Skies are Bright Like Day and Night
Flying by night and resting during the day, Neltharion kept his cover to the ground. As the moons took to the sky, he looked again at the positions of the stars. Today was the day, and he dreaded this day most of all. The Dragon Soul would be a full power, and the fury of his madness will be unleashed to all. Neltharion sighed as he rose from his rest and yawned. He took to the sky again, his eyes focusing upon the growing alignment. Then, he looked down, noticing a growing mist flowing out. Down below, he knew, there was an army of the Burning Legion. They traveled through this horrible mist they created, spreading death and despair where they went. But he knew this would pale in comparison to the destruction his younger self will create. A flash of red flickered in his eyes and he turned. A red dragon dove down into the forest, battling two black dragons.
"Uh-oh," he whispered. He dove swiftly towards the three dragons. Just as one was about to latch its jaws upon the red, Neltharion snatched it up into his claws. His claws dug deep, instantly killing the creature. And he felt nothing for its death. At long last, he began to realize that these black dragons were not his flight, not anymore, not from the moment they gave into the madness. He looked to see the other black dragon entangled with the red. The two crashed down into the forest below. Neltharion dropped the dead dragon from his claws and followed, landing in an opening. He uprooted the trees, weeding a path to the red dragon. He saw the dragon lying deathly still. The other black dragon was limp and he could smell its death. However, he could feel the soft beat of the red dragon's heart. Neltharion approached carefully and dipped his claw down to lift the much smaller dragon's head. The dragon could almost fit in both of his claws. His eyes lit up in recognition.
"Korialstrasz!" he called. "No...the younger one. That means...oh...Krasus!"
"Nel...thar..ion..." he heard the red dragon moan. "How...could...you..."
"I'm sorry, I really am sorry," said Neltharion. "Really. I'll find Krasus, I'll find him..."
"No..." said Korialstrasz. Then, he closed his eyes.
"No, no," whispered Neltharion. "Oh, what did I...Deathwing, damn you to hell! Oh, Alex is gonna kill me."
He slammed his foot down upon the ground once more in a rhythmic pattern. Then, he stopped and listened and felt the vibrations answer him. The vibrations carried with them voices and images of beings, one leaning down upon another. He could hear their voices and he recognized them.
"Malfurion," he whispered. "And Krasus." He looked to the red dragon. "Hang on, Korialstrasz. I can get help and stay with you at the same time."
He closed his eyes and felt a part of himself meld once more with the rock. He found the spot where he heard the voices and his body began to form from the dirt, the mud, the pieces of weed that were around them. Malfurion looked back, his eyes wide. He reached for something, any sort of weapon he could find to fend off this strange creature.
"No!" called Neltharion. "It's me. Prestor."
"Prestor?" asked Malfurion. "How..."
"I am the Earth-Warder," said Neltharion. "It's what I do. I found Korialstrasz. He is dying. I'm with him."
"So is Krasus," said Malfurion. "Korialstrasz is his former self, isn't he?"
"Yes," said Neltharion. "And if he dies, so does Krasus." He settled down upon the ground. "He will cease to exist."
"I can heal him," said Malfurion.
"Whatever you do, do it quickly," said Neltharion said. He looked to the sky again. "The world does not have enough time."
The druid nodded and began to concentrate. He focused upon the scale that linked the two beings together. Back with Korialstrasz, Neltharion looked down upon the red dragon's body, seeing a similar scale upon his body begin to glow. He backed away, watching the golden glow spread about the dragon's body. A smile appeared upon his face as the wounds began to heal.
"I knew you had it in you, greatest druid who ever lived," he whispered. "Keep doing it..."
Korialstrasz began to raise his head up as he came back to consciousness. The red dragon opened his fiery eyes up and focused upon the massive black behemoth who looked to him with worry.
"Korialstrasz!" called Neltharion. "Alexstrasza doesn't need to skin me after all."
The red dragon lifted slowly to his feet, shaking his head. He felt his strength renewed to him. He turned to the Black Dragon, shaking his head in disbelief as he backed away.
"You..." he said. "You traitor...you...you'll betray us all...you'll betray Alexstrasza..."
"Kori, wait," said Neltharion. "Wait, let me explain."
"No!" he said. "No, you're no Earth-Warder, you're a betrayer!"
"Now, wait a moment!" bellowed the Great Black. Before Korialstrasz could take to the sky, Neltharion slammed his claw upon him, pinning him down.
"When will your treachery end?" asked Korialstrasz. "She's your sister! You're her...right hand...her advisor..."
"Listen to me!" bellowed Neltharion, his broad voice shaking the ground. He dipped his head down to show off the metal plates. "Did I have these plates when you last saw me?"
Korialstrasz shook his head.
"Did I?"
"No."
"You were as tall as my elbow, remember?" asked Neltharion. He lifted the red dragon up, wrapping a single paw around him. "Now you can fit in my claw. Was I this big when you saw me?"
"No..." Korialstrasz.
"Krasus," said Neltharion. "You know who he is now, don't you? He's you, isn't he?"
"How...how do you know?"
"I'm in the same position he is," he replied. "I'm from the future too. And I am not going to kill you. I'm sorry I sent my dragons at you, but...that was because...I'm evil right now. You saw it, you saw what that thing is, the disk, the Dragon Soul. You felt its dark power."
"How could you create such a thing?"
"Because I am not myself," he replied. "I am not as you know me, nor will I ever be for...a very long time. But the madness will end, trust me. It will end, and I'll be back to my old self...well...sorta. I might have a few loose marbles in my head afterwards. The point is, I won't be that maddened monster for long. Okay?"
Korialstrasz nodded, though his eyes still shown with worry and uncertainty.
"Look," began Neltharion. "If it confuses you too much, call me Prestor. But just trust I won't hurt you. However, I don't have the connection to my flight like my more evil self does. So, I can't stop them from attacking you."
"Is this another trick of Nozdormu?" asked Korialstrasz.
"I'll say yes and leave it at that," he replied.
He lowered Korialstrasz to the ground.
"Now that you know, you have to stay with Krasus and I," said Neltharion. "I can't let you take this news back to Alexstrasza."
"She must know!"
"She can't," said Neltharion. "Not until the deed is done. It's apart of the time line, it has to happen."
"So, that means Nozdormu knew too," said Korialstrasz.
"Yes," said Neltharion, his head lowering. "He did. And he and I had a long talk about that."
"What happened to you?" asked Korialstrasz. "Why do you look like that?"
Neltharion looked up at the stars, his emerald eyes narrowing.
"A long story," he said. "One unfortunately you will have to live through. When those stars come into alignment, you will see why I look the way I do. You will see the beginning of it. Just remember, I'm not exactly myself, Kori. And I won't be for a long time. Don't take it personally."
He rose to his feet and spread his massive wings. Korialstrasz gasped, seeing how they literally blocked the night sky.
"Come on, I'll take you to Krasus," he said.
The two dragons took to the skies and down below, Krasus, Malfurion, and the mud Neltharion traveled on the ground. They filed their way through the forest. Neltharion could sense his true body flying towards them.
"I'm coming," he said.
"The evil you or..." began Malfurion.
"The good me," said Neltharion. "The me that sent me."
"Oh, thank the gods then," said Malfurion.
"I cannot believe that Deathwing knows you're here!" said Krasus. "How could you let yourself know about yourself?"
"I didn't tell him anything," said Neltharion. "He thinks I'm some rogue black dragon he can't control."
"When he puts on the armor, it'll be all too clear as to who you are, Prestor!" said Krasus. "One look in the mirror, and he will know!"
"And I'm hoping that his madness is so great that he'll forget," said Neltharion. "Now, can we drop it? Nozdormu already beat me over the head with that. He punched me too."
"You met Nozdormu?" asked Krasus.
"Twice," said Neltharion.
"And why hasn't he come to pick Rhonin and I up?"
"Because you two are an integral part of what is about to occur," said Neltharion.
"You're not going to tell us what, are you?"
"Well," began Neltharion. "He didn't hint on that. Only that you help me save a few blue dragons."
"And how will we do that?" asked Krasus as he fumbled over a rock. Neltharion caught him.
"I don't know," he replied. "Which is why I kinda alerted Malygos of my treachery and told him to send a few blue dragons to the north...since he's going to end up there anyways."
"You what?" Krasus asked. "Did Deathwing take all your sense when he left your head?"
"You know," Neltharion began. "Everyone keeps asking me that."
"I don't believe this...you told Malygos?" asked Krasus.
"He won't do anything," said Neltharion. "Don't worry. And at least he won't be lonely up there."
"I am going to ring your neck," growled Krasus. "I will pull every plate from your back when I see you."
"Good luck, Khadgar already tried," chuckled the Great Black.
Krasus pulled upon his hair, his face contorting in his anger. Malfurion placed his hand upon the mage's shoulder.
"Calm yourself," said Malfurion.
"His stupidity is pissing me off!" shouted Krasus, throwing his arms up in frustration.
"My stupidity?" asked Neltharion, holding a hurt felt paw to his heart.
"Your stupidity!" Krasus said, pointing an accusing finger at the Black Aspect. "IF you didn't feel the need to come here and correct your mistakes, none of this would have happened!"
"Oh, and what the hell were you doing?" the Earth-Warder asked, sliding his way towards the dragon mage, shoving his snout right into the Blood Elf's face. "Why do you think I put that geas on you and Malfurion? So you two could share a bond of silence together? My evil self didn't want you to tell anyone about what he was going to do because you knew!"
Krasus slammed his foot down right upon Neltharion's dirt and rocky forefoot, smashing it into moist red clay. The Earth-Warder growled and jerked back away from the mage, wiggling his now severed foot as more pieces of dirt crumbled. Krasus huffed and swung at him, knocking the dragon back several paces and he crashed upon his side. Malfurion swallowed, seeing just the great strength that the Blood Elf had, a strength that his own kind did not share. Surely enough, this Blood Elf really did seem more than he was. Neltharion held his grumbled, gimpy foreleg, staring back at the mage with a raised, shocked brow.
"I was only trying to save our damned species!" Krasus cried.
Malfurion backed away, holding up his hands.
"Please, both of you," he began. "This is no time for a fight."
Neltharion touched his shattered paw to the ground and dirt coalesced upon it, reforming it into another paw. He rose from the ground, loose dirt shaking off in brown clouds around his body. Neltharion lifted his paw to Malfurion, halting the druid.
"Stay out of this!" he said. "Dragons talking!" He turned back to Krasus, his eyes narrowed. "Why do you think I came back to try and fix everything? Just to be cheeky? My flight is nearly gone, I was trying to save it. And in tern, also save everyone else. But by doing so, things would not happen, things that needed to happen. I'm not the idiot, you are!"
"You are a selfish child," retorted Krasus, balling his fists together.
"Child?" Neltharion asked, arching his brow and his neck. He leaned onto his haunches. "Child?"
"Child!"
"I'm forty thousand years older than you, pipsqueak!" Neltharion bellowed.
"Certainly don't act like it," said Krasus. "You act even less dignified now than you did as Deathwing. At least at Deathwing, you acted with some sort of refinement. Here I see is nothing more than a gigantic baboon!"
Neltharion turned away, looking at Malfurion. The druid shook his head in dismay. The Black Dragon growled, swinging his head back to Krasus, a long frown drew across his face. He looked appalled by what Krasus said. He pawed the ground with his left foot.
"Do you want to know why I came back here?" he asked. "I came back here because you were here! I came back here with this childish idea that maybe if I stopped myself, I could save you! Call that selfish, fine, but I was trying to save your life."
"Save me?" asked Krasus. "From what?"
"From me," said Neltharion. He shut his eyes tightly and let loose a heavy sigh. "One year ago, in my time, I, as Deathwing, unleash a plague inside the Crimson Sanctuary. That plague turns all Alexstrasza's eggs into twilight and chromatic dragons."
Krasus held his breath, his eyes became wide. His mouth moving, closing and then opening, trying to form the words he wanted to say. Neltharion shook his head, his eyes almost looking moist despite just being a dirt golem of the true Earth-Warder.
"In order to stop the spread of corruption to the other eggs, you sacrifice yourself by blowing up the sanctuary," Neltharion said. "You die, you die because of me."
Krasus fell to his knees, his glowing green eyes looking aimless, his arms limp at his sides. His heart was crushed, curling up into a ball. The thought of his beloved queen, his love, emotionally destroyed over his own death. He could not even bare to see the pain in her eyes over his loss. Yet, here Neltharion was expressing every bit of that loss he saw in Alexstrasza to Krasus. The redeemed Earth-Warder's reason to be here was for him.
"I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could fix all I did," said Neltharion. "I could just–bring you back to her." He bowed his head. "The greatest gift I could give my sister for the misery I had caused her–I could fix this. But I can't. I can't fix any of it. I can't bring you back." He lifted his head back to Krasus. "You know what she said to me when I said I wanted to?"
"What?" asked Krasus.
"Don't," said Neltharion. "Don't. She told me not to talk about it, because even the thought of–the very idea that this would work–I was only hurting her more. Every day I see her, I see the hole in her heart. The hole that I made–the hole he made. And you call me childish, when Alexstrasza told me not to. But I did it anyways, I came back for you. But if I even change one simple thing, I will undo everything I know, even myself. There isn't any going back, not for me, not for you. It all has to happen. But it doesn't have to end in unhappiness."
But our species..."
"Will live on," said Neltharion as he approached Krasus. He laid a paw upon the mage's shoulder. "Maybe not as many as it used to be, but we will live on. I managed to save some of my flight. I saved them from my madness. Not many, though. All the other flights still outnumber mine." His brow arched. "I wanted to come back because I love my sister and I've caused her so much...anguish by my...selfish paranoid acts. It costed her so much to loose you..."
The mage ran a shaking hand through his hair, trying to digest all what the future Earth-Warder had just told him. He looked up at Neltharion. There was indeed a change in him. He looked pained by all the evil he had caused over the thousands of years as Deathwing. And that pain was genuine. But to Krasus, he looked like a completely different being altogether. The colorful feathers braided into his long mutton chops, a simple of shamanism. He almost looked like he had reached a new peace in his own heart. Still, the results of his horrible deeds remained.
"Thank you...for telling me, Neltharion," said Krasus. "But you shouldn't have."
"I've learned something," said the Earth-Warder. "I can tell anyone about their future all I want, so long as they choose not to act upon certain events...then the timeline is preserved. As long as you say nothing to Alexstrasza about your death and you do not stop it..."
"The timeline is preserved," said Krasus. "You will not tell me when."
"I will not," said Neltharion. "I told you how, the when is different."
"Alright," said Krasus. "I'm...sorry for calling you stupid. You're an Aspect, I should show some more...respect."
"I don't care about the title anymore, Krasus," said Neltharion. "I care about my job. I was created for a purpose, and I aim to fulfill that purpose. Okay?"
"O...okay..." said Krasus.
"Okay," whispered Neltharion. "I feel better, getting that off my chest." He turned to Malfurion. "Not a word of this to anyone."
"My lips are sealed, Prestor," said the druid.
"Thank you," said Neltharion. "Oh, well, here I am." He turned to see the others almost reading themselves for a fight. "The good me!"
With that, the mud avatar crumbled. The mighty Black Dragon landed softly to the ground. Following him was a much smaller red dragon.
"Korialstrasz!" called Krasus, running up to greet the red dragon.
"Krasus!" said Korialstrasz. The two paused and studied each other. "It is true, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," said Krasus.
"Then I am more than thrilled to see you," he said. "And...I brought..."
"Prestor," said Krasus. "I know. I know who he is too."
"This will be a story I would tell my young someday, but I don't think they'll believe me," said Korialstrasz.
"Best not do that," said Neltharion. "Or Alexstrasza."
"Right," said Korialstrasz. "It's hard to believe though that he would betray us."
"I know," said Krasus. "We must return to Rhonin and the others. Will you take us there?"
"Of course, climb aboard!" the red dragon dipped down and the two climbed to his back. He turned to Neltharion. "Will you follow us as well, Prestor?"
"Uh, well..." Neltharion began. "I...don't know if I should..."
"It wouldn't be much of a reunion of the future people if you didn't," said Krasus. "And after the damage we've all done, I don't think it matters any. Just...don't call yourself the Earth-Warder."
"Why do you think I'm calling myself Prestor?" asked Neltharion. "But it would be confusing to see a dragon with big metal plates on his back, only to find him later on attacking them..."
"You don't look too much like yourself," said Malfurion. "If you've managed to fool yourself twice."
"Didn't fool anyone else," said Neltharion. "Fine. Why not? Love to see the look on Tyrande's face too." He leapt into the air. "Let's go!"
"He is an odd one," said Malfurion as Korialstrasz followed the enormous Black.
"That's how Neltharion used to act like," said Krasus. "He was the snark of the family."
As the two dragons flew onward, the ground suddenly became covered a thick, gray mist. Neltharion whistled to the others, pointing down at the growing fog.
"I see," said Krasus. "The Legion is advancing."
"Won't be long now," said Neltharion. He looked to the stars again. "The time is almost right."
"As I fear," said Krasus. "He's going to see you flying around."
"He's going to see you too," said Neltharion. "We're both boned if he does."
"Agreed," said Krasus.
"I have an idea," said Neltharion. "Let's cause a little chaos for the army down there. Maybe buy some time."
"What?" Krasus asked as the massive dragon banked down towards the fog. His body dove in and suddenly the fog itself lit up with a fiery light. Korialstrasz dove in as well. He could barely see through the fog, but he saw the fiery light scatter. He heard the sound of roaring demons and then Neltharion lifted above the fog. A sweep of his massive wings and the fog cleared slightly. Korialstrasz looked through the clearing down to see a swath of molten rock and burnt dead demons. Still, even after that attack, there was no end to the Legion. Another wave rushed in and replaced the dead. Neltharion banked again for another attack, the inside of his mouth glowing with white-hot fire. Doomguards followed him and Korialstrasz dove into the fight. He snapped his jaws upon one, crushing the attacker, only to spit the remains out in disgust. Malfurion called forth a torrent of vines from his pouch, catching a few of the demons. Many of them began to hack and slash their way free, however, one fell, impaled upon a thorn. Neltharion spun around with incredible agility, folding his wings in. The demons latched to his back, banging upon the elementium. However, their efforts hardly made a mark in the armor. Neltharion swooped over in a roll, knocking the demons off his back from the force. He laughed as he spun, spreading his wings wide as he came about. It had been a while since he flew so swiftly and freely. He dove back in and released his powerful lava breath. Korialstrasz blinked for a moment, slightly confused by the lava that Neltharion produced. The little red dragon could not remember when the Great Black ever used such a weapon before. He rolled away just as the spray came close to him, nearly singing his wing tip. Krasus held as tight as he could, feeling the dragon swing away from the searing mix of fire and molten rock. Malfurion swallowed, bracing himself upon his back. Neltharion made for another dive, folding in his black wings and his jaws parted again, releasing his lava upon the leading edge of the second wave. He almost laughed at the thrill to be fighting evil once again. To release his lava upon his enemies, Neltharion felt lighthearted joy thumping inside his chest. Eradar broke their ranks, ducking away from the fiery rush. Those who could not were instantly incinerated. They called upon their dark magic and focused their power upon the much larger dragon. With the force of their black spells, they knocked Neltharion out of the sky. The Black Aspect bellowed, crashing upon the burnt earth. He shook off the fall, rising up to his feet. Neltharion watched as the Legion began to close in on him. They circled in from all sides, brandishing their poisoned blades.
"Bad move," he rumbled. "You're touching the ground and so am I."
He splayed his claws out and the ground under the advancing demons changed, becoming almost like a liquid. As if the earth itself held no more substance to hold them, the demons fell through it, disappearing underneath. The Eradar focused their powers again and cast their spells. Neltharion nearly toppled over from the force of the fell energy they rammed him with. He roared, fanning a wing to shield himself. The knuckles of his wings began to glow as their spells tore through the skin. Tiny holes began to form through the membranes. Then, Korialstrasz dove forth above him and circled behind the Eradar. He released his flames upon them, burning away the Eradar while Krasus cast a counter spell to negate their force. Neltharion lowered his wing. Korialstrasz circled again, flying over his head.
"Come on!" he heard Krasus called. The Great Black spread his wings again and ignoring the sting of one, took to the sky once more. Another wave was heading right for them. Neltharion prepared to dive, releasing a wave of his lava upon the third wave.
Korialstrasz dove as well, joining his fire with the Earth-Warder's lava. They cleared a wide line of the ground troops with their attacks. But the Burning Legion always had more in waiting. Neltharion banked as a missile spun by him. Another impacted upon his wing, little more than a mosquito biting the membrane. He growled and pushed upward above the fog once more, releasing his breath again.
"I think we've got them thinned out, Korialstrasz!" he called, looking at his side again. The little red dragon was no where to be found. "Krasus? Malfurion?" He paused and heard the sound of a roar coming from the fog. "Titans damn it!"
Diving back down towards the fog, he swiftly made for the roar. Then, the mist began to thin. Neltharion found the smaller red spinning and finally leveling out. Korialstrasz made a triumphant bellow as the demons themselves seemed to looking on with some unease and confusion. As the fog continued to thin, they began their retreat.
"Damn it!" Neltharion said as he pumped towards them. "Don't scare me like that again. Give me a heart attack, and I'm old enough as it is!"
Korialstrasz laughed: "Look at them, fleeing from us! They have soon learned never to contend with dragons!"
Krasus looked al around him, taking note of the fog suddenly thinning. The demons were not running from the two dragons attacking them, they were running from something else entirely.
"The fog," said Krasus. "Neltharion, the fog!"
"Fog, what fog?" asked Neltharion looking around. His eyes searched the air, realizing how clear it now was. "It's gone...it's...oh...shit."
"I'm having a sense of deja vu," said Krasus.
Neltharion was silent, his eyes wide. The fog was clearing and he knew the cause.
"I smell them!" said Korialstrasz. "I smell all of them, Krasus!
"I sense them too," said Krasus. "Prestor?"
"Remind me again why I can't go over there and punch myself in the face, Krasus," said Neltharion.
"Because this has to happen," said Krasus.
"Yeah, that. Just keep reminding me of that."
"What's happening?" asked Korialstrasz.
"What's happening?" Neltharion repeated. He looked to the stars. They were finally aligned. "The other dragons are coming, and I and my Dragon Soul...are leading the charge." He swung his head around to the smaller red dragon and his passengers. "We have to hide!"
"Agreed," said Krasus.
