At the foot of the mountain, a gray-green tide of undead surged upward. Ghouls shrieked as they scrambled on all fours, their eyes burning with blue soul-fire. Rotting zombies emitted a nauseating stench, while skeletal soldiers marched in eerie silence, their rusted blades clattering rhythmically.
Among them were massive, chitinous Crypt Fiends and Abominations—grotesque mountains of stitched flesh wielding giant cleavers.
"There are so many..." Jaina gripped her staff, her face pale. Despite surviving the tragedies of Stratholme and Andorhal, the sheer scale of this host was staggering.
"They are but fodder driven by the Legion," Uther said sternly, the Holy Light surging within him to dispel the unease. "For the glory of the Light, we shall not retreat!"
"Prepare to engage!" Rhodes roared, launching a Magic Arrow of brilliant blue energy. With his increased Power attribute, the blast didn't just shatter the lead Abominations; the area-of-effect damage vaporized dozens of nearby undead.
Following Rhodes' lead, Medivh raised his staff high. Channeled through the Guardian's immense mana, the Lightning Bolt scroll tore the sky asunder. A pillar of white-hot electricity crashed into the densest cluster of the undead. The explosion cleared a massive radius instantly, turning hundreds of low-tier undead, Crypt Fiends, and Abominations into ash.
The ferocity of the strike caused the vanguard to falter. Even the demon commanders in the rear let out surprised roars, shocked to find a mage of such caliber on the very first line of defense.
The Grinder of Mount Hyjal
"Save your mana, Lord Medivh. Focus on the big targets!" Rhodes called out.
As the undead resumed their charge, Rhodes' pre-set traps activated. Fire Walls erupted from the earth, incinerating Ghouls and Skeletons instantly. When Scourge Liches attempted to extinguish the flames with Frost Novas and Death and Decay, Rhodes detonated his hidden Land Mines, shattering the spellcasters into bone fragments.
The Titan then made its move. Its blue energy blade swung in a wide arc, sending rhythmic arcs of lightning into the fray. Unlike the turn-based limits of a game, the Titan could fire as fast as it could strike, provided it had ammunition. Rhodes lamented the lack of an Ammo Cart, as the Titan only had 24 shots before needing to engage in melee.
"Elemental Legion, advance!" Rhodes commanded.
Over 200 Fire Elementals roared, their orange flames clashing with the cold undeath. Each strike ignited scores of enemies. Behind them, Light Elementals radiated golden energy, purifying the filth of the Scourge. Rhodes had given them a specific order: if their health ran low, they were to charge into the center of the undead and self-destruct.
The metal line of Iron, Gold, and Diamond Golems acted as an unbreakable dam. They were tireless, their massive fists crushing skulls and flattening Abominations with every swing.
Watching from the center of the demon army, Archimonde narrowed his eyes. "That giant..." The twenty-meter-tall being looked remarkably like a Titan construct, yet it lacked the characteristic arcane signature of the Pantheon.
"Lord Archimonde, those bone-heaps are useless," the demon commander Kaz'rogal reported.
"I believe we should strike now to avenge Mannoroth," added Azgalor, the Pit Lord who had taken the fallen leader's place.
"Patience," Archimonde replied coldly. "Let the undead exhaust them. We will save our strength for the Demigod. Once the fodder is spent, the Legion shall march, led by you personally."
High-Altitude Interception
Suddenly, the sky filled with the screeching of over a thousand Gargoyles and Destroyers. Notably, the Lich King's Frost Wyrms were absent—a sign that Ner'zhul was holding back his best assets from his demon masters.
"Jaina, Capurnia! Focus on the wings! The Gargoyles are the priority!" Rhodes shouted. He dispatched his Wyvern Lords and Fire Elements to intercept the aerial assault.
"Uther, hold the front! I'm going to clear the skies," Rhodes commanded.
"Leave it to me!" Uther charged into the thick of the melee, his hammer glowing with incandescent Light.
"Solmyr, prepare Chain Lightning on my mark! Titan, Storm Elements, Ice Elements—target the sky!"
Rhodes himself began sniping Gargoyles with Holy Flashes, while Jaina and Capurnia unleashed a barrage of fireballs and ice lances, turning the sky into a kaleidoscope of lethal magic.