The cloudless sky and the unchanging black earth were quickly left behind.
The Orcs dragon riders desperately urged their beasts forward, fleeing without looking back.
The young dragon's fleshy wings flapped through the air, making a loud noise, but it couldn't drown out his violently pounding heartbeat.
The terrifying golden reaper was less than half a mile behind them, and the Orcs Knight witnessed firsthand how his companion and his dragon were Execute in a single blow by a giant scythe.
He was always quick-witted; knowing he had encountered an enemy he couldn't defeat, he turned and ran, managing to gain this small distance.
Just then, he suddenly heard a faint sonic boom, and brilliant golden light instantly enveloped him from behind. He was about to move when he found the sky and earth spinning rapidly. Then he saw his headless corpse and his decapitated dragon falling to the ground together. After that, endless darkness descended upon his mind.
Golden light rose from Unas, who was suspended in the air. It was a long-awaited upgrade. He glanced at his attributes and found that they had all been enhanced. He also gained a skill point, which he would keep for now and use when needed.
He landed, carefully wrapped the two heads and put them in his backpack. After waiting a short while, a Gryphon Rider flew in from a distance.
The Dwarf Knight, accustomed to the corpses on the ground, reported, "Your Highness, a new discovery has been made to the north!"
"Let's go!" The Paladin spread his Light Wings and flew north alongside the Gryphon Rider to continue their dragon-hunting journey.
That evening, the Orcs at Cinder Rock Stronghold were ready for battle, waiting to launch their attack the next morning. But devastating news came from the front—eight dragon riders had gone missing one after another, and the search yielded only sixteen headless corpses.
The young dragon and the Orcs cavalry died from the same cause: their heads were severed by a sharp weapon, leaving smooth wounds, indicating that the weapon used was extremely sharp.
Now the other dragon riders were all terrified, no longer daring to go out alone, and even afraid to conduct long-range reconnaissance.
The Orcs commander was devastated; his army had been rendered blind, yet he dared not conceal such a devastating loss. Risking severe punishment, he relayed the message back.
Rend Blackhand, the Warchief of the Old Horde, was furious. He had painstakingly trained the dragon riders and invested a great deal of effort in them. Now, eight young black dragons had died inexplicably. He was extremely embarrassed in front of the Black Dragon Prince.
However, for him, this was an opportunity to persuade the Black Dragon Prince to take this war seriously.
Nefarian was engrossed in his dragon experiments and had little interest in wars with "mortals." He controlled the Old Horde only to use it as a shield for his own lair. In his eyes, Orcs, Trolls Ogres were nothing more than lowly cannon fodder.
Therefore Stormwind City Old Horde intervenes directly, but the death of the young dragon must be a painful blow to him; if he could bring in more Dragonflight reinforcements...
Rend Blackhand pondered, then summoned his servants to relay the message to Blackwing Lair.
However, contrary to Blackhand's prediction, the only person who came to respond to him was one of Nefarian's lieutenants— the Dragonkin general Drakkisath.
"Recall all Dragoons."
The cold, curt command enraged Blackhand. Although he was subservient to the Black Dragon, he was not entitled to be treated so arrogantly by a lackey.
But the Dragonkin general's next words silenced him. "Our master left a month ago, instructing us to guard the tower and not to move about carelessly."
Blackhand was greatly surprised. As far as he knew, the Black Dragon Prince rarely left his residence, spending years at the top of the tower researching and creating new varieties of Dragonflight. How could he have happened to travel so far?
"If we recall the dragoons, my troops at the front will lose their means of scouting the enemy, which..."
"That's your problem. The chieftain is a veteran of countless battles; he'll surely find a solution," the Dragonkin general said bluntly. "We can't help you."
Why has Master Nefarian gone away? And when will he return?
The Dragonkin general shook his head, clearly unaware of this.
"This time it's different from the previous skirmishes. The Alliance army is pressing in with overwhelming force, and there are even new enemies like Worgen. If the troops I've deployed outside can't hold them off and they manage to breach the tower, it could jeopardize the entire Blackwing Lair."
Blackhand had long sensed the unusual nature of this war. What he didn't know was that, with the Black Dragon Princess acting as a traitor, the Old Horde had gained the upper hand in several small-scale border battles against the Humans. Now that the Black Dragon had been eliminated and the allied forces were newly formed, they were eager to take the lead and would naturally become more difficult to deal with.
The Dragonkin general scoffed, saying, "If they really manage to storm Blackwing Lair, you'll be useless to my master, won't you?"
Blackrock Spire was originally the greatest fortress built by the Dark Iron Dwarves. It has eleven levels that reach into the sky. The lower seven levels are now occupied by the Old Horde, while the upper four levels are the territory of the Black Dragons.
Blackhand's face was ashen. To survive, he had to guard the gates for the Black Dragon; this was his destined fate after pledging allegiance to Nefarian.
The Dragonkin general swaggered away, Blackhand could only curse the coward in his heart. At the same time, he sent an order to the front line to recall the dragon riders and strictly ordered the front-line commanders to find a way to deal with the Worgen as soon as possible.
Unable to get reinforcements from the Black Dragon, this was the only way he could handle it, gambling on a bit of luck; otherwise, he would have had to abandon the Ogre on the Dreadmaul Rock.
Such dire consequences could potentially alter the course of the war, Blackhand lamented in distress. "Where has Nefarian gone?"
Thousands of miles away, over the ocean, two black dragons were flying at high speed, one after the other.
"It's right below." The Black Dragon in front suddenly swooped down, showing no sign of slowing down as it approached the sea surface, like a meteorite crashing into the sea, splashing up towering waves.
Not to be outdone, Houlong also shot into the sea like a cannonball, rapidly diving towards the seabed.
After an unknown amount of time, traversing the cold, dark depths of the sea and bottomless trenches, the two dragons arrived at the Earth Elemental Plane, where they soon met their father— Deathwing.
"Father, there is no news of the Brirez clan yet, but I have brought Nefarian with me." The Black Dragon Princess lowered her head. She was all alone now, and searching for the reclusive Goblin clan in the world was like looking for a needle in a haystack, so she had no choice but to drag her brother into it first.
"Father." Nefarian stared at the deformed Black Dragon king, his eyes Blink with fanaticism. Wasn't his father's broken body an excellent experimental subject?
Just like before, Deathwing emerged from its dense tentacles. He stared at his two children, each with their own thoughts, and suddenly roared, unleashing countless thick, lava-like tentacles.
At such close range, Onyxia and Nefarian never expected their father to suddenly attack. They were immediately bound tightly by dozens of tentacles and cried out in pain.
No matter how much they struggled, they were only bound tighter and tighter, unable to even breathe, let alone use magic or other means.
Just when the two dragons thought they would be strangled to death by the crazed Black Dragon King, the tentacles retracted with lightning speed, and the two dragons collapsed to the ground, panting for fresh air.
"I have no use for trash!" Deathwing's roar shook the entire valley. "Find those damned Goblins, or don't come back to see me!"
Onyxia's voice trembled, "Yes, yes, Father."
Nefarian's fanaticism remained undiminished; the Black Dragon King's corrupted state made him nearly immortal, and his newly developed Chromatic Dragon technology could be used recklessly on his father.
"Father! Rest assured, Onyxia and I will resurrect you as the Invincible Dragon of Doom!"
Deathwing's roar almost set the air ablaze, "I cannot wait for that final moment, the moment my sons and daughters, when I soar through the skies once more, when the entire world will be trampled underfoot by our Black Dragon clan!"
The setting sun was like blood, and the Dreadmaul Rock was shrouded in a bright, bloody light.
The mountain path was littered with rubble and corpses. The Allied forces used artillery shells and bodies to break through every barrier leading to the summit, finally driving the enemy into a corner.
The daredevils of the Charge battalion reached the entrance to the Ogre's lair, only to be stopped by a makeshift defensive structure made of several boulders. However, the Firegut Clan had suffered heavy losses and were now trapped, making it only a matter of time before the allied forces were victorious.
At the central camp below the mountain, General Haval sat firmly on his horse and ordered a slow attack to minimize unnecessary losses.
He was fairly satisfied with the siege of the mountain, but even more satisfied with the unexpected success of the diversionary tactic in the west. The Blackrock Orcs at Cinder Rock Stronghold didn't dare to move at all, giving him ample time to cut off this arm of the Old Horde.
After this battle, the Prince of Lordaeron and his wolf army rose to fame, especially after the eight Black Dragons that were reported back, which greatly boosted the morale of the entire army, and no one dared to underestimate the strength of the Restoration Army.
Unas, who had made a great contribution, encountered a small problem at this time, because the Orcs had finally found a way to deal with the Worgen.
The Troll Witch Doctor of the Old Horde concocted a Potions, when applied to the body, could mask body odor, rendering the Worgen' greatest weapon in finding enemy spies—their sense of smell—useless.
Moreover, the size of enemy spies has increased several times, from three or four people to a dozen or twenty people per team. Although the larger targets are easier to detect, they are still capable of fighting against Worgen teams.
Unas did not join the expansion group because the Wolf Army only numbered a thousand and could not follow the enemy's pace; otherwise, they would be drawn into large-scale scattered fighting, which would be at a great disadvantage.
Fortunately, news of Dreadmaul Rock's victory arrived in time, allowing him to concentrate his wolf army and hide them in a mountain hollow, abandoning the intelligence blockade against the Orcs.
Cinder Rock Stronghold immediately learned of the fall of Dreadmaul Rock. The Orcs commander was devastated and launched a large-scale attack, hoping to take advantage of the time difference to annihilate the wolf army, his biggest threat.
The Paladins, of course, couldn't engage in direct combat. Instead, they led the Worgen, darting about like fish, slipping through their fingers without losing their grip, leaving the Orcs army empty-handed.
With the entire Alliance advancing westward without any worries about their rear, the Old Horde had only a little over ten thousand troops stationed on the plains, putting them at a significant disadvantage in numbers. Faced with the allied forces whose morale was soaring, they could only choose to defend.
The Cinder Rock Stronghold was built on a small hill, in a rare undulating area of Burning Steppes. The Orcs' crude fortifications resembled a child's haphazardly stacked building blocks, uneven and yet possessing a ferocious air.
The stronghold could probably accommodate four thousand people. The rest of the Orcs forces either retreated to the Klesher Crossroads further back or scattered around the area.
Their tactics were simple: hold their positions while harassing the Alliance's supply lines, not seeking a quick victory, but simply stalling.
The total strength of the allied forces was four or five times that of the Old Horde, and the logistical requirements were naturally several times greater. With the battle lines extended, they faced even greater pressure.
The longer the battle drags on, the greater the losses become, and ultimately, it cannot be sustained. When the orcs are forced to retreat, that will be the time for Orcs to counterattack.
General Haval understood this better than anyone. As the commander of the entire army, he was overwhelmed by the astronomical figures of daily losses incurred by each unit. A swift victory was the only solution.
However, Orcs are also a very brave Bloodlust race, and they often unleash their terrifying fighting power when faced with dire circumstances.
With just four thousand Orcs, they repelled several sieges by the allied forces, and the effort was wasted in just two whole days.
While Haval was in a state of utter chaos, Unas was leisurely riding his horse around in the rear. His task this time was relatively easy: after joining up with the main force of the Restoration Army, which had arrived a few days later, he was responsible for protecting the rear supply lines.
This was perhaps a period of rest granted by the commander after his great achievements. He did not slack off, personally riding his horse back and forth every day to patrol. The wolf army also sent out scouts to find out the general locations of several Orcs ambushes. They were just waiting for Haval's approval before they would take the initiative to attack.
At this moment, an uninvited guest arrived—the wind- Archmage who went by the alias Deen.
The man suddenly appeared out of the sky, causing chaos among the Paladin's guards who mistook him for an assassin.
The Archmage was shrouded in a green robe, revealing only a pair of deep blue eyes, making it impossible to discern his race.
Unas dismissed his attendants and said, "I have already heard what General Lieyan needs from you."
The blue-robed mage's voice was steady. "It is not I, but the seal of Molten Core requires it. His Majesty Rendaen has ordered Lord Unas to return immediately and present the crystal core of the fire giant Geddon."
Unas sneered. Strictly speaking, his relationship with Rendaen was more like a partnership than a superior-subordinate one. Especially after he obtained the title of Prince of Lordaeron, using the Dark Iron King's orders to pressure him was a misguided approach.
"Are you really looking for Geddon's crystal core, or something else on him?" This was no longer a hint, but almost a direct statement.
A cold glint flashed in Master Deen's eyes, but he did not answer the question.
Unas bluntly laid his cards on the table, "What is your relationship with Thunderaan, the Wind Prince?"
The Archmage's eyes were quite interesting, shifting from shock to sudden understanding before he calmed down and tentatively asked, "How much do you know?"
"All."
The Archmage asked doubtfully, "You actually know this secret? For your age, it's practically a miracle. Could it be that you have it in your possession?"
"No," Unas stated the name of the thing directly, "Bael'Gar swallowed Geddon whole, so we didn't find the Windseeker's Shackled Skull."
The Archmage finally believed that the human before him truly knew his secret. No matter how unbelievable it seemed, he could only accept the facts and said, "So that's what you call it. Since you've put it out there, I won't hide it anymore."
He removed his mask, revealing a non-human face; beneath his eyes were no mouth or nose, but rather chaotic vortexes.
"Let me reintroduce myself: I am Demitrian, Lord of the Skywall's Lord Summerwind, and the most loyal servant of Wind Prince Thunderaan of the Wind!"
They are indeed loyal; even though the Wind Prince has been dead for tens of thousands of years, they still have the determination to resurrect him.
Unas said, "Since you're so frank, I'll be frank too. Did you secretly destroy the magic gate to Molten Core?"
"Indeed, I am outnumbered and outmatched by the massive Fire Elemental horde. The Dark Iron Dwarves are a force I can rely on. I did that simply to gain Rendaen's trust."
Unas said, "Don't worry, I won't expose you. I'd even be willing to help you resurrect the Wind Prince, since the Fire Elemental is also my enemy. But you must pay me something in return."
What is that?
"Thunderfury".
"That was His Highness the Prince's sword, long since lost. But the Prince has a close connection with it, and he should be able to find it through mind tracking after his resurrection. If you can truly help me obtain the two Imprisoned Stones, I can grant your request on behalf of Prince Thunderaan."
"This fellow is so blindly loyal, it's hard for him to betray me," Unas said. "Just swear an oath in the name of the Wind Prince."
"Alright." Although it pained her to see His Highness's sword, the fact that a weapon could be exchanged for the prince's resurrection was already a very favorable deal.
Lord Summerwind immediately swore an oath with his life, and Unas also swore to help Wind Prince be resurrected, thus forming a verbal alliance between the two.
Without delay, Unas summoned Huoye, and Demitrian waved his hand, creating a gentle breeze. The three of them rode the wind upwards and quickly disappeared into the horizon.
As for the Restoration Army, they will be temporarily handed over to several trusted subordinates. Protecting the supply lines will not require much intervention, and Perella and the others should be able to handle it.
The three avoided the airspace of the Black Dragon to the northwest, flew over the northern foothills, and entered the Blackrock Depths through the Back Gate of the Searing Gorge.
Shadowforge City is much more prosperous than before, with unfamiliar faces of merchants and mercenaries from all races everywhere. This is one of the benefits of joining the Alliance: open trade and the ability to make a fortune with the craftsmanship of the Dark Iron Dwarves and the various local specialties.
The three did not enter the palace to see Rendaen; instead, they went directly through the underground Teleportation Array back to the long-lost Venomspider Gorge.
The Canyon is lush and green in the spring. The area around the Teleportation Array is no different from before. However, as you go deeper into the valley, large fields and farmers working hard in them become the scenery that runs through the entire Canyon. Occasionally, you can also encounter Treant patrolling the fields.
The Druids did not slack off; the three hundred Treants they promised were completed. Possessing a "healing aura," these treants can greatly reduce the growth cycle of plants, allowing for an earlier harvest.
The three of them took a quick look around and, guided by the Blood Elf mage, arrived at the temporary habitat of the Molten Giant, a mountain hollow close to Blue Rock Pass.
Dozens of giants, huddled together as giant stone spheres, lay asleep on the barren, rocky ground, a truly magnificent sight. The largest of them was the King of Giants.
Huoye chanted an incantation, and the giant black and red stone sphere trembled, cracking open in several places. It rolled on the ground and stood upright in human form, becoming a towering giant radiating scorching energy.
Unas skipped the pleasantries and commanded, "Bael'Gar, long time no see. Spit out what you got Geddon."
Bael'Gar tried to play dumb. "What is that?"
Huoye said, "Don't play dumb, that's something you haven't digested."
Knowing he couldn't get away with it, Bael'Gar swallowed Geddon and absorbed his entire crystal core, except for a strange stone that he couldn't digest. This was something that only Huoye, who could see into Baikal's mind, knew, besides Baikal himself.
The giant made a strange sound from his throat and suddenly coughed up a dark, oval stone, which Demitrian quickly caught with a whirlwind.
The round stone is carved into the shape of half a Skeleton, covered with intricate and difficult-to-decipher carvings, clearly indicating that it is no ordinary item.
Lord Summerwind was overjoyed. "That's it!" Thinking that half of his master's soul imprint was sealed within it, his hands trembled uncontrollably. It took him a while to calm down before he said, "The other half is in Garr."
Garr is the leader of the Lava Elementals. Whether you attack the Molten Core to kill him or lure him out to destroy him, it will be a difficult task. One wrong move could trigger a full-scale war with the Fire Elementals, so you must be fully prepared for war.
Unas asked, "Can the four of us— King Rendaen, Duke Hydraxis, you, and me—defeat the Firelord?"
Using ordinary soldiers to deal with Ragnaros is clearly suicidal, which makes high-end combat power especially important.
Demitrian said, "As long as I kill Garr and obtain the other half of the Shackled Skull, I can immediately resurrect His Highness. He possesses the talent of Extreme Cold Wind, which gives him a strong advantage against Firelord."
"How much of his combat strength will he regain after his resurrection?"
"Absolutely, I have made all the necessary preparations, you can rest assured." Demitrian never dared to be negligent regarding his master's resurrection.
"Very well, then Garr is the primary objective at this stage. Without further ado, let's return to Shadowforge City and discuss countermeasures with Rendaen."
The three of them traveled non-stop back to the Teleportation Array, but on their way back, they encountered Qiaosen, Liante, and the others who had stayed behind.
These Argent Dawn officers dropped everything and rushed over as soon as they heard the Warden had returned.
Seeing their hesitant expressions, Unas quickly guessed their doubts and let Demitrian, the stranger, go first.
The group first reported on the development of the Canyon during the three months the Warden had been absent:
Two months ago, the first batch of mushrooms and Glowing Wheat from Blackrock Depths yielded bumper harvests, making the Canyon's food reserves extremely abundant. This attracted a large number of refugees from Farshire, causing the population to expand rapidly. The previously established land allocation plan was no longer applicable and urgently needed reform.
The Night Elves rescued from Fairy Lake have been taken away by Darnassus's ship, and the Troll Haikesi has also boarded the ship as planned to return to his homeland in Kalimdor to find his relatives.
Master Oakleaf not only did not leave with the ship, but also recruited more Druids and is still researching ways to green the Plague Forest.
Rosebayne used the power of the Spider God to subdue Legion of nearly seven hundred Giant Spiders. With the addition of thousands of Mutant Spider eggs that kept hatching, the spiders gradually grew into a terrifying force. The Elf girl, however, remained hidden in the Forest and rarely communicated with the outside world, which made the group feel uneasy.
The Dark Iron Dwarves led by Colonel Deeprock are quite well-behaved; most have adapted to life on the surface and are a reliable force.
With the help of the Dwarves, the fortifications at Blue Rock Pass have already been completed, and the city wall at the valley entrance has just been finished. Whether it needs to be heightened and thickened is up to the Warden to decide.
Of course, these weren't the questions they really wanted to ask. The leader, Qiaosen, hesitated before saying, "Sir, we've heard some news from the Dark Iron Dwarves and would like to verify it with you."
Unas said, "Please ask, I will answer to the best of my knowledge."
"Rumors are circulating that Calia has appeared in Stormwind City and married you, and that you have even formed a Restoration Army. Are these rumors true?"
Unas laughed, "Absolutely true."
Several officers' faces lit up with unbelievable elation, Liante stammered, "So, Her Highness is really still alive? You... you've really become our Prince?"
"Her Highness the Princess did not formally bestow a title upon me; it's just that everyone likes to call me that."
Upon receiving confirmation, the group cheered excitedly; for them, there could be no better news.
Hope is the most inspiring thing. They could only protect their small territory in the Canyon and felt powerless against the darkness outside. But now they saw a greater vision and a path of light appeared in their hearts, leading to the final resting place of all the people of Lordaeron.
Unas understood their emotions, offered a few words of encouragement, and then got down to business. "Any movement from the Forsaken?"
"There was no major movement. The only news I heard from the rangers sent out by the Monastery was that they saw a red flag flying over the Lordaeron in the distance, but they didn't know what it meant."
"It's bound to happen," Unas sighed inwardly. "That red banner must be the Horde's battle flag. By now, the Dark Lady must have already negotiated terms with Thrall. The Forsaken have become part of the Horde, and to be their enemy is to be their Horde."
However, this was expected, and no matter what happens, it cannot shake Unas's determination to reclaim Lordaeron.
The Queen's next step should be to persuade the Blood Elves to join the Horde. Unas will not allow history to repeat itself this time—although the Blood Elves are fickle, they have always been allies of the humans, and he will not stand idly by and watch them be drawn into the enemy camp.