Trolls had forged an "indissoluble bond" with the Qiraji over ten thousand years ago, and their initial earth-shattering war ended in a mutual defeat.
The Ahn'Qiraj Empire split into three ethnic groups, their strength declining significantly. The trolls were also severely weakened by this battle and were soon replaced by the rising Night Elves as the rulers of Azeroth.
Today's Qiraji Empire and Zandalari Empire are no longer as powerful as they once were. Compared to the Qiraji Empire, which has had CThun's support and ten thousand years of recuperation, the Zandalari Empire's strength has shrunk even more drastically due to internal and external troubles.
The three major vassal empires have collapsed; the Amani are dejected, the Gurubashi have fallen back into endless internal strife after a civil war, and the Drakari have retreated into ZulDrak, not daring or wanting to move, while the Blood Trolls of Ghuun are causing chaos all day long right at their doorstep.
However, as the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even though they have declined significantly since the era of the great troll empire, Zandalar remains the most powerful nation besides the Night Elves.
With the help of many loa spirits, even Andreas did not want to rashly go to war with Zandalar. That would inevitably lead to heavy losses for both sides, only allowing certain beings hiding in the shadows to profit.
Besides Zandalar, indigenous Kalimdor races like the Tauren and Bearmen also agreed to help. After all, the strange changes in Silithius affected their vital interests as well.
Additionally, there were Dryads, Keepers of the Grove, Faerie Dragons, and wild Chimera summoned by Cenarius.
The Dragonflight, having received Andreas' message, also decided to send support.
Since most of the Aspects were occupied, the Wyrmrest Temple originally planned to arrange for the rising stars of the new generation to serve as the pillars of support.
Andreas personally made a trip to The Nexus and used a favor Malygos once owed him, finally managing to invite the Blue Dragon Aspect to serve as the leader.
Before leaving Anathiss, Andreas instructed his wife Celeste and daughter Aurora to look after their home.
Under Andreas' advocacy for prioritizing education and the training of the next generation, the long-destroyed Nathrezim Academy was rebuilt in Moonshadow's Rest.
However, the newly revived academy did not just teach Arcane. The full name of the new Nathrezim Academy was the Nathrezim Comprehensive Higher Academy... Andreas had once considered adding "full-time" to it but ultimately gave up.
The original intention of establishing this academy was not to train combat personnel, but to promote the civilian application of spells like Arcane and Nature, fostering students' innovation and flexible thinking patterns.
Celeste temporarily served as the acting dean of Nathrezim Academy, with Aurora assisting her. Their main task was to instill Andreas' educational philosophy into the academy's teachers and students.
Andreas placed high expectations on this brand-new comprehensive academy, hoping it would continuously provide more high-end talent for the Night Elf Republic... Silithius was surrounded by mountains on all sides, and the side facing the sea had no ports for landing. The only way to enter this vast desert by land was through UnGoro Crater.
The Night Elf army reached Feralas via troop ships belonging to the Moonshadow's Rest First Naval Fleet. The Tauren, who had just wiped out the Centaur, and the Night Elf Republic's Southern Legion had already set off ahead of them.
Scattered nature allies spontaneously headed to Theieshal Crater one after another. The procrastinating Dragonflight would likely be sent directly to Silithius via Malygos' large-scale teleportation.
According to the intelligence gathered from the rear, Zandalar had also dispatched its Golden Fleet, preparing to land on the eastern coast of the Tanaris desert. Barring any accidents, they should arrive at the meeting point in Theieshal Crater around the same time as Andreas and the others.
Reinforcements from all sides were converging. The Cenarion Circle and The Hidden Path, responsible for monitoring Silithius, sent back-to-back pessimistic reports.
The Qiraji had begun formal activities, establishing countless Hives in the desolate desert of Silithius, seemingly intending to build this place into their frontline base.
When the army passed through Thousand Needles and the Tanaris desert to reach UnGoro Crater, the Southern Legion led by Shandris unexpectedly reached Silithius a step ahead.
Jarod frowned. "It seems the situation isn't good. Have the Qiraji begun their expansion?"
Waiting at the camp to welcome them was Vastann, who had just been transferred from Suramar. This time, the Cenarion Circle was also sending out its elites.
Except for some personnel staying in the Emerald Dream to guard against the Nightmare, almost all idle or less essential Druids had been summoned to Silithius.
Vastann's expression was somewhat grave. "Yes. General Shandris discovered a small number of Qiraji infiltrating Theieshal Crater. They attacked without a word. The General suspected the situation had changed and set out early with the Southern Legion."
Jarod was somewhat stunned. "They're that aggressive? No intention of talking at all?"
"Heh... talking to these bugs is just a waste of time."
The Kaldorei Language, spoken with a heavy accent, came from not far behind. A middle-aged troll holding a curved staff, accompanied by three Zandalari Trolls, walked toward Andreas and the others.
'Zandalar? They're already here?'
The seemingly endless ranks of Zandalari Trolls stood outside the camp, facing off against the Night Elf troops. Both sides looked at each other with unfriendly eyes, but under the restraint of their respective officers, a fight was unlikely to break out.
"It's an honor to meet you, Speaker Moonshadow."
Andreas, who had visited Dazaralor, must have had his image recorded within Zandalar. This troll, who was clearly a spellcaster, nodded politely to Andreas.
"I am Prophet Gongala of the Zandalari Empire. These three are War Druid Ajel, Army Commander Debishi, and High Priest of the Loa, Babik."
The three Zanchuli Council members consisted of two males and one female. The only female was the Army Commander, which was somewhat beyond Andreas' expectations.
Andreas nodded with a smile and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Lord Prophet, Zandalar has fought the Ahn'Qiraj Empire before. There should be many records regarding the customs of the Qiraji. Could you share some intelligence with us?"
"Of course."
Getting down to business, the previously smiling Gongala's expression turned serious. "Although we haven't had contact with the current Qiraji, since they claim to have inherited the core legacy of the Ahn'Qiraj Empire, the customs and habits of the two should not be much different."
"The Qiraji are a swarm-based species. There is a special mental network among all Qiraji, which the Zandalari ancestors named... the Hive."
"The Qiraji do not like to communicate through speech. All their exchanges of ideas take place within the Hive network, allowing them to achieve highly efficient information transfer. After all... no matter how fast you move your lips, it's not as fast as thought, right?"
Everyone present nodded solemnly. Gongala continued to explain, "When facing other races, the Qiraji's attitude actually reflects many issues."
"They only speak when they have the intention to communicate. If they attack directly... it means they have already reached a consensus in the Hive network, and the attack order was issued by high-ranking Qiraji officers."
Jarod rubbed his chin and pondered, "So, the Qiraji Empire has already decided to go to war with us?"
"To put it simply, yes. We should also prepare for a counterattack as soon as possible."
Gongala's expression was exceptionally grave. "The efficiency of Qiraji movements is very high. I even suspect your vanguard has already begun to suffer continuous attacks."
Just as the Zandalar prophet had said, while Andreas and Jarod were exchanging intelligence at the UnGoro Crater camp, Fandral's outpost, built in the mountains of northeastern Silithius, was under intense attack.
Overwhelming numbers of various types of Qiraji swarmed the Moonglade Outpost like mad, catching the members of The Hidden Path and the Cenarion Circle stationed there off guard and causing significant losses.
Fandral was also a bit disheveled at this time, his bare upper body stained with a lot of red and green liquid; the red was his blood, and the green was the Qiraji's bodily fluids.
Fandral raised his right hand, glowing with green light, and used Nature Power to summon a fierce wind. A tornado connecting heaven and earth swept a large number of airborne Qiraji into it, greatly alleviating the aerial pressure on the Moonglade Outpost.
Namuria's leather armor was damaged in several places, and a hideous two-centimeter-long scar was left on her battle-tattooed face.
Driven by Namuria, the hunters of The Hidden Path quickly drew their bowstrings, picking off the Qiraji that had slipped through the aerial net one by one.
The ground-based Tank Qiraji were held back by Druids in bear form, while Feral Druids and hunter animal companions seized opportunities to launch assaults on the Qiraji's vulnerable flanks.
The absolute numerical disadvantage made it very difficult for Fandral and the others to resist. The Qiraji, spread across the mountains and plains, seemed endless, looking as if they were completely surrounded by countless Qiraji, causing immense psychological pressure on the defenders.
In the wooden building behind Fandral, Restoration Druids were urgently treating the wounded, and nearby, many corpses covered with white cloths were piled up. The Moonglade Outpost was crumbling under the assault of these low-level Qiraji.
Fandral gritted his teeth and expanded the range of the tornado, his heart heavy.
'These are just the lowest-level common Qiraji. If the Qiraji themselves come, can we still hold them off?'
"For Kalimdor!"
At the critical moment, Shandris and Dorn Bloodhoof, who had set off early after sensing the Qiraji's unusual movements, arrived with reinforcements. The Sentinels' arrow rain formed a continuous sheet, covering the airborne Qiraji like a large net.
Tauren and Night Elves spellcasters simultaneously exerted their power. The Druids noticed Fandral's efforts and assisted his spell from the side, further expanding the controllable tornado.
With the reinforcements, Fandral's eyes lit up. He tried to manipulate the tornado's direction, sweeping in the Qiraji along its path.
"Charge! Repel these disgusting Qiraji!"
Dorn Bloodhoof, with a totem pole on his back, led the charge, raising his two-handed axe. The axe swung with a heavy whooshing sound, and no Qiraji could withstand a second axe blow from him.
Seeing that enemy reinforcements had arrived, the Qiraji officer commanding from the rear issued a retreat order to the Qiraji besieging the Moonglade Outpost through the mind network. The overwhelming numbers of Qiraji left behind many corpses and began to retreat orderly to their respective hives.
"Phew~"
Before the reinforcements arrived, Fandral had exerted himself greatly to withstand the Qiraji's assault. With the pressure finally gone, his strong body swayed slightly, almost falling to the ground.
"Mentor!"
Feren, also covered in wounds, rushed over to support Fandral, who was suffering from excessive magical exhaustion.
Sitting softly on the ground, Fandral said with a bitter smile to Shandris, "If you had arrived any later, you probably would have been collecting my corpse."
Shandris looked gravely at the fallen soldiers in the outpost. "We didn't expect the Qiraji Empire to attack so quickly. Why didn't you call for help sooner?"
Namuria, who was being bandaged by Imory, shook her head and explained, "They came too fast and without any warning. By the time we were ready to call for help, all exits were tightly blocked by Qiraji, and no messenger could get out."
Dorn squatted down and poked the shell of a dead Qiraji with his finger.
"It's very hard. Without excellent weapons, it's difficult to penetrate this tough carapace. I suggest that those with weaker strength should use blunt weapons for attack."
The main damage from blunt weapon attacks relies on concussive force, which can cause severe damage to the Qiraji's interior without breaking the outer shell. Dorn's suggestion was indeed very reasonable.
However, Night Elves' weapons have undergone countless upgrades over the years, and most of the longbows held by members of The Hidden Path are now Magic-Guided Bows with astonishing penetrating power, so they are not afraid of failing to penetrate the Qiraji's carapace.
Tauren are strong, and while their weapons are not as good as the Night Elves', they are still quite good. Even with sharp weapons, there's a high chance of breaking through defenses. But for the Zandalar... that's another story... "Failed?"
"Failed."
South of the Silithius Desert, deep beneath the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, in a palace built of obsidian, two massive bipedal Qiraji communicated through a mind network.
"What now? The Master is waiting for our victory report."
"No need to rush. They are only facing a corner of the Qiraji Empire, brother. Let those Night Elves slowly experience the true strength of the Qiraji."
"No problem, brother. Let's move, for the Master's glory."
...When Jarod and his army arrived at the Moonglade Outpost, the dilapidated structure clearly showed the ferocity of the previous battle.
Vastann, who was leading the way, changed his expression, excused himself to Andreas, and strode into the outpost to check the situation.
"Andreas! Over here, over here!"
That boisterous voice immediately revealed who it was. Andreas sighed helplessly, letting Jarod lead the army to set up camp on the west side of the outpost, and turned to walk towards Leticia.
Habitually flicking Leticia's head, Andreas sternly asked, "You rascal, don't you see the atmosphere in the outpost right now? Why are you shouting so cheerfully?"
Leticia, sitting on a rock, swung her legs nonchalantly. "It's fine, at least the battle is over for now. Although there were many casualties, those who survived must cheer up. Going to the battlefield with a depressed mood, the next one to die might be yourself."
Andreas rolled his eyes. "Forget it, have it your way... Where's Lunara?"
"She didn't leave with us. She's waiting for her sisters to rendezvous in Feralas. Where are Celeste, Auni, and little Aurora?"
"Auni went to Wyrmrest Temple to urge for reinforcements. Celeste and Aurora are guarding the north."
After some pleasantries, both sides exchanged intelligence.
Shandris' Southern Legion and the Tauren together trapped the Centaur in Speargroove, only clearing them out after they had completely lost their will to fight.
Afterward, they followed the Tauren to various locations in Marshanhi, completely eradicating the remaining four Centaur villages.
Although the threat of the Centaur was eliminated, Marshanhi had become barren after being ravaged by Theradras and the Centaur.
Even with the help of the Cenarion Circle Druids, restoring it to its former glory would not happen overnight, especially since the Cenarion Circle currently lacked spare manpower.
Ultimately, Dorn decided to leave only a small number of people to guard the last emerald grassland in central Marshanhi, and the Tauren moved their political center to Mulgore Plains.
Dorn planned to build a magnificent city relying on the northern mountains, marking a farewell to the increasingly unsuitable large-scale nomadic life.
Andreas was not surprised by the Tauren's choice; after all, Marshanhi could indeed no longer support a Tauren population of several million, so relocating was only a matter of time.
"Let's not talk about that for now. You arrived first, what are your thoughts on the strength of the Qiraji Empire?"
"Strong."
Leticia's expression grew solemn. "I don't have detailed data, but the Qiraji that attacked Moonglade Outpost this time were just their cannon fodder. Even so, they caused significant damage with their numerical superiority."
"If their true elites also charged in such swarms... that scene would probably not be pretty."
After The Hidden Path and the vanguard of the Cenarion Circle entered Silithius, they first dispatched Scouts with stealth capabilities to secretly explore the entire vast desert.
Although the Silithius desert is filled with various large and small hives, there are only four and a half giant hives that are truly noteworthy.
The most immediate threat is the Yago Hive, located not far west of the Moonglade Outpost, a name Fandral chose himself.
Not far south of the Yago Hive is a large insect gathering point. That group of insects utilized the original mountain structure to build a hive pillar, with countless insects circling above the mountain. Fandral named it the Pillar of the Swarm.
The Pillar of the Swarm can only be counted as half a giant hive. To its southeast, at the foot of the mountains where Uldum and Silithius meet, lies another lair—the Regal Hive.
Adding in the Zora Hive, which is also close to the mountain edge on the west side of the Pillar of the Swarm, and the Krissta Hive in the Crystal Valley of northwestern Silithius, these four and a half hives each possess a large number of defending forces.
The Dragonflights have not yet arrived, and it is unknown when they will reach us. The immediate priority is ensuring the smooth flow of the logistical supply lines.
Although the camp in UnGoro Crater is still usable, it clearly does not have the capacity to sustain an army of over a million soldiers.
Jarod had long since prepared a plan. After the armies of the various races had successively stationed themselves around the Moonglade Outpost, he summoned the high-ranking officials of all the races to the Moonglade Outpost for a military council.
As the host of the continent of Kalimdor, Andreas stepped forward to speak first after seeking Dorn's permission.
"Everyone, we still have many issues to resolve, but first, we need to determine the Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces."
Scanning the varied expressions of those present, Andreas continued, "A snake cannot move without a head. The troops gathered here come from all corners of the world, and their fighting styles are diverse. Depending on the situation, more reinforcements will arrive later."
"If we only fight independently, it will be difficult to maximize the combat power of the allied forces. Therefore, I propose that we elect a Commander-in-Chief who will coordinate the overall situation and formulate strategies. What are your thoughts?"
Dorn agreed without hesitation. He said in the deep, resonant voice characteristic of the Tauren, "I agree. A disorganized army is easily defeated piecemeal by the Qiraji Empire."
"I believe you all gained a preliminary understanding of the Qiraji during the battle at Moonglade Outpost. Whether in terms of combat power or discipline, these Qiraji are not comparable to the cannon fodder we have faced before."
Dorn turned to look at the Night Elves led by Andreas. "Although this might sound exaggerated, we had best treat the Qiraji Empire as an enemy on the level of the Burning Legion."
Zandalar Prophet Gongala nodded gravely. "I do not wish to praise the enemy while diminishing our own might, but Zandalar once fought a large-scale war against the Ahn'Qiraj Empire. According to the records left by our ancestors, we did not win that war very cleanly."
"If the Amani Empire had not forcefully taken down Kith'ix using countless lives, thoroughly crushing the morale of the Ahn'Qiraj Empire, the final outcome of that war would have been hard to predict."
Although, viewed in the big picture, the Troll Empires did achieve victory, that was only because the Ahn'Qiraj Empire lost the will to fight after Kith'ix died. Their main forces had not suffered devastating blows, and both sides should be considered mutually wounded.
Seeing that the three parties had reached a consensus, Andreas took the opportunity to nominate Jarod.
"I have a suitable candidate: the former Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces who commanded the various races against the Burning Legion and made great contributions during the war, Garrond Shadowsong."
Dorn, who had just accepted aid from the Night Elves, stepped forward again to express his approval.
"I have no objections. Commander Shadowsong's talent has been mentioned multiple times in the totem records passed down by our ancestors. I trust his abilities."
On the Zandalar side, loa High Priest Babbik was resting with his eyes closed, perhaps communicating with the loa spirits through meditation.
War Druid Ajiel and Army Commander Debihis exchanged glances, then nodded to Prophet Gongala one after the other to show their agreement.
Although they desperately wanted Zandalar to take the lead in commanding this war, Zandalar, which has endured for tens of thousands of years, prioritized the overall scope of the conflict.
Zandalar did not directly participate in the War of the Ancients, but they consistently paid close attention to both warring parties throughout that conflict.
They had naturally heard Jarod's name. Considering the big picture, Zandalar could reluctantly accept him as Commander-in-Chief, given his experience leading the allied armies of various races.
The armies gathered here have not yet reached their maximum capacity. Only 100,000 Tauren have arrived so far; they are currently urgently relocating their homes. Once they have established a foothold in Mulgore, they should be able to spare another 100,000 to 200,000 reinforcements.
The same is true for Zandalar. Prophet Gongala only brought about 100,000 vanguard troops this time. The main forces, including the loa, need to be transported in multiple waves by the Golden Fleet. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 more will arrive sequentially.
This is under the premise that they still need to leave a considerable number of troops behind to guard against the Blood Trolls.
The Southern Legion led by Shandris, counting the various types of arcane golems, totals about 250,000 soldiers, and the reinforcements Jarod brought from Anathiss are roughly an equal number.
However, this is only the military strength from Anathiss. The Night Elf Republic's massive navy has not been mobilized, and none of the important strongholds, including Black Rook Hold, Moonshadow's Rest, Stormwind Harbor, Auberdine, and Astranaar, have issued a full mobilization order.
Even without considering the extreme situation of mobilizing the militia, the Night Elves can mobilize over a million troops.
Accounting for the Highmountain Tauren who have promised to send troops, as well as the Dragonflights and the Night Elves' nature allies, the total troop count is already massive. There is no need for the Night Elves to commit all their forces, as that would only make Zandalar wary.
For such a massive army, the daily consumption of food for both men and mounts is no laughing matter.
The Zandalari Trolls brought a considerable amount of their own food as a precaution, but transporting it from Zandalar Island across vast distances makes the supply line far too extended.
After officially taking the position of Commander-in-Chief, the first issue Jarod addressed was that of supply.
"After consulting with the Tauren, we have decided to designate Eversong, the core southern city of the Night Elf Republic, as the logistical center. All supplies will be dispatched from this hidden capital."
"Please wait."
Prophet Gongala frowned and asked, "I have also studied the map of Kalimdor. With all due respect, the straight-line distance between Eversong and Silithius is indeed short, but traveling by land requires a very long detour, doesn't it?"
Jarod nodded. "Yes, which is why we plan to use air transport to deliver the food."
Walking to the map of Kalimdor in the command center, Jarod reached out and traced a line downward from Eversong.
"If we establish a supply station in UnGoro Crater, setting aside the risk of the Qiraji Empire cutting off the supply route, an overly long supply line is a major hidden danger. The amount of food lost on the road due to various reasons alone would be heartbreaking."
"Looking at it from another angle, if we use air transport, we can complete the resupply using the shortest possible distance."
Gongala nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good idea, but does the Night Elf Republic have enough flying mounts to handle the air transport?"
Jarod replied confidently, "Yes. Our nature allies happen to include heavy aerial units like the Chimera."
The number of wild Chimera that responded to Cenarius' call this time was quite large. Andreas was reluctant to send them to the front lines to be consumed, and he was planning to keep this batch of Chimera back.
Jarod strongly agreed with Andreas' idea. After a discussion, the two decided to let the Chimera take on the important task of transporting supplies, thus allowing them to avoid the front lines directly.
Dorn stroked his chin while looking at the markings on the map. "But if we do this, there are two problems that need to be solved first."
"Yes."
Jarod nodded. "The Yago Hive and the Krissta Hive, which are blocking our aerial supply route. We must quickly mobilize our forces to clear out these two swarm strongholds."
Although Jarod spoke lightly, two mere hives were indeed not too difficult for the hundreds of thousands of troops gathered there.
However, the problem lay in the Qiraji Empire's special communication channels. Once the Yago Hive and Krissta Hive were attacked, all the Qiraji in Silithius would immediately receive the news, and it was highly likely they would swarm out.
All hives except the Pillar of the Swarm were buried deep underground. Prisim had sent Scouts multiple times to try and infiltrate the hives, but they either returned without success or didn't return at all.
According to the news brought back by the Rogue Scouts who fortunately escaped, the internal passages of the hive were very narrow, making it difficult for large armies to enter side-by-side.
Moreover, the interior was like a labyrinth from which one could not escape, and if one had a poor sense of direction, they might remain trapped inside the hive indefinitely.
The narrow passages, combined with the labyrinthine structure, meant that attacking these hives could not rely on large forces to overwhelm them with numerical superiority.
The leader of the investigation team sent by Dalaran did propose a suggestion: gather a large number of Arcanists to directly burn down the hive's structural body from the outside.
But after some testing, the effect was not ideal.
The hives built by the Qiraji were very strange, composed of various limb-like segments that seemed alive and would occasionally tremble.
Once the exterior of the hive was attacked, the Qiraji would quickly receive the news through the neural connection system of these hive structures.
They would swarm out of the hive in groups, using the ubiquitous yellow sand of Silithius and astonishing coordination to quickly extinguish fires.
When the allied forces tentatively launched an attack on the Pillar of the Swarm exposed on the surface, the Qiraji Empire was not idle either.
The high-ranking Qiraji, hiding behind the scenes, commanded the Qiraji of Silithius to launch harassing attacks around the Moonglade Outpost 24/7.
Fortunately, due to the Night Elves' unique activity schedule, the allied forces could maintain a high state of alert throughout the day, and the Qiraji Empire's probes did not achieve much effect.
While neither side had yet begun a full-scale battle, Andreas frequently traveled between Moonglade Outpost and Eversong, personally arranging the routes for the aerial supply teams, allowing them to grasp the essentials of aerial transport through practical application.
Since the Yago Hive was still standing, to bypass the Qiraji's activity range, the Chimera supply team could only temporarily detour through Thousand Needles, then head south into UnGoro Crater, supplying the army at Moonglade Outpost from the safe rear area.
Although it was a significant detour, as these wild Chimeras gradually became familiar with the route and supply model, their efficiency also improved considerably; at least they were no longer as flustered as when they first started.
As both sides cautiously probed each other, more reinforcements successively landed in the Tanaris Desert.
These included subsequent reinforcements from Zandalar, as well as Highmountain Tauren who had rushed from the Broken Isles.
Although they had been separated for thousands of years, the Highmountain Tauren were essentially not much different from the Kalimdor Tauren. Upon meeting, the two sides quickly grew close due to their shared culture and customs.
The Highmountain Tauren were contacted by Ebysian through his connections, and Andreas' reputation also played a role.
As someone who once drove out Deathwing alongside the legendary Great Chieftain Hoon Highmountain, the immortal Andreas had become a living legend, like a fossil, among the Highmountain Tribe.
The Highmountain Tribe had fought alongside the Night Elves in the War of the Ancients, already possessing a foundation for cooperation.
Furthermore, with Black Rook Hold and Highmountain strengthening ties in recent years as they gradually opened up to the outside world, when Ebysian's request was received, the contemporary Highmountain Great Chieftain did not take long to unify the opinions of the entire tribe.
The Qiraji Empire was the successor to the Ahn'Qiraj Empire, and like their ancestors, they obeyed the Old Gods.
And the Old Gods were enemies of all living beings on Azeroth; Deathwing himself had fallen and subsequently posed a huge threat to the Highmountain Tribe's survival after being seduced by the Old Gods.
The principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold' is not difficult to understand. Under the eloquent explanation of the envoy sent by Elisana Ravencrest, the Highmountain Tribe ultimately decided to send troops to aid.
The first wave of Zandalari reinforcements included two loa, the Pterodactyl Paku and the Direhorn Tokali, both bringing many of their offspring to participate in the war.
Paku's arrival strengthened the allied forces' aerial power, while the Direhorns, with their powerful charge, could directly confront the Qiraji Empire's tank bugs, even gaining the upper hand.
It was not Andreas' first time meeting Paku. Busy coordinating the camp in his free time, he took a moment to chat alone with the Mother of Pterodactyls.
"Rezan originally intended to come himself, but the God King refused. He wants the loa of kings to guard the Zuldazar border."
Paku said worriedly, "I don't know if Ghuun has any connection with the one beneath Silithius. Before we set off, the Blood Trolls suddenly became active."
Andreas was somewhat surprised by this. "No way, Ghuun is an artificial Old God; by rights, he shouldn't have a direct connection with a genuine Old God."
Paku grinned, "Indeed, there won't be a direct connection, but they can communicate through messengers."
"The Compsognathus loa, Gani, infiltrated Nazmir for reconnaissance and discovered that the defenses around Uldir have become much stricter. It seems those Blood Trolls are deliberately concealing something."
This sudden intelligence was not good news for the army stationed in Silithius. It meant that Zandalar could be subjected to a large-scale attack by the Blood Trolls at any time, and subsequent reinforcements might become Schrödinger's reinforcements.
After his conversation with Paku, Andreas relayed the intelligence brought by Zandalar to Jarod, the supreme commander of the allied forces.
"Instability in the rear?" Jarod pondered. "Alright, the probing should be over soon."
"Our soldiers have gained considerable knowledge about the various types of Qiraji. Tomorrow, I will announce to the entire army that the Tauren will lead the charge the day after tomorrow morning, officially launching an attack on the Yago Hive."
Andreas nodded noncommittally. "Have you figured out how to attack the hive? Forcibly dismantle it from the outside or penetrate it?"
"Both, I suppose. The main force will feign dismantling the hive from the outside, forcing the Qiraji to come out and fight. We will then arrange an elite squad to infiltrate and kill the commander, destroying the hive completely through a coordinated inside-out attack."
...The next morning, while the Night Elves were still sleeping according to their routine, the Kalimdor Tauren and Highmountain Tauren set off together, marching majestically towards the Yago Hive.
The Zandalari Trolls, meanwhile, had made preparations in advance, moving south from Moonglade Outpost into the center of the desert under the leadership of the Cenarion Circle.
One reason was to cut off support to the northern battlefield from other hives to the south, and the other was to establish a new frontline command post—Cenarion Stronghold—in the center of the desert.
Andreas' role in this war was that of a coordinator, not a frontline commander.
Andreas always advocated for professionals to handle professional matters. With Jarod, a genius commander, leading the charge, he could focus more energy on coordinating the overall situation from the rear of the battlefield.
Ghuun's unusual activity put Andreas on high alert. Ghuun was, after all, only an artificial Old God, and the other two powerful beings, likely directly connected to CThun, might also be making their own moves.
However, to Andreas' surprise, after inquiring with Navaz, who was still stationed in Northrend, the intelligence received indicated that everything was normal. Yogg-Saron seemed to have no intention of causing trouble while the world's attention was focused on CThun.
As for NZoth... Andreas only knew that its sealed location, Nyalotha, had fallen into the sea, likely near the Naga capital, Nazjatar, but he truly didn't know its exact whereabouts.
Furthermore, the sea was the Naga's home turf. Besides arranging for three naval fleets to strengthen coastal patrols, Andreas had no intention of actively provoking this vast race.
While the Tauren were fighting the Qiraji of the Yago Hive, the Zandalari Trolls, supported by the Pterodactyl loa Paku, began their assault on the Pillar of the Swarm.
Jarod, stationed at Moonglade Outpost, soon received word from scouts that the Krissta Hive in the northwest had, as expected, dispatched reinforcements towards the Yago Hive.
The Zora Hive and Regal Hive also sent troops north, but their main forces were blocked by the Zandalar in the central desert, making a breakthrough difficult in the short term.
The Night Elves' forces temporarily held their ground, not to conserve strength by letting other races wear themselves out, but because Jarod had assembled a special assault team composed of powerful generals from various units.
When the Tauren lured out a large number of Qiraji from the Yago Hive, the assault team, led by Shandris and concealed by the Shadow Veil cast by Leticia, quietly infiltrated the Yago Hive.
This team included Shandris, Prisim, Leticia, Lunara, Laynella, Feren, Vastann, and elite hunters from The Hidden Path under Namuria. The Dalaran investigation team also sent several of their strongest mages to join.
Previously, Prisim's scouts had made considerable sacrifices to basically map out the internal structure of the Yago Hive.
The Qiraji Empire's hives had countless narrow tunnels connecting the surface to underground.
Shandris' assault team had a heavy mission. Considering the Qiraji's hive network, if even a single Qiraji discovered their presence, the team infiltrating the hive could be surrounded from all directions.
This was one of the reasons Jarod repeatedly insisted on streamlining the number of people and sending the strongest fighters to form the team.
Fewer people meant a lower chance of errors and made it easier for Shandris to issue direct commands for overall coordination.
Following Prisim's advice, Shandris chose to infiltrate through a tunnel closest to the northern mountain wall after the Qiraji of the Yago Hive were largely lured out by the Tauren.
Because it was far from the main battlefield, few Qiraji would leave the hive from this direction.
Meanwhile, as the temporary defenses set up by the Zandalar clashed with Qiraji reinforcements from the south, Fandral gathered a large number of druids from the Cenarion Circle, channeling Nature Power to summon fierce winds.
A massive amount of sand was swept up by the sudden storm in the desert, and a huge, yellowish-brown tornado enveloped the entire Pillar of the Swarm. Terrified flying Qiraji darted about, unable to escape the tornado's range.
Paku was known as the King of Storms. Even amidst the powerful, sand-whipping winds, she could maintain normal flight.
Under Paku's leadership, the Zandalar Pterodactyl Riders broke through the tornado and began attacking the flying Qiraji within the Pillar of the Swarm. The Zandalar ground commander, Debish, decided to first cripple the Qiraji's aerial forces in Silithius.
Jarod agreed with the ground commander's decision. As long as they could gain air superiority, even if only temporarily, the subsequent battles would become much easier.
Andreas kept an eye on Shandris and her team's movements while also monitoring intelligence from Northrend.
"What's going on with the Dragonflights? Why haven't they left yet? There's a limit to procrastination, isn't there?"
On the other end of the remote call via Arcane ritual, Onyxia shrugged helplessly. "His Majesty Malygos' experiment is almost finished, just a little more to go. Considering his current temper, no one dares to rush him. We can only wait patiently for now."
"How are things on your end? Is the Qiraji Empire difficult to deal with?"
Andreas rubbed his temples with a bitter smile. He hadn't expected Malygos to be the one causing delays, but it was already good that the Blue Dragon Aspect had agreed to help, so Andreas couldn't demand too much from him.
"It's alright. The probing is over, and we've finally started direct combat, but I don't think these Qiraji are all of the Qiraji Empire's elites."
The core territory of the Qiraji Empire was not in Silithius, but further south in Ahn'Qiraj.
Although many types of Qiraji had been seen in the Silithius desert these past few days, and many Qiraji commanders had appeared, the Qiraji Empire's strongest combat unit, AnubRekhan, had not been seen at all.
AnubRekhan were said to be powerful intelligent constructs created by the Twin Emperors, but Andreas estimated that the suggestions for their creation likely came from their true master, the Old God CThun.
These combat constructs, made of obsidian, possessed low intelligence but had strong magical resistance and physical damage resistance, and their offensive power was also quite formidable.
Andreas had seen many of them when he played the Ahn'Qiraj raid in his previous life; they were indeed quite difficult to deal with... Just as Andreas was pondering how to deal with the tough AnubRekhan, Shandris' assault team ran into big trouble.
According to Prisim's intelligence, the Yago Hive had three underground levels, with the hive's command center located deep within the third level, where high-ranking Qiraji commanders remotely controlled the battle outside the hive.
Passing through the first level went very smoothly. The team, entering from the north side of the hive, encountered virtually no enemies and proceeded unhindered to the first level.
The battle outside seemed not to have affected the normal operation of the hive. In this large, hall-like Arthropod Plaza, numerous Qiraji moved about in an orderly fashion, keeping the hive's logistical hub well-organized.
Under the cover of Leticia's Shadow Veil, the team members advanced silently, communicating with tactical hand gestures.
Prisim gestured, indicating to infiltrate the third level via the spiral passage on the left. Shandris and the others immediately followed the Rogue quietly.
But as everyone entered the third level, a foul-smelling, dark green liquid suddenly sprayed from the hive ceiling.
Although Prisim reacted swiftly and dodged it, the Dalaran mages and the less experienced Vastann and others were sprayed all over their heads and faces.
Shandris sniffed, noting that besides the pungent odor, the liquid wasn't poisonous; it seemed more like a tool specifically designed for tracking.
"We're in trouble."
Shandris took her longbow from her back and aimed forward. Hundreds of high-ranking Qiraji with flapping wings surrounded them, clearly having prepared an ambush.
Prisim's sharp gaze penetrated the mass of Qiraji, looking towards the center of the third-level hall. A masked Night Elf with dull eyes stood beside a Qiraji wearing a white veil over its face.
This person was one of the scouts Prisim had sent into the Yago Hive for reconnaissance. She had thought he had sacrificed himself, and never expected to meet him again in this manner.
Leticia gripped her moon wheel, her expression grim. "Mind control?"
As an expert in using Shadow Power, Leticia immediately recognized the condition of the Rogue Scout.
This unlucky fellow was caught red-handed by a high-ranking Qiraji using Shadow Power. After being mentally controlled, he divulged the general follow-up plans of the allied forces.
Fortunately, Prisim maintained strict intelligence control over her Scouts, so this Rogue Scout didn't know much information, and most of it wasn't core.
However, the mission of the Assault Squad happened to be known to him, and after being mentally controlled, he spilled all the information he knew.
"Ah, Ah~" The Qiraji with a white veil covering her face let out a strange laugh with a hoarse, unpleasant voice. "Invaders, surrender. I won't kill you immediately. Your minds must hold a lot of important information."
"Splat!"
The captured Scout ultimately couldn't save his life. This high-ranking Qiraji intensified the Shadow Energy injected into his brain, and the Rogue's head exploded like a watermelon, creating a rather impressive visual effect.
"Deep breaths, calm down."
Seeing the few Dalaran mages' faces turn a little green, Shandris calmly said, "It's just a common display of intimidation. Prepare for a breakout."
"Breakout? Dream on."
The white-clad Qiraji, presumably female, flapped her wings and flew into the air, emitting a strange ripple from her center.
The surrounding Qiraji received their commander's order and almost simultaneously began to attack Shandris and the others.
"Invaders, remember my name before you die! I am Hermosha, a high-ranking Qiraji General of the Qiraji Empire!"
"Submit to me!"
A mental control wave, propelled by Shadow Power, enveloped Shandris' squad. The Dalaran mages, with their higher mental strength, felt this mental attack and immediately held their breath, concentrating to expel the hostile mental wave from their brains.
"Ugh!"
Vastann felt a throbbing pain in his brain and let out a low groan, his lips twitching.
Leticia was the first to throw the moon wheel in her hand towards the gradually approaching Qiraji forces. The moon wheel, cutting through the air, caused a slight ripple in the Qiraji's otherwise orderly formation. At the same time, she condensed Shadow Power and let out a sharp cry.
"Ying!"
The indiscriminate mental shock, carrying Shadow Power, dispelled Hermosha's mental wave. Vastann and the others finally felt their minds clear again.
Shandris keenly noticed that Leticia's cry caused a momentary pause in the Qiraji's movements. A gleam suddenly flashed in her eyes.
'So that's how the hive network works?'
"Leticia, focus on suppressing that high-ranking Qiraji's mental attack. The fighting is up to us!"
"Okay~"
After retrieving her moon wheel, the invisible mental domain offense and defense between Leticia and Hermosha officially began.
Shandris moved like lightning, arrows firing like a machine gun with her blurring hand speed. The Qiraji approaching the front lines fell in swathes like mown wheat, without even having time to react.
Namuria and her Hidden Path hunters also jointly set up an anti-air zone.
Although the mission Dalaran gave the investigation team was primarily research, with their lives now threatened, the mages of the investigation team couldn't care less.
Of the three mages accompanying the Assault Squad, two specialized in ice magic, and the remaining one in Arcane magic.
Ice spells might not have the destructive power of fire spells, but their control effects were far superior.
The two ice mages simultaneously summoned their Water Elementals. Two large-scale Frost Novas froze a large number of Qiraji in place. At the same time, the husband and wife, working in perfect sync, cast Blizzard, covering large areas of Qiraji.
The extremely cold Blizzard caused damage while slowing the Qiraji's advance. The remaining mage also began to act, Arcane Barrage spinning and flying into the Qiraji crowd, blowing the enemy ranks into disarray.
However, relying solely on ranged attacks and control spells that couldn't be used continuously, it was difficult to completely restrict the Qiraji from approaching, as these Qiraji all had wings.
Laynella was the first to transform into a sleek, black panther. She guarded Shandris like a flashing black light, tearing any Qiraji daring to approach into shreds with her sharp claws.
Vastann was different from his father, who had long mastered all specializations. His chosen specialization was shapeshifting.
"Awoo~"
A gray wolf howled as it charged into the enemy formation alongside Laynella. The dryad Lunara's poisoned spear also joined the frontline support at the opportune moment.
"Roar!"
Vastann fearlessly bit a Qiraji, tearing half its body open with a shake of his head. Spitting out the disgusting Qiraji flesh from his mouth, Vastann flashed around like a gray phantom.
Although most people's first impression of Vastann was that he was Archdruid Staghelm's son, after so many years, the diligent Vastann had long cultivated impressive strength.
After receiving Goldrinn's entrustment and the moonglaive from Andreas, his strength advanced by leaps and bounds. Some even regarded him as a rising star among Feral Druids, even threatening Aviana's position.
"Woof!"
While moving through the Qiraji crowd, Vastann encountered a large black panther with sharp eyes and Qiraji bodily fluids on its mouth.
Laynella sniffed, a look of disdain on her panther face. "Little puppy, go to the other side. This is my hunting ground."
The arrogant Vastann felt a little displeased, but Laynella was an elder among Druids; even his father maintained a relationship of equals with Laynella.
"Hmph~"
Snorting unhappily, the gray wolf flicked its tail and changed direction.
The Assault Squad, at a distinct numerical disadvantage, was quickly enveloped in the encirclement. Even Lunara, with her more flexible fighting style, was forced to join the melee.
Wielding her spear to force back the Qiraji in front of her, Lunara deftly shifted positions, her hind legs kicking back forcefully into a Qiraji attempting to ambush her from behind.
Prisim took advantage of the Dragonkin losing balance, and her snake-like dagger slit his neck, easily taking a life.
The Arcane mage, while casting spells to clear enemies, was also performing some small actions with his hands.
Using an instant Arcane Missiles to repel the enemy in front of him, the spell he had been chanting finally completed.
"portal!"
Waving his arm to draw an oval-shaped exit, the old mage shouted, "Come quickly! We can evacuate!"
The ice mage couple simultaneously released one last Frost Orb. Their two expressionless Water Elementals were also ordered to charge into the enemy ranks and self-destruct.
Shandris' condensed moonlight arrow pierced a vacuum channel through the Qiraji formation, allowing Laynella and Vastann to return through it.
"Hehehe~"
Leticia, who had been holding Hermosha at bay, smirked. Before leaving, she stirred Shadow Power to unleash a wide-range mental shock amidst the Qiraji.
The situation Shandris noticed, there was no reason why Leticia, as a master of the shadow arts, wouldn't see it.
The hive network experienced a brief pause under this wide-area mental shock. The Qiraji, accustomed to receiving commands directly in their minds, suddenly felt at a loss.
Prisim threw a smoke bomb before retreating into the portal, obscuring its light. At the same time, Shandris began the final cleanup.
"Elune, please grant me strength."
Through prayer, invoking divine magic, countless strands of moon-white light shone into this underground space where no moonlight could be seen. All Qiraji illuminated by it let out shrill and hoarse screams.
'The mutual restraint of light and shadow, and the internal checks between Shadow Energy, interesting...'
Amidst Hermosha's furious commands, the portal closed in time, bringing a decent end to this failed assault.
Shandris and the others had just evacuated when countless Qiraji rushed to the second floor, but arriving at the scene now was of no help.
Feeling the Hive Mind Network return to normal, the annoyed Hermosha barely regained his composure. Recalling Leticia's mischievous smirk before she left, Hermosha had a bad premonition in his heart.
'Great Twin Emperors, your humble servant Hermosha has an emergency to report.'
'Hermosha? Speak.'
Among the Twin Emperors of the Qiraji Empire, Emperor Veknilash was responsible for leading the army, while Emperor Veklor's task was to manage internal affairs.
The one responding to Hermosha's call at this moment was Emperor Veklor.
'Yes! According to your instructions, the high-ranking Qiraji I led engaged in a battle with the intruders. Unfortunately, we failed to keep them here.'
Veklor said nonchalantly, 'It matters not. As long as they did not breach the hive, our strategic objective has been achieved. And then? What is the emergency you wish to speak of?'
Hermosha hesitated for a moment before speaking through the Hive Mind Network, 'Your Majesty Veklor, I suspect the secret of the hive may have been discovered by the enemy.'
'What?' Far away in the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, Veklor's hand paused. 'How could it be discovered? Did you do something unnecessary?'
Feeling the killing intent and dissatisfaction coming from the other side of the mental link, Hermosha shuddered and hurried to reply, 'No! It is only because there was someone in the enemy's squad who also manipulates Shadow Power.'
'Shadow Power... I see.'
Veklor was silent for a moment. 'I understand. Although I cannot be one hundred percent certain, I will make preparations just in case. Continue to guard the Yago Hive well; there must be no failures.'
'Yes!'
..."Failed?"
Shandris said somewhat dejectedly, "Yes, we were one move short. I didn't expect the opponent to have captured a missing scout and used Shadow Magic to mentally control him, knowing our movements in advance."
"However, this assault was not entirely fruitless. Leticia and I have a general hypothesis regarding the principles of the Qiraji Hive Mind Network, which might be of some use in the subsequent war."
"Oh?"
Andreas and Jarod glanced at each other, their expressions both becoming serious.
"Let's hear it."
While factors like strategy, tactics, and troop strength are all important in a war, as a transmigrator from Earth, Andreas placed even more importance on two other factors.
Logistics and communications.
Logistics aside, with Andreas personally coordinating, the chance of problems arising was extremely small.
But in terms of communications, the allied forces were undoubtedly at an absolute disadvantage.
The Qiraji Empire's Hive Mind Network was practically cheating, allowing all generals on the battlefield to be directly mentally linked with the commander-in-chief in the rear. This was even more unscrupulous than satellite phones on Earth.
Andreas had some guesses about this Hive Mind Network; it was likely related to that Old God CThun lurking deep underground.
Against a communication network personally constructed by an Old God, it was almost impossible for Mortals like Andreas to completely destroy it.
But if it were just a small-scale paralysis... it might produce miraculous effects at certain critical moments.
"Can Shadow Power affect the operation of the Hive Mind Network?"
Andreas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I understand. For now, don't spread this around. Act as if we don't know about it. I will make arrangements when the time is right."
After Shandris took her leave, Jarod asked with a strange expression, "Are you thinking of some dirty trick?"
"Heh~ you could say that."
Andreas said meaningfully, "Since Shandris and Leticia could notice it by accident, do you think the Qiraji Empire won't take precautions?"
A light flashed in Jarod's eyes, and a knowing smile curled his lips. "I see."
..."earth mother protect us!"
Dorn Bloodhoof swung his heavy two-handed axe, cleaving a large, hard-shelled Tank Bug in half, getting drenched in the foul-smelling insect fluids.
As this mid-level commander was slain by Draen, an order came through the Hive Mind Network. All defending forces in front of the Yago Hive retreated to the hive entrance, maintaining a vigilant stance for a temporary truce.
"Pah!"
Spitting out the foul liquid that had sprayed into his mouth, Draen casually wiped his face with his thick arm.
A Tauren riding a giant eagle descended from the sky, bringing Jarod's latest instructions to the frontline warriors.
The order was not beyond most people's expectations: withdraw for now and continue the attack tomorrow morning.
Draen caught his breath and turned to Amon Highmountain beside him. "It seems the strike team didn't succeed in taking out the commander in the hive. This means the cost in time and troops will be much higher."
Amon nodded. "A clever ploy is just a clever ploy after all. You can only occasionally succeed by seizing an enemy's imperceptible flaw. If the opponent shows no weakness, the test ultimately falls back to raw strength on the battlefield."
The Tauren side faced greater pressure as the attackers, while the Zandalari Trolls and the Cenarion Circle, who were urgently building a stronghold in the center of the desert, were also having a hard time.
After capturing the Pillar of the Swarm with Paku's assistance, the stronghold defenders, having built preliminary fortifications, could take a defensive stance at their leisure.
However, all the Qiraji in the southern part of Silithius were converging toward Cenarion Stronghold, attempting to pull out this eyesore of a nail. The Zandalari Trolls were finding it quite difficult to defend.
After a day of fighting, War Druid Ajel sighed softly. "The surprise attack failed. It seems this war will last a long time."
Army Commander Debbie's expression remained unchanged. "As expected. If the remnants of the Ahn'Qiraj Empire were so easy to defeat, the Night Elves, whose combat power is unsurpassed in Azeroth, wouldn't have needed to ask us for help."
Loa High Priest Babik turned to look at Gongala, who seemed lost in thought. "Prophet, can you foresee the direction of this war?"
"Hmm?"
Gongala, whose eyes had been vacant, finally snapped back to reality. He smiled and shook his head, saying, "Even as a Prophet, it's impossible to foresee the general trend. I can only see the near future, and depending on the choices we make, that future is not set in stone."
"First, let's do our best in what we should do. Spirits protect us, this war should have a good outcome."
War Druid Ajel looked around and whispered to Gongala, "Prophet, those Night Elves still haven't sent out their main force. They wouldn't be using this method to exhaust our troops, would they?"
"Not likely."
Gongala smiled. "Commander Shadowsong and Speaker Moonshadow don't seem like people who would play such petty tricks on allies on the battlefield. Today was because they had to draw many generals to form the strike team, so they didn't deploy troops."
"If I'm not mistaken, tomorrow, the Night Elves will move their massive army and formally join the battle on the front lines. Let us wait and see."
Just as the Zandalari prophets had predicted, after the surprise-attack plan failed, the main Night Elf force that had stayed put at Moonglade Outpost finally began to move.
Jarod split the 500,000-strong Night Elf host into two armies.
The Southern Legion marched to Cenarion Stronghold to support the Zandalari, throwing up a ring of fortifications to block the bug reinforcements coming north from the south. Jarod would accompany this army and personally hold the fortress.
Andreas remained at Moonglade Outpost, while Shandris led the main army he had brought from Anathiss toward Yago Hive—both to tighten the noose around Yago and to guard against further reinforcements from Krissta Hive.
After the first surprise strike failed, both sides knew this war would not be settled quickly.
In a drawn-out war, victory hinges on each side's reserves and staying power.
Andreas' task on the northern front was to keep the supply lines open. No one knew what the bugs ate, but since they had patiently prepared for ten millennia, their logistics could hardly be worse than those of the Kalimdor coalition.
As the war ground into a stalemate, more and more headaches arrived from the rear.
Exactly as Andreas and Paku had feared, the Blood Trolls launched another major assault on Zuldazar's southern border after years of quiet.
According to Gani, the Compsognathus loa who was spying in Nazmir, once the Blood Trolls marched out in force she spotted Qiraji near the now-emptier Uldir.
Meanwhile, Northrend was also sending worrying signals.
It was not Yogg-Saron or the Nerubians stirring; this time the troublemakers were the Drakari Trolls.
The Frost Trolls had somehow struck a deal with the Bearmen of Grizzly Hills.
While the Night Elf Republic was focused on Silithius, the Drakari—promised the Bearmen would stay out—pulled their troops from Grizzly Hills and hurled them at the Zul'Drak front.
The Night Elves had not drawn down the Suramar garrisons, yet apart from Navaz the north had no noteworthy commanders to spare; the Drakari saw that weakness and attacked.
When the Zandalari God-King learned the Drakari were exploiting the crisis, he sent envoys to rebuke them and demand an immediate halt.
But the Drakari were resolute, with solid grounds: they were reclaiming Zul'Drak, land that should have been theirs.
Though furious at their defiance, the Zandalari could not find a way to dissuade fellow trolls; deep down they felt the Drakari cause was just—only the timing was despicable.
Navaz held the north, so Andreas believed the borders would hold, but the Eastern Kingdoms' mess made him fret.
Stormwind and Stromgarde still played their own games, while Gilneas and Alterac seized every chance to mock and trip up Lordaeron.
Everyone, Kul Tiras and Quel'Thalas included, assumed Lordaeron would lick its wounds in peace, yet Constantine Menethil's next move stunned them all.
After regrouping in Capital City, the King of Lordaeron took barely two months to raise another 150,000 troops from the Eastern and Western Wilds and marched on Gilneas.
Lordaeron's vast, wealthy lands gave it a staying power the Gilneans—cornered in Tirisfal—could never match.
Ignoring fierce protests from Dalaran and others, Constantine shouldered the diplomatic storm and soon stood before the valley pass that Gilneas had not yet finished repairing.
Lordaeron had now outraged every mediator; Constantine's move was a slap in their faces.
Tales of Kalimdor's war, swapped by sailors on cross-sea traders, raced across the Eastern Kingdoms.
Constantine saw Gilneas too weak to defend itself and the Night Elves too stretched to help—so he pressed on, no matter the pressure.
He aimed not only to conquer Gilneas but also to seize from Brunhilde humanity's royal blade: stormcaller.
Constantine's rashness infuriated the neighbors; Dalaran was first to condemn his warmongering.
Alterac and Gilneas responded more directly: Alterac's elite marched from Icecrown into the Western Wilds without a word.
Caught off-guard, the Western Wilds' nobles scrambled—sending pleas to Capital City while hustling their Vassal Army to the border and drafting every able-bodied man.
King Perenolde's fury was partly theatre; he had coveted the fertile Wilds for years and now hoped to bite off a fat chunk while Lordaeron courted death.
Gilneas was equally swift, driving north through Silverpine Forest to the frontier in days.
With so many troops pulled away, the border garrisons could never stop Gilneas' veterans.
Yet Greymane stopped short of invasion, camping at the Silverpine line and shouting across to Menethil: turn back now or the 'righteous army' of Gilneas would march in force.
Quel'Thalas stayed its usual detached self, murmuring 'calm' while clearly gloating from the sidelines.
Kul Tiras took the hardest line: a Marine Corps detachment from Boralus sailed straight to Helvir Port—Gilnean-held, west of Tirisfal—to make its stance plain.
Silithius was a land war between titans like the Night Elf Republic and the Zandalari Empire; Kul Tiras knew it would only be cannon fodder there.
Yet after spurning the Night Elves' call for help, the maritime kingdom still wanted good ties with Azeroth's foremost power.
Lordaeron's open breach of the tacit accord gave Kul Tiras its chance; every sea-king is stubborn—'deny me face and I'll tear yours off.'
The Eastern Kingdoms chaos gave Andreas a headache: Night Elves bled on the main front against the Old Gods while back-home 'allies' pecked like hapless chicks.
Alfonso—the narrow-eyed—bowed respectfully. 'Lord Andreas, should we keep an eye on the Eastern Kingdoms? If need be…'
Alfonso's slit eyes opened a hairline; cold light flashed within.
'Lady Prisim, following your orders, planted a sleeper in Lordaeron. Shall we activate it now?'
'No need.'
Andreas waved the notion away, lowered his head to count the days, and a cold smile curved his lips.
'Let them carry on. It's time these arrogant humans learned there are skies beyond their sky.'
The war in Silithius had fully entered a stalemate, but after the Night Elf Republic's army joined the battlefield, the situation began to shift.
Possessing powerful Arcane weapons and numerous automated arcane golems, even when split into two forces, the Night Elves' troops played a significant positive role on the battlefield.
The Cenarion Stronghold was quickly completed using cement, which the Night Elves had developed years ago, mixed with sturdy wooden houses constructed by Druids.
With the moonwing heavy self-propelled Arcane cannon in position, the stronghold's defenses were significantly reinforced.
On the other side, arcane golems of the same model were also pushed to the front of the Yago Hive.
The continuous bombardment by Arcane cannons daily riddled the Yago Hive's exterior structure with holes. In the past two days, the commander within the hive had clearly grown restless.
Every day, she dispatched a large number of the lowest-tier cannon fodder Qiraji to assault the Night Elves' and Tauren's offensive lines. However, under the care of the moonwing, Chimera cavalry, and Giant Eagle Knights in the sky, these flying fodder Qiraji were completely ineffective.
Andreas had to admire the Qiraji Empire's 'construction' technology; the Yago Hive stubbornly withstood the relentless bombardment of numerous Arcane cannons for nearly half a month before finally collapsing.
The Qiraji elite led by Hermosha never appeared on the battlefield from beginning to end, but all generals, including Andreas, did not believe they would simply be buried alive.
Shandris concluded with certainty, 'There must be another escape tunnel beneath the hive, perhaps even leading directly to the Krissta Hive to the west.'
Although the commander defending the Yago Hive escaped, after burying the ruins of the Yago Hive, the supply route from Eversong to Silithius became much easier.
Andreas took the opportunity to move his office westward from the Moonglade Outpost. Directly facing the Crystal Valley where the Krissta Hive was located, not far northwest of the former Yago Hive site, he named this place Northwall Fortress.
The high-ranking officials of the Qiraji Empire, hiding in the rear and directing the war, evidently realized that being defeated one by one like this was not a viable strategy. When the Cenarion Stronghold's cement solidified and it began to expand outwards, the remaining three giant hives simultaneously launched an offensive.
Moreover, Ahn'Qiraj in the south finally began to send reinforcements. Large numbers of Qiraji were stationed in the Rego and Zora Hives, and massive AnubRekhan Obsidian Golems stepped out of Ahn'Qiraj's city walls with heavy strides... At the Cenarion Stronghold, Andreas and Jarod stood atop a watchtower, peering through telescopes at the black giants, each over 10 meters tall.
Andreas' lips curved into a smile. 'The high-ranking officials of the Qiraji Empire finally couldn't hold back. These Obsidian Colossi are one of their trump cards.'
Jarod nodded solemnly. 'They certainly look formidable. What about the Dragon reinforcements? How much longer will His Majesty Malygos make us wait?'
'It should be soon.'
Andreas had contacted Onyxia two days ago. The Blue Dragon Aspect had finished his Arcane experiments and personally gone to the Wyrmrest Temple to mobilize the Dragon forces. Calculating the time, they should be arriving soon.
Just as Andreas and Jarod were discussing the next course of action, Shandris, Dorn, and Amon were already prepared for a full-scale assault in front of the Krissta Hive.
Knowing that the Night Elves possessed heavy weapons capable of collapsing hives, continuing to hold out inside the hive had become meaningless.
Hermosha, who escaped from the Yago Hive, and Eri, the commander defending the Krissta Hive, both received orders after consulting with Sword Emperor Veknilash: leave the hive and launch a suicidal charge against the Night Elf and Tauren allied forces.
Each hive of the Qiraji Empire could hold approximately 100,000 Qiraji. Even with Hermosha's remnants from the Yago Hive, there were at most 140,000 to 150,000. However, after the Night Elf and Tauren allied forces converged, their numbers approached 350,000.
Given the massive numerical disadvantage, there was no suspense in this battle. Veknilash knew that no matter how stubbornly they defended, the Krissta Hive would be breached.
Rather than that, it was better to let this isolated force in the northwest play its final role and inflict some losses on the Night Elf and Tauren allied forces.
The Qiraji Empire had a very strict class system; superiors had absolute dominance over their subordinates. Even if an officer ordered you to die, you could only accept.
Hermosha and Eri knew they couldn't escape. The two commanders led their high-ranking Qiraji guard detachments to the front line, setting an example by launching a final charge against the allied forces.
Shandris watched the overwhelming tide of Qiraji pouring out of the hive, her face expressionless as she raised her right hand.
'Arcane cannons, prepare... Fire!'
'Boom! Boom!'
Before the Qiraji could engage the allied vanguard in close combat, the moonwing Arcane cannons boomed one after another. Every second, large numbers of hit Qiraji could be seen falling from the sky.
Once the front-row Qiraji entered melee range, the Arcane cannons adjusted their muzzles again, continuing to fire into the middle of the Qiraji formation.
The Tauren instinctively positioned their sturdy bodies at the very front. To enhance the Tauren's survival rate, Andreas had specifically allocated a batch of spare equipment, originally intended for the Kalimdor Tauren, to the relatively poorly equipped Highmountain Tribe.
These sturdy armors and sharp weapons were high-grade products simply enchanted by Arcanists, something the Tauren themselves could not produce.
After donning their new armor and weapons, the Highmountain Tribe Tauren clearly felt an increase in their combat power. For the first time, they intuitively experienced the importance of equipment to individual strength.
'Clang!'
The charging Tank Qiraji collided with the Tauren shield wall. The Tauren, with their extremely low center of gravity, were actually pushed back several steps by these savage Qiraji.
However, the Tank Qiraji, who only knew how to charge head-on, could only do so much. After their initial impact was blocked, the Tank Qiraji without their momentum were merely thick-skinned targets.
'Bang bang bang!'
The Night Elf Arcane Riflemen fired through the gaps in the Tauren's formation. Multiple penetrating wounds immediately appeared on the Tank Qiraji, spraying dark green bodily fluids everywhere.
'Split shields! Counterattack!'
The front-row Tauren warriors retreated as ordered. Totem Warriors roared, swinging their massive totem poles to smash the Tank Qiraji, their wild strength even sending the cumbersome Tank Qiraji flying into the air.
The swift-moving Swift Qiraji in the rear fiercely pounced, taking advantage of the Totem Warriors' opportunity to send the Tank Qiraji flying. Any Tauren warriors who lost their balance and fell were immediately engulfed by the sea of Qiraji.
At Shandris' instruction, the Tauren warriors temporarily retreated, with the sturdy moonfists taking their place.
The frenzied Qiraji continuously carved claw marks onto the moonfists' shells. The autonomous golems paid no mind, delivering solid punches to the Qiraji one after another.
Compared to the ground battle, the swarming flying Qiraji in the sky were more difficult to deal with. Sentinels and Tauren hunters aimed their bows skyward in unison, and the aerial forces of the three races also solidified their formation, lurking behind the moonwing golems, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.
This battle raged from afternoon until deep into the night. Shandris personally killed Hermosha, who had previously ambushed the assault team. Eri, on the other hand, was cornered by Dorn Bloodhoof and, relying on the Tauren's endurance, was worn down and killed.
After the battle, accounting for results and losses, all Qiraji fought to the last moment. The Night Elves suffered approximately 3,000 casualties, while the two Tauren tribes combined lost over 15,000, with countless injured. This was despite being well-equipped and sacrificing thousands of arcane golems to achieve this outcome.
Shandris and the other two looked grim. 'If the Qiraji fight to the last man in every future battle like this, how great will our losses be after the war ends?'