Sudden Upheaval

Sudden Upheaval

The Southshore Town Council had already passed a resolution: starting next month, the Southshore Guard would be downsized, retaining only the most basic public security force. Other Guard soldiers would be given priority in joining the security force. Those unwilling to join had to return their weapons and equipment and leave voluntarily.

The security force could only maintain two hundred men, and the excess were all kicked out. After seeing the security situation improve, the Town Council kept the Guard at roughly its former size. The town still retained its various patrol systems, and everyone could see the improvement in public order. But the days of Southshore supporting so many soldiers were gone forever.

Having already received several months of high pay, the Guard soldiers naturally had no desire to join that unpaid security force, spending every day idly patrolling. Nearly all of them were taken into Roderick's Dark Raven Knights.

Most of their fighting strength was now stationed at Watchtower Village and Eastwatch Tower, with only a small number remaining in Southshore to await the later handover. The Dark Raven Knights naturally could not offer the same treatment as before, but that could not be helped. From now on, Roderick would have to pay out of his own pocket to support all these soldiers.

Still, compared to Southshore's terms, their treatment was vastly better. Roderick's prestige was enough to suppress the slight dissatisfaction caused by the reduced treatment. In that regard, he truly had to thank the Southshore Town Council. If those pigheaded teammates had offered the same terms as before, there would probably have been very few soldiers willing to go to Watchtower Village and join the Dark Raven Knights.

Roderick had submitted his resignation as captain of the Southshore Guard early on, but it had still not been approved after all this time. Then again, the Town Council could not be blamed for cutting expenses. This place lay in the rear, and aside from the occasional thief or bandit, the surrounding area had indeed become very safe after the Murlocs were dealt with. There was no need to spend so much maintaining a military force.

Even Roderick spent every day occupied with his own affairs, while the ordinary Guard soldiers were bored out of their minds. Disbanding the Guard was therefore inevitable. Roderick did not care what those councilors thought. What gave him a headache now was what to do about all those soldiers' equipment.

Back when they carried equipment from Southshore's armory, no one thought much of it. Now that it had to be returned, Roderick realized just how much he had underestimated the difficulty of establishing a knightly order. The full set of Kingdom of Lordaeron infantry equipment on these soldiers was worth more than he could afford even if he sold himself. And in such chaotic times, even with money, there was no guarantee he could buy any outside. All equipment was entirely handcrafted. Trying to accumulate so much equipment in a backwater like this? He could wait slowly.

Even with Watchtower Village now having its own Dwarf blacksmith shop, crafting full sets of steel armor was no easy task. At this critical stage of land reclamation, they had to devote all their efforts to making agricultural tools such as hoes, pitchforks, shovels, and saws. There was simply no time to forge weapons and equipment.

Buying them with money was even less reliable. Roderick could only think of stalling the town for now, seeing whether he could rent this batch of equipment first. After all, the town guards on patrol could not possibly use so much equipment.

With Mayor Heni's help, and given that he had indeed done some things for the town, there should not be a problem in the short term. But in the end, he would certainly have to return it. Southshore would not help him support soldiers for the rest of his life. Worrying about it was useless; he could only slowly figure out how to solve it later.

That fellow Darezzo had also boarded a ship with his family, leaving Northrend for Stormwind City to begin a new life. On the night before his departure, Darezzo drank the most, crying and laughing, and even snatched away a newly forged Dark Raven Knights insignia from the blacksmith shop.

When the gathering ended, he left the warhorse issued by his family and some personal equipment to the Guard. He also secretly left Roderick a cloth bag containing twenty brand-new gold coins.

No one saw him off. His family weighed anchor and set sail before dawn.

By the time the others learned the news, the docks were already empty. Other than faint mist, there was nothing on the distant sea. It was better not to meet; otherwise, that kid would start crying again. Comrade far away, the Dark Raven Knights would be with you.

Along with that melancholy farewell, good news also arrived from Remilia, who was studying in Dalaran. She had finally mastered all the magical tricks and successfully advanced to become a novice mage. Even Roland, Dalaran's leader, personally attended her advancement ceremony.

After Remilia returned last time, Roderick had taken Remi to tour the newly completed Watchtower Village. Remi had unceremoniously taken a Dark Raven insignia for herself. She had already chosen a location on the southern side of the village, where she would build a towering mage tower in the future.

According to Remilia, she had ultimately talked poor Kindi into a daze. Kindi turned down Jaina's invitation and remained in Dalaran. Remilia had kept her good friend while striking a blow against that annoying woman, truly killing two birds with one stone. Of course, there was no need to tell anyone that she had promised to treat Kindi to pineapple pudding for a month.

Albert would also be returning soon. He had persuaded several mage friends who studied Transmutation and could cast Transmute Mud to Stone. They could help build a wall around Watchtower Village and reinforce the watchtower as well. Once the materials were ready, all that remained was to wait for his news.

Roderick looked at the empty house. The newly built wooden homes in Watchtower Village contained nothing but a table, a chair, and a bed. The windows were merely gaping holes, and there had not yet been time to install glass.

Through the window, he could see the watchtower outside the village. Soldiers stood watch atop it. The blue lion banner of the Kingdom of Stormwind, the white double-headed eagle banner of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and the red raven banner representing the Dark Raven Knights all hung neatly from the top of the tower, looking quite imposing.

The sight of that banner filled Roderick with joy. After so long, his plan had finally taken its first step. One day, that banner would fly above the walls of Stratholme and Orgrimmar. He had never doubted it.

"Boom!"

The soldiers in the watchtower suddenly fired the signal flares they carried into the sky, while also lighting a bonfire mixed with wolf dung. Thick black smoke surged into the heavens.

Roderick rushed out of the house as the alarm bell of Watchtower Village began to ring. Amid the clanging bells, the scene was somewhat chaotic. Soldiers who had been resting grabbed their weapons and began assembling in formation on the open ground. Craftsmen abandoned their tools and quickly hid in the empty houses throughout the village. Someone shouted in the distance, telling all farmers working outside to retreat into the village at once.

Amid the chaos, Roderick found Adrian in full armor. "What happened? Is the Undead army attacking?"

"No. Our people have been watching the Undead at Tarren Mill. There have been no signs of them mobilizing."

Confused, the two found the sentry who had lit the bonfire beneath the watchtower. "Southshore. I saw people in Southshore launch signal flares. They were ours—three red signal flares."

There was no need to wonder why the Southshore Guard soldiers had fired three red flares, signaling the gravest emergency, at this moment. Smoke had already begun rising into the sky from the direction of Southshore. It was the warning beacon at the dock district. Once someone lit that bonfire, it meant Southshore needed to begin evacuating all its residents.

"Contact Second Lieutenant Thalmar. Leave Watchtower Village's defense to the Dwarf troops."

"Other than the sentries, all combat personnel are to assemble and prepare to return as reinforcements."

"All residents who have returned to the village must remain indoors. Before the alarm is lifted, no one is permitted outside! Watchtower Village is under martial law. Anyone who violates military orders by running through the streets, shouting, or undermining morale will be executed immediately!"

"Continue closely monitoring the movements of the Undead at Tarren Mill."

Roderick glanced at Adrian. The ranger nodded in understanding, let out a sharp whistle, and rushed toward the woods outside the village. A ranger's speed through the forest was not much slower than a warhorse's. He could only be sent back first to provide urgent aid.

Without waiting for the Dwarf soldiers to take over, Roderick assembled every Southshore Guard soldier—now warriors of the Dark Raven Knights—and hurried down the western road. What Roderick and the other officers did not know, despite their confusion, was that Southshore's situation was even more critical than they imagined.