…………

Hearthglen is one of the few places where you can still see the scenery of old Lordaeron. It is a lively scene during the day, but once it comes to night, it will become silent with the twilight.

The blacksmith shop, shops and other places were closed, but the door of the hotel was still open. The hotel owner was dozing on the hall and did not notice that someone had sneaked in. The smell of sweat in the air just made people feel uncomfortable.

He scratched his nose uncomfortably.

The hair of the person whose head was touched looked like a wet rag, greasy hanging down on his shoulders. He just glanced around to make sure no one saw him, and then moved as quickly as possible

He quickly rushed to the second floor and rushed into one of the rooms without thinking.

There was still steaming hot broth and bread on the small table in the room. The important thing was that someone was already waiting for him.

Compared with this man, the man waiting for him was wearing a striking and glorious silver-white armor. He was older.

"Stephen?"

"Lelane."

The two people who hadn't seen each other for a long time hugged each other tightly.

They are both Paladins, but there is a big difference in their attire. Lelane carefully trimmed his appearance, while Stephen looked like a fool. There was such a big difference, so after the two of them looked at each other,

They all laughed.

"How did you do this?" Lerain touched the dirty casual clothes Stephen was wearing. A white coat that looked wrinkled and stained with mud, paired with loose linen trousers, and a tattered

There was also a worn-out hood that looked like it was found in a garbage dump. But his boots looked quite exquisite, so he put some mud on them.

"There are discarded old clothes in the trash can at the street entrance of Stormwind City. Wearing these will make you look more embarrassed, and it will be much easier to escape." Stephen smiled hard, and he smelled all over his body.

It's someone else's taste.

Why did he want to escape? Lyraine couldn't stop thinking wildly. Did Stephen make any mistake? He wrote a letter telling him that he would come to Hearthglen today, but Lyraine didn't expect that. He looked at Stephen a few times.

The expression on the younger Paladin's face at this moment was a bit hard to describe.

"Don't talk about anything else, just eat something first." Lerain said.

Stephen had already set his sights on the food on the table. Traveling without sleep made him hungry and cold. He began to devour it. Lailene was somewhat doubtful whether this bit of broth could satisfy him.

"What happened?"

"People from MI7 are searching everywhere for my whereabouts."

Everyone in Stormwind City knows about the famous espionage organization, but they don't target anyone easily.

"They arrested you because of your brother?" Lalane guessed.

Stephen stopped eating. His face was covered with dirt, so his expression couldn't be seen, but the tears in the corners of his eyes could feel his sadness and struggle.

"Nathanos made them afraid. Especially after the fall of Lordaeron." Stephen coughed and continued: "They wanted to use me to get in touch with my cousin. But I didn't let them succeed."

"Do you want to see Nathanos?" Lerain realized that he shouldn't ask this question. Sure enough, Stephen was silent again.

Rather than fear, it is more reasonable to describe his heart as guilt. He provided intelligence during the MI7 operation to encircle Nathanos.

"Does Nathanos know?" Lyraine changed the question.

"He should know. It is said that the agents of the Forsaken are everywhere."

Lalane sighed, "After so many years, Nathanos has never taken revenge on you, which means he doesn't hate you at all."

"You think so too, right?" Stephen suddenly became excited, "That's why I came here, I want to see him, I..." He sank, gasping silently.

"It just so happens that the Silver Crusade is also on an envoy to the Forsaken, and I heard that it was received well. Let's take a look at Nathanos's attitude towards the living first, and then we will decide what to do next."

There was no other way, Stephen could only nod in agreement.

"Okay, don't mention Nathanos." Lalane changed the subject, "First tell me how you came to Hearthglen? You wanted to avoid the eyes and ears of MI7, but you also had to avoid the people outside the Hearthglen gate.

Guard... now you don't sound like a paladin."

Putting away his emotions, Stephen already felt relaxed. Talking about his trip, he was still a little excited.

"MI7 has been monitoring me. I sneaked out of my house and then sneaked out of Stormwind City through the river. The Alliance flight service requires registration. I didn't dare to take the Griffin, so I could only run.

Go to Menethil Port and take a boat to Nanhai Town. Then, you’ll be here.”

"Are you alone? Where is your family?"

Stephen suddenly realized that he and Lalane had been separated for too long, so long that their understanding of each other became blurred.

"My parents have passed away. I have a woman. Although there have been a lot of wars in the alliance in recent years, I am grateful to the Holy Light for allowing me to meet her. No one knows about it, not even MI7."

He smiled and deliberately did not mention his uncle, Nathanos' father. He did not want to mention anything about his cousin.

The broth had been finished, Stephen wiped his mouth and added: "She works in the North County monastery. She will be here in a few days."

"What's her name?"

"Mary."

"A pretty nice name." Lalane complimented her, and then asked Stephen how he knew this girl.

Stephen answered one by one, but just saying it himself could no longer relax him. He asked: "Don't just talk about me, what about you? How are you? And those friends, how are they?"

"Do you remember Ka'Sa?" The smile on Lalane's face was obviously much warmer and happier than Stephen's.

"I understand, you must be with her, right? When did it happen?"

"It's been a long time, and we still have two children, a boy and a girl."

Stephen was a little unbelievable, his eyes widened: "Lelane, I really envy you."

"You are still very young, Stephen. You still have a lot of energy and opportunities to change the status quo. Unlike me..." As he said that, Lerain picked up a strand of his white hair with his hand, "Look, I have already

Getting old."

"But you can show your face to my cousin openly," Stephen murmured, "but I...I can't."

"Don't say that. I believe that one day, you will have the opportunity to have a good talk with Nathanos. By then, all misunderstandings will be revealed."

Stephen nodded, then he stretched out his hand and took out an old gold coin from his pocket. "I don't want to wait any longer. I must seize the opportunity this time. Someone can help me."

…

The moonlight shines into the long gallery of the Palace of Lordaeron, leaving bright white spots on the wall. Nathanos's hand is groping for a portrait of King Terenas. The blue eyes in the portrait

He had seen it in different people.

The kingdom, the queen, the princess, and the prince. This kingdom was originally theirs.

"I am indeed a bandit, am I not?" Nathanos asked softly.

Alexstrasza stood behind him, eyes wide open, looking at him quietly. She was always there. "I don't understand what you and the mage just said." The Life-Binder was slow.

Approaching him slowly, "But you did the right thing by releasing those prisoners."

Nathanos turned to look at her, his winter-like eyes intensifying the chill around him, but he knew that Alexstrasza would not be afraid of his gaze. "I released them because letting them live is beneficial to the Forsaken.

Not out of some ridiculous emotion like kindness."

"You don't have to remind me."

A hand slipped into his palm. Nathanos shivered. He wanted to take a step back, but his body did not respond correctly according to his will.

"People in this world only know that the Red Dragon Queen is the embodiment of life and kindness." Alexstrasza's voice was very soft, as if it still contained the warmth after early spring. "But when facing the enemy, I am also dead.

the incarnation of.”

"Then what will you do with the prisoners?" Nathanos asked.

Alexstrasza felt speechless for a moment. The enemies she faced in the past, the Burning Legion, the Scourge, the Ancient Gods, Deathwing... these enemies didn't understand the principle of surrender at all. Therefore, in her long years, she did not

The experience of handling prisoners.

Knowing that she couldn't answer this question, the Witherer continued: "Some people also advised me not to let those people go. Because most of them left with hatred, and sooner or later they would take up arms to deal with me."

"Isn't there someone here who has done this?" The Red Dragon Queen locked her eyes on the one next to the portrait of Terenas.

Alsace.

Nathanos felt suffocated, as if warm spring turned into cold winter in an instant. The cold made him uncomfortable and uncomfortable. Nathanos forced himself to turn his eyes away.

"What would you do if you were standing outside the gates of Stratholme?" Alexstrasza asked curiously. The hand holding Nathanos tightened, as if she had a premonition that Nathanos

I will be scared away by this question.

The Blighter didn't move. He didn't need the Red Dragon Queen to remind him. He had already thought about this issue countless times.

The answer is I don't know.

If he were still alive, he would definitely oppose Alsace's actions because his compassion did not allow him to support the prince. But after his death, and until now, he has been unable to bring various emotions into every decision he makes.

If he succeeds, he will reconsider the idea of ​​massacring the city.

But nothing can stop it...

"What's the point of this question?" Nathanos said, "No matter what you do, you can't stop the Lich King from destroying this kingdom."

"Then have you ever thought about the reason why Arthas walked to the Frozen Throne step by step?"

"I've thought about it..." Nathanos blurted out. Just when he was about to elaborate, he suddenly realized what the Red Dragon Queen meant. "Do you think I will become the next Arthas?"
To be continued...