Time Lock

The sound of battle at the outskirts of the city was getting louder and louder. Archmage Samaeus could hear air burning and explosions as enemy mages were flinging their fireballs. Metal hitting metal when a sword struck a defending construct. Loud rumbling of the wheels as the huge launchers rolled over the streets. Demons roared. Civilians cried for help.

 

The enemy that had been infiltrating Suramar for weeks had launched a massive offensive. Alliance and Horde together. And from the sounds of it, it was not going well for the Nightborne defending their city.

 

Samaeus was trying to concentrate in his sanctum, but even the silencing spells couldn't keep the sounds of the battle out. Arcane tomes were scattered around the floor, he was frantically flipping pages to search for powerful enchantments, runes, and spells that he could still use if the enemy managed to push further into the city. Nightwell bless us, this is not going well, he thought to himself.

"Sire", he heard through the door. Soliphus, his young apprentice, sounded fearful. Samaeus shrug his head, Soliphus' voice was trembling. "The Star Augur is requesting the presence of the archmagi. It is urgent."

Useless. Samaeus snapped his fingers and the tomes started flying back to their shelves. He glanced over to the corner where his battlerobes were folded on the chair. With a wave of hand, the robes flew to him.

"Tell the Star Augur, that I'll be there in the blink of an eye", Samaeus frowned and started wrapping the robe on. "Sire, I don't think we have that long", Soliphus peeked through the door. "Fine", Samaeus grunted. "I will tell him myself."

A flash, and Samaeus teleported out of his sanctum halfway through the magical city and into a crowded hallway full of his colleagues, arcane astromancers of Suramar, magi studying the arcane secrets of the space and void above. Some were still teleporting in from their own libraries, carrying tomes and scrolls and trying to memorize their magics. If it were up to these people, we'd have lost the battle already, Samaeus snickered. And he was somewhat right, within the ranks of Astromancers, hardly anyone could match Samaeus in power. Hardly anyone.

"Step right in", a voice gloomed in their heads. The doorway at the end of the corridor opened. One person definitely could match Samaeus, often did, and liked to remind that he did. Star Augur Etraeus had summoned his colleagues and disciples to discuss the invasion and he welcomed them in his observatory.

The observatory was open, entering the room was like entering space itself. There were no walls and the space around them just seemed to continue to infinity. Not only seemed, it actually did. In front of the Astromancers, Azeroth loomed. The planet was so close, that Samaeus could see waves crashing into Broken Shores, a giant walking up on Highmountain, and an army of elves at the gates of Suramar. Star Augur had been studying the battlefield from above.

"Star Augur if I may", Samaeus started... "We should not be congregating here while the enemy ravages our gates. We should be preparing our spells and enchantments." "My former apprentice", Etraeus laughed. " I wanted to hurry you up, so you wouldn't miss this incredible sight. Have some arcwine and pull up a seat, but do it fast. I invited you all to see our victory!"

The crowd gasped. Arrogant fool, Samaeus thought to himself. Maybe Thalyssra and her insolent rebellion should just wipe that stupid laugh from your face. "Gaze, brothers and sisters", Etraeus continued. "You are just in time!"

There was a flash on the battlefield in the heart of the invading armies, a chronal explosion ripped through Night Elves, Blood Elves, and Kirin Tor alike. A wave of time energy stopped everything in it's place. Hundreds of invading soldiers stood frozen like fleshy statues. Massive treants stopped on their heels like thousand-year-old trees. Even a flock of panicked birds trying to fly away from the battle just crystallized mid-air. Just like that, the battle was silenced.

"Nightwell be praised!" someone shouted. Etraeus looked over at Samaeus. "Nightwell be praised, indeed! Now brother, what were you saying?"