"Gul'dan is trapped in our world of Azeroth, and he has sought refuge with a powerful master. Coincidentally, our Crusade is the enemy of his master."
Anyway, let's boast a bit first. It's just the Old Gods; Galen will eventually pay them a visit to check their water meters one by one.
"Thank you, Master!"
"We will definitely lead the Highmaul ogres to eliminate all enemies for Master!"
The two heads directly pledged their loyalty.
Galen said nothing more but imprinted a master-servant contract on their two heads.
"Medivh, we have already occupied most of Draenor. Now, only the Tanaan Jungle and Shadowmoon Valley controlled by the orcs, and the Spires of Arak where the arakkoa reside, remain. I hope you can go to the northeast to preside over military and political affairs. The Third, Fifth, and Sixth Legions of the Crusade will all be under your command!"
After the problem of Gorgrond was solved, the two legions of Fral and Durin had already focused their main efforts on defending against the orcs trying to break through into Talador from the Path of Glory. Because of the orcs' fierce attacks, Galen had to send the Third Legion stationed at Alleria Stronghold to reinforce them, and the three wastrels of Stromgarde reunited once again.
"After you go, you must remember one thing: don't be too aggressive. The orcs are attacking our defense line, and each time, only one legion can go up. You have to act like we are barely holding on. Even if it's a fake show, it doesn't matter. The troops retreat five kilometers from the defense line, and then let the artillery bombard the positions that have been abandoned. The next day, retake them again!"
"Also, Gul'dan, disguised as a warlock of the Shadow Council, has successfully infiltrated Hellfire Citadel. When you see orc troops using whirlwind banners attacking the city, you can let them gain some credit so that Gul'dan can climb to a high position as soon as possible."
"Also, let Maraad select a group of draenei warriors to participate in the defense of the Path of Glory. From time to time, let them show their faces in the most conspicuous places, preferably making the Horde think we are servants of the draenei!"
"Understood, Highlord!" Medivh is a smart man. Galen's plan is simple and easy to understand. It's nothing more than a double agent, pretending to be weak and diverting the disaster to the east. The reason for playing these tricks is to paralyze Ner'zhul and make him think that everything is under his control. Once he knows that he can't win and is bound to die, he will definitely contact the Burning Legion.
Moreover, with the draenei at the front, even if Kil'jaeden occasionally turns his attention from the confrontation with the Titan Legion to Draenor, with his hatred for Velen, he will choose to let the orcs continue to attack the draenei.
With Kil'jaeden's full of hatred for Velen turning into love, what he desires is a perfect revenge, letting the orcs, a race that has lived peacefully with the draenei for hundreds of years, stab Velen in the back, so that Kil'jaeden can feel the sweetness of revenge. The more miserable Velen and the draenei are, the more it can prove that Velen's escape from Argus and betrayal of all the eredar was wrong. He will only stand up to condemn Velen's failure after Velen has completely failed and has nothing left.
As long as the orcs are still suppressing and massacring the draenei, as long as the Horde is still in the upper hand, Kil'jaeden will feel happy.
Galen is creating this illusion to buy more time to unite all the creatures of Draenor, unite them, and stand on the front line against the Burning Legion, while he leads the Crusade to assist greatly from behind, and incidentally save the day in times of crisis.
Speaking of the creatures of Draenor, they are also naturally blessed. The gronn, ogres, ogre magi, and orcs are simply born for war, with strong physiques and great strength, especially the gronn, which are war machines with just a little armament!
The arakkoa and saberon, these native races, are also naturally gifted, one being a natural hunter and the other having created a brilliant civilization.
Galen's attraction of the battlefield from Azeroth to Draenor to buy time for Azeroth to recuperate is inseparable from the assistance of these races.
Currently, Nagrand, which Galen uses as a large rear base, has become a pasture for the orcs. Gorgrond is the habitat of the ogres and gronn. In exchange, they will form their own warbands to jointly resist the Burning Legion in the future.
After handing over the orcs to Medivh to deal with and with Gandalf assisting the saberon in Ashran to hold back the orcs, Galen freed up time to prepare to take his sisters to the Spires of Arak to see the Apexis civilization, which is known as the number one civilization of Draenor.
Just as Galen was about to set off, Maraad came to visit and told Galen that the leader of the draenei, Velen, wanted to meet with him.
Speaking of which, Velen had brought his elite guard, the Shield of Velen, back to Shattrath City for several days, but Galen was fighting Deathwing in Gorgrond at the time and couldn't come back for a while. Later, he arranged the orc migration project, and it was not until today that he returned to Shattrath.
Galen chose the meeting place in the center of Shattrath, in the Terrace of Light, where K'ure and D'ore, the two naaru, were also resting. Galen felt that with Velen's trusted naaru by his side, their meeting would definitely be pleasant.
Based on the common faith in the Holy Light between the two sides, it was decided that the Crusade and the draenei had a natural affinity, at least in Velen's view, and through the soul communication with the two naaru these days, Velen had constructed in his heart a Lord of the Crusade that integrated sacrifice, dedication, bravery, justice, honor, and protection of the weak!
When Galen and Velen met on the Terrace of Light, the Holy Light on both sides flickered slightly, and Velen was already shocked speechless.
If the Holy Light in his body was as gentle as water, then the Holy Light in Galen's body was as hot as fire.
Velen knew that he was a chosen one of the Holy Light, favored by the Holy Light, and loved by the naaru, but the Lord of the Crusade in front of him gave him an unspeakable feeling, as if his rank was even higher than his own. What is this?
Son of the Holy Light?
In the center of the Terrace of Light, Galen and Velen sat on the ground, and Alleria also sat quietly behind Galen. Above their heads were two floating naaru, and golden light shone on the entire square. The surrounding draenei were already half-kneeling on the ground praying and listening to the teachings of the Holy Light.
"I am Velen, nice to meet you, leader of the Crusade, brother of the Holy Light. I have imagined your existence, but I didn't expect you to be so young and so powerful!"
Velen used a soul whisper similar to that of the naaru, and his deep, gentle voice sounded in Galen's heart.
"Hello, Prophet of the draenei, I am honored to meet you. I have also admired you for a long time. You have led the draenei to resist the Burning Legion unyieldingly, which has given us great encouragement."
Praise never hurts, and it's never wrong to send a bucket of rainbow farts.
Moreover, Galen's words are not false. Velen, who can fight Kil'jaeden and not die, is definitely a great man!
The Eredar people have a history spanning over a million years. They are blessed by the spirit of Argus, granting them infinite lifespans and exceptional talent. Velen himself is over 25,000 years old and possesses 25,000 years of experience fighting the Burning Legion—guerrilla warfare experience, to be precise.
However, putting myself in his shoes, if I were Velen and were relentlessly pursued by the seemingly endless forces of the Burning Legion, with a dwindling number of my people, I'd probably have given up long ago.
It reminds me of playing games in my past life, where my base was completely destroyed, leaving only a few griffins running around the map. I would have surrendered.
That's why I say Velen is a true great man!
Moreover, besides the Dragon Aspects, he's the oldest and most powerful figure I've ever met. Unlike the Dragon Aspects, whom I dare to scheme against, I hold only respect, unparalleled respect, for Velen, one of the few in the Warcraft universe who has opposed the Burning Legion and survived to eventually strike back.
The Dragon Aspects call me a mortal, but Velen calls me brother!
"The tragic fate of the Draenei is all my doing. Every death of my people is due to my flawed decisions!"
Faced with Galen's praise, Velen felt a unique mix of emotions. Relying on the prophetic abilities of a relic, he led the Draenei in exile across the stars for over 20,000 years. His people were exhausted. They finally settled in Draenor to recuperate, but his peaceful policies brought disaster to the recovering population. Countless Draenei were brutally harmed by the orcs.
"Prophet, please call me Galen. It's not your fault. The orcs weren't inherently evil or violent; they were corrupted by Kil'jaeden's deception."
Galen comforted Velen. Although Galen also felt that Velen's decisions on Draenor were flawed and that he trusted the orcish race too much. Even if you got along well, shouldn't you have maintained a necessary level of vigilance?
After all, you're a race with over 20,000 years of exile experience, and your history spans a million years. Haven't you grasped the principle of 'beware of those who are not of your kind'? Have you lived your long life in vain?
Of course, Galen only thought about this in his heart and wouldn't directly criticize Velen's shortcomings.
"Galen, I have glimpsed Draenor's fate, and now this planet's destiny has deviated from destruction. It is you and the Scarlet Crusade who have changed it!" As Velen spoke, the holy light emblem on his forehead glowed, reflecting the purple gem on his staff. That should be one of the naaru's Atam Crystals: the Song of Souls!
"Indeed, Prophet, Draenor's fate was destruction, but fate is not predetermined; it can be changed. The original intention of the Scarlet Crusade was to resist the Burning Legion and change fate!"
Galen spoke with conviction. He said it sincerely. Initially, he wanted to use the Heart of Origin to change his own mediocre fate of demise, to change the fate of Stromgarde's disintegration, and to change the fate of his surrounding friends and family.
Now, as the Scarlet Crusade grows stronger, Galen's ambition also grows. He wants to change the fate of Azeroth and Draenor and fight against the Burning Legion.
Velen opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. First impressions can be deceiving, but through a few exchanges with Galen on a soul level, he sensed that Galen was telling the truth.
"Galen, can I trust you?"
The Draenei can no longer afford losses. Velen is now treading on thin ice. Even after predicting the future, he still finds it difficult to make a decision. The number of his people has reached rock bottom; one wrong step could lead to extinction.
"Prophet, hasn't the Holy Light given you guidance? K'ure and D'ore have requested me to help the Draenei, and that is why I came and reclaimed Shattrath City."
Galen spoke quite sincerely. The Draenei population is indeed at a low point, lacking armed forces, but Galen doesn't lack an army. He only needs the Draenei's technological expertise. They are a race of exiles, but they are interstellar refugees!
The word 'interstellar' in 'interstellar refugees' is the Draenei's value.
Azeroth's warships are still powered by sails, and the gnomes' aircraft had to rely on samples provided by Galen to be successfully developed. It's unknown how long it will take to reach outer space.
Moreover, the Draenei all have long lifespans. Even a pig living for 20,000 years would have rich experience. Selecting some talents to serve as his legion commanders in the future would also be a good choice.
"And our homeworld, Azeroth, is a planet with great potential, harboring the strongest Titan. We are naturally opposed to the Burning Legion; this is the inherent foundation of our alliance. Prophet, move the Draenei to Azeroth. I will help you find a fertile land where you can recuperate and restore your population!"
Velen, a demigod, is strong, but what Galen truly values is not his combat power but his support abilities and leadership charisma. He is even better than Alonsus Faol at inspiring people. For the Old Gods, who are adept at The bewitching ancient god said, Velen is their nemesis. Therefore, preserving the Draenei is only beneficial to Azeroth and not harmful.
Excluding the cursed Broken, there are only a few hundred thousand healthy Draenei, not even two hundred thousand, which is less than the divided Kingdom of Alterac. Galen can easily find a place to settle them.
Two hundred thousand Draenei can be supported by building hundreds or thousands of farms!
The old prophet closed his eyes again, slowly turning the crystal beads in his hand, obviously pondering.
"The Holy Light guides us to unite! Galen, the Draenei will be the Scarlet Crusade's most steadfast allies!"
Velen extended his purple hand, and Galen grinned, extending his hand as well, tightly clasping the Prophet's hand.
"The Scarlet Crusade will always be the Draenei's support!"
The holy light on both of them began to merge. At this moment, Galen felt that the core of Velen's holy light contained redemption!
And Velen also vaguely perceived the core of Galen's holy light attribute: judgment and justice!
"Prophet, I wonder what arrangements you have for the group of Draenei called the Broken!"
"Galen, thank you for selflessly spreading the path of the shaman among my suffering compatriots. You have saved all the Broken, but now they are divided into the noble Kurenai and the radical Ashtongue Deathsworn. Coupled with the rejection of the tribe, it is difficult for me to return them to the Draenei tribe."
"Please take care of the Broken in the Scarlet Crusade!"
The Prophet's words made Galen blush. He had indeed had thoughts of splitting the Shattered and the Draenei before, but Galen couldn't be blamed for that. It was you healthy Draenei who drove away and exiled this group of cursed Shattered.
You don't want them, but I'll take them in. That's not too much to ask, is it?
I didn't steal or rob, and the Shattered are willing.
No problem.
Who can refuse a group of units with built-in stealth?
However, Velen's magnanimity also impressed Galen. It was indeed difficult for him to reconcile the conflict between his people and the Shattered.
The Draenei feared that the Shattered would transmit the curse to their children. The Shattered tried their best to protect their people, only to be hurt by the curse. In the end, their people didn't appreciate it, alienated them, and drove them away. They were also heartbroken.
This is a dead knot. The most difficult to understand and the most complicated is the human heart. Even the Draenei, a race favored by the Holy Light, cannot escape this law.
However, Velen was a wise elder. Since he chose to ally with Galen, he was relieved to hand over the Shattered to him.
Galen was trusted, and he quickly elevated Velen's status in his heart to second only to his own father, on par with the Archbishop.
Velen set off for Zangar Marsh at the first opportunity. He needed to return to gather the non-combatant members of his race and send them to Azeroth.
In the next few decades, or even centuries, Draenor will become a place of contention. Galen will gradually let the demons of the Burning Legion in, consuming their forces like a millstone.
Moreover, his own legion can draw experience from the demons, which is simply perfect.
Galen has already changed his combat strategy. He will not invest his efforts on this planet, build too many sub-bases, and then manage the environment like the Barrens, engaging in sustainable development. He only needs to manage it slightly to maintain Draenor's vitality.
Because he knows that his plan may collapse at any time. Once Kil'jaeden or Archimonde discovers his little plan and personally intervenes, Draenor is likely to experience an inevitable explosion!
This gives the feeling of 'it's not mine, so I can do whatever I want'. Galen doesn't feel bad.
This place is no longer suitable for the Draenei to live in. Women and children will go to Azeroth for refuge. Galen has already chosen a good place for the Draenei, which is the land located north of Durotar!
Azshara!
The former capital of the Night Elf Empire, Azshari, was also the site of the Well of Eternity. The cataclysm ten thousand years ago was centered on this area, blasting the entire continent into four pieces: southeast, northwest.
After the Great Sundering, the demons in Azeroth were cleared by the Allied forces. Queen Azshara and her loyal subordinates were swallowed by the sea. All that remains here are the ruins of a once magnificent city.
Those surviving Night Elves named this place, once glorious and prosperous but now only a broken ruin, Azshara. This name comes from the queen who was tempted by demons and became mad, used to warn future generations.
Later, many deep-sea monsters invaded this area, accompanied by the vengeful Naga. There were even rumors that this area was hiding a portal to the Burning Legion. The Night Elves were panicked. In addition, it rained frequently here all year round. They believed that this land was cursed. Therefore, they abandoned this land. In addition, the once prosperous golden forest became a barren land where no grass grew and trees could not survive. The Night Elves set their border west of the Anger River and did not step into the east.
This is convenient for Galen. He does not refuse any land. The cursed land abandoned by the Night Elves is a treasure in his eyes. With a little transformation, it can produce a steady stream of food.
If not, aren't there still mountains in these places?
Mining!
The goblins of the later-generation established a prosperous seaport here. Galen believes that with the Draenei's crystal technology, the city they build will be more prosperous and beautiful than the goblins'.
Moreover, this is Durotar's back garden. With this nearby fortress, Galen can support this land at any time. There is no problem with security.
After arranging the Draenei, Galen continued his plan and headed to Spires of Arak.
As far as Galen knows, the capital of the Arakkoa Empire, Skyreach, holds a pure fire gold ring. Galen feels that it is destined for him.
Leaving Shattrath City, heading south, passing by Sylvanas Keep and Alleria Stronghold, crossing the eastern part of Bone Wastes, he soon arrived at the junction of Talador Forest and Spires of Arak.
Hawksbill and Nathanos's legions were stationed at the mountain pass.
"Hawksbill greets the Grand Lord, greets the young lady!" As an old subordinate of the Windrunner family, Ranger-General Hawksbill brought Nathanos to greet Galen's arrival.
"Nathanos good day General, good day Alleria."
Nathanos' tone was full of excitement, as if he had seen his idol. He couldn't restrain his gratitude to Galen. It was Galen who promoted him from a farmer's son to a legion commander, and arranged for him to practice in the way of the ranger.
Nathanos was already an adult at this time, slightly younger than Galen. His strength had reached the early stage of the ninth rank. He had studied in the Windrunner family's training camp for more than a year. Because Galen needed him, he graduated early and came to Draenor. However, Galen also took care of him. In order to let him continue to practice, Galen specially arranged for the old ranger to come over and partner with him, and let Hawksbill guide him while defending.
Galen responded with a smile, and Alleria also greeted the old ranger.
"How is it? Have the Arakkoa in the south been restless recently?"
After the Draenei, the former overlord of Talador, was beaten hard by the orcs, they declined. The guarding force of Auchindoun was insufficient. Many Arakkoa coveted the powerful shadow power contained in Auchindoun, secretly infiltrating the interior to excavate. Archbishop Malaadar was miserable and had to ask Shattrath for help.
"The Arakkoa in Spires of Arak have been much calmer. They saw us fighting the Horde, so they chose to watch. It seems that their hatred for the orcs is not small!"
After the orcs defeated the Draenei, they marched north to Gorgrond, west to the ogres, and south to the Arakkoa. Basically, they offended all the intelligent races of Draenor. The Arakkoa's traditional territory, Spires of Arak, was also ravaged by the Horde. It is too normal for the Arakkoa to hate the orcs.
The geographical environment of Spires of Arak is special, and the various forces in this lost Arakkoa Empire are intricate. Galen pondered for a while:
"We need a guide to take us into this Arakkoa country. Bring all the Arakkoa thieves you captured in Auchindoun!"