The New Arcanist
On the way, Alleria grew increasingly uneasy. These blue dragons... in the Blood Elf's understanding, they harbored no goodwill towards mortals. They wielded Arcane Magic and lived in the frigid, blue-white polar regions. Legend had it that their hearts were as cold and ruthless as their homeland. If that were true, then when the other blue dragons discovered her approaching, perhaps a mere flick of their tails would be enough to kill her.
Fortunately, the one who led her to the Nexus was also a blue dragon. Kalecgos seemed different from his kind; he was one of the few blue dragons willing to befriend mortals.
As they traversed the cliffs surrounding Howling Fjord, Alleria clung tightly to the scales on Kalecgos's body. The blue, icy sea contracted beneath them. For a long stretch of the journey, this was all Alleria could see. But now, the sea had finally transformed into white and grey cliffs.
These colossal beasts inspire awe in mortals not only because of their power, but also because of their habitats. In fact, for most mortals, the most powerful force in all of Azeroth remains the Dragonflights. They are numerous and enormous, yet few can detect their presence, for they often inhabit harsh environments rarely accessible to mortals.
"We've arrived, madam." Kalecgos's voice, in his dragon form, sounded deep and muffled. The outline of the Nexus was now clearly visible. But Kalecgos didn't take her directly to the blue dragon's stronghold; instead, he landed on the snow in a nearby forest.
"I can't bring you in directly, please understand, after all..."
His unfinished words had already taken shape in Alleria's mind. The former Blue Dragonflight King Malygos had gone mad, and then, upon regaining his senses, became even more terrifying, unleashing a catastrophe far more horrific than when he was insane.
He instigated a war, intending to transfer all the magical energy flowing through Azeroth to the Nexus. This mad act undoubtedly brought him death. Alexstrasza rallied her Dragons and allied with the mages of the Kirin Tor, together defeating Malygos and ending the bloody war. Now, it seems the blue dragons, having lost their leader, are still deeply grieving.
"I understand that feeling," Alleria replied simply.
"Thank you," Kalecgos murmured. "Actually, today is very important for the Blue Dragonflight, and I would like to ask you to be a witness to it."
Alleria paused for a moment before realizing that although the blue dragon's tone was very serious, "My purpose in coming here is not to interfere in your internal affairs."
Kalecgos at the dragon's head, but Alleria suspected that he didn't care what she said at all, and that the big event that was about to happen might be related to her.
Just then, the sound of flapping wings approached, and Kalecgos and Alleria looked up simultaneously, seeing another blue dragon flying towards them. This dragon was smaller Kalecgos, and had a pair of delicate, curved horns adorned with red gems in the center; she was a female.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Kalecgos's mood brightened, and he happily introduced her to Alleria: "Regent, this is my sister, Tethys."
"It's an honor to meet you, Lady Alleria." After landing Tethys and her brother transformed into mortal form. Alleria was surprised to see the blue dragon lady in the form of Blood Elf. Like Alexstrasza, she still retained the two horns on her head, but her wiry, noodle-like appearance made the Regent feel a sense of relief.
Alleria nodded slowly. "Me too, Tethys."
Kalec a smile, Kalecgossa began to speak, "Madam, Tethys will lead you into the Nexus. The Blue Dragonflight will be holding a ceremony today. Please do not wander around until the ceremony is over."
"I won't leave until I see my child."
Kalecgos nodded, then looked at Tethys. She said, "Go, brother. The ceremony will begin soon."
"Then, I'll take my leave." He cast a teleportation spell and disappeared into the snow.
"Please follow me," Tethys said to Alleria, not transforming back into a dragon, seemingly intending to walk the rest of the way.
"Lady Tethys, although I am an outsider, I still wish to ask, what is the ritual your brother spoke of? Is it related to my child?"
The blue dragon leading the way shook its head. "No, the ritual that Kalec is talking about is the ritual by which the blue dragons elect a new guardian."
"Guardians... recommendation?"
The sheer volume of information contained in those few words made Alleria feel dizzy. Wasn't that power a gift from the Titans? If there were no Titans, wouldn't the Guardians never have existed?
"Please forgive my boldness, but what do you intend to do?" Alleria asked, assuming that Tethys would refuse to tell her, as it should be a top secret, since some unscrupulous individuals might use it to steal the Guardian's power.
"Since Malygos' death, we have been searching for a way to create a new Guardian, and the number of proposed methods is almost as numerous as our own," Teregosa replied, her straightforwardness astonishing Alleria. "Until recently, a group of senior blue dragon elders found a truly feasible method. According to the records, Titan Norgranon created the Spellweavers when a rare conjunction of the two moons occurred in Azeroth. And tonight, the same phenomenon will appear in the sky again. We believe that this celestial event is a crucial factor in transforming an ordinary blue dragon into a Guardian."
"So, no matter what, you all need a Guardian?" Alleria gazed at the slender figure before her. Tethys remained silent, the Elf behind her speaking as if asking whether the soon-to-be-emerged Arcanist intended to follow in the footsteps of her Arcanist.
"The Arcanist is indispensable," Tethys replied, avoiding Alleria's question.
"So, does that mean your brother was the one who presided over the ceremony?"
"No, he is one of the two candidates."
"What?" Alleria exclaimed in surprise. "You're saying Kalecgos is a candidate for the Arcanist? That's unbelievable. Years ago at the Sunwell, he almost became the Burning Legion's prey."
Lady Blue Dragon, having heard of her brother's ordeal at the Sunwell, nodded and replied, "Many in the Blue Dragonflight share your doubts about his abilities, but you only have a one-sided view that he is not powerful enough. A leader is never one who leads the people by strength, is he?"