"Divine Lord, up ahead lies the territory of Highmountain. This is where the Tauren have lived for generations. Their chieftain, Hu En Highmountain, led an elite Tauren force to support the Allied Resistance some days ago... I heard Hu En's combat skills are unfathomable. In several battles, he slaughtered Burning Legion demons until blood flowed like rivers. More than once, he fought his way to the Legion's temporary Portals and guarded the entrances, killing the demon reinforcements as they arrived..."
"Ha, isn't that a good thing? If there were a few more Hu Ens, wouldn't the Burning Legion's demons be driven to extinction?"
Hu Feng, seated upon the throne atop the Arcane levitation platform, laughed as he replied.
War always needed some inspiring tales of heroism. Only then could the soldiers' morale be stirred.
As for whether this Tauren named Hu En had truly carried out such inhumane entrance-camping massacres against the Burning Legion... ah, might as well treat it as true.
I have an unparalleled mighty bull of a general, capable of slaying enemy commander Archimonde... ahem.
Suramar's forces received a warm welcome from the Tauren at Thunder Totem Highlands. The elves and Tauren had become steadfast allies, and the straightforward, honest Tauren had always both revered and feared this central people.
Suramar's forces were especially intimidating now: ranks of high-ranking mages, countless Archmages, Arcane Golems radiating dense energy fluctuations, and those enormous Faceless Tentacle Monsters. Their sharp, barbed tentacles lashed ceaselessly, and one look made it clear they were no weaklings.
By nightfall, the Tauren held a grand bonfire feast in Thunder Totem Highlands, allowing Boss Hu to thoroughly experience some foreign customs.
During the feast, the Divine Lord delivered an important speech. "No, I'm not that kind of Titan. Don't be so enthusiastic. Hey, hey, that cow, I'm warning you, don't touch me wherever you please! I'm a mighty Titan, you know. Don't I have any dignity? Touch me again and I'm calling the guards!"
In short, the Tauren's frankness and warmth greatly increased Boss Hu's fondness for their race. These gentle, peace-loving people also possessed the noble courage to fight to the death for this world.
At the same time, the other two groups secretly heading for Neltharion's lair also received the news.
Rhonin, Malfurion, and the orc warrior Brox were currently hiding in a massive crack between rocks, gnawing on magical bread beside a campfire. Not far away lay the corpses of seven or eight small green-skinned creatures.
They were Goblins.
Upon learning that Suramar City's mage forces, along with the Divine Lord's incarnation, had also arrived in Highmountain and appeared to be heading for Neltharion's lair, their spirits immediately rose considerably.
However, the three-man group was deeply puzzled as to why these crafty, cunning Goblins, who always loved tinkering with strange explosives, had appeared in Highmountain.
Meanwhile, Captain of the Court Guard Varone, who was leading a group of Demon Guards onward, looked extraordinarily grim. Illidan beside him remained calm, though no one knew what he was thinking.
Illidan had changed drastically. Intense fel fluctuations radiated from his body, which was covered in dark green Fel tattoos.
His eyes were covered by a strip of black cloth, while dark green flames smoldered within his eye sockets.
On his back, he carried a pair of crescent-shaped Fel Glaives, dense Fel Energy flowing across their blades.
The Warglaives of Azzinoth were obtained by Illidan on his way to the Capital Eldorei. He had slain the Demon Lord named Azzinoth, seized the weapons, and claimed them for himself.
He was now a powerful Demon Hunter, and Sargeras's first mission for him was to work with Varone to acquire the artifact known as the Dragon Soul, bring it back to Eldorei, and use it to strengthen the portal.
"The Highborne false god's incarnation has also arrived here. We must speed up and obtain the Dragon Soul before they do."
Varone spoke in a low voice, then urged his Night Saber mount to move faster.
Illidan said nothing. He seemed to have plans of his own.
The first to arrive at Neltharion's lair were Rhonin's group of three. They were currently sneaking down the broad cavern passage toward its depths.
Before they began their operation, Malfurion entered the Emerald Dream and used this mirror realm of Azeroth to locate the chamber where the Dragon Soul was kept. He had nearly been detected by the already-mad Neltharion.
The three now hid at the end of the passage, staring dumbfounded at the mad scene unfolding in the giant cavern below, unable to recover for a long while.
Neltharion remained in Dragon form, lying in the center of the cavern amid a vast number of scaffolds.
A large group of Goblins stood upon the scaffolds, operating crude wooden hoists to lift thick plates of armor forged from some unknown metal. While the plates were still unimaginably hot, they laid them directly over Neltharion's body.
They then used an enormous battering ram to drive equally enormous iron nails through the armor and into Neltharion's flesh.
As agonized yet strangely delighted dragon roars echoed again and again, Rhonin's group broke out in cold sweats.
"Mad, utterly mad... We already knew Neltharion was insane, but seeing it with our own eyes, I still have to say it: this lunatic! No one could be crazier than him!"
The group moved again, bypassing the mad hall and continuing deeper into the lair.
Upon reaching a spot that appeared no different from an ordinary rock wall, Malfurion began casting a spell to unlock the chamber door. Thanks to their preparations, he did not trigger any warning defenses and successfully opened the hidden chamber.
At the center of the chamber stood a raised platform, above which a golden disc floated silently. That was the Dragon Soul.
The instant Malfurion grasped the Dragon Soul and stepped down from the platform, chaotic whispers filled the entire mountain lair.
Then, a furious roar filled the entire lair.
"Who is it?! Who dares lay hands on my artifact?! You hateful, lowly, damned vermin! I will drag you out, strip away your souls, and torment you for eternity!"
The three treasure thieves were scared senseless, and a desperate escape began.
Neltharion's roar drew closer amid the violent tremors caused by his charge smashing through rock walls. The three used every ounce of strength they had, desperately fleeing toward the exit.
At last, the treasure-stealing team successfully escaped the lair and scrambled toward the place nearby where they had hidden their Night Saber mounts.
They had not run far when they encountered Suramar's mage forces led by Boss Hu.
Rhonin's sharp eyes immediately spotted Hu Feng sitting atop the levitation platform in the center of the force, and he was overjoyed.
"Divine Lord! We obtained the Dragon Soul! Please help us get out of here! Neltharion is hunting us!"
Hu Feng froze for a moment upon hearing this, then looked at the golden disc cradled in Malfurion's arms.
The artifact emitted extraordinarily powerful energy fluctuations. Even through a Titan's eyes, it was a rather impressive creation.
Hu Feng then nodded and tilted his head toward the side. "Go on. I'll help you hold that dragon back."
Rhonin's group immediately thanked him, mounted their Night Sabers, and sped away.
At that moment, an enormous figure that blotted out the sky burst from beneath the ground with a deafening crash.
Neltharion roared as he charged into the sky. The Elementium armor that had yet to be fully installed upon his body was still engulfed in raging flames.
His gaze swept around and immediately locked onto the increasingly distant group of three treasure thieves. With a beat of his giant wings, he charged toward them.
"Damned little vermin! I found you! Don't even think of escaping! You will—"
Before he could finish, a pillar of Void energy suddenly shot up from the ground and slammed directly into Neltharion's body.
Boss Hu had intervened.
PS: I know some people will start questioning this again, saying things about Neltharion and so on, so I want to explain it in advance. I know that in the newer official chronicles, Neltharion put on his armor in Deeprock Continent. However, I am following the setting from the original official chronicle, the War of the Ancients trilogy. This early chronicle, which is no longer published, contains the most detailed descriptions of the War of the Ancients era. Therefore, I chose the chronicle with the most detail as the novel's background setting. Anyone with questions can look up the War of the Ancients trilogy themselves to verify it. I believe some veteran players interested in lore may still have these three out-of-print chronicles in their collections.
So please, all you so-called "lore purists," stop saying the plot is wrong. I have memorized both the old and new official chronicles, and I own all the physical editions as well. Which version I choose to use is my decision; at the very least, it is not an error.
I hope all new and old readers enjoy reading!
The contract is signed already~~~ Please send some recommendation votes my way~~~ And while you're at it, I'd appreciate some tips too~~~~!
Before you continue