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The next day I was invited to the top of Wyrmrest Temple, where I spoke with a small Gnome named Chromie. She was aware of my service to the Red Dragonflight, but she did not invite me to the top of the Temple to thank me. She clearly had other things in mind.
“A time storm at the Bronze Dragonshrine to the northeast is keeping immortals from entering. The Infinite Dragonflight are in a fight inside with the defenders to wrest control of the dragonshrine. We must take this opportunity to gain information.” She pulled something out of her pocket. It glowed with the same golden aura that surrounded the temple. “This is the Hourglass of Eternity.” With her eyes still locked with my own, she put it in my hand. “We’ve heard tales of your journey, Piket. We know you are the right mortal for the job. You can cross into the dragonshrine and use the Hourglass of Eternity. Protect the hourglass for long enough and the leader of the Infinite Dragonflight should be revealed.”
With the hourglass in hand, I turned to the northeast. When I was in Tanaris, I remembered hearing the name “Infinite Dragonshire” before. Supposedly these beings only present themselves when something crucial is about to happen. But why now? Was the reign of Arthas coming to an end? Or is something else about to happen?
Putting this anxiety aside, I boarded my gryphon and flew towards a sand pit, surrounded by the dusty remains of countless drakes. This sandy place was strange; completely separate from the snow drifts and frozen ruins that lay beyond. With a slight shrug, I took the hourglass from my pocket and placed it in the middle of the pit. After a brief second it began glow, then transformed, as a sharp breeze lifted and spun the sand all around me. I covered squinted my eyes and tried to make out a small creature standing directly in front of me.
The dust finally settled, and I stood there dumbfounded. What was this madness? That small creature was me! “Piket, don’t be alarmed. It’s me ..you.. from the future. I’m here to help!” I was about to ask myself what was going on, but I was interrupted. “There is no time for questions! We must protect the hourglass!” The ground began to shake as we were attacked out of nowhere by a group of four black wyrmkin. Instinctively we both pulled out our shields at the same time, and fought in unison until the first wave was defeated.
Upon their defeat, we were met with an even greater challenge, strangely deformed, black dragonkin attacked from every angle, then a black drake followed suit. Holding the drake off with his shield, my future self stepped backwards and shouted “The Hourglass has revealed Nozdormu!” Just then a massive bronze drake descended upon us, and in an instant the land was calm again, and my future self vanished into thin air, but the battle waged on above my head. Infinite dragonkin fought the bronze in an endless struggle. We managed to protect the hourglass, but it seems it has revealed something unexpected.
I covered squinted my eyes and tried to make out a small creature standing directly in front of me.
I returned to Chromie, recounting my strange battle. When I got to the part about Nozdormu, she paused and stared at the ground deep in thought. “You saw Nozdormu? That doesn’t make any sense…” She looked up again, and with a smile exclaimed “Actually, that’s great news! We had no idea of where or when the Lord of Time had gone to. We just knew that he had disappeared to deal with very important matters.”
In the end I was not able to uncover the leader of the Inifinite Dragonflight. Despite this I discovered something more, that Nozdormu is alive and well. Still, I may never know why my future self came to help me that day. Perhaps I will just wait and see.
