In the Ring of Blood arena in Blade's Edge Mountains, a black-haired human man, dressed in an exquisitely made robe and holding a scepter carved with beautiful patterns, was staring intently at the dim yellow sky of Blade's Edge Mountains and the Ogre strongholds in the distance that almost formed a continuous black silhouette.
The Ring of Blood, once a place where Ogre champions fought to the death to select the strongest among them to lead the clan, was abandoned after the Ogres recognized Gruul's true nature and submitted to his rule.
However, unbeknownst to everyone, a member not belonging to the Ogre clan was hidden within this abandoned arena.
Furthermore, his appearance as a human in Outland was quite bizarre, considering that there were no Expeditionary Forces in Blade's Edge Mountains. Even if there were, they would have fled these severely affected areas before the Great Collapse of Draenor. Those who didn't escape left as remnants after the collapse, abandoning this wild land ruled by Ogres.
Most importantly, this human appeared in the heartland of the Bladetooth Ogre. Although the Ring of Blood was abandoned, it was almost completely surrounded by Ogre territory. If he didn't have wings, how could he appear in this arena without alarming the surrounding Ogres?
"The sky over Blade's Edge Mountains is becoming increasingly restless."
The human man murmured, but not in the common tongue most used by humans, but in a more complex and ancient language. If any member of the Dragon Legion were present, they would be shocked to discover that this human was speaking Draconic.
Humans who could speak Draconic were exceedingly rare. Even the Kirin Tor mages seldom bothered to learn the systematic Draconic language, let alone make it their primary language.
Clearly, the true identity of this human man was a Dragon.
However, Dragons were creatures unique to Azeroth and could not possibly appear in Draenor. The only Dragon who had ever visited Draenor was the mad Black Dragon King, Deathwing.
The world believed that after his bloody battle with Gruul in Blade's Edge Mountains, Deathwing and his remaining kin had left the valueless Outland. However, one Black Dragon remained: Deathwing's subordinate, the powerful Black Dragon Sabelian.
His purpose in staying was also clear: to avenge his kin who had been slaughtered by the Gronn.
Although the Black Dragonflight had invaded Blade's Edge Mountains for some unspeakable purpose and had once intended to drive out the Gronn and Ogres, Sabelian had not expected Gruul and his offspring to be so powerful. Even Dragon Mother Cythnarra was no match, and it was only Deathwing's intervention that turned the tide.
Moreover, Deathwing only managed to suppress Gruul; he couldn't kill the formidable Gronn immediately. In the end, Deathwing himself was even ambushed and hit with a Disintegration spell. Although the spell couldn't harm Deathwing's body, it broke the armor links on him, and without the armor's suppression, the corrupting flames erupting from Deathwing's body could have killed him.
The Black Dragon King, in pain, severely wounded Gruul and escaped. But the Black Dragons caught in the fierce battle did not possess Deathwing's exaggerated power. They were trapped in a sea of Gronn and Ogres. These Gronn and Ogres brutally slaughtered the remaining Black Dragons, even massacring unhatched dragon eggs and harmless whelps.
The Gronn's low intelligence was completely overwhelmed by their savagery. They only knew how to madly crush any potential enemy, but they didn't consider that the opponents they provoked were also a group of not-so-rational madmen.
Deathwing's madness had long permeated the minds of every member of his kin. If not for Arthas, Onyxia would now also be forced to submit to her father's oppression.
As Deathwing's subordinate, Sabelian was extremely loyal to his master and kin. He had followed Deathwing in causing countless harms to Azeroth until they encountered a group of fearless hotheads in Outland.
Although Gruul was indeed somewhat overwhelmed by Deathwing, the war ultimately ended in a crushing defeat for the Black Dragonflight. However, Sabelian was not convinced. He transformed into a gloomy human, calling himself Baron Sabermane, attempting to leverage all available power to avenge his kin.
He had been hidden in Blade's Edge Mountains for a long time. Besides collecting some of his kin's corpses and some dragon eggs, he hadn't found an opportunity to act against Gruul and his offspring.
There was no other way. Although Sabelian himself was a powerful adult Black Dragon, he alone certainly wouldn't be a match for Gruul and his offspring. If he acted rashly, his fate would be no better than his kin hanging on the cliffs.
But recently, Sabelian, who had been gathering intelligence and recuperating, suddenly had an ominous premonition—it seemed that another force had entered Blade's Edge Mountains, and they were beating the arrogant Ogre clans and Gronn into submission, even killing two of Gruul's offspring, whose bodies couldn't even be found.
Sabelian, of course, also noticed Naxxanar traversing the void, looming over the sky of Blade's Edge Mountains and oppressing all beings. But what made him somewhat uncertain and surprised was: where did those strange Undead Scourge armies come from?
He initially thought it was the Burning Legion because he knew that some Nathrezim were skilled in undead magic, capable of manipulating souls and corpses. However, he didn't find any demons among the Undead Scourge; instead, he discovered many undead creatures he had never seen before.
He was somewhat familiar with Death Knights, an evil type of soldier developed by Orc warlocks. However, the Death Knights among those undead were using a power system that Sabelian completely didn't understand. Their runes didn't resemble the spells of Orc warlocks; instead, they were somewhat similar to the runic magic of the Vrykul of Azeroth.
However, those runes were vastly different from the runes the Vrykul inherited from the Titans, making Sabelian suspect if it was a Legion from another world that had discovered Outland and was preparing to plunder and slaughter.
Nevertheless, this did not prevent Sabelian from realizing that the Undead Scourge was not an easy group to get along with, as he was horrified to discover that they were collecting Black Dragon corpses, which sent chills down his spine and filled him with immense rage.
Sabelian , who was also proficient in dark magic, naturally knew what kind of treatment his kin's corpses would receive. And Dragons, precisely, were very particular about returning to their roots. Even if they were banished by other Dragons, Black Dragons would occasionally fly back to Dragonblight, waiting for the end of their lives in the vast snowfields near their Obsidian Sanctuary.
Therefore, Sabelian wanted to do something: ignite a war between the Bladetooth Ogre and the undead, profit from it himself, achieve his desired goals, and ideally have both sides suffer heavy losses, so he could complete his revenge.
However, now he suddenly felt extremely uneasy, as if hidden eyes were locked onto his position.
.......
Inside the Scourge naxxanar, Archlich Kel'Thuzad looked at the psychic crystal in his hand, his expression grim. "Those Ogres actually launched a preemptive strike on our outpost?"
The Gargoyle messenger nodded. This more advanced construct already possessed basic intelligence and was no longer a mindless puppet. "The Ogres originally couldn't deal with Gargoyles, but ever since we started to penetrate the area where the Ring of Blood is located, the number of Gargoyle casualties has suddenly increased."
"What means do those Ogres, who are not much smarter than stones, have to deal with Gargoyles?" Kel'Thuzad sneered. "The number of spellcasters among the Ogres is scarce. Even if they did nothing else, they might not be able to inflict such losses on the Gargoyle swarm. There must be something secretly helping them."
The Gargoyle messenger did not dare to respond. This reconnaissance mission was a complete failure. Not only did it not yield any useful intelligence, but it also lost quite a few Gargoyles. Although this number of Gargoyles could be recreated quickly, it was not impossible for him, as one of the mission commanders, to be punished and turned back into a true stone statue.
However, the Archlich was in no mood to bother with the life or death of a Gargoyle messenger. He was more concerned about what was helping the Ogres deal with the Gargoyle scouts.
The Ring of Blood location was indeed problematic. Previous Gargoyle units had not suffered such losses, which itself was already very important intelligence.
Thinking of this, Kel'Thuzad waved his hand, giving the Gargoyle messenger another task.
"You take the remaining Gargoyles and continue to stand guard in the already explored safe areas."
Relieved that he would not be discarded, the Gargoyle quickly flapped his wings and left. Kel'Thuzad exhaled cold air with ice shards and turned to Arthas, who was on the throne in Naxxanar's command center. "Master, it can now be confirmed that there is indeed a fellow hiding near the Ring of Blood."
Arthas opened his eyes. He had just been sensing the vast network of soul constructs in the Outland. Kel'Thuzad's words pulled him out of this meditation.
"Sabelian ... that fellow is hiding in the abandoned arena and even marked the Gargoyles' positions for the Ogres. The Black Dragon's perception of the earth and mountains doesn't seem to have completely disappeared."
"Did you discover something?"
"That fellow is very cunning. His objective prevents him from truly hiding, so he chose to instigate a full-scale conflict between us and the Ogres, making it convenient for him to fish in troubled waters." After learning that the Gargoyles had been dealt with, Arthas roughly understood Sabelian's intentions.
This Black Dragon walked between the Ogre and Scourge factions, attempting to constantly fan the flames to make the battle between the Scourge and the Ogres more intense.
Arthas stood up from the throne. His hair had turned pale from being infused with the power of death, and his eyes emitted a faint blue glow. "However, what he didn't expect was that we originally planned to completely destroy the Ogre and Gronn forces, and our preparations are almost complete—Kel'Thuzad, rally the Scourge champions. The Bladetooth Ogres and those foolish Gronns are destined to perish."
For a barbaric Ogre clan oppressed by the Gronns, Arthas had no intention of showing mercy. Since Sabelian wanted to use the Ogres to deplete the Scourge's strength, Arthas planned to finish off the Ogres of Blade's Edge Mountains in one fell swoop.
"As you command, Master. Soon, the Ogres and their barbaric Gronn masters will kneel before your feet." Kel'Thuzad gladly accepted the order. He had been researching in Naxxanar long enough; it was time to stretch his muscles and unleash the true power of death.
Watching Kel'Thuzad begin to mobilize Naxxanar's Scourge soldiers, Arthas waved his hand, and a dense death mist surged from the darkness, instantly tearing open a passage connecting to Icecrown Glacier. Guided by soul power, the armor, which had been sealed in ice and once housed Ner'zhul's lingering soul, flew before Arthas.
This armor had been reforged by Scourge craftsmen, incorporating saronite and various precious metals, making it even darker and more terrifying than before. Even though it had not yet been worn, the power emanating from it made the living recoil.
But Arthas donned the armor with practiced ease, as if it were custom-made for him—this made Arthas somewhat displeased. He had already realized that the Lich King himself was part of a conspiracy. Ner'zhul knew nothing at all; he was merely a pawn used by others.
That "poor" old orc thought he had tricked Kil'jaeden, tricked everyone, but in reality, he was probably arranged clearly from birth to death, and those who arranged him were not just the demons of the Burning Legion.
Although Arthas had not yet fully understood what kind of conspiracy was hidden behind the Lich King, Frostmourne, and the Helm of Domination, he had already discovered that all sources pointed to the realm opposite their world, the realm of the dead and souls.
Perhaps the emergence of the Scourge was also inextricably linked to that place, but now it seems that the Shadowlands cannot directly interfere with Azeroth's actions, and the Lich King's troubles have also been resolved and intercepted by Arthas, including the sword Frostmourne, which has been completely cleansed of its original connections and has become a sharp weapon in Arthas's hand.
Although one conspiracy after another pointed to the world Arthas lived in, problems ultimately had to be solved one by one. For example, now, he intended to make the Bladetooth Ogres completely a part of history.
They were, after all, just a remnant of the original Ogre civilization. Having lingered in Blade's Edge Mountains for so long, it was time for their end.
Arthas held Frostmourne level, and the surging magical power from the blade, black-purple energy, leaped out in lightning-like arcs. As the runes flickered, a portal to another location opened.
At his summons, Onyxia, a Black Dragon bound by his contract, emerged from the Gate of Death. She curiously surveyed Naxxanar, sensing the chaotic energy of the Outland, which was starkly different from Azeroth.
But before she could adapt to the environment here, her expression suddenly turned very ugly—because she sensed a large number of dead kin, and they had been dead for a long time.
"This is...?"
"Blade's Edge Mountains, one of your mad father's forbidden experiment sites. Those dead Black Dragons are the pawns he abandoned." Arthas briefly stated the source of the unsettling aura for Onyxia.
"No... not just dead Black Dragons. I also smell a nauseating scent." Onyxia's face darkened. "Sabelian ... that fellow is actually here."
"Oh?" Arthas heard something in Onyxia's tone. "It seems you have some issues with this kin of yours?"
Upon hearing Arthas's words, Onyxia's tone shifted, and she transformed into a delicate, weak woman. "Sabelian , he is a mighty adult Black Dragon, and also my father's most loyal adjutant, my great master, you should understand, right?"
"Most loyal adjutant… Heh heh, that depends on whether he's loyal to the former Earth Guardian, or the current Deathwing." Arthas's fingers constantly rubbed the pommel of Frostmourne. The relationships between Dragons were not as complex as those between humans. Onyxia's few words had already revealed the source of her conflict with Sabelian .
"Both," Onyxia replied with a smile, though there was a hint of helplessness in it.
Just think, a Black Dragon unconditionally loyal to Neltharion, and one of the closest to him, the speed and degree to which he was affected by that corrupted bloodline were probably at the deepest level.
Perhaps Sabelian not only had issues with Onyxia, but if there was any clear-headed Black Dragon left in this world, his issues with them would likely be significant.
Unfortunately, now, besides Onyxia, the clear-headed Black Dragons not affected by Deathwing's madness might be even fewer than the number of Dragon Kings.
The man and the Dragon chatted to this point, then fell silent for a while. Arthas felt there was nothing more to say, while Onyxia was contemplating something.
"Master…"
"What is it?" Arthas's attention was on the assembling Scourge warriors, and he didn't notice Onyxia's somewhat hesitant expression. "If you want to vent your anger, I can arrange for you and Sabelian to have a private chat."
Onyxia's expression stiffened. An adult and powerful male Black Dragon, who had followed Deathwing for many years—Onyxia did not wish to face such an opponent. She was long past the age of impulsive recklessness.
"No… not that. Sabelian's power is probably stronger than mine, even stronger than Nefarian. To become my father's adjutant, loyalty alone isn't enough," Onyxia said. "I was wondering… how do you plan to deal with him?"
Onyxia did not doubt Arthas's ability to eliminate Sabelian . This naxxanar alone, armed to the teeth and filled with countless Undead Scourge, was enough to give any giant Dragon, except for the Dragon Kings, a massive headache. Moreover, there were many terrifying high-ranking Undead in the naxxanar.
Onyxia had only met Kel'Thuzad a few times, but even she could feel the extremely dangerous aura emanating from the Archlich. Wizards and mages, their powerful ones could already frustrate Dragons, and a Lich who had undergone a death transformation and become even stronger, it was no exaggeration to call him danger itself.
Giants were not Invincible; otherwise, they wouldn't have been defeated in Blade's Edge Mountains. And besides the Blue Dragon, it's no exaggeration to say that mages are the natural enemies of all living creatures. Mages who control Arcane power can easily unleash forces that flesh, and even steel, cannot withstand.
Originally, Onyxia thought there weren't many such mages, but later she discovered why her brother eventually didn't set his sights on the nations of the Lordaeron continent. Just the girlfriend of this prince before her was a powerful wizard with strength disproportionate to her age.
Not to mention Dalaran, known as the City of Magic, and Quel'Thalas, which inherited Highborne magic. Although Dragon arrogance made Onyxia instinctively want to ignore these powerful magical nations, after being defeated and captured by Arthas, she felt her mind had become much clearer and calmer.
Arthas glanced at Onyxia, showing no signs of nervousness about hunting Dragons. "The Dragon bones collected this time aren't quite to my satisfaction, and I also want to see the limits of a Bone Dragon."
His calm tone was no different from usual, but it made Onyxia's heart tremble as she recalled the scene of her own hunt.
At that time, the Scourge did not yet have such perfected war machines, but merely a few Death Knights and a not-so-profound magical barrier were enough to make her Arthas's prisoner.
Swallowing, Onyxia tentatively asked, "A Bone Dragon… perhaps not as useful as a living Dragon, Master. Have you considered dealing with Sabelian like me?"
Arthas looked at Onyxia meaningfully. "Are you sure? Don't you dislike this kin of yours quite a bit?"
"That was after his corruption… Moreover, Master, I am trying to expel the corruption from our bloodline, but among the remaining Black Dragons in Blackrock Mountain, there are no adult Dragons left. Sabelian is a good subject."
Onyxia spoke her true thoughts.
"You are very special, Onyxia. Do you know that?"
Arthas's sudden question made Onyxia a bit confused. She watched Arthas rise from the throne and walk down. "Actually, it wasn't entirely my power that suppressed the influence of madness in your bloodline. The power I invaded your soul with merely separated you from the Old Gods."
"I… am special?" Onyxia watched Arthas approach her, retreating two steps in confusion. She was actually very afraid of Arthas because, in her mind, Arthas was no different from her mad father.
However, limited by Arthas's power, Onyxia was forced to submit to this being revered as the Lich King by the Undead Scourge.
She had always held firm to her beliefs, while still retaining her coldness and disdain for ordinary humans, because she had more than once believed that Arthas was an "existence" like herself.
But a period of contact had caused a great shake-up in her perception of Arthas's character, or rather, her own beliefs.
"You are indeed very special, you just don't know it—or rather, you don't want to know," Arthas said casually. This was not a big deal to him. "Actually, your brother, Nefarian, also had this special quality, but he gave up, so I could only choose to deal with him once and for all."
Onyxia's beautiful face was full of doubt upon hearing this. She didn't resent Arthas for her brother's death. After regaining clarity, she also didn't like her brainwashed kin.
"Do you mean that this special quality is the real reason for my salvation?"
"Exactly. Without such 'protection,' no one can free a corrupted Black Dragon—except for death."
The death Arthas spoke of here was true death, not death power. A certain power in Onyxia's bloodline protected her to some extent, preventing her from being completely overwhelmed by her father's transmitted maddening will to the point of mental collapse. Her brother, Nefarian, on the other hand, did the opposite: he abandoned this protection and willingly threw himself into the embrace of the Old Gods.
"So, Sabelian's corruption is very likely… irreversible?"
The prince, holding Frostmourne, nodded gently. "Actually, you can remove 'very likely.' That maddening will is irreversible, and even if he dies, the Old Gods' influence will still accompany his soul."
Arthas's words sent shivers down Onyxia's spine. She had never truly faced the terrifying entity that drove her father mad. She recalled many dreams she had had; during the long sleep of Dragons, she had more than once foreseen terrible nightmares.
Just as Arthas and Onyxia were conversing, a rumbling sound echoed outside the naxxanar, and the entire fortress began to tremble slightly.
—The battle was about to begin.