Chapter 11: The Reckoning

Ten thousand years before the Dark Portal opened, the Well of Eternity was destroyed.

It hurt. It hurt badly. With every passing moment, Maiev could feel its absence eating away at her. She knew that this had to happen. Of course, she knew that, yet it did not change the reality of the situation.

Maybe that was why she had chosen to look for Illidan. He'd disappeared after the Well of Eternity had been destroyed, and no one had seen anything of him. Maiev knew he above all others loved magic and wielding it. So it was likely he was suffering terribly from magical addiction. None should suffer alone.

Coming out into a glad near the top of Mount Hyjal she found him at last. He was kneeling down by a pool of water, running his hand through it. Moving forward she spoke: 'Illidan, there you are. I was concerned for you.'

'Your concern is noted, however unnecessary.' said Illidan, producing a vial. 'I have found a solution.'

'Solution?' asked Maiev. 'There is no solution but to endure it. Cenarius tells us-'

'Cenarius has told us many things.' said Illidan. 'Not all of them are true. For my part, I will not be his pawn.' He opened the vial and poured it into the pool.

Instantly the pool became to churn and glow and Maiev sensed it. Arcane magical dispersing within it. 'That… that is water from the Well of Eternity.'

'Of course, it was.' said Illidan. 'You did not think I would let our people's birthright die for the sake of Cenarius, did you? Using this pool, I will channel the energies of magic and create a new Well of Eternity!'

'You must not!' said Maiev. 'What was this war for if not to drive out arcane magic?!'

'To defeat the Legion.' said Illidan. 'That was my only purpose in siding with Cenarius. I will not allow my people to be consumed by magical addiction for the sake of his schemes. Now step aside, I have a ritual to perform.'

'Have you lost your mind?!' asked Maiev. 'Arcane magic is what caused all of this to begin with!'

'No, the choices our race made is what gave the Legion their opportunity.' said Illidan. 'Magic is neither good nor evil, and I will not see our race die for lack of it.'

'I will not allow this!' said Maiev, drawing her glaive. 'Step away, Illidan! The Druids will purify this pool and that will be the end of it!'

Illidan looked at her and laughed. 'Do you truly think you could stand against me?'

For a moment they stood there facing each other. Then Maiev leaped forward, and there was a surge of power. Maiev was struck in the face and fell backward, screaming. White-hot agony coursed through her face. She fled in horror and tearing, screaming the entire way.

Something was amiss. Malfurion could sense it, though he was not yet sure what it was. Ever since Illidan had disappeared things had been all too quiet. He did not like it. Tranquility was not a wholly natural phenomenon. Even less pleasant was the gnawing sensation of withdrawal.

For so long the Well of Eternity had imbued the night elves with strength. Even if it had been without their knowledge. Now that strength was gone, and without it, they felt… hollow.

Then he saw Maiev burst out of the trees and collapse before him. 'Shan'do Stormrage!'

He saw her face and recoiled. 'Maiev, what has happened to you?!'

'Illidan has lost his mind!' gasped Maiev. 'He is trying to recreate the Well of Eternity. I tried to stop him… tried…' She collapsed.

Malfurion looked to a huntress. 'Get her to a moonwell at once!' He looked to the Druids. 'This cannot be allowed! Too much destruction has been wrought to allow it to be for naught! You druids, come with me.' He spoke. 'Great spirits of the land, you must guide me to my brother!'

The spirits did guide them swift and sure through the lands. Higher and higher they climbed until at last, they came to a pool. There was Illidan, channeling magic. And even as they came there the gnawing hollow sensation was quenched. Their thirst for arcane magic was satiated.

Illidan stopped channeling and turned to face them. He recoiled in surprise. 'Brother, what brings you here?'

'What have you done?' asked Malfurion.

'Prevented the certain extinction of our race.' snapped Illidan. 'Even now you no doubt feel the agony of withdrawal passing from your mind.'

'You… betrayer!' roared Malfurion. 'You have doomed Azeroth once more! Take him into custody!'

'Do you truly believe you can match me, brother?' asked Illidan. 'My skill in battle is unsurpassed.'

'Cenarius will decide your fate.' said Malfurion, before motioning with a staff. The trees all around them came to life and made their way forward toward Illidan. 'Take him.'

Illidan smiled and raised his glaives. 'So… it's tree season then.'

He tore through the treants with flaming blades. He fell upon the Druids and killed two of them in moments. The others scattered and Malfurion soon found himself fighting with Illidan alone. Illidan's smile unnerved him as he struggled to hold his own. His staff was knocked from his hand, and he was thrown down.

Malfurion raised a hand and roots grew up to hold Illidan, yet these were burned away in moments. Illidan came forward toward him, blade in hand. Malfurion caught the hand and took on the form of a bear, smashing Illidan against the ground. For a moment they rolled there, tearing and grappling with one another. At last Malfurion threw him off. The other druids regained their senses. Together they unleashed the full power of the wild.

Vines gripped him, dragging Illidan down. Malfurion grasped his staff and struck Illidan across the face twice and he went limp. Then he looked around. Many treants had been destroyed, burnt to ashes. Several Druids were dead as well.

Illidan had gone mad with power. And that power glowed behind them. Malfurion made his way up to it and channeled his will against it. 'Begone from this world!'

Nothing. His command was resisted.

'Begone!' he cried. 'The Archdruid of the Forest Commands your banishment!' And he plunged his staff into the water.

Nothing happened. Malfurion let his shoulders slump. 'Take Illidan back to the village. Send word to Cenarius of what has happened, though I do not doubt he already knows.'

The people of the village looked better already. Many who had been sick were now healthy again, though it was small comfort. All that work for nothing.

Malfurion approached the healers. 'How is Maiev fairing?'

The healer did not look happy. 'The spell used on her was powerful. We… we were able to heal her injuries, however, the scars on her are terrible. She will carry them for the rest of her life.'

And then Cenarius arrived. The ancestor of the Centaurs rode into the woods accompanied by a great entourage. He looked at Malfurion with wary eyes. 'Malfurion, I sense that magic has been returned to the world. What has happened?'

'My brother… he used water from the Well of Eternity to create a new source of Arcane Magic.' said Malfurion. 'No doubt the withdrawal hit him harder than most. I believe he did so in the belief that it would save, s however… the cost… everything we worked for…'

'Fear not.' said Cenarius. 'The Emerald Dream has not been destroyed. I have seen to that. However, it will take much labor on our part to fix the damage your brother on this day has done.

'Bring me him.'

Illidan was dragged before Cenarius in chains. His blind eyes flared with hatred as he looked at the guardian of the night elves.

'Well, Cenarius.' asked Illidan in defiance. 'Have you more empty words?'

'Illidan Stormrage, by restoring the Well of Eternity in your selfish quest for power you have opened these realms to arcane magic!' roared Cenarius. 'Because of you the rise of the Emerald Dream may be delayed by tens of thousands of years!

'Do you have any words to say in your defense?'

'Everything I did I did for my people.' snarled Illidan. 'You, Cenarius may claim to care for the night elves, yet my blind eyes see what others cannot. With one hand you would use them to destroy your enemies, and with your left, you would doom them to a slow death.

'I have no regrets. And history will know me a savior, and you my persecutor.'

He was right. There had been many among the night elves who had expressed doubt. There was even anger regarding Cenarius and the loss of the Well of Eternity. If Illidan was killed here he might become a martyr to them. Cenarius saw this, Malfurion could see, and became even angrier.

'Death is too small a punishment for one such as you!' he roared. 'Druids of the Claw, take him into the depths of the earth and let him reside there in chains! Imprisoned until the day the Emerald Dream rises again!

'Maiev Shadowsong, you have suffered gravely by his hand. Will you and your watchers take charge of ensuring that he and his ilk do not infest these woodlands again.'

Malfurion turned and realized Maiev was here. Her face was covered by a hood, hiding what had happened to her. Her bearing was hopeless, however. 'I will.'

When Illidan had been dragged away, Cenarius approached him. 'Malfurion, because of Illidan, corruption is spreading through the Emerald Dream. You and most of the Druids must enter that place and aid me in fighting against it.'

'As you wish.' said Malfurion.

'I fear it may be a battle long in the waging.' said Cenarius. 'You should say your farewells before you leave. I will watch over these lands in your absence.'

Thus Illidan had been given his long imprisonment and three fates were decided that day.

That had been long ago. Now Maiev wondered if she had made a mistake by coming here. She knew it was too late to go back, though.

The portal had long since closed behind her. Now she walked in this strange realm of floating rocks and vast chasms leading down into the void. The very air itself stunk with the scent of unholy magic. No wonder Illidan had come here.

Could she defeat him alone?

She'd tried to convince the others to follow her, but they hadn't listened. None of them had listened. She'd followed behind, and found Illidan being allowed to flee. She had no idea what his intentions with the Eye of Sageras were, or what he meant to do with it. However, she knew she could not allow him to use it.

Her armor made her sweat in the blazing heat as she stumbled through the wastes. The burning tracks of Illidan were leading her into a series of craggy hills, and she kept her glaives close. Was he aware of her? If he was then he would likely try to ambush her. If not she might take him unawares.

The trail led her onwards through the lifeless land until at last, they came to the edge of a sheer cliff. There a shrine stood looking a place looking out. The twisting nether. It was every bit as corrupt and nightmarish a place as she had been taught to believe.

The shrine itself was simple. It was a statue of Sageras, his blade upraised. And though it was only stone it was nightmarish to behold. Worse than any live demon she had ever faced. And standing beneath it was Illidan.

His back was to her, however as she approached he turned round to face her.

'This will be our battleground, little warden.' said Illidan. 'Now I will spill your blood.'

'Illidan Stormrage,' said Maiev, 'for corrupting the very lifeforce of Azeroth itself. For preventing the rise of the Emerald Dream, I hereby sentence you to death.'

'You have no authority here, Warden Shadowsong.' said Illidan. 'And even my brother has abandoned you.'

'I will execute you myself.' said Maiev.

For a moment they stood there, facing each other down, their glaives in hand. A stone rolled down one of the nearby hills, and it seemed as loud as thunder as it hit the bottom. Then they surged forward at one another.

Glaive on glaive they fought, clashing again and again. Maiev found herself driven back, but unleashed a fan of knives. Illidan leaped over them and her and struck downwards, striking her helm hard. Maiev reeled backward, hitting the feet of the statue and her helm fell from her head.

She saw herself in her blade. Her face was scarred and burned, ruined by a spell cast long ago. A spell cast by Illidan. No one had ever wanted to be around after that day. Who could ever marry one who appeared like she did? She'd thrown herself into her duty and worn that helm to dim the pain. Already she could feel the pain of it returning to her, and agony surged through her as she forced herself up.

Illidan was coming at her. She ducked under a swipe meant to behead her and slashed at him. Yet Illidan twisted away and roundhouse kicked her out of the shrine to land in the dust. As he rushed at her she threw a knife, yet he reflected it with one glaive.

She ran to meet him. Yet even as she did flames burst up around Illidan, surrounding him in an inferno which burned her. The pain from her old wounds was agonizing, and she lost focus. Her glaive was knocked from her hand and Illidan ran her through.

Raising her skyward on the blade, Maiev gasped in pain. Blood spilled from her mouth as she struggled to reach her knives.

'Farewell, Warden Shadowsong.' said Illidan. 'You were a fool to pursue me alone.'

He threw her aside with his blade and Maiev fell down into the crags. There was a sudden impact and she felt something within her snap as she rolled down to the bottom of the gorge. Struggling to her feet, she tried to limp forward, but collapsed to one knee again. Above her she could see Illidan looking down.

He smiled, then turned away.

'Damn you, betrayer!' she screamed. 'Come down! Come down or I… I will find you!'

She forced herself to limp forward. Every step was absolute agony and she felt blood seeping out of her even as she kept pressure on the wound. The world around her blurred and shifted around her, and she found herself struggling to stay on her feet.

Collapsing to her knees she realized the truth. 'I… I am… dying…' Yet she pushed herself up and staggered onward out of the crags. 'No! This cannot be… I am a Watcher of Cenarius! I am justice incarnate! I am the vengeance of all those who have suffered because of that beast's mad lust for power! It… cannot… end… here…'

Her legs failed her and she gazed up skyward before she saw only white.

Authors Note:

Okay so here we are. I know I said that last chapter was supposed to be the last, but I felt I couldn't in good conscience leave Maiev like that. Problem was that Maiev's scene was too short to make a chapter. So instead I decided to add a flashback or two elaborating on Maiev's backstory.

Maiev was clearly familiar enough with Suramar to know it by sight thousands of years later. So she must have lived during the War of the Ancients. Which means she could have easily known Illidan before his imprisonment.

Finally, I am taking some liberties with what the Emerald Dream is. This is going a bit AU in more ways than one.