A/N: This chapter was released at the same time as four other chapters. The first of those is chapter 34, "Remember the Day". If you haven't already, you'll want to start there.
Also, this chapter takes place not long after chapters 34 and 35, but due to time zones and the like, it's written so that it's night in Northrend while it's still daytime in the Eastern Kingdoms.
Hundreds of blue dragons, almost every one of them left on Azeroth, were gathered around Coldarra. It was twilight now in Northrend, but during the daylight hours, they'd been scattered across the Nexus and Coldarra's various floating platforms, but now all attention was on a single floating platform. In a corner of Coldarra, far above the snow below, Arygos and Kalecgos faced each other stared at each other across a floating platform. Over a hundred adult dragons surrounded them, each on their own floating platform, while countless drakes watched from a further distance. Even a swarm of whelps was watching from a distance.
The process of picking a new Aspect was something that had been debated endlessly. Eventually, it was decided that the best chance of empowering a new Aspect was through the flight bond, the magic that tied every member of a dragonflight together. It had been through the flight bond that the entire Black Dragonflight had corrupted, and now the Blue Dragonflight hoped that that same connection would allow them to escape a position that no other flight had ever been in before.
The new Aspect, it had been decided, would inherit almost everything of Malygos's. They would also take the title of Spellweaver, and be given ownership of the Eye of Eternity. The new Aspect would take possession of many powerful artifacts that had once belonged to Malygos, such as the legendary Heart of Magic he had created long ago, which had been kept by Korialstrasz since the Nexus War. If Kalecgos became Aspect, some of Malygos's more personal possessions, such as art of his consorts, would be passed on to Arygos instead.
That had all been decided in advance, and would be arranged after the Aspect had been properly chosen. The moons were just about touching now, and at long last, the moment of truth had come. All the assembled wyrms looked to the sky anxiously. A gathering of wyrms like this was called a dragon council, an extraordinarily rare event that had not occurredin many thousands of years. While normally privacy was paramount at a draconic conclave of any sort, all members of the Blue Dragonflight were permitted due to the importance of this moment. Kalecgos had also arranged that a scrying orb be bound to Wymrest Temple, so the other Aspects would know what was happening as it happened.
Kalecgos was the first to speak. He stepped into the center of the platform, bowed his head in respect to his flight, and then looked up to behold the moons. Nothing at this point would sway the opinions of the dragons who had gathered to vote, but it felt right to make a short statement regardless.
"My fellow blue dragons," he began. "It's been an honor to speak with you all throughout this process, difficult as it may have been. Regardless of what happens here, I swear that I will continue to serve my flight with pride and dignity. What happens here today will echo throughout history, but no matter what comes to pass, I know we can face the future together, as a united dragonflight. Thank you."
There was no flapping of wings, no anxious murmur, only a solemn silence. Most eyes were still on the moons, which were already touching. It would not be long before the moment of the Embrace came.
Arygos spoke next, and for a much shorter time than Kalecgos had. "We all know what must be done," he said.
Both Kalecgos and Arygos returned to their spots on opposite sides of the floating platform, and their eyes, too, turned to the moons. Finally, they were on top of each other, the White Lady and the Child, and an ethereal, silver light seemed to wash over everything. There was a blue glow that ringed the moons, a sign that the dragons' ritual was ready. Silently, every adult dragon made their vote, each choice private and only in the heart of the one who had made it.
Then the blue glow seemed to become more intense, shifting to a brilliant white. One of the wyrms on the platform began to glow, so brightly that his identity was difficult to discern at first. The eyes of every dragon turned to him, and it was not long before his identity became apparent. Kalecgos was growing rapidly, close to the size Malygos had once been. In a few moments, he towered visibly above Arygos next to him. The other wyrm could do nothing but stare at his victorious opponent, his expression unreadable. Shock? Horror? It was impossible to say.
"I am honored," Kalecgos was the first to speak. The white glow aded from his body, but his eyes now glowed a brilliant purple color, one of the trademarks of an Aspect. "I swear by all those who have come before, the Blue Dragonflight will rise again as protectors of Azeroth, champions of magic."
Then, eyes turned to Arygos, anxiously awaiting his reaction to what had occurred. The blue wyrm seemed almost nervous. He gave a quick bow of his head in Kalecgos's direction. "Congratulations," he said simply.
A blue drake flew up beside Arygos, one that everyone could recognize as Mensagosa. She and Arygos exchanged words, then the wyrm looked back towards the new Aspect. "I will leave you to celebrate," he said, before leaving the platform and flying off with Mensagosa at his side.
Nobody thought much of Arygos's departure- it wasn't exactly required, but made sense considering how harsh some of the arguments against Kalecgos had become. A few of Kalecgos's closest friends, like Tarecgosa, flew onto the platform to congratulate him, but the post-coronation festivities had not truly begun yet.
One of the eldest wyrms cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention. His voice echoed across the gathering, which was still almost silent. "Hail Kalecgos, Spellweaver of the Blue Dragonflight, successor to Malygos, second Aspect of Magic!"
The festivities, it seemed, would last long into the night.