Charge of the Aspects Charge of the Aspects is a short story by Matt Burns that chronicles the planning by the remaining Dragon Aspect s at Mount Hyjal to counter the Hour of Twilight planned by Deathwing and Thrall ' s role in their plans . Charge of the Aspects . " I have murdered one of my own . " The thought hit Nozdormu the Timeless One the instant he saw the desiccated bronze dragon . Zirion had shriveled into a husk half his original size . Lesions covered his body from head to tail . Instead of blood , golden sand cascaded out of the wounds in unending streams upon which shimmered ghostly images of his life that had not yet come to pass . His future was bleeding out of him . Nozdormu strode across one of the isolated peaks of Mount Hyjal to stand by Zirion ' s side , every moment of history rippling over the Timeless One ' s sun - colored scales . As he loomed over the dying dragon , a wave of helplessness flooded through him . An impenetrable veil had descended on the timeways , one that not even he , the Aspect of the bronze dragonflight and the Guardian of Time , could pierce . The past and future — things he had once seen with clarity — had become muddled . " Where are the othersss ? " Nozdormu craned his great neck toward Tick , who stood nearby . The loyal dragon had transported Zirion on her back from the bronze flight ' s lair in the Caverns of Time with all due speed , a feat possible only because of her passenger ' s withered state . Tick ' s breaths were still labored from the ordeal . " He returned alone . " " How can that be ? " Nozdormu growled in frustration . " Twelve I dispatched into the past . Twelve ! " He had tasked his agents with investigating the unsettling condition of the timeways , but now he couldn ' t shake the feeling that he had merely consigned them to their deaths . Upon returning to the present , the dragons were supposed to have met the Timeless One atop Hyjal precisely at midday . It was well past noon when Tick , whom he had not sent into the timeways , had arrived , bearing Zirion . " What did you sssee , Zirion ? " Nozdormu asked as he began weaving spells to reverse the sands of time escaping from the other dragon . " I fear he has lost the strength to speak , " Tick put in . The Timeless One barely heard her . The impossible was happening : his magic was having no effect . His actions had been predicted and countered by equally powerful spellwork . There was only one being in existence who possessed the foresight and skill to best the bronze Aspect in the realm of time . . . " When he first returned from the timeways , " Tick continued hesitantly , " he recounted what he saw . No matter where he and the others attempted to journey in history , they always emerged at the same point in the future . . . the Hour of Twilight . " Nozdormu lowered his head and clenched his eyes shut . It was as he had feared . The strands of time had been gathered and pulled toward the apocalypse . In that gray and lifeless future , even the Timeless One would meet his end . That , at least , was what he believed . Ages ago , when the titan Aman ' Thul had imbued him with his mastery over time , Nozdormu had also gained knowledge of his own demise . " Who was responsible for hisss wounds ? " The Timeless One knew the answer , but he hoped more than anything that he was wrong . . . that what he had seen was an anomaly . " It was the infinite dragonflight and its . . . leader . " Tick averted her eyes from Nozdormu . I have murdered one of my own . The damning words echoed in the Aspect ' s head . He had once thought the infinite flight was merely a symptom of an errant timeline . Yet , as inconceivable as it seemed , he had learned that he and his bronze dragons would in the future abandon their sacred charge — protecting the integrity of time — and work to subvert it . Nozdormu mulled over the events of the past weeks , struggling to control his anger . He had been trapped in the timeways until recently , when the mortal Thrall had reminded him of the First Lesson : that living in the moment was far more important than dwelling on the past or future . The bronze Aspect had emerged from his captivity with a newfound understanding of time . . . only to find himself now confronted by his darkest fears . " Forgive me , " Nozdormu whispered to Zirion , not knowing whether his beloved servant could still see or hear . The wounded bronze cocked his head in recognition . He gazed from side to side until his dull and cloudy eyes locked on Nozdormu . " Forgive me , " the Timeless One repeated . Zirion ' s mouth stretched wide , and his body quivered . It almost looked as if he were laughing , but Nozdormu quickly realized that the other dragon was sobbing . As the last of Zirion ' s future bled out of him , he used whatever remained of his strength to push himself away from Nozdormu , his eyes filled with terror . Mount Hyjal thrummed with the sounds of celebration . After a series of delays , the Dragon Aspects Alexstrasza , Ysera , Nozdormu , and Kalecgos had combined their magics with those of the shaman of the Earthen Ring and the druids of the Cenarion Circle to mend the ancient World Tree Nordrassil . More recently , word had arrived that Ragnaros — the elemental lord of fire , whose minions had sought to burn Nordrassil to ashes — had fallen at mortal hands . Yet from where Ysera the Awakened stood in the Cenarion refuge at the base of the World Tree , the jubilation was a distant whisper . The Aspect of the green dragonflight heard only a tale of tragedy . She was meeting with her fellow Aspects to discuss their next course of action against Deathwing , the maddened leader of the black dragonflight , who was responsible for shattering the world during the Cataclysm . Although Azeroth ' s defenders had recently triumphed in Hyjal and other regions , the tortured Aspect was even now scheming for ways to usher in the Hour of Twilight . So long as he drew breath , he would not stop until he had fulfilled his dark plans . Instead of debating strategies , however , Nozdormu had recounted the death of Zirion and the infinite dragonflight ' s newest assault on the timeways . Wrinkles stretched across the Timeless One ' s otherwise smooth high elven face . He had , like his brethren , assumed his mortal form , a deed the Aspects performed whenever they were near the short - lived races that dwelled around Nordrassil . " He wasss killed by my magic . . . by me , " Nozdormu muttered . Ysera looked on , uneasy . Despite the Timeless One ' s horrific predicament , she couldn ' t help but notice how everything around her appeared distant . She floated between the waking world and the realm of dreams , anchored to neither . " I must return to the meeting place . " The bronze Aspect anxiously wrung his hands and fidgeted in impatience . " My other agents may yet arrive , but I do not know with certainty . I can only hope . " As Nozdormu turned to leave , Ysera frantically searched for words of comfort to offer him . He had clearly resigned himself to his fate . Aman ' Thul had tasked him with upholding the purity of time no matter what harrowing events had taken or would eventually take place . On some level , the Timeless One ' s charge seemed wrong to Ysera , but she was not one to question his duties . " What do you say to a being who would do anything to protect the dragons of his flight , but now holds himself accountable for one of their deaths ? " she pondered . Her mind was a storm of fragmented thoughts . It was as if she were standing in a vast library ripped apart by a hurricane . Pages brimming with ideas and images whirled across her vision , but they were all parts of separate books . Before the Awakened could grasp hold of anything meaningful , Nozdormu had left . An eerie silence followed . The night elves who normally inhabited the druidic haven were gracious enough to vacate it during the Aspects ' meetings , but the absence of bustling life gave the place a cold and hollow feel . " Whether or not the infinite flight is working in concert with Deathwing matters little , " Alexstrasza the Life - Binder , Dragonqueen of her kind and Aspect of the red flight , finally said . " The reason we have all agreed to stay in Hyjal is to strategize about how best to deal with him . The timeways conundrum is just further evidence that we must act quickly . Kalecgos , has your flight continued its research ? " " We have . " The Aspect of the blue flight cleared his throat and straightened his back . Kalec ' s amiable demeanor had become strangely formal of late . He was the youngest Aspect , recently chosen to lead his flight after its former leader , Malygos , had died . Ysera surmised that Kalec was trying to prove his worth to his fellow Aspects , when in truth they already saw him as their equal . Kalec swept his hand through the air , and a series of luminescent runes winked into existence , each detailing experiments his flight had conducted . The blues had scoured the ancient vaults of knowledge stored in their lair , the Nexus , for insight into Deathwing ' s weaknesses . Kalec ' s dragons were the stewards of magic , and if there was an answer hidden in the arcana , they would find it . " We recovered portions of Deathwing ' s blood from the elemental realm of Deepholm , where he hid for many years . The samples were small , but they were large enough for our tests . " " And what of the results thus far ? " Alexstrasza ' s voice was thick with anticipation . It was the most hopeful Ysera had seen her sister throughout these fruitless meetings . " When we infuse the blood with arcane magic — an amount that would tear apart any other being — it only enrages the samples . The blood splits and boils , but ultimately it reforms . " " Not even arcane magic has an effect . " The Life - Binder hunched her shoulders . " But this is just the beginning of our tests , " Kalec quickly added . " I believe we must have a tool at our side when we face Deathwing . Numbers , no matter how great , are of little help . We require a weapon . . . like none that has come before it . My flight will not rest until it solves this predicament . " " Thank you . " Alexstrasza turned to Ysera . " Have you received any visions of note ? " " Not . . . as of yet , " she replied , slightly ashamed . During these meetings , the Awakened often felt like nothing more than a fly on the wall . The titan Eonar had granted her dominion over nature and the lush primal forest realm known as the Emerald Dream . For millennia , she had lived there as Ysera the Dreamer . Just before the Cataclysm , she had been roused from the Dream . Ysera the Awakened , she was now called . Her eyes , so long closed , had opened , but she found herself wondering what she was supposed to see . " Keep us apprised if anything comes to mind . " The Life - Binder smiled , but Ysera sensed her anxiety . " We will reconvene again on the morrow . " With that , the meeting ended just as it had begun : without answers . The next morning , Ysera wandered through the scattered camps at the base of Nordrassil . The great World Tree towered over her , its canopy veiled in a layer of clouds . Here and there , Earthen Ring shaman and Cenarion Circle druids were peacefully meditating . After Nordrassil had been healed , Ysera had taught the druids how to meld their spirits with the tree ' s roots to help them extend into the soil . The shaman , meanwhile , worked to pacify the earth elementals , allowing the roots safe passage as they stretched into Azeroth ' s depths . The undertaking was an unprecedented union of the two dissimilar mortal groups . Yet as much as it emboldened Ysera , she knew that their noble efforts would be meaningless if Deathwing remained free to pursue his interests . The Awakened continued up to a secluded ring of trees northeast of the World Tree . When she entered a clearing in the grove , Thrall was already waiting for her , deep in meditation . Ysera had profound respect for the orc shaman , likely more than he realized . Weeks ago , Deathwing and his allies had launched an assault on the green , red , blue , and bronze Aspects that would have destroyed them if not for Thrall ' s intervention . He had helped bring the dragon leaders together , and he had reminded them of their purpose in safeguarding Azeroth . The Aspects were more united now than they had been in over ten thousand years . " Thrall . " The Awakened spoke softly . Nature stirred at her voice . The wind tugged at the orc ' s long black braids . The grass rustled beneath his simple robes . Yet the shaman did not open his eyes . She was amazed by his level of focus , but she knew that it had not come easily . During the first attempt to mend Nordrassil , Deathwing ' s servants had ambushed Thrall and sundered his mind , body , and spirit into the four elements — earth , air , fire , and water . Through the work of a mortal hero and Thrall ' s mate , Aggra , he had been saved . Ever since that time , Thrall had displayed a newfound connection with the earth that went beyond mere communication with the elements . He could feel Azeroth as if it were a part of himself , conjoining with the world in a miraculous way . Ysera believed that in the process of reforming his spirit , the essence of Azeroth had been taken into him . " Thrall . " Ysera gently placed her hand on the shaman ' s arm . The orc finally broke out of his meditation and scrambled to his feet . " Lady Ysera , I have started without you . My apologies . " " I am here only to aid you when needed , " the green Aspect assured him . " If I may ask , how did the meeting go ? " " Progress was made , " Ysera forced herself to say before changing the subject . " Shall we begin ? " " Yes . " Thrall sat back down , and Ysera mirrored him . She had learned long ago that the best means of teaching was through demonstration . While Thrall ' s spirit melded with the earth , she would bind herself to Nordrassil ' s roots . The magics were different , but the principles of concentration were alike . " Have you experienced the same troubles of late ? " Ysera asked . Thrall had spoken of his failure to connect with the earth beyond Hyjal as if there were mental barriers blocking his spirit . The orc was determined to understand his new abilities , but he appeared hesitant to venture too far into Azeroth . " I have . " Thrall wrinkled his brow in frustration . " It is as if I were standing in the surf of a great ocean . The farther I wade into the deeps , the more distant I feel from the shore . . . " " Thrall , " Ysera said as she scooped up a handful of dirt and placed it into the orc ' s left palm . " This is Azeroth . If your spirit can enter this soil , it can tread anywhere . Hyjal is not a magic anchor ; it is the same earth that lies beneath the streets of Orgrimmar or the jungles of Stranglethorn . This world is one body . " " One body . . . " The orc regarded the soil and laughed heartily . " Oftentimes the most difficult problems are solved by the simplest answers . . . the things that are right before our eyes . My old tutor , Drek ' Thar , once told me that many years ago . You have much in common with him . So wise and patient . . . No matter what obstacles I encounter , you always know how to overcome them . " Ysera willed herself to smile as the irony of Thrall ' s words hit her . " This will be my anchor . " The shaman clenched his hand around the dirt . Thrall closed his eyes and breathed deep . Ysera did so as well and then spoke . " Quiet your thoughts . Detach your spirit from the flesh and feel the earth around us . Know that the rocks beneath you are the same as those beneath me . Know that if you can take one step , you can surely take another . " Ysera took her own instructions to heart as her spirit joined with one of the World Tree ' s colossal roots . Thrall believed that his burgeoning powers were never meant for him , that they were a fluke . In truth , they were quite the opposite . His purpose was clear , even if he didn ' t know it . All his years of dedication as a shaman had led to this extraordinary ability to join with the earth . The Awakened longed for a similar sense of fulfillment . Her thoughts drifted to the meetings with the other Aspects . She focused on every detail , wondering if there was a simple answer hidden among the endless discussions . The Awakened ' s attention turned to Kalec . Something the young Aspect had mentioned itched in her mind . " " A weapon . . . like none that has come before it . " " The words held power , a significance just beyond her understanding . " A weapon . . . " " " . . . like no other . It must be like no other . " " A familiar voice boomed in her head . It crashed over her like a tidal wave , sweeping away the millions of disjointed ideas circulating in her consciousness . Ysera opened her eyes in shock , but she was no longer in Hyjal . She floated through a dark and cavernous room that she recognized as the Chamber of the Aspects , the hallowed domain of the five dragonflights . Below her stood a gathering of dragons . Ysera — a past version of herself — was among them , along with Alexstrasza ; Nozdormu ' s prime consort , Soridormi ; the late blue Dragon Aspect , Malygos ; and . . . Deathwing . No . . . not the scarred and hideous creature of the present . It was Neltharion the Earth - Warder , the once - proud Aspect of the black dragonflight . Unbeknownst to his comrades , he had already been corrupted by the insidious Old Gods — unfathomably powerful beings of madness imprisoned in the earth by the titans — and had forsaken his charge to protect Azeroth . Ysera discerned the time immediately . It was over ten thousand years ago , amid the War of the Ancients . The demonic Burning Legion had invaded Azeroth , and the Aspects had gathered to undergo a ceremony that they hoped would spare the world from annihilation . They encircled a featureless golden disk hovering in the air . It looked , at first glance , like an unassuming trinket . Yet it was the weapon that would shatter the unity of the dragonflights . . . the weapon that would murder countless blue dragons and drive Malygos into millennia of seclusion . The Dragon Soul . Ysera watched in terror as the ritual concluded . Each of the Aspects — save Neltharion — had allowed a portion of his or her essence to be sacrificed , thereby empowering the artifact . The dragons had performed the drastic act in the belief that the disk would be used to drive the Legion from Azeroth . " It is done . . . " Neltharion declared . " All have given that which must be given . I now seal the Dragon Soul forever so that what has been attained will never be lost . " An ominous black glow enveloped the Earth - Warder and the artifact , a subtle hint of its true nature . " Should that be ? " Ysera ' s past self asked quietly . " For it to be as it must , yes , " Neltharion replied , barely hiding his defiance . " It is a weapon like no other . It must be like no other , " added Malygos . The walls of the chamber fractured and then fell away like shards of glass after Malygos spoke , revealing the emerald - hued terrain of the clearing . Thrall remained fixed in his meditative state , oblivious to Ysera ' s vision . She scarcely glanced at the orc as she rose to her feet , trying to piece together what she had seen . Is it wrong to think that the Dragon Soul could be the salvation of Azeroth after all the suffering and death it unleashed ? The Awakened raced out of the grove in search of Kalec and Alexstrasza . " The other Aspects will think me mad when I propose using it to our own ends . " Despite her apprehension , one simple thought urged her forward : " Deathwing ' s tyranny must end how it began . " The soil was not an object in Thrall ' s palm . It was , he realized , as much a part of him as his fingers were a part of his hand , unique in and of themselves but pieces of the greater whole . The orc ' s spirit descended into the earth beneath him and then into the depths of Hyjal . He experienced every stone and grain of sand as if it were an extension of himself . The chaotic earth elementals , whom he had for so long struggled to calm , embraced him — " welcomed him " — as one of their own . The mountain was alive with activity . Shaman — Aggra among them — whispered to the earth in a harmonizing chorus that soothed Thrall ' s spirit just as it did the elements . Elsewhere , druids guided Nordrassil ' s roots ever deeper into Azeroth . The orc ' s essence moved alongside them , where jagged rocks and chunks of granite had crumbled to soft dirt so that the World Tree could nurture itself and in turn strengthen the earth . He drifted through the cycle of healing , invigorated . Thrall ' s spirit reached the foothills of the mountain . This was the farthest he had dared to go before . His awareness of his physical body was as distant as it had been in his previous attempts . The orc focused on the faint sensation of soil in his hand , repeating Ysera ' s sage lesson . " This is Azeroth . . . This world is one body . " Emboldened by the words , Thrall purged all reservations from his heart and plunged into Azeroth . His essence raced headlong through the leagues and leagues of earth that unfurled around him . He moved through the sun - baked soil of Durotar and then to the muddy banks of the Swamp of Sorrows . All the lands , no matter how remote or distinct , were connected in a way that he had never comprehended . Apart from the areas he knew , Thrall encountered other places and oddities in Azeroth of which he had been ignorant . Somewhere in the Great Sea was a mysterious island shrouded in mists . . . Beneath the Eastern Kingdoms , a presence stirred in the mountains of Khaz Modan . The spirit there was strong , but it was not an elemental . It was , strangely , like Thrall : a mortal who had transcended the bounds of flesh . The unknown being patrolled the ancient earth of the region as if it was keeping a silent vigil over the land . It spoke in a dwarven accent that echoed across Azeroth . " " For behold , we are earthen , o ' the land , and its soul is ours , its pain is ours , its heartbeat is ours . . . " " Thrall also saw that the deep places of the world were riddled with molten lesions and other wounds . What gave him the most pause was immense caverns , cold and unnatural , scattered throughout the globe . They were pockets of lifelessness that even the earth elementals were hesitant to approach . One of the voids sat far below Mount Hyjal . Thrall directed his spirit toward the subterranean hollow . Unlike the rest of Azeroth , what lay inside the cavern was hidden from his sight . As he moved closer , a single voice surged out from within the chamber , bristling with unfathomable power . " " Shaman . " " It thrummed along the orc ' s spirit as if Azeroth itself was speaking to him . " " Come . " " Thrall was drawn toward the source , compelled to seek it out . His essence circled the outside of the chamber until he found an opening in the cavern ' s seemingly impenetrable walls . As he pushed his spirit into the void , rocks and soil entered with him . The debris coalesced into legs , a torso , arms , and a head ; two multifaceted crystals served as his eyes . His new form resembled his true physical body save that it was made of earth . " Who are you ? " Thrall called out in a sharp clatter that sounded more like stones grinding together than a coherent language . Pools of roiling magma offered the room ' s only illumination . The walls and floor were coated in a rough crystalline substance so black that it appeared to consume all light around it . " " Here , " " a reply came from the center of the subterranean hollow . " " Here lies the truth of this world . " " Thrall lumbered deeper into the chamber , enticed by the authority of the words . His connection with the rest of Azeroth and his body on Hyjal grew thinner with each step he took . In the middle of the cavern stood a humanoid figure , its features shrouded in a strange , almost tangible darkness . He plodded closer until two eyes opened on the statuesque being , burning the color of molten rock . Thrall stumbled back as the shadows veiling the figure dissipated , revealing a grotesque human male . A massive piece of metal in the shape of a jaw was bolted to his ashen face . Jagged horns curled up from his shoulders , and his fingers ended in dagger - like claws . Veins of magma coursed across his chest . The orc did not recognize the human , but he sensed his identity : Deathwing in his mortal guise . " The arrogance of shaman never ceases to amaze me , " the black Aspect rumbled , his voice like two immense boulders shattering against one another . " You seek to tame a power that by rights is not yours to command . . . a power beyond your comprehension . " Thrall bolted toward the wall where he had entered the cavern . Plates of black crystal ripped up from the floor and slammed over the exposed earth . The orc rammed his shoulder into the barrier , pleading with the elemental spirits to part before him . The vile substance did not heed his calls as the rest of Azeroth ' s earth elementals did . " Intriguing , is it not ? " Deathwing growled behind him . " The blood of the Old Gods does not answer to your whims , for they are not of this world . Only the chosen hold true sway over it . " Thrall whirled toward the Aspect , expecting an attack , but Deathwing had not advanced . " I have been awaiting your arrival , watching your spirit stumble blindly through the slopes of Hyjal , " Deathwing said . " I had presumed you lacked the courage to journey beyond the mountain , but your progress proves what I have suspected . . . The other Aspects seek to grant you my powers . They wish to replace me with a mortal . " The meaning was lost on Thrall . Although he now possessed enhanced abilities , Ysera and her comrades had told him that he would never become an Aspect or , by extension , the Earth - Warder . " They had no part in giving me these powers . " Thrall edged along the cavern wall , groping for a crack or weak spot between the plates of Old God blood . " And the decision to use them was mine alone . " The chamber trembled at Deathwing ' s laughter . " So you have been led to believe . I have eyes in many places , shaman . I know that the other Aspects have stayed in Hyjal to scheme and that you are with them . Like cowards , they have lured you into this fate without your knowledge , intent on making my curse your own . " " What you were given was a gift , not a curse , " Thrall said . He had learned much concerning the titans and the Aspects in recent times . Long ago , the titan Khaz ' goroth had imbued Deathwing with dominion over the world ' s earthly expanses and charged him to protect them from any harm . However , this duty had made him susceptible to the influence of the Old Gods shackled within Azeroth . The trials and tribulations that had afflicted the Aspects throughout history , from Deathwing ' s betrayal to the impending Hour of Twilight , were all part of the Old Gods ' grand scheme to scour life from the world . " " A gift ? " " Deathwing snarled . " You are as misguided as the other Aspects , too fool to recognize that the charges imposed upon us are nothing more than prisons . " " The titans gave you a purpose , " Thrall retorted . His connection with Hyjal was more distant than ever . He sensed that the soil he held in his physical hand leagues away was running through his fingers . " There is no purpose to what they do . " Deathwing stomped toward Thrall , each step thundering through the chamber . " Azeroth was an experiment to the titans . A plaything . When they were done , they turned their backs on us all , indifferent to the broken world that they left behind . " " It is broken because of what you have done , because you forsook your gift ! " Thrall roared . " It is not a gift ! " Deathwing ' s body quaked with rage . Thrall noted that his words were having an effect . He continued goading the Aspect , hoping that he would reveal some kind of weakness . " The " gift " you did not have the strength to bear . The " gift " — " " Silence ! " Deathwing commanded . " If you insist on calling it a gift , so be it . Know then what it is to be me , to be given this gracious gift . . . to feel the fiery heart of this world as your own . " Pain flared deep within Thrall ' s earthen chest . The ceaseless flames that blazed in Azeroth ' s core churned inside his spirit . His stone skin hissed and steamed , glowing a dark and angry red . " Know what it is to feel the weight of this dying world on your shoulders . " Thrall ' s legs trembled as every rock in Azeroth pressed down on him . His body splintered and cracked . It was beyond physical agony ; his spirit was unraveling , suffocated by the unfathomable load . " Does the gift taste as sweet as you thought it would ? " Deathwing asked in amusement . " This is what the other Aspects wish : to chain you to this world as I have been . To damn you to a life of eternal torment . " Through the blinding pain , Thrall realized that he now possessed incredible strength . The weight of Azeroth was his to command . Was Deathwing so arrogant that he had given him this advantage ? The orc didn ' t question his intuition ; this was the lapse in his foe ' s judgment that he had been awaiting . In one swift movement , Thrall channeled the burden of Azeroth into his fist and lunged toward Deathwing . The power was intoxicating . He felt as if he could crack a mountain in two . The black Aspect stood motionless as Thrall approached . An instant before his fist plowed into Deathwing ' s chest , the weight of Azeroth — and all of its might — was ripped away from the orc ' s grasp . His hand slammed into the Aspect ' s human form , and Thrall ' s arm shattered into a thousand pieces up to the elbow . He sank to his knees and howled in agony as magma boiled out of the broken limb . Far off in the distance , near his physical body in Hyjal , he sensed the earth tear asunder . There were mortal magi , even members of the blue dragonflight , who held that the rules of arcane magic were absolute . Yet where they saw limits , Kalec saw only the potential for new discoveries . For him , magic was not a rigid system of cold logic . It was the lifeblood of the cosmos . It was boundless in its possibilities . It was the closest thing to beauty incarnate that he had ever known . When Ysera had come to him , speaking excitedly of the Dragon Soul and the role it might play , he was immediately consumed with the puzzle of overcoming the impossible . Deathwing had not imparted his essence into the weapon as the other Aspects had , and the question of how it could be employed against him was a difficult one . Of equal concern was the belief that any dragon who used the artifact in its original state would be irrevocably damaged by its powers . The Dragon Soul had even torn apart Deathwing ' s body , forcing him to bolt his raging form together with metal plates . Despite the challenges ahead , Kalec viewed the artifact as an opportunity to validate his place among the other Aspects , beings to whom he had always looked for inspiration . He had become the Steward of Magic at a time when the blue , green , bronze , and red flights were threatened with extinction . The miraculous powers bestowed upon his late leader , Malygos , by the titan Norgannon were now his own . The blue dragons — the heart of the entire flight — had chosen him , had put their faith in him . He wouldn ' t let them down . " The Dragon Soul cannot be turned against Deathwing , for it does not contain his essence , " Alexstrasza said , although there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice . After Ysera had told Kalec of her discovery , the two Aspects had convened with the Life - Binder at their meeting place in the Cenarion refuge to discuss the plan ' s merits . " True , " the blue Aspect stammered . He felt the eyes of the other Aspects boring into him as if they were judging his every word . " We would need his essence . Unfortunately , the blood samples we acquired , while valuable in their own right , are devoid of this . But with enough arcane energy , it might be possible to alter the Dragon Soul ' s properties so that it would affect him . . . in theory , at least . " " In theory , " the Life - Binder repeated . Kalec winced inwardly . The artifact was , admittedly , a risk . Much of what he knew concerning how it worked had been gleaned from the writings of Kirin Tor magi , in particular the human Rhonin . He had handled the weapon himself and discerned some of its attributes , and his treatise on the subject was an invaluable source of information for Kalec . Still , very little was proven . " We have no other option . " Ysera stepped forward , much to Kalec ' s relief . " I know it pains you , but it feels right . It was this weapon that started everything . . . that broke us apart . This dark era in our lives must end how it began . " Alexstrasza cast her eyes down . Kalec saw the turmoil raging in them . In truth , he had been concerned about what the Life - Binder ' s reaction to the ploy would be . He was aware of the artifact ' s sordid history . At the end of the War of the Ancients , the blue , green , bronze , and red Aspects had found and enchanted the weapon so that neither Deathwing nor any other dragon could wield it again . Millennia after that , it had fallen into the hands of the Dragonmaw orcs , who had then used it to enslave the Life - Binder and her brood . Many red dragons had been forced to act as mounts of war during that harrowing time . " This is the answer we have been waiting for , Lady Alexstrasza , " Kalec reassured her . " I know . . . " The Life - Binder sounded forlorn . " I will depart to inform Nozdormu , then . Continue your research . " Everything hinged on the Timeless One . Even if Kalec found a means to alter the artifact , the Aspects would need to call upon Nozdormu ' s aid to retrieve it from the timeways . The Dragon Soul no longer existed in the present . Much of it had been destroyed over a decade ago by Rhonin . Thereafter , the black dragon Sinestra had collected the weapon ' s remaining shards — by then largely devoid of their power — and used them to her own ends . Those last fragments of the Dragon Soul had eventually been obliterated as well . Bringing the artifact back was an impossible thing to ask of the Timeless One , yet Kalec , Ysera , and Alexstrasza knew it must be done . After the Life - Binder left , Kalec returned to a small table in the Cenarion refuge . Scrying orbs , which he used to communicate with his agents in the Nexus , were scattered across its surface . He plucked one of the devices up and rotated it in his hand , mulling over the Dragon Soul ' s hurdles . Ysera padded to Kalec ' s side and opened her mouth to speak when the earth wrenched , nearly knocking both of them to the ground . Screams began drifting in from the base of Nordrassil , where the Earthen Ring and Cenarion Circle were camped . The blue Aspect exchanged a wary glance with Ysera . Quakes had been common since the Cataclysm , but this one had felt as if it originated right beneath their feet . The earth heaved again , more violently than before . " It cannot be . . . " Ysera ' s eyes widened as she braced herself against one of the druidic structure ' s wooden walls . There was a mix of fear and understanding in her voice that made Kalec uneasy . " Is it Deathwing ? " A sliver of dread crept up his spine . " Is he here ? " The green Aspect rushed out of the building without answering . Kalec followed on her heels as she raced toward Nordrassil ' s base . Numerous fissures had opened around the World Tree . The shaman and druids there were pulling their comrades who had fallen into the chasms to safety . Ysera , however , did not stop . Much to Kalec ' s confusion , she continued past the World Tree and up through a line of trees encircling a tranquil clearing . Sitting at the center was Thrall , absorbed in meditation , from the looks of him . His mate , Aggra , was at his side , shaking the other orc ' s shoulders . The brown - skinned female turned to Kalec and Ysera when the two Aspects entered the clearing . " Something is wrong with Go ' el , " she said , using the orc ' s birth name . " I searched for him when the earthquakes began and found him like this . He will not wake from this state . What has happened ? " Ysera knelt by Thrall . The male orc looked as if he was in extreme agony , his face contorted in pain , but there were no visible injuries on his body . " It is him , then . . . " the green Aspect said . The Awakened scrutinized Thrall ' s left hand . It was empty , from what Kalec could see . This gave the green Aspect pause . She quickly scooped up a handful of soil and placed it in the orc ' s palm . " Is there a connection between Thrall and the earthquakes ? " Kalec asked . " He has communed with the earth in a manner that no other shaman has before . The earth is a part of him , and he a part of it . Something has trapped his spirit . These fissures . . . these are his wounds . " " There must be a way to free him , " Aggra pleaded . " If his spirit has not traveled too far from Hyjal , there is a possibility . " Ysera stood and beckoned to Aggra . " We must assemble the shaman and the druids . Much work lies ahead of us . " Thrall ' s mate hesitated . " I cannot leave him like this . . . " " You must trust me if you wish to save him . " Ysera ' s voice was barely a whisper , but it filled Kalec with an overwhelming sense of urgency . Aggra must have experienced it too . Slowly , the orc joined the green Aspect . " Lady Ysera , is there anything I can do ? " Kalec felt woefully out of place . Thrall ' s predicament lay in the realm of the elements , a domain over which the blue Aspect had no power . " Stay by his side and , whatever happens , ensure that there is always soil in his hand . " With that , Ysera and Aggra departed , the latter glancing back over her shoulder in worry . It was not the answer Kalec had hoped for , but he complied . Briefly , he wondered if Ysera had given him this menial task because she did not think him worthy of something greater , but he knew that the Awakened was not one to judge others in that way . There was no hidden meaning in her words . He was needed here . That was all . As he sat down next to Thrall , Kalec realized that perhaps he had been trying too hard to find a means for himself to defeat Deathwing , thus overlooking other , more viable solutions . If Thrall had truly managed to combine his essence with the earth , and vice versa , did it signify that this mortal held a portion of Azeroth within his spirit in the same fashion that Deathwing did ? The blue Aspect pulled a scrying orb from a pouch at his side . After a moment , the cloudy mist within the device faded away , revealing the face of Narygos , a member of his flight . " Kalecgos . " The other dragon bowed his head . The blue Aspect returned the gesture before speaking . " There was a short - lived being who once wielded the Dragon Soul against the red dragonflight , correct ? " " The orc named Nekros Skullcrusher , " Narygos replied . " A most despicable creature . " " Yes , yes . He was the one . How badly was he damaged by the artifact ? " " From what Rhonin documented on the subject , not at all , " Narygos stated . " The Dragon Soul does not negatively affect short - lived races in the way it does our kind . It is quite unique in that respect , in fact . " " Thank you , my friend . That will be all . " Kalec slipped the orb back into its pouch . " Thrall , a mortal who has tapped into the essence of the earth , " the blue Aspect pondered . Not long ago , the orc had helped bind Earth to Kalec , Ysera , Nozdormu , and Alexstrasza , allowing them to combine their powers and stave off an attack by Deathwing ' s servants . At that time , the shaman had acted merely as a conduit to Azeroth . Now , however , he was much more than that . He was the answer . . . the fulcrum by which the Dragon Soul could be turned against its maker . Kalecgos added soil to Thrall ' s palm and watched the orc ' s face twist in pain , fearing that the only hope the Aspects had for completing their venture was on the verge of being lost forever . Deathwing raked Thrall ' s chest with a clawed hand , tearing another gash in the orc ' s earthen skin . The shaman ' s body was riddled with molten gouges , but not one of his foe ' s attacks had been a killing blow . The black Aspect longed to break Thrall ' s will , to mold him into an agent of the dragon ' s own design . That was the only explanation the orc could find for why his adversary had not yet destroyed him . Deathwing had almost succeeded . Trapped within the cavern , Thrall ' s spirit had become numb to Azeroth save for its pain . If he had been in this situation mere weeks ago , when his doubts , fears , and anger still ruled his heart , he would have given in . He would have lost himself to this prison of isolation . Yet now he had never been surer of his purpose as a shaman . " The titans believed that you had the strength to endure , " Thrall said . His power was nothing compared to the Aspect ' s , and so the orc used the only weapons he could : his words . " They trusted you . Was it fear and doubt that caused you to fail and align with the very beings who seek to end all life on Azeroth ? " " Your loyalties are misplaced , shaman . If so inclined , the titans would exterminate your kind and the other lesser races without a second thought . The Old Gods know the futility of the titans ' works . They have pledged to break the shackles of my charge . When that day comes , I will purge every remnant of the titans ' presence and reign over this world from on high . Azeroth will be born anew . " Deathwing drove his knee into Thrall ' s chest , sending the orc crashing back into the cavern wall . The shaman was struggling to rise when he heard a series of voices reverberate through the earth outside the chamber . It was the Earthen Ring : Muln Earthfury , Nobundo , and . . . Aggra . Through the spirits of the elementals , the shaman were searching for him . Thrall reached out for his physical body and , to his surprise , felt a fresh pile of cool , damp soil in his hand . His connection with the leagues of earth between Hyjal and the cavern flared to life . The orc focused all of his concentration to mentally shout a reply to the elementals just outside the chamber . Silence followed . He was preparing to call out again when energy surged through him , and his earthen body began to heal . The shaman were also sealing the chasms in Hyjal , he realized . As they did , his wounds were mending . The orc sprang to his feet , reinvigorated . " You didn ' t answer my question , " Thrall said . " Was it fear and doubt that caused you to fail ? " Deathwing ' s eyes blazed crimson . He lunged forward and caught Thrall by the throat , hauling him into the air . The black Aspect drew one of his vicious claws across the orc ' s stomach . " In a system flawed to its core , the only failure is blinding yourself to truth . However many wretched beings you and the other Aspects deceive with your erroneous cause is of no consequence . Victory will always prove elusive so long as you throw your lives away for a hopeless future . " Thrall ' s stone skin was melting where the black Aspect clenched his throat . Deathwing tightened his grip , his fingers sinking through the orc ' s neck . His connection with Hyjal wavered again . " No . . . " the orc snarled as he thrashed against Deathwing ' s hold . " We will triumph . . . because we face our challenges . . . together . You failed . . . because you chose to . . . bear your burden . . . alone ! " The earth around the cavern began trembling in what Thrall attributed to a manifestation of Deathwing ' s anger . Yet rather than press his attack , the black Aspect suddenly cast him aside . Deathwing thrust his hands out , roaring in fury . Massive boulders of the Old Gods ' blood wrenched up from the cavern floor and moved to a high corner of the chamber , forming a thick barrier of the crystalline substance . It took a moment for Thrall to put the pieces together and find the source of the tremors . The roots of Nordrassil were hurtling toward the chamber , burrowing through stone and soil at incredible speed . The Earthen Ring — and the Cenarion Circle , it seemed — had found him . Thrall charged forward and plowed into the Aspect , knocking him to the floor and interrupting his spellwork . Deathwing scrambled up , seething . His body pulsated , tendrils of lava slithering out from the cracks in his breastplate . The black dragon was beginning to move toward Thrall when one of Nordrassil ' s roots exploded through the cavern wall in a shower of crystal shards . Deathwing planted his feet as the World Tree ' s root careened into him . For a short time , he held his ground against the living battering ram , its width greater than a kodo beast ' s girth . Three other roots followed soon after , bursting into the cavern and driving the black Aspect through the bottom of the chamber . A fifth root slowly entered the hollow . It wrapped around Thrall ' s waist and pulled him out of the void . Once outside , the orc ' s connection with his physical body solidified . He felt the earth as it was , as it was meant to be , without the influence of the Old Gods . All of the pain and agony that he had experienced , the spirit - rending feelings that were Deathwing ' s entire existence , melted away . Alexstrasza found the Timeless One waiting . He stood motionless high atop the mountain . This far from the druidic and shamanic camps , the Life - Binder had assumed her draconic form . It was refreshing to stretch her wings again after spending so much time in her elven body . Once she had landed beside the scaled bronze Aspect , she told him of Ysera and Kalec ' s plan regarding the Dragon Soul and the part he would be required to play in it . The Life - Binder had surmised that Nozdormu would reject her , and she wouldn ' t have questioned why . His mood , however , was much more subdued than she had expected . " The Dragon Soul . . . " Nozdormu said . " There have been timesss when I considered going back and righting that day . Saving Malygos ' s flight . . . sparing all of usss from that terrible fate . " The Timeless One heaved a great sigh , never breaking his gaze from the horizon . " And if I were to commit such an act , I would be no different than the infinite dragonflight and . . . my future ssself . " " You would be more different than you can possibly imagine , " Alexstrasza replied . " Eonar charged me with preserving life . When the topic of the Dragon Soul was broached , I asked myself how I could observe my duty while bringing the most destructive weapon ever forged back into existence . " " Yet you plan to do ssso , " Nozdormu stated . " Yes . Because to protect life , there are times when we must destroy that which seeks to end it . . . " The Life - Binder had thought long about the Dragon Soul and the unthinkable suffering it had caused not only her and her flight , but also other living beings throughout history . Ultimately , she had come to a difficult realization : no cost was too great if it meant preserving the world . " I cannot force you to do what you think is wrong , " Alexstrasza said . " But ask yourself this : did Aman ' Thul grant you dominion over time just so you could watch this world die ? " " This future inhabited by the infinite dragonflight , if I were to travel there . . . " Nozdormu trailed off . Apprehension and fear radiated from the Timeless One . The Life - Binder sensed that something about the apocalypse beyond the state of the timeways troubled the bronze Aspect . Yet she was already asking so much of Nozdormu ; if he did not wish to voice his concerns , that was his choice . Alexstrasza lowered her head to Nozdormu and spoke softly . " Unto each of you is given a gift . . . " " Unto all of you isss given the duty . " The Timeless One completed the ancient words without hesitation . They were the titans ' last command to the Aspects , a reminder that while each of them was unique , their powers and knowledge were never meant to be separate . They were one . " Time is your charge just as life is mine , but what is our duty ? " Alexstrasza said . " To preserve thisss world at . . . all costs . To prevent the Hour of Twilight , " Nozdormu whispered . The Timeless One was quiet after that . The Life - Binder followed his gaze into the sky , sorrow tugging at her heart . " Have any of your other agents returned ? " " No . None will . Yet I wait . I wasss once lost in time until Thrall aided me . Now I am lossst outside of it . " To Alexstrasza ' s surprise , the bronze Aspect chuckled in pained amusement . The Timeless One finally turned away from the horizon and looked to Alexstrasza . " For too long I have been rigid in my waysss . What you say is true . The time for waiting is past . . . " The four Dragon Aspects and Thrall had gathered at the druidic haven at the foot of Nordrassil . An ethereal representation of the Dragon Soul hovered in the air among them . It gave Alexstrasza a chill to stand there . In a way , it reminded her of the ceremony that had been conducted millennia ago to empower the artifact . Despite being an arcane facsimile summoned by Kalecgos , the weapon held power . Bathed in the pale violet light emitted by the Dragon Soul ' s image , the Aspects noticed that their shadows were flickering between their current mortal forms and their true draconic bodies . " If we are to acquire the Dragon Soul , we mussst first journey to the future I have foreseen : the end of time itself , " Nozdormu said . " By destroying the infinite dragonflight and its leader , who lord over the apocalypse , the timeways will be reopened , allowing usss to slip into the past and retrieve the Dragon Soul . " " How can history proceed if the artifact is suddenly plucked from the timeways ? " Thrall asked . The orc had been standing silently among the Aspects . He had already done so much to help them . The Life - Binder wanted to grant him peace , but she needed him to risk his life once again for the safety of Azeroth . " Time isss not as linear as some might think . My flight will halt the flow of history to negate the impact we make on the past . But we can hold together the integrity of the timewaysss only for so long . When our work isss done , we will return the Dragon Soul to its rightful place . . . " " As to the matter of its rightful place , " Kalecgos said , " there are many points in time when we could obtain the artifact . Its properties , however , were altered over the course of history . If our plan is to succeed , we must use the weapon in its purest form . Once Nozdormu has opened the timeways , we will take the Dragon Soul from the era in which it was created : the War of the Ancients . " " That leaves the wielder , " Alexstrasza said , then beckoned toward Thrall . " My friend . " Kalecgos rested his hand on Thrall ' s shoulder . " From what I have discovered , the artifact was constructed in such a way that dragons who wield it are torn apart by its energies . It fills us with a pain that leads to madness . But short - lived beings , due to their very nature , can use it without bodily harm . " " There is great risk in what we ask of you , Thrall . " Ysera ' s lilting voice wafted through the room . " After the Dragon Soul is brought to the present , you must transport it to Wyrmrest Temple . It is a place of great power connected to the Chamber of the Aspects , where the artifact was originally imbued . The Dragon Soul will already be empowered , but we will infuse it with our essences again , making it more potent than it ever was . . . and potentially more unstable . Know that if Deathwing learns of our intent , he and his minions will surely converge on the temple to waylay you at all costs . " " I do not mean to question your wisdom , " Thrall said humbly , " but other races throughout Azeroth have also suffered Deathwing ' s fury . We could muster an army of mortals the like of which has never been seen to crush the black Aspect . Would that not be a simpler course of action ? " " Even if every living mortal faced Deathwing , it would matter not , " Alexstrasza said . " He has been twisted by the Old Gods ' dark energies . No physical assault , however immense , can destroy him . He must be . . . " unmade " . His very essence must be unraveled , and the Dragon Soul alone has the power to do so . " " But only with you at our side , " Kalec added . " The artifact was imbued with the essences of the four Aspects , but Deathwing never imparted his into it . If we are to use this weapon to defeat him , we must infuse it with the power of the Earth - Warder . You , Thrall , possess a portion , however small , of that exact thing : the essence of Azeroth itself . " " It is impossible for us to use the Dragon Soul on our own , " Alexstrasza said to Thrall . " It falls to you . . . if you choose . This is more than I would have ever wished to ask of you , especially after you have already risked your life to help us . " " I am honored that you seek my aid , " Thrall said . " I have but one request . The short - lived races vanquished Ragnaros , and before him the Lich King and countless other threats . Time and time again , we have been instrumental in safeguarding Azeroth . We are invested in it as much as you are . With all due respect , I believe that this plan , as noble as it is , can succeed only with their assistance . " There was no doubt that what Thrall said was right . Alexstrasza had hoped to avoid dragging more mortals into this perilous endeavor . " If they are willing , they are welcome . " " There are always those who are willing . " The orc smiled . " I will send out the call . " After Thrall departed , the Aspects lingered in silence . " A question has plagued me , " Kalec said . " If stopping the Hour of Twilight is our purpose , if this is what the titans created us to do , then what will become of us when it is done ? " A chill breeze stole through the Cenarion refuge as if to punctuate Kalec ' s words . The Aspects shifted , glancing sidelong at one another . They had all pondered this troubling mystery . " Yesss . . . If we fulfill our duty , what worth do we have afterward ? " Nozdormu brooded . " With the timeways defiled , even I cannot see what the future has in store for usss . . . " " Will our actions result in loss . . . or attainment ? " Ysera mused . " The titans clearly had a plan for us , " Kalec argued . " Magic , time , life , nature . . . they will forever exist . It is only logical that we were meant to safeguard them for eternity . " Alexstrasza looked on as Ysera , Kalec , and Nozdormu broke into a discussion , voicing their hopes and concerns . Their path forward was straight , but beyond the Hour of Twilight it was shrouded in a fog of uncertainty . The Life - Binder kept her own fears locked tight inside herself . She was the Dragonqueen , and if ever there was a time when her comrades needed her to guide them , it was at this moment . " None of us knows for sure , " Alexstrasza said , drawing the others ' attention . " And if we did , would it matter ? This is why we were charged by the titans . The wondrous gifts that they gave us are for us to use now . " The Life - Binder grasped the hands of the two Aspects nearest to her , Ysera and Kalecgos . They in turn did the same with Nozdormu . Their magics intermingled , flowing through each of the dragons . The soothing energies calmed their nerves and filled them with a sense of unwavering determination . " We will venture into the unknown as one , " Alexstrasza said . " As we were always meant to be . "