Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 484, Section 23: If this is the price of becoming king, then I refuse!

He's up ahead!

The white soldier, riding a magnificent Quel'dorei warhorse, found the assassin's mark left by Garona on a nearby tree branch. After determining the direction, he called out to Arthas and Calia behind him:

"Come with me! We're getting closer to him."

Arthas didn't answer, but simply pulled on the reins, urging his "unicorn" to catch up with the white pawn.

Princess Calia, standing beside him, was also a skilled rider, riding a white Quel'dorei steed alongside her two younger brothers. The three of them had found their horses in the chaos of the palace, and their pursuit of King Terenas, who had retreated from the battlefield through the "Void Gate," was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

The main reason was that Varian discovered the tracking information left by Garona.

During the Stormwind War, Garona had specifically taught him how to identify these unique Shadow Council markings. Judging from the location of the markings, Garona must have been lucky enough to discover King Terenas's trail amidst the chaos.

She left the marker not just to attract three young men as reinforcements, but in the current chaotic city, it would be difficult for other forces to arrive in time to provide assistance.

They had now caught up to the location of the Western Temple, from where they could already see the docks of Sunsail Harbor. King Terenas' choice of this route for evacuation meant he was definitely going to leave Quel'Thalas by sea.

“There must be ships waiting to pick him up, and it was definitely arranged in advance! So these messes today weren’t a spur-of-the-moment thing; he had already planned to behead Marshal Lothar today before he came.”

Damn!

He actually allowed his dragonborn to cooperate with the trolls? Has he forgotten why the Arathor Empire was originally founded?

The white soldier's fury.

He felt he had never been so angry at a human being, and the outburst of rage made his eyes, beneath the white soldier's helmet, bloodshot.

King Terenas's behavior today cannot be described as merely wicked; he is nothing short of a traitor to human tradition.

Varian's rebuke made Arthas's face darken even more.

This guy was wearing a set of Eagle Armor, which was Varian's spare armor, so it was almost identical to the armor worn by the White Soldier.

It's a very standard human armor style, but it's decorated with artistic eagle shoulder armor on the shoulders and a roaring lion shoulder armor on the right shoulder. The overall design is modeled after Marshal Lothar's lion armor.

Because Onyxia handled them, both sets of armor contain elemental steel, making their protective capabilities quite remarkable.

This thing was clearly not meant for lowly soldiers, but considering the identities and status of the two young men, it wasn't too outrageous for them to possess such armor in this chaotic era.

They are indeed a true "elite unit," because the prosperity ceremony gives them the potential to become "heroes."

"I saw!"

After crossing the hills of the Western Temple, Varian spotted a group of dragonborn escorting King Terenas to the shore opposite Sunsail Harbor through his goblin telescope, where a black passenger ship was waiting.

They are about to reach the shore.

"rush!"

Bai Zu tossed the telescope back into his bag, drew the Salamani sword from his back, and charged out first.

Arthas then turned to his sister and called out:

"You stay here, don't go over there! Don't worry about me and Bai Zu, Master Garona is nearby too, we can handle them! But don't come any closer."

Having said that, Arthas, wielding his Holy Light and carrying the Guardian's Crystal Warhammer, charged out with Varian.

The two made no attempt to conceal their pursuit, and were quickly discovered by the dragonborn knights escorting the king. King Terenas had been wounded by Lothar, and even with the dragonborn's super regeneration, his movements while riding a horse were still awkward.

He had no intention of paying attention to the two pursuers.

But as he turned around, the Dragonborn's exaggerated dynamic vision allowed him to catch a glimpse of the young man riding the black Quel'dorei warhorse.

Al-Sass deliberately removed his helmet so that his father could see him.

"Arthas?"

Despite being unable to comprehend why his beloved son had grown into an adult overnight, King Terenas stopped in his tracks. He looked at Arthas, and the boy's bravery and fearlessness pleased the king greatly.

He's much more successful than I was when I was younger.

However, the holy light surrounding him greatly displeased the king. The holy light was no longer a "friend" of the Kingdom of Lordaeron. Archbishop Faol's steadfastness at the Chapel of Light's Hope had turned it into a stronghold for traitors who rebelled against the king's rule!
Having received the power of the black dragon, they are clearly no longer able to embrace the Holy Light, therefore the Kingdom of Lordaeron currently has no paladins.

There were many priests, but they were all priests who followed the shadows, led by very capable "royal witches".

"Your Majesty! You should leave immediately."

The king's guard whispered:

"These two pursuers are of average strength; your knights will take care of them for you."

"That's my son."

King Terenas waved his hand and said:
"He wants to talk to me. How can I let the child down? Tell the Sage of the Tide to wait a few more minutes. Warriors, follow me!"

The king took a dragonborn blade from a guard.

His ancestral warhammer, the Might of Menethil, had been severed by the Holy Sword of Stromka and was now in his horse's saddlebag. As King Terenas led several dragonborn knights charging over, Varian bared his teeth and lowered his body on his warhorse.

He leveled Salamani's blade and kicked the horse with the spikes of his boots.

The Quel'dorei warhorse, already magnificent, accelerated once more while galloping at high speed, carrying the white soldier past a dragonborn knight. The knight's blade left only a mark on Varian's armor, but the elven sword's sharpness was unstoppable, using the impact to cleave the dragonborn in two.

Such a heart-severing wound would be equally fatal to a dragonborn. His scales clearly offered no protection, and his mangled body fell to the ground amidst the neighing of his warhorse.

The first death came so suddenly; its name was "pride".

Garona, who had been lurking all along, also quietly appeared at this moment, leaping out from the shadow of the Dragonborn Knight. The deadly "Death from Above" caused the Crimson Blade to swirl and fly, swiftly and decisively executing the knight beside Terenas amidst a thousand cuts. The deadly Kingslayer also used the impact to pierce Terenas' armor in the back of his heart.

However, this seemingly sure-fire strike did not immediately bring the Dragonborn King to the ground. On the contrary, Garona was nearly severed from her arm by the Dragonborn Blade that King Terenas swung at her.

The Assassin Master leaped a few times to create distance. She glanced at the bloodstains on the Kingslayer; that attack had definitely pierced Terenas's heart.

She was certain the assassination was successful.

But the king showed no signs of weakness and even clashed weapons fiercely with his son who was charging towards him.

Arthas was thrown from his warhorse, but King Terenas was also struck by the Holy Light and thrown from his dragonblood steed. The father and son wrestled together, raising their weapons and engaging in a hearty display of "filial piety" on the slightly chaotic coastline.

Varian wanted to go and help, but Garona stopped him.

The Assassin Master made a gesture, and the two passed each other to deal with the remaining Dragonborn Knights.

Garona is alright. She is a legendary assassin master with a divine weapon in hand. These days, she has been following Khadgar in the Northlands and knows the weaknesses of the Dragonborn very well. She can easily take on one or two high-ranking Dragonborn in a head-on confrontation.

But Varian was a bit lacking.

His own strength was locked due to the Prosperity Ritual. He could easily bully ordinary warriors on the battlefield, but it would be a bit risky when he encountered these elite dark creations.

The sneak attack tactic we just used can only be used once.

Having witnessed Salamani's terrifying power firsthand, the opponent would naturally avoid close combat with the White Pawn. Moreover, the Dragonborn, with its wings, could easily maintain distance and slowly whittle down the war dagger with dangerous shadow flames.

However, the fact that Bai Zu has survived to this day on such a dangerous battlefield is certainly impressive.

He could even achieve victories on the dangerous battlefield of Mount Hyjal, his combat experience far exceeding his youthful appearance.

The dragonborn spread its wings and flew into the air, slamming two balls of shadow flame into the ground. But after the explosion, only the white Quel'dorei warhorse galloped away, while Varian was nowhere to be seen, which made the dragonborn blink.

His pupils transformed into snake eyes as he carefully observed, but the Swift Wind Step of the Fire Blade Secret Technique was not so easily seen through.

On the other side, Garona had already killed the second Dragonborn Knight in the carnage. The remaining two took turns providing cover, but were made extremely disheveled by Garona's constant attacks from both near and far, leaping from the shadows.

The Assassin Master's unpredictable "Deadly Throw," combined with the heavy throwing knives forged from the Fang of Rezan, would severely damage even the life force of a Dragonborn if it struck.

It's no wonder the elite dragonborn were in such a sorry state; they were up against two "pay-to-win" players.

Garona's weapons need no introduction. Her small arsenal contains at least three or four artifacts and a whole host of legendary weapons. Her leather armor is made from Hakkar's blood-splattered scales, combining toughness and agility, and is also resistant to magic. Even the dragonborn's battle blades have difficulty penetrating her armor.

"Got you!"

The flying dragonborn caught a glimpse of a white soldier flashing by beside a tree. He immediately swooped down and unleashed a torrent of dangerous shadow flames, igniting everything around him. As the attacked white soldier burst like a bubble, the dragonborn jolted and prepared to take off.

But it's too late.

The gleaming Salamaini descended from behind, unleashing the most standard Sword Saint's strike to break stealth, a deadly technique with an absolute critical hit.

With a single slash, blood erupted.

The dragonborn's head, along with half a wing, crashed into the dragonfire.

Varian had no time to rest. He turned and charged back into Windwalk to support Garona in dealing with the remaining Dragonborn Knights. The three of them then joined forces to kill Terenas.

The strategy was very clear, and what's even more remarkable is that there was no communication during the battle; the entire plan was decided through eye contact and gestures. It's clear that the White Soldier has not wasted his time following Lothar these past few days; he has developed the mindset of a qualified warrior.

However, they overlooked the few guys who had already disembarked on the shore—those who wore robes and looked like spellcasters, yet were adorned with the Tide Emblem and shrouded in shadow.

They are approaching the battlefield to rescue King Terenas, who is surrounded.

The Dragonborn King was not in a hurry at the moment. Although he was injured and his left arm was unusable, he was still able to suppress the furious Arthas with only his right arm.

"Your growth is perfect. Perhaps it's some kind of secret art from Draenor that allowed me to see my son grown up ahead of time. Honestly, if this is what you will be like twenty years from now, then I can absolutely entrust the country to you with complete peace of mind." He said:

"You are now qualified to inherit the throne, Arthas. Come home with me."

"Go back and drink the black dragon's blood with me? What's the difference between that and suicide?"

Arthas was in a sorry state.

His holy light shone, protecting him from harm, but it was difficult to use for effective offense. Besides his combat experience being far less than that of the White Soldier, his current state of rage also made it difficult for him to properly control his divine power.

Hearing his father's summons, Arthas roared:
"When I came back, when I was on the road, and even when I arrived in Quel'Thalas, I still had illusions about you! I think those reports might have been exaggerated, and I think you might have been coerced by those dangerous people."

You might even be bewitched by dark magic!

If I can awaken you with the Holy Light, I can still see the dignified yet loving father I once knew. If you can return to that time, I will do my utmost to use my Holy Light to help you protect the country and the people.

But it's gone!

My dreams have been shattered by reality, Father!
You showed me your most despicable side; you killed my hero, Terenas, with your own hands.

They waged war without warning, colluded with trolls, brought the flames of war into the land of the elves, and summoned dark evils that killed the Sun King and the Black Raven King.
you!
How did you become like this? "

He swung the Hammer of the Naaru, the gleaming warhammer blocked by King Terenas with one hand. As he faced his son's overwhelming strength, the king, seeing the rage in his child's eyes, said:
"Hmm, I'm a little disappointed in you now. Is it because you've heard too many stories of justice, so you've placed those illusory things in an important position in your life?"

But how can you allow yourself to abandon your responsibilities? How can you be content with just being a 'righteous person'?
You are the prince of Lordaeron!

You are destined to rule the kingdom with your strength and courage, not with your justice and your mercy; those are not the virtues of a king.

"But that's my virtue!!!"

Arthas roared.

Under King Terenas's astonished gaze, golden holy light erupted from his son's body, spreading its wings like an eagle's wings and striking his body from both sides. The scorching purifying power caused the king to roar in discomfort and retreat to block.

But Arthas, consumed by vengeful fury, pounced on him and struck him squarely in the chest with his hammer.

The king was defeated.

He looked at Arthas, who was imposing and had wings covering his face.

He looked at his son, who stood like a "messenger of light" from a holy story, on this war-torn land.

Golden feathers of light fell from Arthas's body, filling his still-scarred face with an emotion that the king could hardly comprehend.

But he knew that his children had chosen to stay true to themselves over becoming a leader.

This is also normal.

Although Arthas had a mature body, his mind was that of a simple child. He could not understand what a difficult path he would have to take if he insisted on being himself.

He was also unaware of the immense value he would be giving up.

My child is still young, he has time to grow up, it must be the Holy Light that "corrupted" him! After all, what does a child know?

"Go back with me!"

Arthas roared:
"Come back to Silvermoon City with me and apologize to those you have hurt!"

"You want me to kneel before the banner of the elves and repent?"

Terenas laughed heartily and said:
“My son thought that if I did this, the elves would forgive me. His simple sense of justice made him think I was a bad person, completely ignoring the fact that it was Quel'Thalas who detained the people of Lordaeron.”
They provoked us first!
I'm sorry, I can't go back with you. Your father also has his own desires and ideals, and I am now walking on this path. Perhaps I don't need you to explain these things to me.

You don't understand the adult world yet.
Come home with me!

I will spend a lot of time teaching you; my empire also needs an heir.

The fanaticism for justice is a disease that makes it impossible for you to live well in this vicious world, but I believe it can be cured.

"Don't think about it!"

Arthas leaped forward, brandishing his gleaming warhammer, and slammed it down at the man before him in the radiance of his vengeful fury. But the attack was blocked by the sudden appearance of enormous dragon wings, which shattered the light with a swift flap.

The prince's warhammer flew out and exploded upon landing in the clash between the sinister power and the holy light.

Arthas himself was being held by the neck by the king, lifted into the air by the arm that Lothar had previously injured. The dark red dragon claws were as menacing as armored gauntlets, holding Arthas so that he could not resist.

“I said, you have to come home with me! I didn’t give you the right to refuse.”

King Terenas' tone turned cold.

Arthas's holy light retaliated, but faced with the flow of dark power in the dragon's claws and the flickering shadow flames that ignited everything, the light could only ultimately be limited to protecting the prince from being burned.

"Arthas!"

Bai Zu, carrying the Elven Divine Sword, was about to rush forward to help, but the next second he was grabbed by the dark tentacles that burst forth from beneath his feet.

Garona leaped three times in quick succession to dodge the strange tentacles' fierce attack. A second before she jumped into the shadows, she turned back and saw the dark and morbid Tide Sages chanting spells.

"Father! Don't do this!"

Outside the battlefield, Galiya sensed that something was wrong.

She rushed over, staggered off her horse, and tried to stop her father from taking her brother away, but as she got close to Terenas, Garona jumped out of her shadow, grabbed her, and dragged her backward.

King Terenas has gone mad!

He won't listen to anything now. Arthas has proven that mortal emotions cannot shake Terenas's pursuit of power.

That was a character flaw he already had, which was subtly amplified by the void into a state that resembled a "pillar of life".

"you"

King Terenas looked at his daughter who was crying incessantly.

He shook his head, perhaps still a little soft-hearted, and waved his hand, saying:

"Find a good family to marry into and live your life well, Jialiya. Your father will either become emperor or die without a burial place. No matter which outcome, I cannot give you a lifetime of happiness."

姑娘
Let's go to Draenor.

Go there and live an anonymous life, and stop worrying about the future of this chaotic world.

My daughter, this is my last bit of tenderness and blessing for you.

"no, do not want!"

Galya screamed:

"Help me, help me!"

She didn't know who she was calling for, but this helpless cry did not stop the King of Lordaeron from leaving. He looked at the white soldier trapped by the shadow tentacles, and seemed to recognize him but did not harm him.

He simply bent down and took the elven sword from the white soldier's hand.

His ancestral warhammer has been shattered, and he needs an invincible weapon for the war to come.

"This is to thank your father for taking care of my two good-for-nothing children, Varian Wrynn. Cherish your life, because next time you appear, I won't show any mercy."

He casually remarked, and with a flap of his dragon wings, he sent Varian flying to Garona's feet. He then dragged his struggling son toward the shore under the escort of the Tide Sages, but a few seconds later, they stopped.

In King Terenas's glance back, he saw his daughter floating in the air in a peculiar way.

A blinding light surged from her body and burst into a solar corona. The illusion of golden cherubs flew around Galia, and when she reopened her eyes, a wisp of golden sunfire danced at the corner of her eye.

"Galia is just an ordinary person; she can't withstand even one percent of my power."

The vigilant, who had once again invoked the power of "divine intervention," whispered:

"So you can leave, but you must leave Arthas behind! He will return to Lordaeron amidst the fluttering petals, he will go to inherit your mantle, and you will witness the power that belongs to you."

"Only one percent of the power?"

King Terenas said coldly:

"Aren't you being a bit too arrogant? A saint from another race!"

"Snapped"

Several Tide Sages beside him simultaneously reached out and pressed down on Terenas's shoulders, then covered his mouth as he uttered those arrogant words. They gestured to the King of Lordaeron with dim eyes to do as he was told!

Don't make a single unnecessary movement, and don't say a single unnecessary word!
The earthly king could not comprehend the concept of a vigilant with one percent of extraordinary power. This saint, who was far beyond the stars yet still shone like the sun, descended in his avatar. In his current state, he might not be able to defeat them, but he definitely had a way to drag all the villains here down with him and melt them into the light.

"Give my regards to N'Zoth."

As she saw Arthas laid on the ground, the Vigilant’s divinity quietly dissipated from Calia’s body.

As the sunlight faded, he said to the wise men of the sea:
"I wish the Thousand-Bearded Demon a long life. Soon, I will visit it in Ny'alotha, the Sleeping City, and awaken it to recreate the Dark Empire's dream. Ha, it is indeed quite ill."

It's time to wake up!

(End of this chapter)