Chapter 440: Council of Seven Kings
It must be admitted that, in such a critical moment, even the most sluggish and self-centered kings can display remarkable efficiency.
Within just a week, the rulers of the various kingdoms on the continent of Lordaeron had gathered together in the royal city of Lordaeron.
Now, with the rulers all assembled here, a meeting destined to decide the fate of the entire continent was about to commence.
Alaric stood quietly in a corner of the throne room, with Garona lurking nearby.
In fact, the highly skilled half-orc assassin had vanished into the shadows even before they entered the palace of Lordaeron and had remained undetected ever since.
King Llane had invited Alaric to attend this meeting as an external witness from beyond Stormwind Kingdom.
However, Alaric suspected that Llane simply wanted to see a familiar face in this foreign territory.
Although they had never met, Alaric was able to recognize most of the attendees from descriptions and his memories from his previous life.
The burly man clad in black and gray armor, with a thick black beard, was Genn Greymane, ruler of the southern kingdom of Gilneas.
Alaric thought Greymane was much shrewder than he appeared, even if his proposal to refuse the formation of the Alliance suggested otherwise.
The tall, gaunt man in a green naval uniform, with weathered skin, was unmistakably Admiral Daelin Proudmoore.
He ruled the kingdom of Kul Tiras and commanded the strongest navy in the world, earning him a status equal to that of Terenas.
Daelin could not have known that his seven-year-old daughter would one day become one of the Alliance's most important female leaders and one of its greatest heroes.
Nearby was a quiet man with gray-brown hair and light hazel eyes, whose cultured demeanor marked him as Lord Aiden Perenolde, ruler of the Kingdom of Alterac.
He was glaring at Thoras Trollbane, ruler of neighboring Stromgarde.
The tall, rugged Trollbane, however, paid him no heed; the fur coat he wore, designed for the harsh mountain climate of his homeland, seemed to shield him from Perenolde's ire as well.
In contrast, Trollbane turned to address a short, stout man with a snowy white beard and a kindly face.
This man was instantly recognizable to everyone present, even without the ceremonial robe and staff that marked his office.
Alonsus Faol, Archbishop of the Cathedral of Light, was revered and loved by all.
Alaric had never seen such a powerful manifestation of the Holy Light in any person.
Beyond that, Faol exuded a charisma that inspired peace and wisdom, even in those meeting him for the first time.
Of course, among the attendees was another ruler—King Llane of Stormwind, who had fled here with his people.
Thanks to Alaric's presence, Llane had fared far better than his historical counterpart.
He had avoided assassination by the half-orc Garona, who had been under Gul'dan's control.
His queen had survived the escape from Stormwind, and his subjects had safely evacuated without suffering heavy losses from the sudden fall of the city.
Suddenly, a flicker of purple caught Alaric's attention out of the corner of his eye.
Stepping into the throne room was a legendary figure: a tall, thin man with streaks of gray in his brown beard, thick eyebrows, and a bald head crowned by a gold-trimmed hat.
This was none other than Antonidas, the Grand Magister of Dalaran.
Before Alaric stood the rulers of all human nations on the continent. Their words and actions would determine the fate of millions.
This marked the fourth year since Alaric had arrived in this world. In just four years, he had climbed to the upper echelons of society—if not at the top, then certainly among those who were.
However, apart from the novelty of meeting important NPCs from his previous life's game, Alaric felt no particular excitement.
It wasn't a matter of a mage's disdain for the mundane but rather the result of his past experiences.
As a ruler, he had governed lands and populations in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire far exceeding those of the kings before him.
As the leader of the new generation of white wizards in the magical world of Harry Potter, his status surpassed even that of Antonidas in Dalaran.
Thus, titles, power, and glory had long since become fleeting illusions to Alaric.
Antonidas was the last to arrive. Once he took his place, Terenas clapped his hands, and the sound echoed through the hall, silencing all conversation.
Everyone turned their attention to the organizer of this royal meeting.
"Thank you all for coming," Terenas began, his voice carrying effortlessly across the room.
"I understand this was a sudden and urgent summons, but it is because we face a grave and critical matter that demands our immediate attention."
He paused, turning to face the man standing beside him. "You all know His Majesty Llane Wrynn, King of Stormwind.
A week ago, the war-torn city of Stormwind fell to the orcs' iron boots. His Majesty has taken refuge in Hillsbrad with his people.
Today, he comes before us as both a petitioner and, perhaps, a savior. I believe it is best for him to explain what he has witnessed—events that may soon affect us all."
Although the rulers had heard countless rumors about the orcs, nothing was as convincing as hearing it directly from a king.
"…We did everything in our power to protect our people," Llane said.
"Here, I must express my deepest gratitude to Dalaran and its envoy, Archmage Sandor.
His intelligence on the orcs and his powerful magic spared us tens of thousands—perhaps even more—casualties."
—Wait a second… why am I being dragged into this?
The kings' gazes followed Llane's words to rest upon Alaric in the corner.
Although momentarily baffled, Alaric maintained a composed smile and nodded politely to the assembled rulers.
Among the nobility, Alaric's reputation had already spread widely due to his writings and contributions on the orcs.
Even those who knew little of magic recognized him as a rising star among Dalaran's young magi.
What followed was a torrent of praise for Alaric's achievements, with Antonidas hailed as a model of talent recognition.
Several kings, including Daelin and Genn, even tried to recruit Alaric as their chief court mage.
After some time, the discussion returned to King Llane.
Alaric understood this as Llane's way of repaying him.
Though Stormwind was currently destitute, Llane had used this crucial meeting to publicize Archmage Sandor's name, bolstering Alaric's reputation and fostering goodwill with the rulers of other kingdoms.
Even someone as indifferent to worldly power as Alaric had to admit that this was a significant favor.
He nodded to Llane in gratitude. Llane shook his head, silently indicating that it was his duty.
Llane's speech continued.
"I have come here to warn you all. This Horde is not native to our land, nor even to our world. They will not be content with conquering a single region.
They will attempt to seize the entire world."
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