Arthas' face bore a trace of icy killing intent and a hint of annoyance at having the truth exposed. However, the Death Knight did not lash out immediately, merely letting out a cold snort.
He could clearly feel a violent surge of emotion from his master—the Lich King upon the Frozen Throne—the moment the name "Ner'zhul" was mentioned.
"Sharp tongues change no facts, Rhodes. My power and mission stem from an existence far greater than you can comprehend. As for Ner'zhul... the name of a failure is not fit to be compared to me," Arthas said stubbornly. He knew he could not admit it; otherwise, the Scourge would lose all face.
"Really? The former Prince of the Alliance, Arthas, reduced to working for a dead old Orc Shaman. You truly are a disgrace to your father. King Terenas sent the Horde scurrying in the Second War, and look at you now. Pathetic," Rhodes continued his mockery.
"Rhodes, I am not here for a fruitless argument. Demon Hunter, I have words—"
Before Arthas could finish, Illidan acted. A blast of Mana Burn scorched the air, instantly draining the Death Knight's magical reserves. Then, a shroud of green Fel fire erupted around him—the Demon Hunter's signature Immolation skill.
Illidan charged forward with the Twin Blades of Azzinoth. Seeing this, Rhodes gave a thumbs-up. He loved this kind of explosive temperament.
"You will regret approaching me, human. You are not prepared!" Illidan roared his famous line.
"If you want to fight, I shall oblige," Arthas countered, raising Frostmourne to clash with the Demon Hunter.
Illidan initially thought he could easily take down this death-scented human, but as they clashed, he found the opponent's martial skill to be exquisite, nearly equal to his own. Furthermore, the cursed runeblade Frostmourne was superior in quality to his own weapons. Having just been released from ten thousand years in a cell, Illidan actually found himself slightly at a disadvantage.
However, this was no duel. Rhodes immediately summoned several Light Elementals to join the fray and cast Magic Arrow. Having mastered Advanced Earth Magic, Rhodes' Magic Arrow reached a terrifying level of potency, second only to Lightning Bolt in raw damage.
After taking two of Rhodes' Magic Arrows, Arthas began to falter. Rhodes further weakened him by casting Curse and Slow.
"Rhodes, you despicable coward! Have the courage to face me in a duel! What kind of man stands aside throwing spells?"
"I'm a Mage! If I don't stand aside and cast spells, am I supposed to hit you with my staff? Why don't you put down Frostmourne and fight me then?" Rhodes retorted coldly.
"We could do this until the end of the world," Arthas said, parrying the combined attacks. "With my master's power, I might not take you both down, but you won't kill me either. Why not listen to my proposal?"
Illidan's blades moved in a blur of green light. "What does a filthy undead want with me? Delivering messages for your demon masters?"
"On the contrary," Arthas replied unexpectedly. "I am here to give you an opportunity—a chance to obtain power enough to challenge your true enemy. The Dreadlord leading the Legion forces nearby is called Tichondrius. He uses a powerful warlock artifact called the Skull of Gul'dan to corrupt your forest."
"So you want me to kill Tichondrius and destroy this 'Skull of Gul'dan' for you?" the Demon Hunter snorted, though his blades didn't slow down for a second.
Rhodes, acting as a backline caster, stayed at a distance, even summoning glittering Light Elementals to use Holy Flash to disorient Arthas. However, since Illidan used Fel energy, the holy spells also singed him. The Demon Hunter looked annoyed, and Rhodes gave an embarrassed smile, summoning Gold Golems and Diamond Golems to surround himself instead. As a Mage, one must always have a row of meat shields nearby.
"As I said, I have no love for that Dreadlord, and the Legion's defeat benefits my master as well," Arthas said. He launched a Death Coil at Rhodes, but it was blocked by a Diamond Golem. Rhodes retaliated with another Magic Arrow, making the Death Knight wince.
"Why should we believe a puppet like you, Arthas?" Illidan asked.
"My great master foresees everything, Demon Hunter. You crave more powerful Fel energy, and the Skull of Gul'dan is what you seek. He knows you have spent your life pursuing power. It is right before your eyes—can you walk away?"
"You're not that kind-hearted."
"Seize the opportunity, Demon Hunter. This power will make your enemies crumble," Arthas said. He parried the Twin Blades, turned his horse, and galloped away.
He knew if the fight continued, he might actually die against the two of them. Curse it, I should have brought Stanch or Sylvanas with me. Rhodes and Illidan shared a silent understanding and did not give chase.
"You heard what that Death Knight said. What do you think?" Illidan turned to Rhodes. "Should I deal with this Tichondrius and seize the Skull of Gul'dan?"
"I don't like the guy, but he's right," Rhodes said. "A Dreadlord named Tichondrius is indeed corrupting this forest. We should kill him and destroy the artifact. Of course, you could also use that artifact for... other things."
Rhodes knew the Skull of Gul'dan was vital for Illidan. It would reveal the path to Outland and the Tomb of Sargeras. Most importantly, the Fel energy within would allow Illidan to fully transcend into a demon, ensuring his survival even after death in the Twisting Nether.
"It sounds like a dangerous trap," Rhodes noted. "But against the Legion, sometimes you have to take risks. That foul Death Knight can't be trusted, but the enemy of my enemy can be useful for now."
"Then let us depart... your unique summons might prove useful. After all, the path to the Skull will not lack for loyal demon guards," Illidan said with a faint smirk.
He felt a sense of familiarity with Rhodes now; they were of one mind. Achieving a common goal, they wasted no more time. Guided by Illidan's sensitivity to Fel and aided by Rhodes' magic, they advanced toward the heart of the corruption in Felwood.
The Legion had established a small portal in the forest, summoning reinforcements and using undead as fodder.
"Your Light Elementals will be very useful. Summon them and have them self-destruct in the demon clusters," Illidan suggested.
"I'll have my summons draw their fire while I create chaos. You find the opening and take the target," Rhodes said, summoning his army of Gold, Diamond, and Iron Golems. He didn't use his Elemental Castle troops yet, keeping them as a trump card.
"Good. Just like old times," Illidan nodded, crouching like a panther ready to spring.
Rhodes raised his staff. Massive Arcane energy gathered as his Light Elementals charged into the center of the undead and demons, detonating in bursts of golden radiance that decimated the unholy ranks.
Illidan blurred into a green streak, using the shadows and the chaos of Rhodes' diversion to flank the outpost. His target was the altar where the Skull of Gul'dan sat—a vessel of immense, dark power.