Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen

Soon after the clans re-aligned, the Horde of Orcs built the massive Hellfire Citadel.At this moment, Ner'zhul sat on his throne in his fortress. He doesn't like this place. This is a horrible and annoying place, its structure is fragmented, composed of various jagged edges and corners, a large number of black boulders, and twisted mad snake-like corridors that criss-cross back and forth.Most of the traditional orc villages have only small buildings, houses and low towers.By contrast, if Hellfire Citadel is anything like them, it's that a place that should be perfectly harmonious has been so warped as the orcs themselves have been corrupted.

Orcs often build the frame of their huts with green branches, and then cover the frame with tree trunks; these buildings are built entirely of black stone, with rough iron trim.All kinds of strange pillars supporting the fortress can be seen everywhere around the building, with gleaming steel spikes on them, like several huge clawed hands protruding from the cracked ground, grabbing the Hellfire Citadel . Those twisted paths connected the top of the fortress, and it seemed that these paths were not intentional, but the product of the melting of the building.Behind it stands a taller, pointed tower, where Blackhand's throne rests.Black Hand, the chosen puppet ruler of the Shadow Council is long gone.Now, that throne belongs to Ner'zhul, the true leader of the Horde.

Ner'zhul chose not to look at the Dark Portal through the arched round window ahead.He didn't want to be affected again by the fact that his once fertile world had become utterly desolate.But seriously, he can't escape reality, can he? Ner'zhul stretched out his fingers absently, and touched the hand-painted bones on his face.die.Draenor's death.the death of his people.The death of his own beliefs.His green, old hands were covered with blood, the blood of so many innocents, the blood of the orcs who had trusted him.All this is because he was inadvertently led astray. You can't go on thinking like this anymore, a voice came from his mind.Ner'zhul ignored it.It was easier to ignore the dead warlock's voice when he had no physical contact with the Skull of Gul'dan.Although Ner'zhul had repeatedly warned himself not to pay too much attention to it, he couldn't help but glance at the head on a small table.The light of the torch danced on the already yellowed skull.He found himself talking to it, as if Gul'dan could hear him.Although from a certain point of view, this is indeed a fact.

"We have hurt too much, you and I. Bringers of death, callers of doom, we are all. But now, we can try to save them. My old apprentice, your head... your head Will be part of this plan. After you died, you were much more useful to the orcs. You came back, to your teacher. Maybe if we cooperate, they will have new opportunities." But that's not what you're really after, is it, my teacher? Ner'zhul blinked. "Of course I am! I'm always looking for ways to help my people! But that's why I brought them death... It hurts me. That's why I wear it." He touched the painting on his face again.Skull: the head right in front of it, the one it used to adorn its face, the head that represents death.

Maybe, it used to be.Gul'dan's soothing, gentle voice haunted him once more.But you are more than that, mighty Ner'zhul.As long as you and I cooperate, we can- A loud noise caught Ner'zhul's attention.Reluctantly, he looked away from Gul'dan's head, ending the argument he had just left.Gorefiend was standing in front of him, and next to him was a human that Ner'zhul didn't know.The man was tall and thin, with curly hair and a neat beard.The stranger was lavishly dressed and moved with the grace and confidence of a leader.However, there was something wrong with him.Ner'zhul frowned, sensing the energy emanating from around him.

"I got those fetishes." Gorefiend said straightforwardly, holding a large package in his hand.Ner'zhul felt that he saw hope, and waved enthusiastically to signal the death knight to come forward.Gorefiend approached the throne, took out all the fetishes from his pocket one by one, and placed them on the lap of the old shaman. Ner'zhul looked down at them, and each of them raised their tongues in praise.A huge, thick book with a red cover bound in brass and bearing the sigil of a flying raven.A crystal about the size of a human head, with a star-shaped center carved into it, and a dark purple rim.There was also a slender scepter, supported by silver and wood, and at the top of it was a huge shining white gem.

"Yes," Ner'zhul whispered, placing his hands on the three treasures.It can feel the endless power emanating from it, enough to tear apart the space between worlds. "That's right, with them we can open new portals. We're going to save the Horde. We have to get to work right away! It takes a while to cast this high-powered spell, and make sure everything is accurate," he said. laughed. "But as long as we have these three things, we will not fail." The Gorefiend bowed and reminded Ner'zhul, "I told you, it works." He took a step back, turning to the human he had come with.

"We would never have succeeded in achieving these without the help of the black dragonfolk. Deathwing is their father and leader." Deathwing!Ner'zhul's hands gripped the armrests of the throne.Skulls, death knights... and now, a powerful creature even named "death" stood in front of him.From Deathwing's human shell, Ner'zhul could vaguely see his true dragon form, and shuddered.Deathwing's lips were curled, but there was no warmth in his smile, and his bow to Ner'zhul was slightly ironic.Ner'zhul tried to calm his beating heart.All this, he had also dreamed about—the shadow of death.

"He offered us the help of his descendants for nothing, and in exchange he wanted a passage through the Dark Portal, for himself, for his kind, and some of his goods," said Gorefiend. "Cargo?" Although Ner'zhul could still speak, his own voice sounded so shrill in his ears. "What cargo is that?" "It's nothing, you don't need to worry too much," Deathwing replied in his grim but smooth voice, with a hint of deadly warning.At that moment, the light from the torch flickered, and it seemed that a dark wind had blown and stirred the fire.Behind Deathwing, his shadow suddenly grew larger, taking over the entire room.

Did you see it?Just inadvertently, you can already fly on a dragon.Ner'zhul, that is the shadow of death, don't you open your arms to embrace all of this? Ner'zhul wanted to put his hands over his ears, but he knew it would be useless.He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. "Deathwing, I am grateful for your assistance. We are all grateful for it." "Master Deathwing." "Of course—Master Deathwing." The humanoid black dragon stood there, seeming to dismiss Ner'zhul very much. "Is there anything else we can do to help you?" Ner'zhul asked.He wanted the black dragon to leave as soon as possible.

Deathwing thought for a moment, pursed his lips, and smoothed his beard with long fingers.Ner'zhul was pretty sure his musings were just a feint. "Your offer is truly generous, noble Ner'zhul," he replied after a moment, trying to sound as sarcastic as possible. "I'd be lying if I said that the head you're holding doesn't fascinate me." His words were polite and tactful, but they carried his own restraining power.At that time, too, the dragon's eyes were shining, and its flame was enough to shame the surrounding torches. Ner'zhul almost choked.Did Deathwing hear Gul'dan's voice too? Deathwing smiled slightly, and held out a manicured hand, a ring on the finger reflecting the light. "Come on, Ner'zhul. As far as I know, with these trinkets I got for your friend Gorefiend, you have enough power for your own purposes. This head is no longer for you. No matter how important it is, and, I want it.” Ner'zhul fought back the panic in his heart.Even though Deathwing was telling the truth, he didn't want to give up the black dragon's head.Anyway, Gul'dan had been his apprentice.What's more, if there is any knowledge hidden in this sacred object, Ner'zhul should be the one who has the most right to obtain it. "I'm starting to get impatient," said the black dragon in the name of death in his smooth voice. "I don't think you want to make me impatient, Ner'zhul. Do you?" Ner'zhul shook his head and said, "Then do as you wish, please take the head. It is not worth anything." Of course, this is a lie, and both he and the Black Dragon King clearly know this.Deathwing smiled, bared his fangs, and walked towards the head.His eyes widened as he touched the Skull of Gul'dan.In that moment, Ner'zhul could see that what had been flesh had turned into spikes, scales, and metal armor, and his red eyes shone brightly in the triangular shape of his head. "I have to say, I'm very satisfied with our...cooperative relationship. It seems that this can benefit both of us." The voice was very warm and so complacent. "Just know that if you need our help, just call us. It's time for me to go now. My children will stay here, and they will follow your orders as well as mine." He told NEO Zu and Gorefiend nodded, turned and left the room, still holding the Skull of Gul'dan, partly hidden by the black dragon's slender cloak. Orc shamans and death knights watched him go. "I wish he hadn't taken the head of Gul'dan," the Gorefiend said after they were sure the black dragon was gone. "But having said that, if we don't need it, then this is a small price to pay for the artifact we need." Ner'zhul took a deep breath, as if he had been afraid to breathe the air in the room just now. "Do you know what he wants the head of Gul'dan for?" he asked the Gorefiend. "I don't know." The death knight reluctantly admitted.Their eyes met.In the Gorefiend's deep red eyes, Ner'zhul saw something that warned him, something he had felt when the black dragon was still around: worry. "Time is running out, and our optimal period of action is not long enough. Let's do all the preparations as quickly as possible." They need to get out of this dead world as soon as possible, before it's too late.