Rhodes smiled when he heard this. In truth, his position as Grand Marshal was self-appointed, much like Garithos's had been.
The difference was that he held a decree from the Princess. While the Order of the Silver Hand had previously been willing to follow him out of respect for Uther, Rhodes was now certain that—with the support of Highlord Mograine, Uther, and Dathrohan—the Knights of the Silver Hand would obey his commands unconditionally after the recent wars in the Eastern Kingdoms and Outland.
However, the forces he could mobilize were still limited. If he proposed an expedition to Northrend, the remnants of Lordaeron would respond, the Blood Elves would certainly join, and the Draenei would send reinforcements (since Akama was now allied with him). Beyond that, there wasn't much else.
"You have to understand, Jaina. My true title is Regent of Lordaeron. I stripped the title of Grand Marshal from Garithos, so in essence, I haven't been officially recognized by the other human nations.
Furthermore, the Eastern Kingdoms are still plagued by enemies. The human kingdoms haven't recovered their strength yet; it's truly not the time for a long-distance expedition," Rhodes explained.
"This time, you helped Dalaran recover many of its expeditionary mages, and you brought back the Sons of Lothar from Outland. These two achievements alone are enough for the entire Alliance to acknowledge your status," Jaina said, patting his shoulder. "I will convince my father. The only uncertainty is Stormwind, but I believe King Varian will make the right choice."
In her mind, King Varian was a wise ruler. If Rhodes explained the stakes, the King of Stormwind would surely step up to help deal with Arthas. A stationary Lich King was bad enough; a mobile one with terrifying power was a nightmare Jaina didn't want to contemplate.
"You could also ask Illidan for help; he owes you one. The demons in the Black Temple who surrendered to him are expendable. And if you need it, I can help solve your problems—don't forget my Watchers," Maiev's form suddenly materialized from the shadows.
She had heard about the Lich King. To her, he was an absolute villain, a cancer upon Azeroth. If Rhodes needed help, she would lead her Wardens into the fray.
Jaina's eyes lit up. "Exactly! Between the Night Elves and Rhodes's new allies, we could assemble an elite force."
"Rhodes, you have immense prestige among the Night Elves," Maiev added. "You could request aid from Malfurion or the demigod Cenarius. They would surely send Druids to assist you."
Rhodes nodded and began to think. If I use teleportation magic, we can arrive in Northrend before Arthas. In the original timeline, Illidan set out at this exact moment and nearly intercepted Arthas, almost wiping out the Undead. However, he failed in the duel at the foot of the Frozen Throne.
But Rhodes wasn't Illidan. With his current strength, even if the Lich King channeled his remaining power into Arthas, Rhodes was confident he could win. He possessed at least two artifacts capable of rivaling Frostmourne: Holy Judgment and the Ashbringer. Highlord Mograine was a top-tier combatant.
Rhodes felt tempted. He was at a crossroads: should he mobilize his troops to strike Arthas, or stick to the plan and liberate Lordaeron City first? He fell into deep thought.
"You two head out for now. Let me think carefully about whether we should fight this war," Rhodes said, turning to the women. Jaina and Maiev shared a look, nodded, and left the room. They would support his decision regardless; they were fighting for Azeroth, after all.
Once they were gone, Rhodes opened his Hero Interface and contacted Sandro, his undead hero, via the system. Sandro was the only "tactician" type hero currently under his command, and Rhodes wanted the perspective of the man who had once set the world of Heroes of Might and Magic ablaze with his schemes.
"Great Master, have you summoned me for a reason?" Sandro's portrait lit up as they began a long-distance mental exchange.
"Sandro, I'm wrestling with a headache of a problem. I'm debating whether to gather our forces to intercept Arthas. What is your advice?"
"Great Master, I understand your dilemma," Sandro replied smoothly. "My suggestion is to proceed with your original plan. There is no need for an expedition to Northrend; focus solely on the Eastern Kingdoms. You want a unified human power, not a crusade against a foreign threat. Right now, retaking Lordaeron City to consolidate your authority and prestige is paramount."
"As for Arthas and the Lich King... you've told me about them before. My advice? Let them be. You could defeat Arthas, but what if the Jailer intervenes? There must always be a Lich King. You cannot truly kill him right now, so the expedition serves little purpose. Sending an army would only result in needless casualties."
Sandro continued, "Regarding your concern about the consciousness merger: I'll bet Arthas still takes years—perhaps five—to digest that power. Even if it's shorter, it won't be immediate.
Ner'zhul's soul is fractured; he will lose to Arthas. The Jailer no longer wants Ner'zhul as a partner; he will choose Arthas. Only when he finds Arthas is also unruly will he seek a new proxy. That will be the best time to kill him."
Sandro's logic was sound. He pointed out that Rhodes's power base hadn't fully solidified. Furthermore, according to Rhodes's own knowledge of the Shadowlands, the Jailer wouldn't let Arthas stay dead.
If Rhodes killed him now, he might just return even more dangerous with the Jailer's direct backing. If Rhodes broke the Helm of Domination, he'd just open the Shadowlands prematurely.
Rhodes felt a wave of clarity. Sandro was right. From the moment he stopped Kil'jaeden's plan, he had already changed the flow of the "expedition." Attacking Arthas now offered no permanent solution. Better to let things follow their trajectory while he focused on bringing Stormwind and Kul Tiras back into the fold.
"I see, Sandro. Thank you for clearing the fog. Having a strategist like you makes these things much easier," Rhodes said.
"It is my honor, Great Master. These are things you would have realized yourself had you pondered for another day. With your wisdom, the answer was always there," Sandro offered a subtle, oily bit of flattery that Rhodes found surprisingly pleasant.
"Hahaha, you certainly have a way with words, Sandro. No wonder you tricked four heroes into doing your dirty work for free back in the day."
"Great Master, you tease me," Sandro laughed awkwardly. "Those were minor trifles. They pale in comparison to you swaying the fate of worlds, resisting the Burning Legion, and defeating the Scourge. I am far beneath you."
Sandro clearly missed his artifacts—the Cloak of the Undead King and the Armor of the Damned. With those, he could have led an army against Arthas himself.
"Alright, enough flattery. How is the situation at Stratholme?" Rhodes asked.
"Great Master, we have taken Stratholme. Baron Rivendare was slain by the combined efforts of Straker and the Banshee Queen. Currently, the Banshee Queen is debating whether to join the Alliance or the Horde. She has dispatched emissaries to both sides."
Rhodes nodded. In the original timeline, Sylvanas had indeed sent messengers to both. The Alliance messenger was killed before arriving, while the one sent to the Horde was eventually introduced to Thrall by a Tauren Druid, leading to the Forsaken joining the Horde.