#( h. ) kalecgos.

[avalior]

a proper thorough version of this is on the way, but kalec here is canon divergent from ‘war crimes’.

[anduln]

— star lake, star eyes

Kalecgos and Wrathion have been busy as of late. Between blue dragonflight reunions and black dragonflight diplomacy, the two unlikely friends barely have any time for fun, or rest. Well, except when Kalecgos drags Wrathion to the middle of nowhere in Azure Span. On horseback.

i’ve been wanting to write a kalethion fic in this landscape for so long!! maybe you’ll recognize the place. the dragonscale expedition sometimes has a raft catalogue quest there. also apologies for mistakes lol i wrote this in under an hour. enjoy 🌟 also on ao3!

‘And remind me of why we’re here again?’

‘I told you, this is my special spot. I’ve gotta show it to you!’

Wrathion sighed at how enthusiastic Kalecgos was to show him this ‘spot’. Not that he was annoyed by him, but he was quite busy, you know. Between his new job as the black dragonflight diplomat, getting acquainted with a land he barely knew, and helping the Aspects rebuild the Dragon Isles, Wrathion was frankly pretty overwhelmed by it all. He never had any time left for rest.

Maybe getting dragged to the middle of nowhere in the Azure Span wasn’t such a bad idea after all, he thought, a soft smile drawing itself on his face.

Kalecgos subtly turned his head as best as he could while riding next to his friend, noticing his change in expression. Kalecgos was relieved to know Wrathion wasn’t really as irritated as he tried to look.

Their horses walked on the crunchy snow, the noise turning into a lullaby for Kalecgos. He stuck out his neck to feel the cold air bite on his skin. It was charged with arcane magic and its sting felt like soft electric shocks to him. He always loved spending time in the Azure Span. Or anywhere ripe with magic, really. He felt right at home.

Wrathion wasn’t feeling so peaceful, and turned to his friend, willing to say anything just to break the silence, but he caught himself upon seeing Kalec’s face. Eyes closed, head back, hair flying. All blues & glitter skin, though not any shinier than the snow itself. Just shiny enough that you could see the light get caught on that impossibly pale skin. ‘He looks like he’s never seen the sun,’ Wrathion chuckled, and so did Kalec, and he quickly blushed, realizing he spoke outloud.

‘That much is true. I’ve never been one for summer season. There’s too much heat! I prefer winter a hundred times over,’ Kalec said.

‘I can’t agree,’ Wrathion replied, brushing over the embarrassing moment that’d just ocurred. ‘I love the sun. To feel it warm up my scales, & have the wind cool it off while I fly, it’s just… so very freeing.’ Kalecgos saw him smile, and he thought Wrathion should definitely smile more. It suits him.

He paused, as if lost in thought, and Kalec picked up the conversation. ‘Well, I’m sorry, but that is simply not what you’ll be getting today,’ he said, a light tone to his words.

‘Clearly…’ Wrathion grumbled, and Kalec laughed. Another blush on Wrathion’s face…

‘S-so what is it about this snowy, cold place that you like, anyway? This better be about spotting a rare yeti…’

‘Even better…’

And a soft tingle sound filled Wrathion’s ears as they approached the spot. Bell chimes mixed with magic pitter-pattering in the air, entering his lungs as he breathed in deep. Kalecgos was right to have insisted on travelling by horse instead of flying over. He wouldn’t risk anyone else finding this place either.

Up on a mountain top, lilac and magenta flowers were littered around the cloudy waters of the lake. Crystals and gems sprouted from the lake’s shores, a sign of arcane life. There were trees that looked like pinetrees but not quite, as if transformed by the magic nearby. Wrathion couldn’t tell if the stars in the sky were a reflection of the bright, scintillating lake, or vice-versa.

‘It’s… breathtaking.’ Wrathion stared at the landscape, mouth agape. But Kalecgos stared at him, glad to see his friend appreciate a place that was so important to him.

‘How did you even find it?!’ Wrathion exclaimed loudly, his usual fiery demeanor back.

‘I was surveying the land, to see if everything was alright. I found it by coincidence, and have been coming here ever since. When I need time away from the Archives…’ He trailed off. They got off their horses, walked to the dock, and had sat down while talking.

‘I can see why you like this place, now. A little retreat opportunity from the responsibilities of being an Aspect, I suppose.’

Kalec sighed despite himself. He wasn’t one to talk about his troubles, but the lake was so relaxing to his mind, and Wrathion’s voice sounded so soft.

‘Exactly. It can get… overwhelming. I appreciate that Sindragosa is willing to help me every step of the way, of course I am— but I feel like… Sometimes, I think Sindragosa tries to remake the past, through me…’

Wrathion stared at him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

‘I know I’ve got a lot of work to do, if I want to restore our flight to its true power and history, and purpose. I just feel a bit lost, sometimes. Sindragosa knows so much, and I feel the gap between our experiences everytime we talk. It’s hard to not— to not, well…’ Kalecgos sighed. He didn’t want to say the words. He was scared that they’d be real if he did.

‘…to what?’ Wrathion prompted.

‘To feel like an impostor.’

A pause.

‘Like I have no place here. Like I’m just pretending to be what the blue dragons need. Like even if I work hard, and read every book that exists in those Archives, that I’ll still be lightyears behind Sindragosa, or Senegos. Or, well… whatever older blue dragon is still alive…’

Wrathion had the good conscience of not mentioning that, technically, Sindragosa wasn’t alive, from what he understood when Kalec told him about it.

He wanted to say so much. That he was, frankly, quite stupid for even thinking that way. That Kalec was probably the most knowledgeable wizard there ever was. That the blue dragonflight hadn’t been this united in hundreds of years. But he paused. And he looked at him. He knew Kalecgos. He knew he needed silence to gather his thoughts. Much unlike Wrathion, who preferred to say whatever thought came to him. But this wasn’t about him, so, he waited.

The sound of water hitting against rocks & crystals surrounded them. And after a few minutes, Kalec spoke up.

‘I’m sorry.’

Wrathion blinked.

‘What on earth would you be sorry for?!’ He blurted out.

‘I… know this sounds like I’m ungrateful for the fact that I became an Aspect, but I swear that’s not the case. And I know that being an Aspect is —was, —well it still is, something that’s very important to you, and I know you probably wouldn’t complain about it the way I am right now, but I swear—’

‘Kalecgos.’

He stopped, and looked over to Wrathion. Had his complaints angered him? Or had Wrathion not noticed that Kalec was acting ungrateful before he’d pointed it out, and now he was angry? What if—

‘What if you allowed yourself a moment of reprieve? You’re the first leader the blue dragonflight’s had in so, so, very long. You managed to reunite scattered blue dragons from all across Azeroth. You’ve got siblings and cousins that admire and respect you simply for who you are.’ Wrathion’s fire red eyes betrayed the soft tone of voice he adopted. He clearly felt very strongly about the words he was saying.

Kalecgos blinked, taken aback. His heart skipped a beat when Wrathion got closer to him and reached for his hand.

‘You are exactly who your people need right now.’

Kalecgos stared at him, surprised. Wrathion held his gaze.

Kalecgos chuckled, and Wrathion’s valiant demeanor broke, leaving place to confusion, and, honestly, embarrassment.

‘What, what is it? Why are you laughing?’ His cheeks were as red as his eyes now. ‘I demand to know what makes you laugh like this!’

Kalecgos was smiling from ear to ear. To think a whelp like him would be the one to give him the courage he needed to be who he wanted to be—needed to be, more so than the all-knowing simulacrum currently living at the Azure Archives… He admired Wrathion’s attitude. He always seemed so fearless, no matter the obstacle in front of him. Suddenly Kalecgos felt the crystal tingles and bell chimes deep in his belly.

‘Wrathion. I…’

Red eyes & red cheeks were staring at him. But his lips weren’t red enough to his liking. Should they? Should he?

Wrathion seemed to agree. He kissed Kalec, and pulled back, a determined look to his face, even though he seemed quite surprised with himself for doing what he did.

Wrathion always seemed to be one step ahead of him, somehow. But he was the one person he didn’t mind following.

[jerek]

DRAFT DUMPING DIALOGUE I NEVER WROTE WHOLE SCENES FOR:

"Well..." Midha hummed, "everyone wants to pick up a sword at some point. I have too. I'm just not any good with it."

"What does that have to do with...?"

"The Light didn't plan to make you this way. The same way it never planned for me to wield these daggers... but time and time again, we came back to what we wanted.

You could look me in the eyes now and tell me you've wanted to strangle me for years, without any spell upon you. I would tell you that I understand. I can only hope I've given you a good reason!"

Anduin's gaze dropped to his drink. He picked it up and took a measured pull.

"You think this is about my father," he said.

"You always forget how much control you've kept. That didn't start with the Jailer. Maybe it was Onyxia."

"Did I invite you to probe like this?"

"No. I figure after two or three times probing into the hearts of deposed Horde leadership, you might be ready for it yourself."

--

"Anduin's returned?" asked a soft voice, from the back of the room.

In the doorway, the golden hour turned black curls auburn.

"Wrathion," Midha called. "He's--"

"Go to him."

Midha paused. Rarely were the Black Prince's commands so... concise.

"Go to him! You have my blessing, my order-- whatever it takes, go to him!"

"Wrathion," Alexstrasza tried.

"You!" With a sudden vehemence, he spat the word at the Lifebinder. "You stay out of this!"

Alexstrasza bristled and raised an eyebrow. Wrathion went on: "It's you who's twisted me! I would rather the Old Gods had their try at my mind than you!"

The gathered Aspects were silent, and Alexstrasza winced to see that Midha was too. How long had this been going on?

In any case, Wrathion turned back to his champion: "Have you any idea how desperately tempted I am to abandon my flight? I cannot stand the choking smog of the Citadel! I loathe it, champion, Midha...! Would that we had never left the Timeless Isle, and I could--"

He blinked. His hands hovered half an inch from cupping Midha's face.

"Wrathion."

Alexstrasza's tone was cold.

Wrathion lowered his hands, and under his breath ordered Midha: "Go to him. Leave me to my kin. One day, when I'm older, I will thank you not to have burdened me with quite as much grief as you could have."

--

"To my dear friend Anduin:

Do you know, if you stare into fire long enough, you begin to see whatever you wish within the flames?

Oftentimes I see my flight, restored and incorruptible. Sometimes it is a whole Azeroth, with all her scars no more than fading memory.

Sometimes I see your return. You might envy me now, for a long-lost relative wishes to relieve me of my responsibilities as Earth-Warder.

And you might think me all the more foolish for resisting that relief. I am starting to understand, Anduin. I believe I am beginning to see this world as you do: and as Alexstrasza does, and even Kalecgos.

Now I shall write clearly. When I am done writing, I will hand off this letter to an agent of mine, to whom goes the responsibility of finding you, and hand-delivering it to you. I do not expect them to succeed.

The appetites of the physical body are nothing compared to the fervor our friend has granted me. Yes, you were right about Midha, and yet we were both mistaken.

I have been numb with obsession. All want is nothing in the arms of my champion– my remnant of the Sha. Should despair, doubt, or fear have such a soothing presence?

But in those same moments, I lose sight of one world, and catch glimpses of another: where we play as clutch-mates, remain entangled as kin, and yet we’ve chosen one another. The vision is so bright, I cannot bear to dwell on it, but here there is little else worth dwelling on.

If there was hand-fasting for champions, for the best of every way one can be cared for, the word ‘lover’ would not have such a limited connotation. That was how you were lucky, Anduin: that mine is an obsession, and yours was an attraction. Words are far more accommodating to the latter."

--

She hesitates, as if being asked about herself takes her by surprise. But then... she smiles joylessly, at the bittersweet absurdity of it all. Then her face falls. "Nothing so sudden as death," she says.

"I abandoned my parents. I let them think they'd lost me. I was barely more than a child, and I found some... bright, beautiful, storybook prince."

A laugh bubbles up inside her. He's as clear as day, the day she met him, in her mind's eye. "He was only a child himself, but he was like a brother. Like a father, even. Everything nobody else would be for me-- he was that."

"He was only a child. But every man besides him, they all...

I was so afraid of love. I didn't recognize the love I felt for him. I was afraid that if someone like me grew too close to him, he'd be ruined. He'd end up like me."

Her voice is tremulous. Not for emotion-- she reins it in, the hysterical grief. But because she has, it seems, never said it before. She doesn't know how.

"He thinks I've abandoned him," she concludes. "But every day I pray for the courage to face him... knowing I cannot defend myself."

She leans forward onto her knees, and looks back at him. He sits straighter than her, even as he's huddled in her cloak. She can tell he's noble: in both the meanings. A gallant gentleman, and so far above her, there are certain things he simply cannot see.

"He's grown so fast. He's a man, but he's only as old as I was when I met him. He is so terrified that I might belong to someone else, he thinks claiming me as his consort will drive them all off. How do I explain...? This shadow hangs over me, this shadow that ruined me, and it would break his heart to know how close he's come to doing the same to me as those he despises did."

She curls her fingers through the flowers below them, letting them sit in her palm, and she muses: "So let him be a princeling. Let him be naive, and entitled. He sees me like a favorite toy, and I don't mind it. Someone has to be innocent, before we all forget what it's like."

And in all this talk of her love for a royal, all this talk of giving everything to preserve his lovely fantasy... she sounds familiar to him.

--

"Why was I crushed beneath the Divine Bell? Why do any of this? Why would you ask for my presence, speak in riddles, watch me work myself up until I almost let you die?

Why did you leave for Draenor?"

"To see if you would follow."

[irishk0rn]

Montresor.

Alliance!

Worgen or Night Elf.

Dragons.

Blood Death Knight, Guardian Druid or Havoc Demon Hunter.

W R A T H I O N or I L L I D A N.

Argi?? Is Argi a battle pet.

Wranduin or Illigar... OH or Kalethion.

Drake Of The West Wind or ACHERUS Deathcharger

Brewfest...

PvP.

Not really, not unless they’re funny (Make Love Not Warcraft)

Husbandos (Illidan, Arthas, Khadgar, Kalecgos, Wrathion, Sabellian, Genn, Varian, Anduin etc)

Dragons!!! Not Dracthyr... but dragons. I wanna be sexy like Wrathion.

Let's play a WoW game! Share your answers. Feel free to skip any if you don't want to answer or don't know. Add anything if you wish. Main or mains usernames: Favorite Faction: Favorite Playable Race: Favorite Race In Game: Favorite Class and Spec: Favorite NPC: Favorite Battle Pet: Favorite Ship (canon or non): Favorite Mount: Favorite Holiday Event: What's Your Play Style? (PvP, Mythics, RP, competitive rankings, casual adventurer, etc): Do You Farm or Achievement Hunt?: Are You an Avid Collector of Anything?: Wishes This Race Were Playable: Other:

[legendaryevokercupcake]

What if the Guardian isn't the only mage that can appear as a ghost in the Mortal Realm? (Not including the Scourge)

It's unlikely, but the thought of Wrathion fleeing to the Nexus to have a mild mental breakdown because Anduin isn't coming back, possibly ever again, and Malygos appears (Semi-sane but not lucid, I'll explain that whole thing in another post) and tries to comfort the one Black Dragon he can even somewhat tolerate.

And this is nothing compared to the idea that finally, after months of relentless fighting, Sabellian and Wrathion come to blows. They get there because Wrathion says something Sabellian just can't accept.

It's a tie. Sabellian can destroy Wrathion physically but the second he pulled out a breath weapon, he inadvertantly authorized Wrathion to pull out the magic abilities that make him a guy who can say "F*ck around and find out" and back that up.

The land on the ground again, both severely injured (I'm gonna use the injuries from a fic I wrote, so Sabel has third degree lightning burns and Wrath has no eyes, poor baby) and everyone who gets to decide which of them becomes Aspect is gathered as close as they can get, some of the Blacktalon are risking getting too close to try and help their prince.

And nobody can come to an agreement. The fight ended in a tie, they can't go off of that. Alexstrasza sides with Sabellian, Kalecgos sides with Wrathion, Nozdormu gets angst because he's supposed to see who would be best and choose them but he can't, and Merithra just wants to go home. You no longer get a choice, you took too long to decide so your opinion doesn't matter any more.

Sabellian is yelling about how he cares about the Flight more than Wrathion. Wrathion is becoming Toph.

And finally, loud as all h3ll, from every direction "E N O U G H."

It's Malygos. Some of the nearby Blue faint. "If you cannot decide amongst yourselves who will take over-" the nearby arcane energy solidifies into the form of a tall elf with wavy blue hair down to their knees. "-I will." Alexstrasza looks understandably terrified.

"Well then, your grace, whom might we expect to see on the throne?" Sabellian is smiling now. He had spoken with Malygos before the Well of Eternity disaster. He believes that he knows the ex-Blue Aspect relatively well. He thinks he has this in the bag.

He is wrong. As I said, he spoke to Malygos BEFORE the Well of Eternity disaster. A lot of things had changed since then. Kalec is standing next to Mal now. He knows, and is correct in knowing, that Malygos will choose Wrathion.

"Don't act so smug, Sabellian, it isn't a good look. Especially as-" He raised his voice, "-Wrathion has my vote."

Various noises of shock and alarm rise from Sabellian's supporters. The Blacktalon cheer, and they are swiftly joined by the Blue and Green Dragonflights. Finally, this mess is settled. Finally, everything is back to normal.

And just like that, Malygos is gone. Possibly forever, now.

[lightningbtw]

Reset Retrospective: So You Wanna Be a Hero, Kid

August 8, 2017:

Tuesday server reset seems like a good time to look back on the week.

9/9 N, 3/9 H

Heroic Tomb of Sargeras is murdering us.

Starting a new guild is an exhausting experience, but it’s pretty much your only option when you start with as large a group as <Large Iced Coffee> (née <Goon Scrap>) did. At least 40% of our time each raid night is spent waiting for PuGs to fill our raid team, because, on average, PuG players are willing to play through about 0.8 wipes before abandoning the group and forcing us to replace them. This has a predictable effect on progression.

We’re going to have to deal with this until we can recruit enough people to field a team of entirely or almost entirely guildies, but recruiting is prohibitively difficult most of the way through a content patch with our progression where it is. Charming as always, Trade chat has no shortage of people able and willing to laugh at us when we advertise our guild; so it goes.

My first week of raid leading has been difficult. I’m still getting used to keeping an eye on timers while performing my rotation and executing mechanics, and the result is typically much less successful than I’d like. I also went at least a minute into multiple pulls with my mic off before someone on Discord wondered aloud why I wasn’t saying anything.

There’s no reason to sugarcoat it: It’s been a pretty disappointing week for our raiding effort, but we learned, and hopefully there’s some truth to the idea that improvement usually proceeds through lulls and bursts, which is definitely a thing that some people say, sometimes, I’m pretty sure.

Wherefore art thou <Large Iced Coffee>

Luminek, our guild’s DK DPS and also my roommate in real life, came up with the idea that the name <Goon Scrap> was hindering our recruitment efforts because its appeal was too localized to Toronto. I was unconvinced, but he was insistent enough that we decided to reform the guild under this new name, aping another guild on our realm called <Large Double Double>. Frankly, how recruitment has gone since the change has left me still unconvinced. I do think the new name is better though.

But I don’t even need XP anymore

Previously in Legion, including when I was a Heroic Raider during Emerald Nightmare, I avoided most of the max level solo quest chains because I thought they were pointless and assumed they’d be boring. This means I've missed out on a lot of the expansion’s lore exposition! I’ve resolved to change that on my Warrior, and completed the initial Light’s Heart quests this week. Watching Velen’s son die was really sad, and stuck in my memory enough that I actually noticed the dialogue taunting him about it as you fight trash on your way to Kil’Jaeden in Tomb. The exploration of Illidan’s early life has been cool so far as well.

Overall, I’m glad that I’m delving into this content; it was definitely misguided of me to have skipped it before (especially since it got me an artifact tint I’m literally never going to use hell yeah)! Next on the menu is that quest chain that Kalecgos starts in your quest hall, and after that I guess the Class Mount chain because why not.

The rest

Melodramatic blog post notwithstanding, I’m actually still awful at M+ and have yet to complete a +10.

Arms is turning out to be really fun in BGs but I doubt I’d enjoy it in Arena.

Right before I started to write this post I finally got a second Legendary -- technically my third, but I looted Thundergod’s Vigor (a belt) after already owning Rethu’s Incessant Courage (a belt) because mine is a blessed life.

[avalior]

“‘Life-Binder,’ came a voice, young and masculine and as calm as Arygos’ was agitated. Another blue stepped forward, inclining his head respectfully but not subserviently. ‘Arygos did only what he believed was right at the time, as did many members of the blue flight. I am certain he is as eager as anyone else to move forward in rebuilding his own flight and accepting the responsibilities we all must,’ said Kalecgos.”

Kalecgos’ voice is not as it sounds in-game. He truthfully sounds as young as he is, although once he is made Aspect, this is forcefully edged out of his tone to better appear suited for the role. Rather than the elderly sounding voice speaking with received pronunciation, Kalecgos speaks with an Irish accent.

[avalior]

kalecgos tag drop !