Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 16 16. May the Holy Light deceive you

General Elodus's Thunder Elephant Heavy Cavalry is worthy of being the elite garrisoning the capital.

Faced with the Awakener cultists and the demons they summoned, these heavy cavalry broke through the enemy's defenses in a very short time, and then entered the garbage time of searching and executing.

The duel between Dick, Maldran and Sachir seemed long, but in fact it lasted less than ten minutes. At this time, it was only a few minutes since the "Grand Mage" Velen joined the battlefield. From this point of view, the coup of the Awakener Cult was actually suppressed at the beginning.

This was all thanks to the Assassin's Court's good intelligence work and to Lord Commander Kil'jaeden's personal presence in the city of Oronaar, so that no one in the enforcement team dared to slack off at this critical moment.

how?

Do you think the Eredar won't slack off?

Wrong.

These sheep-hoofed, blue-skinned, and tailed people have many tricks to slack off. If you don't believe me, just ask the Draenei traveling merchant "Hakmud" whose life is quite "legendary". He has no combat ability at all, but he relied on luck and slacking off skills to go all the way from Argus to Draenor, and then went to Azeroth to join the Silver Crusade and become an outstanding traveling merchant. He also witnessed the fall of the Lich King.

The most outrageous thing is that the guy was so lucky that he actually followed old Velen back to Argus and became one of the first wanderers to return to liberate his hometown.

Based on this experience, he can be called the "Supreme God" in both the fishing and business worlds.

In short, in the final moments of "Night of Sibisibi", when Lord Commander Kil'jaeden and his guards entered the battlefield, the suppression of demons and cultists completely turned into a crushing blow like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

The enemy's demon army had not yet formed. The Fel Well that served as a transmission channel had been purified by Old Velen. Even the Fel Vanguard and the Demon Lord did not appear. In this situation, relying on a large number of lower-level demons was no match for the Eredar who were well prepared to catch them in a trap.

High-ranking garrison officers like Dick are the backbone of the Eredar military system, and General Elodus has thousands of such high-ranking garrison officers under his command. It is said that the old general's garrison corps is extremely strict in recruiting members. The height must be over two meters and five, and must have participated in three Jedni competitions and not been eliminated in the first round. They must also undergo rigorous training for more than twenty years before becoming formal privates.

In this mode, any private from the trained army can be invincible in the Hellhound.

Even new recruits like the Five Little Strongmen can form a battle formation and fight their way out of the siege of demons. This is something that other races would not even dare to think about, and it is enough to prove the amazing physique and talent of the Eredar.

Let's just put it that way.

This race is strong enough to fight against Tauren with bare hands. They are as agile as trolls, have energy affinity comparable to elves, have learning ability not inferior to humans, have a stronger grasp of engineering than gnomes, have the same level of resistance to attacks as dwarves, and their outburst when forced into a desperate situation is similar to that of orcs in a bloodrage state.

The most important thing is that the Eredar are natural "perfect immortals", which is far superior to the "fake immortality" bestowed upon the night elves.

Apart from their small number, difficulty in reproduction, and the common problem of immortal species that makes the accumulation of individual Force as slow as a turtle, the Eredar have almost no obvious shortcomings. This is why the dark titan Sargeras, a man at the pinnacle of the physical universe, formed the Burning Legion in the official history of the Dark Portal. The first thing he did was to come to Argus to "recruit troops" and appoint the Eredar as the commander class of the Burning Legion.

To sum up, considering that we are facing the demon for the first time tonight and still don't know much about it, it is not surprising that we can win this kind of victory by catching a turtle in a jar despite being fully prepared.

Of course, there were many unexpected situations that went beyond our plan tonight.

The biggest emergency was that although Guardian Naruk Ulei personally went to the battlefield to defend against the sudden attack of demons, it was Grand Archon Velen who finally purified the dangerous summoning ritual and ensured that the world would not be polluted.

But that’s not a bad thing!

When the dangerous and ominous fel energy beam was transformed into a dazzling golden light in front of everyone's eyes, the soldiers cheered. Especially those garrison officers who believed in the Holy Light, they exclaimed that this was another miracle bestowed by the Holy Light on the Eredar.

Their morale was boosted by this, but as the commander's guard advanced towards the ruins of the lecture hall, there was no trace of joy on Kil'jaeden's face, only deep worry and helplessness.

His brother Velen had the gift of "prophet". When he was studying arcane in his early years, he would see silhouettes of the future from time to time. After the Holy Light descended on Argus, Velen revealed to his closest ruling brother Kil'jaeden that he had seen himself leading the people under the protection of the Holy Light many times.

Even then, Kil'jaeden knew it was only a matter of time before his wise brother became a follower of the Holy Light.

Prophets are like this
When they predict the same thing multiple times, it's not far off before they're involved.

However, the "blind obedience" caused by the strong appeal of the Holy Light to the believers is an issue that must be paid attention to. Whether it is out of concern for the mental health of his brothers or the heavy responsibilities that the Grand Archon must fulfill, Kil'jaeden cannot allow the leader of the Eredar to become a fanatic who puts faith above reason.

He decided to have a long talk with Velen tonight.

He would not hide his whispers in front of Velen, and the two brothers had to discuss the problem openly and come up with a definite solution.

But before that, Kil'jaeden, as the commander-in-chief of the garrison, still had a lot to deal with.

The grassroots tactics were in the charge of the meritorious General Elodus, and the commander only needed to give general instructions, such as depriving the captured Awakener cultists of their spellcasting power and imprisoning them, or announcing pre-prepared explanations to the alarmed citizens to calm their emotions.

For example, properly resettle the heroes of this battle.

"You seven did a great job."

Kil'jaeden, riding on the saddle of a war thunder elephant, looked down at the seven young men in front of him.

The five brave warriors did not stay in the safe area as instructed by Velen. They returned to the battlefield and helped the soldiers break through the flank of the lecture hall. They were covered in wounds and could only lie on a stretcher to accept the leader's inspection.

But Kil'jaeden liked such brave, simple, and loyal warriors. A smile of praise appeared on his usually stern face. He nodded with satisfaction and said:
"You have fulfilled the ancient tradition of the Vindicator protecting his people. Tonight, you are the pride of the Eredar people, and my pride as well! Rest well, children. You will be rewarded for your deeds, but this is only the beginning of your destined bright life."

The five little strong men were very excited.

Just like Thal'kiel's status and influence among spellcasters, Lord Commander Kil'jaeden is an absolute idol to the vindicators. His charismatic and commanding personal charm, coupled with his clear-cut approach to rewards and punishments, is enough to earn him the loyalty of the vindicators.

But after praising the five little warriors and watching them being carried away by the priests for treatment, Kil'jaeden's eyes turned stern when he looked at the twins.

He looked at the two young girls with their heads bowed before him with a trace of scrutiny. The commander was somewhat dissatisfied with their overly frivolous attire, but he still said calmly:

"You have done well. As redeemers, you have perfectly washed away your shame and restored dignity to the filthy Arcana Academy."

"Honorable Commander! This is the head of the academy traitor Galasum!"

Saroras raised the head of the Chancellor of the Academy with a solemn gesture and said to Kil'jaeden:

"We sisters are too terrified to ask for any reward. We only pray that your wrath will not consume the very existence of the Arcanum. Under the leadership of Commander Diakum, we have eliminated the two leaders of the academy's traitors. Principal Archimonde and Grand Vizier Garasum can no longer corrupt the souls of the students.

But the Mystery Academy is innocent."

"So, am I such a vent-on-your-anger leader in your eyes?"

Commander Kil'jaeden rebuked him in a gentle tone:

"Merit is merit, fault is fault, there is no such thing as merits and faults offsetting each other!
Your achievements will not be overlooked. As for the future of the Arcana Academy, that will be discussed between Archon Velen and me, and the Inquisition will make its decision. However, I have also heard of your two amazing talents and the courage you displayed at crucial moments. If you have nowhere else to go, come and work for the Assassin's Court.

Your talents should be used in the right direction. Garrison Commander Diakum did a great job this time. He found two flawed gems for me.

I also think you deserve better training.

Go ahead.

Go and rest and heal your injuries, and stop overthinking."

The two sisters were sent away just like that.

But when the two left, holding hands, they could feel each other's fingers were clasped tightly, not only because of nervousness but also because of unconcealable joy.

This time it really was a blessing in disguise.

There are not many opportunities to be praised by Lord Commander Kil'jaeden himself, and he received an offer from the Assassin's Court in advance. Although the Assassin's Court is a place where shady work is done and it does not sound very good on the surface, it is still a powerful agency directly under the two great archons, and it is a true civil servant and "close minister of the emperor."

Considering the conventional careers that graduates of the Academy of Mysteries have been able to choose in recent years, this is already a blessing from heaven.

Just as Kil'jaeden jumped off the Thunder Elephant and stepped into the ruins of the lecture hall, which still retained a strong aura of fel energy, escorted by majestic and powerful guards, he saw several garrisons carrying the seriously injured Garrison Officer Maldran away on a stretcher.

"Is that General Elodus's nephew?"

Kil'jaeden asked softly, and the Assassin's Court leader, Talgas, immediately replied:
"Yes, the identity of the Garrison Commander of Malderan is a bit awkward. He is an illegitimate child, and therefore does not receive the public care of General Elodus's family. For many years, he could only rely on himself to find a position in the Mystery Academy. However, General Elodus values his only nephew very much.

It turned out that the old general with outstanding achievements had a good vision.

Garrison Commander Malderan played a very important and brave role tonight. He is a well-deserved hero and a perfect example for propaganda purposes."

Having said that, Talgas glanced at Commander Kil'jaeden's expression and lowered his voice:

"At the very least, he is a more suitable role model for an outstanding garrison commander who turned the tide than the tainted Diakum."

"Well, you go make arrangements."

The commander waved his hand and said:

"The general of the Antoran Plain Governorate died of injuries a few months ago, and the area is in need of a trustworthy and reputable leader. Let's give Malderan a try and see if he has the same excellent commanding ability as his uncle."

"Okay, Commander."

Targus noted this order and asked:

"Since Grand Archon Viren personally ended this disaster, Diak'um will surely escape death given his benevolent nature."

"Also reward him with a promotion to 'Garbledonian Brigadier General'."

Kil'jaeden said casually:
"But he is deeply tied to the Arcana Academy faction. It's unsuitable for him to participate in the upcoming large-scale review of the Arcana Academy. Let him go and gain some experience. When the people have forgotten about this matter, let this meritorious official return to Mac'Aree."

"Well, I see."

Talgas also felt relieved.

Although he had doubts about some of Dick's overly impulsive decisions, Talgas felt that this guy was actually very much to his liking.

The garrisons are a group of rigid and difficult guys. It is rare to find a high-ranking garrison officer with a quick mind like Dick. His cooperation with the Assassin's Court is perfect. If Dick can hold a high position in the future, the Assassin's Court will have an extra network of contacts.

The group moved on.

On the way, they could still encounter panicked demons running around. Kil'jaeden did not let his guards take action, but personally killed several demons with his sword and shield.

It's not to "brighten up merits" for himself, but simply out of the rigor of a military commander.

He needed to personally judge the threat posed by creatures like demons. After easily slaying demons of different races with the demeanor of a legendary warrior, and taking the time to dispose of an Ereduin Doomguard, Kil'jaeden, having completed his "warm-up," frowned as he handed his weapon to his guard.

He said to Talgus:
"They're not easy to deal with! Especially with their terrifying numbers, brutal nature, and the fact that they can't be killed in the physical world. Once the Burning Legion lands on Argus on a large scale, our existing defenses will find it difficult to resist their invasion from all directions.

Capture these demons alive and send them to the Tech Court!
Let the technological consuls carefully study their flaws and find the most appropriate way to deal with them."

"You can increase your firepower, Commander."

Talgas reminded:
"While demons in the material world can cast spells, they can also be expelled by physical means, meaning that cannonballs and energy beams are equally effective against them. However, fel energy is indeed a foreign force to us.

Although Diakum provided information on the Warlock class, it's difficult for us to come up with a definitive countermeasure against such a violent force based solely on this information."

"Then ask, then learn!

I don't believe there is a power without a solution that matches it. The answer is there, and we need to use our wisdom to find it. And I believe that the noble Eredar are never lacking in wisdom! "

Kil'jaeden strode toward the center of the destroyed lecture hall and walked down the ceremonial hall along the broken sermon.

He immediately saw Brother Velen who was personally treating the seriously injured Diakum garrison commander, and Sachir who was bound to the spot by his shining holy light chains and was already in a state of dismay.

It is worth mentioning that the mentally broken old wizard had a flying battle axe stuck in his head.

Just one step away from completing the "headshot".

"Take Sachir and send him to the Assassin's Court for strict supervision. Talgas, I give you enough authority. No matter what method you use, you must pry open his mouth as soon as possible! I want to know everything about fel energy and demons from Sachir, and then summon all the arcanists and shamans in the country to gather in Mac'Aree.

They must come up with a way to deal with the evil energy invasion as soon as possible.

The demons will not give up.

The Awakener Cult is just one of their despicable attempts. After their dark scheme fails, the demons will most likely use more direct and violent methods to invade our world."

Kil'jaeden stroked the golden-ringed tentacle on his chin and said to his most trusted lieutenant:

"We must prepare for a potentially protracted war. Of course, it would be great if the Holy Light faction is willing to help."

"Indeed, facing the threat of demons right now, this is no longer the time to discuss disputes over doctrine and tradition."

Talgas nodded in agreement.

He knew that Lord Commander Kil'jaeden was going to have an important conversation with Grand Archon Velen here, so he stepped back and let the other guards stay here.

Kil'jaeden strode forward.

He looked at the ruined ground in the ritual hall that had been repeatedly burned by fel energy and holy light, as well as the remains of demons that had been burned to ashes by the holy light. He felt deeply the destructive power of the gentle power of holy light when used correctly in war.

Sure enough, any power has two sides.

"You don't seem to be able to stop, my brother."

Kil'jaeden joked gently:
"What's wrong? Is the pure holy light too scorching for a spellcaster like you to lose control?"

Such teasing only happened when he was with Velen. Facing Kil'jaeden's teasing, Velen shook his head and said:
"It was not I who did this, Kil'jaeden. I merely cleansed the weakened fel ritual with the aid of the Holy Light. The traces of battle you see here were the work of this Diak'um Vindicator.

Although I didn't get to see him fight, the fact that he was able to force the Enlightened One into such a state of disarray shows that the miracle of the Holy Light that descended tonight wasn't just for my guidance."

Velen turned around. He was still very young and had a face that was very perfect in the eyes of the Eredar.

Serious yet gentle, solemn yet humorous.

His black beard was trimmed very well, which matched the tentacles adorned with arcane gold rings on his chin. His body was strong and powerful due to years of training, but he was not as naturally burly as Archimonde. He was a big man who would not offend anyone.

His soul is as perfect as his appearance.

With a tired smile, he continued to heal Dick's severely injured body with one hand, while calling Kil'jaeden to come over to help, and said to him:
"The Holy Light has once again enlightened the Eredar, and this time He was especially generous, sending us a 'Chosen One'."

"Ok?"

Kil'jaeden blinked and said:
"In terms of faith, this word shouldn't be used carelessly, my brother. Do you really think Diakum Zastins is the Chosen One of the Holy Light? He's done wrong! He's been hanging out with a group of cultists for several years, willingly lurking as an ambitious eye within an evil group attempting to overthrow order.

He himself did not deny that he had learned those evil knowledge.

Although he accomplished tonight the amazing restoration and atonement that even I admired, wrong is still wrong. He is a tainted person. Will the Holy Light bless him so generously? "

"Therefore, I have not fully confirmed Diakham's identity."

Velen nodded, acknowledging Kil'jaeden's caution. He said:
"I'm just saying that there's a high chance he'll become a 'Chosen of Light' in the future, the seventh Radiant One in the Eredar's thousand-year history. But there's no doubt that Diak'm's personality is too extreme.

His hatred of evil is not a bad thing, but it is more extreme than that of the other six voters we have. I saw with my own eyes that when he was on the verge of death, he used his last strength to attack Sachir and tried to kill the culprit of tonight.

He is truly a follower of the Light.

But I think his style might be more compatible with yours, my brother."

"Well, was it he who threw this battle-axe?"

Kil'jaeden then looked back with great interest at the battle axe on Thal'kiel's head as he was being led away. He could almost imagine Dick's determination to kill his enemy instead of saving himself when he was on the verge of death, which made him have a better impression of Dick.

He was a formidable warrior himself, and naturally relished such courageous acts.

However, this is just interest.

Compared to what Kil'jaeden was really worried about, a small person like Dick was not worth his time and effort.

He helped Velen complete the rescue of Dick, and instructed the guards to send the garrison officer who had performed a "heroic act" to the priests for the best treatment.

When only he and Velen were left in the ceremony hall, Kil'jaeden expressed his concerns.

Holding the Holy Staff of the Naaru, wrapped in holy light and even with the illusion of a triangular holy emblem faintly appearing behind him, Velen patiently listened to Kil'jaeden's description. He felt his brother's concern for him from these words, which undoubtedly made Velen feel warm in his heart.

He looked at his brother with a gentle gaze. When Kil'jaeden frankly expressed his concern that the Holy Light would blind Velen's wisdom, Velen spoke:
"I'm not worried about falling into the trap of blindly following others."

"You are too confident! Even blindly conceited."

Kil'jaeden rebuked him harshly:

"I've seen many wise spellcasters, after becoming Holy Light priests, quickly become accustomed to using the teachings and precepts of the Holy Light to constrain themselves, rather than relying on the enlightenment of wisdom to find a way out for their souls.

Their previous experience is the biggest source of disagreement between the arcane tradition and the belief in the Holy Light in Eredar society. The arcanists believe that the spread of the Holy Light will make people ignorant and blindly follow. I am not accusing the belief in the Holy Light of making people stupid.

But the fact is, they are really not good at thinking.

Your wisdom is a treasure to the eredar, my brother!
I can't allow that to happen, and you can't just ignore it out of self-confidence. You have to come up with a concrete approach."

“I’m not worried about falling into the trap of blindly following others.”

Velen repeated what he had just said, and only said the second half of the sentence when Kil'jaeden was slightly angry.

He placed his hand on Kil'jaeden's shoulder and said in a deep voice:
"Because I have you standing by my side, my brother! I believe that every time I lose myself because of my faith, you will always be the first to reach out and pull me back on track. I trust you far more than I trust myself.

I really need a way to keep myself sane, and nothing could be more effective than your supervision."

This sincere and straightforward answer left Kil'jaeden speechless for a moment.

But he was happy and satisfied in his heart, and he also felt the warmth of his soul, like a trickle of water nourishing his spirit, just like the mutual support between the two of them in the long time before.

He shook his head and said in a joking manner:
"So without me around, you'll always get into trouble, right?"

"Yes, Kil'jaeden, without your help, how could I survive? Just like during the 'Breaker' plague many years ago, it was you and I who worked together to prevent the calamity from spreading horribly throughout civilization. With your courage and my wisdom, we can always work together to find solutions to problems.

Not only do people think so, I think so too.”

Viren also responded with a joke.

The two old friends, whose friendship has lasted for five thousand years, laughed heartily.

Kil'jaeden helped the exhausted Velen out of the ceremony hall. He would deal with the next trouble here, and his brother needed rest now.

"After these remaining matters are settled, come to my house for dinner."

Before leaving, Velen invited:

"My wife and children all want to see you. You know, they also regard you as a family member. Do you remember that when my son was a child, because of my busyness and your company, there was a time when he even called you dad."

"Children are like that. Their innocence allows them to better distinguish between kindness and malice."

Kil'jaeden waved his hand and said:

"But you're in trouble, Viren. You'll have to explain to your family why you came back this glowing form after your trip. I'm sure you'll scare the children tonight until you learn to control the holy light you emit."

Velen did not deny this. He was a low-key leader. He also thought that his glorious attitude at this time was a bit too exaggerated. Then he gave a few more instructions and left here under the protection of several Holy Light Chosen People.

Kil'jaeden stood for a long time in the ruins of the ceremony hall.

With his hands behind his back, he looked at the hideous ruins left behind by the battle between holy light and evil energy, and determination flashed in his eyes.

Whether it's the Fel or the Holy Light, if you want to occupy this world and destroy this civilization through war, then you must first cross the corpse of my leader! Even if I die in battle, Velen will continue to help the Eredar resist.

Until you fail, or we perish!
(End of this chapter)