A Nerubian's Journey
Chapter 82

Malygos sneered disdainfully as he created a beam of arcane magic that tore through the most recent wave of undead attempting to prevent him and Alexstrasza from venturing deeper into the Throne of Thunder.

He would normally have simply destroyed them with a sweep of his tail rather than going through the effort of casting a spell, but these halls were too small to hold his true form.

Reducing the Throne of Thunder to rubble was a potential option, but doing so would have taken far too long. The fortress was constructed on a leyline nexus using materials scavenged from the local Titan facilities that had been damaged during the Sundering. Its defenses were so robust that even Malygos and Alexstrasza would face difficulty destroying it without first disabling the devices fueling its wards.

Besides, it was in their best interest to capture this place mostly intact, so that they could learn as much as possible about the Scourge’s activities.

Unfortunately, this meant that Malygos was stuck walking slowly through the fortress in his mortal form, facing countless undead and magical traps. He and Alexstrasza were still only making their way through the Throne of Thunder’s exterior courtyards, yet they had already faced significant defenses.

These included a hundred-foot-long undead cloud serpent brimming with lightning magic, a half-dozen patchwork necromantic abominations that ambushed them in a giant colosseum, and hundreds of patrolling ghosts that attempted to siphon their very life essence.

Malygos had to admit that the Scourge had done a fairly impressive job reinforcing the Throne of Thunder against assault. A conventional army would have suffered an absurd number of casualties in assaulting such a powerful fortress.

However… hindrance was all that the Scourge was able to accomplish against two Aspects.

Even without the aid of their Flights, who were assigned to securing the destroyed areas that Malygos and Alexstrasza left in their wake, they were making steady progress. It would have gone quicker if they were actually fighting alongside their Flights, but neither of them were willing to allow the unnecessary deaths that would have resulted from such a decision.

Better that he and Alexstrasza serve as the spearhead to the assault while the rest of their kin cleaned up behind them.

“I can already see you growing overconfident, brother,” said Alexstrsaza as she raised her hand and unleashed a wave of Life-infused flames that utterly engulfed the hallway in front of them, clearing the path ahead of undead. “Remember that it would be unwise for us to underestimate the Scourge. As strong as we may be, the Dreadlords advising our enemies will have almost certainly prepared traps for us.”

“Is that supposed to concern me?” asked Malygos, idly conjuring a barrier against the multitude of traps that engulfed the hallway with arcs of lightning. “All that they could hope to do is delay us.”

Malygos took a moment to carefully dispel the magical traps that the Scourge had left behind. There was a secondary activation mechanism behind the first that would have eluded most mages and triggered a rather powerful explosion, but was soon rendered harmless under his expert touch.

“That may be, but we must keep in mind that we will likely have to face Ra,” Alexstrasza admonished as they stopped to examine the path ahead. After finally clearing through the courtyards, they were standing in front of a large walkway leading toward the fortress’ impressively large gate. “This place is fortified extensively with Titan technology, which a Keeper would be adept at using should he have turned against us.”

As much as Malygos may not want to admit it, he knew that Alexstrasza was right to be cautious. He didn’t fear many things in this world, but Titan technology was one of the few things on Azeroth that he willingly acknowledged was beyond him.

There had been many throughout the millennia who worshiped him and his siblings as something akin to gods, but Malygos had never truly allowed himself to believe such titles.

Not when he had seen true Godhood in the form of the Titans.

Just as they were crossing the walkway and Malygos was about to acknowledge his sister’s wisdom, his attention was suddenly caught by a buildup in magical energy directly above them. Shockingly, the barrier that Malygos conjured in response a half-second later was only barely able to withstand the massive bolt of magical lightning that slammed down on him and Alexstrasza.

The attack was so powerful that it utterly obliterated the walkway and pushed the two of them several dozen feet into the earth through sheer force. Once the smoke and debris cleared, Malygos realized that he and Alexstrasza had actually been sent crashing into an underground cavern system filled to the brim with undead.

Malygos took one look at the tedious number of enemies in front of him and decided to cast a flight spell on both himself and Alexstrasza. He had absolutely no interest in wasting any more time dealing with mindless minions than necessary.

“Well, I suppose that serves as definitive confirmation,” Alexstrasza said wryly as they flew through the massive hole that had been carved through the earth. “That degree of power is completely beyond what the Scourge could have mustered on their own.”

“Sister, in the future, I would appreciate it if you did not curse us with such accurately timed warnings,” said Malygos, carefully examining the movement of magic in his surroundings as Alexstrasza easily pushed open the several ton gate that led further into the depths of the fortress.

Were it not for his quick reaction time, they would have both suffered non-negligible injuries prior to their confrontation with Ra, which would have left them in a difficult position.

The second that he and Alexstrasza stepped into the Throne of Thunder’s interior, Malygos was momentarily struck dumb by the sight in front of him. A massive statue of what could only be Lei Shen, the mortal emperor who had captured Ra and constructed this fortress, stood with his hands atop two Titan-crafted pylons emitting significant amounts of magic.

He’d already been impressed by the Throne of Thunder’s construction, but now he was genuinely taken aback by the audacity of the mortals who had built this place.

Their mastery of Titan technology significantly surpassed my expectations, Malygos thought to himself as he studied his surroundings. This does not bode well. What manner of horrors could they have managed to create with the artifacts they discovered in the depths of the facility? What did the Scourge manage to accomplish while they held control over this place?

“We must push forward and replace Ra,” Alexstrasza said urgently, likely having reached the same conclusion as himself. “The sooner we can secure this fortress, the better.”

“There’s no doubt that he’ll be hiding in the most well-guarded chamber of this structure, likely with traps already prepared for our arrival,” Malygos warned as he fell into stride beside her. “That would be the obvious choice. Along with an abundance of defenses to wear us down along the way.”

And sure enough, Malygos’ prediction was quickly validated as the Scourge confronted them with a steady stream of undead more powerful than those outside of the Throne of Thunder. The worst of them were the spirits of Lei Shen’s most elite soldiers, who knew the fortress better than anyone else and fought with fanatical fervor even in undeath to repel any invaders. It made Malygos more grateful than ever that the two of them were clearing the way on their own, especially once a cloud of diseased smog began to fill the hallways.

The Blue Dragonflight was already diminished enough from millennia of mismanagement; Malygos didn’t need his incessant guilt compounded by the sight of his kin dying to a plague.

“This disease is more virulent than any we’ve seen deployed by the Scourge before,” Malygos warned his sibling as he simultaneously analyzed the magical disease attempting to decay his flesh. “We need to replace and destroy the source of this smog before it spreads beyond the Throne of Thunder. The thick mist is not nearly enough to overcome our innate magic, but our Flights would quickly replace themselves choking on this accursed blight.”

“It’s emanating from the fortress’ eastern wing,” Alexstrasza said as she casually grabbed the spectral blade of a mogu warrior and engulfed the spirit in flames, her enchanted gauntlet allowing her to touch the ethereal being. “I can sense potent Life energies, twisted in an unnatural manner that is even more disturbing than the rampant undead.”

With their destination set, the two of them quickly made their way through the twisting corridors of the Throne of Thunder, occasionally stopping to deal with the abominable monstrosities left behind by the Scourge. However, those monstrosities were somehow less vexing than the congealed pools of animated Anima that attempted to kill them.

Slimes were a rare but known creature on Azeroth, and were generally the result of reckless alchemical experimentation or when multiple types of magic coalesced in a particular area. Void magic was particularly susceptible to generating such beings, which was why the blood of powerful Void entities had a tendency to animate and kill anything nearby.

The knowledge that these abominations were more than likely the ichor of Highkeeper Ra, unwillingly harvested from his body over millennia, lent a particular kind of horror to the situation.

The first time that Alexstrasza attempted to engulf the creatures in her Life-infused flames, they both regretted it as the creatures immediately absorbed the Aspect of Life’s potent magic and swelled in size. The resulting creature was so grotesque and powerful that Malygos ended up teleporting it into the caverns beneath the fortress rather than taking the effort to destroy it.

From that point on, Malygos very pointedly did not allow Alexstrasza to offer her assistance as he methodically froze each of the Anima slimes in blocks of ice. As they ventured deeper, the concentration of smog grew denser and more toxic, until Malygos was forced to cast a spell over the two of them just so that they could see.

Once they finally reached the source of the smog, both of them were momentarily struck dumb by the scene in front of them.

In the center of a massive chamber was an enormous vat, overflowing with the pulsating diseased smog. Attached to the vat were multiple long pipes that led to even larger containers filled with Highkeeper Ra’s blood all along the room. What must have been the greatest source of Anima in the world outside of Ulduar was clearly being used exclusively for monstrous experiments and as the primary ingredient for the Scourge’s plague.

Malygos was suddenly more grateful than ever that he had been forewarned of the Scourge by Krivax. Otherwise, he could not imagine the horrors the Lich King would have been able to create if the Burning Legion had held uncontested control over this place for several years.

Malygos wasn’t quite sure that even he and his siblings would have been able to overcome them.

Just as he was about to recommend to Alexstrasza that they stop to cleanse this place, a deep, resonating voice that neither of them had heard for countless years echoed throughout the chamber.

“Beneath this chamber, in Lei Shen’s secret prison, I waited in darkness for millennia. The silence pierced only by the mortals who tormented and twisted my very life essence in their profane experiments to gain power they did not deserve. I prayed constantly that my fellow Keepers, the Aspects, or even the slain Titans would somehow free me from my captivity. Yet eons pass, and you only arrive now, when it is far too late.”

The figure that stepped out of the shadows was like a twisted shell compared to the Keeper that existed in Malygos’ memory. Along what should be a nearly indestructible body forged with titansteel by the Titan Aggramar himself were horrific gashes and wounds, revealing flowing streams of Anima. Worse yet were sickly green arcs of lightning emanating from his body and the distinct feeling of Fel magic that permeated the air around him.

Malygos was not surprised by this. Highkeeper Ra had clearly been found by the Scourge in an extremely vulnerable state, and everything he knew about necromantic magic told him that the inorganic Keepers would be resistant to its effects.

It only made sense that the Dreadlords would suffuse the Keeper with Fel magic the moment that they found him.

Still, he had hoped that Ra would have been able to resist longer than he had. Malygos shared a concerned glance with Alexstrasza and subtly gestured for her to distract the fallen Keeper.

He was not normally one to engage an enemy in conversation before combat, but he could sense that a powerful and complex magical ward had begun spreading through the entire fortress the moment Ra entered the chamber. Malygos needed time if he wanted to figure out the extent of whatever trap the Keeper had prepared for them.

“Highkeeper Ra, had we known what was happening to you, we would have come far sooner,” said Alexstrasza, her voice gentle and full of empathy as she spoke to the Keeper as if he was a wounded animal. “Please, we were not here before, but we are now. Do not allow the Fel’s corruption to turn you against Azeroth and the Titans. Let me cleanse you of the Burning Legion’s taint.”

That was clearly the wrong thing to say, as Highkeeper Ra’s response was swift and filled with rage.

“Even before I was found by the Scourge, I had already seen the truth,” said Highkeeper Ra, the Keeper speaking with more emotion than Malygos had ever seen when he had been uncorrupted. “Azeroth is twisted and corrupted beyond redemption. Whether it be the Burning Legion or the Old Gods, there is no hope for this doomed world. You speak to me of turning against the Makers, but they are gone and Sargeras is the only Titan who remains.”

That was all Malygos needed to hear to realize that nothing productive would come out of speaking to the Keeper, so he ignored him and Alexstrasza as he focused on probing the Throne of Thunder’s magical defenses.

Highkeeper Ra had not been exaggerating when he claimed that he had been imprisoned in a hidden cell beneath this very chamber. The magical wards necessary to imprison a Keeper for so long would have to be impossibly complex and were clearly a product of the Throne of Thunder’s Titan technology. There were signs that the mesh of security measures had been moved from the prison and were being spread through the fortress.

He could even sense a magical barrier slowly being erected around the structure’s exterior, preventing their Flights from entering.

Even Malygos would now replace it difficult to teleport out of the Throne of Thunder without suffering potentially fatal side effects once the barrier was fully activated. It would even have a dampening effect on both himself and Alexstrasza, making them notably weaker.

Still, Malygos was the Aspect of Magic and he knew that every magical system had its own vulnerabilities. There would almost certainly be a control mechanism deeper in the fortress, or he could even disable the wards himself if he had enough time to study it.

His analysis finished, Malygos decided to interrupt the ongoing exchange between Alexstrasza and the Keeper. As someone who had been driven to the very brink of despair and madness, he could tell that Highkeeper Ra had already been pushed over that precipice.

There were no amount of impassioned pleas or empathetic speeches that would help this situation.

Never one to let an opportunity pass him by, Malygos silently cast a spell to dramatically hasten his speed before dashing forward and unleashing an enormous burst of carefully shaped arcane magic that sent the Keeper flying back several meters. The attack had not been meant to do any real damage, but Malygos instead aimed to separate Highkeeper Ra from the chamber he had obviously planned to fight them in.

In his experience, it was never a good idea to allow an enemy their preferred battleground.

“I hope you’re not naive enough to believe that these wards will be enough for you to defeat us,” said Malygos, his voice carrying a hint of derision as he stalked forward and unleashed a multitude of spells that pushed the Keeper into a nearby hallway. Alexstrasza was quick to join as well, her clawed gauntlets engulfed in potent flames carving into Ra as she attacked with grim resolve. “If so, then the Fel corruption has addled your senses beyond recognition. Even weakened and separated from our Flights, we will still be more than capable of overpowering you.”

It was not an empty boast. The only Keepers who Malygos would honestly fear to engage in open battle with were Tyr and potentially Odyn. However, Malygos found himself mildly surprised when the fallen Keeper failed to react with the fury that he had expected.

“That may be true, but I am no fool,” said Highkeeper Ra, chuckling as he erupted in an enormous blast of Fel empowered lightning that forced Malygos to shield himself and Alexstrasza behind an arcane barrier. “Nor is Tichondrius. He knew that the defenders of Azeroth would arrive on Pandaria before it could be subjugated and sought my assistance to deal with it. Look behind you, Aspects.”

Cautiously, Malygos kept his gaze locked onto the Keeper for several moments. Once he was certain Ra had no intention to attack, he looked back into the chamber behind him and saw the vat of magical plague violently shaking as the surrounding smog grew more dense than ever. Suddenly, the vat erupted with a deafening explosion that destroyed the chamber in which it was contained, sending Anima and diseased trapped gasses flying in all directions.

The explosion was so powerful that Malygos had no doubt it would have demolished a lesser fortress and sent the plague spreading for miles around if not for the same magical defenses meant to contain him and Alexstrasza.

“With my knowledge of Anima, the Scourge was able to develop a plague beyond the ability of mortal magics to cure and spread containers like these all across the Pandaria,” said Highkeeper Ra, his voice filled with insane malice as Alexstrasza spun toward him with a horrified expression. “Both my death and the activation of the release mechanism will result in countless mortal deaths, who will then rise up to serve the Scourge.”

Malygos’ mind immediately began to race as he considered potential ways to deal with the Keeper’s trap before landing on an important discrepancy.

“Then why haven’t you done so already?” Malygos asked suspiciously, locking eyes with the fallen Keeper. “I sincerely doubt it is due to any lingering mercy you may feel toward the mortals.”

“Indeed not,” said Highkeeper Ra, some of his pleased madness giving way for irritation. “At every turn, you have exceeded the Scourge’s estimations, organizing an army and gaining access to Pandaria far quicker than anticipated. The amount of plague containers we could spread across the land is limited, but it is no matter. The Lich King has been made aware of your assault and what few containers exist are enough to keep you here.”

Malygos instantly understood Ra’s strategy. Even if the plague could not kill all of the mortals, it would kill far too many for Alexstrasza to tolerate.

Ysera was still occupied with the Emerald Nightmare and Primals while Nozdormu was dealing with a surge in attacks throughout the timeline by the Infinite Dragonflight. With Malygos and Alexstrasza contained in the Throne of Thunder by the threat of countless mortals being killed and raised as undead, the Lich King would be free to retaliate against the mortals of Azeroth without the Aspects intervening.

Naturally, Malygos would not allow himself to be killed no matter how many mortal lives hung in the balance, but neither would he recklessly do something that would make the situation worse.

So long as Ra held this threat over their heads, he and Alexstrasza would not be able to leave the Throne of Thunder. However, that situation extended both ways. So long as they were here, the fallen Keeper could not detonate the plague containers without losing all of his leverage.

“And now that you understand why you can neither kill me nor leave, I see no reason to refrain from sharing with you a portion of the torment that I’ve suffered,” said Ra with a cruel smile as he raised his hand and unleashed an enormous bolt of Fel lightning that left behind a streak of melted stone as it streaked toward them.

The Keeper was clearly not holding back, and Malygos was forced to telekinetically throw himself and Alexstrasza out of the way rather than attempt to deflect the attack.

It only took Malygos a moment longer to consider a dozen different scenarios and decide that the best course of action was to discreetly bypass the Throne of Thunder’s wards and send a telepathic message about what was happening to the outside. Accomplishing this would be impossible for anyone else, but Malygos’ enemies were rarely able to anticipate everything his mastery over magic allowed him to do.

“Sister, help me by distracting him,” Malygos telepathically said to Alexstrasza before quickly sharing his plan with her as they hastily avoided another barrage of Ra’s furious assaults.

Alexstrasza nodded decisively before turning a furious gaze to the Keeper. Malygos cast a spell to hasten his sister’s speed before the Dragon Queen leapt forward with the entirety of her strength toward Highkeeper Ra.

With Neltharion dead, Alexstrasza was by far the largest and thus the most physically powerful dragon currently alive, and every bit of that strength carried over to her mortal form. Malygos would personally consider himself and Nozdormu the most deadly Aspects in combat, but there was something awe-inspiring about seeing enough strength to destroy a mountain being focused into a single, unstoppable blow.

The entire Throne of Thunder seemed to shake as Alexstrasza rushed forward with enough speed to break the sound barrier and collided with Ra, her entire body aglow with vermillion flames. Highkeeper Ra was clearly caught off guard as the Dragon Queen sent the two of them hurtling through hallway after hallway. The many undead still infesting the fortress attempted to intervene, but were soon swallowed in either lightning or fire as two of the most powerful beings on Azeroth clashed.

Malygos was suddenly very glad Alexstrasza had chosen to accompany him, and he had no doubt that he would have enough space to send a message out of the fortress.

Still, it would take quite a lot of time until something could be done. That wouldn’t be a problem for either him or Alexstraza, as there had been times during the War of the Ancients when they had both fought for weeks against endless waves of demons.

However, it did mean that the mortals would have to fend for themselves until then.

I suppose we’ll have to trust in the preparations we’ve made, Malygos thought as he simultaneously focused on piercing the Throne of Thunder’s defenses and assisting Alexstrasza. After everything we’ve done to strengthen the Alliance, I hope they will rise to the occasion.

When Krivax returned from his mission and regained contact with the Alliance Defense Force, he found them in a frantic state. It took the better part of a day to conclude their mission to capture Mal’Ganis, and he had planned to spend his time making formal diplomatic contact with the August Celestials.

All those plans had become moot, when he discovered that the Lich King had begun attacking the Eastern Kingdom’s naval assets while he was gone.

That alone would be a daunting prospect given that the Lich King possessed a giant undead turtle that could bite through half a ship while remaining underwater, but the Scourge had even more forces than they anticipated. It seemed that they had somehow formed an alliance with the Kvaldir, a group of fearsome undead vrykul that launched gruesome raids across coastal cities under the cover of magical fog.

Krivax knew from his meta-knowledge that they worked for Helya, a vengeful former Titanic Watcher that ruled over the plane of Helheim, which was where the dead spirits of dishonorable vrykul went before becoming Kvaldir. The Scourge must have promised Helya something big to pull her attention away from Odyn, most likely assistance in vendetta against the Keeper.

Unfortunately, there was little in his meta-knowledge that could help the Alliance deal with coastal attacks by twelve-foot-tall undead giants that appeared without warning and killed everything in sight. The only reason that the situation was not worse was because the Alliance had already made preparations for an emergency evacuation of its coastal villages.

That and the quick response made possible by the Kirin Tor’s portals and the Alliance Defense Force’s rapidly deployable teams. However, that still left them having to deal with the Lich King’s main attack.

“Are we certain that the Scourge intends to focus their attack entirely on the Kul’tiran capital?” Krivax asked as he watched the Lich King’s ongoing attack on Boralus city through a scrying mirror placed in the Alliance Defense Force headquarters’ main command room. “It would make the most sense logically if they wanted to cripple the Alliance’s strongest naval power, but it's also a difficult target. Kul’Tiras is more prepared than any other coastal nation to defend against an attack from the sea.”

The Kul’Tiran navy was holding a defensive position near the harbor under the protection of the Alliance’s increasingly powerful air forces. Countless numbers of Gnomish aircraft, Nerubian fliers, Elvish dragonhawk riders, and Wildhammer dwarves atop their griffins were flying through the skies and harassing any undead who dared approach the city. Additionally, the Kirin Tor had established several powerful barriers to ward off any long-range bombardment from the Scourge.

It was an impressive show of defense by the Alliance, though one that the Lich King seemed determined to match. The sky was darkened with flocks of undead birds, cloud serpents, and couatl. The seas were swarming with kvaldir longships, naga, and sea giants that constantly launched waves of attacks against the Alliance defense. There were even three krakens attempting to destroy Kul’tiran ships with their long tentacles.

Thankfully, they were thwarted by the Alliance focusing on them whenever the undead leviathans rose above sea level. Krivax was glad to see that all of the preparations made by the Alliance had not been in vain, though he wished that they had some way to deal with the Scourge’s primary stronghold.

Shen-zin Su was an even more awe-inspiring sight than he had anticipated. The undead turtle was truly massive, easily worthy of being referred to as the ‘Wandering Isle.’ It was so large that it resembled a floating mountain range more than an actual creature. The vast shell was covered in a thick layer of ice and snow, with massive Scourge structures built atop it. Towering pagodas, military installations, and hulking necropolises that gave an indication of the sheer number of undead that were stationed there.

The gargantuan creature was rhythmically swimming in a circular motion to intentionally create a series of thirty foot waves that repeatedly crashed against Boralus’ coastal defenses. Were it not for the Kirin Tor, the city would have already been completely flooded with sea water.

“We’ve made every possible method of ensuring that they aren’t attacking anywhere else,” Rommath responded, his voice strained from the continuous stress and he handed over several documents. “Scrying attempts at the most likely locations show no signs of Scourge activity. Gnomeregan’s strange submarine ships report nothing unusual in the other seas, and there have been no attempts to disrupt the Alliance’s communication system.”

Those were all fairly convincing arguments, but Krivax couldn’t shake the feeling that it was too simple. His impression of the Dreadlords had led him to place Kul’Tiras as the bottom of the list of potential targets, despite it being one of the more rewarding choices if the Scourge secured victory.

Personally, he’d expected that the Lich King would go after Stormwind given that they were both relatively isolated and still recovering from the Second War.

However, all of the evidence indeed pointed to them attacking Kul’Tiras in the near future, and Krivax couldn’t afford to delay sending out the Alliance Defense Force’s teams in preparation for an attack. Even as he watched, one of the Kul’tiran ships’ crews were being overwhelmed by kvaldir boarding parties and the waterfront was gradually deteriorating.

“You, send every team to Boralus that isn’t already there,” Krivax ordered, startling the gnomish administrator who he’d chosen at random. “Except for team Rhonin. They’re to remain on standby in case of any unforeseen attacks elsewhere on Azeroth.”

The gnome nodded quickly, scribbling down a few notes before rushing out.

Rommath rubbed his temple, his frustration evident. “I don’t like this. As powerful as our forces are, it's difficult for the Alliance to defend against a complicating factor such as Shen-Zin Su without the assistance of the Aspects. Are we certain that they cannot be extricated from the Throne of Thunder?”

Krivax glanced down at the report he’d received from the Dragonflight’s diplomat to the Alliance less than an hour ago. “Not anytime soon. We’ll just have to deal with the Scourge on our own until then. Fortunately, the Alliance should be able to repel any undead ground assaults on Kul’Tiras, and a naval siege would take a long time to break the island’s defenses. I’m more concerned about a potential attack elsewhere while our forces are distracted.”

Despite the giant undead turtle being a terrifying monster, there was a good reason why the Scourge was keeping Shen-zin Su away rather than just running it into the city. The Alliance had plenty of means to get their most powerful forces onto the creature’s back if it drew close enough, leaving the Lich King vulnerable to attack. The Alliance would undoubtedly suffer countless casualties, but it would be worth it to destroy the only thing keeping the Scourge under control.

Krivax continued to do what he could to help by continuing to coordinate aid to Kul’Tiras, but there was very little for the A.D.F. to do after all of its teams were deployed. He almost wished that he was fighting directly rather than being restricted to administrative tasks, but somebody needed to do it. Besides, it wasn’t as if there was nothing important that required his attention.

After about fifteen minutes of reading reports and watching the ongoing battle, Krivax finally received the message that he had been hoping for.

“The kaldorei delegation has arrived and is expecting you, Vizier Krivax,” said an elvish administrator as they walked into the room.

Feeling excited, Krivax left Magister Rommath in charge and hastened to the room that he’d set aside for Mal’Ganis’ interrogation. The initial plan had been to conduct it with the assistance of Malygos, but fortunately they’d already considered the possibility that the Aspect would be preoccupied and arranged for a replacement.

It was almost guaranteed that some of what Mal’Ganis knew would be time sensitive, so Krivax was grateful that the kaldorei had responded so quickly. Especially given who exactly would be replacing Malygos in summoning the Dreadlord’s soul from its container and interrogating it.

As Krivax entered the room, he was greeted to the sight of Ironaya in her female dwarf form examining a ritual site with the Soul Gem floating above it, shimmering with dark, foreboding energy. To the side were several night elf Sentinels alternated their gaze between the ritual and the prisoner they’d escorted here with suspicion.

It was somewhat strange to see Illidan Stormrage so relatively lightly guarded, but continuous negotiations between Krivax and the kaldorei leadership had eased suspicions significantly. The fact that the Lich King had proven himself to be a major threat and that Illidan had already participated in the Soul Gem’s creation without incident helped a lot as well.

“Greetings, Sentinel Starsong,” Krivax said to the leader of the night elf contingent. “Thank you for escorting Illidan here so swiftly.”

“High Priestess Tyrande and Lord Cenarius both believe that the situation is dire and that the Betrayer can be made of use,” said Sentinel Starsong, her voice carefully neutral so as to hide her own feelings on the matter. “Extracting information from a Dreadlord is an opportunity too valuable to be squandered.”

Krivax would normally have more to say, but it was far more important that they start the interrogation as quickly as possible.

“Are you ready to begin, Illidan?” Krivax asked, turning his attention to the prisoner.

“It has been eons since I was allowed to put my knowledge of arcane magic to proper use,” said Illidan, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia as he studied the ritual site. “That it would be used in service against the Burning Legion only makes this moment all the more satisfying. I am ready.”

Without further comment, Illidan began the process of preparing the ritual. He deftly moved around the site, his fingers drawing glowing sigils in the air that slowly settled around the Soul Gem. His eyes, still glowing with fel-green light, seemed more intense than ever as he focused on his task. Most only thought of Illidan in his relation to Fel magic, but there were few on Azeroth who could match the mastery over arcane magic that was currently on display.

Once everything was set, Illidan clasped his hands together and began chanting in kaldorei. The signals pulsed and the air seemed to crackle with energy as the Soul Gem began to cast eerie shadows across the room. The atmosphere grew heavy and a sense of foreboding filled every corner of the room.

Then, the ritual reached its culmination with a final, resonant word from Illidan. A dark wraithlike figure began to coalesce above the Soul Gem, its form twisting and writhing as though in agony. Wisps of shadow snaked around it, and two burning eyes seething with malice opened and glared toward its captures.

“Illidan Stormrage,” the Dreadlord’s soul hissed, his voice a venomous whisper. “After the gifts bestowed on you by our lord Sargeras, you still dare betray the Burning Legion? When we conquer this world and you are inevitably captured, you will yearn for the days when you were still merely imprisoned.”

Illidan scowled before raising his hand and activating one of the arcane sigils floating around the Soul Gem. Instantly, the Dreadlord’s soul began shrieking in utter agony, his wraithlike form convulsing.

“Your threats hold no weight here, Dreadlord,” Illidan said coldly as the ethereal figure continued to writhe. “I know exactly how much damage your soul can tolerate before it shatters. Answer our questions, and I might spare you prolonged suffering. Or refuse, and I simply torment you until your soul is weak enough to be bound.”

Unsurprisingly, the eons old entity who had spent an eternity serving an evil, torture-happy legion of demons was not cowed by a little bit of pain. It was only after Illidan used some manner of Fel magic to forcefully bind the Dreadlord’s essence that Mal’Ganis began to cooperate.

“What do you wish to know?” Mal’Ganis asked, his voice filled with a strange mixture of hatred and defeat.

“We want to know the Lich King’s plans,” Krivax said, not hesitating to step forward and bring up the most immediately important matter. “What is his goal in Kul’Tiras? Are there any other targets that he intends to attack?”

That question seemed to be the right one, as Mal’Ganis immediately began to strain against the binds that Illidan had placed on him. The Dreadlord’s form shimmered as he attempted to resist, but the chains of fel magic held him firmly in place.

“I could only guess. Your attack was unexpected and I was too focused on Pandaria to involve myself in their planning,” Mal’Ganis admitted begrudgingly. “However, I doubt that Kul’Tiras is their only target. Tichondrius has claimed that Gul’dan is becoming increasingly difficult to control. The Lich King has apparently become obsessed with obtaining vengeance against someone who wronged him in life after learning something from Detheroc.”

Krivax immediately felt a cold chill run down his carapace, both at the reveal of the Lich King’s identity and the news that Detheroc had already reformed in the Twisting Nether and shared whatever he had learned.

“Would Tichondrius allow the Lich King to pursue such a personal vendetta?” Krivax asked, trying to maintain his composure.

“Any competent Nathrezim understands the need for adaptability,” Mal’Ganis said disdainfully. “Knowing Tichondrius, he would allow this and replace a way to use it to further his own objectives.”

Krivax wanted to continue interrogating the Dreadlord, but if what Mal’Ganis said was true, then he couldn’t waste another moment. Focusing on his ability to sense Life and stretching them to their utmost limits Krivax systematically scanned Dalaran for the familiar absence of Life that came with necrotic magic or the twisted mockery of it inherent to demons.

It took a moment for him to tune out the Fel magic emanating from Illidan and Mal’Ganis, but he was eventually able to do so and began scanning the entirety of Dalaran for any anomalies. After nearly a minute of fruitless searching, Krivax almost let out a breath of relief and decided that his worries were unfounded until he suddenly noticed something strange.

Approaching Dalaran’s central portal hub were several figures that seemed… strangely indistinct to his senses. Had Krivax not been looking for something like this specifically, then he doubted that he would have noticed them.

Focusing on the figures, Krivax strained through what he suspected to be concealment magic to get a better sense of their natures. His worst fears were confirmed when he momentarily caught a glimpse of the most potent necromantic energy that he had ever felt in his life.

“Sentinel Starsong, I’m afraid that I need to request that Illidan help with more than just the ritual,” Krivax said with an urgent tone as he pulled his senses back to his immediate surroundings. “I know where the Lich King intends to attack, and we’re going to need all of the assistance we can get.”

If Gul’dan had been made the Lich King, then there was only one person who could reasonably be the target of his ire. Especially since Mal’Ganis claimed this obsession was formed after something that he learned from Detheroc, which was undoubtedly related to information stolen from Krivax’s mind.

After all, while Malygos had been the one to actually end Gul’dan’s life, the Aspect of Magic would have never known where to replace him without being forewarned.

A forewarning that had come from Krivax in the form of a letter revealing Gul’dan’s plan to raise the Tomb of Sargeras from the sea.