"Stop!"
Just as the group prepared their final attacks to finish off the powerless Black Dragon, Wayne's shout halted them.
At that moment, the game space-time created by the vending machine finally expired. The sky transitioned from dark-red volcanic ash back to a clear but pitch-black night, and the charred soil beneath their feet returned to the muddy ground of the farm.
Onyxia remained lying at the edge of the construction site, never having entered the area covered by the massive magical shield.
The two Dwarven riflemen, the two senior warlocks, Anasha, Barons, and the workers in the cellar cautiously approached. They had no idea what had happened during the time these people and the dragon had vanished, but the sight of the defeated Black Dragon left them in a state of extreme shock.
Most importantly, all their companions had returned safely.
Wayne rested his axe against Onyxia's neck—a neck thicker than a tree trunk. The others pointed their spells and weapons at her vital spots. Even though they could no longer use the items, skills, and spells from the game in the real world, they still had more than enough power to kill this dragon.
Wayne leaned close to Onyxia's face and spoke. His tone was firm, but his voice was low; he didn't want the workers to know that a Black Dragon was the mastermind behind the King's disappearance.
Onyxia let out several deep growls. Wayne couldn't tell if she was speaking or merely moaning in pain. Then, the sound of rapid wingbeats echoed from the horizon. Wayne recognized the sound and looked up with the others to see the Royal Gryphon Riders arriving.
The lead gryphon landed nearby. The male human rider, remaining on alert, did not dismount. He saluted from the saddle and shouted, "Duke Shadowbreak! I am Commander David of the Stormwind Defense Force Air Wing. It is an honor to meet you!"
The other nine riders remained hovering in the air, holding magical warhammers in their right hands and reins in their left, maintaining a combat stance.
Shadowbreak: "I suggest you remain on guard, but there is no need to act for now."
Although Shadowbreak was a Duke, he was not a member of the Stormwind military and held no rank. Legally, he could not command any royal soldiers outside of his personal guards. David, however, was no fool. Seeing that the group had already subdued the massive dragon, he knew that jumping in now to deliver the final blow would look like a blatant attempt to steal military credit. It would be embarrassing and would deeply offend a Duke with such immense influence.
He responded with the universal phrase, "For the Alliance!" and waved his hand. The gryphon riders immediately formed a W-shaped formation in the sky. He planted a war banner into the ground, and several flashes of teleportation magic appeared nearby as ten Royal Priests arrived.
Unlike the soldiers, the priests recognized Shadowbreak as a fellow member of the Church of the Holy Light and immediately followed his lead, beginning to treat the injured Corrine and her companions.
Wayne paid no attention to these matters. The balance of power was now overwhelmingly in their favor. He applied slight pressure, letting the axe blade sink about two inches into Onyxia's neck. Though not a fatal wound, it caused the Black Dragon princess to let out a cry of agony.
"That's right, I know who you are. I know your other identity as well."
Wayne leaned even closer. "Not only that, I know a great deal about you, your brother, and your father."
Onyxia finally responded in a language Wayne could understand: "Mortal... you... who are you...?"
Wayne: "I am who I am. You've already seen what I'm capable of. What I want you to do now is return that 'duplicate' to Stormwind. But even if you refuse, I can find him, as well as his other half who has lost his memory!"
Hearing this, Onyxia became certain that this human, who could slit her throat at any moment, wasn't lying. There wasn't a hint of bluff in his words.
Wayne gave her an ultimatum: "Choose for yourself. Either your head falls and rots while hanging from a beam in Stormwind, or your brother takes you back and forcibly resurrects you into the body of another dragon—or even a wingless dog—turning you into a horrific monster that even beasts would despise. Or, you cooperate with me, and I can grant you a way to live."
Onyxia heard a turning point in Wayne's words. As a dragon who considered herself a master of deception and mental control, she wouldn't pass up a chance to survive. Temporary defeat meant little to the Black Dragonflight. Her father, Neltharion, had once faked his death by falling into the sea to deceive the Archmagi of Dalaran.
What Onyxia had been doing in Stormwind these past few years was merely following the path her father had walked before.
"Fine. I agree, mortal."
Just as Wayne slightly loosened his grip, David shouted, "Civilians, evacuate! Gryphon Riders, take to the air! Prepare for battle!"
In the direction his magical warhammer pointed, two dragons—one large and one small—were flying toward them.
The dragon in front was a Black Dragon like Onyxia, but larger, with a wider wingspan. The one behind was bronze-colored and significantly smaller, appearing to be struggling to keep up with the leader.
Wayne pressed the axe back into Onyxia's neck, and scalding dragon blood flowed out. She growled in pain once more. This development was outside of Wayne's plan. He looked at the sky with extreme apprehension, focusing on the massive lead dragon.
He was terrified that it might be Deathwing. If it were the Aspect of Death himself—who in the future would become a mad king sworn to destroy everything—Onyxia being a "hostage" would not prevent everyone on site, and perhaps all of Goldshire, from being annihilated.
"Mortal, cease your foolish behavior!"
The Black Dragon let out a long roar and slowly descended, landing nearby on all fours. Wayne took a closer look and breathed a small sigh of relief. It wasn't Deathwing; it was Nefarian, arriving from Blackrock Mountain. Behind him, the bronze dragon remained in the air.
Everyone entered a state of high alert. This dragon was clearly larger and stronger than Onyxia.
Wayne shouted back, "I have made my demands! Now it's your turn to respond!"
Nefarian was curious and puzzled. Although his sister was not as powerful as he was, she shouldn't have been beaten so badly by a dozen humans.
Onyxia growled in Draconic, "Brother, do not act rashly. This man possesses power even I cannot comprehend."
Nefarian rebuked her, "Foolish Onyxia! Your schemes have collapsed! If you don't want to jeopardize Father's plans or lose your life, return that 'idiotic product' of yours—the one you thought was perfect but is riddled with flaws—to these tiny humans!"
Suppressing her rage and helplessness, Onyxia finally agreed to Wayne's terms. "Fine. You only need to... release me, and I will return that person."
Given the gravity of the situation, Shadowbreak, Andromath, Sandar , and the others told Wayne not to believe her lies. Once she was free, there was no guarantee they would honor the promise.
Wayne pulled the axe out of Onyxia's neck and took a deep breath. He channeled all his strength and roared at the bleeding wound:
"Wuld-Nah-Kest!"
Onyxia felt a sudden itching sensation in the wound and asked angrily, "What did you do to me?"
Wayne slung the axe onto his back and leaped down from her neck. Though his words were directed at Onyxia, his eyes remained fixed on Nefarian.
He said, "That was a Dragon Shout. You felt the sensation of your own flames being pushed back by my voice earlier."
"If you fulfill your promise within three days, I will remove the effect of this Draconic rune. Otherwise, your wound will suffer ten thousand times more itching and pain than it does now, and you will die as the wound rots away."
Nefarian took two sudden steps forward, and a sharp dragon roar blew like a gale, tossing everyone's hair and clothes.
"Mortal, you dare to bargain with an ancient dragon?"
Even though Amy could see that Wayne's clothes were soaked with sweat, he raised his axe toward Nefarian and said, "What? You don't believe me? If not, ask her."
Seeing the dragon about to act, the gryphon riders closed in. The ten Royal Priests began chanting, placing Power Word: Fortitude and Power Word: Shield on everyone. The rest of the group aimed their weapons at Nefarian.
However, what seemed to worry Nefarian the most was the bronze dragon hovering in the air behind him.
Onyxia spoke several low words in Draconic, advising Nefarian not to fight. The terror Wayne had instilled in her hadn't faded, and with these reinforcements, even Nefarian might not escape unscathed.
Clearly dissatisfied, Nefarian snorted several times and extended his left wing to cover her. Onyxia's body shrank into a human silhouette, though covered by the wing, no one could see her face.
But Wayne knew: this was the pampered and domineering Lady Katrana Prestor.
Nefarian gently held her human form in his left claw, beat his wings, and flew toward the north. He left Wayne with one final sentence:
"Compared to a mortal's short life, the longevity of dragons is an absolute advantage. For mortals, you do not control time; time rules you!"
"Foolish mortal, you will soon pay the price for today's arrogance!"
Soon, Nefarian vanished into the darkness.