When Hydross first incorporated the Primal Turtles, he intended to develop some informants to monitor Zandalar. Now, the Primal Turtles, empowered by him, have grown strong enough to threaten the Cloud Serpents, becoming the main force of the Zandalar Troll invasion of the Jade Forest.
The Cloud Serpent Rider Squadron was not large in number, and after being ambushed by the Primal Turtles, many were injured and unable to fight. This greatly reduced the Cloud Serpent Rider Squadron's combat strength, making them no match for the Troll Army's air force, forcing them to retreat south to Qinglong Temple to regroup.
The Pandaren held their ground at the Temple of Five Dawns, bravely resisting the Troll Army's assault.
The Temple of Five Dawns is located on a mountain, with cliffs to the east and north, and only one mountain path for access from the east. To the south is a impassable peak. To the northwest is a lake, blocking the Troll Army's advance, leaving only the west as a viable attack route.
The Troll Army attacked for several days, but was repelled by the Pandaren each time. Frustrated, they had no choice but to send the Primal Turtles again, launching an attack from the lake to the northwest.
The Primal Turtles' attack was successful, but an unexpected event occurred.
Hydross's plan did not fail; the Riptide Clan among the Primal Turtles turned against their own kind, ambushing them from the side and helping the Pandaren repel this surprise attack.
Monk Mo Lam met with the Riptide Clan, asking curiously, "The Troll Army has surrounded the Temple of Five Dawns, why are you helping us at this time?"
The Riptide chieftain replied, "We received the Sea God's decree; he ordered us to help you defend the Temple of Five Dawns. If we can hold out for another half-month, he will arrive."
"Sea God?" The Pandaren were stunned; they had never heard of any Sea God. Where did this deity come from?
However, respecting the Primal Turtles' beliefs, the Pandaren did not inquire too much about the Sea God. Nevertheless, they couldn't help but feel a surge of hope; with reinforcements arriving in half a month, they finally saw a chance to win.
However, the Troll Army's reaction was also very strong.
The Riptide Clan's defection meant there were internal problems within the Primal Turtles, and any Primal Turtle could contact Hydross. Since the Riptide Clan chose to defect, it must have been Hydross's intention.
The Zandalar Trolls did not fear Hydross, but they feared the Kaldorei Empire and Gale.
They sent information back while intensifying their assault on the Temple of Five Dawns.
The Riptide Clan helped the Pandaren defend the lake, leaving the Pandaren to only deal with the Troll Army attacking by land. They had been doing this for days and could continue to do so.
After several days of continuous assault, the Troll General felt this could not go on.
Just then, King Rastakhan's order arrived, commanding the Troll General to tie down Hydross and the Kaldorei Empire, while he personally led a large army to Thunder Isle.
The Troll General immediately decided to allocate a portion of his forces to besiege the Temple of Five Dawns, while the main army continued its advance south.
To tie down Hydross and the Kaldorei Empire, they had to expand their gains, forcing them to take this region seriously. The more attention the Kaldorei Empire paid to this area, the easier it would be for the King.
Both the Troll General and the loa accompanying the army knew they would be no match for the Kaldorei Empire. Therefore, they had to create trouble for the Kaldorei Empire, and there was a huge problem waiting in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
The Troll Army withdrew in batches, entering the southern part of Kun-Lai Summit from the sea north of Monkey Mountain, disappearing without a trace.
Seeing that the Troll Army's offensive was no longer fierce, the Pandaren felt it was strange. Some speculated it might be a Troll Army tactic, so everyone remained on guard, awaiting Hydross's arrival.
Hydross arrived as promised, but he came alone.
The Pandaren were stunned when they saw Hydross, "The Sea God is an Elf?"
According to ancient legends, the Elves were once their allies. However, the Elves' misuse of Arcane magic made the Pandaren very wary, so they migrated south to Pandaria. But upon arriving, they were defeated by the Mogu and became slaves. Later, they, along with the Yaungol, Jinyu, and Hozen races, defeated the Mogu and regained their freedom.
After all this, they still hadn't forgotten their former allies, constantly monitoring events near the Well of Eternity. Their emperor, Shao Hao, using this intelligence, sensed a great disaster was about to happen, and so he conjured mists to protect Pandaria.
Indeed, disaster struck: the Well of Eternity exploded, tearing apart the ancient Kalimdor continent. Pandaria, protected by the mists, escaped the catastrophe. However, this massive disaster still had a huge impact on them. The Mantis Shrimp to the west lost large tracts of land and began migrating east.
To resist the Mantis Shrimp, the Pandaren had to strengthen the defenses of Serpents Spine. It was precisely because so many troops were stationed at Serpents Spine that the Troll Army found an opportunity.
The Pandaren had thought the Elves had perished in the disaster over a thousand years ago, never expecting them to not only be alive and well but also to have become a god.
Hydross also curiously observed the Pandaren; he had only read about these creatures in books, and this was his first time seeing one alive.
Monk Mo Lam bowed, "Your Excellency Sea God, where are your troops?"
"Sea God?" Hydross was taken aback and quickly explained, "My name is Hydross Morninglight; you can call me Hydross. I am not some Sea God; I am merely the Grand Prince of the Sea of the Kaldorei Empire."
"Grand Prince of the Sea?" Monk Mo Lam asked curiously, "Did you conquer the sea for Empress Azshara?"
Hydross waved his hand, "No, Azshara was killed by my father over a thousand years ago for summoning demons. I am my father's third son, tasked with guarding the sea, which is why I was given the title Grand Prince of the Sea."
The Pandaren suddenly understood; their lives were short, and they no longer understood events from thousands of years ago. Only wise men like Monk Mo Lam would study books passed down from millennia ago, but even those records were incomplete.
Hydross said, "My father often taught us that the Pandaren are our allies. Now that you are in trouble, we Kaldorei will not stand idly by."
The Pandaren exchanged glances; the Elves actually intended to uphold an alliance from thousands of years ago.
Monk Mo Lam sighed deeply, "But, we already broke the alliance thousands of years ago."
Hydross said, "At that time, you were concerned that our misuse of Arcane would cause disaster, and events proved your concerns were correct."
This explanation eased the Pandaren's burden, and Monk Mo Lam stroked his beard, saying, "We Pandaren are not faithless people. If you wish to renew the alliance, I will report it to the Shadow Master."
"Of course!" Hydross said, "But before that, I want to understand the Troll Army's movements."
Monk Mo Lam explained the Troll Army's situation, and Hydross immediately felt something was wrong. He looked towards the Troll Army camp and said in a deep voice, "There are only a few thousand Troll Army soldiers; the rest of the army has left."
"What?" The Pandaren were greatly surprised, "Where could they have gone?"
"We'll know once we defeat these Trolls!"
Hydross raised the trident of the tides, drawing the water from the lake into the sky, condensing it into water blades, and launched an attack on the Trolls.
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