Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 286, Section 43. When you borrowed money from Bumsandi, you should have known this wouldn't end well. - [815]

(Bonus chapter for "Huo Zheng Ting Hao" [8/15])
As the Burning Legion prepares to invade the world, the Vigilantes vow to sacrifice a great demon as a sacrifice.

His demigod battle with Eranikus almost permanently altered the entire Black Marsh's terrain. In particular, the Radiant Spirit's battle stance actually inherited and enhanced the Sunbringer's AOE ability, the direct consequence of which was that the Temple of Atal'Hakkar, which had already collapsed by more than half, was almost thrown into the "sun".

The temple was submerged in a lake called the "Pool of Sorrow," but the lake was rapidly evaporating under the scorching sun, causing the temperature inside the temple ruins to rise quickly, turning the place into a deadly oven.

The Lightforgers are not afraid.

Their extreme affinity with the Holy Light makes them almost immune to the light and heat of the Holy Power burning, but those cultists who hide here to hold their grand meetings are in trouble.

Not only did they have to withstand the increasingly deadly heat in the ruins ravaged by starship bombardment, but they also had to face attacks from the Lightforged Chapter. It was a hellish mission.

Seeing that they were in dire straits, some of the Shadow Council's scum chose to surrender without any backbone.

These were all native Azerothians recruited by Zul'Gurub, who believed that the followers of the Light were kind and forgiving, and that their morality would never allow them to kill those who surrendered.

But these self-righteous fools who surrendered amused the Lightforged.

No, man!
We used to fight demons, do you know how the Holy Light Legion operates?

Do you understand the principle of eradicating evil completely?
It was already merciful of the Vigilant not to allow us to use the "Light Burial" offensive and directly use "Solar Bombardment" against you at the start of the war.

surrender?

No, forgiving you is the Holy Light's business; we are only responsible for sending you to see the Holy Light!
And so, under the watchful eyes of those desperate warlocks and cultists, the warriors of the Holy Light Legion charged in almost without hesitation, and a solar storm swept through, completely purifying this level of the temple.

What's strange about the Temple of Atal'Hakkar is that it has five or six floors, including the basement. Although most of it has collapsed, a large group of cultists still gather on the more hidden lower floors to do very evil things.

Most of them are trolls.

A small number were Shadow Council warlocks who had retreated from the upper ruins.

"Run! Stop chanting!"

A fallen raven raven cawed as it charged down, seeing the mysterious, sinister Hattalai trolls still praying and kneeling around a strange, dark skeleton. It frantically waved its claws and shouted:
"The Lightforged are coming in! Ribbit, there must be a back door to this godforsaken place, right? You guys survived being sealed by the Green Dragon for so long, there must be a secret passage, right?"

"Quiet!"

Jin'do, the sorcerer master of the Gurubashi trolls, wearing a wooden voodoo mask, rebuked them:

"The ancient and mighty Blood God is about to descend! Its shadow will return to Azeroth, and its poisonous blood will slay the enemies of Gurubashi! The fallen kingdom will rise again."

"No, buddy, you're just kidding yourself!"

A green-skinned warlock screamed:

"Do you know who's coming? It's Diakum! The Butcher of the Holy Light! So what if your evil god has been resurrected? It just adds another innocent ghost to this place! What kind of time is this to be doing this nonsense?"

Quickly lead us to the secret passage, let's all run!

hurry up!

"While the Nightmare Tyrant is struggling to hold off the Holy Light Butcher, it's giving us a chance to survive."

"puff"

The green-skinned warlock, who spoke very bluntly and bluntly, was cleaved in two by the troll warsword that swept across him the next second, proving that those who don't understand the art of language don't live long in Azeroth.

Amidst the splattering blood, the creature's soul tried to escape back into the Soul Stone, but was pulled and dragged into the somber ritual unfolding before them by the increasingly loud prayers of the Hattalai trolls.

The sorcerer, in his spirit form, finally saw the strange thing floating above the eerie skeleton.

That was a bizarre, blood-red wind serpent!

The latter was staring at him with greedy and sinister eyes. As the warlock's soul screamed, the wind serpent opened its huge mouth and swallowed it whole. The fresh soul gave it power, while the blood flowing from the corpse was drawn to the ancient skeleton.

"hurry up!"

The Soul Stealer urged his followers:
"More souls, more blood, hurry! A dangerous enemy is coming! Resurrect me, and I will lead you away!"

"Lord Mandokil!"

The sorcerer Jindo heard the voice of the evil god, and the old troll made a cold gesture with his hand, which had only three fingers.

Then the troll lord riding the beautiful and majestic indigo war raptor swung his greatsword, and his troll berserkers drew their battle axes, cutting down the terrified Shadow Council members one by one.

They offered their bodies and souls to this evil god that was approaching the material world.

Don't the trolls know how dangerous the Lightforged are?

Of course they know!

The problem is that this temple has no secret exit whatsoever!

We're stuck here, you know?

The only way in and out had been destroyed by the Lightforged's starship bombardment, and now their heads were filled with dangerous Warriors of Light. Their only option left was to speed up the resurrection of the Soulflayers!

It's certain that the Hattalai trolls, these madmen who have worshipped an evil god for thousands of years, are exceptionally loyal to Hakkar.

These ancient exiles have survived to this day under the seal of the green dragon entirely thanks to Hakkar's protection. However, the sorcerer Jin'do and the blood lord Mandokir are Gurubashi trolls, and as troll nobles, their summoning of Hakkar is nothing more than an attempt to use the power of the evil god to restore the former glory of the Gurubashi kingdom.

They want to take advantage of the war between humans and greenskins to seize the entire North and South Stranglethorn Vale, and at the same time expand outwards to restore the ancient territory of the kingdom. You know, the location of Stormwind City was once the ancestral land of the Gurubashi trolls!

But between the rise of the kingdom and their own lives, the wise trolls knew which to choose.
"Bunsandy, don't take me away! Bunsandy, take me away from this dead end."

On the surface, the sorcerer Jin'do leads the Hattalai trolls in calling for the return of the Soulflayers, but in reality, he frantically calls for the trolls' death god in his heart.

Death is the domain of Bumsandi, and if it could win the favor of death, it might be able to escape back to the warm city of Zul'Gurub today.

Not only Jindo, but also the incomparably majestic Blood Lord Mandokir, wearing a blood-red battle helmet, was silently calling out to Bwonsamdi to save his life.

That's just how trolls are!

They possess the most complex faith of all races in Azeroth, yet they are the least devout race in the world.

When trolls need power, they sing praises to Rezan; when they need to hunt, they offer sacrifices to Gonk; when they want to do bad things, they pray to Shadra to grant them the power of plotting; and when they are threatened with death, they naturally pray to Bwonsamdi.

Unfortunately, the Loa gods obtain their power based on the element of "faith," so the pious trolls and the Loa who need faith are like turtles and green beans, getting together in a very incompatible way.

The open and covert struggles among the Loa gods for faith are extremely fierce, and the ambitious trolls also yearn to betray their masters, seize their magic essences, and play with them as Loas themselves. This has led to the Loas' survival being extremely precarious against the backdrop of the troll empire's continuous decline.

However, Bumsandi is an exception.

After Bwonsamdi ascended to godhood and became a Loa, its power remained among the top of the Loa gods.

The reason is simple: trolls can go without food, without pursuing fame and fortune, and even without worldly desires, but they will always encounter danger. When faced with death, praying for Bwonsamdi's mercy is something all trolls will do.

such as now
"Haaah, you never offer incense in ordinary times, but when trouble comes, you expect me to be tough? You really think you're so smart, don't you? Gurubashi's Jindo!"

Bonsandi's chilling voice echoed in the sorcerer's ears, like the breath of death, making Jindo's hair stand on end and his back soaked with sweat.

The troll death god roared:
"It's one thing if you don't worship me, but you've actually secretly participated in the plan to resurrect the Soul Reaper! The Soul Reaper's power is manifested through its soul-devouring abilities; for every soul it consumes, Old Bwonsamdi's Otherworld loses a portion of its power!"
Thief!

"Whose money do you think you're stealing?"

“I was wrong, great and merciful Bumsandi.”

Jindo screamed in his heart: "I am also looking for a way out for the future of the Gurubashi troll kingdom. The Loa we worship have become increasingly weak in recent years. They are stubbornly unwilling to participate in the war between humans and Greenskins."

What a great opportunity for expansion! Lord Mandokir and I only want to lead our people to glory!

I have no intention of genuinely worshipping Hakkar. I know he's a bloodthirsty madman, but his blood plague is indeed a very good tool of war.
I beg you, Bumsandhi, do not take me away today!

Let me live!
Upon my return to Zul'Gurub, I will immediately contact the Darkspear Clan, who are your followers. I will elevate them throughout the Gurubashi Kingdom, placing your shrine in the most prominent position in the city to receive greater veneration.

"Hmph, you do have some use after all."

Bumsandi didn't actually care about Kindo's betrayal.

This is so common among trolls, it's not worth getting angry about at all, Death said in a drawn-out voice:

"The Zandalari Empire has just received praise from the Star Soul Lord, and you two idiots are about to embarrass us in front of foreign races. Tch, it's unbearable to watch!"
Go ahead.

Summon Hakkar into the material world, wipe out the last of his followers in Azeroth, and my hired 'collectors' will handle this arrogant fool.

Listen to me, you two: your lives were given to you by old Bumsandi.

The Dark Prophet Zul has a grand plan and needs the Gurubashi trolls to provide a formidable army. You must prepare quickly and efficiently and await orders.

Furthermore, Sen'jin, the Shadow Hunter of the Darkspear clan, and his youngest son Vol'jin are 'chosen ones' I highly value. I believe they should hold high positions in Zul'Gurub, understand?

"I understand! I understand perfectly."

Kim Do responded in his mind:

"As soon as Lord Mandokir and I return, we'll kill a few disobedient lords, and then we'll give them a grand and lively welcome back to the Darkspear Clan. Our Gurubashi Kingdom isn't qualified to worship a 'Royal Loa,' but from now on, you'll be the 'Royal Loa' of all the trolls in Stranglethorn Vale."

Yes!

"As long as Lord Mandokir and I survive."

"Get to work, old Bumsandi is watching."

The troll Death, enjoying the licking, snorted and then vanished into the shadows as a chilling gust of wind. Beneath the mask of Kingdo, his eyes met those of the Blood Lord not far away.

With almost no verbal communication, the two cunning troll nobles immediately understood what needed to be done most.

"Gamalan the Prophet!"

The sorcerer Jindo turned around and shouted:
"Didn't you hear the voice coming from above? The berserkers of the Holy Light are approaching. At this speed, we can't summon the powerful Soul Reapers!"
fast!
Have your trolls sacrifice themselves for the great Soulflayer, igniting the Blood Plague Spirit Fire.

Only if the Soul Reapers return to the material world will we have any chance of leaving alive!

Before the Hattalai troll leader could make a decision, the Blood Lord had already begun dragging the devout and fanatical Hattalai to the ritual site, sacrificing them with their blood.

However, these guys have worshipped Hakkar in the sealed land for thousands of years, and every single one of them is a fanatic. Sacrificing themselves for their god is not a difficult choice for them.

Some fanatical trolls even screamed and plunged into the crimson flames that were burning before them. Before long, a third of the Hattalai trolls kneeling there were killed with swift strokes. The effect was remarkable. After devouring the blood and souls of the believers, the Soul Reaper's soul, trapped between the world of the dead and the world of the real, roared and attached itself to its ancient skeleton.

The skeletal body seemed to come alive, flapping its bone wings as it rose to its feet, the fossilized bones colliding with each other with a piercing sound.

"Not enough! Not enough!"

The Soul Stealer is hungry, the Soul Stealer is thirsty.

Most importantly, the Soul Reaper sensed the approaching blazing holy light and needed power to ward off the danger.

Amid Bwonsamdi's eerie laughter and under the constant coercion of the sorcerer Jin'do and the Blood Lord, more Hattalai trolls were forced to "sacrifice" themselves. The flesh and blood of the dead were devoured in an instant, turning into dried skeletons.

The fresh flesh and blood swirled around the cold, skeletal wind serpent in the air. Illuminated by the four spirit flames, the Soul Stealer's body was rapidly covered with fresh tendons and blood-splattered scales.

When Lothar piloted his powerful Lightforged war machine and led a squad of Lightforged warriors through the walls and stormed into the area, they were met with a gigantic wind serpent that had been fully resurrected.

This creature stood atop a vast expanse of corpses, its body covered in glaring, bright red scales—the very color of a dangerous beast. Its chilling gaze fixed on these "sacrifices" delivered to its doorstep, and it let out a piercing shriek, unleashing a deadly plague upon the Holy Light Warriors.

Holy light is powerful! But so what?
The power of a force depends on the courage of its user!
These Lightforged were clearly lacking in the eyes of an evil demigod; his own blood plague would take their lives, while their souls, forged by the Holy Light, would become his most coveted food!
"Die!"

The Soul Stealer let out a shriek at that moment.

"Die!"

At that moment, Bumsandi also let out a joyful shout, as if he were watching someone suffer misfortune.

It no longer even bothered to conceal its presence, allowing the Soul Stealer to clearly hear the voice of its "creditor."

Haka is also a "perennial defaulter".

The moment he learned that Bumsandy was spying on him, he realized something was wrong and turned to dart into the shadows. But the next second, a burst of intense holy light erupted in the dark place, like a blinding sun repelling all darkness.

Diakum, wielding the Phase Barrier, teleported into the arena using his War Power: Gathering. He erected the Divine Law Barrier in a divine defensive stance, creating a thick barrier of holy light to block the poisonous blood saturated with the plague.

He saw Haka retreating in front of him.

As he strode forward, carrying the Shattered Ashbringer wreathed in holy light and lightning, he also heard Old Anzu's shriek:

"Wind serpents? Why are there wind serpents in Azeroth? Damn wind serpents! I hate wind serpents! I hate all monsters that look like Seth. Croak, Diakum, after you burn it to death, can I eat it?"

"Don't eat this poisonous stuff. Hakka is much more dangerous than Setai. One of his bones could poison an entire city."

Diakum shook his head and said:
"The plague is bad enough as it is now, and I really don't want the corrupted to control an even more terrifying blood plague. But I can give you the bones purified by Hakkar to decorate your nest."

"Quack, Old Ansu knew you were the most generous one."

The Midnight Raven screamed:
"In gratitude for your generosity, old Anzu will tell you two pieces of news. First, Goldrinn has responded to me. Second, that traitor Eska possesses something terrible. Something from the Sea of ​​No Light, and old Anzu heard it call that fellow 'Xaratas' with his own ears!"

“Great, this means a lot to me, thanks.”

Diakum nodded, and he transformed into a streak of light as he pounced on the screaming Hakkar. The Soulflayer was seeing the Vigilant for the first time, but it immediately realized that this was not a terrifying figure that it could afford to mess with.

It screamed and tried to negotiate, but unfortunately, Diakum's high moral standards prevented him from betraying the contract.

Bumsandi offered a bounty for Haka's life, and since he accepted the reward, he had to carry out the job.

In the background of the Holy Light punishing the evil god, Lothar was about to use his "Holy Light Gandar" to blast the trolls in front of him to death with his powerful cannon when he suddenly saw Jindo and Mandokir betray him on the spot.

Under Lothar's shocked gaze, the two shameless bastards viciously stabbed the poor prophet Gamalan in the back, while the Gurubashi berserkers under the Bloodlord's command charged into the Hattalai trolls like wolves, swiftly eliminating the last followers of the Soulflayer on earth.

"Hey, you balding human over there. You're Anduin Lothar, right?"

Back when you and your two brothers caused trouble in Stranglethorn Vale, it was me who led the hunt for you. You should thank old Jindo for showing mercy back then.

In short, we're on the same side! Don't shoot!

The sorcerer Jindo, his mask still stained with blood, lifted the head of the prophet Gamaran and shouted to Lothar:
"Lord Mandokir and I, under the orders of Bonsandi, have infiltrated this group of cultists in order to work with you from the inside to completely execute the Soul Stealers here!"
Look!
"We've killed the last of the Soulflayers' followers, and that scourge Hakkar will never be able to enter this world again!"

"That's right, that's right."

Blood Lord Mandokir also shouted:

"The Blood Plague of the Soulflayers will kill everyone; it is a terrible threat to all life on the Eastern Continent! With the impending invasion of demons, we have taken this risk, inspired by the Great Loa, to contribute to the peace of the continent."

You're welcome!
This is what we peace-loving Gurubashi trolls should do. Now that the ringleader has been eliminated, we should leave. We can leave, right?

(End of this chapter)