Richard Knaak - Day of the Dragon

“You will go through all I have gone through, dark one. Let us see if you fare any better than I did.”

But Deathwing had no experience in such suffering. It tore at him where the pain of vicious talons or ripping teeth could not, for it tore at him in his very being.

The most terrible of dragons screamed as none had ever heard a dragon scream before.

That, perhaps, was all that saved him. So startled were the others by it that they faltered in their own spells. Able at last to rip free, Deathwing turned and fled, flying fast and furious. His entire body shook and he continued to scream even as he swiftly dwindled from sight.

“We mussst not let him ssslip away!” Nozdormu suddenly realized.

“Follow him, follow him, indeed!” agreed Malygos.

“I agree,” She of the Dreaming quietly added. Ysera looked at Alexstrasza, who hovered, amazed at what she had done. “Sister?”

“Yes,” the red dragon replied, nodding. “By all means, go on! I shall join you shortly. . . .”

“I understand . . .”

The other three Aspects veered off, gathering speed as they began their pursuit of the renegade.

Alexstrasza watched them fly off, almost ready to join in the hunt. She did not know if, even with their power returned to them, they could forever end the terror of Deathwing, but he certainly had to be contained. However, there were other matters that she had to deal with first.

The Dragonqueen surveyed both the skies and earth, searching. At last she spotted the one she sought.

“Korialstrasz,” she whispered. “You were not one of Ysera’s dreams after all. . . .”

If they had fought alone, the dwarves might have suffered a different fate. Certainly they could have held their own for a time, but the orcs had not only outnumbered them, they had also been in better condition. Years of skulking underground had hardened Rom’s band in some ways, but it had drained them in others.

A fortunate thing, then, that their ranks had been added to by a war wizard, a skilled elven ranger, and one of their mad cousins atop a gryphon with razor-sharp talons and beak. With the Demon Soul destroyed, the trio had turned their talents to aiding the trusty hill dwarves and turning the tide.

Of course, the red dragon constantly swooping down on the orcs every time they tried to organize ranks certainly helped.

What remained of Grim Batol’s orc forces finally surrendered, so very beaten that they knelt before the victors, certain death would soon follow. Rom, his arm in a sling, might have granted them that, for many of his folk and those of his allies had perished, including Gimmel. However, the dwarven leader followed the commands of another—and who argued with a dragon?

“They will be marched to the west, where Alliance vessels will take them back to the enclaves already set up. There has been enough blood this day, and northern Khaz Modan will certainly cause the shedding of more. . . .” Korialstrasz looked tired, so very tired. “I have seen enough blood today, thank you. . . .”

With Rom’s promise to do as the leviathan bid, Korialstrasz turned his attention to Rhonin.

“I won’t tell anyone the truth about you, Krasus,”the young wizard immediately said. “I think I understand why you did what you did.”

“But I will never forgive myself for my lapses. I only pray that my queen understands. . . .” The reptilian giant managed an almost human shrug. “As for my place in the Kirin Tor, that will be up for some debate. Not only do I not know if I wish to stay, but the truth about what happened is surely to come out—at least in part. They will realize that I sent you on other than a simple reconnaissance mission.”

“What happens now?”

“Many things . . . too many things. The Horde still maintains its hold on Dun Algaz, but that will come to an end soon. After that, this world must rebuild . . . providing it gains the chance.” He paused. “In addition, there are some political matters which, after this day’s events, will most certainly shift.” Korialstrasz eyed the tiny creatures before him somewhat uneasily. “And I will say to you now that my kind is as much to blame for those shifts as anyone else.”

Rhonin would have pressed, but he immediately saw that Korialstrasz would not be answering those questions. Having learned of both Deathwing’s and the red dragon’s ability to masquerade as humans, the wizard did not doubt that the ancient race had interfered much over the history of not only humanity, but the elves and others as well.

“That was quick thinking, what you did, Rhonin,” the behemoth remarked. “You were always a good student. . . .”

The conversation came to an abrupt end as a vast shadow swept over the band. For a brief moment, the weary mage feared that Deathwing had somehow escaped his pursuers and had returned to take his vengeance on those who had caused his defeat.

However, the dragon hovering above turned out not to be black, but rather as crimson as Korialstrasz.

“The dark one flees! His evil is, if not stopped, certainly curtailed some!”

Korialstrasz gazed up, longing in his voice. “My queen . . .”

“I had thought you dead,” murmured Alexstrasza to her consort. “I mourned you for a long time. . . .”

The male looked guilty. “The subterfuge was necessary, my queen, if only to give me the opportunity to try to win your freedom. I apologize not only for the pain I caused you, but also the inconsideration I displayed by manipulating these mortals. I know how you feel toward their kind. . . .”

She nodded. “If they will forgive you, then so will I.” Her tail slipped down, intertwining with his own for a moment. “The others still pursue the dark one, but before I would join them in the hunt, we must gather what remains of our flight and rebuild our home anew. This I think a priority.”

“I am your servant,” he replied, bowing his massive head. “Now and forever, my love.”

Looking at the wizard and his friends, the Dragonqueen added, “For your sacrifices, the least we can do is offer you a ride home—providing you can wait a little while.”

Even though, with much effort, Falstad’s gryphon could have eventually carried them home, Rhonin gratefully accepted. He found he liked both dragons, despite Korialstrasz’s past trickery. Put in the same position, the wizard probably would have acted just as the consort had.

“The hill dwarves will give you food and a place to rest. We will return for you tomorrow after the eggs have all been recovered and safely secreted.” A bitter smile crossed her draconic features. “Praise be that our eggs are so very durable, or else even in defeat Deathwing would have struck mine a bitter blow. . . .”

“Do not think about it,” urged the male. “Come! The sooner we are done, the better!”

“Yes . . .” Alexstrasza dipped her head toward the trio. “Human Rhonin, elf, and dwarf ! I thank all three of you for your parts in this, and know that as long as I am queen, my kind will never be an enemy to yours. . . .”

And with that, both dragons rose high into the air, racing in the direction that Deathwing had gone with the first of the eggs. Those still remaining with the caravan would be under the protection of the jubilant hill dwarves, who could at last claim the mountain fortress and all of Grim Batol as theirs again.

“A glorious sight, them!” rumbled Falstad once the dragons had vanished. He turned to his companions. “My elven lady, you shall always be a part of my dreams!” He took the confused ranger’s hand, shook it, then said to Rhonin, “Wizard, I’ve not dealt much with your kind, but I’ll say here that at least one of ’em has the heart of a warrior! Be quite a tale I’ll be telling, the Taking of Grim Batol! Don’t be surprised if you someday find dwarves regaling your story in some tavern, eh?”