Chapter 21 Chapter 21

Everyone turned their heads wearily and looked at him expectantly.He glanced at everyone. "It probably won't work, but I think -- I believe it's worth a try," he said. "It might sound like—well, I just want you to hear me out." "Of course we will, my friend," Kalek said. "And I really hope you can give us some options." "I... might have. We now have four Aspects gathered here: the Life-Binder, the Awakened Sleeper, the Guardian of Magic, and the Guardian of Time. You only need one... and that one is It's the Earthwarden. I'm a shaman. I work with the elements. If any one of you goes missing, I'm powerless. I can't step into the roles that any of the four of you occupy."

"But you don't lack magic, or keeping time, or the power of life, or the knowledge of dreams of creation. What you lack is the earth. And I... know how to work with it." He hoped they wouldn't be offended by his reasoning.He is just a simple shaman, but he wants to take the position of a dragon guardian. Ysera visibly beamed.Nozdormu looked at him thoughtfully, while Alexstrasza looked at Kalecgos uncertainly. "I know you will play an important role," Ysera said happily. "I just don't know in what way." "Please don't feel offended, my friend," Kalec said, "but...you're not even a dragon, let alone an Aspect."

"I know," Thrall said. "But I've worked with the elements for years. And I've learned a lot along the way." He looked to Nozdormu. "You know it's true." The Eternal Dragon nodded slowly. "You've been given a view you didn't have before," he said, "a view that soothes the soul without letting it rest. There's nothing wrong with trying such a thing." "But how can you help us, Thrall?" Alexstrasza asked. "You can't fight with us." "I repeat—this has nothing to do with individual combat," Nozdormu said. "It is to combine our best. Thrall cannot attack with us, of course. But he is capable of giving us as much spirit as the Aspect might. I tell you honestly, there is no hope beyond that. No. If fought alone, every dragonlord would fall, and that would be the end of dragons and Azeroth. I... saw the end."

So did Ysera, and she had told them about it.Nozdormu's voice was heavy and melancholy, sending shivers down Thrall's spine. Oddly enough, Thrall didn't want to criticize his impulses after the fact.It felt right in his heart, though he couldn't describe the feeling.It seems that when the Earthen Ring tried to appease the restless elemental, he failed because he was too distracted.He knows, doesn't even need to know how he knows, and now he can keep the peace and stability in his heart to do what he needs to do.His closer connection to the spirit of life made his communication with the elementals easier - even more enjoyable.The earth bears life; it nourishes the seeds and roots so that animals can feed on them.The spirits of earth and life will welcome his return; they will trust him to gently guide, control and absorb the spirits of the earth as he works with the four dragon guardians.The land is vast; the virtues carry all things; Sal respectfully accepts this, knowing that in turn, he can succeed with it.

"Let me try, at least," he said. "My pack has done what we once thought was impossible," Kalecgos said. "We've chosen a new Dragonlord. From what I've seen with Thrall, with Chromatus, and with my own pack, I believe it's possible. If I ask you, we can give it a try. " "That's right," Ysera said immediately. "Sarl still has a role to play. The pieces of the puzzle in my head haven't quite been put together yet." Alexstrasza looked at him kindly. "You helped me open up when I thought I was beyond hopeless heartbreak. If you think you can do it, then I'd love to give it a go. But come on...we gotta hurry !"

"This is an ancient and formal ceremony," Thrall said.He slid off Torrastrasza's broad back. "I will do it as quickly as possible. Can the four of you change into a human form?" They responded quickly.Thrall looked at the faces of the high elves, half-elves, and night elves.He had seen the human forms of the three Dragonlords, but not Nozdormu's. His appearance was quite different.Others chose to look beautiful and graceful, some chose to keep the dragon horns, and some did not.But Eternal Dragon is not like this.Although his figure is slender and strong, he is considered an elf, but there seems to be sand falling from his body.His clothes were plain white linen, and he chose to keep the golden dragon horns and eyes bright as jewels, but his face was that of an owl—wise and calm.

"I've been involved in similar circles," Thrall began, distracting himself from Nozdormu's stunning appearance and turning his attention to the ritual to come. "But there's never been such a strong player." "We trust you," said the Life-Binder, and she smiled.Thrall found himself deeply moved.He thought of Agra, and smiled to himself.At this special moment, the lack of humility in his heart naturally cannot be the reason for her to accuse him. "I'll cast the array and tell the elementals at the same time," he said. "It sounds like our mission is to open up for each other. That includes your feelings and your mind, everything that makes you who you are - what makes you Dragonlord. This is not a time for you to keep secrets, or protect yourself .I'm honored that you trust me. But you also have to trust yourselves, and everyone else. Take each other's hands to strengthen the connection. Are you ready?"

They looked at each other and nodded as he asked.Thrall took a deep breath through his nose and out through his mouth, calming him down.He began to face the east, which had long been associated with the element of air. "God Bless the East," Thrall said, his voice rising steadily. "The place where the sun rises, the place where the beginning begins. The hometown of the sky, enlightens the mind, guides the mind. My glory—" "They are coming!" Cries of pain resounded through the sky.Thrall opened his eyes suddenly, his attention was completely distracted.Sure enough, he heard the familiar drumbeat of hundreds of leather dragon wings beating in the air.The Twilight Dragons are back again.And this time, they will win.Several dragon kings are very weak, once the revived Chromatus joins the battle, they will be unable to stop him as a single individual.

Thrall tasted bitter despair.He's so sure it's going to work - so hopeful, and they're almost there.But now there is no time to complete the ritual. A thought flashed through his mind. There was still time, he recalled. A picture suddenly appeared in his mind: a red sun, rising slowly, bestowing life.New ideas, lively conversations, breakthroughs, the joy of being born and beginning. He was surprised to see the Dragon King nodding and smiling at each other, somehow he knew that they also saw these scenes through him. And all this happened in the blink of an eye. Now his mental picture was of campfires, the jungle climate of Stranglethorn Vale, and Durotar scorched by the heat wave.This is the flame, and the south is its home, and it is the passion it brings to all life to achieve goals and dreams.

Thrall could faintly hear the sounds of dragons fighting with dragons all around him: shouts of anger, growls of pain.He could smell burning flesh.He kept his eyes shut.After a few moments, they can help. Moments later— The western image flew quickly: the kingdom of the spirit of water, the ocean, the tears of this place in the heart, the tears brought about by strong emotions. Then the north, the land of the earth.Thrall saw stretches of mountains, various caves, and the land was covered with a layer of winter's lazy and silent silver makeup. In the ever-changing picture of their shared vision, they are no longer sitting on the cold stone atop the summit of the roof of the world.He saw each dragonlord holding hands, but not in his current form; not even in dragon form.

What Thrall saw was not their skin, but their true inner being, and that beauty was almost overwhelming. Gentle Ysera is a glowing green mist, the essence of creation, alive with change.You are connected to the awakened dream of creation.Nature is your realm, and when all things sleep, they all catch a glimpse of the Emerald Dream.You see them all, Ysera.They see you too, though they may not know it.Like the Life-Binder, you touch all living beings, singing to them songs of creation and connection. The Dragonlord gasped, and Thrall somehow understood that what he had heard was what a titan had told Ysera long, long ago, when she had just gained her powers.The voice in his mind receded, but the shock and surprise brought by these words still remained. Noble Kalek is a glittering crystal of ice, as beautiful as any jewel, shining with the splendor of arcane magic, the magic of powers, spells and runes, even the magic of the sunwell, the magic of thought, yes The magic of appreciation is the magic of connection. I trust you will find that my gift to you is not just a great duty - it is - it is a pleasure - it is!Magic must be regulated, managed and controlled.But it must also be appreciated and cherished, not kept private.This is a paradox you have to deal with.May you do your duty...and have fun at the same time. The battle overhead is still raging.Thrall felt a pain in his heart, but he shut out those voices, and also shut out his own desire to join the fight with a battle cry.There will be time for him to go, if only— time-- The sands of time slowly float up and down in all directions—the past, the future, and this precious present. You have been given the great responsibility of keeping time pure.Note that only one timeline is true, despite attempts to alter that fact.You must protect it.More is lost than you can imagine when time doesn't flow the true way it should.The fabric of reality will cease to exist.It is a heavy task - the foundation of all tasks in this world, because without time nothing would exist. And Alexstrasza— Sal loves her.How can he not love?How can anyone and anything not love this fiery pure essence of heart energy?She is the brazier in the cold night, the life in the seed, or an egg, all the beautiful things that grow.No wonder dragons of all colors adored her; no wonder she was the last thing on Kryostrasz's mind as he carried out the deed that destroyed so much and preserved so much more. This is my gift: compassion for all living beings.Protect and nurture their positivity.And the ability to heal what others cannot cure, to procreate what others cannot, and even to love what others dare not love—they must need such a favor more than anyone else. and himself— He feels solid, unshakable, resourceful.Thrall knew very well that what he felt was not only his own knowledge, but also the knowledge of the earth.Here old trees take root; here bones are buried, turned to stone over the years.He feels bigger than ever, ever expanding, because the whole world is in his care. My blessings will pale in comparison to the gifts others are bestowed, stewardship of time, stewardship of lives, stewardship of dreams and magic.I bring you the earth.Soil, earth, and the depths of the earth.You must know that the earth is the basis of all things.We are here to put our roots down.If you are going somewhere, you must come from there.This is the source of true strength.From the depths...within the world, within oneself. This blessing was not intended for his ears.But now it is. This is the power of five Guardians standing side by side, as never before in thousands of years. Then, it happened. The images of the Aspects and Thrall that had become in this spiritual realm exploded.Not violent, not atmospheric, but it seems that this kind of fun can no longer be contained in any shape or structure.The true essence of each Guardian flies forward like fireworks. They meet, the luster of bronze, green, blue, red and black, intertwined and intertwined, weaving colors together. Like the thread on a loom. ...to unravel a section of fabric, you only need to pull a loose thread. No, what Medivh said to him in the timeline came back to his mind, and Thrall suddenly had an idea.Not weaving.Spinning threads can be pulled, or broken.They cannot intertwine; they must mingle. ... Thrall imagined his color, pure and peaceful black, merging with the dancing essences of the other Aspects.They get it right away and start pushing their boundaries.The colors begin to blend, becoming a single unity— "he came!" The voice of the sentinel broke the moment.Thrall struggled to stay in the Holy Land, quietly detached, but the situation was imminent.Before he could even open his eyes, the four Aspects leaped upwards, returning to their true forms, climbing towards the sky.Seeing the dragon jump up and beat its wings violently, Thrall once thought he was left behind.But moments later he was grabbed by the giant claws.He craned his neck to see Tek, who placed the orc swiftly on her shoulders. Sure enough, the rotting chromatic dragon was flying towards his enemies at full speed. "Do you really think we won't come to you?" The voice did not belong to Cromatus.Under the moonlight, Thrall tried his best to look, and found a small figure on the stalwart back of Chromatus. It must be Father Twilight. After Torrastrasza eradicated all ranks of Twilight Cultists, the rest are now on the dragon's back.Thrall could see them wielding weapons that gleamed in the dim light, no doubt others wielding spells, and at a distance they were far more dangerous foes.He realized they were going to make this the final showdown, and Father Twilight was clearly ready for the sacrifices that would have to be made to secure victory. Thrall spent a few precious minutes trying to ground himself in the present moment.He didn't know if the ceremony he led before had played its due role.He had wanted more time—enough time for the Aspects to fully meld, bond, and adapt to this new way of being before the Aspects went all-in on Chromatus and the Twilight Cult .But as he realized, the thought didn't really fit the moment.In his limited time, he had done what he could, and the thought brought a strange peace of mind to him. From what he'd observed, the dragon guardians recovered faster than he did, even though they were unfamiliar with the ritual he was leading them through.Thrall hopes it's because they're doing what's right, what's needed -- what they're supposed to be doing all along.They moved quickly towards Cromatus, intent on killing, while the other stopped and hovered in the air, flapping its oddly articulated wings, and then opened the mouths of all five dragon heads.Fire, frost, disgusting green energy, sand, and a terrifying black mist all hit the Aspect at the same time.All four dragons were jolted back, hit by the force of the five attacking spells. "No!" Thrall yelled, but the dragonlords recovered before the cry left his lips.They stopped rolling and united as before, attacking again. It took Thrall a moment to realize that he hadn't been able to see them so clearly.Then he suddenly noticed that each figure, although the color did not change, was outlined with a silver-white ray of light.He saw that the light seemed to be bursting and beating.Their demeanor was... calm, for some reason.Concentrate, yes, but not urgently.They have one purpose, one goal, and they respond not as four individuals, but as one. Chromatus seems to have noticed this too.He flew high into the air suddenly, turned around, his tense body on high alert. "So," the black dragon head growled. "You want to attack together to defeat me. I can feel the nascent union between you. Know that it will fail eventually! How precious. But you will never be whole! One of you is missing, or have you both forgotten Is it? Deathwing covers me, and he will ensure that you are all destroyed!" The terrible rumbling sound is louder than before.Thrall found that, as much as he wanted to help his friend in what might be the final battle, his eyes were fixed on the scene.It dawned on him that it was because he, too, was integral.That's why it's so hard for him to change back into himself: because a part of him is still connected to the Dragon Aspect. They don't need Deathwing for the ritual.And despite the threatening words of Cromatus, Thrall realized that they didn't need Deathwing now.They have the earth.They had Thrall, and for a brief moment the Spirit of Life gave him power that held something so powerful and so deep that it had been given by the Titans themselves. Just as he changed his armor and donned his robes for another kind of battle—the battle to heal and heal the earth—Thrall found that he also changed his ability to help as an individual, and gained a greater ability.He is not, and never will be, a Guardian.But it was he who united them and did what they needed to do. Tik didn't question Thrall's sudden inactivity, and she didn't stop attacking herself.A spell she cast froze several of the twilight dragons in place, and Thrall knew that for those unfortunate dragons, time itself had stopped.Now Tik swooped down to attack, tearing with her mighty claws and swiping with that massive tail.Thrall watched, but his focus was actually on helping the Aspects maintain this newfound unity. He shook his head, suddenly finding it difficult to concentrate.Why?A moment earlier he had been able to concentrate his thoughts clearly.His mind was chaotic, beyond his control.A sudden terror gripped him tightly.He is sustenance, he helps... what? Thrall grabbed his right arm with his left hand angrily, the pain helping him focus.His thoughts were mixed and incomplete.He looked up to see the figure pacing on Chromatus's back stretching out its hands toward the orc—then the figure became a blue-purple shadow, a dark shadow rolling over his head.Thrall roared, and the nails on his arm sank deeper, twisting his mind. Chromatus shook the ugly dragon heads.The purple light from all ten eyes was sickening, a dark reflection of the Aspect's radiance.They deftly fly around larger, relatively fatter figures.The purple light dotted with deformed facial features, like an evil spirit.When he pulled away and opened his mouth wide, Thrall felt as if he was once again fighting something as dark, evil and perverse as the Burning Legion. If the five heads of the monster used to attack separately, now their actions are united and terrible.Pull each head back, inhale deeply, and open all five mouths simultaneously.This time, the flames ejected from the five heads did not have five different colors, and the dark purple flames attacked the giant dragon that was shining with golden and white light all over its body.More than one dragon king cried out in pain, and Thrall saw that Kalecgos and Ysera failed to hold their ground.Their colors dimmed as the light faded, only to regain a new brilliance. They swooped as ever, coordinated and graceful, and when they opened their huge mouths, white flames gushed forth.It wasn't the lilac tinge of arcane magic, nor was it like any spell Thrall had ever seen.The breath had the shape of a flame, the purest white Thrall had ever seen in his life.They were all aiming at the same spot: Chromatus' chest, which was revealed when all five necks were raised to let out the second wave of attack. Thrall had to cover his eyes because the light was so harsh on impact.The bright white light from the four dragon kings hit the dragon, causing him to roll violently.Cromatus screamed in pain.He fell uncontrollably for a while, before flapping his wings awkwardly to fly again.His dragon's head was no longer perfectly coordinated, but convulsively spewing black fire again wildly, far from their target.As he struggled to get himself back into the fight, Chromatus exposed his blackened chest again.Once again, the dragon kings are like an individual, taking a breath, and blowing out a strange flame that is not a flame, and it hits the heart of the colorful dragon. He jumped suddenly, convulsed all over, the twisted dragon head cursed loudly, and his body trembled violently. "You can't stop me!" the blue dragon head shouted, then it retracted and closed its eyes. "I know all your secrets," the red dragon head warned, also closing his eyes, no longer glowing with life. And the Black Dragon's voice was the most ruthless, "It took all of you just trying to destroy me! Do you think Deathwing would make it easier? He will tear the world apart and destroy you for what you did! And I'll be there-" There was a final spasm, a hoarse hiss from the black dragon's hair, and Chromatus died. Father Twilight clutched Cromatus desperately, and the two fell to the ground together.His heart was numb with panic.He was so flustered that he could barely remember to put a protective shield on himself.Moments later, after that first strange breath that had hurt the dragon so badly, Father Twilight's mind was full of questions.What happened to the Aspects?Where did they get this new ability from?what is this?How can this happen?Chromatus is invincible! And then all those questions were swept away by the panic of clutching a dead dragon as he fell toward jagged rocks and snow. He closed his eyes.The dragon's corpse landed with a thud, and Father Twilight slid screaming into a mound of snow.Trembling and frantic, he paved a way through the snow with his hands, grateful that he survived, but fearful of the impact of failure.His hand reached out to Chromatus, wanting to feel any sign of life. Nothing at all.But... the dragon is not dead, nor is it immortal.He didn't breathe, didn't move, didn't have a heartbeat, but he didn't have the emptiness of empty skin either.He's kind of in between.He lacked the cremation of life, but Father Twilight knew that if there were any other way, the corpse could be brought back to life.This is valuable.If Chromatus was completely destroyed, Father Twilight knew he would rather die in battle.It was sweet and painless compared to what Deathwing would have done to him.He could still do it to himself. His robes were soaking wet and clinging to him, leaving him in the pathetic threat of freezing to death.He made his way through snowdrifts, over rocks, past fallen corpses, to a small ledge.The little orb he used to talk to Deathwing was still intact; even a fall from such a height would not be enough to damage the artifact.He took it out of his waist pocket with stiff hands and looked at it for a moment.He's considering simply trying to disappear - but how?He was alone, and he didn't know where he was, and all he saw were red dragons, green dragons, bronze dragons, and blue dragons—not to mention those four who somehow controlled a powerful force that he could never believe. No.Deathwing has spent a lot of time and energy shaping Father Twilight.He would not ruin the fruits of such an effort by a whim.Chromatus isn't alive - but he isn't dead either.That might be enough. Crouching under this pathetic shelter, Father Twilight placed the orb in the snow and knelt before it, shivering violently.The clear orb filled with ink-stained darkness before turning into the orange light of an eye.Moments later, the orb burst.Thick black smoke fluttered upwards, filling the limited space.The image of the evil black dragon is limited here, but the terror he engenders is not lessened one iota. "They were not destroyed," Deathwing said bluntly. "If there is, I'll feel it." "I know, my lord-master," stammered Father Twilight. "They did...something, and they hit-hit-defeated your warrior, who lay lifeless and was not taken away by death." The moment seemed so long and terrifying. "Then, what a failure." His cold words were worse than an angry growl.Father Twilight flinched. "No, Chromatus cannot be killed! He is defeated, but only from the present moment." He heard the sound of wings above and peeked up.His eyes widened, and his knees receded under his pitiful cover. "My lord, I would like to continue my allegiance to the affairs of your world. But I am running out of time. They are searching for me, and—and it appears that the Twilight Dragon-Dragon are fleeing." He tried, but He couldn't get rid of the panic in his voice. "You disappoint me very much," Deathwing rumbled. "We were winning. But now the Aspects are alive; Chromatus...is wounded; and the Twilight's Hammer has been hit hard. Why shouldn't I throw you at my enemies?" "I- still know a lot that's still useful!" cried Father Twilight, clutching the orb as if to squeeze its master's hand. "I still have those who trust me—you know. Let me return to them. Let me lead them to you at last. The Twilight's Hammer is all over the world; even if the dragons wipe out the power here, they can't Destroy it completely! Think how much time you'll waste if you put someone else in my place!" "Humans are pitifully greedy and easily manipulated," Deathwing roared. "But you're right. We've lost enough time. I don't need another setback. Come on, then, into the smoke," he said, letting the dark silky gleam of his orb emanate The image composed of smoke dissipates.Shadowy tentacles reached out, caressing Father Twilight, making him tremble. "The portal will take you home. There, you can continue to betray the trust of those who respect you, until the next time I need you, and exercise my will." Father Twilight took off his hood, embraced the smoke that sent him, and wore the traditional priestly robes he was more used to. "Thank you, Master," whispered Archbishop Benedictus. "Thank you!"