"Have you now?" I think that was meant to put me on edge. Warlocks like the vibe of mystery.

However, knowing who I am and what I'm looking for isn't much of a guess. Necromancer king needs to learn too, and with scourge education out of the picture...

I smirked at him. If he wanted me put off he would need to work harder.

"You come to learn the ways of the warlock. To experience the might of the Fel."

He wasn't wrong.

"Are you willing to pay the price?"

I tilted my head at him "Really? Your talking to me about a potential moral event horizon? I promise you the scourge does worse than whatever some Sanctioned warlocks have gotten up to."

He had the decency to look sheepish for a moment.

I shook my head. "Listen, as far as I understand warlocks take apprentices and assistants, but as I'm a busy man I simply require onE thing."

I pointed to the stack of books and tomes leaning into the corner wall. "Knowledge. I'm willing to part with a considerable amount of coin to get books on every subject you can, and perhaps any personal notes you're willing to part with."

I paused. "I would happen to be willing to hire you, however, if youre willing to come with me back to my laboratory in Moonbrook."

The lead warlock shook his head. "The Alliance needs our expertise for the war, and there is little we wont do to see the legions threat quelled."

His eyes glowed with felfire. "Few understand the true magnitude of the enemy we face,but in the future perhaps we may take you up on that.

His hand stretched out, clasping my own. "You may find we stand with Marcus Moonbrook in the future. In the meantime however," He gestured to a struggling acolyte bringing several tomes forward. "We can bear to part with these."

I reached for my pouch, before he held up his hand. "Free of charge. Consider it an investment from one ambitious man to another."

I nodded. "In that case, Darkbinder, I bear you fare well." The mans seemed surprised for a moment, before he chuckled.

I grabbed the stack of books just before the poor student could drop them all, leaving the group to their dark business.

It was a shame I couldn't bring them into the fold, but I would take whatever they would provide. Fel magic was absolutely neccassary for my whelp, and now that I had it there was no time to waste.

When I made it back outside it was nearly dark, and I decided I had spent enough time in the city. I handed my stack of books to one of my guards, before we made our way back to Stormwind Keep.

We arrived in time to see Stoutmantel and Ebonlocke leave the keep. They looked dissatisfied.

"Things went well, I hope?" They both nodded. Stoutmantel taking me by the shoulder as we made to find a tavern. "It went better than Westfall has seen in years, thats certain!"

Good. It would be a pain to have to manage this country without any agreements with other factions.

"We managed to negotiate the transport of weapons, armor, and food. We pay full price, but they transport the goods at no cost to us."

Acceptable.

"Another matter was the peasantry. All migrants and homeless, those unable to secure a proper way of living in Stormwind, will be directed to Westfall."

Good.

"And finally, it was made clear we exist as a neutral state, uninvolved with the wars of the Alliance."

Perfect, that was the most important factor. it-"but there was one issue we had to fold on."

"What?"

"We will have to send aid to Outland, as a matter of respect to the Horde and the Alliance, and to preserve the safety of the world at large.

That was... annoying, but not unacceptable. It would put a drain on my resources and soldiers, but it could give an excuse to explore the secrets of that world.

Ebonlocke stepped up to my side as we spoke, whispering so our escort could not hear. "There is a problem."

I motioned for him to continue.

"You will have to marry a noblewoman, or else at the time of your death the country surely will fall back into Stormwinds hands." That left several unfortunate complications.

So people were already asking after my hand.

The way this was leading meant they wanted one of two things, me linked to a family within Stormwind, meaning it would probably become a province following my death.

Or they wanted to stonewall the country by taking away my ability to designate an emergency heir at the time of my death.

Which would be giving them free reign to send an assassin should I refuse to fall in line whenever the horde commits a crime against "The good people of the world."

I nearly laughed, but kept a serious face. If I was human, or mortal by the traditional definition of the word I might have had an issue with that. As it was the country was a convienent means to gather power, both magical and political.

"Very well, I'll look into finding a bride. " It was probably something I would have had to take care of anyway. Still, it was annoying being pushed in that direction.

A wife was expected to meet with the people, interact with her family. Which was all well and good if I wasnt hiding unspeakable horrors in the future basement of my home.

The mixture would help in the immediate future, but it was likely someone would notice the changes, with just the wrong luck things could go poorly for me.

Unfortunately it was either that or find someone who I could be honest with. Unlikely