Lord is getting to know his deepest thoughts. I have to... do more... He couldn't see the captors around him, but that by no means meant he wasn't being watched.Therefore, Malfurion had to act in the most stealthy way possible. With effort, he managed to move the arm that had become a branch.Now the night elf was able to do more than ever, but most of it was finding ways to ease the pain.The pain has always been there, but a small part of his brain has become different and manages to keep the pain away from him, in a way that works, to disperse it.

The real action takes place below the surface.Down below, his roots held him firmly to the ground.For the most part, they obeyed the Nightmare Lord's orders to keep him in one place and to root out fears rooted in the lower.However, since the night elf had been so restrained, it was clear that his captor could be so vain that he forgot the fact that even a small tree root could be Malfurion's most important power. Through concentration and will, the Archdruid has been able to manipulate this root.Being the smallest branch, it is ignored by the Nightmare Lord.Malfurion spent every minute building up the power he had invested in the roots so that it could do what he needed to do.

But at this moment, he needs it to go deeper into the ground to replenish other tree roots.Malfurion relied on it to recall all the teachings, the constraints all druids should obey to nature.He managed to make the roots grow, let it grow down, down, down, through the vermin buried in the dirt, and these vermin were at work, further destroying what was once the Emerald Dream. Then, when it was deep enough, he turned it around.While cautiously guarding against the appearance of the Nightmare King, the Archdruid concentrated his will to drive the roots to extend outward and penetrate deep into the mist.

He knew he was getting closer to his goal.He had no choice but to do his best to make the roots grow, even after he alarmed the Shadow Tree.Time is vague here, but at least for Malfurion it is running out.Either be free...or be consumed by nightmares and volunteer to serve fear. Little by little, the only tree roots were approaching the place. Malfurion felt the shadow tree extending towards him. Hollow branches poked out of the dirt in front of him.Then the Nightmare Lord was disturbingly silent.Shadows spread in the direction of Malfurion's stretched roots. A low, muffled laugh touched his mind, Malfurion hiding his fear of being discovered.

Fools doing futile work... The Nightmare Lord laughed.Their numbers are dwindling... Their life and death are also controlled by nightmares... They will stick!The archdruid replied, hoping to divert the Nightmare's attention from his efforts.The nightmare will be destroyed, and you will be destroyed too! They don't even know what persistence means... Shadow Tree retorted.They don't even know what it means to plan and wait... And wait... At this time, a more terrifying laughter came out.We will win by waiting...we will eat Azeroth... The Shadow Tree backed away from the Archdruid... For a moment, Malfurion lost heart.Not only because the Nightmare King is watching him, but also because the shadows are constantly manipulating and strengthening countless nightmare servants.The archdruid has a clearer picture of what is going on, and if his plans don't work out...

The roots were where he expected them to be. All Malfurion could do now was wait...and pray. Unable to stop Tyrande, Blore had no choice but to follow the priestess.Instead of maintaining his previous bear form, he transformed into a giant cat.Plunging into the fog, the druid compensated for limited visibility with his hypersensitive sense of smell and hearing. He followed her steps.In fact, following Tyrande was easier than he had imagined.Though she loved Malfurion above her own safety, Tyrande was not foolish enough to forget the danger they faced.Blore was sure they hadn't had their worst nightmare yet.And behind the Priestess of Elune was a moonlit path, who had exorcised those ghastly parasites.As Blore passed, he tore at the creatures with his claws.

He glimpsed a figure ahead, but it was not the way Tyrande had passed.Growling under his breath, the druid turned around it.Blore didn't have time to deal with— The ground in front of him heaved.Black worms rushed up from the cracked place. dad!dad! Ainasha appeared in front of her again at this time.Her arms stretched helplessly, her face begging again.Her form is smaller than Tyrande appears to be, gradually becoming only the length of a hand.Her eyes were full of helplessness and disbelief. Blore buried his paws deep in the ground and paused.This is not true!He thought of welcome.Once again he saw her swallowed up as phantom forces and demons emerged to sweep towards her.

That's how she died, due to Azgalor's attack and his incompetence, Ainasha was dead... dead. dad!Please save me!The image of Ainasha weeps. Even though he knew it wasn't his beloved Ainasha, the Druid felt his nerves slip, a part of him so desperate to save her— The emerald tentacles grabbed Ainasha.She screamed and tried to escape, but they held her tight. The big cat straightened its back and turned to the night elf.She didn't die like this— The emerald tentacles curled tighter and tighter, and Ainasha's body curled up.She received a terrible blow to the head. The skull was cracked, but Anasa was still crying for help.Only, now from her mouth -- from every crack in her body -- were gushing millipedes, cockroaches, and other parasites.

Before Blore's horrified eyes, the last trace of the daughter disappeared in tendrils.All that remained were the hideous creatures dripping from the daughter's body.They rush to the ground, spreading along the existing filth. "You—are—really..." The voice in his ear made the dazed Blore take a moment to decide that it wasn't himself. "It's not her, she's just an appearance to lure you into a nightmare..." Huge fingers emerge from the mist.Blore moved over to test it, touching the shape with her paw. "No druid...I mean you're not a vermin..." is an old tree.

Blore turned around. "Nayar?!" But as soon as the words came out, the Druid realized he was wrong.He resembled Nayyar in some ways, but his shoulders were more curved than Nayyar's, and his teeth were longer.His bark-like skin took on a darker green, even in the face of his current surroundings. Blore eventually recognized the Treant who looked like Nayar. "I remember you," the night elf thought. "Ai Lei..." The old tree lowered his thick head, many leaves were originally his beard, and the long hair was a little dry.The old tree looked a little tired. "Yes, I am..." He observed the druid. "You're Blore." Aire watched with his eyes closed. "You came in through that door...in Ashenvale...

"yes." The giant frowned. "From what you've said, Nayyar can no longer ensure safety there can he?" Swallowing a breath, Druid replied. "Nayyar was taken... by Nightmare..." Airey made a loud noise, like a tree slowly splitting in two.Blore felt the chill he released, such a primal cry.He could feel Airy's great sadness at hearing the news. "Down again..." whispered the giant Patronus. "As the number of Nightmare Dreams increases, our numbers decrease... We are fighting a war we cannot win..." "Who are 'us'? What are you doing here?" "What we can do." Gu Shu looked elsewhere. "Come on...he needs to know you're here..." "What are you talking about?" Blore asked, but the ancient tree had already got up and dived into the mist.The druid stood for a moment, torn between following Tyrande or following the ancient tree.However, the answer was ready for him, because the path guided by the priestess had disappeared.Even in cat form, Blore doubted he'd be able to find the way. There's only one hope left... maybe this Airey or someone else may know the whereabouts of Malfurion Stormrage.This act was tantamount to finding the way Tyrande led.With little hope, Blore gives in and chooses to follow the ancient tree... and the other path he just missed is the one that leads to a terrible trap. Tyrande realized she had been careless in her decision to re-enter the Mists, but worries about Malfurion took hold of her.After thousands of years, their hearts were tangled, and it made her horribly thought that Malfurion had died several times.Although this was not their first battle with the demons of the Burning Hell, the priestess felt a fear she had never felt before. Brox's ax showed her the way.She knew its power, its great power and its powerful magic.It has done great things, legendary things under the control of Brox... And now, that power and magic reached out to Malfurion.She could only bring herself to believe that this was the last trick the Nightmare Lord would play on her and her dwarves. No!You will not die! Tyrande thought almost frantically of Malfurion.I will not let you die! Her anger disorients her and, of course, propels her forward.Tyrande only had the vague shape of the castle in mind, and it was clear that it couldn't show up here to guide her.Even in the thickest fog, it still maintains adequate visibility.Again, it occurred to her that this might be a trap, but it was her only lead. Tyrande sensed something lurking in the mist, longing to be near her.She knew that it might be the sleeping people with nightmare form that Eranikus had attacked, but she vaguely felt that this was darker than those small characters. The dim environment did not ease, which also reminded her.In the Emerald Dream, distance and time were abstractions, and Malfurion taught her much.To him, his capacity seems to be measured in centuries, not years.He might be nearby, but it might take her quite a while to find his location. "No!" she murmured. "I'll find him soon." No...no...no...the mist suddenly murmured in countless voices.no... no... no... The High Priestess peered into the dank and barely visible space, searching for the voice.She began to pray to Elune, gripping the Moonblade.Tyrande pointed the light of the weapon to the left, but the only things that could be cut off were countless poisonous insects fleeing in all directions. Right in front of the light-- Tyrande moved towards it, but it was again shrouded in mist.It's there, just barely visible. Nightmare awaits her famous misjudgment. Goddess of the Moon, please guide me... strengthen my will... the night elves prayed. Yes... yes... muttered in response. She couldn't help shaking.These are not just responses to her words, but her thoughts.Nothing is safe anymore? Nothing safe... nothing safe... nothing safe... Tyrande heard her answer.In any case, she has no intention of backing down.Her desire, her mission, became crystal clear.It never occurred to her to sneak up on Malfurion.The priestess hoped to fight on strong.So it hardly matters if the Nightmare Lord knows where she is and what she's thinking. "I will fight you," she whispered into the mist. "I will overcome it!" There were no mocking murmurs now.For better or worse, Tyrande will not continue. She moved on.Although the vermin fled from under her feet, she could hear them still swiftly following.Moreover, the ground became more and more wet, like a layer of dark green things.It reminded her of the bugs inside that could cover everything.She had to let her feet hang in the air, and each movement was often accompanied by a sick, sticky sound.Her speed slowed. "It should be more than that." She asked the mist. A female chuckle came through the fog. The laughter made Tyrande feel colder than ever.She was familiar with this laughter and had dreamed of it. That was Azshara's laugh. But the queen of the night elves is at the bottom of the sea, with her city and the Well of Eternity... at least, for Tyrande.It's just a misgiving that she never actually witnessed Azshara's demise, and that's what led to the nightmares she's suffered through the centuries.Even the Mad Queen—bewitched by Sargeras' power, believing herself to be the Titan's future consort—was sure to have no chance of escaping Azshara, and perhaps she still ruled. So this is your plan for now!She defies the Mists openly.Brave choice, but it is so ambitious! To reinforce her resistance, she spread her arms as wide as possible, as if welcoming this new attack.Then, nothing happened.There was no sudden appearance of the Queen of Dread, not even further jeers. "Then start your game!" cried the priestess. "I have more important things to attend to." She moved on again, drove away the vermin, and fought to move on.Finally, the night elves seem to have come close to the hidden stronghold.Tyrande felt her decisive decision was helping her move forward.Nightmare Dreamland was bowing—at least in a way—to her will.But in any case, she still had to pray to Elune more vigilantly, praying that the fortress would neither disappear suddenly nor retreat at the last moment. The rancid smell was still there, and had grown stronger.The ground became even more slippery.Several times when Tyrande prayed, it could feel it vibrate, like some huge object breathing slowly.The priestess told herself that it was just a nightmare waiting for an opportunity to disrupt her will, but she became more cautious in her actions. Suddenly her foot slipped.Tyrande lost control and had to fall face down into the sickening sludge.The disgusting ooze sealed her lips and burned her tongue.She quickly spat out the sludge, but wasn't sure if it was poisonous. Her moonblade fell some distance away, one blade blurred in the mist.Tyrande put herself into a kneeling position, and it took more energy than she expected.The ground was so slimy that her hands could barely hold on. A cracking sound brought her attention back to her weapon. Something is pushing the sword into the mist.The sword slid along the ground, and most of the blade had disappeared. The night elf reached out to grab it, but it was in vain.Now only the tip of one blade can be seen. She calmed herself, and summoned the light of Elune forward, pointing it at the Moonblade— Something slid behind Tyrande.The night elf immediately looked back, but saw nothing.Soon, she turned her attention back to the Moonblade. The Moonblade is gone. Azshara's jeers reached Tyrande's ears again. Tyrande struggled to find the source of the evil laughter, only to sink himself deeper and deeper.She eventually turned to the Light of Elune again, hoping to harden the ground. But as she was trying, she heard the sliding sound again.Tyrande refused to give up trying, but couldn't help but want to see what was approaching her— Something hard and wet rolled around her throat, rough as a whip.Tyrande gave up her prayers and began to struggle with what was suffocating her. It raises the priestess to a high priest two feet above the ground.At the same time, the sliding sound became louder and louder. The familiar laughter came again. "My dear, what a beautiful creature! I almost forgot!" Tyrande, still struggling to breathe, turned to the right. A large, eerie, turquoise face squinted at her from one side.Which one is it? At this time, it is similar to some kind of huge fish.There are fin-like things on the head, and they also extend down the scaled back.In fact, its face and curved chest were covered with fish scales. The hands are densely textured like spider webs, with sharp claws, which look more like those of marine predators.Rather than being a fish, it looks closer to a night elf.It moved not on legs, but on a crooked walk that seemed to be a combination of a snake and the slippery body of an eel. In fact, the long, barbed tail attached to the torso was working hard to suffocate Tyrande. "So beautiful." Azshara's soft voice came out. Tyrande stared at the creature with wide-eyed eyes despite being preempted by the opponent.It's not a queen.Though the fire-breathing round eyes waited to corrupt the mind of the priestess, it was only imagining the queen on the fish-scaled face. And around them, other creatures roughly imagine.The females look like night elves, but the males look more primitive and savage.Their faces were those of carnivorous fish, and it was evident from their hungry red eyeballs that they probably had no objection to tasting her flesh. If this was Azshara, Tyrande knew these could only be the Highborne, servants of the royal family, who had joined her frenzied ranks.For them, the only existence is to serve her glory, even if thousands of other elves die. And now...they still serve her.For now, they, like Azshara, had become a terror familiar to Tyrande.It can be seen from its snake shape. They become naga.A group of foul-smelling sea creatures. "Once I have a place for you in the palace," the Queen murmured, her expression cheerful, and her tail was tugging at Tyrande, pulling him so close that their faces were inches apart.A strong rotten smell emanated from Azshara... the smell was like that of a corpse that had been rotting in the water for many days. "You will make an excellent maid." Tyrande struggled to summon Elune.But the light she summoned gradually faded.As the light fades, the queen draws closer to her, becoming more eager.They surrounded her... "If you serve me, you will..." said the Queen, with a vicious smile. The night elf's legs began to fuse together.Azshara is turning her into a naga. Tyrande was tugging at the tail at her throat.She could barely stay awake, let alone think. Only at the last moment of fading consciousness, Malfurion's face appeared in her mind.He didn't say anything, just gave her encouraging eyes. This brought the priestess to her senses, and she summoned her patron saint even harder.Though Tyrande could not speak, she silently called Elune's name. The silvery light of the Moon Goddess enveloped her. She lost consciousness. Azshara and all the naga are gone.Tyrande lay motionless on the slippery ground as the parasite slowly crawled up her body.The mist solidified around the priestess. But Tyrande still didn't move.She lay there with her hands at her throat...around her throat. It was as if she had strangled herself.