Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 603, Section 64: Expecting the Bronzebeard brothers to do any diplomacy is a load of rubbish; Lyran is the true master of diplomacy.
"War has broken out over the Snowflow Plains! The Frostmage dwarves and earth elementals have joined forces, but they are too few in number. At most, they can only capture a few Iron dwarf fortresses and are powerless to push the battle line to the vicinity of Ulduar."

They couldn't even take down several nearby temples, even though those Titan guardians hadn't been in their respective temples for many years.

But I've heard that those temples are still connected to the main buildings of Ulduar; they're part of the outer defenses of Titan City. If we take down those towering temples, maybe the path into the Halls of Lightning will be easier?

On a cold ridge of Storm Cliffs, Lyran, dressed in a bearskin coat and looking quite dashing, was peering into the distance through binoculars.

By constantly adjusting the focus, this Eredar traveler was able to clearly see the burst of light on the snow plains.

Storm Peaks is extremely high. It is said that during the later stages of the War of Malphite, the Earth-Warder Neltharion "lifted" the area from its original level of connection with the rest of Northrend in order to contain the various dangerous monsters and demons in the vicinity and prevent those mad Titan Guardians from wreaking havoc on the world.

Although the local creatures have ways to leave Stormcliff, the fact that they have remained here for so many years shows that the Black Dragon King's method was quite effective, and that the outside world knows very little about this hidden place.

But the fact that the Earth Guardians, before they went mad, valued them so highly shows that the monsters and demons of Storm Peaks were indeed quite outrageous.

Take, for example, the ridge where Lyran is currently located. It is not an ordinary place. Looking back from here, you can see a super huge Vrykul village, which is probably one of the largest Vrykul cities in the entire Northrend continent.

Here she is called "Hydnir Brunhilda," a name that in Vrykul culture can be translated as "Warrior" or "Strong Woman."

Such a straightforward name can probably give you a clue as to what kind of "Vikur she-wolves" live in this village.

Basically, just like Skold Ashhill, who was born in Heya, in Stormheim, the female Vrykul of Brunhilda are also at the very top of the "ecological niche" in Northrend.

There are no men in this village at all, except for the slaves who have been captured to work in the mines. The men are all captured by the pack of she-wolves for breeding. Of course, the Vikr women are fierce but not insane, and the men who are captured will not be killed if they do not cooperate.

Under normal circumstances, those who would rather die than submit are thrown into the mines and mined for a few days before they become obedient and submit until they are drained dry by the drunken, muscular Vrykul women and then thrown back into Crystal Song Forest to fend for themselves.

Of course, there were also those who refused to comply, even unto death.

But this doesn't mean they can escape their fate, because the Vrykul admire resilience and courage, and the more stubbornly they refuse to bow down, the more it arouses their "desire to conquer."

In this situation, the man's fate is usually very bad.

As we all know, delicious food should not be eaten all at once; it should be saved to be enjoyed slowly.

Ahem, discussing the wild customs of the Vrykul seems a bit undignified, and besides, Lyran isn't here to conduct a custom survey; she has serious business to attend to.

To be precise, she accompanied Heya here for "recruiting soldiers".

Odin was about to launch an expedition to Ulduar, so his Valkyries spread the word throughout the Vrykul villages in Stormheim that the time of "Ragnarok" had come, and they even went so far as to pat themselves on the back by saying that the fall of Skyhold was a symbol of the beginning of Ragnarok.

In short, Odin tricked a group of superstitious Vrykul into yelling and shouting, each one eager to rush to the battlefield and face the enemy of the gods. Anyway, with Odin's shout, he easily recruited more than 10,000 elite warriors in Stormheim.

They rode their storm dragons or set off from their homeland on Skyhold, flying over Dragonblight and Crystalsong Forest, eventually arriving at the harsh environment of Stormcliffs.

Under the command of the heroic spirits, they launched attacks in all directions, defeating all the roaming, mad Titan creations in the area.

As the elite of the Vrykul tribe in Stormheim, the shield maidens of Skard Ashhill would naturally not miss this glorious event. However, their former pride, the powerful chief shield maiden Heya, "betrayed" the great Odin and threw herself into the arms of Mother World, making her infamous in Skard Ashhill.

Apart from a few female warriors who believed in Hea and followed her, all the other shield maidens still believed in the great Odin and were willing to give everything for the holy war of Ragnarok.

Heya said she didn't care about this.

She was an extremely strong female warrior who possessed an iron will from a very young age. She firmly believed in her own sense of justice and no longer believed the lies Odin had fabricated.

She came to Storm Peaks not for any "Ragnarok," but purely because the World Mother had instructed the saviors to participate in the war against the Old Gods.

Heya's code name among the Saviors is "War Bear".

This is the name she gave herself; she hopes to be as strong and unyielding as a bear.

However, Heya knew very well that if she wanted to make something of herself, she needed her own clan. The Vrykul could fight alone, but that didn't mean she had to embark on the path of protecting the world alone. Moreover, the World Mother also hoped that the powerful Vrykul would return to her embrace.

That's why we have this current "conscription".

After hearing that the local Brunhilda warriors were the most formidable women in Northrend, Heya immediately became interested and, along with Lyran and her thirty-odd girls, rushed over.

The Vrykul people have always been known for their straightforward and brutal style; the survival of the fittest is an ingrained tradition in their very being. Therefore, it was quite easy for Heya to take over this tribe.

Fight your way through!

From ordinary female warriors to elite warriors, then brutally beat the Storm Hunters, challenge their centurions and chiliarchs, and finally face the Valkyrie chieftain of Brunhilda.

But only one person is allowed to participate in this challenge at a time.

In other words, Heya had to fight at least thirty opponents all by herself, even for a fierce woman like her, it was a difficult challenge.

She fought for a whole day and only managed to take down 25.

When Lyran put away his telescope and returned to the village, it was quite lively. In the "bear pit" of the Brunhilda warriors, Heya was fighting two centurions.

But she wasn't the only one fighting.

Her sisters also need to complete their own challenges to help their elder sister Heya better control this very powerful Shield Maiden tribe.

It has to be said that the shield maiden from Scrad Ashir is really powerful. Perhaps it's because Odin has been causing chaos there for so many years that the genes of the weak simply cannot be passed down in that godforsaken place.

The environment at Storm Peaks is also harsh, but in general, the local Brunhilda shieldwomen fight more against beasts and giants, and their skill is inferior to that of their shieldwomen sisters in the distance.

However, the local Vrykul women were not angry to see their own people being beaten by outsiders. On the contrary, after Heya knocked down two centurions, the shieldwomen who had gathered around the bear pit raised their Frostbound weapons and cheered the name of "War Bear".

Clearly, Heya's perfect performance has won over the hearts of these fierce femme fatales. Even if she fails to challenge the matriarch later, Heya will definitely be able to become a centurion in Brunhilda Village.

Perhaps this powerful shield girl will have the honor of becoming "Thor's bride".

Uh, this is a peculiar custom of the local shield maidens.

Because Thorim spends his years on Storm Tower, not far from here, reminiscing about his deceased wife and repenting for his past, just as the Vrykul of Stormheim worship Odin, the Vrykul of Storm Peaks also worship the powerful "God of Thunder," Thorim.

The love story of Torim and Sif, in particular, was something these female Vrykul longed for.

It's unclear when this custom began, but the local female Vrykul have had it for a time. The most powerful among them would ride the proto-dragons they had captured and fly around Storm Tower, expressing their "love" for Thorim in this way.

When the Storm God is in a good mood, he will reward these powerful shield maidens.

Of course, it wasn't about lewd physical contact; he would bestow his thunderbolts upon these powerful Vrykul.

In the local legends of the Shield Maidens, being bestowed with lightning by the Storm God signifies divine favor and being chosen as "Thor's Bride." When their mortal lives end, their souls will travel with the return of lightning to accompany the lonely Thorim.

It must be said that, from the perspective of the Vykhu people, this ceremony is quite romantic.

But Lyran felt this was inhumane, because the "Bride of Thorim" were often required to remain chaste for the Thunder God for life, and their souls would not return to Thorim after death. Considering that Odin's Valkyries would not travel thousands of miles to Storm Peaks to collect souls, most of the powerful souls would fall into the hands of the wicked Hela.

That's really terrible.

"Are you sure?"

While Heya rested, Lylan walked over to her muscular sister, took out a vial of medicine, handed it to Heya, and said:
“I heard that the female chieftain here is the ‘Bride of Thor’ of this generation. She can control Thorim’s lightning and is a very powerful demigod warrior. You must be very tired after fighting so many battles.”

"Tch, just a demigod."

Wearing only a thin combat vest in the freezing cold, Heya seemed unfazed by the surrounding chill. She paused to catch her breath, letting the heat she'd accumulated during the battle dissipate, and whispered:

"I enjoy this kind of battle. It strengthens my will and makes me more courageous. Perhaps after defeating that guy, I will become a demigod. I'm about to cross that threshold."

"Well, the fighting genes of you Vrykul are truly outrageous. Even if you were thrown into the sea of ​​stars, you would still be able to wreak havoc."

Leilan uttered a harsh remark, then looked around and said:
"But do you really think it's the right thing to do to bring the shield maidens of the Brunhilda clan into the Battle of Ulduar?"

"what?"

Heya looked at Leilan with a puzzled expression and asked in return:

"Am I not following Mother World's will to gather valiant warriors to protect the world for her?"

"Yes, but now there are two battlefields."

Lyran pointed south and said:
"The human empire is also waging a just war against Kul Tiras. There is an Old God there too. My thought is that Ulduar has dragons, guardians and the Legion of Heroes, and even my adoptive father is here!"
The fact that the Vigilant himself came meant that Ulduar would definitely be captured, and Yogg-Saron would have nowhere to escape.

However, Kul Tiras only has humans and their allies. Although the Saviors are mostly there, as you know, Marshal Lothar's warriors, while brave, lack high-end power.

N'Zoth has been weaving nightmares for the world for so many years, and he has a vast army under his command. What's more, he's also up to some 'Dark Empire resurgence' trick.

Therefore, even in terms of the intensity of the battles, the battlefield in Kul Tiras is no less intense than that in Storm Peaks, and is even more dangerous.

I think if you want to win honor for Mother Earth and prove your place in the world, you should go to the mortal battlefield in the south, instead of wandering around this battlefield of gods with the Valkyries.

You know, even if you step into Ulduar, you can only wander around the outskirts of the Titan City, right?

You won't find any decent opponents there.

Staying here certainly guarantees an uncontested victory, but the question is, is this kind of easy win really what you want?

Leilan shook his head and said again:

"And don't forget, you also have the title of 'Imperial Princess.' Although you don't care about your bloodline at all, doesn't that mean you have enough reason to convince yourself to join Lothar's war?"

Heya took the sausage offered by her sister and took a big bite while looking thoughtful.

Then, the "Thor's Bride" chieftain emerged from her room. She was a tall female warrior, her armor covered in frost, and she wielded two spears, each movement accompanied by dazzling flashes of lightning.

She sported the legendary Lady Sif hairstyle and had the thunder emblem symbolizing Thorim tattooed on her forehead, making her look like a fanatic.

Heya found this outfit extremely offensive.

She stood up and took her own Truth Guardian sword and shield from her sisters.

Heya hadn't used this weapon in the previous battle, but now that she had drawn the sword and shield, the Vrykul around the bear pit gasped in surprise.

The guardians of truth are forged on the Storm Cliffs.

It was a miracle of the Battle of Merdon, and the local Vrykul people also have legends about it.

When Heya brought out this legendary artifact, some superstitious Vrykul even knelt down and began to chant the "Psalm of Justice," the poem inscribed on the shield of the Guardian of Truth, specifically to commemorate the birth of this divine artifact.

"You've turned yourself into Thorim's plaything, and what's worse, he doesn't need you at all!"

Heya sneered:
"You could have become a world-renowned warrior, but you were bound by that foolish legend, just like I used to be. I hate your hairstyle! The promiscuous Sif is not worthy of your worship at all. It was that two-faced woman who indirectly caused the end of the mythological era."

I'm going to punch you awake, sister!

Then I will lead you away from this wretched old land.

I will lead you into a wider world to fight for a truly worthwhile cause.

You shouldn't call yourself that bullshit 'Thor's Bride'. You should be leading your sisters in the great cause of the Shield Maiden of Mother World. Ha, you're angry? Because I insulted your god?

madness!

There is no god worthy of your sacrifice.

Come!
"Little bird, let your older sister teach you what fighting is all about!"

------

On the battlefield of Snowflow Plains, Diakum, clutching a battle sword he had picked up at random, led the Frost Dwarves and Earth Elves in an attack on the Iron Dwarves' stronghold.

But he did not bully these crazy Titan creations.

Instead, Dick temporarily separated himself from divinity, suppressing his strength to the level of a mortal, and simply used pure skill to continuously break through the steel creations in front of him.

Even so, those skills, honed to perfection in countless battles, continued to bring Diakum victory after victory amidst the falling snow, and also boosted the morale of the Frost Dwarves, the Bronzebeard Brothers, and the Earth Elf.

However, their numbers were too small.

It will take time for the earth spirits of Kaz'aga to get here using earth-walking magic. Right now, this small number of people occupying a few fortresses is already the limit, and it will be very difficult to expand further.

There are more than a dozen Titan outposts on the Snowflow Plains alone, firmly guarding the route to Ulduar. Without taking down these outposts, it will be difficult for outsiders to get close to the majestic Titan lands. These guys have plenty of anti-aircraft weapons.

Just then, amidst the cheers of Muradin and Brann, the people on the battlefield looked up and saw a large group of powerful Vrykul riding proto-dragons flying down from the clouds onto the battlefield through the vast expanse of falling snow.

They carried the new battle banner of the Brunhilda clan, a giant bear roaring in blood!
Heya rode her storm dragon at the forefront, roaring as she was followed by a fierce female warrior with a shaved head, a dark blue face, and wielding two spears.

Lyran was among them. This Eredar diplomacy master whistled triumphantly on the battlefield, showing off his formidable "diplomatic skills" to the Bronzebeard brothers, and then waved to greet his foster father below.

So, let the haters speak!

Now, who is the most outstanding diplomat in Azeroth?
(End of this chapter)