Troll culture revered gold. They loved incorporating it into their jewelry, and every Forest Troll woman in Zul'Aman took pride in owning a piece of gold jewelry. But the Zandalari Troll walking past Tian Sang now had armor, a belt, and bracers on his arms and legs made entirely of gleaming gold, decorated with fangs and brightly colored feathers.
As the Zandalari Troll, dressed head to toe in gold, strode down the street, the hunched Trolls bowed even lower and stepped aside to clear a wide path. Even the straight-backed Zandalari Trolls dared not look directly at him; they lowered their eyes in greeting instead.
"Looks like Zandalar has a very rigid social hierarchy." Watching the wealthy Troll stride through the bustling streets, Tian Sang narrowed his eyes slightly. Zandalar was clearly more developed than Zul'Aman, but its private ownership of wealth meant that riches were unevenly distributed. Its social classes were probably deeply entrenched.
After looking around the harbor, Tian Sang heard someone calling from farther away. He hurried back to the group and followed Malacrass as they searched the port for Forest Trolls who had settled there.
Troll leaders from all over the world came to Zandalar every six years to discuss matters concerning the fate of all Trolls. As a result, Trolls from every tribe could be found in Zandalar. Some had settled there, while others had been sent by their tribes to manage affairs on a permanent basis.
The island of Zandalar was enormous. The harbor where Tian Sang stood was only on the outskirts of Zuldazar, the capital of Zandalar, and Dazar'alor, the city's central district, was still quite a distance away. Malacrass had to make arrangements for the group first; he couldn't take more than a hundred people straight to Dazar'alor.
Only after he had settled matters with the King of Zandalar in Dazar'alor could he arrange for the people he had brought to study. Malacrass quickly took care of the arrangements, then set off for Dazar'alor with Tian Sang and two warriors, riding Pterosaurs.
Everything in Zandalar was orderly. It had not only commerce but also land and air transport. The Pterosaurs tamed by the Zandalari Trolls were five or six meters long. They wore golden ornaments around their necks and claws, and could easily carry two or three Trolls. At their handlers' command, they spread their wings and soared into the sky.
As he rode a Pterosaur through the sky, Tian Sang looked down at the world below. The forests were lush, with clear rivers winding through them and mist hanging in patches between the trees. Even at such a height, he could feel the oppressive heat of the tropical climate.
When they flew past the forest, Tian Sang looked out and saw that they had reached Dazar'alor. Two enormous pyramids came into view first, followed by a cluster of winding, tiered buildings in a style not unlike Zul'Aman's.
He hardly had time to take in the architecture. Just looking at the pyramids nearly blinded him. Gold—there was far too much gold. The Zandalari Trolls had used it lavishly to decorate their pyramids. They were ridiculously rich.
The two largest pyramids stood side by side in the magnificent city. From a distance, he could see figures walking along their stone steps and terraces. Clearly, they weren't merely monuments. Each pyramid had an enormous stone disc standing atop it, and Tian Sang couldn't imagine how anyone had managed to put them there.
Beyond their imposing appearance, the two pyramids had been built along a winding river. From the sky, Tian Sang could see people and dinosaurs moving below, as well as two or three white waterfalls hanging from the upper levels of the pyramids. Their waters poured into pools in the city, then flowed through channels under the bridges and into the river outside, without spilling over at all. The city clearly had an excellent drainage system.
It was a work of divine craftsmanship. Gazing down at Dazar'alor's pyramids and the city around them, Tian Sang couldn't help exclaiming in awe. Compared with this place, Zul'Aman really was like a tiny country town—and a shabby one at that. The Zandalari Trolls were not to be underestimated.
Without realizing it, Tian Sang had begun to feel a sense of awe toward Zandalar. When the Pterosaur beneath him landed on the platform of the largest pyramid, he carefully climbed down and followed Malacrass.
Malacrass, too, gazed at the magnificent pyramid with awe in his heart. He no longer dared to try any tricks. When Tian Sang came over, he explained that the pyramid beneath their feet was called Dazar'alor, while the other one in the distance was called Zanchul.
The Dazar'alor pyramid housed the Golden Throne. The God-King of Zandalar usually sat there, listening to his advisers and deciding the fate of all Zandalar. The Zanchul pyramid, meanwhile, housed the Loa's shrines and their priests. The gods received the Trolls' worship there and watched over their growth.
By telling Tian Sang where they were, Malacrass was also warning him not to cause trouble. Tian Sang understood, of course. He wouldn't dare start anything here. Not learning anything would be bad enough; losing his life would be far worse.
Since he had come as a representative of Zul'Aman, Malacrass spoke with the Zandalari guards. They quickly went to deliver the message and soon returned with an order summoning them to meet the Zandalari God-King, Rastakhan.
Rastakhan was the current King of Zandalar, a descendant of Dazar, the founder of Zandalar. An aged and powerful Witch Doctor, he had received the protection of Zandalar's many gods and become their representative. He ruled over the Zandalari Trolls as a living god, and was therefore also called the God-King.
Having secured an audience with Rastakhan, Malacrass didn't dare linger. He immediately led Tian Sang and the two warriors after the guard, climbing step by step up the steep stairs to the hall at the very top of the Dazar'alor pyramid.
Inside a stone chamber built from tightly fitted megaliths, several fully armed guards stood before the Golden Throne. Following Malacrass, Tian Sang met Rastakhan. His skin was a pale gray, and, as expected, he was dressed head to toe in gold. The fan-shaped crown on his head was especially large, adorned with blue feathers and the fangs of great beasts.
After a quick glance at the Zandalari king's attire, Tian Sang lowered his eyes to avoid offending the Trolls here with an improper stare. Then, together with Malacrass and the other two, he bowed in greeting.
"Malacrass of the Amani, I bring you greetings from Zul'jin, most revered..." Kneeling on one knee, Malacrass addressed the Zandalari king seated on the throne in the Trolls' Zandali tongue, careful not to meet his gaze. But before he could finish, he was interrupted.
"I have received your greetings, Malacrass of the Amani..." Rastakhan raised his right hand from the golden chair, first holding up his palm to stop Malacrass. Then he pointed toward Tian Sang, who was kneeling with his head bowed nearby, his attention fixed on the five-fingered hand resting on Tian Sang's bent right knee.
"You. Raise your head and tell me your name. How old are you this year? Tell me, what happened to your hand?" Rastakhan's words made Tian Sang stiffen. Even Malacrass beside him turned rigid.
"Respected God-King Rastakhan, I am Zul'ra of the Amani. I have seen fifteen springs, and I offer you my reverence." Tian Sang raised his head slightly and looked at the Troll God-King pointing at him. He glanced at the five-fingered hand on his right knee, and his heart gave a small jolt. Still, he gathered his courage and explained in halting Zandali.
"My fingers are a gift from the gods."
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