Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 27 27. Can the Eredar use this old ticket to board the Naaru’s passenger ship?
After returning from Krokuun, the exhausted Velen did not even go home to visit his family. As soon as he landed, he went to the Temple of K'ure.

The Naaru priests here have received orders, and when the prophet arrived, K'ure, one of the two guardian Naaru, was ready to talk to him.

This is a top secret conversation.

No one else is allowed to attend except the Grand Archon, the high-ranking priests of the Naaru Temple, and Talgas, the leader of the Assassin's Court.

Just in front of the Holy Throne of Naaru, Velen strode forward holding the holy staff.

His mood today was completely different from the previous times when he met the Naaru and listened to the teachings of the Holy Light. There was no longer a gentle mood, only a burning anxiety. This mood seemed to be sensed by the Naaru, so K'ure emitted a gentle voice and turned the Holy Light into a soothing hand to help Velen eliminate his fatigue and calm him down.

Amid the rhythmic movement of the Naaru, composed of dazzling mysterious geometric crystals, Velen spoke out the information they currently possessed:
"The Dark Titan has issued a doomsday declaration. There is only one month left until the end of Argus. My brother and I have also received divine revelation from the World Soul. We will fight the vicious demons in our hometown until the last moment.

But while the decisive battle rages, my people must find a way to escape its clutches."

The Archon raised his head and said to the Guardian Naaru, whom he regarded as a trusted close friend, with a pleading look:
"Brother Diakham, regarded by the Star Soul as a 'Guardian' and a 'Vowed One', believes we should seek the help of the Holy Light. He is certain that the most effective help we can receive in this critical moment will come from the realm of Holy Light.

When you and His Majesty Lula came to Argus, you took a spaceship that could cross the starry sea, and the Diakum brothers said that your companions have similar spaceships.

You've also told many great stories about the Naaru who sacrificed themselves to save the world.

I want to ask you!
Please send a message for help to other Naaru in the astral sea on behalf of the Eredar. We need ships that can transport civilians!
The more the better! The faster the better!
The survival of the Eredar depends on this month, and we can offer anything we possess in return. We can give whatever you require."

An ethereal, song-like rhythm then sounded.

To ordinary people, it sounded like the sound of crystal colliding, but to the ears of Velen, who could understand the Naaru language, these sounds were transformed into a gentle male voice.

Culay said to him:

"There's no need to be so humble! Velen, the prophet of the Holy Light, Lura and I came to Argus and stayed here for a thousand years because the 'prophet' among us predicted the desperate situation that the Eredar would face.

We have lived alongside your people for millennia, and we have long since determined that the eredar, with their wisdom, courage, and unwavering desire for discovery, are worthy of salvation.

Moreover, we have witnessed here a miracle of defiance against fate."

"Ok?"

Velen looked at the shining K'ure in confusion, and the latter explained to him with a smile:
"In the prophecy of our oldest and most sacred leader, the most proficient in prophecy, the original Naaru, 'Mother of Holy Light' Zera, she saw that the Eredar, led by their corrupted leaders, fell into the arms of the fel, but only you and your followers resisted the call of evil and darkness.

This is also why we will give you the precious Naaru Beacon when you arrive in Argus.

Ms. Zera told us not to waste time on other Eredar leaders except you. She has always believed that fate cannot be changed and should not be changed, but it turns out that at any time, we should believe in the existence of "miracles".

The fate of Argus predicted by Zera has been changed!

To this day, L'ura and I have seen no sign of the eredar's corruption. With your direct and capable decisions, you eliminated the chaos caused by the Awakener's Cabal, and your and Lord Commander Kil'jaeden's unwavering resolve in the face of the Burning Legion shone brighter than a thousand suns!

Rest assured, Velen of the Light.

Lula and I will immediately contact our fellow Naaru across the astral sea, and we will do our best to bring all the ships we can find to Argus. However, the Naaru are all helping those in need on different planets, and I cannot guarantee that they will all arrive at the same time.

You may need to continuously send people in for a period of time and then transport them by spacecraft. Most importantly, you must resist the invasion of demons on the front line to buy time for this great cause of saving lives and civilization!
This means you will suffer terrible losses.

Even if it is called a 'great sacrifice,' facing this harsh reality still requires you and your brothers to remain resolute in your darkest hour."

"We will do it! We will do our best!"

Hearing the Naaru's sincere support, Velen breathed a sigh of relief. He clutched the Heart of Argus pendant on his chest and said loudly:
"We will not disappoint our noble rescuers, but... I mean, are the Naaru's ships really enough to transport all our people?"

This question made Keure silent for a moment. Amidst the echo of the slightly modified crystal sound, it said:

"Not necessarily, but if the Order of the Mother of Light arrives in time, then with the help of giant starships like the Storm Fortress, we can at least protect the safe transfer of the Eredar in the Mac'Aree region.

It was the largest and strongest starship we had. We had used it to transfer refugees from several planets whose worlds had been destroyed by demons.

Yes, Viren.

Argus is not the first world to be targeted by demons!

The terrifying dark titan integrated the prisoners who were once scattered, and gave the violent demons from the twisting void a "noble" mission. They used destruction as a tool to carry out "salvation", but that could not change their thug nature.

Also, I want to remind you, Viren, of what Diakum has been reminding you about.

Although all Naaru were born in the Holy Light, and although all Naaru are born with the compassion and healing nature bestowed by the Holy Light, and we all have an innate desire for dedication and sacrifice, we still have individual differences in our thinking.

Just as Lula and I are moderate and rational, there are always some Naaru who will embark on a different path from us because of their understanding of the Holy Light.

I must admit that some of our companions have become radical in the fight against the darkness of the astral sea. For example, in ancient times unimaginable to mortals, my radical compatriots launched a "Great Crusade" across the Force realm. It was a brutal war that the current Eredar could not imagine.

I was not born at that time, but I also know that it is an indelible mark among the Naaru group.

Therefore, when interacting with other naaru, the eredar blessed by the Holy Light must be cautious.

K'ure's subtle and profound reminder made Viren nod.

The Diak'im brothers did say the same thing, but with the Eredar facing annihilation, those issues could be discussed later.

"So, what do we need to do in this call for assistance?"

Velen inquired.

Keure said:

"Lula and I need to borrow your sacred object, the Atama Crystal. It can speed up the transmission of our holy light, allowing the message for help to cross the star sea and reach our companions at a faster speed. But I know that the sacred object symbolizes..."

"No, it's just a piece of crystal."

Wei Lun said in a deep voice:
"Compared to our civilization, no matter how precious the treasure is, it is nothing. I will fetch the Atama crystal immediately. Please prepare yourself.

May the Holy Light have mercy on us.

May the Light protect Argus through these darkest times."

------

"Look at that light! Look!"

In the mountains of Krokuun, outside the busy camp where the Heart of Argus was being crafted, Fariya, who was on night watch, suddenly saw a strange phenomenon in the sky. She immediately called out to her companions who were resting beside her.

They all saw a beam of light in the distance that went straight into the sky.

It was so far away that it seemed to be on the horizon, but it was so clear and shining that the young people stubbornly believed that it was some kind of enlightenment from the holy light.

The noise quickly alarmed other people in the camp, and even the twins ran to a high place to observe.

“What an amazing energy response!”

Sarolas whispered:
"Judging from the direction, it should be the direction of Mac'Aree, so what are they doing there? Are they planning to light this huge torch to scare away the demons that may arrive at any time?"

"Is it a signal?"

Auresei thought for a moment and said:

"Just as recorded in history, more than a thousand years ago, a similar beam of light shot straight into the sky. After seven days and nights, the two Naaru of the Holy Light arrived on Argus."

"It is indeed a signal for help."

Dick's voice sounded from behind everyone.

The linen robe he wore was now covered in dust and debris from a day of chipping away at the sacred stone. He stood beside his young warriors, gazing at the light in Mac'Aree's direction, and said:
"Arch Archon Velen successfully persuaded the naaru to help. That beam of light was probably a message from the naaru to their companions in the astral sea, summoning them to bring their respective ships to Argus to help transport the refugees."

"refugee?"

The young man's expression changed slightly at this word.

The proud Eredar people never thought that one day they would be given such a humble name.

"Yes, setting out on an exile across the sea of stars, bidding farewell to one's homeland, drifting like a rootless duckweed, what else could this be but a refugee?"

Dick said softly with mixed feelings:

"Many people, including you, don't realize the dilemma the Eredar will face in the future. I even think that the two leaders, Velen and Kil'jaeden, don't fully understand this problem.

They knew the situation was serious, but they couldn't imagine how bad the outcome would be.

Get ready, kids, because we're going to have hard times.

Thousands of years, ten thousand years, twenty thousand years, or even longer.

We may have to wait for many changes before we can return to our hometown. Children born during the journey can only imagine their lost hometown from their parents' sad descriptions.

The shadow of losing our homes will follow us until it drives some of us completely mad.

So, are you really ready?"

At this moment, Dick looked at the young people around him with subtle eyes, carefully observing the changes in their expressions until a thoughtful expression appeared on their faces.

“But we always find new worlds.”

Captain Nari, who was leaning against a nearby rock with her arms folded, said:

"The starry sea is so vast, there will always be a world as beautiful as Argus to become our new home."

"Yes, that new world may even be more magnificent, more generous, and more gentle than the earth beneath our feet. It may be perfect in every way, but it must have one flaw: it is not Argus!

And you can never be Argus."

Dick turned around, looked at Nellie, and said:

"Little Naili, you are destined to become our best scout commander. Whenever the fleeing spaceship arrives at a new world, you will lead the bravest warriors to set foot on that unfamiliar land to confirm whether it can become a place for the exiles to settle down.

But will the demons really give up?

Once their masters obtain the power of Argus, the power of the star soul will be used by the demons.

A truly invincible demon army that can ignite the sea of stars will be formed on Argus. They will begin to release despair and death to the entire physical universe. It will be a road of ashes that will not stop until the goal is achieved.

So here's the question, Nellie.

How can you find a perfect world that can protect the Eredar and continue to thrive, while also preventing them from being found and destroyed by the rampaging demons? How many planets in this starry sea could pull off a miraculous comeback against the demons' Burning Crusade?

Dick's tone was harsher than before.

The five little warriors had rarely seen Commander Dick so serious. Captain Nari remained silent, and the twins exchanged glances.

They are very smart and their little brains are very useful. They have already understood the truth that Lord Dick wants to tell these young people.

"Keeping away all the time is not a solution! The demons are following us and constantly unleashing destruction, which means we will become the de facto 'Heralds of Evil'. Wherever we go, the demons will target us and destroy us. We exiles will eventually become the messengers of doom that everyone in the starry sea avoids, and even become the actual accomplices of the Burning Legion."

Dick spread his hands and said to the others:

"Our people will lose their courage in repeated flight, our leaders will become exhausted in long exile, and our bravest warriors will lose their strength after repeated defeat.

One day, we will tire of this endless escape. One day, under the malicious arrangement of fate, we will fall into a seemingly perfect world and plunge into the lies woven by hope.

One day, we will use comfort to convince ourselves, bury our heads in our crotches and pretend that the misfortunes that follow us will no longer come, and hide in every fearful night to pray to fate for mercy.

But they will catch up!
They will surround us, humiliate us, slaughter us, and ultimately exterminate us in ways we can hardly imagine!
They would step on the corpses of our people and laugh wildly to warn the obedient slaves, saying shamelessly that this is the fate of those who rebel!

This slaughter will continue until the last of us lies dead in a pool of blood.

Nellie, you are so perceptive that you may be able to avoid every massacre, but in the end you can only live alone in the wilderness where no one can find you, and let the painful, desperate and incompetent memories accompany you, and eventually torture yourself of the last bit of your spirit.

"do not talk!!!"

Nellie screamed, interrupting Dick's "dark preaching".

She stared at Dick angrily and roared:

"Then you should come up with a plan! You were the one who said the Dark Titan was invincible! You were the one who advised the Archons to let the people abandon their homes and flee! And now you're the one pretending to predict a bleak future!
Dick! Diakham!
Could you please stop playing these damn tricks!

I have observed you for a long time and I know you have some secrets. At certain moments you behave like a prophet, even more mysterious than Archon Velen. I don't want to explore your mind.

But as this dark age approaches, you'd better not just talk about it.

It's best not to just point out problems in a grand manner, exaggerating fears so that you don't look like a coward, but then not be able to come up with any solutions to the problems you raise.

Such people are the most hopeless idiots in any era and any world!"

"I brought the method!"

Dick took out a newly made Heart of Argus pendant from his waist pocket, walked up and solemnly placed it in Nari's hand.

He took Nellie's trembling hand and said:
“If you want to travel far in the dark night without getting lost, you must build a lighthouse for yourself before setting out. Whenever you are confused, you can look back. As long as the light is still there, you will know where to go.

Argus!
Nairi, only Argus can be the final salvation of the Eredar!
We were born here and we will die here. When the exiles lose confidence, it is up to leaders like you who bear the artifacts of our hometown to stand up and convey and publicize to them the efforts we have made and the mission we have undertaken.

We left our hometown but not because of despair, and don't think of it as an escape!

Sooner or later, you and I, and all of us, will return with the solution to heal the world. We will defeat the demons and their evil masters here, and we will reclaim our home and our heritage from them!"

He turned around, took out a Heart of Argus and placed it in his hand, and said to the Five Little Warriors and the Twins with bright eyes:

"This is my duty, Nari's duty, and yours! Take these artifacts, children, and wear them with pride! In the long exile that lies ahead, you who hold these artifacts must also be a torch in the hearts of the people, guiding them back to the right path when they have lost their way.

We must not only fight against the invasion of demons in our hometown, but also become defenders of faith and passionate missionaries for every innocent life in every world where we land.

We bring warnings about the Burning Legion to other beings who share our plight and help them resist the demonic invasion.

The Burning Crusade cannot destroy every world, and those worlds saved by our efforts will eventually become our allies! The demons unite to destroy the material universe, so the lives oppressed and threatened by them should also unite to form a more steadfast legion.

The Heart of Argus pendant and ring in Dick's hand were taken away one by one.

Only after "egoists" like Gemini put on pendants and rings did Dick finish his first sermon as a "pastor".

He looked at the light rising from Mac'Aree and said:
"We will eventually return home, children. We will return with victory and hope. Even if it takes a hundred thousand years, we will definitely return! The immortality given to us by Argus should be used in the right place.

We have eternity to fight them until one side is completely defeated!"

"You give orders like a general, and you inspire like a great consul."

The twins grumbled in a low voice:
"We've never seen a garrison officer like you. They're all brawn, but you... you're clearly different."

"I'll take this as a compliment, but it's best not to say this in front of the other garrison officers."

Dick blinked, turned and left the platform and walked towards the Holy Stone Cave. He wanted to go back to the cave and continue chiseling stones. He had to complete the making of the artifact as soon as possible, because the devil could come at any time.

Nai Li did not disturb the five little strong men's contemplation. She quietly followed Dick and asked softly:
"I'm sorry, I behaved so rudely just now, but we... I mean, can we really win?"

"If I told you you couldn't win, would you surrender to the devil? No, you certainly wouldn't."

Dick smiled and said:
"Since we've decided to fight to the end, winning or losing is no longer the goal. Just like for us who are destined for a long journey, all we need to do is set off. We will win! Tell yourself, we will win."

He patted Nari's shoulder and strode towards the cave of the holy stone in his linen robe, passing by the jewelers who stayed up late to polish the holy objects.

These craftsmen all come from various governorates of Argus and are currently under the command of Brigadier General Diakum in this camp. The Eredar's natural tendency towards order allows the craftsmen to complete their work quickly and well without too much supervision.

During their breaks, some craftsmen would take the initiative to go to the cave to pay homage to the holy stone. Some of them had heard of the legend of Krokuun and regarded it as a supreme honor to meet the will of the world.

Just like now, while working at midnight, Diakum had just picked up the chisel and made two strikes when he saw a lady in a purple robe walk in. She smiled gently at Dick, then stretched out her hand to touch the holy stone in front of her.

But the next second, the hand was grabbed by the guard.

"Excuse me, where are you from?"

Dick, still covered in stone dust, narrowed his eyes and asked:

"Mac'Aree? Nathreza? Or the Twisting Nether?"

The woman pulled her fingers away suddenly, dodged Diakum's heavy punch, and stepped back, staring at the vigilant Eredar Brigadier with gloomy eyes. She found that the Light Walker was also staring at her with strange eyes.

What about that look?

There was no fear, only a hint of curiosity in her gaze. Just like hunters who had discovered a rare pet, they couldn't wait to peel off her disguise and take a good look at her true face.

You know what, when an Eredar garrison commander known for his "integrity" shows this kind of look, it's quite creepy.

"As expected of you, the Brigadier General who defeated Sachir! Sharp and alert enough! But your head will become a collection of the Legion, and you will be the first to die!"

A ferocious look flashed across the jeweler's face. As the evil energy gathered, a strangely shaped dagger jumped into his hand. Then he rushed forward while shouting "The Legion will win", but the next second he was "swamped" by the holy light that broke out without warning.

The disguised figure disappeared as if melting, but the garrison officer had his own way of detecting stealth.

"This is an illusion! What are you hiding?"

With a captivating roar, Diakum's holy light was spread out in a "sunshine" manner.

The dazzling light emitted was not very lethal but extremely dazzling. It instantly dispersed the shadows in the entire cave and completely expelled the medium where the devil was hiding. At the same time, the hider, whose eyes were blinded by the light, screamed and fell out of the broken shadow.

Its disguise has been completely shattered, revealing its hideous appearance.

The thin but towering body is covered in the burnt sulfur stench of fel energy, and its recurved hooves leave black footprints on the ground, while the huge dark purple bat wings behind it, the curved and slender horns on its head and the iconic pale skin prove its identity.

A Nathrezim!

The Burning Legion's agent and intelligence officer, nicknamed the "Dreadlord", is a master of spreading corruption and playing tricks.

"Let me think about the color of the wings."

Dick narrowed his eyes and stared at the ferocious Nathrezim in front of him. He knew that the Dreadlord race had some very strange "settings".

Because they were shaped from the same "sample", these guys are almost identical in appearance. The important feature that distinguishes them from each other is the color of their wings.

Ordinary Nathrezim recruits are not worthy of unique wing colors, but those with names and surnames will each have unique wings.

The color of the guy's wings was very familiar to Dick. After a moment, he revealed his identity:
"Sasovar, the Corruptor."

Dick shouted the guy's name and called on the holy light to gather into a sacred fire. The flame in his left hand blessed himself and turned it into a magical armor of spiritual fire. The flame in his right hand was thrown out, forcing the Dreadlord to fly into the air, breaking up the wave of fear that the other party was accumulating and releasing.

The commotion in the cave immediately attracted the attention of the garrison officer. The vigilant Nari quickly rushed in with two guards, and just in time saw Dick fighting the ferocious demon with his bare hands.

The Brigadier General seemed to be able to predict all of the demon's moves. The opponent continuously released waves of evil energy, but the Brigadier General was able to dodge them in advance every time. The dangerous swarm of fetid bees would be burned by the holy light as soon as they were released, leaving the demon no chance to control him.

"arms!"

Dick shouted, and Nellie fired forward, snatched up the warhammer at hand, and threw it.

The garrison officer did a somersault and grabbed the warhammer. He slammed his hooves onto the ground, crushing the summoned fel imp to death and activating the aura of punishment. He then decisively broke his "wings" while raising his hand to call upon the Holy Light.

The "Best Actor Attitude" he displayed against Sachir that night was repeated. After the Rune of Glory was fully charged after several attacks, Sandou's Holy Storm bloomed in this not-so-large area.

The Ranger Captain and the garrison officer sealed the exit. The Corruptor Sasoval, who was trapped in this closed area, had nowhere to hide and could only take the holy light slashes like a storm of swords.

The more it fights, the more frightened it becomes!

There's something strange about this Eredar garrison commander in front of me!
He knew his own moves too well. He knew what he was going to do when he raised his claws. But on the other hand, this guy's weird fighting skills were something he had never seen before when he murdered those garrisons. Moreover, the amount of holy power reserved in this guy's body was a bit too much, right?

Are you really just a high-ranking garrison officer and not a legendary paladin who is just waiting here for an opportunity?

Isn't this a "demon hunting" trap specifically designed for unlucky people like me?

"boom"

The powerful Judgment of Ashes hit the Dreadlord's breastplate. The first heavy blow of the weapon was blocked by the armor, but the subsequent Radiant Damage was like a heavy punch in the face, causing the Dreadlord to fall down with a scream.

It flapped its wings to try to create distance, but the next second, Nari pierced the base of its wings with a large-caliber bullet. When it fell, Dick raised his hand and condensed holy light to smash it down.

A hammer of energy smashed through the air, knocking the falling demon dizzy and disoriented. Searing holy fire blazed down, igniting its body. As the demon looked up in despair, he saw Dick chanting holy words, casting a Power Word: Shield on himself and a Healing spell on himself and the other garrison officers.

This posture of "cultivating both combat and tactics" was painful and annoying to the Nathrezim.

Brother!

My previous series of attacks didn't hit you. You are at full health, why are you healing?

Are you using me as a pawn to practice your skills?
"boom"

More and more garrisons rushed in to fight against the hellhounds and imps summoned into the cave by the Dreadlord. Diakum, who became more and more courageous, leaned against the Holy Stone and refused to allow the evil to get close to the sacred things. He smashed the demon's claws with his heavy, burning hammer, and broke its horns with a sweep, sending it flying.

Sasovar knew he was doomed, but the evil creature stared at Dick and screamed:
"The Legion knows what you are doing! This camp will be destroyed soon, and you are hopeless! Meet the unstoppable forces of Lord Sargeras! Foolish, enjoy your small victory."

"Noisy!"

The hammer fell, a precise headshot.

The Dreadlord's body transformed into bats flying all over the sky, completing his iconic exit, leaving only the foul magic steel armor falling to the ground.

Dick looked at the thing.

Although Sasovar is a well-known guy among the Nathrezim and has the awesome nickname "Corruptor", his overall strength is really average, just at the lower legendary level.

However, the Dreadlords' abilities are all focused on lurking, conspiracy, and deception; direct combat is indeed not their strong point.

Dick, who had obtained the first demon head with a name in his life, did not feel any joy. He turned around, and under the shocked and admiring gaze of the garrison officers, he frowned and said in a deep voice:

"Immediately send a priest to use Holy Light to check everyone in the camp. There must be other demon spies here. Also, call Captain Jaid. I need Krokuun's hunters to gather here!

The demons have discovered the secret of the Heart of Argus, and the Legion's first invasion will begin in Krokuun!
This is faster than we expected.

I don't know if you're ready, but we have to dance with the devil!"

(End of this chapter)