No Choice but to Bow

Silence, a long silence.

Landral watched Lanlos. Somehow, her boundless fury suddenly ebbed, and she found herself inexplicably calm.

"Those monsters are right across the Erendal River. If we hadn't blown up the bridge, would you still be sitting here making snide remarks?"

Lanlos met Lor'themar's gaze but said nothing, simply signaling for him to continue.

"Granted, the fall of the Eastern Temple was my responsibility. But as the commander of the Farstrider Enclave, surely you shouldn't be sitting by and watching from the other side of the river."

Lor'themar smiled, but before he could speak, a Farstrider ranger rushed into the meeting hall.

"My lord, the troops are ready to move out."

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Landral turned to look at everyone, her confusion plain to see.

"Protecting Quel'Thalas is the Farstriders' duty. Of course we won't sit by and watch from across the river."

"You're playing me?"

"No. We're just doing what needs to be done." Lor'themar slowly rose to his feet. With a speed that was hard to follow, he drew his curved blade and plunged it into the table. "Move out! The land of Quel'Thalas must never fall into enemy hands!"

Under the golden sunlight, the tower on the banks of the Erendal River had lost its former luster. The surrounding trees had all withered, and green fissures crisscrossed the ground. The once-soft earth had become calcified and cracked, as hulking Felhounds followed the hideous-looking Felguards back and forth across it.

At the center, the once-brilliant tower looked utterly dilapidated. Fel spread across its outer walls like the roots of ivy. Its beautiful, vivid patterns were shattered, and in the glow of chaotic energy, the tower exuded a sinister, terrifying aura.

On the Astrology Platform at the top of the Sanctum, Kergash stood amid the crystals floating in the air, a smug smile slowly forming at the corners of his mouth.

"Zumalosh, since you're here, stop hiding."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a tall, powerfully built figure slowly emerged from behind a pillar.

"You have something to say to me?" Kergash turned slowly, leaning on his blackwood staff. His emerald eyes appraised the Troll chieftain before him with evident satisfaction.

After a brief silence, the scarred Amani chieftain spoke slowly. "Though we've taken the Sanctum, the High Elves will soon realize what's happened. If we don't retreat in time, we'll never make it back to Zul'Aman."

"What exactly are you plotting?"

"Heh, the High Elves..." Kergash let out a chilling laugh and strolled to the edge of the Astrology Platform. As he gazed down at the demons and Trolls packed below, the gleam in his eyes and his words both betrayed his overweening arrogance. "In the eyes of our master, they're nothing but a pack of stray dogs blocking the road!"

"But the master you speak of isn't here, and you aren't her." Kergash had kept many things from him, but Zumalosh wasn't stupid. He knew far more than Kergash had told him.

"Hmm?" Kergash turned around and gave him an odd look. "You're clever. Much cleverer than that blockhead Tregra."

To Zumalosh, being called smarter than a stone was hardly a compliment. But before he could reply, the Darkpine chieftain suddenly thrust his blackwood staff forward and spoke the hair-raising incantation.

A streak of green light shot out and vanished into the floor beneath them. In the next instant, the intricate, beautiful patterns there suddenly lit up.

With the sound of turning mechanisms, the floor began to move. A bottomless passage gradually opened in the center.

"Didn't you ask what I was plotting?" He slowly raised his hand. Amid a steady hum in the air, a crystal wreathed in green flames rose up from within. "I'll show you!"

A patrolling Felhound sprinted past. A short while later, the nearby thicket rustled softly, and several Elves poked their heads out.

"It's hard to believe this place has changed so much in just half a day." Fel seemed to suffuse even the air. Halduron wrinkled his nose, breathing as shallowly as he could.

"I wonder how long it'll take to recover... What a disgusting power!" Lor'themar made no attempt to soften his words, and the bluntness left Lanlos looking strangely uneasy.

"What's the plan?" The air a short distance behind them rippled like the surface of water. Landral emerged from Invisibility, brows furrowed as she fixed her gaze on Lor'themar. Though she had the Farstrider troops' support, the ranger captain hadn't assigned her anything.

"It's simple. The rangers will attack from all sides to draw their attention. Once their forces are spread thin, you'll attack with us..."

Boom!

A deafening explosion cut Lor'themar off. Everyone turned their eyes toward the Sanctum. A column of green light shot skyward, like a straight crack splitting the heavens. Soon, the rising beam seemed to strike an invisible wall, and chaotic energy spread in every direction before quickly forming a gigantic, funnel-shaped vortex.

"By the Sunwell..."

"What is that?"

"Those beasts! I knew they had some foul purpose! Hurry, stop them!" Landral stamped her foot in fury and was about to charge forward, but Lor'themar reached out to stop her.

"Halduron, tell the rangers to attack. We'll launch our assault once the moment is right."

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the ranger lieutenant grew unusually serious. He nodded and immediately ran off to deliver the order.

"Wait? If we wait any longer, they'll destroy the Sanctum!"

"Lady Landral, war is no game to be played in anger. If you think you can resolve all this yourself, I'll gladly hand over command to you."

Landral opened her mouth, but couldn't think of what to say. War wasn't a game. The Trolls' coordinated attacks had cost her subordinates dearly, and she had learned her lesson. At a time like this, she had no grounds to demand command.

"Good. In that case, from now on, you'll take orders from my advisor."

Advisor?

Landral looked at Lanlos as if she'd swallowed something foul, and he looked just as surprised.

"You think I can get her to take orders?"

"If she really wants to reclaim the Sanctum, she'll listen."

Their exchange was discreet, but with Landral's abilities, she could certainly hear them.

Her expression shifted again and again. Humiliation nearly made Landral bite through her lip, but just as Lor'themar had said, she had no choice but to comply.

"As long as we can reclaim the Sanctum, I'll follow your orders."

At the sight of this, the surprise on Lanlos's face was unmistakable. But when he saw her bow her head, he relaxed instead.

He realized then that even someone like Landral still felt a sense of belonging and pride in Quel'Thalas. At the very least, Quel'Thalas's patriotic education had been far more effective than he'd imagined.

Whoosh!

Arrows tore through the air with a shrill whistle, and the battle began.