Obsidian Dragonflight.

Part VII: It's The End of the World As We Know It.

"So… on top of Deathwing and the oncoming Legion, we've now got to deal with a potential double agent as well?" Vereesa exclaimed as they flew into the Caverns of Time. "Does no one else think the cards are stacked against us? It is times like these I miss Rhonin, his commanding presence had something of a calming effect on me."

"He's at peace," Sylvanas said, giving her sister an affectionate hug. "All we can do is fight on."

"Welcome back heroes," Chromie said as they landed. "You're right on time!"

"Well we like to be formal," Jaina chuckled. "What are we required to do here that will help us end Deathwing?"

"Before you proceed, you must understand something," Chromie said cautiously. "The first place you are about to go is a future event from another timeline, and then you will be travelling back to a key moment in history, to recover an artefact of great power."

"Excuse me?" Arthas laughed. "Please speak plainly for those who don't speak time travel."

"You're going to the end of everything, a world after the Hour of Twilight." Nozdormu said, standing beside Chromie. "It is an alternative timeline, but it is impacting on our own time stream."

"How?" Sylvanas asked.

"There is something there, something that is blocking me from opening a passage to an event in Azeroth's history," Nozdormu explained. "An event from which we will retrieve something that will end the threat Deathwing poses."

"Alright, please lead the way." Uther said brightly.

"One second heroes," Chromie said, blocking their path. "This is the end of the world, and although it is in another timeline, what you will see may affect you more than any world threat ever could."

"You'll come face to face with echoes of an alternate reality, echoes that may be mirrored in our reality if unheeded." Nozdormu said slowly. "If you are certain that you wish to proceed, step forward. But be warned, there is no telling at this time if you will be affected by what you see."

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They stepped through the portal and were immediately met with an ungodly sight.

"Is this Dragonblight?" Sylvanas breathed, looking around at the ruined landscape. "It's so bleak, so barren, so depressing."

"Look, not even Deathwing survives." Uther said, pointing to the Obsidian dragon's corpse impaled on the Wyrmrest Temple. "But there is no sign of the other Dragonflights or any life at all."

"This is the End Time, when the world is dead or dying, and all hope is gone." Nozdormu said, appearing before them. "But as I stated, this is not your timeline."

"What are we to do?" Arthas asked.

"There are two time-tormented echoes trapped here, you must defeat them in order to summon the true problem in this event." Nozdormu said quickly. "I shall guide you through this wasteland, but when it comes to the final threat, I cannot help you."

"I understand, where to first?" Uther asked.

Nozdormu summoned a portal, and ushered them to step through. On the other side they found a small swirling blue portal in the centre of the Azure Dragonshrine, surrounded by destroyed platforms, dragon skeletons, and the ghosts of Lordaeron soldiers.

"What happened here?" Vereesa breathed.

"This is all that is left of the Blue Dragonshrine." Nozdormu said, a vision of him appearing beside them. "A great battle shattered the timewaves leading out of this forsaken place. You must reconstruct the fragments strewn across the ground and defeat the trapped spirit to proceed."

"And these tortured spirits?" Sylvanas asked.

"End their suffering," Jaina breathed. "It is the least we can do."

They quickly spread out and cut through the tortured spirits, seeing relieved looks on their faces as they were finally put out of their misery. Sylvanas reached out and took one of the floating pieces, and turned sharply when she heard Jaina gasp.

"What is it?" She asked.

"It… I…" Jaina stammered, staring at the small swirling portal.

Arthas hurried to her side, while Sylvanas moved to grab the other fragments. When she picked up the next one, Jaina and Arthas gasped.

"It's me!" Jaina breathed, staring at her ghostly, older reflection before it vanished again. "I'm the tortured soul that haunts this place?"

"It's not you Jaina!" Uther said, hurrying to support her. "This is an alternate timeline, an alternate course of events; you are not doomed to share her fate."

Sylvanas grabbed another few pieces and the echo of Jaina appeared again. Uther stared at the ghost before it vanished again, and felt a great sadness overtake him.

"You look almost my age," he smiled weakly. "But you're clearly haunted by a long and tragic life."

Jaina pushed Uther aside and stood in front of where the echo kept appearing. As Sylvanas picked up the penultimate fragment, Jaina held a hand out, and the ghost formed around her. Suddenly Jaina went tense, and when the ghost faded she was as pale as the echo.

"Jaina! What happened?" Uther asked, holding her by the upper arms and trying to look into her eyes.

"I saw her life," Jaina said, starting to cry. "I saw all the pain and misery she had suffered."

"Ignore it Jaina, focus on what is here and now." Uther said, pulling her in for a powerful hug.

"Alright Uther, I'll try." Jaina said, mopping up her tears. "Sylvanas, let's put her out of her misery."

Sylvanas took the last fragment, and watched as they formed together into Jaina's staff. The ghost appeared again, more physical this time, and fully aware of their presence.

"I don't know who you are, but I'll defend this shrine with my life. Leave, now, before we come to blows." The echo said boldly, as its staff flew into its hand. "I hate resorting to violence."

Suddenly the alternate Jaina blasted them with frost spells, and they quickly scattered, choosing to keep their distance.

"This is wrong, I cannot harm her, even if she's not you Jaina," Uther said through gritted teeth, summoning a wall of holy and unholy energy to protect them.

"I know Uther, but she is an echo of a tortured version of me, we must put her at peace." Jaina said, tears still in her eyes from reliving her alternative life. "Look past seeing my face, and bring her peace."

"I might be able to help change your perceptions," Vereesa said, casting a spell on each of them.

Before their eyes, the echo of Jaina shifted to a female Troll, still bombarding them with ice and arcane spells.

"What did you do to her?" Jaina asked.

"Variation on polymorph, and it does not reflect how I view you," Vereesa said quickly, returning fire at the echo. "Trolls are an old enemy of my people."

"Fair enough," Uther said, charging the echo with his swords out.

"Uther? Dear Uther? How can you be here?" the troll said in Jaina's pained voice. "You died years ago…"

"Ignore it!" Sylvanas yelled when she saw him faulter. "She is from another timeline; her past does not reflect our own."

'-I beg to differ, their past is YOUR future!-' the Lich laughed.

"Arthas… He killed you…" the troll said, still with Jaina's distraught voice, but her upset did not stop her from attacking them. "No! It is another trick! I hate resorting to violence!"

They were again blasted back and the echo hurled walls of ice at them, with Uther and Arthas charging the echo together.

"Any idea what the hell could have happened that meant I killed you?" Arthas asked as the two men deflected the echo's spells.

"It happened," Uther said bluntly. "I'm guessing that I did not stop you claiming Frostmourne, and everything went down hill afterward, including this alleged instance of you killing me."

"Why hasn't she recognised me?" Arthas asked quietly.

"Clearly what you did was too painful for her to remember," Sylvanas said, appearing behind the echo and plunging her daggers into the echo's back. "Rest in peace Jaina!"

"I understand, now. Farewell, and good luck." The echo said softly, as its body began to dissolve by a bright light, until nothing remained.

'-This revelation has only furthered my hatred for you.-' The voice hissed.

"Let us move on, that was not an experience I wish to linger with," Jaina breathed, wiping away the tears.

"What happened to her?" Arthas asked, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Endless heartache," she responded, as the other heroes stepped through the time portal to face the next echo. "Uther was right to stop you taking Frostmourne…"

Before Arthas could ask why, Jaina stepped through the portal,and he quickly followed her lead. However their conversation died when they saw what lay on the other side, and who the next echo was, as they were only floating a short distance away from them.

"What the hell?" Arthas exclaimed.