Chapter 695: Chapter 695: Duke is the Last Hope
Antonidas watched everything unfold with a face full of despair.
Is this the power of the ancient dragons that reside in this world?
The Sunmaster exerted all his might, no, even combined with the peak powers of two Moonlight Councilors from Kirin Tor, they were no match for Nefarian!
The old mage suddenly noticed the rage in Prince Kael'thas. Watching his friends and colleagues perish, his handsome face twisted with anger. However, when he lifted his chin, he lacked the courage to face Nefarian directly.
"Desecrator! Leave the Eye of Dalaran behind!"
The prince attempted a direct attack on Theron, but a Death Knight who blinked in front of Theron bore the brunt of his magic.
Seemingly venting the rage of his friend's death, the elven prince raised and parted his hands imbued with magical might. Almost simultaneously, the Death Knight began to scream in agony as his limbs were torn off one by one, separating from his torso. This horrifying sight snapped Antonidas back to his senses.
The Sunmaster realized it then.
Unless they directly struck Nefarian, this Dragon Aspect had no interest in intervening in their petty mortal squabbles.
This might be an opportunity, even if it was one born of the enemy's pity!
"Kill all the Death Knights!" the old mage's beard bristled in anger.
Meanwhile, Nefarian leisurely opened a portal.
Another Kirin Tor Councilor teleported in, joining the fierce battle against the Death Knights.
Sadly, it was all too late.
Three Sunmasters glared at the invaders with eyes full of rage, but what of it?
Following Nefarian into the portal, the Death Knights began to blur. The mages of Dalaran dared not follow, sensing the overwhelming presence of more Black Dragons beyond the portal.
They could not be sure to what extent the Black Dragonflight had collaborated with the Horde.
Chasing further might risk provoking these dragons, who could potentially set the entire Violet Hold ablaze before the Red Dragonflight could intervene.
More mages arrived, but like their leader, they fell into a disheartened silence.
Antonidas looked towards Kael'thas, realizing why Duke, not the prince, was considered the hero of the Alliance.
The elegant prince, seemingly perfect, lacked the crucial courage and daring.
When Nefarian ravaged Lordaeron, the only two mortal heroes who dared confront him were Duke and Uther – not Kael'thas, who was also present.
But Antonidas had no right to criticize Prince Kael'thas, as he, too, lacked the courage to battle a god-like enemy.
His heart was filled with loss. He and the other Kirin Tor members were Dalaran's glory, priding themselves as protectors of the city, but tonight he had failed.
He realized his limit – he was just a slightly more powerful mortal, lacking the courage to battle a divine being.
Staring into the stars, his heart was filled with regret, having watched the enemy take the Eye of Dalaran, one of the city's most powerful artifacts.
Antonidas knew all too well what losing this artifact meant.
During Duke's visit, they had discussed this:
The Eye of Dalaran represented supreme arcane power, fueling the Dark Portal's most potent source.
The Staff of Sargeras embodied ultimate control, allowing Ner'zhul to easily manipulate every ounce of power infused into the Dark Portal.
The Book of Medivh detailed the spatial barrier structure of the entire Azeroth, with it, Ner'zhul could open the Dark Portal in any corner of the planet, including the capitals of every kingdom.
"Fortunately, we lost only one artifact," Antonidas had consoled himself.
Soon, he was proven wrong.
A sentinel from the Red Dragonflight sent a magical image from near the Tomb of Sargeras in the Endless Sea.
A terrifying demon had been defeated.
Slain by a group of brave orcs.
Clearly visible, the orcs retrieved a long stick from one of its claws, resembling a spear with a wooden handle and a silver tip.
Embedded at the top of the stick was a large gem, radiating dazzling white light. The gem, covered in spikes, dimmed the darkness around it. Sparkles occasionally burst from the gem, only to fade into the surrounding darkness.
Clearly, that was the Staff of Sargeras, the artifact Ner'zhul desperately sought.
In one day, the Horde had cunningly stolen two of the most important artifacts.
The news of Grom Hellscream's counterattack in the Silverpine Forest and Blackhand's assault on the Redridge Mountains paled in comparison.
The Alliance leadership finally realized the Horde's attacks across the Eastern Kingdoms were feints, covering their theft of the artifacts.
They didn't know Ner'zhul's sole purpose in stealing the three artifacts was to escape, but the mere possibility of their cities being destroyed was enough to drive them frantic.
"Those useless Dalaran mages! How could they let the artifacts be stolen when they knew something might happen!"
"But it was the new Black Dragon aspect Nefarian! Who among us can stand against him?"
"If we combine the forces of Dalaran and Quel'Thalas..."
No matter the discussions, the Alliance leaders had to turn their eyes to Duke of Karazhan, now their last line of defense.
If the Book of Medivh, guarded by Duke, was stolen, the entire Alliance would plunge into endless panic.
No one anticipated the pressure on Duke to be even greater.
He faced Ner'zhul, the aspiring Lich King, now armed with the artifact Skull of Gul'dan, unbeatable in battle and even more formidable in death.
Standing on the scorched earth in front of Karazhan, Ner'zhul gazed at the tower shimmering with arcane brilliance, devoid of any tension.
He couldn't hear the ghostly howling of the wind through Deadwind Pass, as the whispers echoing in his ears from the skull drowned everything else.
Holding the skull in his hands, peering into its hollow eye sockets, Ner'zhul heard Gul'dan's voice. To him, it was as if the soul itself had life.
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