Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 184 7. Sir Lothar frowned, realizing that the problem was not simple

Stormwind City is the ruling center of Stormwind Kingdom and the first city built by Stormwind's ancestors when they moved from the northern border to the southern border to open up the wasteland.

This huge city built with white boulders and with majestic walls is located on the coastline of the Endless Sea. It is separated from the Western Wilderness, the famous "fertile granary" of the eastern continent, by a seaport, and on the other side are the Echo Mountains extending from the higher altitude Burning Plains.

It is located in the northern part of the rich Elwynn Forest, and nearby is the "Northshire Abbey", one of the centers of human faith in the Holy Light. It can be said that from the perspective of the capital, the location of this city is quite perfect. Because of its proximity to the sea, merchants from the Storm Kingdom can trade with the Dwarf Kingdom by sea.

The convenience of shipping brought Kul Tiras caravans to Stormwind Kingdom. With such a valuable granary, the grain trade alone could bring huge profits to the Royal Family of Wrynn every year. Moreover, due to its complex terrain, Stormwind Kingdom also produced various minerals, and several large gold mines in the country became an important source of finance.

Despite the threat of gnoll banditry and the Gurubashi trolls from Stranglethorn Vale, Stormwind Kingdom is generally in a period of stable development due to its unique natural environment.

General Gavinrad boasted to the foreigner Diakum that their kingdom inherited the pioneering and adventurous spirit of the ancestors of Arathor, which was not nonsense. Because there was only one human kingdom in the southern border, the political environment of the Storm Kingdom was relatively simple, and there was no complicated political game like that in the northern border kingdom.

Above all, the rulers of House Wrynn have always valued reason and courage.

Since the time of King Baratheon, the rulers of this country have been governing their people in a tolerant manner. Therefore, Stormwind Kingdom can attract many pioneers from the northern border, and the large and small farms in the western wilderness have developed under such circumstances.

This kingdom also has the most powerful spellcaster in the human world, the celestial mage Medivh, who is stationed at the border, and Sir Lothar, the orthodox royal bloodline of the Arathor Empire, as the commander of the armed forces. The current King Llane Wrynn is also a famous "wise king".

These three horses are pulling the kingdom forward, making Stormwind City look like it could become the "Second Stromgarde".

As for why Sir Lothar's father, who was of the orthodox royal blood of the Arathor Empire, did not stay in Stromgarde, but came to the southern border and mingled with the "mud-legged" pioneers in the eyes of the noble lords, this can be attributed to the rather troublesome "legacy dispute" between the countries in the northern border.

From a darker perspective, if Sir Lothar's bloodline continues to stay in the northern border, it will not be a question of whether he can make a name for himself, but a question of whether his family will become extinct.

Sir Lothar, the last descendant of the human royal bloodline, grew up in Stormwind City. He likes this place and wholeheartedly assists his sworn brothers. He has no nostalgia for his hometown in the north. But today he is uncharacteristically anxious and even rides his horse through the city regardless of danger.

After rushing all the way from the bustling commercial district to the quiet wizard area, he jumped off his horse and rushed into the "Blue Hermit" tavern next to the teleportation tower, where he saw Gavinrad and the wizard Marin resting.

"What happened? How did you get hurt like this? Something happened in Redridge? Are the gnolls restless again? It's only been a few years since we killed their chieftain."

Lothar strode forward and looked at General Gavinrad, who was sitting in a chair receiving treatment from a doctor.

As a general from a humble family whom Lothar promoted himself, Gavinrad had great confidence in his military ability. When they were fighting against the gnolls in the Redridge Mountains, this guy charged into the battle many times despite being injured and killed the Darkskin Gnoll chieftain who was entrenched in the mountains.

But even then, Lothar had never seen Gavinrad so destitute.

Facing Sir Lothar's question, Gavinrad first drank the liquor at hand to numb the pain of his wounds, and then answered in a hoarse voice:

"It's the green-skinned orcs!

A few days ago, their city fell into the valley on the edge of the Black Swamp. At the reminder of a foreign saint who fell from the sky, I led a team to the Black Swamp for reconnaissance, but we fell into a trap. If it weren't for the saint's timely rescue, I'm afraid I would not have been able to come back.

Mage Marin has compiled an important military report. Please pass it on to King Llane.

We must send more troops to the Redridge Mountains! Marshal, otherwise, if the greenskins launch a large-scale attack, our military strength will not be able to resist their invasion."

"Is the situation this bad?"

Sir Lothar frowned as he looked at the report in his hand. When he saw that the other party's estimated military strength reached 40, even though the marshal had spent the first half of his life fighting against foreign races in various parts of the kingdom, he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

This number is too exaggerated.

Even if the domestic militia is included, the total strength of Storm Kingdom is only about 100,000, and they are scattered in various directions to defend against foreign races. Moreover, if the individual quality of the green-skinned orcs is really as exaggerated as this report says, then there is no need to fight this war.

The Kingdom simply can't win!
"They have no civilians, they are all corrupted half-demon warriors?"

When the marshal saw the last page, he believed that Gavinrad would not lie about such a thing, but his reason told him that this report was really incredible.

He asked:

"You mean a city filled with rampaging greenskins fell from the sky, and the purpose of these otherworldly destroyers was to invade us? And a saint from an alien race who had been fighting them warned us of the coming war?
This doesn't feel right!

If a city from another world had truly crashed into the Kingdom, why wouldn't the Kingdom's Guardian, Medivh, have informed us? He's always stationed at the border, and any movement by the alien race wouldn't be hidden from him."

Gavinrad and the military mage Marin both fell silent.

They could not explain this problem, but the reconnaissance results and the greenskins' malicious intentions could not be false, so after asking, Lothar immediately went to Stormwind Fortress where King Llane was.

The young king, who was handling domestic affairs, was also shocked to hear about the greenskins. He immediately asked the same question as Sir Lothar.

The two of them and Medivh grew up together and had a close relationship like brothers. King Llane trusted them as he trusted his right-hand men. As he reviewed the assessment report, he said:
“This alien saint who suddenly appeared is a bit suspicious.

Compared to his warning, I believe the opinion of the Kingdom Guardian more. Perhaps we should send someone to ask Medivh. If he does not warn us, perhaps it means that the harm caused by the greenskins is not as exaggerated as that alien saint said?

And at the end of General Gavinrad's report, it was also said that the alien saint clearly stated that these greenskins who called themselves the "War Tribe" were losers in the world of "Draenor" and they fled to our world to avoid being hunted by the Justice League.

This proves they are not invincible.”

"I thought so too, but compared to our own ideas, I now believe Gavinrad's judgment after going deep into the danger. He is a warrior of the kingdom. He said that the threat of the greenskins is huge, so we must be prepared!"

Lothar held the hilt of the sword at his waist and pondered for a moment, then said:
"I will first lead the Moonbrook Brigade defending the Western Wilds to Redridge Mountains for support. You will send a royal envoy to Karazhan as quickly as possible to inquire with Medivh. If the situation on the front lines becomes critical, then mobilize the garrisons from Sunny Forest and Eastvale, as well as our most elite Kurson Border Brigade, to Redridge Mountains.

Regardless of whether the greenskin threat is really that great, Redridge Mountains must not be lost!
Once the greenskins get past there, the terrain of Eastvale, Elwynn Forest and Sunnyside Forest will be completely undefensible!

And Gavinrad confirmed that the greenskins have quite a strong spellcasting force, so I need to bring some mages and priests with me."

"No problem. Archbishop Alonsus Faol will soon bring priests from the Church of Holy Light from the Northern Frontier to the Kingdom for a preaching tour. Therefore, the holy monks from Northshire and the Cathedral can accompany you to Redridge Mountains."

Ryan nodded and said:
"Even a brave general like Gavinrad is injured. I'm worried about you going alone. Bring my King's Guard and your Iron Horse Knights with you. If we really face a threat, these elite troops will buy us time to mobilize our forces."

"Ah."

Sir Lothar calculated in his mind that with such a mobilization, the number of troops he would mobilize to the Redridge Mountains would exceed 6,000. Including the garrisons nearby, an army of more than 10,000 people would be enough to open the mountain pass of the Redridge Mountains.

The battlefield there is limited in width, and all the mountain passes that can be used for combat are controlled by the kingdom. No matter how many greenskins there are, they cannot spread out. This is called terrain advantage.

But out of caution, the knight still suggested:
"That foreign saint claimed to be a prophet. Mage Marin said that he seemed to be able to see into the future.

He said that the giant saint was not optimistic about the war situation in the kingdom, and suggested that we immediately request support from other kingdoms in the northern border, saying that we must gather all the strength of mankind to defeat the violent greenskins.

What do you think? "

"Haha, how else can I see it?"

King Llane shrugged it off and said:

"This is not a question of whether we are willing to ask for help, Lothar. You know very well how my father begged the kings of the northern border to send troops to support when the gnolls besieged Stormwind City, but what was the result?

Apart from a few small warships sent by Kul Tiras and some mages sent by Dalaran, the other kingdoms were too lazy to even express symbolic support.

The desperate situation forced my father to arm all the people in the city. We were all less than ten years old at that time, and we put on armor and climbed up the city wall!

We finally defeated the Gnolls on our own.
The alien saint might have had good intentions, but it was obvious that he had no idea how terrible the internal divisions in the human kingdom were. Every time Medivh talked about this issue at a gathering over the years, he was filled with indignation.

You and I both know how frustrated he is with humanity's divisions, and I'm as angry about it as Medivh is.

Our 'proud isolation' sounds courageous, but isn't it forced?

If we're in real trouble, even the Bronzebeard dwarves of Dun Morogh are more reliable than our compatriots!

Speaking of which, perhaps we should forward the Greenskins' threat of war to King Magni Bronzebeard. If we need help, King Bronzebeard and his dwarven army are our true allies."

"Well, you're right."

Lothar nodded.

His status prevented him from expressing his opinion on this matter. But the knight knew very well that after Emperor Thoradin mysteriously disappeared over two thousand years ago, the Arathor Empire he had founded had been divided. The kings of the old lands in the north all hoped to unify the kingdoms and experience the thrill of being an emperor. Even the mages, who were supposed to be ascetic, were eager to try.

However, the bloodline that is truly qualified to sit on the throne is forced to leave his homeland due to various factors.

By now, Sir Lothar had long lost interest in rebuilding the empire. The only thing he wanted to do was to protect the prosperity of Stormwind Kingdom, which he regarded as his homeland.

But as he walked out of Stormwind Fortress and prepared to go to war, Lothar looked at the warm sun above his head and couldn't help feeling a throbbing in his heart.

If everything doesn't go well, if the kingdom is really going to be destroyed by the greenskin invasion as predicted by the foreign saint, then I might have to use my identity to do something I don't want to do.

"Marshal Lothar! Are you going to the battle?"

The boy's excited voice rang out in the garden next to the fortress, and Lothar turned around and saw Llane's son.

Nine-year-old Varian Wrynn was wearing a small suit of armor and holding a wooden sword, charging out like a knight, with his "royal mastiff" following at his feet, wagging its tail and howling.

"Take me with you! I'll go with you to defend the kingdom!"

The little prince exclaimed:

"My mother often tells me stories. She says that when the gnolls besieged the city, you and my father were about my age, but you also climbed the city walls, and my father even killed seven gnoll warriors with his own hands!"

"Listen to him bragging, your father was almost scared to death in that battle. It was me who actually killed the seven gnolls!"

Lothar laughed and bent down, pinching little Varian's cheek. He whispered:

"But a brave warrior of the kingdom like you should stay in the city and protect the people. Wait until I fail before you go to the battlefield. Just like those stories say, the hero always appears at the last moment."

The little prince, praised by Sir Lothar, the "First Baturu of the Kingdom," straightened his chest. He proudly leaned on his wooden sword and said loudly:
"Never mind! I'd rather see you return victorious than me making a heroic entrance! But could you bring me a real weapon this time? This wooden sword is too light, and only children use it."

"Okay, I will definitely bring you a real good sword."

------

"His injuries are serious."

On the upper level of Karazhan, the pale-faced Guardian Medivh looked at Orgrim Doomhammer, who was brought to him by the orcs. He shook his head and said:

"He was struck head-on by the scorching Ashbringer, injuring his heart. You should be thankful he didn't drink the demon blood, otherwise that single blow would have been enough to annihilate his soul."

"That's why we sent him here to ask for your help."

Varok Saurfang said gravely:

"Overseer Eitrigg knows the oath you made with Warchief Orgrim. You fulfilled your promise and brought us to Azeroth. We will serve you, but the Warchief must survive. Only he has enough prestige to lead the warring Horde, which is now in chaos."

"It's natural for me to help my collaborators."

The Celestial Mage nodded.

His true appearance was that of a middle-aged man with a well-groomed beard. He was graceful and had the style of a great man. He wore a robe with black and red embellishments, and there were crow feather-like decorations on his shoulders. He wore a hood that cast a natural shadow on his cheeks.

In his hand lived an antique yet exquisite staff.

The head of the staff is carved into a raven, symbolizing wisdom. A red magic silk strap embellished with sapphires hangs on the staff. It is suspended and circling under the influence of magic, making this weapon full of power and mystery.

Even though the loyal and brave Varok Saurfang was a pure warrior, he could still feel the powerful magic from this staff.

This proved that the mage in front of him was a super spellcaster far superior to Gul'dan. In fact, after everyone experienced that mythical version of the Black Gate teleportation, no one would doubt Medivh's power anymore.

If he wanted to, he could single-handedly destroy a small world like Draenor.

"I have guests coming soon, so I don't have time to help Chieftain Orgrim recover slowly. I will use time magic to restore him to health, but it's best for him not to go to the battlefield recently."

Medivh snapped his fingers, causing the light of time to swirl counterclockwise around Orgrim's severely injured and almost charred body.

Then he looked at Varok, his eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. In the orc warrior's uncomfortable movements, he said:
"Tell me, what other problems did that Eitrigg Overlord bring you? Speak clearly at once, or I'm afraid we won't have another chance to communicate for a long time."

"Two questions."

Varok replied:

"First, although you brought most of the warriors from the War Tribe, we have almost completely lost our supplies. Hunting beasts in the Black Swamp is enough to sustain us for a while, but if we want to launch an attack on Stormwind Kingdom, we need military rations.

Lots and lots of military rations."

"Isn't this a problem you should solve yourselves?"

Medivh said casually:

"If you can't even solve this problem, what use do I have for you?"

"We can handle it on our own, but then the 'big invasion' you want to see will have to wait a while."

The orc warrior sighed and said:
"It's really not that we're delaying on purpose. We orcs know that we need to store food before going to war. Otherwise, if we only rely on looting and plundering when we march straight into Stormwind Kingdom, we'll definitely be in a passive position."

"Hmph, cunning."

Medivh shook his head and waved his hand, and a book on the table fell into Varok's hands.

The orcs did not recognize the language of Azeroth, and when they were confused, they felt the celestial mage's finger pointing at their foreheads. Like the enlightenment of wisdom, various languages were forced into the orc warriors' brains, almost overloading the Varok pig brain.

But after a few howls, he found that he miraculously understood the title of the book.

"'Get Rich Reading: A Discussion of the Similarities and Differences in Business Models among Goblin Chaebols'?"

The orc stared at Medivh with wide eyes, who waved his hand and said:

"Go find these 'little greenskins'! As long as you can pay the price, the goblins will bring you everything you need. There's also a Supreme Gold Card from the Goblin Bank in Booty Bay. Consider it a gift from me.

What about the second thing?

"Ow."

Valok carefully placed the seemingly indecent book in his arms, then pointed to the coffin he had brought and said:
"The second thing is the will of the Black Wolf God. It hopes that you can heal its chosen one, the powerful Warsong Chieftain Grom Hellscream.

The war between the Black Wolf God and the White Wolf God is about to begin. They will each select a chosen one to lead their own hunting group. This does not conflict with your plan. On the contrary, Grom's awakening will make our war against Stormwind Kingdom smoother.

And Blood Roar.
We lack the supplies to rebuild it.

But for a spellcaster as powerful as you, this shouldn't be a problem."

"Well, Grom Hellscream. I saw him fight Diak'um, and I was impressed."

Medivh reached out and touched the coffin containing the half-dead Grom. He turned around and said:

"But I need to talk to it."

"Ok?"

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. Just take a good sleep. I'll borrow your body, good warrior."

(End of this chapter)