Illidan Stormrage had stayed within the Stormrage Barrow Dens since his return to Azeroth, leaving them only to aid the Blood Elves, his allies who had helped him before their Prince had turned against Illidan and his people.

The Stormrage Barrow Dens, named after his brother Malfurion, held druids who wished to enter into the Emerald dream, a place that showed the world how it would be without the influence of the races that inhabited Azeroth, and much more. The Green Dragonflight protected this realm, and somewhere within Malfurion was trapped.

Illidan had been with his brother on Outland, only to find out upon his return to Azeroth that Malfurion had been trapped within the Emerald Dream for over a year. Illidan was unable to discover how his brother could have been with him in Outland, while in the Emerald Dream on Azeroth, all he could find out was that something called the 'Emerald Nightmare' had started taking over parts of the Emerald Dream, and that they suspected his brother was battling it from within.

While Illidan himself had learned some druidism from Cenarion, along with his brother, and that the dream itself was not exclusive to the druids he had not attempted to try and enter the dream. His 'demonic corruption', as he had started to see it, he feared could only have a negative effect on the realm and worsen his brother's condition. Instead Illidan had stayed with his brother and meditated upon his own path and where it was taking him.

Within the last few years, events within Illidan's life had changed dramatically. He had survived the demon lord, Kil'jaeden's wrath, and beaten him back from being summoned into Azeroth. However it was the people he had fought with together that had allowed him to overcome the demon lord twice.

Together with his brother he had destroyed Kil'jaeden's avatar, and then when Kil'jaeden attempted to tear himself out of the portal that had summoned him into Azeroth, Illidan and the Blood Elves had beaten the demon lord back, saving the human reincarnation of the Sunwell, Anveena.

Anveena had sacrificed her human form to return the Sunwell to its former glory. With the Sunwell resorted, the Blood Elves were finally able to fill the void that had started to consume all of them in its absence.

The Blood elves had offered to show Illidan how to harness the Sunwell's magic to sate his own hunger for magic, however he declined their offer, and returned to his brother's side. He knew the well's magic would not react well with his demonic body.

Finally he had come to a decision. He had done in two years what he had never been able to fully achieve in ten thousand years. The Blood elves, no longer saw him as the 'Betrayer' but the saviour of their people's way of life. He had finally tasted what he had sought for, acknowledgement.

Since he was a child his people had said he was destined for great things, and he had searched for a way to see their belief come to pass, with a zealous few could match.

Magic he had thought was the answer to prove his worth and he had sought it eagerly and without a care of where it came or how it was used, until somehow he had forgotten the very reason he had searched for it, and instead of using magic as an ends to a means, it became the means… to his end... nearly.

Now he had regained the sight of what he was first searching for, and now he would face the consequences of his past, but first he would have back what was taken from him.

He said his farewell to his brother, he wished to save him from whatever power held him in his grip, but first he must save himself. His goodbyes said he prepared to leave the Moonglades.

"I know you're there." He said to the shadows

"I know I feel it." A whisper came back, as someone detached themselves from the shadows. "Since you bound us like this I can 'feel' your thoughts."

"Then you know what I mean to do, I take it your coming?"

"I will follow you till you turn once more upon your people Illidan, and once more see you chained beneath the earth."

"Your vengeance will be the end of us both Maiev. Do as you will."

Illidan walked out of the barrow dens, Maiev followed behind him. Words of power spilled from his lips. A golden orb floated in the air next to Illidan, and then expanded, forming a circle in front of him, which showed only blackness within.

"Bring your Watchers Warden, our path is not a safe one" Without another word Illidan stepped through the portal.

Maiev watch Illidan disappear, and then turned to the woods around the barrow den. "Let's go sisters." And then she too stepped into the portal after him, a company of Night elves detached themselves from the shadows to follow.