Duke left Stratholme and used the portal to go directly to the Southshore city-state.
The teleportation array was on a hill by the sea. Duke came in a hurry and didn’t even have time to notify this side, so when the mages guarding the magic portal saw Duke’s face, several of them were stunned for a full ten seconds.
It was true that the signal coming from the other side of the portal was the Alliance’s magic mark. It was not a scheduled teleportation, but the level of the teleportation was too high, which still made them nervous.
The mage who was watching the teleportation array even called the mage captain who was in charge of defense.
But when they saw the face on the other side of the portal, they still felt like their brains were almost frozen.
Edmund Duke, the legendary hero and commander-in-chief of the Alliance who fought in three consecutive Dark Gate battles, teleported here so easily?
Surprises, and more than one.
Near the teleportation array, a young man dressed in ordinary knight apprentice attire suddenly showed a surprised expression.
This time, even Duke’s mouth turned into an O shape, and he yelled, "Varian?"
He is Varian Wrynn, who was honored as ’King Varian’ by countless players before Duke crossed over!
When Duke disappeared, Varian was just a 12-year-old boy. Ten years were enough for Varian to grow into an extremely strong and tough boy!
The good genes inherited from his parents gave him a very masculine square face. The well-defined facial lines gave him a strong and resolute look. In addition, with his training day after day and year after year, even through the armor, one could feel the surging power hidden under his armor and clothes.
Varian almost ran over and gave Duke a big bear hug: "Uncle Duke - I’m so happy! After ten years, you can recognize me at first sight!"
Would I say that I have seen you as an adult every day for many years?
Although you already had scars on your face back then...
Heroes cannot be copied.
Although a person can be trained in martial arts and taught various kinds of knowledge, the only thing that cannot be repeated is experience.
The current Varian is far from the Varian who later experienced so many hardships and grew up.
Duke could tell at a glance that he was strong, but that was physically speaking.
Duke was also very happy to see Varian and patted him on the back hard!
"You little bastard, I’d recognize you even if I turned into ashes!"
"Uncle Duke, why are you here? We haven’t received any news at all."
"I was just about to ask you this! How can you, the King of Stormwind Kingdom, come to the front line dressed ?"
Varian’s face fell instantly. He suddenly realized that he had sneaked here by boat without telling Lothar! Unexpectedly, he hadn’t seen the Scourge yet, but he was exposed in his excitement when he saw Duke.
Duke smiled. He didn’t need to pay special attention. He had already seen a large number of guards around him. This young man hadn’t noticed that there were at least 20 royal guards and thieves from the Military Intelligence Department around him.
"Alright, alright! If Lothar asks you later, just say that I asked you to come to the front line for training."
Varian’s eyes lit up!
"Uncle Duke is the best!"
"Yes, where is Anduin? I heard that he returned after retaking Arathi Highlands." Duke asked.
"Ah! Her Majesty Queen Menethil and Marquis Barov are here today. Uncle Anduin went to meet them nervously."
Duke’s brow twitched.
What kind of wind is blowing? Why are they here?
Suddenly Duke remembered something?
"Varian, you just arrived?"
Varian shrank back. "Well, actually, I begged ms. Barov to bring me along. I just landed."
Duke frowned hard: "Come with me, we’re going to find Anduin. It’s a big deal!"
Varian shuddered at first, then his eyes suddenly lit up.
He is a rookie who has never really experienced a war, but he is also a young man who grew up under the halo of Anduin and Duke, two legendary figures of the Alliance, and longs to have the title of a hero himself.
Almost the moment he heard the word "big thing", he felt the hot blood in his body boiling.
The group of people rushed to Nanhai City, the central location of the Nanhai city-state, at the speed of a dragon or a tiger.
After more than a decade of remote management, Ilucia has transformed Southshore into a large commercial city with 50,000 permanent residents and a floating population of over 100,000.
After the Third War of the Dark Gate began, a large number of refugees and civilians were sent away, and then a large number of reinforcements from Ironforge and Stormwind City arrived, so that there were always 300,000 soldiers and civilians on the defense line of the Southshore city-state.
Looking at this city that has been militarized but still retains a lot of traces of commerce, Duke suddenly felt a little dazed - could it be that Ilucia turned this city into a new Alterac?
Along the way, there were Stormwind soldiers everywhere.
They had heard about Duke’s return a long time ago, but this was the first time they saw Duke in person since his return.
The rookie recruits were surprised to find that their superiors and their superiors’ superiors showed surprise on their faces. They immediately put down what they were doing and saluted the pedestrians in the middle of the road with great respect.
Then, almost subconsciously, they followed.
"Is that Lord Edmund Duke!?"
"Yes! Lord Edmund who saved millions of people in Stormwind!"
"Well, he invented Valentine’s Day, too. Ah! Now that we have a child, Mary will have to marry me."
Most of the rookie soldiers who were still in the army more than a decade later were already middle and senior ranks. The admiration for Duke from the hardcore members quickly infected the new recruits who grew up under Duke’s reputation.
Many of the new soldiers were orphans of the time. Thanks to the comprehensive welfare system introduced by Duke and the establishment of a large number of militarized orphanages, the tragic situation of a large number of young children dying on the roadside was avoided.
When the recruits found out that the one leading the group in the center of the road was Duke, they couldn’t help but burst into tears!
Varian watched all this in amazement. He clenched his fists secretly and told himself - in the future I will also become a great hero like Duke, the one admired by all people!
As if sensing Varian’s thoughts, Duke stopped, turned around, and smiled: "Varian?"
"Don’t worry, you can do it, you have the potential. I believe you will be greater than your father, Anduin, and even me!"
"Yes!" Subconsciously, Varian stood at attention! He straightened his chest and pulled in his stomach!
Perhaps, in his previous life, he was the great king who led the alliance and was almost omnipotent!
But throughout his life, he is still a young man who needs encouragement and training!
Arriving at the majestic military fortress of Nanhai City, Duke reported and was immediately led inside by three knights.
Pushing open the heavy door, Duke saw three familiar faces with surprise.