You Are Now Prepared.
Daelin Proudmoore stepped out on deck and immediately had to hold his bicorne down as a strong wind tried to rip it from his head.
"The winds are favourable sir!" his first mate called upon seeing him emerge. "We'll reach Stormwind before noon if it keeps up."
Daelin looked toward the prow, and the blackening sky they were sailing with all haste towards.
'Time was we'd steer clear of such ominous weather.' He mused, before climbing the stairs to the upper deck.
"Sail ho!" the crow's nest called suddenly.
Daelin looked up and saw the man gesturing to the west, and as he turned his eyes in that direction, he made out numerous shapes on the horizon.
"Demons sir?" a deckhand asked.
"Demons don't sail," Daelin replied coldly, pulling out his spyglass and peering through it.
As he centred his gaze on the lead ship, he had to bite back a flash of fear. Row upon row of Troll warships were sailing towards them, aided by what looked like similar favourable winds to their own. As he tried to make out their numbers, he also noticed several zeppelins flying above the Troll armada.
'I can't stand Goblins.'
Despite getting over his prejudice against Orcs after one had saved his life, he still had an irrational distrust and dislike for Goblins.
"Are they friend or foe sir?" his first mate asked.
"Friend, a term I'd never have used beforee these strange times." he breathed. "Looks like the Troll Empire is coming to join the fight; they appear to have dispatched their entire navy with Goblin zeppelins as escort."
All eyes turned back to the coastline as they sailed around the Stormwind Mountains, quickly rounding the corner and laying eyes on the city harbour.
"Looks like they're in the midst of evacuating," his first mate noted. "Things must not be boding well for them."
"Let us hope Tandred's ships arrived in time to get every civilian to safety." Daelin quietly prayed. "We need to continue south, ensure the Legion can't retreat into Westfall or Stranglethorn as they're pushed back to the portal."
"Do you really believe we're winning?"
"I will believe it until it's clear we're not," Daelin laughed. "My daughter has fought against impossible odds for the past few years, so I have to believe like she does."
"Yes sir."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
'This city just can't catch a break from being attacked.' Matthias cursed to himself, as he stood on the ramparts overlooking the Valley of Heroes as the last of Stormwind's armies hurried across the bridge into the city.
"Are the people of Stormwind safe?" Varian asked at his side, quietly watching the retreat alongside his spymaster. "Did we at least buy time for them to escape?"
"Thanks to the Kul Tiran fleet we've managed to evacuate most of the civilians, the last ships should depart within the hour." He reported. "I personally ensured the Queen and her retinue were on the first ship to leave, your grace. I must insist…"
"I fled this city when I was a child after my father was murdered, this time I will stand my ground to defend Stormwind," Varian proclaimed.
Matthias knew better than to argue, despite his youth and relative inexperience the King was a very driven, very stubborn individual. As the last stragglers crossed the improvised bridge, the mages holding it up ceased their casting, and the bridge collapsed into the lake; it may not stop the Legion's advance, but it would slow them down. The spymaster and the King turned their eyes to the gates, which had been barricaded but would not hold the demons back forever; as if to support their suspicions, there was a loud bang and the wooden gates shuddered violently.
"Where are our allies?" Varian growled. "Where is the rest of the Alliance? The Legion are here, at our doors."
"Last reports indicated they were rallying after dealing with agents of the enemy trying to disrupt them." Matthias reported. "I can't speak for the armies of Kalimdor, but the Lordaeron alliance are moving south as we speak; the arrival of the Kul Tiran ships is proof of that."
"What of Khaz Modan? Our proud Dwarven and Gnomish compatriots are the next domino in the chain, their safety is tied to our own, where are they?"
A shadow passed over them, and both men sensed someone standing behind them. They turned, and Matthias immediately moved to defend his king; Garona Halforcen was crouched on the rampart above them, her eyes fixed on Varian.
"Have you come to slay another king, half-breed?" Matthias growled.
"I've come to save a king," she bared her teeth, clearly angered by the spymaster jumping to conclusion.
To support her statement, Matthias glanced up and saw Gryphons and Gyrocopters flying low over the city.
"King Magni sends his regards," she gave the king a bow. "The armies of Khaz Modan are going to create a second front to the east, try and draw the Legion's focus from this city."
"Are they marching towards Redridge?" Matthias asked, keeping his guard up in front of the Orc.
"They'll be in Northshire valley shortly," Garona glanced back into the city. "What are your losses?"
"Not your concern," Varian growled. "We fell back to the city to better defend our people."
"Where are the Tauren, Trolls, Kal'dorei, and Orcs? How has the might of the Horde not been brought to bare in this fight?"
"They are coming, King Wrynn, have faith." Garona smirked. "It takes time to teleport entire armies across the ocean."
"How do you know so much about current affairs?" Matthias inquired, curious about how the assassin knew so much.
"I answer to a higher power than you,"
"The Legion!" Varian growled, instantly suspicious.
"The Guardian." The Orc replied simply. "He informed me of what was currently happening before dispatching me to aid you."
"Medivh's alive?" Matthias breathed. "Or have the Kirin Tor appointed a new Guardian?"
"Medivh was a traitor! It's because of him that the Horde invaded in the first place!" Varian snapped. "You should take his head before he betrays us again!"
"He is keen to see the Legion driven from this world, just as much as you, and he has already provent that he is no friend of the Burning Legion."
Matthias sighed, realising their arguing was going nowhere. There were several explosions and they saw that the gyrocopters had begun carpet-bombing the enemies beyond the city walls.
"So, King Magni is leading his armies over the mountains into Northshire?"
"Not over the mountains," Garona laughed. "Through them."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When the portal opened and they beheld a blasted, smoldering wasteland, many already feared they were arriving too late.
"Where does your portal lead?" Thrall asked the Orc mages holding it open.
"Just south of Blackrock Mountain, Warchief." The lead Orc replied.
"Why not open a portal to Stormwind?" Tyrande asked, standing side by side with Thrall and Cairne. "The humans need our aid."
"I judged it a wiser course to draw their attention away from the humans," Cairne answered. "And we will be able to muster our forces in the shadow of the mountain before assaulting the demons in their flank.
"I like surprise attacks!" Grommash laughed, before signalling the Orcs to advance.
"Will you be able to hold the portal long enough for everyone to get through?" Tyrande asked the mage, concerned for how draining such a spell would be.
"My people will do whatever they can to give him the strength he needs," Cairne gestured to the six Tauren shamans standing with the mages holding the portal open. "Earthmother protect them."
Tyrande and Cairne followed Thrall and Gromm through the portal, stepping out on to the ashen soil of the Burning Steppes on the other side. Compared to the dry heat of Orgrimmar, the searing volcanic fires beneath Blackrock Mountain were a whole new heat for the priestess to endure; it was a far cry from the cool evening winds that blew through the boughs of Teldrassil.
Before the rest of the Orc and Tauren soldiers marched through, Thrall signalled for his people to bring forward siege weapons and defensive implacements so their foothold could not be easily destroyed. The portal opened wider and the Hippogryph riders that had survived Hyjal, as well as Orc Wyvern riders swooped through so they could scout ahead and watch for potential assaults or ambushes.
"How does this compare, Lady Tyrande?" Cairne asked suddenly, making her jump.
"I'm sorry?"
"How does this war compare to the War of the Ancients millenia ago?"
"The outlook seems just as bleak as it was back then," she admitted. "The Legion are stronger than they were, more determined to turn everything we love to ash, but there are more races standing together against the flame, and we know that they can be beaten. Elune watches over us."
"The Earthmother smiles upon us too." Cairne added. "Everywhere the Legion treads, the land withers and dies."
"Let us hope that the land will recover from their corruption." Tyrande turned her gaze to the mountain itself, and the sealed entrance into its heart. "Are the elements with us Thrall?"
"I sense phenomenal anger," Thrall knelt and splayed his stone hand against the ground. "The earth trembles in rage, it shifts and shudders deep beneath our feet."
"Are we in danger here?" Saurfang asked quickly. "Should we withdraw?"
"It is not us who has angered the earth" Drek'thar assured him. "No doubt the Legion will be troubled by the earth itself rising against them."
"The air is too still," Maiev said, moving to guard the priestess. "There's no moisture…"
"What of the fire!" Gromm snapped. "Air and earth don't worry me as much right now as fire. What do they say Thrall?"
Thrall looked to the mountain with an unreadable expression.
"The mountain is silent."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
King Rastakhan had not left Zandalar since he was still a prince, having left the splintered Troll empires to govern themselves with his oversight from the Zandalari capital. But he knew his position as King would be challenged if he sat back while the Empire united and marched to war at his command, so he stood at the head of the entire Zandalari fleet, on the deck of his flagship; Rastakhan's Might, staring at the approaching coastline of the Eastern Kingdoms.
He already knew that the Gurubashi Empire was gone, the demons had wiped out what little remained not long after their invasion, but there was still hope of recovering the lost lands and letting a new Troll tribe settle in Stranglethorn Vale to take the place of the Gurubashi. They turned slightly southward when the human city of Stormwind came into sight, and kept their prows pointed at the shoreline as human ships drew ever closer.
"Them be Kul Tiran ships sire," Vol'Jin informed his king, standing at Rastakhan's side. "Best ships in da whole Alliance."
"Says who?"
"Lady Jaina, her father be dere Lord Admiral."
"Den she be biased, we shall see for ourselves how good they are," Rastakhan laughed.
"We gonna attack dem?"
"No. But if dey fall when de demons come, den their claims be worth nothing, and we will have to fight alone." The king then glanced up at the zeppelins following close behind the lead ships. "I see de Goblins are following us, do they tink to profit from this?"
"I think dey don't wanna be left out of de glory."
"Spirits damn their endless greed." The King slammed his fist down on the railing. "If they do not play dere part we shall enslave their entire race to serve da Empire."
"I'm do not tink de Alliance will allow dat."
"Den dey can share in de spoils!" Rastakhan bellowed, his anger getting the better of him.
Vol'jin looked ahead, and immediately spotted something the lookouts had either missed or ignored.
"Dat's not an Alliance ship." He pointed to the south, where a single ship had appeared from behind a lighthouse.
Rastakhan gestured to his signalman, who relayed the king's commands to the rest of the fleet. The ships armed with catapults slowed, while the ones carrying soldiers and raptor riders accelerated towards the coast. Rastakhan's Might turned to face the oncoming lone ship, which was fast approaching the Zandalari and Kul Tiran fleets.
"If dey do not identify demselves, open fire before dey get in range." Rastakhan barked, and in an instant the ship bristled to life with Trolls moving to man the catapults and ballistae.
"It not be aiming at us," Vol'jin pulled a spyglass from his hip, a trinket given to him by Jaina that had come in very useful. "All its guns be aimed landward."
"If it fires at our people, we destroy it."
Their focus was torn from the unmarked ship by the sounds of screeching and roars that came from the land; as the ships were nearing the coast, demons had appeared from nowhere and were quickly closing in on the landing ships.
"Open fire on dem!" Rastakhan roared, gesturing at the wall of demons.
There were several loud bangs, and their attention was drawn back to the unmarked ship. All its cannons had opened fire, but instead of hitting the ships, the cannonballs smashed into the demon's front line.
"It appear dey be allies." Vol'jin remarked.
The Kul Tiran ships were quick to join the Zandalari ships in moving to unload soldiers from some of them, but they used rowing boats instead of beaching like the Troll ships were.
"Every race be enemies of de Legion." Rastakhan stated brusquely. "I will not trust dem until I know who dey are."
The largest of the Kul Tiran ships drew up alongside, and a tall, slender man in black and gold colours called;
"Permission to come aboard, sire?"
"You be welcome." The King kept his eyes on the shoreline, where the humans and Trolls were engaging the demons. "Who are you human?"
"Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore," the man bowed. "It's an honour to meet you, your highness."
"De same to you, Lord Admiral." Vol'jin gave him a bow. "Jaina spoke of you fondly."
"You must be Vol'jin," Daelin greeted the Troll with an extended hand, which Vol'jin eagerly shook.
"Who be dey?"
"The last vestiges of the pirates I've spent the last few years at war with," Daelin sighed, looking at the ship through his spyglass. "I don't recognise their colours, but the design is fairly like some raiding ships we encountered off Tel Abim. Seems even pirates are joining this fight."
"Dey be fools to hide and hope to survive the fire." Vol'jin noted.
"Will you be fighting de demons with us?" Rastakhan asked, finally turning to look down at Daelin.
"I'll defend my ship till the last man, but I'm not one for charging the foe head on." The Lord Admiral blustered. "We'll assist in getting a foothold on the shore, but then we must sail around the cape to rejoin the rest of our fleet on the far side of the continent; we're going to hit the demons where it hurts and bombard the Blasted Lands."
The Troll King kept a stony expression, making it impossible to tell if he approved or disapproved of Daelin's plan. Sensing the time had come to part ways, Daelin bowed and said heartily;
"Light be with you, your grace."
"Spirits protect you, Lord Admiral." Vol'jin returned the favour, as Rastakhan signalled for his ship to move closer to the coast.