Reforged Chapter 17: Farewell and Arrival

"Huh? I thought your vacation lasted a year?"

"The trolls near Quel'Thalas are stirring. Those cowardly old men sent an urgent order to call me back."

Duke, who hadn't known Aurelia for long, was grateful for her help. Hearing that this valuable ally was leaving, he couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened.

"Well, may the winds be ever in your favor."

Aurelia was taken aback. Wishing favorable winds to a Windrunner was the most beautiful blessing one could give. Unknowingly, Duke's words warmed her irritated heart.

"Alright, you've appeased me unintentionally once again. I'll let you in on a little secret. If you ever run into trouble, seek him out." With that, Aurelia handed Duke a small trinket.

Upon closer inspection, Duke saw it was a tiny silver ornament, engraved with a name in Thalassian.

Duke complained, "I don't know Thalassian."

"Then learn! Even though I'm a Windrunner, hailing from a family of rangers who've roamed the forests for generations, I must admit—high elven magic is the most powerful magic!" Aurelia's pride as a high elf was evident as she puffed out her chest.

Alright, your chest is big, so you get the final say.

"Okay, okay," Duke didn't argue, knowing full well that high elves were the top magic wielders in Azeroth.

"Hey, why do you look like you want me to leave?"

"No, no, of course not!" Duke quickly defended himself.

Aurelia suddenly leapt into a tree, resting her chin on her right hand while supporting her elbow with her left. Sitting on a branch, she gazed at Duke and changed the subject, "Actually, I envy you."

"Oh?"

"You're young, full of vitality, and fearless in the face of authority. Unlike me, a high-ranking ranger, but in front of those council members, my status is probably lower than a mindless magical construct. So when I saw you slap that noble's son, it felt great."

Wait! So you were spying on me after all!

"I sometimes wish I had the courage to slap those despicable council members, but I can't. I'm the eldest daughter of the Windrunner family. I must be a role model for my younger sisters and represent our family's honor. My every action is magnified."

Hearing Aurelia's heartfelt confession, Duke fell silent.

"So, the curious me you saw is not my usual self. Once I return, I'll be the serious and stern ranger general again. It's only because Quel'Thalas and Stormwind are so far apart, and we'll likely never see each other again in our lifetimes, that I'm sharing this with you. To be honest, I should thank you. You made these past few days interesting and enjoyable."

Duke suddenly smiled and cautiously asked, "So... are we friends now?"

Aurelia shook her head, "No, high elves aren't interested in befriending humans. We usually avoid forming friendships with them. Humans' short lifespans are but a fleeting moment for us, and the pain of losing them so quickly after forming a bond is unbearable."

Duke sighed inwardly: Different races indeed have different values.

But Duke smiled mysteriously, "I have a feeling I'll see you again within five years."

"Five years? Impossible! Those lousy old men will keep me busy. I've never spent less than 50 years on the frontlines. Our frontlines won't allow humans to get close."

"How about a bet then? If we meet again within five years, you swear to be my friend?" For some reason, Duke secretly added the word 'girl' before 'friend' in his mind.

"Hmph! You're on!" Arelia didn't believe in fortune-tellers; she crossed her arms, seemingly looking at a daydreaming youngster.

Well, to her, Duke was just a lustful youngster.

Arelia left, and at that moment, Duke was just a passerby in her heart. She had no idea that she had been played by Duke.

If Duke's calculations were correct, the Dark Portal incident would occur within five years, and Arelia, as a member of the Alliance, would return to the human world to help resist the orc invasion...

The next morning, Duke set off again, spending almost the entire next two days on a carriage.

Sitting in the carriage, his body constantly jostling with the motion, Duke found himself adjusting to the world of Azeroth. From initially feeling nauseous shortly after getting on the carriage, he now considered it normal.

However, what made Duke more emotional were the events along the way: "Even the most peaceful Elwynn Forest isn't a place for ordinary people to traverse alone!"

The carriage convoy was attacked.

Old man Norton wasn't just leading the three apprentices on this journey. Accompanying them were his magic apprentice Itana, a fully-armed 16-member guard team, and coachmen and servants. In total, there were over 20 people, three carriages, and nearly 30 horses.

Despite Duke's perception of a luxurious lineup, they were still attacked.

On the second night, they were assaulted by hundreds of forest wolves and driven away by a few of Norton's Firewall spells.

On the third night, they were attacked by gnoll-like creatures. These wolf-headed, half-human-sized monsters were much more ferocious than the ones Duke encountered in the game.

These cunning and brutal predators not only attacked at night but also came in packs, crawling through the grass with crossbows, trying to disrupt the convoy's defenses and then launch an ambush.

Protected by six shield-bearing guards, Duke witnessed a servant not far from him get shot through the neck with a crude crossbow bolt.

As the servant struggled to breathe, with blood bubbling from his mouth, Duke, who thought he had adjusted to the world of Azeroth, felt suffocated by discomfort again.

Death - even knowing he could attempt many times, he would never get used to it!

The 1% humanity restored at the Northshire Abbey had made Duke happy. However, he felt it wasn't a simple solution. While it was still relatively peaceful, what would happen when war broke out? Duke shouldn't lose his morals too quickly!

Beside Duke, Daniel and Itana appeared unfazed. When Duke asked them about it, their responses were: "In this world full of monsters, death is nothing unusual."

Duke was somewhat speechless.

The only consolation was that they arrived in Stormwind City without incident on the third evening.

To be continued.