Like so many of the other races, the dragons of Azeroth were not always flesh and blood. Their ancestors were primordial drakes animated from storm, stone, and fire, born from the wild Elements of the nascent world.
In the mythological age of dark gods and Titans, these creatures evaded imprisonment within the Elemental Planes. As Azeroth was ordered by its new protectors, the drakes’ physiologies and behaviours would be forever altered.
When the Great Dark Beyond was formed, unleashed magical energies coalesced into planetary cores; cosmic dust wove an earthen crust about them, forming innumerable worlds across the universe. Over the eons, nurturing Life magics suffused the surfaces of these worlds, accelerating evolutionary processes and generating rich biomes within otherwise harsh landscapes. As beasts and flora of the Wilds came into existence, so did more ethereal entities: the Elemental spirits. Certain spirits manifested into the physical plane, with some acting as diligent caregivers even as others paved swaths of destruction across the natural world. The Elementals of Azeroth were particularly active, and organized themselves into complex hierarchies ruled by lords and princes. Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth waged cataclysmic wars that often disrupted the natural order. As a consequence, the less powerful extant wildlife of Azeroth was ever prevented from attaining higher levels of development
The ancient turmoil on Azeroth’s surface further escalated with the arrival of dark entities, which crashed into the world’s crust from the Great Dark Beyond. These god-like creatures of the Void rivalled the Elemental Lords in power, spawning vast armies of insectoid aqir and “faceless” n’raqi. The Void would eventually subjugate the Elements, but rather than pacify them completely, the Old Gods continued to incite conflict between the Elemental armies — with Azeroth in eternal unrest, the Black Empire would forever reign supreme, allowing its masters ample time to siphon off the world core’s potent energies — and to access the powerful soul held within.
Indeed, an exceedingly rare number of planetary cores contained more than cosmic energies: they harboured the nascent souls of entities associated with the cosmic power of Order. Elsewhere in the Great Dark Beyond, one of these great world souls had fully awakened, allowing it to manifest itself upon its planet’s surface as a god-like Titan — it would name itself Aman’thul, and would travel the cosmos to seek out others like itself. Whereas the spirits of the Elements and the Wilds were driven to maintain natural balance through the duality of creation and destruction, and the Olds Gods of the Void sought to utterly consume what energies they could access, the pantheon of Titans that would eventually be established by Aman’thul took it upon themselves to systematically bring order to the worlds they found.
The Pantheon would eventually discover the world of Azeroth — they were as awestruck by the powerful World Soul held within as they were with the strange parasitic entities that consumed its energies and disturbed its sleep. The Titans had never encountered Void beings as insidious as the Old Gods, and they grew anxious about the effects their corruption could have upon their slumbering kin. Using his gargantuan world-form, Aman’thul attempted to physically extract the towering Old God Y’Shaarj from the planet’s crust. The creature’s form was shattered, its blood and sundered tissues spilling onto the land and seeping into Azeroth’s wounds; to make matters worse, the Old God had bored deeply into the planet’s mantle, and now the gaping hole was unfilled.
A liquid substance that emanated astounding power poured out from the world’s core to fill the cavity — these generative energies gushed out like a hemorrhage, threatening the World Soul they could no longer sustain. Acting quickly, the Pantheon stabilized the massive wound; binding its energies to water, the Titans created an enormous lake in the center of Azeroth’s super-continental landmass. This font of cosmic energy would be called the Well of Eternity — a font coveted by those who sought to augment their mastery of the Arcane.
Given the devastation that had been unleashed with Y’Shaarj’s destruction, the Titans realized that use of their world-forms would not permit them to overcome the Old Gods without further harming Azeroth. As they had done in the past when ordering worlds, the Titans resolved to create a new generation of Titan constructs to aid them in the war against the Black Empire. Rather than fashion these Titanforged from the default biomass matrices that the Pantheon had often used to nurture flesh-based organisms into existence, the Titans opted for the more efficient production of stone- and ore-based beings using the standard subterranean matrix. By affixing the resilient mixture of minerals originating from Azeroth’s planetary crust to the matrix, Khaz’goroth the Shaper succeeded once more in creating new Titanforged — the metallic beings called aesir and the stoneborn beings called vanir.
Nine among the Azerothian Titanforged were chosen to be blessed by the Pantheon and lead the aesir and vanir, now known collectively as the Watchers. Ra-den would be named Highkeeper; along with Odyn, he would be imbued with the powers of Aman’Thul the Highfather. Khaz’goroth bestowed his knowledge of earth-shaping and forge mastery upon Archaedas. Thorim and Hodir received thunderous blessings from Golganneth, Lord of Skies and Roaring Oceans. Eonar the Life-Binder imparted to Freya her understanding of the Wilds and the ethereal planes of Life. The intricacies of the Arcane were Norgannon’s gifts to shrewd Loken and inventive Mimiron. Finally, selfless Tyr was marked by Aggramar the Avenger as the greatest defender of the Watchers — and of the entirety of Azeroth itself. With the aesir and vanir empowered, the Titans’ forces began their incursions into the lands subjugated by the Old Gods.
The armies of n’raqi and aqir were unable to withstand the Watchers’ advance, nor could the Void’s influence easily penetrate their resilient forms — though the Titanforged lacked the cognitive adaptability of flesh, their magical expertise, physical might, and unified purpose brought them victory after victory. As the Old Gods’ empires reeled from the Pantheon’s onslaught, the dominated Elemental Lords were unleashed against Azeroth’s would-be saviours. Though the battles were costly for the Titanforged, Ragnaros the Firelord was brought to heel by Tyr and Odyn’s forces. Freya and Archaedas would succeed in toppling Therazane the Stonemother’s citadel, while the thundering Keepers Thorim, Hodir, and Ra-den rivalled Al’Akir the Windlord’s dominion over the storming skies. Neptulon the Tidehunter was bound by the ingenious shackles of Mimiron, his Elemental armies frozen and shattered by Loken’s Arcane spellwork.
Knowing well that the Elemental Lords would simply manifest again if their physical forms were destroyed, the Keepers resolved to bind them within the cosmic realms that sustained them: the Elemental Planes. With the aid of the Titanforged sorceress Helya, Ra-den succeeded in carving out pocket dimensions from the Elemental Planes within which the most powerful of Azeroth’s elementals could be imprisoned. Thus were created the Firelands, Deepholm, Skywall, and the Abyssal Maw. With the Elemental Lords bound and the Elements appeased, the remaining elementals scattered haphazardly across the continent
Among the more bestial of these dispersed Elementals were the elemental drakes. These winged creatures imbued with the volatile energies of storm, stone, and fire would progressively diversify over thousands of years into a multitude of distinct, many-coloured tribes. Most would migrate towards the northern reaches of the super-continent, where they would eventually become exposed to a magical font of energy — possibly Sholazar Basin, a font of Life derived from the Well of Eternity by Keeper Freya. As with many elementals that imbibed such cosmic energies, the elemental drakes would slowly transform into beings of flesh. Thus would arise the proto-drakes, cunning predators with scaly hides, enormous wings, and the ability to use a variety of elemental “breath weapons”, depending on the tribe they hailed fr
y inhabit y hunt
es, and gr o become apex pr their mountainous biomes. Certain individuals even began to hone their intelligence by employing new strategies to corner their prey. One proto-drake in particular killed its quarry with astounding efficiency; it would attract the attention of Tyr, the one Keeper who had not fallen into despondency in the millennia following the Black Empire’s fall. This proto-drake would gorge itself on its victims, and it seemed to grow both in intelligence and size the more it killed. This proto-drake could speak to its kin — and Tyr would learn that it called itself Galakrond.
The revered bones of ancient drakes rest in the dragon shrines of the Dragonblight. Yet, one enormous skeleton lies alone in the frozen wastes: the bony frame of Galakrond, the Father of Dragons. In this burial ground, the Blue dragon Kalecgos uncovers a Spark of Tyr — a repository of experiential knowledge. His mind is drawn into the past, melding with the thoughts of another; there, Kalec bears witness to the true origins of dragonkind and to the monstrosity that would have doomed them all.
Dispassionate Dragonflights gather at Wyrmrest Temple in year 29. The representatives of the Wyrmrest Accord believe they no longer have anything to contribute to Azeroth’s protection, and so they return to their respective sanctums to recover from the costly war The new Blue Aspect Kalecgos is astonished the ancient leaders he had always revered appear exhausted and disinterested Even Ysera, once ever hopeful, voices her apathy about the Accord’s meetings Disheartened, Kalec seeks sure footing of some sort Coincidentally, he senses an insistent magical signal from within the Dragonblight, which piques his interest looking for a distraction, he sets out into the tundra to uncover the source of the magic
Within the bones of the Father of Dragons, the Blue Aspect uncovers a relic grasped in a strange metallic hand. Kalec returns to the Nexus to better study the object using the arcane tools that will be at his disposal there. While traversing its halls, however, his mind is assaulted by harsh, arguing voices, and he is plunged into a vertigo as he beholds memories from a time long past.
Kalec reawakens as a blue and white proto-drake who calls himself Malygos As Kalec struggles to understand what is happening to his mind he cannot control Malygos’s actions, only bear witness through his senses his host contents himself with flying through a mountainous landscape Malygos soon comes across a bright orange proto-drake, one from a different breed Initially wary, he becomes interested when he realizes this orange drake is capable of speech, just like himself many others of his kind act like beasts, without capacity to communicate The orange drake recruits Malygos to help her find her clutch-brother; the blue-white drake obliges out of curiosity
The pair come across an aggressive drake, who engages them in battle, but is soon repelled by their breath weapons: Malygos breathes out cold frost, while the orange drake exhales fire.
“Hewasscared. Ididnotwanttofight. Hegavenochoice.”
“Scared?”Malygossnorted, andKalecpuzzledoverherexplanation Hesharedhishost’slowopinionof theirattacker
“Hmmph!Verystupidbeast!Notsmart, likeme!NotsmartlikeMalygos!”
The white and blue drake reaffirms that he will help his companion find her kin. When Malygos addresses her, Kalec is astounded to hear him call her Alexstrasza.
The shrivelled corpse of the lost clutch-brother is eventually found. His withered form is unlike any Malygos has ever seen, neither raked with claw marks, nor injured by any known breath weapon. As Alexstrasza mourns, Malygos is filled with unease about the predator who caused the death of this proto-drake. ***
The visions shift, and Kalec is transported forwards in time. Malygos now hunts, with dozens of surrounding proto-drakes doing the same; he notices Alexstrasza helping her only other sibling, a diminutive yellow proto-drake called Ysera.
Malygos is able to distinguish the intelligent drakes from the beasts: while some hunt with cunning and strategy, others inefficiently throw themselves at the grazers, or fight amongst themselves. A ground-shaking roar interrupts the proto-drakes’ activities, causing most to cower in fear. A name runs through Malygos’s mind: Galakrond. The enormous drake, known to Kalec as the Father of Dragons, casts his shadow upon the gathering, but only to pass, as he flies elsewhere on his own hunt A single charcoal-grey male is courageous enough to remain in the sky after the terrifying display “Littlehatchlings!”hebellowed “Afraidofthesky!Afraidoftheground!Galakrondlaughsatyouforbeing afraid, andI, Neltharion, do, too!”
Distracted by Galakrond’s appearance and the goading of the drake called Neltharion, Malygos is taken unawares by a group of attacking cerulean drakes; their leader is Coros, Malygos’s long-time rival. Though their colouration implies that they and Malygos hail from similar tribes, Coros holds the blue-white drake in disdain. Outnumbered and incapacitated by Coros’s breath weapon — thick smoke that causes its target to suffocate — Malygos is unable to defend himself Suddenly, a thundering roar is heard and a familiar charcoal-grey form descends upon Malygos’s assailants Neltharion’s combat prowess is formidable, as he purposefully slams Coros’s maw shut with critical timing, causing the blue-green drake to choke on his own breath; the cerulean drakes flee before Malygos and his saviour’s combined retaliation
Malygos has been recruited by Ysera and Alexstrasza to investigate the site of a massacre the bodies of a dozen drakes litter one of the hunting grounds A wounded but surviving purple drake claims that it was Galakrond who caused their deaths, swallowing them whole before spitting them back out As Malygos investigates the area, he is attacked by a horrific creature: a proto-drake with sunken, milky eyes and rotting flesh It unleashes a breath weapon of putrid fumes, which burn the blue-white drake’s throat and lungs The revenant is finally slain by the combination of Alexstrasza’s flames and Malygos’s frost
Despite overcoming the undead proto-drake, Kalec feels that his host’s franticness has not subsided Malygos flies back to the clearing of dead drakes and, as he had predicted, witnesses some of the bodies begin to move With his powerful jaws, he tears at their necks to ensure they do not rise
The visions shift again, and Kalec now witnesses firsthand the havoc wrought by the Father of Dragons. Malygos flies through a mountainous region where Galakrond is hunting his own kind; he helplessly watches as a silver-blue proto-drake disappears into the behemoth’s maw. Galakrond descends upon Malygos, preparing to deliver unto him the same fate once again, the blue-white drake is saved by his blood brother, Neltharion’s stormy breath propelling him out of harm’s reach. Enraged, Galakrond extends his claws to seize the charcoal-grey male; yet, Neltharion in turn is saved by a dust-brown drake who blows sand into the would-be predator’s eyes, blinding him. The Father of Dragons gives chase, his enormous tail swinging around and stunning Neltharion; the prideful drake plummets to the earth, but Alexstrasza is able to halt his descent, while Malygos stabilizes him. As the trio flee, a revolting noise is heard from below: Galakrond once again regurgitates his numerous prey. ***
Many of the more intelligent proto-drakes gather to hear out Talonixa, the mate of the golden-scaled Zorix Zorix was one of the only drakes to have wielded something akin to leadership, commanding respect among the various tribes and breeds; yet, the male has fallen like so many others before Galakrond Talonixa preaches war against the behemoth, much to Ysera’s dismay she would rather realize a pact with Galakrond to prevent further bloodshed Although he does not share the yellow female’s pacifist ideals, Malygos views Talonixa’s warmongering as self-destructive. The blue-white drake studies the expression of the sand-brown male who had previously saved Neltharion, realizing that he too disagrees with the golden drake’s commands. ***
Inspecting one of Galakrond’s hunting grounds, Malygos uncovers the bones of one of his early victims one who did not rise as a Not-Living Kalec beholds images of a younger Galakrond in Malygos’s mind, causing him to realize that the ravenous proto-drake has grown and become more deformed with time a transformation that can only be explained by his cannibalistic behaviour The Father of Dragons suddenly arrives, though he does not notice Malygos. Kalec observes the creature’s misshapen form, which extends random growths, limbs, and eyes, while his hide simultaneously shows signs of necrosis, as if Galakrond is becoming one of the decaying
Not-Living. After hacking up some more corpses, the Father of Dragons departs followed by three blue-green drakes, Coros in the lead.
Before Malygos is able to give chase to find out what his adversary is plotting, he is attacked by the newly risen corpses left by Galakrond. A shockwave roar and a blast of sand presage the arrival of Neltharion and the sand-brown male. They are accompanied by the sisters, who keep watch for more of the Not-Living Malygoseyedthebrownmale. “Iknowyou.” Theotherdippedhishead “Nozdormu” “Fightwell” Neltharionchuckled “Fightsalmostaswellasme!” Nozdormu’ssmilewasverybrief “Manynot-living Whyhere?Whynow?”
Although Malygos now understands clearly that it is Galakrond who is to blame for the Not-Living, the other proto-drakes do not. The blue-white male recounts how they become re-animated upon being regurgitated. “How?”Alexstraszademandedwithmuchconsternation “How?WhathashappenedwithGalakrond?” Malygosthoughtheunderstood “Galakrondmusteatmuch Galakrondcouldnotfindenough Hegrew hungry Toohungry Ateoneofus” ***
A battle is led by Talonixa against the Not-Living The undead are outnumbered and easily eliminated thanks to the combat strategies imparted to the golden female by Malygos and Neltharion Unfortunately, many drakes nonetheless fall to the dead’s acidic mist, which burns through scale and flesh Talonixa impresses upon her troops the importance of quickly dispatching the Not-Living, which she does with lightning breath and sharpened talons.
Malygos realizes that Ysera has become allies with Coros. The yellow drake continues to search in vain for the resurrected corpse of her clutch-brother; it is possible that she dreams of peace with Galakrond because she wishes to co-exist with the Not-Living, including her kin, now risen into Undeath. As for Coros, Malygos suspects that the blue-green preaches peace because he wishes to pledge himself to the Father of Dragons in a gambit for survival and power ***
Ysera addresses Talonixa, revealing that she and the blue-green drakes have spoken with Galakrond and supposedly struck an agreement for peace. She urges the golden-scaled matriarch and the vast assembly of drakes to communicate further with the behemoth. “Wearemany,”Yserarepeatedwithanod “AndmanywilldieagainstGalakrond” Severalofthelistenersglancedwithuneaseatoneanother. Seeingthis, Talonixaunleashedanangry hiss Ignoringher, Yserapressedhercase “Manycanbesaved!Peacewillsavethem!”Shesteppedtowardthe thickestpartofthegathering “MusttalkwithGalakrond!Galakrondtalkedbefore!Rememberwhen Galakrondwaswithus!Huntedwithus!Wetalkpeace, Galakrondwilllisten ” Athunderinglaughcutheroff. Talonixalookedaroundattheotherproto-dragonsasshemockedYsera’s earnestwords “Galakrondwilllisten?Ha!Galakrondhuntedwithus?Galakrondnowhunts us,yes?Listen?Never!”
As Ysera’s efforts fall apart, the proto-drakes’ cries for war build to a crescendo. Talonixa proclaims that they will commence their attack against Galakrond in three days. Malygos watches as Coros withdraws from the assembly and flies northwards; this time, the ice-blue drake follows in pursuit, though he lacks time to ask Neltharion or Nozdormu for aid — and Alexstrasza is preoccupied with consoling her clutch-sister.
Malygos succeeds in tracking the blue-green drakes to a volcanic region that he is unfamiliar with As the white-blue male observes, Coros makes his treachery clear “Hecomeshere!Alwayscomeshere!”snappedCoros “Weshouldnotbehere!”protestedoneofhisfollowers TheprotestwasfollowedbyasnarlandawhineAsMalygosthrusthisheadover, hesawCoroslooming overtheproto-dragonwhohadcomplained Theproto-dragonnowhadalong, bloodygashacrosshis forehead.
“Wewilllive!”Corossneered “Theywilldie!Allwilldie!Wewilllive!”
Galakrond finally arrives as Coros had predicted, but Malygos loses track of him and the blue-green drakes A pair of Not-Living suddenly descend upon him; he manages to topple a stone arch on the creatures, pulverizing one and incapacitating the other As the blue-white drake freezes and tears apart the survivor, the undead arches its head around and bites one of his hind feet.
Malygos follows a scent of blood, which brings him to the site of a grim scene: Coros and his followers circle around a wounded orange proto-drake Malygos and Kalec are horrified when they realize that the blue-green leader is persuading the others to kill their prey and eat its flesh Malygos turns away and retches as the blue-greens begin to devour the orange drake alive “Now… nowyouseehowGalakrondwillnoteatus!WearelikeGalakrond!Wewillbewithhim!Hewillnot eatusnow!”
The band of cannibalistic proto-drakes depart, leaving the mangled corpse behind. Despite his previous horror, Malygos is now drawn to the fresh kill, and must muster all his willpower to not consume the flesh himself. Kalec senses that something about his host has changed, but he does not know why. Malygos hungers for the juvenile’s life essence Thebluedragoncouldfeeltheproto-dragonstrainingnot totearattheremnantsinsearchofwhatlittlehadnotfadedaway.
Continuing his pursuit, the blue-white male comes across one of the blue-greens who had been reticent about devouring the orange drake The blue-green drinks hungrily at a stream, but appears very unwell, his eyes milky as he regurgitates bits of flesh and fluid Despite his apparent weakened state, the drake savagely throws himself upon Malygos Evading his opponent’s bestial bites, Malygos is only minorly wounded as his assailant begins to tire then, it is Malygos who is suddenly filled with a hungering rage. The bite mark on his hind foot pulsates strangely as he tears out the blue-green’s throat and prepares to swallow the flesh hacking, Malygos disgorges it at the last moment.
Thebitefromtheundeadpoundedharderthanever Malygosglaredatit, thenstaredwide-eyed Within, Kalecalsorealizedwhathadovercomehishost ThebitehadinfectedMalygos, urgedhimtowardthe samefoulcoursethatGalakrondfollowed, thesamecoursethatCorosnowalsodesiredtopursue AndalthoughMalygoscontinuedtofightthedesire, itremainedstrong. Thenearbybody, stillfresh, radiatedtracesofthevictim’slifeessence, whichcontinuouslyenticedtheproto-dragon
Malygos and Kalec now understand the true threat posed by Galakrond and the Not-Living their savagery is a symptom of an endless hunger, a curse that is acquired through cannibalism, but also imparted by bite. Amongst the living proto-drakes who stand with Talonixa against the behemoth, the dozens if not hundreds of drakes who have been bitten will succumb to the hunger, perpetually spreading the curse ***
Coros addresses the Father of Dragons, revealing to him that Talonixa’s armies will assemble to attack him at the Jagged Valley. Galakrond accepts this information, then proceeds to hunt down each of the blue-green drakes, one by one
“GreatIam,”thegiganticfiendrumbled He studiedCorosinparticular “Youwouldbegreat, too”
“NotsogreatasGalakrond!”Malygos’srival immediatelyreplied, asthefemaleswiftlynodded heragreement “NotsogreatasGalakrond!” “No… neversogreatasme…” ( )
“Therecanbeonlyoneme ”
Malygos avoids being seen by the malformed behemoth, taking advantage of the blue-greens’ slaughter to fly back to the hunting grounds and warn Talonixa of Galakrond’s imminent attack. ***
A civil war appears to have broken out among the proto-drakes Aggressive, bitten drakes viciously attack, while their kin attempt to fend them off without causing them harm. Talonixa believes that the cursed must all be slain; only Ysera who puts herself between the golden drake and the bitten dares oppose her. Malygos notices that something about Ysera’s gaze is able to extinguish the afflicted drakes’ hunger, preventing them from attacking her. Talonixa eventually seems to give in to Ysera’s pleas, agreeing that the bitten should be kept safe. The golden drake beckons for the yellow female to bring them into a large cavern; the afflicted obey Ysera’s soothing commands, allowing her to direct them into the darkness. Then, without warning, Talonixa unleashes her lightning against the cavern entrance, entombing the cursed within.
An enraged Ysera directs her breath weapon against Talonixa’s guards, encasing them in an enervating mist that puts them into a stunned trance. In response, the golden drake simply smashes her tail against Ysera’s head, knocking her away; she beckons for her troops to follow her and begin their attack.
“Wemustgo,”Malygosatlastsuggestedquietly Neltharionadded, “ThehuntforGalakrondwillbeginsoon!Wemustbethere!” “Thehuntfor Galakrond?”Nozdormumocked, startlingbothMalygosandKalecbyevenspeaking( ) “Huntedby, itwillbe”
As the five allied proto-drakes ascend in pursuit of the war party, Ysera looks back and eyes the bite mark on Malygos’s hind foot
***
Talonixa forbids Ysera from joining the hunt; the four others agree to remain behind with her Before the golden drake departs, Malygos warns her about Coros’s betrayal; rather than temper Talonixa’s reckless abandon, the revelation that Galakrond will ambush the war party only compels the matriarch to more urgently begin her hunt Still obsessed with finding a way to end the conflict without bloodshed, Ysera flies away from her companions, who quickly lose track of her
The group spends hours scouting the surrounding regions for the yellow drake, without success Malygos enters a cave where her scent seems stronger and is confronted by a hooded, two-legged creature Kalec realizes that this figure has been stalking Malygos for weeks, having often appeared at the edge of his vision before immediately vanishing. This hooded being is also the one that has been plaguing Kalec’s own visions, and seems to be related to the ancient relic that imprisoned him within the memory of his proto-drake host to begin with. The hood is lowered, revealing a silver-skinned humanoid with golden features; the Aesir introduces himself to Malygos as Tyr, Watcher of the Titans.
He reveals to the blue-white drake the direction that will lead him to Ysera, prompting the wary Malygos to immediately exit the cave to evade the powerful being that has cornered him but as he flies above the mountainous terrain, Tyr appears everywhere he looks. The Keeper tells Malygos that he wishes to speak of Galakrond, finally giving the blue-white drake pause
“Weneverintendedthispath,”Tyrcontinued, hisowngazeturninginward Ashadowcrossedhisfeatures “Galakrondshouldneverhavejourneyedinthedirectionhedid, andwedidnotpreventit. Now… nowthis youngworldfacesannihilation”
The Titanic Watcher explains to Malygos that he has been observing the proto-drakes to identify those with sufficient potential to overcome the great eater. He had even watched Coros with interest, before witnessing his fall into dark ambition. Now, Tyr has chosen the drakes to champion his cause will be Malygos and his allies, five beings bound by combat, loyalty, and self-sacrifice Each of them is gifted with a unique trait that Tyr has never yet observed in the other children of Azeroth: Alexstrasza speaks with compassion and decided leadership; Neltharion defends his own with unparalleled courage and cunning; Nozdormu foretells all intentions and events; Ysera enacts the impossible, passionately protecting all life under her wing; and Malygos adapts to every situation he is confronted with, never failing to identify the paths to success
“InourseekingtoguideAzeroth’sgrowthasawhole, wehavebeentoolongremovedfromthedaily aspectsoftheworld, toolongfrominteractingwiththelifeofthatworld Withoutguidance, events somehowbroughtusGalakrond. Withguidance, weandyourkindmightbeabletosetKalimdorbackon itsdestinedpath”
( )
“Wearenottiedtothisworldasyourkindis Theothers theothersofmykindcannotbeurgedanymore tofacethisdanger Wehavegrowntoowearyfromourpastbattles We I needyourkind, Malygos I needyou.” ***
Malygos soars with Talonixa’s armies in the high skies, his allies dispersed among the other proto-drakes. Galakrond’s roars thunder somewhere within the dense clouds, but the behemoth does not reveal himself. The blue-white drake ascends to meet the golden matriarch — the plan imparted to him by Tyr requires the drakes to fly even higher, where the air is thin — and therefore where Galakrond will easily tire Talonixa takes Malygos’s counsel to be a command, causing her to turn on him aggressively Her guards engage the blue-white, who is joined by the charcoal-grey and sand-brown “Retreat!”NozdormuhissedtoMalygos “Retreat!” Neltharionalsoheardtheothermale’swarning “No!Fighther!Becomealpha!Commandall!” UnlikeNozdormu, Neltharionhadnotbotheredtobequiet HiswordssentTalonixaintoarage She unleashedaboltnotatNeltharionbutatthetrio’sapparentleader, Malygos
The trio are forced to ascend, and Talonixa signals her troops not to pursue the rebellious males. Malygos leads his blood brothers onwards, such that they may keep pace with the armies below, but without being seen by the wrathful golden drake. Suddenly, Neltharion collides with the rotting body of a Not-Living; however, the undead does not react, simply flying on, allowing the charcoal-grey to dispatch it with ease. The three drakes break through the cloud wall and behold a huge number of Not-Living circling mindlessly in much the same manner as the one destroyed by Neltharion. The reality of the situation stuns Malygos: the Not-Living are acting like scouts, and are therefore obeying something’s commands — Galakrond’s commands.
Throughthesamefoulnessthatmutatedhim, themonstrousproto-dragonalsonowappearedtocontrol hisvictims, andhewasusingthemtosetatrapofhisownthatwouldengulfeveryone. “Mustwarnall!”Malygosshoutedasbestastheairpermitted “Must ” Asone, theundeadceasedtheircircling anddived MalygosandKaleccouldonlywatchinhorror. Thediscoveryhadcometoolate. Thetraphadbeensprung
The living and dead engage in battle, Talonixa furiously blasting her savage opponents with lightning. Malygos watches with dismay as Ysera once again leaves the battle, no doubt to confront Galakrond and seek audience with him. The blue-white pursues her, knowing the behemoth’s hunger could never be halted by reason. Suddenly, the ground before Ysera erupts Galakrond was lying in wait within some cavern, now piercing the stone to finish off the proto-drakes above. Alexstrasza comes to her sister’s rescue once more, dragging her away from the Father of Dragons’ ravenous maw. With Galakrond distracted by the sisters, Malygos focuses his efforts on a new strategy. Rallying his blood brothers, the trio ascend back to the battle, commanding the uncoordinated proto-drakes to fly high, then drop The message is spread across the armies, forcing Talonixa to acquiesce and follow suit
The living drop below the clouds, the Not-Living now above them; as the creatures pursue their would-be prey, Malygos commands the proto-drakes to unleash their breath weapons against the dead’s wings as they penetrate the cloud wall One by one, the undead are systematically maimed and sent hurling to the ground far below
Talonixa claims this small victory as her own, and the assembled proto-drakes rally to her despite her lack of strategy. Malygos realizes that the golden drake’s arrogance will cost him any sort of coordinated command over the draconic host. His opposition is not missed by the matriarch, who blasts him with lightning once more. Malygos is stunned, and begins to fall — he is halted by a furious Neltharion, who readies himself to attack
Talonixa himself
There is no opportunity for further infighting the behemoth himself breaks through the clouds Talonixa leads the onslaught against the great predator, the proto-drakes tearing at vestigial limbs and breaking through Galakrond’s rotted hide Yet, Malygos and Nozdormu understand that this is not victory it is annihilation Hishostandtheotherswereconcentrating notonGalakrond’soriginaleyesbutonall thoseadditionalonesthetriocouldseefrom theirvantagepoint Those eyes, Kalec, realized, movedasifmadatfirstglance Theylookedup, rolledaround,gazeddown… IfnotforwhatMalygoshadalready deciphered, itwouldhavetakenKalec longertounderstandthattheseotherorbs movedwithpurpose Eacheyewasfixedon onethingandonethingalone Eacheyewasfocusedon aparticular proto-dragon. Galakrondwasnotatbay. He wasmerelywaiting
Galakrond’s innumerable eyes suddenly narrow, and the behemoth begins to exhale. A foul mist envelops the armies, Malygos included. The blue-white assumes it is the same breath weapon as that used by the Not-Living, and so he prepares himself for an agonizing death Instead, his mind becomes addled and he feels his energy being sapped Before he falls into deep lethargy, he succeeds in flying out of the mist Breathing clean air once more, his mind clears and his strength returns
Slow death MalygosponderedashetriedtocomprehendinsimplertermswhatKalecrecognizedin moresophisticatedones He breathes slow death
Talonixa attempts to fight the lethargy, challenging Galakrond with a roar and her feeble lightning. Laughing, the Father of Dragons flies to her and snatches her up in his maw, bisecting her body. Caught in the mist, the proto-drakes are consumed one by one by the great eater. Leading the other two above the field of cloying mist, Malygos positions himself above Galakrond’s head. The trio dive down and strike the behemoth’s head
hard, making sure to hold their breath while doing so. The enraged predator beats his wings hard as he prepares to hunt his attackers and inadvertently clears the mist, as Malygos had planned. The proto-drakes begin to disperse, as a distracted Galakrond roars in rage while Neltharion blasts his original eyes with his shockwave roars. ***
Malygos is forced to split from his blood brothers as the proto-drakes flee the Father of Dragons. Another drake suddenly collides with him from behind, but tells him to be calm as he is guided to a hidden cave entrance. Malygos finally arches his head around to see that it is Alexstrasza. Within the cave, the blue-white finds Ysera whispering to an undead, one who used to be a member of her tribe. Tyr then steps out of the darkness Alexstrasza explains that the Keeper had guided them to this haven when they were fleeing from Galakrond at the beginning of the battle.
Malygossnorted( )“Whatabouther?”
TyrfollowedhisgazetoYsera. “Thereisafacettoherthatmustbeencouraged, mustbeexplored. Ifeel thatthisissignificant, ifnotfornow, thenforthefuture”
“Hmmph!”ThefuturewasaconceptonlyrecentlyappreciatedbyMalygosandotherproto-dragons, havingoncebeencreatureswhohadpurelyexistedforthemomentathand Nowthatconceptseemeda veryfragileone “Galakrondmaybe thefuture”
HisremarkdidnotappeartostrikeTyrasdramaticallyastheproto-dragonthought. Insteadofsolemnly nodding, Tyrsmiledslightly “IthinkI'vefinallychosenwell”
ThecommentbothmystifiedandinfuriatedKalec’shost. “Riddles!WinglessTyrtalksriddles! Proto-dragonsdying!”
“AndnooneknowsthatbetterthanI,”thetwo-leggedbeinganswered, muchtoocalmlyforMalygos’s taste “NoonefeelsmoreresponsiblethanI Ishouldhavewatched Iknewtheotherswerebeyondcaring Ishouldhavewatched butevenIgrewdistracted”
The undead drake abruptly shakes itself from the stupor it has been induced into by Ysera; the yellow female barely avoids having her throat ripped out. The display whips Malygos into a frenzy, the bite mark on his foot pulsating as his mind clouds over and relinquishes control to the curse of endless hunger. He rips apart the Not-Living, then turns on Ysera, the most frustrating of his allies, who constantly causes trouble rather than lend aid A blood haze falls over Malygos as he prepares to rid himself of the diminutive yellow drake but then a voice pierces his mind from within, and his fury fades Ysera’s ethereal voice soothes his psyche, eradicating the bloodthirst and madness Tyr probes Malygos with his magic, only to find that the curse has been purged from the blue-white in its entirety
At that moment, Galakrond’s roar is heard nearby The behemoth crashes into the ground outside the cave, wearing a wicked grin as he hunts some quarry Malygos sees that it is Neltharion that he pursues the charcoal-grey drake appears behind the behemoth, sending a shockwave into the back of his skull. Galakrond opens his maw, only to receive a blast of sand from Nozdormu in turn. The sisters and the blue-white male join the fray, unleashing their breath weapons against the fiend’s gullet and eyes. A massive hammer the size of a proto-drake then arcs around and collides with Galakrond’s jaw Tyr has assumed his Titanforged war form and now rivals the behemoth’s own gargantuan height. As the Keeper continues to fight the malformed drake, he urges Malygos and his allies to flee south. ***
The Titanic Watcher succeeds in escaping from Galakrond and rejoins the five proto-drakes near the river he had directed them to fly towards. As the group recuperates their strength, Tyr explains that they must begin a new coordinated assault against the Father of Dragons, who now sleeps, exhausted from the day’s endless combat.
The drakes and the Keeper track down Galakrond, now grown even larger, and currently glowing with the foul energy that powers his continuous transformations. Malygos begins the attack by breathing frost into one of the fiend’s original eyes. The behemoth wakes and attempts to give chase, but is stopped by another blow from Tyr’s silver warhammer Galakrond loses his balance and is sent careening into a rocky wall Neltharion sends shockwaves into the stone, causing the mountain side to come collapsing onto the fiend The Father of Dragons attempts to right himself, but hammer strikes from the Keeper cause the ground to shake more, further destabilizing the great eater Yet, just as the group press their advantage, Galakrond suddenly increases in size before their very eyes, forcing his assailants back
As he regains his balance, the behemoth exhales his noxious mist onto Malygos, forcing the other drakes to come to his aid. Tyr wrestles with Galakrond once more, but has now become outmatched. Tyr’s Spark suddenly breaks loose from his belt; he extends his hand to catch it and Galakrond’s maw shuts across his wrist, swallowing both the Keeper’s hand and the artifact clutched in its fist. The wounded Watcher is carried away by Malygos and Ysera, as Galakrond ascends into the sky and continues to grow…
Generative fluids pour out from the stump at Tyr’s wrist; Malygos exhales frost onto the wound to staunch the flow The blue-white guides the others to the most desolate and distant region he knows, a vast, flat tundra that Kalec realizes bears resemblance to the Dragonblight. The group alights by a lake to eat the fish there, leaving the Keeper to rest at the shore. Yet, when they return, Tyr is nowhere to be found.
Not-Living begin to appear in the Dragonblight, signalling to the drakes that Galakrond continues to search for them. Soon enough, the shadow of the behemoth’s immense form is cast upon them as he glides down from a mountaintop; the five proto-drakes scatter and hide in the ravines and canyons. Malygos observes the fiend: Galakrond seems to begin choking, coughing continuously and gasping for air. As this happens, a few vestigial limbs seem to wither and break off his hide. ***
The drakes regroup near a spring; they come across the withered corpse of a Not-Living, who seems to be dissolving at the water’s edge. Malygos comes to understand that Galakrond has been eating the undead, striving to absorb what little essence they contain, though the exact nature of such necromantic energies is difficult for the proto-drakes to understand.
Ofthefourproto-dragons, itwasYserawhocomprehendedquickest “Not-Livingmove Somethingmoves them. Noblood. Nolife. Butsomething.”
“Not-life?”Neltharionmuttered “Theyhave ‘not-life’?” (...) WhatdrovetheseappearedmerelytobeasMalygoshinted, aforcethatwasperhapsaby-productof Galakrond’sabsorptionofthelivingcreatures’lifeessence Itwasalmostaparodyofthatessence, which madecallingit“not-life”veryappropriate ButtogofromthatsteptoGalakrondabsorbingthis essencewasdisturbing
It is Malygos who realizes that Galakrond has been consuming his own undead because he is unable to find large enough prey to hunt without expending vast amounts of energy. Despite Tyr’s absence, a new plan forms in the blue-white’s mind, and combat strategies are shared between the members of the group.
In concert, the five drakes roar across the tundra, immediately attracting the ravenous fiend
“Littlemorsels!”hebellowedalmostcongenially. “Thereyouare!” Thefivedefenderssaidnothing Theyspreadoutasheapproached “Mymealsgrowdry, sodry,”Galakrondcontinuedmerrily. “Nastytaste, butIamsohungry…”Thebrutal eyesfocusedonMalygos “Iamalwaysss hungry” Heexhaled
But the drakes simply soar higher, evading the encroaching mist Breath weapons are directed against the behemoth’s eyes, causing him to roar in pain. As he opens his maw to renew his attacks, Alexstrasza scorches its tender interior, causing Galakrond to begin coughing again. The fiend is forced to stop and regain his failing breath, and once more his hide seems to wither under the strain… the final plan crystallizes in Malygos’s mind.
With Neltharion’s aid, the blue-white frees a massive, jagged rock from a nearby mountainside. Then, as Galakrond reels from the others’ coordinated assault, Malygos flies into his maw, releasing his grip on the stone; he lets it slip deep into Galakrond’s throat, sliding forwards into his trachea Malygos is joined in Galakrond’s maw by Neltharion, who clutches in his talons a struggling Not-Living The corpse is flung down the behemoth’s windpipe as well, and is impacted against the rock by a shockwave roar for good measure As the great eater struggles to breathe, his jaws open and close rhythmically, affording the pair time to escape his maw.
RatherthanpursuingMalygos, Galakrondhadabruptly bankedtothesouth Hecrashedintothetopofa mountainandtumbledoverit ( )
Galakrondmanagedtoriseintotheair, buthispath turnedmoreerratic. Twicehedroppedontopofpeaks, destroyingtheircrowns, beforehesucceededinstaying aloft.
( )
Galakrondflutteredoverthewasteland, hispathmeandering Hisbodywasaglowagain, butnowasif aflame Severaloftheextraneousappendagesshriveled Fromadistance, Galakrondalmostlookedlikea trueproto-dragononcemore, albeitahugeone. Andthenhesimplydropped
Thelandbelowshookwithhiscollision, theshockwaveexpandingformiles Crevassesspreadallaround whereGalakrondhit, cracksthatlookedlikelightningboltscoursingalongtheground NosoonerhadhehitthanGalakrondshovedskywardoncemore. Hemanagedtoriseashighasoneof thelowermountainsinthedistance, thenfellagain Whilehiscrashdidnotreverberateasmuchasthe lastonehad, itwasnolessdramatic, foritwasquicklyfollowedbytheleviathan’smanicflailingonthe ground Allthewhile, Galakrondcoughedandhacked Hiseyesstaredbutnolongerappearedtosee Hepushed himselfup, beatinghiswingsharder SomehowGalakrondmanagedtokeepgoinguntil, atlast, he hoveredhigherthanever Hiswingsceasedflapping Thecoughingalsostopped, butonlybecauseGalakrondwasnolongertrying tobreathe.
ToKalecandhishost, itappearedthatGalakrondremainedfrozenintheair Thegiganticproto-dragon hungbeforethem, wingsspreadtotheirfulllength TheillusionfadedasGalakronddroppedlikeastone, hismassivebodyspiralingtail-first Whenhestruckthistime, theforcethrewupacloudofsnowanddustthatbrieflyobscuredeverything MalygosmanagedtomakeoutthesilhouetteasGalakrond’sheadswungdownaftertherestofhisbody hadhit Thegreatheadsmashedintotheemptylandscapesoforcefullythatthenecksnappedandthe skulltiltedatanoddangle, atwhichpointthelowerjawbonealsobrokeoff.
Andonlythen, onlyasthedustclearedenoughforthefivetoseeandwhenitnolongermatteredfor Galakrond, therockandthegrislyremainstumbledfreethroughtheruinedjaws Theycametorest severalyardsaway, insignificantinsizecomparedwiththecreaturetheyhadhelpedbringdown Galakrondwasdead
OnTitanic Infusion
The Keepers descend from the Storm Peaks to meet the triumphant proto-drakes; Tyr has been returned to Ulduar to recover from his injuries. The time has come for the Keepers to relinquish the Titans’ power to Azeroth’s new protectors. Arcane supremacy is imprinted into Malygos’s mind by Loken; Aman’thul’s chronomantic magics are passed on to Nozdormu by laconic Ra; the raw power and secrets of the deep earth are gifted to proud Neltharion by Archaedas; finally, Freya binds Ysera to the Emerald Dream and bestows upon Alexstrasza Eonar’s Life-empowered blessing.
The proto-drakes’ forms are altered, a transformation that is eventually propagated to the others of their tribes. The Age of Dragons begins — great shrines are erected in the Dragonblight, with the Titanic temple at its center serving as a symbol for the dragonflights’ unity. Dragons spread across vast Kalimdor, creating roosts in its far reaches under the guidance of the Aspects. Eventually, the Life-Binder, Dreamer, Earth-Warder, Timeless One, and Spell-Weaver embark on a new journey, which returns them to a distant archipelago that is veiled from the supercontinent’s numerous threats. Here, aided by Tyr and his Titanforged, the Aspects build the true home of their kind, a haven for the inquisitive and the nurturing — the Dragon Isles.
The bones of Galakrond remain embedded in the stone of the Dragonblight, awing younger generations of drakes. The ancient dragons keep to themselves the grim secret of his rise and fall, and only the Aspects know exactly how he was transformed into such a monstrosity. To prevent others from walking down the behemoth’s foul path, a lie is disseminated among the dragonflights: huge Galakrond was the progenitor of dragonkind — the Father of Dragons.
None save the Blue dragon Kalecgos would know the truth — that Galakrond fed on his own kind, giving rise to an endless hunger that so violently tore at his prey’s Life essences that it instilled necromantic Void energies in their place. Cursed by the corrupt energies propagated by the dark god below Ulduar, his gluttony drove the unchecked growth that contorted his shape and mind. ***
To further expand upon Galakrond’s curse or the Aspects’ Titanic blessings, we must turn to explore the Titanforged’s creation. To save Azeroth from the encroaching Void, Khaz'goroth the Shaper would create the Titanforged from the planet's earthen crust. Although the Titanforged were resilient beings of stone and metal, the Aesir could bleed and the Vanir’s forms could shatter
The Lorekeeper of Norgannon would later elaborate upon the Titanforged’s creation, allowing for implicit extrapolation about Warcraft’s forces of creation. One such theory is as follows — all beings in the cosmos exist as a result of several sets of code, most notably:
➔ Biological code — DNA, for all intents and purposes, which is the foundation upon which magic-augmented evolution takes place;
➔ Soul code — the accumulation of lived experiences, called anima;
➔ And finally, a sort of cosmic matrix, embodying one of the six forces or the combinations that descend from them.
The Lorekeeper of Norgannon reveals that various types of Titanforged were created by the Pantheon as they ordered the cosmos using two different sorts of matrices: a flesh-based one, the default biomass matrix (one with few modifications from default starting DNA), or a stone-based one, the resilient foundation matrix (one that ostensibly incorporates Elemental and Arcane components). The Azerothian Titanforged were created with the resilient matrix to be able to resist the Elemental Lords and Old Gods; however, the Earthen, Vrykul, Tol’vir, Mogu, and Mechagnomes also contained a default biomass matrix buried within. This was likely intentional rather than an oversight, hinting at the necessity of eventual transformation of stone and metal to flesh, at least once Azeroth became sufficiently safe. Yet, Yogg-Saron would exploit this dual code, creating a virulent curse that destabilized and shut down the resilient foundation, defaulting the non-Watcher Titanforged to biomass — the Curse of Flesh.
It remains unclear what degree of magical infusion is capable of shifting a being’s matrix from one cosmic force to another. Yet, the process of infusing lesser beings with the cosmic forces has been quite attainable by experienced casters. Examples of these altered creatures are abundant: Fel-imbued orcs turned into hulking abominations; elves who force demonic souls into their very beings, walking a thin line between empowerment and corruption; Light-infused humans, acquiring Holy abilities and a tendency for zealotry; cultists of the Twilight Hammer ascended into Void-empowered Elemental forms; and a nascent Titan saturated with Death, its anima violently rerouted to the Shadowlands rather than the realms of Order. Infusion by the Fel and the Void has historically been equated to corruption, whereas the favours bestowed upon mortals by the Titans and the Light have been construed as benevolent blessings. These absolutes have shifted as the Champions of Azeroth’s naivete has faded, causing some heroes to reject the gifts that might otherwise have been forced upon them.
This, however, was not the case for the proto-drakes who accepted the Keepers’ blessings in millennia past. Through Titanic infusion, Malygos and his allies became the “aspects of daily life” that Tyr had alluded to, aspects that the Keepers had failed to uphold. The ordered regulation of Magic, Time, the Elemental world, the Natural world, and Life itself became
The Destroyer
In the deep places of Azeroth, the Old Gods remained bound and sleeping, their dreaming whispers suppressed by their Titanic prisons. With the gargantuan n ’raqi themselves corralled within forgotten crypts beneath the earth, none save the aqir could obey their masters’ orders and these simple insectoids were incapable of undoing the Pantheon’s enchantments.
(Source)
Yogg-Saron, the first to rouse itself from the slumber, would influence shrewd Loken from its prison below Ulduar. Playing on the Keeper’s negative emotions — desirous as he was of Sif, partner of his brother Thorim Norgannon’s chosen would betray his allies
Yogg-Saronby JJcanvas
one by one as he fell to maddening paranoia, fearing the revelation of his past sins. As Ulduar succumbed to insidious Yogg-Saron, Tyr, Archaedas, and Watcher Ironaya would lead their Titanforged away from northern Kalimdor. Pursued by the Old God’s resurrected C’thraxxi, their exodus would culminate in Tyr’s sacrifice in verdant glades far to the southeast, a holy place that would become known as Tirisfal.
Loken’s schemes had prevented the Keepers from contacting their allies on the Dragon Isles, which they had done during the Winterskorn War. As for the dragons, though they were sheltered from Yogg-Saron’s distant whispers, not all of them were safe from the voices of the Void. The Black Dragonflight, inheritors of the far reaches of earth and sea, would fall prey to N’zoth, God of the Deep, a deceitful corruptor entombed within an inundated prison.
Connected as he was to the Elements, Neltharion the Earth-Warder was not spared the cacophony of their tumult. Yet, as he forged mountains and guided rivers to bring balance to the abiotic natural world, one voice grew more insistent than the others. It called from the deep ocean, validating his pride and intelligence, reminding him to be wary of all his supposed allies, even his fellow Aspects.
Although Malygos was wise and Nozdormu saw all, Neltharion’s own cunning creativity was not to be underestimated. Though he was proud, he united the skillsets of non-draconic mortals to constantly elaborate new tools and experiments.
He recruited the mountain-dwelling drogbar and the strange creatures called goblins to work on a great variety of projects from within his lairs, most notably the one located within the peaks of central Kalimdor, a place called Highmountain. On the Dragon Isles,
where conflict between the dragons and native proto-drakes was coming to a head, Neltharion began infusing draconic essences into mortal matrices, generating new beings that shared traits from both their progenitor species. Thus were born the dragonspawn, drakonid, and dracthyr, half-breed creatures sworn to protect their respective dragonflights, and the dragonkin as a whole.
The Deep One’s whispers strengthened over time, and soon Neltharion realized that it would not be long before Alexstrasza and the others would seek to overthrow him and seize his hoarded knowledge. The welfare of dragonkin became a front for the Earth-Warder’s increasingly uncanny experiments; his true priority was control, complete subjugation of the conniving Aspects and other mortal races under his own Black Dragonflight N’zoth whispered to him a magical design that would help him accomplish his goal: a seemingly innocuous golden disc empowered by the essence of each Aspect, a tool to eradicate all those who would oppose him.
In central Kalimdor, 10,000 years before the opening of the Dark Portal, the kaldorei known as High Councilor Xavius would become the first Azerothian to be contacted by the Dark Titan Sargeras. Under his guidance and Queen Azshara’s decree, the Highborne began stabilizing portals powered by the Well of Eternity, starting the First Invasion of the Burning Legion. Thus began the War of the Ancients, pitting the kaldorei rebels, Wild Gods, and Dragon Aspects against the demons and those night elves who remained fanatically loyal to the corrupt queen.
It was in this landscape rife with conflict that the Deep One compelled Neltharion to complete the creation of the golden artifact. Infused with the powerful essences of captured eredar warlocks, the Dragon Soul was perfected. As the Legion began to dominate central Kalimdor, the other Aspects hoped for magical relics that might favour their cause — yet, even the Pillars of Creation left behind by the Titans had eluded the dragonflights.
When stalwart Neltharion presented to them the Dragon Soul, they were easily convinced that it would be the key to their salvation. Neither Malygos nor Alexstrasza — both of whom shared an ancient friendship with Neltharion — suspected that the Earth-Warder had long
veiled nefarious intentions from them. Although the Black Dragonflight as a whole had become more reclusive and distrustful of the “lesser” mortal races, none could predict the devastation their master would soon unleash. ***
Malygos is the first to gift his power unto the artifact, to symbolize his loyalty to his oldest friend; the sister Aspects follow suit, as do their consorts and most powerful lieutenants. Soridormi, prime consort of the Timeless One, attends for absent Nozdormu; she breaks open the hourglass containing a portion of her partner’s essence, and each grain of sand drifts into the Dragon Soul, empowering it with the Aspect of Time. Only Alexstrasza’s consort Korialstrasz is hesitant to give of himself to the mysterious artifact but even he respects the Life-Binder’s request.
The Earth-Warder departs for his lair to complete the final incantations that will seal the dragonflights’ essences within the Dragon Soul. Unbeknownst to the other Aspects, Neltharion had lied when he declared that all of the most powerful Black dragons had already shed their own power into the golden disc, as he would have the other dragonflights do Without having imbued the artifact with his own essence, it could now be used to destroy any mortal, demon, or dragon, save Neltharion himself
United once more in central Kalimdor, the Aspects prepare to make use of the Dragon Soul. The kaldorei druid Malfurion Stormrage attempts to attend this meeting in an ethereal form, his spirit allowed into the draconic domain by Ysera upon hearing of the night elf’s connection to her demi-god adoptive son, Cenarius.
Malfurion secretly probes the golden disc, using magics of the Emerald Dream unknown to Neltharion; an evil emanates from within, as great as the Burning Legion itself. Immediately, the Black Aspect senses the intrusion and launches a psychic attack against the druid, even as the drake continues to converse with his fellows. Malfurion retreats into the Emerald Dream, but Neltharion’s shadow follows him as a raging nightmare, forcing him to return to his body outside of the dragons’ sealed domain. By the Earth-Warder’s will, no mortal or dragon will know of the Dragon Soul’s true purpose before the hour of ascension draws near A suspicious Alexstrasza bids her consort Korialstrasz to seek out one of the time-travellers that have been sent from the future by Nozdormu As the dragonflights prepare to depart for Zin-Azshari to destroy the demons with the Dragon Soul, the Red consort evades the other drakes as he flies to meet the time-travelling sorcerer Krasus The Life-Binder believes that this sorcerer carries wisdom that might save dragonkin from some grim fate she cannot fathom. Indeed, both Malfurion and Krasus now travel together with knowledge of the Dragon Soul’s true nature and the whispering evil within its creator.
Korialstrasz is assailed by Black drakes who have noticed his evasive flight path Their single-mindedness and fury make evident the madness that Neltharion has propagated to all those who share the essence of the Black Dragonflight Now, the whispers of N’zoth assault their minds, compelling them to slay any would-be enemies to the Mad Aspect’s cause. Though the Red consort succeeds in slaying his attackers, he reunites with the druid and sorcerer too late. They struggle to reach the Well of Eternity, but by that time the dragonflights have already gathered above the Arcane font to begin Neltharion’s ritual.
The Dragon Soul is activated, unleashing utter devastation across Archimonde’s demonic armies. Far below, the time-traveller Rhonin who has thus far been aiding Illidan Stormrage and Kur’talos Ravencrest in the war against the Legion recognizes the golden disc as the artifact that will end the Age of Dragons: the Demon Soul.
The voices of the Deep One rise to a crescendo, commanding Neltharion to use the Demon Soul to liberate the Old God from its Titanic prison. Yet, the Mad Aspect no longer heeds N’zoth’s call; he turns the disc’s binding powers against the other drakes, paralyzing them in place to maintain the magical matrix they have formed. Channeling the dragonflights’ full power through the Demon Soul, Neltharion unleashes cosmic beams upon the rebel kaldorei led by Ravencrest, decimating their armies.
“Ihavewatched,”theinsaneleviathansnarled “Ihaveseenmyworldruined byyoupitifulinsects!There mustbeorder!Iwillhavemyworldperfectagain!Thosewhoarenotfittoservemewillbeslain!” ( ) Alexstraszahesitated, thenhertoneabruptlysoftened “Neltharion thisisnotyou!Youalwayssoughtto maketheworldoneofpeace, ofharmony…” “AndIwill!Whenallobeymydictates, therewillbenomorechaos, nomorewar!”
Korialstrasz suddenly appears and collides with the Earth-Warder, attempting in vain to disrupt the hold the Black Aspect has on his cherished artifact. Maddened, Neltharion unleashes Elemental destruction upon the surrounding lands, causing unstable volcanic flows to erupt from the ground. His body in turn is torn apart by the Demon Soul’s power, and he bleeds liquid fire. As he fights to repel Korialstrasz, he fails to maintain the spell that holds the other drakes in place. Malygos flies towards him, hoping to reason with his blood brother.
“Neltharion!”roaredMalygos “FriendNeltharion!Lookwhatyouhavebecome!Thethingthatyou’ve createdwilldestroyyou!GiveittomesothatIcanputanendtoitscorruption!” “No!”Neltharionshoutedback “Youwantit!Youallwantit!Youknowhowpowerfulitcanmakeyou!Itcan createagod!”
In despair, the Spell-Weaver orders his troops to destroy the accursed golden disc with their arcane magics. The channeled spell proves ineffective Neltharion retaliates by unleashing arcs of light from the Demon Soul. The strange energy strikes Malygos and his Blue Dragonflight while the most powerful dragons survive its initial blast, the majority are launched across the skies, their life energies magically burning away. Of the hundreds of adult Blue drakes, only a few dozen survive.
Neltharion escapes from Zin-Azshari and returns to his lair, his body unstable and continuously hemorrhaging fiery Elemental energies. His lead goblin engineer and artificer Meklo warns him that proximity to the Demon Soul at this time will continue to ravage his body, until nothing is left but burnt bones. The Earth-Warder is infuriated that he must be separated from his most precious creation, but recognizes that the golden disc’s volatile magics will indeed spell his doom The Black Aspect’s servants must finalize the adamantium plates that will bind his form together once more, preventing the saturated power instilled in it by the Demon Soul from ripping his body apart from within Reluctantly, Neltharion penetrates deeper into the cavern system to find an unassuming hiding place for the disc Unbeknownst to him, he is stalked by an ethereal figure through the Emerald Dream, Malfurion Stormrage has successfully tracked the Aspect’s Life essence, following him into his lair in the hopes of locating the Demon Soul. Having succeeded, the druid awakens to seek counsel from Nozdormu’s time-travellers. Borne by Korialstrasz, Malfurion, Krasus, and the orc warrior Brox the third of the time-travellers fly to Highmountain and infiltrate Neltharion’s lair. The Demon Soul is stolen, activating a magical ward that alerts the Mad Aspect to the intruders’ presence.
Trapped in the tortuous cavern system, Malfurion and Brox have no way of rejoining Krasus and Korialstrasz. Holding the Demon Soul, the druid begins to hear the whispers of the Deep One, who convinces him that the golden disc is their salvation he must only bind himself to its energies. The artifact is activated, allowing Malfurion to blast through stone and ore, though he is beset by feelings of aggression and paranoia The pair advance through the unstable tunnel they have created in the mountain side, finally reaching its exterior Peering out of the opening, they behold a crazed Neltharion roaring threats and haphazardly breathing lava across the mountain peaks, mindlessly hoping to strike the mortals who have stolen his Demon Soul
Burning Legion agents stalk Highmountain in search of the golden disc. A felhound and a pair of felguards attack Malfurion and Brox. Sapped by the felhound’s tentacles, Malfurion is forced to use the Demon Soul once more to save himself. Having slain their demonic attackers, Brox implores the druid to stop using the artifact, which will eventually give their location away to the rampaging Black Aspect. The whispers in Malfurion’s mind insist that Brox only says this because he wishes to steal the disc for himself The night elf turns the Demon Soul upon his ally, preparing to disintegrate him. The orc calmly awaits his fate, allowing Malfurion time to regain his senses and drop the Void-cursed artifact just in time for it to be stolen by two Legion agents: Captain Varo’then and a betrayer Illidan Stormrage
Krasus eventually rejoins Brox, Malfurion, and a wounded Korialstrasz; they have succeeded in repelling Varo’then and Illidan, but have lost the Demon Soul to them Alexstrasza joins the group in Highmountain, having been given their whereabouts by the Dreamer. Krasus explains to the Dragon Queen that the Legion agents seek to use the Demon Soul to expedite the Dark Titan’s summoning to Azeroth. The decimated Blue Dragonflight will not answer a new call to war, and Nozdormu is still missing; yet, Alexstrasza will try to rally the Reds, Greens, and Bronzes led by the Timeless One’s consorts. Before the Dragon Queen departs, Krasus reveals to her that it was the Old Gods who caused Neltharion’s fall.
***
The final confrontation at Zin-Azshari begins. Mannoroth and the Highborne release the Demon Soul’s power directly into the Well, converting its very surface into an enormous portal. Illidan probes the unstable rift and senses countless demonic armies preparing to march into Azeroth. Yet, unbeknownst to the Legion, the Demon Soul was not designed to be a tool for the forces of Fel once the portal is stabilized, it will divert from Argus and instead open into the Circle of Stars, the Last Prison holding the God of the Deep With direct access to the powers of the Well, N’zoth will break its chains and usher in the Hour of Twilight Illidan begins to enact a ritual to betray the Legion and become exalted with his own people By binding the demons’ essences to the Well, the kaldorei sorcerer hopes to force them back into its waters to banish them to Antorus, then seal the rift before it is stable enough to allow Sargeras into Azeroth. N’zoth, who’s presence now suffuses the Well’s waters, empowers Illidan’s spell.
Neltharion finally senses his prized Demon Soul as its power is violently siphoned off into the Well of Eternity He arrives at Zin-Azshari and attempts to seize the artifact, now floating above the Well, which has become a churning torrent of unstable energies Despite the whispers of the Old Gods commanding him to depart from central Kalimdor, the Mad Aspect is single-minded in his obsession. He throws his body against the wards created by the Highborne and demons around the golden disc, successfully weakening them at the cost of his flesh’s integrity.
Away away demandedthevoicesthathadonceencouragedthedragonineverythinghedid Now, they, likealltheothers, hadproventhemselvestobetreacherous Truly, therewasnooneNeltharioncould trustbuthimself “Iwillhaveit!TheSoulismine!Nooneelse’s!” Hesensedtheiroutragethathewouldnotobeythem Theysavagelyattackedhismindevenasthrough othermeanstheyfueledtheBurningLegion’sspellsthatalsobattledhim. Neverhadtheblackdragon sufferedso, butitwouldallbeworthit Eventhoughheonlyinchedforward, hestillmadeprogress The diskwasalmostwithinhisgrasp Away theyrepeated Away Undertheiroutrage, however, Neltharionalsonotedgrowinganxiety, evenfear Thevoices, too, sawthat hehadalmostreachedhiscreation. Perhapstheyunderstoodthatwhenitcamebackintohispossession, hewouldpunishthemalongwithalltherest
Even Sargeras senses the threat posed by the Black dragon; he augments the wards around the Demon Soul, increasing the torturous energies that course through Neltharion’s body to dissuade him from the disc The pain only drives the Mad Aspect to push harder, and the wards eventually fail once more, his claws wrap around his precious artifact
The Demon Soul is violently ripped from the ritual matrix, sending a blast of energy across the surrounding battlefields. Neltharion laughs triumphantly, but his victory is short-lived: a massive Void bolt erupts from the well and propulses him across the sky. N’zoth’s punishment causes the dragon to lose grip on the Demon Soul, which falls towards the deep waters below. Borne by Ysera, Malfurion Stormrage catches the disc before it can be lost to the Legion or the Old Gods.
The roaring fury of the Dark Titan resonates across Zin-Azshari. Below the surface of the would-be portal, a felstorm brews, threatening to eradicate all surrounding life if it is released from Antorus. Above the portal, Malfurion uses the Demon Soul to summon Illidan atop Ysera’s back. The two brothers pour their power into the disc — both the raw force of Nature and the Arcane energies of the Well — though the Betrayer barely escapes the whispers of the Deep One as the twins penetrate deep into the artifact’s design Malfurion completes the final incantation of Illidan’s great spell
Suddenly, the invading demons succumb to a force that pulls them back towards the Well; for a few moments, the Legion forces spiral in the magical storm above the portal then, they are thrown across the rift into Antorus Mannoroth the Destructor and Archimonde the Defiler resist a few moments more, but even the Legion commanders are unable to withstand the twin kaldorei’s spell Aided by the powers of the dragons, Malfurion transitions the spell to its final phase. The Demon Soul is directed against the Well of Eternity, entirely destabilizing the portal. Sargeras attempts to cross the threshold but is denied, his physical form caught in the collapsing dimensional rift.
The waters blacken once more as the portal is extinguished, but the enormous magical storm that rips at the skies above does not quiet The huge disrupted portal releases its energies into the storm, transforming it into a cataclysmic maelstrom Waters surge into tidal waves that crash into Zin-Azshari, inundating the entire city and drowning the remaining Highborne. The tectonic plates that form the supercontinent are blasted by the energies from above, pushing them apart as the very foundations of Azeroth are shattered into manifold pieces. Central Kalimdor is depressed below the sea level, causing the supercontinent’s surrounding ocean to pour in and submerge much of the landmass the Great Sea is formed.
Hillsideswererippedaway Entirelandssimplycrumbledintothechurning, hungrywhirlpool,quickly vanishingintoitscenter Highabove, Krasuswatchedwholesettlements fortunatelylongemptiedby war vanishinaheartbeat NothingcouldstandbeforetheonslaughtoftheWell’sdeaththroes The carnagecausedbytheBurningLegionpaled no itcouldnotevencompare towhatnowtookplace
Bearing the twins and Priestess Tyrande, Ysera flies away from the collapsing rift N’zoth is unwilling to accept failure passively: the Old God channels its weakened power through the dark waters, causing a Void tendril to erupt from its surface and seize Malfurion, who still carries the Demon Soul Yet, the Deep One acts too late, the tendril disintegrating as the Maelstrom disrupts the cursed waters Still, Malfurion hurtles downwards to his doom
The mythic events of the War of the Ancients fall into their correct place. Despite the alterations that seemed to have been caused by the time-travelling of Krasus, Rhonin, and Broxigar, this is in fact the true timeline the Prime Timeline. The anomaly that stirred the Sands of Time into a blinding storm is mended, releasing Nozdormu from his temporal prison. The Aspect of Time returns to Reality, appearing above the Maelstrom to catch the falling kaldorei druid. ***
The defenders of Azeroth rally at Mount Hyjal, which has largely been spared the chaos of the Sundering. Malfurion regains consciousness, and sees that he is in the presence of Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, and Krasus They ask him to discard the Demon Soul, which he does after resisting the whispers one final time The Timeless One flickers into the timeways with the disc, briefly absenting himself for some yet unknown purpose The Bronze Aspect then reappears and places the disc upon the ground; shedding another portion of their power into the artifact, the Aspects cleanse the Void from its depths though they are unable to reclaim the essences originally sealed into the disc at Neltharion’s behest The Aspects do succeed, however, in altering the Demon Soul’s spellwork, preventing any draconic being from touching it or wielding its power including the Mad Aspect and his Black Dragonflight.
Malfurion, now the only one of the gathering capable of manipulating the disc, is tasked with sending the Demon Soul to a hidden sanctum on Azeroth through the Emerald Dream; with the whispers of N’zoth extinguished by the Aspects, the druid has no problems doing so. The golden disc is transported into a red-peaked mountain chain, located upon the eastern landmass created by the Sundering. There, the Demon Soul will remain untouched by mortals and gods for 10,000 years.
Unattended by the others, Illidan Stormrage pours out two salvaged vials of the Well’s waters into the great lake atop Hyjal. Despite the small volume of Arcane fluid, the lake begins its transformation into a second Well of Eternity. Illidan is apprehended for endangering Azeroth with the recreation of an Arcane font, so soon after the original attracted the attention of the Burning Legion. To make matters worse for the kaldorei sorcerer, reports emerge among the surviving Ravencrest soldiers that Illidan sapped
the Life essences from the very Moon Guard under his command, thereby enabling him to wield the fiery green power of the Legion the Fel. Others swear that they saw him imbibing and dousing himself with the waters of the Well to empower his spellwork an egotistical affront to all kaldorei, even the Highborne High-ranking officers even speak out about the rumours that Illidan had turned his back on the kaldorei for the Legion, only returning to his people when the tides of the war had shifted once more to favour the defenders of Azeroth
A meek Malfurion fails to emphasize the part his twin played in the Legion’s defeat, having designed the spell that banished the demons back to Antorus; enraged Illidan is himself too proud to voice his accomplishments, now realizing that his people would simply call them the lies of a self-absorbed betrayer.
Illidan lashes out as Jarod Shadowsong’s troops advance on him, injuring several soldiers and the kaldorei commander himself in the process; his resistance is in vain, as he is simply bound and silenced by Malfurion’s entangling roots Jarod’s brazen sister Maiev, a priestess now turned warrior, unsheathes her blade to execute the Betrayer, as seems to be the shared will of her people She is halted by Tyrande and Malfurion, who elect to seek a fairer sentence for Illidan, despite their people’s furor Illidan Stormrage is eventually imprisoned within the Barrow Deeps; for millennia, his sullied name becomes a notorious symbol among the kaldorei for the ambitious who would sacrifice their own in the pursuit of power essentially becoming conflated with the villainy of Azshara’s depraved Highborne. Yet, a minority of kaldorei and Highborne alike would instead remember Illidan as a symbol of unwavering purpose a hero who would cross the ethical thresholds others would not, all to save Azeroth.
The kaldorei are unsure how to rectify the threat posed by the new Well of Eternity. They are saved from this new burden by the Aspects: by planting a seed of broken G’hanir by the lake, the dragons miraculously grow an enormous tree Nordrassil above the Well, which stabilizes its magics and shrouds it from the forces who would seek its power. The dragons then provide three great gifts to the kaldorei for pledging themselves to Azeroth’s guardianship. Alexstrasza binds the kaldorei to nascent Nordrassil, Nozdormu blesses them with the tree’s immortality, and Ysera anchors their minds more strongly to the Emerald Dream The weakened dragonflights withdraw to their sanctums now spread across splintered Kalimdor, their vigilant guardianship of Azeroth finally shared with the worthy mortal races
