"Honored Warchief, the boundary between life and death is not impassable. You can trust us; we have broken free from the Lich King's control. We are now a free people of the undead, and we are mortal enemies of the Scourge. We shall have our revenge against that sinner, Arthas.
The Forsaken control vital lands in Lordaeron and can serve as the Horde's bridgehead into the Eastern Kingdoms. More importantly, the Alliance... they will not accept us. But the Horde might grant us the space to survive, and in return, we will give everything to the Horde," the Forsaken envoy declared.
Before leaving, he had been given special instructions by his two leaders. To the Alliance, they had sent only a token messenger without even a formal letter, uncertain if the envoy would even return. But for the mission to the Horde, he bore a heavy responsibility: he had to find a suitable ally for the Forsaken.
Thrall remained silent, weighing the matter carefully. The fledgling Horde was still weak and needed allies. These Forsaken represented a force that could not be ignored, especially now that the Alliance seemed to be rising again in the Eastern Kingdoms.
Scouts had reported that the Regent of Lordaeron, Rhodes, had returned from Outland with a powerful army, setting his sights directly on Lordaeron City. Furthermore, the Alliance had built a new city on Kalimdor called Theramore and allied themselves with the Night Elves.
Thrall had witnessed the might of the Night Elves at Mount Hyjal. Unlike the Horde, the Alliance had only sent a handful of representatives to that battle, yet they maintained a massive standing army elsewhere on Kalimdor. This was a significant threat to the Orcs. Although Thrall had signed a non-aggression pact with Rhodes and considered him a friend on the surface, he didn't truly trust him. Having been raised in human society, Thrall knew all about treachery; acting like brothers while looking for a place to plant a dagger was common practice among humans.
If the Alliance fully consolidated northern Lordaeron, it would be a massive threat to the Horde's future. Accepting the Forsaken would be like driving a nail into the Alliance's backyard.
But... an alliance with the undead? What would Cairne Bloodhoof think? Would the Tauren druids, who revere the balance of nature, accept this? These were things he had to consider.
"I have heard your intent, but this is a matter of great gravity," Thrall finally spoke slowly. "I need time to consider and to hear the opinions of the other Horde leaders. You may stay in Orgrimmar for now, but remember: do not cause unnecessary panic."
"I await your reply, Warchief," the messenger bowed slightly and withdrew.
Thrall walked to the window, looking out at the busy construction of his city, balancing the pros and cons. If he accepted them, how would he convince his people to live alongside the undead? It was no joke. Furthermore, he couldn't be certain if these "Forsaken" were truly free or if this was a convoluted trap by the Scourge. If it was a plot, the Horde would be led into an abyss.
Initially leaning toward a refusal to avoid the risk, Thrall was interrupted by a Tauren druid.
"Warchief, I sensed no malice in that undead. I can confirm he is free; nature tells me so. He holds no ill intent toward us and sincerely seeks to join. Perhaps you should reconsider," the druid said.
"Are you certain, Hamuul? Does Nature... truly accept such a form?" Thrall's voice was full of doubt. Death and decay were the traditional opposites of life and nature.
Hamuul Runetotem nodded. "Warchief, the whispers of the spirits tell me the fire of his soul is independent; it is no longer bound by that cold will from the north. He is indeed 'free.' However, the spirits also warn that his very existence is a source of sorrow and distortion to the world of the living."
It was a strange paradox. Things that are dead should not linger on Azeroth, yet these undead remained. They violated the laws of nature, yet the spirits of nature accepted them as "pitiful lives." In the eyes of nature, the undead still possessed a form of life.
"Free..." Thrall chewed on the word. If they had truly broken their chains, then in a way, their path mirrored the Horde's own pursuit of liberation. Yet, the fundamental gap remained. "Thank you for your wisdom, Druid. Please rest; I must think alone."
Thrall picked up the letter again, written in both Gutterspeak and Common. The words were earnest, filled with a thirst for vengeance and a plea for a place to belong. It bore the marks of two leaders: one representing a banshee's wail and dark arrows, the other radiating the cold runic power of a Death Knight.
He had heard of Sylvanas Windrunner, the former Ranger-General of the High Elves whose fate was tragic. But this "Highlord Stronk" was an unknown—a Death Knight leader who rose through rebellion rather than the Lich King's appointment. His motives were mysterious. This split in leadership was a risk, but perhaps also an opportunity for the Horde to exert influence.
Thrall summoned his most trusted advisor, Vol'jin of the Darkspear. He laid out the situation.
"What do you think, Vol'jin?"
"Cunning dead ones, Thrall. They're like raptors in a snare, looking for anything to bite through the ropes. The Alliance will turn them away—that is expected. Now they put their hope in us. To join with the dead is a great risk; it is not a good omen in any culture," Vol'jin said.
Thrall nodded, but then Vol'jin's tone shifted.
"But the spirits of the earth tell me... maybe we should take them. It would be good for us," Vol'jin added. He had intended to refuse, but a faint voice—sounding like the earth, yet flavored with death—had entered his mind. Vol'jin recognized it: it was Bwonsamdi, the Loa of Graves.
"Is that so? And what are the benefits?" Thrall asked.
Vol'jin grinned, showing his tusks. "A dagger in the back of the Alliance. The lands of Lordaeron. A perfect jumping-off point into the Eastern Kingdoms. Truth be told, I don't believe those humans will live in peace with us forever. One day, we will clash. And as they say, they are the Scourge's mortal enemies.
An enemy's enemy can be a temporary friend. The key is whether we can hold the hilt of this dagger without being cut by the blade. This 'Straker'... his presence might check the Banshee Queen. Balance can be found between them." Vol'jin spoke the words prompted by the Loa.
Thrall nodded slowly. Vol'jin's analysis was sharp. The Horde needed strategic depth. On Kalimdor, they faced the hostility of the Night Elves and the growing presence of the Alliance in Theramore. A foothold in the Eastern Kingdoms would change everything.
"You are right, Vol'jin. The Horde needs an ally in the Eastern Kingdoms. We shall accept these pitiful creatures into our family," Thrall finally decided.
Vol'jin nodded. It was the will of Bwonsamdi.
Meanwhile, beneath the towering yet silent walls of Lordaeron City, the Alliance army led by Rhodes had completed its assembly. A flood of steel and Holy Light, their aura of war pierced the very heavens.