When Andreas gave his answer, the atmosphere in the library froze entirely for a fleeting moment.
A cold glint flashed through Azshara's eyes. Though she had been somewhat prepared for the stubbornness of Moon Priestesses after her experiences with Tyrande's unwavering resistance, the choice made by this Druid—this "Favored of the Goddess"—still exceeded her expectations.
"...Are you certain?"
Regaining her composure, Azshara looked at the little Druid across from her, her face devoid of emotion. "I will give you two minutes to reconsider. Tell me your decision after you have properly weighed the gains and losses."
Andreas shook his head. "There is no need for further consideration. I choose the first option."
Azshara fell silent for a moment before saying in a low, heavy voice, "I must remind you of one thing: if you fail to hold out against me for three minutes, not only will your own life be forfeit, but Leticia and the entire Moonsong family will also be dragged down with you."
Andreas turned back and gave Leticia an apologetic look, but his voice remained firm. "I have made my peace with this. Please, Your Majesty, proceed."
"Hmph! Very well. Then I shall grant your wish." Azshara finally ceased hiding her displeasure. With a cold snort, she rose from her desk, her perfect, long legs carrying her toward the exit. "Follow me. There are many precious books here that cannot be destroyed. We shall move to a different location."
...
At the same time, Vashj, who had left the palace earlier, arrived at the Moonsong estate in the Noble District. By now, the Queen's Guard led by Varo'then was already locked in combat with the demons under Tichondrius.
As the most elite guard of the Night Elf Empire, the demons Tichondrius had hastily gathered could not hold their ground against Varo'then's direct charge. The gates of the Moonsong manor, smashed by the demons earlier, were now being forced open by the Royal Guards.
"Ha!" Having received the execution order relayed by Vashj, Varo'then stopped holding back. The massive two-handed sword in his grip sliced through a Felguard he was dueling, cutting the beast clean in half at the waist.
Kicking the remaining lower half of the demon's body away, Varo'then wiped green blood from his face and bellowed orders: "Don't get bogged down with these small fry! Charge into the manor! We must rescue the core members of the Moonsong family!"
Vashj was equally ruthless, plunging her dagger into the heart of a low-ranking Nathrezim. Blue-white lightning erupted from the blade, instantly charring the large bat-like creature.
However, by the time the two led their teams into the interior of the mansion, it was already too late. Because of Liander's stubborn and constant obstruction, the incensed Tichondrius had finally lost his patience and given in to his killing intent.
When Vashj and Varo'then followed the screams and gasps into Leticia's bedroom, Tichondrius's sharp left claw was currently skewering a Highborne whose body dangled in mid-air.
Blood gushed from a hole in the Highborne's chest. He hadn't drawn his last breath yet. Hearing the commotion at the door, the blood-soaked elf struggled to turn his head.
"For... the glory of the Kaldorei... cough!"
Spitting out a final mouthful of blood, the gore-covered Liander finally breathed his last.
"NO!!" A woman in fine dress collapsed in the corner. Upon witnessing this tragic sight, she screamed and fainted.
Varo'then's eyes blazed with fury as he looked at the indifferent murderer. "Tichondrius! Who gave you the right to slaughter a Highborne?!"
"Hmph!" Tichondrius tossed the corpse aside like a broken doll. No longer hiding his true nature, he sneered, "Right? A mere mortal dares to speak to me of rights?"
"You mistook our tolerance for cowardice? You have no idea what the true Burning Legion is." Tichondrius spread his wings, looking monstrous. "Doing exactly as we please—that is the philosophy the Burning Legion follows. You are merely cannon fodder chosen by Lord Sargeras to maintain the portal. Don't think too highly of yourselves!"
"Hand over that damned crow. I doubt you ants wish to suffer the wrath of Lord Archimonde either."
Varo'then suppressed his rage and asked Vashj, "This guy is a high-ranking officer of the Legion. What do we do? You represent the Queen; you call the shots."
Vashj was currently directing the guards to carry the surviving Felice out of the room. Looking at Liander's mangled corpse, the head handmaiden's face was as cold as a frozen lake. "You heard the Queen's order: Execute them all! Regardless of who they are."
"Heh~ then that makes things simple." Varo'then cruelly licked the green blood from the corner of his mouth before spitting it toward Tichondrius. "Pah! Die, demon!"
As the leaders of both sides clashed, the spacious bedroom instantly turned into a battlefield. The soft bed that Leticia loved was demolished in the melee, and the once warm, tidy girl's room was completely ruined.
Tichondrius's razor-sharp claws swung through the room with wide, sweeping motions, clashing against Varo'then's two-handed sword with the sound of screeching metal. The two entered a high-speed rhythm of close-quarters combat. Clad in the highest-grade enchanted armor, Varo'then completely abandoned defense, seizing the offensive with every move. Relying on his massive sword—personally enchanted by Queen Azshara—he gradually began to suppress Tichondrius.
Seeing Varo'then gain the upper hand, Vashj moved through the battlefield like a ghost. Her unpredictable ambushes greatly accelerated the speed at which the Royal Guards cleared out the remaining demons in the room.
The cunning Dreadlords were never demons who excelled in frontal confrontation. Although Tichondrius fought fiercely, he had no intention of dying here. Seeing his subordinates being wiped out and himself being suppressed by Varo'then's superior equipment, the urge to retreat grew within him.
An extreme egoist, Tichondrius was only concerned with how to escape Archimonde's punishment. But as Liander had said before, Andreas was no longer at home. No matter how arrogant Tichondrius was, he didn't dare lead demons to charge the palace directly. His storming of the Moonsong estate was partly to create the appearance that he had exerted his maximum effort, and partly out of a desire to vent his frustration.
There was no point in reasoning with a race as naturally chaotic as demons. Even if they were hailed as the most treacherous and cunning among their kind, the Nathrezim were still demons at their core, sharing the same chaotic evil nature.
After persisting for a while longer and seeing Vashj quietly shift her attention toward him, Tichondrius immediately dissolved into countless small bats and swarmed out of the window.
"Foolish mortals! How dare you openly obstruct the Burning Legion's mission! Just wait for the sky-toppling wrath of Lord Archimonde!"
The ethereal voice faded into the distance. Varo'then clicked his tongue in frustration. "Tsk! Talks big, but ends up abandoning his own subordinates to run away. What a gutless coward!"
Vashj retracted her dagger and walked over to Liander, kneeling beside him. Ignoring the blood covering the former advisor's face, she gently closed his wide-staring eyes. "Rest in peace. The Queen will surely seek justice for you."
...
At the Palace Training Ground, Azshara hadn't even bothered to tie back her hair. With one hand on her hip, she looked at Andreas, who was tightly gripping a rough branch. A trace of impatience and contempt flashed in her eyes.
"Let us begin, little Druid."
"Three minutes. If you can't hold out, don't blame me for being too heavy-handed. The price for choosing wrongly is your life. Struggle with everything you have."