Wayne continued to play dumb. "You saw it with your own eyes. I haven't even stepped out of the net cafe's door these past few days. How could I possibly change the world?"
Chromie was indeed very puzzled, and Wayne's next words hit another major point of confusion in her mind.
"You... can see more than just a person's past, right? You can see their future as well?"
Wayne's understanding of the Bronze Dragonflight no longer surprised Chromie. But just as Wayne said, keepers of time must adhere to the principles of justice and detachment. She did not lie at that moment. "Yes. But I—at least, I personally—cannot see your future. That is extremely rare in Azeroth."
Wayne nodded silently. "That's right. You can even see your own end. Have you not sought help from Nozdormu?"
"I have sought him," Chromie replied, "but I cannot find him. I don't even know which world or which timeline he is in."
"Therefore, I must resolve current matters alone. We all have our own assignments, and this space-time contains more worlds than just Azeroth."
Wayne clapped his hands together, his eyes lighting up. "I get it!"
"Originally, you could see the future in the normal timeline and the future in the altered timeline. As long as you saw the fork between the two and knew the cause of the change, you could find a way to correct the timeline."
"But this time, you cannot see where the altered timeline leads. You've tried many methods but can't solve it. That's why you—"
"Yes," Chromie interrupted. "But the Bronze Dragons are not as simple or as powerless as you describe."
"I missed one scenario earlier. Just as influential people can change the direction of the world's timeline, the opposite is also true. If these people suddenly disappear unnaturally—in your understanding, usually meaning death—the force they originally possessed to push the time stream forward will vanish. The world will likewise be pulled away from its original position."
"I saw that the event takes place in Stormwind. I saw that the crux of the matter lies in the life or death of a human male named 'Windsor'."
"So, as the most efficient way, I hope you will tell me your thoughts and purpose so I can correct it immediately. If you are unwilling, I will have to correct it through direct intervention. After all, you know that my original form isn't this petite and cute."
Hearing Chromie mention "Windsor," Wayne was inwardly stunned. She really knows!
If Medivh could show these things through spells, it was even more of a routine and effortless task for a Bronze Dragon whose job was to maintain the timeline.
If Chromie intervened today, whether she secretly helped Onyxia kill Windsor or transformed into a dragon to do it herself—attributing it to the Black Dragonflight—the end of fate would still loop back to what she called the "correct" timeline!
No!
Since he had decided to defy the heavens and change fate, he couldn't let it fail at the final step.
Furthermore, this matter was no longer as simple as just Windsor. Vereesa, Shadowbreaker, McBride, Andromath, Sandal... it would affect all of their fates!
Wayne swallowed. "Fine. Then come inside with me. I'll show you something."
After saying that, he walked toward the net cafe. Chromie was suspicious and did not follow immediately.
Wayne looked back at her. "What's wrong? Someone who can travel freely through timelines is afraid I'll play tricks on you?"
"Let's go. If you want to know why I'm doing this... I don't have your talent for drawing lines in the air with a finger. If you don't want to know the truth, then suit yourself."
Wayne finished speaking and continued walking toward the cafe, acting as if he didn't care. Inwardly, he was chanting: Follow me... follow me... follow me... come on, follow me!
After walking nearly ten meters, he finally heard Chromie's voice. "Fine. But I won't give you much time."
Wayne breathed a long sigh of relief in his heart. Without looking back, he raised his right hand and signaled "five" with his fingers. "Finished in five minutes, tops."
The two entered the cafe. Wayne had Tess lead her to a private luxury booth on the second floor while he returned to his own cubicle.
Chromie was wary, but Wayne told her that such a secret matter involving the timeline couldn't be revealed in public. Chromie complied.
She entered the room, and Tess helped her put on the glasses. Wayne sent her a private message through the game channel, asking her to enter The Elder Scrolls V once again.
Wayne told Chromie that the reason he was doing this was that he had discovered the key to the problem within the world of Skyrim.
When Chromie asked what the key was, Wayne didn't say. He only told her she would see it after completing two steps of a quest.
The two first went to the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood. The innkeeper, Delphine, turned out to be a member of the "Blades," an ancient organization dedicated to fighting dragons. Because the organization had suffered a major setback, she was currently the only active member left.
To verify if Wayne and Chromie were Dragonborn, Delphine agreed to meet them on a hillside southeast of Windhelm. The two set off immediately.
But as time ticked away, Chromie's brow furrowed tightly.
When they reached the destination, it turned out to be a burial mound for dragon remains. Wayne, Chromie, and Delphine saw the massive black dragon that had reduced Helgen to ruins. It was currently using dragon power to resurrect the dragon inside the mound.
Soon, the black dragon's goal was achieved, and the resurrected dragon began to attack the three of them.
Through the coordination of Wayne and Chromie's Dragon Shouts and combat techniques, the newly resurrected dragon was sent back to a state of death. After witnessing the power of their Shouts, Delphine confirmed they were the key figures to reviving the Blades—the Dragonborn.
Delphine asked them to return to the Sleeping Giant Inn to discuss the next step. But just as Wayne was about to set off, Chromie refused to go further.
She said to Wayne in a serious tone, "If you think you can use a wondrous journey in another world to make me forget my innate duty as a Bronze Dragon, then you have underestimated us far too much."
Wayne was still stalling. "Just one more step. You'll see it as soon as you get back."
Chromie reluctantly believed him and returned to the Sleeping Giant Inn. Delphine led them into a secret room hidden behind a false back in her wardrobe.
But what she told them was that another member of the Blades was hiding in the sewers of Riften. Only this person knew the location of the ruins containing the secrets of the dragons. She needed the two of them to help her bring this person back.
Wayne tried to bluff again. "See? She said the secret is with that man. Just give it another twenty minutes, and you'll have the answer."
But this time, Chromie wouldn't believe him no matter what. In her perception, the event in Stormwind that would alter the timeline was about to happen!
Without another word, Chromie ripped off the glasses and hurried downstairs, giving Wayne no chance to entangle her further.
After leaving the cafe, she went to a deserted spot by the lake. She transformed back into her true form as a Bronze Dragon, spread her wings, and flew toward Stormwind at full speed.