War of the Ancients (Warcraft CYOA pseudo SI)

[Crocea_mors]

So this has been sitting on my computer for a few days, and its honestly awful, I'm pretty sure I keep switching between past tense and future tense, and that there is a massive tone shift between the first part and the second, but by the same vein, if I dont post this now I probably never will.

Anyway, feedback is welcome, even if its as basic as "this is trash KYS", constructive feedback gets internet cookies, which are like real cookies, but you cant eat them.

War of the Ancients


Something was deeply wrong in Zin-Azshari.

It was a subtle undercurrent in the air, a dark cloying feeling that seeped through the walls of my house, so subtle that I didn't even notice it until its insidious touch twisted my work in its most malleable state, ruining the fragile patterns that I had spent months perfecting irreparably.

Needless to say, I was absolutely infuriated, and after pulling on my armor with a flex of my magic, I set out to figure out which moron was tainting the area around my estate.



But almost immediately upon leaving the heavy wards of my house, I realized that this was far larger than some foolish rival attempting to put the young upstart in his place, as I felt that the dark taint had spread its reach across the entirety of Zin-Azshari.



I teleported straight to the edges of the teleport wards that surrounded the Well of eternity, an exclusion zone that spanned an almost five-kilometer radius around the heart of the Kal'dorei empire, for most it was a far as they were allowed, the Quel'dorei separating themselves from the Kal'dorei and securing their hold over the most important resource of our empire with one move.



That didn't concern me, however, few would dare bar my path, and none would be right to, the Xanishar name still carries a heavy weight in spite of everything, and only fools openly crossed it.

The taint was worse here, so thick that even a layman would feel it seep into their skin, far different to the subtle feeling that I could barely parse even knowing it was there from my home.

I swallowed harshly, suspicions started to arise about what was happening from a mostly forgotten corner of my mind.



I started walking forward, crossing the threshold of the Wards that protected the Well of Eternity and came upon a sight that filled my heart with a deep dread.

Information about the creature flooded my mind, it was an imp, an insignificant creature probably barely even a threat to a centennial Quel'dorei, much less Magic Prodigy like myself who was fast approaching his tri-century. But what he represented was a terrible truth, that I had hoped was just was just a childish flight of terrible fancy, creatures created by the mind of an advanced child.

But no, here was proof in front of me, a dark and terrible promise.

The Burning legion existed, and Sargeras's twisted armies had begun their first invasion of Azeroth.

I pressed forward, ignoring the demon, I needed to know how far along this corruption was, something as weak as an imp can slip through even the smallest of cracks, but the more terrible creatures would have to need a far larger opening.



As I approached the Well of Eternity, I felt my heart sink further and further fel-guard and Doomguard wandered unopposed their massive bulks radiating the foul taint that pressed down on me heavily.



But it wasn't until I reached the Azshari's sheath, the square which Azshara had always rallied the Quel'dorei before sending them to strike down her enemies that I realized just how far along this invasion was.

A massive portal stood at the center of the square, surrounded by a sea of twisted demons, who were in turn surrounded by a zealously cheering crowd of Quel'dorei. But while the image felt like a stab to my heart, it was the creature inside of the portal that almost plunged me into despair.

Two massive grey hands gripped the edge of the portal, illuminated by a sickly green light that overpowered even the Noon sun, pulling an enormous grinning tusked head, its eyes alight with savage glee.



I could do nothing but stand there, staring as the monstrous creature started to pull itself through the portal, staring as perhaps the first Pitlord in history begun to step onto Azeroth.



I snapped out of despair induced haze, and felt a deep rage overtake me, I would not let its crossing go uncontested, I would not let these creatures believe that they could entre my world without repercussion.

I began crafting an intricate spell, with interlocking triangles to create a cohesive bolt that would penetrate deeply, into the demons hide, with isolated circles surrounding it, to help trap the magic within the spell, and further reinforced by a spiral over the top of the pattern, to funnel the magic into the middle further keeping the magic concentrated into one destructive, but the true magnum opus of the spell was a series semi-disassociated squares that rested along where the mana of the spell would channel through, which would upon contact begin interacting with the spell, blocking the flow of mana, causing it to rapidly build up, and destabilize into a terrible and destructive explosion that would release pure mana into the surrounding area, which would hopefully destabilize the portal, even if it was only temporarily.



I finished crafting the spell, opening my eyes for the first in several seconds, just in time to witness the Pit lords feet touching the ground, the grass magickly reinforced stone underneath his feet cracking and blackening.

I began pulling mana into my spell, drawing deeply on the Well of Eternities endless power, flooding the spell with the strength that had made the Kal'dorei empire so dominant amongst Azeroth.



A grin stretched across my face as I unleashed my spell, the bolt streaking across the full distance between me and the Demon instantly, smashing deep inside its chest, and I felt the second part of the spell shift into place, and the overcharged spell reacted immediately, exploding viciously, sending chunks of the demon flying explosively.



Satisfaction chased away the rage swiftly, and I realized the situation I was in, several kilometre's deep into an anti-teleport ward surrounded by a horde of demons, and, more worryingly, a host of angry Quel'dorei.



I immediately blinked sideways, and scrambled backwards, barely avoiding the mass of unidentifiable spells that washed over where I was previously, abandoning any sense of grace to run as fast as I could away from the host of creatures behind me that wanted to kill me.

I pumped magic into my legs formlessly, forcing them to move faster than elvenly possible. Covering entire house spans in the time it takes to physically blink, but it wasn't enough, and midstride, barely a quarter of the way I was tackled, a massive Doomguard slamming into my side, sending both of us crashing through a magically reinforced wall.

I attempted to blast the creature off me with a wave of magical force, but its skin absorbed it easily.

The demons face loomed over me, its face streching into a rictus grin, even as its mouth opened to speak.



I didn't give it that opportunity, gripping the air around it and using that to fling the creature off me. I scrambled up, running to the back of the house, and blinking back out into the street, continuing my mad dash towards the end of the teleport exclusion zone.

I felt a wave of arcane magic fling past me, that caused the earth in front of me to crater, and raise into a massive earthen wall suffused with magic, trying to blink through it would result me bouncing violently off it.

I didn't miss a beat, instead of blinking through it, I blinked on top of it, reappearing on top of the wall facing back at my pursuers, unleashing a veritable wall of minor spells to slow them down, but as I unleashed them, I came face to face with the impassive face of the man I least wanted to see, Dath'remar Sunstrider.

I shoved myself back off the wall abandoning the spells instantly, throwing myself into a series of risky blinks to put distance between me and Dath'remar Sunstrider.



I continued running, feeling the end of the teleportion exclusion zone fast approaching, but I realized I might not make it, Dath'remar was nearly right behind me and would catch up to me before I could rea-

My thoughts cut out as arcane energy surged past me once more, this time forming a pure arcane barrier, a semi-sphere that left nothing but right behind me clear.


I scrambled to stop before I hit the barrier, twisting my body around mid-stride, and slamming my hand into the ground to bleed off speed, but even with using a spell to stick myself to the ground I barely avoided smashing into the barrier, and triggering whatever nasty Dath'remar had infused into the spell he used to make it.



I straightened up, rolling my shoulders and meeting Dath'remar's eyes. "Shan'do, nice to see you again" I greeted him with a smile, not that he could tell behind my helmet's facemask. "What are you doing here?"

"You haven't been my Thero'shan for almost a century now, Kaezar, do not forget that". His voice was whip like, sharp and stern. "Come quietly, and I'll bid Queen Azshara to me merciful".

I chuckled "If you think it would be the Queen who decided how to kill me, you'd be wrong". I began probing the barrier behind me, searching for a fault in it, but Dath'remar was a legendary mage for a reason, even this hastily constructed barrier was near faultless.



On the other hand, I wasn't regarded as a magical prodigy for no reason, and near faultless wasn't the same as faultless. "If you think that Queen Azshara is the true power behind the throne, well, you are more naïve than I thought possible". I smirked, finally locking onto a magic strand that was flowing slower than the rest, its governing pattern obviously thicker than the ones that powered the rest of the shield.

"Xavius has the upmost loyalty to the Queen". He said impassively, obvious confident that I couldn't get away, and that waiting was only to his benefit. That would have been true, considering the Quel'dorei and demons coming up behind him, and the quality of the barrier behind me.

"To think that Xavius even comes close to being the power behind the throne is so funny it hurts Shan'do". I located the the strands beside the slower strand, and began tightening them, speeding their mana flow up, and causing more agitation between them and the slower strand. "We both know the true power behind the throne isn't a Quel'dorei anymore, well we should know". His mouth pressed into a thin line, he couldn't deny it.

"They were right about you". He spat, and I steeled myself, I knew what was coming. "They all warned me that you would end up the same as them, but I ignored them, and now look where we are" I winced, my grin falling away even as I sped the strands up to the point where it was causing serious structural damage to the barrier. "I shall take their advice from back then now, and kill you like the traitor you were always fated to be" he raised his hand, and I felt an oppressive amount of mana appear, but it was far too late for him, the barrier behind me destabilized into a wall of fire, as the magical friction between the three strands caused the mana to rapidly shift into fire magic.

I flung myself through the fire, trusting my armour to resist it, as I reversed my sabotage, forcing the mana strands into the same speed, and flooding it with new mana, flushing away the fire mana.



The barrier lasted barely a moment before Dath'remar dispelled it, but that moment was long enough for me to be at the very precipice of the teleportation wards.

I flung myself over the invisible line, casting my own barrier between me and my pursuers even as I tore apart a teleportation pattern, ripping it down to its barest bones and flinging myself into the spe-

I felt something grab my neck, and I disappeared.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The in-between was an often-discussed subject amongst the Quel'dorei for nearly a century, it is perhaps the most un-understood piece of magical theory in the world, because the spells necessary to pass through it safely cause it to become increasingly blurred and unperceivable, and traveling through it without proper protections generally results in people reappearing at their target destination in giblets with the only idea of what truly happened to them being "extremely painful" if they ever reappear at all.

This was not comforting knowledge to me, as I flung myself with the barest possible protections into an ill-understood realm known for killing people who travel it without adequate protection in gruesome and painful ways, along with a creature that was more than triple my size, that was both magically resistant, and hostile to my continued survival.

That said, it was extremely surprising when I reappeared in the real world not flayed alive... or dead as I was expecting, though perhaps the being thousands of meters in the air was going to change that or the Demon that, unfortunately had my neck in his hand that had also managed to get through mostly unscathed, merely dazed from the rapid realm shifting.



Not one to waste time complaining while my life was in danger I immediately blinked backwards, thankfully not taking the Demon with me as I did so this time.

I lifted my arm, waving it in the air in front of me, pulling together hundreds of minor spells, most barely more than a single line at most, and began barraging the stunned demon, blasts of pure arcane, frost, fire and even lightning poured down onto the demon, showering him in an avalanche of magic.



I let the flow of spells come to a stop, breathing heavily, and free falling through the air. I watched the Doomguard shiver, and its wing snaps open, beating powerfully, and bleeding speed almost instantly.

My lips pressed together as I fell past the Demon, studying its grotesque face as its green eyes snapped to me, and it began diving at me.



I flicked my wrist, conjuring a thick sheet of ice in the air between me and the demon, baring its way while I started pulling together the same spell that I killed the Pitlord with, but the Doomguard just flew straight through the ice, barely slowed by the thick magical material.

He was upon me in an instant, his massive hand encircling my helmet easy, and his other hand coming down in a savage strike against my chestplate, its powerful layered protections preventing the Demon from hurting me directly, but the way that the blow jerked my body backwards while his hand kept my head stationary did hurt well enough itself.

But I didn't let it distract me, carefully reconstructing the spell as I hung limply in the darkness of the demon's hand.



"I was expecting more". I started as a rich baritone filled my ears, almost making a mistake with the thickness of the pattern's lines. "You'd killed Lord Mannoroth with a single spell, threw Iruxos almost a hundred metres, and almost outran an entire host of demons". I felt it adjust its grip on me, letting me see its deformed grinning face. "and with a single strike you hang limply from my hand". a twisted sound erupted from its mouth, and it took me a moment for me to realise that it was laughter. "Lord Mannoroth will be furious to know he had been felled by such an ultimately weak creature, when he returns".

I finished the spell while he monologues, pushing mana into the spell from the far off Well, far less than what I did when I was right next to it, but enough to kill this demon.

I lifted my arm, and pointed it at the demon's chest. "Oh? You're still alive? Perhaps instead of killing you I'll gift you to lord Achimonde, to torture for your defia-" I pulled the trigger on the spell, blinking backwards in the same instance, the spell creating a catastrophic explosion that engulfed the entirety of the Doomguards body.


I watched as the mana explosion dispersed into the air, and my teeth clenched involuntarily as the doomguard was revealed, its deformed face still grinning.

"Very disappointing, this is all you can muster? You didn't even make me bleed". Its eyes lit up in a cruel humor. "You mages make patterns, don't you? To shape Magic, right? Try including the Kill pattern next time, perhaps? At least the hurt pattern". It began laughing again, and I felt a mounting rage as the creature mocked me, as it felt so comfortable doing so as to completely ignore me.



"Big talk for someone who's had their hands around my neck twice, and still managed to fail to kill me". I shot back. "May I offer you feedback on how to take advantage of a situation?"

It growled, a deep sound that rattled my bones "Perhaps you can offer me advice on how to rip your tongue, few people would miss it". It flew at me once more, crossing the distance between us blisteringly fast, a green fiery sword forming in its hands.



But I was paying attention this time, blinking out of its way, further up into the air, and with a flex of my will, I froze the air around the demon's wings, and smiled with grim satisfaction as the demon struggled to move its newly frozen wings.



"Perhaps you were right, I did forget the kill pattern" I called down at the demon, freezing a massive spike of ice above the demon, pointed straight at his chest. "However, I suspect that a giant Icicle through your chest will be a sufficient replacement". I lunched the icicle telekineticly, sending it plunging deep into the demon's chest sending it plunging into the ground.


A/N
I didn't like the original, so I changed it

 

[Crocea_mors]

War of the class lines.


I would like to say that after killing the Doomguard I gracefully landed back on the ground, with the perfect poise that Quel'Dorei are known for, walked to the nearest Kal'dorei town and was treated like the glorious royalty that I was, given room and board by the highest-ranking Elf in the town. Unfortunately, the second I touched the ground, I collapsed into a heap, vomited on the ground next to me, rolled over, and passed out.


When I did wake up, it was to a surprisingly bright night sky, lit up by the sickly fel glow of infernal meteorites, it was queerly beautiful, in a sort of horrific 'my world is about to be burnt to a cinder by a bunch of demons' sort of way.


I pulled myself up and stumbled over to a tree, waiting for the dark spots in my eyes, and the pain in my head to go away. As they faded, I realised I was thinking like a troll, and not like the powerful reality shaper that I was, tracing incredibly complex patterns (after all, I wasn't a priest who can cheat and make some benevolent entity pick up the slack when healing someone) to relieve my headache, and to make my blood flow more efficient, and despite the pounding pain behind my eyes, I successfully filled the patterns with mana and relieved myself of my headache.


Feeling significantly better about everything going on, I picked a direction, and began walking, hoping to find civilisation that I could rally to fight back the burning legion, and if the direction that I picked just so happened to be in the opposite direction of the giant portal constantly spewing out infernals, well that was just a coincidence.


After a few hours of wandering, I came across a small group of Kal'dorei beset on all sides by felgua- welp never mind then. In a fit of violence that could surely be described as gratuitous the group tore apart the numerically superior group of Felguard in seconds, a wave of nature aligned magic pulsed out from the largest Kal'dorei male, thorny vines bursting out of the ground and ensnaring the demons, viciously sharp thorns digging deeply into the demons. Followed quickly by the shorter male casting an arcane empowered energy storm, destroying, leaving nothing behind but charred ashes. It was honestly a bit overkill, in my humble opinion, so I said as much.

"So, are you guys compensating for something, or is there a reason you used such inefficient magic to kill those demons?" Waltzing out of the tree line as if I owned the entire forest (which, considering how widespread the Kal'dorei empire was, and that all the other Quel'dorei were no longer fit to rule, it probably did belong to me) "like I get it, nothing satisfies as much as eviscerating your enemies down to the last hair, but surely you aren't in a safe enough position to just be wast-" Why is everything upside down?


"You'll not get back to your demon masters alive Quel'dorei scum". Is it racist if your own people call you scum? Should I be offended or mildly amused? Wait what was that about ali – BY THE WELL OF ETERNITY THAT'S A MASSIVE FIREBALL.


Blinking backwards, I flick my han- why am I still upside down? The fireball slammed into me, and it felt like I was the meat in a unmovable object and unstoppable force sandwich, the arcane binding that had strung me up not letting me move physically what so ever.

"Illidan!" the female Kal'dorei lightly slapped the smaller males, evidently Illidan (Illidan? That sound familiar, but everything hurts too much to focus) arm "You shouldn't be so hasty, we could have interrogated him for information about the invasion!" Illidan blushed and looked away and I felt the arcane entrapments binding me to the air dissipating, and I fell listlessly to the ground groaning wordlessly in pain, curling in on myself.

"Brother, it seems like your spell didn't work". I rolled over onto my side, watching the taller Kal'dorei grinned teasingly at Illidan.

"I'm not sure if I should be annoyed, or grateful that he is tougher than he looked" Illidan's voice was curt, and he glared at me, almost as if it was my fault that he was having this conundrum, which to be fair it was, but still some sympathy for the guy you just tried to kill? "What should we do with him Malfurion" his glare flickered over to his brother, Malfurion (now I know I remember that name), his glare, oddly enough, deepening.

"Can I have a say in what you're doing with me?" I rasped out, slowly uncurling, only to find roots bursting from the ground locking me into my curled position "Seriously? What have I done to deserve this?' The Female scowled at me, and with a flash of holy power I found myself completely incapable of talking.


"You've doomed our world Quel'Dorei, your demonic overlords ravage the heart lands of our empire, killing everything in their path". She glared down at me mouth set into a hard line. I thought priestesses of Elune were supposed to be kind and forgiving? Not blaming people for things other people did.


I saw Malfurion's brows furrow together, his left hand came up to fiddle with the bottom of his green beard, and a long moment passed. "We bring him to Cenarius and force him to tell the Lord of the Forest about the demons, that should help convince him about the severity of this threat". (two brothers and a female looking to convince Cenarius abou- Oh dear Well of Eternity I've stumbled upon important people, haven't I?) "keep him silenced Tyrande, who knows what foul magic his demon masters have granted him". This is racial profiling isn't it? Just because I'm Quel'Dorei I must be some fel-magic toting monster, when I get out of these Roots I'm going to show him that a true Quel'dorei has no need for Fel-magic, only needing Pure Arcane Might.


"Come, we can't delay any longer, we must secure Cenarius's help if the world is to survive". Malfurion turned and quickly left my field of vision, both of the other Kal'dorei following suite. The roots binding me began to move, a surprisingly smooth quick movement that I barely noticed. Struggling against the roots proved fruitless, and my hold on magic was still being suppressed by the Priestess, so I did what anyone would do, and had a nap.

A/N

As ever, criticism of all kind is welcome.

 

[Crocea_mors]

When a Demigod meets the glory of the Quel'Dorei


I have slept on some of the greatest beds in the Kal'Dorei empire, beds enchanted by grand Quel'Dorei sorcerers to adjust for your comfort, beds made from material of grand beasts that protect your dreams while you sleep and more still. A moving mess of roots restricting my every movement shouldn't ever compare to the beds that I have slept in, and they didn't. By the Well this is the most uncomfortable thing I've ever had the misfortune to fall asleep on, and the most galling thing is the completely unhurried way they progressed through the forest, their empire is under siege and they seemed almost completely unconcerned!

"We are close to the heart of the forest, protect me while I call out to Cenarius". I heard shuffling around, and felt the roots loosen slightly, barely enough to twitch my fingers, but when you're a Quel'Dorei mage of my Calibre the ability to twitch opens up a range of different options, or it would if I wasn't still silence by Tyrande, still regardless of the cruel mistreatment of their superior, I did appreciate the ability to stretch my limbs for the first time in hours.


"Tyrande, I'm going to set up alarms on the perimeter, I'll be back soon". I heard the snapping of twigs, a grunt of exertion, and felt a flash of arcane magic, before silence once more.


I yawned slightly, shifting slightly into a mildly more comfortable position, and closed my eyes. Perhaps the looser bindings would allow me to sleep better?

"Why did you go along with it". Well dammit, just before I drifted off. "What part of any of this sounded like a good idea to you? Talk damn you!" Is… is she mocking me? I'm still silenced I literally cant talk even if I wanted to. "Fine, don't talk. You'll soon be forced to talk anyway". I'm being forced not to talk! You are literally forcing me not to speak. Why is this my life? What did I do to deserve this? Is this my punishment for not being ready for the Burning Crusade? I'm only two-hundred and ninety-nine! Why is the world being put on my shoulders?


"No one should be able to come within two hundred metres of us without me being alerted" Oh Illidan's back, joy. "How long do you think Malfurion will take?" I heard a muffled thump and felt something lean back on the roots entrapping me.


"It shouldn't be too long, we are near the heart of Cenarius's domain and we both know how much he favours Malfurion". I felt more pressure on my encasing, and realised I was being used as furniture, I was being used as some sort of living breathing couch or something! Someone, or something will suffer for this insult.

I heard Illidan grunt, obviously incapable of higher brain function like speech or basic manners, and then sigh "I suppose I do know". Illidan said softly, his voice probably hurt from screaming like the savage that he is.


"Illidan, thank you for coming. I- I know its been hard to give up the Well's power, to give up what you had but it means a lot, me and your brother we wouldn't be able to do this without you". The two savages continued to converse in barely acceptable Thalassian, hadn't anyone taught these two to properly emphasise their apostrophe's? I'm surrounded by hicks.

Illidan took a shuddering breath, obviously grown too stupid to breath normally. "I couldn't just let you two do this alone Tyrande, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you got hurt". I glared blindly at the roots restraining me wishing I could at the very least move enough to block my ears.

"He will be here soon". Malfurion thankfully interrupted the two before this could get any more awkward "Prepare to restrain the Quel'Dorei when I release him from the roots". I felt the roots shifting, not getting tighter, or looser just shifting, it felt awful.


"Malfurion, why have you called me?" a voice boomed, and I felt it rattle my bones. The roots covering my eyes became noticeably more vibrant, even in the complete darkness they left me in.

"Lord Cenarius, the Kal'dorei need your help". I felt the two other Kal'Dorei stand up and heard them walk away from my Cacoon. "Queen Azshara has brought a terrible invasion onto Kalimdor, who seek to corrupt and destroy all of life".

"All empires fall, my student, it is not my place to save them from their own folly". Cenarius seemed dismissive, and I heard the scuffing of hooves. "You will have sanctuary in my forests, but I will not clean up your peoples mess".

"These creatures won't stop with just our empire Lord Cenarius! They'll burn the entirety of Kalimdor to ashes!" Malfurion spoke quickly, and I felt the roots encasing me fully falling away "We captured one of their summoners, he can tell you the threat they pose"

Cenarius hummed, and I felt a surge of nature magic invade my body "Speak then Quel'Dorei, tell my what your kinds hubris has unleashed". My mouth opened, and still couldn't speak, I was still silenced by Tyrande. My mouth opened and shut rapidly, and I felt a mounting pain in my throat, the nature magic both warring with the holy magic, and punishing me for not talking. "Do not think you can resist me Mortal, Speak!"

I collapsed to my knees, and began clawing at my throat, desperately reaching underneath my helmet. I turned my head towards Tyrande, desperately hoping she would realise what was wrong. I watched Her eyes widened in horror and I felt her magic release me from my enforced silence.

"Oh dear Well that hurt beyond all comprehension, I hate all of you, hate all of you so damn much, all I did was walk out of the tree line and you do this" I rasped out massaging my throat.

"Stop your prattling Mortal, tell me about the threat my student describes". The nature magic inside me surged, and I found myself with no option but to talk.

"Queen Azshara has opened a portal for the Burning Crusade, who are from the twisting nether and they want to destroy or corrupt the World-spirit in a misguided desire to save –" I vomited blood onto the ground "the universe from the same beings who made the Old Gods, they're planning to Summon Sargeras himself to this world to absorb the power of the Well of eternity before destroying the Worlds-spirit'. I felt the pressure of Nature magic dissipate, and was no longer compelled to talk, and I collapsed further to the floor.

"You knew all this mortal, and you still helped summon the Demons? Are you a fool, or just suicidal?" Cenarius stood over me, face a wall of anger.

"Not summoner" I gasped out "Killed Pitlord, teleported away" I coughed up more blood.

"Do not lie to me Quel'Dorei, being deceitful will serve you in no way" Cenarius grabbed the back of my armour, pulling me up to him, and I saw him scowl at me.

"Not lying" I hung limply from his grip, incapable of mustering up any energy what so ever. Cenarius's hand came up and ripped my helmet from my head, easily overpowering the numerous enchantments to prevent that from happening

Tyrande gasped, and from the corner of my eye I saw her hands fly up to her mouth.

"He's just a kid" I heard Illidan mutter darkly.

Cenarius let me fall out of his grip, "Child I-", I felt nature magic infuse me again, and as I flinched the magic quickly left me.

I pushed myself up, coughing more blood into my hand, breathing heavily. I felt a flash of holy magic, and I felt the pain in my throat dissipate. "Oh, that feels better". I looked over at Tyrande "You know, I'm not thanking you for that". I started massaging my throat.


"Child- I- ah I'm sorry for the pain I caused you". Cenarius knelt down cautiously, his previously booming voice softening, his hands coming up towards me.

"Bah, I barely felt it! I'm Kaezar Xanishar! Scion of the Xanishar! Such paltry pain is nothing to me!" I glared at his hands as I pushed myself to my feet and stumbled back several steps, just past Tyrande. I took a moment to glance around the glade I had been dragged to, Tyrande stood still between me and Cenarius, her eyes darting between me, Malfurion, and Cenarius. Illidan stood further out, watching Cenarius carefully, but I caught his eye's flicker over to Tyrande as I looked over to Malfurion, who stood next to Cenarius,


"Well, Demi-God? You know what you're faced with now, is it still only the Kal'Dorei's problem or do you need me to convince you more" All four of them flinched back, and Cenarius looked devastated for a second before steeling his face.

"I understand, Malfurion, prepare your companions, we need to move soon to gather more allies to cast back this threat, I'll be back soon" Cenarius straightened up and left the glade.

The Glade was silent, so I decided to try and find my helmet, which had disappeared into the undergrowth when Cenarius tore it off.

"Chil-" "Kaezar" I cut Illidan off, not looking up from my search.


"Kaezar, I'm sorry for attacking you I had no ide-" My eyes flicked up from the undergrowth, glaring briefly at Illidan "No, ignorance is no excuse, I'm sorry I should of confirmed that you were an enemy before I attacked you". I hummed uncommittedly, briefly sparking up my magic activating a location enchantment on my helmet and wander over to where it was.

"Don't let it happen again". I said, pulling my helmet down, and scowling at the half functioning enchantments, clearly I would need to fiddle with it later tonight.


"Afterall, attacking your traveling companion is extremely bad taste" I grinned underneath my Helmet, already thinking of the glory joining this trio would bring me





AN; so, no one mentioned it, but for a Quel'Dorei the MC is really, really young I can find no official sources, but these guys are a race where they have people living for millennia, barely 300 years is a blink to them, so in their view they just basically tortured a kid for information.

(this is how I am seeing the Kal'Dorei maturation baby 1-25 Toddler 25-80 Child 80-200 Teenage 200-500 Young adult 500-1000 Adult 1000-???)

Our MC is, in human years, is about 14-15, and Dath'Remar took interest in him when he would have been about 5-6 which is way earlier than people usually get picked up by a teacher, and the fact his apprenticeship ended so early a bit of a scandal, even if there was nothing deeper behind it.


Illidan and Malfurion are 750 years old, and Tyrande is 751, meaning they are mid-twenties if they were human

As ever feedback is very appreciated.

 

[Crocea_mors]

What? What do you mean you won't take a child into incredible danger?



"You can't come with us" Malfurion repeated, as he sat down on a tree root, Illidan stood off to the side, tracing shapes into the dirt with a stick, and Tyrande stood looking over his shoulder.


"Why not?" I scowled at him, though considering my face was entirely concealed by helmet it wasn't doing me that much good. "I'm the best mage here" Illidan twitched "I know more about the Demons than any of you".


"You're a child, its not safe". Malfurion sighed and ran his hand through his green beard. "You keep saying that!" This had been going on for a while, me offering intelligent arguments, and Malfurion just constantly saying- "and it hasn't changed since the last time". That.


"That didn't seem to matter ten minutes ago' I muttered quietly to myself, but judging by how all three of them flinched, it wasn't quiet enough.


"I regret our actions Kaezar, and I promise that one day I will make it up to you, but I will not make it up to you by dragging into danger!" Malfurion stood suddenly, crossing his arms, mouth pressing into a hard line.


"Where would I even go? If you haven't noticed every where is on fire, infested by demons, or both!" I glared at Malfurion, not giving an inch.


"He's right, Malfurion" Tyrande spoke up suddenly, moving away from Illidan towards us. "He can't stay here, we have no idea if we could make it back here before the Demons got here, and we cant just send him away blindly to shelter, he might not make it" I graciously ignored the slight against my survival skills and smiled at Tyrande who, for all she was a lazy priest who had some higher entity do all the legwork for her, wasn't so bad.

Malfurion sighed "Fine, but the second we find somewhere safe for him he will be staying there". He sat back down and began playing with a bird that had landed on his shoulder.


"Well, I'm glad that's settled". I meandered away from trio, grabbing at rocks with a quick pulse of arcane power, levitating them around in different patterns, and occasionally crushing them together to amuse myself.


"When is Cenarius going to be back?" I heard Illidan ask. "We can't stay in the same place for too long, the Demons could reach us any moment'. I turned around to see Illidan pacing around the edge of the glade, looking deeply into the tree-line and saw Malfurion walking over to him.


"Not too long Brother, he's most likely just gone to inform the forest guardians of his departure". Malfurions arm came up to rest on Illidan's back and he began leading him towards four chair shaped roots that Tyrande was sitting at.


"Kaezar, please come sit down, if you are to join us then we should discuss the threats we will be facing on our journey". Malfurion beckoned me over and gestured to one of the root chairs.


I wandered over to the chair, and tested how comfortable it was with my hand, before sighing and conjuring myself a chair to sit on, flopping down on the chair bonelessly. "Well, what do we need to talk about?" I tilted my head back, looking at the eerily green stars above. Wait stars aren't gre- "INFERNALS INCOMING!"


I sprung out of my chair, and began tracing patterns in my mind, taking my time to create a more powerful spell while waiting for the Infernals to get close. "Wait what are Infernals?" I heard Illidan exclaim "OH THE BIG GREEN ONES!", I felt a flash of arcane magic as Illidan prepared his own spells.


"Cenarius shouldn't be too far away, we only need to hold them off until he arrives". I saw Malfurion shift in the corner of my eye, becoming a truly gargantuan bear, and felt my bones rattle as he gave off an earth-shattering roar, that while intimidating, was slightly sullied by the fact that an infernal smashed into his face mid-roar.


"Malfurion!" My eyes snapped over to Tyrande, just in time to catch her fully draw her bow and fire in one smooth movement, the arrow burying itself deeply into the Infernals Shoulder before exploding in a flash of holy light, causing the Infernal to go out.


I looked away, satisfied that the people around me weren't completely incapable of keeping themselves safe, and looked for where the next infernal would land. I caught sight of an infernal just as it landed, and before it could uncurl I filled the pattern in my mind with mana and unleashed a bolt of frost, angling it so it would hit the Infernals head as it uncurled.

I didn't even wait to see the results of my spell, catching sight of an Infernal completely unfurled I twisted on the ball of my foot and blinked to the side of the construct. I traced two telekinesis spells simultaneously and grabbed hold of the infernal, I twisted both spells in opposite directions before wrenching them apart. I flug one part of the bisected infernal core at an infernal that was preparing to attack Illidan while he was distracted, and I brought the other one up to orbit around me, the massive rock larger than I was. I spun back around, absently noting that the infernal hit by my initial spell had been almost completely obliterated, tracing a pattern for a pure arcane blast looking for a target.


I didn't have to wait long, noticing an infernal charging towards Malfurion, as he was preoccupied with two larger than average constructs. Blinking forward I unleashed my arcane blast into the Infernals back, then slammed the Infernal core circling me through the back of the infernal, twisting it with all of my power when it was wedged itself firmly inside, forcing parting the two sides apart violently, and causing the Infernal to dim.


"LEAVE MY FOREST FOUL CREATURES!" a wave of nature magic exploded from the side of the glade, the sheer power of it causing my knees to buckle and I braced myself on the body of the infernal I had just destroyed. I glanced at the nearest Infernal and watched as a fully-grown tree burst up around the construct, encasing it utterly. The tree continued to grow, twisting into the shape of massive Treants, my eyes widened surely he couldn't jus- "RISE PROTECTORS OF THE FOREST, IN LIFE YOU DEFILED THESE FORESTS, IN REBIRTH YOU WILL BE THEIR GREATEST DEFENDERS". The massive tree's groaned, its eyes lighting up with an amber light. My eyes widened, how powerful was Cenarius really?


"Thero'shan! We are leaving". Cenarius turned quickly, walking out the glade at a brisk pace. Malfurion untransformed and jogged after Cenarius. I tried to exchange a glance with my other two travelling companions, unfortunately both had also darted off into the forest.

"Seriously? Nobody else Is going to comment on what just happened?" I gesticulated wildly at the dozens of newly created lives.


"You should follow them quickly Young on- ". "YOU ARE LITERALLY MINUTES OLD TREE! YOU DON'T GET TO CALL ME YOUNG!" I interrupted the Tree, glaring fiercely at it.

"I might be minutes old, which is young in your people's eyes, but I am also the oldest of my species, and so I am an old wise tree from my species point of view" the tree rumbled incoherently, breaking my glare away from the unintelligent tree, I blinked in the direction of where the others left, breaking into a light run to catch up.

"Stupid trees and their stupid points of view that's not how time works, why could they even talk they were literally just made" I grumbled to myself, blinking again to close the distance between me and the rest of my traveling companions.


"Nice of you to join us Young One, I was almost about to send Tyrande to fetch you". Cenarius rumbled, looking like he was just taking a brisk walk. Unfortunately for me, a brisk walk from a four-legged 15-foot demi-God covered a lot of ground very quickly, and I had to nearly run to keep up.

"Where are we heading first Lord Cenarius" Tyrande, compared was having a much easier time of keeping up with the Demi-god only breaking into a graceful light jog.


"We are headed for Wyrmpeak, there we will find Alexstraza, with her and the other Dragonflights help we will cast this invasion back". I stumbled slightly, and felt my eyes widen.


"Would Malygos be there?" I burst out, louder than I intended, but who could blame me? I might have been able to meet the Aspect of Magic himself! Malygos the Spellweaver! It is said that with a single gesture he could destroy an entire army, with a word he could freeze an ocean, and with a thought he could crush a mountain! The opportunity to even talk to him was perhaps the greatest I'd ever receive.


"It is unlikely that he would be at Wyrmpeak itself, but Alexstraza would most likely request all the aspects presence once we have convinced her of the threat". Cenarius twisted himself around, and smiled down at my blink afterimage.

"Hurry up then! The more time we waste the more Azeroth and her people burn!" I broke into a sprint in the vague direction we were moving before, tracing a complex pattern to ensure that I wouldn't run out of breath, and wouldn't get tired as quickly.


"CHILD! ITS NORTH-WEST NOT NORTH EAST!" I blink forward, modifying the pattern so that I would be facing more to the right when it finished.

Afterall, slightly turning myself physically would slow me down slightly now wouldn't it?

A/N So I will admit I've fiddled with the power levels a bit, and the first demonstration of that is Cenarius literally making an entirely new race of creatures using the still living bodies of lifeless fel-constructs, DW the BC have a bunch of guys who also punch really hard, and the legion is practically limitless (also their basic soldiers absolutely tear normal mortals in half)

Also, because of how confusing War of the ancient lore is in regarding Malfurion being taught by Cenarius (in the legion cutscene where Illidan asks to learn he is told to learn from Malfurion, who at that point shouldnt of been capable of teaching him at all since he hadnt even asked for lessons yet) So I've bypassed all that by saying that Malfurion had been taught for a long time before that, not that it ultimately mattered, because Illidan felt too awkward about ask a Demi-God who he just saw torture a kid for lessons.

 

[Crocea_mors]

The journey to Wyrmpeak, or hurry up Illidan we don't need sleep!


Unfortunately for me, despite having the ability to run for days on end I didn't have companions who could run for days on end, and so when I collapsed late at night while running, and almost instantly fell asleep it was really me being considerate for my companions.

"We have made good time if we keep this pace we'll be at Wyrmpeak within the week". I rolled onto my back and saw Cenarius fold his legs underneath him and felt a wave of nature magic that caused a tree to burst out from the ground, it was a low strange tree, it only had four branches and it had thick leafs that curled out from branches creating a cocoon like shape. "Sleep mortals, the tree will keep you warm, and hide you from the demon's sight". I saw Cenarius rise and walk away, disappearing into the surrounding trees.


I crawled underneath one of the branches, smoothening out the ground underneath it with a quick burst of arcane magic, before raising a careful mound of dirt to act as a pillow. I curled up and drifted off to slee- "Kaezar, what were you doing so far from Zin-Azshari? Actually, what were you doing so far from civilization in general? You were hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town when we…" Tyrande trailed off briefly, audibly searching for words 'when we found you". She finished lamely. By the well of eternity why is she talking to me while I'm trying to sleep!


"Teleported from Zin-Azshari, you know the thing that happens all the time?" I mumbled out, snuggling deeper inside the surprisingly warm leaf cacoon.


"That explains why you aren't in Zin-Azshari, but that doesn't explain why you outside of civilizationm teleportation spells all go to civilization centres why did you leave the one you went to?" Illidan chipped, and my jaw clenched as I was pulled further and further away from sleeps embrace.

"Not if you take the locator pattern out". I loosened my jaw and rolled onto my back, giving up trying to sleep for the time being.


"Is that not dangerous? I'll admit I don't know much about the arcane, but I know that teleportation spells are incredibly delicate" Tyrande's voice continued to grate on my unconscious, and I heard Illidan hum.


"Inconceivably dangerous, the location patterns are inherently tied to the separator patterns… and without those you have nothing separating you from the inbetween… you'd be exposed to pure void, it would send you mad!" Illidan's voice rose in pitch with as he realised just how dangerous what I did would be for a lesser mage.


I hear shuffling, and suddenly my vision was filled by Illidan's face frowning down at me, his hand holding the top of my sleeping bag leaf up. "Kaezar what made you think removing the location patterns were in any way a good idea?" Is he seriously going to try and lecture me about proper arcane usage?



"Didn't have much choice, you know, it was either that or face the Doomguard and the city full of angry Quel'Dorei mages, and I'm good but honestly that's a fair bit beyond my abilities". I scowled up at him, glaring into his amber eyes and was suddenly struck with the urge to burn them out of his eye sockets, and for a moment sympathise with Sargeras


"Doomguard? That's what you're calling them? What are you a hundred?" Illidan shakes his head slightly, eyebrows furrowing "Never mind not important what was that about a city of angry Quel'Dorei Mages? What did you do?" Illidan's facial features loosen, reshaping into a neutral look, but his lips pressed together into a thin line, and his eyes sharped.


"That is their name, I didn't choose, they did get off my back". I rolled my eyes, and brought my hand up to scratch at my cheek "I told you, didn't I? During the whole Cenarius 'interrogation'" I took my hand of my cheek, using it to form quotation marks "I killed a Pitlord, thought that we were being invaded or something" I smirk lightly "they didn't like that, for obvious reasons, and tried to take my head, hence the city of angry Quel'Dorei mages". I pulled on one of the sleeping bag leafs pulling it further under my body.


"You survived as an enemy in Xin-Ashari for long enough to get off a mangled teleport spell?" Illidan's eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open "How? Was it your armour? Why didn't someone stop your teleport!" he shot off rapidly, getting louder and quicker as he continued.


"Illidan leave the poor kid alone, he's had a… A long day. We all have, lets just get to sleep okay?" Tyrande interrupted, and Illidan glanced away, blushing. He dropped the top of my leaf, and I heard scuffing of the ground as he moved away, and I left out a sigh of relief. "Goodnight Kaezar, may Elune watch over your dreams". I rolled my eyes, and turned on my side, oddly comfortable in the strange natural sleeping bag I was cocooned in, and I felt myself drifting quickly off to sleep.

However, that was interrupted when Malfurion started snoring, loudly, very, very loudly.

So I sighed, gritted my teeth and did what any reasonable person would do.


I cast an arcane mute on my ears, After all I wasn't a sociopath or anything.


A/N so, kind of a short one, but wanted at least one scene where the characters are just sitting around doing nothing before we hit Wyrmpeak, and honestly I got really caught up in doing 2v2 arena with a mate which has been going really well (we broke 1.3k in our first run, and the only thing holding us back at this point is the fact that we don't really have the Ilvl to put some people down, and we are a bit uncoordinated on the healer stunlock) oh well, more action in the next chapter, as well as plot progression

 

[Crocea_mors]

Ambush! Or Kaezar stop constantly using arcane magic the infernals are getting annoying!


The journey to Wyrmpeak was mostly uneventful, aside from the whole constant barrage of infernals. I had no idea how they kept finding us, but it seemed like every twenty minutes another volley of dozens of infernals would crash down around us, and we would go through the motions of waiting to fight while we waited for the literal demigod to decide he wants to kill them all now.


In fact we were in the process of waiting for that very moment right now. Blinking between two infernals I grabbed telekinetically grabbed Malfurion, pulling him from out between three infernals, and using his massive bear body to smash the infernal next to me, before calmly setting him down on top of the infernals trashed corpse.

"I appreciate the save, but could you not use me as a club next time". He's surprisingly coherent for a bear that just went head first into a Fel-powered Golem, I mused twisting on the balls of my feet and unleashing a blast of water that pushed the other Infernal into another infernal. I heard him sigh, the sound utterly mangled by his animal lungs and mutter "why do I even try, he ignored me the last two time". I did not smirk to myself, after all I had nothing to be angry about since a mage of my calibre would never stuff up the timer on his mute spell not once, but twice and be woken up bot times by the nightmare inducing sounds of the Archsnorer. So clearly when I pulled him out of danger and he hit things on his way out it was an accident, and I had no time to acknowledge it in this chaotic melee.

I blinked away from Malfurions massive Bear form, appearing next to Tyrande, who for some reason had seemingly commandeered an infernal's shoulder to brutally murder its compatriots untop of with light infused arrows. Casting featherfall while I casted a curious glance at the oddly docile Infernal. I noticed that it wasn't empowered by fel magic, but was being crudely puppeted through arcane telekinesis, and I let my unimpressed gaze wander over to Illidan, who was standing next to contemplative Cenarius. I blinked over to them, and unleashed a hailstorm of arcane blasts towards five uncurling infernals.


"Well, Mr Demigod are we going to stay here playing a zero stakes game for the rest of the day, or are we going to move on?" Cenarius remained still for a time, before craning his neck towards me looking at me up and down.

"Child, how are you capable of running for so long in your armour" his voice lacked its usual booming quality, sounding confused, as if he had the answer to something on the tip of his tongue but couldn't quite figure it out.

I fiddled with my Titansteel helmet, playing with the rounded tip of the faceguards chin. "Arcane enhancement obviously, I have a pattern that instantly refills my lungs with oxygen, and another that pumps my blood faster and one that take the wa-" his hand waved in front of my face and I instinctively smacked it with a mild shock spell, it obviously did nothing.

"So you are constantly using arcane magic then" Cenarius frowned down at me, and I saw his arm come to rest on the transition of his humanoid body and his deer body.

"Well, yeah? I'm a mage, what else am I supposed to do?" I rolled my eyes up at him, unaffected by his stern mother routine.

"WHY HAVE YOU TWO STOPPED FIGHTING!" I heard Malfurion yell, and with a quick glance over I noticed his ripping the arm off an infernal with his teeth, leaving me very confused as to how he spoke so clearly.

"Arcane, like the arcane that comes from the Well of Eternity, the Well that the Demons control, and can probably track us with". Cenarius continued, and as I turned back to him I felt a wave of nature magic burst out from him. Before I could even centre my gaze on Cenarius again I saw Infernals being encased in viciously thorned roots.

"You can't prove that. Maybe they're tracking you by demigodly energy". I snapped out, crossing my arms, and squaring my feet. However when Cenarius just continued to stare at me unimpressed I blushed and continued in a smaller voice "it's not a very high chance they're doing it but it's still a chance…"

"Child you are banned from using the arcane unless either sufficient wards are set up, or we are fighting, these ceaseless interruptions delay us by too much". My mouth fell open, What! But arcane is my very life blood, its intrinsic to my very being! That was like asking Illidan to chop of his hand, or Tyrande to abandon the light, or Malfurion carve out his clearly malfunctioning respiratory system!


"But… but what about Illidan!" I gestured at Illidan wildly, as he continued controlling the now ripped to shreds infernal for Tyrande.

"Hey leave me out of this!" Illidan bit at me, briefly flicking a glare my way.

Cenarius's second hand came up to rest on his human deer transition. "Illidan doesn't use magic outside of combat, and so he doesn't compromise our location" I opened my mouth to correct him, after all Illidan had been consistently purging leafs and twigs from his hair while we were running "Enough Kaezar". The use of my name stunned me, and I wracked my brain to think if he had ever used anything but child, or mortal "you will cease using the arcane, or you will be left behind!" my jaw clenched, my eye narrowed, and I felt a cold fury settle itself into my chest.

I let out a deep sigh, and turned away from the arrogant demigod, looking at the utterly annihilated infernal barrage, their once mighty body's torn asunder by viciously powerful roots, and their wickedly sharp thorns.

"How will I keep up" I almost spat out through gritted teeth, kicking a unpowered infernals head and keeping my blazingly furious eyes rooted on the ground.

"You will ride on Malfurions back, it's about time I taught him how to become closer to the Emerald Dreams Ideal of Travel". He made a beckoning gesture at Malfurion "Thero'shan, come I will teach you this quickly". The Demigod turned sharply, leaving the battle-made clearing into thicker forests, and Malfurion followed after a brief glance at me.


I stayed rooted in place, How dare he? To tell me to not use the Arcane as if… as if he had any right at all! First he tortured me before even confirming if I was an enemy, then he destroyed the enchantments protecting my helmet and now, he thinks he can just tell me what to do! "Kaezar, he's… he's right you know, the Legion is most likely tracking you through your magic. You said it yourself Sargeras discovered Azeroth because of the Highborn messing with the Well of Eternity" Tyrande's voice was soft, and her words reasonable, but despite that they infuriated me, and I felt my hand clench into a fist.

"Tyrande, back away from him" I heard Illidan caution her distantly, barely audible over the blood pounding between my ears. I felt arcane energy twist itself around me reacting to my rage, its ebb and flow comforting, this is what he wanted me to stop using? This companion of my youth? The only companion who has never left me.

I felt my hair raise, as if an electric shock jolted through me as my thoughts spiralled around the audacity of Cenarius's demand of demanding that me, a Quel'Dorei, a highborn of the Kal'dorei empire that stretched from one corner of Kalimdor to another, give up his birthright, to give up my birthright!

I felt the pressure inside me disappear, and abruptly calmed. Fine then, I was a grown man, I could take it for a week, I kept breathing deep breaths, getting calmer and calmer, until I abruptly shredded the nature magic that had settled on my mind, and the anger from before crashed back through me.

I raised my eyes, glaring at up the emerald orbs of Cenarius, who gazed at me disapprovingly, and felt the magic that I had just shredded settle back underneath his skin.

"This is why I banned you from magic child! Even the prospect of it being taken from you sends you into a spiralling temper tantrum!" his voice boomed with the force of a thousand enraged animals "Your constant use of it delays us and endangers yourself! You will stop using it, or you will not travel with us to Wyrmpeak!" Cenarius seemed to grow larger as he spoke, he already stood at more than twice my height, but now it appeared as if he was thrice it, and his eyes darkened going from the bright emerald of a fresh summers glade to a harsher more savage green, with a kaleidoscope of different coloured flecks more akin to an untamed forest teeming with deadly animals. I felt my heart racing, my anger fleeing before the wrath of a God.

"O-… okay". I stuttered out, utterly frozen underneath his glare. "I won't use magic until we reach Wrympeak" I felt my knee's buckle under an unseen pressure, and when Cenarius turned away, I fell to the floor gasping for breath.

"Malfurion has taken the first steps to becoming one with the Emerald Dreams Ideal of Travel, and he will soon be ready to carry you to Wyrmpeak". I barely registered Cenarius's words, remaining bent on the ground struggling for breath, until I felt a large warm hand come to rest on my back, it was Malfurion.

"Shan'do is… he is hard, and quick to enforce his will, but he fears for this world, what you told him has left him deeply troubled". I felt him try to slowly pull me up, and I went along with it boneless. "Please do not judge him doing what he thinks is best for us". His words didn't comfort me, or at least they didn't comfort me much, but I could tell that he was trying and that for what ever strange reason brought me comfort.

"Come Kaezar, we must get going before we are attacked again". The hand left my back, and suddenly there was a Stag, Kal'Dorei forest markings decorating its body.

I climbed onto his back without a word, and took a firm hold of his thick fur, and buried my face into his back, and tried to ignore the sobs wracking my body.

After all, Quel'Dorei don't cry.

A/N So, MC gets told he can't use magic, has a tantrum has a Demi-god bitch slap him with nothing but his presence, and then breaks down in tears. because in the course of a week he witnessed his people dooming his world, been forced through what is in that world considered torture, (the silence placed upon him by someone who holds Elunes direct favour, and Cenarius's divine demand was literally tearing him apart from his voice box out.) forced through a night of no sleep, and then told he can no longer use the only thing that makes him particularly special while also being forced to submit underneath a Demi-gods presence. Understandably, as someone who's the mental equivalent of a 14 year old he's a bit of a mess right now.


Now, don't judge Cenarius too harshly, he was literally told the person who killed the guys who made his Mum (Wild God's are weird, because Elune birthed him, but he considers Ysera his mum) has come to Azeroth to kill everything, at the head of an army of the Titans greatest enemies, and only got here via tracking the Well of eternity. He is really scared for Azeroth.


Also don't judge Malfurion for being socially incompetent with Kaezar, he really *really* respects Cenarius, and while he doesn't understand why he did what he did, he thinks Cenarius is doing what he thinks is best, even if he isn't entirely enthused about his actions.

 

[Crocea_mors]

its a bird no its a plane! no its a chapter that is something like quadruple the normal length!

Wyrmpeak, or Kaezar stay outside!


The Infernals continued to attack us for much of the rest of the day, but as we moved out the next day, the attacks had far more delay in between them, and in fewer numbers. The attacks continued to slow as we approached Wyrmrest, and the last attack happened only two days away from Wyrmpeak.

I didn't speak much with the others during the journey, despite Tyrande's efforts to make conversation with me, even in combat I restrained myself, usually just quietly blasting Infernals apart some distance away from the main group. I could see that my silence troubled the others, or perhaps it was the way I hunched in on myself whenever we were stopped, I cannot honestly say, but I can say that by the time we reached Wyrmpeak the other three mortals stole concerned glances at me whenever they thought I wasn't looking, they weren't very subtle.


But not even my sullen disposition could resist the magnificent sight of Wyrmpeak. It was the largest mountain I had ever seen, with graceful natural arch's which connected large swaths of floating land. the greatest sight of them all was the veritable swarm of red dragons, that flittered about the mountain, from whelps to drakes to full on dragons, and even a mighty Wyrm its red scales resplendent , and wings larger than even the greatest Kal'Dorei warship. It was in short, the most magnificent thing I had ever seen, far beyond the grandeur of Xin'ashari, or the beauty of Suramar and I couldn't keep my eyes from moving, desperate to take every aspect of it in.


"Wyrmpeak, the Dragon-Queens lair, the beating heart of the red dragon fight" Cenarius's voice broke me from my awe filled sight gazing, the boom of it causing me to flinch instinctively, and my head lowered once more staring sightlessly at Malfurions back. "Move quickly, if we have past the magic hiding it from sight, then we are a scant hour from its base". I felt Malfurion begin to sprint underneath me, nature magic empowering him, making him far faster than he had ever run carrying me.

As we grew closer and closer to Wyrmpeak, I began hearing the beating of wings, and when I glanced up I saw a group of five Red Dragons flying overhead, circling overhead, and a sixth who had begun descending rapidly, it flared its ruby wings, the beige wing membranes flexing from the wind, and it landed heavily.


"Who approaches the Dragon Queens nest?" the Dragons masculine voice was suffused with magic, akin to both nature magic and arcane, but less focused than the former and more… personal than the later, the magic sat in the air it was not welcoming nor was it hostile.

I craned my head up, the dragon towering over every member of our party, almost twice as tall as Cenarius, and I couldn't help but compare it to the buildings in Xin'ashari, and realised that it would stand eye level with all but the tallest of buildings.

"I, Cenarius, son of Ysera, approach Wyrmpeak with grim tidings for the Dragon Queen, Azeroth itself is under siege, and Azeroth needs the aid of its greatest protectors if it is to survive". Cenarius's voice lacked much of its usual volume, his tone the most respectful that I had heard out of him in the week I had known him.

"Come then Child of the Emerald dreamer, The Lifebinder expects you, she has felt a dark presence fall over Azeroth". The dragon turned around, and bent his hind legs "Come, fly upon my back, I will take you and your companions to the entrance of Wyrmpeak". I slid off the back of Malfurion, and walked up the dragons massive back, and I when I came to a stop just above the Dragons wing, I felt the odd magic once more, and knew more than felt that I would not slip off the back of the dragon. I watched carefully as Cenarius walked past me, coming to a stop just before the dragon's neck, folding his legs underneath him.

The dragon's wing beat powerfully, and with a surge of its strange magic it lifted into the sky, rising rapidly, joining the other five dragons in the sky in moments.

It was my first time flying, never having bothered to use the Hippogryth's of the Kal'Dorei, preferring instead to teleport myself for long distance travel. It was… exhilarating, to put a word on it, utterly free of the world's grasp, only the powerful muscles and even more powerful magic of the dragon below us to keep us aloft. I, for the first time since I was been questioned by Cenarius, felt myself relaxing, letting myself go almost completely in the powerful flesh underneath me, and the mysterious magic around me.

The previously hour long journey was reduced to only a few minutes, and too soon for my tastes we were at the foot of Wyrmpeak, and getting off the Dragon "I will go inform the queen of your arrival, please, enter when you see fit, you will not reach the top before I do". We were briefly buffeted by wind and he was back in the air ascending quickly to the peak.

"It would be ill advised to keep the Dragon Queen waiting, come Malfurrion, Tyrande, Illidan. With haste we can ascend its steps within ten minutes". Cenarius began walked off swiftly, and we followed behind quickly, before he stopped. "I did not say you Kaezar, stay out here, lest you manage to offend The Lifebinder". I opened my mouth to protest, but Cenarius had already moved swiftly away. I saw Malfurrion exchange a strange glace with Illidan, but they followed along swiftly behind the Demigod, and Tyrande followed them after a brief glance at me.

"Typical" I mumbled to myself, and I took a seat on a rock just outside the mountains entrance, and stared at the ground, wondering to myself how long I would be forced to wait.

After staring at the ground for ten minutes, I felt a lightweight drape itself over my back, and froze not moving a muscle.

I slowly left my hand, terrified about what was behind me, and felt what lay across my shoulders. It was definitely a dragon, but one far smaller than I was expecting, and I felt myself relax, confused as to why I was being so paranoid about beings who I knew to be protectors of life. The whelp underneath my hand shifted, its weight bunching on my right shoulder, and I felt it push off, tackling my hand and gripping it with surprising strength. I brought my hand back in front of my face, looking at the playful blue… whelp. My eyebrows furrowed, and my head tilted at the Whelp who had started happily biting ineffectively at my Titansteel gauntlet.

"Now what's a blue whelp doing in the Red Dragonflights nesting grounds?" I brought my other hand up, scratching at the whelps back, who wriggled and flapped its wing at the stimulus. "Are you a foundling or something? Part of an evil Red dragon conspiracy to breed a new blue dragon flight to replace the old?" its pupilless amber eye seemed to flicker towards me, giving me what I could only call a flat look, surprising considering the Whelp was still happily chewing at my hand and wriggling its legs.

I heard a chuckle behind me, and turned around to see an unnaturally tall and strikingly beautiful high elven woman approaching me "Nothing like that, young man, I had merely come to deliver the Lifebinder a message, and Cyanigosa decided to accompany me". Cyanigosa chirped around her metal chew toy, flapping her wings. "What is such an amusing mortal like you doing at the entrance to Alexstraza's Nest? Secret Red dragon breeding program to take over the Kal'Dorei Empire?" her voice was teasing, and suffused with pure arcane energy bristling with a deep well of power that outstripped both the dragon that took us here, and Cenarius, perhaps combined. I pulled my dragon-laden hand closer to my chest, and brought my right hand down across its back, petting it.

"I uhh, I came in with Cenarius, to warm Alexstraza of the Burning crusade invading our world' The Transformed Blue Dragon's eyebrows furrowed, then she looked exaggeratedly side to side.

"Cenarius huh? Where is Ysera's little project? Hiding behind a tree?" She smirked at me, and I felt myself blush and heard her chuckle "I'm just teasing you, I can feel him climbing the tower, that boy really does need to learn how to reign in his presence, why did he leave you outside?" her head tilted to the side, and I suddenly felt like an interesting specimen underneath a microscope.

"I-er… I-um". I stuttered over my words "I don't know he just said stay out here and that I would offend the Dragon Queen, but he's always unreasonable". I got quicker and quicker "he banned me from using arcane four days ago because he said that the Legion was tracking us because of it but he didn't give a reason for it". I finished breathlessly, and glanced meekly up into her twinkling eyes

"You? Offend Alexstraza? She'd be more likely to name you Spot and make you dress up" my face twisted downward into a frown, feeling my pride ache slightly "Why you don't look like you hurt a fly". My eyes flashed and my nostrils flared.

"I am Kaezar Xanishar! I have slain Pit lords with a single spell! I have killed Doom guard with nothing but my wits and my magic!" my outburst came suddenly, and I felt Cyanigosa start in my arms at the sudden volume. I glared into the Blue dragons Pupilless blue eyes.

"And fierce too, good I was growing bored with you just passively taking it". Her smile grew from a smug amused smirk into a challenging grin with far too many teeth "So you fancy yourself a mage? Taken down some foot soldiers of whatever monster of the week threatens Azeroth? Care to try your hand at a magic contest then? Yours against another's?" she kept eye contact with my glare staring challengingly down at me.


"A magic contest against a you? A blue-" "I didn't say that it would be against me, now did I?" she cut me off, and she gestured at Cyanigosa in my arms "I meant you have a contest against Cyanigosa, unless of course you don't even think you could beat a Whelp" my jaw clenched and I glanced down at the whelp innocently chewing on my arm, there was no way that I would lose a that contest.


"Fine then". I wetted my lips, suddenly eager to stretch my metaphorical magic limbs after nearly a week of spells that barely strained me "What are the contests?"

The transformed dragon hummed, bending down and pulling Cyanigosa out of my grasp, tugging my gauntlet out of the whelp's mouth. "Three challenges, one of how much arcane power you can channel at the same time, the next" the dragon chuckled "will be a challenge of finesse, and the last will be a test of speed, that covers the first three principal aspects of spell slinging does it not?" She scratched behind Cyanigosa's ear, before releasing her, the whelp fluttering towards the ground. "Come on now darling, this contest will be easier to judge if you transform into an elf form" the whelp yawned, and with a flash of magic what looked like a sleepy looking bi-centennial Quel'Dorei girl was suddenly where Cyanigosa was.

"Do I have to Mother? He gives such good back scratches, it would be a shame to humiliate him". I felt a rush of anger at that, but it was not the cold fury that Cenarius filled me with, it felt… more innocent, an annoyed anger than a hateful one, and even just feeling it brought a smile to my lips.

"Oh? Scared? Cyanigosa afraid she'll lose the contest to a mere mortal? Is that why you don't want to compete?" I smiled mockingly at her, twisting my head like I saw her mother do when she was teasing me.

"You think you have what it takes to beat me?" She crossed her arms, and glared up at me, and I took joy in the simple feeling of being taller than someone for the first time in a week. "I'll wipe the floor with you so bad that it would take Alexstraza herself to put you back together!"

"Enough posturing you two, time to put your money where your mouth is". The woman smiled at us, amused. "We will begin with the Arcane channelling contest, both of you will channel as much arcane as you can, and who ever channels the most wins". She gestured at the two of us. "Well? Get a move on!"

"How will you judge who has the most? How can I trust that you wouldn't just give Cyanigosa the win when I beat her?" I questioned the woman, wondering what magical artefact she had that could measure the amount of arcane someone could channel.

"Are you saying I would lie mortal?" the air around me grew cold, and a hidden pressure placed itself firmly on my shoulders, not enough to force me anywhere but enough to let me know it was there. "Are you accusing me of being a liar?" the smile slid off her face and she glared down at me, the pressure mounting, the arcane power in her words felt like cool ice pricks of anger.

"I'm sorry, I was just asking" I mumbled out curling in on myself, and I felt the pressure instantly lighten from my shoulders.

Fingers cupped my chin guard, and the Blue dragon tilted my head up to look her in the eyes "I am a Wyrm of the Blue Dragon flight, my ability to sense magic is far beyond any artefact ever constructed, by mortal hands or otherwise". She smiled down at me, and I felt my heart rate calming, finding comfort in the soothing intent in the arcane within her words.

"Mother, can we hurry this contest along! I want to prove I'm better than him!" The Blue Wyrm released my chin and chuckled.

"Well you heard the young lady". She made a gesture and I took it as my que to start channelling mana.

Gathering mana without a pattern to push it into, or at least being prepared to be pushed into was simultaneously harder and easier, it was easier to get it initially, but harder to keep, chaotic without the stabilizing presence of a pattern. But despite its difficulty it was child's play for someone of my skill, and I started quickly gathering mana at a rate that outstripped some fully grown Quel'Dorei battlemages, and counteracting its chaotic nature to force it to stay within me. Minutes passed, and the amount of mana inside me far outstripped the mana I used to obliterate the top half of Mannoroth, I wasn't far from the absolute maximum amount of mana I could channel at once, and I began to truly struggle with suppressing the mana's chaotic nature as well as gather more mana. I finally lost the fight, reaching the point where I couldn't gather any more without consequences, consequences that I wasn't willing to risk in a simple contest. I released all of the mana at once, blasting it harmlessly downwards, aligning it with earth magic at the same time to ensure that it was easily absorbed and dissipated, but as I forced it out I felt a powerful presence stop it, gathering it all up, and pulling it towards itself. I opened my eyes, blinking out the specs of flashing blue in them, and glanced over to where I felt the presence take the mana I had gathered, seeing two orbs together, one noticeably bigger than the other, not by much, but still observable with the naked eye.

"Good thinking, turning it into earth magic before releasing it into the ground, with the amount you were gathering I was almost afraid that I would have to step in to stop anything dangerous from happening if you lost control, or released it recklessly". The Blue Wyrm looked impressed, slightly nodding her head. "I hope the method I came up with satisfies your sense of… fair judgement" she continued, impressed looked wiped away and becoming an amused smirk. "Unfortunately for you, Cyanigossa has channelled more magic than you have, and so she wins this part of our contest". I stared at the Cyanigosa's orb, sightly upset but I didn't blame myself for the lost overly much, afterall the Blue dragonflight was practiacally magic itself, channelling it was basically what they were made for, I would beat her in the other two contests.

"Don't feel too bad Kaezar, I am after all just better" Cyanigosa smirked at me, looking much like her mother. "Don't worry I won't beat you in the other two too badly".

"I hoped you can back up your words, Cyanigosa after all it wouldn't do for you to bring shame to your brood now would it". The woman ruffled Cyanigosa's already sleep-mussed hair and I watched her lean into it. "The next contest is a test of finesse, to see how well you can twist magic into what suits your needs".

I felt a flash of arcane, and suddenly there was a pattern imprinted on my mind, impossibly complex, with delicate sloping curves, entwined three-dimensional loops, and finely spun tunnels, all interconnected, and I quickly realised that no matter what I did I wouldn't be able to construct that pattern and fill it with mana in my mind.

"Of course, I don't expect you to expect you to get it exactly right, just get as close as you can, you have four minutes before I check" I heard her voice distantly, already focusing on constructing this impossibly complex pattern, intensely curious as to what sort of magic requires that level of complexity.

I did not use the more complex shapes very often, relying on layering basic patterns together to reinforce each other in certain ways to create my desired effect. But I wasn't considered a prodigy for nothing and so I began simple, creating the basic outline of the entire pattern in my mind, forging the connections between each pattern early, before they became too delicate through modification. When I had the basic outline of the pattern created, I began modifying individual parts of the pattern, twisting and expanding parts, slicing and rearranging the pattern with painstaking care, until finally I was confident that I had gotten it as close as possible to the pattern inside my head, and began slowly filling it with mana. Taking great care not to overfill the pattern and potentially destroy part of it.

I felt the Wyrms presence again, carefully extracting my pattern from my mind, and I opened my eyes to two patterns hanging in the air, identical from where I was standing, and my jaw clenched, a draw?
The Wyrm chuckled "Oh Cyanigosa, it looks like I'm going to have to make you take some remedial pattern crafting lessons, a Blue Whelp sloppier than a mortal?" She chuckled, and suddenly the patterns exploded into detail, hundreds of different mistakes expanded for all to see, tunnels wound too tightly, curves too shallow or sharp, even focus fraying, where lack of concentration had cause the pattern to loose coherency in parts. I grinned, looking over at Cyanigosa's pattern, and counted her mistakes, one hundred and fourteen mistakes to one hundred and thirty, I had won decisively.

I glance over at Cyanigosa, who caught my eyes with hers and shrugged "So the Elf has some skill and is lucky" she ran a hand through her still sleep mussed fringe "He still won't win this contest" She smirked at me, blue eyes a dance of different shades.

"We'll see about that". I turned back my head back to the Blue Wrym and watched her flick her hand, two round disks of pure whtie ice appeared in mid-air several metres away, and a new pattern imprinted itself on my mind, an incredibly basic arcane missile, containing nothing but a shape to craft the mana into a bolt, and a shape to propel it forward.

"The last contest is simple, whoever casts the most spells, and hits the target" she gave a flat look at Cyanigosa "in one minute wins, the disk will grow darker the more that it is struck". I played with the new pattern in my mind, testing how quickly I could form it, and how many I could form simultaneously, but I quickly noticed that it wouldn't scale well, and I wouldn't be able to form more than five simultaneously without losing more time then I would save. "If you are done playing with the spell, we can begin the contest without precasting spells" I blushed, and dismissed the patterns in my mind, letting the mana that I was filling them with dissipate harmlessly. "Good, Now begin on my count, three". I wetted my lips, and brought my hands up towards the icy disk "two". I took a deep breath "one".

I began tracing patterns, and filling them, blasting out arcane bolts five at a time, each volley taking a fraction of a second to create, and the icy disk quickly darkened to a light grey. I forced myself to breath steadily, the barrage of spells wasn't straining, but as I focused more on spell slinging I found myself holding my breath. Soon however, the contest was over "Time!" I heard the Wyrm call out, and felt an anti-magic field fall over me, forcing me to stop casting. My disk was a dark grey an almost castle rock colour, and I stole a glance at Cyanigosa's, and hers was far darker, better described as black than as grey. "Cyanigosa wins this contest, and with it the contest two to one" the Blue Wyrm watched me impassively.

I let out a sigh, and my shoulders dropped, I had lost. "Congratulations I guess". I sat back down on my log, and waited for them to leave. After all, they had just proven I was nothing special, nothing interesting, they would leave just like the rest.

I went back to staring at the ground, glad, at the very least that I had the chance to stretch my arcane muscles before being forced back into not using it for who knows how long. I heard the fluttering of wings, and felt a weight settle across my shoulders. I my eyes widened, and I lifted my left hand up to my shoulder, and felt my hand get tackled. I straightened up, eyes still low to the ground, and brought a Whelp formed Cyanigosa down to my lap, and I began softly scratching her scaly back.

"its impressive, you know", My head snapped up to the surprising sight of the Blue Wyrm standing only a few metres in front of me, and my head tilted to the side, confused. "A mortal capable of competing with a Blueflight dragon? Even just a whelp in a test of the arcane?" she walked closer, towering crouching before my sitting form "Impressive, especially when they themselves are just a whelp themselves" She pulled my helmet off my head and my eyes met hers. "I don't think I've ever seen that happen actually, I want to see what that kind of mortal could do with proper instruction". I stared confused into the Blue Wyrm blue eyes, distracted by how they shifted and moved into a thousand different shades. "And who better to give you such instruction than myself?" My eyes widened, and my mouth fell open wordlessly. "Well, Kaezar, would you like me to teach you? Would you become…" she paused, seemingly searching for words "Sindragosa's Thero'shan?" my eyes bulged at her name, Sindragosa? The great Wrym in front of me was Sindragosa herself!

"Y-ye-yes Shan'do!" I spoke hurriedly, the opportunity was once in a life time, to learn at the foot of one of the oldest and greatest Blue Dragons on Azeroth, it was second only to being taught by Malygos himself!

Sindragosa smiled down at me, and I saw her eyes flash, feeling both a burst of arcane, and a soft tracing along my face. I watched Sindragosa's face, seeing a tattoo much like the one I felt being traced on my face appear on hers, just below her eye, an incredibly complex pattern that was far beyond me, even further beyond me than the intricacy pattern test was.

"Then, until the day you can successfully cast the spell upon your cheek, I will teach you all I know". Sindragosa straightened, and I felt Cyanigosa shift in my arms, curling in on herself, and I smiled.

"Come, climb aboard" there was a flash of light, and feeling of thick arcane presence draped over me, Sindragosa had transformed. She was massive, almost half again the height of the dragon that flew us here, and I struggled to even think of a building that was taller than her. She was a deep blue, much darker than Cyanigosa was, with massive wings that looked large enough to completely encircle the Xin'Ashari palace. She was awe-inspiring. "We shall inform Cenarius of your new status, before we depart to the Nexus, I do not wish to delay showing you to my Dearest". I climb blinked aboard the dragon and sat just behind the Wyrms shoulders, Cyanigosa still in my arms.

Sindragosa's wings extended and she took off with a massive flap, the sheer amount of force behind the flap forcing the trees around us to bend almost vertically. Sindragosa flew leisurely, looping around the mountain slowly and I watched as the Red dragons flying about swiftly moved out of her way, creating a respectful distance between them and her.

We, despite the circular flight, reached the peak of the Mountain swiftly, barely taking two minutes in total. There was a massive hole at the peak of the mountain, carved in an impossibly perfect circle, and inside Cenarius was standing in front of a Dragon, gesturing wildly. Sindragosa chuckled "it seems Cenarius is having difficulty convincing the Dragon Queen, we will talk to him later, we must first speak to Alexstraza, it would be impolite to do anything else" We flew into the massive cavern, which seemed impossibly larger on the inside. Sindragosa set down on the ground with unreal lightness, and did not break her stride, continuing at the same pace on foot. She quickly came upon another entrance, and moved through it.

The second I crossed the threshold of the entrance upon Sindragosa's back I felt an impossibly powerful presence, the power that its mere passive aura gave off dwarfed even Sindragosa's outburst. There was no mistaking it, this was the power of an Aspect. I looked around and saw almost nothing but resplendent ruby scales, even atop Sindragosa's gargantuan bulk I barely reached the top half of the Dragons body. I briefly wondered how the mountain even held such a massive creature, both in size and in weight.

"Sindragosa? I thought you had already delivered you message? Surely you haven't managed to fly to the Nexus and back that swiftly?" Alexstraza's voice, if it wasn't described just as pure power, was Regal and motherly, but there was a hidden edge in it, beyond the power suffusing it, an edge that would warn even more powerful foes that she was not to be trifled with. "Who is the child with Cyanigosa in his arms? You didn't have an apprentice this morning" The weight of the Lifebinders attention felt like a warm homecooked meal, and amused chastisement, it was both comforting in its contents and terrifying in its vastness.

Sindragosa chuckled. "No Alexstraza, I haven't even left for the Nexus yet, I stumbled upon one of Cenarius's mortals outside, and he amused me so much I just had to take him as an apprentice" Alexstraza shifted, powerful muscles beneath her scales rippling as she stretched.

"And you came to introduce him?" The Aspect of Life sounded confused, tilting her head curiously at Sindragosa.

"No, no, I am just here to ask for permission to speak with Cenarius before I whisk him away to the Nexus with me" Sindragosa made a shrugging motion rolling her shoulders "I think it is only polite after all".


The Dragon Queen hummed, the sound rattling my bones "Fair enough, I suppose. Perhaps you can convince him that the Dragonflights have no stake in his favoured races crisis" My head snapped up, and my mouth snapped open before I could stop myself.

"What!" my outburst seemed to surprise everyone in the room, Alexstraza's head darting towards me, and Sindragosa jolting underneath me.

"Do you disagree mortal? Do you think that the Dragonflight should deal with your problems for you?" Alexstraza sounded genuinely curious, but there was an undertone of condescension in her tone. "Save your people from learning a lesson that they brought upon themselves?" She continued, eyes unwavering from my form.


"It is not just the Kal'Dorei's problem Lifebinder, the Burning Crusade seeks to destroy Azeroth herself, Sargeras seeks to defile the world soul!" I barely held my ground underneath her gaze, the desire to just beg for forgiveness overwhelming, but I could not, Azeroth needed the Dragonflights help if it was to cast back the Burning Crusade.

"Where did you learn what a world soul is, mortal?" Her presence lost its curious colouring, becoming sharper and harsher. I struggled to breath but I remained standing. The aspect huffed. "It matters not, whoever Sargeras is he will be destroyed completely when he attempts to try anything" My heart soared, did that mean she would fight? "After the Kal'dorei have learnt to not play with creatures beyond their ability".

I felt my heart sink, and I grew angry "You think you can destroy Sargeras alone? He'd tear you apart!" I felt Sindragosa freeze underneath me, and Cyanigosa wriggled out of my arms.

I felt the sharp presence grow becoming harsher and impossibly more all-encompassing "You think I am not powerful enough to kill whoever this Sargeras is?" The Dragon Queens wings flared, and I could no longer breath underneath the pressure of her presence "My might is Legendary! Elemental lords have learnt to flee in terror rather than fight me! There is no being on Azeroth that could rival me or my siblings!" I collapsed to my knees desperately trying to get air into my lungs.

"You think you got beat the creature that killed the Titan pantheon!" The pressure froze, and I could finally breath again.

"You don't know what you say mortal" The Dragon Queen breathed out, and I felt Sindragosa shift underneath me.

"Aggramar, Eonar, Aman'thul, Norgannon, Golganeth, and Khaz'goroth" Each name seemed like a physical blow to the Aspect of Life, flinching back at each of them. "Sargeras is not to be taken lightly Lifebinder, he cannot be allowed to set foot upon Azeroth!"

The Dragon Queen's presence grew weary, and I felt my shoulder droop along with it. "I don't know how you know what you do mortal, and right now I cannot find it within myself to care, but you have given me much to think about. If this Sargeras is as dangerous as that, then you are right, we cannot let him enter Azeroth. Sindragosa, return to Malygos immediately, tell him to prepare his flight for war, we will cast this Legion back". The Lifebinders voice was thick with grief. "Go, I need time alone." Sindragosa didn't delay, bowing towards the Dragon Queen, and leaving swiftly from where we entered.

"I perhaps understand more why Cenarius feared you would offend the Dragon Queen, Apprentice". Sindragosa sounded exasperated "That was a dangerous game you just played, if I was not there then Alexstraza would have struck you down for your impudence". Cyanigosa climbed back into my lap, and I began absently scratching at her scales once more. "Be glad that whatever those names were stayed her wrath, I was growing concerned that not even my presence would spare you". The great Wrym chuckled as she took off from the entrance, rapidly gaining both speed and altitude at rate that far out stripped the dragon I rode on before.

"What happened to telling Cenarius?" I yelled over the intense winds. "I thought that was the entire reason we met with The Lifebinder? I felt Cyanigosa twist in my arms and give me a flat look.

"When the Dragon Queen tells you to do something immediately, you do not tarry with trivialities".

Which, when you think about it, was a pretty damn good reason.

A/N okay so I started writing this, then I kept on writing, and it kept pilling up and I think this is the most words I have ever written for literally anything. Anyway, Meet Sindragosa, who you might remember from such shows as ICC's second to last boss, and DK's overpowered as fuck fuck everything in that vague direction ability that does WAY TO MUCH GODDAMN DAMAGE WTF IT JUST DID 500K IN ONE USE! *ahem* not that I'm bitter at losing my of the DPS charts top spot, obviously, and Cyanigosa! Who you might remember from the original Violet Hold Dungeon where she takes forever to do anything, and its just vaguely annoying.

Sindragosa being a blue dragon, and being Malygos's consort is 110% confirmed cannon, and her death is one of the things that drives Malygos insane (the first time) in OT, Cyanigosa isn't confirmed as being Malygos's daughter, but it doesn't say that she isn't Malygos's kid *shrug*

Anyway, criticism welcome, even the sort of criticism that can be summed up as you're bad and this story is bad. Theres probably a lot mistakes and errors in this and like always I probably used way too many commas.

 

[Crocea_mors]

The Nexus, Home of Magic.


The Nexus wasn't as grand as Wyrmspeak, there wasn't a legion of dragons flying around the mountain, the Nexus didn't dwarf everything else in the world like Wyrmpeak, it could be said that the Nexus was less awe-inspiring than Wyrmpeak.

However, when you looked past your eyes, and felt the world beyond sight, felt the ripples and the patterns and the twist and pull of space, there is nothing comparable.

There were separate platforms surrounding the Nexus, suspended mid-air, but where lesser sorcerers would levitate the platforms the Blue Dragons took it much further. They had locked the platforms position into place relative to everything around it, none of the platforms could be moved, could be harmed, without every platform being destroyed or moved simultaneously. The sheer complexity of such a pattern boggled my mind, even standing next to the enchantment base, I could barely make out the intricate detailing of the pattern. Each pattern interacting with others in unique ways while also being self-sufficient, the time and effort required to dismantle a spell like this would be astronomical.

But that was just the magic on the physical parts of the Nexus, when you look deeper between the spaces of the world, you can see thousands of self-propagating patterns that twisted space-time in on itself, creating pocket dimensions where the dragons studied the thousands of different ideas that caught their attention, even testing them in environments completely alien to Azeroth.

"Distracted the Nexus once more Child?" I jolted in place, only barely stopping myself from spinning around to face the voice behind me, an action that would probably have sent me plummeting off the edge of the platform who's construction I was just admiring. "Does it interest you more than the lessons Lady Sindragosa herself requested me to teach you?"

"Are you saying that your lessons are more interesting than Lord Malygos's own spell work Varian?" I did not like Varian Cloudstrider, the Blue Dragonsworn that Sindragosa intermittently placed me with when she was unavailable to teach me. He was a toady, he arrogant towards those he considered lesser to him, which for some strange reason he perceived to be me, and sickeningly submissive towards any he thought better. He rarely offered great insight into the nature of magic, his views either simplistic themselves, or he had made them simplistic in a foolish underestimation of my own grasp magic. He, thus far, was the worst thing about learning from Sindragosa, and considering Sindragosa had spent much of the week I have been here busy preparing for war with Lord Malygos, he was making my stay very unpleasant.

"I- uh… no I mean" He spluttered, his meagre intellect failing him swiftly, which is perhaps the only swift act his mind had ever performed. The shifting of his scales were loud even against the humming backdrop of mana, and I glanced behind myself to see what he was doing. "If you do not wish to listen to the lessons I was told by Lady Sindragosa herself to give you, then perhaps I shall test you on them, and maybe your failings will show how poor a student you are to her Ladyship".

"Are you saying you are a better judge of a student than my master?" I asked casually, enjoying watching him stiffen and falling over excuses to himself. "Whatever the case, what is your test Varian, Cyanigosa had asked me to meet her today, and I don't wish to dally long". His head snapped over to me, and something approaching genuine threat appeared in his eyes.

"That is Lady Cyanigosa to you, Child". His blue snout pulled back, snarling at me with sharp teeth. "The test will be simple, for your simple mind, you shall simply recite to me the core differences between a fire pattern and an ice pattern". It was questions like that, that let me know that Sindragosa did not set the content of these lessons, where we would drive into the true complexities of magic, of asymmetric ratios and three dimensions, and even of the incredibly complex shifting pattern that would have shapes that changed over time, which in turn would change the effect. While this fool would ask me questions that a particularly dim troll would understand!

I shot a glare at him, the very question itself insulting. "I call Cyanigosa whatever Cyanigosa asks me to call her, and she tells me to call her Cyanigosa". I looked back out over the pulsing beam of arcane power that was the centre piece of The Nexus, the enchantments surrounding it both drawing power from it, and protecting it. "A fire spell is at its core, agitated mana, which is why it commonly features close together lines in the patterns, as it causes the mana to scrape together agitating it and making 'fire' magic, magic loses that agitation quickly returning to a neutral state, and due to the nature of most fire patterns, becoming harmless". I took a breath, and started scanning the various magical pockets that littered the sky around the Nexus, looking for where Cyanigosa had tucked herself away. "An Ice spell on the other hand is stationary mana, mana that lacks the natural agitation of even neutral mana, which is why patterns that feature ice are often short, or extensively long, to ensure either agitation doesn't build up, or its bled off over the course of casting the spell, mana doesn't gain agitation as easily as it loses it, which is why ice spells last longer before returning to a harmless state, however it also isn't as naturally dangerous and it often takes longer to separate agitation then it does to cause it". I finally found Cyanigosa's hide out for the day, barely needing to pay attention to the explanation of such simple magic concepts.

Varian huffed "Well I suppose even your guesses can be ri-". I blinked inside the pocket space, finding Cyanigosa in her elf form floating upside down in front of a thick glass window, muttering to herself.

"Cyanigosa? You wanted to show me something?" I felt light inside the sub-space, and when I stepped forward I felt myself float off the ground.

Cyanigosa spun around, and her upside down head tilted to the left. "Why are you upside down?" her left eye had a focusing lens over it, which went some way towards explaining why she was not in dragon form at that moment.

"I was right side up when I came in here, you are the one upside down". I struggled in place for a moment achieving little but a slight spin.

Cyanigosa's mouth twitched, and I felt a levitation spell take hold of me, dragging me towards her. "Come-on, I need your silly mortal eyes to test this lens" She stopped me right infront of her, and I gave her upside down face an unimpressed look.

"You know that Kal'Dorei don't die of old age correct?" She pulled the focusing lens off her face, and shoved it over my right eye, eyebrows furrowing briefly, before she swapped the side the lens was on.
"Pft, you need to cheat with the Well of Eternity though, plus you don't need to die to old age to die you know". She spun around, pushing before pushing off my head and floating higher. "Now look through the glass and tell me what you see.

I scowled up at her, glaring as she pulled out a notepad and pen. "You could have just used magic to move". I sighed looking through the glass, seeing a kaleidoscope of differently coloured shapes with my left eye, and a small bracelet sitting on a cushion on the other side. "it's an enchantment" I looked up at Cyanigosa, smirking.

She threw a pencil at me. "I know that! Tell me about the bracelet! The shapes, the colours that sort of thing! I want to confirm something!" the pencil bounced off my head straight back at Cyanigosa.

I took another look at the bracelet. "Well, the enchantment isn't imbedded in the bracelet, but is imbedded in the idea of this bracelet, so there are probably copies of it. Its mostly based around an inverted screw which seems to mix between parts which generate agitation and which reduce it, and there's a pentagon surrounding the Screw that seems like it would force the screw to release its mana at its peak and lowest point of agitation, based on how its connecting to the screw, when the pattern is disturbed in any way". I flicked my eyes up to Cyanigosa, who was scribbling away at her note pad, tongue slightly poking out and nodding, before returning to look at the bracelet. "Then there's the funnel that connects to both, which looks like it was the only part that was actively powered during its creation that draws mana into the other two shapes, and theres this absolutely abomination of a shape in the centre that looks like when the bracelet is activated it would extend down into what-ever was wearing the bracelet for whatever reason". I leant back as far as I could into Cyanigosa's levitation spell. "all in all, I'd call it the stupid man's magic resistance bracelet, am I done now?"

Cyanigosa flipped her page. "The colours tell me about the colours!" I looked up at her incredulously, colours were next to useless in describing an enchantment, useful during the process of making them yes, but unneeded when describing it.

"Seriously? Whatever, the pentagram is mostly red, but it is blue where it connects to the Screw, the funnel is orange, and the Screw is green, which explains why pentagram is intermittently blue but not how. The centre thing is Yellow". I looked away from the bracelet, and begun to wonder why it needed to be behind such thick glass.

"Thanks for doing my homework Kaezar!" I jolted, barely catching sight of Cyanigosa as she transformed into a whelp and disappeared from the pocket dimension.

"Wait! Let me out of the levitate first!" My words fell on already gone ears, and I let my chin fall onto my chest, dispelling levitation spells without the added benefit of gravity was a nightmare.

I began the tedious process of unravelling the levitation pattern, and the far more cathartic process of planning my revenge.

I'd probably start with throwing Cyanigosa off the Nexus, it probably wouldn't hurt her, but it would give more than enough time to burn her notes.

Afterall, its impolite to use your friends without their consent.

A/N shortish one this time, I just kind of wanted to describe the Nexux, then spend sometime with Cyanigosa (who as you can see here, is a bit of a prankster) While also tossing in some magic babble to fill in space.

Next chapter will have either Sindragosa lesson, or will advance the plot *shrug* whatever I decide first

Criticism welcome, and all that jazz. Oh and dont forget to comment, feeds my muse or something IDK

 

[Crocea_mors]

Preparations for war


I was convinced that the click of Sindragosa's shoes on the arcane-infused stone had to be magically enhanced in some capacity, the noise was unnaturally loud, even overpowering the hum of background magic that kept this dimension open. My eyes followed her as she circled around platform, trying to divine what exactly she was doing, and consequently what I was going to end up doing.

"I did not want you to undergo this trial so early". Her voice was soft, and sounded almost regretful. "Perhaps half a decade before letting you undergo it, not a mere month". Her words set me on my guard, I had given Sindragosa ample proof of my competence, even going as far as to defeat several blue dragons in inpromteu arena matches, mostly whelps but I had even forced a young Drake to yield after a long battle that, granted, I had only won through a brutally cunning trap that left his wing seared to the side of a magically reinforced rock. Sindragosa would not underestimate my power, nor would she underestimate the mind directing the power. "But, if we are to bring you to war against the Burning Legion then you must pass this trial as all those who fight for the Blue Dragonflight must". I had requested Sindragosa let me accompany her to wage war against the burning legion, and she had told me that she would ask Lord Malygos, but warned me that the Spellweaver might deny me.

I reached up to my helmet, and pulled the faceguard down, I did not want to be unprepared for this trial.

"I must admit, I don't have the highest hope for your ability to succeed in this trial, even older drakes have failed to best it". That rankled at my pride, and hurt more than I would admit, Sindragosa's opinion had become greatly important to me over the month of sparse instruction I had received from her. "I will give you one opportunity to back out apprentice, please take it, I will not think lesser of you for it". I grit my teeth, and said nothing staring at Sindragosa through the grated eyeholes of my helmet.

"Fine then, apprentice, I wish you luck, and hope for Cyanigosa's sake that you make it through". She had finished a full circle of the platform, transforming into the behemoth that was her Dragonform. "Do not lose this, it is one thing if you choose not to take the trials, but to take it and lose? I would be greatly shamed by the loss of my apprentice like that". With a beat of her powerful wings, she lifted off the platform, disappearing from the dimension.

Everything was still, and the lights on the platform dimmed, and I felt a worrying amount of arcane energy being drawn to the centre of the platform directly below me. I blinked backwards and kept my eyes locked at where the mana was coalescing, it was a truly oppressive amount of mana and an amount greater than my maximum, which had already grown since I had come under Sindragosa's tutelage, had already been gathered in mere seconds and showed no signs of stopping. I wet my lips and understood why even mature Blue Drakes would struggle with this trial.

With a flick of my hand I summoned a thin barrier of semi-physical ice to surround me, constructing the pattern so that when the barrier was disturbed from the outside, then a surge of mana would flood that barrier, forcing it temporarily into a thick sheet of magically reinforced ice.

I took a steady breath, and had to fight to keep whatever was drawing mana in from taking it from my barrier as well. I continued to wait, for what I did not know, but I didn't dare risk the backlash of disrupting that amount of energy.

The lights brightened, returning to their previous state, and I felt the tug on my barriers mana fade. The world seemed to go still, a moment of perfect calm. I was almost thrown backwards when a crackling storm exploded out from the centre of the platform, the force of its rapid expansion blowing what felt like gale force winds at me.

The storm got taller, while its base thinned, creating a towering construct of arcane energy that slowly formed arms and eyes.

It was an arcane elemental, I couldn't even begin to think about how complex a spell would have to be to form one, much less one this monstrously powerful.

It raised its hand, and platform we were standing on exploded, and large pieces were sent flying across the void were in. I stuck myself to my piece of platform with a quick pattern, and tried to grip it with telekinesis. The platform utterly rejected my power, and my eyes widened, how did the Mana elemental manage to shatter it so easily? My head snapped towards the Elemental, who was floating in the middle of the air, and as I stood there watching I could swear that its utterly featureless face seemed to grin a malevolent smile. It raised its hand again and a giant arcane blast flew from its hand, and I barely had time to blink to another piece of the ruin platform before it obliterated the on I was standing on, I couldn't let one of those hit me.

Give up, you cannot win, give in and I will bring you to heights unparalleled

I rolled my shoulders, its ability to obliterate platforms surrounding me put a very real timer on the fight, as flying under my own power and using blink simultaneously would end very poorly for me.

Your every move, your every thought leads to defeat, give in and you will have victory

I saw its hand slowly move towards me, and decided to be pre-emptive, blinking forward to a much closer platform I unleashed a slew of firebolts, hoping that by introducing a surge of agitation into its arcane body that I would set off a change reaction that would end the fight quickly. No such luck, unfortunately, the elemental did hiss slightly, but the effect of the spells seemed very negligible.

with me you can recreate the Kuel'Dorei empire to your liking, no more executed parents, no more judgement

I blinked away, having no desire to be anywhere near its freakishly fast and powerful arcane bolts, and began to plan. Introducing a surge of agitation produce meaningful results, and I doubt trying to use ice to drain agitation would work either, there was no chance of me outlasting the Mana Elemental, nor would flat arcane magic do any true damage to the massive creature, if it worked like smaller elementals then exposing it to its element would help it more than hinder it.

Yes you are weak, nothing you can do will succeeded let me in, and I will give you victory after victory as we recreate my glorious empire.

That meant my avenues for direct attack was out, as the finite amount of platforms meant that chipping it down slowly had little chance of working… Wait, the platforms, I took in the position of every floating platform, trying to come up with a plan that could potentially incorporate them, even as I absently blinked away from another bolt.

All you are reduced to is running and running, incapable of standing and fighting, but with me, if you just give in to me, you will never have to run again, you will never know fear again

The fact that they were spaced out and I couldn't move them meant I couldn't solely rely on them to create a pattern that I could channel mana into, but I could overcome that by using them to reinforce certain parts of the pattern, and using arcane to make up the rest of the pattern. There were a few different patterns I thought could work, and I deliberated between them as I rapidly blinked to numerous platforms that I had deemed as too out of place to be of any use in any pattern I could potentially use.

You cannot beat it, it is my champion and it enjoys limitless power for its service, if you were to serve me I would have no use for it, and would give you all the power you needed to obliterate it and more

I discarded any pattern that involved creating a direct attack, I would have only one shot at this, and wasting it on an attack that might be brushed aside by its innate magic resistance was not an option. I also discarded patterns that would absorb his arcane blasts and then shoot them back at him, for the same reason as the direct, even if it would allow me a second shot I had no guarantee that the Elemental would not grow a brain and use its physical body to disrupt any pattern I attempted afterwards. Absorption… A grin spread itself across my lips "Genius" I muttered to myself, after all, its blasts weren't the only thing comprised of mana that I could have a pattern pull into itself.

YOU WONT ACHIEVE VICTORY WITHOUT ME, NOTHING YOU DO WILL ACHIEVE ANYTHING, YOU NEED MY POWER, GIVE IN

I began blinking to platforms that would interrupt my pattern, slowly tricking the Elemental into carving out my desired pattern into the rocks, and I began fully tracing the pattern in my mind, imaging the gaps that the Platform pieces would leave, and scaling it up until its dimensions would fit my desires.

Fool child! You defy a god! I will show you the folly of your ways!

I, or rather the Mana Elemental, finished clearing the detrimental pieces of the floating platform, and I slammed the pattern into reality, connecting the platforms together with arcane pathways. The pattern was crude, with wobbling lines and insane ratios, however it was also supported by enchanted rock that had their own parts of a separate mana absorption spell infused into it, and it was far more powerful than what I would have been able to create with just my mind. I activated the pseudo-rune, and watched smugly as the Elemental had the majority of its mana ripped from its body, going from a towering behemoth that was as tall, if not taller, than the average Dragon, to being barely larger than the average Mana Elemental, a threat barely even worth my time.

SUFFER MY WRATH MORTAL, WITNESS WHAT YOU COULD OF HAD!

I felt an utterly malevolent presence suddenly appear, no, that was wrong, it was here the entire time, but now instead of a tiny fraction of its attention being here, it felt like a far more significant percentage of its attention was here.

To defy me is to court death mortal

Its voice pierced deeply into my mind, as if the words themselves were daggers. I grit my teeth, and waited, evidently my trial had not yet finished.

The mana elemental began grow to once more and darkening to a deep indigo. My mouth pressed into a thin line, as I saw the elemental reach, then exceed its previous height, whatever this elemental now was, it would prove to be a powerful foe.

I glared up at the Elemental, even as the malevolent presence once more faded into near nothingness, and I began to wonder what sort of foul creature the Blue Dragon flight had imprisoned in this dimension.

The platform underneath me crumbled to dust without warning, the elemental not twitching, not even producing a bolt of energy to destroy it, just one second I was standing on a platform, and the next I was falling towards nothingness.

See what I mean mortal? You cannot challenge me, give in, give in to me, its not too late.

My eyes widened, and my thoughts raced even as I rapidly blinked to different platforms, each one crumbling to dust as I appeared, or even before. Its power was overwhelming, and it had already destroyed any hope of me utilising my previous strategy. I dismissed the icy barrier that had been surrounding me since the start, against the kind of power this creature was using it was nothing but a drain on my resources

Good, Good accept the inevitable

I sped up my blinks, abandoning the platforms entirely in favour of just catching myself with levitation, despite how quickly it would tire me I had no choice, even the few platforms remaining could mean the difference between life and death for me.

I began tracing a pattern to disrupt all magic use, blinking out of the way of a violet beam that seemingly flew out of the still unmoving Creature, hopefully if I disrupt its magic use then what ever spell it used to keep it aloft would fail, and send it falling into the abyss below.

I was half way through tracing the pattern, pushing myself to the limit to blink, refresh levitate, and create a pattern that rejects itself at the same time, when cracks appeared in the endless void above me, and I felt a massive amount of arcane energy try to force the cracks wider.

I abandoned my anti-magic spell, blinking closer to the cracks and trying to assist forcing the cracks wider from this end. I was instantly forced to abandon that attempt, as the Creature began moving, barely getting out of the way of a wall of beams that blasted through where I was. I abandoned refreshing levitate too, as the Creature seemingly became desperate to obliterate me, and I flung myself into a near constant blinks ignoring the possible dangers in favour of getting out of the way of the very real danger of the creatures beams.

NO! YOU WILL EITHER SUBMIT OR DIE, KILL HIM KILL HIM!

In a brief moment between blinks I saw the cracks widen, and a small shape dart through them, and I felt a cold fear grip my heart, had a Whelp come through? Even if they were on the level of Cyanigosa they would be useless in this fight.

NO! NO! NO! NO!

A soft telekinesis caught me, preventing me from blinking again, and an incredibly thick arcane barrier appeared between me and the Creature, its beam being absorbed easily by the arcane construct. My eyes snapped towards the thing that slipped through, that was far beyond the power of a Whelp.

The shape grew rapidly, and grew to rival Alexstraza's size, it was Lord Malygos himself, the Spellweaver.

"I thought I felt a foul presence, to think that your masters would dare make a move underneath MY nose". The Creature turned towards Malygos, unleashing dozens of Indigo bolts at him. Malygos's dragonic snout seemed to curl up in disgust. "Contemptible" the bolts dissipated before they even reached him, and Malygos unleashed a single bolt in return, which tore through the barriers that the Creature hastily put up, connecting with it and throwing it hundreds of metres away. "Mortal! Help open the entrance out of this place while I deal with this scum". I hesitated for a moment, watching Malygos smash into the Creature, before blinking towards the cracks, which had barely widened since Malygos had slipped inside.

I felt out for what they were doing, and felt a mind on the other side offer up the pattern they were using. I couldn't match the level of mana they were pumping into the spell, but just by having me on the other side meant they could piggyback off the pattern I made, and use more mana to widen the cracks that way.

I traced the pattern, flinging my full focus behind it, trusting that Lord Malygos would be able to easily occupy the Creatures Attention. I saw the cracks instantly widen, approaching a size where a drake might slip through, and saw several Blue Wyrms flying on the otherside, Sindragosa centremost among them, all of them focusing on forcing the entrance open.

The crack kept widening, and two drakes slipped through, both obviously mature, nearing the age where they would begin the transition to dragon, and with their channelling joining mine on the other side, soon the entrance was easily large enough to fit a Wyrm through. "Get those bindstones into place! Senegos! Eregos! Go support Lord Malygos, the rest of us should be easily capable of holding this open while the bindstones are placed". Sindragosa snapped out, and two of the wyrms dived through the portal, one absolutely ancient, and the other appearing relatively youthful, if the word could ever apply to a Wyrm, and the strain of holding the entrance noticeably increased. The strain didn't last long however, as I heard a distant voice call out "first bindstone active!' The Bindstone taking almost all of the strain of keeping the entrance open by itself.

"Second and third active Lady Sindragosa!" The strain disappeared entirely, and I let out a sigh of relief, feeling the ache of using so much magic in such a short amount of time take its toll on my body.

I glanced behind me, and caught sight of the Creature being ripped in half by an unseen force, before both halves were forced into small points in front of the two drakes on either side of Malygos. It was over.

I stepped through the entrance, and immediately collapsed almost to the ground, caught at the last second by Sindragosa's Elven form. I smiled up at her worried face, forgetting that my Faceplate covers that kind of action in my exhaustion. "Did I pass the trial" She scoffs at me, and I see a small bit of the worry disappear.

"It would be redundant to make you do the trial after an ordeal such as that". A voice suffused in with Arcane magic spoke, strangely soft and scholarly, but with a barely hidden undertone of power, a confusing mix if you did not know who the voiced belonged to.

"Lord Malygos?" He was in Elven form, what for I wasn't sure, to make me comfortable?

"We need to know everything that happened in that pocket dimension mortal, you will leave nothing out". I was already nodding, trying to pull all the events together in my mind. "I need to know what an Old God thought so worth it that it would act so brazenly underneath my seat of power!"

That was reasonab-…

WAIT OLD GOD?!

A/N so I did this instead of my math folio, and I also started at like 1 am, and its now not far off 3 am, so theres probably a fair few spelling errors/general errors, and I'm not really happy with how I ended it, but I just want to finish up and post it so I can go to bed without it bugging me for the rest of the night.

Anyway, Old Gods! They have more freedom in this universe, fully capable of empowering champions from long distances away, and even hijacking enchantments made by Lord Malygos himself to make a super Mana elemental and a Void elemental (would it just be a void wraith?) to try and force people that its interested in to submit to their power! Fun!

Ya know, I just realized that theres not much war prep going on in this chapter, huh, guess titles lie, ack vell.

critisms welcome!

 

[Crocea_mors]

Lord Malygos, The Spellweaver.

Despite spending a month at the Nexus I had yet to actually speak to the Aspect of Magic, which didn't surprise me much. He was The Spellweaver, between his experiments, monitoring the general state of magic, and preparing his flight for war he had to have very little attention to spare someone who had been his consorts apprentice for a miniscule amount of time. However despite that it seemed as if he knew my every experience within the Nexus as if he lived them himself.

"You and Cyanigosa are close correct? You two explored some of the tunnels that lie beneath the Nexus only three days ago?" Me and Cyanigosa had snuck out at night, hearing rumours of a challenge that one of the Wyrms had placed underneath the nexus, rumours that said whoever passed the challenge would be gifted an artefact personally created by the Wyrm. We didn't find anything but empty caves, and returned to the Nexus before anyone had noticed, or so we thought.

"Yes Lord Malygos, we were looking for the challenge that was rumoured to lay in the tunnels". I kept my answers concise, and spoke quickly, I had no desire to waste Lord Malygos's time.

The Aspect in elven form next to me hummed, before slipping into a blink, appearing sitting on a chair that sat at the start of a massive room. "Yes, that rumour has been around even back when Eregos was just a Whelp, it amuses me how many Whelps try to locate it".

"So is it just a rumour?" I queried, it would be disappointing to know it was, but it would be better than continuing to search for it with Cyanigosa. However the Aspect merely laughed, neither confirming or denying my query.

"Do you know why I am talking with you Kaezar? Do you know what you were exposed to?" The mirth fell quickly from the Aspects face, and he looked at me with a cool analytical gaze.

"You said something about the Old Gods" I hedged, wavering between not wanting to let Malygos know how much I know, and genuinely not knowing a great deal.

"I did, do you know what the Old Gods are?" Malygos's eyes sharpened, and his presence began weighing heavily on my shoulders, not enough to bring me discomfort, but enough to let me know its there.

I licked my lips, "They're imprisoned..." I paused, straining to recall what I knew about the Old Gods "things, imprisoned by the Dragonflights?" I paused again, shaking my head "No, no, Titans? Titans made something to fight because they were too deep inside Azeroth?" I muttered to myself, unable to stop from trying to spill everything I knew underneath the pressure of his presence "The watchers? The… the Ironforged? Vrykul and the curse of flesh and the match against the Aqir?" It all came out in a single breath, and I felt light headed "The V-voo-" I started hyperventilating, and felt the pressure remove itself from my shoulders.

I heard a massive rumble, that sounded more like an earthquake than a hum, and when I looked up, I was face to face with Malygos in his full draconic glory, even just his bearded face utterly dwarfing me. "You know much, Mortal, more than you should". He straightened, no longer face to face with me, but towering far above. "But it is not knowledge the Old Gods would give their servants, and I am not the type to punish someone for knowing something that others do not". He turned around, his thick tail swinging over my head, shrinking until he was about the size of the average dragon. "You will be observed closely for the next week for signs of corruption, but you have more than proven yourself capable in combat, and will accompany Sindragosa when we fly south".

There was a pulse of arcane, and I felt a spell settle over me, and the hairs on the back of my neck raised as a watchful gaze settled over me. "I hope for your sake that you did not falter to the Old God, Sindragosa's response would be both vicious and painful for you". Malygos flared his wings, flapping them powerfully. "You did good work surviving as you did, even defeating that empowered Mana Elemental would have been beyond many, even if you used trickery to achieve it". Then he was gone, either blinking away, or slipping into another dimension.

I stood there listlessly, staring at the chair he had sat on before he had transformed. The old gods were not enemies to be underestimated, creatures that were nearly incapable of being destroyed and with enough power to destroy almost any creature arrayed against it. I did not know why the Old God had tried to corrupt me, expending so much effort for what have been a very brief reward, and I did not want to know, having no desire to be insane enough to understand their utterly alien minds.

I exhaled harshly, banishing my thoughts, and weaved a spell to locate Sindragosa, wishing to discuss what I had went through with her before going to find Cyanigosa. I turned slightly, walking out of a door that appeared as I approached the wall. I found a staircase inside, and a large window, which I blinked outside of. Catching myself in a levitation spell, I felt my body protest, it still felt the strain of my fight against the Void Elemental, ignoring the pain I pushed myself upwards, ascending to the platform that I felt Sindragosa resting on.

"The trial was supposed to create a copy of yourself, a being that knew every spell that you did, and had access to far more mana, the only way that someone taking the trial could defeat it would be through tactics and cunning". Sindragosa spoke before I even set foot on the platform, her great bulk resting on her stomach facing away from me. "It wouldn't be lethal, your reflection has no desire to destroy its original, merely test them". Her huge head twisted around to gaze at me, and there was something unidentifiable in her eyes. "We thought there was something wrong when spell drained almost half of the laylines mana output for a full minute, far greater than the amount than it ever should of taken for someone of your power". I felt myself being lifted into the air and pulled lightly towards Sindragosa. "We knew there was something wrong when we were prevented from looking into the dimension". I came to a halt between Sindragosa's legs, my back against her massive chest. "It was… worrying to say the least, when I couldn't force the dimension open by myself, more so when even Lord Malygos struggled with the support of Seven Wyrms". I saw Sindragosa's head lower, and found myself encased on all sides by Blue Dragonflesh. "You did well surviving as long as you did, Kaezar, I must admit I would be hard pressed to name any Mature Drakes who would be able to defeat a Mana Elemental of that power, much less survive as long against whatever that was that Lord Malygos destroyed". She began humming, a deep soothing sound, that had my eyelids drooping, as the events of the day caught up with me. "I knew you were destined for greatness apprentice, sleep now, I am proud of you".

I drifted off listening to the comforting notes of her Dragonsong.

A/N so, a quick one, mostly to demonstrate Malygos extending a token effort to determine if Kaezar had been corrupted or not, and then evidently fostering off that responsibility to someone else. Other than that, we get some of Sindragosa mothering Kaezar, who she is both extremely proud of, and extremely worried about, something that confuses Kaezar, as they had only known each other for a month, and that to creatures that have lived for as long as they have is a blink of an eye, a way too short time for a creature such as a Blue Wyrm to have gotten attached.

And that's pretty much the entire chapter, not much happening TBH, Kaezar was utterly spent and didn't have much to contribute to anything that was happening to him, Malygos is too busy to do much beyond the basics, and Kaezar just went beddy bye with Sindragosa. The next chapter should be longer, and with more plot, hopefully.