As soon as the words left Rhodes's mouth, Azshara's expression turned grim. It was exactly as he suspected: a mysterious and powerful entity had contacted her.
The Night Elves had grown so formidable precisely because of the Well of Eternity and the immense magical power it provided. Since ascending the throne, she had spent a thousand years expanding the empire's borders through conquest. Recently, a Highborne sorcerer named Xavius had informed her that a god-like being of unimaginable power in the cosmos had taken notice of the Night Elves. This being was supposedly generous and willing to bestow knowledge beyond their wildest dreams.
As a supreme Arcanist, her spiritual perception far exceeded that of ordinary mortals. In her deep explorations of the Arcane, she had indeed felt vague, seductive thoughts attempting to bridge a connection. These whispers promised power beyond the Well and a destiny as the undisputed Queen of a new world. She viewed this as validation from an ancient, higher power—a ladder to a grander stage.
She wasn't alone. Many Highborne sorcerers had sensed this "Great One." With only a slight display of his might, he had captivated them with power they could neither understand nor imagine.
"What do you know, outsider?" Azshara demanded.
"Answer my question first, Your Majesty," Rhodes countered. "Have you or your people established a formal link with this entity?"
Rhodes was here to maintain the timeline, meaning the War of the Ancients had to happen. He had no intention of stopping it. If the war didn't occur, the Well wouldn't explode, and the Night Elves would continue their reckless research. Eventually, the Burning Legion would simply use the Well's massive energy signature as a beacon to sail their fleet through space, arriving in a few thousand years to conquer a defenseless Azeroth.
The Well had to be destroyed. It had become a lighthouse for the Legion, constantly pulsing energy into the Great Dark Beyond and even drawing from the Twisting Nether. Sargeras knew Azeroth existed, but because the Titans had hidden it behind layers of wards before his betrayal, he didn't know its exact location. Only spatial magic—a portal—could let him in. And the more powerful the entity, the harder it was to squeeze through the door.
"You know much," Azshara mused. "I thought you were a mere traveler, but it seems you came here with a purpose. Yes, a powerful being has contacted us. He promised a glorious future where my people live in paradise, our race evolves, and I... I shall be his Queen, ruling by his side."
Rhodes rolled his eyes. How narcissistic can one woman be? Sargeras looking at her was like a human looking at an ant. It would be more believable if he took an interest in a Wild God, or even the world-soul of Azeroth itself.
"You and your empire don't know much about the cosmos," Rhodes said tentatively. "There are true gods, but there are also demons. Surely Azeroth has legends of the Titans?"
His words hit Azshara like lightning, piercing through the fog of arrogance. The Titans? The beings from Elven epics who shaped the mountains and blessed the Dragons? What did they have to do with her "god"?
"Every Night Elf child knows of the Titans—the makers of order, the ancient creators," Azshara replied. "But what does that have to do with the Great One? The power He shows is infinite and full of possibility, far beyond old legends."
Rhodes took a deep breath. It was time to tear away the mask Sargeras had woven, though he had to be careful to leave enough in place for the war to start.
"Your Majesty, have you ever wondered why the Titans gave power to the Dragon Aspects? Or why they left Azeroth?"
"The legends say they fulfilled their mission of ordering the world and moved on to other stars," she answered, puzzled by his line of questioning.
"Fulfilling a mission... true. The Great Titans spread life and maintain order," Rhodes nodded. "But did you know that their mission also includes... purging 'corruption' and 'pollution' that threatens that order?"
"Pollution? Corruption? What are you talking about?"
"Your Majesty, there are six primordial forces in the universe. They exist in a balance of opposites: Life and Death, Order and Disorder, Light and Shadow. The Titans represent Order. But there is also the Shadow, and the demons of Disorder. These beings infect planets, turning them into husks of shadow or fel fire—literally dragging worlds into the Twisting Nether. The Titans stood against them, led by their greatest warrior: Sargeras."
Rhodes watched her closely. As expected, her eyes lit up with the infatuation of a young girl hearing about a legendary hero. Because the being who had contacted the Highborne, promising them everything, called himself Sargeras.
"Hahaha! I knew He didn't lie to me!" Azshara cried out, her face glowing with joy. "Sargeras is the one! The greatest warrior of the Pantheon. He promised me infinite wonders! He promised I would be his Queen—the consort of a Titan, an eternal goddess!"
She opened her arms to the sky, looking utterly blissful. Rhodes shook his head. Typical 'love-brain.' Once someone falls for the idea of a perfect romance, their IQ drops to zero. Even the Light of Lights was acting like a total fangirl.
"That information is about twenty thousand years out of date," Rhodes said bluntly. "Back then, he was indeed a champion of justice. But today, he is the creator of the Burning Legion—Sargeras the Ravager, the Fallen Titan. His only interest now is burning every world he sees to ash and slaughtering everything on them."
"What!" Azshara recoiled, her back hitting the cold stone of the bath. "You... you lie! That is slander! He promised evolution! He promised to marry me!"
"Maybe," Rhodes shrugged, deciding not to kill her mood entirely (and considering Blizzard's recent tendencies to "redeem" villains, he couldn't be 100% sure of the meta-narrative). "I've never met the guy. I just hear rumors. Maybe he really does like you. Maybe he'll let the Night Elves join his Legion as prized pets."
"You must have heard false news," Azshara insisted, regaining her composure. "My people and I will be his subjects. Of course he loves me. I am the most beautiful light in the universe. No man can refuse my beauty. Do you believe that, Rhodes? If I commanded a man to spend one night with me, knowing he would be executed in the morning, any Night Elf—any male in existence—would agree without hesitation."
Clap, clap, clap.
Rhodes gave her a thumbs-up. "In terms of narcissism, you truly are number one. I don't know about other guys, but I definitely wouldn't agree. One night for my life? You're crazy."
Azshara took the thumbs-up and the applause as a compliment, convinced even this traveler couldn't resist her. "May your beauty last forever, Your Majesty," Rhodes added, deciding to lay on the flattery.
"You have a silver tongue," Azshara purred. "So, would you be willing? To spend the night with me..."
"Ahem!" Rhodes coughed. This woman wants my head.
"Relax," she smiled wickedly. "I didn't say anything about the execution."