"What clans are they?" Khadgar said, "what are their names?"

"Plunder is one," orc said, "Blackstone, Twilight's hammer, Bloodcave." These are all big clans. ”

"Sounds like the name of some militant group," Khadgar said.

"The environment in the orc's homeland is harsh," Garona said, "and only the most powerful organizations can survive there. This is called one side of the water and soil to raise one side of the people. ”

Khadgar recalls the cursed land, the blood-red sky of the vision. That must be the home of the orcs. A wasteland on the other plane. But how exactly did they get here? "And which clan are you from?"

Garona snorted, "I don't belong to any clan. ”

"You just said that each of you ......," Khadgar said.

"I mean all the orcs," Garona corrected, looking at Khadgar confused. She held up a hand and put it in front of her: "What do you see?"

"Your hands," Khadgar replied.

"Human or orc?"

"Orcs," it was obvious, green skin, sharp, yellowish nails, knuckles thicker than humans.

"And the orcs will say it's a human hand—too thin, too useless. Lacks muscles, can't lift an axe, and doesn't have the strength to smash someone's head. Too pale, too weak and too ugly. Garona lowered her hand, eyes down. "You only see me on the orc-like side. And all the orcs only see me as a human. I have two identities at the same time, and I am nothing at the same time. Everywhere I looked, I was seen as an inferior creature. ”

Khadgar tried to retort halfway, but after carefully considering Garona's words, he decided to remain silent. Originally, his first instinct was to hit the orc he saw, but he didn't see that she was also human, as a guest of Medivan. He nodded: "Then your life must be very difficult, without the protection of the clan." ”

"And there are benefits," Garona said. "I can move around the clans more freely. As an inferior creature, everyone thinks I'm an outcast with no clan allegiance, and they don't take sides, so they don't guard me. This makes me a great negotiator. I don't even say it, I know you're thinking 'a great spy.'" But in order to survive, it is better to find someone to take refuge in than to fight alone. ”

Khadgar didn't stand to point at her, he remembered that he was still entangled with Kenrito as Medivan's apprentice. He said, "Then which chief do you represent now?"

Garona let out a contorted toothy smile, "What would you say if I told you that I represent the mighty Kizbola? And what does that mean?"

"There's always something to say. Khadgar Road.

"It's strange," said Garona, "that I made up these names on the fly. And for now, the name of the person who actually sent me here means nothing to you. In the same way, the friendship between the old man and King Lane is just as meaningless to us chiefs. And the name Lothar is just a mantra that the human peasants we met on our journey. Before we can live together peacefully, before we begin to negotiate, we need to get to know you better. ”

"That's why you're here. ”

Garona sighed, "So I beg you to stop bothering me, especially when I'm talking to my grandfather." I'll miss the point of what he said. ”

Khadgar was silent for a moment. Garona opened the book again, returning to the page she had been reading earlier. "Of course, that's a matter for both sides," Khadgar said suddenly, and Garona angrily closed the book again. "I mean, if we don't want to communicate with orcs just in a warlike way, we need to get to know you as well. If you really want a peaceful solution. ”

Garona glanced at Khadgar, and the young mage was about to pounce on her and strangle herself. But she pricked up her ears and said, "Wait, what's that?"

Khadgar's hearing wasn't that good. But I also felt something strange. The atmosphere around suddenly changed. It seemed that somebody had suddenly opened a window where he couldn't see. There was a warm current in the tower, and the breeze stirred up the dust in the room.

Khadgar said, "Something seems to ......"

Garona said, "I hear ......"

Khadgar could now hear the sound of iron claws striking stone bricks. The warm current had turned into a violent hot wind, and the cold hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

The beast slowly paced into the library.

Its body was made of shadows and flames, and its dark skin could not hide the flames within. His face was like that of a wolf, and a pair of sheep's horns protruded from his forehead, glowing with an ebony sheen. It looks like an upright animal, but it crawls on all fours. Long front paws scrape against the stone bricks of the ground.

"That's ......," Garona said in a trembling voice.

"Demon," Khadgar said in a voice that was almost choking, and he stood up and took a few steps back to the back of the table.

"One of your servants said that there are often visions here. Ghosts or something. Is that the same?" she stood up.

Apparently not, as illusions tend to completely change the surroundings and transport you to another scene, but Khadgar didn't have time to explain and simply shook his head.

The behemoth crawled in the foyer, sniffing violently at the air around it. Eyes erupt with blazing flames. Is it blind? Can it only discern its target by smell? Or is it sensing the smell of something new, something it didn't expect?

Khadgar tries to concentrate the will in order to pool the energy. But the fear in his heart made his mind go blank. The beast spun in circles, sniffing the air until it was aimed at the two of them.

"Go up there," Khadgar whispered, "we need to ask Medivan for help." But the eyes did not dare to leave the monster. Garona nodded at the edge of his view, her eyes fixed on the monster as well. Her forehead was covered with beads of sweat that ran down her long neck. She cautiously moved to the side.

But she only moved a little, and it happened in a flash of lightning. The monster arched itself and lunged in her direction. Khadgar's head suddenly cleared, and he gathered the magic around him with great efficiency, then raised his right hand and shoved a ball of energy into the monster's chest. The orb of light tore through its ribcage and exited its back, bringing out a large chunk of burning flesh from its body. But that didn't hinder the monster's movement in the slightest.

It jumped onto the desk, its claws digging deep into the hardwood, and then jumped again, this time targeting Khadgar. Khadgar was at a loss for a second, and a second was enough for the crooked-hoofed demon to approach him.

Suddenly, someone grabbed him and pulled him out of the demon's range. At the same time he smelled a puff of cinnamon, and then heard a low curse. The monster landed in front of the apprentice and let out a terrible scream. A twisted crack appeared on the left side of its body, constantly spurting burning blood.

Garona let go of the hand that held Khadgar tightly (a fragile, human hand, but enough to pinch his lungs). A long-bladed dagger that appeared at some point in his other hand had been dyed blood-red by the blow just now. Khadgar had no idea where she had hidden the dagger while arguing with her.

The monster rolled on the ground in pain, still clumsily trying to make its next attack. Its iron claws reached out for Khadgar, its eyes and mouth spewing blazing flames. Khadgar dodged, his hand touching the heavy red book, the Azeroth Kings. He threw it in the monster's face and dodged it again. The monster stray from its goal, past him, and landed at the door. It let out a muffled snort of disgust and shook its head to get rid of the thick book. Khadgar noticed that it also had an extra line of burning blood on its right side. It looks like Garona has struck again. (To be continued.) )