During these few days, Arthas was also busy. He conducted a survey of Ironforge; a Portal could be built here. This was an advanced skill—opening one anytime, anywhere—requiring only the collection of local Ley Line Energy and Spatial Element positioning.
The upper levels of Blackrock Spire were Nefarian's lair. Without Deathwing's orders, his "brother-in-law" hadn't been tinkering with Chromatic Dragons. Instead, he stayed dutifully in his lair, waiting for the assault on the Molten Core.
The day before the attack, the Black Dragon Ambassador Nalice found Arthas, bringing a craftsman with her.
"Master, this is the artisan Elgin," Nalice said in a respectful tone. She had been given to Arthas by Sinestra, and was nominally his private property; he could take her to bed whenever he wished. She could not refuse, nor did she have the power to.
"You have done well, Nalice. I will reward you." Arthas produced some Life Essence and held it to her lips. Nalice didn't hesitate to lick it from his fingers like a pet. The Life Essence held a fatal attraction for her; it made her heart race and her soul crave more. This was the instinct for biological evolution, unrelated to sexual desire.
Turning to the somewhat nervous Gnome Artisan, Arthas gave a gentle smile. "Work here in peace. Soon, your kin will know that you are also a great artisan. With me, the Gnomes will face no discrimination. You may manage them on my behalf and seek benefits for them. Do your work well, and you will lack for nothing."
"Yes, Your Highness." Elgin finally yielded. He had been swayed by Nalice. Furthermore, the Gnomes were in need of new allies lately; even High Tinker Mekkatorque had been convinced. Elgin had no choice but to come work for Arthas, serving as a diplomatic ambassador to ensure the basic safety of the Gnomes working here.
Nalice's scheme was simple: she had people spread rumors among the Gnomes. They claimed that because Arthas collaborated with dragons, he possessed many rare materials and Titan Craftsmanship blueprints. Gnomes and Dwarves were both flesh-forms evolved from Titan-Forged, and they possessed an obsessive fanatacism for Titan Craftsmanship and Titan Ruins. The existence of Dwarf archaeology teams stemmed from this very reason; they were always exceptionally interested in matters concerning the Titans.
Then, in her capacity as the Black Dragon Ambassador, she sought out Mekkatorque and told the justice-minded High Tinker that the world was being corrupted. She also highlighted the benefits of working with Arthas, as both were members of the Alliance. Why not send a vanguard to cooperate with Arthas? That way, if trouble arose in the future, they could receive his support. Just like this war—no one knew where the Orcs came from or why, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
With rumors stirring the Gnomes' interest in the "new continent" and Titan ruins mentioned by Arthas, Mekkatorque had no choice but to go with the flow. He dispatched his confidant, Elgin, to serve as the commander of the vanguard, which was essentially an overseas assignment.
It was that simple; Elgin had been sold out without even knowing it. His orders were to assist Arthas's Expeditionary Force—including building bridgehead fortresses across the sea—provided it didn't violate the interests of their race. At the same time, he was to scout for Titan Ruins and learn more crafts or inventions to bring back.
With the Gnomes joining, Elgin—an artisan second only to Mekkatorque—displayed his brilliance. After observing the unique Drilling Machines of the Dark Iron Dwarves—tools designed for digging tunnels—he set to work.
Elgin improved the Drilling Machine, turning it into a tank-like vehicle capable of moving on the surface. He also improved its stability, making it very convenient for building railroads.
"We will build a railway from here to Westfall, and establish a port there. If the surface terrain is difficult, we go underground. Building an Underground Railway will solve the problem of detouring around mountains." Arthas decided on the plan after a single glance. Blackrock Mountain was rich in resources, primarily ore, and its unique magma could maximize thermal efficiency. The ore here was an excellent choice for forging weapons or constructing buildings—durable and free of negative side effects.
"That will take a long time! But with the Drilling Machine, it is indeed feasible," Elgin rubbed his hands together. Building a railway was child's play to him.
"There is no rush. For now, we only need to build an Underground Railway that reaches Elwynn Forest, where we can farm." Arthas was in no hurry. To traverse the entirety of Elwynn Forest was a massive project. By a rough estimate, the forest covered nearly ten thousand square miles. Traveling from Stormwind to the edge of the forest took half a month by horse, let alone on foot. Thus, farming there would not conflict with Stormwind at all.
After finishing these arrangements, Arthas used Ley Line Energy to teleport back to Lordaeron. Regarding the matter of the Barov Family, he needed to coordinate with his "cheap" father.
In the royal study, Terenas rubbed his head tiredly. The recent series of events was not optimistic. The Alliance nations had suffered varying degrees of damage and were demanding resources from Lordaeron for supplies. This was essentially bleeding Lordaeron dry, but if they didn't, the Alliance would become unstable. It was a major headache.
"Your Majesty, His Highness has returned and wishes to speak with you," a guard reported.
"Send him in." Terenas found it a bit strange, but wasn't surprised. Magical Portals were a luxury that even kings didn't always use; using one was like burning money. Unless necessary, they were avoided.
As Arthas entered, he saw Terenas deep in thought, a map of the Eastern Kingdoms hanging on the wall behind him.
"Father, I have come to speak regarding the Barov Family."
"Oh? Have they come to you to plead their case?" Terenas wasn't surprised. The nobility was a society based on favors. Furthermore, the Barov Family hadn't done anything wrong, but currently, all related nobles were being detained. Since they were closest to King Perenolde, it was only natural for them to panic.