The Sundering (26 page)

He waited. Surely now the mistress of the dream realm would appear. How could she not at least investigate such potential tragedy?

Time was a nebulous thing in the Emerald Dream, but it still passed. Malfurion waited and waited, yet of the green dragon, he sensed nothing.

There came a point when at last he knew that to hope any longer would simply prove folly. Deflated by his failure, the druid returned to his body.

Krasus’s anxious gaze met his own.
“
She responded?
”

“No…there was nothing.”

The mage looked away, frowning.
“
But she should’ve responded,
”
he muttered half to himself.
“
She knows what it would mean to Alexstrasza
…”

“I did as you said,” the druid insisted, not wanting Krasus to find fault with his effort. “Said everything as you suggested.”

The robed figure patted him on the shoulder.
“
I know you did, Malfurion. Of you, I have the utmost faith. It is a—”

“Dragon!”

Brox’s warning cry came just before the behemoth materialized through the clouds. Malfurion focused on those clouds, hoping that he could urge them to some effort against the attacker.

But not only was it not a black dragon who approached, its very appearance made Krasus laugh heartily. Both the night elf and the druid gazed with some concern at their senior comrade.

“She comes! I should have realized that she herself would seek to discover the truth about such dire news!
”

A crimson dragon the size of Deathwing hovered overhead. As Malfurion studied her, he recognized certain traits and knew that he had seen this particular giant before.

Alexstrasza, the Aspect of Life, landed anxiously next to the body of Korialstrasz. Even despite her reptilian appearance, the night elf recognized the all too common traits of fear and concern.

“He cannot be dead!” she bellowed. “I will not permit it!

” Krasus strode up next to the prone male, displaying himself before the red female. “And he is not, as you can so plainly see, my queen!
”

Her consternation changed to confusion and then to anger. Alexstrasza thrust her head down toward the tiny mage, her maw coming within arm’s length of his body.

“You of all who know me know what a bitter jest that was! I feared that—that you—and he—”

“Not for the lack of the Demon Soul’s trying,
”
he returned.
“
If its current wielder had not been so unversed in its usage, you would see four dead here.
”

“You will explain yourself in a moment,” the dragon snapped. “But first I must see to him.”

She leaned over Korialstrasz, spreading her wings wide so as to encompass the male’s entire form. As she did, a golden radiance surrounded the great Aspect, one that quickly enveloped Korialstrasz as well. A gentle warmth touched Malfurion, easing his troubled mind. It occurred to him that here was a being as much a part of his calling as Ysera, possibly more. Druids worked with the natural life forces of the world and who better represented that than Alexstrasza?
“
He has suffered much,
”
the dragon stated, her expression softening.
“
The Demon Soul, as you have rightly declared that abomination, caused him great harm
…
but, yes, he will recover completely
…
given the opportunity, that is.
”

The golden aura receded. Turning her massive head to the sky, Alexstrasza let out a great roar.

To the party’s surprise, two more gargantuan reds dropped through the clouds. They circled once, then alighted near opposite ends of Korialstrasz. Once near, they still proved to be smaller than their queen, but on par with the unconscious male.

“Your command, my queen?”

“Take him back to the lair and place him in the Grotto of the Shadow Rose. He will mend better in mind and soul there. Treat him gently, Tyran.”

The larger of the two newcomers bowed his head respectfully.
“
Of course, I shall, my queen.
”

“You will find there will be some more memory loss,” Krasus interjected, not at all overawed by the presence of so many dragons. But then, he was one, also, Malfurion had to remind himself. “Those shall never be recovered,” the mage added.

“Perhaps that is for the best,” she returned, gazing at the tiny figure with the utmost fondness.

“As I thought.”

Krasus stepped back as the two males—Alexstrasza’s other consorts, apparently—carefully seized Korialstrasz, then took to the air. The Aspect, meanwhile, turned her full attention to the cowled figure. The fondness had become mixed with annoyance.

“It was not a particularly pleasant trick you played! Ysera alerted me immediately and although it was against my better judgment, I immediately came to investigate—as you knew I would!
”

“If I have been remiss,” Krasus answered, bowing deep. “I accept your anger and your punishment.”

The huge dragon hissed.
“
You have me here and you speak of the Demon Soul in another’s grip! How does this all come to pass?
”

Without preamble, the mage went into the tale. Alexstrasza’s expression changed several times and some of her anger faded. By the end of the story, disbelief dominated her emotions.

“Into the sanctum of Neltharion himself! It is a wonder that any of you live!” She cocked her head as she studied Krasus. “But, from you, I am growing less surprised by such actions. It is only a shame that after so much effort, the disk ends up in the clutches of those as monstrous in their own way as the Earth Warder has become.”

“Yet, this seeming disaster offers us potential for salvaging at least some part of Kalimdor, my queen. The greatest goal they have is to bring into our world their master, Sargeras…”

“And they will use the Demon Soul to do that!”

“Yes…which means that they can wield it for no other purpose during that attempt.” Krasus met her gaze defiantly. “The dragons will have nothing to fear from it. This is the moment when the Legion will be at its most vulnerable…”

“But the disk—”

“This is the one chance when you might seize it, as well,” he pointed out. “And if you cannot destroy it, you can certainly bind it so that Deathwing will never be able to wield it again.”

“Deathwing,” she growled. “So appropriate for him now. There is no more Neltharion, no more Earth Warder. Truly, he is Deathwing…and you are right, this is our one chance to make certain that his foul creation troubles us no more.”

Although it clearly slipped past Alexstrasza’s attention, Malfurion noticed Krasus’s expression briefly darken. In some manner, the mage had not been entirely honest with the dragon. The night elf said nothing, trusting that whatever secret Krasus held back, he held it back for good reason.

“Malygos will be of no use to us, I regret to say,” the gigantic red murmured. “And the Timeless One is still missing, but his flight stands with us. Ysera’s flight and mine will fly united, also
…”
Alexstrasza nodded.
“
Yes, it is possible. You are correct. I will speak with her and the consorts of Nozdormu. I should be able to convince them.
”

“Quickly, I hope.”

“I can only promise to try.” She spread her wings, but before the dragon could take off, Krasus signaled again for her attention. “You have more to say?”

“Only this. The Old Gods seek to use the disk, too, and they manipulate the Legion.”

Her eyes widened so much that Malfurion was taken aback. Alexstrasza caught herself, then demanded,
“
You are certain of this?

“There is question…but, yes.”

“Then I must make doubly certain of convincing the rest. Is that all or do you have another surprise?”

Krasus shook his head.
“
But it is paramount that we return to the host and try to convince their commander to coordinate with the flights. All can still easily go awry if we do not. Can you aid us in our journey? I fear my powers un-trustworthy at this time.
”

The queen considered.
“
Yes, I have something I can quickly do. Stand far back, all of you.
”

As Krasus and the others quickly obeyed, Alexstrasza once more stretched her wings. At the same time, the golden radiance returned a hundredfold stronger, yet, now it concentrated most behind the dragon. So bright was it that Alexstrasza’s shadow lay well-defined before the trio, covering the landscape where once Korialstrasz had lain.

The dragon queen uttered words that made no sense to Malfurion save that he felt the power that each syllable contained. Alexstrasza cast a spell of terrible potency
…
but for what purpose?

The ground before the night elf rumbled. Brox grunted, eyeing the earth as if it were a foe. The hard surface started to rise
…

And with a grinding sound, one vast piece broke free. Something about it struck the druid as familiar, but, only when another, similar portion tore loose farther away did Malfurion understand.

They were wings. The rising earth perfectly matched the outline of the Aspect’s shadow. Even as the rock wings flapped once, another, more sinewy section joined them in life—and immediately opened its maw to unleash a cry identical in tone to that earlier uttered by Alexstrasza.

A stone replica of the dragon queen pulled itself free of the ground.

In all ways, it looked like a perfect carving of the great red, save in color. Even the eyes bore the same wisdom, the same care, that he had seen in hers.

The two giants stood side by side, the reproduction watching the original. The glow faded from Alexstrasza and she focused on Krasus.

“She will do for you as I would do for you.”

The mage looked humbled.
“
I am not worthy of you, my queen.
”

Alexstrasza snorted.
“
If you were not, I would not be here.
”

The stone version raised its—her—head in what was recognizable as mirth, then also looked down at Krasus.

“I go now to convince the others,” the red added. “I feel certain that all will be as we hope.”

“Beware! Deathwing will still desire his abomination!”

She gave him a knowing look.
“
I am familiar with him of old. We will keep him from interfering.
”

With that, Alexstrasza leapt into the air. She circled over the party once, her gaze upon Krasus in particular. Then, with a last sweep, the Aspect soared up into the clouds.

“If only I could tell her…” the cowled figure whispered.

“Tell her what?”

Krasus frowned as he eyed the druid.
“
Nothing
…
nothing that I dare change.
”
His expression shifted back to determination.
“
We have the means by which to return swiftly to our comrades! Let us not waste it
…”

But Malfurion was not finished.
“
Krasus
…
who are ‘The Old Gods’ of whom you spoke?
”

“A terrible evil. I will say no more, but know this. To defeat the Legion is to defeat them…”

Malfurion doubted it was all that simple, yet the night elf chose not to pursue his questioning any further
…
at least for the time being.

The stone dragon bent low as the three approached. Malfurion marveled at the fluidity of the creature, the grace with which such a thing could mimic true life. It showed the power of the Aspect, that she could create such a wondrous imitation of herself.

With Krasus in the lead, the trio climbed atop near the shoulders. Once aboard, the size difference between Alexstrasza and Korialstrasz became even more apparent.

“You will find that the scales will shift as readily as on a true dragon,” Krasus explained. “Slip your feet in behind them to secure yourself better, then hold on as you generally do. She will be faster than Korialstrasz.”

Their mount waited until all three had settled in, then, with a roar worthy of the dragon queen, she flapped her heavy wings and took off. Krasus had not been exaggerating. Even before the golem leveled out, she had already flown some distance.