The Well of Eternity

War was cruel by nature. Although Vanidak's series of brilliant commands had allowed the Keepers, who had initially been at a disadvantage, to claw their way back from the brink, the slaughter continued as the Titan-Forged and the remaining Kraxxi fought in a bloody frenzy.

At last, Odyn launched a fierce assault in the midst of battle and annihilated every enemy caught in the melee. Inspired by him, the remaining Titan-Forged rose up in retaliation. In the end, just like C'Thun and N'Zoth before him, Yogg-Saron was buried deep beneath the earth by the Keepers and locked inside an enormous magical prison.

With that, every Old God that had invaded Azeroth was defeated by the Keepers, and all of Azeroth entered an unprecedented, if brief, age of peace.

"The Titan-Forged have successfully banished those chaotic Elemental Lords to another plane. At the same time, they have swept away our greatest enemy: the forces of the Black Empire. The Old Gods' power no longer has anywhere to manifest on Azeroth," Norgannon reported to Aman'Thul.

"Though it took countless hardships, Azeroth has finally been saved." Aggramar finally let out a breath of relief. The world he had discovered, a world that bore one of their own kind, had finally been reborn before his eyes.

"Saved? Not quite." Vanidak suddenly shattered the Titans' pleasant illusion.

"Brothers, didn't you see that enormous wound at the center of the world's landmass? And Aman'Thul, you really were brutal. You used so much force that you gave Azeroth a—"

Bang!

Eonar decisively struck Vanidak in the back of the head, cutting off whatever her brother might have said next. Watching Vanidak lie on the ground and rub his head, Eonar said angrily, "Vanidak, you are beyond saving. The filthy thoughts bred within your soul are even more depraved than the Old Gods!"

"That is slander! I was going to say that Aman'Thul crushing Y'Shaarj with one hand was incredibly cool! But aren't you going to deal with that wound on Azeroth? Titan energy is still pouring out of it! What were you thinking?!"

"I..."

"What do you mean, 'I'? I never would have guessed it—Eonar, with those dignified brows and righteous eyes, you would think of that sort of thing too..."

"You..."

"What do you mean, 'you'? Why are you pointing at me? I did not say anything improper. Why did you interrupt me? Could it be that you have a guilty conscience?"

"..."

Watching Eonar straddle Vanidak and pound him mercilessly below, the King of Gods helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead. He said to the other Titans, "Although... ah... Vanidak's words were somewhat... unpleasant to hear, the point behind them is indeed something we must heed. That wound truly was my fault."

"King of Gods, none of us anticipated what happened. The most urgent matter now is how to remedy it." Khaz'goroth stared at the miniature model of Azeroth before them, his gaze fixed on the terrifying gash at its center.

"Indeed. That dreadful wound directly connects to Azeroth's world core. Even setting aside the ongoing damage it inflicts upon the Titan soul, unstable Arcane energy is continuously surging out through that fissure and spreading across the world." Norgannon carefully considered possible solutions.

Hearing the two Titans, Aman'Thul made up his mind. He rose to his feet and declared, "Yes. If we do not bring this energy under control, one day it will consume Azeroth..."

"Then it would drown in its own blood. Wouldn't that make those Old God demons right? Hehe." Vanidak, still lying on the ground and being beaten, suddenly added.

"..." Aman'Thul gave his brother on the ground a helpless glance before continuing, "In any case, inform the Keepers on Azeroth that their task is not yet complete. We need to repair that wound."

"Also, Eonar, why have you stopped? I do not think Vanidak has enjoyed himself enough yet!"

"No! Don't come any closer!"

The Titans' orders quickly reached the Keepers. They immediately set out, and after tireless labor day and night, they created an enormous magical barrier around the wound to prevent life energy from continuing to flow out. At last, under the Keepers' control, the turbulent energy gradually settled, and everything returned to balance.

The Keepers left only a lake shimmering with radiant energy atop that wound. They named this extraordinary lake the Well of Eternity. From that moment onward, this wondrous spring, carrying purified Titan energy, began in turn to nourish the world that had only just recovered from grave illness. All manner of life began to take root and sprout rapidly across Azeroth through the energy released by the Well.

"Mm, these little fellows have done well." After receiving a brutal beating from Eonar, Vanidak showed no sign of injury as he observed the Keepers' actions. Seeing the Titan-Forged successfully transform that wound into a miracle capable of nurturing life, he could not help but praise them.

"Of course they did well," Norgannon replied. Then he said to Aman'Thul, "King of Gods, I believe we need to offer some help to our unborn brother. Given the current situation in the Dark Void, I do not think we have time to wait for him to grow and awaken on his own."

"You are right, Norgannon. That is precisely what concerns me. We must give him some help!" Aman'Thul nodded in approval.

"Then I shall help them create some useful machines. Hopefully, they will aid Azeroth." Khaz'goroth took the task upon himself.

Under Khaz'goroth's design and guidance, Archaedas among the Keepers worked with the clever Mimiron to create two machines. They named them the Forge of Wills and the Forge of Origination.

The two machines could operate in tandem, capturing and collecting energy traveling through the universe. This energy would be sent to Azeroth's world core, helping Azeroth's sleeping soul mature more quickly.

After meticulous planning, the Forge of Wills was to be placed in the north of the world. This machine could shape the World Soul's capacity for perception. The Forge of Origination would be installed in the south of Azeroth, where it would regulate the rhythms deep underground and thereby strengthen the World Soul's form.

After the two machines were built, the Keepers set out separately. Due to his immense achievements in the war against the Old Gods, Odyn was appointed Prime Designate. He was responsible for commanding his companions to install the Forge of Wills atop a broad northern ridge, a mountain range later known as the Storm Peaks. He was tasked with maintaining the Forge of Wills and guarding Yogg-Saron's prison. Odyn and the other wardens built the magnificent Ulduar Fortress there, which would serve as the Titan-Forged's primary stronghold on Azeroth. Not only did the fortress house Yogg-Saron's prison and the Forge of Wills, but it would also contain other mechanical devices the Keepers intended to create.

As a creation designed and guided by Khaz'goroth, the Forge of Wills had another important purpose: it could absorb Azeroth's own vital essence and grant form and awareness to stone and metal. It could create not only giants, but other kinds of Titan-Forged as well. Vanidak jokingly called this function an "automated figurine factory." These newly created generations of Titan-Forged could help the Keepers bring order to Azeroth.

While the Forge of Wills continuously produced new Titan-Forged, High Keeper Ra led a newly born force from the Forge of Wills—the Anubisath giants, the lion-bodied Tol'vir, and the indomitable Mogu. These newborn Titan-Forged followed Ra south to install the Forge of Origination.

Along the way, Ra sensed that fragments of Y'Shaarj's physical remains were still scattered throughout the southern regions of the world. When Aman'Thul slew the Old God, some pieces of its crushed body had fallen to the surface, and the land where they lay had already been corrupted by evil. The largest and most intact fragment was the Old God's cold heart. This enormous mass of rotten flesh, pulsing with Void energy, was still spreading endless corruption.

After discovering this, Ra did not destroy the heart outright. Perhaps he lacked the power to do so, or perhaps the battle from back then had left lasting effects upon him. In any case, Ra chose to construct an underground chamber and hide the Heart of Y'Shaarj within it, leaving the evil power contained inside with nowhere to spread. He believed that studying the Old God's heart could help him and the other Keepers understand the nature of the Old Gods and other Void creatures. Thus, he ordered his Mogu followers to guard the Vault of Y'Shaarj and tend to the surrounding land.

After arranging everything, Ra continued westward. There, he and his followers installed the Forge of Origination on the ground. As the massive machine activated, the earth rumbled beneath Ra's feet. The High Keeper soon sensed that the two Forges had begun operating in concert. Unlike the Forge of Wills, the Forge of Origination had its own distinct but vital purpose.

Because Azeroth's flora and fauna had been tainted by the Old Gods' corrupting power for countless ages, Eonar added a mighty power of purification to the Forge of Origination's design. The wondrous energy within this colossal machine could cleanse all living things and allow the world to breathe with new life.

After completing this work, Ra led his followers in constructing a towering fortress around the Forge of Origination. He named it Uldum, and it would serve as the Keepers' southern base of operations.

Afterward, the High Keeper ordered some of the Tol'vir and Anubisath to guard Uldum forever. He led his remaining servants northwest, arriving at a place later known as Silithus. Here, the prison of the Old God C'Thun lay buried deep beneath the barren earth. Ra and his followers labored tirelessly around the prison and eventually constructed the grand Ahn'Qiraj. Once the task was complete, the High Keeper ordered the remaining Titan-Forged to stay behind and defend this stronghold.

As for Ra himself, after completing all this, he began wandering the southern reaches of Azeroth, watching over the other Titan-Forged from afar to ensure that his arrangements were faithfully carried out.