"Eastpoint Tower. Wall of Thoradin."
Lothar's voice echoed through the hall as the baton in his hand traced an arc across the map, marking the places where Orcs had appeared in the Hillsbrad Foothills.
"According to the information we have, at least several thousand Orcs slipped past our watch and landed on Lordaeron. Can anyone tell me how they did it?"
No one answered Anduin Lothar. The command room fell utterly silent.
Ever since pleas for help had come in two days ago from Eastpoint Tower and the Wall of Thoradin, reporting successive Orc invasions, tension had gripped the entire command. Once it was confirmed that a large Orc force had appeared near the Wall of Thoradin, Anduin Lothar—who had been hesitating until then—immediately ordered the reserve legion, which had been on standby, to march east at full speed and reinforce the defenders at the Wall.
Afterward, the marshal wasted no time summoning officers of every rank to discuss the defenses in the foothills. The appearance of the Orc army had snuffed out any lingering hope that the Thandol Span and the Alliance navy could keep the enemy off Lordaeron. The Hillsbrad Foothills were no longer safe. The Orcs could appear before them at any moment.
"I hereby order all Alliance forces in the Hillsbrad Foothills to enter Level One alert, effective immediately! Also, send word to the Kingdom of Lordaeron, Dalaran, and the Kingdom of Alterac to prepare their defenses. Pay particular attention to the mountain passes in the Alterac Mountains. We cannot let the enemy use them to enter the heart of our territory behind the front lines."
The middle-aged marshal turned to his adjutant and issued his orders briskly, his voice booming. "Order all defensive personnel to keep a close watch on the Orcs' movements, but do