Rhodes was completely stunned. What is going on? Broxigar didn't sacrifice himself?
How could he have survived? He had jumped into the portal of the Well of Eternity to strike at Sargeras. Logically, survival was impossible—unless Rhodes's presence as a "butterfly" in this timeline had inadvertently changed everything. Rhodes looked at Cenarius with intense curiosity.
"I'm sorry, I cannot tell you the details yet," Cenarius said with a faint smile. "You will understand when you experience it yourself in the future." He struggled to withhold the truth, but he knew that for Rhodes, these were events yet to happen. Altering the timeline further would be unnatural and potentially harmful to Rhodes's growth.
Rhodes nodded. If the legendary Orc veteran had survived, it was undoubtedly due to the ripple effect of his own actions. He had a high opinion of High Overlord Saurfang and his kin; if they held power in the future instead of a hothead like Garrosh, it would be a blessing for Azeroth.
"Let's talk about the present then," Rhodes said. "Teacher Cenarius, you must awaken all the Druids immediately."
In the original timeline, Cenarius's death had left the Druids leaderless and slumbering. But now, with the Demigod alive, he could blow the Horn of Cenarius himself to summon them from the Emerald Dream.
Rhodes was also curious about why Cenarius didn't utilize shapeshifting—the most iconic Druid ability. While Malorne, Cenarius's father, had been a combat powerhouse who stood toe-to-toe with Archimonde, Cenarius remained in his half-stag form.
"You're right, Rhodes," Cenarius agreed. "I will summon them, and I will also rally the other Wild Gods. The Burning Legion's current incursion is merely the vanguard led by Archimonde. They haven't opened a massive portal yet. If the full Legion arrives, Azeroth will fall. Their goal is likely the World Tree, Nordrassil, as it is the only thing capable of fueling a portal of that magnitude."
"We might be short on time," Rhodes warned. "Many Wild Gods haven't been reborn yet. This fight belongs to the mortal races." He knew that to defeat Archimonde, the best strategy was still the original plan: sacrificing the immortality of the Night Elves to detonate the World Tree.
"That is a heavy sacrifice," Cenarius sighed. "You must speak with Tyrande and Malfurion. They are the leaders now."
"There is no eternal throne," Rhodes countered. "The Night Elves have enjoyed ten thousand years of immortality. Even without the World Tree, they will still live for millennia. Azeroth no longer needs an immortal race."
Cenarius accepted this, inviting Rhodes to stay while the Druids gathered. During this period, he offered to teach Rhodes Life Magic.
Rhodes eagerly accepted; although he couldn't master the physical "claws and teeth" of a feral Druid, he mastered spells like Tranquility, Rejuvenation, Healing Touch, Entangling Roots, and Moonfire with his usual terrifying efficiency.
"Your talent for learning is as monstrous as ever," Cenarius chuckled, stroking his beard. "Just like ten thousand years ago when you first tried to apprentice under me. Back then, you shocked me by casting spells I hadn't taught you yet. Now I see that I am the one teaching them to you in the first place."
As Cenarius noted, Rhodes was a genius with magic but remained hopelessly inept at melee combat. Anything requiring a blade or physical technique eluded him, while complex life-energy manipulation came to him like breathing.
Days passed. The Warsong Orcs, leaderless after Grommash's death, retreated from Ashenvale toward the Stonetalon Mountains. Meanwhile, the sound of the horn echoed across Kalimdor, awakening the Druids.
One night, amidst the quiet of the forest, Rhodes visited the quarters of the High Elf mage, Capurnia. She was lounging in a silk robe, studying a scroll of Summon Fire Elemental he had given her.
"I can't make head or tail of it," she sighed. "It's as if this magic belongs to an entirely different system. I can cast it from the scroll, but I can't replicate the theory."
"I told you," Rhodes sat beside her. "Your Prince Kael'thas might have better luck, but for now, it's beyond you."
The elf smiled, resting her bare feet on Rhodes's lap. "It seems I'm getting the short end of this deal."
"You proposed the deal," Rhodes reminded her. He wasn't an innocent boy anymore; after half a year on Azeroth, he was feeling the strain of celibacy. He didn't want the strings attached to Jaina or the Princess just yet, but a "transaction" with a sophisticated High Elf was a different story.
"I'm not backing out," she whispered, her eyes glowing. "But are you sure about doing this in a Night Elf settlement? Their ears are very sharp, and they can see perfectly in the dark."
"We'll set up a barrier," Rhodes replied, casting an Arcane Shield that doubled as a soundproofing field around the treehouse.
"Good idea. And since you just learned Rejuvenation from Cenarius, you might want to save some mana for yourself," she teased, letting her robe slip to the floor.
"I think I'll be just fine." Rhodes led her to the window, overlooking the starlit forest. Inside, the lantern filled with magical fireflies swayed rhythmically, casting tangled shadows against the wooden walls.
"How about a magic game to liven things up?" Rhodes suggested during a lull.
"What kind of game?"
"A competitive tower-defense game from my world called League of Legends." Using magic, they conjured a 5v5 map in a virtual display. They played a "single-player" version, using magic to control the units. This time, Rhodes showed no mercy, utilizing his superior knowledge of the game's mechanics to overwhelm her.
"I think you're being a bit excessive," she panted later, her face flushed.
"Am I?"
"You said this was a duo-queue game. Next time, I'm bringing a Priest as my support," she huffed, implying that Rhodes had only gained the upper hand by cheating with his new healing and life spells.
"That's a bit much, don't you think?"
"If you don't mind, you can bring your human mage friend to cover the mid-lane next time," she countered with a smirk.
Rhodes coughed awkwardly and took his leave, heading back to his own room to rest. It had been an exhausting, yet highly productive, night.