Earth Unleashed
Thrall searched for him. He was not in the sky, nor was he on the ground. But somewhere, he could still sense him. What was the Earth-Warder was everywhere. He could feel the land still vibrate, the heart still beat. Neltharion was alive somewhere. Though his body had disappeared, his spirit was with the World Shaman.
"I won't give up," he said to himself.
Don't you dare! Don't you even dare, orc.
Ultraxion had cleared many from the blackened earth. He swept across the land, his wings creating the most foul of wind. The beam of the Dragon Soul continued to etch its way into the ground. Kalecgos conjured a brightly blue shield around the other four Aspects as the beam beat down upon them. Twilight Hammers dove upon the Earthen Ring and sparks of fire and lightning lit the battle field. Thrall took hold of Aggra as the beam swept by them and pulled her away. His sight turned white and all he could smell was ash. But Aggra was still there.
"We have to do something!" she said. "We have to do something."
"Neltharion..." said Thrall.
Feel me, Thrall. I am here! I am here!
His blue eyes shifted, turning around as if he could feel a brush from a warm dragon's claw upon his shoulder. He could sense the Earth-Warder reach out to him.
"Go'el?" Aggra asked.
"He is here," he said. "Neltharion is still here."
"Where?"
"Everywhere."
Siderion took to the sky and Thrall could see Calia and Nadina riding upon his back. Then, he turned to the sky as the beam swept back up. Suddenly the beam of light was slowed to a crawl as another golden glow flashed. Thrall focused upon Nozdormu, claws out stretched. The form of the Time Lord appeared to waver. Ghostly forms separated from him, taking form all around him. Thrall's eyes lit up in realization. Six different Nozdormu had appeared in the sky, each one pulled from different points of time.
"He isss still here, sister," said one of the Nozdormus. "Out of phase with the rest of us."
Kalecgos followed his example only to create mirror versions of himself, stacking each one side by side until Thrall could count five Kalecgoses in flight.
"Neltharion," Thrall began.
He has me, Thrall.
The six Nozdormus and the five Kalecgoses dove upon Ultraxion as golden light and blue and purple danced in the air. Alexstrasza and Ysera waved their claws, whispering silent spells of protection as their brother Aspects attacked the enemy. Thrall ducked down just as a molten rock rolled over head, colliding with a cliff. Fiery shards of rock splattered forth and Thrall and Aggra dodged off as the rocks splattered and hissed upon the ground. A flap of wings sounded and Thrall looked up to see Siderion with Calia and Nadina on his back, fly over head. The black dragon opened his jaws and fire flowed out, setting ablaze the Twilight Hammers on the ground. The ground trembled as the fire billowed, rolling across the gray, flat valley floor. From Siderion's shoulder, both Calia and Nadina used their own range attacks upon the Twilight Hammers. Calia fired her long range rifles while Nadina commanded her power over shadow, sending forth wisps of black and purple over them. Twilight Hammers called out, coughing as the clouds touched them. They dropped to the ground, reaching out to the air and then falling limp.
"Where is Neltharion?" asked Aggra. "Where did he go, Go'el?"
"Ultraxion has him," said Thrall. "He is held in the Realm of Twilight."
"How can the Aspects get him out?"
"They can't."
The ground shifted again and he heard a powerful bellow of anguish. Thrall looked up to see Alexstrasza slamming to the ground and the ground quaked and splintered with her mighty fall. At her body the rock seemed to break and open up. Alexstrasza lifted her head painfully up when she saw a pair of rocky, enormous claws grow out from the ground, reaching for her. The claws cracked and splintered, revealing molten insides, lava spewing forth from the wounds. The roar quake the ground as the claws then fell, breaking upon impact.
"Neltharion," she said, her ruby claw reaching out as the claws fell back to the rock. "Neltharion!"
Alexstrasza shook off the dirt and then launched into the air, the wind off her wings nearly knocking back Thrall and Aggra. She and the other Aspects continued their battle in the air with Ultraxion. They flipped and dodged the golden beam of the Dragon Soul. Thrall's eyes narrowed at Ultraxion, hearing him growl in frustration as he sparked and struggled against something else that seemed to be attacking him.
"He is fighting," said Thrall. He turned to Aggra. "Ultraxion is split between here and the Realm of Twilight! Neltharion is fighting him there!"
The Aspects once more concentrated their power upon Ultraxion, each one circling him. Streams of blue, red, gold, and green spiraled around the Twilight Dragon, The earth continued to tremble, showing the Earth-Warder's agitation. The four Dragonflights flew around, locking claw to the twilight dragons, flashes of purple and blue streaked down with whistling screams, impacting the ground and angering it even more. Thrall then looked to the ocean as he felt the salty sea air blow across his face, picking up his black braids and whipping them about his shoulders. His blue eyes narrowed as he saw the ocean itself also heave, white capped, and foaming. Lightning sparked and sizzled across the clouds, forking towards the battle. Even the clouds looked angrier than they normally did in the Twilight Highlands. And the water rose up, trying desperately to take shape, a familiar shape, a draconic shape, but suddenly, it crashed back down, rolling waves slamming into the black sand of the beach.
Thrall looked to the sky, seeing the clouds swirl around as if to form into a tornado. A familiar shape formed in them, a titanic draconic head roared out as lightning fingered its way up the thick neck, taking shape in the clouds. And the lightning continued to pop and spark about the shape. The ground heaved again as the cloud dragon roared. Ultraxion looked to the sky as lightning shot forth from the maw of the dragon forming in the clouds, forks spreading out, etching cracks of blinding white light in the air. The lightning struck the Twilight Dragon and he was flung to the ground, the earth quaking from the mighty fall. Thrall knelt down, taking hold as best as he could as the ground jostled. The smell of ozone filled the air. Still, within Ultraxion's claw was the Dragon Soul, glowing brightly, burning his scales. Thrall's eyes studied the dragon's form. Cyan cracks along his body continued to widen and the energy swirling about him fluctuated and intensified, the air about his body rippling with his power. Ultraxion lifted up and tried to pinch one of the opening rips forming along his shoulder, hoping to close it.
"He's ripping apart!" Thrall said. "Just like Neltharion did."
He looked back to the sky again to see the dragon head withdrawing, but the clouds still seemed just as angered as the earth was, as the oceans were.
"Father!" Ultraxion bellowed towards the withdrawing dragon's head. "You are mine! You are sealed! And there is no escape!"
"Sealed," said Ysera, lowering down to Alexstrasza. "Ultraxion has him!"
"You will watch them die!" Ultraxion called.
"Let our brother go!" Alexstrasza said. "Let him go!"
"Never," said Ultraxion. "Whether he wants it or not, he will serve the purpose the Masters have set for him." He raised the Dragon Soul up. "And you will suffer as well!"
The two dragons parted as the beam raced forth for them. Thrall swung around and then knelt to the ground, feeling around the dirt.
"I must become one with the world again," he said.
"Will that get you to the Twilight Realm?" asked Aggra.
"It will connect me to Neltharion," he said. "A piece of him lies within me. And I will use it as a beacon."
"You will need more than that," said a voice, a strangely familiar voice from behind him. Thrall rose up, gripping Doomhammer tightly in his hand, sparks of lightning tickled the edges. His eyes came upon a human dressed in skull, heavy plate of a death knight. Long white hair whipped about him in the wind and a dark, tattered cloak billowed out behind him. At his hand was a sword which made Thrall's brow twitch, a horrid skull upon the hilt and runes glowing along the blade.
"No," he said. "You're dead, Arthas."
"That's what Prestor said as well," said Arthas.
"Arthas?" Aggra asked. She turned to her life mate. "You told me about him."
"What are you doing here?" Thrall asked, raising his hammer.
"There is no need to fight, Thrall," said Arthas. He pointed down to his feet and Thrall followed his hand. Parts of his feet looked to be made of rock, as if he was coming out of it. Arthas held out a glove hand. "I can take you to my brother-in-law."
"You know about him," said Thrall. "You know who he is, who he is married to."
"I should never let a family member down," said Arthas. "After what I have done to my own. Come with me."
Thrall gripped his hammer tightly, shaking his head.
"I don't have time to argue, orc!" Arthas said. "Neither do you!" He pointed to the expanding body of Ultraxion. "When he goes, we all do. I am with Prestor as well, been with him since this mess started. But I need you to set him free. He has to protect my sister. He promised me that." His hand curled into a fist. "I want to make sure Prestor keeps his promise!"
"If he can take you to Neltharion," said Aggra. "Then go with him."
"I will make sure Prestor keeps his promise to you, then," said Thrall, hearing a gun shot sound above. The gun was Calia's. "Alright, let us go."
Arthas held out his hand again and Thrall took it, swinging his hammer over his shoulder. As the shaman took the death knight's hand, crackling ice flowed all around them, sealing them in a globe. Thrall's vision was then filled with white and blue as an overwhelming cold over took him. His body shivered and he heard Aggra call out to him, her voice growing ever so distant. The ice cracked and then shattered. Thrall saw the color of his skin leave him, the color of his robes fading away. He was gray, as gray as the world around him. But the ground itself continued to shift and writhe under him. He heard the powerful roar of a dragon and then the form of another dragon slamming against the ground. The dragon who slammed to the ground had a back covered in elementium scales.
Neltharion rose up as Ultraxion slammed his body against him. His roar was deafening and he flipped, rushing Ultraxion. Lightning sparked about him and struck the Twilight Dragon. The earth continued to heave and writhe with each slam of Neltharion's claws to his son's body. Ultraxion forced him up, slamming him against the edge of the prison that trapped him here. Thrall slammed his hammer down and the earth itself cracked and splintered with the force, the crack racing for Ultraxion. The Twilight Dragon slammed to the ground, loosing footing as the cracks etched around him. Neltharion looked on, his face relaxing as he saw Thrall standing beside Arthas. Ultraxion's form wavered. Arthas raced forward and leapt up. He brought his sword out and swung in a blinding spin of blue. The blade of Frostmourne sliced through Ultraxion's scales, revealing the cyan and blue core that threatened to burst from him. Thrall called forth his lightning, aiming the bolt for the opened wound. Lightning sparkled and inched its way into Ultraxion, the dragon violently writhed from it, his body twisting and contorting. He bellowed out a horrid scream and Thrall backed away, holding his free hand up to his ear to cover it.
Neltharion shifted and gave a mighty flap of his wings. The wind at his command swirled around the group, clouds billowed and churned at the might of the gust. Neltharion swept his claws and the moisture around him condensed. Arthas added to the wind as he felt the chill of the cage grow much more.
"Cold is not your weakness," he said. "Cold is just another form of heat."
Thrall looked around to see the moister then freeze to ice shards. He continued his bolt upon Ultraxion, holding the writhing dragon down as Neltharion called forth the shards to strike. Icy daggers fell upon Ultraxion, driving deep into his purple scales. Liquid, glowing cyan sprayed from his wounds. Ultraxion bellowed out in agony. His body burst forth, the energy spreading out in a violent blue wave, knocking back Neltharion, Arthas, and Thrall. Then, all around them as they attempted to rise, the world itself began to crack in spiderweb cracks. The gray broke, shattering like glass and the color returned. Neltharion felt his own strength returning, his massive wings becoming blood red like they were before, his scales once more holding that deep blue and black sheen, like the color of volcanic glass. His eyes glowed brightly green.
The real Ultraxion roared out in defiance as he saw his father and the two who struck him materialized upon the ground. Blinding blue white and purple light raced forth from him. Alexstrasza looked over her shoulder to see the beam of twilight slam painfully against Neltharion. The Black Aspect spiraled off towards the ocean, smacking against the white capped water.
"Neltharion!" she called as the water appeared to explode out from the impact. Neltharion slowly sank beneath the waves.
"If you will not play properly, Father," began Ultraxion, his voice directing towards the sea. "So be it!"
The water began to spiral upward into a column. Kalecgos' eyes opened wide. He backed away positioning himself slightly behind Nozdormu. Ysera's jaw opened and close. The water suddenly cracked and splintered, solidifying into ice. Structures of ice etched upward and forked and shifted, moving like tendrils. Ice struck the ground, slamming into the molten elementals. Their bodies froze. Their fire cooled. Rocks splintered and broke from their forms as whatever life the heat gave them was stolen from them. Twilight Hammers ran as each tendril struck them, freezing them instantly. Ice tendrils spiraled around ice shards shot forth. Twilight dragons bellowed out, each one falling with the frozen blades sticking out of their chests. Alexstrasza breathed heavily, watching the icy tendrils spin around her, barely missing her only to strike at a twilight dragon about to attack her. Explosion of ice filled her vision as the dragon fell from the sky, screaming until the impact silenced it. She swallowed hard and heard another tendril whistle by her.
Earthen Ring shamans scattered out of the way of the tendrils, taking note they were not attacking them, but the Hammers. Siderion circled and Calia leaned over his shoulders. Her mouth was wide, her eyes blinking in disbelief. Siderion banked swiftly as a tendril rushed forth towards him, only to collide with a twilight dragon.
"What in the Light is that?" asked Calia, holding tightly as the black dragon dove and spun over the battlefield. She looked behind her shoulder. Seeing more tendrils swirl around. A flash of purple and several icy branches broke, melting into water as they slammed to the ground. Calia looked up to see Ultraxion reading another blast from his own breath weapon, gathering spiraling purple and cyan energy around him. The tendrils raced for him, twisting and writhing. Ultraxion exhaled and sent forth a horrid ball of purple and cyan energy. The ice shattering all around him. Snow fell upon the gray and black land, dusting it in a fine coating of white. Calia leaned over to Siderion's head far in front of her.
"Who is doing that?" she asked.
"I haven't a clue," said Siderion. "I have never seen power like this before."
"The Aspects are just as dumbfounded," said Nadina, looking upwards to see the the four Aspects watching the tendrils twist and turn.
Calia looked down to see Thrall standing with someone else, the shaman kneeling down to the ground. The stranger was kneeling as well. Her eyes focused upon the sword he held in his hands, the blade firmly on the ground. She knew that human and her jaw set.
"No, it can't be," she whispered to herself.
"How is ice able to move like that?" asked Nadina, catching Calia's attention. "It moves as if it was still liquid."
Calia looked once more over the flank of the black dragon and heard the sound of the ground itself buckling and heaving again. Cracks spread wide, releasing now fountains of lava. Bolts of fire flew out from below, acting much like the ice tendrils. They spiraled across the land, setting the Twilight Hammer forces ablaze as they impacted with a thundering sound. They whistled and popped, heating up the land itself. Alexstrasza looked around as the ground began to glow with the heat. Despite that, the ice tendrils continued to spiral, arching their way upward, unaffected by the heat. The wind whipped around her and lightning hissed and popped above her.
"My turn!" a voice thundered from the sky.
Ultraxion looked to the clouds, seeing them swirling around a massive black body. His fiery eyes widened.
"Father!" he called. Ultraxion opened his mouth, gathering up the torrent of energy from all around him. Sparks of purple and blue flowed about him, spiraling to the central point at his maw. The ice spiraled up around Neltharion. Ultraxion sent forth his blue and violet beam, the power of its might splitting the air into rings. Neltharion folded his wings inward as the ice solidified into a spherical shield of brilliant blue. The violet and cyan beam collided with the icy shield and it shattered. Neltharion swept his wings back, the clouds sweeping away with the gush of wind coming off of his wings. He was unharmed by the blast and snow and ice fell softly about him. Lightning sparked, tracing the forks along his metallic back. Neltharion swirled and the bolts of fire raced upwards towards Ultraxion. The Twilight Dragon looked down and the fiery tendrils sparked and sputtered, exploding upon him. Ultraxion spiraled to the ground, slamming into the rock. But the earth did not give with his weight. The Dragon Soul drop with a flash of gold from his claw, clattering and rolling a ways from the dragon. Fiery bolts pounded into Ultraxion and he bellowed out again.
Arthas looked up, hearing the ring of the Dragon Soul as it clattered heavily on the shifting ground. He rose up and, stumbling a bit on the uneasy ground and made his way towards it. Ultraxion slowly rumbled, struggling to rise. Arthas knelt down to the disk and lifted it up by its chain from the ground. Ultraxion bellowed out at him.
"Give that back!"
The dragon reached out with his claw, ready to snatch Arthas up. The death knight only smirked and wrapped the chain around the tip of Frostmourne. He looked to the sky where Neltharion floated above, clouds still swirling around him. Then, he rose up to his feet and raised his sword.
"Prestor!" he shouted to the Black Aspect. "Here! Catch!"
Arthas spun and Frostmourne was sent spinning up towards Neltharion, carrying the golden disk with it.
"No!" Ultraxion shouted.
Neltharion caught the rune sword in his claw. He opened his fingers and felt the warm glow of the Dragon Soul. Ultraxion came to his feet and launched into the sky, the gust of wind off of his wings knocked Arthas down to the ground. The death knight clutched the dirt, shielding his eyes from the dust. Then, he looked back up again as Ultraxion spun upwards towards his father. Arthas smiled once more. Neltharion looked on as Ultraxion swiftly flew up towards him. Then, he raised the Dragon Soul up and the golden light flashed again. Ultraxion broke away as the golden shockwave thundered down to the ground. Neltharion looked around him as Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, and Kalecgos rose up towards him. The Black Dragon lifted the Dragon Soul up to the air. Dark purple light flowed out from him and swirled around the Dragon Soul. Alexstrasza dipped her head and out came the glow of crimson energy swirling around the disk. Kalecgos, Nozdormu, and Ysera dipped their heads and added their energies.
Thrall looked up to the sky as he felt the charge vibrate in the air. This was what they were planning to do before if Ultraxion had not struck at them, combining their energies to be focused in the Dragon Soul. Ultraxion looked about him as the ground itself revealed a pattern in the strange cracks. Strange designs formed in a swirling circle, glowing fiery orange, gold, purple, blue, and red. The circle slowly began to rise up from the ground, glow shifting, expanding its diameter to miles outward around Ultraxion. Thrall saw the swirling designs then shift and lock into place and Ultraxion roared out in defiance. His body froze, bound by the symbols of ancient energy flowing out from the Aspects. He saw symbols within the circle folding up and he recognized them as symbols for the elements, fire, air, water, and earth. Secondary symbols rose from the inner track, representing lightning, magma, mud, and ice, and Ultraxion roared again, feeling them holding him still.
The Aspects had their heads bowed, whispering silently as the Dragon Soul glowed brightly above them, feeding into their spells. Ultraxion roared, his body expanding out, blue rips continuing to tear through his body. He began to swell out.
"The power!" Ultraxion bellowed. "It is too much!"
Neltharion lifted his head, his eyes catching the many rips forming along Ultraxion's back. The energy continued to spark about him, fighting against the binding spell the Aspects cast upon him. His eyes squinted as the energy began to force its way against the spell, breaking the bonds with electric flashes.
"Now!" Neltharion called to his brothers and sisters.
Thundering ripples around the sealing sphere of energy squeezed down upon Ultraxion as the Aspects thrusted their claws out in commandment.
"Father!" Ultraxion called. "I will not be beat!"
Neltharion grunted, pressing his power down against the explosive might of his son's. Ancient inscriptions wrapped around Ultraxion, binding his wings, his claws, and his feet. He folded his wings around him, struggling against the binds of the Aspects. As the energy crushed the Twilight Dragon's body, Ultraxion's own power was building up. A pulsating white light formed right at his chest, growing ever brighter. The sphere folded in around him, holding him, but his light glowed on beyond the binds. Neltharion shielded his eyes with a claw as the light sang forth, filling his vision.
Thrall looked up swallowing as the white light began to engulf the Aspects in it.
"Oh-no," he said.
"Prestor!" Arthas called.
Siderion landed upon a cliff, a little ways from the battlefield. Calia looked up, seeing the white light as well and her heart jumped in her chest.
"Nel," she whispered as the light obstructed her view of him.
The light rumbled outward, spreading the clouds out away from the Aspects. Neltharion growled as the light came to him, and all he could see was brilliant white and it consumed him. The light finally exploded forth, breaking the circle that bounded it.
Then, everything grew dark and cold.
Neltharion awoke, coughing, covered in gray dust. He rose from the ground, shaking the dust from his body. He heard the moans of Alexstrasza as she rose up, covered in the ashy soot as well. Ysera and Kalecgos followed, rising up from the ground, their bodies aching. Nozdormu also rose up, shaking the dirt free from his striped scarf. Thrall rose up as well. He glanced around, taking hold of his hammer. He could not see Arthas anywhere. Whatever it was that bounded the spirit of the fallen Prince of Lordaeron, had been broken. Neltharion looked up to the sky, seeing the clouds part to reveal the silvery glow of the moons in the soft midnight blue sky. He felt a strange energy seep into him as he looked upon the moons. It was so familiar to him and inviting. He heard another moan and his face darkened. Behind him, the moan grew to a growl and Ultraxion rose up from the ground. A flash of gold glittered and Neltharion heard a familiar metallic thud. The Dragon Soul had fell between them. Ultraxion's orange eyes lit up when he saw the flash of the gold disk and he scrambled for it. Neltharion came to his hind legs and his claws became outstretched.
Ultraxion felt his body freeze again, but this time it was from something that was crawling around inside of him. He looked beyond the Dragon Soul and saw his father, the Great Black poised in a strange position, a hind leg lifted up while he stood upon the other. Neltharion lowered his foot and yanked both fore claws back in a single sweep. Ultraxion heard the horrid sound of his spine cracking as if his muscles were acting against his bones. He felt every strand of his muscles be plucked at and he stumbled forward, falling face first into the dirt. Neltharion lifted his claws again and Ultraxion obeyed to his own horror. He rose up, lifted up off the ground and then his body was pulled taunt, his arms and legs spread eagled, his wings extended.
"What–are you doing to me?" Ultraxion asked.
He heard his bones crack again under the stress of his muscles as they moved. Tendons began to splinter, ripping away with aching snapping sounds like rubber pulled too tight. Ultraxion bellowed out in agony as his muscles, stand by strand, ruptured. Ultraxion coughed, red blood splattering out from his mouth. Neltharion stepped forward, his claws still poised out, holding the Twilight Dragon still. Ultraxion shook, trying to still fight against what this strange force was that held him. Neltharion stopped just before him, his foot over the Dragon Soul. Ultraxion looked passed his father, seeing the twin moons, full and bright, casting a silvery halo around the Black Dragon.
"I see," he finally said. "You don't need the Dragon Soul to do this."
"Only on one day a month," said Neltharion, but his voice held no malice. He said it softly. Then, he lowered Ultraxion to the ground, releasing his grip upon the water that saturated the Twilight Dragon's muscles. Ultraxion fell to his knees, his body still shaking, his strength stolen. Though, his body still ripped, tearing away with the power that continued to build up inside of him. Neltharion's head shook in dismay.
"Now you know why I cannot give you the chance I was given," he said.
"Born to die," said Ultraxion.
"I am sorry I gave you such a curse."
"Now you apologize."
Neltharion held up his fore legs, opening them up to Ultraxion. The Twilight Dragon looked up to see silvery lines of salty tears flowing down the Black Dragon's cheeks. Ultraxion rose up, his muscles sore. He growled from the sharpness of the pain each muscle echoed to him. Then, he fell upon Neltharion's huge chest and wrapped his forelegs around him.
Alexstrasza gasped, lifting her claws to her snout. Kalecgos looked on in confusion, shaking his head. Nozdormu and Ysera just watched in silent patience.
Neltharion nuzzled Ultraxion, wrapping his wings around him, hearing the Twilight Dragon break down, shuddering with his sobs.
"I love you, father," he said. "I really do."
"I know you do," said Neltharion. He closed his eyes and then lifted his right claw up behind Ultraxion's back. "Forgive me, my son."
Neltharion's claw clinched tightly and Ultraxion froze, his body now twitching. He gargled, eyes bugged out wide. Inside his chest, his heart burst and he splattered his blood upon Neltharion's shoulder. The Twilight Dragon's body fell limp and the Earth-Warder lowered him down to the ground, folding his wings over his body. Neltharion lowered his head and folded his own wings up, shivering from the cool that he felt. The fire of his attacks dimmed their light, silently extinguished by the chilly night air. Alexstrasza slowly walked up to him and touched him with a talon. Neltharion turned to her and opened a wing. The Great Red came and leaned against him and he folded his more gargantuan wing around her. She laid her head upon his powerful shoulder. He looked on as the other Aspects circled around him. Kalecgos dipped his head in respect and Ysera smiled. Nozdormu only nodded. Neltharion looked down to Ultraxion's still form.
"He belongs in my shrine," he said. Neltharion looked to the torn battleground. Bodies of twilight dragons littered the gray dirt. "They all do."
Alexstrasza looked up at him, her claws tracing along his shoulder.
"They are of my flight," said Neltharion. He sighed, shaking his head. "And I killed them."
"There was no choice," said Alexstrasza.
"I had a choice," said Neltharion.
"You can't–change the lives of everyone," she said. "Even if you tried."
Neltharion sighed as he lowered himself down to the ground, looking upon Ultraxion's form.
"I tried so much to erase all that Deathwing has done," he began. "But in the end, I became Deathwing again, only to the twilight dragons this time. Wanting their death, believing that we were superior to them. Who am I? Would Neltharion do this?"
"It had to be done," said Kalecgos. "There wasn't a choice around it. Somethings really can't be fixed."
"I used to believe they could," said Neltharion. "Because I could be fixed."
"You were freed," said Alexstrasza.
"I was," he agreed. "I was. Now, I have freed him."
"Mossst of the twilight dragonss are now destroyed and the Twilight Hammersss disbanded," said Nozdormu. "You have erased all that Deathwing did. Except for one."
Neltharion lifted his head to his elder brother, tilting it in question.
"The Dragon Soul, brother," said Nozdormu. "It isss time for it to return from whence it came."
Neltharion lifted up off the ground and a fleck of gold flowed up into his claw. He looked down upon the tiny golden disk and then to Nozdormu.
"Returned to time, it will be destroyed as it should be by the hands of Rhonin," said Nozdormu.
"This thing has caused no end of trouble," said Neltharion. "Now you would have me give it to you to be used as a tool to trap Alexstrasza..."
"Neltharion," said Alexstrasza.
"No!" the Earth-Warder said. "If it goes back, you know what will happen to you, sister."
"I know."
"You would have it happen? You want to be breeding stalk for the Dragonmaw?"
"Never," said Alexstrasza.
Neltharion lifted his other claw up, poising it over the disk at the center of his palm.
"Let me destroy it here and now," he said. "Its evil ends!"
"No!" said Nozdormu. "Give it here, brother. Let me take it back ssso it may return to the timeline."
"And have Alex be a slave?" asked Neltharion. "It was my fault. Then I stole her eggs to be experimented on."
"Don't think I don't know that," said Alexstrasza. "Neltharion, listen to Nozdormu."
Neltharion curled his claw upon the disk.
"I can't let you have it," he said. "Not after what it will do to you!"
"What it has done to me," said Alexstrasza. "If it doesn't go back now, the damage will be great. You may never be able to return to me as you are now."
"Every event hasss a reason for being, Neltharion," said Nozdormu. "Including this. Including Deathwing's betrayal and Alexstrasza's enslavement."
"No," said Neltharion. "I will destroy it. Just watch me!"
He opened his claw again, pointing a talon straight down at the disk. He readied himself, readied to pierce the metallic surface, to finally break the disk as he was meant to all along.
"Break the matrix," he said. "Like Malygos wanted me to. I will break it!"
"Neltharion!"
Neltharion paused, hearing two smaller wings beat and a black dragon land. Siderion lowered to the ground, letting off his passengers. Calia slowly walked up to her magnificently gigantic husband, placing her hands together in pleading. Behind her, Thrall walked up, nodding in agreement.
"Neltharion, give Nozdormu the disk," said Calia. "Let him take it back to where it belongs."
"This disk has caused much evil," said Neltharion. "Even to you, Calia. It hurt you!"
"I know what it did to me," said Calia. "Just let it go. Like you told me to let it go. Now, it is time for me to tell you. Give it to Nozdormu and be freed of it the way you were meant to be freed."
Neltharion felt his eyes moisten when he heard his wife say the exact words he said to her.
"Let it go, Neltharion," said Thrall. "Just let it all go."
Neltharion closed his eyes and he lowered his claw down softly to the ground. The ground rumbled as he planted it to the dirt and Calia felt it shift beneath her with his weight. She blinked and looked up, keeping strong against her massive husband. Nozdormu softly lumbered towards Neltharion and held out his claw to his brother. Neltharion opened his eyes, looking down to his smaller brother and then finally nodded slowly, but reluctantly. He lowered the disk down and Nozdormu plucked it from the Great Black's palm.
"It will go back and all will be asss it should," said Nozdormu. "And we will have our brother jussst as he ssshould as well."
He backed away, adjusting his scarf. Then, he spread his wings and vanished in a flash of golden light. Neltharion sighed, perching his lips together. He looked to his wife. Alexstrasza let go of her brother and she, Kalecgos, and Ysera shifted in a flash to their mortal disguises. Neltharion shrank down as well, but as always, keeping with his dragon form despite the adjustment in size. He opened his forelegs to Calia and she ran up to him, hugging his thick neck. Neltharion held her close to him, combing his claws through her short golden brown hair. Pulling away, he pressed his lips against hers and they stayed there in their embrace. Thrall looked on, hearing the sound of a familiar voice calling his name.
"Go'el!"
"Aggra!" he said, seeing the brown-skinned orc running up to him, her topknot bouncing. She wrapped her arms around him and he held her close. Then, he turned to Neltharion when he felt the eyes of the Earth-Warder upon him. Neltharion smiled with Calia leaning against his chest, one arm around him. Thrall let go of his life mate and walked over to place a hand upon Neltharion's shoulder.
"I never knew you had that kind of power," said Thrall.
"I had help," said Neltharion. His claw held out and Thrall took it, shaking it firmly. Then, Neltharion's eyes grew dark as he looked upon Ultraxion's form again. He sighed and lowered his head. "I will take them all to the Obsidian Shrine."
"All of them?" asked Thrall.
"Yes. I am their Aspect, it is my choice what I will do with their bodies."
He looked upon Ultraxion, his eyes full of resolution. It had been eons since he had felt this purposeful. For the first time in ten thousand years, Neltharion had felt like he was the Earth-Warder again. The power that he felt he lost finally returned to him in gusto. He was able to command all the elements once more, conducted them like music and an extension of his own body. And he used it on every Twilight Dragon who dared to threaten him or his family. But now, what truly made him the Aspect of Earth was what he was about to do to the corpses of the Twilight Dragons. Neltharion raised his claws up and the ground trembled in response. The ground began to open up and the bodies of Ultraxion and his brothers and sisters slowly slid into the cracks. Neltharion shifted and the cracks closed up as each twilight dragon disappeared deep into the earth. The ground rumbled as if to agree with Neltharion's decision. He looked to Calia again and she leaned against him.
"Thank you," he said to her. "Thank you for reminding me."
"Thank you for reminding me," she said.
Neltharion smiled and then looked up to see a familiar human standing on a ledge above. White hair whipped about his deathly face. Arthas dipped his head again and Neltharion could hear him speak. He spoke only to the Earth-Warder.
"I will be keeping in touch, Prestor," he said. "Take care of her for me."
Neltharion gave a nod just as the death knight vanished in a wisp of night. The Earth-Warder smiled, looking hopeful, but somber.