Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Nozdormu allowed a sigh to pass through his maw as he sensed Chronormu approaching his lair.

While he was fond of all members of his flight, and Chronormu in particular did good work in her role as an investigator of temporal anomalies, she only ever approached him to speak of matters of importance.

Forcing himself to wake up completely, Nozdormu rose from where he had laid down to sleep and prepared himself for the coming conversation. Ever since the significant change in the future of the timeline that took place several years ago, the Infinite Dragonflight had redoubled their efforts to corrupt the timestream.

Things were beginning to return to normal now that they had realized that the Bronze Dragonflight remained powerful enough to stop them, but that did not change the fact that he had been given little chance to rest over the past few years.

Shaking the sand from his scales, Nozdormu glanced at his lair filled with priceless artifacts that he had collected from throughout the timestream. All of the artifacts had already played their role in history, so collecting them would do no harm to the timestream.

Even he needed a hobby, and collecting artifacts was something that amused him and helped ease the burden on his shoulders.

With a quick application of his magic, Nozdormu transformed into his mortal guise. Where before stood a Dragon, now stood a tall Queldorei who possessed wise blue eyes, long brown hair, and was wearing a regal set of bronze-colored robes.

Chronormu seemed to prefer her mortal form, and gnomes were far too small for him to comfortably speak to while wearing his true skin.

Nozdormu did not have to wait very long before a female gnome that looked quite exhausted walked through the entrance to his lair.

Master Nozdormu, said Chronormu, offering a respectful bow. The Infinite Dragonflight have been repelled from their attempts to disrupt Medivhs opening of the Dark Portal and their attacks on the merchant ship traveling to Northrend have been defeated.

Good, said Nozdormu tiredly. Hopefully they now realize that the significant shift in the future does not mean that our flight has weakened or that they can attack the timestream unopposed.

I hope that is the case, Master Nozdormu, said Chronormu, sounding equally as exhausted. Things have been difficult these past few years and a bit of rest would be appreciated. Has there been any progress in discovering the source of the change in the timeline?

Some, but not as much as I hoped for, said Nozdormu, doing his best to suppress his annoyance.

While some members of his flight believed that he knew everything there was to know about what was and will be, Nozdormu knew that was far from the truth.

He was excruciatingly aware that there were many extremely powerful entities throughout the cosmos that had the ability to either deceive him or hide things from his vision. The Old Gods in particular, as sealed as they were, often used their power to disrupt the timeways and hide certain events by making it difficult for him to discern the truth by making false paths seem more real than they should.

There was also the Burning Legion, who possessed powerful Fel magics and existed in the Twisting Nether, a realm through which time passed differently.

Nozdormu knew more about the past and the future than any other being on Azeroth, but he was not a god.

He was not Lord Amanthul.

Perhaps things would be different after the power that he had imbued into the Dragon Soul was returned to him and he had fully regained the gift that Lord Amanthul had given him, but for now, he had many powerful rivals.

However, Nozdormu was starting to believe that they were not responsible for the changes in the future as he had initially believed.

He had come to this verdict after concluding that the changes to the future were simply too favorable to the fate of Azeroth.

Of course, that wasnt to say that all of the changes were good, but they were certainly preferable to what existed before.

While I have not been able to discover exactly what influenced one of the nerubians to come into contact with members of the Eastern Kingdoms, I have concluded that neither the Old Gods nor the Burning Legion are likely to be the source, said Nozdormu solemnly.

For the first few years after the change, he had worried that it was some form of a complicated plot by the Old Gods, but recent investigations had revealed that to be unlikely.

Really? Chronormu exclaimed in surprise. Then what could have possibly caused it?

I know not, said Nozdormu with a hint of worry. Perhaps I will be able to answer that question in the near future, but my paths for investigation have been exhausted for now.

While much of the future had changed, the destruction of the Dragon Soul in the near future and the return of his full power were still fated to happen, even if the details of the event had changed.

Nozdormu and Chronormu continued to speak more about the changes to the timeline and the increased activity of the Infinite Dragonflight, but it soon became obvious to him that her concerns had not been fully alleviated.

What worries you so much, Chronormu? asked Nozdormu, hoping that he could find a way to ease her worries.

Nothing, Master Nozdormu. It's just that you seem to be much less concerned about the changes in the timeline than the rest of our flight, Chronormu said hesitantly. Why is that?

Nozdormu withheld a sigh as he considered how to answer her question. Truthfully, this was not the first time that something unexpected had occurred in the timeline, and he had long since learned to roll with the punches, to borrow a human term.

However, there were many in the flight who believed him to be infallible, especially among the younger members, and thought that there was nothing that could escape his sight. He had tried his best to disabuse them of this notion, but it didnt help that he was vastly more powerful than the majority of his flight.

Chronormu, time itself is, from a certain perspective, an illusion, said Nozdormu after he finished organizing his thoughts. The only true reality is the now, the present moment in which we live. Every past moment is a memory and every future moment is a hope or fear that has not yet manifested. The Bronze Dragonflight is responsible for protecting the timeways from corruption. It is not our responsibility to control the path through which it flows. I will continue to search for the source of these changes, but given that it does not seem to be a result of attempts to corrupt the timeways I do not see a need to be overly concerned.

Nozdormu waited several moments as Chronormu seemed to process his words.

I understand, Master Nozdormu, said Chronormu after a few moments of silence. I will try my best not to worry too much about this matter.

Good, said Nozdormu approvingly. Remember, Chronormu, time is a.

Time is a tangled web. Try not to dwell on the loose ends, said Chronormu with no small amount of exasperation. Nozdormu couldnt help but smile as he saw some of the tension leave her shoulders. I must have heard you say that phrase thousands of times since I first heard it as a whelp, Master Nozdormu.

I would not need to say it so much if you all listened the first time, Nozdormu said chidingly.

From there, the conversation went on for a while longer before Chronormu excused herself and began making her way out of his lair, looking noticeably more relieved than when she first entered.

Once she left, Nozdormu shed his mortal skin and returned to where he had been sleeping before, intent on resting while he still had the opportunity.

After all, the future was starting to look busy for him, and he would prefer to get as much rest as he could before his coming confrontation with Neltharion.Witness the debut of this chapter, unveiled through Ñôv€l--B1n.

Warchief, I bring you news of Guldan, said Drakk Earthsplitter as he approached Ogrim Doomhammer, leader of the Horde.

The Warchief of the Horde was an impressive figure, larger and more imposing than any other orc that Drakk had seen. Doomhammer was currently sitting in the ruined dining hall of one of the destroyed human kingdoms nobles, enjoying a feast with many of the orc leaders that made up the Horde.

Stormwind was a hard-won victory, and many orcs were eager to enjoy the spoils of war.

Devan could almost feel the cloud of despair that was smothering what remained of the people of Stormwind as they sailed north.

Devan turned his gaze to a certain, heavily guarded portion of the deck.

Anduin Lothar, despite being a legendary figure in the kingdom, was barely distinguishable from any of the other despairing souls sailing away from their ruined home. Both the crown prince and Medivhs apprenticewho seems to have inexplicably aged several decades since Devan had last seen him several months agowere not doing much better. All three of them looked as if their worlds had been ripped away from under their feet.

Crown prince Varian was obviously doing his best to put on a brave face, but Devan could easily see that the boy had recently been crying.

He couldnt exactly blame either of them, the Champion had watched as the kingdom he had sworn to protect burned to the ground and the crown prince had lost both of his parents in a very short amount of time.

There were even rumors that the boy had been there to watch the traitorous orc wench murder his father.

He himself had also lost many of those he held dear to the Horde, and it was only the experiences he had gained living among those who lived such short lives that allowed him to push forward. Half-elves did not live the millennia that pureblooded high elves could, but they still had lifespans that measured in the centuries, of which he was already in his second.

Just as Devan was preparing to head back to his quarters after finishing his rations, his instincts alerted him to strange movements in the corner of his vision. Turning a sharp gaze earned through centuries of being a military scout, Devan immediately picked out what had drawn his attention.

Standing near the entrance that led below deck was a bald old man with clear blue eyes and a pudgy build. Devan felt like he recognized him from somewhere, but was unable to immediately remember where. This, however, was not what had drawn his attention.

What was strange about this man was that he was subtly flashing hand signals that should only be known to members of his scouting party. Devan stared at the features of the old human in an attempt to see if he was a retired veteran, but he came up blank no matter how much he searched his memories. Not only was Devan incredibly good with faces, but he had also personally known every scout who had joined Stormwinds military for much longer than the old man had been alive.

As soon as Devan stood up to see what the stranger wanted, he quickly moved to head below deck. Devan did not want to cause a disturbance by running after him, and it wasnt as if the human had anywhere to run, so he simply casually followed the old man down into the ship.

It was not very difficult to follow the human, and Devan soon found himself standing in front of a door to a cabin in a section of the ship that was suspiciously devoid of refugees.

Devan knocked politely on the door, assuming that whoever organized this subterfuge had intentionally brought him here wished to meet with him.

It did not take long for the door to be opened, revealing both the old man who he had been following and a figure he well-recognized. Standing behind a desk filled with documents was an old human woman with a head full of white hair and an appearance that would not stick out in a crowd among the usual crones of the kingdom. The only thing that could be said to be notable about her was the grotesque amount of rings that she wore on each of her fingers, a habit which Devan knew that the woman had possessed since she was young.

With a sigh of exasperation, Devan did not hesitate to walk into the room and close the door behind him.

Pathonia Shaw, to what do I owe the pleasure? asked Devan, already finding himself tired of the conversation before it had even started.

He had been subject to her near constant invitations throughout the years, ever since she was a young up and coming knife for hire in the criminal underworld of Stormwind. This was long before the kingdom's leadership moved to organize its criminals into a guild that would secretly work in its service. Devan was honestly scared at the idea of how much the woman could get done if she had his lifespan considering what she had already achieved in her own.

Everdawn, this is not another attempt to recruit you, said Pathonia Shaw, uncharacteristically straight to the point. I brought you here because both I and your kingdom need your help.

Devan was surprised. He had never known the founder and leader of the Stormwind Assassins Guild to miss an opportunity to attempt to recruit him, or clearly state her intentions without first playing mind games.

I suppose not even the Queen of thieves and killers can remain unaffected by what happened, Devan thought with a faint sorrow.

What is it? asked Devan. If she was willing to get to the point, then he would at least hear her out.

Only Devans sharp eyes allowed him to see the flicker of surprise that flashed across the old womans face.

I have an important mission which needs to be done, but for which I do not have an appropriate agent, said Pathonia entreatingly.

Devan could see the tension in her frame as she expected the conversation to devolve into an argument, so he instead took a moment to consider her words. He had never approved of the kingdoms decision to use criminals to do its dirty work, but things were different now.

Still, Devan could not allow his personal feelings on the matter to get in the way if his kingdom truly needed his help. If there was ever a time for the people of Stormwind to come together, then it was surely now.

Very well, said Devan. I will hear you out, though I do not guarantee that I will agree to help you.

Both Pathonia and the old man who had led him here let out a sigh of relief and lost much of the tension in their bodies.

Thank you, Everdawn, said Pathonia, showing him a rare smile. Before I explain the mission to you, I would first like to give you some information that you may or may not know about what happened in the days leading up to Stormwinds destruction.

Devan listened patiently as Pathonia told him about everything that had been happening among Stormwinds leadership during the later days of the war. Much of what she told him were things that he had already known, but others he had not. Many people knew that the king had been betrayed and killed by the half-orc female that he had kept by his side, but this was the first time that Devan had heard anything about Court Conjurer Medivh.

Though it did make sense why the leadership was not eager to share that information given everyone's already low morale. After she was done telling him about what had happened, Pathonia finally told him the details about the mysterious mission that she wished to send him on.

You want me to investigate Lordaerons nobles and find out why we were not sent aid? Devan blurted out in surprise.

That is correct, said Pathonia solemnly. The kingdom sent constant pleas for aid for several years to anyone who would listen, but there was not a single kingdom that was willing to help us no matter what we said, not even our closest allies. That isnt something that can be easily explained by the normal power games that happen between kingdoms.

You suspect that our diplomatic efforts were sabotaged? asked Devan through gritted teeth, fury growing quickly within him until he was feeling a wrath greater than he had ever felt in his long life.

If somebody had prevented Stormwind from receiving aid from the other kingdoms, then they held a massive amount of responsibility for the kingdoms destruction and all the lives that had been lost.

I suspect foul play, though I couldnt tell you why or how, said Pathonia, her voice colder than he had ever heard before. Devan was not the only one who could benefit from a target for his anger. However, if there is one thing that I have learned, it is that the consequences of failing to distinguish friend from foe are often catastrophic.

Devan winced at the venom he could hear in the old womans tone, certain that she blamed Lothar for failing to foresee the betrayal of Medivh and Garona. The two of them had always had an antagonist relationship, and Devan was certain that things had not improved now that the Champion was Stormwinds reagent ruler.

Why not use one of your own agents? Or do this yourself? Devan asked curiously.

My agents are either dead or not good enough, Pathonia said bluntly. Besides, Lothar does not trust the Assassins Guild in the same way that King Llane did. He has already ordered for us to become more integrated into the kingdoms government. The Assassins Guild will soon be reformed into SI:7, a covert organization that answers directly to the throne. Most of my time will be spent grooming my grandson, Mathias, to take over my position.

Devan was not particularly surprised to hear that. Many in Stormwinds leadership had long held the opinion that the Assassins Guild should be dissolved and its members put under the thumb of its rulers. It was also no secret that Mathias, who had very pointedly been pushed into becoming friends with the crown prince, was being groomed to lead such an organization.

You are one of the few people outside of my organization who possesses the skills necessary to accomplish this. Something that might be needed if the sabotage came from within and we need to hide our movements from their eyes, Pathonia continued. Devan could believe that to be true. He had picked up a multitude of useful skills over his long life, after all.

Devan did not have to think very long before nodding his agreement, causing both of the humans to smile in relief.

As he and Pathonia spent the next few hours speaking over the details of the mission and going over which of Lordaeron's nobles he should investigate first, Devan could feel a fiery resolve grow within him.

He had spent his entire life serving his kingdom by finding its enemies, so this was not much different. If there was indeed somebody who was responsible for preventing his kingdom from receiving aid in its time of greatest need, then he would not rest until he found them.

And when he did they would regret making an enemy of Stormwind.