What to do if I'm blinded by the light?

Troll culture reveres gold, and they are passionate about incorporating it into their jewelry. Female Forest Trolls in Zul'Aman take pride in owning even a single piece of gold adornment. Yet, the Zandalari Trolls passing before Tian Sang right now are draped in armor, belts, and bracers made entirely of gleaming gold, further decorated with tusks and vibrantly colored feathers.

As the Zandalari Troll, clad in his "nouveau riche" gold, walked down the street, the already hunched Trolls bowed even lower, stepping aside to clear a wide path. Even those Zandalari Trolls with upright postures chose to lower their gazes in respect rather than look him in the eye.

It seems the social hierarchy of the Zandalari is quite severe. Tian Sang narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched the opulent Troll stride proudly through the bustling market. Zandalari society was clearly more advanced than that of Zul'Aman, but the privatization of society had led to an uneven distribution of wealth; the solidification of Zandalari social classes was likely quite grave.

After scouting the harbor, a call came from afar. Tian Sang hurried back to his group to follow Malacrass, who was searching for the Forest Trolls stationed locally at the port.

Troll leaders from all over the world come to Zandalar every six years to discuss matters of fate concerning all Trolls. Thus, one can see Trolls of every tribe in Zandalar—some have settled here, while others are stationed permanently to manage their tribe's affairs.

The island of Zandalar is vast. The harbor where Tian Sang currently stood was merely the edge of the Zandalari capital, Zuldazar. The seat of government, Dazar'alor, was still quite a distance away, so Malacrass had to arrange his team carefully; he could not simply march a hundred people straight into Dazar'alor.

Only after negotiating with the King of Zandalar in Dazar'alor could the people he brought be assigned to their respective studies. Malacrass quickly settled the arrangements, then took Tian Sang and two warriors to fly to Dazar'alor by Pterosaur.

Everything in Zandalar is orderly, featuring not only commerce but also land and air transport. The Pterosaurs tamed by the Zandalari Trolls are five to six meters long, wearing golden ornaments on their claws and necks. They can easily carry two to three Trolls and, at the command of their handlers, take to the skies with a beat of their wings.

Riding the Pterosaur through the sky, Tian Sang looked down at everything below. He saw lush, verdant forests with clear rivers winding through them, mist clinging to the trees. Even at such a high altitude, he could feel a stifling heat—the climate of a tropical forest.

After flying over the forest, Tian Sang looked ahead and saw that the city of Dazar'alor had arrived. Two massive pyramids were the first to catch his eye, followed by a forest of winding, layered architecture similar in style to Zul'Aman.

Ignoring the architectural styles, just looking at those pyramids gave Tian Sang the urge to be blinded. Gold—so much gold. The Zandalari Trolls had used an immense amount of gold to decorate their pyramids; they were obscenely wealthy.

In the magnificent city, the two largest pyramids stood side by side. From afar, one could see figures walking along the stone steps and terraces, indicating that these pyramids were not merely commemorative structures. Beyond the gold decorations, each pyramid was topped with an incredibly massive stone disc, leaving one to wonder how they were ever constructed.

Beyond their sheer grandeur, the two pyramids were built over a winding river. Looking down from the sky, aside from the flow of people and dinosaurs, one could see two or three white dragon-like waterfalls cascading from the heights of the pyramids. The water poured directly into pools within the city, then flowed through conduits beneath bridges into the river outside, without a single drop overflowing—proof that the city possessed an excellent sewage system.

A work of genius. Watching the pyramids of Dazar'alor and everything else from the sky, Tian Sang couldn't help but exclaim. Compared to this, Zul'Aman truly looked like a backwater town, and a very dilapidated one at that. The Zandalari Trolls were not to be underestimated.

Invisibly, a sense of awe for the Zandalari rose within Tian Sang. As the Pterosaur beneath him landed on a platform of the largest pyramid, he carefully dismounted and followed Malacrass.

Malacrass, too, felt a sense of awe as he looked at the majestic pyramids, not daring to play any tricks. Seeing Tian Sang approach, he introduced the structures: the pyramid beneath their feet was named Dazar'alor, while the other in the distance was named Zanchul.

The Dazar'alor pyramid was the site of the Golden Throne, where the God-King of Zandalar usually sat to receive advice from his advisors and decide the fate of all Zandalar. The Zanchul pyramid was the location of the Loa shrines and their priests, where the spirits received the worship of the Trolls and watched over their growth.

Malacrass told Tian Sang where they were standing, the subtext being that he should not cause trouble here. Tian Sang naturally understood; he had no guts to stir up trouble here. Failing to learn knowledge was one thing, but losing his life would be the most tragic outcome.

Because they were representing Zul'Aman, Malacrass spoke with the Zandalari guards, who quickly went to report. Before long, they returned to convey the summons from the God-King of Zandalar, Rastakhan.

Rastakhan was the current King of Zandalar. He was of the bloodline of Dazar, the founder of Zandalar—an aged, powerful Witch Doctor who had become the spokesperson for the gods after receiving their protection. As the mortal god who ruled the Zandalari Trolls, he was also known as the "God-King."

Having successfully obtained an audience with Rastakhan, Malacrass dared not linger. He immediately led Tian Sang and the two warriors to follow the guiding guards, walking step by step up the steep stairs to the highest hall of the Dazar'alor pyramid.

In a stone chamber where the massive blocks fit together seamlessly, guarded by several fully armed warriors before the Golden Throne, Tian Sang followed Malacrass to meet Rastakhan. He saw that the King's skin was a pale, grayish hue, and he was dressed in the customary "nouveau riche" gold, topped with an especially large fan-shaped crown decorated with blue feathers and beast tusks.

Tian Sang only glanced at the Zandalari King's attire before lowering his gaze to avoid offending the Trolls here with a wandering eye. He followed Malacrass and the other two in bowing to him.

"Malacrass from Amani brings greetings to you on behalf of Zul'jin, honorable..." Malacrass knelt halfway, looking at the Zandalari King seated on the throne, avoiding direct eye contact, and offered his greetings in the Zandalari language. But before he could finish, he was interrupted.

"I have received your greetings, Malacrass of Amani..." Rastakhan lifted his right hand, which had been resting on the golden chair, using his palm to stop Malacrass's words. He then pointed a finger at Tian Sang, who was kneeling with his head bowed to the side, his gaze fixed on the five-fingered hand Tian Sang had placed on his flexed right knee.

"You, look up. Tell me, what is your name? How many winters have you seen? Tell me, what is the matter with your hand?" Rastakhan's words caused not only Tian Sang but even Malacrass to stiffen.

"Honorable God-King Rastakhan, Zul'ra from Amani, having passed fifteen springs, offers you his reverence." Tian Sang looked up slightly at the God-King pointing directly at him. He glanced at the five-fingered hand on his right knee, his heart skipping a beat, but he summoned his courage to explain in the awkward Zandalari tongue.

"My fingers are a gift from the spirits."