Chapter 4: The Second Alliance

(Thanks to all those who have been patiently waiting for this chapter and giving me hints about certain names of things and places and correcting my mistakes. With school kicking back into gear and all the homework and projects, it'll probably take me a week or two to write up these chapters. But soon, the story is going to start kicking up and war will rage across the world for a fourth time. Also: Special thanks to Dr. Yereshi for pointing out the Magni Bronzebeard thing. My bad . Also, I revamped the status of the Alliance on the bottom of the screen because I know it was hard to read before)

Stormwind, Azeroth; Early Autumn

The sun was setting like a blood red disc in the sky. It's last rays lit the swift plains and lakes, mountains and valleys. On the horizon lay the enormous Gates of Stormwind. Behind it lay the city itself in all its majesty and august. Just the sight of the city itself inspired awe and wonder. From afar, it looked as if the Keep was covered in jewels, and its roof was golden. The noble and proud houses, shops, merchant stands, and other civilian buildings stood resolute. This city had suffered the wrath of the Orcs during both the First and Second Wars, and had produced some of the greatest heroes of Humanity ever. Even with their King killed, its population continued the war. The people themselves were stiff necked, strong, and rugged from the two Orcish wars. The city and kingdom had fallen in the First War, and nearly a third of the country had fled across the Great Sea to Lordaeron. There they continued the fight against the Horde and helped draft the Pact of Alliance which in turn created the multi-nation coalition to fight against all enemies. After years of fighting the Orcs, they Alliance had pushed them south back into shattered kingdom of Azeroth. For more months the war continued, but eventually the Alliance had prevailed and the people of Stormwind began the grueling task of reconstruction. Now though, it has been nigh two decades since the end of the Second War, and Azeroth once again stands as the bastion of Human might in the world.

"So you gave nearly a sixth of your standing force to a rouge elf?" King Varian Wrynn inquired. He had been king for now twenty years of Azeroth, and taken up the cup of the late King Terenas. Of all the outrages he had heard lately, this one angered him the most.

"Milord, in the position I was at, I had no choice. The war is being lost by attrition. The sheer numbers of the Undead are what is wearing us down. We cannot defeat them by arms!" Marshal Anduin Praeton replied desperately. The commander had recently returned to Stormwind for a formal report on the forces in field.

"It is not your position to judge that Marshal. You shall return to the front and prepare for the next string of orders. Do I make myself clear? If ever you give even one of your men away without consulting an Alliance leader or me, I shall have you hung" Varian ended. The commander went pale, nodded and walked out of the throne room. Varian was smoldering in anger and frustration towards the general. He had not the men to waste on foolish crusades through Kalimdor, or whatever the man had implied the Blood Elf was to do. He had his own matters to attend to. The new branch of Undead forces under the Dark Ranger Sylvanis, the 'Forsaken' had retaken all gains made lately and somehow had allied themselves with the Horde and its friends. Even more disturbing, the forces at the gates of Gilneas could barely hold off the returning hordes of the Lich King's Undead lackeys.

Varian sighed. He remembered the harsh, hard days during the Second War when all seemed lost. Always there was hope for Light even when it seemed lost forever. The brothers and priests of Northshire Abbey had contained a huge influx of refugees fleeing from Lordaeron and were housing them well, yet with such cost that the supplies for them would soon run out.

Suddenly the throne doors opened and through the light a figure appeared walking towards him. Varian shook himself from his train of thought and looked up. "Magni Bronzebeard?! Ha! I knew you would come!" he cried, joy leaping into his heart.

"Hail King Wrynn! Good to seeya' to boyo! Bin' bout' couple of months eh, since the Invasion. Anyway, what you been planning here these past couple of months? Hear your bringing all the Alliance leaders together here for a little get together eh" the dwarf replied. Muradin was king of the dwarfs of Khaz Modan. Long had Khaz Modan served the Alliance and had become one of its most steadfast allies.

"Yes, they should be arriving this week, you're the first to arrive. We are facing dark times ahead of us and I believe that we must attend an emergency summit. For the first time since the Pact of Alliance, all the human, dwarf, and elf representatives will come together again. For to long has there been anarchy in the Alliance command structure. I will be the one to put it to order" Varian spoke.

"Aye, a bold plan. I'm not sure if much'll rouse the countries into being much of a help. You got'u remember that Gilneas and Stromgarde are surrounded by the Undead and Dalaran is in ruins" Magni Bronzebeard remarked.

And so the week passed quietly without much news from the North. The Orc attacks from the Blasted Lands were kicking up again, and no merchants or news had come from Foothold Citadel in Theramore. One by one, the representatives, ambassadors, and kings entered the Gates of Stormwind.

And so the Council had adjourned. Lords hailing from Stromgarde, Khaz Modan, Dalaran, Aeire Peak, Kul-Tiras, the remaining Blood Elf people, Gilneas, the Gnomes and the Occupied Territories of Altrac had met in the Great Hall. The Hall was located in the castle which the city of Stormwind was built around. The inside of the room was immense. Huge blue curtains hung down from the walls and on them was the emblazoned the Gold Lion of Azeroth. The round stage circled downwards to a single flat platform in the middle of the room where even more torches and energy lights were lit up.

"People of Lordaeron, and my fellow people of Azeroth. Today will mark another historic date which has followed in our bloody and sad history of late" King Wrynn started once all the members filed in. "Today, we must decide the fate of the Easter Kingdoms. I know many of you here do not align yourselves with the Alliance of Lordaeron at all, but let me speak and you will see the Light of reason"

"You would have us bow to the Alliance again? Havn't we already decreed our freedom from that despocratic institution before? Could we not just be simple allies instead of having to center our governments? Would you have us fight with them?" spoke up Yensir Greymane II of Gilneas son of King Greymane I ,pointing to the Kul-Tiras ambassador. (The two nations have had a long history of rivalry)

"Yes, I would have you all join the Alliance again. Listen to me! Have you no sense? Our enemies laugh at our weakness and division. We all know that we cannot continue to fight the way we have and win. It is fruitless. Yes, occasionally we win battles and then our slain warriors rise to fight us! Under the Second Articles of Alliance, which have been drafted here in Stormwind our pact will be ever more the stronger. We shall use the Deeprun Transport system to ferry troops and supplies to Lordaeron. Dalaran shall become a focal point and main base of command in the North. We shall revise the state of the military and navy, and push back the Forsaken and recapture the Capital in the north. Then we shall deal with the Horde as it ought to be dealt with. Plans for an expeditionary force have already been laid and prepared" the King of Stormwind spoke passionately looking around the room.

"The Ambassador of Kul-Tiras replies yay to the vote of new Alliance measures" spoke up a tall man with a graying head in the background of the crowded room.

"The regent Lord of Altrac replies yay to the vote of new Alliance measures" Dominic Valarin, temporary king of Altrac said as well. The man didn't really even have a choice. The territories of Altrac had been under occupation and then puppet rule ever since its betrayal in the Second War. And then, in the latest war, its former King, Lord Perenolde escaped his prison and rallied supporters in the city. The man had enough guile to surrender his soul and much of northern provinces to the Lich Kings uses in return for eternal life. Everybody hated that basterd for not one, but two betrayals of the most foul kind.

"Tell me, friend Wrynn. What reason can you give me that will make me give up my peoples freedom to a tyrannical rule? I supported the early days of the Alliance only because I was naïve, young, and saw a horde of a million orcs storming through my country side" King Trollbane of Stromgarde said.

"A horde of zombies and skeletons does not appease you Trollbane? Last I heard, your country side is now a toxic plague land" Varian replied with sharp accuracy.

"Point taken" was all that Trollbane could say in return.

"My comrades, under the new Alliance, we shall triumph. Already emissaries are on their way to open negotiations with the Night Elves (that remark drew some boos and hisses from the crowd. Those quickly subsided). Every nation and people willing, stand now and sign the Articles of Second Alliance"

The lords of Kul-Tiras, Dalaran, Khaz Modan, the Gnomes, the Blood Elves, and Aiere Peak immediately stood up and made their way down the ramps to the center circle where a table and piece of parchment lay. Slowly, the other lords looked around and after several more hours of debate stood. The Alliance of Azeroth had been formed. Unknown to the Lords of the East, a single Blood Elf and his plans, were about to change the course of history forever.

Status of the Alliance of Azeroth:

The Second Alliance was formed of that date. All troops and resources of the members had been committed to the cause. For the first time since the Second War, the Easter Kingdoms have united to form a single command structure. The Alliance of Lordaeron stated that all nations of Lordaeron are to unite to fight the common enemy, the orcs. The Alliance of Azeroth states the same things as the First Alliance, only that it is not centered on Lordaeron alone, but the entire known world of Azeroth. These are the statistics of the growing military arm of the Alliance. (I am using the same symbolism to portray the status of the Alliance as the narrorator did in the story "Warcraft: Tides of Darkness" by 'Jeremy')

Kingdom of Azeroth

The Kingdom of Azeroth is extremely committed to the Alliance and its strongest member at the moment. It has many troops already in Lordaeron fighting back the advance of the Scourge and Forsaken, but also must deal with the remains of the Horde still in Azeroth that constantly plague the eastern and southern portions of the Kingdom.

Kingdom of Stromgarde

This Kingdom has been badly ravaged by the Scourge and Burning Legion in the Third War. It's entire military might is engaged fighting on what precious pieces of land it still holds.

Kingdom of Gilneas

King Greymane II, like his father represents the isolation of Gilneas. Gilneas has commited several battalions, but of this moment, cannot do much because it too, like Stromgarde, is assailed by the Undead. These Kingdoms are quickly weakening and look not to survive much longer unless something is done quickly to prevent their downfall.

Kingdom of Kul-Tiras

Kul-Tiras has commited the largest and most versatile navy to the seas. They are ready to see the war through to the end. Yet, in doing so, they have not the large infantry and cavalry armies of Azeroth and Lordaeron in their golden days. It relies heavily on sea power and its elite Tirrassian Marine Guard.

Mageocracy of Dalaran

Dalaran was completely devastated in the Third War and is now merely a contested buffer zone between the Undead and Humanity. It still holds some remaining forces of its former Royal Army which are now forced into hiding in the mountains or in the ruins of the Violet Citadel. Most of its mages and knowledge were either destroyed, or fled after and during the Third War.

Occupied Stewardship of Altrec

Altrec has been an occupied area ever since its betrayal in the Second War. It owns little and has absolutely no wealth of its own. Its government, puppets of the Alliance of Lordaeron, are mostly fleeing the Occupied Territories because of its highly unsafe proximity to the Plaugelands which have almost engulfed it. Still, it sends its soldiers to battle the tyrannical forces of Dark.

Khaz Modan and Aiere Peak

Long have the stout Dwarves been friends of Humanity. In the Second War, the Alliance freed them from the Orcs and purged their lands clean of the chaotic Horde. The Dwarves swore eternal allegiance to the Alliance and will follow its leaders to whatever end. They are ready to see it through to the end, and are amassing troops and supplies to the new 1st Alliance Army which is merging in the ruins of Dalaran.

The Gnomish People

The Gnomes, whose homeland was completely pulverized at the same time the Second War was occurring, have been allowed to settle in Ironforge, the Dwarf capital. They have sent a few hundred well equipped "military-advisors" and amazing technologies to the front.

Blood Elf's of Quel'thalas

These few thousand remaining Blood Elves all come from a common heritage; Quel'thalas. Their beloved homeland was destroyed completely, their source of power (the Sunwell) consumed, and their people nearly annihilated. These warriors will stop at nothing to avenge the deaths of their people and culture.