"I see... the situation is dire indeed."
In the vanguard camp, Andreas learned the full story from Aviana.
Simply put, Malfurion, consumed by worry for Tyrande, was unwilling to wait any longer. He planned to slip across the battlefield and into Zin-Azshari while the demigod army clashed with the demons, attempting to infiltrate the palace and rescue his beloved priestess.
Although this leaned toward being an arbitrary decision, the long-waiting demigods had already grown impatient; a frontal assault suited their inclinations perfectly.
Proud demigods were inherently difficult to restrain. Even Jarod, the supreme commander of the coalition, could not forcibly overturn their will to issue a contrary order.
However, before the demigod army set out, Malfurion had requested Aviana to notify Jarod at the main camp, asking for the main army to coordinate with the demigods' movements and send reinforcements to the front.
Entrusted by Malfurion to stay at the vanguard camp and meet the reinforcements, Aviana had arranged for her children to deliver the message. But for some unknown reason, the messenger birds never reached the camp.
"Based on the current situation, I suspect..." Andreas furrowed his brow, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "The Burning Legion must have dispatched someone to intercept and kill your messengers mid-way. They likely intend to wipe out all the demigods in one fell swoop."
Aviana's brow shot up, and she let out a furious, piercing bird cry toward the sky.
"Sinister demons! You shall not succeed!"
Flapping her wings to rise from the ground, Aviana instructed Andreas while he raised a hand to shield himself from the dust. "I will personally make a run for it and deliver the news to Jarod. Andreas, please take my children and rush to the front lines. Inform the other demigods of the Legion's plot."
Before Andreas could react, Aviana gave her wings a powerful flap, vanishing from his sight in an instant.
It was only several seconds later that the sonic boom from breaking the sound barrier echoed from high above. Andreas shook his head with a wry smile.
"It seems the Mother of All Birds is also quite short-tempered. But... is there still time?"
...
Although Agamaggan was a boar often subjected to "intellectual discrimination," the demigod was not stupid at all; on the contrary, he was quite shrewd.
After charging headlong through the Burning Legion's ranks for a while, Agamaggan gradually began to harbor doubts.
The enemy's resistance was too weak—nowhere near the level it had been when they were led by their generals.
Goldrinn, the Wolf God, who was reaping lives along the edges of the demonic formation, also noticed this. Although the demons defending the front were numerous, they were mostly low-quality fodder troops.
As Goldrinn slowed his pace of attack, a large black panther not far from him seemed oblivious, continuing to plunge deeper into the Legion's formation.
Goldrinn hurriedly let out a loud howl, trying to dissuade the other. "Ashamane, wait! You aren't thick-skinned like Ursoc or Tortolla! Don't push too hard... did you hear me? Stop!"
The panther demigod, Ashamane, acted as if she hadn't heard a word, continuing her headlong rush.
"Tch! She's still as stubborn as ever!"
Due to an experience of being attacked by a pack of wolves in her youth, Ashamane always felt a sense of resistance and exclusion toward the wolf race; she didn't even care much for Goldrinn, a fellow demigod.
Among all the demigods, Ashamane and Goldrinn were considered the most solitary and proud.
Ashamane rarely communicated with others, roaming the wilderness all day in search of prey. The Trolls who once ruled Kalimdor had tried to hunt her multiple times, but each time they returned empty-handed—or were hunted by her instead.
Goldrinn, adhering to his lupine nature, instinctively kept his distance from other demigods and mortals. However, should anyone dare to intrude upon his territory, he would attack without mercy, tearing them to shreds.
Both demigods were of the type with exceptional attack power and agility but lacking in defense. The tactic Jarod had devised for them was to circle the outer perimeter and avoid direct frontal combat.
"Skree!"
A loud eagle cry from the sky drew Goldrinn's attention. Ohn'ahra, the Eagle Goddess, led her kin to block the Felbats and other aerial units. Under her assault, demon corpses fell from the sky like rain.
Malfurion, in his Stormcrow form, had reached Cenarius. The Forest Lord was freely unleashing his powerful natural energy; thick thorny vines surged from beneath the ground, binding nearby demons tightly in these authentic "tentacles."
"Mentor!"
Malfurion banked in mid-air and landed on the ground, shifting back into humanoid form.
Cenarius did not stop his hands, casting a curious glance at his prized disciple. "What is it, Malfurion? Have the reinforcements arrived?"
Malfurion shook his head and said anxiously, "No! Please listen—I fear we have fallen into a trap set by the Burning Legion!"
Cenarius understood his disciple's character well; Malfurion was not the type of person to make groundless claims.
"A trap? What exactly is happening?"
"Roar!"
Just as Malfurion was about to explain his theory, a roar that shook the four directions suddenly echoed from the flank and rear of the extended demigod line.
Swaths of the primordial forest fell over as if some ancient colossus were rampaging through the trees.
Fires of Fel-green light projected through the thinning woods, and a massive, lumbering demon with tattered wings burst out. The sweep of his gargantuan two-handed sword claimed the lives of many soldiers at the rear of the vanguard.
"Weak demigods of Azeroth, face the mighty Mannoroth! I shall be your undertaker."
"All forces, charge!"
"Roar!"
Elite demonic forces, primarily Felguards and Doomguards, poured out from the mountains and forests behind the demigods, cutting off their retreat in a very short time.
These ambushed elites formed a pincer movement with their comrades at the front, firmly trapping the demigod army within this battlefield.
The high-ranking demon generals, who had been nowhere to be found until now, identified their respective targets. They led their troops to strike at the weakly defended flanks of the demigods' kin. The unprepared Resistance suffered casualties immediately.
"It's too late..."
Malfurion watched the tragedy unfolding before his eyes with a pale face, guilt and regret gnawing at his heart.
"Do not lose hope!"
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Cenarius immediately channeled a vast area of natural energy. Vitalized natural energy shrouded the entire battlefield.
"Nature will heal our wounds—Tranquility!"
The massive area-of-effect healing spell temporarily stabilized the coalition's morale. As the quickest demigods began to counterattack, those within the range of Tranquility felt their stamina and health rapidly returning.
"Ha!"
Mannoroth, seeing this, smashed a Dryad into a meat pie and pointed his double-headed spear directly at Cenarius.
"Only the weak pin their hopes on healing! The strong only destroy, destroy, and destroy again!"
"Puny demigod, let me teach you what true strength is!"
"Arrogant fool!"
Accepting the Pit Lord's challenge, Cenarius clenched his left hand. Thorny vines dragged all the bound demons into the earth, burying them alive.
"I will see for myself how you filthy defilers intend to overcome the will of the forest and nature. Atonement for your sins!"
"Starfall!"