Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 393.2. Once you reach the transition phase, shameless NPCs will jump out and steal your kills! - Bonus Chapter [35]

(Bonus chapter for "Zinc Lights the Lamp" brothers [3/5])
"I used to think you were just a brave bronze-bearded woman! But now I know, you're a fucking madman!"

Emperor Thaurissan's gruff shouts echoed through the icy landscape of Dun Morogh, filled with the joy of regaining freedom, and a hint of fear and shock at his companions.

His remarks quickly got him into trouble.

The burly Reid slammed a fist into Soreson's head, cursing:
"How dare you talk to my boss like that? Don't you want to live? You shorty!"

"Ha, thugs!"

Emperor Thaurissan glanced at Red's bald head, which exuded a violent aura, and the black magic saw in the other's hand. He shrank back and decided not to lower himself to the level of this guy.

Behind the two, Princess Moira Bronzebeard, dressed as a traveler, was treating several wounded dwarven pursuers.

The holy light in her hands had dimmed considerably, its radiance almost fading away. She knew this meant the holy light was drifting away from her because she had violated the doctrines of the believers. From this day forward, she was no longer a "partner of justice."

She used her last bit of holy light to heal several wounded, and then said to the dwarf captain who was responsible for "protecting" her:

“Go back and tell my father that I have failed him in raising me, and that he should pretend I am no longer his daughter. But I will definitely take back the Burning Canyon in my own way! The land that the Bronzebeard dwarves have lost for more than three hundred years will be brought back to the kingdom by my own hands!”

This time, I want to see what excuse he'll use to downplay my achievements.

"Your Highness, why are you doing this?"

The dwarf captain had practically watched Moira grow up, and he could roughly guess why the princess was doing this. Seeing Moira rise, he pleaded with her to stay:
"Don't go! His Majesty is forced to do this. He has to consider the diplomatic image of his allies. Everyone knows you have made great contributions, and everyone is praising you. As long as you get through this period, His Majesty will change his mind."

"He will not."

Moira pulled the hood up and stepped into the increasingly heavy snowstorm that night.

Her voice was dry and helpless, like a sad farewell song.

she says:

“Magni Bronzebeard is the most outstanding hill king, so I know he will never back down, not even in the face of his daughter. For the first few decades of my life I hated myself for not being a boy, but now I don’t think that way anymore.”

Tell my father.

I will do what the men of Bronzebeard cannot do!

What he's unwilling to give me, I will eventually make him willingly hand it to me himself.

Moira disappeared resolutely into the increasingly cold snowstorm. Thaurissan picked up his shotgun and battle axe and followed. Red spat at the dwarves at the very end. After the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Red had also "transformed".

Although his combat strength was far inferior to Grom Hellscream and his intelligence was far inferior to Orgrim Doomhammer, he felt that his "aura" was about the same as Grom Hellscream and Orgrim Doomhammer!

Even Grommash Hellscream and Alterac Valley didn't manage to break Ironforge out of prison, yet they succeeded.

If I round it up, wouldn't I be ahead of Roar and Alterac Valley?

So, Red wins!

The bald, green-skinned man sneered:
"You dwarves are not even as good as us greenskins! At least we don't suppress the status of an orc just because she is a woman. Well, that doesn't apply back in my father's time; that was an old tribe custom."

At the very least, Orgrim wouldn't do that.

Humph.

Moira will make something of herself! Her stubbornness reminds me of my sister, and she's even smarter than my sister. Ah, I'm going to witness the birth of two female 'Great Chiefs' in my lifetime.

What an honor! Achoo!

Before Red could finish his thoughts, he sneezed violently, cursing the damned snowstorm as he picked up the dwarf's cloak, draped it over his shoulders like a "half-body garment," and rushed out.

King Magni would surely be furious.

but.
It seems no one cares about that old stubborn man's thoughts anymore.

------

It's quite difficult to get from Dun Morogh to the Dark Iron dwarves' territory.

Moira had two options: either take the Selsamar route or traverse the uninhabited snow-capped mountains of the Kazmodan region. Both routes were dangerous, so Moira chose the counterintuitive third option.

Let's take the sea route!
Take a boat from the waters of Khaz Modan to the western wilderness, and from there detour through Redridge Mountains to the Burning Steppes.

This route is time-consuming, but its advantage is that it's safe.

Dwarves instinctively hate water, so it's unlikely that Bronzebeard's pursuers would track them across the sea.

Several days later, the three of them finally crossed the human outpost on Redridge Mountain without any major incident.

This area had just been reclaimed by the Stormwind Kingdom and was still under military control, but Red's current "golden partner" was a gnoll, so with Hogg's help, the three of them bypassed most of the sentry posts by walking through the gnoll valley "Ripple Valley" in Redridge Mountains.

Red said he was going to see Hogg in the Black Swamp, but Moira and Thaurissan both refused.

The reason is simple: Darkforge City can no longer hold out.

Two months had passed since Thaurisson's "disappearance." Thaurisson estimated that the infighting among his ambitious lords had reached its final stage; in other words, they might summon the Balrog King at any moment to carry out the "Balrog Succession Law."

"I must return to Darkhearth immediately and stop those fools from doing something stupid."

On the way to the Burning Steppes, the Dark Iron Emperor finally revealed to his companions a secret known only to the Thaurissan family.

Weary from his journey, he stared at the faintly visible Black Stone Mountain in the distance and said in a hoarse voice:

"The spell that summons the Balrog comes from my grandmother, the powerful Dark Iron Witch Queen Mordgood, who was the most powerful spellcaster in dwarven history, and there is much evidence to suggest that she was a magical demigod."

No one knows where the Dark Iron Witch Queen obtained the spell, but in Grim Batol, after my grandmother died in the desperate charge of Wildhammer Prince Kalderos, my grandfather, the Witch King Thaurissan, cast the spell in the face of the double siege of Darkheart by Bronzebeard and Wildhammer.

The appearance of the Balrog King did indeed force the two dwarf races to retreat, but he also single-handedly shaped most of Redridge Mountains into the Burning Plains and Scorching Canyon we see today.

It stayed in the material world for less than ten minutes, but it permanently altered the elemental environment inside Blackrock Mountain.

Even worse, the curse was cast at the cost of enslaving the entire Dark Iron Dwarf race. It was an evil spell, and the first time it was cast, the Firelord's curse stripped the Dark Iron Dwarfs of their freedom.

If it happens again, we will permanently lose the possibility of resisting the Fire Demon King, and even our lives will be transformed into an even uglier form.

Just like those limp fire demons!

He cursed:
"I just hope those fools didn't find the spell I stored in the Black Iron Vault."

Before the words were even finished, the entire Burning Plains began to tremble.

Amid Red's exclamation, he saw the magma erupting abnormally around Blackrock Mountain in the distance, countless volcanic ash being thrown up to obscure the already gloomy sky, while the temperature in the surrounding air was rapidly rising.

"Oh no, the Fire Demon King is about to appear! That spell has been activated."

Emperor Thaurissan stopped in despair at that moment.

He seemed to have lost all strength and courage; even his fiery gem-like eyes dimmed. He collapsed to the ground, facing the raging flames erupting from the distant Black Rock Mountain, which resembled the end of the world. In the end, he dropped his weapon and covered his eyes.

"We're finished. The kingdom of Thaurissan is finished."

He sighed and said:

"The last legacy left to us by the King of the Mountains is also gone."

"What's the use of saying this now?"

Moira jumped off her goat, pulled the weak, black iron cub to its feet, and scolded:

"Since it's a curse left by your grandmother, did she leave any countermeasures? We've come this far! And now you're telling me it's all over?"

Wouldn't all that determination I made before make me seem like a clown in my father's eyes who couldn't do anything right?
I've staked everything on this!
Get up!
waste! "

"There is no counter-spell. If there really were, the Dark Iron Dwarves wouldn't have been enslaved for so many years. If we have to say, the Balrog King needs a rift leading to the elemental realm if he wants to rule the material world."

After being slapped several times by Amora, Soresen finally came to his senses.

他 说:

"The crack it left when it appeared in the material world is in the magma land beneath Darkforge City, which we call the 'Heart of Molten Fire.' Perhaps, if we can seal that elemental rift,..."
But there's no time now!
The Fire Demon King will appear soon, and there are only three of us.

"There are still three of us."

Moira stared at the erupting volcano, gritting her teeth as she said:
"Neither you nor I have a way out. We can either escape and live as anonymous exiles, or we can give it one last shot. We may not become heroes, but surely we have the courage to fight to the very end?"

I still have the signal gun left behind by the Thorium Brotherhood; they were the only group of warriors among the Dark Iron dwarves who dared to defy the Balrog.

They won't stand idly by.

We rushed in to contact the Thorium Brotherhood for a desperate fight. When we left, those guys boasted that they'd been preparing for over a hundred years to fight the Balrog. Even if they've been slacking off, after all these years, they must have some real skills, right?

“I heard that those guys sent people to Kalimdor and they did find some water elemental relics.”

Thaurissan is the Iron Emperor.

It's impossible for him to know nothing about the Thorium Brotherhood, yet he allowed them to develop in Darkhearth, indicating that Thaurissan was also dissatisfied with the Dark Iron dwarves being controlled by the Firelord.

This guy's political maneuvering is quite sophisticated.

Before they set off, Moira turned back and called out to Red:

“If you’re willing to come and fight with us, and if we survive, I’ll share power with you, Reid.”

"Come on, what are you trying to prove at a time like this!"

The orc warlord waved his hand and said:
“I know the saying that fortune favors the bold, so if I survive, Emperor Thaurissan must hand over Blackrock Spire to me, and I want a battle axe as powerful as Gorehowl in Grom’s hands!”

Give one to my brother too.

Hogg's weapons also need repairing; you'll take care of that!

"it is good."

Soresen was also determined. The three of them rushed towards Blackrock Mountain at top speed. Red used the Black Wolf God's communication channels to send a message to the Black Swamp. Although he didn't know if Hogg could arrive in time, he still hoped to get some help.

By the time they stormed into Blackrock Mountain, the fire elemental pulses in the area had reached a level that even Red, a warrior, could clearly perceive.

The black magic saw in his hand was getting hot, which is what happens when metal is heated to a high temperature.

The good news is that the Thorium Brotherhood's rebels weren't just talking; they've already gathered at the preaching site inside Blackrock Mountain. When they saw Thaurissan arrive, a burly Dark Iron warrior rushed over to kill him, but was stopped by Moira.

"Emperor Thaurissan will also join us in the fight against the Balrog King!"

Moira shouted:
"Now, every extra person adds to our strength! Think about it carefully, without his indulgence, could you have so easily sneaked into the Black Iron Bar to make connections?"

"Yes, I deliberately turned a blind eye, hoping you could come up with a solution to this matter."

Thaurissan, carrying an axe, shouted to the Thorium Brotherhood:

“I’ve given you over a hundred years. Even a bunch of useless people should have some plan by now, right? Hurry up and bring it out! I have runes here that can send us straight into Molten Core.”

"whispering sound"

The foreman of the Thorium Brotherhood curled his lip, then pulled out some oddly shaped ice-cold water bottles from his peculiar backpack and distributed them to everyone present.

These kettles are amazing; even in this warmer climate, holding one can make you feel a chill like the dead of winter.

He emphasized:

"These are 'essences of water' that we obtained from the water elemental elders on the coast of Azshara at a great cost. With this water of the sea god, we can extinguish the eternal flame mark on the Molten Core and prevent the Firelord from entering the material world!"
At this time, the minions of Ragnaros have all gathered in Darkhearth to perform the summoning ritual, and Molten Core, the place where Ragnaros was to be summoned, is now empty.

This is our last chance.

If we don't completely extinguish those marks that maintain the elemental rifts before that bastard arrives, everyone will be burned to death in the heart of the molten core!

I have nothing more to say, let's get started.

As for you, Thaurissan, although it sounds strange that you, as emperor, would rebel against the source of your power, we choose to believe Moira Bronzebeard.

Two months ago, when I saw her dare to lead a dozen men into Darkforge to drag you out, I knew that this girl was the most daring Bronzebeard dwarf I had ever met. Compared to her, the legendary Muradin was like a weak drunkard!
So you better behave yourself, or I'll chop your head off before we die.

Serin, look at him.

If that bastard dares to betray us, stab him to death!

"Okay, I'd be happy to do that."

A Black Iron dwarf in red armor pulled out a menacing dagger, and in a perverse manner, put it to his mouth and licked it with his tongue.

Soresen knew this guy was trying to intimidate him.

But dude, isn't that disgusting?!
Did you even disinfect that Black Iron Ripper Dagger before putting it in your mouth? What if you get an infection?
He complained, took a pot of water essence, and then took out a rune to teleport everyone to the entrance of the Molten Core, a cave located beneath the lava that was now filled with terrifying flames.

The flames seemed to come alive.

They boiled and leaped above the lava, as if welcoming their master, turning the place into a burning hell.

The dwarves are not afraid. Their years of forging have given them a strong resistance to high temperatures, especially the Dark Iron dwarves. The Balrog King cursed them, but also gave them terrible fire resistance.

But not the orcs.

Red felt like he was being roasted alive.

Perhaps he needs a pair of heated brick shoes?

He somewhat regretted getting involved in this deadly operation, but this guy valued his reputation highly, so he could only put on a brave face and boast to the Dark Iron dwarf beside him:

"What? The Flame King's flames are nothing special, far inferior in temperature to the Holy Flame of the Vigilant Diakum!"

"Can you stop shaking your legs when you say that? You shameful coward."

The Dark Iron dwarves cursed rudely, then assigned tasks and went their separate ways. It was clear that they hadn't wasted any time in the past hundred years and were very familiar with the terrain of Molten Core. They set off with Living Water Essence to "put out the fires".

For reasons unknown, Thaurissan volunteered to go to the deepest part of Molten Core to extinguish the fire.

Before leaving, the Iron Emperor solemnly said to Moira:

“My name is Dagran.”

"Ok?"

Princess Bronzebeard looked at him in surprise, and the Iron Emperor explained:
"The Thaurisson family was once a wizarding family. We have an ancestral rule that, in order to prevent family members from being harmed by curses, everyone's real name is kept secret. Only when we die will our real name be revealed, and only those closest to us are qualified to know the names of the Thaurisson family."

Thank you, Moira.

Your help has given me renewed courage. Although I may die soon, if this is a disaster my grandfather brought upon my people, then as a descendant of Thaurissan, I feel it is my responsibility to end it.

After saying that, the guy grabbed the water bottle and rushed out, disappearing into the leaping flames.

While Red was being roasted to the point of ecstasy, he still had time to whistle a lewd tune, which earned him a fierce glare from Moira.

The Thorium Brotherhood acted swiftly, extinguishing one Everburn Mark after another with the roar of fire elementals.

Ragnaros in the Elemental Realm seemed to sense that his arrival was being disrupted, and he roared as he sent out his fire elementals to strangle the insects.

Moira and Red were quickly cornered in a passage by the ferocious fire demons. Just as the two were preparing to fight to the death, a wolf howl rang out and hundreds of ghost wolves carrying green-skinned orcs charged out of the shadows.

Leading them was none other than the "Great Chieftain" of the Hogg Wolf Clan.

Hogger wanted to pull off a little something extra, so he grabbed his battle axe and charged out, ready to roar and announce his arrival. But instead, his fur was set ablaze by the flames, turning his majestic roar into a panicked scream in the second half.

"Holy crap! How can these Dark Iron dwarves be so wicked?"

Hogg shouted:
"I'm covered in hair! I shouldn't have come to this godforsaken place, you son of a bitch Red, you just wait!"

However, its poor performance did not reflect the ferocity of the orcs. Their fierce attack quickly killed all the fire demons blocking their way. These soft-skinned snakes, which resembled the Naga, were no match for the big orcs who had experienced the Battle of Mount Hyjal.

However, things still went wrong.

"The last rune hasn't been extinguished yet."

A Dark Iron dwarf shouted:

"It's too late, the Fire Demon King is coming!"

"Dagrand is still inside!"

Moira stared at the deepest part of the cave, where flames were raging, and screamed:
"Who will save him?"

No one moved.

Even Red reached out and pressed Moira down. The fire in front of them had become a solid wall of flames, and anyone who dared to approach would die inside.

"Holy Light!"

Moira knelt on the ground and devoutly called out:

"Please bestow your miracles, I am willing to give everything for today's victory."

"boom"

With a deafening roar, the entire cavern of the Molten Core shook violently.

Dagran Thaurissan, who had slain several fire demons, threw away his melting battle axe and poured the living essence in his hand onto the runes at his feet.

Just like touching scorching steel, causing mist to rise, in the illusory magma before his eyes, the elemental body of the Fire Demon King, which was already faintly visible, was rapidly "compressed." Its enormous body was forced to shrink and could only be transformed into a projection.

But it is still an existence that mortals cannot contend with.

The Balrog King arrogantly stared at the audacious Black Iron dwarf at his feet who dared to look him directly in the eye, and he roared:
“Well done, bug! But now tell me, how do you expect to withstand Ragnaros’s wrath, you coward who received the blessing of fire and then betrayed me?”

"Ah."

Soresen knew he was doomed.

He didn't reach for his weapon; instead, he raised his head and cursed at the Fire Demon King:
"To hell with your blessing! You stripped the Thaurissan family of their wizarding bloodline, filled our veins with your filthy flames, and you've ruined us! Die, Balrog King!"

Thaurissan grabbed his rock and hurled it at the terrifying Fire Lord before him, shouting:
"One day, the Dark Iron Dwarves will break free from your control! One day, we will march on your kingdom and kill you on your throne!"
I will never see it again.

But I, this useless emperor, have already chosen a leader for my people who is firm and unyielding!
She will become the true dwarf queen.

And you
You will become her stepping stone to the throne!

"Insects! What a pathetic fantasy!"

The King of Flames naturally has a fiery temper.

It swung its burning warhammer down at Thaurissan, and the Black Iron Emperor closed his eyes, calmly accepting his death.

But after several seconds, he did not feel the pain of turning into ashes, so he quietly opened his eyes and saw a sinister figure holding a "strange warhammer" stirring a pile of hot embers.

There was also an unclosed void rift next to the opponent, which looked extremely dangerous.

The illusion of the Flame Demon King, who had just been spouting nonsense, had vanished without a trace, as if it had been shattered by a hammer.

After all, it was just a barely constructed elemental projection, at most possessing the strength of a legendary figure.

"Who are you?"

Soresen cried out in fear.

The cold giant turned around, his gaze like a summons from a sea of ​​darkness, giving the Black Iron Emperor a splitting headache.

As the shadows faded, the Saint of Vigilance reached out his hand to him and said gently:
"I am Diakmazist, summoned by a Lightwalker to confront this heavy fate. You weren't joking when you said you were going to slay the Balrog, were you?"
That's perfect, I have a similar need.

So, how about we team up?

(End of this chapter)