The Paladins, except for a small group directly supporting Garrosh, were spread throughout the three thousand knights. Initially, they unleashed the full power of their Crusader Aura, greatly increasing the entire force's movement speed.
Boosted by this aura, the heavy knights used their fine steel lances to impale numerous Wolf Rider corpses, but were eventually halted by the remaining riders.
"Die, greenskins!"
Even without the speed enhancement, the heavy-armored knights were powerful fighters, with Garrosh being the most formidable. His longsword created a storm of blood and severed limbs.
A Wolf Rider centurion, witnessing his soldiers being slaughtered by Garrosh, was consumed by rage. His eyes turned bloodshot, and he charged towards Garrosh, believing he could turn the tide.
"Die, you vile human!"
His clumsy attempt at human speech alerted Garrosh. Garrosh unleashed a terrifying aura, a palpable presence born from countless battles.
The Wolf Rider centurion felt as if he were facing a predator on the Nagrand plains. The immense pressure paralyzed him, and his mount, the giant wolf, lost its ferocity.
The little human before him seemed far more terrifying.
It was a primal fear.
Then, the Wolf Rider's world blurred, and he realized his head had been separated from his body!
The Orcs were now experiencing the same helplessness they often inflicted on others. Garrosh, leading the charge, had pierced through the Wolf Riders' encirclement.
Garrosh's rampage caught the attention of Varok Saurfang in the Orcish main formation. He recognized his old foe from the battles at Thandol Span, where he had never gained an advantage.
Although Garrosh's actions nearly caused the Wolf Riders to collapse, the situation was still unfolding as Varok Saurfang had planned. The Wolf Riders' mobility would hold the cavalry, and then the main infantry would move in to encircle and destroy them!
In Varok Saurfang's estimation, cavalry without mobility was easy prey.
"Warriors, surround them and destroy them!"
Varok Saurfang ordered a full-scale attack. Though Garrosh and the knights appeared to be in danger, this was precisely what Garrosh had anticipated. The Orcs were no longer focusing on aerial defense, freeing up Kurdran's Gryphon Knights.
"Ancestors be with us! Those humans have drawn the greenskins' attention. It's our turn to strike! Smash their skulls!"
Kurdran yanked on Sky'ree's reins, leading the main Gryphon Knight force into a dive.
On the ground, the heavily armored knights and the black-green Wolf Riders clashed fiercely. Warhorses and dire wolves intertwined, and broadswords met sabers. It was a contest of elites, where the losers would become part of the Hinterlands.
Garrosh fought at the center of the battle. If he could hold out for an hour, Sylvanas would arrive with reinforcements, negating the Orcs' numerical advantage!
Switching from Crusader Aura to Devotion Aura, Garrosh focused on slaying every Orc in sight. Holy Light surged from his body with each swing of his longsword, ensuring that every strike was fatal.
Garrosh sensed that the Orcs were at their peak power. The demon blood had likely unlocked their full potential after years of integration. However, he wasn't worried. Once the Alliance weathered this storm, the side effects of the demon blood would manifest.
Garrosh was momentarily distracted, and a Wolf Rider seized the opportunity to attack.
Garrosh instinctively blocked the blow with his longsword. Fortunately, the Wolf Rider was far weaker than him. A fight against a true master while distracted would have been disastrous.
A Hammer of Justice stunned the Wolf Rider, followed by a decapitating strike. Then, Garrosh turned and slashed open the chest of another Wolf Rider.
Ignoring the dying Orc, Garrosh continued his assault.
The fearless Wolf Riders tenaciously engaged Garrosh's main force, limiting the heavy knights' maneuverability and preventing them from charging. Teams of Wolf Riders charged at Garrosh, seeking to claim the honor of killing the human general.
The Orcish infantry poured out of the forest. Kurdran intercepted half of them, but the rest surrounded the Wolf Rider and heavy knight battle.
The situation was dire. There were tens of thousands of Orcs, and many Trolls were in the forest. With the melee underway, they couldn't risk throwing spears. Even so, Garrosh felt immense pressure.
This is Azeroth. Even a demigod can die in a mass battle. Glancing at the battlefield, Garrosh saw that his infantry had reached the mountain pass.
Sylvanas and the others had finally arrived!
Garrosh's army lacked dedicated logistics, so the High Elves had abandoned some supplies to maximize their speed.
As the infantry and Farstrider Rangers emerged from the pass, they quickly spread out. Sylvanas and Alleria each led a contingent of Farstriders to secure advantageous positions on the flanks, while Mubar led the five thousand infantry forward in formation.
The Orcs surrounding the melee immediately turned to face them. Soon, the armored human infantry clashed with the green tide of Orcs.
Behind the infantry, two ranks of musketeers fired volleys into the Orcish ranks.
"Trolls! Trolls, Hex Priest, have your people assist!"
Varok Saurfang had committed most of the Orcs surrounding the human heavy knights. He had planned to use the Wolf Riders to hold the cavalry, then withdraw them and exhaust the humans with his infantry. He hadn't expected the human reinforcements to arrive so quickly!
Seeing the reinforcements slaughtering his warriors, he had no choice but to call on the Trolls for ranged support!
"As you wish, Orc!"
The high priest of the Zabra'thel Trolls responded, then shouted, "Zabra'thel warriors, kill those long-eared High Elves!"