CHAPTER 41: Forging Bonds with the Life-Binder
[System UI]: You have completed the mission to rescue the Red Dragon Queen Alexstrasza from imprisonment by the orcs in Grim Batol Fortress. The orcs were attempting to enslave the entire Red Dragonflight through dark rituals and forbidden artifacts. For your heroic intervention, you will receive substantial rewards. Mission rewards: Red Dragon Legion reputation elevated to Revered, unlocking new professions.
[System UI]: Your reputation with the Red Dragon Legion is now Revered. You may purchase exclusive items from the quartermaster at the Wyrmrest Temple. When encountering members of the Red Dragon Legion in the wild, there is a chance they will offer aid in battle once per encounter.
[System UI]: Professional skills activated. You have automatically comprehended basic gathering and crafting proficiencies, starting at level 1. Higher gathering skill levels allow for more items to be collected per session and reduce gathering time. Elevated crafting skills decrease material consumption per craft and improve the quality of produced items.
Arthas stood amidst the crumbling ruins of Grim Batol, the air thick with the acrid scent of charred stone and lingering orcish blood. The fortress, once a bastion of dwarven might, now echoed with the ghosts of its recent horrors. Before him loomed Alexstrasza, the majestic Red Dragon Queen, her form shifted into that of a stunning elven-like woman. Her crimson scales shimmered faintly beneath her humanoid guise, and her eyes—deep pools of ancient wisdom—regarded him with a mix of gratitude and curiosity. Freed from the enchanted chains that had bound her, she exuded an aura of raw power and vitality, the very essence of life itself.
His mind raced as he gazed upon her. This was no ordinary rescue; it was a pivot point in his grander ambitions. The system notifications had confirmed his success, but Arthas knew the real prize lay in the alliances he could forge. With a calculated glint in his eye, he stepped forward and voiced his requests humbly. "Great Queen Alexstrasza, I ask only for two favors in return for your freedom. First, assist my fleet in crossing the seas to Kalimdor swiftly and safely. Second, consider a long-term alliance between your flight and my forces. Together, we could stand against the encroaching darkness."
Alexstrasza tilted her head, her dragon horns adorned with ornate copper rings that caught the dim light filtering through the fortress cracks. A playful smile curved her lips, softening her regal demeanor. "Little prince of Lordaeron, you intrigue me. Most mortals would demand treasures, artifacts, or even a dragon's scale for such a deed. You saved me from a fate worse than death—enslavement, forced breeding to bolster the orcs' armies. Yet your requests are modest. Are you certain? I could offer far more: gold from our hoards, enchanted weapons, or knowledge lost to time."
Arthas shook his head firmly, his silver hair catching the breeze. He wasn't feigning humility; this was strategy. Kalimdor was a wild, untamed continent teeming with ancient evils, feral beasts, and rival factions. Establishing a foothold there required more than brute force—it demanded reliable allies. The Red Dragonflight, guardians of life, could provide aerial support, healing magic, and reconnaissance that no human army could match. "No, Your Majesty. I seek no immediate riches. True strength comes from bonds that endure. Besides, I've no desire to exploit your gratitude for personal gain."
She studied him intently, her golden eyes piercing as if delving into his soul. Humans were a fleeting race to her—ambitious, often greedy descendants of the Titans' creations. Yet this one carried an unfamiliar aura, a spark of something divine that resonated with her draconic senses. "There is an energy about you, Prince Arthas, that feels... kindred. Not quite mortal, yet not divine. Tell me of your journey. How did a human prince come to wield such power, to storm this forsaken place alone?"
Gracefully, she lowered herself onto a weathered stone outcrop, her flowing red robes pooling around her like liquid flame. She crossed her legs elegantly, leaning slightly to one side, her posture a perfect blend of poise and invitation. Arthas couldn't deny her allure; she embodied a timeless beauty, fierce yet nurturing, much like the legendary empresses of ancient tales. If he were to draw a parallel, she reminded him of a queen who ruled with iron will and seductive charm, commanding loyalty from all who beheld her.
As he pondered how to respond, the system chimed once more, its interface materializing in his vision like ethereal script.
[System UI]: Triggering the serial quest "Covet the Life-Binder" (ongoing chain). Your ambitions know no bounds, and the Red Dragon Queen's majesty stirs desires within you. Strength alone cannot claim her; subtlety, strategy, and forbidden arts are your path. Pursue this vision, and one day, you may bend even the noblest of dragons to your will.
Covet the Life-Binder (Phase I): Infuse her with your Life Essence to ignite a month's worth of heightened desires, subtly enhancing her guardian powers in the process. Unlock the next phase upon reaching level 30. Quest Rewards: Energy recovery accelerated by 10%, refractory period shortened by 10%.
Arthas blinked, momentarily stunned by the quest's audacity. The system's implications were brazen—energy recovery? Refractory periods? It painted a picture of conquest far beyond mere alliance. He glanced at Alexstrasza, who waited patiently, then reached into his inventory, producing a vial of shimmering Life Essence. The liquid glowed with an inner light, pulsing with raw vitality.
"I've been touched by a higher power," he explained, choosing his words carefully. "An accident, or perhaps fate, granted me abilities beyond mortal ken. This essence is one such gift—I can produce it under specific conditions. It extends life, restores vigor, and amplifies innate energies."
Alexstrasza leaned forward, her nostrils flaring as she inhaled the essence's scent. A flicker of astonishment crossed her composed features. She sensed its potency immediately; this was no mere potion. Ten thousand years ago, the Dragon Aspects had poured their essences into the Dragon Soul to seal away Deathwing, diminishing their powers irreversibly. Recovery had been agonizingly slow, a shadow over their eternal vigilance. This essence hummed with restorative potential—it could mend what was lost, allowing her to break free from lingering weaknesses. The urge to seize it surged within her, but she restrained herself, her draconic pride holding firm.
Yet, the recent ordeal in Grim Batol had shaken her. Captured by the Dragonmaw Clan, bound by the Demon Soul's remnants, she had faced the horror of being reduced to a broodmother, her eggs twisted into weapons for the Horde. The orcs' plans had been thwarted by Arthas's timely assault on their warlock leader, Nekros Skullcrusher, but the vulnerability lingered like a scar. She needed strength to protect her flight, to ensure such humiliation never recurred.
"The method of its use is... intimate," Arthas continued, feigning embarrassment as he averted his gaze. "I intended it for my future wife and myself, to bind our lives eternally."
A knowing smile played on Alexstrasza's lips. Her keen senses detected the undercurrent in his words—the essence wasn't a one-time creation. "You imply you can produce more? How?"
Arthas cleared his throat, his cheeks flushing slightly—a performance to endear him as an earnest youth to this ancient being. "It requires... union with a partner of equal or greater strength during moments of ascension, like leveling up. The conditions are rare, hence its scarcity."
The dynamic shifted subtly, like a dance between predator and prey, though who held which role was unclear. Arthas, the cunning fox, tested the waters against Alexstrasza's millennia of wisdom.
"Would you part with it?" she asked, her voice a silken thread. "In exchange, I offer a blessing of eternal youth for you and your loved ones—immunity to disease, the ravages of time halted. A gift once bestowed upon the night elves by my kin."
Arthas's heart leaped. Eternal life was a myth to most mortals, achievable only through arcane mastery or divine favor. The night elves' immortality stemmed from the Aspects' blessings at Nordrassil's creation. For Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder, to extend such a boon was priceless. It didn't grant invincibility—blades, falls, or poisons could still claim a life—but it severed the chains of aging. Dwarves lived three centuries, gnomes perhaps four, high elves millennia, tauren a mere two hundred. This would elevate him and his allies beyond such limits, a cornerstone for his empire-building.
Yet, he masked his elation, nodding solemnly. "A fair exchange. With this, we seal our pact—not just aid to Kalimdor, but a true alliance against the shadows threatening Azeroth."
Alexstrasza extended her hand, accepting the vial. As their fingers brushed, a spark of energy passed between them, foreshadowing deeper entanglements. The essence's infusion would begin subtly, per the quest's directive, weaving desires into her ancient heart while bolstering her powers. Arthas watched her, his mind already plotting the next moves in this intricate game.
The Red Dragon Queen rose, her form radiating renewed vigor. "Then it is done. Return to your people, Prince. My flight will watch over your voyage. And remember—life's threads intertwine in unexpected ways."
As she transformed into her colossal dragon form and soared into the skies, Arthas felt the weight of destiny shift. Grim Batol's shadows receded, but new horizons beckoned, fraught with peril and promise.
---END OF CHAPTER 41---