The Sholazar Basin was an utterly fascinating place in stark contrast to the rest of Northrend—a near copy of the Un'goro Crater in topography and climate, a product of titanic influence.
There were several life forms endemic to this area with qualities not seen elsewhere; the few exceptions were the wolvar and gorlocs.
The former were bipedal hybrids of mustelids, and the second, the smarter, bigger, and stronger progenitor of murlocs. And they despised each other.
Unfortunately, the basin was home to some of the largest concentrations of both throughout Northrend. Well, this was due more to competition over resources and territory than hatred, even if it wasn't absent.
Both were quite known by the local furbolgs further East of here, too.
The wolvar, in particular, had been at times neighbors in need of a wake-up call when they tried to conquer our territories, as a lot of their population lived right by.
Grizzly Hills was highly sought after due to its climate, topography, year-round abundance of foodstuffs, and richness in resources, including various metals.
Be that as it may, this wasn't unique to wolvar, yet in recent history, only ice trolls were comparable. Nonetheless, Ursol and the Children of Ursoc put an end to any prospect of invasion.
Only in the past few years have they started again, but that was more hunting where they shouldn't be than an attack.
Not that they would dare act with Ursoc back, assuming they valued survival, and their Loa weren't inclined to suicide. One of them was even a direct descendant of Orsonn, so that was that.
Even with the zandalari trolls spotted by our spies helping them. We wouldn't remain blind to that for long, even if it would prove more complicated from their technology marrying magic and Loa to the Loa themselves.
The local population of the basin proved to be somewhat challenging, at least initially. Diplomacy, combined with a simple show of force and trade, calmed them down in the face of the Wild's presence without escalation.
The fact that we had no interest in either of their territories helped. That they had little to no choice need not be mentioned. In the end, power was everything.
And they could prove to be valuable allies in a pinch. Sholazar Basin was a point of interest for far more than its strange ecosystem and placement.
In fact, those were the least valuable points. It was shielded from the undead.
The hows were still a mystery, even with the Wild's efforts. What we knew was that it was partly Arcane and Life fueled by the ley lines and titan facilities.
It was a masterwork we didn't understand.
What was certain was that this was a bastion against the Lich King, in theory, that was.
The defense was strong, not inviolable; it would likely be breached if the Scourge put in the effort and played it smart. But if it comes to pass, it would have done its job by gaining us time.
The delay brought about by Ahn'Qiraj affected an uncomfortable number of plans, notably those related to the Scourge.
It was equally daunting and infuriating to know so much yet so little and be powerless.
I should have known, but I did not. I was a hoax of a seer.
Regardless, today, the Duskmaw Outpost was a convenient shortcut to Dragonblight through its Dream Portal. The hot, humid air slammed into me as I stepped through into the waking world.
And the place was clear, except for the guards whom I greeted. Being cordial was the bare minimum to someone who would sacrifice everything for your safety.
I heard the footsteps of someone who led me to my presence here in this soon-to-be unbearable climate.
Korialstrasz was calm and content, his serene smile belying his contemplative nature as he studied his surroundings. He studied his surroundings as the crowd quieted down from our awaited arrival, brief as it would be.
"It's incredible that you convinced, of all of my draconic brethren, the elusive green to use their domain as passways. I never thought this feasible; together, you created the greatest portal relay. Symbiosis, do you wonder, doesn't it?" He said.
"Mutualistic symbiosis is the backbone of the Wild, after all. And I suppose that is true, but this one is of my making. The Dreaming belongs to all and none. The Green Dragonflight has some of its greatest gardeners, but they scarcely have the monopoly." I corrected him, my tone mild and devoid of aggression.
There would be no point, and the rest did calm my nerves a bit. I was almost zen, Chen would be proud. I had been harsh with the wyrm three days ago; he was hard to dislike.
"That does seem to be veritable. My flight prides itself in our capacity to work with mort-" He paused at my raised mossy eyebrow as we continued our rapid walk.
"-outside of non-servants and dragons, yet we pale in comparison. It's incredible and ironic for anyone for the green to beat us, I'm greatly pleased with this development, but the truth remains. It is hard to admit, but we have much to learn. We are isolated from the life we should steward." He carefully finished, and I hummed in agreement.
I did rant a tad on my view of 'mortals' to him. To be honest, it wasn't extremely offensive. It was the truth in many ways when it came to short lifespans.
But it was the weight behind. It wasn't just about lifespan; it was about the values behind it, well, the brawn and brains. It might not be entirely a pile of nonsense compared to the average of a species.
However, when you go just outside to where it was mainly used, it fails miserably. It was bordering on insulting. And Korialstrasz agreed, it was 'eye-opening' for me to point this out.
Your average person didn't speak to dragons, and those who did, either, were servants deserving respect or someone the dragons needed the help of.
I suffered through it with the kaldorei, I wasn't going to be as patient with the flying lizards.
"If you want that… frankly, I don't know where to start. I guess, first, be honest with who you want to get close to. Obvious. After, it is up to your queen on how to proceed. The Wild and your cousin are a perfect fit. They worked with night elves already. We only deepened that bond. Rescuing Ysera's Prime Consort is the exposed part of the fig tree." I said as my body morphed into a massive armored bat.
"That is true… but I fear honesty wouldn't be enough. Our situation differs from the green… my flight had suffered greatly and propagated those horrors. Perhaps against our will, but it ultimately matters little. And we forfeit no life over another." He shifted to his real form, causing an even greater commotion as he spoke.
His voice was as silky smooth and gentle as his elven skin, something I found quite interesting.
Dragons were exceptional at controlling their voices, able to shift tones and depth instantaneously and imitate a wide range of sounds. Despite my reservations about some of their behaviors, they were incredibly majestic creatures.
We took off.
"So, which direction? I have a general idea where the Wyrmrest Temple is, but not much else. Maps are suspiciously vague about its location."
"Follow me then, Ohto. I will be your guide on this venture. Try to keep up." Then he outpaced me with ease.
I tried to keep up, but I wasn't delusional. Dragons weren't the fastest thing around, how could they? Aerodynamic might be more malleable, but it was still a factor.
However, that was still faster than I in my bloodwing bat form, now with woods merged with me. I had to relearn how to fly properly after my transformation, which impacted my already subpar speed.
I did improve upon this weakness, but it was a fine balance between defense, comfort, practicality, and velocity. And even when optimizing for speed, I wasn't that fast.
Taking on different shapes became a matter of adapting to my change and growth… I was too difficult to handle. And that was aside from the lack of fast species suited to my bulky frame. I wasn't built for that.
Be that as it may, I had stamina aplenty, and as we left the Sholazar Basin after roughly half an hour of flight, everything went smoothly.
It was long, but far from boring, as Korialstrasz had a spell that could buffer against the howling frigid wind of the sky—a trick of the Arcane that was an obligatory part for dragons.
We discussed magical theories, ranging from the interactions between various forces to their influence on reality. Though I noted he skirted away from the less surface-level, for us, of understanding.
Fair, I suppose. Ultimately pointless given the Prime Consort of the Dragon Queen was taking me to what was, for all intents and purposes, the heart of their flight. Well, there was the Dragon Isles, but they were wholly lost and inaccessible.
I knew they existed through my brothers and the worship of the small furbolgs population there. But the shroud blocked virtually everything, even the Emerald Dream.
Being personally invited here was a tremendous honor, and by the Aspect of Life herself, at that. However, it was highly suspicious as well, and the fact that Korialstrasz didn't answer any of my inquiries about that didn't bring me confidence.
But those thoughts were all but pointless as we arrived at Wyrmrest Temple. There was no backing down.
The structure was massive, its base was no less vast than half of Astranaar and then some.
Then it climbed up to the point it nearly touched the lowest cloud. It was no Nordrassil, but that was the largest structure I had ever seen in person, in this life or otherwise.
It was a city shaped in a tower, a city sized for dragons.
Dragons and adjacent were circling around, taking off and landing in something that was almost like a dance.
"Impressive, isn't it?" The red wyrm said with pride. I could see why he would feel that even if it wasn't they who built it, nor created the technology behind it.
The temple was a reward for beating Galakron, their literal ivory tower from which they watched Azeroth burn until it affected them.
With their power, there was no excuse to be found; it was either gross incompetence or a convoluted scheme from the Titans.
Or worse, it was both, likely both.
They had the greatest time, magic users. I found it hard to gather empathy for them when they had everything on their side and failed.
Not that it was of importance now.
"Yes, books did not do it justice." I whistled, I could appreciate its beauty, "I suppose that is to be expected if you want to use the tower in your natural state and fly."
"It was designed for this. Aspects are of… considerable size. And so are most wyrms, as we never cease to grow with age." Korialstrasz said amusedly.
I could see that. The red dragon per se didn't dwarf me, but he was significantly larger, perhaps not heavier, but he had size.
As we approached, we began to get curious dragons to approach us.
By number alone, red dragons were the majority; they were far smaller and kept a safe distance, eyeing me with a mix of confusion, curiosity, and caution.
There were blue dragons too, far fewer in number and farther away; they were both the more curious and wary.
We didn't go unnoticed, to put it mildly. However, the attention seemed to be something my guide wasn't a fan of. I wasn't either.
"Follow me, I know we would have eyes on us, but let's not bask in the sun much longer."
We moved faster after this, and in less than a minute, we were in the Wyrmrest Temple, walking deeper, the guards bowing and stepping aside without a single word uttered.
I had more than a few thoughts when looking at some of them, some of which, I admit, were less than productive. I evidently saw dragonspawn and drakonid before; I had seen them before among the Green Dragonflight.
But how they came to be won above most, and I asked, even though I was aware that the answer would likely not reveal what I didn't already know. Perhaps a red dragon would be more inclined to give data.
I learned a great deal from healing those dragonoids, but that only tells one side of the story.
"I fear, my mossy friend, that this is a secret I cannot disclose without my queen's agreement." Was the gist of it. Disappointing but not surprising.
Regardless of this failed attempt, our advance went uninterrupted as we walked through passageways hidden between great halls and countless stairs.
Eventually, we arrived at a grand chamber, hundreds of meters high, and many times that in depth and width.
Four pillars supported a ceiling lit by an artificial sun, its light illuminating expensive tapestries depicting epic battles and important events. Massive curtains were parted, putting even more emphasis on them.
This was the Chamber of the Aspects. It couldn't be mistaken for anything else.
And it was empty. I was proven wrong the instant after.
I flinched at the resounding low boom of the exit closing, the stone gate larger than castles, utterly silent until now. At once, I rose to my full height, ears flicking and eyes scanning the room in alertness.
Paranoia brewing in the back of my mind came in full force. Like an old friend, the first embers of an inferno of rage accompanied it, and to complete the trifecta, a healthy dose of fear.. There was no escape.
My mind was spinning, and instincts flaring while my body was preparing to fight to the bitter end if this was indeed a trap. Irrational and rational thoughts were fighting over how to react.
Simultaneously, vines of muscles and fibers coiled within my back, ready to snap, lash out at Korialstrasz at will. To use him as a hostage if need be.
Then, from a swirling red portal half the size of the surrounding pillar that suddenly appeared, a claw of immaculate ruby scales half my size emerged.
'Shit…' However before I did anything a gentle motherly yet commanding feminine voice echoed, it was anathema to the head who spoke it. Predatory with teeth, making my claws seem like toothpicks, a crown of sharp twisting horns, and gold adorning it all.
"Be at ease, Ohto of the Greenweald. You are in no danger, I promise. What we are to discuss necessitates this unfortunate setup. For this, I'm deeply apologetic. But there was no different path." And Alexstrasza, the Dragon Queen, the Red Aspect, the Life-Binder herself, fully emerged, her entire focus singularly on me.
I calmed down, or tried to as I gathered my bearings facing what was the second strongest creature I ever met.
There was a pressure not suffocatingly oppressive as Archimonde had been, but it was omnipresent. Covering my former life like a warm blanket of Life, pure and unadulterated.
Or it was at first glance, but the varying nature of her mana to mine wasn't a concern.
"I… I understood." I rasped out, feeling my muscles uncoiling and my erratic heart slow down, "If you require that degree of secrecy, let's talk then. I want the full truth, at least what you believe to be true."
*
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/thebipboop2003