Charge

Nathanos and Gudul exchanged a few pleasantries before parting ways. He really wanted to have a proper talk with his mentor, but they both had important matters to attend to. As soon as he returned to his room and stepped inside, an arrow struck the door beside him.

"Alleria!" Nathanos looked at the laughing Female Elf with some anger, as if his surprised expression just now was very foolish in her eyes. "What are you doing here?" He noticed that the bow in Alleria's hand was Lo'gresh, a gift from Sylvanas.

"Of course I'm waiting for you? Looks like you've got a new weapon." The Female Elf stared at the longsword on his back.

"It was given to me by Gudul, it's very nice." Nathanos explained as he approached the Female Elf, reaching out to snatch Lo'gresh, but Alleria turned around and distanced herself, causing Nathanos to miss his grab.

"Did Sylvanas give you this bow?"

Nathanos made no attempt to hide anything. He nodded and added, "Back in Quel'Thalas, she said it was a reward for my help to the Elven Kingdom." With that, Nathanos held out his hand, gesturing for Alleria to return Lo'gresh to him.

The Female Elf looked at the weapon in her hand with pity, and couldn't help but sigh, "Sylvanas really takes good care of you; she's never treated anyone else like this!" She glanced at Nathanos, her words carrying a deeper meaning that made the human before her feel uncomfortable. Nathanos withdrew his hand, turned around, and said, "In that case, I'll give it to you."

"What?" Alleria was completely taken aback by his sudden remark. She had only intended to test Nathanos's reaction to her sister, but her plan had backfired. "No need," she quickly corrected herself, "I have something better." She offered the bow to Nathanos, but the human did not take it.

"I don't need it. The Dwarf have better weapons in their armory. I can..."

"Nathanos!" Alleria interrupted him, wanting to teach this guy a lesson, but then realized that she seemed to have made a mistake in the first place, so she suppressed her anger and forced a smile, advising, "Are you really going to be so heartless as to reject Sylvanas's good intentions?"

The human stared at her for a moment, then uttered something that nearly made Alleria stumble over. "If I accept, will you be happy?"

"What?" The Female Elf stared at him, her eyes wide. "Of course I will. You accepted Sylvanas's kindness. You gained her approval, and I'm happy for you. You! What... what do you mean?" She realized she was getting too excited.

Nathanos turned around again. "I thought you came to see me with something important, but you're interested in my bow, which, coincidentally, was a gift from your sister. Your eyes betrayed you; I gave it to you because I could read in your eyes that you didn't want me to have it."

"What... are you kidding me?" Alleria's voice gradually lowered as she looked down, her cheeks slowly turning red, indicating that she acknowledged Nathanos's words.

None of this escapes human eyes. "I'm not as dull as you think. Your sister... asked me the same question, about you and me."

Alleria's eyes lit up, and she looked up. "What about you and me?"

Nathanos shook his head; that was indeed the case two weeks ago. "It's nothing," he said, a flicker of disappointment crossing Alleria's eyes. "But her questions are more direct than yours; if you want to know, you can ask her."

What does that mean? Alleria looked at him strangely and with confusion. She wanted to know now, but Nathanos wouldn't tell her.

"Do you like my sister?" she mustered her courage to ask.

Nathanos closed his eyes after listening. He realized that Alleria and Sylvanas had something in common, and this question was the perfect example. He remembered that Sylvanas had once asked him if he had fallen in love with Alleria, but he had only feigned surprise and given a few words to dismiss Sylvanas. Alleria, however, was unlikely to let it go so easily. He was pondering how to respond to the question.

"Nathanos!" Kurdran leaped in from outside. The human he spoke of seemed to have grasped at a straw. "What is it, Kurdran?"

"I have something important to discuss with those bad guys, Bronzebeard. I want to buy some good jerky for my precious Skare, but the butcher here refuses to sell it to me. You know how pitiful it is for Skare to have no food. Please help me. I can teach you how to talk to the Gryphon."

"Deal, let's go now." Nassano said, grabbing Kurdran's arm and running out.

Alleria tried to speak up to stop him, but she couldn't outrun Nathanos. In the end, she could only stand there and stomp her feet angrily. She hated Kurdran to the core. That dwarf had chosen the most crucial moment to interfere. Nathanos had almost given the answer, but now the opportunity was gone. The guy was on guard.

Two days later, Blackrock Mountain

The Alliance is actively making preparations, and Lothar is awaiting the arrival of the Order of the Silver Hand and news from Ironforge.

"We will not wait here for them to come," Orgrim said to his soldiers. "We cannot sit here and let them dominate this battle, never! We are Orcs! We are the Horde! We will strike them! They will regret coming here! Once we have crushed them, we will trample their corpses and rule their land!" He raised his warhammer with both hands, swinging it above his head. His shouts now made the entire stone peak he stood on tremble. Doomhammer felt a smile spread across his face and spread across his face. This was his people! They would not fall down weeping or begging for mercy! Even if they fell, it would be on the battlefield, and their hands would be stained with blood.

"Get our Warrior ready immediately." He turned to Salbeck and said, "I will lead the elite troops in the Charge, and the rest will follow." He glanced at the massive figures standing in the shadows, waiting. As his gaze swept over them, each of them straightened up and nodded. Doomhammer nodded in response. This was his elite guard, every member of which was Ogre.

Doomhammer was a noble Orcs who once deeply hated Ogre, but these were different. They were far more intelligent than their kind, Warrior rather than Warlock, and, most importantly, they were loyal only to Doomhammer. These Ogre viewed Orgrim as a minor Ogre and pledged obedience to his commands. Similarly, Doomhammer respected their power and needed their help.

Now the Ogre will use their own lives as a bargaining chip to Horde scales of victory and destiny.

At least for now, the Dark Portal is safe, Orgrim received the message. Rend, Maim, and some of his people survived the Alliance's naval battle after pursuing Gul'dan. They sent a sentry to Doomhammer, who encountered him on his way out of Doomhammer Kaz'Modan. He ordered the sentry to guide Rend and his men to the Dark Portal to rejoin the rest of the forces. Although the Blackhand brothers had proven their loyalty to the Horde, Doomhammer still couldn't trust them. But at least he needed strong Warrior to protect their path to Draenor. If the Dark Portal were lost, he would have no way to retreat if he were defeated.

"Salbeck! Any news about the Dragonmaw Clan?"

The Great Chief's second-in-command shook his head. Since Zuluhed led the Dragonmaw Clan away, Orgrim hadn't seen them again. With the Red Dragon's help now, the situation would be much better.

"Never mind." Orgrim shook his head; he didn't want to rely on anyone right now. He nodded again to his Ogre Warrior, then walked down the mountain and led them toward the plains below, where battle awaited them.

The Alliance was unprepared for the battle. Just as Doomhammer had hoped, the humans had set up an encirclement, expecting some Orcs to emerge from their hiding place in Blackrock Mountain, thus capturing more stragglers to demonstrate the Horde's foolishness. Doomhammer's Charge caught them completely off guard.

"Orcs!" a soldier ran toward where Lothar and his lieutenant were. "They've broken through our lines!"