Seeking Aid
Stratholme is the burial ground for countless corpses, some left behind by Arthas's massacres, others buried by generations of humans. Humans did not have a tradition of cremation; they insisted on placing the dead in burial mounds. 😲♖ Claw 🎁🔥
Under the supervision of the human acolytes of the Cult of the Damned and the Death Knight led by Thassarian, the corpses buried in Stratholme were awakened. These Undead transformed into soldiers who were absolutely obedient to orders, unmoved by money or beauty, and showed no mercy to any life, much like the the Scourge itself.
Like a tidal wave, the Undead surged into the Darkwood. Under Thassarian's command, they spared the more forward-positioned Antalas and Tranquillien, first attacking the Elves stronghold at Lake Alendal. They stormed in unexpectedly, slaughtered the Elves there, and set everything ablaze to draw out the Antalas garrison before launching a counterattack.
Just as the battle was raging, a sudden energy storm swept across Quel'Thalas, interrupting the inexhaustible energy supply to Deatholme, and the Undead instantly breached Deatholme's defenses.
"Break out! Break out!" Sylvanas looked at the overwhelming Undead and was filled with despair. She ordered her men to break out, and at the same time shot an arrow that struck a Ghoul. Then, she led the Elves Warrior out of Deatholme and broke out through the jungle.
"Your Majesty, this city now belongs to us." The acolyte gazed at the radiant trees in the city, his heart filled with joy.
"Cut him down." Arthas watched the Elves fleeing the battlefield, then turned to the glowing giant tree. With a command, the skeletons and Ghoul on the battlefield rushed towards the city center, wielding their bone claws to dig and tear. The giant tree of the High Elves, Thas'alah, meaning "Light of the Forest," was finally felled.
With the fall of Thas'alah, Antalas was also breached by the Undead. Some Elves Warrior and mages escaped and ran to Tranquillien to seek help from the garrison, only to be told that Deatholme had already fallen.
"Faltora, Meril, you two must immediately take your men and go to the Sath Valley to seek help from the Forest Trolls of Amani." Lirath Windrunner, then commander of the Tranquillien, spoke with a grim face to the ranger Faltora and the mage Meril, who had escaped from Antalas.
"Ask... ask the Forest Trolls for help?" Faltora, who had escaped from Antalas, was stunned by his superior's words, forgetting his grief for his Koltira had died in battle.
"Yes, we have no choice but to ask the Forest Trolls for help. The fortress you guard contains the three crystal keys to the Andalos Temple, but now only Tranquillien's key remains. The enemy is already heading this way, and we must protect Deatholme." Lirath's facial muscles twitched slightly. Deatholme had been breached, and his sister was still there. He didn't have time to think about those things; he had to protect Tranquillien now.
Upon hearing Lirath's words, Faltora's eyes widened. He was unaware that Antalas possessed the crystal key; the only one who knew was his Koltira, who had been killed by the Death Knight, Thassarian.
"Hurry up!" Lirath shouted at the stunned Faltora. Faltora snapped out of her daze, quickly bowed, and then swiftly led her companion Meril away with her men to seek help in the Sath Valley in Amani.
Sath Valley was where Sylvanas retreated during her battle with the Forest Trolls. After the Amani signed a peace treaty with Quel'Thalas, the valley was handed over to the Amani, Amani have now built high defensive walls there and deployed numerous defensive measures.
Faltora, a ranger, harbored countless grudges against Trolls. He loathed and hated Trolls, but in this life-or-death moment, he had no choice but to bring his companions to the high walls and seek help from King of the Amani Zul'ra Jin of Amani, who was there.
"You're too late. Tranquillien has already fallen." Zul'ra lowered her eyebrows. Tranquillien, which Forest Road, had already been breached. Just after Faltora left, Sylvanas led her army to retreat to Tranquillien, and the the Scourge army led by Thassarian attacked. The Elves were already overwhelmed and retreated.
"What?" Faltora's eyes widened, followed by his female Elves mage, Meril, who looked on incredulously.
"I'm not lying, this is Elemental Spirits told me, and..." Zul'ra looked towards the southwest, feeling the pain the earth was conveying to him.
While Zul'ra was talking to Faltora, Arthas had been stationed in Deatholme, took action. He carried the urn of ashes, sat on the skeletal warhorse Invincible, and led more than six hundred Death Knight together, brazenly stepping into the Dark Forest with an aura of death.
Arthas led his men through the Dark Forest. Wherever he went, trees and grass withered and died, and the earth groaned in agony. Behind him, a black road filled with death was left in the Darkwood.
"King of the Amani, I beg you, I beg you, you must help us." Faltora looked at Zul'ra who had suddenly fallen silent, and his heart pounded violently. He then knelt before Zul'ra and pleaded with her in a sorrowful voice.
"I will help you." Zul'ra looked at the Elves who had abandoned all dignity, gestured for him to get up, and stopped Lostro and Cook from speaking.
"Thank you, thank you, King of the Amani." Faltora stood up as he listened to Zul'ra's words, almost on the verge of tears, both for his pride and for Quel'Thalas. He had a premonition that after thousands of years of prosperity, they were now asking their nemesis for help, but the homeland of the High Elves would probably still not be saved.
"Go, gather five hundred Warrior and come with me," Zul'ra said, turning to Cook.
"Zul'ra Jin, you want to..." Lostro noticed Zul'ra's expression change slightly. Not only him, but even Faltora and Meril beside him showed a change in expression. Was this King of the Amani going to personally aid Quel'Thalas?
"The Scourge will soon threaten us too, so I plan to go and see for myself and help them as much as I can," Zul'ra said slowly, looking at the pale-faced Faltora.
"Go!" Cook obeyed Zul'ra's order and went to assemble the troops, while Lostro had no choice but to shut his mouth.
"Lostro, send a message to Zul'Aman, tell everyone what's happening here. This is a test for Amani, and we must get through it together." Zul'ra looked at the aged great Trolls, then at Faltora. Amani's test came not only from the outside but also from within. When disaster strikes, internal problems are very likely to arise.
"Yes." Lostro nodded solemnly, while Faltora bowed with tears in his eyes. He was very grateful, and there was no way he could not be grateful.