The Demon Soul

Twenty

There was little that could dismay Archimonde. He attacked every situation with an analytical mind-night elves, magic, even dragons.

But now his composure had been shaken. He had not expected the dragons to come in such numbers. All he had learned of them indicated that they remained out of worldly matters, so aloof that they could not see the end of their world coming. A few, of course, had been expected to act as mavericks, rogues. Archimonde had planned for those, countless Doomguard hiding in the mists and ready to take them on.

But not only had he been outmaneuvered by the beasts…they had all come.

The demon commander quickly composed himself. Sargeras permitted no failure at this point. Archimonde reached out with his thoughts, touched the minds of every Eredar and Dreadlord, and ordered them to turn their magics on the approaching flights.

Confident that the sorcerous might of the Burning Legion would deal with these interlopers, Archimonde returned his attention to the battle. The Nathrezim and warlocks would eliminate the dragons. The latter were only creatures of this world, after all, their power limited to its laws. The Legion was so, so much more.

Yes, there was definitely nothing even the dragons could do to prevent his glorious victory.

Tyrande's sisters had been pushed toward a hilly region upon which stood a few gnarled and dead oaks. The surprise swarming of the demons had left all night elves stunned, and regardless of the sisterhood's attempts to rally those around them, even they had a hard time keeping hopeful under such a crushing blow.

The new high priestess now fought on foot, her night saber having sacrificed itself against blades meant for its mistress. Tyrande had slain the demons who had killed it, and now went to help another sister wounded badly in the same assault. Tyrande pulled the bloody figure up to the trees, where she hoped that the priestess could be left without being noticed by the attackers.

From her higher vantage point, the struggle took on an even more ominous tone. Everywhere Tyrande looked, she saw a sea of fiery figures pressing her people. Night elves fell left and right, mercilessly slaughtered.

"Elune, Mother Moon," she suddenly muttered. "Is there nothing more you can do for your children? The world will end here if something cannot be done!"

But it seemed the goddess had given all that she could, for death continued to come to the night elves. Tyrande leaned down, hoping to at least aid her fellow sister, while at the same time wondering if she should even bother.

Then, the odd sensation that someone watched her made the high priestess pause in her healing. She looked over her shoulder, certain that she had glimpsed a shadow. However, when she peered close, Tyrande saw only the dead trees.

She almost returned to her work, but then something else caught her attention. Tyrande looked up to the sky and her crestfallen expression changed to one of hope.

Dragons filled the air, dragons of every flight.

"Praise Elune!" she gasped.

Her determination renewed, Tyrande focused on healing the other priestess. The Mother Moon had answered her prayers again. She had sent a force with which even the Burning Legion could not reckon.

Surely now there was nothing more to fear…

The dragons spread through the sky as Neltharion had dictated, alternating by their various colors so as to spread the particular talents and traits of each flight as evenly as possible. Near the Earth Warder, Alexstrasza, Ysera, Malygos, and the bronze female poised. Had Neltharion glanced at the red dragon, he might have noticed that Alexstrasza's eyes darted here and there, as if seeking someone. In his madness, the black had not even registered the absence of her youngest consort.

Far below, the tiny figures had begun to notice the dragons' overwhelming presence. A great, toothy smile spread across Neltharion's reptilian features. His audience was ready.

"Now," he rumbled, "let the Dragon Soul be revealed to our enemies below!"

The tiny disk flared so bright that every behemoth save the Earth Warder had to turn their eyes from it. Neltharion ignored the burning sensation in his orbs, so captivated was he.

The Dragon Soul struck.

Its attack came as a flash of the purest golden light, purer than the sun and stars, purer than the moon. It swept down across the demon horde and utterly vaporized the Burning Legion wherever it touched.

The demons howled. The demons shrieked. They spilled away from the killing light, fleeing as they had done before no foe, not even the night elves. Fear was a thing little known to their kind, but they felt it now.

The defenders at first watched in abject awe, so silent that one might have mistaken them for stone. Even the haughtiest among the nobles could not but gape at such power unleashed, power that made their command of the Well's energy laughable at best.

Among the night elves, Rhonin shook his head, repeating, "No…no…no…"

Farther away, Illidan watched the epic destruction with the utmost envy, realizing that all he had learned was nothing compared to what the dragons wielded.

And on the other side of the battle, Archimonde frowned as his monstrous force collapsed like straw before a single power. Already he could sense Sargeras's displeasure and knew that he, not Mannoroth or the Highborne, would suffer the brunt of his master's wrath.

The Burning Legion did fight back, however ineffectively. The Eredar and Nathrezim focused their dark magic on the disk and its creator, casting spells that should have melted the Dragon Soul and stripped Neltharion of hide, flesh, and bone. They assailed all the dragons, seeking a swift end to this attempt to crush them.

"It is time!" roared the Earth Warder, barely able to suppress his madness. "Let the matrix be set!"

The other leviathans linked themselves by mind and power. Already tied into the disk by their earlier contributions, they had little difficulty in feeding the Dragon Soul yet more of their strength.

With a mocking cry, Neltharion unleashed the disk's energies on the attacking spellcasters.

Eredar by the scores crumbled to dust, their screams short but telling. Dreadlords fluttering in the sky fell as light burned through them, reducing the fearsome demons to skeletal pieces. In other places, warlocks perished by a hundred different and horrific manners as the disk turned their very spells back upon them.

In the end, even the most cruel of them fled in panic. This was no power with which they could deal. Even their fear of Sargeras could not keep them from routing.

And when the Fel Guard, Doomguard, and others saw how their brethren fell to the power of the dragons, the last of their courage melted away almost as literally as many of their comrades had. Archimonde found himself a commander without anyone to command. His threats went unheeded, even when he slaughtered several of those around him to prove how much he meant them.

Astride his night saber, Lord Ravencrest gave out a bellow and pointed at the retreating horde. "The moment is at hand! For Kalimdor and Azshara!"

His call was taken up by the soldiers. The host pressed forward. At last, the war would be won.

Only Rhonin hesitated. Only he knew the truth. Yet, how could he argue with all that the others had witnessed? The dragons' creation had done the task for which it had supposedly been created.

He looked around desperately for the one other who would have realized the threat, who could have told him what they might do.

But still there was no sign of Krasus.

Neltharion roared in triumph, watching as the puny demons scattered. He had proven to all the might of his Dragon Soul and, therefore, his own superiority.

Then, one of those he knew would betray him dared interrupt his moment of glory.

"Neltharion!" called Alexstrasza, her voice strained. "The demons are on the run! The Soul has done its work magnificently! Now is the time for us to break the matrix and assault them from all sides-"

"No!" He glared at her, no longer able to or desiring to hide the madness within. "No! I will say what will be done from here on! I, not you, Alexstrasza!"

The other Aspects suddenly stared at the Earth Warder as if seeing him for the first time. Malygos, in particular, appeared troubled as he tried reasoning with the black leviathan. "Good friend Neltharion! She meant no disrespect! It's just that we can now be more effective if-"

"Be silent!"

The disk flared.

As one, the assembled flights stiffened, their wings caught in mid-flap. They did not plummet, however; the monstrous power of the Dragon Soul instead kept them frozen in the air. Their eyes were the only sign that they still had any consciousness, and all save those of the blacks held horror at the revelation that one of their most powerful had turned upon them.

"There will be no betrayal of me! I will do what is my right! My destiny is at hand! This land, all lands, will bow before my might! I will remake the world as it should be!"

His terrible gaze fell upon the battle, but not at the Burning Legion. The black behemoth held out the golden disk and hissed at the advancing night elves. "Let all see that they live by my choosing!"

And the power of the Dragon Soul was cast upon the defenders.

Caught up in what should have been their moment of victory, the night elves had even less of a chance to defend themselves against the disk's power, not that it was likely they could have done anything. The brilliant light flashed across the foremost ranks…and they vanished, only their brief shrieks marking their passing. Riders atop night sabers perished in mid-run, their mounts dying with them. Scores of foot soldiers fell in the blink of an eye.

The grand assault splintered as the horror registered. Night elves now fled away from their retreating enemy, leaving a vast area of baked earth and a few gory fragments.

Chaos reigned. Neither the night elves nor the demons knew what to expect. All eyes turned to the fearsome black shape that wielded such death.

The Earth Warder's voice overwhelmed all other sounds as he spoke to the tiny figures beneath him. "Know me, vermin! Know me and pray! I am Neltharion! I am your god!"

The voices in his head had risen to a crescendo, urging him to more mayhem. However, for once Neltharion ignored them. He now wished to savor his triumph, make the puny creatures bow to his magnificence, and acknowledge his supreme power. He could, after all, decimate them whenever he pleased.

Which he would do as soon as he had tired of them.

"All must kneel before me! Now!"

Many did, while others stood in confusion and uncertainty.

The Dragon Soul eradicated that reluctance, its deadly light flowing once over the demons, then over the night elves. The lesson was a powerful one, and the rest fell to their knees in rapid succession.

"I have watched," the insane leviathan snarled. "I have seen my world ruined by you pitiful insects! There must be order! I will have my world perfect again! Those who are not fit to serve me will be slain!"

A slight hiss from behind him made Neltharion whirl. Despite being unable to move save at his command, Alexstrasza had managed to give one hint of her anger and contempt.

"And you…" the black uttered, those below momentarily forgotten. "You, the rest of these traitorous 'friends' of mine, you will live by my sufferance alone! For your conniving, your plotting, you deserve nothing better!"

Alexstrasza struggled to speak. Deciding to be magnanimous, Neltharion granted her that ability.

"What have you wrought, Neltharion? What evil have you perpetrated? You call us traitors, but I see only one for whom that title is deserved!"

"I give you permission to speak, dear Alexstrasza, but you should use it to plead for mercy for your crimes! You dare condemn me?"

She snorted at such words. "There is no one here among us who has committed more horrendous crimes than you!" Alexstrasza hesitated, then her tone abruptly softened. "Neltharion…this is not you! You always sought to make the world one of peace, of harmony…"

"And I will! When all obey my dictates, there will be no more chaos, no more war!"

"And no more death? How many must die to create your 'peace, my old friend?"

"I-" The voices grew insistent, demanding that he put an end to her words, and to her. The black dragon shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Alexstrasza…I…"

"Fight what madness has overwhelmed you, Neltharion! You are strong! Recall what you once were…and destroy that abomination before it's too late for all of us!"

She had said the wrong thing. The Earth Warder's crimson orbs hardened again and he clutched the disk protectively. "No! So, your betrayal worsens! You would take what is mine, what I've created, for yourself! I knew it! I knew that none of you could be trusted!"

"Neltharion-"

"Be silent again!"

Alexstrasza's jaws froze. She clearly struggled to speak, but the power of the Dragon Soul was too much.

Dismissing her as of no more consequence, the dark giant again stared down at the throngs held still by utter fear of him.

"I have decided!" he told them. "I have decided that this place is best with none such as you befouling it!"

He held out the Dragon Soul.

The disk flared-

And a crimson juggernaut suddenly crashed into him.

They had arrived to find a scene of utmost horror-wholesale destruction below and, above, the dragons snared in a trap set by one of their own.

Krasus swore. "It is too late! Neltharion has committed his betrayal!"

No sooner did he say it than the mage realized the geas the Earth Warder had placed on him no longer existed. Why should it? Neltharion himself had revealed his treachery; there was no point to the spell anymore.

"This is monstrous!" roared Korialstrasz. "He has Alexstrasza prisoner! How dare he? I will slay him for that-"

"You must calm yourself!" Krasus interjected. "Neltharion is too powerful now that he has unleashed the Demon Soul!"

" ‘Demon Soul'? Aye, a better name than that which he called it! Truly it is a demonic creation, more befitting the foul creatures of the Burning Legion!"

Krasus had not meant to say the name by which the disk would become known later in time, but it was too late. Perhaps this had even been the way the name had changed. The mage no longer knew what was a part of the original history and what had been altered by his interference. At this point, it hardly seemed to matter anymore. What did matter was that Kalimdor was in danger from a threat that made even the demons seem insignificant by comparison.

"What can we do?" asked Malfurion.

"The Dra-Demon Soul is not invulnerable! Neltharion is the key! He is its creator, and its weakness!"

"Do you mean to destroy it? We could use it to save my people!"

Krasus grew grim. "Druid, any other path to survival would be better than wielding that abomination! It is a corrupting influence! Surely you can sense that even from here!"

The night elf nodded. Anyone but apparently Neltharion could likely sense the evil within when the disk was in use.

Korialstrasz shook his head. "I can stand this no longer!"

Without warning, the red dragon descended toward a hilly region behind the defenders' lines and out of sight of the insane black. He dropped down with such swiftness that neither rider could protest.

Only when Korialstrasz had landed and his two riders dismounted did Krasus have the chance to say anything. "What is it you intend?"

"You know me as well as anyone. You know what I intend."

Krasus did and vaguely recalled that decision now. Yet, what had once been set in stone no longer was. Korialstrasz had all but died once; a second time might prove permanently fatal.

Yet, even knowing that, he could no longer argue against the dragon's action. The love Korialstrasz had for his queen and mate was one that Krasus also felt.

"Strike low and to the back, then," he told his other self. "And do your utmost to break his grip on the disk."

The behemoth dipped his head in appreciation. "I take your wisdom to heart."

With that, Korialstrasz took to the air once more, wings beating rapidly as he sought to quickly gain speed before attacking. The two watched the dragon depart, Krasus particularly keeping his eyes on the red until the latter had flown off.

The moment it became evident to him that the die had been cast, the mage turned, saying, "Come, Malfurion! We must make with all haste for your people!"

Krasus raced along the landscape, all sense of dignity forgotten. Dignity was for those with both time and patience, commodities not available to him and his companion. All that mattered was reaching Rhonin and the others.

Of course, then the question would be…exactly what could they do?

On and on they ran, but to the mage it seemed that the night elves were as far away as ever. "This goes much too slow!" Krasus snapped. "By the time we make it there, it will be too late!"

"I could try to summon something! Perhaps Cenarius will be able to send hippogriffs again!"

"I doubt very much that we shall be so fortunate as previous! Perhaps…perhaps if I can reach Rhonin…"

He paused. Taking a deep breath, Krasus tried to reach out to his former protйgй. But although he sensed the human, there was too much turmoil going on. Krasus doubted that Rhonin even noticed his touch.

"I have failed," he finally said. "It seems that we must keep running."

"Let me try. Surely it can't hurt at this point."

Krasus eyed the druid. "Who do you think to contact?"

"My brother, of course."

The slim spellcaster considered the choice, then said, "May I suggest another? Tyrande, perhaps?"

"Tyrande?" Malfurion's cheeks darkened.

Trying not to embarrass the night elf more, Krasus added, "When we sought you in the palace, it was through her that the link became quickly established. I think, with my aid, you can do it again. Besides, she is more likely to have transportation for us."

Malfurion nodded, accepting the logic. "Very well."

Still facing each other, the two seated themselves. Krasus stared into the night elf 's eyes as both concentrated.

"Tyrande…" Malfurion whispered.

Krasus felt him reach out to her. The druid and the priestess touched minds almost instantly, verifying his assumptions. They might not yet realize it themselves, but he could sense the deep feelings between the two as Malfurion again called to her. Tyrande…

Malfurion? She sounded both startled and relieved. Where-

Listen carefully! I can't explain much, he replied, stressing the urgency as best he could. Krasus and I need mounts! Can one of your sisters head toward the southern hills? He envisioned them as best as he could for her and felt her acknowledgment of the location.

I will come myself! the priestess said.

Krasus broke in before Malfurion could protest. She will be able to follow the link directly to us. Another might ride around this area too long and still miss where we are.

The dragon mage sensed her agreement and, finally, Malfurion's submission.

I must find mounts first, but I'll be there quickly! With that, Tyrande receded from the link. She remained bound to Malfurion, but in a manner that would permit her to act on the situation without being distracted by his thoughts.

"Praise the Aspects!" Krasus announced as he severed himself from their connection. Helping Malfurion up, he declared, "We have a chance now."

"But how much of one? First the demons and now this! Surely Kalimdor is doomed!"

"Perhaps, perhaps not. We do what we can do." The mage suddenly looked up to where Korialstrasz had flown. The hills prevented the pair from seeing the upcoming struggle. "As do others," Krasus added bleakly. "As do others…"