Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 236, Section 59: Onyxia's Ambition - Ascend to the highest stage of Stormwind, Your Highness! [15]

(Bonus chapter for "Huo Zheng Ting Hao" [1/5])
King Llane was assassinated and wounded, and will not be able to regain consciousness for a short time. Bolvar Fordragon, who was supposed to be appointed as "Regent", also disappeared on the battlefield due to a life-threatening incident. Now, the internal affairs of the Stormwind Kingdom have almost all fallen on Lothar's shoulders.

It sounds cool to have both military and political power, but it's not good news for Losa.

He had originally planned to retake the Elwynn Forest front once the warriors had recovered some strength, taking advantage of the orcs' retreat, but now he had to put it on hold.

The city needs rebuilding, the wounded need treatment, and the statistics on the dead are not yet available. What's more troublesome is that many mages have died in this brutal battle. Although there were many wild mages who came to join in the fun, most of them came from the Dalaran system.

Even Archmage Mordra was injured; this is bound to cause turmoil in the Magic City.

This series of domestic and foreign affairs kept Losa extremely busy, barely giving her a chance to rest. Just when she had finally managed to rebuild the city's systems, she received another piece of bad news.

"The orcs have landed in the Western Wilderness? Moonbrook has fallen and Prince Drake Proudmoore has been wounded by the orcs?"

Hearing this series of bad news while sitting in the King's Hall, Lothar felt dizzy and his vision went black. He sat back down in his chair, rubbing his head vigorously, and then sadly discovered that his already high hairline had receded a few more hairs.

Holy crap! If this keeps up, he's going to go bald!

Does excessive stress really lead to hair loss?
But the marshal really didn't have time for such trivial matters at the moment. He said wearily:
"So, how is the Kul Tiras First Fleet?"

"Almost all the wounded who were brought ashore were captured by the orcs, but the Tide Sage Master stabilized the situation at the critical moment. They were preparing to retaliate with the ship's cannons when they noticed that the orcs were escorting farmers."

Master Pasonia, who was also working despite her injuries, said weakly:
"The orcs did not kill our people; they even stopped the gnolls from harming them. The War Horde imprisoned the farmers in Moonbrook, while the Kul Tiran captives were driven into the mines."

Marshal, the worst has happened. The orcs intend to occupy our western fertile lands permanently, rather than just raid and leave.

They captured farmers to work for them and continued to attack the farms, seizing land and horses. The warriors of Westspring Fortress fought them several times and barely managed to hold onto Sardin Farm and Fabron Farm.

But our soldiers were too few in number to retake the occupied territory.

Your plans to reclaim lost territory in Elwynn Forest seem to have to be postponed; the immediate priority is to retake our granaries.

Additionally, the Plague... cough cough

The assassin master glanced at the gray spots on her wrist and sighed.

"The spread of the plague in Stormwind is now unstoppable."

"This is a complete mess."

Lothar gasped for breath, feeling dizzy. He noticed the spots on the Assassin Master's wrist and realized something. He took off his gauntlets and glanced at them, discovering spots on his palms as well.

No wonder he had been feeling strangely weak since noon.

"We must first figure out a framework, and we must not blindly use the limited resources we have."

Lothar lit his dwarven pipe, and as the smoke rose, he said:
"First, let the Kul Tiras First Fleet anchor at Stormwind docks. Now that the plague has spread, we cannot allow the warriors who come to our aid to continue facing the threat of the orcs. I am worried that their weakness will cause the orcs' ambitions to erupt and they will try to seize the ships."

Secondly, it is essential to first stabilize the people in the city.

The spread of the plague will surely cause panic. Have the guards prepare notices to spread the news that our otherworldly friends can cure the plague. At this time, internal stability is paramount.

Even the matter of reclaiming lost territory can be put on hold for now.

"Does that mean we have to switch to a defensive stance?"

The Assassin Master's tone was bitter.

Although she came from a humble background and was a frequent visitor to Stormwind Prison in her youth, living a life where "the prison was full of talented people, and everyone spoke very nicely," she devoted herself to serving the kingdom after being appointed as the chief intelligence officer by King Baratheon.

Seeing the kingdom fall into the hands of the Greenskins left Lady Passonia feeling extremely uneasy.

She felt ashamed of the late king who had appreciated and promoted her, especially after learning that King Baratheon's tomb had been looted by those damned greenskins and kobolds. Pasonia's bitterness had risen to the point where she felt she had "absconded."

But knowing life is tough, she composed herself and said:

"Stormwind, Goldshire, Northshire Abbey, Westfall Keep, and Sunshine Forest will form our new defensive perimeter. If this is the plan, then our current army is sufficient."

"Well, let's do this for now."

Losa coughed and said:
"Please summon Saint Diakum. I need to speak with him about requesting reinforcements from the Kourei Alliance of Draenor. This is of utmost importance right now."

A moment later, Diakum and Nellie arrived at the King's Hall. Noticing Lothar's weakness, Dick reminded them:
"High Druid Elerither Refrall has prepared some herbal remedies. While they won't ward off the weakness caused by the plague, they will boost your vitality and allow you to endure longer. I will return to Draenor tomorrow, and Prince Varian Wrynn will accompany me as an envoy of Stormwind."

"Hold on, the Sages of the Forest will be here soon."

"I believe your promise, but I have a request."

Losa whispered:
"Don't bring Varian back yet! Let him stay in the safer Draenor world until the situation here stabilizes. In fact, if you have the capacity, I'd like to send a group of civilians to your place for refuge."

His Majesty Ryan and I originally planned to send the people to the northern frontier, but the outbreak of the demonic plague means we can no longer send them into the fire.

"This is a bit difficult."

Nelly shook her head and said:
“Every time Lady Aegwynn uses the artifact, it puts pressure on the world space. She can't teleport too many people there. If you really want civilians to take refuge in Draenor, the only way is to reopen the Dark Portal and establish a stable portal between the two worlds.”

But our spellcasters need the Book of Medivh.

"General Lireza has already set off for the northern frontier to find this magical tome. Archmage Mordra of Dalaran has made it clear that she will do her best to assist, and perhaps good news will come back soon."

Losa replied:
"Although that door was an evil object that Medivh planned to use to send the orcs away, if it can help Stormwind Kingdom withstand the coming storm, then I will fully support its opening."

"Then let's find a safe place as the foundation for the Dark Portal."

Diakum suppressed the absurd feeling in his heart and said:

"It must be in an area that you can completely control, to prevent the orcs from causing any more trouble. I personally feel that Northshire Abbey is quite suitable. The valley is large enough, and it is located in the core control area of ​​Stormwind Kingdom. The terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it very suitable as a connection point between the two worlds."

Of course, I am not a mage, so the specific process should be left to the spellcasters of the two worlds to discuss slowly.

Before I leave, I must remind you, Lothar.

We must keep a close eye on the situation in northern Xinjiang!
We already know what the Burning Legion intends to do with the Plague. Once the people afflicted by the plague are lured into drinking the Plague's blood like the orcs to resist it, the Northern Frontier will descend into chaos in an instant.

At that time, the Stormwind Kingdom, which you see as constantly at war, will become a refuge for them.

After all, the pressure of facing demons is incomparable to directly confronting orcs.

Losa fell silent.

He could understand the unspoken meaning behind the saint Diakum's words: he should seize this opportunity and prepare for the establishment of the Second Arathor Empire as soon as possible.

But his silence and tacit agreement meant that Losa had made his decision.

This made Diakum nod with satisfaction.

Just as the two were discussing the details of the alliance between Stormwind Kingdom and the Alliance of K'ure, a royal mage strode in and reported to Lothar:
"Marshal, Duchess Katarina Prestor from the Northern Frontier is applying to enter the city outside the port. The duchess said that after hearing about the threat facing the Stormwind Kingdom, her father, Lord Davar, used his family connections to send us a whole ship full of weapons and supplies, as well as a large amount of medicine that we urgently need."

Lady Katarina personally escorted these items, and she also carried a handwritten letter from Lord Davar, stating that she would be stationed in Stormwind on behalf of the Prestor family as our liaison with the Prestor family.

Lord Daval promised that whatever assistance Stormwind Kingdom needed, he would do everything in his power to help.

The royal mage couldn't hide his joy. Lothar, upon hearing the good news, also breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, saying:
"Let them pass immediately! No, I will personally go to the docks to welcome that kind-hearted noble representative. Life is tough, but having a sensible ally like Lord Davar is truly Stormwind Kingdom's good fortune."

“I suggest you stay here, Marshal Losa.”

Diakum stood up and said:
“You are a patient, so it is really not appropriate for you to meet this ‘kind’ lady right now. We also need to explain the plague to her. She has come from afar, and we cannot let such a kind person suffer from the disease.”

"Yes! You're right, I almost forgot about that."

Losa nodded and said:
"We cannot discourage the loyal and virtuous. Why don't you go and explain in my place? You will not be infected by the plague, making you the most suitable messenger."

"Of course, I'd be happy to do that."

Dick gave a subtle smile and said:

“People have always said that my Disguise looks a lot like a member of the Prestor family, and I’m quite interested in seeing these ‘relatives’ from the Northlands in person.” As he and Nellie walked out of Stormwind Keep, he instructed the Archbishop:
"Let Yrel and Rexxar come with me, and you prepare for battle as well."

"Ok?"

Nelly, being so clever, immediately sensed the problem and whispered:

"Is there something wrong with Lady Prestor?"

“Her situation is not something that can be described as a mere ‘problem’.”

Dick narrowed his eyes and said seriously:
“We have to take her back to Draenor! No, to be precise, ‘kidnap’ her back!”

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Nelly immediately turned around to prepare for the "kidnapping," while Diakum summoned his cool Spectral Tiger and marched toward the dock area amidst the respectful salutes of the human warriors on both sides.

"Diacombe! We warn you, don't even think about messing with the Presto family!"

The Shadow Words were especially irritable today, barking in the Vigilant's ear:
"Think of your human friends. You know very well what kind of predicament Stormwind Kingdom will face if you anger Lord Daval!"

"You're in a hurry."

Dick quipped in his mind:

"I've noticed that you, Shadow Word, are increasingly unable to control your emotions. Don't you take pleasure in tempting me into darkness? Why are you now trying to stop me from doing the bad things you want me to do?"
I've heard that the Way of Void, like the Way of Life, has a tradition of 'survival of the fittest'.

"I'm now practically a Voidwalker myself, and to clash with a powerful Void Elder from afar to determine who is more favored by the Sea of ​​Darkness—isn't that the outcome you wanted to see?"

"You are getting worse and worse, but that's not the kind of depravity we want to see."

Shadow Whisper sighed:
"The Void has enlightened your wisdom, making you an increasingly formidable opponent. The loss of Natalie Selin, the 'Mother of Shadows,' has shown us your destructive power."

You walk in darkness, yet still dedicate yourself to the Holy Light, and now you're about to extend your black hand to one of our most important arrangements in Azeroth. You're provoking the Void. Don't do it, Diakum, it will only bring you more trouble.

However.
You're right!
The weak are nothing in the eyes of the Void. If you can prove that you are better than the black dragons, we may well applaud you.

In any case, the black dragons spent ten thousand years but still failed to complete the preparations for the 'Twilight Hour'. Although Deathwing and his son were very talented, the patience of the Sea of ​​No Light was also limited.

Ah, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to add a little urgency and pressure to them.

Having said that, Shadow Word seemed to have completed its "self-persuasion," and urged with great interest:
"Then let us see your dark methods, Diakum, let us see how you deal with a black dragon princess who has fallen to the core."

Do you have any plans?
Do you need us to offer you some ideas?

"Why do you think I would bring up Yrel, that Lightwalker whose mind is full of 'Lightforged'?"

Diakum made his way through the ruins of the city, taking a bag of Draenei candies from the Augure chest and handing them to the children who were walking with their parents through the devastated city.

As the children joyfully sang praises of the vigilante's renown, he whispered:

"I'm actually quite curious whether the truth of the Holy Light reforging all things can be applied to an incurable black dragon?"

------

"Ah"

Outside the Stormwind docks, on a large merchant ship waiting to enter the harbor, Lady Katarina Prestor, dressed in a dashing hunting outfit, gazed out of the captain's cabin window at the city that had just experienced war.

She rubbed her delicate nose, puzzled by the sudden sneeze.

Although a terrible plague was indeed spreading in the city, she was a powerful high-ranking black dragon with the highest level of life force in Azeroth, not to mention the power of the void flowing through her veins.

If the Force, which wields the power to manipulate flesh and blood, could allow Voidwalkers to be infected by the Plague, that would be the most ridiculous joke in the world.

"This plague is just in time!"

The duchess thought smugly:
“Those foolish humans seek the protection of fel energy to make them immune to the torment of the plague, but they do not know that seeking the void is the true path to blessing.”

I have had my servants establish a cult in the Northlands to worship the Sea of ​​No Light. The fel energy that can be given to the sick will only be given more generously by us Voidwalkers. Hehehe, the methods that demons use to corrupt Azeroth will be borrowed by the Voidwalkers, and the power of the Void in this world will only spread more rapidly.

My father will see my abilities because of this!
I will prove that, compared to Nefarian, who is engrossed in strange experiments, I am the most perfect heir to my father's throne!

The more she thought about it, the more amazing she felt.

Princess Black Dragon had her own ideas about the city before her, which was in dire need of reconstruction. She had made all the necessary plans on her way here.

First, she would use the Prestor family's reputation for "charity" to build her own prestige in the turbulent kingdom. Then, she would use the gimmick of "curing the plague" to develop her own power among the nobles. Finally, she would use her beauty and a little bit of insignificant void magic to seduce Lothar or King Llane into becoming her subjects.

With this three-pronged approach, the kingdom in dire need of help will soon be under my secret control.

After the marriage is finalized, she will arrange an accident to kill her "husband" innocently. Then, under the guise of stabilizing the kingdom, she will naturally seize power, eventually inherit the throne, and have her own human kingdom!

This was inspired by her father's upcoming marriage to Princess Calia Menethil.

If his father could plot to build a human kingdom, why couldn't he?
This is also a way to demonstrate your skills and abilities to your father!

Having spent years hiding in the human kingdom, she had long since figured out the political intricacies of these creatures, and she found these little insects of humans to be truly fascinating.

It's simply the perfect toy for killing time.

"Madam, Marshal Lothar has sent a messenger to visit you!"

Just as Lady Katarina was pondering how to make her debut in Stormwind Kingdom, one of her servants stepped forward to report and offered a reminder:

"Marshal Losa said that a plague has broken out in the city and suggested that you do not enter the city and wait on the ship."

"What kind of talk is that?"

Princess Black Dragon's eyes lit up.

Knowing how to make a perfect debut, she righteously and sternly rebuked:
“The Presto family has served the interests of human civilization for generations. My father sent me to look after this city, and the people here need help right now. How can I separate myself from the people because of the threat of the plague?”

Stop talking nonsense.

I understand the Marshal's concerns and gentlemanly manners, but now that I'm here, I must bring hope to the people of Stormwind Kingdom!

Go and prepare my carriage, along with some food and medicine. Soon, we'll bring the warmth of the Presto family to the people of the dock area.

Let the people of Stormwind know who was the first to come to their aid in their most critical moment.

"Okay, ma'am, I'll arrange it right away."

The Black Dragon Princess's servant was certainly no decent person either. The dragon-man disguised as a human nodded and asked again:

"Should we allow the marshal's messenger to board the ship?"

“How could our Presto family be so lacking in manners? Since he is the marshal’s envoy, we must certainly treat him with the utmost hospitality.”

Princess Black Dragon waved her hand and said:

"I'll make some preparations first. You go and greet them, and make sure you leave a good impression."

The servant bowed and left.

In the captain's cabin, Princess Onyxia prepared to do her makeup beautifully in preparation for her stunning debut that would surely amaze the entire Stormwind Kingdom.

This is her stage!
Yes!

She will dance here, staging a stunning scam that will ultimately capture everyone's attention.

Onyxia, the most powerful black dragon princess!

Keep it up!

(End of this chapter)