Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Leandra's golden hair danced in the sea breeze, like a thread of memory, being dragged by the tide into the distant past. She stood quietly on the dock, staring at the sacred and familiar land under her feet. Her eyes were like sapphires sleeping in the deep sea, reflecting the sky of Lothern and the unspeakable waves in her heart.

"Three thousand years? Or four thousand years? ... Or five thousand years?"

It is difficult for a doctor to heal himself, and it is difficult for a doctor to save others. After comforting Delina, she also fell into confusion.

She whispered, as if asking the wind, or asking herself. The traces of time left on her body were almost unnoticeable, but in her memory, there were years as heavy as a mountain. She was born in the Kingdom of Caledor and lived with her mother in the Kingdom of Cosqui. She struggled to recall the scene when she first set foot here. At that time, she was young, beautiful, eager, proud, and confident. She was the heir of the Arsinoe family in the Kingdom of Caledor. But Lothern didn't seem to be like this at that time?

But later, she became an Asrai. Different from the Asrai around her who were born in the forest and saw everything new or felt lost, she was the original Asrai, an experienced elf who had experienced the Great Split and the War of Revenge.

Not everyone understood that transition.

After becoming an Asrai, she did not become like Seonlan, but slept, awakened, and transformed in the deep forest of Athel Loren, resonating with the forest, learning to listen to the wind and sense the language of the trees. She spent countless years between the changing seasons, witnessed long peace, and witnessed countless disputes. She thought she had completely let go of the past and became a part of the forest, an Asrai, a child of nature, and a non-contentious watcher.

But now, she was back to Ulthuan once again, back to her starting point - Lothern. It had been four thousand years since she went there and back!
This time, he did not come for the festival, nor was he driven by the oracle, but because of the shadow of war and the call of fate.

"Finubar..."

She whispered the name in her heart, thinking that Finnubar might make some unexpected choices and choose to cooperate with Dakwus. But she never thought, never really dared to think that Finnubar would open the gates of Ulthuan for Duruchi with such fanfare. This was too crazy.

This is the gateway over which Asur had shed blood for thousands of years.

This is not an ordinary political game, but a challenge to the entire tradition, a shock to faith and ethnic identity. The uneasiness deep in her heart is like a tide, beating against her tempered indifference and rationality.

Maybe...she should have come back a long time ago.

Perhaps after that meeting, she should return and alert these sleeping Asur, making them realize that the foundations of the world were quietly tilting and that a strange Duruchi named Dakwus was rising.

But she didn't.

She had deceived herself by telling herself that it was Asur's business, and she was Aslai, her fate was tied to the forest, and everything about Asur was already a thing of the past for her.

Now, she was no longer sure.

What is her anchor?
Is it Athel Loren? Is it the dream sleeping in the moonlight? Or is it the glory and responsibility of the Kingdom of Caledor that has long been swallowed up by the years? Or is it Kor Vanath, which was once Altdorf?

She was confused.

Liandra is not the only one who is confused. Seonlan, Asanok, Annasara, Newkel, Dais and so on, the older generation of them are either Duruchi, Aslai or Ainel, but now they are just like her, either confused, bewildered or full of emotion.

Maybe...Leandra happens to be the most sober one?
She could sense a breath on the wind that was not of Ulthuan, that the texture of time was beginning to become unstable, and that the fabric of the world was being reshaped by a force she could not fully understand.

She looked into the distance, at the ships, the army, the flags, the ceremonial guards, and Dacus who was standing high up, as if he had a panoramic view of everything - he was an existence that was difficult for her to judge.

He is the storm, the harbinger of change, and the messenger of destiny. To be with him means to embark on a path from which there is no turning back.

She suddenly wanted to ask: If she stood up again, who would she fight for? For the past? For her bloodline? For the forest? For the Asur people who no longer remembered her name?

Or...she just wanted to get an answer for herself.

Leandra gently closed her eyes, the sea breeze messed up her golden hair, at this moment, she finally felt the long-closed door deep in her heart quietly opening. She knew that she could no longer be just a spectator - no matter which side she stood on in the end, she had to become a chess piece again, even if this game would completely subvert her understanding of "who she is".

She opened her eyes, and her gaze was no longer confused, but filled with a hint of sadness and determination.

"Perhaps... this is fate." She whispered, and followed the Asrai beside her towards the base.

The sun shines down from the sky, illuminating the elves walking on the street and the rows of magnificent buildings. The long street is like a winding river, slowly climbing up to the lush hills. The winding road is surrounded by towering towers on both sides. The towering palaces seem to rise from the depths of the earth, staggered and magnificent.

The palace roof is inlaid with shining gold and silver tiles. With the morning light, it reflects the dazzling light, like stars scattered in the sky. The towering spires point to the sky, as if they want to touch the boundless clouds. Palm trees sway on both sides of the street, and the green leaves gently sway in the breeze. The air is filled with a fresh fragrance. Occasionally, the sound of fountains can be heard, and clear water drops splash down from a height, stirring up fine mist and bringing bursts of refreshing coolness.

Walking past these magnificent buildings and going deeper, the end of the street is a fascinating garden. The garden is carefully maintained, dotted with colorful flowers, like a beautiful painting, with all kinds of flowers and plants blooming, the fragrance of flowers is fragrant, and dragonflies can occasionally be seen flying among the branches and leaves. The garden is surrounded by transparent glass to form an exquisite barrier. Looking out from here, the whole view of Lothern is in full view, and the sparkling sea in the distance seems to merge with the sky.

On both sides of the broad main road are those magnificent mansions, with carved iron fences and exquisite stone pillars in front of the gates interweaving into artistic barriers. Each mansion is carefully maintained, with glazed tiles on the roof and fine reliefs carved on the walls, vividly telling the glorious history of Lothern for thousands of years.

Although the superstructure of Lothern was so magnificent, as Aslai and Ainir's troops moved deeper, Dakus's eyes gradually became sharper.

As we approached the north gate, the buildings began to become more and more simple. The luxurious mansions on both sides of the main road gradually disappeared, replaced by some old buildings that were not repaired in time. Some roofs looked a little decadent, tiles fell off, and cracks appeared in the walls, silently telling the unknown difficulties and hidden dangers behind this city.

He could even feel that some windows were half-closed. Through the gaps, he could vaguely see thin faces, eyes full of hunger, exhaustion, and desire. That desire was not for wealth, but for...

He couldn't say for sure, and he didn't dare to be sure. He couldn't even confirm whether what he saw just now was an illusion or something real.

The Aslai and Ainir troops who got off the ship first marched silently, passing through the core area of ​​Lothern and heading towards the north gate along the winding streets.

There was no victory parade, no extravagant procession, and no triumphal celebration.

If there is anyone who can stand on the triumphal chariot and receive the cheers and flowers of the whole city, that person can only be Finnubar.

Of course, for a long time, Finnubar would not be understood by the people of Asur, and all he would get to greet him triumphantly would be rotten eggs or rotten vegetable leaves.

If we divide "King's Landing on Ulthuan" into different stages, Finubar is undoubtedly the MVP of the current stage and the undisputed core figure.

Without a doubt!

He solved the naval problem, allowed Imrik to take the blame, and opened the door to the Inner Ring Kingdom of Ulthuan.

If the Landing of Ulthuan succeeds, even the most sarcastic elves cannot deny that Finnubar played a vital role in this war. His decisions and actions greatly shortened the course of the war and brought Druki an incredible, beautiful and almost dreamlike start.

Of course, this start also comes at a price - since the war began, no battles have been fought and no swords have been shed.

The Battle of Anaheim, which had the most hope of a battle, also ended hastily under the mediation of Gilead, with a surrender instead of a direct confrontation. It turned out that the Duruchi army was just marching, either drifting on ships, walking on land, or taking trains. When they were not marching, they were either setting up camps, building fortifications, constructing new buildings, or laying railways connecting the front lines.

Of course, there was no massacre, which was closely related to Drucci's strict military discipline. When he was in Anaheim, he repeatedly ordered that unauthorized actions were strictly prohibited to ensure that discipline was enforced to the end.

The first Duruchi troops to enter Lothern were the 10th "Steel-Broken" Army led by the high-ranking dreadlord, Gorond Valahar-Bakron. They came in by boat, and their mission was to take over Lothern's city defense system. For the upcoming full-scale war, this city is not only the symbolic heart, but also the actual strategic throat.

We must firmly control it and not relax even for a moment. Following closely behind is the First Guards Army, which is made of blood and iron. In addition, there is the Third Army of "Wind" led by Dranak Mogar, the Fifth Army of "Thorns" led by Talos, and the 22nd Army under Chintala. Except for the First Guards Army, the other three armies are all under the command of the army group commanded by Cowell.

At the same time, Dorien's "Lightning" Fourth Army, Garros's Fourteenth Army, and the Iris Kingdom's troops remained in the surface fleet. The 21st Army, which belonged to the Asheril sequence, stayed in Asheril, shouldering the important task of guarding the strategic rear.

According to the original plan, after the greenskins who invaded Ulthuan were destroyed, Ainir and Asrai's troops should have been deployed to the direction of the Kingdom of Cosqui, crossed the Fire River that cut the Kingdom of Cosqui and the Kingdom of Chrace, took advantage of the forest warfare, cooperated with Yvresse, the Kingdom of Cosqui and a small number of follow-up troops of Duruchi, and went straight to the capital of the Kingdom of Chrace - Tal Achar.

The result...plans cannot keep up with changes.

Aside from the Riftsteel Army and the First Guards Army, the rest of the Druki forces mostly arrived on Ulthuan via special barges.

These special barges are one-off offshore platforms built specifically for war needs. They have a simple structure and a moderate cost, and can be highly modularized and DIY spliced ​​according to actual conditions. (Chapter 698)
Today, thirty special barges with a hull length of up to 120 meters have been deployed and their auxiliary barges have been lowered, ten to the west and twenty to the east.

This layout was not made at random, but was carefully arranged according to the terrain and strategic situation.

The Kingdom of Itain was divided into two by Lothern. On its left side, that is, the Kingdom of Caledor in the west, on its right side, that is, the Kingdom of Saphire in the northeast, and to the south is South Ivresse.

In the next offensive, the northeast of Lothern will become the key breakthrough direction. The second largest city of the Kingdom of Itain, Angril, is there. In addition, the land and water there are rich and fertile, and it is suitable for both stationing troops and developing an iron tower planting model. After crossing the Tor Peninsula, it is the Kingdom of Safri, and the Windblown Plains and Finuwa Plains are within sight.

Once we control the Kingdom of Safri, together with the Kingdoms of Itain, Iris and Cosqui...

An unprecedented, incredible, and almost dreamy start.

If everything goes well, there will be no substantial fighting in the next period of time, that is, before entering the Kingdom of Avalon. This is a big deal for the Druch Army...

The mission on the western front was to delay the troops of the Kingdom of Caledo and suppress their possibility of attacking down the mountain.

Of course, going down the mountain was not a threat to Duruchi, but a blessing in disguise. Fighting on the vast plains was Duruchi's traditional strength, and the only trouble was the native fire dragons of Ulthuan.

Anyway, in the next stage, before Eastern Ulthuan is connected and the situation is stabilized, Druch's main force will never rashly penetrate into the Kingdom of Caledor.

The border area between Caledor and Itain is almost entirely steep mountains, with complex and rugged terrain, leaving little room for expansion. Even if we force our way in, we can only fight in the mountains - the enemy is in high places, and we are in low places, so the disadvantage of fighting at high altitudes is self-evident.

Moreover, the opponents were local Caledorian troops who were familiar with the mountain roads, had experienced life and death in the rocky valleys, and knew the terrain like the back of their hands.

Force your way in? That would be a big mistake.

Of course, I will advance if I have to, but the way I advance...

Although the Kingdom of Caledor is an Inner Ring Kingdom, part of it is located in the Vast Ocean, and that part is its essence. The Anvil of Vaal is located there, which is also the arsenal. It must be eaten to weaken the opponent's war potential.

At present, thirty special barges have been spliced ​​and combined into a "丄" structure. The horizontal "—" is the main hull, and the vertical "丨" serves as the passage and landing channel, forming the skeleton of the entire landing platform.

Drucci's Albatross-class merchant ships can dock directly at section 『—』. Standardized docking ports are specially designed on both sides of the barge's hull to ensure that the Albatross-class ships can complete the loading and unloading process quickly.

The soldiers passed through 『—』 and stepped into 『丨』, going ashore along a straight path, while the subsequent supplies and baggage were deployed through Lothern's internal transportation system.

There was no other way. The coast of Lothern near the Vast Ocean was almost entirely mountainous—cliffs, slopes, and broken rocks, one after another. Fortunately, the front of the special barge was equipped with a freely retractable suspension bridge system. Each bridge was divided into four sections, each 25 meters long. Through the suspension cable and the adjustment of the hull slide rail, it could be flexibly supported on the rocks regardless of the height, according to the height of the mountain, to achieve a "bridge in the air" landing.

But that's all. The mountains are fine for troops to pass through. After walking a lot, the roads will be trampled out naturally. Supplies still have to be transferred through ports, and large-scale supplies still have to rely on regular ports and transportation lines.

Dacus estimated that by the time all the troops were in place, the first phase of logistics dispatch would be almost complete.

The port system of Lothern consists of three sea gates: Emerald Gate, Sapphire Gate and Ruby Gate. Emerald Gate and Sapphire Gate are located on the coastline of Lothern facing the Vast Ocean, while Ruby Gate is inward and is an important channel connecting to the Inland Sea.

To the north of the Ruby Gate is the northern port of Lothern. Although it is not as big as the lagoon, it is small but complete. Except for the lack of a shipyard, the port has complete storage facilities.

Unlike the large and diverse fleets in the lagoon, the types of ships here are relatively simple, mostly small two-masted sailing ships, suitable for sailing in the inland sea. Compared with the roaring waves of the vast ocean, the inland sea is quiet and gentle, more like a water mirror embedded between the continents, with calm winds and waves, and safe and stable sailing.

The most important thing is that the trade volume in the inland sea is relatively small, and the trade activity is far less than that in the vast ocean. If it were higher, given Asur's character, he would have equipped himself with larger ships long ago.

Now, with the coming of the war cloud, there are only a few small schooners in the northern port area, and the rest are all gorgeous pleasure boats, and there are more of these boats than in the lagoon.

It is said that dolphins often come to the North Port in groups, chasing the boats and playing in the waves like naughty children. However, Dacus did not witness this warm scene with his own eyes. Maybe it was the wrong time? Or maybe the dolphins sensed some strange smell and chose to avoid it? Or maybe they just didn't want to show up today?

"So, we'll expand the North Port first, and then completely renovate it according to the standards of Krakalond, with Bel-Aihor taking the lead." Daxus said slowly, his tone unhurried but firm and powerful, as if the blueprint for the entire port had already been outlined in his mind.

"I thought you would choose to build a railway." Finnubar smiled lightly when he heard this, first nodded in agreement, then said jokingly, with a hint of relaxed tentativeness in his tone.

"It's meaningless to repair it now." Daxus shook his head and pointed to the Ruby Gate. "After the expansion, the North Port will be fully capable of withstanding the current and future circulation pressures."

He changed the subject, his tone rising slightly, "However, there!" He paused and pointed to the strait between the sea gate and the city, "We need to build a bridge, a Nagarys Bridge similar to the one in Clar Karond. It should be a double-deck structure, with the upper deck for pedestrians and vehicles, and the lower deck with tracks for trains to pass through."

Before Finnubar could react, Daxus turned around and reached out again, this time pointing to the Phoenix Court east of Lothern.

"With the Phoenix Court, this side is destined to become the center of power in the future. Administrative offices, various institutions, major colleges, temples, as well as foreign embassies and noble residences will all gather here. It will become the heart of Ulthuan, a beacon of faith and order."

Finnubar could not help but look in the direction of Dacus's gesture. The sunlight shone on the towers and palaces in the distance. The golden tile roofs and white stone walls looked like a dream in the sea mist. It was a holy place that should have been solemn and dignified, but now it also carried ambition and the desire for reconstruction.

He nodded slightly, his eyes showing some recognition, he thought Dacus was right. Then he slowly raised his hand and pointed to the west - the transition zone between the mountains and lowlands that had not yet been developed on a large scale.

"Over there, are the commercial and residential areas?" he asked, his tone more serious than before.

"Yes." Dacus looked over there, his eyes filled with the enthusiasm of an urban planner. "Flatten the mountain, reclaim land, extend it to both wings, and expand it into multiple functional satellite cities. Not only residential areas, but also commercial centers, transportation hubs, industrial nodes and supporting public facilities, and eventually form a huge urban cluster, an urban system that can accommodate at least 10 million permanent residents."

Finnubar was silent for a long time after hearing this. He looked across the mountains and the harbor, trying to picture the magnificent scene in his mind, but he was only a politician after all, not a planner, and could not draw it as accurately as Dacus.

"I hope I will be lucky enough to see that day come with my own eyes." After a while, he sighed softly.

"You will." Dacus turned to look at Finnubar, his eyes firm and deep, "Trust me!"

His voice was not loud, but it had a penetrating power that could not be ignored, as if it was the words of a prophet from the depths of fate. (End of this chapter)