Ritual

Time is up.

Alleria pulled her heavy fur cloak tighter around her. She stood on a crescent-shaped platform in the middle of the Oculus. From here, she could clearly see the vast sky—some dragons stood solemnly atop fixed discs. Tethys was among them. Unable to bring Alleria close to the ritual, Tethys had given a crystal ball to the Regent, which would help her hear the sounds within.

The sky was exceptionally clear tonight, with the stars twinkling brightly. Seeing such a clear sky in Northrend was quite unexpected, but it only underscored the extraordinary nature of this day.

The two moons were very close and would soon embrace. The blue dragons remained silent. In the center, surrounded by numerous discs, was a wider platform, upon which stood only two great dragons. They were the candidates for the Arcanist — Kalecgos and Arygos.

They simply stood there quietly, their eyes fixed intently on each other, creating an atmosphere that was enough to make everyone tense.

Kalecgos lowered his head and raised his massive blue skull, gazing at the moon's trajectory across the sky. Then, as he lowered his head, his adversary Arygos, slowly walked to the center of the platform, preparing to loudly instill his Will and ideology into the other blue dragons.

"We have gathered here to decide the fate of the Blue Dragonflight!" Arygos's voice was clear and resonant. Like Kalecgos, he was a young blue dragon. Now, this blue dragon, possessing the blood of the former Arcanist, scrutinized Kalecgos, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions—contempt, anger, and even jealousy. After uttering his first words, he turned to the other blue dragons. In his heart, he believed that only by gaining the support of more people could he become the Arcanist.

"Our history is filled with setbacks and challenges. Our future faces even greater threats." Then, he spoke for every blue dragon, saying, "Our current situation calls for a strong leader."

Meanwhile, Alleria's attention wasn't entirely focused on the group of blue dragons; a constellation was forming in the sky, and two full moons were about to embrace each other.

Arygos within the crystal continued speaking, each word carrying objective value. The Regent thought that if Kalecgos wanted to win, he should refrain from offering personal opinions and instead engage in logical debate, using the Blue Dragonflight's past to demonstrate just how dangerous Arygos's words were.

"I am the son of my father," Arygos cried out, raising his head. "I look to him, for he leads us through adversity, never fearing a challenge."

No one will forget Malygos. Arygos's words happened to remind those senior blue dragonflight members of the Aspect of Magic of yesteryear, Malygos was once a wise leader.

Arygos continued passionately to his people, "Some...claim my father is mad, but even in the darkest of times, he possessed a clear vision, always placing the needs of the Blue Dragonflight first. He tirelessly worked to consolidate the strength that rightfully belonged to us, to face the difficulties he encountered." Arygos slowly retreated to his original position, shouting, "Brothers, we must reclaim our power! Under my leadership, the Blue Dragonflight will rise again, surpassing past glories, to embrace a greater destiny. I promise!"

Alleria's palms began to sweat. Arygos's words were undoubtedly telling the others that he would continue down Malygos's path. His talk of reclaiming the power belonging to the Blue Dragonflight —was he referring to magic? Would he, like Malygos, wage another Nexus War? The reflection in the crystal showed the considerable commotion his audacious pronouncements had caused. The dragons turned to look at their companions, their eyes filled with confusion and hesitation; some were even terrified by such a concept.

Only Kalecgos remained expressionless, tilting his head back to admire the rare and beautiful changes in the sky as Arygos spoke. The soft light emanating from the two full moons was utterly Tranquility compared to the commotion below. Blue and white rays merged, forming a translucent blue magical rune in the sky. The long anticipation and waiting had made this moment seem so slow, but it had finally arrived.

Finally, the cold, calm atmosphere was shattered— Kalecgos flapped his powerful wings, creating a strong gust of air as if he were about to take off, but he only wanted to draw everyone's attention back to himself.

Now it's his turn to speak!

Slowly, one by one, the other dragons turned their heads away, no longer thinking about Arygos and his declaration to reclaim the power that belonged to them.

Kalecgos slowly walked to the center of the platform. Unlike Arygos at the beginning, his gaze remained fixed on his fellow citizens.

"Brothers and sisters," he said, "Arygos spoke of our troubled past. Yes, it was a past full of hardship." The blue dragon nodded as he walked, "But what I want to say is that we must take responsibility for the scars we have created."

This refers to the Nexus War, Kalecgos of "scars" refers to the cracks that appeared in many parts of Northrend during that war. These unstable cracks released magical energy and attracted many creatures from the Twisted Void.

"Let us change our ways, abandon the idea of eradicating magic from this world. Let us use magic responsibly for the well-being of Azeroth and all living beings." Kalecgos paused for a moment, slowly gazing at the sky. "Our choice today will change the fate of the entire Blue Dragonflight, and even the fate of this world. May the Titans guide us, and may we make a wise choice." He then stepped back.

The merged blue and white moon cast a magical, phantom-like moonlight upon the darker-skinned, more pure-hearted dragon on the platform, creating a delicate, soft glow around him. This light was so captivating that Alleria unconsciously brought her face closer to the crystal surface.

Then, the light changed. It focused on a single point, passed through Kalecgos's body, and did not leave.

Alleria couldn't help but smile. She gazed at Kalecgos, the blue dragon, who let out a joyful growl. Under everyone's watchful eyes, the light emanating from him grew ever stronger, and shimmering runes appeared on his arms and hind legs. His body began to grow larger; initially, he was about the same size as Arygos, but now, Malygos's bloodline no longer supported his opponent in his fight.