All the cell doors were opened. The ground was covered with mutilated limbs and minced meat. The walls of the dungeon were stained red with blood. Intestines were hung on the rusty iron bars. The severed heads still maintained the pain and fear of life.
The expression and the dead eyes seem to be indicting the cruelty of the orcs.
The air was filled with pungent blood, and the mud and blood mixed into a dark, sticky mass, with orc footprints messily printed on it.
I could almost see the orcs opening the cell doors one by one before they retreated, slaughtering the locked hostages one after another. I could almost see the desperate eyes of the hostages who could only sit back and wait to be slaughtered.
Those are my people!
I closed my eyes in pain, holding tightly the sacred book of light carried by the Paladin in my hand. I hated my own incompetence, why would I be like this if I had great power.
Sorry, Tiny Tim, I can't keep my promise...
Guilt, self-blame, pain, all kinds of emotions rushed into my heart for a while, making me almost unable to breathe. It wasn't until Uther gently patted my shoulder that I woke up.
"teacher……"
"Your Highness, this is not your fault. Those who believe in light will ascend to heaven. Light will bring us strength and purify all evil."
Teacher Uther would say something similar every time, and I always believed it, but this time, I was confused. Can light really bring me enough strength?
…
After defeating the Blackstone Tribe, we continued north to control the plague. I always thought it was just an ordinary plague, until we encountered the Scourge for the first time.
It was a remote town, and it was the first time I saw an undead monster.
I never thought that there would be such disgusting creatures in this world. Their mouths are covered with owl-colored mucus, their long tongues are almost hanging on the ground, their rickety bodies are as thin as wood, and their yellow claws are hung with
Minced meat, with intestines wrapped around the neck.
I can't describe my feelings at that time. I just wanted to purify the evil in front of me as quickly as possible. Its existence was simply a blasphemy against the gods.
Uther had already divided his forces to join forces with Jaina before, so I didn't have enough manpower, so the villagers whose lives were threatened helped us fight together. Looking at their grateful faces, my heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment and belonging. Yes,
They are the people I want to protect.
"God of Light, thank you for arriving in time, Your Highness, otherwise we might have become food for ghouls." The kind village chief said respectfully. Perhaps due to being overly frightened, the village chief's face turned a little blue.
.
"This is what I should do." Although my appearance was calm and my tone was calm, my heart was full of joy. Looking at his face full of hope for the future, I felt that I got everything I wanted.
Father, have you seen that I will definitely be an excellent king in the future.
"The kingdom will never abandon any of its subjects. I am here this time to completely control the plague." I vowed to spread love on behalf of the kingdom. At this moment, my heart was filled with pride.
However, the old village chief suddenly fell down, and his ricket body spasmed violently. I was a little at a loss. I hurriedly squatted down, helped him up, and ordered the guards to call the priest. I thought he might be too old to withstand the fatigue of the war.
.
However, at this time the guards rushed in in a panic, "Your Highness, something bad has happened. The villagers have turned into zombies and ghouls! And they are attacking us!"
I didn't react for a moment, what? How could the villagers turn into zombies?
At this time, I was horrified to find that the old village chief had gray hair growing on his body, his clothes and breasts began to rot, his eyes began to become cloudy, and his nails became sharp.
He woke up suddenly, opened his mouth suddenly, and let out a hoarse roar. The filthy death breath coming out of his mouth made me want to gag.
I was stunned!
"Prince, be careful!"
My brain was completely blank and I had no idea what was happening. I only saw the sharp claws of the old village chief clawing at my throat. Only then did I realize that I had to dodge, but I hugged him completely and my legs were pressed by him. For a moment,
I can’t exert my strength, it’s too late!
At the critical moment, the loyal guard Darr knocked me away with his body, but the sharp claw penetrated his lower abdomen.
"Ah..." He let out a low roar and chopped off the village chief's head with a backhand sword.
I looked at everything in front of me stupidly like a wooden man, feeling as if I had fallen into an ice cellar.
How is it possible that just a moment ago, I was the savior of the villagers, and a few breaths later, the scene turned into this!
"Prince!" The guard was lying on the ground, covering his lower abdomen with one hand, where blood was gurgling - no, not blood, the color of the blood had turned black, and even had a slight rancid smell, "Prince, Dar can no longer guard
You, people injured by zombies will become their companions, and I don’t want to become like that...".
"No, no, what are you going to do?" I watched helplessly as Dar raised the knight's sword and pointed it at his neck, his eyes showing sadness, despair and reluctance.
"No! We have a priest! We..." I ran over frantically, but in the end I couldn't grab his hand.
"Dahl, no! Dahl!" I covered the wound on Dahl's neck in a daze, warm blood gushed out like spring water, and my hands began to become scarlet and sticky.
Tears fell drop by drop. I didn’t expect that I, who always prided myself on being strong, would be so fragile in the face of death.
"Prince... help me... take care of Rosa and me... my son who is just one month old."
"You are the most... the most heroic... kind-hearted prince I have ever seen... you will definitely... become... the greatest... king."
"Long live Lordaeron..."
"No -" I shouted angrily. My best friend and most loyal guard Dar was injured because of me. In order to prevent the spread of the plague, he committed suicide.
But the murderer who killed him is the one I love most and have always protected, my people!
I went crazy, my pupils were blood red, I rushed out of the tent with my sword, but I saw killing and blood everywhere outside. My soldiers were fighting with my people, with broken limbs flying everywhere, and bones all over the ground. Because there was no one to command
, my soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
My heart is bleeding, but the sword I raise cannot fall. They are my people!
However, the reluctance in Dahl's eyes before his death and his nostalgia for life emerged in my mind. How regretful he was that he could not see his son grow up with his own eyes.
When I saw a ghoul opening a warrior's heavenly spirit cap and licking the brain inside with his long tongue, I went completely crazy.
"kill!"
I raised my knight's sword and rushed into the battlefield with the holy book of light hanging sideways, killing my former people crazily. Every time I slashed on them, it was also stabbed in my heart. My kindness was like spilled blood in such killings.
The same has passed.
…
After slaughtering the village I had just saved with my own hands, I rushed to Stratholme with the tired remnant army, which was the meeting place agreed upon by Uther and I.
I am about to see Jaina, whom I have longed for day and night. I am smiling happily like a young boy in love for the first time, and even the shadow of the killing a few days ago has faded a lot.
She is my only psychological sustenance now, and I have too many things to say to her.
However, here, I received desperate news. The fear lord Mel'Ganis has spread the plague to Stratholme's granary. The entire city's residents have been infected with the plague and may turn into zombies at any time!
"Ah!" I roared angrily and dug my hands deeply into the soil. Why am I so incompetent? I can't save my people, my soldiers, and my friends.
I need strength, strong strength!
I know better than anyone what the consequences will be once the residents of Stratholme degenerate into the undead.
With hundreds of thousands of residents, plus the undead army led by the Dreadlord, working together from the inside and outside, Uther and I's army will be completely annihilated, and Jaina will die here.
However, how can I raise the butcher's knife against the people I once protected?
Looking at the exhausted troops behind me, at the dusty faces and bloodshot eyes of the soldiers, at their incomplete armor and desire to live, my heart bleeds.
In my mind, I recalled the scenes in the small village, recalling the regret and attachment Dahl had before his death.
No, I will never let the soldiers who are loyal to me die in vain again, and I will never let their newly married wives and newly born children lose their support.
When I raised my head again, I already had the devil in my heart.
A devil that can simultaneously devour the lives of my enemies and the love in my heart.
With red eyes, I issued the order to massacre the city, but my good friend Will stopped me, "Prince, if you issue this order, you will be despised by the world. Even if you do the right thing, people will not
Forgive you, I will only say that you are a murderous demon. You will inherit the throne of Lordaeron in the future, and you must not bear this infamy."
"Then what do you want to do?"
"Return to the royal capital, apply to the king for more troops, and let other generals command the massacre of the city."
"But by then the residents of Stratholme have long since turned into zombies. How many soldiers will we lose? The plague will even spread on a large scale!"
"Prince...no way!"
"I have made up my mind, massacre the city!" I rode my war horse into Stratholme and galloped wildly on the streets of Stratholme, the oncoming wind tearing at my eyes.
Tears, if there must be someone to bear the infamy for thousands of years, let me do it!
That night, the moat of Stratholme was stained red with blood, and countless limbs were scattered on the streets. I was riding a bloody horse, with disheveled hair, like a demon in the world.
My heart is bleeding and my face is distorted by the killing, but I have no choice.
I hate myself, I hate my incompetence.
Late at night, I set fire to Stratholme's granaries, and the scorching flames lit up the sky of Lordaeron.
I inserted my knight's sword and knelt on the blood-red soil of Stratholme. My sins were heavy and I did not ask for forgiveness from the residents of Stratholme. The only way to atone for my sins was to kill Mel'Ganis and completely crush the Scourge's conspiracy.
I swear to God that I will avenge you to the death. No matter what the cost, I will devote my whole life to eradicating the evil undead.
…
The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the ruins of Stratholme, and the burning flames accuse me of my heinous sins.
Every night I would wake up from nightmares, and countless ghosts flying in the sky would tear at my fragile heart.
I'm going crazy, and I long for the understanding of my friends and the support of my lover.
Every scary night, how I wish Gianna could be by my side, hold me in my arms, and listen to me.
However, what I waited for was not the comfort and destination of my soul.
"You are too murderous and have already embarked on a path of no return." The disappointment in Uther's eyes stung me deeply. He was unwilling to accept my explanation. He believed that no matter what, a king could not
Raise the butcher's knife against your own people.
"Gianna, do you think so too?" I looked at Gianna with longing eyes, the girl who has always understood me and supported me. How much I hope she understands, even if it is just a reluctant nod.
However, she didn't say a word in the end, just turned around and left silently.
The look in her eyes said it all.
I left Uther's military camp like a zombie and knelt down weakly on the land of Stratholme until the sun set and the rain poured down.
Is this the sky shedding tears for the heroes, or is it the souls of the innocent mourning their death?
I let the heavy rain wash my body, and streams of water crawled down my long golden hair like little snakes. How I hoped that this heavy rain could wash away the blood on my hands.
The next day, Uther still decided to leave. He took the troops loyal to him and parted ways with me. Behind him, I could clearly see the figure that haunted me in my dreams.
"Gianna, do you want to leave too?" There was a hint of begging in my tone.
"I'm sorry..." Gianna turned around, and her back hurt me deeply.
At that moment, I was extremely lonely. Regardless of my pride as a prince, I chased after her, grabbed her wrist, and begged: "Stay, okay?"
Jaina shook her head, her eyes filled with tears, "Arthas, I remember you said that between me and your people, you love your people more, but how can you treat them?"
So, can you really leave me a place to stay for my status that is not as good as theirs?"
I was stunned. Every word Gianna said was like an arrow piercing my heart, which was bleeding. I let the catkins in my hand pass away...
