Ambassadors - A novel based on Warcraft

Chapter 03 - Stand in the Light

"Careful with those pulleys!", the goblin yelled. "No, no, no! You're doing it wrong!"

"How do you know he's doing it wrong?", the other little greenskin wondered, turning the plans over and over.

"Who's the foreman?", the first one questioned irritated.

"Foreman?", the other one asked sarcastically. ·Isn't foreman too strong a word?"

"I'm in charge!"

"You are not in charge! We're both leading this project!"

"Yeah, but I designed that device, and I'm telling you he's doing it wr..."

But he couldn't finish talking. The entire scaffold holding his marvelous invention crumbled to the ground, raising a cloud of dust and snow. Everyone turned to watch what had happened, and a few volunteers rushed to check if no one had been hurt from the accident.

"Move! Move!", the goblin commanded. "I told you, you were doing it wrong", he said to the human who had been operating the pulleys.

"I wasn't doing anything, Blastbolt", he answered as he stood up and shook some dust off his Argent Crusade tabard. "One of these days, your inventions are going to kill someone, unless you handle the damn instructions. Yesterday I almost died to that infernal sawing backpack or whatever you made me test... I'm a fighter, not a builder or a test dummy, for crying out loud!"

"Argheros, right? You have potential, but I can't work with that attitude", Beezle Blastbolt said with fake disappointment in his voice, pretending to be offended. "We must get this Coliseum working sooner than expected, and we won't achieve that ambitious goal with volunteers complaining like this!"

"Well, I didn't volunteer, Blastbolt", the Paladin answered. "Unfortunately, I have direct orders of helping you. I'm not some random volunteer, I'm a champion of the Argent Crusade. Know that I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Highlord Fordring", he gave a short sigh. "I was better off gathering lumber and stones..."

"Oh, give me a break!", the goblin complained. "Do you think I like to work with fighters and champions? I'd love to get me some good old hobgoblins to do the hard work, but Fordring wanted me to settle for your lot."

"Only a mindless hobgoblin would be stupid enough to follow your every request!", Argheros was aware that people were watching them, but he didn't care. Bezzle and Bozzle Blastbolt were known for being outstanding builders, always finding incredible solutions for every problem. In fact, they came up with the idea of constructing the Coliseum by repurposing crumbling stones from the ancient Path of the Titans that crossed the continent of Northrend, and using lumber from Crystalsong Forest instead of wood from the Grizzly Hills, a place truly far away from the building site. It was cheaper and more efficient to use those materials.

"You were the one who wasn't operating the Andamium 2000 correctly!", Bezzle yelled, losing his not-so-strong temper.

"And you didn't even know it would work!", Argheros replied.

"It was an engineering marvel!"

"Bezzle, c'mon, it was garbage..."

"How could you!", Blastbolt said after gasping loudly.

"Guys, guys, that's enough", a woman voiced behind their backs. "Everyone's staring and the Coliseum won't get build by yelling."

"You're right, Syla...", the Paladin answered, trying to calm down. "I'll see myself useful elsewhere, Blastbolt."

But the goblin wasn't paying attention. His eyes were shining as he stared at the woman. She was striking indeed, with her Kul Tiras accent, her tan skin and her green eyes. But it wasn't her looks what had Bezzle so stunned.