During this silence, Arthas could clearly perceive the Arcane shifting between chaotic and calm states around Malygos.
As the Weaver and the magical Guardian of Azeroth, Malygos's emotions would undoubtedly manifest in reality; the chaotic Arcane energy was the best reflection of his state of mind.
Facing Malygos, who could erupt at any moment, Arthas felt no tension at all; instead, he was quite looking forward to Malygos's next reaction.
He had never mentioned it to anyone, because for others, this might be a Guardian Dragon deigning to meet a mortal, but for Arthas, it was an evaluation.
As for what was being evaluated, it was simple: whether the Weaver, Malygos, still had the possibility of being redeemed.
Putting aside all the tragic fates Malygos had suffered, what Arthas most doubted was whether Malygos, who had been sinking into self-abandonment and stubborn paranoia for ten thousand years, was only seemingly abnormal or truly incurable from within.
In the battle of Grim Batol, Malygos's appearance was largely not due to his duty as a Guardian, but rather his almost endless hatred for Neltharion.
Ten thousand years of hatred—this was a terrible resentment no mortal could imagine, and Arthas dared not claim to empathize with such a thing, so he had to see for himself what state Malygos was truly in.
And the issue of the Blue Dragons living in Azurewing Repose in Aszuna was a good way for Arthas to truly observe Malygos's psychological state.
Arthas did not have a definitive answer as to when the Blue Dragons of Aszuna settled there, but they should have been living in Aszuna even before the destruction of the Well of Eternity.
Even earlier than ten thousand years ago, the Elves living in Aszuna suffered a curse. This curse originated from Queen Azshara breaking the tidestone of Golganneth, and the destruction of the pillars of creation plunged the entire Aszuna into an eternal curse.
This curse instantly killed all residents living in Aszuna, turning them into ghost-like existences, unlike other Elves whose souls transformed into sprites and returned to nature.
And this place was once the magical research center of the ancient Elven Empire; the ruins of the Nar'thalas Academy, which still exist in the center of the island, seem to speak of its past glory.
Most importantly, long before the Elven residents there died, the Nar'thalas Library's collection already contained records of the Blue Dragonflight; however, it only recorded the existence of Blue Dragons.
At that time, the Dragon Legion had not yet weakened; even the Night Elves were unwilling to provoke them, as evidenced by the records of "friendly coexistence" left in their books.
Why did Senegos bring a part of the Blue Dragonflight to settle in Aszuna? Arthas did not know the reason, but he was very clear that as a monitor of the Arcane, Malygos could not have been unaware of the existence of this part of the Blue Dragonflight.
If Malygos truly cared about the survival of the entire Blue Dragonflight, he should not have done many insane things later; finding this Blue Dragonflight was undoubtedly the most effective and simple method.
However, why didn't Malygos do that?
Arthas was looking forward to this answer.
Amidst the chaos of the Arcane, Malygos raised his head and looked directly into Arthas's eyes; the magical radiance in his own eyes flickered incessantly. Those eyes, capable of discerning all magical mysteries, were now unable to see through Arthas's thoughts.
"Before I answer your question, I want to ask, are you truly a mortal? I am very curious."
Malygos's first words after a long silence were, instead, another question to Arthas.
"That depends on what the definition of a mortal is. Do you think that races other than Dragons are mortals? Or that people without extraordinary power are mortals?"
Arthas casually gave his answer, "If it's the former, then obviously, I am, because I am not a Dragon or some other inherently powerful race; but if it's the latter, well... I probably wouldn't count as a mortal."
"People without extraordinary power are mortals..." Malygos suddenly laughed, "That's true, if we didn't have the power of the Guardians, we would just be mortals, and precisely because we are mortals, we have such emotions..."
As if he had understood something, the Arcane around Malygos gradually calmed down. The Arcane radiance in his eyes slowly receded, and the power of the Guardian was hidden by him.
He revealed a pair of ordinary eyes; without the concealment of Arcane power, the vicissitudes in the eyes of Malygos, the Blue Dragon King, were completely exposed.
"This power has brought me too much pain..." Malygos chuckled self-deprecatingly, "The answer to your question is actually very simple: because I am afraid, I am worried that the branch of the Blue Dragonflight where Senegos is will repeat the tragedy I experienced, and I truly... cannot bear to see such a scene again."
"So you allowed the Blue Dragonflight to remain isolated for tens of thousands of years, allowing your kin to wander outside, left to fend for themselves?"
Malygos sighed, no longer intending to avoid the topic, "At least they can live peacefully. Although Aszuna is a Blasted Lands, it poses no great threat to the Blue Dragons living there.
But... if I were to seek them out, how would they choose then? To follow me, an unqualified Blue Dragon King, and continue to harbor hatred and oppose Deathwing and this world for a lifetime, or to continue their peaceful lives?"
After saying this, Malygos's face showed a pained expression, "I cannot do such a thing, so, even if it means using any dishonorable means, I must rebuild my Blue Dragonflight alone, even if this Blue Dragonflight continues to exist because of hatred...
Little one, do you understand? Watching your loved ones, children, and friends die in agony beside you, even leaving no remains, unable to bring them back to our people's resting place...
It's been ten thousand years... I am tormented by nightmares and despair every day. At my worst, I even felt my thoughts splitting, one part being me as the Weaver, the Guardian, and the other part, me as the Blue Dragon King.
Coupled with the artifact crafted by Neltharion, which stripped us of some of our power, when the Guardian's abilities were gradually fading, the responsibility on my shoulders naturally became an unbearable burden. I even once thought of using my remaining power to destroy the entire Arcane of Azeroth, making Neltharion pay for my kin."
At this point, Malygos waved his hand, stripping away the "veil" of reality covering the Arcane, clearly revealing the trajectory of magical flow before Arthas.
It was also Arthas's first time seeing these wondrous threads and traces with his naked eyes. They were reflected against the black world-base, with shimmering magical energy arranged across different planes and spaces, forming countless points and surfaces like stars, or like rivers.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A genuine smile appeared on Malygos's face for the first time, but it was fleeting. "But even such a beautiful thing possesses the power to destroy worlds. Do you see those most shining points? Those are Arcane nodes, where magical power is most concentrated."
Malygos, like someone gazing at his most precious treasure, showed a less luminous node to Arthas. His tone was no longer cold or overbearing, but filled with boundless tenderness, "This is Aszuna, where they live."
However, Arthas noticed that the power of this Arcane node seemed unstable; it was constantly flowing away to other places every single second, but a force was preventing the magical transfer of this node.
"You noticed it too, didn't you?" Malygos's voice was tinged with bitterness. "This is a law of Arcane operation; even I cannot change it, only slow down its process."
"Is it because there's more active magical activity elsewhere, causing the Arcane's energy to flow towards those dense areas?"
Malygos nodded, "Yes, although in the scope of the entire universe, the Arcane's energy might be infinite, when this scope is confined to a certain area, that energy is no longer infinite.
Just like the Well of Eternity, it was precisely because the magical tide it caused was so immense, with almost all of Azeroth's magic flowing there, that such a magical miracle was created.
And after the Night Elf Empire fell apart, although there was no node like the Well of Eternity, due to the outflow of magical techniques, prosperous magical civilizations appeared in various parts of Azeroth, such as Dalaran and Quel'Thalas, which you are familiar with.
But these mages' overuse of the Arcane has led to signs of 'drying up' and 'depletion' in the Arcane elsewhere—after a great explosion, Azeroth's Arcane was already much more fragile, and their actions will sooner or later bring a lot of trouble."
Malygos frowned slightly, then relaxed. "I once thought of stripping 'mortals' of their spellcasting rights, but with the Sunwell and another 'Well of Eternity' present, this is almost impossible, because they essentially bring the Arcane's energy directly into reality, allowing mortals to bypass the most difficult step in initial magic learning—obtaining energy from the Arcane.
To completely strip mortals of their spellcasting ability, it would probably require igniting the Arcane and completely destroying Azeroth."
Arthas asked, "But in that case, wouldn't the Blue Dragons of Azurewing Repose also be destroyed in the explosion?"
"Yes, without a doubt, any living being would be annihilated in the explosion of the Arcane, and the word 'spell' would be erased from Azeroth—perhaps when I sink to the bottom of the swamp of despair, I will truly choose such a method."
Malygos shook his head, releasing his hold on the Arcane, allowing it to return to the inner layers of the world. "Arthas, from the moment I appeared here, you had already enveloped this place with the Holy Light, hadn't you?"
Arthas smiled, saying nothing, but his meaning was clear.
Malygos's tone carried a hint of surprise and praise, "I never thought that after Tyr, someone could use the power of the Holy Light with such mastery—I must thank you; you helped me a second time. If it weren't for the Holy Light calming my emotions, perhaps when you asked that question, I would have completely fallen into paranoia, unable to extricate myself."
"I didn't help much; you rose from despair yourself. The Holy Light merely provided you with an environment where you could think," Arthas shook his head. He had indeed used the Holy Light to help Malygos stabilize his emotions, but he had not deliberately tried to influence Malygos's thoughts.
Or rather, he couldn't forcibly Twist Malygos's dark side without Malygos's knowledge; that would only backfire, and the magical Guardian, upon realizing it, might immediately tip the scales to the other side.
Because at that time, the paranoid Malygos would probably immediately believe that Arthas intentionally influenced his thoughts with the Holy Light, which would be completely different in nature from the current situation.
So Arthas merely used the Holy Light's properties to provide Malygos with a place where he could calmly think; it was Malygos himself who truly confronted his mental ailment.
So this was merely an evaluation, not help.
Malygos was truly too deeply entrenched; ten thousand years of unceasing hatred were enough to explain everything. In other places, he no longer had the ability to calm down, and the arrogance of the Guardian Dragon prevented him from actively seeking places similar to Arthas's surroundings.
"Regardless, you indeed helped me, and you helped the entire Blue Dragonflight."
Malygos said very earnestly. Perhaps it was this earnestness that, under the stimulation of hatred, could transform into terrifying paranoia and stubbornness.
"However, I realize I may have nothing to offer you in return," Malygos smiled. The nightmare that had plagued him for ten thousand years was now lifted; he had finally found his former self.
He also realized that Arthas, with such mastery of the Holy Light, was indeed, as he himself said, no longer within the realm of "mortals." Therefore, Malygos began to interact with Arthas as an equal.
Just as Archaedas did when he first met Arthas.
"If you had been born tens of thousands of years earlier... Neltharion would not have fallen into that state, corrupted by the Old Gods..."
Malygos sighed. Having awakened from his madness, he suddenly understood the terrible pressure and confusion Neltharion had suffered in the past. Unfortunately, he hadn't discovered Neltharion's abnormality earlier...
"He is no longer the respected and beloved Earth Guardian. Deathwing is merely a mad monster resurrected through Neltharion's body; our only way is to free him from his madness.
Unfortunately... it was too late when we regained our power that time; we couldn't keep him completely in Grim Batol."
Malygos sighed, "But fortunately, that fellow was also severely injured by my siblings and me. He should not recover for a while."
"But we cannot be careless," Arthas said. "Deathwing is not the only servant of the Old Gods. In the magma of the city beneath our feet is Ragnaros, who is also one of the Old Gods' loyal followers."
"You're right. Oh, maybe I can help you with this," Malygos suddenly thought of something. "Since it's a servant of the Old Gods, then he is my enemy."
Malygos originally thought he would receive Arthas's affirmation. However, Arthas shook his head, "Weaver, I have a way to deal with Ragnaros. It's not your time to appear yet."
"Just call me Malygos. Weaver, Guardian of Magic... these are just titles others have given me. Besides, you are a friend who has helped me a great deal," Malygos corrected Arthas's address, "But why won't you let me help you deal with Ragnaros's trouble?"
"Because we have not truly escaped the circle the Old Gods have drawn for us."
Arthas explained his considerations to Malygos, "They have been plotting for a very long time, intending to weaken our effective forces and make us suspicious of each other—this is an enemy the beings of Azeroth have never encountered. They are not before our eyes, but in our minds."
Arthas pointed to his head, "From Tir's death to Neltharion being driven mad and corrupted by the whispers of the Old Gods, they actually planned everything long ago. First, they intended to wipe out the Titan's Guardians, making Neltharion's abnormality difficult to discover.
And the slumber of the former Earth Guardian Archaedas allowed the Old Gods to recklessly influence Neltharion's mind—and all of this indicates that the closer one is to the Old Gods, and the more closely connected, the easier they are to infiltrate and corrupt.
First, it was the Guardians who watched over their prisons, then Neltharion. They actually already possessed the ability to escape their cages, but they remained dormant, waiting for Azeroth's power to diminish to its lowest point.
The Ancient War of the Shifting Sands a thousand years ago was one of their attempts. They constantly tested our ability to counterattack, always hidden behind the scenes, yet always influencing reality. What the Old Gods needed was not just an army, but an opportunity to spread their ideology. Once they succeeded...
Then, without any violent means, the world before the Titans' arrival, the former Dark Empire, would materialize from our thoughts into reality."
Malygos's expression was somewhat serious, "If what you say is true... we have long been ensnared in their schemes, not just the Guardians left by the Titans, but us Dragons too?"
Although he was a Guardian Dragon, he only knew fragmented information about the Old Gods. If he hadn't been the Guardian of Magic, possessing the ability to glimpse certain secrets, he probably wouldn't have been able to believe Arthas's words.
"Have you not noticed that, since a certain day, the connection between the Dragon Legion has weakened? And, every Guardian Dragon has more or less shown some abnormality, encountering problems that prevent them from focusing on their duties?"
Arthas's question reminded Malygos of many things. It seemed that not only he, but Ysera and Nozdormu, were indeed somewhat off. One slumbered in dreams, the other hid in the river of time. They appeared to be diligently performing their duties, but they always gave Malygos a strange feeling.
And Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder, was less affected, but she had suffered a considerable blow recently due to the problems within the Dragon Legion and Deathwing's schemes against her.
The power and connection of the Dragon Legion seemed to continuously decline and weaken over a long period, until these years, when Deathwing reappeared, the overall strength of the Dragon Legion and their Guardians had almost plummeted to an all-time low.
After connecting a series of events, Malygos inexplicably felt a chill, as if he were wrapped in a cold wind at the peak of Coldarra's mountains.
And he thought of something: Dragonshrine and the Dragons' sacred lands were both in Northrend, and in the northern cliffs of this frozen land was the Titan city, Ulduar.
Seeing Malygos's expression, Arthas said, "It's pretty much what you're thinking. Archaedas said that Ulduar has been corrupted by the Old Gods... no one survived except Tir, Archaedas, and Ironaya, who escaped.
And Tir even died at the hands of the Old Gods' pursuers. Most people who hear Archaedas's words would probably wonder if Archaedas betrayed Ulduar and the others, because he was the one who escaped.
Who would have thought that even the prison that held the Old Gods had long been infiltrated by them?"
If Arthas hadn't personally dealt with a K'thir in Tir's Tomb, he probably wouldn't have been able to provide evidence to support Archaedas's words.
"We have long been exposed to danger, but everyone is simply unaware."
Arthas's words were like an iron hammer, striking Malygos's heart: Azeroth had long been deeply mired in crisis, yet they, as Guardians, were completely unaware, not even knowing why they were betrayed.
This made Malygos, who had just awakened from despair, grasping a glimmer of hope and preparing to face his kin, suddenly feel an overwhelming pressure.
If everything came true, how much hope did they have to defeat the Old Gods, and how much strength to repel the Burning Legion, who were eyeing Azeroth covetously?
However, Arthas calmly said, "But we will never be at their mercy. Even after seeing this dim reality, we must still have the courage and hope to fight on."
Before he finished speaking, Malygos instinctively looked up, as he felt a tremendous energy being released beneath Blackrock Mountain, almost shaking half of the mountain.
This impact erupted from Shadowforge City, where they were located, and spread all the way to the bay outside Burning Steppes. Amidst the roar and tremor, Malygos saw that the mountain had been torn open, and tons of seawater poured into the gap, the cold seawater colliding with the scorching magma.
Every second, large amounts of lava solidified, at the cost of more seawater being evaporated by the heat, becoming scorching hot air currents that impacted Shadowforge City and the structures on Blackrock Mountain.
Life seemed incredibly small and fragile under such natural impact. However, two transparent barriers protected the Alliance's position and Shadowforge City, respectively.
Water Elements continuously surged from the sea, mobilizing elemental power as much as possible to protect the city and the Alliance army, while the Alliance mages also tried their best to support the magic barrier that served as a framework.
Facing a scene like a natural disaster, the Dark Iron Dwarves in Shadowforge City timidly hid inside their houses, closing all doors and windows. Some dwarves tightly embraced their children, trying to protect them.
However, to the Dark Iron Dwarves' surprise, the scalding steam did not rush into Shadowforge City. The Alliance mages and Hydraxian Waterlords used a barrier to isolate the heatwave, protecting the internal area of Shadowforge City very well.
But some empty areas were still impacted. The entire mountain trembled and vibrated amidst the collision of the two elements. Parts of Shadowforge City's buildings began to collapse and sink into the abyss of lava and hot steam.
Malygos said nothing, but stretched out his hand, injecting massive amounts of Arcane power into the barriers of both sides, making them more stable and immune to the destruction of the elemental impact.
"Actually, you should have gone to find your kin long ago," Arthas said, watching Malygos's actions. "There's no need to fear anything. It wasn't you who brought disaster upon your kin; it was Deathwing and the Old Gods who truly harmed them. It wasn't you, or your duties."
After reinforcing the magic barrier, Malygos nodded, "I will, Arthas. The Blue Dragonflight should not continue to sink like this. I should also resume my responsibilities.
I'm leaving now. I'll leave Ragnaros for you to deal with. I'll first consolidate my strength and inform my siblings, for as you said, it's not yet time to reveal our true power.
Let the Old Gods believe that the world is still proceeding according to their script. Sooner or later, I will settle all scores with them!"
"Then, good luck to you." Arthas smiled as he bid Malygos farewell.
Malygos returned the smile, and the Arcane light once again shone in his eyes. "Good luck to you too. Farewell, young Prince."
Arthas watched Malygos's figure gradually fade in a blue light. Just before Malygos completely disappeared, he suddenly said, "When you are ready, you can come find me... regarding Sindragosa."
Malygos was initially somewhat puzzled about what Arthas wanted to say, but upon hearing that name that haunted his dreams, he almost decided to halt the teleportation directly.
But he ultimately gave up on that idea—just as Arthas said, he wasn't ready yet and didn't know how to face his "deceased wife."
However, Malygos knew in his heart that this day would not be far off.
After Malygos left, Arthas's attention was entirely focused on Molten Core, which was undergoing earth-shattering changes.
The change in terrain opened a path for the seawater, proving even more effective than Arthas had imagined.
The original sea of lava was almost transformed into a true lake by the surging seawater. Although the large amount of steam indicated that the magma in the earth's veins had not completely cooled, it also meant that the power of the ocean had indeed suppressed the Fire Element in Molten Core.
This would be a heavy blow, weakening the power of the elements in Molten Core in every sense. And just this direct impact alone likely extinguished many Fire Elements that couldn't react in time.
As for those clumsy Obsidian Elements and Molten Giants, they were probably still sealed in the cooling magma blocks at the bottom of the water, unable to move at all.
When the seawater had already reached the terrace where Arthas was, Duke Hydraxis's body once again emerged from the waves. This time, with the blessing of the seawater, his body became stronger and more solid.
Moreover, within his body, formed by surging waves, Arthas felt a pure and powerful elemental force. This was certainly not Duke Hydraxis's own power.
Clearly, this Water Element Duke had received a response from Neptulon, who had bestowed his pure water power upon Duke Hydraxis.
"We succeeded, Arthas! The mighty power of the ocean has completely crushed Ragnaros's elemental minions. Those clumsy Fire Elements are now either struggling in the waves or have become our prisoners in the cooling magma!"
Duke Hydraxis's voice showed noticeable fluctuation for the first time. He was extremely excited now. Ragnaros's army had suffered a huge blow at his hands, a feat other Water Elements could only dream of.
After a brief surge of excitement, Duke Hydraxis calmed down. He looked at Arthas and said, "But we haven't truly won this war yet. The ocean has told me that the true core of Molten Core has not been affected yet. That is where Ragnaros slumbers."
What Duke Hydraxis said was similar to Arthas's guess. If Ragnaros had truly been sent back to the elemental plane by such an attack, it would be truly laughable, and he would probably be mocked by the other Elemental Lords forever.
However, even though this sudden attack severely wounded the Fire Elements that had retreated to Molten Core, this earth-shattering upheaval was enough to awaken the slumbering Ragnaros. It wouldn't be long before this Elemental Lord would personally join the battle.
"My Water Elements and I will immediately rush to the front line. There are still Ragnaros's loyalists putting up a stubborn resistance. Please be prepared... Ragnaros is about to awaken from his slumber!"
After saying this, Duke Hydraxis's body once again merged into the waves. And not long after this Elemental Duke disappeared, Arthas sensed that at the end of this underground lava river, an ancient, violent power was gradually reviving.
The first step to ending the gloom covering Blackrock Mountain and thwarting the Old Gods' plan was about to begin with the battle against this ancient elemental embodiment of power.