Chapter 6: The Siege on Wyrmrest
How could I be so oblivious, Neltharion thought as he flew through the air, rushing towards Wyrmrest Temple. I let them play me like a pawn, he continued within his head, scolding himself for not realizing what the goblins had been doing. "Please still be alive, Alexstrasza, Ysera, Kalecgos, Nozdormu, my dear family," he whispered as he flew over the ocean.
The mere flapping of Neltharion's massive wings caused waves to form within the waters. They would eventually violently crash upon their shores, but he did not care about that right now. All he cared about was getting to the temple and making sure those he cared for were safe. His entire life revolved around Dragonblight and Wyrmrest, but he had only realized that now.
How weak. I thought you had more strength than this, pet…
Neltharion was not pleased to hear the whispers again, but he knew it would have been only a matter of time before they returned. He shook his head violently, trying to dispel them from his mind, but to no avail.
As you know, we cannot just leave you.
That wouldn't be fun, now, would it?
As we were saying, how can you care for your 'family' when they betrayed you?
They labeled you the betrayer, but it was them who turned their backs on you!
They failed you when you needed them…
He hated how the whispers would sometimes use the truth against him and how other times it would use lies. It made it all the more difficult to resist them, leaving him to guess what was real and fake. They did catch his attention when they spoke of how he fell. The Earth-Warder's fall from grace had not been a pretty one, not nearly. Neltharion remembered when it all started: with the creation of the Dragon Soul.
The whispers in his head had been growing, exiling him from sleep at that time. This only added to his vulnerability when he had realized the need for a weapon that could defend Azeroth against the Burning Legion. He had then created a disc of pure gold that he would imbue with his powers. It was already too late for him, though, as the whispers had taken root within the Earth-Warder. His blood was now tainted, unpure.
Neltharion had summoned the other Aspects to meet with him, and they had come. He told them of the potential of the disc, which he would call the Dragon Soul. Malygos had helped Neltharion give the golden disc its ability to contain titanic power from the Aspects themselves, making it one of the most powerful artifacts in existence. He now explained that all of the Aspects would give a portion of their power into it, which would bind the Dragon Soul together.
"With the Dragon Soul, we can expel the demons from our world and send them back to the hell they came from," he explained.
"Are you sure of this, brother?" Ysera had asked, skeptical of the device's potential. "How can we be sure the Dragon Soul is kept out of mortal hands—because it would be catastrophic if they somehow gained hold of it."
"Thank you for voicing your concern, sister. It will be safeguarded constantly by a select group of dragons made up from all the dragonflights. To further keep its location secret, its guardians will be the only ones aware of its whereabouts—besides us, of course."
"Malygos," Alexstrasza had started, breaking her silence in the meeting, "are you sure this can safely contain our powers?"
"Yes, I used an incantation that will serve as a containment field within the disc so it can keep our powers. The intricacies of the spell are incredible; magic able to create a barrier this strong is almost unheard of. If we ever required our powers back, we could simply destroy the Dragon Soul, and our power would return," the blue dragon had explained.
"Neltharion, are you completely sure of this plan?" the Dragon Queen asked the proposer. She asked him not because he was the one who came up with the idea but because he was her most trusted advisor. She had gone to him many a time for guidance on difficult decisions. So, if he had no doubts, then she had no doubts.
"I am. With this device, we can defend this world and all of its life from the demonic legions that invade it now, as well as any future threats to the planet." How false that statement would become was almost comical.
The four Aspects there had each given a portion of their power to the disc, feeding it strength. Each time, it devoured what it was offered in earnest. Neltharion took the disc to provide some of his own power and finalize the Dragon Soul, a moment he would come to regret for the rest of his life. When he cut his palm open, he let a drop of his magma blood drip onto the golden disc to fill it with the last power it required. But instead, his blood turned purple as it touched it, seeping deep within the disc. The corruption of the Old Gods was so far etched into the dragon that it had reached his very blood.
So when he gave up his own lifeforce, N'Zoth was able to twist the Dragon Soul, binding it to his own corrupt will instead. Before Neltharion could react, a black tendril shot from the disc and into his chest, taking hold of him. He could feel as his consciousness was brutally ripped away from his body and forced into shackles by a creature of pure rage. The dragon, Deathwing, laughed as he took control of Neltharion's body. Within an instant, it was over. Neltharion was a slave, his body no longer his. There was nothing he could do.
He was then made to watch as Deathwing arrived at the Well of Eternity, the other Aspects alongside him. His emerald eyes had focused on the demons around him as a tiger would its prey. He let a chuckle escape from his jaws as the Life-Binder flew next to him.
"The time is now, Neltharion. Take the Dragon Soul, and destroy the demons that invade Azeroth!" she had commanded him, a request he would eagerly fulfill. The golden disc emerged as Deathwing gripped it in his onyx hands, channeling his mind into the weapon. Neltharion watched in terror as he could feel what he—or rather Deathwing—was going to do. He pulled at his bonds, but he was too tired, too fearful, and too weakened to stand against his corruption.
Deathwing grinned as his eyes set ablaze. As he extended his arm, golden light shot forth from the Dragon Soul, disintegrating any demon it touched. Even creatures as vile as demons had felt fear that day. The forces that fought against the Highborne and their demonic allies cheered, thanking the black dragon for saving them. That same dragon then shifted the disc's path towards those forces, turning them to dust as he unmade them.
Alexstrasza and the other Aspects were aghast as they witnessed Deathwing's betrayal. They watched as who they knew as one of their family members slaughtered countless innocents without hesitation. Being the Dragon Queen, Alexstrasza was the one to confront her brother.
"What are you doing?!" He only laughed at her comment. He slowly turned, stopping the beam of destruction he was casting from his claw.
"Dear sister, I am removing the threats from our world as I said I would."
Her jaw dropped as she heard him speak, feeling a knife digging its way into her spine, another gliding over her heart. "You are killing those who fight alongside us, those who fight for Azeroth!" Deathwing snorted. His voice changed as he spoke this time, sounding like his true self.
"They do not fight for Azeroth. They fight for their own gain! It is time I remove them from my world…"
"'My' world?"
"Yes, my world which is the domain of its true masters!" Deathwing roared, the earth around him shattering. "The Old Gods showed me the way. I have seen true order, which can only be chaos. They changed me, showed me what I must do. And now?" He paused for a moment, laughing. "I will cleanse this planet!" He fired the Dragon Soul again, its gaze claiming everyone around him. Alexstrasza flew towards him, extending her arms to take the Dragon Soul from his grip before he could continue his massacre.
He swiftly turned around and used the Dragon Soul. Alexstrasza and the other Aspects froze in place, only their heads able to move. Deathwing sneered at the helplessness of the Aspects. As the dragonflights tried to reach him, he froze them as well.
"Why, Neltharion?" Alexstrasza squeezed out. She was paralyzed—both literally and figuratively—by what had happened to her body. She tried to move her wings, but they disobeyed.
"Neltharion is no more. I am Deathwing. The scent of betrayal is great in the air, for I am going to enjoy this…" The black dragon tore through lines of demons and Azerothians alike, massacring them all in his brutal rage. His body started to swell, his scales cracking apart from his monstrous growth. Deathwing did not notice, for he was too focused on bringing death to everything around him…
Neltharion snapped out of the memory, knowing what happened next. Deathwing would then nearly make the entire Blue Dragonflight extinct. The rest was history, the world soon to split apart. He regretted every second of the ten thousand years Deathwing controlled him, but he knew there was nothing he could do now. He could do something about what was happening now, but that also meant the deaths of his family would be on his own hands if he failed to save them.
As the Earth-Warder reached the edge of Northrend, Dragonblight was in sight. His wings were weak from the incredible speed he was flying at, yet he managed to speed up. He felt the temperature of the air drop as snow appeared beneath him, the sight of Wyrmrest Temple in view. He could see orange flickers all around the temple, which he quickly realized were flames. He angled down, preparing to land abruptly and defend himself.
The ground shook as the behemoth flew towards Tinnidus, but he already knew what the sound was. He dodged a set of talons as he swept around a red dragon's side before he stabbed his sword through one of its wings and into its chest, puncturing its heart. The dragon seized up, its eyes wide as it felt its senses fade before collapsing onto the snow. Tinnidus grabbed his sword and plucked it from the corpse, pleased with his handiwork. He looked into the sky, seeing the black dragon diving towards the snow.
"Come, Deathwing, we finally meet again…"
Neltharion landed, his feet pushing against the ground to lighten his crash. The ice foundation of the temple shook as the Aspect righted himself and looked around. He saw at least a thousand men and women attacking the dragonflights. He turned around, now seeing his siblings fighting against the invaders. He was overjoyed to know they were alive, but he didn't know how much longer that would last.
Giant metal bolts had lodged into Alexstrasza's side from the ballistae that attacked her, slowing her down. She fought on, though, defending the dragons she ruled over with love. Neltharion saw purple energy fly from the hands of cultists nearby that struck the queen, causing her strength to wane further. He could tell the other Aspects were weakening and would not last much longer either. He glanced around as well, seeing lifeless bodies of dragons all over the snow that was now drowned in blood. He had to protect his kin. The ground trembled beneath the cultists from Neltharion's fury.
"COWARDS!" he bellowed, drawing the attention of all on the battlefield. "You dare to attack this sacred place with your death magic after luring its protectors away?" A laugh echoed from his maw. "I will show you the true power… of an Aspect!" He charged towards the sea of men around him, his claws tornados as he sliced through them.
A shadow bolt slammed into his side, and he turned towards the one who cast it before whipping her into the distance like a bug with his tail. He drew back his lip as he snarled, revealing the rows of jagged teeth within his mouth. His leathery wings flapped, forcing his enemies to the ground before he tore them apart with his teeth.
"Nel!" Alexstrasza screamed as her leg collapsed from the force of a bolt digging deep into it. Neltharion spotted the ballista responsible for this, and he charged his breath attack. Cultists in the path of his imminent attack ran out of the way as they sensed his plan. He snapped his head forward, fire shooting from his jaws once again. The blast incinerated the wooden construct and its operator in an instant. As he moved his head, countless waves of cultists fell to his breath.
Unknown to Neltharion and Tinnidus, a group of the strongest cultists on the battlefield heard a new command from N'Zoth himself. "Servants, channel your rage and project it towards the black dragon!" Those on a new mission started to head in the direction of the Earth-Warder, obeying their master.
Tinnidus was watching Neltharion cleave through his warriors. The time had come for him to face Deathwing again, but he would need to draw the dragon's attention first. He looked around, noticing the four other Aspects on the ground, their strength failing as more shadow energies seeped into their bodies. He thought of which one would invoke the strongest reaction from the dragon.
"Alexstrasza…" the voice whispered to Tinnidus, telling him which dragon to use as bait. He sprinted towards the Dragon Queen, channeling his powers into his hand. She was using her claws to fend off the cultists attacking her legs, trying to survive. Tinnidus approached her from behind, managing to sneak up on the Life-Binder. He balled his hand into a fist, feeling the power of the Old Gods flowing through his fingers as he did an uppercut through the air.
Like an extension of himself, a magenta fist rammed into Alexstrasza's back, causing her to fall forward onto the snow. Tinnidus grinned, sprinting up to her head before she could recover.
Neltharion felt the impact of his sister's skull on the ground, now looking in her direction. He saw a man standing atop her head, the human raising his sword into the air. The searing gaze of the dragon delved into Tinnidus, entering his mind. Neltharion was appalled as he felt Tinnidus force him from his thoughts. In a desperate attempt to save Alexstrasza, he spoke in the most menacing voice he could muster.
"IF YOU DARE MOVE THAT SWORD, I WILL GRANT YOU A FATE FAR WORSE THAN DEATH!"
Tinnidus had succeeded in getting Neltharion's attention, maybe a little too well.
"I don't want her dead; I want you. Now face me!"
"So be it," Neltharion spoke as he lumbered towards the man, the ground shaking with his steps. He trampled over the men in his way, ignoring them as he stared at Tinnidus. Rage ignited within the dragon's heart, feeding his body. The group of cultists in the crowd that N'Zoth had instructed closed their eyes. They stroked the fires of hate in their hearts, trying to summon it.
Tinnidus raised his sword, running towards Neltharion. As the dragon started to raise his arm, about to attack, Tinnidus used his new abilities to move twice the speed. He slid on the snow, avoiding the incoming talons as he went under the dragon. His sword extended out, slicing Neltharion's leg before he rolled away from the dragon. He turned his head, seeing his enemy going onto a knee.
The Earth-Warder roared out, annoyed by the human who was able to cut him so easily. He stood back up, empowered. Tinnidus charged towards him, but this time Neltharion had a plan. His claws dug into the ice, gripping the ground tightly. He suddenly stopped, rearing himself in place with his claws as he leaned back. His massive leathery wings clapped, causing Tinnidus to stumble.
A white cloud of snow swirled around him, blocking his vision. He quickly grabbed his sword from the ground as he swung it, hoping to hit the dragon. He looked up, just in time to see Neltharion's fist coming down upon him. He rolled, trying to move out of the way of the punch, and he was able to escape death. The ground violently buckled from the blow, though, catapulting Tinnidus through the air. He flailed wildly in the air, seeing the walls of Wyrmrest Temple a few feet away. He closed his eyes as he slammed into the rocky siding, knocked out. His last sight was of men firing red beams at Deathwing.
Neltharion sensed something twinge inside of him as he began to attack the mass of cultists around him. He had managed to turn the tide of the battle after wiping out almost half of the intruders. He felt Deathwing starting to resurge within him again, but this time it was different.
The select cultists had all raised their arms in unison, aimed towards Neltharion. They opened their eyes and fired beams of red towards the Aspect, their rage channeling into him. This fed the demon inside of him, Deathwing, making him stronger. Neltharion felt the dragon inside his mind once again, starting to fight for control with his newfound strength.
"COWER," Neltharion said in Deathwing's voice as his tail cut through dozens of men. "BREAK." His jaws closed around a group of men that were about to slash at his arms. "TREMBLE." A wing smashed into the ground, crushing more cultists. "BOW!" Deathwing started to roar as he neared complete control. Fire erupted from his body, incinerating the men around him.
Neltharion threw Deathwing to the ground as he retook control, still battling for dominion. "I control my body! Not… YOU!" he screamed in anguish, feeling Deathwing only getting stronger.
You little whelp! You are weak. I am your master. Now feel the sting of my whip! His body jolted as if it had been punched, shaking intensely with pain.
Alexstrasza swept her tail through the last of the mortals assaulting her and looked to Neltharion. She could tell something was very wrong, seeing his body quake like he was in the middle of a fight. She finally stood up, opened her wings, and glided towards him, quickly landing by his side. He collapsed onto the ground, his head thrashing around while his jaw scraped the ice below him. He could feel Deathwing becoming more powerful as he started to lose the battle.
"He's too strong, I can't… resist…"
The Dragon Queen noticed the crimson rays coming off of Neltharion, quickly realizing they were coming from something else. She saw that the cultists nearby were the ones feeding the beast within the Aspect, so she started to charge towards them. Before she could even begin to move, another bolt stabbed into her as more invaders attacked her. I can't stop them! she thought as she had to battle the people around her.
Answering her prayers for aid, black dragons flew over the mountains near Wyrmrest Temple, darting towards the battlefield. She could see tens of them pouring into the skies. Wrathion was leading the others of his flight, flying in front, while Crystal soared beside him. They all started to angle down, racing towards the cultists that were now noticing the approaching dragons.
"Everyone, protect the temple!" Wrathion yelled as the horde spread out, unleashing inferno onto the ground below. Wrathion flew towards Alexstrasza, sensing what was happening to the leader of his flight. Thank you, she thought as she saw Wrathion coming towards her. He opened his mouth, an orange glow coming from his throat as he leveled his wings, now soaring just above the cultists.
A jet stream of heat flew from him as he burned the cultists around the Dragon Queen, freeing a path for her. She cleaved through the last few and ran towards the channelers. Her claws raised as she jumped towards them, pouncing on her prey. Their hearts tightened right before they were torn apart by the Life-Binder. As more of them fell, Neltharion could feel Deathwing weakening.
She continued to take down the invokers, stopping Deathwing's empowerment. After crushing the last one with her claws, she turned back to Neltharion, still seeing him struggle for control over his own body. She went over to him, seeing him standing now. She reached out her hand, comforting him with it.
"Neltharion, look at me." His head slowly turned towards hers as his head twitched back and forth. "You have to realize that you are not responsible for what Deathwing did. I know you still blame yourself deep down, but it was not you who did those things. To realize that, you must forgive yourself for falling prey to the Old Gods."
"But I failed as the Earth-Warder. I was too weak…" Neltharion replied in a broken and sad voice.
"No," Alexstrasza started, "the Titans entrusted the strongest of us to do the most difficult job: guard the planet itself and be the warden for the Old Gods. They trusted you to do the job no one else could." She leaned down, putting her face close to his. "They knew there were going to be setbacks but that we would be there to support you and help you continue.
"You see, Nel, you're the strongest out of all of us; you always have been. You blame yourself for what happened, but you can't control everything; no one can. They didn't give you this power to prevent evil from happening; they gave it to you to ensure that you could stop it if it ever needed to be. You are the defense of the planet, and a defense protects; it doesn't prevent." Neltharion started to see what she was saying.
"You give yourself all the blame, but we share more of it than you—I share more of it than you—because we failed to help you." Alexstrasza looked up to see Crystal land next to her, looking at Neltharion in his distress.
"You are the leader of our flight, and you brought us back together again when we were lost. There's a female to continue the flight, but we still need you. Without your guidance, we will be lost again. Listen to your sister, Neltharion the Earth-Warder, Aspect of the Black Dragonflight." He started to feel the old strength, the old confidence he had so many years ago, swell within him.
You are nothing! They lie to your face. You failed her, just how you failed the others. You know you are unfit to command your power.
"You're wrong," Neltharion spoke in his mind, standing up to Deathwing.
Alexstrasza could tell her words affected him because his face stopped shaking, and his breathing slowed slightly. "You have to forgive yourself, or else your guilt will eat you alive until you don't even recognize yourself anymore," she pressed on, trying to give him courage. "And it will be worse this time if Deathwing takes over again. So please, Nel, forgive yourself. You have to…"
Neltharion was within the ethereal landscape of his mind. The ground was pitch black, and it stretched out in every direction around him for what looked like miles. The sky was blanketed by a similar substance that hid any color from him. Light from what seemed like a moon shined through the sky and let him see his surroundings. Only black enveloped him. Breaking the silence, a dark, raspy voice echoed throughout the environment.
Pain.
Neltharion spun around, looking for Deathwing. He saw nothing, only the darkness around him.
Agony.
He turned again, still not seeing his tormentor.
My hatred burns through the cavernous deeps.
Another spin, yet still no sight of the other dragon.
The world heaves with my torment. Its wretched kingdoms quake beneath my rage. But at last, the whole of Azeroth will break, and all will burn…
Neltharion's heart raced as he searched for the one who forced his body to turn against him so long ago. Once again, only the void filled his vision as he looked.
"BENEATH THE SHADOW OF MY WINGS!"
Deathwing lunged from the dark with his talons outstretched. Neltharion rolled out the way, but not before having his back viciously scraped by sharp claws. Chunks of his scales ripped off and fell to the ground, sinking into the dark floor before disappearing.
"I won't let you, fiend!" Neltharion yelled, turning to face Deathwing. They leaped at each other, catching one another's claws while holding each other at bay.
"I am you, fool!"
"You're wrong. You are just a parasite, trying to use me as your host," he gritted out with clenched teeth while pushing Deathwing back. "I won't let you control me any longer!" He kicked Deathwing in the chest before gashing the same area with razor-sharp claws. This enraged the Destroyer, making him lunge at Neltharion with unmatched speed. He pushed the Earth-Warder to the ground, slowly slicing along his side with his talons. Neltharion screamed before punching Deathwing in the face, causing the beast to fall off of him. The Destroyer spun around, his tail slicing over tough scales and weaving through red flesh.
Deathwing quickly turned before punching Neltharion, causing the Earth-Warder to tumble to the ground.
"As I told you, you are weak…"
Neltharion tried to stand, but he was knocked over again.
"PATHETIC!"
He groaned, now feeling the extent of his wounds. Deathwing lumbered over him, starting to breathe in.
"Once I destroy you—as I should have long ago—I will destroy the Aspects and that failure Wrathion along with his step-sibling."
"I won't let you. I am the master of my own fate!" Neltharion shouted as he tried to cut into Deathwing's chest. Instead, the demon clapped his wings, forcing the Earth-Warder back some.
"What can you do… to stop me?"
Deathwing released the magma he had built up in his throat, scorching Neltharion. He was able to spin, just missing the stream of death that flew past him. He knew he would not have another opportunity like this, so he took advantage of it.
"I forgive myself…"
Without hesitation, he whipped his bladed tail around through the air, making a high-pitched swishing sound before it slid across Deathwing's throat like a dagger. His scales ripped free as his throat opened up, and his eyes went wide.
The magma the Destroyer was spraying was now spewing from his neck as he tried to hold his molten blood in with his hands. He fell to his knees, his muscles failing him. Bubbles formed inside his mouth as he tried to speak, but he could not. His eyes told everything, though, as Neltharion could see only disbelief and burning rage in the dragon's eyes. The two flaming slits extinguished as Deathwing fell onto his side.
"This," Neltharion said, mocking the demon that tortured him for so long. He reached for the ground, calling the elements to him, and they listened. Iron shackles formed around Deathwing, the dragon starting to heal back up. As his throat sealed, he stood up, finding himself bound in the same chains that he had used on Neltharion millennia ago.
What?! You can't hold me forever in these chains! When I break free—and I will—I WILL RIP FROM YOU WHAT YOU LOVE MOST, EVEN IF ITS THE LAST THING I EVER DO WITH YOUR FLEETING BODY, NELTHARION! MARK MY WORDS, WHELP!
Neltharion felt his strength returning as he was taking back his body. His eyesight returned as he felt the slight chill of the freezing zephyrs of Dragonblight before feeling his own intense warmth again. He took a breath of the fresh air, truly smelling the cool wind. A snowy smell mixed with berries entered his nostrils as he sniffed. He turned his head to Alexstrasza, staring into her golden eyes.
"You didn't fail me, Alex," he said assuringly. "You gave me the strength I needed to forgive myself." He put a hand on her face, gently caressing her cheek before turning to Crystal. "Thank you too," he told her with a warm smile. She nodded, and then he turned around, now looking at the rest of the cultists. He grinned and then leaned onto his hind legs. He stretched out his wings and let out a long-awaited roar, the roar of Neltharion the Earth-Warder.
"WHAT?! HE DENIED MY WILL?" N'Zoth raged inside Tinnidus' head, forcing the man to wake up without understanding what the Old God had said.
"This is your last chance to avenge your family. Our forces will hold the other dragons back so you may face him again. Take up your weapon and unleash your fury, for your time has come, Tinnidus!" N'Zoth commanded, making Tinnidus stand. He took a few heavy breaths and picked up his sword from next to him. He turned his attention, seeing Neltharion fighting Tinnidus' brothers in arms. He could feel N'Zoth's will empowering him even more, causing his sword to shroud with shadow. Purple energies swirled all over his body, gliding over him.
He marched towards Neltharion, only concentrating on the one he thought killed his family. "I am Tinnidus the Reforged, and I will be Deathwing's doom!" he cried out as he sprinted towards the dragon, his sword ready to strike. He looked to his left and right, seeing a few other cultists running alongside him. On the battlefield, the rest of his soldiers had begun to attack every dragon but Neltharion, per N'Zoth's orders.
A pathway cleared directly towards the Earth-Warder, and the cultists walked towards him. Neltharion could tell something was amiss, as his attackers had suddenly lost interest in him. He then realized they were attacking everyone but him.
"DEATHWING!"
He turned towards the source of the voice, spotting the humans walking towards him with Tinnidus leading the charge. The dragon snarled at the one who escaped his earlier attacks, annoyed he had not finished him off.
"Do not call me that," he slowly ground out, his full attention now on the ones bold enough to face him. "I am not Deathwing, I am Neltharion the Earth-Warder, and you are trespassing on my land." Tinnidus wore a wicked grin.
"You may have fooled King Varian and many others, but you have not fooled me; I see through your facade. I know it was you who destroyed Stormwind when you left Deepholm, and I know it was you who killed so many over the years!" Neltharion started to slowly circle around the cultists from a distance, eying his soon-to-be victims.
"Who do you serve?!" Tinnidus only chuckled at the dragon's question.
"I serve the Old Ones, the true masters of this world."
This response hit home within Neltharion, now caught off guard. His eyes significantly widened at the mention of the fleshy devils that lived deep within the planet. Those beings could turn the most gentle of creatures into raging savages with enough time. They turn you against your nature. After the moment of processing, his eyes returned to their defensive state, their emerald color looking down at Tinnidus. "They are wretched tormentors, literally evil incarnate."
"No, that's you," Tinnidus responded with great sharpness in his voice.
"I admit, there is great power to be gained from them, I speak from the experience of watching what Deathwing did with their strength, but it is a most dangerous game. They will take your emotions and twist them until you become as foul as those worms. They make you act against your very nature."
Tinnidus still only laughed. "I tried to destroy you once, Deathwing, but I did not have the will. I failed. The Old Gods gave me the power to strike you down and avenge my family, and this time I will succeed."
"What family?" he asked, wondering what the man was talking about.
"When you landed on Stormwind, you killed my wife and daughter in the process. You didn't even care; they were just a means to show your intimidation!"
Neltharion started to notice a purple glow spreading onto the ground from the man who had just spoken. He tried to reason with the misguided soul. "You must believe, that was not me. That was Deathwing, an imposter in Neltharion's body, my body." He stopped his pacing and looked deep into Tinnidus' eyes as he continued. "The Old Gods corrupted me and created Deathwing. They trapped me within my own mind as that beast controlled me. You want to avenge your family, and the Old Gods gave you the strength—but at what cost?" He knew there was always a toll with dark powers and arguably all powers.
"They have deceived you," the Dragon Aspect pressed on. "I almost succumbed to their influence once again when the only female in my flight was captured, and my flight's dragonshrine was raided."
"You don't understand, do you?" Tinnidus retorted. "That was not some random encounter. Who do you think would know about your long-lost female? Who do you think could be cunning enough? It was the Old Ones; they took your precious female. It was all part of the plan to make you vulnerable so we could destroy you and your flight in one swoop at this very temple. You played right into their hands!"
"It can't be," Neltharion whispered under his breath after hearing of who had been the ones to take his flight's female and manipulate him. It only made him more uneasy knowing that it was the Old Gods. He regained his determination and tried to convince Tinnidus further. "If that is true, then you are more mistaken than ever. They wanted me to try to eradicate you all and embrace my rage. That would have unleashed Deathwing. He would have killed you and all the mortals on Azeroth. Do you want him to return?
"I am not him; I did not murder mass innocents! If he were released, only then would you be face to face with the one who killed your family. Don't you see, the Old Gods twisted your suffering and want for revenge into madness.
"They have made you their weapon. You have killed for them many times in the name of 'vengeance.' The truth is that my flight is cured, and I am as well. Let me free you from their grasp," Neltharion finished, offering to help the human.
"No, no, no," Tinnidus began, "I won't let you get in my head. You want to trick me into releasing my power so that you can destroy me." He narrowed his eyes at the dragon. "It won't work. I have killed countless of your flight, I have killed almost as many from different flights, and I have killed those who defended you. Everything I have done since my defeat at the Maelstrom was to bring me to this very moment. I AM TINNIDUS THE REFORGED, AND I AM YOUR BANE!" With those last words, he charged towards Neltharion, the others around him joining the assault.
To initiate the battle, the cultists around Tinnidus fired shadow bolts at the dragon. Most of them landed on metal plates, but a few smashed into his scales. He ignored the fleeting pain of the attack, though, as he uprooted ice around him with his claws. The frozen chunks flew towards Tinnidus' force, a small number of cultists too slow to avoid their deaths. Tinnidus used his sword to cut through the ice that almost crushed him, unmoved by the show of strength. As the fight continued, he could feel his energy growing strongly.
Neltharion used one of his wings to throw two men through the air, ultimately to their demise. He closed his massive jaws around one cultist but was met with a slice across his face. He yanked his head back before slamming it into the ground, causing a flurry of snow. A tailwhip later, and another cultist was ended.
Before he could react, a giant bolt slammed into his chest, causing him to cry out in pain. The blast had come from none other than Tinnidus. This did not keep Neltharion down for long, for the dragon quickly shook the ground with a punch. He used his powers to make ice erupt from the ground, impaling an enemy or two on frozen spikes.
Tinnidus had been surrounded in ice from the dragon's abilities, but the power he gained had reached its maximum. Not being able to take any more, a wave of purple shot out from his body, shattering the crystalline barriers around him. The force from the blast was so intense that Neltharion had to catch himself from falling over.
"Now!" the man yelled to the six men left around him. They nodded before waving their hands in preparation for a spell. Neltharion righted himself and saw the cultists readying themselves. He lunged at them with his claws, ready to claim his foes, but he never reached his targets.
A black chain emerged from the ground with incredible speed and wrapped around the dragon's front left arm. The weight of the ethereal links pulled him to the ground, causing him to grunt. His eyes widened as he felt the wind knocked from his chest, now needing a moment to recover.
Another cultist took advantage of this as he summoned another chain from the ground, this one wrapping around a leg. One by one, the cultists around Tinnidus bound the Earth-Warder to the ground. Due to his lack of oxygen, he could not shatter his bonds. It would only be harder to break free as more embraced him. He sucked in a substantial amount of air through his mouth as the magma in his chest churned. It climbed up his throat, begging for release. The wish was granted as Neltharion let his breath attack loose, but one last chain pulled his head onto the ground with impossible strength.
The magma unloaded onto only ice, melting the substance away as the heat touched it. He raised his eyes, seeing the man he had spoken to walking towards him. Neltahrion lifted his head, pulling at the links wrapped around his thick neck. Before he could do anything, his body seized up. Every single muscle tensed, every nerve lit on fire, and every fear about his construct of a body cemented as he felt what was happening.
Tinnidus lifted his arm as if he were trying to pry an invisible object apart. That motion pulled one of Neltharion's elementium plates. Flesh tore apart as the bolts holding the metal in were flung from his back. His skin formed a chasm as one of the pieces holding him together fell from his body. It clanged on the ice with a most chilling sound as its destroyer smiled with great twisted joy. Neltharion looked at Tinnidus and spoke only one word, "Please…"
With another hand motion, another plate began to mutilate his scales as pain echoed through every fiber of the dragon. He could feel his skin expand, causing it to form another chasm into his body. A cacophonous roar of pure agony erupted from the black dragon, the harrowing sound resonating across the entirety of Dragonblight.
Neltharion was at the mercy of a corrupted man who wanted to destroy him. He was now beyond desperate, trying to use an arm to rise from the ground. He could feel every inch he grew larger, a sign of his body betraying him for what Deathwing had done to it. He began to gasp for air as a salty liquid rolled down his face.
"Are those… tears?" Tinnidus mocked. "I'm not finished with you yet…" He pulled at another metal plate, this time with a slow movement.
That only made things worse for Neltharion. His suffering climaxed as he felt a third piece tearing him apart at an excruciating pace. He could feel his body bloating even further. His vision started to close in as he felt himself beginning to blackout. The various dragons in the corners of his sight disappeared, and then so did the cultists. All he could see now in his tiny view was the one who tormented him so.
Tinnidus was suddenly knocked onto the ground as a black dragon slid through the ice around him. That dragon was Crystal.
She pounced onto one cultist, bitting off one arm with her fangs as her claw stabbed into his chest. As she felt the man's body go limp, she used her wings to jump to the nearest human before shredding him apart as well. The chain around Neltharion's tail broke apart and fell to the ground. The one wrapped on his neck gave out as well, allowing him to lift his head slightly. "Crystal?" he muttered with an almost silent breath as the onyx guardian fought off his captors.
Tinnidus had had enough distractions, so he jumped into the air, bringing his sword down upon Crystal's head. She was just fast enough to move out the way of the cleaving sword, but she had to fall onto her back to do so. Her head rocked onto the solid ice from her escape. Tinnidus was swift, though, already approaching the downed dragon.
"ENOUGH, BLACK BEAST!" he yelled, raising his sword into the air. Crystal extended her tail, stabbing it straight through the heart of a nearby cultist as she could see Tinnidus' blade starting to descend towards her skull. Neltharion could see what was transpiring, and with what little strength he had left, whispered into the air, "Forgive me…"
Tinnidus yelled as he pushed his weapon downwards, the sword soon to claim yet another dragon. He could see a small grin on Crystal's face just as he felt it. His cry stopped suddenly, and his sword stopped dead in its tracks. He realized which cultist she had killed when he looked down, seeing ice going directly through his abdomen. He was impaled on a spike of ice that Neltharion had pulled from the earth when the chains around one of his arms had broken.
Crystal got up, relief flooding through her. Tinnidus' sword went down to his side as he looked back at Neltharion. The dragon was oozing magma from three large holes in his body. His eyes rolled back into his head as he collapsed onto the frozen floor below him. The man could see the black dragon he almost killed run to the fallen Aspect's side. Although the dragon was slipping away, Tinnidus could tell he still had some life in him. "I… failed…" he uttered with bated breath as his back slouched over, his head now resting on the ice stuck in him.
Neltharion heard a sharp dinging sound ring through his ears. He saw pitch black all around him as he tried to move his head. He felt a faint pain somewhere on his body as the sound he heard became more distinct. It was a voice he could determine, one that he had heard only a few words from, though. As it became sharper, he realized it was that of Crystal's. "Dark…" he whispered, the word unheard by anyone. He felt more pain as he tried to move again.
"Neltharion," he could hear the nearby female say. As his sense of self returned, he realized his eyes were closed. He slowly opened them, blinding light entering them. A black blob entered his view, which he thought was Crystal. She talked to him, but he still felt lightheaded. He could make out a grey-colored mass around the two of them, meaning he was in a cave. She must have dragged me here, he reasoned.
"Neltharion!" He turned his head back to the black figure talking to him.
"Crys…tal?" he replied.
"Yes, it's me." He could barely make out her words, but he could understand them. "I managed to drag you off the battlefield, but that only worsened your state. If I don't heal you within the next few minutes, you're going to die…"
He shook his head at this. "Heal?"
"Yes, I know a little regeneration magic. It was an essential skill to learn since I was living on my own in the wild for so long."
"Okay," he muttered, expecting relief to come any second.
"I can't heal you like this; you're too big. You'll bleed out before I can close your wounds. You have to shift down so I can heal you," she explained to him.
"No, too much… hurt…"
"Listen to me! You are going to die if you don't shift to at least my size," she said, looking at the pools of magma forming around him. She looked back at him with a worried expression, but she knew he couldn't see it. "I'm covering your nose and mouth with part of my body."
Neltharion felt something weigh down on his face, cutting off his breathing. Muffled sounds came out of his mouth as he struggled for air.
"You're too weak to move me off. The only way to breathe is to make yourself smaller, which will make your body get out from under me," she yelled, feeling him buckle a little. She didn't know for sure he couldn't make her get off of him, but she prayed he couldn't. Otherwise, they might both die in this cave.
Neltharion moved his body, trying to wiggle free of the dragon on top of him. He started to panic, the lack of oxygen taking its effect. He bucked his hips, trying to throw Crystal somehow, but that did nothing. "Please move…" he shouted to deaf ears. Feeling suffocation gripping him, he started to change his form.
Crystal saw his body aggressively thrashing now from the pain of changing its size. She could feel her body vibrate, meaning the dragon she laid on was screaming. She could feel something start to slip from beneath her, giving her hope.
At last, she fell to the stone ground as Neltharion completely went out from under her. She could hear him taking the largest gasp she had ever heard. He coughed as he felt air finally in his lungs. "Damn *cough* you!" he managed to say as he choked.
Crystal giggled at his verbal attack as she went to his side, careful to avoid the magma as she laid on him. Her hands started to glow as she began the healing process. Neltharion's skin grew back, stretching over the gaping areas in his body. As they touched the other side of the gap, they slowly zipped up, sealing the massive wounds. She closed a few of his more minor injuries as well with her abilities.
"Thank you," Neltharion whispered as he moved his head to her ear. The response he received was feeling something wet lapping up some of his blood that had cooled down. He tilted his head to see Crystal licking up the orange fluid around his upper chest. "What… are you doing?" She only put a hand to his mouth.
"Save your breath; you need to get as much as you can right now." He laid his head back, too tired to protest, for now, feeling her start to lick around his neck. Her snout gently poked into his jugular vein as she began to muzzle him affectionately.
Alexstrasza and the other Aspects, along with their flights, had finished off the rest of the cultists at Wyrmrest Temple after their leader had been defeated. Even the Life-Binder, who loved all living creatures, decided to kill those who harmed her and her kind so much. Only a small group had been able to flee, and they were terrified of the dragons.
After making sure that the other Aspects were okay, she had followed the trail of obsidian-like blood on the ground. This had led her to a small cave—still large enough to fit Neltharion—that contained the Earth-Warder in his smaller form. She walked slowly, as she had been injured in battle. Luckily, it was nothing too serious.
As she approached the stone chamber, she spotted a black dragon on top of Neltharion. She seemed to be moving her head around his neck; something Alexstrasza couldn't make out at first. After a second look, she realized the dragon was nuzzling and licking him. This caused a hint of jealousy to spike within Alexstrasza that she did not know she had. She had known him for thousands of years, yet a dragon he met days ago was able to comfort him so just because she would be his flight's broodmother?
She shook her head, trying to forget about the envious thoughts she was thinking. She took in a breath before walking towards the cave and shifting.
A loud and intense gasp could be heard as Tinnidus returned from unconsciousness. He was quickly reminded of what had happened when he saw a pillar of ice covered in his crimson blood sticking through him. Thick droplets fell from the ice and landed on the chilled ground. A small puddle of blood was beneath him. He could still move his legs, to his surprise.
He wanted death, he wanted for his suffering to finally end, but he knew he had one sole mission. He used his strength to lift his sword that was leaned against the ground and break the ice that held him in place. The spike split apart, allowing for Tinnidus to catch himself with his legs. His corrupted body allowed him to walk, even if it was slower than normal, through his otherwise fatal injuries. He saw the Dragon Queen entering a large cave before making herself smaller. Tinnidus reasoned that Deathwing was likely there, and even if he weren't, Tinnidus would kill Alexstrasza as his last attack on the black dragon.
He put his back to the outside of the cave, peering his head to see inside. He spotted Alexstrasza, Deathwing, and another black dragon in the cave. He pulled his head back and gripped his sword, about to charge in and attack whoever he could, when he heard a voice.
"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?!" said the one who he identified as the Life-Binder with great worry.
"I think I'll be alright, thanks to the healing from Crystal here," he could hear the black Aspect respond.
"It was just a healing spell; I wasn't even sure if it was strong enough to heal the level of damage you received," Crystal spoke humbly.
"Nonsense, you saved his life," Alexstrasza told the female, thanking her.
"Thank you, Crystal," Neltharion said warmly. "I still can't believe you almost choked me to death, though. I'll have to punish you… severely." A large grin grew on the edges of his face.
I never knew Deathwing said anything less than serious, especially in such a calm tone, Tinnidus thought to himself as he continued to listen to the conversation.
"I have to thank you both for helping me. Deathwing almost took me over, and this time he seemed stronger than ever before. I fought him off, but only after I forgave myself for everything that Deathwing did with my body. While it was I who defeated him, I never could have without the confidence you both gave me."
He is still trying to make it sound like Deathwing is some other being that he resisted. Tinnidus could tell that the black dragon made a good case, but he had seen the horrors of Deathwing up close. He knew they were identical to what he saw from Neltharion today.
"When you were on the ground, trying to fight him off, I saw sorcerers doing something to you. They were projecting some sort of red energy into you. At first, I thought it was an attack that was weakening you, but now I think they were somehow invoking Deathwing," Alexstrasza said.
That can't be, Tinnidus thought. Then, his eyes opened as he realized that he had seen those cultists, his allies, using the red magic on the Aspect.
"It's definitely possible; he felt… angrier." Neltharion cleared his throat. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you for helping me forgive myself. I am beyond thankful for everyone who cares about me and sees me for who I am," he finished with the widest smile he could muster.
"We will have to get you back to your healing pool sometime soon. Once you return to your full size, those tears will reopen," Alexstrasza concluded.
No, this can't be right. Deathwing would never say such… kind things! Tinnidus started to feel his pulse rise as he realized how wrong he had been. If Neltharion and Deathwing are truly different beings entirely, then…
"No," he whispered, a word so faint it was almost impossible to hear. Images cascaded through his head of him killing dragon after dragon without remorse. "No," he said in disbelief. He remembered how he had turned his back on his king. Then, images of him killing countless times for the Old Gods stormed through him. "No," he repeated. He looked at his own hands, seeing the purple energy that flowed through the armor covering them.
"No." Lastly, he could feel his raw, uncontained hatred of Deathwing. All he felt was rage, the rage that had driven him to do so many horrible things in the name of 'justice.'
"No!" he said in horror. How could he have done the things he had done? What would his family think if they saw him now? What had he become?
His doubts took him over as he grabbed his head. He went to his knees, tears falling from his face. "I'm a monster."
He reached out an arm into the air as he felt the ice dig a little further into his body. I deserve that pain. "I will use these dark powers one last time… to remove them!" Tinnidus said with great vigor. He grabbed onto the base of the spike in his body and pulled it out with one hard yank. The ice slowly retracted from his chest. Purple energy was sucked from all over his body and into the frozen chunk as he dropped it.
The ice shattered, his power dispersing as his body dropped to the ground. He could feel a cold chill over his entire body. He wondered if it was from the ice he laid upon or if it was the embrace of death. He closed his eyes as he felt peace for the first time in so long. He could finally rest. "At last, my family awaits me… in the afterlife…" he quietly said to himself as he smiled.
"Only hell awaits you there…" the voice of N'Zoth whispered. The cold words hit Tinnidus harder than any blow he had ever felt. He opened his eyes and squirmed desperately. He grabbed onto the ground in front of him and pulled himself towards no particular destination.
If he still heard N'Zoth, then he was still corrupted—or at least part of him—he realized. He longed to see his family, but that meant he could not.
"Maria…" he whispered, clawing at nothingness with his hand. Darkness overtook him as he heard only twisted laughter in his head.
Neltharion, Crystal, and Alexstrasza all walked out of the cave in their smaller forms. Both of the females helped Neltharion walk, making sure he didn't hurt himself.
"Calm down, I'm not a whelpling," he mused at their excessive behavior. They gently released him from their grips as he caught himself with his legs. After a second of shaking, he stood up on all four limbs.
"Are you sure you can walk?" Alexstrasza asked in the most compassionate tone ever. Neltharion rolled his eyes at her question.
"I only almost died; I'll be fine," he joked, getting a slightly annoyed expression from the Life-Binder. He slowly trotted across the ground, walking with Crystal. "I'll see you soon."
Alexstrasza let out an enormous sigh of relief as she saw him walking away. She was beyond thankful he survived. She turned away, about to take flight, when she felt an ominous presence.
She sensed a very dark energy nearby, and it disturbed her. She looked around, trying to find the source of such a thing. Then, she found it lying on the ice next to the cave she just walked out of.
A man with black armor on was motionless, a pool of blood surrounding him. She noticed a short blood streak behind him, indicating he was struggling to move before he died.
She reached out to him, and right as a talon touched his body, she could feel the dark power he had contained. She also sensed how he had invited death only a few minutes ago. Why did he try to escape it then? she wondered. Then, she sensed how fearful he was of it. She felt how he had tried to destroy the evil within him, bringing him peace, only then to realize it was not all gone.
Perplexed by such a man, she felt she should save him from whatever dark fate awaited him. Maybe he wasn't beyond saving.
She channeled her control over life into her hand as she reached out to his just departed corpse. A small fraction of his soul hasn't left yet; he can still be resurrected. He can still be redeemed. With that thought, she shot her magic into his body, and he rose into the air. The massive hole in his chest closed up as his insides seemed to regrow in bright light. Tinnidus opened his eyes, a golden glow quickly flashing from the two orbs as he breathed in the first breath of his restored life.