"Master, this was originally a sea area, and the orc warlock used magic to raise several islands!" Zola reported to Galen. Even she, who had heard of Queen Azshara's power, was awestruck.
Of course, Galen's power was in a different league. Any naga clan would submit when faced with hundreds of giant water elementals. Only a Water Elemental Lord possessed such power. The Razorfin naga, who lived in the water, knew this well.
"That's not the work of a single orc. It's a joint spell cast by hundreds of spellcasters," Galen explained. He knew Gul'dan couldn't do this alone. The Tomb of Sargeras had essentially come to them. And with so many ogre magi, reshaping the terrain was relatively easy.
"Land and pursue Gul'dan!"
"As you command, Master! Bloodsail warriors, follow me!" Zasj ordered, and the sailors on the watchtowers signaled the fleet.
The main force of the Bloodsail pirates consisted of former Heart of Origin personnel. Most were sailors trained from shipyard workers. Their combat ability was at most militia level, far inferior to regular troops. However, they excelled at operating warships and cannons. Boarding actions relied on proper pirates, like the desperate individuals under Ana and Eliza.
There was also Zasj's personal guard: two hundred massive naga brutes, each nearly three meters tall.
The island was desolate, having recently been a reef.
Galen stepped onto the black rocks, startling a small crab. He saw ruined buildings in the distance. Ten thousand years ago, this was the heart of Suramar, a magnificent night elf city. But it was destroyed in the Great Sundering. The Broken Isles' Suramar was only a small remnant of the original city.
Galen gestured for Zasj to lead the attack.
"Attack! Bloodsail pirates!" Zasj shouted, then surged forward on her six limbs. Her upper two arms wielded scimitars, the middle two held pistols, and the lower arms carried a drawn bow. The naga brutes followed closely, wielding massive yellow tridents.
"Charge! Charge!" The troll Ana led thirty trolls with long spears.
Finally, Eliza and her three hundred human pirates followed, armed with cutlasses.
"Prepare for battle!"
Gul'dan, who had fled to the island, had over a hundred ogres and two hundred orcs. They quickly raised their weapons at his command.
On the dim island, the two sides clashed fiercely on the jagged rocks.
Blades clashed, spears thrust, and blood splattered. The stench of blood mingled with the sea air, creating a red mist.
A naga brute disemboweled an ogre, only to be struck by a fireball and then crushed by another ogre's club.
The naga brutes and ogres fought savagely, trading blows. The trolls provided ranged support.
The outnumbered human pirates were overwhelmed by the orcs and ogres. It took five or six of them to defeat a single ogre.
The naga brutes were the key to victory. These elite troops were few in number. The Razorfin naga had conquered several small naga clans, but they could only muster five hundred warriors, split between Zasj and Sashja.
The naga brutes were comparable to half-orc warriors, but the two-headed ogres were formidable. They were huge, strong, and many could cast spells.
The Bloodsail pirates needed reinforcements. Despite their numbers, they were struggling.
Galen surveyed the battle and decided to intervene. Gul'dan had been gone for half an hour, and Galen couldn't afford to lose him.
Galen waved his hand, and ten newly trained Royal Guards teleported in. They raised their shields and charged at the ogres and orcs, wielding battle spears.
Meanwhile, Gul'dan had reached the temple. Its outer walls were covered in moss, coral, and seaweed. The scene matched his vision from Medivh's memories.
He could sense the powerful energy within. Gul'dan was excited. He had abandoned everything—Orgrim, the Horde, and Kil'jaeden.
"I abandoned everything for this! I will become more powerful, rebuild the Horde, and conquer this world! Even Kil'jaeden will submit to me!"
He had no turning back. Only the power within the Tomb of Sargeras could protect him from the coming retribution.
Gul'dan approached the temple, but a magical barrier blocked his path.
The purple shield surrounded the entire temple.
Aegwynn hadn't simply hidden Sargeras's avatar. She had spent over a decade transforming the ruins of Suramar and erecting powerful magical barriers. Finally, she had sunk the entire area into the sea.
But Gul'dan was prepared.
"Come, warlocks of the Bleeding Hollow clan! Lend me your magic!"
Gul'dan wanted to conserve his own strength.
These warlocks were his confidants, having betrayed the Horde for power. But Gul'dan had his own plans.
He hesitated about bringing them into the temple. It contained the Eye of Sargeras, an artifact of immense power. He wanted it for himself but needed the warlocks to clear the way.
The warlocks channeled their magic, and a green fel energy ball formed in Gul'dan's hand.
As the energy ball grew, Gul'dan hurled it at the magical barrier!
Boom!