Chapter 3 Chapter Three Jarod Shadowsong

"She's dying... my Sarah Hill is dying!" the night elf man blurted out towards the archdruid.Malfurion had never seen a night elf with such a worn face as Jarod Shadowsong.While some of these wrinkles may be the result of Jarod's life away from his people, others are clearly recent additions and may relate to the immobile woman he carefully holds in his arms. Jarod had white beard and hair, a stark change from how Malfurion remembered him.When they first met, Jarod had looked younger than Malfurion—more than a thousand years younger, in fact—but now the silver streaks and wrinkles made him look much older than the archdruid.Malfurion couldn't help but wonder what kind of life the night elf in front of him had been through since the last time they met.

"Jarrod..." Malfurion felt a little weird saying this name, after all, the two hadn't seen each other for nearly 10,000 years. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other," murmured with hollow eyes, the former Allied Commander of the War of the Ancients and still famous war hero. "Forgive me for coming so presumptuously..." Malfurion waved back Jarod's apology.He briefly examined Sarah Hill and found her to be in serious condition. "I could try to heal her, but I think it's best if we take her directly to Tyrande so we can use more methods! Come on, now!"

Jarod seemed a little hesitant, embracing his partner tightly and refusing to let go.But in the end he accepted the help of the archdruid.Under the silent gaze of the crowd, the two carried Sarah Hill towards the temple. The two sentries at the entrance of the temple stepped aside respectfully in front of the archdruid.One of them stared at Jarod dumbfounded.Even with a cropped beard and long, shaggy hair—now all silver and white—the weather-beaten face was instantly recognizable to those who had seen him in the past. "She will heal you," Malfurion heard the former captain of the guard whisper to the motionless woman. "Tyrande will heal you...she will pray to Elune..."

Malfurion covered his frown.He felt that Sarah Hill's body was completely paralyzed, and it was difficult for the archdruid to judge whether she was still breathing with the posture he was carrying her.His strength was useless against her, and now it was only Elune.However, what can even the goddess of the moon do about such a dire situation? They walked briskly down corridors of stone and living wood.Some of the priestesses they encountered were quick to help, but the archdruid knew only his beloved could save Jarod's mate at this point. As Malfurion and her party approached the high priestess's sanctuary, her bodyguard noticed them.A guard silently opened the door for him.Malfurion noticed that every pair of eyes turned to Jarod before they turned to Sarah Hill.Everyone thought Jarod Shadowsong had died thousands of years ago, otherwise why didn't he return to his people at their most desperate moment?

Before they entered the room, Tyrande greeted them.Jarod opened his mouth to speak, but the high priestess shook her head.She led them to place Sarah Hill on a sloping couch beside her, and told her attendants to step back without closing the door. The high-ranking priestess knelt down beside the woman on one knee with a serious expression, chanted a prayer in a low voice, and kept waving her hands above Sarah Hill's body. A ray of light passed from the High Priestess to Sarah Hill.Jarod took a hopeful breath.The two men watched eagerly as the soft silver light fell on Sarah Hill's ailing body.

The brilliance suddenly dissipated. Tyrande withdrew her hand.She couldn't help but whisper, and Malfurion remembered hearing it so often. "Jarod," Tyrande whispered, standing up and turning to him. "Jarrod... I'm sorry..." "No!" He slammed past the archdruid. "I told her she could get help here! I told her you or Malfurion could cure her! Why can't you save her?" Tyrande put a hand on Jarod's shoulder, preventing him from leaping at Sarah Hill.The former Suramar city guard captain's eyes were empty and tears welled up, and he looked at the high-ranking priestess with sympathetic eyes.

"She's gone. There's nothing we can do about it." He seemed stunned. "No... I brought her here as fast as I could! I dragged her as fast as I could—" His eyes suddenly turned to Sarah Hill. "So it was all my fault! I pushed her too hard! She was fine, if I hadn't—" Tyrande shook his head. "You know in your heart that's not the case. Her fate is sealed. She knows you've done as much as anyone can. Just say—" "Sarah Hill!" Jarod threw himself on his companion's side, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. Malfurion came silently to his mate.They watched with solemn respect as Jarod tossed and whispered to and fro with his dead wife in his arms.

Finally, Jarod seemed to regain his sanity.Though tears still dripped down his face, dripping down his beard, his voice sounded stronger and more receptive now. "We were all worried that she wouldn't be able to come here, but we also agreed that this was the best course of action. Yet... I still remember her voice... Looking back now... She knew it all. She didn't just do it for My own life is even more for me. She wants me to return to the side of the tribe, not when she... when she passed away and was alone." "You call her 'Sarah Hill,'" Tyrande replied softly. "I think I know her. She used to be a novice here. We all thought she got lost outside the old city, and some misfortune happened to her." Although the search and rescue team failed to find the body. No one expected her to be with you. Although the timing of your disappearance is telling... we never connected the two events..."

"We fell in love in secret...mainly because of me. I was already planning to get away from it all... long ago. I was disillusioned by the polarization of our society. You druids - please forgive me for being so Say, Malfurion—you druids have grown indifferent, spending most of your time in the Emerald Dream instead of sharing the responsibility of protecting our people..." The archdruid had nothing to say.Others had said the same thing to him, including Tyrande.He still harbors guilt for those centuries of parting. Jarod sighed. "As much as I love her with all my heart, I want her to understand how stupid it is to be with me. I trust that if I choose to leave, I will not force her to answer for it."

"Jarrod..." Malfurion said, but the other party continued as if he didn't hear him. "On the contrary, she is determined to follow my path, no matter what kind of future it leads to. She always wants to do what I want, even if I try to make her happy..." Jarod kissed Sha Rahil's forehead. "Little idiot...she wasted her life to travel far into the wilderness with me...then she didn't hesitate to waste her energy to bring me back here so that I wouldn't be...lonely..." Tyrande put a hand lightly on his shoulder and said, "You are always welcome back. She knows it. And she enjoys her time with you, otherwise she would not have stayed with you for so many years .”

"We did have a lot of great meetings. I admit, she loved being in the wilderness. In a way, even more than I did." "I'll go and make arrangements for her. She deserves a decent burial." He looked up at her, then down at Sarah Hill. "She's dead." Garald stood up. He declined the help of others, and gently and carefully adjusted Sarah Hill's posture on the couch.From all sides, she seemed to be just asleep. "Illness comes like a mountain." The High Priestess and the Archdruid looked at each other.The night elves had lost their immortality, and they were beginning to experience pains they had only seen in other races before.People have died, and Sarah Hill's death shows that there will be more and more inescapable deaths from now on. "I've heard rumors," Jarod continued, straightening up. "That's all true. We're not immortal anymore, are we?" Malfurion nodded, and the ex-guard captain grunted. "I don't mean to offend, but I think it's a good thing, even with the consequences." He looked at Sarah Hill and clenched his hands into fists. "We think we're high, and we're cocky because of this endless life. That's why the Legion almost killed us all." There was a strange haze on his weathered face, reminding Tyrande and her companions of the distant past.Malfurion walked quickly to Jarod, deftly pulling him away from Sarah Hill. "You're exhausted. You need food and water, and—" "How can I eat and sleep?" "Sarah Hill would like to see you take care of yourself," Tyrande added from Jarod's other side. "I promise you, I will do my best for her." "I'm going to stay—" The archdruid shook his head. "No. Let yourself relax, this is the best way to miss her. I will take you to a place where there is a healthy diet and maybe you can calm down. When you are rested, you can go back Came back to help arrange her funeral." To his relief, Jarod acquiesced to his suggestion.However, he cast a last glance at his partner. "If possible, I would like to stay with her for a while..." "certainly." They watched as he knelt beside Sarah Hill again.Jarod took her hand and leaned forward to murmur.Malfurion and Tyrande walked out of the room so they could talk briefly about other matters. "Varian is coming to the summit," Tyrande told her husband softly. "That's what Shandris' eyeliner said. But I'm still concerned because we haven't had official confirmation from Stormwind yet." "You and I both know that if Shandris believes her intelligence, it's usually true. Fine. The other kingdoms will hear about it anyway. If Stormwind is coming to the meeting, those who are still watching The country will come too." He frowned. "As for whether he's here to make the summit a success, or to resist it...we'll just have to wait and see." "If we haven't received an official answer from Stormwind before he comes, it's probably the latter." "Unfortunately, you are so right." Malfurion frowned even more. "However, you can just talk about it when you start looking for me." "More than that." She described the vision Elune had shown her, and the revelation within. He thought for a moment, then asked, "Are you sure you're not mistaken?" "The Madonna of the Moon is very clear." "Basically makes sense, but not quite." He thought again. "Leave this to me. I will try to make it happen...if Varian Wrynn is indeed the leader the alliance needs most in the future." Tyrande nodded, agreeing to let him handle the matter.Then she glanced at Jarod and continued. "We have one more, personal issue...maybe two. Jarod has some unfinished business." "This matter can always be resolved without our intervention. There are more important things. I welcome Jarod's return...but in the long run, his life should be his own." They cast another glance into the room.By this time Garrod had stood up.Malfurion and Tyrande heard him give Sarah Hill a final kiss, and sighed deeply. "I hope Shandris and his sister think so," the high priestess replied in a low voice with a wry smile as they walked toward their old friend. "Though I doubt it." Most night elf military personnel use the training grounds in the Warrior Quarter to hone their skills.There, they were able to use the shooting range and arena.Allies and foes alike admire the night elves as strong, well-trained warriors, especially the Sentinels under General Shandris Feathermoon. Maiev Shadowsong is not a member of the Sentinels, and she considers herself to be more skilled and dedicated than any of the Sentinels, including their leader.In fact, from her point of view, the Sentinels don't understand what dedication... what is sacrifice. Her face was narrower and more aged than most night elves'.Her face was scarred—from battle, from punishment.She was a warrior, a warden, a prisoner and even an executioner.There was a resigned gleam in her eyes. Her armor was more elaborate than that used by the Sentinels, with a thick breastplate, heavy shoulder pads, and metal boots.The whole set of armor was painted a dull silver-grey, with bronze gilt rims.A pair of hideously shaped gauntlets with claws, and even the falling forest green cloak lined with sharp blades, but it was not just for decoration.At the edge of her training arena stands a face-covering helmet, next to her weapon, the Shadow Crescent, a sawtoothed round-bladed blade. There was a title that was given to her past identities - ones of which she still sees herself, even though some no longer agree.It was these people who didn't understand what kind of danger the night elves were facing.To deal with such dangers, the Sentinels have no military or psychological preparations at all.Fortunately, Maiev has found like-minded people, and began to recruit and train the best members among them to rebuild the elite army that was wiped out by Malfurion's younger brother. This elite force is known as the Watchers. For some ten thousand years, Maiev was a member of the Watchers.To be precise, it was their leader, the Watcher.The Warden's forces were originally volunteers from the Sisterhood of Elune, but were later chosen from outside the temple.They were entrusted with the daunting task of serving as jailers for the traitor Illidan Stormrage.Later, their guards also included other heinous people, whether they were originally night elves or other races.As leader, Maiev made Illidan her highest priority...and greatest focus. No, in Maiev's eyes, even the Sentinels were far inferior to the devotion of the Warden's troops. Maiev did not train in the warrior area, but went to the distant forest.There, she can let go of the suppressed energy in her heart.What she practiced today was jumping in the arena and shooting the dagger at a pre-selected target.Regardless of the angle of attack, Maiev's thrown daggers pierced deeply into the center of the target one after another. But it's not just skill that makes her so precise.And the strong desire surging in her heart.In her mind, each target bore the image of a male night elf, blindfolded and blindfolded.Sometimes the details on the face change slightly, but she always makes it out in her mind.She has looked at this face countless times, so she is more familiar with it than herself.In fact, her current practice was a vain attempt to erase those memories. But she still tried, killing him again and again.Although in reality she has already done so, it doesn't matter.Whether as a cunning prisoner in a dungeon or a demon seeking power across the world, Illidan Stormrage will forever be seared into Maiev's soul. Maiev drew her last dagger and slid under a branch.She landed nimbly on a slightly shorter branch and raised her hand back to throw.Suddenly, she felt someone coming behind her, so she turned around abruptly.At the same time, Maiev tossed the dagger upwards, holding onto the hilt as it fell. The tip of the knife hit another woman's throat.To his credit, the visitor was only slightly taken aback.Maiev nodded in satisfaction; Niva was her best disciple. "Please excuse my interruption," Niva said calmly, without looking at the arm holding the dagger under her chin. "If it wasn't important, I wouldn't disobey your orders." Maiev moved the dagger away. "I trust your judgment. You know me better than anyone." This straightforward comment caused a strange expression to flash across Niva's face. Maiev frowned. "Why did you come here?" "I was passing by the temple garden at the time, and saw a group of people gathered there. The Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage was also there." "Really?" Maiev's memory flashed back to her youth, when she was a senior priestess of Elune.Then she saw young Illidan Stormrage, handsome and defiant, flanked by his twin brother who would become the Archdruid. "Yes... the archdruid apparently arrived just a moment before me. He was standing a few steps away from me, watching a man wearing a traveling cloak. The man was also holding a woman, looking dying……" "Get to the point." Niva nodded slightly. "The arch druid recognizes that man. I could just hear him whispering that man's name." Niva hesitated for a moment, then continued. "That's your brother's name." Maiev was expressionless, just standing there like a statue.A few seconds later, she suddenly dodges, then deftly turns and throws the dagger towards the last target.Hit the bullseye. "Jarod..." Maiev murmured. "I was not mistaken, Lord Watcher." "I didn't say you were wrong. So my brother is back." Niva bowed her head and said, "I thought he was already dead." "Looks like we were all wrong." Maiev picked up her helmet. "He should be in or near the temple—probably inside." "Are you going to see him?" "Not now. I have to think about it—" Maiev suddenly stopped talking, and looked towards the bushes on the right.Niva followed her gaze, but saw nothing. "Forget it," Maiev ordered to her companion, putting on her helmet. "Let's go. I have to see my dear long-lost brother." "But you said you wouldn't see him—" Jarod's sister squinted at her companion. "I said, I have to go see him." Niva nodded to express her understanding. Maiev didn't say anything more, and jumped down from the branches in the direction of Darnassus.The young night elf followed her.Despite the thousands of years between them in age, Niva found it hard to keep up with her mentor. He watched the night elves leap gracefully out of sight, their natural athleticism unmatched by other races, only to make him snort.He hadn't expected to run into them unexpectedly, but it might be for the best.The news they were discussing might not seem important on the surface, but even if it had anything to do with Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, his master would be interested.Information has value, especially in these times. He growled, then jumped in the opposite direction.He moved among the foliage with the same skill and grace as those slender and tall night elves.Perhaps even more so. After all, they don't have the long claws to grab hold of twigs...or, if necessary, tear apart their foes.