Mimiron's manic ramblings grated on Thorim's nerves. Galen, too, found the inventor's behavior irritating. In his experience, anyone wielding lightning or fire-based energy tended to be short-tempered, and Mimiron's constant barrage of insults, particularly the repeated "big oaf," was enough to provoke anyone.
As the Flame Leviathan Mk-II roared to life, its massive, shovel-like front slamming towards them, Galen and Thorim dodged with practiced ease.
"Hahaha! Impressive agility, but I have a few more tricks up my metallic sleeve! Prepare to be amazed!" Mimiron cackled, his voice echoing from the machine.
From the tank's chassis, a swarm of small, spider-like bombs detached themselves and scuttled towards Thorim. Before the Storm King could react, they detonated in a blinding flash, engulfing him in a maelstrom of searing flames and concussive force.
The thick smoke parted, revealing a sphere of crackling blue energy.
"Mimiron! You have pushed me too far!" Thorim's voice boomed, laced with barely restrained fury.
"Aha! The big oaf is finally angry!" Mimiron's mechanical head popped out of the tank's hatch, waving a large wrench in a mocking gesture. He used the engineering rocket boosters on his back to briefly hover in the air, pulling out electromagnetic guns and volatile bombs from his body, and unleashing a hail of projectiles at Thorim.
"Heh heh! I'm going to blast you into oblivion!" Mimiron shrieked, his laughter echoing maniacally.
Thorim, his eyes blazing with celestial fury, unleashed a torrent of lightning bolts at Mimiron.
One bolt struck the Flame Leviathan Mk-II, causing black smoke to billow from its armored plating.
"Aaaagh! I've been hit!" Mimiron cried, his voice distorted by static.
He retreated back into the tank's cockpit, and the machine went berserk, its weapons firing with increased ferocity.
"Hmph!" Thorim transformed into a living bolt of lightning, his form crackling with raw power, and charged directly at the Flame Leviathan.
BOOM!
The resulting explosion of electricity engulfed the machine, causing it to shudder violently. An even larger cloud of black smoke erupted, and the Flame Leviathan Mk-II ground to a halt, its systems overloaded.
"Oh... you... you actually defeated my Flame Leviathan! But no matter! I have a second experiment ready!" Mimiron declared, his voice regaining its manic energy.
He engaged his jets and flew upwards, entering the oversized metal head of his Mimiron Mk-II robot, a colossal, humanoid machine.
"Hey! How did you get in here?!" Mimiron exclaimed, his mechanical jaw dropping open in surprise.
He had just entered the cockpit of his helicopter-headed machine when he noticed the "fleshy creature" who had arrived with the "big oaf" already occupying the pilot's seat, his hands gripping the controls.
"You insolent fleshling! Get out of my aerial command unit!" Mimiron shrieked, his voice filled with outrage.
"No," Galen retorted, his voice calm and resolute. "It's my aerial command unit now."
Mimiron sputtered, his mechanical mind struggling to comprehend such audacity. He had never encountered such shamelessness.
A dark gun barrel extended from Mimiron's arm, but before he could fire, Galen's hand shot out, grasping the mechanical gnome by the neck.
Golden holy light flowed from Galen's body, surging into Mimiron's mechanical frame. The light washed over his circuits, cleansing the chaotic energy that had corrupted his systems and deranged his personality.
"No! No! Let me go, you... you... biological abomination!" Mimiron cried, his voice filled with terror.
"I can... I can repay you! I can give you the hardest steel body imaginable, perfect electronic eyes to replace your fragile ones, wires and electricity to replace your weak blood and blood vessels, and best of all, you can retain your sanity! You will be free from the shackles of flesh and become... stronger!"
Galen, remembering his childhood fascination with Astro Boy, briefly considered the offer. But as he had grown older, he had come to appreciate the joys and sensations of his fleshly form.
And what of his Windrunner sisters? What of his little brother down there?
"Heh," Galen chuckled. "I think I'll stick with my flesh body for now."
"No! No! This aerial command unit... it's yours! Just... just let me go!" Mimiron pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.
"Don't worry," Galen said, his voice reassuringly calm. "You'll be giving it to me willingly in a moment."
"Aaaagh! You... you... robber! You barbarian! Do you even know who you're holding? I am the greatest inventor, Mimiron, the loyal servant of the supreme god Yogg-Saron!"
"Not for much longer," Galen replied, his voice firm.
He pulled the control stick, and the helicopter-headed machine slowly descended. At the same time, the holy light intensified, binding Mimiron and purging the chaos that had twisted his mind.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mimiron's core systems rebooted.
The mechanical gnome, now restored to his senses, clutched his head in confusion and horror. "Damn Loken! That treacherous fiend ambushed me! He allowed the darkness from that prison to erode my will and tamper with my primary directives!"
Thorim approached Mimiron, his massive hand gently picking up the tiny mechanical gnome. He held Mimiron up, his face inches from the Storm King's.
"Mimiron! You're... you're back to normal?" Thorim asked, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and suspicion.
"That's right! My systems have been restored! Thorim, we must act quickly to repair the seal!" Mimiron exclaimed, his voice urgent.
"That... wait a moment," Thorim said, his brow furrowing. "What did you call me just now? 'Big oaf'?"
"Ah... hahaha... we're all colleagues now, Thorim! Let's not dwell on such trivialities!" Mimiron replied, his voice filled with nervous energy.
"Hmph!" Thorim grunted, his expression unconvinced.
...
With Freya and Mimiron restored to their right minds, Ulduar was largely back under the control of the Titan Watchers.
The Red Dragon Queen Alexstrasza was pleased with this turn of events.
Unbeknownst to her, however, Ulduar had nearly fallen into the hands of another.
Under Galen's guidance, the Ice King Hodir, the Life-Binder Freya, the Creation King Mimiron, the Earth King Archaedas, and the Storm King Thorim began the arduous task of constructing a new barrier, attempting to re-seal Yogg-Saron's power.
But just as the barrier began to take shape, a new threat emerged from the depths.
A horde of Faceless Ones, led by the monstrous General Vezax, launched a coordinated assault on the underground gates of Ulduar.
A dark, corrupting aura poured from the subterranean passages, causing the Titan Watchers to falter. Two dragons, powerful beings of magic and life, succumbed to the oppressive darkness, their forms collapsing into twisted, corrupted shadows.
"The final confrontation... it has begun," Galen murmured, his gaze fixed on the ominous underground passage. A sense of unease settled over him. He had heard the legends of the Old Gods since his youth. Though he had faced Yogg-Saron countless times in simulated battles for the coveted mount, the reality of facing the Old God in his true form filled him with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation.
"Alas," Galen thought to himself, "It seems I must assemble a new raid group for this final boss."
Most of the Titan Watchers were still recovering from their ordeal, their powers diminished. Galen knew he could not face Yogg-Saron alone. He needed reinforcements.
Galen sent out urgent summons to his most trusted allies.
The Draenei Prophet Velen, and the holy light Naaru A'dal!
In addition to his allies, he also called upon his most powerful forces. The two ancient Naaru, K'ure and D'ore, had to be brought to bear, along with Nefarian, Sabellian, and Onyxia, the three formidable golden dragons!
"Heh," Galen mused, a grim smile playing on his lips. "So you are an Old God, Yogg-Saron? Today, you will face the full might of the Holy Light!"