Although Andreas felt a deep revulsion toward Queen Azshara's reckless behavior in summoning demons, as the monarch of the vast Night Elf Empire, Azshara possessed her own pride.
Having unexpectedly lost the duel, Azshara made no excuses and did not lash out in anger. She kept her word, returning Tyrande to Andreas without further ado and even arranging for the Moon Guards to escort the trio during their withdrawal from the capital.
The flying demons of the Burning Legion were held back by the Moon Guards, forced to watch as the Gryphon transformed from Andreas accelerated and vanished from sight.
"Hmm?"
Not far outside the city where the Gryphon swept past, a shirtless Night Elf carrying a cloth bundle looked up toward the sky, sensing something.
"What kind of strange bird is that?"
This blindfolded Night Elf frowned as he "watched" the Gryphon recede. He felt as though he had missed something of great importance.
"Forget it, business first." Clenching his fist tightly, the blind man gazed firmly toward Zin-Azshari. "Tyrande, wait for me. This time, I will prove to you that my concern for you far exceeds Malfurion's!"
...
"Aaaaaah! So fast!"
On the Gryphon's back, Leticia was experiencing such a thing for the first time. She shouted at the top of her lungs in a mix of terror and exhilaration.
Tyrande hugged the girl, keeping their bodies as low as possible to reduce the wind pressure. She slapped the Gryphon's back in dissatisfaction and shouted, "Can't you show some consideration for us? Besides, you've only just recovered from your injuries. What if we encounter demons blocking our path while you're acting so recklessly!"
"Relax," Andreas replied confidently, adjusting his course mid-air. "The route I chose was verified through practice on the way here. While I can't say it's absolute, the probability of encountering demons is extremely low."
Andreas had taken a long time to arrive precisely because he spent considerable effort researching safe evacuation routes. After multiple attempts, he had selected an optimal flight path that almost entirely avoided the Burning Legion.
After leaving Zin-Azshari, Andreas flew south, crossing the border of the Night Elf Empire by the following evening and entering northern Nazmir, which belonged to the Zandalari.
Nazmir was an endless expanse of primordial rainforest. The moisture here was exceptionally abundant. Without the constant-temperature magic found within the Night Elf Empire, the hot and humid climate made Tyrande and Leticia—who had never left the empire before—feel quite uncomfortable.
"Bear with it. We won't be staying here for long."
Upon entering Nazmir, Andreas slowed his flight speed. The sight of various exotic flying creatures above the rainforest—creatures rarely seen within the empire—made Leticia's eyes sparkle. Tyrande also observed the unique landscape, so different from her homeland, with a gaze of wonder.
As the "traffic" in the sky increased and they had left the dangerous outskirts of Zin-Azshari, Andreas abandoned his explosive flying style in favor of a stable, controlled cruising flight.
Now within Zandalari territory, Andreas thought of Shandris, who had followed the diplomatic mission to Pandaria. I wonder if that girl's journey has been smooth. Judging by the departure time, they should have entered Pandaria by now, right?
...
At the foot of the Kun-Lai Summit in northern Pandaria, a team of dozens of Night Elves was moving southward. Several members of this squad were injured; even Shandris had a bandage wrapped around her left arm, with spots of dark red blood seeping through. Clearly, their journey thus far had not been easy.
"Everyone stop. We will camp here today."
Wotta Moonscar, the leader of the mission whose eyes were bloodshot, ordered them to set up camp on the spot. Although his armor—enchanted with self-cleaning spells—remained spotless, his hair visible beneath his helmet had lost the smoothness it had at the start. His messy hair and heavy dark circles under his eyes made him look extremely haggard.
"Ha... finally, we can rest."
Lainera the Druid slumped limply against Shandris. Having grown close to this familiar and boisterous Druid, Shandris rolled her eyes helplessly and carefully supported her as she sat on the ground.
Lainera's previously smooth cheek now bore three minor scars arranged in parallel, seemingly caused by the same enemy.
The final battle within Zuldazar had severely overtaxed the mission's combatants. Had it not been for an unidentified individual intervening at a critical moment, they likely would have struggled to escape the clutches of those annoying giant bats.
Leaving the muggy and humid Zuldazar, the mission entered the Kun-Lai Summit in northern Pandaria. As soon as they stepped into this region, the humid heat was swept away, replaced by a dry, cool breeze that refreshed the weary members.
After navigating the narrow, winding mountain paths of Kun-Lai—during which a few unlucky souls fell into deep valleys due to lapses in concentration—Shandris and the others finally left the mountains and reached a relatively level area.
Due to Andreas's reminder about the Pandaren's schedule, Wotta had begun having the members adjust to the time difference before they even set out. They traveled by day and rested by night. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain to camp, the sky was filled with the glow of sunset.
...
Perhaps due to being in a high-altitude mountain range, the night sky of Kun-Lai was exceptionally magnificent. The brilliant Milky Way provided clear illumination for the dark night.
Shandris, on watch duty, stared at the waning moon in the sky, somewhat lost in thought. I wonder if Andreas has rescued the Mentor yet. Infiltrating Zin-Azshari, the enemy's headquarters, must be extremely difficult. I hope he completes his mission smoothly as well.
Rustle~
A faint friction sound suddenly came from the sparse shrubs nearby. Shandris immediately snapped back to attention, aiming her bow and arrow at the source of the sound. To avoid causing a panic in the camp through over-nervousness, she did not shout a challenge rashly.
Merciful Moon Goddess, grant me the light to dispel the darkness.
A simple divine spell took effect following Shandris's silent prayer. A beam of soft moonlight shone onto the yellow-green bushes.
"Wait! Don't attack! I mean no harm!"
A slightly shrill voice came from within the bushes. Then, a small creature, not even as tall as Shandris's legs, walked out with its hands raised. This short being wore a fuzzy, warm hat that covered most of its face, and a long black beard grew from its chin. Its appearance was quite peculiar.
Shandris did not lower her guard, keeping her arrow pointed at the figure. "Who are you? Why were you hiding in the shadows observing us?"
The unique creature carried a large pack several times its own height. He pointed to the backpack behind him and explained, "I am a passing Grummle merchant. I only hid to observe out of curiosity and caution. I truly mean no harm!"
"Grummle?" Shandris recalled the information Andreas had told her before she left.
"When Elune blessed me with power, she also granted me certain knowledge, including the customs and geography of Pandaria."
"The Grummles are a kind and gentle race. They support themselves through honest trade and commerce."
"Due to their alliance in the rebellion against the Mogu Empire's enslavement, the Grummles maintain a good relationship with the Pandaren."
"If you encounter them at Kun-Lai Summit, you might be able to ask them to lead the way and introduce you to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. You just need to pay an equivalent fee for it."
Looking at the Grummle, who wore a flattering smile beneath the brim of his hat, Shandris chose to trust Andreas's intelligence. She slowly lowered her longbow, trying to show her goodwill.
"Mr. Grummle, we are a diplomatic mission from the Night Elf Empire. We have important matters to discuss with the King of the Pandaren. Can you lead the way for us? Of course, we will pay an appropriate reward."