Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

At the entrance of the precipitous strait, about two kilometers from the Emerald Gate of Lothern, stands a lighthouse fortress located on a rugged reef island - the Splendid Tower.

This majestic lighthouse, like a silent ancient guardian, overlooks the turbulent entrance to the bay day and night.

This spire piercing the sky, together with the endless blue ocean below, forms a breathtakingly magnificent picture.

Inside the tower, thousands of magic lamps are burning forever. No matter how time passes, they cannot extinguish the light that symbolizes glory and hope. On the base of the tower, there are heavy fortresses built of pure white marble. Each stone wall is engraved with the glory and tenacity of Asur for thousands of years.

On the bastions of the fortress, dozens of Eagle Claw crossbows with flashing cold light stood in array, ready to unleash devastating disaster at any time; and between the fortresses, hundreds of elite Lothern Sea Guards wearing sea blue and silver-white armor were ready to stand by. They were the true soul of this lighthouse, swearing to guard this line of defense where civilization and darkness meet with their lives.

The Brilliant Tower is not only the protective barrier of the Emerald Gate, but also the core of the entire Lothern coastal defense system. Here, cliffs, reefs, fortresses, magic and ancient oaths are integrated into one, hiding deadly murderous intentions and flowing with noble aesthetic interest.

Any invader who dares to approach the Emerald Gate will be mercilessly trapped in the crossfire of death woven by the war machines on the Glorious Tower and the gatehouse.

The sheer fortifications of this lighthouse alone are enough to deter all but the most deranged of enemies.

This lighthouse is glory, light, and an inviolable oath.

But now - the Glorious Tower is undefended!

The Sea Guards were still lined up in neat rows, their military appearance was still majestic, but no one was ready for battle. Led by their officers, they stood behind the wall, quietly watching the intact Asur fleet pour into Lothern, or staring expressionlessly at the silver and black iron ships slowly passing by, while some of them looked at the huge splashes on the sea with complicated eyes.

The last moment, the Tritons saw the legendary scene repeat itself.

In the dark, icy depths beneath the Emerald Door lies Amanar, an ancient sea drake, one of Lothern's oldest and most mysterious guardians.

This huge ocean predator is a close relative of the sky dragon and a primitive overlord left over from ancient times. It has a slender, coiled body like a snake, with muscles full of explosive power under its scales, and four short, thick but extremely powerful limbs with sharp claws at the end.

Amanar doesn't have huge wings like a dragon, but it can swing its body violently and run as fast as lightning in the deep sea. When hungry or enraged, it can even use its strong body to land on land and hunt creatures that dare to provoke it.

The books of the Splendid Tower once solemnly recorded that Amanar had only awakened three times when Lothern was in the most extreme life-and-death crisis:

The first time was during the Great Invasion, when the demon army was besieging Lothern, Amanar appeared on the sea and devoured the entire demon fleet one by one, eventually dyeing the sea scarlet;

The second time was during the Great Sundering, when Lothern encountered a huge wave. It used its broad back like a mountain range to block the sea, allowing the city to stand tall in the waves of the destruction of the world.

The third time was when the army of Druki besieged Lothern. Amanar defeated the enemy fleet with its violent force. Its terrifying tail swept across, dragging a black ark along with thousands of Druki on board into the endless abyss of the seabed.

Amanar has not been seen since that battle. The Asur only found a huge piece of its scales from the torn rocks after the battle as a symbol of their eternal protection.

And just now - the sea water was boiling again.

The silhouette of the huge monster was looming, a huge black crack appeared on the sea surface, and a heart-pounding roar was heard, as if the ancient continent was roaring.

Amanar wakes up.

Not to destroy the invaders, not to defend Lothern.

But it is to welcome the arrival of the descendants of Poseidon and his believers.

Everything is revealed.

The world is quietly turning upside down.

Lothern is no longer the same Lothern as before.

A new era is quietly opening.

The Emerald Gate, a massive arched fortress that sits atop a rocky promontory across the Strait of Lothern, guards the southern chokepoint of Ulthuan like a silent Titan.

In the morning light, the rows of Eagle Claw crossbows on the city wall glowed with a cold light. Hundreds of fully armed Sea Guards were lined up in neat formations, their silver-white armor like sharp blades forged from the waves, staring quietly at the turbulent waterway ahead.

The Jade Door itself is composed of two huge bronze valves, the door leaves are engraved with exquisite and intricate patterns, and a huge emerald is inlaid in the center, emitting a faint and breathtaking light.

When a ship that is allowed to pass arrives, the pair of extremely heavy valves will be slowly opened in the roaring turbulence under the control of the magic mechanism, revealing a wide waterway leading to the lagoon.

Ships passing through the Emerald Gate will enter a channel with cliffs, castles and walls on both sides. This is the iron backbone of the Asur civilization. Behind every inch of the stone wall are heavily guarded sea guards, and on every fortress are eagle claw crossbows for long-range strikes.

All of this constitutes an almost unbreakable southern defense line of Ulthuan.

At this moment, after interacting with Amanar, Daxus was standing on the deck of the cruise ship, holding the railing with both hands, looking up at the cliffs and towering castles on both sides that were densely covered with defensive facilities.

The Tritons were still lined up, but their posture was subtle. They were nervous, yet forced to remain calm. They tried to maintain their military appearance and not lose their dignity in this unusual situation.

He was silent for a long time, the breeze blowing his silver hair. After a moment, he tilted his head slightly and asked with a hint of smile in his voice.

"Do you remember when we first met?"

Malekith, who was standing beside him and also looking at the city walls on both sides, turned his head when he heard the voice and nodded with a complicated look.

"Of course." He whispered, a gleam of reminiscence and excitement in his eyes.

Then, he took a deep breath, looked at the sea gate behind him that symbolized Asur’s pride for thousands of years, and spoke with deep emotion.

"It worked. It really worked... so easily, so... beautifully! Daxus, you did it."

Who could have expected this day when they first met in that dim and cold throne room all those years ago?
At that time, they were just using models and sand tables to rehearse war simulations about Ulthuan in the throne room - Dacreus played the role of Naggaroth and Malekith played the role of Ulthuan.

Or perhaps, it was actually Dacreus showing off his wisdom and courage to the Witch King.

Of course, now it seems that whether it is showing off or not is no longer important.

Because just as Malekith said, all the deductions and plans have now been realized - and, even more smoothly than they originally imagined.

At the beginning, they started with the most basic and secretive projects.

Train a large number of spies and place them in the Phoenix Court, the noble councils of the major kingdoms, and even among the ordinary citizens. These spies appear to be no different from the Asur, and even become their friends, mentors, merchants, and guards, corroding the fabric of Ulthuan day by day, year by year.

Julian is a prime example of this, but there are many other spies who have played various vital roles.

Next, we will vigorously develop our naval power and at the same time vigorously develop the Cauchen Plain.

As wealth and resources continued to flow into Naggaroth, and with the collapse of the old order, the once withered and cold society was revitalized, the population of Duruchi saw a long-awaited growth, the market was bustling again, and the waterways were busy again.

Using the naval intelligence provided by the Ulthuan spy network, we can find the right time to dispatch a fleet. We can secretly dispatch a fleet and attack quietly, gradually removing Asur's important overseas bases:
Twilight Keep, Dawn Keep, Tal Alasun on the Sea of ​​Dread, Tower of the Sun, Tower of the Stars, Gate of Kalis, Tal Alytis on the Lost Isles of Ilytis, and the Tower of the Rising Sun on the Lonely Sea in the North. Every time a fortress, stronghold, or colony was taken away, it was like chiseling a splinter off the body of Ulthuan.

Not only did it deal a heavy blow to Ulthuan's maritime trade routes, it also dealt a heavy blow to the Asur people's trust and awe in the Phoenix King's authority.

They tried to win over the seafaring families who did not want to see their interests damaged, but the Asur Navy was forced to go out frequently and run around under the dual pressure of the royal court and the people.

When a small fleet was isolated and helpless, the Druchi Fleet ambushed and annihilated it without hesitation; when the two sides were similar in number and the outcome was uncertain, the Druchi Fleet was cautious and restrained, skilled in avoiding battle, focusing on consumption and attack, and never advancing rashly.

This war is not about showing off strength, but about slowly and steadily dragging the opponent into the quagmire until it is exhausted.

At a certain time, a large-scale Duruchi army quietly gathered on land, starting from Clarkalond, passing through the gloomy and deadly Venom Forest, and approaching Anaheim.

The navy cooperated with the army to destroy Anaheim's naval forces on the one hand and completely cut off its reinforcements and supply lines; on the other hand, they cooperated with the army to besiege the city, forcing the Asur main fleet to come to the rescue.

If the Azul navy is lured here, a decisive battle will be fought with them in the waters of Anaheim and among the islands.

If the main force of Asur is slow to arrive, then we will head straight for Anaheim, capture the city, and take control of it. We will station a large number of troops here, build strong fortifications, expand port facilities, and turn Anaheim into a bridgehead and logistics center for the future attack on Ulthuan.

Afterwards, the army and navy advanced in tandem, launching attacks simultaneously from Anaheim and Caronde Carr, like two sharp blades, cutting through Ulthuan's outer defenses from the left and right.

Peel onions and cut meat with a blunt knife.

Constantly eroding and gradually encroaching.

Duruchi used his naval superiority to launch flexible attacks, harassing the ports and coastal towns of the Outer Ring Kingdoms, striking at Asur's fragile economic network, leaving them running around in a hurry and unable to take care of both ends.

In this ubiquitous war of attrition, the people of Ulthuan gradually lost their sense of security and confidence, and gradually fell into the abyss of slow death.

During this time, the spy network continued to create chaos and panic within Ulthuan, provoking conflicts between the Outer and Inner Kingdoms and exacerbating the gap and distrust between the local and central governments.

Until the end, launch the general attack.

By manipulating magical tides, earthquakes and tsunamis were triggered to tear apart the coastline. Under the double blow of natural disasters and the threat of force, the Black Ark rushed directly onto the beach, crushing all resistance.

Capture Lothern and unlock the key to the Inner Circle of Ulthuan!

however……

Plans are always perfect, but reality is full of chaos and variables.

Despite the brilliant strategy and thorough preparation, when it comes to actual operation, every link is full of uncontrollable emergencies.

Sometimes it is a natural disaster, sometimes it is a man-made disaster, and sometimes it is adjusted according to the actual situation. But no matter how tortuous the process is, the result is gratifying.

Although there was no war in Lothern, the goal was achieved.

"You know, this feels... weird."

Malekith sighed in a low voice, but there was no ecstasy as expected in his voice, but more of a mixture of confusion, relief and slight bewilderment.

Daxus turned his head and looked at Malekith, a bright and sharp smile like that of a teenager quietly appeared at the corner of his lips.

Of course he understood what was hidden behind Malekith's emotion.

It is nothing more than the inequality of resources, talents and opportunities among individuals.

Some people spend their entire lives chasing a dream, only to fall short in the end, while others can easily cross all the barriers and obtain it easily, as if these honors are their birthright.

There are too many examples of this kind. He can come up with them as easily as drinking water. He can deal with eight or ten of them, and he can also ensure that each of them can mess with Malekith's mentality.

Just as he coughed lightly and was about to start teasing, Malekith suddenly stretched out his iron hand and accurately blocked the air in front of his mask, signaling him not to speak. He glanced at Malekith's mask, revealing an expression of "you are so boring", and then shrugged.

"Don't ruin the atmosphere, okay?" Malekith's voice was low and firm. He changed his gesture and clenched his fist. There was a creaking sound between the armor, and it seemed that even the silence of the metal felt the oppression.

"Yes, sir. Ah~ my... my..." Daxus pretended to salute while speaking irrelevant words in a light-hearted manner, "My great, honorable..." He looked nonchalant, with a playful light in his eyes.

Daxus was good at messing with Malekith's mentality, and he knew very well how to provoke the other party's emotional fluctuations.

If one road is blocked, there are still countless other roads. He can always find a suitable road to give Malekith a chance and make Malekith's mood fluctuate unconsciously.

As expected, the Witch King's fist was swung out, and the sound of breaking wind was approaching. But at the moment when the fist was about to fall, Daxus had already disappeared, and his figure dissipated in the air like lightning.

The next second, Malekith's figure also disappeared instantly, followed by a chase and fight between the two.

While they were chasing, the waterway had quietly passed behind them. The boat crossed the waterway and slowly sailed towards the second sea gate.

That door is one of the symbols of Lothern - the Sapphire Gate.

Inlaid with sapphires that are almost as big as a human head, the door shines with a frightening brilliance in the sunlight, like a huge pupil, staring at those who enter.

Crossing this sea gate, you will find a new hope after a dark tunnel!
Before his eyes was a huge lagoon, surrounded by towers as bright as dreams. The water was crystal clear, and the surface was like a mirror, reflecting the splendor and majesty of Lothern.

It is large enough to accommodate all the ships registered in Asur, and even the largest fleet can pass freely here. Even without the protection of the seawall, the lagoon still provides a safe shelter for the ships passing by, and the water is deep enough to anchor any ship.

But at this moment, there were not many boats in the lagoon, and the empty scene made people feel a little oppressive.

However, the good news is that these voids will soon disappear.

Except for the black arks that could not be approached, all kinds of ships from Duruchi and Asur had already lined up in an orderly manner, passed through the sea gates and waterways, entered this huge lagoon, and filled the port.

Around the lagoon, there are also some natural or artificial islands. The palaces, temples and warehouses on these islands are like miracles rising from the water. The intricate network of canals connects these islands to Lothern, as if the entire city is like a galaxy, composed of countless tributaries. On these islands, Gunnir Star Palace and Caradrell Palace are located in the middle, magnificent and extraordinarily luxurious.

The city's construction is integrated with the water. The white towers are like elegant stairs, climbing lightly to the mountains in the distance. The towers and palaces, temples and warehouses seem to grow slowly in this huge lake area, presenting a steady and unshakable sense of power.

When Daxus arrived at the place, he stopped flashing and flickered, then stretched out his hand to the side.

The next second, he and Malekith disappeared from the ship.

(Previous Sea Element) (End of this chapter)