Chapter 24 Chapter Twenty-Four

While Jarod began his search for Malfurion, events in Ashenvale were in full swing.Under the guidance of Elune, Tyrande performed miracles, and the ocean currents influenced by the moon made the fleet reach Ashenvale faster than expected.Shandris immediately sent heralds to the various outposts to announce their arrival and learn where the incident had occurred.During this period, this new force did not waste any time and set off immediately.During the march, Tyrande explained to the priestesses their role in the army and the risks they would face. It was therefore with great joy and relief that Hadrissa and her sentinels saw reinforcements appear the next day.They quickly joined up with the defenders who had already been deployed by the river, and at the same time Hadrisa led Dani and other officers under her command, riding a leopard forward to welcome the arrival of the High Priestess and the Sentinel General.

The appearance of Tyrande Whisperwind attracted attention.Instead of the soft, shimmering temple robes she wore, she wore a suit of Luna warrior armor, covering her neck to her feet.Crafted from layers of metal blades, the form-fitting armor did not impede her movement in the slightest.A moonlight cloak as thin as a veil was draped over her shoulders, fluttering with the breeze.The High Priestess also wears a winged helmet that covers the upper half of her head and face. "I salute you, Commander Hadrisa," Tyrande said straight to the point. "Thanks to the Holy Mother of the Moon, I'm glad you're still here."

"Since the fall of Silverwing Outpost, the Horde has shown no signs of action." This answer made their expressions even more gloomy.Tyrande and Shandris learned of the outpost's destruction upon arrival, but it's still hard to accept.Silverwing Outpost has long been hailed as a role model for the night elves, showing their determination in the face of dire adversity. "The damned orcs will pay," Shandris remarked with interest. "Whatever tricks they played, it's all useless now." "We need to hold back for now the desire to avenge the heroic defenders of Silverwing Outpost and the rest of Ashenvale, knowing that the Horde is now commanded by Garrosh Hellscream instead of Thrall," Tyrande said. "The Horde is very different in every way, Shandris. We must think more carefully and tread carefully."

"Oh, we will. We'll think more about how we destroy the orcs, and be careful not to get blood in the eyes when we kill them." The high-ranking priestess frowned when she heard this.Hadrissa said nothing, but Dany and most of the Sentinels present nodded in genuine agreement with the General's words. "We need to know everything you've discovered," Tyrande told the commander, "and where you think the most likely weak spots on the front are." Hadrissa immediately told all she knew.When the commander showed hesitation, Dai Ni boldly put forward her own suggestion. She believed that if she launched an attack now, she could force the tribe to retreat, and even reach the Silverwing Outpost.Hadrisa didn't interrupt her adjutant, and she also had some doubts in her heart, wondering if Diane could see more clearly than herself at this moment.Never once did the young Sentinel pause in uncertainty as Hadrisha did, and she herself thought Dany's advice sounded reasonable.

Shandris and the high priestess listened carefully to what was being said, but made no comments until the two were finished.Finally Tyrande looked to her general. "what do you think?" "It sounds like the line has been fortified. It may be wise to charge forward; we cannot remain on the defensive against the Horde forever. Send out scouts immediately as we spread our forces along the lines Commander Hadrissa has established. The river is a good line of defense should we be forced to retreat for any reason. We will leave behind a corps of archers to provide covering fire in such a case."

"Goblin smoke," Hadrissa reminded her. "Now there is no smoke that can block our sight, whether natural or man-made." The high priestess assured. "Elune will take care of that." Hadrissa let out a noticeable breath, feeling suddenly utterly exhausted. Tyrande looked at her sympathetically, staring at the blindfold especially for a moment. "You have served me for thousands of years, Hadrissa...and sacrificed a lot for it. Now I want you to rest in peace." "I know all the arrangements of the commander," Dani said before Hadrisa refused the kind proposal. "After knowing that everything is in order, she can rest in peace."

"Everything is arranged." The high priestess made eye contact with the commander.In her eyes, Hadrissa saw nothing but respect and sympathy.Tyrande really believed that Hadrisa needed sleep, and who was she, and how could she defy the ruler of all the night elves? "As you wish." Tyrande corrected her. "As you need it, Hadrissa. We badly need your experience. You know Ashenvale better than most." "Thank you, High Priestess." If the same words were uttered from someone else, this experienced veteran might think it was just comforting her.But the Commander knew Tyrande meant it.This made her feel better, so she said goodbye to everyone, turned and walked towards her camping place.

When she went to bed, Hadrissa placed her Moonblade beside her.It was a relief to have the High Priestess and the Sentinel-General presiding over the situation, but Hadrisa had been in Ashenvale far longer than almost anyone else present.She felt more at home in this forest than she had back in Darnassus.She lives in harmony with Ashenvale, and when it's in trouble, she feels for it. And when she closed her eyes, she couldn't help feeling that even though the high-ranking priestess appeared here, Hadrisa's beloved Ashenvale would suffer more terrible disasters... Almost immediately Tyrande remembered Hadrisa's presence, but she didn't show it.With the exception of Shandris, the other officers were much younger than her.Some people only know that the War of the Ancients is a legend that their fathers experienced.They knew the obvious repercussions of this war, and could understand why most people hated the Highborne.But they didn't know how strong the feeling of déjà vu was from the High Priestess.Now she once again needs to defend a world turned upside down by an evil creature who has made himself the world's ultimate judge.It was Queen Azshara then, and now Deathwing the Destroyer.And because of these two, the night elves faced a daunting obstacle to their survival.

But even though she was now facing the Horde and not the Daemon, Tyrande was not relieved.Still blood, still death. I'm starting to grow old, she thought to herself, and quickly dismissed the thought, turning to her own soul, soothing herself with Elune's blessing.Though Tyrande didn't notice, the soft white halo that so often shone over her when she sought guidance from the Moon Mother reappeared.She didn't realize this until several sentries knelt on one knee. "Please get up." Tyrande didn't want to be simply regarded as Elune's apostle, which would cause a new chaos.Usually she tried not to let people bow down, but this occasion made her discouraged.Neither she nor the Moon Goddess liked flattery... though it was undeniable that even she herself adored Elune willingly.Tyrande simply didn't think she deserved the same adoration; she was nothing more than an attendant to the Moon Mother.

Shandris, aided by the young and ambitious Dany, went to raise the army, and with him several other officers, both from Ashenvale and from Darnassus.Now the sentinel's line of defense has been consolidated. For the armies assembled to defend Ashenvale, a combined force brought in from a single warship is a welcome aid.This was an unexpected surprise that Tyrande got before leaving.At Theramore's suggestion, all members of the represented Guard were given the opportunity to volunteer.There were so many soldiers participating in the expedition that the entire ship was packed to the brim.In addition to Jaina Proudmoore's people, all three dwarven clans - including the Wildhammer dwarves and their pack of griffons - gnomes, draenei, and humans from other kingdoms are ready to Fight alongside the night elves.

She looked across the long river and across the edge of the forest on the opposite bank.Fog gathers in the distance.Almost as soon as she led the army to arrive, the mist began to spread, as if the Horde was waiting for her arrival. Elune, please guide us, she prayed.The High Priestess looked around at the soldiers at the front.Their faces were solemn and cautious, and Tyrande was very familiar with this expression, which reminded her of the countless wars she had experienced. A warning horn sounded. Tyrande looked for the source of the voice, but only saw Shandris galloping towards her on a leopard.The high priestess' own mount, Ash'ara, also rushed over. "Get on the mount!" Shandris called to her, stopping. "Get on the mount quickly!" "what happened?" Shandris pointed eastward.The goblin mist came rushing like a silent but raging fury.Huge trees disappeared under the cover of thick fog.In the short time Tyrande watched, the mist almost reached the river. As she jumped onto her nightsaber, another horn sounded in the southeast.The mist also came from that side, but neither of them were surprised by it. There was a shout ahead, which meant that the thick fog had spread there too.Tyrande marveled at the machinery the goblins had to assemble to create the fog.As the wind changed slightly, she also smelled the stench that the defenders of Ashenvale had reported.The fog was closer to a cloud of smoke, as if somewhere in the forest was on fire. "You'd better back off," Shandris remonstrated. "I'm not here to hide behind the crowd. I'm here because I'm needed here, Shandris...especially at a time like this." Tyrande raised his hands to the sky.Although the moon cannot be seen in the sky now, the silver beam of light still shines brightly on her body. Tyrande was engrossed in her prayer.She asked Elune a lot, but believed that the Goddess would have anticipated her intentions and readily agreed. Shandris gasped, then regained consciousness.The other sentries looked over at Tyrande too, but the general waved angrily for them to keep watching. A ray of moonlight shone on Tyrande.The High Priestess radiates a radiance brighter than the sun.The increasingly bright light spread first behind her, then to the left and right. Elune's radiance shrouded the Alliance positions, facing the lingering goblin smoke from every direction.The foul-smelling smoke spread to the river and crossed the center line again.But then, the moonlight meets it. Tyrande stared straight ahead.As the power of Elune approached the smoke, she sensed that the other priestesses who had participated in the crusade were finally joining in as well.With the help of their prayers, Tyrande's plan was greatly advanced. As she did when she fought against the evil forces of the Nightmare Lord, the High Priestess used the radiance of the Moon Mother to incinerate the goblin creations.Compared with the miasma and its terrifying shadows in nightmares, the smoke of the Horde is a weak enemy.The moonlight swallowed it up easily, and the air above the river was cleared in an instant. The defenders cheered.The cheers grew louder as the distant forest reappeared under the might of Elune.The goblin's smoke dissipated like nothing. But that doesn't mean its creators are sitting still.In front of the light curtain, the smoke suddenly became thicker.Even so, however, it was no match for the soft radiance of the Madonna of the Moon.The light curtain continued to advance, and no remnants of the fog could be seen wherever it passed. Although she could not see what was happening that far away, Tyrande felt the goblin smoke suddenly stop.Why waste effort if it's useless? She should have felt confident in this obvious first victory, but the High Priestess couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. Shandris let out an incomprehensible scream beside her.Then the world around Tyrande fell apart.There was this roaring bang amidst the outburst, and her first thought was, Deathwing! Deathwing has come to fight for the Horde! Although she fell to the ground, she knew in her heart that this was a stupid idea.The dragon didn't even bother to participate in such a small scene.Deathwing loathes all "inferior" life, preferring to destroy entire regions, obliterating both warring parties and everything around them. Her concentrated prayer was interrupted, and the curtain of light dissipated.She felt pain in her left hand and foot.As Tyrande tried to see what was happening, she saw only more smoke for a moment. No... not smoke.dust.The air was filled with dust, and there were even large pieces of earth and rocks, which fell on her and everyone nearby.Tyrande found at least three Sentinels lying beside him, either dead or unconscious. A huge, moist nose sniffed her.As Tyrande's nightsaber licked her leg, the high priestess realized for the first time that a sharp stone had been thrust into her thigh.She flinched and grabbed the flake and pulled it out, then said a quick prayer over the wound.The wound has healed, and only a bloodstain remains in place. Tyrande stroked her arm, but found only a little blood.So she stopped worrying about herself and started looking for Shandris. Tyrande shivered with pain at what she first saw.Shandris' nightsaber collapsed, its head crushed by a huge rock. "Santis!" Tyrande recklessly walked past his mount and climbed to the other side of the dead cat. "Santis!" In her life, two people were more important than all.Malfurion and the orphan who would become her daughter.Tyrande never let Shandris know how much the young night elf's duties as head of the army worried her.Many of the high priestess' private prayers are for Shandris' safety. And now... There was no sign of Shandris on the other side either.Tyrande looked further away, worried that her daughter was being left far behind.She saw another body—a sentry, unmistakably dead from where she lay on the ground—but it wasn't Shandris.Ashamed as she was, the high priestess thanked Elune for this moment of relief. Then a groan from the dead nightsaber made her turn away.Tyrande rushed to a position near the tail of the nightsaber, which she hadn't paid much attention to before.She saw that a large part of the big cat's body was buried under the blasted rubble and soil. Shandris' arm was just under one of the big cat's hind legs, and because of the dust, it didn't look much different from the surrounding ground.As Tyrande approached, her hand moved, and the high priestess thanked Elune again for her gift. Before she knelt down to take a closer look, several other sentries rushed up to help.They clearly saw what was going on, but just managed to get to the pair in time.Carefully but quickly, they lifted the dead nightsaber off the general. Tyrande put a hand on Shandris' back, and began to say a prayer.She didn't know how Shandris had been hurt, and she didn't care.She only hoped that Elune could heal all the wounds on her daughter. Shandris groaned again, but this time with more anger.When Tyrande said her prayers, she shone with the radiance of Elune.It wasn't until the high priestess removed her hand that the radiance gradually disappeared.To Tyrande's relief, Shandris' breathing became strong and regular. The High Priestess stepped back as the world suddenly fell into a chaotic frenzy.Shouts rang out, and arrows flew with a familiar shriek, spreading death.She hoped the latter sound came from a Sentinel rather than a Horde crossbow, but knew it was more likely a mixture of the two.Sentinels ran past her, some on mounts, all with nervous expressions on their faces. A roar rang through the place like thunder, and it reminded her of Deathwing.It was a moment before Tyrande realized that it was not a roar, but the resonance of many shouts. She looked towards the river... and saw the forest on the other side full of orcs, tauren with giant totem poles, trolls - including more than one witch doctor - and more enemy soldiers.The Horde swept toward them like a flood that opened its gates. "They... they're targeting you," Shandris gasped, as two sentries helped her to her feet. "They know you're here, and they're using that damn fog to force you into action." Tyrande looked around.The boulders that fell among them were almost all aimed at the same place, which was where she was.The High Priestess guessed her survival was part luck and part patron saint. In fact, she should be more grateful to another person. "You rushed over to save me." "With all due respect, to our people, you are more important than me," Shandris replied, standing up straight. "As for my mount falling to where I landed, I never thought of that!" The trumpet sounded again.Another round of arrows was fired from the Alliance position to the opposite bank.Tribal troops held aloft their shields linked into a wall.Most of the arrows embedded or bounced off the shield, but a few hit their original targets.Some warriors fell to the ground, while others were driven back by the arrows. "They didn't try to wade across," Tyrande said. "The river bed is deep and the current is fast, but it's not a big problem for them. They're testing us; I know it is!" Dai Ni rode over. "General, they did the same when they attacked our main outpost! Commander thinks they are estimating our archers!" "It's entirely possible! It's useless. The archers we use are only a small part. They think they have figured out our strength, but the extra archers will give them a big surprise!" The Alliance archers continued to shoot—and the orcs returned fire now and then—while more sentinels on leopards stood ready across the line.Tyrande and Shandris arrived in Ashenvale with a battle plan in mind, and no matter what attack the Horde planned, they would not rush to respond. Four teams of huntresses armed with spears waited for the signal to attack.Beside them stood twice the number of infantry, equipped with moon blades and long swords respectively.The dwarves of the Dark Iron and Bronzebeard clans fought alongside them, while the Wildhammer dwarves waited in the rear for the call to lift their griffins into the air.Humans, draenei, and gnomes - the latter armed with some particularly sinister engineering equipment - mixed with the dwarves of the first two clans.A few mages also took part in the battle, most of them hail from Theramore, concentrating on preparing to face their dark foe. Tyrande's priestesses were divided into two teams.One team was busily running around to treat the wounded, while the other watched Tyrande expectantly.They will assist her in her attack. Defenders from Ashenvale formed a new core.Dany volunteered to replace Hadrissa in command of them, and Shandris agreed.The general gave the young sentinel some final instructions before sending her to command his men. Shandris turned to Tyrande. "Are you ready? Can you continue?" The High Priestess still vividly remembered the devastation around her—especially those who died by her presence—and Tyrande replied simply, "Ready." Shandris smiled evilly, took a new mount from the other sentries, and left.Tyrande pushed his big cat back.As much as she longed to fight alongside Shandris, she must stay somewhere safer for now.Only after completing her mission can she join the fight at her own risk. This apparent stalemate continues.Tyrande made sure the priestesses around her were ready, and waited for the right moment. From Shandris' command came the sound of a horn. The Union archers stopped firing. The orcs who formed the first line rushed to the river roaring, and the tauren and trolls followed behind them.The necromancers and troll witch doctors of the Forsaken began to cast spells in the rear, and Tyrande hoped that his spellcasters would fight back with minimal damage.Arrows flew toward the Alliance's front lines, forcing spear-armed huntresses to duck behind shields and bars. Joined by the other priestesses, Tyrande began to pray to Elune. The moonlight shone on her and her followers, and then the curtain of light stretched forward across the lines of the defenders to the opposite bank of the river.However, while the previous brilliance had simply illuminated everything and dispersed the goblin smoke, the moonlight at this moment was focused like a light, as if through the transmission of diamonds. And even moonlight can blind. The former army of the tribe was stopped halfway.The burly warriors faltered.Be it orcs, tauren or other powerful warriors, they are all helpless.The dazzling light caught them off guard.Several orcs had bumped into each other, and to make matters worse they had waded into the river. It is now, Shandris! Tyrande cried silently.It's now! Another blast of horns cheered her up, along with the cry of sentries as they charged and the deadly shrieks of archers as they covered their shots.The spearmen rushed into the river, and neither the current nor the enemy ahead could stop the nightsaber under them.Shandris had learned from the defenders of Ashenvale the distribution of the shallows in the river, which made the cavalry charge even more powerful. There was also a whimper of horns from the opposite side.The Horde warriors staggered back as best they could, though still unable to see. They will be slaughtered, Tyrande thought guiltily.She knew what she had done was impeccable, but she still hoped that the enemy would continue to flee or surrender wisely. The first wave of spearmen reached the opposite bank, within yards of the routed orcs and their allies.The precise shots of the sentinel archers killed a few barbarian warriors who were unwilling to retreat with the crowd.The orcs had always been the main force of Garrosh's expeditionary force. At this moment, they were lying on the ground in disorder, their fangs and horrific faces were full of unrepentant anger.Some orcs had more than half a dozen arrows stuck into their thick flesh, and many more embedded in their armor and shields.They had done what they could to protect themselves, but not even the best armor was going to help them under such a heavy rain of arrows. However, under the rain of death, some orcs - despite the sharp arrows in their legs, arms and torsos - survived and tried to drag their more seriously injured comrades to safety. .The two orcs took the military flag from their dead comrades, and waved the Horde flag provocatively at the oncoming Sentinels. Despite the bravery of the surviving orcs, it appears the night elves will soon be able to avenge the destruction of Silverwing Outpost.More significantly, however, the liberation of AllAshenvale seems to be on the cards...if Garrosh's ambitions can be ended. The horn of the enemy sounded again... but this time it sounded more terrifying and provocative.Tyrande could only guess that Garrosh wanted to resist the Alliance counterattack in a safer place.The only problem is that Moonlight always follows the Horde army, even when the spearmen rush into the attack range, they still can't see.Warlocks and other spellcasters can't even provide effective cover, because they can't face the moonlight themselves either.This in turn gave the Alliance's spellcasters an even greater advantage, eager to end the magical threat from the Horde.Terrible magic shocks fell on the warlocks near the front line one after another. The horn of the Horde sounded again, but it didn't sound like a retreat at all.Instead, its tones encourage attack and promise victory. But instead of turning to face their foe again, the remaining orcs and other warriors on the front line did a strange thing.They stepped aside and scattered into the woods.She didn't understand why the enemy thought she could escape the nightsaber's pursuit.Night elves are better suited to life in the woods than orcs, tauren or even trolls.Their leopards are equally nimble and swift in such conditions, and their riders know how to use their spears in the woods. Shandris must have been suspicious, for the sound of trumpets on the Alliance position signaled regrouping instead of continuing the pursuit further into the jungle.Seeing so many enemies fleeing the battlefield, the High Priestess finally decided to stop her prayers. As the moonlight faded, she steered her mount forward.If her people—her Shandris—were in danger, Tyrande had to be by their side. The first detachment of infantry had followed the pikemen onto the opposite bank.A few hurled moonblades at fleeing targets, but most soldiers had begun to regroup.Tyrande watched them with a sigh of relief.Garrosh would find this advancing line sufficient to hold back his army. A terrible roar resounded across the battlefield. A boulder fell from the sky and landed heavily on a group of spearmen who were about to join forces with their compatriots.Little did the helpless riders realize that their doom had arrived.The boulder overwhelmed some warriors, while others died under flying debris. More boulders skittered through the air.The defenders of Ashenvale had warned of the catapult attack, but Tyrande had never seen anything like it.Things are different.She recalled her own narrow escape, and that attack, too, was not as simple as it seemed. The first rock caused the heaviest casualties.Now that the Alliance army has become alert, it is better able to avoid the area where the boulder fell. In the forest ahead, the trees in the distance began to shake.Another thunderous growl... followed by more roars, all coming from the same direction. The roar was mingled with another sound, which at first sounded like a series of rhythmic explosions.Tyrande frowned.Not an explosion.It's more like hooves - but if so, these animals must be huge... A row of trees was knocked into the air, and the whole oak tree was thrown out like nothing.An incomparably huge body appeared in front of the stunned defenders. Its outline was somewhat similar to that of a centaur, but its size was much larger. "Elune, protect us!" the High Priestess blurted out. The giant single-handedly grabbed a spear cavalry man and mount, and casually threw it behind him.The night elf and the big cat screamed and fell to the ground.And the troll stomped towards the neighboring sentry infantry, trampling a soldier to death with its powerful elephant hooves. Indeed, the lower half of the monster bore a resemblance to an elephant—or, rather, to its larger and deadlier cousin far away in Northrend, the mammoth.However, where the head and shoulders were originally, it was connected to the upper body of another monster, which looked somewhat similar to humans.This monster is tall and burly, with two curved fangs protruding from the corners of its mouth.It scans the ground in front of it, eager to find more victims. And when this huge monster was trampling wantonly among the fleeing defenders, another giant monster rushed out from the forest.Trees he knocked down hurled themselves at the warriors, while the monster's massive, four-fingered hands clawed at the other victims.Elsewhere the trees burst open as the second giant crushed its prey, and the same monster rushed upon the victorious men.These legendary trolls pounced on the tiny night elves, and the battle turned into a one-sided disaster. They're using mammoths on us! The High Priestess is startled and enraged.How dare they unleash mammoths in Ashenvale! Garrosh clearly understood that this was a threat to the Horde as well, but he was willing to take the risk, and so far so good.Bringing these murderous trolls from the wilds of Northrend to Ashenvale was a difficult test in itself.Tyrande couldn't imagine how to transport them here, even the Horde would have to pay a certain sacrifice. The hooves of the mammoths are like thunder, and their mere movement can cause terrible destruction.Tyrande counted eight mammoths—all males—and although they were small, it was surprising to see them grouped together.Mammoths are so violent that these males tend to stay away from each other, otherwise conflicts often break out. These behemoths trampled and tossed among their victims, the mighty Alliance armies looming like ants before them.A nightsaber without its rider tried to tear at the mammoth's pillar-heavy legs.So this heroic big cat was grabbed by one hand and ripped in two.Then the mammoth threw the fragments of the corpse into the river that had already been stained red with blood. Tyrande knew that somewhere Shandris was doing everything she could to save her army.The high priestess longed to rush forward herself, but she knew she had to try to stop the mammoth first. She reined in her mount and called for Elune's aid.The radiance of the Madonna of the Moon shone on her as usual.Tyrande prayed for guidance— However, another boulder flew over from above.Too late, Tyrande now realized that the mammoths were "catapults," and Garrosh had apparently made them remember a particular purpose.Elune's radiance gave away her position.Although the mammoth is brutal and fierce, he is also wise enough to know what to do.Garrosh wanted to destroy the shining target.If that was another priestess, at least one less person would be helping Tyrande. And if the High Priestess was killed... they knew it would be a devastating blow to the night elves and the Alliance. The shadow of the boulder loomed in front of her.The High Priestess jerked her reins, steering her steed away from the oncoming impact and the deadly rubble that followed. However, at this moment, there was a sharp pain near her shoulder blade.Then there is the position of the lower back. Two sharp arrows hit the high priestess. Tyrande knew he had been tricked.Garrosh wanted to kill the ruler of the night elves, and it didn't matter whether it was the mammoth or the two brave archers.So the boulder made her fall into the archer's trap. Those monsters from Northrend were killing her people when Tyrande fell limp to the ground.