It's Time to Go Home

Soon, Zul'ra cast aside his worries regarding the Blood God G'huun, for Malacrass had come to seek him out. Over two years had passed in Zandalar, and during this time, more than half of those who had come to study with them had completed their respective trials. The time to return to Zul'Aman had arrived.

Following their conversation, Malacrass decided to request an audience with Rastakhan, while Zul'ra took responsibility for gathering their companions who were studying in Zandalar to inform them of the news and assist those remaining in completing their trials to prepare for the journey home.

When they first arrived in Zandalar from Zul'Aman, there were one hundred and twenty-two of them, including Zul'ra and Malacrass. Now, eighty-two had passed their trials, six had perished during them, and thirty-four had yet to undergo the ordeal.

Zul'ra wanted to help as many of the remaining thirty-four as possible pass their trials before departure so they could catch the ships back to Zul'Aman, yet he soon discovered that his intentions and actions seemed superfluous.

When faced with his offers of help, most of the thirty-four who had not yet taken their trials were evasive or simply avoided him altogether. Zul'ra did not understand what was happening at first, but after visiting two of them, he realized they no longer wished to return to Zul'Aman.

In truth, there was nothing wrong with this; all intelligent races have a habit of coveting comfort. Zul'Aman was a dilapidated, impoverished city covered in moss, while Zandalar was a glorious kingdom of fair weather and sunshine, where one could live without worry even with low social status.

To each their own, and Zul'ra could not demand too much. When he relayed the information to Malacrass after the latter's meeting with Rastakhan, the priest's reaction was difficult to accept, as most of those thirty-four individuals were people he had brought with him.

"How could they do this?" Malacrass's nostrils flared in anger, his green pupils nearly igniting with flame. Betrayal—this was betrayal.

"Let it be, Malacrass. What was the response from King Rastakhan?" Zul'ra tilted his brow slightly. Among the thirty-four who remained were several soldiers and metallurgy scholars; their lethargy was likely inseparable from Zandalar's behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

"The God-King has agreed to allow us to return home, but as previously agreed, those who failed their trials or have not yet taken them must remain in Zandalar." Malacrass lowered his gaze. He, too, had considered the composition of those staying behind, and he feared there was a certain synergy between those individuals and Rastakhan's generosity.

"Then when shall we prepare to depart?" Zul'ra watched the priest set aside his emotions and asked with a slight nod.

"Are we just going to ignore those traitors?" Malacrass could imagine Zandalar's machinations, but he ultimately felt uncomfortable; he wanted to retaliate against those traitors.

"We don't have the time for that. We all came here from Zul'Aman; although our pursuits may differ, there is no need to become enemies over this." Zul'ra shook his head. To each their own; despite his disapproval, he could not cause trouble in Zandalar. Returning to Zul'Aman was the priority now.

"Fine! We shall return to Zul'Aman immediately." Malacrass felt uneasy hearing Zul'ra's words, but after carefully considering the situation, he ultimately chose to compromise. Now was not the time to stir up trouble.

Once they had reached an agreement, Malacrass went to arrange the ships, while Zul'ra went to organize the personnel and bid farewell to his mentor, Lal, and close friends like Talanji. Naturally, he faced some attempts to persuade him to stay, but regarding the question of remaining in Zandalar, he had already made his decision while meditating in his Saberon mask, and he would not go back on it.

Zul'ra politely declined the entreaties of Lal and Talanji and wished them well. Yes, it was true—these two trolls had somehow gotten together; love was truly a mysterious thing.

Lal was a priest of the Pterosaur god Pa'ku, and his faith was Voodoo, while Talanji was a priestess of the Raptor god Gonkk, though she followed the path of the Druid. The two were incompatible, yet love had brought them together.

Regarding the happy news of Lal and Talanji, Zul'ra expressed his regret at being unable to attend the wedding and offered his blessings for their love. He then notified the companions who were staying in Zandalar—whether by choice or circumstance—giving them his understanding and the date of their departure, leaving it entirely up to them whether they wished to see them off.

After a flurry of activity, on a day with a gentle breeze and bright sunshine, Zul'ra shouldered his pack and, after twenty-seven months, boarded the ship returning to Zul'Aman from the Rastali War Port.

A light breeze carried the ten ships away from the port. These vessels returning to Zul'Aman carried, in addition to the Forest Troll sailors, two priests, eleven scholars, sixteen soldiers, and fifty-three various craftsmen, farmers, boatmen, and other artisans.

On the deck of the slowly moving ship, Zul'ra first gathered his classmates, including Malacrass, and then produced a wooden box, distributing circular gold rings from within to everyone.

"Come, take one each. This is a souvenir." Zul'ra took a gold ring from the box, handed it to Malacrass, and then distributed the rest to the others.

"Where did you get so much gold?" Malacrass looked at the gold ring in his hand, which lacked any magical glow but was engraved with special patterns, and looked up at Zul'ra, who was stooping to hand out the rings.

"King Rastakhan gifted me a golden mask, and I had Zak'al from the Artisan Platform melt it down for me." Zul'ra smiled as he answered while handing out the rings. Rastakhan had given him a mask and a pair of bracers; he had given the bracers to Lal and Talanji as a wedding gift, and the mask had been cast into these rings.

Most of the people on the ship received the golden rings, their faces showing appreciation and joy, for trolls had a long-standing tradition of revering gold, but Zul'Aman was simply too poor. As for their time in Zandalar, they had not possessed Zul'ra's luck to receive such a reward from Rastakhan.

The eighty-four Forest Trolls had all studied in Zandalar as commoners. Although Zandalar's system allowed them to possess some non-combat gold ornaments, they had not had the wealth to afford such things.

"This is but a small trinket. Everyone, we have learned knowledge in Zandalar, and today we return to Zul'Aman. Please remember this moment." Zul'ra finished distributing the rings, ensuring everyone had one, and then raised his left hand, revealing the golden ring on his pinky finger.

"We shall use the knowledge we have acquired to build our empire and change our homeland. We will surely restore the glory of Zul'Aman. For the Amani!" Zul'ra raised his finger and issued a solemn call. The trolls who had received the rings placed them on their middle or pinky fingers and responded to his words with solemn eyes.

"For the Amani!" The trolls shouted the slogan, dispelling the lingering confusion and reluctance in their hearts, and finding a sense of direction for the path ahead.

"..." Malacrass slipped the ring onto his pinky finger and watched Zul'ra, who was distributing the rings and swearing to change their homeland. He narrowed his eyes, harboring two thoughts in his heart, but he did not say much more.