Anduin POV
I slowly began to wake up and realized I wasn't in a hospital room, but in a master bedroom decorated in the style of Stormwind nobility. The bed beneath me was royal blue with gold trim, with matching drapes covering the windows, and an intricately designed carpet bearing the lion crest of the Alliance adorned the floor. Solid oak drawers with gold finishings lined the walls, while enchanted arcane lamps emitted a soft, ambient glow throughout the space.
"Where the hell am I?" I muttered, disoriented.
Looking more closely at the bedroom, realization dawned on me—this was the king's chamber in Stormwind Keep... my bedroom. I was even wearing the blue silk nightclothes befitting the High King. But several questions lingered: How was Azeroth still operational? Had the server shutdown date been pushed back? And most importantly, how had I ended up in this bedroom wearing these clothes? The last thing I remembered was falling asleep on the throne, waiting for everything to shut down.
"I should report this to a GM and ask what's going on," I decided.
I tried opening my interface to contact a Game Master, but nothing happened. It was as though the entire system had changed.
"What! Not even a contact to a GM?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.
As I pondered this disturbing development, the bedroom door swung open. There stood Lady Jaina Proudmoore, one of my closest advisors and allies of the Alliance. She carried a tray with a cup of warm tea and a clean white cloth. Her platinum blonde hair with its distinctive white streak was pulled back in its usual braid, and her blue eyes sparkled with concern. She wore her traditional sorceress robes of white and purple with gold Kul Tiran embellishments. But how was she moving? I didn't remember giving her any commands.
Jaina dropped the tray with a clatter and rushed toward me, throwing her arms around my neck. "Anduin, you're alright! I was so worried you wouldn't wake up!" she cried, holding me tightly as tears streamed down her face.
I was shocked not only by her words but by the fact that I could feel her embracing me. The realization hit me like a thunderbolt—everything around me wasn't a game; it was real. Hard to believe, yet undeniable. But this raised an even bigger question: How did this happen?
"Anduin, are you alright?" Jaina asked, her expression worried.
I straightened up and composed myself. "I am alright, thank you," I replied with a reassuring smile.
"I am glad," she said, placing a hand on her chest. "It's such a relief."
A knock at the door interrupted us. "Your Majesty, how is he?" a gruff voice called.
I turned to see who had entered—it was Genn Greymane, the Worgen king and one of my most trusted advisors. In recent years, he has been like a father figure to me since my own father's death. His gray hair and stern features couldn't hide his concern, even in his human form. He wore ornate armor bearing the Gilnean crest beneath a fine royal cloak.
"He is awake and shows no signs of fatigue," Jaina informed him.
"By the Light, that's wonderful news!" Genn exclaimed. "The other Alliance leaders will be pleased. If you wish, your majesty, we can go see them now and reassure them whenever you're ready."
If reality is what we make of it, then I would proudly embrace my identity as Anduin. From this moment on, I was Anduin Wrynn, a name that carried the weight of the Alliance and the promise of adventure. Let the quest begin!
"Very well," I declared. "Let me get changed, and I will meet you in the throne room."
"Excellent!" Genn nodded firmly. "I will meet you there—and do hurry, there's much to discuss," he added before turning to leave.
"Always business with him," Jaina sighed, her expression softening. "But he was truly worried about you."
"He's just looking after the kingdom, nothing to worry about," I replied with a reassuring smile.
As I was about to get up, Jaina placed her hand on mine. There was a moment of connection that I had never experienced before—it felt strangely real. My chest tightened, and I could feel my face growing warm.
"I was so worried," she said, her voice slightly trembling. "It was the first time anyone had seen you collapse on your throne. I feared the burden of leadership had become too much, and..." She looked away, clearly disturbed by the memory.
She was genuinely worried about me—she was no longer just an NPC from the game; she had become a fully realized person. The same was true for Genn, the other Alliance leaders, and everyone else in my kingdom. They would all likely mourn my absence if I were gone. Therefore, the best thing I could do for them was to stay with them for as long as possible.
I squeezed Jaina's hand gently. "I'm sorry I had you and everyone else worried like that. I promise if I feel unwell again, I'll notify you and the others immediately, okay?"
Jaina composed herself and nodded. "Thank you. That's all we ask."
"Now then," I said, getting out of bed and standing tall. "Shall we go see the others?"
"Yes, your majesty," she replied, her diplomatic demeanor returning.
After putting on my royal armor and making our way to the throne room, I realized I didn't feel any fatigue in this new body like I had in my old one. I could even walk without any issues, which was one of the best things that had happened to me. As we finally reached the throne room, I saw all the leaders of the Alliance gathered there—representatives from the humans, night elves, dwarves, gnomes, draenei, and worgen. They looked at us and bowed in acknowledgment.
"Welcome, High King Wrynn!" they proclaimed in unison.
Jaina and I walked down the blue carpet to the throne, and I sat upon it while she took her place beside me. I looked around at all the representatives of the Alliance and prepared myself to be their king.
"You may all rise," I commanded, and they stood at attention. "Well then, let us start our discussions."