At the Dark Portal, a small squad of Orcs crossed over once again. After identifying their direction, they avoided the surveillance of the Alliance troops and slipped away. This small team used Shadow Magic as cover; aside from the initial spatial fluctuations of the crossing, they remained hidden in the darkness at all times.
"Strange, it felt like there was some movement at the Dark Portal just now." A Watchtower Fortress Mage looked toward the portal with suspicion. The portal, a swirling mix of green and black, remained as unfathomable as ever. The Mages of Dalaran had been trying to close it, but without a viable method, they could only monitor it and look for a solution. Magic involving space was extremely dangerous; if handled poorly, the violent energy could tear the entire region to shreds.
"There's nothing over there, not even a rat." A guard shook his head. Being assigned to duty in this godforsaken place meant even taking a bath was an issue. While others returned to luxury, they were here suffering; no one was in a good mood.
On the other side, Taron Bloodmage deactivated the Shadow Magic and ordered the squad to move out to find Goblins. Those greedy creatures would sell their own parents if the profit was high enough. To obtain the Artifacts, they had to find them.
To open a portal to a new world, the Orcs had to find three Artifacts: the Eye of Dalaran, Medivh's Book, and Sargeras' Staff. These Artifacts were relatively easy to locate. The Eye of Dalaran was in the magical kingdom of Dalaran; it could provide the massive energy required to open the portal. Medivh's Book was in the hands of Khadgar. As the heir to Karazhan, Khadgar knew the whereabouts of Medivh's Book best. With the book, they could find the coordinates of the new world—it was essentially a navigator.
Sargeras' Staff possessed the power to cleave through space, acting as the igniter. Currently, it was placed deep within a tomb. To obtain this Artifact, one had to cross the sea to the Tomb of Sargeras and venture deep inside to find it.
Since this was a clandestine operation, Taron Bloodmage had no large army to command. In the original course of events, he should have had the Shattered Hand Clan, the Thunder God Clan, and the War Song Clan at his disposal. However, the Shattered Hand Clan had surrendered, and the War Song Clan had been recruited by Arthas. The remaining Thunder God Clan couldn't even make it through the Dark Portal. They had tried to cross earlier but were blasted back by cannons on the other side, suffering heavy losses and nearly destroying the Dark Portal in the process.
In the gloom, Taron Bloodmage seemed to hear a voice calling out. In the desolate mountains near the Karazhan region, he found a hiding demon who had inscribed a simple altar. The figure of Kil'jaeden appeared once more.
"You are Taron Bloodmage, are you not?" Kil'jaeden's voice was faint. Karazhan was filled with temporal rifts and turbulence, and it was only near here that he could appear briefly. Azeroth's external defenses were very strong, making it difficult even for the Burning Legion's communications to connect successfully. The defenses set up by the Titan Pantheon back then were quite reliable.
"I am. Who are you!" Taron Bloodmage felt a hint of familiarity but couldn't recall who it was. Kil'jaeden rarely showed his true face, having previously manipulated Ner'zhul and Gul'dan from behind the scenes. Unfortunately, both of those useless fools had failed. Ner'zhul had shrunk back at the critical moment, forcing Kil'jaeden to use Gul'dan. He hadn't expected Gul'dan to betray him, causing the Horde's efforts to fall short and the carefully planned invasion to fail, which infuriated him.
"I am Kil'jaeden, leader of the Burning Legion. As long as you complete my task, I can grant you immense power. Go to Karazhan, follow him, and I will bestow great power upon you. As long as you continue to serve me, you will receive even more!" Kil'jaeden could not descend directly, but he could grant these tools a fraction of his power through certain means.
When Taron Bloodmage followed the demon dazed towards the Karazhan magical tower, he saw a concentrated surge of green Fel Energy. It was filled with chaos and madness, yet accompanied by immense power. This power was so pure that he couldn't help but desire it.
"Ah!" The moment Taron Bloodmage touched the Fel Energy, his entire body was eroded and melted by it. He was transformed into a demonic form; even the shape of his corpse changed into another form of life! This brand-new existence filled him with joy. He clenched his fists, feeling the pain and the power, and at that moment, his resolve hardened. Even if it meant betraying the Orcs or betraying Ner'zhul, he would obtain this formidable power!
Lordaeron, Royal City.
The evening banquet continued with glasses clinking. Gentlemen and socialites mingled as an elven band played melodious music, and nobles danced and conversed. Every face beamed with a smile. After the war, there was bound to be reconstruction work, which meant a massive amount of business!
Arthas was chatting and laughing with other princes and high lords. Present were the High Lord of Hearthglen, Tirion Fordring—the same "Old Fordring" who would later lead the charge against the Lich King—General Abbendis, High Lord Darius of Gilneas, and High Lord Mograine of Lordaeron, among others. These were all figures who had left, or would leave, a significant mark on history. More importantly, these high lords were not pedantic. When it was time for them to give money, they gave; when it was time for effort, they labored without complaint. They were the model of hard-working vassals.
It was precisely because of these high lords that Arthas had not proposed changing the system of feudal lordships. These individuals performed their duties so brilliantly that their light overshadowed the inactive barons and viscounts below them. To bring it up now would be inappropriate and might even provoke resentment. Changing the feudal system meant cutting off people's livelihoods, which would shake their loyalty. There was no need to test loyalty right now; another time would be better.
"Thanks to the sea fish provided by Your Highness, otherwise we would have gone hungry." Darius laughed as he raised his glass. "I toast to Your Highness!"
"You're welcome. It was my duty, all for the Alliance." Arthas raised his glass in response. It was incredibly easy for the Naga and Murlocs under his command to gather seafood. Furthermore, the resources near the coast were rarely developed; unless people were driven to madness by poverty, no one would risk their lives going into the water, staying at the shore at most. Encountering Murlocs was no joke; those savage, primitive creatures would swarm and tear any living thing to shreds, then eat them alive.