Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 598, Section 59: The Eve of War - Severing the Last Shackles - Bonus Chapter [55]

(Bonus chapter for the "SpongeBob SquarePants in the Deep Sea" brothers [5/5])
"What agreement did you reach with them?"

Upon returning to Lordaeron, Brigadier General Daenerys pulled aside Lothar, whose expression was subtle, and asked softly:
“I just saw you studying a map with General Stitek. You even gave her your own strategic map, and Dalene and the others didn’t come back with you.”

Does this mean the Arathi Empire will also participate in the upcoming war for Kul Tiras?

"Daenerys, you need to improve your observation skills."

Losa shook his head and said:
"If the Arathi Empire's 'Holy Flame Expeditionary Force' did not intend to participate in the war, the emperor would not have specifically dispatched a force of nearly three thousand people, most of whom were combat personnel."

Their airships were enormous, war machines designed for the stormy seas, and equipped with massive cannons capable of firing special ammunition.

They were fanatical, viewing this war as part of the 'War of Light and Darkness'. Since the other side had this intention, it was only natural for me to invite them to join. But this was a truly unexpected force!

Before today, we were unaware of their existence, which means N'Zoth was also unaware.

The sacred flames they wield are extremely effective against evil spirits, meaning that if they are positioned correctly, these three thousand men, together with Dalene's fifteen hundred, can form a formidable force to defeat any enemy.

The best part is that the airship doesn't need to travel over the ocean!

This means that their journey will not be detected by the Thousand-Bearded Demons through ocean currents and seawater. After the savior Lady Lysages became the new wind goddess, the sky and storms became the domain of Mother World.

The Arathi warships thus gained 'battlefield cloaking' capabilities.

Lothar held his wife's hand and explained softly:

“I have already agreed on a strategy with General Stittek.”

Daelin's fleet will switch to Arathi warships and sail directly to Kul Tiras, launching a deadly raid on Stormsong Valley, the stronghold of the Church of Storms, while we wage war at Tiragarde Keep!

According to the Shadowhunters' reconnaissance, that place is the Thousand-Bearded Demon's 'center of faith' on Kul Tiras. Once that place is destroyed, the other evil spirits in the three provinces of Kul Tiras will no longer be a problem.

Brigadier General Daenerys was also an excellent commander, she blinked and said:
"It's not just Kul Tiras!"

N'Zoth summoned almost all the Void Cultists from both continents to Kul Tiras to establish his 'earthly demon kingdom'. The dark rats gathered together, and if they won this battle, not only would the gray areas of the Empire be cleared, but even the Kaldorei Moon God Kingdom would be brought peace.

I think we might be able to join forces with the Cadore.”

"This is a civil war among humans, Daenerys. It changes the nature of the conflict if other races get involved."

Losa was still somewhat hesitant about it.

But the future Empress scoffed at her husband's old-fashioned ways. She snorted and reminded him:
"Don't forget, you're not just the emperor of the human empire, Lothar. The four-race 'alliance' you formed in Quel'Thalas hasn't disbanded yet."

And you're the savior!
In this battle, we must confront the Thousand-Bearded Demon, the enemy of the world! All saviors must participate, and in that case, how can the trolls and elves, who consider themselves the first and second sons of the world, stand aside?
The trolls are facing internal rebellion, and they can't send too many people to understand it.

But the Kaldorei pose no threat, and they are enemies of the Nightmare King Xavius. Humans are not good at fighting in dreams. What I mean is, don't get hung up on 'racial prejudices'.

If you insist on pursuing a victory for pure-blooded humans, then you might as well forgo Quel'Thalas' support. If you become a 'great humanist,' how will our children face the world in the future?"

Daenerys touched her pointed ears and pouted, saying:
"How about I break off the engagement now, and you go and marry a pure-blooded human noblewoman?"

"Uh."

Losa rubbed her eyes.

He admitted that Daenerys made a lot of sense, but the final "life-or-death" question was definitely not related to military matters, right?
"This matter needs to be discussed with the court officials and the marshal. Whether or not to invite the help of foreign tribes is of great significance to the unification of the empire. I cannot give a decision immediately."

Losamo stroked his chin, soothingly saying:

"General Stitek's airship fleet will also need time for repairs, but there's no need to worry about supplies. Dalene's fleet still has some supplies, enough for both sides to reach the battlefield in Stormsong Valley."

Go and rest.

I need to think about the patterns of how war is being waged.

"Hmph, middle-aged men have quite a few tricks to shirk their 'duties,' especially when my husband is both an emperor and a marshal, I can't even get angry for those reasons."

The half-elf playfully poked Lothar's cheek with her finger, then laughed and strode away, her maids unable to keep up with her pace.

But she did misunderstand Lothar.

The marshal wasn't uninterested in marital matters; he simply needed to focus on the final stage of the founding war of the Stromka Empire.

Lothar pushed open the study door, took out a map of the Kul Tiras sea frontier, and spread out a map of the Tiragarde Strait. Since the table couldn't hold it all, he simply laid it on the floor. He took a small stool and sat down, holding a wooden stick and drawing lines on the map.

The war is about to begin.

In the past month or so, the Imperial fleet under Drake's command has broken through the Kul Tiras fleet blockade three times, delivering the Seventh Legion to its positions in the Drustvar Mountains.

Together with the local Knights of House Vek'res, they seized the Alom Terrace, which connects the mountains to the Tiragarde Straits. It was a true strategic location, and holding it would provide the Imperial army with a stable rear. It is also said that the Great Thorn Speaker of Kul Tiras and his druid sect joined the Imperial side.

The problem now is that the Kul Tiras naval blockade is becoming increasingly tight, and the opposing commander is Duke Farivell, the former fleet commander of the Kul Tiras navy and leader of the Bloodsail pirates.

That guy is a real formidable rival.

He not only personally led the Kurdish navy to fight against the Imperial navy at sea, but also made full use of the Kurdish navy's advantages, sending out "sea wolf packs" composed of many merchant ships converted into secondary warships and small boats to frequently harass key waters across the continent.

They not only attack Imperial transport ships, but also Imperial merchant ships and poorly defended harbors. Even Stormwind docks were almost breached by a surprise attack during a rainy night.

However, Losa also has its own advantages.

After the Battle of Lordaeron, Prince Gadgetzan, the "big benefactor" behind him, once again increased his investment in the Empire, especially in this war against Kul Tiras, where the Gadgetzan consortium almost "went all out and sold everything they owned" to assist.

This involves huge interests in the South China Sea trade routes.

Once the Kul Tiras navy is completely wiped out, the South China Sea shipping lanes will be transformed in an instant, and how could a business tycoon like Prince Gadgetzan let such a good opportunity pass by?

Its messenger, Marin Nogfogger, has clearly conveyed the message of the Prince of Hot Sands to Marshal Lothar.

To summarize, it's very simple:
As long as you can defeat the Kul Tiras navy, I'll give you as many as the Sdomka Empire wants!
Upon hearing that they could fight a "wealthy war," Losa immediately expressed his welcome.

Although allowing the South China Sea routes to be under goblin control would significantly reduce the Empire's commercial tax revenue, Lothar was well aware that the goblins were not united. Once Kul Tiras withdrew from the South China Sea, the goblin conglomerates would immediately go to war over the terrifying profits of South China Sea trade.

It was a protracted war.

It lasted long enough for a unified empire to rebuild an "invincible fleet" and then, while the goblins were fighting amongst themselves, to make a powerful return to the South China Sea!
As an old friend of the Empire, the Hot Sands Consortium can certainly retain some of its interests, but other goblin consortia should get as far away as possible.

The South Sea trade route was once controlled by the Kul Tirans, and Kul Tirans was an inseparable part of the Empire, so it rightfully belonged to the Sdomka Empire.

The inheritance relationship is simple and clear.

If the goblins don't understand in the future, the Empire's fleet is happy to reason with them using cannons.

"Lothar, for the sake of your hard-won hair, I really don't recommend that you stay up all night like this every day. No matter how strong the ancestral power released by the Forest Spirit Sages is, it can't withstand your partying all night long."

If another bald emperor were to appear then, even holy light and life combined wouldn't be enough to save him.

A teasing voice rang out in the quiet study, startling the marshal into gripping the hilt of the Emperor's Sword. His tense body quickly relaxed. He turned to look at Diakum, who appeared in the study as an "embodiment of faith" bathed in the glow of the magical chandelier, and said with a smirk:
"Can't you say something nice, you saint? Why is the Holy Spirit always so pessimistic when you speak? My hair is perfectly fine, you don't need to worry about it."

"Really? I thought you'd be in a state of intense mental turmoil after meeting your 'Brother Ni' tribesmen."

The saint told a racist joke, so this damned saint should really be thrown into Lord Sargeras's fel plantation and whipped hard!

The good news is that Lothar didn't understand the joke, so the spread of evil was stopped by the Vigilant Saint.

However, the Marshal was a wise man, and he immediately realized that Diakum was referring to Lord Lothar the Dark-skinned, who also seemed somewhat strange to him.

He coughed awkwardly and said righteously:

"In the Arathi Empire, you can't comment on someone's skin color in such a mocking tone! What I mean is, if the sacred flame worshipped by the Arathi Empire will eventually lead to the faith in the sun, then you shouldn't make such casual jokes about your own followers."

This is not the work of a god.

"Sigh, when I created my first 'Seraph Guardian' skin, I knew that I might actually encounter the classic 'Tyrael' skin in the future."

Dick shook his head and uttered another "divine word" that Lothar couldn't understand.

But the small talk ended there.

He's such a busy person; he wouldn't be out having a secret rendezvous with another man in the middle of the night unless he had important business to attend to. After all, both of them are married, and who knows what kind of stories would be made up about this in the "unofficial histories."

If scholars were to later research why Emperor Lothar preserved his history of selling hooks, Diakum would be unable to explain it even if he had ten mouths.

His faith, manifested in a triangular emblem drawn on his chest, solemnly declared:
"The guardians who are determined to repent for their past have gathered, and Odin's lightning-forged spirits are migrating to Northrend. The dragons are preparing for war with all their might, and soon the attack on the Titan city of Ulduar will be on the agenda."

I will participate in that attack and coordinate the timing of the attack to coincide with your offensive on Kul Tiras.

In this way, the simultaneous attacks of two ancient gods by two forces are enough to ensure that they cannot support each other. You should have seen the intelligence summary submitted by General Staghelm.

N'Zoth is constantly contacting forces that were once associated with the Black Empire, and Yogg-Saron, the Thousand-Throat Demon, is clearly at the top of his list of allies.

Judging from the current clues, the two ancient gods, under increasing pressure from the savior, have chosen to form an alliance.

The news from Diakum brightened Lothar's eyes.

As an outstanding commander, how could he not realize the benefits that an attack on Ulduar by the Vigilant and the dragons at this moment would bring to his war?

It is no exaggeration to say that Diakum's war resolution will eliminate the biggest worry for the Stromka Empire.

Although he did not participate in the war in Kul Tiras, Diakum's contribution was no less than that of the warriors active on the front lines.

So Lothar praised her:

"I don't think the rising saviors could exert such pressure on the ancient gods; this is clearly all thanks to your benevolence!"

"Your flattery is terrible, Lord Lothar. You should really learn the art of flattery from your sycophants."

Diakum curled his lip.

He hadn't come here to hear such awful good wishes, he reminded them:

"The last two Old Gods who bind Azeroth represent the last two major nodes in the unified field of all things. Only by eliminating them and closing the seals on the Titan city and the Naga capital of Nazjatar can the World Mother be completely freed from the prison set up by the Titans."

Only when the unified field of all things is completely shut down can this world truly embark on the starting point of the road to awakening.

I must remind you that N'Zoth has left behind terrible things in the Dream of the World over the years, so while your Empire defeats the cultists on the battlefield, it should also make good use of diplomacy and seek help from allies who can fight the evil in the Dream.

This is not just a matter for the human empire; it is a matter of great importance concerning the fate of Mother World, and all children of the world should participate in it.

“You and my wife are truly on the same page; she just said the same thing.”

Lothar nodded.

This made Diakum raise an eyebrow.

Hey, I'm on the same wavelength as your wife, why are you still wearing that doting smile?
Shouldn't you be on your guard?

You lousy guy.

The vigilant looked embarrassed for a moment, then said:
"But the reminder I've come to you tonight isn't just about this war, Lothar. After the Arena of All Things closes, I will be leaving Azeroth."

"Ok?"

Losa was terrified and blurted out:

"Are you about to ascend to heaven?"

I overheard Kael'thas mention it on the way here today. He said that lesser gods cannot traverse mortal lands, and that the material world is not resilient enough to withstand the travels of lesser gods.

"Not really, it's not that time yet."

Dick explained:
"I'm just going back to Draenor and staying there for a long time. My people are coming from all over the star system to form the Argus Restoration Army, and the troublesome Mother of Light Xera's fleet will arrive in two months. She's one I have to take seriously too. How should I put it?"

Let's talk about those church members who have gone astray.

Finally, the demons are coming back!
In fact, they have never given up on their plan to return to Azeroth. I know that the continuous battles have made you very tired, but you must fight this battle, and you must win!

I can promise you that once we survive this great demonic invasion, we can launch the glorious 'Great Counter-Offensive'. When the Burning Legion's fortresses and strongholds in the material world are reclaimed by the People of Light, even Sargeras will be unable to advance His wicked and destructive crusade.

At that time, Xinghai will enter a new phase.

A phase seeking to rebalance, a phase of renewal, a phase that may not be so peaceful, but will also be free from so many devastating tragedies.

The vigilant looked at Lothar and said very seriously:

"The darkness before dawn is the hardest to endure, but I hope you will persevere with your own willpower and convince yourselves that this is for a bright tomorrow."

But I also have a lot of confidence in you.

Under the watchful eye of the Supreme Star Soul, who has finally gained freedom, I believe that humanity and all other races of this world will eventually embrace the stars.

Lothar sensed a strong conviction in Dick's words, but he was also somewhat worried, so he asked softly:
Will you come back?

"Of course, Azeroth is the center of the stars, and I will return, perhaps in glory from a place you can't even imagine. But I think you should worry about Lady Daenerys instead of me."

If you don't care about someone, other men will take advantage of your vulnerability, and you'll be left regretting it.

Ps:

This bonus chapter is now complete. There are currently 60 chapters owed. The next bonus chapter will be on June 6.26th.

(End of this chapter)