Part Eleven: All Eyes on the Sunwell
Metal clashed on metal as the sharp blades shined in the midday sun. Sparks ignited as the swords slid along each other before disengaging. Zharn gave his opponent a tusky grin as he backed up a step. His breathing was calm and so was that of the night elf facing him. Her blade was long and slender with a slight curve and only one sharp edge. In contrast the orc's was double-edged and straight. Around the two combatants were other kaldorei sentinels watching the two in their dance. Some cheered for their fellow kaldorei, but a few cheered for the orc. During his stay in Darnassus he had garnered a favorable reputation amongst the night elves which was highly uncommon for orcs in this region of Kalimdor. Zharn's chest was bare highlighting his musculature while the woman facing him wore a tight top that clung to her skin. With two hands she raised her hilt even with her forehead and the blade straight in the air. To counter Zharn held his with a reverse grip in his right hand which was crossed before his chest and the flat side of the blade hovering just below the length of his arm. The pommel of his sword cradled in the palm of his left hand.
"He fights with a most unusual style," one of the spectators commented.
The orc led to his left with his right foot. A feral smile crossed the lips of the opposing sentinel. Seeing an opening she thrust her blade down at the orc anticipating him to continue moving to his left, but as she moved he squatted and spun back and to his right. As he did this his sword inched away from his arm and whistled in the air like a scythe as he continued spinning towards the sentinel's legs. Taken by surprise she leapt over the blade to land two steps back from where she had just faced off with the orc. She held her sword angled before her pointed at Zharn who stood up mid-spin and faced her holding his sword to match hers. Gasps came from the spectators as the opponents finished this latest movement in a match that had already lasted for almost an hour. Neither the sentinel nor the orc showed signs of fatigue, but all present knew that appearances could be deceiving. The sentinel looked the orc up and down and then smiled again. His tusky grin widened in return. A commotion to their right drew their attention as the spectators parted allowing Tyrande Whisperwind to glide towards them. The two combatants lowered their weapons and bowed to the priestess.
"That is most impressive, Zharn," Tyrande said as she walked towards them. "And a most unusual style. I can't say that I have ever seen it before. What is it called, if I may ask?"
"It is a form called Ataru," Zharn answered looking back at the high priestess. "In my years knowing Daneel he has been able to instruct me in a couple of forms. The other is called Soresu which I was also employing during our sparring session." He looked over to his opponent and smiled. "Thank you…and sorry about the cuts."
She nodded in return as she looked at one of two cuts on her left shoulder. They were the only injuries she suffered during her bout with Zharn. "They are superficial and will heal. It was a pleasure." The orc didn't have a single cut on his body. It was not a mark of his ability to block her attacks as more a testament to her remarkable precision as a swordmaster to avoid any injury to the orc while sparring.
Zharn looked back at Tyrande. "I do admit I am quite a bit out of practice…for reasons you are most definitely aware. It felt good being able to move like my old self."
"These are jedi techniques?" Tyrande asked him.
"Somewhat," he answered with a shy grin while he ran his right hand along his bald head. "I can't use the Force like he does so what I can do is a more muted form than he employs. The Ataru is a more aggressive form while the Soresu is defensive. Just before I was injured he was beginning to teach me another called Shien which he felt might suit my size and stature better. Shien utilizes power and strength. All are lightsaber forms best used by the jedi and their abilities with the Force, so the best I can do is mimic the physical movements. Daneel is much more impressive, I assure you."
"You are quite effective with the ones you use now even if they are muted," the sentinel mentioned. "It was all I could do to keep up with you. You move with the grace of a cat despite your size and frame. I have to admit I was caught off-guard several times as you performed moves I did not think you capable of." She leaned over and whispered to him, "Do you think he could teach me some of those moves?"
"I can ask him for you," he whispered back with a smile.
Tyrande smiled widely. "I actually came to find you, Zharn. That…device…was making a noise a few minutes ago." Zharn nodded and snatched a towel that was thrown by one of the sentinels watching the sparring match. He smiled thankfully at the woman and looked back at the priestess. "I think we should go somewhere more private so that you can...um…fix it."
She led the orc from the courtyard where the sentinels fell back into formation around their leader. She was also wiping the sweat from her face with a towel. Two more sentinels replaced her and Zharn at the center beginning another sparring match for the others to watch.
Once they were out of earshot the orc looked over to the priestess. "Thank you for the discretion regarding the communicator," he stated.
"Of course. While they know you are here to help us and a friend to the kaldorei, I feel it necessary to not reveal all of the little secrets in your possession." Then she whispered, "Plus I hit the contact accidentally and it was your wife looking for you."
Zharn chuckled. "She's just making her daily report I imagine. Nothing to worry about."
"But I can see where such a device would be quite tempting. There were times I would have loved such a device to talk to Malfurion during the Cataclysm. I envy you and your wife having such a convenience that others do not have…to be able to talk to the one you love even when they are far away from you."
"It doesn't make the separation any easier, I assure you," he replied. "Some days it's worse because I can talk to her but I still cannot hold her in my arms. My heart aches deeply when I talk to her on that thing." She nodded her understanding as they walked towards the Temple of Elune. "It can be a blessing and a curse depending on the relationship you have with the person talking on the other end."
They walked the rest of the way in silence past several priests and priestesses and some sentinels. Once in the room Zharn had been staying in he walked over to where the holocommunicator rested on the table. Tyrande stayed back by the room's entrance giving the orc and his wife some semblance of privacy. Wiping his face again with the towel in his free hand he activated the device with his thumb. Kitali's three dimensional image appeared above the communicator, and the orc's heart skipped a beat. She was wearing the same outfit she wore when Selene attacked their ship from Booty Bay to Northrend over a year ago. The top wrapped from around her neck and over her breasts to gather at her back. She was even wearing the same sarong she wore that day. Zharn swallowed hard….damn she was beautiful.
"Hi, hon," she said with a smile. "I see Tyrande found you?"
"She did," Zharn replied. "What's wrong, Kit? And what do you need me to do?"
Her mouth opened in shock. "Why would you say that?"
"Because you only wear that outfit when we are alone or when you want me to do something I may not want to…and you know what my reaction will be seeing you in that dress…you know I can't say no."
"I'm…hurt…sweetie," she said mockingly bringing her hand to her chest. She may have tugged down on the clothing a little.
"And I'm hard as a rock," he answered bluntly. Both the image of Kitali and Tyrande giggled. "Just tell me what you want…and when we see each other again we are going to make use of that outfit's affects…nonstop…for a week!"
"Deal!" Kitali giggled. She then told her husband all they had discovered as well as the news Demira relayed before she departed Silithus for Silvermoon with Daneel and Alexstrasza. When she finished she tilted her hips and tugged at her top again. "Now the tough part, honey. We need you to find Brann Bronzebeard."
"How am I supposed to do that? Nobody knows where he is. Plus…the Explorer's League isn't exactly on friendly terms with orcs."
"Well, you'll just have to think of something. Windi said the device is Titan and she can't read the language on the controls. She needs Bronzebeard to translate for her." The image of Kitali put her hands on her hips. "Everything hinges on shutting down this drill."
"What about that kid in Shattrath? Grogg? Remember he said that he was stuck in that one Titan facility for several months and that he learned the language so he could find out how to leave the place. Why not get him to translate for Windi?"
"I forgot all about that," Kitali replied. "Yes…go get him and bring him here, but hurry. The longer we delay the more chances there are that that girl will get hurt or killed."
"I'll get him," Zharn said. "And our deal is still on. Tyrande is my witness…one week alone…just the two of us…with nothing to do but fuck ourselves senseless."
"I'm looking forward to it," she giggled and blew a kiss at him. "See ya soon, hon."
"See ya soon," he answered as the image dissipated. He then looked over at the priestess still standing by the doorway and smiling. "Well…I gotta go!"
Demira stood outside the office of Lor'themar Theron with Daneel and Alexstrasza. If anyone amongst the sin'dorei had authority over the Sunwell it was this man who was the acting ruler of the blood elves. Demira paced as the other two sat in chairs. It had already been an hour since they were told to await the regent and yet nothing…no indication of when he would see him. The mage was growing worried that he was delaying on purpose for a reason she hated to think the cause…that he might no longer saw her as a sin'dorei. She could hardly blame him. Since joining the Horde she had fewer elven friends than from other races. In fact her closest friends were a draenei and an orc. She was married to a man totally alien to Azeroth, and to make things worse had turned her back on the Sunwell entirely while fully embracing the Force. She no longer suffered from the arcane withdrawal or the addiction other blood elves and high elves were afflicted by. The healing aspects of the Force had cured her. However, the Force was also something totally alien to the elves that they neither knew existed or wanted to understand, and they would not accept it as an alternative or cure for their malady. Because of all of this the regent just might not listen to her…and this worried her because she felt that the blood elves and high elves were her people. Finally a ranger approached and she ceased her pacing.
"The Lord Regent will speak with the mage, Demira, alone," he said dispassionately. "You two can remain here for the time being."
"Their input is quite valuable," Demira countered. "Why won't he speak with them?"
"He did not say," came the reply. "You may enter and speak with him now…alone."
Demira looked back at Daneel, and he simply nodded and smiled. She took a deep breath and walked the short distance to the door. Her hands were clammy. When she entered the office the door closed behind her. Lor'themar sat at a large desk with papers strewn across the top. He did not look up from some of the papers or smile at Demira making her more nervous about meeting the man alone. With a slight movement of his hand he indicated she sit in a chair across the desk from him. Demira squared her shoulders as she took another deep breath and sat as he indicated.
"I am told you come bearing news of a threat against the Sunwell," he said still not looking up at her. "Would you mind elaborating on the specifics of this threat?"
Demira cleared her throat. "We have reason to believe a woman intends to taint the Sunwell…"
"And just how does this woman plan to do that?" Lor'themar asked interrupting her. "I am sure you are aware we have it significantly guarded to prevent just such a thing ever happening again."
"I understand that," she replied. "But still even as guarded as it is this woman can achieve what she wants to accomplish…she is that powerful. And she looks like one of us."
"Truly?" he asked finally looking up at her. "Is she another of you that uses this mysterious power that no other knows or utilizes?" She nodded to him. "Then I shall be blunt. For the past few years you have turned your back on us. There are so few of us left and yet you marry this…this alien from another world. It diminishes us, Demira. Then I learn you have spent some time recently with the kaldorei. I find it curious that you would stoop to aid them and that they would accept your aid. Have you forgotten what they did to our people and how they still treat us? And now you arrive unannounced with this supposed threat to us. How am I to know this is a real threat and not just one created by the kaldorei to distract us? How do I know that you come here out of sincerity and not as their agent? Honestly…I do not trust you, Demira. Nor do I believe that any one person can threaten the Sunwell now that we have taken precautions to prevent…"
"Then you are as naïve as you are blind," she blurted and immediately regretted her remark but it was out there now. His statements about her were painful to hear. She had expected it, but to hear the vehemence in his voice struck her to her soul. It hurt and made her angry. "Whether or not you believe in such a power it does exist. My husband wields it…"
"A spouse who is not a sin'dorei," he stated calmly…almost mockingly.
"My husband wields it," she repeated standing. "And with him sitting out in your lobby is the Life Binder who also wields it. And both can attest to the veracity of what I am telling you. This woman almost killed a dragon during her escape from us in Northrend! She is coming here and she is a threat!" He continued looking at her without any emotion on his face. She glowered at him before sitting back in her chair. "Perhaps it was a mistake in coming here. I thought you would be interested in any threat against our people."
Lor'themar looked at her and moved a couple of the papers to the side clearing the desktop directly in front of him. The fingers of his right hand drummed the wood. They looked at each other in silence for a minute before the drumming stopped and he raised his hand to massage his chin as he continued to stare at her. Finally he breathed deeply through his nose. "I will allow the three of you to visit the Sunwell and see for yourselves how protected it is," he finally said. "Perhaps then you will understand that no single individual is a threat…not even one powerful enough to slay…"
The regent was interrupted when a ranger burst through the door. He was breathing heavily and appeared visibly shaken. "Lord Lor'themar, an attack is underway at the Sunwell."
"By who and how many?" he asked while looking at Demira. She wore a worried expression.
"A single woman," the ranger answered. "She is using a source of power we are totally unfamiliar with and a weapon we cannot defend against. It looks like a sword with a red blade and it cuts through armor as if it were cloth. None of our magics work against her, she knocks our arrows from the sky with ease just by the swing of her blade, and she has slain many rangers already. So far she has not reached the Sunwell itself, but unless she tires soon we cannot stop her."
Demira did not wait for a response from Lor'themar. She stood and ran from her chair to the lobby only to discover Daneel was not there. Alexstrasza looked at her and waved her hand. The two women left the lobby as the regent shouted at their backs. Outside the building the dragon queen transformed causing many sin'dorei around her to scamper for cover. Demira jumped on her back once the transformation was complete. She looked down and back to see Lor'themar emerge from the building.
"Daneel has already left to face the woman," she shouted at him as Alexstrasza prepared to take flight. "We are leaving to join him. You should have acted sooner, Lord Regent."
"Hopefully by the time I arrive your mate will have defeated her," he replied as rangers scurried around him preparing to leave for the Sunwell. "It seems I may have misjudged you."
"We'll talk about that once this is all over," she said as the dragon lifted from the ground.
Illiana growled as another wave of rocks and boulders were heaved in her direction. Approaching the Sunwell was more bothersome than she imagined. The first couple of mages she snuck up on and dispatched easily, but these others now attacking her were seemingly immune to her Force lightning attacks. With a wave of her hand she knocked the rocks and boulders to the side. More than a dozen rangers laid dead at her feet each one having fallen to her lightsaber. It only had one blade, but against the primitive weapons the rangers used the single blade was more than efficient. It sliced through their swords and armoring like a hot knife through butter. She knocked arrows out of the air easily as the Force enhanced her abilities to see them almost in slow motion. With each step she was closer to the Sunwell…and with each step she was that much closer to her goal. Another volley of arrows flew at her, and again she deflected or destroyed those that came close to her. With a another wave of her hand several of the boulders lifted from the ground and hurled back at the mages causing them to scatter like ants.
Taking a brief second she looked at the ring on her finger that made her smile. Just before she killed Drakus he had brought her to Azshara. The naga queen transformed from her monstrous form to that of a night elf as they met on the same shores she had slaughtered naga as a message just days ago. Illiana remembered she could not imagine either form being the same one she had been told drove men and woman insane with lust. The woman was ugly in her opinion, but she had also never seen a night elf let alone a woman of that race. The old sith even seemed enamored with her. The queen droned on about her plans for her return to power and Illiana's role in those plans. Drakus made bold claims that nothing could stop them from total victory. She could barely stay awake…she really didn't care what either of them desired. It wasn't until Azshara produced the ring that Illiana grew interested. The Sunwell was created with a vial taken from the Well of Eternity. Now the interesting thing was that it was an enormous fount of arcane energy, but like everything else it had an opposite. For every positive there is a negative, every action an equal and opposite reaction. Illiana understood this as it was a basic rule of physics that Drakus drilled into her as a child. The ring contained a drop…only a drop…of what the queen said was anti-arcane energy taken from deep in the ocean near where the Well of Eternity had imploded. Some of the energies…and its opposing energies…still remained deep near the ocean floor. Illiana did not know exactly what it was but she didn't care. With that drop she could destroy the Sunwell and in so doing force the sin'dorei to seek another source of energy to feed an addiction that existed all the way back in time to when the Well of Eternity was still on the surface of the planet. That ring was the only piece of jewelry she wore on her fingers since that day. It glistened in the sun now as she raised her lightsaber in the air as another volley of arrows rained towards her. A single thin band of silver with a small golden stud atop it…and inside that stud was the single drop of anti-arcane energy.
Illiana took another step and stopped. Ahead of her and stepping from behind the archway leading to the Sunwell emerged a man wearing simple brown robes, and at his side pointed to the ground was a green bladed lightsaber. The jedi. She reached out through the Force and felt the tremendous amount of energy focused on this one man. Her foot retreated a half a step as she readied herself…he had come for her.
"Stop where you are and throw the lightsaber away," he called out to her. She wanted to look into his eyes, but he wore a silver band of metal over them. "You have lost, Illiana."
Mages and rangers retreated behind the jedi leaving just the two of them facing each other. She was too late…he had warned them, but they seemed just as afraid of him as they were of her. After a minute the only sound was the hum of their lightsabers.
"I know all about what you seek here," the man continued. "I know of the drill in Northrend…the dead-man's switch in your chest….and I know that you have come here alone. It's not too late, Illiana. Turn away from the dark side. Only through the light side can you find the peace that deep down you are searching for."
"You know nothing of what I desire," she replied. "I will destroy this font of energy and then they will worship me as a savior. I will be their queen…and I will avenge the murder of my mother!"
"What murder?" he asked. "Your mother is alive and well in Northrend. It was she who told us of what you plan."
"You lie!"
"Search your feelings…you know what I say is true," he answered calmly.
She sensed no deception from him, but he was also a jedi. Drakus warned her that they lied and knew how to hide the truth from the lies. She was certain he was lying to her now. The voice had assured her that her mother was dead…it had never failed to tell her the truth. It told her when Drakus planned to turn against her…how Azshara planned to use her…and it told her how to construct the failsafe ensuring that no one would harm her. The man was bluffing. He dare not act against her.
"I cannot allow you to taint the Sunwell," he continued. "And if you face me you cannot possibly win. Surrender, Illiana, and embrace the light side. Give up your anger and hatred…and find peace in the light side of the Force."
"You cannot stop me!" she yelled in reply. "If you truly know about the device in my chest then you also know that you cannot harm me! I am invincible! Untouchable! All of Azeroth is mine!"
The jedi shook his head. "It is true that I cannot stop your heart from beating for the damage to the planet would be too great," he said as his feet shifted. "However, I do not have to kill you to stop you."
He suddenly leapt through air at her with his blade swinging at her head. She just barely brought her blade up in time to deflect his attack. The lightsaber shook in her hand at the power he used in his strike against her. She spun on her heel and again just blocked a second swing of his lightsaber…this time at her waist. She backed up a step to distance herself from him, but he moved faster than she did closing the gap. His green blade flashed again shaking the lightsaber in her hand. Her arm up to her elbow was starting to go numb and it was only the third strike. His lightsaber was now held in a reverse grip and along his arm. He spun at her and again she was forced back on the defensive. Their blades clashed and sparks crackled again and again as they traded blows…his the offensive and hers the defensive. Desperately she reached out with her left hand and pushed through the Force. He stumbled back a step, and she lunged at him finally taking the offensive, but he sidestepped and her blade touched nothing. Fear gripped her and she quickly spun on her heel to block yet another swing of the jedi's lightsaber.
Lor'themar led an echelon of six in flight as they flew from Silvermoon City to the Sunwell Plateau. While he had been harsh with Demira during their meeting he was never truly angry with her. Disappointed maybe, but never angry. While she did marry the alien, had he been in her shoes he was not certain he would not have done the same thing. Spy reports and rumors had reached him that the man sought peace in the land and amongst its peoples. There was a mystique about him that he imagined was the main attraction the mage had for the man. Even the dragon Aspect Alexstrasza had been with them when Demira came to warn him of the danger to the Sunwell. If she listened to this alien and trusted him enough to act then maybe…just maybe….
While he truly did not believe there was any danger, the presence of a dragon with the couple had added some credence to some sort of threat, but he was confident of their defenses around the area. Now he flew atop his dragonhawk with five of his best guards towards the Sunwell that was indeed under attack by a woman as powerful as Demira had described. He no longer saw the dragon with the mage atop her, but he assumed they would land only minutes before he and his guards did. When they got closer he saw smoke from fires near the Sunwell, and his heart lurched in his chest. How could any of this be possible? They had taken every precaution after Velen had restored the Sunwell.
They started their approach to land, and below he saw the rangers and mages tasked with guarding the Sunwell had retreated back towards the building that housed it. Before them on the main pilgrimage road he spotted flashes of red and green. A man and woman were fighting with swords the likes of which he had never seen before. The formation flew overhead as he led them closer to the combatants. He recognized the alien fighting an elven woman…an elven woman with eyes frightening to behold as they were no elven eyes he knew existed in all of Azeroth. They were red and the woman's visage was one of pure hatred…almost pure evil. He tugged on the reigns and brought his dragonhawk to land closer to the guards and mages. He saw amongst them out on the front line near the battle the mage, Demira, and the dragon, Alexstrasza. They were watching the mage's spouse while also keeping his men and women back and away from the conflict. It was only now that he noticed several bodies of rangers and mages strewn on the ground between the survivors and the combatants. Surprising he had not noticed them when he flew overhead, but his attention was drawn to the strange elven woman. Lor'themar and his guards dismounted and marched to the front line where Demira stood. He stopped to stand beside her, but she did not look at him. This did not bother him, and as he looked at the two combatants his mouth opened. They were moving so fast he could barely keep up with them. Then the woman raised her hilt and struck the alien on the side of the head and the metal band he wore across his eyes flew off onto the ground. Lor'themar gasped when the man looked back at the other elf…looked at her with no eyes.
Illiana was on the defensive and she knew it. She drew upon the Force with all she could and yet still this jedi came at her again and again and again. Each time his blade contacted hers sparked flew and crackled…and pain shot through her arms. The power behind his attacks was incredible. Since she was a child, Drakus had instructed her in the various forms and arts with a lightsaber. He had made this weapon for her when she was only twelve…one with two blades. Since that time she had become so proficient with the saberstaff that she never thought she would ever use a single blade again. Then she met this jedi's padawan back at Drakus' fortress. She had destroyed Illiana's weapon leaving only half of it and only one functioning blade. She was left with a weapon she was unpracticed in using and now her lack of skill was apparent against this jedi. Until that time Illiana was certain she was an unmatched master because it was one of the few things Drakus praised her about. Such praise had to be based in truth…right? But that small human had bested her…bested her while expending more effort in not harming Illiana than actually trying to defeat her. Drakus was either a better liar than she ever imagined…or he simply was not a master with the weapons as he had led her to believe.
Finally she saw an opening as the jedi overstepped on his last attack. She was out of position to bring her blade into a counter, so she brought her hilt down into the side of his face. He rolled with the strike, and that infernal metal covering flew off is face. Finally! She would get a chance to look into his eyes and see the fear she knew had to be there. His fear would embolden her and strengthen her ties to the dark side. He straightened and looked at her…and she gasped almost dropping her lightsaber. Her body shook for he had no eyes…no eyes whatsoever. She staggered back a step as fear gripped her. How could he see? How could he move so fast and accurate without the ability to even see where she was and how she was moving? Another step backwards. The Force! That was the only explanation. He was so attuned to the Force that even without eyes he was overpowering her…his recent mistake was not because he tried too hard to kill her but instead because he was trying not to kill her. How could she defeat such a being? Another step and she fell to the ground. It was over…all of it…she could not win against this man. So this was the kind of being her father and Drakus feared…and now she knew why they feared the jedi so. His face even without eyes was calm and serene. His breathing was normal with no sign of exertion while she was panting as she looked up at him. And she sensed no fear from him at all…no emotions whatsoever. He was like a conduit and the Force flowed through him…that much she could now sense. Unlike the way Drakus had taught her…to relay upon her emotions to draw upon the Force and to use it and bend it to her will this man instead suppressed his emotions and opened himself to the Force…and the connection was stronger than any she could ever hope to muster as Drakus had taught her. She was defeated.
'Attack him now while he is vulnerable,' the voice told her in her head. Was it simply that stupid? Did it want her to die?
"I cannot defeat him," she replied to the voice. The jedi cocked his head to the side as he looked down at her. "His connection to the Force is too great….I cannot do it!"
'You can defeat him and you will,' it answered with a growl. 'Do not give up now that you are so close to what you desire most. Finish it! Attack him now and all will be yours!'
"I cannot!" she said as she tossed her lightsaber to the side. "All of you have lied to me! All of my life no one has ever told me the truth! No one ever told me the jedi were so powerful! I cannot defeat him!"
Daneel stretched out with his hand and the metal visor flew through the air to his hand. He put it back in place over his vestigial eye sockets. "Who are you talking to, Illiana?"
"Can't you hear it?" she asked Daneel. "Am I the only one he ever speaks to?"
"Who, Illiana? Who is speaking to you," he asked. By now Demira, Alexstrasza, and Lor'themar had heard the woman and ran to join the jedi. "What is he called?"
'Say nothing!' it demanded in her mind. The oppressiveness returned more profoundly than ever before, and Illiana screamed out in pain as she brought her hands to her temples. 'They are trying to trick you! Do not listen to them. Tell them nothing!'
"I do not know his name. The voice has always been there when the others were just trying to use me," Illiana said to the jedi still pushing on her head with her hands. It felt like it would explode from the pressure the voice was applying. "Drakus, Azshara, my father…none of them really cared about what I wanted…only what they could use me for. It has been there to tell me the truth of their lies so that I could get what I wanted."
"Neltharion also heard voices…voices of the Old Gods," Alexstrasza said to Daneel. "It could be that one speaks to her now and has been trying to get her here to die. The pain she feels seems to be that she is resisting some urging from it even now." She looked at the jedi. "Her death would mean the drill would fire and free them from their prison. It has been using her as the others have…driving her towards actions that would lead to her doom and their freedom."
"If it is another that controls her then I can shield her from it through the Force," Daneel stated. He extinguished his blade and placed the hilt on his belt. Taking a few steps closer to Illiana he said, "I can keep it from talking to you, Illiana. I can shield you from its influence. The pain will end and your mind will be yours once more."
"Drakus told me the jedi hate the sith. I am an elf but my father was sith…you hate me because of who my father was," she said shaking her head.
Lor'themar watched the exchange while standing beside the mage. Now as he looked at the elven woman on the ground her eyes were no longer red but the purest blue he had ever seen. Gone from her face was the scowl of hatred and anger and now replaced with one of a frightened child and one in intense pain and anguish. As much as he wanted retribution for what had happened here and what she tried to do, he felt sorry for her now. "I do not understand what is happening here," he whispered to Demira. "How can this be the same woman who only moments ago was slaughtering my rangers and mages?"
"The powers of the Force can be tied to strong emotions," Demira whispered back. "And this influence of an Old God explains a great many things. I doubt she was ever fully in control of herself."
"The jedi do not hate the sith," Daneel said to Illiana. "Nor do I hate you. I want to help you if you will let me. I can shield you from the voice..." he said raising his hands.
She first shook her head no, but then yes as the pain from the voice intensified. Daneel stretched both hands towards the elf and the air around them and between them began to glow. Illiana lifted from the ground and then she arched her back. After a minute she lowered to the ground to slump on her knees. The glow dissipated as Daneel lowered his arms…and then doubled over before dropping to one knee. Demira rushed to his side.
"The power of the one controlling her is staggering," Daneel gasped. "But her mind is now free. I was successful in shielding her from its influence."
"You are weakened," Alexstrasza stated as she knelt beside him opposite of Demira. Lor'themar walked to stand behind her and looked down at Illiana. "I can sense that what you have done for this woman has taken a great toll upon you. Perhaps the price to protect her from the Old God is too high."
"I will recover," Daneel replied. "I used this same technique to save my master from another who also controlled minds from a distance." He looked up at Lor'themar. "We must protect her from harm, however, as the device in her chest is still active. We cannot let that drill in Northrend fire into the crust."
"Before anything I would like to learn what she planned for the Sunwell," Lor'themar replied. "I cannot allow such an act against it or the sin'dorei go without some sort of explanation."
Illiana looked up at the regent and then removed a single ring from her finger. She looked at Lor'themar with innocent blue eyes. "I was going to use this," she said timidly. "In this ring is a single drop of what Azshara called anti-arcane energy. It would nullify the waters in the Sunwell and neutralize the energies within essentially destroying it." She held it up to him. "I am ….sorry."
"What you have done is punishable by death," the regent said bluntly.
"You cannot," Demira stated as she stood. "Her death could bring about a catastrophe as great as the Cataclysm."
"Then what would you suggest?" he asked. "This cannot go unanswered for."
"Keep the ring for safe keeping," Demira offered. "She has given you the one thing that could destroy the Sunwell. Who better to keep it safe than the sin'dorei?"
"And her?" he said with a nod. "Keeping safe the means to destroy the Sunwell is only a partial step. She still must answer for the deaths she caused."
"She was controlled by an Old God," Demira pleaded. "Would you sentence another elf to death because she was not acting of her own will?" Beside her Alexstrasza helped Daneel stand. He was still weak but getting stronger.
"I could…release her into Alexstrasza's custody," he said with a sigh. "A former Aspect would be a higher authority on Azeroth than either a mage or an alien from another world. And if she were to vouch for this theory that this woman was acting under the influence of an Old God…then who would I be to argue?" He leaned over and whispered to Demira. "That, I think, would satisfy the law."
Kuro stood over the hole under the drill and lowered her arms. Or more accurately what used to be a hole. Using the abilities of earth that were common with black dragons she had filled the hole and solidified the rock below the drill, but everyone knew it was only a delaying tactic. Should the drill fire it would still reach deep into the crust and even the mantle still causing damage to the fault Kuro confirmed they were standing over. Now it was up to Zharn to retrieve the orc from Outland so that he could translate the controls for Windi and she could at least disarm the device. Kuro turned to face Kitali and Ysera who were on this level with her. She smiled at them both.
"What was that glowing that was there before?" the shaman asked. "I couldn't see the bottom so it wasn't from that."
"Bioluminescence," Kuro replied.
"Bio…what?"
"Fungus," Ysera answered. "I am surprised I did not sense that before."
"Not really a surprise," Kuro stated. "There are fungus' that live in the deep places of the world that are not present on the surface where you are used to sensing life."
"You didn't kill it…did you?" Kitali asked.
"No…I simply asked it to retreat into the rocks before I filled the hole," the black dragon answered. "I have done enough killing. Even harming the fungus is repugnant to me now."
"That's good to hear," the shaman said. "Alexstrasza, Demira, and Daneel should be here tomorrow with the girl so all that remains is for Zharn to get here with Grogg. Then we can disarm this drill and the world will be safe…at least from this thing," she said pointing up at the drill."
"What is disturbing is to learn that an Old God is most likely behind all of this," Ysera said. "I doubt that the girl is the only plan that is in play."
The three women turned and began walking towards the lift to the upper levels. "You said Demira told you something happened with the blood elves?" Kuro asked Kitali.
"She didn't go into detail except to say that the girl was released into Alexstrasza's custody instead of the death sentence normally applied for attacking the Sunwell," the draenei replied as they walked. "And I am guessing there is some tension between her and the regent. She said something about having to move once this is all over."
"That is a shame, really," Kuro said. "Where do you suppose they will have to move to? I mean Demira and Daneel?"
"It's a little more complicated than that," Kitali replied as they reached the lift. "They lived in Eversong Woods not only because that was her home, but there is something else that we have kept hidden from the rest of the world. Before anything changes that will have to be addressed."
"What have you kept hidden?" Ysera asked. "I know we told them in Astranaar that we would not pry into such matters, but it seems now that perhaps it is time to learn such things…at least about the one in Eversong Woods."
Kitali looked at them and sighed. "They lived next to an old hidden sith base," she began. "In that base is a collection of knowledge of what some of those people did here for the past thirteen hundred years. And there are some technological devices, schematics, and designs that can never fall into the wrong hands….ever."
"Then why not move those things to this place?" Kuro asked. "Except for our group it is still unknown to the rest of the world….secluded…and already a treasure trove of technology."
They stepped onto the lift and Kitali activated the controls. "One simple reason….Demira doesn't like the cold."
