At this point, Galen was carrying two swords crossed on his back: the Sword of the Brotherhood of Thorium and his family's divine sword, Trol'karal. The hilts protruded from his left and right shoulders respectively.
Galen had spent the entire morning walking back and forth in Ironforge's Explorers' Hall. The golden Grand Marshal's armor, combined with the broad blade of the Sword of the Brotherhood and the cold gleam of Trol'karal, gave him a majestic presence.
"Galen, enough. We know you're handsome and mighty—the Alliance's foremost general. Can you stop parading around?" Danath finally said, unable to endure Galen's ostentatious display. As Galen's cousin, Danath felt embarrassed.
"Danath, I know you're just jealous." Galen drew the Sword of the Brotherhood and held it out. "Behold! A treasure sword personally forged by the Thorium Brotherhood's master blacksmiths! It cuts through iron like mud and severs hair with a breath!"
Danath admitted he was somewhat envious. As both a warrior and a paladin, he found a handsome and powerful divine weapon more appealing than any noble lady.
"Why show off to us? Go flaunt it to your ranger-general girlfriend!" Danath retorted.
"I already did. Sylvanas was there when this longsword was being forged. Afterward, I even had the Thorium Brotherhood make a large supply of saronite arrows for her rangers!"
These words struck a nerve with both Danath and Turalyon. Danath was annoyed that the rangers received such benefits, regretting not accompanying them to at least acquire a new weapon. Turalyon was still hung up on Alleria, and Galen's relationship with Sylvanas only reminded him of his own pining.
Hmph!
The proud Danath turned away, refusing to watch Galen's display any longer.
The others present chuckled.
Uther, Dathrohan, Tirion, Turalyon, and Gavinrad were there, along with the naval commander Derek and three dwarves carrying the Dark Iron ale that Galen had brought back: Muradin and Brann from Ironforge, and Kurdran from Aerie Peak.
This gathering represented the new generation of Alliance leaders (the dwarves, being long-lived, were considered honorary members). Unlike the older generation like Lothar or Daelin, Mograine, and others, the three dwarves preferred the company of Galen and his peers.
They had just concluded a pre-war mobilization meeting. Tonight was their last moment of leisure, as Lothar had set the advance into the Burning Steppes for dawn the next day, spurred on by the news of the Fire Lord's banishment and the Thorium Brotherhood's liberation of Blackrock Depths.
With both the Fire Lord and Nefarian defeated, Durin had sealed Blackrock Spire, awaiting reinforcements from Blackrock Depths for the final assault.
The orcs remained oblivious to the upheaval within the Dark Iron dwarves, their former allies. The arrival of the Warsong Clan had made them overconfident.
"Galen, I must say, the only thing our Dark Iron dwarf cousins have done right in recent years is brew this Saffron Ale," Brann said cheerfully after taking a large gulp.
"Drink less, Brann. We're going to war tomorrow morning and need to be in top condition," Muradin cautioned. As a skilled warrior and Mountain King, Muradin exercised more self-control than Brann, who was primarily focused on exploration and had only sampled a single cup.
"It's fine, Muradin. Drinking makes me feel good," Brann hiccuped.
"Alright, everyone, the Thorium Brotherhood gave me more than just a weapon—they made me a promise!" Galen's words piqued everyone's interest.
Since returning from Blackrock Mountain with several black dragon heads, Galen had solidified his position as a leading figure of the new generation. Previously, they knew he was strong, but his involvement in the conflict with demigods revealed the full extent of his power.
Incidentally, Brann had mounted those black dragon heads in Explorers' Hall.
Seeing that he had their attention, Galen continued, "Now that they've liberated the Dark Iron dwarves and rule Blackrock Depths, they're quite wealthy. And now that I have a divine weapon, how could I forget my brothers?"
Danath, ever shameless, was the first to react. "We're getting weapons too? Haha, Galen, you truly are our brother!"
Seeing the others' eager expressions, Galen stopped being mysterious and produced a stack of blueprints from his armor.
Maladath, Runed Blade of the Black Flight!
Blade of the Northern Kings!
Obsidian Edge Blade!
Reclaimed Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood!
Doomsaw!
Cataclysm's Edge!
Hailstorm!
Dragonscale Blade!
These were the sword designs. Below were warhammers:
The Silver Hand!
Dragon's Call!
The Lightforged Hammer!
Hammer of Justice!
Galen had drawn these blueprints from memory, featuring weapons with striking appearances. He had spent considerable time modifying some of them, resulting in a vivid recollection of their designs.
A diligent goblin craftsman in Molten Core was working overtime to smelt saronite ingots. The Thorium Brotherhood, eager to celebrate the liberation of the Dark Iron dwarves and their return to the civilized world, had generously promised Galen a batch of these exquisite weapons for the Alliance generals.
"Choose, brothers! An opportunity like this won't come again!" Galen spread the blueprints on the table, allowing them to select their preferred weapons. "Of course, you can also give Durin your own designs. You don't have to stick to these appearances. After all, the best weapon is the one that suits you best."
In the end, Uther chose the Hammer of Justice, Dathrohan selected Doomsaw, Turalyon took Obsidian Edge Blade, Tirion wanted Cataclysm's Edge, Danath chose Blade of the Northern Kings, and Gavinrad set his sights on Reclaimed Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood!
Derek chose Maladath, Runed Blade of the Black Flight. Galen considered it the most stylish sword besides his own. Derek, a naval officer, favored close-quarters combat with a one-handed sword and used a musket for ranged attacks—a common fighting style among sailors.
Muradin, Brann, and Kurdran examined the blueprints but didn't choose any. As dwarven royalty, they already possessed numerous epic weapons. Their eldest brother, Magni Bronzebeard, was the most skilled blacksmith among the dwarves, ensuring they never lacked for quality arms.
However, Muradin took note of Dragon's Call, intending to try it out if the opportunity arose. He had to admit, the warhammer looked impressive.