While Andreas was busy rummaging through the control console for the energy socket, the startled beasts were charging angrily toward the source of the noise.
Leticia and Celeste each drew their weapons, preparing to deal with the onslaught.
Andreas searched back and forth across the console. After pressing a certain button, a slot popped out, revealing a dull crystalline body sitting upside down within it.
"Hold off the beasts for me; I'll activate the portal as quickly as possible."
He pulled out a flask of Moonnight Well water he had reserved for Celeste from his backpack and poured it over the lusterless crystal.
The crystal quickly absorbed the energy radiating from the well water, but the glow on its surface remained relatively faint.
After pouring all of his remaining Moonnight and Moonwell water onto the object, the crystal serving as the energy core finally flashed with a brilliant light.
"Here we go!"
He slapped the slot back into place. With the sound of mechanical gears turning, sparks of arcane electricity began to manifest within the metal frame of the Waygate.
"Is it ready yet?!"
Leticia retrieved her thrown Moon Glaive, its serrated edges stained with beastly fluids and blood. A large pack of crocodiles, crawling from who-knows-where, had completely surrounded the area near the gate.
Arcane light flickered in Celeste's eyes as a Flamestrike erupted from the ground, engulfing the crocodiles in searing heat. Even the thick-skinned reptiles could not withstand the roasting flames, and their harsh screeches echoed one after another.
Leticia wasn't afraid of these mutated crocodiles; the problem was that the commotion of the battle was spreading far and wide. No one knew how many more beasts were rushing toward their location.
If they were swamped by a sea of beasts, Andreas would have no choice but to shift into raptor form, grab the two girls, and flee in haste.
Seeing the directional teleportation array within the Waygate finally take shape, Andreas immediately called out to them, "It's ready! Get over here!"
"You could at least provide some cover!"
Andreas shrugged helplessly. "Fine, you two go first."
Lifting the Staff of G'Hanir toward the sky, a rain of black meteors descended.
"Starfall!"
For the current Andreas, casting Starfall no longer required channeling. During his thousand years in the Emerald Dream, he had used this large-scale clearing spell so many times he felt like vomiting.
Taking advantage of the crocodiles frantically dodging the meteors, Andreas followed closely behind Celeste and stepped through the portal. The scene presented before the three of them shifted drastically.
Compared to the humid tropical rainforest climate of the Sholazar Basin, the air in Un'Goro Crater was relatively refreshing.
Several Druids from the Cenarion Circle were staring in astonishment at Andreas and his companions as they emerged from the Waygate. A leading Druid was the first to snap out of it and stepped forward from the crowd.
"Andreas?"
Dusting himself off, Andreas looked closely and realized it was an acquaintance.
"Shaun, it's you."
After a brief explanation to Shaun Moonclaw, who was stationed there, the Druids gathered around the Waygate with curiosity to observe it.
Andreas knew that the other side of the gate must be a chaotic battlefield of beasts by now. He instructed Shaun not to let anyone use the Waygate to reach the other side for at least a day.
"Where is my mentor? Isn't he also in Un'Goro studying the ecology?"
Upon hearing Andreas' question, Shaun's expression immediately became grave.
"I was just about to bring that up."
"Master Malfurion discovered a winding mountain path in the northwest of the Crater. After climbing along the trail, one can see another vast, endless desert."
Andreas' eyebrows twitched. Shaun's solemn attitude already spoke volumes.
"What is it? Are there enemies in the desert?"
"Yes. The desert is filled with disgusting insect hives. Countless silithid species never seen before have occupied the sands."
"After consulting the Shen'dralar of Eldre'Thalas, Master Malfurion received an answer. These insects are servants of the Qiraji. Their masters once fought an earth-shattering war against the Trolls."
As expected...
Andreas' expression also turned serious. "What is the situation now? Have any Qiraji been spotted?"
"No."
Shaun shook his head. "To avoid alerting them, Master Malfurion did not venture deep into the desert. Within our field of vision, there are only silithids, no Qiraji."
"I see..."
Andreas rubbed his chin in thought. "I have also read records regarding this. The collision between the Azj'Aqir Empire and the Troll Empires was indeed staggering, but both empires suffered heavy losses after the fighting ended."
"Since the Qiraji haven't appeared, it proves they have no intention of expanding for now... or perhaps they lack the strength to do so. Let us first build a few outposts on the hills bordering the Crater and the desert to monitor them."
Ever since the Night Elves entered the Crater, Andreas had been prepared for contact with the insectoids of the Silithus desert.
However, perhaps because they had not yet recovered their strength from the great war with the Trolls, the Qiraji had not yet begun to expand their territory.
With his mind occupied, Andreas did not stay long in the Crater. Celeste cast a teleportation spell, sending the three of them back to Eldre'Thalas in the northwest.
"Ah..."
Upon arriving at Eldre'Thalas, Andreas suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead in frustration.
"The oil fields in the Crater... forget it."
Lacking an industrial base, refining crude oil was no easy task.
Furthermore, Andreas anticipated that most Night Elf vehicles would eventually use magi-tech propulsion, making petroleum less important.
Still, it's best to cordal off those oil fields, lest some despicable species like Goblins eye them in the future.
After a transit through Eldre'Thalas, accompanied by the respectful farewells of the Highborne, Andreas stepped into the portal once more and returned directly to the capital, Astranaar, situated within the canopy of Nordrassil.
The long journey to Northrend had left Leticia and Celeste quite exhausted. The two bid Andreas farewell and went home to rest, while Andreas went straight to the administrative hall of the Great Temple of Elune.
Just as he entered the hall, a dejected Fandral suddenly stood up in a panic.
"An... Andreas!"
Raising an eyebrow, Andreas asked speechlessly, "What kind of mess did you get into to be this flustered? Let's hear it."
"Uh..."
Fandral's gaze was somewhat shifty, which only confirmed Andreas' suspicion.
"Sigh~"
Scanning the hall, he noticed Shandris was absent, and Andreas immediately understood.
"Out with it. Did you get into a conflict with someone again?"
Fandral scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm sorry. Not long after you left, trouble started. It's the Trolls."
"Trolls?"
Andreas asked in confusion, "The Sandfury Trolls? Didn't we have limiters custom-made for them?"
Fandral said with a bitter face, "Yes, but we underestimated the wild, untamable nature of the Trolls."
"The Trolls mining in Tanaris endured the agony of the collars tightening around their necks, swinging their pickaxes in an attempt to stage a rebellion. General Feathermoon personally rushed there yesterday to suppress it. There is no news yet."
"Hiss~"
Andreas winced and drew a sharp breath. "Enduring the pain of suffocation? They are that ruthless to themselves..."
He looked down and hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "There's no other way. Though I don't want to be a butcher of captives and civilians, keeping the Trolls alive was indeed a lapse in judgment caused by a moment of soft-heartedness."
"Notify Shandris. Kill them all! We cannot afford to keep ungrateful wolves that can never be tamed."