Hi readers, I'm really sorry about the huge delay, but I wanted to make this chapter as good as possible. Looks like people are still reading, so I'll still be writing! Here's another chapter for your viewing pleasure! Please continue to read and review!
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Chapter 10: An Uneasy Alliance
"I hope I did the right thing," I muttered, the confrontation with Altruis still playing in my mind.
Behind me, Kor'vas gently placed her hand on my shoulder.
"You were faced with a hard decision, one that affects us all," she said. "Rather than choose for us, you sought our council."
"No other leader could have done better," agreed Jace.
I still felt uneasy about the whole thing. Forgiving Altruis was out of the question, but the elf had still been one of us…once upon a time. Shaking my head, I tried to clear away these troubling thoughts.
"We're finally out," I said, breathing in deeply. "Finally free."
"Aye, we escaped the Vault," agreed Kayn, "but our work is far from over. The Legion's assault on this world is just beginning. If Azeroth is to survive, we may have to work with this…Archmage Khadgar."
Frowning, I considered the name Maiev had left behind. The title of Archmage obviously implied a station of great power. Was this Khadgar a commander in the fight against the Legion?
As if in response to my thoughts, the air before us began to shimmer with the makings of a portal, and I instinctively drew my warglaives. All around me, the other Illidari readied themselves for combat.
But this portal was not like those used by the Legion—rather than the destructive power of fel, it glowed with mysterious arcane energies.
An older human stepped through—or at least, he was physically old. Despite the appearance of great age, I sensed great power about him, enough to rival Lord Illidan himself. Here was a true sorcerer, and a powerful one at that.
"I am Archmage Khadgar," he proclaimed. "Leader of the Kirin Tor."
The blood elves in our ranks had shared stories of the old Alliance of Lordaeron, and so I recognized the name of the magical order. Standing upright and sheathing my blades, I stepped forward.
"Velscar," I told him. "Leader of the Illidari in Lord Illidan's absence."
"Well met, Velscar," replied Khadgar. "And to all demon hunters, as well. But there is little time for pleasantries. Azeroth needs your help."
"We fight to end the Burning Legion," I vowed. "My brethren are united in that cause. What is the situation?"
"The Legion has already begun its invasion of our world," he explained. "Across Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, brave defenders from both the Alliance and the Horde are answering the call to arms."
I felt tension brewing behind me at the mention of Lord Illidan's killers. I wasn't particularly enthusiastic about aiding the armies of Azeroth, myself. But Khadgar's next words caught my attention.
"However, they will ultimately fail without your aid," he said. "You Illidari were uniquely trained as weapons against the Legion."
"And what would you have us do?" I asked.
"For the sake of Azeroth, join with those you have the most reason to despise," said Khadgar. "Join with the Alliance and the Horde, and save our world."
At his words, the portal behind the archmage now split in two. I could make out the shape of a human castle in one. The other portal contained a variety of orcish-looking structures. I frowned, considering the archmage carefully. It could have been a trap: Maiev could have lied to us, led us to this Khadgar for the purpose of allowing the Alliance and the Horde to finish what they had started all those years ago. A number of possible scenarios played through my mind, each ending with death and dismemberment. I shook my head, willing away the paranoia. If that were the case, Maiev would have executed us long ago. Instead, she had chosen to free the Illidari for the sake of Azeroth. It now fell to me to take up that charge.
Sighing heavily, I turned to face the Illidari.
"Sacrifice," I told them. "It means to give of one's self for another, no matter the cost. That is what we have done to destroy the Burning Legion: time and again, we have sacrificed. And that is what we must do now: we must sacrifice our hate and our rage, and ally with those who once sought to destroy us."
As expected, various mutterings of uncertainty greeted my words.
"I know!" I told them. "It is not an easy thing to accomplish. I must be asking the impossible—ally with those who took everything from us? Madness! And yet our losses will be as nothing compared to what the Burning Legion will take from us! You all know this to be true!"
They certainly agreed with that.
"Then I ask you to do as the Master taught us," I said. "Sacrifice. Focus on the greater good. Keep in mind what we all fight for, and yes, ally with those who once sought to do us harm. For there is only one true enemy, and if we stand united, it cannot prevail. So what say you? Can we bury old hatreds to forge new bonds of kinship? Or will we do the Legion's work for them?"
"We will fight for Azeroth!" vowed Kor'vas.
"For Azeroth!" answered the Illidari.
"Then form up!" I ordered. "The kaldorei shall accompany me to Stormwind, while the sindorei follow Kayn Sunfury to Orgrimmar! Though we approach as allies, we must also recognize that some wounds remain slow to heal. Better that we reconcile with our own kind first. Be vigilant! The Legion's spies may lurk anywhere!"
As the sindorei began marching toward the portal to Orgrimmar, Kayn turned to frown at me.
"You would entrust me with command?" he asked doubtfully.
"I would trust you, brother," I replied. "Keep them in line; the last thing we need is more enemies."
The blood elf gave a salute, before stepping through the portal himself. As I watched the sindorei depart, I felt Kor'vas slip her fingers in between mine.
"Ready to go meet our new allies?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I told her, knowing the reason behind her anxiety.
"I can see why Illidan chose you to lead them," said Khadgar. "You have a stable head and a sharp mind. Admirable traits."
"Don't think this makes us friends just yet, Archmage," I warned him. "In many ways, the blood elves will receive a far better reception in Orgrimmar than we will among certain leaders of the Alliance. You know of whom I speak."
The wizard's face became stern once more as he processed the truth of my words.
"I assure you, for better or worse, the leaders of the Alliance seek the Legion's end," he replied neutrally. "All of them."
As the last of the kaldorei departed through the portal, I took a deep breath to steady myself.
"Let's hope so," I said.
With that, Kor'vas and I stepped forward to join the Alliance.
Even with my enhanced eyesight, I still found myself looking around in surprise. The fortress I had glimpsed through the portal had been enormous, but now I realized that it was only one small part of this city. The heart of the Alliance was even more populated than Darnassus—buildings lined every street, each a shop or dwelling of some kind. And every which way, humans of all shapes, sizes, colors, and statuses raced to and from their various destinations. I could not recall having ever seen so many people together in the same place.
"Welcome to Stormwind," announced Khadgar, "the heart of the human kingdom."
"It's beautiful," said Kor'vas, sharing my look of awe.
"Remarkable," added Jace.
"Aye, it is a true testament of persistence and fortitude," agreed the archmage. "You will find in its people an unrivalled determination not unlike that of Stormwind's mighty walls. But today, sorrow grips this bastion of the light."
"Has the enemy already struck?" I asked, sensing danger. The city appeared intact, but knowing the Legion…
"On the contrary, it is the Alliance and Horde who struck first," replied Khadgar. "Both armies combined into one mighty force, and led an assault upon the Broken Shore, part of the very same chain of islands that held the Wardens' prison."
"The Broken Isles," I recalled, "The Master once journeyed there himself."
"Yes, and the islands still hold the dreaded Tomb of Sargeras," confirmed the wizard. "But in the years since, the Tomb has been used to empower the portal through which the Legion once again enters our world. Thus, the Alliance and Horde joined forces in an attempt to stem the tide of demons at the source."
"They failed," I guessed.
"Aye," said Khadgar sadly. "Two great leaders have fallen in battle: King Varian Wrynn of the Alliance, and Vol'jin, Warchief of the Horde. King Wrynn has thus left the crown of Stormwind to his son, Anduin. And while the Horde has its own tradition of passing leadership, your fellow Illidari are no doubt meeting the new Warchief as we speak."
I assume we'll find this Anduin in the castle over yonder?" asked Cyana.
"Yes, all the leaders of the Alliance have gathered together in Stormwind Keep to pay their respects," he replied. "You will find the new king inside with them."
"All the leaders of the Alliance…" I muttered, curling my hands into fists.
"I trust you will demonstrate the same wisdom as your master did, and recognize that there is a larger conflict at hand," said Khadgar pointedly.
That comment stung, but I also recognized the truth behind his words. Now was not the time to go dredging up old wounds. Even so, I couldn't help but feel that conflict was inevitable.
"Agreed," I muttered. "Remember, brothers and sisters: we are here as allies. We must behave as such. None of us can win this fight alone."
"I must return to Dalaran," said the archmage. "I leave this situation in your hands. Do try to avoid causing any further incidents."
As Khadgar teleported away, I snorted. If there were going to be any 'further incidents,' they certainly wouldn't be the result of my actions.
"Well, you heard him," I said. "Let's get this over with."
Trying to appear more confident than I felt, I marched up the great marble stairs into Stormwind Keep. At no point in time did any of the guards halt our advance, or even notice us at all. I found this odd, but had to assume that Khadgar had told the Alliance not to kill us on sight, or we would've never gotten this far into the city.
The long hallway ended at a massive, rounded chamber, and in the very center lay a massive stone block, the image of an adult human male carved into it. Even without my spectral sight, I could tell that this was no casket; no body lay within. I felt no surprise, only pity—the Legion wasn't known to leave behind remains for burial. A much younger human sat upon a golden throne, staring down at the memorial in silence. This had to be Anduin. I felt my sense of pity renewed a hundredfold as I realized just how young he was. I had thought leading the Illidari to be a great responsibility—Anduin was just a boy, and yet he now bore the weight of an entire kingdom.
Other leaders of the Alliance were there too, of course: three dwarves also bore expressions of mourning and respect toward the fallen king, along with a gnome, a draenei…and some kind of odd-looking, bear-like creature. An older, grizzled human had his hand on Anduin's shoulder, silently comforting the youth. And on the other side of the memorial—
"Having the Illidari running free makes me uneasy," said Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage.
"I understand, husband," replied High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind. "But the situation is clearly more dire than we know. If Maiev herself released them, then she must have had good reason…just as I did when I released your brother all those years ago."
My anger at the Archdruid's comment was only slightly tempered by the High Priestess' response, and I felt grateful that at least one of these two understood the situation. Even so, out of all the leaders of the Alliance, it had been the prospect of seeing them that had filled me with dread—not because I feared them in any way, but rather because I wasn't sure I could keep myself from tearing the Archdruid to pieces. Thankfully, none of them had noticed our arrival just yet, and before I could formulate a proper greeting, I felt Kor'vas move in closer.
"The Legion always strikes at the first hint of weakness," she whispered in my ear.
Her words brought me back to why we were here, but they also raised my sense of awareness. The Alliance had suffered a great loss, and now its leaders were assembled together in one place. It was too good to resist.
And as I recalled how inactive the guards had been, my instincts kicked in, and my nostrils flared at the stench of something burning. Something was very wrong here. Activating my spectral sight, I soon realized what it was.
There were demons all around us, each hiding beneath the polished white armor and royal blue tabards of Stormwind's guards.
"Do you see what I see?" I whispered back.
The collective gasps and hisses from my fellow Illidari confirmed that they did.
"Of course they'd try to infiltrate this funeral…" muttered Jace.
"Keep calm," I told them. "And follow my lead."
As calmly as I dared, I strode forward into the chamber. All eyes fell upon us, and I tried to ignore the mixed expressions of suspicion, fear, and hatred as we came to a stop before the memorial. Holding up a hand, I approached the king alone, carefully moving around the dwarves—for some reason, their female leader seemed far less distrustful, perhaps even a little sympathetic. Or maybe that was wishful thinking. As much as I hated it, I knew that there was a time for fighting, and a time for diplomacy. This was the latter, and I had to put on a show.
So before I could stop myself, I knelt before the newly-appointed king. Trying again to ignore the reactions of the other leaders—this time a series of collective gasps and grunts—I kept my eyes to the floor.
"I understand that you have recently lost a father," I said, knowing my voice would carry to all those throughout the chamber. Better to appeal to Anduin as individuals. "We Illidari are also among the lost—family, homes, loved ones. We have lost everything to the Burning Legion. In this, we have a common enemy. As leader of the Illidari, I hereby pledge my forces to the defense of Azeroth."
"I notice that there are only kaldorei here," remarked the man at Anduin's side. "Are there not…blood elves in your ranks?"
I didn't miss the note of disgust in his voice, and knew that this human was probably one of those who still bore enmity toward the Horde. If so, he wasn't going to like my answer.
"There are, my lord," I replied. "Just as we kaldorei have come to meet with the Alliance, so too are our sindorei fighters meeting with the Horde in Orgrimmar."
That got their attention, and now the uneasy muttering turned into full-fledged arguing. The older human looked like he wanted to rip my head clean off.
"You dare come in here and feign allegiance to the Alliance, then turn around and admit that your allies have joined the Horde?" he bellowed.
The time for diplomacy had clearly passed. Fine—I liked it better this way.
"If we do not remain united, then the Legion has already won," I argued, rising to my feet and meeting his glare with my own. "Or have you not been informed that the Horde has already lost a leader this day?"
He snarled in response, but fell silent as Anduin rose from the throne.
"Stand down, Genn," he commanded. "I will hear what this demon hunter has to say. But I would caution the Illidari that I have no time for pleasantries. I must prepare our armies to combat the Legion once again…and as you can see, certain allies cry out for vengeance against the Horde."
At the mention of the Legion, I recalled the fact that every one of the king's soldiers had been replaced by a demon. And yet, none had made their move just yet, even with the Illidari's arrival. They did not know that we knew. Good—best to keep it that way for as long as possible.
"I sympathize with Your Majesty's position," I told him. "The sudden burden of leadership is not to be taken lightly. But with all due respect, your little quarrel with the Horde is beneath me."
Genn once again snarled at my words. This one definitely had a short temper—he could prove to be a liability if not kept in check.
"As I said, the Horde has already lost a leader of its own," I continued. "This is a conflict that affects us all. I pledge my forces to neither the Alliance nor the Horde, but for the sake of all Azeroth. I understand that certain organizations—such as the Earthen Ring—are like-minded in their acceptance of all races?"
I couldn't help but feel a little smug at the sounds of reluctant agreement from the dwarves.
"And just what is it you demon hunters have to offer?" asked Anduin. "What can you accomplish that the Alliance and the Horde cannot?"
I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye, and realized that two of the soldiers were moving toward Anduin, their hands reaching for their swords.
"Your Majesty, surely you've heard enough from this rabble," one of them said, his words dripping with arrogance. "Let us remove them from your presence."
"Stand down," repeated Anduin, his eyes widening in surprise. "I said, stand down!"
"You ask what we can offer," I told him. "But the time for words is now past. Allow me to demonstrate."
Without missing a beat, I swiftly turned around and decapitated one of the soldiers, before impaling the other. As the bodies fell to the floor in a shower of glowing green blood, their valiant uniforms faded away to reveal horrible, twisted, demonic flesh.
"To arms!" I roared. "Protect the king!"
Needless to say, all hell broke loose as the demons finally abandoned their disguises and engaged the Alliance from all sides. But even as portals erupted in the air and spewed forth more demons, the leaders of the Alliance fought side-by-side with the Illidari.
Whatever my personal feelings, I had to marvel at their power, and honestly wondered how such a force could have ever seen defeat. The draenei's leader shielded his allies with the Light while two of the dwarves struck down various demons with their hammers, the female among them wreaking havoc with psychic blasts. Demon blood splashed everywhere as the Archdruid used his bear form to tear the invading wrathguard apart. He was joined in this carnage by the older human, who had suddenly transformed into a large, wolf-like creature. As blasts of moonlight obliterated the demons, the odd-looking bear creature dispatched her attackers with pinpoint melee strikes, while the gnomish leader demonstrated his mechanical prowess, incinerating the wrathguard with a combination of electricity and explosives.
But now the sounds of battle arose from the courtyard, library, and various other chambers throughout the keep.
"Illidari!" I yelled. "Go hunting! Cleanse the keep of this demonic filth!"
At my command, we all scattered throughout the giant fortress, each demon hunter accompanied by one or more leaders of the Alliance. In the courtyard, the Archdruid called the very trees to his side: countless roots burst forth and dragged the demons to the ground. In their final moments, the wrathguard struggled helplessly before I sent their bleeding heads rolling across the ground. Nearby, I could hear the battle cries of the draenei and the High Priestess as they fought alongside Jace in the library. The hearty roars of three angry dwarves and a crazed gnome drifted out from the direction of the kitchen. All throughout the keep, the seemingly-endless combat raged on as an army of the most diverse fighters I had ever seen fought to purge the corruption of the Burning Legion.
Finally, it was over. It took me several moments to process the silence that had so quickly replaced the brutal sounds of war.
"We should regroup in the throne room," I said, already heading back to find Anduin.
It appeared the others had a similar idea, and I turned my blind gaze toward the throne as I waited for the young king to speak.
"Though I lack magical sight," he said in an obvious attempt at humor, "my eyes do not deceive me. The Illidari have saved us from what could have been a terrible tragedy."
Genn seemed to take offense to that, and the wolf-man quickly stepped up to voice his complaints aloud.
"Your Highness, I assure you, we would have easily repelled the demon assault," he growled.
"I do not dispute the fighting prowess of anyone in this room," Anduin assured him, "and I must admit, I shared my allies' apprehension when Archmage Khadgar requested the demon hunters be given safe passage into the city. But I see now the truth of your words—we must unite against the Legion, or be crushed beneath their heel. I hereby grant the Illidari leave to establish a camp in the Mage Quarter."
Once again ignoring the mixed responses from the other leaders, I quickly played my part and bowed deeply before Anduin.
"We are grateful for your trust, Your Highness," I told him. "And I assure you that we Illidari will spare no expense in proving our worth, both to the Alliance and to all of Azeroth."
"Make no mistake, demon hunter," warned the young king, "should your kind succumb to the fel energies you toy with, we will be forced to treat you no differently than any other demon."
"I would expect no less," I replied, "but allow me to reassure Your Highness: the dispatching of a fallen brother is by nature our responsibility. My allies are well aware of what must be done, should that come to pass."
Anduin nodded, satisfied with my answer.
"Then I give you leave to establish your camp," he told me. "May you serve us well in future battles."
Standing upright once more, I thumped my chest with my fist in a salute they would recognize as elven, before turning and leading the Illidari out of the chamber. It was as we were about to exit the keep that I sensed someone following us. Quickly turning around, I fought to keep myself from scowling—what did they want?
"May I have a moment of your time?" asked the Archdruid.
"And yours, as well?" added Tyrande, nodding toward Kor'vas.
Sighing, I knew exactly what I wanted to say to them…just as I knew what a leader would be expected to say.
"Go set up our base camp in the location King Anduin has allotted for us," I told Jace.
As he saluted and led the other Illidari back out into the city, I marched into one of the keep's many side rooms—thankfully empty.
"Yes?" I prompted. "Is there more you would ask of us, Archdruid?"
He probably didn't miss my derisive tone, but chose to ignore it. Instead, he stared at me in such a way that I felt as if a magical probe was targeting my secrets. Tyrande did the same with Kor'vas, and despite the intensity, I knew their gazes held nothing more than curiosity.
"I remember you," said the Archdruid. "Velscar. You were that youth who begged to accompany me to the Broken Isles all those years ago. You were so full of anger then…"
"I'm flattered," I replied sarcastically.
This conversation was already beginning to irritate me, even more so as I realized that the Archdruid's expression was one of sadness, even pity.
"Kor'vas," said the High Priestess. "You were always so quiet in the temple, but you were one of my best students."
I watched as Kor'vas nodded respectfully. To her credit, High Priestess Tyrande seemed far more accepting than her husband. I was finding her company to be far more bearable.
"If you will permit me," said the Archdruid. "I cannot help but wonder…if I had chosen to take you with me to the islands that day…"
"All this could have been avoided?" I asked, pointing at my tattoos and sneering. "The only difference that would have made is that I'd have joined Illidan a lot sooner."
"You asked to join me in chasing after the Betrayer," said the Archdruid in shock, "Because you—"
"Wanted to join him," I repeated. "I would've just ended up sneaking away from camp if you had brought me with you. So I suggest you take comfort in this, Archdruid: it is through no fault of your own that I walk this path. Whether by fate or necessity, I am Illidari, now and forever."
"And you, Kor'vas?" asked the High Priestess. "Was there no other path for you?"
"You were ever the spirit of kindness," she replied, "the very image of the goddess herself. But an eternity studying in your temple would not have filled the hole in my heart, as learning to defend our world from the demons has."
"Is that all?" I snarled. "We have work to do."
The Archdruid levelled his gaze at me once more.
"You remind me a lot of him," he told me.
"I'll take that as a compliment," I replied.
"Do you truly hate us so?" asked his wife.
"I bear you no enmity, my lady," I told her. "On the contrary, I owe you a great deal, both for setting our master free, and for providing Kor'vas with a home when she had none. But even I cannot see a future in which the Illidari and the Druids will know peace."
"Peace…such a fragile thing, isn't it?" she asked. "And yet, powerful. It can even transcend time and space, for those who choose to fight for it. Tell me, did Illidan ever speak of his travels throughout Azeroth, before he departed for Outland?"
"He spoke little of his past, so hard did he fight to preserve the future," I replied.
"I thought as much," said Tyrande. "Some memories are still too painful, and I am sure there is much Illidan would not have you see. But this memory is also mine, and I would share it with you."
I studied the small crystal she had retrieved from the pockets of her robes. On the surface, it wasn't much—a simple rock, white as the moon. Yet both Kor'vas and I could sense the magic just beneath the surface.
"It will take no great effort on your part to access the memory I have stored within," she told us. "And I would have you relive this moment of the past, that we might use it to create a better future."
I frowned at her words—she and the Archdruid had ample reason to set a trap for us. But Kor'vas clearly trusted the High Priestess, and before I could stop her, my fellow demon hunter took the crystal in her hands. Hoping that I was wrong, I placed my hands over crystal, and we both focused on the latent energies.
The High Priestess was correct in this, at least—the memory was easy to find, like following a trail laid out for us…which was what we were doing, in a sense. Even so, the change of scenery still caught me off-guard—one moment we were in Stormwind Keep, and the next we were in what appeared to be a forest clearing.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"The High Priestess said this was her memory…" remarked Kor'vas.
The scenery wasn't the only thing that had changed—I gasped at the two figures that now stood before us. Though the priestess remained, the Archdruid had vanished from her side, replaced by someone far more familiar: a warrior sporting a blindfold and a pair of large, demonic horns. A great battle had clearly taken place here, for the grass was covered with rotting flesh and decaying bones, the corpses of creatures that I knew to be undead.
"Illidan!" gasped the High Priestess. "What trickery is this? Have you come to finish me off personally?"
No, Tyrande!" he assured her. "You must believe me! I've come to save you!"
"Save me?" she asked in surprise.
The Master responded by raising his glaives into the air and channeling magical energy into them. Swinging the enchanted blades down and apart in a circular motion, Illidan formed a portal in the air. And not a moment too soon—I quickly whipped around as the trees behind us rustled with movement, and many more undead began creeping forth, far too many for only two fighters.
Instinctively, I reached for my warglaives, knowing Kor'vas was doing the same. But it did no good—we were disembodied travelers, visitors to the past.
"Hurry!" urged Illidan. "This is our last chance!"
I watched as the High Priestess took a deep breath and bounded through the portal, followed closely by Illidan. Immediately, an invisible force latched onto us, and Kor'vas and I were both pulled in after them. The gateway led us to another part of the wood, one much farther away from the encroaching undead. As the two elves stepped out onto the forest floor, the High Priestess turned toward Lord Illidan, doubt clearly written on her features.
"You…risked your life for me," she said in disbelief. "I don't understand."
"Whatever I may be, whatever I may become in this world, know that I will always look out for you, Tyrande," he vowed.
"Tyrande!"
Turning at the sound of her name, the High Priestess quickly ran into the Archdruid's embrace as the Master looked on from afar.
"I knew you would not forsake me!" she said.
I expected the Archdruid to accept her praise, or even take up arms against Illidan. But his next words completely surprised me.
"I thought I'd lost you forever, my love," he replied, leading her back toward his brother. "And if not for Illidan's aid, I may well have."
"We have had much strife between us, my brother," confessed Illidan. "I have known only ages of hate for you. But for my part, I wish it to end. From this day forward, let there be peace between us."
I felt a great gust of wind all around us as the memory came to an end, and we were once again back in Stormwind Keep. It was as if no time had passed whatsoever.
"I assure you, no part of that memory was fabricated," said the High Priestess. "While Maiev would later take it upon herself to hunt Illidan even to the farthest reaches of Outland, she did so without our blessing or authority. Whatever our old feuds, whatever your own feelings, know that your master left us in peace."
So much of me wanted to deny her words, to insist that it had been a show for my benefit. But I had detected no magical tampering—every word, every gesture in the memory was exactly as it had happened that day. And so it was with no small amount of reluctance that I turned toward the Archdruid and extended my hand.
"If all is as you say," I began, "then it is my duty to the Illidari to renew the Master's pledge of truce. I cannot promise immediate results, and I am not so naïve to assume that we will be welcome among all your followers. But the Legion is here, and our own divisions only strengthen their cause. Know that throughout all our time on Outland, Illidan only ever sought to preserve all worlds from the demons' onslaught. He fought as much for his family as he did for himself."
"Very well," replied the Archdruid, shaking my hand. "As you say, peace will not come easy. But I agree that it is worth the effort."
"Where will you go now?" asked the High Priestess.
"For now, we stay in Stormwind and prepare for the demons' invasion," I told them. "I am confident we will meet again before the end. Ande'thoras-ethil."
As Kor'vas also bowed and repeated the farewell, I stepped outside the keep and focused fel energy into my fist. Opening my fingers, I watched as the energy coalesced into a familiar feline form. Kirasath's bony maw opened in a wide yawn as he stretched lazily.
"That was rather mature of you," Kor'vas remarked as she mounted her own felsaber.
"It was necessary," I told her. "But I must admit, seeing the Priestess' memory of the Master…it's made me question many things. Perhaps it is possible for such different groups of elves to coexist…even if only in wartime. We shall see."
"This is not a burden you must carry alone," she promised, placing her hand on my shoulder.
"That means more than you can ever know," I replied gratefully. "Now, come. We've got a world to save."