"These chambers have been untouched for thousands of years," Lorewalker Cho began. "They lie in the heart of the ancient Mogu empire."
"Aye, that's why we're here," Brann agreed. "But do you think you could walk a little faster?" They'd barely begun to descend, but already the pandaren was lagging behind.
"A wise person once said that it is best to take your time in all things. Hurry leads one to overlook the obvious. These ruins have waited this long; they can wait a little longer."
Brann was about to tell him where he could stick his "wisdom" when there was a bright flash from up ahead.
"Ah, yes. I'm sorry. I should have told you about the traps earlier," Cho said, his tone still perfectly calm and unruffled.
"I'll say you should have! The lad was nearly electrocuted!"
Harrison picked himself up and dusted himself off, nearly as calm as Cho. "Just a little singed. Let's keep going."
Now that Harrison had triggered one, it was easy enough to dodge the trapped tiles, each handily painted with an image of the effect it would have when stepped on. It seemed far too obvious to Brann, but perhaps it was for the convenience of those who built the place. It wouldn't make much sense to build it so that they'd get fried every time they came down here and if there were off switches, he hadn't seen any.
They made their way to a dais against the far wall, empty except for a huge statue and a large brass gong. Cho approached the statue, leaning forward and dusting off the plaque with one large paw. "Zian of the Endless Shadow. He -"
His ponderous explanation was once again interrupted by Harrison, who exhibited a surprising lack of patience for lectures other than his own. Ignoring the pandaren, he struck the gong with his fist.
For a moment, the sound reverberated through the room, then it was drowned out by a deep grinding noise that any dwarf worthy of the name recongized as a long-unused mechanism moving heavy blocks of stone. Brann turned in that direction, then was nearly knocked over by Cho.
"What are ye -" he began, then broke off when he noticed that the Lorewalker hadn't fallen. He'd been flung into him by a huge stone arm, an arm attached to the erstwhile statue.
Even this didn't alter Cho's tendency to pontificate. "The mogu were masters of spirit magic, known for stealing the souls of others and using them to animate statues like this one."
Brann wasn't listening. "Get off me!" He shoved at the pandaren pinning him to the floor.
Meanwhile, Harrison had engaged the statue, using his whip to restrain the arms. "Could use a little help here!" he panted, clearly struggling against the statue's might.
Finely free, Brann got to his feet and drew his pickax. "You're just a big hunk of rock. This'll cut you down to size!"
Between the two of them, he and Harrison made short work of the statue. Lorewalker Cho stayed out of it, examining the plinth where the statue had stood just as though his companions weren't fighting for their lives, a fact which did not go unnoticed.
"You can take a rubbing after the fight's over," Harrison pointed out, finally sounding aggrieved. "It's waited this long." The echo of Cho's earlier words couldn't be anything but deliberate.
Cho's gaze was bland as he tilted his head up to look Harrison in the eye. "I thought you two had it well taken care of."
Brann just shook his head. It was clear there was no point in arguing with him. "Let's find out what opened up when Harrison hit that gong."
The hidden passage beneath the platform was dusty; Harrison and Brann both sneezed several times as they descended. Even Cho sniffled loudly. With the sneezes and the heaviness of their footsteps, it was inevitable that they'd attract guards, although Brann hadn't expected those guards to be more of the stone quilen he'd already seen all over other Mogu ruins.
Unlike the statue in the previous room, the quilen were dwarf height, and Brann took a certain satisfaction in punching them right in their wrinkled stone faces. It wasn't the sort of thing a human could pull off without hurting their hands, but dwarves were different. They knew stone in ways no other race did – it would take more than this for Brann's callused hands to be injured.
Just as before, Cho hung back, merely waiting for the fighting to be over. This time, the other two didn't waste their breath in protest. They proceeded forward together, leaving the pandaren to bring up the rear with his slow, heavy steps.
Brann might have forgotten he was there if Cho hadn't spoken up when they found the next room: a large chamber, carpeted in red, with statues recessed along the walls and what looked very much like a crude stone altar at the far end. "I have seen rooms like this before. This was a ritual chamber, where the Mogu performed their cruel magics." Looking around with interest, he stepped between Brann and Harrison, leading the way inside.
As soon as he set the first paw on the floor, there was a click, and all the statues along the wall raised their weapons.
Cho shook his head, his expression sorrowful. "I see this will not be settled peacefully." Paws pressed together, he bowed to the nearest statue, then lauched himself at it, leg extended in a kick Brann wouldn't have expected the old Lorewalker to be capable of.
With his help, this fight went much more quickly. When it was done, they were all gray from powdered stone and dust, but unlike the other two, Cho wasn't even breathing hard. Brann would have been impressed had the pandaren not completely skipped the previous two combats. As it was, he merely snorted and muttered "Show off" under his breath.
Despite his annoyance, things had been fairly easy so far. But when they opened the next door, all three archaeologists fell silent.
"This will be tricky," Harrison finally offered.
"The entire floor is those trapped tiles!"
Cho nodded thoughtfully. "I believe your king has approved a different dig. Perhaps you would prefer to visit that one instead?"
Brann scowled at the suggestion. "That's Hilda Hornswaggle's dig. She's got some funny ideas about archaeology. I've never needed royal approval for an expedition before and I don't need it now! Nay, we'll go ahead."
Harrison led the way, carefully walking only on the very edges of the tiles. It was harder for Brann with his stumpy legs and broad feet, but he managed to set off only a few and to dodge those effects, though a few tiles ended up scorched from the firestorm one of their neighbors triggered. Cho, on the other hand, managed it as though it were easy, despite his greater weight and the width of his sandaled feet.
"It's a matter of focus," he said serenely, once they were safely on the dais and no longer needed to watch their step.
In other circumstances, Brann would have pointed out that he hadn't asked. As it was, he barely heard him – his attention was occupied with the golden chest in front of them. It was nearly as tall as he was and even beneath its heavy covering of dust, it shone.
"Well, well. Wonder what's in there?" He nodded at Harrison. "If you'd like to do the honors, lad."
Harrison adjusted his hat, then stepped forward and carefully worked the lid off. It fell to the floor with a metallic clunk and they peered inside, Brann standing on tiptoe for a better view.
The hammer inside seemed to be gold as well, although as soon as he touched it, Brann was certain it was gold-plated stone instead of solid metal. Together, he and Harrison hauled it out, Cho peering interestedly over his shoulder.
"You see this emblem?" He reached out one paw and indicated it, not quite touching the hammer. "This was the symbol of the Thunder King. Once, this hammer must have been belonged to him. But I have never heard of him using a hammer."
Brann grinned and clapped Harrison on the shoulder. "Hear that? We've made a new discovery!"
Harrison turned and began asking Cho for more details about the Thunder King, but for now, Brann wasn't listening. Plenty of time for that later. For now, he hoisted the hammer in his hands and gave it a few practice swings, then carefully packed it away.
"Another successful expedition under our belts. Now let's go get a drink."