It wasn't that Andreas wanted to hoard power for personal gain; rather, considering the post-war shift in the balance of power for the entire race, he felt it was necessary to make some strategic placements in advance to prevent certain individuals from committing foolish acts under the corruption of absolute power.
Even setting aside considerations of power balance, as another chosen one of the Moon Goddess Elune, it was perfectly natural for Andreas to select his followers from among the Goddess' most devout believers.
As a former favorite to succeed as High Priestess, Maiev had been maintaining a low profile under the specific instructions of her mentor. However, this didn't mean she truly harbored no inner resistance or rebellion; that would not have fit her competitive nature.
The Battle Priestesses, who had been with Maiev for a long time, could discern clues from their leader's words and actions. This discovery made them even more resentful toward the "parachuted" Tyrande.
...
Although there were more or less some disturbances within the Resistance, these minor issues did not affect the progression of the overall situation. After consecutive days of military councils, a final conclusion was reached.
Compared to the Pandaren Empire and the Night Elven Empire, which boasted vast territories and massive populations, the Tauren army—still maintaining a primitive tribal society—was far smaller in number.
However, the Tauren, standing nearly three meters tall, possessed exceptionally robust physiques. They could even engage in head-on tests of strength with Felguards, while simultaneously possessing a flexibility that slightly surpassed them—something neither Night Elves nor Pandaren could achieve.
After several days of consultation with the military leaders of the two races, Jarod decided to use the Tauren as a shock troop, inserting them as support wherever they were most needed on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the Night Elf Resistance and the Pandaren formed their respective arrays in a pincer formation, making a show of advancing simultaneously toward Zin-Azshari. The Demigod legion, possessing the strongest combat capability, stood at the very front as the arrowhead between the two horns.
However, the formation Jarod set up was not truly intended to break through the Burning Legion's defenses. Having been reminded by Andreas, Jarod had considered the potential consequences of the destruction of the Well of Eternity; he naturally could not allow his army to charge into Zin-Azshari to their deaths.
With no time for joint exercises, the three races acted immediately after the council ended, taking their positions on the battlefield and beginning to deploy their respective military formations.
The Burning Legion also realized that the final battle was approaching. After the Pandaren reinforcements reached the front line, the demons had not launched a single active offensive. In the past few days, the structure of the Burning Legion's front line had also seen some changes. Facing the threat of the Allied forces' overwhelming pressure, Archimonde—who had been overseeing the Well of Eternity—finally set out in person for the front line.
Archimonde, having reverted to his combat form, stood nearly 20 meters tall. His massive blue frame was conspicuous even among the many giant demons of the Burning Legion. Countless demons bowed their heads respectfully before him, even the habitually defiant Pit Lord Mannoroth was no exception.
As the vanguard commander handpicked by Archimonde, Mannoroth spoke with some trepidation, "Lord Archimonde, there is no need for you to personally act against these ants. Please give us a little more time, I guarantee that we will—"
"Enough." Archimonde interrupted with a faint wave of his hand. "I did not come to the front to blame you for poor combat performance. It is simply that the enemy's military strength has indeed exceeded the limits of what you can handle."
The battle in the outskirts of Zin-Azshari had been ongoing intermittently for about half a year. Although Mannoroth and other high-ranking demon officers desperately wanted to hold the line, under the fierce assault of the Demigod legion, they were ultimately pushed back to the final defense line, just a step away from the capital.
If things had continued like this—engaging in a war of attrition with constant reinforcements from the Well of Eternity at their back—Mannoroth was confident he could eventually launch a counter-offensive. But the arrival of the Pandaren and Tauren broke the final balance. Both sides realized the final decisive battle was at hand.
Waving his hand to create a chair of pure energy, Archimonde sat down leisurely. "Go. I will oversee the battle for now. I hope, as you said, that I will not need to act personally."
"Yes!" Mannoroth answered loudly in his coarse, raspy voice. He then turned to face the overwhelming demon army behind him. "You all heard Lord Archimonde's words! Burning Legion! Charge! Crush these mortal ants and those parasites of the planet!"
"ROAR!"
...
Witnessing Archimonde's arrival at the front, Jarod immediately realized that the start of the war was imminent. Under his coordination and command, the well-supplied Pandaren and the Tauren—who served as the battlefield's mobile force—both prepared for imminent combat.
As Mannoroth led the shrieking demons in the initial charge, Jarod stood on the broad shoulders of an Ancient of War and gave his orders loudly.
"The battle begins! May the will of Azeroth protect us! For our shared home, for Kalimdor, all forces—CHARGE!"
"For the Earth Mother!"
"Four Celestials, please protect us!"
"Elune is with us!"
The two opposing torrents collided violently, spurred by high-pitched war cries. Interwoven convictions and sprayed blood caused the temperature of the cold battlefield to rise rapidly. Precious lives seemed exceptionally cheap on this field; countless warriors perished on the spot at every moment.
As the pillars of the Resistance, the Demigods continued to lead the various guardian races, charging on the front line. The valiant Agamaggan led the Quilboar fearlessly, plunging into the enemy ranks first. Using the Boar Demigod as a breakthrough point, a large gap was torn into the Burning Legion's formation.
It was not the first time the two sides had clashed; they knew each other well. Mannoroth, who had been lying in wait nearby, suddenly charged out just as Agamaggan's momentum was spent and he was preparing to turn and accelerate again. The Pit Lord's massive double-headed war spear lunged forcefully toward the Boar Demigod's neck.
"Die, you stupid pig!"
"Don't even think about it!"
Cenarius, serving as the team's support, had long noticed Mannoroth's movements. Before the spear could touch Agamaggan, he cast a sturdy Ironwood Shield on him.
Clang!
Mannoroth's spear struck the Ironwood, producing the sound of clashing metal. Although the Pit Lord roared in frustration at failing to land a killing blow, his high-impact strike still affected Agamaggan.
The turning Boar Demigod stumbled. Trapped in the heart of the demon formation, Agamaggan had no time to adjust his direction before continuing his charge, but his path was clearly deviated from the intended trajectory.
The start of the Demigod battlefield signaled that the combat had entered a fever pitch. The intense situation caused not only Jarod—who was commanding from above—to frown deeply, but also Archimonde at the rear of the Burning Legion to look solemn.
"I didn't expect these mere natives could assemble an army of this scale. I underestimated you."
The Pandaren and Night Elf Allied forces simultaneously struck the Burning Legion's flanks. With the primary demon generals tied down by the Demigods, the mortal armies—with their exceptionally resolute will—actually began to gradually suppress the Burning Legion.
Slowly standing up from his seat, Archimonde stretched his neck and shoulders. "To show respect for your firm will, I shall personally send you on your way!"
Turning his gaze first toward Cenarius, who was exerting his strength to provide global support for the Demigod legion, Archimonde's lips curled into a cold, predatory smile.
"Let's start with you... Finger of Death!"