For this southward journey, Galen planned to bring four hundred knights, fifty priests, and fifty wizards, totaling five hundred base personnel. As a prince and heir, wouldn't leading a five-hundred-man team to the Stormwind Kingdom be reasonable?
In addition to rescuing the team tracking the "Book of Divinity," the Archbishop also hoped to test the potential of the Holy Knights. Therefore, Uther, Turalyon, Saidan Dathrohan, Tirion Fordring, and Danath Trollbane, along with fifty-eight paladins, would also accompany them.
Originally, Danath was a general of Stromgarde and couldn't leave his post. However, Galen wanted him to face the Orcs ahead of time, so he specifically requested his father to allow Danath to follow him for a while.
Similar to Danath's situation, several Scarlet Flame Army generals under Galen's command were also present. Galen ordered them to end their studies with Amor and teleport from Helm's Valley.
In fact, Galen also secretly possessed forty-eight Seventh-Order Holy Knights trained by the Cathedral. However, the timing wasn't right. The difficulty of awakening Holy Knights was so high, and only fifty-eight had emerged from so many excellent candidates. If forty-eight suddenly appeared, even the Archbishop would probably doubt his life.
The knights' mobility was terrifying. The assembly order was issued in the morning, and by noon, knights from both the Highlands and the first base had already entered the gates of Minas Tirith.
After an hour of rest, the main force gathered in the courtyard of the Cathedral. Even the priests and wizards had prepared their horses. The Arathi Highlands had no shortage of warhorses.
For their route, Galen planned to first use group teleportation to reach the border between the Burning Steppes and Redridge Mountains. Then, they would rush all the way through Redridge Mountains, pass through Lakeshire in Redridge Mountains, enter from the east side of Elwynn Forest, traverse the entire Elwynn Forest, and reach Goldshire in the west. This place was not far from Northshire Abbey. In Goldshire, they would submit documents to let Stormwind City know that a team from the Holy Light Church had entered their territory.
Galen had already completed the preparations. A team serving as a teleportation base point had departed from Goldshire in the Burning Steppes in the morning and had already reached the entrance of Redridge Mountains.
This route to the Stormwind Kingdom was actually the route taken by Thoradin's descendants, Fadhil, when they led the people to the south to seek enlightenment, except that the middle section was destroyed by the Fire Lord.
Galen didn't want to take a boat from Southshore. Reality wasn't a game where you could cross the eastern and western continents and traverse the north and south poles by loading a bar on a ship. It would take at least half a month to reach the port of Stormwind City from Southshore, even with favorable winds.
If he wanted to be fast, he could only choose to teleport halfway and have the entire team proceed on horseback. After the barracks researched the animal combat training technology, the knights' mounts not only had improved vitality but also far surpassed ordinary horses in endurance. There would be no problem traveling during the day and resting at night.
The Holy Knights could use the Holy Light to bless their mounts, achieving long-term endurance. The priests and wizards had it even easier, casting a Slow Fall and Levitate spell on themselves, making the horses under them feel weightless.
Tsk tsk tsk, what kind of world is this? Even the little horses are starting to compete. Everyone runs the same distance, but the Holy Knights' horses use Holy Light to relieve fatigue. This is doping! What's even more excessive is that the priests' and wizards' horses have people on their backs but no weight. The knights' horses can only rely on their strength to resist. It's simply too bullying for the horses.
After bidding farewell to the Archbishop, the nearly six-hundred-man team was ready to go. A flash of white light passed, and everyone disappeared from the square.
At the northern foot of Redridge Mountain, everyone reappeared in the white light. Unlike the Stromgarde who had already adapted to group teleportation, the people of Lordaeron, who were being group teleported for the first time, were stunned.
Big brother, you are already a ninth level Paladin. What do you mean by this group teleportation? Even ninth level Archmages without this talent can't do this. Not only can you group teleport, but you can also bring six hundred people at once.
That's six hundred people, six hundred people plus six hundred horses! And you're not even blushing or panting. Compared to you, what are we?
Galen calmly received a map from the team serving as the teleportation base point under the envious, jealous, and hateful gaze of Tirion and the others. This was a detailed map of the southern continent provided by the Thorium Brotherhood.
Because Galen's forces hadn't reached south of Redridge Mountain yet, the land that would be occupied by the Orcs in the next few years would be a waste of effort to develop. It would be better to wait until the Orcs were defeated before considering opening strongholds.
Looking at the map, their location was at the intersection of the Burning Steppes and Redridge Mountains. The canyon in front of them was the path to enter the Redridge Mountains area.
After confirming the route, Galen put away the map and signaled the team to return to Goldshire on their own.
Then Galen shouted, "Brothers, follow me!"
Leading the charge!
Rumble, rumble, the sound of galloping horses resounded through the canyon. Passing through the path of the Burning Steppes, the front suddenly opened up, and the territory of Redridge Mountains had arrived.
Because the mountains in northern Redridge Mountains bordering the Burning Steppes had been destroyed, even with the nourishment of Stillwater Lake, the mountains that came into view were still red.
It didn't take long to reach Lakeshire. Due to the harassment of the Orcs on the southern border, it was already under martial law. Galen's group presented the documents of the Holy Light Church and successfully passed the checkpoint of the Lakeshire militia.
At this moment, the bridge on Stillwater Lake had not yet been built, and the team traveled westward along the lake.
The further west, away from the influence of the scorching air of the Burning Steppes, the vegetation had begun to flourish, and the temperature had begun to drop, making the body feel much more comfortable, although Galen didn't feel much, he had been keeping the Frost Shield on.
In the following days, they set off at dawn and camped at night, traveling hard all the way, and finally entered the territory of Goldshire half a month later.
Goldshire, the town closest to Stormwind City, served a similar function to Valor Town in Stromgarde, acting as the gateway and barrier to the royal city.
Galen's destination was located northeast of Goldshire, while Stormwind City was located to the northwest. Going to Northshire like this was a bit inappropriate. After all, it was better to say hello when arriving in the territory of the Wrynn family.
Unlike the small place in the game with a tavern, a blacksmith shop, and a few houses, Goldshire was a prosperous town with an excellent geographical location, just at a transportation hub. Although the border of the Stormwind Kingdom had been under martial law, the clouds of war had not affected the merchants here.
Having approached the destination, Galen wasn't in such a hurry anymore, and since there were people around him, he didn't have to do everything himself. His long-lost chief confidant, Varrokal, went to negotiate with the Goldshire guard team.
Galen remembered that the Goldshire sheriff in the game was called Duhan, but the game's timeline at that time was already twenty years after the Dark Portal, separated from the present by twenty years.
However, Galen saw the signboard of the Lion's Pride Inn from afar. Hehe, Galen's mouth revealed a lewd smile. The Lion's Pride Inn in Goldshire was a truly good place. This kind of prosperous and comfortable place would wear down people's will and strength.
After all, the Goldshire Night was also well-known.