Lost Lion

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Volume 3: Chapter 14

*** Dun Morogh – Gnomeregan ***

Mekgineer Sicco Thermaplugg had made up his mind: Gelbin could keep Gnomeregan.

Not too long ago, Sicco firmly believed that he would have made a better ruler than Gelbin, his lifelong rival and… his close friend. Yet, Sicco had always been overshadowed. Whenever he created something, Gelbin would inevitably craft something superior. While Sicco received accolades and admiration from younger tinkers, it paled in comparison to the recognition showered upon Gelbin. Envy took root in his heart, growing into jealousy, and gnawed at him day after day. To his own dismay, Sicco even found himself harboring hatred for his friend.

Everything changed after the dwarves sent an envoy to warn of a new enemy, a foe so numerous that even an estimate of their numbers was daunting. Gnomish flying machines returned with reconnaissance reports confirming the grim news: these "orcs," as they were called, outnumbered their combined forces by at least five to one. Yet, to Sicco's astonishment, rather than delegating the defense of Gnomeregan, Gelbin took half of the city's army to aid their dwarven allies. Before departing, Gelbin made an unexpected announcement: Sicco would serve as acting regent in his absence.

At last, Sicco's secret ambition of ruling all gnomekind was granted, just like that. Finally, he had his chance to shine.

For two glorious weeks, Gnomeregan's greatest tinkerers deferred to him. They sought his approval for resource allocations, brought him schematics to review, and looked to him for solutions. Sicco basked in their deference, generously displaying his brilliance for all to admire. But his triumph was short-lived.

The first blow came when survivors of the battle arrived with grim news: the dwarves had suffered a crushing defeat. Worse still, Gelbin and the remnants of the army had been forced to retreat to the dwarven capital of Ironforge.

Then came the most alarming report: an entire company of goblins was advancing on Gnomeregan.

Sicco knew Gnomeregan was more powerful than any single Trade Prince's forces. However, with half the city's military strength gone and its sprawling civilian population vulnerable, the situation was dire. The responsibility of defending Gnomeregan now rested squarely on his shoulders.

It was a daunting challenge but also an opportunity. If Sicco could rally the defense and emerge victorious, the people would remember who stayed behind to protect them. Success could even lead to a groundswell of support to replace Gelbin entirely. This was his moment to prove his worth.

Unfortunately, Sicco failed to account for the goblins' insanity. Not only were they willing to throw away lives in droves, but—much to his irritation—the female goblin leading the assault had an uncanny mastery of explosives. In a battle of mecha suits versus mecha suits, the gnomes held the advantage in craftsmanship and durability. Each gnomish creation was often the result of years of meticulous work, a true labor of love. In contrast, the goblins treated their machines as disposable products, switching suits as casually as changing clothes. Where was the loyalty? The pride in one's work?

This reckless disregard for their creations, combined with the goblin leader's devastating precision with explosives, forced Sicco's defenders to retreat time and again. Many a gnome's life's work was obliterated by the female goblin's perfectly placed charges. Over time, the siege began to erode the defenders' morale. Days stretched into weeks, then weeks into months. The goblins frequently breached the sealed entrances, and only through great sacrifice were they ever driven back.

As the defenders rotated shifts, only one thing remained constant: Sicco at the front, anticipating the next breakthrough.

The strain was relentless. Nightmares of explosions and the anguished cries of the dying plagued his sleep. Yet the people still looked to him for reassurance, while he had no one to turn to. Did they not see the enemies at the gates? Could they not understand what he endured? Worst of all, Sicco knew that Gelbin, his insufferably optimistic friend, would have found a way to inspire hope in the people, no matter the odds.

How he wished Gelbin was here instead. Let him take back the reins of leadership. As far as Sicco was concerned, Gelbin could have it.

"It's time," said Master Tinker Trini, her voice low and weary.

Trini, a gnome with once-bright pink hair, was now as haggard and gaunt as the rest of the defenders. Her usual cheerful demeanor had long since vanished under the weight of the unrelenting siege.

All of Gnomeregan's remaining defenders waited at the secondary entrance with bated breath. The primary entrance, which led outside, was supposed to be secure—the lift platform that descended into Gnomeregan proper had been disabled early in the siege, but the goblins, in their manic ingenuity, had simply blown it apart and constructed makeshift steps down to the city's main gate.

"Maybe they've run out of materials to make bombs today," joked a gnome captain by the name of Razak Ironsides.

A ripple of chuckles spread among the defenders. They all knew the odds of that happening were slim to none.

The laughter died abruptly as the sharp clang of metal striking stone echoed from the other side of the barricade. Sicco wasn't the only one who tensed at the sound. Inside his latest mecha suit, he braced himself, expecting the inevitable explosion of goblin charges. But to his surprise, what followed wasn't a blast, but a faint tapping noise.

The sound was so weak it caught everyone off guard. Sicco's thoughts swam with possibilities. 'What are they up to now? Are they linking all the charges together for one massive detonation? He frowned. Could they even figure out how to do that?'

The tapping came again, weaker than before. Four deliberate thuds. The rhythm almost seemed… polite?

Sicco exchanged a bewildered look with Master Tinker Trini, whose wide-eyed expression mirrored his own. Were the goblins actually knocking? The absurdity of the notion set his teeth on edge. 'Mockery. That's what this is.'

Raising his enhanced flamethrower, which could spew fire hotter than a forge, he prepared to incinerate the goblins the moment they breached the barrier. At the very least, he'd get some satisfaction from watching them burn. But before he could pull the trigger, something unexpected happened.

"Hello?" called a male voice from the other side of the barricade.

The gnomes froze. The voice was deep and lacked the shrill nasal tone of a goblin. It also lacked the high-pitched cadence typical of their own kind. Before anyone could react, there came another three knocks, this time firmer but still oddly polite.

"Excuse me," the voice continued, "but if anyone is there, please inform your leader that Marshal Callan Lothar of the Alliance wishes to notify the Tinker Council that the goblin forces have been destroyed."

The gnomes stared at one another in stunned silence.

Sicco's eyes darted from Trini to the other tinkerers. Was this a goblin trick?

"That does sound like a human name," Trini offered hesitantly.

"True, but humans have been known to work with goblins," Razak countered. "It could be a trap to lure us out."

Razak's warning weighed heavily on the group. Trini and the other tinkerers wore doubtful expressions, their earlier glimmer of hope extinguished. Sicco's jaw tightened. He agreed with Razak—this could easily be a ploy.

Before anyone could reach a conclusion, a much louder, rougher pounding rattled the barricade. It reverberated with force, causing the defenders to flinch.

'Looks like the trick didn't work,' Sicco thought bitterly, gripping his flamethrower tighter. 'Now they're trying something else.'

"Oi, gnomes, it's me, Brann Bronzebeard, youngest brother of Magni and a friend of yer leader Gelbin! Gelbin told me he put his best friend in charge of yer city, a Mekgineer by the name o' Sicco Thermaplugg."

The unmistakable voice of a dwarf boomed from the other side of the barricade. Gnomes had been neighbors with dwarves for so long that even their children could easily recognize a dwarven accent.

"I'm tellin' yae, the goblins have been cleared out by the Alliance, an army made up o' every human kingdom!"

"That's Brann Bronzebeard's voice—and his speech pattern," Trini exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with hope. "I've dealt with his Explorer's League many times!"

'Could it be true?' Sicco thought in disbelief. 'Was the siege finally over just like that?'

The oppressive tension that had hung in the air for months seemed to lift at Trini's declaration.

"Unseal the entrance and let them in!" Sicco finally ordered.

A dozen gnomes in their crawler mechas scurried over to the gate and began firing beams of concentrated heat to cut through the barricade.

"Lord Brann Bronzebeard, you and the humans should step back from the doors!" Sicco called.

A single, resounding pound echoed from the other side—an acknowledgment. The presence beyond the gate retreated while Sicco, Trini, and the other tinkerers moved their own mechas forward to assist. They began slicing through the barricade, their tools and mechas working in harmony to carve a circular opening large enough for two mecha walkers to pass through side by side.

After nearly an hour of grueling work, the pre-cut section was ready. Sicco's mecha reared back and delivered a powerful punch to the weakened metal.

The barricade groaned under the force, then collapsed outward, sending up a plume of dust. Many gnomes shielded their faces, coughing and waving away the cloud.

As the dust began to settle, the first thing Sicco saw was a towering, armored human, roughly six feet tall. He carried a massive sword engraved with glowing runic script. The young man's kind eyes and dirty blond hair gave him an approachable appearance, even as he radiated strength.

But as the last of the dust cleared, it revealed much more—a veritable army standing behind the human. Rows upon rows of Alliance soldiers stretched back into the snowy landscape.

Gasps of relief swept through the gnomes. Some dropped to their knees, weeping openly. Brann's words had been true, the goblins were gone, and their nightmare had finally ended.

The human stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the assembled gnomes. For a moment, silence hung in the air as he seemed to take in the weariness etched into their faces. Then, he spoke the sweetest words Sicco had ever heard.

"People of Gnomeregan, you are free!"

The cheer began with the human forces behind the young man, their voices booming with triumph and relief. It wasn't long before the gnomes joined in. At first hesitant, then growing louder as the cheer spread like wildfire. Sicco himself raised his voice, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he and his fellow gnomes celebrated the long-awaited end of their torment.

*** Gnomeregan - Callan ****

I watched as the gnomes poured out of their city, many leaping with joy, their high-pitched cheers filling the air. Others rushed to the Alliance soldiers, offering heartfelt thanks. I could tell that for many soldiers, this was their first time seeing such diminutive beings with faces so similar to humans. Unlike the goblins, who were at least a foot taller and had features that resembled orcs more than humans, the gnomes' small, cherubic faces evoked a sense of camaraderie. There was an unspoken connection between races that shared these familiar features: humans, dwarves, elves, and gnomes.

Seeing the relief etched on the faces of the gnomish citizens, I felt a pang of understanding. They had endured so much, and I could fully appreciate their plight, having seen firsthand the devastation the goblins had wrought. Normally, Gnomeregan had two entrances. The first was the main gateway from Dun Morogh, leading to their city proper. The second required traversing a massive elevator shaft, descending to the true heart of Gnomeregan. But the goblins, clever as they were volatile, had found a way around the gnomes' defenses. Or, perhaps more accurately, through them.

The goblins had tunneled a new path into the gnomish entrance. What had once been a structured gateway with a building above it was gone now, reduced to rubble. The elevator itself lay warped and discarded to one side, a testament to the destructive ingenuity of the attackers. Judging by the bomb fragments littering the site and the stockpiles I'd seen in their fortress, it was clear that explosives had been their primary tool for breaching the gnomish stronghold. Even in the original timeline, I don't recall the Horde ever pushing the gnomes this hard.

I tried to piece together what I could remember of Gnomeregan's fate in the original timeline, but as was often the case with this world and Blizzard's storytelling, so much was filled in on the fly. To my recollection, Kilrogg Deadeye and the Bleeding Hollow clan had dismissed the gnomes as a non-threat, focusing their efforts on Ironforge instead. In fact, I wasn't even certain the Horde had ever made a concentrated push against Gnomeregan. Surely, they must have deployed someone there, right?

Shaking my head, I pushed those questions aside. I needed to focus on the bigger picture. The liberation of Gnomeregan was a victory, but time was of the essence, and the situation on the ground had changed.

Phase one of our plan was complete, though it had to be modified when we took the goblin compound thirteen days ago. Falconcrest was able to extract valuable information from the flamboyantly-dressed goblin overseer I captured during the assault. Originally, the plan had been to push into the goblin harbor as quickly as possible. Saidan would then lead the army, pushing straight into the goblin tunnels to secure a defensive position. From that position in Dun Morogh, the Alliance would reinforce and hold the area, essentially creating a mini bulwark against any Horde forces reacting to our invasion.

Like a peacock spreading its feathers to draw attention, the purpose of the Alliance Legion was to lure the Laughing Skull Clan's attention to us. We were taking a risk by relying on the Laughing Skull Clan not notifying the other Horde factions of our presence in Dun Morogh. In both timelines I was aware of, the Laughing Skull Clan had no real loyalty to the Horde; they were only aligned with them because it was the lesser of two evils. Now that the Horde was fractured, with Doomhammer to the south, the Laughing Skull would look out for their own survival.

Phase two would begin once we successfully drew the Laughing Skull Clan's attention. We knew they still had to keep the dwarves of Ironforge in check, so we were fairly certain that while they would send a significant force after us, it wouldn't be overwhelming. Uther and the rest of the leadership agreed that the Laughing Skull would send no more than twenty thousand orcs at most to root us out. Any more than that would stretch their resources too thin, especially with their Dark Iron and Goblin allies, and compromise their ability to maintain control over Ironforge.

However, all of that was a distraction for our true plan.

While the Horde was distracted by their diverted troops, Brann would lead Modera and me, along with a small force, through a secret passage into Ironforge. Unfortunately, the information we'd extracted from the captured overseer had confirmed that the path Brann intended for us to take had been poisoned. The goblins, being as destructive as they were ingenious, had anticipated a secret route and launched enough toxic fumes to seep into any cracks or crevices. The dwarves, still battling the attacks, most likely sealed up those weak points, but that left us without a clear way in.

It was by sheer dumb luck that I spotted what I did, and thus we were able to remain hidden from the Laughing Skull's eyes. That element of surprise allowed us to ambush their unsuspecting scouts and wipe out their raiding parties on the western half of Dun Morogh. Though it was slower than we'd have liked, it was still faster than waiting for Admiral Proudmoore to assemble a transport fleet to ferry seventy thousand soldiers. Thankfully, we had crushed the goblin forces and liberated the gnomes. With their help, our chances of saving Magni went from fifty percent to sixty. It would have been higher if we'd given the gnomes more time to recover, but we had to move out soon.

Of course, we weren't going to rush in foolishly, but we couldn't afford to take our time either. I exhaled, and then went over to the gnome in charge. He was a balding gnome, as most of the males of their race were. Where a dwarf would reach up to my chest, the gnome barely came up to my hip. It was hard to imagine someone so tiny being responsible for so much misery in the future. I knew about Sicco Thermaplugg's twisted ambition and his future crimes. It was because of him that Gnomeregan would eventually become an irradiated wasteland.

For a moment, as I watched him thank Brann and the other Alliance soldiers, I was tempted to cut him down and nip that problem in the bud right there and then. Logic warred with impulse, and logic won. While he might be a future traitor, he wasn't one now. In fact, he was a brilliant engineer, second only to Mekkatorque himself. I had a need for him, and after seeing that enough time had passed for the gnomes to relish their newfound freedom, it was time to collect that price.

"Regent Sicco Thermaplugg?" I said politely. The gnome in question turned toward me upon hearing his name. He was standing next to a twin-tailed pigtailed female gnome. I had no idea who she was; as far as I remembered, that style was very common among female gnomes, both NPCs and players.

"Ah, Marshal Callan Lothar, right?" Sicco asked. His voice had that high-pitched squeak common in gnomes but lacked the madness I remembered from another life. "Gnomeregan owes you a debt of gratitude, and I'm sure Gelbin would reward you appropriately. On a more personal note, you have my thanks, and if there's anything I can do to repay you, feel free to let me know!"

"Well, I'm glad you're offering, because I'm here to request your aid on behalf of the Alliance," I replied. My immediate cashing in on Sicco's gratitude caught him by surprise, but he nodded gamely. Looking over to Alleria, I beckoned her over while I turned back to the gnome reagent. "You see, when we arrived in this land, we didn't expect to liberate Gnomeregan, but certain opportunities presented themselves, and now we find ourselves in a better position than we expected."

Sicco and a group of gnomes congregated around him, eager to listen to what I had to say. Holding out my hand, Alleria handed me the map of the region that Brann had drawn beforehand. I removed my cloak and laid it down in the snow before spreading the map out over it. By that time, I wasn't alone, Brann and Saidan had gathered by my side as well. On the map were several blue "X"s marking where we had crushed Horde raiding forces.

"I'm not sure if you were aware, but the goblins blew a hole through the mountains of Dun Morogh and built an oil pipeline from here to here," I said, tracing the tunnel path that started at the goblin compound we had captured and extended all the way to the coastline.

"What?!" Sicco asked, his voice full of genuine shock. Meanwhile, the other tinkerers looked incredulously at the map, scrutinizing it more carefully. "Those destructive fiends!"

I had to prevent my jaw from dropping at Thermaplugg's statement, but I supposed that the current him could throw stones—he wasn't living in a glass house just yet.

"What's the size of that tunnel?" the pink-haired female gnome asked.

"Do you know what it's reinforced with?" asked a gnome with a white beard.

"What are the exact dimensions of the pipeline?" a youthful-looking gnome with a full head of hair mused. "Depending on what they used to reinforce it, there could possibly be an imminent tunnel collapse!"

"Sorry, I'm not sure," I answered, a bit worried. I had actually forgotten that it was made by goblins, thus shoddy by nature. A collapsing tunnel could have been a common occurrence for them. Luckily, we had made it through with little trouble, but if it collapsed later, our retreat route to the fleet would be cut off. "However, we'd welcome your assistance if you could send some people to assess and help reinforce the tunnel. This path is what allowed us to get behind the Horde lines and connect with the fleet outside if reinforcements are needed."

"I'll go take a look at it, Regent Thermaplugg," the pink-haired gnome volunteered. "I can leave in a few hours after I gather a survey and engineering team."

"Set out tomorrow when everyone is fresher," Sicco ordered, his expression serious as he turned to me. "If it's help you want, it's help you get; we'll do everything in our power to assist the Alliance with whatever you need."

In that moment, I felt a genuine sense of gratitude toward the future enemy of all gnomish-kind.

"Thank you, Lord Regent," I said, my voice sincere as I pointed to the map. "As you can see, the goblin base behind us has been taken and secured. They had an oil refinery right here, by Coldridge Lake, but it's in our hands now."

Thermaplugg's eyes shifted from the map to the goblin base now flying Alliance and dwarven banners.

"There was a female goblin there, a leader who specialized in explosive munitions…" he trailed off, looking expectantly at me.

I turned and looked in Saidan's direction. If gnomes reached my hip, they only reached the large man's knee caps. The large paladin unslung his warhammer from his back and dropped it to the ground with a heavy thud.

"The female goblin you're asking about met her end at the hands of me and my warhammer, Righteous Might, Regent," Saidan replied, his voice filled with pride.

I winced at the memory of what had happened in the goblin fortress. My speech might have worked a little too well; the soldiers had gone into a killing frenzy, and every goblin in their way had been slain. It wasn't until after the female goblin was dead that I ordered my people to imprison those who had thrown down their weapons and begged for mercy. By the time all was said and done, fewer than three hundred out of over four thousand goblins in the base camp had survived. I could have brought many more back to life if I wanted to, but saw little point in it. The leader that had all the information had her head crushed by Saidan.

Thermaplugg's expression turned almost evilly gleeful before he let out a full-bellied laugh.

"Good!" he declared, offering Saidan a hand, which the larger man shook with a wry smile. The sight would have been comical under different circumstances. With a bright, happy face, Thermaplugg turned to me. "So with western Dun Morogh is secure. You intend to liberate Gelbin and Ironforge next, correct?"

"Yes," I replied, taking a deep breath and meeting his gaze. "But we will need your help to do so."

Sicco's eyes hardened, his resolve as cold and steely as the surrounding snow. He shook his head slightly, his voice low and determined. "Say no more. Tell us how we can be of assistance."

And so, on the snowy ground of the newly liberated capitol city of Gnomeregan, I laid out my plans for phase two of our attack.

*** Alliance Bastion (Formerly Blackwedge Fortress) – Later that night ***

Unlike the sparse supplies we found at the goblin coastline and their compound, the larder of the main goblin base was stocked to the brim. Upon inspection, we realized many of the ales and beers had likely been looted from the dwarven villages that the goblins had raided. With Brann's blessing, he offered all of the stolen dwarven food to the Alliance war effort. In the spirit of unity, I declared a grand feast for tonight and ordered everyone to eat their fill and enjoy themselves. It was a victory party in all but name since the western front had been cleared of Horde forces.

The soldiers, the survivors, and those who had been under siege all deserved a moment of peace and happiness. Like the old saying on Earth: "Eat, drink, and be merry. For tomorrow, we dine in hell." At least, I think it went something like that. Regardless, it was good for the mental health of our invading force to take a break.

Of course, not everyone could—or would—join in the festivities. The scouts and Falconcrest agents were keeping a lookout for Horde signs, just in case, but there was a very slim chance of that happening. The rest, however, finally got the chance to relax and let loose; some were even hooking up in not-so-secret corners of the main goblin building. The dwarven auxiliaries were sitting with members of both the gnomes and the Alliance, toasting and drinking to their hearts' content. Saidan, Tirion, and the other leaders were in the company of honorary Alliance members, feasting with Brann and Sicco while discreetly discussing plans for tomorrow. Finally, to top it all off, under the protective gaze of the LARPing blue dragon princess and her human minions, Lirath played a pleasant, upbeat melody. Those interested in the impromptu concert gathered around him. Many were even dancing—dwarves with humans, gnomes with dwarves, and the combination went on.

As for me, I could have taken the main office building of the goblins as my own quarters for the night, but I preferred to stay out here in the open air around a campfire. I was also the only person at the campfire, as others were too intimidated by my rank and status to approach me. When I was younger and foolish, I had the idea of being an approachable senior officer—one who didn't need to stand on formalities when we weren't on the clock. However, wartime had thrown that idea out the window. While my old unit in Stormwind still treated me casually, the rest had only known me as "War Hero" Callan Lothar.

But, in a twist of perspective, I surprisingly found myself fine with it. In the absence of their presence, I no longer needed to maintain my professional act. It was like living in a full house all my life and suddenly being granted peace and quiet. It was quite soothing, and I wondered if this was why leaders and celebrities from my old world often played golf. The silence, the isolation, the quiet scenery—it was relaxing in an almost addictive way. I picked up a nearby stick and poked at the campfire, making the flames leap higher and brighter.

Basking in the warmth of the fire, I looked at what I had personally looted from the goblins' larder. The label said "Kaja Cola" in Common. If I was right, this would taste like one of the two popular colas from my old life, or perhaps one of its off-brands. Whatever the case, it had been over twenty years since I had drunk anything like it. Even the can's packaging looked the same—pull tab and colorful logo. Due to the winter weather in Dun Morogh, the goblin cola was nice and cold. There was nothing better to drink on Earth than a crisp, icy-cold cola.

However, I hesitated because it was goblin-made. I scrutinized the can again, debating whether I should drink it. It should be fine, after all. Humans in the game drank it, so I didn't expect any adverse effects.

'Don't be a pussy, you can detox yourself anyway,' I mentally berated myself.

With my mind made up, I checked the can to ensure it wasn't shaken, tapped the pull tab a few times, and then pulled it back to the familiar sound of a sizzling carbonated drink. I poured a little out in the light and saw that, though it was primarily blackish in color, there was a tinge of green to it. A green cola drink wasn't that odd. On Earth, they had soda pop in every color under the sun. This wasn't that off-putting.

"Well, here goes," I thought as I chugged the goblin cola. My memory of the sensation had prepared me for the explosion and bite of the drink. Reality however was different.

It was so intense that I had to close my eyes. As I swallowed, it sizzled down my throat and into my belly. The intensity of the carbonation and sweetness made me pound my fist on my leg. It didn't have the exact flavor profile of a Coke or Pepsi product, but it was close enough. The burn was just the right amount, and the sweetness was a lot more cloying than I expected. All in all, it gets a pass as a cola. With the first gulp down, I chugged the rest until the can was empty.

"You actually finished it?" came a familiar lilting female voice. I turned in the direction of the voice, only to feel her fingers drag across my shoulder, then move upward to my hair and toy with it. "It looked like it caused you physical pain."

I turned in the other direction to face the female elf just in time to see her retract her arm back to her side. In her other hand was an unopened can of Kaja Cola.

"It's not bad," I replied. The campfire seemed to highlight her features. Last I saw her, Alleria had been by Lirath's side. "Though it's an acquired taste, so I'd be careful with that if I were you."

I pointed at the goblin cola in her hand. The blonde elf raised an eyebrow in response, hefted the soda, and then, with a swift motion, opened the can as I had. She knocked the can back mimicking me, and much to my amusement, dropped the can and spat it out into the campfire. At that point, I decided to support Alleria in the only way a good friend would do so — by laughing my ass off at her.

"Hahaha!" I laughed uproariously.

"Ptuh! Ugh! How were you able to stomach such a vile drink? Ptuh! Ptuh!" the normally beautiful and composed elf said, spitting in a very unladylike manner.

As if that weren't enough, she took the waterskin pouch from her side and brought it to her lips. My eyes bugged out since I remembered being told that this wasn't just any water but water from the Sunwell itself. The elves, knowing they'd be away from their homeland for a while, had taken a waterskin pouch worth. From what I understood, elves only needed to drink a mouthful every month. And now, she was using such precious water to rinse her mouth of the goblin cola!

I watched her swish the water vigorously around in her mouth before spitting it into the fire. The flame, as if boosted by the magical water, spiked momentarily to five feet before settling back down to its normal size.

"Ugh! Finally, I can no longer taste that... that… foul concoction!" Alleria complained as she wiped her lips with the back of her arm bracers.

"What can I say?" I said, rubbing it in in the spirit of being a good friend. "You elves might be prettier, a bit faster, and have better eyesight, but us humans, well, we're just tough like that."

Alleria shot me a mocking glare before taking yet another swig of her Sunwell water and spitting it out.

"Uh, should you be so wasteful with such an important item?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"It's fine," Alleria waved me off before giving me an almost smug look. "The Sunwell nourishes us, that is true, but that doesn't mean we can't function as long as we have an acceptable font of power nearby."

'What font of power?' I thought as I racked my brain, trying to figure out if there was any such magical source nearby.

That was when Alleria struck the famous "thinking man" pose, but instead of balling up her fist, she rested her face in her open palm. Instead of thinking, though, she was looking at me with amusement, as if there was a joke I wasn't in on. That's when I pieced together what she was saying, and saw the elf's amusement grow as I realized exactly what she was implying.

As if to confirm my conclusion, she extended her hand in the human greeting.

"Well met, Marshal Hierarch Callan 'Windrunner Reserves' Lothar. I shall rely on you to keep me in top form," the blonde elf greeted me with a smirk.

'I was the font of power? I was her backup battery?' I... I didn't know how to feel about that. I mean, I knew it was possible… However, before I could think any further, Alleria's laughter snapped me out of my thoughts. She stopped, looked at me again, and let loose yet another peel of laughter.

"You should have seen your face, oh mighty Goblin Slayer," Alleria giggled. "We elves would never take mana from the living; that's just... appalling."

Alleria really did look genuinely appalled at the idea, but I knew better. Without the Sunwell boosting their powers, elves would turn to the living for mana, and those who refused to partake eventually became wretched beings.

"Well... it's not that I mind if you need it," I told her, inwardly rejoicing as I saw her look taken aback by my serious tone. "After all, we are allies, so if there's any way I can help you... feel free to take what you need. I've got plenty of it."

Alleria's face seemed to turn a shade redder, and she quickly turned away. That was when my mind processed what she had said earlier.

"That aside, did you just call me... goblin slayer?" I asked. "Because the way you said it, it sounds more like a title than just what I did."

"Oh, it wasn't us," Alleria motioned toward the Alliance camp. "No, my dear Marshal, 'Goblin Slayer' was given to you and Lord Dathrohan by the goblins themselves."

She gestured toward a corner where the surviving goblins were in linked chains and kept prisoner. Upon seeing my gaze on them, many backed away until they were pressed against the wall, trying to put as much distance between me and them as possible. The fear was palpable, and the others tried to look anywhere but at me.

Huh. Well, that title gave me complicated feelings. It's not like I went out of my way to kill them, they were just... in the way.

"Well," I coughed and turned back to Alleria. "That's... nice to know…"

"Mmmm," Alleria nodded.

We sat in companionable silence for a while before she began patting her body, searching through her hidden pouches. Eventually, she withdrew an object: a golden leaf tinged with red. I tilted my head, trying to recall if I'd seen trees in the area with such vibrant leaves before. All I could remember were the evergreens or the stark white-barked trees of Dun Morogh. Unable to hold back my curiosity, I gestured toward the object in her hand.

"Where did you find that?" I asked, making a point of glancing around the area for emphasis.

My elven companion scooted closer, holding the leaf up so I could see it clearly.

"You wouldn't find these in the lands of the dwarves," Alleria said with a playful smile. "This is an Eversong leaf."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"You probably didn't pay much attention to them while you were in Quel'Thalas," she continued, "but they hold quite the secret."

"Oh? What kind of secret?" I asked. Was she talking about the trees of Everson Woods?

In reply, Alleria took the leaf back, ran her tongue along it a few times. After that, she brought it to her lips. To my amazement, she produced a soft, clear note. She adjusted her technique slightly, producing another sound—a different note. It dawned on me that Alleria could replicate the full range of standard musical notes, moving seamlessly from high-pitched "A" to low "G."

I stared, unable to hide my astonishment.

'No wonder it's called Eversong,' I thought.

Noticing my expression, Alleria's smile turned mischievous. The notes shifted into a melody starting low and then climbing before falling again. It wasn't a song I recognized, but it was entrancing all the same. Her skill was undeniable, and as she finished, I clapped my hands instinctively. Alleria inclined her head with a graceful bow, her golden hair shining in the firelight.

"I see musical talent runs in the family," I said, smiling. "You should have been a musician instead of a ranger."

"I'm not that skilled," Alleria replied with a roll of her eyes. "Sylvanas is much better at singing than I am. Speaking of which, don't you owe her a song?"

Her words caught me off guard, and I faltered. Before I could muster a response, Alleria extended the leaf toward me.

"Why don't you practice with this?" she said, her tone teasing. "I'll judge."

I looked down at the leaf and slowly took it, realizing it had just been in Alleria's mouth moments ago. I bet Turalyon would be so damn jealous. But it was his own fault; he needed to step up his game. That said, while an indirect kiss was a thing, it wasn't like Azeroth was an anime world. Putting my lips where hers had just been, I tentatively blew into it. Sure enough, a crisp, clear sound emitted. I took a few more experimental breaths, adjusting the strength of each until I made the most basic musical notes.

After familiarizing myself with the instrument, I thought about what I could play. Lirath was already playing something peppy, and Alleria herself had just performed something entrancing. What could I do to stand out? Then it hit me— there was something very close to home that I could play. With that, I brought the leaf to my lips, and under Alleria's expectant gaze, I played one of my favorite songs from WoW.

The melancholic nature of the song washed over the area, and Alleria's expression shifted from playful to genuinely invested. Unfortunately, I was so immersed in memorizing the song that I didn't realize the music from Lirath had stopped. By the time I finished and removed the leaf from my lips, I noticed how quiet it had become. Looking up, I saw everyone staring at me. Lirath, in particular, had an intense look— no doubt wanting to know what song that was since I'd never shown it to him before.

As for the song? Its official name was A World Divided, but to me, it had always been known by a different name.

Anduin's Theme.

TBC

AN: Happy New Years

First thanks to Icura for taking the time out to handle business! Thanks broskito!

Secondly, thank you for all the patron that had supported me all throughout this past year. Thank you so much for your generosity and interest in the story! I wish you can achieve all your goals in the coming new years.

Now onto the story. Hehe that's right, Thermaplugg was left in charge and found out he hated leadership when called to do it! Lol. Sometime the best way to kill a person greed is by giving them exactly what they want along with all the burdens that comes with it, aka Jafar'ed. So, this chapter I finally show what the original plan was and why it went side way the moment Callan stormed the beach. So everything since he stormed was just made up on the fly and hoping for the best. As for the other easter eggs, well if you know you know.

With that done, hope you enjoy the chapter and happy new years (eve) !

Once again, please considering supporting us on patron at "icuraandvahn" , Thank you!

Finally, as always, CC and discussions are always welcomed!