The deadlocked tug-of-war continued. Every elf fought through blood and fire for their future, for the future of this world.
As the saying went, a stalemate meant defeat, and defeat meant the end of everything. The Resistance Army did not have much time left to drag this out.
The Fel Portal at The Well of Eternity grew more stable by the day, and the number of demons it could transport continued to rise. Once the gateway stabilized at a sufficiently powerful energy threshold, the Demon Legion's dark evil god would be able to descend in person.
The world faced a burning apocalypse. It was not only the elves fighting desperately; other races did the same.
At Commander Jarod's call, the various races sent their finest forces to assist in the battle. All grudges between them ceased to matter at this moment.
The Earthlings, forged entirely from steel, wore tattered hooded cloaks and gripped massive axes taller than themselves. These ancestors of the dwarves had fiery tempers and fought with utmost ferocity. They always liked to mock the elves' lanky, skinny frames.
A small group of Mechagnomes came with them. These Mechagnomes were said to be from Northrend in the northern part of the continent. Unable to endure the dull, tedious life of guarding the titan facilities, they had escaped and established their own settlement near the Earthlings' tribes.
Though Mechagnomes themselves were extremely fragile and possessed little combat power, they excelled at making all kinds of war machines. They could even create strange support tools for themselves and launch attacks from afar. Working alongside the elves' ranged forces, they could also demonstrate respectable combat effectiveness.
The Tauren, meanwhile, sent a powerful close-combat force, along with a group of Shaman skilled at healing the wounded.
These honest Tauren from Highmountain resolutely sent the strongest warriors from every clan for the future of this world.
One Tauren named Hu En Highmountain seemed to be extremely famous among the Tauren clans. He wielded an enormous spear and carried two thick totem poles on his back, looking exceptionally imposing.
Hu En declared that he would lead the brave Tauren warriors in an irresistible grand charge against the Burning Legion, fight all the way to the demons' Fel Portal, guard it, and kill every demon that came through.
Well... the Night Elves did not know whether to laugh or cry at this "precise" battle plan of the Tauren.
Let's hope you can really pull that off...
Meanwhile, the Dragon Aspects had also made their move.
Not long ago, in Northrend in the north of the continent, the five Dragon Aspects gathered at Wyrmrest Temple and began an undertaking that would determine fate itself.
Each Dragon Aspect contributed a portion of their essence, joining forces to create an artifact: the Dragon Soul.
This artifact could unleash devastating energy capable of shaking heaven and earth, enough to kill any powerful being in the world.
The Dragons had made an agreement with the Night Elf resistance. Once the Resistance Army broke into Capital Eldorei, the Dragons would launch a full-scale assault alongside them and use the Dragon Soul to shatter the portal at The Well of Eternity, destroying it forever.
Until then, the Dragon Soul would be kept by the strongest Dragon Aspect, Neltharion. He would hide it in his nest in Highmountain, where the artifact would be utterly safe.
However, Krasus and Rhonin were deeply worried about this. They came from the future and naturally knew the Black Dragon Aspect Neltharion all too well.
The Dragons' disaster had been set in motion from this very moment. Yet because of various restrictions, they could not warn anyone. They could not even utter the name Deathwing.
But Krasus decided to take a gamble. He decided to send Archmage Rhonin, Druid Malfurion, and orc warrior Brox to Neltharion's nest in Highmountain to steal the Dragon Soul.
Neltharion had already fallen. His duty as the Earth-Warder had also harmed him.
For the earth contained not only immense power, but also an incomparably dark ancient force: the Old Gods.
The mad whispers of N'Zoth, an Old God, constantly influenced the Black Dragon Aspect. Neltharion's inseparable connection to the earth left him with no way to resist or evade them.
The Dragon Soul would bring about a terrible disaster in his hands. As a Dragon, Krasus could not stand by and watch.
But before they could begin their operation, Illidan mysteriously vanished. Malfurion and Tyrande were nearly driven mad with worry, but they could not find him no matter how hard they searched.
Yet Krasus and Rhonin knew perfectly well where Illidan had gone.
The young elf had, at last, stepped onto the dark path that was destined for him.
Illidan had gone to Capital Eldorei. At The Well of Eternity, he would meet Sargeras, the Dark Titan on the other side of the portal, and receive a gift from the darkness: Curse of Vision.
The first Demon Hunter was about to be born.
Illidan intended to get close to the enemy, understand the enemy, and even use the enemy's power to strike back at them.
To gain the power to protect his people and those he loved, Illidan charged ahead without hesitation, even if his people and those he loved could not understand him and even called him the Betrayer.
Suramar City.
Boss Hu, who was currently playing the role of the Highborne Supreme Emperor, sensed a hidden disturbance. He was extremely familiar with it—it was the energy fluctuation of an Old God.
Following the disturbance to investigate, he discovered that its source lay in Highmountain, within the nest of Neltharion, the Earth-Warder Dragon Aspect.
Hu Feng had no intention of killing the Old Gods. He was severely lacking high-level combat power at the moment. If he could control a few more Old Gods to strengthen his own forces, that would be ideal.
Thus, Suramar City, which had been quiet for some time, became lively once more. A force composed entirely of elite Archmages and Arcane Golems marched grandly out of the city, personally led by Boss Hu as it headed straight for Highmountain.
Poor Black Dragon Aspect Neltharion still did not know that his lair had become the central gathering point for every side.
But he had no mind to concern himself with anything else now. The corrupting whispers of N'Zoth, an Old God, gradually dragged his mind into endless madness, and a wildly deranged plan was taking shape in his heart.
Capital Eldorei, where the Burning Legion had also welcomed a new commander.
Once incomparably magnificent, Eldorei was now a field of broken walls and ruins. Only the Queen's court remained as splendid as ever.
At the edge of The Well of Eternity, an extremely terrifying power radiated from the portal wreathed in fel flames.
Mannoroth the Destructor, the incomparably terrifying Pit Lord, knelt devoutly on the ground like a harmless, obedient dog.
"Kneel! You insignificant ants! Prepare to welcome the arm of god, the General Commander of the Burning Legion, Archimonde the Defiler!"
A massive figure stepped through the portal. His skin was blue, with only a few pieces of golden rune armor covering his vital areas. Fel flames burned savagely in the giant's eyes, while his tentacle-like beard swayed slightly.
He was Archimonde the Defiler, General Commander of the Burning Legion and Eredar Grand Lord. Countless worlds had become seas of fire beneath his feet, all to please their god: Sargeras, the Dark Titan.
"You have disappointed me, Mannoroth. This pathetic little world is still struggling on, and god is extremely dissatisfied!"
Mannoroth, whose nature was extraordinarily brutal, now knelt obediently before Archimonde with his head lowered, looking as though he were awaiting judgment and punishment.
Archimonde cast him a cold glance, then snorted and ceased berating his subordinate.
Mannoroth was one of his direct followers. He had no intention of punishing this strongest Pit Lord just yet.
The Burning Legion was jointly ruled by Archimonde and another Eredar Grand Lord of his race, Kil'jaeden the Deceiver. The two shared all authority over the Burning Legion equally.
The Dark Titan, however, could not care less about this. So long as the Legion continued destroying world after world, petty matters such as fighting over power could be ignored.
"Soon, I will personally deal with those lowly ants who dare resist, and then... offer this burning world to my master!"
Dath'Remar Sunstrider stood on a balcony high above the court, glaring down at Archimonde by The Well of Eternity with a face full of hatred and worry.
At the very top of the palace, a beautiful, languid figure also gazed down below.
Queen Azshara had now completely sunk into her inescapable fantasy.
As long as she could become god's wife, even if all her people died and were wiped out, she could accept it.
After all, she was the great Light of Lights, the eternal Light of Thousand Moons.
For her people to sacrifice themselves for her glory was their honor, was it not?
Before you continue