s the battle between the continents of Azeroth rages on, this reporter, alongside my trusted bodyguard and companion Hiratio Foxdown, continued onwards to the continent of Northrend to witness the latest confrontation between the Horde and Alliance.

The conflict between them continues despite the hardships on both sides. I and my bodyguard decided to investigate the newest front upon the recently renamed “Isle of Conquest”, off the coast of the Icecrown Glacier, where the Alliance's 7th Legion is locked in battle against the Horde's feared Kor-kron elite guard.

The main reason for this new stage of the ever-going war between the Alliance and Horde rests on the island's capabilities and location; it rests just northwest of the Northrend continent, allowing whomever proves champion of it a fantastic strategic position from which to more easily launch incursions into Icecrown. As well as that, the oil resources found there also prove to be very useful in our efforts against the Scourge.




As I landed on the island with a battalion of troops we made our way to the Alliance keep, established by the 7th Legion on the southern side of the Isle. This fortress, like the Horde citadel, is outfitted with three main gates (which are comprised of a new Titan-Steel and thorium alloy), and a battery of nine great field guns running along the main keep towers and above the portcullis, along with the three more on the eastern and western side of the fortification.

At the sound of twenty-five gongs, bellowed out among the trees of the island, I and the rest of my group knew that we were about to face the forces of the ferocious and barbarian Horde.



The Horde had the upper hand in the first stage of this battle as their savage attack soon overran our brave men and women on the front lines. As things were beginning to look bleak, however, we heard an almighty noise from the clouds. It was the great airborne ironclad Skybreaker. The airship beat the air with its steam-driven turbines, the sound of the great machine echoing all around as it rode the cold bitter winds of the Icecrown mountains, descending towards the unsuspecting Horde siege engines, its turrets armed to the teeth with cannons. The men and women around me quickly charged to the nearest landing air-craft, which took off for the Skybreaker. The disorientation of our transportation to the airship quickly wore off, and soon we stood on the Skybreaker's deck as it rumbled forth on a clear course to the Horde citadel. Things were looking up.

As we mounted the side guns and wind-sails of the airship we felt the adrenaline in our bodies, the rush of power surging in our heads; the feel of the trigger as it rested along our twitching hands, and sent great balls of fire raining down on the unsuspecting Horde fortifications! The walls crumbled rapidly against the power of the Skybreaker.



Yet the Horde managed to rally their cruel and twisted goblin engineers in Icecrown, and soon enough the bloated form of a zeppelin could be seen coming dangerously fast from the east. Swiftly the war-blimp delivered its payload in the form of a cannonball to the side of the Skybreaker. As our fight raged on the entire world seemed to slow down; the stench of blood and sweat was palpable in the wind.

Explosives and gas-bombardment quickly purged the side of the Skybreaker, the Horde's cackling could be heard even from the great distance between the two of our ships, as they loaded the noxious gas-shells into their cannonsm the gas that now flowed among the Skybreaker's gun-decks, seeping into the floor. The air grew heavy with the feeling of a deep burn in my throat and lungs. If it were not for the defensive turrets below deck we would have surely fallen under the assault.

We managed to quickly turn off away from the now fatal gas clouds, the airship creaking and cracking as its hull was breached, dropping debris over the battlefield. We descended, and with some difficulty docked at the Alliance's colossal hangar on the island.

The Horde zeppelin, damaged equally by the aerial engagement, limped away to its own hangar; the Alliance guns had wounded it severely, and the twin-enveloped blimp was almost split in two. As it fled we saw cannons falling from it into their own keep.

Both sides seemed to return to their respective keeps.



As those of my group received their medical attention, I peered out over the battlefield - across to the Horde fort, and in my head I had the feeling that they were doing the exact same thing as we were: licking their wounds and preparing for their next attack.

For now, the Isle of Conquest remains in stalemate. But those among you whom are reading this column, filled with the pride and will to serve the Alliance in stopping the Horde and the Lich King in Northrend, take the next boat to Valiance Keep and present yourself to the recruiting officers!