The Allied Army and the orcs had fought in the Searing Lands for several months. Faced with the Allied Army's overwhelming superiority in troops and magical power, the orcs had given everything they had, but finally could hold out no longer. They were forced to abandon the Searing Lands and retreat into Doomhammer's headquarters in the Burning Steppes.
With the months of breathing room the Searing Lands had bought him, Doomhammer had finally received enough reinforcements from the Dark Portal. He had also finished preparing for the final showdown with the Alliance in the Burning Steppes.
By the time the Alliance pursued the defeated orcs into the central Burning Steppes, Doomhammer was already waiting in battle formation. One look at the orcs' deployment told Lothar that this time, they truly intended to fight a decisive battle against the Allied Army.
Facing the orcs' formidable battle lines, Lothar dared not let his guard down, no matter how eager he was to restore the Kingdom of Stormwind. He had no choice but to reorganize his troops in the Burning Steppes and prepare for a true, decisive battle that would determine the ultimate fate of every race.
Both sides approached this showdown with great caution and wanted to be thoroughly prepared. Thus, although their armies faced each other across the Burning Steppes, a major battle did not break out immediately.
On the vast waters of the Great Sea, a large fleet consisting of two aircraft carriers, four gunboats, and a supply ship sailed quietly onward, trailing long wakes behind it.
"Say, Willyx, how much longer until we reach Kalimdor?" Aboard the flagship aircraft carrier, Yu Lin Bloodhawk gazed at the monotonous horizon surrounding them and asked Willyx in helpless boredom.
Nearly half a year at sea had left Yu Lin Bloodhawk bored out