Duke received intelligence that Kul Tiras was deploying their fleet to join Stormwind's naval forces heading for the North Coast, led by his supposedly legendary fiancée Jaina Proudmoore.
Daelin was cutting it close this ti, but he would command the first and second fleets personally, arriving within approximately one week.
Duke ground his teeth until they nearly cracked upon hearing this news.
Jaina represented a minor complication compared to the catastrophic battle demanding his imdiate attention.
The accursed Undead Sky Curtain strangled most magical communications, making it eighty percent more difficult for Duke to maintain tactical awareness of the developing situation.
Even that wasn't the most infuriating problem. The critical issue was Antonidas suffering from so inexplicable ntal affliction. Not only did he refuse to look beyond Dalaran's imdiate borders, but he also denied adequate food supplies to the Scarlet Crusade, claiming Dalaran had suffered unacceptable losses.
"One week's provisions should suffice. That territory belongs to Lordaeron, does it not? Let Lordaeron supply their own armies." Antonidas' words dripped with petty vindictiveness.
Mograine exploded with fury upon hearing this, snarling through clenched teeth: "What a treacherous old fossil!"
Privately, Mograine explained to Duke that this stemd from nurous conflicts between Lordaeron and Dalaran during the ten years of Duke's absence. Although Dalaran remained technically within the Alliance, relations between the two powers had deteriorated catastrophically.
Furthermore, as both nations' leaders aged, incidents of stubborn senility multiplied exponentially.
Abbendis suggested to Duke, "Should we simply march without their support? Honestly, after all these years, Silverpine Forest has regenerated magnificently. The trees may not tower majestically yet, but they've returned. If the local lords have stockpiled provisions, we could survive a full year, let alone a single month."
Duke shook his head in adamant refusal.
As a ti traveler, he understood better than anyone the critical importance of securing supplies before military campaigns. In Chinese history's Three Kingdoms Battle of Guandu, hadn't burning the enemy's provisions allowed Cao Cao to transform crushing defeat into spectacular victory?
The march to North Coast would consu nearly a week. Combined with Dalaran's ager food contributions, they possessed barely two weeks' supplies. If any complications arose, the Scarlet Crusade would face complete annihilation.
Despite the incoming Kul Tiras fleet providing reinforcent, Duke felt an enormous boulder crushing his chest. This ominous premonition threatened to suffocate him entirely.
After extensive deliberation, Duke reached his final decision.
Even with his army positioned adjacent to Dalaran, Duke had no alternative but to redirect forces to South Shore city-state for supply procurent.
Obviously, this represented a disastrous tactical situation.
Five days after obliterating Arthas's Scourge, Duke's negotiations with Dalaran remained completely stagnant. Antonidas refused personal etings, instead sending Kael'thas to handle the obstinate old wizard.
Antonidas also instructed Kael'thas to pressure Duke into removing Lordaeron's refugees imdiately.
Fortunately, since Ilucia actually controlled South Shore city-state, Duke encountered no bureaucratic obstacles. Beyond replenishing food and weaponry, Duke received nearly ten thousand fresh soldiers, with Stormwind City's first reinforcent wave arriving at South Shore within three days.
Everything appeared to be progressing smoothly, except Dalaran's people remained insufferably uncooperative.
"We cannot delay further! According to the latest intelligence, massive refugee populations are flooding toward North Coast. Undead numbers in Tirisfal Glades are multiplying exponentially, and our forces there lack sufficient strength to resist the Scourge effectively." Mograine urged Duke desperately.
Tirisfal Glades contained only one ducal private army and two earls' forces, totaling just over thirty thousand soldiers. Moreover, their training standards were pathetically inadequate. They excelled at hunting wild beasts, occasionally suppressing small orc bands, and maintaining basic law enforcent. Against relentless undead hordes, they would crumble within hours.
Duke had indeed led his army to victory against the Scourge's primary force, but the entire northern continent sward with hidden Cultists spreading plague and continuously generating undead reinforcents. The Light only knew when Arthas would unleash his next million-strong army.
At this crucial mont, Duke executed a maneuver that baffled everyone - he announced that as both a mage and Kirin Tor senator, he would challenge Kirin Tor Speaker Antonidas for his position.
The entire world erupted in absolute chaos.
Dalaran wasn't a traditional kingdom, being governed instead by the Kirin Tor Council of Six.
Although the Speaker wielded royal authority, he possessed only two parliantary votes, aning four opposing council mbers could veto any Speaker decision.
Fascinatingly, because arcane supremacy had been promoted for over two millennia, all mages could join Dalaran regardless of birth status, making Kirin Tor Council mbership theoretically accessible to anyone.
Provided individuals held no official positions in their original kingdoms, they could join Dalaran freely. This explained how Kael'thas, despite being Quel'Thalas's prince, qualified for Kirin Tor mbership - he held no formal governntal role.
The second requirent for Kirin Tor councillorship demanded at least Archmage-level magical mastery.
Duke exploited this regulatory loophole brilliantly.
Having just returned to Azeroth, he held no legitimate official position within Stormwind Kingdom. Although he currently commanded Alliance forces, the Alliance differed fundantally from individual kingdoms. Dalaran's laws never specified that Alliance positions counted as disqualifying offices. After all, Antonidas himself held Alliance admiral rank.
The second loophole was that Kirin Tor councillors preferred vacant seats to unqualified appointnts.
For the past three years, the Council of Six actually functioned with only five mbers due to an elderly mber's death and absence of qualified successors - Antonidas, Krasus, Kael'thas, and two minor mbers Duke didn't recognize.
If Duke submitted his application now, no election would be necessary and he would automatically receive imdiate Kirin Tor mbership.
"I declare that my inaugural motion as a Kirin Tor mber is to initiate an 'Arcane Throne' duel! I challenge Antonidas for Speaker position!"
Kirin Tor Speakers were elected every ten years with unlimited reelection possibilities.
Only three circumstances permitted mid-term Speaker replacent: Speaker death, unanimous council no-confidence vote, or mber challenging the Speaker to formal combat.
The result ant Antonidas had no choice but to fight!
Kael'thas panicked upon hearing this news: "Duke, what madness possesses you? Even if Dalaran refuses cooperation, you cannot simply seize Dalaran's authority through force! Besides, you're rely an Archmage, you're still injured. Even if you're approaching advancent, can you possibly defeat a Grand Magus?"
At this juncture, Antonidas could no longer remain passive.
The day after Duke publicly announced his challenge, Antonidas materialized in Violet Square at Dalaran's heart!
"DUKE! Why do you dare challenge ?!" Antonidas's hair and beard whipped wildly as dawn-level arcane fluctuations shook the very foundations of reality.
Duke's voice resonated throughout the square via magical amplification: "You refuse to fight the Scourge, and you refuse to cooperate. This troubles greatly!"
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