Chapter 17 Chapter 16 The Shadow Strikes

Tyrande felt a hand caress gently on her cheek.She swayed and found someone kneeling beside her. It was Malfurion smiling. He was exactly the same as the last time she saw him.The tall, broad shoulders of the night elves, though not the weather-beaten warrior physique of Blore.His face and eyes bear the burden of centuries of dedication to his cause and to Azeroth.His antlers are long and proud, a symbol of his close contact with nature, the world he loves. Heart pounding, the priestess raised herself high enough to hug the archdruid tightly. "Mal..." Tyrande murmured, his voice sounded like it was thousands of years younger. "Oh, Malfurion... I finally found you! Thank you Elune!"

"I miss you so much," he responded, hugging her tightly.But his voice suddenly lost its joy. "But you shouldn't be here. You should go. I don't want you to be the first to find me..." "'Leave'?" the priestess froze.Her expression showed her disbelief. "I don't want to leave you now!" The archdruid looked around as if he was on guard for something.Tyrande followed his gaze, but saw only the primordial expanse of the Emerald Dream.So beautiful, untainted, just as Malfurion described it— Tyrande's head bounced. "No... there must be something wrong with us..."

"It's just an image that exists in your mind." The archdruid replied, his caution heightened. "I want you to look at me and know it's really me!" "Malfurion..." "Say it! You were lured in. I want you back! You're here because of his plot! I should have expected him to use that trick! I shouldn't even be talking to you, maybe he could Feel us, gather all the truth!" "Who, who is 'he'?" Malfurion contorted. "Listen! If the Nightmare King appears in your mind, then you have to leave as quickly as possible! He is the one who guides you to this step by step..."

"If I can find you, I will die!" The sad priestess retorted angrily. "But no one guided me—" "He likes to play tricks like this, to torment those he needs! He's rooted in your dreams—" Malfurion cut her off, grinning bitterly. "'Rooted'! He's not one to root! He—" The archdruid jumped away from her suddenly, staring at something.Tyrande couldn't see it, and he choked up, "Go back, Tyrande! Everything is inevitable if you can do it! If you leave here, his tricks will fail, and I will success!" "What trick? What—"

Malfurion turned to her, murmuring. "I can feel him! He knows the truth, but not all! I can't say anything more, even to you, because your thoughts are more open to him! Get out of here now! This is your only hope! " Then, he cut off the connection.Tyrande made every effort to keep in touch, but to no avail. She could still feel his presence, though.It was an unshakable feeling.Tyrande surrounded it.The fetid mist was inches from her.At the edge of the mist, black vermin swarmed, and they seemed eager to return to where she stood. The priestess almost dismissed the idea...then, for some reason, beyond her comprehension, she stared at a small patch of ground beside her.

Less than an inch from the foot, there's a tiny upturned root that's no different from any other plant rhizome...but it's more than that.Some things are invisible.This got her attention.There was an urge to touch that root. But when she was about to do it, Tyrande felt Elune enter her.The priestess froze, and Luna made her understand. The root... is connected to Malfurion. She remembered his words again, and he begged her to leave, despite his longing to speak to her.The priestess didn't intend to back down at all. If Malfurion's judgment was wrong, then he was wrong in thinking that only he should take up the important task of saving the world, and that only he should take the risk.Tyrande suspected that he thought this way because Malfurion had witnessed countless lives brutally murdered in the War of the Ancients, and perhaps he felt he should be able to save these lives.

Her Moonblade was gone, but that didn't matter.The night elves depart.There was no castle in sight, just a tiresome fog and shadows looming on the edge of the fog. It reminded her of Malfurion's warning again.Am I really being guided?is he right But even if it's right, she's already realized it's a good thing for her.Malfurion had been so cautious in warning her that he had done so so that his captor, the Nightmare Lord, would not feel it. Tyrande finally got rid of his troubles.Most importantly, she found Malfurion. The ground has not changed.As far as she could see, vermin rushed eagerly into the mist, and everything else that watched her returned to normal.Satisfied with this, the priestess continued her search for traces of her lover, who was nearby.That tree root proves it.

She gave his little trick a short smile.Even though his dream form was imprisoned, he managed to claim and manipulate some plants—some trees—to accomplish his goals. root!Tyrande studied it.She guessed in a direction.After confirming that her speculation was correct, the priestess walked into the mist.In the eerie fog, she caught a sudden glimpse of a tree.Though it was no different from a thousand other trees, Tyrande knew it was what she was looking for, and it would lead her to Malfurion. It was another shadow, completely different from the shadows I had seen in the past.It swayed in front of her, although it was still some distance away.She could see that the tree had no leaves, just bony limbs that looked like the hands of many giants.

Shadow swayed.Tyrande wasn't sure if those were real trees.But it's getting closer.Despite its hideous appearance, the night elves are inspired by its presence.She took a step toward it— Something flashed to her right. Tyrande turned to it. A sudden force struck heavily.A powerful body charged at the night elf with such force that Tyrande was thrown far away.She fell to the ground, crushing some rotting vermin.The rest fled in all directions under the light of the Moon Goddess. The priestess tried to get to her feet - only to find the edge of a deadly ax pinned to her throat. An ax she would recognize even after tens of thousands of years.

"Night Elf." The female orc whispered, clutching the gift that Cenarius gave Brox in her hand. "You are his partner..." This is not a problem.The fact that the orcs didn't attack her right away, because she was what she assumed to be Malfurion's mate, both cheered Tyrande and worried her.She might have a chance to reason with this woman... "My name is Tyrande—" The ax pressed harder. "The name doesn't matter! You know him! He knows you! He came back for you—" "Malfurion is not your enemy—" "He is our enemy! He will destroy Azeroth!" The orc's eyes emitted hatred for the archdruid. "Yes, he has the blood of my people on his hands! Brox Shigar will have his vengeance! Sora, the coward's head will be taken—and yours, perhaps!"

Despite the danger to her life, the priestess could not ignore this framing. "Malfurion is no threat to Azeroth! He is its protector!" Tyrande's expression became more determined. "And Brooks was our friend. He died protecting us! We will always remember him!" Her captor let out an angry growl.She took the ax back, however. Tyrande read the distress on the orc's face.Sora was clearly not fully under control, and Tyrande was having an effect on her.This is also possible.It occurred to the priestess that Sola might also have realized that she had been bewitched to find Malfurion. But the ax was once again aimed at Tyrande. "stand up!" The night elf complied.She could have had more than one chance to resist Sola when she got up, but she didn't.Not only did Tyrande acknowledge the skill of the female warrior, she also realized that the female orc was just an innocent victim bewitched by the Nightmare Lord. "I think I've got him," Sora muttered, half to himself. "Find him and take him where he should have taken...but not there..." She glanced at Tyrande. "Druid's deceit! Your mate's deceit!" The burly female orc swung an axe. "Take me to him!" Tyrande stood up firmly. "To kill Malfurion? No!" "Then I'll split you in half!" "Is this what Brox once did?" the priestess retorted. "Will he kill those who reject him? Will he kill those who cannot stand up to him?" Sora glared at her, repeating her order. "Take me to him! Immediately!" "I will not--" She stopped.Because the female orc suddenly looked to the other side.Tyrande heard nothing, but she trusted the warrior's instincts. The orc began to growl again.Sora looked around, grinning at what she saw. "The tree! The tree is calling me again!" Following the orc's gaze, Tyrande saw the great shadow return.She couldn't see the tree clearly, but she knew it was nearby. "He must be nearby!" Sola muttered happily. "The illusion says so..." Priestess can not pass up the opportunity.Taking advantage of Sora's distraction, she started to fight back.Tyrande decided not to rely on Elune's spells.It sounds like "Phantom" has given the female orc too much defense.This time she has to use her fighting skills. Her slender fingers turned into hand knives and stabbed the female orc's fragile neck. Sola took a step back and smashed the priestess' head with the handle of the ax faster than the priestess could move.Tyrande felt she had to figure out a way to win before the handle of the ax fell on her. The reaction of the night elves has been honed in countless battles over the long years.Following the direction in which Sola swung the ax, Tyrande dodged to the side and kicked out. She kicked the orc just in the knee, causing Sora to fall to the other side.The orc's ax was out of his hand.The priestess rushed to the weapon— Tyrande...a voice sounded. "Malfurion?" She wasn't sure, but it seemed to be him. "Malfurion—" A moment's distraction gave Sora time to fight back again.The orc's heavy fist hit her in the throat. With a gasp, she fell to her knees.Exhaling in despair, Tyrande thought that Sora might kill her next... just because of that voice. The priestess struggled to breathe, to survive. However, the fatal blow did not come.Finally, she could breathe freely, and Tyrande looked up. Sora was gone. Tyrande struggled to his feet.She remembered the huge shadow she had seen before, and knew where the orcs were going.What surprised her was that Sora didn't intend to kill her, just to go after the night elf she remembered. The mist had so easily receded under the light of the moon god a moment before, and now it oppressed the night elf as if to suffocate her.Tyrande held his breath, trying to calm himself down.Gradually, the silver light became clearer and clearer, and the fog began to recede. Thankful for that, the priestess set off.She focused on the huge shadow ahead.It seems to be getting closer.It's just that she still can't pinpoint the tree's location. But she noticed something else.Another smaller tree.Tyrande stopped at the sight of it.Its hideous twisted shape touched her heart.She was disgusted, and saddened by what it was going through. With no sign of Sora, Tyrande worried that she would get lost.As she started to turn left, something brought her back near the horrible tree.Still, it didn't offend her. Someone is murmuring.Tyrande looked around for the source of the sound, but only heard another murmur, this time in the direction of Xiangfan.Before she turned to the direction of the second sound, the third sound sounded again. The mist was suddenly filled with whispers.Although Tyrande couldn't understand what they were saying, it felt like a plea for help.They need help.They are begging for help. Despite the dangerous side of the mists, the priestess knew the appeal was real. Innate compassion drew Tyrande's attention to them, and he turned once more to the battered tree.She reached out to a shadow she saw.For the first time, he moved towards her instead of away from her. But something suddenly hooked her feet.Fearing that she had been caught in a trap, the priestess immediately prayed to Elune, and a phantom spear of pure phantasm emerged from the light.The attack was mana-intensive for Tyrande, but she had no choice. The spear hit what had just touched her feet.The light pierced through it, as if it was really made of metal. The tentacles hooking her were released immediately.The tentacles curled up in palpable pain after being pierced by her glowing spear. At this time, Tyrande realized that it was not the tentacles, but the roots. Realizing this, Tyrande was suddenly stunned by what she had done.Tyrande knelt down and stroked the roots.She wasn't a druid, but she could feel, and apparently, Elune felt guilty for the harm her followers had accidentally inflicted on innocents. When she touched the roots, Tyrande felt Malfurion's presence again.It was so strong that she almost decided he was there with her and not just in a dream. Her eyes widened. Look at the tortured tree.Her face was pale. "Malfurion..." The whispers nearly drove him mad, Blore thought as he made his way through the shadowy landscape in cat form.Unfortunately, the giant cat's hearing is no longer sensitive and he can only hear whispers. But his nose is still serving him.He smelled Tyrande, and this was no trap.She is nearby. His paws were stained with disgusting mud, which harbored vermin, but even the poisonous mud could not stop the druid at this moment.With each step he trampled more rotting creatures to pieces, and Blore's only regret was knowing that behind him those crumbled corpses would regenerate into new ones. The mist continued to press on him, to swallow him up, but each of his paws carried purple magic flames, which kept the big cat at a safe enough distance from the mist and the lurking darkness. Suddenly, a loud rumble shook Blore and the space around him.Despite the quick reaction, the giant cat was shaken out.Blore struggled to his feet, regaining consciousness and planting his paws deep in the ground. A huge figure swooped down from the big cat's head.One after another. Even through the thick fog, the druid could still see that it was a dragon.Emerald dragon. Ysera's emissaries are always defending the Dreamland.The druid counted at least ten dragons and prayed they would have more. Just as they were about to leave her, a dragon burst out of the line.It rushed to the druid, who saw that it was a female dragon. "What are you doing here all alone, night elf...and in this form?" He didn't recognize the dragon, but that didn't matter.Blore returned to human form and quickly told her what had happened. She sighed in surprise. "Eranikus flew out of the dreamland again! This—" She looked at the direction where the others of the same kind left, as if listening to something.Her eyes widened. The dragon roared, and then said to the druid, "Night elf, climb up, I will take you away!" "my friend--" "Climb up quickly! I'll explain it to you on the fly!" She didn't say how safe it was up there, and Blore knew it well.With a fallen dragon like Lythorn lurking in the mist, the ability of the nightmare is always unfathomable, and it is very likely that the "above" will not be any safer than the ground. Of course, the night elf felt more at ease with the dragon to lean on. However, when they flew into the sky, the night elves found that the stench of the nightmare had spread far, far beyond the previous range.He could see almost nothing but the misty mountains. No, he saw something.There seemed to be brief but brilliant flashes of magical energy in every direction - and beyond - and lightning strikes in magical storms.Then there was a violent boom, so violent that even the green dragon shook for a moment. "What happened?" he cried. The dragon turned her head to stare straight at him.Although her eyes are low and tightly closed. "Haven't you heard his call? Aren't you one of his kind and looking for him? Listen!" "His—" He was about to speak when the druid heard the cry again.This was originally the call he least wanted to hear, but at this moment, it became the call Blore most wanted to hear. Malfurion's cry. That's not in words, but it's a call to vigilance for all who fight against the nightmare.Something is going to happen, something important. Obviously also warning them.Malfurion didn't want anyone hurt or killed because of him.And the Archdruid—wherever he is trapped—is well aware of what happens outside of his captivity.Danger threatens everyone. "But what to do?" the night elf asked. "What should we do next?" "Can't you still see it?" The green dragon turned around, flapping its wings even harder. "Can't you feel how abnormal it is? Look ahead... look in!" Blore did as directed... In the mist ahead, barely perceptible, was a shadow.A tree shadow. The stench is so strong that nature would never have grown such a tree. "The person I'm looking for is down there," growled the night elf. "And he is the source of the nightmare." His mount said solemnly. Where he was, the nightmare was a large gray-green cloud.Vibrating as if alive.The blob moved, changing shape unrecognizably, but looking like something Blore already knew.He wondered why they had to hide themselves so much.Also wondered what would happen once they were exposed. Nightmare is also full of powerful spells, not just emerald, but dark green, scarlet like blood and more.The druid could sense that the emerald color belonged to those who defended it... while other colors he could only perceive as something shrouded in evil.Blore could feel the astonishing force in motion.He also knew that what he saw was just an introduction to the countless spells in it.However, despite this, the dark green nightmare did not recede, in fact, it seemed to become darker and thicker, almost reaching above him and the dragon. So dark...the shadows seem deeper...thought the night elf.But what about the tree that produced it all? "Important question, I think." The dragon responded, as if Blore had said it out loud.In a more concerned tone, she added, "We'll find out soon." The druid jerked as something suddenly became clear.Whispering voices appeared right where they were flying, giving off a frenzied, horny feeling. "There must be something wrong! We'd better—" The dragon has sensed the danger.She landed quickly, trying to avoid what was about to happen. What had been whispers suddenly turned into screams.It was so loud - so loud that Blore had to cover his ears - and still he couldn't understand what they were saying.The druid found himself shaking involuntarily, and even the dragon twisted as it flew. A huge black hole opened in front of the two of them. Druid blinked. A deep and terrifying bottomless pit. Spikes burst out with greater power from the hole.Although he couldn't understand their words, he could feel their fear.And this fear can also become a weapon that the Nightmare Lord uses against Blore and the dragon.The druid noticed that the green dragon had stopped trying to fly forward.His wings flapped violently in flinch.And they still keep marching toward the evil throat. "It - the power of fear - the fear of screaming - is driving us. Chaos and evil are stripping their sanity to feed the nightmare!" his mount growled. "Such power! It's like I'm fighting a thousand people! That's all I can do for now - get as far away from it as possible!" "A spell—" "If I try to concentrate - cast a spell - before I finish - we'll be sucked into it." Blore didn't hear the dragon chanting the spell.He could see that even though the dragon itself was powerful, the mere effort to resist the fear had exhausted her.This is an uphill battle. Suddenly, an idea occurred to Blore.He didn't know if it would work, but he had to try it. As his companions fought off the horrific scream, the druid began an unusual incantation.This is a healing spell, a calming spell. He concentrated, trying to recall the spell his teacher had taught him.In fact, as he concentrated, Blore could almost imagine Malfurion's voice guiding him. "The secret of the calming spell is to remind them of the nature of Azeroth...the nature of the Emerald Dream, the most peaceful and comfortable place..." They were almost sucked into the black hole.Blore felt that he had never been so eager for a spell to succeed, so eager that he dared not wait any longer.The druid reached out to condense the remaining pure dream. He begins to cast spells. Compared with the evil and fear faced, the spell is insignificant.Blore gave up hope that the spell would be able to destroy the menacing black hole. He just wanted to give the female dragon the chance she needed. "Ready?" Druid warned. The spell was cast because Blore thought of the source of the scream.All he saw showed that the nightmare was drawing most of its power from the growing number of innocent beings, exhausted and eventually sleeping, becoming victims.Nightmare uses their darkest emotions to stir up their fears.And that fear is what they're fighting against now. The orb touched the nearest void, the tortured slaves of the nightmare. For a moment--a brief moment--the horror-scream held by a tiny fraction of the nightmare subsided. The female dragon struggled to get out of the abyss and let out a roar.Blore was trying to get close to the dragon. He hugged the dragon's thick neck tightly, and the green monster beat her wings desperately until the black hole became a small black spot. But almost as soon as the spell took effect, it shattered.The screaming became shriller and more hysterical than before.The terrible abyss is expanding, drawing them closer and closer. At this moment, a huge emerald-colored creature appeared between them and the nightmare.It spread its magnificent wings, and from them emanated a burst of magical light, which reminded the druid of what the kingdom was like before its corruption. leave here!It cries to the attack of the nightmare.leave! As the giant visitor suddenly appeared, other green dragons followed.Each of them is so powerful that all evil pales before the sheer power of these dragons. Nightmare stepped back some distance.Although they didn't go away, the screaming had subsided to a bearable level. Ysera, queen of the Emerald Dream, appeared under the inspiration of Malfurion.