Duskscale awoke to a massive green forest around him. It was the place he had been in before when he had slept! This time the forest was surrounded by massive mountains, and the layer of trees were so thick he could barely see past them. Everything was overgrown, and he could hear chirping of birds, and other animal calls throughout the area.
Getting up to his feet he noticed his perspective had changed. Flexing his back he felt a pair of wings, and looking at his hand revealed a colorful, scaled talon.
"I- I'm back?" his voice sounded a bit more rumbly with his transformation back into a whelp.
Deciding to get a lay of this strange world, Victor spread his wings and tried flying above the thick treetops.
Struggling through the branches several massive insects came popping out of the bark of the tree, and a small monkey came swinging through and nearly hit him in the face as he climbed.
Finally reaching the top, his eyes widened at the vast expanse before him.
The forest was surrounded by a small range of mountains covered in green, far off Duskscale could see a beach with an endless sea ahead, and flying higher he could view all the treetop creatures below him, the entire realm was chirping in harmony. Looking up all he could see was an endless night sky covered in many bright stars, all tinted with a magical soft green hue.
"Beautiful…" the whelp muttered to himself before snapping back into focus. It may look nice, but who knows what kind of dangers might be abound here.
"This does kinda look like where Stormwind was before I slept," he remarked, "Hopefully I'll be able to find more than the last time I was here too."
Suddenly a loud roar rang throughout the forest, and Duskscale looked up to see the huge, green dragon that he had seen the last time he was here.
The hatchling darted beneath the treetops again, as he hoped he wasn't noticed. He was not exactly sure whether or not the large dragon had seen him, and he didn't want to take any risks on something that was several times his own size.
Victor thought he was safe, until he felt the branches he hid amongst move around him. The wood wrapping around his limbs, and pulling him back above the trees face to face with the dragon.
Getting an up close look, the whelp beheld the massive emerald dragon, a shining crown floating just off her head, and deep glowing blue eyes that pierced right through him. He struggled helplessly against his new binds as he tried opening his mouth to breath out something, but nothing came.
"Peace, hatchling." a calm, motherly voice rang out from the dragon's mouth. "I will not harm you, here, just agree you will not run, and I will release your bindings."
Giving a curt nod, Duskscale felt the branches loosen as he was let down atop the branches. The dragon gave a flick of her head, and a large opening appeared to the forest floor as the trees cleared way for a landing. Without much hope or choice to even run away, the whelp decided to land, and speak with her.
"I must apologize for the excessive force I used," her voice rang out, "Unfortunately time is of the essence, and I needed to speak with you. My name is Ysera, Dragon Aspect of the green dragonflight, and guardian of The Emerald Dream.
Victor merely stared at the dragon, trying to even understand one bit of what she was talking about or even meant. Aspect? Dragonflight? Emerald Dream?
Ysera's eyes gave a look of sorrow as she peered at the colorful hatchling, "I don't suppose I would even need any power to sense the turmoil within you child. You naught have existed for even a few days, yet have already experienced so much. Please, allow me to be the one to put a few of your concerns or questions at rest for the moment.
"Who am I? WHAT am I?!" The words began to flow out of the whelp's mouth with little control, "Did I do something wrong? What is this place? Do you really know something about me?"
The green dragon gave the hatchling a moment after he had finished spouting out his questions. She closed her eyes as a thin mist covered the area around them.
Victor felt as his whole body relaxed all of a sudden, he didn't realize his scales were stinging until he felt himself loosen as all the pain, and turmoil went away. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and took a deep breath.
"Thank you." The hatchling gave an awkward sort of bow towards the Aspect.
Ysera gave a noticeable smile before speaking again, "We are dragons, beings blessed by a pantheon of Titans, tasked with the noble goal of defending Azeroth our home. Our people were split into flights tasked with specific aspects of the world to defend it: The green of the dream, red of life, blue of magic, bronze of time, and… the black dragonflight of earth…"
Victor could notice a twinge of pain in the Aspect's eyes as she brought up the black dragonflight, one of sorrow and regret.
"Five dragons, including me, were empowered by the Titan's themselves, to lead the flights as their Aspects." her tone became more somber as she spoke, "Tragically, The Aspect of earth Neltharion betrayed us, corrupted and mind lost. In the end, he became the monster all of Azeroth knows as Deathwing."
"That name, I keep hearing it," Victor spoke up, "What else did he do that ended up being drawn to me? What else did his flight do?"
"With Neltharion's corruption came the corruption of his entire flight," Ysera's words came out slowly, "One of his progeny, Nefarian, was setting up mysterious experiments on dragon eggs in Blackrock mountain. I could feel the agony of those eggs from the dream, a vile disruption of nature itself echoing from that mountain. All eggs, all hatchlings… dead, except for one… you."
"So that's it then?" the hatchling's voice croaked out, "Some horrific being made by a mad dragon, and I'm the last one left? That is what you felt when I entered this realm here wasn't it? A mistake?!"
"Looking at you now, I have a different belief in mind," Ysera said, "You were meant to be a weapon, injected with the blood, the very powers of all dragonflights, and used as a thrall by the black dragonflight. Quite similar to the dract…" she paused, "Yet here you remain, perhaps damaged from experience, but still sound in mind. I still feel how unnaturally your power swells within you, but yet you remain despite all that. All living things should deserve a chance, and you barely have even begun."
"A- a red dragon burst in, when I was in my egg," a thought had slipped from Victor's mouth, "I felt myself slipping, but it all went away when he came in. He… he didn't make it out though…"
Ysera gave a look of regard at the hatchling, "A red dragon? I suppose my sister Alexstraza would have her flight look into this. I also suspect she would very much want to meet you."
Duskscale gave a bit of a worried look. Another regal dragon? Surely she would be just as kind as Ysera, right? He was there when the red dragon had died, so would she blame him?
"Worry not young one," Ysera gave words of encouragement, "My sister is a gentle soul, and I am certain she would treat you as kindly as any other who comes to her in peace."
The Green Aspect gave a slight shift in tone, "That being said, I did not come here to just let you run wild. Having the ability to harness the power of all flights brings great danger not only to yourself, but potentially others around you depending on how you use it. I have come to offer you the opportunity, even if not much of a choice…"
"If it's meant to help, then I am sure I'll accept." Victor said.
Ysera gave a slow nod, "I appreciate your willingness. To assist in helping stabilize your power, I'm offering you the chance to learn in one of our dragonflight's nesting programs within The Dream. You would naturally be monitored by other dragons, but also would have a chance to interact with other hatchlings and practice mastery over at least your green dragonflight aspects. You would enjoy the life you are attempting to build by day, and learn what it means to be a dragon by night."
The chromatic hatchling paused for a moment before speaking again.
"Alright, please take me there then."