Shadow Trails in Azeroth

Lady Vashj, the Viper Mistress, left the Eternal Palace and immediately prepared to go to the Vashjir Sea.

As the chief maid who has been with the Queen for the longest time, Vashj knows that the Queen can occasionally be very impatient when she is irritable, although most of the time she maintains the magnanimity and wisdom of a king.

However, as the head maid, Vashchi was cautious and unwilling to gamble on this probability.

Besides, it's just a reconnaissance mission and can be completed in a week at most.

However, as she packed her bags, she was still thinking about the Queen's unique order. If the holder of the scepter cannot be captured alive, there is no need to bring back the scepter for the time being.

This sentence is not difficult to understand.

However, the even somewhat contradictory meanings revealed in it surprised the Viper Matron who was smart enough to figure out the Queen's thoughts.

So, is this actually a test? Testing the mortal pirate who stole the Tide Scepter.

Vashj walked out of her underwater residence. She had completed the necessary preparations for her journey. In the military camp outside the city, her two lieutenants had also selected elite soldiers and were waiting for her to join them.

A lucky guy will get the Queen's attention through an evil robbery.

The Viper Mistress complained in her heart:

This is something that countless loyal and brave Nagas can only hope for. But it is not easy to get the Queen's attention. It seems that he needs to plan carefully.

Or, just be more direct.

Vashchi's snake eyes narrowed, and while swimming to the military camp outside the city, she quickly designed a set of procedures in her mind.

Ma'am, everything is ready, we can leave at any time!

Ten minutes later, in a valley in the undersea mountain range outside Nazjatar City, the Serpent Mother's adjutant, Deepwater Lord Calathres, carrying his rough warhammer on his back, came to report to the Serpent Mother.

This male naga warlord looks ferocious, has a cunning mind, and is deeply trusted by Vashj.

Compared with the shrewd and capable one, the other lieutenant of the mistress is much worse.

Where's Naintus?

With a hint of strong dissatisfaction, Vashki crossed her arms across her chest and scolded:

I've obviously given the order to assemble! Why hasn't it come yet?

Naintus should be in the slave training ground, immersed in venting his anger on the disobedient sea giant, Mistress, it has become crazy since it was transformed.

Deepwater Lord Calathres rolled his eyes and took the opportunity to apply eye drops to his colleagues. It pretended to sigh and said:

But please don't feel angry about it, Mistress.

My powerful compatriot Naintus is still as loyal and brave to the Queen and you as before, but its already chaotic thinking cannot allow it to perfectly perform its duties as a warlord.

But that’s not to blame.

After all, the reason why it became what it is now is because of the injuries it sustained while fighting for the Queen on the battlefield.

There are so many invincible warriors under the Queen's command. To the Supreme Queen, one commander with brains is better than thousands of brave but reckless lunatics.

Vashj said in a cold tone:

Go and send someone to retrieve it. Tell it that if it wants to fight the shameless foreign enemies as a conqueror of the Queen, it will come back obediently.

This time, there are plenty of battles for it to fight.

As you command, Mistress.

The obedient Lord of Deepwater swayed his snake body forward to convey the order. Vashj watched it leave, having already made a slightly cruel decision in her heart.

Azshara's champion, High Warlord Naintus is indeed powerful and brave.

Vashj has no doubts about her fervent loyalty to her queen.

The Viper Mistress really misses the time when Naintus was not crazy. At that time, he was the Mistress's most trusted lieutenant and the most valiant warrior under the Queen's command.

Unfortunately, it has now become a delinquent maniac. The damage caused by such an unruly and violent madman to his own people is even far greater than its attacks on the battlefield.

Then let it continue to contribute to the Queen's cause.

Just like it did in the last war with the sea giant, it will die for the Queen again!

Its brain, driven mad by the power of the void, would not refuse this honor. It can be regarded as giving it a good death so that it will no longer suffer from the unexplained and crazy pain it is experiencing now.

The provocation of a lunatic can just test the pirate's power for the Queen.

Vashchi thought so in her mind, she looked at the elite army that had been assembled in front of her, waved and made a gesture, and immediately a tall Naga flag officer raised Vashchi's battle flag and marched toward her mightily. Advance into the deep dark sea outside the city.

At the same time, on the island of Tol Barad, in Narthalas College on the South Island, on Dean Blue Moon's favorite observation deck, several senior instructors from the college were gathering here.

On the table in front of them was the Shaladar Tide Scepter brought back by Blake.

This scepter, known to all the elves and ghosts present, was suspended in the center of the table with magical power. There was a circle of people surrounding it. Except for Blake, who was leaning on the railing and drinking, everyone was silent.

Farodis, you are the one who has the most contact with the Queen among us. With your memory and knowledge, can you confirm whether it is true or false?

Dean Lanyue asked cautiously.

Prince Farodis beside her nodded and said in a serious tone:

I can confirm that this is the scepter that accompanied the Queen back then. It was donated by Lord Xavius ​​and strengthened by the Queen herself. Bathed in the light of the Well of Eternity, it becomes more noble and powerful at the same time.

It does have a lot of heavy magic enhancements on it, carrying at least nineteen different spell effects, each of which is very powerful.

On the other side of Dean Blue Moon, Archmage Elan constantly used detection magic to stimulate the scepter, causing different magical effects to float on its surface.

These magics were released by Queen Azshara herself, and we cannot crack them in a short time.

High-level mage Deliana looked regretful and with some respect as a spellcaster, and said to the others:

It's frustrating that we can't even understand how they work. Ten thousand years have passed, but Queen Azshara is still the same amazingly talented ruler of the empire.

Her manipulation and understanding of magic has even reached new levels, while we're still treading water.

Don't be depressed, Deliana.

The Shame of the Academy Instructor Netir grabbed her wand and comforted her friend. She said optimistically:

We can also learn from the magic of this scepter.

Study? Who gave you the courage to say such things?

Deliana complained dissatisfiedly:

How can you learn something that you can't even see? Are you just like a child learning to speak, copying the magic first?

Huh, that's what I planned.

Netir snorted, crossed her arms and said:

I can't understand why it doesn't stop me from 'copying homework'. I first copy the mana models of these magics, and then study them point by point. We are dead now.

The good thing about dead people is that time loses its meaning to us.

If you paint for hundreds or thousands of years, you will be able to fully understand it. Although this method is stupid, it is very effective.

Ahem, can I express my opinion?

Blake, who was drinking outside the crowd, suddenly stretched out his hand, just like a primary school student raising his hand to ask a question. When others looked at him, the Grand Master of the Warlock School shrugged and said with a hint of drunkenness:

You spirit beings had better not study the magic on the scepter too deeply. A knowledgeable friend of mine told me that those magics are a combination of arcane magic and void.

Azshara did not give up researching new magic after becoming a naga.

She grabbed the darker knowledge from her 'collaborators', extended it with her own supreme wisdom, and combined it with her own knowledge to form this unique spellcasting system.

You see, no problem.

But don't learn it, let alone take the initiative to copy it. You will hear some weird sounds, see some terrible illusions, have nightmares all night long, and finally have a mental breakdown and your spirit body will disappear.

I don't want my dear mentors to suffer like this.

Blake is right. After thousands of years of coexisting with the void, this scepter has become more dangerous than before. You should not approach it, let alone study it.

In the silence of everyone, Dean Lan Yue said decisively:

Okay. After opening your eyes, you can leave and do your own things. The news that the Tide Scepter is temporarily left in the academy is not allowed to be spread outside.

I will take care of it myself.

Until we find out what kind of power Queen Azshara left behind in this scepter.

After the dean issued the expulsion order, the tutors left obediently, not only because of the majesty accumulated by the dean over the past 10,000 years, but also because the current dean Lan Yue is different from before.

Her way of speaking, acting style and thinking mode are all more neutral, cold and ruthless than before.

This change is normal.

Because Elya Blue Moon is already a lich.

Last night, when her disciples went deep into the Naga territory to kill them, she successfully completed her transformation ceremony without anyone's assistance.

She has ascended to immortality and achieved eternity.

Her emotions belonging to mortal beings are being gradually stripped away as time goes by, and absolute reason is occupying her heart. Perhaps not long after, she will become a person who is strong enough but indifferent enough, just like the current Meri Dongfeng. Guy.

The dean is considered a pioneer.

After her transformation ceremony was successfully completed, Prince Elan and Farodis also began to consider whether to pursue this immortal power.

As for becoming a lich, the most special change is that although Dean Lanyue is still a spirit body, her body has become more solid than before to the point of almost forming a physical entity.

The Nazaras robes could even be held up by her body when she wore them, which made the dean look protruding.

Of course, no tutor or student dared to look at the dean's figure.

Unless they become impatient again in the long time after death.

You can't take it with you.

After the other instructors left, Dean Lanyue pushed up the crystal glasses on the bridge of her nose. She said to Blake in an indifferent voice:

Although I haven't researched it in depth yet, I am certain that Queen Azshara has attached a surveillance-like magic to the scepter. From the time you got it to now, all your actions have been monitored by the queen.

That is, of course, if she's watching.

So, can she see me now and hear me?

Blake blinked, walked forward, adjusted his clothes, made a friendly gesture to the scepter suspended in front of him, and said:

Hello, Her Majesty the Queen, do you have time to come and sit down? I think maybe we can talk about something.

You're drunk, aren't you?

Dean Lan Yue saw her disciple's funny behavior, she shook her head and said:

That's not how this magic works. You should probably spend some time studying how enchantment spells work. I'm very disappointed with your performance at this time.

Maybe you need more homework”

Dean, you have been promoted to a lich, why do you still persist in this habit so stubbornly?

Blake said with a headache:

“I have enough homework.

And I'm just kidding, you lichs really have no sense of humor. Although I wasn't sure before, I probably guessed that the Queen's will exists on this scepter.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought it over to you for inspection as soon as I came back.

I got this scepter back to use it, and I need you to give me a way to use it. As for Azshara's concern, it's not really a big problem.

The pirate raised his head and said seriously to Dean Lanyue:

With Azshara's spellcasting ability, as long as she is willing, she can use prophecy magic to see all my actions, not to mention that I am still on the sea.

Neptulon claims the sea as his domain, but in fact we all know who this sea currently belongs to.

Sooner or later I will get her attention.

This is just a matter of time. In that case, why should we be wary of the surveillance magic left behind by the Queen? This scepter is very powerful, and combined with the Tide Stone, it can make the sea work for us.

In the face of such a powerful force, a small flaw is tolerable. At worst, just lock it in a black box when you're not using it.

Well, this is indeed a solution.

Dean Lanyue nodded. She stretched out her fingers and touched the tidal scepter suspended in mid-air. The cold magic power belonging to the lich surrounded the scepter, and the ice emitted almost froze the surrounding air.

After a few seconds, the dean retracted his finger and said:

Give me a moment and I'll give you a set of instructions for using the Tide Scepter.

Thank you. I knew you were the most reliable, Dean.

Blake grinned and gave a thumbs up. He took a sip of wine and said to the dean:

The dean can also take the opportunity to study the vital essence of the drop of eternal water sealed inside the Tide Scepter to lay the foundation for future careers.

After I complete my Wilderness Trials, I'll make a trip to Kalimdor to bring back the one thing we've been coveting so long ago, that the Academy of Narthalas should have its own magic well.

Why don't we just call it 'The Well of Tides'?