Night of the Dragon

knowledge.

Suddenly, he detected the nearby presence of that which he sought. A shiver ran through him as he pondered the impending discovery. There was a limp shape right near where the object should be. Could that shape belong to—

Never one to care for proprieties, he ran for all he was worth to the body.

'Praise be!' he hissed. It was not her, merely an oddly-shaped mound of upturned rock and dirt.

But underneath it was that which sent his heart pounding. He lifted up the talisman. The broken chain dangled limply. After all the care that he had put into remaking it so that it would keep them tied together no matter what the distance, it had now proved as useful as any one of the rocks that made up the landscape here.

He looked around again, but there was no sign of her. No sign of his Vereesa.

The wizard Rhonin swore.

FOURTEEN

The nether dragon was near. Iridi could sense him better than almost any other creature around her. After all, were they not both strangers to this world? Had they both not come to here from Outland?

Now that she was so close, the draenei asked herself what she expected of the nether dragon. Did she think it would be grateful to see her? Draenei had never been friends to the nether dragons any more than other races. For all Iridi knew, it was just as likely to eat her.

But something within insisted that the priestess try to reach the creature.

Pressed against a wall, her training making her seem almost invisible to the skardyn, Iridi peered around the next corner. A vast cavern opened up before her and in it crawled the savage dwarves in large numbers. They scrambled up the walls, clung from the ceiling, or scampered over the floor, all to keep, in her estimation, their sole prisoner from moving so much as an inch.

So astounding was the nether dragon's prison that the draenei almost walked out and stared. She had wondered how they could keep the great beast secure once it was freed from the terrible box and now she knew. The strands of energy choked the nether dragon as if the leviathan were corporeal like her or the skardyn. They looked almost flimsy, yet it was clear that their power was incredible.

Finally looking beyond the shackles to the prisoner himself, Iridi could scarcely believe that he still survived. The nether dragon was more ghost than ever, so much so that there were areas where it wailmore difficult to see him than whatever lay behind his hulking form.

She almost went to him then, but a familiar evil approached. The blood elf strode into the chamber. With him floated an insidious-looking creature that was the mageslayer Krasus had confronted.

Zendarin approached the nether dragon. He appeared as if he did nothing but observe the prisoner, but the priestess sensed that more was at play.

A skardyn came up to Zendarin, growling and hissing something that apparently he could understand.

'Then next time see to it that it doesn't happen!' Zendarin snapped peevishly. 'Would not want to get another of your stinking little ilk swallowed up, would you?'

Only then did she notice that four of the creatures were adjusting crystals near the nether dragon's great maw. That now explained one of the tremendous roars that she had heard. Something had clearly happened that undid those particular strands. She eyed the skardyn's work close, trying to discern just what. Perhaps there would the the key to freeing the leviathan.

But would she actually free it? That was a question for debate, debate Iridi had been having since the beginning.

There is only one way. I must try to judge this nether dragon....

Even Krasus would have looked at her in disbelief had he known of her decision. The draenei knew well that there was not one of her recent companions—and few of her own following—who would have chosen such a course. What there was known of nether dragons did not urge trust in them.

But still Iridi felt she had no right to do otherwise.

The blood elf departed, his mageslayer behind him. The priestess glanced around, but saw only more skardyn. Those, she believed she could handle. The runes that protected them did not appear to work against the staff, although she would use that as a last resort. For now, the draenei trusted in the teachings of her order.

Think their gaze away. Let them look around you, notat you. A seemingly impossible thing, on the surface, but with those words herteachers had also taught her techniques to better blend with her surroundings. She had used them to her advantage outside and even in the corridors, but here there were more skardyn than ever.

Nevertheless, the draenei stepped out. She kept herself close to the nearest wall, letting her cloak help mask her.

The skardyn continued with their tasks. They were eager to keep the crystals in place. Iridi could sense their anxiousness whenever they got very near the nether dragon.

One of them happened to glance her way. The priestess froze.

The skardyn gnashed its teeth, then resumed its task. Iridi waited a moment more, then started to descend. Then, a dragonspawn entered.

It pointed at the nearest several skardyn. 'Come. Mistress commands....'

Half a dozen of the creatures followed the dragonspawn out. Iridi gave thanks; their departure left the area near the head virtually devoid of skardyn. The rest were farther away now. This was her chance.

With great nimbleness, the draenei descended to the level where the nether dragon lay bound. She waited there for a moment as two skardyn climbing along the wall passed into a side tunnel, then slipped toward the massive prisoner.

Even the nether dragon did not appear to notice her, although his condition likely had much to do with that, too. Iridi frowned. She knew that the staff might help her, but feared to summon it.

In the end, there was again no choice. Looking to see where the nearest skardyn currently were, the priestess called it forth and focused it on the captive leviathan.

The eyes of the nether dragon opened wide.

In that instant, a flood of memories and emotions flowed from the behemoth's mind into hers. She saw him in Outland and saw the evil that he had done. Yet, that evil came in part from misunderstanding and as the emotions and memories continued to pour into the priestess, she sensed his regret over his betrayals and the hope to make up for them.

Iridi also sensed that there was something redeemable in this dark giant...and, knowing that, determined that it was freedom, not death, she sought for the nether dragon.

The priestess glanced around at the skardyn. Thanks to her efforts, they still paid her no mind. She kept the staff low, hoping to be swift.

Can you understand me?'the draenei anxiously thought. Zzeraku... hears... you....

Iridi breathed just a little easier. The naaru had given some indication that the staff would help her communicate with some creatures, but she had doubted that it would be of use with a nether dragon.

But the link was faint, the reason for that either her wielding of the staff or the nether dragon's obvious weakness or both. Iridi concentrated harder.

Do you know how these bonds can be removed?

The nether dragon visibly stirred at this question. The draenei realized that he had expected her to be yet another of his captors. His hope and gratitude radiated bright in her thoughts, solidifying the priestess's beliefs that she was doing the right thing. This was not an evil creature, only a creature who had mistakenly done evil. He had the potential to be so much more.

The crystals... he finally answered. The frequency...Zzeraku is not... not strong enough to change them....

But he had tried, she sensed, and in his most agonizing moments had been nearest to success. Yet, even