The great lights and prisms of the Timeless Void were not something mortal eyes could fathom. Multiple types of vortex, lines, crystal shards and just darkness devoid of form were set together without an order, without any specific shape or even color. The color of all the lights was changing constantly, from bright green and yellow to piercing blue and red, the colors of crystals like amethyst, emerald or saphire, or of shadow were replacing each other all the time...if there is such a thing as time in the Void. Nothing concrite was in the Void at that moment, except maybe the Doors of Night itself.

Nothing except Illidan Stormrage, the Betrayer, a Hunter, a Demon, a Lord, a Night Elf. Illidan was many things in his life. Some of those things he did not regret. Some of those things still haunted him every moment. He did not sleep anymore and he never had dreams, but if he did, he would surely dream of his entire life and the horrifying things he did would be his nightmares.

But now he was just one thing: a jailer. A chainer. The guardian, watching over the greatest prisoners in all reality, across all universes and worlds. The one thing he still deserved to live for: to keep the threat in prison forever. Being a jailer for all eternity, until the reality is broken and remade, surprisingly, didn't upset Illidan. For him, it was the fulfilment of his life: the evil he chased for so long in his life was now imprisoned. The great wall of shadow, the only constant thing in the Void besides Illidan himself (but less so), was where that evil was dormant.

That was Illidan's task, for all eternity. And he will not fail. I will not fail the world again.

"You can't fail it this time." a familiar voice spoke. Illidan raised his eyes, looking at the lights and he saw two glowing eyes. He smiled, realizing who it was.

"You never knock." Illidan said.

"And where are the door I can knock on?" the Watcher said. "I suppose you would never allow me to even touch the doors you are keeping."

"No." Illidan said with a low voice, reaching for his blades. "You would meet my blades before that."

The Watcher chuckled. "They wouldn't be very effective, you are aware of that."

"I would test them, first." Illidan grinned. Illidan had fun at first, but it quickly disapeared.

"So, why have you come here, Uatu? An eternity passed since the last time we met. There must he something important."

"There actually is." the Watcher said. "Immortus is dead, Illidan."

Illidan couldn't believe his ears. "What?"

"Immortus, He Who Remains, he is dead. The TVA is in peril. The timelines that were never meant to be are starting to branch."

Illidan took his blades. "How can that be?"

"I don't know how or who killed him, but he is dead." the Watcher said, with worry on his face. "I have already had to fight one of the variants from those branching timelines. He entered the Nexus of all realities. A...creature named Ultron." the Watcher said, not knowing how exactly to explain to Illidan what Ultron was.

Illidan's face was cold, but in his mind was utter fear and surprise. A mortal creature entered the Nexus and fought the Watcher.

"This Ultron," Illidan asked, "is he still..."

"He is no longer a threat." the Watcher said. "I took care of him, with the help of some allies. But the fact that happened at all is terrifying enough."

"It's impossible." Illidan said. "The TVA...Immortus might be dead, but they cannot be doing nothing to stop this. And the TVA cannot be destroyed."

"It isn't. Someone is leading them. I don't know who, but he obviously wants this chaos to continue."

"Could it be...one of them?" Illidan asked.

"I fear so." Watcher said. "If it is, it is worse than we expected."

"'Worse' is an understatement." Illidan added.

"Indeed." the Watcher said. "Not just that. People have started jumping from one universe to another. It happens in small scales, but it is happening."

"The holes in the Multiverse?!" Illidan couldn't believe.

"Yes. But don't be afraid. Walls between universes still exist and they are not broken. But the cracks are appearing. I look for those cracks all around the Multiverse. But the worst is...people have started jumping even between the cyclical universes and the parallel universes."

"You are lying now." Illidan said "You must be."

It cannot be true. It was always possible to travel between parallel universes, universes that are linear, that have variants and parallels of each other. But cyclical universes, the universes in which timeline moves in an unending wheel, in which even a slightest change can threaten the balance of its reality, it was impossible to travel between them. They could be observed through celestial windows and in Nexus of All realities, but no one could enter them.

"Not even you can enter those universes. Only affect them."

"That's what I thought too until recently. There were four intruders from a parallel universe who entered a cyclical one and I'll give you one try to guess what universe that was."

Illidan thought for a moment. "The Dragon's world?"

"Out of all that are, they entered that universe. It is good I removed them out of there as soon as I could or something catastrophic would have happened."

"This cannot just pass. Have you talked to the Celestials? Or Gods?"

Watcher was just silent. Illidan knew very well what that means. "Uatu, all of them must be warned of this!"

"They can't be. They...wouldn't listen to me."

"Why?"

"The Celestials have grown to despise us. They are not even taking care of their own universes. They are just multiplying their own numbers." then he sighed. "And those that you call gods? They care even less about Life. I believe you would know what I mean."

"It's not like I enjoy their company, though."

"Would you speak them when you meet them?"

"If they do, of course I will. But I wouldn't put hopes in that." Illidan narrowed his eyes. "What about the Mâchanâz? Your elder brothers and sisters?"

Uatu looked down, grief returning to him. "I don't know, Illidan. They ran away and no one has seen them for aeons, ever since the 'gods' began their purge of them."

"Then call the Celelstials." Illidan said. "The Shards who are on our side, children of UL, rulers of Law...and the rest. Call all of them. They swore to protect the Multiverse!"

"Immortus swore to protect it." Watcher said. "He Who Remains swore that oath. That is the purpose of the TVA. They, on the other hand, swore to only keep life going. They swore an oath to observe and watch. Even I swore that oath. Though, I cannot follow it any longer." Watcher looked down. "Only you can keep your oath."

"So what will happen?" Illidan asked.

"I...will look for help. I will try to stop this as soon as possible. The TVA has to be fixed, but first all the cracks in the Multiverse need to be fixed too. I have already found help for that. Then, whoever is in charge of TVA, we will have to remove him from there."

"Sounds like a solid plan." Illidan said, putting down his blades. He stroke his chin. "But I haven't heard a mention of myself in it. So why are you here?"

Watcher looked away from Illidan and glanced instead at the wall of shadow. He walked a bit closer to it and raised his hand. He did not mean to touch it (Illidan knew he is not a fool) but even just approaching it is dangerous enough. Illidan did it a few times, and he tried to forget that. Watcher stood still with his hand raised. Already, Illidan could start to hear it. It was quiet, but it slowly raised its sound. Instinctively, Illidan picked up his blades. Uatu was standing still, but the sound grew stronger and stronger, sending shivers down Illidan's spine. Illidan could see Uatu was struggling.

Then, the loudest sound ever was heard and the Watcher backed off, terrified. Illidan stood before him, taking a careful look at the wall. The shadows on it were twisting, but nothing else happened. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he looked back at Uatu.

"We both know what is behind that wall." the Watcher said. "We know how powerful it is. How...evil it is." Watcher met Illidan's eyes. "If the person who is in charge of TVA is one of them, then this prison, the things inside of it..." Watcher looked again at the wall, and then said, with both disgust and fear: "he must never leave this place. Illidan, keep both of your eyes open. If he is released...you know what will happen."

Illidan sighed, remembering the War of the Ancients. "All too well." Illidan looked down with sadness. "You need not to worry, Uatu. I have been watching them for years uncounted and I will do so forever. I promise."

"Thank you." the Watcher said. "These are dangerous times."

The Watcher went to leave, but then looked at Illidan and, to Illidan's surprise, laid a hand on his shoulder.

"If you ask me, you have redeemed yourself." the Watcher said. "You are no longer a Betrayer."

Illidan smirked in response, but inward he didn't feel like that at all. "Thank you, Uatu."

Uatu nodded. "May the Father of Light be with you, Illidan Stormrage."

"May He be with all of us." Illidan answered, with a friendly smile.

Uatu then slowly disappeared, like the wind that came and went, leaving Illidan alone. Suddenly, he again heard the whispers from the door.

If only I really was alone.


And I leave you tonight to ponder...