Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 31 31. Day : Decisive Battle at Antoran

"Hail, Brigadier General Diak'um Zastins, Hero of Krokuun, Lord Commander of the Hand of Argus, Model Vindicator, and Protector of the Eredar!"

Amidst the sound of resounding military music and the passionate proclamation of the garrison commander, in the "arch" formed by the raised halberds with ribbons, Dick, wearing ceremonial armor, expressionlessly led the five little warriors and the twins up the stairs to the Archon's Seat.

The people watching around cheered wildly, and the enthusiastic girls kept throwing flower petals.

The bright red petals fluttered in the wind, causing Dick to look up at the ribbon flags fluttering on the Archon's Seat building in front of him.

This scene gave him a serious sense of déjà vu.

To be honest, it's quite unlucky.

If he had a magic sword in his hand now, then old Velen who would meet him later would be in big trouble.

Fortunately, there is no outrageous legend of the Soul-Devouring Sword in the world of Argus, nor is there a tradition of filial piety between fathers and sons. As for the current welcome ceremony, well, it is just a way to boost morale in this panicked moment.

Dick could understand the role he was playing and the meaning of his existence. Mac'Aree was now crowded with civilians from all over Argus. Even with Velen in charge, the security in the capital area had deteriorated seriously. This could be seen from the severe dark circles under the eyes of Targas, the head of the Assassin's Court.

Even the Assassin's Court was mobilized to participate in the daily work of the Public Security Court, which shows how troublesome the situation in the capital area is.

Of course, most of the civilians gathered around had never heard of Brigadier General Diakum's name. They only knew that the general led the Krokuun people to defeat the ferocious demons in the distant borderland, and was said to have killed a powerful demon demigod.

In these turbulent times, this is good news that is enough to comfort people.

As the sturdy veterans of the Hand of Argus carried Kazzak's hideous head on a special rack through the streets, the civilians on both sides of the road kept exclaiming.

They were obviously frightened by the huge, ugly head.

But then there were waves of curses and scolding, and angry people kept throwing rotten eggs, rotten vegetable leaves and other things at Kazak's head.

This kind of venting is also necessary.

Those dark emotions cannot be kept accumulating in the heart forever. Wasn't it for this that they traveled thousands of miles and spent three days to send Kazzak's head to Mac'Aree?
This thing will be placed in the square of Orona City, and will then be constantly insulted and smashed by civilians from all over the world.

but.
That's it.

It was already the thirteenth day since Velen and Kil'jaeden received the Dark Titan's declaration of doom, and there was only half a month left before the final doom of thirty days.

The civilians were unaware of the sad news.

They simply believed that Argus was being invaded, but they firmly believed that under the leadership of the two archons and the fighting spirit of heroes like Brigadier General Dick, the eredar would definitely win.

Unfortunately, Dick couldn't tell them the cruel truth.

win?
Do not!
This option didn't exist in the beginning.

If they saw with their own eyes Krokuun, who was now completely contaminated by fel energy, they would know that the demons had never given them any hope of victory.

"Go to the Kulei Temple and receive the blessing of the Holy Light."

After completing the long and tedious victory parade, Dick said to the five little strong men:
"Take advantage of this opportunity to rest. After a short break, we will set off for the Antoran Plains. Commander Kil'jaeden is stationed in Antorus City, holding off the demonic attack, but he needs support. There are a large number of civilians waiting to be evacuated."

"Still transferring to Mac'Aree?"

Imira, who was always outspoken, exclaimed:

"Even the student dormitories at the Arcana Academy have been turned into refugee camps. Is there really still room for civilians here? I think Mac'Aree has at least a few million foreigners."

"Be bold, Senior."

Sarolas sighed and said:
"I just got the exact figures from the Assassin's Court. Three days ago, they counted over ten million people gathered throughout Mac'Aree! That's a quarter of the total number of Eredar. By the time the final transport to the Antoran Plains is completed, the population here will exceed thirteen million."

"It's too late."

Oreses said in a sad tone:

"There are still a large number of civilians who haven't been transported to Mac'Aree in time. Now we can only see if the Naaru are reliable. If they have enough ships, they may be able to land outside Mac'Aree and pick up the civilians there.

If the quantity is not enough
I'm afraid even people like Mac'Aree can't be sent safely into the starry sea.

This is just the old, weak, women and children. The two great consuls have made up their minds that all soldiers and militiamen must board the ship in the last batch. This means
well."

"Stop sighing. This isn't a disaster for just one person, nor is it a crisis that can be reversed by one person. Don't put all the burden on yourself. That's not your responsibility. Go and rest."

Dick waved his hand and said:
"Don't spread this news around. If you have time, go back to the Mystery Academy and visit your former teachers and classmates. It's highly likely you won't see them again."

"Ok?"

Faria asked in surprise:

"You mean, the Naaru won't send us to the same world?"

"better not."

This question was answered by Salolas.

Gemini, who had recently been Dick's affairs officer, was well aware of these matters. She whispered:

"In order to avoid being wiped out by the demons, and to leave enough seeds for the Eredar civilization, the Naaru will probably disperse our people to different worlds to form different Astral Clans.

The Naaru have traveled in the starry sea for countless years and they know where the safe places are.

But Brigadier General Dick is right. If we are unlucky, it will be difficult for us to see each other again in our long lives. Therefore, we should hurry up and fulfill those unfinished promises to our compatriots. If we don’t do it now, there will be no chance. "

This answer made the five little strong men silent for a while.

They were different from Dick, who was alone. They all had families of their own. After hearing the news, the five little strong men were not in the mood to stay here. They said goodbye to Dick and left in a hurry.

"The Technology Court will forge new weapons for you as soon as possible."

Sarolas stepped forward and said to Dick:

"We use Kazzak's horn as raw material, but it's difficult to make the heavy weapons the garrison officers need."

"Make a staff."

Dick thought for a moment and said:
"As a priest, I also need a staff that can guide holy light. This is standard for my profession."

"Oh, if that's the case, then the skull of the First Wizard Augure can actually be put to use."

Orestes suggested:
"Have the priests of the Naaru Temple lightforge it. The skull will become a powerful artifact of the Holy Light. It is much better for you to use it than for those insect arcanists who bring shame to us sisters.
Most of the recent defections to the demon realm in Mac'Aree were by arcanists.

What a disgrace to the ancient arcane tradition!"

"If the First Wizard were here, he would definitely rip off every one of their heads and make them into magical instruments. No, into drowning vessels!"

Sarolas also swore something vicious, but Dick shook his head and said:
"This is perfectly normal. Arcanists are all intelligent individuals. Precisely because they are intelligent, they are more aware of the current situation. Everyone has selfish motives. We can morally condemn them, but... forget it. I'll give you that skull for dual use."

It was originally a sacred object of the arcanist, and changing it into a holy light artifact would destroy its power. The skull of Archimonde, which was previously collected by the Holy Court, can also be made into a suitable combat weapon.

It just so happens that each of you sisters has one."

"Huh? For us?"

A trace of greed flashed in Salolas's eyes, but then she shook her head and whispered:

"Both of us have too low a position and reputation. Those stingy people in the Sacred Court won't give us anything."

"As the Chief Arcanist of the Hand of Argus! As the War Hero of Krokuun! As the Slayer of the Doom Overlord!"

Dick said in a firm tone:

"Argus is about to die! Why keep those treasures? Leave them for the demons to enjoy? If they don't give them to you, go and rob them! I'll take the blame if anything goes wrong, go ahead."

"Wow, I've been waiting for you to say that!"

Salolas rubbed his hands in anticipation and rushed towards the Holy Court with his sister in high spirits.

The two sisters have indeed been coveting the "Skull of Archimonde" for a long time. Now they have the Skull of Augre to share equally between them. There is nothing better than this.

However, Oreseth acted cautiously. After taking a few steps, she turned back and secretly stuffed an ancient, gray Eredar magic pattern backpack into Brigadier General Dick's hands. She whispered:
"This is the spatial container we found when we were collecting the remains of the Ancestral Wizard. It should be a treasure that Lord Augure used for himself. Uh... We kept it for ourselves and are now handing it over to you according to military orders."

"Don't do this again."

Dick said it lightly, took the empty bag and hung it on himself.

This scene made the twins smile strangely. Then, hand in hand, they used teleportation to leave. After watching the two troublemakers leave, Dick reached out and placed his hand on the quaint bag at his waist. The item entry quickly popped up:

【

Baggage Name: Echo of the First Wizard - Augure Treasure Chest

Baggage quality: No grade arcane artifact
Bag Features: Bottomless Bag, Constant Internal Time, Expanded Internal Space

Luggage special effects:

The bag contains a 25X25X25 (M) three-dimensional space, and the space is allocated strictly in accordance with the storage tradition of the Eredar. Different types of items will be placed in different areas, and after the soul binding is completed, they can be extracted or stored through the user's will.

hint!

This item can hold no more than twelve weapons when used as a weapons chest.

hint!

When used as a food box, this item can ensure the freshness and taste of food within 30 days. Please try not to store cooked food for more than 30 days.

hint!

When used as a material box, this item can maximize the energy loss of magical materials, but do not put highly offensive materials into the bag.

hint!

This item can be used as a "temporary cage", but unless you have a patricide vengeance against the other party, please do not put a living person into your bag at will.

hint!

This item, personally sewn by the Primordial Wizard Augure, is imbued with advanced elemental permanence, protecting it from attacks and interference from ordinary magic. However, please do not use this bag as a shield; it cannot guarantee your safety in all circumstances.

Item description:

[Actually, if you're short on Naaru spaceships, you could try throwing those crying, weak civilians into this bag. If you stack them up like a pyramid, it can hold a lot of people! If you're just putting children in, you'll need at least double the space!]
As for the risk of trampling and respiratory failure.
Tsk, Sargeras has come in person, so don’t ask for so much. What I mean is, at least you can leave your body intact, right?
So, think about it. 】

"Ah, you're just as inhuman as ever! Bastard."

Dick cursed.

But then, on the way to the Archon's Hall to meet Velen, Dick couldn't help but start thinking about this "evil and smoking" idea.

The internal volume of the Augure Treasure Box is 25 cubic meters. To be honest, without considering the comfort, it can hold at least dozens or even hundreds of people at a time. Well, the "limit" here refers to the situation where people are not crushed to death.
Forget it, forget it. This idea is really too wicked!

I really don't know what kind of bastard is the one who gave me this advice. With just a simple sentence, he can bewitch me into thinking about this problem that is totally not something a garrison officer should think about.

This kind of "thought pollution" is so terrible, it's like the other person is forcing your brain with just one sentence.

"Diachem, my brave brother of faith, come here!"

As soon as Dick entered the Executive Hall, he heard Velen's call.

He strode forward and saw that the Grand Archon seemed to have aged hundreds of years in just half a month. He was visibly tired and exhausted.

This is completely understandable.

In the current situation, the pressure Viren is under is definitely more than a hundred times that of Dick.

To put it in a nutshell, Dick only needs to think about how to beat the demons on the front line, but old Viren has a lot more to consider.

"The garrisons in the Mac'Aree region have completed their training. Although most of them are new recruits, their morale is high. I will appoint you as the commander of this army and lead them to the Antoran Plains to assist Commander Kil'jaeden in his battle against the demons."

Velen said to Dick:

"I know you're tired, and I've heard from Hatton about the tragic situation on the Krokuun battlefield, but..."

"I understand, Grand Archon. You don't have to do this."

Dick whispered:
"Times are tough, and we should all work together to overcome these difficulties. I will lead the garrisons on time, but there is a problem. The current number of Hearts of Argus is completely insufficient to meet the needs of all armies, so we can only select the most courageous warriors to give this award.

The changes in the battle situation in Krokuun have proved the power of the World Soul. I think Lord Kil'jaeden will also have the confidence to hold on until the last day.

but
Is there still no news from Naru?"

"Have."

This topic shouldn't have been discussed with Dick, the war brigadier general, but considering that Velen already regarded Dick as the seventh "Chosen of the Light" of the Eredar, he made an exception and answered:

"His Majesty K'ure has told me that one hundred and seventy-two Naaru have responded to our call, and they can bring at least one hundred and fifty Naaru starships.

Most of them are small starships like the 'Ginidal' that His Majesty K'ure and Lula rode. According to the calculations of the Technology Court, such a starship can carry 8 to 10 people if it abandons all weapons, only carries necessary supplies, and extends the internal space to the maximum load.

The carrying capacity of these starships alone is enough to transport all the civilians in the Mac'Aree area.

And the even better news is that the legendary Mother of Light, Ms. Zera, also conveyed information to me through prophetic resonance a few days ago.

Ms. Zera has already dispatched her largest starship, the Storm Fortress, to lead four smaller starships to Argus. She told me that the fleet can transport at least three million people at a time.

This means that our people across the Eredar Sea need not despair."

"But that alone is not enough."

Dick sighed and said:
"Even if the entire fleet is fully loaded, we can only transport half of the population, which means we have to give up the other half."

Velen fell silent.

With visible sadness and determination, he whispered:
"You are a military officer, so I can tell you the contents of the letter that Lord Commander Kil'jaeden sent last night. My brother has made up his mind. He will not leave Argus on a starship! He will lead the bravest soldiers to stay here!
On the one hand, he bought time for the evacuation of civilians, and on the other hand, he stubbornly believed that someone must be held responsible for the disaster in Argus.

He said that at this moment when the end of the world is approaching, as the Grand Consul he would sacrifice his life for everything he was guarding and fulfill his oath. So far, more than seventeen generals have signed this farewell letter.

They and their warriors will hold their chosen positions for our world and our people until the very end.

dick
We don’t have as many people to send away as you think.”

"you"

Dick looked at Viren, whose face was full of determination. He knew that the Grand Archon had already made up his mind.

Velen would never abandon Kil'jaeden and flee alone. The current history and official history have changed because of Dick's intervention. If Velen's decision is followed, it means that the two archons will eventually die together in the end of Argus.

"But do you think your fate will really end on Argus? You are a prophet!"

Dick said in a deep voice:
"A prophet cannot go against the will of fate. I believe you have seen the future countless times."

"You want me to abandon my brothers? You want me to become a loner and a coward?"

Velen was unusually angry. With the triangular holy emblem shining behind him, he turned to look at Dick and scolded him:
"Are you trying to seduce me?"

"it's not true."

Dick sighed and said:
"But if someone is willing to die for the world, someone must shoulder a heavier mission and survive. Grand Archon, you and Lord Commander Kil'jaeden have both met with the World Soul. You know very well what responsibilities every Eredar who leaves Argus bears.

Without your guidance, can we truly survive the darkness of the stars until the day we return to Argus?

In the current situation, death is only the weakest relief.

You clearly know your responsibilities, you know what you should do, please do not let yourself become a coward who only wants to die! In fact, instead of dying in battle with your brother in your hometown, why don't you think about how to save him and lead him away?
If you are truly determined to defy fate."

The Brigadier General took a deep breath and said to Velen:

"I am willing to be the sword in your hand that slashes against the ruthless fate when the moment of decision comes! It is my honor. I will guard the Atama Crystal on your last day and hold the last line of defense for the people!

You just need to do what you should and must do.

Fate wants us to die, fate wants us to suffer, fate wants us to cry out, it wants us to be puppets representing pain on its stage so that the ruthless villain can laugh out loud.

But the prophet saw fate and should have resisted it instead of obeying it. We must not let it have its way, right? "

"Ah, so you have the potential to be a prophet, Diakum."

Velen sighed and said:
"Was it the World Soul that allowed you to see those things?"

"Well, Argus didn't want to see his children wandering among the stars in tears. He asked us to leave with hope and return in glory! The Holy Light also doesn't want to see the Eredar suffer the tragedy of destruction."

Dick clenched his fists and said:

“I have rebelled against fate, and fate has slapped me hard, but I will not stop challenging and beating it until I truly have the upper hand.

You are the greatest prophet.

This means that when you decide to rebel, the blow you can strike at fate is definitely beyond that bitch's imagination.

I'm sorry for saying such vulgar things in front of you."

Dick stepped back and said:

"I've just gone to make preparations, Grand Archon. When we return from the Antoran Plains, please make up your mind!"

After saying that, he bowed and turned to leave.

In the Executive Hall, old Velen sat back in his seat. He stroked the Naaru's staff in his hand, which emitted a light melody of holy light, and glanced at the empty seat next to him.

He asked himself, what action should he take at this upcoming moment of decision?
perhaps
Dick's advice is also worth referring to.

------

A few days later, at the front line of the Antoran Plains, Dick, who arrived here by aircraft, wasted almost no time and rushed to the command center where Commander Kil'jaeden was located with a group of elite garrison officers.

The most fertile plains in the world of Argus have now become the most brutal battlefield. Even though the warriors holding the Heart of Argus fight every day, the war and death that have occurred here in the past fifteen days have still exceeded the imagination of the Eredar and their historical records.

Yesterday alone, the number of casualties on the entire front exceeded three thousand.

For the Eredar, who have difficulty reproducing, such casualties are already terrifying enough.

"Dick!"

Just as Dick was handing the last batch of Hearts of Argus to Commander Kil'jaeden's quartermaster, he heard a familiar call. Turning around, he saw Maldran, covered in blood, jumping off the thunder elephant.

Judging from his appearance, he had just led a team to complete a surprise rescue. Behind Maldran, exhausted priests were treating the unconscious rangers and spellcasters.

"How did you come?"

Malderan threw his warhammer to his adjutant and walked over to hug his brother with a smile. Dick didn't care about the bad smell that hadn't been washed for at least ten days. He said:

"Of course it's because you're too tired, so I brought some people to replace you. Now you and your warriors can get a few days of good sleep."

"Ha, you still like joking so much?"

Maldelain shook his head, patted Dick on the shoulder, and said:

"I've heard about Krokuun. Your achievements make me feel both proud and terrified. Compared to you, I'm far inferior."

"Really? But why did I hear on my way here that a certain fearless vindicator, armed with the Heart of Argus, single-handedly killed eleven Fel Lords and three Ereduin Doomguards in the aftermath of the battle?

I heard that when they found you, the dead demons at your feet had piled up like a mountain, and those timid hellhounds didn't even dare to approach you who were exhausted."

Dick smiled, took his staff made of Kazzak's magic horn from Faria beside him, and followed Malderan towards the tired wounded.

他 说:

"You have proven yourself worthy of your achievements, Mardran, and you have been blessed by the World Soul. I met your children before leaving Mac'Aree, and they said they were proud of you."

"Humph, as expected of a garrison officer who took the initiative to become a priest, he knows how to talk."

The long battle made Malderan less serious than before. He looked at the scratched Heart of Argus in his hand and sighed:

"But I still can't save everyone. All we can do is keep fighting, keep fighting until the final glory arrives."

"Hold on, there is always hope."

Dick held high the spellcasting medium that was more like a "spear" than a staff, and he used his skilled healing and recovery skills to continuously cast them on the wounded around him.

At this moment, he really looked like a kind priest in armor, but Malderan knew that in times of emergency, his "old commander" could also transform into an invincible slashing king under the command of Holy Light.

Well, it's really reassuring to go into battle with someone like this.

"woooooo"

A low horn sounded suddenly at this moment, interrupting Maldalan and Dick's reminiscing. When they looked back, they saw that Commander Kil'jaeden's battle flag had left the command center.

This made Madeleine's face change drastically, and he said to Dick:

"The demons are attacking! Quick! Bring your men with me. We need to defend the flanks and hold out until we win the battle on the front line. Sorry, I was planning to treat you to some local specialties."

"Isn't the biggest specialty of the Antoran Plains the endless supply of demonic cubs?"

Dick raised the staff he named "Kazzak's Grudge" in his hand like a spear, and laughed loudly as he said:
"Thank you for your hospitality. I've come a long way and am now hungry and thirsty. Therefore, I won't be shy about hosting the upcoming war feast. Well, the day for a hearty feast has arrived! Best of all, I also have a healthy appetite, granted by the Holy Light!"

(End of this chapter)