Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 630, 91. Holy indeed, the High Heaven has opened its gates to the gnolls.

Hogg's impassioned kneeling upon meeting Diakum left him somewhat bewildered. He had indeed met this gnoll a few times, but they weren't that close.

However, the gnoll chieftain felt that there was nothing wrong with his actions.

Since we're almost in heaven, what's wrong with kneeling down at the foot of the sacred steps?
Consider it an act of good deeds for the rest of his life. Moreover, what appears before him is the embodiment of the sun, Lord Diakum Zastins, who wields the brilliance of ten thousand suns, and he was summoned by him.

Who dares to laugh at its cowardice at this moment?
Even so, there are so many people who want to kneel but don't even have the chance.

Although Diakum did not ask any questions, Hogg knew that the Watcher was too busy to play guessing games with it. So he decisively spilled the beans, telling Hogg everything about his current situation and troubles.

This jackal's speech was alright; while he wasn't exactly eloquent, he could at least explain things clearly.

Diakum blinked after hearing that it was on the orders of the Black Wolf God to begin its conquest of the gnoll kingdom on Dragon Isles.

This has nothing to do with him.

Even if you were to comment from the perspective of a savior and a guardian of the world, he had absolutely no reason to get involved. The main reason was that the matter was of a low level, and it wouldn't sound good if word got out that he was openly getting involved.

What kind of nonsense is it for a Guardian to bully a Gnoll?
Moreover, Hogger himself said that it had the support of six Loa gods, as well as a military alliance with blue dragons, centaurs, and walruses. If it still couldn't defeat a gnoll kingdom after all that, then Hogger would be too useless.

However, it was rare for the Holy Light to shine into the heart of a savage gnoll, and it would be difficult for Hogg, with his "heart turned to good," not to do something about it.

Therefore, after a brief moment of thought, Diakum replied:

"If the gnoll wizards of Fernskin Valley use the power of the void to corrupt nature, then the power of the Holy Light will naturally fall. Although Azeroth is tolerant enough, it will not allow such uncontrolled voidwalkers to spread the calamity of corruption at will."

Go forth, Hogg of the Black Swamp.

When you need it, call upon the Holy Light.

"Thank you for your kindness."

Hogg was overjoyed.

It originally summoned the Vigilant with a "let's give it a shot" mentality, not expecting the power of the Holy Light to shine on the gnolls. But unexpectedly, the Vigilant was quite particular.

Since we've come all this way, we can't let it go empty-handed.

That was the end of it.

But as Hogg, the clever fellow, was leaving after his kneeling prayers, he suddenly remembered something else.

It blinked, recalling the lightforged werewolf it had once seen on the edge of Redridge Mountains.

Yes, those werewolves of the Lightfang Clan occasionally travel across the borders with the Stormwind Knights, and some werewolves even become priests of the Light, truly embodying "the light and the beasts."

Considering that werewolves and gnolls are both members of the hunting pack, if werewolves can be lightforged, wouldn't that mean that the grace of the Holy Light can also be bestowed upon gnolls?

This is one of the six fundamental forces, and compared to other forces that require various things, the Holy Light focuses on idealism, with almost no entry barrier. This is perfect for the gnolls' current "fragmented civilization" form.

Therefore, Hogger mustered its courage and knelt down again, pleading:
“I have seen those majestic werewolves who have returned to the Holy Light. Their existence makes me wonder, if the hearts of the gnolls turn to the Holy Light, then will my people also be qualified to ascend to this majestic High Heaven in the future?”

This question once again left Diakumgan speechless.

He couldn't help but marvel at how Azeroth was truly a land of outstanding people and resources. It goes without saying that other civilizations and races had acquired various great powers, but even "roadside monsters" like the gnolls were beginning to be educated.

Ai-chan and her "kids" all have pretty good potential, but who will be the next one to kneel down and pray for the blessing of the Holy Light under the High Heaven?
Fish-men?
If a dog-headed man were to appear at the foot of this long staircase of faith tomorrow, then the High Heaven would probably be doomed.

"Holy Light is a powerful force of tolerance. No matter what form of life it is, as long as it is inclined to goodness and is willing to use its own strength to protect the good things in this world, resist the temptation of evil and depravity and heal the wounds of all things, then Holy Light will open its arms to them."

Humans or gnolls, as long as your actions conform to the teachings of the Holy Light, you too can enter this land of glory.

Diakum said:

"But the gnolls are members of the Black Wolf God's hunting pack. Won't your wanton change of faith anger your own race's gods? With the Black Wolf God's faith spread throughout the starry sea, its future on the Loa Path is bright."

Perhaps in the future, Lord Lycanthos will also ascend to the throne of a lesser god.

Hogg wanted to reply that the mere Black Wolf God was nothing compared to him, and that any smart person would know to cling to the strongest and most powerful when trying to curry favor. But upon reflection, he realized that such a statement was a bit too opportunistic.

Moreover, it would be a bit too arrogant for me to say such things in the High Heavens. Wouldn't it be disastrous if I left a bad impression on the Sun God?

So Hogg organized his thoughts and explained:

"The Black Wolf God does not demand loyalty from our faith. As long as we are still members of the hunting pack, we will be under its control. It is not only a race god but also a god of death. Therefore, no matter what path we take in life, we will be under its control after death."

In this situation, one naturally gains some freedom to choose one's path while still alive.

My tribe is very free; the children believe in all sorts of things. The more ordinary ones find a Loa to worship, while the mavericks worship the moon god or the god of death.

As for me...

Hogger boldly raised his head and glanced at the magnificent gates of the High Heaven. He knelt down reverently and proclaimed:
"I was a confused leader before, unable to see the mighty God or know the true meaning of faith, but now I love the Most High Heaven from the first glance."

I may not know how to chant scriptures, but I can force myself to learn; I may not be kind enough, or I may never be kind in this life, but I have the courage to dedicate everything to my faith after choosing it.

"But the Holy Light does not require your piety and dedication, especially the path of the Sun that the Lightforgers walk."

Diakum said in a gentle tone:

"We've moved past that blind, fanatical phase. If you, this opportunistic gnoll, truly want to embark on the path of the Holy Light, then perhaps you should take some time to think carefully about how you plan your future and the kingdom you will rule."

Worshiping power is not a good habit.

But the yearning for power can also be the driving force for embracing faith. Therefore, I will keep an eye on you, Hogg Wolf, and remember the true meaning of the path of the Holy Light.

Reciting scriptures ten thousand times is not as good as doing one good deed in the name of the Holy Light.

Go for it. "

The Sun's Agent waved his hand, and Hogg opened his eyes.

The morning sun was already shining through the window, making Hogg rub his eyes, unsure whether he had really gone to the High Heaven or had just had a ridiculous dream.

But when he looked down at the holy emblem in his paw, he realized it was in a very different position.

This thing seemed no different from before, but Hogg could clearly feel a unique warmth from it. The Vigilant said he would keep an eye on him, which made Hogg think about getting a copy of the Holy Light Codex from the human crew as soon as he stretched. At least he could get the "Codex of Light and Shadow" compiled by the Vigilant himself.

Although it is said that reciting scriptures ten thousand times is not as good as doing one good deed, it is not a bad thing to let the noble ones see that they have been changed by the teachings of the Holy Light.

The vigilant may not care who is the most devout, but he can certainly see who is not. This kind of thing is all about blending in; even formalism must ensure that one doesn't make mistakes.

Soon, Hogg obtained a copy of the Holy Light Codex from Captain Cyrus. Because of Daelin, Captain Cyrus even had a rare copy of the Arathi Empire's Holy Flame Codex, which he allowed Hogg to copy. Unfortunately, the Light and Shadow Codex was not currently circulating among believers.

That thing is a high-level tome of the Lightforged Order, which can only be viewed by high-ranking priests. If Hogg wants it, he'll probably have to make a pilgrimage to Northshire Abbey.

His Majesty Naruvolos, the guardian there, keeps an original copy of the "Catalogue of Light and Shadow".

It has become a true "relic of faith" in the human empire, with countless people lining up every day to pay homage and copy it. Moreover, as time goes by and the great deeds of the Vigilant continue to spread throughout the stars, even more people will surely come to worship. By then, obtaining a handwritten copy will be as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

This gave Hogg a sense of urgency, but then it realized that it actually had "connections" within the human empire.

I have connections with both His Majesty Lothar and Grand Duke Ryan, so they must have copies like these. I'll find an opportunity to visit them sometime.

But in any case, since the Holy Light is watching them, the war against the gnoll kingdom cannot be delayed any longer.

I need to work hard and fight this battle well!
Just as Hogg made up his mind and went to ask the ship's Pandaren chef for breakfast, a gnoll hunter rode back on his dire wolf and reported to his chieftain:
"Centaur! The centaur Khan of the Ounhara Plains has sent an envoy who says that they have received the Eagle God's decree and several centaur clans near the Azure Forest have begun mobilization."

They won't enter Fernskin Valley, but they will ambush the roads outside the valley to ensure the Fernskin Gnolls cannot escape.

"it is good!"

Hogg, who was chewing on a meat bun, widened his eyes, his eyes filled with joy.

It tossed a meat bun to the scout as an extra treat, then strode triumphantly onto the deck. The Fern Valley before it looked so cold and dangerous, but now that it had many allies, if it still couldn't take down this hellhole, it would cut off its head and give it to the dog Red to kick around like a football.

------

Several days later, the war in Fernskin Valley officially began.

As it turns out, Hogg may have overestimated his fellow gnolls who made a living on Dragon Isles. Even though these guys had lived there for ten thousand years, were incredibly virtuous, and had an alarmingly high proportion of elite monsters, gnolls were still gnolls. Their inherent vices were no different from those of gnolls living in other areas.

Ultimately, the gnolls, still living under a clan-based civilization, were hardly united, especially when faced with the overwhelming pressure of being surrounded from all sides. The contradictions that had been forcibly suppressed by their leader suddenly erupted.

Even in Fernskin Valley, not all gnoll overseers agree with the ideology of their leader, the Rotten Matriarch Wrathful Eye.

That corrupt matriarch wielded dark witchcraft and shared this decadent power with her people, turning the entire mountain area into a dark and desolate place for hundreds of years. The local plants and animals were all contaminated by that corrupting power, the rivers became foul and poisonous, and even dangerous slime monsters roamed around.

Angry Eyes declared that the Gnoll Kingdom would use this corrupting power to conquer the entire Azure Forest and even the entire Dragon Islands, but under her rule, the first place to be corrupted was the Gnolls' homeland.

This is enough to allow the Angry Mother to have a huge number of supporters, while also accumulating a sizable "opposition".

Previously, there was no opportunity, but now the arrival of Hogg's "army of justice" has given these opponents immediate hope. They hope that their homeland can be restored to its former green hills and clear waters, so that the local gnolls can once again forage for good flesh and blood, instead of eating the disgusting, rotten flesh and blood they are eating now.

Therefore, when Hogger personally led his army, under the protection of the Black Wolf God's hunting party and with the blessing of the Loa, and stormed into the entrance of the mountain with unstoppable momentum, several warbands immediately came to join him.

Now, Hogg Wolf truly felt like a righteous messenger, welcoming the "kingly army" with joy.

Of course, the filth in Fernskin Valley also opened its eyes. It really didn't expect that after leaving Mount Hyjal for so long, it would still see such a scene as if plagued by demons.

No wonder the Black Wolf God warned it to be careful; the inheritance that the Rotten Mistress's Wrathful Eyes received has so severely polluted the ecological environment, it's clear that it has a powerful background.

The Vigilant says that this defilement comes from some path in the void, therefore, these gnolls who obey the corrupt mistress are actually “enemies of the Holy Light”!
How could Hogg, who calls himself a "Citizen of Light," turn a blind eye to this?

It requested the human priests on the ship to make holy water, slowed its advance, allowed the lands it conquered to be cleansed with holy water, and invited priests and Loa priests to hold various purification ceremonies there.

This move garnered Hogger more covert support from the "conservative" gnolls.

On the sixth day of the war, one of the overseers under the Wrathful Eyes beheaded a wizard and came to join Hogg, which further confirmed his victory.

However, when the Angry-Eyed Matriarch realized that danger was imminent, this cunning woman immediately chose a way to break the deadlock that Hogg greatly feared.

She challenged Hogg to a duel to decide the future of Fernskin Valley.

Gnolls do have such a tradition, but it's not the Mak'gora ritual that orcs are forced to accept. Hogg can completely ignore it, since it has no intention of letting those gnoll witches who do corrupt and filthy things go unpunished.

But Maim gave it military advice: have Hogg accept the duel, lure the Wrathful Eye Matron to bring all its confidants, and then during the battle, have the Blue Dragon launch a high-altitude raid on the core strength of the Rotten Gnolls, thus eliminating the Corrupted Heart of Fernskin Valley in one fell swoop.

There are 100,000 gnolls here. If you really want to chase and hunt them down, it will exhaust you. If you want to end the battle in a short time, this plan is the most reasonable.

Hogg was terrified. He knew his own limitations; his opponent was a corrupt demigod, and even ten of him together wouldn't be a match for the Wrathful Mistress.

But this guy is still quite clever.

It quickly remembered the Watcher's instructions, that it would have great power to protect it when facing enemies of the Holy Light. Therefore, Hogg decided to take a gamble and use its own life as a price to show the Watcher its determination to do good.

When you're trying to curry favor with someone powerful, you can't afford to be afraid of your life!
As I said before, the chance to be looked at differently by those on guard is extremely rare. If you miss this opportunity, you probably won't have a second chance in your life.

"You idiot!"

When the duel began, the hooded, dragonbone-wielding Matron, carrying a barrel of decaying plague, looked at the ridiculous axe-wielding gnoll king before her with a mocking gaze.

What good is a mere legend, even with the blessing of the Black Wolf God?

With the power of decay in my own hands, I wouldn't be afraid even if your wolf god came to me personally.

Faced with this mockery, Hogg simply clenched its paws. The holy emblem hung on its chest, and it kept convincing itself that the Vigilant was watching it, and that the righteous Vigilant would never turn a blind eye to this evil dog filled with the pollution of the void.

"It was the Black Wolf God who guided me here to save my fellow gnolls, but the courage I have to stand here facing you, a corrupt creature, is not something given to me by the gnolls!"

Hogg roared:
"I yearn to be a citizen of the light, for under this sunlight, there shall be no defiled beings like you!"

It took the initiative to launch an attack.

It could feel the sunlight truly converging, its battle axe becoming scorching hot, and it seemed as if a giant golden figure was applauding its earlier words.

It's hard to say whether this was a hallucination before death, but Hogg was certainly full of courage at that moment.

When the battle axe struck down and actually triggered a burst of light from the Holy Slash, not only did the Corrupted Matriarch glare in fury, but the entire group of onlookers also gasped in surprise.

"Oh my God!"

Little Star, who was hiding in the crowd watching the excitement, exclaimed:
"A gnoll saint is standing before us! He has been blessed by the Holy Light, and now the gnolls are also among the people of light. What am I dreaming about?"

Ps:

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(End of this chapter)