Precious seconds passed before Malfurion realized what he could do. He reached out with his thoughts to the grass below…
That area of the field rapidly grew taller and thicker. The grass bunched so tight it created a padding of sorts. As the night elf dropped on it, it gave slightly, then reshaped. Every bone in his body shook, but Malfurion survived intact.
He felt his shoulder, only to find the gift from Aviana missing. Still, Malfurion gave thanks that he had acted swiftly and avoided disaster.
Krasus fluttered several yards farther, moving like a hawk fatally shot by an archer. Malfurion could not react quickly enough to aid the dragon mage, who finally crashed into the tall grass beyond.
The instant that he hit, Krasus's wings dissipated like dust in the wind. The limp figure fell forward, vanishing from the druid's sight.
'Master Krasus! Krasus!' Pushing himself to his feet, the night elf struggled through the field toward where he had last seen his companion.
But of his companion, there was no sign. Malfurion gazed at the grass, certain that he had the correct location.
Then, some distance to the south, he heard a brief moan. Shoving aside the grass, Malfurion hunted for the source.
Moments later, the still form of Krasus greeted his fearful eyes.
He knelt by the mage, cautiously looking for any outward injury. Finding none, Malfurion slowly turned him over. As he did, he noticed something slip from his companion's body.
Krasus's feather. It looked withered, brown. Touching it with one finger, the druid gasped as the feather crumbled, vanishing in the dirt and grass.
Another moan escaped Krasus. Adjusting him so that he lay perfectly on his back, Malfurion checked for broken bones. However, despite his much harder fall, Krasus appeared untouched. Apparently, the only thing affecting him had been whatever ailment had stricken him in flight.
The pale figure's eyes flickered open. 'I…I am tired…of waking in s-such a condition…'
'Careful, Krasus. You shouldn't move yet.'
'I will soon not be moving at all…Malfurion, I…believe I am dying.'
'What do you mean? How? What happened to you?'
'Not me…another. I am tied to Korialstrasz…and he to me. I think-I think he has been attacked. He is… nearly dead, and…if he goes, there is no hope for me.'
Malfurion looked Krasus over again, trying to find something he could do to help. 'Is there no hope?'
'Perhaps if you could-could heal him…but he is far from here, and…as he is a dragon…it would be most d- difficult. I-'
He grew silent. Malfurion thought quickly, but nothing else came to mind. All the skills that Cenarius had taught him could be applied, but not when the true victim lay countless miles away.
Then he saw-half-revealed by the wizard's crumpled robe-the scale. 'Krasus. This piece-'
'Wh-what I thought would…save us earlier. A bit of him…for a b-bit of me. It did-did work for a time.'
'This is his scale,' Malfurion said to himself. 'His scale.'
It was an audacious, impossible plan-and the only one he had. He ran his finger across the scale, marveling at its texture and sensing the power of it. The druid's intention borrowed from differing aspects of his learning, things that Cenarius had never linked together. Still…certain basics surely applied…
'I may have an idea, Krasus.'
But the mage did not answer; his eyes once again had closed. At first the night elf feared that he had already passed away. Only when he leaned close and listened to Krasus's quiet but still steady breathing did Malfurion's tensions ease slightly.
He could not hesitate any longer. Krasus had only minutes remaining.
Placing both hands on the scale, the druid opened his mind back up to his surroundings. Already the grass knew him and it reacted to his call. The wind tousled his hair and the earth stirred to waking, curious about his plea.
But before he could ask of them anything, he also needed to see if he could truly link with the dragon, Korialstrasz. Eyes shut, the druid let himself flow into the scale, seek of it the bond to its original wearer.
At first there was some confusion, Krasus and Korialstrasz so bound together that he almost mistook the former for the latter. Finally realizing his mistake, Malfurion steered his thoughts toward the red dragon, hoping that a tenuous link remained between the scale and Korialstrasz.
To his surprise, that part proved quite easy. Immediately his senses threw him across miles, across lands, to a harsher, mountainous region. Both the landscape and the journey reminded him of his attempt to reach the dragons hidden behind the barrier, only this time he did not travel quite so far, nor had he, thankfully, had to make use of the Emerald Dream.
Then, a horrible sense of loss hit Malfurion. He nearly blacked out. Fearful, however, of accidentally joining Krasus's and Korialstrasz's death experience, the night elf steeled himself. His senses stabilized, and he discovered that he now felt the dragon's dying emotions.
There had been a battle, a terrible battle. Malfurion thought at first that the Burning Legion had attacked, but then he sensed from the red's splintered thoughts that the foe had been other dragons-black ones.
Recalling the sinister pair who had pursued Krasus and him, Malfurion suspected that he knew which beasts had attacked. He gathered that they were dead, which made him marvel that Korialstrasz had even survived to this point. Truly a powerful, magnificent creature this dragon had been…
No! He was thinking of Korialstrasz as already dead. That condemned not only the dragon, but Krasus as well. Malfurion had to stop such speculation if he hoped to save them.
One of the first true lessons that Cenarius had taught him had been the health and healing of woodland creatures. In the past, Malfurion had saved the lives of foxes, rabbits, birds, and more. He could apply that work now, just amplifying the effect.
Or so the druid hoped.
Malfurion called to his surroundings. He needed their sacrifice; only life could give life. The earth, the flora, they had the capability of regenerating in a manner no animal could. The night elf still asked much from them, however, for now he sought to save a dragon. If his plea was rejected, he could lay no blame.
Trying to relay the importance of saving Korialstrasz-and by doing so, Krasus-Malfurion reached out to the grass, the trees, anything that would give to him. In the back of his mind, he noted the dragon's life force ebbing. There was barely any time left.
Then, to his relief, Malfurion felt the land give of itself for his efforts. The life force flowed into him, exhilarating the night elf so much that he almost forgot for what purpose he had requested it. Recalling himself, he positioned his fingertips on the scale, then fed the energy through.
Krasus's body shook once, then calmed. Through the link, Malfurion sensed the life force pouring into the dragon. The night elf 's heart raced, sweat dripping down his face, as he struggled to maintain the bond.
So much flowed through, and yet, Malfurion felt no change in Korialstrasz. The dragon continued to hang on the edge of death. Gritting his teeth, the druid drew more and more, sending it to the stricken giant as quickly as he could.
At last, he noted a slight change. Korialstrasz's soul pulled back from the abyss. The tenuous link to life solidified.
'Please…' the harried night elf gasped. 'More…'
And more came. The land around him gave as he needed, understanding that the dire situation affected not just the two ill figures, but also so many others.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the tide turned in life's favor. Korialstrasz grew stronger. The druid felt the leviathan's consciousness return and knew that the dragon wondered at this miracle.
Krasus's body again shook. The elder mage moaned. His eyes slowly opened.
At that point, Malfurion finally knew that he had done enough. Pulling his fingertips from the scale, the night elf leaned back and exhaled.
Only then did he see that the grass for yards around him was black.
All life had been drained from the tendrils. Peering around, Malfurion saw that the field for as far as he
