World of Warcraft®

Vast. Looking down from the surface of the orb it was perhaps the best way to describe what was seen inside. When Tom had asked the boy to go hunting for Ridcully's soul within the orb the drake had expected to find a small space. Craning his neck around he was just able to see small towns and in the distance a large castle.

Cocking his head to the side Dunescale let out a quiet sound of thought before moving to get a better view of the castle. As he drew nearer, the sheer size and amount of spells layered over the edifice captured his thoughts, but it wasn't until he felt the first pull that he realized this had to be the prison he had been cautioned against. With a quiet grunt, he swiftly withdrew giving it a wary look.

"Well then...we're not going there."

Taking another look around, the drake settled his focus on one of the towns blinking slightly as he suddenly found himself above it. While magic seemed filtered and weak here, it was not needed. The fact that a simple thought brought him where he wanted to go was a big enough indication. With a cautionary thought sent back towards the boy the drake dropped into the sky proper unfurling his wings to catch the air.

It didn't take long for one of the inhabitants of the orb to approach. The sound of massive wings beating the air sounded louder than it should have as a large dragon made entirely out of blue energy approached the drake who had begun to spiral downwards.

"I am a Guardian of this Orb, who dares to intrude upon our realm?"

Backwinging to avoid a collision, Dunescale bobbed his head in a respectful greeting "Guardian, I am Dunescale. I do not mean any offense or intrusion, I am simply seeking one who is caught here."

Looking the smaller spirit over the Guardian gave him a dubious look "You enter willingly, You seek Him?" After a momentary pause, the Guardian seemed to sense he was sincere, "We will aid you to our best to keep you from the grasp of this Place, However we offer no promises to you. If you are pulled in, it will be for eternity."

With an abrupt wrenching sensation Dunescale found himself within the confines of a tavern, uncomfortable to say the least. Glancing around his eyes landed upon a young boy of about 16 with a shock of flame red hair wearing plate armor and a glowing greatsword leaning beside him. The young boy seemed to be accompanied by a pair of what appeared to be the shades of an elven warrior and human rogue. The Shades appeared to be mostly ill-defined, as if created by a hazy memory.

Shifting to a form closer to Kordrion's though retaining vestigial wings and his stone skin, the spirit made his way closer to the boy's table giving the large glowing sword a wary glance. "Ridcully?”

That got a reaction quite unlike the one he was looking for. Jerking his head up, the man glared at him. "The !@#$ did you call me, you stoney brat?" With a frown he snapped out an introduction with a name unknown to the dragon "...Squire of the Silver Hand. You coming here to mess with me like that old man too?"

Holding up a hand placatingly, Dunescale soothed his tone noting the sudden absence of the shades at the man's anger " I apologise, I mean no offense. What old man if I might inquire?"

"Damn right you mean no offense. You know, the old man. Wore lots of blue, carried himself like the most powerful man ever. Old." The boy stood up slowly, "So what do YOU want then?"

Despite it not seeming to make a whit of difference the drake continued with a placating tone, "Simply to speak with you. Is the old man still around?"

"Not right now. He was from Outside. So whos this Ridcully you're looking for?"

Tilting his head the drake half muttered to himself, "Hm...perhaps I am mistaken in who I am seeking." Taking advantage of the brief moment he sent a query up to the boy, who in turn queried the mage who had asked the task of them. The response brought both amusement and an instant sense of ease.

The young boy frowned again, "Oh really? Well then sucks to be you. Hope you find whomever you search for." As he dropped back into his chair heavily, the shades returned eagerly.

Nodding half to himself the drake turned heading for the doorway, "I think I have...partially."

With a pulse that sent ripples through the entire world, a small red stone, the same fiery red as Ridcully's hair, found its way into his hand garnering a surprised look. Pausing to actually take a closer look at surroundings the drake half murmured to himself, "A magical land, I wonder..."

With a few more muttered words and a brief plucking at the ambient magic the drake made a pleased sound at the pouch now sitting in his hand. "Not so impossible..." Placing the stone inside he quickly took a glance around as he finds the tavern missing completely. His attention seems to be drawn towards a mage’s tower in the center of the town.

Throwing the bounds of what should be out the window, Dunescale shifted the vestigial wings on his back to ones more suited to at least simple flight. "I should teach the boy to be a mage." That predictably got an indignant feeling sent down their bond at him causing a soft chuckle before he took to the sky with a light leap.

Drawing closer to the tower, a splash of color against an otherwise faded out background brought his attention to the next Fragment: A young man, maybe 18 or so in age with the same shock of red hair yet wearing the robes of a mage apprentice. Landing a ways away from the apprentice, the drake slowly made his way forward calling out the first unusual name. Much to his chagrin this got a reaction much like the first time.

Paling to a bone white, the apprentice ran up covering Dunescale's mouth with his hand, ""Shhhhh! They don't know that's my name. I don't want my Master to realize I'm the Excommunicated Paladin! I go by Ridcully now. Ridcully Flameseeker"

Sighing and muttering inwardly that this was going to be a long night, the drake nodded "Ridcully then."

Nodding back the apprentice relaxed a bit "Thank you. What can I do for you? I'm terribly busy and I'm really behind on my studies. My Senior Apprentices are three years younger than me. I need to catch up!"

Turning to regard one of the shades that populates the area thoughtfully, the drake noted the almost complete lack of definition for these shades as well, "I think you have done it, and have no fear...I believe you will eventually surpass them"

Turning with a bow, Dunescale moved to take wing again just barely catching a final comment before another stone appeared and took its place with the other "Sir... Be wary of travel. I hear War is breaking out..."

With a lurch, the world turned again. This time dropping him into the air above a raging battle. There deep within the thick of the fighting, was the familiar flame haired mage slinging spells and slicing through shades with a practiced ease. Dunescale turned wing to head in that direction, muttering to himself half in amusement “Of course...why am I not shocked to find you in the thick of it.”

As he spiraled down closer, the battle abruptly froze leaving the armored mage with a perplexed look, though it didn’t stop him from wisely taking the chance to grab a drink. "Damn. Its never ending... Until.... Now?" The Battlemage looks around cautiously, steel armor grating softly over red robes as he looks around slowly.

Taking full advantage as well, Dunescale dropped to the ground to cautiously make his way over to the battlemage ever wary of the shades frozen in mid battle around them. “If you say your name isn't Ridcully, I am going to get a migraine and buy you a name tag.”

Wiping his brow the mage nodded. "Aye. Ridcully Flameseeker, Sergeant of the Alliance. 104th Stormwind Regiment, 2nd Battle Mage Squadron. What can I do for you?"

Getting a relieved look the drake nodded “For one tell me what year it is? Beyond that simply being here is all I needed from you.”

That earned him a blink and a perplexed look. “Its the 25th year after the Dark Portal. The Third war just broke out."

Nodding half to himself, the drake leapt back into the air calling his thanks, as he did so Ridcully’s voice floated up to him before being cut off as another stone joined the first two “Hey wait! Why do you need to know? Have you seen my brother-"

As he hovered in the air absently mulling the mention of brother over, the world once more shifted. A wide expanse ocean under him this time. Below a shock of red once standing out in a grey world gained his attention, this time appearing to be chatting up a female shade on the deck of a ship. With a quietly amused sound, Dunescale circled down coming in for a landing completely ignoring the shades turning their attention on him “Apologies for interrupting.”

The tanned Ridcully turned to regard the new arrival and though his garb spoke of being pirate the small knight’s insignia barely peeked out from under his collar "Oi. Can I help you mate? You can't just be landing on other peoples ships without permission. Captain Raefrii will be pissed. Besides, you just interrupted my conversation with Aisling over here."

That drew an amused sound “I think he will be forgiving...or at least forgetting...from paladin, to mage, to battle mage to pirate...one must wonder what's next in your life Ridcully Flameseeker”

Ridcully frowned at the mention of his past for a moment "Are you a time traveler friend? What happens to me? Do I get to marry the Ship’s healer Aisling? Do I ever find my brother? Do I ever...ya know... Find my place in this world?"

Shaking his head, the drake turned to leave before pausing and regarding the man “No, No time travel. Simply a guest on a trip through your life. Who is your brother if I might ask?”

"Krasius Alderath, named after the Archmage Krasus. He followed Magic and I went Might years back. The last time I saw him.... He had sacrificed our parents for power..."

Turning and finally lifting off Dunescale turned back to the man with a frown “I am sorry to hear of that, I am afraid I do not know one way or another though I am sure in time you will learn the answer. I am sorry for such a brief acquaintance, but I fear I still have far to go”

The pirate sighed then smiled slightly “"You're here to take me away aren't you? Just tell me one thing before I fade then friend?"

“If I can.”

"Do I ever find my place in life? Somewhere I can call home... And have friends and family?".

The drake answered without hesitation, “You do”

The pirate nodded, oblivious to the tears in his eyes, as he began to fade "Thank you...".

Again the world shifted, but this time everything came into color. For a long moment Dunescale ignored it all to simply ponder the last stone. Finally pulling his gaze free the drake took in the scene around him. Standing near a burning hovel were two boys who at most were in their 12th year, one with a shock of red hair while the other with strawberry blonde, which must leave him to be Krasius.

Looking past Krasius into the hovel the drake could just make out a pair of bodies laying on the floor, one of a man and the other a woman. Shifting his gaze back to the two, he frowned slightly at the darkness emanating from Ridcully’s brother and the bloody knife in his hand.

Krasius grinned, his teeth taking on an eerie bloody countenance with the reflection of the fire, "Look Brother... Now we are free to do what we want. We can travel the world. You and I. No one can stop us... I was promised!". The evil smile spread further across Krasius’ face.

Staring in horror at his brother, Ridcully fell slowly to his knees “ Krasius... Why? Mother... Father… you killed them..."

Smiling darkly, Krasius stepped backwards slowly entering a portal that had opened behind him, "Come with me. I'm leaving Brother. COME WITH ME!".

With a low rumble, the drake finally landed beside Ridcully keeping a careful eye on the portal as the blonde boy vanished into it.

Shaking his head slowly as he stood, Ridcully walked almost mechanically over to his parents “Mother... Father... Please... Get up.".

Finally the boy looked up at the dragon as the fire froze and balled his fists “"Are you here to kill me? Did my Brother summon you up? I'll end you... I'll end you just as I'll end HIM."

Shaking his head, Dunescale regarded him with a look of sadness “ No child, I am not. I am here to take you where you belong.” With a nod towards the parents he went on “I can wait until you have said a goodbye though. I may be stone but I am not heartless.”

The boy shook his head “"I belong nowhere anymore... I have nothing.... Only anger..."

Even as the boy faded his lust for vengeance and anger left an almost metallic taste in the air. With a heavy sigh the drake braced his feet as the next shift abruptly brought an increased pull from the orb.

Suddenly Dunescale found himself within a throne room facing a Ridcully almost as the boy knew him, though with key differences. The Red haired figure dressed in the gaudy robes of an Archmage spoke as the drake appeared "Two more... Myself Included."

Standing slowly, the mage made his way down to the drake who simply settled back wrapping his tail about his feet as he listened in fascination. “"I have lived every moment of my life... Every second for revenge. To hunt my brother. Everything was to this end. Everything else was a wall in the way or an asset to assist me in my warpath. Everything came from that. But then The Lich King came... And then my Daughter was born and her mother vanished. I am a split being. The final version. I have memories of a future I know not. My fate was unknown to me until this moment. My Wife... I knew her, but not her disappearance. You are familiar and yet not. Take my shard now, go forth and meet the last. I will do my best to prevent your capture. To find me... I am by the Prison."

Bowing his head in acknowledgement the drake braced his feet as a blue power swirled about him and the castle started to melt. Glancing about he was met with a massive room of dark stone with no doors surrounding him and in the center of it stood a prison made of glowing white bars with a single occupant, the brother.

Standing outside the prison, Ridcully looked much as he had the last time the boy had seen him down to the blue streak in his hair and Ocheliad blue eyes on his gloves.

As the pull of the orb increased despite the blue swirls fending off the worst of it, Ridcully turned to glare at the drake. "You are shaped as Kordrion. Do not insult my friend by stealing his shape. Take your form or be banished into this prison with Him."

Shaking his head Dunescale finally spoke “You know me Ridcully, though we have never met. Look closer and think on the last time you saw the boy.”

The mage’s glare grows in intensity for a moment "You are the Drake that chased me when I had taken one of his prisoner and fled the battle...What brings you here, to my innermost sanctum and seat of power?"

The drake lifted the pouch of gems “To make you whole again, and you are close, but you are wrong. The one who chased you simply had the shape.”

Ridcully gave a faint smile. "I have never been whole, Friend. Despite what all seems, I always have an emptiness in my heart and soul. Something lacking, yet never found. Did Old Tom send you? Or was it Kordrion?".

Dunescale shook his head “Then perhaps it is time to make you that way. I came at the request of both.”

Ridcully nodded and turned looking back at the prison. "He took the name Zenik... He was my brother once. I will never have back what he stole. Perhaps someday I will find a replacement?" The question sits in the air uncomfortably. Turning back, the mage walked over to the drake "You know me, and I know you. Take me from this place before I lock myself away in despair."

With that the drake found himself once more in a field regarding a singular blue orb of light where once he had so many stones. The soul made whole. Pondering it quietly, the drake finally bobbed his head slowly, “There will never be a replacement, but there will always be more if you allow yourself to find it.”

Launching himself into the sky in search of a Guardian, Dunescale noted almost immediately that the draw had increased despite the distance from the prison. Almost as soon as he was in the air a Guardian quickly made its way over. "Quickly now. Return Him to us and flee, before you too are imprisoned here!" Underneath him in the fields hundreds of humans and blue dragons begin to gather to watch the exchange.

Hesitating for the briefest moment the drake handed over the orb of light and spread his wings to take a powerful wingstroke upwards. “He needs to be returned to his rightful place, not imprisoned”

As he made his way higher into the sky nearing the barrier it was almost as if swimming through water. Each wingstroke was heavier than the last until the orb abruptly released its pull freeing the drake to return to his own place and report his findings.