Night Elves

The war continued. The Nightmare tide did not retreat a single step because of Vel'th's death. A dark mass of flesh surged from the rifts, waving grotesque limbs and shrieking as it pounced upon the Tauren.

Cairne led everyone in a stubborn resistance. The steadfast Tauren wore resolute expressions. Though the unceasing fighting had long since exhausted them, fervent fighting spirit still surged within their chests.

The high priest set a war drum in the center of the crowd. Tally swung her twin hammers, unleashing astonishing strength as she beat the drum until its thunderous sound shook the heavens. Hamuul raised the Kodo Horn high and sounded a stirring war song. Cairne led the Charge, and impassioned battle cries echoed through the sky.

They had overcome countless trials and shattered every scheme. The darkest dawn had already passed. From this moment onward, they would fight for hope, fight for survival, fight for glory!

Charge! Kill! Roar!

The children of the Earth Mother would fear no hardship or challenge!

The two tides collided in an instant. Noble warriors took the lead, smashing the Nightmare tide into disarray. Those revolting flesh abominations were either split in two by massive axes, had their heads crushed by heavy hammers, or were trampled into pulp beneath Tauren hooves. Occasionally, deadly arrows flew in to reap them as well.

The battle tide pushed forward. Though many warriors still perished tragically, the Tauren's morale never waned.

Their homeland lay behind them. Fighting for the future of their people, how could they fear a heroic sacrifice?

Sian was among them as well. Tempered by life and death, his skills had become incomparable to what they once were. This small hunter gripped an axe in each hand, his agile form weaving through the swarm of monsters. With a light sidestep, he swept his hand axe upward and cleanly slit the throat of a hideous creature.

Then he flipped backward, leaping high to evade a monster that lunged from his right. As he hung upside down in midair, the cold iron arrowhead had already found its target. He fired two sharp wind arrows through the air, reaping two more enemies.

As he landed from the flip, a Nightmare Whelp attacked from behind. Sian made no move to evade, because behind him stood the person he trusted most.

A massive axe slashed down viciously, cleaving the whelp in two. The powerful mother, Carl, stood behind Sian like an unshakable mountain.

The two fought side by side, guarding each other's backs and working together in perfect harmony.

Sian scratched his hair. Suddenly, his head felt itchy, as though something strange had fallen into the mane on his back.

Carl swung another horizontal slash, killing a monster that had tried to sneak attack her son.

"Don't lose focus in battle. Grip your axe tight. You're a bull of the Bloodhoof family—don't disgrace your ancestors!"

Carl sternly lectured her son as she edged a little closer to Sian.

"Yes!" Sian shook his head and replied loudly.

"Mother, I want to keep moving forward! I want to seal those damned rifts!"

"Can you do it?" Carl asked solemnly.

"I have to try, no matter what!" Sian answered firmly. "Whether I can do it or not, I have to do it!"

"Good!" Carl smiled. "Then move forward, my son!"

"Do not fear the road ahead. Along the path of your Charge, I will clear away every obstacle!"

Sian put away his longbow, tightened his grip on his twin axes, and bent his body slightly. Just as he prepared to gather strength and run forward...

Drip, drip... Drip, drip...

Rain suddenly began to fall from the sky.

At first, it came only in scattered drops, but gradually it grew heavier.

The rain pattered down, carrying a faint fragrance of earth through the air, along with the unique scent of the forest—the smell of nature itself.

A cool drop landed on his forehead,

Washing away blood and grime. It fell upon his thigh, bringing a touch of coolness, as though the Earth Mother were kissing his wounds. Sian raised his head in confusion and looked up at the sky scattering its fine rain.

Miraculously, after only this brief moment, his body seemed to have grown lighter. His soul let out a pleasant laugh, every pore opened wide and breathed deeply, and even his fur became lustrous.

Sian marveled at nature's gift. Looking around, he found countless Tauren staring in astonishment at the changes in their own bodies. Many clasped their hands and murmured prayers, their faces filled with happiness, as though praising the Earth Mother's miracle.

An unusual sound by his ear brought Sian back to his senses.

Something even more miraculous happened. The rain that made him so comfortable also fell upon the Nightmare creations, yet this life-filled rain was like boiling oil and poison to them.

The aberrations howled and rolled about in agony. Green smoke rose from limbs covered in fleshy pustules. The rain was not enough to kill them, but to them, it was more like torment.

"Be careful. Someone is coming..."

Bathed in the drizzle, Carl suddenly raised her massive axe. She gently pressed a hand against her son's shoulder, staring into the distance with a grave expression.

Sian raised his head as well.

Then he saw a violet-colored crowd.

A slender figure clad in beast hide, with branches and leaves serving as shoulder armor and a pair of pointed ears, leapt down from a proud stag. He landed lightly from the air, elegantly dropping to one knee as he pressed his palms together and raised them high overhead.

A faint green aura drifted around his body, and then rain descended from the sky.

Sian suddenly heard the roar of the Wilds. Looking to his forward left, he discovered traces of beasts in astonishment.

Giant bears—enormous giant bears!

Amid earth-shaking roars, more than a dozen massive bears charged into the battlefield. Simple bark armor covered their limbs, while thorny vines wrapped around their fur. They rushed into the Nightmare encirclement, shielding the Tauren warriors with their huge bodies before effortlessly tearing the monsters to pieces with savage bites and claws.

These enormous creatures bore moon patterns upon their bodies, and wisdom gleamed in their eyes.

Others charged in from the flanks. They appeared to be the same group's companions, but wore different attire.

They were a group of cool and aloof women, clad in leather armor and holding longbows. Emerging from the darkness atop fierce black panthers, they fired skillfully upon the enemy. Every arrow they loosed took at least one enemy with it.

More reinforcements entered the field, swinging strangely shaped Moon Glaives that danced through the battlefield in a dazzling succession of afterimages.

At their head was a woman, a valiant hero. Ancient battle markings were painted across her forehead, and her features were as clear as a winter spring.

At that moment, she solemnly walked toward Cairne Bloodhoof at the front of the formation, reciting clumsy Tauren words in a husky accent.

"Honored Tauren chieftain, Ranger General Shandris Feathermoon awaits your command. The Sentinel forces are willing to fight alongside you and drive the evil from this land."

"Night Elves..." Sian murmured.

Sentinels and Druids. He already knew the identities of these sudden allies, just as they had been buried in his memories.

After tens of thousands of years of silence, this mysterious people had once again stepped onto the stage of history.