Chapter 529: Duke's Prophecy

Witnessing the once arrogant Deathwing suddenly unleash the devastating move, "Skyflash of Dragons", and then flee with his tail between his legs, every dragon present was left stunned.

"Did Neltharion... just run away like that?"

"What happened to the glory of the dragonflight?"

"What about the promised resistance?"

Something felt off.

"We cannot let him escape!" Nozdormu exclaimed, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation.

"We must pursue him, now!" Malygos replied urgently.

"I agree!" Ysera, the Dreamer, said calmly. She glanced at Alexstrasza, who was still circling above, seemingly as shocked as she was about her recent feat against the Black Dragonflight leader. "Sister?"

"Chase!" the red dragon responded. "We must pursue him relentlessly! Or I'm in trouble..."

The Red Dragon Queen recalled Duke's ominous prediction.

If she couldn't deal with Neltharion here, she would owe Duke big time.

The four guardian dragons flapped their wings in unison, speeding up to chase the rogue black dragon.

"Ah! He's gone!" exclaimed Gavinrad the Dire, a bystander, gazing at the now empty sky.

"I was calculating," said Rhonin, engrossed. "Each of their moves was roughly equivalent to multiple Sunwell-level spells."

"Such impressive fireworks!" Vereesa remarked cheekily.

"Look over there!" Duke, ever the mischief-maker, pointed at a Horde camp at the base of the mountain that had been razed.

Yes, while the big five battled in the skies, hundreds of red dragons were cleansing the ground.

With their coordinated efforts, groups of red dragons descended in formations, covering the area like planes dispersing pesticides. With calculated precision, their fiery breaths engulfed entire Horde encampments, leaving no survivors or blind spots. The intense heat from the dragonfire left nothing but charred remains.

The weaker Orc clans on the outskirts didn't fare much better. Seeing only a few Orcs left, some vengeful red dragons didn't even bother using their breath. Some swooped down, snatching up Orcs and tossing them high into the sky, letting them experience the thrill of freefall. Others simply stood, swiping with their claws and buffeting with their wings, crushing the Orcs as if they were mere pests.

The spectators, positioned at the edge of a cliff, were thoroughly entertained.

"That dragon clearly is inexperienced. His dive angle was terrible, and he couldn't use his breath to its full potential," Duke commented with a mock 'expert' tone.

Then, Saidan Dathrohan and General Abbendis arrived.

Upon seeing the two of them together, Duke's first question was, "Where are Uther and Tirion?"

Saidan paused and then chuckled. Of the original paladins, those from Stormwind were closest to Duke. The others from Lordaeron were merely acquaintances. But Saidan was always outgoing, so he shrugged and teased, "Ah! They're diligent, unlike a certain deputy commander here, slacking after the big win."

Gavinrad blushed at Saidan's jibe, but Duke, unfazed, replied, "You shouldn't work an old man so hard! I'm past my prime, just getting the job done is an achievement. The world belongs to the younger generation now!"

Everyone laughed at Duke's dramatic tone, but seeing him, Saidan and Abbendis couldn't help but feel somber.

Half of Duke's hair was white, his skin was wrinkled, and when he smiled, the lines on his face deepened. It was hard to believe he was only 17.

"You've suffered much from the curse, Lord Marcus," Abbendis began, but Duke interrupted with a smile, "The Red Dragon Queen just lifted it."

Everyone was visibly relieved. "Lord Marcus, we're grateful for your timely assistance," Abbendis said with a deep bow, joined by Saidan.

Everyone felt a deep respect for Duke, who had borne the weight of the entire Alliance on his young shoulders. It was both a fortune and a tragedy for the Alliance that someone so young had to carry such a burden.

Gavinrad gazed at the destroyed Horde camp, hopeful. "Perhaps the war will end within a year."

"A year?" Duke smirked. "The war will end in four months, with the Alliance victorious."

Everyone was taken aback by Duke's bold prediction.

Abbendis, ever the strategist, questioned, "Four months? We don't know how many reinforcements the Horde has on the other side of the Dark Portal. Isn't that a bit..."

Duke waved him off, "No, four months. That's a conservative estimate. But let's keep this between us for now. I'll inform the other leaders during the throne meeting."

Hope and joy sparkled in everyone's eyes.

Vereesa, overflowing with excitement, exclaimed, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and share this news with everyone! And... my sister must be worried."

Duke's expression tightened slightly, "I need to wait for the Red Dragon Queen. I need her help to restore my life force. Otherwise, how can I face anyone looking like this?"