Resurgence of the Light ch 19

“Consequences?” The word was uttered softly, perhaps even absentmindedly, yet Velonara could feel the tension in the air. "For whom, exactly?" Light’s Chosen said coldly.

"The world!" Chromie exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"Like the actions you have taken and not taken when needed?" Light’s Chosen’s tone was filled with accusation and brewing anger. Velonara felt out of her depth here; they had only just arrived, and the atmosphere was growing increasingly intense.

Chromie sputtered for a moment before retorting heatedly, "You do not know anything! All we have done is to ensure the survival of this world!"

"Have you now? Because to me, it seems quite the opposite," Light’s Chosen's words grew colder and colder, sending chills down Velonara's spine, a sensation she hadn't felt since her heart still beat.

A hand on her shoulder made her jerk back. Alexstrasza stood beside her, appearing out of nowhere. Wide-eyed, Velonara looked between where she had stood before and where she was now, utterly baffled at how she moved without notice.

"Come," Alexstrasza beckoned her, but her feet remained rooted to the floor. She was determined to stand by Light’s Chosen’s side. “It is not safe for you here,” Alexstrasza commented, her eyes fixed on the heated exchange between Light’s Chosen and Chromie. The tension in the air was growing, and Velonara felt the power rising around her.

She gritted her teeth and stood her ground, burying her apprehensions in the Light. She had been entrusted to accompany the Light’s Chosen, and that was what she intended to do.

Alexstrasza, seeing her resolve, sagged a little before returning to her previous spot. The power in the air intensified.

“Opposite? OPPOSITE!” Chromie's frustration boiled into anger at what she perceived as a blatant disregard for her flight's work.

“Chronormu, that is enough,” Alexstrasza commanded before turning toward Light’s Chosen. “Continue.”

“Time and time again, your flight has acted against the betterment of all those who inhabit this world. Paving the way for our enemies to grow stronger. Azshara, Neltharion, to name a few. Even now, you seek to weaken the world by standing in the way and trying to undo all that I have done,” Light’s Chosen continued, his passion striking Velorana as profoundly unusual. It humanized him, which felt odd given his nature. He had never felt human before.

“My actions have saved countless lives and will save countless more. So tell me – why do you seek to prevent it?” He finished coldly.

Chromie crossed her arms and gazed coldly back at him. “They were meant to die.” Those words sparked a surge of power from Light’s Chosen. Velonara felt her knees buckle, but the Light bolstered her, allowing her to remain standing. Chromie was squashed into the floor, unable to move, while the male dragon beside Alexstrasza had fallen to his knee. Alexstrasza, still standing, appeared unruffled, her closed eyes the only sign of her feeling anything.

“How… dare… you.” Cold and unforgiving anger laced Light’s Chosen’s tone. “Who gives you the right to decide who lives and who dies!”

“Please.” Alexstrasza’s calm voice cut through the power and anger in the air. After a moment, Light’s Chosen reined in his power, allowing everyone to breathe again. Chromie shakily stood up, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at the imposing Light’s Chosen. She had finally realized the danger he presented and how easily he could obliterate her.

"You speak… true," Alexstrasza's voice sounded sad as she interrupted the silence, making Chromie turn toward her with a shocked and betrayed expression.

"Time and time again, we the Dragonflights have failed when the world needed us the most. Worse, our actions created conflict on this world," Alexstrasza said, gazing outside across the lands of Dragonblight, no doubt recalling those moments with deep regret.

Alexstrasza turned toward Light’s Chosen. “Speak, Champion. I would hear your words and understand your decisions, and the path you walk,” she encouraged, her eyes holding a mix of curiosity and empathy.

Chromie stood speechless for a moment, her astonishment evident. When she tried to leave, Alexstrasza’s voice cut through the room like a command. “Chronormu, you will also remain and listen.” Her tone allowed no room for disagreement or disobedience.

Chromie turned, her expression defiant, but the icy gaze of Alexstrasza halted her in her tracks. With a resigned sigh, she bowed her head and stood to the side, prepared to listen.

A heavy silence settled in the room as they all awaited the Light’s Chosen’s words. Velonara found herself intensely interested in what he would say. His motives, desires, and the simple question of why he acted the way he did had been debated among those who had followed him. But no one had dared approach him directly and ask. He had always been something more, something larger than they could comprehend. The thought of questioning or, Light forbid, demanding something of him had never crossed their minds. And if his dressing down of Uther and Lady Windrunner was any indication, he did not respond well to demands.

Velonara felt a mix of curiosity and wariness, hoping that Alexstrasza’s intervention hadn’t aggravated him further.

After a tense pause, the Light’s Chosen began to speak, his voice filled with emotion like never before. “As I walked the cursed lands of Tirisfal, I felt sadness, disgust, and anger. So much anger for all the lives that had been snuffed out, for all those turned into abominations, used to inflict pain and suffering on others.

“As I knelt on the ground that had been twisted and felt its pain, I wept in sadness. When I beheld the animals that had unimaginable horrors inflicted upon them and now roamed this twisted and corrupted land, their agony-filled existence filled me with sympathy.

“As despair threatened to swallow me and darkness surrounded me, I beheld a feeble ray of light, struggling to bring even a measure of illumination to this cursed existence that surrounded me.

“It was then that determination filled me, a fire burning in my chest, roaring in anger. I would not go quietly into that dark night; I would rage and rave. So with all my might, I roared at the Light, demanding it grant me strength and power—power enough to achieve victory against the dying of the light.

“And it answered my call. The Light began to flood my flesh and blood, overwhelming me. But I would not go quietly into that good night! I purged the weakness from myself and allowed the Light to fill me until I could take no more.

“I was reborn that day.”

With his tale concluded, another heavy silence descended upon the room, the weight of his words sinking in. The truth behind his actions and the depths of his determination had been laid bare for all to see.

As Alexstrasza silently gazed at them and the land beyond the temple, a myriad of emotions flashed across her face. Velonara could sense the weight of centuries in her eyes, the burdens of a queen who had seen the rise and fall of empires. But then, determination set in. She turned to the male standing next to her, who, under her focused attention, straightened and patiently waited for her words.

“Krasus, you will gather others and join our new friends,” Alexstrasza commanded. As she finished, Krasus' eyes widened in surprise, but he remained composed. Alexstrasza had already turned away from him, redirecting her attention back to Light’s Chosen.

“For now, Krasus and those he deems worthy of joining you will assist you. I must take care of other matters, but once they are done, we will join you in removing this evil from our world once and for all,” Alexstrasza declared, her words filling Velonara with elation. They had secured the aid of dragons. Dragons! The magnitude of their assistance was not lost on her, and she could hardly wait to witness the reactions of the others once they returned with this news.

“Nozdormu will not like this,” Chromie huffed from the side, voicing her concerns, but fell silent under Alexstrasza's stern gaze. “Nozdormu will be quiet. For too long have I allowed events to pass without questioning them,” Alexstrasza retorted with a small smirk. “Besides, you said it yourself: this timeline cannot be changed. All that is left for us to do is act. We may fail or we may succeed. In the end, all that matters is that we gave it our all.”

With that, Alexstrasza dismissed them. Velonara and Light’s Chosen walked away with Krasus, who requested some time to gather others before departing. They both agreed to wait.

Meanwhile, Chromie shot one last baleful look toward Light’s Chosen before disappearing. Velonara couldn't quite shake her unease. The idea of a dragon, especially one capable of manipulating time, attempting to hinder them weighed heavily on her mind. She understood that she couldn't openly reveal her misgivings, especially now that they had secured assistance from the Dragon Queen.

Hopefully, Light’s Chosen shared her concerns. In the unlikely event of sabotage, they needed to be vigilant and thwart any attempts to undermine their cause. The fate of their world depended on it.