Sky-Coverer

Galin Thoradin seemed to smell death; he thought to himself that it was exactly the same as the Undead army outside Stromgarde.

The Scourge is back! It must be.

"Prince Galin." His personal guard, Kalno, burst in.

The guard was covered in a mixture of rainwater and mud, but his leader, regardless of what he had been through or whether he had brought back any good news, simply shouted at him, "Call me Your King!"

Kalno's expression froze for a moment, then he changed his address to Galin as King, and subconsciously reported the latest situation of the Stromgarde: "Your King, the defenses of the Sor'Thalas Wall have fallen, and Lord Danas's remaining troops have retreated to the fortress, but he requests that you immediately gather the civilians in the city and take them south to request the Alliance's help."

"What!" Galin jumped up from the cushioned, carved wooden stool, furious. "He dares to order me around? Why didn't he defend the Sor'Thalas Wall? How could he allow the enemy to invade my land?"

"This is not your land!" Danas stormed in, his imposing figure a stark contrast to Galin's thin frame, reminding the latter of his father, Sorath. Galin was terrified. "Stromgarde belongs to the people of Stromgarde."

"I have this!"

Danas watched as Galin drew the sword from his belt and placed it before him. The Sons of Sons of Lothar's face immediately fell. He recognized the sword— Tokal, the symbol of House Thoradin. It had originally belonged to King Sorath, shining brightly in the hands of the former King of Stromgarde, but now, in Galin's hands, it appeared rusty and worn.

"You have failed this sword!" Danas's voice startled Galin. The hero who had crossed the Dark Portal gave the self-proclaimed King little choice. "Retreat with the people. Stromgarde will soon fall. Until then, we must ensure that more people survive."

"This is my kingdom," Galin gritted his teeth, reminding Danas, who was walking towards the door, to abruptly stop and turn back to look at him with utter weariness. "I have the right to decide what to do, Danas. Not a single person is allowed to leave. Stromgarde must be defended to the death!"

"Once the heavy rain outside stops, the Undead will immediately launch a full-scale attack. Even the Sor'Thalas Wall couldn't stop their siege engines, so how long can the walls of Stromgarde hold out?"

"This is your business! As the King, I command you to repel those Undead."

Danas stared at Galin in disbelief, wondering if this man was his brother. Galin was nothing like his uncle; he was like a spoiled brat who only cared about his own interests.

"Then you can stay here and wait to die," Danas said, leaving Galin and Kalno standing there dumbfounded. Even as he stepped out of the castle, Danas could still hear his brother's venomous curses, accusing him of many unfounded crimes. This was war, Danas knew; nothing was more important than human life.

"Varokar!" Danas called out. The Stromgarde cavalry lieutenant rushed over. Thoradin was relieved to have found someone he could trust at this time. "How is the Undead army doing now?"

Varokar was a distinctive soldier; his armor was repaired, and his robes bore many jagged scratches. At this moment, the Warrior said, "No enemy has been spotted outside the city, sir. Do you mean they're not planning to attack Stromgarde?"

"No, this just shows that his commander is a formidable fellow, capable of hiding his army out of our sight." As Danas explained, he himself began to have doubts. In all the years since the Lich King was defeated, there had never been any Undead army to be seen anywhere, especially one that was so well-trained and well-equipped.

"What is the situation regarding the gathering of people?"

"There are still some people who don't want to leave, sir. They say they want to live and die with this city."

Danas frowned sharply. "Foolish! What's the use of dying together? If everyone dies, Stromgarde will truly perish!" He calmed his anger slightly and continued to Varokar, "Take the assembled people and retreat south to the Wetlands, especially the elderly and children. Remember, do not take the waterways, and do not stop to wait for me. Make sure the people reach Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands safely."

"Did the Prince grant permission?" the lieutenant asked. Danas shook his head helplessly; he had also seen Varokar display the same expression as himself.

"Don't worry, I'll take all the blame. Just focus on your own business."

"Yes, sir."

After the lieutenant left, Danas breathed a sigh of relief. He now had to persuade those stubborn people to leave quickly.

In the Forsaken camp, most of the war commanders were summoned to Nathanos's tent for a talk.

The Witherer One was the last to appear. He entered the brightly lit command room, took off his heavily soaked cloak, and threw it beside the fireplace. Clearly, he had just gone out alone to scout the enemy's position.

"Everyone's here? Good!" Nathanos said, glancing at the crowd. Unlike previous meetings, this time, apart from Meryl and Belmont, who were members of the Wither Council, everyone else was new, and some were even former Scourge members who had joined the Forsaken after the Lich King was defeated.

"Tatsel hasn't arrived, Master," Belmont said.

"I've assigned her a new mission. Danas knows that Stromgarde is no longer defensible, so he will definitely lead his men south to Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands, and then take a ship to Stormwind City."

"You sent her to chase after their ship?" Meryl asked.

"No, I'm not cruel enough to lay a hand on a ship full of wounded and sick." Nathanos gave the mage a reassuring smile. "I sent her to track the Alliance's shipping routes, hoping that one day... she can 'visit' Stormwind City."

These words not only surprised everyone, but also worried Meryl. "Are you planning to attack Stormwind City in the future?"

"Yes, if one day the Alliance and we really become mortal enemies. So, let's hope that day never comes."

"I'm certainly looking forward to it. If you intend to attack Stormwind City, I will pave your way with my arrows."

Nathanos curiously turned his gaze to the speaker. It was a emaciated Undead, his grayish-white upper body exposed to the air, with massive armor on his shoulders.

"Arrows cannot penetrate city walls, Orisus," Belmont said. The Undead before him, known as the Sky-Coverer, merely smiled at him.