Between Father and Son
There they were, together all five Dragon Aspects, hanging in the sky, massive wings flapping. Air whipped about them as their wings stirred the wind. Thrall could feel the power off of them swell all around him, tingling his skin, giving him a sense of hope. Aggra held wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from the wind blowing around her. Calia breathed slowly, covering her eyes as the wind whipped up the gray sand from the beach. Siderion stood above her and Nadina, bracing himself against the wind, his wings partially spread. The sound of the roaring sea was deafened by the thunderous flapping of the Aspects' wings. Though, one pair of wings' sound muted the others. With one swoop, the colossal wings of the behemoth Black Aspect Neltharion sent a gust of cyclonic, roaring wind across the beach. Earthen Ring shamans fell to their knees by the gust. Thrall held his ears as they rang loudly from the sound.
Sometimes, I fail to remember just how big Neltharion is...he thought. He turned to Aggra, his braided tails whipping about his face, scratching near his eyes. Letting loose a loud shout, he called to his mate. "This is going to be a problem!"
The only reply he could see was the movement of her mouth. It looked like she was saying: "What?"
"I–I said this is going to be a problem..."
"What?"
"I said...never mind!"
He then looked to a swirl of purple and blue as the energized form of Ultraxion sizzled before the five Aspects. Ultraxion was every bit as immense as his sire Neltharion, full chest cavity, bulging muscles, and powerful wings, sending the wind right back at them. Glowing cracks of cyan spread across his scales, looking like a mirror of Neltharion's own fiery splits along his black body. Though, the difference was that Neltharion, though still wearing the elementium armor he bore as Deathwing, was healing slowly. Soft, new scales formed over the stretch marks along his sides as the wounds closed. Ultraxion, it was a different matter. His scales spread, splitting apart to reveal the electrified blue energy inside of him. Neltharion had made him powerful, but also unstable. Thrall then realized with blue wide eyes that Neltharion, or rather Deathwing, never meant for his son to have a long life. Ultraxion was nothing more than a ticking time bomb. His purpose truly was to kill the Aspects even if that meant killing himself in the process. He soon figured out why Neltharion did not tell anyone of this project and Thrall shook his head in dismay. Neltharion's own reasons to destroy the 'son' he birthed through horrid experiments were just as justified. More or less, they were an act of mercy to both Ultraxion, and a save to the Aspects.
Thrall leaned down to Aggra and attempted to shout above the wind.
"Whatever happens, Ultraxion has to be destroyed," he said. "If he isn't killed now, he will level this land with explosive martyrdom."
"His only purpose is to live to die," said Aggra.
"Weaken the Aspects and then...utterly destroy them," he said. "And us too. That energy around him, it's instability. Deathwing created a sentient bomb." Thrall cast his eyes skyward, trying to find Neltharion's head. The Black Aspect's head was concealed, far up to the clouds. Though he could sense the determination upon Neltharion's face. "He's positioned himself between Ultraxion and the Aspects. He knows what will happen." Thrall turned to the other four Aspects behind Neltharion. "Unfortunately, they do not."
"He should tell them," said Aggra. "Tell them know before it–"
"Neltharion doesn't have time," said Thrall. "That's why he ran through the portal at Hyjal. Racing against a clock that none of us knew existed. He is counting the seconds now. He wanted to stop it before it happens. Ultraxion must be utterly destroyed before he destroys himself–and us as well."
"The Hour of Twilight," said Aggra. "I had hoped we would have prevented it by curing Neltharion of the madness the Old Gods inflicted upon him."
"Deathwing had a back up plan," said Thrall. "If he was defeated, there was some hope still that the Hour of Twilight will finally fall." He stared back at Neltharion hovering above them. "With or without him. That is true cunning. Hard to believe those two are the same being."
"Positioning himself between Ultraxion and the Aspects and us," said Aggra. "Go'el, you don't think Neltharion hopes to take the full brunt of whatever Ultraxion will deliver."
"He is the largest of them," said Thrall. "I do not know if sacrificing himself will save them or not. I hope he doesn't think it will come to that. Even after Ultraxion is defeated, we still need all five Aspects alive."
High above, Neltharion was thinking something similar. He studied Ultraxion's form, seeing it pulsate with the unstable power Deathwing had given him. Did Ultraxion know of what was happening to him? It did not appear that way. Ultraxion looked to his father with confidence that he will win, but little did he know that winning would also mean losing. Neltharion shook his head in dismay. He looked back to the other Aspects who hovered at the ready. Then his green eyes cast their gaze down to the glowing disk now hovering above the palm of his paw. For a moment, his mind went back ten thousand years ago to the first confrontation with the Burning Legion. He had the Dragon Soul then, he had the other Aspects flying behind him, only replace Kalecgos with Malygos. They formed the magical matrix that empowered the Dragon Soul and Neltharion struck at the demonic forces marching upon his land. The glowing ire of the Dragon Soul burned away at the Burning Legion, reducing them to dust. Though, he watched through filtered lenses as Deathwing took control of him, laughing wickedly as he burned away his enemies. Today was the same thing, except there was Ultraxion, not the Burning Legion. And he had the Dragon Soul again. Somewhere, Neltharion wondered if Ultraxion knew about the disk or if the Old Gods had warned him about the disk. The purple and blue dragon did not seem to acknowledge that he had the disk with him. And Neltharion was afraid to use it. He was afraid of what it will do to him if he did.
"Five against one," said Ultraxion above the roar of the wind and waves. "It seems rather unfair, father."
"I want to make sure the job will get done, your destruction!" said Neltharion.
"You only make it convenient for me to destroy all of you in one go," said Ultraxion. "I will try to make their deaths as painless as possible, but yours, father–I will make sure you won't get that luxury. Not after what you have done."
"No hold's barred, eh?" Neltharion asked. "I don't expect you to hold back. In fact I'm planning on it! It'll make it easier on my conscience to see you for the monster you are."
"It is you who are the monster!" said Ultraxion. "Those were your children."
"We've been through this," said Neltharion. "They are not my children."
"They didn't have to die," said Ultraxion.
"Oh, and just let them rape and murder me?" asked Neltharion.
"What?"
Neltharion turned back, hearing the startled question from Alexstrasza. He shook his head.
"Never mind!" he said in a growl. "It doesn't matter."
"We needed you to give more to the plan," said Ultraxion. "At least you would have lived long enough to see a new generation born."
"But once you were done with me, you'd cast me aside," said Neltharion. "Something I would have done, if I was still Deathwing. In fact, I've done that many times when I was Deathwing. You would have used me like I had used many others. Like I used Onyxia, Nefarian, and my beloved Sintharia." He sighed, holding his empty claw out to Ultraxion. "Under difference circumstances, maybe I would have offered to you what was offered to me, a chance to make things right, to cast off the Old Gods' shackles. But I know what you really are, Ultraxion. There is no chance. There never will be. The mercy you say I will never be given, I will grant you. I will be merciful. Their deaths were quick. They didn't suffer for long. Neither will you. I will make it quick. Deathwing would never have given any of those he killed that option. But I am not Deathwing."
Ultraxion huffed and a wisp of blue escaped his nostrils.
"The Twilight Dragonflight should never have been created," said Neltharion. "I aim to correct the mistake I made."
"And I will ensure the survival of my flight, with or without your help, father," said Ultraxion.
Neltharion only shook his head again, his jagged bearded locks brushing wetly against his scales. A flash of a distant bolt of lightning reflected into the cold green orbs of the Earth-Warder. Thunder rolled across the boiling clouds above.
"The pain you say I have," he began. "Is the pain you now possess. You say I am blinded to that pain now, that I've been lied to. I should accept my fate? No. Look upon yourself, Ultraxion. Look at your body. The power you have been born with. It will destroy you." He closed his eyes. "And it will take us out as well. But if I kill you now, that will be more merciful than just letting you explode." His eyes opened, looking down at the Dragon Soul. "I know what it feels like to be pumped full of power, so much power that my body would burst if I recieved anymore. Feels exhilarating at first, but after that–" He turned back to Ultraxion. "Just stand down now and I will make it easy for you. You won't have to suffer, my son. Nor your flight."
"You will kill us," said Ultraxion.
"There is no other alternative," said Neltharion.
"We are yours!"
"Yes, mine! To hold your fate in my claws. I created you, I can unmake you."
"You can try, father."
Neltharion cracked his claws and popped his neck, a smirk spreading across his scaly face. Ultraxion let loose a horrible wale, his jaws open wider than seem possible for a dragon. Lightning struck again, and Neltharion could smell the ozone in the air.
"What is that horrible sound he's making?" Kalecgos asked.
Before Neltharion could reply, suddenly the sky became filled with the wings of twilight. There were thousands of them, to match the handful of dragons and mortals that apposed them. Neltharion only had one of his flight, the other four, a few hundred here and there. The Earthen Ring made up for all that was missing from Neltharion's flight, and now here came a horde of Twilight Dragons.
"So many..." said Ysera.
"And we ssso few," said Nozdormu.
"I thought I had destroyed them all in the Bastion of Twilight," said Neltharion.
"These were not born of Mother Sinestra, father," said Ultraxion. "They were born from–"
"My children!" Alexstrasza said, realizing exactly what they were. "My children...every last one of them. The ones stolen from me." Her brow furrowed and she barred her fangs. She whispered under her breath. "You monster..."
Neltharion's scaly brow twitched, catching what she had said above the roar of the wind. His heart wretched in his chest. He let loose a deep grunt, snorting out black ash from his nostrils as he focused upon Ultraxion again.
"So easy you could kill your own children," said Ultraxion. "But can you destroy Alexstrasza's as well, father?"
"Alex," said Neltharion, turning back to the Great Red.
"They are not my brood anymore," she said.
"Divide our resources," said Neltharion. "I'll handle my son."
Alexstrasza let loose a powerful bellow, commanding her flight to attack the oncoming Twilight Dragons. Ysera, Kalecgos, and Nozdormu echoed their own roars to their flights and the engagement began. Down below, the remaining Twilight Hammers began their attack, leaping out from dark, shadowy portals. Neltharion's wings swept and tore through the air, the gust knocking back some of the Twilight Hammers. Thrall and his Earthen Ring realized the time the Earth-Warder gave them and took the advantage. They channeled their powers, calling upon the elements to protect them. Neltharion slammed against Ultraxion, diving his claws deep into the Twilight Dragon's flesh. Ultraxion tore loose, spinning in mid flight. He flapped his wings and righted himself, shooting up towards the swirling clouds. Neltharion bounded for him, the sound of the wind howling and whistling in a cry as the metallic leading edges of his wings sliced through the air.
"We will survive, father!" Ultraxion said. "We deserve to do so."
"Who said?" Neltharion asked.
"You did."
"I take it back, then!"
Neltharion opened his mouth wide, feeling the boiling, bubbling lava erupt from his jaws. The fiery, sticky liquid rushed forth, in a cone of heat. Ultraxion bellowed out as he felt the molten rock splash upon his wing, clinging to him. He spun violently trying to shake off the lava, but it would not let him go. His right wing became heavy and he dove into a thick cloud below with a loud screech. Neltharion hovered over the churning clouds where Ultraxion had fallen through. A part of his mind celebrated with glee that he had struck him so quickly, but the other part knew there was something amiss. This was too quick, too easy. Neltharion's green eyes scanned the clouds, searching for some sign, waiting patiently. The sky lit up in a brilliant light of purple and blue. A beam of twilight rushed for him and Neltharion rounded, folding his wings in for the spin away. The world seemed to spin swiftly around him as he dodged the beam.
Bad aim, son!
Neltharion's thoughts broke just as another bolt of twilight collided with him. He felt the energy of shadow feed into every capillary just under his scales and his strength snatched away. His vision was skewed and tilted as he flapped his wings, fighting against the growing shadow around him. He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. Something slammed against his back and Neltharion found himself accelerated, clouds nothing more than a blur. His eyes closed slightly against the wind as the dark mass below him rushed up to meet him. The Earth-Warder closed his eyes as he and the ground became one. Ultraxion screeched out in shock, slamming to the ground, rocks cracking and splintering. The forces of Earth and Twilight paused as the land around them jostled and jolted with the impact. Shards jutted forth from the ground and hairline cracks widened to become gorges. Ultraxion rose painfully up from the ground, shaking off the dust. He looked around, his orange eyes wide with astonishment.
"Father?" he said.
Neltharion was no where to be found. There was only the crater left by Ultraxion's impact. He heard the sounds of fighting and screeching. Above, the other Aspects battled the smaller Twilight Dragons. A twilight dragon fell, its body crushed and it slammed into a bloody mess upon the rocks. Ultraxion felt the ground.
"Father!"
He swung his head around, lips pulling back across dagger teeth, letting loose a deep snarl.
"Are you a coward, father?" Ultraxion said and then roared over the thunder clap. "You have to hide from me? You are truly as weak as they say."
As if to reply to his insult, the ground itself trembled violently. Ultraxion spread his wings, preparing to launch back into the air. The ground appeared to shift beneath him, breaking up into large boulders, and then to rocks, to pebbles, and then to sand. His heavy body slipped into the sand, lowering down as if something had reached up and grabbed him. Then, the ground solidified, trapping him up to his chin in dirt and rock. A ways away, a large boulder rose up, forming into a draconic shape. Neltharion shook off the rocks and bellowed out a triumphant roar, spreading his wings wide. He snapped them swiftly to his back. He slowly walked towards Ultraxion, grinning.
"Clever, father," said Ultraxion. "Reconnecting with the power you lost so long ago."
Neltharion chuckled and leaned back upon his haunches, raising his forelegs up. The ground underneath seemed to splinter and shift with his weight. He took in a deep breath, and Ultraxion could see the glowing stretches under Neltharion's chest scales. Neltharion curled his claws.
"I am going to crush you, now," said the Earth-Warder.
The salty wind blew across the Black Dragon's face, picking up a few of his black locks. Lightning once more flashed into his eyes, lighting them up with a blue-white glow. Neltharion blinked and began to clinch his claws together. The lightning flashed again as Ultraxion felt his rocky prison close in upon his thick body. The ground itself rumbled and cracked. Ultraxion growled deeply, feeling his chest become restricted. The Twilight Dragon focused upon his father as the ground slowly constricted upon him. The lightning flashed again and his eyes widened when he saw the soft glow of a golden disk around the Black Dragon's neck.
Take it!
Take it now!
Make your father pay!
He recognized the voices that whispered inside his mind. He knew them and he found comfort in them. They fed him power, fed him solidarity. He did their bidding. He and his kind will live in harmony with them once they are freed. Ultraxion's eyes narrowed.
You have done well.
Your father thinks he has the upper hand.
Now it is time.
Ultraxion grinned as he wiggled. The ground cracked around him and the grip loosened. Wisps of blue rose up around his head as the ground opened up.
Should he die?
Perhaps he should.
But showing him the pain he now ignores will be worth much more than his death.
Ultraxion broke through his bonds, rising out of the ground, surrounded by his bluish glow. Shadowy electricity erupted from his body. A bolt of the twisting energy leapt forth and struck Neltharion, sending him flying backwards into the the corrupted, purple and black, jagged rocky wall at the base of the Twilight Citadel. The force of Neltharion's gargantuan form impacting broke through the rocks and a low, metallic moan sounded from the tower itself. The tower swayed forth, bending and snapping until it toppled and crashed upon the Black Aspect's body. Upon his collision, he felt something pierce through the back of his right flank and he heard the sound of hissing and felt the heat leaking out from him. The twisted tower laid upon him, trapping him under sharp elementium blades and harden Old God's blood. Now it was Ultraxion who was shaking his head. The Twilight Dragon gripped the fallen tower and with ease, opened the twisting bladed structure open to reveal his father underneath. Neltharion's mouth was dripping lava, but not from preparing another blast of his breath weapon. Ultraxion smiled, Neltharion was once more mortally wounded. Overly swelling muscles in the Black Dragon's forelegs bulged out as he attempted to move. Neltharion winced, the pain of his wounds sharp.
"I have made a decision, father," Ultraxion began as he gripped Neltharion's reddish neck frill. "I have decided to let you live. At least for now."
Then he ran his claw down Neltharion's chest and to the golden disk hanging from the chain around his neck.
"But you must return something that does not belong to you," he said.
"And–what is that?" Neltharion asked, wincing in pain again as he gargled his words.
Ultraxion pulled the chain and snapped it. He held up the Dragon Soul.
"This disk," he said. "Does not belong to you."
"You know what that is..."
"Of course," he said. Ultraxion took hold of Neltharion's beard and pulled the Black Dragon up. Lava dripped down the Black Dragon's back, hissing upon the ground. Neltharion felt his right foreleg grow numb by the pain that spreading down to the joints. It drooped heavily down to his side, swinging loosely. His chest heaved in and out heavily.
"I shall drag you to the center of the battle, let them see what I am about to do to you, father," said Ultraxion.
Neltharion gurgled a weak laugh: "I like to see you try, son. I'm so fat you wouldn't be able to drag me 10 feet."
His eyes rolled back lazily and his lids fluttered as he felt the swimming sway tingle its way into his head. His blood erupted from its wound, seeping his strength away with it. Ultraxion tossed his father face first into the dirt. Neltharion gripped the ground, the rocks cracking under his weight as he attempted to push his burdenous bulk up. His right foreleg was still limp, no life twitched it. His right wing drooped as well, hanging lifeless. He spat the shards of rock from his mouth.
"Come on," he said. "You ugly monster. Quick playing with me. Take me on." Neltharion's eyes lowered to the golden disk hanging from the chain in Ultraxion's talons. "You call yourself the–epitome of my creations, the perfect weapon. You're nothing, Ultraxion!" His eyes narrowed. "That is my greatest weapon, my greatest creation."
He slumped down, growling as the pain dulled. Ultraxion knelt down and gripped his father's box-like head, holding it up. Despite Neltharion's greater weight, Ultraxion was uncombed by it. Neltharion was just a bloated, fat dragon, there was nothing frightening to that.
"I am going to hurt you," he said. "I am going to destroy your family just as you have destroyed mine. And you will watch, father. You will watch me destroy everything you love."
Neltharion felt his body grow numb as his vision filled with shifting purple and blues and shadowy light. He swallowed dryly as the world itself warped. The color of the land seeped away to shades of gray. Even the subtle reddish hue of his black scales now looked dull and bland, his wings bleached of their color. And he felt achingly cold. The air held no taste and no scent. All his strength stolen away, Neltharion could not even lift a wing to wrap around himself and warm himself. He looked up and saw Ultraxion, the only being of color in this shadowy world. And then he turned out to the bleak landscape to see there was another Ultraxion there. His eyes lit up and as if someone had pounded the point into his head, Neltharion realized what had happened. Ultraxion had shifted a part of himself into the realm of Twilight, and he drug Neltharion in with him. He laid his head down, curling up as all he could do was watch the scene unfold before him as Ultraxion launched into the air and flew back towards the fight. In the Twilight Dragon held tightly to the golden disk in his claw.
"I know the secret, father," he said.
Neltharion lifted his head and looked up with dull gray eyes, drawing a frown upon his scaly lips. He shifted his great bulk, scraping the pointed scales across the muted ground. Despite being in the realm of Twilight, he could still feel the ground buckle under his tens of thousands of tons.
"I know your secret," said Ultraxion.
"What secret?" Neltharion asked.
"You may not be harmed by the disk, but it does not mean I cannot harm them."
Neltharion's head lowered, his eyes growing slowly downcast as he looked away from his creation. He felt something moist drip down from his lower eyelids and then splash upon the gray ground. His claws curled, dragging up the dirt into his talons and racking four long gashes. He felt his shoulders tremble, his wings shook. He still felt the heat of his blood drip down over his back. A claw reached out and rubbed over the wound and he sensed it slowly closing with a warm tingle. Though, at the same time, Neltharion's strength did not return as a shadowy cloud washed over him, keeping him weak and helpless.
"I told you, you will live, father," said Ultraxion. "Live to see them die. It is the least I can do for what you have done."
Neltharion let loose a hushed sob, his body swaying with each breath. His wings still drooped. He shook his head just as he watched the other Ultraxion raise the Dragon Soul up. It flashed brightly. Neltharion's eyes widened and a squeal escaped his mouth just as the beam of bright light flowed out over the dragonflights. There was barely a scream from them as they suddenly exploded into dust. The four other Aspects stopped their attack just as they watched helplessly as the beam flashed.
"No!" Alexstrasza said, watching in horror as she watched her red dragons burst in the light.
"The Dragon Soul," said Ysera. "Ultraxion has the Dragon Soul."
"Neltharion," said Nozdormu. "Where isss he?"
Kalecgos swung his head around, attempting to search for the overly massive Black Dragon: "How does something his size just up and disappear?"
"Neltharion!" Alexstrasza called. "What have you done?!"
Neltharion reared: "It's not my fault! Alex, get away, get away from him!"
His voice fell upon deaf ears.
"He has the Dragon Soul!" Kalecgos called, bringing the attention to the disk in Ultraxion's claws.
Thrall and Aggra looked up, their eyes wide. Calia placed her hand over her mouth. Alexstrasza shook her head. She could not sense Neltharion anywhere.
"Neltharion..." said Aggra. "How could he..."
Thrall looked around and then closed his eyes. He felt nothing but emptiness where Neltharion was supposed to be. His blue gaze came to his life mate and he shook his head, his frown growing, his bushy black brows furrowing. He turned to Calia standing under Siderion. She looked aimless, searching, clutching a bloodied dagger. To get him back only to loose him again, she allowed a solitary tear to escape her right eye.
And Neltharion was no where to be found.
But Neltharion was there, just not where they could see him. He could see the sorrow in his wife's eyes knowing that she lost him again. He could see the worry on Alexstrasza, the confusion in Kalecgos. Kalecgos, the one dragon he had a difficult time of gaining trust from. Kalecgos only knew Deathwing, and even after a year of Neltharion's freedom from Deathwing, Kalecgos still wondered if he could fully believe in him. For all Neltharion could sense, Kalecgos, seeing the Dragon Soul in Ultraxion's claws, believed in a betrayal from the Earth-Warder. After all, Neltharion had betrayed Malygos too. Neltharion's claws curled and his head lowered. He clinched his teeth, feeling his tears stinging his eyes. Ultraxion in the Twilight Realm chuckled.
"There it is," he said. "There is the pain I told you, you had. The pain that I feel now as well for the betrayal you gave me."
The pain that Ultraxion had repeated Neltharion possessed was not physical pain, it was sorrow, it was betrayal. Ultraxion laid a claw upon his father's shoulder.
"Do not fear," he said. "When it is done, I will grant you release from your pain. But not before you see all you care about die in front of you."
"Yes, I see now," said Neltharion, shuddering a sob. "I see." The he raised his head to his horrid creation. "But if you think that this will ever make me feel sorry for what I did to those Twilight Dragons, you are living one hell of a delusional lie, Ultraxion." He wiped a tear from his cheek. "I am not sorry, not in the least bit."