Splat! The longsword pierced through Samuro's heart, and this legendary sword saint ultimately fell victim to the relentless attacks. Before dying, he unleashed a Blade Storm, merging his body and sword almost into one.
The high-speed rotational energy created a force that seemed to shred the very air around him, tearing apart all the surrounding orcs into pieces!
Thud!
Arthas threw the Hammer of Justice towards the distant shaman and simultaneously tossed the Shield of Vengeance, making it bounce between several shamans to interrupt the spells they were channeling.
Tanks detest control chains the most; as long as there's no negative control, he could hold back a thousand orcs by himself.
Whoosh!
Facing a troll whose hunched body was still taller than his own, Arthas's longsword pierced directly through the troll shaman's heart. Chopping off their limbs was useless; as long as they had enough food, they could grow back.
With their exaggerated regenerative capabilities, targeting the head and heart was the best choice. Splat! Several javelins pierced the armor. Arthas roared as he summoned the Holy Light to heal himself while using his shield to block the enraged orcs' attacks, drawing his longsword to fend off assaults from the other side.
Ding!
The damage from the reflection of the Holy Light startled the trolls and orcs attacking him, causing one to spit out a mouthful of blood. Thud! An eerie totem embedded itself into the ground, a faint orange light glowing from it.
This was the troll shaman's exclusive skill: Healing Totem! It slowly restored health at a percentage rate; although the effect wasn't obvious immediately, with time, it could fully restore health from severe injuries.
The highly skilled shaman totems could even fully heal injuries within minutes. In the chaos of battle, these totems are often the least noticeable yet the most effective means of healing.
Ding! Arthas threw his shield again, smashing the totem, his gaze fixed on the distant shaman; he had to eliminate these spellcasters.
Any combat power must be dealt with; the priests and fragile magic users in the rear had to be taken out. With their stress-free output and healing, the warriors in front would find it hard to defeat foes. None of the soldiers in the guard complained; some had fallen, while others endured; for their prince, no hardship could obstruct their resolve.
"For the Alliance! For Lordaeron, kill!" Arthas roared, rallying the soldiers' morale.
He then retreated to formation, starting to channel the Holy Light.
"For Lordaeron, for the prince, kill!" The soldiers shouted, raising their shields, firmly protecting Arthas in place.
Emeriss and Keristrasza were using magic to shield Arthas, while Chromie and Tarecgosa did not come along, not wishing to get involved in the mortal races' struggles.
"Mass Resurrection!" Arthas's ultimate spell was Mass Resurrection, a spell with a cooldown of one month!
The last time he used it was half a month ago, and now that he leveled up, the cooldown refreshed just in time for the growing enemy numbers; he needed to resurrect the fallen high elves and Samuro to complete the task and gain their loyalty.
The shining Holy Light paused the orc and troll assaults; facing the golden-flashing phenomenon, even creatures felt a sense of curiosity, a trace of fear and reverence.
This represented a beautiful longing for the light, unrelated to other matters.
"Rise again, my warriors!" Arthas pointed his sword to the sky, and a ray of light descended upon his sword before radiating outward.
The affected orcs seemed confused, as if experiencing no damage?
Yet what terrified the trolls was that the previously slain high-elven warriors started to heal, wobbling back onto their feet, a sight that truly left the trolls bewildered.
"Everyone attack! For the Alliance! Kill!" Arthas charged at the stunned orcs and trolls with his sword aimed straight at them, roaring as he rushed forward. Emeriss and Keristrasza quickly followed, using magic for cover.
They had witnessed the benefits of the essence of life and naturally wouldn't pass up the opportunity to fight alongside Arthas. Keristrasza was motivated by interest and curiosity, while Emeriss was spurred by a slight emotional affection, their every encounter deepening their bond.
The feeling of being reborn is wonderful! Moreover, having died once and then being revived deepened the understanding of life, fostered a respect for Arthas.
"Not all orcs are bad; there are bad humans too. Samuro, pledge your loyalty to me, and I will help you regain the dignity and honor lost by the orcs, not to act as the demons' pawns wreaking havoc in my world!" Arthas was covered in scars and his face smeared with blood and dirt; this image, to the orcs, represented ultimate glory.
Samuro fell silent for a moment, seemingly wrestling with thoughts; pledging loyalty to a human seemed to contradict the traditions of the orcs. However, the fact that this person could bring him back from death proved that he was pure and noble and had seen through the essence of the orcs' control.
So, after just a moment, he knelt on one knee with his sword held out. "Samuro will be forever loyal to you; I won't serve the Alliance, only you."
"I am Arthas, Prince of Lordaeron. We have much to do ahead. Our goal is to deal with the hidden hand of the Burning Legion; I know that the orcish horde has been manipulated and controlled by the demons of the Burning Legion.
This does not absolve them from judgment; your task is to save them as much as possible, reclaim the honor that belongs to the orcs. Rise, and fight alongside me!"
Arthas declared grandly, adorned by the shining Holy Light, looking like a gentleman; who would have thought he had recently used the essence of life to force himself on a duchess who could be the same age as his mother?
This was clearly a despicable beast clad in the guise of a paladin!