Ner'zhul took the skull and examined it. It did indeed contain an extraordinary power. He thought back to the last time he and his apprentice had met, just before crossing the Dark Portal. How disdainful Gul'dan had been, even beating him. And now, the once-triumphant Gul'dan was nothing but a skull.
"Haha! Hahaha!"
Teron stood motionless, watching Ner'zhul laugh maniacally until tears streamed down his face.
"Let me see what secrets you've been hiding!" Ner'zhul began to cast a spell, probing the skull. He couldn't use the energy within; it was demonic energy, an extremely powerful Fel Energy. He had no idea what treasure Gul'dan had obtained before his death.
By drawing out the residual memories, Ner'zhul seemed to learn something. He also saw how Gul'dan had been torn apart by demons, his flesh ripped from his body piece by piece while he was still alive. Such a cruel death made even this old Shaman shudder with cold.
Just then, the long-silent Teron spoke again.
"Great Shaman, Draenor is now facing decay. We cannot sustain the Horde by relying on a dying world alone. We need to open a path to new worlds. If Azeroth cannot be conquered, then we will conquer new worlds. There will always be new worlds waiting for us."
"Let me think about it. You may leave for now." This time, Ner'zhul did not refuse but began to ponder. Such a momentous decision could not be made immediately.
In the Burning Steppes, the Expeditionary Force established a base near Elwynn Forest. The location was close to fertile plains, allowing for farming and hunting. Even if it wasn't used in the future, it would serve as an excellent teleportation point.
Besides, the Burning Steppes were not without their treasures, despite being covered in flowing magma and high temperatures. This environment imbued the local ores with the energy of Fire Elementals. A single Fire Crystal could be used to craft fine magical items, selling for at least five hundred gold coins—and that was just the starting price.
"Haha, it's good to see you, Arthas! Thank you so much for your help!" King Magni was as hearty as ever. Dwarves were hot-tempered, treating their friends with utmost sincerity and their enemies with fiery fists. The Alliance couldn't aid Ironforge, so Arthas's arrival at a time like this was in itself a statement of his stance.
"You're welcome. We are all part of the Alliance. Besides, I have a favor to ask of Ironforge as well, so you could say we're helping each other. Does Your Majesty have a battle plan? The situation inside Blackrock Spire is complicated, not to mention the trouble with the high temperatures. If we don't solve this problem, our soldiers will suffer unnecessary casualties. We should try to avoid such losses."
Arthas said, getting straight to the point. If they were going to fight their way in, they naturally needed to scout the environment.
Blackrock Spire was built against Blackrock Mountain, and because of the Firelord's descent, the mountain's interior was filled with roiling magma and extremely high temperatures, reaching almost fifty degrees Celsius—a temperature unbearable for ordinary people.
"Don't worry. I've already sent people to scout the interior and have the results. Plus, we have an inside informant to assist us. We just need to gather some ore to make magical trinkets to wear, and we'll be able to dispel the heat. We'll wait a while for the trinkets to be made, then we'll begin our attack." Magni was not reckless. Although he was eager to go in and save his beloved daughter, now was not the time for rashness.
In fact, the Dwarves were not afraid of high temperatures. They worked by high-temperature furnaces all year round, and Ironforge itself used magma as its primary energy source, so they weren't afraid of the heat at all. They were only waiting a few days to accommodate Arthas's troops.
The forces of Ironforge alone were not enough to win. Furthermore, the Dwarves of Ironforge had suffered heavy losses when the Orcs attacked Khaz Modan, and they could no longer afford another war.
The two continued to chat, eventually talking about building a railway. The bold idea of an underground railway, in particular, made the Dwarven king's eyes light up. The Dwarves had steam tanks, but their breakdown rate was exceptionally high. Coupled with the harsh environment, they might break down after just a few kilometers and required frequent maintenance.
All these problems had nearly made Ironforge give up on this weapon of war. But Arthas's idea of building a railway—not only could it accommodate trains, but it could also be used to transport tanks quickly, which was an excellent idea. The construction difficulty, however, was indeed a bit high.
The two talked for a long time, especially when Magni heard that Arthas was going to cross the sea to build a new city. Magni was curious. "Why don't you think about running a pilot project in Lordaeron?"
"I'm not the king yet, just a prince. I need to open up a place where I can call the shots myself. It doesn't matter how I mess around there; I'll be responsible for my own profits and losses. Only when it's truly mature and effective will it be time to replicate it back home. The kingdom has paid too much for the war. It's better to let it rest and recuperate," Arthas said.
He didn't want to live under someone else's roof. Having his own territory to command—that was true freedom.
That night, Onyxia arrived. After several days of scouting, she finally appeared again.
Alleria nodded at Onyxia. They were old acquaintances. Alleria had even witnessed Onyxia's ascension ceremony, so there was a sense of sisterhood between them.
"Ragnaros is near the magma pool underground. It's in the Molten Core, and the temperature is very high, unsuitable for sending an army in. He's recovering his strength in there. His power hasn't returned to the Demigod level yet, but he's close. To defeat him, we'll still need to form an elite squad," Onyxia said, sharing the information she had gathered.
Of course, she could defeat Ragnaros, but this time she intended to train the Black Dragonflight, so she didn't act directly.
Besides, even if she won, she would inevitably be injured. That wasn't her home turf, and she had to think of a more reliable method. Unless it was absolutely necessary, she didn't want to get hurt to complete the mission.
Arthas stroked his chin, his eyes flickering. He had received a quest—a long-awaited quest.
"Ding! Quest triggered: A Wife's Troubles (Part 1)."
"A Wife's Troubles (Part 1): Your wife, Onyxia, does not want to risk injury to fight Ragnaros. Help your wife deal with the Firelord! Content: Defeat the Firelord together with Nefarian, Sabellian, Nalice, and Sinestra. Reward: Five random skill advancements. (Note: This quest will change your reputation with Ragnaros to Hatred.)"