AN1// This is part of the That First Step... (SI) series. If you have not read it, you may wish...
Twisting Paths
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AN1// This is part of the That First Step... (SI) series. If you have not read it, you may wish to or you may be horribly confused. The previous part can be found here: Before Dawn
Now, on with the story!
___________________
The snowstorm buffeted against me hard from all directions as I struggled against its effects. The wind threatened to constantly send me off course or throw me down against the jagged rocks and snow below.
The cold didn't bother me. I was a Blue Dragon; it would take more than a snow storm to make me feel chilly. It would start to freeze the lungs of a mortal from a single breath before it became cold enough to bother me at all. But the wind was a problem, even with the flight improving enchantments woven into my fully deployed armor, it was taking quite a lot to stay in the air.
Say what you want about the Whitewalkers' magic, but when it came to weather magic, they knew their stuff, even if they were a bit of a one trick pony.
Just a little bit longer.
A torrent of wind hit me from the side and I folded my wings, allowing it to send me spinning instead of catching my armored wings. As I fell out of it, my wings snapped wide again and I beat them hard to regain my altitude before swooping down further again, the rocks beneath coming into view.
Impossible to make a fancy landing in this weather, instead I just pulled up and folded my wings before transforming into my mortal form from three meters up.
I hit the snow and ice fast, turning the fall into a roll before I slid to a halt. Shielding my eyes against the whipping snow and ice, I stood up and looked around before pulling a crystal tablet from my satchel.
Within a hundred meters of my optimal position.
Damn, I'm good sometimes.
Shouldering my bag again, I pulled my dagger and started to run. At this point I had to hope the rest were as good as I was. The variables in this weren't that forgiving, the more optimal position the better the odds that this thing will work.
A ragged form appeared from the storm and I didn't wait, I charged some magic into my dagger and slashed, the dagger shifting into a long sharp sword mid swing and then changed back as I ran right past the undead, as it fell to pieces.
Coming to a stop, I checked the crystal reader again and nodded. Good enough.
Going down on one knee, I dug through my satchel and slowly pulled out a meter-long metal and stone construct. Cylindrical and narrowed on one end, I flipped it over and then slammed it narrow end down into the snow and ice.
Something hit me from the side, sending me rolling as the undead skeleton clawed at me. I snarled and grabbed its spine, throwing it off me before sending a ball of fire after it, blowing it to quivering pieces.
I must get this damn thing online. I took the one further away, everyone else should be in position by now.
Screw it. Close enough.
I knelt and pulled the second part from my satchel, pulling out the aperture and fitting it on top, giving it a twist to snap it into place before quickly pulling back.
Energy rippled across the enchantment matrix and I could feel it pull energy from the land beneath us.
Come on. Come on...
A bright blue beam shot high into the air, cutting straight through the storm. Through the air I could see light coming from the left and right high in the clouds, joining with my beam before there was a invisible shockwave, moving through the clouds.
On the inside of the massive pentagon, the clouds faded away to reveal clear blue skies all the way to the horizon to the south. The pentagon in the sky, stretching for kilometers across glowed brightly against the blue skies before it exploded outwards and where it touched, the clouds faded away into nothing as the insanely powerful specially tuned dispel spell worked its anti-magic on their weather enchantment.
With the weather clear, you could see the massive undead army moving through the valley below. Several thousand undead marching south.
With the storm going, not even us Blue dragons could fight them effectively. We simply couldn't see through the constant snow even if the frost biting cold didn't bother us.
Now...
The leaders of the undead army below, the... Wights or The Others as some called them looked around on their horses and I could see their leaders.
There he is. The strongest of them. The one we needed to take out.
The storm made things a fair fight. The storm was gone now.
In the distance, I could see shapes take to the air. The dragon flights that waited for our mission to complete before striking.
Let's finish this.
I looked around and scanned the area. No more undead close and it didn't matter if there were, the effect was done and would linger for days.
Turning my eyes to the sky, I looked towards the sun for a moment. First time I saw anything but clouds at ground level for months.
Two months since arriving on Westeros. Two months since...
Since we lost Azeroth. Still not sure what happened there. Did my weapon malfunction? Did the attack fail? Did they fall before they could activate it? No way to know and going back to Azeroth was way too dangerous now. It will have fallen to the Legion by now.
Was it my fault?
No, I can't think like that or Rengosa is going to yell at me about being a idiot again. She was right too. It wasn't helping. But a lot of dragons and people died back on Azeroth. Amongst others, Kalecgos. My old Flightleader and teacher.
Amegosa was the new Flightleader of the Blue Dragon flight. I had not interacted that much with her before, but she was one of the older dragons and quite a skilled spell caster. Before the evacuation she spent most of her time away from the Nexus so I didn't meet her much.
So far, she seemed okay. She kept me on as her assistant for the meetings with the Wyrmrest accord at least. I almost wish she didn't. Jaina Proudmoore was there as the representative of the mortals that came with us that were not aligned to any specific flight.
Whatever you could say, my plan got her husband killed. I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eyes.
The Flight was starting to get close to the undead army.
I started to run before I jumped, shifting back to my real form and taking to the air once more, my wings beating powerfully into the slight wind.
Let's end this.
AN2// Big thanks to FPSCanarussia for betaing this part.
Now, on with the story!
___________________
The snowstorm buffeted against me hard from all directions as I struggled against its effects. The wind threatened to constantly send me off course or throw me down against the jagged rocks and snow below.
The cold didn't bother me. I was a Blue Dragon; it would take more than a snow storm to make me feel chilly. It would start to freeze the lungs of a mortal from a single breath before it became cold enough to bother me at all. But the wind was a problem, even with the flight improving enchantments woven into my fully deployed armor, it was taking quite a lot to stay in the air.
Say what you want about the Whitewalkers' magic, but when it came to weather magic, they knew their stuff, even if they were a bit of a one trick pony.
Just a little bit longer.
A torrent of wind hit me from the side and I folded my wings, allowing it to send me spinning instead of catching my armored wings. As I fell out of it, my wings snapped wide again and I beat them hard to regain my altitude before swooping down further again, the rocks beneath coming into view.
Impossible to make a fancy landing in this weather, instead I just pulled up and folded my wings before transforming into my mortal form from three meters up.
I hit the snow and ice fast, turning the fall into a roll before I slid to a halt. Shielding my eyes against the whipping snow and ice, I stood up and looked around before pulling a crystal tablet from my satchel.
Within a hundred meters of my optimal position.
Damn, I'm good sometimes.
Shouldering my bag again, I pulled my dagger and started to run. At this point I had to hope the rest were as good as I was. The variables in this weren't that forgiving, the more optimal position the better the odds that this thing will work.
A ragged form appeared from the storm and I didn't wait, I charged some magic into my dagger and slashed, the dagger shifting into a long sharp sword mid swing and then changed back as I ran right past the undead, as it fell to pieces.
Coming to a stop, I checked the crystal reader again and nodded. Good enough.
Going down on one knee, I dug through my satchel and slowly pulled out a meter-long metal and stone construct. Cylindrical and narrowed on one end, I flipped it over and then slammed it narrow end down into the snow and ice.
Something hit me from the side, sending me rolling as the undead skeleton clawed at me. I snarled and grabbed its spine, throwing it off me before sending a ball of fire after it, blowing it to quivering pieces.
I must get this damn thing online. I took the one further away, everyone else should be in position by now.
Screw it. Close enough.
I knelt and pulled the second part from my satchel, pulling out the aperture and fitting it on top, giving it a twist to snap it into place before quickly pulling back.
Energy rippled across the enchantment matrix and I could feel it pull energy from the land beneath us.
Come on. Come on...
A bright blue beam shot high into the air, cutting straight through the storm. Through the air I could see light coming from the left and right high in the clouds, joining with my beam before there was a invisible shockwave, moving through the clouds.
On the inside of the massive pentagon, the clouds faded away to reveal clear blue skies all the way to the horizon to the south. The pentagon in the sky, stretching for kilometers across glowed brightly against the blue skies before it exploded outwards and where it touched, the clouds faded away into nothing as the insanely powerful specially tuned dispel spell worked its anti-magic on their weather enchantment.
With the weather clear, you could see the massive undead army moving through the valley below. Several thousand undead marching south.
With the storm going, not even us Blue dragons could fight them effectively. We simply couldn't see through the constant snow even if the frost biting cold didn't bother us.
Now...
The leaders of the undead army below, the... Wights or The Others as some called them looked around on their horses and I could see their leaders.
There he is. The strongest of them. The one we needed to take out.
The storm made things a fair fight. The storm was gone now.
In the distance, I could see shapes take to the air. The dragon flights that waited for our mission to complete before striking.
Let's finish this.
I looked around and scanned the area. No more undead close and it didn't matter if there were, the effect was done and would linger for days.
Turning my eyes to the sky, I looked towards the sun for a moment. First time I saw anything but clouds at ground level for months.
Two months since arriving on Westeros. Two months since...
Since we lost Azeroth. Still not sure what happened there. Did my weapon malfunction? Did the attack fail? Did they fall before they could activate it? No way to know and going back to Azeroth was way too dangerous now. It will have fallen to the Legion by now.
Was it my fault?
No, I can't think like that or Rengosa is going to yell at me about being a idiot again. She was right too. It wasn't helping. But a lot of dragons and people died back on Azeroth. Amongst others, Kalecgos. My old Flightleader and teacher.
Amegosa was the new Flightleader of the Blue Dragon flight. I had not interacted that much with her before, but she was one of the older dragons and quite a skilled spell caster. Before the evacuation she spent most of her time away from the Nexus so I didn't meet her much.
So far, she seemed okay. She kept me on as her assistant for the meetings with the Wyrmrest accord at least. I almost wish she didn't. Jaina Proudmoore was there as the representative of the mortals that came with us that were not aligned to any specific flight.
Whatever you could say, my plan got her husband killed. I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eyes.
The Flight was starting to get close to the undead army.
I started to run before I jumped, shifting back to my real form and taking to the air once more, my wings beating powerfully into the slight wind.
Let's end this.
AN2// Big thanks to FPSCanarussia for betaing this part.
esotericist
A Weary Hand
- Location
- Lacey, WA
For a long time now he's been able to prep the transformation, hold it at the edge of activation, then let it go at the right moment.
It's unclear from the text above how long he needed to prepare that 'instant' transformation.
But with fluid enough timing, the distinction is pretty minimal.
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Serpentine
Dark Arts Enthusiast
- Location
- The Tower of Ghenjei
Sweet! Was hyped for this. 
The fight didn't last long.
Alexstrasza took personal offense to the concept of undeath and she lead the flights personally. She circled above the undead army before opening her massive jaw and let lose a stream of fire towards the center of the undead formation.
Directly at the Night King.
The flames flowed like water, splashing against the ground before I was halfway there and flowing outwards for hundreds of meters.
When she pulled up again with beats of her powerful wings and the fire went away, a giant circle where the majority of the undead army had been was clear of snow and undead, the ground covered with soft green grass and flowers.
Seconds later the rest of the flights hit the rest of the shambling undead that was left.
By the time I reached the battle, it was over. I slowly circled above the cleared area as I scanned the ground with my eyes, searching for anything moving.
Nothing but dragons and dragonkin.
Alexstrasza went in for a landing and disappeared into her humanoid form in a flash of smoke the moment she touched the ground. The ground now clear of all snow and filled with grass and flowers.
I banked and started to circle down through the air before I pulled up, flaring my wings and flapping twice before my armored claws touched the ground.
Settling down on all four legs, I sent a small magic pulse into my armor and it retracted. Flowing from my wings and tail, and unfolding from around my head to leave it uncovered as the special mithril and dwemer metal compound reformed into what looked like more or less a normal set of dragon armor, barring the helmet.
"Alexstrasza." I said in greeting, tilting my head for her.
The Dragon Queen smiled and put her hand on my head, scratching just behind my nose horn, "You did very well indeed, Atregos."
"It was a simple dispel." I said and looked at her, shifting my wings, "Simply amplified and spread over a wide area."
"But very well crafted... And hardly simple, young drake. Take pride in your accomplishments." Alexstrasza chided me, giving my nose a flick with her gauntleted finger.
I twitched back and snorted.
Alexstrasza shook her head, "Now go rest. The Accords are gathering this evening and you will be needed." she said before she smiled, showing a bit of teeth, "It is soon time that I meet with this... dragon queen."
Daenerys, if you know what's good for you, give up that title.
I nodded, "Yes, Alexstrasza." and bowed slightly before I turned and took two running step before taking wing, climbing into the clear blue skies towards the Wyrmtower.
It was still being constructed, pulled from the very bedrock by the strongest geomancers we still had.
Which granted, was not many. Mostly of them Blue and Black dragonflight. For now, all flights were gathered here, but when it was done, we would likely all split up again. We all preferred different climates after all.
This was the cold North and the tower was centered on the first layline we located. So it will become the new home of the Blue Dragonflight.
It wasn't far from the site of the battle, less than twenty kilometers. I could see it in the distance, towering above the surrounding area. A few hundred meters across and three hundred tall. When finished, it would make the old Nexus and Wyrmrest Temple look small.
Then again, it also didn't hover and it was just solid rock, the only chambers right now dug into the stone close to the top. Carving the thing would be for later when it reached it's full height of half kilometer.
I was not the only drake or dragon on my way back there, most of the attacking group were also returning.
Glancing to my right, I spotted Wrathion flying with his consort a few hundred meters higher and further away. The Black Dragonflight was the only flight to bring all their members along. The only ones that didn't lose any in the final attack on the Burning Legion.
But that was because there were less than thirty of them, including whelps. None of them were of breeding age either so there wouldn't be more of them for decades.
Not sure I would ever call that lucky.
Going into a glide, I circled slowly down around the tower before I spotted the right platform close to the top. Currently, it was the main entrance. Nothing much to look at, just a big cavern dug into the rock where you could land and enter the tunnels from.
I shifted my wings slightly and flew straight in before flapping twice and settling down on the stone floor before stretching my wings.
Ugh. I was tired. Flying in that storm, even with my enhancing armor, had been tiring. The others that deployed the other parts of the spell matrix had been full on Dragons, not drakes. They had more mass to set against the winds of the storm.
But I wanted to be the one to activate it in case something went wrong.
The sound of wings and claws next to me made me turn just in time for Rengosa's side to hit mine, the larger dragoness nuzzling at the top of my head, "I saw it work. Then I saw the fire." she purred, "Good work."
"Thank you." I sighed and nuzzled back, "Sheila?"
"With Zrazta in the lab." Ren explained as she pulled back before turning into her mortal form, crossing her arms, "Zrazta is still trying to find a local equivalent to Peacebloom. Sheila is doing her best to assist."
I focused and shifted back to my mortal form before I shook my head, "They are still at it? They started last night."
"You know how Zrazta gets. She is incredibly frustrated from the lack of effective local ingredients. You can't ship enough from across worlds to fuel the potions and alchemy that we are going to need."
Growling softly, I turned and stalked towards the closest tunnel. That woman is going to get some rest if I so must tie her down. I'm the one that's meant to be irresponsible and forget to sleep!
AN// Big thanks to Zebrin for betaing this section.
Alexstrasza took personal offense to the concept of undeath and she lead the flights personally. She circled above the undead army before opening her massive jaw and let lose a stream of fire towards the center of the undead formation.
Directly at the Night King.
The flames flowed like water, splashing against the ground before I was halfway there and flowing outwards for hundreds of meters.
When she pulled up again with beats of her powerful wings and the fire went away, a giant circle where the majority of the undead army had been was clear of snow and undead, the ground covered with soft green grass and flowers.
Seconds later the rest of the flights hit the rest of the shambling undead that was left.
By the time I reached the battle, it was over. I slowly circled above the cleared area as I scanned the ground with my eyes, searching for anything moving.
Nothing but dragons and dragonkin.
Alexstrasza went in for a landing and disappeared into her humanoid form in a flash of smoke the moment she touched the ground. The ground now clear of all snow and filled with grass and flowers.
I banked and started to circle down through the air before I pulled up, flaring my wings and flapping twice before my armored claws touched the ground.
Settling down on all four legs, I sent a small magic pulse into my armor and it retracted. Flowing from my wings and tail, and unfolding from around my head to leave it uncovered as the special mithril and dwemer metal compound reformed into what looked like more or less a normal set of dragon armor, barring the helmet.
"Alexstrasza." I said in greeting, tilting my head for her.
The Dragon Queen smiled and put her hand on my head, scratching just behind my nose horn, "You did very well indeed, Atregos."
"It was a simple dispel." I said and looked at her, shifting my wings, "Simply amplified and spread over a wide area."
"But very well crafted... And hardly simple, young drake. Take pride in your accomplishments." Alexstrasza chided me, giving my nose a flick with her gauntleted finger.
I twitched back and snorted.
Alexstrasza shook her head, "Now go rest. The Accords are gathering this evening and you will be needed." she said before she smiled, showing a bit of teeth, "It is soon time that I meet with this... dragon queen."
Daenerys, if you know what's good for you, give up that title.
I nodded, "Yes, Alexstrasza." and bowed slightly before I turned and took two running step before taking wing, climbing into the clear blue skies towards the Wyrmtower.
It was still being constructed, pulled from the very bedrock by the strongest geomancers we still had.
Which granted, was not many. Mostly of them Blue and Black dragonflight. For now, all flights were gathered here, but when it was done, we would likely all split up again. We all preferred different climates after all.
This was the cold North and the tower was centered on the first layline we located. So it will become the new home of the Blue Dragonflight.
It wasn't far from the site of the battle, less than twenty kilometers. I could see it in the distance, towering above the surrounding area. A few hundred meters across and three hundred tall. When finished, it would make the old Nexus and Wyrmrest Temple look small.
Then again, it also didn't hover and it was just solid rock, the only chambers right now dug into the stone close to the top. Carving the thing would be for later when it reached it's full height of half kilometer.
I was not the only drake or dragon on my way back there, most of the attacking group were also returning.
Glancing to my right, I spotted Wrathion flying with his consort a few hundred meters higher and further away. The Black Dragonflight was the only flight to bring all their members along. The only ones that didn't lose any in the final attack on the Burning Legion.
But that was because there were less than thirty of them, including whelps. None of them were of breeding age either so there wouldn't be more of them for decades.
Not sure I would ever call that lucky.
Going into a glide, I circled slowly down around the tower before I spotted the right platform close to the top. Currently, it was the main entrance. Nothing much to look at, just a big cavern dug into the rock where you could land and enter the tunnels from.
I shifted my wings slightly and flew straight in before flapping twice and settling down on the stone floor before stretching my wings.
Ugh. I was tired. Flying in that storm, even with my enhancing armor, had been tiring. The others that deployed the other parts of the spell matrix had been full on Dragons, not drakes. They had more mass to set against the winds of the storm.
But I wanted to be the one to activate it in case something went wrong.
The sound of wings and claws next to me made me turn just in time for Rengosa's side to hit mine, the larger dragoness nuzzling at the top of my head, "I saw it work. Then I saw the fire." she purred, "Good work."
"Thank you." I sighed and nuzzled back, "Sheila?"
"With Zrazta in the lab." Ren explained as she pulled back before turning into her mortal form, crossing her arms, "Zrazta is still trying to find a local equivalent to Peacebloom. Sheila is doing her best to assist."
I focused and shifted back to my mortal form before I shook my head, "They are still at it? They started last night."
"You know how Zrazta gets. She is incredibly frustrated from the lack of effective local ingredients. You can't ship enough from across worlds to fuel the potions and alchemy that we are going to need."
Growling softly, I turned and stalked towards the closest tunnel. That woman is going to get some rest if I so must tie her down. I'm the one that's meant to be irresponsible and forget to sleep!
AN// Big thanks to Zebrin for betaing this section.
Algalon
Herald of the Titans
- Location
- Celestial Planetarium
Hmm I don't think they took any Proto-Drake eggs with them, did they? Daenerys won't be happy. On the other hand, she'll be too busy dealing with an actual Dragon Queen.
And hey, maybe she can just get some Dragons the Adventurer way. Befriend them (or seduce them, if you're into that thing)
And hey, maybe she can just get some Dragons the Adventurer way. Befriend them (or seduce them, if you're into that thing
)
Tranquil Zebra
Equid of Peerless Tranquility
- Location
- Norway
Why not? Daenerys is a comely lass, although she'll have to lose the "queen/mother of dragons" mindset if she wants to make friends with the Azarothian kind. It's not like she would do anything lewd with a dragon out of human shape anyway, so being "into that thing" isn't actually something strange.And hey, maybe she can just get some Dragons the Adventurer way. Befriend them (or seduce them, if you're into that thing
pheonix89
Wants to be Seven Of Nine
- Location
- North American Plaguelands
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You know, I would normally complain about the curbstomp, but starting a fight against a horde of ice-elemental undead with a nasty fire weakness by having a stupidly overpowered fire/life aligned dragon hose them down with anti-undeath fire breath will do that. I mean, torches are a threat to those things and they got hit with a giant blast of undead-slaying magical flame.
Serpentine
Dark Arts Enthusiast
- Location
- The Tower of Ghenjei
Build that harem like a pyramid Hiver! 
I didn't get more than fifty meters before I found my path blocked by a gnome. Or rather, a dragon in gnome form.
"Atregos." She said with a smile. "I heard it worked."
"Chronormu." I greeted her in turn. "It did. Set up right, there was no doubt that it would."
The gnome nodded and smoothed out her white dress. "Indeed." she said with a smile before she looked up at me again. "Nozdormu wishes to speak to you."
"I was actually on the way to do something, perhaps we can do that l-"
"Atregos. Nozdormu wishes to speak with you." Chromie said, more firmly this time. "Believe me... this is important. This is something you want to hear."
I scowled but nodded, letting out a sigh. I really did not want to see Nozdormu right now. The leader of the Bronze Dragonflight. The Guardian of time. He had KNOWN what would happen during the assault. He could have told us. Kalecgos would not have died and neither would hundreds of dragons and thousands of mortals trying to get my failed device to the Dark Portal.
But no. He kept his mouth shut. I may hate him. But he was still a Flightleader.
"Ren, tell Sheila to order Zrazta to get some sleep. Remind her that I'm supposed to be the foolish one who gets so busy with my work that I forget to eat or sleep." I sighed. "It seems like I may not have any time before the meeting tonight."
Rengosa nodded and gave me a quick nuzzle before she turned and walked past the little gnome/dragon.
"Please. This way." Chromie said and turned to lead the way towards one of the side passages towards the areas claimed by the Bronze Dragonflight.
"What does Nozdormu wish of me?" I asked as I walked along next to her, keeping my paws low to match what her currently short legs could do comfortably.
"Of us. He sent me to get you as he needed to speak to us both."
Frowning to myself, I nodded. That's odd.
Soon we passed by a pair of large dragonkin guards and I gave them a nod as we did. The servant race was deserving of our respect. They did a lot more than most people realized.
The butt of their spears hit the floor as we walked past and then we were in a massive chamber. There were dozens of dragons, some in their natural form, some in mortal form. All of them absorbed by different tasks.
We walked past all of them into the next chamber. Nozdormu was there, at the center of the chamber, working with a large floating matrix of golden energy.
Chronormu walked up next to him. "Nozdormu. Atregos is here."
The timeless wyrm, possibly even older than Alexstrasza in subjective time, nodded to her and reached out, giving the matrix a flick with his hand, sending it spinning before it collapsed into nothing as he turned to me. "Atregos," he said in greeting, "I hope you are well rested."
"Nozdormu. Not really. I just came back from finishing the war."
"Indeed. Unfortunately, we are... short on time. The timing has to be quite precise." He said as he turned fully to me. "I have a task for you and Chronormu."
I just raised an eyebrow at him. "You have your own drakes. Ask one of them, I'm busy."
I wasn't just snarking at him even if I wanted to. It was completely true. I was still not only running a inter-dimensional trade empire, but soon I would be at the middle of the whole diplomacy thing with the mortal races. Not only that, but to Zrazta's intense frustration, there was a lack of local magical plants. So anything magical that needed brewing would need to be imported from some world with more magical plants.
"Don't worry, it will only take a moment." the Elf-looking wyrm said with a grin. "But first, I need to tell you why."
Crossing my arms, I just looked at him before I nodded. There was a limit to how disrespectful I could get away with being before he would feel that he needed to reassert his place above me in the Flights and put me through a nearby wall.
Drakes do not disrespect Wyrms and get away with it. Especially not Flightleaders.
He sighed before he spoke up. "There are two timelines. In one, we deploy the weapon you developed and in the other we do not."
"We chose poorly." I said, looking to the side to avoid glaring at him.
Nozdorum continued like he hadn't heard me. "In one timeline, thousands of dragons die, Ysera is corrupted by the Legion and Alexstrasza is seriously wounded. Many thousands of mortals die, but in the end we win and drive the Legion from Azeroth. Decades pass with conflicts and then I finally go insane without Ysera to keep the corruption from the Old Gods from entering my mind. I shatter the timeline and create the Infinite Dragonflight. By the time I am finally slain, in the way the Titans showed me, Azeroth is a wasteland. Very few - if any - of the mortals remain and the dragonflights are extinct."
I just stared at him. What?
"It was the timeline that would have happened when you first appeared on Azeroth," Nozdormu continued. "Then there was suddenly an alternative. A few hundred dead dragons, a few thousand mortals. You and Kalecgos would lead the assault against the legions and deploy your weapon. The Legion would be hurt and hurt badly and driven from Azeroth for hundreds of years. But in the end, the Old Gods would get to me and I would break, shattering the timelines."
He shook his head. "An alternative was needed. You were kept from joining the assault. The Dragonflights would need to evacuate Azeroth. Azeroth will be safe now when the Legion have been driven from its soil, I will not be there to be corrupted and I will not go insane and shatter the timelines. But for that, the timeline needs to be preserved. The weapon needs to activate after the Dragonflights lose the connection with the recording enchantments in Dalaran."
Nozdorum smiled at me. "So, young drake. Do you want a chance to save Azeroth? Save Kalecgos?"
AN// A big barrel of thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
"Atregos." She said with a smile. "I heard it worked."
"Chronormu." I greeted her in turn. "It did. Set up right, there was no doubt that it would."
The gnome nodded and smoothed out her white dress. "Indeed." she said with a smile before she looked up at me again. "Nozdormu wishes to speak to you."
"I was actually on the way to do something, perhaps we can do that l-"
"Atregos. Nozdormu wishes to speak with you." Chromie said, more firmly this time. "Believe me... this is important. This is something you want to hear."
I scowled but nodded, letting out a sigh. I really did not want to see Nozdormu right now. The leader of the Bronze Dragonflight. The Guardian of time. He had KNOWN what would happen during the assault. He could have told us. Kalecgos would not have died and neither would hundreds of dragons and thousands of mortals trying to get my failed device to the Dark Portal.
But no. He kept his mouth shut. I may hate him. But he was still a Flightleader.
"Ren, tell Sheila to order Zrazta to get some sleep. Remind her that I'm supposed to be the foolish one who gets so busy with my work that I forget to eat or sleep." I sighed. "It seems like I may not have any time before the meeting tonight."
Rengosa nodded and gave me a quick nuzzle before she turned and walked past the little gnome/dragon.
"Please. This way." Chromie said and turned to lead the way towards one of the side passages towards the areas claimed by the Bronze Dragonflight.
"What does Nozdormu wish of me?" I asked as I walked along next to her, keeping my paws low to match what her currently short legs could do comfortably.
"Of us. He sent me to get you as he needed to speak to us both."
Frowning to myself, I nodded. That's odd.
Soon we passed by a pair of large dragonkin guards and I gave them a nod as we did. The servant race was deserving of our respect. They did a lot more than most people realized.
The butt of their spears hit the floor as we walked past and then we were in a massive chamber. There were dozens of dragons, some in their natural form, some in mortal form. All of them absorbed by different tasks.
We walked past all of them into the next chamber. Nozdormu was there, at the center of the chamber, working with a large floating matrix of golden energy.
Chronormu walked up next to him. "Nozdormu. Atregos is here."
The timeless wyrm, possibly even older than Alexstrasza in subjective time, nodded to her and reached out, giving the matrix a flick with his hand, sending it spinning before it collapsed into nothing as he turned to me. "Atregos," he said in greeting, "I hope you are well rested."
"Nozdormu. Not really. I just came back from finishing the war."
"Indeed. Unfortunately, we are... short on time. The timing has to be quite precise." He said as he turned fully to me. "I have a task for you and Chronormu."
I just raised an eyebrow at him. "You have your own drakes. Ask one of them, I'm busy."
I wasn't just snarking at him even if I wanted to. It was completely true. I was still not only running a inter-dimensional trade empire, but soon I would be at the middle of the whole diplomacy thing with the mortal races. Not only that, but to Zrazta's intense frustration, there was a lack of local magical plants. So anything magical that needed brewing would need to be imported from some world with more magical plants.
"Don't worry, it will only take a moment." the Elf-looking wyrm said with a grin. "But first, I need to tell you why."
Crossing my arms, I just looked at him before I nodded. There was a limit to how disrespectful I could get away with being before he would feel that he needed to reassert his place above me in the Flights and put me through a nearby wall.
Drakes do not disrespect Wyrms and get away with it. Especially not Flightleaders.
He sighed before he spoke up. "There are two timelines. In one, we deploy the weapon you developed and in the other we do not."
"We chose poorly." I said, looking to the side to avoid glaring at him.
Nozdorum continued like he hadn't heard me. "In one timeline, thousands of dragons die, Ysera is corrupted by the Legion and Alexstrasza is seriously wounded. Many thousands of mortals die, but in the end we win and drive the Legion from Azeroth. Decades pass with conflicts and then I finally go insane without Ysera to keep the corruption from the Old Gods from entering my mind. I shatter the timeline and create the Infinite Dragonflight. By the time I am finally slain, in the way the Titans showed me, Azeroth is a wasteland. Very few - if any - of the mortals remain and the dragonflights are extinct."
I just stared at him. What?
"It was the timeline that would have happened when you first appeared on Azeroth," Nozdormu continued. "Then there was suddenly an alternative. A few hundred dead dragons, a few thousand mortals. You and Kalecgos would lead the assault against the legions and deploy your weapon. The Legion would be hurt and hurt badly and driven from Azeroth for hundreds of years. But in the end, the Old Gods would get to me and I would break, shattering the timelines."
He shook his head. "An alternative was needed. You were kept from joining the assault. The Dragonflights would need to evacuate Azeroth. Azeroth will be safe now when the Legion have been driven from its soil, I will not be there to be corrupted and I will not go insane and shatter the timelines. But for that, the timeline needs to be preserved. The weapon needs to activate after the Dragonflights lose the connection with the recording enchantments in Dalaran."
Nozdorum smiled at me. "So, young drake. Do you want a chance to save Azeroth? Save Kalecgos?"
AN// A big barrel of thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
Algalon
Herald of the Titans
- Location
- Celestial Planetarium
Oooh, smart, a stable time loop.
Will the Flights be going back now that Azeroth is safe, or stay away to prevent further Old God shenanigans? They did announce that post-cata is the age of mortals basically...
I guess at the very least they can make sure to bring with them all the artifacts, lore and other stuff they originally left behind, assuming Atregos can somehow dishable the Nexus' self-destruct thingy.
Will the Flights be going back now that Azeroth is safe, or stay away to prevent further Old God shenanigans? They did announce that post-cata is the age of mortals basically...
I guess at the very least they can make sure to bring with them all the artifacts, lore and other stuff they originally left behind, assuming Atregos can somehow dishable the Nexus' self-destruct thingy.
Dakkan Sall
Random Encounter
- Location
- On the world map
"What you thought you saw was the death of your leader, and the failure of your greatest hope, but it was actually me, Dio! a trick to only make you think that! Now go back in time to set yourself and your friends up for (temporary) heartbreak and despair."
Algalon
Herald of the Titans
- Location
- Celestial Planetarium
Nope, that's what they thought. Their plan failed, demons maintain their beachhead and eventually summon Sargeras. However, their plan DID succeed. The weapon went off, crippling the Legion and allowing the mortals to push them off Azeroth for the time being.
What happened is that Nozdormu planned/is planning a stable time loop.
1. Contact with the Strike Force carrying the weapons breaks off. Mission is considered a failure.
2. Dragonflights evacuate Azeroth
3. Nozdormu sends Atregos to the past, where he will trigger the weapon AFTER the evacuation begins.
-> 2.5 Now in the past, Atregos will ensure that the plan succeeds, saving Kalecgos and others as well as detonating the weapon. Evacuation continues since the Dragons do not know of this. Mortals on the Broken Islands press the offense as the Burning Legion has been crippled, pushing them off Azeroth again.
End Result: Dragons leave Azeroth. No more fear of Aspects being corrupted. Azeroth is still safe. Burning Legion gets hit bad as the Blind Eternities cause perma-death.
These are the timelines Nozdormu describes:
This is more or less the 'canon' timeline. Atregos does not exist here. Pyrrhic victory. Nozdormu eventually goes crazy and causes Endtimes to happen.
This is canon with Atregos' interference. His proposal for the portal-bomb is accepted and executed. Atregos joins the strike force himself. They succeed and the Burning Legion is pushed from Azeroth again. Great victory. Sadly, here Nozdormu goes insane as well, leading to the Endtimes scenario too.
This is Nozdormu's compromise. Keep Atregos from joining the strike force. Plan apparently fails as the connection to Kalecgos breaks. Dragonflights evacuate Azeroth. Nozdormu sends Atregos back in time to actually make sure the plan succeeds, but only AFTER the Flights think it failed and begin evacuating.
Algalon
Herald of the Titans
- Location
- Celestial Planetarium
So far, because only Nozdormu, and perhaps the rest of his flight, knows about it happening. The bomb actually going off was just revealed to Atregos right now. Including us readers
Long term, because the whispers of the Old Gods would doom the Flights eventually and make everything worse for the mortals at the same time as they'd have to deal with every Aspect going Deathwing. Better to just abandon Azeroth and hope the mortals can handle it on their own. They've been doing fine so far.
Vox De Harlequin
Consequences are for other people
- Location
- Hyalean Theoric World
Because Bad Things(tm) will happen if the Dragonflights stay on Azeroth.
- Location
- Hampden Park
Are you sure? Rereading it in light of your previous comment I thought that the bomb wouldn't go off unless he goes back in time to make it.
Algalon
Herald of the Titans
- Location
- Celestial Planetarium
I can't be absolutely certain, but it does look like a stable time loop, so yes, he does have to time-travel and set off the bomb in order to finish the loop. But the bomb itself already went off in what Atregos would currently consider 'the past'.
It's like the second half of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Strange things happen that save the group. Like when Harry thinks that his dad came and saved them from the Dementors. When he then travels back in time with Hermione, he realizes that it wasn't his dad, it was his time traveling self, same for all the other strange coincidences.
Same goes for Atregos. Future!Atregos already traveled back in time to detonate the bomb. Now Present!Atregos needs to travel back and detonate a bomb too, and make sure that Past!Atregos doesn't realize the bomb already went off. After all, if Past!Atregos realized this, he would have no need to time travel to and set off the bomb, possibly rewriting Future! and Present!Atregos' timelines.
This is called the Grandfather Paradox. If you go back in time to kill your grandfather before he procreates, wouldn't that cause you to never be born? If you were never born, then nobody traveled back in time to kill your grandfather. See the problem?
In this case, if the bomb went off, then why would Atregos travel back in time? But if Atregos doesn't travel back in time, then the bomb doesn't go off! See the problem?
Emizaquel
What is a self?
The apparent intent is to detonate the bomb after the Atregos has left to keep a stable loop that has the Dragonflights leave Azeroth but the Legion broken to the point that they will be killed off by the "mortal" races.I can't be absolutely certain, but it does look like a stable time loop, so yes, he does have to time-travel and set off the bomb in order to finish the loop. But the bomb itself already went off in what Atregos would currently consider 'the past'.
It's like the second half of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Strange things happen that save the group. Like when Harry thinks that his dad came and saved them from the Dementors. When he then travels back in time with Hermione, he realizes that it wasn't his dad, it was his time traveling self, same for all the other strange coincidences.
Same goes for Atregos. Future!Atregos already traveled back in time to detonate the bomb. Now Present!Atregos needs to travel back and detonate a bomb too, and make sure that Past!Atregos doesn't realize the bomb already went off. After all, if Past!Atregos realized this, he would have no need to time travel to and set off the bomb, possibly rewriting Future! and Present!Atregos' timelines.
This is called the Grandfather Paradox. If you go back in time to kill your grandfather before he procreates, wouldn't that cause you to never be born? If you were never born, then nobody traveled back in time to kill your grandfather. See the problem?
In this case, if the bomb went off, then why would Atregos travel back in time? But if Atregos doesn't travel back in time, then the bomb doesn't go off! See the problem?
- Location
- Hampden Park
Yes, I know what a stable timeloop is. But he has to back in time in order to establish it. As things stand, the bomb hasn't gone off. If he goes back, it always has. What I thought your second post was implying was that he just had to go back if he wanted to save Kalecgos.
They dont 'know' if the bomb went of or not.
I landed next to Chromie, folding my wings as I looked up at the larger Bronze dragon, "So how do we do this? Do we need to hit 88 miles per hour, climb into a big ball with alien technology or warp around a star? What?"
She gave me an amused look, "What?"
"How do we travel through time?"
"We don't. We use a portal to connect to moments in time, not space. Something that is effectively impossible for one not from the Flight," she explained. "Even for one of us, it is difficult. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to focus before the moment is lost."
Apparently, it was easier to bind together 'significant moments' than random Thursdays. The White Walkers were just defeated. It was the 'significant moment' the Bronze Dragonflight had been waiting for. We would then travel back almost eight months, putting us back to six months before we fled to Westeros.
The 'significant moment' we were traveling to was the death of someone important, further than that I didn't care. Our arrival on this Plane would also work, but that was too late.
What it all meant was that we needed to leave, and fast. The longer we waited, the more difficult it would be, the closer to impossible.
I didn't even have time to say anything to my Consorts, I just grabbed any gear I could think of on the way from the Wyrmtower and went with Chromie.
As the bronze drake started to channel her magic into a stream of golden magic before her, I settled down and crossed my front legs as I watched.
Time travel. I was dubious about it. Not that it worked, I knew it worked.
No, I was dubious that it would ever work right.
"Chromie, if this somehow goes wrong and makes it so I never end up meeting Sheila, Rengosa and Zrazta, I'm going to need to hurt you."
"Hush. Not going back that far anyway," she murmured through her concentration.
I watched as the beam started to slowly spread out where it ended in the air, Chromie slowly crafting it until it was pretty much a hole in space, revealing the same place as it had opened, but the light was different. It was a bit earlier during the day on the other side.
"Go now," Chronormu said as she got up, her claws digging into the frozen ground. "I can only hold it open for moments more."
Nodding I quickly jumped through the circle of energy in the air. I barely managed to get out of the way before the larger dragon jumped after me through the circle and we went into the brush in a five-ton tangle of limbs and wings.
"...Ow..." I groaned from beneath the larger dragon.
"My apologies. The magic here is weaker and the fabric is stronger. It is difficult to hold a time portal open during the best of circumstances," Chronormu explained as she carefully got up. "In retrospect, it would have been better if we went through in our mortal forms."
"Ya think?" I grumbled and got up, shaking the leaves and twigs of me before I looked around. "...It doesn't look any different. Well, other than the lack of giant stone tower. Also, no snow..."
"It's just eight months earlier."
Shaking my head, I frowned in thought, "What was I doing now? Relaxing at home, mostly. Between running the Consortium."
"We are going to have to avoid ourselves," Chromie said and started to remove her armor. "As soon as we return to Azeroth, you will disguise yourself. Then we gather what supplies we can find and move to the Broken Isles. We need to construct a good hideaway where the demons will not find us when they arrive while we make a plan on how to recover the device, get it to the target and save Kalecgos."
I nodded and took pieces of her armor, "There are plenty of mountains. Even with flying demons, it should be possible to create a hiding place. But... it may be easier to create a new device while we wait rather than trying to take the one Kalecgos is carrying."
"We have time to figure it out," Chromie said and started to put her armor into her bags before putting them over my back. "Do I need to undress my mortal form too?"
"Sadly yes."
She snorted and turned back to her gnome form before starting to undress again, "This is highly inconvenient."
"Yeah? You are welcome to find another way between worlds. My best other idea is... well, will... be crashed at the Broken Isles because I was an idiot and the power source stolen so I can't build a new one until I manage to replicate that," I grumbled and put my chin down on my front legs.
"You are going to have plenty of time to think of it. There will be months before the demons even arrive," Chromie said and held up her bundle of clothes. "Put this away. My soulstone is already in my bags across your back so we are good to go."
Nodding I floated it into her bags while finding the soulstone and double checking before putting it back, closing them again while making sure they were properly strapped down, "Before we return, remind me to pick up seeds for all the magical plants? If we don't Zrazta might eat me."
"If we do this right, there is nothing stopping you from going back and forth as much as you wish," Chromie said and crossed her arms, leaning her back against my side. "Now do what it is you do, I feel ridiculous."
There was a reason I liked Chromie more than the other Bronze Dragons. Not that I have ever interacted much with any of them.
She was funny.
"Well, that's just your fault for picking a gnome," I snorted and started to focus my power.
"The gnomes have a long and distinct history, World Walker!"
"Of blowing themselves and others up. Mostly by accident. Now stay in contact and be quiet, I need to focus," I said, keeping my eyes closed.
When I finally opened them again, reality shattered like a mirror.
AN// Many thanks to Pietersielie for betaing this section.
She gave me an amused look, "What?"
"How do we travel through time?"
"We don't. We use a portal to connect to moments in time, not space. Something that is effectively impossible for one not from the Flight," she explained. "Even for one of us, it is difficult. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to focus before the moment is lost."
Apparently, it was easier to bind together 'significant moments' than random Thursdays. The White Walkers were just defeated. It was the 'significant moment' the Bronze Dragonflight had been waiting for. We would then travel back almost eight months, putting us back to six months before we fled to Westeros.
The 'significant moment' we were traveling to was the death of someone important, further than that I didn't care. Our arrival on this Plane would also work, but that was too late.
What it all meant was that we needed to leave, and fast. The longer we waited, the more difficult it would be, the closer to impossible.
I didn't even have time to say anything to my Consorts, I just grabbed any gear I could think of on the way from the Wyrmtower and went with Chromie.
As the bronze drake started to channel her magic into a stream of golden magic before her, I settled down and crossed my front legs as I watched.
Time travel. I was dubious about it. Not that it worked, I knew it worked.
No, I was dubious that it would ever work right.
"Chromie, if this somehow goes wrong and makes it so I never end up meeting Sheila, Rengosa and Zrazta, I'm going to need to hurt you."
"Hush. Not going back that far anyway," she murmured through her concentration.
I watched as the beam started to slowly spread out where it ended in the air, Chromie slowly crafting it until it was pretty much a hole in space, revealing the same place as it had opened, but the light was different. It was a bit earlier during the day on the other side.
"Go now," Chronormu said as she got up, her claws digging into the frozen ground. "I can only hold it open for moments more."
Nodding I quickly jumped through the circle of energy in the air. I barely managed to get out of the way before the larger dragon jumped after me through the circle and we went into the brush in a five-ton tangle of limbs and wings.
"...Ow..." I groaned from beneath the larger dragon.
"My apologies. The magic here is weaker and the fabric is stronger. It is difficult to hold a time portal open during the best of circumstances," Chronormu explained as she carefully got up. "In retrospect, it would have been better if we went through in our mortal forms."
"Ya think?" I grumbled and got up, shaking the leaves and twigs of me before I looked around. "...It doesn't look any different. Well, other than the lack of giant stone tower. Also, no snow..."
"It's just eight months earlier."
Shaking my head, I frowned in thought, "What was I doing now? Relaxing at home, mostly. Between running the Consortium."
"We are going to have to avoid ourselves," Chromie said and started to remove her armor. "As soon as we return to Azeroth, you will disguise yourself. Then we gather what supplies we can find and move to the Broken Isles. We need to construct a good hideaway where the demons will not find us when they arrive while we make a plan on how to recover the device, get it to the target and save Kalecgos."
I nodded and took pieces of her armor, "There are plenty of mountains. Even with flying demons, it should be possible to create a hiding place. But... it may be easier to create a new device while we wait rather than trying to take the one Kalecgos is carrying."
"We have time to figure it out," Chromie said and started to put her armor into her bags before putting them over my back. "Do I need to undress my mortal form too?"
"Sadly yes."
She snorted and turned back to her gnome form before starting to undress again, "This is highly inconvenient."
"Yeah? You are welcome to find another way between worlds. My best other idea is... well, will... be crashed at the Broken Isles because I was an idiot and the power source stolen so I can't build a new one until I manage to replicate that," I grumbled and put my chin down on my front legs.
"You are going to have plenty of time to think of it. There will be months before the demons even arrive," Chromie said and held up her bundle of clothes. "Put this away. My soulstone is already in my bags across your back so we are good to go."
Nodding I floated it into her bags while finding the soulstone and double checking before putting it back, closing them again while making sure they were properly strapped down, "Before we return, remind me to pick up seeds for all the magical plants? If we don't Zrazta might eat me."
"If we do this right, there is nothing stopping you from going back and forth as much as you wish," Chromie said and crossed her arms, leaning her back against my side. "Now do what it is you do, I feel ridiculous."
There was a reason I liked Chromie more than the other Bronze Dragons. Not that I have ever interacted much with any of them.
She was funny.
"Well, that's just your fault for picking a gnome," I snorted and started to focus my power.
"The gnomes have a long and distinct history, World Walker!"
"Of blowing themselves and others up. Mostly by accident. Now stay in contact and be quiet, I need to focus," I said, keeping my eyes closed.
When I finally opened them again, reality shattered like a mirror.
AN// Many thanks to Pietersielie for betaing this section.