Chapter 633: Starlight of the Moon

Had the Queen not mentioned it, Duke wouldn't have realized just how dire the situation at his stronghold had become. It seemed ready to burst into flames!

He had previously set aside Karazhan for two reasons. First, he lacked the strength to cleanse it fully. Second, Stormwind City was on the brink of destruction. Without Duke's intervention, King Llane Wrynn would have perished.

Did Duke not care about Karazhan?

Absolutely not!

While he could part with Sentinel Hill, lose Redridge Mountains, and even forgo Elwynn Forest, he could never abandon Karazhan.

As the Third War against the Dark Portal loomed, what enemies would manifest on Azeroth?

Undying revenants, banshees and gargoyles that filled the skies, molten hounds as tall as three-story buildings, and mountainous fire elementals... These terrifying entities were beyond mere swords and arrows.

The most reliable weapon Duke had was his magic.

The path to Dalaran was blocked. His only recourse was Karazhan.

Hearing of the danger, Duke was understandably upset.

Seeing Duke's reaction—akin to a cat whose tail had been stepped on—Alexstrasza felt a momentary triumph.

"Do you know who's behind it?" she teased, her nose tilting up in a playfully haughty manner, as if saying, 'Beg me, and maybe I'll tell you.'

Determined, Duke spun around to leave, but the Dragon Queen was swift, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on, hotshot. Let's talk."

Suddenly, the surroundings twisted, and in a blink, Duke found himself in a circular pavilion attached to the side of the Wyrmrest Temple.

Calling it a pavilion wasn't entirely accurate. It seemed to be a subspace attached to the temple. Although the view showed the Dragonblight, one couldn't exit from this location.

Alexstrasza, hands on her hips, huffed, "I was just teasing. Was it really worth getting worked up?"

Duke retorted, "Would you be calm if Wyrmrest was under threat?"

The Queen couldn't argue with his logic. "Karazhan is safe for now."

"Then I need to prepare."

"No, no. I believe you'd better prepare here."

"Why?"

The Queen approached, her yellow, vertical-slit eyes shimmering strangely. "I want to examine your body and magic circuits."

"Wait, what?"

Without hesitation, Alexstrasza began her inspection. Duke tensed, feeling the weight of a dragon's might pressing upon him. It was an unnerving sensation, akin to a dragon sharpening its claws right beside you. One wrong move, and he might be torn apart.

"Hmm, a fragile body, but quite peculiar," she mused. "You've seen countless battles, yet there are no hidden injuries. Your magic circuits are... perfect." She paused, considering, "I don't know if I should suggest this, but after witnessing your mastery, perhaps..."

"Perhaps what?"

"You could ask Malygos for the 'Starlight of the Moon'?"

"'Starlight of the Moon'?"

"Malygos, the Spellweaver, holds the blueprint of all magical models in this world. The 'Starlight of the Moon' can elevate a Morningstar mage to a full-fledged Lunar mage in a short span, provided they have a strong control over their magic circuits. However, there's a price."

Duke gripped Alexstrasza's shoulders, "What's the cost?"

She hesitated, "Malygos believes only dragons, as perfect beings, are worthy of the 'Starlight of the Moon.' If you insist on having it, he might relent, but he'd despise you. That level of animosity could jeopardize your magical journey."

Duke scoffed, his confidence unwavering. "Can he destroy my magic circuits from miles away?"

"No, but..."

"Can he bar me from using magic?"

"No, but..."

"Would his disdain affect your or Wyrmrest's opinion of me?"

"Of course not. However..."

Duke waved her off, "Enough. I'll speak with Malygos."

Alexstrasza was flabbergasted. This was Malygos, the Spellweaver! Mere mortals trembled at the mention of his name. Yet Duke seemed nonchalant about antagonizing an ancient guardian dragon.

His audacity was unparalleled.

Seeing Duke's determination, Alexstrasza laughed, "Wait, Duke! Don't you want me to mediate? For my sake, Malygos might be more lenient. If you go alone, you might end up enemies. And if he ever pursues you out of spite, I won't intervene."

Duke dismissed her concerns, "It's just Malygos. He's nothing to me."

He seemed oblivious to the implications of his next words, "Among all the dragons, you're the only one I truly care about, Alexstrasza."

Unbeknownst to him, his statement left the Dragon Queen momentarily stunned.