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Chapter 117
Unexpected Encounters
Jaina was greatly distressed by the aggressive nature of the dwarves regarding the Dark Horde. She couldn't exactly fault them either, as it had been the Dark Horde to force them out of their mountain first, but she was not keen to participate in heightening tensions between the two factions.
It was clear to the Sorceress that Varian was of the same mind, torn between supporting their allies and preventing all out war with the Dark Horde. From what she had seen of Nobu'tan and his forces, they had more than enough power to cause a great deal of collateral damage if they were pushed to open war with the Alliance.
To the end of postponing any thoughts of further aggression on the part of Ironforge, Jaina had accepted to accompany Varian and some of his royal guard across the Deeprun Tram to the mountain kingdom to counsel with Magni, King of the Bronzebeard Dwarves and Ruler of Dun Morogh.
"I do not know what to expect Moria has said and done to convince her father to so openly push for war with the Dark Horde," Varian mentioned as the gnomish contraption started its long journey underground, speeding them northward, "but I am certain that it will not be easy to turn his wrath aside from marching on the Searing Gorge."
"We can only hope that his heart is not truly turned so far to revenge that he is beyond reason," Jaina agreed, thinking to the number of times she had pleaded this same cause of peace with others. Arthas, her own father, even Thrall from time to time. Her record of success in preventing death and pain was not the best, but she still had to try and prevent more bloodshed.
"Lords Malfoy, what are your thoughts on how best to proceed with soothing the wrath of the dwarves?" Varian asked, and Jaina turned to look at the pair of blonde men. The two had been watching the side of the tunnel as it flew past them in their speed, but they glanced back.
"There are a number of means we can use," Lucius Malfoy stated, his walking stick clinking lightly on the metal floor of the tram as he crossed over to them, "each more unpleasant than the last if it was needed to be brought up, but I trust your Majesty will not call upon our expert knowledge regarding the Dark Horde unless absolutely necessary."
Jaina said noting. The inclusion of the two closest members of the Dark Horde, at least through their relationship with Nobu'tan directly, did not fully sit well with her. The Dwarves were less than likely to take the word of those that they saw as enemies, although if they concealed that fact from them, and it was found out, there would be even more disastrous fallout.
The fact that Varian continued to associate with the Malfoy Family, even after their affiliation with another faction was so openly revealed; a faction that was for all intents and purposes was their enemy, was strange enough for the King of Stormwind to pursue. If Jaina didn't know better, she might suspect that there was some manner of manipulation or enchantment affecting his decision regarding the noble family.
"I fear that only a full showing of what they will face will be sufficient to deter Magni from his suicidal pursuit of vengeance on behalf of his daughter." Varian said, "But I assure you, the Dark Horde will answer for their crimes against the people of Ironforge, and all their relatives north and south."
"Nobu'tan will… hopefully, be willing to hear of these claims, when the time is right." Lord Malfoy said, announcing aloud that he had connections with the leader of the Dark Horde.
"He will have little choice, if he wishes to pursue any measure of peace between our nations." Varian threatened in return. The company fell silent for a time afterward, until the Tram arrived in the Ironforge station, and they departed into the bowels of the dwarven city.
Jaina, for all her love of the other people of the Alliance, had never especially cared for the inside of Ironforge. The heat alone was stifling to the Sorceress, and she did not care much for the enclosed space within the mountain. But she never voiced these thoughts aloud, and contented herself with subtly watching their two wildcard guests.
For their part, Draco and his father were interested, gazing neutrally along the shaped stone walls and buildings with a critical eye, but she sensed that there was more awe and enjoyment in the pair of reserved men than they let on. "Interesting," Lord Malfoy said casually, even as they passed through Tinker Town, waved at by several of the leaders of the Gnomes. The High Tinker was elsewhere, and Jaina suspected that his prowess was likely called upon by those dwarves seeking their vengeance, so they would see him later on.
Striding quickly, to make a small of a stir as possible among the people, Varian led their company through the winding tunnels to the central area of the mountain, where the Great Anvil rested among the massive forge. On the far side from them, the palace of the High King of the Dwarves loomed out of the rocks, and Varian purposefully set his feet toward it, squaring his shoulders with all the dignity that a man of his station demanded.
Jaina felt somewhat out of place among all these, despite her upbringing and tutelage, she had never been one to act as a prim and proper lady. The apprentices of Dalaran had never been so formal among each other, or even when visiting other nations under the banner of their Magocracy.
She was surprised to find that their presence went unnoticed once they entered the main throne room of the palace. A massive argument was taking place there, between Moria, the daughter of Magni and acting leader of the Dark Irons, with several of the councilors and advisors of the King.
Magni himself was there, distracting himself with bouncing his little grandson on his knee, completely unwilling to engage his daughter in her current state. Gelbin Mekkatorque was present as well, representing the needs of the gnomes in the decisions of the potential conflict.
"King Bronzebeard, hear me!" Varian shouted over the din, silencing even Moria with his bellow, and rousing the King to attention.
"Varian Wrynn? Lad, what a pleasant surprise!" Magni said, sitting up straighter and turning his grandson to see their guests.
"I only wish that it was glad tidings that brought me," Varian said, stepping forward. "These rumors of war do not sit well with Stormwind, Magni, and my people are not desirous to start a conflict on two fronts…"
"If your people are so weak as to run from a fight, then they are no allies of the Dwarves!" Moria shouted, but again Varian overrode her in volume.
"I will hear none of your war mongering, Queen of the Dark Irons. I still recall that it is they who have been for so long an enemy to the Alliance," Varian shouted, cowing the stubborn female dwarf.
Standing in the wide audience hall before Magni's throne Varian gestured back at the two Malfoys, "I have Stormwind's envoys here to the Dark Horde, who've agreed to speak to you of what awaits you should you pursue this egregious conflict before the time is right."
The dwarven councilors muttered darkly as Lord Malfoy and Draco approached. "Majesty," Lucius started, "from what I am to guess, your people are thinking of marching on Blackrock Mountain, the stronghold of the Dark Horde, and the one greatest bastion of their power in the Eastern Kingdoms."
Magni said nothing, but the muttering told them all exactly what they had already thought. "This type of frontal assault will prove folly," Lucius reprimanded, drawing his wand and pointing it upward. "Even now the northern boarders of the Searing Gorge are a bastion of manpower and magical might for the Dark Horde," lights illuminated the vaulted ceiling, casting images of hordes of orcs, forest trolls, ogres, and demons, all mingling in the vast pits of the Searing Gorge.
"Even with thirty-thousand you would be hard put to breach their lines, and even approach the mountain," Lucius said solemnly. Jaina raised her eyebrows. This seemed like no idle boast, but a raw statement of fact.
"This is without factoring in the special forces of the Stormreaver Clan, who have united the whole of the Dark Horde, and are currently fighting our true enemies in Outland." Draco added, stepping beside his father, "if they were to return, and they will if they hear of any assault on their lands, you would see those numbers swell to three times their current, and Nobu'tan wouldn't hesitate to push back into your lands and attack."
"Is this what you've decided upon, Varain?" Mangi said hotly, handing his grandson back to the child's mother and standing, "threats and foretelling of doom should we commit to righteous retribution for wrongs committed?"
"These are no idle threats, Majesty," Lucius countered, "and we have yet to hear of Varian's compromise. I am here only to state the facts as they stand, and warn you of the foolishness to plunge headfirst into a conflict you will most assuredly lose."
Jaina could tell that they were on thin ice with King Magni, but she trusted Varian to contain the situation if it started to get too far out of control.
"Countless Alliance soldiers can attest to the power of the Dark Horde," Draco continued, "battles both in the Plaguelands and at the Dark Portal would have gone far differently if not for their involvement."
"This is not to say that there will not be repercussions for their affront against your people," Varian said, preventing Magni from replying to the two Malfoys directly, "Now is not the right time to do so. With the threat from Outland and whatever the demons have planned, we need to present a united front as far as Azeroth is concerned. Once that conflict is contained, I will lead the petition against Nobu'tan and the Dark Horde personally to answer for his crimes against the dwarves, all three houses, and demand a meeting between you all, to finally come to a conclusion to this without bloodshed."
The Dwarf King, still somewhat frustrated, seemed at least thoughtful regarding the compromise. "Perhaps we are being a bit too hasty with this…" he admitted. Moria shot her father a withering glare, but the King of the Bronzebeards was not paying her any attention. "I will hold you to your word Varian. As soon as this threat from Outland is completed, I demand that this Nobu'tan be brought before me to answer for his attacks on our people."
"The Alliance will stand at your side in this, now that reason has been reached," Varian said, nodding his head. Jaina could tell that Varian was relieved. It had been a long shot to appeal to the rationality of Magni over his emotions concerning his daughter and her people. But for the moment it seemed to have paid off.
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Garona frowned as her forces arrived at the largest lake left in the Zangermarsh. Again and again they had hit the various Naga encampments, finding the same evidence wherever the snake-like creatures gathered.
Could their strategy really have been so simply as to steal all the water from the marshes and gather them for their own use? It seemed too simple, but there was quickly becoming no other explanation for the facilities that she saw before her.
A massive series of pipes and funnels rose out of the center of the deep lake, drawing in water quickly from all around it. "I almost wonder if they thought this plan all the way through…" Garona asked herself. Did they forget that water was one of the chief things that all arcane magic users learned to conjure from nothing?
In any case, destabilizing the Naga would deny them from assisting when the Dark Horde assaulted the massive stronghold in the southern reaches of Outland, so she turned to the forces gathered on the shore. "Fire," she commanded.
The goblin engineers obeyed, signaling the ogre brute to pull the triggering ropes, dropping massive weights that fired the trebuchets that they had prepared on the shore. Carefully aimed, the ordinance that they'd brought in via portal slammed into the massive steam pipes that rose above the mushroom-shaped trees.
As she had expected, the exploding ordinance stirred the Naga like wasps from a hive, and the water started to churn as the serpent bodies surged upward from the depths.
Unfortunately for the Naga, the Dark Horde forces had expected this reaction, and as soon as the aquatic forms were in range, a hailstorm of spells and projectiles flew over the water, tainting it with their blood.
Quickly, the Naga shifted their strategy, the brutes and other melee warriors turning to cross to the far shore, while archers and spell casters tried to return fire on the Dark Horde warriors. The trebuchets, very slow to reload, fired a second time, and one of the massive spouts was broken completely. The mass of metal fell into the water with a resounding splash, buffeting the Naga with the waves its impact created.
Out in the middle of the lake, even more of the creatures surfaced, including one that seemed to be their leader. The female's voice rippled across the water and reached them, "Water… is life. It had become a rare commodity here in Outland, a commodity that we alone shall control. We are the Highborne, and the time has come at last for us to retake our rightful place in the world!"
"You mortals have defied us for the last time!" the Naga shouted, two of her arms drawing a bow and a long arrow, while the final two crackled with lightning, "Victory for Lord Illidan!"
The Naga charged once again, and Garona could see more of their forces circling the banks toward their location on both sides. "Glory to the Dark Horde!" she shouted, rallying her warriors, even as the Forest Trolls roared in their own language.
"For Zul'jin!" War Master Voone cried, even as the massive troll berserkers leapt into action, hurling their axes with deadly precision and force.
Warlocks and priest ran to support the flanks, shadow magic and hexes flying from their lines to slow the charge of the Naga on three sides.
Water elementals appeared out in the water, gliding over the surface toward them, far outstripping the serpent bodies cutting through the water.
Even as their siege weaponry fired a third time, Garona drew her daggers. They needed to hold this position as long as possible, to draw the Naga into the perfect trap that had already been prepared by Lord Nobu'tan.
What she wasn't prepared for was the lightning storm as the Naga Commander thrust her secondary pair of arms forward. Jagged bolts shot through the Dark Horde's lines, felling half a dozen trolls and scorching many others, even as the melee forces of the Naga crashed into their flanks, chipping at the new holes in their line.
Garona was forced to take to the front lines herself, sinking her poisoned blade deeply into the shoulder of a large Naga Myrmidon. Spinning, she used her momentum to yank the massive creature off balance and into the swing of another trident, saving a troll that had been knocked to the ground by the surge of lightning.
"Nobu'tan, where are you!" Garona cursed, dragging her blades free of the corpse and turning on the next.
The air was charged with energy, and Garona sensed the next wave of lightning before she spotted the sparking beams rushing at her. Locked with one of the Naga, she couldn't escape, and momentarily closed her eyes, thinking of Me'dan.
The bolt of lightning never struck. Opening her eyes, Garona saw that the blue-white blast had been blocked completely by a shield of golden light.
Bannok Grimaxe rose to his full height, having wielding his strange new power over the light to block the storm form their forces, "For the Light, and for the Horde!" he roared, even as a torrent of arcane magic transported the warriors of the Dawn's Hammer into the midst of Garona's forces.
The orc's massive axe, glowing with brilliant magic, cleaved the Naga struggling with Garona, and the male offered his hand to help her back from the push of warriors streaming to the front. "Nobu'tan regrets that he cannot be here personally," the orc said, even as golden energy flickered in his eyes, "but we have come to end this fight."
"What are your orders, commander?" another Paladin said, looking toward Garona rather than his chieftain.
"We need to eliminate their leader," Garona said, steeling her eyes on the female Naga out in the water.
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Draco breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they were back on the tram, speeding their way to Stormwind. The Dwarves were overly frustrated with the conflict with the Dark Horde, and it showed in both the sheer number of Dark Iron survivors, and their Queen's valiant attempts to convince her father to go to war.
Whether the young female actually cared about retaking the mountain, or merely wanted to exercise her power in the hierarchy of the Dwarves, Draco did not know, but he and his father had their suspicions.
Varian had dealt justly and fairly, although the pair of wizards was sure that, inevitably, something would break once Nobu'tan was made aware of these demands on him and his people. Draco and Lucius both knew, irrefutably, that Nobu'tan would never give up Blackrock Mountain without a fight, and there would be no bargaining on that point.
The King of Stormwind was aware of this as well, but he had hopes to find some manner of compromise. "At the least, we bought time to deal with the threat of Outland before this boils over," he said, even as the tram started to pull into the station at Stormwind.
"Still, it is going to be a touchy subject to say that least." Lucius agreed, stepping away from the company and withdrawing a hearthstone from his pocket, "I am needed back, I will take my leave."
"Of course," Draco said, smiling at his father as the man walked away, taking the swiftest route to the Mage District, where Narcissa and Aurora waited. For his own part, Draco was going to give his report of what transpired to Anduin, who had been forbidden to attend, and was quite put out because of that fact.
However, as they approached the front of Stormwind Keep, they paused, spotting a large group of armored Night Elves waiting for them.
"What are the Sentinels doing here in large numbers?" Varian asked, but the answer made herself known soon after. The white-robed Night Elf was clearly ancient and very powerful, and Draco felt quite uncomfortable in her presence.
"Varian Wrynn," she said, inclining her head in a small manner of respect, "long has it been since the Kaldorei had such a powerful nation as an ally, and it is quite an interesting experience to be in your city."
"Lady Tyrande Whisperwind," Varian said, "It is quite a surprise to meet with you here. I suppose there is something that you wish for us to know?"
"More the opposite, in actuality," The High Priestess of the Night Elves said, her and her soldiers falling in beside the company of Varian as they entered the Keep, "I have had long contemplations of the presence of this Dark Horde, and I reached the conclusion that I must come to the closest source of information if I am to understand what we, as an Alliance, are to do regarding them."
If the King was growing weary of these endless talks regarding the Dark Horde, Draco did not see it. "Of course, come, let's go somewhere more private for such a discussion."
"I'll take my leave, if you wish it," Jaina said, but the Night Elf shook her head.
"Lady Proudmoore, your expertise with these people and their leader would be most welcome in helping me understand what we are to do." She said.
Draco bowed, and started to turn, ready to retreat from the strange Elf and make his report to Anduin, but the Sentinels closed ranks and blocked him from departing. "Your presence on the other hand, warlock, is mandatory," Lady Whisperwind said coldly. Draco met her gaze, and inwardly shuddered at the hardness that he found there.
"Bring him," she said imperiously, and the Sentinels acted, escorting Draco in a close formation. He couldn't even draw his wand, partially fearing that the warrior Elves might attack and kill him on the spot should he so much as stepped out of sync with their brisk march.
Once secluded in one of Varian's private studies, with guards on the door both without and within, Tyrande leveled her crystalline eyes on Draco once more, "Now you will give me a good reason that the Kaldorei ought not to be fearful of the fate of our world with your Dark Horde rallying the power of the Legion once more."
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Narcissa was in the sitting room, watching Aurora play with her collection of toys, when there was a sharp rapping on the door of their home. Lucius had just left, and Narcissa frowned at the tone of the desperate knocking. Leaving the toddler to her devises for a brief moment, with charms in place to tell Narcissa if she started to get into mischief, she answered the door.
"Anduin?" she asked, seeing the prince on her doorstep, out of breath and heaving for oxygen.
"You—you need to come to Keep—quickly," he gasped between breaths.
"Why? What's happened?" Narcissa asked, sensing the fear in the boy's words. Gathering the young boy into her arms to comfort him, she tried a soothing charm that world well on Aurora, now that the child had started teething.
The strain in Anduin's shoulders started to relax, and he finally caught his breath. "Night Elves have come to the Keep, and they took Draco by force into a private meeting, he didn't seem pleased to go with them."
Narcissa stopped, thinking quickly. She understood more than Lucius thought she had regarding his venting about the conflicts that the Dark Horde was having with the neighboring factions on their many bases, but there had been only one incident that involved the strange race of Elves.
"Watch Aurora for me," she requested, drawing her wand and throwing a shawl around her shoulders.
Quickly she crossed the city toward the keep, heart pounding in her ears. She did not want to believe that King Varian or any of the others of Stormwind would allow her son to be harmed, but the Dark Horde had, under false impressions and poor leadership in the area, fought with these Elves, so she did not trust that they would have the best intentions of they suspected her son's loyalties.
The guards at the Keep leapt aside, seeing the grim determination in Narcissa's face. Many of the others shrank away as well, having seen her fiery determination once or twice previously. Eventually, Narcissa discovered the room that her son was being interrogated in, but the Elves guarding the door were less intimidated by her than the human guards of Stormwind.
"Out of my way," she demanded, wand kept at her side for the time being.
"Lady Whisperwind has permitted no intrusions," the Sentinel said, looking down at Narcissa.
"I do not care if the Goddess Elune herself is inside that room, I am entering to protect my son," Narcissa rebuked, wand crackling with her annoyance and passion.
The Elves clearly had not expected this much resistance to their orders, probably relying heavily on the reputation of their leader, but Narcissa was not to be cowed by anything if her children were threatened.
The pair started to block the door physically, but Narcissa had had enough with waiting. Slashing her wand, she threw the Elves to the side, sending them skidding across the polished floor, and burst through the door herself. Two more guards were just inside, but they were sent stumbling back with well-placed spells, leaving Narcissa to see the tall Elf clad in all white, towering over her son as he glared up into her powerful visage.
"Get away from my son," Narcissa demanded, turning the attention of the High Priestess to her. Blue eyes locked between both females, and Narcissa felt the powerful mind of the Night Elves' leader try to press into her own.
"You are Narcissa Malfoy," the Elf said, her voice steady, despite the internal battle that Narcissa with giving her.
"I am," Narcissa replied, refusing to give even an inch. She stepped further into the room, even as the guards started to rise from where they had been knocked.
"I sense no evil from you, and even the Light of Elune in your visage…" the Elf leader said, a flutter of confusion and respect in her eyes as she spoke, "Yet your ties to the Dark Horde equal those of your son."
"If I am close to the leader of the Dark Horde, then what is that to you?" Narcissa responded, "You know for a fact that the conflict in Kalimdor was not of his doing, and he himself ended it by capturing and killing the leaders of that rogue subfaction."
"There is no lie in what you speak…" the Elf, Tyrande, said. "And I see what you have done to avert great tragedy in the course of your time with this Nobu'tan."
She stepped away from Draco, and Narcissa saw her relax the hand that had been gripping a sheathed dagger at her waist. "But that still doesn't reassure me that he lacks weaknesses the Legion will exploit to march on our world once again."
"My people lost our immortality already, in defense of this world," the Night Elf said, and Narcissa noticed the grimace in her words on the faces of the Sentinels. "We will sacrifice anything to protect Azeroth, can you say the same about your people?"
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Varian stood silently as the confrontation between Tyrande and Lady Malfoy continued. The tension was thick enough that he could have cut it with Shalamayne. Lady Proudmoore also stood by silently.
"I cannot deny that your people have likely given up more to protect a world from the flame of the Legion," Narcissa replied, bowing her head in respect. When she lifted it however, the flame of her passion was greater than before, and even the Elves stilled at her voice, "but our world has fallen to the Legion, and we will avenge it. Nobu'tan was already used by the demons once before, and I will be dead before I allow it to happen again."
"In this matter, we are all united, High Priestess," Draco said, eyes downcast. "Nobu'tan was warped and twisted by their manipulations for years, and has broken free. He would rather destroy himself than allow even another soul on his world suffer under the Legion's boot."
"And he has made such known to you?" Tyrande asked, and although her voice was hard, Varian could sense the softening in her tone.
"He is watched, and cannot utter aloud all that is in his heart," Draco replied, lifting his eyes to meet the Priestess', "but we can sense his intent. Countless sycophants of the Legion have died under his orders, on Azeroth, and now in Outland."
"I believe you," Tyrande said after a long silence, "although I find it hard to believe that such a thing is possible. Not since Illidan…"
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Blaise was not surprised in the slightest, after he splintered off from the group of Blood Elves entering the Netherstorm, to hear the shouts of surprise as they were turned on by their own kin. Those of the Sunfury were fanatically loyal to their Prince, and word had clearly reached them of their fellows back on Azeroth joining the Kalimdor Horde.
Still, it left the warlock-assassin in a slight predicament. There were no allies of his on this side of the bridge, and while there were plenty of covered spaces where he could reasonably hide himself, there was nothing large enough to shield the entire group of stalkers that he needed to accomplish their mission once summoned.
Over the several hours after the Blood Elves slaughtered each other, he wandered the craggy wastes, heading roughly away from the bridge and hoping that he would find a good location that was less secure to start opening a small gateway.
After mounting a spiky rise, however, Blaise felt drawn toward a series of massive energy bubbles, which seemed to be preserving some form of ecosystem within them. The domes of energy were clearly arcane in origin, and while unmolested by Blood Elves or demons, led Blaise to be highly suspicious.
Who or what type of being could have built these, and were strong enough to dissuade Illidan's forces from engaging them?
Still, it was intriguing, and remote, enough of a location that Blaise couldn't in good conscience pass up making use of the unobserved space inside the arcane shield.
Passing through the energy was an interesting experience on its own, the cold of the Nethstorm brushed aside in an instant for the warmth contained inside the magical dome. Blaise was intrigued at the humidity kept here, preserving some manner of ancient jungle-like setting, but he had important business to take care of first.
Quickly navigating through the dense undergrowth, the warlock found a sheltered crag in a denser portion of the dome, and opened himself to the Fel. Seeing the rocky outlook where the Stalkers would be waiting in his mind's eye, he coaxed the power of the Fel to bridge a doorway between that location and his own.
The Dark Horde orcs eagerly stepped through once the portal was established, looking around in confusion at their new surroundings.
"This looks nothing like the region does at the bridge," one commented.
"Yes," Blaise agreed, "there was some manner of intelligent design regarding this place, but still, it served my purposes just fine."
"This place seems familiar," one of the veterans said, even as the party started to retrace Blaise's steps toward an exit, "like the Verbloom of old Gorgrond."
"That was the intended design, yes," another voice said, causing them all to whirl.
Blaise was not exactly sure what manner of being he was seeing. Clad in ancient wrappings like some old earth mummy, the strange creature shimmered as it walked gracefully toward them.
"Welcome travelers, I mean you no harm. Lower your weapons," the stranger requested, raising both wrapped hands in a beckoning manner.
"Who are you," Blaise asked, "and what is this place?"
"I am Mehrdad," the creature replied, "an Ethereal of the Consortium, and this is Eco-Dome Midrealm."
Whether the creature recognized their discomfort or not, he continued, "the Consortium had interests in preserving the grandeur of old Draenor before it was destroyed and became Outland. There are several other domes in the area keeping the jungles alive and growing.
"I see," Blaise said, losing interest now that the mystery had been given to them. These creatures seems very oily to him, and if not for the lack of eyes the warlock would have guessed that there was greed in the tone of the odd energy being, "Well, we need to continue with our mission."
"Engaging the Blood Elves I suppose…" the Ethereal said, correctly guessing their goal, "Kael'thas has brokered neutrality with the Consortium, in exchange for good business…"
Thinking on that information, Blaise stopped, and turned back, "Would it be possible for your people to arrange us to meet with the Blood Elf leader?"
"Perhaps," the Ethereal said, and Blaise could sense the unseen smirk, "given the right price…"
Blaise was not particularly willing to do the dirty work of these strange creatures, but if it expedited their mission to gain audience with the leader of the Sunfury Elves and deliver Nobu'tan's message, then so be it.
"Where can we speak to your leaders to arrange a deal?" he asked.
"Stormspire," Mehrdad said, gesturing to the north, through the jungle, "from the far side of Midrealm you'll see the other Eco-domes, and our main post inside the largest of them. Nexus-Prince Haramad will be most eager to arrange some manner of exchange for the assistance you seek."
Blaise nodded, gesturing for the stalkers to follow him as he set off in the direction the Ethereal indicated. They could at the least see what this Nexus-Prince would want in exchange for setting them up to meet Kael'thas Sunstrider.
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Storm clouds raged over the highest pinnacle of the Black Temple, even as Illidan Stormrage looked out over Shadowmoon Valley. Try as his enemies might, none of the Legion's servants would stop him in his mission to end their Burning Crusade.
His rage at the demons knew no limits, and on countless worlds they had learned the full import of his reach. Sargaras would regret gifting Illidan with his vision of the hellish landscapes that the dark titan controlled, as now that very knowledge fueled Illidan's magic, and spurred on the Illidari to wage battle on countless shattered worlds.
Soon, they would launch their greatest strike, and take something important from the Legion, they key that would destroy the Legion altogether.
And yet, Illidan found himself looking out across Outland, the backwater that had become his refuge when Azeroth had rejected him. Something was coming in Outland, something that he had not anticipated.
The whispers of the Skull of Gul'dan, almost a mutter at this point after so many years of carrying the Fel artifact, promised his downfall, and Illidan could only smirk. The old orc's spirit, fragmented and bound in part to the skull, still burned with hatred for all living things, and even the demons that had torn him apart and sealed away his soul into his own skull.
He would rage often, but in quiet moments Gul'dan would often teach Illidan powerful secrets about the Legion. The old warlock had known so much about his masters, more than even they were aware that he knew.
That power from the forbidden knowledge was invaluable to Illidan, but as of late the skull had forsaken him.
Ever since the Legion reopened the Dark Portal, tying Outland and Azeroth once more, the skull had grown quite silent. Almost as though aware that he was thinking of it, Gul'dan's spirit whispered again, almost taunting in its cheerfulness.
"He is alive… and he is coming for you…"
To whom the skull referred was a mystery to Illidan, and while it was something he desired to understand, the skull's ramblings were a low priority in the grand scheme of his plans against the Legion.
Scores of veteran Demon Hunters training in the courts below, and Illidan planned to lead them personally on their mission to Mardum, the prison world of the Legion, and recover their prize: the Sargerite Keystone.
It would take much longer until they were all prepared for what lay ahead, and gather the supplies and weapons for his forces to attack successfully, but Illidan was confident of their chances. Time flowed differently across the Nether, and what would take days on Mardum could be as little as hours on Outland, or months.
They had to be fully ready for the task before them. If they triumphed here, it would spell the deathknell for the Legion's power, and open the way for Illidan to assault the claimed homeworld of all demons that were loyal to the fallen titan.
Argus… planet of the Eredar, and chief among all the titan souls that Sargaras had taken and warped to serve his endless crusade on all things that lived. Illidan relished the chance to stab directly at the heart of all demons at once, and shatter their power for all time.
