The Great Thief

The assignment mechanism in Dawn was very simple – in the case where both players and NPCs were participating in battle, the players had to deal a certain percentage of damage or take the last hit. Otherwise, they wouldn’t receive anything from the fight.

The old Paladin’s regular attacks were in the hundreds, while a Critical Hit was in the thousands. How could Lu Li’s two-digit damage possibly be enough?

“Good. This is what young people should be like,” the old Paladin said. He was very pleased with Lu Li’s performance and was completely oblivious to Lu Li’s concern about the drops.

Outside the palace, a fully-armed group of Paladins arrived. These were the Stormriders.

Lu Li was also afraid that the others would take the rewards. He tightened his grip and quickly tried to finish off the wounded enemy.

Samuelson fell gracefully and his corpse turned into a puddle of water before it even hit the ground.

There was a small item that looked like a body left behind in the puddle. Although it looked rather small, it emitted an amazing energy that felt suffocating. One could only imagine its power when it was completed.

The zealous Paladins guarded the King as they left, denying Lu Li the chance to say a single word to him.

As for the item, it was quickly taken away by an old Mage with a white beard. Given the solemn look of the Mage, the origins of the item must have been taboo.

There was no EXP!

Or any equipment!

Surely, there should have been a reward for his escorting task? Lu Li wouldn’t have minded becoming an aristocrat. Then, he would be able to take land for himself and build a fortress, while also receiving a monthly salary. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been given anything!

Why had he fought so hard? What was it all for?

The old Paladin couldn’t see Lu Li’s disappointment and took him to the tavern. Paladins were not monks; they were allowed to enjoy women and wine.

Prior to this, no one had heard of NPCs dragging a player off to fight, but under normal circumstances, it was common to go drinking together after a battle.

Lu Li wasn’t an alcoholic, but he didn’t reject the NPC’s proposal. He hadn’t received any reward for this quest, so all he had left was the friendship with this old Paladin. Seeing the respect that the Stormriders had for him, he definitely must have been an important person.

They were also affiliated with MI7, which meant that Lu Li, as a member of the Assassins’ League, did not want to deal with them.

“I really didn’t think that something like this would happen,” Lu Li began, opening with his feeling on the situation, but quickly turned to the topic he really wanted to talk about, “Oh yeah, I don’t know your name, despite the fact that we’ve been fighting together. Although, I didn’t help much.”

“Windsor. Just call me Windsor,” the old Paladin said simply.

“Oh…”

The wine that was travelling down Lu Li’s throat came up again and spluttered through his nose. Lu Li stared at the old paladin and was dumbfounded.

This was Reginald Winsor!

Reginald Windsor used to be a soldier under Anduin Lothar and had followed him to the Medivh Tower decades ago. After the fall of Stormwind, he escorted the refugees with Lothar as they migrated to the north of Lordaeron.

Reginald Windsor had a multitude of battle experience; he had participated in the Second Orc War during the Battle of Blackrock Tower.

He was one of Anduin Lothar and Turalyon’s favorites. Through his own efforts, he was gradually promoted from a soldier to a Marshal of the Alliance’s Stormwind City.

Lu Li had not learned that much about him, but he had definitely heard of his name.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not really a Marshall I’m really just a veteran. This country has changed,” Windsor sighed sadly.

“Why? What happened?” Lu Li asked in confusion.

He wasn’t surprised that Windsor was a veteran, but was very curious to know why he had gone from a Marshall to an ordinary person.

Windsor often didn’t have anyone to talk to, and took this opportunity to share everything.

“Ever since the disappearance of Varian, everything has changed. The aristocrats have become more and more corrupt and the king no longer manages much. If it weren’t for Prince Anduin and Regent Duke of Fordgen still helping to run things, this country wouldn’t exist…”

Arthas had murdered his father and became the commander of the Scourge who attacked Lordaeron. Both the Alliance and the Horde were threatened by the Scourge.

When Jaina Proudmoore came to contact Varian for a peace agreement with the Horde, Varian agreed to sign it. However, after the peace talks, he became a thorn in her side.

Not long after, Varian disappeared. Almost no one knew about the reason why or where he was.

The Duke of Stormwind City, Duke Bolvar Fordgen, was ordered to help the young prince inherit the throne. They were assisted by the beautiful and well-informed Countess Katrana Prestor.

It didn’t take long for King Varian to return, but he wasn’t the same God-like king they had previously known.

These past few years, Stormwind City had grown from bad to worse. The royal family was not in charge and the aristocrats were becoming more corrupted, while the soldiers were also beginning to burn out. Those who dared to raise objections encountered the wrath of Countess Katrana Prestor.

Reginald Windsor was one of these people.

“Why is the King so weak that he can’t even beat a faceless monster?” Lu Li asked. He was worried about this, as a faceless person could be killed by someone who wasn’t even level 50, yet King Varian had actually been wounded.

“That faceless person was not an ordinary faceless person. If he was at his strongest, I fear that even I would not have been able to defeat him,” Windsor said with a trace of fear in his eyes.

Lu Li’s mind flashed back to the item left behind and couldn’t help but agree.

“After a while, I plan to go back to the Burning Plains. It is said that there are a lot of black dragons there,” Windsor laughed. “Maybe I should face my fate; I have put off this day for too long.”

Lu Li didn’t know what to say. There were some things he knew would happen, but he didn’t know how to stop them.

This event involved the main story, and he couldn’t influence it as a single player.

A few years ago, when Lothar attacked Medivh Tower, Windsor saw foresaw his death there. He died in the claws of a black dragon.

It was a prophecy that told him about the final outcome of his life.