A/N: Thank you to Coincidencless, for her beta-work, and for the amusing mental image of a mini-Yogg-Saron on Bolvar's shoulder. And if Diloph is right, he's probably drunk, too.
PLEASE READ: Re: Cataclysm continuity: A couple of people have mentioned patch 4.3. Oh, crap.
I got the idea for this story in April '10, and didn't actually start writing until February of this year, and didn't actually start updating consistently until April '11. I had no idea the story would get this long, and a lot of it was me exploring what could happen, and making up speculation and putting it in this story. I thought the story would be finished by the time the Deathwing raid came out and trashed every single theory I explored here.
Basically, some of that speculation has been proven to be wrong and more will probably be proven wrong as the raid comes out. I've already set the stage for several events to happen which canon now contradicts, and would be impossible for me to fix, so I figure I may as well go the full nine yards.
So yes. The Obsidian Dawn contradicts lore, and will do so even worse later on. I hope that the story makes up for this. I'm very sorry to those who thought/hoped I would adapt.
I didn't think I'd have to.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
As dark turned into dawn, and dawn turned into day, Sam and Nalice failed to return.
As lunch time approached, it found Katrana standing in the dark, in the passage between their quarters and Bolvar's, leaning against the wall near the bookshelf ago Kat's human eyes had adjusted. Though she couldn't see the detail in the walls like she could before her pregnancy, humans couldn't see in the dark any better than dragons could.
It was a Saturday morning, but Bolvar had been in there instead of with her since he'd awakened.
Sabel can't be the traitor, she heard Onyxia say in his head. She listened carefully, ready to mask any suspicion Bolvar felt as her subconscious worked itself out in his head. Ever since she'd made the bond worse, he heard a constant incoherent buzzing in the back of his mind, Draconic words he didn't recognise swimming in his head. I love him. He's my brother. I love and miss him and I wish he would come back. He can't have betrayed me. It can't have been a ruse. He wouldn't kill me... but he'd want revenge if his entire Brood was slaughtered, wouldn't he? If not against the gronn, then he'd be angry at the Flight for what he's suffered his entire life?
Bolvar ignored her. His prickly mood grew sharper and sharper at the edge of her consciousness as the voices continued to hound him.
Yes, the Old God whispered to him. You shouldn't be like this. You shouldn't have to put up with this. You are angry. You feel so angry...
Leave him alone, said Onyxia.
She infects your mind like poison... Get mad.
And now the voices are telling me to do things, said Bolvar. In Kat's mind's eye, she glimpsed the turn of pages, had an impression of a bright window and black letters. Great. As if I wasn't batshit insane enough already.
I miss Sabel. She felt dread and sadness accompany the unbidden thought. He can't have done this. It's impossible. He wouldn't!
Gullible fool, the Old God hissed. Of course he could. How could you be so stupid as to be blind to the possibility? Why would he not want revenge? He is weak, and yet he has managed to survive this long. Of course he would take his weakness out on you all... and then prove strongest of all.
No, said Onyxia. It can't be. Especially if you think so!
Kat heard Bolvar groan and mutter. I can't catch a break. I don't even know what either of you are going on about! And stop obsessing over dragons.
The poor man.
Kat rose a knuckle and rapped on the back of the book case. "Bolvar, can I come in?"
I'm really not in the mood, she heard Bolvar's mind say. But aloud he said, "Of course."
She nudged the book case open, careful of any books she might dislodge. She stepped inside as best as she could with her swollen belly getting in the way, and pushed it closed behind her. "You have not been home all morning," she said. At the bookcase on the opposite wall, beside a bright window, Bolvar flicked through a book without looking at her. Again, she saw black letters in her mind's eye, a blurred illustration of a sword as he stared past the page into nothingness.
We unsettle him, said Onyxia. The bond unsettles him. And the Old God just makes it worse. He's dealt with this long enough.
For fuck's sake, not only does Onyxia think she lives in my head, but now I think an Old God does? Great.
Shush, little mortal, said Onyxia. You are hurt.
"I'm sorry, Kat," he said. "I'm just taking a break from work." I hate lying to her. I can't let her see me like this, twitching and snapping at voices no one else can hear.
It had gotten so bad. And the Old God... Kat suppressed a shudder. Just as it would pollute her poor son or daughter, it sank its claws into the human in front of her. Just as it would her child.
She had to defeat an Old God to save not only her Flight but her own mortal child and its father.
But how? How could you fight an Old God? They'd been locked away, not destroyed, there had to be a reason for that. All this time, the Black Dragonflight had been a symptom of Azeroth's disease, keeping it at bay.
And look what you got for your sacrifice, the Old God said. The other Flights should have known. They should have guessed that we would poison you. But they either did not, or… They did not care. They held you responsible for the crimes we committed. They drove you to the edge of extinction because of what we did.
I shan't listen to you, said Onyxia.
"I'm so sick of this," Bolvar murmured.
He jumped when Kat lay a hand on his shoulder. Had he forgotten she was there? "What troubles you, Bolvar?" she said. "Let me help."
Katrana has all the tact of a bear and the sympathy of a mosquito, said the Old God. If you tell her about this she will have Anduin taken away from you. She will never allow you to see your own child. You will be locked up, disgraced, mocked and reviled. You know what she is capable of.
"It's nothing," Bolvar murmured.
The Old God knew she knew already. How could it not? But thanks to her, it now had another unwitting puppet.
How long until it took the rest of the mortals, too?
No, said Onyxia. You cannot have him. Tell her, Bolvar. She will support you. She will fight tooth and nail for you and you know that the moment she decides to protect you, nothing will ever touch you again.
For Light's sake, said Bolvar. What are you two? Good Bolvar and Bad Bolvar? Ugh.
You know I am right, said Onyxia.
Impulsively Kat grasped the human's jaw and turned it towards her for a kiss. She felt the small comfort it gave him as he rested his hands on her hips. "Talk to me, Bolvar. What's wrong? You have been so stressed."
You will feel so much better if you are not fighting alone, said Onyxia.
He smiled softly. Hesitated.
Not a word, said the Old God. Or it will all be over.
Tell her, just to spite him. Honestly, do you truly want to obey him? Do you want him to have power over you?
Do you want her to have power over you? saidtheOldGod. No matter who you listen to, one of us will always control you.
I would set you free, if I could, said Onyxia.
Bolvar blurted out, "Kat, I think I'm insane."
Shit, said Bolvar. Shouldn't have said that.
It shall be alright, said Onyxia.
You just made the worst mistake of your life, said the Old God. It's over. Backtrack. Cover it up. Before it can be made worse.
You shan't control him.
Because he is your puppet instead? Onyxia, what have you ever been but our puppet? Even if he obeys you, he obeys us as well.
No, snarled Onyxia.
The Old God gave a deep chuckle which chilled Katrana. And who do you think gave you the idea of manipulating the human races instead of making peace with them?
"Fuck," Bolvar muttered, allowing his forehead to fall onto Katrana's shoulder. She was not much shorter than he was. "Kat, I'm... a damn lunatic. I hear voices all the time. It's driving me insane. I can't make them go away."
She felt his despair twist her heart, felt her stomach churn with his. She tangled her fingers in his hair and stroked his cheek with the other hand. "Tell me about it. Let me help."
"If anyone finds out about this they'll think I'm insane. They'll think I want to hurt them. I don't, Kat, I never did — "
"I know."
"I can't bear it anymore. One thinks it's a dragon. The other thinks it's an Old God. And lately it's only gotten worse, my head is always buzzing, it's only growing louder. Kat, I don't think I'm getting better."
Katrana had never heard a male human sob before. She lowered her voice into a crooning tone. "Bolvar, there is nothing wrong with you."
"Yes there is! I'm a complete lunatic, I'm — I don't know what made this happen but there's everything wrong with me, please listen — "
"No, Bolvar, you mistake me," she said, continuing to allow her touch to soothe the distressed human. "I do not deny that you hear them. I trust you to speak the truth, to know your own mind. What I say is that there is nothing wrong with you. Your mind may malfunction, it may grow sick, but you are not your mind. You are the consciousness behind it, you are your courage and your integrity, but you are not your mind. There is nothing wrong with you."
She is placating you, said the Old God. When she has soothed you she will run, and she will be right to do so. You are insane. You will hurt her, one day. You will lash out. This is getting worse, and you will never get better!
Oh for fuck's sake, shut up, said Bolvar. Shut up, shut up, shut up!
It will be alright, said Onyxia. I promise. I'm so sorry.
"Yes, there is," he murmured. "There is everything wrong with me."
She took both sides of his jaw and made him look at her. Reflexively, he leaned forward, and she did not deny him another small kiss as she murmured, "You must have borne this terrible burden for a long time."
"Yes." He lowered his eyes. "Kat, I'm sorry."
"Look at me," she said.
He did.
"You have never hurt me," said Kat. "You have never hurt anyone who did not attack you, you have never killed or injured except in the line of duty."
"That was before this started."
"But you have not hurt me either since it has started, no?" said Kat. "Perhaps the voices whisper poison in your ear. Perhaps you cannot always fight them..." She felt a lurch of guilt. How many times had she used Onyxia's voice disguised as his own, in the beginning, to control him? How many times had she made his own mind betray him? "But you are no monster, Bolvar."
"Kat, you don't get how bad this is," he said. "I'm insane. One of them pretends to be you, sometimes. Pretends that you're a dragon, that you're going to betray me... and it took it out on you. It's not fair on you at all. I don't deserve you, I don't want to hurt you, but I did. You were out all night because I wasn't strong enough."
"Bolvar," she said. "You are the strongest person I know." Who else could have borne this burden and not been driven to true insanity? Who else could have fought it alone for so long? Who else could have successfully hidden it from all the other mortals so completely?
Bolvar had done what an entire Dragonflight could not and resisted an Old God!
"And you do not believe it, surely?" she said.
"Sometimes..." He rested his head on her shoulder. "Gods, Kat. I'm so, so sorry."
"Shush," She wrapped her arms around him, wishing more than anything that the pregnancy wouldn't get in the way of her embrace. "Your own mind has betrayed you. You are stronger than you know to have dealt with it so long. But you are not alone anymore. I am here, and I will always be here for you."
He laughed bitterly. "How can you just accept it so easily?"
How do you know she will not betray you? said the Old God.
"How do I..." Bolvar shook his head. No, I'm not listening to you, fuck off. ... Gods, how can I ever get a grip on reality again? "How can you just accept this so easily?"
He was not listening. Perhaps she needed a more... potent weapon. One that she had not thought to use until now.
And what was a greater weapon than words? "Look at me," she said, but it was a moment before his green eyes met hers again. "Because I love you, as you are. You have always done the same for me, even when I angered and hurt you, how can I not help but do the same for you?"
He stared at her.
That's right, little Kat, said the Old God. Lie. Lie like you've always done so.
"You are the most respectful man I've ever met." Kat ignored it. "You allow me my space even when you want me to be close, even when it hurts you. You accept that I am not an affectionate woman and that I am and can be cold. You have been frustrated with me, yes, but only a superhuman would not be. You have always allowed me to grow at my own rate and it makes me realise how..."
Her? Lost for words?
Impossible.
"How lucky I am to have you," she finished in a murmur.
Liar, said the Old God.
... But she'd spoken the truth.
She'd heard of infatuation. She heard of a love that made the heart stutter, that heated blood and sent it rushing through the veins, of a love that caught the breath. She thought she could not feel love because she never felt that. It was a fragile thing, something which never lasted for long, which was powerful but not strong.
But this… This felt like the enormous roots of Teldrassil which reached deep within Azeroth, and every bit as stable and unmovable. It was quiet, it grew without her noticing, it did not crash through the rooms of her mind and announce its presence with fiery passion that could easily be snuffed out.
She'd once thought him weak. She'd chosen him as Regent Lord for that very reason. And in some ways, he was, but in others... no. He was the strongest human she knew. She had only ever been able to manipulate him because she preyed on his desire for everyone to be equal, for everyone to have their say, for everyone to have what they deserved.
And it took so, so much more strength to go out of one's way to make everyone's life better than to care selfishly about only one's own.
She would protect this human from anything. From her own Flight if she had to. This human was her mate now, even if the bond had yet to be consummated. But she considered him one all the same. After the child was born, that could be fixed.
No wonder Sabel admired mortals so much. Their society was better than her own. The humans were distant relations, descended from the same stone and earth Deathwing had been made of before the Curse of Flesh.
"I love you too, Kat." It was only when the human spoke that Kat realised how much silence had passed between them. "This isn't what I expected, all of this. But that's a good thing. I'm so happy you're here. With me." He gave a wry smirk. "And that nobody else has you."
She thought of Hora, her other mate. Humans did not take kindly to mating outside of a monogamous bond, even out of necessity.
Oops.
She's barely batting an eyelid, she heard him say. I truly am lucky.
Time for an experiment. That's because she's secretly me, said Onyxia.
Bolvar twitched. Shut up. That's not funny.
This may be the key to having him become less suspicious, which in turn meant she would have to use less magic. If she grounded him verbally, reinforced the idea that the voices were merely paranoia, then the bond could wane at last...
But she'd used so much magic. What if she had made it permanent? What if it could not be broken? What if he had to live with the voices forever?
"You know," he murmured into her hair, stroking her cheek. "The little one is almost here and you haven't mentioned names yet."
"Neither have you." Odd, how comforting physical contact could be.
"I was waiting for you to come up with something." He chuckled. She felt his lightness. A burden had been lifted from his shoulders, one so heavy that he felt as if he could fly. "Tell you what, you can name the first if I name the second, yes?"
A tiny thrill ran through her, before logic caught up in the form of Onyxia and her subconscious loudly declared, Oh Titans, no. Can you imagine what it would be like with two murderous little psychopaths running around?
I don't think I'd be that bad a parent, said Bolvar dryly.
"I was thinking perhaps I could name the child after my brother," she said.
If he's not the traitor, said the Old God helpfully. Otherwise you would be quite foolish.
No, said Onyxia quietly. He isn't… he can't be. Because Evenian doesn't have a limp…
"His name was Sabel, wasn't it?" said Bolvar. My mind has been reminding me of it all day!
"Yes."
"You can feminise it, too."
"You have no protests?" Kat arched an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that naming children was a painstaking process for new parents that involved substantial quantities of blood, sweat and tears, and a proportionate amount of fighting."
Bolvar laughed. "I'm just glad you're here, with me. And besides," he grinned at her. Kat waited for Onyxia's hackles to rise in response to the bared teeth. They didn't. "It's nowhere near as bad as Bolvar!"
-o-O-o-
To the sound of the creaking door, Reginald Windsor's eyes flicked up, but when they found nothing, he froze. The door closed behind Sam with a near-silent click. Her heartbeat roared in her ears. She heard his breath in the darkness. It sounded wet. The red skin on his face beaded with sweat.
But in the cold cells of the detention block, Sam had to stop herself from shivering.
"Leo?" he rasped, his voice weak. "Is that you?"
She could remain silent, let him think his fever played tricks on him. His eyes searched in the darkness, unable to see her, not focusing on her. She could draw her daggers and plunge them into his stomach. His ribs showed through the rags. His face looked gaunt. Killing him would be easy after a year of malnutrition...
And he would die soon, anyway. Why not save him a long, painful death?
When nothing happened he sighed, his massive shoulders sagging.
Pity pricked her like a needle.
"No." She dropped the shroud around her, stepped out of the realm that only rogues could use to disguise themselves. "I'm his sister."
"Since when does Leo have a sis — " Reginald Windsor looked up and recognition sparked in his eyes. "Samantha Inkweaver. Bloody hell. I never thought… see you down here. Where are the others?" His eyes threatened to slide out of focus. "Where's… Leo?"
"I came alone." She slid down the back of the door, keeping her voice low, but above the moans and crying of the other prisoners what guard would hear them talk? She drew her knees up to her chest, gazing at him. His head nodded with exhaustion. He looked so weak.
If she didn't kill him, she'd never become a Dragonsworn. If she became a Dragonsworn she'd have a whole new world opened up for her. She'd even get a new name. She wouldn't ever have to be Samantha again. She'd choose a new name to follow Black dragon naming conventions, as every Dragonsworn did. Perhaps she'd be Samanthia, or maybe even…
"What are… are you doing here alone?" When she did nothing, his wet brow knotted with a frown. "C-can't get past the guards with just two."
"No," she said. "I hear you've been chasing dragons."
Again, a great sigh took him. Depression had etched lines deep into his face, more than she remembered. After all this, she didn't blame him. She'd been miserable over far less. "Dragons," he moaned. "Stormwind is… lost. They've infiltrated the Keep… stand feet away from… he does not see. Varian was the first, the goblin said, Varian was taken far away, kidnapped… Black dragons…"
To anyone else, it would sound like feverish babbling. But to hear that Onyxia was responsible for Varian's disappearance did not surprise Sam.
Anduin would not be happy about that.
"See what?" said Sam.
"Onyxia." Windsor's eyes fluttered closed. "Had a weapon, tablets… Dark Irons took them away, need them. Have to reveal her… Fordragon is…" He laughed. "Gonna jam the proof down his throat."
"So a goblin told you about Onyxia?" said Sam. "Did he have black hair by any chance?"
"Yeah," said Windsor's hoarse voice as his eyes cracked open again. "Black hair, short, worked for… said he worked for Nefarian, that he'd rescue me if he wasn't killed…" He coughed wetly. "Forever ago."
Nalice had said that dragons could transform into any mortal race…
By living he endangered the Flight that saved her. She owed it to Onyxia, who had saved her life, who'd saved her child's life for as long as it lasted, who'd sat with her in her grief.
"You're… with her, aren't you?"
The sudden words caused Sam to look up at him.
"I can see it… the way you look at me." Windsor's face was grim. "You come here for a purpose, but you can't… can't bring yourself."
"I have to kill you," said Sam. "To keep her safe."
Windsor barked laughter. "Safe? She's as safe as she could be. It's only a matter of time before she picks off the rest of the nobility and she's left in charge."
"... left in charge?" Wasn't Katrana Prestor second only to -—
Oh.
"Yes," said Windsor. "She's been clawing her way up the ladder. Once Stormwind's under… control, nothing will stop her."
"Onyx wouldn't do that," said Sam. "She's been kind to me."
"Onyx?"
"Onyxia. She's nice, you know, once you get to know her."
Windsor burst into bitter laughter once more. "Yes, I bet she is. Who isn't? Do yourself a favour, Sam. Turn around, get out of here… never go back. Gotta be a… better destiny than to be the pawn of the Black Dragonflight."
"I've never killed before."
"And I suppose you want encouragement?" Windsor coughed and wheezed. He rose his eyebrows, gazing at Sam with sunken eyes. "You'd be doing me a favour. May 'swell get it over with, mmm?"
He was giving up. Just like a human would. She wouldn't, of course, she was better than that, and…
She gazed at him for a long moment. Did she want the human to die, a human whose only crime was to do what he thought was best for his people? He would die anyway, she should put him out of his misery, and…
Onyxia had been kind to her. Onyxia had saved her. Onyxia liked humans, just as Sam liked dragons.
Sam climbed to her feet.
Reginald watched as she approached. Sam drew her knife.
She held it out to his throat, and sliced his shoulder. He winced, and as blood pooled, she soaked it over her hands. "You'd better take care of that," she said. Her voice sounded as hollow as she felt. She had a job to do... but who cared? Everyone would die anyway, one day. Ever since her baby had died, the life had been sucked out of everything, and she walked as an empty shell who hadn't yet realised it should drop to the ground and disintegrate into dust. "I won't kill you. I can leave you here to die, where you can't hurt her or anyone she loves. I won't endanger her, or her children. But I won't kill you. You're sick anyway, and you'll be lucky if that doesn't get infected. You'll be dead within a week."
And Sam slipped out, locking the door behind her.
-o-O-o-
"He's dead?" said Nalice, sniffing the air and looking at the blood on Sam's hands. "Good. But did you pick up anything?"
Sam produced only the keys Stout had given her.
Nalice frowned. "I do not see how we are supposed to entice Evenian into drinking a potion Hora informed me he would not with these."
"Maybe I wasn't supposed to find anything," said Sam. "Maybe Hora just wanted to delay the drinking."
Sam hadn't heard the foreign word that burst out of Nalice's word before, but it didn't sound polite.
-o-O-o-
It was after sundown that Nalice and Sam arrived in the Keep, but Katrana sent them away at first. Bolvar was still awake, and whatever they had to discuss was better off talked about without him in earshot.
And besides, he had allowed Onyxia to discover that the human shoulders were sensitive and that the act of kneading them was a human bonding ritual. She found herself to be quite appreciative of this.
It was not until he was asleep and the lights had been out for hours that Katrana found Nalice and Sam in Sam's quarters. Sam slouched over a table, head on her arm, fast asleep until Nalice gave her a good jab. Sam shrieked as she awoke, and blinked at Onyxia blearily.
"It is done?" said Onyxia.
Sam nodded and averted her eyes.
"Do not feel guilt." Humans were affected by killing in a way no dragon ever could be. "You have done the right thing to protect us all." Onyxia sat as she produced the vial. "How do we give this to him?"
"The Bronze lied," said Nalice. "We have found nothing. Perhaps the Bronze meant to delay the imbibing of the mixture."
"For the highest good, I hope." Onyxia gazed at the liquid. It can't be Sabel. It was impossible, unless… but no, he wouldn't have suffered for ten thousand years if it was reversible. "We need to get Evenian here. But how?"
"We hardly need to kidnap him," said Nalice. She jabbed Sam with a long finger again. "You. Sneak into the servants' quarters. Locate Quinn Summers and inform him that his mistress must see him immediately. We will have to force it down his throat, then."
"Who?" said Sam.
"No, we must wait until morning." Onyxia's human body needed sleep, and a small part of her missed the sound of Bolvar's breathing beside her. "Once the first assembly tomorrow is in session, Nalice, you will find Evenian and have him brought to my quarters." She frowned, looking at Sam's drooping head. "And Sam needs sleep."
"It is hardly my fault if she is incapable of falling asleep in my claws." Nalice's nose wrinkled in disgust. "I had to carry her."
Sam mumbled something. Onyxia didn't catch it, but Nalice scowled. Onyxia rose. "Meet in my study tomorrow morning once Bolvar is gone. Make sure Evenian comes with you."
"And the Dragonsworn-in-training?" Nalice's eyes slid to Sam, who had fallen asleep again.
"I see no reason why she cannot attend," said Onyxia. "But first... carry her to bed."
Nalice looked disgusted, but didn't protest.
-o-O-o-
The next morning Sam still looked tired and sore, but better than she had the evening before. Onyxia sat behind her desk, her mortal pregnancy all-too obvious. She didn't like the timing of this. The child could be born any time soon, it had settled lower in Onyxia's womb and could be born in days, if not hours, and when it did...
The last thing she needed was labour to get in the way of anything she had to do.
But then, it would be just like Hora to time Onyxia's labour to interrupt a crucial event. Ugh.Perhaps that was even why she'd delayed the imbibing of the potion.
When Evenian came in, flanked by Sam and Nalice, Onyxia gestured to the seat in front of her desk. "Evenian. We must have a word. Sit."
Evenian looked unconcerned as he obeyed. Onyxia pushed the vial to him. "Drink," she said.
"Yellow?" Evenian's eyes slid towards the vial. His face went paled. "I know that — "
No. Please, no. Few other dragons knew about Sabel's special mixture…
It can't be him it can't be he doesn't have a limp he can't have just cured it what if it's a servant or a dragonsworn please Sabel you can't have you can't have I love you PLEASE —
By the Light, said Bovlar's voice, all the way in the assembly hall. What's gotten you into a tizzy?
Onyxia stifled her panic and sat back in her chair. "Drink it. Now. Or I will personally find a way to drag your dead body to Romathis to show him what you have done. It is one thing for a Scalebane to betray his Flight... but a Scalebane has nothing to gain, does he?" She tapped her nails against the wood of the desk. "But you. You have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, if you win. Drink."
"I have not betrayed the Flight," said Evenian. "I am doing what is best for it, always."
No, please, Sabel, you can't! As Onyxia's subconscious began to weep, she felt Bolvar strain to focus through the influx of emotion. Please Sabel, I love you, you helped me, you always helped me, you can't have…
"I could walk away," said Evenian. "I could leave and you'd never have to make — "
Sam struck.
All dragons jumped as Sam sliced at Evenian with a dagger, cutting through the shoulder of his clothing. Evenian yelped, and Nalice grabbed the back of Sam's shirt and hauled her away, snarling. "What is the meaning of this?"
Sam shrieked as the back of her head connected with the wall. "Hora didn't lie! She didn't — ow, Nalice, let me talk!"
Evenian clutched his shoulder, snarling. Onyxia stood. "Nalice, let her go. Sam, what have you done? Are you alright?"
"Head hurts, but I'm fine, ow." Sam rubbed the back of her head. "Hora didn't lie. Our answer to getting him to take the potion really was in Blackrock. Only, Nalice thought it'd be something we'd find… but it wasn't." She held up the dagger that had been sheathed until seconds ago. Only then, in the light, did Onyxia see the yellow sheen that matched the mixture on her desk. "Hora knew that if Nalice sent me in there, she'd have to give me a weapon first. And a simple cut sends it straight into his bloodstream…"
Nalice let go. Sam fell to the ground. "I do choose my Dragonsworn well."
Nalice sounded more proud of herself than Sam, Onyxia noted as she glanced to Evenian, whose eyes began to glaze over. But that didn't stop Onyxia saying, "Sam, that will be the closest you will ever come to receiving a compliment from Nalice. Savour it."
"But we could have simply used a knife without having to go to all that trouble…" Nalice frowned. "Although, Windsor is dead so it was not a total waste."
"I wouldn't have thought of it otherwise." Sam sounded smug. "And neither of you thought of it either!"
"Watch it, human."
The distraction had minimal effect on Onyxia's frayed nerves. In front of her, Evenian's glassy eyes stared into nothingness as he slumped in his chair, blood staining his shirt.
Nobody said a word.
Onyxia discreetly took a deep breath through her nostrils. "Evenian. What names have you gone by to the humans in the last twenty years?"
"Stephen Fletcher." Evenian's voice was low. Sam had to step closer to hear. "Quinn Summers."
"And to us?"
"Evenian."
"But that is not your true name."
"No."
I have to ask, I have to ask, I don't want to, I can't bear — "Was there ever a real Evenian?"
"Yes."
It can't be Sabel, it can't be! "Who was he? What happened to him?"
"He was Romathis's contact within the Keep." Evenian's eyes slipped closed. "A spy… kept an eye on you, but not to act against you. I killed him a few years ago. Stephen Fletcher had no friends and few acquaintances. Nobody even guessed when I used magic to imitate his scent."
Please, Sabel, it can't be…
More silence. Then Nalice said, "Get on with it."
"What was your purpose in betraying the Flight?" said Onyxia.
"I did not betray the Flight." Evenian's eyes did not open. "It betrayed us. It left so many behind, so many to die… children, mates, fighters alike."
Onyxia's vision began to blur. Sam looked alarmed. Nalice's face twisted with disgust.
Sabel…
"Could have saved them," Evenian murmured. "Could have prevented so much death, but you never did… the Dark Portal closed, left them trapped, and you didn't even try…"
Her hands, hidden underneath the desk, clenched into fight fists. Her nails dug into her palm. The pain kept her grounded. "Do I know your real name, Evenian?"
"Yes."
Her jaw clenched. Sam wrung her hands. Nalice narrowed her eyes.
"Then tell me," said Onyxia. "Who are you?"
Evenian did not answer at first. Onyxia wondered if the mixture had been too potent as his head slumped against his shoulder. He wasn't unconscious, was he? Or had he lost too much blood? Then his lips parted, and he spoke so quietly that she almost did not hear. "Orion."
Onyxia blinked.
Wait.
What?
She didn't realise she'd sagged in relief until Nalice snapped. "But Orion is dead! How could he have faked it?"
"No," said Evenian. "'Twas a simple matter of having a whelpling claim to witness my death and dismemberment at the hands of humans… who would have checked? Nobody in our Flight cares enough about the others to make sure they're dead. Humans would have taken the bones and sold them. There'd be nothing left…"
"They said he died years ago," said Onyxia. "That you… this was you?"
"Yes."
Nalice crossed her arms, frowning. "It would be a simple matter to fake one's death in that manner, given how busy the dragons were in Blackrock. Yes, I do remember, Orion was very upset when the Dark Portal closed."
"He was so deeply in love with Sabel," Onyxia murmured. "Would do anything for him."
Orion laughed weakly, struggling to raise his head. "You think this was all for Sabel? Onyxia, just because you would mate with your own brother doesn't mean the rest of us thought the sun shined from his behind." Onyxia snarled. "I had other consorts, too. Consorts who died in Outland. Children who answered Deathwing's call to arms, family that never came home. Because you abandoned them. We could have worked to reopen the Dark Portal, we had an entire Flight at our disposal, but you never did. Just like your father, you left them there to die. And so did Romathis. And for that, I was quite willing to watch you all die…"
"But what would that achieve?" said Onyxia. "What did you hope to achieve by killing the rest of us?"
"Death purges the weak so that the rest of us may grow strong." Orion's head slumped over again. "If you were weak enough to die, if you were all weak enough to die, then that just proved me strongest in the end. They said that because I chosen Sabellian, a weakling, as a consort, I was weak myself. I would prove them wrong. I'd prove them that he'd survived so long that he was stronger than the rest of us, and so were those who'd gone with him. They would have lived. Our best and strongest went to Outland… they would not have died out. The weak would have been purged, we would have been reunited with the strong, and I would have led them all…"
"Ah, he wants to take over the world," said Nalice lightly.
"Don't you ever wonder why Deathwing left you and Romathis here, Onyxia?" Orion smirked. With his closed eyes and sagging head, the expression unnerved her. "Don't you ever wonder why he chose Sabellian instead? Sabellian, who had been disabled since he was a whelp? Sabellian, who'd been surrounded with nothing but weak mortals? Sabellian, who bore more attempts on his life than the rest of the Flight combined for his disability? It's because Deathwing knew that only a strong dragon could have survived all that. Because he knew that you and Romathis would not have lived through the things Sabellian had, the amount of times he had almost had his life taken from him but clung to it like a drowning mortal. You are all obsessed with physical and emotional strength, but Sabellian had something much better — wisdom, knowledge, fortitude and cunning. He was the ideal Black dragon. Not the rabble. He wanted Sabellian as his heir. Not Romathis. Not you." Orion's smirk grew. "And you've both proven him right by allowing me to wreak havoc for so long. By not talking to each other, as Sabellian would have thought to have done. By being suspicious of each other immediately, rather than seeking proof like Sabellian would have done. You two have weakened us all, you disgust me, and I want you both to die."
"Excellent, is that all?" said Nalice. "Shall we kill him now? I expect I shall have to alert Romathis of this. I did enjoy that speech, every single part of it was true, although I truly do question my grandfather's motives. Perhaps my father was skilled, yes, but he was still awfully soft and pathetic in a way reminiscent of that night elven brat's dog when I have to kick it."
"Wow," said Sam quietly.
Onyxia leaned back in her chair. Relief had drained all the energy from her. It wasn't Sabel. Thank the Light. Thank the Titans. Thank everything. Her brother had always been loyal to her…
But Orion. She'd always thought him too much of an idiot, a weakling, to believe in their ways. She thought he'd followed the old ways as religiously as Sabel had… or had that just been a front? Just something to throw her off the scent so she would never suspect?
"Do you have other plans, Orion?" said Onyxia. "Aside from Reginald Windsor? Aside from pitting my brother and I against each other?"
"No," said Orion.
"Reginald Windsor was your backup plan, wasn't he?"
"Yes. I told him of Varian Wrynn. I told him of you."
She snorted, and changed the subject. "You said once upon a time that consorts loved each other."
"Yes."
"You loved him. You loved them all."
"Yes."
"You would have given your life to protect them. You knew that if you were discovered, you would be killed."
"Yes." Orion's head rose again, glazed eyes meeting Onyxia's. "I would do anything for them. And I did. I would have seen the entire world dead if it meant I would see them all again. Would you not have done the same for your children? Perhaps you care not for your own kin, but I remember how protective you were of our clutches…"
Yes. I would have.
"I shall take him into the wilds whilst he is still under the influence and slay him there," said Nalice. "The humans shan't find him. I shall take his head to Romathis as a trophy for our victory."
"No," said Onyxia quietly. "Sam, take him out of the keep and send him away. Tell him to leave and never return. He will be under the influence, he will not turn on you as long as you are far away when it wears off. If anyone asks, he is drunk."
Sam helped a stumbling Orion from the chair. "Um, that shoulder looks bad. Do you need to see Bronzewing?"
"I will heal it," said Orion. "I have knowledge of shamanistic ways."
"Yes, Sabellian would have taught him," said Onyxia. Sabel would not have killed him. "Just as Sabellian would have taught him about alchemy and cooking mortal food…"
Cake, Sabel? Thought Onyxia. Really? You taught him to bake cake?
Once both were out of the room, Nalice stormed to the desk and slammed her hands down. "Are you completely incompetent?"
Onyxia rose her eyebrow. "Think, Nalice. He will be under the influence long enough for Sam to lead him out of the Keep, but even if we gave him the entire vial he wouldn't stay under long enough for you to take him deep enough into the wilds to kill him. There are farms for miles outside of the city, extending further than you can travel in mortal form in the time you'd have. He could come to while you're still close enough to civilisation to be a danger, and then he will turn on you ." Onyxia scowled. "If either of you were to kill each other near the city it would be a disaster! He won't dare shift when there are so many mortals around, but he won't hesitate to turn on you while you're still in your mortal form." She drummed her fingers on the table. "He's spent a lot of time with Sabellian. He would know how to fight in mortal form better than you can, and we are weaker this way. Once he killed you it would all be over, and he would have won. Is that what you want?"
"He can still tell Romathis about the mortal brat, he can still —"
"Omnarion has denied its existence, so have I, and you will lie for me," said Onyxia. "I shall have the child sent away." Somewhere Romathis couldn't get it. Somewhere Onyxia could still check on it. "It is time we returned to our old ways, the same old ways that Serinar followed by keeping you safe. The same old ways that are to thank for you being alive. It's what's best —"
"And who are you to decide what is best?" spat Nalice.
Onyxia took a deep breath. "For ten thousand years we have been under the thrall of Old Gods. No more. By not following the old ways we allow them to win —"
"What?" Nalice snorted. And then laughed in her face. Onyxia's hackles rose. "Old Gods? You truly think we're weaklings who would allow ourselves to be controlled by beings that have not been seen for tens of thousands of years, if they existed at all? Are you insane?"
"Have you never heard their voices?"
"Voices?" Nalice stared at her, then laughed again. "Yes, you are insane. And incompetent, beyond incompetent. You have made mistake after mistake ever since you got here. And this is the worst."
"Go to Romathis," said Onyxia. "Tell him everything that has happened. And do not tell him of the mortal child. And as for Orion…" She caught the look Nalice gave her, and said, "Do you wish to disobey?"
"No," said Nalice at last. "I shan't tell him of the mortal spawn. But it is the last time I will follow any of your orders. Since you are useful here at stemming the tide of humans, he won't kill you. Yet. But Onyxia…" Nalice shook her head. "Listen to me. Even my father would tell you that by allowing Orion to live, you have made a dreadful mistake."
"Nalice…" Onyxia sat back, the heavy burden lifted from her shoulders at last. "You cannot kill him instantly or you will blow our cover. Kill him, yes, but…" She crossed her arms. "Have patience. You must wait, wait for him to fly away far enough, and then kill him. Do you see?"
Nalice hissed. "Wasting precious hours? It could take a day! Longer if I'm unable to track him down!"
"It will be much worse if one of you are found dead too close to Stormwind," said Onyxia. "We have time. His plans are in ruins. Romathis will soon know the truth about Orion, and the child will be covered up. You have time to catch him. And Reginald Windsor is dead, so…" Onyxia resisted the urge to smile. "We are safe at last."
A/N: Thanks for everyone's reviews! Input makes me very happy and helps me become a better writer. Concrit is appreciated as well. :)
What day of week do people prefer I update? I've noticed I tend to get reviews either straight after, or the Saturday (my Saturday) after I update. Are there any preferences for certain days of the week, certain times? Right now it's Sunday afternoons my time that I update, at which point everyone's asleep but I figure it's something for folks to wake up to anyway.
BlakDragun: )
JustMe: I hope this answers all your questions!
Zeitos: It was refreshing to write about them outside of Stormwind, I found. Poor Onyx has been cooped up for far too long!
Tito: Buahaha.
Etincelle: I hope this Bolvar/Kat interaction satisfies! :) I'm being careful, I promise!
Tarod007: Thank you! Indeed, they've been left hanging for a while.
Maraav: Whoops, thanks for picking that up, I'll fix it once this goes up! And from what I've seen of Wrathion he spooks me out a bit. He seems rather nasty himself, actually.