I do not own nor possess any right over Harry Potter and World of Warcraft, all rights belong to their rightful owners.
To the Guest that said that this story was awkward, yeah, I 100% agree with you. I'm happy that you found some good in it, and not surprised that there is some bad. Thanks for reviewing!
This chapters features... the Champion of Azeroth! I decided to go with only a single champion, as it's what happened in the lore. The champion comes from Terra1211, which agreed to let me use Treesha for this story, so big thanks to him. He also pointed out a couple of mistakes in this chapter, so, again, thanks for that.
Also, big, big thanks to tkepner, who gave me lots of corrections and tips to make less mistakes. The mistakes he pointed out were mostly all implemented, but a revision of the whole story will have to wait until its end.
I also used a second grammar checker, and it revealed mistakes that the first one didn't find, so maybe it'll help making cleaner chapters.
In this chapter, we will continue our return to go toward N'Zoth. A bit slow, but a step closer.
Please comment/review.
Thank you for your patience and good reading.
Our return to our home was quick, and as soon as we arrived we witnessed some damages already. Some earth elementals at our service had crumbled, returned to the spirit world. Calling them again was a matter of seconds, but the fact that Azeroth's pain had been strong enough to do this was another sign that the situation was dire.
We talked a little with Roko and some of our servants about what happened, and how we would certainly be expected to help in the upcoming troubles. And we got this request far sooner than expected.
We were in the throne room, discussing our options and how to prepare should N'Zoth really strike, when a portal appeared right next to the balcony. Our eyes turned toward it, and it took me just a second to recognize the familiar magic powering it. I did notice, from the corner of my eyes, the drakonid guards raising their weapons and standing ready to fight. Barely a moment later, Tyrygosa exited the portal, in her elven form and with her usual frown on her face.
"Well at least I won't have to look for you." She started, blankly, keeping the portal open behind her.
"Hello to you too, Tyri." I smiled at her. It had been some time since I last saw her, so I was happy to see her again.
"Greetings, Tyrygosa. I suppose you're here because of Azeroth's cry." Greeted Mightion, going straight to the point.
"Yeah. I didn't hear it, but Alexstrasza did, along with a few others. She said that I had to bring you to her, so you better move your flanks. I have more important things to do." Tyri replied, annoyed, as she pointed at the portal behind her.
"Then we shouldn't make her wait." I agreed.
"Indeed. Let's go." Said Mightion.
Mightion and I entered the portal and appeared at the summit of Wyrmrest Temple, with Tyri following right behind us and closing the portal. We found ourselves before Alexstrasza, Nozdormu and Kalecgos, all in their humanoids form, standing before a large projection of the world.
"Daughter, Mightion. It's good to see you again." My mother smiled warmly at us.
"Despite the circumstances." Added Nozdormu, his gaze looking at something beyond our sight.
"Indeed. We are only waiting for Merithra, she shouldn't be long." Continued Kalecgos.
"We heard it, it was quite painful too." I said, exchanging a brief hug with my mother.
"Pain? Was it your scar?" Alexstrasza replied, surprised and looking at my hand.
"No. It was more in my head and in my heart."
"I felt it too, my queen. The same cry, the suffering of Azeroth." Helpfully added Mightion.
"I fear that we only felt her call, not her pain. The situation is more dire than I expected." Frowned Alexstrasza.
"My Sight is clouded. I cannot see what will unfold next, only know what could happen." Said Nozdormu rather vaguely.
A swoosh and a gush of wind interrupted us, and we watched as Merithra entered the temple, taking her Night-Elf form right as she landed.
"Greetings. I got your message, Kalecgos. Was it the same reason why the dreamers of the world are shaken?" She asked, taking her place between me and Alexstrasza.
"Most certainly. Azeroth called us, and we need to discuss our answer." Kalecgos replied.
"Before we begin, are the members of the Black Dragonflight the only ones to have felt pain at Azeroth's call?" Questioned Alexstrasza.
"I only felt a slight discomfort, just enough to wake me up." Replied Merithra.
"I felt nothing. Only Alexstrasza's message warned me of the danger." Said Kalecgos.
"There was no change in the timelines." Said Nozdormu.
"Azeroth's call was powerful, urgent. She calls for aid, from anyone who can." Supplied Alexstrasza.
"We heard Azeroth's call, and felt her pain. She is no longer able to fight on her own." Added Mightion.
"And there's currently only one being capable of doing such harm."
"N'Zoth." Said Merithra, her voice called but also filled with pain. She did lose her mother to the Old Gods' Emerald Nightmare not long ago.
"Yes. We all know how active he has been in the last few years, but his presence is growing stronger. Old Gods' minions are frequently sighted, searching for artefacts, powers, and people to corrupt. His Nagas are harassing ships on the coasts and in the seas, cultists of the Twilight Hammer are attacking our allies and are taking advantage of the war between the Horde and the Alliance to act. And he directly targeted Amaria and Mightion just over two months ago." Summed up Alexstrasza.
"Should we expect him to free himself of his prison? Like C'Thun and Yogg Saron?" Wondered Kalecgos, putting the biggest question on the table.
"It does resemble what his monstrous siblings attempted. Gathering their followers, preparing an escape from his prison." Said Nozdormu.
"Do we know where his prison is?" I asked.
"No, his imprisonment happened far too long before we were transformed into the Aspects. We have a few suspicions of where his prison might be, but no way to be certain." Replied Alexstrasza.
"Yet, Azeroth is calling for help. We were told of a Speaker, one that could help and capable of hearing Azeroth's voice, that was interested in our capabilities as Black Dragons. He is apparently in Silithus." Intervened Mightion.
"I've actually met this speaker. His name is Magni Bronzebeard, former king of Khaz Modan and currently acting as Azeroth's herald." Enlighten us Alexstrasza. "He has asked for my help and assistance a few times, mostly for my knowledge and my advice."
"Really?" Asked Kalecgos, as surprised as most of us.
"At the time, his requests were important, but not to dragonkind. I fear that we don't have the choice any more, and must address him as soon as possible."
"Then should we go now? The sooner we'll meet with him, the sooner we will be able to act." I suggested.
"Patience, child. In time, we will have our answers." Stopped me Nozdormu.
"We must gather more information before we act." Agreed Merithra.
I looked at them all, a bit flabbergasted by their words. How could they decide to look for information later, when the problem was right there? I had so many examples in mind where patience had been the wrong thing, both in my old world and on this one. And the scale, the risks here were so much worse than back on Earth.
"You can't be serious." I let out, gathering the looks of all the dragons before me, who looked surprised at my words. Even Nozdormu.
"What is it, daughter?" Asked me Mother.
"You literally have the world who told you it needed help, and you want to wait for more information? How does that make any sense?" I questioned them.
"Amaria, the Old Gods are no beings that can be rushed. We need to gather our informants, learn all that we can, before acting." Told me Kalecgos.
"I understand. I know that waiting can improve our chances, give us the time to get ready. But when the world cries out in pain, begging for help, time is no longer a luxury that you can afford." I continued. "Hear me out. N'Zoth has the advantage for now because we indeed don't know his plans, where his minions will be attacking and such. But at the same time, this doesn't mean that we can't prepare ourselves. What would it cost us to go see that Speaker now? A few minutes, or a few hours? It's nothing, compared to the urgency of the situation." I finally ended my little rant.
All eyes and all ears were on me, and it was easy to see that not only did I catch most of them off-guard, but my words were being considered. A few exchanged glances at each other, even a few nods for some acknowledgement that I couldn't know yet.
"My mate speaks the truth." Cut in Mightion, giving me a small smile before returning to the council. "Could you imagine? Waiting for Azeroth to get into the Old God's clutch? Letting the mortals take care of this issue alone? Our duty is to act, to defend this world against all threats. I agree that patience and careful planning are necessary to fight N'Zoth, especially since he is the most cunning of the Old Gods, but what wrong could there be in reaching for new information and allies now?"
"While I would normally disagree with such methods, Time is no longer in my grasp. I cannot say if delaying our actions could benefit us or not." Replied Nozdormu.
"I agree with Amaria. We need to be vigilant, but we shouldn't wait for N'Zoth to strike."
"Seeing this speaker sooner can only help us be more ready in the future." Nodded Kalecgos.
All eyes turned toward Alexstrasza, who sighed a little in response.
"Very well. I was planning on going to see him at one point, perhaps it will do us good to do it now." She agreed, a little reluctantly.
"Thank you." I addressed all of them, smiling at their trust in me.
"Who should go? All of us?" Asked Kalecgos.
"We're going." Said Mightion for me and himself.
"I shall go too." Followed Merithra.
"My presence will be of better use in my chambers, watching for anomalies. I will ask Chronormu if she can come with you." Replied Nozdormu, sending a little wave of sand that flew in the air.
"I'd like to go too." Added Kalecgos.
"And I will go as well." Lastly said Alexstrasza.
"We can take my portal for the Caverns of Time. From there, going to Silithus won't be long." Told us Nozdormu.
"Let's be on our way."
With a nod at the dragon queen, Nozdormu waved his hand before him, and a portal made out of sand appeared. I was worried for a second that I'd have sand in my eyes, but the portal stabilised itself and a large cavern shining with lights appeared on the other side. One by one, we stepped through, arriving in the Caverns of Time. A few Bronze dragons were already there, at work on their tasks and completely ignoring our presence, but one of them was clearly waiting for us.
"You're just in time!" Cheered Chromie, standing in her gnome form with a large smile on her face.
"Greetings, Chronormu. Would you mind assisting our fellow Flights with their task, and then report to me?" Asked Nozdormu, not at all surprised by her presence and her words.
"Of course. It will be like a family trip." She giggled, walking next to us.
"Thank you for your help, Chronormu." Nodded Alexstrasza. "Now, follow-me. I know where Magni's camp is."
She took her dragon form, taking a large part of the place. Thankfully, the caverns were wide, as we all took our dragon forms, taking up a lot of space. Leading the way, mother flew ahead of us. I took off after Merithra, and watched with amazement the sides of the tunnel going to the surface. There was space, literally space from outside the planet, around the cave, and in the middle of it flew buildings of different styles, and most likely different times. It was a truly unique sight, to see a building build itself in the middle of nothing, before crumbling to rubbles that soon returned to rock and then sand.
Soon though, we were out of the tunnel, and arrived on the sight of the desert, extending for kilometers. Nozdormu's caverns truly were in the middle of nowhere.
As mother angled toward the west, with us following behind her, I guessed that we must have been quite the sight. A flight of dragons, with the dragon queen leading the way, darkening the lands bellow us with our wings. We flew for a few minutes, when Merithra slowed down a little, coming to my level.
"I wonder, Amaria, what made you say that it was time to act? What pushed you to say so?" Asked me Merithra.
"It seemed like the logical thing to do. I'm all for planning and acting carefully, but there are times when it's necessary to act first." I answered, feeling like my reaction should have been the normal one."
"I suppose." She replied, not really convinced.
"Maybe it's your mortal heritage that makes you see the world around us differently." Intervened Mightion, flying on my other side. "We tend to have centuries, even millenia, to prepare and act. Of course, some threats like the Burning Legion can't be predicted, except by Nozdormu, and even then he might not tell us in case the results in the future might be better that way. You don't have all of this. You share the mortal's sight, their perception of threats. Perhaps that's something that will prove of great use to dragonkind, another perspective on life."
I couldn't have said it better. While I was still a bit annoyed at the word 'mortals', I agreed with the idea. It's not to say that I knew better than them, certainly not, but my way of seeing things was indeed quite different from theirs.
"I heard of your eloquence, Mightion, but it's something different to hear it yourself." Said Chromie, flying a bit above us.
"Did you now?" Asked Mightion.
"Well, I heard a future version of you, a corrupted one. But even then, you were still a great speaker." She shrugged.
I had no words to reply to that. An evil version of Mightion? Yeah, we almost got that. As well as an evil version of me.
That put an end to our conversation, and we kept flying toward Silithus. It would have been very, very hard to miss. Especially with the giant sword stabbed in it. But it wasn't that far, and we soon arrived in Silithus. From that close, the size of the sword was even more impressive, and I could only shudder at the thought of the Titan Sargeras who wielded it. How massive he must have been. How terrified the people of the world must have been when it happened. To think of a being this powerful, it was mind blowing. And what was more impressive was that he was defeated, by a group of mortals that saved the other titans who in turn contained Sargeras.
We flew around the giant sword, and I took in the details, its size most importantly, but also the runes, the dark energies that still flowed around it. And then the ground, shattered, melted by the strength of the strike and by how deep the wound was. The blow must have annihilated every living being in the vicinity.
Our flight led us slightly to the west of the sword, where a small camp consisting of a few tents and members of the Cenarion Circle and the Earthen Ring stood guard. A bit near the centre of the camp, was a pad on the ground, shining with a light blue glow and of elegant construct.
Nearly all the members of the two groups bowed down as we landed, with a rather large Tauren and a strong looking Night-Elf wearing a heavy coat coming forward. They looked rather similar in their outfits, with one wielding a staff and the other large bear claws gloves, making me think that they were both druids.
We all took our mortal forms, for we would have been too big otherwise to fit in there.
"It's an honor to have the attention of all the Dragonflights." Said the elf, kneeling.
"Your swift answer is most reassuring." Continued the Tauren.
"Hammul, Broll. It's a pleasure to see you again, though I didn't know you to be involved in this already." Replied Merithra, a bit to my surprise. I was expecting mother to speak first, since she was our queen.
"Magni asked for our help a few months ago, and we've been working on appeasing the wound left by Sargeras' sword." Replied Broll, looking at said sword.
"And today we hear Azeroth's call for help, and so we answer." Assured Alexstrasza.
"Not without a bit of motivation." I couldn't stop myself, grinning a little.
"Yes." She acknowledged, a bit annoyed.
"Magni called for your assistance a little while ago, Lady Amaria. And Lord Mightion too." Continued Hammul.
"How do you know about us?" I asked, taken by surprise by his statement.
"I frequently travel to Mulgore, and I got the opportunity to discuss a few things about my former apprentice, Roko." Hammul smiled at me. "Last I heard, he was doing well."
"Ah, yes. He's trying to make plants grow with lava." I smiled too, though mine was rather sheepish.
"That is most curious, but Roko is resourceful, I trust that he knows what he's doing."
"As much as I'd like to hear from this young druid, our time is precious. We need to talk with Magni." Interrupted us Alexstrasza.
"Precious time indeed." Chuckled Chromie.
"Of course, your majesty. This way." Invited us Broll.
We walked behind him until we reached the pad, glowing softly.
"You only need to step on the pad, and you'll be taken to the chamber of the heart." He said.
"What is that chamber?" Asked Kalecgos.
"A special place, where Magni can exchange with Azeroth directly. His title of Speaker is more than it appears, as he hears Azeroth's voice, and can tell us how to help as efficiently as possible." Supplied Hammul.
"Azeroth's voice?" Wondered Merithra.
"Is she waking up already?" Asked Kalecgos, both shocked and worried.
"No, not in the way that may worry you. This way, please." Said Broll, stepping on the pad before vanishing in a flash of blue light.
One by one, we followed and stepped on the pad. When it was my turn, right after Chromie, I was briefly disoriented when I appeared in a very large room, completely closed but filled with walls covered in advanced technology. The ground we were standing on appeared to be made of glass, with a well of falling stars beneath our feet. All around us stood many installations, machines that I could only guess the purpose of, also glowing with light. And in front of me, where the other dragons were already walking toward, was a duo of rather impressive and strange beings.
The first one was a colossus, a machine several meters high, that appeared to be a woman clad in armour and wielding a massive hammer in her right hand. She was staring at a sphere of light, completely immobile. The second being, was a dwarf, literally made out of diamond, that seemed to be in trance for a few seconds before his eyes opened, and he looked at us. It took a few more seconds for the rest of our group to arrive, but we all stood before the one I guessed to be Magni.
"Greetings, great dragons. Azeroth is happy to know that she has such strong allies to her side." Started Magni.
"We heard her plea, Magni. We could only answer." Replied my mother.
This time I held my tongue, not saying that we may not have come had I not intervened.
"And it's about time we do something about this. Azeroth has been more troubled lately, and we know that N'Zoth is to blame. We have a champion, chosen by Azeroth herself, carrying a part of her with him: The Heart of Azeroth. He was working with other adventurers to face N'Zoth's minions at the Shrine of the Storm, on Kul Tiras." Explained Magni.
"Really? Why wasn't this reported to us earlier?" Questioned Alexstrasza, raising an accusing eyebrow.
"Lack of time and resources, I fear."
"That champion, is it the one who fought against Sargeras, Deathwing and so many others?" Asked Kalecgos, somewhat relieved.
"That it is. Though, I'm worried something happen ta her. This cry of Azeroth, it only happened once our champion went to investigate." Magni answered, quite worried.
"Do you know what N'Zoth minions were doing in this shrine?" Asked Mightion.
"No, only that a lot of people went there, driven by whispers that can only belong to N'Zoth. Our champion was tasked with investigating these whispers and to put an end to it."
"What else can you tell us, Magni? What is Azeroth's will?" Pursued Alexstrasza.
"She is hurting, and we all know why. We have MOTHER here looking at the problem, but it will take time. Several cycles of processing data." He replied.
"Mother?" I wondered, looking at Alexstrasza a bit perplexed.
"MOTHER, or Matron of Tenacity, Herald of Endless Research." Magni explained.
I didn't know what to say to that. Did the titans have a sense of humour? I didn't get the impression, seeing how direct their way of doing things was.
"And what is she looking for?" Continued Alexstrasza.
"Our goal is to reinforce the Heart of Azeroth, so that our champion can face the corrupting whispers of N'Zoth. The other use of the heart is to collect Azerite, which is Azeroth's blood, so that we can accelerate her recovery. We're still waiting for MOTHER and our champion's return, and from there we will be able to act." Magni said.
"So, are we here too early?" Asked Chromie, apparently taken by surprise.
"Yeah. Not much that we can do now, beside waiting. It's infuriating, but that's how it is." Magni sighed.
"It seems someone was too eager to act." Commented Alexstrasza, glaring a little at me.
"Oups?" I said sheepishly, making myself very small.
Even though I may have pushed a bit too much to rush here, I wasn't regretting it. I'd rather be sure of what was happening, rather than be left in the dark to wait for troubles to come to us.
"That's- it shouldn't have happened like this." Mumbled Chromie, speaking to herself, even if we all heard her.
"Is there a problem, Chronormu?" Asked Merithra.
"Not a problem per se, only a little delay. It shouldn't matter too much." She assured, though it was easy to tell that she was thinking about something.
"If you say so." Replied Alexstrasza, giving the gnome a short glance before. "Now, if there is nothing left that we can do, I advise that we return home. Magni, I trust that you will contact us should you need our help?"
"Of course, yer majesty." He bowed a little.
Kalecgos stepped forward, magic gathering in his right hand as it took the form of a rune shinning with power, a soft blue glow coming from it.
"Here, take this rune. You'll only have to gather magic in it, and I'll know you will be needing us." He said, handing the rune to Magni.
"I appreciate it, thank ya kindly." Nodded Magni as he studied the rune before putting it in a pouch. That was made out of diamond, just like him.
"I suggest we depart without delay. There is much that we can start to do on our own to defeat N'Zoth." Mother said.
"Indeed. Let's go!" Cheered Chromie, already back to her regular self.
Looking at them, I thought about leaving with them, but realised that I still hadn't met that champion that everyone told me about. They were due to arrive soon, so we might as well wait for them to arrive.
"Would you mind staying here? I'd like to see this champion." I told Mightion quietly.
"I admit that I too would like to see who they are. To know that they stood against so many, including Deathwing... that shows strength. Especially for a mor- for a not dragon." He replied, stopping himself at the end and correcting himself quite poorly.
Chuckling a little, I patted him on the shoulder.
"I appreciate the effort." I told him. Turning toward my mother and the other dragons, I told them our choice.
"Can I expect you to come join me for dinner tonight? I'd like to discuss a few things with you." Asked me Mother.
"Yes, of course." I assured.
We each went on our own way, meaning that I and Mightion remained with Magni Hammul, Broll and MOTHER, while our fellow dragons returned to the surface. Preferring this less crowded setting, me and Mightion made our way to Magni.
"King Magni?" I interpellated him.
"Ah'm king no longer, Lady Amaria. Call me Magni." He replied kindly, yet I could feel a sort of tightness, or perhaps blankness, in his tone.
"Then you can call me Amaria." I told him.
"Lord Mightion will do." Said Mightion, not haughty, but simply stating it.
"Right. I wanted to know why you required our presence a few months ago. I'm sorry to say that I forgot about your invitation." I apologised.
"From what I heard, ya weren't doing nothing, and that's what matters. Your help would be very appreciated here, if you'd like to lend a hand." Magni replied.
"What do you expect from us? To seal The Wound? That's impossible." Questioned Mightion.
"See, Azeroth told me about the good you did. Your work in the Burning Steppes was felt by her, and even if it's only a very small part of our world, every act we do helps tremendously. Calming the volcano, keeping lava underground, all of this relieved Azeroth of a small weight that allows her to fight the more pressing issues more efficiently." Explained Magni, looking at the well of stars leading underground. "What she told me, what would help the most, would be for you to work right here, in Silithus. We're aware of how hard this is, and that The Wound, just like the Maelstrom, is too big to ever be closed and healed. Even after thousands of years, Azeroth will still bear the scars of her fights for survival. But it doesn't mean that we cannot alleviate the pain and help Azeroth."
"What does this mean, concretely?" I asked.
"Pretty much doing the same thing that ya were doing in the Burning Steppes, with the addition of helping us to get rid of some Horde miners." He replied, much to my surprise.
"The Horde? What is the problem?"
"They're mining Azerite, which is the crystallised blood of Azeroth. The champion is already hard at work to gather Azerite, which both strengthen them for the fights to come, and also allows the Heart of Azeroth to slowly heal The Wound. I won't seal it, but as I said, every little bit helps. That's why your help is needed, you're not alone on that and your powers as Black Dragons can help where most of our shamans and druids can't. Since compared to the Maelstrom and a few other places, The Wound can be directly interacted with, meaning that our efforts will be most efficient here." Magni continued.
"So we'd be working alongside your druids, shamans, as well as the champion. Doesn't seem too hard." Shrugged a little Mightion.
"Between your help, the Cenarion Circle, the Earthen Ring and the champion, I'm certain that we can improve our chances to win the upcoming conflict." Acknowledged the dwarf.
"It's that bad, isn't it?" I asked, concerned.
"That it is. At the end of this war, either Azeroth will be safe and free, or N'Zoth will rule as absolute master on the whole planet." He grimly stated.
"N'Zoth will not win. He and his ilk have tried for millennia to take over Azeroth, and while they almost managed to succeed in their plans, they were all defeated in the end. The challenges to come might be as dangerous and dire as the previous ones, yet we shall prevail once again." Mightion said with absolute certitude.
I remained silent while Mightion talked, thinking about how casual a lot of people were in the face of this threat. The end of the world, quite literally, and some, like the dragons, didn't look to be more concerned than if it was a small fight. I suppose that being threatened so often, by such strong forces, could make one insensitive to the size of the danger ahead of us.
Looking to the left, I observed the immobile form of MOTHER. There were indeed many forces that would fight to defend Azeroth. It wasn't like when I faced Voldemort and his Death Eaters, where most of Britain hid and only a few stood up for what was right. When I went to free Mightion, I was followed by Anduin, Genn, Jaina, Mother and Tyrygosa. And now that we were going to bring the fight to N'Zoth, I was hoping to see more forces on our side.
But I suppose the biggest threat to this unity of Azeroth against the old god was the active war, diverting all the attention and resources of the world. Should N'Zoth free himself soon, both the Alliance and the Horde would be too weak to send their armies against him.
We kept exchanging with Magni for half an hour, mainly about the current works of the shamans and druids hard at work to relieve the pain brought by the wound. He told us where our help might be needed, the most urgent issues, as well as some properties of Azerite. We also explained that we couldn't be there every day, but that we would do our very best to help.
It appears that while the shamans and druids could do a lot for the damages on the surface, they weren't capable of interacting with the magma veins beneath the earth. Sporadically, lava would randomly flow from the ground, making their efforts fruitless. That's where most of our work would be located, starting with three main veins at the edge of the wound, and then progressively making our way toward the centre and dealing with many other veins. It would be a long and delicate work, and we were aware that depending on the damages, we might have to rework some of them afterwards.
A crude map of the area showed where our work would be most efficient, and while I had no problem agreeing to help in this, I was almost painfully aware of how long it would take. I didn't ask for a date, but it would no doubt take months, even years, before the wound was deemed 'clean'. And that was if everything continued at the actual rate, without interference from N'Zoth, which we all knew would come. This was another massive project on our shoulders, making me think that perhaps Blackrock wouldn't become the home I hoped it would be before quite some time. Of course, we would delegate the work, have our servants take care of the place and maybe hire artisans to repair some more parts, but the lava and the volcano couldn't be handled by anyone else.
I wouldn't balk before the colossal project, healing Azeroth was a priority that had all our lives at stake, but a part of me was unhappy at the thought of coming back here for months without end.
Finally, after some more time working on the details, the sound of the translocator activating got our attention. My eyebrows rose a little in surprise, seeing the person coming in.
She was a goblin, standing quite close to the ground at 1.2 meters tall, and wore a rather unusual set of clothing. She was wearing dark chainmail on her torso, covered by a leather robe that almost looked like bark. Her shoulders, her belt, and part of her robe were covered in little bones, twigs and seemingly random little objects. On her head, was a crown made out of several dark herbs, holding out small gemstones. Lastly, she carried with her a staff with small bird skulls tied at the top, dangling and hitting each other in a little hollow sound.
She carried herself strongly, frowning heavily and with a 'no-shit' attitude, making her way toward us.
"What happened at the crucible, Champion?" Asked Magni.
"That was a shitshow, that's what it was. You have no idea." She barked in response, not maliciously, but clearly not very kindly. Her voice was acute, yet had a certain roughness to it, an experienced and aged voice.
She walked right between me and Mightion, completely ignoring us, and went straight to a little machine close to the glass well. She pulled out a rather big necklace, with a large gemstone embedded in its centre, radiating with a strong energy. I even felt some sense of familiarity, as if this necklace was filled with an energy that I knew. Placing the necklace in the machine, we witnessed as some of its energy went into it, then the well of stars brightened for a couple of seconds before returning to normal, with the goblin taking back her necklace.
I glanced at Mightion, and he was frowning at the little goblin, towering over her even from afar. I will admit that she wasn't anything like I had expected. My expectations were of a very strong warrior, or a very powerful wizard, but who I found myself looking at was more of a witch from the old fairy tales, evil looking. In addition, she was not very young. There were signs, like some gray hairs, wrinkles and the way she carried herself indicated a rather painful back.
"We all felt Azeroth suffer, Champion. Please, tell us that you succeeded in stopping N'Zoth's minions." Prompted Magni.
"I'm getting there! Don't be pushy." She growled a little, before sighing and looking up at the dwarf. "I did end the threat of the whispers beneath the crucible, and killed a bunch of old god servants, but it wasn't a victory. A part of N'Zoth was there, and he freed some kind of void entity from the blade, called Xal'atath. I knew it was stupid to listen to that blade, as she offered me to N'Zoth for her freedom, but I had to do it." She explained, staring at Magni, defying him to fault her.
"You obeyed a voice in a weapon tainted by the void?" Asked Mightion a bit flabbergasted. I admit that I wasn't very impressed, either.
"And what would you have done, ya great lump?! Sure, she got me in the end, but at least the whispers in Kul Tiras should cease. And it's not like I accepted N'Zoth gift, nasty bastard." She countered, glaring at Mightion without an ounce of fear. "And who are you, to question me?"
"It's only polite for one to introduce themselves before asking for another's name." Coldly replied Mightion.
"You're either a noble or a dragon. Only they can have a stick so far up their ass." She grumbled a little.
"I don't care if you're Azeroth's champion, you will address me with respect." He stepped up right in front of her.
"Think you're scaring me? I've beaten tougher than you so many times that it's not even funny." She growled back at him, hitting him in the leg with her stick.
"Calm down, both of you. We're all allies in this conflict, and we need to stand united." Intervened Magni, trying to appease both of them.
"Mightion." I called.
"A moment, my love." He replied, still glaring at the goblin who was doing exactly the same, none ready to back down.
"Fine, I'll do it." I groaned. "I'm sorry for my partner, he isn't used to dealing with mortals, as he calls them. My name is Amaria, and we're both members of the Black Dragonflight."
"Did that youngling Wrathion send you? Haven't seen him in a while." Replied the goblin, glancing at me for just a few seconds.
"I know him, but no. I and Mightion are on our own, and took over Blackrock Mountain. We came because we felt Azeroth's pain, and also because Magni invited us a couple of months ago. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." I introduced ourselves.
"You're a dragon?" She asked, before quickly adding: "Don't call me ma'am. I already know that I'm too old."
"Yes, though my origins are quite different from other dragons, as I grew up with humans." I replied.
"Well, a dragon that's polite and not stuck up. You're a rarity, trust me on that one." The goblin said, looking at Mightion. "And you, you're definitely a dragon."
"And you, mortal, should be careful of how you address your elders." He replied.
"Will you stop that?" I said, right before the goblin replied, as I saw she was about to verbally attack him again. Instead, she looked at me, assessing me. "I swear, this is so childish. Mightion, would you please let it go? I get it, she's a bit rude, but that's not the end of the world."
"My love, one shouldn't back down from being insulted like this." He countered.
"And it's a very good thing to stand up for yourself, but how could she have known that you were a lord without knowing you? And, not everyone needs to be polite all the time. I swear that I almost went crazy when I stayed in Wyrmrest Temple." I told him, crossing my arms and frowning a little at him. "Just let it go."
He looked at me, frowning a little, and then glared at the goblin for a few moments in silence. She, too, was glaring, but it wasn't as aggressive as earlier.
"I am Lord Mightion, goblin. If it wasn't for my mate's wish, I would have taught you respect." He finally said.
"And I would have crush you. But no harm done. You're not the first and certainly not the last stuck up idiot I'll have to deal with, you're just one more." And then she proceeded to completely ignore him, walking around him and coming up to me. "And since you're the smart one, let me introduce myself. I am Treesha Zhuula, shaman and leader of the Last Forest Goblins of Desolace. And Champion of Azeroth." She added at the end.
"A pleasure to meet you, Treesha. I must say, you're quite different from what I expected of Azeroth's champion." I honestly answered, glancing a moment at Mightion to see that he was glaring daggers at Treesha's back.
"In what way?"
"Smaller, for one, but also cruder. I appreciate this." I said.
"I like ya, lass, but easy on the compliments. I'm too old to be loved like that." She replied.
I stood there, a little shocked at her reply, but quickly smiled as I saw the glint of amusement in her eyes and a little smirk at the corner of her lips.
"And I already have a partner, though he is far older than you." I joked a little in reply.
"Ha! You're not touchy, I like that." She gave me a four finger hand, which I shook, before she turned back to Magni. "Back to you, piece of diamond. As I was saying, before being interrupted, N'Zoth freed Xal'atath from the blade and I refused his gift. Then he left, I killed his minions, and I brought the blade to the Warchief."
"Sylvanas? Why would you give it to her?" I asked, slightly incredulous. Was she a partisan of Sylvanas? I started to think that we may have problems if that was the case.
"Had a feeling; that it was the thing to do." Treesha replied, though I could tell that something bothered her a little.
"Champion, ya said that N'Zoth tried to give ya a gift?" Asked Magni.
"He did, told me that it'd be a great honour and all. I turned him down, obviously, but he wasn't very upset with my refusal." She continued. "As soon as I gave the blade to the Warchief, I came back here."
"Then I suppose we can only wait fer MOTHER to be done with her cycles." Sighed Magni, apparently a little relieved.
"She's still at it? Screw, that's long." Complained Treesha.
"That's how it is. I'll have a message sent to ya as soon as she's done, but Azeroth still needs all the Azerite that ya can collect and-"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll go gather some more, but I ain't young and flexible any more." She grumbled.
"Glad ta hear it, Champion." Nodded Magni.
"Whatcha gonna do?" Asked me Treesha.
"Us? We'll come here to attend the wound, try to help however we can. We felt Azeroth's pain, and it was crushing. She really can't hold on much longer." I answered.
"Right. And ya said that you two took Blackrock, right? That brings back memories. Not all good, mind you." She chuckled, a bit sadly.
I looked at her for a few seconds, still having a little problem at the forefront of my mind.
"Do you mind me asking if you support Sylvanas' actions?" I asked her.
"What do you mean?" She asked back.
"The massacres, Teldrassil, Lordaeron. This war. Do you support Sylvanas in her actions?" I clarified.
"What shouldn't I? I mean, sure, that war is bloody, messy and there are many innocents who died. But if the Warchief is asking, I obey."
"You're crazy if you think blindly obeying her is the right thing to do." Commented Mightion.
"Crazy? Me? Oh, how I hate that word. Be glad your head is so high up that I can not whack it with my staff from down here. But don't worry that will come back to bite you... Do you know for certain why she does all these things? I for sure do not, and I know a lot of things. You dragons are so preoccupied with the BIG things..." I have to say, she knows how to use sarcasm. "...that you miss all the other problems. I worry about which no one knows anymore ... or at least doesnt think about anymore... Anyway. Treesha can tell you certainly that whatever might come of this will not be good for anyone."
"Well, glad to know that you're at least concerned." I replied, a bit perplexed by her answer and not very reassured. Yet, one thing she said in particular stuck with me: why was Sylvanas doing all of this? It wasn't about honour, as she demonstrated by burning alive innocents in Teldrassil.
"Yeah, well, after a few years of saving the world from so many monsters and morons, you start to get tired of it. If it wasn't for our lives being at stake, I wouldn't even be here." Treesha revealed, boredom and anger in her tone.
In a way I could understand her and agree with her, as I too, had no wish to be anyone's saviour ever again. Yet, like myself, she too was standing there. Perhaps not for what's right, but at least to save the world. Though, she didn't appear to be the best ally, since she didn't look to be that benevolent.
"Right. Well, we won't take more of your time. We have to plan a few things regarding our presence here, and I'm sure you're a busy goblin." I politely excused us.
"Nah, I'll just go find some more Azerite, let it be by picking it up or taking it from thieves. What I do for that world, I swear." She mumbled at the end, glaring at MOTHER.
I stood there in a slightly uncomfortable silence for a few seconds, looking at Mightion who was still giving the stink eye to Treesha, who clearly didn't care.
"It was nice to meet you Treesha, we'll see you soon." I said, waving awkwardly at her.
"See ya!" She waved back, right before taking a stone from a pouch that started to emit a blue glow. I recognised a feeling of teleportation, and just a few seconds later, she was gone.
"Quite the character, isn't she?" I said, a bit happy that she was gone. Not that I had problems with her, but it was clear that her personality was quite different from what I was used to.
"You mean, she's a pest." Harshly replied Mightion, relaxing a little now that Treesha was gone.
"I- she is rather crude and certainly wasn't very polite, but I wouldn't call her that." I responded, a bit taken aback by his comment.
"She clearly lacks respect and manners. I can't say how disappointed I am. Perhaps it's my fault for thinking the champion of Azeroth would be an example of righteousness and strength for mortals." He sighed, shaking his head a little.
"I admit that I wasn't expecting that either. Mother told me a little about her, but I would have never guessed that Treesha was like that. She didn't look that strong, that's for sure." I agreed.
"That it is. Not that I mind you staying calm and rational, but why did you stop me from teaching her respect?" He asked me, apparently a bit peeved at me from his tone.
"You two were acting like children, I had to put a stop to this before it escalated further. And, honestly, do you really think you could have taught her anything? She faced so many monsters, including Deathwing, and came out unscathed. Not only is she probably strong enough to put us in our place, but I believe that above all, she has a far too big temper to even care about anything that we might say about her." I tried to explain.
"And I understand that. Though I'm now unsure about her strength, I believe that it is still important for her to know who to respect." Mightion persevered.
"And you won't get her respect if you demand it." I replied.
"In the future, I'll ask you to not demean me like this. I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather resolve these kinds of talks myself." He told me.
"Alright. I won't act, even if it ends up with you fighting. And then I'll tell you, I told you." I warned him. Even though I felt that the word 'demean' was perhaps a bit too strong.
"So be it. Shall we return home? I fear that we have much to prepare." Mightion suggested.
"Indeed." I said, before addressing Magni. "Speaker Magni, we will see you again tomorrow, unless there's something you need us for today."
"Today or tomorrow, it'll make little difference. Yer help is already very appreciated." He replied, bowing his head a little.
"Then we shall see you soon, Speaker. Let's go, my love." Added Mightion, turning toward the translocator and waiting for me.
I walked up next to him, and we both made our way toward the exit. One after the other, we used the Titan machine to return to the surface. I stopped for a second, looking up at the gigantic sword looming above us. Our work here was barely starting, and I had a feeling that it would be a very, very long work. Not that I minded much, but it was still something to think about.
And Treesha. We would have to work again with her soon, and I was a little worried about how her next interaction with Mightion would go. They knew each other now, even if it was a very, very small talk between them, so perhaps Mightion would be more agreeable next time, knowing who he would be talking with. I wasn't expecting the same from Treesha, as she clearly didn't mark me as one caring for such things.
Exchanging a small glance with Mightion, who gave me a small nod, I gathered my magic in my hands, feeling the world and the magic of the earth to find the way to Blackrock. It wasn't harder than usual, but I could tell that the wound right next to us was interfering slightly with my magic, feeling like it was stretched, with me having to pull at it more than usual for the magic to come.
But in no time, I had a red portal in front of me, swirling with magic, and the image of Blackrock in its center. And I had to remember that I had dinner with my mother tonight.
Our return to Blackrock was short, and we instantly warned both our minions, guards and Roko of our new project. Most simply offered us their support, others approved, and Roko even volunteered to help, mostly so he could work alongside Hammul once again. It mainly had us change a few things, like having a messenger go inform the dwarves of Chiselgrip that we wouldn't be here as often any more.
After this was done, we were on our way to see my mother. A simple portal to Wyrmrest Temple, and we were off.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by a red dragon, that I recognised as Torastrasza.
"Amaria, Mightion, the queen is waiting for you in the Vermillion Redoubt. Please, take this portal." She told us, pointing a claw at the portal right next to her.
"Hello to you too, Torastrasza. Are you trying to match Tyrygosa in rudeness?" I asked cheekily.
She simply raised an eyebrow at me, daring me to say more.
"Right. Well, it was nice to see you again." I added, walking in the portal.
Appearing on the other side, I watched as the twilight sky mixed wonderfully with the red leaves of the tree in the centre of the Vermillion Redoubt. Many red dragons, drakes and wyrms were flying around, with some welps as well. Not all looked at us harshly or with hatred, but some were still wary at our presence. I could understand them in a way, as it was their home.
Taking our dragon form, I and Mightion flew toward the base of the tallest tree, the one in the centre, and promptly landed in front of the massive dragon queen who was waiting for us, forearms crossed.
"Ah, Daughter, Mightion. You're just in time." She welcomed us.
"That's something Nozdormu would say." I pointed out.
"Just because he is the Timeless One, doesn't mean he owns Time. Just like I am the Queen of Life, I am not the one that decides how everyone uses their life." She retorted.
"Right. Sorry." I said, sitting down a small distance away from her.
She sighed at that, closing her eyes for a second before addressing me again.
"You know I'm not mad at you." Mother said, a touch of regret in her voice.
"I know. Don't worry." I assured.
Mightion draped a wing on my back, as he sat down right next to me, giving me a comforting look right before looking at Alexstrasza.
"Greetings, your majesty." He bowed down a little.
"Good evening to you, Mightion. Please, forget the formalities for tonight. I have several things I wanted to talk about with you, and we certainly don't need to waste time with this." Mother replied.
"Very well." Mightion acknowledged.
"Baleflame." Called Mother.
A large red dragonspawn, wearing a more ornate armour than his kind was usually owning, came forward. He gave a nod to us, before bowing to Alexstrasza.
"Yes, my queen."
"Please bring out tonight's dinner." She told him.
"At once, my queen." He replied.
I watched him walk away, stopping briefly as he addressed a few other dragonspawns who followed him.
"I wished to talk with you about your future involvement in the war against N'Zoth." Said Mother, getting my attention.
"We are ready to act, but won't actively engage his forces if possible." Instantly summed up Mightion.
"That's what I had hoped for. Amaria, I know that you want to act now and try to gain every advantage possible over N'Zoth, but this is a fight that started millennia ago." She told me.
"That's about me pushing you all out to go meet Magni, isn't it? I'm sorry, alright, I thought that waiting couldn't wait." I replied, rolling my eyes a little.
"While rushing out like this was unnecessary, it gave us more information about what's going on. I certainly didn't expect to learn about this Heart of Azeroth, but it's great news for us." She spoke kindly.
"We learned even more after your departure. Especially about that champion." Continued Mightion, just a touch harder at the end.
"Oh? So you've met her. She has quite the... unique attitude." Alexstrasza laughed lightly.
"Unique is quite the word. Ill-mannered is what I'd use." I quickly said, hoping to temper Mightion.
"She has a complete lack of respect for her elders, and is not what should qualify as a champion of Azeroth." He said, much to my annoyance.
"Is it fair of me to assume she took to you like she took to Devrestrasz?" Asked Alexstrasza, amused.
"Merlin, yes! They got into each other's face almost instantly, and I had to put a stop to it. I don't really have a problem with her myself, but she is certainly not what I expected from all I heard about her." I admitted.
"While she lacks manners, she does have respect. Her attitude is most of the problem, but she hasn't given me any reason to distrust her. In sight of her previous accomplishments, she has my whole support."
"Does she really have the power to back up her claims?" Still asked Mightion.
"She is unusually strong, for a mortal. Her most recent feat, with help from other adventurers, was to take down a titan. I do not believe that all the power of the Aspects would be enough to stop one." She explained.
Defeating a titan, a being so powerful that it could destroy worlds with their bare hands, said a lot about her power. And that was only her most recent feat of strength.
"And what was it that she had to say, once she came back?" Continued mother.
"Right. Treesha explained that she fought N'Zoth's minions, and saw a part of the old god itself. He tried to give her a 'gift', but she refused. All this happened because of an entity that was stuck in the blade, that N'Zoth freed, and now the blade and its power is in Sylvanas' hands." I summed up.
By the way my mother frowned, I could tell that she, too, wasn't a big fan of the idea of such a weapon being given to the Warchief. Even if I didn't even know if that blade had any power left in it.
"That is unfortunate. The Warchief of the Horde is not one that should have such dangerous weapons, especially as she has been trying to collect many of the in the battle against the Burning Legion. But, more dangerous still, is N'Zoth. You said that Treesha saw a part of him?" My mother asked.
"It's eye, and its presence, under Kul'Tiras. He's gaining in power, growing stronger, and the mortals keep fighting as doom is coming." Intervened Mightion.
"Yes, and I fear that this war is somehow N'Zoth's fault. He isn't the source of all evils, but almost. I fear for the mortal kingdoms, who are either unaware or unprepared for the fight ahead." Alexstrasza agreed.
As she talked, a small team of dragonspawns came up between us, bringing with them bowls that were larger than a car, filled with pieces of meat. I could tell by both the appearance and the smell of these pieces that some were cooked, raw or seasoned. The bowls kept coming, until the three of us all had four bowls each, all filled with differently prepared meats. Regarding dragon culture, this was something of a delicacy, as most dragons didn't really take the time to cook. There are dragons that love to cook and are fully professional cooks, but those were rather rare.
"Dig in." Invited us my mother, herself grasping a slice of cooked meat before depositing it in her maw.
I took a slice of a more seasoned looking slice, and greatly appreciated its taste as I chewed. The meat that dragons ate was mostly mammoth, great worms, or any animal that was big enough to feed a dragon. And the spices were something that I didn't get to enjoy often, so it made the meal all the more special.
"Now, as I was saying, N'Zoth is more active than ever. Before I share my queries with you, would you mind telling me what Magni tasked you with?" Alexstrasza asked.
"Mostly helping him, the Cenarion Circle and the Earthen Ring, as well as Treesha, to heal the wound. Our role would be to take care of the deepest ones, and let the others work on the surface, while Treesha will collect Azerite to fasten Azeroth's recovery." I explained.
"That is what I assumed, yes. Nothing regarding N'Zoth?" She asked again.
"No. Our position is quite firm on this point, according to Amaria's wishes." Mightion insisted, grabbing a rather large chunk of raw meat.
"Good. This relieves my heart of many worries." Alexstrasza sighed in relief.
"I don't think I'll ever want to even face N'Zoth. Of course, if you ask us to help and fight, we'll be there." I assured.
"Thank you. I pray that we won't need it, but that seems unlikely. We aspects were made to keep Azeroth safe from all threats, but not alone. The Guardians that the Titans left helped us contain the old gods, but most of them have either been corrupted or destroyed in the last decades. I do not know if Dragonkind could face an unleashed N'Zoth on its own, even if he's the weakest of the old gods." Went on Alexstrasza as she reached for another slice.
"That's why we have to ally ourselves with mortals. Even if I find most of them to be annoying." Reluctantly said Mightion.
"They live on this world too, they have the right to act." I stated, a little annoyed that the two of them were already back to being condescending with mortals. "Is there anything that we can do against N'Zoth?"
"Your work, while not visible directly, will provide Azeroth with more strength to endure the hardships to come, which is invaluable. I've directed the Red Dragonflight to engage and kill any minion of N'Zoth, as well as to act with the greatest caution for the next few months. All the Dragonfligths will be working together with the objective of stopping N'Zoth minions, interfering as much as possible, and warn the mortals of the danger. Not all will be saved, as we don't know what N'Zoth will do, but any effort taken will help to put an end to his life faster." Mother detailed.
"How long do you think it will take?" I enquired, trying a slice of raw meat and dipping it in spices.
"Not that long. N'Zoth likes to play, to trick his victims, and create the most tortuous and evil plans. And many of his biggest minions died in the last few years, such as Deathwing. With Sargeras' sword, the damages done are so great, that he probably accelerated his plans tenfold. We were already expecting him to attempt an escape in the coming years, just like its ilk, but now we are certain he will strike soon." She replied.
"Meaning that it could be a day, a few weeks, or even a year. There is no way to know with the old gods." Mightion shook his head.
"That's not very helpful, but I suppose that's all we have. We'll get to work tomorrow, and I guess that it will be a waiting game after that." I said, not very enthusiastic and dreading the wait more than the fight itself. "What do you think our chances are?"
"There is no denying that the fight to come will be hard and will require all the people of Azeroth to unite against this threat, yet even with this the odds are not all against us. We have formidable allies, ready to help us save our world. Victory won't come easily, but I have faith that we shall vanquish this foe like we did all the previous ones." Mother affirmed, with a will and a certainty, that I could only find admirable.
I didn't share her faith, even if I wasn't pessimistic to the point of thinking it was a lost fight already, but I wasn't as confident as she was.
"There is not much we can do now, but try to stop N'Zoth minions. It's a grueling work, but a necessary one. And while we work on this, you two will assist Azeroth recover faster." She nodded toward us. "Now, let us move to less dramatic topics. How is Blackrock doing? You'll have to invite me one day."
"Are you sure? I thought that, with what happened there..." I trailed off as I watched her lift an entire bowl of meat and drop its contents right in her gullet.
Mightion gave me a small, questioning look, as I waited for mother to finish chewing on her meat.
"As I told you before, my dear daughter, I prefer to see what you'll do with the place rather than leave it in its previous state. As much as it might pain me, I still want to see the place where my son died." Answered Alexstrasza, licking her chops.
"Well, we as you know, we've already cleaned most of the mountain, but there's still a lot to do." I started, reaching for another slice of meat.
"Mostly reconstruction work. Rebuild bridges, fix walls, and repair whole rooms. Our servants are quite efficient at making small repairs and temporary fixes, but we will have to hire professionals." Mightion went into further detail.
"I could lend you some of my followers. Some of the mortal ones are knowledgeable in such areas." Offered Alexstrasza.
"That might be an option, but right now, with all that's coming, we decided to wait." He added.
"A wise decision." Nodded mother.
After that, our talks remained mainly around Blackrock, our plans for the future, but also our relationship. As much as she tried to curb it down, to my demand, she kept asking sporadically if everything was alright between us. It was a bit frustrating, but I let it go, as I knew this wouldn't be the last time. Mightion also talked a bit more about war supplies and numbers, which didn't interest me much even if I kept listening, and he approved of mother's choice to be proactive in their fight against N'Zoth minions.
Our empty bowls were removed by the Dragonspawns at some point, and soon after this, we reached the end of our night. There was much to do, and I wanted to be ready for tomorrow, where our work in Silithus would begin. Bidding good night to my mother, I opened a portal back home, and we quickly went to bed, snuggling into each other's arms until sleep took us.