Shadow Trails in Azeroth

The pirate's words made Pope Fao very silent.

It can be seen that he is very conflicted now. He probably recognizes Black's ability, but he is hesitant about whether to let him solve a hidden worry in his heart.

After all, this way of doing things is not in line with the code of conduct of Holy Light believers.

It even goes beyond the limits of a sincere believer.

But after witnessing the thing in the abyss today, and personally feeling the twisted power that could easily shatter the sanity of mortals, the Pope's worries have become heavier.

Whether it was in the name of salvation or in the name of faith, he had to make a decision immediately.

So after many minutes of reflection, the old man removed his hand from the holy object.

He made a religious gesture on his chest, and after whispering a prayer, his expression became serious, and he said to the old lich and the pirate in a deep voice:

"What I'm going to tell you next is confidential information that only a few archbishops and I know about in the Holy Light Church. Just as little Drake said.

Once this matter is disclosed, it is likely to affect the foundation of Holy Light's orthodox faith.

Therefore, I ask you both to keep it confidential.

until it is satisfactorily resolved. "

"If you want to keep a secret from someone, the best thing to do is don't tell them."

When the old lich heard that this matter was related to secrets, he shook his head.

He took a step back and said to Fao and Black:

“After confirming that the darkness underground in Tirisfal has been eliminated, I will begin to investigate other dark things scattered on this land.

I have summoned the members of the Council of Tirisfal. They will soon be in Dalaran. I must announce to them what I have discovered and ask for their help.

Since this matter is an internal matter of the Holy Light Church, as a lich with a sensitive identity, I will not participate.

In the eyes of Holy Light fanatics, a creature like me that transcends life and death is also an evil that needs to be eliminated. Of course, if you two can't solve this matter in the end,

My companions and I were more than happy to lend a helping hand. "

After saying that, the old lich nodded to Faao and the pirates in style, tapped his staff, and summoned a portal to the city of Lordaeron.

This was the shortcut left for Blake and the Pope to get out of here.

With the Lich's delicate spellcasting, he could ensure that the portal would still be in effect after they finished talking about the secret, and he himself waved his hand to open a magic door leading to Dalaran, intending to leave.

"Hey, Meri."

Black shouted to the old lich:

"Don't forget what you promised me and teach her well."

The Lich waved his hand without looking back, indicating that he understood.

The next moment, his figure was swallowed up by the arc of teleportation. After the light dimmed, only the Pope and the pirate were left on the hillside.

There is also a silly little fish man.

On the rock beside him, he was holding his own dagger and looking left and right with his big eyes wide open.

"Don't mind Meili's indifference, Your Majesty."

The pirate grinned, took off his pipe, refilled it with tobacco, and said to the Pope:

"After the old guy changed his job to a lich, his mortal emotions became even more indifferent. That's what it means when you cross the door of death, you must leave something behind.

That doesn't mean he becomes a bad guy.

He's just no longer a good guy in the general sense, and you can still trust him. Of course, when it comes to things like salvation, don't leave it to him.

Who knows what kind of madness his lich brain filled with death will suddenly go crazy. "

Black held the pipe in his mouth, took out the hilt of the flaming sword, and injected a little magic power into it.

Whoosh.

A surge of rolling flames turned into a scorching sword light, igniting the tobacco at the top of the pipe, and then dissipated as the magic power dissipated. The worn sword hilt was turned around in the pirate's hand and put back into his pocket.

Tsk tsk.

Tibu brand magic lighter, whoever uses it knows.

cool!

Charming +1000!

"Speak, Your Majesty, you are the elder, I will listen patiently."

The pirate leaned against the tree trunk next to him, picked up his pipe, blew out a plume of smoke, and made a "please" gesture to the Pope.

Now that he has been honest, the latter doesn't hesitate much.

After organizing his language, he said:

"It's exactly what you said, little Drake. In fact, before today, I had heard of it and even had personal contact with similar dark forces, and it was demonstrated to me by one of my most outstanding students.

The difference is that you told me that this power is called void and comes from the abyss.

And my students told me that it originated from the creation under the light, from the shadow that coexisted with the holy light. As a result, she developed a set of dark doctrines that were very dangerous and seductive. "

The Pope turned the rosary in his hand, which was the old man's unique action when he was thinking and recalling. He sighed and said:

"My student's name is Natalie Serling."

"Before the orcs burst into Azeroth from the Dark Portal, she was one of the bishops of the Church of the Holy Light in the Kingdom of Stormwind. She was a very holy and fanatical priest who firmly believed in the Holy Light.

She once presided over the Holy Land of Holy Light at North County Monastery, trained many outstanding priests for the church, and often cured diseases for people near the monastery for free.

She is well-respected in the Kingdom of Stormwind, and despite her young age, many churchgoers believe that Natalie will eventually become the Archbishop of the Kingdom of Stormwind.

That's what everyone expected.

I thought so too, until the First Orc War broke out.

That war destroyed a kingdom, displaced countless people, and changed the fate of many people, including my poor student. "

Blake was listening carefully.

Even though he already knew the story.

The Pope paused, took a deep breath, as if to prevent some sadness from spreading, and continued:

"Natalie lost a lot in that war, she saw her friends killed by orcs and the monastery she called home destroyed.

She saw villages burned by orcs, people slaughtered, and cities razed to the ground.

She did her best to treat every injured person she met.

But her personal power is ultimately limited.

And the power of the Holy Light, before the appearance of the Paladins, was indeed not often used in combat.

Natalie wants to save the country she loves so much, but she can't.

The pain overwhelmed her.

After she was brought back to Stratholme, when I saw the broken light in her eyes, I knew that my former disciple had died on the battlefield.

What exists before me is just a frustrated person whose past has been destroyed.

After returning to Northern Xinjiang, she began to use the power of the Holy Light in combat uncharacteristically, and firmly believed that in order to defeat the orcs, she must first understand their dark power.

For this reason, she secretly learned the sorcerer's magic in private, just like you are doing now. "

The Pope glanced at Black, and the pirate shrugged and said:

"I'm not cheating on you, Your Majesty, I'm studying openly. Okay, okay, don't show that stern expression, Your Majesty, please continue talking.

I won't interrupt. "

"When I tell you Natalie's story, I'm not just asking you to help her, Blake. I also want to use this example to tell you not to go too far in the shadow of the warlock's magic."

The Pope gave some advice and continued to tell the story of his disciple.

He turned his rosary beads and said:

"Natalie's study progressed quickly. She believed that the orc warlocks borrowed their power from other places. Relying on pure warlock magic, they could not break through the protection of the North County Monastery.

So, she secretly went to the Kingdom of Stormwind, which was occupied by the orcs, and searched for the dark artifacts of the warlocks on some battlefields contaminated by dark magic.

I heard that Natalie captured some orc captives on the battlefield, used some cruel methods that Holy Light Walkers should not use, and forced them to find out their secrets about the dark artifact.

She learned that the orcs once used an alien blade in their bloody rituals.

It is said that the blade can control the shadow itself.

My disciple was very worried about the existence of such a blasphemous weapon. She continued to trace its whereabouts, and in a letter to me, she vowed to destroy it in the name of the Holy Light.

At that time, I felt that my disciple had gone too far on a dangerous road.

I asked the spies from Ravenholdt Manor to bring my disciples back to Northern Xinjiang, but before the assassins could set out, Natalie took the initiative to return to Lordaeron.

She told me excitedly that she had found the weapon and wrested it back from a group of orc warlocks. "

The Pope clenched his fists in pain and said:

“She showed me the dark blade like a happy little girl.

She told me she couldn't destroy the dagger, at least not yet.

How could one defeat a force she didn't understand, she said? In order to destroy that dark artifact, she still needs to understand and learn many things.

I really should have stopped her then.

But Natalie assured me that she would destroy that dark weapon. She was so determined, and the holy light shining on her body seemed to tell me that my disciple was still walking on the road of holiness.

So I.

I made a mistake.

I allowed Natalie to continue working on it.

But soon some church members reported to me that they saw Natalie alone in the church in the dark night, talking to the dagger in her hand.

It was as if a spirit was talking to her and teaching her some dangerous knowledge.

I immediately realized the seriousness of the problem.

The power of that weapon can disguise the appearance of holy light to hide it from the detection of priests like me. It is more dangerous than I imagined!

But by the time I found Natalie, my disciple had already left. She seemed to have a premonition of my actions, or the evil thing informed her in advance.

She only left one sentence for me. "

The old pope turned the rosary in his hand and repeated his disciple's words, saying:

"She said, I know there is a price for doing this, and there will always be a price for walking in the shadows, but I have made a decision. Please allow me to put on this black coat, and I will use it to protect the light."

"Sounds like a hero."

The pirate smoked his pipe and said:

“But I know that those of you who believe in the Holy Light will call this behavior ‘fall’.”

"Natalie is a hero born in the Holy Light, no one can slander this!"

The Pope opened his eyes and said to Blake:

"Before the Second War began, Natalie and her fanatical followers began hunting orcs on the battlefields of Stormwind Kingdom.

But some of the methods they used even went beyond the limits of cruelty. I am now very worried about whether my disciple has crossed that taboo.

More importantly, Blake, you have no faith. You cannot understand the impact that a shadow that can coexist with the Holy Light will have on faith once it is revealed.

It will destroy the foundation of faith in the Holy Light.

In peacetime, I would love to discuss the teachings of light and shadow with Natalie, but not now!

That's what I want you to do, Blake.

Go to the Dusk Forest, bring back Natalie and the dangerous dark artifact, and bring her back to the light before she is completely lost to the temptation of the void.

She didn't know what kind of power she was dealing with. "

"Well, actually, I think Archbishop Natalie may know that she is using the void power."

The pirate straightened up and said to the Pope:

"But since I am a Templar Assassin, His Majesty the Pope has issued a mission, and I must complete it. It just so happens that I have an informant in the Twilight Forest, so it shouldn't be difficult to find her.

But before I set off, Your Majesty the Pope, let’s discuss the ‘reward’ I need. "

"what do you want?"

When the Pope asked, the pirate took out a strange holy symbol from his pocket and threw it into Fao's hand. He said:

"You know what this is, right?"

"This is the holy symbol of the Church of Storms."

Fao looked at the things in his hands and said:

"It was a religion established by the Tide Sages of your Kingdom of Kul Tiras. There are many believers on the sea. Is there anything wrong with it?"

"There's nothing wrong with it."

Blake grinned and said to the Pope:

“But this is the reward I want.

Your Majesty, I need you to launch a holy war on the level of faith to completely destroy the influence of the Church of Storms on the sea!

I want to ask you to use the power of faith to send all the pagans in my hometown into their tidal hell.

I mean

Leave no one behind! "