On the Dalaran city wall before dawn, the cold wind carried the smell of decay and blew towards our faces.
The magic torch on the watchtower swayed in the morning wind, and the flickering light reflected the writhing pale wave in the wilderness outside the city - it was an Undead army composed of tens of thousands of skeletons and Ghoul. The crackling sound of bones rubbing against each other came like a tide, drowning out the cries of morning birds. The air was filled with a disgusting stench of rotten flesh and burnt flesh.
"Arcane is on top..." A young mage apprentice's face turned pale, and the Crystal Ball in his hand almost slipped. His knuckles were white from excessive force, and the hem of Apprentice Robe was covered with morning dew. "This can't be true."
Dwarven Firearm, who was standing next to him, spat in his hand and stroked the trigger with his thick fingers. "Kid, welcome to the real world. In Ironforge, we call this a 'small scene'."
"Hold on!" Antonidas's voice echoed like a bell at the top of the city. The old mage's white robe rustled in the wind. He leaned on the Aluneth staff inlaid with amethyst and glanced at the approaching Undead sea outside the city.
There was no trace of fear on his wrinkled face, only an almost cold concentration. "Initiate the first-level defense protocol, and all outer posts will withdraw to the inner city! Kirin Tor council members must gather at Violet Citadel immediately!"
As the alarm bells rang through the sky, Dalaran's magic barrier began to buzz.
Violet Arcane runes appeared on the surface of the city wall, like countless fireflies suddenly awakening. Dozens of High Mage raised their staffs to cast spells at the same time, and the spells intertwined into a low hum, reinforcing the last barrier of this magical city. The air was filled with the unique smell of Arcane Energy, making people's hairs stand up involuntarily.
Antonidas turned to face the troops gathered under the tower - both the Kirin Tor mages in purple robes, and the Paladin who survived the defeat of Lordaeron. The Stratholme logo still remained on their armor, but the anger in their eyes had not extinguished.
The old mage noticed that several young mage were secretly performing divination spells, trying to calculate the probability of survival. He sighed secretly - numbers are never a good companion of courage.
"We need a counterattack." Antonidas's voice was low and firm. He deliberately did not use amplification magic, forcing everyone to hold their breath and listen. "It is not for victory, but to tell everyone here that Dalaran will not sit still and wait for death."
The leader of the Paladins, Uther's former adjutant--Sir Gavinrad--this time he survived Lordaeron and retreated to Dalaran, he took a step forward, and the silver warhammer hit the ground hard, making an ear-splitting clang. "Although Silver Hand is broken, Holy Light has never abandoned us. Let us tear apart those bones!"
The blue eyes under his helmet burned with the flames of revenge, and the scar on his left cheek extending from his forehead to his chin glowed with an unnatural purple light - it was a trace of infection by Undead Plague, which was barely suppressed by Holy Light.
The city gate slowly opened under the control of magic, and the hinges let out a harsh groan. Gavinrad led dozens of Paladin to rush out like a torrent of steel. Their horses were all covered in enchanted armor, which was light and strong. Wherever the horses' hooves stepped, Holy Light spread like ripples, leaving a string of luminous hoofprints on the gray ground.
Undead's vanguard - those rickety skeletons Warrior didn't even have time to lift up their rusty swords, and turned into broken bones under Paladin's Charge.
Gavinrad's war hammer burst out with dazzling light, and with one blow, several Ghouls crowded together were blasted into coke. The Paladins pierced the Undead army like sharp knives. Wherever they passed, the rotten flesh burned and the bones cracked. The air was filled with a stench like barbecue, but it was quickly purified by the pure breath of Holy Light.
The defenders watching the battle on the city wall burst into thundering cheers. The civilians crowded on the tall towers to watch, and the children lay on their parents' shoulders, watching the shining team split a golden crack in the tide of death.
"Now, Mage Corps!" Antonidas ordered.
Twelve fire mages teleported to the front of the Undead army, their violet robes fluttering in the wind like twelve battle flags. The mages raised their staffs at the same time, and their spells intertwined into a movement of destruction in the air.
The next second, the left wing of the Undead army was covered in fire rain, and the exploding fireball exploded the pieces of Ghoul into burning stumps. The ice mage followed closely behind, and the extremely cold ice cone was like the sickle of death, freezing the skeletons trying to Charge into ice sculptures, and then shattered into shining ice crystals under Arcane Blast.
"Send a retreat signal!" Antonidas saw that the effect of the attack was very good, so he stopped as soon as it was good. There was no need to fight with Undead's army, so he decisively ordered a retreat.
The magic horn sounded, and the sound was like the roar of Dragon, which made the tiles on the city wall tremble. Paladin and the mages quickly retreated into the city, and the suspension bridge suddenly rose when the last knight stepped on it. Several chasing Ghouls jumped into the air, their sharp claws scratching the city wall in vain, and were quickly blasted into pieces by the guarding mages with Arcane Missile.
In the war room, Gavinrad took off his helmet that was stained with rot. His blond hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to his forehead in strands. "They are more fragile than Andorhal's Undead, but the number is greater." He was breathing heavily, and Holy Light treatment was slowly repairing the wounds on his arms scratched by Ghoul.
"Ten times more than before." An elf mage added, his Arcane Eye was still monitoring the outside of the city, his slender eyebrows were furrowed, "And there is no strong commander, just like a herd of sheep being driven." The elf's slender fingers crossed the surface of Crystal Ball, and the screen switched to the rear of the Undead army.
Antonidas's finger crossed the battlefield image displayed in Crystal Ball: "This may just be the cannon fodder that Arthas recently collected. Lordaeron was just killed. civilians and High Elf are only used to consume our magic power-" The old mage suddenly paused, squinting his eyes and staring at the corner of Crystal Ball, "Wait a minute, zoom in on that area."
The screen zoomed in, showing several blurry figures standing on the hills in the distance. Even through the magic image, the dark energy emanating from them could be felt. The tallest figure among them seemed to be aware of being spied on, and suddenly raised its head - Crystal Ball exploded instantly, and the elf mage staggered back, with blood flowing from his nostrils.
"Lich." Antonidas whispered, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, "There are at least four, and one of the most powerful should be the traitor of Kel'Thuzad, Dalaran!"
Dalaran's cheers for victory did not last long. Only half an hour later, Paladin and the mages cleared the area of Undead, and were replaced by the new Undead team. The team was filled up, and then continued to surge forward. What was even more frightening was that on the distant horizon, a new wave of paleness was continuing to come - this time it was also mixed with the stitch monster Abomination and the Undead wizard dressed as a high elf.
Those monsters made of spliced corpses took heavy steps, and each step made the earth tremble slightly. Undead mages floated in the air, the hems of their rotting robes moved automatically without wind, and Shadow Energy condensed in their hands.
On the city wall, a Dwarven Firearm hand began to tremble, and bullets slipped from between his fingers. "We just killed at least a thousand or two thousand, but now." His voice disappeared in the collective roar of the Undead army.
The soldiers and civilians of Dalaran were silent. The children who had just stood on the tower watching the battle and cheering hugged their parents tightly, and the mage apprentices exchanged uneasy glances. Even Gavinrad gripped the warhammer tightly - he had witnessed with his own eyes how Lordaeron fell in such a wave. Paladin's lips moved silently, which might be a prayer or a curse.
Antonidas glanced at every face and suddenly laughed loudly. The laughter was particularly abrupt on the silent city wall. "What? Are you scared by a few walking bones?" Under the old mage's ridicule, the tense atmosphere miraculously relaxed a little. "Don't forget what kind of city you are under your feet! Every brick in this city is soaked in the power of magic!"
The second update, please vote, collect, and pursue the truth. It will be on the shelves tomorrow, and I look forward to everyone's support. The story officially enters the battle of Dalaran, which is absolutely exciting and beyond imagination. There will be another update at 8 p. m.