The Drakkari Empire had spent a vast amount of manpower and resources to construct Drak'Tharon Keep. The Frost Trolls intended for it to serve as a frontline bastion for invading the Grizzly Hills, using it to exert immense pressure on the Furbolgs.
However, a problem arose due to the strategic layout of its construction: while the side facing the Grizzly Hills was equipped with complete defensive facilities, the side facing Zul'Drak was... well...
"Bang!"
At the top of Drak'Tharon Keep, a powerful troll with ice-blue skin, clad in black metal armor, slammed his fist against the wall.
He roared in anger at the Rogue messenger kneeling before him, "What do you mean there are no reinforcements? Do the high-ranking officials in Gundrak think we can scare off the enemy's spears with our defenseless backsides?"
The troll messenger kept his head down and continued, "General Kurinnaxx, although everyone knows it's difficult, Chieftain Drakuru still hopes you can find a way..."
"I'll find a way to your mother's—!"
The short-tempered Kurinnaxx raised his three-toed heavy foot and kicked the messenger flying, snapping a blood-stained tusk clean in half with the blow.
"Get up!"
Still fuming, Kurinnaxx strode forward and hoisted the messenger up by his collar with one hand, dangling him over the edge of the top-level wall.
"Look closely!"
Kurinnaxx pointed down at the Night Elf army arrayed in perfect formation below. The Lunar Radiance units had already opened their gun ports, aiming their cannons directly at Drak'Tharon Keep.
"You want me to find a way? Then why don't you help me think of one!"
"Tell me how I'm supposed to stop this pack of wolf-like Night Elves! They destroyed the western wall in less than half an hour. Note the word: Destroyed!"
The struggling troll messenger, ignoring the pain of his broken tusk, pleaded desperately, "General, General! I'm just the messenger; it's useless to tell me!"
"Humph! Cowards of Gundrak."
Displeased, he tossed the messenger backward and waved to the soldiers behind him. "Throw this idiot out of my keep, and have him bring my exact words to Drakuru!"
"Yes, sir!"
Frowning at the Night Elves who had temporarily ceased their attack below, Kurinnaxx stroked his gold-decorated tusk and murmured to himself in confusion, "What are these purple-skinned freaks waiting for? Why haven't they attacked?"
...
"Little Princess, how much longer do we have to wait?"
General Nawaz, who was incredibly majestic in front of his soldiers, now looked at the young girl before him with a wry smile.
"Don't be in a hurry, wait a bit longer."
Letizia sat on a supply crate in the military camp, smiling as she swung her long legs. "We need to wait for the trolls' reply first. If they still view the Night Elves with their old perspective, Andreas doesn't mind taking Drak'Tharon Keep to serve as a warning."
Nawaz's mouth twitched, causing the hideous scar that ran across the left side of his face to spasm.
This scar was left years ago when Nawaz led troops to wipe out Furbolg raiders. In a moment of soft-heartedness, he had spared a Furbolg cub.
But that whim of kindness was not met with gratitude; instead, the little Furbolg took the opportunity to slash a deep, bone-chilling scar across his face.
Had Nawaz not instinctively closed his eyes and retreated, it wouldn't have just been a scar—his entire head would have been split in two by that fierce cub.
After personally slaying the cub, Nawaz learned to harden his heart on the battlefield. Unnecessary "womanly" compassion would only lead to self-destruction. The accidental death of a commander would surely deal an irreparable blow to army morale.
Letizia looked curiously at the strangely shaped longsword on Nawaz's back. "Uncle Nawaz, is that the Troll God-Sword you seized from the Sandfury Chieftain?"
"Yes."
Nawaz unstrapped the oddly-shaped two-handed greatsword from his back and held it before him. "It's said this sword is named Sul'thraze the Lasher. Unfortunately, the cultural heritage of the Sandfury Trolls has been too severely fractured to know its true origin or history."
In the reality of Azeroth, there were no "weapon levels" or "rarity grades." Although the weapons and equipment Andreas found in Deathwing's lair were excellent, they were still quite inferior to a God-Sword passed down for countless years by the Sandfury Trolls.
Since obtaining this divine blade, Nawaz had equipped it as his primary weapon, gifting his original two-handed sword to his adjutant.
"Hehe~"
Letizia jumped down from the supply box, walking a few steps with her hands behind her back.
"Using a God-Sword inherited by trolls to slaughter trolls... how interesting."
Seeing that the scheduled time had passed and there was still no response from Gundrak, Letizia narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"The time is up. Attack."
"Yes!"
Nawaz, clad in full plate armor, strode away with a clanking sound. Soon, the melodious sound of the horn signaling the attack echoed through the camp.
"They don't know what's good for them."
At this moment, Letizia showed none of the playfulness or cheerfulness she displayed in front of Andreas. Her face was dark as she looked toward the towering Drak'Tharon Keep, her eyes meeting those of an armored troll above.
"Hah~"
Letizia drew a longbow and an arrow from her spatial bag, pulling it to full draw effortlessly. The arrow, shrouded in dark light, sped fiercely toward the troll at the top of the wall.
"Snap!"
Kurinnaxx reached out and caught the arrow aimed straight at him. The dark power contained within the arrow sent a chill through him, and he barely managed to suppress the shadow energy with his rage.
"A young girl actually has this kind of strength."
Kurinnaxx's expression grew grim. "These Night Elves definitely don't come from that weak Shandaral."
Seeing the enemy begin their assault, Kurinnaxx turned and walked downstairs.
"To battle! If anyone dares to desert, don't blame me for not warning you—execution for all!"
...
Andreas had originally thought capturing Drak'Tharon Keep wouldn't be too difficult, but the trolls defending the fortress were unexpectedly tenacious.
Despite being disadvantaged in both fortifications and numbers, they managed to hold back the Night Elf army for three days through sheer ruthlessness and a disregard for death.
The outer walls of the fortress had long been blasted out of shape by the mana cannons of the Lunar Radiance.
After using firepower to seize the exposed top platform of the keep, the air force was deployed to sweep the exterior sections and drop a portion of the troops to attack the interior from above.
Even under a pincer attack from two directions, the tenacious trolls fought until the very last moment.
The brave troll general held out for over ten minutes against the combined attacks of several vanguard commanders, relying on his natural troll regeneration. Ultimately, it took Letizia personally entering the fray to take him down.
With the fall of Drak'Tharon Keep, the Drakkari Trolls finally realized the gravity of the situation.
Facing enemies on two sides—one of which was the ferociously powerful Night Elves—Gundrak finally arranged for an envoy to come to the front lines once General Kurinnaxx was captured.
Andreas set down the intelligence report with a chuckle. "As expected, trolls are just asking for it. They don't know pain until they've been given a beating."
"Celeste."
"Here."
Andreas smiled encouragingly. "The trolls still seem a bit defiant; they only sent a Chieftain's Advisor. Why don't you go and negotiate with them on my behalf?"