Arygos remained remarkably calm even in this tense situation, attempting to steer the conversation back to the right track.
However, Soridormi's anger did not dissipate. The Bronze Dragon Queen, who usually maintained a detached and ethereal posture, now appeared extremely volatile.
The indifference and tranquility of the Bronze Dragons stemmed from the fact that they had witnessed too many of Azeroth's joys and sorrows. Countless branching timelines vividly displayed the various possibilities of the future.
Yet, in the eyes of the Bronze Dragons—who disregarded the natural flow of time—these possibilities were not infinite. No world could support an infinite number of temporal tributaries; that would lead to Azeroth becoming overburdened and eventually perishing under the weight of infinite splitting future possibilities.
Soridormi had personally seen Malygos go completely insane in a future timeline, using the Focusing Iris—the artifact passed down by the Blue Dragonflight—to bombard Azeroth's ley line hubs, driving the entire world to the brink of destruction due to the collapse of the magical grid.
She had seen Ysera's frantic state after being corrupted and fallen, and she had witnessed Alexstrasza's overwhelming grief over the betrayal of her consorts, eventually leading to a madness that sought to destroy the entire world.
All along, the Bronze Dragons had been striving to prevent the main timeline from veering toward the worst outcomes. This made their actions increasingly cautious and meticulous, fearing that a single misstep might trigger a catastrophic turning point.
Not only were they strict with themselves, but the Keepers of Time were also merciless toward any other beings who attempted to interfere with the flow of the timelines.
In Soridormi's perception, this mortal before her—who prated about things he didn't understand regarding the principles of timeline mechanics—was one such meddler.
Andreas wasn't provoking the Bronze Dragons just for the sake of it. These Timekeepers, obsessed with correcting timelines, had begun to wander down a crooked path due to their own paranoia.
The birth of the Infinite Dragonflight was a clear testament to this.
Alexstrasza and the others did not understand why Andreas was so forcefully confronting Soridormi. Their knowledge of Azeroth's time management system was only superficial, and Andreas's words seemed to carry some weight of logic.
If the Titans were truly not the only great entities in the universe who grasped the truth, it meant the Titans could also make mistakes—or rather, the Guardians chosen by the Titans might have misunderstood their own duties.
"Andreas."
Alexstrasza asked him solemnly, "Can you ensure that everything you just said is the truth? You should know that this is the sacred ground of the Dragon Aspects; it is not a place for jokes."
Andreas nodded gravely. "I can. I swear in the name of Elune: the Void Lords undoubtedly exist. It is only because of our current level of existence that we cannot come into contact with them; we can only deal with their servants, the Old Gods, projected into the material world."
"Sargeras once personally witnessed a Titan world-soul completely corrupted by the Void. If a fallen Void Titan were allowed to be born, the material world would no longer be able to resist the invasion of the Void Lords."
"So, he struck down and destroyed that planet gestating the Titan soul. This was the fuse that led to his break with the Pantheon over conflicting philosophies, and it is the most fundamental reason for the birth of the Burning Legion."
"Sigh~"
Alexstrasza rubbed her forehead, nursing a headache. "Are you saying that Sargeras leading demons to invade various worlds is meant to combat the Void Lords' erosion of the universe?"
Andreas shrugged. "Although the methods he uses are extreme, his original intention was indeed that."
At this time, the Dragon Aspects were still unaware of the Pantheon's fall; among the Titan Keepers, only Ra-den had discovered the truth through subtle clues. Andreas did not intend to break this despair-inducing news to them here. Saying it wouldn't help and would only damage the morale of Azeroth's guardians.
"I told you about the existence of the Void Lords not to add to your pressure."
Andreas glanced at the surrounding dragons. The dragons outside Arygos's barrier didn't know what was happening inside, but the heavy atmosphere and Soridormi's fury made them instinctively hostile toward Andreas.
Temporarily ignoring the dragons' unfriendly gazes, Andreas continued his calm explanation. "I want to tell you—especially the Bronze Dragons who are trapped by temporal theory—that the future is not immutable."
Andreas looked at Soridormi, who was being held back by Eranikus and Arygos, and said with a solemn expression, "If time were truly so easy to control, why didn't Aman'Thul, the Highfather of the Gods, use his temporal authority to directly erase the existence of the Old Gods?"
Without waiting for Soridormi to argue, Andreas answered his own question decisively. "Because he couldn't do it. The powerful beings of the universe can foresee the future to a certain extent, but no one can casually tamper with the main timeline that influences the development of the universe."
"I don't know what the Bronze Dragons have seen in the various temporal tributaries, nor am I interested in knowing, but please remember one fundamental principle."
Andreas extended his right index finger and spoke with earnest weight. "Tributaries are always tributaries; they cannot reverse-influence the main trunk of time where we reside."
"As the saying goes, 'Those who are good at swimming are the ones who drown.' Nozdormu, who is currently lost within the timeways, is the proof of this."
"Even Aman'Thul would not dare say he fully understands time. On what basis do the Bronze Dragons, who were only gifted a portion of his power, arrogantly believe they can completely master it?"
"Simply put..."
Andreas pulled at the corner of his mouth and said as a look of contemplation appeared in Soridormi's eyes, "You have placed too heavy a burden on yourselves."
"The title of Timekeeper—which none of the Titan Keepers on Azeroth received—was entrusted by the Pantheon to the Bronze Dragonflight. While it is a profound honor, this responsibility is also a heavy shackle for you."
"Whew~"
Soridormi calmed down and shook her head forcefully. "...Although your understanding of the flow of time is superficial, some of your points indeed strike the heart of the matter."
Eranikus asked in surprise, "So, is Nozdormu really lost in the timeways?"
"Yes," Soridormi said with a bitter smile. "I sent countless Bronze Dragons into various timelines to find him, but they have always returned empty-handed. Instead, they discovered some saboteurs of unknown origin on certain branching timelines that should have had clear futures."
"They call themselves the Infinite Dragonflight. They possess dragon bodies as black as ink, as if shrouded in mist. To this day, I have not uncovered the origin of the Infinite Dragons, nor have I found the missing Nozdormu."
"Heh~"
Andreas interjected playfully, "Actually, you should already have a suspicion, shouldn't you? They can also freely travel through various timelines, and they also possess the bodies of dragons..."
"Enough!"
A flash of fear and unnaturalness crossed Soridormi's face, but she quickly forced herself to regain her composure.
"Enough talk. Eliminating the Infinite Dragonflight and maintaining the normal operation of the timeways is the responsibility of us Bronze Dragons. Outsiders should not meddle."
The Bronze Dragon Queen turned and walked to the edge of the platform, leaping out the window and transforming back into her dragon form.
Her orange-yellow dragon eyes stared straight at Andreas. Soridormi spoke in a voice that had become deep and resonant. "Do as you wish regarding Sindragosa. Perhaps we have indeed been too conservative. We shall use this opportunity to see if a change can be made."
"Andreas Moonshadow, if you want to convince the Bronze Dragons, prove it to us with your actions. Prove that the future of the main timeline is not fixed. I will be at the Bronze Sanctum, waiting and watching your actions."
"Should anything occur that is detrimental to the future's course, the Bronze Dragons will intervene immediately and terminate your actions. Be prepared."