G'nathus Elaka

While listening to Kupaka recount the traditions and history of the Tortollan, Zul'ra and his companions arrived before a stone temple. It bore a distinct Trolls style, with angular protrusions above the portal, though the entrance was shrouded in a ring of purple magical light.

"Kurtaki, bravely welcome the trial of the King of Beasts!" Looking at that ring of magical light, Zul'ra spoke to Kurtaki immediately, giving him no chance to retort. It is your turn to go; I will cover you from here.

"G'nathus Elaka is fierce and swift, with sharp teeth and claws, and a keen mind." Facing Zul'ra's goading, Kurtaki did not flinch; he recited the hymn aloud and knelt before the temple gate.

"He is skilled in lurking, and long in patience, his target focused, his stride steady.

The foolish suffer—but not G'nathus, for he is wise beyond measure, with a fiery temper.

If you earn the favor of the spirit, he grants you divine power, and a just will.

Those he accepts, possess boundless ability; if you have the mettle, accept the trial."

The Trolls' poem vividly described G'nathus Elaka, the Tiger God who is the King of Beasts and the Bane of Prey. Kurtaki recited the verses devoutly, bowed at the temple entrance, and then stood still with his eyes closed.

Facing Kurtaki, who was devoutly closing his eyes to face the trial, the Trolls who had come along to protect the team, as well as the leading Tortollan like Kupaka, all knelt down. Seeing this, Zul'ra set aside the various thoughts and distractions in his mind, and with a heart of reverence, knelt down with the others to implore the Tiger God to manifest.

"What do you seek?" A deep, unfamiliar voice resonated from his ears, accompanied by a sense of awe. Zul'ra, familiar with this process, responded in a low voice.

"I seek the guidance of the spirit." He had come here to find out why the spirits were not responding, but he had to be polite.

"What does the Leaping Tiger teach you?"

"Patience, focus, and the courage to act." Zul'ra thought briefly about the hymn of G'nathus and gave his answer. Every spirit had a different personality and specialty; as long as one grasped the core, a general answer would suffice.

"From where does your strength come?"

"My wisdom." Zul'ra replied without hesitation.

"Think more carefully."

"A firm will." Zul'ra pondered for a moment and changed his answer.

"What is a happy life?"

"Glory."

"What do those with foresight see?"

"The vast world."

"Think again." The Tiger God's prompt made Zul'ra reflect. For a tiger skilled in hunting, what he saw was nature, a hunting ground of his own. Hmm, but when I answer, I should be more humble.

"I belong to nature."

"Come in! I am waiting for you." The voice in his ear responded. Zul'ra opened his eyes to see the surrounding Tortollan and his companions still kneeling, while the purple light that had shrouded the temple gate had vanished.

Am I the only one who answered the questions correctly? Looking at the people kneeling on the ground, cold sweat broke out on Zul'ra's forehead. He did not mind talking to a Loa, but to be honest, facing a living Loa alone was a bit...

"Come in." The voice echoed in his ear. Zul'ra's plan to call everyone to enter the temple together stalled, and he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward. He crossed the portal that had been shrouded in purple light, and as soon as he passed through, the purple ring at the gate rose once again.

Zul'ra looked at the purple ring blocking the entrance and couldn't help but grimace. It seemed this Tiger God wanted to speak with him alone and had no intention of letting the others in. But why exactly did he want to do it this way?

Having entered the temple, there was no turning back. Zul'ra composed himself and walked into the dark interior, where a Voodoo-style shrine stood.

The Voodoo-style shrine consisted of a stone tablet with carvings, topped with a square, golden tiger head. In front of the tablet was a stone pedestal for incense or magical dust, but Zul'ra saw a cluster of orange light floating above it.

"A ring?" Zul'ra focused his gaze and saw that inside the fire-like orange light was indeed a ring.

"This is the Ring of Tides."

A low voice came from behind the shrine. Zul'ra quickly looked up to see a giant tiger, four or five meters at the shoulder, with fiery red fur on its back, wavy patterns all over its body, and snow-white fur on its jaw and neck. It poked its head out from behind the shrine, its tail visible on the other side. Its canine teeth protruded from its lips, and there was a scar over its right eye. The shadow it cast as it emerged from the darkness, combined with its gaze that looked down on everything, was like a king patrolling the jungle.

"King of Beasts, Tiger God G'nathus Elaka, Zul'ra offers you his respects." Looking at the giant tiger radiating dominance, Zul'ra composed himself to show reverence. This was not his first time seeing a living Loa; before this G'nathus, he had seen Rezan the King's Protector at a Zandalar festival. His evaluation of that Devilsaur was only one word: Wealthy.

"Your heart is full of cunning." G'nathus looked at the Troll, whose tusks hooked downward, who had five fingers, blue-gray skin, and black hair tied loosely behind his head, and who wore a Zandalar sword at his waist. The tiger shifted his gaze slightly and bared his teeth.

"I do not know how to defend myself." Zul'ra cleared his mind. These Loa were not omnipotent gods—no such thing existed—but they did possess special abilities to accurately read human hearts and emotional activity, and their thinking was more flexible than that of mortals.

"No defense is needed; you may take that as a compliment." G'nathus walked out from behind the shrine, revealing his full length of nearly ten meters, including his tail.

"Then I should be grateful!" Zul'ra followed the giant tiger's lead.

"I have received it. Now, I want to tell you about my affairs." G'nathus leaped lightly, with an agility that belied his massive frame, onto a large boulder. He curled his four paws and lay down, his massive body rising and falling with his breath.

"I will listen with my heart." Watching the giant tiger lying on the ground, Zul'ra walked over, found a clean stone slab, sat cross-legged, and assumed a listening posture.

"That Ring of Tides was taken by me hundreds of years ago from the hands of a Naga. That Naga was named Mepgira. She was a servant of a powerful being from the depths of the ocean. She came to Darkwood Beach, attacked Kupaka's village, and slaughtered my Champion and many others." The giant tiger's voice deepened, and his rapid breathing caused a strange sound to emanate from his body.

"You are angry!" Seeing the giant tiger's reaction, Zul'ra could imagine the situation. This giant tiger hasn't accepted followers for hundreds of years—is he feeling guilty for not protecting the village of his Tortollan believers?

"Yes, I have reason to be angry. When I arrived and saw the blood everywhere, I tore Mepgira to pieces in my rage and took this ring from her." The giant tiger stood up on the boulder and turned around. His whiskers twitched, but after a moment, they drooped again.

"But at the very moment I killed her, she unleashed a curse upon my Champions, trapping them in a battle they can never win."