Author's Note: The Aspects meet to discuss the inclusion of the Nether and Stone dragonflights in the Accord following Deathwing's demise. An attempt to flesh out the Netherdrake storyline a bit, since I don't feel they got much love in the game beyond being "that mount people have to grind loads of rep for". Also, the Stone drakes. They're not aligned with the Twilight's Hammer nor Therazane, so just whose side are they on? The Aspects attempt to figure this out. AU as of patch 4.3, since there are discrepancies and I didn't really like the storyline of patch 4.3, especially Nozdormu being adamantly against becoming Murozond, when I have always believed everything was somehow a plot of his to BECOME Murozond, not stop it. Nozdormu PoV for the most part. He also gets no love. Evil!Asshole!Nozdormu. Dumb!Alexstrasza. Garrosh bashing, a little.
Healing
Nozdormu was infinitely irritated (no pun intended on his part) that they were all summoned here for THIS. It was pointless and a waste of time. Nozdormu nearly laughed. He'd felt the death of his alternate self when adventurers had killed Murozond. In fact, he'd helped them to keep his cover. His true future self wouldn't do that. Wouldn't go down so easily. He was planning even now, sending certain trustworthy infinites to certain important timeways to stop events from happening.
This event here and now wouldn't happen once his lackeys had completed their tasks, because Deathwing would not be dead at the hands of mortals and the irritating new black Aspect wouldn't have insisted upon this meeting. Nozdormu was already making sure the irritating thing wouldn't exist. Or at least wouldn't live long enough to come this far and become the Aspect of Earth.
Nozdormu's tail twitched irritably as he waited. For someone who claimed dominance over time and immortality, he could be quite impatient at times. The bronze snorted. A gout of silver-bronze sand spewed from his nostrils and coated the marble at the top of the cleansed Wyrmrest Temple. Only Kalecgos was there and he just glared at Nozdormu. The other Aspects had yet to arrive. Kalec didn't seem to notice the discrepancy in his changed breath weapon and merely waved a talon and removed the offending sand from the white marble.
Flapping ruby wings heralded the arrival of the Lifebinder. She landed near Kalec, and nuzzled him slightly upon landing. Since the death of Krasus, they'd both become quite close. Nozdormu inwardly shook his head. Two Aspects becoming mates...it was unheard of. At least the bronze flight kept it in the family. Nozdormu almost snorted again at the inadvertent humor in that thought.
A swirl of green leaves and a ripple in the air signaled the Dreamer's presence. Ysera landed next to Nozdormu and inclined her great green head in greeting. Her translucent emerald ruff and the nature-related jewelry made her look very much like a dragon-druid, which she was, in a way. Much the same way the black dragons were shaman due to their connection to the Earth and elements. The elemental lords, even the not-quite-good ones had transferred their allegiance to the new black Aspect once Deathwing had fallen and their children still answered the call of all black dragons, much the same way elementals answered shaman.
The only one missing now was the illustrious black himself. Nozdormu almost started tapping a talon on the marble in irritation. He was really getting annoyed. It was he who called them here, and he was late. If Nozdormu weren't the god of immortality, he would certainly be very angry indeed. As it was, he was annoyed and had made sure the others knew it. They knew he was cold and aloof from most mortal, and even dragon, affairs, so his attitude was not quite unexpected. Also, they figured he had suffered a bit of a blow to his conscience when he'd seen his future self killed. Quite the contrary. Seeing his incompetent future self had allowed him to revise his plans and prepare more thoroughly. If preventing the orcs from arriving on Azeroth didn't work, then he would have to send agents to other timeways.
Nozdormu was musing over this when a flash of copper light, followed by green and amethyst, heralded the arrival at last of the black Aspect and his new friends, Neltharaku and Aeosera. Neltharaku, the leader of the Netherwing flight and Aeosera, the broodmother of the Stonedragons of Deepholm looked uncomfortable and could almost tell they were unwelcome there. Aeosera ruffled her wings a bit, greenish stones scraping the marble of Wyrmrest, while Neltharaku simply looked apprehensive. He was fading in and out of the air here, and seemed a bit nervous. His home on Draenor was far warmer than the icy Dragonblight and Nozdormu was pleased to see that it was bothering him.
The Earth Warder cleared his throat slightly, a small gout of copper fire streaming from his mouth.
"You know why I asked you here." He inclined his head toward Neltharaku and Aeosera. "I know they have no Aspect they follow, and yet they have aided all the races of Azeroth in some way. Either by carrying them on their backs or refusing alliance with the Twilight's Hammer."
Nozdormu sneered slightly. "This doesn't mean these lesser flights, these...abominations..." here he looked at the created Neltharaku, "belong to Wyrmrest. Aeosera never even sought out any dragon of any flight until the Rift in the Maelstrom was created. Only then did she bother to express her desire to be part of the Accord."
The Wyrmrest Accord used to be an alliance of the dragonflights to stop Malygos and his crusade against mortal magic users, but after Alexstrasza shattered the Orb of Unity, it seemed the end of the Accord. Only after the fall of Deathwing did the Dragonqueen decide to renew the Accord, proclaiming it to be an alliance of all the dragonflights of Azeroth against the evils that sought to destroy their world.
This brought Neltharaku and Aeosara seeking a place amongst the other dragons. Nozdormu was completely against it. Neltharaku was a creation of Deathwing, not even a true-born dragon, while Aeosara was incapable of normal speech and was made of damn stones. Neither were proper dragons in his eyes. Even the black Aspect and Kalecgos were not proper Aspects in the eyes of Nozdormu. They were chosen by other dragons, not the Titans, to be Aspects, and therefore the position was not rightfully theirs.
He'd made his opinions on that matter known to Alexstrasza, which, in hindsight, had been a bad idea. It was Alexstrasza who had pretty much chosen both the new Aspects and Nozdormu had questioned the dragonqueen on her decisions. He'd received a choice tongue lashing from the Lifebinder, but nothing more. She couldn't bear to harm another, especially just for questioning her. Nozdormu would kill anyone who questioned his motives. At least, now he would, when his own life was on the line.
It had indeed been a bad idea to say such things about Kalecgos, whom the Lifebinder had chosen as her new mate. Nozdormu sighed and stretched out on cool marble. It wasn't as comforting as the nice, rough sands of the Caverns, but it certainly wasn't horrible. Perhaps it was because the place was sacred to his kind. He wondered if the spirit of the temple knew of his treachery. Perhaps not, because it wasn't actively doing anything about it, and the spirit was known to expel traitors from within the temple.
The Earth Warder sighed. Nozdormu was very hard to convince. He already had Kalecgos on his side, and Ysera. Alexstrasza, despite her kind nature, was not entirely convinced. All dragonflights had to agree to allow other flights to make their home in the Dragonblight should they so choose. It was part of the Accord.
"Neltharaku's race was enslaved and corrupted, made to fight their own kind, and Aeosera's children were enslaved and used by the Twilight's Hammer. Surely you cannot blame them for their actions. And Neltharaku certainly did not ask to be created. Surely he would rather be a true-born black dragon, but such is not the case and his flight is fully deserving of a place here. Were it not for Aeosera's children in Deepholm, we might never have gotten all the shards and been able to fully seal the Rift. She and her kind have made peace with Therazane. The Earth Mother answers to me, and so, perhaps do those loyal to her." He risked a glance at Aeosera. She inclined her greenish stone head slightly, as if recognizing the authority of the Aspect.
May I speak, Earth Warder? Aeosera asked. She didn't speak in words, because she could not. She didn't have the vocal requirements to do so, and instead spoke telepathically, much like a lot of elementals and the Naaru. At a slight nod from her chosen leader, Aeosera addressed the other Aspects.
I may not be a 'true dragon' in your eyes, but I have existed upon Azeroth as long as, if not longer, than you. I was here before there were Aspects. The great stones of the Earth gave birth to me, and in turn my mate and eventually incubated my children. My flight is older and perhaps larger than any of yours. To deny me a place in the Accord, when so long I have been ignored and denied, would be a grave insult. You think I chose to ignore it when Azeroth was crying out in pain? Aeosera's head slumped slightly.
I too can hear the cry of the Earth, and the deep stones. After being shunned for thousands of years, I simply gave up until recently, when the Earth Warder sought me out and sought my friendship, as no other Aspect has ever done. Deathwing sought my obedience, but not friendship and true alliance. He wouldn't come to my aid should I need it. The Earth Warder has pledged his flight to come to my aid should we need it. All I ask is a place in the Accord, to help those who have helped me. The Stone dragon broodmother's voice trailed off in their heads.
Nozdormu was still shaking his head. No matter what the stone thing said, he wouldn't agree. Not because he had anything in particular against either flight, simply because allowing them to ally with the other dragonflights would possibly result in more opposition to him in the future.
He looked at the black Aspect, who was nodding in approval. Apparently Aeosera's speech had had an impact on him, or he had simply heard it before and was agreeing mechanically. The new black Aspect differed greatly from Neltharion. Both were kind hearted and had only the best interests of the Earth and the elements in mind, but their personalities were quite different, as were their appearances. The other male Aspects didn't bother with clothing or adornments like their female counterparts, but the Earth Warder had insisted upon it.
He'd wrapped his sleek, black horns in equally black plate lined with coppery mithril edging and wore a string of beads between the horns, a small totem-like object hanging in the middle. He lacked the ruff between his horns like Ysera and Kalec, so the beads were able to be strung between the horns easily. Nozdormu thought the black plate armor, apparently taken from some dead mortal's armor, entirely unnecessary. A dragon's scales were tougher than any mortal plate.
His eyes were also unlike any other dragon's. Instead of being gold or black, they were a brilliant sapphire blue and they seemed to hold you in place if you stared him in the eye too long. Very un-dragonlike indeed, thought Nozdormu, who also had bluish eyes, but they weren't so bright and piercing like the black's were. After becoming an Aspect, those brilliant sapphire eyes glowed like the other Aspect's eyes and made him even more impressive. The bronze Aspect gave a snort, not really caring if he offended Aeosera or Neltharaku anymore.
The Lifebinder seemed to agree with Nozdormu for once. "Forgive me, lady Aeosera, but what have you actively done to help? Beyond simply not agreeing to kill my mortals?"
The Earth Warder answered for her. "Lifebinder, you misunderstand her. She did not once say she did anything to help. Her children were enslaved and forced to work for the Twilight's Hammer. She did not help on fear of death for her children. Surely you can relate?" He subtly reminded her of her imprisonment in Grim Batol by the orcs. He flinched inwardly at that, not meaning to be so callous toward her, but not wanting to deny Aeosera a place among her fellows.
"Also, if you listened to her, she said she asked many of your kind for help against the evil cult, but was ignored. Can you blame her for refusing to help anyone anymore? Only now, when someone finally listens to her and seeks her friendship does she choose a side."
The dragonqueen bowed her head slightly, humbled. "Perhaps you are right...but Nozdormu is right as well. He spoke to me before we came here. She may be a truer dragon than any of us, born from the very stones of Azeroth themselves, but still her children killed mine. Still her children let themselves be enslaved by the Hammer when they could have fought back."
The black dragon snarled slightly. "My lady dragonqueen, did YOUR children fight the Dragonmaw in Grim Batol? Did YOUR children still help all the mortal races, even after you were free? If you can say yes, then perhaps you have a point."
The indignation and horror over her enslavement still rankled. "The Dragonmaw? It wasn't the Dragonmaw alone. It was the Horde and their damnable warchief, Doomhammer, who sent them to search for the Demon Soul. They used the Soul to control our every move. We were slaves, we couldn't fight back. And I DID help the mortal races, all except the foul orcs. Those who enslaved me."
At this, the black Aspect looked to be on the verge of attacking the Lifebinder, but managed to hold himself back. "Doomhammer was a great hero! He made mistakes, but so did the lot of you. Do not dare insult Orgrim Doomhammer in my presence." As if making a point, he gestured at the black plate armor adorning his horns, Doomhammer's plate, if Nozdormu had to guess. "It was Nekros, the warlock, who enslaved you and used your kind as Horde war machines. The CORRUPTED horde, might I remind you. After your freedom, you still thought the orcs evil. Were it not for the 'damnable orcs' Deathwing might still be ravaging the world today!"
That's the plan, Nozdormu thought. Once my agents go back in time and prevent the Horde from setting foot in Azeroth, my dead ally will be alive again. Of course, he will have to die...but everything dies. Nothing is infinite, except me. Nozdormu chuckled a little at this.
Neltharaku stepped forward and spoke, without being asked to, apparently to put a stop to the argument between the two Aspects. "Please, we do not ask this to set you against each other. We only want allies when needed. My children were enslaved by corrupted orcs as well, Lifebinder, and still I lent my aid to the uncorrupted Horde, and it led to my freedom and my children's freedom. You may still harbor ill will toward orcs in general, but be reminded that my lord is right. Were it not for the Horde, Deathwing might have destroyed all life on Azeroth, and within Outland. His vile consort, Sinestra, sought to control us and make an army out of us in Outland. No longer. We serve no one, no one except the Earth Warder, and the Accord, if you would put aside your differences and merely allow us to prove we are equal." Neltharaku inclined his translucent bluish head at his master, the black Aspect.
"The Earth Warder, eh? So, Earth Warder, are you recruiting these flights for your own army, just like Deathwing before you? You seek your own army of different flights? Perhaps this is what this is all about. Given the power of an Aspect and become power hungry! Mortals were not meant to be among us." Nozdormu, giving his opinion again.
Ysera spoke, her dreamy voice much harsher than usual. "Nozdormu! You dare slander the one who saved us all? I agree with him. I see much in the Dreaming, and I see that these two flights will be of much aid to us. Surely you have foreseen what their inclusion in the Accord might bring us? If it is ill will or another war, then speak freely, Time Lord!"
Nozdormu lowered himself back onto the marble. "I've not been able to see much of anything, Dreamer. Not since...that moment. When...I helped to kill myself." Nozdormu sounded quite upset over this. He was lying of course. At least, he was lying about not being able to see anything. His visions of the future were as good as ever they were. He wasn't pretending to be upset, however. He was quite upset over seeing mortals take down his Infinite form so easily. He would go to any lengths now to protect himself from that fate.
Ysera nodded, a bit smugly. "Then you cannot simply deny flights without a true leader a chance for representation among us, a chance for aid and prevention of enslavement. We all know the pain of enslavement...except you, Nozdormu. You don't know the horror of it. Not being able to do anything on your own...not being able to save your children from corruption..." The Dreamer trailed off, thinking of her time trapped in the Emerald Dream by N'zoth and her freedom at Malfurion's hands, and the death of her beloved Eranikus.
I do not know enslavement, but perhaps I do know corruption. Just not at the hands, or tentacles, of the Old Gods. But really, is it corruption? I only seek to prevent an unfair death granted me by the vile Titans! Nozdormu was thinking about his predetermined death. It really wasn't fair at all that he could see his death and do nothing about it. It was also irritating that the little green dreamer had made his points entirely moot. His tail twitched and he said nothing.
"I agree with the Earth Warder. I say we allow them the chance! If they prove traitorous or evil, then we are powerful enough to destroy them. They have no Aspect. As of now, I detect no thoughts of treachery or evil within them. Only the desire to protect their flights further. I know I am new to being an Aspect, but so is the Earth Warder. Perhaps it is that newness that gives us this vision. Or perhaps it is the time we spent livng, and loving, with mortals." Kalec had said this, apparently thinking of that stupid human girl who was actually the great Sunwell, Anveena.
Nozdormu just sighed. He really didn't have a choice when all the others disagreed with him. If he pressed the issue, they would likely question it. Alexstrasza in particular was obsessed with 'never having another Deathwing' so much that any hint of treachery or betrayal got her full attention. He didn't want the dragonqueen anywhere near the Caverns. One look at his hourglass and particular members of his flight would tip her off that he had no intentions at all of stopping 'Murozond' and preventing the formation of the Infinites.
"Fine. I agree. I can't exactly say no when you all make good points. However, they do not have an Aspect. Who will represent them? The ones here now? Aeosera and Neltharaku?" Nozdormu questioned. He at least had to know if the lesser dragons intended on leading themselves or leaving that to the wisdom of the great Aspects.
"I would rather the Earth Warder lead us, at least, my flight. He has far more experience with leadership and handling relations between multiple races than I. Perhaps even moreso than any of you. I believe he knows more about the Horde and the Alliance than all of us combined. I know only what my children tell me when they return home from their journeys with their mortal companions." Neltharaku apparently did not care if he had no true voice in the Accord.
Nozdormu was disconcerted by this. At least if Aeosera and Neltharaku were there own masters, he could attempt to sway them to his just cause of stopping his death. If the black flight spoke for them and dealt with them, there was no swaying. The uncorrupted black dragons that had appeared after the demise of Deathwing did not approve of treachery and were determined to stamp it out and would certainly alert their master to Nozdormu's interference. Nozdormu was very powerful, but he doubted he could slay the Earth Warder in combat without using his Infinite abilities, which would certainly alert the other three flights to their fourth's peril and their fifth's corruption. He wasn't quite ready yet.
Aeosera nodded her head in agreement with Neltharaku. I have already said my loyalty lies with the only one would befriend us, give us a chance. If I wish my 'voice' to be heard, it will be through my new master. I know that if you agree to listen to us, then you will agree to listen to him when he speaks for us. Aeosera bowed before the other Aspects, stone horns scraping the marble, leaving a bit of rubble from where the hardened stone tore into the delicate marble.
As soon as she right herself, Nozdormu cast a small timeloop spell at the marble, repairing it by taking the pieces of marble to a time when they weren't ripped from the floor by an irritating female dragon statue. Nozdormu glared at Aeosera, but it went unnoticed.
The Lifebinder heaved a sigh. "Very well, then. If we are all in agreement? You understand that this means your dragonflights will have to come to our aid should any of our own flights be in peril? Yes? Good, then we have made great allies this day. You are welcome at Wyrmrest any time you like, though I must ask that you knock before entering one of the Sanctums." Alexstrasza smiled slightly at this and nuzzled Kalec, as if implying something. Despite the queen's stupid comments, Nozdormu agreed with her that anyone should make themselves known before entering a Sanctum, because he had things that he'd rather the other flights not see in his own Sanctum. A Sanctum was a dragon's home away from home.
The Dreamer lived in Hyjal, specifically in Nordrassil, with her mate and her dear friends Malfurion and Tyrande. Alexstrasza lived in the Twilight Highlands, or the Nexus, along with her beloved Kalec, where ever they chose to live at that time. The Time Lord, of course, rarely left the Caverns, unless it was to spy on a certain timeline or event that concerned him. The Earth Warder normally lived within the canyons outside of Orgrimmar, in the hot, dusty land of Durotar. He preferred to travel Azeroth and Outland both, though, which was evidently what led to him meeting and conversing with Aeosera and Neltharaku and becoming friends with them.
Nozdormu secretly hoped the black Aspect would someday eat Garrosh for some reason or another, since he chose to live so close to Orgrimmar and likely heard all of the idiotic things Garrosh did. In his visions of the future, Garrosh was extremely irritating and irksome. A real pest, to the Infinite flight and to Azeroth in general. The Earth Warder would be doing the earth a favor by getting rid of that little gnat.
Neltharaku bowed before all the Aspects, sending his friend, the Earth Warder, a silent thank you. His flight had been victimized and used as slaves by corrupted minions of Illidan in Outland. It had been a shock and surprise when one of the Aspects themselves had sought him out and asked him if he wanted to be a part of the Accord. All of the other dragonflights shunned the Netherdragons, thinking them still part of the corrupted black flight.
When the black Aspect had approached Neltharaku, he had at first thought it was Deathwing come back to kill him for betraying the flight. On closer inspection, the black dragon was not evil at all and did not look a thing like Neltharion...Deathwing. His eyes were a brilliant blue and shone with kindness and honesty, not molten red and full of malice.
The netherdragon patriarch knew he could trust his new master and knew that if his flight were in peril, at least the blacks would come to his aid. He wasn't so sure about any of the others. He didn't trust them as much as he did the blacks. Especially the bronze one that was so adamant about their not joining. Something about him gave Neltharaku a bad feeling. Just as all the other flights had something only they could do, so too did the netherdragons. Besides being able to do translucent and pass through solid objects, they could also get feelings from mortals and other dragons.
The bronze dragon was practically radiating anger, and most importantly, fear, during the entire thing. Neltharaku wondered what sort of threat his flight and Aeosera's flight posed for the bronze Aspect. As the Aspect of Time, he could literally go back in time and prevent the creation of Neltharaku and his entire flight. He could stop Aeosera from submitting to Therazane and eventually lead her to siding with the Twilight's Hammer that had taken her children...Neltharaku shuddered at the thought of such an awful, wonderful power. To be able to change time as one willed it...it must be such a burden.
The netherdragon leapt from the top of the Temple, with one last glance at his friend and benefactor, before teleporting easily to his home in Shadowmoon Valley, on Netherwing Ledge, freed at least from the Fel Orcs by an easy blast of flames from the new Earth Warder.
Aeosera did the same, bowing to the other Aspects and flying toward home. She could not teleport like the Netherdragon, so she flew. The cold of Dragonblight did not bother her at all. It felt like the chill of the earth and stones she was used to. Therazane's domain was her home, and Therazane had finally allowed her to live there in peace, after being talked to by the Earth Warder, who Therazane apparently liked very much.
So much that Aeosera had overheard Therazane offering to let the black dragon and any of his flight live in Deepholm as long as they wished, so long as he would come talk to her occasionally. She had said he was the most interesting being she'd ever had in her domain. Not that that was saying a lot, thought Aeosera, since Therazane rarely had visitors at all.
Back at Wyrmrest, the Aspects were dispersing. Kalec and Alex were gone in a glimmer of blue lights, teleported likely to the Nexus. Ysera closed her eyes and shimmered, gone into the Dream. Nozdormu remained alone with his least favorite of the Aspects. They stared at one another for a bit before the black Aspect finally said something.
"They might not be able to see anything, but I can. I don't know entirely what you're trying to do, but why do you not ask for help? I have helped you in the past, surely I could-"
Nozdormu snarled, cutting him off. "I need help with nothing. Nothing that you can do any way. Stay out of it. Neltharion had no tact himself when offering help, and neither do you. The black flight would do better if it just kept itself out of the business of others."
The black Aspect just gave Nozdormu a quite sad look before departing in a flash of copper light. Nozdormu noticed that one of his beads had fallen off. The bronze dragon picked it up with a talon. It was a very small item, and not a bead at all, but a small shard of what looked like a broken totem. A small rune was etched into the totem. "Healing"...Nozdormu snorted, but clenched the little rune in his claw as he teleported back to the Caverns of Time. He needed no healing, but the item wasn't dropped by accident, he knew.
The time lord sighed, a little bit sadly and still stared at the small healing rune. It was too late for him. There was no healing to be done, there was no redemption. He had seen the future, and with it his demise, or his corruption. He had no wish to die. Perhaps...perhaps this was the Earth Warder's way of telling him that he could be healed of his corruption without having to die.
Sometimes, Nozdormu wished he could go back in time to when the Titans created Azeroth and beg to be placed as master of something other than Time. It was so very depressing and painful to watch everything and everyone you care about die to the sands of Time, and even moreso to see yourself fall to evil and corruption, or worse, to a painful, pointless death. Nozdormu glanced at the blackened hourglass. He sighed again. He wished that he could be a true leader to his flight. That he didn't have to lead them to this ugly Infinite corruption sometimes, but it was too late. The black sands were almost empty.
Nozdormu turned into his high elf form and strung the small healing rune through a long string and slid it around his neck. Perhaps, in time he would find healing.