Stormwind Wizard God-Chapter 507: Triumphal March

It was once believed that mages were cowards who would only cast magic in a safe area behind the warriors fighting bloody battles in front. Therefore, in the minds of most Alliance soldiers, no matter how brilliant Duke's strategy was, or how good his internal affairs and logistics were, he would always be just the deputy commander of the Alliance. The real commander was Anduin Lothar, who dared to charge to the front line and fight the orcs.

No one thought that Duke's impression was inappropriate.

Today, Duke overturned this impression with his actions.

It's a bit wrong to call it a subversion. It should be a more exaggerated sublimation.

Every soldier who saw this scene suddenly felt a fire rising in his heart.

Without contrast, there is no contrast.

They all fought for the Alliance, so who wouldn't want to return home in glory and enjoy the cheers and praises of the people after the war? For soldiers from other countries, returning victoriously in Lordaeron City was completely different from returning victoriously in their own capital.

Well, Lordaeron is the leader of the Alliance. The final battle of the Dark Gate has just ended here, and it spans the entire Eastern Kingdom continent, almost from the southernmost to the northernmost.

We hurried on, almost every day was a forced march. Well, when we finally arrived, whether it was supplies or camping, it was all a pitfall.

The allies ate black bread made from millet that was about to go moldy. It was coarse and hard, and could be used as a stick to hit people without water. Even the auxiliary soldiers of Lordaeron ate white bread, which tasted great.

It was freezing cold, where could the allied soldiers who rushed here get supplies? The Alliance soldiers had to report several times to get a set of coarse linen clothes, and they were shivering with cold. The people of Lordaeron could get their own cotton clothes at will.

There were all kinds of differential treatments, and the people of Lordaeron acted like they were the best in the world. Their attitudes could be summed up in one sentence: "Without Lordaeron's support, you are all a mob. Allowing you to participate in the triumphal ceremony is a gift from Lordaeron, so you should thank them."

Which family has never been bullied?

Who would have thought that coming to Lordaeron would result in such a humiliation?

At this moment, Duke's actions were truly gratifying.

From the soul to the heart, that intense flame boils in every blood vessel in the body and burns in every cell.

"Follow me! Follow me!"

"Follow Master Edmund!"

"Yes! We have all shed blood and sacrificed our lives for the Alliance! Why should we be treated differently?"

Countless swords and spears were raised high into the sky.

The sharp blade, stained with the blood of orcs, was emitting a faint cold crimson glow.

Countless shouts merged into a huge sound, booming in the military camp.

Duke rode his horse proudly and came side by side with Anduin to General Abendis who was guarding the camp gate.

"Get out of the way, or I'll walk over your dead body!"

Abendis trembled all over. He saw Duke's eyes. Duke was clearly saying: I saved you once, but I can also take back this life that I saved.

Damn it! Duke means business!

As a high-ranking official, General Abendis also vaguely knew what King Terenas was planning. He also felt that his own king was a little bit unkind, but after all, he was the king he swore to serve for the rest of his life.

He was trembling all over, and after a long while of trying to move his mouth, he managed to utter: "Duke, is it worth it?"

Duke didn't answer directly. He leaned over and whispered in Abendis' ear: "If the entire Alterac was destroyed on the spot, I would have nothing to say. But now... if the leader can occupy the territory of his allies at will, then such an alliance is better off not having it."

His voice was neither loud nor soft, enough for Abendis and Lothar beside him to hear.

At this moment, Lothar suddenly understood Duke's intention.

"Duke! I support you!" Lothar's loud voice easily caused even louder cheers from the back.

At this time, the triumphal ceremony in Lordaeron City had already begun for an hour.

In the first half, the most eye-catching part for the citizens is the prisoner presentation ceremony.

Twenty-five thousand orcs, with their hands handcuffed behind their backs, were locked in heavy iron shackles weighing at least a hundred pounds, and then chained together with thick iron chains, strung together in groups of a hundred. They lowered their heads and walked through the long and wide streets under the gazes of countless citizens.

At first, the orc captives caused the citizens to be amazed.

"Oh my god! They are so huge! Our warriors are fighting monsters like this?"

"Look at their tusks? They're even rougher than wild boars' teeth."

"By the Holy Light, our warriors actually defeated such an opponent."

Soon, after a brief moment of exclamation, there was a wave of anger from the citizens.

"Beast! Give my husband back to me!" A lady on the second-floor terrace threw the first rotten tomato at the orc.

"Give me back my dad!" A young child of seven or eight years old threw the first stone.

In just a few seconds, thousands of debris flew out from every corner of the avenue and poured onto the prisoners.

The citizens were unable to break through the shield formations formed by the two rows of city guards on both sides of the road, so they could only vent their anger in this way.

You know, this Dark Gate War swept almost all of Lordaeron's territory, from the Silverpine Forest in the southwest to the area near the holy city of Stratholme in the northeast, and then to the core city of Lordaeron. The heavy loss of life was also shared by almost every family, even if not every family was in mourning.

Every orc captive had his nose and face bruised and swollen, and some even had their fangs broken, but they dared not resist or even roar. They just lowered their heads and were escorted through the long street.

Among the 25,000 orcs, only one held his head high - Warchief Orgrim!

His mouth was sealed, his two calves were shackled and tightly fixed to the iron plate weighing two tons, his wrists were also tightly locked on it, and he was kneeling like that.

But he never lowered his head!

Behind the cage, the sign that read "Warchief of the Horde" caused Orgrim to bear the most attacks. The rocks and rotten tomatoes thrown at him almost drowned him. Even the soldiers wearing heavy armor beside the car to prevent being crushed to death were unable to clean up because the attacks from the citizens were too violent.

In the end, a wizard had to be asked to blow away the debris around Orgrim.

"Hang him!"

"Hang him! Hang the orc warchief!"

The angry citizens raised their fists high and made tremendous noise.

On the main terrace of the palace, King Terenas, with his two children, Arthas and Calia, watched the scene with satisfaction.

After the prisoner presentation ceremony, the real triumphal ceremony began. Countless servants who had been prepared long ago, holding brooms and other tools, quickly rushed out from the alleys of the city and cleaned up the debris on the streets with great swiftness and skill. In just ten minutes, the triumphal road from the north gate to the palace was cleaned up.

At this moment, Terenas' facial expression suddenly froze.

Because he saw through the telescope that the Mountain Eagle Flag of Alterac was actually following the Storm Lion Flag and flying at the gate of the north gate of Lordaeron.

Terenas almost spat out a mouthful of blood on the flawless white jade terrace railing.

His script is perfect.

If they wanted to swallow up Alterac, they must not make the people of Alterac into war heroes. If the Mountain Eagle Knights were to attend the triumphal ceremony, it would create unnecessary obstacles to the subsequent actions.

"That useless Frankie! Didn't I even give him the royal order?" Terenas almost wanted to order someone to hang the incompetent idiot on the spot.

It's too late now.

Now that they have entered, do we still need Mograine to go and intercept the Eagle Knights and drive them back?

But... who let them in? What is Abendis doing!?

Wait! Where did Stormwind Kingdom get those war horses?

Terenas was trembling slightly.

Over there, the Storm Knights entered.

As the first country to fight against the orcs, and also the first kingdom to be destroyed by the brutal tribes, the Storm Knights becoming the first triumphant team to enter the battlefield has special significance.

It was beyond the expectations of the people of Lordaeron and the spectators who came from other countries to watch the ceremony.

What they saw were not knights in shining helmets and armor, nor were they majestic horses with well-combed, clean hair.

What they saw was a large group of warriors returning from hundreds of battles.

Even after cleaning, the bloodstains could still be seen on the armor, which was covered with uneven marks and even cracks caused by heavy weapons. It was simply patched with a new piece of iron.

Some knights' shields had obvious holes, which were the result of troll pitchers throwing spears.

When it was pulled out, the long sword with the blade pointing upward was still sharp. But if you look closely, you can see the unevenness on the blade. Those are the marks of re-polishing after the sword broke.

The Knights of Alterac Eagle that followed closely behind were similar in nature, but what was even more special was that many of them carried more than one sword, and many of them were broken swords.

A qualified knight's sword is very valuable, and a common cross steel sword starts at three-digit gold coins. Therefore, it is a tradition for knights that when an older knight deems an apprentice qualified and capable of becoming a knight on his own, he will give the apprentice a knight's sword.

This is inheritance, and also the expectation of the elders for the younger generations.

A knight is only allowed to possess one sword at a time.

There was only one situation in which a knight was allowed to carry multiple swords, and that was when he returned from the battlefield and brought the swords of his fallen elders or comrades.

The longsword is the knight's tombstone and also his epitaph.

Those bloodstained swords, even broken in two, fully declare the fate and will of their owners to every audience.

Countless people of Lordaeron gasped.

The kind girls burst into tears.

They had heard of the betrayal of the King of Alterac, and they had publicly insulted the people of Alterac countless times, but they had never thought about the great sacrifices and prices the knights of Alterac had paid in order to wash away this shame.

Later in the battle came the Stromgradeians from Stromgarde, carrying the shields of their fallen comrades. Those charred shields told of the powerful offensive of the red dragons, which at the time still belonged to the Horde.

The people of Dalaran carried up the broken tower shields and crossbows.

The Kul Tirans carried an array of broken scimitars.

And many, many more...

The warriors of the Alliance presented the cruelty of war and the greatness of the warriors to those who stayed behind in the most realistic way.

There were no loud slogans, nor any triumphant looks; teams from various countries advanced in silence.

Perhaps an hour ago, those people who had not experienced the cruel war did not understand why humans, who seemed to be weaker in physique, could defeat such brutal orcs.

Now they all understand.

That was earned by the alliance's warriors with their blood and lives, and fought for with their greatest courage and the most resolute will.

I don't know who was the first to applaud.

I don't know who was the first to cheer.

Suddenly, cheers rose to the sky on both sides of the silent avenue.

"Warriors! Well done!"

"Thank you for your hard work!"

"Without you, we would all die."

"You are all true heroes of the Alliance!"

"I love you guys, I want to marry you guys!"

Whose tears are flying?

Whose heart is trembling?

Whose throat is roaring?

When applause, cheers, and shouts flooded the triumphant warriors, every Alliance soldier couldn't help but burst into tears.

At this moment, I suddenly felt that my own hardships and the sacrifices of my comrades were "worth it".

"Long live the Alliance!"

"Long live the warriors!"

The sunlight shone on the warriors' not-so-bright armor, and each piece of armor seemed to be burning with blazing flames. An indescribable brilliance rose from the warriors. Even the sun's brilliance could hardly cover such a dazzling light.

This is the radiance that comes from the soul.

This is the light that symbolizes courage.

So much so that everyone was reluctant to take their eyes off these warriors.

At this time, the onlookers also gave the warmest cheers to the teams of dwarves and high elves.

Suddenly, the Lordaeron Legion, which was supposed to be the finale, appeared.

Very strangely, countless people stopped.

There was no applause, no cheers, no rain of petals falling from the sky.

Even the people of Lordaeron stared at their country's military train with disbelief.

After seeing a triumphal procession that was so real and so close to war.

The white horses that were so gorgeous that they looked like they were participating in a dressage competition, the brand new armor that was shiny enough to be used as a mirror, and the long rapiers that were light and beautiful on the knights' waists...

Almost everything here deeply stimulates people's eyes.

In an instant, everyone felt a burning pain coming from their eyes, piercing from the depths of their eye sockets into the depths of their hearts.

If they hadn't seen the allied armies led by Duke and Anduin, perhaps they would have applauded these seemingly gorgeous and majestic figures, and the girls would have screamed at the handsome knights.

But now, everyone feels that the last appearance of the Knights of Lordaeron is a blasphemy to this tragic and epic war.

Especially after seeing those uneducated, greasy-haired and powdered young nobles who could barely ride a horse mixed into the triumphal procession, the people of Lordaeron felt a sense of humiliation and being fooled.

"Get out! This is a warrior's day!"

"Yes! Get out! Lordaeron doesn't need rubbish like you who are just pretending to be great warriors!"

"roll."

"roll!"

"roll--"

Millions of voices converged together, and soon everyone consciously adjusted the rhythm of their roars.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!"

The roar was like a raging sea.

The curses were like the collapse of heaven and earth.

At this moment, all the color disappeared from Terenas' face.

What kind of hatred or grudge is this that can make the people of one's own country oppose the army of one's own country?

For a long time, the nobles of Lordaeron had been living a life of luxury and forgetting the voice of the people. To them, the people were just wheat that would grow automatically every year, and they had various responsibilities and obligations: they had to pay taxes to the nobles, provide labor services for the nobles, and provide soldiers when the country was in danger.

More than two thousand years of peace had long made the nobles forget that their ancestor was a warrior canonized by Emperor Thoradin. This warrior was named Lordan, and his son was named Menethil.

Later, Menethil named the land granted by Emperor Thoradin Lordaeron, and Menethil became the royal family's surname. In that era when clans were the main thing and there were no surnames, this was already a pioneering move.

Suddenly being opposed by those seemingly docile people, not only Terenas, but all the Lordaeron nobles around him who were dressed in their best clothes felt ashamed.

"This is a very unfortunate misunderstanding," Genn Greymane said. "It seems someone down there has confused the difference between a triumph and a parade."

Terenas certainly didn't know that the King of Gilneas, who was aloof and seemed to be a typical politician, would change his character in the future due to various blows and become the most solid ally of the Alliance. He only knew that Genn was taking advantage of the situation.

That's right, because after Lord Prestor showed up and presented that evidence, Genn secretly proposed to support a distant nephew of Perenolde, but was ruthlessly rejected by Terenas.

Now, everything is different.

Looking at Anduin Lothar and Edmund Duke at the front of the triumphal procession, Terenas knew that all this was definitely related to these two people. If he didn't do something, then at the throne meeting later, even if he forced the resolution through, the scene would be very ugly.

"I'm old. I want to take a rest before the triumphant team arrives at the palace. How about we all go to the side hall and take a rest?" Who doesn't know that if the situation is favorable, Terenas can stand from dawn to dusk?

Now that he has brought it up, everyone knows that this is another round of fast and urgent political deal-making.

Prince Kael'thas, the representative of Quel'Thalas, understood that this was a political game of the human world and had nothing to do with the elves. He was the one who was truly resting.

Kings Llane and Daelin looked at each other and saw each other's deep concern.

Now that Terenas is taking advantage of his age, you can't not allow the old king, who is the landlord and leader, to have a rest, can you?

Llane and the other man nodded quietly to each other, and they would meet each other later.

All of a sudden, the palace terrace of over 100 square meters became empty, and no king was paying attention to the triumphal procession that would arrive at the square in front of the palace in twenty minutes.

In the side hall, Terenas pushed open the huge golden door. The gorgeous murals on the wall had always been his greatest pride and pride, but unfortunately he had no mood to appreciate them now.

The first person to meet was, of course, Gene.

Genn was extremely greedy towards Terenas, but that was precisely why he was the easiest to persuade.

"Hey, Terenas, it seems that little Duke has given you a lot of trouble."

"It's just a little troublesome." Terenas said coldly, "Tell me, what do you want in exchange for supporting Prestor to take the throne?"

"I want Hillsbrad Plains, the Jade Mines, Tol Barad Isle, and the western coast near Southshore."

Although they knew that Genn would ask for a lot, they did not expect that Genn's appetite would be so big that he took away more than half of the essence of Hillsbrad in one gulp. After the Hillsbrad Plains were reclaimed by the refugees from Stormwind Kingdom, everyone now knew that it was a thousand miles of fertile land.

All the refugees will be evacuated next year. It is conceivable that with the support of this fertile land, Gilneas' national strength will experience explosive growth within twenty years.

Terenas said with a pained look: "Okay!"

The second person I met was King Thoras Trollbane of Stromgarde.

Terenas spoke first: "Thoras, you must support Lord Prestor this time. I can give you Tarren Mill and Southshore."

Thoras sat in the luxurious chair like a stone sculpture. After a long while, he shook his head and said, "Perhaps their king and lords are guilty, but the people of Stromgarde cannot take the land of the people of Alterac. This is a blasphemy to the brave warriors."

As soon as Thoras said that, Terenas got anxious on the spot. Among the six human kingdoms, it was conceivable that Kul Tiras and Stormwind, as outsiders, would vote against it. He had to get at least four votes in the throne meeting to make things look good.

Who would have thought that Thoras would refuse!

Yes, that's right. Terenas' previous plan was to take over Lordaeron alone. Now that Lasorath has joined the fray, he actually won't play!? How can this be possible?

Terenas' face darkened. "Think about it, Thoras. Your land has become a scorched earth. Even your food for the winter is provided by Lordaeron. You can be noble, but can you bear to watch your people starve to death? Arathi Highlands does not produce much food."

Thoras's expression suddenly changed. Terenas was using food as a threat.

South of Stromgarde is the territory of the dwarves. Whether in the wetlands or Loch Modan, the food production is very poor, and the dwarves can barely make enough food for themselves. There is no other outlet for the Arathi Highlands except the Hillsbrad area in the west. If the road to Alterac controlled by Lordaeron is blocked, it is foreseeable that hundreds of thousands of people will starve to death.

To restore Arathi's grain production, his advisors told him that it would take at least three years at best.

What's more, he also has to rebuild Stromgarde which was destroyed by a dragon.

Thoras lowered his head deeply, as if he was going to bury it between his knees. "I don't want any land, but give me at least 500,000 tons of food every year for five consecutive years."

As a knight of noble character, he hated this kind of political deal.

As a king responsible for the future of millions of citizens, he had to compromise with Terenas.

Terenas left. He couldn't say he was satisfied, but at least he achieved his goal.

At the third meeting, Terenas encountered the toughest obstacle - Antonidas, whom he originally thought would be easier to persuade.

"I have nothing against you, Terenas. But Dalaran firmly rejects Lord Prestor."

"Why?" Terenas frowned deeply.

"Because the Kirin Tor Council has used all its magical detection capabilities in private, but still cannot see through this mysterious Lord Prestor. He is either an archmage wizard who can be compared with me, or he has a mysterious magic item that can be compared with a semi-artifact. We will never support a mysterious person whose origin is unknown and whose identity is uncertain to be the King of Alterac."