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(A/N: LET'S GOOO! We've reached the halfway point to the Patreon Challenge! Thank you guys and girls so much, it really means a lot that you all like my work and actually want to see it to the end. Just halfway left to go until the Challenge is complete, let's keep the momentum up!)
Every high-ranking official currently present in Stormwind City gathered within the spacious war room of Castle Wrynn.
Seated among them were Krasus, Aegwynn, and Tyrande, who were treated as valued allies.
Krasus and Tyrande had already explained the reason for their presence, as well as their intentions regarding the current war, making it clear that they stood on the same side and shared similar goals.
When Aegwynn introduced herself, calling the humans in the room shocked would have been a gross understatement. The mages present — even Stormwind's head mage, Frederick — looked as though they were on the verge of fainting or dropping to their knees in reverence.
Aegwynn was a renowned and legendary hero. Unlike Tyrande, however, she was a human mage who had lived for over a thousand years.
Her magical powers were considered "divine" by the vast majority of archmages. She used that same power to maintain her youth and remain in her prime — with even Antonidas admitting that he was not as strong as Aegwynn.
This was the woman who had served as the Guardian of Tirisfal for over five hundred years, a position granted only to the wisest and most powerful mage of their era — provided the seat was not already occupied.
The existence of the Guardian was known only to the leaders and the most trusted high officials of the kingdoms.
The Guardian had the sworn duty to protect the world of Azeroth from existential and mystical threats, similar to the likes of the Dragon Aspects.
Unlike them, however, the Guardian was a mortal champion chosen from among Azeroth's finest — selected for their power and wisdom, then empowered through secret means to further amplify their might.
This made the Guardian of Tirisfal a potent deterrent against threats targeting Azeroth, especially daemons and other malicious forces.
Even among past Guardians, Aegwynn was considered one of the strongest — and the longest-serving. Yet, strangely, all contact with her had been lost more than a decade ago.
Many had assumed she had died, as even those few who once corresponded with her had failed to reach her.
But now, here she stood before them once more.
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Varian formally assumed his position as the new King of Stormwind, the coronation ceremony having been postponed due to the current circumstances.
He nodded to Krasus, Aegwynn, and Tyrande, who had resumed their seats after saying what needed to be said.
"Thank you for your transparency. Now we can officially begin planning our participation in the War in the North."
The holo-table activated, projecting a map of the continent of Arda.
"Before we begin, I am appointing my brother, Alastor, as the Supreme Commander of our armed forces and our Executive Strategist. Any objections?"
Some were surprised, but not a single person voiced protest. They had witnessed Alastor's achievements and his combat prowess.
If it was him, they had no complaint regarding his leadership of the war effort.
Alastor stood and nodded at Varian. Normally, he would have felt uneasy about standing above his brother's authority — especially now that Varian was king.
But after everything that had transpired, Alastor found himself more decisive in such matters — doubly so when it was clear this was what his brother himself wanted.
With a wave of his hand, the hologram zoomed in to display Stormwind's territory.
"First, with the death of Grimgor Ironhide and the majority of the Black Orks, cohesion among the Ork forces at Fort Clover has likely already begun to break, relieving much of the pressure from the east."
"As soon as a stable communication line is established, I want a message sent to General Loretta at Fort Clover relaying new orders."
"Beyond eliminating the remnants of Ork resistance along the Savage Lands' borders, her forces are to coordinate with the eastern and southern garrisons to conduct full sweeps across the kingdom — eliminating hostile elements such as Beastkin and Black mages, as well as destroying any sites of forbidden magic used for the summoning of daemons and other undesirables."
Alastor marked various borders and defensive positions across the holo-map.
"Secondary objectives, once the cleansing sweeps are complete, will include reinforcing these key defensive positions to prepare for any surprise attacks and enable rapid engagement of hostile forces."
Bolvar, an experienced commander in his own right, spoke up.
"I understand the need to eliminate hostile elements within the kingdom, but is defensive preparation truly necessary at this stage? The Beastkin of Stranglethorn Vale did not mobilize after the recent purge of their numbers."
"Not to mention, Ork resistance in the east will soon collapse."
Alastor responded smoothly, without hesitation.
"It is primarily a precaution against Black mages. I would rather eliminate even the slightest possibility of another daemon host wreaking havoc within the kingdom — or, by some misfortune, another hostile army rising from the Vale or the Savage Lands."
"Frederick, I want you to prepare your mages in sufficient numbers. Gavinrad, do the same with the priests and paladins, and assemble regiments equipped with blessed gear to provide operational support to the cleansing forces."
Bolvar nodded in understanding and sat back down, while Frederick and Gavinrad signaled their acknowledgment.
"Good. Now, onto the next matter."
Alastor shifted the holo-map to the northern territory of Stormwind.
"One-third of the capital's garrison will remain in place, along with half of the western garrisons, to serve as reserves."
"The remaining forces from the capital, the other half of the western garrisons, and the kingdom's northern garrisons will assemble into a grand host for the march north."
Mathias, the head of SI:7, chose this moment to stand up.
"My lord, I — and the others — are largely satisfied with the proposed course of action and understand the logic behind it. However, what concerns me is that, judging by the plans you have outlined and the preparations required, the greatest constraint appears to be time."
"Given the timeframe you have specified, mobilizing such a large force would be nearly impossible when logistics, supply lines, and deployment are taken into account."
Alastor nodded at Mathias and reduced the holo-map once more.
"Indeed. However, the force that will depart within the given time limit will not be the main army."
Mathias frowned slightly, confusion evident. "Pardon, my lord?"
"I will be leading a smaller force ahead of the main host — an expeditionary force — departing well before the main army."
"My force will consist primarily of armored, mechanized, and aerial units. The main army, once fully mobilized, will advance along the north-western routes, with Ironforge as its destination."
(AN: I took inspiration from the German Blitzkrieg tactics.)
"My expeditionary force, instead, will travel along the northeastern route through the Hinterlands, toward the Wildhammer dwarves' capital of Aerie Peak."
"There, we will assist in relieving the Wildhammer kingdom of hostile forces before joining one of their hosts and proceeding to Ironforge as well — after I meet up with High Thane Kurdran Wildhammer."
"From there, the plan is for my forces to enter Ironforge from the east while the main army advances from the south, allowing us to execute a coordinated two-pronged assault against the fel forces besieging the Bronzebeard kingdom freeing our allies."
Alastor traced two blue arrows across the holo-map, clearly marking the paths of the main army and the expeditionary force as they converged on Ironforge.
The room fell silent in surprise — but as the implications sank in, expressions shifted from shock to admiration.
The plan would not only stabilize their rear but also allow them to cover far more territory while regrouping with allied forces far more efficiently.
More than that, once their armies merged with the Bronzebeard dwarves, they would possess a fortified staging ground — a springboard capable of continuously reinforcing the northern allied armies while maintaining secure supply lines.
It would further strengthen the defensive line already established in the north by Alonsus and the allied forces. And along their advance, they could scour the land for hidden Black mages, Beastkin, or daemonic incursions, ensuring no threats remained behind the established front.
"I have no objections to the proposed plan," Varian said. "Does anyone else wish to speak?"
No one did.
Varian had already given his full support, and the rest of the war council remained silent — each recognizing that this was the most effective strategy they had heard thus far, and perhaps their best chance to reverse the tide of the war.
Krasus looked visibly relieved, sensing events finally moving in the right direction. Tyrande, meanwhile, regarded Alastor with undisguised admiration.
If she had already been impressed by his combat prowess, her respect now deepened further — seeing not only his composure, but his ability to balance raw power with calculated wisdom.
Aegwynn shared a similar sentiment, though hers was the gaze of an elder — watching a capable young champion come into his own.
"Alastor," Varian asked, "will you require anything further for your upcoming journey to Aerie Peak?"
"I already have what I need, brother," Alastor replied. "But to ensure the plan's success, I will also be bringing my greatest work."
A familiar glint flashed through Alastor's eyes as he thought of his current greatest creation — one that would undoubtedly sharpen the spearhead of his army.
Oh no…
Varian felt his blood run cold. He recognized that look all too well and wondered — in the name of the Aspects, the Light, and even Arda itself — what his brother had built this time
---------------------------------------------------
Alastor led Varian, Alleria, Anduin, Tyrande, and an old friend and subordinate — Aiden of the Royal Guard — through an elevator descending into a vast underground bunker.
They emerged into a massive corridor lined with metallic gates on both sides — each one towering over ten meters tall.
"…Brother."
"…Lad, what in the hell have you been up to?"
Varian and Anduin stared at the gates with open suspicion, knowing all too well how dangerous Alastor's craz--! inspirational episodes could be.
Alleria and Tyrande, however, regarded the sealed gates with curiosity and measured interest, while Aiden very deliberately avoided looking at Varian and Anduin.
Alastor did not answer immediately as he approached one of the control terminals.
"My current best attempt at destructive — yet efficient — warfare," he said at last. "I would have deployed them sooner, but they are still in the testing phase and could reasonably be classified as prototypes."
"But given everything that has transpired… I'm playing all my cards."
He entered a sequence of commands, followed by a DNA scan. The massive gate before him groaned as it slowly slid aside.
"Piloting systems, weapon calibration, and auxiliary functions may not yet meet my ideal standards," Alastor continued, "but they are safe to operate. That much I can guarantee. You can ask Aiden — he was one of the test pilots."
Varian and Anduin turned to Aiden, who offered a wry smile — though the excitement in his eyes was unmistakable.
"They're quite something, my lords," he said. "An incredible experience, truly."
"The prince exaggerates when it comes to his standards, but these… things are absolutely worth admiring."
The gate finished opening.
Varian and Anduin stared in stunned silence as their eyes widened.
Tyrande and Alleria examined the revealed shape with curiosity, while Aiden practically beamed as he gazed upon the mechanical "beauty" before them.
Alastor allowed himself a faint smirk.
Before them stood a towering humanoid combat machine — a bipedal mech standing no less than ten to twelve meters tall.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Alastor announced, "I present to you the first of the Armored Core series — or ACs, for short."
(AN: Armoured Cores.)
As if responding to his words, the mech's optics flared to life, glowing ominously as a low hum resonated through its armored frame — as though the war machine itself was alive and had awakened.
Around them, the remaining gates hissed open in sequence, revealing additional Armored Core units activating in unison.
Anduin stared at the towering machines in stunned disbelief.
In what possible way, he wondered, were these considered prototypes!?
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