"Messenger!"
The moment Derek Proudmoore spotted the Orc riding on the Red Dragon, he understood that these terrifying beasts were the Orcs' trump card. The battle-hardened young man showed no fear and quickly issued an order. "Load the deck's giant crossbows! Bring those oversized lizards down!"
Because of their immense power and extreme range, the large ballistae designed for sniping were strictly controlled by every nation. Only a handful of Kul Tiras's warships were equipped with them. But after the boy's persistent urging, Terenas had pushed the Alliance council to increase the supply of ballistae to the front lines.
A properly made sniping ballista was a formidable presence on the battlefield. Its bowstring was made from beast sinew soaked in oil and specially treated to ensure that its bolts retained their accuracy and force at ranges of over a thousand yards. Wood selected to exacting standards was transformed by the craftsmen's exceptional skill into a powerful weapon.
These ballistae's destructive power was almost the pinnacle of what cold weapons could achieve. Within range, the eight-foot bolts fired by these terrifying war machines could even pierce more than three feet of heavy armor. These were only young Dragons, freshly brought into the world, and even a true Dragon Aspect would suffer from taking a hit. Of course, against the mighty Dragon Aspects, these cumbersome ballistae had almost no chance of hitting their mark.
The professionally trained warriors on deck worked the winches, drawing back the powerful bowstrings. Their preparations set off a series of grating creaks. With a sharp twang that sent vibrations through the deck, the bolts, each more than eight feet long, shot forward. The keen steel tips traced silver arcs in the sunlight, leaving a shrill whistle in their wake as they tore through the air.
Then came