Stoneheart City, Mysterious Tavern
The Mysterious Tavern, a unique structure built by Orion, was an oddity in its own right. It possessed a strange, mystical quality that drew rangers to its doors. Since Stoneheart City hadn't yet activated a cross-realm teleportation array, the rangers it attracted were limited to those from the Utessar continent.
Sir Godfrey, a knight, was one such ranger from this land.
At this moment, the tavern hosted only a handful of patrons. They sipped their drinks while watching a sultry succubus dancer perform a provocative striptease on the central stage.
"Succubi have such killer figures—way more alluring than Blood Elves!"
"It's an absolute feast for the eyes!"
"…"
Shouts and cheers echoed through the tavern from time to time, livening up the atmosphere of the Mysterious Tavern.
"Drinks are on me today!"
Sir Godfrey set down his goblet, his gaze fixed on Delilah, the veiled woman before him. He could sense the powerful aura radiating from her, and his muscles tensed as he focused his mind.
"No need to be on edge—I mean no harm," Delilah said, though Godfrey didn't dare lower his guard. This wasn't a human kingdom, after all; it was giant territory.
"Madam, do you have business with me?" Godfrey asked politely, his tone cautious and measured.
Delilah nodded and gestured toward the seat across from him. Godfrey quickly stood, offering a knightly salute before inviting her to sit.
Once they were both settled and their drinks refilled, Delilah spoke in a soft, casual tone.
"This wine may be freshly brewed, but the tavern's cellar is something special. In time, the drinks here will only grow richer and more fragrant."
Godfrey nodded, offering no opinion. He studied the mysterious proprietress of the tavern, silently speculating about her intentions.
"Winter's almost here. If you set out for the human kingdom now, you'd never make it back in time," Delilah said, her voice low and laced with a hint of seduction. "Sir Godfrey, are you planning to stay in Stoneheart City for the season?"
Godfrey nodded without hesitation, his decision firm.
"Yes, I'd like to stay."
A faint smile curved beneath Delilah's veil.
"Under the Five Races Pact and the agreement between the human kingdom and the Stoneheart Horde, any foreign powerhouse staying in Stoneheart City is obliged to assist us in fending off dark creatures. Sir Godfrey, as a knight, will you honor our pact and agreement? Are you willing to join the fight against the dark creatures?"
At that, Godfrey rose to his feet and performed a solemn knightly salute.
"It's every knight's duty to resist dark creatures from beyond. I'd be honored to assist the forces here in combating them."
His stance was clear, though he'd been clever with his wording—he'd assist the forces here, not just anyone unrelated.
Delilah let out a soft, melodic laugh. She took an invitation letter from a nearby maidservant and placed it on the table beside Godfrey.
"Sir Godfrey, this is an official invitation from Stoneheart City, personally signed by the Stoneheart Horde's Elder of Stewardship. During your time fighting the dark creatures, we'll provide you with weapons, supplies, and proper support. Three days from now, please report to the castle's reception hall on time."
With that, Delilah stood and ascended to the tavern's second floor.
Winter was approaching, and with it, the dark beast tides. She was already preparing for what lay ahead.
---
Valkorath Realm, Bone City.
This was Orion's first visit to Bone City, the stronghold governed by Arthas. Compared to Cryptopolis, Bone City was grander and more imposing, its interior bristling with countless undead turrets and magic towers. The walls were cleared of all personnel—save for Orion and Arthas, no outsiders remained.
"I had my suspicions, but I didn't expect you to be *this* strong after reaching Legendary-level peak," Arthas said.
"I owe a lot of my own rapid progress to the life essence you've sent my way." Orion said.
Arthas shook his head, gazing into the distance.
"Helping you is helping myself. Unlike us undead, you can directly use life essence to grow stronger. For us, it's a process of conversion."
Orion's eyes widened in realization. No wonder Arthas had been able to spare so much life essence—it wasn't that he had an endless supply, but that he couldn't convert it fast enough, letting it pile up.
What Orion didn't know was that Arthas had sent Leonidas several times more life essence than he'd given Orion.
"Now that you've hit Legendary-level peak, life essence isn't as critical anymore," Arthas said, shifting the conversation abruptly as he turned to face Orion. "Do you know the difference between a lord(Legendary-level beings are often called lords)and an Arch Lord?"
Orion shook his head. He considered mentioning territory size or the number of powerful subordinates but dismissed those ideas as incomplete.
"Faith energy?" he ventured tentatively.
"Yes—and no," Arthas replied, leaving Orion even more perplexed.
"You should know that the population of intelligent beings in a territory affects the amount of faith generated, which in turn influences the recovery and volume of transcendent power," Arthas explained. "On a surface level, the difference between an Arch Lord and a regular lord lies in the size and prosperity of their territory. But the real distinction is in the quantity and purity of faith energy."
Arthas fixed his gaze on Orion, speaking deliberately.
"To become an Arch Lord, you need to gather more faith energy. Then, using that as your foundation, you must condense it into a cohesive whole, forging your own body of faith amidst boundless devotion. Once that body of faith takes shape and radiates the light of belief, you'll ascend to Arch Lord."
It was clear Arthas was guiding Orion, sharing hard-earned wisdom. This advice alone would save Orion from countless missteps.
"That said, to collect more faith energy, you'll need a larger territory and more subjects," Arthas continued. "With your current strength, the Valkorath Realm is your best shot."
His tone was confident—this was the fastest, most practical path for Orion to reach Arch Lord.
"Northeast of Cryptopolis, there's a vast plain. I've left that land open for you." Arthas said.
Orion had a hunch that ever since he'd hit Legendary-level peak, Arthas had been quietly clearing obstacles to pave his way toward Arch Lord.
"Thanks," Orion said sincerely.
Arthas's face-to-face guidance was like a lighthouse, illuminating the path ahead for this next leg of his journey.