This time, he was here to attend the succession ceremony of the Queen of Lordaeron, not to go dragon-hunting with Rhodes—even if he did harbor a deep-seated hatred for the Black Dragonflight.
Attacking Blackrock Mountain was no small feat. The forces there were a tangled web: Dark Iron Dwarves, Blackrock Orcs, and recent rumors of Fire Elements appearing. The danger level was at its absolute peak.
"I can guarantee your safety. Besides, I'm planning a decapitation strike; we'll only be hitting Upper Blackrock Spire," Rhodes said.
In Rhodes's view, raiding UBRS wasn't actually that difficult. The only real headache was the sheer number of Blackrock Orcs; killing them all would just be time-consuming. However, it was worth it. He couldn't wait a few years for the Horde to march on Blackrock and eventually absorb those Orcs into their ranks.
"Still no, Rhodes. You have to think this through. Upper Blackrock Spire is the heart of the Blackrock Orc territory. I know you are powerful, and I admire your courage—I'd love to achieve such a heroic victory with you—but I must consider the Stormwind nobility and our traveling companions. Many of the nobles attending this ceremony have never seen a battlefield or received special training. They are no different from commoners."
Varian continued, "If you truly want to fight, I will accompany you, but it must be after the ceremony. Once I've returned home safely and stabilized the situation, I'll mobilize an army to join you. You can bring a contingent from the Order of the Silver Hand as well."
A war wasn't a "pick-up-and-go" game. Rhodes was formidable and backed by mysterious forces—likely Titan-level support—but Varian was a mortal king who had to consider his nation. Taking a group of defenseless nobles and his young son into a war zone was utterly irrational.
Rhodes nodded. He realized his perspective had been a bit skewed. While such a task was trivial for him, it was a major undertaking for Varian. Rhodes could guarantee 100% victory, but Varian couldn't. War meant casualties, and he had to look out for his son and his court.
The Stormwind nobility had already suffered heavy losses during the Katrana Prestor affair. Any further depletion of the noble class would be detrimental to a feudal monarch's rule.
"Fair enough. I was being a bit presumptuous and didn't fully consider your position. In that case, I will use a teleportation spell to bring everyone to Lordaeron directly," Rhodes agreed.
"I appreciate your understanding, Rhodes. Once we return to Stormwind, I will immediately begin preparations for this operation," Varian said, nodding.
"You're right, Varian," Rhodes conceded, following the king's lead. "I wasn't looking at the big picture. Calia's coronation is the priority; we shouldn't court unnecessary trouble. We'll stick to the original plan and head straight to Lordaeron."
Varian's reasoning was sound, and Rhodes realized he had been rushing. Chasing prestige and power was fine, but as the Grand Marshal of the Alliance and Regent of Lordaeron, he needed to respect the overall situation and his allies' circumstances.
Nefarian could live a bit longer. Let him finish his research on the Chromatic Dragons. Once the Kingdom of Lordaeron was officially established, Rhodes would lead a proper army and the Silver Hand to clean house.
By then, he could wipe out the Blackrock Orcs and perhaps bring the Dark Iron Dwarves back into the Alliance fold. He wondered if, at this point in time, Emperor Thaurissan had already "kidnapped" his wife. Perhaps he could even prevent the tragedy of Thaurissan being killed by his own father-in-law.
Varian smiled, seeing Rhodes's reasonableness. "Thank you. I promise you, once the ceremony is over and I've stabilized Stormwind, I will give my full support to your plan for Blackrock Mountain. On that day, the Lion of Stormwind will fly alongside the banners of Lordaeron atop the mountain peak."
"I look forward to it." Rhodes extended his hand and shook Varian's firmly. The two powerhouses of the Alliance had reached a consensus.
After chatting a bit longer and giving a few pointers to his disciple, Anduin, Rhodes took his leave and returned to his quarters to explain the situation to Jaina and the others.
"I thought you were being too reckless as well, Rhodes," Jaina said with a sigh of relief. "Deciding to hit Blackrock Mountain on a whim was definitely too impulsive."
Indeed, she had wanted to protest the moment Rhodes left earlier. Fortunately, King Varian had declined; otherwise, they'd all be slogging through a mountain full of Orcs and Dark Irons.
It wasn't like dealing with a lone dragon princess hiding in a city; once Rhodes flipped the table in Stormwind, Onyxia had nowhere to run, but a mountain fortress was a different beast.
"Miss Tyrygosa, we are leaving for Lordaeron shortly. Would you like to continue traveling with us?" Rhodes asked the blue dragon lady.
"Of course. It's only been a short while, and I hope to stay by your side to learn more about the secrets of Azeroth and the Black Dragonflight," Tyrygosa smiled. She wouldn't leave so easily. Rhodes held too many secrets, even ancient ones. Had the Holy Light really shown him that much? Old Gods, Titans... it was fascinating. She had a feeling that if she followed Rhodes, she might even be able to flush out the Black Dragon Aspect himself.
If she could report the whereabouts of Neltharion to Malygos, the Spell-Weaver might finally recover.
"Let's rest tonight. We leave first thing in the morning," Rhodes said.
Secretly, Rhodes had one regret. There was a key location near Stormwind he wanted to explore: Karazhan in Deadwind Pass. It housed the vast libraries of Medivh, a collection of top-tier spells spanning two generations of Guardians.
Furthermore, while Medivh was possessed by Sargeras, he had formed a group of Dark Riders to collect artifacts. The Apocalypse—one of the legendary blades for Death Knights—was currently inside.
Rhodes wanted to retrieve it for Straker, but he decided to wait. Karazhan was a complicated place, and he didn't have the key. That key was currently with Khadgar. Karazhan's magical defenses weren't something one could simply "crack." Despite his massive mana pool, Rhodes's technical understanding of magic was still lacking; forcing his way in might damage the treasures within.
The group dispersed for the night.
The next morning, a massive arcane array was drawn in the plaza of Stormwind Keep. King Varian, Prince Anduin, and the high nobility of Stormwind gathered. For many, this was their first experience with long-range mass teleportation, and their faces were a mix of anticipation and nerves.
"Everyone, please step into the circle. Jaina and I will cast the spell. Don't be nervous," Rhodes reassured the nobles.
Rhodes stood at the edge of the array, flanked by Jaina, Finnall, Anveena, and Tyrygosa in her High Elf form. Onyxia was ordered to maintain her human form and stood behind Rhodes, her expression unreadable. She was likely still processing Rhodes's revelations and pondering her future. Would she really have to follow this human forever?
She glanced at Rhodes. The news of her defeat would spread from Stormwind soon, and her father and brother would eventually hear of it. Even if Rhodes didn't go to Blackrock, Nefarian would likely come for him.
Then she would see if this "Son of the Holy Light" was truly as powerful as he claimed. Her brother was on a different level than her; he was a master of Azerothian magic with vast resources and an army of Chromatic Dragonspawn—he had even enslaved a Red Dragon.
"Everyone, stand firm. The teleportation is beginning," Jaina announced.
Arcane light surged from Rhodes and Jaina into the array. The runes ignited one by one with a resonant hum. Tyrygosa raised her hand as well, her azure mana stabilizing the light. With two top-tier mages and a dragon assisting, the safety of the teleport was absolute. A spell of this scale usually required three master mages; Anveena could have done it alone, but Rhodes intended to keep her identity hidden, so she played the role of a simple Paladin apprentice.
"Let's go," Rhodes commanded. The array erupted in a blinding flash, swallowing everyone within. A moment later, the plaza was empty, save for the fading ripples of arcane energy.
...
When the dazzling light faded, the group found themselves on unfamiliar soil. The magnificent, battle-scarred City of Lordaeron stood before them. Though parts of the walls were still under repair, its aura of resilience was more imposing than ever before.