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Chapter 417 - Chapter 413: The Diplomatic Mission (Bonus)

The Unfallen City, once known in the original timeline as the Northwatch Hold, now served as Abbendis's seat of power in Kalimdor.

The fortress stood in a valley surrounded by mountains and water, a location both rich in resources and easy to defend. In fact, compared to Ratchet to the north and Theramore to the southwest, this site was far superior. That was why both Daelin and Jaina, after founding Theramore, had still tried to build a northern stronghold here. The valley sat closer to the Barrens' inland routes, giving better leverage against the Horde, and its geography made it ideal for a fortress. Once towers and batteries guarded the cliffs, valley, and coastal islands, even the mightiest army would find it impossible to break through.

Yet for various reasons, neither Daelin nor Jaina ever managed to finish its defenses. Only in later years, when Stormwind took over, was the fortress truly completed.

Abbendis, warned by Josh, would not repeat their mistake. He forged the Northwatch Hold into an ironclad bastion from the very start. Now he dared claim that no mortal kingdom of Azeroth—not even both elven realms together—could breach its walls if he was prepared.

Thus it was named the Unfallen City.

Josh found the name odd—but it was Abbendis's fortress, so he kept his opinion to himself.

Nor did Abbendis stop there. After clearing his territory of enemies, he built a chain of fortresses at the Crossroads, Taurajo, Tiragarde Keep (A/N: the ruined human fort south of Orgrimmar), Theramore, Razorfen, and more. The Barrens became a sealed stronghold under his rule.

By sheer land area, even without Northrend counted, his domain—including the Barrens, Kolkar (A/N: future Durotar), and Mulgore—already surpassed every human kingdom, second only to the night elf empire itself.

And this was still before the Third War: before Archimonde's invasion, before the World Tree of Hyjal was scarred, before Felwood's corruption, before the Winterfall furbolgs fell, before Stonetalon's forests were cut, and before Feralas was broken into Desolace. At this time, vast regions still belonged to a night elf empire at its height, if not quite at its peak before the War of the Shifting Sands.

This was why Abbendis avoided open conflict with them. He had no fear, but no need to provoke them either.

Of course, the cities and fortresses he built were renamed—except for Taurajo, which kept the tauren name. Their scale and craftsmanship, backed by far greater productivity, far outmatched what once stood there.

Especially Theramore and Tiragarde. Theramore, in the original timeline, had been Jaina's city, its name born from a blend of Thrall and Proudmoore. Here, however, Abbendis had remade it in his own vision.

Its meaning, of course, was the union of Thrall and Jaina Proudmoore's houses.

Yet later, with Daelin Proudmoore's arrival and his own daughter's betrayal, the name Theramore carried a trace of bitter irony.

As for Tiragarde Keep, Daelin had founded it as a base for attacking Orgrimmar, naming it after Kul Tiras's Tiragarde Sound.

Abbendis had nothing to do with the Proudmoore family. In fact, with years of competition over sea trade, his power and theirs stood in a quiet, half-hostile rivalry. Naturally, he would never keep those names.

Thus, Theramore became Westwatch Fortress, standing at the far western edge of his realm. Tiragarde Keep was renamed New Utgarde, a name given by the vrykul who garrisoned it. Its castellan was none other than Ingvar the Plunderer, once a leader of Utgarde keep itself. With King Ymiron and Queen Angrboda long since sold by Abbendis to Josh and slain, Ingvar had risen as the de facto leader of the vrykul under Abbendis's command.

Over the years, intelligence about Abbendis's Kalimdor holdings had already reached the night elves. The Sentinels, the Cenarion Circle, and the Watchers had all conducted their own investigations.

This was made easier by the sheer mix of races within his domain. Abbendis welcomed outsiders and, though his power had begun in gray markets, it had grown into something closer to a vast trade empire.

Of all three night elf factions, however, the Watchers learned the most. It was they who first uncovered Abbendis's true plan to invade the Broken Isles. Not because he was careless—his security was formidable—but because the scale of the expedition was simply too large to hide, and Abbendis never truly tried.

After all, uncovering secrets was the Watchers' trade. Stripped of their armor, they were indistinguishable from common night elf civilians, lacking the commanding aura of Sentinels or druids.

Still, their reach went only so far. They could trace the outlines of Abbendis's realm, but the man himself—and the deeper mysteries surrounding him—remained locked away behind tight defenses. Even Maiev Shadowsong herself could not pry much loose.

Abbendis was not a "kind" lord. In Azeroth's world of high fantasy, warlike races like the vrykul respected power, not mercy. A leader too soft would never be obeyed.

Thus, in the eyes of outsiders, Abbendis appeared a fearsome, shadowed figure, surrounded by chilling tales. And it was this aura of mystery that made Maiev, as Watcher leader, all the more wary.

"Tyrande, I must warn you again—should this human lord ever harbor dark intent, he will become our most dangerous enemy!" Maiev whispered. Disguised as a night elf handmaiden, stripped of her Watcher's armor, she stood at Tyrande's side.

Before them, the ornate night elf transport ship drifted slowly into the harbor of the Unfallen City. Across the water loomed the towering fortress, its grim turrets and bristling cannon batteries casting long shadows, while the harbor bustled with relentless activity.

After learning Abbendis was preparing to lead an army to the Broken Isles, Tyrande sent envoys, determined to meet him in person and uncover his true intentions.

Maiev Shadowsong, though long at odds with Tyrande since the War of the Ancients, agreed to join the mission. To her, this was a rare chance to get close to Abbendis and study the mysterious human lord who had somehow fused so many different races into one power.

"But at least they haven't shown us any hostility yet, have they?" Tyrande said softly, stroking the warm fur on the head of her great white tiger mount, Ash'alah.

"Do not forget the lessons of the War of the Ancients! Tyrande, this human lord is dangerous—very dangerous," Maiev pressed again.

"I understand, Maiev. But you must also know, we cannot act against a powerful mortal leader on suspicion alone," Tyrande replied with quiet weariness. She truly did not understand where Maiev's deep hostility toward Abbendis came from.

"Hmph. Do as you like," Maiev muttered, then fell silent. It was not just Tyrande's reasoning that shut her up—the ship was docking.

The harbor of the Unfallen City was vast, bustling, and heavily guarded. Normally, incoming ships waited a long time before entering. But Tyrande's group were emissaries, so they were granted privileges. Soon, a small vessel guided them to a berth reserved for diplomats.

Whether by chance or by design, the berth right next to theirs was already taken by another elven ship. Its sleek curves marked it as Quel'Thalas design, its red hull and golden phoenix banners proudly declaring it high elven.

Though night elves and high elves shared distant kinship, their long history of grudges and bitterness could fill volumes.

The arrival of the night elf vessel stirred unease among the high elves aboard, but since they stood in human territory and their leaders were absent, the tension died quickly. On Tyrande's side, she gave the ship only a brief glance, dismissing it, while Maiev didn't even look once. Some of their sailors, however, muttered insults under their breath. It was easy to imagine the high elves returned the favor against their violet-skinned cousins.

"Welcome to the Unfallen City, honored High Priestess!" boomed a deep voice. A massive figure clad in heavy armor stood waiting on the dock—Baine Bloodhoof, Chief Constable of the fortress. "The lord has awaited you. Please follow me."

This Baine Bloodhoof was no child. Many might assume that, as the future second chieftain of the tauren, he should still be a calf—or even unborn at this point. But in truth, Baine was already thirty years old, older than Abbendis by more than a decade. By the time he inherited leadership in the original timeline, he was already over sixty.

Tauren, while not a long-lived race like elves, lived far longer than humans. It was common for them to reach well over a century. Cairne Bloodhoof, for instance, was born in the year -79 before the opening of the Dark Portal, making him seventy-four now, and he would still live until age 107 before his duel with Garrosh.

So for Cairne, at seventy-four, to have a thirty-year-old son was perfectly natural.

After Abbendis united the tauren, Baine became one of his close followers. Now, he held the high office of Chief Constable of the Unfallen City.

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