Those Blasted Troggs!
Muradin opened his eyes to familiar surroundings, the large, warm royal chamber at the heart of Ironforge, and it wasn't long before he found himself embraced by his brother.
"You certainly like showing up right when you're needed," Magni laughed, thumping Muradin on the back. "How'd ya know I needed me brother back?"
"The Legion's invading, but agents of the Lich have sown chaos throughout the factions of the Alliance. I came to help our people rally to face the Legion." Muradin explained.
Before he could say anymore, Falstad appeared beside him, looking rather confused.
"Huh, so lil' miss thinks you need my help," Falstad laughed when he saw Muradin.
"What?"
"I asked Jaina to send me wherever she felt I'd be needed, and she sent me here," Falstad explained.
"As it happens I could use some help, Wildhammer," a voice said, and they turned to see High-Tinkerer Mekkatorque entering the room astride his Mechanostrider. "Might I suggest we divide and conquer?"
"Back up a tick," Muradin said, rubbing his forehead. "What's happenin' in Ironforge, and what's troubling the Gnomes?"
"Troggs have been poppin' out of everywhere, attacking people and destroying our tanks," Magni said quickly. "I need help to rally our men, save our tanks and drive the blighters back."
"And I believe that what ails Gnomeregan is responsible for this Trogg infestation," Mekkatorque added. "I'm afraid to say that we have been betrayed from within, an upstart Tinkerer created a gas to drive the Troggs out of our city, instead it has irradiated our magnificent city, and the upstart now rules over a poisoned city."
"And the Gnomes?" Falstad asked cautiously, fearing the worst.
"Most escaped the foul gas, and have taken refuge in Dun Morogh, but some were corrupted and attacked their own people in a state of madness," Mekkatorque sighed.
"If Gnomeregan is poisoned, won't that gas spread to Ironforge and Stormwind through the Deeprun Tram?" Magni asked.
"I ordered the doors into the tramway sealed off when the crisis began, I hope they managed to seal it off before the gas escaped into the tunnel." Mekkatorque replied. "There's no way to find out till we ensure the gas is neutralised and the traitor dealt with."
"I have a strategy," Muradin said after the four stood thinking how to deal with the two situations. "Me and m'brother ensure Ironforge's safety, and deal with the blasted Troggs, while you two lead the liberation of Gnomeregan from this upstart traitor."
"And how the blazes do we do that without being poisoned?" Falstad exclaimed. "Is there a cure for this gas?"
"Not yet, but my best men are working on it as we speak," Mekkatorque stated. "But there is a way to vent the gas out of the city and..."
"You're not poisoning Dun Morogh with that gas!" Magni warned.
"I wouldn't dream of it, as I said my people are taking refuge outside Gnomeregan, I'd just be subjecting my people to the gas again." Mekkatorque countered. "But... Wildhammer, are you familiar with the ways of the shaman?"
"O'course, why?" Falstad hesitated.
"I believe that with your shaman ways we could vent the gas out of Gnomeregan and ensure it doesn't poison the land around the city." Mekkatorque smiled. "We either disperse it into the upper atmosphere, or pump it into barrels and then launch them into space."
"I like the sounds of the second option," Magni said flatly, making it clear he wasn't going to take any chances that may harm his kingdom.
"Alrighty then!" Mekkatorque clapped his hands together. "Come Wildhammer, there a couple things we'll need before our plan can proceed."
"Me name is Falstad, Gnome." Falstad said bluntly. "Good luck boys, make those Troggs pay!"
"Make that traitor pay," Muradin smiled, before hugging Falstad.
With that Falstad followed Mekkatorque from the room, leaving the two Bronzebeard brothers alone.
"I hope you still know how to fight after all that time sitting on your comfy throne," Muradin said wryly.
"The throne's as uncomfortable as chairs come, and I hope you're not too used to fighting big abominations to think Troggs are beneath you," Magni retorted.
The two brothers then jogged out of the throne room, the Royal Guard following in their wake.
"Any idea where our wandering brother's gotten to of late? I haven't heard any word of him since Lord Uther fell in Northrend." Magni asked, as he led his brother and the Royal Guard to the Military Ward.
"One, he's in Ulduar, overseeing the production of a Titan construct army to fight the Legion," Muradin breathed heavily. "Two, Uther's alive again. We killed the Lich King and the dragons brought him back to life."
"Must be nice to have such powerful friends who can do that," Magni laughed.
They reached the Military Ward, to find the city guard fighting a vast host of angry, screaming Troggs.
"My king, they've overrun the Hall of Arms!" a guard yelled when he saw the king and his entourage coming.
"You heard him lads, let's retake our tanks!" Magni roared, and his guard roared back.
They charged into the Hall of Arms, and were immediately assaulted on all sides by much bigger Troggs than the ones the city guards were fighting outside.
'How the blazes did the Lich get these beasts on his side?' Muradin thought, as he leapt at one of the Troggs, both maces raised above his head. 'Or did he persuade the gnome to betray his people, and the poison drove the Troggs to attack Ironforge?'
Muradin didn't know why, but as he slammed his maces against the screaming Troggs, he reached out with his senses and felt a strange tingling in the air around him. He raised one of his maces in the air, before slamming it down hard against the ground; a shockwave of electricity arced out in front of him and coursed through the waves of Troggs, making their screams of anger turn to screams of pain.
"What the hell?" Magni exclaimed, as the Troggs collapsed dead en-masse. "I did ne know you were versed in the ways of the Wildhammer?"
"I'm not, I just felt a tingling in the air, and that happened." Muradin shrugged. "Guess I don't know my own strength."
"Men, check the tanks, if they're usable we'll turn them on the Troggs." Magni commanded. "Come Muradin, there's plenty of Troggs left to kill."
"Bet ya I kill more than you," Muradin chided. "I have done a lot more killin' than you lately."
"I've killed as well; killed all feeling in m'arse sitting on the throne for hours on end." Magni bit back jovially. "You're on!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The two brothers fought side by side until they stood before the breach the majority of Troggs were pouring out of, unsurpisingly located in the Forlorn Cavern.
"I've got me lads blocking off the passages into the Mystic Ward and Hall of Explorers," Magni said as he rejoined Muradin at the maw of the Troggs invasion. "Now let's find who's leading this bugger, and relieve him of his head."
"Sounds like a plan," Muradin laughed. "We not bringing any back-up?"
"You need the army to fight the Legion, no point wasting them against these blighters," Magni noted, as they clambered over the uneven ground of the Trogg tunnel. "They will blast the tunnels shut to stop 'em getting into other parts of the city, and when we're done here, they'll blast this tunnel shut too."
"Let's hope that keeps 'em out for good!" Muradin nodded.
"It should keep 'em out of Ironforge, but they'll be back," Magni complained. "Can't seem to wipe the buggers out."
The brothers then walked in silence for a very long time, the only noises they made were the grunts and groans as they climbed over rocks, and descended a long, uneven tunnel.
"We must be nearing the heart of their vile nest," Muradin grunted, as they climbed over a large boulder.
"How can ye tell?"
"It's really starting to stink down here," Muradin laughed. "Only reason the smell would be getting worse is because we're nearing the place from where these buggers spawn."
"Don't put the image of Troggs spawning in me head!" Magni complained. "I ain't gonna sleep for a week now."
"You shoulda been there in Northrend, the things I saw there," Muradin shuddered. "I ain't havin' peaceful dreams any time soon."
"I can understand ya," Magni admitted. "Facing a foe that leads an army o' undead might men ye face some unnatural horrors."
"You have no idea," Muradin said, before they heard a deafening roar. "Looks like we've found 'em."
They rounded a corner to find a cathedral-sized cavern ahead of them, lit by columns of magma pouring from spouts in the walls.
"Never took the Troggs for interior decorators." Magni laughed, before their attention was drawn to what they had thought to be a large pile of rocks in the centre began to move.
The pile of rocks unfolded to reveal a monstrous Trogg, which was bigger, stronger and uglier than any Trogg either of the Bronzebeard brothers had ever seen, if it was possible for a Trogg to be uglier than the rest. The Trogg quickly spotted them with its narrow slitted eyes, before letting out a cavern-shaking roar.
"What the hell are you?" Magni demanded.
"Gasherikk!" the Trogg bellowed.
"Nice to meet ye!" Muradin laughed, before charging at the Trogg.
Gasherikk bellowed again, before swinging one of its large fists at the Dwarves, which forced the Bronzebeards to scatter.
"Here we go again," Muradin muttered.
The massive Trogg continued to swing its fists at the dwarves, every low blow dug huge furrows out of the rocky floor. It soon became clear that the Trogg was not interested in killing them, instead focused on protecting itself by swinging its arms in all directions, making it difficult to land a blow against the foe.
"Brother, care to give this beastie a shock?" Magni yelled to Muradin.
Muradin had a different idea, he ran to one of the lava flows, and smashed his hammer against the wall. Lava burst out as the surprisingly thin wall exploded from the impact, the spray hit the Trogg causing it to bellow in pain and anger.
"Nice goin', now the rooms filling with lava!" Magni cursed, slashing at Gasherikk's legs, before moving to avoid the lava flowing into the grooves carved by the Trogg's swinging arms.
"Least its stop swinging its bloody arms!" Muradin countered.
As the lava flowed around them, the two dwarves managed to land numerous blows against the Trogg, who was more focused on protecting itself from the lava, than the two attackers.
"Brother, to me!" Muradin yelled, kneeling down and raising his hands above his head.
Magni charged forward, leapt on top of his brother, who launched him at the now fleeing Trogg. The Dwarven king raised his great ax, before plunging it into the massive Trogg's back as it reached the entrance to the cavern. Gasherikk let out a last roar of rage and pain, before collapsing sideways, its enormous body almost covering the entrance to the chamber.
"Let's get outta here!" Magni cheered from atop the corpse, watching as Muradin scrambled up the Trogg's corpse as the lava began to fill the cavern.
"I hope Falstad's having as much fun as we are," Muradin chuckled, as the two brothers moved quickly back up the tunnel they had walked down.