Kael'thas pondered for a moment, then said:
"General Alleria will lead a force of ten thousand Rangers to march south with you, Marshal."
"I will lead three hundred Dragonhawk Riders to Ironforge and Gnomeregan with the Highlord's Gryphon Riders, and then proceed to Stormwind."
Lirath Windrunner's forces are clearing out the Amani Tribe in Zul'Aman.
Sylvanas's forces are stationed in Alterac.
Lor'themar's forces are attacking the Forest Trolls in the Hinterlands.
Halduron's forces are eliminating the Horde in the eastern Arathi Highlands.
There are not many remaining Horde in Silverpine Forest, which Gilneas can handle on its own. This frees up Alleria's forces to join the southern expedition, extending the High Elves's influence to the south.
"Ironforge? Gnomeregan? Stormwind?"
Anduin Lothar nodded, understanding that the Elven Prince intended to win over the Bronzebeard Dwarves and Gnomes. His goal was to give Quel'Thalas greater say in the entire Eastern Continent, countering Lordaeron, which had the strongest on-paper strength.
Was he really a mage solely dedicated to magic? He looked more like a diplomat!
Of course, this would also benefit Stormwind Kingdom and the Alliance.
After all, Ironforge and Gnomeregan were already allies with Stormwind, and their relationship was excellent. Furthermore, Kael'thas's final battle was in Stormwind. The Riflemen of Ironforge and the flying machines of Gnomeregan were quite formidable in combat. If they could be persuaded to join the Alliance, the chances of victory against the Horde would increase from 99% to 99.99%.
He looked at the Red Dragon mage, Krasus, who had been silent: "Master Krasus, can the Red Dragonflight provide assistance?"
After defeating the Horde army, all of the Red Dragonflight, except for Krasus, had departed, vanishing without a trace.
Krasus shook his head: "Her Majesty went to hunt down Deathwing. The Red Dragonflight has suffered too much recently and has collectively returned to Dragonblight to recuperate. And he glanced at Kael'thas: "The mission of the Dragon race is to protect Azeroth. We should not participate in mortal wars; we have our own matters to attend to."
Kael'thas smiled: "You have already helped us a great deal."
Everyone was a little disappointed.
The Red Dragonflight was too powerful.
If the Red Dragonflight were willing to help, all of the Horde in the south could be eliminated within a month.
Anduin Lothar said in a deep voice: "As you all wish, let's act immediately!"
"Your Highness, Highlord."
Krasus walked up to Kael'thas and Kurdran: "Her Majesty hopes that both of you can make a trip to Grim Batol, as well as Vereesa, Liadrin, and Lanathel. She wants to personally thank you all. It is because of you that she regained her freedom and recovered her lost powers."
Kurdran quickly waved his hand: "I don't need to go. We Wildhammer Dwarves have reclaimed our lost territory, which is the best reward. If you want to thank someone, thank Kael'thas; this whole thing was all thanks to him!"
He looked at Kael'thas: "Didn't you have something to say? What is it?"
"I have something good for you." Kael'thas ordered someone to bring the doomhammer.
"Orgrim's warhammer? I'm a Gryphon Rider; what would I do with a warrior's weapon—wait a minute!"
He grabbed the doomhammer: "Earth, Fire, Water, Wind—such powerful elemental energy! The fire elemental energy contained in this thing is even more than your flame strike!"
"Are all Wildhammer Dwarves so blunt? How dare they say anything?" Krasus looked at Kurdran with a strange expression.
Although what he said was indeed true.
"How is it? Haven't you always complained that your hammer was only epic-grade and not powerful enough? Is this hammer enough?" Kael'thas asked with a smile.
"Enough, more than enough!"
Kurdran closed his eyes, carefully sensing the elemental power contained within the doomhammer. He quickly resonated with this power and gained the approval of the four elemental furies within it.
A large amount of elemental power surged into his body, deepening his connection with the doomhammer. The warhammer seemed to become a part of him, an extension of his arm.
The heavy earth elemental energy made his skin even harder, his physique stronger, and his power greater, as he was already a flesh-and-blood product of an earth elemental. His connection with the earth became even closer; he could even faintly perceive the will of the earth.
As long as he stood on the earth, he would possess endless power and never grow weary.
The gentle water elemental energy continuously nourished his body, healing even the slightest injury.
The scorching fire elemental energy made the blood flowing in his veins boil and thicken, like molten magma.
And most importantly for him was the wind elemental energy.
Kurdran suddenly opened his eyes, and the power of the storm condensed in them, turning into dazzling lightning.
He raised the doomhammer, and the once clear sky suddenly became overcast. A thick bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens, landing on the doomhammer, transforming into numerous small lightning dragons and snakes that writhed on the warhammer and his body.
What doomhammer? It was clearly the Hammer of Thor!
He roared and threw the doomhammer, which flew a hundred meters away, smashing a ten-thousand-kilogram boulder into pieces, then flew back into his hand. The entire process took less than 10 seconds!
"I feel like I could smash an adult Red Dragon to death with one swing!" Kurdran shouted excitedly.
"No, you can't." Kael'thas gave him a look.
Kurdran then remembered there was an adult Red Dragon right beside him and chuckled: "Uh, Master, you know me, I didn't mean it like that—"
"You meant exactly that!" Krasus glared at Kurdran, his eyes unfriendly.
This fellow had at least killed twenty young Red Dragons but had never fought an adult Red Dragon. He must be itching for a fight, right?
Perhaps he even dreamed of fighting an adult Red Dragon.
Perhaps he was the one who got beaten!
"I'll go to Grim Batol first; you all hurry up!" Krasus teleported away.
Kurdran's old face fell: "Oh no, oh no, Krasus definitely holds a grudge against me!"
"You're overthinking it. He's an adult Red Dragon, with a mind much bigger than yours. He won't dwell on such a small matter. Besides, worrying is useless; if he wanted revenge, the Red Dragonflight could wipe out the Wildhammer Dwarves in minutes." Kael'thas chuckled.
"You're really good at comforting people!" Kurdran gnashed his teeth.
He was naturally straightforward and quickly put the matter behind him, then worried: "The doomhammer is good, but the fire elemental energy it contains far surpasses earth, water, and wind, so it's not quite suitable for me."
Gryphon Riders needed wind the most.
The current doomhammer could only smash small Red Dragons like Valastrasz to death.
If the fire elemental energy were replaced with wind elemental energy, perhaps it could smash Krasus—no, the ancient Black Dragon offspring like Deathwing, who lived for over ten thousand years.
Kael'thas stroked his chin: "The doomhammer's material is hard enough, and it was forged by a demigod-level being, so the craftsmanship is fine… I've got it!"
He snapped his fingers: "We can inject the power of the storm into this artifact, just like with titanstrike!"
The reason titanstrike could fire lightning and fire bullets was because Mimiron and Thorim infused it with thunderfire.
They could do the same!
Kurdran frowned, "But who could summon such immense storm power?"
He knew very well that to suppress the violent fire elemental power within the doomhammer, the required storm energy had to reach demigod level.
However, throughout all of Azeroth, there wasn't a single demigod-level shaman to be found.
Kael'thas chuckled, "One person can't do it, but what about ten? A hundred? A thousand? Gather all the Gryphon Riders, combine their strength to simultaneously summon a storm, and reforge the doomhammer!"
"Good idea!"
Kurdran's eyes lit up. "Let's go, we'll head to Grim Batol right now!"
The two arrived at Grim Batol, and Kael'thas skillfully opened a portal.
Arcane lights flashed, and a full eight hundred Gryphon Riders were teleported in.
The entire platform was instantly filled with Wildhammer Dwarves, and the air was thick with the strong scent of leather, steel, and gryphon feathers.
"One, two, three, begin!"
At Kurdran's command, eight hundred Gryphon Riders roared in unison, raising their Stormhammers, and fully summoning the power of the storm.
In an instant, the sky above Grim Batol changed, and fierce winds howled.
Hundreds of thick, dragon-like silver lightning bolts, enveloped in dazzling light, tore through the sky and slammed down onto the doomhammer suspended in the center.
However, as soon as the violent storm energy touched the dark red surface of the hammer, it was as if it struck an invisible barrier, erupting in a dense, deafening roar.
The energy was forcibly repelled and dispersed, not a single trace able to penetrate the hammer's body.
"No, the power they're summoning is too scattered and too weak."
Kael'thas's brows furrowed. "The doomhammer was forged by four demigods working together. Its materials and craftsmanship are top-notch, and the power within it is already saturated, like an iron barrel filled with water, unable to hold even a single drop more."
The carrying capacity of any equipment is limited.
The material of the doomhammer could no longer accommodate more energy.
Kurdran immediately deflated like a punctured ball, his face long. "Then what do we do?"
Falstad, standing nearby, patted his shoulder and consoled him, "Highlord, actually, this hammer is good enough now. It's legendary, its power is more than ten times stronger than your old one."
He paused, looking slyly at Kurdran's waist. "By the way, Highlord, your old hammer—hehe."
That was a hammer personally forged by the previous Highlord after the Wildhammer Dwarves migrated to Aerie Peak. It was the best hammer of the entire Wildhammer clan and a symbol of the Highlord.
Since the Highlord now had a better hammer, then the old one...
"It's yours!"
Kurdran took off his warhammer and tossed it to Falstad.
After all, Falstad was already the second-in-command, second only to him, and the first in line to inherit the Highlord of Hinterlands. This warhammer was destined to be passed down to him anyway; it was just happening a century or two earlier.
Falstad swung the warhammer, saying gleefully, "Highlord, you should be content. The doomhammer is even stronger than Prince Kael'thas's flame strike!"
Kael'thas looked at him expressionlessly.
Krasus put a hand to his forehead, thinking that Kurdran really wasn't doing it on purpose; the Wildhammer Dwarves' cerebral cortex must be flat, there's no hope for them!
"But in the hands of us Gryphon Riders, it can't unleash its true power!"
Kurdran exclaimed, "Most of the fire elemental energy is being wasted! I need a storm! Only pure storm energy can unleash its full power!"
Falstad sighed, "There's nothing we can do. To inject storm energy, we first need to extract some of the excess energy inside, but that's too difficult. It's impossible for anyone below a demigod to do it. Where are we going to find a demigod?"
"Demigods? We can."
Suddenly, a familiar gentle voice echoed in their minds.
Kael'thas quickly looked up and saw four giant dragons, two to three hundred meters long, flying from the direction of the Maelstrom. They were the Red Dragon Queen Alexstrasza, the Blue Dragon King Malygos, the Green Dragon Queen Ysera, and the Bronze Dragon King Nozdormu.
They flew before them and transformed into human forms.
They looked harmless, but the high-level demigod energy contained within them still made all the Gryphon Riders' souls tremble.
It was no exaggeration to say that any one of them self-destructing could destroy the entire Grim Batol—no, the entire mountain range!
"Your Majesties."
The Gryphon Riders bowed one after another, all of them uneasy, especially Kurdran.
During this time, the Red Dragons killed by the Stormhammer numbered no less than eighty, if not a hundred. Now, with the four Dragon Kings standing before them, it was false to say he felt no pressure.
This was only because he was fearless and resolute; anyone else would have fainted from fright long ago.
"Don't be nervous, brave dwarf. Although the children you killed lost their lives, they gained freedom. This is not a bad thing," Alexstrasza said, looking at Kurdran.
"Your Majesty is wise." Kurdran finally breathed a sigh of relief; the lives of his entire clan were saved!
Kael'thas asked, "Your Majesty, has Deathwing been dealt with?"
Alexstrasza shook her head. "He escaped."
Kurdran exclaimed in surprise, "How is that possible! You have all recovered your strength; Deathwing couldn't possibly be your opponent!"
Alexstrasza said, "After Deathwing's fall, he gained power granted by the Ancient Gods N'Zoth, making him considerably stronger than any one of us, but at most, he could only match two of us. However, he escaped to Deepholm, hiding deep within the Stonecore of the Temple of Earth."
Kurdran was puzzled. "Deepholm? What kind of place is that? And what are the Temple of Earth and the Stonecore?"
"Deepholm is an elemental plane of earth created by the Highkeeper Ra and the Titan-forged Helya. The Temple of Earth is the palace of the Earth Elemental Lord Therazane, the Stone Mother, but it has been occupied by Deathwing. The Stonecore is located beneath the Temple of Earth, leading to the center of the world," Alexstrasza explained.
Kurdran was still confused. "So what? Did Deathwing and Therazane team up? Oh, right, I heard that during the ancient Dark Empire era, the four Elemental Lords were lieutenants of the Ancient Gods. Now Deathwing has pledged allegiance to N'Zoth, so they're all on the same side!"
Falstad asked, "Highlord, who told you that? We Wildhammer Dwarves don't have knowledge of that sort!"
"I told him."
Kael'thas chuckled, "Deathwing is the Earth-Warder, and Therazane is the Earth Elemental Lord. They are natural enemies. Even if they were in the same faction, they couldn't possibly team up, let alone Therazane not having pledged allegiance to the Ancient Gods currently."
"That's right. Therazane is gentle by nature and only reluctantly joined the Ancient Gods in ancient times. After the Ancient Gods were imprisoned, she broke away from the dark faction and is now independent."
Alexstrasza looked at Kael'thas with surprise, not expecting him to know such things.
Kurdran still didn't understand. "Then why didn't you kill Deathwing? And you let him escape? Even if he fled to that Stonecore place, you could still pursue him! Four against one, the advantage is yours!"
Krasus said, "Deathwing wields the power of the earth. Deepholm is the elemental plane of earth, and it's very close to N'Zoth's prison. In Deepholm, his earth power and Ancient Gods' power will both be enhanced, making him very difficult to deal with."
"No matter how much he's enhanced, he can't be a match for four Dragon Aspects."
Kael'thas speculated, "I think it's because of scruples. Deepholm is, after all, where the World Pillar is located. A war of high demigod level is enough to destroy the World Pillar."
Alexstrasza's expression was serious: "The World Pillar sustains the foundation of Azeroth. Once destroyed, the entire world's topography and landscape will be reshaped, and the world itself might even be destroyed. We cannot take that risk."
Kurdran was instantly disappointed: "So, as long as Deathwing keeps hiding in this Deepholm, we can't do anything to him?"
Alexstrasza nodded: "Unfortunately, that's true until we find a way that doesn't endanger the World Pillar."
Kael'thas smiled: "Be patient, Highlord. With Deathwing's mad and paranoid personality, he won't stay hidden forever. Once his armor is repaired, he'll definitely come out and cause trouble. We can figure out how to deal with him then."
Alexstrasza remained noncommittal.
Dealing with Deathwing? It wasn't that easy.
Top-tier demigods are very difficult to kill.
The power of the Earth-Warder granted by the Titan, coupled with the shadow energy bestowed by the Ancient Gods, gave him characteristics that transcend the cycle of life, making him almost eternally indestructible.
Even if the four of them joined forces, they could only defeat him, not kill him.
"Then let's not worry about him for now."
Kurdran looked at Alexstrasza, rubbing his hands, a little embarrassed: "Your Majesty, you just said—you can help me reforge the doomhammer?"
Alexstrasza smiled, like a spring breeze: "To be precise, the one among us who can manipulate storms to reforge this hammer for you is Malygos. Magic and storms are his domain."
She elegantly gestured to the side.
Kurdran quickly looked at Malygos, his eyes full of anticipation.
"A good artifact, containing the elemental energies from another planet, no less powerful than Ragnaros's Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros."
Malygos raised his hand, and the doomhammer flew before him: "dwarf, you want to extract some of the fire elemental energy from it and inject storm energy?"
Kurdran nodded quickly: "Exactly!"
Malygos said: "The five of you saved Alexstrasza, destroyed the demon soul, restored our powers, and helped us defeat Deathwing. We intend to give you generous rewards. If you want me to help you reforge this warhammer, there will be no other rewards. Are you sure?"
"Absolutely!"
Kurdran exclaimed: "The credit belongs to Kael'thas. I didn't really help much, so why should I get any rewards? Besides, to me, no reward is better than a handy divine hammer!"
"As you wish."
Malygos's right hand instantly transformed into a giant dragon claw, grabbing at the doomhammer from a distance.
A cluster of origin fire, blazing like lava, was forcibly extracted from the hammer's body.
The doomhammer's light instantly dimmed, its energy level plummeted, falling to the lowest tier of ordinary artifacts.
"I've removed most of the fire elemental energy. Now the four elemental energies in this warhammer are in balance."
Malygos lowered his head, looking at the elemental fire in his palm: "This is origin fire, deeply connected to another planet. It would be too wasteful to simply dissipate it. If sealed into an item, it could easily elevate it to legendary status."
Kurdran scratched his head: "We Wildhammer Dwarves only have affinity for wind elements. Those who are attuned to fire elements are the Dark Iron dwarves… I've got it!"
He looked at Kael'thas: "flame strike! Seal it into flame strike!"
Kael'thas was somewhat surprised and reminded him: "Highlord, you must think carefully. This isn't ordinary elemental fire, but the origin fire from Draenor, the orcs' homeland—"
"The doomhammer was given to me by you, so what's a ball of fire?" Kurdran waved his hand, completely unconcerned.
Without Kael'thas, Aerie Peak would still be facing the threat of the Forest Trolls.
Without Kael'thas, even in another ten or a hundred years, the Wildhammer Dwarves would not be able to reclaim Grim Batol.
Without Kael'thas, where would he find such an awesome divine hammer?
Without Kael'thas, he would never in his life be associated with beings of the Dragon Aspect's caliber.
Let alone a mere ball of fire; even if Kael'thas told him to go up Blackrock Mountain or down into Molten Core, he would not refuse!
"Then thank you, Highlord."
Kael'thas took out flame strike and handed it to Malygos with both hands: "I trouble you, Your Majesty."
Malygos looked at flame strike and said faintly: "Its material is decent, but the forging technique is average, and the magic attached to it is also subpar, unable to carry more energy unless it is reforged."
In this world, there are few who are qualified to say that High Elves' magic is subpar, and he is one of them.
High Elves' magic was inherited from the ancient Night Elf Empire and has continuously developed over tens of thousands of years, now forming a complete system, even giving birth to several legendary mages.
But compared to the Blue Dragonflight, it was far inferior.
Any adult Blue Dragon is a legendary mage.
And Malygos's spellcasting ability and magical attainments were far stronger than all High Elves mages combined!
Alexstrasza said: "I'll do it."
She transformed back into her dragon form, opened her mouth, and spewed Life-Binder's Flame, melting flame strike into liquid metal.
Malygos flicked his finger, and the origin fire flew into the Life-Binder's Flame, merging with the liquid metal.
He immediately cast a spell, and the arcane energy of the entire Grim Batol surged over, transforming into intricate magical runes that struck the liquid metal.
During this process, the liquid metal slowly cooled, returning to its original form, and flew into Kael'thas's hand.
It looked no different from before, but both its arcane energy and fire elemental energy far surpassed what it once was.
He quickly cast flame strike. The flame strike fireball, which was previously the size of a human head, had grown several sizes larger, and the fire elemental energy it contained had increased by a full third!
"It wasn't easy!"
"After several months of Crossing, my strength has finally increased again!" Kael'thas thought with emotion.
Malygos's gaze returned to the doomhammer: "The origin elemental energy contained within the doomhammer, if only injected with ordinary storm energy, cannot unleash its full power."
Krasus mused: "The place with the most storm energy and the highest level in all of Azeroth is the elemental plane of air, Skywall.
However, that is Al'Akir's territory, and he doesn't welcome us."
"Skywall isn't the only place in this world that possesses origin storm energy."
Kael'thas smiled: "There's another place: the Storm Temple in Storm Peaks, Northrend."
Kurdran asked, puzzled, "I know Northrend, that continent to the north that hardly anyone has visited. But what is the Storm Peaks, and what is the Storm Temple?"
"I heard that Kul Tiras has a Storm Temple. Are you telling me to seek Admiral Daelin's help?"
"But that temple isn't in Northrend!"
"Could it be that the Kul Tirans have already expanded their territory to Northrend and even built a branch of the Storm Temple in the Storm Peaks?"
The Wildhammer Highlord scratched his head. What was all this nonsense? Was he trying to take advantage of a Gryphon Rider's lack of knowledge?
"No, no, the Storm Temple in Kul Tiras is the Tidesages' lair. Those guys don't even have many legendary figures; they can't help you."
Kael'thas said, "The Storm Peaks is where the Ancient God Yogg-Saron is imprisoned, and the Storm Temple is the temple of the Titan Guardian, Thorim, the Storm Lord. It has nothing to do with Kul Tiras."
Kurdran let out an "Oh": "A Titan Guardian? The Storm Lord? Who is stronger, he or Al'Akir?"
"They're on the same level; it's hard to say who's stronger. During the era of the Ancient Dark Empire, Highkeeper Ra, Hodir the Ice Lord, and Thorim the Storm Lord teamed up to defeat Al'Akir," Kael'thas explained.
"Sounds like Al'Akir is stronger," Kurdran muttered softly.
"Hard to say. Thorim's control over storms comes from the Titan Golganneth, and Thorim's storm authority comes from Azeroth itself," Kael'thas said.
Actually, he also thought Al'Akir was stronger, after all, the other party only won with a three-on-one 'righteous' group beating, and they didn't even kill him, but instead specially opened up the Elemental Plane of Air as a prison.
Such a vast place, how is that a prison? It's no different from being an emperor.
Of course, the strong one was Al'Akir from the Ancient Dark Empire era.
The current Four Elemental Lords are not only imprisoned in the Elemental Planes, but also forced to wear magic crafted by the Titan Guardians, with most of their power restricted, so it's hard to say if they can compare to Thorim.
But these words couldn't be said in front of the Dragonflights, could they?
The four Dragonflights and the Titan Guardians all belong to the Order faction, both are subordinates of the Titan. The Dragonflights and Titan Guardians are colleagues; don't think the Dragonflights are subordinates of the Titan Guardians. Their power was not granted by the Titan Guardians, but personally by the Titan of the Pantheon. The Titan Guardians merely served as channels for energy transmission.
At most, they could be considered the Dragonflights' predecessors.
To say their predecessors were incompetent in front of the Dragonflights would be indirectly saying they were incompetent, wouldn't it?
He wasn't Kurdran; he wouldn't do such a thing.
Alexstrasza nodded, "The Storm Temple is indeed suitable. Malygos?"
"Then let's go."
Arcane radiance flashed, and over eight hundred people, along with eight hundred Gryphons, were all teleported above the Storm Peaks.
"Group teleportation spanning thousands of kilometers, and teleporting so many people at once? The Blue Dragonflight's casting ability and mana pool are indeed beyond what mortals can compare to," Kael'thas nodded inwardly.
At this moment, he stood on the highest level of the Storm Temple, overlooking all of Northrend.
He saw mountains towering like sharp swords piercing the sky, each peak thousands of meters high, resembling the mountain ranges of the Himalayas in the southwest of his homeland.
To the north, he could see a super complex of buildings at least ten times larger than Lordaeron. That was Ulduar, the largest known Titan structure in Azeroth, the prison for Yogg-Saron, the location of the Forge of Wills, and also where Mimiron and other Titan Guardians were imprisoned.
To the west, he could see a vast expanse of ice and snow, the eternal Icecrown Glacier, the future territory of the Lich King.
To the south, he could see the Wyrmrest Temple, not much shorter than the Storm Temple. That was the sacred place of the Dragonflights on the continent of Northrend, and also where the five Dragonflights held their discussions. The Dragonblight, where it was located, was the Dragonflight's graveyard, and the Proto-Dragon Galakrond was buried there.
And to the southeast, there was a massive complex of buildings, almost occupying the entire area between the mountains, several times larger than Ulduar.
That was Zul'Drak, the kingdom of the Frost Trolls, with even more loa than Zul'Aman, and a peerless giant serpent of unknown origin and length coiled within.
Other places were also very unusual.
Further west, the Sholazar Basin was one of the Titan Guardian Freya's gardens, containing power capable of altering the surface environment.
The Borean Tundra in the southwest corner was the Blue Dragonflight's reserved land, and the Nexus in Coldarra was one of the largest Arcane Web nodes in all of Azeroth.
The Grizzly Hills, south of Zul'Drak, was the territory of the bear demigods Ursoc and Ursol, and also the location of the World Tree, Vordrassil.
Further south, in Howling Fjord, there was Utgarde Keep, where a group of ancient Vrykul slept, whose greatest pleasure was hunting and taming Proto-Dragons.
In the center, Wintergrasp had a Titan structure called "Vault of Archavon," guarded by four ancient giants, each requiring a group of master-level adventurers to defeat.
Even the smallest, most inconspicuous Crystalsong Forest had a history of being entirely crystallized by High Elf magic, and a large number of High Elf undead still roamed there.
Northrend isn't big; it creates legends.
Northrend isn't small; it's full of big shots!
For thousands of years, why haven't adventurous humans explored the north? It's because that place is not easy to survive in.
Without demigod-level strength, one couldn't even gain a foothold in Northrend.
The strong winds howled, ruffling Kael'thas's hair.
This was the highest point in Northrend, towering into the clouds, and also the place with the most storms in all of Azeroth.
Above and around it, an endless number of storms gathered year-round, with thunder rumbling, as if a group of fellow cultivators were undergoing tribulation.
However, no matter how many storms and lightning, they could not enter the temple, being blocked by a series of circular Titan facilities.
The magical world also has technology.
When it comes to the strength of technology, the Titan are number one; Gnomes, Goblins, Ethereals, Draenei, and Demons all have to stand aside—except for the First Ones, whose existence is unknown.
"This is it, this is it!"
"The storm energy density here is a hundred times higher than Grim Batol, it's practically a holy land for Gryphon Riders!" Kurdran shouted excitedly.
An idea sparked in his mind:
What's so good about Grim Batol? Why not come to the Storm Peaks!
The mountains here are majestic, and the storms are dense, perfectly suited for shamans and the Wildhammer Dwarves. They could completely occupy the Storm Temple and expand in all directions, "Ah!"
As soon as this thought was born, he was struck by a bolt of lightning, his brown-yellow hair and beard all exploded, turning him into a golden-maned lion, his entire body twitching, as did the Gryphon beneath him.
"What are you thinking? Be careful, we are in the core of a thundercloud storm!"
Kael'thas cast a gravity spell to help Kurdran stabilize himself, not quite understanding how a legendary Gryphon Rider like him couldn't even dodge such obvious lightning, unlike his eight hundred subordinates.
"Nothing, nothing, I'm happy! I'm too happy, I just wasn't paying attention!"
Kurdran shook his head vigorously, casting away the dangerous thoughts in his mind.
He deeply suspected that the lightning bolt just now was a punishment from Thorim, the Storm King, a divine punishment, a warning!
"Let's begin."
Malygos raised his hand, and the doomhammer automatically floated to the center of the Storm Temple.
"Everyone leave the Storm Temple. The Gryphon Riders and I will guide the storm energy into the Titan facilities!" Malygos commanded.
Everyone quickly complied.
He and the eight hundred Gryphon Riders simultaneously cast spells. Immediately, endless storms gathered, lightning flashed in the sky, and electric dragons weaved through, illuminating the entire sky. It looked like the legendary Thunder Pool.
"This is truly becoming a tribulation," Kael'thas thought.
However, it wasn't a fellow Daoist undergoing tribulation, but the doomhammer.
Immediately after, rolling thunder plasma poured down, drenching the Storm Temple, flowing into the circular Titan facilities, and then, guided by Malygos, it shot out, condensing into a storm energy ball the size of a water vat in the center of the Storm Temple.
And the doomhammer floated in the center of the energy ball!
"A forge, so the Storm Temple is a giant forge, a perfect forge for crafting artifacts with storm lightning!" Kurdran couldn't help but exclaim.
This was a forge that didn't require fire, but its effect was even better than a fire-burning forge.
Because the temperature of lightning was higher than magma and flames!
Sizzling sounds constantly echoed.
Tiny lightning bolts moved in and out of the doomhammer, re-forging this shaman artifact with thunder and fire.
During this process, the energy ball continuously shrank, merging into the doomhammer, replacing the lost elemental fire.
It took a full half hour for the energy ball to completely disappear, and even the lightning, Thunder Pool, and storm vanished with it.
Centered on the Storm Temple, the storm lightning and even the clouds within a hundred-mile radius were gone. The sky turned a clear blue, unprecedentedly calm.
All the storm energy was sealed within the doomhammer!
Kurdran stared blankly at the doomhammer, his body trembling slightly.
He had never seen such a grand spectacle in his life.
"What are you waiting for, Highlord?" Kael'thas reminded him.
As soon as he finished speaking, Kurdran reached out and grabbed, and the doomhammer flew into his hand. He felt the entire warhammer was filled with storm energy, several times more than before.
He raised the warhammer high, and immediately, winds surged, thunder roared. Just one movement could change the weather.
He threw the doomhammer, and it flew like a lightning bolt a thousand meters away in an instant, smashing into a small hilltop, then instantly flew back.
Then he saw that the hilltop, which had stood firm against millions of years of storms, actually shattered directly, into thousands of small stones!
"I am so strong!"
"I can really smash an ancient giant dragon to death now—no, I feel like I can challenge the Titan Guardians, Elemental Lords, and Aspect Dragons!"
"Thorim is the Storm King, Al'Akir is the Elemental Lord of Air, Malygos is the Dragon Aspect who controls magic and storms, so I am the Thunder God, the deity who controls storm lightning!"
Kurdran was unprecedentedly arrogant, his eyes full of lightning looking at Malygos.
Through his human form, he saw a giant dragon hundreds of times larger than him, and saw endless arcane energy and storm energy surrounding Malygos, ten times larger than the doomhammer.
"No, I can't—" Kurdran instantly understood his position:
At the legendary level, he was, of course, a formidable one.
But in the eyes of high-level demigods, he was still an ant, at most a slightly larger ant, no different from before.
Malygos didn't even need to cast spells; he could swat him to death with one slap!
"doomhammer, what should I name it?" Kurdran worried.
doomhammer was the name given by the Orcs. Orgrim was a respectable opponent, so he decided to keep this name.
However, the doomhammer had been re-forged in Azeroth, so it should have an Azerothian prefix.
"It was re-forged with the help of the Blue Dragon Aspect, so how about 'Wrath of the Blue Dragon'?"
"It was born in storm lightning, or 'Thunderfury'—ah, no, 'Wrath of the Storm'?"
"Wrath of the Storm, Highlord Wildhammer's doomhammer, what do you think of this name?" Kurdran asked for opinions.
"The hammer is yours, call it whatever you want." Kael'thas spread his hands.
Actually, he thought "Mjolnir" was more suitable, but he was afraid that a certain hammer-wielding individual would cross universes to challenge him to a fight, and he couldn't win.
"Next, it's your turn."
Alexstrasza looked at Kael'thas and the others: "What kind of reward do you want?"
"Us?"
Kael'thas, Vereesa, Lanathel, and Liadrin looked at each other. Kael'thas raised the flame strike in his hand and smiled: "Haven't I already received my reward?"
"The elemental fire of the flame strike came from the doomhammer. We merely re-forged it; it's not enough to express even a fraction of our gratitude," Alexstrasza said. "Kael'thas, you saved me from captivity, helped us regain our lost power, and helped us severely wound Deathwing. Besides re-forging the flame strike, you can also make two requests."
She then looked at the three female elves: "And you, too, can each make one request."
"Two requests?"
Kael'thas pondered for a moment, then smiled brightly: "Then I ask the four Majesties to plant a World Tree in Quel'Thalas and bestow upon it the same blessings as Nordrassil!"
World Tree?
At these words, all eight hundred Gryphon Riders were utterly bewildered. What was a World Tree? They had never heard of it!
Vereesa, Liadrin, and Lanathel were different.
They had all received formal historical education from the High Elves.
When Nordrassil was planted back then, their ancestors were standing right there. They only left their homeland for Quel'Thalas after it was planted.
That history was written in black and white on the fifth page of the history book, a mandatory topic, clear as day.
Of course, Nordrassil was far away on another continent. They had only heard of it but never seen it, and they were very curious about the Dragon Aspect's blessing recorded in the book.
"You want to plant a World Tree?"
The four Dragon Aspects were all surprised, completely not expecting Kael'thas to make such a request.
Alexstrasza asked: "Can you tell us why?"
"For my father, for the wise and aged elders of the Silvermoon Council, for all my High Elf brethren who are growing old,
And doing so will benefit all High Elves, and even the entire world." Kael'thas replied.
Kael'thas, he is different... Ever since the Dark Trolls migrated near the Well of Eternity and were nourished by its energy, transforming into Night Elves, they gained incredibly long lifespans, living for ten to twenty thousand years was not difficult at all.
After the Great Sundering of the Well of Eternity, Illidan poured three of the seven stolen vials of Well of Eternity water into the lake at the center of Mount Hyjal, creating a second Well of Eternity.
To make the energy of this second well gentle and controllable, Alexstrasza planted the World Tree Nordrassil in its waters and, along with Ysera and Nozdormu, bestowed blessings upon it.
This granted the tree a portion of the power from the Titans and linked the destiny of the entire Night Elf race to Nordrassil.
As long as Nordrassil existed, the Night Elves would possess near-eternal life, powerful vitality, and the ability to enter the Emerald Dream and utilize its power.
High Elves were essentially Night Elves and also gained corresponding abilities.
However, after traveling across the ocean and migrating thousands of miles to Quel'Thalas, they moved beyond Nordrassil's energy radiation range, lost the blessings of the three Dragon Aspects, and began to be affected by aging and disease.
They lost their violet skin, their bodies gradually withered, and their strength, stamina, and lifespan were greatly diminished.
Even with the creation of the Sunwell using a vial of Well of Eternity water stolen from Illidan, and constantly bathing in the Sunwell's radiance, most High Elves still could not live beyond three thousand years!
His father, King Anasterian, was old.
High Priest Vandellor was old.
Chief Archmage Belo'vir was old.
The members of the Silvermoon Council were old.
Many elders with extremely high magical attainments, powerful spellcasting abilities, and rich combat experience had grown old.
Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure.
Quel'Thalas was full of treasures.
If a World Tree could be planted in Quel'Thalas and the Dragon Aspects could bless it, then the High Elves would receive the same treatment as the Night Elves of Kalimdor.
Those dying elders would gain long lives.
Their physiques and spirits would return to their youthful states.
They would no longer be confined to Silvermoon City or other places to live out their old age.
They could once again pick up staves, swords, and longbows to defend Quel'Thalas, fighting for their nation and their race.
The Quel'Thalas army would gain a vital force composed of high-ranking professionals, grand professionals, and even legendary professionals.
And this force would be enough to make Quel'Thalas surpass Lordaeron, becoming the most powerful nation on the Eastern Continent, dominating the region!
This was the best option he could think of.
Of course, he wanted the Timeless Sands or the focusing iris, but the Dragon Aspects would never give them to him.
Of course, he also wanted the arcane artifact "Aegwynn's Staff of Supremacy" or other artifacts, but ordinary artifacts could only benefit one person.
How could that compare to a World Tree and the Dragon Aspects' blessings, which could benefit the entire race?
Moreover, Alexstrasza had promised two requests, and this was only one of them!
As for benefiting the entire world, that was also no exaggeration.
World Trees could connect to the Emerald Dream and mobilize its energy to heal the wounds of the real world.
The Horde's invasion had caused considerable damage to the Eastern Kingdoms.
The Burning Legion would inevitably invade again, Deathwing would surely reappear as the Destroyer, the threat of the Ancient Gods remained, and no one could guarantee that the Lich King would not emerge. All of these would cause wounds to the real world, and all would require a World Tree to heal.
The World Tree on Mount Hyjal could only heal the continent of Kalimdor.
If one was not enough, then let there be another!
"For the elders and the race, huh..." Malygos muttered, a flicker of light in his eyes, his softest spot touched.
As the Guardian of Magic, he had always pondered why this world had become this way.
An answer became clearer and clearer in his mind: it was mortals, and the main culprits were mortal mages!
It was the mortal mages' abuse of arcane magic that attracted the Burning Legion, led to the Great Sundering of the Well of Eternity, destroyed the entire world, and even indirectly caused the deaths of countless Blue Dragons—all of this was caused by mortal mages!
He detested mortal mages, and he particularly disliked the High Elves who constantly delved into magic.
He had not participated in the planting of the first World Tree back then.
If Alexstrasza hadn't persuaded him, he wouldn't have come along; giving mortals any reward was already too much, not annihilating them was good enough.
When Kael'thas proposed planting a second World Tree and asked for their blessings, he immediately wanted to refuse without thinking.
But when Kael'thas explained the reason, he found that Kael'thas was fundamentally similar to him.
They both cared about their race, and Kael'thas also cared about elders, and he, having lived for tens of thousands of years, was one of the oldest elders in this world!
"Kael'thas, he's different, unlike other mortal mages—"
Malygos looked into Kael'thas's eyes, using powerful mental and magical abilities, and quickly confirmed:
Kael'thas was not faking it; he truly thought this way; he truly was different from those arrogant mortal mages!
"As you wish!" Malygos's deep voice resonated, immediately drawing surprised and puzzled glances from his three companions.
Malygos actually agreed first?
Malygos, who hated mortal mages the most, actually agreed first while they were still considering?
Was this really Malygos in front of them, or had he been mind-controlled by Yogg-Saron?
"Because of the race, huh?"
Alexstrasza, who also cared about her race and was willing to suffer at the hands of the Orcs to protect her dragon eggs and hatchlings, quickly guessed Malygos's thoughts and nodded: "As you wish!"
Ysera and Alexstrasza shared a deep sisterly bond, so she naturally wouldn't object: "As you wish!"
Nozdormu gave Kael'thas a deep look, his golden pupils slightly clouded: "As you wish!"
He was the Lord of Time.
Ever since recovering his full power, he had been pursuing Deathwing, and only now had time to focus on the timeline.
He was surprised to find that the timeline, which was already incredibly chaotic due to the Ancient Gods' disturbances, had now become even more chaotic, and the source of the chaos seemed to be Kael'thas.
He instantly saw tens of millions of possible futures, some of which seemed to have improved significantly because of Kael'thas's actions?
"Strange." Nozdormu shook his head slightly.
The power of time was not omnipotent; many beings and many powers were influencing the timeline. Kael'thas was just the most inconspicuous among them, not worth too much attention.
Compared to Kael'thas, there was a force that was even more powerful, more evil, and caused more severe damage to the timeline.
And who the source of that power was, he couldn't see at all. "Where do you plan to plant the World Tree?" Alexstrasza asked.
"West of Thas'alah, in the shallow sea south of the Windrunner Spire," Kael'thas replied.
"Isn't that the southwestern corner of Quel'Thalas territory?"
Alexstrasza seemed surprised: "I thought you would plant it in the Sunwell, or on the Sunstrider Isle named after your family, or in the center of Quel'Thalas, so it could cover all of Quel'Thalas."
Kael'thas said: "The World Tree's energy radiation range is very large. Planting it in the southwestern corner can still cover all of Quel'Thalas, and even all of Lordaeron, benefiting as many areas as possible."
"Moreover, trees need water to grow. Quel'Thalas doesn't even have a decent lake, so planting it in the sea is better, just like Nordrassil is to the east and west."
Water is very important.
Nordrassil, planted in the small lake on Mount Hyjal, was not as massive as Teldrassil, which was later planted in the sea, despite both being World Trees.
Of course, it might also be because Nordrassil was planted on the highest mountain in Azeroth, where there were rocks everywhere, a lack of fertile soil, and insufficient nutrients.
Seabed silt contains a large amount of humus and marine organism remains, with a very high organic matter content, making it quite fertile and very suitable for tree growth.
Teldrassil is the best proof.
As for why it had to be planted in the southwestern corner and not elsewhere, it certainly wasn't as noble as he made it sound.
The conflict between Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron was irreconcilable, and he had long regarded that area as High Elves territory.
Since it would be occupied sooner or later, wouldn't planting the World Tree in the center of the future territory be most appropriate?
Malygos frowned: "Size does not mean strength. The World Tree is not an ordinary tree. What it needs most for growth is not water, but energy. The southwestern part of Quel'Thalas is not a Ley Line node. No matter how big it grows, it won't be as good as Nordrassil. I suggest you plant it in the Sunwell."
Kael'thas smiled: "The Sunwell has extraordinary significance for the High Elves. Planting it there would cause a lot of controversy. And Ley Line energy is not a problem; isn't that what you're here for? You are the Guardian of Magic. Your blessing is far stronger than a mere bottle of Well of Eternity water and a Ley Line node, isn't it?"
Malygos said: "Flattering me is useless. The essence of the Well of Eternity water is the essence of Azeroth, the most fundamental energy of this world."
"It cannot be replaced by my magic."
Kael'thas looked at Nozdormu: "Your Majesty, if I used my third request to ask you to return to the timeline before the War of the Ancients and retrieve a few bottles of Well of Eternity water, would you agree?"
"A few bottles? Not even a drop!"
Nozdormu's voice was indifferent: "The duty of the Bronze Dragons is to protect the timeline. We will not do anything that disrupts the timeline. Whoever disrupts the timeline is our enemy!"
Nozdormu looked at Kael'thas: "I can help you transform the World Tree planting site into a Ley Line node, raising the arcane energy concentration there to a level no less than Quel'Danas or Dalaran. But without the Well of Eternity water, it can only be another Dalaran, not a second Sunwell. You need to think carefully."
Kael'thas nodded: "I have thought it through."
The location of the World Tree is crucial, relating to the High Elves' territory, the plans for the next ten or twenty years, and whether the High Elves can march south in a strong and energetic state to expand their gains and reduce casualties.
The southwestern part of the kingdom was the best choice. As for the Well of Eternity water, it was not a big problem; he had a way to solve it.
Everyone teleported above the southwestern corner of Quel'Thalas. Alexstrasza held out her palm, and in her palm was an acorn-like seed.
"The seed of G'Hanir, the Mother Tree?" Kael'thas felt an extremely strong life force.
The life force contained in this tiny seed seemed to even surpass that of an adult Red Dragon.
Alexstrasza nodded: "G'Hanir was the first tree on Azeroth planted by the Titan Guardian Freya, existing simultaneously in the real world and the Emerald Dream. It was destroyed during the War of the Ancients with the death of the demigod Aviana. We collected a few seeds, and this is one of them."
Kael'thas asked: "This isn't an ordinary seed, is it? Even if it's the seed of G'Hanir, the Mother Tree, it shouldn't contain such powerful life force. It's essentially equivalent to a divine artifact in the domain of life."
Just carrying this seed would emit a rich life force, nourishing the body.
No matter how special G'Hanir, the Mother Tree, was, it was only Freya's creation, at most on a demigod level. How could a mere seed be so powerful?
This is neither scientific nor magical.
"When G'Hanir withered, most of its life force dissipated, and a small part condensed into a few seeds. Only these few seeds can grow into a true World Tree," Alexstrasza said.
Kael'thas nodded: "That explains it."
"This will be the spot."
Malygos cast a spell in mid-air, and a huge vortex immediately appeared on the sea surface. The center was like a legendary sea eye, extending to the seabed, revealing the sandy and muddy ground.
Alexstrasza pressed down with her hand, and the seed of G'Hanir, the Mother Tree, was pressed into the mud.
"I bestow strength and health upon the High Elves. Your life force shall be one with the World Tree!"
A soft red light emanated from Alexstrasza, merging into the seed, imbuing it with a life force far surpassing that of an adult Red Dragon.
It quickly took root, sprouted, and grew, instantly becoming a small sapling, radiating a strong life force.
It rooted itself in the underground Ley Lines of Quel'Thalas, drawing energy from the earth, the ocean, and the Sunwell radiating from a thousand miles away, growing vigorously under the Red Dragon Queen's blessing.
Though it was just a small sapling, its sheer life force already surpassed that of Thas'dorah, the ancient tree in the center of Silvermoon Forest, which had bathed in the Sunwell's light for seven thousand years.
"I bestow eternal time upon the High Elves. You shall be immortal like the World Tree, and your lifespan shall be one with the World Tree!"
Nozdormu spoke.
The power of time poured from him and from the Bronze Dragon artifact, the "Hourglass of Time," turning into golden light that merged into the sapling.
Time seemed to accelerate a thousandfold, ten thousandfold for this tree. It visibly absorbed Ley Line energy and nutrients, growing rapidly. In an instant, it grew to a hundred meters tall, its crown extending above the sea.
It continued to grow, its trunk becoming thicker and taller, soon exceeding a thousand meters, looking like a giant pillar supporting the sky, or a mountain piercing the clouds.
It grew continuously, finally reaching its limit. Its massive crown completely covered a large area of the sea, even casting its shadow over Dathrohan and Stratholme ten kilometers away.
Its height even surpassed most of the mountains in Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron!