With the Guardian of the Forge, Ignis, leading the way, the colossal stone sentinel effortlessly cleared the passage, and Galen and his companions ventured deeper into the heart of Ulduar.
Inside, they encountered a disturbing sight: the female stone giant Auriaya, wandering aimlessly through the temple corridor, surrounded by several obsidian cheetahs.
"Orlyia..." Archaedas murmured, a hint of sorrow in his voice.
"Ah, it seems we have another... acquaintance," Galen observed. "Who will face her?"
"I will, Highlord," Ironaya declared, her voice firm. The female giant from Uldaman, who had been silently following the group, stepped forward. Seeing Auriaya, the former archivist of Ulduar, Ironaya knew that she, too, had fallen victim to Yogg-Saron's insidious corruption.
The group paused at the edge of a circular passage, peering down into the depths. Below lay Yogg-Saron's prison, its containment dome visibly damaged, with the Old God's malevolent power leaking into the ancient halls.
Though tempted to leap directly into the abyss, Galen knew a more methodical approach was necessary. Their immediate priority was to retrieve Freya, the Life-Binder, and Mimiron, the Master Inventor.
Auriaya and Ironaya were already locked in combat, their movements sluggish and distorted by Yogg-Saron's influence. The obsidian cats, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light, darted around the two giants, adding to the chaotic scene.
Galen, however, saw little more than a pathetic struggle. Neither construct was a true warrior, and their movements lacked the precision and power he had come to expect.
"Let us move on," Galen said, turning away from the spectacle. "To the Conservatory of Life!"
Freya held a unique position among the Titan Watchers, and her legends still resonated throughout Azeroth.
After the Titans imprisoned the Old Gods, the Watchers began the arduous task of shaping Azeroth. Freya found solace in the untamed wilderness of the primordial world.
Though some whispered that she had crafted the Emerald Dream, Galen remained skeptical. That feat seemed more aligned with the power of Eonar, the Life-Binder, consort of Aman'Thul, the Highfather.
Nevertheless, Freya had played a crucial role in shaping Azeroth's vibrant ecosystem. The beings known as Wild Gods owed their existence, in some part, to her influence.
During her wanderings, Freya had encountered some of Azeroth's most potent animal spirits. Imbued with extraordinary life energy, she had nurtured them, granting them greater power and sentience, elevating them to the status of Wild Gods.
Thus, the title of Wild God became synonymous with these powerful animal spirits, including Malorne the White Stag, Ashamane the Black Panther, Aviana the Eagle, Agamaggan the Wild Boar, and Goldrinn the Great Wolf, among others.
Freya had also forged a connection between these Wild Gods and the Emerald Dream, ensuring their cyclical rebirth. As long as their soul essence remained intact, they could traverse the veil between life and death, reincarnating within the ethereal realm.
Soon, the group arrived at a vast, verdant courtyard, teeming with life. Towering trees formed a natural canopy, and two large lakes, north and south, were connected by a crystal-clear river.
"This is the Conservatory of Life!" Freya's avatar exclaimed, her voice filled with a sense of homecoming. The air thrummed with potent life energy. A seed planted there would likely take root and sprout within seconds.
"Intruders..." a voice boomed, like the creaking of ancient wood.
Three colossal trees stirred, their forms shifting and contorting until they resembled humanoid figures. They were the ancient tree elders mentioned in the intelligence reports: Brightleaf, Ironbranch, and Stoneskin Elder.
"Who dares trespass...?"
"To defile my sanctuary...?"
From within the heart of the Conservatory, a figure emerged. A woman, taller than even Auriaya, with skin the color of burnished bronze, strode forth with regal authority. She was the largest female Titan construct Galen had ever seen.
"Awaken, my sister!" Freya's avatar cried, her form dissolving into motes of green light.
"Awaken, my mistress!" the tree elders echoed, their voices filled with ancient reverence.
As Freya's avatar merged with her main body, the Life-Binder stirred, her eyes fluttering open with a dazed expression.
Galen's eyes narrowed. He seized the opportunity, summoning a Goblin Folding Portal with practiced ease.
He remembered Freya's ability to create avatars. He intended to claim her as one of his own, to add her unique skills to his arsenal.
Seeing Galen's actions, the three ancient tree elders stirred, their wooden limbs creaking with anger. But before they could intervene, a storm of crackling energy engulfed them.
"Stand down," Galen commanded.
Thorim, his eyes blazing with celestial power, unleashed a devastating barrage of lightning, incinerating the tree elders. Their ancient forms were reduced to charred husks, their life force extinguished in an instant.
The portal shimmered into existence, and a squad of Farmer Transports poured forth, their mechanical arms whirring. They carefully lifted the dazed Freya and carried her into the portal, transporting her to Un'Goro Crater, where she would undergo the process of conversion and become one of Galen's loyal followers.
"Let's go," Galen said, turning to Thorim. "Let's find Mimiron."
Leaving the Conservatory of Life, Galen and Thorim arrived at the Fabrication Labs. The vast complex was a hive of activity, with automated vehicles transporting raw materials and finished components.
They commandeered an unmanned transport, navigating the labyrinthine corridors.
The Inventor's Corridor was a testament to Mimiron's genius and eccentricity. Mechanical spiders scuttled across the walls, mechanical gnomes tinkered with strange devices, and self-propelled bombs patrolled the floor, their fuses hissing ominously.
Thorim, ever cautious, destroyed any mechanism that appeared remotely dangerous. He had no desire to face Mimiron's defenses at their full potential.
"Oh? Do my laboratories have visitors today?" a voice echoed from above.
"A giant oaf... and a cursed fleshling? How... fascinating."
A mechanical gnome, radiating an eerie green glow, piloted a colossal mechanical head that hovered in the air, its single eye swiveling to observe the intruders. A large propeller spun atop the head, adding to its bizarre appearance.
"Mimiron, it's me, Thorim," the Storm King called out, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and disbelief. He was clearly shocked by Mimiron's current state. Loken had ambushed the Master Inventor, but Mimiron's mechanical gnomes had managed to transfer his consciousness into a spare mechanical body, saving his life, but leaving him... altered.
"Thorim? The name... it's vaguely familiar," Mimiron mused, his mechanical face contorting in a parody of recollection.
"Oh, never mind the names! Welcome to my Iron Colosseum! Now, prepare for a spectacular battle!"
"Your first opponent... Flame Leviathan! Yes, I shrunk it down! This is my personal-sized Flame Leviathan! Trust me, you're going to love it... that is, if you survive being crushed into a fine paste! Hahahaha! I'm practically vibrating with anticipation!"
With a manic cackle, Mimiron detached himself from the hovering head and plummeted into the cockpit of a smaller, but no less deadly, version of the Flame Leviathan: the Flame Leviathan Mk-II.
"Let the fiery carnage... begin!" Mimiron shrieked, his voice echoing through the Inventor's Corridor as the battle commenced.