Chapter 532: An Answer for You

The declaration silenced the crowd.

Every soul present could comprehend the fury of a father who had lost a son.

Every heart could feel the sorrow of a king bereft of an heir.

To send off a young life before its time was a tragedy as old as time itself.

Yet, this was the Alliance Assembly!

A ceremony to honor the Alliance hero, Duk; a proclamation of Alliance might after enduring so many hardships inflicted by the Horde.

You see, even Lordaeron's Terenas, despite the brunt his nation bore, still stood with a facade of unity.

Especially given the unparalleled power of the Red Dragonflight! A mere snarl from the Queen might spell doom for all humanity. The grand cities of man could crumble to nothing. The kingdoms of man could splinter into countless tiny clans, reverting to a primitive state, vulnerable to any threat.

Was it not a stroke of luck that the Red Dragonflight, despite being blackmailed, did not wreak havoc upon the Alliance? The world may have long since crumbled.

Now, the upstart Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras chooses this moment to voice his grievances. Who would appease him? Who would dare support his contention?

Silence.

A silence as profound as death.

In truth, Daelin knew full well that no nation would back him. He also knew that he ought to swallow his rage, just as Terenas had.

But he couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his eldest son, Derek, consumed by flames. The spirits of his children haunted him.

He could not suppress his rage, not as a father, nor as a ruler.

Even though he knew it was not the time, he felt that if he didn't speak now, he would never find the courage to voice his grief again.

The air grew tense.

The temperature plummeted.

With tears in his eyes, Daelin dropped to his knees. It was perhaps a plea, or maybe a form of self-consolation.

Suddenly, a figure appeared before him.

A figure in mage robes.

In this gathering, aside from Archmage Antonidas behind him, only one had the right to wear those robes – Duke!

Duke, who had climbed to the pedestal of heroism atop the corpses of countless souls.

"Sigh…" Duke gently patted Daelin's shoulder, uttering words so shocking they made not only Daelin but every king present incredulous: "Rise, Daelin. I will have Alexstrasza provide an answer."

What?

Have one of the five great Dragon Aspects, the Red Dragon Queen herself, provide an answer to a mere human king?

Is this some twisted jest?

It was as absurd as expecting a lion to apologize to ants for accidentally trampling one.

Daelin, overwhelmed, stood, leaning on his sword.

He gazed at the dark horizon, waiting.

Normally, ten minutes would fly by.

But the stifling atmosphere made every second drag on endlessly.

Every brow dripped with sweat, every soul awaited the being that might emerge from the horizon.

And then, just a little over nine minutes in, the moonlight dimmed.

It was obscured by a vast entity.

As suspected, a dragon.

A dragon with outstretched wings, its scales gleaming with a fierce red light.

Its golden eyes, vast as the horizon, seemed to brim with molten lava. The imposing horns on its head caught the moonlight, casting shadows below. As it soared, it looked down upon the kings gathered at the Violet Square.

Against this ancient, formidable creature, every mortal seemed insignificant.

All recognized this beast – Tyranastrasz, the dragon responsible for sending countless Alliance soldiers to their fiery doom.

Tension gripped every soldier present.

Although they had been told the Red Dragonflight was no longer an enemy, who could predict the whims of this volatile beast?

Dalaran's magical defenses might vanquish him, but how many would he take down before his fall?

None could be sure.

Yet, as the dragon landed in the open space of the Violet Square, its massive form began to shrink.

From a colossal beast weighing thousands of tons, it transformed into a humanoid figure.

Before the assembly stood an elderly man with flowing white hair and beard. Clad only in a Grecian-style kilt, his bare torso revealed muscular, scar-riddled flesh.

"Who is it? Who dares demand an answer from the ancient dragon, Tyranastrasz? Step forward and reveal yourself!" The human-shaped dragon roared with a ferocity that sent chills down the spines of all present.