“Auntie.”
Kkyrann scowled at the word. The twisted features and shining fangs bared ever so dangerously… Wrathion inhaled cautiously for a moment, before eliciting a soft chuckle. Desperately hoping he might reach her good humor. Even Sabellian hardly threatened him with a pummeling, despite it being well-earned.
“I’m… Glad we could talk again after so long.” He hummed, idly moving a chess piece. “I hoped that you might join myself and the Black Talons-”
“Yes.” Kkyrann interrupted, announcing her next move with a thunderous clap of her knight against the board. “I will do everything I can to destroy Iridikron.” And as she said that, she viciously knocked a pawn out of her knight’s way. Her nephew grimaced. “Always so quick to resort violence…” He offered another faint chuckle, searching for an opening amidst her remaining forces. Such is the answer sometimes, he was sure she said - but he hardly let the comment settle. “I feel that, however, you should… Address your corruption, before you come.” He continued, finally claiming another one of her pieces.
His aunt’s gaze lifted to meet his own. Her dracthyr visage held a surprising likeness to her true form, and the void’s taint was ever so clear… Tendrils of violet seeping from her eyes, reaching desparately to claim yet another victim. Its effects were being rapidly subdued by the Elements, causing an otherwise dazzling display of colors through her wings - reacting violently to one another…
Wrathion could tell she knew. She dipped her head slowly, “I will.”
Her turn once more. As she reached for one in particular, her nephew was overcome with newfound dread. He watched every moment of her realization - the calculations being made swiftly behind her magic-addled stare. “Would be quite unfortunate if I brought the world to its knees instead.” She answered, knocking over his queen with a breathy, “Checkmate.”
Wrathion stifled an “ugh,” considering a reply of his own to address her phrasing… Before another voice chimed in.
“That seems like an over-exaggeration.”
Sabellian leaned casually against a pillar, arms crossed as he stared the dragons down. “Despite the damage a mere whelp or drake can cause.” His gaze skimmed a less-than-amused Wrathion, offering a little smirk before Kkyrann stole his attention with a subtle roll of her eyes. “You still believe you can defeat me?” She asked with dramatic incredulity. Sabellian growled - as best he could in his human form. “I doubt you’re truly capable of the horrors you allude to.”
Kkyrann’s claws intertwined over the table, angling her head towards her half-brother. “Not an answer.” Was all she rumbled in return, though her own humor subsided into solemn thoughtfulness. The other wyrm held his tongue for a moment, however, his eyes belied internal cursing at her demeanor… Before approaching his family with a far softer expression. “None of us will suffer the same fate as Neltharion.” He spoke, bringing a fist to his chest. Wrathion soon did the same… Slowly but surely followed by Kkyrann. Yet, her gaze fell upon a new silhouette… Encouraging the others to do so as well. And one after the other, Wrathion and Kkyrann stood to face their Aspect.
“Never again.” Ebyssian replied, soon accompanied by a bow of the head… As well as a rolling laugh. “I was not invited to the family gathering?”
Wrathion hummed humorously, “It was more of a spur of the moment thing.”
“Well, with relative peace, comes an opportunity to catch up.” The tauren smiled. “That is, if you all wish to do so.”
Of course, no one offered any real interest… Instead glimpsing one another with utmost hesitation. It was at this moment, that Ebyssian zeroed in on Kkyrann - and so too did everyone else. “Or as part of your duties, you can inform me why you made contact with the void.” The Aspect commanded suddenly. Yet, his voice remained ever gentle, his instuction one of worry rather than Neltharion’s typical discipline.
Kkyrann remained all the more distant despite Ebyssian’s efforts. “I am working to cleanse it.” She replied swiftly, a talon concealing the wicked scar across her rune-lit neck. “The dracthyr I fought is no longer a concern. Just someone to be wary of.”
Nobody seemed convinced, about any part of it, really. Not Wrathion, nor the wyrm’s half-brothers. They looked to each other for a moment, knowing Kky’s gaze was following as acutely as ever. Eventually, all eyes fell upon her once more, the many of them considering what to say… Before things rapidly and chaotically declined.
As if sensing their doubt… The void manifested within the dragoness once more, swallowing her colors in a swathe of darkness. The resonant, elemental energies of her family reached to claim hold over her body, yet their efforts were futile… The more they fought back, the more her body seemed to wrack with pain, releasing a vaporous surge of magic through her runes. When the smoke cleared, she had taken on her true form, pushing the others to do so as well.
Her transformation served as the final catalyst. The Elements’ fell prey to the void… Allowing its shadow to overwhelm her gaze, assuming full control. Sabellian quickly placed himself between Kkyrann and the others. Gnashing teeth and snarls abound, echoing all around the Citadel… “Fight back, Kkyrann!” Her kindred roared, yet Ebyssian shook his head, circling around towards the dragon’s rear. “We need to subdue her, quickly-”
Her tail lashed, crackling against the air akin to a sudden lightning strike. The Aspect twisted his head in the nick of time, scarcely avoiding a whiplash to his eye. The scales below were marked, nevertheless, by a searing burn. Sabellian surged forward, locking claws and shoulders with his sister. Hind talons screeched against the floor as they pushed against one another, seeking to slam their opponent down. Horns and teeth collided, clashing like fearsome thunder across the region. Kkyrann’s tail continued to flay, crashing down upon the chess board and nearly taking Wrathion with it. The drake quickly flew to safety, his throat alight with the kindling of deep fire… Reaching his maw in preparation. Ebyssian threw himself over the dragoness, combining his might with Sabellian’s… Finally pushing her to the ground.
Wrathion withheld his flame, watching the others carefully. His aunt rumbled fiercer than any tempest… Still attempting to claw her way through the other dragons, shuddering desparately for release… Analogous to a rampaging earthquake. Until eventually, she seemed to settle, if for a few eerie twitches… Before her talons reached towards herself, the first semblance of her humanity since the void’s grasp. The drake looked on in horror as she maimed at her own face, as though she were attempting to gouge out her eyes.
“Sh*t," Sabellian muttered, angling himself to pin down her talons. Eventually she ceased all movement… Breathing raggedly under the wyrms’ grasps. With the conflict controlled, at least for the moment, Wrathion quietly landed once more… Keeping his distance as he looked to Ebyssian, wordlessly seeking his guidance.
The Aspect’s talons navigated carefully beneath his sister’s shredded wings. “She is grounded for now. I will attempt another ritual - in Deepholm." His eyes traveled over Kkyrann, sensing her Spirit… The Elements were overwhelmingly strong within her, but without proper control, the void would continue to have its way. A single lift of the snout was enough to urge Sabellian elsewhere, though Ebyssian sent him with a task. “Inform Trynnimac to meet me below.”
…
Even with him gone, Kkyrann had lost her fight - hopefully coming to. Words were whispered on the wind, prayers to the Earthmother… Magic seemed to coalesce once more, though now to heal the wyrm’s fractured mind. All the while, Wrathion recovered what was left of the chess board, spared from utter destruction thanks to its material… Even if a few pieces hung precariously over the balcony’s edge. A frown arrived on his visage as he counted those that remained… Yet, he saved what he could and packed it away.
He looked to Ebyssian once more, offering a weak smile. “It is a good thing that you have time for this.”