Information was quickly transmitted. A magical message went to Kul Tiras, reaching Jaina. Another message was sent back to the City of Hope in Lordaeron, reaching Shandris and the other three.
There was also a separate message for Onyxia, the Black Dragon Princess, telling her that they were going to war with Kul Tiras and that she could express any thoughts she had. This time, it was likely to control the Drustvar region and the Stormsong Valley, firmly grasping them in their hands.
Onyxia, a war-monger, would not refuse war, as war brought wealth. She wasn't afraid of a large war; instead, she worried about the absence of war, finding steady business utterly unstimulating.
The current cooperation with the Gnomes was going well, and she had already bought Westfall from the Kingdom of Stormwind. This would become the next granary and stronghold, serving as a bridgehead to connect with the southern Forest Trolls. The Trolls were not poor, and the local area had many unique items for trade.
As for whether going to war with Kul Tiras was reasonable, in Arthas's view, it was not a problem at all. Only the weak needed explanations; the strong disdained wasting effort on words.
As long as one is strong enough, there will naturally be great scholars to interpret for me!
After Jaina received the message, she felt much more at ease. No one knew the power of the Guardians Cult better than her; it was her husband's exclusive religion, serving only him.
The trauma after war was severe, and there would be some stress reactions, which required religious priests to counsel and, incidentally, brainwash people into becoming followers. Only with cohesion could they exert their abilities, and the fact that it could make the Blood Elves and Forest Trolls, who were sworn enemies, sit down and talk and work together proved its brainwashing capability.
Now that the Divine Envoy function had been activated, the three Priestesses had all become Divine Envoys, able to hear the calls and requests of believers and possessing the authority to handle them. This was equivalent to being a representative of a god; even though this power was borrowed, the facts were evident, and the increase in strength was beyond doubt.
With handling authority, naturally, dealing with certain matters would be more effortless and composed.
In this cult, Whitemane was responsible for brainwashing and absorption, dispelling the unrest spreading in Kul Tiras, and even potentially finding hidden heretics and assimilating them. She was extremely fanatical about Arthas; calling her a madwoman would not be an exaggeration.
Lilian Voss specialized in intelligence; this didn't mean she only spied. It was like a special agent organization. Espionage, targeted sabotage, assassination, and the like were commonplace. Now, as one of the Divine Envoys, she could also process believers' calls and requests, which made it much easier to incite defection and recruit new members during behind-enemy-lines infiltration, allowing her to thrive.
Bridget was the ultimate trump card. She wasn't particularly skilled in schemes and stratagems, but when it came to war, the previous two couldn't hold a candle to her. With the Scarlet Crusade under her command, even a farmer could be quickly trained into a combatant after joining, and low morale was simply impossible in her army.
During this campaign against the Lich King, she was also ordered to clear out the last remaining Undead in the Eastweald region and, incidentally, deal with the disobedient Trolls who refused to join the Alliance. These Forest Troll factions all revered cannibalistic savage customs, and since words were useless, they were simply all annihilated.
Constantly attacking new settlements and eating people sealed their doom. This was also a message to other Trolls: obey, and there would be food, decent work, and a stable life. Disobey, and become part of the earth.
The campaign against the Lich King could not affect homeland security; the homeland still needed to develop.
Bridget had just finished dealing with the Trolls and was on her way back to the City of Hope. She had originally planned to rest for a while and train new recruits. However, after the new orders arrived, they could only go to the City of Hope to rest for a few days, replenish supplies, and then sail to Kul Tiras.
She had no complaints about this because Arthas had promised that when he returned from Northrend, he would give her a child, a child she would personally bear.
Could having a child also be considered a reward?
For fanatical female believers, it was indeed so. The position of queen was out of the question, but being a lover was not bad either; at least she retained her dignity, and she wouldn't lack what she deserved, which was quite good.
If Arthas were to spread word that he needed to find a lover, women willing to be mistresses would probably line up from the City of Hope all the way to Stormwind in the south, not even counting females of other races. His charisma truly was off the charts.
If Cho'gall knew that Arthas had dispatched three Priestesses to deal with the Twilights Hammer, he wouldn't know whether to be happy about being taken seriously or to put on a mournful face and prepare to find a grave to bury himself first.
It was clear that the Twilights Hammer was behind this, and without NZoth, there was still Yogg-Saron.
Religion against religion, this was not bullying. The only thing that could be considered bullying was that the three Priestesses had become Divine Envoys, which would rapidly expand the cult's membership without affecting their devout faith.
A deity who can respond, even if only with verbal encouragement, is enough to inspire people. What's most feared is a vague deity who gives no indication no matter what is said or asked; isn't that just believing in nothing?
Shandris, who was still enjoying a meal in the City of Hope, immediately set off after receiving the news.
Her bodyguard squad couldn't keep up with her pace. This Princess could not be harmed; she was the first princess since the founding of the Lordaeron Empire, and the status of the Eldest Princess had always been very special.
"This girl, Shandris, slow down. No one is fighting you for it."
Calia shook her head helplessly; she was also an Eldest Princess. Many nobles had proposed to her during this time, but all had been rejected. She didn't want to marry either. Given her younger brother's personality and the style of her younger siblings, she would most likely be asked to help raise their children.
This was also good; she didn't like starting a new family, as that would put her in an unfamiliar environment. This was not what she wished to see, nor what she wanted.
Besides raising her brother's children, she was also a Priestess of the new cult. However, she wasn't as famous as the three Priestesses; she was known for being low-key, and unless absolutely necessary for her to appear, she would often work silently behind the scenes.
This was a good sister, a sister who helped raise children, that was a good sister. It wasn't a matter of free labor; given Lordaeron's situation, finding a nanny was an easy task. But having Calia raise the children was very necessary for fostering emotional connections.
Among relatives, there is always a natural foundation of trust.
Three days later.
Shandris had arrived in Boralus, the capital of Kul Tiras, and surprisingly encountered support from other Alliance member states here. She didn't know if Jaina had invited them or if they had come voluntarily.
Gilneas had dispatched Princess Tess, or rather, she had volunteered to come. Gilneas was currently in chaos, suffering from the dual harassment of Worgen and Undead.
Yet, Old King Gene was a stubborn sort; he wouldn't compromise until the last moment. Now, they had only superficially rejoined the Alliance, but in fact, the Alliance had not approved their request.
With the precedent of the annexation of Dalaran and Stromgarde, he was also worried that Gilneas would be annexed after joining, which would truly be a joke.
I actually became the last king?
At that time, a detached force of the Scourge attacked Gilneas, causing numerous casualties. The cause was Gene's foolish command for the army to leave the tall city walls and fight the Scourge in the wilderness. The result was that the army collapsed at the first touch, serving no purpose other than adding to the Scourge's forces.
Under duress, King Gene ordered Royal Archmage Arugal to summon the Worgen slumbering in the Emerald Dream. These Worgen easily unleashed their constant fury upon the Scourge, even causing the traitor Reno's death at one point.
After the Undead retreated, the Worgen, their minds dominated by rage and turned into beasts, began to attack Gilneas. Although Gilneas temporarily repelled the Worgen, using high walls to keep them out.
However, some Worgen could still cross the high walls and rampage within the kingdom. The Worgen curse was very peculiar; those bitten or scratched by them would become infected and turn into Worgen, just like the Scourge.
But compared to the Undead, Worgen were still considered living beings. And if one possessed strong willpower, they could overcome the influence of the Worgen's rage, regaining control of their Worgen body and effectively utilizing Worgen traits in combat.
However, such people were too few, making it more than ten times harder than quitting smoking.
In addition, the Cult of the Wolf had recently emerged, glorifying the spread and transformation into Worgen. This was also in defiance of King Gene's isolationist policy, which had severely affected the lives of lords and commoners, demanding the reopening of the high walls, as they had had enough.
The struggle between the opposition and the royalists, coupled with Gene being an old stubborn man, left no other option but to fight.
As a princess, Tess did not want to participate in such a struggle, because no matter who won or lost, it would be Gilneans who died, weakening the entire kingdom's strength. On this point, her brother Prince Liam also strongly agreed.
Regarding Lordaeron's intention to annex Gilneas, the siblings unanimously believed that if it helped the people of Gilneas, it might not be a bad idea.
They dared not let their father know this thought, otherwise the Old Wolf King might be furious to death. These two children were truly filial!
He tried every means to preserve Gilneas, yet they were thinking of handing it over!
The old stubborn man would not admit that this was the mainstream and choice of the era; he would only stubbornly believe that Gilneas should be inherited by the Greymane family, and no one else.
Princess Tess had always been in contact with Jaina, and she also admired Arthas in her heart, but their identities were not suitable, and her father would not allow it, so she gave up.
After learning about Kul Tiras's problems, Tess consulted with her brother Liam and then, with the help of the Naga, slipped away with a guard detachment.
Yes, the Naga had always been active in Gilneas, engaging in smuggling. And they had been secretly inciting conflicts to divide and weaken Gilneas, so that it could eventually be annexed by Lordaeron.
Coming to support Kul Tiras this time was, firstly, to establish a connection with Jaina. Secondly, it was to discuss the matter of Gilneas. She heard that the Night Elves could help cure the Worgen curse, and she wanted to try it no matter what.
Gilneas's own strength was insufficient to solve the Worgen problem. If it could be solved once and for all, transforming the Worgen into soldiers, such unique soldiers would also be a good asset.
To connect with the Night Elves, one had to go through Lordaeron. The current Night Elves were very busy. Although they had lost their eternal lifespan and began to face illness, they were still very long-lived. After their grief, they also needed to find something to do.
Their recent schedule was packed, mainly in three directions. The first was to repair the wounds left by the Burning Legion in Ashenvale. The second was to collect materials to prepare for the resurrection of the Wild Gods, this time to resurrect most of the Wild Gods who had good relations with them. The material requirements were numerous and vast, but fortunately, they were not difficult to find; it was just a matter of spending more time, and at worst, some could be cultivated.
The third was to go to Lordaeron to repair and purify the contaminated land, which was the top priority. Arthas was a demigod, also considered a Wild God, a type favored by the Night Elves.
Coupled with the fact that High Priestess Tyrande was Arthas's mate, it could be said to be a powerful alliance. Regarding this marriage, with the exception of Illidan, all Night Elves, including Malfurion, supported it.
They even had a daughter, so was opposition still useful?
Fortunately, with the Naga escorting them all the way, Tess and her group arrived in Boralus safely.
And their arrival happened to coincide with people from the Kingdom of Stormwind.
The current king was Varian, and he had no sisters. The person who came this time was not him, but Taelia, the daughter of Grand Marshal Bolvar. Years ago, she followed her mother to Kul Tiras for refuge and study, and after the Kingdom of Stormwind was rebuilt, she would make time to return.
This time, she was both a representative of Stormwind and half a local.
Her presence was both at her father's behest and King Varian's. As a member of the Alliance, they should also contribute.
As for concerns about Lordaeron's annexation, that was somewhat amusing. It should be known that among human kingdoms, the north was the most fertile, and the Kingdom of Stormwind was essentially established by noble lords who couldn't make it in the north and fled south for refuge.
They were far from Lordaeron, with the Ironforge Dwarves blocking the way in between, so they wouldn't be coveted anyway.
And besides, doing business with Lordaeron was incredibly profitable. As for why there wasn't much money at home? Don't ask; just say it was all spent. There were too many things, too many supplies, and too many things they wanted to buy, only regretting that they didn't have enough money to spend.
If it weren't for Onyxia's connections, the Kingdom of Stormwind wouldn't even have the opportunity to buy many things. Many were internal special supplies, and without connections, one couldn't even dream of buying them.
However, their wealth had already been harvested seven or eight times over; besides continuing to produce resources in their territories for exchange, there was no better option.
Sending Taelia over, to express goodwill, was not without the intention of using a honey trap!