Chapter 5: Forged By The Whispers

The golden locket swiftly closed, causing a faint popping sound to be heard in the air. The man holding it looked down towards the callous rocks near his boots, thinking of what the locket meant to him.

The outside of it had now worn down patterns depicting great battles between men and monsters etched into it. They told stories of the long-lasting feud between orcs and men and how they fought against each other for so long. Lockets like this were custom of most men enlisted in Stormwind's numerous ranks. Contained within the shiny object was a small piece of paper with drawings on it of two people standing next to each other with a smile. One of them was a young woman, and the other a young child. The two had their arms around each other, the pose immortalized in print.

The man had been staring at the picture of his wife and child for quite a while before he had closed it, returning it to the chain around his muscular neck. He had always carried the golden locket for as long as he could remember, almost as long as he could remember. Then, painful memories started to run through his mind, reminding him of his many failures.

He tried to shake them from his mind, but that only caused more to flood through. His resistance finally broke when he started to see memories of his very distant past, of his life before Death claimed it…

The man was a lot younger looking in this memory since it had occurred over ten years ago. Since then, the man had gone through hell, which aged his features at an increased speed.

He was walking along a wide stone bridge that led up to a giant iron gate. As he drew nearer to the metal, men nearby motioned, causing the iron bars to begin raising slowly. The man was walking into the gates of the prize jewel of humanity: Stormwind.

Much of his life before then had been spent in the walls of the city. His childhood had taken place within it, but at that time, he thought the stone barriers could protect him from any danger. He had felt untouchable as a child, but that changed with age. As he grew older, he had heard of great battles between soldiers and some green creatures called orcs. He had never seen an orc, but he wanted to. So, he trained in the way of the sword, learning from some of the best how to fight and defend himself. After a few years, he had joined the army, finally making a step towards his goal of sharing in the glory of combat.

As he had served his time under the kings' orders, he had learned to love the city and its rulers. He no longer viewed the walls as some magical barrier that kept out all the evils of the world but now as something to be protected, held sacred, for it was his home. The few people he knew lived within its borders, and he wanted to ensure their safety with his life. Over time, he had climbed through the ranks and became one of Stormwind's greatest and most revered champions, but he never let it go to his head. He felt that there was still much more he could give to his people. His noble ways would finally take him on the day he walked through those gates, returning to his memory.

The man continued on, his golden shoulderplates reflecting the sun's strength. He walked through the city, most people recognizing him and cheering. But, as he strode through the residential area of the town, he felt distracted. He hoped to one day have a family, but he had given that up when he joined the army, but that changed after he met someone he truly cared for.

That day, he had been interrupted by a woman running through the streets, seeming unaware of the marching group of guards nearby. She seemed to be chasing an animal as she ran around the streets, eventually catching her target as she wrapped a chicken into her arms. She sighed in relief, only to hear the sound of a bulky man clearing his throat. She looked up and saw the man, realizing she was standing in the way of one of the city's most highly ranked people and his escort.

Realizing her fault, she quickly curtsied and started to slowly back away, hoping to escape the situation. She could not, though, as the man she had almost run into began to talk to her.

"What is your name?" he asked in a calm yet stern tone.

"Maria, sir."

"Could you explain to me why you could not look around and observe your surroundings before rampaging through the streets and forcing a whole company of guards to halt their march towards the castle?" the man had asked, clearly including some condescension in his voice.

The woman in front of him looked around, noticing the dozens of people now staring at her with abhorred looks. For a moment, she was at a loss of words, trying to think of why she had done such a reckless thing. Then, she looked into her arms, seeing the face of an annoyed chicken staring at her. She looked back up to the soldier and told him the truth. "This chicken had escaped from its pen—she somehow found a way to jump onto a ledge and then over the fence of her pen before run—"she started before being stopped by another throat clear from the man. She felt embarrassed as she had rambled on before relaxing from the sight of the slightly amused expression on his face. "Right. She got out, and so I chased her, but that led me into the streets. I wasn't looking, so I finally caught her, but not before running straight into the way of dozens of soldiers."

The man looking at her released a slight chuckle before he continued. "Seeing as you have delayed us already, I think it only fair if we delay you. So, walk with me."

"Excuse me?" the woman asked, somewhat shocked by his request.

"Walk next to me as we head into the castle."

She slowly walked over to him, still unsure of the situation. Then, with a gesture, he and his men started to march again, continuing their original path.

"So," he started, "why do you care so much about this one chicken? They are quite inexpensive." She looked up at him, still confused, before responding.

"She got injured a couple of months ago, and I made sure she could stay safe while she recovered. I didn't want her to get hurt again, so I chased after her. She also has two chicks that she cares for. Without her, they would have no one to guide them, and they wouldn't make it."

The man pondered this as he walked. He himself surely would have just gotten another chicken to care for the young ones. Why go through all the trouble of helping one quite useless animal? While he didn't yet understand, this piqued his interest.

"Have you always been like that?"

The woman tried to form words, not knowing how to respond before explaining as best she could. "I think every animal, every creature, and every person is worthy of life and compassion, or at least a chance of these things. Kindness is something we can give for free, so why not use it more often? If we actually helped understand the issues of others, maybe we wouldn't see them as issues anymore."

This remark only made the man feel more interested, now wanting to know more of her. She had a view on the world that a certain red dragon would find quite similar to her own. He wanted to get to know this woman and her chicken-helping ways. Little did that man know he would soon retire to marry that woman who intrigued him so. The memory of first meeting his wife was sweet, and so was the brief one of his daughter's birth. That emotion was quickly consumed by the new memory that pushed its way into view, now taking over the man's vision.

"Tinnidus?" the same woman from the last memory yelled from somewhere upstairs, calling for her husband.

"Down here," he yelled from his kitchen table before looking around the room. He was in his house, a rather lavish one at that. Bookshelves that held numerous founts of knowledge and entertainment called books were scattered here and there. Shelves lined the walls that contained pictures of his family, many dedicated to his wife and daughter.

He loved his new life. He stayed home and got to be with the love of his life, every moment with her feeling of pure bliss. He also got to enjoy raising his daughter, who now came running from another room and into the kitchen. The girl quickly hopped into her chair, grabbing up her utensils, about to dig into the food on her plate. "Wait for your mother," her father commanded, causing her to put them back down with reluctance.

He heard light footsteps as his wife came down the stairs and over to the table. She sat down next to the man and panted heavily. "I have been looking almost all day for that book you gave me a few weeks ago, but I can't seem to fi—" she spoke, being interrupted by a hand over her lips.

"Don't worry about it. For now, let's just enjoy the meal you made for us," the owner of the hand said, a beaming smile flashing on his face. The woman turned back to her plate and started to grab her fork before eating. Just as the man was about to start eating as well, he heard a loud 'thump' coming from somewhere distant outside. He glanced around, noticing his family also heard it. He stood up from his seat and walked towards the front door of his house.

"Stay here," he said before opening the door and walking outside. He looked around the street, not seeing anything that could have made the noise. An orange glow drew his eyes to the sky. As he looked up, raw terror caused his body to seize up; every muscle turned to complete stone.

A giant black dragon soared through the sky towards Stormwind, fire falling from its enormous wings. Its unimaginable size made it more terrifying when it flapped its wings, shooting high into the air. The man watched in horror as the beast fell towards the castle, outstretching its claws towards it.

As the black titan landed, the man was knocked onto the ground, hitting his head from the force of the dragon's landing. He faintly saw the creature standing over the city, roaring in pure rage. His vision left him as darkness swirled around, claiming his consciousness.

Tinnidus opened his eyes with a large gasp and sat up, quickly remembering what had knocked him out. As he stood up, he saw the burning landscape around him. The city was burning, screams arising from within it. He suddenly realized one of those screams was coming from behind him. It was coming from his house.

He rushed over to his home, seeing the top of it caved in with fire starting to spread through it. Tinnidus ran through the burning door, brushing the flames off his shoulders before looking around.

A large wooden beam had fallen onto his daughter. He ran over to her and grabbed her hand in hope, only to have that crushed when he felt no life in her limp body. He looked over to her face, seeing no movement in it at all. He let go of her, grabbed the beam on top of her body, and lifted it off her. He threw it to the side and picked up his daughter. Her arms fell to the side as he held her, his tears streaming down his face. He ignored the flames that heated his skin nearby. He cried out for her to come back to him, but to no avail. She was dead.

Another cry came from nearby, and Tinnidus realized it was his wife. He carefully laid his daughter on the ground before sprinting over to the noise. He knelt behind a counter, finding his wife on the floor.

Her face had a lot of minor cuts, but she seemed fine. That was until he looked down at her chest. A sharp piece of wood stuck through her back and out of her stomach, blood dripping from its end.

"No, no, no!" Tinnidus yelled, putting his hand on her face. "You're going to be alright; I'm right here!" She grabbed his wrist, drawing his attention.

"This place is going to burn up, along with everything in it."

"Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here, I jus—"

"No!" she commanded, interrupting her desperate husband. "You have to go. I'm going to die. Even if you rushed me to a healer, I would bleed out before you got me there. Leave me," she said, her heart breaking.

Tinnidus shook his head, not wanting to leave her side. He knew she was right, but he couldn't leave her; he wouldn't leave her. "I'm staying right here," he whispered to her in a broken voice.

"Please, you have to go. You don't need to die too. Go, be… happy. You know… I love you with… all my heart," she said, her breath starting to fade.

"No, I won't!" he shouted.

"If you don't go, then you will die!"

"I'm not leaving you here."

"Please… Tinnidus… if you love me… you will… go," she whispered, now starting to gasp for air. He continued to shake his head, his determination wavering. "If you love me… you will leave me… here," she said again, blood filling her mouth. Tinnidus gripped her tighter, tears falling onto her face as he hugged her, not wanting to let go.

"Go…" she whispered before she started to lean back, her life slipping.

"No," Tinnidus cried in disbelief as her head hit the floor. "No. No, no, no! NO!" he yelled, slamming his fists into the floor. His sweet tears fell onto his wife's face as he felt his world falling apart.

Finally, he mustered all the will he had and started to stand. He stared at his wife as he rose to his feet. They acted against his heart as they stepped backward, pulling him away from his love. He went through the door, fire not bothering him. He now stood a few feet from the happiest place he had ever been, watching as it burned to the ground.

A flare erupted from his house, causing him to turn away from the heat. When he opened his eyes, the black demon filled his vision. A titanic metallic jaw had lava dripping from its base as the dragon stomped onto the ground, fire consuming where he moved.

Tinnidus' unfathomable agony was replaced with hatred as he looked upon the thing that killed the two people he loved with all his heart. He felt only rage as the beast laughed as if the death of Tinnidus' family was humorous. This only fueled his anger more, causing his hate of the beast to become immortalized.

He slowly walked forward, approaching a small distance towards the dragon. What made it worse was that the demon did not even notice what he had done to Tinnidus and his family. It cared not, only laughing at the destruction it caused. Deathwing looked around, grinning. The man's fingers clenched into fists as he stared into the eyes of the dragon, unaffected by their flaming gaze.

Almost six months later, Tinnidus stood in a courtyard of Stormwind, dueling one of Azeroth's greatest champions. They both wore intricate armor that had extreme value, which protected them from each other's blades.

Tinnidus swung his sword towards his foe, his weapon blocked by another blade. The two men pushed towards each other, trying to force their swords into the other. Tinnidus realized his strength was waning and that he could not fight for much longer. In a swift move, he sidestepped and moved his sword down, causing his foe to stumble forward. He spun around, now facing the back of his target. Tinnidus pulled his sword back, channeling his strength into his arms as he thrusted his blade forward.

The other man yelled in minor pain as Tinnidus' sword rammed into the other man's armor so forcefully that it shattered. As one of the men fell onto his knees, the other looked into the distance, grinning maniacally. He seemed to stare through the many other soldiers that were watching the duel unfold. They watched as the victor pulled something out from under his shirt and held it in his hand. It was the golden locket that Tinnidus treasured. He felt glory as he defeated one of his greatest opponents yet with ease.

He had spent the last six months training. He was more muscular now than ever, every part of his body bulging with manly strength. It was all he could think of—all he wanted to think of—because he couldn't face what had happened to his family. So he instead used his rage to become one of the most deadly fighters in all of Azeroth. His skill was unmatched, for he had years of experience in the army, brute strength, and incredible cunning. He was not to be trifled with.

He had dueled many of the greatest fighters Stormwind had to offer during his time, beating each one faster than the last. He wanted a challenge, something his pride had made him crave. Anyone who saw him would think he was just an egotistical military commander. They would never be able to read him and know the loss he suffered. They only knew him as the guy who came into town every few weeks to fight with the strongest in the city, winning each time. After that, he would leave the city as quickly as he came, returning to the nearby forest.

Tinnidus had learned to live and survive within the treacherous Elwynn Forest. He had mastered the art of foraging, living off only the plants and animals within the woodlands. He told himself that he did it because he enjoyed the challenge of survival—which was true—but he really did it to escape humanity.

The death of his family had taken an immeasurable toll on Tinnidus. All he felt was anger. Sometimes he would feel prideful (such as when he defeated an opponent), but most of the time, he was angry. He could not handle the petty issues most people had. They would complain that their milkman had gotten drunk one night and failed to deliver milk the following day, that some of their food had spoiled, and that they were tired of all the rain. These conversations only further angered him, so he decided he would live as a hermit, untouched by society. That also gave him more time to study.

Besides learning how to fight, Tinnidus had been researching everything about dragons. He knew what each race ate, how they hunted, their anatomies, their powers, and more. He swore to avenge his family by slaying the fiend that took their lives, and he would need to learn Deathwing's weakness if he was to do that. Until then, he had been satisfied with slaughtering any black dragons he could find as he traveled Azeroth in his studies.

Eventually, he learned that Stormwind had more information about the black beast than any other place he could go. So, he decided to finally take up his role in the army once again. He quickly climbed their ranks, his skills shining true. Within a short two months, he had become one of the seven highest-ranking men in Stormwind, excluding the king, of course. It had felt good for him to have respect amongst the masses again finally. In his younger days, he had enjoyed that thrill, but now it was different. He no longer felt that the people adored him, only that they adored what he could do for them. Whether it was protection, money, or advice, the people only ever asked things of him. They rarely ever thanked him or wanted to get to know him personally. This filled Tinnidus with a sense of betrayal by his own people.

The time he had been waiting for, to face Deathwing again, had finally come. One late night, he received word that the king had a plan to defeat the dragon, and he summoned Tinnidus to the throne room.

Tinnidus had eagerly left his quarters and marched into the room with a golden chair at its center. He noticed a few dozen groups of warriors standing in front of the king, some of them familiar to him. His eyes also darted over to a very large hooded man. As Tinnidus inspected the thick beads around its neck, he realized it was not a man. He now saw a shade of green on the hooded figure's skin. Before he could make out who it was, the king stood up from his throne.

"I have brought you all here today seeking your aid in one of the most important undertakings of your lives. An airship will be arriving at Stormwind shortly, ready to transport those of you willing to defend your world," King Varian started to explain. "Then, you will parachute from the ship once it is over Deathwing, and you will land on his back. I don't know what atrocities await there, but I suspect they will be formidable. Your objective will be to tear enough plates from the beast's back to allow Thrall to attack him," he finished, now pointing at the hooded figure beside him.

The orc walked forward, pulling the hood down from his head. Tinnidus silently gasped as he saw the orc leader reveal himself.

Thrall took a deep breath before speaking in his rough voice. "If you can break off enough of his plates, I will be able to strike him with the Dragon Soul, a weapon of immense power that can destroy Deathwing. He will no doubt have all of his minions defending him, but the dragonflights and their Aspects will hold them off as you land on Deathwing. If you succeed, we will have finally stopped the Cataclysm."

The crowd seemed silent as the orc told them of what was to be done. "Now, who is prepared to fight for Azeroth?" Thrall shouted, invoking a roar from the crowd of champions. A couple of them were Horde races Tinnidus gathered, but most of them were from the Alliance. He assumed that most of the Horde's patrons would be given a similar speech in Orgrimmar.

Tinnidus did not cheer as the other champions did; now, all he could think about was the dark creature that had killed his family. He would finally have the chance to get his revenge…

"GO NOW!" someone shouted on the airship as the floor opened up, revealing Deathwing below. Tinnidus and the other champions held onto their parachutes as they jumped from the ship, now falling through the air. As they got close to Deathwing's back, they released their parachutes, slowing their descent.

Tinnidus landed and quickly cut his way through his chute, already looking around for danger. To his surprise, it was surprisingly calm on the back of death incarnate. That was until he started to feel the heat from the beast. He began to sweat profusely as he pulled his helmet off, revealing his face.

He now could clearly see how grotesque the spine of Deathwing really was. Large metal plates were literally holding the dragon together, stopping his insides from erupting out. Tinnidus realized that that was Deathwing's weakness. If he were able to break off enough plates, the dragon would be vulnerable.

His thoughts were cut short as something started to climb from the dragon's back. A living flame with bits of metal making up its body began to lumber towards Tinnidus. He quickly dodged a flaming fist before stabbing his sword through the creature. It liquidized before the warrior, almost burning his feet.

The other champions had gathered and started to try and pry off one of the elementium plates on Deathwing's back. The dragon felt this and buckled, causing the champions to fall onto their own backs. Tinnidus rushed over to them and tried to help them up, but a flaming tentacle shot up from where one of the champions was. The tendril wrapped around the heroine, engulfing her in flame. Tinnidus felt his blood boil, his anger swelling once again.

He dodged the elementals that were starting to attack and ran over to the tentacle. He slashed at its base, slowly beginning to cut through it. He looked up, seeing the champion's armor nearing melting point. He continued to cut through flaming flesh, but he knew he wouldn't be able to cut through in time. Luckily, another person came up to him and started to attack the tentacle as well. Tinnidus glanced over at him, realizing the champion was a Tauren.

"The elements will be released!" the champion shouted before cleaving his axe through the last of the tendril, severing it. The heroine from above fell out of the fire that grasped her, now tumbling to the ground. The Tauren caught her and carefully laid her down, burning his hands from the heat of her armor. She thanked him before passing out, needing to recover from the burns her body endured.

Tinnidus felt assurance as he helped to save a life from Deathwing's grip. He now felt that he could kill the beast.

He went over to the metal plate the champions had tried to lift and started to pry it off with his sword. The same Tauren as before came over to help Tinnidus, and they both used their weapons to start breaking off the plate.

Deathwing roared as he felt his flesh ripping from the plate, now enraged. He started to do a barrel roll mid-air, causing Tinnidus and the Tauren to slide to an edge. The Tauren fell from Deathwing's back, the sight of the ground far below sending fear throughout him. Tinnidus quickly grabbed onto the champion's arm, holding him with all his available strength while holding his other arm onto part of the dragon's back.

As Deathwing leveled back out, Tinnidus pulled the Tauren back up, and they stood at the plate they had almost ripped off.

"Ready?" Tinnidus shouted.

"1… 2… 3!"

Tinnidus and the Tauren pulled their weapons with all their might, lifting the metal from the dragon's skin. Then, with a harrowing screeching sound, the metal plate fell from the dragon's back, falling to the land below. The creature roared in fury, his body starting to swell slightly. Dozens of more elementals emerged from his blood, clashing with the intruders.

The champions were able to pry off another plate, and they almost had the third off as well. Tinnidus was holding some of the flaming creatures away from the men trying to break the plate. He swung his sword around frantically, cutting through elemental after elemental. He used the memory of his family to give him strength as he barely held the hordes away from the others nearby.

"We need a little more force!" one of them yelled, calling aid. Tinnidus quickly looked around, not seeing anyone assist. Everyone was either fighting the abominations that were Deathwing's spawn or trying to break off the third plate.

"Bloody hell," Tinnidus whispered as he cut through one last elemental and bolted towards the plate. The elementals started to pour through the breach in defenses, headed towards the champions.

Tinnidus grabbed onto the metal plate, burning his hands. His courage inspired the others, and they all pulled. The elementals came even closer, soon to obliterate their targets.

With one last pull, the elementium armor piece ripped from Deathwing's back. The champions turned around, ready to attack the elementals. Tinnidus delighted as the dragon roared in pain from even more swelling. The dragon looked nearby as a bright light started to shine from below.

Tinnidus could make out Thrall holding a golden disc in his hands, aiming it towards Deathwing. The human was surprised to feel the dragon he stood on tighten up as Thrall fired his shot. The golden beam stabbed into the black dragon's back as it bored through his insides. Tinnidus watched as the other side of the dragon started to glow intensely before the golden beam exploded through Deathwing, creating a hole in the beast.

Tinnidus remembered the next moment, the memory still stinging. He was now standing in the Maelstrom. He and the other champions were on rocky chunks that circled the center of the swirling vortex.

Thrall stood next to Varian, who stood a few feet from Tinnidus. He walked over to his king.

"It is over; Deathwing is destroyed," Varian spoke triumphantly. However, that sense was cut short when the ground rumbled. Tinnidus could sense it: Deathwing was not dead…

"We have to finish him here and now, or he will simply go back into hiding!" the orc told the champions, who now drew their weapons.

"Your efforts are insignificant," a voice rumbled from the depths of the Maelstrom. "Your attempts are fleeting." An arm latched onto one of the rocky chunks. "Your world is doomed." Another arm grabbed a rock. "I am... Deathwing, the Destroyer, the end of all things!" Horns started to rise from below the rocks where Tinnidus stood. He walked to the edge and looked out, seeing Deathwing rise.

"Inevitable."

"Indomitable."

"I. AM. THE CATACLYSM!" Deathwing bellowed in all his rage, fire exploding from his body as his head was fully revealed. Tentacles came out of his chest, flailing wildly as the Aspect was enraged.

Tinnidus took cover as the blast of fire almost incinerated him, the heat claiming a few champions.

"Champions! Attack his claws, or he will burn you all!" Alexstrasza yelled from the sky. Tinnidus hadn't even seen her—or the other Aspects—until now. He looked back to Deathwing and let his hatred guide him. He almost felt his emotions speak to him as he gripped his sword. With inhuman speed, he reached one of the claws nearby and started to slash at its exposed flesh. This only further angered the dragon.

"My siblings, how nice it is to see you all once again. You all came… just to watch your world BURN!" the titan roared, sending fear into even the Aspects that hovered overhead.

"Strike his claws now; he's readying a blow that will cause the final Cataclysm!" the Dragon Queen shouted before blasting Deathwing's arm with her breath. He only laughed at this. Tinnidus channeled his emotions at this moment, thinking of his family, his city, the death of his wife and daughter, and used it to give him strength. His sword cut through flesh, splattering molten blood onto his armor as he attacked the dragon. The dragon's blood didn't affect the armor because it was made from black dragon scales. This kept the armor from burning up, shielding Tinnidus as well.

Before Deathwing could destroy the world, one of his claws collapsed, falling from the rocky platform it was latched onto. Deathwing used his dominion over the earth to shake the land, disrupting the attacks of the mortals. The Dragon Aspects started to attack his other claw that held him in place. As Tinnidus recovered, he jumped to another platform to strike at the claw. A flaming elemental appeared, climbing up from the side of the rock. Tinnidus battled with the creature as he dodged flaming attacks from it. Finally, the other champions arrived and finished off the creature before starting on the claw.

"Your madness is over, Neltharion. There is not enough earth, nor are you strong enough, to use the element against us. It is finished!" Alexstrasza shouted to her fallen brother.

"But you forget," Deathwing started with a sneer, his claw about to lose its grip, "I control ALL of the elements." He took his free arm and swept it through the ocean, his powers summoning a giant wave of water. Tinnidus looked up as the wave towered over him and the other champions.

"No!" Tinnidus yelled as he leaped towards Deathwing's claw, but the wave crashed onto the rocky islands first, pulling him away.

A groggy sound of pain came out of Tinnidus as he started to gain consciousness. His vision was blurry, but he could hear muffled screams and roars. He was trying to stand up, but he couldn't tell where the ground was. He could feel the temperature around him rising, which forced him awake. He started to finally see giant blobs of red-orange creeping towards him. As his vision became more precise, he could tell it was magma. He looked around, seeing that magma had covered most of the rocky platforms. Tinnidus was near the edge, next to a rock he hit his head on. As he took a better look, he could see the champions he fought with standing in the pool of raging flames and lava. He watched as they screamed in agony and fell into the magma, their bodies succumbing to the searing heat.

Tinnidus then looked up, seeing the face of the murderer. Deathwing was towering over the rock platform, his claws pulling him up from the Maelstrom. Tinnidus could feel his anger returning as he remembered everything the Destroyer had done to him. He picked up his sword and charged towards one of Deathwing's claws. The dragon looked down at the zealous warrior who stood against death itself. Tinnidus watched as the dragon only laughed at the fleeting attempt of a stand. A tendril reached out from the magma and latched onto Tinnidus' leg, holding him back.

He felt powerless as Deathwing rose. The Dragon Aspects had finally recovered and were fleeing to Wyrmrest.

"I WILL TEAR THIS WORLD APART, BUT FIRST, I WILL END THOSE PATHETIC EXCUSES FOR ASPECTS!"

Tinnidus could only watch as Deathwing climbed from the Maelstrom and unfurled his wings. Fire began to engulf them as he stretched them to their full extent. Tinnidus could see him mutter something under his breath, but the warrior could not hear. As the dragon took flight, failure seeped into Tinnidus. His eyes bounced from place to place, the champions around him falling one by one. He could see the Tauren he fought with trying to stand up, tendrils reaching from the magma and pulling him back in. He felt some slight relief when a few were able to jump into the water. He hoped the tides would not pull them into the Maelstrom's center.

More fiery tentacles latched onto Tinnidus and tried to pull him down, but he resisted. But as he looked in the distance and could barely see Deathwing anymore, he gave in. He fell to his knees as the tendrils lured him in like a siren.

"I failed…" he whispered as he knew he had failed to kill Deathwing, unable to avenge his family. He could feel the heat on his armor rising, knowing it would not hold up much longer. He closed his eyes as he relaxed, awaiting death. He breathed out what he felt was his final breath as he fell into the torturous magma. He didn't even scream from the pain; he just accepted it. His last memory was of his wife and daughter as he slipped away.

Tinnidus then remembered how he was floating in an abyss. It was a completely dark place, so dark he couldn't see his own body.

Suddenly, he heard the voice of his wife. "Tinnidus." He turned around and saw her in all her beauty, then looked down and saw his daughter. Joy flooded through him. He smiled the warmest smile imaginable as he walked over to them and hugged them.

"I thought I would never see you again! I-I—"

"Need to rest," Maria said. "You are clinging to your anger. You can be with us forever, but you have to let your rage fall away if you want that. Don't you want to be with us?"

"Of course. I just don't know h-how to… let it go. He took you from me!" Tinnidus said, his voice rising.

"Who did?" Maria asked calmly.

"It was… him."

"Who?"

"Deathwing!" Tinnidus yelled, turning away from his family, his rage returning once again. When he turned to look back at them, they were gone. "I'm sorry. Come back, please!" he pleaded.

They were gone.

He began to cry, wishing he could release himself from the chains of his hatred towards the black dragon. Then, he heard the voice for the first time.

"Rise," it said in a cold and slow voice.

Chilled by the word, Tinnidus felt strange. But, despite that, he decided to converse with the voice. "How am I supposed to rise? I have lost everything…"

"Let us restore you to your former strength. Then, you will rise and avenge your family…"

In pure desperation, Tinnidus thought of what he was being offered. He could have another chance to destroy the being he hated with every fiber of his body.

"Yes."

With that one simple word, Tinnidus accepted, and the darkness around him disappeared.

He screamed as he awoke. He remembered everything that had happened in the abyss as he felt his armored body on the ground. His hands could feel something soft beneath him. It was a familiar substance, soft yet rough, smooth yet sharp. He looked down and to the right, seeing only golden yellow in his field of vision. He grabbed some of the substance, and it rapidly fell through his fingers. He realized it was sand he was on. He then could see the bright rays of the sun glinting off of the sand.

He looked up and shielded his eyes with his hands as he sat up. He heard light crashing and realized he was on a shore. He stood up and looked around, seeing a long stretch of sand and a significant amount of water around the beach. In the far distance, he could see the outline of a large chunk of land. Maybe that's the Eastern Kingdoms, he thought.

He turned around and saw a jungle-like forest across the island he was on. Wood. He saw some coconuts hanging from a few of the trees. Food. He saw a small oasis nearby. Water. He would have to make a raft of some sort if he was to make it back to his homeland any time soon.

Tinnidus' raft bumped against the rocks of the shore. He climbed out of his transport and realized that he was on a familiar landscape. He was right; he had made it to the Eastern Kingdoms. He breathed in a large amount of the fresh air as he took in the breeze. He was finally back, a second chance to destroy Deathwing given to him. He could feel his strength had returned, and he had to alert his king.

The guards had opened the gates of Stormwind hesitantly because they had not seen him in months. Finally, after a moment of silence, they had opened the gates and let him in. They led him to the throne room, where the king waited. Varian was eager to meet a survivor of the Maelstrom, especially one who was one of Stormwind's finest.

As Tinnidus walked into the throne room, he saw King Varian sitting on his golden chair with lion armrests. He had come to warn the king of what happened at the Maelstrom, how Deathwing was still out there.

"My king," he said before bowing. "I have come to deliver dire news. The other champions and I made Deathwing vulnerable before Thrall blasted him with the Dragon Soul. He then fell into the Maelstrom. We fought him—and almost succeeded—but he managed to kill almost everyone there. I was able to escape, but I almost died." He decided to skip the part about talking to a strange voice and being resurrected. "The important part is that Deathwing survived. He was struck with the Dragon Soul and still lived! He is out there, most likely planning to attack again. We have to find him," he finished.

Varian shifted a little. "It's been months since the incident at the Maelstrom.

"What?" Tinnidus responded in disbelief.

"I don't know what happened to you, but months have passed since that day. I am aware that Deathwing lived. We lost so many good men on that day, but I am glad to see that one of our best did survive," Varian explained, warmth appearing on his face.

"W-what became Deathwing's fate?"

"He was… saved by the other Aspects. They said that he was his real self again, whatever that means. He has been dealt with."

"They just let him live?" Tinnidus asked in outrage. "He almost destroyed the bloody world!" Varian was not pleased by the outburst.

"He has not been sighted near any cities since. Whatever the Aspects did, I'm sure they ensured Deathwing would be gone," the king said while increasing his tone. Tinnidus could not form words as he sat there in silence. "You will rest up for a few weeks, and then you will return to your military duties."

Tinnidus bowed out of instinct and then left the room. He stormed through the city, angered by the king's quick decision to trust that the demon was gone. How could he forget about such a threat so easily? He wandered through the city, stumbling upon the site of his home.

Where his home used to be anyway. The area had been rebuilt, and a grassy park was in its place. His anger subsided as he walked onto the grass, remembering the good times he had with his family. The birth of his daughter, his marriage, the buying of their home, and other memories had flooded through his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't make you rest easy," he whispered to the ground. "Maybe the king is right, maybe I should give up on my crusade…" he trailed off, starting to sob.

"They will not forget what happened to them. They will not rest until the beast is dead. They require penance!" a dark voice spoke within him. He was frightened by the new thing inside him, talking to him. "You'll heed the call and take up your arms. You must avenge them!"

"Stop," Tinnidus said to the whispers.

"They want to be avenged; they must be avenged!"

"Stop!"

"Are you too weak to protect your family? Oh, I forgot. You let them die in your grasp because of him."

"STOP!" Tinnidus yelled into the grass as he felt his mind being invaded.

"YOU FAILED THEM!"

"STOP, STOP, STOP!" Tinnidus yelled into the sky before he passed out in front of where his house used to stand.

Later he awoke, and he carried on with his life without hearing the whispers. He tried to push his hatred of Deathwing away, but he could not deny it forever.

One day he had been within the outskirts of Stormwind, performing his regular duties, when the sky itself shook. Most of the people within the city did not know what the shaking was from, but Tinnidus remembered the shaking. It was the same shaking he felt the day Deathwing flew out of Deepholm. He looked skyward, and his fears were confirmed when he saw the fiery eyes of the creature that killed his wife and daughter.

His loyalty took charge, and he ran towards the castle. The dragon was speeding through the sky. Tinnidus looked away from him as he raced to the throne room. Unknown to him, Neltharion had been the one to arrive. The Aspect had then talked to King Varian before leaving. Unfortunately, Tinnidus was not there and did witness how different the dragon now was.

When he got into the throne room, sweat was dripping from his entire face. He pulled off his helmet and saw the king walking around his throne, seeming pensive. Tinnidus ignored that.

"My king, are you alright?" Varian did not notice the warrior. "My king?" Tinnidus repeated.

"Hmm?" Varian mumbled, now staring at Tinnidus.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Commander."

"I saw Deathwing flying towards the castle, so I came here as fast as I could." Varian sat back down in his seat.

"He came to talk to me," the king said nonchalantly as if it was a simple statement.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Death—I mean Neltharion came in a mortal form to speak to me. Deathwing is no more. Neltharion, who was trapped within him, was set free and now controls his body again." Tinnidus could not believe what he was hearing.

"What?! One story, and you believe him?" Tinnidus yelled disrespectfully.

"He has offered to help us, and he did not harm anyone in this city today. Alexstrasza has told me he means well, and I do believe and trust her. So I will excuse your comments, but you are to learn your place!"

After Tinnidus heard what Varian had to say, he turned his back on his loyalties. The king had betrayed his trust, and Tinnidus was through being a silent pawn to the king.

He went into Elwynn Forest, sending himself back to his old life. This only caused his emotions to intensify, making him hate Deathwing all the more. The second after he changed his morals, the whispers started to torture him.

The more he resisted listening to them, the more intense they grew. However, his will was strong, for he had managed to hold the whispers off for weeks. He finally gave in to their call after trying so desperately to ignore them, but the whispers could not be ignored forever. Tinnidus had finally succumbed to them and listened as the cursed voices came into his mind once again.

"Find our followers, let them reforge you so you can wield the strength to end The Black Scourge once and for all. Show him your rage…" they spoke.

"Where can I find them?" Tinnidus asked, his will broken.

"My eyes will show you the way…"

When he opened his eyes, a black cloud ran over the landscape, heading in the direction of some distant mountains. Tinnidus followed the cloud, which led him to a group of cultists.

He then remembered when he had mastered his dominion over the shadow, now able to manipulate it as he pleased. He could throw bolts of it at his enemies with ease, sending dark energies throughout their bodies. A few blasts from his corrupted magic would make a man's heart stop, silencing them forever. On the day he had gained complete control over its abilities, a cultist had told him of his future.

"With this force Tinnidus, you can kill Deathwing and avenge your family. Not only that, but you can break him."

"I will…" Tinnidus replied, darkness twisting his voice as he spoke.

All his memories of the past left him, returning him to reality. Tinnidus gripped his locket once more, his family a distant yet powerful force to him. He wished he could go back to that night when Deathwing landed on Stormwind. He wished he could take his family and abandon their doomed house, which would have saved their lives. If he had done so, he would still have them to this day. He longed to see them again, but he knew that would probably never happen. If there was an afterlife, he felt he would be condemned to its hells. If he had saved his family, he would never have started down this dark path, and he would never have agreed to be brought back to life by N'Zoth. Instead, he would be spending time with them before they had eternity in the Shadowlands.

He released the locket from his grip, casting his doubts aside. He had not come so far, killed so many, just to falter now. He had been waiting for this moment ever since he joined the cultists that followed the Old Gods—the destruction of the Aspects, the fall of Deathwing, and the end of the black dragonflight. Over time, he had grown to hate not just Deathwing but also all dragons. They had harbored him, acting as if he was no longer the monster he was. He wanted to kill them all, and so he would.

Tinnidus looked around his tent, observing his wooden desk and chair as well as his cot-like bed. He walked over to a mirror, examining his body. He was almost entirely naked. Long scars etched across his chest while burns wrapped around his arms. Most of those injuries had come from hunting down black dragons. He stared at his face, one of the few unscathed parts of his body. His grey beard stretched from his chin to his jawbones, covering a lot of his lower face. His hair was short and curly, similar to that of wool.

He walked over to the stand next to him that had multiple pieces of armor weighed on it. He reached for his pants, sliding them up his legs. Next, he grabbed his boots and put them onto his feet. He then took his chestplate, lowered it over his head, and put his arms into the sleeves. He put it into position at his waist before grabbing his helmet and mounting it on his head. Tinnidus turned back to the mirror, examining his armor.

It was made of black dragon scales as before, but it was more robust now. Purple energy coursed through the scales, an effect of his shadow magic that enhanced its properties. Lighter, tougher, and more durable, the armor was improved in every way. He saw the scales standing up at his shoulders, serving as spikes. He then looked at his helmet and scowled. He lifted it from his head and laid it down before running his fingers through his hair.

Tinnidus looked into the mirror once more, feeling ready for the greatest battle of his life. He lifted his locket and put his other hand over it, the gold starting to glow purple. His dark energies seeped into it, making it unbreakable. The neckwear also imbued him with strength, making him stronger than two men and granting him double his speed.

His eyes lit up, their color changing to purple as well. Everything about him reeked of the color and its shadow energy. He smiled a crooked smile and left his tent, pushing away the flaps at its entrance.

When he exited, the light from the sun blinded him for a second before he looked over a valley. Within said valley, thousands of males and females awaited. They all waited for their commander to lead them into combat. That leader was Tinnidus the Reforged.

He walked over to the edge of his platform, now drawing the attention of all below him. He grinned, taking in his glory as a voice rose within him.

"The time has come. Guide them with my eyes, bring the Aspects to their knees. Make them beg you for mercy…" Tinnidus' grin twisted even more as he heard the familiar voice.

"It shall be done, N'Zoth," he whispered before taking a deep breath.

"My comrades, I have brought you here today for glorious war," his voice echoed through the valley. "Today, we take back our world for the Old Ones and dismantle the tyrants who rule it now." Tinnidus began to walk along the ledge. "Deathwing—or Neltharion as he is now known—must be destroyed, for his blight on this world is over! He took all that I have ever loved. He took everything from me, so I will take everything from him." He stopped his walking, now facing an expanse of flatland that had snow covering it. "Charge with me," Tinnidus started, his hand raising up. "The Siege on Wyrmrest has begun!" he bellowed, now pointing towards a stone temple in the distance. "FOR THE OLD ONES!" The horde started to march, their footsteps booming throughout the land. Tinnidus the Reforged watched as his soldiers moved, and he started towards the temple, his hatred now at its pinnacle.