User:GoldenYak/Story FallofAqir

The Fall of Azj'Aqir
The troll and aqir races both flourished after the Titans left Azeroth, eventually erupting into all out war with one-another. The trolls drew upon the powers of the natural world, calling upon their Loa spirit-gods to counter the warbreeds of the aqir. While the trolls would claim that they alone brought about the downfall of the Azj'Aqir, the trolls had allies they did not realize.

While the aqir forces were engaged on a vast front against the troll forces, their central colony nexus was left exposed to an assault from other long-time enemies of the insectile race - the dragonflights. The black dragonflight in particular had clashed with the aqir on many occasions as the insect people tunneled through Azeroth's underworld, and the magi of the aqir had become of grave concern to the blue dragonflight. Neltharion and Malygos convinced Ysera to lend her forces to their efforts, and the three dragonflights launched an assault on the Aqir's central nexus.

Neltharion and his black dragons tore deep into the aqir's tunnels, until the Earth-Warder confronted the surpeme ruler of the entire aqir race, the aqir emperor Valthraxx the Everliving. The insectile fiend had grown so old and powerful that he was able to match the might of a Dragon Aspect, and their duel shook the earth for miles around. Valthraxx's royal guard was nearly the equal of their master, and they tore apart Neltharion's mightiest dragons before attacking the Earth-Warder.

In order to bring an end the aqir threat, and safeguard Malygos and Ysera and their forces, Neltharion called upon his power as the Aspect of Earth and caused a mighty volcano to erupt from the heart of Azeroth's molten core. The tunnels of the aqir filled with magma, roasting them in their shells. Valthrax and his inner circle attempted to flee, but the surviving black dragons coiled around them like snakes and dragged them into the magma, using their affinity for the natural forces of the earth to their advantage. Even as the aqir tore them apart, the black wyrms roared in victory, sinking into the molten magma while the aqir smothered and burned alive.

Neltharion and Valthraxx, wrapped in a deadly embrace, sank deepest of all into the fiery sea of lava. Valthraxx struck again and again with bladed limbs and poison stingers, with foul magic and toxic venom, while Neltharion fought back with diamond hard talons and white hot molten breath, breaking segmented limbs and cracking insectile shell with every beat of his mighty wings. At last, Valthraxx faltered and went limp, and Neltharion cast the aqir emperor's great carcass away, calling upon the lava to harden around them both.

Encased in black rock, Neltharion rested in the embrace of the earth, but found little comfort. His power had never been so sorely tested - deeper beneath the surface than he had ever ventured before, he slipped into a near-comatose state. Visions tormented him as he lay in the depths, poison and dark magic burning in his veins. Valthraxx and aqir creatures and nightmarish versions of his fellow Aspects haunted him, whispering to him, giving him little rest. At long last, Neltharion regained enough of his strength to move again, and began slowly burrowing his way through the earth, searching for a way back to the surface. Often he would need to stop and recuperate, and the visions would come again.

It was a long time the Aspects saw their brother again. Neltharion spent years in his ordeal deep beneath the earth, slowly healing. And dreaming. And listening to the whispers.