Secret Chamber

The Earth-Warder would never build their lair near the lairs of other Dragons.

More and more mountains appeared, and these mountains, unlike those of ordinary people, were neither towering high into the clouds nor weathered by time. Nathanos felt that these mountains were not formed naturally. One mountain was even missing a section of its northern face, as if someone had cleaved it in two with a giant sword. Nathanos could see the mottled texture of the minerals on the mountain, as well as traces of caves. Another mountain had a crown-like structure at its summit, resembling a tree.

The scene before him was breathtaking. The Undead looked away and crouched down to examine the soil. Now, the most urgent task was to find Neltharion's trail.

Nathanos moved slowly forward, searching almost everywhere. After several unsuccessful attempts, he had to begin to consider that Neltharion might not be so naive after all. Perhaps this black dragon knew this place intimately, more than anyone could imagine, which was why it could hide so perfectly.

Look here!

A tiny mark caught Broxigar's attention. It bore a resemblance to the tracks of a young dragon, which seemed unlikely. Nathanos focused his attention on the mark.

"This looks like the mark left by a dragon's wing." The Undead shook his head with a grave expression. "This is not good news. If there are other black dragons guarding Neltharion, it will be very difficult for us to get close to him."

However, Broxigar knew that Nathanos hadn't finished speaking. Finding the black dragon was one thing; avoiding being discovered was another. Neltharion therefore exceptionally sensitive to his surroundings. The slightest mishap would expose them.

Therefore, we cannot be careless in the slightest.

Following the trail, the scenery ahead was even more indescribable. Recalling Deathwing power, Nathanos slowed his pace.

The black dragon was hiding somewhere nearby. Just as the mountains and rivers became blurred, the Undead suddenly sensed his presence, along with something else—an evil aura permeating the entire area, far more ancient than anything else.

"This place isn't right." Broxigar looked around.

"Shh!" Nathanos gestured for the Orcs to be quiet, and they immediately complied, but both of them silently gripped their weapons. Everything around them seemed to be in sync with Nathanos; there wasn't even a whisper of wind.

The silence was soon broken by a rumbling sound that seemed to come from inside the tunnel. The sound was very rhythmic, but it was hard to imagine what kind of creature was breathing so heavily.

"The sound is coming from over there," Nathanos whispered. The two easily located their target.

The enormous cavern was like a scene from a nightmare. Several huge, deep pits filled with flowing lava were scattered across the ground. Bubbles rose from the pits from time to time, spewing out plumes of orange-red smoke that formed terrifying clouds in the air, hissing and emitting sizzling sounds. Hot lava gushed out intermittently, splashing onto the scorched rocks.

"Listen, it seems there's more than just that sound!"

Upon reaching the cave entrance, the Undead and Orcs stopped simultaneously. Nathanos nodded in agreement. Besides the bubbling and hissing sounds, another faint sound emanated from the depths of the cave: the clanging of hammers. Broxigar listened intently, realizing the sound wasn't from a single hammer, but from multiple hammers, interspersed with other sounds. It was the sound of talking, an incessant chatter. The echoing of hammers reverberated through the cave, as if a giant blacksmith lived in the mountains.

"Shall we go in?"

Nathanos did not answer Broxigar, but the act of nocking his bow and arrow already conveyed his answer to the Orcs.

"Let's find Malfurion first; that Druids should be quite familiar with the cave."

The Undead led the way, the Orcs followed. They soon figured out who was making all the fuss: Goblins again, but this time a large group. The cave was filled with these lean, muscular creatures. Some Goblins were busily working around giant vats and furnaces, pouring steaming molten metal into massive rectangular iron molds. Goblins were pounding iron plates with worn-out hammers, the plates glowing red-hot, their extent unknown. A dozen or so Goblins were busy hammering huge bolts. As they Goblins, the goblins muttered to themselves. Nathanos watched intently.

"Hurry up!" a Goblins foreman's voice suddenly roared. "Finish this order before that dragon wakes up, then run away as fast as you can."

"Run away?"

Startled by the sound, Nathanos immediately pulled his head back and pressed his hand against Broxigar's heart to keep him still. Having dealt with Deathwing before, he would never forget the dragon's voice.

Not long after, the black dragon emerged from a passage in another cave.

Nathanos feared that Neltharion would sense the death emanating from him. However, the intense heat and metallic smell of the surrounding area masked his unease.

The Goblins who had just uttered the word "run away" was trembling, covering his face with his hands, doing so repeatedly to avoid Neltharion's wrath.

The Undead finally peeked out, and the dragon looked even more ferocious than before. His body was twisted and deformed, and his eyes were more terrifying than ever. Even more chilling were the numerous gaping wounds on his scaly body, from which flames and lava constantly spewed forth. Some wounds even emitted tongues of fire that danced wildly. It seemed as if Neltharion's body would one day be torn to pieces.

But when Nathanos saw the object tightly gripped in one of the dragon's giant claws, the idea of the black dragon splitting apart vanished from his mind.

Demon Soul...

Nathanos desperately wanted to rush at the dragon and snatch the golden disc from its hand, but this idea was not only wishful thinking and impossible, but also tantamount to a moth drawn to a flame, a path to certain death. The only thing he could do now was to wait and see.

"Don't have any improper thoughts, reptile!" Neltharion roared again. His tail slammed to the ground with a loud thud, startling several Goblins. Nathanos was surprised that Neltharion hadn't executed the Goblins with the malicious intentions, but had only issued a warning.

The Goblins foreman nodded repeatedly, regaining his composure.

"Yes, yes! Neltharion, my master. What are your orders?"

"My body is being torn apart! It can no longer contain the power of the Dragon Soul! When will you be able to forge the armor?"

"This requires calculation, measurement, and consideration of all your requirements, my master! We must be careful and not rush things, or we will displease you!"

The black dragon's nose suddenly Goblins, nearly knocking him to the ground. "I hope it's over soon! Right now would be best!"

"Of course! Of course!" The Goblins took a few steps back until he could see the dragon's eyes. "Please allow me to see the latest progress on the armor." The Goblins glanced sideways at Neltharion's claws. "Master, if I may be so bold, I warned you that the power emanating from the disc would aggravate your injuries! You'd better leave it somewhere else until we dress you in your new armor."

"Impossible! I won't let it leave my side even for a second!"

The Goblins stood motionless. "My master, if you don't set it aside, I can't guarantee you'll last until the armor is finished. By then, anyone can take the disc from your ashes."

These words finally had an effect on the black dragon. Neltharion roared a few times... then said reluctantly, "There's some truth to that, but give me what I want quickly, or I'll hand you over to my children and let them eat you as snacks!"

The Goblins and said, "Don't worry, Master, please rest assured!"

The black dragon roared from its mouth, then clumsily turned around and walked into the other passage.

Nathanos's tense body finally relaxed. "Did you hear that? The black dragon is going to take that thing down. Now is the chance. The Dragon Soul isn't in Neltharion's hands."

Broxigar nodded in a low voice, "Then let's hurry up and follow them."

Having evaded the gazes of several Goblins, Nathanos and Broxigar slipped into the passage. They dared not get too close, but Neltharion's wandering through the labyrinthine tunnels was even making Broxigar somewhat impatient.

The closest Nathanos ever came to the black dragon was when he saw its shadow. Even when he couldn't see the black dragon, he was certain he hadn't lost it.

The dragon's footsteps ceased; he seemed to have stopped. The Orcs and Undead instinctively halted and burrowed deep into the stone wall. After a moment, they cautiously peered out from behind it.

Nathanos quickly gave chase. Just as he was about to catch up, the Earthwarden suddenly turned into a narrow cave, just big enough for Neltharion's body to fit inside. His enormous body inevitably rubbed against the walls.

"This is it..." he said softly, clearly speaking to his masterpiece, "You are safe here."

Neltharion stealthily reached up and grabbed a small, protruding rock. The rock flashed with light, and after he moved it aside, a passage appeared inside—clearly man-made, likely dug by the black dragon himself. The Earth-Warder glanced at the Demon Soul, hesitated for a long time, and then gently placed it into the cave. Once everything was in place, he put the exposed rock back in its original spot.

Another flash of light, and everything was perfectly restored. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Nathanos would never have imagined that the stone concealed such a mysterious mechanism. The deceptive stone blended seamlessly with its surroundings.

To Nathanos's surprise, he couldn't sense the disc's presence at all. It was unlikely that the black dragon had hidden the disc outside the mortal realm, but he must have found a foolproof plan.

Neltharion stood there, paused for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the place where the Demon Soul was kept. He raised his claws again, the sharp claws only inches from the stone.

The black dragon let out a frustrated roar, reluctantly lowered its claws, and turned to leave the cave.

They patiently waited for Neltharion to leave. Those few minutes felt incredibly long. After confirming that the black dragon was far away, the Undead and Orcs exchanged glances, making sure the cave was empty, and then they went to where the Demon Soul was hiding.

Even when he got close to the rock, he still couldn't feel anything.

Nathanos was both excited and puzzled, feeling that things were going too smoothly.

"Hurry!" Broxigar urged.

The Undead hesitated for a long time before reaching out to touch the rock.

Don't touch it!