The words of Sargeras's avatar echoed through the hall, his churning Fel flames seemingly mirroring his blazing ambition. Rhodes's heart tightened, yet he maintained an expression of mixed shock and yearning, projecting an image of unparalleled adoration for Sargeras.
So, this is what Sargeras is after! It seemed that, much like Azeroth herself, Sargeras had high standards and had recognized Rhodes's potential. Integrating the six primal forces was the true threshold to the supreme. These forces were created by the First Ones; to reach the level of such god-like entities, one had to master the powers they had brought into being. If one could not even fully control their creations, how could one hope to surpass them?
Sargeras didn't simply want to turn Rhodes into another demon commander; he was captivated by Rhodes's "abnormal" trait of harboring multiple primal forces simultaneously. In his eons of conquest, Sargeras had likely never encountered a being below the rank of a true god who could balance the Holy Light, the Arcane, and Life energy. This challenged his understanding of cosmic laws and ignited a deeper scientific curiosity—if he could forge a "perfect weapon" wielding both Light and Shadow, Order and Chaos, it might transcend all his existing creations.
Sargeras might even obtain the key to the supreme from Rhodes. By observing Rhodes's evolution, he could potentially reclaim his own lost Order, master Life, and even the Holy Light, elevating his power to become the most formidable entity in the universe.
Though Rhodes's innate level was high—reaching the demigod rank—he could not compare to a Titan World-Soul. Sargeras was confident that if he could observe how Rhodes organized and perfectly merged these forces, a god-level being like himself would surely be able to replicate it.
"Messenger of the Light... and novice of the Fel, you are unlike Azshara. You are superior to her—a hundred times, ten thousand times superior!" Sargeras continued. "She is merely a skilled schemer, fond of playing petty political games among mortals. She fails to understand that power is everything; before absolute power, all schemes are but a joke. Her level of power dictates her ceiling. I have seen countless self-righteous rulers like her in the cosmos. I hope you do not fall into such quagmires. Your future is far more vast. If you wish, I could give Azshara to you as a pet, and I wouldn't even need to corrupt her with Fel—I'd let her keep her original, pure appearance."
According to the intelligence he had gathered, this being named Rhodes seemed to have an ambiguous relationship with Queen Azshara. Azshara was too conceited, even thinking she could stand as an equal to him—a foolish notion. Not long ago, Sargeras had harshly disciplined the Queen to make her understand the gap between a god and a mortal. Only a demigod-level being like Rhodes, who mastered other primal forces, could catch his eye.
"A pet..." Rhodes repeated the word. While his face remained a mask of awe, his heart was ice-cold. He did not doubt the truth of Sargeras's words; to the Dark Titan, a proud queen like Azshara was no different from an interesting toy. This reinforced his realization that in Sargeras's eyes, "value" was the only metric. His current value lay in his rare physical and spiritual vessel—and the "mission" he was about to be assigned.
"Your kindness... leaves me humbled, Great Dark Titan, Savior of the Universe, Lord Sargeras," Rhodes lowered his head, his tone laced with calculated reverence and the excitement of someone seeking approval. "Queen Azshara has her own majesty; I would not dare presume. What I desire more is to contribute to your Great Work and prove my loyalty and... value."
"Value is expressed through action. The barriers of Azeroth prevent my easy descent; there are layers of Titan-set seals protecting it. I need a 'gate'—one stable enough to carry my full power. Azshara and her elves are working on this. You are to assist them. Once I descend upon Azeroth, I shall show you what true power is, and I expect you to show me how you merge the primal forces. Go! Join Azshara and cooperate with her. My Legion is ready, awaiting only the opening of the door... then I shall descend. Do not let my expectations go to waste, Rhodes."
The massive phantom of Sargeras vanished after speaking, and the altar in the room returned to silence.
Only after confirming Sargeras had left did Rhodes breathe a sigh of relief. This was a precarious game. To obtain powerful Fel energy, he had to see Sargeras in person, but if Sargeras actually arrived, Azeroth was finished. It was a catch-22.
This is pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth! If he failed the task, Sargeras would discard him. Fortunately, the primary architect of the descent was Azshara, not himself. Rhodes already had a rough plan: to get enough Fel for Azeroth, he had to meet Sargeras's true self. Since Sargeras couldn't come here, Rhodes would eventually have to go to the Twisting Nether.
The plan was clear: outwardly stand with the Legion, but secretly aid the resistance. He had to ensure Sargeras's failure was timed perfectly and blamed on someone else—some "foolish idiot" who ruined the plan despite Rhodes's "valiant efforts."
As the heavy metal doors closed behind him, Rhodes stepped out of the sanctum. Queen Azshara was standing in the corridor. "It seems you and the Great Lord Sargeras had a pleasant conversation," she said. Waiting had been an ordeal for her; she feared Rhodes might provoke the Titan and implicate her.
"Thanks to your introduction, Majesty, I was able to behold the True God and hear his grand design," Rhodes bowed to her. "Lord Sargeras has placed unusual expectations on my abilities. I am to assist you in opening the portal and ensuring the True God's descent."
Azshara smiled, satisfied. But Rhodes's next words gave her pause. "Lord Sargeras... is he dissatisfied with my progress?" she asked with a hint of trepidation. The portal was her project; why was Rhodes suddenly being inserted into it?
"Your Majesty misunderstands. Lord Sargeras is quite satisfied with your work; he simply asked me to assist you. My primary task begins after his arrival. Until then, I am at your full disposal to build the gate," Rhodes lied smoothly.
"Excellent. Then I am at ease. Rhodes, you are my most trusted advisor. Once the True God arrives, you shall be second only to me," Azshara declared.
Just as Rhodes was about to reply, a strange aura filled the air. Countless black bats coalesced into a four-meter-tall Dreadlord. Rhodes recognized him instantly—an old "friend" he and Illidan had killed in a future timeline.
"Queen Azshara," Tichondrius spoke, his voice dripping with malice. "I must offer a friendly reminder: per the will of Lord Sargeras, Rhodes' status is above yours."