To set a trap and catch Xavius, I must first understand him.
Andreas had limited contact with Xavius, and his impression of the man was based only on descriptions from games and novels in his previous life... and most of it had been forgotten over ten thousand years.
Undoubtedly, the person who understood Xavius best was Malfurion, who had been locked in a love-hate relationship with the Nightmare Lord for ten thousand years.
After returning to Anar'this, Andreas woke Malfurion from his dream and asked him for information about Xavius.
"What does Xavius care about most?"
Malfurion subconsciously scratched his messy beard, pondered for a moment, and then gave his answer.
"I'm not sure what he cares about most now, perhaps revenge, or perhaps something else."
"But I am certain of one thing: when Xavius was still a night elf, he was madly infatuated with Queen Azshara."
"However, the Light of Lights had no interest in Xavius, treating him only as a capable and useful subordinate from start to finish, never granting him any special favors."
"Azshara, huh..."
Andreas stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Ten thousand years ago, Andreas had close contact with Azshara, and though it was brief, he had a partial understanding of the queen.
Azshara grew up in an environment where she was constantly praised. Not only did she possess breathtaking beauty and noble temperament that could charm all beings, but she also had unparalleled talent in all aspects, as if she were a chosen one.
All difficulties would be resolved in the shortest possible time in her hands; it seemed there was nothing in this world that could stump her.
Before she was even 100 years old, Azshara was crowned Queen of the Night Elf Empire with the support of her many followers. Her people bestowed upon her an unprecedented honorific title—Light of Lights.
Her smooth and successful growth trajectory gradually cultivated extreme narcissism and confidence in Azshara. She firmly believed that no one in this world could resist her infinite charm. After conquering half of Azeroth, the Queen began to set her sights beyond Azeroth.
Even before the War of the Ancients began, the Night Elf Empire possessed highly developed arcane technology, but it lacked proper guidance, preventing the powerful research capabilities catalyzed by the Well of Eternity from being used in the most suitable way.
Through their research into the Well of Eternity, the Highborne inadvertently came into contact with the demons of the Twisting Nether, and a wider world was revealed before Azshara's eyes.
When Sargeras used the old trick of tempting the Eredar triumvirate to display power and "sincerity" to Azshara, Azshara realized for the first time that someone could completely overpower her in terms of strength, which made her very curious about Sargeras' existence.
Confident Azshara never considered the possibility of her own failure; she believed she would surely become Sargeras' most important companion and conquer all worlds with him.
Andreas personally experienced the subsequent developments. The overconfident Queen Azshara gradually realized something was amiss in her cooperation with the Burning Legion.
The demons, whom the Highborne regarded as "divine envoys," were fundamentally at odds with her own position.
Azshara was arrogant and self-important; the common people were merely a backdrop for her to display her splendor. Only the Highborne, as nobles of the Night Elf Empire, were truly under her direct control.
In her dealings with the Burning Legion, Azshara explicitly stated that commoners could be dealt with by the demons as they wished, but the rights of the nobles had to be guaranteed.
The tragic fate of the Moonsong family awakened Azshara from her beautiful dream. Although she intervened in time to deter the demons, it was already too late to turn back the tide.
The rebel snowball grew larger and larger, with numerous powerful Wild Gods and Dragon Aspects standing against her.
At the same time, the Burning Legion's actions became increasingly reckless. Archimonde, whose strength was no less than hers, personally oversaw the Well of Eternity, coupled with other formidable Legion commanders. Even someone as powerful as Azshara could not find a suitable breakthrough.
Ultimately, Azshara chose to abandon resistance. She quietly remained deep within her palace, observing the changing situation.
The Well of Eternity collapsed, and the ancient continent of Kalimdor was thus shattered.
Andreas was unsure if Azshara felt any remorse when Azeroth experienced that cataclysm, but after a major setback, the once arrogant Queen Azshara seemed to have finally learned to focus on the subtleties.
This could be seen from the increasingly refined military actions of the Naga.
Initially, the Naga were no different from wild beasts, coming ashore in large numbers only during mating season. Andreas had many combat encounters with these primitive Naga when he first established Moonfall City.
As time passed, Naga society gradually advanced. Azshara sent her trusted lieutenants to various oceans of Azeroth, controlling all scattered Naga through them.
In recent years, the Naga's coordinated operations have become increasingly difficult to deal with. Otherwise, with the speed at which the Night Elf Republic Navy's ships are being updated and replaced, these amphibious creatures would have long been driven into the deep sea, afraid to show their faces.
Most people, including Malfurion and Tyrande, believed that Azshara had died in the cataclysm, but this was not actually the case.
After some deliberation, Andreas selectively revealed some information to the members of the High Council.
"I have an uncertain hypothesis that I haven't told you all. Since Queen Azshara has been mentioned, I might as well share it with you."
Andreas' grave expression made the council members focus more intently.
"Thousands of years ago, when I first started establishing Moonfall City, I once saw Azshara's personal lady-in-waiting in the ruins of the Temple of the Sky's Embrace."
Tyrande's brow twitched sharply, and a fleeting look of shame and anger crossed her face.
"...Vashj?"
"That's right, it was Vashj."
Andreas noticed Tyrande's change in demeanor, and a playful expression subconsciously appeared on his face.
He and Queen Azshara had clearly witnessed Tyrande and Vashj's wrestling match. It was said that during her imprisonment by Azshara, Vashj had repeatedly humiliated and threatened Tyrande. The relationship between these two... well, it seemed quite complicated.
Forcing himself to ignore the fleeting, suggestive images in his mind, Andreas cleared his throat and continued, "At that time, Vashj was no longer in her night elf form. She had transformed into a creature that no one had ever seen before, but which everyone is now familiar with."
"Naga."
"You all must have heard some news from Draenor, right? The Naga leader who accompanied Illidan, she is the Vashj we know."
Malfurion quickly made connections in his mind, and a look of surprise suddenly appeared on his face. "You mean... Queen Azshara might still be alive?"
Andreas nodded, "It's highly possible. Vashj was Azshara's loyal lady-in-waiting. Based on my observations ten thousand years ago, she seemed to harbor feelings for her mistress that went beyond the master-servant relationship."
"For Vashj to obediently follow Illidan and leave Azeroth for the unknown, shattered Draenor, it could only have been at the command of her mistress, Queen Azshara."
"Illidan, Vashj, and Azshara..."
Malfurion frowned and thought for a long time, finally sorting out his thoughts.
"So that's it. The ancient pact the Draenei spoke of was the connection between Illidan and the Highborne."
Tyrande ignored the question about Illidan. She solemnly asked Andreas, "Are you planning to use Queen Azshara as bait to lure Xavius into a trap?"
"I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, but if Queen Azshara is truly the leader of all Naga, as you say, then she and Xavius are both subordinates of N'Zoth. Their connection is probably much closer than we imagine. I don't think Xavius will fall for it easily."
Andreas shook his head, "Of course it won't be that simple. And I don't think that just because they're both subordinates of N'Zoth means they'll cooperate seamlessly. For example... are Deathwing and Xavius very close?"
"Azshara has been Xavius' obsession for over ten thousand years. Even if the Nightmare Lord no longer cares most about Azshara, if given the chance, he would still try his best to achieve the 'dream' that was once out of reach."
Andreas' proposal was merely a preliminary idea; specific details still required Malfurion to enter the Emerald Dream for a reconnaissance, to confirm whether Xavius still harbored illusions about Queen Azshara.
The seven emotions and six desires of intelligent beings are their greatest weaknesses; as long as one is targeted and attacked fiercely, the probability of ultimately succeeding will not be too low.
Setting a trap for Xavius cannot be accomplished in a short time, but it is ultimately a feasible plan to lure out the lord of nightmares. Andreas entrusted the preliminary preparations to Archdruid Malfurion, who is constantly active in the Dream, for him to deliberate and decide whether to proceed with the plan... The greatest crises facing Azeroth primarily come from two Aspects: the Old Gods internally and the Burning Legion externally.
The Old Gods are currently in a dormant period; both N'Zoth and Yogg-Saron are acting cautiously, and their tendrils cannot be grasped for now.
However, the Burning Legion is still active within the intelligence range of Azeroth, and their current focus is on the shattered Draenor.
According to intelligence sent back by Romul from Shattrath City, Kiljaeden's second and third waves of reinforcements successively landed in Netherstorm, outside the reach of the Alliance Expeditionary Force and the Draenei.
The second wave of reinforcements attacked Blades Edge Mountains by land, which is connected to Netherstorm, engaging in battles with various races along the way, including Ethereals, Ogres, Gronn, and Black Dragons.
That's right, Black Dragons.
Initially, Andreas was stunned for a moment when he heard the intelligence from Romul; it took some thought before he recalled the origin of these Black Dragons.
Strictly speaking, the Black Dragons of Draenor are not true dragons, but rather Subspecies Black Dragons created by Deathwing, specifically the Two-legged Black Dragons that the Dragon-blooded Trolls were transformed into.
After being driven out of the Alterac Mountains, the Two-legged Black Dragons fled, following the retreating Orcs through the Dark Portal, and have since made Draenor their home.
Draenor's Shadowmoon Valley and Tanaan Jungle are within the Draenei's sphere of influence, Nagrand is firmly occupied by the Orcs, Arak Peaks is the domain of the Arakkoa, and the Naan Jungle has long since become the barren Hellfire Peninsula.
Among the remaining areas, Frostfire Ridge, with its harsh living conditions, is not considered, making Gorgrond, with its abundance of wild animals, undoubtedly the most suitable habitat.
The Blackrock Clan, who originally lived in Gorgrond as the main body of the Horde, mostly followed Warchief Blackhand into Azeroth and never returned from that world.
The strongest local forces in Gorgrond were transferred to the Primeval Thorn Beasts and Magnaron Beasts that roamed the mountains and forests.
Although there was a danger of being killed by these powerful creatures while foraging, with carefulness, the highly intelligent Two-legged Black Dragons could usually avoid danger and find food.
After Draenor collapsed, Gorgrond, which had previously enjoyed relatively superior living conditions, was severely damaged. The flat mountains quickly erupted with countless spiky rock pillars due to the influence of strange gravity, and from then on, this place was called Blades Edge Mountains.
Survival became even more difficult, and with no way back, the Two-legged Black Dragons could only adapt to the rules of the new world as quickly as possible.
The invasion of the Burning Legion once again threatened the survival of all creatures in Blades Edge Mountains; the spreading Fel Energy pollution was eroding the already scarce habitable land.
Gronn leader Gruul was the first to lead his offspring to resist, and the previously warring creatures of Blades Edge Mountains unusually united to collectively resist the Burning Legion's invasion.
The Alliance Expeditionary Force, which had entered Blades Edge Mountains earlier for exploration, reported the intelligence to Honor Hold, requesting Danath to send reinforcements to defeat the Burning Legion alongside the local creatures who had risen in resistance.
However, at this time, Honor Hold no longer had any reinforcements to spare.
The third wave of demons landed, flying brazenly across the aerial route between Netherstorm and Hellfire Peninsula, reoccupying Kiljaedens Throne, which had been destroyed by the allied forces.
Although the Fel Orcs of Hellfire Citadel were forced by circumstances to join forces with the Alliance Expeditionary Force and the Draenei to fight the enemy, with the completion of the Fel Energy portal at the Kiljaedens Throne base, the swarming Legion reinforcements gradually overwhelmed them.
At this critical moment, Illidan, the master of Hellfire Citadel, was slaughtering in Netherstorm, the homeland of the Dreadlords, and was unaware of the crisis in Draenor.
Left with no choice, High Priestess Ysera could only ask Romul to inquire with Velen, who was in Azeroth, about the next course of action.
After learning about Draenor's crisis from the Draenei, Andreas immediately summoned the various races of Kalimdor and the Broken Isles to Astranaar for a joint meeting.
The various nations of the Eastern Kingdoms are currently still in post-war reconstruction, and continuous unrest has caused significant losses to all countries, so they probably cannot be relied upon for the time being.
"Everyone, Draenor is an important outpost for us to understand the Burning Legion's movements. Now that Kiljaeden has resolved to conquer this shattered planet, I have convened this meeting to discuss whether we should cross vast star seas to rush to Draenor for rescue."
Ulan Highmountain, Warchief of the Highmountain Tauren, hesitantly raised his hand and asked, "Speaker Moonshadow, before deciding whether to send reinforcements, I have another question."
Andreas gladly raised his hand, signaling him, "Please speak freely."
Ulan, gradually aging, stood up from his seat and asked in confusion, "The question is simple: how do we cross the star sea to reach that... Draenor."
Andreas scanned the various racial leaders present; many of them had the same look of confusion on their faces.
"For this question, let Prophet Velen explain it to everyone."
Velen smiled and nodded to Andreas, then stood up, leaning on his Staff of the Prophet.
"Ever since the Draenei landed on Azeroth, we have been jointly developing spacecraft with the Night Elves."
Velen briefly explained the Exodar Fleet Group owned by the Naaru. Although most people did not fully understand the principles of the so-called spacecraft, they at least knew that Azeroth had transportation capable of traveling to Draenor.
The Draenei and Night Elves have never stopped researching naaru ships, but even using reverse engineering shortcuts, it's not easy to decipher, and they haven't yet produced mature, usable spacecraft.
Andreas took over the topic after Velen's explanation: "If we decide to send reinforcements, the Naaru have agreed to lend us several satellite ships from the Exodar Fleet Group."
Compared to the bulky main immigrant ship, Tempest Keep, the satellite ships are more agile, and they possess most of the functions of Tempest Keep, making them very convenient to use.
Velen had already arranged for Hataru to modify each satellite ship, making them more suitable for combat.
The strange prisoners from various planets within Nethergarde Keep were transferred to The Watcher's Isle for detention. The Eco-Dome and the Energy Ship, among others, have also undergone new modifications and are currently docked above World Tree Nordrassil, drawing energy from the Well of Eternity for recharging, ready to depart at any moment.
Compared to the disaster-ridden Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, which had long been pacified by the Night Elves, only suffered some losses during the Battle of Mount Hyjal. Several years have passed, and all races have successively recovered their vitality.
Cairne, whose mane had begun to gray, turned and discussed with the various Clan Chieftains, then was the first to stand up and declare, "On behalf of the Tauren, I agree to send reinforcements to Draenor."
"If the Burning Legion seizes Draenor, the Dark Portal could reopen at any time. It's best if we can keep the enemy out of our world, to prevent our homeland from being affected again."
The Tol'vir, Highmountain Tauren, Bearmen, Dryads, and other smaller races successively expressed their agreement. The only regret was that the Wild Gods could not follow.
If a Wild God who leaves Azeroth perishes, their soul cannot return to Azeroth to resurrect.
Furthermore, considering the constantly restless Old Gods, it is necessary to leave the Wild Gods and Aspects to assist the nations of the Eastern Kingdoms in defending their homes.
"Then it's settled."
Andreas decisively declared, "The situation in Draenor is already very dangerous. Please return to your respective tribes as soon as possible to prepare, and gather at the roots of Nordrassil within ten days to board the ships and depart for Draenor!"
Cairne, whose mane had begun to gray, turned and discussed with the various Clan Chieftains, then was the first to stand up and declare, "On behalf of the Tauren, I agree to send reinforcements to Draenor."
"If the Burning Legion seizes Draenor, the Dark Portal could reopen at any time. It's best if we can keep the enemy out of our world, to prevent our homeland from being affected again."
The Tol'vir, Highmountain Tauren, Bearmen, Dryads, and other smaller races successively expressed their agreement. The only regret was that the Wild Gods could not follow.
If a Wild God who leaves Azeroth perishes, their soul cannot return to Azeroth to resurrect.
Furthermore, considering the constantly restless Old Gods, it is necessary to leave the Wild Gods and Aspects to assist the nations of the Eastern Kingdoms in defending their homes.
"Then it's settled."
Andreas decisively declared, "The situation in Draenor is already very dangerous. Please return to your respective tribes as soon as possible to prepare, and gather at the roots of Nordrassil within ten days to board the ships and depart for Draenor!"
Ten days—it was truly tight to muster sufficient troops in such a short time.
But the situation in Draenor could not tolerate waiting. If the defending forces were routed by the Burning Legion, and the Dark Portal fell into the hands of the Burning Legion, the problem would become truly serious.
The Dark Portal is the only portal that allows entry into Azeroth through official channels. Although large entities like Kiljaeden cannot pass through the portal, the countless demons of the Burning Legion alone would be enough for the races of Azeroth to handle.
As hosts, the Night Elves and the Draenei made preparations in advance. Under Jarod's command, the armies of the two races were the first to board the airships in an orderly fashion.
The Night Elves had the largest number of troops, occupying one Anti-Magic Airship alone. The Draenei chose the Exodar, sharing it with the Night Elves' many Nature allies.
The embassies of various nations established in Astranaar quickly reported the movements in Kalimdor back to their respective countries. The nations of the Eastern Kingdoms, currently recovering, turned their gaze across the ocean with great surprise.
As allies of the Night Elves, Quel'Thalas and the Kingdom of Gilneas originally wanted to send reinforcements, but both nations currently had their own problems to deal with and could not leave temporarily.
The Kingdom of Gilneas is cooperating with the Kingdom of Alterac, clearing out the remnants of the Scourge in Silverpine Forest, one to the north and one to the east, and dividing the territory.
The movements of the two nations were relayed to Gilneas by refugees sheltered beneath the Gryphon Guard Wall. Highlord Darius Crowley became even more furious upon seeing his former territory being partitioned by other nations.
He intensified the Rebel Army's assault on the Royal City of Gilneas, forcing King Genn to retreat and defend only the city walls, abandoning all land outside the city.
Meanwhile, Quel'Thalas, along with temporary allies, launched a general offensive against the Scourge garrison in Stratholme in the Eastern Plaguelands.
With the addition of the Forsaken led by Nathanos, Baron Rivendare's stubborn resistance finally began to collapse. The Servant Entrance of the East Wall Gate was breached first, and the Allied Forces poured into the city to engage the Scourge Undead in street fighting.
On the other side, the Forsaken traveled north along the Sodrial River, working tirelessly for days, finally digging through the Sodrial Path leading to the main gate of Stratholme.
When Nathanos led the army across the Sodrial River, there were no signs of habitation left in a nearby abandoned cabin.
Tirion, who was originally hesitant about whether to return to Lordaeron, was tricked by Andreas. Taelan and Jandice followed the clues and went straight to his door.
The lush green grass growing outside Tirion's secluded dwelling lifted Jandice's spirits. When the two politely knocked and entered, Taelan stared blankly at the familiar face from his childhood memories.
The Legendary Paladin, who could remain calm even when Mount Tai collapsed before him on the battlefield, was now flustered. After some explanation and clarification, Tirion finally reconciled with Taelan with a sense of relief, learning the whole story from him and Jandice.
'Speaker Moonshadow... I truly don't know whether to thank you for your careful arrangements or blame you for meddling.'
Looking at Taelan, whose eyes were red as he suppressed his tears, Tirion firmly pressed his son's shoulder armor as comfort.
Jandice, full of hope, was met with disappointment after her inquiries.
The method of using the Holy Light to purify the Plague within the earth was indeed effective, but the efficiency was too low for rapid widespread use.
Despite his busy schedule, Andreas learned about the reunion of Tirion and Taelan through Prisim's Scouts.
He kept the promise he had made to Jaina, sending a small team of stationed Druids for Niana, allowing them to join the research on Plague purification.
After preliminary surveys, the conclusions reached were quite gratifying.
Combining the Druids' Nature Energy with the Holy Light can effectively increase the efficiency of purifying the land, greatly shortening the time required for Lordaeron's reconstruction.
Princess Jaina immediately instructed the Lordaeron Clergy to cooperate with the Druids' work, striving to restore the ecological environment of Tirisfal Glades and Western Plaguelands as quickly as possible.
Speaking of Princess Jaina, Rhonin, returning from the War of the Ancients Timeline, did not choose to return to Lordaeron or Dalaran.
He first made a trip to Borean Tundra in Northrend, handing the oaken axe, left behind after Broxigar's heroic death, to Go'el.
Learning that Broxigar had finally achieved the Glorious Death he long sought, Go'el and Orgrim felt complicated emotions—they were proud and comforted for Broxigar, but also saddened by the loss of a loyal old friend.
Broxigar's brother, Varok Saurfang, solemnly expressed his gratitude to Rhonin and Krasus, temporarily taking custody of the oaken axe stained with the Fallen Titan's blood, hoping that Broxigar's descendants would one day be qualified to wield it.
Gazing at the flourishing landscape of Borean Tundra alongside his mentor Krasus, Rhonin appeared very confused.
"Teacher, I can't find my next goal."
Rhonin said with a bitter expression, "As soon as I return to Dalaran, Archmage Antonidas will urge me to go to Lordaeron, but I feel a bit strange about Princess Jaina..."
Krasus joked, "Lusting after her body?"
Rhonin paused, then gritted his teeth and said loudly, "That's right! I'm just lusting after her body! She and I..."
"Nonsense!"
Krasus righteously scolded Rhonin, shouting, "Is that what you call lusting after her body? That's called loving her! True love!"
Rhonin frantically scratched his messy red hair. "We can't get past this meme, can we?!"
"Haha!" Krasus laughed, patting Rhonin's shoulder. "Just kidding."
"Your future is up to you. If you truly have no feelings for Princess Jaina, you should return to Dalaran and tell Antonidas your thoughts face-to-face."
"If you feel you can't say it, I can go with you. My old face should still be useful."
Rhonin opened his mouth, but the words that reached his throat wouldn't come out for a long time.
"Alas~"
Rubbing his forehead with a wry smile, Rhonin said helplessly, "I don't know what I truly feel about Jaina. If I say I like her... it feels a little strange, but I can't bring myself to cruelly reject her."
Krasus looked at Rhonin with disdain. "Hmph, men."
"Aren't you a man too!"
"Wrong! I am a Male Dragon!"
Krasus, who always appeared gentle and refined in front of outsiders, was much more relaxed in front of his direct disciple, Rhonin.
Andreas had long guessed that this guy wasn't such a conventional dragon... at least not as refined and amiable as he pretended to be on the surface.
"Jokes aside, let's talk business."
Krasus patted Rhonin's arm and said seriously, "If you still can't make up your mind, you might as well temporarily distance yourself from Princess Jaina and re-examine your feelings."
"I heard that the Night Elves are rallying their allies in Kalimdor to muster troops, preparing to rush to the World of Draenor to reinforce the local Rebel Army against the Burning Legion."
"This is a perfect opportunity for you. The vast distance separating Azeroth and Draenor should be enough for you to calm down and think things through."
Rhonin nodded thoughtfully. "An Expedition to Draenor? That works too..."
"...Are you sure you want to follow us to Draenor?"
Andreas looked at the red-haired mage with a strange expression. "Let me warn you first, this battle will definitely be extremely difficult. Draenor does not have a Planetary Defense Barrier like Azeroth, and the Burning Legion can deploy reinforcements without hindrance."
"In the worst-case scenario, we might face Kiljaeden and his Legion Fel Fleet directly on Draenor. You might die in a foreign land and never return to Azeroth. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, I have decided."
Rhonin said firmly, "Continuing to stay in Azeroth would just mean standing still without direction. I might as well use this opportunity to gain distance and seriously examine my true inner feelings."
"...Alright."
Andreas silently handed Rhonin a Boarding Pass Manual. 'This is the first time I've ever heard such a refined and unconventional reason for escaping marriage. Isn't Jaina appealing?'
Although Andreas didn't believe that cross-racial "heat" was hooliganism, unlike the females of the Windrunner Family, he genuinely didn't think Vereesa and Rhonin were a good match... at least not in this timeline.
The original Vereesa and Rhonin had the shared experience of surviving hardship together while rescuing the Red Dragon Queen, and they had a fallen Dwarf Wingman who frantically assisted, which ultimately led to the formation of this cross-racial couple.
In Andreas' current timeline, first of all, the Red Dragon Queen was never imprisoned. The Big Cousin was even ambushed and nearly beaten to death. If N'Zoth hadn't intervened in time to save him, Deathwing's grave marker would probably be several meters high by now.
Having lost the process of getting to know, understand, and fall in love with each other, Rhonin was merely a stranger in Vereesa's eyes.
In this situation, for Rhonin to still fall in love with Vereesa at first sight, it could only be, as Krasus said, because he desired her body.
In Andreas' view, love at first sight was the most unreliable kind of emotion; it was merely pure hormonal attraction, which, after calming down, would lead to an incredibly empty Sage Time... Don't ask him how he knows.
Similarly, Andreas supported Rhonin and Jaina temporarily separating for a period to cool down their relationship, giving them a chance to re-examine this sudden burst of emotion.
However, Rhonin's method of escaping marriage by fleeing to another world ultimately gave Andreas the feeling that this guy was ruthless once he was done.
After the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Rhonin had matured considerably both mentally and in strength. Since he was willing to follow the fleet to Draenor for support, providing an extra useful Mage Laborer, Andreas naturally wouldn't refuse.
As Rhonin boarded the ship, he felt a chill run down his spine, and subconsciously looked toward Speaker Moonshadow, who had once left a deep impression on him.
'Was that an illusion?'
...Ten days passed. Under the attention of most of the races remaining on Azeroth, the hastily assembled reinforcement troops boarded the ships at the foot of the Nordrassil tree.
Most Azerothians, including Rhonin, had never seen a Spaceship before.
Rhonin the Mage, whose curiosity was maxed out, immediately toured the ship with great interest until Celeste cast a spell to bind his hands and feet, forcibly restraining him to his seat before he finally settled down.
Celeste squatted down in front of Rhonin, smiling sweetly, and kindly reminded him, "Mage Rhonin, if I see you using Arcane magic to analyze the Ship Power Core again, I will stuff you into the engine room to power the ship. Understand?"
"Wuwuwu!"
Celeste's dark smile made cold sweat pour down Rhonin's forehead. His mouth, stuffed with a stinky sock, hurriedly issued muffled affirmative sounds, and his head bobbed up and down incessantly.
'I really don't think she's joking...'
Since Shandris was still in seclusion, the Sentinels heading to Draenor this time were personally commanded by the self-nominated High Priestess of the Moon, Tyrande. Celeste replaced Shandris and accompanied her husband on the expedition.
Although Andreas was doubtful about the High Priestess' commanding abilities, with the assistance of the experienced Deputies Leticia and Daelin, there shouldn't be any major problems... right?
'No, I'm still worried.'
Andreas felt uneasy. In his memory, Tyrande's military strategy had only one word: Recklessness.
It was because of her excessive recklessness that she was captured by Xavius' men during the War of the Ancients and handed over to Azshara at the Eternal Palace. Subsequent battles also fully exposed the High Priestess' limited commanding ability... such as the Satyr War.
'I'll keep an eye on things for now. I really regret not bringing Jarod along.'
Considering that a Great General needed to remain on Azeroth, Andreas fully entrusted Jarod with the military authority of the Night Elf Republic. Should the Old Gods make any move, he could mobilize the army and respond as quickly as possible.
Maiev, the 'Brother-Supporting Demon,' never fully trusted Jarod, so she volunteered to stay behind and preside over the High Council.
Fandral also followed the main army to Draenor this time. Malfurion temporarily released Koda Steelclaw from the Emerald Dream, having the gradually maturing Vastann assist Koda and take Fandral's place.
Vastann did not die in the War of the Shifting Sands. Instead, he obtained the moonglaive forged from Goldrinn's fangs, and gradually became the wolf god's Spokesperson.
The Pack Form Cult he founded grew stronger and stronger within the Cenarion Circle, and the number of Night Elves who believed in Goldrinn increased annually.
Goldrinn was very satisfied with Vastann. This Chief Believer was not only of noble status and outstanding ability, but his unyielding, rebellious temper also suited his taste.
Under Goldrinn's blessing, Vastann's strength consistently ranked among the top three of the Night Elf middle generation, close in power to Leticia and Maiev's Deputy, Natha.
Since Andreas returned to Mount Hyjal from Moonshadow's Rest, Natha had been helping Maiev manage the prisoners on Watcher Island until the new generation of Wardens grew up, at which point she retired successfully. This time, she also joined the expeditionary force to Draenor.
The Warden who replaced Natha in guarding the prisoners was named Sela Moonward, an outstanding junior cultivated personally by Natha.
It was the first time many people had traveled on a Spaceship, and they were very nervous, sitting ramrod straight and stiff when strapped into their Seatbelts. Cain even snapped his Seatbelt by pulling too hard.
After finally settling all the passengers, an announcement came over the ship's broadcast system.
"Passengers, please fasten your Seatbelts. The Ship Engine is starting. We anticipate reaching maximum conventional speed and entering Warp Speed Travel within five minutes."
Under the gaze of Jarod, Maiev, and others, four Satellite Ships of the Tempest Keep took off simultaneously, accelerating to invisible speeds within a very short time.
Everyone aboard was pressed into their seats by the G-force from the ultra-fast acceleration, unable to move. Fortunately, the physical fitness of the various races of Azeroth was robust, and after overcoming the initial discomfort, they quickly recovered.
"Exiting the planetary atmosphere. Warp Speed Travel is about to commence. 3, 2, 1..."
...Shattered Draenor, Hellfire Peninsula.
On the incredibly desolate land corrupted by Fel Energy, two armies were engaged in fierce combat around a Dilapidated Castle.
"Hah!"
On a section of the half-ruined city wall, a Balding Human Officer calmly swung his sword horizontally, severing one of the arms holding a weapon belonging to a nearby Destructor.
Succubi are a type of Demon within the Burning Legion. The entire race is female, possessing three arms on both the left and right sides.
"Ah!"
"Mortal, how dare you wound me! Die!"
With one arm severed, the infuriated Destructor frantically brandished her remaining five arms, unleashing a flurry of continuous attacks like a storm that suppressed the Human Officer, leaving him unable to fight back.
However, the Human Officer did not panic because of this; it was not the first time he had fought a similar Demon.
The shield in his left hand and the longsword in his right moved calmly to block the Destructor's attacks. He keenly seized the moment when the opponent paused to catch her breath after the fierce assault, and struck.
The longsword, thrust straight out, pierced the Destructor's chest. Before she could retreat and adjust, the longsword in his hand changed angle, completely splitting open her left shoulder.
"Dam... nit..."
"Hoo~"
The Destructor, spewing large amounts of green blood, fell unwillingly. The Human Officer, who was not young, exhaled a mouthful of stale air and struggled to regulate his breathing.
Quietly sighing internally, Danath Trollbane, panting heavily, felt helpless. 'I'm getting old. My physical functions are starting to decline.'
If he were in his prime, Danath would have been confident enough to charge back into the battle after slaying this Elite Succubus, but now he had to take time to recover his condition.
Looking around, Danath muttered, "Is this where it ends..."
Danath, who was once just a vanguard general, had now become the commander of the Alliance Expeditionary Force. He no longer had many opportunities to charge into battle.
The demons covering the mountains and plains filled Danath with despair. There were too many of them. Even with all the forces in the assembled castle, they could only barely withstand the enemy's offensive and couldn't repel them.
Moreover, as time passed, the demon reinforcements continued to increase. Everyone on the battlefield knew that if reinforcements didn't arrive, Draenor would likely fall.
Danath was currently defending not Honor Hold, built by the Alliance Expeditionary Force, but the Hellfire Citadel, fortified by Illidan.
Honor Hold had been overrun by the overwhelming demon army three days prior, forcing Danath and Khadgar to lead the last of their troops to retreat to the sturdy Hellfire Citadel and temporarily join forces with the Fel Orcs to hold out.
But it seemed this castle wouldn't last much longer. The walls were riddled with craters from Hellfire attacks.
Although the Fel Orcs defending the city still fought bravely, their numerical disadvantage was too great, and it seemed they were nearing the point of no return.
Danath struggled to concentrate, directing the exhausted Alliance Expeditionary Force to continue holding the line, thinking with regret, 'It's a pity Illidan led his most elite troops to another world; otherwise, the situation wouldn't have deteriorated so quickly.'
"General, look... ugh!"
A soldier, distracted by looking up at the sky, had his arm severed by a demon guard across from him.
However, this demon guard didn't continue to harvest his life. Most people on the battlefield looked up at the suddenly brightening sky.
"Boom!"
A beam of quietblue energy shot out from above the Hellfire Peninsula, followed by several almost identical attacks that landed among the demons.
The energy wave from the explosion sent all demons within a dozen meters flying, with dismembered limbs and green blood splattering everywhere.
The sudden, large-scale attack significantly slowed the Burning Legion's fierce offensive. The demon commander ordered a temporary halt to the attack, cautiously looking up to observe the new enemy that had entered the battlefield.
Danath didn't get distracted. Taking advantage of the demons' inattention, he first rescued the disarmed personal guard, dragging the pale soldier, who was suppressing his cries of pain, back behind the defensive line to be treated by a priest. Only then did he feel relieved enough to look up and observe.
What appeared before Danath and the others were four sleek, rounded spaceships of very similar appearance, differing only in the color of the crystals covering their rear sections.
Around the ships, faint spatial fluctuations could still be vaguely seen, suggesting they had just jumped from a distant space.
From the front of all the ships, a thick, long barrel extended, and these suspected cannon-like barrels still flickered with unspent arcane energy arcs.
The leading ship had a deep red crystal hue, like fresh blood, while the other three ships formed an inverted triangular formation, flanking it in the center.
"Boom!"
After a short cooldown, the main cannons of the four ships fired again. Beams of quietblue energy exploded into the dense demon ranks, once again creating a bloody storm.
The demon commander was a massive Doom Lord. Although the newly arrived enemies had powerful firepower, they were only four isolated, small ships. He immediately ordered all flying demons to swarm towards the four ships, attempting to win by sheer numbers.
These four small ships were the Stormforged frigates that the Azeroth reinforcements had hastily brought from their home world: the Mana-Tombs, the Arcatraz, the Botanica, and the Exodar.
The modified four functional frigates already possessed considerable combat power, and their main cannons, when fired into the demon ranks, could completely clear the area.
Seeing the large-scale aerial assault of the Burning Legion, Tyrande, commanding from the Mana-Tombs, immediately responded.
"Engage! Release the ship-borne aircraft! This is our first battle in the expedition to Draenor; everyone, be vigilant!"
Since Tyrande enthusiastically took over command of the army, Andaria was happy to be at leisure. At least for now, Tyrande's orders seemed to have no issues.
As the ships gradually approached Draenor, the communication equipment on board significantly improved its signal capture sensitivity. Communication with Shattrath City, which had been cut off for unknown reasons, was restored.
"Static~ This is Shattrath City, Azeroth, can you hear me?"
Archbishop Hathelar, who had accompanied the expedition, snatched the wireless microphone from the bridge communicator's hand. "I am Hathelar, is that Romuul calling?"
Romuul's weary voice held a hint of relief. "Yes, Archbishop, we finally reached you!"
Although Hathelar had many questions, the most important thing at the moment wasn't to get to the bottom of things. After receiving a signal from Andaria, Hathelar briefly inquired about the current situation in Draenor as concisely as possible.
Romuul's feedback was very grim.
The area around Shattrath City, including Terokkar Forest and Shadowmoon Valley, was relatively calm; the Burning Legion hadn't reached there yet.
However, including Hellfire Peninsula, Netherstorm, Zangarmarsh, and Blade's Edge Mountains, the fires of war ignited by the Burning Legion could be seen almost everywhere.
The main anti-demon forces in Netherstorm and Blade's Edge Mountains were not direct units of the Draenor Allied Forces, so they were temporarily set aside.
The eastern entrance of Zangarmarsh, near Blade's Edge Mountains, was defended by Khadgar, Ishanah, and others, leading most of the Draenei and Alliance Expeditionary Force troops.
A giant marsh-light mushroom, Telredor, became the frontline base, firmly blocking the demons attempting to advance eastward to Hellfire Peninsula.
The western half of Zangarmarsh, bordering Blade's Edge Mountains, was entrusted to the local Naga. Under Vashj's command, the Burning Legion had not yet broken through the defenses.
With the local races of Blade's Edge Mountains weakening the Burning Legion's offensive, the situation in Zangarmarsh was barely stable. The worst situation was still the Legion's primary attack zone—Hellfire Peninsula.
Because Illidan had led his truly elite troops on an expedition to Nathreza and had not returned, the task of defending Hellfire Citadel was entrusted to Kargath's Fel Orcs.
Although the Fel Orcs were fearless and fierce warriors, the overwhelming Burning Legion held an absolute numerical advantage.
Even with Danath's Honor Hold defenders added, Hellfire Citadel's sturdy defenses were crumbling step by step.
"According to Danath's prediction, Hellfire Citadel can only hold out for about three more days. We are already nearing the end of our rope."
Romuul's disheartened words made Hathelar shout, "Pull yourself together! There is still hope for victory! Azeroth's reinforcements, piloting the Stormforged frigate fleet, have arrived!"
"Ah?"
Before Romuul could fully grasp the situation, Tyrande, invigorated after a long absence from the battlefield, issued commands.
From the hangar bays at the rear of the ships, Moonwing Arcane Golems, specialized for aerial combat, began to deploy, forming squadrons that engaged the invading flying demons of the Burning Legion in aerial combat.
Although the four satellite ships were classified as small, that was in comparison to a behemoth like the Stormforged. These ships had a truly substantial capacity.
Dense swarms of Arcane Golems entered the battlefield, and the Burning Legion's aerial assault did not achieve its anticipated effect against the well-prepared Azeroth reinforcements.
"Air combat stable, begin deploying beacons!"
Under Tyrande's command, the Draenei technicians immediately deployed teleportation beacons onto the barren Hellfire Peninsula.
As the teleportation portals opened, the Azeroth reinforcements finally officially set foot on the soil of this foreign world.
"Ugh~"
Rhonin stumbled a bit after landing, his face pale as he bent over and dry-heaved. Khadgar, beside him, quickly reached out to steady him.
"Arcanist, your physical condition is too poor. You should exercise more. Look at your fellow Night Elf arcanists around you."
Rhonin smiled wryly and thanked Khadgar, but in his heart, he grumbled, 'This is an inherent racial difference... Night Elves are naturally stronger than humans.'
The gradually deploying army quickly assembled under the command of their respective racial leaders.
Tyrande's battle cry echoed through the Mana-Tombs' loudspeaker system: "All forces, charge! Repel the Burning Legion!"
The Tauren beside Rhonin blew a desolate war horn. Khadgar, with his totem pole on his back, charged forward, leading the way—or rather, leading the herd.
"Tauren, charge!"
The Tauren are Azeroth's mightiest infantry race. These towering brutes possess not only titanic strength but also a staying power that eclipses every other Mortal race.
Though Cairne's coat now shows streaks of gray, once he charges into battle his ferocity makes you forget his age.
The Tauren Chieftain whirls the Titansteel Pole-Axe forged by the Night Elves as if it were weightless; demons that meet the weapon are hurled back by the sudden burst of raw power.
Fighting down nausea, Rhonin darts in to strike the reeling fiends. With the Tauren as spearhead, the Azeroth relief force rips a breach through the Burning Legion's ground troops.
The four-legged Tol'vir follow hard on the Highmountain Tauren's hooves; while their thick-hided kin hold the line, the cat-centaurs harry the Legion's flanks in swift hit-and-run dashes.
Led by generals like Leticia and Natha, the Night Elves turn the momentum to their favor; arcane golems of every size shove the unprepared Legion frontlines backward in a grinding surge.
"Boom!"
Unthreatened, the naaru ships keep up their barrage—each shell that lands amid the demons carves a crater of devastation.
"Tch!"
The Legion lord of Hellfire Peninsula, the Demon Prince Kruul, sees the tide turn and grudgingly abandons his plan to shatter Hellfire Citadel in one stroke.
"Pull back! Retreat to Kiljaedens Throne and regroup. Send scouts—find out what these Mortals are made of."
The Burning Legion withdraws without hesitation; though caught off-guard by the Azeroth reinforcements, they manage to quit the field before the setback becomes a rout.
Andreas frowns at the retreating tide. "Their commander isn't one of Archimonde's headstrong chargers. The timing of that pullback was flawless—Kiljaeden's own, I take it?"
Inside the Exodar's bridge, Velen's gaze drifts into the distance; after a heartbeat he exhales a sigh almost too soft to hear.
"There is no doubt—those demons serve Kiljaeden directly."
"Unlike the over-confident Archimonde, Kiljaeden keeps his head. He'll trade cold calculation for every ounce of blood, winning at the smallest possible cost."
Andreas thinks for a moment, then speaks through the linked comm of the fleet. "Prophet, do you believe Kiljaeden will personally set foot on Draenor this time?"
"Hard to say." Velen strokes his snowy beard. "Normally he will not step onto the front line unless he sees an absolutely certain victory."
"But his hatred for me runs deep. Once word reaches him that I am on Draenor… I cannot say if he will break a principle he has kept for ten thousand years."
…"Whew—"
Seeing the last enemy disappear, an exhausted Danath slumps atop the battlement. In the sky, Wildhammer Gryphon Riders wobble home, their mounts thudding down in undignified heaps.
Kurdran's own gryphon, Sky'ree, is as weary as the rest, yet she manages to land upright while her kin sprawl.
The Wildhammer High Thane himself looks pale; over-casting Stormhammers has left him drained of mana.
Still, the stubborn dwarf booms, "Danath, where in the nether did those reinforcements come from?"
With a guardsman's help Danath peels off his plate and, trembling, leans on the parapet.
"See for yourself."
He points a shaking finger at the forming-up relief army, a smile of pure relief breaking across his face. "Never seen them before, but even I've heard of Tauren—and look at all those Night Elves. Their origin needs no explaining."
Not far away, Kargath files his blunted blade-claws, stealing glances at the unexpected saviors.
'From Azeroth, then?'
Andreas orders the four naaru vessels to hover above Hellfire Citadel; faction leaders beam onto the rampart via newly planted beacons.
During the Second War, Danath had brief contact with Night Elves at the Capital City of Lordaeron; he quickly recognizes Andreas at their head.
Drawing on his last strength, Danath offers formal thanks. "Speaker Moonshadow, we owe you our lives."
"To be honest, the lads on the wall had given up. Without you, this broken fortress would have been our tomb."
Andreas clasps Danath' shoulder, channeling warm Light into him, washing away both mind and body's exhaustion.
"No need for ceremony. We're newcomers; we need to know Draenor's current state. Do you need rest first?"
"Not at all."
Danath flexes his fingers in wonder—he can feel vigor flooding back. A human nation that venerates the Light, yet never has he seen such instant, tangible healing.
"The Legion could strike again at any time. Let's be brief and get straight to the point."
…"I see."
Inside the fortress' austere war-room, Andreas hears the fuller story from Danath and Kurdran.
As for Kargath, the Fel Orcs keep their distance, electing to stay on the wall and watch for the Legion's return.
From the two commanders, the Azeroth party learns Honor Hold has already fallen. Only at the last did the Expeditionary Force bury old grudges and ally with Kargath, barely holding this final bastion.
Illidan left for Netherstorm over a month ago; since his last report ten days past, no word has come.
That last message told of their assault on the Nathrezim capital, the largest city in Netherstorm, and that they would finish mopping up within half a month and return.
That deadline is why Danath, Kargath and the rest still fight with hope. If Illidan's elite force can make it back in time, the war might yet turn.
Andreas rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Netherstorm—homeland of the Dreadlords?"
Though the Nathrezim are middling combatants among high demons, every bat-winged schemer is a master of conspiracy; infiltrate the rear and they become nightmares, valued by the Legion as chief counselors.
When Andreas had met Dathohan, he'd flooded the man with Light to confirm he was no shapeshifted Nathrezim, mindful of records that once listed him as replaced.
As a major Legion race, the Nathrezim surely guard vital secrets. That Illidan located Netherstorm amid the fractured void was fortunate indeed.
Thanks to scouts who paid in blood, the Expedition at least learned the composition of the Kiljaedens Throne army and the identity of its commander.
"The lord of Hellfire Peninsula is Kruul, called Demon Prince. A direct lieutenant of Kiljaeden the deceiver, versed in strategy and warfare—no easy foe."
Danath gives a rueful laugh. "Only when the Legion poured in did we realize Draenor is a sieve; they can reinforce at will."
"Were it not for a resistance group called the Army of the Light tying up Legion forces in the Twisting Nether, the numbers here would be far worse."
"Army of the Light?"
Andreas' expression sharpens; he fixes Danath with a solemn gaze. "Tell me everything you know. How did you hear of them? Spare no detail."
Danath and the others knew little of the Army of the Light; they had learned the name only by translating demonic tongues.
'The demons mention it from time to time. Preliminary judgment: it's a special organization that has fought the Burning Legion for years. Judging by the name, it's almost certainly aligned with the Light.'
Velen picked up the thread, sounding surprised. 'I have heard of the Army of the Light from the Naaru—an elite host of countless champions of the Light, led by the Mother of Light, the prime Naaru Xe'ra.'
Strictly speaking, all Naaru belong to the Army of the Light, yet Velen had never met Xe'ra in person; he knew her only by reputation.
Andreas added his own intelligence. 'Elune has also spoken to me of the Army of the Light. They say it has wrestled with the Burning Legion in the Twisting Nether for millennia.'
'Though usually at a disadvantage, it is probably the only force in the boundless cosmos that has battled the Legion for tens of thousands of years.'
'Oh, right.'
Andreas turned to Velen. 'I hear many Draenei serve in the Army of the Light. Prophet, can you contact them?'
Velen shook his head helplessly. 'Regrettably, I lost touch with any other Draenei who fled Argus long ago.'
Although the Draenei led by Prophet Velen were the largest exodus from Argus, they were by no means the only one.
Because of Velen's presence, Kil'jaeden devoted most of his hunters to pursuing him; the remaining Draenei scattered through the cosmos, evading the Legion.
The Draenei within the Army of the Light are surely part of that scattered remnant—drawn by Xe'ra, Mother of the Light, to stand against the Burning Legion.
'Still… this Mother of the Light sounds rigid in her thinking. I wonder if she and I will clash over ideals when we finally meet.'
Demon lord Kruul was cautious; until he learned more about the enemy reinforcements that had burst onto the battlefield, he ordered the Legion to hold its attack.
His superior, Kil'jaeden, was racing toward Netherstorm in his flagship, intent on seizing the Legion's betrayer, Illidan, there.
Illidan was already a demon and a demigod; merely killing him was pointless. Unless his soul was obliterated, he would simply resurrect again and again.
Besides, Illidan was still useful to Kil'jaeden. During the War of the Ancients, Sargeras himself had remarked that the Demon Hunter's body was an ideal vessel.
Kil'jaeden prepared on two fronts: hurrying to Netherstorm while dispatching legions to strike Illidan's stronghold on Draenor.
Whatever Illidan planned, wiping out his forces on Draenor and leaving him homeless would ensure the Demon Hunter could not escape the Legion's grasp.
Taking Draenor would also open a path for the Legion into Azeroth—killing two birds with one stone.
Kil'jaeden commanded Kruul to conquer all of Draenor and exterminate every follower and ally of Illidan.
To Kruul, momentary gains were irrelevant; the whole of Draenor was what mattered.
The Ethereal resistance in Netherstorm was fading. Though those "bandage-men" fought well, too few had come to Draenor and they were ill-prepared; they could not hold out long against the Legion's might.
The local creatures of Blades' Edge Mountains were also collapsing. Once those two regions fell, marshaling strength against Zangarmarsh's defenders would quickly break their lines.
Once Kruul linked with the western host, Hellfire Citadel—reinforcements or not—would be doomed. Kruul felt no need to attack again yet.
What mattered now was gathering intelligence and waiting for the right moment; only by knowing oneself and the enemy could one be ever-victorious.
On the ramparts of Hellfire Citadel, Andreas gazed toward Kil'jaeden's Throne.
North of the citadel, Kil'jaeden's Throne was a highland; even from the center of Hellfire Peninsula one could feel the thick Fel Energy hanging above it.
The plateau had once been seized by Illidan and the Draenor coalition, but after quarrels over ideology Illidan left only a skeleton garrison and turned to studying how to invade the Legion's world.
While Illidan campaigned in Netherstorm, Kil'jaeden struck hard at Draenor. Demonic air units from Netherstorm smashed Illidan's scant defenders and retook the Legion bastion.
Once Fel portals were erected, the Legion funneled in as many troops as the local ley-lines could sustain before the lines ran dry—building the host now under Kruul.
"Hmm… not easy."
According to intelligence Kurdran had risked his life to obtain, anti-air Fel cannons bristled inside Kil'jaeden's Throne, crewed by Gan'arg and Mo'arg engineers. An aerial assault would merely feed those guns.
A ground attack, however, would face the highland's commanding position—an uphill slaughter. It was the very model of an easy-to-hold, hard-to-take strongpoint.
Beside him, Celeste mused, "Could a swift air strike insert Magisters onto the Throne to open a portal and bring the army straight in?"
"No good." Andreas shook his head. "To ferry reinforcements from Netherstorm, the Legion drained the ley-energy around Kil'jaeden's Throne. Unless…"
Though Celeste's idea failed, it sparked a line of thought.
Andreas' mind raced, refining the fleeting inspiration.
"Unless our mages bring their own power source for the transit."
Celeste gave a wry smile. "Easier said than done. This isn't Azeroth; we can't tap the Well of Eternity."
"The energy crystals aboard the ships must be conserved; whatever happens, those four vessels are our ride home."
Pacing the wall, Andreas' thoughts clarified with every step.
"We don't have to supply the power ourselves. Remember the Ethereals Danath mentioned?"
Celeste frowned. "I do—but what have those bandage-men to do with us?"
"Nothing—until they asked the Draenor coalition for aid. We may turn that request into tactics once thought impossible."
Before leaving for Draenor, Andreas had read every entry on Draenor and Outland in the archives—among them, the Ethereals.
The Ethereals once lived on a world called K'aresh, devoured by the void lord Dimensius; they became cosmic wanderers.
They command potent technology, even able to survive in the void of space within their wrapped bodies.
The archives listed three Ethereal factions on Draenor.
One was the Aetherial Consortium—money-grubbers little better than Azeroth's goblins, willing to sell anything for the right price.
Neutral in stance, the Consortium will deal with anyone—until a better offer comes along.
The other two groups were the Protectorate and the Ethereum, their philosophies diametrically opposed.
The Protectorate sought steady growth, hoping one day to rebuild shattered K'aresh and avenge themselves on Dimensius.
The Ethereum were radicals, intent on forcing all Ethereals into a single crusade to retake K'aresh—victory or death.
'These Ethereals begging for help might give us what we need. I recall they possess "mana crystals," portable energy stores. If we could carry enough of them…'
There was still a difficult problem to solve if they wanted to contact those Ethereals: how to cross the gap between Hellfire Peninsula and Netherstorm.
According to intelligence provided by the Azeroth Expeditionary Force, Draenor's thin atmosphere does not cover this area, meaning there is no air there.
Unless it was a species like demons that could survive in a vacuum, flying directly across on flying mounts was impossible; they had to rely on a naaru ship.
Considering that a large number of the Burning Legion were also stationed in Netherstorm, a single ship crossing the sea of stars would just be delivering itself on a silver platter.
But if they moved all the ships there, and Kruul took the opportunity to launch an attack, the army on Hellfire Peninsula would lose its powerful aerial fire support.
Andreas couldn't make up his mind alone, so he simply put the issue to a vote at the joint meeting of all races.
"Mana crystal?"
Exarch Hataru was stunned for a moment when he heard the term, then a look of realization appeared on his face.
"I remember now. While we were evading the Burning Legion's pursuit in the cosmos, we encountered Ethereals before. They indeed possess this technology for storing high-intensity energy."
"Moreover, because mana crystals compress energy to the limit, they take up very little space and are easy to carry. If we can obtain enough mana crystals from the Ethereals, we should be able to launch a surprise attack on Kiljaedens Throne as planned."
Velen said thoughtfully, "The Ethereals are currently desperately seeking support from the races of Draenor. As long as we can provide them with help, they should be willing to provide us with mana crystals."
"But, there is one more problem."
Velen looked up at Andreas. "Do the Ethereals possess enough mana crystals to support a large-scale teleportation?"
"Well... let Danath explain that."
Andreas turned to look at Danath, who had lived on Draenor for many years. The temporary leader of the Expeditionary Force stood up and explained, "According to Khadgar, because Netherstorm is directly exposed to the Dark Void, it is constantly subjected to large-scale Arcane energy storms from the cosmos."
"That is why the Ethereals chose Netherstorm as their foothold. They can collect a massive amount of energy from there to fill their mana crystals."
No matter which technological path the Ethereals took, the issue of energy was indispensable.
Judging from things like mana crystals, the Ethereals' technological system should also use Arcane energy as the driving force.
Andreas took over the conversation and added, "Right now, the key to breaking the deadlock on Draenor lies in Kiljaedens Throne, which is occupied by the Demon Lord Kruul."
"As long as we can capture the Legion's largest base on Draenor in one fell swoop, we can resolve the crisis on Hellfire Peninsula and then draw out reinforcements to support other regions."
"This is also good news for the Ethereals who are struggling to hold on in Netherstorm. I believe they can correctly recognize the situation."
After discussion among the leaders of all races, a series of plans to attack Kiljaedens Throne finally reached a conclusion.
Tyrande would lead the majority of the Azeroth reinforcements to hold Hellfire Citadel. The naaru ships would leave about half of their carrier-based aircraft behind for defense, while Andreas would lead four ships across the Dark Void to Netherstorm.
With the firepower of the modified naaru ships and the remaining half of the air-combat arcane golems, they should be able to break through the Burning Legion's siege of the Ethereals and reach a cooperation and trade agreement with them.
No time was to be lost. After deciding on the next course of action, everyone inside Hellfire Citadel began to move.
Andreas never liked leaving fate in the hands of others. While waiting for Illidan to return with his troops was a safe option, heaven only knew if Illidan would encounter any accidents in Netherstorm.
At least Andreas didn't think Kiljaeden would let Illidan keep causing trouble in Netherstorm indefinitely; perhaps the Legion's reinforcements were already on their way.
If Illidan stayed in Netherstorm a bit longer out of greed, his entire army might be blockaded in Netherstorm and unable to escape.
Although the probability of this happening was low given Illidan's caution, one must always be prepared for the unexpected.
Out of concern for Tyrande's command ability, Andreas repeatedly urged Leticia and Daelin to keep an eye on her before he left. If necessary, they could bypass Tyrande's erroneous orders and take over command of the army, and he would take full responsibility for the consequences.
Since the cooperation and trade with the Ethereals involved technical issues, Velen also temporarily assigned Exarch Hataru to Andreas. After completing their preparations, Andreas and the others boarded the ships and detoured toward the western part of Hellfire Peninsula.
Under Illidan's constant 'wool-shearing' offensive, Maghar Post had long since fallen. The Maghar Orcs living there had all been converted into Fel Orcs by Illidan.
Because the main direction of attack was on Hellfire Peninsula, the Fel Orcs stationed at Maghar Post didn't face much pressure.
The naaru ships passed over the post and quietly vanished into the Dark Void, flying toward Netherstorm in northern Hellfire Peninsula.
As expected, when Kruul learned that the naaru ships were heading north into the Dark Void, he immediately ordered another attack on Hellfire Citadel.
Although he didn't know what these four ships were going to Netherstorm for, the departure of this heavy aerial firepower undoubtedly weakened the defenses of Hellfire Citadel.
To Andreas' surprise, Tyrande, who usually fumbled or complained about small things, actually performed exceptionally reliably this time.
Under the High Priestess' calm command, the allied forces holding the fortress firmly blocked the fierce offensive launched by Kruul.
With the fresh reinforcements from Azeroth, Danath' Expeditionary Force could finally get some rotation and rest. On the other hand, Kargath's Fel Orcs still held the front lines like beasts of burden; one had to admire their endurance in battle.
Looking up at the eerie yellow-green energy ribbons in the sky above Hellfire Peninsula, Tyrande silently prayed to Elune in her heart.
'moon goddess, please grant me the strength to protect my comrades and defeat the demons.'
Tyrande was somewhat unsure if Elune would respond on Draenor, so far from Azeroth, but when her prayer ended, Elune's power filled her body as usual.
"Thank you, merciful Elune."
Tyrande lowered her warbow and held her hands high in an embracing gesture. Surging moonlight power erupted from her hands.
"Demons, feel the Goddess' glory!"
"Starfall!"
Specks of moon-white light began to flicker within the drifting ribbons of light above Hellfire Citadel. Most of the demons, caught up in the thrill of slaughter, didn't notice this detail, but Kruul suddenly looked up at the sky with a sense of trepidation.
"That is..."
Countless energy meteors composed of moonlight power, trailing dazzling energy tails, streaked across the sky and crashed into the Burning Legion's positions one after another.
The dense meteors obscured the entire battlefield in a short time. These meteors seemed to possess a consciousness of their own, avoiding the gryphons and moonwing golems in the air and specifically crashing into the demons of the Burning Legion.
The purification effect attached to the moonlight power caused the demons hit to suffer heavy injuries. Miserable howls echoed across the battlefield. The demons covering the hills and plains lost at least twenty percent of their numbers under this round of dense meteor showers.
Kruul stood dumbfounded for a long while. The falling meteors finally began to slow down, and the morale of the heavily damaged Burning Legion was inevitably affected.
Kruul roared with a dark face, "Don't be afraid! Death is not our end! Charge! This kind of spell cannot be cast repeatedly. Break through this wall and tear that woman who cast the spell into pieces!"
Kruul's words were half-right. If it were an ordinary Priestess of the Moon, such as the former High Priestess Dichana, one casting of Starfall would be enough to exhaust her.
But Tyrande was different. She was the mortal spokesperson specifically chosen by Elune, and naturally had her own extraordinary qualities.
Though her face was somewhat pale at this moment, her mental state still seemed high.
"Elune! Please grant me strength once more!"
"Sigh~"
Elune's sigh echoed in Tyrande's mind, clearly not approving of her vassal being so reckless.
After some consideration, she still chose to channel power into Tyrande's body. "This is the last time for a while. Cherish your body; do not be so reckless."
"Thank you for your mercy."
Tyrande closed her eyes and took a deep breath, adjusting her breathing and steadying her somewhat trembling hands. She opened her shining eyes once more.
"Soldiers, hold the line! Elune is with us!"
"Starfall!"
Kruul, who was just about to take the field himself, suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked up at the sky, which was once again flickering with the light of meteors, his head full of question marks.
"You're f*cking cheating!"
Having been on the battlefield after a long absence, Tyrande was overly excited.
Prioritizing the bigger picture, she didn't channel this excitement into reckless command of the army, but rather used it to overtax her own body.
The second Moon Goddess' Prayer, without any warning, completely caught Kruul off guard, but with the previous experience, the surviving demons at least had some preparation, and the number of casualties was much lower than the first time.
Even so, losing over thirty percent of his army in a single attack made the usually calm Kruul feel a chill in his heart.
The consecutive large-scale divine spells, defying common sense, made him unsure if the opponent would go crazy again.
Tyrande, having finished casting, still stood stubbornly on the city wall; from too far away, Kruul couldn't see that the High Priestess' body was constantly trembling.
A trembling Doomguard guard hesitantly asked, "Lord Kruul, shall we continue the attack or retreat?"
Kruul gritted his teeth, "Attack! I don't believe that woman can cast continuously again. Full assault!"
Kruul had gambled correctly; the severely overtaxed Tyrande indeed couldn't cast continuously anymore, but her two consecutive large-scale area-clearing divine spells had greatly boosted the morale of the defending soldiers.
It was only when the demons began close-quarters combat on the dilapidated Hellfire Citadel walls that they realized the difficulty of besieging had increased geometrically compared to facing Danath' Expeditionary Force previously.
The tall and muscular Tauren could even go head-to-head with Fel Guards, and with the combined efforts of the Sentinels and the moonwing in the air and on the ground, the Burning Legion's air force gained no advantage.
The Infernals falling from the sky usually had a good surprise attack effect, but since the reinforcements from Azeroth arrived, the Night Elves, as the main force, collaborated with Arcane users of various races to set up a defensive barrier above Hellfire Citadel.
This defensive barrier, specifically designed against Infernals, completely nullified the purpose of airborne Infernals; Infernals whose constructive souls were annihilated by the barrier were nothing more than piles of harmless stones.
Even though Kruul personally led the charge and slew enemy soldiers, the fierce assault yielded no gains, instead leaving numerous demon corpses below the city walls. Kruul, having regained his composure, finally ordered a retreat.
Seeing the demons finally retreat, Tyrande, who had been struggling to stand, collapsed backward from exhaustion. Fortunately, Daelin, who had prepared in advance and retreated from the front lines, caught her in time... As Hellfire Citadel once again erupted in war, Andreas and Celeste were carefully navigating through the disorienting Dark Void.
The shadow of Hellfire Peninsula was no longer visible behind them, and not a trace of Netherstorm could yet be seen ahead.
Four naaru ships floated alone in the air, and without a star chart for guidance, it was inevitable that feelings of unease and irritation would arise.
Rhonin, who was traveling with the naaru ships, looked pale. Although the naaru ships' journey was not bumpy, he would instinctively feel the urge to retch.
Andreas looked at the unwell Rhonin speechlessly, "...So why did you insist on coming along? Wouldn't it be better to just stay in Hellfire Citadel if you get seasick?"
"That won't do."
Rhonin's forehead was covered in cold sweat as he tried to close his eyes to alleviate the dizziness in his head. "After finally coming to an unfamiliar alien world, it's too boring to just stay in the castle defending. The world is so vast, I want to see it all."
Andreas' mouth twitched, "Suit yourself, but whatever you do, don't throw up on the ship. Otherwise, on the return trip, I'll hang you outside the ship to dry."
"Don't make such terrifying jo... *retch*~"
The overly agitated Rhonin retched again. Andreas and Celeste, with expressions of disgust, left the passenger cabin and went straight to the bow to enter the bridge.
"Any discoveries?"
"No."
The Draenei captain replied, "All reconnaissance equipment has not detected any signals, but our direction should be correct. The intensity of the energy storm in the distance is continuously increasing."
"Very good, continue to advance cautiously."
While the ships proceeded through the pitch-black universe, Andreas returned to his private cabin to relax for a while.
Celeste sat down next to her husband and said with some concern, "I wonder if Sister Shandris has emerged from her seclusion. Being too far from Azeroth always makes me feel uneasy."
Andreas smiled and leaned Celeste's forehead against his own, eliciting a small gasp and protest. "This is normal. You are leaving your home planet for the first time, so homesickness is inevitable. Shandris and I also went through this process back then."
"There's no need to worry about Shandris' seclusion. Elune has been watching her, and the Goddess will immediately notify me if anything happens."
Intelligent beings always instinctively feel fear and unease when they leave their comfort zone. As a member of the powerful Night Elf race, Celeste considered all of Azeroth her comfort zone.
But once she left Azeroth, protected by its planetary barrier, Celeste finally understood the fear and worry faced by alien races, including those from Draenor, when confronted by the Burning Legion.
"Andreas, if Kiljaeden truly descends, are you confident you can defeat him?"
Andreas smiled helplessly, flicked Celeste's nose with his finger, drawing a small gasp and protest.
"What foolishness. Even if Kiljaeden is slightly weaker than Archimonde, he is not someone an ordinary demigod can easily defeat."
"Defeating Archimonde still required the power of the Well of Eternity and the Pillars of Creation, and it also involved many Azerothian demigods. Kiljaeden will not be much easier to deal with than Archimonde."
"In a one-on-one fight, I wouldn't be his match, but..."
Andreas smiled confidently, "Who said I was going to fight him alone? Even if I can't kill Kiljaeden, I should have some confidence in forcing him to retreat."
...In the Dark Void, day and night were indistinguishable, only judged by the time recorded by the naaru ship's system.
On the second night after Andreas and the others departed from Hellfire Peninsula, the captain woke Andreas, who was sleeping in his cabin, via the ship's broadcast.
"Speaker Moonshadow, we have observed the edge of Netherstorm. Please proceed to the bridge as soon as possible to learn the details."
"Hmm?"
Andreas, still somewhat groggy, sat up from the bed. The thin sheet slid down his well-muscled upper body, faintly revealing a woman with long golden hair lying beside him.
"Finally... Celeste, wake up."
Celeste rolled over, pulling the sheet into a ball, and mumbled, "Mm~ Let me sleep for five more..."
"Five seconds?"
"...five years."
Andreas wordlessly pulled the entire blanket off, "Stop dreaming, get up!"
"Ah!"
...Putting aside the playful banter of the old couple waking up, when the two arrived at the bridge, the captain had already magnified the images captured by the external ship monitors onto the display screen.
Dark purple land floated in the cosmos, maintaining a delicate balance in an eerie state, neither fully absorbed by the residual planetary gravity nor flung out of Draenor's remaining atmosphere.
Bright Arcane flashes occasionally streaked across the dark sky; chaotic yet extremely abundant Arcane Energy was the first impression this area gave.
"Captain, report the situation."
"Yes, sir!"
The Draenei captain briefly relayed the previously captured intelligence to Andreas.
"Having reached a sufficiently close distance, we can finally detect other relatively faint energies from Netherstorm's overly strong Arcane fluctuations."
"First, there's Fel Energy. The area with the strongest energy reaction is probably here."
The captain pointed a finger at the touch screen, and a red dot lit up slightly north of the center of the rudimentary Netherstorm map.
"This area simultaneously has high-intensity Fel Energy and Arcane reactions, and both sides are in fierce conflict. It is likely the frontline of the Ethereals' and demons' battle."
Andreas nodded gravely, "Prepare for Level One combat, accelerate towards the conflict zone, and break through the Burning Legion's aerial defenses in one fell swoop."
"Yes, sir!"
The ship's internal broadcast began to notify all crew members, "All personnel, Level One combat readiness! moonwing preheating and startup! Main cannon deployed! Enter first combat speed!"
Rhonin, startled awake by the broadcast, immediately sprang from the stasis pod Andreas had specially prepared for him.
"We've reached our destination? Wait for me!"