As the civil war among the trolls of the Hinterlands gradually approached its conclusion, the situation of the conflict became increasingly clear.
Although both sides in the war were evenly matched in overall strength, the faction that eventually gained the upper hand was the Vilebranch Trolls.
The reason was simple—unlike their opponents, the Vilebranch Trolls had a city of their own: Jintha'Alor.
Determined to build an empire that rivaled the once-glorious Amani Empire, the Vilebranch Trolls had spent vast amounts of manpower and resources constructing Jintha'Alor in the southeastern Hinterlands.
Modeled after the old Amani Empire, this city was built on a semi-enclosed hillside, forming a stepped structure that ascended through seven tiers.
Not only did it boast a unique architectural style, but it was also incredibly easy to defend and difficult to attack.
In this war, Jintha'Alor was not only a symbol of Vilebranch ambition but also their main stronghold, where they gathered the elderly, women, and children to preserve their strength.
With this fortified city, the Vilebranch Trolls could repel invaders with minimal defenders, allowing them to commit the bulk of their forces to aggressive offensives.
Their enemies repeatedly attempted to strike at the Vilebranch's rear and weaken their strength, but each time, their plans crumbled before the unbreakable walls of Jintha'Alor, where countless coalition forces met their demise.
As the war progressed, the Vilebranch High Priestess Hex began to recognize this advantage and made full use of it.
She ordered all Vilebranch settlements to relocate their populations into Jintha'Alor, ensuring that no enemy could harass their rear lines.
With this security in place, the Vilebranch warriors could carry out a ruthless scorched-earth campaign without fear of retaliation.
Indeed, the cunning Hex seemed to have become an ardent believer in the "base swap" strategy.
With Jintha'Alor as her stronghold, she saw the potential in this tactic and adopted it without hesitation.
Regardless of previous battle plans, everything now revolved around base swapping.
The Vilebranch warriors no longer cared about defending their own lands; instead, they focused solely on raiding, pillaging, and massacring other troll tribes, leaving devastation in their wake.
This strategy severely crippled the coalition forces. After repeated failed assaults on Jintha'Alor, they were forced to retreat hastily.
But in doing so, they lost the initiative completely and were now at the mercy of the Vilebranch Trolls.
Each tribe suffered heavy losses due to the Vilebranch raids.
Though they longed to bolster their defenses, they were unwilling to consolidate their populations in fear of potential betrayals. This lack of unity led to the fragmentation of the coalition.
After all, even among allies, self-preservation takes precedence in dire times.
The outcome was predictable—while the united Vilebranch could hold their ground, the divided coalition could not stand against them.
One by one, the tribes fell. Many had no choice but to flee the Hinterlands, abandoning their homelands to escape the Vilebranch menace.
Just as the Vilebranch were preparing for their final push to wipe out their opposition and replenish their ranks with captured prisoners, the Alliance made their move.
Under Alaric's meticulous planning, the Alliance chose the perfect moment to intervene—striking precisely when both sides were at their weakest.
By this point, the coalition forces had been utterly crushed and were on the verge of scattering. Meanwhile, the Vilebranch army had just finished a brutal campaign. Though their foes had been subdued through sheer bloodshed, the cost had been immense, leaving them exhausted and battle-worn.
The Alliance's first target was the Vilebranch Trolls.
For the Vilebranch, this was the worst possible moment for an attack—right when they were about to celebrate their hard-fought victory, completely off guard and at their most vulnerable.
The Alliance forces stationed in Zul'Aman had long since scattered and discreetly withdrawn before the civil war even concluded.
They had covertly traveled through Lordaeron, traversing Alterac and Hillsbrad Foothills, before infiltrating the Hinterlands via the Wildhammer Dwarves' territory from the west.
This long and arduous detour had been taken to ensure their movements remained undetected by the trolls.
Now, their patience and secrecy bore fruit.
The Vilebranch forces had no idea of the Alliance's presence—an ignorance that sealed their fate.
Alaric led an elite force composed of dwarven gryphon riders, elven rangers, and the Alliance's finest warriors. Under the cover of darkness, they launched a surprise assault on the weary Vilebranch troops.
Caught unprepared and utterly fatigued, the Vilebranch stood no chance.
The night raid was a resounding success, annihilating the majority of the Vilebranch forces in a single night. Only a handful of survivors managed to flee back to Jintha'Alor.
With the Vilebranch shattered, Alaric then turned his attention to the remnants of the coalition—specifically, the survivors of the Witherbark, Bloodscalp, and Mossflayer tribes.
The Alliance army encircled these remnants, and this battle was far easier than the siege of Zul'Aman.
The primary strength of these tribes had already been wiped out by the Vilebranch, leaving only the old, weak, and wounded behind.
Repeated Vilebranch raids had left them devastated, rendering them incapable of mounting any real resistance.
For the Alliance, this was not a battle but a massacre.
Despite the natural physical advantages trolls had over humans and elves, their non-combatants stood no chance against the disciplined and well-equipped Alliance soldiers.
The purge of the Witherbark, Bloodscalp, and Mossflayer was swift and thorough. Even the remnants of the Amani Trolls were obliterated in this campaign.
Their last leader, Daakara, failed to escape this time and met his end at the hands of Garona, the Kingslayer.
Now, the Alliance's main challenge was ensuring the complete eradication of all remaining trolls to prevent any survivors from regrouping.
But at this stage, it was merely a matter of methodically hunting down stragglers.
After sweeping through the Witherbark, Bloodscalp, and Mossflayer territories, Alaric left a small force of infantry and rangers to conduct the final searches. Meanwhile, he led the main army toward Jintha'Alor.
Once the Vilebranch stronghold fell, the troll purge in the Hinterlands would be complete.
By now, the Vilebranch had realized the Alliance's scheme. High Priestess Hex seethed with rage at their treachery, but it was too late. She had unknowingly destroyed all potential reinforcements with her own hands. The Vilebranch's forces had been depleted to barely a tenth of their original strength.
Their only remaining option was to hole up inside Jintha'Alor and rely on its defensive advantage to hold off the Alliance's assault.
In truth, if circumstances had been different, Alaric could have easily dealt with a group of trolls trapped in a single city. The problem was simply one of timing.
.
.
.
Guys, do leave some power stones and reviews.
✌patreon.com/bobthewriter✌
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to 30 Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.