Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Within one of the highborne buildings requisitioned by the Alliance for its operations, Krivax waited for Malygos to say something while he and the dragon locked gazes. While the Aspect of Magic was currently much smaller than him since he was wearing his mortal form, that didnt stop him from being incredibly menacing.

Krivax had just finished recounting his confrontation with Detheroc to the ornery old dragon. Malygos had simply appeared within his chambers the moment that Krivax was alone, effortlessly bypassing every one of the highborne wards set up around the building.

He would normally be a bit more nervous during a conversation like this, but Krivax doubted that it could be any worse than whatd he gone through earlier after briefing the kaldorei about what happened in Eldrethalas.

So, allow me to understand this correctly, Malygos finally said, breaking the silence with a cold, analytical tone that sent shivers down Krivaxs carapace. You were ambushed by a Dreadlord, had your mind read by the demon, engaged him in battle, and somehow forced him to retreat. You then chased after him after deciding that you needed to capture him, and then failed to do so after having even more of your secrets stolen. Is that correct?

Krivax grimaced at the Aspects blunt summary of events. Yes. That about sums it up. Detheroc was nearly captured, but Illidan was too surprised to prevent Detheroc from impaling himself on his warglaive.

Did you ever consider that it may have been smarter to simply retreat, rather than impulsively follow the demon and risk further secrets? Malygos asked, his gaze unrelenting as he looked up at Krivax. From what youve told me, its clear that whatever he knew, before you followed him, was only enough for him to grow curious. If hed discovered the truth of your reincarnation and knowledge of the Burning Legions plans, then he would have immediately fled the city to deliver that information to the rest of his kin.

I did. For a few moments, Krivax admitted, his tone defensive. But I decided that he was too dangerous to let go. If I hadnt gone after him, Detheroc would have slaughtered far more civilians and simply come after me at a later time. I dont want to spend the rest of this conflict wondering that every person I meet is a shapeshifting demon.

Krivax wasnt afraid to admit to himself that he also might have underestimated Detheroc after their first confrontation. Although hed had Masruks assistance, Krivax had still managed to force the Detheroc to retreat without suffering any serious injuries. As a result, hed figured that even if he wasnt powerful enough to capture Detheroc, he could at least force the demon to retreat or outright kill him if the opportunity presented itself.

Unfortunately, Detheroc was cunning enough to isolate him away from his golem before their second fight began, and hed been able to freely make use of spatial magic to avoid attacks, unlike during their initial skirmish in the magical prison. Those factors, along with the demon having learned his strengths and weaknesses, had tipped the scales in Detherocs favor.

The secrets within your mind are far more valuable than the lives of a few magic-addicted elves, Malygos said with a derisive sneer. As for the Dreadlord, there are plenty of ways that could have been handled. Archaedas and I could have easily created an artifact similar to the one we provided to Krasus which allows him to detect demons.

Krivax took a deep breath so he wouldnt get angry and say something he shouldnt to the moderately sane dragon with godlike powers.

I dont mean any disrespect, Lord Malygos Krivax lied, doing his best to keep his voice neutral. But you havent exactly made yourself easy for me to contact. I dont make decisions with the assumption that youll be available to assist me whenever I need it. Besides, there would be plenty of ways for Detheroc to circumvent an artifact like that.

In a world with magic, it was extremely difficult to defend yourself against a powerful spellcaster, who possessed even the slightest amount of creativity. Mind control, shapeshifters, curses, and so much more; The list of possible threats was extensive.

Even now, there was a part of Krivax that was relieved that Detheroc was no longer on Azeroth and wouldnt be free to terrorize him from the shadows.

After a long and increasingly tense silence, Malygos finally just released an annoyed sigh and sat down on an elegant comfortably padded chair that he conjured with a wave of his hand. Fine. I suppose something like this happening was inevitable. Were fortunate that it will likely take the demon quite some time to reform within the Twisting Nether.

Krivax tilted his head in confusion. Youre not angry? I was expecting your reaction to involve a few more threats of violence.

Im furious, but Ive already proposed to my siblings that we place you in stasis until weve defeated the Burning Legion. Obviously, I was overruled, Malygos said with a dismissive gesture. You should be truly grateful that I still value Nozdormus council and accepted this as a potential outcome. The only question now is how we move forward.

Forcing himself to ignore the frankly terrifying scenario of being placed into magical stasis, Krivax focused on the more immediate point. So what is our next move then?

Krivax lowered himself onto a pile of extravagant cushions that had been conveniently left behind in the highborne building. It looked like this conversation was going to go on longer than hed expectedThe original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

A contemplative expression came over Malygos face. Im not certain. It will depend on what exactly the demon was able to learn from your mind. My first instinct is that I should focus on the ritual to allow us access to Pandaria. It is nearing completion, and it would be best if we could attack the Burning Legions pet necromancer before Detheroc reforms and shares what he knows.

Krivax was glad to hear that the ritual was almost ready. Itd been several months since they had first learned about the Lich Kings attack on the Wandering Isle without being able to do anything in response. The Primals were a significant threat, but they were almost certainly a mere distraction compared to whatever the Lich King was getting up to.

Would it be possible for us to summon Detheroc and interrogate him? Krivax asked curiously. Hed been considering solutions to the issue ever since the Dreadlord had been killed, and this was the first thing that came to mind. If the highborne were able to trap a demon for millennia, and I dont see why you wouldnt be able to do the same thing.

Malygos mouth twisted into a frown as he stared at Krivax with clear exasperation. Had I not already known your origins, it would suspect you of being a warlock for making such a suggestion. You should understand by now that summoning a demon is no small matter, mortal.

Krivax couldnt help but keep going back over the events of the past few days. Even if not for the events in Eldrethalas, the kaldorei reaction afterward would have been enough to drill that point home.

Still, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Would it work? Krivax persisted, intent on getting an answer to his question. Would it be possible for us to summon Detheroc back from the Twisting Nether ourselves and trap him?

Containing the creature would be unnecessary once I had him in my claws. I would simply tear its soul asunder after retrieving the necessary information, Malygos replied with typical arrogance before continuing with a more thoughtful tone. However, the summoning would be far more troublesome. Detherocs essence is, for the moment, scattered within the Twisting Nether. Summoning a specific demon, especially a Dreadlord as powerful as the one you describe, is already a difficult proposition continue your briefing while I consider it. How did the kaldorei react to what happened?

Krivax winced as he recalled the memory.

Immediately after his pyrrhic victory in Eldrethalas, Krivax had given a briefing to the Alliance and kaldorei leadership over everything that had happened. Given that the meeting had included a broody Illidan, who had glared at him suspiciously after trying to stop him from killing a demon, it hadnt exactly been a fun experience. Nearly everything that happened in Eldrethalas could accurately be described as less than ideal, especially the Dreadlord managing to escape with sensitive information.

Almost everyone thought that information was limited to what Krivax might know as a high-ranking diplomat, but even that was bad news.

Still, the reaction to that news absolutely was nothing compared to when the kaldorei learned that the highborne had been secretly subsiding on demon magic for millennia.

If not for the threat of the Primals and the intervention of the high elves, Krivax felt like there was a good chance the kaldorei would have completely wiped Eldrethalas off the map. Once the first calls came in for the highborne to be put to the sword, Krivax began to truly understand just how severely kaldorei society had been affected by the War of the Ancients.

At its peak, the Kaldorei Empire had been the most powerful civilization to walk the face of Azeroth. Thanks to the empires vast resources and extraordinary magic, the majority of its citizens enjoyed a standard of living that would make even most people on Earth envious. Even to this day, there wasnt a single nation on Azeroth that could compare to the level of prosperity that the kaldorei had once enjoyed.

And yet, all that prosperity and power had come crumbling down due to the greedy actions of their empires ruling class.

There wasnt a single kaldorei alive who had experienced the War of the Ancients and hadnt lost loved ones. Friends, family, homes, and even entire cities had been destroyed during the cataclysmic conflict, and all because of their rulers relentless thirst for power. It had been a time of unimaginable loss, of devastation that continued to shape every facet of kaldorei society even to this day.

The unfortunate situation of a highborne city being ravaged by demons was already enough to remind the kaldorei of the War of the Ancients, but it only got worse from there. When they had heard that the leader of Eldre'thalas had summoned a demon with the intention of feeding off its magic, it was like someone walked up to them and spat in their faces.

The utter loathing and hatred that had erupted from many among the kaldorei delegation, especially those who had been alive during the War of the Ancients, had actually been frightening in its intensity.

Fortunately, the high elves were sympathetic toward the highbornes addiction to magic, and had stepped in to prevent the worst from happening. As a result, Krivax had spent the past week doing everything he could to ease diplomatic tensions. The highborne eventually agreed to allow the kaldorei and the Alliance to make use of EldreThalas in exchange for access to the Sunwell, but there were still many night elves who were out for blood.

After all, if the highborne repeated their actions and brought about a second War of the Ancients, then all of Azeroth would be at risk.

The kaldorei are not wrong believe that we would all be safer without those fool highborne dabbling in magics they lack the ability to use responsibly, Malygos commented, his tone carrying a note of disdain. But I suppose it matters little. In my present state, I would immediately sense a disturbance in the leylines if anyone attempted to create a demonic portal as large as the one used back then.

If only you could go talk to the kaldorei and give them that reassurance. Itd certainly make my life much easier, said Krivax, not at all bitter.

Hmph. I have far more important things to attend to than elvish politics, Malygos said with a scoff. As for your proposal to summon the Dreadlord, Ive determined that it would be impossible prior to the creature regaining its form. Doing so afterward is more plausible, but the ritual would require the aid of a powerful individual who can also wield Fel magic. Most such people are insane, so it would be a difficult task.

If theres nothing else, then lets hurry up and go speak with this elf, said Malygos, instantly casting what Krivax recognized to be an invisibility spell and heading toward the exit. I have more important things to do than waste any more time with this nonsense than necessary.

Krivax thanked the dragon as he hurried to follow after him, sincerely hoping that he hadnt made a mistake by arranging for a meeting between two people who were as volatile as they were powerful.

Illidan Stormrage scowled as he once again failed to bypass the anti-scrying wards surrounding the temporary lodging of Azjol-Nerubs head diplomat.

These wards should be trivially simple for him to bypass, but every attempt he made seemed to be utterly useless. They had obviously been crafted by someone superior in magical ability than even Illidan, a list of individuals which should be very small.

Hed already been suspicious of the nerubian, but this stoked the flames of his doubts even further. Unfortunately, it seemed like there was nothing that could be done until the nerubian left his residence.

Accepting his defeat, Illidan prepared himself for a long wait and returned to the abandoned highborne veranda that he was hiding in. Illidan used his omni-directional eyes to look over this section of Eldrethalas for any Sentinels who may be attempting to locate him.

Admittedly, the Sentinels were not attempting to find Illidian as desperately as they were the first time after he had proved his ability to escape their custody. It had always been implicitly understood that once Illidan was freed from his prison, that he would be fully capable of coming and going as he pleased. Only Maiev Shadowsong and her most skilled wardens would have any hope of tracking Illidan down when he didnt wish to be found.

However, his ability to escape meant nothing when he had no intention of truly doing so. His feelings toward Tyrande were as effective a shackle as even the most heavily guarded prisons.

Still, the Sentinels insisted on carrying out their perfunctory searches. Illidan often snuck away just for the simple pleasure of watching them flounder about, but today, he had escaped his guards for an actual purpose.

Until just a week ago, hed never personally seen any beings quite like the nerubians. While Azjol-Nerub had existed ten thousand years ago, the nerubians had never really left their territory and Illidan had never felt a need to go searching for them.

Despite this, he recalled reading about the nerubians in one the libraries belonging to the Moon Guard, an elite group of kaldorei sorcerers of which hed been a member. The nerubians had once been well-known to be worshippers of the Old Gods, which was unsurprising given that their ancestors had been created by those same gods.

Ten thousand years later, Azjol-Nerub had apparently abandoned the Old Gods and were now one of the most powerful nations on Azeroths. Their influence had spread far and wide across Azeroth, and was gradually eclipsing what even the kaldorei could muster.

Naturally, his people were far from willing to admit to the reality of the situation. The kaldorei were just as complacent and arrogant as they had always been. The only difference being that they now pretended otherwise.

That left it up to Illidan to verify that these nerubians were truly as they presented themselves.

Illidan stared at his current target of interest.

The head diplomat of Azjol-Nerub, a giant of a creature by the name of Krivax, had not left Illidan with a good first impression. Anyone who attempted to prevent him from slaying a demon was immediately suspect in his eyes. The nerubian had given him an acceptable explanation, which was obvious given the fact that the creature still lived, but there were still other inconsistencies that drew Illidans suspicion.

He had never known a Dreadlord, arrogant as they were, to willingly kill themselves with the intention of avoiding capture. For the demon to do something so extraordinary, then the information he acquired from the nerubian would have had to be very important. What could the nerubian have possibly know to warrant such a reaction?

Illidan had brought his concerns to Tyrande, only for a strange expression to grow on her face and for her to insist he leave the matter alone. Even after all these years, Illidan knew perfectly well when Tyrande was keeping something from him.

The momentary flicker in her eyes, the subtle stiffening of her posture, and the pursing of her lips, all signs hed come to recognize after centuries of knowing her. She knew something about the nerubian, and was unwilling to tell him.

Frustrated and confused, Illidan had decided to take matters into his own hands.

Just as Illidan was nearly finished searching his surroundings for Sentinels, he suddenly noticed a vague anomaly in the ambient mana approaching the building he was nestled in. Almost immediately, Illidan felt his body flood with adrenaline as images of Maiev hunting him down and dragging him back to his prison rushed through his mind.

Somebody was approaching him under the cover of an invisibility spell that even his eyes were unable to penetrate. There was no possibility of this being the work of a simple Sentinel, and he sincerely doubted that they were sneaking toward him with benign intentions.

After assessing the situation, Illidan tightened his grip on his warglaives and darted back into the room directly connected to the veranda hed been hiding on. Shrouding his presence as much as possible, Illidan lept on top of a broken pillar near the doorway and waited for the intruder to arrive.

Illidan had noticed the political tension between Tyrande and the Wardens, and knew that she wouldnt complain too much if one of them were to inexplicably disappear. Illidan didnt feel guilty about this, as there was no limit to the blood he would spill before he allowed himself to be dragged back to his cell and forgotten once again.

Time passed by as slowly as Illidan tracked the disturbance as it made its way up the many floors of the highborne mansion and toward the room he was hidden in.

The moment that the door opened and he sensed them walking inside, Illidan launched himself toward the intruders as swiftly as a hawk swooping down on its prey. He swung his warglaives in an arc that would decapitate any unwelcome guest, only to be launched across the room by a telekinetic blow that knocked the breath out of him.

Reaction time faster than expected. Enemy reacted with magic instead of with a blade. Magic looks arcane in nature. Not likely to be a Warden. Attack was intentionally non-lethal.

Several thoughts instantly flashed through Illidans mind as assessed the situation as he righted himself mid-air to land on his feet. When he turned to look back at the intruder, Illidan was surprised to see the figure of the nerubian hed been stalking along with a vaguely familiar elf who he didnt recognize.

It took a moment for his mind to sort through the memories of the time before his imprisonment. The powerful magic and the elfs unnatural blue hair soon led him to realize that he was looking at Malygos, the Aspect of Magic.

Illidan had only met the dragon a few times during the War of the Ancients, but he was a person who was nearly impossible to forget. Hed known that the nerubian had been empowered by the Dragon Queen, but he hadnt expected to discover such an unlikely combination of people sneaking up on him.

Did you really just try to kill us the moment we walked through the door? the nerubian asked incredulously, his strangely accented words pulling Illidan from his thoughts.

I have no idea why youre surprised, whelp. Impulsivity and lack of rational decision making should be expected from those foolish enough to consort with demons, Malygos interjected, staring at Illidan with a disdain that he had long grown accustomed to.

Impulsive? Illidan repeated, gritting his teeth and scowling as he rose to his feet, attention never leaving the pair. Perhaps if you hadnt approached me like a pair of assassins, I wouldnt have felt the need to defend myself.

Perhaps if you hadnt been stalking this fool for the past few days, your opinion might have held some weight, Malygos retorted, matching Illidan's scowl with equal displeasure. As it is, you hardly have the moral high ground to stand on.

Before Illidan could respond, his argument with the Aspect was interrupted by the nerubian.

Can we all just calm down? asked Krivax, raising two hands out of his four as he stepped forward. Illidan, were sorry for startling you, but we didnt want to alert any of the guards as we made our way over here. It wasnt our intention to do you any harm.

Pleasant words, but not ones that Illidan trusted.

If you know that Ive been following you, then youre aware that I do not trust you, nerubian, Illidan said bluntly, feeling no need to hide his feelings given that his actions had already been revealed. For what reason have the two of you chosen to confront me?

If Malygos is anything like he remembered, then he doubted that the dragon would be willing to go out of his way to approach Illidan unless there was a good reason for it.

Illidan turned his attention to the more powerful of the two, only for Malygos to sneer and gesture toward the nerubian. The whelp has a proposition for you. Id suggest you listen well, because its an opportunity for you to be more than just a convenient weapon that foolish kaldorei point at whatever threat they see fit.

Malygos condescending tone rankled, but Illidan didnt rise to the bait. Instead, he turned his attention back to the nerubian and waited for this so-called proposition.

Krivax let out a resigned sigh, seemingly exasperated by Malygos remark before beginning to explain himself. Illidan Stormrage, what if I told you that I have an idea that would allow you to fight back against the Burning Legion more directly, while working alongside people who dont completely despise you?