Benedictus' words moved many in attendance. Every word he spoke painted a picture of pursuing justice and upholding the law. However, not everyone was as easily deceived as the Church's die-hard followers. Chen, McBride, and others knew that these words were steeped in blood; they were enough to nail the Fordrings back onto a pillar of shame and leave them wandering forever outside Alliance territory.
While Shadowbreaker and his peers were baffled by Benedictus's performance, hope remained. As long as the other three judges cast votes in favor, Tirion might still be saved.
The second person to stand and offer an opinion was King Magni Bronzebeard of Ironforge. Chen and Shadowbreaker believed the Dwarven King would surely defend the elder Fordring. But just as Magni was about to speak, a guard reported to the moderator, Bolvar, that a new witness and new evidence had appeared.
According to the rules, if new evidence capable of influencing the verdict emerged during a trial, it had to be presented before the tribunal, the defendants, and the audience. Magni was forced to sit back down, though he was slightly startled when the witness appeared.
It was a female dwarf named Oressia Ironblade, a traveling blacksmith stationed in the Western Plaguelands. She claimed to be a witness presenting evidence she and her companions had gathered.
First, she displayed a flag. While the younger people in the crowd had no idea what the sigil on the flag represented, several veterans recognized it instantly. It was the emblem that once guided their charges and struggles—the crest of the Kingdom of Lordaeron.
"This is evidence gathered at the lumber mill south of Hearthglen by Nathaniel Duma, an officer of the Argent Dawn and a former member of the Order of the Silver Hand—my colleague," Oressia Ironblade announced.
The onlookers whispered among themselves, confused about how a Lordaeron royal flag constituted evidence.
"Who is this Nathaniel Duma?" Chen asked Shadowbreaker. The latter didn't know, but Duke Tyrosus, sitting on the other side, answered: "He is a strategic expert specializing in dealing with the Scarlet Crusade. His primary work involves collaborating with adventurers to collect termites from the Plaguelands and releasing them at the Hearthglen lumber mill to sabotage the enemy's engineering projects."
"Collecting termites to eat wood... that's a bit of a low blow," Chen remarked. "But it's certainly effective against an enemy."
Tyrosus gave a bitter smile. "He even gave his operation a name: 'The Plaguelands and You.'"
While the leader of the Argent Dawn appeared relaxed, he was internally perplexed. Why would his subordinate appear here as a witness without his knowledge?
After displaying the flag, Oressia pulled out a book. "This is propaganda from the Scarlet Crusade!" Being short, she handed the book to a guard, who flipped through it for the tribunal and the audience to prove it contained text.
She continued, "We are on the front lines of the fight against the Scarlet Crusade. Regarding this group of madmen with cult-like ideologies, I am confident I have more right to speak than anyone else!"
"From their inception, they have been advocating for and attempting to restore the Lordaeron dynasty! Not only are their outposts filled with flags and sigils like this, but this book explicitly states that only humans are a pure race and only the Lordaeron royalty is fit to lead this world!"
Although Stormwind's rule was inherited from the spirit of the Lordaeron Alliance, that was "old history." Regardless of whether any survivors of the Menethil line remained among the commoners, even if the last King of Lordaeron, Terenas, rose from the dead, it wouldn't change the fact of House Wrynn's rule. The Scarlet Crusade's actions directly challenged political sensitivities—not to mention the shadow cast by Arthas Menethil.
Oressia wasn't finished. She looked at Taelan Fordring with disgust and asked directly, "If you still have a shred of conscience, tell me truthfully: are this flag, this book, and what I've said true?!"
Taelan Fordring looked at his father, took a deep breath, and replied, "Yes."
The square erupted. "What? So the Scarlet Crusade really has those intentions?" "I thought they were just a bit radical, I didn't expect..." "The King is right there, watch your words."
Bolvar looked at the unfolding situation with visible displeasure. He glanced at Mathias Shaw, who was directing agents in the shadows. Shaw walked over and Bolvar whispered, "Who brought this person here?"
Mathias shook his head, indicating he didn't know, but promised to find out as quickly as possible.
Oressia Ironblade handed the evidence to the guard and shouted, "That was the physical evidence. Now, I am the living witness. I came here to remind everyone: do you remember how those beasts of the Scarlet Crusade treated the dwarves in the Order of the Silver Hand after it disbanded? Under the pretext that 'all races besides humans are impure,' they forcibly disarmed them and drove them into the Plaguelands, leaving them defenseless against the frenzied Scourge!"
"Among them were my brothers and sisters! And Lord Korth'azz, who fought to his last breath!"
"And now, some people want us dwarves to forget this and forgive a leader of the Scarlet Crusade!"
By this point, Oressia's eyes were red, not just with sorrow, but with hatred and rage. She turned to Magni Bronzebeard. "Your Majesty, I have always believed that your leading our kin into the Alliance was the right choice. But please, do not forget who our allies are and who our enemies are!"
"Blood for blood!"
Following her impassioned speech, many dwarven representatives and commoners in the crowd joined the chant. After Benedictus's earlier setup regarding race and honor, many humans also raised their arms in support.
"Blood for blood!" "Kill them!" "Revenge for our fallen kin!"
Magni Bronzebeard certainly knew about the incident. Hundreds of dwarves had been stripped of their weapons and armor and eventually slaughtered. Many were raised as undead soldiers, and Arthas had even turned Lord Korth'azz into a Death Knight. Because the event happened during the internal fracture of the Silver Hand—the truth of which remained mired in mystery following High Lord Mograine's death—the entire affair was a mess. The Alliance had been trying to unravel the mystery for years.
Magni hadn't expected this specific wound to be reopened here and now. Seeing the commotion grow, Bolvar stood to signal for silence, but to little effect. It was only when Benedictus shouted that order was restored.
"Please, everyone, remain calm! By the Light, believe that King Magni will make a just decision!"
Chen nudged Shadowbreaker again. "Still refusing to accept reality? Those words have effectively backed Magni into a corner."
Shadowbreaker's brow was furrowed. While he didn't quite catch the slang, he understood the context was like being roasted over a furnace. He scanned the dais; each leader had a different expression, yet King Varian remained perfectly composed on the Lion Throne.
"I abstain!"
Magni Bronzebeard stood and shouted his decision. He gave Varian a slightly apologetic look, then sat down and refused to speak further. His final decision sparked another wave of intense discussion.