Shandaral's Salvation

"Whew, it's still as cold here as it was before the Great Explosion."

After arranging the necessary work, Snyder teleported to Northrend to find the Spellweaver.

Snyder cast a spell to summon a fire elemental to keep himself warm.

A rather unintelligent-looking fire elemental appeared and began circling Snyder.

Snyder was at a loss for words as he watched the fire elemental, but he paid it no mind. After all, he only wanted it to keep the cold away.

Leaving the fire elemental alone for the moment, Snyder used elemental magic to determine his location.

"I'm near Wyrmrest Temple. I'll look there first, and if the Spellweaver isn't there, I'll go to the Nexus in Borean Tundra. I wonder how Shandaral is doing. I'll go take a look when I'm finished."

Meanwhile, in Shandaral, an emissary to the blue dragons had already been chosen.

"Go to Wyrmrest Temple first and try to secure the Red Dragon Queen's help. After all, we all know the Blue Dragonflight's situation."

Although Deathwing was mainly responsible, the most important reason was what the Highborne had set in motion. The Blue Dragonflight had already shown considerable restraint by not immediately sending troops to wipe them out. Now they wanted the dragons to save them, which was rather difficult.

"Understood. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"This is the most magic crystal we can give you."

The elf in charge took out a normal-sized magic crystal. In Suramar City, this was one elf's daily allowance, but here it could save several elves.

The messenger looked at the crystal and fell into thought, but determination soon took its place. He understood that he was the hope of his people here.

He accepted the crystal and set off. But the weather seemed determined to oppose him: not long after he departed, a blizzard began to rage.

"Whew, this must be Wyrmrest Temple."

With a fire elemental circling wildly around him, Snyder arrived at the entrance to Wyrmrest Temple. It was a magnificent temple, and the most magnificent part was its tallest tower. That must be where the Dragon Aspects live, Snyder thought.

"Stop! Outsider, what business do you have at this temple?"

So spoke the drakonid guard stationed at the entrance.

"I mean no offense. I've come to see the Dragon Guardians. Please inform them that Snyder is here and requests an audience."

"Wait here, then. I'll report to the Guardians."

Snyder waited quietly. Feeling somewhat bored, he began communicating with the Elemental Spirits here. The Elemental Spirits of Northrend told Snyder that an elf was approaching.

Snyder looked outside at the heavy snow pouring down. Without great strength, one could not survive out there. Drawn by the elf's actions, Snyder kept watching him.

I have to reach Wyrmrest Temple and seek the Red Dragon Queen's help. Only then can I save my people.

The messenger struggled onward. Whenever he was about to collapse, he drew on the magic crystal to create a magical shield and keep moving. At the same time, he absorbed the magic energy leaking from it.

Little by little, he drew closer to Wyrmrest Temple, but the blizzard seemed to be working against him, growing fiercer and fiercer.

Gradually, the magic crystal's light dimmed. After a while longer, it lost its light entirely and became an ordinary crystal. His heart tightened. Wyrmrest Temple was still some distance away, but he would press on through the blizzard.

The blizzard knocked the messenger down again and again, and again and again he got back up. When he could no longer stand, he crawled forward bit by bit, driven onward by a single thought.

At last, he had squeezed the final trace of strength from his body. Lying in the snow, he tried to get up again, but his body would no longer obey him.

The cold gradually crept through his body, and his limbs slowly went numb. Snowflakes fell on him one by one. Usually light and weightless, they now seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, gradually covering his body.

He knew he probably would not get up again. He remembered the hope in his people's eyes when he had set out. It seemed he would not reach Wyrmrest Temple.

Images appeared in his mind of his people being tortured to death by their magic addiction. He grew afraid and began to plead humbly.

"I will serve any power that can end our people's suffering!"

He repeated it again and again, but it was no use. There was no response, and despair welled up in his heart once more.

He had lost consciousness, but his lips kept repeating those words.

Suddenly, the four elements appeared by his hand, driving away the cold and restoring his consciousness. Then the four elements formed an Elemental Spirit.

The messenger opened his eyes and looked at it all. It was so unreal, but he could no longer concern himself with whether it was real or not.

As though he had grasped a lifeline, he knelt before the light and pleaded with the spirit.

"Please, save us," he said with all his strength.

"I heard your call. Your desire to save your people moved me."

"I shall grant you the power of the elements. You can use it to save your people."

With those words, an elemental stone appeared before the messenger.

"After you use it to save your people, gather them together. You must teach them to believe in the elements. That can help you suppress your magic addiction. In a few days, I will take you to a new home."

"The blizzard will no longer stand in your way. You can return to your people unharmed." The Elemental Spirit raised an arm and pointed, and a path untouched by the blizzard appeared beside the messenger. With that done, the Elemental Spirit vanished.

The messenger felt as though he had experienced a dream, but the elemental stone in his hand, his healed body, the path unaffected by the blizzard, and the elemental power within him told him it was all real.

Clutching the stone, the messenger ran toward Shandaral. The blizzard truly no longer affected him. Instead, the snow melted wherever he ran.

The messenger returned to Shandaral as fast as he could. Everyone in Shandaral was surprised to see him back. Wyrmrest Temple was a long way away, and the messenger had to travel from Shandaral to Wyrmrest Temple and then to the Nexus. He could not possibly have been so fast.

"How did you get back so quickly?" Judging by the messenger's excitement, he must have succeeded, but this was far too fast.

The messenger calmed himself down.

He told everyone what had happened to him. None of them believed him, but then he took out the elemental stone and used a simple elemental spell to melt the snow at Shandaral's entrance.

Everyone was stunned. When the messenger added that he could temporarily suppress their magic addiction, they erupted in excitement. The elves of Shandaral had long since tried many ways to treat their magic addiction and did not mind trying one more.

The messenger gathered all the elves of Shandaral and told them why he had summoned them.

Then he crushed the elemental stone. A vast surge of elemental power swept through all of Shandaral, suppressing their magic addiction. The snow on the surrounding buildings and forests also melted because of the elemental power, making it look just like spring.

"Lord Snyder, the Life-Binder requests your presence."