World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm Page 0,54
of his friend Bolvar Fordragon, but the loss had been many months old by the time of the service. The loss of Aerin was new and raw and, dammit, hurt so badly. … He focused his attention on Magni’s words.
“I—don’t understand,” he said. “This is about the tablet?”
“Och, aye,” Magni said. “I’ve been pushing th’ translators and they’re pretty sure as to what the tablet says. Let me read tae ye.” He cleared his throat and bent closer, his eyes flickering over the strange letters. His heavily accented voice deepened as he read the formal, archaic-sounding words aloud.
“‘An’ here are the why an’ the how, tae again become one wi’ the mountain. For behold, we are earthen, o’ the land, and its soul is ours, its pain is ours, its heartbeat is ours. We sing its song an’ weep fer its beauty. For who wouldna wish tae return home? That is the why, O children o’ the earth.
“‘Here is the how. Go ye tae the heart o’ the earth. Find ye these herbs three: mountain silversage, black lotus, and ghost mushroom. Wi’ a finger’s pinch o’ the soil that nourished them, consume the draft. Speak these words wi’ true intent, an’ the mountain shall reply. And so it shall be that ye shall become as ye once were. Ye shall return home, and ye shall become one with the mountain.’”
He turned his intense gaze to Anduin. “Do ye see?”
Anduin thought so. “I … think so … this—this rite will let you speak to Azeroth itself?”
“It seems so, aye. An’ if we can talk tae Azeroth itself, then we can ask what th’ bloody Nether is going on wi’ it. Help find a way tae—tae fix it, tae heal it somehow. An’ maybe then there’ll be nae more o’ these unnatural floods an’ droughts an’ … and earthquakes. Anduin—there’s more goin’ on here than a simple cave-in. Summat big is happening. Did ye know that reports o’ tremors are coming in from as far awa’ as Teldrassil?”
“That … shouldn’t be possible … should it?”
Magni shook his head. “Not normally, no. ’Tis not how such things work … not naturally, at any rate.”
Anduin was silent for a moment, thinking. Something occurred to him. “But … aren’t some of those herbs toxic if ingested?”
“That’s why they want ye tae take it wi’ soil,” said Magni. “Certain soils neutralize certain poisons. Dinna worry, I’ve checked wi’ the top herbalists in Ironforge. I’ve no desire tae keel over clutching me throat.”
Anduin stared. “You? You’re going to try this? This sounds like something a shaman should do.”
“Nay, lad. ’Tis me realm that is hardest hit. ’Tis the dwarves who are suffering the most. I lead them. We are the children of the titans, lad. We are already of the earth, more than any other race. It’s right that I be the one to do this. Besides, what kind o’ a king would I be, tae let others face the danger o’ th’ unknown while I cowered in safety? That’s nae the way o’ the dwarves, lad.”
“Nor would it be my father’s way,” Anduin said, realizing the words were true as he spoke them.
“No, it wouldna be Varian’s way either,” Magni agreed. “Now, the scholars have agreed that it should work right here in Ironforge. I’ll just need tae go as deep as I can, right tae the heart o’ the earth.” He smiled a little at Anduin. “Not everyone knows about th’ secret places, but I think ye can be trusted. Ye’ve th’ stout heart o’ one of our own, lad, even though ye’re reed thin an’ far too delicate, bein’ a human stripling.”
Anduin found himself smiling a little, something that two days ago he wondered if he’d ever be able to do. Aerin would be the first to chide him for being such a sad fellow, he knew. “Aerin promised to dwarf-temper me,” he said, his voice catching a little, but still surprisingly light.
“Ah,” Magni said, giving him a smile tinged with sorrow. “I’d say she did, from what I see before me.”
Anduin swallowed again.
“Now,” Magni said, “I’ve sent for some herbalists tae gather th’ necessary ingredients. All should be ready tae do this tomorrow morning.”
“So soon?”
“Aye, the sooner the better, I think. Azeroth had better start talking tae me, so that I can do what I can to take care of it. Do ye not agree?”
Anduin nodded. Light alone knew if there would be any more aftershocks.