Chapter 3: Plans and the Prophet

Jaina didn't stay for breakfast, she didn't even say goodbye. Minutes after waking in yet another bed she hadn't slept in for so achingly long, she opened a portal back to her room in Dalaran. She had did what she went there to do, she couldn't afford to get caught up with her family today, as much as she wanted to. Today was the day Mediev appeared to Antonidas. If she remembered correctly, it would happen shortly after midday lunch, after her Master finished and was on his way back to his study. That was a point where she could perhaps drastically change things.

Maybe.

But should she? And how would she even do so if she wanted to? To Antonidas he was but a mad prophet, one already dismissed by the King and who knows who else. Heck, if she had to guess, Mediev had probably tried to warn Quel'Thalas as well, only to be rebuffed. How would she convince the Archmage to heed him? What would be the consequences if she did?

The thought of Dalaran floating above the World Tree in the Battle for Mount Hyjal amusingly filled her mind. That would be one hell of a change in their favor if things went poorly. Except, the spell to float Dalaran hadn't even been crafted yet, nor did she know just what spell they used to do so. And even IF Dalaran was convinced to flee, that would leave Lordaeran to the full might of the Scourge and Legion without the aid of the Archmagi. She doubted the King would even consider fleeing unless half of the Kingdom had already fallen to undeath.

Jaina conjured a box of biscuits and a glass of water, sitting down on her bed for a light breakfast. She hadn't really sat down and contemplating how to honestly go about changing the future. Her parents and Kul'Tiras had been a spur of the moment idea that would hopefully have long term benefits. Now she needed to get down to the nitty gritty and actually plan things out. Because she was most likely behind Tichondrious in that regard, the demon had come to her after all. He would have had the chance to consider things long in advance.

She somewhat doubted she could change the meeting with Antonidas that much, so after that was the hell that began it all. The Scourge of Lordaeron. First and foremost...

She let out a cruel, savage grin. "Kel'Thuzzad, you're corpse is getting burned to ashes this time. Why we let you rot and have a chance to be reborn last time is beyond me. That won't happen this time."

Wiping out the would-be-Lich would already drastically change things. The Lich had been the Summoner, the one who heralded in the Legion. Without him, they would need someone else of considerable magical power to summon Archimonde. Not that they could even do so without getting the Book of Medeiv and breaking through Dalaran. But still, Objective One: Destroy Kel'Thuzzad and leave nothing to reanimate.

What would be next... the Battle for Hearthglen. She had missed it, obeying Arthas to leave and get aid. When she had come back, something had changed in Arthas, something had gone wrong. She was not going to leave her Prince this time, no matter what he ordered. She could just as easily summon a construct, a messenger, and send it in her stead. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Why hadn't Arthas? He had been around in her early training days when she had been practicing such things, he should know she could do it. So why...

Oh...

Because there was an army of Undead coming for them, and he wanted her out of harms way, to safety. Oh Arthas...

She sighed softly. Back then, she had been so tired and exhausted from that mission, she probably would have gotten herself killed if she had stayed. This time though, she would be there for him. Hearthglen had been the Prince's first true horrific test against an actual army of the damned. He had triumphed in the end, but it had left him raw, unstable, cracked. What he had done at Strathlome, what he had suggested, the Purge, had been so unlike her Prince. To just turn on Uther like that... not that the Paladin had made any attempt to be understanding and try to really talk Arthas down. Hell, even knocking him out so cooler heads could prevail would have been the better option!

Not turn on him!

Not walk away!

Not abandon him!

Not leave him to his dark fate!

Like she had done as well...

Jaina took a ragged breath and shook her head. "Strathlome..."

What were the chances that would stay the same? What was the chance any of this would stay the same considering Tichondrious could change things? No, he had said he'd have to be subtle... not to mention, she had learned, through the interrogations of the Cult of the Damned by the Argent Dawn, that the Lich King had chosen Arthas as his host a long time ago. He had been singled out for this cruel fate and driven to it. That would stay the same, hell, the Demon would probably want to make it stay the same to keep her busy and focused while he concentrated on other matters, if he could.

But that was a thought for another time, if she did at all. She did not understand demonic thinking. She could not out-plan him. Her aim wasn't even necessarily to counter Tichondrious. She might not even have to save for the obvious of stopping the Legion from winning and making sure Sargaras never stepped foot in Azeroth. She had her goals, he had his own, and she only really had two of them...

Obviously, Goal One: Save Arthas.

She would accept nothing else. She would NOT allow him to be damned.

Goal Two: Preserve her family, not turn on them, not even for Thrall, not this time. Thrall had abandoned his duty, to control the Horde and keep his savage brethren in line.

That... that honestly was it. She didn't care for being an Archmage as a job or a position, nor wealth, nor fame, nor even world peace. Let the Horde and the Alliance kill themselves in endless war for all she cared. All she wanted was those she personally cared for safe. She had given so much for so many people last time around, and had nothing to show for it by the end, just pain and loss and sorrow. This time, she was doing this for herself, for Arthas, for her family.

Now where was she... Strathlome, right, she needed to plan for Strathlome, and for the worst possible scenario. She wouldn't walk away this time, so if push came to shove, if Arthas could not be convinced against a purge... she'd stand with him this time. She had already killed an entire timeline, what was a city's worth of innocent civilians?

She closed her eyes and let out a soft sob. "Damn that demon..."

Even if she had known in advance, rather than making a selfish split second decision. Would she have still done it? She didn't know... she really didn't...

She shook her head and shoved the thought as deeply down as she could. She couldn't afford to even acknowledge it, give the horrific guilt a split second of attention, lest it destroy her. She'd do what she had to do, and damn the consequences. She'd purge Strathlome alongside her prince if she had to, but she'd try to convince him otherwise, if but to save him the guilt later on. She'd be his conscience, and his shield, his guiding hand, as much as she needed to.

And she needed to make sure Arthas didn't step foot on Northrend. He COULD NOT go anywhere near Frostmourne. That damn soul sucking abominable blade. It wouldn't have his soul! Not this time! Oh if only she could just destroy the thing... wait a second...

She opened her eyes and stared down at her hand in thought. The blade grew in power as it absorbed souls. Currently, it had no souls, to her knowledge. It wasn't a fraction as powerful as the Frostmourne the Ashbringer had destroyed... could she destroy it herself with her power? She contemplated the idea for a moment, before shelving it. She'd try it if it came down to it, but she had no guarantees, because she wasn't close to as powerful as she had been in the future either. Regardless she still didn't want her Prince anywhere near it.

She finished her water and biscuits before dismissing them with a puff of magic and laying back on her bed to think. Should she keep trying to plan? If-no-without Arthas as the Lich King's Death Knight and future host, so many things would change. Trying to plan for things that may or may not happen in the future, and trying to predict things that hadn't happened before, would get her lost in her head for hours. Not to mention there was no guarantee anything she thought up would even come to pass. She had plans for up to Strathlome, and for now, that was good enough. She'd have to wait and see what happened afterwards.

Jaina rose to her feet and went to her closet, grabbing a new change of clothes before moving to the bathroom. For now, bath, afterwords, perhaps she would enjoy a stroll through the Dalaran of old, her Dalaran. Then, the Prophet. She stripped down and paused before the mirror, taking a moment to do something she hadn't yesterday: marvel at her reflection. Not a single stressed wrinkle in sight. No darkened bags under her eyes. Her hair was pure again, not a single mana-bombed bleached white strand in sight. She hadn't really thought of beauty in a long time, hadn't touched makeup since before the Scourge of Lordaeran, but damn, this was something so many middle-aged and older woman often dreamed about, having their younger body back. Men to probably, because those joints she was starting to feel popping and aching had been irritating...

"Oh it's good to be young again," she mused, "Being in my forties probably wouldn't have been that bad without all the stress and old injuries."

Jaina decided to skip a quick shower this time, moving to the tub, filling it with water, and sliding into the nice warm bath. Light, when was the last time she had a chance to just soak? Not hop in for a five-minute wash-down? There had simply been no time at any point in what felt like decades. There was always some demand for her attention, or she simply didn't think she could afford to soak around for half an hour. Well, time to make up for lost time!

"Mmm," was all Jaina could mumble, sliding down to her neck and closing her eyes...

...and flailing when she came to sometime later, her head going underwater. She coughed a few times and stood up, conjuring a towel as she left the tub. Okay, drowning while sleeping in the tub was not how she wanted her second run in life to go. Oh wait! How long was she out? She scrambled for her clothes, left the bathroom, and glanced at a clock, silently cursing to herself. They would be meeting soon. She left the room in a rush, making for the Violet Gardens.

She came across Antonidas scowling down at the Prophet, this time much earlier in the conversation than before. "I know of you, shapshifter, madman. What tales of woe do you come to tell to me today?"

Medivh had resignation in his eyes. "The tides of darkness come again for this world..."

Antonidas sighed. "I have no time for this rambling..."

"...and the whole world is poised upon the brink of war!" continued Medivh, ignoring the interruption, "The only salvation for the magi of Dalaran is to the west, across the sea, to Kalimdor."

"I believe the King gave you the same answer I will," stated Antonidas calmly.

"You must be wiser than the king!" countered Medivh.

"I told you before. I'm not interested in this nonesense!" thundered Antonidas back, irritation coating his voice.

"Then I've wasted my time here," muttered Medivh, green shapeshifting energy starting to coat his body.

"Perhaps," rang out Jaina's voice, causing the former Guardian to pause, "A bit more specifics would do your cause more justice."

Antonidas turned to her, a light scowl on his face. "Jaina, please don't prod him on."

Jaina gave him a tight smile, a hint of warning in her eyes that had the elder Archmage taken aback, before striding forward, her staff thumping against the ground, until she stood a few steps from Medivh. "Darkness and War is something Lordaeron has faced before. Even if we believe your warnings, why would we flee and not fight? What is so terrible about what is to come?"

She stared at him, her eyes challenging him to explain more. He SHOULD have explained more. Should have revealed who he truely was. Then he might have been believe. But nooooo, he gave some half-assed ramblings and expected to be listened to? She had only listened after the Scourge had all but decimated Lordaeron.

Medivh stared at her silently, his cowl unmoving, his eyes fixed on hers, his mouth strong set.

"Well?" she asked.

"When many think of darkness," began Medivh slowly, "They foolishly think of the cold dark, or perhaps the dead of night, trapped in utter darkness, the void. While these are things to fear, they are not the most dangerous. When I think of darkness, I think of a Great Burning Shadow, the flames that flicker and reveal that which comes to consume us all."

Antonidas scoffed. "Which means what exactly?"

It meant the Burning Legion, but of course he wasn't going to come out and say that. Jaina slowly began to circle the Prophet, her staff plunking the ground in even pacing. "That which burns can be drenched with water, that which hides in darkness can be revealed and banished with light."

A wry smile crossed the former Guardian's face. "Perhaps, but some shadows burn and reside so deeply in darkness, that only the greatest of lights can touch them. Do you think such power resides here in Lordaeron? The power to banish perhaps one of the greatest of shadows?"

Archimonde.

And no.

Probably not.

For the sake of arguing though. "Lord Uther is one of the greatest servants of the light alive, along with so many of the Silver Hand scattered through Lordaeron. I'd dare to say the gathered light could banish whatever darkness you speak of."

There was a sad look in his eyes. "No, they could not."

She wondered if the Ashbringer could make a dent on Archimonde, but it hadn't even been made before the Battle for Mount Hyjal. "Then perhaps the shadow could be held back by the Light, never allowed to fall."

Medivh slowly shook his head. "Whether it be now or later, the shadow will fall across Lordaeron. The longer you wait, the more that shall be consumed in it's wake."

So basically, even if she stopped the invasion, they'd come again anyway. Whether in her lifetime or further down...

Jaina frowned and stopped circling. The Legion was beaten in her time. If she delayed their arrival till after she died of old age, after so many of the world's champions passed on, then what were the chances they would be destroyed this time around? Would she just be leaving a grim fate and destiny to her children? (She did want some after all)

Could she condemn them to that?

No, she couldn't force that on her descendants. So perhaps... perhaps the Legion DID have to be summoned, so they could be defeated.

She turned to face Medivh and attempted to goad and answer out of him again. "So you want us to gather ourselves while we are at our strongest and flee. Ignoring how little sense that makes, why to Kalimdor? What resides over there?"

Green energy began to circle the Prophet. "The power to banish the shadow."

With that, he turned into a crow and flew away. Jaina scowled at him, not nearly satisfied, and not nearly done arguing. Coward.

Antonidas sighed. "I don't know why you entertained that fool."

"There's something strange about him master," said Jaina, turning to face him, "He's far more than he appears, I feel that there is some truth in his words."

Antonidas pulled on his beard, lost in thought. "Hmm."

He moved to stand next to her, his staff activating and teleporting them to an overlook, a pair of sorceresses training below them, but this time kept her silence, waiting for him to speak.

Antonidas sighed. "Even if there is an ounce of truth in what he says, what would you expect me to do? Abruptly flee Dalaran across the see on the words of a apparent madman?"

"No," said Jaina softly, "No, but, keep your eyes and ears open, and be ready to act, whether to fight or to flee. Something is coming, we've both felt it. This 'madman' is just another symptom of it."

Antonidas slowly nodded, glancing at her. "You've grown up Jaina, you show so much more wisdom than I ever recalled seeing from you before."

Jaina smiled softly. Experience was the greatest teacher. That and future knowledge.

"Perhaps the Plague spreading through the Northlands is another symptom as well," said Antonidas.

Jaina held back her nerves. This was it. The beginning. "Oh?"

"There is reason to believe it is magical in nature," said Antonidas gravely, "I have need of you to investigate this plague as a representative of Dalaran. I have arrange for a... special envoy to assist you. You will set out at the end of the week."

Jaina nodded. "I wont let you down."

"I know you wont child," said Antonidas fondly, before he waved his staff and teleported away.

Jaina gazed out over Dalaran silently. One of her more cherished homes, she had the awful feeling it was going to fall again, no matter what she did. She turned away and began walking through the Violet City, letting it soak once more into her eyes, ears, and soul. She passed through the gardens, taking time to sit and enjoy them again, before returning to her room. She walked in, closed the door behind her...

"Is this time everything you remembered it to be?" came a soft voice.

Jaina's head snapped towards the window, sighting Medivh leaning against the wall next to it. "You... you know? How do you..."

Medivh stared at her silently for a moment. "Because you used my spell. As someone who has gone through it before, I can recognize it's lingering effects."

Jainai's eyes went wide. "You've gone back in time with it?"

Medivh gave her a sad smile. "Many times. Each time I have failed. The more direct the hand I have in fate, the worse the outcome."

Jaina frowned. "Why? The power of a former Guardian would be of great help."

"I was the host to Sargaras once, as such, I am still susceptible to demonic energy and influence," confessed Medivh, "The first time, I tried to confront Archimonde head on, and I was made a thrall to the Legion once more. If not for the sacrifice of a certain young female archmage, I would have remained his slave as he burned creation asunder."

Jaina blinked a few times. "That archmage was me?"

Medivh nodded. "Indeed. In so many a time that I have watched over, you have always had a great impact, one way or another. I'm curious, why is it that you are the one to revert time, and not I?"

Jaina was silent for a moment before offering a quiet, "I lost everything."

"I see," mused Medivh before pushing off the wall and moving to stand in front of her. "Be careful Lady Proudmoore, in how you handle the events to come. I have seen you a champion of both the Light and the Darkness, whether it be the Cold Dark or the Burning Shadow."

Jaina stiffened. "I would never serve the Scourge or the Legion!"

"Wouldn't you?" countered Medivh, "If you followed your Prince to Northrend, and fell along with him? Or if he asked you to join him? Or if the Legion offered you a way to get him back after he died?"

Jaina flinched at that last one. "I..."

Medivh narrowed his eyes. "Why did that gather a reaction?"

"I... made a pact with a demon," she admitted, "Both myself and the Dreadlord Tichondrious came back in time."

Medivh said nothing for a solid minute, staring at her, before shaking his head. "The Legion lost, didn't it, in your time? But it came at a price of everything you held dear. The Demon preyed upon your pain and desires, to give the Burning Shadow another chance to consume us all."

Jaina remained silent, a bit stunned. He had figured it out with negligible ease.

Medivh sighed softly. "Mortal folly has been a boon and a curse to existence for as long as they have existed. Tread carefully Proudmoore, lest you doom us all. And go nowhere near the Bronze Dragonflight if you are able. They will detect the way time moves around you."

"There is no guarantee I can avoid them forever," said Jaina.

"Then you should prepare yourself to one day face Nozdormu's wrath," warned Medivh, turning and moving to the window.

"Is there a way I can hide it?" she asked.

Medivh slowly shook his head. "I don't know, I've never bothered. If there is, you will have to find it on your own. But running from your sins only delays the inevitable."

"Is that coming from experience?" she dared.

Medivh laughed. "Yes, yes it is."

With that, he turned into a crow and flew out the window, leaving Jaina behind to brood about what was to come...

Author's Notes:

Not everything goes the way you hope it will Jaina...

Thanks for the reviews guys, glad you enjoy. ^_^

At the moment, I'm more heavily leaning toward living Arthas/Jaina, not Undead Arthas/Jaina. Can't have babies if yer undead. ^_^. If you wanted to consider that changing, I'd need a lot of people to desire it over the living route.