"Your Highness, are you injured?!"
Sylvanas immediately noticed Kael'thas's unusually pale face, her voice filled with urgency.
Her gaze quickly swept to Vereesa, and her heart tightened again: "Third Sister, are you injured too? Where are the priests? Hurry and treat their wounds!"
"Not injured, just blood loss. Hakkar drained some of our blood."
Vereesa briefly explained the entire process.
The priest's Holy Light fell upon her, nourishing her body and warming her soul, restoring much of her spirit.
However, the lost blood could not be recovered immediately, and she would remain weak for at least a few more days.
Sylvanas finally relaxed and looked at Kael'thas: "Your Highness, this is a good opportunity. The Orc Overseer is dead, and the high-ranking members of the three major tribes are almost all wiped out. If we launch a full-scale attack now, we will surely achieve great results."
Kael'thas closed his eyes, allowing the Holy Light to soothe his overtaxed mind and body, his voice clearly tired: "You make the decisions. I don't have the energy for these things right now."
He needed to recover his spirit and energy as quickly as possible; several major battles still awaited him.
"Yes, Your Highness." Sylvanas turned and left, discussing the attack plan with Falstad.
"Come on, Kael'thas, let's go back to Aerie Peak and have a good meal. My stomach has been rumbling for a while!"
Kurdran climbed onto a Gryphon and patted its backside.
The Gryphon barely moved, closing its eyes and falling into a deep sleep.
Hakkar had not only drained the blood of the Elves and Dwarves but also the Dragonhawks and Gryphons.
It was already impressive that they managed to endure their exhaustion and bring their owners, weighing dozens to hundreds of kilograms, back; now they had no strength left at all.
"Forget it, I'll have someone send some food over," Kurdran said helplessly.
Everyone rested for three full days, with good food and drink, plenty of medicine, and priest healing, before they were about seventy to eighty percent recovered.
Sylvanas and Falstad also led their army westward, reclaiming the land occupied by the Horde, reaching within five kilometers of Shadra'alor, achieving brilliant results.
"At the current rate of advance, we can wipe out the Darktroll Tribe within half a year, and eliminate all Forest Trolls in at most three years," Sylvanas said, full of confidence.
"Let's put the Trolls aside for now; the Alliance is more important. We should leave," Kael'thas said.
Kurdran quickly asked: "Kael'thas, do you plan to go to Lordaeron or Stromgarde?"
"Stromgarde."
Kael'thas smiled slightly: "Lordaeron can hold out for now. If we don't help Stromgarde eliminate the Horde there and consolidate the defenses of Thoradin's Wall, the opening won't be secure. I don't want to let the main Horde army escape back to Khaz Modan."
Kurdran immediately stated: "Alright then, I'll take three hundred Gryphon Riders and go to Stromgarde with you."
He wasn't foolish.
Going directly to Lordaeron for rescue would only earn Lordaeron's favor.
Going to Stromgarde first and then to Lordaeron would earn the favor of two kingdoms.
Moreover, he wasn't familiar with the Alliance, and without Kael'thas's introduction, he wouldn't gain much benefit in Lordaeron. He wasn't good at dealing with Humans.
Kael'thas laughed: "The Forest Trolls in the Hinterlands haven't been completely eliminated yet. If you take away three hundred Gryphon Riders, your defensive strength will be insufficient. I'll leave three thousand soldiers to help you deal with the Trolls, how about that?"
Three thousand was enough.
The entire Wildhammer Tribe's military strength was only a few thousand; leaving too many, he feared Kurdran wouldn't be able to sleep.
Kurdran, of course, knew Kael'thas's intention and grinned: "That's great! With your help, we'll be able to completely eliminate the Forest Trolls in just a few years!"
He didn't care if Kael'thas profited; he certainly wouldn't lose out.
The Hinterlands were not entirely Wildhammer territory to begin with.
The territory that originally belonged to Wildhammer had already been reclaimed; from now on, whatever they conquered, they would keep.
Sylvanas asked: "Your Highness, how do you plan to march?"
Kael'thas said: "Still the old method. We go ahead first, and once we reach Stromgarde, we'll open a portal."
Sylvanas pondered for a moment and said: "Your Highness, the Arathi Highlands is not the Hinterlands. It's a war front, where the Alliance and Horde are fighting most fiercely. Stromgarde is also not Aerie Peak; it's surrounded by two mountains, one side by the sea, and one side is flat land. The Horde will definitely attack from land, sea, and air simultaneously, and won't give you a chance to open a portal."
Kael'thas asked: "What do you mean?"
"Bring the air force."
Sylvanas said: "With air force protection, you can open the portal and transport the main army over."
Kael'thas readily agreed.
Sylvanas immediately deployed troops: "Lor'themar, you lead three thousand men here to quarry stone and fell timber, build outposts and fortresses, and prepare for long-term combat. I will lead the rest of the men to Stromgarde."
Kael'thas promised: "Lor'themar, you are now a Ranger-Lord. As a Lord, you must have a fief. You lead three thousand men here to deal with the Trolls, and all the land you conquer will be your fief."
Lor'themar was overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Highness!"
Kurdran lowered his head, teasing a Gryphon, pretending not to hear.
Ten minutes later, Kael'thas personally led three hundred Dragon Riders, and Kurdran led three hundred Gryphon Riders, flying towards Stromgarde.
The two places were not far apart; they departed in the morning and arrived in the afternoon.
Kael'thas looked down from above, surveying this most ancient Human city.
He saw that the city walls were low, and the urban area was small, far inferior to Lordaeron, Dalaran, or Stormwind; it had long lost its former glory.
At this moment, Stromgarde was under attack by the Horde.
Tens of thousands of Horde troops were arrayed, launching a three-pronged assault by sea, land, and air.
On the sea, a dozen modified warships flying Horde war banners were braving the sparse cannon fire from the city walls, attempting to approach the coastline.
On land, heavy siege engines battered the scarred city gates, catapults hurled massive stones at the battlements, and Orc infantry, like ants, carried makeshift scaling ladders, struggling to climb under a rain of arrows and rolling logs and stones.
In the sky, dozens of clumsy Goblin Airships buzzed, dropping incendiary bombs and scattered Orc paratroopers, while hundreds of Dragon Riders circled and swooped, spewing flames and acid, suppressing the defenders on the city walls.
The total Horde force was nearly twenty thousand, their offensive like a surging tide.
In contrast, Stromgarde had only a few thousand troops defending fiercely, with severe shortages of weapons, ammunition, and other supplies. Archers dared not shoot freely, and the Mages were all mentally exhausted and low on mana.
Several months of high-intensity combat had depleted the city's wartime resources.
"Didn't Admiral Daelin blockade the sea? How are there still Horde warships?" Vereesa wondered.
Kael'thas said: "The ocean is too vast. With only one or two hundred Kul Tiras warships, how could it be strictly blockaded? It's already quite impressive that only a dozen warships slipped through."
No one had the right to question Kul Tiras's naval strength or Admiral Daelin's command abilities in naval warfare.
If even Kul Tiras couldn't completely blockade the entire sea area, then no other nation could.
Kurdran scanned the battlefield, looking puzzled: "Isn't Stromgarde the third strongest military power among the Seven Human Kingdoms? How do they have so few troops? Even fewer than us Wildhammer Dwarves!"
"Because most of Stromgarde's forces aren't in Stromgarde."
Kael'thas said, "Among the leaders of the Human Kingdoms, King Thoras Trollbane is a true warmonger. His strong support led to the formation of the Alliance, and he was the first to send troops to support Lordaeron."
Among the Seven Human Kingdoms, Stromgarde had the longest front line and faced the most difficult situation.
As early as the Alliance's inception, King Thoras sent half of his forces to participate in the war.
A small portion went to Hillsbrad Foothills, responsible for the defenses of Southshore and Thoradin's Wall.
The majority went to the southern Arathi Highlands, defending Sador Bridge and blocking the Horde army from Khaz Modan.
It can be said that Stromgarde, with the strength of a single nation, held the Horde's ground invasion route, using bodies and blood to withstand the Horde's year-long offensive.
All three hundred thousand Horde troops on the entire Lordaeron continent were transported by warships, Goblin Airships, and Dragon Riders!
In addition, Stromgarde also dispatched an elite unit to guard the Alliance's naval fortress, Tol Barad.
If not for the Stromgarde people fighting desperately, the Horde would have swept across the entire Lordaeron continent a year ago. Why wait until today?
Among the Seven Human Kingdoms, besides the Stormwind Kingdom in the south, Stromgarde contributed the most and suffered the most losses.
Despite losing almost half of its forces and most of its territory, the people of Stromgarde continued to fight on the front lines.
In contrast, the Alterac Kingdom, a mountain nation that was easy to defend and difficult to attack, located deep within human territory with almost no losses, surrendered proactively before the Horde army even invaded its land. It truly disgraced Emperor Thoradin.
They are all humans, all descendants of the Titans, so why is the difference so vast?
Kurdran immediately looked solemn and his gaze towards Stromgarde was filled with respect: "Kael'thas, let's attack!"
"The Horde warships are mine,"
Kael'thas said in a deep voice, "Kurdran, Vereesa, you two take down the Goblin Airships and Dragon Riders!"
The people of Stromgarde are fierce and brave, all soldiers and civilians are valiant in battle and unafraid of death.
If not for the lack of air power, forcing them to passively endure attacks, even with the Horde's absolute numerical superiority, it wouldn't have come to this.
"Your Highness, rest assured, the Goblin Airships are mine!"
Vereesa, full of heroic spirit, led the Dragonhawk Riders into the sky and launched an attack on the Goblin Airships.
Dragonhawk Riders, Gryphon Riders, Dragon Riders, Hippogryph Riders, Dwarven Flying Machines… Among all conceivable air forces, the Goblin Airship is the most inferior.
Slowest speed, worst maneuverability, weakest attack power, and poorest quality.
These things are usually used as transport ships and can only bully the Seven Human Kingdoms that lack air power. They are completely defenseless against Dragonhawk Riders, and the battle was one-sided.
"Haha, the Dragon Riders from the Hinterlands ran away without even fighting. Could they have run here?"
"Wildhammer, attack!"
Kurdran laughed heartily and led the Gryphon Riders to charge at the Horde Dragon Riders, raising his hand to unleash a Stormhammer.
The Dragon Riders' primary attack method is breath, and the range of their breath attack is far inferior to the Stormhammer. With a longer reach, they exploited the shorter reach of their enemies, losing almost half of their forces in the first wave of attack.
Whether it was the two-headed wyverns or the Red Dragon Whelps, their bodies were considerably larger than the Gryphons, giving them an advantage in close-quarters combat.
Kurdran, being experienced, naturally wouldn't use his weakness to attack the enemy's strength.
The Gryphon Riders, transforming into aerial assassins, would retreat immediately if an attack missed. Once they had created distance and the Stormhammer returned, they would launch a second wave of attack.
Air forces are, after all, a precious type of soldier; the entire Horde probably had less than a thousand combined, and many were lost in the Battle of Silvermoon City.
Most of the remaining went to Lordaeron, leaving only a hundred or so here, far fewer than the Gryphon Riders. Moreover, after the Dragonhawk Riders eliminated the Goblin Airships, they also came to support, making it a battle of many against few.
The Dragon Riders were at an absolute disadvantage and were no match, forced to flee in disarray.
"Don't chase them, deal with the Horde below first!"
Kurdran roared, launching an attack on the Horde ground forces besieging the city below.
"Look at the sky!"
"It's the High Elf Dragonhawk Riders, and the Wildhammer Dwarves' Gryphon Riders!"
"Excellent, they've come to help us!"
Cheers rose one after another in various parts of Stromgarde, as if a powerful stimulant had been injected.
The people of Stromgarde, who were originally physically and mentally exhausted and holding on purely by willpower, instantly became invigorated.
It had been a year, and battles like this had been going on for a year!
For a year, they had held out here, no matter how bad the situation, they had never given up.
Over the past year, they had heard of the fall of Tol Barad Island, the defeat at Southshore, the betrayal of the Alterac Kingdom joining the Horde, and the news of relatives and friends dying in battle.
No matter how difficult or painful, they never cried. All their tears turned into sweat before they could leave their eyes, spilling onto the battlefield and, together with blood, watering this land being trampled by the Horde.
They had been holding on, waiting.
They were waiting for the Alliance to strike out everywhere and defeat the Horde, waiting for the armies of Lordaeron to march south for support.
And now, they finally had their reinforcements, but they were not humans from other kingdoms, but Elves and Dwarves.
"Kael'thas, you really did it…"
On the city wall, King Thoras Trollbane swung his sword, killing an Orc infantryman who was climbing. A long-lost smile finally appeared on his stern, somewhat numb face.
At this moment, he heard another cry of surprise.
"Look at the sea!"
King Thoras turned sharply, gazing into the distance.
On the azure sea, a magnificent bird bathed in flames soared with outstretched wings, each dive spewing torrents of scorching flames that consumed all.
On the back of that divine bird, a golden-haired High Elf prince stood proudly, his robes fluttering.
His hands moved swiftly, and fiery, immense fireballs, as large as millstones, accurately struck the Horde warships like meteors.
"Kael'thas, I was right about you!"
King Thoras took a deep breath, hope flickering in his eyes, and continued to bravely defend the city.
Not long after, Kael'thas had set all the Horde warships ablaze and came to Thoras's side.
"Your Highness, thank you for coming. From now on, you are my brother, and the High Elves are Stromgarde's eternal friends."
Thoras paused, looking at the Gryphon Riders fighting fiercely in the sky: "And the Wildhammer Dwarves."
"Look, the Horde is retreating!" someone shouted.
Both men quickly looked down at the city.
Indeed, after losing almost all their air and naval forces, the Horde, seeing no hope of breaking through the city, finally chose to retreat.
"It's just a pity we don't have enough troops; we've missed a good opportunity for a counterattack," Thoras's voice betrayed his unwillingness.
With the Horde army retreating, now was the perfect time to pursue the victory.
The Arathi Highlands had sparse vegetation and open views, and with their own air force for reconnaissance, there was no need to worry about ambushes.
Unfortunately, there were not enough troops.
Stromgarde only had a few thousand soldiers, all exhausted.
Even if they launched a full-scale attack, they would be no match for the Horde army, and besides, they couldn't even catch up.
"It's enough, brother," Kael'thas said.
At this, Thoras immediately thought of the High Elves' signature skill: "Teleportation?"
Kael'thas nodded: "A unit from Quel'Thalas is waiting in the Hinterlands. As long as Your Majesty agrees, I can open a portal at any time to have them come and provide support."
Thoras immediately said: "Then what are we waiting for? Now!"
"As you wish."
Kael'thas flashed outside the city gate and opened a portal.
At this time, the Horde had already retreated, and there was not a single Horde member within a thousand meters, so there was no need to worry about interference.
On the city wall, Thoras looked at the young man standing beside him: "Garin, concentrate our forces, open the city gates, and pursue the Horde!"
Garin Trollbane's expression changed slightly. He leaned into Thoras's ear and whispered: "Father, if we send troops to pursue the Horde, Stromgarde will be empty. What if the High Elves take the opportunity to occupy it? We must be on guard, Father!"
He glanced at Kael'thas out of the corner of his eye, his gaze containing both apprehension and disdain.
He had read history books since childhood and greatly yearned for the human empire during Emperor Thoradin's time. Even the High Elves swore eternal loyalty to Thoradin's bloodline. Theoretically, Quel'Thalas was a vassal state of the human empire (Chronicle Volume 1).
However, with the decline of Thoradin's bloodline, the human empire disintegrated, leading to the current Seven Kingdoms.
Stromgarde was once the capital of the human empire, so he always believed that Stromgarde was the legitimate successor, and the Trollbane family was the spiritual heir of Emperor Thoradin. The other Six Kingdoms should all pledge allegiance to the Trollbanes.
The same goes for Quel'Thalas!
He strongly disliked the long-lived, pointy-eared Elves, and even more so Kael'thas, who had become the focus of the entire Alliance recently.
As fellow princes, Kael'thas shone brightly, having commanded several major battles, eliminating nearly two hundred thousand Orcs, Ogres, and Trolls combined, earning glorious military achievements for the Alliance.
Meanwhile, he remained unknown. Some high-ranking officials in certain countries had not even heard his name. His reputation in the Alliance was not even as good as his cousin, whose parents died young!
This made him proud of his identity as a "spiritual heir of Emperor Thoradin" while also feeling extremely inferior, leading to a deep-seated hatred for Kael'thas, whom he had never met.
At this moment, Kael'thas appeared before him as a "savior," even addressing his father as "brother" and earning his father's praise and gratitude. This caused his dissatisfaction and resentment to surge to the extreme.
In his opinion, the despicable and insidious Elf Prince's suggestion was merely a ploy to seize Stromgarde and usurp power!
"Shut up!"
Thoras rebuked in a low voice, his face ashen.
He knew his son was unpromising, ambitious but lacking in ability, harboring the dream of uniting the Seven Human Kingdoms, yet unable to even govern Stromgarde.
Therefore, he had been focusing on training his nephew, Danath Trollbane, hoping that after his death, Danath could help Garin secure the throne.
But he never expected Garin to be so foolish.
Even if the High Elves coveted Stromgarde, it was impossible for them to forcibly occupy it at this time.
Firstly, no country would ever allow an alien race to occupy human territory. Even if they did, it wouldn't be now.
Internal strife within the Alliance would only benefit the Horde. No one with a normal mind would do such a thing.
The key is:
Stromgarde now only had five thousand troops left. If the High Elves truly wanted to attack, no amount of defense could stop them.
"Garin, you don't need to go. Stay and defend the city."
Thoras looked at the other person standing beside him: "Danath, you go gather the troops and pursue the Horde!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Danath was decisive and acted immediately.
Garin's face was gloomy, his eyes flickering, unsure of what he was thinking.
Outside the city gate, one portal after another opened, and seven thousand soldiers streamed out, the first to arrive being Sylvanas.
She looked into the distance, frowning: "Your Highness, the Horde is retreating in two main directions. One part is heading east, where there is a vast plateau and Sador Bridge. The other part is heading west, where Thoradin's Wall is. They intend to attack those two places and rendezvous with the Horde on the other side."
South of Sador Bridge was the sub-continent of Khaz Modan, where most areas had already been occupied by the Horde.
The sea between the two continents was blockaded by the Kul Tiras fleet, making it difficult for the remaining Horde warships to break through. Soldiers from the south could not be transported by sea, making Sador Bridge the Horde's only hope.
Compared to the invincible Kul Tiras fleet at sea, Sador Bridge, which had been severely damaged and had far fewer troops than before, was clearly easier to breach.
West of Thoradin's Wall was Hillsbrad Foothills, which had also been occupied by the Horde.
With Lordaeron holding out, the main Horde forces desperately needed support. The Horde in Arathi Highlands, seeing that they couldn't take Stromgarde, would naturally think of breaking through Thoradin's Wall to reinforce Lordaeron.
"This must be General Sylvanas. Your judgment is correct."
King Thoras walked over and said in a deep voice: "Sador Bridge and Thoradin's Wall each have two thousand troops. If the Horde from Khaz Modan and Hillsbrad Foothills cooperate in an attack, I'm afraid they won't last long."
The reason they were able to hold out before was because the Horde lacked air power, and the Horde in Arathi Highlands had insufficient troops.
Now the Horde had sent Dragon Riders and had the addition of Forest Trolls, greatly increasing their strength, and their offensive was far greater than before.
Recently, Sador Bridge and Thoradin's Wall had been subjected to unprecedented fierce attacks, suffering heavy casualties, and were on the verge of collapse.
Sylvanas said: "The Horde plans to attack from two sides. We can also send pursuers to cooperate with the defenders at those two locations to encircle and annihilate the Horde. We have the advantage in numbers now."
King Thoras nodded: "Danath, I will take a thousand men to Sador Bridge, and you take a thousand men to Thoradin's Wall."
Stromgarde now only had five thousand troops left. It was impossible to send them all out; a portion had to be left to defend the city, in case the Horde launched a counterattack.
Kael'thas looked at Kurdran: "We will also split into two groups. Highlord, which side will you go to?"
Kurdran said: "The west! After eliminating the Horde, we still need to go to Lordaeron, and the west is on the way!"
Kael'thas nodded: "Then I'll also go west. What about you, Sylvanas?"
Sylvanas looked in the direction of Thoradin's Wall: "Your Highness, I will take four thousand men with you to the west, and let Lord Halduron go to Sador Bridge for support."
"Good, we'll do as you say."
He summoned Halduron Brightwing and whispered instructions: "After the battle at Sador Bridge is over, you will stay here to continue clearing out the Horde and try to establish an expeditionary camp in the eastern Arathi Highlands, preparing for a long-term campaign."
Arathi Highlands is very large.
After the Horde's defeat, they would inevitably scatter, and it would be difficult to find them if they simply hid somewhere. It would take a long time to completely eradicate them.
There were some things he didn't say, but Halduron was a smart man and would surely understand.
"Yes, Your Highness." Halduron's eyes lit up with joy.
Troops from all sides advanced.
Kael'thas and Danath Trollbane led their armies westward. The combined forces of the three races were unstoppable. With the support of the air force, they routed the Horde, leaving them no chance to retaliate. Along the way, many were killed or fled.
By the time they were driven to Thoradin's Wall, their numbers had dwindled to less than two thousand.
Danath sent messengers ahead, and the defenders there cooperated in a pincer attack. More than half of the two thousand Horde soldiers were killed or wounded, and the rest fled into the mountain forests to the north and south, hiding.
"That is Durnholde Keep, one of the Horde's strongholds in Hillsbrad Foothills. It has approximately three thousand troops and is easy to defend but difficult to attack."
Everyone ascended the city wall, and Danath pointed to the castle in the northwest, saying, "But now with your support, we will surely be able to conquer Durnholde Keep."
The three armies rested briefly, then immediately set off.
However, when they arrived at Durnholde Keep, it was already deserted.
"The Horde army is retreating west; they are going to Lordamere Lake for reinforcements!" reported a Dragonhawk Rider responsible for patrol and reconnaissance.
The three armies continued their pursuit.
Three hundred Dragonhawk Riders and three hundred Gryphon Riders went ahead, with the main army following closely behind. They eliminated many more enemies, achieving brilliant results.
Not long after, they arrived at the Thandol River.
This river originates from Andorhal and the northern mountains, with melting mountain springs and waterfalls cascading down from the high mountains into Lake Darrowmere.
It then rushes out from the southern gap, flowing southward, traversing the entire Hillsbrad Foothills, and finally emptying into the Great Sea.
On the wide river, a fleet was sailing from south to north, with the flag of Kul Tiras fluttering on the ships.
A weathered middle-aged man stood on the bow of the flagship.
"Admiral Daelin," Kael'thas greeted him.
"Your Highness, long time no see."
Daelin glanced at the allied forces not far away, slightly moved, "Stromgarde troops, and Wildhammer Dwarves' Gryphon Riders? How long has it been? Have the Horde in Hinterlands and Arathi Highlands been dealt with?"
"Not entirely dealt with, just the main forces have been defeated. They are no longer a threat now."
Kael'thas smiled and asked, "Admiral, are you going to Lake Darrowmere?"
Daelin nodded, "We have blockaded the southern sea area and captured Southshore. Now we are going upriver to control Lake Darrowmere and eliminate the Horde there."
After Alterac Kingdom joined the Horde, the Horde established a supply line from the southern sea area to Lake Darrowmere and then to Andorhal.
After the Horde army moved to Lordamere Lake, this vital transportation route was cut off by the Alliance. Many Horde soldiers were stranded in the Lake Darrowmere area, constantly trying to move south.
The Alliance forces there were about to be overwhelmed. It so happened that he had captured Southshore, so he was going to provide support by water.
And there was another unspoken but universally known reason for him to do so:
The Barov family!
The Barov family was one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most powerful families in the human world, owning four major territories: Caer Darrow, Brill, Tarren Mill, and Southshore, spanning the two kingdoms of Alterac and Lordaeron. Their territory and wealth were no less than that of the royal family of Alterac Kingdom.
Caer Darrow Island in the center of Lake Darrowmere was the most important territory of the Barov family, and most of the family's assets were on the island.
Controlling Lake Darrowmere was equivalent to controlling the Barov family and the vast wealth comparable to any royal family.
"And you, are you pursuing the fleeing Horde from Durnholde Keep?" Daelin asked.
Kael'thas nodded, "The pockets in the southern sea area and Thoradin's Wall are already tightened. Now it depends on Lordaeron and Silverpine Forest."
Daelin's expression was grave, "It's not looking good. The Horde's offensive is becoming fiercer, the mages' mana consumption is severe, and magical supplies are almost exhausted. The situation in Silverpine Forest is also critical; the Horde is trying to pass through Silverpine Forest to Tirisfal Glades."
He looked at the dense Dragonhawk Riders and Gryphon Riders in the sky, a smile appearing on his face, "But with these air forces, there will be no problem."
With the support of the air force, the Alliance would not be passively beaten but would have the ability to counterattack.
The situation was excellent, and victory for the Alliance was in sight.
Kael'thas looked at the distant snow-capped mountains, "What about Alterac Kingdom? What's the situation there now?"
Daelin said, "After Alterac Kingdom defected to the Horde, the nobles within the country continuously incited riots in Alliance-controlled areas, cooperating with the Horde to harass the Dalaran army responsible for this area and impacting the Alliance's defense line in Silverpine Forest."
Kael'thas's eyes flickered, "Are there many defenders in Alterac Kingdom now?"
Daelin quickly calculated and said, "Alterac has a sparse population, scarce resources, and insufficient food. It only has a total of just over twenty thousand troops. Currently, there are about five thousand troops in the Dalaran area, five thousand in the Lake Darrowmere area, and some forces scattered in other areas of Hillsbrad. The domestic defenders are less than ten thousand..."
He was slightly moved, "Your Highness, do you want to attack Alterac Kingdom?"
"Don't you think this is a good opportunity?" Kael'thas retorted.
"It is indeed a good opportunity."
Daelin's mind became active, "The Alterac Kingdom is more vulnerable now than ever before, and you have air forces. If we launch a surprise attack, there is indeed a great chance of success."
Alterac Kingdom's greatest reliance was its terrain.
The entire country was in the mountains, with steep and dangerous terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. If it were only ground forces, even a hundred thousand troops would not be able to ascend it—
If it hadn't surrendered voluntarily, even if the Horde army pressed on, it would be impossible to breach it in a short time!
But with air forces, that would be a different story.
No matter how steep the mountains, they could not stop an air raid.
"Admiral Daelin, are you interested in taking a tour of Alterac Kingdom?" Kael'thas coaxed.
"It's not impossible..." Daelin was somewhat tempted.
Conquering Alterac Kingdom offered too many benefits.
For the Alliance, occupying Alterac Kingdom would be like cutting off an arm of the Horde, and they could also overlook and threaten the Horde army at Lordamere Lake below.
Moreover, by controlling Alterac Kingdom, they could cooperate with the Dalaran army to shrink the pocket, trapping the Horde army in the small Lordamere Lake area.
It could also cut off the Horde's supplies!
For Kul Tiras, this would also be a great achievement. In the post-war handling of Alterac Kingdom, they would gain significant influence and secure more benefits for Kul Tiras.
The land and mineral resources of Alterac Kingdom held great allure for him.
"How do you plan to attack?" Daelin asked.
Kael'thas said, "The air force will go first, attack the royal palace, control the king, open a portal, transport the main army up, and then, from top to bottom, it won't take long to conquer the entire Alterac Kingdom!"
Daelin then asked, "How many people did you bring?"
Kael'thas said, "Four thousand High Elf troops, fifteen hundred Stromgarde troops, three hundred Wildhammer Dwarves troops, including six hundred air forces."
Daelin breathed a sigh of relief, "Nearly six thousand, that's enough."
He immediately ordered, "The fleet will stay put. Drake, you will stay with two thousand men, and I will take three thousand to attack Alterac!"