Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

What happened in Lothern had nothing to do with Kosir Lionmane, who was now in the forest.

He was carrying a heavy battle axe, walking through the forest with intertwined branches and vines, his steps firm and his breath steady, like a white lion ready to attack at any time. The sunlight shone through the dense branches, reflecting on his body in patches, against the backdrop of his golden dreadlocks fluttering in the wind.

Maybe... those who ridicule the people of Chares as "Faniol" are not groundless?
In Ulthuan, hair is not only a symbol of beauty, but also a symbol of identity and honor. The Asur see long hair as a sign of power and class, and often wear intricately carved, jeweled gold and silver combs in their hair. These combs are not only ornaments, but also symbols - a symbol of family honor, a symbol of status, and a statement of political stance. The information an Asur's comb can reveal is often more important than his words.

Therefore, the hair comb has an extremely high status in the Asur culture. It is regarded as an extension of personal dignity. Once it is stolen, it is a great shame.

Hair combs are always in great demand in the markets of Ulthuan. From simple and practical commoners to priceless and ornate works of art, many an Asur would give their fortune to acquire a comb worthy of their station.

But Cossell is an exception.

As he ran and moved, his dreadlocks fluttered in the wind. Without any trimming or comb, they even looked a little messy.

(The new version is ugly)

He was born a commoner, without a distinguished surname or a family sword. All he had was the battle axe he inherited from his father and his almost fanatical admiration for Cohain Ironsword. He dreamed that one day he could become a member of the White Lion Guard, a warrior like Cohain who could single-handedly cut off all darkness and threats and guard the Phoenix King.

He went deep into the forest to prepare for his upcoming ascension ceremony.

The coming-of-age ceremony is an important milestone in an Asul's life. Once completed, it means being formally recognized by the family and society, gaining an independent identity and corresponding status and rights.

Different regions and families have their own traditions for coming-of-age ceremonies. In the Kingdom of Chrace, the popular tradition is the "White Lion Hunt" - hunting powerful enemies alone to prove one's courage and strength. For many people, this is a difficult but manageable challenge, but for Cosir, it is a gamble that is almost equivalent to suicide.

He was tracking a beast that had killed dozens of hunters. It was not only powerful, but also cunning and cruel. But he had no choice. If he didn't fight, he would not be qualified to enter the gate of the White Lion Guard. And if he failed... maybe he could die like a warrior?

His footsteps stopped among the fallen leaves, he lowered his body, and stared at the ground.

Bloodstains!
That was blood that had not yet coagulated, bright red and dazzling, extending all the way into the depths of the forest. He slowly exhaled a breath of cold air, his nostrils twitched slightly, and his face changed slightly.

The atmosphere of this forest has changed.

Although he did not have the "Second Sight", as an elf, he was naturally close to magic. He could keenly perceive that the essence of this forest had been distorted. There was a nauseating smell floating in the air, which was the stench of Deha. The once green branches and leaves were now a sickly gray-green, and cracks and ooze appeared on the surface of the trunks, emitting silent wailing.

He looked at the forest in front of him and sighed softly. The forest corruption problem in the Kingdom of Chrace has lasted for a hundred years. This is not new. He was worried, but he could do nothing.

He is not a mage.

He is just a warrior, and an unrecognized one at that.

But even so, he had to move forward, because he knew that what was hidden ahead was not only the ferocious beast, but also the trial that would determine his fate.

He moved again, his movements more cautiously than before. He restrained his breath, lowered his battle axe slightly, and took a alert stance.

The further we walked, the denser the bloodstains became, and the more hideous the scratches on the bark became.

Finally, when he pushed aside a bush and saw the scene ahead clearly, he couldn't help but gasp.

It was not an ordinary hunting scene left by wild beasts, but a pile of corpses, blood and flesh, and scattered armor fragments that could still be vaguely identified as belonging to a regular hunting team. But their resistance obviously did not last for a few breaths.

The enemy he had to face was living in the shadow of this bloody ruin, looking at him coldly with a sickly green light in his eyes.

The trial has begun.

The White Lion - Charandis!
This huge beast, deeply corrupted by the power of chaos, stood like a nightmare in the depths of the forest, like a twisted natural disaster. It was huge, its body was like a slowly moving hill, its limbs were thick and strong, and every step made the ground tremble slightly. Its thick black and gray fur, as heavy as iron plates, had a cold metallic luster in the blood mist, and the protruding bone spurs on its back were like spears, shaking gently with its steps, bringing with them a chilling murderous intent. The pair of scarlet eyes burned with a crazy bloodthirsty desire that seemed to burn away all reason.

And this is exactly the goal of Cosier's trial.

He stood in front of a wasteland of blood and decay, sweat dripping down his forehead, but his eyes were as firm as steel. He slowly raised his battle axe and made a silent oath to Kurnos, the god of hunting.

"If I die here, please let my blood turn into seeds for the forest."

The next moment, he roared and charged forward, his footsteps as sudden as a storm, and his figure rushed towards the giant beast like an arrow.

Charandis responded to his challenge with a roar that was like a rolling thunder, shaking the leaves of the entire forest. It leaped up and pounced on Cosir with unimaginable agility, sweeping out with its front paws with the momentum of tearing everything apart.

First hit!
Cosir dodged sideways with all his strength, and the battle axe hit Charandis's front leg - clang!

There was a sharp sound of metal clashing, which made his palm numb. The axe blade only left a shallow white mark on the fur that was as hard as plate armor, almost without any damage!
Cohill's eyes narrowed.

"This fur... is simply..."

He didn't have time to think and immediately rolled over to avoid the follow-up attack from Charlandis' tail. The tail was like a huge barbed hammer, smashing heavily on the ground, creating a deep groove and splashing gravel and dirt.

He leaped up again and swung his battle axe horizontally, aiming at Charandis' eyes, but the white lion seemed to have predicted his move and actually blocked the axe with the bone armor on its cheek - there was another loud bang and sparks flew.

"Head-on slashing is useless..."

Cosir was anxious, and he kept moving back and forth, but Charandis's attack became more and more fierce. Claws, fangs, tail, collision, every attack was destructive, and if he was not careful, he would become one of the losers.

He dodged while thinking frantically.

"Its regeneration is very strong... its fur is invulnerable... we must find its weakness..."

His eyes swept across Charlandis's huge body and saw an old wound on its left shoulder. That was perhaps the only time the hunting team had hurt it. Although there were signs of healing now, it was obvious that the tissue was not as strong as other parts.

"That's it!"

He deliberately exposed a flaw to lure Charandis to pounce, then rolled to the side and back at the maximum distance to avoid the attack. Using the momentum of the roll, he suddenly leaped up, tightly grasped the battle axe with both hands, and poured all his strength into it.

"Kunos... please give me strength!"

The battle axe drew a bright half arc, made a low hum in the air, and chopped hard on the old wound on Charlandis' shoulder!
puff!
This time, it was no longer an ineffective collision of metal and iron. The axe blade was deeply embedded in Charlandis' flesh and blood. Blood suddenly gushed out, bringing with it a stench and corruption.

Charlandis roared in pain and twisted his huge body violently, trying to shake off the enemy on his back.

But Cohill bit the axe handle like a nail driven into rock and refused to let go!

The blood dyed his face red and ignited the anger in his heart. He knew that he had torn a gap to victory. Next, he would either give Charandis's head to himself, or his body would be buried forever in this corrupted forest.

But he would never accept the latter.

But soon, Cohill realized that he seemed to be in an extremely embarrassing and even dangerous situation?

That attack just now was too powerful.

The axe blade was so strong that it sank deeply into the wound on Charandis's shoulder, piercing through the muscles and bones, and almost swallowed half of the axe. Now, the crazy beast was twisting wildly due to the severe pain, and the huge shoulder muscles clamped the edge of the axe, making it impossible for him to pull it out!

"Damn it..." Cosir cursed with gritted teeth. No matter how hard he tried, the battle axe seemed to be integrated with Charandis's bones and blood, and did not move at all.

The roar of Charandis had already turned into complete madness. It began to roll violently, hitting the trees, slapping the air, twisting its body wildly, trying to tear the itching and pain on its back into pieces. Fortunately, Cosir not only had strength, but also agility. At this moment, he turned into an acrobat, just like those war dancers, otherwise he would have been thrown out by this violent force.

Since I can’t pull it out——

That's even deeper!

His eyes flashed, and he suddenly adjusted his posture, pressing one knee hard on the axe handle. With the help of gravity and the strength of his whole body, he pushed the battle axe deeper into Charlandis' body!

The sounds of cracking bones, tearing muscles, and the screams of wild beasts interweave into a symphony of blood and steel.

Cosir's eyes were now ablaze with fighting spirit. Since he couldn't solve the problem quickly, he would just cripple him with one strike. His goal was clear: to paralyze Charandis's left forelimb!

The pain made Charandis lose its sense of direction, and its movements became chaotic. It began to lean back sharply to try to shake off the enemy. But at this moment, Cosir seized the opportunity, released the battle axe, kicked the beast's shoulders with his legs, and bounced up!

In mid-air, he flew to Charlandis' neck like a sharp arrow, and suddenly clasped his arms together to lock the neck that was as thick as a stone pillar.

"Drink!!!"

He roared, unleashing all his strength! His muscles tensed and his veins bulged as he roared, as if the unawakened wildness in his elven bloodline was burning.

He tightly gripped Charlandis' neck. No matter how he struggled, roared, or swung his body, it was like an iron clamp around his throat, tightening continuously!
Charandis madly crashed into the giant tree beside him, breaking the tree in half and collapsing with a thunderous sound. However, Cosier did not let go, even though his body was covered with bloodstains and bruises, and even though his consciousness began to blur, he still gritted his teeth and persisted.

Blood flowed from the corners of Charandis' mouth, and his violent pupils began to turn white. His movements began to slow down, and his claws scratched the air in vain. He wanted to fight back, to break free, to breathe, but he could do nothing.

Finally, with a final roar, the huge body fell to the ground, causing the entire forest to shake and become silent.

It was still twitching slightly.

Cosier was still holding it tightly, as if only in this way could he ensure that the fallen beast would truly and forever lose the power to resist.

It was not until Charandis's limbs became completely stiff, his body temperature began to drop, and the silence of death permeated that Cosier slowly let go, fell to the ground with his head raised, and breathed heavily.

His entire body was shaking from a mixture of blood, sweat, and dirt, but his eyes were still burning with the unextinguished fighting spirit.

He did it - with his flesh and blood and his unyielding will, he completed the hunt for Charlandis.

This battle was not only for the promotion ceremony, but also for the door that would never be opened to him - the White Lion Guard.

And at the end of his sight as he fell, the blood-stained but still upright battle axe was flashing with the glory of the future in the dim light.
-
Marlene stood at the front of the deck, her blue dress fluttering in the wind. The hem of her dress was embellished with silver patterns that symbolized waves, as if the waves were dancing under her feet.

Her eyes were far away, looking at the sparkling sea in the distance. She took a breath of the sea breeze, which was slightly salty, but also refreshing. She liked this feeling, she liked the feeling of being on the sea. But there was no way, the reality was here, she could have devoted herself to Matheran, but because of her palace duties, she had to leave the sea, which was also the reason why she did not become a high-level priest.

“Politics be damned.”

After cursing inwardly, she turned her head and looked at the deck. The four sky-slashing ships were shining in the sun. The sails and sterns of these light but deadly vehicles were decorated with flowing waves, as if the will of Matheran was injected into these aerial vehicles. In front of the sky-slashing ship, the giant eagle that was devouring fresh meat screamed, and the air was filled with the smell of blood and the rustling sound of feathers.

Then, she fixed her eyes on an elf with blonde hair and golden armor.

That person was her relative - Arslan Silver Star.

He stood tall, his helmet decorated with golden wings shone brightly in the sun, like a beacon guiding the direction. His origin was extremely distinguished, the bloodline of the Silver Star family could be traced back to the original Ulthuan. For thousands of years, the ancestors of this family led the legions of the Kingdom of Itain, conquered all directions, and won countless glory.

Malin walked over, and the two of them looked into each other's eyes. They said nothing, but nodded silently, as if nothing needed to be said. All that needed to be said had already been said. At this moment, there was only silence between the two of them, and the expression on Arsalan's face became even more gloomy and solemn, forming a sharp contrast with his usual confident and calm demeanor.

Marin knew that Arsalan's mood was affected, not only because of the fruitless operation a few days ago and Finnubar's previous decisions, but also because of the latest news from Lothern.

Arslan was supposed to go to Anaheim with the main fleet, but was eventually left behind by Finnubar to be used as a reserve force in the plan.

But plans are just plans after all, and they often have to compromise with the cold reality. However, reality is so fucked up...

So, Arsalan now appeared in a motley fleet of merchant ships, and with him appeared four sky-cutting ships.

The Sky Slayer, a streamlined, suspended vehicle, is Lothern's most representative aerial weapon. Relying on energy and the traction of the giant eagle, they can shuttle between the sky and the battlefield like lightning, always ready to provide the fleet with eyes, ears, protection and fatal strikes.

Whenever Asur's fleet sets sail, the Sky Slashers follow like a shadow, cruising in the clouds. They are the eyes in the sky, able to detect the enemy first and gain the upper hand. If the enemy approaches, they will turn into sharp blades, clear the airspace and seize air supremacy.

The crew members on the ship are wearing light armor and equipped with longbows, which can cause deadly harassment to the enemy's lightly armed troops. When facing more solid targets, they need to use the Eagle Claw Crossbow carried on the bow of the Sky-Slayer - this is a compact but powerful weapon, the steel arrows fired are enough to severely damage the behemoth and penetrate the armor.

The Sky Slayer is not only a vehicle, but also a manifestation of tactical thinking. The Sea Guard Commander chooses it as his vehicle, taking advantage of its mobility to roam the battlefield, shuttle between the rain of arrows, accurately kill the generals, and capture the enemy invisibly. However, this kind of tactics requires extremely high martial arts skills and courage, and the Sea Guard Commander has both.

Of course, many things are not absolute.

Most of the time, the Sky-Slayer is operated by the Lord of the Ocean. After all, the Sea Helmet is responsible for commanding the fleet to fight, not killing the generals.

According to the game group, after an Asur citizen enters Triton, he or she will become a Sea Watcher, then be promoted to Triton, and above that, to Sea Master, the Lord of the Ocean, and the Triton Commander who commands the fleet, also known as Sea Helm.

Above that is the admiral, and above that is the sea lord.

The carrying capacity of each Sky-Slayer is extremely limited, and it is usually equipped with three Sea Masters equipped with swords, spears and bows. Depending on tactical needs, the space for one crew member can be sacrificed and replaced with the operating position of the Eagle Claw Crossbow to deal with different types of enemy forces and missions.

These four sky-slashing warships are collectively called the "Spear of Silver Star". They are the symbol and trump card of the Silver Star Family, representing honor, loyalty and the family's eternal will that has lasted for thousands of years.

Each ship was hoisted with a magic flag, the Silver Star Flag, which was said to be able to awaken the dormant battle memories of the ancestors in the warriors, allowing them to burst out with extraordinary willpower and skills at critical moments. According to legend, a team of sea guards was trapped in a desperate situation. It was with the power of the Silver Star Flag that they awakened the consciousness of an ancient general and turned danger into safety and defeat into victory.

On the Eagle Claw Crossbow at the bow of each Sky-Slayer, there is an ancient rune engraved, which means - "Molaig's Harvest".

Throughout Ulthuan, in addition to the Spear of the Silver Star, there are also sky-slashing fleets such as the Sons of Karagon, Tidal Storm, Tal Ax Tiderider, etc.

In the legends of Lothern, Callagan is a giant dragon with water wings that roams the starlit sea. Although he is known for his gluttony, he occasionally forgives brave men and guides them to land.

The Sons of Karagan imitated the dragons, piloting the Sky-Slayers to cruise the battlefield, rescuing their endangered comrades while fighting. Countless Asur were saved from disaster because of their assistance - the Sky-Slayers first dispersed the enemy with a rain of arrows, and then quickly evacuated with the wounded.

However, the Sons of Karagan and the rest of the Skyslayer fleet did not stay here, but went to Anaheim with elite Sea Guard units including the Spawn of Matheran, Spear of Dabarok, Tideriders, Seawatch, and the Kraken.

However, only half of Lothern's most elite Sea Guard Company, the Tide Riders, went. As for the other half...

Arsalan did not choose to board the Heaven-Slaying Ship. His battlefield was not on the deck, but between the storm and the clouds, because he had sharp claws.

It was a large male griffin with broad wings, its body was gold and black, its claws were like steel, and its eyes were shining with wisdom and wildness. It had grown up with Arsalan since childhood, fighting, flying, getting injured, and recovering together, and they had already established a bond that transcended language.

Arsalan was wearing armor, with the emblem of the Silver Star family branded on his cloak. He stepped forward, put his hands on the strong feather back of Sharp Claw, and skillfully turned over. Sharp Claw growled, swept his tail violently, gathered strength in his hind legs, spread his wings, and rushed straight into the sky like a sharp blade breaking through the air.

The four Sky Slashers also slowly lifted off, the giant eagle flapping its wings and dragging the carriers, creating a series of gorgeous ripples. The Silver Star battle flags fluttered in the wind, as if calling for the long-gone war years. They quickly dispersed like satellites, heading to all directions to conduct high-altitude reconnaissance.

Marin stood on the deck, following the trajectory of Sharp Claw's ascent. Arslan looked back at her and nodded - a silent promise.

Then he patted Sharpclaw's neck. The griffin flapped its wings and sped up, soaring straight up.

Arsalan, flying high in the sky, looked down and saw the miscellaneous fleet like a string of tiny silver scales in the morning light, slowly sailing in the vast ocean. He retracted his gaze and looked forward.

He was extremely calm. He was not confused about the current situation, did not blame Finnubar, and did not feel distressed about losing the opportunity to accompany the main force.

Because he is a follower of Matheran.

Just as the god who controls the ocean needs no explanation for its rise and fall, Arsalan never wavers in his loyalty to the god, and he believes that his presence here has its meaning.

Fate and Matheran's will had placed him here, not there.

Of course, if he had a choice, he would indeed prefer to follow the main force and witness with his own eyes the being known as the "Son of Matheran" or the legendary "Daughter of Matheran", rather than... just staying in this silent, seemingly marginalized airspace.

Just as he had a thought, Sharp Claws suddenly roared, and its wings tilted sideways, deviating from its original course.

Arsalan's pupils suddenly contracted. He saw it, he found it. At that moment, his eyes widened like bells and he almost stood up from his mount.

"Matheran..." (End of this chapter)