The Seven Emperors of the Emperor's Temple (Part One)
Yeh'kinya raised his head and cautiously met Emperor Ata's gaze.
The Emperor's body was surrounded by layers of magical light, Court Mages secretly protected him, keeping him unaffected by Mind Magic, rendering Yeh'kinya's magic of seeing through lies useless.
Yeh'kinya had no way of knowing whether the emperor was lying; he could only gamble on his luck and remained silent for a long time.
"Perhaps we should refuse, and try not to disrupt this era."
Yeh'kinya's mindset gradually shifted; Dasa's warning had a significant impact on him, and he no longer wanted to take the risk.
Even if it means enduring Destiny worse than death.
Seeing that Yeh'kinya did not respond, Emperor Ata seemed helpless and said sadly and forlornly:
"Yeh'kinya, I understand why you hesitate. Perhaps we should trust each other. Please come with me."
Emperor Ata led the way, unusually walking rather than sitting on a magical golden chariot.
The Emperor's steps were very light, each step perfectly timed. Yeh'kinya keenly observed that the Emperor was actually walking using magic.
The Court Mages secretly cast a spell, allowing the emperor to walk freely. Is this how emperors walk?
The City of the Sky is too vast; you basically have to rely on teleportation to get around.
Stepping through a Portal, a magnificent temple appeared before Yeh'kinya, with countless streams of golden light flowing through it, the entire temple bathed in a dazzling golden glow.
The emperor's voice was loud and clear, clearly enhanced by magic:
"The Zandalari Empire has produced countless great emperors, but only the most meritorious rulers are entitled to be enshrined in the Emperor's Temple after their death. Each of them made indelible contributions to the world and to the Zandalari Empire; their greatness is beyond words."
The Priests and Witch Doctor knelt at the entrance to the Emperor's Temple. Such a prestigious place seemed to be reserved for only the emperor himself. Emperor Ata produced a gleaming black scepter and spoke in a majestic voice:
"In the name of Emperor Zandalar, the foreigner Yeh'kinya is permitted to visit the Emperor's Temple."
"Praise be to the great Emperor Ata!"
The accompanying Priests and Witch Doctors sang hymns.
Yeh'kinya trembled with excitement. The unknown history of the ancient Zandalari Empire was about to unfold before his eyes. As a Troll who cared deeply for his people, this was probably the most glorious moment of his life, even surpassing the moment he summoned Hakkar the Soulflayer.
Emperor Ata led Yeh'kinya into the Emperor's Temple, where the first thing they saw were seven tall, golden statues, each wearing a crown, some majestic, some benevolent, and some compassionate.
"The remains of the seven greatest emperors of the Zandalari Empire lie buried here. During each ceremony, their bones emit a golden light that shoots into the sky, representing the Azeroth's recognition of their achievements."
Emperor Ata paused beside a golden statue, bowing respectfully. The statue depicted a somewhat slender emperor holding a golden scroll and gazing ahead.
Yeh'kinya hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed, listening to Emperor Ata's introduction:
"This is the great Emperor Rast. Three thousand two hundred years ago, the Aqir were blessed with the power of the Old Gods, and they multiplied rapidly, marching north and wiping out countless races."
"At that time Zandalari Empire had just experienced internal strife and its national strength had declined. The Aqir invaded the City of the Sky, Zandalari Empire was on the verge of collapse. Despite his illness, Emperor Rast held the City of the Sky and was blessed by tens of thousands of Loa, who channeled the power of the emperor and wiped out millions of Aqir in one battle."
"After the war, in order to maintain lasting peace, Emperor Rast disregarded the collective opposition of the Loa, passed the throne to his son, and personally led a delegation to the Azj'Aqir Empire for negotiations."
"After 139 years of arduous negotiations, Emperor Rast, with his exceptional wisdom and noble character, conquered the Aqir, finally establishing a thousand-year peace between the two races. Emperor Rast Consecration everything to Zandalar, but unfortunately, he died of illness in the Azj'Aqir Empire and was unable to return to his homeland; only his remains were sent back, a great regret."
Deeply moved, Yeh'kinya said from the bottom of his heart, "Praise be to Emperor Rast."
Emperor Ata moved and stopped beside the imposing statue, and slowly said:
"This is the mighty and Invincible Emperor Gula. That was one of the most powerful eras of the Zandalari Empire, when the people dreamed of being Invincible. One night, countless Infernal rained down from the sky, and countless winged Demons, wielding burning blades, slaughtered the kind and innocent Zandalar people."
"The Burning Legion," Yeh'kinya couldn't help but whisper.
Emperor Ata gave Yeh'kinya a strange look, paused, and then said:
"That's right, the Dragon Aspects call these invaders the Burning Legion. They are too numerous to count, like a vast ocean. The Zandalar Golden Legion suffered seven defeats in seven battles. The Burning Legion advanced on City of the Sky, and the Golden Legion was exhausted. At this critical moment when the empire was on the verge of destruction, Emperor Gula stepped forward and challenged the leader of the Burning Legion to a duel."
Yeh'kinya suddenly raised his head, his gaze burning with intense passion.
He knew the leader of the Burning Legion well; if he were to lead the expedition, it would undoubtedly be Archimonde the Defiler, known as the strongest creature to have ever traversed the Azeroth Continent.
Emperor Ata remarked with emotion:
"The leader of the Legion was a powerful Eredar who called himself Archimonde the Defiler. They dueled at the gates of City of the Sky. Emperor Gula's valor inspired the loyal souls of the Zandalar, and countless spirits gathered in him, finally allowing him to narrowly defeat Archimonde. The Burning Legion withdrew as agreed, and Emperor Gula succumbed to his wounds, passing away three days later on his throne."
Tens of thousands of years ago, the valiant Zandalari Empire successfully repelled the invasion of the Legions.
Yeh'kinya was moved to tears, proud to be Troll: "Praise be to Emperor Gula, thank you for saving Azeroth."
Emperor Ata arrived before a golden statue dressed in a mage's robe and holding a staff. It was a Zandalar emperor with a refined appearance and Mercy in his eyes.
"You must have heard of the Well of Eternity. Countless ages ago, a large number of aberrations suddenly emerged from the Well of Eternity. Centered on the Well of Eternity, the earth was Corruption Void Energy, which spread rapidly, and even the Old Gods and the Dragon Aspects were helpless against it."
"At this most critical moment, Emperor Grid stepped forward. He was a learned scholar and a powerful Archmage. He buried himself in the palace library, working tirelessly day and night, conducting countless magical experiments, and tasting tens of thousands of herbs, finally finding a solution."
"Upon learning that the Corruption of the land had been cleansed, Emperor Grid had not rested at all, collapsed with a smile on his face on the experimental table, emaciated and reduced to skin and bones. He brought hope of life to Azeroth, and all the races of this world survived because of him."
Yeh'kinya, tears streaming down his face, prostrated himself on the ground. "Great Emperor Grid, you are the pride of the Zandalar, I am proud of you."
Emperor Ata arrived before a statue of a slightly overweight emperor:
"This is Emperor Silute, the emperor I admire most. He was diligent in his duties, loved his people, and governed the country effectively. Under his leadership, the Zandalari Empire enjoyed peace and prosperity, accumulating vast Wealth. Unexpectedly, this attracted the covetous eyes of the Dragonkin. Led by the Red Dragon Queen, the Dragon Aspects made unreasonable demands on the Zandalari Empire, challenging its dignity."