Azeroth: Starting with Eagle Eye in the Necropolis

Page 120

"Ugh—!" A silent roar echoed in his mental realm. The attack was strange and fierce, carrying a strong aura of fel energy, yet it was not the method of any Burning Legion demon lord he knew.

"Who is it? Another dagger from Kil'jaeden? Or... something else?" The Lich King's will churned in agony. He could feel his control over a portion of the undead in the distant Eastern Kingdoms weakening and becoming chaotic. The annihilation and loss of contact of that legion just now was inextricably linked to this.

We must...we must hold the line...we must find the attacker!

Rhodes' camp was attacked by the Scourge because of the Lich King's orders.

The Lich King couldn't figure out where the spell was being cast, but based on the source of the magical attack, he could determine that the attacker was near Dalaran.

So the Lich King ordered his Scourge army to launch attacks everywhere, targeting the territories of all living beings, even digging three feet into the ground to find the attackers.

Because if they can't find the other side, their side will be completely destroyed.

Illidan Stormrage hovered in mid-air, with the Eye of Sargeras hovering before him, radiating destructive energy fluctuations. Vast amounts of fel energy were gathered and guided through complex magic circles, their target the distant Frozen Throne in Northrend.

Around the magic circle, several Naga witches were intently maintaining the stability of the ritual.

The old orc Darksul stepped forward and bowed slightly to Illidan, the shadow of his hood obscuring his eyes. "Great demon hunter Illidan Stormrage, I have heard that you are undertaking a great cause, aiming to end the threat of the Lich King and the Legion. I, Darksul, offer you my knowledge and strength; I am a powerful warlock."

My race is called Orcs. We lived freely on Draenor, enjoying a rare peace, but one day that peace was shattered.

The demons of the Burning Legion have seduced our shamans, deceiving them by promising them great power, but the Burning Legion's ultimate goal is to enslave our race.

"Our world has been destroyed, and our people have been scattered to the world of Azeroth. You obtained Gul'dan's head; you should know something about our world," the old orc said.

Illidan spared a moment of attention to glance at the old orc. He was now fully focused on destroying the Frozen Throne and was not averse to any power that came his way, especially one that claimed to be against the Legion.

Moreover, having obtained the Skull of Gul'dan, he was indeed aware of the hatred between the Burning Legion and the orcs. Judging from the information within Gul'dan's skull, the orc before him was second only to Gul'dan in skill even within the Shadow Council.

However, one thing puzzled Illidan: according to Gul'dan's memories, it seemed that the members of the Shadow Council all thoroughly enjoyed the power of fel energy.

He could even be described as a loyal lackey of the Burning Legion. Illidan even suspected that the orc in front of him had come to surrender on the orders of the Burning Legion.

Or perhaps Kil'jaeden was testing him, to see if he was truly willing to serve the Legion.

“I know who you are, High Warlock Darkthul of the Shadow Council, one of Gul'dan’s top generals. I thought you, like Gul'dan’s other men, had died in the Tomb of Sargeras in the Broken Isles.”

"But I didn't expect you to be alive until now. Who ordered you to come and join me?" Illidan asked condescendingly.

“Lord Illidan, the mighty Demon Hunter, as you can see, I did not die in the Tomb of Sargeras. I was just an old orc who wanted to enjoy my retirement, but someone didn’t want me to live in peace, so I had no choice but to come out of seclusion,” Darkthul said with a smile.

When Rhodes sent him to join Illidan, he already knew that Illidan would not easily trust him, so he never intended for Darkthul to hide his identity.

"You were sent by Kil'jaeden, weren't you? You members of the Shadow Council are all loyal followers of the Burning Legion," Illidan said, as if he had already guessed everything.

Who could command a former member of the Shadow Council? He couldn't think of anyone but Kil'jaeden, but the old orc's answer took him by surprise.

“No, no, no, Lord Illidan, I think you’ve misunderstood something. I came to serve you on Lord Rhodes’ orders, not as some Kil’jaeden.” Darksul said with a smile.

At the same time, the old orc's eyes were also fixed on the Eye of Sargeras on the altar. It was truly an unparalleled artifact, and the fel energy emanating from it made him feel terrified.

Is this what Gul'dan sought, the very thing that cost him his life? How tragic, Gul'dan died without ever touching this artifact, yet I have witnessed it with my own eyes.

These words surprised Illidan. He hadn't expected Rhodes to find him an accomplice, and one who was quite powerful.

You should know that the subordinates he currently represents, apart from a dozen or so night elves, are all Naga. Although they possess arcane power, these guys can only assist in casting spells and cannot help him activate the Eye of Sargeras at all.

But the orc in front of me was different. As a former member of the Shadow Council, he possessed considerable fel power and could help me drive the Eye of Sargeras to attack the Frozen Throne even faster.

“Interesting. Rhodes actually sent me an assistant. Did he give you anything? Like a token or something?” Illidan folded his wings and landed in front of the old orc, asking.

“Of course, Demon Hunter, Lord Illidan. Lord Rhodes gave me a powerful unit and taught me some special spells.” Darkthul finished speaking and summoned the fel demon that Rhodes had left by his side.

Standing over 5 meters tall, with ferocious armor, a huge scythe, demonic horns and hooves, this guy is practically a carbon copy of Illidan, except for the lack of wings.

"Lord Illidan, is this great demon before me able to prove my identity?" Darkthul asked.

On the way here, he had already tested the Great Demon's combat power. How should I put it? It was stronger than any demon he knew.

The Abyss Lord might be stronger than this Great Demon, but the Great Demon's terrifying teleportation ability makes up for it all; its speed is simply too agile.

If this fel demon is controlled well and used in conjunction with his spellcasting, the old orc is confident he can kill a powerful pit lord.

“Not bad, not bad, this is indeed Rhodes’s stuff. You’ve proven your identity as an orc. Welcome to my team; I happen to need you,” Illidan said.

He could clearly sense that the great demon before him was a type of soldier summoned by Rhodes, not a life form from the world of Azeroth.

"Please give your orders, Lord Illidan," Darksul said with a slight bow.

"Yes, next you will assist me in activating this powerful fel artifact to attack the Lich King on the Frozen Throne. We will shatter Northrend and completely destroy the Lich King and his Scourge." Illidan immediately explained the upcoming tasks to the old orc.

“I understand, Lord Illidan. I will assist you immediately, and I will take charge of the rest of the work.” A wicked smile appeared on Darkthul’s lips.

This is the warlock artifact that Gul'dan has always dreamed of. He never thought that he would be able to use it one day. He wonders if using this warlock artifact would allow him to break free from the control of this great demon, or even take control of this fel-powered great demon.

The old orc glanced at the fel demon beside him with a hint of malice. This thing was like a sword hanging over his head, something Rhode used to control him.

"You're just assisting me, don't overthink it. And don't touch this powerful fel artifact. We can only control it remotely. It contains a wisp of Sargeras' will, which mortals simply cannot resist." Illidan seemed to see the greed in the orc's eyes and immediately warned him.

Fel energy is an extremely powerful force, but it can also corrupt the mind and tempt people to seek even greater power. If one cannot control this desire, one will become a slave to the power of fel energy.

Rhodes almost fell victim to a trap in the Tomb of Sargeras before, but luckily he had the Archangel of Light by his side.

Besides completing Kil'jaeden's mission to destroy the Lich King, the Eye of Sargeras will also completely collapse after this event, having exhausted all its energy by destroying a continent.

Illidan wanted to destroy this fel artifact to prevent it from being reused by those with ulterior motives.

"Thank you for reminding me, Lord Illidan. I am well aware of the power and danger of this artifact," Darkthul nodded and said.

The Lich King is Ner'zhul, and this time he's getting revenge for what happened. He's more than happy to mess with Ner'zhul.

The two then began to push the Eye of Sargeras together, causing an even greater commotion.

Terrifying fel energy descended from the sky, bombarding the Frozen Throne. A huge crack appeared in the Frozen Throne, and the Lich King's originally immense power began to leak out.

The entire land of Lordaeron trembled, and Rhodes's military camp also trembled. The mortal soldiers had no idea what was happening.

“Rhodes, can you feel it? I sense a powerful magical force, very malevolent, right to our north,” Kael'thas said.

Chapter 194 Taking Kael'thas to See Illidan

Kael'thas was meditating in his tent when he suddenly sensed a strong magical fluctuation.

Before arriving in Dalaran, he had already sensed a terrifying fluctuation of fel magic, though it was very weak and he couldn't be sure. But after settling in Rhodes' camp, the feeling became clearer.

Without hesitation, Kael'thas immediately went to Rhodes' tent and reported the matter to Rhodes.

The Alliance and Horde had just defeated the Burning Legion in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, but this terrifying fel energy fluctuation, coupled with the rampaging undead in the vicinity, could very well be another plot by the Burning Legion that must be taken seriously.

“I understand, Kyle. Leave this to me,” Rhodes said, putting down the documents in his hand.

Kael'thas knew without a doubt that the terrifying fel energy fluctuations he sensed were caused by Illidan, and it was time to deal with the matter. The Lich King had been dealt with quite a bit.

If Illidan were to use the Eye of Sargeras to bombard the entire continent of Northrend, it would fall silent. Although it would destroy the Lich King, the Old Gods would emerge.

Rhodes isn't confident he can deal with the Old Gods right now, and there's also a bunch of crazy Titan Guardians in Ulduar that Rhodes can't handle for the time being.

Moreover, the power in Northrend extends far beyond this, so Illidan must be stopped.

In the original timeline, Malfurion and Tyrande supported Maiev Shadowsong, which led them to the Broken Isles, and they eventually made their way to the Eastern Kingdoms.

By chance, they encountered Kael'thas, who was on his way to the front lines, and the three of them joined forces to thwart Illidan's plot.

The Eye of Sargeras, an artifact of fel magic, has been completely destroyed. Maiev is now captive, while Tyrande and Malfurion are still living in Moonglade in Mount Hyjal.

Naturally, they wouldn't come to stop Illidan; if they didn't go, Illidan would succeed.

"Do you know what happened, Rhodes?" Kael'thas asked, giving Rhodes a strange look.

“That’s right, Kael’tah. I do know what happened. During the Battle of Mount Hyjal, I formed an alliance with a demon hunter, and that demon hunter was Illidan.”

Not long ago, after we defeated the Burning Legion on Mount Hyjal, Illidan was driven out by the Night Elves and eventually made his way to the Broken Isles, where we entered the Tomb of Sargeras.

"And within the Tomb of Sargeras, we obtained an incredibly powerful fel artifact called the Eye of Sargeras. Illidan is using this fel artifact to attack the Lich King atop the Frozen Throne." Kael'thas Rhodes made no attempt to conceal this from him.

Rhodes had a good relationship with Kael'thas, and he had always considered him a friend. Besides, there was no need to hide this matter, since the Well of Eternity still depended on Illidan.

"It turns out to be a fel artifact, and it's even related to Sargeras. No wonder it has such strong magical fluctuations. The demon hunter Illidan's Kaponya reported this to me."

So this is a good thing, right? Rhodes, I heard you have a good relationship with that Illidan. Since it's an attack on the Lich King, we should help him. Kael'thas immediately looked excited.

The Lich King is the ultimate target of the Blood Elves' revenge. This is because Arthas was ordered by the Lich King to attack Quel'Thalas.

If someone can kill the Lich King, then their revenge will be over. However, the blood elves must be involved. He is even very willing to assist Illidan in using this fel artifact to bombard the Frozen Throne.

"We will take our revenge on the Scourge, but not with this kind of thing. Sargeras's fel artifacts are extremely powerful."

"Besides destroying the Frozen Throne and eliminating the Lich King, he will also sink the entire continent of Northrend into the sea. Do you know what that means?" Rhodes said with a smile.

"Sinking the entire continent of Northrend into the sea... that's a huge price to pay. If he succeeds, it will be a disaster for the whole of Azeroth."

The sinking of a continent would cause a dramatic rise in sea levels; Quel'Danas Island, and even Silvermoon City, could be submerged, and some islands in the Endless Sea might also be affected. Kael'thas immediately thought of the impact a sinking continent would have on the world.

This is not as simple as a distant continent sinking. The changes in the Earth's crust will affect the entire planet, especially the rise in sea levels. This disaster is even more terrifying than the undead catastrophe.

“You’re right, Kael’thas. And there are many things you don’t know about hidden in Northrend. Even the Titans’ city of Ulduar is there. Just think what would happen if the Titans’ city were destroyed?” Rhodes told Kael’thas about the seriousness of the matter.

"Rhodes, why didn't you stop Illidan in the first place? Since you knew all this, why did you still let him use this artifact?" Kael'thas asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because it can weaken the Lich King's power, I had Illidan use this fel artifact. The main purpose was to weaken the Lich King on the Frozen Throne."

This terrifying fel energy shockwave could blast open the Frozen Throne and greatly weaken the Lich King's power, which would benefit us. Now is the time for us to stop it. The Lich King can be weakened, but Northrend cannot be destroyed.” Rhodes told Kael'thas his plan.

The spy I sent, Scylla, has now completed his unit training and it's time for him to leave the Lich King. Once, when the Lich King was attacked, he took the opportunity to join the Forsaken's forces.

Now that fool Arthas should be able to feel his power starting to drain away. Soon the dreadlords will come after him, forcing him to travel to Northrend to protect his master, the Lich King.

“I see. Then I’ll go with you. I also want to meet this demon hunter named Illidan. Should I gather an army?” Kael’thas nodded and said.

“Let’s just the two of us go together. There’s no need to gather an army. Bringing a large force would cause some unnecessary trouble,” Rhodes said.

This time, the purpose of our trip is not to wage war against Illidan, but to persuade him to give up using fel artifacts, so there is no need to bring a large army.

Moreover, if any conflict were to occur, Rhodes stated that he himself was an army.

After the two finished discussing, Rhodes summoned Jaina and told her what had happened. He then asked the sorceress to temporarily take command of the humans in the camp, as he might be away for a few days.

Kael'thas also handed over command of the Blood Elves to Kaponya and several other advisors.

"Don't you need me to come with you this time, Rhodes?" Jaina asked.

"No need this time, my dear. You can stay here and command the human army. If the undead army attacks again, use the phoenix I left for you to fight back."

"I'll take care of Illidan's matter quickly," Rhodes said, nodding to the female mage.

“Okay, Rhodes, then be careful. Leave things to me, you can rest assured.” Jaina nodded.