Fandral's initial foray into the Firelands had ended in bitter defeat, a harsh lesson born of impatience and underestimating the enemy's cunning. The sting of that setback fueled his resolve. Learning from this painful experience, Fandral recalibrated his mindset, immediately dispatching a vast network of scouts to meticulously reconnoiter the enemy's renewed positions.
Soon after, at Fandral's summons, Skycaller Omurom arrived, leading a host of Teron Druids to the volatile Molten Front. Simultaneously, Princess Thalyrra of the Green Dragonflight descended with her majestic Emerald Dragonflight, soaring into the fray to engage the swarms of Twilight Whelps. The battle was not confined to the searing skies; on the ground, Maiev Shadowsong herself took decisive action, leading her elite Shadow Watchers into the brutal melee at the Molten Front.
The new hunt had begun, a relentless, coordinated assault.
Fandral launched the second offensive with a newfound caution. The vanguard, previously comprised of Teron Druids led by Broll, was now spearheaded by Tortolla and his newly returned offspring, their ancient shells forming an unyielding shield. Flanking them were the ferocious Druids of the Claw, their forms shifted into powerful beasts, while Sentinels provided a steady rain of arrows from the rear. The Guardians of Hyjal Legion, having learned from their costly first encounter, advanced with deliberate precision, moving steadily and cautiously, step by step, in a disciplined echelon formation.
The Wardens, paragons of stealth and precision, were scattered across the battlefield, operating in small, autonomous teams, executing surgical decapitation strikes against key enemy leaders.
High above, the Storm Crows, transformed Teron Druids, and the majestic Green Dragonflight dominated the air, engaging the Twilight Whelps in a fierce, swirling ballet of death. The Teron Druids, while capable of close-quarters combat with their sharpened talons, primarily unleashed torrents of nature spells, while the Green Dragons engaged the twisted Twilight Dragons in brutal, direct aerial melee. The Twilight Whelps, with their unnaturally accelerated growth cycle, lacked the raw physical might of true Dragon Aspects, but their sheer numbers, exceeding the combined forces of the Teron Druids and Green Dragons, made them a formidable threat. With each side possessing distinct advantages and disadvantages, the intense aerial combat resulted in a steady, grim rain of fallen bodies from the sky.
Soon, the Twilight's Hammer unveiled their most insidious trump card: the Elemental Ascendants. These grotesque entities were not born, but forged—half-elemental creatures created by forcibly fusing high-ranking Twilight's Hammer cultists with raw elemental forces. They possessed the cunning intelligence of flesh-and-blood beings combined with the devastating power to wield the elements themselves. This abhorrent fusion allowed the Twilight's Hammer to rapidly churn out powerful, high-ranking soldiers. While this transformation was currently irreversible, many desperate creatures still chose this path, craving the immense power it offered.
Ultimately, fighting on their sacred home turf, the Guardians of Hyjal Legion gradually began to gain the upper hand. No matter how desperately the Twilight Ascendants resisted, they could not stem the inexorable tide of their decline.
"The spatial fusion should be over fifty percent!"
Far away, Galen watched the retreating Twilight Ogres, then cocked his head, as if listening to a whisper carried on the wind. "The Star-Soul tells me that the connection between the Firelands and Azeroth is stable," he murmured, a flicker of triumph in his eyes. "We can forcibly break through without worrying about being trapped in the interdimensional passage by Ragnaros!" This was, perhaps, the most welcome news in the half-month since the Firelands had violently manifested.
"Alright, folks, it's our turn to move!" Galen's words jolted the previously bored White Wolf, Great Bear, Purple Panther, and Wild Boar into immediate action, their eyes now blazing with eager fighting spirit.
"Let's go, Galen!"
And so, while the Guardians of Hyjal Legion fiercely engaged the fire elementals and Twilight's Hammer forces within the Firelands, the panther demigod, Ashamane, melted into stealth, a shadow sprinting towards the towering Sulfuron Spire. As her lithe figure and potent aura vanished from the world of Azeroth, Galen led Ursoc, Agamaggan, and Goldrinn, transforming into a blinding beam of white light, and vanished into the sacred Shrine of Malorne.
The blinding white light dissipated, and Galen and his companions finally set foot upon the scorching, alien landscape of the Firelands. The overwhelming stench of sulfur, the oppressive heat, and a pervasive scarlet hue were Galen's immediate, visceral impressions.
This was no mere underground cavern like the Molten Core of old; the Firelands was a small world unto itself. It was originally a separate dimension, painstakingly crafted by the Titans to imprison the unruly fire elementals who had wreaked havoc in ancient times. This pocket dimension existed in symbiotic relation with Azeroth, a testament to the Titans' desperate measures to contain the chaotic forces born of the nascent world-soul. The world-soul, in its infancy, had recklessly drawn upon the planet's soul power, becoming violent and unpredictable. Yet, with the intervention of the Titan facilities, the Forge of Origination and the Forge of Wills, the world-soul's will had finally sprouted, curbing its insatiable demand for soul power, and even the newborn elements had found a measure of peace.
However, the ancient, primordial elements, especially the four powerful elemental lords, continued to transmit their inherent chaos to the younger, weaker elementals. For the betterment of Azeroth, and with a touch of Titan compassion, they had chosen to confine these destructive "tumors" within these elemental prisons.
In truth, the Fire Elemental Plane was incredibly vast, its area no smaller than any of Azeroth's continents. The Firelands, specifically, was merely the core area of this other dimension, serving as the personal lair of the Fire Elemental Lord, Ragnaros.
Looking out, the landscape was a desolate, gray expanse. A scarlet sky arched above the distant mountains on the horizon, casting an infernal glow. The ground, scorched black-gray by the ceaseless flames, was punctuated by boiling lakes of molten lava. Violent, churning flames rolled across the sky, and a constant barrage of fiery meteors rained down from the firmament—a scene Galen had only witnessed in doomsday films from his previous life.
Despite the oppressive heat haze and limited visibility, Galen's keen eyes discerned a magnificent, towering castle to their north: Sulfuron Keep, the very heart of Ragnaros's domain.
"That is where our goal lies!" Galen declared, pointing towards Sulfuron Keep. "But to reach it, we must first contend with the elite fire elementals blocking our path!"
In Galen's memory, the vast Molten Wilderness stretching before them was teeming with countless fire imps, snarling lava hounds, venomous fire scorpions, monstrous flame spiders, and colossal lava giants.
"A bunch of worthless rabble," Agamaggan grunted, his voice a low, buzzing rumble. "I can solve them with a single charge! Hmph!"
"A single charge?" The wolf god Goldrinn scoffed, a sharp, cynical edge to his voice. "Agamaggan, have you forgotten how you died in the War of the Ancients?" In that ancient conflict, Agamaggan had been overwhelmed by a relentless tide of demon guards. Though he had slaughtered countless foes, the sheer numbers had inflicted hundreds of deep wounds, and he had ultimately succumbed to exhaustion.
Goldrinn's reminder, though truthful, was not pleasant to hear. The usually boisterous Agamaggan chose to remain silent.
"Charging is inevitable," Galen conceded, a thoughtful pause in his voice. "Those lava hounds, lava giants, and fire scorpions possess considerable strength, but they lack intelligence. The fire imps, while individually weak, serve as the commanders of the fire elementals. The cooperation between the two compensates for their individual shortcomings, and their sheer numbers mean we could easily be dragged down by attrition."
Galen's expression softened into a knowing smile, as if a new thought had just occurred to him. "They may have a lot of numbers, but I have a lot of pups too!"
"In a while, we will use Agamaggan as the vanguard, with Goldrinn and Ashamane as our flanks. We will directly cut a path to the courtyard in front of Sulfuron Bridge!"
As Galen concluded his strategy, he immediately conjured a shimmering portal at the very entrance of the Firelands. From its swirling depths, a continuous stream of lava hounds, one after another, lumbered forth. These were the "puppies" Galen had spoken of, his secret weapon.
During the dozen years that Ragnaros's former Lava Lord, Magmadar, and his mate, Ruxua, had been subdued by Galen, their existence had been a simple cycle of eating, sleeping, and, most importantly, frantically breeding. To accommodate this burgeoning population of molten beasts, Galen had been forced to clear out dozens of new beast pens within Magmadar's old lair in the Molten Core.
Magmadar and Ruxua were the last to emerge from the portal. The moment the colossal dog king appeared, his two heads locked onto Galen, and he lunged forward at full, terrifying speed.
Thump thump! Thump thump!
Galen watched as Magmadar's thick limbs swung furiously, leaving a trail of flames in his wake. Knowing it was too late to halt the beast's momentum, Galen swiftly pulled a massive leg of Mushan beast meat from his bag and hurled it onto the scorching ground before him.
"Dinner time!"
The beast leg sizzled upon impact, instantly roasting on the superheated rock, sending up a plume of savory white smoke. Magmadar was immediately captivated by the tantalizing aroma. Streams of molten saliva, utterly beyond his control, drooled from the corners of his twin mouths. In that moment, the great beast cared for neither master, mate, nor offspring. His hind legs slammed to a halt directly in front of the succulent meat. He looked up at Galen expectantly. Galen nodded, and a flash of pure canine delight ignited in Magmadar's eyes. He lowered his heads and began to devour the meat, a delicacy he had never tasted before. Galen understood dogs implicitly; food was everything.
Ruxua approached then, followed by four equally powerful adult lava hounds. These four were distinct from the hundreds of other lava hounds surrounding them. They were Magmadar and Ruxua's earliest offspring, born before Galen's intervention in their ancient timeline. Galen had personally named them: Rex, Spot, Balto and Cesar. These four, along with their parents, had been meticulously cultivated and strengthened. Now, Magmadar and Ruxua had been raised from the initial stages of Legend to its very peak within their beast pens, and their four offspring had also reached the initial strength of Legend.
"Come here, Ruxua, and you guys too, Rex, Spot, Balto and Cesar, you all have some!" Galen generously offered. In Pandaria, he often hunted in his free time, and his bag was well-stocked with Mushan beast, rabbit demon, yak, and mountain goat meat. He now laid it all out for his loyal pets.
After they had eaten their fill, Galen instructed Magmadar and Ruxua to lead their offspring, positioning them behind the four wilderness demigods. With these six legendary lava hounds and hundreds of mid-to-high-level lava hounds providing assistance, the demigods had no fear of being overwhelmed by the fire elemental army.
"Target! Sulfuron Bridge! Full army charge!"
At Galen's command, Agamaggan's hooves stomped heavily on the ground, and his colossal body surged forward, leaving a spiderweb of cracks on the scorched black earth. Behind him, Goldrinn and Ashamane followed closely, their movements swift and precise. Galen himself rode Ursol, with the remaining lava hounds bringing up the rear.
Thump thump thump!
On the Molten Span, the first wave of fire demons and lava hounds, caught completely by surprise, were pulverized into a heap of wreckage by the sheer force of the charge. Even the few lava hounds that managed to escape the initial impact were swiftly dispatched by Rex and Spot.
After crushing five consecutive waves of fire demon, lava hound, and lava scorpion teams, Galen finally encountered a truly formidable enemy.
It was an army comprised of massive fire demons and their accompanying lava hounds. The fire demons, with their immense bodies, formed a living curtain wall of fire, while the lava hounds moved around them like loyal, molten pets. The leader of this infernal army was a fire demon himself, flanked by two monstrous molten hellhounds. This particular fire demon bore a high, tattered banner on his back, three black goat horns adorned his head, a black eye patch obliquely covered his left eye, and four thick, fleshy whiskers dangled from his chin.
Shannox!
He was the leader of the fire demons after the demise of the previous manager, Exoroth, and also Ragnaros's chief hunter and molten hellhound trainer!
Shannox! He was the formidable leader of the fire elementals after the demise of Exoroth, the previous administrator. More importantly, he served as Ragnaros's chief hunter and the trainer of his prized Molten Corgis.
However, Agamaggan, his eyes now bloodshot with battle fury, was already beyond reason. Despite the searing heat and the rain of lesser flames, his massive body bore no wounds; ordinary fire simply could not penetrate his hardened boar hide.
"Yee-haw! Hmph, hiccup!"
The boar demigod lowered his massive head, aiming his two colossal, razor-sharp tusks directly at Shannox. With a strange, guttural pig-hum, his immense body launched forward like a cannonball!
"Raise spears!" The fire elemental leader, Shannox, bellowed, issuing what he believed to be the correct, decisive command as the charging boar bore down on him.
At that precise moment, Ashamane, the panther demigod, unleashed a thunderous roar that ripped through the sulfurous air. In response, Agamaggan's speed surged once more, an impossible burst of acceleration.
"No!" Shannox's single remaining eye widened in disbelief and terror.
Too fast! The sheer mystery of the "stampede" was not just that Agamaggan, this enormous, charging pig, could become airborne, but that he could still emit excited shouts while doing so!
Boom!
Wrapped in thick, thorny vines, Agamaggan slammed into the heart of the fire elemental army. His colossal body collided violently with the northern expanse of the Molten Wilderness, sending up vast plumes of volcanic ash. Galen even witnessed a small mushroom cloud bloom in the air.
"Too reckless!" Galen sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice, from his perch on Ursol's back.
"Agamaggan has just been holding back for too long, Galen," Ursol replied, his voice gentler than his twin brother's, a teasing note in his tone as he commented on Agamaggan's wild charge. "Speaking of which, I still have to thank you, Galen. If you hadn't brought us out of the Emerald Dream, we, your partners who died at the hands of the Burning Legion, would not know how long we would have had to wait to return to the present world."
"It's nothing. Truly, it's nothing!" Galen demurred, not wishing to dwell on the matter. He had, after all, been quite eager to harness the formidable combat power of these wilderness demigods. Moreover, even if he hadn't resurrected them then, the night elves would surely have done so when Ragnaros invaded Mount Hyjal.
After a long moment, the dust settled, and the chaotic scene gradually revealed itself to Galen's eyes. The once-neatly arrayed fire elementals and lava hound army had been utterly shattered, their ranks broken and scattered across the landscape. The closer to the epicenter of the impact, the more prominent Agamaggan's figure became. His massive belly and limbs were bristling with countless flame spears. If not for the protective thorny vines that had enveloped him just before his leap of faith, he would undoubtedly have been transformed into a molten hedgehog.
"Ah!" A piercing scream echoed across the molten plains. It was Agamaggan, who had used his enormous tusks to launch the fire elemental leader, Shannox, high into the air. As Shannox plummeted, Ashamane and Goldrinn leaped, executing a synchronized cross-attack as he fell! The unfortunate fire elemental leader's body was torn into three pieces in mid-air before crashing to the ground, swallowed by the volcanic ash.
The annihilation of the main fire elemental force and their leader immediately relieved the pressure on Magmadar, Ru Hua, and their offspring. They swiftly moved to wipe out the remaining scattered fire elemental army.
At this point, tremors began to emanate from both the western and eastern parts of the Molten Wilderness. The seismic shockwave unleashed by Agamaggan's earlier impact had roused the Cinderweb Spider Mother Beth'tilac, who guarded the Firelands' western flank, and the colossal lava elemental lord Lord Rhyolith, stationed in the east. Both were now bringing their forces to bear!
"Full speed ahead, target Gatekeeper Baleroc!"
From the east, Beth'tilac, the Broodmother of the Emberweb Spiders, led her monstrous offspring, while Lord Rhyolith, the colossal Lava Lord, also from the east, brought a formidable contingent of lava giants, both attempting to encircle the invaders. Against these two powerful foes, Galen and his team of four wilderness demigods were more than capable. However, further in the distance, numerous high-ranking fire elementals were steadily approaching with their subordinates. Galen knew his lava hounds were finite. Once they were exhausted in battle, even a demigod could be overwhelmed and besieged to death. Moreover, this was a decapitation strike; there was no need for prolonged entanglement.
After another burst of frantic, ground-shaking running, Galen and his group finally burst into the Crucible of Carnage courtyard, a desolate expanse guarded by the ominous Lucifron.
"Agamaggan, Goldrinn, and Ashamane," Galen instructed the three wilderness demigods from Ursoc's back, his voice firm. "The three of you coordinate with my lava hounds to guard this valley entrance. Do not let any other fire elementals through!" He continued, "Remember, although Beth'tilac has left her base, as long as she can't weave her webs here for a short time, her strength will be greatly reduced. However, killing her children will send her into a frenzy, so be careful." As for Lord Rhyolith, the other fire elemental demigod, his obsidian armor was tough, but his slow, ponderous movements posed little threat.
"Galen, don't worry, leave it to us here!" Goldrinn's wolf eyes gleamed with confidence, his voice a confident guarantee on behalf of Agamaggan and Ashamane.
Galen nodded, satisfied with their assurance, then signaled Ursoc to continue deeper into the courtyard.
The Crucible of Carnage courtyard was vast and eerily empty. Ursoc, guided by Galen, lumbered northward, finally spotting a colossal fire elemental creature at the far edge of the courtyard. It was a terrifying sight: a fire elemental creature in the form of a Doomguard from the Burning Legion! Its entire body was a churning mass of raging orange-red lava, a pair of flame wings unfurled from its back, and a full-coverage helmet encased its head. Special, heavy armor protected the vital areas of its waist and limbs. Most notably, it wielded a uniquely shaped, massive greatsword, crackling with infernal energy.
"You dare to break into the Firelands and attempt to invade Sulfuron Keep? You are challenging the Fire Lord's authority! You will die by my flames!" As the self-proclaimed gatekeeper, Lucifron rose from the ground the moment he spotted the unfamiliar intruders. His sole duty was to prevent anyone from disturbing his lord, Ragnaros, through the Sulfuron Bridge that lay behind him. Trapped within the Firelands for ten millennia, he had become increasingly irrational, few elementals daring to cross his path for fear of being sacrificed beneath his fiery blade.
"Do you want to go, or should I?" Galen completely ignored Lucifron's arrogant, booming words, instead turning to the great bear demigod beside him, calmly discussing who should engage the foe.
This casual, almost dismissive, roadside bargaining further enraged Lucifron. With a mighty bang, the greatsword in his hand erupted with a blinding burst of flame, and he charged towards Galen and his group, a furious, molten tide.
"I'll do it. It's been so long since we started. I should stretch my muscles. After all, if I don't act now, only Ragnaros will be left. I can't beat that guy!" Ursoc rumbled, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Then..." Galen leaped gracefully from Ursoc's back. "Please begin your performance, Ursoc!"
"I'd rather be respectful than compliant. I'll leave this arrogant guy to me!" Feeling Galen's weight lift from his back, Ursoc finally abandoned his quadrupedal stance, rising directly onto his powerful hind legs, ready for battle.
This casual, almost dismissive, roadside bargaining further enraged Baleroc. The great sword in his hand erupted with a vigorous bang, a blinding burst of flame, and then he charged towards Galen and the others, a furious, molten tide.
"Let me do it," Ursoc rumbled, stepping forward. "It's been so long since we set out; I should get some exercise. If I don't act now, all that's left is Ragnaros, and I can't beat that guy!"
"Then!" Galen leaped gracefully from Ursoc's back, leaving the colossal bear to face the fiery foe. "Please begin your performance, Ursoc!"
"Your wish is my command. I'll take care of this arrogant fellow!" Feeling Galen's weight lift from his back, Ursoc finally abandoned his quadrupedal stance, rising directly onto his powerful hind legs.
The upright Ursoc let out a thunderous roar that shook the very ground. Shamanic lightning power crackled and condensed within his massive claws. Then, he raised his right claw high, a beacon of raw elemental might.
"Face the storm, thunder, heed my call!"
Under Ursoc's guidance, a blinding bolt of lightning tore through the air, its target aimed directly at the scorched earth where Baleroc stood!
Boom!
The blue lightning shattered the cooled rock ground, sending shards of obsidian flying. But Baleroc, relying on his powerful flame wings, swiftly evaded Ursoc's earth-shattering blow.
"Hey! Bear cub, you underestimate me too much," Baleroc sneered, his voice a guttural rumble. "I came to Azeroth before Sargeras even established the Burning Legion! For power, I joined Lord Ragnaros's banner!" As Baleroc spoke, he wielded the great sword in his hand, driving a massive amount of flame to clash with Ursoc's crackling lightning. One of fire, one of electricity, both mid-level demigods, they were, for a time, evenly matched, neither able to gain a decisive advantage.
At that moment, the flames behind Baleroc soared into the sky, and his strength surged, seemingly out of thin air!
Seeing this, Ursoc also unleashed his trump card. After clasping his hands together, he opened them again, and the electric arcs on his claws stretched like glowing noodles. As the electric current spread from his claws to encompass his entire body, his figure swelled from its original six meters to a towering ten meters!
"Demigod-level wind element rising?" Baleroc's eyes widened in surprise at Ursoc's sudden, dramatic transformation.
"No! This is impossible!" Baleroc roared, utterly unconvinced. "Over the years, I have smashed Therazane's great stones, fought against the Hydraxian Waterlords, overwhelmed the Wind Council, and even retreated completely when fighting against the Titan Guardian Legion! And you, a mere forest wild bear, what level are you to fight me?" Baleroc was incensed, and once again injected energy into his great sword. This time, it was not the power of the fire element, but a dark, shadowy power!
The electric current in Ursoc's eyes intensified, crackling with raw power. "Tens of thousands of years, and you are still a mid-level fire elemental lord!" he retorted, his voice booming. "Mid-level demigod? Isn't that something you can get by just sleeping for a few years? You had to take refuge in Ragnaros as a mere gatekeeper to achieve it! Sometimes, look for reasons within yourself. Has your strength truly increased over the years? Have you practiced seriously?"
Ah! Hiss! These words were venomous, cutting deep!
Galen, who had been floating in the air with a detached, observing attitude, overheard the scathing war of words unfolding between the two on the ground. The usually silent spirit of the giant bear, Ursoc, was truly irritating when he finally opened his mouth!
"Ah! You're looking for death! Four-legged beast!" Baleroc was so utterly enraged that he ripped off the mask on his head, then charged towards Ursoc with his great sword, abandoning all pretense of strategy.
"Humph!" Ursoc was utterly unafraid. He stomped his powerful legs, launching himself towards Baleroc, his entire body crackling with thunder.