Azure Dragonflight.

Part V: Stars Align.

Outside were two familiar faces, and two hooded figures.

"Greetings Lightbringer, how goes your mission?" Rhonin asked brightly.

"So far, so good." Uther chuckled. "Keristrasza is free, the arcane breach has been stemmed but not sealed, and Malygos just lost another child. The way to his sanctum lies open to us."

"Excellent, Dalaran is safe and the Wyrmrest Temple still stands, all that remains is the Spellweaver." Rhonin stated. "The dragon queen has sent us to aid you, and we've brought some more draconic help."

The two hooded figures stepped forward.

"I believe you may know them my lord," Vereesa beamed. "Meet Sylvanastrasza and Uthestrasza."

Uther saw Sylvanas' jaw drop when the dragon named after her lowered her hood. Sylvanastrasza's mortal form was almost the splitting image of her namesake, but her hair was fiery red and her eyes had the same fire as the dragon queen burning in them. But the real shock for Uther came when the dragon named after him revealed his mortal form. Uthestrasza had somehow copied Uther in his prime, with thick black hair and a clean, fresh face.

"How?" Uther asked, stunned by seeing his younger self standing before him.

"A gift from Nozdormu, these are their future selves." Vereesa explained. "The current infant versions are still with their mother."

"How do they look like us?" Sylvanas asked.

"Dragons can change their mortal guises to mirror others; Deathwing spent years pretending to be Lord Prestor, or at least, disguised himself as human." Onyxia said quickly. "It's likely the dragon queen asked her children to copy their namesakes' looks for their mortal forms."

"Does this displease you my lord?" Uthestrasza asked innocently.

"No, it has just been a while since I saw that face before me." Uther said slowly, before shaking himself out of the moment. "I can deal with revelry later, now we must kill the Spellweaver."

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They stepped out on to a large circular platform, which seemed to be floating in nothingness, with small lights twinkling around the edge.

"Where are we?" Sylvanas asked as she looked around.

"You are in my inner sanctum mortals, this is my realm and I am in complete control of everything." A blue-haired Sin'dorei said proudly, as he stood in the middle of the platform, watching them intently. "The rules of your cherished reality do not apply here, only my magic is real."

"Who are you?" Uther asked, drawing his swords.

"I am the Spellweaver, lord of this domain and all magic!" Malygos roared. "What did you hope to accomplish coming this far, did you really think you would kill me in my domain? The arrogance of mortals is without limit!"

"Why aren't you killing us then?" Sylvanas asked.

"Did my sister portray me as insane? Ha! I am not as mad as she claims; in fact I see reason where she does not." Malygos chuckled. "And it is not often that heroes so accomplished wander into my realm."

"What are you saying?" Jaina asked.

"That polite conversation is rare here, and I feel I should give you one chance." He smiled cruelly. "Pledge fealty to me, and perhaps I won't slaughter you for your insolence!"

"That is never going to happen Malygos!" Rhonin said boldly. "We're here to kill you and end your insane scheme, and then end your equally mad brother!"

"Oh my dear brother is returning? How marvellous for you…" Malygos chuckled. "But we are not in the same league."

"Tell that to the people of Dalaran that your kin killed!" Rhonin yelled.

"Oh… Are you one of those paultry wizards? You seek to control what is beyond your comprehension?" Malygos laughed, stepping toward Rhonin. "You believe that you weild arcane magic? Weild this!"

Suddenly four balls of energy appeared around the platform, and shot lightning at Rhonin. The magi screamed as the arcane energy seemed to pour into him, burning him from the inside. Vereesa screamed, and Sylvanas held her as they were forced to watch the arcane magic disintegrate Rhonin, until his armour and weapons clattered to the floor.

"Rhonin!" Vereesa wailed. "I'll kill you!"

"You will try…" Malygos laughed, stepping back and transforming into his true form, which towered above them. "My patience has reached its limit; I will be rid of you!"

The remaining heroes were forced into action, Uther, Sylvanas, Jaina and Vereesa facing off against Malygos on the ground, whilst Onyxia, Uthestrasza and Sylvanastrasza took to the air. Uther fought as hard as he could, channelling the Light into every swing of his swords, and dodging every swing of the Spellweaver's claws, but this was unlike anything he had thus far faced.

'Care to help?' Uther taunted the Lich.

'-My power is at your disposal 'Lightbringer', I cannot hold it back if you demand it.-' it replied coolly.

Uther tapped into the undead power, and Ashmourne began to glow sickly white. The four balls of energy seemed to shift suddenly, and began to float toward Malygos.

"I AM UNSTOPPABLE!" He roared, as he saw the energy merge together and float toward him.

At the last second it grew, until Anomalus was now facing the Spellweaver.

"Reality… unwoven!" It bellowed.

"No! This cannot be!" Malygos snarled. "I control all magic!"

"Your arrogance and greed created it, and it will not be a slave to you!" Jaina yelled.

"Watch helplessly as your hopes are swept away…" Malygos laughed, blasting them back, and obliterating Anomalus in the shockwave. "I had hoped to end your lives quickly, but you have proven more… resilient then I had anticipated. Nonetheless your efforts are in vain, it is you reckless, careless mortals who are to blame for this war! I do what I must… And if it means your extinction… THEN SO BE IT!"

He took flight and began breathing fire and casting spells at them from the air. Suddenly the platform collapsed underneath them, and it was only the timely intervention of the three dragons, which saved them from falling for eternity.

"YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED WHILE I DRAW BREATH!" Malygos snarled, breathing fire at them, and forcing the dragons to scatter and spread out around the Spellweaver.

"You will not monopolise what is not yours to control!" Vereesa yelled, casting spells from Sylvanastrasza's back. "It was your charge to watch over it, not hoard it like the gluttonous fiend you have become!"

"I will teach you IGNORANT children just how little you know of magic…" he laughed, casting a bubble and silencing Vereesa and Jaina's spellcasting.

"Give him hell sister!" Vereesa whispered in her sister's ear.

"I plan to!" she replied, swooping Sylvanastrasza in low and firing several arrows at Malygos' wings.

Unlike his companions, Uther was solely focused on flying Uthestrasza, as there was little he could do on the back of a flying dragon.

After Sylvanas had depleted her quiver, the battle finally seemed to shift into the end phase, and it was clear that Malygos was desperate to kill them.

"ENOUGH! If you intend to reclaim Azeroth's magic, then you shall have it…" he bellowed, casting another spell, which seemed to enable the two female magi to cast spells again.

There was a shift in the atmosphere and Uther had to dive to avoid the three new arrivals, who each matched Malygos' size.

"Now your benefactors make their appearance… But they are too late." Malygos laughed, summoning the platform again and landing at the centre. "The power I have siphoned here is sufficient to destroy the world ten times over! What do you think it will do to you?"

"You'll never find out!" Vereesa snarled, grabbing Frostlight from Uther's hands and charging the Azure dragon.

"Vereesa!" Sylvanas yelled, casting a protective bubble around her sister, before attacking the Spellweaver with her daggers.

Uther, solely armed with Ashmourne, channelled both holy and unholy energy into the blade, and managed to slice through Malygos' thick azure scales.

"Your cause is lost!" he roared, swiping his claws at them, as arcane spells rained from the sky around them. "Your fragile minds will shatter!"

'-I don't think so!-' the voice laughed.

Vereesa ran toward her sister, and instinctively her younger sister springboarded her up on to Malygos' back.

"For Rhonin!" She yelled, plunging the sword into Malygos' back, before moving to slice into his wings.

"Puny witch!" Malygos snarled, shaking her off his back, but the damage had been done.

Uther channelled all he could muster into Ashmourne, and thrust it up into Malygos' chest, causing the Spellweaver to bellow in pain. Vereesa followed this up by blasting the wound Uther had made, and striking Malygos' heart directly.

"Unthinkable! The mortals will destroy… everything… my sister… what have you…" The Spellweaver roared at Alexstrasza, who had landed and transformed, flanked by Ysera and Nozdormu.

"I did what I had to, brother." Alexstrasza said softly, looking into the dying wyrm's eyes as they slowly closed. "You gave me no alternative."

Malygos gave one final groan of pain, his eyes no longer showing his insane rage, but the betrayal he'd suffered. He took his last breath, with his eyes fixed on his sister Alexstrasza.

"And so ends the Nexus War." Nozdormu said solemnly, as Alexstrasza closed her deceased brother's eyes.

"This resolution pains me deeply; but the destruction, the monumental chaos and insanity had to end." Alexstrasza said, caressing the deceased Malygos' snout. "Regardless of his recent transgressions, I will mourn his loss. He was once a guardian, a protector. On this day, one of the worlds mightiest has fallen."

"Amen." Uther breathed, suddenly out of breath from the intense fighting.

Alexstrasza turned to face them, seeing exhaustion on all their faces, and sweat coating their skin.

"Where is Rhonin?" she asked softly.

"He's… dead." Vereesa said weakly, before breaking down into tears. "That monster killed him!"

Sylvanas rushed to comfort her sister, while Uther led the Dragonflight leaders a short distance away from the two Windrunners.

"What happened?" Ysera asked.

"Malygos channelled arcane energy into Rhonin until he burned up. He mocked Rhonin for wanting to weild the energy that he used to killed him." Uther explained, feeling emotionally raw, but determined to explain what happened to the dragon queen.

"Two greats have fallen this day," Nozdormu stated.

"Indeed, I will not forget either of them, especially as Rhonin risked everything to free me from the Dragon Soul's control; I am deeply saddened by his death." Alexstrasza said, her head bowed and tears welling in her eyes. "We should return to the temple, rest, recouperate, and awaken tomorrow to face the world again."

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When they returned to the temple, Sylvanas led her sister away to a private room to mourn, while the two children of the dragon queen were taken back to the Caverns of Time by Nozdormu. Onyxia sat on the edge of the throne room, looking at the floating globe, while Uther convened with Alexstrasza and Ysera.

"Who will replace the Spellweaver?" he asked.

"We have chosen his eldest surviving child, Kalecgos." Ysera stated. "But there will be some struggle over this decision. Malygos' death creates a power vacuum among his surviving children, but we are backing Kalecgos as he does not share in his father's mad views."

"And what of…" Uther was about to ask, but the subject of his question struck.

The entire world shook violently; dust fell from the ceiling, and cracks appeared in the snowy fields below. The temple was once again plunged into chaos, but Uther's heart sank the most when he saw Onyxia's reaction. She was curled up in the foetal position, completely still, and her face was white as the snow.

"He's free!" she said terrified, and silence ensued. "My father has returned!"