Khadgar smiled bitterly, "The Horde's spellcasters summoned a mist that enveloped the entire Lordamere Lake and its surrounding areas. It's the foggy season right now, so no one thought anything of it."
"Furthermore, the Horde army charged down from the Alterac Mountains overnight. Their speed was too fast; there was no time for a warning."
Mist? Kael'thas's expression was strange.
When the Orcs first entered Azeroth, Gul'dan and others, due to unfavorable battle conditions, summoned a mist to cover the entire Dark Portal Swamp, continuously transporting troops from Draenor.
In the naval battle a few days ago, the Tidesages also summoned storms and mist to hide the Kul Tiras fleet, which allowed them to successfully launch a surprise attack.
It was hard to say who the Horde learned from this time.
He quickly asked, "What's the situation in Lordaeron now?"
Khadgar's voice was urgent and a little hoarse, "It's very bad! The Horde has already occupied the entire Lordamere Lake. The southern part of Lordaeron Royal City is swarming with the Horde, and the sky is full of Dragon Riders, constantly breathing fire and dropping bombs into the city!"
Despair was evident in his voice, "Your Highness, please send troops to support us quickly. Lordaeron can't hold on much longer!"
Kael'thas knew the situation was critical and quickly looked at Anasterian, "Your Majesty…"
Anasterian waved his hand, "No need to ask for permission, just give the order directly."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Kael'thas said in a deep voice, "Archmage Belo'vir, immediately gather all teleporters to construct a stable portal to Lordaeron Royal City, and dispatch three thousand mages. Once the portal is open, they are to immediately go to Lordaeron for support."
"High Priest, the battle in Lordaeron is fierce, and casualties among the military and civilians are bound to be heavy. Immediately gather five hundred priests to go and treat the wounded."
"General Salorian, Lordaeron lacks air power. Immediately gather five hundred Dragonhawk Riders and send them to Lordaeron as quickly as possible."
"General Lireesa, immediately allocate two ten-thousand-man units to be led by Alleria and Sylvanas, and act according to our decision just now."
"Honorable Councilors, please immediately allocate supplies and handle logistics."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Everyone quickly complied.
"Khadgar, let's go!"
Two flashes of light shimmered, and Kael'thas and Khadgar both arrived in Lordaeron.
They did not go to the Royal Palace, but to the southern city wall, where they saw Admiral Daelin, King Genn, Commander Lothar, Archmage Antonidas, and others, even the young Varian was there.
"Your Highness." Everyone nodded in greeting.
Everyone was fully armed, holding staves and longswords.
Even the elderly King Terenas stood on the city wall, of course, with guards protecting him.
Kael'thas looked out.
Just as Khadgar said, the sky was full of Dragon Riders breathing fire, at least five or six hundred of them.
Only a small number rode enslaved Red Dragon Whelps; most rode two-headed wyverns from Draenor.
Although these creatures were not as large as Red Dragon Whelps, their agility was no less, and they could also breathe fire.
Five or six hundred dragons breathing fire everywhere, plus the constant dropping of explosives and bombs, the entire Lordaeron Royal City was filled with smoke, fire, and explosions.
Civilians fled in chaos, soldiers fought fires everywhere, and the city was in turmoil.
And at an even higher altitude, there were numerous Goblin Airships.
A hundred thousand troops were at the city gates; hundreds of catapults continuously hurled stones into the city, destroying one building after another.
Most of these stones were concentrated on the city walls.
No matter how strong the city walls were, they could not withstand high-intensity giant rock attacks and could collapse at any time.
Behind the main army, Orc warlocks cast spells, summoning Imps, Voidwalkers, Infernal, and other demons to participate in the siege.
Ladders were constantly erected, only to be knocked away by large logs.
Fearless Orc infantry climbed up, only to be burned to death by poured oil.
On the city walls, Lordaeron archers continuously fired flaming arrows into the distance, attempting to ignite the most threatening catapults.
Thousands of mages also cast spells, conjuring Great Fireballs and summoning Flame Strike, setting large areas of the Orc army ablaze, only for the Orcs to extinguish them with water taken from Lordamere Lake.
They even had dozens of water cannons ready!
In the central square, dozens of teleporters were grouped together, casting spells to open portals.
An endless stream of soldiers rushed out of the portals, quickly joining the battle.
On the city walls, in the streets, in the alleys, inside houses, a continuous stream of Holy Light shone brightly; these were the priests of the Light Cathedral and the Paladins of the Silver Hand Knights healing the wounded.
The Holy Light soothed pain and strengthened the will of the defenders.
Seeing this, Kael'thas breathed a sigh of relief. The situation was not as bad as he imagined; it was still under control.
"According to the latest intelligence, Horde troops from various battlefields are still gathering here. The total Horde military strength on the entire Lordaeron continent numbers as many as three hundred thousand!"
Terenas's face was grim as he said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, Lordaeron needs your support!"
After a moment of silence, Admiral Daelin was the first to speak, "Kul Tiras is primarily a naval power, with not many ground troops… I will have the Ashbringer Knights come to support, but the current problem is, do we have enough teleporters?"
Kul Tiras was isolated overseas, thousands of miles from Lordaeron.
If they traveled by ship to Tirisfal Glades and then trekked hundreds of miles to Lordaeron, it would take at least ten days to half a month, which was simply too late.
The only way was by teleportation.
Antonidas said, "Dalaran's teleporters are on their way, but Lordaeron's space is unstable, and there are enemy air raids, making it difficult to maintain portals."
Terenas immediately said, "Tirisfal Glades! Send the teleporters to Tirisfal Glades outside the city! The space there is stable, and there are no enemy air raids; it's absolutely safe!"
Antonidas nodded, "Then there's no problem. Dalaran can probably dispatch a hundred teleporters, who can arrive within two hours."
Terenas was overjoyed, "That's wonderful!"
He looked at the other leaders, "Gentlemen…"
Thoras Trollbane nodded, "A large number of Orcs in Arathi Highlands are moving towards Lordaeron, which has significantly reduced the pressure on Stromgarde. A portion of troops can be diverted for support."
King Genn said, "Gilneas also has no problem. I have already asked Archmage Arugal to dispatch mages, and they will arrive soon."
Varian, of course, goes without saying; the Stormwind Kingdom's refugee army was in Tirisfal Glades and was currently on their way.
Terenas finally breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "Thank you all for your support. The people of Lordaeron will not forget you!"
He looked at Kael'thas, "Your Highness…"
"Quel'Thalas will provide all the support it can."
Kael'thas's gaze was fiery, "But in my opinion, the Horde army at the city gates is not a bad thing; on the contrary, it's a good thing."
"Good thing?"
Everyone looked at Kael'thas, wondering if the Prince had played with fire too much and burned himself silly.
The Horde army was at the city gates, Lordaeron was in imminent danger, so how could this be a good thing?
The Alliance Commander, Anduin Lothar, was pensive: "Your Highness means that with the Horde army gathered at Lordamere Lake, the pressure on other battlefields has been significantly reduced, allowing us to take the opportunity to retake lost territories?"
"Exactly."
Kael'thas smiled: "Lordaeron is a fragrant bait, attracting the Horde army here, holding them tight. We can totally turn their scheme against them, first retaking lost territories like Hillsbrad Foothills and Arathi Highlands, then surrounding them from all sides and wiping out the Horde army in one fell swoop."
"And then, we can march south, retake the subcontinents of Khaz Modan and Azeroth, completely eliminate all Horde, or drive them back to their homelands!"
At these words, Daelin, Genn, Thoras, and the others' eyes lit up.
It seemed… it really could work?
"No, absolutely not!"
King Terenas's face instantly turned ashen: "Lordaeron cannot last that long!"
He suddenly turned his gaze to Kael'thas, his eyes cold: "Kael'thas, you are gambling with the land of Lordaeron and the lives of millions of its people. I absolutely forbid you to do this!"
Kael'thas didn't care at all, smiling: "It's only gambling if there's no certainty, and I have absolute certainty."
He looked at the others: "Speaker Antonidas, Admiral Daelin, King Genn, King Thoras, and also King Varian, Marshal Lothar, don't you want to hear my plan?"
"I think it will benefit you and your kingdoms."
Terenas immediately felt a sense of foreboding.
Kael'thas was trying to divide the Seven Human Kingdoms, pulling the other kingdoms to isolate Lordaeron and pressure it.
An open conspiracy! A blatant open conspiracy!
If the kingdoms sent troops to reinforce Lordaeron, defending it to the death and fighting a decisive battle with the Horde there, then Lordaeron and Lordamere Lake would become a giant meat grinder.
Regardless of whether the Horde could be defeated, the soldiers of all kingdoms would suffer heavy casualties; no one would be spared.
But if Lordaeron was used as bait to attract the Horde army, the main forces of the various kingdoms could seize the opportunity to attack elsewhere, eliminate the Horde in other areas, and simultaneously occupy the corresponding territories.
Lordaeron, however, would have to deploy all its forces to Lordaeron.
This would not only result in significant losses of manpower and resources, leading to a sharp decline in overall national strength, but also cause it to lose opportunities to capture cities and territories. Even already fallen territories, such as Southshore, would be occupied by other nations.
And once a territory was occupied by another nation, how could it be returned?
Even if it were returned, Lordaeron would inevitably have to pay a huge price, which would accelerate Lordaeron's decline.
Among the Seven Human Kingdoms, Lordaeron was the undisputed hegemon; whether in terms of land, population, resources, or military strength, it was almost equivalent to the sum of the other six kingdoms.
But if Kael'thas's idea was followed, even if the Alliance ultimately achieved victory, Lordaeron's overall national strength would shrink significantly, and it would be uncertain if it could maintain its position as the leading human kingdom.
And this was definitely something all the other kingdoms wanted to see.
"What a vicious scheme!"
"Using the power of the human kingdoms to destroy Zul'Aman, then, through Antonidas's proposal, having the Alliance concentrate most of its forces at the eastern pass, forcing Orgrim to abandon a frontal assault on Tirisfal Glades and instead risk coming to Lordamere Lake to directly attack Lordaeron Royal City, and then proposing the current plan—Kael'thas had been plotting this for a long time."
"From the very beginning, he had decided to win over the other kingdoms and suppress Lordaeron."
"Once Lordaeron declines, the overall strength of the human race will weaken, and the High Elves will be able to rise!"
Terenas had to admit that he had underestimated Kael'thas.
This Elven Prince, who always presented himself as a "Legendary Mage," was far more difficult to deal with than he had anticipated.
"Makes sense!"
Admiral Daelin was the first to speak again: "Your Highness, please tell us your plan first, and we will decide after we hear it."
King Thoras followed closely, his voice steady: "If Your Highness's plan can indeed reduce overall casualties, end the war faster, and bring greater benefits, then it is certainly worth considering. If not, we will proceed with the original plan."
King Genn, Speaker Antonidas, and even the young Varian all nodded.
Marshal Lothar, though his face was solemn, also motioned for Kael'thas to continue.
Just listen, it wouldn't hurt.
Terenas felt a wave of desolate helplessness.
He suppressed his surging anger, his voice icy: "Good! Kael'thas, I want to hear what better plan you have!"
Kael'thas said no more. Powerful arcane energy surged, instantly constructing a detailed magical map projection of the Lordaeron continent before everyone.
"It's actually quite simple: we need to weave a massive web of death for these three hundred thousand Horde troops around Lordamere Lake."
His finger pointed to the lake area in the center of the map: "The core of this pocket is the entire Lordamere Lake, the whole territory of the treacherous Alterac Kingdom, and the undefended Hillsbrad Foothills."
Anduin Lothar immediately understood, drew his sword, and precisely pointed its tip at key nodes on the map:
"To the north of this area are Lordaeron Royal City and a thousand-mile mountain range. To the south is a hundred-mile coastline. To the east is Silverpine Forest, and to the west is Thoradin's Wall."
"To tighten this pocket, we must exert force from all four sides simultaneously, locking down all exits."
He looked at everyone: "And to achieve this, the kingdoms need to work together."
"The south is up to me."
Admiral Daelin looked at the southern seas: "The Kul Tiras fleet has already reached the Baradin Bay and will be able to blockade the entire sea within ten days at most, occupying Southshore, cutting off the Horde's sea routes, preventing the Horde army from escaping, and reinforcements for Menethil Harbor from arriving."
King Thoras continued: "Thoradin's Wall is still under Stromgarde's control, and Stromgarde will send reinforcements there, but there are at least twenty thousand elite Horde still in Arathi Highlands, and they will constantly attack the walls and Stromgarde. I'm worried…"
"Your Majesty need not worry."
Kael'thas smiled: "Quel'Thalas has already dispatched a mixed force that will soon arrive in Arathi Highlands to fight alongside Stromgarde and completely clear out the Horde forces there."
Upon hearing this, King Thoras's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed: "Then there's no problem."
King Genn thought for a moment and said: "If the Kul Tiras fleet can blockade the southern seas, Gilneas can spare ten thousand troops to deploy in Silverpine Forest, but the defensive line there is too long. If the Horde army breaks through to the west, we won't be able to stop them."
Antonidas quickly said: "Dalaran can be responsible for part of the defense line, but I'm afraid it's still not enough."
Gilneas and Dalaran were both small kingdoms; combined, they were only about the size of Stromgarde, with limited military strength.
Yet, they were closest to the Horde army and had no natural defenses, making their deployment much more difficult than the other two sides.
Kael'thas said: "A ten-thousand-strong force from Quel'Thalas is currently on its way."
King Genn's spirits lifted: "High Elves are best at wilderness combat; the forest is your home ground. With this ten-thousand-strong force assisting, we will definitely be able to hold the western defense line. If it really comes to it…"
He gritted his teeth: "We will move all civilians to Gilneas City and Dalaran City, making Silverpine Forest part of the pocket, and every tree an obstacle to delay the Horde!"
"Then, only the north remains."
Kael'thas pointed to Alterac Valley: "Aren't there tens of thousands of elite troops at the eastern pass? The Horde there has already withdrawn their forces. Have them push south, blockade Icewind Pass, and completely trap the Horde in this large pocket."
Everyone spoke one after another, finalizing the response plans for each direction.
The only thing left was Lordaeron Royal City.
"What about Lordaeron, what will happen to Lordaeron?"
Terenas suppressed the anger in his heart and said in a deep voice: "If Lordaeron falls, your plan will be meaningless!"
"Lordaeron will not fall," Kael'thas said calmly.
"Will not fall? Kael'thas, that's easy for you to say."
Terenas snorted, "A hundred thousand strong, that's a hundred thousand troops, plus numerous Goblin Airships and Dragon Riders. How can you say Lordaeron won't fall?"
Everyone looked at Kael'thas.
Lordaeron Royal City was the most important.
But no matter what, they couldn't imagine how to defend the city if the various nations didn't fully reinforce it.
The Horde was still sending more troops, and soon they would reach two hundred thousand, or even more.
Two hundred thousand troops, how could a mere city possibly hold out?
"It's simple."
Kael'thas said, "Each nation should dispatch five thousand mages and as many magical supplies as possible to construct a magical barrier in Lordaeron, enveloping the entire city."
Antonidas frowned, "That's impossible, Your Highness. Lordaeron is not Silvermoon City. We don't have an energy source like the Sunwell, nor do we have Rune Stones spread throughout the city."
"Let alone five thousand mages, even if all the human and High Elf mages were brought over, the magical barrier they construct wouldn't be able to withstand a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand troops, unless..."
A thought stirred in his mind, and he considered a possibility.
"Yes, you guessed correctly, this is the only way."
Kael'thas said, "I will have the mages of Quel'Thalas transfer all the hundreds of Rune Stones guarding Silvermoon City to Lordaeron."
At these words, everyone was moved.
They all knew about Silvermoon City's magical barrier and had heard about the great battle a few days ago.
If Kael'thas really brought over Silvermoon City's Rune Stones, and added five thousand mages, they could construct a magical barrier even stronger than Silvermoon City's.
And such a barrier, as long as there was a continuous supply of mana, could indeed withstand two hundred thousand troops.
But in doing so, Silvermoon City would also lose its greatest reliance.
Antonidas's expression was solemn, "Your Highness, have you thought this through? Do King Anasterian and the Silvermoon Council agree?"
Kael'thas said, "The Horde Fleet has suffered heavy losses, the main army is gathered at Lordamere Lake, and the Amani Trolls have been dispersed. Silvermoon City has no immediate external threats. After the Horde is eliminated, they can be returned. His Majesty and the Lords of the Council will agree."
In his mind, Silvermoon City definitely came before Lordaeron.
If he wasn't certain of Silvermoon City's safety, he would never transfer the greatest power protecting Silvermoon City to Lordaeron.
He was even less worried that Lordaeron would forcibly keep these Rune Stones.
Because the other nations would not stand by and watch Lordaeron gain such powerful strength, and Terenas would absolutely not be able to withstand the wrath of the High Elves.
Moreover, the ones who truly controlled these Rune Stones could only be High Elf mages; human mages were merely power banks providing mana.
"Quel'Thalas has just gone through a major battle, and magical supplies are depleted. For this, we will rely entirely on all of you," Kael'thas added.
He could provide the people and equipment, and they could be retrieved after use, with no loss.
As for the magical supplies that would inevitably be heavily consumed, let the human nations feel the sting.
"Your Highness has great courage."
Antonidas said, "I support Your Highness's plan. Dalaran can provide some magical supplies."
"I support it too," the others said one after another.
Anduin Lothar looked at Terenas, "Your Majesty, this is indeed the best plan under the current circumstances to maximize the preservation of the Alliance's strength, completely eliminate the Horde, and minimize Lordaeron's losses. Prince Kael'thas has shown the greatest sincerity and taken a huge risk. We have no reason not to support him."
"...Alright, then we'll proceed with this plan," Terenas said, resigned.
He certainly wanted to object.
But now it was Lordaeron asking for support from the various nations.
He couldn't overturn a decision made unanimously by the leaders of the various nations.
Kael'thas smiled, "Your Majesty is wise."
"Your Highness, even with Silvermoon City's Rune Stones, Lordaeron won't last long, will it?"
Anduin Lothar was somewhat worried, "Moreover, once surrounded, if the city cannot be breached for a long time, the Horde army will inevitably try to break through in some direction. Two hundred thousand troops, whether it's Southshore, Thoradin's Wall, or Silverpine Forest, probably can't stop them."
"They indeed can't be stopped, but that's not important."
Kael'thas smiled, "In fact, all these arrangements are just to buy time. With this time, we can secure two powerful reinforcements."
"And with these two reinforcements, let alone two hundred thousand troops, even three hundred thousand or five hundred thousand would not be difficult to eliminate."
Anduin Lothar quickly asked, "Which two reinforcements?"
Kael'thas smiled slightly, pointing to two places on the map, "The Wildhammer Knights soaring through the skies of the Hinterlands, and the furious Red Dragonflight!"
...
Sunstrider Royal Court.
"That's the situation."
Kael'thas briefly explained the situation, saying, "This way, we can achieve our strategic vision and gain the greatest benefits for ourselves. However, whether or not to provide the Rune Stones still requires His Majesty and the Lords to decide."
"Of course, we must. How can there be a return without investment?"
Anasterian smiled, "Silvermoon City currently has no external threats, so the Rune Stones can be lent out."
Everyone expressed their agreement.
"Since that's the case, let's act," Kael'thas ordered.
Chief Archmage Belo'vir immediately personally led three thousand High Elf mages to transport the hundreds of Rune Stones scattered throughout Silvermoon City to Lordaeron, placing them in various locations.
Then, with the help of mages from other nations, they activated the Rune Stones to construct a magical barrier that enveloped the entire city, protecting it.
Subsequently, High Priest Vandellor arrived in Lordaeron with five hundred priests to assist local priests and paladins in treating the wounded.
Three days later, two mixed forces of ten thousand soldiers each were assembled, with Alleria and Sylvanas as their respective commanders—
Alleria served as the supreme commander, and Sylvanas as the deputy commander.
Lor'themar and Halduron Brightwing served as Alleria's adjutants, while Liadrin and Lanathel served as Sylvanas's adjutants. Vereesa also accompanied them.
Alleria's troops immediately set off, teleporting to Tirisfal Glades.
Then they headed west into Silverpine Forest, successfully joining forces with the Gilneas troops and Dalaran mage forces, establishing a deep defensive line.
Sylvanas's troops, on the other hand, gathered outside the city, preparing to march to the Hinterlands.
"Sylvanas, wait here and have the accompanying teleporters prepare to establish a permanent portal."
Kael'thas said, "The Hinterlands is the territory of the Wildhammer Dwarves. Rushing in unannounced would be met with hostility. I will go ahead and communicate with them. You await my news."
Quel'Thalas and the Hinterlands were more than a thousand miles apart, separated by mountains.
Long-distance travel would not only be dangerous but also take too long; even at the fastest, it would take half a month to arrive.
Teleportation was the most convenient.
However, teleportation would inevitably cause spatial fluctuations, which would be detected by Horde warlocks and Wildhammer shamans who possessed spellcasting abilities.
The former would certainly attack, and the latter would view it as an invasion.
Only by obtaining permission from the Wildhammer Dwarves and opening a portal in a safe area under their control could safety be ensured.
"Understood, Your Highness!" Sylvanas gave a crisp military salute.
"Your Highness, Your Highness!"
The lively Vereesa came closer, her big eyes fluttering, "Take me with you! There are Horde everywhere now, and there will definitely be danger along the way. I can protect you, and my archery is very powerful, you've seen it!"
"Indeed, indeed. My personal safety depends entirely on you, Guard Vereesa Windrunner."
Kael'thas and Vereesa teleported to the southern High Elf city of Thas'alah, then rode Hippogryphs over the mountains to the Hinterlands.
Upon arrival, they saw a group of Wildhammer Dwarves being besieged by the Horde army.
This was a small Wildehammer village nestled in the rugged mountains of the Hinterlands, home to only a hundred or so people.
Rough logs and sturdy rocks formed their houses, and the air was filled with the scent of pine resin, blacksmith's fires, and earth.
Dwarves have long lifespans, resulting in an unusually healthy age structure in the village—
the vast majority were muscular, thick-bearded warriors in their prime, one or two hundred years old, with only a few white-bearded elders whose eyes were still sharp, and a handful of dwarf children, carefully protected in the very center, peeking out with curiosity and nervousness.
Surrounding them were several hundred Horde mixed forces, composed of green-skinned Orcs, towering Ogres, and lean Troll Headhunters.
Even more deadly, three Dragon Riders of the Dragonmaw Clan circled in the sky.
They rode deformed two-headed drakes from Draenor, like blades hanging overhead.
Wildhammer Dwarves, though lacking the exaggerated physique of Orcs, possessed some of the strongest bodies in Azeroth.
Their chests were as thick as anvils, their arms as stout as an adult human's thighs, and their bulging muscles contained explosive power. Their resilience and pure brute strength were no less than that of strong Orc warriors.
At this moment, seventy or eighty such dwarf strongmen, clad in heavy forged plate armor and wielding heavy, glinting warhammers, firmly protected the elders and children in the center, forming an unbreakable circular shield wall.
Facing the tidal assault of the Horde coalition, they remained calm, fearless, and unyielding, repelling the enemy's attacks again and again.
Whether it was Orc axes and warhammers, Troll spears and arrows, or Ogre bone-crushing clubs, nothing could breach their defenses.
The real threat came from above!
The three Dragon Riders let out sharp whistles, and their two-headed drakes swooped down fiercely.
Close behind were heavy throwing axes, whistling as they were hurled down, precisely seeking gaps in the defenses.
After one strike, the drakes immediately ascended with astonishing agility, giving the ground no chance to retaliate.
In the center of the dwarf formation, an old shaman with white hair and beard, his face etched with the furrows of age and wisdom, was being closely protected by several of the strongest warriors, constantly vigilant against threats from the sky.
He summoned elemental power, activated nearby totems to slow the enemy's advance, and restored the stamina and spirit of his kin.
Whenever a Dragon Rider swooped down, he would summon a Lightning Bolt to attack the foreign invaders.
However, limited by insufficient spirit and mana, his spells had limited power and were not enough to inflict sufficient damage on the drakes, which already had strong magical resistance.
As time passed, the Wildhammer shaman's spirit grew weaker.
The warriors gasped for breath, the high-intensity combat having consumed too much stamina.
"They can't hold on much longer!"
"This is Wildhammer dwarf territory, their Gryphon Riders will arrive soon, we don't have much time left!"
"Attack, speed up the attack!"
An Orc Overseer roared excitedly.
The Horde's offensive became more frequent and more fierce.
Just then, a Dragon Rider suddenly spotted Kael'thas and Vereesa approaching.
"High Elves, two High Elves are coming on Dragonhawks!"
"Damn Elves, my father died on the battlefield of Quel'Thalas!"
"Kill them!"
The fire of revenge instantly overshadowed their focus on the ground battle.
The three Dragon Riders sharply changed direction, urged their mounts, and, carrying a fishy wind and killing intent, swooped towards Kael'thas and Vereesa.
"I was just wondering what kind of welcoming gift to give, and now they're delivering themselves?"
Kael'thas chuckled, "Vereesa, shoot them down!"
"Understood!"
The Elf Ranger, who could no longer hold back, instantly entered combat mode.
Her left hand, like a dancing butterfly, swiftly drew an arrow from the quiver on her back and held it between her fingers, while her right hand drew the bowstring so fast it left only an afterimage.
The arrow, meticulously crafted from ancient Silvermoon Forest wood and inlaid with a mithril arrowhead, seemed to become an extension of her will.
She barely needed to take time to aim; thousands of practice sessions had made aiming her instinct.
Releasing the bowstring, the arrow, like lightning, pierced through a hundred meters of sky in a flash, accurately embedding itself in the Dragon Rider's throat!
At the same time, a large fireball, carrying scorching Flame Strike, hit the second Dragon Rider.
The last Dragon Rider's face changed drastically, and he quickly tried to flee into the distance, but it was already too late.
Another arrow shot into his heart from behind!
"Tsk, a Hunter's starting speed, a Mage still can't compare."
A teasing voice sounded.
Kael'thas extinguished the second large fireball he had just conjured on his fingertip and turned his gaze to the chaotic battlefield below.
His slender fingers elegantly traced arcane runes in the air, and a massive amount of fire elemental power rapidly converged.
Flame Strike!
As he uttered the low and majestic incantation, the air above the village seemed to ignite, and the temperature surged.
An area covering almost the size of an entire basketball court instantly transformed into a churning, roaring sea of fire.
Dozens of Horde soldiers, crowded together and fiercely attacking the dwarf defenses, barely managed to let out half a scream before being mercilessly engulfed by the Flame Strike, twisting and rolling in the inferno, turning into charcoal.
Vereesa sharply squeezed her long legs, and her Dragonhawk immediately flew over the village. With each arrow she shot, a Horde soldier fell.
"It's the Elves, the Elves of Quel'Thalas have come to help us!"
"Wildhammer warriors, it's time to counterattack!"
A hoarse voice rang out, coming from the oldest and highest-ranking Shaman.
No longer needing to deal with aerial threats, he forcefully slammed his staff onto the ground.
A thick chain of lightning, like a wildly dancing silver serpent, instantly leaped across several clustered Orc infantrymen, electrocuting them until they were charred and convulsing on the ground.
"For Aerie Peak!"
The Wildhammer warriors, who had been suppressed for too long, erupted with a battle cry like a collapsing mountain and a raging sea.
Like enraged lions breaking their chains, they wielded their heavy hammers and charged out of the shield wall, launching a counter-charge against the Horde allied forces, who were now in chaos and fear.
Each swing of a warhammer was accompanied by the dull thud of shattering bones and the enemy's desperate wails.
At the rear of the allied forces, a Troll Priest watched the figure casting spells in the sky, his face changing drastically.
"Kael'thas, it's Kael'thas!"
"The Destroyer of Zul'Aman is here!"
"Retreat quickly!"
He no longer cared about commanding, turning and fleeing like a startled rabbit.
The other Troll Headhunters were even more terrified, dropping their weapons and using their agile movements, like walking on flat ground in the mountains, to scramble into the dense jungle on all fours, disappearing into the shadows in the blink of an eye.
"Kael'thas?"
All the Orcs' faces changed dramatically.
The battles of Zul'Aman and Silvermoon City had already reached their ears.
The towering Flame Strike of Zul'Aman, the infernal sea of fire in the Silvermoon City Strait—those god-like deeds had long been deeply imprinted in their hearts through the descriptions of fleeing soldiers.
Fear quickly spread among them.
"For the glory of the Horde... run!"
The surviving Orcs and Ogres completely lost their will to fight, wishing their parents had given them two more legs. They scrambled to follow the direction of the fleeing Trolls, plunging into the depths of the dense forest, leaving behind only a mess of corpses and discarded weapons.
The Wildhammer warriors immediately gave chase.
However, their short, stout legs limited their speed. Even if they ran so fast their calves became blurs, they still couldn't catch up to Orcs who were almost one and a half times their height, let alone Ogres who were three meters tall.
"Chase them! Don't let them escape!" Vereesa's blood was boiling, and she was about to urge her Dragonhawk to pursue.
"Wait!"
Kael'thas reached out and stopped her, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Your quiver is almost empty, and they won't escape. This is Wildhammer dwarf territory, after all!"