Shadow Trails in Azeroth

"A wave of fear spells first may not be able to control him.

But it doesn’t matter. One killing feast after another, another wave of death falls from the sky, and finally ends in exile, gaining time and escaping into the shadows.

If the attack is interrupted, use the Scroll of Hand of Destiny to save the situation.

Perfect!

That’s it! "

Blake quickly formulated a battle plan in the dark alley.

Pretend to be desperate, but actually slip away.

Escape is just one tactical option for pirates.

There is no need to feel any psychological pressure at all. Besides, this is not his home field. Pirates on land will become weak and not in full condition.

If it were on the sea, on his own ship, he would be happy to compete with the archmage in front of him.

Tonight.

Never mind.

Just as the pirate tiptoed away from the Arcane Eye, approached the Archmage, prepared to launch a wave of massacre feast, and took advantage of the chaos to escape, the prim-looking middle-aged Archmage in front of him suddenly reached out and made a pause gesture.

"Merry is waiting for you."

The mage looked at the alley in front of him.

He actually couldn't detect where the pirates were hiding, he just guessed in a random direction.

This shows that one has great advantages.

He said softly:

"He asked me to take you to a safe place before you cause more trouble. Mr. Assassin, as the person who helped Dalaran recover the Staff of Atiesh, you don't have to sneak in so sneakily.

Dalaran always welcomes well-intentioned visitors, let alone someone as distinguished as yourself.

Come and meet me, Your Excellency. "

The alley was dead silent.

Apparently, the pirates didn't believe him.

"The connection password is"

The middle-aged mage coughed and said expressionlessly:

"Rotten Dalaran will be destroyed."

"Shua"

The pirate jumped out from the Archmage in the next moment, causing the middle-aged mage to raise his eyebrows and tighten his fingers on the staff.

Damn it!

You underestimated him.

"You are really one of your own."

Blake said with a smile:

"You told me the secret code earlier. I thought you were here to support the 'kitten boy' next to you."

"Mage Kel'Thuzad is a very good researcher of magic theory. I would like to ask you not to call him that slightly insulting nickname."

The middle-aged archmage said in a very old-fashioned way:

"This is about the dignity of a promising spellcaster and must be taken seriously."

Blake snorted at this.

Said in a casual tone:

"But you can't deny that he does have an unusually intimate relationship with his cat. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that that soft kitten is the center of his heart."

"This is his personal privacy. Every mage has his own quirks. We respect these secrets without affecting order and safety."

The middle-aged archmage made a "please" gesture towards the portal maintained beside him, and said to Black in a serious manner:

"And in the city of Dalaran, it is not decent to talk about this publicly. Please, Mr. Black, go to my mage tower and wait for a while. Merry will be here soon."

"Well maybe we can change places."

The pirate looked hesitantly at the shining portal in front of him, rubbed his chin and said:

"The last time I went to a mage's mage tower, I encountered a little 'fright', which left a serious psychological shadow on me. Since we are not very familiar with each other, I rashly stepped into your mage tower. It’s a very risky thing for me to do.”

"So, where do you want to go?"

The middle-aged mage was very tolerant. He waved his hand and dismissed the portal, saying to the pirate:

"You are a distinguished guest, so it's up to you to book the place."

"There!"

Black waved his hand and pointed at the tallest building in Dalaran City at night, and he said:

"That place does not belong to any mage in the city. Even the members of the six-person council do not have the power to activate the magic defense of that tower alone.

It's the most visible place in town, but it's also the safest.

As far as I know, on the dome of the Violet Castle, there is a small balcony with a good view and excellent confidentiality. We can just go there to talk about some things.

Are you right? His Excellency Ansrem Ruinvivor. "

"Um?"

The middle-aged archmage suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He was silent for a few seconds and said softly:

"Meili said that you are a very sharp young man. He exaggeratedly said that the whole world has no secrets in front of you. I have obviously put on some disguise, but you still saw through my identity.

Have you seen me before? "

"I have met you many times, Your Excellency the Archmage."

The pirate replied politely:

"You never knew me.

But it doesn't matter, we have enough time to get to know each other before old Merry arrives. Do I have an acquaintance who has the honor of being an Archmage? "

Facing this invitation, Archmage Ansrem nodded implicitly.

He waved his hand to disperse the arcane curtains on both sides of the alley, and as Black walked out of the alley, he waved to the battle mages coming from all directions.

Signaling that there was no danger, let them go on patrol individually.

The two of them walked side by side, without using magic, in a strolling manner, towards the Violet Castle, which was a very peculiar building.

No matter where Blake looked in the city, he could see the castle in the center of the city.

That's the symbol of Dalaran.

It is where the Council of Six is ​​located, representing the incarnation of the highest power in the human magical world.

It is also the largest and tallest building in Dalaran.

It has a unique appearance, consisting of multiple small and medium-sized towers surrounding a central tower, and is embellished with purple defensive crystals. It looks very mysterious, beautiful and mighty.

This violet castle is built on a high tower base. Its status can be understood just from the appearance. It is the dominant building in the entire city of Dalaran.

It is said that it is still built on the magic node of Dalaran.

But compared to the Karazhan Mage Tower that occupies its own space, it lacks a bit of flavor.

"Ten minutes ago, Old Merry asked me to pick up a pirate. I actually refused at first."

On a quiet city path, the archmage holding a staff said softly:

"I am a very traditional and conservative person, and I am also a practitioner of arcane magic. By nature, I don't like people who wantonly violate the rules."

"So what made you change your mind?"

Blake pushed up his top hat and said:

"Is it just because Atiesh returned to Dalaran?"

"That's one of the reasons."

Ansrem smiled and said:

"There's another reason.

A very personal reason, maybe fate, but Mr. Black, the first thing you did after entering Dalaran was enough to make me change my attitude towards you.

You saved my daughter. "

"Ah, that drunken chick."

Blake suddenly understood. He glanced at the Archmage beside him with a strange look and said:

"I was also curious as to how she, an ordinary person, could walk around in the robes of the Kirin Tor mages and have so many magic items on her body.

But with all due respect, Your Majesty the Archmage, you really need to discipline your precious daughter.

A minor was kidnapped by a group of thieves after he went to a crowded bar unescorted and drank so much alcohol that he became unconscious.

You and I both know that this world is a dangerous place.

It’s not every day that she is lucky enough to meet a kind-hearted person like me. "

"Well, the relationship between me and my Caitlin is very complicated. Especially after her mother died unexpectedly, she grew up day by day, and seemed to become a big girl in the blink of an eye.

But that adolescent rebellion came so suddenly. "

Archmage Ansrem looked helpless and said with a sigh:

"I can easily understand complex and profound magic theories, and I can kill violent and evil orcs with a wave of my hand, but I can't understand what my daughter is thinking at all.

Maybe it's because I've been busy helping the Alliance army defeat the orcs in the past few years, leaving her alone in my mage tower, which made her resent me.

But no matter what, Caitlin is the most important pillar and most cherished treasure in my life besides magic.

You prevented a crime tonight and prevented my daughter from a terrible fate.

Whether it's from the perspective of Dalaran's temporary administrator or from the perspective of being a father, I have enough reasons to thank you. "

"No need to thank you."

The pirate waved his hand humbly and said:

"Facing a girl in distress, lending a helping hand is a necessary kindness for us, but I know that as an archmage, you have your own bottom line, and not giving substantial reward will make you feel uneasy.

So, I won't be polite. "

Blake coughed and said to the Archmage beside him:

"To be honest, I am also a spell caster. Although I am still in the stage of self-study, I also have the same thirst for valuable knowledge that spell casters have.

I need a warlock's grimoire.

I know that over the past few years of the war, the mages of Dalaran have collected a lot of similar stuff from the orc warlocks. "

"Huh? Is it so direct?"

Ansrem blinked, and the Archmage said to the pirate in a gentle tone:

"According to tradition, shouldn't it be that I insisted on paying you, and you were hypocritically polite, and finally reached this exchange?"

"But I am a pirate, Lord Archmage. I am what you call a rule breaker, the type of person you hate the most. Just because I saved your daughter does not mean that you will abandon your principles and become friends with me. "

Blake yawned and said without interest:

"It is not my principle to please everyone who meets me and make them like me. Just like if the world makes me feel wronged, I will change it.

I'm very easy going.

Doesn't mean I have to swallow my anger.

Didn't Meri tell you that the reason he was able to be friends with me was because I was different from most people in the world.

I don't consider hypocrisy a necessity.

Archmage, you don’t need to beat around the bush to tell me how much you cherish your daughter.

I'm a very smart person.

I totally understand what you mean.

I am fair and just, I only want my share.

If you want me to do something extra, I have to do an extra thing. "

The pirate stretched out his hand toward Ansrem, crossed his fingers, and said:

"Therefore, I promise to keep these two grimoires away from her and not lead the rebellious girl in your family. The poor caged bird has a strong father who has arranged her future life.

She's miserable enough.

I had no intention of adding any more hardship to that chick's life. "

These words made Archmage Ansrem look at the disguised pirate next to him with a strange look.

He had the urge to take off the disguise from this guy and see what kind of person he really was.

perhaps.

Underneath this disguise is a devil who knows the human heart

The two had only been in contact for a few minutes before he guessed the Archmage's true intention.

"Two grimoires, deal."

The archmage nodded, and the false kindness in his eyes dissipated, revealing the true calm in his eyes. As he said, as a student of arcane power, he has a sincere sense of mission to maintain order.

In this idealistic world, any kind of power will affect the user. Part of the arrogance of the spellcasters comes from the capital they control, but more of it comes from the interference of arcane power.

The power of that order can make them feel like they have the truth, and they can be dismissive of others.

Furthermore, as a father

The Archmage really couldn't accept that his daughter's life was affected by a pirate of unknown origin.

Catherine's adolescent rebellion has already given the Archmage a headache, and he doesn't want to make things worse.

The two people hold hands together, indicating that the exchange is established.

They were separated the next moment.

The pirate also pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands, as if he had come into contact with something dirty.

This action made the Archmage's heart soar with anger.

But he still maintained his demeanor.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're really good at making people hate you."

Ansrem said softly.

"Are you starting to hate me?"

Blake grinned and threw away the handkerchief in his hand. A ball of shadowy flying knives pierced the handkerchief and accurately threw it into a trash can ten meters away.

He said:

"Very good, this is my first step in making friends, generous mage. Dislike will escalate into hatred, hatred will lead to conflict, and conflict will lead to war.

And defeat will turn into fear.

When you fear me from the bottom of your heart, or I start to fear you, we can become true friends. "