Rustle, rustle. The sound of hurried footsteps approached. Lireesa arrived with her Rangers, just in time to witness Arthas resurrect a fallen compatriot. It wasn't resurrection through necromancy, but a true, complete revival!
"Is there something you need, Ranger General?" Arthas said coolly, a shield in one hand and a sword in the other. Behind him, his High Elf followers instinctively raised their bows and staves, faintly positioning themselves against Lireesa.
Seeing her compatriots' reaction, Lireesa knew that nothing she could say would be of any use. A prince who could bring the dead back to life—such astonishing power was something no one could refuse.
"Thank you for your assistance, Your Highness. This resurrection spell must be a great burden on you, isn't it?"
"Yes, I must pay a portion of my lifespan as the price to call back their souls. But it is all worth it. They now share life and death with me. I am willing to do this for any warrior who fights against the Horde. The birth of every life is not easy. Whether it is heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a goose feather depends on one's actions. Ranger General, if you have something to say, please speak directly." Arthas's reply, with its talk of sacrificing his lifespan to resurrect them, made his followers even more fanatical. It was a deeply moving act.
As for those who coveted his power? If they weren't Fanatics, then they harbored ill intentions. He would just find an opportunity to send them to their deaths. It would kill two birds with one stone, completing a mission while also eliminating a future threat.
Lireesa looked at the forest in the distance, her tone unable to hide her excitement. "Could we speak in private?"
"Of course. Falric, have someone take Mareecia and the others to find Marlene. She will arrange things for them. Ranger General, this way, please." After giving his orders, Arthas made an inviting gesture. Lireesa was still the Ranger General; she could retain this honorific even after stepping down. Plus, as the matriarch of the Windrunner family, she held many honors.
The two went to Windrunner Spire. It was still somewhat dilapidated, having not been repaired since the previous battle ended.
Lireesa dismissed her handmaidens and personally poured a cup of tea for Arthas. "Your Highness, this is the finest peacebloom tea. Please, enjoy."
"Let's speak directly. We are both busy; there's no need for pleasantries." Arthas picked up the teacup and sniffed it.
Peacebloom was the most common herb; for a novice herbalist, the first herb they gathered was peacebloom. Its value and efficacy were thought to be very low, but in reality, this herb was a versatile ingredient that could be used in almost any potion without destroying any of its medicinal effects. It was simply magical!
What was most magical was that this herb was not expensive, but in fact very cheap, resilient, and extremely easy to grow.
Lireesa collected her thoughts, looked at the brilliant sky outside the tower, and said, "I want you to help me resurrect my husband."
"What do I get in return?" Arthas did not agree, instead replying with a somewhat callous question.
"I will consent to Alleria's marriage to you." Lireesa was clearly aware of this. Her daughter would not hide anything from her mother.
"Humans already have short lifespans, and you want me to sacrifice more of it to resurrect your husband. Do you think Alleria would be happy? One is her lover, the other is her father." Arthas's smile was playful.
His superficial politeness was not a sign of being easygoing, but a desire to obtain something better.
Lireesa raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself, You have a Dragon Aspect's blessing, how could you have a short life?
"What do you want?"
"You don't really believe in immortality, do you? The conditions for resurrection are extremely harsh. It's not a guarantee; there are conditions. Do you think having a Dragon Aspect's blessing means you can do whatever you want? Even the Dragon Aspects can die, let alone mortal races. Ranger General, your request is very difficult for me to fulfill." Arthas raised his index finger and wagged it. He couldn't help even if he wanted to; he didn't have that ability.
Lireesa took a deep breath. She thought Arthas was just trying to raise the price. "What do you want? Taking in High Elf refugees without permission—this act of plunder could provoke a war! I can step forward to vouch for you and provide an explanation. I implore you, resurrect my husband!"
"Do you love your husband very much?" Arthas's tone was faintly playful, with an inscrutable quality to it.
"We fought against the Trolls together, raised Alleria and the others together, and went through so much." Lireesa recounted many past events. The love of High Elves was for one and one alone; there would be no second, nor would they take lovers. For them, wounds of the heart were difficult to heal, so they would almost only ever love one person in their entire lives.
Arthas stroked the teacup, took a deep breath, but still shook his head and refused.
"You must know that I resurrected Lirath. Didn't Alleria tell you the price?"
"What price?" Lireesa was a little puzzled. She had indeed not heard Alleria mention it to her. Perhaps it was not something easy to talk about.
"The price is that after the resurrection, I enter a weakened state and need a medium to mate with. At that time, it was Alleria who mated with me, which is how I was able to resurrect Lirath. To be honest, I don't want to do it. This kind of resurrection requires a huge price. You will never understand the pain of having your soul torn apart, so I refuse." Arthas's eyes turned ice-cold. When he spoke of the pain, he couldn't help but clench his fist so tightly that the veins bulged!
Lireesa had no reason to doubt him. Such a heaven-defying resurrection spell couldn't possibly come without a price. In fact, there was no price at all, just a bit of mana. This was the resurrection spell given by the system. Apart from a twenty-four-hour cooldown, there really was no other cost.
If Arthas didn't make it sound so severe, he might become a tool in the hands of some powerful figure, a tool used solely for resurrection.
Argus: Are you throwing shade at me, you little brat!
A trace of surprise flashed in Lireesa's eyes. She hadn't expected that her son's resurrection had come at the cost of her daughter's body. She knew it wasn't impossible, and from the look on Arthas's face, he seemed to utterly detest this kind of forced resurrection.
"I was being presumptuous. My apologies, Your Highness."