Chapter 20

In Stormwind the following day…

King Anduin Wrynn sat stunned on his throne in Stormwind Keep as report after report of miraculous transformations around the world kept pouring in throughout the day from SI:7, his commanders in the field, governors, mayors, and other Alliance leaders. Surrounding him were advisors and spymasters funneling the information to him as it came following the mysterious flash of light that appeared to envelope the globe around dawn that morning.

The first report had come from Duskwood just after the king's morning devotions to the Light, and before breakfast. It was the name given to the southern reaches of Elwynn Forest which had been plagued with feral Worgen and mindless undead for decades. Reports came in earlier in the morning shortly after dawn broke that the darkness and black fog which had settled over the land had suddenly disappeared. Not long after, people who had gone missing there over the years and been presumed dead started wandering into the town of Darkshire looking lost and confused, but alive and whole.

The next report he had received had come from Nethergarde Keep in the region now known as "the Blasted Lands". When Anduin's father Varian had been a child, the whole region had been known as "the Black Morass", a huge swampy marsh that extended from the southern foothills of the Redridge mountains all the way south to the coastline. It had been turned to a dry, demon infested, hellish desert after the opening of the Dark Portal during the first invasion. The walled fortress had originally been built atop a plateau overlooking the Blasted Lands to watch against further incursions through the cursed gateway. Just after breakfast, Anduin received the report of a radical transformation from the Keep's commander. The marshes had returned overnight. The keep now looked out over a canopy of tree tops which had not been there the day before. From preliminary overflights by Gryphon riders, the marshes stretched far and wide to their original, natural boundaries. None of the demons which had still infested the southernmost regions of the territory that the Keep's troops had kept track of could be seen.

After that it became a constant flow of new reports, all absolutely unbelievable.

Dalaran reported that the island known as the Broken Shore in the north had been completely cleansed of the fel, and new growth and wildlife were seen all over the shatterred landscape. The same was true of regions in Azsuna and Suramar on the main island north of there where there had been known enclaves of Legion holdouts. No trace of the demon invaders could be found.

Reports came into Stormwind from the Silver Hand controlled Light's Hope Chapel. Riders had been sent out across the Plaguelands after the regular patrols around dawn had reported the lands in the north being bathed in radiant light. Within seconds afterwards the landscape had been fully restored as if the Plague had never occurred. Like in Duskwood, whole communities of people all over the plaguelands which had been presumed lost to the Scourge had suddenly reappeared. In Corrin's Crossing not far from Light's Hope, once infested by mindless undead Scourge, hundreds of humans were found in the town wondering what had happened to them. Throughout all the western reaches of Lordaeron and up into southern Quel'Thalas, the landscape had been changed and restored, the Elven nation's lands having been returned to their natural beauty. Another report spoke of whole towns of Quel'Dorei elves long thought lost to the Scourge beginning to flood the roads to Silvermoon looking for answers. The city of Stratholme's populace had also been miraculously fully restored as though the plague of undeath had never occurred.

The Dark Shore, Bloodmyst Isle, Felwood, the undead, Demon Hunters, even Death Knights! Every square inch of Azeroth had been reached by the cleansing and healing and it appeared that no one had been left unaffected in some way. Even in the dry red, Orc held desert of Durotar, SI:7 had seen new growth bloom and grow rapidly with no explanation.

But the single biggest surprise which had crossed his path came after his mid day meal, when a report came to him from Silithus. Sargeras' sword had completely disappeared, and the deep scar it had created in Azeroth's surface had mended itself so that no trace of it remained. Flowers and new grasses had bloomed and grown across the Silithid wasteland.

He had gone to sleep the night before praying to the Divine Light that a way might be found to prevent what was an increasingly inevitable war, and had woken up the next morning to see all of Azeroth transformed and healed.

And then the report came from Agent Shadowmore up in Chillwind Camp. Their agents in Andorhal reported that there were no more undead Forsaken in the city. The entire city was filled with living humans. The same was true of the reports from SI:7's agents stationed near the ruins of Lordaeron and the Forsaken town of Brill. After the "dawn event", as Anduin came to think of it, the entire population of Tirisfal Glades had been cured of their undeath overnight.

No, the entire population of Lordaeron. The ravages inflicted upon that land to the north by Arthas and the Scourge had somehow been completely erased.

"Miracles! Today is a day of miracles like this world has never seen." Anduin told his friend and mentor for several years, Lord Greymane who had not left the young king's side the entire day. "Do you know what this means?"

Lord Greymane's face displayed none of the joy or wonder at it all that Anduin had felt throughout the morning. He had often urged caution at believing the reports, suggesting prudence at the wild tales until Stormwind could send more people to verify them. The truth was, he had looked frustrated, and even angry every time a new report had come in. His face darkened significantly when the reports from Horde controlled territory in Lordaeron had been handed to the young king.

When the older man didn't answer, but read the report himself several times before handing it back to the king, Anduin grew more concerned. "You act as though a great tragedy had befallen us, Genn, instead of the great healing of our world which has taken place."

"I am concerned about the consequences it will have for this world, and the plans which have been drawn up." Lord Greymane replied, his voice carefully controlled. "It could change everything."

"That is what I am hoping for, my friend." Anduin replied to him, eyeing the older man suspiciously. "That is what I have been praying for since my father died. We can't launch an invasion now, not until we've attempted to contact Sylvanas and discover what has happened to them. I won't take life that has just been restored needlessly. It would be an abomination to the Holy Light."

Lord Greymane spoke through clenched teeth, "Yes... your majesty."

In the Shadowlands…

Jeshua found his soul standing in what appeared to be the courtyard of Lordaeron's ruins. Everything appeared gray and lifeless. All was silent. Around him, vaguely humanoid, translucent shapes moved oblivious to each other's presence. Not far from him, he could make out two of these that appeared like Worgen, but they, like the others, looked lost and confused. He took a moment to get his bearings at his new surroundings. There was no sun or moon or stars in the unnatural gray sky above. He looked at his own hands, they appeared to be made of a golden light different from the spirits around him, and each wrist bore a gaping cylindrical wound that penetrated all the way through. He felt no pain of any kind however, neither did he feel any sensations whatsoever from his surroundings.

He was dead, he understood, and in the realm known to Azeroth's people as "the Shadowlands".

It was exactly where he had expected to be. It was where he had planned on being all along.

Jeshua took one step, and then another, his ghostly feet passing over the white gray ground though they made no noise. He approached one of the Worgen ghosts, knowing well the Gilnean agent's recent past and involvement in Jeshua's own death.

He placed his own golden, light filled hand onto the Worgen's ghostly frame. The creature's spirit then turned its head to look at him, it's wolfish eyes appearing sad and lost.

Jeshua then spoke through the ghostly realm to the Worgen and said, "I forgive you, be at peace. Be welcomed into the Light."

A look of confusion passed over the Worgen's lupine features, and then comprehension. The Worgen, gratitude in its eyes gave Jeshua a heartfelt salute with his fist against his chest, and a slight bow to him. Then, his spirit began to shine with Light, and then it became one with the Light.

Jeshua moved to the other Worgen, and repeated the same thing. That Worgen too, was grateful for his undeserved gift and entered into union with the Holy Light.

But Jeshua's work was not finished.

There were countless others here in various states of regret, pain, or forgetful oblivion. No, his work was not done yet. In that timeless realm, he began to move from soul to soul, lost spirit to lost spirit, laying hands on each one of them and pronouncing forgiveness and absolution for whatever wrongs they may have committed in life. The Light shone again and again within the Shadowlands as Jeshua continued his mission he began in life, moving at the speed of light itself.

Quickly, the Shadowlands were emptied of the mortal souls that had collected there, wandering and lost, over Azeroth's eons of existence regardless of who they had been or what they had done in life, made one with the Holy Light who had impossibly found a way to bring their redemption and salvation to them even there. The Light called each one of them home to itself.

In the Ruins of Lordaeron…

Sylvanas Windrunner stood in the full, glorious sunlight in the entry courtyard next to the great stone block that marked Jeshua's grave. Her imperial purple ranger's hood had been drawn down, and her exquisite, living elven beauty had been exposed for the whole world to see, her long platinum blond hair flowing down from her scalp like a golden waterfall. Her clawed gauntlets lay at her feet, her bare hands extended near her waist palms up. The clouds which had covered Tirisfal Glades had dissippated, and the late morning sun was warm on her skin as she allowed it to soak into every fiber of her being, basking in its light.

And she was not the only one. All over the ruined capital, the people who had once feared the sun and any expression of light for the pain it would cause them stepped out into the light of day and reveled in it.

Then, after a time she hadn't kept count of she turned to the stone block she had ordered placed over Jeshua's grave, and put her bare hand to the cool stone, barely warmed by the sun she had been enjoying. And then remembering what her newfound life had cost, as she knew it was no coincidence, she wept openly and said, "Thank you, Jeshua. Thank you for remembering me and not giving up on me. Thank you for not abandoning us. Thank you. I promise your gift will not be wasted. The whole world will know what you did for us. I swear it."

Elsewhere, the emissaries of Jeshua had not slept as they waited for more word in Lordaeron's Cathedral. But when all of them had been brought to the sacred place by the Deathguards they had been told of what had happened to their teacher and friend by those who had seen it. Later, they had been informed that Sylvanas had ordered the body buried and left undisturbed, setting a guard around the grave site to ensure it.

Afraid, in pain, and deeply grieving, they sat in the pews and had attempted to comfort one another until dawn.

And then the Light within the cathedral intensified, and the undead guards who had been watching over them spontaneously filled with light and were radically transformed into living human beings. They looked to each other, but no one had any idea of who could have performed it.

"What just happened to me?" The Deathguard asked as he fell to his knees at the shock of the change within him.

Slowly, Amerian approached him to help him. "You've been cured my friend, though I don't know how. None of us were near you."

"But… but… I didn't ask for it." He said, though his tone of voice was overwhelmed with gratitude. "I didn't think there was any hope the Light would help some nobody like me."

"Did you want it done for you?" Amerian asked, trying to understand what had happened.

"Who among the Forsaken hasn't dreamed of it?" The guard responded, his voice choking with emotion. "What fool wouldn't want his life back?"

In Stormwind the next day…

Anduin stood in the throne room that morning just after dawn. His usually clean shaven face now bore the beginnings of golden haired beard growth a day old. He had not been given the chance to bath or freshen up since twenty-four hours before for all that was happening. Bags were under his eyes for the lack of sleep he had gotten the night before, but he had not complained. The reasons for the sleepless night kept coming in as the world wide picture came into view. In spite of his haggard appearance, he could have danced at the news he received.

Then, a guard came up to where he stood. The king had been still reading yet more reports eagerly as the extent of the transformation was more fully known. It had been a true miracle and he hadn't wanted to miss a moment of it. Lord Greymane was elsewhere at present, though the king did not know where.

"Your majesty, there is a strange messenger come to see you under a flag of truce." The guard informed him. "He is human, but he bears the colors of the Forsaken."

I didn't know we were yet at war to need a truce. Anduin thought to himself, disturbed but resigned to the thought. And after everything that has just occurred.

"Send him in. I will hear the message." Anduin instructed the guard.

Minutes later, a single human man with well groomed, red blond hair, dressed in a well fitting, clean suit and wearing the purple and black tabard colors of the Forsaken was brought to stand before him.

"Your majesty. I bring a message from the Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, Queen of Lordaeron, and Warchief of the Horde, to you and to your people." The messenger said.

Many in the throne room scoffed at the title the Banshee Queen had given herself, but Anduin raised his hand for quiet, and addressed the man, "What is this message Sylvanas wishes to give me?"

The messenger then pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment and broke the seal to unravel it. He then began to read so that the entire throne room could hear.

"Her majesty says, 'To Anduin Wrynn, King of Stormwind, and to all of the Alliance. Due to recent events which have transpired, the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and the Horde, would like to open up diplomatic talks with the Kingdom of Stormwind, and the Alliance, to find a way resolve our differences and recent conflicts in a peaceful and amicable way for both sides. We fought together and bled together in our struggle against the Burning Legion, working together to defeat them. It is my hope that we can apply that same spirit of cooperation to move forward in the world which Jeshua Lightborn has given back to us."

Once more, Anduin looked stunned at the message he had been given as he thought through the implications of its brief contents. And then the last words in the message registered to his mind.

"Did she say, 'the world which Jeshua Lightborn has given us"? He asked. "Jeshua Lightborn did this? All of this?"

"That is her belief, your majesty. As for my personal opinion, as you see me standing here whole and with living flesh, I have no doubts about it myself." The messenger told him.

"You were… undead?" He asked, trying to be delicate.

"I and my entire people were until yesterday morning." The messenger responded. "Yes, your majesty."

Anduin's mouth fell open. His advisors and courtiers within the throne room were speechless.

"Where is this Jeshua Lightborn now? I have heard such extraordinary things about him. I would very much like to meet him if it is possible." Anduin then told him.

The messenger's face then darkened a bit, and his eyes grew sad. "That touches the other part of my message to you, your majesty. Though my queen does not hold her former offer contingent on this, she respectfully requests the arrest and extradition of Genn Greymane for arranging the murder of Jeshua Lightborn."

"Murder? Genn?" Anduin looked twice at the messenger and in disbelief both times. That was rich coming from the undead woman. But he held his tongue and answered instead, dismissively, "Lord Greymane has been in Stormwind this entire time."

And then the man's words hit him. "Jeshua Lightborn is dead?"

"I am sorry to say, yes, your majesty. He was murdered by Worgen in the ruins of Lordaeron night before last. My queen herself slew two of his murderers, but she believes that they had not acted without instructions from the Gilnean lord." The messenger told him.

"I… I would need proof that Genn was responsible." Anduin told him. "Surely, the Dark Lady doesn't expect me to hand over a trusted friend without evidence, not to her."

"No, your majesty, she doesn't. She extends an invitation to you and any advisors you wish to meet her in neutral territory to discuss it. Her intent with this request is only that justice for Jeshua's murder be rendered." The messenger told him.

Anduin considered this. She should have known that their first response would have been to laugh at the "arrest warrant" as it was. There wasn't a man or woman in Stormwind Keep that didn't know the history between Greymane and she. The request, if legitimate, was however a perfectly reasonable one if what she said was true, and fell within the boundaries of known and respected law between the old human kingdoms. Sylvanas was going out of her way to follow old customs and civilized traditions. If it was a trick of some kind, it was an elaborate one.

"Take a message back to your queen. Tell her I welcome dialogue and diplomacy with the Horde, and look forward to speaking with her. As to her other request, tell her I will consider meeting with her to hear her case against Lord Greymane, but nothing more at present." Anduin told him.

"Yes, your majesty." The messenger told him, and then turned to leave the throne room.

"One more question, messenger." Anduin then called him back, one other thing occurring to him.

"Your majesty?" The messenger asked him.

"The Dark Lady herself, was she also affected by… this?" He asked, gesturing to the man's living human form.

A wide smile spread across the man's face, "Oh yes, your majesty. We all were. Where my queen is concerned, you will not find her so 'dark' a Lady now I think."

In the Ruins of Lordaeron much later that night…

The entry courtyard was silent as midnight approached second by second. The air was cool, but not uncomfortable. Pleasant scents of the nearby trees and grasses wafted on gentle breezes. The stars shone brightly overhead in the clear night sky, the White Lady Elune already having set for the evening, and the whole expanse of the heavens could be seen clearly.

Six Deathguards formed a ring around the great stone block which had been placed over Jeshua's grave. They had all been facing outwards, away from the grave as they protected it on their queen's orders.

They didn't notice it when midnight had passed them by.

Tiny cracks and fissures appeared around the stone block, slowly at first. They glowed with white light as they raced across the massive stone running from one end to the other.

Crack!

The guards quickly turned around to see the stone block had fractured in several places, breaking apart as though invisible hands had been thrust into it and shoved the huge broken fragments to both sides of the grave, revealing the freshly laid dirt beneath.

Each of the human Deathguards drew their swords, and shields hastily came to their hands as they didn't know what they would be facing.

"Alert the Queen!" The platoon commander yelled at his subordinate, and the lesser ranking man instinctively took off in the direction of the tunnels that led into the Undercity.

When he was out of sight, the soldiers formed ranks into a tight cluster, waiting to see what would happen, ready when it did.

And then the grave exploded outwards with a column of pure Light, and they were knocked back unconscious to the ground from the force of it.