The talks in the Stormstorm Fortress didn't go well, and now they were riding their griffons back to the Tower of Medivan, and in the twilight, Karazan looked tall and empty. There was not a glimmer of light between the windows and doors. On this moonless night, the observatory at the top of the tower is submerged in darkness. Although the entire surface of the tower is made of pale masonry, it now feels dark and suffocating.

Last night they had a heated meeting in the palace. Khadgar and Garona were also involved, although Lothar temporarily kept Garona's dagger when he met with His Majesty the King. The king's warriors also took part in the meeting, along with a group of advisors and courtiers to King Lane. Khadgar didn't feel that there was anyone in it who could spell, and maybe the mages who hadn't been slaughtered by Medivan were either going to go to the front line or just find a place to hide.

As for the king himself, he was much more pronounced than the one he saw in the vision. As in his youth, he has broad shoulders and well-defined features. Even though he is past middle age, his mental state is still not much worse than that year. Among the attendees, he was clearly the most conspicuous, his blue robe shining in the crowd. He sat next to his seat with a helmet with white wings, and seemed ready to follow his master into battle.

Khadgar remembered the reckless Ryan of the troll illusion and suspected that he was desperate to go into battle himself. His eyes exuded absolute confidence that no matter where the war was fought, his army would win, there was no doubt about it. Khadgar didn't know how much of this confidence came from his trust in the Astral Mage, an almost pious trust that he would definitely lend a hand. In fact, this kind of devotion came naturally to everyone present - the Astral Mage had been helping Stormwind, and it would be the same in the future, as long as the Astral Mage was there, Stormwind would always stand.

The Imperial Physician took care of the wound on Garona's lip, but was clearly powerless to deal with her anger. She has repeatedly and bluntly expressed her views on her position as an orc to the King, regarding the mind of the master mage, the white-skinned humans, and especially Lane's army. The tone of his voice made Khadgar break out in a cold sweat.

"Orcs are absolutely ruthless," she said, "and they will never give up attacking." They'll be back. ”

"They can't even get close to the wall," Ryan objected. In Khadgar's view, His Majesty seems to appreciate Garona's straightforward style and clumsy approach to warnings rather than the substance of her warnings.

"They can't even get close to the wall," Garona repeated, "and that was this time. Next time they'll be fine. Next time they'll even break through the walls. I don't think you take orcs seriously at all, Your Majesty. ”

"I assure you, I didn't take this as a joke," Ryan said, "but I'm also confident in Stormwind's power. Strength on all sides, from her walls, her armies, to her allies, to her heart. If you've seen them, you won't have that much confidence in the abilities of the orcs. ”

On the issue of dealing with astral mages, Ryan was equally firm. In front of the advisory panel, Khadgar spread out all the qiē, supplemented by Garona's assurance and additional remarks. Visions of the past, strange mannerisms, Sargeras, who appeared in Karazhan but was once thought to be an illusion, and evidence of Medivan's summoning orcs to attack Azeroth.

"There have been countless people who have tried to sue me that Medivan has gone mad, and if they had given me a silver coin each, I would have been richer than I am today. "He's got his own plans, boy. That's all. I can't count the number of times I've heard that he's going crazy again or doing some other weird thing, and then Lothar will be here nervously worrying about whether he's lost a hair...... But as a result, it turned out that he was right every time. It's just that we don't understand it at first. Didn't he get brought here to hunt demons last time, and it was done in a matter of hours? Do you think a demon-possessed person would actually cut off the heads of his men?"

"But perhaps this is a ruse he used to clear his name?" said Garona, "he killed a demon in your city center, and no one saw it. If the demon was really summoned by him, couldn't he kill it to prove his innocence?"

"It's only a hypothesis," muttered the king, "and it can't be." It's not that I don't distrust the two of you, and I don't want to deny the facts you say you've seen. Even those 'illusions' of the past. But the Medivan I know is an old fox, and you may think it's crazy, but I'm sure it's all part of a bigger plan. He always talked to us about big plans, fate, and so on. ”

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Khadgar said, "Maybe the Astral Mage has some bigger plan, but the question is, do Stormwind and Azeroth really have a place in his plan?"

For most of the night, King Ryan reiterated his firm stance on all issues - Azeroth and her allies would wipe out the Horde or send them home. As for Medivan, he must be immersed in some big plan that no mortal mortal can understand. Stormwind will be able to withstand any invasion "As long as the people have brave hearts, the walls and thrones will never fall." ”

Lothar remained silent most of the time, interrupting the conversation occasionally to ask a few relevant questions, and then shaking her head when Khadgar and Garona told him the answer. Finally, he spoke.

"Ryan, don't let security blind you!" he said, "If we don't count Astral Mage Medivan as our ally, our strength will be greatly diminished. When it comes to dealing with orcs, we do have a real chance of losing. Let's listen to what they have to say!"

"I am listening," said the king, "not only with my ears, but with my heart." We've been with Medivan for so many years, before he fell asleep, and after he fell asleep. He always remembered his friends. If one day people can understand his thoughts, I bet you will be extremely honored to have such a good friend in us. ”

In the end, the king stood up, dissolved the talks, and promised to carefully consider the current state of affairs. Garona muttered a few words. For safety, Lothar arranged two windowless quarters for the two and guarded them outside the door.

But Khadgar couldn't sleep, and his frustration kept him pacing around the room for the rest of the night. When drowsiness finally enveloped him, there was an untimely knock on the door.

It was Lothar, heavily armed and in uniform with a uniform on her arm. "Are you going to sleep here?" he smiled as he handed his uniform to Khadgar, "put it on, and I'll see you on the top of the tower in fifteen minutes." Hurry up, lad. ”

The outfit also included pants and boots and a blue robe depicted with a lion representing the kingdom of Azeroth, along with a heavy sword. Khadgar hurriedly put on them, and as for the sword, he hung it behind his back after thinking twice. Maybe it will come in handy, he thought.

At the top of the tower are more than six griffons, their huge wings stretched and impatient. Lothar was already waiting there. Garona was too, wearing a similar uniform, including the lion robe of Azeroth, and a heavy sword.

"Don't," she said, "don't comment." ”

"It's a perfect fit for you," he said, "and it goes well with your eyes." ”

"Well, Lothar has already said exactly the same thing. He went to great lengths to convince me to put on this outfit, saying that you would wear the same uniform and that he didn't want anyone else to hurt me. ”

"Others?" Khadgar glanced at the sky around him. As the morning light appeared on the eastern horizon, illuminating the sky around him, Khadgar finally realized that there were more than six griffons entrenched at the top of each tower. In the setting of the rising sun, their wings glow pink. He had never realized that there were so many domesticated griffons in the world, let alone Stormwind. Lothar must have contacted the dwarves. He felt the cold wind pierce his face like a sharp knife.

Lothar walked briskly over to the griffin and adjusted the position of the sword on Khadgar's back so that he could ride more comfortably.

"Your Majesty," Lothar said vaguely, "is a little too confident in the power of the people of Azeroth and the walls of Stormwind. But this does not prevent a good person from solving the wrong things for him privately. ”

"Like us," Khadgar grimaced.

"Like us," Lothar repeated. He looked at Khadgar firmly, "I asked you how he was, you know. ”

"Yes," Khadgar said, "and now I tell you the truth, at least, the part of the truth that I know so far. What I want to say is that I will remain loyal to him forever. ”

"I understand," said Lothar, "because I am always loyal to him." But I still have to make sure what you're saying is true. I want you to know that there are things that we have to do if we have to. ”

Khadgar nodded, "You trust me, don't you?"

Lothar nodded bitterly, "How many years ago, when I was only your age, I had been taking care of the sleeping Medivan, and that coma had taken away most of his youth. I thought it was a dream, and I swore I had seen another person standing in front of me, tending to the Astral Mage with me. His body was cast in bronze, with a pair of horns at the tip of his eyebrows, and flames that made up his beard. ”

"Sargeras," Khadgar said.

Lothar sighed heavily: "I thought I was asleep, I thought it was just a dream, but some things are not what you think is right, you see, I have always been loyal to him, but I have never forgotten that 'dream'." It was many years later that I slowly realized that I was glimpsing a part of the truth, and since then, I have known that maybe this is destined to happen one day. If it were possible, we might have been able to save Medivan, but fearing that the darkness had taken full root in his body and mind, we would have to act immediately, which was undoubtedly a terrible action, but certainly necessary. The question is -- are you ready?"

Khadgar was silent for a moment, then nodded, feeling cold all over. Lothar raised her hand and gave a signal. The other griffon formations immediately took to the air, and the first rays of light came from the sky, and they seemed so passionate. Their wings were shrouded in a golden halo.

On the long flight to Karazan, the biting cold on Khadgar's body did not abate in the slightest. Garona's griffons followed him, but she didn't say a word on the journey, letting the earth fly under their feet. (To be continued.) )