The Ruins of An'Qiraj
Silithus
Ancient stone structures covered with filthy moss and mildew littered the area of this otherwise barren desert. Decayed husks of fallen silithids and similar disgusting carapaces laid upon the sullen dry dirt. Thankfully, the stench of their rotting hides had long since been absorbed by the musky scent of earth but one would be hard pressed to forget the remaining images of that dreaded war and the scar it laid upon the world.
Samuel walked alongside his steed as they moved through a large hexagonal carved stone gate. Upon entering the ruins, he had requested to take a more careful approach. It wasn't so much as that he feared any remaining qiraji lurking about. Rather, he was more interested in taking his time and examining the area carefully. Anything they found from here on out could be a potential clue to unlocking the mysterious power wielded by the Forsaken priests.
The sun nearly reached the tip of the far western mountains as it began to set. Traveling here from the outpost took nearly the entirety of the day. Though the scenery was rather drab, it was a much more welcomed alternative to the incessive chatting going on along the way. Melchior was rather insistent in asking as many questions about their assignment and the priest's thought process regarding it. Thankfully, he accepted each and every vague answer and remained silent enough to make the last leg of the journey a bit more peaceful.
"This place is givin' me the shivers," Gehn remarked. He remained firmly tucked within the same confines of his wagon seated next to his young protégé as they trotted along the end of the pack. "It's like walkin' through a nightmare yee'd be beggin' ta forget."
"It's not so bad," commented the young priest. Melchior smiled at the very sentiment while chewing on a small pinch of roasted pumpkin seeds and spitting out the shells onto the ground. "It is as if we're walking through a piece of history. Lost in time and forgotten like so many memories. It's truly remarkable when you stop and think about it."
"Well, I'd rather not be stoppin' here longer than it takes to empty a keg at Brewfest," the Prospecter retorted. "Stray in here for too long and yer liable to become lost just like yer memories."
Gehn may have seemed frightened but the priest was easily able to decipher the intent of the words presented. The Prospector wasn't scared, he was being cautious. Once they entered the ruins, they could only rely on their combined skills and experience to return safely. There were no stable sources of water or food for miles. If something were to occur inside, the two weeks' worth of supplies may not be enough to sustain them. Of course, Rylie's skills could prove useful here but she was a wild card; untested and therefore, unreliable until put into action. Any rescue attempts sent by the Church would take weeks to arrive and that's if the Archbishop had the wherewithal to send someone after not hearing back in a month's time.
"Yer just being over-dramatic," Ferd sneered. "Old timer's always like to embellish."
"Old timer?!" Snarled the Prospector. "That's something yee'll never be if ye – "
The dwarf's harsh words were immediately silenced by the howling cries of the horses as they reared back and came to a complete halt.
"What in the blazes?!"
Both dwarves shouted simultaneously as their steeds' hooves crushed the ground below with a quaking thud. Samuel immediately shot his hand outward giving everyone the silent order to halt and remain quiet. They were just about to turn a sharp corner when the horses must have detected something they just couldn't see yet.
The priest patted his mount carefully and slowly proceeded down the path. Everyone's eyes bore down upon him. It could very well be the last time they see him take a breath as their very own appeared to be lost in confusion and curiosity.
Samuel proceeded silently. Even his cloth robes barely wafted with each step he took. The priest gradually leered around the stone wall. He inhaled a deep gulp of air as he attempted to unravel the mystery that laid out before him. A massive created carved out of pure obsidian laid battered, beaten, and broken upon its back.
A deep and depressing sigh burst through Samuel's lungs. His shoulder's relaxed and immediately motioned for the rest of the group to approach.
"There is nothing to fear," the priest dejectedly sighed. "Only the mere deactivated husk of a fallen Anubisath."
"Anubi-what?" Melchior interestedly pondered as he gathered around alongside everyone else. "What kind of creature is thaaaa - ?!"
The young priest's voice had been stolen before he could complete that though upon viewing the giant black humanoid husk that lied in front of them. This beast was easily twenty feet tall when it could stand upright though it was at least five feet thick lying on its backside. Golden straps and chains covered its muscular body along with dirty white garments covering the more revealing sections of this creature's body. A tattered scarf draped over its shoulders and chest which led towards a long, dog-like face and a pair of tall ears. The snout itself was taller than any of the surrounding travelers which would make this beast a fearsome adversary should it be active.
"It's an Anubisath," corrected Samuel. "These were thought to be guardians of the temple created by the the Twin Emperors: Vek'nilash and Vek'lor to serve as soldiers and guardians during the War of the Shifting Sands. However, they are actually –"
"Titan constructs."
The groups' focus immediately shifted towards the spry young voice that had interrupted the priest. Mira grinned widely as she approached without fear or reservation. She began examining the creature from its gargantuan feet all the way up to its massive chest.
"They were created in the Forge of Wills by the Titans," she continued. The archeologist climbed on top of the fallen Anubisath warrior and stood proudly atop it's chest. "Look here."
Mira leaned forward without even bending her knees while drawing her finger along the chest of the creature.
"These markings bear the symbol of the Titans," said the archeologist. "It's where their core lies, giving them some minor sentience but soon became enslaved by the Aqir thus, becoming a servant and guardian of the Old God."
There was a long lingering silence amongst them. Almost everyone could not take their eyes off of Mira and the sudden revelation she had bestowed upon the rest of the expedition group.
"That," remarked the priest with a renewed sense of astonishment. "Is correct."
"See?" The archeologist smirked with continuing to peer closer at the faded gem within the Anubisath's chest. "It's deniable. The markings – "
She immediately snapped up realizing the precarious position she stood in and faced the others. They all stared upon her with hungering eyes, Rylie included, admiring her rather risqué though apparently unintended pose. Everyone immediately began collecting themselves and tried to shuffle through their own embarrassment as best as they could; everyone that is, but the priest.
Samuel's eyes and attention were buried in his tome. He began scribing notes of this creature and walked forward to draft the markings mentioned by the archeologist.
"Its size, shape, and musculature bear a strong resemblance to the constructs found within Ulduar as well," added the priest while staring intently at the Anubisath's lightless chest while scribing every detail possible. "Unfortunately, they were all ripe for corrupting as soon as the Titans departed Azeroth. It is a shame the Old God's hold upon them terminates upon defeat. I am curious to study the –"
The heavy shift in air forced Samuel to pull his gaze away from his tome. Mira was now standing right in front of him, bearing her lingering expression and a wholehearted curiosity with her wide and powerful eyes.
"Ulduar?!" The archeologist leaned in with glee. She couldn't even blink as the excitement of this discovery took over her rational thought completely. "You've actually trekked inside of the Titan-city itself?!"
The priest immediately pulled back, slamming his tome shut and allowing it to fall to his side. He pressed the rims of his glasses upward and stared at Mira coolly.
"Was that not indicated upon taking this assignment?" He calmly asked. "I had sent the request to Brann personally. He knew of all the details. Did he not mention – ?"
A loud thump echoed off the husk of the Anubisath's carcass as the archeologist's powerful boot rang off its hefty hide.
"Of course he wouldn't mention it," scoffed Mira as she clenched her fists tightly and delivered another strong kick against the obsidian creature's thick arm. "That chiseler's always been trying to hold me back!"
The mood grew dim amongst them. A thick air of anxiety brewed from the archeologist's menacing aura.
"I had to practically beg him to let me go on the Halls of Stone expedition," she angrily spoke. "He calls me too wild and animalistic and yet that loud mouth draenei couldn't stop getting into trouble all the while we were in there. Thankfully his wife was able to calm him down most of the time but that damned Brann made it seem like I was the troublemaker!"
The Anubisath's arm vibrated as another hefty boot cracked against its unmoving appendage.
"You start one little rockslide in an unstable quarry and suddenly, I'm branded for life!" She pouted while folding her arms atop each other across her chest. "I'm starting to think that he's racist towards humans."
"Com'on lass," Gehn groaned. "Ye know it's not like that."
"Brann's nose fer trouble's bigger den anyone in the whole of Dun Morogh," added Ferd. "He's just lookin' out fer you lass."
The priest pulled himself away while the dwarves consoled their superior. He pieced together the details of her fuming tirade carefully. Some of the bits he could easily extrapolate such as knowledge of the Forge of Wills. There were many documents enclosed about that device that Samuel researched in preparation for their voyage to Ulduar. Seeing it firsthand must have been truly remarkable as the extensive details painted the machine in a magnificent light. Mira had a lot of knowledge and experience under her belt. Perhaps he could learn a few things from the archeologist on this trip. The priest was willing to admit that much. However, what he wouldn't disclose was any knowledge of those two particular draenei's involvement with the expedition as it would only seem to incite her already unstable mood.
"Thanks," shrugged Mira. "I'll be okay. I get why he does it. Just ticks me off is all."
"Nonsense," the priest countered. "You have every right to be upset."
All eyes and ears fell upon Samuel. He had no idea his words carried such a powerful weight to them. The priest thought his statement was rather obvious. He wasn't attempting to console the archeologist but rather, give her validation for her apparent anger over the situation. However, it would appear that this comment alone would not suffice as the others were curios to hear more.
"According to the records of that expedition, Brann's curiosity nearly got his entire crew killed after triggering an alarm within the Hall's system," Samuel began. His mind was soon flooded with the horrors lurking inside of the Ulduar and all of the menacing and harrowing encounters they faced that paled in comparison to the frightening description initially posed. "He was always precocious about hiding the details. After the torment he set up for us, I'd say any ill-will thrown in that dwarf's direction is more than justified, it's practically warranted."
There was a brief pause as the other stewed through the explanation. The dwarve's initially appeared disturbed that some lowly human could speak so boldly about their leader but nothing he said remained was untrue or malicious.
"You're," Mira slowly gasped. "Absolutely right. How did you know all of that?"
The priest removed his glasses and cleaned the lenses carefully with between his gauntleted thumb and forefinger.
"I did my research before venturing into the Titan-forged city," he shrugged while places the glasses carefully upon his face once more. "One must always be properly prepared less he desires to reminisce upon his follies moments before death."
While the others were rather impressed with Samuel's astute quote, the archeologist let out a small laugh in response.
"I was wrong about you," she teased. "Here I thought you were just some stuck up noble like the rest of them and yet every nugget of insight you share continues to prove me wrong."
"Noble?" Pondered the priest. Throughout the several hours they shared together, Mira had not once let out any indication that she knew anything about him in the slightest. "How did you - ?"
"Oh, I have my ways," she grinned. "You nobles always have a tell. The way you stand and speak with such aloof confidence, it was painfully obvious."
Samuel's brow furrowed. He dissected every breath uttered by the archeologist in an attempt to formulate a proper conclusion.
"And the way you speak," he countered. "Appears as if you have something personally against them."
Mira pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest once more. She gazed upon the glazed orange sky above and began to tap her index finger slowly atop her chin.
"Not exactly," she contemplated. "Though, I guess you could say that I'm not their biggest fan either."
The archeologist relaxed her arms and began to sulk.
"It's just," she softly spoke. "How do you ever get anything done? They've got so many rules to follow and political games to play. It's like living your life bound to the collective will of the select few instead of living freely. I know Brann and his brother the King are like oil and water when it comes to their personalities but even the younger sibling's guilty of acting stuck up from time to time."
Though she was speaking rather inanely, Mira did indeed have a point. Nobles were a special breed but their finer points certainly outweighed some of the lower ones listed. Perhaps it is merely a matter of perspective.
"Indeed," Samuel conceded. "Though, it would be too precarious to dawdle on such trivial matters."
The priest moved forward, extended his arm outward and revealed the majestic sight that everyone was too preoccupied to even notice.
"Not all nobles hide behind their names or keeps," he sternly commented. "How many others have been allowed to bear witness to such a historic location?"
The entrance to the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj nearly took their collective breaths away. It was a structure unlike anything in the whole of Azeroth. Two obsidian statues carved in the shape of a winged feline sat on opposing sides with a trio of similarly constructed obelisks rose from the highest purchase above. Wide purple staircases ascended from three separate directions atop of three different platforms. Hundreds of lifeless shells of various colors, shapes, and sizes were cluttered along the open pathway. Husks of defeated Anubisath warriors laid strewn about the ground floor of the entrance. The rotting carapace of a massive magenta qiraj creature rotted atop the first flight of stairs.
Finally, standing above the peak was the most impressive sight of them all. A golden disk hung between two decayed and curved stone pillars depicted a large scarab spanning nearly the entirety of its width. It appeared nearly identical to the Scarab Dias they had passed earlier just outside of the ruins.
"The entire war effort was funded large in part due to the collective efforts of those that sit and write rather than those who stand and fight."
"Wow," the archeologist gulped. Her eyes widened so deeply that her irises appeared to be pools of pure jade where curiosity furiously continued to wade. "It's so beautiful."
"Beautiful?" Scoffed the Prospector. "Look around here! Der's nothin' but death and war before us. Yee'd have to be a fool or worse to look at that graveyard filled with bugs and call it pretty. 'Tis no wonder why this lass can't find herself a good lad."
Mira appeared undeterred by the dwarf's blatant jabs. She stood in awe of the titan-forged structure and marveled at the history that would soon be within their very grasp.
"Just when I think I have you all figured out," the archeologist jeered with a smirk pursing upon her lips. "You keep surprising me. How did a noble ever give birth to someone so receptive and indulgent as you?"
The priest almost laughed at that comment. He was unsure whether she was being brutally honest or attempting to cut him down a peg hoping to not let this influx of praise go to his head. The only way Samuel was going to be able to reassert dominance in this partnership was to beat the archeologist at her own game. This of course would mean digging into a newfound wound of hers with a calculating level of tact and deception.
"Your abilities are impressive as well," the priest remarked. "Deciphering the Anubisath's origins is no easy feat. There is much I can learn about from your own travels and experiences. You already have proven yourself adept in combat but I am more curious to learn what else lies beneath."
The archeologist smirked and once more took a proud pose by slamming her fists into her hips and puffing her chest pompously.
"I like your style Sammy," she countered. "I'll make Brann wish he invited this animal alongside him. Give a girl a little room to work and I'll gladly show off my skills."
"Show off?" Inquired Samuel with a slightly raised eyebrow. He reminisced to a few moments earlier when Mira was examining the markings atop the Anubisath and went in for the crippling blow. "I believe they refer to that in the wild as presenting."
Samuel casually took the reins of his horse and walked towards the temple entrance without so much as a look back. Had he cared to watch the archeologist's reaction, he may have witnessed clouds of steam pouring through her ears as a mix of anger and embarrassment washed over her otherwise unflinching expression. Though he couldn't hold back a smile of his own. There was something very interesting about Mira and while he was focused on solving the mystery of the Forsaken priest, perhaps he would allow some time to dig deeper past the surface of this surprisingly interesting young woman.
The Temple of Ahn'Qiraj
Silithis
The walls of this subterranean and wretched temple appeared as they were once living. Decayed bits of sinew and circular patches of grey husks line the entirety of this circular path. Wrinkled sacks of ancient silithid breeding chambers dangled off the walls. Dozens of holes smaller holes along the ground dug further through the deepest etches of this cavity where some of the smaller qiraji insects used for safe travel. It was almost as if they were traveling through the very veins of a living monument than a titan-forged structure. The Old God's influence weighed heavily within these halls. Though its defeat was secured years ago, its ever-lingering presence continued to permeate the air.
Samuel and the others had traversed these tunnels for a few hours. While most preferred a simple torch in their hands to provide ambient light, the priest instead chose to cast a simple light incantation atop the head of his golden mace and left it secured to his waist while hanging harmlessly along his leg. Samuel was being extra cautious. If something dangerous were to approach, he would rather have his hands free to aid him in battle rather than keep a lit torch handicapping his combat prowess.
Junior Archeologist Ferd was the only one to not join them on their descent. He opted to stay behind with the horses and wagon for the time being. As soon as they found suitable grounds to establish a camp, they would be relaying the supplies though without the help of their beasts of burden. The horses outright refused to enter the confines of the temple. They had an intrinsic sense for danger and knew full well it was safer out here than down there.
The sun had been well passed set at this point though none of them could actually view and confirm it. They had delved into the deepest depths of these ancient caverns with no signs of stopping. The priest was poised to find what he was searching for. Fortunately, he had procured a map drawn by an adventurer who stood before the dreaded Old God C'Thun which would lead this harrowing group straight to his chamber.
"How much further Samuel?" The young priest yawned.
Though he would normally dismiss such shallow behavior, Samuel reacted calmly and instead glanced at the map once more. They have been travelling for quite some time and even the priest himself was starting to feel the swell of fatigue clawing at him.
"According to my calculations," he carefully spoke. "In another fifty paces or so this path should come to an end and – "
"Look!"
The archeologist's boisterous announcement drew everyone's immediate attention. She bolted up the path with feverish delight and no regard for any potential threats lurking about. The hefty survival pack strapped to her back with all of her personal supplies didn't even slow her down. Mira stopped just at the end at nearly the exact count of steps Samuel had initially estimated. As the others approached, the archeologist turned towards them with a glistening smile and a warm greeting.
"We're here!"
The priest joined Mira at the end of the insectoid carved tunnels where it opened to a flatter and architecturally sound chamber. Marble tiles revealed themselves underneath the dried and hideous mucus like path. The walls were dull and grey. Each block of stone was oddly carved into unique shapes rather than uniform squares and rectangles. A lightless sconce was covered with a thick layer of dust and sat dully along the furthest wall.
Without any hesitation, the archeologist moved forward. She placed her torch into the dirty metal framework which immediately revealed a gigantic portrait of a large scarab carved into a flat stone plate just above. A lightless opening to the east bends further into the dark temple.
"This must be it," Samuel confirmed while pointing confidently with his right hand. "Just through his path will lead us right to – "
"Ye don't mean?" The elder Prospector gasped.
The priest sternly nodded.
"C'Thun's chamber."
The air grew thick with an ominous glaze washing over them. This temple has remained empty for years and now it was being invaded by some unwelcomed interlopers yearning for knowledge. Samuel took a deep breath and weighed out the logical outcomes. With no traces of the qiraji left within the ruins or temple and a scant few silithid plaguing the outskirts of this land it was safe to assume that everything was as it should be. The priest prayed that they would not find any unwelcomed surprises. Of all the things he loathed most in life, surprises were nearly at the top of the list.
"Let's go."
The archeologist followed directly alongside Samuel. She had left her torch behind in order to keep the chamber exit lit should they require a hovel to work. Their shoulders brushed against one another on occasion but neither paid it any special mind. They walked down the narrow path for only a few paces before a wide opening towards the right side called their attention. It glistened with a faint light almost as if calling out to them personally.
A sharp tightness clawed against the priest's robes as they neared the corner. He turned and immediately found the source to be Mira's hand clenching the collar of his wrists. Samuel was curious to note that even someone as rowdy and unwavering as the archeologist could still succumb to fear when it presented itself. However, upon lifting his gaze and hoping to confirm his hypothesis, the priest saw no fear in her eyes: only the unbridled clutch of anticipation.
Samuel took one final deep breath as they turned the corner. A wide set of stairs led downward over one hundred feet and revealed a gargantuan chamber. Its roof must have peaked over two hundred feet from where they stood and yet still seem deeply buried within the crust of Azeroth. Columns were lined along the entire perimeter each with empty sconces in-between. At the furthest end, two scarab gongs stood at the top of a small platform before a short flight of stairs. An ominous black altar sat between them.
At the very center of this massive lied the unmoving husk of the dreaded Old God itself. Its greyed flesh was hardened and dull. Dozens of brittle and lifeless tentacles of various shapes, sizes, and thickness were strewn about its main body; some had been severed, others still firmly attached. Spikes protruded around the rim of its giant maw in the vague shape of teeth. A few slits near the base of the beast's form housed several sharp fangs of their own. Washed blue orbs surrounded its main body stared lifeless at the group. C'Thun had been battered and beaten into submission. It had remained undisturbed until this very moment.
"Perfect," whispered Samuel.
He tried to hold back his delight but only a mere fragment of it managed to seep through. The priest continued his descent with Mira following directly beside him. As soon as he reached the end of the flight of stairs, Samuel turned towards the others who remained unmoving at the very sight of the defeated Old God before them.
"We shall make camp here and use this chamber as our preliminary base of operations."
"Say what?!" Gehn spat. "Yee cannot be serious lad?!"
The priest's expression remained unchanged. He bore through the elder dwarf through the lenses of his glistening golden eyes and professed the seriousness of his intentions once more.
"Why would this be a problem?" Samuel rhetorically posed. He hoped answer Gehn back with a simple question would trivialize his concerns even further. "This is the ideal location to conduct my research. I would lose half a day on backtracking alone should we make our base outside of the temple."
"I dinnea what cockamamie idea you have in than thin head of yers," the prospector fired back. "But ye won't be seein' me sleepin' soundly down here next to that blasted hell spawn!"
"I think he's right," commented Rylie. The young mage shivered where she stood and clutched her slender arms tightly. "This place gives me the creeps. I don't think I'd be able to rest within a hundred miles of this thing after seeing it in person."
"Don't be scared Rylie," comforted the young priest. He wrapped his arm around her firigid shoulder and pulled her closely into his chest. "There is nothing to fear. Samuel is one of the finest priests in the whole of Azeroth and has already succeeded in defeating another Old God."
Melchoir turned towards the priest with a wide grin.
"If he believes it is safe then there is nothing to worry about."
"Yer all nuts!" Gehn finished while stomping his foot loudly. "I'd rather lay atop the Great Forge while the King be workin' than spend another second in this damned place!"
"Suit yourself," shrugged the priest. He casually walked back up the steps and faced the dwarf directly. "You may return with Ferd at the entrance and being funneling our supplies. We will begin immediately."
Samuel pressed the rolled map directly into the Prospector's chest.
"This will lead you back to the surface. It took approximately three and a half hours to venture down here. I imagine it should take no more than eight hours for you to return with the first set of supplies."
Gehn nearly exploded out of his boots upon hearing his new orders/
"Ye expect me to come back to this cursed place in a single trip?!"
The priest paused for a moment and went through the calculations silently in his head.
"You're right," he nodded. "Better make it twelve."
Samuel didn't even bother to witness the elder dwarf's ghastly response. A fit of dwarvish explicative erupted from within his thick lips as the priest descended the stairs once more. Samuel placed his own personal travel pack and bedroll at the base and retrieved his quill and vial of ink from the pockets of the leather book bindings. He approached the lifeless husk of the Old God and immediately opened his tome up to the first blank page.
"Hey Sam!" Called the archeologist. She was already halfway done with building her own sleeping arrangements before priest's sudden actions forced her to stop. "What are you doing?"
The priest slowly stopped and turned to face the voice that had beckoned him. He only gave Mira a brief glance before dipping his quill into the deep vial of black ink and beginning his scribing.
"Hm?" He casually posed without so much as feigning interest as to requiring a response back.
"It's getting pretty late and we've been traveling all day," the archeologist commented. "Don't you want to get a bit of sleep first?"
"Sleep?" Samuel posed with a slightly ajar eyebrow. He turned to face C'Thun's unmoving corpse. Thousands of possibilities began racing through his thoughts. The sheer potential of discovery alone would keep his mind occupied for months on end let alone the trifle amount of time human required to rest and recharge.
"How can one sleep when our work has only just begun?"