Chapter 47: The Hall of Artisans

As they stepped into the Hall of the Guardians, everyone was awestruck by the grandeur of the architecture. The ceiling seemed to reach straight into the heavens, ancient stone walls, silent floor tiles, and pillars connecting to the lofty dome—all spoke eloquently of the greatness of the Creator. Every brick and stone testified to the magnificence of Titan construction. Every detail reflected the exquisite craftsmanship of the Guardians. Every fragment whispered the oldest stories of this planet. Every mark and trace bore witness to the passage of centuries.

Beside them, the two dwarf surveyors, Redur and the Lost Selderin, felt an inexplicable excitement. The mysteries and sense of security deep underground still drew them in; it was an instinct engraved in their bones since the earth spirits were first created, a primal emotion that nothing could replace.

The dome seemed to pierce the sky, striving to glimpse the secrets of the void. The majestic Guardian Hall stretched inward, its intricately carved marble base blending artistry with nature. Everywhere they looked, they saw lifelike reliefs in white jade.

As the group ventured deeper, Patrick sensed they were moving farther away from the Dark Iron Dwarves, so he dispelled the Fade spell.

“We’ve entered the Uldaman ruins. According to the Explorer’s Guild records, the Hall of the Guardians is occupied by troglodytes. We’ll need to find a way to sneak in, and there are troglodyte stalkers who can detect stealth—tricky foes,” Redur expressed his concerns to Patrick.

Just as Patrick remembered, the dwarves held nothing back. Addressing their worries, he asked, “How formidable are these troglodytes in battle?”

Redur replied, “Their combat prowess isn’t high. They’re not very intelligent and lack discipline, behaving more like wild beasts.”

Patrick casually cast some arcane spells, releasing a surge of mental energy to confirm that the troglodytes were all gathered in the main hall of the Guardians. Their strength and physical attacks were only about Tier Three, and there was a white troglodyte in the rear chamber, slightly stronger than the others. But overall, the troglodytes posed no threat, so Patrick motioned for everyone to proceed.

“That white troglodyte must be Ruvelosh—the first boss of the Uldaman instance,” Patrick mused.

Selderin blinked in surprise and asked, “Did you just use magic?”

Lorne Song signaled them to follow. Thanks to the blessing of the Sunwell, high elves were particularly sensitive to arcane energy; as elves, Aurelia and Lorne Song could feel the concentration of magic around them.

The group pressed on, reaching the main hall of the Guardians. In the corridors, troglodytes gathered in small groups. Patrick ignored them, continuing toward the hall, with Aurelia and Lorne Song close behind. Only the two dwarves hesitated, wary of the troglodytes’ numbers.

Seeing Patrick approach, the troglodytes rushed at him, brandishing stone claws. Yet, before they could get close, blue-and-white arcane rose vines wrapped around them, slowing their advance. Some troglodytes, undeterred, hurled stone weapons at Patrick, but these were intercepted by his arcane shield.

With a thought, Patrick enveloped the stone-throwing troglodytes in blazing fire; the blue roses transformed into flames through arcane mimicry—Magus Supreme Spell: Blazing Wreath. The troglodytes had no time to cry out before they ceased struggling, consumed by fire.

The surrounding troglodytes, frightened, began to scramble backward, while the two hesitant dwarves sheepishly followed the elves. Though dwarves were robust and fearless, their boldness was tempered by caution; they were straightforward but not foolish, and, seeing there was no danger, decisively joined the others.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? I was worrying about how to deal with all those troglodytes!” Selderin grumbled inwardly.

At the end of the Hall, a white troglodyte sat on a stone bench, fiddling with a staff.

“That’s the creature. It once relied on the troglodyte horde to ambush the Explorer’s Guild and stole many archaeological artifacts from us,” Redur said bitterly, his beard bristling with anger.

Seeing Patrick and his companions, Ruvelosh hid the staff and charged recklessly at them. Patrick glanced at him, and instantly, the white troglodyte was ensnared by blue roses. Sensing danger, Ruvelosh gathered lightning chains in his palms, but before he could release them, he was engulfed in the flames of Magus Supreme Spell: Blazing Wreath.

Lorne Song picked up the staff Ruvelosh had been playing with. Patrick examined it—it must be the Staff of Thor, used to craft the Primal Staff, which is the key to opening the Hall of Khaz’mul, where the giantess Ironaya resides.

Patrick had no need for the Staff of Thor and handed it to Redur. “I sense three dwarves to the south. Would you like to check?”

“Thank you for your generosity, friend of the high elves. We have three companions lost in here; that must be them,” Redur replied, his smile creasing his eyes.

The five of them strolled leisurely to Dig Site No. 2, where they found the missing dwarf brothers: Eric, Olaf, and Balrog—the legendary “Lost Vikings” from Blizzard’s old Easter egg.

Seeing their kin, the three brothers were ecstatic. “Someone finally found us! Did the Explorer’s Guild send you?”

“You’ve been out of contact for a long time. Uldaman has been taken over by the Dark Iron Dwarves. The Guild sent many to rescue you, but to no avail,” Redur said, equally amazed that the dwarves who had volunteered to clear the way for the Guild still survived.

“We’ve been wanting to leave this cursed place for ages.”

Just as the dwarves were about to reminisce, Lorne Song interrupted, “Save the stories for when we’re out. For now, we need to delve deeper into the ruins.”

Olaf looked to Redur, who nodded in affirmation. Quickly, Olaf retrieved a badge from a chest and, armed with his weapon, joined Patrick’s team.

“That’s the Nikif Badge—another component for crafting the Primal Staff,” Patrick recalled from his previous life. He let the dwarves keep the badge, not intending to challenge Ironaya the giantess.

The group left the dig site, venturing deeper into Uldaman. They wound through twisting caves, occasionally harassed by fang bats and venom lash scorpions. Guided by Olaf and Balrog’s map, they chose the direct path to the Hall of Artisans.

The deepest treasures are always the most alluring, but here, something even more tempting awaited—the secret vaults of the Titans.