CHAPTER 22: ROWING WITHOUT OARS

Charles's sharp-tongued attacks certainly didn't originate from Lireesa, the disciplined Ranger General who would never impart such flamboyant combat style. This form of combat was something Charles stumbled upon during a sparring session with Alleria Windrunner.

At that time, Charles had yet to achieve the intermediate level of expertise he now possessed. He was still a rookie who had recently joined the ranks of the Ranger General.

Alleria Windrunner felt a touch of discontent as he monopolized her mother's training time, which had, to some extent, cut into the time she spent teaching her younger sister, Lireesa. Following the noble tradition of instructing newcomers, Alleria proactively proposed a guidance battle with Charles.

Charles welcomed the opportunity to test his skills against a master. He also wanted to gauge the gap between himself and Alleria Windrunner, a figure destined to make a significant mark in Azeroth's history. However, it was evident that in a ranged combat scenario, he stood no chance against Alleria Windrunner, who was now an intermediate ranger. She outmatched him in range, speed, and overall effectiveness.

In light of this imbalance, the two agreed to a melee contest. Alleria Windrunner wielded a pair of petite daggers, the traditional weapons of the Windrunner family. Charles had noticed that his mentors, Lireesa, Sylvanas, and Vereesa, all utilized the same weapons.

The outcome of this contest was never in doubt. If Alleria had sought a swift victory, she could have achieved it within a very short time. Nevertheless, Charles found himself agitated by Alleria's taunting remarks as they engaged in close combat. He commenced his counterattack without any formal training in hand-to-hand combat.

"What? You have the audacity to claim I've been occupying your mother's time? Why don't you encourage your own sister to be more resourceful?" Charles retorted.

"Don't know what being a 'sister-con' means? No matter, you understand it as an obsession with one's sister," Alleria replied.

"Am I talking nonsense? Ha! Just look at the sincere gazes of the rangers in the camp. Ask them if I'm talking nonsense!" Charles added.

"Getting angry, are we? Can't handle it? Come on, strike this way."

In the end, Charles fell victim to Alleria's experienced hands. After a sound beating, a deflated Charles turned away and sought his younger sister to boast of his achievements.

However, this bout had a profound impact on Charles. From that day onward, his skill at taunting in battle became increasingly refined. Those rangers who sparred with him often found themselves infuriated by his jibes, losing their composure and, subsequently, their battles.

Even the composed Lothamar himself was not immune to his brother's sharp tongue. After their sparring session, Lothamar's demeanor changed. He became even more reserved, with an increasingly diminished presence.

The fire Charles had ignited in Harlaz, who had initially planned to retreat, left no room for withdrawal in the troll's mind. He was single-minded in his pursuit of taking down the verbose elf, beheading him, extracting his essence for magic, and feasting upon his body.

Charles, on the other hand, grew increasingly comfortable as the battle raged. With Sylvanas supporting him, he found himself evading Harlaz's straightforward attacks without much difficulty. The thrill of outmaneuvering a higher-ranking warrior only invigorated him, making him more reckless. In his exhilaration, he even forgot about his role as Sylvanas's backup, abandoning his post to swiftly draw his longbow and take a well-aimed shot.

In mid-air, it struck him that this move could be detrimental to Sylvanas. Indeed, he had set a trap for his own ally.

Sure enough, at this critical moment, Sylvanas, who had just lost her front line of defense due to Charles blocking her path, was now face to face with the raging Harlaz. Charles, though agitated and seemingly out of control, remained an extraordinary marksman, and in the nick of time, he fired three precise shots, hoping to momentarily delay Harlaz's attack.

His plan worked to an extent. Harlaz, as he landed, deflected the first three powerful arrows. This delay cost him precious seconds. Charles believed this would be enough time for Sylvanas to escape and for him to swap positions with her. Yet Sylvanas, confronted with a high-ranking warrior for the first time, was temporarily overwhelmed by the troll's immense bloodlust. Her reaction was slightly delayed.

When she finally decided to escape, Harlaz had already disengaged from the arrows. In a flash, he unsheathed an angry throwing knife from his waist and infused it with rage before hurling it with deadly accuracy at Sylvanas. In mid-air, Sylvanas could not perform an evasive maneuver, and she could only attempt to lower her longbow and block the knife with its narrow frame.

Fortunately, Charles, in his moment of supreme skill, shot an arrow that miraculously intercepted the fast-moving throwing knife. However, in his haste, he took a step forward and entered Harlaz's charging range.

"Ha-ha! Die, elfling!" Harlaz chortled with malicious glee. His furious charge sent him straight at Charles, and he swung his curved blade towards the elf's head.

At this point, Charles found himself in dire straits, pumping all his remaining energy into his longbow. He attempted to deflect the blade with the bow, but it was too late.

'This is it. I'm a goner.'

Swish!

The deflected blade, though less forceful, still left a long and deep cut across Charles's right temple. Though its power was diminished, the sharp blade left its mark on his face.

"Charles!" Sylvanas cried out as she witnessed the perilous situation.

Inadvertently, while Charles had prepared to withdraw, another ranger, Yawen, who had been preparing to advance, heard Sylvanas's cry. Startled by her voice, Yawen shifted his attention to the situation unfolding before him. Swiftly stepping back, he took aim with his arcane shot and let it fly towards Harlaz.

Lothamar and the other rangers finally took note of the commotion. This sudden intervention from Yawen disrupted Harlaz's advance. As he reached out to deflect Yawen's incoming arrow, a volley of arrows from Sylvanas and the other rangers followed.

"Ha!" Knowing that he no longer had an opportunity, Harlaz began a swift retreat. His prior burst of anger had subsided, and he was once again in control of his senses.

"Ha-ha-ha! Elf, keep that disgraceful scar as a reminder for the next time I come for your head," he shouted as he retreated.

Once safely back in their formation, both Nerolak and Harlaz decided it was in their best interest to disengage. They led their troops into the nearby forest. These trolls were seasoned in these woods near Zul'Aman, a place the elves were unfamiliar with.