When the Black Dragon Princess was in power, she was only concerned with vying for power within the Noble Council and completely ignored the devastating situation in the Westfall, allowing Defias to grow stronger.
Sentinel Hill Warden Gryan had to rely on himself to raise a force from among the destitute farmers and fight against the powerful Defias in the west. His abilities and character are beyond question.
This time, he personally led his men to aid Stormwind City. Unexpectedly, not only did he not suffer any losses, but he also received a large army from the Alliance. Overjoyed, he volunteered to serve as the guide for the vanguard.
Unas admired the middle-aged Knight, but he didn't need a "guide" because VanCleef had already handed over the most detailed map of the Westfall, marking all the Defias outposts.
How to fight this battle was already a plan agreed upon by both sides in secret communication; having outsiders watching would only be a hindrance.
Fortunately, they had considered this possibility. It would just be a quick attack, and as long as they made it dazzling and combined feints with real attacks, it would be difficult for others to find their weaknesses.
Looking past the Dwarf troops closely following behind, Unas glanced back at the well-organized Seventh Legion, the rearguard, a mile away, and loudly ordered his Warrior: "Begin the march! Reach Westbrook Garrison immediately!"
"Yes!"
These energetic young people were unaware that an arduous and relentless journey awaited them, and in order to shake off Duke August behind them, Unas had to harden his heart.
"Battle report from the front! The Lordaeron Restoration Army and the Dwarf Alliance have left Westbrook Garrison!" Gryphon Rider from Aerie Peak brought the latest intelligence.
"What?!" Duke August was furious. According to the original plan, the two armies were to meet at Westbrook Garrison for a day to rest and discuss the detailed strategy for the next phase of the campaign.
Now the vanguard had actually abandoned him! The Duke roared, "That reckless brat! Outside the fortress, he could encounter the enemy's main force at any moment! So reckless! Once he suffers a crushing defeat, I will punish him severely! Even Windsor can't protect him!"
But the battle that took place a day later was completely different from what the Duke had expected.
"Battle report from the front: The Restoration Army has captured Saldean's Farm, and the Dwarf Alliance has occupied the Jangolode Mine!"
With Defias' two major strongholds eliminated, the Duke slightly abandoned his underestimation of the new army, setting aside his personal emotions. His concern shifted to the fact that these inexperienced newcomers might fall into a trap. After all, dealing with Defias was the top priority. He ordered, "Break camp immediately and proceed to their aid as quickly as possible!"
When he arrived at Saldean's Farm with his large army, all he saw were wheat harvesters destroyed into piles of scrap metal in the fields, and a jumble of corpses, both Goblins and humans.
The Restoration Army was nowhere to be seen, leaving only a hundred or so wounded soldiers guarding a group of surrendered soldiers. Mason, the intelligence officer who accompanied the army in this battle, was also there.
"Your Grace, the Prince of Lordaeron has led the Restoration Army on another offensive." Mason was an ordinary-looking, slightly overweight middle-aged man with a friendly face who looked more like a businessman.
"Damn it! "August cursed inwardly. While ordering the cleanup of the battlefield, he considered whether to split his forces to pursue them. In the end, he shook his head and gave up. For the sake of caution, it was not advisable to split up forces so deep into enemy territory.
"Breaking news: The Restoration Army has captured Möllsen County!"
"Battle report from the front: The Dwarves have captured the Gold Coast Quarry!"
"Reporting, sir, the Sentinel Hill garrison has joined forces with the Lordaeron Restoration Army and the Dwarf Army at Alexston Farm, and their advance is aimed directly at Moonbrook!"
For the next three days, Duke August was stunned into a daze by the constant stream of victories. The Restoration Army and the Dwarves did not stop at all, advancing almost in a straight line along the central line of the Westfall, and were able to sweep through the enemy with unstoppable momentum.
This left him with mixed feelings. He was pleased that Defias' army had suffered a crushing defeat and was likely too afraid to face the Allied forces directly, having already fled at the first sign of trouble, greatly increasing his chances of victory. However, he was worried that his own troops would only be able to follow behind the Restoration Army, doing dirty and tiring work such as cleaning up the battlefield, without gaining any significant merit.
Knowing that Defias was all bark and no bite, the Duke couldn't help but feel a pang of regret; he should have taken the striker position from the start.
Such a long march, day and night, also cost the Restoration Army and the Dwarves a great deal. As the battle lines stretched longer and longer, the number of dead, those who fell behind along the way, and the number of wounded and exhausted soldiers left behind in various places increased.
The Duke roughly estimated that the Restoration Army at the front had suffered at least half its casualties. Although the Dwarves were strong in endurance, they were slow in pace, and many of them had fallen behind, resulting in a significant loss of manpower.
According to the battle report, the vanguard troops have approached Defias's main camp. Their aggressive tactics could provoke a desperate last stand from the thieves, making the situation dire. A hint of worry crept onto the Duke's face.
In Moonbrook, a fierce street battle had just ended. Blood stained the crossroads in the town center, and corpses lay strewn all the way to the end of the road.
"Stop the pursuit!"
Unas stood on a destroyed gun emplacement, watching the remaining bandits retreat into the mines behind the town, without ordering a pursuit.
That is the infamous Deadmines, Defias' true headquarters, a place filled with winding tunnels and numerous traps, making it extremely dangerous.
"Rest where you are!"
Just like when he evacuated Stormwind City, VanCleef abandoned several gangs with insufficient loyalty, leaving them for Unas to use as kills.
In the battle at Moonbrook, the bandits, driven to the brink of desperation, displayed formidable fighting prowess, engaging in a fierce and real battle, making it the most difficult hurdle.
After the bloody battle, the soldiers finally received orders to rest. Ignoring the bloody remains of their bodies, they collapsed amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, their armor clattering loudly.
The Restoration Army had been defeating the enemy all the way, and most of the soldiers who had followed them here hadn't slept for days and nights. Unas surveyed the devastated battlefield and roughly estimated that, apart from the Dwarf army, there were probably only six or seven hundred humans left.
Those who could keep up with him and fight tirelessly for days on end, in terms of both physical strength and fighting spirit, were the elite of the elite. With more than four thousand Restoration Army able to obtain six or seven hundred of these elites, the purpose of training troops had been achieved.
The war was now over. As agreed in secret, Vanessa would emerge from the well and surrender, and Westfall would officially fall under Stormwind City.
At night, the night watchman suddenly reported that shouts of killing were coming from inside the mine. Unas knew in his heart that Vanessa must be eliminating the spies who had retreated into the mine during the day, so he ordered the guards to remain on alert as usual.
Sure enough, before noon the next day, someone came out of the well carrying a white flag.
Unas went through a series of perfunctory interrogations before finally accepting the surrender.
Soon after, Vanessa, along with a group of her men, presented five or six heads, all of them notorious fugitives. The most conspicuous among them was Edwin VanCleef, the founder of Defias.
VanCleef's head was obviously a fake. A ruthless man like him would usually have a double, so getting a head that looked seven or eight parts similar wouldn't be difficult.
This would kill two birds with one stone: VanCleef could completely disappear into the background, and Vanessa could use this as a way to gain legitimacy and be recruited legitimately, although she would then bear the infamy of patricide.
After inspecting the mine, Unas was very satisfied. Unsinkable gold ore that had not yet been refined was piled up everywhere, a windfall indeed.
In addition, the huge amount of grain and supplies collected from farms over the years is enough to supply the needs of 10,000 people for a year, so the food supply for the Restoration Army does not need to be a concern for the time being.
There was even a small Arsenal built by Goblins, with a full range of weapons and armor in its warehouse, and a considerable amount of storage space. It was small but complete.
Unas was only interested in the production line of the puppet harvester. This machine could harvest both grain and lives, and was very convenient for both home and combat. It was also inexpensive to manufacture. So he asked Vanessa to give him a blueprint so he could find someone to build it himself in the future.
The mine was fully equipped with other living facilities, and the skilled craftsmen were an immeasurable treasure. Defias was like a small kingdom, basically self-sufficient. Unas couldn't help but feel glad that he had made the right move to win them over.
The exit at the end of the well, right next to the coast, is a huge water-eroded cave that served as the shipyard and inner harbor for the Defias fleet.
VanCleef's super battleship, currently under construction, was docked at the harbor. At night, in the highest cabin, three figures huddled together for a private conversation.
"Take everything you can. The Seventh Legion will arrive in the next day or two. They'll be envious when they see the abundant spoils in the well," Unas urged. As the main victors, the Restoration Army would naturally get the lion's share of the spoils, but they would still have to share some with the Dwarves and Stormwind City.
"Of course I know."
The entire Defias will be divided in two. VanCleef will lead a group of notorious thieves and most of the main force to set sail first, while Vanessa and the rest will stay behind and join the Restoration Army.
"If blocked by the Alliance fleet, fly the banner of Lordaeron."
Unas produced two documents: one was an authorization order signed by the old marshal and Calia, which was sufficient to guarantee the fleet's unimpeded passage in the Alliance's waters.
The other was a treasure map obtained from the Black Dragon Princess, which originally belonged to VanCleef. Unas had tried to decipher the cipher text on it, but to no avail, so he decided to return it to its rightful owner as a favor.
Having recovered his most prized possession, the King of Thieves' expression softened slightly, and he nodded to accept it.
"Gold buried in the ground is no different from scrap iron; it only has value when it's taken out and used. Our business needs a lot of financial support."
"Hmph." The King of Thieves sneered, seemingly oblivious to the Paladin's implied meaning. "My Vanessa will remain with you..."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure she's safe."
"Then I will take out this gold as capital to help her ascend the throne."
"Very good. I have information about another treasure here; retrieve it as well." Unas revealed the location of the Black Dragon's lair in Dustwallow Marsh and instructed the other party to go and find it.
VanCleef has too many blood debts on his conscience, and now that his daughter is out in the public eye, he is terrified of retaliation.
Unas took Vanessa in under some pressure; the Stormtroopers must have been extremely eager to kill her.
However, with the old marshal as her backer, there shouldn't be any problems at the official level. As for assassination, Vanessa herself is an excellent assassin, so she's naturally not afraid. Besides, Unas won't stay in the south for long.
"After obtaining the treasure, we will go to Tol Barad Island."
This island is the largest in the north. It was originally part of Kul Tiras territory, but was destroyed by the Orcs during Second War and is now abandoned and Deserted Island.
"There may be a few scattered residents on the island. Avoid conflict with them, but don't let your guard down. I'll need you soon."
VanCleef considered the island's location; it was the perfect springboard for attacking the northern lands. He asked suspiciously, "Are you planning to attack Gilneas?" He was well-informed and knew that the lord of Gilneas was in frequent contact with Paladins.
"That's right, let's prepare for war." Unas didn't hide anything. Once Crowley found the Death Scythe, he planned to immediately help him start his uprising, and Defias' fleet was exactly what he needed.
Vanessa, with her typical gangster mindset and selfishness, asked, "Why should we help others? The territory you promised me isn't Gilneas."
Unas explained, "We help others, and others will help us. This battle is of great importance. If Gilneas opens up, it will be our strongest ally in the north. Besides, your father needs a place to stay now."
Vanessa pouted, still unconvinced, but VanCleef didn't say a word and nodded in agreement without expression.
Both father and daughter were ruthless and unruly, making cooperation quite difficult. Unas sighed, not bothering with their minor issue of politeness.
They packed up their valuables and supplies overnight, and at dawn, VanCleef led his fleet away laden with cargo.
The next day, the cavalry of the Seventh Legion arrived, and Duke August was among them. Although the main force of Defias had surrendered, the Restoration Army's rapid offensive had gone almost in a straight line, and there were still many scattered bandits in the surrounding area who were unwilling to surrender. The commanders of the troops only led a small group of cavalry, which was very risky.
August's face was very unpleasant. He had been cleaning up the messes for the Restoration Army all along, so he naturally resented the Paladin for not discussing it with him beforehand.
But the victor reigns supreme, and the Restoration Army was not subordinate to the Seventh Legion. No matter what military orders Unas had violated, once VanCleef and his henchmen's heads were presented, the Duke had nothing to say and could only suppress his anger and sulk.
There would be many opportunities to rely on the Seventh Legion in the future, and Unas didn't want to strain relations. He offered a few words of comfort, took the Duke on a tour of the mine, and promised him some spoils of war, which made the Duke feel better.
With Defias, the biggest threat to the Kingdom of Stormwind, eliminated, it was a joyous occasion, and the Duke's displeasure quickly dissipated.
The subsequent suppression of the remaining bandits was no easy task, especially since the Dustplains in the southeast were Horde to a large number of Gnoll, making it a tough nut to crack. Unas delegated the task entirely to the Seventh Legion, allowing them to also gain some merit, and only then did the Duke leave satisfied.
Unas Mason, the intelligence officer who had accompanied the army, into a secret room and asked, "So, does he have any suspicions?" The act with Defias was very realistic, but it wasn't without flaws, and it was the second time, Unas couldn't help feeling uneasy.
"Your Highness, rest assured, my arrangements are foolproof. Even if he becomes suspicious, he won't be able to find any flaws." Mason remained all smiles and amiable. With him, the intelligence officer, helping to cover things up, they were able to deceive Duke August's eyes and ears.
"Very good. Now that the war is over, when it's time to reward those who have contributed, the position in SI:7 will be yours."
"Thank you, sir." Mason was on the verge of promotion, quickly bowed and thanked him, then asked, "However, the offensive in Duskwood has been stalled. Should we intervene?" He referred to himself as "we," completely disregarding his status as an outsider.
Unlike the flat plains of the Westfall, the Duskwood is hilly with dense, shady trees, making it difficult for large groups to move around.
Unas considered for a moment and said, "Let's rest for a week. If there's still no breakthrough over there, we'll discuss it again then."
There are no significant hostile forces in the Duskwood. The Undead, Ogres, and Worgen are not under each other's command. As long as we can concentrate our forces and defeat them one by one, the allied forces will have no problem wiping out the enemy.
A week passed quickly, Unas received no news of a great victory in the east. Instead, a message came from the priests of the Redridge Mountains Shiroma: the Red Dragon Vaelastrasz had been confirmed to have been captured by Blackrock Spire and must be rescued as soon as possible.
The bodies of Prince Anduin's two bodyguards were found in the rocky hills in the northwest of the Burning Steppes, but strangely, the prince himself is still missing, and no Orcs have been found nearby, making it difficult to determine whether the Little Prince was abducted by Blackrock Spire.
Crowley also sent several battle reports: the allied forces in Duskwood bypassed the eastern part, which was corrupted by the dark magic of Karazhan, and instead attacked Raven Hill in the west; their offensive was finally on track.
The Worgen's activity range has been thoroughly investigated, but no clues about the artifact have been found yet.
The letters from the old marshal and Crowley urged the Paladins to advance eastward as soon as possible, as both Duskwood and Redridge Mountains urgently needed support.
After deliberation, the allied forces in Westfall split into three: Duke August's forces and the Wildlands People's Army stayed behind to continue clearing out the remaining bandits, the Wildhammer and Dark Iron Dwarves aided Redridge Mountains, and the Restoration Army went to Duskwood.
After annexing most of Defias, the Restoration Army's strength expanded rapidly. Including its logistics troops, its forces numbered over ten thousand, making it a force to be reckoned with.
Their swift defeat of the infamous Defias drew everyone's attention, adding to the legendary status of this unit.
After a week of reorganization and rest, their strength had been largely restored. At Unas's command, the mighty army of over ten thousand men, carrying the morale of a great victory, marched toward the Westbrook River on the eastern border of the Westfall. Crossing this wide river would lead them into the Duskwood region.
Looking at the soldiers standing in neat rows, full of vigor, Unas's confidence soared, and boundless hope surged within him—no matter what lies ahead, he would surely overcome all obstacles!
"Uovsshthyzzzz!"
A strange sound suddenly rang in her ears, piercing the wound in her head, Onyxia awoke with a start.
Is that a giant octopus in front of me?
No, that was just its head. This giant monster had limbs and a body thicker than Dragonflight's, and its entire body radiated terrifying and cold energy. One of its forelimbs, like a shrimp claw, was pointing downwards.
The unintelligible language conveyed a clear instruction to her—get down!
Black Dragon Princess involuntarily lowered her head, only to see a deep, bottomless trench lying beneath her, its abyss-like darkness churning within. A single glance seemed to suck her soul in, from which she would never escape.
This hideous monster of unknown origin dared to be so arrogant towards her. The Black Dragon was instinctively enraged and was about to pounce when memories of falling into the sea rushed back with her rapidly clearing consciousness—this monster was not an enemy; it was the one that had rescued her from the jaws of the sea king and dragged her here.
Throughout this process, she remained in a dazed, semi-conscious state, passively receiving the shadow energy transmitted by the other party. Surprisingly, her injuries were healed by 70-80%, except for the wound in her head, which still caused her excruciating pain.
"Sk'uuyat!"
The troll urged her on again. Onyxia could sense that familiar aura from the trench below was calling to her. She made up her mind, flicked her tail, and turned to rush into the abyss below.
In absolute darkness, the passage of time is immeasurable. Perhaps hours have passed, perhaps only minutes. The Black Dragon Princess felt herself pass through an invisible barrier. Her massive body was thrown out by a tremendous force, and then, with a flash of light, she arrived in another world.
Looking around, one sees countless mountains and valleys, jagged rocks, and the earth is covered with dark Rocks, devoid of any vegetation. Looking up at where one came from, one sees that the sky above is devoid of white clouds or stars, but is composed of thick black Rocks —this is the Earth Elemental Plane, also known as the Deepholm.
Legend has it that the Earth Elemental Plane lies beneath the deep sea of the Great Whirlpool, but unexpectedly, the bottom of the trench is a spatial tunnel.
The call from the same source was right beside her ears. She flew quickly over a huge mountain range. In the Canyon at the foot of the mountain, the aura of her kin was extremely strong. Her father was there!
She descended directly into the valley, and the scene before her was so shocking that she could hardly recognize it. The majestic Black Dragon King of her memories was gone; all that remained in the valley was a hideous, deformed, giant mass of rotting flesh.
Countless fiery red tentacles stretched out from this huge lump of rotten flesh, revealing half of a dragon's head hidden inside.
Everyone in the world thought that Deathwing had fallen into the sea and died under the siege of the four dragon kings, but unexpectedly he survived in the earth Elemental Plane in this way.
"My daughter, you have finally come." The Black Dragon King's entire lower half of his face was missing, and disgusting tentacles grew from the wound. He was unable to speak and could only communicate through telepathy.
"Father, Father." Onyxia's eyes widened. The Black Dragon King's body was completely torn to pieces, with disgusting tentacles growing from the horizontal wounds, making her unable to recognize him for a moment.
"I need a new suit of armor to find the Brirez clan."
In ancient times, the Black Dragon King received the power of the Old Gods, causing his body to crack. It was the Brûléz clan of Goblins who forged him a suit of armor that was equivalent to his skin, suppressing the disintegration of his body.
Several years ago, during a great battle with other dragon kings, his armor was shattered, he fell into the sea, and his body finally collapsed, cracking into its current deformed form.
A normal creature would be dead after being injured like this, but the Black Dragon King possesses the power of the Old Gods N'Zoth, the Thousand-Bearded Demon, and cannot be judged by common sense.
Onyxia never dared to disobey her father's orders, and always bowed her head in obedience.
"Very well, my daughter. Once I recover, I can leave this damned place."
The Black Dragon King's eyes shone with hatred and destruction, and its somewhat tattered wings unfurled from its tentacles, making it look both terrifying and eerie.
"At that time, the whole world will tremble in the shadow of my wings!"
"My lord, the cave has been thoroughly searched, but nothing was found."
"I understand." Crowley waved his hand in disappointment, looking exhausted.
He took on the task of eliminating the Worgen alone, fearing that the artifact would fall into the wrong hands, but he never expected the treasure hunt to be so difficult.
This was the ninth nest of Worgen they had wiped out, yet they had still gained nothing, while suffering considerable losses in their own forces.
Worgen are cursed, and most of them have lost their normal human sanity, becoming no different from wild beasts. They cannot be interrogated, and there are very few clues.
The emergency evacuation of seven ships of soldiers from the country by Crowley was a significant and attention-grabbing move that could not be concealed for long. Such a blatant and large-scale defiance of King Genn decree would inevitably be met with punishment.
Whether his family members back home can withstand the pressure is a question, so Crowley must find the artifact as quickly as possible and then return home to stabilize the situation. However, at the current pace, it may not be possible to succeed for several months.
Looking at the seemingly endless, dark Forest, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Sir," another soldier reported, "Breaking news: the Lordaeron Restoration Army has reached Elwynn Crossing."
Crowley felt a sense of relief and couldn't help but hope that the Prince of Lordaeron, who kept creating miracles, would arrive soon to solve his current problem.