Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 602, Section 63. Even Muradin and his ilk are involved in diplomacy. Can he actually do it? He doesn't have the ability, you know that?
Compared to Muradin's "turnaround" diplomatic situation at Frostholdt, Brian Bronzebeard's work went much more smoothly.

After all, he is a professional in both archaeology and diplomacy, so he can easily handle diplomatic activities.

Moreover, he didn't come alone this time.

Since the purpose was to discuss cooperation with the earth spirits, Brian specifically brought along the earth spirits from Kaz'aga, intending to establish a kinship with the earth spirits of Storm Peaks.

Although the Bronzebeard Dwarves are also "descendants" of the earth elementals, they have flesh and blood after all, and in terms of "purity," they are certainly not as close to the "family" earth elementals who still have stone bodies.

As it turns out, Brian's "goodwill diplomacy" strategy was absolutely correct!
As soon as the earth spirits of Kaz'aga landed near the "sanctuary" in the Snowflow Plains on their cool thunderbirds, the earth spirits that had been elusive in the area immediately appeared.

The earthen leader invited by Brian was Lord Myrix, the Council Protector of the Four Protectors of Dorne, who was the earthen's chief administrator and responsible for managing the internal affairs of the entire island of Dorne.

He sounds like a refined and cultured governor, but this guy is a "two-faced" man.

He also has another identity: the "godfather" of the Dark Zone of Dornnogar.

Indeed, the life of His Excellency Michaelx, whom the parliament supported, is nothing short of legendary. He has successfully achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the supreme leader in both the legitimate and criminal worlds.

Besides the fact that Myrix had to secretly contact and unite the rebellious earth spirits, he also had this identity because his personal thoughts after breaking free from the constraints of the Titan Laws were quite "strange".

He really liked that sense of danger—walking on the edge of darkness without completely falling into depravity.

Brann Bronzebeard astutely grasped the character of this earth elf leader and invited him to Northrend to "stir up some trouble" for the Titan city. Upon hearing that he could cause trouble for the Titan Keepers, Lord Merix hypocritically declined twice before readily agreeing.

What a wonderful earth spirit version of "three refusals and three concessions".

Brian knew very well that this Mr. Merrick was a real “dangerous man,” but now he was his friend and could be of great use.

“The local earth spirits have come.”

Brian looked at the rocks at the edge of the Snowflow Plains sanctuary. He noticed several dusty earth spirits emerging from beneath the snow and said to Marix, the earth spirit protector beside him who was gracefully adjusting his robes:

"As we agreed before, please have the earth elves tell us the secret passage through which they sneaked into Ulduar. If they are unwilling to participate in the battle against the Titan Guardians, I will not force them."

"Hmph, I've come all this way, how can I be satisfied with such a small goal?"

Alex sneered and said:
“Brian, your knowledge and talent are enough to make you a high-ranking protector even in Dornogar, but you are too timid. I am also an earth spirit, so I know what we ‘locals’ are most worried and troubled about right now!”
"Don't worry, the earth spirits of Dorne, whom I represent, share common interests with them. That alone is enough to convince these cowardly earth spirits to stand up for themselves."

After saying this, the earth spirit "godfather," dressed in a rather luxurious protective robe and exuding a sophisticated air, gave Brian a reassuring gesture. He then strode forward and gave a greeting gesture that only they understood to the local earth spirits who were naked and in their most primitive state.

He said loudly:

"My dear brothers, born from the earth and rocks, I send you greetings from distant Khaz'aga and Dorne. We once belonged to the 'Heart Tunnel' project. What about you? What was your project codename?"

The earth spirit on the other side hesitated for a moment.

He scrutinized Melix with his jeweled eyes, a clear sense of doubt rising within him.

The strange earth spirit in front of them was clearly still in a "pure" state, but its way of speaking and behaving was very similar to the fleshy creature next to it.

It was as if a cunning soul of a flesh-and-blood creature had been stuffed into the pure body of an earth spirit, leaving the local earth spirit unsure whether to trust this outsider.

But when faced with Alex's question, the local earth spirit quickly replied:

"We belong to the 'Ulduar Creation Department' and are personally commanded by His Excellency Mimiron, the Guardian of Mysteries. Our secondary leader is Jurel Stoneheart."

He is the King of Earth Spirits.

"I'm sorry, fellow countrymen, but we have never heard of Kaz'aga or you."

"That's normal. We're a secret project. Because nobody knows about us, the Titan Guardians can exploit and destroy us to speed up the construction of that damned core tunnel."

Michael said with a sneer:
"Our lives as 'country folk' are obviously not as noble as yours as yours as 'city folk,' but that doesn't matter. We have killed the Titan Guardians who abused us with our own hands, and we have gained our freedom and held it for thousands of years. And what about you?"

Judging from your pathetic state, I know you've been abandoned, right?
"You were driven out of the magnificent city of Titan?"

"you"

The local earth spirits were not provoked; their emotions were clearly not as vibrant as those of the earth spirits of Kaz'aga. Faced with Merix's aggressive questioning, the local earth spirits simply sighed and said:

"Ulduar is in chaos. Since Uriel Stoneheart was killed by the Iron Vrykul in the Battle of Malwinter, no one cares about us."

Centuries ago, that wicked Loken finally discovered us and drove us out of Ulduar, where we were hiding and trying to survive.

He even had the Iron Vrykul and Iron Dwarves slaughter us, but we haven't provoked anyone! Even in the perilous city of Ulduar, we're just trying to find our own 'artifact fragments'.

"By the way, my name is 'Budkrag,' I am the master of this sanctuary you are in, and also the leader of the first group of Earthen Lost Ones driven out of Ulduar."

The local earth spirit, which was larger than the others, said helplessly:

"My fellow countrymen made me the second Earth Spirit King, but we haven't found the 'Valanar, the Hammer of the Ancient Kings' yet. Without the Stoneheart King's scepter, I cannot become king, nor do I want to become king."

Perhaps Ulduar is no longer our home.

All I want now is to lead my people away from this dangerous and troublesome place.

"Hahaha, then you should go to Khaz'aga! That's our territory. We own the entire island of Dorne on the surface, and we also have our own cities underground! We are powerful enough there that no one can oppress us or mistreat us!"

Michael said enthusiastically and loudly:

"That place is full of earth spirits, my ancient brothers! You don't need to worry about not being able to integrate. That is our territory, and it has already been 'stamped' and approved by Mother World!"

The Supreme Star Soul has reclaimed the Four Elemental Territories. The supremely noble Him urgently needs some 'craftsmen' to reinforce the energy channels between the material world and the elemental territories. Only we Earth Spirits can do this job.

I was worried that we didn't have enough people in Dornnogar.

So when my good brother Brian Bronzebeard told me that there were signs of your activity at Storm Peaks, I immediately dropped everything and rushed over to bring you home! Don't be afraid, you don't have to wander anymore.

Those Titan guardians can no longer oppress you, my simple brethren.

"Once you go to Kaz'aga, you will be truly free."

"Actually, it's not as terrifying as the oppression suggests. Although Loken sent Iron Dwarves and Iron Vrykul to hunt us down, the other Guardians did not participate."

Budkrag always felt uneasy about the "outsider" in front of him.

But he was still very happy to receive the invitation.

The Storm Peaks are too dangerous now. The earth elementals' limited elemental manipulation skills and "undying bodies" are completely insufficient to protect them from surviving here. Leaving is naturally the best option. However, after a moment of thought, under the strange, anxious, and expectant gaze of Myrix, the tall but simple local earth elemental finally asked the truly important question.

He whispered, "Melix, can the earth spirits in your area still reproduce?"

"Of course not!"

The councilor first took a deep breath, teased his overly serious fellow villager, and then sighed and said:

"Our mainframe has been broken for a long time. Now that damned machine only devours the memory gems of our people, recording data in the database, but it is completely impossible to export it."

Those damned Titan Guardians probably never intended for Khaz'aga's earthen spirits to exist for long; every one of our people who dies now is one less to go.

But I know that I can definitely find the ability to unlock the host's memory in Ulduar and 'resurrect' those dead earth spirits.

That's why I came here.

However, one problem still bothers me.

He reached out and pulled open his sleeve, showing his rocky arm, adorned with various gemstones, to Budkrag.

He pointed to the magnificent jewels and said:
“Look! When we are injured, we can only use mud and gems to repair our bodies. Over time, we have become what you see now, covered in gems. Outsiders think this is a display of wealth, but they cannot understand that these beautiful gems are painful scars to us.”

Budkrag, we were once just like you, pure rock beings.

I've also heard that in the earliest days, earth spirits could change their bodies. Back then, the mainframe could create perfect earth spirit bodies, which was quite 'luxurious' for us.

"If the body breaks down, it's replaced directly; it never needs repair. But you..."

Alex finally showed his "fangs".

The cunning council protector sized up the earth spirits before him and asked in a low voice:

“You have lived in the dangerous Storm Cliffs for so many years, yet there are no scars or signs of repair on your bodies. You ‘Ulduar’ people must possess secrets that we ‘Kaz’aga country folk’ do not know.”

So tell me, my brother, is that 'artifact' you've been searching for in Ulduar related to the vital matter of the earth elementals' reproduction?

Faced with Alex's question, the local earth spirit immediately fell silent.

But a moment later, their leader decided to stop hiding it. Although Budkrag was not as quick-witted as Merix, the earth elves were all highly intelligent as the race in the Titan system that was specifically responsible for "creating things".

He knew what Merix truly wanted, so he reached into Merix's stomach in a rather "horrifying" way and extracted a piece of steel that shone with a warm light from the fossil-to-mud magic. He then held the piece and placed it on Merix's gem-covered (scarred) arm.

As the shards of light streaked past, to Merrick's astonishment, the gems on his arm used to heal his wounds fell off one by one, and his entire arm quickly returned to its "pure" state.

Even Brian's eyes widened at this sight.

"This is the power of Valanar, the Holy Hammer of the Ancient Kings!"

Budkrag handed the weapon fragments to Michele, and said in a low voice, with a mixture of pride and helplessness:

"That is the scepter that Lord Mimiron specially crafted for King Yurel Stoneheart. It can give life to ordinary rocks and create new earth spirits, which is also the only way for our race to reproduce."

Ah, look at the joy in your eyes, my compatriot.

I guessed right. This is your real purpose in coming to Ulduar. You came to find a way out for the earthen spirits of Khaz'aga, but you didn't know about the existence of Valanar's Hammer.

Then help us collect the fragments of this weapon and help us reforge the scepter!

Perhaps there will never be another Earth Spirit King, but wherever the Earth Spirits may live in the future, we will need this scepter to bring our people into the world or to resurrect them.

Merrick held the Holy Hammer fragment in his hands as if it were a precious treasure.

His gem-crafted eyes shone with a mixture of longing and hope. The council's protector trembled. He was no stranger to fine things, but this scepter that could shape earth spirits was far too important to them!
No matter how much wealth, power, or prestige a race possesses, if it has no successors to carry on its legacy, then everything will be in vain.

Seeing that the two factions of earth spirits had finally reached an agreement on the "important matter of reproduction," Brian immediately seized the opportunity to step forward and whisper a reminder:
"The dragons will soon launch an attack on Ulduar. Perhaps we should join them so that the earth elementals won't have to face their opponents alone."

However, we must show sincerity.

My brother Muradin Bronzebeard is over at Frostholdt inviting the Frost Dwarves to join the battle. I know that both of your races are suffering greatly from the harassment of the Iron Dwarves and the Iron Vrykul here.

We can absolutely unite.

First, reclaim the Snowflow Plains, use your Earthevil Sanctuary as your base, then build a larger army. More importantly, in this era, only you Earthevil still possess the means to enter and exit Ulduar.

Brian Bronzebeard rubbed his hands together.

His explorer's soul was burning brightly as he gazed at the majestic Titan city of Ulduar in the distance, as if it were a temple fallen from the heavens to earth.

他 说:

"I know the dragons and guardians have brought large armies, but if we can sneak into Titan City beforehand and shut down some of the energy facilities, it might make their subsequent battles easier."

We can also determine the coordinates of those artifact fragments along the way. It would be much harder to find them later when the fighting starts. In the chaos of war, the already scattered artifact fragments could easily be scattered everywhere.

If you've located the positions of those artifacts over the years, we could even organize a small-scale invasion!

The old dwarf waved his fist and said:
"While opening the gates for the warriors of Mother World, we can also help the Earth Spirits find their sacred artifacts. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The conservative and cautious local leader of the Turin tribe, Budkrag, is still hesitant.

His years of hardship on the Storm Cliffs had taught him to be cautious, but soon an excited earth spirit came running to report to him:
"Chief, the Frostvein dwarves of Frostholdt have arrived! They've all come! Leading them is a dwarf who looks just like this 'flesh man,' and there's also a gigantic one! That guy radiates light like the sun."

"It's the invincible Saint of Vigilance! He actually came in person!"

Brian Bronzebeard cheered:

"No need to think about it anymore, earth spirits, join us now! In fact, Vigilant alone could wipe out Ulduar! Believe me, Yogg-Saron is already dead."

Under Budkrag's hesitant gaze, Marix, holding a fragment of the Holy Hammer, declared loudly:

"I'll contact Dornnorgar right away and have the Stormbringer and High Spokesman bring all the Thunderstrike Knights and Mech Sages over! We're going to storm Ulduar and retrieve all the fragments."

Anyone who dares to stop us, we'll kill them!
Whoever he is, whether he's a Titan guardian or some other weird god, we've killed them before, and we wouldn't mind killing them again.

The rebellious earth spirit leader of Kaz'aga then looked at the silent Budkrag and rebuked him:
"Resist or die. Face reality, my ancient distant relative. Running away will bring you no benefit whatsoever. In this matter, you never really had a choice from the beginning!"
The Titan Guardians are no better than their masters.

So abandon those beautiful illusions of the past. Now you should live for yourself and your people. That is the true meaning of freedom.

(End of this chapter)