Death's Redemption

Chapter 12: Cataclysm

"Tinnidas, I'm glad you could get here on such short notice," Wrathion began, Tinnidas coming before him in the underground level of Wyrmrest Temple. "Crystal informed everyone that the Queen of Dragons has been captured."

"What?" Tinnidas interjected, glancing at Crystal lying on the floor and the two whelps with her. "What happened?"

"A dragon told Lord Neltharion that he saw a group of dragons take her, so the Earth-Warder followed him. Before leaving, he told Crystal to tell the other Aspects what was happening and to keep the whelplings safe. We don't know much of what happened, or who took her, but Wyrmrest Temple has been put on alert while the Aspects are away in search of her. I want you to keep watch over Crystal until they return. Meanwhile, I will try to get the rest of the Black Dragonflight to return to the Obsidian Dragonshrine so the flight can be in one place."

"I will stay at the temple and protect her as you ask," Tinnidas responded, putting his arm over his chest.

Wrathion walked over to one of the walls adorned in weapons, grabbing a sword from it and giving it to Tinnidas.

"I trust you will."

Wrathion left the chamber, opening his wings and flying out of the temple. Tinnidas watched him fly away before turning to Crystal and walking over to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, seeing her face shift between expressions as she stared at the tile floor.

She looked up at him, seeming to break free of her trance. "I'm fine, just a little worried."

"Everything will be fine," he reassured her. "Your children will be back in their beds, or... nest, soon."

"I don't want them to get scared. You go on with what you need to do."

"I'll stay here if you want me to," he offered, still seeing how frightened she really was.

"No, really, it's fine. I'll keep the whelps here with me."

"Okay," Tinnidas said, stepping back. "I'll be at the temple if you need anything." He went over to the dragon that had brought him to the temple, climbing onto her back and holding on as she carried him to the temple's upper level. He looked out over the landscape, the sky full of falling snow, everything seeming calm. After he reached the top level, he slid down from the dragon's back, walking to the center of the floor as the dragon flew away.

It was not very often that he was on the upper level. Besides the time he got his armor, he very rarely went up there. Usually, it would be empty except when the Aspects were meeting, but even then, he was never a part of their meetings. He looked at the sword in his hands, the design reminding him of his days as a soldier for the Alliance. He swung it around in his arms, finding it almost weightless due to the magically imbued locket in his armor.

He stared out into the distance, seeing only a snow-coated land of ice and stone. His mind went back to what Wrathion had told him about Alexstrasza's capture. He wondered what purpose a group of dragons would have for taking their queen and, more importantly, why they wanted to do so in the first place. He knew dragons to be calculating and cunning, so why would they take a Dragon Aspect when they know the other Aspects would come for her?

He groaned, walking to the edge of the tile while putting his sword in the sheath on his armor. As he looked back into the distance, he could make out a blurry shape. He squinted his eyes and strained to see what it was, the snow obscuring his vision. Taking a deep breath and tapping into the power of his locket, he used it to increase his perception, allowing him to see through the snow and get a good look at what he saw. It was then that he realized there was a horde of dragons coming.