The griffon knights' close-quarters combat proved difficult for the red dragons. The griffons' smaller size and superior agility gave them an advantage.
Soon, Alleria arrived with the Farstrider unit. A volley of arrows struck the unprepared red dragons, sending them and their Dragonmaw riders crashing to the ground.
Galen's eyes lit up. The naga had already recovered the red dragons that fell into the sea the previous year and transported them to Trollbane Harbor, where Galen planned to have them dissected.
Red dragons! They are treasures from head to toe. Dragon scales and skin for equipment, claws and teeth for weapons.
Galen planned to use dragon teeth for super armor-piercing arrows for Sylvanas, and dragon leather armor.
Dragon claws are also good for siege arrows, and their internal organs are valuable magical materials.
Where else can you find so many dragons? And even if you did, you wouldn't dare attack them. The dragon legion is the guardian of Azeroth. You wouldn't survive being hostile to them.
It's rare for the Orcs to enslave Alexstrasza and produce so many young dragons. Though not as good as adult dragons, they are still precious.
Galen noted the six adult red dragons, likely Alexstrasza's mates. He planned to form a dragon-slaying squad to secretly kill them and blame the Orcs!
After all, the red dragons attacked first. We are retaliating. The red dragon legion can't complain!
Galen was already plotting. He also had a red dragon egg from a previous lottery draw, and after consulting Gandalf and Medivh, he had a plan!
Nice! Quietly profiting is the best!
Right now, we need to end this battle. Both sides are at their limit!
It's time for the final blow!
Galen took out three new signal flares.
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
Three blue flares rose into the air!
From the direction of the Wall of Stromgarde, a dark mass of shadows flew, blocking the sun!
Ace pilots reporting for duty!
They're here! Fifty aircraft!
Galen's Heart of Creation could build aircraft, but he had kept them hidden. Now, they would finally show their power, and impress the human kingdoms!
Aircraft are a commodity. With money and human pilots, you can quickly gain air superiority!
Galen had four to five thousand aircraft stockpiled and had trained over a thousand pilots. He planned to sell the extras to human nobles for a fortune!
Money is good, and Galen wants more.
As the aircraft approached and the red dragons came into range, the pilots targeted the dragons. Black shells flew through the sky. The griffon knights quickly moved out of the way.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The shells were devastating, their shrapnel shredding the red dragons.
The Dragonmaw knights, used to flying beasts in Draenor, were unprepared for aerial combat with red dragons. They were overwhelmed by the shells.
While weaker than griffon knights in attack and defense, the aircraft's sheer numbers made them formidable!
Their high maneuverability allowed them to evade attacks from the ground and air.
People recognized the aircraft's potential. Lothar realized Galen was a savior, constantly bridging the gap between the Alliance and the Horde!
The Alliance, initially terrified of the red dragons, now had hope for air superiority!
Orgrim was anxious. He realized his attack was poorly planned compared to the humans fighting on their home turf!
But it doesn't matter. Once we link up with the trolls, their knowledge of the area will compensate for our shortcomings!
Desperate to break through, Orgrim attacked Mograine fiercely!
Mograine, already struggling, was overwhelmed. Even on defense, he could barely resist, and Orgrim shattered his longsword!
Bang!
With his sword broken, Mograine was kicked into the crowd by Orgrim.
Human soldiers rushed to protect their commander, desperately trying to get Mograine out of the Orcish siege.
The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard, but Sylvanas seized the opportunity. She had been lurking in the nearby hills.
Climbing to a high point, she nocked a special armor-piercing arrow from Galen's blacksmith shop. She channeled arcane energy into the arrow, making it glow with a dim purple light!
"Ha!"
Sylvanas fired a full-strength shot at Orgrim. The arrow reached supersonic speed, creating a sonic boom!
In that instant, Orgrim, a legendary warrior, felt a sense of impending doom.
His personal guard, Broxigar, reacted first. He stepped in front of Orgrim and swung his battle axe at the speeding arrow!
Bang!
The collision between the battle axe and the arcane arrow caused a huge explosion. Though the arrow shattered, the force threw Broxigar and Orgrim off balance.
The Warchief, who had been dominating Mograine, now lost face. Fortunately, both were tough and unharmed.
What a powerful attack! Both Orcs and Alliance soldiers were impressed by the long-range power!
Nearby, Varok Saurfang quickly rallied the Orcs. The Warchief being attacked was a serious matter!
Orgrim stood up to reassure his troops. Otherwise, the attempted assassination might have broken their morale.
"Over there, on that hill!" Varok Saurfang spotted the attacker: a slender high elf!
"Despicable attacker! Warriors, crush her!" Saurfang roared, and several squads of Blackrock Guards charged at Sylvanas!
Now Sylvanas was in danger. The Blackrock Guards, the elite of the Orc warriors, were approaching.
Sylvanas dodged their attacks. The missed wolf-tooth clubs and battle axes struck the ground, sending up mud. She nimbly jumped, avoiding the weapons and dust.
The Orc warriors hated agile opponents. They had strength but couldn't hit her, which enraged them!
Sylvanas's counterattacks were deadly. Her arrows struck vital points, each shot fatal.
As Orc corpses piled up, more Orcs surrounded her, and Galen rushed to her aid.
Sylvanas, fighting fiercely, suddenly froze. Her quiver was empty!
She put away her longbow, drew her short blades, and began a guerrilla fight.
Just as Sylvanas slit a Blackrock Guard's throat, she felt a chill and her scalp tingled. It was her battlefield instinct!
Danger!
Sylvanas leaned back, performing an "iron bridge" maneuver!
A dark red battle blade slashed across her forehead, cutting off a strand of golden hair from her red hood. If she had been slower, she would have been decapitated.
This was an assassination attempt! After the failed throat-slitting, a wave appeared behind Sylvanas, and a green figure emerged!
A Blademaster!
Sylvanas had drawn their ire.
The stout, green-skinned figure had several swords and a red flag with the Fireblade Clan logo on his back!
He wielded a red battle blade, a weapon designed for chopping!
The Blademaster leaped, his blade aimed at Sylvanas!
If that hits, Sylvanas will be cut in half!
Not on my watch!
"Hand of Protection!"
Galen cast a Paladin's unique move, creating a Holy Light shield, theoretically immune to all physical attacks!
Bang!
Sylvanas, protected by the shield, was still struck by the Blademaster. The force sent her rolling, covered in dust.
Galen jumped to her side, shielding her.
Sylvanas, unharmed, brushed off the dust and coughed.
"Silva, that was reckless!"
"Sorry, Galen, I couldn't resist taking that shot!"
"It worked well, making Orgrim lose face! Haha!"
"Heh! Thanks for the compliment. But the ending was embarrassing!"
"It's okay, I'm here now!"
The two joked amidst the Orc encirclement, infuriating the Blackrock Guards. A captain moved forward, but the two Blademasters stopped him!
"You protect the Warchief; we'll handle them!"
Jubeithos knew Orgrim planned to break through. He and the Fireblade Blademaster could leave at any time. It was better to let the Warchief Guards protect Orgrim.
Galen took a new quiver from his backpack and gave it to Sylvanas. She strapped it on, took her longbow, and prepared for battle.
Orgrim realized the situation was dire. The left wing was contained, the right could not break through, and the Red Dragon Knights were tied up. The only option was to break through the north!
"Teron Gorefiend, lead your Death Knights to break through the front!"
Though he disliked the gloomy Death Knights, they terrified the humans.
"Warriors of the Dragonmaw Clan! Use dragon breath to clear paths on the flanks! Ignore the winged lions!"
"Warriors, follow me to break through!"
The Horde, a massive war machine, moved under Orgrim's command.
The Death Knights waved their scepters, and dark energy surged. The dead, both human and Orc, rose and shambled towards the Alliance!
The Alliance army on the front line was in turmoil, and the Red Dragons, ignoring the griffon knights, flew northwest, braving the aircraft shells.
The red dragons inhaled deeply!
Then, they unleashed torrents of dragon breath!
Their target: Durin's Fifth Army!