Reviews:

Guest 1: I find Hellfire works to remove the toughest stains. And particularly the Chaos Dwarves will want something better than their lame Greenskin slaves, maybe something big muscular kind of dumb with green skin.

Guest 2: Suggesting that only Kin bear a Grudge, that's a grudging dear boy. No one Holds a Grudge like Warhammer Dwarves, the faction motto of Never forget, and never forgive... STEVE who stole my lunch in 9th grade!

And you know that it'll either play out nicely or fall apart horrifically.

and there you pointed out the Big Lurch, The Alliance often seems to act like the Federation from Star Trek, tell them "No you can't take your dog to shit on my lawn and not even pick it up." and they get suddenly upset showing off the pistol they built yesterday, that you know is store bought and they never fired before.

Guest 3: You know the Emperor takes you seriously...as a threat, when he unleashes the man who rants and raves about "Blood Bowl Refs being fat dirty cheating Halflings and not deserving to be on the pitch. or about a "society of Rat People who keep rolling on the mishap chart."...right before reminding you that your wife looks a lot like your horse.

Guest 4: You disrepecting yer Longbeards boy? Looks like clan bumgrum has itself a grudge, now where's my pocket grudge book.

guest 5: Behold! my awesome.

Guest 6: Were not stubborn we're right, snd yer wrong and if it takes a grudge for me to prove it then I'm pulling out the book.

ww1990ww: but they are adventurers, so they should at least survive. The other mission however...considering it went from a full strike force (30~ish man raid) to just ten guys...

And we are still very early on, basically from Azeroth's side there's now been maybe thousands who've seen the other side.

Random Anon: Well living life, doing better than Avenah...getting punched by Daw, and having naked duels respectively. But hopefully the Horde holds out, after all wouldn't we feel bad for Alyzz to find out she could have done something but chose not to out of laziness.

Hakuryuu: Oh they have Zeppelins, but they mainly are transports. And that interaction would have to be in a seperate story/story arc. Because as it's flowing now I've got one set event i want to get to and then we'll start building from there.

I've mostly stayed light on Avenah's companions because they're events at the moment can best be described as filler. And I'm more or less wanting to keep something more or less relevant on screen at most moments.

Which leads to Stormwind, that's more or less being delayed by what's going on right now. Both because sequence wise it's likely taking place either litterally immediately after, or a few days after the Horde/Dawi'Zharr incident occurs. Which speaking of, yeah, the Alliance put their foot in it and they don't even know how bad.

Ghozul's name was the result of reading the base thematic of Chaos Dwarf names from a randomizer, spinning it a few dozen times and then making up something that worked with one of the last names i saw.

Also already pre downloaded, and constantly rewatching Tarriff's Chaos Dwarf lands in Warhammer 3 video. "Do you hear the people sing?

Singing a song of angry men?

It is the music of a people

Who will not be slaves again!"

Remember reject slavery, embrace greenskin liberation and reboblution! Reject Chaos Dwarf DLC for Ork Freedom!

So sadly no thought experiment or lore comparison today, but i plan for a more in depth thought experiment to top off next chapter. So I'll see you all then.

Starlight

Avenah stormed the stairs Cathedral in a rush with Günther behind her giving apologies to the various nervous looking Imperial citizens she passed, as a confused Gerunn and Relyea followed behind. That morning the Draenei priestess had instructed both of them that their plans for the day were canceled. Then without explanation and with Captain Günther shortly behind they made their way to the center of Imperial Worship.

The Draenei priestess marched past the open doors of the grand temple, wearing her Priestess' garments she had originally arrived in the city with as her three companions finally caught up with her she shouted. "Volkmar, come out here and face me! You insult me and my faith, yet don't have the gaul to come out and speak with me after I invite you again and again?! Is this the Impression you want to give us of your God, an insulting jerk who runs away and hides after!?"

Her three companions were too shocked to stop the Draenei who, thanks to her height and build, had her voice carry throughout the open chambers of the Cathedral. Many men and woman were stopped mid prayer, and almost the entirety of the chambers now were focused on the Priestess of the Light and her three mortified companions.

Shortly after and before any of the increasingly enraged crowd could react one of the Sigmaritte Priest stood before Avenah. "Is there in some way you wish to aid Sigmar's Empire, or that I can help you leave?" The Sigmaritte Priest asked, making a V sign salute to the Priestess, though his warhammer hung ominously on his hip.

Avenah looked the man over before looking past him into the Temple. "I'm here to see Volkmar and to make him debate me properly on the tenants of Faith. I have no qualms with you and I wish all of the Light's blessings upon you and on Sigmar that his power to defend your people is made even greater."

"Yet you come storming in here screaming insults." The priest countered. "Also the Granf Theologist can not meet with you today. He is meeting with the Ur-Ulric, though our temple remains open to those of any Faith Sigmar has accepted."

Avenah then stepped forward. "Good then find me a spot so I might meditate on the Light, until as the Highest ranking member of the Church of the Holy Light on this planet, he agrees to speak with me."

"I'm sorry, but Sigmar has no place for you here." The priest stated flatly his hand now on the hilt of his hammer.

"Strange, I didn't know that it was Sigmar's duty as a God to judge which Gods are real and which are not. I might have to write the Cults of Myrmidia, Shallya, Morr, Verena, Manann, Taal, and Rhya about this discovery. And while I know I might not have much voice on my own and not many friends, these three do and they'd be happy to get writing as well. I wonder how happy the Grand Theologist would be to learn that while he was 'distracting' the Ur-Ulric his subordinates started making proclamations that make the other cults subservient to his god?" Avenah faced the priest looking down upon him.

"You dare spread such lies, attempt to start a conflict against Sigmar, in his own temple, in his own Empire?" The Priest challenged back.

"No, I'm here to save Sigmar from a disgrace your Grand Theologist is making him bear indignantly. As a follower of the Light it is my duty to serve others and to help the goals of harmony and peace. I will help Sigmar as well and if I have to fight his own followers to do so I shall."

"I will find you a quiet place to meditate." The Priest reluctantly agreed, then leading Avenah and her friends into an abandoned part of the Cathedral, a small shrine chamber with statues of various Dwarves lining the walls. The priest then began to walk away before stopping to speak again. "It will still be quite some time before the Grand Theologist will see you. You might need to stay over night, but we will not acomidate you any more." The man walked out and Günther sighed in relief.

"Seriously look at am, this one looks just like Moira, and this un looks just like Falstead Wildhammer, and this noble guy looks just like Muradin Bronzebeard. I dont see what's so offensive about that." Gerunn stated with a laugh.

Ignoring the dwarf Relyea walked over to Avenah. "What in the Maw spawned hell was that?"

Avenah shrugged while sitting down to meditate. "The Light sustains me, which gives me extra time to study while your asleep." The Draenei stated flatly.

"Wait so you don't sleep?" The question earned the Empire a disbeleiving glare from Relyea and another laugh from Gerunn.

"No Draenei need sleep, she's been basically using magic to keep herself from feeling the effects of staying up for nights on end." Relyea explained glaring at her Draenei companion. "And now she wants a theological debate after, how long is it Avenah, Nights, Weeks without sleeping."

The Draenei just smiled at her companions. "Don't worry, i can still take a nap."

"Really like when."

"Like when I'm sitting in a pose that holds me up, and I'm supposed to be sitting quietly with my eyes shut." The Draenei smiled, earning a sigh from the Worgen and a hearty laugh from the Dwarf.

Zannae stood his ground and refused to budge, his shield bucking against his arm as mutliple shells from both Dwarven rifles and their blunderbuss pelted it. Still the Blood Knight held strong, even as the Cryptguard next to him collapsed under the onslaught of fire. This shooting was soon followed up by a charge.

The mages, Warlocks, and others casting every non-flame magical attack they could to slow the group of dwarves.

Zannae braced, knowing that even though they had already learned to stop using fire magic against these dwarvs and were using the strongest delaying spells possible, the absolute stubborn nature and durability of these foes meant that only a few might be stalled or killed. And then Zannae was facing two opponents. The first swung his heavy blade into the Blood Knight's shield knocking it aside, the second intending to go for the kill-strike but swordsmanship deflected the fatal blow aside. The first then thust his weapon into Zannae's sternum but magical reinforcements by the Light meant the attack failed to knock Zannae back or make him vulnerable. He brought his weapon against the masked Dwarven soldier only for the thick armor to bounce the blade aside only leaving a small mark on the helmet.

Still the duel continued made ever more frustrating as one dwarf would parry or block for the other allowing his comrade to strike, and each movement almost seemed like it had been endlessly drilled. If he killed one surely the other would faulter.

Calling the light, Zannae struck down with the Light's power knocking back one of the dwarves, then calling his reserves Zannae lashed out with all his might infused even with the Light into his blade. The strike cut through his opponents weapon, and deep into the Dwarf's armor causing the Dwarf to grunt in frustration stumbling back bleeding before a piller of light struck him killing thr Dwarf.

And then his comrade returned, still fighting silently, but now it was one on one. Until yet another of these dwarves stepped forward and Zannae found himself frustratingly in the same situation he was in before and now low on magical reserves.

And then Launchalot was at his side, gauntlet and mace fending off the two dwarves along with Zannae's skill at arms. Launchalot even collapsing the helmet of one into his skull before a whistle sounded and both warriors of the Horde turned and sprinted away. Noticeably fewer fighters ran from the Dwarves than had been in the line with Zannae were running with them, yet still they persisted at the next barracade stopping again allowing, gunmen, archers, and casters to again rain attacks on the pursuing Dwarves who again stopped ducking behind their sheilds as their own crossbow and blunderbuss returned fire and the silent masked warriors reloaded their own guns to fire back. And then a deep ominous drum beat from behind the enemy ranks.

Rather than continue the firefight the enemy broke their solid ranks rushing to the sides of the wide causeway between the fourth and fifth wall. The intent of these Dwarves becoming clear as three massive entities of flame once again appeared.

This time the three beings pushed past the Dwarves though parts of their gear for the ones closest seemed to smolder and burn at the monsters passing. Eventually the three turned away from the lines of dwarves around them, instead to focus on the Horde battleline picking up spead as their clawed and bladed hands swept the air with a vicious eagerness for battle.

Zannae steadied himself certain that instead they would grant those twisted Elemental their deaths instead.

The three Fire beasts struck the Horde defensive line, the barricades burning as monsters approached. Even some of Zannae's gear started to dry out and showed embers of flame as the beats approached. Calling upon the Light the Blood Knight rushed to the point the three had decended upon. With a leap he struck out, but his sword was stopped by one of the monsters' hands with a metalic clang. The cruel beast turned on Zannae and her could feel the heat intensify as it loomed over him. Bolts of magic stuck the beasts as Grunts and Cryptguard and every remaining member of the Sunset Expedition attacked the foes with all they got. However the monstrosities seemed to shake off nearly every attack against them. One of them tore into the Undead Ranks, the other dueled against Zannae easily pushing the Blood Knight back, and the last began to reap a horrific toll against the Horde, slaughtering each Grunt that approached, some dying in flames before they could even get near and eventually the monstrosity was among the mages and Gunmen tearing them apart with glee.

Fortune, in the form of a light embunned Tauren paladin, one of the Sunset Expedition, charged and matched the Embodiment of Hellfire with his hammer. Each strike damaging the creature and forcing it away from the ranged warriors of the Horde who once away began to lend aid to their Paladin comrade. However as Zannae was learning just being near these things was painful, and where Zannae was finally able to break away from his opponent as another Blood Elf and several Grunts engaged it, the Tauren was not. The flaming monstrosity before the Tauren could escape, before the Tauren could even think to parry grabbed the bull by his horn, then it's other claw descended upon the Paladin's chest and the creature of flame pulled, and then pulled again with such force the Tauren head came off from his shoulders.

The monster held the Tauren's head like a trophy, before a shout from Zannae and a powerful spell of the light enraged the creature, causing it to turn the head into a projectile. As the head rolled past Zannae could see the horrible toll these fire beasts were reaping and a new unit of enemy dwarves surrounded by the heavily armored pike-gunner dwarves was marching up behind. With their formations ruined the Horde needed to regroup.

"Retreat, fall back to the inner layer, get whatever the hell we have left ready to take those damn things out!" Launchalot's voice cut over the battle. Immediately all those of the Horde who could turned to retreat to the rear most layer of the fortress.

Kitala Starshadow's mind raced. She was losing her fortress and she couldn't see how things had gotten so bad. Somehow early warning from the spirits failed, her scouting force was defeated by a army that had gotten far too close for comfort. And then the enemy...they had thrown themselves at her walls like a bunch of idiots. No saboteurs, no tunneling machines, no encirclement, not a magic caster to be seen, no paratroopers. They had just massed themselves and forced their way past, surprising her with nothing more than a couple light artillery peices, and one big peice of equipment. Even her best hope to reap a toll on the enemy forcing them into a corner where she could drop blight on them all in on strike to limit exposure instead blew up as they unleashed these oddly overpowered fire elementals against her forces.

She had even taken to the wall defense herself. Mages were attempting to freeze back the enemy Elementals and the Mortar was apparently not yet in position to attack the peak of the hill. But the fighting was still now desperate. To emphasise this truth to her one of the Dwarf rocket launchers rounded some cover aiming at her position. A quick black arrow to his exposed mouth stopped the Dwarf entirely...but apparently he lived as he didn't raise as a mindless undead, but still the dwarf was being dragged away by his comrades and volleys of gun fire forced them away from the dropped weapon. Kitala smiled at her Cryptguard supports only to watch three of them get torn to shreds as grapeshot tore through their position.

"Cannon, take it out!" Kitala ordered while falling back away from the segment of wall. As she backed away several Cryptguard gunmen ran up to the wall and unleashed a fusillade of fire. As the Cryptguard cheered only to scatter as heavy fire fell on their position, Kitala made her way back towards the Meat Wagons. As she moved she cast a glance to the enemy Elementals. Even though the Blight had exploded maybe it would still work against them that way, 'or' she thought looking past the Elementals to the thick block of Dwarves immediately behind them, Dwarves that seemed to include the enemy commanders. She might be able to disrupt enemy moral and command if the enemy leadership all died of Blight right now, she could even fire on other dense blocks after. It would be more saturation than she wanted, but it would certainly be worth it to break the enemy siege.

As she closed with the Meat Wagons the Dark Ranger could hear the crew manning the artillery peice talking.

"Fire! Alright reload, change angle twenty degrees prepare for counter battery fire!"

"Shit this canister is leaking!"

"Someone get permission to use Blight again, it's too risky to be sitting on this stuff, we don't want to contaminate the hilltop!"

"Corpses away! preparing next shot!"

"Incoming!" The crews took cover as a mortar shell landed nearby pelting their barricades with shrapnel.

"Captain Kitala, ma'am!" One of the leading artillery men saluted the Dark Ranger as she approached.

"Prepare Blight Canisters, aim at the Dwarves just behind those Elementals, I want them all coughing up their own livers yesterday!" The Dark Ranger ordered quickly watching where Launchalot and the soldiers arround him was failing to hold the wall against the three monsters.

"New target, load Blight Canisters, I want you to aim for the dwarf formation just behind those fire elementals. Fire on my command." Kitala instructed the artillerists as she arrived. Immediately the crews set out to obey, loading all five meat wagons with Blight, a deluded formula with a arousal agent ment to help spread the highly deluded formula to achieve maximum effect from the lesser amount of Blight. Once loaded the Meat Wagons were faced towards the enemy and firing angles set for just beyond the three monsters who were now tearing down the wall in front of them.

Once they were sufficiently ready in her opinion the Dark Ranger dropped her raised arm with a shout of, "Fire!" Immediately all five Meat Wagons unleashed their payloads. Five green canisters tumbled through the air towards the combat and their intended Dwarven victims just beyond, one of which trailing a thin trail of green smoke.

However as the canisters passed over the three enemy Elementals the canister trailing green vapors ignighted, the vapor trail burning and the container exploding in a blast that shattered the other four. Green gas floated down over the entire area of the wall sending Orcs, Trolls, Elves, Tauren and even Cryptguard fleeing and then all of that gas ignighted burning so quickly that a vacuum formed. In seconds the wall collpased under the concussive forces, one of the three monsters destablized and itself exploded spreading flames over the area. And almost unnoticed a trail of flame traveled along the course of the original canister back to the Meat Wagon that had fired it igniting the weapon.

Swiftly the crews set to attempting to put out the flames, and so distracted missed as a small trail of flame and embers traveled across the ground. After a minute the Meat Wagon fire was put out but the weapon was considered lost.

"Reload, we'll try again, we managed to kill one of those damn things." Kitala ordered, determined to push toward victory. Thr crews moved to obey, but they and the Dark Ranger stopped as they moved to load their weapons again. The stockpile of Blight Canisters was on fire.

"Evacuate!" The Dark Ranger and all the crews were already moving, sprinting away as fast as they could, but the detonation was faster and the spreading fireball enveloped them all.

Seconds after the blast Kitala Starshadow regained her consciousness. The Dark Ranger was pinned under the ruins of a Meat Wagon, a small cloud of Blight floating nearby, and fire all around. Even in her Undead state she could feel the pain she was in, all around her the corpses of her artillery crew lay broken and scattered about only adding more fuel to the building inferno.

Half a mile away Gin and his team finally slipped out from one of the secret passages. When he had found them the five troll Adventurers had been on the verge of being overrun, their Cryptguard support unable to even match a single of the Dwarven warriors they were fighting in a head to head fight, and the Dwarves held the superior numbers there. It had been painful, but the Adventurers hearing the rather short and simple logic of Gin quickly agreed to help.

And so the unit of ten was formes and now was moving quietly and as stealthily as they could outside the fortress, closing on the Dwarven encampment. As they moved the Azerothean force saw the small train of Hobgoblins dragging various corpses and slaves back towards the Dwarven encampment, looting and stealing even from eachother as they went while relying on ropes, and violence to keep their still living Horde captives in check. Then further out they saw what must have been part of the enemy's planning for the siege.

Packs of Wolf Riders circled the fortress, their hounds sniffing and viciously ready for battle even snarling and bitting at one another. Gin cursed the group's luck as the wolves started to howl and move, clearly picking up a scent.

"Now we make haste." Gin whispered to the others, moving from his kneeling position to a hunched stance and moving as quickly as his legs would carry him. Behind him the five troll Adventurers, two of the Blood Elf mages and a priest, as well as a Undead Hunter. They would need to move quickly and be able to quickly dismantle the enemy mortar.

The howling of the wolves was growing more intense and as Gin looked around he cursed as the number of wolves had increased and now a Hobgoblin who looked like their leader had joined and was coordinating the enemy's hunt.

"We're not going to make it at this rate. Some of us will have to stay and run interference while the rest of you hit the Mortar...I dragged you into this so. Adventurers you go my team will stay here and hold them off." The five Trolls saluted and took off while Gin then stood to full height aimed, and gunned down the nearest Wolf Rider.

Once the rider dropped Gin then lead his team sprinting towards the Dwarven camp but at a diffrent more direct angle. Quickly howls filled the no-man's land and Gin could tell the Hobgoblins were closing in for the kill. The mages began to throw spells at the oncoming Riders while the Undead Hunter began unleashing volleys with her bow. Behind them the priest was calling on the light to bless and protect them...and Gin silently prayed that the Light give them a little bit extra this time. The Hobgoblins arrow were a predictable mix of cruel arrow heads, dipped in poison, barbed, or containing some other cruelty to be exposed on impact. The priest knowing what was to come performed quick light healing of his comrades as the arrows impacted allowing them to still fight, but now the howling was getting worse and Hobgoblin whooping and battlecries could be heard.

Gin fired three more times, the first shot removing a Goblinoid head, the second shattering an arm and shield, the third knocking a rider off his mount only to be mauled by a starving wolf and a gigging wolf rider as they passed. Even as he shot spells felled fifteen other Hobgoblins and arrows dropped another four.

Yet the Hobgoblins still closed many throwing small nets, bolas, and poisonous darts at the five members of the Horde.

One of the bolas impacted a mage throwing his spell into himself and he caught fire immediately. The priest moved to heal him only for a arrow to hit them in the heart as a on foot Hobgoblin cheered at his shot and charged in, dropping his bow and pulling out a curved sword. Gin prepared to punish the Goblin only to be beat to it by what must have been the Hobgoblin warchief.

Riding past his own with a far to big grin, the chief casually decapitated his own Goblin on passing, his eyes never leaving Gin.

As Gin prepared to fire on the Goblin, he missed a massive fireball blooming on the peak of the Crimson Post fort. Instead the Orc's focus was entirely on defeating the Goblins around him. Gin fired, but the Chieften dodged, but still the shot was timed so the Hobgoblin riding behind the Chief took the round to his hip, throwing him from his perch, multiple Hobgoblins dropped of arrows released and spells, even as various bolas, darts and arrows landed on the three Horde combatants. Gin fired again, this time the shot was deflected by the Hobgoblin's shield, and then it was upon him.

Gin dodged a claw and wolven maw as the rider and beast passed by, but as he dodged a rope wrapped around the Orc's ankle and he found himself being dragged by the wolf and rider. Sliding away from his comrades Gin quickly rolled to his back, then aimed his gun between his legs and fired. The round clioped the Chieften who grunted and released the rope, thus freed Gin planted his feet, the momentum picking him up and allowing him to spring towards the Hobgoblin while reloading his handgun.

As he approached though the Chieften snapped a arrow off at Gin forcing the Orc to dodge the projectile. This allowed the Goblinoid's mount to turn and start charging at Gin. As the Rider closed, Gin finished loading his weapon, and drew his ax with his off hand. Both combatants sprinted towards one another even as in the distance another red glowing shell ascended into the sky between them.

The Chieften fired another arrow and Gin dodged, his ax then swinging towards the Goblin's mount. The Wolf darted back, then lunged knocking Gin onto his back. The Orc tried to raise his Gun to fire, but a paw held down his arm while the Wolf's fangs held the Orc's ax arm down. The Goblin Chieften glared down at Gin, his bow ready to shoot point blank into the Orcish face, only for a arrow to bounce off the shoder plate of the Hobgoblin's mount, forcing the Wolf's paw back.

Looking up, the last member of Gin's company, the Undead Hunter, heavily wounded stood preparing another arrow. Instead the Undead found themself ended as a arrow planted itself into his skull, a small flask of oil tied to it lighting his head ablaze.

Then before the Hobgoblin Chieften Snikthroaght could adjust, or even realized the barrel of Gin's gun was beneath his chin and the Orc vindictively pulled the trigger. Before Wolf or Rider could register the Chieften's face disappeared from his body. With a startled yelp as the dead falling copse pulled its reigns the wolf fell back, and Gin brought his Ax against the cruel creature's skull, ending it.

Gin then stood looking around, none of the Hobgoblins he had fought remained, none of his comrades remained. So the Orc took several steps towards the Dwarf encampment before suddenly collapsing, his wounds and exhaustion finally putting him beyond the limit of what his body would bear.

It would be some time later when Gin first started to hear voices. "Wait, I tink I see a survivor."

"Well go grab em."

"Why me, I'm not a physical type guy."

"Well I'm holding her, and he's holding a dearly departed hero der. So yus is da only one of us who can carry em if dey is needen help."

Moments later after a long sigh, Gin could feel hands shaking him and then trying to lift him up even as the Orc slowly regained consciousness.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." Gin muttered stumbling onto his own feet.

"Oy tank da Loa." Gin slowly opened his eyes to four very wounded Trolls. Two of them were carrying someone else, the female of their group missing her leg was being help by a man who seemed to fawn over her as she flirted with him, and one dead Troll was carried by another of the group, and a troll in the robes of a mage stood next to Gin.

"What happened?" Gin asked, looking between the Trollish adventures.

"Der whole camp was so fortified it might as well been a fortress. We killed twelve of dem Dwarves and a bunch o' dem Goblins. But dey warmachine was still too heavily guarded. So our hero here though, he sacrifice himself killen dey crew and even damaging the machine. We barely managed to get away, took us several minutes after but we managed to sneak away and den found you." One of the Trolls explained leading a still unsteady Gin as the group started to sneak back towards the Fortress even as a Goblin Wolf Rider rode at full speed to the fort himself.

Ghozul smirked at his progress as he stepped past the final wall of the fortress. The defenders were now held up in their citadel at the peak of the hill, but the structure would take little to demolish around them, even now mortar shells and Bazuka fired into the building as the last two K'Daii tore into the burning building themselves bare claws and a molded mace arm ripping off chunks of the building. The last few hundred defenders holding the Keep desperately struggling to keep the overwhelming force of Dawi'Zharr from tearing down their building.

However, the Dawi'Zharr had torn down much grander structures with far less and this keep would not stand much longer, already portions of the building were collapsing and soon the Dawi would be pulling new slaves from the wreckage.

But as Ghozul mentality celebrated his inevitable victory, a roar followed by four others swept the hilltop. Five massive bulks rushed into the ranks of the Dawi'Zharr and renewed battlecries came from a grouping of the lanky blue slaves to be. At their center five Trolls...no those things were both too brave and shaped wrong to be Trolls rushed into the Dwarven lines disrupting the siege formation that had been tearing into the enemy keep.

Ghozul frowned, he was yet again delayed from the final victory of his year long campaign out in this wasteland and now this new annoyance hand to be solved. The Dwarf could almost feel the magic of some odd totems next to the feet of the massive brutes. But Hashut smiled on his child as the Fireborn were attracted by the noise and soon flew over exchanging blows with the Brutes.

"Send a runner, when Mozi is in range for accurate bombardment, fire her at the Keep, I want it all crashing down af once." The order was simple, but by now a Goblin couldn't be trusted to deliver it so a Dwarf set out to run it to the Dreadquake Mortar's crew. However seconds later a Wolf Riding Hobgoblin pulled up next to the Overlord.

"Mozi's retreating from the field, we're moving the slaves back to the slave encampment, the main camp is no longer secure!" The greenskin reported, earning a deathly glare from the Dawi.

"What do you mean?" He growled.

"An enemy sabotage squad got in and killed the crew, one of the engineers says the boiler is hurt, a good number of Dwarves died too." As the Goblin finished a pistol round peirced his skull. As he held the smoking gun Ghozul couldn't care what the Immortals about him thought. Now he only wanted vengence.

"Level that damn building, any slaves from here on out are to be broken, only fit to work as beasts of burden!" The order dripped of malice and hate. And the armies responce was equally spiteful.

"Hashut! Vorgund! Zharr-Naggrund!"

Moments after three rockets, two blast of grapeshot and multiple mortar shells all impacted a single segment of the keep, tearing down one of the building's segments, exposing its strange internal design...and a central glowing green portal larger than a Ogre.

Ghozul stared in amazement for several moments, he could see another building, and people, ELVES, on the other side of the glowing portal, and then the blue skinned Elf on the other side loosed a arrow which penetrated the armor of one of the Immortals at Ghozul's side causing the Dwarf to roar in a mix of outrage and pain.

"Hold for as long as you can! If we can buy even a few seconds for someone else to escape we have to. Only when we can't hold any more do we even consider using that portal do you hear me!?" Launchalot shouted the order. hoping instead that the coward from the apothecary society didn't go ahead with his current plan of just blighting the portal and killing everyone the second the Keep started to fall.

More rockets and mortar shells impacted the keep and the building dangerously shook even as Launchalot fired a crossbolt out one of the embrasures of the keep and knocking the shield loose from the hands of one of the Dwarf warriors, the warrior then pulled the bolt from his shield and rebraced himself. Elsewhere others were trying their best to fend off those damned Elemental monsters but still two of them remained.

Then a series of roars shook the field, and Launchalot took time from reloading his crossbow to scan the field. Outside the keep five Dire Trolls with a support of the last ten Troll Berserkers and two witch doctors charged into the flanks of the enemy.

"Where did the Dire Trolls come from!?" The Undead Knight demanded with shock and disbelief.

A nearby Troll pulled back from a damaged portion of wall where he had been fending off of a Dwarf warrior who was now staggering away wounded. "We always had dem."

"We could have used those fucking morons over a hour ago!" Launchalot raged.

"Dey doktors said dat they weren't sure if dey would be of help or not since dey not yet have full grasp of der senses." The Troll answered.

Launchalot shook his head and started reloading, though at his side Zannae could have sworn he head the Undead muttering, "Fucking Trolls going to get us all fucking killed, can't trust any of these incompetent idiots." The Knight then aimed the crossbow and fired, his shot again hitting the same Dwarf's shield.

And then the enemy started chanting. "Hashut! Vorgund! Zharr-Naggrund!" Caught in a moment of confusion as the translation magic of the hill seemed to fail. Launchalot stepped back as he reloaded. And then the wall exploded, rockets and mortar shells blasted the wall apart as grape shot tore through it and eventually, destablized an entire section of the building collapsed.

Fortunately the Horde defenders were already fleeing and only a single Troll had been caught and pinned by the debries, yet now was the time for the survivors to make a mad dash for the portal...

Everyone in the keep froze, on the other side the portal was surrounded by Deathguard and before those Deathguard circling the Portal was Sylvanas Windrunner herself. A single arrow them flew from the portal and maybe a second after Sylvanas herself.

And then the tide of reinforcements came, emerging by the dozens out of the portal Deathguard rushed forward each running for the nearest doorway, embrasure, or wall breach they could and immediately joining the fight. Dozens rushed after Sylvanas. Launchalot, Zannae and many other defenders found themselves charging after the Warchief as well.

Outside the crumbling keep the battle now turned into a chaotic scrimmage. Two Dire Trolls lay dead while the other three, while on fire, piled on one of the enemy Elementals each weighing it down and beating it with their fists. Sylvanas herself ran behind the other flaming monster firing arrows into the back of it with a speed Launchalot could barely follow.

The Gun holding elites of the Dwarves silently retaliated, waves of gunfire tearing into charging Deathguard many torn down before they could attempt to dodge or fight back, Dwarf warriors locked with Deathguard but where they had the advantage of numbers before slowly more and more Deathguard joined and the Dwarves were finding themselves outnumbered by well coordinated soldiers instead.

The clear leader and his elite guard shouted in rage and charged into the battle tearing into the flank of the Deathguard, but the last Cryptgaurd and defenders of the Crimson Post in turn rushed these Dwarves. Theirs were massive axes and polearms and some of the thickest armor Launchalot had ever encountered, each of these Dwarves underneath even felt tougher than even a Ogron. But still the defenders threw their remaining strength into helping the Deathguard.

Soon a new explosion ripped the battlefield, and then another, the last two of the enemy Elementals died in their own flaming explosions freeing Sylvanas to roam the battle rampaging through the enemy lines along with the last surviving Dire Troll.

An ax from one of the enemies nearly took Launchalot's head, but the Knight barely avoided the attack. And then suddenly the Enemy was retreating. Dwarves without ranged weapons ran, while the masked foes fell back in waves turning and firing at pursuing Deathguard, while crossbows and Blunderbuss unleashed volleys into pursuers who came too close to catching the fleeing Dwarves.

Launchalot watched in stunned silence. The enemy were fleeing, did they actually win? Moments later Sylvanas voice carried over the battle. "Pelt them, let them know they failed to best the Horde!" Arrows, gunfire, magic bolts, and even a quickly brought through mortar harrassed the fleeing Dwarves who had to snake through the breaches they had formed, the Dwarves were still stubbron, firing back and trying to ensure as little surviving weaponry and armor as possible remained behind.

Even in retreat the enemy remained coordinated, and spiteful. Rather than a route the dwarves made a swift fighting retreat, and any captives they had or found along the way that they couldn't escape with they swiftly executed, often making a show of claiming the captive's severed head.

Apparently the enemy's main camp had also already begun their retreat as the Horde's pursut was stalled by vicious wolf riders and stubbron dwarves but thr army never needed to stop their retreat as their supplies were already moved away from the battle.

Still after it the battle had ended, and Sylvanas ordered that the avaliable forces observe and follow the attackers but avoid battle, as the Horde's own mounted forces were now too limited as the dwarves had stolen or slaughtered most of the stables worth of beasts. Only leaving the Orc Raiders and their Wolves, that the Raiders had sacrificed much to save as the only mounted force who could reasonably pursue this enemy.

It took hours to count who remained, and Launchalot nearly counted Gin and all who left with him as lost, but eventually he and four others returned right before Launchalot dared to proclaim him dead. But the final numbers for those killed, lost or captured amounted to nine hundred and thirty nine out of the garrison's original one thousand one hundred and five defenders. Such Losses for the Horde were in a way horrific, the garrison was much larger than most towns or villages but not even close to some of the Horde's more important postings.

Still under Kitala's watch, the Portal almost fell into hostile hands and by an enemy that armchair warchiefs would certainly claim should have been easy to defeat. Launchalot didn't even know if his name would now be a curse or if he'd be a hero for holding until the very last. But still the way Sylvanas looked towards him filled the Undead Knight with hope and pride.

On a hill overlooking the battle a hooded figure rubbed his hands excitedly. Everything was proceeding as his masters had predicted and soon it would be his part to play to ensure their, and his, glory spread across all realms.

Ghozul stumbled, but fortunately no one noticed. The losses here were horrific for Ghozul. Now the question of if or if not he'd be disgraced depended entirely on the slave count, and then of he could convince the other Overlord's of their worth. The march back to Zharr-Naggrund would be certainly one of hard labor, maintaining steam engines non-stop and keeping unruly Greenskins and slaves in check.

The Hobgoblins would also all have to be enslaved for their failures and to recup some losses in that end, but even they were too few for Ghozul's liking. But still he had to hold out hope for the new slaves, both of the normal greenskin varieties and of the new species.

"What was the haul from the battle?" Ghozul finally asked as he approached his slave master. The Dwarf had been far from the battle but working tirelessly to make sure maximum profit at the end of all things.

"We're still caging the last of them now, but so far six Elves, thirty-two of these new blue skinned creatures, one hundred of these half-Orks, and no less than twelve Minotaur. Under normal circumstances twelve minotaur are worthy of quite a bit of praise, especially such docile ones, but certainly with such unique slaves the clan's honor and your own should stay intact if not garner you some measure of fame." The Master stated.

"Oh you can judge honor now can you?" Ghozul growled.

"No my Overlord, but yours is the honor of the clan, and we will seek to ensure yours remains intact for as long as you live." A subtle threat but Ghozul could hear it, fools always thought he couldn't hear such blatant attempts at subtlety. He might need to have the Slave Master killed later.