At the time of Stormwind's fall, many were still willing to believe that the orcs were rumors. It was only when the refugees arrived at Lordaeron that there was little room to doubt. Even if some of his people didn't believe in orcs, Terenas Menethil II, king of Lordaeron, knew that the remaining kingdoms faced a dire threat. Terenas rightfully feared that if the humans didn't unite, that the orcs would destroy the kingdoms one by one.
Terenas called for the other kings to gather in Lordaeron City in what is now known as the Council of Seven Nations. While several kingdoms agreed to join Lordaeron and Stormwind in unity, Gilneas and Alterac were not so eager to unite as rumors spread that the orcs were merely human rebels among the nobility of the city.
During one council meeting, Kelvin and Gerome each had an opportunity to speak before the gathered kings. Gerome testified before the kings that the orcs were indeed real, and when Aiden Perenolde of Alterac asked if they would be willing to negotiate, he didn't hesitate to say they wouldn't. As for Kelvin, he stressed the importance of not wasting any time to unite, as if the orcs were real, the kingdoms would need their armies together to face them. Some of the nobles were bored of his discussion on the tactics he had in mind but Lothar took interest in the gnomes.
Kelvin, Gerome, and Doyle stayed in a tavern within Lordaeron City. Doyle spent his time practicing his magic, and although he hadn't been approved for active duty, Gerome trained alongside a group of new recruits to keep in shape. No one realized it at the time but the men he trained were the same group that Gregory and Matthew were a part of. Kelvin spent his time in correspondence with Lothar, providing suggestions on how best a united military should be structured.
However, the kings would continue to debate the merits of unification. It was only when the orcs showed they were continuing to wage war in the south against the dwarven clans of Khaz Modan. The dwarves and gnomes united in a coalition to stand against the orc army but there was little to be done.
Lorad told me that as a dwarf, it was my obligation to write about these battle's from the perspective of the dwarves and gnomes. This sentiment was shared by several others I knew, but as I compiled my research, I felt it was necessary to focus on the orc's side if only because it plays into the history of Lion's Vengeance.
There was no one else with Ruvas the night he prepared a funeral pyre for his son. Kutarg had influence but little friends other than several warlocks, many of whom were killed by Warchief Doomhammer. Ruvas wanted to bring his son to Draenor so that he could be with his ancestors but couldn't get permission to cross through the Dark Portal. It was likely that Kutarg wouldn't care where his funeral pyre was, and so, it was built outside the ruins of the fallen human city in a clearing in the forest.
It was a dark night with only the stars providing the grieving orc solace. Ruvas looked upon his son one last time. Kutarg had been wrapped in linen cloth and placed upon the pyre, looking up at the sky. Letting out a held breath, Ruvas lowered his torch to the pyre. The flames spread quickly and consumed Kutarg. The orc backed away from the pyre, listening to the crackling fire.
Ruvas had lost his mate to illness years ago but the pain he felt was different. He wasn't sure why that was as, although he loved his son, he admitted that Kutarg was abusive with his power. His son had no honor and yet the loss was nearly enough to drive Ruvas to break down into tears.
Soon, Ruvas realized the reason why Kutarg's death felt differently was because it was his fault his son died. He treated Gerome with dignity during his captivity and did what he could do to spare his life. In return, the prisoner killed Kutarg and ran away without a word. Ruvas recognized that Gerome had every right to do so, that Kutarg was the human's enemy, but the logic did little to soothe his soul. It didn't help that his trackers weren't able to find the escaped prisoner.
Ruvas wouldn't cry while his son's killer remained at large. Instead, he screamed up at the night sky, letting fury overtake him.
"To the north lies Khaz Modan, the land of the dwarves. If you march there, you will face the Kingdom of Ironforge in battle."
"This isn't the first we've heard of the dwarves. What can you tell us about them?"
"They're short but don't let their appearances fool you. I heard they make for mighty warriors. Like your Horde, they divide themselves up into clans. Many of their strongholds are built into the mountains and they make use of weapons far advanced than both of our armies."
"And what is past the dwarves?"
"It doesn't matter. The Horde won't be able to breach the gates of Ironforge."
Ruvas played the conversation in his head over and over, thinking about how he should have pressed for more information from the prisoner. Now marching alongside his fellow warriors into Khaz Modan, he knew that there was more to the dwarves than meets the eye.
Crossing through the mountains was a dangerous trek. The dwarves had the capability to destroy several mountain passes which slowed the Horde's approach. Ruvas had nearly been killed when he was buried under the rubble from such a collapse. If it weren't for a huntress from the Bleeding Hollow pulling him free from the loose stones, his journey would have ended there. When the healers told him he had no broken bones, Ruvas pressed on.
As the invasion of Khaz Modan continued, it was apparent that the dwarves weren't alone. They were aided by shorter creatures called gnomes that didn't hesitate to aid the dwarven defenders. Ruvas was taken by surprise when he saw a gnome for the first time, which allowed the small warrior to stab him in the leg. He cleaved the gnome's head in two and was told to rest while his leg healed. During his recovery, Ruvas interrogated the few dwarven prisoners he had, relying on what little he knew of the human's language to hear their answers. When he learned of what the gnomes were and reported that they were different from dwarves, he heard that Warchief Doomhammer was pleased with his success.
Ruvas joined the march, and when breaching one of the dwarven strongholds built into the mountainside, he realized that Gerome downplayed what weapons the dwarves carried. When he was the first to make his way through into the outpost, a dwarf pointed a metal rod at him and he felt intense pain in his shoulder. Ruvas pushed through the pain to kill his attacker and two other dwarves before he collapsed. When he woke up, gathered with the rest of the injured, he soon learned that the dwarves were armed with rifles, a powerful ranged weapon.
It took Ruvas time to recover from the attack, but when he was cleared to return to march with the other warriors, he implemented some changes to his arsenal. He wore plate armor forged by skilled blacksmiths that had saved his life when the dwarves shot him with rifles time and time again. He discarded his old axe in favor of a halberd with an axehead at the end. It provided him the reach to strike down the dwarven warriors before they could reach him.
The invasion continued on and Ruvas fought fiercely as ever against the dwarves. There were several warriors who saw how Ruvas fared earlier and wondered how the older orc still lived. For some time, he also wondered how he survived the injuries he sustained and came to realize that his willpower pushed him forward to battle.
The dwarves and the gnomes were only an obstacle for Ruvas' true path. He would not fall in battle until he had avenged Kutarg by striking down Gerome.
There was no great final battle to end the invasion of Khaz Modan. When the orcs broke through the defensive line, the dwarves and gnomes retreated to the shelter of their respective cities and closed the gates behind them. The orcs threw everything they had at the fortresses but they were tougher to break into than Stormwind was. When it became clear that there was no chance of taking the cities, the orcs settled for a siege to starve their enemies out.
Some of the younger warriors were disappointed that they wouldn't take part in a glorious battle. Ruvas didn't care much about the sieges. They were distractions from the human kingdoms that waited for the Horde in the north. Gerome had kept quiet on what was past Khaz Modan, but soon, he would find out for himself, and like Ironforge, they would fall before the might of the Horde.
Ruvas made his way to the command tent, trudging his way through the snowy path. He had to give his enemies credit for enduring the arctic conditions of their home. He didn't care much for the cold and would feel much better when he would be allowed to leave Khaz Modan for somewhere warmer. He turned to look at the gates of the city the dwarves hid behind. The veteran respected the dwarves for their stronghold and he doubted that the Horde would be able to breach the gates.
It came as a surprise when a messenger told Ruvas that Warchief Doomhammer was expecting him in the command tent. He had heard rumors that the warchief had noticed his skills, both in the battles against the dwarves and his drive to learn more about their enemy. Although Ruvas never admitted it to anyone, he respected Doomhammer more than he had Blackhand and hoped that one day, the orcs would return to their old ways.
The guards standing at the command tent allowed Ruvas to enter. The veteran warrior was relieved to find that it was heated with numerous braziers and the warm temperatures reminded him of his home back in Draenor. Doomhammer stood over a table with several maps made by orcish cartographers of the region. Ruvas was pleased to see that even though the dwarves and gnomes held out, most of Khaz Modan belonged to the orcs. There were a few holdouts but nothing that the Horde couldn't deal with.
"Warchief," Ruvas greeted with a salute, bumping his hand against his chest.
"Ruvas Firesong," Warchief Doomhammer looked up from the maps. "Many have spoken of your deeds during our war against the dwarves. I wanted to see you for myself."
"I aim to serve the Horde, Warchief."
"And you've done so with honor. It is a shame that the dwarves and gnomes remain in their city. I would have liked to see how you fared against them in battle myself. For now, all I can do is leave the Bleeding Hollow to ensure that they do not come at us as we continue north."
Ruvas furrowed his brow in confusion. "Warchief, I understand your reasoning, but not why I am here."
"Then I will make it clear. I am in need of not only capable warriors but commanders. You've served the Horde well and I believe you have what it takes to be a warlord of your own band of warriors."
"This is truly an honor, Warchief!" Ruvas said with a gasp. "I will not fail the Horde."
"I trust that you and the warriors under your command will bring victory to our people," the warchief told Ruvas. "You are dismissed, Warlord Firesong."
Ruvas left the tent and noticed that two warriors standing at guard saluting him as he left. With a band of warriors under his authority, the new warlord would have a chance to make a difference in the war. With his new position, Ruvas would be able to join in on meetings with the other chieftains and commanders of the Horde and help decide how best the war would be waged.
He would use his power well. Although tempted to abuse his power to get revenge, he realized that's what Kutarg would have done in his place. Ruvas would avenge his son but it would be Gerome to seek him out in battle. Either the escaped prisoner would defeat him or he would be crushed in the coming war with the rest of his people.
Were it not for Gerome killing Kutarg, then Ruvas might have been another warrior in the Orcish Horde. Instead, he became a warlord and led battles against the human kingdoms. He had become a local legend among the orcs who fought at his side for his tenacity against any odds.
I've spent much time among the orcs and some of their allies long after the Second War. I've had a connection to the elements similar to that the shamans of the Horde use today. I may not have been a soldier during the conflict but I knew I couldn't write this story without showing that the orcs weren't the monsters everyone thought them to be then. There was very little to separate Ruvas from the many humans who lost children from the war and wanted justice.
However, the invasion of Khaz Modan didn't go unnoticed. Much like how Gerome killing Kutarg led to Ruvas' rise as warlord, so too did the orcs defeating the dwarves and gnomes. Some of the dwarves and gnomes didn't flee to Ironforge or Gnomeregan. Instead, they pressed on north, bringing more reports of the orcs to the human kingdoms. It was impossible to ignore the threat of the orcs.
There was much debate from Alterac and Gilneas on unification even with the dwarven and gnomish refugees and the two kings threatened to leave negotiations. It was only with the passionate speech of Turalyon, a well-regarded priest of Lordaeron who would go on to become the leader of the Sons of Lothar, that changed their minds.
The human nations voted unanimously to unite, and on that day, the Alliance of Lordaeron was formed.
A/N: I wanted to take a quick break from our usual cast to focus on the Horde's perspective. While this is a story focusing on Lion's Vengeance, I am a fan of the Horde at heart. It's my intention to use breaks such as this to show the perspective of several warriors from the Horde during the Second War.
Until next time.
