Finding Fault

"Ah, I know all that. And just the same, I've always loved you, Father. In my heart, you've always been a great hero..."

Whether he had regained his senses in his final moments or this was Balnazzar's last desperate struggle, Taelan, pinned to the ground, answered Fordring. Hearing Taelan's words, Fordring clearly hesitated—but only for a moment. He twisted the sword in his hands, and Taelan stopped breathing forever. A tear fell from Fordring's bowed face and landed on Taelan's.

With Taelan gone, the Scarlet Crusade soldiers had lost their heart. Though some scattered into Tirisfal Glades under the command of the surviving leaders, they were now little more than stragglers and no longer a threat.

The Silver Dawn quickly defeated the die-hard remnants of the Scarlet Crusade, capturing them whenever possible without taking their lives. But the Silver Dawn had no intention of taking them in. They would send the prisoners through Southshore to the Kingdom of Stormwind, which didn't care who they were. In the eyes of the Kingdom of Stormwind, they were all precious people—and labor.

While the Silver Dawn fought the Scarlet Crusade, Sylvanas remained on high alert in Undercity. South of the city, the forest Trolls, who had seized most of Hillsbrad Foothills and the Arathi Highlands, were on the move again. On one front, they prowled around Southshore without attacking, limiting themselves to harassment. On another, they launched an assault on the skeletons stationed in Stromgarde and Dun Modr Fortress.

Previously, the Forsaken's sudden rise and Mograine's presence in Southshore had foiled the forest Trolls' plan to seize Stromgarde. Now, the Trolls could attack without restraint.

The forest Trolls' movements caught not only the attention of the Forsaken. Darius, stationed across the Dwarven Bridge, quickly relayed the news to Stormwind City.

When Bovar received