Strictly speaking, the dispute between the Draenei and the Ogres had nothing to do with Andreas and his wife; their mission was to save the Naaru.
But the frustrating part was that among the three Naaru, Deoli had already completely fallen, and his remains were decaying into the Void.
Kure and Kara were still alive, but their condition also gave Andreas a massive headache.
Kara, who had been ejected from the ship's cabin, was currently floating and wandering above Shadowmoon Valley. It was said that the unique weather of Shadowmoon Valley was related to this Dark Naaru.
Kure was staying obediently in the ruins of Genedar in Nagrand. Unfortunately, for the same reason as Deoli, the gradually decaying Kure attracted the ancestral spirits of the Orcs to the vicinity of the ship.
Now, the area where the ship was located was regarded as a holy land by the Orcs, given the name Oshu'gun, the Holy Mountain. Outsiders were simply unable to approach it.
Andreas and Shandris had discussed it; of the three Naaru, the easiest to access was undoubtedly the confirmed-dead Deoli.
Although he had fallen, the remains of the Naaru were still there, and they were currently transforming from creatures of the Holy Light into Void Creatures.
If he could see Deoli with his own eyes, Andreas might be able to find a way to stop Deoli's transformation, or even... possibly resurrect this fallen Naaru.
However, to see Deoli, they first had to obtain the consent of the Draenei. Since the Draenei and the Ogres were currently on the brink of war, Prophet Velen would likely find it hard to spare time to meet two strangers... unless he could recover his prophetic abilities.
This situation left Andreas and Shandris feeling very depressed. To ensure their survival and gain the trust of the Draenei, the two would likely be passively drawn into the war between the Ogres and the Draenei.
The Draenei's main areas of activity on Draenor were Talador and Shadowmoon Valley, and both regions showed signs of Ogre activity, especially Tanaan Jungle.
Auchindoun was almost completely surrounded by the Ogres' range of activity. To the west were the Court of Souls and Gul'rok Village, where the Ogres buried their ancestors; to the east was Gul'var; only Telmor to the south belonged to the Draenei.
This was unavoidable, as Tanaan Jungle had formerly been the core territory of the Goria Empire.
Furthermore, the problems facing the Draenei weren't just the Orcs and Ogres; the Arak Peaks to the south of Talador were also fraught with crisis.
The Arakkoa living there also had ideas of outward expansion to restore the glory of the Apexis Empire.
However, the Arakkoa of Arak seemed to have fallen into internal strife recently. The exiled Arakkoa, stripped of their wings, and the High Arakkoa of Skyreach were hostile to each other to an irreconcilable degree. This was finally some good news for the Draenei.
"Sigh~"
Rubbing his silver hair in frustration, Andreas sighed and said, "Let's take it one step at a time. I hope we can gain the recognition of the Draenei before the war arrives."
Although he wasn't sure exactly when the Burning Legion would arrive on Draenor, the time left for the Draenei and himself was clearly not much.
Draenor was not like Azeroth, which had the protection of the Titans. This planet was almost completely defenseless against the Burning Legion. If Kiljaeden and Archimonde needed to, they could descend directly here, and even Sargeras could do so.
'I don't want to fight the Burning Legion in a place far from the protection of Azeroth. Besides, this isn't my home. Mobilizing resources to resist the Burning Legion would be extremely difficult. I'd better find a way to finish the mission and return to Azeroth as soon as possible.'
...Several years passed, and the Draenei of Ampori Village had become very familiar with the couple, Andreas and Shandris.
Since Andreas and his wife had never shown any threat to the Draenei, Exarch Nelly gradually lowered her guard against Andreas.
After several years of hard work in construction, the magnificent Karabor Temple was finally nearing completion. At this time, Andreas received a tip from Exarch Hataru.
"When Karabor Temple is completed, Prophet Velen, who has been recovering in Shattrath, will shift his focus to this new temple. The Hand of the Prophet will also provide a group of high-level apprentices to Karabor to strengthen the temple's defenses."
Andreas' expression shifted. "So, I'll have a chance to meet the Prophet at Karabor Temple?"
Hataru smiled and patted Andreas' shoulder. "You're quick-witted, my friend."
"Among the five members of the Council of Bishops, Nelly, Akama, and I have all approved of you and Lady Shandris. Adal and Malardal abstained because they aren't familiar with you. With a 3-0 result, you are permitted to meet the Prophet during the completion ceremony of Karabor Temple."
Andreas let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you, Hataru. Please also convey my thanks to Exarch Akama and Exarch Nelly."
"Haha~ Don't mention it."
Hataru nonchalantly stroked the tentacle-like beard on his chin. "The technical exchanges with you over these past few years have given me a lot of inspiration. I can tell from your technical designs that you aren't someone with evil intentions."
"Akama also mentioned this in the Council of Bishops. Although you use Void energy, it doesn't mean you are evil. He is willing to vouch for you."
"As for Nelly... her stance is more thanks to your wife."
Although the peaceful life in Ampori Village had allowed Andreas, who had been busy for thousands of years, to obtain a long-awaited relaxation, Draenor was not his home after all. His and Shandris' friends and family were still in Azeroth waiting for their successful return, which kept a sense of urgency in their hearts.
"The Karabor Temple completion ceremony, huh..."
Being in a favorable position, Andreas knew that this ceremony would take place in half a month. Because the Prophet was scheduled to arrive in person, Nelly had recently increased the patrol intensity around Karabor, and Akama's Defender legion had also been temporarily transferred from Shattrath to garrison Karabor.
The completion of Karabor was definitely good news, but bad news followed closely the next day.
Due to Akama's Defender forces leaving Shattrath, the independent Ogre city-states located throughout Talador began to show unusual movements one after another. The Fortress of Pain in Shadowmoon Valley had also been making frequent moves lately.
The hair-trigger situation extinguished the joy in the hearts of the Draenei. As the front line facing the Fortress of Pain, Ampori Village entered a state of high alert after Akama's army arrived.
On the top floor of the newly built Druna Observatory north of Ampori Village, Andreas looked out into the distance and sighed with concern, "Is war truly unavoidable in the end?"
"Hmph!"
Exarch Nelly said with a cold face, "Then let them come! I will make those big idiots pay a price they will never forget!"
An old, gentle voice suddenly came from behind everyone. "Don't get excited, Exarch Nelly. Perhaps the situation hasn't yet reached the point of total war."
Akama turned around and opened his mouth in surprise upon seeing the newcomer. "Prophet, why are you here? Wasn't it agreed that the defense of Shadowmoon Valley would be left to us?"
A Draenei elder holding a purple crystal staff stepped out of a portal. The white-bearded and white-haired elder looked kind and benevolent, and a conspicuous, complex translucent mark floated in front of his forehead.
Behind the elder followed two Draenei men wearing Exarch robes. One of them was the leader of the Scholars, Exarch Adal, whom Andreas had met before.
'In that case, the remaining one must be the leader of the Auchenai, Exarch Malardal, right?'
As Andreas and Shandris quietly observed Velen and Malardal, the Prophet's deep gaze also happened to turn toward them.
"Mr. Andreas Moonshadow and Lady Shandris Feathermoon." Velen leaned on his staff and bowed slightly in greeting. "I am Velen, the spiritual leader of the Draenei. I am sorry to have kept you waiting so long for our first meeting."
Andreas and Shandris returned the greeting in turn. Andreas said with a smile, "Prophet, please don't mind it. One must always be wary of others, and... right now, the one you need to focus on most isn't the two of us, is it?"
Velen's arrival brought news of the Tanaan Jungle to the leaders, Akama and Nelly.
"Talador is still relatively calm for now. Although the Ogres everywhere are closely preparing for war, they haven't been as aggressive as those in the Fortress of Pain."
Velen gently stroked his long white beard, thoughtfully gazing toward the distant Fortress of Pain from the high vantage point of the Star Observatory.
"It seems the Ogres intend to use their kin in the Fortress of Pain to test our strength."
After the collapse of the Goria Empire, the Ogre city-states in various regions became independent and were no longer under a unified command. The connections between these city-states were not particularly close, and they often clashed over territorial disputes.
Andreas had been in politics for nearly ten thousand years; he was experienced and well-informed. He was long accustomed to the sight of external enemies looming while factions were still busy with internal strife.
Among the Ogre city-states scattered across Draenor today, Highmaul was the strongest. According to Velen, Highmaul's pressure and threats were behind the coordinated provocation by the various Ogre city-states.
"Highmaul is far to the west of Draenor. They are constantly at war with the most valiant Orcish Clan, the Warsong Clan. It is almost impossible for them to leave Nagrand and reach Talador to assist, unless..."
Velen's brow furrowed slightly as a possibility suddenly occurred to him, but considering the straightforward temperament of the Warsong Clan, he felt it was unlikely.
In the twenty-plus years since arriving on Draenor, Velen, who had lost his ability to see the future, had never stopped exploring and learning about this new world.
Broadly speaking, the powers on Draenor could be divided into two categories based on their origins.
One category was the botanical forces composed of creatures like Genesaur and Botani. These forces had distinct characteristics, as their bodies were made of various plants and flowers. Their influence spanned every region of Draenor; even Shadowmoon Valley had traces of Botani activity.
The other category was the stone creatures led by the Magnaron, along with a series of flesh-and-blood creatures that had devolved from them.
The struggle between the stone and plant lineages spanned almost the entire history of Draenor. Since neither the Orcs nor the Ogres had detailed records of ancient history, Velen only had a general understanding through exploring Arakkoa ruins.
Simply put, the ancient stone creatures were called Breakers by the Arakkoa of the Apexis Empire, while the plant monsters were called Primals.
At their peak, the Apexis Arakkoa once frontally defeated an incomparably powerful Primordial. Using a powerful artifact called the Breath of Rukhmar to focus sunlight, they completely incinerated the massive spore mounds gathered by the Primals.
From then on, the Primal forces on Draenor began to decline rapidly. Aside from a few remaining in the Gorgrond mountains to the north, powerful Genesaurs were rarely seen in other regions.
In contrast, although the Breaker forces were also devolving, their descendants gradually evolved into the modern Mortal civilizations of Draenor.
Affected by the spores the Primals spread onto the Breakers, these stone creatures devolved generation after generation, their stony bodies gradually turning into bodies of flesh and blood.
Magnaron devolved into Gronn, Gronn devolved into Ogron, and eventually into Ogres and Orcs. The Breaker lineage was passed down in this manner through the generations.
However, the customs of these primitive flesh-and-blood creatures were very savage. The original Ogron treated the Ogres and Orcs, with whom they shared a common ancestor, as slaves.
As the most powerful force on Draenor after the decline of the Primals and Breakers, the Apexis Arakkoa never gave up their ambition to dominate all of Draenor.
To curb the expansion of the physically powerful Ogron, the Arakkoa secretly sent agents to teach the dim-witted Ogres how to harness Arcane magic. Eventually, with the help of these spells, the Ogres successfully overthrew the Ogron's rule and established the Goria Empire, which lasted for nearly a thousand years.
Overthrowing the tyrannical Ogron did not bring any substantial benefits to the other descendants of the Children of Stone. The Orcs still had to face a harsh environment and the predation of the rising Ogres.
The Orcs and Ogres, both being Children of Stone, had no intention of cooperating to explore the world. Years of conflict had led them to view each other as Mortal enemies.
Because the Goria Empire attempted to enslave the elements of Draenor, the four Elemental Lords bestowed their power upon the Orcs, giving rise to the primitive Orcish spellcasting class known as the Shaman.
The angry Elemental Lords, with the help of the Orcs, eventually destroyed the capital of the Goria Empire, and the once-mighty empire collapsed.
However, the feud between Orcs and Ogres did not end there. Ogre city-states across Draenor maintained the tradition of hunting Orcs, and the hatred between the two races only deepened over time.
The Warsong was the most warlike and bloodthirsty of the Orcish Clans, and their combat prowess was also the strongest, honed by years of constant warfare.
Yet, facing Highmaul, which wielded powerful Arcane magic, the Warsong Clan was still being suppressed by the Ogres. Velen believed the Warsong chieftain would not be so unwise as to allow the Highmaul Ogres to pass through their territory to join an attack on the Draenei.
Seeing the hesitant expression on Velen's face, Andreas deduced what the Prophet was worried about with a little thought.
As a Transmigrator who had once read through the World of Warcraft Chronicles, Andreas' knowledge of Draenor's history, recorded in his notes, was more detailed than Velen's. He even knew that the Titan Aggramar had once descended upon this planet.
However, Aggramar, burdened with heavy responsibilities, did not stay long on this planet that lacked a World-Soul.
Seeing the plant life forms ravaging the entire planet, he casually created a colossus Keeper named Grond to balance the overly powerful plant forces of Draenor.
The Children of Stone, including the Orcs and Ogres, were strictly speaking descendants of Grond.
"Prophet, may I interject?"
Velen looked up from his contemplation at Andreas, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he encouraged, "Of course, please speak freely."
Andreas nodded and said, "I know you are worried about an alliance between the Ogres and Orcs. While I believe a full alliance between the two is almost impossible, your suspicion is indeed something we must guard against."
"No matter how friendly the Draenei appear, you are always outsiders to the Ogres and Orcs."
"And because of the Draenei's benevolent way of doing things, the Orcs and Ogres lack a direct understanding of the Draenei's combat capabilities—and combat capability happens to be an important reference factor for these primitive races to measure another's value."
Velen's white eyebrows rose slightly; by this point, he already understood what Andreas meant.
"Mr. Andreas, are you saying that the Orcs might intentionally allow the Ogres through to test our strength?"
"Yes, that possibility cannot be ruled out."
Andreas gave a meaningful chuckle and asked, "The Draenei have recently tried to befriend the Orcs, but... it seems to have had little effect, right?"
"Sigh~"
Velen was silent for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. "I understand. I will notify the defenders in Talador to prepare for the worst-case scenario."
Velen then fixed his gaze on Andreas with a scrutinizing look. "Mr. Andreas, I am becoming more and more curious about your and your wife's origins. Ordinary people shouldn't be able to possess such an excellent grasp of the big picture and such keen battlefield intuition, right?"
Facing the Prophet's meaningful gaze, Andreas shrugged nonchalantly, "I mentioned our origins and purpose to High Priestess Nelly long ago. Surely, Your Excellency the Prophet has heard about it?"
Velen nodded, "Wayfarers from another planet, entrusted by a deity to come to Draenor to help the distressed Naaru."
"Mr. Andreas, please forgive my rudeness, but when your intentions first reached my ears, I didn't believe them in the slightest."
Andreas smiled dismissively, "I understand. After all, the matter itself is quite bizarre."
Velen must have assigned Nelly to investigate the area where Andreas and Shandris first appeared, and naturally, no spacecraft were found.
Beings who can traverse the cosmos purely with their physical bodies certainly exist—Kiljaeden and Archimonde can do it—but their power level and physical strength have long surpassed the limits of Mortals.
Although Velen has been blessed by the Naaru for a long time and possesses an immortal lifespan, he is aware of his own strength.
He absolutely cannot traverse interstellar space in a vacuum like Kiljaeden and Archimonde; it is nearly impossible for Mortals to accomplish such a feat.
In fact, today was not the first time Velen had seen Andreas and Shandris; he had secretly visited Ampori Village years ago to observe them.
Velen admitted that Andreas was very powerful, already touching the boundary of breaking past the peak of Mortal strength, but he didn't believe this alien, who claimed to be from another world, was strong enough to bring his wife along while crossing the stars.
As for talk of deities... Velen didn't completely disbelieve it. After all, there are indeed many powerful supernatural beings in this universe, creatures that Mortals might refer to as gods, including the Titans and the Naaru.
However, even the Naaru wouldn't be so idle as to cross layers of star seas with their physical bodies; the spaceship they provided to the Draenei is clear evidence of this.
As for beings above the Naaru, Velen truly had no experience with them. Even Sargeras, he had only seen a projected disguise and had never truly witnessed the Fallen Titan's immense power.
From Andreas' perspective, the Naaru, whom Velen revered as god-tier beings, were actually nothing special.
Although the Naaru's life level certainly surpasses that of Mortals, their individual combat ability is not strong; the talents and skills of these Tangrams are all focused on support.
And the Naaru were merely activated figurines created by Andreas' ultimate superior. The power gap between master and subordinate is difficult to quantify for comparison, so it was normal that Velen couldn't understand how they descended.
Although Velen still held certain suspicions regarding the origins of Andreas and Shandris, based on his observations over the past few years and Andreas' proactive warning earlier, at least this alien bore no malice toward the Draenei.
"The two of you, the Draenei are currently facing pressure from external enemies and cannot satisfy your request for the time being."
"But I promise you that after this war concludes, I will personally lead you into Auchindoun to access Deoli's remains."
Andreas and Shandris exchanged glances. Receiving Velen's promise finally put them somewhat at ease, at least allowing them to see a winding, rugged path leading to the destination ahead in the darkness... Although Velen still wished to eliminate the threat of war through diplomatic means, the envoys repeatedly sent to the Fortress of Pain fled back in disgrace, even under the protection of the Holy Shield Amulets he provided.
Seeing this, the Prophet finally gave up hope, knowing that the battle in Shadowmoon Valley was now unavoidable.
However, Velen's old habit, developed over recent years, began to manifest again. Being unable to see the future made the Prophet, who was accustomed to advancing with cheats, feel restricted.
He issued orders to Akama and other generals to try not to inflict too much damage on the attacking Ogres, lest they completely infuriate the Ogre City-states across the land.
Andreas was quite displeased with Velen's weak attitude stemming from his anxiety, but since this was an internal decision of another race, he, as an outsider, had no right to interfere.
Since Velen personally lifted the surveillance and activity restrictions on Andreas and Shandris, the couple's movements had become much freer recently.
The ominous atmosphere of impending trouble made the residents of Ampori Village uneasy, but these Draenei, having gone through repeated hardships, had developed extremely thick skins.
With war imminent, although the village atmosphere was somewhat tense, most older Draenei suppressed their anxiety and fear and continued doing work within their capacity.
Young Samara and Yrel, however, were not as calm as the other villagers, and the frequency of the two sisters visiting next door had noticeably increased.
Since Nelly had already led her Ranger Unit to the front lines for reconnaissance, Shandris, as an outsider, naturally could not participate in formal military operations alongside another nation's army.
Shandris, staying idle at home, gradually grew suspicious of the two young girls next door, as she had recently been constantly giving Andreas strange, sidelong glances.
"...What is it? We're an old married couple; just say what's on your mind."
Shandris' piercing stares made Andreas feel uneasy, and the fidgeting Andreas finally couldn't help but ask directly.
"Heh~"
Shandris sneered mockingly, "I don't believe you don't know what I'm thinking. Did those two girls next door take a liking to you?"
Andreas rolled his dead fish eyes and waved his hand, complaining, "You're overthinking it. Those two children are just anxious and uneasy because they are facing war for the first time, instinctively seeking comfort. You went through this stage too; you should understand their mindset."
Shandris was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Too much time had passed since she first faced war, so long that she had begun to forget her initial novice mentality.
"Is that so..."
Letting out a soft sigh, Shandris' scrutinizing attitude quickly softened. "Then let me guide them. Isn't Yrel's ambition to become a Defender? That girl will have to pass this test sooner or later."
Andreas had no objection to this. The young girl was still very rash right now and needed guidance from an experienced senior to gradually stimulate the potential hidden within her body... After integrating into life in Ampori Village, Andreas and Shandris had long become accustomed to the Draenei's routine over the past few years.
The next morning, when the Chronometer Crystal sounded, the prepared Shandris proactively knocked on the door next door.
"I'm opening the door now, please wait a moment."
Samara, who had just woken up, rubbed her sleepy eyes and opened her front door, startled by Shandris, who was dressed in full military attire.
"Sister Shandris, what are you doing..."
Hearing Samara's address for Shandris, Andreas, lingering far behind, wore a strange expression.
'How can there be a "sister" who is nearly ten thousand years old...'
"Hmm?!"
Shandris seemed to sense her husband's malicious speculation, turned around, and glared fiercely at Andreas with sharp eyes.
"Do you have a problem?"
"Uh... I dare not."
"Hmph~"
The inauguration ceremony of Karabor Temple was regrettably postponed due to the sudden shadow of war, and Yrel and Samara, who were originally scheduled to be transferred to Karabor for further training, were temporarily left idle.
Yrel and Samara, who are under 16 years old, are currently in an important stage of growth. Although they maintain a certain intensity of self-training every day, their progress has clearly slowed down recently due to the lack of guidance from a mentor.
Although Shandris cannot use the Holy Light, the power of moonlight and the Holy Light are not very different in many applications, especially in healing.
As one of the few highest-ranking generals in the Night Elf Republic, Shandris has extensive combat experience, and guiding the two sisters to continue improving in a short time is no problem at all.
However, Shandris' training requirements are extremely strict, and Leticia is the best person to attest to this.
After a day of high-intensity training, Yrel and Samara were so exhausted they could barely stand upright. After having a nutritious dinner with the couple, they went home, collapsed onto their beds, and immediately fell asleep.
Andreas had no intention of interfering with Shandris' training regimen; after all, his wife was a professional in this area. Most of his attention was focused on the imminent crisis.
To supply the various weapons, armor, and logistical materials needed during wartime, Hataru returned to Ampori Village from Karabor Temple. He spent all day busy handling various logistical tasks, ensuring that the soldiers on the front line would not lack anything materially.
Nelly, Akama, and other high-ranking generals had already left the village to set up defenses. Andreas could only obtain information about the situation on the front lines and throughout Draenor by relying on Hataru, who was stationed in the rear.
Unsurprisingly, the impending war not only attracted the attention of the other Ogre city-states, but the major Orc Clans were also watching closely from the shadows.
Even without drinking the demon blood, there are still many battle maniacs among the Orcs, and Orcs who habitually use their brains are hard to find in any Clan.
The decision to sit back and watch the fight was proposed by the Frostwolf Clan, who reside in Frostfire Ridge, during the Clan assembly. They hoped to use this opportunity to gauge the Draenei's combat effectiveness and their attitude toward outsiders, and whether they posed a threat to the normal lives of the Orcs.
Warlike Clans such as the Warsong, Thunderlord, Bonechewer Clan, and Bladewind originally did not intend to accept the Frostwolf Clan's suggestion, believing that the weak Draenei were only fit to be enslaved and consumed by them.
However, more rational Clans, including the Whiteclaw, Blackrock, Bleeding Hollow, Burning Blade, Thunderlord, and Shadowmoon, agreed with the Frostwolf's opinion.
Ultimately, the resolution was passed at the Clan assembly, and the Warsong Clan reluctantly relinquished control over the access routes to Highmaul.
However, contrary to the Orcs' expectations, the Ogres of Highmaul did not immediately send reinforcements to Talador, but instead continued to maintain a stance of calmly watching the situation unfold.
The Ogres in the other city-states also seemed completely unconcerned. Only the front line between the Fortress of Pain and Ampori Village showed signs of intense friction, with war imminent.
"It seems that the other Ogre city-states really intend to use their compatriots in the Fortress of Pain to test the strength of the Draenei."
Andreas said to Hataru, slightly exasperated, "In the end, it's still because the Prophet's foreign policy is too soft. The Fortress of Pain, being a neighbor, actually knows nothing about the Draenei's strength."
Hataru spread his hands with a wry smile, "The Prophet wasn't like this before. He was a leader with great courage and tolerance, but ever since he suffered a serious injury after arriving on Draenor, his style of action suddenly became cautious and overly meticulous."
Andreas silently shook his head. 'In the end, he relies too much on his ability to foresee the future. Once he loses the eyes that perceive the future, he suddenly doesn't know what to do.'
This was not the first person Andreas had encountered who was troubled by the flow of time, and he believed it would not be the last.
For some reason, these individuals with a degree of foresight always blindly believe the future they see and will never turn back until their own beliefs suffer a major blow.
Archmage Elisande is one such example. Since Andreas shook her out of it, she has never again peered into the future through the eye of amanthul.
Andreas, an existence that did not belong to the predetermined timeline, made her understand a truth—the future is not set in stone.
Clearly, Prophet Velen is currently stuck in the phase that Elisande once experienced. Without the eyes that foresee the future, he even began to doubt his own abilities, and the Council of Bishops was born under these circumstances.
However, Velen still felt uneasy. Driven by the desire to keep a low profile and avoid attracting the attention of the Burning Legion, Velen prepared to adopt conciliatory methods, hoping to coexist peacefully with the native races of Draenor.
"Peace... is not achieved through endless tolerance and yielding."
Andreas gazed meaningfully at the star-studded sky of Shadowmoon Valley and muttered, "If you can't let the potential enemies lurking around know how sharp your claws are, then being looked down upon becomes a matter of course."
Andreas' soliloquy caused Hataru's expression to shift. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then seemed to reconsider something and tightly closed his mouth again.
'Heh~'
Andreas saw the conflicted expression on Hataru's face. Although the Arch-Bishop was not a more aggressive combatant, that did not mean he agreed with Velen's conciliatory policy.
Based on what Andreas currently understood, Nelly, the short-tempered Ranger Arch-Bishop, hoped for a harsh response, preferably one that would thoroughly hurt the Ogres and simultaneously deter other entities watching in secret.
Adal shared the same view. He believed that given the strength of the Draenei, there was no need to act so cautiously. Unruly savage races should simply be beaten into submission.
Although Akama appeared rough and occasionally acted erratically, he actually had a very strong opinion, but refrained from showing his attitude out of respect for the Prophet.
Excluding Malardal, whom he had not met, at least three of the four Arch-Bishops favored a tough war, but Prophet Velen's single veto left the Arch-Bishops feeling deeply frustrated.
Hataru hesitated for a long time, but finally couldn't help but voice his confusion.
"Andreas, do you also disapprove of the Prophet's approach?"
Andreas smiled noncommittally. "I never said that. This is, after all, an internal decision for you Draenei."
"However, if you Arch-Bishops have thoughts on the matter, it would be best to express them directly to the Prophet."
Andreas coaxed him with a half-smile, "I shouldn't have to remind you which is more important: the Prophet's dignity or the future of the race, should I?"
"Hmm..."
Although Hataru was aggressive in his pursuit of new technology, he was essentially still a gentle-natured tech enthusiast.
Andreas was not the first person to offer this suggestion. Arch-Bishop Adal had already complained during a previous Council of Bishops meeting, believing that Velen's current approach was too weak and would cause the Orcs and Ogres to look down on the Draenei.
Andreas stood up from the lawn, brushed the grass off his backside, stretched comfortably, and walked toward the village.
"If all five Arch-Bishops collectively object, the Prophet, given his wisdom and open-mindedness, should reconsider his decision."
The faint voice drifting from afar startled Hataru, and he lowered his head, deep in thought.
"Five Arch-Bishops..."
"Ha…"
When Andreas leisurely returned home, Yrel and Samara were sprawled on their sofa like boneless mud, letting out weak groans.
"…What are you two doing?"
Yrel laboriously lifted her eyelids and forced out a single word, "Tired."
Andreas chuckled lightly, "There's an old saying in my hometown: 'More sweat in peacetime, less blood in wartime.' Every bit of your daily training will manifest in battle in the future."
He gently patted Yrel on the shoulder, and the little hooves bared their teeth, glaring at Andreas in protest.
"Keep it up; a large-scale war isn't far off."
…On the fifth day of Yrel and Samara's devilish training under Shandris, the Ogres of the Fortress of Pain finally couldn't hold back under the urging and temptation of the Highmaul envoy. Tens of thousands of Ogres, wielding crude weapons, surged out from the Fortress of Pain.
Although the Ogres once established an empire, their troops had almost no tactics to speak of. The chaotic Ogre army rushed towards the tightly arranged Draenei formation, shouting "Urah!" as if launching a final charge.
Akama, standing ramrod straight, gripped his sword and shield, raising his Holy Light-shining longsword high.
"Artillery ready! Calibrate firing angle… Fire!"
The Draenei's so-called cannons were very different from Andreas' understanding; they weren't long-barreled cannons but rather purple crystals standing upright behind the defensive line.
As Akama's order was given, the Shattrath Scholars standing around these crystals uniformly channeled energy into them through the Magic Array beneath their feet.
The surface of the rotating crystals grew increasingly bright, and dazzling energy projectiles Analysis out from the crystal's apex.
"Boom! Boom!"
These energy projectiles landed in the Ogre formation, causing explosions and creating large empty spaces in what was once a dense Ogre position.
Since the Prophet had previously instructed them to prioritize defense, the Draenei chose a battlefield located precisely between two hills.
Nelly, who had preemptively occupied the high ground, led by example, drawing her longbow to its fullest extent. "Rangers, draw your bows! Three-shot volley… Fire!"
The arrows raining down from above caused considerable casualties in the Ogre formation, but Ogres possess thick layers of fat and solid muscle for protection.
Except for unlucky individuals whose single eyes were pierced, ordinary arrows could not inflict fatal blows.
Most Ogres bravely pulled out the arrows embedded in their bodies, intending to continue their charge, but at that moment, an anomaly occurred.
"Rip!"
The Ogre who pulled out the arrow suddenly froze. The sharp pain and weakness in his left arm caused his injured left hand to immediately drop.
A large piece of subcutaneous fat, along with considerable muscle and ruptured blood vessels, was attached to the arrowhead. This Ogre's left arm was gushing blood.
This was not an isolated incident; many Ogres quickly lost their combat effectiveness due to excessive blood loss from rashly pulling out arrows.
"This…"
Velen, observing from the rear, widened his mouth in surprise. "Why is this happening? Who provided the Rangers' arrows?"
Archbishop Adal's mouth twitched slightly, a clear look of satisfaction in his eyes.
"It was Hataru."
"Thud!"
Velen's face showed displeasure; he slammed his prophet's staff heavily onto the ground.
"Nonsense! Who allowed him to make such malicious arrows? This could very well deepen the misunderstanding between us and the Ogres!"
"Hmph! Misunderstanding."
Adal's expression was somewhat grim. "Prophet, why do you always consider the enemy first when dealing with them? Are the lives of our people not important?"
"Any weapon that can inflict maximum damage on the enemy is a good weapon. Why bother with the enemy's opinion?"
Velen shook his head in dissatisfaction, saying, "You are thinking too superficially. Draenor is not our homeland; we are outsiders to the indigenous people of this world."
"With the Genedar crashed, we cannot continue our voyage for a long time. To avoid the Burning Legion's gaze, we must act as low-key as possible and avoid major conflicts with the natives."
The Ogre commander was terrified by the widespread damage caused by several volleys of arrows and crystal artillery. Losing over a thousand men in just one charge was unimaginable in previous wars on Draenor.
Under the command of a Two-headed Ogre, the Ogres abandoned over a thousand corpses and retreated back into the Fortress of Pain. They needed some time to re-evaluate the Draenei's weapons and strength.
Because of Velen's conciliatory orders, the Draenei who had been robbed by Ogres in various places had never retaliated. Those who were robbed were usually civilians and merchants, lacking strong combat capabilities themselves.
This led the Ogres of the Fortress of Pain to severely misunderstand the Draenei's strength, believing their combat ability was as weak as their displayed attitude.
In reality, the Eredar, as a race favored by Sargeras, possessed comprehensive qualities in combat and civilization development that ranked among the best in the entire universe.
Although the Draenei lost much of their cultural heritage during tens of thousands of years of flight, their Eredar-derived technological capabilities and combat strength did not significantly decline, as these were crucial for ensuring their continued escape from the Burning Legion.
Archbishop Nelly's Rangers had conducted in-depth investigations into the Ogre army structure and individual combat strength before the war. Given the asymmetry in intelligence between the two sides, such a result in the initial battle was only natural.
Of course, someone's secret instigation also contributed to this "achievement"… Since the Draenei won the initial battle easily, Ampori Village was not greatly affected.
Archbishop Hataru was carefully examining a specially designed arrowhead.
Unlike typical straightforward arrows, this arrowhead had many inconspicuous barbs in its metal structure. Once embedded in a body, it absolutely could not be easily pulled out; otherwise, these barbs would hook out the surrounding flesh from the injured area. Thinking of that scene, Hataru felt a chill in his heart. He curled his lips and said to the Night Elf who was currently instructing Technicians on carving blood grooves into arrowheads, "Andreas, isn't this special arrowhead you developed a bit too insidious?"
Andreas retorted indifferently, "How is it insidious? Upgrading military equipment is precisely to increase damage to the enemy and reduce our losses. You don't harbor ridiculous notions of showing mercy to the enemy, do you?"
"That's true…"
Although it made sense logically, Hataru still felt something was off.
When Prophet Velen, with a dark expression, retreated from the front line to question Hataru about the arrowheads, the Technician Archbishop suddenly realized the truth. However, by then, Andreas had long since slipped away, nowhere to be seen.
"This…"
Watching Velen's displeased face, his scalp tingling, Hataru sighed to the heavens in frustration, "I chose my friends poorly!"
Although Hataru was very dissatisfied with Andreas' act of fleeing first and leaving him to face the Prophet's wrath alone, the Exarch was stubborn enough not to reveal the true mastermind behind the scenes.
After Andreas' intentional and unintentional persuasion, Hataru had firmed up his resolve; he planned to gather the five Exarchs to oppose the Prophet's conciliatory approach.
He would have to have a showdown with the Prophet sooner or later anyway, and this incident with the barbed arrows was the perfect opportunity to let him understand his tough stance on foreign affairs.
Seeing the expression on Hataru's face that suggested he would forge ahead even against ten thousand people, Velen suddenly felt a massive headache.
This wasn't the first time he had disagreed with the members of the Council of Bishops, but this time alone made Velen feel uneasy.
Nelly and Adal's attitudes on the battlefield had already made him a bit apprehensive, and with Hataru's stubborn performance, three Exarchs had now opposed his conciliatory strategy in succession.
'Is my foreign policy really too weak?'
Velen was not a leader who advocated for autocracy; otherwise, he wouldn't have delegated power to form the Council of Bishops to dilute his own authority.
The questioning from the three Exarchs made him begin to reflect on his methods.
'Losing my precognitive abilities has indeed left me somewhat constrained, but isn't it common sense to adopt a conservative strategy in an unknown new world?'
Despite his reflections and doubts, Velen still didn't believe his choice was wrong; he planned to find an opportunity to have an open and honest talk with the Exarchs.
Three days later, when the war resumed, the Ogres of the Fortress of Pain had found a way to deal with the Draenei's insidious arrows.
They put a group of fully armed elite Ogre warriors at the very front; most of the Rangers' arrows could not penetrate this solid metal armor.
"Bang!"
Akama slammed the tower shield in his hand heavily onto the ground, and the Defenders under his command followed suit, assuming a defensive posture.
"Shield of the Holy Light!"
Golden radiance flashed across the surfaces of all the front-line Defenders' shields simultaneously, as the entire shields were enveloped in this golden energy.
"Clang!"
The advancing Ogre warriors smashed their weapons heavily against the shields raised by the Defenders.
The heavily struck Defenders only leaned back slightly; although the Draenei's physique couldn't match that of the Ogres, it wasn't to the point of being overwhelmed by a vast disparity in strength.
On the contrary, the Ogre warriors who smashed their weapons against the shields were instead thrown off balance by the powerful recoil coming from the shields.
"Spears! Thrust!"
At Akama's command, the Draenei in the back row of the shield wall thrust out spears, also enveloped in Holy Light, through the gaps between the shields.
Sharp spears and immense force pierced through the Ogres' crude armor, halting the momentum of the Ogre charge.
"Marlard, Nuptorn, it's your turn!"
Two gaps suddenly opened on both sides of the Draenei's main formation, and the Elekk cavalry, clad in heavy armor and led by the two leaders, began to charge at full speed.
"The Holy Light protects us, charge!"
Marlard took the lead, swinging the massive crystal two-handed warhammer in his hand to send several blocking Ogres flying.
The powerful breakthrough force of the Elekks tore open the Ogres' attacking formation; Marlard and Nuptorn were like two red-hot knives cutting through butter, quickly shredding the Ogres' already disorganized formation.
With the front-line heavy warriors collapsed, the Ogres' weak rear and flanks were exposed once again; Nelly and her Rangers had been waiting for this opportunity.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Under Velen's conflicted gaze, arrows filled the sky and fell into the Ogre positions once more, bringing up large clouds of blood mist amidst bursts of screams.
Just as Velen had said, he was now merely the spiritual leader of the Draenei.
Although he could still influence the decisions of the Council of Bishops with his strong personal charisma and long-term governing prestige, if they were truly determined not to listen to his advice, Velen really couldn't do anything about them for the time being.
Akama had long seen the current situation where the Council of Bishops and the Prophet disagreed; Adal had already expressed complaints and dissatisfaction in the Council meetings multiple times due to the Prophet's overly cowardly performance.
The seemingly boisterous Akama was actually very good at playing both sides in interpersonal relationships... to put it less kindly, it wouldn't be wrong to say he was two-faced.
Regarding the stance against foreign enemies, Akama's heart leaned toward the Council of Bishops, but he didn't want Prophet Velen, who had led their people for tens of thousands of years, to be discouraged because of it, so he had never clearly expressed his position or attitude.
Finally able to fight a hearty battle, Adal showed none of his usual arrogance and reserve; he shouted passionately, "Sha'tar! Prepare the combined spell!"
The Draenei Scholars raised their staves, using the magic circles beneath their feet to concentrate everyone's mana; standing in the center of the magic circle, Adal shouted and slammed his crystal staff onto the ground.
"Flamestrike!"
Ogres were also experts in using Arcane magic; sensing the large-scale surge of Arcane energy from beneath the battlefield, the Two-headed Ogres also began to cast spells under their leader's command.
"Blizzard!"
Two spells, one cold and one hot, met on the battlefield from above and below; the battlefield environment, freezing on one side and scorching on the other, made both the Ogres and the Draenei very uncomfortable.
At times like this, the role of discipline became apparent; many Ogres couldn't stand the harsh battlefield environment and turned to flee from the battlefield of ice and fire, dragging a large number of Ogres back with them.
Meanwhile, the Draenei still gritted their teeth and held their positions; Akama released a large-scale Holy Shield centered on himself, and the golden energy canopy covered all the Defenders within the range of the Blizzard.
Compared to the first battle that ended abruptly, the situation on the battlefield today was much more tragic.
Overall, the Draenei still had the upper hand, but the Ogres also showed their true strength in this battle and tested the Draenei's capabilities to a limited extent.
In fact, because of Velen's opposition, the Draenei still hadn't deployed all their trump cards; the army of constructs sent to the front line by Hataru was standing in a dormant state in the Draenei's front-line military camp.
After withdrawing the troops to the city, the lord of the Fortress of Pain, the Two-headed Ogre mage Hulk, suddenly didn't want to fight anymore.
The Draenei were by no means the pushovers they had imagined; the cunning Hulk knew that Highmaul and the other city-states just wanted to use them, and he didn't want to continue fighting the Draenei alone, futilely wasting the troops of the Fortress of Pain.
Hulk saw very clearly that if the Ogre city-states everywhere couldn't unite, no single city-state, including Highmaul, could defeat the Draenei alone.
"Notify the other city-states; I demand an immediate meeting of the Council of States."
Hulk sat on his lord's throne and said with a gloomy face to the Two-headed Ogre envoy from Highmaul below, "If Highmaul truly wants to reclaim the site of old Goria to establish prestige, we must unite and send troops together; no one should think of using this opportunity to treat others as cannon fodder!"
"But..."
*Sizzle!*
Brilliant Arcane light flashed in Hulk's hand, and the Highmaul envoy, who still wanted to argue, was lifted into the air, his neck gripped by invisible Arcane power.
"Do I need to repeat myself? Get back and convey my meaning to all those guys who are just watching the show!"
"Cough... Yes."
None of the Ogre with two heads were fools. Hulk volunteering to be the vanguard for the other city-states was entirely due to their misjudgment of the Draenei's strength.
Since the facts proved that the Fortress of Pain could not defeat the Draenei quickly, the cunning Hulk quickly changed his strategy to preserve the strength of his own city-state, preparing to pull all city-states into the war together.
The temporary retreat of the Fortress of Pain caused the front line of the battlefield to stall, with both armies cautiously facing each other on the serene plains outside the Fortress of Pain.
The Ogre, who had previously shown a strong desire to attack, suddenly withdrew. Although the Draenei side was somewhat surprised, they had not been completely unprepared for this.
Given the combat strength the Draenei had demonstrated, it was not surprising that the Fortress of Pain would adopt a defensive posture. Velen and the other Draenei leaders just hadn't expected these Ogre to back down so quickly and decisively... Facing Hataru's puzzled inquiry, Andreas shook his head and said, "Actually, this is not good news for the Draenei."
For several days, Andreas had stood on the top floor of the stargazing platform, looking out at the battlefield situation. With the telescope Hataru had hastily constructed at Andreas' request, combined with the platform's wide view, he could clearly see every movement on the battlefield.
Hataru was stunned upon hearing this. "What do you mean?"
Andreas replied, "This indicates that the Ogre leader of the Fortress of Pain is not just a hot-headed idiot. He knows how to assess the situation and retreat without hesitation when necessary."
"If I'm not mistaken, the Fortress of Pain is likely preparing to send people to inform the other Ogre city-states about the battlefield situation in Shadowmoon Valley, and may exaggerate the Draenei threat to force the other Ogre city-states to join the siege against the Draenei."
"What?!"
Hataru stood up abruptly, his face showing surprise. "If that's true, we must immediately inform the Prophet of this possibility!"
"Don't get excited."
Andreas waved his hand down, motioning for Hataru to sit. "Do you think the cautious Prophet wouldn't have thought of this? When he came half a month ago, he said he would prepare the Talador defenders for the worst-case scenario."
"It's just..." Andreas rubbed his chin and said hesitantly, "I don't know if the Prophet's preparations are sufficient. If the Ogre city-states, led by Highmaul, truly heed the counsel of the Fortress of Pain, their attack, once launched, might be as swift as thunder."
Andreas was an absolute bystander in this war that was not his own. Subjectively, of course, he hoped the Draenei could achieve victory quickly, as Velen's promise could only be fulfilled after the war ended.
Although they had spent tens of thousands of years fleeing the pursuit of the Burning Legion, this did not mean the Draenei's combat strength was weak.
Any race is powerless when facing the Burning Legion; the planets destroyed by the demons are far more than one or two, and the races extinguished because of them are countless.
Conversely, the fact that they were never completely wiped out by the Burning Legion over tens of thousands of years proves the Draenei's capability.
Although the Ogre had, through the accidental guidance of the Arakkoa, mastered powerful Arcane energy, even fostering the emergence of Two-headed Ogre with Arcane affinity among their dull-witted kin.
Essentially, however, they still could not be considered a highly civilized and powerful nation. The Goria Empire was destroyed by the more primitive Orcs because the Ogre foolishly tried to enslave the Elemental Lords of Draenor, thereby incurring the monstrous wrath of the four Elemental Lords.
Facing the Cyclops, who were equally unintelligent but only possessed great physical strength, the Ogre could defeat them using Arcane power and the cunning minds of a small number of Two-headed Ogre.
But in front of the highly experienced Draenei, their petty cleverness was unlikely to work. In terms of absolute strength, the Ogre, with their primitive fighting style, were certainly no match for the Draenei, who possessed a brilliant civilization.
If Velen weren't forcefully holding them back, Nelly and Adal would likely have already launched a counterattack against the Fortress of Pain.
Putting down the telescope, Andreas turned his head to look northwest of Ampori Village, towards the road leading from Shadowmoon Valley to Tanaan Jungle.
"Now, we just have to see what the Ogre's next move will be, and also... the attitude of Draenor's other races towards this war."
... Draenor has many native sentient species, but few are able to form settlements of significant size.
As Draenor's first Mortal species, the Arakkoa have always been very proud of their identity. The High Arakkoa residing in Skyreach always harbor an inherent sense of superiority towards the other races of Draenor.
Of course, the former glory of the Arakkoa Empire certainly gave them the right to be arrogant.
If the ancestors of the Arakkoa had not used the artifact Rukhmar's Breath to destroy the last spore colony, the lands of Draenor would likely have been submerged by boundless vegetation by now.
After defeating the final counterattack of the plant army from the Everbloom, the Arakkoa Empire entered a golden age of development, and their research into technology and magic reached a very high level.
However, precisely during this period, internal factional struggles within the Arakkoa Empire intensified.
The power struggle between the two major sects, Anhaar and Skala'kesh, brewed a massive civil war, and the glorious Arakkoa civilization spiraled toward collapse amidst the fighting between the two sides.
The Arak Peaks, where the Arakkoa Empire was located, shattered in the explosion of Rukhmar's Breath, splitting into countless smaller peaks, and countless animals and plants perished in that great explosion.
Following this civil war, the Arakkoa Empire almost completely disintegrated, the Arakkoa civilization failed to recover for several centuries, and the Arak Peaks became barren and desolate due to the massive explosion.
Facts proved that sentient beings always foolishly commit the same mistakes.
After several centuries of recuperation, the Arakkoa finally managed to regain some vitality from their weakness, but the once brilliant Arakkoa civilization now only left behind fragmented knowledge and ruins.
The surviving Arakkoa of the Anhaar sect did not learn from the painful lessons of the past and continued to ruthlessly eliminate dissenters.
The Arakkoa's restorer—Claw King Terokk—had enough of the Anhaar Priests' practice of fooling the populace, restricting Arakkoa access to knowledge, and only focusing on consolidating their own power.
He publicly announced the opening of the pursuit and exploration of knowledge and wisdom to all Arakkoa. This decree touched upon the core interests of the Anhaar sect, who monopolized knowledge.
Ultimately, Terokk was defeated in another round of Arakkoa infighting. The last Claw King was thrown into the corrupted blood pool of the fallen Wind Serpent Demigod Sethe, losing his wings forever, and giving rise to the new faction known as the Exiled Arakkoa.
With the help of the Raven Demigod Anzu, the hateful Terokk worshipped Anzu, who had also lost his wings, as a deity, and learned the secrets of witchcraft and Shadow magic from him.
As High Arakkoa continued to be exiled by the Anhaar Priests to Sethekk Hollow for various reasons, the power of the Exiled Arakkoa gradually expanded, reaching a scale where they could rival the High Arakkoa.
At this moment, this group of flightless Exiled Arakkoa Scout were hiding on the border between Tanaan Jungle and Arak Peaks, carefully observing the Ogre preparing for war.
The exiled spellcasters who followed the Raven God Anzu were called Raven Claws Priests. One of the Raven Claws Priests in this surveillance team thoughtfully gazed at the Two-headed Ogre mages in the Ogre ranks who were carrying the Highmaul banner.
"Highmaul? Why are they here? Did the Warsong Orcs of Nagrand actually let them pass?"
The current situation allowed this Raven Claws Priest to keenly capture the opportunity presented by the volatile situation on Draenor. This turmoil was also an opportunity for the exiles who had been bitterly waiting for a chance at revenge.
Turning back with hatred to look at Skyreach towering in the center of Arak Peaks, the Raven Claws Priest ground his teeth resentfully. "We must seize this chance to fulfill the last wish of Claw King Terokk and pull those corrupted Anhaar Priests down from the pinnacle of power!"
"Skala, gather all the High Raven Claws Priests. We have work to do."
An Exiled Arakkoa guard bowed respectfully and said, "Caw! I will depart immediately, honored Shadow Sage."
Whether intentional or accidental, the unexpected crash landing of the Draenei onto the planet Draenor ultimately brought about changes of unknown consequence to this planet once favored by Aggramar.
The remnants of the Goria Empire, led by Highmaul, made a decision following the persuasion of Hulk. Komar, the current Highmaul Chieftain, personally led a large army out of Highmaul.
At the Orc clan assembly, the various clans had already determined the Orcs' stance regarding this war.
Although the warmongering Warsong Orcs were extremely reluctant, they eventually agreed to Komar's request under the persuasion of the other clans, only symbolically setting up monitors along the route of the Highmaul army.
When Komar led his army across Nagrand and arrived, dusty and exhausted, at the Court of Spirits in the west of Tanaan Jungle, city-state lords from all regions had already gathered, and the Ogre Barons' Council formally commenced.
Meanwhile, the Arakkoa exiles noticed the private dealings between the Orcs and Ogres. Under the call of Shadow Sage Aeska, they gathered at Terokk's Roost, the largest settlement for the exiles.
Because the power struggles on Skyreach never ceased, more and more exiles, stripped of their wings by the Blood Pool Curse, have been banished to Sethekk Valley in recent years.
As the leader of the Raven Claws Priests, Shadow Sage Aeska was once a member of the High Arakkoa. He lost the internal struggle within Skyreach, was thrown into the Blood Pool by his political rivals, losing his wings, and joined the exiles' faction filled with hatred for the High Arakkoa.
Due to his excellent leadership and strategic abilities, Aeska regained control in just over a decade, becoming the leader who governed the Raven Claws Priests.
All the exiles had fallen due to persecution by the Anhar Priests of Skyreach, and they harbored deep hatred for those lofty High Arakkoa.
When Aeska proposed using this great war between the Ogres and the Draenei to gain allies in preparation for a future counterattack on Skyreach, most of the Raven Claws Priests present agreed with his ambition.
However, when it came down to the specifics of execution, the Raven Claws Priests found themselves divided.
Some suggested joining the Ogre faction to eliminate the Draenei outsiders.
But opponents argued that the cruel and cunning Ogre leadership was untrustworthy, and cooperating with them would be like asking a tiger for its skin.
Furthermore, the Goria Empire had already collapsed, and the various city-states couldn't even sort out their own hierarchy. Even if they won the war, who they should turn to for repayment remained an unknown.
Instead of helping the Ogres, they should assist the Draenei, who were very gentle toward outsiders. Perhaps offering goodwill could yield unexpected rewards from them.
Aeska did not interrupt the Raven Claws Priests as they voiced their opinions; he himself was still undecided.
Plucking the feathers on his chin, Aeska turned to look at a red-feathered Arakkoa who was deep in thought.
"Archivist, what is your view?"
The Archivist is a crucial high-ranking official among the exiles who manages knowledge. Because of their extensive experience, every generation of Archivists possesses an impressive overall perspective.
The current Archivist, named Reshad, replied thoughtfully upon hearing the Shadow Sage's question, "Everyone is already very familiar with the habits and conduct of the Ogres."
"As the Priests have said, those big, two-headed fellows are cruel and cunning, and we cannot be sure if helping them will yield any reward."
"On the other hand, we don't know much about the Draenei, this alien race. Although they appear friendly to outsiders, precisely because we lack understanding, no one can guarantee that the Draenei will keep their word and offer compensation after receiving aid."
"Since that is the case, we should first send an envoy to interact with them closely, at least to gain some understanding of the Draenei's way of doing things. If neither side proves trustworthy, we might as well continue to wait for the right moment and watch the two tigers fight."
Aeska looked up and observed the expressions of the other Raven Claws Priests. Most nodded in agreement with the Archivist's proposal.
"Then it is decided, Visshar."
A black-feathered Arakkoa, with a small raven perched on his shoulder and wearing a crown, bowed his head and replied, "Present."
"The task of making contact with the Draenei is entrusted to you. You must clearly discern their true nature. Remember, your report concerns the future of our entire race, so you must proceed with extreme caution."
...While the Ogres and Arakkoa took action separately, and the Orcs stood by under the advice of the Frostwolf Clan, Prophet Velen, stationed in Ampori Village, fell into distress.
Due to the movements of the Ogres in Talador, Velen summoned Archbishop Malardal, who was guarding Auchindoun. The five Archbishops gathered together to discuss the next course of action with the Prophet.
Velen still insisted on his own view, believing that a high-profile war would only intensify the hatred and suspicion of Draenor's races toward the Draenei, which was detrimental to his people recovering and recuperating in this unfamiliar world.
The Genedar had crashed. Without the guidance of the Naaru or the aid of his Foresight Ability, Velen did not know when the Draenei would be able to soar through the stars again, escaping the pursuit of the Burning Legion.
Given this, the safest choice was to keep a low profile and avoid attracting the attention of the Burning Legion.
However, the Council of Bishops, which he had personally established, disagreed. Years of constant flight had inevitably eroded the Draenei's will to fight. The Archbishops, led by Adal, advocated using this war as an opportunity to rekindle the light of hope in their people's hearts.
While the Draenei had indeed suffered repeated defeats against the Burning Legion, Adal and Nelly had absolute confidence they could win against a primitive native race like the Ogres; even if all the Ogre city-states united, the outcome would not change.
Velen had originally hoped that Akama and Malardal could balance the radical ideas of their three colleagues, but the result was beyond his expectation.
Malardal, who had just arrived from Auchindoun, clearly stated his position: he also supported Adal's view, aiming to reignite the entire race's firm resolve to resist the Burning Legion through a glorious victory.
Seeing that the die was cast, Akama also expressed his attitude in somewhat veiled language. With all five Archbishops unanimously opposing him, Velen inevitably fell into deep self-doubt.
Fortunately, the ceasefire provided Velen with ample time to ponder his troubles. If he failed to convince the Council of Bishops when the fighting resumed, the Draenei might, for the first time, take action against the personal will of Prophet Velen.
Andreas was not idle during the brief period of peace between wars. After gaining the right to move freely, he transformed into a Golden Eagle and soared throughout Shadowmoon Valley.
On one hand, he monitored the movements of the Fortress of Pain, and on the other, he observed Kara, the Dark Naaru floating above Shadowmoon Valley, up close.
Kara had long since lost the sanity to control himself. After being thrown out of the Genedar, he had been wandering aimlessly above Shadowmoon Valley.
His massive, deep purple body obscured Draenor's sun. Sunlight shone through his semi-transparent form, creating the unique dim sky of Shadowmoon Valley.
Andreas hovered in mid-air, flapping his wings, and looked up at Kara, who was slowly drifting across the sky, feeling extremely troubled.
"How can he be so big? Does degenerating into a Void Creature cause a Naaru's volume to expand? What is the principle behind this..."
"Andreas!"
Shandris' slightly anxious call suddenly came from the hills below. Andreas frowned, instinctively sensing that something bad had happened.
Landing on the hill and returning to human form, Andreas patted Shandris' shoulder reassuringly, "Calm down. What happened?"
Shandris was not a novice fresh out of the gate after all. Calmed by Andreas, she took a deep breath to stabilize her anxious emotions.
"Yrel secretly left the village, and... she's heading toward the Fortress of Pain."
"...Huh?"
On the way back to Ampori Village in Gryphon form with Shandris, Andreas learned the whole story from his wife.
After the Ogres from the Fortress of Pain temporarily retreated to their main base, the Draenei brats, who had been cooped up for a long time, finally gained a certain degree of freedom.
It's not that young children are completely ignorant of external dangers, but they ultimately lack the sense of crisis that adults possess.
Because a large number of defensive forces had been transferred to the Serene Plains front line, three little rascals, unaware of the dangers, secretly left Ampori Village while the adults were busy working. Their destination was Moon Willow Mountain, south of Ampori Village.
Moon Willow River, which flows through the Fluorescent Grove, and Jade Shadow River, east of Ampori Village, together serve as the source of life that nourishes the entire Shadowmoon Valley.
Although Moon Willow River is far from the village, the area near Moon Willow Mountain, located upstream, boasts extremely magnificent scenery.
Andreas had previously visited Moon Willow Mountain with Shandris for sightseeing, and the riverside, covered in numerous pale blue Moon Willows, indeed offered a dreamlike beauty.
The glowing Phantom Lilies naturally dispel the darkness along the riverbank, and the faint light reflecting off Moon Willow River creates sparkling ripples, making it a genuine scenic spot where not only children but adults occasionally go to rest and relax at Moon Willow Mountain.
But that was during safe, peaceful times.
As the water source closest to the Fortress of Pain, Ogres often came here to fetch water.
Normally, there were always Rangers patrolling near Moon Willow River to report back, and they would immediately notify civilians to evacuate upon spotting any trace of Ogres.
But now, Nelly's Rangers have all been mobilized near the front line. They are focused on the Fortress of Pain and the movements of the Ogres coming from the direction of Talador, leaving no extra manpower to continue standing guard over Moon Willow River.
The adults in Ampori Village knew the situation was tense and repeatedly warned their children not to approach Moon Willow River casually.
But it would be strange if brats listened so easily.
The three children who snuck out of the village were named Emily, Fritz, and Pohl.
That's right, it was that gluttonous Pohl. He had snuck out to find food again while his family wasn't paying attention. This time, the greedy little fellow wasn't so lucky; they ran right into a small team of Ogres who had come to the river to fetch water.
Whether it was luck or misfortune, the three children were not killed on the spot but were instead bundled up and bound by the Ogres, who prepared to take them back to their lair.
This scene was witnessed from afar by Yrel and Samara, who had come looking for the children. The situation was urgent; the three little ones likely couldn't wait for them to return to the village for reinforcements. Yrel immediately took off in pursuit, leaving only the anxious Samara to return to the village to report the situation.
Andreas frowned deeply. He knew today was Yrel and Samara's one day of rest for the week, and he didn't expect the brats to cause trouble specifically today.
"What did the Prophet say? Where are the Archbishops?"
Shandris sighed and said, "The Ogres on the walls of the Fortress of Pain are constantly monitoring the Draenei army. Any sign of movement will immediately trigger a chain reaction."
"To avoid provoking the Ogres and causing harm to Pohl and the others, the main Draenei forces cannot easily mobilize. Nelly is currently gathering a small group of elite Rangers to prepare for the rescue."
"Roughly how much time will that take?"
"We're not sure. Because the unusual movements of the Talador Ogres are becoming increasingly obvious, most of the Rangers were sent to the border between Shadowmoon Valley and Talador during the truce to gather intelligence. When I left, Nelly had recalled fewer than ten people."
Ogres are tall and cover great distances with a single step. Fearing that capturing the children might anger the Draenei, they were moving quickly as they returned to the castle. Yrel followed closely behind but was unable to catch up.
The Archbishops, including Nelly, clearly understood that catching the Ogres before they reached the fortress was nearly impossible. They could only prepare for the worst and arrange for personnel to infiltrate the fortress to save them.
"Must we rely on infiltration..."
Andreas lowered his head, weighing the gains and losses.
Even setting aside his good relationship with Yrel, he was inclined to infiltrate the fortress and rescue the three brats. After all, doing so would effectively boost his favorability with the Draenei, providing convenience for his future actions.
"Shandris..."
Before Andreas could speak, Shandris already understood her husband's meaning.
"I understand. We won't return to the village; let's head out directly."
"Yrel is, after all, a student I taught. Even without considering those three little ones, there's no way I can just watch her fall into a desperate situation."
After a period of Devil Training under Shandris, Yrel and Samara's rate of improvement was rapid.
But the time they spent training was still too short. To suggest they could improve enough in a short time to double-team the enemy in the Ogre stronghold is simply unrealistic.
Andreas gave a helpless smile, changed his flight direction in the air, and flew straight toward the Fortress of Pain.
"None of these little Draenei brats ever give me a moment's peace..."
...Yrel had to slow her pursuit. That small Ogre team had already passed the sentry post at the entrance of the Fortress of Pain and entered the stone castle.
Although extremely worried about the safety of Pohl and the other two, Yrel, having trained under Shandris, absorbed knowledge quickly. Shandris had taught her and Samara that the more urgent the situation, the calmer they must remain.
'What should I do? The guards at the entrance are very strict. How can I enter the castle and rescue the children?'
Yrel unconsciously rotated the tip of her hoof silently on the ground, her mind racing as she tried to think of a countermeasure.
However, the defenses of the Fortress of Pain were exceptionally tight at this time, as it was still under a state of Second Combat Alert. The walls were lined with sentries, and Yrel racked her brain but couldn't think of a way to infiltrate silently.
'Should I traverse the mountains from the rear? No, there isn't enough time, and there might also be Ogre patrols on the mountains.'
Yrel messed up her own hair by scratching it. As time passed, the situation for little Pohl and the other two would become increasingly dangerous.
The reason Ogres are called Ogres is because they have the bad habit of eating sentient creatures. Yrel didn't know when these Ogres might get hungry and throw Pohl and the other two into the pot.
"Caw~ Little girl, are you troubled?"
"Who?!"
The sudden question from behind startled Yrel. The rocks she was hiding behind effectively blocked the view from the front, and although she was somewhat distracted, she was certain she hadn't relaxed her vigilance toward her surroundings.
"Caw~ Over here, look up."
Following the voice, Yrel saw a strange humanoid creature covered in feathers and a sharp beak perched on a large Moon Willow tree branch. Above his head, a large Shadow Raven circled back and forth in the sky.
When Yrel received training at the Hand of the Prophet, she didn't just learn combat techniques; she also gained exposure to relevant cultural knowledge.
Seeing this somewhat familiar feathered creature, Yrel tilted her head and asked in confusion, "...Exiled Arakkoa? Why are you in Shadowmoon Valley? Isn't your homeland in Arak Peaks?"
This Arakkoa was Visshar, sent by Shadow Sage Aeska to contact the Draenei.
Visshar's job as a Raven Claws Priest was quite specialized; he did not participate in daily decisions or planning.
His main task was to train powerful Shadow Ravens for the Exiles.
Ordinary Shadow Ravens had low intelligence and could only serve as flying mounts even after domestication.
The Exiles, having lost their wings, severely lacked aerial power, and Visshar's mission was to fill this gap.
The Shadow Ravens he meticulously cultivated possessed higher intelligence and could use simple Shadow Witchcraft to assist their masters in combat.
The Shadow Ravens ridden by High-ranking Raven Claws Priests and Terokk's Talons Guard Officers were all personally cultivated by Visshar and provided significant assistance in battle.
Additionally, Visshar had another specialty: he was skilled in interpersonal management and an excellent diplomat, which was one of the major reasons Aeska sent him to Shadowmoon Valley.
"Caw? I didn't expect a little girl like you to actually know about us Arakkoa."
Visshar was flying from the Howling Wind Woods, northeast of Arak Peaks, toward the frontline of the conflict, preparing for formal contact with the Draenei high command.
Meeting the secretive Yrel halfway was merely a coincidence, and he landed out of curiosity to talk to the young girl.
Yrel couldn't determine if the Arakkoa was friend or foe.
Maintaining a cautious attitude, she said in a low voice, "I don't know why you left Arak Peaks to enter Shadowmoon Valley. I have important matters to attend to. If you don't have urgent business, please leave."
Visshar laughed, cawing, "Don't rush. You seem troubled, don't you? Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can help you solve it."
... While Yrel unexpectedly encountered Visshar the Arakkoa, Andreas, transformed into a Gryphon, circled widely in front of Moon Flower Valley, approaching the heavily defended Fortress of Pain from over the mountains in the rear.
Yrel's worries were correct; Hulk had not relaxed the defenses in the mountains behind the fortress.
Scattered Ogres patrolled back and forth on the rugged mountain paths.
Using the cover of the mountains, Andreas landed in the blind spot of an Ogre patrol.
He and Shandris simultaneously and tacitly entered a stealth state upon landing.
Because Shandris possessed Elune's Moonlight Power, she was unable to mobilize Shadow Energy for true stealth.
She employed the camouflage technique commonly used by Rangers, using the Lights Power as much as possible to deflect external light and blend into her surroundings.
Compared to the Ogres standing guard spiritedly at the front of the fortress, the patrols on the mountain paths were noticeably less enthusiastic.
Everyone preferred the comfort of standing on the dry ramparts rather than trudging through the mud on the slippery mountain path after the rain.
The fresh scent of the earth partially masked the scent of Andreas and Shandris.
The sense of smell of the Direwolves tamed by the Ogres was not as sensitive in this environment.
Andreas gestured for Shandris to follow.
He first transformed into a black Leopard and vanished into the shadows.
To avoid alerting the enemy, Andreas and Shandris tried to bypass the mountain patrols, quietly infiltrating the area near the Altar behind the core settlement of the Fortress of Pain.
The Fortress of Pain was constructed from large amounts of irregular mountain stones, fully displaying the rugged architectural style of the Ogres.
After sneaking inside the fortress, the Ogre defenses actually became quite weak; clearly, they adopted a defense strategy that was strict on the outside and loose on the inside.
Near the Altar where Andreas and Shandris landed, Ogre soldiers gathered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves.
These soldiers wore relatively thick armor, appearing to be elite Ogre troops.
A long staircase led upward from behind the Altar.
In the distance, a massive stone chair, sized appropriately for an Ogre, stood at the top of the stairs.
'The Seat of the Lord? If so, where did the crucial Lord go?'
Shandris suddenly pulled Andreas' sleeve silently.
When Andreas turned his head to look at his wife with a questioning gaze, Shandris pointed downward toward the mountain base.
A loud clamor came from a vast space hundreds of meters below the Altar platform.
In the rectangular area surrounded by high stone walls, a very familiar female Draenei was fighting a Red-Eyed Clefthoof.
"...Yrel?"
Andreas slapped his forehead helplessly.
"That foolish girl really couldn't control her impulsive emotions. By the way, is this an Arena?"
Numerous Ogres stood on the surrounding high platforms, shouting loudly.
A Two-headed Ogre wearing a purple robe sat at the top of the stairs just below Andreas and Shandris, and they all watched Yrel fighting inside the enclosure with mocking eyes.
Shandris keenly noticed three cages next to the Two-headed Ogre.
Three tearful and anxious Bear Children were locked inside them.
"So that's it. It seems she was threatened by that suspected Lord using the children, and..."
Andreas squinted, looking toward the high altitude above the Fortress of Pain.
A nearly invisible small black dot was circling in the air... "Hah!"
Yrel sidestepped the charge of the massive Clefthoof, simultaneously slamming the small round shield in her hand hard into the Clefthoof's left eye.
"Ooooh!"
Although the Clefthoof was huge, those living in Nagrand were usually docile.
It was unknown what spell the Ogres had cast on this Clefthoof, but even with its eye blinded, it showed no sign of retreat.
"Hoo~ Hoo~"
Although the Clefthoof only charged straightforwardly, fighting such a large creature under the high-intensity pressure of a massive audience was Yrel's first experience.
Her stamina depletion rate was significantly faster than normal, and her mental state was being tested simultaneously.
'Damn Arakkoa! He wouldn't have tricked me, would he?'
Dodging the Clefthoof's charge again, Yrel struck the side of its head with the Warhammer in her right hand, causing the Clefthoof to cry out miserably once more.
The Ogres watching the battle continued to cheer excitedly, and Lord Hulk, sitting on the chair, smiled as he rested his hand on the armrest, supporting his large left head.
"What's wrong, Draenei? Didn't you say you would rely on your own strength to win back the three little brats? Are you already failing against the very first opponent?"
Hulk shook his two heads, feigning disappointment.
"You should feel fortunate. If this were the Highmaul Arena, I guarantee you wouldn't pass the first stage."
Ogres had a tradition of building Arenas to watch slaves fight each other.
The beast enemies were merely the warm-up act they sent out; the truly powerful Arena Gladiators would always appear last as the main event.
Yrel was still underage and had been training for too short a time; she couldn't confidently claim an easy victory against this warm-up Clefthoof.
Although seemingly reckless, Yrel knew her own limits.
She deliberately played into their hands by publicly stepping forward to challenge the Fortress of Pain's Arena simply to buy time.
High above the Fortress of Pain, a large Shadow Raven hovered, flapping its wings.
The Arakkoa sitting on its back was concentrating on casting a spell, and the Shadow Raven was also transmitting its energy to its master.
Visshar opened his eyes and looked worriedly at Yrel, who looked like a grain of rice below.
"Little Draenei girl, hold on a little longer. The passage will open soon. Don't disappoint me."
"Moo!"
With that final cry of despair, the Clefthoof, its head battered out of shape by Yrel's warhammer and shield, finally collapsed.
Yrel bent over, panting heavily. Although she wasn't injured, her stamina was severely depleted.
To be in such a sorry state after defeating only the first opponent of a five-stage arena challenge caused the surrounding Ogres to jeer and boo mercilessly.
Hulk also sneered with a mocking smile, "Draenei, there are four more opponents. Are you sure you want to continue?"
"Continue!"
Yrel gritted her teeth and straightened up, following Shandris' teachings to regulate her breathing as much as possible and ignore the surrounding distractions.
"Very well, here comes your second opponent."
Hulk clapped his hands, and at the staff's operation, another gate opened at the bottom of the arena.
A scarred, one-eyed giant wolf stepped silently from behind the gate. It scanned the Ogres in the stands with an almost human-like gaze, its remaining eye filled with bloodthirsty killing intent.
Hulk introduced with a laugh, "We captured this wolf king in Shadowmoon Valley. We lost five young warriors just to catch it. Draenei, let's see how long you can last under Scar-eye's claws."
According to Ogre tradition, a champion who cleared the arena was entitled to make one request within the organizer's power, and the organizer had to do their best to fulfill it.
Hulk didn't think for a second that a weakling like Yrel could pass the five-stage arena trial. This stage with Scar-eye would likely be the end of her life.
Treating Yrel as mere entertainment, Hulk failed to notice Andreas and Shandris, who had already infiltrated the fortress. The Ogre guards, distracted by the arena battle, also didn't notice the Shadow Power gathering above.
Andreas gazed thoughtfully at the sky. Though it was far away, he could indeed feel the increasingly obvious Shadow Power in the air.
He looked down at Yrel in the arena. Compared to the first fight where she occasionally went on the offensive, Yrel's style had become much more conservative.
Under the wolf king's lunges and bites, Yrel didn't use the hammer in her right hand from start to finish. She only used the small buckler in her left hand, infused with Holy Light, to parry the wolf king's attacks.
'Conserving stamina? No, it looks more like stalling for time... I see.'
A hint of an appreciative smile touched the corners of Andreas' mouth. He reached out his left hand and placed it on Shandris' forehead, linking their minds directly.
"I don't know how Yrel did it, but she seems to have found an unexpected ally, high up in the sky above us."
"An ally?"
Shandris looked up at the sky in confusion. Without the aid of a telescope, Andreas' vision was far inferior to that of a Ranger like Shandris.
"A Raven? And there seems to be someone on its back."
"Exactly. That person must be the ally Yrel recruited."
Andreas was a master of shadow himself. After a moment's thought, he pieced the plan together and understood Yrel's strategy.
"Heh~ Opening a Shadow Portal remotely is a bit risky. Let me give them a hand."
"Shandris, find a safe ambush point overlooking the arena. I'll need your long-range support for the next part of the operation."
"No problem."
As Andreas activated Levitate while remaining in stealth and drifted silently downward, Shandris carefully observed the terrain below the altar platform. She eventually chose the top of a large, flat rock directly above the Two-headed Ogre lord's throne as her sniping point.
In the arena, Yrel felt a bit strange. Given her remaining stamina, she shouldn't have been able to hold out for this long. This wolf king seemed to sense her condition; its seemingly fierce attacks were actually losing power.
'Is this wolf holding back?'
Yrel found the thought a bit amusing, but the reality forced her to believe the changes she was experiencing firsthand.
Although she didn't know what this wolf king named Scar-eye was up to, since it was willing to cooperate, Yrel simply used the acting skills she had developed as a child when begging Samara for candy, putting on a "thrilling" fight with Scar-eye.
"Hmm?"
The Ogre spectators, lacking keen eyes, didn't notice anything wrong, but Hulk grew suspicious.
'There's no way that Draenei girl's stamina could last this long.'
Standing up from his throne with a grim expression, Hulk's left head threatened expressionlessly, "Scar-eye, if you don't give it your all, this will be your last fight."
Hulk's right head sneered with a grin, "Stupid wolf, terrible acting! Eat her, eat her!"
As the leader of a pack, a wolf king usually possessed significant intelligence. Scar-eye had no desire to work for the Ogres who had destroyed his pack.
This female creature clearly posed no threat to him. Scar-eye didn't intend to exert himself to finish her off quickly; once her stamina ran out, she would be at his mercy anyway.
Hulk's warning made Scar-eye's fur stand on end. The strength of a Two-headed Ogre lord was not something Yrel could compare to, and his words carried a chilling aura.
To ensure his own survival, Scar-eye didn't dare hold back any longer.
"Awoo!"
The previously performative claw swipes were now delivered with real power, sending the nearly exhausted Yrel flying with a single blow.
"Ugh!"
If she hadn't blocked Scar-eye's attack with her shield, her armor would have definitely been marked with several deep claw gashes.
"Kill! Kill her!"
"Scar-eye! Scar-eye!"
The Ogres who enjoyed arena combat loved the look of despair in a challenger's eyes when they failed. They cheered and rooted for Scar-eye, anticipating the bloody scene to come.
"Sorry to interrupt your 'fun'."
The mocking words that suddenly came from the air caused the faces of both of Hulk's heads to change drastically.
Before the surrounding Ogres could react, deep purple energy mist spread from the air, quickly covering the entire lower level of the arena.
In the pitch-black environment, the wolf king Scar-eye looked around warily. A slender, pale purple hand reached down from the air and pressed lightly onto its head without a sound.
"Quiet, wolf king. If you follow my instructions, I can take you out of here and back to the wilderness you know."
"Grrr!"
Scar-eye instinctively bared its teeth to attack, but the soothing aura from the hand calmed the rage in its heart.
Soothe Animal, one of a Druid's signature skills. Andreas' version of Soothe Animal also contained traces of mental magic, making it even more effective.
"That voice..."
Yrel's eyes widened in the darkness. "Andreas?"
"It's me. Don't make a fuss."
A finger reached out in the darkness and flicked Yrel's forehead. "You really are bold. What did your ally say? Open a Shadow Portal to rescue the three kids?"
"Ow~" Yrel let out a small cry while clutching her forehead, but she felt much more at ease.
"Yes, Visshar said he would try to open a precise portal, but calculating the coordinates for Bole and the others and casting the spell takes a lot of time. We must..."
"I get it. No time for chatter. Tell me the extraction coordinates you chose, and I'll guide that mysterious ally of yours."