"Rhonin, can you figure out how to use this thing?" Supported by Vereesa, Aaron approached Rhonin and asked as he looked at the head-sized golden disk in his hands.
At Aaron's question, Rhonin simply rolled his eyes at him. "Easy for you to say. Even Master Antonidas couldn't figure this thing out so quickly if he were here."
The Antonidas Rhonin spoke of was Dalaran's current leader, a man who ranked among the foremost mages in both seniority and ability. Apart from the two legendary Guardians, he could probably be considered the strongest mage.
Hearing that, Aaron gave an awkward smile, realizing that his request might have been asking too much. Still, they probably had no choice but to figure out this disk to resolve their present predicament.
Aaron still remembered that in the game, Deathwing had ultimately been defeated by Thrall, the world-saving Shaman, who used the Dragon Soul's power to pin Deathwing down and kill him in the Maelstrom.
As for dealing with Deathwing now, Aaron could think of no good solution. After all, the Dragon Aspects were far stronger than the so-called mortals. Asking their little group to join that battle was rather too much.
"Then can we return the power inside this thing to those Dragon Aspects?" Aaron watched the battle in the sky. Deathwing's advantage was growing ever more pronounced, and the four Dragon Aspects were already in dire peril. If they could not offer them any help from here, they would have to find a way to return the power they had lost.
Rhonin lowered his head and contemplated the Dragon Soul in his hands for quite some time before saying, "I have a spell, but we need to break this thing first."
As he spoke, Rhonin casually picked up a stone from the ground and struck the Dragon Soul with it. The Dragon Soul remained unchanged, but that was only natural. This was an artifact Deathwing had personally created. If Rhonin, a mage not known for his strength, could break it with some stone he happened to pick up, it really would have been a joke.
Seeing this, Falstad picked up an Orc battle-axe and brought it down hard on the Dragon Soul. It remained completely unscathed, while the Orc battle-axe shattered into pieces instead. It seemed ordinary weapons could not break this thing either.
Rhonin said helplessly, "That means it probably has very powerful protective spells on it. We need an artifact..."
"An artifact? The closest artifacts are all over in Dalaran... Where am I supposed to find you an artifact...?" Aaron muttered. Artifacts-he knew the whereabouts of at least thirty-six of them, but distant water could not put out a nearby fire. Besides, those artifacts were almost all under heavy guard. Though they would later go missing at the drop of a hat, without the slightest hesitation, they were still beyond the reach of Aaron and the others right now.
Moreover, even disregarding the dragons' power contained within the Dragon Soul, Deathwing had personally forged the thing. Based on that origin alone, many of those thirty-six artifacts probably could not breach its defenses.
After all, although many so-called artifacts were made of extraordinary materials, the forging techniques were those of mortals. They had largely earned the title of artifact through the boost provided by their fame.
"No, I think... Aaron, give me that pendant from Deathwing." A light suddenly shone in Rhonin's eyes, his burning gaze fixed squarely on the two pendants Aaron held.
"What good would this thing do... Wait, it really might work." Aaron remembered that one artifact had been made from Deathwing's scales. In that case, this pendant, also made from Deathwing's scales, probably, perhaps, just might work.
Rhonin took the pendant, positioned the sharp edge of its inset gem against the Dragon Soul, and dragged it forcefully across its surface. To their surprise, he actually broke the Dragon Soul.
Then Rhonin began casting a spell. He drew the energy out of the Dragon Soul, and it became a strange rainbow that rose into the sky and reached the four Dragon Aspects.
Watching that light rise into the sky, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Presumably, even if the Dragon Aspects could not defeat Deathwing after recovering their lost energy, they should at least be able to improve their current situation of being completely on the back foot, right?
Aaron looked up just in time to see the four Dragon Aspects begin to overpower Deathwing. Just as Wing seemed about to lose, the fellow suddenly let out an utterly miserable howl. That howl even slowed the four Dragon Aspects' finishing blows by half a beat, allowing Deathwing to actually escape with his life.
As the green, blue, and bronze Dragon Aspects pursued Deathwing, the Red Dragon Queen flew down instead. Another, slightly smaller Red Dragonflight member flew up from the side and joined her. Watching the two Red Dragonflight members converse continuously in the air, Aaron turned his gaze to Rhonin. "Well? How does it feel to see your mentor finally reunited with his wife when you nearly died on the way?"
Rhonin probably had no energy to spare for Aaron, though. His spellcasting just now had consumed too much of his energy, and the red-haired mage lay slumped on the ground, panting heavily.
Of course, Aaron was not much better off. The injuries the flame golem's self-destruction had inflicted on him earlier had been too severe. Although he had healed his injuries with the Holy Light, he had also exhausted his stamina. Only Vereesa and Falstad were doing their best to help the mountain dwarves fight the Orcs.
Fortunately, at Alexstrasza's command, her offspring had all begun helping the dwarves. The Orcs' defeat was now only a matter of time.
The Red Dragon Queen looked at the four people on the ground and said, "Thank you, mortal champions. Thank you for saving me and my offspring. In gratitude for the sacrifices you have made, please at least let us fly you home-provided you are willing to wait a little longer."
"These mountain dwarves will take care of you. We will return by tomorrow at the latest," the Red Dragon Queen promised.
Krasus called over Lom, the leader of the mountain dwarves, and gave him a few instructions. Then the two dragons beat their wings and left, leaving the mountain dwarves to gather their people and take charge of the Orcs who had surrendered.
According to Krasus, the human kingdoms were establishing prisoner-of-war camps for Orcs, and these surrendered Orcs could readily be handed over to the humans to guard.
Aaron did remember Thrall's escape from a prisoner-of-war camp, but that was not something he could control, so he might as well leave them to it.
Falstad gazed in the direction the two great dragons had gone and exclaimed in admiration, "Look, how magnificent."
Then the dwarf began saying his goodbyes to everyone around him, first shaking Vereesa's hand, then giving Rhonin and Aaron a hug each before saying, "Young knight, and you, mage, I haven't met many of your kind, but I still have to say that at least a few of you have the heart of a warrior! I'll certainly tell the youngsters back in my clan all about the recapture of Grim Batol! Don't be too surprised if you hear dwarves talking about your deeds in a tavern someday!"
"What, you're leaving?" Everyone was caught off guard for a moment. They had not expected the dwarf to leave right now.
"Someone has to tell my people about this. That's my responsibility. And I still have to find a way to locate that subordinate of mine I've lost contact with. Fortunately, the Orcs have all surrendered, so he shouldn't be in any danger now."
"Then... good luck." Somewhat reluctant to part with him, Aaron waved to the dwarf.
Rhonin was particularly moved. Gripping Falstad's hand firmly, he said, "Thank you for everything along the way."
"No, I should be thanking you! I'd have a hard time finding a Gryphon Rider with more heroic deeds to his name than me now."
"You'll be the finest Gryphon Rider," Aaron chimed in. That was not really wrong. With Kurdran in Outland, Falstad was essentially the leader of the Wildhammer Dwarves. In Azeroth, where racial leaders generally represented their race's greatest fighting strength, calling Falstad the strongest Gryphon Rider was not far off.
Vereesa stood up, gently approached Falstad, and bent down to leave a kiss on the dwarf's cheek. "Take care on your journey."
"I will, beautiful lady. Take care of yourselves too," Falstad stammered. With that, he mounted his gryphon and soared into the sky.