Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 605, Section 66: N'Zoth, the Master of Winning Theory, and His Winning Heroes and Subordinates

When Dalaran appeared in the sky above Butcher's Harbor, bathed in the dazzling light of teleportation, the local warriors who were mobilizing in this dual-use port to prepare for an Imperial attack were stunned.

In order to block news of the Imperial Army and prevent those who still "cherish their homeland" from defecting, everything related to Lothar and his Sdomkar Empire is now portrayed as "symbols of evil" in the official propaganda of Kul Tiras. Regent Ashvane would never praise Lothar and his Empire for their achievements.

This meant that the stunning appearance of the Dalaran floating islands in the Northern Frontier War remained unknown to the Kurdish people.

The information blockade caused extremely serious consequences at this moment. The commander in Butcher Port had no idea how to deal with the damned city floating overhead.

He even worried that the city would crash down and crush the entire Butcher's Harbor and all its warriors.

But that was clearly overthinking things.

Dalaran may have countless reasons to crash, but to use itself as a meteorite to crash into the enemy's small fortress was clearly not part of any of the Council of Six's attack plans.

That's not the kind of strange idea that Dalaran and its mages should have.

However, the commander soon no longer needed to worry about how to deal with Dara. When the rocks below the floating city strangely flipped outwards and the hidden energy rings lit up one by one, the devout believer of the Church of Storms realized that something was wrong.

Before he could finish his prayer, a barrage of dazzling arcane cannon fire rained down from the sky.

The destructive beam struck Butcher Harbor's command post with overwhelming force, sending the commander and his entire command staff to meet N'Zoth with pinpoint accuracy.

Such a precise decapitation strike was certainly not just a stroke of luck for the mages. The MI7 infiltrators had placed a beacon on the roof of the command post beforehand, which greatly increased the efficiency of using light cannons to bombard the enemy with precise baiting.

However, this was just a ground clearing operation, intended for the subsequent advance of the actual battle.

When they saw Dalaran's arcane brilliance destroy the Butcher's Harbor command post, the K'shir and the Uncrowned Ones hidden among the crowd immediately realized that the Imperial army's offensive was obviously more intense than they had imagined, and that the vanguard of the Seventh Legion outside the city had also begun to attack the city with the support of Dalaran.

At this moment, Ravenholdt assassins, who had been hiding near the gates of Butcher's Harbor, jumped out and assassinated the gate officers, opening the gates for the ferocious Imperial warriors.

Now there's no need to hide my identity anymore; if I kept hiding, I'd probably be doomed.

And so, amidst the low roars, those disguised as humans revealed their true forms one by one.

They tear away the disguise of human skin, revealing their morbid and bizarre bodies in the cold, dark wind, and without any regard for consequences, they exert their mental interference on the minds of all living things around them.

They devoured those with weak minds, and roared incantations in the venomous Shasyaar language, offering up their enemies along with their terrified "own people" to the Sea of ​​No Light, thus unleashing a vile and filthy curse.

As these void creatures wreaked havoc on the battlefield, the teleportation beacons that human spellcasters had learned to replicate from the Lightforged Chapter were also evenly "sprinkled" across the chaotic battlefield of Butcher's Harbor.

As the temporary portal quietly opened, amidst the roar of machinery and the tremors of the ground, those war mechs, gleaming with a divine luster, strode out from it.

Each portal can accommodate three mechs. Since Butcher Harbor is not a large city, Dalaran only deployed a standard large formation of thirty mechs to the ground as ground support this time.

After completing the delivery, Dalaran didn't stop for a moment and immediately flew towards the Pointed Wharf on the other side of Tiragarde Strait.

That place is also a crucial military stronghold that must be captured to ensure the smooth transport of troops by the human empire.

But are thirty mechs enough to deal with the void creatures of Butcher Harbor?
The answer is yes, that's enough.

Upon seeing the human side appear in their bizarre steel mechs, the fastest-reacting Faceless One immediately coiled its twisted, thick left arm tendrils into a fleshy warhammer, unleashing this ferocious power forged from the void like a slingshot after a roar.

The tentacles could easily smash a heavily armored knight and his horse into a bloody pulp, but when the howling tentacles struck the steel mechs, they only produced a dull thud and could not even damage the platinum armor forged by the mechanical dwarves, leaving only a negligible dent on the outer armor.

The void energy carried on the tendrils erupted with a blinding light between itself and the consecrated mech, leaving behind gruesome burn marks on the tendrils amidst the Faceless One's lament.

In response to this provocation, Colonel Maxwell grinned and pulled the control stick, raising the mech's left arm. The mechanical dwarf hand cannon, fixed to the arm, chambered its rounds with a piercing lever action.

Relying on the "superior firepower control" rewritten by the mechanical dwarves, the lock was completed the instant the hand was raised, and a booming sound like a small-caliber artillery shell was released.

The slug flew out and struck the Faceless One directly in front of it. The bullet, which had been engraved with holy symbols and consecrated, delivered a restrained critical strike to this void monster, blasting half of its head apart.

Black blood splattered everywhere, causing the monster to stagger backward, only to be pounced on by the war mech, which pulled out its energy axe and cleaved it in two.

The battle axe blade, also inscribed with words of blessing, sliced ​​through the vicious flesh, and the collision of holy light and void caused the lower-level void creature to immediately begin a purifying burning.

The curses and screams in Shasyaar language materialized as a tangible mental shock, striking Colonel Maxwell's mind and causing him a stinging pain. However, the colonel then grabbed the holy potion beside him and drank it down. He then shouted the name of the Holy Light and began to fire wildly at the Void Abominations that were rushing towards him.

The heavy shell casings slammed to the ground with a pleasant thud, and under the colonel's cover fire, his combat comrades rode their Steel Knights forward to engage the void monsters in hand-to-hand combat.

Their armor is seven meters tall, the Faceless Ones are generally three to four meters tall, and the K'sil, who are about the same height as normal humans, are even shorter, and could be directly trampled to death by the steel mechs.

It turns out that blessing the steel and appeasing the mech spirit before piloting the mech is an absolutely necessary step, which fully proves that these mystical rituals created by the Vigilant Saint are indeed effective!
The divine radiance shining on the steel armor not only helps them resist the filth of the void, but can also provide pilots with a certain degree of spiritual encouragement and protection, so that they don't have to worry about being driven crazy by the void while fighting.

The weapons that the Mechagnomes specially modified for the Iron Knights based on the characteristics of the Void creatures are also very easy to use, especially since each Iron Knight's energy backpack comes with a small "Source Returning Radiation Device".

This thing can simulate the distribution of ordered energy, effectively purifying the corrosive pollution left behind by these lower-level void creatures after they die.

In short, the Iron Knights of the Stromka Empire performed flawlessly in their first battle. When Lothar rode his sacred warhorse and led the Iron Knights to Butcher's Port, what greeted his eyes was the already captured port and the Iron Knights standing in the ruins, receiving cheers from the warriors.

The pilots, dressed in tight-fitting pilot uniforms, were lifted high by the jubilant soldiers, who hailed them as heroes and warriors.

Without the support of these thirty mechs, given the density of Faceless Men and Ksil in Butcher Harbor, the vanguard of the Seventh Legion would conservatively have suffered hundreds of casualties to take this place.

But now all they need to do is light torches, carry buckets of holy water, clean up the entire ruins, and set ablaze the remains of the Void Abominations amidst loud curses.

Although such a victory lacks a sense of "participation," basically it's just standing on the edge of the battlefield watching the Iron Knights slaughter Void monsters, while you sing praises of the Holy Light and cheer for the Iron Knights.

But how to say it.

The hope of gaining military merit and promotion is destined to be the idea of ​​only a few. After a long military career, most soldiers now only desire to retire peacefully and return to their families.

Marshal Lothar said that the Battle of Kul Tiras was the final link in the founding war of the Sdomka Empire. Therefore, while victory was precious, being able to live to see it arrive was also a kind of romance for a warrior.

"Salute to you, Marshal! I have not disgraced you; Butcher Port has been taken!"

Colonel Maxwell, who was sitting on a rock smoking his pipe, saw the Field Marshal approaching and immediately stood up, loudly reporting: "We have suffered no losses."

"Honestly!"

Lothar glared at the veteran in front of him, which made Maxwell grin.

He and Major General Windsor were veterans who had followed Marshal Lothar in fighting the Greenskins, so they naturally had some privileges in front of the Marshal. Faced with Lothar's questioning, the colonel whispered:

"I'm not lying, Marshal. The Iron Knights suffered no losses, and the ammunition consumption is within acceptable limits, but the pilots are struggling. Although the 'Soul Soothing' ritual that the Lightforged taught us is very useful and does protect our spirits."

But in this battle, each pilot killed at least ten Void Abominations, and those crazed guys would hurl vicious curses at us as they died.

Even the strongest warriors cannot withstand the combined effects of so many curses. The priests have just checked, and this group of pilots needs to be sent to the rear to rest and receive mental comfort and exorcism before they can return to the battlefield.

Do we have enough pilots?

Lothar glanced at the imposing steel knights surrounded by warriors admiring them, and whispered:
"Didn't I tell you before to train more pilots?"

"This thing isn't like cabbage, something you can just pick up off the street. Marshal, to become a pilot, you at least need to know how to fly engineering equipment, right?"

Colonel Maxwell rubbed his slightly red and swollen eyes, his lips twitched, and he sighed, saying:
"I've already gathered all the warriors from the Imperial Society who drive the dwarven steam tanks, and I've also recruited some engineering professionals from all over the country. That's barely enough to make three hundred men. However, I do have a suggestion."

The colonel hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"Find goblin mercenaries, or simply let the gnomes, who are on better terms with us, drive!"
They are very good at engineering; it's almost a racial talent. Driving skills that would take humans half a month to learn, they master in a day or two.

Moreover, when the mechanical dwarfs redesigned the cockpit, they specifically made it adjustable, with power-assisted controls on the joysticks and pedals, so that even the dwarfs' small arms and legs could push them.

Alternatively, you could hire dwarf tank crews; they have extensive experience with engineering vehicles.

I know this is a civil war among humans, and it's best not to involve other races, but now that these advanced weapons are here, we can't just let them gather dust in the warehouse just because we don't have pilots, can we?
It's fair to say that we humans still have a lot to learn in engineering.

Lothar nodded, patted Maxwell on the shoulder, and said:

"Take the pilots to rest for a while and have a meal. Afterwards, you will fly these Iron Knights to the Point Pier for a change of guard. I will take care of the pilots' problem."

------

"How could Lothar's army advance so quickly? Why did Butcher's Harbor and Pointed Pier fall in just a few hours? Weren't there elite troops stationed there?"

In Boralus, Lord Ashvane, the regent of the kingdom, was dumbfounded.

The battle report that had just been delivered to him gave him a headache. Although Lothar's imperial army was still hundreds of kilometers away from Boralus Port, the news that several key military locations serving as border defenses had fallen in succession within half a day still made this distinguished merchant and nobleman feel incredulous.

As someone with limited war experience, he believed that with sufficient military force and the advantage of terrain, the Imperial Army, no matter how fierce, would need at least a week to capture the key locations on the border of Tiragarde Straits.
Did Lothar and his warriors eat Rezan's whip?

So fierce!
No wonder even the Black Dragonflight Empire of Lordaeron couldn't withstand them.

"The enemy has deployed the Dalaran floating city. That thing is a true strategic unit. We have almost nothing that can pose an effective threat to it, yet it can leisurely bomb every one of our command posts while floating high in the sky."

A cold-looking officer standing before Lord Ashvane said in a hoarse voice:
"Moreover, Lothar used 'new weapons.' The goblins and gnomes' reverse engineering of Titan technology created for them quite powerful war machines. The elite units piloted by these pilots were equipped with void protection, and their weapons were effective against void creatures."

The Faceless Barbarians and Kershwarks were no match for those steel creations.

However, void protection doesn't mean complete immunity. As long as you can stack up enough numbers, you can still overwhelm those laughable machines, even with holy light protection! Machines may be immune to mental attacks, but pilots are only human.

"Don't make excuses for your failures, sir."

Lord Ashvane examined the military map, and after a moment, holding the emblem of the Church of Storms, he looked up and asked:

"They've taken Pointe Pier, and next they'll attack Norvington Manor, followed by Heatherford, and then Port Boralus. They've also taken Guard's Landing, which means Lothar will have to launch a two-pronged attack on Port Boralus from the north and south simultaneously."

I ask you, can our defenses withstand their advance outside the city?

The other party remained silent.

After several seconds, he shook his head and said:

"That won't work unless you can order us to hold a large-scale Void summoning ritual to summon enough Void creatures from the reflection of Ny'alotha to form an army. In the current situation, ordinary soldiers are no longer of any use."

But, Your Excellency, we don't need to stop Lothar's Imperial army; we don't even need to pursue victory.

The cold-faced officer shrugged and said:

"They have come to our land, the Storm God's expectations have been fulfilled, and the Tide Sages are chanting scriptures day and night in Stormsong Valley under the leadership of the Sleepless Secret Party."

The three sacred artifacts from the abyss are now complete. All that is needed is for Her Majesty Daelin to don the Storm Crown, wield the Tide Trident, and wear the Voidstone Emblem, and the reflection of the Sleeping City will rise in the material world.

At that time, all life that belongs to nothingness and life that does not belong to nothingness will be dragged into the lucid dream of my God.

What good is Lothar and his Imperial Army, no matter how powerful they are?
They have already entered the stomach of my god. Drake's fleet is unable to break through Duke Farrell's blockade, which means they have no way to enter Stormsong Valley to disrupt the ritual.

So all we need to do is stall for time!
We'll wait until the lucid dream of Nyolosa blossoms in the material world, and then we'll be guaranteed victory.

Not only will we be able to preserve Kul Tiras, the 'capital' of the Dark Empire, but even after losing Lothar, the entire Sdomkar Empire of the Eastern Continent will ultimately fall into our hands.

The cold-blooded officer laughed heartily.

His shadow stretched and coalesced behind him into a bizarre, twisted, and morbid dark shape, and he cried out:
We have already won!
Lothar hasn't realized this yet. We won when he brought the most elite warriors of the Sdomkar Empire to Kul Tiras.

Lord Ashvane had initially been somewhat worried, but the overly "wonderful" description from the brooding officer made him nod, then smile and say:
"Then let's do as you say. We'll stall for time so that Lothar drowns in the illusion of victory, but we can't just do nothing and start the summoning ritual! Summon the Storm God's most powerful servant to the outskirts of Boralus and let it hold off the arrogant Imperial army."

Since Lothar craves a challenge, then let's give him the challenge!

(End of this chapter)