Chapter 8 chapter eight

Several days had passed since the setback at Wyrmrest Temple.Kalec had thought -- silly, maybe, but sincere -- that with Malygos' tragic but necessary death, maybe there would be some kind of healing among the dragons, some kind of peace and unity.He came to that meeting with hopes in mind, only to see more than his own personal dreams shattered. Losing so many dragon eggs, from all dragonkind, all in an instant—killed by one of their own—Kalec thought to himself that perhaps none of them could ever truly recover from the blow.Kalek has known Kleostrasz for some time, this is a person he has completely trusted... Kalek shook his head, his muscular neck lowered slightly in grief .

Ysera was awake, but still unfocused, even a little blurry, and from what he knew from her green dragonflight, she had begun to wander.Nozdormu has been missing for some time.Alexstrasza, since Crassus' betrayal left her in utter despair, had also disappeared.Malygos was slain, and Deathwing was at large on Azeroth, plotting to destroy the entire world. Even the oldest of them admitted that there had never been a moment since Deathwing's original betrayal as full of despair and confusion. The various dragonflights stand still.Kalek has friends among most dragonfolk, but even contacting them is fraught with tension.While the green, red, and bronze dragonflights don't know the exact whereabouts of their Aspects, at least their Aspects are still alive.The Aspects of the blue dragons are dead, and they've been focusing on fixing that these days.

The blue dragons have gathered at the Nexus, their long-standing home.In the cold cave, they had a lot of dialogue, analysis, theorizing, and discussing magical agreements.But it's all pretty much on paper. His race, Kalecgos thought, was more concerned with the theoretical creation or selection of a new Aspect, even though the need for a dragonlord was imminent.He felt he shouldn't be surprised.Blue dragons love challenging wits.Their disdain for "inferior races" is the only thing that prevents them - as the late Krasus did - from using different stances to mingle with other magic users, such as the wizards of the Kirin Tor.Arcane magic - cold and wise - was their birthright, thanks to the titans' decision to make Malygos the king of magic in this world.The younger race, really, shouldn't be meddling at all, say those who hold that belief.And as Kalek meant, too many of them thought so.

It appears that there are as many different proposals for how to create or choose a new Aspect as there are blue dragons.Or, Kalek corrected, his nostrils flaring impatiently, as many different proposals as there were scales on each dragon. The early panic died down quickly, when a young blue dragon asked worriedly, "What if there can't be a new Aspect? The Titans make Malygos Lord of Magic. What if there are only Titans?" It can be recreated, but the other dragons have made us eternally lost, so why can't we have a new dragon king?" The older dragons shook their heads, not caring. "We all know that the Titans are very powerful and very intelligent," one of them said. "We must assume that they expected this to happen one day. Our scholars are sure that after enough research, they will able to discover what we should do.”

Kalecgos believed it; the Titans appointed all the Aspects many years ago, and he trusted their wisdom.Other blue dragons, however, place more faith in the superiority and talents of the blue dragonflight itself.They will succeed in coming up with something.They certainly have no shortage of theories. According to legend, when the Aspects were first created, the twin moons were rarely joined together.This celestial phenomenon has not happened for centuries, but it will reappear in just a few days.A dramatic theory prevails among the blue dragons that this celestial event will play an important role in their mission.Some felt it was "essential in facilitating the proper working of the magic needed to transform a common blue dragon into a dragonlord"; others felt it was just a good time.

Others hope that most blue dragons will be able to attend the ceremony. "We'll have an Aspect anyway," said a more pragmatic magician. "If a double moon embrace doesn't bring about any material transformation, at least we can, as a community, decide who will be our best leader." "Great Malygos did not die without leaving his offspring," said Arygos. "Myself, the child of Malygos and his chief consort. It is quite possible that the ability to be a dragonlord runs in the blood. We must consider the significance of this." "There's no evidence to point to that," Kalecgos said. "Not all dragonlords are of the same kind." He didn't like Arygos' attitude, and he knew that Malygos' son felt threatened by what he considered a "upstart."If there are differences among the Dragon Clan, there are also differences within the Blue Dragon Legion.Malygos is still haunted.There are still people, such as Arygos, who are more inclined to follow in the footsteps of the dragon king and stay as far away from the world as possible, and those who have the same idea as Kalek: since in this world, contacting other races and dragons, only It will make the blue dragon army bigger and stronger.

Subtle differences existed before the twilight dragon attack.But now that this public split was well known, Karek didn't like it, but he wasn't naive enough to ignore it. He loathes this new concept of "voting," and the fact that the Dragon Aspect's moniker is all there is to it: a name with no real power behind it.This has been a part of the world for as long as almost anyone or anything can remember, except perhaps the ancient trees.Turn it into some kind of competition, and reward the most popular, or the blue dragon who can stir up the vast majority of dragons— He shook his head angrily, walking away from the discussion.Arygos noticed, and called out, "Kalecgos! Where are you going?"

"Get some fresh air," Kalek called back. "It's too crowded for me." Despite the struggles of the heavily armored humans, he sank like a rock.He let go of the greatsword, gripping Thrall's robes with one armored hand.The two sank together.Thrall tried to smash his weapon at the man's arm, but his attack was slowed by the current.Instead he grabs the human hand and uses his superhuman strength to snap the fingers apart. Bubbles bubble in the human helmet.He accidentally let go of Thrall's robe and stretched out his other hand, but Thrall kicked hard and swam out of the opponent's range.

That's when he realized that the current was much deeper than it seemed.Much deeper than it could possibly be.He caught a glimpse of a light out of the corner of his eye and turned his head away. It was the gleaming gold of the scales of a huge bronze dragon—exactly the same image he had seen in the water before.Thrall suddenly felt that the burning sensation in his lungs thirsting for air was gone.He knew it was some kind of timeline magic, and he accepted it.His eyes fixed on the striking scales, and he swam towards them. The water above him glistened, and he felt a strange warmth stabbing through him.The scales are gone.He bursts out of the water—

- the sea surface.As he looked around, trying to get his bearings, he recognized several ships.Or rather, their remnants. He, Grom Hellscream, and the other orcs had stolen the ships from humans on the advice of a strange prophet who urged them to leave the Eastern Kingdoms for Kalimdor. At this moment, Thrall was struggling to land with the others and caught a quick glimpse of the wreckage floating on the water.He grabbed a wooden box and pulled it ashore.Someone yelled at him as he set the box on the ground. "Chief!" Thrall thought to himself, how long has it been since he accepted that title?Anyway, he turned - only to see an orc striding towards...

"Me," Thrall said. "It's me..." It seemed that only a moment before he had seen himself as a baby, and now he realized that he was looking at another version of himself.He listened to the conversation, trying not to be seen looking at Thrall in this timeline.It was so much more wondrous than the other versions of himself he saw in his visual quests.This time, he himself was standing a few steps away. "Our ship took heavy damage in the rough waters of the Maelstrom," the orc reported. There was another strange pain in my heart.The Maelstrom...where he left off.Where Deathwing Tore: Where the Earthen Ring tried so hard to heal.He shook his head, thinking of such a big change in the past few years, he sighed in his heart. "Irreparable," continued the orc foot soldier. Thrall in this timeline nodded. "I know. Can we confirm where we are now? How is this Kalim?" "We're heading west as you instructed. It should be." "very good." Thrall, who was still watching in secret, recalled this moment eight years ago, and remembered what he cared most about at that time. "Any signs of Grom Hellscream or any other ships?" Thrall of this timeline asks. "No, chief. Not since we parted." "Well. Get ready to move. If our companions do make it here, we should be able to find them on the shoreline." Thrall turned around and looked at the endless beach. Then saw a glimpse of gold.It is fleeting; perhaps it is nothing more than a sunburst on the sand.But Thrall wasn't that stupid. Everyone else was busy searching for the wrecked ship and bringing supplies ashore.Soon they will set up a camp.Thrall left that task to his old self. He followed the shining scales and headed west. This time, he found a small hole in the ground, about the size of a den.And around it... is the now-familiar light of the Timeline Portal. Is Nozdormu really trapped?Thrall thought so, and took a step forward.Or is he just leading Thrall on some sort of chase?The hole started to grow to fit his size.He fell forward, but before he had a chance to be alert, he was on the other side of the portal.He climbed out of the hole and saw a large black bird sitting on the grass in front of him.It tilted its head, staring at the other with bright red eyes. The beak opened. "Welcome, Son of Durotan. I know you will find your way." Medivh! The archmage once appeared in Thrall's dream and told him to follow.After Thrall obeyed, Medivh rewarded him for his persistence.But, isn't he human in this conversation? Thrall tried to recall what he had said. "It was you that I saw in the dream. Who are you? How did you know about me?" The crow tipped its black head. "I know many things, young chieftain, about you and your people. For example, I know that you are now seeking Nozdormu." Thrall's jaw almost dropped. "Your time is running out...in many ways. You know, I've seen the future, the world where the Burning Shadows have come to engulf you. And in between glimpses of that future, I've seen many others. I'll tell you all I can say, but you'll have to do the rest." Thrall suddenly laughed, wondering why he was so shocked before.After all, this is Medivh.Whatever he is, jumping through time and space is not outside of his abilities. "Listening to you has helped me a lot," he said. "I can't help but think this will benefit me again." "Are you familiar with weaving, Thrall?" Surprised by the question, Thrall replied, "I... have seen how a loom works, but it's certainly not a skill I have mastered." "You don't need skill to understand it," said the crow, who wasn't a crow. "The warp and weft. Watch the pattern. Guide the shuttle. To understand that something that didn't exist before is being created, and that the loom is a miniature world. Also know that if you want to unravel a part of the fabric, you just have to pull it apart. A loose thread." Thrall shook his head slowly. "Master, you have confused me. Today I witnessed my parents murdered. I fought a mysterious assassin who seems to be sent by the infinite dragon army. I am still trying to find the eternal dragon. Under his guidance, It seems like a fruitless search. And the best advice you can give is for me to think about weaving?" The blackbird lowered its head and raised its shoulders in what appeared to be a shrug. "Listen to me, or don't listen. I know what you're looking for. Be careful to make sure you're looking for the right thing. This place is full of illusions. There's only one way you'll find what you're really looking for—and only one way Let you find yourself. Farewell, Goyle, son of Durotan and Draka." The crow flapped its wings, and within a few seconds it flew out of Thrall's sight. Sal was confused.Words came out of his mouth, and the content of the words surprised him. "It doesn't make sense at all, but the gods tell me... I should trust him." At the end of his real first meeting with Medivh, he had said exactly these words.With a sudden start, he realized that this time the words were as true as they had ever been.The gods were telling him he should trust the mage.He closed his eyes and opened his heart to the elements, the earth, the air, the water, and finally, the element that had always been in him, life. He still didn't really understand what the mage had been trying to say.His words still seemed absurd.But Thrall was much calmer now, knowing that when the time was right, he would always understand. Guide me, he invoked the elemental spirits.I hope to help, I really do, but I really can't seem to find this great creature I've been sent to find.I can see images of him, and hints, but each time I just go deeper into the situation in my life and I'm far from finding him. He opened his eyes. Nozdormu was right in front of him.In other words, it was a translucent image of him.The dragon opened his mouth and was talking, but Thrall couldn't hear anything. "What do you want, Eternal Dragon?" he called. "I'm trying to find you!" Nozdormu stretched out a front leg, palm up, and beckoned to Thrall.The orc ran forward— There it was, coming a little quicker each time: sunlight glinting on the bronze scales of Nozdormu.It still doesn't look like Thrall should be at the point in time. He thought back to what Kane had said to him, a long, long time ago.Fate... will find you in due time. ... So what is the correct time?Thrall wanted to shout out.He hated it, hated it in his bones to chase this mysterious vision, which seemed to be just trying to lure Thrall into another timeline. Every time he followed the image of the Eternal Dragon, it brought him to a different point in his life.Some relives are heart-warming; others, far from it.But each of these moments in time is important and profound.In every moment, Thrall saw Nozdormu.Thrall is wary of the mysterious assassin's reemergence, but there seems to be no sign of the persistent human.Thrall hoped the bastard was drowned, the bastard's armor leading him into something far more than a stream.But the hope of never having another encounter didn't let his guard down. Thrall realized he had traveled too far without eating or sleeping when he stepped through another portal into a twilight forest.It feels familiar... all too familiar. "Hillsbrad again," he murmured, touching his face.Well, at least he knows the way here.The forest had changed a lot since he had last been here—how long ago?His hungry stomach and exhausted body told him it was almost a day.The trees looked older, and it seemed to him that many years had passed - since he had witnessed the death of his parents.And the seasons also vary.It's midsummer time.That meant there was plenty of game, berries, and fruit waiting to be harvested, so that he would not starve while he waited for whatever past moment he was about to experience. He quickly set a trap for rabbits, and enjoyed the quiet, long twilight while he went out foraging.A trap succeeded.Thrall expertly built a small fire to roast the critters—though many orcs prefer raw meat, he preferred cooked—and then stretched out by the fire for some much-needed sleep. After a while, he awoke, immediately alert.He didn't move; something cold and iron was pressing against his throat. "Stupid, dirty orc," came a voice.It was a female voice, and it sounded harsh, as if she hadn't spoken in a while. "If it weren't for the money you're about to bring me, I'd leave your dead body lying on the ground." money?She must be talking about some kind of bounty.Could it be that someone in the Union Territory offered a reward for his disclosure, and she recognized him without hesitation in the dark?No, if so, she would have said so, not in such general terms about orcs. "I will not hurt you," Thrall said, keeping his voice as calm as possible.What she hung on his neck was the barrel of a musket.After calculating the odds that he could move fast enough to grab it and shake it off him before she could fire, he didn't think he could. "Oh, I know you won't because I'll blow your brains out. Now: stand up and move slowly. To me you're worth more alive than dead, but if you give me any If it's difficult, don't think that I won't reluctantly accept a smaller reward." He obeyed, moving slowly as she instructed, putting his hands where she could see them. "Go to the tree, on your left, and turn around to face me," she ordered. Thrall cooperated, turning around slowly—— Then gasped for breath. The woman in front of him was thin, almost haggard.Her short-cropped hair is very light in color.She looked to be in her early thirties, and her trousers, boots, and shirt fitted her well.The moonlight made her face look haggard, casting shadows on her cheekbones and under her eyes, but Thrall felt that even the sun was no better.Maybe she was once beautiful.In fact, Thrall knew she had been beautiful. "Theresa," he whispered.