Alliance

Long ago, to resist natural disasters and the incursions of the Troll, the human tribes scattered across the Arathi Highlands united into a single nation under the leadership of a man named Thoradin. This was the origin of the Empire of Arathor. The famous Wall of Thoradin was built at that time, brick by brick, by the hands of all humanity.

Afterward, the Empire of Arathor used this sturdy line of defense to keep the Troll firmly outside their borders, followed by the classic strategy of sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight. Seeing that the newly arrived High Elf were on the verge of being wiped out by the Troll, Emperor Thoradin finally agreed to send troops, provided the elves paid the price of sharing their magical knowledge and pledging loyalty to his bloodline.

Following the war that destroyed the Troll empire, issues with population expansion and the mage groups' pursuit of their own interests led more and more commoners, led by nobles dissatisfied with the status quo, to leave the Arathi Highlands. They crossed the Wall of Thoradin and began large-scale reclamation in the northern part of the Lordaeron continent, ultimately leading to the disintegration of the empire and the rise of individual kingdoms.

In the council chamber at this moment, Anduin Lothar, as the only remaining bloodline of Emperor Thoradin, felt somewhat awkward facing the circle of kingdom leaders gathered before him.

Likewise, these rulers from various kingdoms felt a sense of unease when facing the descendant of that legendary monarch. Even Thoras Trollbane, who had always acted as a regent and never dared to claim the title of king, was no exception. Before this white-haired old man came to Lordaeron, the sword that never left his side—Trol'kalar, the legendary blade that had slain tens of thousands of Troll—was left behind in Stromgarde for the first time.

No one wanted to see a suddenly appearing descendant of an emperor standing tall and lording over them, especially these big shots who were accustomed to enjoying power. What is more hateful than never having something is to have it and then lose it!

Fortunately, Anduin Lothar was not the type of person who lacked social awareness. He understood that ever since the Empire of Arathor had split apart, that history should have been swept into the dust, and anyone who could not see reality clearly would not meet a good end. It was this clear-headed realization that made him different from other descendants of Thoradin, allowing him to live safely until now.

More importantly, he was born in Elwynn Forest, his home was in Stormwind City, and his nation was the Kingdom of Stormwind! He had no ambition to command the nations in the name of his lineage; he only possessed a heart full of passion, willing to shed blood and sacrifice his life for the survival of humanity and the restoration of the Kingdom of Stormwind!

"A treacherous assassination and a massacre devoid of humanity!"

The tall warrior waved his arms, using exaggerated body language to express his anger to those present, his high-pitched voice echoing in the sound-insulated council chamber.

"Stormwind City has been burned to the ground, and the entire Kingdom of Stormwind has fallen! Less than one in ten of the people of the Kingdom of Stormwind remain. Those green-skinned Orc are a group of cold-blooded beasts, a group of monsters without humanity!"

"Only by uniting can we stand against them! Everyone, the fate of humanity is in our hands. Victory or extinction—two paths lie before us all!"

"We must form a unified alliance of offense and defense to face the enemy as one!"

Lothar leaned forward, pressing his hands heavily onto the round table before him, marking a period to his speech. He scanned the people seated around him, as if trying to discern from their eyes whether they harbored any intentions of retreating.

The council chamber fell into a dead silence as every leader contemplated the information Anduin Lothar had conveyed and the possibility of forming an alliance among the major human kingdoms.

At this moment, Terenas, sitting at the head of the table, tapped the table to draw everyone's attention.

The aged king cleared his throat and said to the group, "According to the latest news provided by Muradin, an envoy sent by Ironforge, Ironforge has fallen under enemy siege, and Menethil Harbor also fell two days ago. I fear we are about to face a massive threat; there is not much time left for us."

The old king's words were like an ultimatum, the final straw weighing on everyone's hearts.

"Although I don't like those kin huddled in the snowy mountains or the dull Magni, the Wildhammer Dwarf will never lay down their weapons in front of the enemy," shouted Kurdran Wildhammer, who had been specially invited by Terenas to attend the meeting, while waving his massive fists. "Let's crush those green-skins!"

Dwarf are just that hot-tempered. However, he gave the meeting a good start, and with his agreement, the representatives of the various kingdoms, who had already been moved, also expressed their stance.

"I agree," Antonidas, with his white beard, raised his right hand in favor. After all, the Kingdom of Lordaeron was currently the largest benefactor of Dalaran, and since Dalaran lacked a standing army, their assigned task would likely be to provide logistical supplies for the war rather than sending people to the front lines. For a master mage, as long as one is alive, any problem that can be solved with money is not a problem.

"I agree as well!"

Two resonant voices rang out simultaneously; Thoras Trollbane and Aiden Perenolde agreed in unison.

Although the Arathi Highlands were easy to defend and hard to attack, the existence of the Thandol Span meant that Stromgarde would be the first to bear the brunt of the Orc's military might. Since they were destined to be drawn into this war, they might as well open their hearts—besides, the nominal true master of Stromgarde was standing right there in the hall.

However, Aiden's realization actually took everyone by surprise. One had to know that although the Hillsbrad Foothills could be considered territory of the Kingdom of Alterac, that was the private domain of the Barov family!

Any normal person would understand that Aiden, as king, could not possibly maintain a close relationship with the greatest noble in his kingdom. There must have been some reason behind his decision to act so decisively, but in this setting, no one would probe further.

"I will make those damned fellows taste the might of the Kul Tiras naval fleet!" The Kingdom of Kul Tiras had dominated the seas for many years, and Admiral Daelin Proudmoore was very confident in his forces. Even against the Orc who had conquered the entire Kingdom of Stormwind, he was confident he could ensure they would never return from the sea.

"Fine, I agree as well," under the gaze of everyone, Genn Greymane lacked the backbone to object. However, in his heart, he believed that even if the Orc landed on the continent of Lordaeron, they would never be able to do anything against the easily defended and hard-to-attack Gilneas. He would not rashly send the warriors of Gilneas to die for others.

Seeing the proposal to form an alliance passed unanimously, Terenas nodded with satisfaction. "Then, under the witness of Archbishop Alonsus Faol, in the name of Arathor, we shall form an alliance representing our respective kingdoms and tribes, advancing and retreating together, living and dying together!"

"Advancing and retreating together, living and dying together!"