Clang! Clang!
Inside Stromgarde Keep's Royal Arena, Galen sparred with his father. Their blades danced in a flurry of attacks and parries, a vibrant display of skill.
In the human world, Lothar was the pinnacle of combat prowess, and Thoras held the undisputed second position. Even kings like Llane Wrynn and Genn Greymane couldn't match him.
Galen had returned to Stromgarde Keep on New Year's Day to celebrate with his father. Thoras immediately sensed his son's immense progress. Galen had broken through to hero level!
Thoras was astonished. His son's talent was monstrous. Galen had taken seven or eight years to go from a novice to a master, but less than five to reach hero– an achievement most never attained. At seventeen, Galen was a Legendary warrior!
Thoras felt immense pride. Galen's strength and youth guaranteed Stromgarde's safety for at least fifty or sixty years. A Legendary warrior was the cornerstone of a kingdom!
When Thoras learned that Galen's mentor, Gandalf, had also reached hero level, he was ecstatic. Stormwind, with Medivh and Lothar, had once rivaled even mighty Lordaeron.
Now, the Trollbane family boasted two legendary warriors, father and son, plus Gandalf. Stromgarde had three legendary figures! Thoras resolved to visit the family tomb the next day to honor their ancestors. If the old man knew Galen also commanded a Paladin and a Mountain King, he'd probably faint from excitement!
"Alright, Galen, that's enough for today!" Thoras's battleaxe halted Galen's greatsword, ending their spar. He sheathed the Trollbane Battleaxe, an Epic-level weapon. In the original timeline, it fell into the hands of the Amani forest trolls after Stromgarde's decline.
"Still eyeing my axe, even with Tok'karar? I thought you preferred longswords?" Thoras teased, noticing his son's gaze.
"Father, my preference hasn't changed. I still favor longswords." Galen felt a pang of guilt, remembering the broken Tok'karar. A family heirloom... will he kill me?
"Tell me about the situation in the south. Can Llane hold Stormwind?" Thoras asked, gesturing for Galen to sit with him.
"Stormwind can't hold, Father," Galen replied bluntly. "Its fall is inevitable. The only question is how much of its strength the kingdom chooses to preserve!"
The orcs are an entire race invading. I estimate at least 300,000 in the Swamp of Sorrows. Even with a 3:1 casualty ratio, we'd need 600,000 troops to defeat them. This is beyond Stormwind. Unless I reveal my full strength, we'll need to unite all the intelligent races of the Eastern Kingdoms.
"The orcs are a true scourge," Thoras agreed. His advisors, relying on Royal Secret Service intelligence, believed Stormwind's vast territory, combined with Legendary defenders like Lothar and Medivh, and the wise King Llane, gave them a chance.
Unfortunately, the Royal Secret Service's expertise was lacking. Which spies would dare infiltrate Karazhan? Do they want to join the undead there? Dalaran is much better at that sort of thing.
The orcs' Shadow Council assassins were also formidable. Capture meant a fate worse than death at the hands of warlocks.
Detailed information about Karazhan and the orcs was only obtainable by Duke Jorach Ravenholdt himself. Anyone else was doomed!
Without accurate knowledge of the orcs' military might, their warriors' individual strength, or Medivh's corruption, any predictions were unreliable.
As an experienced king, Thoras knew this and sought Galen's firsthand account.
"What do you suggest, my son?"
"The kingdom should evacuate everyone south of the Thandol Span, including caravans and stronghold guards. At the same time, send a large army to garrison the strait, guarding the bridge!"
"That's no problem. I'll withdraw the guards and notify the nobles," Thoras agreed.
"Send messengers to warn the dwarven kingdoms in Dun Morogh and Northeron. They need to prepare as well."
"Yes, we are friendly neighbors with Ironforge. It's the right thing to do."
"Send an army to aid Stormwind. Lothar and I discussed this. I suggest sending General Amor and the Scarlet Flame Legion south!"
"Lothar? A descendant of Thoradin!" Thoras mused. As a Trollbane, his feelings were complex. The Arathi Highlands were the Arathor Empire's homeland, and Stromgarde Keep was its former capital.
"That's right, Lothar, the Lion of Stormwind!"
"I agree. Send Amor south!"
Helping in times of need is always best. Thoras understood this, especially when it came to assisting Lothar.
Galen detailed the major orc clans and their chieftains. The seven Warlords of Draenor represented seven hero figures. Even with Blackhand about to die in a duel, six remained, not to mention the Shadow Council's warlocks and assassins.
"That's the strength of the orcs who entered Azeroth. A legendary warlock corrupted Medivh, united the orcs, and opened the Dark Portal in the Swamp of Sorrows, connecting Azeroth to their homeworld, Draenor. But with Medivh's fall, the portal temporarily lacks the energy to stay open!"
"So, we only have to deal with the 300,000 orcs already here!" Thoras concluded.
"That's correct, but it won't be easy, especially if the orcs replace their leader with someone wise and militarily skilled!"
"Someone more rational and strategically minded. Under his command, the orcs won't charge mindlessly," Galen warned.
Compared to the puppet Blackhand and the power-hungry Gul'dan, a leader like Orgrim, who cares about his people's future, will be more trusted, better at uniting them, and far more dangerous.
"Forming an alliance is crucial, Father. After Stormwind falls, we and Ironforge will be next. Ironforge is a mountain fortress. With enough food, they can retreat deep inside and be safe. The Thandol Span will become a bloodbath!"
"I agree. Terenas of Lordaeron won't object, and neither will Antonidas or Daelin Proudmoore. Only Genn of Gilneas and the coward of Alterac are likely to refuse!" Thoras growled, his hatred for King Aiden of Alterac clear.
"Daelin and I have some influence with Genn. Terenas can handle Aiden. Ironforge won't refuse. That leaves the high elves. Lothar can demand they honor their alliance as descendants of Emperor Thoradin!"
Thoras, a seasoned king, immediately saw the solutions.
"Father, Prince Kael'thas has already agreed to Lothar's request. They will honor the alliance. We can also win over the Wildhammer dwarves, in addition to the Bronzebeard dwarves. And the Thorium Brotherhood will provide excellent craftsmen to help with weapons and equipment!" Galen said smugly. Because of his intervention, the high elves wouldn't just send a small ranger squad led by Alleria Windrunner.
If the Sun King refused to honor the alliance, I would have let the orcs burn the southern forests of Quel'Thalas. I wouldn't have lifted a finger until the high elves lost half their population and suffered from magic addiction. Only then would I have helped Kael'thas clean up the mess, and they wouldn't have been treated as equals!
After discussing the matter with his father, Galen received permission to transfer Amor back from the Barrens, sending him directly to Stormwind.
Omar and his five legions, along with Varrokal's knights, were also transferred back to Minas Tirith, leaving only the Gale, Thunder, Stone, and Tide Legions in the Northern Barrens. To bolster his forces, Galen sent 30,000 infantry and 20,000 musketeers to Crusader Fortress!
Stromgarde's armies, led by Marshal Oslight, along with the First and Second Legions, went to the Thandol Span. Daelin was ordered to lead the militia south, while Lady Amaren defended Thoradin's Wall with the remaining three regular legions and the Highland Royal Knights.
Galen recalled his business manager, Hammon Karven, to negotiate trade matters with Baron Sanguinar.
Galen also assembled a fleet, mainly transport ships and escorting warships, to carry grain to Stormwind.
The Karazhan raid was successful, but the orcs breached Stone Watch Lake's defenses. Duke Bolvar was seriously injured, and Stormwind's elite suffered heavy casualties. The survivors retreated to Goldshire. Llane had wisely evacuated the civilians of Elwynn Forest to Stormwind City.
However, the loss of Elwynn Forest's grain-producing land, combined with Westfall's insufficient output, left Stormwind with a severe food shortage. Lothar and Llane were desperate. Galen sent both troops and grain to help Stormwind endure. After all, Lothar said it was on Llane's tab!
In any case, I saved Llane's life!
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Outside Goldshire, on the shores of Crystal Lake, the main orcish force was encamped. After defeating Stormwind's elite, they had pursued the remnants west, only to be halted outside Goldshire!
Lothar had returned to Stormwind in dire straits. He quickly gathered the city's forces, along with noble private armies and hastily armed civilians, and established a defense in Goldshire.
Lothar deployed fifty ivory towers around Goldshire. Within minutes, they transformed into twenty-foot-tall outposts. A dozen ballistae were positioned eastward. After suffering heavy losses, the orcs temporarily withdrew and established a camp at Crystal Lake, facing Goldshire.
Now, outside the chieftain's tent, orc warriors formed three concentric circles. In the center, two tall, powerful orcs were fighting!
They were performing a sacred orc ritual: a Mak'gora duel!
A duel to the death, meaning "duel of honor," a one-on-one challenge for honor or status.
The Mak'gora was sacred to the orcs, and no one could stop it. The winner claimed everything from the loser: rights, wealth, slaves, and more.
There were rules: no armor, only one weapon, and no magic!
Refusal meant dishonor and expulsion from the clan.
The loser's fate was death!
One of the orcs was brown-skinned, meaning he hadn't drunk demon blood.
The other was green-skinned, with demonic spikes on his back: the Warchief of the Horde, Blackhand!