Chapter 19 Chapter Eighteen: The Disappearing Dreamland

In Stormwind, in Ironforge, Dalaran, Orgrimmar, Thunder Bluff, and all the other cities, towns, and villages, the fog began to move.Even in the Undercity, where the undead live without dreams, the mist grips the local residents and casts them into nightmares.The Forsaken were also cursed to have their lost lives reenacted in dreams, which promised to help them but would not keep their word in the end. The city was named the Undercity for a number of reasons, the most farfetched being that it lies buried under the ruins of what was once the greatest city...the famous capital of Lordaeron.However, in the Third War, Prince Arthas - bewitched by the Lich King - captured his father's capital and slaughtered King Terenas in his own palace.

But the combination of the Lich King and Arthas made him temporarily sleep in the deepest part of the Northrend continent, and during that time, the Forsaken—the group of undead who had long since escaped the Lich King’s control—had captured the ruins.They discovered its advantages in defense, and within the ruins they built their capital and extended their catacombs to new depths, a dreadful city of the dead to many of the living. A wicked crown with three crossed arrows--one of which was broken--covered with a white, cracked mask was visible all over the city.It is the Forsaken, the mark of their Queen.Undercity is a dark, solemn city with stone paths and steps on the ground.

It's just that the undead don't need to sleep, and the whole city hasn't slept.The Undercity has inns, smithies, and trades of all sorts, not only for the undead, but also for visitors from outside—the allied races of the outcasts.Dim lanterns and silent torches dotted the city with some light, these not only serve the living, although the undead may not really need light, but no one wants to admit that it may give the occupants a place where they can still exist in the world. illusion. But now... something new and unsettling has crept in for those who built the Undercity.something like sleep...

The leader of the Undercity - Queen of the Forsaken, Sylvanas - has discovered this strange phenomenon, and his followers seem to be really dead now... and not yet.It's just that there is hardly any action to prove that they are still alive. Even among the undead, the queen is very beautiful.She was once not only a high elf, but also the leader of the high elf rangers.Even in her current role, Sylvanas is unique.Because she doesn't have the scary look of most banshees, she has a stable form, slender, elegant, and ivory skin.And now, she straddles a group of supine bodies, these are her attendants.All are alike.No one answered, which only added to her distress.

The feather armor on the outside of the body fits very well and is very easy to move around.At the same time, a shroud-like cloak was worn over the armor, with deep scarlet marks.Sylvanas looks like a prophet of fate.Even the four Gundam guards beside her, with their rotting faces, protruding ribs, and vacant eyes, are not as intimidating as the queen. "Oh, Varimathras?" she asked to a shadow in the corner of her dark, cobwebbed chamber below the castle. "Her voice is seductive, in a way that darkness is coming, or something close to a quivering wind." Don't you have any medicine to tell me? "

The shadow separated from the wall, revealing a huge figure, the Dreadlord.He wears jet-black feather and metal armor.Sylvanas' tone hinted at the great mistrust that existed between the two. The demon approached with his two huge, separated hooves.His fur was blood red, and two huge wings protruded from his shoulders.His head was long and thin, with black sideburns extending from the base to his bald head.Two evil black horns protruded from the temples.Green gemstones adorned the armor on the forearms and wrists, matching the color and brilliance of his inhuman eyes.The pair of silver-white eyes are still shining at this moment.

"I cast the spell over and over again, and got deep into these fools...they all revealed the same thing, Your Majesty..." he replied calmly.The demon tilted his head, watching his Her Majesty's expression with interest. "We - don't - dream - dreams!" Sylvanas retorted.Her voice was so high-pitched that the demon had to cover his long, pointy ears.Suddenly, his body curled up in excruciating pain.The cry of the banshee possesses terrifying power, and Sylvanas is the most famous and rarest of the banshees. "This—disorder—is beyond our tolerance!" the Queen added, in a more serene manner. "They are not dreaming, Varimathras..."

"Isn't it, Charindra?" Cirvanas not only glanced at a still figure.Unlike the others, she has been placed on a stone platform with great care.Her body seemed even more unreal and unstable, more like a receding phantom.She radiates a white aura with a light blue rim. In real life, she is a very lovely elf woman, her kind of elegance is rare even in the immortal city.Sylvanas found her extremely intelligent and trustworthy. Sharindra was the first to fall.Even more disturbing, when Sylvanas was brought close to the body, leaning towards her, she realized that Sharindera was mumbling something.

As she is, so are they.All the evidence indicated that they were dreaming, as the demon just said. "It's a hoax!" But Sylvanas saw from her own painful experience that none of this was possible. "It's a hoax! It's like a fog hovering over the Undercity..." She turned away from Shalindra and Varimathras.Her eyes burned as she wondered who the hell was playing these tricks. There was only one name in her head, and when she said it, even just in a low whisper—Sylvanas' anger ignited her energy immediately, and the stones around her began to shake. "Arthas...I'd say it must have been the Lich King's work...but that's impossible—"

Taking a breath, Charindra suddenly opened her eyes.She stared upward, seeing things that Sylvanas couldn't see. The tortured banshee laughed.She stretched out her slender, light hand. "Life... I live again..." Her eyes are closed.Her hands dropped.Again, she murmured, though the words were not easy to understand. There was more anger in Cirvanas' eyes.She bent down towards the lying body. "Is that the funny joke? She dreamed even more impossible things in impossible dreams! She dreamed that she was alive? Crazy!" "Not mad," Varimathras said from behind. "A simple spell, in fact."

Sylvanas turned her head back, listening to the demon's unconvincing statement dumbfounded.Varimathras tactfully did not tease her.He had quickly figured out that he wasn't the only torturer. "You are stepping on a dangerous line..." But the winged demon just shrugged. "I'm just stating the facts. That's easy enough for any demon." "It's impossible, you know! I warn you—" Sylvanas' anger welled up. But the demon remained unflappable, "Let me show you." A spell similar to the strange force that almost destroyed the entire Undercity knocked Sylvanas to the ground.She instinctively wanted to transform, but nothing seemed to happen as she still felt the harsh impact.Sylvanas became momentarily unable to concentrate, but the cold, damp stone next to her cheek brought her full consciousness back. Then she realized that she could not have been so intensely aware.In fact, she has never felt this way, since—— A constant smell of rot fills her nostrils, something she hasn't had since the city's founding.She was so strong that she started coughing and eventually she had to adjust her breathing to calm herself down. It's just... She shouldn't be breathing either.She is dead. isn't it? Cirvanas looked at his hands.The pale white has turned into a somewhat pale pale pink. "No—" she gasped at the sound of her voice...before she returned to her banshee form. Varimathras moved closer to her.The demon showed her a large viewing glass with gold swirls on the frame and handle. "Look? I didn't lie down... this time." Cirvanas looked at herself, at the living, breathing self that had once been.She touched her cheeks, chin, nose... "I'm alive……" "Yes, that's right." Varimathras bit his claw-like fingers. Four undead high elves moved over and grabbed Sylvanas.They stink horribly.Little black creatures crawled up and down, their flesh rotting and nothing but bones.Cirvanas wanted to shake them off, but the result surprised her even more. She struggled to get up.She was once a leader of the high elves, and she is now the Queen of the Forsaken.Looking at the guards, Cirvanas ordered, "Let me go!" But they just held on tighter.She glanced into one of those skeletal eyes—so much hatred she didn't know what to say. "They're probably just a little jealous," Varimathras concluded, growing vaguer. "Really. They're not here for real. Not for long." The high elves crisscrossed in fear and regret. "Really won't last?" "No, if we give you the chance." The speaker was not a demon, but another person who entered without Cirvanas noticing.Although she couldn't see who he was from her point of view, Cirvanas could also understand... the illness from the voice, and she began to tremble because of the voice. Varimathras ordered the guards to turn her towards the newcomer. What she faced was a figure in icy black armor. She was facing the Lich King. She struggles to escape.But the guards held her tightly.Even worse, they dragged her towards the Lich King. This is impossible!Sylvanas thought.He is defeated!he already-- Arthas cupped her chin with both hands.His human features can still be seen through the opening in the helmet.When he spoke, the sound of cold breathing came out. "It was so beautiful when I was a high elf...and even more beautiful when I became a banshee..." She was placed on a stone platform and locked up.Varimathras came to the side of the Lich King, and the Lich King lifted the captive's chin again. "This time... I think you are right." Arthas promised.His icy breath slid across Sylvanas' cheek, but it wasn't what made her shudder. Arthas decided to turn her into a banshee again... Sylvanas recalled the horrific agony of her previous life before she transformed.She knew she would endure fear a thousand times stronger than she was now. "No!" she cried, trying to use her energy.But unfortunately, those powers were no longer hers, unless that terrible spell ended. Arthas raised his long, gleaming sword, Frostmourne.It is as evil as he is.He pointed at her, and this time both he and his weapon noticed her frightened expression. "Yes, this time you will be a servant at your beck and call, my dear Sylvanas...even if we need to repeat the process again and again..." Sylvanas screamed. "She will not wake up," Shalindra murmured, feeling a terror she had never experienced even before she died.She looked at the other Forsaken around her, and saw that they were all doing the same thing. "She mentioned the traitor Varimathras, whom she had slain, and the Lich King, who was finally defeated! What kind of dream is she going through—why is she dreaming?" Almost half of the subjects are in a similar situation to the Queen.Except for some representatives from other tribes who live in the Undercity. And worse, so bad... The Undercity is under attack. Assaulted by the shadow of their one-time lover, who is now more secretive than the inhabitants of the Undercity.The Forsaken know they are not real, nor unreal.Invading with dead bodies, approaching the undead and paralyzing their nerves are some creatures in between.They wrecked the Undercity, bringing back to the stunned Forsaken what the undead had done when they conquered the living kingdom. A scream made Sharinderra shake again.This time, the voice came from Cirvanas.This time the sound came directly from above.She knew it was the cry of the other banshees, but it was not a warning, nor was it any weapon to attack. It was just a cry of fear... the fear of losing my life. More screams came from hidden corners above the Undercity.The banshees looked to their queen, but there was no hope in Sylvanas either. "Mist..." An anxious voice remembered.The speaker was barely fleshy, and it was his undead magical features that made him speak, his jaw hanging loosely on the other side. "This fog..." he repeated. Shalindra looked at the stairs leading here.The dark green mist is seeping in along the stone steps, as if a living object is slowly approaching its prey. The Forsaken do their best to stay away from them.At this time, figures began to appear in the mist. The banshee stepped back.She recognized some of them.By their reactions, others also recognized their relatives and friends—living people who had suffered more than they had. The banshee screamed, beginning as a desperate attack and ending in despair... Nightmare dreams surround the Undercity. In Stormwind, King Varian watched the Mist and its terrifying power pour into the castle.From around the corner elsewhere in the capital, he heard screams. We are being attacked... but we are powerless to resist... bows and arrows have been tried.Arrows soaked in oil, with flaming ends.No more effective than knives, forks and other weapons.The remaining fortune tellers and spellcasters in the city are doing their best, but with little success. The brave guards of the city await their sovereign to call the shots. Varian saw his son and his dead wife pass through the gate with hundreds of duplicate air-like intruders.Nothing can stop these living nightmares. After learning this, Varian found himself unable to give any orders... His castle, his kingdom, began to fall before his eyes. The nightmare moved forward, running through almost all apprentices in Azeroth.At this time, the fog gradually recedes, allowing those who are awake to see everything that has become their prisoner of war... This will also be their fate.Even so, whether it was the orcs of Orgrimmar, the gnomes of Ironforge, or other races from other kingdoms, most of those who went out to resist the nightmare did not succumb.They know they have no choice but to continue to resist... no matter how slim the odds. But there is one place, strangely hidden from the fog.That is Teldrassil and Darnassus.But that doesn't mean Shandris Feathermoon doesn't know what's going on on land and beyond.The ruler knows this well through her network. Although, this network is rapidly collapsing. Shandris dropped a letter from an intermediary near Orgrimmar.The letter provided the same information for Stormwind City, Thunder Bluff, and other areas where Shandris cyberlocks are spread. The mysterious fog is moving.To make matters worse, she has no news of the whereabouts of her Majesty the Queen.Tyrande has been heading towards the Ashenvale region... and then seems to just disappear out of thin air. she will not die!The young night elf insisted to himself. Putting down the parchment, Shandris left her quarters.She could have lived in the High Priestess' quarters, something Tyrande had insisted on when she was away.But Shandris preferred to live in her modest quarters.No decorations, just weapons and war trophies.Defending her mistress and her people has become Shandris' life purpose.In fact, she has used other priestesses more than once to locate Tyrande's traces during the mistress' trip. But the trace failed.Instead, Elune brought each priestess another vision, one that bewildered them. It was a scenario of Teldrassil being consumed from the inside out.A hideous festering rot will spread from the crown rather than the roots.It quickly devoured the World Tree from the inside out.This scene is very short, just 3 or 4 breaths. Shandris has discussed this in detail with each priestess, but she still can't figure it out. Today, the sight haunted her so much that it made Shandris restless.Looking forward to clarifying her thoughts, she began to patrol the capital alone, from the defensive fortress in the warrior area to the trading area where the merchants were, and passed through the Temple of the Moon and the garden of the Temple.She took a detour to the busy Artisan Quarter before returning to her home in the Warrior Quarter. Only the Cenarion Circle remains.Shandris wasn't afraid to enter a druid's stronghold, nor did she respect Fandral so much that he would stay away from it.She is loyal to Tyrande first.Even now, she could bypass the council normally, but the Cenarion Circle had learned long ago that to find answers, it was best not to start in the most obvious places.Frightening phantoms still exist in the mind.It occurred to her that meeting someone among the druids would be useful to her.He could explain the phantom without needing help from Fandral. Shandris left the Cenarion Circle quietly.As she passed the more modest wooden house, the constant sound of army training entered her ears.To Shandris, it was more pleasing than the music her people played.Shandris hadn't listened to music since her parents died in the War of the Ancients(1)...except for the chant when the priestesses summoned the power of Elune on the battlefield.After all, these have meaning. She was about to turn around... when suddenly she saw a furtive figure walking north from the Temple Gardens.It could be seen that he was a tauren from his face, but other than that, she didn't identify him. Shandris followed...and turned.She couldn't say why, but she decided to follow the druid. The figure quickly disappeared into the jungle at the parliament.Shandris follows lightly.The commander of the sentinel moved like a shadow among the tall trees.Many of the trees reminded her of Teldrassil in miniature, which in turn reminded her of visions of the priestess. Druid came into view again.There was something odd about him - she was sure he was male - from his gait and the fact that he kept the cloak around him.It looked as if he didn't like being in parliament. At this point the druid stopped.The covered form looked to the left and right, as if deciding where to go. The figure made a choice.Shandris smiled, already guessing it. She followed—or rather, she tried to follow.Her foot caught on a tree root that the night elves were sure to avoid.As Shandris moved forward, the roots seemed to come out of the ground again, grabbing her feet again. The sentinel tiptoed around the roots—and a branch hit her in the face.The force caused Shandris to fall toward the nearest tree. Tree roots bound her ankles.Shandris took out the dagger beside him, trying to cut it off and move on. Another branch hit her hard in the face.Shandris froze, limping from time to time. At this moment, the rough bark opened.To her surprise, Shandris felt herself being sucked into the middle of a tree trunk. She struggled to concentrate but was hit in the head again.Huge oak trees internally surrounded her.Through blurred vision, she saw the bark sealing herself. A darkness that even her vision could not penetrate surrounded her.To make matters worse, a pressure built up in her chest.Shandris had a vague sense that the space she was in was too tight.She couldn't breathe - the night elf was unconscious, feeling death at the last moment. Then the bark loosened again.The stress is relieved.The fresh air wafted toward Shandris, though it still couldn't stop her from falling forward. She fell onto the shoulders of a powerful figure, and Shandris struggled to her feet, making sure her captor was walking towards her. A musky scent hit the night elf, bringing her back to consciousness.She stared at the person holding her. It's a tauren. Hamuul Runetotem squinted at her. "Then...it's you..." Remark: (1) The original book was "Battle of the Ancient Trees". According to the description of the War of the Ancients trilogy, it was determined to be a translation error, so it was changed to the more accurate "Battle of the Ancients".