With most of the Titan Keepers imprisoned in Ulduar, and excluding Azadas, whom Loken had yet to discover, Thorim was the only Keeper who harbored suspicions about him and remained at large.
Although Loken allowed Thorim to act freely, he never completely gave up on monitoring the Storm King.
The period when Thorim slept in Tyr's Tomb made Loken somewhat complacent; it took him a long time to once again track Thorim's movements, by which point the Storm King had already reactivated the Forge of Origination, which would inevitably cause panic in Loken's heart.
The Forge of Origination possessed the mighty power to reshape Azeroth. If Thorim believed Azeroth had been completely infiltrated by the Old Gods and was beyond salvation, he might risk his own destruction to activate the Forge of Origination at full power, restarting all of Azeroth to its primordial state, awaiting the conception of a second season of life.
Loken dared not gamble on this possibility, but Thorim was stationed at the Forge of Origination with numerous Tol'vir guards. As the nominal leader of the Titan Keepers, Loken could not send the Iron Army to attack the Tol'vir without a legitimate reason.
'So that's it, is that your goal?'
Carefully sorting through his thoughts, Andariel deduced Loken's sinister plot. This fellow wanted to use Helya, a not-so-bright tool, to eliminate Thorim once again, and he had probably promised her many benefits.
Andariel wasn't sure what Helya's Helheim was like, but at least among the Vrykul of the Stormheim, Helya was the goddess who controlled death, rivaling the great god Odyn, who possessed the Halls of Valor.
Helya emulated Odyn's Valarjar champions and formed her own elite guard, named Helarjar. For years, she had been vying with her former Val'kyr sisters for the souls of fallen Vrykul warriors.
'Helya, the Goddess of Death... It seems I need to be more wary of this tool of Loken's.'
...Due to Abysian and their Kalimdor brethren, the Highmountain Tauren had always maintained friendly relations with the Night Elves of Val'sharah and Suramar.
Upon receiving Andariel's request for surveillance, the current High Chieftain Ulan Highmountain patted his chest and promised to keep a close eye on Helya's movements. Elisande also adjusted the focus of Suramar's scout teams, raising their vigilance towards Stormheim.
Only after making these arrangements did Andariel return to Anarthis with peace of mind. However, before he could even warm his seat in the council chambers, Jarod, who was supposed to be in charge of the nationwide military mobilization, suddenly rushed in.
"Councilors! An emergency has occurred!"
Maiev frowned and sharply rapped her younger brother on the head. "What's the panic! Calm down and then report!"
"Uh..."
Jarod gave his doting sister a resentful look, then calmed his breathing and said in a deep voice, "News has come from Stormport in the Azshara region. A bright flash of fire suddenly appeared in the distant sky, looking somewhat like a Legion infernal descending."
"What?!"
Fandral, Niyanah, and Maiev simultaneously stood up from their chairs, their faces changing drastically. The hot-tempered Fandral pounded the table and asked repeatedly, "Are you sure it's the Burning Legion? How many? Where did they land?"
Andariel calmly soothed, "Fandral, don't get agitated. How can Jarod answer so many questions at once? Let's go out and see for ourselves."
Guided by Jarod, the High Council and high-ranking officials of the Night Elf Republic all went outside. A celestial object, burning with a blazing tail, was slowly descending from high in the sky.
However, this slowness was only relative to Andariel and the others' perception. This unidentified object should still be within Azeroth's atmosphere at this time, as the intense friction with the air created this bright light and shadow.
"Strange."
As Tyrande rushed out of her secluded hut, Andariel looked up at the gradually falling fireball in confusion.
"There's a defensive barrier set up by the Titans outside Azeroth. How could an extraterrestrial object enter the atmosphere so easily? Unless..."
Fandral was frantic, scratching his head. He had a bad feeling ever since Andariel ordered preparations for war, and now it seemed that feeling was rapidly coming true.
"Unless what? Tell us!"
"What's the rush?" Andariel rolled his eyes at the impatient fellow. "Unless the Azerothian world-soul believes these extraterrestrial visitors pose no danger to it, and may even be somewhat helpful, which is why it actively allowed them in."
'Could it be...'
Andariel had a vague guess about these alien visitors in his heart, but he couldn't be certain until he saw the actual object.
He urgently summoned Astromancer Etraeus from Suramar. After his calculations, this unidentified large fireball was expected to fall into the Great Sea, near the eastern coast of the Kalimdor continent.
Andariel calmly ordered, "If an object of such massive size falls into the sea, it will inevitably cause huge waves. Notify the relevant coastal villages and towns to prepare in advance, and it's best to evacuate them all inland."
"Clap! Clap!"
Fandral clapped his hands, reminding the still dazed officials, "What are you still standing around for! Quickly act according to the Speaker's orders!"
"Yes!"
Andariel calculated the descending speed of the large fireball, thinking with some concern, 'Perhaps, it's already too late.'
Mount Hyjal is the highest peak in Azeroth, and the World Tree Nordrassil grows atop Mount Hyjal. The towering terrain allowed Andariel and the others to clearly see the large fireball approaching sea level a few minutes later.
To everyone's surprise, this large fireball decelerated sharply as it approached sea level, and with a dazzling burst of energy from its tail, it finally hovered over the Great Sea.
"This..."
Fandral stared, dumbfounded, as the unidentified object, its surface glowing red from burning, gradually revealed its true form.
'As expected.'
Andariel's lips curled into a knowing smile. The purple crystals growing on the outside of the unidentified object were enough for him to confirm its origin.
Shandris also opened her mouth in surprise. "Andariel, could that be...?"
"Mm." Andariel said with a smile, "They've arrived just in time. That's the Naaru fleet."
"Immediately send people to make contact with the newcomers... No, I'll go myself."
Taking off his cumbersome Speaker's robe, Andariel stretched his body and said to Shandris beside him, "Shandris, you come with me too. As hosts, we should welcome our old friends who have been invited to Azeroth."
...On the sea east of the Kalimdor continent, the fleet of hovering spacecraft was searching for a landing spot. Eventually, they discovered a primitive, wild island in the middle of the sea, not far from the eastern coast of Kalimdor.
Aside from a small number of humanoid creatures with fish tails in the ancient architectural ruins on the south shore, the entire island was inhabited only by some short primitive people. This island was still a long way from developing civilization.
The massive crystal spaceship first hovered over the island's volcano, using geothermal energy to recharge the ship and simultaneously ensuring that the active volcano would not accumulate too much energy and erupt.
This main ship was surrounded by four smaller escort ships, forming a diamond-shaped guard around the central flagship.
Once the fleet stabilized, the light of teleportation magic flickered on the plain at the foot of the volcano, and a group of intelligent beings with blue skin and backward-bending legs slowly spread out in a state of alert.
The elder leading them, with white beard and hair and a translucent mark hovering before his forehead, surveyed the surrounding scenery and sighed, "Azeroth, we have finally arrived here. I hope this strange world can provide a foothold for the Draenei."
"Hehe~ Prophet, please believe me, Azeroth will definitely become the new home for the Draenei."
A bearded human wearing a hood and holding a Chicken Leg Staff smiled and made a promise to Velen.
"I have finally returned to my long-lost homeland, and I still have many things to deal with, so I will take my leave now."
The human mage waved the staff in his hand, drawing a portal, and bowed politely to Velen, saying, "If the Prophet needs anything, you can always find me at Karazhan in the Eastern Kingdoms. As long as I can spare the time, I will tell you everything I know."
Velen nodded gently and said, "Thank you, Mr. Medivh. Thanks to you providing the coordinates of Azeroth to our Technicians, we were able to successfully escape the pursuit of the Burning Legion."
"The Prophet speaks too highly."
Medivh smiled as he stepped through the portal, "I just hope you don't blame me for interfering later."
On the other side of the portal, where Velen could not see, a strange smile appeared on Medivh's face, and a red light suddenly flashed in his eyes.
A voice that did not belong to Medivh sounded in his mind: 'It's perfect to gather you all together to catch you in one sweep. It saves me a lot of trouble.'
Just after Medivh left, an Iron Fleet appeared in the distance on the sea plain northwest of the island.
Since they could not confirm whether the newcomers' intentions were friendly, Tempest Keep, which carried the Draenei to the new world, had prepared its defenses.
A purple Shadow Raven that Velen found very familiar rose from the largest flagship at the head of the fleet, leaving countless dark purple streaks of light in its wake. Within minutes, it arrived above the Draenei.
"Hehe~"
A relieved smile finally appeared on Velen's face. He opened his arms and said contentedly to the Shadow Raven in the air, "Old friend, at your invitation, I have brought my entire race to seek refuge."
"Haha!"
The Shadow Raven in mid-air laughed heartily and transformed back into human form, immediately embracing Velen strongly upon landing.
"Prophet, welcome to Azeroth, the only planet the Burning Legion cannot conquer."
After Shandris landed lightly, she immediately saw Yrel and Samara, who looked excited. Compared to when they parted years ago, their appearances hadn't changed much, but their demeanor had matured significantly.
Especially Yrel, she was wearing a set of luxurious plate armor inlaid with many purple crystals. Her face was filled with the weariness of enduring war. Her originally somewhat mischievous demeanor had become very composed, mixed with an indelible sorrow.
Although Samara's change was not as obvious as Yrel's, her already gentle demeanor had become even calmer, appearing dignified and elegant accentuated by a set of noble and gorgeous white priest robes.
Shandris smiled, walked forward, and embraced both of them simultaneously. "It's good to see that you are safe. Andreas said that the Draenei would eventually face a catastrophe on Draenor, but unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to explain it clearly back then."
Yrel's lips trembled. Thinking of the many companions who had sacrificed themselves, she choked up for a moment.
Samara gently stroked her sister's hair, which had started to knot from neglect. Her eyes also began to redden; clearly, she was not as strong as her appearance suggested.
After Andreas and Velen exchanged greetings with an embrace, Andreas glanced around and then looked up with interest to observe the fleet that had brought them to Azeroth.
There were some changes among the people surrounding Velen. Akama, Adal, and Malardal were gone, but Hataru and Nelly were still accompanying him. Marlard, looking sorrowful, seemed to have temporarily replaced Akama's position.
"Prophet, were the losses severe?"
"Alas~"
Velen sighed painfully, "It's all my fault. Although I increased vigilance against the Orcs based on your parting message, we never expected the Burning Legion to be involved behind them."
While waiting for the Night Elf Republic's Second Naval Fleet to arrive, Andreas learned from Velen about the changes that had occurred on Draenor after he left.
Due to the warning he left before departing, Velen did not blindly seek peace with the Orcs as in the original timeline.
After helping the Arakkoa conquer Skyreach, the rule of the High Arakkoa was completely ended. All defeated High Arakkoa were thrown into the blood pool of Sethekk Hollow and stripped of their wings. From then on, there was no distinction between exiles and High Arakkoa.
Shadow Sage Aeska, having satisfied his vengeance, led the Raven Claws Priests in diligent governance and, with the assistance of the Draenei, re-established the new Apexis Kingdom at Skyreach.
With the Arakkoa as allies, Velen no longer exhausted himself trying to appease the Orcs, but instead watched the war between the Orcs and the Ogres from the sidelines.
The Orcs, who had mostly been on the defensive, finally gained a turning point a decade before the Dark Portal opened.
Led by a leader with strong charisma and personal strength, the Blackrock Orcs completely crushed the city-state built by the Stonemaul Ogres in Gorgrond.
Naturally, this success was inseparable from the collaboration of Kargath, who was a gladiator in the Blood Arena.
Using the situation in Gorgrond as a breakthrough, the Ogre offensive across various regions slowed down. Highmaul, under pressure from the Gorgrond reinforcements led by the Blackrock Clan, was forced to retreat, relinquishing Oshugun and falling back to Highmaul.
Meanwhile, the Warsong Clan, during its long war with Highmaul, also produced an unprecedentedly powerful leader—Grom Hellscream.
The Wolf Riders, whose development Grom strongly advocated, played a huge role in the battles against the Ogres of Highmaul. Their wind-like guerrilla tactics tore apart Highmaul's various strongholds in Nagrand.
With the collapse of the supply lines, the strongest Highmaul and Grimoire of the Spire were each left with only one capital city, and the Orc faction officially rose on Draenor.
Although they occupied large tracts of land in Nagrand, it was impossible for the Nagrand Orcs, led by the Warsong, to conquer Highmaul in one fell swoop. The Ogres, under the leadership of a chieftain named Mar'gok, still maintained formidable combat power.
In head-to-head positional warfare, the numerically disadvantaged Orcs were still no match for the Ogres.
At the same time, the Frostwolf, Whiteclaw, and Stormforged Clans of Frostfire Ridge also launched an attack on the Grimoire of the Spire.
With the help of the Mok'Nathal, who were half-Ogre and half-Orc, working from both inside and outside, the Grimoire of the Spire was breached. The Ogres were left with only two isolated cities: Highmaul and the Fortress of Pain.
Following this war, the Orcs gradually replaced the Ogres as the overlords of Draenor.
If it had ended there, the Draenei and the Arakkoa, who had little desire for expansion, would not have objected. As long as they guarded their own territories, they believed the Orcs would not easily defeat them.
But Velen, having lost his prophetic ability, failed to realize that Talgath, the vanguard sent by Kiljaeden, had already tracked the sacred fluctuations of the crashed Genedar to Draenor. The Burning Legion thus discovered the Draenei trapped on Draenor with no means of escape.
"Kiljaeden secretly supported an Orc who was abandoned by his clan due to a disability and whose psychology had gradually become twisted. He used flowery words to entice him, taught him Fel Energy magic, and even infused him with power."
Velen said with a bitter smile, "Ultimately, this Orc named Guldan completely changed the Orcs, relying on his natural aptitude for conspiracy and deceit."
"They abandoned the noble Shamanic Faith and turned instead to studying Fel Energy. This chaotic energy, which relies on draining life force to strengthen oneself, destroyed Draenor's ecosystem."
"By the time my prophetic ability finally recovered and I perceived the shadow behind the Orcs, it was already too late."
It was already too late by the time Velen recovered his prophetic vision. Kiljaeden, consumed by his obsession with Velen, the traitor, ordered Guldan to incite conflict between the Orcs and the Draenei.
Guldan lacked any personal charisma or talent for leadership, but he was an expert at schemes and treachery.
Under his insidious design, the conflict between the Bladewind Clan, who lived on the border of Talador and Nagrand, and the Draenei grew until it reached an irreconcilable state.
The Bladewind Clan repeatedly attacked Draenei caravans, killing the men and taking the women back to their Clan as slaves. Draenei and Orc half-breeds also began appearing during this period.
At the time, Velen had not yet recovered his prophetic ability and failed to perceive Guldan, who was manipulating the Bladewind Clan from behind the scenes.
He repeatedly sent envoys to negotiate with the Bladewind Clan, but never received a satisfactory result.
The Draenei were not passive; they had rebuilt their morale during the wars against the Ogres and the Arakkoa of Skyreach.
When Adal reached his limit, he bypassed Velen and convened a meeting of Bishops, where the five Archbishops unanimously agreed to deploy troops.
Akama, who had long been suppressing his rage, led the Defender Corps and easily breached the Bladewind Village, driving all the Bladewind Clan Orcs out of Talador.
However, these Bladewind Clan Orcs did not manage to escape back to Nagrand alive; they were ambushed and killed by Guldan himself en route.
The cunning Orc Warlock twisted the facts at the Clan Meeting, accusing the Draenei of cruelly massacring the entire Bladewind Clan, thereby inciting the fury of warlike Clans, including the Warsong and the Shattered Hand Clan.
The localized conflict between the Orcs and the Draenei finally escalated into full-scale war, fueled by Guldan's secret manipulations and distortions.
However, history reached another turning point here.
The three most important cities—Shattrath, Auchindoun, and Karabor Temple—were each guarded by a Naaru. Even with the Fel Energy magic granted by Guldan, the Orcs found it difficult to breach the Draenei's strong city defenses.
But Telmor, south of Auchindoun, and Ampori Village in Shadowmoon Valley did not have such stringent defenses.
When Andreas awoke from his slumber, the Orcs of Draenor finally took the most dangerous step under Guldan's temptation.
Grom Hellscream, who was all muscle and no brains, led the way without hesitation at a gathering, drinking what Guldan called the "Gift of the Gods"—the Fel Energy blood of Mannoroth, The Destroyer.
Seeing Grom's surging physique and muscles after drinking the blood, the strength-worshiping Orcs scrambled to drink the Fel Energy blood. The Orcs' original brown skin subsequently turned green.
The dramatically strengthened Orcs once again launched an offensive against the Draenei. Telmor Village was finally breached under the assault of the swarming, fearless Orcs.
Under the scheme devised by Guldan, who personally infiltrated the Shadowmoon Clan, Nerzhul was deceived by Kiljaeden and made the wrong choice in order to resurrect his deceased wife, Rulkan.
Guided by Nerzhul, all Orc Shamans abandoned their faith in the elements and instead began using Fel Energy magic.
Fortress of Pain was breached without resistance under the Orcs' savage assault. Highmaul also fell due to the ambitious traitor Chogall's inside collaboration. Imperator Mar'gok was burned alive on his own throne by Chogall using Fel Energy flames.
All the Ogre city-states had completely fallen by this point. Most of the remaining Ogres succumbed to the superior strength of the Orcs, becoming their slaves and joining the newly formed Horde.
When Ampori Village was overrun by the Orcs and the elements' final counterattack was shattered by Guldan, a Fel Energy volcano erupted on the former site of Ampori Village. This volcano is now known as Gul'dan's Hand.
Yet, even though the Orcs had obtained powerful Fel Energy magic and enhanced their physiques by drinking Mannoroth's blood, they still could not overcome the three impregnable Draenei strongholds.
Arak Peaks, where the Arakkoa resided, became a forbidden zone for the Orcs. As soon as an Orc entered the area, the remade, degraded version of Rukhmar's Breath, erected atop Skyreach, would teach them a lesson.
The prolonged failure to capture the strongholds made Guldan increasingly panicked. Fearing Kiljaeden's blame, he desperately urged Blackhand, the Great Chieftain of the Horde, to sweep clean all Draenei villages outside the fortresses.
Although the Draenei and Arakkoa defended against the Orcs' incessant attacks, Draenor's natural resources were rapidly dwindling due to the destruction caused by the Fel Energy.
Compared to the already barren Arak Peaks, where survival was barely possible, Talador had been reduced to almost completely desolate land because the Orcs had used Fel Energy to attack the cities for so long.
Continuing to hold out would eventually deplete supplies and starve the people within the cities. Just as Velen was worrying about this, the Army of the Light, which Kara had contacted in advance, finally responded.
Adal the Naaru, following the command of Mother of Light Xe'ra, led several companions and piloted the Exodar Fleet Group from the distant cosmos to assist.
Adal was a powerful Naaru whose status in the Army of the Light was second only to Xera. The Naaru who arrived with the Tempest Keep also included K'iirath, F'oeru, V'olos, K'shirr, Kiru, and M'uru.
Although the Naaru's influence was unprecedentedly strong, the combat effectiveness of this Jigsaw Puzzle Race was quite awkward; they could not personally enter the battlefield to defeat enemies, but could only bestow their power upon the Mortals who believed in them.
Draenor was completely without hope. The elements had lost the ability to resist under the torment of the Fel Energy, and without the elements' control, disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, and floods occurred frequently.
Moreover, as the Orcs continued to use Fel Energy to ravage the land, this world would eventually become a barren wasteland where nothing could grow.
Adal, Kara, D'ore, and Kure—the three Naaru who had always followed the Draenei—discussed the situation and decided to evacuate this dying world and search for a new home.
Sensing the movements of the Army of the Light, Kiljaeden no longer hid behind the scenes. After gaining Sargeras' permission, he brazenly dispatched the Burning Legion's Battle Commanders into Draenor.
Given Kiljaeden's obsession with Velen, he naturally would not allow Velen to escape again by spaceship. Shattrath, where the Tempest Keep had landed, became the focal point of the Burning Legion's attack.
At the crucial moment, Adal, the most powerful Naaru present, decided to personally stay and hold Shattrath. As long as Kiljaeden did not manifest himself, Adal was confident he could use Shattrath's complete city defenses to block the Demon Lord's offensive.
K'shirr was assigned to defend Karabor Temple in place of Kara, M'uru took over D'ore's duty to guard Auchindoun, and Adal and Kiru remained in Shattrath. The other Naaru led the Draenei in an emergency evacuation of Draenor.
However, the Naaru alone could not hold the cities; the Draenei would inevitably need to leave behind a Rearguard Force.
At the critical moment, Adal, Malardal, and Akama volunteered to stay. They would lead their respective troops to defend Shattrath, Auchindoun, and Karabor Temple.
Kiljaeden was approaching; Velen's precognition had even glimpsed his giant red figure.
There was no time for argument. Velen entrusted the rearguard duty to the three Archbishops, and decisively gathered the majority of the populace from the three cities in Shattrath to board the Tempest Keep. This timing coincided exactly with when Andreas infiltrated Karazhan to wreak havoc.
Just as Velen was preparing to depart, a stranger claiming to be from Azeroth broke through the demon defenses and arrived at the gates of Shattrath.
He introduced himself as Guardian Medivh of Azeroth. His purpose for coming to Draenor was to observe the destructive power of the Burning Legion and the Orcs, preparing Azeroth for its future resistance against the Burning Legion.
Due to the Burning Legion's Fel Energy interference, the portal he opened had been scattered by tremors, making it impossible for him to return home temporarily.
Andreas and Shandris, who had previously provided immense help to the Draenei, were also from Azeroth. The Draenei held considerable goodwill toward visitors from Azeroth, and Velen's precognition did not detect any hidden dangers from this Human Mage.
With Medivh volunteering to provide the coordinates for Azeroth, Velen considered the matter and finally allowed him to board the spaceship, traveling with the Draenei aboard the Tempest Keep toward Azeroth.
"Medivh?!"
When Andreas heard from Velen that this Great Deceiver had returned to Azeroth by spaceship, he felt a profound sense of 'what the heck.'
'I worked my butt off keeping him stuck on Draenor, and that bastard actually found a way back?!'
Although Medivh has not yet been completely taken over by Sargeras, many of his thoughts are undoubtedly already influenced by the Fallen Titan.
Even today, Medivh still believes that his actions to summon the Orcs were for the good of Azeroth.
He believes that powerful external enemies can awaken the kings and nobles of the Eastern Kingdoms who spend all day vying for power and profit.
It must be said that Sargeras' subtle indoctrination was very much aligned with the actual situation in Azeroth.
Lacking the stimulus of external enemies, the Human Kingdoms of the Eastern Kingdoms were so bored they could only turn on themselves, especially the Kingdom of Stormwind, which was isolated in the southern part of the continent.
The noble problem in the Kingdom of Stormwind was more severe than in the Seven Human Kingdoms to the north; the ripple effects of the succession dispute involving Thoradin's descendants have lasted until today, and most nobles remain deeply dissatisfied with the throne the Wrynn royal family "stole" from them.
Although the Kingdom of Stormwind also had some great nobles loyal to the royal family, their position seemed particularly weak amidst the surging tide of public outrage.
The previous king, Barathen, campaigned extensively, defeating the Gnolls and the Gurubashi Trolls who invaded Elwynn Forest, securing the new territory of Duskwood for Stormwind City and consolidating the kingdom's rule over Westfall and Redridge Mountains.
However, the great nobles of Stormwind City knew that most of the credit for the war against the Trolls belonged to the then-young Prince Llane and his two companions.
It was Llane who personally led Sir Lothar and Guardian Medivh to crush the attack of the Gurubashi Trolls after the old king died on the battlefield.
However, the victory in this war, which was secretly instigated by Llane, Lothar, and Medivh, did not bring them joy.
The three believed that their reckless cross-border raid had provoked the massive Gurubashi military deployment, leading to the old king's death on the battlefield.
After the war, Llane inherited the throne, and Anduin Lothar was promoted to the highest military leader of the Kingdom of Stormwind due to his wartime achievements.
But Medivh quietly departed at this time. He felt his uncontrollable power during this battle and was deeply worried about it.
He followed the call of his mother, Aegwynn, and came to Karazhan, settling in this Keepers' mage tower, where Sargeras found a psychological vulnerability and began the gradual corruption.
In Andreas' view, Medivh's state of mind at this moment was similar to that of a certain future self-righteous 'filial son'.
"I caused many tragedies, but it was all actually to save Azeroth from even stronger enemies."
Holding this extreme view, they firmly believed that the bloody chaos they incited was justified.
'This is troublesome...'
Andreas frowned and rubbed the bridge of his nose under Velen's confused gaze; Medivh's unexpected return meant that his original timetable would likely have to be significantly moved up.
Velen saw Andreas' anxious expression and asked doubtfully, "Andreas, Mr. Medivh, was he lying to us about being a Keeper?"
"That is not the case."
Andreas shook his head with a wry smile. "Medivh is indeed the Keeper of the Tirisifal Council. His duty is to protect the safety of Azeroth."
"However... the situation is complex. Simply put, this Keeper was subtly influenced by Sargeras many years ago, and now, I fear, he cannot turn back."
"Sargeras!"
Velen was startled. The Fallen Titan had once disguised himself as his pre-fallen self, showing them his unparalleled power, and Velen still retained fear and deep concern for him in his heart.
"...It seems Azeroth is not as peaceful as I thought."
Andreas smiled and spread his hands, saying, "Isn't that obvious? As the only world where the Burning Legion has suffered defeat, do you think they would so easily abandon their infiltration of Azeroth?"
...With the arrival of the Night Elf Republic's warships, the official diplomatic team began contact with the Draenei.
Neither Velen nor Andreas participated in the official pleasantries and wrangling. The leaders of both sides sat down in Tempest Keep and frankly exchanged a significant amount of intelligence.
The war between the Draenei and the Orcs on Draenor has not subsided even today. They possess a thorough understanding of the Orcs who drank demon blood, and this intelligence was exactly what Andreas needed.
At the same time, Andreas informed Velen about the intentions of the Tirisifal Council and Medivh, as well as the entire story of how he destroyed the Karazhan portal.
Velen, who had invited the wolf into the house, was both terrified and somewhat embarrassed upon realizing that the guide he thought he had for Azeroth was actually being manipulated by the Fallen Titan.
Regarding Velen's suggestion to join forces to kill Medivh and block Sargeras from colluding with the Orcs from within Azeroth, Andreas considered it but ultimately had to temporarily abandon the idea.
Although it is only a part of his soul, Sargeras is ultimately attached to Guardian Medivh.
As one of the most powerful Mortals on Azeroth, Medivh's identity is sensitive. Harming him would mean simultaneously offending the Kingdom of Stormwind, Aegwynn, the Tirisifal Council, and even all the Human Kingdoms except Gilneas.
Medivh is the strongest among the Humans. No matter what mistakes he made, the Night Elves, as outsiders from across the sea, taking action against him would instinctively provoke resistance among the Seven Human Kingdoms.
If this is true for the Night Elves, the Draenei, who are extraterrestrial newcomers who just arrived on Azeroth, are even less able to bear this responsibility.
Velen's current consideration is to first gain the recognition of the various races of Azeroth and secure a habitable territory for the Draenei. Naturally, he cannot immediately offend the overlords of the Eastern Kingdoms—the Humans.
But Andreas also did not intend to let Medivh simply open the Dark Portal from the Azeroth side.
After discussion and consultation with Velen, Andreas, representing the Night Elf Republic, welcomed the arrival of the Draenei. The large island where Tempest Keep is stationed will temporarily serve as land for the Draenei to inhabit.
The island's ecosystem is very primitive and it is completely unclaimed territory. Only a group of savage Murloc live there, and given the strength of the Draenei, driving them out and reducing their living space should not be a problem.
Disregarding the chance to catch up with Hataru, Yrel, and the others, Andreas, after leaving the Lost Isles, finally contacted the Kingdom of Gilneas in the northern Eastern Kingdoms after a long time.
Brunhilde was quite surprised when she received Andreas' communication. Since Gilneas was founded, the two nations maintained relatively close trade relations, but Andreas, who was preoccupied with many affairs, had not directly contacted her for a long time.
Reading the letter in her hand, the still graceful and beautiful Brunhilde gradually frowned.
In the letter, Andreas detailed the entire story of Aegwynn and Medivh being affected by Sargeras' soul possession, requesting that Brunhilde, in her capacity as a Human, officially challenge the legitimacy of Guardian Medivh's actions.
"Andreas, you really have given me a difficult task..."
While the Kingdom of Westweald was indeed one of the eight human kingdoms, it was ultimately different from the other seven city-states that had split from the Arathor Empire, and their relationship was not particularly close.
Especially with the neighboring Kingdom of Lordaeron, although intimidated by the powerful patron behind the Kingdom of Westweald, Lordaeron dared not launch another attack on the vrykul after Constantine's death. However, subtle suppressions in trade, diplomacy, and other areas never ceased.
The Kingdom of Westweald's best relationship was probably with Dalaran, a mage kingdom skilled in diplomacy that maintained good relations with all the nations of the Northern Continent.
Brunhilde repeatedly read the contents of Andreas' letter, gradually finding a breakthrough from its message.
"Dalaran is very displeased with the Tirisfal Council's blatant interference in the Kirin Tor Council elections. Perhaps… this is a good opportunity?"
Brunhilde also had a poor impression of the Tirisfal Council, which styled itself as the Guardians of Azeroth.
These mages always adopted a condescending attitude, repeatedly criticizing Brunhilde's behind-the-scenes guidance of the Kingdom of Westweald.
Tirisfal believed she was clinging to power and, under the banner of democracy, tried to force her to completely relinquish it, secretly cultivating a so-called "successor" within the Kingdom of Westweald who leaned towards them.
However, the tactics that worked in the other seven human kingdoms were met with unanimous resistance from the fierce residents of Hjaldmar.
Ultimately, the Tirisfal Council failed to achieve its goals and was driven out of the kingdom's capital, Hjaldmar City, by Brunhilde, retreating in disgrace.
The illegitimate "successor" was also exiled by Hjaldmar to Uldum across the sea, where he would henceforth be subject to Thorim's "tutelage."
The Tirisfal Council's history of interfering in the internal affairs of various nations was not limited to this one instance. The eight human kingdoms were increasingly dissatisfied with their reckless behavior, but due to the powerful strength wielded by the Guardians, they had not dared to completely sever ties… In Dalaran, at the Violet Citadel.
Archmage Antonidas, the current leader of the Kirin Tor, received a message from the Kingdom of Westweald. Considering the seriousness of the matters mentioned in Brunhilde's letter, he immediately convened an emergency meeting of the Kirin Tor's Council of Six to discuss countermeasures and vote.
At the same time, Gilneas, Stromgarde, Alterac, Kul Tiras, and even Lordaeron, which had a consistently tense relationship with Hjaldmar, all received similar letters.
The seven northern human kingdoms, long troubled by the Tirisfal Council, united by common political interests, secretly gathered in Dalaran for a long-awaited king-level meeting, spearheaded by Antonidas.
As the northern part of the Eastern Kingdoms began to stir with undercurrents, discordant voices also started to emerge within the Kingdom of Stormwind in the south.
After Priscilla intensified the spread of rumors, the increasingly exaggerated whispers among the populace finally caught King Llane's attention.
"Invasion from another world? Black Morass?"
Llane, crowned and in the prime of his life, frowned as he looked at the initial version of the rumors submitted by SI:7.
Through word-of-mouth distortions, the rumors spread by Priscilla had long since deviated from their original content. However, the exaggerated and rapidly expanding false rumors ironically drew the attention of some, including SI:7, the intelligence agency responsible for Stormwind.
SI:7 leader Mathias Shaw knelt below the king, head bowed, and said, "Yes, after our compilation, that is the original content of the rumors."
"Anduin."
Llane looked at Lothar, who was slightly older than himself and stood beside him, "I remember, the Black Morass seems to be the territory of the Gurubashi Trolls, doesn't it?"
In middle age, Anduin Lothar's hairline was rapidly receding, with early signs of baldness appearing.
He nodded and thoughtfully said, "Nominally it is Gurubashi territory, but this area is said to have been used by them to exile prisoners long ago."
"These prisoners offended the Green Dragons for unknown reasons, and their temple was consequently submerged in the lake. The exiles then vanished for a long period."
"The exiles…" Llane asked thoughtfully, "Do you know why they were exiled by the Gurubashi?"
"That, I do not know," Lothar shook his head. "Perhaps Medivh might have relevant records, but…"
At the mention of Medivh, Llane and Lothar simultaneously showed expressions of helplessness and worry.
Their childhood friend had become increasingly reclusive over the past decade, locking himself in Karazhan for most of the time, researching something unknown.
"Medivh just emerged from seclusion a few days ago. Karazhan seems to have been invaded by thieves, and he is furious, checking for damages within the tower."
Lothar said with a wry smile, "I invited him to Stormwind City to clear his head, but he refused, citing lack of time. According to nobles who attended a feast in Karazhan, Medivh's temper has become even more volatile."
"Sigh~"
Llane rubbed his temples, a headache forming. "Never mind, let him be. With Moroes helping to look after him, at least his daily life isn't a concern."
"Mathias, continue to investigate the source of the rumors. I have a feeling someone is secretly orchestrating this."
Mathias bowed and replied, "Your Majesty is wise. I also believe that there must be a skilled professional behind the scenes, fanning the flames of this large-scale rumor spread."
...As the Eastern Kingdoms teetered on the brink of turmoil, Andreas, in Anarthis, suddenly received news from the Broken Isles.
"That Loken fellow, he's finally starting to act…"
After reading the intelligence submitted by Elisande, Ulan Highmountain, and Namuria, Andreas sighed helplessly.
Helya, after years of recruiting, seemed to believe she had amassed enough forces to launch an offensive.
With the ghostly warship Naglfar, which traversed between Helheim and the material world, as her flagship, the Helarjar sailed out from the Broken Isles shrouded in mist, heading southwest.
These green-skinned Vrykul, covered in seaweed, called themselves the Helarjar. They made a powerful and stealthy landing on the southeastern beaches of Uldum.
Under the cover of mist, tens of thousands of Helarjar launched a surprise attack on the unprepared Halls of Origination, undetected.
Although Andreas had previously warned Thorim to increase his defenses against maritime threats, this silent and sudden attack still caught the Tol'vir off guard.
Fortunately, there was a considerable number of guards stationed at the entrance of the Halls of Origination. At this moment, the main forces of both sides were engaged in a fierce battle for control of the hall's entrance.
As descendants of the Titans, both sides should have been evenly matched.
However, according to reports from the front lines by the Tol'vir, these green Vrykul possessed immortality, and no matter how they were attacked, they could not be successfully killed.
Because of this insidious trait, and unable to ascertain the enemy's true nature, the Tol'vir repeatedly retreated their defensive lines until they reached the entrance of the Halls of Origination.
Some Helarjar took this opportunity to scatter into the lush jungle, using their camouflage.
The thick mist obscured the Tol'vir's vision, and the ambushes from the dense forest made the Tol'vir, accustomed to mobile warfare, very uncomfortable.
At the same time, large numbers of Iron Vrykul and Iron Dwarves began appearing in Stormheim. They clashed with the local flesh Vrykul, seemingly intending to force all these Vrykul to submit to them.
Andreas rubbed his temples, a headache forming. "Has that Yogg-Saron fellow scented the unrest? He's really acting at the worst possible time."
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I forgot what the capital name was lol