Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

Arthas knew he was pushing his men too hard, but time was precious.Arthas felt a little guilty when he saw Jaina munching on the jerky during the gallop.When he uses the Holy Light, the Holy Light restores him, but the mage uses a completely different energy.He knew Jaina was exhausted after the previous overcast.There is no time to rest now, however, as thousands of lives are at stake in their actions. He has sent an advance team to check the situation and stop the situation from getting worse.This strange incident has begun to gradually reveal the truth.But he doubts that his powers will be enough to stop the plague.Things are not as simple as they first seem.However, Alsace will not give up.He can't give up.He had sworn to do whatever it took to save his people.And he will keep his word.

Before they reached the gates of Andorhal, they saw smoke rising from the sky and smelled fireworks.Alsace hoped that now that the town had burned, at least the food would have gone too.Next, he felt guilty for his ruthless thought, and buried it deep in his heart with actions.Arthas kicked his mount hard, and rode through the gate, ready to be attacked at any time. Buildings were burning all around them, and the black smoke stung his eyes and made him cough.Through tear-clouded eyes, Arthas looked around.There are no villagers here, but there are no undead either.What is this—"I believe you are here for me, children." Came a polite voice.The wind shifted, blowing the smoke in another direction, and Arthas now saw a figure in a black robe standing not far away.Arthas tensed up.Then, this person is the leader.The necromancer laughed, his face dimly visible in the shadow of his hood, a smile that made Arthas want to chop off his head.Beside him are two undead pets. "You found me. I am Kel'Thuzad."

The name made Jaina gasp, putting her hand over her mouth.Arthas glanced at her quickly, then fixed his gaze on the speaker, hammer gripped tightly. "I have come to deliver a warning," said the necromancer. "Stay away. Your curiosity will bring you death." "I feel this corruption magic is very familiar!" Jaina said in a trembling voice out of anger: "Kel'Thuzad, your experiments in this field are really disgraceful! We told you that this will bring disaster, And you're making no progress!" "Miss Jaina Proudmoore," Kel'Thuzad muttered, "it seems that Antonidas' little apprentice has grown up completely. My dear, it's just the opposite... As you can see, I'm much better now gone."

"I've seen the rats you experimented with!" Jaina exclaimed. "That was bad enough—and now you—" "Deeply studied and perfected," Kel'Thuzad replied. "Are you responsible for this plague, Necromancer?" Arthas cried. "Did you form this cult?" Kel'Thuzad turned to face him, eyes glinting in the shadow of his cloak. "I ordered the cursed sect to spread these plague-infected food. But this supreme glory does not belong to me." Before Arthas could speak, Jaina cried out. "what do you mean?" "I am loyal to the Dreadlord Melganis, who will command the Scourge to cleanse this land and build a paradise of eternal darkness."

Despite the flames surrounding him, the man's tone gave Arthas a chill.He didn't know what a "dreadlord" was, but the meaning of "scourge" seemed clear. "What exactly is this Scourge trying to cleanse?" The thin lips under the white beard played a cruel smile. "Well, of course he is alive. His plan has already begun. If you want more proof, go to Stratholme and find him." Arthas had had enough of Kel'Thuzad's taunts. With a low growl, he raised the hammer handle and rushed forward. "For the Light!" he shouted. Kel'Thuzad stood still.Then, at the last moment, the air around him rippled and he was gone.The two-headed undead that had been silent beside him now grabbed Arthas in their claws and tried to push him down.Their smoky stench suffocated Arthas, and he turned around to land a clean blow on the head of one of the undead.It fell, the skull shattered like glass, and the brains splattered on the floor.The other end was also easily killed.

"Barn!" he yelled, running to his steed and jumping on it. "follow me!" The rest mounted their horses and followed the road through the burning village.The barn loomed before them, and the fire that was consuming the rest of Andorhal didn't seem to have spread here. Arthas yanked on the reins of the horse, then jumped off the horse, and charged at the building at full speed.He pushed open the door, almost desperately wanting to see the pile of wooden boxes.The next thing he saw with grief and indignation was how empty the barn was—except for grain and dead rats scattered on the floor.

He stared sadly for a while, then rushed to the next barn, and the next... Although he knew what he would see, he opened the barn doors one by one. They are all empty.And the dust on the floor and cobwebs in the corners suggested that the food had been shipped for some time. "The goods have been delivered," Arthas said brokenly as Jaina came up behind him. "We're too late." He slammed his fist on the wooden door, making Jaina jump. "Damn it!" "Alsace, we have done..." He turned away angrily. "I want to find him. I want to find this bastard who loves to play with the undead and tear him apart! Let him find someone to sew himself back!"

He rushed out trembling.He failed.He sent men, but failed.Food has been shipped, and only the Light will know how many will die. died because of him. No.He won't let this happen.He wants to protect his people.He swore to protect them.Arthas clenched his fists. "North," he said to the soldiers following him, who were not yet used to seeing the normally genial prince fall into such a rage. "That's the next place he's going. We're going to root him out like a vermin." He galloped north like a madman, barely caring to slash at the shambling zombies who tried to stop him.No longer moved by fear, he only had eyes for the man behind the scenes and the disgusting sect that had concocted the evil.The dead will soon rest in peace, and Arthas must be sure that nothing like this will happen again.

Just then, a large group of undead appeared.Their rotting heads turned to Alsace and the others in unison, and then rushed towards them. "For the Light!" Arthas yelled, kicking his horse and rushing into the enemy group.Shouting wildly, he swung his warhammer to unleash his anger and frustration on the most fitting targets. Then, during a short pause, he had a chance to look around. In a safe place away from the battlefield, a figure in a black cloak of hunting stood tall, watching all this peacefully as if watching the fire from the shore, as if waiting for them. Kel'Thuzad.

"There!" he cried. "There he is!" Jaina and his men followed him.Jaina continued to blast the path with fireballs, and the soldiers hacked at the undead who survived the first round of attacks.Arthas drew closer to the necromancer, feeling righteous rage moaning in his veins.He swung the hammer effortlessly, not looking at the fallen undead. He fixed his eyes on the one who had caused all this disaster with his own hands-if the monster could be called a man.Cut off his head and the beast dies. Arthas was in front of him, and with a roar of fury, he swung his brightly radiant hammer across and hit Kel'Thuzad in the knee, sending him flying.The others rushed forward, slashing with their swords, venting their grief and anger on the source and cause of the entire disaster.

For all his power and spells, Kel'Thuzad really looked like he was dying.His legs were broken by Arthas and twisted at an odd angle.His dull black robes were blood-stained and slightly reflective.Kel'Thuzad propped himself up on his arms, spitting out a stream of blood mixed with broken teeth.Then he continued to struggle to say something. "Childish... idiot," he finally spoke, and swallowed another mouthful of blood: "My death will not change the long-term plan... Now... the natural disaster of this land... has come." He bent his elbow, closed his eyes, and died. The corpse immediately began to decompose.The disintegration that should have taken days happened in a few seconds, and the flesh swelled gray and white, and then burst open.People gasped, covered their mouths and noses and retreated, some turned around and vomited amidst the stench.Arthas stared, surprised and delighted, unable to take his eyes away.Putrid liquid gushes out from the corpse, and the flesh presents a thick grease-like appearance and gradually turns black.The unusual corruption slowed down, and Arthas turned away in search of fresh air. Jaina was deathly pale, with black circles around her eyes, wide with shock.Arthas walked towards her, pushing her to turn away from the disgusting sight. "What happened to him?" he asked softly. Jaina swallowed, trying to calm down, and again she succeeded. "It is believed that... well, if the necromancer's magical attainments are not yet perfect, then... well, if they are killed, they will become..." Her voice trailed off, suddenly sounding like an ordinary young girl , showing a disgusted and frightened expression. "That." "Let's go." Arthas said gently. "We're going to Hearthglen. They need to be warned, if it's not too late." They left Kel'Thuzad's body where it was without a second look.Arthas prayed silently to the Holy Light, hoping that they would not go too late.If he failed again, he didn't know what he would do. Jaina was exhausted.She knew Arthas wanted to go as fast as he could, and she was as anxious as he was.People's lives are at stake.So when he asked if she could make the overnight trip, she nodded. They had been galloping for four hours, and Jaina found herself unable to sit still. She was so tired that she was only seconds away from losing consciousness and falling off the horse.Terrified, she snapped at the mane, dragged herself back into the saddle, and pulled the rein to stop the horse. She sat there, clutching the reins and shaking.It was several minutes before Arthas noticed that she had fallen behind.Jaina vaguely heard him call the cavalry to a stop, then watched silently as he came at a canter. "Jianna, what's wrong?" "Yes...sorry, Arthas. I know you want to go full speed ahead, and so do I. But...I'm so tired that I almost fell off my horse. Can we stop...just a little while?" Even in the dark, she could see the expression of struggle on Arthas' face, his concern for her and his frustration at the current situation. "How long do you think it will take?" Two or three days, she thought so, but still said: "Just eat something and rest for a while." He nodded, stretched out his hand to help her off the horse, and gently asked her to sit on the side of the road.Jaina fished some cheese out of the package with trembling hands.She wanted Arthas to tell people to stop and wait, but he just sat beside her, radiating impatience like heat from a flame. She took a bite of the cheese and looked up at him as she chewed, analyzing his starlit silhouette.One of the things she loved most about Alsace was his approachability, his humanity and sensibility, both for people and for her.But at this moment, under the influence of strong emotions, he felt as if a hundred miles away. Impulsively, she reached out to touch his cheek.Alsace was taken aback, seeming to forget she was there, and then he smiled slightly. "Ready?" he asked. Jaina remembered that she had just taken a bite. "No," she said, "but . . . Arthas, I worry about you. I don't like how it affects you." "To me?" he snapped. "Why don't you say what you did to the villagers? Jaina, they are dying and turning into zombies. I have to stop this, I have to!" "Of course we want to stop this, and you know I'll do what I can to help you. But... I've never seen you hate anything so much." He laughed, then let out a snarl. "You want me to love these necromancers?" She frowned. "Arthas, don't twist my words like this. You are a paladin, a servant of the Holy Light. You are both a fighter and a healer. But now I only see that your heart is filled with the desire to wipe out the enemy." "You're talking more and more like Uther." Jaina didn't answer.She was too tired to concentrate and think.She took another bite of the cheese and turned her attention back to filling her belly.For some reason, she found it difficult to swallow. "Jaina... I just want to save innocent people who are dying. That's all. And... I admit, I'm upset that I haven't been able to do that. But when this is over, you'll see, Everything will be fine. I promise." He smiled down at her, and for a moment Jaina saw the old Arthas on his handsome face. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Is it ok now?" Just took two bites.Jaina puts away the leftover cheese. "Yes, that's all right now, let's move on." The darkness of night faded to the gray of dawn, and then they heard a shot.Heart sank, Arthas kicked his mount with his spurs and sped northward along the long road through rolling mountains.Just outside the gates of Hearthglen, they saw several humans and dwarves practicing with muskets.The breeze brings a burst of gunpowder smoke, which is mixed with an uncoordinated toasty smell, slightly sweet and pleasant. "Stop shooting!" Arthas yelled as he galloped forward with his army, pulling on the reins so hard that his mount stood upright in surprise. "I'm Prince Arthas! What's going on here? Why are you all armed?" They put down their muskets, and were astonished to see their prince standing before them. "Your Highness, you will never believe what is about to happen." "Let's hear it." Alsace said. The dead have risen and rioted everywhere—these words did not surprise Arthas at first.But the word "a large army" surprised him a little.He glanced at Jaina, who looked completely exhausted.Last night's brief rest didn't seem to have revived her. "Your Highness," one of the scouts yelled and rushed over, "that army - coming this way!" "Damn it!" Alsace cursed in a low voice.This small band of humans and loved ones may be sufficient for a small encounter, but not against an entire army of the undead.He made up his mind. "Jianna, I will stay and defend this village. Go and tell Lord Uther what happened." "but--" "Go, Jaina! Time is ticking!" She nodded.May the Light bless her and that clear mind.Arthas gave Jaina a grateful smile as she disappeared through the portal he had created. "Your Highness." Falrick said, his tone made Alsace turn around immediately. "You'd better... look at this." Alsace followed his gaze and looked over, his heart sank suddenly.Empty crate... stamped with the seal of Andorhal. Taking chances, Alsace asked with a slightly trembling voice: "What did these boxes contain?" A man from Hearthglen looked at him puzzled, "It's just food from Andorhal. Don't worry, sir. The food has been distributed to the villagers, and we baked a lot of bread." Alsace understood at once that this was the smell - not like ordinary baked bread, not so fresh, and a bit sweet and fishy.The real situation was so horrifying, and realizing this, he couldn't help shaking.Food has been distributed... A huge army of undead suddenly appeared... "Oh, no." He whispered.As the people watched him, Arthas tried to say something more, his voice still shaking, but this time not from fear, but from anger. The plague didn't just kill his people.No, no, darker and twisted than that.It was to turn them into—just as the idea took shape, the man who had answered Alsace's question suddenly stooped.Several other people also made the same move, and their bodies emitted a strange green light, flickering and gradually intensifying. They fell to the ground clutching their stomachs, their shirts soaked with blood spurting from their mouths.One of them held out his hand to Arthas, begging for healing, and the prince cringed in terror as he watched him writhe and die in mere seconds. What did he do?The man begged for treatment, but he didn't even raise his hand.But can this be cured?Arthas thought to himself, staring at the corpse.Even if it's the Light—"O Mercy Light!" Falric cried out, "Bread—" His yell startled Arthas, who came out of a trance of guilt.Bread is necessary for life, rich in nutrition and good for health, but now it is even more poisonous.Arthas opened his mouth to shout, to warn his men, but found his tongue heavy with clay. Before the shocked prince could finish his sentence, the plague in the food had already broken out.Suddenly the dead man's eyes opened. This is how Kel'Thuzad built an army of the undead in such a short period of time. Crazy laughter echoed in Alsace's ears.That was Kel'Thuzad's maniacal laughter, death would be better than death.Arthas wondered if he would drive himself mad if he had to endure it forever.The zombies crawled towards their feet, and Arthas moved, his tongue also alive. "Defend yourself!" Arthas yelled, swinging the hammer away before the man could get up.But the other undead stood up more quickly, the weapons they had used to protect Arthas now aimed at him.Fortunately, the undead are not proficient with these weapons, and most shots miss.At the same time, Alsace's subordinates began to fight back, their eyes were sharp and their expressions were stern, and they killed the allies who were a moment ago.Knock them down, smash their heads, decapitate them. "Prince Arthas, the undead army is coming!" Arthas turned, his armor spattered with blood, his eyes widening slightly. so much.There are so many enemies.Long-dead skeletons; newly transformed fresh corpses; and more abominations of gray and white maggots swept towards them.He felt tense.They had fought quite a few enemies, but not like now - not a whole army of undead. Arthas raised his warhammer up to the sky, shining brightly with the light of life. "Hold your ground!" he shouted, his voice no longer weak and trembling, nor harsh and angry. "We are the chosen people of the Holy Light! We are invincible!" The holy light bathed his resolute face, and Arthas rushed forward. Jaina herself hadn't expected to be so tired.After days of fighting without rest, she collapsed to the ground as soon as she completed the teleportation spell.She felt she passed out for a moment because the next thing she saw was her teacher bending over and pulling her from the floor. "Jianna... what's the matter, kid?" "Uther..." Jaina said, "Arthas... Hearthglen..." She reached out and gripped Antonidas' robes tightly. "Necromancer... Kel'Thuzad... Raise the dead to fight..." Antonidas' eyes widened.Jaina took a deep breath and continued: "Alsace is leading an army to defend Hearthglen alone, and he needs immediate reinforcements!" "I think Uther is in the palace," Antonidas said. "I'll send some mages right away to open the portals for the men he's going to bring. You've done a good job, dear, and I'm proud of you .Now, you should take a good rest." "No!" Jaina yelled, fighting exhaustion out of sheer force of will, struggling to her feet, holding out a trembling hand to stop Antonidas. "I have to be with him. I'll be fine, okay. "Arthas didn't know how long he had been fighting. He swung his hammer almost incessantly, his arms were shaking from the exertion, and his lungs were on fire. All by the power of the Holy Light, with A serene strength and steadfastness flowed through him, keeping him and his soldiers standing tall. Undead creatures seemed weakened by the power of the Light, yet that seemed to be their only weakness. Only a clean blow could kill quickly They, however, Arthas quickly thought, if they had already died, would it be appropriate to say "kill". They flocked, wave after wave.His subjects, his people, were transformed into these things. He raised his weary arms to prepare for the next attack, and at this moment, through the din of battle came a familiar voice from Alsace: "For Lordaeron! For the king!" The passionate cry of Uther the Lightbringer rallied the people to fight on.Uther brought with him an elite troop of knights, strong and experienced, fearless against the undead.Jaina came with Uther and the others despite being tired and weak, and she had obviously given a briefing, so that people were fully prepared to not waste precious time in consternation.Now the undead creatures fell much faster than before, facing a relentless and fierce onslaught of hammers, swords and flames. Jaina slid her legs apart as the last of the walking dead burst into flames and staggered to the ground, truly dead.She fumbled to pick up a leather water bag, took a deep sip, and tremblingly took out some dried meat and began to bite.The battle is over—at least temporarily.Both Arthas and Uther took off their helmets, their hair dull with sweat. Jaina munched on the jerky as she watched Uther nod in satisfaction toward the sea of ​​undead corpses.Arthas was staring at something with a painful expression, and Jaina followed his gaze, frowning inexplicably.Corpses were everywhere, but in a trance, Arthas seemed to see a swollen corpse full of flies. It was not his soldiers, or even human beings, but a horse. Uther walked towards his student and patted Arthas on the shoulder. "I'm surprised you lasted this long, kid." He had a smile on his lips, and his voice was soft and proud. "If I don't make it in time—" Arthas turned around. "Look, I've tried my best, Uther!" Both Uther and Jaina were taken aback by the harsh tone.Alsace overreacted a little, and Uther didn't mean to blame him, but to praise him. "If I had a regiment of knights, I could—" Uther narrowed his eyes. "This is not the time to indulge in pride! From what Jaina said, what we see here is just the beginning." Alsace's lake-green eyes fixed on Jaina, slightly offended at being offended.For the first time in her life, Jaina felt herself recoil from his needle-like gaze. "Have you noticed, then, that whenever our soldiers fall in battle, they augment the undead army?" Uther continued stubbornly. "So we have to go straight to their leaders!" Arthas snapped. "Kel'Thuzad told me who he is and where he is. It's... a thing called the Dreadlord, and it's called May Erganis. And he's in Stratholme now. Stratholme, Uther. That's where you became a Paladin of Light. Isn't that important to you?" Uther sighed weakly, "Of course it's important, but..." "I'll go there and kill Mel'Ganis myself, if necessary!" Arthas yelled.Jaina stopped chewing and stared at him.She had never seen him so groggy. "Calm down, kid. You're brave, but you can't defeat someone who controls death alone." "Then come with me, Uther. I will go with or without you." Before Uther and Jaina objected again, Arthas had already jumped on the saddle, swung his horse's head and headed south . Jaina stood up in shock.He left Uther, his soldiers . . . and her.Uther walked quietly to her side, and Jaina shook her blond head. "He feels responsible for all the dead," she whispered to the older paladin. "He thinks he should have the ability to stop this." She looked at Uther, "but even the mages of Dalaran, although they warned Kel'Thuzad in the first place, didn't guess what was happening How could Arthas know that?" "He's feeling the weight of the crown, and for the first time," Uther said softly, "he's never felt it before. That's the way it is, miss. He has to learn how to rule wisely and rightly. When Tai When Naris was young, I saw him struggle mentally over the same thing. They were both good men who wanted to do good to their people and keep them safe and happy." He watched Arthas disappear into the distance , showing a pensive look. "But sometimes it's the lesser of two evils. Sometimes you can't have both. Arthas is learning that." "I think I understand, but—I can't let him just charge up on his own." "No, no, we'll go after him as soon as the soldiers are ready for the long march. It's time for you to rest too." Jaina shook her head. "No, he can't go alone." "Miss Proudmoore, let me say this," Uther said slowly, "maybe it's best to let him clear his mind. If you insist, go with him, but give him some Time to think." He made his words very clear.Jaina didn't like it, but she knew Uther was right.Alsace is now in a state of desperation, full of anger and has nothing to do, it is useless to reason with him now.But precisely because of this, she couldn't leave him really alone. "Okay." With that said, she got on the horse and recited the spell.Suddenly, Uther saw her disappear from sight and grinned. "I will follow him. Come as soon as your men are ready." She can't get too close.Although invisible, Jaina was not silent.She clasped her knees and let the horse trot after the gloomy Prince of Lordaeron. Alsace kicked the horse vigorously.He was angry because the horse wasn't going fast enough, because it wasn't invincible, because he didn't find out what was wrong in time and stop it.This is an almost irresistible force.His father the king had been forced to face the threat of orcs.Those savage, violent, conquering creatures came from another world and flooded into their world.But Alsace felt that it was child's play now.How will the father and the alliance deal with this plague?Not only does it kill people, but it manipulates dead bodies to attack their former friends and relatives in a way that only a madman would find funny.Can Tenaris do better?For a moment Arthas thought that Tenaris could see through the puzzle in time and save innocent lives.But then he reasoned that no one could do it.Faced with such horrors, Tenaris would be as helpless as himself. He thought so deeply that he almost didn't see a man standing in the middle of the road.Arthas jerked the reins in shock, just in time to pull his mount aside. Anxiety, worry and anger were intertwined in Alsace's heart, he shouted sharply: "Fool! What are you doing? I almost hit you!" The man looked different from anyone Arthas had seen before, yet somehow familiar.He was tall and broad-shouldered, and wore a cloak that appeared to be made entirely of shiny black feathers.The shadow of the hood hid his features, but his eyes shone in the darkness as he stared at Arthas.His grizzled mustache parted to reveal a pale smile. "You can't hurt me, but I have to get your attention." His voice was low and gentle. "Young man, I spoke to your father, but he did not listen to me. Now I come to you." He bowed, and Arthas frowned.That sounds a little mocking. "We have to talk." Arthas snorted.He now knew why the gawking, overdressed stranger looked so familiar.According to Tenaris, he was a mystic, a self-proclaimed prophet, and capable of turning into a bird.He broke into the throne room of Tenaris and said crazy things like doomsday. "I don't have the time." Alsace snorted and tightened the reins. "Listen to me, child." The stranger's mocking tone was gone.His voice became hoarse, like the sound of a whip being whipped. "This land will fall! The shadow has fallen, and no matter what you do, it will never be undone.If you really want to save your people, lead them across the ocean... to the west. " Alsace almost laughed.His father was right - this is a madman. "Escape? This is my place, and my only direction is to defend my people! I will not abandon them to this horrible existence. I want to find the mastermind behind it, and then destroy him. Only fools will fight others idea." "Me, fool? I suppose so, to think a son is smarter than his father." Those bright eyes looked worried. "You have made up your mind, and you will not be moved even in the face of someone with a higher vision." "You say you see far ahead, but I know what I've seen, what I've seen. My people need me, right here!" The Prophet smiled sadly, "Prince Arthas, we don't just see with our eyes, we also have to use our wisdom and heart. I will give you one last prophecy. Remember, the more anxious you are to destroy your enemies, the more you will The sooner you send your people into their hands." Arthas opened his mouth angrily to retort, but the stranger's appearance suddenly changed.The cloak clings to him like a second skin, and jet-black wings protrude from his reduced-to-average-raven-like body.The man was now a bird, and with a final shrill cry, he jumped into the air and flew away in a circle.It sounded frustrated, and Arthas couldn't calm down watching him disappear.The man seemed so... confident... "I'm sorry I hid, Arthas." Jaina's voice came from nowhere.Arthas looked around in surprise, trying to find out where she was.Jaina emerged in front of him, looking regretful. "I just want to……" "do not talk." Startled, she widened her blue eyes.Seeing this scene, Arthas immediately regretted yelling at her. But she shouldn't follow him so secretly, spy on him so secretly. "He went to Antonidas, too," Jaina continued stubbornly after a while, despite being scolded by him. "I...I have to say, I feel an extremely powerful force in this man, Arthas." She rode up beside him and looked up at him. "This plague of undeath—there has never been anything like it. This is not another battle, or another war, it's far bigger and darker than this. You may not be able to win with the same tactics. Maybe the man is right. Maybe he can really see what we can't; maybe he really knows what's going to happen." Arthas gritted his teeth and turned his head the other way. "Maybe. Or maybe he's an associate of Mel'Ganis; or maybe he's just a mad monk. No matter what he says, whether that madman sees the future or not, I won't abandon my country, Jaina .let's go." They rode in silence for a while, then Jaina whispered. "Uther will follow us. He just needs some time to get ready." Arthas stared straight ahead, still resentful. Jaina tried again. "Arthas, you shouldn't—" "I've heard enough of being told I should do this and not do that!" Arthas blurted out, as surprised as Jaina himself. "Gianna, what's going on here is beyond horrible, I can't even find the words to describe it. I'm doing the best I can, and if you don't support my decision, then maybe you shouldn't be here." He looked at her, his expression softened. "You look tired, Jaina. Maybe... maybe you should go back." She shook her head, staring straight ahead without returning his gaze. "You need me here. I can help you." 怒火一下子烟消云散，他拉着她的手，金属甲胄下的手指轻轻握住她。“对不起，我不该对你这么说话。你在这我很高兴。能有你陪伴我总是很高兴。”他弯下身轻吻着她的手。吉安娜脸颊绯红地朝他笑笑，皱着的眉头舒展开来。 “亲爱的阿尔萨斯，”她温柔地说。他捏捏她的小手然后放开了。 接下来他们沉默寡言地纵马疾驰了一整天，直到太阳落山才停下来宿营。他俩都累得没气力去捕猎新鲜野味，于是简单吃了些肉干、苹果和面包。阿尔萨斯看着手里的面包。这是王家面包坊烤制的，用的是本地自产的粮食，而不是从安多哈尔运来。它安全健康、营养可口，闻起来新鲜正常，没有那种甜腥味。它是简单的基本食物，所有人、任何人都能放心食用。 他突然喉头一紧，放下手里的面包，一口也咬不下去。他把头抵在手上，一时间感觉绝望和无助的潮水将他压垮一般。然而当他努力使自己镇定的时候，吉安娜就在这里，跪坐在他身边，把头枕在他的肩上。她没有说话，她也不需要说话。有她在身边默默支持，对阿尔萨斯来说就足够了。接着，他长叹一声，转身将她搂在怀里。 她用深情的亲吻回应着他，在他身上寻求着安慰和信心。而他也是一样。阿尔萨斯用手拂过她丝滑的金色头发，呼吸着她的芬芳。那晚接下来几个小时里，他们放任自己迷失在彼此当中，把死亡、恐惧、瘟疫、先知、选择这些林林总总的念头统统忘却，他们的心中只剩下这小小的二人世界。