Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 116: 15. Glory or Death! There is no third way
"Gaiaan! The most respected shaman leader of our tribe, the founder of Garadar, the Mother of Frostwolves, why are you so persistent in interfering in the internal affairs of the Burning Blade Clan? And why do you insist on resisting the war orders of Warchief Blackhand!
Our leader is already preparing his troops for a glorious war of conquest for the good of our race! If you were a coward who dared not participate, it would be fine, but do you have to try to turn others into cowards like you?

Harsh questions echoed in the rock caves of the Fire Blade Clan's holy land. Every rebuke brought with it a cacophony of condemnation, causing Mother Gaiaan, who was trapped in this lava-flowing place, to clench her fists.

The Fire Blade Shamans behind her who chose to follow her glared at the fanatical tribesmen around them, but Mother Gaiaan remained expressionless.

She raised her head and looked directly at the Burning Blade Sword Master who was standing on the upper level of the cave and questioning and judging her.

The latter wore clan armor, carried a flaming blade banner, and wielded a burning blade engraved with runes, but his brown skin, which should have symbolized purity, had turned into a strange green as if it had fallen into a dye vat.

The young man's eyes were red, and he was in a state of obvious irritability, like a wild beast ready to devour someone.

Mother Gaiaan recognized the young man.

Gao En Bladefury, the son of old Dal Triple Blood Blade, is one of the most talented but also the most radical young sword masters in the Fire Blade Clan. Like his brother Sesk Bladefury who is guarding the entrance to the holy land, Mother Gaiaan can clearly perceive in this noisy environment that these two talented brothers sincerely identify with the war tribe.

They didn't just drink demon blood for power when they followed their fathers into Tanaan Jungle.

As Burning Blade Swordmasters, they are not lacking in power.

But this is exactly what the old matriarch is most worried about.

The idea of Chieftain Blackhand and Gul'dan to massacre the world and win the opportunity for the orcs to rise is too tempting for young people like Gowen and Thesk who are inexperienced in the world. They are too young and impulsive, lacking the refinement of life, and therefore find it difficult to distinguish between the true interests of the population and the selfish desires of ambitious people.

Seeing that Gao En Bladefury was still trying to use words to inspire war to incite other warriors of the Fire Blade Clan, Mother Gaiaan knew that she could no longer remain silent.

She had been trapped in the Burning Blade Sanctuary. From the indifferent expression on Cesc Bladefury's face as he blocked the exit, she knew they had no intention of letting the old matriarch and those stubborn shamans leave today. There were also warlocks from the Shadow Council moving among the crowd.

The faint but real pungent smell of sulfur represents that the shadow of the devil has shrouded this once glorious elemental holy land.

"Shut up! Gao En, you have no right to judge me!"

Mother Gaiaan took a step forward.

This "Orc Grandmother" of Nagrand is usually very gentle and kind, but at this moment her roar overwhelmed the radical young warriors around her, making her like a ferocious she-wolf defending its den.

She stared at Goen Bladefury above her and said:
"You haven't even grown all your hair yet, so you can't represent the Burning Blade Clan. Let your father show up! If old Dahl intends to kill a stubborn old woman like me here in the name of Black Hand, then the real executioner should come forward.

how?

Dahl, the orc hero who once fought against the ogres alongside my late husband and me, is now not even going to have a conversation with his former comrades before his execution?

"Of course. How could such a distinguished elder like you die at the hands of a junior like me?"

Gao En, who had his hair tied back like the other sword masters, sneered.

The boiling of the demon blood in his body brought him a rage so terrible that it was difficult to suppress. Seeing the stubbornness of Mother Gaiaan, the sword master was filled with a cold murderous intent.

But he was a sword master after all, and controlling his emotions was their basic skill, so his fingers kept sliding on the hilt and he said:

"My father is speaking with the elders. He will soon come to you to read out the decision made by Warchief Blackhand against you and the Garadar clan. But before that, old matron, I hope you can answer a question for me in the presence of the elements, in this holy place of the Burning Blade!"
I hope you can understand that we are all orcs and not hide anything!"

Gao En raised his left hand, signaling the noisy voices in the cave to quiet down.

As a warrior who was obsessed with skills and inherited the outstanding talents of his father, he was quite prestigious in the clan. The radical young people were happy to obey the orders of Gao En and Cesk, so the sacred cave soon became peaceful.

Everyone's eyes were on these two people, and everyone's ears pricked up.

"Tell me, old matriarch."

Gao En narrowed his eyes, stared at Mother Gaia, and said:
"Not long ago, did you secretly meet with the Blueskin Archon without telling the other clans? I also know that you and that weak traitor Ner'zhul brought the Blueskins into our sacred mountain of Oshu'gun!

When Warchief Blackhand and other chiefs were preparing to wage war against the Draenei, you, as a clan elder, actually made peace with our enemies in private?
The Holy Mountain of Oshu Valley is the symbol of orc civilization!
Your Garadar clan was given the responsibility of guarding the Holy Mountain because of its 'neutrality'!
But you brought the blue-skinned saint in there without informing the other chiefs in advance and obtaining permission. What do you want to do? Could it be that the former 'Mother of the Frost Wolf' has also fallen into traitory?"

"How dare you accuse me of betraying the orcs? Having drunk the blood of demons, how can you say such arrogant words?"

Mother Gaiaan immediately became furious at this shameless slander and roared:

"Are you all blind? The spirits of the ancestors have been freed from their torture! The shamans of the Burning Blade Clan have noticed this, and we have cooperated with the Draenei to find out the truth!

The demise of the Bladewind Clan was caused by the Shadow Council, and the relationship between the ancestral spirits and the Draenei Naaru is not what you imagine.

You are being used by Gul'dan!
If you don’t believe it, you can come with me to the Holy Mountain now and see it with your own eyes. The evidence is right there!

As long as you open your eyes

"Ha, you admit it!"

Gao En interrupted the old lady's defense and said loudly with a sneer:
"You admit that you collaborated with the Draenei! Old Ancestral Mother, now that the war has begun, you've sided with the enemy! And you still dare to say you're not a traitor?"

"Traitor! Traitor!"

The radical Fire Blade Warriors around raised their fists. Even though they had not yet drunk the devil's blood, their red eyes still made them look as ferocious as beasts.

"Don't bother, Mother. They won't listen."

An old Fire Blade Shaman was already in despair. He clenched the stone hammer he was using for battle, pulled the sleeve of the old clan mother who was shaking with anger, and whispered:

"Gao En and his brother Cesk have gathered the most radical members of the Burning Blade Clan here. They've also coerced the more rational and calm factions. The elders have even been semi-imprisoned by Chief Dar.

They have no intention of reasoning with us!

The black wolf spirit that was brought back to the clan by Dahl and his children had bewitched the minds of the clan members, and they were completely unable to listen to the teachings of the ancestral spirits.

The elites who followed them to Tanaan Jungle have not returned. I heard that Chief Dar's daughter, Azuka Bladefury, led them to join the army of Chief Blackhand.

Save some energy.

We will escort you out in a while!

"Havalor is finished, and the Burning Blade is finished! What a shame!"

"Traitors must be executed. When your weak heads are hung on the clan's battle banner, the last vestiges of cowardice will vanish. Watered with blood, the brave orcs will possess a will as strong as steel in battle!

Only the might of Warchief Blackhand can lead us to rise!"

Gao En Bladefury raised the burning blade in his hand high in the air and roared loudly:

"The era of clan division is over. The unity brought by the Horde will make us invincible! After today's ceremony, the Burning Blade Clan will abandon the last bit of weakness and mercy. We will become the blade of the Horde and fight into the blue-skinned city of Shattrath, paving the way for the rise of the orcs with their skulls!
The black wolf spirit will guide us, and the blood rage will give us strength!
Let the ceremony begin!"

"Boom, boom, boom"

The low sound of war drums echoed in the cave. In the area where the fanatical Fire Blade Warriors were scattered, a circular battle area was separated. Gao En Bladefury jumped down from a height with a burning sword in his hand, and stabbed the blade into the ground as he landed lightly.

He bared his teeth at the old matriarch in front of him and said:
"You are a noble elder, respected by every orc across the Nagrand Steppes. Unfortunately, your foolish decision has brought shame upon your honor. The Burning Blade Clan will give you one final chance to achieve glory. Let this Mak'gora be your farewell as the 'Mother of the Frostwolf.'"

I will send you off with the most ancient traditions!

Then I will lead the warriors of the Burning Blade to break through the weak place of Garadar. No matter what kind of agreement you reached with the blueskin, it is a mistake that must be corrected!"

"You have gone astray, child. The world will never forgive you for what you have done!"

Faced with this provocation, the old clan mother broke free from the obstruction and protection of the shamans behind her.

She grabbed her shaman's stone staff and strode forward, watching the fanatical warriors around her take the "Blood Rage Potion" from the warlock, shouting "Glory" and drinking it in big gulps. This scene of decadence made her heartbroken.

Amidst this chaotic dance of demons, she said:
"You will destroy your clan! The glory you understand is not our glory at all. It would be fine if only I died here, but you actually plan to hurt my children. I will never allow such a thing to happen!
If you consider power to be glory, then I will be yours."

"boom"

A violent explosion interrupted the old matriarch's response, like a bomb exploding outside the cave of the Fire Blade Holy Land.

The rock door that had been clearly sealed shattered, and the flying rocks smashed the heads of several unlucky people, leaving them bleeding. Amidst the rising smoke, a familiar figure stepped through the dust holding a sharp blade.

Under the astonished gaze of the Burning Blade Warriors, one of their own, Lantresor Burning Blade, who had attained the position of Swordmaster despite his humble half-orc birth, strode towards them. Behind him in the Holy Valley, the violent Garadar Wolf Riders and Shadowmoon Shamans, led by Ner'zhul, were storming the Burning Blade Clan's stronghold. The elements were roaring, dazzling lightning was falling from the sky, and the howling wind turned into blades of wind, as if they were also angry at the orcs' corruption.

The angry swordsman strode towards them in that background, carrying the battle flag on his back, his eyes fixed on Gao En Bladefury in the battle circle before him.

A fanatical follower who had just drunk the devil's blood tried to step forward to stop him, but when he jumped out, he saw a flash of a knife. Lantreso didn't give the fallen man any chance to speak, and swung the sword master's blade to cut him smoothly in two.

"You! You are not qualified to abolish my title of Sword Saint!"

Lantresor stepped forward, stepping on the blood of the fallen. He said in a hoarse voice:
"You, a fallen greenskin, have no right to speak so arrogantly in front of the heroes who truly protect your people and their glory! If you still have a shred of honor, if you still have a shred of shame, then accept the 'Master Challenge' I have issued.

It's not about who's better, it's about life or death!"

"Oh, you've been expelled from the clan, Hav Olsen!"

Gao En Bladefury sneered and said to Lantresor:

"Until you prove your loyalty to the clan and the tribe, you are not qualified to challenge the Blade Master of the Burning Blade Clan! You are also not qualified to carry the banner that symbolizes the glory of the Burning Blade. You..."

"boom"

Lantreso pulled out the battle flag behind him and threw it forward. The flagpole passed over Mother Gaiaan and stabbed into the center of the battle circle with a bang.

The battle flag falls to the ground and the duel begins.

"Then to hell with the 'glory' of the Burning Blade Clan, and to hell with the 'Master Challenge' that once represented supreme honor. I'm no longer your Sword Master anyway, so let's just go with the more traditional name of 'Mak'gora'!"

The orc, no longer bound by the battle flag, dragged his sword forward. The specially made blade in his hand rubbed against the ground, and sparks ignited the runes on the sword, making the dazzling and scorching flames cover the blade.

He roared in a deep voice:

"What? You, the self-proclaimed 'tribal warrior,' are so scared of even accepting a Mak'gora initiated by a wanderer? Do you want to be allowed to choose a more powerful warrior to die in your place?
Anyone can!

Anyone who has drunk the devil's blood in this cave can be killed!

Anyway
I don't intend to let any of you leave alive today!

I'm not the Blademaster of the Burning Blade anymore.

From this day forward, I, Lantresor Havrosun, will fight you green-skinned monsters who drank the devil's blood to the death! As long as there is still a fallen one doing evil on this land, my sword will never be sheathed!

The orcs' momentum at this moment was like a burning fire.

He was alone, and no one dared to stop him when he took a step forward.

Everyone could see that this madman had no intention of leaving alive today.

"Old matriarch, retreat." Ner'zhul's voice also rang out from outside the cave, calling out:
"The Burning Blade's fall is unstoppable. You have done your best! We will preserve those pure seeds today, and one day from the ruins of Halvalor, the Burning Blade's banner will fly again.

You talked sense into them!

But since logic doesn't make sense, we should find another way to end this ugliness!"

"Yes, that's exactly why I came here!"

Another voice followed.

The moment the tall Draenei saint walked into the cave, the cave, which had just been silent due to Lantresor's desperate momentum, instantly boiled again.

There was no need for Gao En Bladefury's instigation. How could those fanatical Fire Blade Warriors tolerate seeing this arrogant Draenei, wearing a black wolf cloak covering his body armor but without a helmet, casually stepping into their holy land?

The orcs roared and rushed towards Diakum as the fanatics, whose minds were inflamed by the ideas of Gul'dan and Chieftain Blackhand, shouted "Death to blue-skinned people!"

They raised their weapons high and wanted to cut this bastard into pieces!

Use his head and his blood to complete the Burning Blade Clan's war ritual!

But Gao En Bladefury noticed something was wrong.

They were no match for this Holy Light Walker. Even from such a distance, the cold murderous intent from Diakum still made the Fire Blade Sword Saint, who had drunk the devil's blood, tremble in his heart. Even though the opponent was only one person, he still seemed to have surrounded all the orcs in the holy land by himself.

"boom"

He was about to step forward with the burning blade to stop the fanatical tribesmen. The shining blade light appeared in front of Gao En. In the intersection of the blade blocking, Gao En, who had just entered the Wind Step, was forced out by Lantreso's sword.

"Where do you want to go?"

Lantresor, who adopted the humiliating "Havrosen" as his new surname, swung his sword expressionlessly and said:
"Don't worry, it's not your turn to be personally executed by the Vigilant. The Butcher of Holy Light has come for your deeply corrupted father. I will be your executioner today!"

"Fallen! Stand back!"

Almost at the same time, the roar of Yrel, Hand of K'ure, was heard at the entrance of the cave.

Before those fanatical Fire Blade warriors could get close to Saint Diakum, the fully armed Yrel rushed out, holding the Holy Sword of Goria in both hands. Her strength was increased to the mid-legendary level by the Holy Sword, and she swung the giant blade forward to send out a holy storm.

The Holy Sword's inherent [Crushing Blow] mixed with the scorching storm, and almost instantly, the warmongers in the front were swallowed up by the light.

Gao En Blade's eyes widened in anger.

He saw the tall Vigilant Saint step out of the light.

The scorching holy light around the black wolfskin cloak that enveloped his body turned into the dazzling midday sun, burning the weapons of those warmongers until they were too hot to hold. Those ordinary green-skinned orcs found it difficult to even approach him, let alone stop him.

His brother Cesc Bladefury rushed out from the shadows and wanted to launch a sneak attack, but the moment Windstep appeared, he was kicked away by another slender figure that jumped out from the shadow under the light of the Vigilant. As the alien dagger pierced through him, his brother let out a painful wail in the next moment.

"Vigilante! Let them go!"

Mother Gaiaan, who had just been arguing fiercely with Gao En Blade Fury and seemed to never give in, now pleaded in a pitiful voice:

"Not all Burning Blade Orcs have chosen to fall! They can still be saved. Give them another chance! Give these young people a chance. They have simply been bewitched! May your Holy Light have mercy on them.

These children."

"Of course, the Holy Light is always merciful."

Diakum casually pinched the skull of a demon-blooded orc who was trying to sneak attack him.

With five fingers clasped together, he removed the skull and spine together and burned them, then threw it as a throwing object at the terrified Shadow Council warlocks who were fleeing. When it landed, it splashed a scorching holy halo that flashed like thunder.

He waved his fingers to summon his Kings Guard, letting the Spirit of Light with its full "divinity" flap its white beam wings and float beside him.

He stepped forward and supported Mother Gaia, saying softly:

"You have done your best. No one can blame you for what happens next. You have no regrets. But unfortunately, a destroyer immersed in violence can only understand one language.

You have completed your own rescue, now let me take over!"

"They've simply strayed from the right path. They can still be saved! Diakam, let me try again! Before the wrath of the Holy Light you unleash descends, let me try again! These children can still be saved!"

"Well, I will give you one more chance to try and proclaim the benevolence of the Holy Light. Go, my vigilant hand, and in the name of the Holy Light, escort Mother Gaiaan and the shamans through this holy land.

Don't leave any green orcs alive!
Brown-skinned orcs holding weapons and refusing to listen to warnings and daring to resist will be killed without mercy! "

"Thank you, thank you, thank you Holy Light."

The conversation coming from the light made Gao En Bladefury's hair stand on end.

He suddenly realized a terrible "truth".

Perhaps, the highly respected old mother Gaiaan risked her life to come here, really wanting to save them before everything was irreversible?

"boom"

Lantresor's blade slashed again.

This time, because Gao En was distracted, the sharp blade flew past his shoulder armor and almost cut off his neck. Even though he used mirror transfer in time to avoid the fatal injury, it still left a horrible wound on his neck.

"It seems you understand."

The Orc Swordmaster shook the scorching blade and said expressionlessly:
"You arrogantly believed that the War Tribe was invincible, and you arrogantly believed that you could embrace victory just because you had power. While you were plotting how to torture your own people, I witnessed with my own eyes a saint from another race leading the young people of both races to save an entire nation from extinction.

How could you, who know nothing about power, possibly defeat such a person?

Ah.

Do you think you will become stronger after drinking the devil's blood?
Do not!
Thug, your sword master's blade, which has lost its faith, is nothing but a piece of ordinary iron!"

------

"boom"

Two sword master blades with almost identical shapes collided with each other. The moment the sharp blades sparked, they changed their moves at the same time, trying to seize the opponent's weakness in the confrontation of skills and strike with thunder. However, unfortunately, since it is a competition, there must be winners and losers.

The one with better skills returns unscathed, while the one who makes a wrong move ends up bleeding.

His breathing became increasingly rapid with pain, but the knife-wielding man did not retreat. He gritted his teeth, stood up, and clenched his swordsman's blade again with his blood-stained fingers.

He was unwilling to retreat, nor was he willing to leave.

This stubbornness made Chief Fire Blade's eyes dim a little. He seemed to really see his younger self in this young man.

"Stand down, Samuro. You are the genius of the Fire Blade and are destined to carry the clan's banner in the future."

He whispered:

"Leave here! Leave Havalo and wander, and emerge when the dust settles after our victory or defeat."

"I reject."

The brown-skinned orc swordmaster replied without hesitation in a hoarse voice:

"I have learned all the truth from Lantresor, about the tragedy of Bladewind, about the cleansing of Oshu'gun, about the conspiracy between the Horde and the Shadow Council. After knowing this, I can no longer convince myself to obey your guidance. I abandon my own beliefs and morals and follow you on a path that will completely destroy the Burning Blade Clan.

Now that I have seen the truth, I must make my decision!

Make the decision a Burning Blade Master should make."

He tried hard to regulate his breathing, to suppress the pain of his abdomen being cut open, and to stop the sword in his hand from shaking and pointing forward.

In the deepest part of the Holy Land of the Burning Blade, in the cave where the elders held meetings, behind the young swordsman named "Samuro", the bodies of several green-skinned swordsman masters lay scattered across the ground.

The entire cave looked like it had been swept by a storm of sharp blades, and the stone walls were covered with blade cuts.

These clan elders died the moment they drank the demon's blood, and were assassinated by the Fire Blade Sword Master's most classic Wind Step attack that broke the invisibility.

The fact that he was able to kill these fallen Fire Blade Elders in the presence of Old Dal was enough to prove the talent and value of this young swordsman.

But things were already in chaos outside.

Old Dal and Samuro could both hear the screams and the aftermath of the battle coming from the Burning Blade Sanctuary.

It seems that this is not an illusion. A force hotter than magma is approaching here.

The most terrible thing is that the Holy Land of Fire Blade is deep underground, and there is no second exit in the area covered with magma. With Samuro blocking the road with a knife, even Old Dal, the legendary sword master, can't escape.

"Do you know who is coming?"

Chieftain Fire Blade glanced at the Blade Master's Blade in his hand.

He shook his head, and with his white hair and beard fluttering, he inserted the sword that had accompanied him for many years into the rock at hand, and then pulled out the flaming blade Sanksu on his back. The sword, which seemed to be made of black stone, was covered with magma-like flames the moment it was unsheathed.

He said to Samuro:

"You know you are no match for me. Assassinating these elders and masters, whom you consider corrupt, is the limit of what you can do as a sword master. You have been stalling for time."

"Yes, Lantresor told me that the Draenei Vigilant Saint will arrive in Halvalor today. He has already killed the legendary warlock chieftain of the Twilight Hammer clan, Cho'gall, and completed his Trial of the Blade.

Once you arrive here, you will become a new member of the Burning Blade Clan and be granted the title of "Sword Saint".

That would mean the Burning Blade's honor would be open to the Draenei warriors, and that would be a turning point in the clan's glory."

Samuro gripped the hilt of his sword and said:
"But we are destined not to witness this scene that will be recorded in history. When you returned to Halvalor with the demon's blood and those warlocks, I knew that you had buried with your own hands the monument that countless Burning Blade sages had built for us with their lives over the past few hundred years.

you!
Sinner of the clan!
My mentor, my chief, you are here to serve as the final examiner of Diakum Zastins's Blade Trial.

You will demonstrate to him the exquisite martial arts of the Sword Master with a flaming blade in hand, examine and determine whether he is qualified to become one of us, and finally use the blood of corruption to wash away the shame that Halvalor has suffered because of you.

Just like you taught me when I was little.

As the sword master who bears the clan's banner and protects the sacred traditions faces his final battle, it's glory or death! There is no third way.

(End of this chapter)