Capítulo 195: Chapter 195: The Road Ahead
On the icy surface, a resounding song echoed.
"With the glory of Emperor Thoradin, we head south, planting the blue lion's banner atop Kings' Valley, the symbol of humanity's great legacy... We entrust our fate to you, the golden lion's banner... Ah, golden lion, you represent dignity and nobility, the symbol of honorable knights... Ah, Stormwind, you are the stronghold of pioneers, the bridgehead of human civilization, capable of defeating any foe..."
This song, initially an obscure tune from a thousand years ago, gradually became one of the military anthems of Stormwind Kingdom, typically heard during breaks in military training. However, sung by soldiers who had lost their kingdom, it now carried an additional layer of sorrow and emotion. For each Stormwind soldier, only after truly reclaiming Stormwind and liberating Elwynn Forest would they be worthy of this anthem!
Over half a year of hardship, their journey was filled with bitterness. The soldiers of Stormwind watered every inch of land from Redridge Mountains to Elwynn Forest and Stormwind itself with their blood and tears.
Some lost their homes and fields, some lost their lifelong friends, some lost their wives and children. What was even worse, they lost their capital city. From now on, they were refugees in the eyes of others.
But even against the mighty orcs, they didn't lose hope.
Because they had a great king, Llane, who accompanied them until the very end before evacuating.
They had a great commander, Anduin, who encouraged and guided them at all times.
And they had a great hero, Duke, who possessed unfathomable power and created one miracle after another.
Tonight, all their suffering would come to a temporary end. Starting from the next dawn, they firmly believed that under the leadership of these heroes, they would eventually achieve victory in the war against the orcs!
"Lord Marcus! Thank you!"
"You are our benefactor, our hope—"
"Thank you. I can finally see my wife and children alive."
As Stormwind faded into the horizon, the soldiers began to cheer in excitement for their survival. The further they moved away from the flames engulfing Stormwind, the more impassioned they became.
What started as a gentle stream flowing through the mountain forests grew into an overwhelming ocean. The sound waves were like giant waves raised by a hurricane, rushing towards them...
Duke, Llane, Anduin, and several other Stormwind officials stood side by side at the front of the ice ship, truly experiencing what it meant to be amidst thunderous cheers. When fifty thousand people raised their swords in salute, the sight was unforgettable!
It wasn't a military parade or staged event but genuine gratitude.
King Llanesmiled, "Duke, make yourself a platform so the soldiers can see you."
Duke was a bit embarrassed. Wasn't that showing off too much?
"Your Majesty, this..."
Llane laughed and patted the ice block containing Blackhand's head, then looked at the huge Horde banner, "These two things are enough for me. Besides, I've never minded a real hero's reputation surpassing my own. You see, I've never been the most popular person in the military."
Llane was incredibly magnanimous.
Anduin also encouraged Duke, "Kid, Llane is preparing to make you do the hard work. If you don't take some interest now, you may suffer for a long time."
Bolvar nodded to Duke with a smile.
Duke hesitated no more, and a huge ice pillar beneath his feet lifted him straight up.
Seeing Duke's robed figure, a massive cheer erupted, and suddenly, the clouds dispersed. It was as if the moon had heard the cheering and decided to sneak a peek at the scene unfolding below.
"Long live Duke Marcus—"
"Long live the great Guardian of Stormwind—"
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that, at this moment, Duke's blood was boiling with excitement!
He suddenly felt that all the hard work and preparation he had put into everything was worth it.
Just then, the system prompt sounded.
"Congratulations, Host. Your Stormwind Kingdom reputation is now permanently set to Revered. Even if you lose all your integrity in the future, the people of Stormwind will still unconditionally believe in you. In that case, your integrity will be considered in a 'hypocritical' state."
Hypocritical state? What was that all about?
Duke didn't have time to think about it. After receiving three rounds of cheers from the soldiers, he stepped down.
It was then that Anduin asked, "What's next? Will your Murlocs just drag us all the way to Southshore?"
Duke chuckled, "That's impossible. Maintaining this massive ice ship isn't easy, and the deep-sea waves could be a problem. Besides, it's summer, and the high temperatures could easily melt the ice."
Bolvar's expression turned grim, "Damn, we barely have any food or fresh water. If the ice melts, won't we..."
Bolvar had already imagined the tragic scene of people in armor sinking into the sea.
Duke pulled out a simple sea chart and pointed to an island directly opposite Stormwind City, "Our destination is here."
The next morning, the ice ship reached its destination. It was a small island, only five square kilometers in size. The most notable feature of the island was a freshwater spring. Seafarers traveling between Stormwind City and Kul Tiras knew about this nameless island. When their drinking water was running low, they would often choose to stop and resupply here.
And now, there was enough bread prepared on the island to feed fifty thousand people for half a month.
As their feet touched the ground, the soldiers erupted into another round of passionate cheers.
Duke shrugged, "Alright, now we just wait for the fleet to take us to Southshore."
Under the shade of a few trees, the high-ranking members of Stormwind Kingdom began to discuss their future plans.
"I plan to travel to Lordaeron to unite all the human kingdoms, as well as the dwarves and high elves, to form a massive alliance against the orc invasion," King Llane revealed his long-considered plan.
Lordaeron was located in the northeastern part of the Eastern Kingdoms continent. It was the proudest homeland of the Lordaeron Kingdom. In fact, at this point in time, Lordaeron was the most powerful of the seven human kingdoms. The fertile land of Lordaeron supported the largest population among the kingdoms.
There used to be a saying, 'I'd rather be a baron in Lordaeron than a count in Stromgarde,' which reflected the level of prosperity in the land.
"Should I stay in Southshore to train the troops?" Anduin asked.
"No, you should accompany His Majesty to Lordaeron," Duke disagreed with Lothar's proposal.
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