Ambush (1)

The Raven Guard banner fluttered before Thoradin's Wall. Though the grand structure had fallen into disrepair over the years, it still conveyed the former majesty of the Kingdom of Arathor. As the Stromgarde Kingdom's influence completely contracted, the Stromgarde outpost established here had long since been abandoned.

As security along the route continued to deteriorate, no one was willing to travel this road to Stromgarde and the valley anymore.

Thandol Span in the south remained under the control of the Dark Iron Dwarves. Arathi Highlands' routes to the outside world had been completely severed, while Undercity's Defiler forces and the Arathor Allied Forces were still locked in conflict near the valley.

The shadow of the Stromgarde Kingdom's downfall hung over every human living in the Arathi Highlands.

To Antoine's surprise, Roderick did not take the initiative to attack Durnholde Keep, allowing the Syndicate members preparing to resist inside the fortress to breathe a sigh of relief.

According to Roderick, that place could not grow crops, was not a transportation hub, was full of ruins, and was easy to defend but hard to attack. Why would he be so full of himself as to attack such a place?

Other than stray dogs like the Syndicate, even if Durnholde Keep were handed to him for free, Roderick would not want it now. So long as those Syndicate members stopped robbing the local residents and merchants, he could not be bothered to clear out Durnholde Keep.

Though he had been called a stray dog, Antoine still felt a trace of relief. Fewer deaths were always better.

After passing through Thoradin's Wall, they had covered roughly half the distance to Stromgarde. The troops advanced slowly in neat formation, while the highland animals, startled by their presence, all hid far away and watched the human