This Didn't Make Sense

With the deaths of the four Stone Keepers, the great gate leading to the Seat of Khaz'goroth on the lowest level slowly opened.

The group cleared the battlefield and entered the passage leading down.

On either side of the stone gate were white marble reliefs depicting the stories of the creator Titans, along with Western Gothic stone walls and domes that made every sculpture seem lifelike. Arcane light flickered, and their shadows swayed across the floor with it.

Venturing deeper, they passed through the long corridor leading to the Seat of Khaz'goroth. Their footsteps echoed, giving them a different appreciation of the stillness deep underground.

They reached the statue of Archaedas. The towering giant stood in the center of the temple, magnificent and imposing, giving them the illusion that they ought to look up and worship him. Before Archaedas stood his Awakening Altar, surrounded by his servants. Behind the stone gate at his back, the Discs of Norgannon lay quietly.

"This should be the stone pedestal. It's the same as the one on the level above, but I don't know how to activate it." Redul examined the pedestal closely.

"They only look alike on the surface. The patterns on this pedestal are completely different from the one above, and it won't turn either." Alleria reached her conclusion after carefully examining it.

They were now only one step away from success. Stopping here would mean all their previous efforts had been wasted. Only a single door separated Patrick from the Discs of Norgannon.

[This pedestal gives off a powerful arcane aura. It may need an infusion of arcane energy to activate.] A voice he had not heard in a long time sounded in his mind.

Ellen Moonsaint's reminder cleared Patrick's thoughts. Wasn't the treasure being guarded here the Discs of Norgannon? Norgannon was the Titan who governed the arcane, so using arcane energy to activate the mechanism was perfectly reasonable.

"Let me try. Perhaps Arcane Magic will work?"

The five dwarves stared blankly at Patrick, their eyes saying things like, "Go ahead," "Whatever you like," and "Boss, do whatever you want."

Patrick stepped up to the pedestal and slowly poured pale blue arcane energy into it. Alleria noticed a purple gem emerge beneath the pedestal, sparkling brightly. Then the entire Altar of Archaedas began radiating blue-violet light. The whole Hall of the Makers began to tremble, and dust started falling from Archaedas in its center.

An overwhelming presence burst from the statue and swept toward them, bearing the primal, mighty power of the Titans.

A scene identical to the original WoW dungeon sequence played out before Patrick's eyes.

"Who..."

Redul and Olaf tightened their grips on their warhammers, their fingers turning faintly white where they pressed against the weapons.

"Dares... awaken Archaedas..."

The surrounding petrified Earthen and Stone Managers also began to shed their petrification. Many of the Earthen were already moving their arms. The grinding of stone was particularly grating, sending waves of pain through the ears of the two elves, Patrick and Alleria.

This isn't right. Isn't Archaedas supposed to awaken the surrounding Earthen and Stone Managers only after his health drops to a certain point? Why are those Earthen moving already? Archaedas isn't following the script, Patrick grumbled inwardly.

The group realized things were going badly. So many Earthen and two massive Stone Managers were more than Patrick, Alleria, and the five dwarves could handle, and a giant guardian left behind by the Titans was stationed here as well.

"Who..."

Archaedas let out another roar. The group intended to run out of the temple, but when they turned around, they discovered that the gate behind them had closed at some unknown point. Alleria drew a short dagger from her ranger leggings and took a defensive stance, her back against Patrick's.

"Dares... anger the god of creation..."

The imminent battle had already stretched everyone's nerves taut. The five dwarves gripped their warhammers and axes tightly in both hands, while Patrick began gathering arcane energy with all his strength.

Archaedas's eyes turned blue-violet. He swung his great hammer, scattering thousands of years of accumulated dust, and beams of blue-violet light shot straight toward Patrick's group.

Then...

Then...

Archaedas turned back into a stone statue.

The surrounding Earthen and Stone Keepers all turned into stone statues as well.

This didn't make sense.

Alleria: "..."

The five dwarves: "..."

Everyone was left somewhat dazed by the sudden turn of events. One moment, weapons were drawn and battle was about to erupt; the next, everything was calm and tranquil.

The five dwarves were so astonished that they did not even notice the battle-axes dropping from their hands.

After a long while, the five dwarves raised their weapons and burst into a deafening cheer. "Hahaha! The valiant dwarves fear nothing!"

That was just how dwarves were. Patrick paid it no mind, but Alleria was already visibly exasperated, shaking her head at the five dwarves.

Creak...

The great gate behind Archaedas slowly opened. Dazzling golden light shone from within, instantly drawing everyone's gaze.

They entered what had once been the dungeon's treasure room. Many gold coins were piled across the floor, but what truly drew Patrick's attention were the Discs of Norgannon in the center.

Even just standing before the discs, he could feel the profound, immense arcane power within them.

As though being drawn in, Patrick felt his consciousness pulled toward the Discs of Norgannon. His body, too, moved involuntarily to their side, and he gently rested his hand on them.

"Greetings, little life of Azeroth." A calm, resolute voice sounded in his mind. Its flawless Thalassian filled Patrick with an inexplicable panic. At present, apart from the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, only the Naga and the surviving Highborne of Eldre'Thalas used Thalassian. Someone appearing here and speaking Thalassian inside Patrick's mind was naturally terrifying.

"Who's speaking?" Patrick was now within his own mental world. Anyone capable of entering it and conversing with him probably had to possess power at least on the level of a demigod or above.

"You are the first intelligent life to visit this place. I am Lorekeeper Norgannon."

A platinum-colored male Titan appeared before Patrick, his entire body shimmering with arcane power. He wore a long cloak that covered his head and a belted tunic, and he had a long beard.

"A Titan? Are you the creator of Azeroth?"

"You may call us that. Back then, we made the Earthen on Azeroth. Influenced by certain environmental factors, the earliest Earthen mutated into Trogg within their matrix. These were savage, failed creations, so after locking the failures away, we began a second experiment in Uldaman. Eventually, fully formed Earthen were created. Later, they were afflicted by the Old Gods' Curse of Flesh and evolved into the sturdy race known as dwarves!"