Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 471, Section 10: Azeroth Also Needs Its Own Pearl Harbor

"Your Majesty, the invitation from Quel'Thalas has arrived."

In the gloomy royal palace of Lordaeron, a fully armed dragonborn servant trudged into the king's bedchamber.

He gave a brief announcement at the door, and a moment later, the door opened, and His Majesty Terenas Menethil, dressed in pajamas, reached out and accepted the magnificent elven invitation.

The king, who seemed to have returned to his youth, even his gray hair had turned black, glanced at him a few times, and said in a hoarse voice:
"Please summon Sir Daval and my Royal Wizard; I need to speak with them about this matter."

"As ordered."

The dragon-born servant turned and left, leaving the palace once again deathly silent and cold.

Although it is indeed close to midnight and it is understandable that the palace is a bit dark, the feeling hidden in the darkness is not as simple as just being oppressive.

It seemed as if some "living thing" was moving in every shadow of this palace, as if the darkness of this palace had materialized and flowed through the eaves and corners, and even the statue of the saint standing in the palace garden was covered with a dark veil in the darkness.

Crows took flight from the branches of trees along the edge of the palace wall, making eerie cries, but they could not frighten anyone in the palace, because even the cooks who prepared meals for the king and his servants were now dragon descendants.

In the six months since the demon invasion, the capital city of Lordaeron and the entire country have been completely changed by this disaster.

Warriors in war need strength, and those who can protect the innocent will earn honor and respect.

Fortunately, the Kingdom of Lordaeron possessed the secret arts of the Dragonborn, enabling warriors willing to dedicate themselves to the kingdom to wield their power.

In today's cities, the status of the Dragonborn has clearly surpassed that of the former nobility.

Or rather, the rise of the new military aristocracy completely shattered the former ruling system of the Kingdom of Lordaeron. The dragonborn warriors who defended their homeland could gain glory, wealth, and status, while those incompetent and useless people who only knew how to exploit the common people would be ruthlessly abandoned.

Despite Khadgar and Rhonin's constant reports back to Stormwind stating that the Dragonborn would conscript ordinary people as slaves, the order in the royal city was not actually so bad that it was unbearable to live there.

On the contrary, because the king had abolished a series of exorbitant taxes in the past few months, the living standards of ordinary people in the city were better than before.

Of course, the shortage of supplies during wartime was indeed a problem, and the rule that each household had to send a man to serve the Dragonborn warriors also caused discontent among many people, but the fierce demons were indeed defeated by the Dragonborn's attack.

The Dragonborn warriors are reclaiming their homeland every day!
They were winning big, even invading the Kingdom of Alterac and reclaiming territory for the weak Perenolde royal family.

At the very least, the capital city of Lordaeron can protect the safety of its people, and therefore they should be grateful to these warriors who dare to fight on the front lines.

As for the dragonborn's unstable emotions and the frequent incidents of violence, these "minor matters" are nothing, at least not to the king who is plotting to seize more territory and establish an empire.

He himself is a descendant of the dragon.

Is there anything wrong with having a higher status for brave and skilled dragonborn warriors in a country ruled by dragonborn?

While King Terenas waited, Duke Davar, who had been promoted to Prime Minister, and the mysterious royal witch arrived one after the other. In King Terenas's bedchamber, His Majesty ate dinner while discussing the invitation with the two high-ranking officials.

His Majesty's dinner was "unique".

The medium-rare ribs seemed to still have some blood on them, but in reality, it was just spicy sauce. The king ate his dinner with an elegant knife and fork, his every move very "rigid," as if he were deliberately maintaining a long-standing habit.

His cutting and chewing movements were very forceful, as if he was suppressing and resisting the "impulse" to use his hands to transform into dragon claws to tear apart the meat in front of him and to devour it like a wild beast.

He was trying his best to maintain something.

Perhaps it's about dignity, or perhaps it's about humanity?
But the two high-ranking officials paid no heed to these matters. Lord Davar admired the flowing calligraphy on the invitation and marveled at the Sun King's elven handwriting, while the court witch, who had just "returned from her journey," reported in a muffled voice:

"Your Majesty, your court mage corps has gained ten more squads of Gana Sea Witches, and with the Tide Sages who came to pledge allegiance last month, your fleet can now rival the invincible fleet of Kul Tiras on the high seas."

And I just received an accurate message!

Her Majesty Dalyn Proudmoore departed Boralus this morning with the Third Fleet, her mission being to the South Seas to annihilate the Bloodsail Pirates entrenched on 'Plunder Island'.

Perhaps we can take a tactical risk?

"Oh?"

King Terenas' eyes lit up.

He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sauce from the corner of his mouth and asked:
"You mean, intercept and kill the King of Kul Tiras at sea? Are you confident?"

"Have!"

Lord Davar put down the invitation and said:
“If we send Dragonborn to help, we can capture or kill Daelin if we can pinpoint her location. I know you always plan carefully before acting, but you don’t need to worry this time.”

Because the Kingdom of Lordaeron's 'allies' in Kul Tiras are also ready to take over the government!
The unique political environment of Kul Tiras means that the 'king' is more of a product of compromise for them. However, if there is enough external pressure and internal support, it would be very easy for Kul Tiras to submit to the Lordaeron Empire.

"As long as Her Majesty Darlene unexpectedly 'disappears'."

King Terenas narrowed his eyes, pondering and weighing the pros and cons, before asking:
"What about Gilneas?"

"Darius Crowley, the northern lord who was defending the Silverpine Forest for His Majesty Genn, was captured by your valiant dragonborn warriors a few days ago."

Lord Davar stroked his perfectly styled mustache and said with a smile:
"This means that the entire Silverpine Forest is under your control, and most importantly, our ally, Master Lylar Flamefang, is already 'persuading' Lord Crowley and his pack of wolves to surrender."

With the Flamefang Master possessing the sacred artifact 'Moon Scythe,' you can obtain a weak claim to Gilneas in just a few days.

Infighting among wolf packs is extremely dangerous. If His Majesty Genn were to fall into an ambush, it would be perfectly normal for the King of Lordaeron, as a friendly neighbor of Gilneas, to temporarily take over the border for his ally.

After all, even though werewolves roam freely, at least half of the humans in Gilneas are struggling to survive.

Protecting humanity is your duty!

"Yes, protecting humanity is my duty, and it is the emperor's duty, which cannot be desecrated!"

King Terenas nodded.

He looked at his court witch, and without a word, the understanding witch immediately rose to make the arrangements.

A fleet will depart for the South China Sea tomorrow!

With the Naga Sea allies in the war, let's hope Her Majesty Daelin Proudmoore is blessed by the sea.

"Anduin Lothar will definitely attend Kael'thas Sunstrider's wedding, and not only him, but the leaders of the Southern Frontier will most likely be there as well."

Terenas said:
"This is a great tactical opportunity, but strategically it would put our country in a disastrous diplomatic situation. Therefore, I am hesitant about whether to take this opportunity to launch a decapitation strike against our enemy."

I need your wisdom, Lord Davar.

“You are right. In the traditional human understanding, it is dishonorable to wage war without declaring war. Victory won in this way will attract criticism. From the perspective of a subject, I do not recommend that you do so.”

Sir Dawar said slowly and deliberately:
"However, if we don't launch an attack, will Quel'Thalas stand on your side and the Empire of Lordaeron's side?"
Do not!
They won't.

The high elves have refused to return our refugees three times.

Those were all citizens of the Lordaeron Empire. With the war in their homeland now over, it was perfectly reasonable for us to ask them to return home, but the high elves refused.

Quel'dorei has already chosen sides, Your Majesty.

Anduin Lothar's fiancée is the granddaughter of the Phoenix Guardian of Quel'Thalas. The Pointy-Ears have cunningly placed their bets, hoping to interfere in the Empire's internal affairs through a covenant, just as they did 2,800 years ago.

Most importantly, the Quel'dorei have been secretly protecting the Chapel of Light's Hope, making it difficult for our dragonborn assassins to track down the 'traitor' Alonsus Faol, leaving the heartless priest to incite the people against their own dragonborn protectors and betray their monarch.

Lothar has not yet launched an attack.

But he has already launched a vicious attack.

If you don't take action soon, your war with him might end before it even begins.

These words persuaded King Terenas, who was already inclined to agree. He stood up, stroked the Menethil family seal on his finger, and after a moment, asked:
"If we deploy our elite troops, how confident are we?"

"The High Elf's Bantinorel Guardian of the Territory barrier is a big problem; its activation means that any raid will be impossible."

Sir Dawar calmly said:
"Therefore, only you can lead the most elite dragonborn warriors into Quel'Thalas as observers to disrupt their barrier. I will wait outside with the dragonborn army. Once the attack succeeds, then..."

“I have a better idea, Your Majesty.”

The royal witch, who had returned, floated over and said:
"I have recruited a group of ethereal assassins from the starry sea for you. Their unique forms allow them to evade the magical detection of the high elves. I will personally lead them with you into Quel'Thalas. Moreover, my wizard has already contacted the enemies of the Quel'dorei for you in advance!"

Although the Amani trolls are savage, they will gladly fight under your banner when they see high elves bleed.

Lord Davar's plan is good, but its success cannot be guaranteed.

My plan is radical: we'll attack the Sunwell directly! And I can guarantee I can completely disrupt or even destroy that magical wonder.

The Quel'dorei have been altered by magic.

They may seem powerful, but they are actually just a pathetic bunch of magic addicts. Once the Sunwell collapses, you won't even need to attack; the elves will surrender on their own.

They couldn't overcome their addiction!

"Too risky!"

Lord Davar rebuked:

"The path to the Empire cannot afford such a radical gamble. We have advantages in the Northern Frontier and can clearly proceed with a steady and methodical approach. Moreover, the Amani trolls are the enemies of humanity! Your Majesty cannot ally with them; it would damage Your Majesty's prestige."

"So, does His Majesty care about his own prestige? Or does he yearn to see a real victory?"
Furthermore, Lord Davar, your so-called 'advantage' is only at the mortal level. However, just a few days ago I witnessed powerful beings born in the history of Azeroth exerting all their strength, yet they couldn't even break through Diakum's defenses!

The court witch said coldly:
“You should know about it, Lysages,” Lord Davar said, his expression shifting slightly.

He was annoyed that this guy would undermine him at this time, but he also knew that this was a warning from Xalatas to him. No matter how many dragonborn he created for the Lordaeron Empire, as long as the Vigilant joined the war, any numerical advantage would become a joke.

Unless Lord Davard is willing to abandon his favorite "alias" and transform into Deathwing to fight the Vigilantes.

"Please believe me, Your Majesty, and Lord Davar."

The court witch let out a seductive laugh.

she says:

"If the Vigilante is also in Quel'Thalas, that would be best. I will devise a scheme for him to force him to reveal secrets he cannot reveal. At that time, the powerful Lightforger will also become a target of everyone's hatred, and the forces that resent him will flood the material world and devour him!"
This is the best opportunity ever!

We may never have such an opportunity again.

Think about it carefully.

Without the support of the Vigilantes, what are Anduin Lothar and his ridiculous alliance compared to His Majesty's Dragonborn might?
The Menethil family is destined to rule the Eastern Continent!
Your Majesty, you should make a decision.

King Terenas looked at Lord Davar. Compared to this powerful court witch who seemed to have "friends" everywhere, he clearly trusted his "son-in-law" more.

But Lord Davar's expression was uncertain at this moment, and in the end he simply nodded to the king.

他 说:

"The Vigilant is indeed a big problem. If you can eliminate it at the Sunwell, your conquest will be much smoother."

"Then do it!"

King Terenas was also decisive enough.

He knew that there were only one or two opportunities in his life to do great things, and if he missed them, he would regret it. In any case, the preparations for war in both the southern and northern border regions had reached their final stage.

Even without this surprise attack, the war between the two sides would have started in the last few months.

After Lord Davar and the court witch left, the king, who had been very calm since becoming a dragonborn, felt a rare surge of emotion, and his gaze fell on the unfinished midnight snack.

He strode forward, grabbed the steak, and was about to stuff it into his mouth.

But the next second, King Terenas threw the steak back onto the plate as if he had been electrocuted.

He slapped himself hard across the face, then took a deep breath, sat back down in his chair, straightened his cuffs and collar, smoothed out the wrinkles in his napkin, picked up his knife and fork, and, just as meticulously as before, cut the steak and put it in his mouth.

Every movement was extremely stiff, as if fighting a battle against some kind of inner desire.

Only wild animals use their claws and teeth to eat.
But I am a human being!
In the corridor outside the palace, Lord Davar walked with his hands behind his back, accompanied by the court witches.

他 说:

"You've overstepped your bounds."

"Sorry, I was just... well, I was just startled."

Saratas pulled down her hood and whispered:

"What happened in Pandaria and what I saw and heard on the islands have terrified me. The gap between me and Diakum is widening, and this is my last chance to turn things around."

Of course, this will require your full assistance.

"Whether we let it go or not, there's no need to let it go. He now has the power to kill you or even purify you. He's a problem that must be dealt with, don't you think?"

"really."

Lord Davard gazed into the night and said:
"The Dragon Isles are about to appear. We must deal with Diakum before then. Once the Dark Heart falls into his hands, we will all be doomed. I understand your fear, Xalatas."

This is the first time I've felt such fear towards an enemy I've never even fought.

Haha, fear, what an unfamiliar emotion.

"Looks like I really am getting old."

------

"The chances that King Terenas won't take advantage of Kael'thas's wedding to behead you are basically the same as if I were to trip over a pebble right outside my door and then tragically fall to my death."

The Watcher, looking at the somewhat haggard Lothar before him at Northshire Abbey, said:

"Even so, do you still have to attend that wedding? You know, for the safety of the guests, your not going is the greatest blessing for Kael'thas."

"Your words really hit home."

Losa made a comment.

He then picked up the wine glass in front of him and swirled it around. Archbishop Nelly, who was pouring wine for Diakum, glared at him.

What's wrong?
If you want a drink, go pour it yourself. Why are you looking at me?
Lothar was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at his fiancée, only to be glared at by Lady Daenerys.

What's wrong?
Do you think you can beat me? You want me to pour you wine?

Wow, we're not even married yet, and you dare to ask me to pour you wine. I don't even want to think about what you'll dare to do after we get married!
Losa sighed wearily and was about to get up when he saw Diakum grab the flask and pour him a glass himself.

This made the marshal laugh heartily, and he said to the guards:

"Only men can truly understand the pain of men, ouch! Pinch gently! That's my rib, not your training dummy."

The marshal, yelling and chasing away his violent fiancée, took a sip of his drink with a bitter expression before saying:

"This is probably the last time I will meet Terenas before the war begins. I will definitely go. Although I have given up on the idea of ​​resolving the issue through diplomacy, he may be unscrupulous, but I cannot."

Moreover, if Terenas made the first move, wouldn't I have a legitimate reason to retaliate?
He can see this as a decapitation strike, so why can't I see it that way too?

“Good idea, but let me make it clear beforehand that I’m not participating in your ‘duel of the two emperors’.”

Dick said very seriously:
"I have important business to attend to in Quel'Thalas. As the head of a branch campus of the Mystic Academy, I have a responsibility to inspect our teaching facilities in advance. Moreover, the Northern Frontier is not only home to your enemies, but also to mine."

I can even guess what they're thinking. If they don't take advantage of this opportunity to crush me now, they'll be easily defeated by me even if they join forces in a few months.

This is their last chance to fight back.

They won't miss it.

Therefore, I am certain that Kael'thas's 'Red Wedding' will be recorded in history. However, the Black Dragonborn, tainted by the Void and chasing the Twilight Hour, are undoubtedly enemies of the world.

The vigilant reminded:

"Therefore, I summon the savior of mankind and you to go together."

If they strike first, don't hesitate to retaliate. I just heard about the dragons' civil war 20,000 years ago; you must remember their lessons.

If we don't want humanity to be permanently divided, civil war is something that can't be delayed.

The sooner it ends, the better.

"Ah."

Losa drank the wine and said:
"My coming to see you today signifies that I have made up my mind and am ready. And to be honest, with you by my side, I am quite bold to go to the banquet in Quel'Thalas."

Tell me honestly, Dick, is there anyone in Azeroth who can threaten you now?

"Yes, of course."

Diakum blinked and said:
"If we're being modest, then there's the Nightsworn of the Kaldorei, Aegwynn empowered by the power of the world, Deathwing in full power, and Queen Azshara of the Highborne. That makes four, doesn't it?"
Being among the top five in planetary-level combat power is not enough for me; there are far more monsters and demons in the vast universe.

If the conditions were relaxed a little more...
I'm referring to just 'normal combat strength'; there are many more who can rival me.

The Angry Wind Brothers, the Thousand-Throat Demon, the Thousand-Beard Demon, the God of the Wilderness, and many more.

I'm just a high-ranking demigod right now, Lothar. All the Titan Guardians in Ulduar are perfect-ranking demigods, without exception.

"Oh dear, it seems there's a bit too many demigods in Azeroth. Since the Kingdom of Lordaeron spread the Dragonborn arcane arts, the number of these legendary beings has become rampant."

"But... in your mouth, demigods have become a unit of measurement for combat power, and you yourself said it's normal combat power. Whether I activate the Heart of Azeroth or not is a completely different state! How can you not include 'normal amplification' in personal power?"

Lothar pursed his lips, just about to have a proper discussion about this "Animal Chess", when he saw the white pawn push open the door and rush in, with an unsteady posture of jumping up and down.

Just as Lothar was about to reprimand them, he heard the white pawn shout:

"The Dark Portal has opened, and Arthas and Calia are back! They want to come with us to Quel'Thalas. I couldn't dissuade them, so could you try to persuade them? Arthas says he insists on meeting his father to ask him some questions."

"You can't even persuade a child? What's the point of being so big?"

"Oh no, Arthas has also completed the Trial of Prosperity! Moreover, he is now a paladin apprentice of the Prophet of Velen. If they were to fight, I'm not sure I could take him down!"

(End of this chapter)